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thefreshfinds · 5 years

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JOHNNY QUEST THE REBEL:

Johnny The Quest’s rhymes are beyond any listener’s wildest dreams. While others use their music to speak on artificial topics like sex, drugs & their drip, Johnny Quest the Rebel uses his natural skill to not only put the hating n-ggas to sleep, but he also conveys an influential message. If it isn’t through clever punchlines & entendres, then he gets personal — telling his own story for others to relate to. However Johnny Quest the Rebel is one who believes that one should F.R.Y.D (F.ollow R.each Y.our D.reams) because he knows what it’s like to feel lost & unsure of how you are. Wholeheartedly he defines as one who’s empathic, truthful & real. The “Rebel” side comes from a daily challenge of having an active role in life. “I believe that one of our purposes is to unravel the world.” he goes on to say. On the whole Johnny Quest the Rebel is the voice who demands the world to give up the answers because often we are left wondering “why?”

Starting his musical journey in two different points of his life — Johnny Quest the Rebel first got his big break in 2000/2001. He recalls the first time he freestyled with his older brother & cousins in his Grandma’s basement, saying that they all grew up pretty humble. So Johnny figured if he could be a kid star like Bow Wow then they would never have to worry about money. As he grew up & did a couple of group projects, it wasn’t until he hit rock bottom in 2012 when he started to use music as a therapeutic process to help battle with anxiety & depression. “Music, amongst a few other things, helped me re-instill my confidence & got me out of my low.” Johnny Quest the Rebel adds “It always has, even as a listener, but I just owned that I wanted my music to do for others as it had for me.” After hearing responses from his music, Johnny decided to take music seriously. He was going to live his dream & wake up the people! Till this day he’s thanking his lucky stars. To define Johnny Quest the Rebel’s sound, would be more of a renaissance style. It has all the main components of our golden era of hip hop: storytelling, being the voice for those who are afraid to speak & genre defying — testing all sounds solely to reach different audiences. DREAM gives you a snippet of Johnny Quest the Rebel’s versatility and star power. “You will hear me express how it feels to have a dream even that moment when you realize you can really make it happen.” he adds. “Find your dream & pursue it with 1000% effort, 10x the amount you personally thought you could give.” All in all DREAM sheds some light on Johnny Quest the Rebel’s journey & gives people who have dreams some inspiration to keep going. Like the famous writer Marsha Norman says, “Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.”

The Break Down:

1. Dream: Stomping into your circadian rhythm, Johnny the Quest keeps one alert in the first song “Dream”. Before the beat drop, an high pitched voice echoes out “Dream” over the white noise. Then the beat fuses in beside the familiar voice with sprialing hi-hats, an 808, reverse & futuristic sound effect. However once Johnny booms in saying “all I had was a dream” that’s when things go in full effect. As the beat continues on, Sunnie sings the chorus with effortless passion & sensuality, “If I close my eyes a little longer, baby everything will be ok *insert vocal run to “ok”*/In fact that don’t kill me, it only made me stronger/Well I say turn a dream into tomorrow/And turn tomorrow into today. Johnny Quest the Rebel then uses smooth yet minimal auto-tune for the cut-throat bars he’s about to spit. Ultimately, Johnny Quest The Rebel leads by example that anything is possible if you work hard for it & advices others to do the same. Sometimes we wait for opportunities to come but we should go and find them instead. An example can be seen from this very line from Johnny: “All about the timing, not the diamonds or the risk/But a young Rebel said I need to shine too/Hunting down dreams cause they won’t find you/.../If it glitter & it golden let it blind you.”

2. Truth or Dare: “Truth or Dare” levels up as the second track with a finely tuned violin chord & 808’s that are guaranteed to stick with you from the very beginning to the end. Ultimately the wise MC speaks on his undying hunger to accomplish his goal to make it. “Young Pixar, for my dreams I will risk all. Only way is up when you’re coming from a pitfall.” Even when he’s lived in a nightmare, he still rose with the sun & made things happen. Not only for himself, but for his people as well. Johnny Quest the Rebel also feels highly blessed & favored to be living his dream. Fading out is a voice that says “Don’t wake me up.” & then the famous phrase (and album title) “Dream.”

3. Projects 2 Mansions: “Projects 2 Mansions” breaks the rims off the speaker with it’s stormy base (& yes! It really does sound like it could come off an 90’s sitcom). As the base goes ham, the background leaves some space for the twinkle effect & hi-hats to work it’s magic. The reverb here is the “oooh” & “yeah” that’s highly pitched but also mesmerizing. As Johnny Quest the Rebel questions the listener “Is this everything that you’ve dreamed of? The most hated on I dream love.” he also uses punchlines & metaphors to speak on his luxurious life, living his best life with the homies & gives the haters something to think about. “Hustle like Russell, back when I had to bag a Kimora.” Johnny Quest the Rebel also spreads the word on how it happened (& if you do this too, who’s to say that it won’t happen as soon as tomorrow!?) “Cause I done paid my dues, I swear they cost a lot/.../Only reason that I’m here, somebody paid for me/Don’t get caught up in these streets & be somebodies prey homie. Instead of a 9 to 5, he’s doing what he loves. But to get there is pretty simple: Dream first, hustle second.

4. In My Zone: “Channel surfing on electric waves,” Johnny Quest the Rebel gives us some insight on what pushes him on a daily to achieve his dreams. “Catch Johnny on the star track/..All white but I’m all black/90’s baby so I’m all that/Searching for my bag of chips on different continents. Trying condiments. Even when the going gets rough, Johnny Quest the Rebel advices all in the song to just stay in your zone because eventually it will all pay off. Believe it or not, he’s been through the drafts. Still, he can never be taken out. In unison a feminine voice says in the back “In My Zone.” during certain parts (& the vocals even resemble the singer, The Weeknd’s range). The beat also has a chill-wave feel to it & just cruises into your cerebral cortex.

5. JOHNNY TSUNAMI (SKIT): This short excerpt sounds as if it comes from the greater times when technology was on the rise. At first the interviewer explains who Johnny Quest is & ask then goes on to ask him the question, “Why this quest for the perfect wave?”. Gracefully, he stays composed & gives the best answers to this one which are followed by a couple more.

6. Top of The World: As he takes a hit & answers how to catch the perfect wave — Johnny Quest the Rebel, the beat goes ham with laser beams & hi-hats. While on a “surf board with a dream catcher,” the MC goes to say that this first verse was a favorite because he left some gems that most people won't understand on the first listen. “I love when people listen them come back weeks or months later & are like, “Oh that’s what you meant”. This song also falls in as his favorite one off the project as well, “It came together so smoothly & it’s a dope song.” he adds “I wanted a record that I was able to stay true but that could be listened to in different spaces that everybody could get on they wave.” For me, I interpreted this song’s message as a P.S.A for those who are afraid to break out of their comfort zone. Don’t say you’re going to do something. Just do it. Even if you fall, brush yourself off. Try again. After all, you create your destiny. An example can be seen in these lines: “Life’s a b*tch & I treat it like a model..Now they’re calling me the Native Sun/Waves speaking in my native tongue/Talk back with a body language/English probably is a second language.”

