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Why do experienced cold plungers dunk their face first, defying the urge to ease in? Andrew Huberman explains: Immediate face submersion activates the mammalian dive reflex, boosting parasympathetic activity to quickly lower heart rate, induce calm, and build greater stress tolerance. This simple tweak makes the practice more sustainable—and...

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440,709 views • 7 months ago •via X (Twitter)

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Do your nervous system a favor This looks ridiculous. The science is solid. When you inflate your cheeks fully, you create increased pressure inside your oral cavity and nasopharynx. That pressure pushes gently against the tissues that sit right alongside the vagus nerve as it passes through your throat and behind your palate. It’s a mild version of the Valsalva maneuver — the same technique ER doctors use to slow dangerously fast heart rates. You’re creating internal pressure that directly stimulates your vagus nerve without any equipment, any training, or any special technique. The slow release through barely parted lips extends the stimulation. As the air seeps out gradually, it creates a prolonged, gentle exhale — which is the single most effective breathing pattern for activating your parasympathetic nervous system. A longer exhale tells your brainstem to slow everything down. And the physical act of puffing your cheeks stretches the buccinator muscles in your face, which are almost always tensed during stress. When they stretch and then release, facial tension drops — and your brain reads a relaxed face as evidence of safety. Three things in one silly move: vagal stimulation, extended exhale, and facial tension release. Puff up. Hold 3-5 seconds. Release as slowly as possible. Do it 3 times. Your heart rate will be noticeably slower by the third one. Nobody said nervous system regulation had to look dignified.
0:12

Do your nervous system a favor This looks ridiculous. The science is solid. When you inflate your cheeks fully, you create increased pressure inside your oral cavity and nasopharynx. That pressure pushes gently against the tissues that sit right alongside the vagus nerve as it passes through your throat and behind your palate. It’s a mild version of the Valsalva maneuver — the same technique ER doctors use to slow dangerously fast heart rates. You’re creating internal pressure that directly stimulates your vagus nerve without any equipment, any training, or any special technique. The slow release through barely parted lips extends the stimulation. As the air seeps out gradually, it creates a prolonged, gentle exhale — which is the single most effective breathing pattern for activating your parasympathetic nervous system. A longer exhale tells your brainstem to slow everything down. And the physical act of puffing your cheeks stretches the buccinator muscles in your face, which are almost always tensed during stress. When they stretch and then release, facial tension drops — and your brain reads a relaxed face as evidence of safety. Three things in one silly move: vagal stimulation, extended exhale, and facial tension release. Puff up. Hold 3-5 seconds. Release as slowly as possible. Do it 3 times. Your heart rate will be noticeably slower by the third one. Nobody said nervous system regulation had to look dignified.

Cleanse Parasites .com 🧹🪱 Herbal Cleanse Co.

339,755 views • 2 months ago

3 in 4 suicides in the UK are by men. Men are far less likely to ask for help , but more likely to suffer in silence. Bereaved fathers face significantly higher risks of PTSD, depression, and isolation. But we rarely talk about it. So I am. Grief doesn’t always look how you expect. It’s not just tears or funerals. Sometimes it’s silence. Sitting in the car for 20 minutes, unable to turn the key. Smiling through meetings when your heart feels like it’s collapsed. Waking in the night, dreaming they’re still here. But grief also lives in the everyday moments you don’t see - Seeing someone with a bald head in the supermarket and instantly reliving chemotherapy wards. Wanting to hug a stranger going through treatment and say, “I respect you. I feel for you.” Turning off adverts about cancer. Lowering the volume when the “C word” is mentioned on the radio. Avoiding social events because you just don’t have the energy to explain. As a dad, you’re taught to be strong. To hold it all together. But what if holding it together means never truly healing? Grief doesn’t make you weak. It makes you real. And sharing it might be the strongest thing you ever do. To anyone struggling whether you’ve lost someone or are supporting someone who has: You’re not alone. Please talk. Please reach out. You’re not supposed to carry this by yourself. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #MensMentalHealth #Grief #ChildLoss #ItsNeverYou #LinkedInVoices #LeadershipThroughAdversity #HughsLaw #MentalHealthMatters #SupportDads
0:12

3 in 4 suicides in the UK are by men. Men are far less likely to ask for help , but more likely to suffer in silence. Bereaved fathers face significantly higher risks of PTSD, depression, and isolation. But we rarely talk about it. So I am. Grief doesn’t always look how you expect. It’s not just tears or funerals. Sometimes it’s silence. Sitting in the car for 20 minutes, unable to turn the key. Smiling through meetings when your heart feels like it’s collapsed. Waking in the night, dreaming they’re still here. But grief also lives in the everyday moments you don’t see - Seeing someone with a bald head in the supermarket and instantly reliving chemotherapy wards. Wanting to hug a stranger going through treatment and say, “I respect you. I feel for you.” Turning off adverts about cancer. Lowering the volume when the “C word” is mentioned on the radio. Avoiding social events because you just don’t have the energy to explain. As a dad, you’re taught to be strong. To hold it all together. But what if holding it together means never truly healing? Grief doesn’t make you weak. It makes you real. And sharing it might be the strongest thing you ever do. To anyone struggling whether you’ve lost someone or are supporting someone who has: You’re not alone. Please talk. Please reach out. You’re not supposed to carry this by yourself. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #MensMentalHealth #Grief #ChildLoss #ItsNeverYou #LinkedInVoices #LeadershipThroughAdversity #HughsLaw #MentalHealthMatters #SupportDads

It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better

68,782 views • 1 year ago

Yesterday, during a flight from Antalya to Kazan, we encountered turbulence and literally 20 minutes later, the captain announced that one of the passengers was unwell and asked for help from medical workers. I intuitively approached the girl, the guy accompanying her was confused, the staff measured her blood pressure, brought ice, then hot tea, ammonia is prohibited, they gave her some snuff. I am not a doctor, but my very first client in long-term work was a girl with panic attacks and we have come a long way to her self-regulation without medical intervention. The passenger had a panic attack, in 15 minutes I was able to help her and understood what doctors feel when they save people's lives 🫶 It is clear that the attack was not life-threatening, but frightened empty eyes, a pale face, icy hands and feet, a body shaking in an uncontrollable tremor finally began to breathe, her face turned red, tears flowed and the girl came to her senses. I am surprised why flight attendants are not trained in panic Panic attacks, because they have all the attributes you need - a craft bag or a simple paper airline bag, put it on tightly from the bridge of the nose to the chin and breathe in a count, for example, 22/1, 22/2, etc., clearly pronounce it to the person in the attack. After the initial symptom relief, ask to find 7 objects of the same color, and do this 5-7 times, changing the color of the objects. Practice the "here and now" exercise daily. And of course, knowing the tendency to attacks, go to work with a psychosomatic therapist and be prepared for the flight, having anti-anxiety medications with you. I explained the principles of work to the flight attendants, they treated me to delicious coffee on board as a thank you) But there is no better gratitude than a little or a very happy client who has received the skills and resources to manage their condition and their life 💟
0:10

Yesterday, during a flight from Antalya to Kazan, we encountered turbulence and literally 20 minutes later, the captain announced that one of the passengers was unwell and asked for help from medical workers. I intuitively approached the girl, the guy accompanying her was confused, the staff measured her blood pressure, brought ice, then hot tea, ammonia is prohibited, they gave her some snuff. I am not a doctor, but my very first client in long-term work was a girl with panic attacks and we have come a long way to her self-regulation without medical intervention. The passenger had a panic attack, in 15 minutes I was able to help her and understood what doctors feel when they save people's lives 🫶 It is clear that the attack was not life-threatening, but frightened empty eyes, a pale face, icy hands and feet, a body shaking in an uncontrollable tremor finally began to breathe, her face turned red, tears flowed and the girl came to her senses. I am surprised why flight attendants are not trained in panic Panic attacks, because they have all the attributes you need - a craft bag or a simple paper airline bag, put it on tightly from the bridge of the nose to the chin and breathe in a count, for example, 22/1, 22/2, etc., clearly pronounce it to the person in the attack. After the initial symptom relief, ask to find 7 objects of the same color, and do this 5-7 times, changing the color of the objects. Practice the "here and now" exercise daily. And of course, knowing the tendency to attacks, go to work with a psychosomatic therapist and be prepared for the flight, having anti-anxiety medications with you. I explained the principles of work to the flight attendants, they treated me to delicious coffee on board as a thank you) But there is no better gratitude than a little or a very happy client who has received the skills and resources to manage their condition and their life 💟

Kerry Holmes

26,453 views • 4 months ago

I want parents to really think about this. Imagine paying good money for lessons because you care about your daughter’s long-term development… and the first thing you’re told is that “swinging down isn’t correct.” Instead it’s barrel depth, elite path, and swinging up because “that’s what the pros do.” That’s where development goes backwards. Most young athletes aren’t broken they’re underdeveloped in movement. They don’t understand shoulder angles, how to get on top of the ball, situational hitting, or how the body actually organizes a swing. That’s not their fault. That’s instruction skipping steps. In my cage, athletes do not swing up first. They have to earn the right to swing up by first owning the down. We stay at the top of the zone, learn how to find the down, and teach how the shoulders orient the swing. The up isn’t cued or forced it’s a byproduct of correct movement. What floors me is how often kids, especially in softball, are taught to swing up immediately. How do you start middle-down and swing up in a sport where the ball is traveling on an upward plane? It makes no sense. Baseball and softball mechanics are the same the body doesn’t change. But instruction must start differently because pitch plane is different. Baseball breaks down. Softball rise spins up. If a softball hitter can’t control the down out front, they’ll never handle elite rise. Once control is there, the femur turns down, the torso gets pulled up, and the natural up shows itself. No forcing. No manipulation. I can post videos like this all day. I’m not teaching a “style.” I’m teaching how the body is designed to move. I’m demanding because parents invest real time and money, and I won’t waste either. If you want game swings that hold up to velocity and plane find the down!
0:10

I want parents to really think about this. Imagine paying good money for lessons because you care about your daughter’s long-term development… and the first thing you’re told is that “swinging down isn’t correct.” Instead it’s barrel depth, elite path, and swinging up because “that’s what the pros do.” That’s where development goes backwards. Most young athletes aren’t broken they’re underdeveloped in movement. They don’t understand shoulder angles, how to get on top of the ball, situational hitting, or how the body actually organizes a swing. That’s not their fault. That’s instruction skipping steps. In my cage, athletes do not swing up first. They have to earn the right to swing up by first owning the down. We stay at the top of the zone, learn how to find the down, and teach how the shoulders orient the swing. The up isn’t cued or forced it’s a byproduct of correct movement. What floors me is how often kids, especially in softball, are taught to swing up immediately. How do you start middle-down and swing up in a sport where the ball is traveling on an upward plane? It makes no sense. Baseball and softball mechanics are the same the body doesn’t change. But instruction must start differently because pitch plane is different. Baseball breaks down. Softball rise spins up. If a softball hitter can’t control the down out front, they’ll never handle elite rise. Once control is there, the femur turns down, the torso gets pulled up, and the natural up shows itself. No forcing. No manipulation. I can post videos like this all day. I’m not teaching a “style.” I’m teaching how the body is designed to move. I’m demanding because parents invest real time and money, and I won’t waste either. If you want game swings that hold up to velocity and plane find the down!

