Fair warning to everyone, it’s an older doc (2006ish), but very worth watching. And I liked, later, going and watching the movies that it uses as examples to talk about issues. I’m especially thinking of “But I’m a Cheerleader”, but there are lots.
As has been well documented time and again, Texas textbooks are not neutral sources of information (podcast for anyone interested). Taking real books out of the library, controlling the content of textbooks, getting rid of Internet access specifically because it could introduce thought to children… Home of the free, my friends. Free speech absolutism.
Yeah, another heavy dramatic saga to wade through. I think I’d prefer a Simon Pegg/Nick Frost adaptation. Or maybe a Matt Stone/Trey Parker version. Something still epic, but also hilarious and full of the vibrancy of humans.
Crocheting is an inexpensive, versatile hobby that could absolutely result in art that you could sell online. Seriously, with a bit of string and a funny stick, and you can make lil stuffies, hats, scarves, etc. You can make cute ones, nerdy stuff, appeal to different fandoms/online communities. If you create a decent inventory, perhaps a local place by you would also feature your products for a cut.
I’ve seen cool button making machines for relatively inexpensive ($60~), but then you would need to have access to a printer and ink, so overall that’s a more expensive project. But that’s another option to think about as well.
We went to one of the several trunk or treats in our town. I chose one of the less busy ones so my kid could understand what the massive downtown one would be like if she wanted to do that. We waited in line from trunk to trunk for a whole hour, got meh candy, got to get inside emergency vehicles (that was cool), got to see a lot of other people’s costumes (also really fun), but mostly it was waiting. Standing mostly still. And then the advertised time came for it to be over, even as people were still waiting in line, tables and cars all broke down and started leaving us in a sad, barren lot. We went trick or treating for the main event after all, and got excellent candy, saw all kinds of cool houses as we actively walked with a friend for as long as we wanted.
I mean, that didn’t stop kids from going to fight in Iraq.
When I went to price it out at the store, the line for a dumb phone was going to cost $30/mo more than a smart phone. It was dumb.
Another method: tax is often about 8%, so double that as a baseline and adjust from there.
I’ve found periodically cleaning mine with rubbing alcohol and a qtip vastly improves charging, fit, and sound. Still thinking about upgrading sometime soon tho.
Oh friend, what a ride you’ve been on. I grew up LCMS, and so lemme just say thanks for not doing that to your kids. I noticed what you said about immigrants trying to assimilate in LCMS as well. Particularly when I would visit family in the Midwest, there was a Chinese buffet that we would always visit, and my anti-immigrant (in general) family would proudly say how he went to their church, that the church wrote on his behalf to help get him citizenship, etc. I saw that less in my own community, but LCMS is not the biggest fish in that pond. Baptist is. I’m sorry you had that experience. Bad theology hurts people, and I’m glad you’re making it out on the other side.
And I’m sittin here on Capitol Hill
Yeah, conveniently that’s about the time that it got real offensive to be openly racist. Closet racists hated abortions as the new code. Then kids grew up learning AbOrTiOn StOpS a BeAtInG hEaRt and that it’s always murder. And here we are.
Mental health is a squishier standard. Let’s say I had depression and decided to talk to someone about it, get the help I needed to become mentally healthy again. Should that necessarily be penalized if I want to go buy a gun to go out to the range or hunting with my buddies? Should seeking help disqualify someone entirely? Does that prevent people from getting help they think they might need, stigmatizing an already stigmatized practice?
Meanwhile, if Dave down the hill has a record, he’s already shown he was willing to do an illegal thing, whether or not the record is fair. If he already has reports against him for domestic disturbances, that’s pretty cut and dry violent behavior that ought not be allowed to intensify.
I’m not saying mental checks aren’t a good idea or aren’t worth it. I’m saying that they’re a harder sell because a) they take more nuance to formulate well and b) the propaganda machine will have an easier time telling people how those checks are overreach.
That sounds like the kind of conversation worth recording and taking to a lawyer. I can’t imagine a call that goes “Hi, I’d like to cancel my service. What do you mean you can’t do that? No one at the company can help? I’ve been on the phone with 4 different reps. Fine, I’ll just call my card to stop paying. What do you mean you’re going to send me to collections?!” wouldn’t get done kind of positive movement.
Skills requiring a lot of flexibility like ballet or gymnastics.
The start of your comment reminded me of the exchange between Trevor Noah & Tomi Lauren where Trevor asks her, okay, so if this protest isn’t good, and this kind isn’t good, how should black people protest? How should they make their grievances known? And she just could not answer that question. Protests aren’t comfortable–they’re disruptive by nature. If protests don’t challenge anything or make anyone uncomfortable, what are they even doing?
I was scrolling for Spiritfarer. All the feels. But fun to play, build, & explore.
I follow a guy (Matt Taylor) who studies a branch of Christianity called the New Apostolic Reformation, a branch that’s like if Evangelical theology, prosperity gospel, and morals merged with traditional charismatics. Lots of prophecies. These are also the Seven Mountains Mandate people–the people who believe they should be in charge of the 7 pillars of culture, like media and education. He posted a a zoomed out version of the above picture, labeling everyone he recognizes from NAR. The NAR has been courting Trump since his first term. Trump is delivering for them.