7. www.(420 Reprise): Paying contribute to his right hand Mary Jane, the beat takes a sultry approach( which could be contributed thanks to the fumes or the lighter that sparks up in every song off of Dream) & finds a way to our “Blaze it Up” playlist. As the guitar strings make an appeasing tune, Johnny Quest The Rebel speaks about his daily ritual: to smoke & drink water. Yet he also lets us in a little & speaks on the best piece of advice he’s received from his lady “She tell me not to worry ‘bout what they say/Master your high, grasshopper till you feel like Sensei/And then you treat the world like it’s your dojo/ You gotta give back where nobody can steal your mojo.” At the end, the guitar goes into solo & nails what a guitar riff should sound like.

8. 20/20 Vision: In midst of the snaps, snares & twinkle sound effect — Johnny Quest the Rebel sings in auto-tune “I see in 20/20 my vision, so clear, so clear.” According to the MC the profound message is that any/everyone who has a dream is going to see their vision before anyone will support it or believe it is possible. “Shit this record might make someone quit they day job.” Johnny adds. As long as you keep your focus & work ethic intact then the sky is the limit.

By: Natalee Gilbert

LINK(S):

1. DREAM: https://soundcloud.com/jquesttherebel/sets/dream

2. Instagram: @jquesttherebel

#soundcloud #freshfinds #music #musicblog #rap #listen #banger #musicians #hip hop #follow #johnnyquesttherebel #dream #mixtape #unsignedhype #motivationalquotes

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attheexactlyrighttimeandplace · 2 years

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List of people who are revealed to be without brains in the wake of the release of The Rings of Power (count one point for each category that concerns you) :

The ones who use the general tags to tag their hate. They want to make sure their negativity get them as much likes and reblogs as possible, so keeping it to the anti tags wouldn't give them the popularity they're looking for. Who care if there are fans who are actually enjoying the series, loving the gifs, sincerely curious about the discussions about the parallels and differences with the books. The haters are on crusade, they picked their missions and as all greedy and rigid extremists do, won't let true fans have a fandom, a space to enjoy things. Why should real fans have the right to be happy about something if the haters can't?

The ones who hate on the show and curse it for existing without even having watched one episode. They are hoping it will fail and even actively pushing for its fail by creating as many negative and absurd reviews as they can, as if it would change their lives if the people who have worked on Rings of Power - as in it's their paid job for which they're waking up every morning and staying late at night - since 5 years and whose career depend on its success, would benefit from it.

The ones who dismiss and denigrate the quality of the project on the basis of who funded it, as if the people on the creative and artistic side of the project weren't big Tolkien's fan too, as if they didn't put all their skills and talent to create this really fine adaptation of his work.

The ones who scream with rage and determination anticapitalism in the tags as if cinema and tv film weren't industries since their creation with making money as their primary goal. How do they think the films and tv shows they have been gobbling since they are kids have been produced? Who do they think have been funding their favourites films and series? It has been all paid by big studios and big networks since the start. It has always been the only way for the artists (actors, crew, composers, costume designers etc.., ) that are collaborating to those big/popular projects to make a living of it.

The ones that pretend it's an ethical issue to boycott it, while they are drenched from the hair to the toe in capitalism and never thought about the concept of boycott, let alone about actively boycotting any other big companies that are making products and services, that they enjoy daily (from iphones to coffee, from clothes to books) and don't want out of their lives. If you want to do something useful, use boycott to support the important social and political issues that really matter like the fight against apartheid and colonization in Palestine, or the grassroot movements.

The ones who think that because they themselves had enough of Tolkien's world with the books and Peter Jackson's films, no one else need to watch more adaptations. Are they aware that others people exist and they don't share their taste and opinions? This level of self centredness is incomprehensible.

The ones who act like they're the only ones who use critical thinking. As if the producers, writers, and everyone who made choices on the project were just too dumb to see what works or doesn't work on screen, what is consistent or isn't consistent with the books. If the Elves don't have long hair like in the books, it's obviously because it's a editorial choice that could be explained by many arguments like

the cast of elves is very large and it would be confusing to keep for all them the same look considering that the characters have limited screentime, and considering that the series is destined to a large public, most of them having never read the books and thus never met those characters, except the ones who were already in the previous films.

Its' a way to make them closer to the humans, more relatable, which make sense considering that they are the main characters in this story (which is not the same story as told by Tolkien but was strongly inspired by it). It goes hand to hand with the fact that we are supposed to see, despite their elfic nature, their very human flaws/weaknesses and dishonourable/compromising behaviour and not treat them as weird androgynous sexual fetishes. In this context, nobody care about the aesthetic or the loss of sexual appeal for the actors and characters.

The ones who think that there was a way to make The Hobbits look good on screen. Some things will never translate well from one medium (books) to an other (screens). An entire community of very small people living a very wild and hidden life in the woods is one of them. I'm' not sure it was necessary to include them in an adaptation of the Second Age (i don't remember this part of the lore and can't say if Hobbits were in the books concerned by this period). But i'm certain their accent is not a lowblow to humiliate irish people. It only means: in an alternate world which bears no similarities to ours, people can have similar accents since the context is entirely different. It's grating maybe, but what isn't annoying when it comes to The Hobbits, except Frodo and Sam? The mix of white and black actors to play Hobbits while this type of Hobbits are supposed to be brown people is largely more annoying.

The ones who compare this new branch of the Middle Earth story to the MCU franchise? What is wrong with you people? How can you compare an adaptation of Tolkien's work, even (wrongly) labelled as not satisfying, with the crap produced by Marvel? Even the comics were bad stories! You have eaten this junk food until you reached indigestion and now that you are full, everything else look the same and equally bad, but it's the fault of the creative team of Rings of Power? Seriously, go fast and get a healthy diet for your brain before shitposting about things you don't even know to deconstruct anymore.

There's more in the tags but this level of absurdity is already so tiresome! People just need to learn to pass when they don't feel attracted to something, instead of throwing a tantrum like a 3 years child who is learning to say no.

You don't want it, don't watch it and more importantly MOVE ON.

#the rings of power #lotr #j.r.r. tolkien #peter jackson

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marymosley · 5 years

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No, The U.S. Does Not Need European-Style Hate Speech Laws

Below is my column in USA Today on the latest calls for limiting free speech and imposing censorship on political speech. Last week, we discussed the refusal of students to allow former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to speak at Northwestern University and a New Yorker writer calling for the curtailment of free speech. These attacks are coming largely from the left where speech criminalization and censorship has become an article of faith for activists and some Democratic members.

