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Hey folks, large amounts of Reddit subs are going dark starting June 12th for 48 hours to protest the API changes that will break all 3rd party phone apps. I personally use Joey for this Reddit account, and several of our other mods use 3rd party clients or find this very annoying. I understand where Reddit is coming from, they should charge for data at least with for profit apps or using Reddit to train AI, but community and open source stuff is different. Let me know what you think, we'll run this poll till Friday the 9th then decide on Saturday the 10th if we go dark on Monday June 12th so that everyone gets plenty of warning.
Specifically "NSFW Content is no longer going to be available in the API. This means that, even if 3rd party apps continue to survive, or even if you pay a fee to use a 3rd party app, you will not be able to access NSFW content on it. You will only be able to access it on the official reddit app. Additionally, some service bots (such as video downloaders or maybe remindme bots) will not be able to access anything NSFW. In more major cases, it may become harder for moderators of NSFW subreddits to combat serious violations such as CSAM due to certain mod tools being restricted from accessing NSFW content." https://www.reddit.com/gaming/comments/141lsip/reddit_api_changes_subreddit_blackout_and_how_it/ I think this represents Reddit continuing to try to kill NSFW content so they can IPO without exposing just how much they make from NSFW on their financials. Frankly, this should concern all of us. Craigslist, Backpage, the sex worker Mastodon Switter, etc have all gotten driven off the internet over the years. Tumblr dumped adult content, etc. It's a nightmare for the credit card companies, banks, and compliance sucks, I get it. But at some point we have to stand up for our freedom of speech on the internet to discuss adult topics.
https://www.reddit.com/ModCoord/comments/13xh1e7/an_open_letter_on_the_state_of_affairs_regarding/

Back to our previous post:

OK folks, we're looking to add a couple more moderators. Ideally, we'd like at least one gay guy to patrol all the M4M ads, which we barely touch today. We'd also LOVE A WOMAN if any of you are willing. Best way to get noticed? Report stuff to us via Chat or DM or modmail, offer helpful suggestions, etc. Show us expertise in automoderator. Do some research for the FAQ.
We're cracking down on F4M ads that don't use an actual neighborhood or suburb name and just say generic stuff like Dallas or Fort Worth or "Downtown" since most of that activity is spam. It doesn't have to be your actual suburb for your privacy, it can be nearby. Live in Plano? Say Carrolton or Allen. We're going to nuke first, then ask you to appeal. Sorry for that, I know it's a pain, but we've gotten maybe one appeal in the last six months, which says to me that everything we nuked was probably spam unless we discouraged actual real posters so much they didn't even bother to appeal which seems crazy.
We have a LOT of folks sending modmail about the automoderator post format. Please get it right. And low effort means you need at least like 140 characters- if you're posting less than that go get on Twitter or a dating app or something lol.
Previous posts, all still valid:
Sending dick pics in Texas without a request is a CRIME. That's right, it's a class C misdemeanor which might show up on a background check. Don't do it. If someone reports it, you will be permabanned. Someone has to explicitly say "Send me a dick pic" either in their post or in a chat / DM to you. Nothing else counts, not "Send me a pic" not anything. Explicitly say "I wanna see your cock", understand? https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86billtext/html/HB02789I.htm
Don't send and then delete cock pics, we will STILL ban you. Don't send homemade porn either unless she asks or approves when you ask.
RULES ADDITION: If you say "Check out my profile, there's pics you might like" and you have for instance, pinned or recently posted a bunch of dick pics, you better include a warning "There's dick pics or nudes" or we will ban you for two weeks or a month if reported. Don't try to trick girls into seeing your dick in a link on Reddit, your Reddit profile, or offsite to a photo album or other site by telling them to click on or open something that immediately has dicks without warning them. We will ban for this if it looks sketchy like you were trying to trick her or deliberately didn't warn. Note: If someone has to go scroll multiple pages back to find a dick pic, that's not what we're worried about. We're worried about guys trying to get girls to click on their profiles and stuffing it full of dicks immediately on open or the next page. You can post in here even if you've got dick pics in your recent history or even pinned as long as you don't try to get girls to open your profile. You can tell a girl you have a Fetlife or offsite notoriously NSFW site profile, it's probably expected there's nudes there, but please be courteous and warn them.
Always post your general area in your ad title or the post itself. Scammers don't know our area and thus the automatically posted spam stuff won't have geographic details and lots of scammers will pick an implausible area. Posting just Dallas or Fort Worth isn't specific enough, pick a neighborhood, and some scammers just say "downtown" without saying which downtown. If you're concerned about anonymity, an easy fix is to pick a place near yours. You're in Lower Greenville IRL? On here, you're posting from Lakewood or Deep Ellum, problem solved.
Other items:

