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Whitewater Horn

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Everything posted by Whitewater Horn

  1. That is so much more accurate and succinct point than my dumb, long-winded ass is capable of making.
  2. This something that boils my blood about this tribalism based around MAGA and the new brand of conservatism embraced by much of the mainstream Republican Party. My family has a long history of adoption and involvement in the Texas foster care systems across several generations. I even adopted my own children out of foster care and have been heavily involved in advocacy and volunteer activities for almost 15 years. Unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of the horrors of child abuse and neglect up close. Some of those things have required a good deal of therapy to keep from going full psycho vigilante on these monsters. My own daughter suffered unspeakable and rage inducing abuse and neglect for the first five years of her life. A part of my heart will be forever broken after a single reading of her case file. I’ve done my damndest to make her feel safe and loved, to try to be a living example of a good man and positive role model. She just graduated high school in May and is more happy and well adjusted that I dared to dream 15 years ago. But part of me still screams and rages for what her first five years of life were like for her The point I was getting to is that I’ve seen these victims and the criminal perpetrators close up and often for many years. The majority of people abusing kids do not fit the narrative being pushed by Qanon and MAGA. It’s complete deflection. So many of these pieces of shit try to hide behind phony Christianity and phony patriotism. It’s maddening that this nonsense has any traction at all.
  3. Oh, for sure. I’ve known some of them and distanced them from my life when I knew they were actually bought in. I think the majority of these easily fooled and even easier led are just going through the motions to be “on the team.” They’re not the kind of people who make an effort to genuinely educate themselves or do any substantial research, they just want to stay current on the talking points and “what are we outraged about this week”. When I’ve engaged with these people and press them to support their claims, the common response is, “well, that’s what I heard.” They don’t really have many actual beliefs or well-informed opinions they can support with facts or knowledge. They have the narrative that was provided to them.
  4. What’s even more disturbing to me is that I don’t think most of them actually believe it. When they’re alone and not online, they know it’s bullshit, but it’s bullshit necessary in furthering a particular narrative that fits their brand of political and social tribalism. Just like the election nonsense, it doesn’t need to be true. It just needs to fit the wishful thinking groupthink to have a rallying point around which to fling their shit. It’s delusional, self righteous fantasy fueled by tribalism run amok to push the notion that people they don’t agree with, like wealthy liberals, Democrats, and “Hollywood” (not sure if it’s only actors & producers, of if it goes all the down to PAs, caterers, etc), are the principal consumers of sex trafficked kids and women. You don’t have to do extensive research of arrests and convictions involving trafficked and abused children to see the factually ridiculous nature of that assertion. A soon as I started seeing “advertising” about this movie on twitter, I could sense where this was going.
  5. I love days like today where the riders (and the television coverage) can see the finishing climb for literally hours before reaching it.
  6. That’s the biggest difference in their respective abilities, IMO. That went down down pretty much as I expected. Shorter climbs like that where Pog can make those attacks suit him well. Jonas benefited last year from a more protracted climb at higher altitude and having the relentless tag team attacks from himself, Roglic, and G when Pog was isolated. Hopefully this race stays close in the Alps. Pog is such a beast.
  7. Looks like one more vicious acceleration from Pog will bury Jonas.
  8. Surely Pidcock will make a go for it at some point.
  9. Hell yeah. Great win a very respectable acceleration in the last 500m to drop Jorgensen and finish emphatically.
  10. How strange to see a leader climb up the Puy with no spectators save for the occasional gendarme. Like he’s on a training ride or going for a Strava KOM.
  11. Somebody is going to get a legendary win. There’s a legit possibility it could be an American. The race for the stage win will be fun, then we get the GC fight. Epic day.
  12. What an incredible piece of art. I figured he would have something on the bike referencing his granddad and the 1964 Tour. Also, I’m more than a little surprised that the peloton is going let the break go all the way. Finishing on the Puy-de-Dome is such a rare event that gives someone the opportunity to add something truly special to their palmares. I thought for sure one of the GC favorites, or even someone like an Alaphilippe or WVA, would be very determined to win the stage today.
  13. Absolutely. Some of the most intriguing Tour moments outside of the high mountains have gone down on the Puy. Always a must see live stage for me. The non cycling people in my life have already been notified that I will be unreachable until after noon. LFG.
  14. I love it when the Tour goes through the Massif Central, especially the Chaines des Puys area. Anytime the Puy-de-Dome is involved, I will always think of Eddy Merckx being fucking assaulted by a spectator on that climb. I think about that quite a bit when the riders have to climb through the insane throngs of fanatical and inebriated fans on narrow mountain roads. Hope it’s an exciting stage with minimal roadside jackassery.
  15. These days you definitely want to do your best to at least preplan travel, transportation, and lodging. When I lived over there between ‘89-‘94, we did some planning, but were able to get away with improvising much of our itinerary and lodging/camping. It wasn’t uncommon to make friends along the way who would put us for a night or two. When I started going back over on occasion starting in 2001, I plan as much as I can as far in advance as I can. I’m eyeing a return in 2025 when my teenage kids will be young adults and can really appreciate Europe.
  16. That was a real head scratcher. I know it’s his first TdF, but he’s a grand tour winner. Maybe he’ll make it interesting.
  17. Disappointing and concerning that Pogacar barely twitched when Jonas took off. Nice bunny hop, Sepp.
  18. Yeah, that looked clean. Wout just didn’t have it, and the shape of that barrier didn’t do him any favors. Pretty easy win for Jasper.
  19. Yeah, the only real hope is that they safely surfaced but are unable to communicate. Day one at Basic Enlisted Submarine School (BESS) included a short discussion of the fore and aft escape trunks. “Submarine escape trunks essentially exist for two groups of people - mothers and politicians. These are potential escape options down to a maximum of 200 feet, and if we’re going down, it’s gonna be a hell of a lot deeper than 200 feet.” Despite this, we were still required to make a couple of egresses in an escape trainer. This training evolution was intimidating enough to make three people in our class decide that the submarine service wasn’t for them. Those folks in the submersible are more than likely gone, and when it happened, it was mercifully quick. I loved going to sea on SSNs, but this particular research submersible is a big hell no.
  20. Disgraceful. The Hellraisers need to kick that “dude” out.
  21. I have no problem with people covering or interpreting other people’s songs, but if you’re doing something as heavy and deeply personal as this song, you better do something special. Isbell has been pretty diplomatic about it publicly, but Wallen’s version is dogshit. I just don’t get the appeal of that dude. Underwhelming. Now, if Chris Cornell had covered it…
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