Roughly 70 years ago, Justice William O. Douglas accepted a prestigious award with a speech entitled “The One Un-American Act,” about the greatest threat to a free nation. He warned that the restriction of free speech “is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.” For decades since Douglas’ famous speech, the Democratic Party has been a champion of free speech in fighting that subversion. Yet recently, the Democratic Party seems to have abandoned its historic fealty to free speech. Democratic writers and leaders are publicly calling for everything from censorship to the criminalization of free speech. The latest such clarion call appeared in The Washington Post by a column from MSNBC analyst and former Obama official Richard Stengel.

Stengel’s proposal would rip up this founding principle

Stengel, the former managing editor of Time magazine, made a chilling call for Americans to give up their free speech. He began this self-destructive pitch in the most curious way: referring to the understandable confusion of Arab diplomats over our failure to arrest those who insult religion for such acts as burning the Koran. Stengel explained how he could not really explain why we tolerate such insulting forms of speech. It was a telling example. Stengel served at the State Department under the Obama Administration, which some of us criticized for a change in policy to support countries like Saudi Arabia in seeking to create a “new” standard allowing the criminalization of speech that insults religion at the United Nations. The resolution was a thinly disguised blasphemy law, something Muslim nations have been pushing for decades.

Stengel insists that the Arab diplomats raised a “fair” question, ignoring that it is a question raised by countries that routinely execute and flog those who insult religion or the government. Stengel insists “the First Amendment protects the ‘thought that we hate’ but it should not protect hateful speech that can cause violence by one group against another. In an age when everyone has a megaphone, that seems like a design flaw.” That “design flaw” is free speech itself.

Stengel is not alone. Recently, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was denounced by Democratic members like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., NY) for refusing to censor false or misleading political ads. Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the dangers of the censorship of political speech and demanded, “So you won’t take down lies or you will take down lies? I think that is just a pretty simple yes or no.” The push for corporate speech controls is particularly chilling because our first amendment protects against government regulation of speech. The Democrats are seeking to use corporations like Facebook to do what the government cannot do under our Constitution.

It seems Democrats have fallen out of love with free speech and lost all tolerance for opposing views. In another example, San Francisco recently declared the National Rifle Association to be a terrorist organization while banning official business with roughly half of the states for failing to “reflect our values” on abortion or LGBTQ rights. Likewise, Democratic leaders like former Vermont Governor Howard Dean have dismissed the notion that hate speech is protected under the First Amendment.Get the Opinion newsletter in your inbox.

Yet the most chilling aspect of the recent calls for speech controls is the call for the adoption of European-style hate crime laws. Free speech is in free fall in Europe where countries like France, Germany and England routinely charge people for speech deemed offensive or insulting to any group. These laws, Stengel assures readers, are intended to “curb the incitement of racial and religious hatred.”

They do so by dramatically curbing free speech. In France, 12 protesters were fined for supporting the boycott of Israel. In Denmark, a politician was convicted for burning Korans. A German politician was criminally charged for calling migrants “scum.” In England, a Baptist minister was jailed overnight for preaching against homosexuality and a man was investigated for telling a Nelson Mandela joke.

Limiting free speech won’t accomplish what you want

None of this, mind you, has put a dent in the ranks of actual fascists and haters. Neo-Nazis are holding huge rallies by adopting new symbols and coded words while Germany arrested a man on a train because he had a Hitler ring tone on his phone.

The impact of these laws was evident in a recent poll of German citizens. Only 18% of Germans feel free to express their opinions in public. 59% of Germans did not even feel free expressing themselves in private among friends. And just 17% felt free to express themselves on the Internet.

That is the real success of hate speech laws. These laws are so generally worded that no one can be sure that they are not committing a crime. France bars incitement to racial discrimination, hatred, or violence on basis of race, origin, ethic group, religion or national identity. That includes such statements in private communications. In the United Kingdom, you can be arrested for language deemed “threatening, abusive, insulting” or “likely to cause[] harassment, alarm, or distress.”

These standards notably depend not on how words are intended but how they are received or perceived by third parties. These European laws allow the government to declare what speech is true and what is false. They are based on the very notion stated by Stengel, “All speech is not equal.” Thus, “where truth cannot drive out lies,” Stengel argues, we must allow the government and private companies like Facebook to teach citizens not to tell lies.

While our leaders may have lost faith in free speech, citizens would be wise to listen to the words off framers like Benjamin Franklin who warned the citizens about those who try to convince a free people to give up their freedoms: “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”

Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, is a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors. Follow him on Twitter: @JonathanTurley

No, The U.S. Does Not Need European-Style Hate Speech Laws published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

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northsyria04-blog · 5 years

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A Great Food Sweatshirt, Famous Barbecue Sauce, and More Things to Buy This Week

This post originally appeared on March 19, 2019, in Add to Cart — the weekly newsletter for people who love shopping (almost) as much as they love eating. Subscribe now.

On Saturday night, on my way home from a delightful party with rather undelightful wine, I found myself scrolling through Instagram, inspired to bring better wine into my life. I found an online seller called Primal; it looked nice and had a decent number of followers, one of whom, Instagram kindly informed me, is a coworker. I managed to order two bottles of wine before my Lyft pulled to a stop — but only with a bunch of fumbling, multiple browser windows, and a glance at my physical credit card.

We’ve all gotten used to bumpy online checkout processes. But today, in what qualifies as major shopping news — and a reminder that crappy online experiences don’t have to be so crappy — Facebook announced you can now buy things directly on Instagram. Instead of being redirected to a browser window when you tap on a product, you’ll see a big blue button. Tap “Checkout on Instagram”; input your email, shipping details, and payment information; and voila, you’ve placed your order without ever leaving Instagram.

It seems like a feature that should’ve existed years ago. For many people, Instagram functions like a more engaging Google, where search results come with better photos and validation from friends (and recommendations creepily informed by what you’ve been Googling). And just as I’m more likely to pick a brunch place based on what my coworkers are tagging rather than on random searching, I’m more likely to buy things based on what my friends are liking (or based on what looks particularly enticing on my “Explore” tab — the ultimate window shopping).

Which makes seamless shopping via Instagram a welcome, if not monumental, change. The capability is currently limited to certain fashion and beauty brands, like Nike, Warby Parker, H&M, and Oscar de la Renta (please tell me who is buying Oscar de la Renta via Instagram). But if Instagram expands it, which seems inevitable, friction-free, impulse-friendly wine shopping could be in our futures.

Things to buy

This perfect Goldie sweatshirt shouts out the Philly falafel shop with vintage college vibes.

Despite recently receiving a very legit food processor as a wedding gift, I find myself still turning to the Ninja Food Chopper Express Chop, which gets the job done as well but is vastly easier to clean, store (in tiny city kitchen cabinets!), and generally manhandle.

If you, like me, spent the weekend watching Queer Eye and sobbing softly into a throw blanket over the sheer goodness of humanity, you might also be interested to know that Jones Bar-B-Q sauce, created by the “heroes” of Episode 3, the Jones sisters, is now available online. “As of yesterday morning, we sold 11,000 bottles. We averaged 1.7 bottles per minute this weekend,” the newly famous biz shared with fans.