1. We're continuing to ban dick pic senders, spammers, etc. Please continue to report stuff to us via the report button or with screenshots via DM / Chat or . I'm pretty sure reporting bad DMs will get people banned from Reddit as well. Click the flag icon and you can report chat messages to Reddit- I've gotten guys banned from Reddit who have dick pic'd me or sent me pictures of their open mouth. https://www.reddit.com/r4rDFW/comments/xsivlt/a_reminder_unsolicited_dick_pics_to_anyone_are_a/
2. The admins have been nuking posts in here more than usual. Please obey the global Reddit rules. https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043513471 Specifically: "Paid services involving physical sexual contact;" Don't post sex work ads in here, which includes trying to find people to make content for your OnlyFans, or post F4M ads that are basically designed to get guys to click on your profile and join your OnlyFans, etc. I'm sorry, it isn't my rule. I am sure you can find ways to get clients here or offsite without posting explicit ads. We have plenty of thirsty M4F posters you can DM and offer. We don't want our subreddit banned.
3. Reminder to think with your head, not your dick. There's constant spam and scams and other stuff going on, we moderators can't sit in front of our PCs 24x7 and nuke posts. Learn how to spot bad shit and don't do anything stupid. A good tip is to take any messaging username given to you and search Reddit or Google for it to look for other accounts or scammy behavior. The majority of F4M posts that don't obey our rules and format are scams. And NEVER give a girl money in any format whether gift card, CashApp, Venmo, whatever before a meetup. For some reason, the majority of scammer posts are like 22 or 24 or 27 Fs. If a younger girl is asking for some crazy shit, take a breath and ask why? Learn how to reverse search images to look for stolen pics. Common spam signatures include "#Dallas" or "#FortWorth" in the title, a single paragraph demanding a bunch of edgy sex acts, posting in FreeKarma4U or other a few random subs to get upvotes. Always search Kik names and other social media usernames on Google and Reddit- it's amazing how many are reused for scams.
4. Remember, one post per user per day. And you cannot post the same ad more than once in a week- this means you can post totally different things but don't just change the title or post slightly. Don't repeat your posts. It looks spammy and we will give you a one week ban.
5. We've had a couple folks show up begging for gift cards or other help. This really creeps me out and probably violates the Reddit rules. I think Dallas has a list of resources that can help, please go there instead of asking in here. We suspect many of these are scams too.
6. Reddit chat was bugged for a while. If you've got unread chats that won't go away, check https://old.reddit.com/chat/ to see the message requests you aren't getting.

