#i guess i want to go against usual conventions of systems in media with their character but like. i might bemaking it too complicated.

[klug]

I feel like by the time I finish devving deihexis verity& will be a system of like 6 different alters

[boop-le-snoot]

If life gives you melons...

Ship: Loki x F!alt! reader

Rating: Explicit / word count 5,5k

Summary: You've heard about meet-cute, how about meet-ugly? Reader has tattoos and a tongue split. There's this joke that "bisexual alt girls go looking for a girlfriend and end up with sad, tall and skinny white bois" and boy did that hit home. Inspired by this cringy video of Hiddles [youtube link].

During a panel at a comic con, Loki notices reader and they go on a date, reader gets railed: top!Loki, choking, rough sex, unprotected sex, all the good stuff. Open ending, with a bonus of reader and Loki pranking Clint.

x. I usually fancy they/them pronouns for Loki but seeing as it's a smut-shot, I decided to go along with he/him for the sake of simplicity. Loki's at least 6'4 tall and you can fight me on that. Also, I write like a Tony stan - I feel the need to apologize to Loki stans for that. I love you guys! 🥺👉🏻👈🏻

The long line of people appeared to be neverending. Loki was an enhanced, as the government recently had adopted a politically correct term for Earth's non-human inhabitants, but even his enhanced endurance had begun waning due to sheer amount of people wanting a piece of memorabilia signed by The God of Mischief. Loki had gained a considerable amount of fans after doing his part in killing the mad titan Thanos and by extension, saving the world. It turned out, humankind was a sucker for a good redemption arc.

Loki's hands ached where they wrapped around the pen that he'd been using for nearly 4 hours to neatly place his name, written in neat runescript, on various pieces of merchandise that his fans (and wasn't that a strange thing!) presented to him. He used to think that he would have actually succeeded conquering the earth if he had a grasp on how to use social media and his charm; now, he just wanted the torture to end. An involuntary sigh left his mouth when he saw another print of himself in full battle gear being placed in front of him by a reasonably attractive young woman.

"Um, thank you," She stammered, giggling softly, and Loki spared her a painstaking smile, scribbling his name once again. The woman briefly caught his eyes. "Um, you're the reason- the inspiration for me. I became a stripper."

Loki blanked, feeling his eyes widen and blink on their own accord a few times. He wasn't sure if he heard the woman correctly, as the unusual statement made his brain freeze.

Loud snickering from behind the blushing woman interrupted the system error that he was experiencing in his head. It wasn't often that somebody managed to render him speechless. It looked like whoever was in line behind the stripper woman had taken advantage of that. Loki's eyes snapped to the short-haired person, who looked torn between cringing and breaking into embarrassed laughter.

The stripper left without a word, and as Loki picked up the cursed writing instrument once again, the short-haired person smiled at him kindly. "That was a little weird," They snorted, "And thanks, have a nice day Mr. Loki."

"When life gives you melons, you might be dyslexic," Another woman, that appeared to be the short haired person's friend, deadpanned and gave a cynical side-eye to the departing stripper. Loki heard snickering coming from the short-haired person and quietly joined himself. The woman noticed it, winking at him as she collected the newly signed t-shirt. "Bye," She smiled kindly.

It was a split second decision, really. Something about the cheeky way she addressed the situation sparked Loki's interest. "Wait, you forgot something, darling," His baritone called out to the departing woman. She turned around, confused, and hastily grabbed the standard issue photo that he was holding out to her. With a final grateful nod, she smiled and left.

If Loki's smile had returned for the time being, none of his teammates made any remarks on it. Only his brother, Thor, gave a couple of knowing looks to the Asgardian sorcerer.

The woman in question didn't think twice about the photo that she stashed in her backpack along with the signed t-shirt. The Comic-Con had been full of people and the lines were unfairly long. The sheer exhaustion after attending a 3-day long convention had set in and she was eager to simply come home back to her apartment and crash on the nearest soft flat surface. Upon arrival, she did exactly that, flopping down gracelessly on the couch, her backpack landing next to her with a careless thud.

Unloading her trophies was a short time affair: a single white tee with a dozen signatures on it, written in what she hoped was waterproof Sharpie; one mug, shaped like an Iron Man helmet; one poster, showing Spider-Man on a picturesque NYC horizon and a signed photo of one Loki. Strangely enough, she did not remember requesting it - not that she was complaining. Free merch was free merch.

The front side wasn't signed whatsoever. Overcome by curiousity, she turned it around. A phone number was written on the back of it, the handwriting neat and the letters obviously being inked out by a thinner, more sophisticated pen than the one Loki had used for scribbling on the tee. The woman gaped silently, not believing her eyes. Did Loki himself had given her his phone number?