John Sangillo

47,117 views • 7 months ago

How and why, in the process of evolution, did specific lifespans form among different species? Why are some granted mere days, while others enjoy long decades? What factors defined this span? : The author explores how specific lifespans evolved across species, shaped by trade-offs between reproduction and somatic maintenance. In environments with high extrinsic mortality (predation, accidents, disease), selection favors rapid reproduction and short lives, as resources are invested in early offspring rather than long-term repair. Short lifespans accelerate generational turnover, increasing opportunities for beneficial mutations and adaptation. In low extrinsic mortality settings, selection favors greater investment in maintenance, leading to slower aging and longer lives. Larger body size, flight or other escape mechanisms, and social protection often correlate with reduced extrinsic risk and extended longevity. Disposable soma theory explains this: organisms allocate limited energy between reproduction and repair; high external hazards make heavy repair investment wasteful, resulting in shorter lifespans. Species with brief lives (days to weeks) face intense pressure for quick reproduction. Those with decades-long spans benefit from lower risks and slower reproductive cycles. No single factor dictates lifespan. It emerges from the interplay of extrinsic hazards, metabolic demands, ecological niche, and evolutionary history. Ultimately, lifespan variation reflects nature’s pragmatic calculus: invest just enough in survival to pass genes forward, no more.
0:14

How and why, in the process of evolution, did specific lifespans form among different species? Why are some granted mere days, while others enjoy long decades? What factors defined this span? : The author explores how specific lifespans evolved across species, shaped by trade-offs between reproduction and somatic maintenance. In environments with high extrinsic mortality (predation, accidents, disease), selection favors rapid reproduction and short lives, as resources are invested in early offspring rather than long-term repair. Short lifespans accelerate generational turnover, increasing opportunities for beneficial mutations and adaptation. In low extrinsic mortality settings, selection favors greater investment in maintenance, leading to slower aging and longer lives. Larger body size, flight or other escape mechanisms, and social protection often correlate with reduced extrinsic risk and extended longevity. Disposable soma theory explains this: organisms allocate limited energy between reproduction and repair; high external hazards make heavy repair investment wasteful, resulting in shorter lifespans. Species with brief lives (days to weeks) face intense pressure for quick reproduction. Those with decades-long spans benefit from lower risks and slower reproductive cycles. No single factor dictates lifespan. It emerges from the interplay of extrinsic hazards, metabolic demands, ecological niche, and evolutionary history. Ultimately, lifespan variation reflects nature’s pragmatic calculus: invest just enough in survival to pass genes forward, no more.

Zafar Mirzo | Quotes

439,967 views • 7 months ago

🚨BREAKING: A man was just filmed going limp… after multiple ICE agents pinned him face down, in Burlingame, California. ICE agents were seen piled on top of a man, while he was face down on the ground… with multiple agents putting their full weight on top of him. Moments later, they roll him over, you see his body completely limp, and he appears to be unconscious. Think about how far that had to go for his body to shut down like that. Think about how much pressure, how long, how intense it had to be… for someone to go unconscious. Because that’s not “routine,” or “standard.” At least 17 states have already passed laws banning, or severely restricting, chokeholds, and neck restraints, by law enforcement. Why? Because this is how people die. Because once someone is face down… with weight on their back… oxygen gets cut off. We’ve seen this before, and yet, here we are again… Watching a body go limp on camera. And the only reason this isn’t being explained away by DHS… is because he woke back up. If he hadn’t… What would they have said happened?
0:11

🚨BREAKING: A man was just filmed going limp… after multiple ICE agents pinned him face down, in Burlingame, California. ICE agents were seen piled on top of a man, while he was face down on the ground… with multiple agents putting their full weight on top of him. Moments later, they roll him over, you see his body completely limp, and he appears to be unconscious. Think about how far that had to go for his body to shut down like that. Think about how much pressure, how long, how intense it had to be… for someone to go unconscious. Because that’s not “routine,” or “standard.” At least 17 states have already passed laws banning, or severely restricting, chokeholds, and neck restraints, by law enforcement. Why? Because this is how people die. Because once someone is face down… with weight on their back… oxygen gets cut off. We’ve seen this before, and yet, here we are again… Watching a body go limp on camera. And the only reason this isn’t being explained away by DHS… is because he woke back up. If he hadn’t… What would they have said happened?

Jesus Freakin Congress

64,059 views • 2 months ago

Just because your baby’s eyes are open doesn’t necessarily mean they’re awake. And the same holds true in reverse. Weird, right? During active (or REM) sleep it’s not uncommon for your baby to open their eyes for brief periods, to make noises, and to move their body actively. The (open eyes) phenomenon, known as psychological lagophthalmos, is common in newborns and may be attributable in part to immaturity of their central nervous system. The important thing here is not to be too quick to assume your little one has finished sleeping just because their eyes open. This video is a great example. Baby’s eyes are partially open, but he is in the midst active sleep (which comprises half or more of each newborn sleep cycle). Likewise, there are situations where your child may appear to be asleep, but isn’t. Particularly in bright, noisy, or otherwise overstimulating environments your child may feign sleep (when they are feeling overwhelmed) as a sort of defense mechanism. This is called habituation. And while it may look like sleep it does not provide the same restorative benefits - and often concludes with prolonged periods of crying as a sort of stress relief. Long story short, you can’t always judge your baby’s level of alertness from their eyes alone - so be sensitive and observant in both circumstances. (And if you suspect your baby is habituating due to overstimulation, try to get them to an environment better suited to their needs.) This little one was shared to TT by laura.sunday.
0:11

Just because your baby’s eyes are open doesn’t necessarily mean they’re awake. And the same holds true in reverse. Weird, right? During active (or REM) sleep it’s not uncommon for your baby to open their eyes for brief periods, to make noises, and to move their body actively. The (open eyes) phenomenon, known as psychological lagophthalmos, is common in newborns and may be attributable in part to immaturity of their central nervous system. The important thing here is not to be too quick to assume your little one has finished sleeping just because their eyes open. This video is a great example. Baby’s eyes are partially open, but he is in the midst active sleep (which comprises half or more of each newborn sleep cycle). Likewise, there are situations where your child may appear to be asleep, but isn’t. Particularly in bright, noisy, or otherwise overstimulating environments your child may feign sleep (when they are feeling overwhelmed) as a sort of defense mechanism. This is called habituation. And while it may look like sleep it does not provide the same restorative benefits - and often concludes with prolonged periods of crying as a sort of stress relief. Long story short, you can’t always judge your baby’s level of alertness from their eyes alone - so be sensitive and observant in both circumstances. (And if you suspect your baby is habituating due to overstimulation, try to get them to an environment better suited to their needs.) This little one was shared to TT by laura.sunday.

Dan Wuori

77,626 views • 2 years ago

This is real gun camera footage from a P-51 Mustang, chasing a German Bf 109 down to the treetops until it goes down in flames. The American pilot flying it, Lt John Kirla, shot down five enemy planes in a single day, becoming an ace in one mission. This footage captures one of his victories over a Bf 109. This is his story.. From Trainee to the Yoxford Boys John Kirla was not a born fighter ace. He was an ordinary young American who had come up through flight training in Texas, graduating at the start of 1944. He learned his trade on trainers, moved up to fighters, and got just 15 hours in the P-51 Mustang before being sent to England as a replacement pilot. He joined the 362nd Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group, a unit based at Leiston that was already becoming a legend. The 357th was the first group in the Eighth Air Force fully equipped with the Mustang, and it would go on to produce more aces than any other fighter group in the Eighth, including Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson. Kirla was the newest pilot in a squadron already filled with experienced aces. His job was to escort American bombers deep into Germany and protect them from the Luftwaffe. On November 27 1944, he got the day that would define him. Five Victories in One Mission That morning the 357th ran headlong into a massive swarm of German fighters trying to get at the bombers. Kirla's flight dropped their fuel tanks and dived straight into the middle of it. Almost immediately, the fight became a swirling, low-level brawl of Mustangs, Messerschmitts, and Focke-Wulfs twisting across the sky. Kirla picked out his first target and opened fire, and from that moment he did not stop hunting. In his own account, he spotted a Bf 109 that was attacking an American bomber. He went after it, closed to just 30 yards, and when the German threw his fighter into a tight barrel roll straight down toward the ground, Kirla stayed glued to his tail and, in his words, clobbered him all over until he went down. An Ace in a Day He kept finding more. Again and again through that wild, sprawling fight, Kirla latched onto an enemy aircraft and did not let go. At one point he watched a German fighter shoot down one of his fellow Mustang pilots right in front of him, and closed in for revenge. As he described it afterward, he opened fire, saw pieces start to fly off the enemy aircraft, and watched it fall out of the sky like a leaf drifting to the ground. Rather than breaking away and climbing back to safety, Kirla chased his targets down low, following them almost to the ground, the fighters weaving over villages and treetops until the enemy aircraft finally went down. By the time the fight was over, John Kirla had shot down five German aircraft in a single mission. He had become an ace in a day, one of the relatively few American fighter pilots to achieve that in a single mission. The Mustang That Changed the Air War The Mustang was the aircraft that made days like Kirla's possible. The P-51 combined long range, high speed, and deadly firepower, and it could follow the bombers all the way to their targets and fight the German fighters on equal or better terms. By the end of the war, P-51 groups had claimed close to 5,000 enemy aircraft shot down, about half of all American air-to-air kills in the European theater. Kirla's own group, the 357th, became the top-scoring Mustang group in the Eighth Air Force. Flying one of the finest escort fighters of the war, men like Kirla helped turn the tide of the air war over Germany. The gun-camera film rolling every time he pressed the trigger captured it all, including the footage you are watching. John Kirla's Legacy John Kirla flew on to the end of his combat tour and finished the war as a double ace, credited with 11 and a half enemy aircraft destroyed in the air. He was awarded the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his courage in the skies over Europe. He had gone from a trainee with a handful of hours in a Mustang to one of the deadliest fighter pilots in one of the deadliest fighter groups of the war, in the span of a single year. The footage of his Mustang chasing a Bf 109 down to the trees is only a few seconds long. But behind those few seconds is a young American who climbed into a fighter, dove into a swarm of the enemy, and shot down five of them before the day was out. This was the story of John Kirla. I post a story like this every single day. Most people never see them. Follow so you don't miss the next one.
0:16