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View Poll

I've worked on translating this and correcting as much as possible what the AI translator got wrong.
This depicts the experience of the Swedish Defense and Civil Defense Ministers trip to Ukraine from a human level.
​
First Tweet
https://twitter.com/CarlOskastatus/1665700384784932867
​
We are in a secret location where soldiers are being trained for war. Sweden's Minister of Defense, Pål Jonson, and I are in Ukraine.
The temperature in the sandpit we descended into is approaching 30 degrees. The Ukrainian gnats are as big as small flies and occur at a frequency that makes a Swedish cloudberries bog feel as gnat-free as a winter day. The men in front of us each hold an AK-47 in their hands. On a given order, they raise their rifles and open fire towards each other. They aim and shoot at the sand wall just inches to the side of each other. With live ammunition at a distance of about 20 meters. We stand another 20 meters away without earmuffs. That alone would surely be a matter for a personnel responsibility board back home in a country with over 200 years of peace. But here, there is war. The young men who have just pointed loaded rifles at their comrades lacked military experience just a couple of weeks ago. In a few more weeks, they will be fully trained. But they won't be mustered out and travel in Asia for their conscription compensation. They will go directly to the front, and everyone knows that for some, it will be a one-way trip. There is a seriousness in the eyes of everyone we meet, but not a hint of despair.
We continue walking in the fine sand amidst the continuous and deafening clatter of automatic rifles. At regular intervals, the dull pounding is interrupted by the sound of tank salvos that strike deep in the pit of the stomach. All of this is framed by a lush Ukrainian early summer landscape. Amidst all the impressions, a kind of dissonance arises. What is beautiful, good, and meaningful takes lifetimes to build. It takes decades to build a cathedral, centuries to build a city, but it only takes a moment to destroy them. In some way, this transience manifests one of humanity's darkest asymmetries. This fragility is most clearly expressed in human life itself. Nothing is as vast, complex, and beautiful as life, yet it can be extinguished irreversibly with the slightest means in an instant. I think of the young men in front of me. Those who today would have been doing something entirely different if it weren't for their country currently facing an enemy that not only wants to use death and destruction as a political tool but to erase everything that is uniquely Ukrainian. The young men have just fired a salvo in the sand wall next to their comrades, not out of carelessness or recklessness, but because it is considered one of the few things that can give a mental sense and a semblance of preparation for the hellish torment that awaits them at the front.
It is the morning of May 26th. The night was spent in Kyiv, part of it in a shelter. The heavy Russian bombers fired cruise missiles during the night, and one of them was heading towards Kyiv. From the parking garage that served as our shelter, we could hear the air defense system, in the form of the American Patriot battery, working successfully. As we get into the cars, the convoy rolls northwest out of Kyiv. Alongside the wrecks of Russian tanks, triumphantly placed in Maidan Square, and sandbags in front of basement windows converted into shelters, the physical traces of war are almost non-existent in the city environment.
After a fifteen-minute drive, our cars stop. We are standing on a bridge abutment, but in front of us, where there used to be a bridge, there is now only an empty space about ten meters above the Irpin River. The gap is lined with twisted beams, reinforcement bars, and broken concrete elements. On the other side of the destroyed connection lie the suburbs of Irpin and Bucha, forever inscribed in the history books for the war crimes committed by Russian forces there. It was here, on the other side of the bridge abutment, that the Russian advance came to a halt. It was here that Kyiv was saved, here and in a few other places. I am shown pictures of the men who held the bridge abutment. Dressed in ordinary down jackets and armed with a mixed assortment of whatever was available. "History never repeats itself, but it rhymes," said Mark Twain. It was on this very river that the Red Army once fought against Hitler's Germany. Back then, the Russians defended themselves against Nazi brutal expansionism; now, 80 years later, it is a bitter, power-hungry Russia that is waging an unprovoked and flagrantly illegal war of aggression, with a narrative as twisted and damaged as the broken bridge element in front of us.
The bridge is already being rebuilt, but a few hundred meters away, the traces of what was irreversibly done are visible. After crossing the river on a temporary bridge, we stop at what looks like a gigantic scrapyard in a parking space. Stacked on top of each other are the wrecks of burned-out cars. Just over a year ago, these vehicles belonged to people fleeing for their lives. Most in vain. Small messages are written on the wrecked cars. Sunflowers, the symbol of Ukrainian resilience, are painted on the burned-out wrecks. When the bridge over the Irpin River was blown up, long lines of cars trying to escape were formed. While the evacuation was taking place, Russian forces indiscriminately fired into the rows of cars with civilians fleeing.
The man who receives us in front of the burned-out wrecks is the mayor of Irpin and the commander of the territorial defense for Irpin, a kind of equivalent to the home guard. Together with his counterparts in the suburbs around Kyiv, he was tasked with evacuating his municipality and defending Kyivagainst the Russian advance. Over 95 percent of Irpin's population was evacuated. Lives were saved to an extent that is difficult to comprehend, but in his gaze, there is also a testimony to those who could not, would not, or did not have time to be saved. For his efforts, he and his colleagues were awarded the "Nation's Hero" medal. It is hard to imagine a more deserving recipient of such an honor. He thanks us for the great support that Sweden has provided. Pål and I object, saying that it is we who owe him and everyone in his position a thank you for the immensely significant efforts they have made for their residents, for their country, and for all of Europe. We are told that we must continue our journey, but we would love to stay and express our gratitude and reverence even more. Irpin's strong man, in the most fitting sense of the word, receives a big hug from me and Pål before we roll on.
In the car, it is impossible not to think about municipal preparedness back home in Sweden. There is a lot of good being done in Preparedness Sweden, but often we encounter the objection that the state must open its wallet for the right things to happen, or in the worst case, for something to happen at all. The contrast to the meeting with the mayor of Irpin is monumental. Not once did he mention resources, even though he acted under a constant and ongoing existential resource shortage. Sweden's municipalities receive over 100 billion kronor in general state grants every year. I think about the core mission of municipalities and wish that more municipal politicians could also meet the mayor of Irpin and contemplate what truly constitutes the core activities of a municipality. Later that day, in my Twitter feed, I read about a medium-sized Swedish municipality that has 40 communication officers employed. Often, municipalities of the same size emphasize that they now have one preparedness officer, as if that is an achievement. Politics is about prioritizing.
​
Second tweet:
https://twitter.com/CarlOskastatus/1665701191135756291
We have just turned off the highway towards Chernihiv and made our way onto smaller and smaller roads. The cars are rolling through an avenue of trees reminiscent of central Sweden, but in the image of what could have been Sweden, there is also a foreign element between each tree. On knocked-down wooden stakes, there is a small plastic sign with the unmistakable skull against a high-contrast background. "Danger - Mines." Everything except the narrow gravel road is ventured upon with life thrown into the equation. What used to be productive fields on either side of the road has been transformed into a dangerous no-man's-land. The men who meet us when we step out of the cars are engaged in mine and ammunition clearance. Twenty meters behind us, subordinate personnel walk around in the ruins of what used to be a building. The on-site chief apologizes for a moment as he makes an announcement on the radio for everyone to cease their search activities to ensure that nothing happens while we walk around.
Beside us are fenced-off areas surrounded by knee-high plastic tape. Inside the boundaries lie several artillery shells. Visually, the enclosed area reminds me of the training facility I visited with the Prime Minister at the MSB (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) outside Kramfors in April. There, indicators and markings were practiced on various replicas of mines and grenades. However, in front of us today, there are no replicas, only live undetonated grenades. This morning's findings are recounted by a member of the team. In addition to regular mines and unexploded grenades, the Russians have booby-trapped where one least expects it. It can range from aircraft bombs placed in a basement connected to a door handle to a small amount of explosive hidden in a discarded lighter lying on the ground. There are also examples of how booby-trapping is placed under regular mines and even under or around dead bodies. The person in charge on-site raises his hands in the air and bluntly states, "At the rate we are currently able to clear and secure areas, it will take us 750 years to rid Ukraine of mines and unexploded ammunition." Sweden is already helping in this area, but it becomes apparent that we and everyone else should do more. I promise to bring the question home and investigate what we can do.
A short distance from the burned-out wrecks of agricultural machinery at the mined and now unusable fields lies the small village of Yahidne. When the Russian campaign began encountering resistance in the advance towards Kyiv, Yahidne became yet another scene of Russian barbarism. The village's school was converted into a Russian military command center, the surrounding buildings were leveled, and the village's 300 inhabitants, including women, children, and the elderly, were gathered and forced into the basement of the school. The following 28 days turned the basement into a concentration camp. The captured residents began to die because they were deprived of the most basic human need - sufficient access to oxygenated air. In an article about Yahidne, some surviving villagers describe how the school, up until the invasion, was the pride of the village. A point of gathering, a place of hope for the future. The young generation's ticket to a better life than their elders. But it didn't turn out that way. What remains now is the school building as a trauma for all those who survived the hell in the basement. A place few want to approach. A building that still stands, but was used to destroy an entire village. A ruin of what could have been, and a testimony to what instead became.
I like transformer stations. The revelation is likely not surprising to those who have followed me in my previous role as chairman of the Parliament's Committee on Industry. Now we have arrived at one of the major transformer stations that are crucial for the residents of Kyiv to receive their electricity, heating, and water. The location we are at is a prioritized target for Russian remote warfare. We look at fallen high-voltage lines and burnt-out transformers. A cat comes up to us and greets us. The CEO tells us that it lives in one of the newly built technical stations. The old one turned into a pile of debris after being hit by a Russian cruise missile, but the cat survived and doesn't seem to have any plans to leave. I think about the information warfare on social media and how the carefree cat, if it were known, could have become a symbol of Russian imperfection.
By targeting this location and others like it, Russia has repeatedly attempted to disrupt the Ukrainian power grid in order to break the Ukrainian resistance and defense will. What Ukrenergo, the Ukrainian counterpart to the Swedish power grid, has achieved during this ongoing war is unparalleled. In Sweden, we have sometimes had the notion that our power plants are the most prioritized targets for military attacks, which has led, among other things, to the unfounded conclusion that we would need to shut down our nuclear power plants in times of heightened readiness. Anyone who knows how the power system works could tell you that this is a mistaken assumption, which is also confirmed by the outcome in Ukraine. Power plants are difficult to combat, but substations, transformer stations, and junction points are essentially easier targets. By attacking transformer stations linked to major consumption points, one not only causes significant problems for all downstream electricity consumers, but also creates imbalances that can propagate throughout the system and, in the worst case, destroy and disable the entire or parts of the power supply in a country.
The CEO tells us about the relentless race against time during the winter, repairs during ongoing remote warfare, and the ability to proactively shut down parts of the power system to better handle the imbalances caused by disabled junction points in the system. Ukraine's power system partly resembles the power system Sweden had in the 1980s—robust and predominantly based on predictable electricity production. This has been crucial for Ukraine to successfully endure the winter against all odds. Heavy predictable electricity production not only makes the power system less susceptible to disruptions but also makes it easier to sectionalize and run parts of the system in what is called emergency operation when other parts are vulnerable or have stopped functioning. This has enabled Ukraine to proactively shut down parts of the power grid during remote warfare, reducing the risk of disturbances spreading and damaging the entire system. Heavy predictable production is also one of the prerequisites for restarting the power system after a grid collapse. Sweden has reason to draw several lessons from what we have seen in Ukraine. Several of these are manifested in the parts of the Tidö Agreement concerning energy policy. In addition to this, the importance of reserve components and a well-functioning air defense cannot be emphasized enough to protect the power system from the pressures that an armed attack brings.
When we enter the room where Ukraine's Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov receives us, it is immediately noticeable that he has a warm and close relationship with Pål. Reznikov is interested in motorsports, and instead of the usual customary gifts, Pål has managed to arrange a pair of racing gloves signed by none other than Kenny Bräck, whom Pål knows from Värmland.
When Pål visited Reznikov already in December, they traveled together to Odesa and Mykolajiv. The Swedish Minister of Defense was then the minister in all of Europe who had traveled furthest east in Ukraine. If Pål had been able to decide for himself, without the involvement of Säpo, we would surely have been well on our way to the front to visit soldiers in the trenches by now.
I may be biased since we are colleagues, but before taking office, I didn't know Pål in any deeper detail. Behind an occasionally soft-spoken and strict demeanor, there is a person with material orientation and thematic knowledge at a level unique to the role, and a work ethic and drive that simply cannot be found everywhere. No other Defense Minister in modern times has had as many significant parallel commitments on their plate. NATO membership, a war in Europe with the development of military support packages, EU presidency, and the management of increased defense budgets. The conversation with Reznikov is candid and serious at the same time. We talk about the military support from Sweden that is coming soon and what the future needs look like.
It is time to move on from the Ministry of Defense to the place where we will meet with the President of Ukraine. It is not possible to overestimate Volodymyr Zelensky's importance for the determination and Ukrainian successes after February 24, 2022. No one knows exactly where we are going except the Ukrainian security service leading the way ahead of us. Checkpoints and security checks follow one another. Finally, Pål, myself, and the Swedish Ambassador, Tobias Thyberg, sit alone in a waiting room. After a short while, the door opens, and we are welcomed inside. Zelensky has a firm handshake and a presence in the room that is unparalleled. He thanks Sweden for everything we do, and we discuss the future. Our bilateral meeting was scheduled for fifteen minutes, but the conversation lasted for half an hour. We are escorted out of the building whose interior had clearly been transformed to meet the demands of war.
Last tweet:
https://twitter.com/CarlOskastatus/1665701959825752066
The final visit to Chernihiv is coming to an end. We have just been shown young men and women who are undergoing training to become mine and UXO clearers. The commander on site leads us into an adjacent building and says that it is finally time for some entertainment. In a large auditorium where we are the only guests, a military orchestra is lined up on the stage. To the right, on a big screen, a slideshow with the Swedish and Ukrainian flags is playing. As we sit down, we find out that many members of the orchestra are fighting on the front lines. Like everyone else, they have also suffered losses. The orchestra begins to play, and it is impossible to remain unaffected. Here I am, in a country at war, which has suffered so many hardships, listening to an orchestra playing ABBA for me and Sweden's Minister of Defense. It is impossible not to love Ukraine.
On the way home, I sit alone with Pål and summarize the impressions. There is so much that touches deeply. We talk about defense willingness and the importance of trying to increase understanding of what the security situation means and can mean for Sweden in every given situation. The Baltic countries have a gloomy view of what lies ahead. We talk about the mayor of Irpin and his men in territorial defense who fought with what they had and contributed to Kyivnever falling during the critical first days. Pål summarizes frankly: "It's about making a decision from the beginning, you have to give everything right away and fight hard, so damn hard. It hurts, but there is no alternative."
Carl-Oskar Bohlin
Minister for Civil Defense, Sweden