A very underrated cooking tool: really comfortable socks. For a chef-approved pair, splurge on Cook Life socks by True Cooks.

Things to know

New York’s just-unveiled Hudson Yards, an embarrassing modern temple to luxury and inaccessibility, is really just a seven-story mall and as such has an extremely extensive food court. Eater NY has an exhaustive rundown (complete with a liveblog and an Instagram adventure) of the good, the bad, and the absurd of the dining options.

Pyrex is a mainstay in millions of American kitchens, including my own, and yet I somehow missed the controversy over exploding Pyrex glass. The tl;dr: It’s probably still fine to use, but maybe be careful?

Interested in another semi-expensive kitchen appliance that you’ll get approximately four uses out of before it starts gathering dust? This just in, from the Wall Street Journal: “White Russian in a Pod? Budweiser Maker Pushes K-Cup Machine for Cocktails.” FWIW, previous versions of this have all been disasters.

Christmas came late this year with the March arrival of Deadspin’s annual Hater’s Guide to the Williams-Sonoma Catalog. With lines like “This toffee tin may as well read HEY, MARY LOUISE! EAT SHIT!” it was well worth the wait.

Hudson Yards in NYC

Alex Staniloff

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Source: https://www.eater.com/2019/3/20/18273297/jones-bbq-sauce-goldie-sweatshirt-merch-buy-shopping-food

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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airoasis · 5 years

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We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads | Zeynep Tufekci

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/were-building-a-dystopia-just-to-make-people-click-on-ads-zeynep-tufekci-3/