This is real gun camera footage from a P-51 Mustang, chasing a German Bf 109 down to the treetops until it goes down in flames. The American pilot flying it, Lt John Kirla, shot down five enemy planes in a single day, becoming an ace in one mission. This footage captures one of his victories over a Bf 109. This is his story.. From Trainee to the Yoxford Boys John Kirla was not a born fighter ace. He was an ordinary young American who had come up through flight training in Texas, graduating at the start of 1944. He learned his trade on trainers, moved up to fighters, and got just 15 hours in the P-51 Mustang before being sent to England as a replacement pilot. He joined the 362nd Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group, a unit based at Leiston that was already becoming a legend. The 357th was the first group in the Eighth Air Force fully equipped with the Mustang, and it would go on to produce more aces than any other fighter group in the Eighth, including Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson. Kirla was the newest pilot in a squadron already filled with experienced aces. His job was to escort American bombers deep into Germany and protect them from the Luftwaffe. On November 27 1944, he got the day that would define him. Five Victories in One Mission That morning the 357th ran headlong into a massive swarm of German fighters trying to get at the bombers. Kirla's flight dropped their fuel tanks and dived straight into the middle of it. Almost immediately, the fight became a swirling, low-level brawl of Mustangs, Messerschmitts, and Focke-Wulfs twisting across the sky. Kirla picked out his first target and opened fire, and from that moment he did not stop hunting. In his own account, he spotted a Bf 109 that was attacking an American bomber. He went after it, closed to just 30 yards, and when the German threw his fighter into a tight barrel roll straight down toward the ground, Kirla stayed glued to his tail and, in his words, clobbered him all over until he went down. An Ace in a Day He kept finding more. Again and again through that wild, sprawling fight, Kirla latched onto an enemy aircraft and did not let go. At one point he watched a German fighter shoot down one of his fellow Mustang pilots right in front of him, and closed in for revenge. As he described it afterward, he opened fire, saw pieces start to fly off the enemy aircraft, and watched it fall out of the sky like a leaf drifting to the ground. Rather than breaking away and climbing back to safety, Kirla chased his targets down low, following them almost to the ground, the fighters weaving over villages and treetops until the enemy aircraft finally went down. By the time the fight was over, John Kirla had shot down five German aircraft in a single mission. He had become an ace in a day, one of the relatively few American fighter pilots to achieve that in a single mission. The Mustang That Changed the Air War The Mustang was the aircraft that made days like Kirla's possible. The P-51 combined long range, high speed, and deadly firepower, and it could follow the bombers all the way to their targets and fight the German fighters on equal or better terms. By the end of the war, P-51 groups had claimed close to 5,000 enemy aircraft shot down, about half of all American air-to-air kills in the European theater. Kirla's own group, the 357th, became the top-scoring Mustang group in the Eighth Air Force. Flying one of the finest escort fighters of the war, men like Kirla helped turn the tide of the air war over Germany. The gun-camera film rolling every time he pressed the trigger captured it all, including the footage you are watching. John Kirla's Legacy John Kirla flew on to the end of his combat tour and finished the war as a double ace, credited with 11 and a half enemy aircraft destroyed in the air. He was awarded the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his courage in the skies over Europe. He had gone from a trainee with a handful of hours in a Mustang to one of the deadliest fighter pilots in one of the deadliest fighter groups of the war, in the span of a single year. The footage of his Mustang chasing a Bf 109 down to the trees is only a few seconds long. But behind those few seconds is a young American who climbed into a fighter, dove into a swarm of the enemy, and shot down five of them before the day was out. This was the story of John Kirla. I post a story like this every single day. Most people never see them. Follow so you don't miss the next one.

Untold War Stories

156,432 views • 14 days ago

I know I can still make a lot of $ investing in companies led by people like Mark Zuckerberg or Sam Altman, but they are shady and I just can’t trust them. And that’s why the founder matters so much to me when I invest. I’m betting on so much more than just the products, technology, or financials, although important. I’m betting on the person leading the company… their vision, character, ability to execute, willingness to risk everything, and most importantly, their heart. And the heart matters. I genuinely believe Elon has a kind heart and that his intentions are real. He’s shown me time and time again that this is about so much more than just making $ money (despite him NEVER letting investors down for any capital raise for any of his companies in the long run…) You don’t risk everything you have on electric cars, FSD, and reusable rockets bc you’re chasing the easiest $ dollar. In fact, looking back, there were probably a thousand easier ways to make $ money with far less risk, stress, and sacrifice. You dedicate your life to solving some of humanity’s hardest problems bc something deeper than $ money is driving you. Elon could’ve easily taken his $ money, disappeared, and lived one of the easiest lives imaginable. But instead, he kept putting it back on the line to build things people said were impossible and were super important for the future. Making life multiplanetary. Accelerating sustainable energy. Giving people internet anywhere on Earth. Restoring mobility and independence through robotics. Pushing humanity forward with AI. The list goes on and on… You can disagree with Elon. You can hate how he says things. He says crazy things, I know. You can question his decisions. But after following him and investing in his companies for more than a decade, I believe he’s the real deal… the mission is real. I believe I have a pretty keen eye for these things. Great entrepreneurs can copy ideas, improve them, and still make investors a lot of $ money. However, true innovators create the future everyone else eventually follows. That’s the difference. And to me, there’s only one Elon Musk.
0:19

I know I can still make a lot of $ investing in companies led by people like Mark Zuckerberg or Sam Altman, but they are shady and I just can’t trust them. And that’s why the founder matters so much to me when I invest. I’m betting on so much more than just the products, technology, or financials, although important. I’m betting on the person leading the company… their vision, character, ability to execute, willingness to risk everything, and most importantly, their heart. And the heart matters. I genuinely believe Elon has a kind heart and that his intentions are real. He’s shown me time and time again that this is about so much more than just making $ money (despite him NEVER letting investors down for any capital raise for any of his companies in the long run…) You don’t risk everything you have on electric cars, FSD, and reusable rockets bc you’re chasing the easiest $ dollar. In fact, looking back, there were probably a thousand easier ways to make $ money with far less risk, stress, and sacrifice. You dedicate your life to solving some of humanity’s hardest problems bc something deeper than $ money is driving you. Elon could’ve easily taken his $ money, disappeared, and lived one of the easiest lives imaginable. But instead, he kept putting it back on the line to build things people said were impossible and were super important for the future. Making life multiplanetary. Accelerating sustainable energy. Giving people internet anywhere on Earth. Restoring mobility and independence through robotics. Pushing humanity forward with AI. The list goes on and on… You can disagree with Elon. You can hate how he says things. He says crazy things, I know. You can question his decisions. But after following him and investing in his companies for more than a decade, I believe he’s the real deal… the mission is real. I believe I have a pretty keen eye for these things. Great entrepreneurs can copy ideas, improve them, and still make investors a lot of $ money. However, true innovators create the future everyone else eventually follows. That’s the difference. And to me, there’s only one Elon Musk.

Teslaconomics

87,044 views • 5 days ago

I keep thinking about one of the original moments that the Left really started targeting Charlie and making Turning Point the enemy and how Charlie never backed down. When we hired Candace Owens, I had the honor of it being the three of us traveling around quite a bit… we went everywhere. Between work and building organizationally, to putting her on tour for the very first time with Charlie, helping with her personal socials and website— just everything. Charlie wanted to do everything he possibly could to maximize her voice as he did with so many because he loved her and saw her ability to do so much good for America. But this was in the era of the rise of Antifa that was manufactured by the Left. The first real danger I think we ever experienced where we were just living our lives and it made us realize we were in for a larger long term war was when we were together, just eating breakfast before some meetings and suddenly outside our window a large gang of antifa had assembled and harassed us out of our meal and then, while shouting “fascists” over and over took us to the streets to surround us and scream in our faces. They poured water on us and I’m sure wanted to throw other things at us had the police not arrived on the street and got us out of there. Charlie never backed down, in fact, instead of getting angry or physical, he stood bravely and tried have a debate with these obviously paid antifa bad actors. My young and honorable friend, (he was always genuine in his desire to save every single person he could) stood there and gave those people as he did everyone the chance to talk about ideas and I personally witnessed how fearless he was many times in the face of dangerous, unhinged activists, early early on. He never once feared these people. He just wanted to do right by what he knew was right. He knew other bystanders were always watching and learning and there was no way he could back down and let these people lie and falsely frame America the way they were trying to do. I’ll never forget his smiling face, “have a wonderful day, enjoy your capitalist breakfast.” He would have tried to talk sense into anyone and everyone and that is what he did every single day. That is why Charlie won over America. He was honest, true and genuine. Never gave up and stood in the pocket in the face of paid agitators and evil.
0:13

I keep thinking about one of the original moments that the Left really started targeting Charlie and making Turning Point the enemy and how Charlie never backed down. When we hired Candace Owens, I had the honor of it being the three of us traveling around quite a bit… we went everywhere. Between work and building organizationally, to putting her on tour for the very first time with Charlie, helping with her personal socials and website— just everything. Charlie wanted to do everything he possibly could to maximize her voice as he did with so many because he loved her and saw her ability to do so much good for America. But this was in the era of the rise of Antifa that was manufactured by the Left. The first real danger I think we ever experienced where we were just living our lives and it made us realize we were in for a larger long term war was when we were together, just eating breakfast before some meetings and suddenly outside our window a large gang of antifa had assembled and harassed us out of our meal and then, while shouting “fascists” over and over took us to the streets to surround us and scream in our faces. They poured water on us and I’m sure wanted to throw other things at us had the police not arrived on the street and got us out of there. Charlie never backed down, in fact, instead of getting angry or physical, he stood bravely and tried have a debate with these obviously paid antifa bad actors. My young and honorable friend, (he was always genuine in his desire to save every single person he could) stood there and gave those people as he did everyone the chance to talk about ideas and I personally witnessed how fearless he was many times in the face of dangerous, unhinged activists, early early on. He never once feared these people. He just wanted to do right by what he knew was right. He knew other bystanders were always watching and learning and there was no way he could back down and let these people lie and falsely frame America the way they were trying to do. I’ll never forget his smiling face, “have a wonderful day, enjoy your capitalist breakfast.” He would have tried to talk sense into anyone and everyone and that is what he did every single day. That is why Charlie won over America. He was honest, true and genuine. Never gave up and stood in the pocket in the face of paid agitators and evil.