And hopefully that feeling of contentedness will continue for many seasons past this summer. More specifically, I'm looking for a long-term relationship, not a summer fling.
A bit about me:

• I live in the northwest suburbs. I am moving slightly closer to the city soon, as I am in the process of purchasing a condo.
  
• My hobbies tend to keep me indoors. Tv, video games, and especially board games. I do enjoy being outside and in nature, but typically only when I have someone to enjoy it with.
  
• I do not drink or do any drugs. I would prefer the same or similar in a partner, but it's not a deal breaker.
  
• I'm generally very easygoing and love to make people laugh.
  

It's hard to condense my entire being into a few bullet points, but I am happy to share whatever other information about myself you may want in DMs. I can also provide pictures of myself upon request. If you need an icebreaker, please tell me your favorite board game (if you have one), favorite pizza topping(s), or if you think you could fit more marshmallows in your mouth than me.

"I hear the term 'woke woke woke,'... Half the people can't define it, they don't know what it is." - Disgraced former president Trump taking a shot at Meatball Ron’s favorite boogeyman

Clown To The Wire

We’re all sick of the fucking debt limit. But we’re also less than four days away from a global economic meltdown courtesy of the GOP, so we gotta talk about it. I don’t make the rules.

• On Wednesday night, a bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives passed the ransom note bill to raise the debt ceiling 314-117. Members on both ends of the political spectrum comprised much of the bill’s opposition. The bill faces possible changes, stiffer competition, and more procedural chokepoints in the Senate, all while lawmakers race against the clock to get it passed before June 5, the date the Treasury has projected the U.S. will run out of borrowing authority. Without that: sorry nana, sorry bond holders in China, not enough money to pay what we owe.
  
• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday that the upper chamber will remain in session until President Biden gets the bill for signature. He urged members of his caucus not to offer amendments, which, if passed, would send the bill back to the House. That plan is already out the window. In some rare productive infighting, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced an amendment to the debt-limit bill that would rescind its approval of the controversial Mountain Valley pipeline backed by Fossil-Fuel King Sen. Joe Manchin (W-VA).
  
• The 300-mile pipeline would stretch between northwest West Virginia and southern Virginia, and the delegation of Virginia Democrats in Congress has vocally opposed it from the beginning. Kaine rightly pointed out that the pipeline has nothing to do with the debt limit and had already announced that he would file this amendment earlier in the week. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ed Markey (D-MA), our very good boys, both cited the provisions on the pipeline and fossil-fuel development in their statements announcing that they would vote against the bill.
  

It looks like Senate Republicans are gearing up to get amendment-happy as well.

• Under the Biden-McCarthy agreement, non-defense spending will remain mostly flat, while the military will, you guessed it, get a big fat increase. But that simply isn’t enough for the war hawks in the GOP who are very scared that China’s military will overpower America’s. Do they care that 11 million children in the United States live in poverty that could be alleviated by what would amount to a rounding error in the defense budget? They do not! Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) went on Fox News Wednesday night to claim the deal (which again, will increase an already-staggering $886 billion defense budget by 3.3 percent) is “a disaster for the United States military.”
  
• A number of senators want to force votes on amendments to the bill that will retard the process. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) says he will agree to an expedited agreement but only if his amendment gets a vote, and he estimated that there would be between 10 and 12 amendments total. That’s…not great, given how ponderous our blubbering senators can be! Nevertheless, most of them seem confident that the bill will pass by Thursday night. Hard-right Senators like Lee, Graham, and Rand Paul (R-KY) have all but promised to gum up the works unless the bill adopts more aggressive spending cuts to all non-defense programs.
  

It’s gonna be a long night. Next week should be fun, too!

Look No Further Than Crooked Media

The Trans community has been under attack by right-wing politicians across the country. But don’t let their noisy stunts fool you. They’re a loud, wrong minority, like John Mayer fans, or people who blame flight attendants for the delay. In reality, there’s never been more support for gay, trans and queer youth than right now, and it’s up to us to make that true, today and every day.
That’s why Vote Save America has launched their Fuck Bans: Leave Queer Kids Alone fund. This Pride month, Crooked is working to help fundraise $50,000 to support groups on the ground in states that are banning care and targeting trans families including organizations like the Transgender Law Center, the Trans Justice Funding Project, and the Trans Youth Equality Foundation. If you’re interested in chipping in, head to https://votesaveamerica.com/fuckbans to donate!
Pissing off some of the GOP’s biggest creeps is just an added bonus.

Under The Radar

In a frightening harbinger of the climate crisis to come, state lawmakers in Arizona have decided to halt housing construction that has already been approved in the Phoenix area, as well prohibit developers from building some new subdivisions, due to the dwindling water supply. Phoenix and its suburbs reside in Maricopa County, which receives more than half of its water supply from groundwater, while the rest comes from rivers, aqueducts, and recycled wastewater. But unlike some of the latter sources, groundwater is a finite resource, and can take thousands of years or longer to replenish. This halt in housing development will increase real-estate prices, and is likely to continue across the American southwest if climate change continues to go unaddressed and the 23-year drought in the region persists. But yeah, give another trillion dollars in federal funding to the military!

What Else?

The Federal Trade Commission disclosed in a Wednesday court filing that a former employee of Amazon’s Ring doorbell-camera unit spied on female customers for months in 2017 using cameras placed in bedrooms and bathrooms. The company will pay a $5.8 million settlement for privacy violations.
The Supreme Court dealt another blow to organized labor on Thursday in a ruling that will make it easier for employers to sue over strikes that cause property destruction. The (yikes) 8-1 decision sided with a Washington state concrete business, which sued the union representing its truck drivers when they were on strike.
President Biden tripped over a sandbag and fell onstage after delivering an address at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony (but he got right back up!). Surprisingly agile for an octogenarian.
Speaking of the Air Force, a new report shows that it tested a drone enabled by artificial intelligence to destroy specific targets, but when a human operator tried to override the drone’s mission, the A.I. ordered the drone to attack the human operator so the mission could be completed. Hasta la vista, baby?
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is reportedly planning to give January 6 security footage to far-right conspiracy theorist and avowed election denier Julie Kelly. Man, this guy is a non-stop great-decision machine.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) national security adviser has resigned after the Washington Post reported that he was behind the senator's, ahem, controversial strategy of stalling military nominations in an attempt to stop a new DOD policy that helps ensure abortion access for service members.
The stock market ticked up on Thursday as the bill to avert a GOP-imposed global financial crisis advanced through Congress.

Be Smarter

Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly threatened to retaliate against the United States if it crossed an ambiguous “red line” of excessive interference in defense of Ukraine. Nevertheless, the White House persisted. Last month, President Biden announced that the United States would help Ukraine obtain F-16 fighter jets, on top of the missiles, rocket launchers, advanced missile defense systems, drones, helicopters, and tanks it has already supplied or helped Kyiv obtain. So why are our national security officials ignoring Putin’s threats? Because of a general consensus since the war began that Putin’s threats have been all hot air. As Maxim Samorukov, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, observed, the Kremlin “has devalued its red lines so many times by saying certain things would be unacceptable and then doing nothing when they happen.” Russia’s demonstrated reluctance to retaliate has been the driving force behind Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s decision to encourage the White House and Western allies to do more. But Western officials know that Putin’s hesitancy is not fixed, and could easily change if the war persists. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley estimated in a recent interview with Foreign Affairs that Russia has suffered as many as 250,000 casualties since it invaded Ukraine.