We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads | Zeynep Tufekci

So when humans voice fears of man-made intelligence, very mostly, they invoke pics of humanoid robots run amok. ? Terminator? You realize, that probably anything to recall, however that’s a far off danger. Or, we be troubled about digital surveillance with metaphors from the previous. "1984," George Orwell’s "1984," it’s hitting the bestseller lists again. It’s a pleasant booklet, but it’s not the correct dystopia for the twenty first century. What we must fear most just isn’t what artificial intelligence will do to us on its possess, however how the men and women in vigor will use artificial intelligence to manipulate us and to govern us in novel, repeatedly hidden, delicate and surprising ways.A lot of the technology that threatens our freedom and our dignity in the close-time period future is being developed by means of companies within the trade of taking pictures and promoting our information and our awareness to advertisers and others: fb, Google, Amazon, Alibaba, Tencent. Now, artificial intelligence has began bolstering their industry as well. And it’s going to seem like artificial intelligence is solely the following factor after on-line commercials. It’s no longer. It is a jump in category. It is a whole distinctive world, and it has fine abilities. It would accelerate our figuring out of many areas of be taught and study. However to paraphrase a famous Hollywood thinker, "With prodigious potential comes prodigious chance." Now let’s seem at a basic fact of our digital lives, online commercials. Right? We sort of push aside them. They appear crude, ineffective. We’ve all had the expertise of being followed on the web by using an ad centered on anything we searched or learn. You already know, you seem up a pair of shoes and for every week, those boots are following you round everywhere you go.Even after you succumb and purchase them, they’re nonetheless following you around. We’re form of inured to that sort of basic, affordable manipulation. We roll our eyes and we think, "you know what? These matters do not work." except, on-line, the digital technologies are usually not just commercials. Now, to understand that, let’s think of a physical world instance. You understand how, at the checkout counters at supermarkets, near the cashier, there’s sweet and gum on the eye degree of children? That’s designed to make them whine at their father and mother just because the moms and dads are about to kind of examine out. Now, that’s a persuasion structure. It’s not exceptional, but it type of works. That is why you see it in each grocery store. Now, in the physical world, such persuasion architectures are form of constrained, given that that you could simplest put so many matters by means of the cashier. Correct? And the sweet and gum, it is the equal for all people, even though it as a rule works just for individuals who have whiny little humans beside them. In the bodily world, we reside with those barriers. In the digital world, though, persuasion architectures can also be constructed on the scale of billions and they may be able to goal, infer, comprehend and be deployed at contributors one at a time via identifying your weaknesses, and they may be able to be despatched to every body’s cellphone personal reveal, so it is not seen to us.And that is special. And that is simply one of the most general things that artificial intelligence can do. Now, let’s take an example. Let’s say you want to sell airplane tickets to Vegas. Proper? So in the old world, you could consider of some demographics to target founded on expertise and what which you could wager. You would try to advertise to, oh, guys between the ages of 25 and 35, or folks who have a excessive limit on their credit card, or retired couples. Right? That is what you would do prior to now. With tremendous knowledge and desktop studying, that is no longer the way it works anymore.As a way to imagine that, believe of all of the data that facebook has on you: each reputation update you ever typed, each Messenger conversation, each place you logged in from, your entire graphics that you uploaded there. For those who begin typing anything and alter your intellect and delete it, fb keeps those and analyzes them, too. More and more, it tries to check you together with your offline information. It additionally purchases various knowledge from data brokers. It would be everything from your fiscal files to a just right chunk of your browsing history. Proper? In the U.S., such information is regularly gathered, collated and bought. In Europe, they have more difficult principles. So what occurs then is, by churning by means of all that data, these computer-studying algorithms — that is why they’re known as learning algorithms — they study to recognize the characteristics of persons who purchased tickets to Vegas earlier than. When they learn this from present data, they also be taught the way to apply this to new folks.So if they may be offered with a new person, they may be able to classify whether that man or woman is probably going to buy a ticket to Vegas or no longer. Best. You’re pondering, an present to purchase tickets to Vegas. I can ignore that. However the challenge is not that. The crisis is, we not quite fully grasp how these elaborate algorithms work. We do not realise how they’re doing this categorization. It’s gigantic matrices, 1000’s of rows and columns, probably thousands of rows and columns, and not the programmers and no longer someone who appears at it, despite the fact that you could have all the data, knows anymore how exactly it’s working any further than you’d recognize what I was once pondering proper now should you were shown a go component of my mind. It’s like we’re no longer programming anymore, we’re growing intelligence that we do not truly recognize. And these things only work if there is an colossal amount of data, so they also inspire deep surveillance on all of us so that the computer studying algorithms can work. That’s why facebook wishes to gather the entire data it might about you. The algorithms work higher. So let’s push that Vegas example a bit.What if the method that we do not recognize was identifying up that it’s less complicated to promote Vegas tickets to humans who are bipolar and about to enter the manic phase. Such individuals are inclined to emerge as overspenders, compulsive gamblers. They could do that, and you’ll don’t have any clue that’s what they had been picking up on. I gave this example to a bunch of laptop scientists as soon as and afterwards, one in every of them got here as much as me.He used to be bothered and he said, "that is why i couldn’t submit it." I used to be like, "could not post what?" He had tried to look whether or not that you may certainly determine the onset of mania from social media posts before scientific symptoms, and it had worked, and it had labored very well, and he had no idea the way it worked or what it was once selecting up on. Now, the concern is not solved if he would not submit it, due to the fact that there are already organizations which can be constructing this form of technological know-how, and various the stuff is simply off the shelf.This isn’t very complex anymore. Do you ever go on YouTube that means to observe one video and an hour later you have got watched 27? You know how YouTube has this column on the right that says, "Up subsequent" and it autoplays anything? It is an algorithm determining what it thinks that you just perhaps involved in and might be no longer to find in your own. It’s not a human editor. It can be what algorithms do. It picks up on what you have watched and what individuals like you’ve gotten watched, and infers that that must be what you’re enthusiastic about, what you need more of, and simply suggests you extra. It seems like a benign and priceless characteristic, besides when it isn’t. So in 2016, I attended rallies of then-candidate Donald Trump to study as a pupil the movement helping him. I be taught social actions, so I used to be studying it, too. After which I desired to write some thing about considered one of his rallies, so I watched it a few times on YouTube. YouTube began recommending to me and autoplaying to me white supremacist videos in growing order of extremism. If I watched one, it served up one much more severe and autoplayed that one, too.If you watch Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders content material, YouTube recommends and autoplays conspiracy left, and it goes downhill from there. Well, you possibly pondering, this is politics, but it’s not. This isn’t about politics. That is just the algorithm figuring out human behavior. I as soon as watched a video about vegetarianism on YouTube and YouTube encouraged and autoplayed a video about being vegan. It’s like you are certainly not hardcore enough for YouTube. (Laughter) So what is going on on? Now, YouTube’s algorithm is proprietary, but here’s what I consider is going on. The algorithm has found out that if you can entice people into pondering you can exhibit them something extra hardcore, they may be extra prone to stay on the web site staring at video after video happening that rabbit hole even as Google serves them commercials.Now, with no one minding the ethics of the shop, these websites can profile folks who are Jew haters, who feel that Jews are parasites and who’ve such express anti-Semitic content, and allow you to goal them with advertisements. They may be able to also mobilize algorithms to search out for you seem-alike audiences, people who do not have such express anti-Semitic content material on their profile however who the algorithm detects could also be susceptible to such messages, and allows you to goal them with ads, too. Now, this may increasingly sound like an unbelievable instance, but this is real.ProPublica investigated this and observed you could indeed do that on fb, and facebook helpfully supplied up suggestions on the right way to expand that audience. BuzzFeed tried it for Google, and very swiftly they determined, yep, you are able to do it on Google, too. And it wasn’t even highly-priced. The ProPublica reporter spent about 30 greenbacks to target this category. So final yr, Donald Trump’s social media supervisor disclosed that they have been using facebook darkish posts to demobilize men and women, to not persuade them, but to convince them to not vote in any respect.And to do that, they precise primarily, for illustration, African-American guys in key cities like Philadelphia, and i will learn exactly what he said. I’m quoting. They have been making use of "nonpublic posts whose viewership the campaign controls so that best the individuals we need to see it see it. We modeled this. It’s going to dramatically affect her capacity to turn these folks out." What’s in those dark posts? We have no suggestion. Facebook is not going to inform us. So fb additionally algorithmically arranges the posts that your pals put on facebook, or the pages you follow. It would not show you the whole thing chronologically. It puts the order in the way that the algorithm thinks will entice you to stay on the site longer. Now, so this has a lot of consequences. You can be thinking a person is snubbing you on facebook.The algorithm could on no account be showing your post to them. The algorithm is prioritizing some of them and burying the others. Experiments exhibit that what the algorithm picks to exhibit that you would be able to influence your feelings. But that is not all. It additionally influences political habits. So in 2010, within the midterm elections, fb did an scan on sixty one million people in the USA that used to be disclosed after the very fact. So some men and women had been proven, "at present is election day," the less complicated one, and a few people had been shown the one with that tiny tweak with those little thumbnails of your acquaintances who clicked on "I voted." this easy tweak.Good enough? So the photos were the one alternate, and that submit shown simply once became out one more 340,000 voters in that election, in line with this research as confirmed by using the voter rolls. A fluke? No. Considering in 2012, they repeated the same scan. And that point, that civic message proven simply as soon as turned out an extra 270,000 voters. For reference, the 2016 US presidential election used to be decided by means of about one hundred,000 votes. Now, fb may also very simply infer what your politics are, despite the fact that you’ve got by no means disclosed them on the web page. Right? These algorithms can do that rather without problems. What if a platform with that style of vigor decides to turn out supporters of 1 candidate over the other? How would we even find out about it? Now, we began from someplace seemingly innocuous — on-line provides following us around — and we have now landed someplace else. As a public and as residents, we now not understand if we’re seeing the identical understanding or what someone else is seeing, and with out a normal foundation of understanding, grade by grade, public debate is fitting inconceivable, and we’re just on the establishing phases of this.These algorithms can relatively comfortably infer things like your men and women’s ethnicity, devout and political affairs, persona features, intelligence, happiness, use of addictive materials, parental separation, age and genders, just from fb likes. These algorithms can establish protesters even though their faces are in part concealed. These algorithms could also be capable to realize humans’s sexual orientation simply from their relationship profile portraits. Now, these are probabilistic guesses, so they are not going to be one hundred percentage proper, but i don’t see the powerful resisting the temptation to use these technologies simply seeing that there are some false positives, that will of course create a entire different layer of problems. Suppose what a state can do with the immense amount of information it has on its residents. China is already using face detection technology to identify and arrest folks. And here’s the tragedy: we’re constructing this infrastructure of surveillance authoritarianism simply to get humans to click on on advertisements. And this won’t be Orwell’s authoritarianism. This is not "1984." Now, if authoritarianism is using overt fear to terrorize us, we’ll all be scared, but we will realize it, we’ll hate it and we will face up to it.But when the persons in vigour are using these algorithms to quietly watch us, to evaluate us and to nudge us, to foretell and establish the troublemakers and the rebels, to install persuasion architectures at scale and to govern contributors one by one using their private, man or woman weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and if they are doing it at scale by means of our personal monitors in order that we don’t even comprehend what our fellow citizens and neighbors are seeing, that authoritarianism will envelop us like a spider’s web and we would possibly not even be aware of we’re in it.So facebook’s market capitalization is coming near 1/2 1000000000000 greenbacks. It’s seeing that it really works excellent as a persuasion structure. However the structure of that structure is the equal whether or not you are selling sneakers or whether or not you are selling politics. The algorithms have no idea the change. The same algorithms set loose upon us to make us extra pliable for commercials are additionally organizing our political, private and social expertise flows, and that’s what’s got to alter. Now, do not get me incorrect, we use digital structures due to the fact they furnish us with nice value. I exploit facebook to maintain in touch with neighbors and family world wide. I’ve written about how principal social media is for social movements. I’ve studied how these applied sciences can be used to circumvent censorship around the globe.But it’s now not that the humans who run, , fb or Google are maliciously and intentionally trying to make the country or the sector more polarized and motivate extremism. I read the various well-intentioned statements that these humans put out. But it surely’s no longer the intent or the statements folks in technology make that topic, it’s the structures and business models they’re constructing. And that’s the core of the concern.Both facebook is a gigantic con of half of one thousand billion bucks and commercials do not work on the website, it does not work as a persuasion architecture, or its power of have an impact on is of first-class obstacle. It is both one or the other. It is equivalent for Google, too. So what will we do? This wishes to alter. Now, I can’t offer a simple recipe, considering that we ought to restructure the entire way our digital science operates. Everything from the best way science is developed to the way the incentives, monetary and or else, are built into the procedure. We ought to face and try to take care of the shortage of transparency created by way of the proprietary algorithms, the structural challenge of computer learning’s opacity, all this indiscriminate data that’s being collected about us.We’ve got a big mission in entrance of us. We ought to mobilize our technology, our creativity and sure, our politics so that we will build synthetic intelligence that supports us in our human ambitions but that is also limited by means of our human values. And i realize this won’t be handy. We would not even effectively agree on what those terms imply. But when we take critically how these methods that we depend on for so much operate, i do not see how we are able to delay this conversation anymore. These buildings are organizing how we function they usually’re controlling what we can and we can not do. And plenty of of those advert-financed platforms, they boast that they are free. In this context, it signifies that we are the product that is being offered. We want a digital economic system the place our data and our attention is just not on the market to the very best-bidding authoritarian or demagogue. (Applause) so that you could return to that Hollywood paraphrase, we do want the prodigious advantage of artificial intelligence and digital technology to blossom, but for that, we need to face this prodigious menace, open-eyed and now.Thank you. (Applause) .