Tyler Bowyer

25,495 views • 10 months ago

12 Angels of Majdal Shams 👼 Of all the things I've done in my professional life, few experiences, if any, have been as deeply meaningful, inspiring or profoundly moving as this. At the initiative of my incredible friend ERIC RUBIN אריק 🟦 🎗️ and the amazing organizations Athletes for Israel (AFI) 🟦 & Project Max that he leads, this week I had the opportunity to join two NFL legends and Hall of Famers, Nick Lowery and Tony Richardson(T Rich), in a visit to Majdal Shams, in northern Israel. In July last year, Hezbollah terrorists fired a missile, murdering 12 beautiful kids who were just playing football here. A moment that has been seared into our collective memories and heartache. We went to the site of this horrific attack and heard first-hand from the families of the children who were killed, and the indescribable devastation they suffered, as well as their herculean resilience, hope and even prayers for peace. To see these NFL legends, hardened men, who played football their entire careers in one of the toughest sports there is, brought to tears (as was I mind you), was incredibly powerful. These NFL champions, who are also super mensches by the way, also played some football with the kids in the community - at the site of the rebuilt stadium - and spent time signing autographs and handing out gifts. It was the first visit of its kind, of professional athletes, to this community. It was truly inspiring beyond words to see the smiles on these kids faces, and their parents. The moment of happiness and joy was just priceless. They also spoke about long-term projects to support this special community! This was not, like for many others, just a one-off PR visit, and then abandoning them. This is the beginning of a legitimate long-term partnership (more on that to come). We must never forget what happened and do everything possible to support and help these children, their families and the community rebuild! During their trip by the way, the NFL champions also spoke with hostage families, visited the south of Israel and spent time with Lone Soldiers. None of this would have been possible were it not for the vision, initiative and indefatigable effort of Eric Rubin, someone I am proud beyond words to know, and who is single-handedly revolutionizing using sport and athletes to support Israel, combat antisemitism and draw attention to the plight of our hostages. The State of Israel and the Jewish people are absolutely blessed to have him! As for me ... well, I'm just lucky these beautiful little kids at Majdal Shams let me have a goal at the end!
0:11

12 Angels of Majdal Shams 👼 Of all the things I've done in my professional life, few experiences, if any, have been as deeply meaningful, inspiring or profoundly moving as this. At the initiative of my incredible friend ERIC RUBIN אריק 🟦 🎗️ and the amazing organizations Athletes for Israel (AFI) 🟦 & Project Max that he leads, this week I had the opportunity to join two NFL legends and Hall of Famers, Nick Lowery and Tony Richardson(T Rich), in a visit to Majdal Shams, in northern Israel. In July last year, Hezbollah terrorists fired a missile, murdering 12 beautiful kids who were just playing football here. A moment that has been seared into our collective memories and heartache. We went to the site of this horrific attack and heard first-hand from the families of the children who were killed, and the indescribable devastation they suffered, as well as their herculean resilience, hope and even prayers for peace. To see these NFL legends, hardened men, who played football their entire careers in one of the toughest sports there is, brought to tears (as was I mind you), was incredibly powerful. These NFL champions, who are also super mensches by the way, also played some football with the kids in the community - at the site of the rebuilt stadium - and spent time signing autographs and handing out gifts. It was the first visit of its kind, of professional athletes, to this community. It was truly inspiring beyond words to see the smiles on these kids faces, and their parents. The moment of happiness and joy was just priceless. They also spoke about long-term projects to support this special community! This was not, like for many others, just a one-off PR visit, and then abandoning them. This is the beginning of a legitimate long-term partnership (more on that to come). We must never forget what happened and do everything possible to support and help these children, their families and the community rebuild! During their trip by the way, the NFL champions also spoke with hostage families, visited the south of Israel and spent time with Lone Soldiers. None of this would have been possible were it not for the vision, initiative and indefatigable effort of Eric Rubin, someone I am proud beyond words to know, and who is single-handedly revolutionizing using sport and athletes to support Israel, combat antisemitism and draw attention to the plight of our hostages. The State of Israel and the Jewish people are absolutely blessed to have him! As for me ... well, I'm just lucky these beautiful little kids at Majdal Shams let me have a goal at the end!

Arsen Ostrovsky

13,341 views • 1 year ago

Let me ask you an honest question: Who’s your daddy? If you’re a high school student athlete in Illinois, the answer is easy when it comes to one’s “Right to Play.” It’s not your Mom or Dad. It’s a private third-party vendor called the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). If you play a high school sport, the IHSA controls you even when your school day is over and even more when school isn’t even in session. It’s long been an overreach of control from a small group of narrow-minded ego-driven adults literally dictating what student athletes and families can do in their free time. But much-needed and welcome change is getting closer for all student athletes and their families, as more and more student athletes and parents come forward from present and past to speak up and talk about the disadvantages the IHSA - and those who benefit from it - have and are causing. The first victory earlier this week was by slaughter rule, a 12-0 thumping over the IHSA in committee vote. Now it moves to the big leagues. You can read more here: I encourage you to engage and educate yourself in a topic that 75 percent of high school student athletes across the U.S. can do, but it’s something high school student athletes in Illinois can’t do. Over the next 30 days, you are going to see more stories and hear directly from student athletes, families, leading athletic trainers and doctors, school leaders from Illinois and other states on local and national media outlets talking about this overreach and how the IHSA continues to put student athletes at a disadvantage. So I ask you again: Since when does a private third-party vendor get to control what student athletes and their families do, especially during their free time? Think about that. As you’ll see once again, it’s another classic case of cherry-picking to benefit one’s self by an organization that has now lost three consecutive court cases due to its unlawful dictating overreach. As always, I’ll layout both sides and show you how this has and continues to work easily and well for high school student athletes and schools across the U.S. - except in Illinois. They’ll say “health & safety.” They’ll say “scheduling & other logistics.” I’ll show you how those stocked talking points aren’t even tired, “they’re outdated” as one athletic trainer and other athletic director said to me today. Change for adults who control is always hard. It’s time to do what is right and long overdue for high school student athletes and families in Illinois. You’ll see why loud and clear beginning this week. **This is the first in a daily series.**
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Let me ask you an honest question: Who’s your daddy? If you’re a high school student athlete in Illinois, the answer is easy when it comes to one’s “Right to Play.” It’s not your Mom or Dad. It’s a private third-party vendor called the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). If you play a high school sport, the IHSA controls you even when your school day is over and even more when school isn’t even in session. It’s long been an overreach of control from a small group of narrow-minded ego-driven adults literally dictating what student athletes and families can do in their free time. But much-needed and welcome change is getting closer for all student athletes and their families, as more and more student athletes and parents come forward from present and past to speak up and talk about the disadvantages the IHSA - and those who benefit from it - have and are causing. The first victory earlier this week was by slaughter rule, a 12-0 thumping over the IHSA in committee vote. Now it moves to the big leagues. You can read more here: I encourage you to engage and educate yourself in a topic that 75 percent of high school student athletes across the U.S. can do, but it’s something high school student athletes in Illinois can’t do. Over the next 30 days, you are going to see more stories and hear directly from student athletes, families, leading athletic trainers and doctors, school leaders from Illinois and other states on local and national media outlets talking about this overreach and how the IHSA continues to put student athletes at a disadvantage. So I ask you again: Since when does a private third-party vendor get to control what student athletes and their families do, especially during their free time? Think about that. As you’ll see once again, it’s another classic case of cherry-picking to benefit one’s self by an organization that has now lost three consecutive court cases due to its unlawful dictating overreach. As always, I’ll layout both sides and show you how this has and continues to work easily and well for high school student athletes and schools across the U.S. - except in Illinois. They’ll say “health & safety.” They’ll say “scheduling & other logistics.” I’ll show you how those stocked talking points aren’t even tired, “they’re outdated” as one athletic trainer and other athletic director said to me today. Change for adults who control is always hard. It’s time to do what is right and long overdue for high school student athletes and families in Illinois. You’ll see why loud and clear beginning this week. **This is the first in a daily series.**