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Light At The End Of The Email

Billionaire troll and Twitter CEO Elon Musk is accused of insider trading in a class-action lawsuit, which alleges he intentionally manipulated the price of Dogecoin when he replaced Twitter’s bird logo with the Dogecoin logo, leading to a 30 percent jump in the coin’s price. In a hilarious coincidence, he did that riiigghttt before he sold $124 million worth of the currency.
Nine Democratic governors have sent a letter to leading textbook companies expressing opposition to GOP-demanded changes to textbooks and to warn them that they will be watching for the “inappropriate censor[ship]” of “comprehensive and accurate educational information.”
Happy first day of Pride Month to all of our LGBTQ+ pals out there!

Enjoy

jamie loftus 🌭 on Twitter: "the fancier the hotel… the less free waffle in the morning…"

Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/5n9OhPy
I am located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, about 20 minutes west of Schaumburg.
Looking to sell/trade the following:
1. Ryzen 7700x barebone PC bundle includes:AMD Ryzen 7700x CPUAsrock x670e Steel Legend ATX motherboard32GB G.Skill DDR5 6000 RGB RAM kit (model F5-6000U3636E16GX2)Noctua NH-D15S chromax.black heatsinkCorsair 4000D Airflow caseThe Ryzen CPU and motherboard were for another build that a customer backed out of. I'm impressed with the board build quality, straightforward BIOS, fast POST boot times (I've heard folks complaining about this on other boards), and selection of RGB and fan headers. I updated the BIOS to the latest version (1.24), RAM works great at stock XMP settings. I benchmarked for stability at stock and ECO mode and everything ran great. This combo will not come with the AIO in the pictures. Instead, I will include the all black Noctua heatsink from another build. Looking to sell this entire kit for $560 local cash.
2. Asus 3080 Strix GPU. I'm only looking to trade towards a smaller variant as I'm moving my other build out of the 4000D case into an itx case. Also willing to include this GPU in the combo above for an additional $500 local cash.
3. Gigabyte M28u 4k 144hz monitor. As pictured, lovely monitor, looking to trade this towards an ultrawide or a 27-inch 1440p 160hz / HDR monitor as I need something for productivity. Prefer IPS, no VA please. 3440x1440por 2560x1440p resolution, nothing lower than that.
Things I'm looking for in a trade: Smaller 3080 / 3080ti or even a 4070 GPU34 or 38 inch 1440p Ultrawide monitor, 1440p standard size 28 inch gaming monitor (HDR 400 / HDR 600) also open to a FALD HDR1000 monitor. ITX cases, especially if its something unique.
PM me with questions or offers, no chats please.

I (23F) moved back to the Spring/Woodlands suburbs after graduating from UT Austin last year for work. Though I thought being a native Houstonian would help me find other young professionals easily, I have been having a hard time making new friends. A lot of my friends from high school have moved and not a lot of my friends from university are in Houston. What are some ways to meet younger professionals in the suburbs? My partner suggested book clubs or volunteering. I’m really big into the outdoors especially fishing, kayaking, hiking, and camping. I’m open to hearing suggestions especially for things in the NW Houston area

Hey!
I am looking to get back into BJJ and I was looking for classes:

• in the northwest suburbs of Chicago
  
• no gi classes
  

About it haha
Thanks!

Hi--Doing the Calibrate thing with Mounjaro and not too fond of the process. The program ends after a year. The reduction in food noise on Mounjaro is a Godsend and I would like to find a doctor who is supportive of my continuing on a low dose Mounjaro after I get to goal. My GP retired last year and I haven't picked a new one. I'm in the near northwest suburbs and would love some recommendations of supportive doctors. Those practicing functional medicine would be a big benefit as well. I'm female and in my early 60's. Thank you in advance!

Hello everyone!
I'm a nerdy dog dad living in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. Currnetly living alone and have my own car.
My pup is a 1.5 year old Staffordshire Terrier who is the best boy. I adopted him in March of 2022. He, like me, loves to cuddle.
I currently work in tech and have been doing so for the last decade or so and I really enjoy it. I also can be a little hands on and work on my own electronics or fix things around the house when needed. I also enjoy working on my car and modding it. I have a few tattoos and my ears pierced.
For the nerdy part, I'm into anime, manga, fanfiction, Kingdom Hearts, Harry Potter, video games (own all three major consoles out right now), and would love to get into DnD after talking about the RPG builders guide. I'm also getting back into reading and just signed up for GoodReads.
I value communication, empathy and compromise.
I'd love to find someone that enjoys staying in as much as going out, going for walks, gaming, and adventuring. I currently work from home and have some trouble getting outside and meeting new people. I'm not picky about looks and really looking for a great personality.
If any of this sounds like it interests you, please send me a message! I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Here's the pup and I: https://imgur.com/a/MT9NO30