#AI #algorithm #business #Consumerism #Corruption #data #Democracy #economics #Government #machine learning #Politics #Social Change #social media #Society #Sociology #technology #TEDTalk #TEDTalks

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batterymonster2021 · 5 years

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We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads | Zeynep Tufekci

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/were-building-a-dystopia-just-to-make-people-click-on-ads-zeynep-tufekci-3/

We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads | Zeynep Tufekci

#AI #algorithm #business #Consumerism #Corruption #data #Democracy #economics #Government #machine learning #Politics #Social Change #social media #Society #Sociology #technology #TEDTalk #TEDTalks

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thejesusreport · 6 years

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More Reasons We Need Jesus!

More Reasons We Need Jesus! Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:22) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Corinthians 3:19) 'Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.' (Romans 1:29-32) I wrote of all the problems people and the planet face in the 21st century in my previous article and how people felt that they are able to take care of themselves. I pointed to the many problems our society faces but I failed to address the reason so many of our middle-class, average’ folks do not see the need for the help of the Savior. Having done a lot of door-to-door canvassing in past years, I see a lot of neighborhoods, yards and houses. Most of those in the middle class or upper-middle neighborhoods are amazingly pristine, well-manicured, landscaped and decorated. These yards and homes are like “little heavens”. The large amounts of time and money put into these “castles” point to a problem. How many hours of hard-work, away from the family, are these bread-winners, male and female, putting in to afford their “little slice of heaven”? How many hours of traffic jams commuting? How many missed little-league games, soccer games, school plays, etc.? America has a culture which is based on the faulty Protestant work ethic. That ethic says if you are financially and otherwise successful you demonstrate your worthiness as a Christian. In other words, work very hard in order to be saved-- but in Ephesians we learn that we are saved through grace, not from works, lest any many should BOAST. (See Ephesians 2:8 - 9) What are spectacular yards but items to be boasted of! Materialism and greed have become rampant in this post biblical, post-modern, post- Judeo-Christian society. Are we becoming a new corrupt, decadent, ultra-materialistic Roman Empire where false Gods merely are there to provide us with material comforts and to defeat our perceived enemies? We are making a hell out of our planet, the only we one know, by trying to sell our souls to have just a little heaven in our personal “castles”. “Home despots” (my father’s term) are those that are selfish and fail to love their neighbors and enemies. Back to the initial passages from above. We are so arrogant that we really think we are wise! Not only are we fools, but we try to learn more and more nonsense while ignoring the Truth that is right in front of us. “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7) When I came to be born again, I realized that I didn’t know everything!!! Learning is fine, but we need to be pointed in the right direction. Science is trying hard to destroy God and to discredit even intelligent design, let alone creationism. I’m studying a college-level Biology book at the moment, and the first few chapters, I’ve found at least three allusions to attacks on intelligent design as foolish malarkey. Luckily, there are a minority of scientists (like the late Albert Einstein) who at least leave open the possibility of God and higher spiritual truths. Corrupted Government Our so-called elected government is so corrupt and arrogant that they expect payment for special consideration by special interests in order to “justify” going against the moral and public good. Look at the oil, gas and coal industries. Look at the gun manufacturers’ puppet NRA. The former oppose all attempts to shift away from carbon pollution to alternative energy sources, and the latter wants to arm citizens with cop-killer bullets. And give teachers M-16s so they can kill intruders armed most likely with weapons they shouldn't even possess!! Back in the 50s, Taylor Caldwell wrote of ancient Rome around the time of and just after Christ in this way. “Rome is not my Rome, the Rome of my ancestors. The Founding Fathers are forgotten, or mentioned only when some politician wishes more infamy. The days of fortitude, faith, and character are gone forever, and the days of courage and discipline. Why then do I struggle? Because it is in the nature of a free man to struggle against slavery and lies. If he falls, then he has fallen in a good fight, if hopeless.” Caldwell, Taylor, Dear and Glorious Physician, p. 177. Likewise, I come to you with the hard Truth to struggle against lies and hypocrisy. The Namby-Pamby Fearful World of Political Correctness and Other Pretensions For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) Our conventional culture is become more and more fearful and politically correct. Any celebrity or person of note who dares make the mistake of saying something which can be construed as controversial risks losing their job and their very livelihood and reputation! I’ve spoken before of Al Franken, drummed out of the Senate, and now even Roseanne Barr is ostracized from Hollywood for one seemingly racist tweet! Even Seventh Heaven’s Stephen Collins has been blackballed because he admitted that many years ago he touched a child inappropriately. Is there no “statute of limitations” on destroying one’s reputation and career? Could we chastise or otherwise punish them without destroying their entire career and reputation in one fell swoop? Who among their accusers is sinless? As I’ve tweeted and attributed to my earthly father, “I’ll show you a man (or woman) who never made a mistake and I’ll show you someone who never did anything.” Remember the Prodigal Son? And the adulterous woman who was being stoned? They were forgiven. Jesus forgave his tormentors and murderers on the Cross at Calvary and God forgave us all through faith in His Son and the power of the Resurrection. Stephen forgave his persecutors who were stoning him to death! Paul was forgiven for his persecution of the early Christians in Israel and was made the chief apostle to the Gentiles! Peter denied Christ three times and misunderstood the necessity of Scriptural fulfillment, but he was not only forgiven but given the keys to the early Church. Fear has a way of making otherwise rational and sensible people do terrible things to their neighbors. Let alone that we’re to love our enemies! There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18) So therefore, the fearful are not just to be pitied but will end up with eternal punishment! But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8) Do you think we might need Jesus? Do we want to reduce public life to carefully scripted sound bites and dull, programmatic and censored dialogue or do we want robust, honest debate on controversial issues? I for one must rebuke the #MeToo and other judgmental and condemning approaches to punishing past sins as ridiculous, anti-Christian and terribly wasteful of legitimate talent. We should forgive as we are forgiven, said Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew, chapter 6). People are becoming afraid to speak their mind and to risk public approbation. Enough is enough. God knows our failings and sins and even gross and repeated mistakes. We can weigh the crimes and sins of others and be merciful just as we expect our sins and failings to be met with mercy and forgiveness. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (Luke 6:37) Those fearful, busybodies who publicly and privately criticize everyone and everything have led to the “Donald Trump revolution” and we are the worse as a culture for its horrible occurrence. Remember, Al Franken was a champion of women’s and minorities civil rights. Who replaces him? And who after this believes we don’t need a Savior? Signed, Stephen M. Theriault Stephen M. Theriault is the author of The Practical Guide to Real Christianity and is organizer/founder of International Citizens Against Corruption and Overdevelopment, one of many groups he has begun. (on Facebook) and Avenger-Equalizer blog. Avenger/Equalizer Blog: www.theavenger.us (also on Facebook and Tumblr, as well as TheJesusReport blog found only on Tumblr.) I am @stevetheriault9 on Twitter.com. Steve recently threw his hat into the ring, unsuccessfully, as a petitioning/independent/unaffiliated candidate for CT State Senate, 16th District with his website: www.stevetforstatesenate16.org