Trost

11,116 views • 1 year ago

Everybody says they want it… But Few have the fortitude to do the things it takes to get what they say they want Seneca 2024 & UPJ commit Zyler Freedman - after a long chase- slays the 🐉 dragon 90 mph off the mound tonight Here’s the story 📖 Zyler came to PVS baselining on the mound at 76.2 summer between Frosh and Sophomore year. No great size or mobility gifts… but what he did have- was the heart of a Lion. And that determination and discipline led to some great gains in his first year at PVS. He had a goal of 90 mph on the mound at PBR in Feb of 2023. He came up short in a memorable display of determination : 88 mph @PBRPennsylvania He dusted himself off and put his efforts into pitch design and command. He became one of the WPIAL’s best pitchers in the toughest baseball section. After that- he went to the Youngstown Class B summer league and pitched well there and committed to UPJ. After his commitment - we sat down and devised a plan. A plan most kids don’t have the patience to execute. It was rooted in Alan Jaeger Jaeger Sports principles of Weening off volume and building two weeks for every down week. We are talking 5 months folks. Throw by throw execution for five months. Five months. Along the way- we built him up using several Randy Sullivan MPT, CSCS concepts as well as tried and tested in house methods. Today was his first “Go day”. And he hit that 90. His boys were as pumped for him as they would have been for themselves. Our plan has just begun - More lay ahead. And what’s certain is- he’ll execute whatever it takes to keep moving forward in this game “It Takes What it Takes” has long been one of our mottos- That’s perhaps never been better demonstrated than Zyler these past 10 months
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Everybody says they want it… But Few have the fortitude to do the things it takes to get what they say they want Seneca 2024 & UPJ commit Zyler Freedman - after a long chase- slays the 🐉 dragon 90 mph off the mound tonight Here’s the story 📖 Zyler came to PVS baselining on the mound at 76.2 summer between Frosh and Sophomore year. No great size or mobility gifts… but what he did have- was the heart of a Lion. And that determination and discipline led to some great gains in his first year at PVS. He had a goal of 90 mph on the mound at PBR in Feb of 2023. He came up short in a memorable display of determination : 88 mph @PBRPennsylvania He dusted himself off and put his efforts into pitch design and command. He became one of the WPIAL’s best pitchers in the toughest baseball section. After that- he went to the Youngstown Class B summer league and pitched well there and committed to UPJ. After his commitment - we sat down and devised a plan. A plan most kids don’t have the patience to execute. It was rooted in Alan Jaeger Jaeger Sports principles of Weening off volume and building two weeks for every down week. We are talking 5 months folks. Throw by throw execution for five months. Five months. Along the way- we built him up using several Randy Sullivan MPT, CSCS concepts as well as tried and tested in house methods. Today was his first “Go day”. And he hit that 90. His boys were as pumped for him as they would have been for themselves. Our plan has just begun - More lay ahead. And what’s certain is- he’ll execute whatever it takes to keep moving forward in this game “It Takes What it Takes” has long been one of our mottos- That’s perhaps never been better demonstrated than Zyler these past 10 months

PVS Baseball

10,226 views • 2 years ago

Infant sleep can be such a tricky thing. Just as soon as you get reaccustomed to resting through the night, all of a sudden your baby reverts to waking multiple times a night. Welcome to the 8 month sleep regression. Interruptions in sleep patterns often coincide with the development of new skills and somewhere around 8 months you’re due for the biggest of them all. That’s because your baby is becoming mobile - and putting all the skills together to roll, crawl, and even pull to a stand in their crib. For infants this is a HUGE breakthrough. Imagine having spent your entire life mostly stationary, with your ability to pursue your own interests - or even adjust your view - subject to the whims of a caregiver. Somewhere between 6-9 months most babies begin discovering a host of new abilities. And let’s face it, some of them are a lot more entertaining than sleep. The good news (at 3am) is that the novelty here is temporary…but there are some important ways you can help your baby to navigate this period safely. Perhaps the most important one is illustrated in this video. And that’s adjusting the height of your child’s crib mattress to its lowest level. With newborns and immobile infants, it’s often convenient to elevate their mattress so they can be placed into and retrieved from the crib more easily. But when your baby begins pulling to a stand it’s critical that you lower their mattress to prevent accidental falls. Babies are top heavy and can easily go tumbling out without such adjustments. You may also find that your baby masters pulling to a stand faster than they master sitting back down - which can create a crib dilemma and a need for assistance. You can navigate through this phase more quickly by providing lots of wakeful practice in both standing and sitting, which may involve gently guiding your little one to bend their legs at the knee - or even placing an appealing toy on the ground near their feet to incentivize sitting back down. As for the sleep regression, it’ll be over before you know it. And while it can be frustrating in the middle of the night, think of it as a breakthrough. Your baby is reaching new developmental milestones - and about to go fully mobile. This sweet little guy was shared to IG by fesgheliha_.
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Infant sleep can be such a tricky thing. Just as soon as you get reaccustomed to resting through the night, all of a sudden your baby reverts to waking multiple times a night. Welcome to the 8 month sleep regression. Interruptions in sleep patterns often coincide with the development of new skills and somewhere around 8 months you’re due for the biggest of them all. That’s because your baby is becoming mobile - and putting all the skills together to roll, crawl, and even pull to a stand in their crib. For infants this is a HUGE breakthrough. Imagine having spent your entire life mostly stationary, with your ability to pursue your own interests - or even adjust your view - subject to the whims of a caregiver. Somewhere between 6-9 months most babies begin discovering a host of new abilities. And let’s face it, some of them are a lot more entertaining than sleep. The good news (at 3am) is that the novelty here is temporary…but there are some important ways you can help your baby to navigate this period safely. Perhaps the most important one is illustrated in this video. And that’s adjusting the height of your child’s crib mattress to its lowest level. With newborns and immobile infants, it’s often convenient to elevate their mattress so they can be placed into and retrieved from the crib more easily. But when your baby begins pulling to a stand it’s critical that you lower their mattress to prevent accidental falls. Babies are top heavy and can easily go tumbling out without such adjustments. You may also find that your baby masters pulling to a stand faster than they master sitting back down - which can create a crib dilemma and a need for assistance. You can navigate through this phase more quickly by providing lots of wakeful practice in both standing and sitting, which may involve gently guiding your little one to bend their legs at the knee - or even placing an appealing toy on the ground near their feet to incentivize sitting back down. As for the sleep regression, it’ll be over before you know it. And while it can be frustrating in the middle of the night, think of it as a breakthrough. Your baby is reaching new developmental milestones - and about to go fully mobile. This sweet little guy was shared to IG by fesgheliha_.

Dan Wuori

129,739 views • 2 years ago

Dear François Nzanga Mobutu, Good evening. I bet your father is turning in his grave, writhing in pain and shame after reading your tweet. He, at least, knew that there are authentic and fully-fledged Congolese Tutsis. He proved it until people like you and others came along and misled him. Do I need to inform you, in case you're unaware, that the people who demonstrated yesterday in Washington DC, roughly 4,000 of them, others the same day in Nairobi, and still others in England shortly before, are Banyamulenge, these Congolese Tutsis from the highlands, who are protesting against what Tshisekedi and the FARDC, the Wazalendo, Évariste Ndayishimiye and the FDNB, as well as the FDLR and mercenaries, are doing to their relatives in Minembwe and throughout the highlands? Their Sukhoi fighter jets and drones bomb daily, killing children, women, the elderly, and men. They destroy homes, churches, schools, hospitals, and community radio stations. They even kill cows and sheep and destroy fields and crops. They have imposed a blockade on Minembwe, with no entry or exit. They have done and are doing the same thing to the Tutsi in Masisi and Rutshuru in North Kivu. Instead of listening to their cries and examining their demands, the excuse is quickly found; the preferred shortcut is Rwanda. Always and only Rwanda. Too easy, isn't it? Your thinking, which is also the regime's narrative, can be summarized in these two sentences: - all the problems facing the DRC come from elsewhere, particularly from Rwanda; we will end up being told that even the migrants are here because of Rwanda. “And all the solutions must come from elsewhere, especially from the United States of America, from Papa Trump.” Under these conditions, what is the point of the regime you serve? Two small truths to remember, dear François: “Such an attitude, this kind of ideology, this denial of nationality to Congolese Tutsis of origin, from North and South Kivu, as well as to all those who are victims of the same persecution, like the Hema and others, this easy rejection based on appearance (racial profiling), are among the root causes of the crisis the country is going through;” “As long as we haven’t decided to be sufficiently responsible, to sit down as a nation and rigorously assess our share (of responsibility) in what is happening to us, we will continue to wait for solutions from others, solutions that may never come.” Furthermore, there are satanic verses that must be banished immediately, in the interest of everyone and the country, such as: "There are no Congolese Tutsis, every Tutsi is Rwandan, therefore a foreigner," etc. Either we will be able to put an end to exclusion, discrimination, hate speech, and ethnic hatred, and live together according to the law and history, or this deep-seated problem risks haunting us for a long time. But to achieve this, we need leadership capable of understanding and transcending differences and turning them into assets for living together. This is possible.
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Dear François Nzanga Mobutu, Good evening. I bet your father is turning in his grave, writhing in pain and shame after reading your tweet. He, at least, knew that there are authentic and fully-fledged Congolese Tutsis. He proved it until people like you and others came along and misled him. Do I need to inform you, in case you're unaware, that the people who demonstrated yesterday in Washington DC, roughly 4,000 of them, others the same day in Nairobi, and still others in England shortly before, are Banyamulenge, these Congolese Tutsis from the highlands, who are protesting against what Tshisekedi and the FARDC, the Wazalendo, Évariste Ndayishimiye and the FDNB, as well as the FDLR and mercenaries, are doing to their relatives in Minembwe and throughout the highlands? Their Sukhoi fighter jets and drones bomb daily, killing children, women, the elderly, and men. They destroy homes, churches, schools, hospitals, and community radio stations. They even kill cows and sheep and destroy fields and crops. They have imposed a blockade on Minembwe, with no entry or exit. They have done and are doing the same thing to the Tutsi in Masisi and Rutshuru in North Kivu. Instead of listening to their cries and examining their demands, the excuse is quickly found; the preferred shortcut is Rwanda. Always and only Rwanda. Too easy, isn't it? Your thinking, which is also the regime's narrative, can be summarized in these two sentences: - all the problems facing the DRC come from elsewhere, particularly from Rwanda; we will end up being told that even the migrants are here because of Rwanda. “And all the solutions must come from elsewhere, especially from the United States of America, from Papa Trump.” Under these conditions, what is the point of the regime you serve? Two small truths to remember, dear François: “Such an attitude, this kind of ideology, this denial of nationality to Congolese Tutsis of origin, from North and South Kivu, as well as to all those who are victims of the same persecution, like the Hema and others, this easy rejection based on appearance (racial profiling), are among the root causes of the crisis the country is going through;” “As long as we haven’t decided to be sufficiently responsible, to sit down as a nation and rigorously assess our share (of responsibility) in what is happening to us, we will continue to wait for solutions from others, solutions that may never come.” Furthermore, there are satanic verses that must be banished immediately, in the interest of everyone and the country, such as: "There are no Congolese Tutsis, every Tutsi is Rwandan, therefore a foreigner," etc. Either we will be able to put an end to exclusion, discrimination, hate speech, and ethnic hatred, and live together according to the law and history, or this deep-seated problem risks haunting us for a long time. But to achieve this, we need leadership capable of understanding and transcending differences and turning them into assets for living together. This is possible.