1. Asheville: Located in Pickaway County, Ohio, Asheville is a small village with a peaceful rural setting. The village is known for its picturesque landscapes, farmland, and a close-knit community. Asheville offers a small-town atmosphere with a limited number of local businesses and amenities. The surrounding area is characterized by rolling hills, open spaces, and a slower pace of life. It provides residents with a tranquil environment away from the busyness of urban centers.
2. Bexley: Situated east of downtown Columbus, Bexley is an established suburb known for its stately homes, tree-lined streets, and historic charm. The area is home to prestigious institutions such as Capital University and the Governor's Mansion. Bexley's Main Street offers a mix of boutique shops, cafes, and restaurants, creating a vibrant community atmosphere.
3. Canal Winchester: Situated southeast of downtown, Canal Winchester is a growing suburb known for its historic district, community events, and proximity to natural areas. The charming downtown area features shops, restaurants, and a community theater. Canal Winchester hosts various festivals and events throughout the year, including the famous Labor Day Festival. The suburb offers a mix of housing options and easy access to parks and recreational facilities.
4. Circleville is a historic city located in Pickaway County, Ohio. Known for its circular street pattern and vibrant community, Circleville offers a unique charm. The city features a central public park called "The Circle," which serves as a gathering place and the venue for numerous festivals and events, including the famous Pumpkin Show. Circleville's downtown area boasts local shops, restaurants, and historic architecture, contributing to its appealing small-town ambiance. With its rich agricultural heritage and close-knit community, Circleville offers a welcoming and engaging environment for its residents.
5. Delaware: Located to the north of Columbus, Delaware is an exurb known for its scenic landscapes, historic downtown area, and the presence of Ohio Wesleyan University. The city offers a blend of small-town charm with modern amenities, including a variety of shops, restaurants, and cultural events. Delaware also has a rich history and is home to the Olentangy Indian Caverns, a popular tourist attraction.
6. Dublin: Located northwest of downtown Columbus, Dublin is known for its upscale neighborhoods, excellent schools, and numerous corporate headquarters. It features a charming historic district, beautiful parks, and a thriving business community. Dublin is also home to the annual Dublin Irish Festival, one of the largest Irish festivals in the United States.
7. Gahanna: Located east of downtown Columbus, Gahanna is a diverse suburb known for its picturesque neighborhoods, proximity to the Port Columbus International Airport, and the Creekside development. Creekside is a lively entertainment district with restaurants, shops, and a scenic waterfront. Gahanna also features parks, golf courses, and a strong sense of community.
8. Grandview Heights: Situated west of downtown Columbus, Grandview Heights is a unique suburb known for its walkability, vibrant community, and mix of residential and commercial areas. The suburb offers a blend of historic homes, modern developments, and a bustling commercial district along Grandview Avenue. The area features an array of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Grandview Heights is also home to the prestigious Grandview Heights High School and offers easy access to downtown Columbus and major highways.
9. Grove City: Located southwest of downtown Columbus, Grove City is a suburban community known for its affordable housing options, family-friendly environment, and strong community spirit. The area offers a range of recreational facilities, including parks, golf courses, and the popular Grove City Town Center, which hosts various events and festivals.
10. Groveport: Located southeast of downtown Columbus, Groveport is a historic suburb with a small-town feel. It features a charming downtown area with historic buildings, shops, and restaurants. Groveport is known for its canal history and hosts the annual Groveport Heritage Days festival. The suburb offers a mix of housing options and is situated near scenic natural areas like the Three Creeks Metro Park.
11. Heath: Situated adjacent to Newark, Heath is a smaller city in Licking County. It is known for its strategic location near major transportation routes, including Interstate 70 and State Route 79. Heath features a variety of shopping centers, restaurants, and recreational opportunities. The city is home to the Indian Mound Mall, a popular shopping destination in the area. It also offers several parks and outdoor spaces for residents to enjoy.
12. Hilliard: Situated to the northwest of downtown, Hilliard is a suburban community known for its family-friendly atmosphere and strong school system. It offers a range of housing options, from established neighborhoods to newer developments. Hilliard features numerous parks, including the popular Heritage Rail Trail, and hosts events such as the annual Franklin County Fair.
13. Lancaster: Located southeast of Columbus, Lancaster is an exurb with a rich history and a vibrant downtown area. The city is known for its well-preserved architecture, including numerous historic homes and buildings. Lancaster offers a range of recreational opportunities, such as the scenic Hocking Hills region, which is a short drive away. The Ohio Glass Museum and the Fairfield County Fair are popular attractions in the area.
14. London: Situated to the southwest of Columbus, London is an exurb known for its rural character and close-knit community. The city features a historic downtown area with local businesses and hosts various community events throughout the year. London offers a more relaxed pace of life and is surrounded by farmland and natural beauty, including the Madison County State Nature Preserve.
15. Marysville: Situated to the northwest of Columbus, Marysville is an exurb that has experienced significant growth in recent years. It offers a mix of suburban and rural living, with a variety of housing options and ample green space. Marysville is known for its Honda manufacturing facility, which is one of the largest employers in the region. The city also hosts the Union County Fair, an annual event showcasing agriculture, entertainment, and local traditions.
16. Mount Vernon: Located northeast of Columbus, Mount Vernon is an exurb with a small-town feel and a rich history. The city is home to Mount Vernon Nazarene University and features a charming downtown area with shops, restaurants, and historic buildings. Mount Vernon offers a mix of rural and suburban living, with picturesque countryside, parks, and recreational opportunities nearby.
17. New Albany: Located northeast of downtown Columbus, New Albany is an affluent suburb known for its planned community, expansive estates, and upscale amenities. It features a charming village center, called Market Square, with a variety of shops, restaurants, and community events. New Albany is also home to a renowned golf club and numerous corporate offices.
18. Newark: Located about 33 miles east of Columbus, Newark is a city in Licking County. It is known for its rich history and architectural heritage. Newark is home to the Newark Earthworks, a complex of ancient Native American mounds and earthen enclosures designated as a National Historic Landmark. The city also features a charming downtown area with shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions like the Midland Theatre. Newark is the county seat of Licking County and offers a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas.
19. Obetz: Situated in Franklin County, Ohio, Obetz is a suburban community located just south of Columbus. It is known for its convenient location, strong industrial presence, and recreational opportunities. Obetz is home to the Fortress Obetz, a versatile outdoor stadium that hosts various sports events, concerts, and festivals. The community also features parks, walking trails, and recreational facilities. With its proximity to major highways, Obetz offers easy access to the amenities and employment opportunities of both Columbus and nearby suburbs.
20. Pickerington: Located southeast of Columbus, Pickerington is a suburban community known for its family-friendly atmosphere, excellent schools, and strong sense of community. The city offers a mix of housing options, from well-established neighborhoods to newer developments. Pickerington boasts numerous parks, recreational facilities, and a charming downtown area with shops, restaurants, and community events. The city is also home to Pickerington Ponds Metro Park, which provides opportunities for outdoor activities and wildlife observation.
21. Powell: Situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area, Powell is a rapidly growing suburb known for its affluent neighborhoods and excellent schools. The Olentangy Liberty High School, one of the top-rated public high schools in Ohio, is located here. Powell offers a mix of residential areas, recreational opportunities, and a charming downtown with shops and restaurants.
22. Reynoldsburg: Situated east of downtown, Reynoldsburg is a suburban community with a mix of established neighborhoods and newer subdivisions. It offers a range of housing options and is known for its affordable real estate. Reynoldsburg boasts several parks, including the Blacklick Woods Metro Park, and hosts events such as the Tomato Festival.
23. Upper Arlington: Situated to the northwest of downtown, Upper Arlington is a picturesque suburb known for its well-manicured neighborhoods, tree-lined streets, and strong sense of community. The area boasts excellent schools, recreational facilities, and parks. The Scioto Country Club, one of the oldest golf courses in the region, is located here.
24. Westerville: Located northeast of downtown Columbus, Westerville is a thriving suburb known for its strong sense of community, excellent schools, and historic charm. It offers a mix of housing options, from historic homes in the Uptown area to newer developments. Westerville boasts several parks, recreational facilities, and a vibrant downtown with shops, restaurants, and community events.
25. Worthington: Located to the north of downtown, Worthington is a historic suburb with a quaint, small-town atmosphere. It features a charming downtown area known as the "Old Worthington," with boutique shops, restaurants, and the popular Worthington Farmers Market. Worthington is also home to several parks and hosts various community events throughout the year.