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avenger-equalizer-blog · 6 years

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More Reasons We Need Jesus!

More Reasons We Need Jesus! \

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:22)

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7)

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Corinthians 3:19)

'Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.' (Romans 1:29-32)

I wrote of all the problems people and the planet face in the 21st century in my previous article and how people felt that they are able to take care of themselves. I pointed to the many problems our society faces but I failed to address the reason so many of our middle-class, average’ folks do not see the need for the help of the Savior. Having done a lot of door-to-door canvassing in past years, I see a lot of neighborhoods, yards and houses. Most of those in the middle class or upper-middle neighborhoods are amazingly pristine, well-manicured, landscaped and decorated. These yards and homes are like “little heavens”. The large amounts of time and money put into these “castles” point to a problem. How many hours of hard-work, away from the family, are these bread-winners, male and female, putting in to afford their “little slice of heaven”? How many hours of traffic jams commuting? How many missed little-league games, soccer games, school plays, etc.? America has a culture which is based on the faulty Protestant work ethic. That ethic says if you are financially and otherwise successful you demonstrate your worthiness as a Christian. In other words, work very hard in order to be saved-- but in Ephesians we learn that we are saved through grace, not from works, lest any many should BOAST. (See Ephesians 2:8 - 9) What are spectacular yards but items to be boasted of! Materialism and greed have become rampant in this post biblical, post-modern, post- Judeo-Christian society. Are we becoming a new corrupt, decadent, ultra-materialistic Roman Empire where false Gods merely are there to provide us with material comforts and to defeat our perceived enemies? We are making a hell out of our planet, the only we one know, by trying to sell our souls to have just a little heaven in our personal “castles”. “Home despots” (my father’s term) are those that are selfish and fail to love their neighbors and enemies. Back to the initial passages from above. We are so arrogant that we really think we are wise! Not only are we fools, but we try to learn more and more nonsense while ignoring the Truth that is right in front of us. “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7) When I came to be born again, I realized that I didn’t know everything!!! Learning is fine, but we need to be pointed in the right direction. Science is trying hard to destroy God and to discredit even intelligent design, let alone creationism. I’m studying a college-level Biology book at the moment, and the first few chapters, I’ve found at least three allusions to attacks on intelligent design as foolish malarkey. Luckily, there are a minority of scientists (like the late Albert Einstein) who at least leave open the possibility of God and higher spiritual truths.

Corrupted Government

Our so-called elected government is so corrupt and arrogant that they expect payment for special consideration by special interests in order to “justify” going against the moral and public good. Look at the oil, gas and coal industries. Look at the gun manufacturers’ puppet NRA. The former oppose all attempts to shift away from carbon pollution to alternative energy sources, and the latter wants to arm citizens with cop-killer bullets. And give teachers M-16s so they can kill intruders armed most likely with weapons they shouldn't even possess!! Back in the 50s, Taylor Caldwell wrote of ancient Rome around the time of and just after Christ in this way. “Rome is not my Rome, the Rome of my ancestors. The Founding Fathers are forgotten, or mentioned only when some politician wishes more infamy. The days of fortitude, faith, and character are gone forever, and the days of courage and discipline. Why then do I struggle? Because it is in the nature of a free man to struggle against slavery and lies. If he falls, then he has fallen in a good fight, if hopeless.” Caldwell, Taylor, Dear and Glorious Physician, p. 177. Likewise, I come to you with the hard Truth to struggle against lies and hypocrisy.

The Namby-Pamby Fearful World of Political Correctness and Other Pretensions

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Our conventional culture is become more and more fearful and politically correct. Any celebrity or person of note who dares make the mistake of saying something which can be construed as controversial risks losing their job and their very livelihood and reputation! I’ve spoken before of Al Franken, drummed out of the Senate, and now even Roseanne Barr is ostracized from Hollywood for one seemingly racist tweet! Even Seventh Heaven’s Stephen Collins has been blackballed because he admitted that many years ago he touched a child inappropriately. Is there no “statute of limitations” on destroying one’s reputation and career? Could we chastise or otherwise punish them without destroying their entire career and reputation in one fell swoop? Who among their accusers is sinless? As I’ve tweeted and attributed to my earthly father, “I’ll show you a man (or woman) who never made a mistake and I’ll show you someone who never did anything.” Remember the Prodigal Son? And the adulterous woman who was being stoned? They were forgiven. Jesus forgave his tormentors and murderers on the Cross at Calvary and God forgave us all through faith in His Son and the power of the Resurrection. Stephen forgave his persecutors who were stoning him to death! Paul was forgiven for his persecution of the early Christians in Israel and was made the chief apostle to the Gentiles! Peter denied Christ three times and misunderstood the necessity of Scriptural fulfillment, but he was not only forgiven but given the keys to the early Church. Fear has a way of making otherwise rational and sensible people do terrible things to their neighbors. Let alone that we’re to love our enemies! There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18) So therefore, the fearful are not just to be pitied but will end up with eternal punishment! But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8) Do you think we might need Jesus? Do we want to reduce public life to carefully scripted sound bites and dull, programmatic and censored dialogue or do we want robust, honest debate on controversial issues? I for one must rebuke the #MeToo and other judgmental and condemning approaches to punishing past sins as ridiculous, anti-Christian and terribly wasteful of legitimate talent. We should forgive as we are forgiven, said Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew, chapter 6). People are becoming afraid to speak their mind and to risk public approbation. Enough is enough. God knows our failings and sins and even gross and repeated mistakes. We can weigh the crimes and sins of others and be merciful just as we expect our sins and failings to be met with mercy and forgiveness. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (Luke 6:37) Those fearful, busybodies who publicly and privately criticize everyone and everything have led to the “Donald Trump revolution” and we are the worse as a culture for its horrible occurrence. Remember, Al Franken was a champion of women’s and minorities civil rights. Who replaces him? And who after this believes we don’t need a Savior?