Me Moise Nyarugabo

22,470 views • 2 months ago

I feel like the kdrama Spring Fever isn’t getting the hype it truly deserves and that’s honestly a little sad. From the very first episode, this drama surprises you: it’s not the flashy rom com that grabs headlines, but it slowly, beautifully grows on you, like spring sun warming your shoulders after a long winter. Spring Fever follows Yoon Bom (Lee Joo‑bin), a former Seoul woman whose heart has been bruised and self‑protected so tightly that she hardly smiles anymore. She takes a job teaching in the quiet seaside town of Sinsu, hoping to disappear into the routine of chalkboards and lesson plans. But life doesn’t stay quiet for long when Seon Jae‑gyu (Ahn Bo‑hyun)walks in loud, bold, unpredictable, and deeply warm underneath his rugged exterior. What makes this show special isn’t wild plot twists or dramatic betrayals. It’s the gentle unravelling of two people who have been taught not to trust their own happiness. The romance doesn’t explode it melts. You get to watch Bom’s walls crack piece by piece as Jae‑gyu’s silly confidence and heartfelt sincerity keep poking through, making you root for them not because they’re dramatic but because they feel real. And the world they build? It’s not just two people falling in love it’s a whole village humming with life. The side characters aren’t background noise; the everyday chaos of smalltown life. Their laughs, their missteps, and their quiet moments add an emotional richness that bigger, flashier dramas often miss. You don’t binge Spring Fever for viral scenes. You binge it for that moment when a smile really a smile finally reaches Bom’s eyes. You watch for the way Jae‑gyu’s tough exterior hides a heart that loves fiercely, gently, and without apology. You feel it in the way the show blends humor and heartbreak, laughter and longing, softness and strength. And yet because it’s not loud, dramatic,it’s not getting talked about. The best romances aren’t the ones that explode they’re the ones that slowly, softly, and beautifully grow into your heart. To think that this is Lee Joo‑bin’s first lead romantic role and she is absolutely shining. Her chemistry with Ahn Bo‑hyun is spectacular.#SpringFever
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I feel like the kdrama Spring Fever isn’t getting the hype it truly deserves and that’s honestly a little sad. From the very first episode, this drama surprises you: it’s not the flashy rom com that grabs headlines, but it slowly, beautifully grows on you, like spring sun warming your shoulders after a long winter. Spring Fever follows Yoon Bom (Lee Joo‑bin), a former Seoul woman whose heart has been bruised and self‑protected so tightly that she hardly smiles anymore. She takes a job teaching in the quiet seaside town of Sinsu, hoping to disappear into the routine of chalkboards and lesson plans. But life doesn’t stay quiet for long when Seon Jae‑gyu (Ahn Bo‑hyun)walks in loud, bold, unpredictable, and deeply warm underneath his rugged exterior. What makes this show special isn’t wild plot twists or dramatic betrayals. It’s the gentle unravelling of two people who have been taught not to trust their own happiness. The romance doesn’t explode it melts. You get to watch Bom’s walls crack piece by piece as Jae‑gyu’s silly confidence and heartfelt sincerity keep poking through, making you root for them not because they’re dramatic but because they feel real. And the world they build? It’s not just two people falling in love it’s a whole village humming with life. The side characters aren’t background noise; the everyday chaos of smalltown life. Their laughs, their missteps, and their quiet moments add an emotional richness that bigger, flashier dramas often miss. You don’t binge Spring Fever for viral scenes. You binge it for that moment when a smile really a smile finally reaches Bom’s eyes. You watch for the way Jae‑gyu’s tough exterior hides a heart that loves fiercely, gently, and without apology. You feel it in the way the show blends humor and heartbreak, laughter and longing, softness and strength. And yet because it’s not loud, dramatic,it’s not getting talked about. The best romances aren’t the ones that explode they’re the ones that slowly, softly, and beautifully grow into your heart. To think that this is Lee Joo‑bin’s first lead romantic role and she is absolutely shining. Her chemistry with Ahn Bo‑hyun is spectacular.#SpringFever

EdoQueen🌹

22,797 views • 5 months ago

No. You don’t get to launder this by calling him an “observer,” as if he were a neutral bystander who happened to be shot for no reason. Everyone knows what’s happening. Literal communists are operating in lockstep with taxpayer-funded NGOs to mass-recruit people, whip them into a frenzy, and deploy them in defense of their own interests. The recruiting pipeline is obvious and consistent: the disabled, the mentally ill, the elderly. We’ve all seen the footage. Organizations like States at the Core then train these people to obstruct ICE. They drill escalation, not restraint. Doxxing. Harassment. Following agents. Surrounding vehicles. Screaming. Conditioning people to intervene at any cost. And it works. Watch the video I attached. A small woman steps alone in front of a moving car. The physics don’t matter to her. Self-preservation doesn’t matter. Her survival instinct has been stripped out and replaced with obedience. That doesn’t happen organically. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. And not one of you has said, “Maybe don’t do this. Maybe don’t send people to play chicken with vehicles and guns.” You didn’t speak up because dead bodies are useful to you. They justify the next riot. Once you condition people this way, it’s inevitable that someone shows up armed. It’s inevitable that ICE agents are threatened. It’s inevitable that you misframe it afterward. It’s inevitable that you roll out barricades and prepare for a night of fire in Minneapolis. And yes, it’s inevitable that you push people into this in subzero weather like lab animals—MK-Ultra levels of behavioral control. You are despicable because this is all about money. About keeping the grift alive. You’re willing to put people in harm’s way, to break them, even to kill them, so your funding and your lifestyle continue uninterrupted. The so-called “observer” was a victim, but not of ICE. He was a victim of you.
0:18

No. You don’t get to launder this by calling him an “observer,” as if he were a neutral bystander who happened to be shot for no reason. Everyone knows what’s happening. Literal communists are operating in lockstep with taxpayer-funded NGOs to mass-recruit people, whip them into a frenzy, and deploy them in defense of their own interests. The recruiting pipeline is obvious and consistent: the disabled, the mentally ill, the elderly. We’ve all seen the footage. Organizations like States at the Core then train these people to obstruct ICE. They drill escalation, not restraint. Doxxing. Harassment. Following agents. Surrounding vehicles. Screaming. Conditioning people to intervene at any cost. And it works. Watch the video I attached. A small woman steps alone in front of a moving car. The physics don’t matter to her. Self-preservation doesn’t matter. Her survival instinct has been stripped out and replaced with obedience. That doesn’t happen organically. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. And not one of you has said, “Maybe don’t do this. Maybe don’t send people to play chicken with vehicles and guns.” You didn’t speak up because dead bodies are useful to you. They justify the next riot. Once you condition people this way, it’s inevitable that someone shows up armed. It’s inevitable that ICE agents are threatened. It’s inevitable that you misframe it afterward. It’s inevitable that you roll out barricades and prepare for a night of fire in Minneapolis. And yes, it’s inevitable that you push people into this in subzero weather like lab animals—MK-Ultra levels of behavioral control. You are despicable because this is all about money. About keeping the grift alive. You’re willing to put people in harm’s way, to break them, even to kill them, so your funding and your lifestyle continue uninterrupted. The so-called “observer” was a victim, but not of ICE. He was a victim of you.

DataRepublican (small r)