I reorganized the list into alphabetical order, but everything else was generated by ChatGPT. I had to prompt it a few times to get all 25, because it only listed about 6 at a time.

Weird question, but I remember kayaking down a beautiful little river and can’t remember the name of it or where I put in! I had thought it might be the Bark River, but I looked and it’s way too cloudy.
Mystery river’s features:
• Crystal clear
• extremely slow
• 2-3 feet deep the entire way
• fairly narrow, no more than 20 feet across at the widest
• winds its way through reeds
• ends at a small lake
• lots of others floating down with tied-up inner tubes and floaties.
• Put in off a small side road bridge, walk down a small dirt/rock “ramp,” immediately next to a little dam preventing you from going up river (I think!)
I know this doesn’t narrow it down a ton, but I have seen this group work magic before. Hoping someone can help!
Edit: consensus is it was indeed the Bark River. Milwaukee always pulls through 😌

Hi--Doing the Calibrate thing with Mounjaro and not too fond of the process. The program ends after a year. The reduction in food noise on Mounjaro is a Godsend and I would like to find a doctor who is supportive of my continuing on a low dose Mounjaro after I get to goal. My GP retired last year and I haven't picked a new one. I'm in the near northwest suburbs and would love some recommendations of supportive doctors. Those practicing functional medicine would be a big benefit as well. I'm female and in my early 60's. Thank you in advance!

Hey I'm out here in Schaumburg just bored, looking to meet a nice female to go on dates but of course have fun time after ) just something about getting fancy dinners and wearing good clothes getting tipsy and having good sex is a move. I'm 5'11 195 6.4inches long but hmu 😌

Hey there, Bostonians!
I'm gearing up for a thrilling adventure as I prepare to make the leap from the tranquil Pacific Northwest to the vibrant streets of your incredible city. But, I find myself in a bit of a pickle, and I could really use your local expertise to help me out with a few crucial decisions. So, let's tackle the trio of conundrums: rentals, schools, and the fate of my trusty car!
First things first, I need your insider tips to crack the code of affordable rentals. Zillow and Craigslist have left me in sticker shock, I am thinking either one bedroom or two bedrooms, so I'm counting on your knowledge to steer me toward those hidden neighborhood gems where rents won't drain my bank account, and there are good laws that limit rent increases (hopefully). Oh, I'm also on the lookout for safe neighborhoods with good schools for my 12-year-old son.
Also, the rumors of Boston's parking nightmares have me wondering whether it's worth hauling my beloved car across the country. So, do any of you Bostonians have recommendations for neighborhoods that are a breeze to navigate with access to public transit, sparing me the headache of endless parking quests? Or should I just embrace the rhythm of Boston's transportation scene and bid my car farewell? there's a twist! I'm contemplating turning my car into a side hustle by joining the ranks of Uber and Lyft. Is it a potential goldmine or a recipe for headaches?
Your local knowledge and street smarts are my secret weapon in this decision-making process. Help me unlock the secrets to affordable rentals, good schools, and transportation bliss. I appreciate your help in advance.
​
Thank you

Hi there! I wonder if anyone knows about woodworking classes in the area of Algonquin/Crystal Lake/Elgin etc. I'm interested in learning how to build different sorts of furniture like bookcases, side boards, cabinets, etc. This is a hobby, no commercial intentions here ;)
Cheers

Hello everyone. I woke up today and after months of pondering and looking into the IBEW Apprenticeship program, I’ve finally had it with my current job and am ready to get my foot in the door into an apprenticeship program. I’m finally ready to get started on a career I can find purpose in. However, I do still find myself with a whole lot of questions regarding the application process as well as which local union I should look for an apprenticeship with hence why I am writing this post. Couple questions I have are:

• Which local unions should I start with applying first based on location? I’m currently in the Northwest Chicago Suburbs near O’Hare.
• I’m a frequent marijuana user, however, I never do it on the job and leave it solely for after work to help me decompress. Should I be worried about them testing for it and not getting into the program because of it? I am more than willing to quit for the time being if it means I have a better chance at getting in.
• What should I expect during the registration and what documents will I need to bring with me? I rather show up over prepared and with everything I need rather than have to come back because I’m missing something.
• Last question; how will the process go after registration? Is there anything specific I should include on my resume? Little bit of background but I graduated hs and did some sports. I also got my associates from a CC 2 years ago. Anything else they may look for that would look good on there?

Apologies for the lengthy post, just a 24 year old finally trying to get his life together after what feels like years of meaningless work. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.