Signed, Stephen M. Theriault

Stephen M. Theriault is the author of The Practical Guide to Real Christianity and is organizer/founder of International Citizens Against Corruption and Overdevelopment, one of many groups he has begun. (on Facebook) and Avenger-Equalizer blog. Avenger/Equalizer Blog: www.theavenger.us (also on Facebook and Tumblr, as well as TheJesusReport blog found only on Tumblr.) I am @stevetheriault9 on Twitter.com. Steve recently threw his hat into the ring, unsuccessfully, as a petitioning/independent/unaffiliated candidate for CT State Senate, 16th District with his website: www.stevetforstatesenate16.org

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mousaioracle-blog · 8 years

Photo

Full Article under the cut! 01.27.2017

Dear Oracle, Help! I have such strong feelings for a guy I’ve just met… how do I show that without looking desperate or clingy? Dear Romantic, Strong feelings aren’t a bad thing, even if you two have just met! Plenty of people hit it off right away and go on to learn more about each other later. The important thing is that you pay attention to what level of affection he is or isn’t comfortable with. It’s fine to feel the way you do - great, even! - but not to push it on someone before they’re ready for it. Listen, and have patience.

Dear Oracle, do you have any advice on someone who needs to work on their self control? Dear Control Freak, Set some reasonable goals for yourself. No one climbs a mountain in a day, and no one convinces their brain not to want something in a day either. Try to replace what you want with a healthier alternative and always keep in mind WHY you need that self control in the first place. When in doubt, though, removing yourself from temptation should do the trick.

Dear Oracle, I want to lose my virginity but I’m scared. any tips? Dear Scared, I’m a firm believer that virginity is a societal concept. But, you know, we happen to live in society and that doesn’t really help us change our minds on it, does it? Take your time. I can’t stress this enough. Take your time getting there, there’s plenty of fun things you can do to build up the enjoyment without diving in headfirst. Take your time during the act itself - it’s not a race, but everyone should be a winner when all is said and done. Make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and that you are as happy and as comfortable as can be. Good sex, the best sex, is when everyone is enjoying themselves. If you’re not yet, don’t sweat it, but don’t settle for sub-par.

Dear Oracle, do you have any good pick up lines? You’re so fine you could make an impression on Monet.

Dear Oracle, I like someone but they’re dating a friend. What do I do? Dear Third Wheel, It may be time to evaluate your friendships if you’re coming to me for advice instead of going to the source. But, I digress. Weigh all the possible outcomes and what will be best for you in the long run. Are you happy for them and wish them a long and fulfilling future together? Pretty sure they’re not into you? Fantastic, leave things as they are. Do you want the object of your affection all to yourself? Talk to them, play your hand, and see where the chips fall.

Dear Oracle, what do you do when you like someone you shouldn’t? Dear Shouldn’t, It depends on why you shouldn’t and if the consequences outweigh the benefits. This is terribly vague, Shouldn’t, but I’ll give it my best shot. Is it societal? Ignore society, love who you love, as long as equality and consent are at the forefront. Is it unethical? Well, there’s something to be said for subjective ethics, but the consequences might be more dire. Again, consent at the forefront. Write me back next week with more details if this didn’t cover it, Shouldn’t. I’d like to help you out.

Dear Oracle, do you have any ideas for someone dealing with a creative block? Dear Blocked, Creative block is the worst! You have all of our sympathy, Blocked. There are plenty of tried-and-true methods for getting through a block, but the one I’ve found that works for me is taking a step back. Sometimes lots of steps back, all the way out of town where I can escape the bubble and find something new to inspire me. A new perspective can be helpful, especially when you’ve been stuck for a while without any end in sight. Hit up a new town or a natural wonder you’ve never been to, talk to someone new about their life story or if your travel and social options are limited you can watch, read, or listen to something completely different than your norm. Hope that helps, Blocked. Best of luck!

Dear Oracle, It’s been a while since I’ve been with someone, sexually, but there’s a person in my life right now that I want to be with in that way. Any advice on easing myself back into that kind of intimacy? Should I just go for it, like ripping off a band-aid? Or do you think it’s best I dip my toe in the waters first? Dear Frustrated, It sounds to me like you’ve waited long enough to mess around with toe-dipping, but only YOU can decide what pace is going to work best for you and your would-be lover can help with that more than I can. Open communication is going to be your best bet here; talk to your partner and let them know that it’s been a while but that you want to take that next step. It can be scary to delve back into intimacy after a long hiatus, but try not to overthink it. Sex has worked just about the same way for millions of years, and I promise it hasn’t changed since the last time you went the distance. You’ve got this!

Dear Oracle, I’ve met someone and things are moving very fast, but I think I might be more interested in a real relationship with this person than just a casual hookup. How do I slow things down without seeming disinterested? Should I even try? Dear Misunderstood, Of course you should! If you want more than just a hookup, speak up and let your partner know how you feel. If you’re clear and concise in what you want out of them then the worst that can happen is they say no. If you’re not on the same page, at least you gave it your best shot and you definitely wouldn’t have come across as disinterested. If the hookup option is still available, take it and see where it goes from there. Speak up and be heard, Misunderstood!

Dear Oracle, I get made fun of for the way that my clothes look but I don’t know if I should change wardrobe or stand up to them. Dear Fashion-Forward, As much as I love a good makeover, I hate a bully more. Wear what makes you most feel like “you”, Fashion-Forward, and stick it to the haters. Anyone who mocks someone for being who they are isn’t worth your time. Keep on doing you.

#articles #01.27.2017

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marymosley · 5 years

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No, The U.S. Does Not Need European-Style Hate Speech Laws

Stengel’s proposal would rip up this founding principle

Limiting free speech won’t accomplish what you want

Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, is a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors. Follow him on Twitter: @JonathanTurley

No, The U.S. Does Not Need European-Style Hate Speech Laws published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

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batterymonster2021 · 5 years

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We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads | Zeynep Tufekci

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/were-building-a-dystopia-just-to-make-people-click-on-ads-zeynep-tufekci-3/

We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads | Zeynep Tufekci