425,833 views • 5 months ago

Instead of just talking about it, I wanted to go through it and really break it down to figure out the exact reason for the difference in Jalen Duren's play between the regular season and the playoffs. *LONG BREAKDOWN COMING* First, lets list how much the difference was: Iso in RS: 82nd %ile Iso in PS: 21st %ile Post-ups in RS: 88th %ile Post-ups in PS: 59th %ile PPP on drives in RS: 1.18 ppp PPP on drives in PS: 0.80 Layups in RS: 79th %ile Layups in PS: 19th %ile It was a staggering drop off. Shocking to many of us who watched him all season. So, what happened? Well, #1 I think mentally he was letting his struggles get to him and he started to play out of control. Something that suggests this to me is this stat: He started to figure some things out himself in isolation over the last 2 games against the Cavs. He had six isolation possessions in the final two games against the Cavs; he scored on five of those possessions and drew a foul on the other. Game 6 he started to look confident and really made them pay out of isolation. I really think a ton of it was he got hit with a punch early against ORL and really struggled to handle the pressure and struggles after, and just kept stacking and stacking. So, him being in his own head is #1 for me. #2: His handle got exposed quite a bit. In the regular season, he only had a 4.2 TO% in isolation, which is incredible. In the playoffs, though, that spiked to 20 TO%. On drives in the RS, he had a TO% of 4%. In the PS, it jumped to 13.3%. The first clip below shows how the right-to-left cross he loved doing all season was really taken away from him. Too loose of a handle, and he often got his pocket picked trying this exact move over and over. I think having his go-to move taken from him shook him a bit and left him scrambling a bit in his head to find a counter. The second clip shows, imo, him starting to lose trust in his handle. He immediately turns his back to the defender, which is what you do when you're worried about losing the ball. But, even then, he loses control of the handle and it ends up in a turnover. If I'm the Pistons, I'm showing all his turnovers due to his handle and working with him on tightening his handle and also helping him get comfortable with a counter/second move so defenders don't just sit on the right-to-left cross. #3: I think he really struggled to adjust to the playoff whistle. In the regular season, he drew free throws on 21% of his isolations and 31% of his post-ups. In the PS, it dropped to 14% and 11%, respectively. There were many possessions where in the RS he would've got free throws, but did not in the PS and he was frustrated. In the third clip, you'll see how physical he was being played by Mobley (which we all want physicality in the game). But, in the RS, he probably is getting FTA's here. There are many examples of this where it felt like a lot of his value during the RS was being able to draw FTA's on his drives, and in the PS, refs just allowed more physicality, and he struggled to deal with it. #4: Ausar-Duren duo. I believe in this duo, and I do not think this was the main reason Duren struggled. However, I am not blind to the fact that there were obviously some possessions that hurt Duren. In the regular season, Duen actually got less efficient when Ausar wasn't on the floor. However, in the playoffs, Duren went from 51 TS% with Ausar on the floor (302 minutes) to 64 TS% with Ausar off the floor (121 minutes). In the 4th clip, you really see how the lack of spacing caused a tough shot from Duren. He gets a step on WCJ going right, and probably would prefer to then just use his strength to create spearation. However, he sees Suggs sitting in the right gap off of Ausar, which forces him to spin left. Once he spins left, Paolo is completely leaving Tobias open. This is one of the reasons I really think DET needs a spacing 4 because this should be an easy kickout from Duren to a shooter. He still should've made this pass to Tobias, but a legit shooting 4 I think would relocate to the corner and make an easier outlet/easier to see for Duren. But, he still coulda made the pass, tbf. Either way, you see how the lack of spacing from both Ausar and Tobias forced Duren into a really awkward drive where he was forced into an extremely tough shot. I think if the passing returned from Duren, some of these situations wouldn't happen. Hitting Ausar early as he cuts into the space would work, or hitting Tobias (who again shoulda be making himself more available) beyond the arc results in better offense. But, also, having better spacing probably allows Duren to just get to his original move once he beats WCJ off the dribble. and lastly #5: He really just didn't play well. I can't include any more clips (I'll put some in the immediate thread reply to display), but he really just didn't play well. Missed *a lot* of looks we're used to him making. His touch around the rim left him, looked like he really felt rushed in the paint. He was struggling to secure rebounds after dominating the glass all season (during the RS, he averaged 4.3 second chance points a game, in the PS it dropped to 2.3). During RS, he had a 22.0 DREB%, which dropped to 16.0% in the playoffs. So, I think a lot of factors played into why he struggled so much in the playoffs. My takeaway is I don't think these things are unfixable; actually, I think they're very fixable. Experience of dealing with what playoff physicality is I think is going to help moving forward. All young players have to adjust to that--I think Cade really learned that from NY series to this playoff run. Tightening his handle and just having a second move to go to is not something that should be considered impossible. I'd like to believe it's pretty likely with how much he works and the raw skill he already has with his handle. Pistons adding a legit spacer at the four I think solves a lot and will make Duren's life a lot easier. The most concerning part is mental. And we won't know an answer to that until the next playoffs. Did this experience help him on his journey towards becoming mentally strong and prepared enough to move forward? Did this run help him find a routine that helps him lock in mentally, as many players have said they had to discover? Or will the pressure from struggling last postseason get to him this upcoming postseason? Will he let mistakes get into his head, compound them, and start playing rashly? I don't think the second option will be the case, but no one will know until the next postseason. Honestly, I'm more concerned and critical of his defense in the playoffs (which at times was pretty good and at other times was an incredible struggle), but that would require its own thread. My ending thoughts: I still very much believe in Duren. This playoff run showed he has areas he must sharpen up and learn from, but at 22 that shouldn't be a shocker. He is incredibly talented and made a large jump during the RS. The PS posed challenges he didn't quite have answers to yet. But another run of experience, another offseason of training, and another year older should lead him down a good path. I am fully supportive of paying Duren and extending him. I am not at close to 50 million dollars. 35-40 million is where I think they'll settle on, and I'm fine with that. But, he's gotta learn from these playoffs! Every offseason he's gotten better, I don't have a reason to believe Jalen Duren won't learn and improve again this summer. He's only 22.
0:15

Instead of just talking about it, I wanted to go through it and really break it down to figure out the exact reason for the difference in Jalen Duren's play between the regular season and the playoffs. *LONG BREAKDOWN COMING* First, lets list how much the difference was: Iso in RS: 82nd %ile Iso in PS: 21st %ile Post-ups in RS: 88th %ile Post-ups in PS: 59th %ile PPP on drives in RS: 1.18 ppp PPP on drives in PS: 0.80 Layups in RS: 79th %ile Layups in PS: 19th %ile It was a staggering drop off. Shocking to many of us who watched him all season. So, what happened? Well, #1 I think mentally he was letting his struggles get to him and he started to play out of control. Something that suggests this to me is this stat: He started to figure some things out himself in isolation over the last 2 games against the Cavs. He had six isolation possessions in the final two games against the Cavs; he scored on five of those possessions and drew a foul on the other. Game 6 he started to look confident and really made them pay out of isolation. I really think a ton of it was he got hit with a punch early against ORL and really struggled to handle the pressure and struggles after, and just kept stacking and stacking. So, him being in his own head is #1 for me. #2: His handle got exposed quite a bit. In the regular season, he only had a 4.2 TO% in isolation, which is incredible. In the playoffs, though, that spiked to 20 TO%. On drives in the RS, he had a TO% of 4%. In the PS, it jumped to 13.3%. The first clip below shows how the right-to-left cross he loved doing all season was really taken away from him. Too loose of a handle, and he often got his pocket picked trying this exact move over and over. I think having his go-to move taken from him shook him a bit and left him scrambling a bit in his head to find a counter. The second clip shows, imo, him starting to lose trust in his handle. He immediately turns his back to the defender, which is what you do when you're worried about losing the ball. But, even then, he loses control of the handle and it ends up in a turnover. If I'm the Pistons, I'm showing all his turnovers due to his handle and working with him on tightening his handle and also helping him get comfortable with a counter/second move so defenders don't just sit on the right-to-left cross. #3: I think he really struggled to adjust to the playoff whistle. In the regular season, he drew free throws on 21% of his isolations and 31% of his post-ups. In the PS, it dropped to 14% and 11%, respectively. There were many possessions where in the RS he would've got free throws, but did not in the PS and he was frustrated. In the third clip, you'll see how physical he was being played by Mobley (which we all want physicality in the game). But, in the RS, he probably is getting FTA's here. There are many examples of this where it felt like a lot of his value during the RS was being able to draw FTA's on his drives, and in the PS, refs just allowed more physicality, and he struggled to deal with it. #4: Ausar-Duren duo. I believe in this duo, and I do not think this was the main reason Duren struggled. However, I am not blind to the fact that there were obviously some possessions that hurt Duren. In the regular season, Duen actually got less efficient when Ausar wasn't on the floor. However, in the playoffs, Duren went from 51 TS% with Ausar on the floor (302 minutes) to 64 TS% with Ausar off the floor (121 minutes). In the 4th clip, you really see how the lack of spacing caused a tough shot from Duren. He gets a step on WCJ going right, and probably would prefer to then just use his strength to create spearation. However, he sees Suggs sitting in the right gap off of Ausar, which forces him to spin left. Once he spins left, Paolo is completely leaving Tobias open. This is one of the reasons I really think DET needs a spacing 4 because this should be an easy kickout from Duren to a shooter. He still should've made this pass to Tobias, but a legit shooting 4 I think would relocate to the corner and make an easier outlet/easier to see for Duren. But, he still coulda made the pass, tbf. Either way, you see how the lack of spacing from both Ausar and Tobias forced Duren into a really awkward drive where he was forced into an extremely tough shot. I think if the passing returned from Duren, some of these situations wouldn't happen. Hitting Ausar early as he cuts into the space would work, or hitting Tobias (who again shoulda be making himself more available) beyond the arc results in better offense. But, also, having better spacing probably allows Duren to just get to his original move once he beats WCJ off the dribble. and lastly #5: He really just didn't play well. I can't include any more clips (I'll put some in the immediate thread reply to display), but he really just didn't play well. Missed *a lot* of looks we're used to him making. His touch around the rim left him, looked like he really felt rushed in the paint. He was struggling to secure rebounds after dominating the glass all season (during the RS, he averaged 4.3 second chance points a game, in the PS it dropped to 2.3). During RS, he had a 22.0 DREB%, which dropped to 16.0% in the playoffs. So, I think a lot of factors played into why he struggled so much in the playoffs. My takeaway is I don't think these things are unfixable; actually, I think they're very fixable. Experience of dealing with what playoff physicality is I think is going to help moving forward. All young players have to adjust to that--I think Cade really learned that from NY series to this playoff run. Tightening his handle and just having a second move to go to is not something that should be considered impossible. I'd like to believe it's pretty likely with how much he works and the raw skill he already has with his handle. Pistons adding a legit spacer at the four I think solves a lot and will make Duren's life a lot easier. The most concerning part is mental. And we won't know an answer to that until the next playoffs. Did this experience help him on his journey towards becoming mentally strong and prepared enough to move forward? Did this run help him find a routine that helps him lock in mentally, as many players have said they had to discover? Or will the pressure from struggling last postseason get to him this upcoming postseason? Will he let mistakes get into his head, compound them, and start playing rashly? I don't think the second option will be the case, but no one will know until the next postseason. Honestly, I'm more concerned and critical of his defense in the playoffs (which at times was pretty good and at other times was an incredible struggle), but that would require its own thread. My ending thoughts: I still very much believe in Duren. This playoff run showed he has areas he must sharpen up and learn from, but at 22 that shouldn't be a shocker. He is incredibly talented and made a large jump during the RS. The PS posed challenges he didn't quite have answers to yet. But another run of experience, another offseason of training, and another year older should lead him down a good path. I am fully supportive of paying Duren and extending him. I am not at close to 50 million dollars. 35-40 million is where I think they'll settle on, and I'm fine with that. But, he's gotta learn from these playoffs! Every offseason he's gotten better, I don't have a reason to believe Jalen Duren won't learn and improve again this summer. He's only 22.

Ku 🦉

33,556 views • 20 days ago

A very good morning. Welcome to The Council Benji This marks the third Skull in a little run. The first went to a fund I've never met. The second: through Eli Scheinman to a new collector/foundation who has been quietly entering the space in a very significant way across a number of collections whom I’ve never spoken to. Their new entrance enabled a wedding and start of a new married life for Conviction. In my very first conversation with him, we spoke about curses and commitments to the people we love. Since meeting got to talk through each step on that path, from letting go, what is imbued in the ring and ceremony of it all, a proposal, and on the way to the most important of the steps in pursuit of a blessed life. It is easy to get a little cynical on the over-leveraged exit stories that spring up from time to time, so it is a treat to watch one go towards a celebration that’s been building up in his life since the Skull was first acquired. And now: this. The third Skull and the first I can really write about as a shared story across both source and destination. An exit and an entrance. The exit: The Skulls of Luci were awarded as gifts 4 years ago. But before I'd minted Birth of Luci or painted the other 49, the first person in this space I showed the sketch of The Blueprint Skull to was actually Casey💎, when he was working at SuperRare . Casey was the very first person who onboarded me to NFTs, helping me navigate the early days of whatever it meant to even mint something. I explained the idea of gifting one to each person who bid in my first auctions. Though most of the Skulls went to the bidders, Casey's didn't. He didn't ask for one. I didn't tell him I'd give him one. But he helped me take my first steps here, and it's hard to imagine any of this making sense, or unfolding the way it has, without him. Since then, we've broken bread across continents, seen quite a lot of chortling margarita consumption, watched the rise and fall of a lot around us, weathered inter-Council dramas. He brought Laura El into The Monument Game, played as a Player, wore a Mask. Most of the vibe that started all of this, the wild west of it, feels faded in the broader space at times. But every Skull has a story and a person who helped us get here. Casey will always be the one who was there before any metric muddled the reason to care. The entrance: Last fall, Benji came over for a studio visit. We walked through Luci, the works, structure, and dream, as anyone who visits does. But we mostly talked about being a father and having a father. We discussed the very idea of "collection" stripped of accumulation, value, or signal, located more in the act or ceremony of it. What it was to grow up with a curious father who studied the edges of each thing he saw to know the next layer beneath why anyone might look or ignore it. That to pass this on is to pass on questioning, more than it is to pass on any kind of answer. The process of collecting can be perceived as an individual act of hoarding. For some it is maybe. But at its best, it's a way to bind through shared questioning, to bond in cooperation and competition with friends and family, it is the swapped story and meme of it all, and each object gathered along the way carries some shared memory that can, often does, and with intent: should; drift out of the object entirely. All in the psalm, always has been. The studio visit came and went. Soon after, a package arrived in the mail with two of the softest stuffed animals added to my daughter's own collection, now among her favorites. The Skull is a bonus to that, in the scheme of shared memory. For Rachel and I, while we are heads down making a body of work that unsettles us and excites us but demands unknown time to accomplish, it means a great deal to have this kind of support from long term people in the quiet process of making work we want to leave behind ourselves. Enormously grateful to Casey for the many years of support and friendship, to Benny for being a true patron, and to Benji for entering the arena for what I'm working on next. Welcome.
0:11

A very good morning. Welcome to The Council Benji This marks the third Skull in a little run. The first went to a fund I've never met. The second: through Eli Scheinman to a new collector/foundation who has been quietly entering the space in a very significant way across a number of collections whom I’ve never spoken to. Their new entrance enabled a wedding and start of a new married life for Conviction. In my very first conversation with him, we spoke about curses and commitments to the people we love. Since meeting got to talk through each step on that path, from letting go, what is imbued in the ring and ceremony of it all, a proposal, and on the way to the most important of the steps in pursuit of a blessed life. It is easy to get a little cynical on the over-leveraged exit stories that spring up from time to time, so it is a treat to watch one go towards a celebration that’s been building up in his life since the Skull was first acquired. And now: this. The third Skull and the first I can really write about as a shared story across both source and destination. An exit and an entrance. The exit: The Skulls of Luci were awarded as gifts 4 years ago. But before I'd minted Birth of Luci or painted the other 49, the first person in this space I showed the sketch of The Blueprint Skull to was actually Casey💎, when he was working at SuperRare . Casey was the very first person who onboarded me to NFTs, helping me navigate the early days of whatever it meant to even mint something. I explained the idea of gifting one to each person who bid in my first auctions. Though most of the Skulls went to the bidders, Casey's didn't. He didn't ask for one. I didn't tell him I'd give him one. But he helped me take my first steps here, and it's hard to imagine any of this making sense, or unfolding the way it has, without him. Since then, we've broken bread across continents, seen quite a lot of chortling margarita consumption, watched the rise and fall of a lot around us, weathered inter-Council dramas. He brought Laura El into The Monument Game, played as a Player, wore a Mask. Most of the vibe that started all of this, the wild west of it, feels faded in the broader space at times. But every Skull has a story and a person who helped us get here. Casey will always be the one who was there before any metric muddled the reason to care. The entrance: Last fall, Benji came over for a studio visit. We walked through Luci, the works, structure, and dream, as anyone who visits does. But we mostly talked about being a father and having a father. We discussed the very idea of "collection" stripped of accumulation, value, or signal, located more in the act or ceremony of it. What it was to grow up with a curious father who studied the edges of each thing he saw to know the next layer beneath why anyone might look or ignore it. That to pass this on is to pass on questioning, more than it is to pass on any kind of answer. The process of collecting can be perceived as an individual act of hoarding. For some it is maybe. But at its best, it's a way to bind through shared questioning, to bond in cooperation and competition with friends and family, it is the swapped story and meme of it all, and each object gathered along the way carries some shared memory that can, often does, and with intent: should; drift out of the object entirely. All in the psalm, always has been. The studio visit came and went. Soon after, a package arrived in the mail with two of the softest stuffed animals added to my daughter's own collection, now among her favorites. The Skull is a bonus to that, in the scheme of shared memory. For Rachel and I, while we are heads down making a body of work that unsettles us and excites us but demands unknown time to accomplish, it means a great deal to have this kind of support from long term people in the quiet process of making work we want to leave behind ourselves. Enormously grateful to Casey for the many years of support and friendship, to Benny for being a true patron, and to Benji for entering the arena for what I'm working on next. Welcome.

Sam Spratt

20,786 views • 2 months ago

Your baby thrives on predictability. Specifically, yours. This week I’ve been talking about attachment, which holds long lasting consequences for your child’s mental and physical health (not to mention their cognitive development). Secure attachments in infancy occur when parents’ interactions with their babies are: Warm. Responsive. Safe. And consistently so. I’ve shared lots of important tips in the past. Tips on reading to your child. Tips on play. Tips on language development. But I want to be clear that attachment has nothing to do with the number of toys or books in your home. Or how well you interact most of the time. Attachment is a product of your predictability. It’s how you interact EVERY time. It’s what you teach your child to expect from you as their caregiver. Inconsistency in the way adults interact with children - warm and responsive one day and potentially cold and distracted the next - is detrimental to secure attachment. When children don’t know what to expect from day to day, it creates anxiety. And this activates the body’s stress response systems. Continually. This is one reason that it’s so important for parents to thoughtfully manage their own stress, exhaustion, safety, and mental health needs. When you aren’t at your best for yourself, you likely won’t be at your best for your baby. As an aside, consistency is also why I’ve spoken out about viral social media trends that undermine trust and predictability by inserting chaotic behaviors into the parent-child relationship. Several months ago - if you can believe it - it was unexpectedly cracking open an egg on your child’s forehead. This week it seems to be throwing slices of American cheese at/onto your baby’s head/face. (I wish I was making this up.) While it’s easy for us as to dismiss such behaviors as jokes, to young children they are detrimental for precisely the reason some adults may find them funny: they’re unexpected. But when your otherwise kind and attentive parent randomly acts with callousness - if even for a moment - it breaks a stable pattern. It provides a new data point that suggests you may be warm and caring… but also may not be dependably. And this is precisely what undermines attachment. (The good news is that an otherwise stable attachment is unlikely to be permanently disrupted by one dumb mistake. We all make them. Still… don’t. Just don’t.) Be kind, be responsive, and do it predictably. I’ll never share the kind of videos I described above. In their place, enjoy this warm and secure interaction between storyoferica (IG) and her happy little one.
0:11

Your baby thrives on predictability. Specifically, yours. This week I’ve been talking about attachment, which holds long lasting consequences for your child’s mental and physical health (not to mention their cognitive development). Secure attachments in infancy occur when parents’ interactions with their babies are: Warm. Responsive. Safe. And consistently so. I’ve shared lots of important tips in the past. Tips on reading to your child. Tips on play. Tips on language development. But I want to be clear that attachment has nothing to do with the number of toys or books in your home. Or how well you interact most of the time. Attachment is a product of your predictability. It’s how you interact EVERY time. It’s what you teach your child to expect from you as their caregiver. Inconsistency in the way adults interact with children - warm and responsive one day and potentially cold and distracted the next - is detrimental to secure attachment. When children don’t know what to expect from day to day, it creates anxiety. And this activates the body’s stress response systems. Continually. This is one reason that it’s so important for parents to thoughtfully manage their own stress, exhaustion, safety, and mental health needs. When you aren’t at your best for yourself, you likely won’t be at your best for your baby. As an aside, consistency is also why I’ve spoken out about viral social media trends that undermine trust and predictability by inserting chaotic behaviors into the parent-child relationship. Several months ago - if you can believe it - it was unexpectedly cracking open an egg on your child’s forehead. This week it seems to be throwing slices of American cheese at/onto your baby’s head/face. (I wish I was making this up.) While it’s easy for us as to dismiss such behaviors as jokes, to young children they are detrimental for precisely the reason some adults may find them funny: they’re unexpected. But when your otherwise kind and attentive parent randomly acts with callousness - if even for a moment - it breaks a stable pattern. It provides a new data point that suggests you may be warm and caring… but also may not be dependably. And this is precisely what undermines attachment. (The good news is that an otherwise stable attachment is unlikely to be permanently disrupted by one dumb mistake. We all make them. Still… don’t. Just don’t.) Be kind, be responsive, and do it predictably. I’ll never share the kind of videos I described above. In their place, enjoy this warm and secure interaction between storyoferica (IG) and her happy little one.

Dan Wuori

169,524 views • 1 year ago