One margarita and a hefty helping of Chinese takeout later, the numbers persisted staring back at her mutely, the neat cursive being almost mocking in its quiet. The woman's smartphone had found a comfortable place right next to the photo, equally mum regarding the unusual situation.

An additional margarita was needed to gather the courage required to actually type out the number in the receiver box. Fruity alcoholic concoction in one hand and phone clutched in the other, the woman's eyes squeezed shut tightly as soon as the dreaded "Hey, got your number today! :)" read delivered. She'd typed and erased the message several times, groaning in embarrassment. How the hell does one approach an alien god?

"Hello! May I ask your name?" The response came after a brief moment - a moment the woman had suffered through by taking too haste sips of her drink, her common since screaming her to not overdo it and wait at least a full minute before replying. Everything felt awkward and misplaced.

In no time, she was sending the screenshots of the conversation to her girl-advice group chat that consisted of her closest friends. Chatting with Loki turned out to be surprisingly easy and he was great at upholding conversation, something that couldn't be said about all those Tinder matches she had had back in the day.

Even if using proper grammar during a text message conversation was something she had to reacquaint herself with, she was glad he wasn't just another boring, shalllow, condescending-ass white boy. Despite the cultural differences and his lack of knowledge of things like pop culture and music - something he said he was working on since New Asgard became a sovereign state on Earth - they bonded over music and tattoos and generally being rebellious against society's standarts.

The invitation to dinner didn't come as a surprise for the woman. She agreed happily, looking forward to continue their conversation outside of the internet - if Loki's part of the chat was anything to go by, not only was he charming, but also quite intelligent. And easy on the the eyes, too. They had traded selfies at some point and the Asgardian didn't look any worse in a hoodie and sweatpants than he did in his battle leathers. Loki had appeared to truly have had integrated into Earth's society.

The night of the date, the continuous text exchange did very little to calm her nerves. Loki texted as much as an overeager teenage boy: every now and then he would double-text and grossly overreact to her sending a simple meme. In fact, he smugly conveyed the fact he'd single-handedly started a meme war between the Avengers and even Steve was forced to participate; something that was, allegedly, out of character for the blonde man.

She didn't mind. Not like she had many friends to have so much fun with. Even if it took her twice the time to do her favourite eyeliner style, it was worth it. She hoped Loki would appreciate the bold, but classy make-up and the dress and shoes combo that accentuated her assets. Her date expressed curiousity about her tattoos and the difference between her preferred style and the humans he spent most time with. She guessed secret agents were not particularly fond of anything that made them memorable so she held out quite the hope for... Showing off some of her tattoos in a more private setting.

In other, simpler words, the woman came in prepared for both a friendly, leisurely stroll and a quality night. Either way, it would be a time well spent.

Loki's shiny, raven hair was impossible to miss as he towered over the rest of the people waiting by the restaurant's entrance. He wore tailored black trousers and a simple cashmere sweater, perfect for the evening's damp, cool air. Tall and lithe, Loki was mouthwateringly handsome.

"Come here often?" She wormed her way through the crowd, causing the man to smirk down at her. Her cheeks flared from the tiny gesture alone.

"Just waiting for a friend," Loki uttered lowly, extending an arm towards the woman, which she gracefully accepted as they made way towards the entrance. "Reservation for Loki," The Asgardian stated to the hostess, who, after a rapid doube-take, led them to a private, secluded area in the back of the restaurant.

Loki shouldered the slightly awkward interaction with grace, paying no mind to the girl. His focus was solely on his date and he was nothing but gallant as he took the woman's purse and held out the chair for her to comfortably sit down. As a prince, he was taught well, she mused.

"Usually I would ask 'what brings you to our little ball of water and dirt?' but I think we can skip that part," The woman stated with a sheepish grin, idly flicking through the menu and curiously eyeing the items that were unfamiliar. The desire to try something new fought with the possibility of accidentally ordering something too far out - like snails or other things that rich people fancied, for some reason.

Loki's greens briefly appeared over the top of his menu, grateful and sparkling. "I think it's best if we do just that," For a second, he looked away, before returning to the menu. "I can think of better things to discuss. I recall you didn't finish telling me about that college friend of yours, who was an anarchist... I'm dying to know..."

The waiter came and went, barely noticed by the pair, as they both poked at something that sounded the most familiar for both of them. Stoically, Loki admitted that Tony Stark did the booking for him and the woman reluctantly acquitted she wasn't very familiar with upscale establishments, being of middle-class background and working a middle-class job.

Interrupting the story she began telling hours ago, the woman took the time to point out the things she was familiar with on the menu and advised Loki to stay away from - like the aforementioned snails, and other things, slimy and salty things that she considered to be 'disgusting but rich people liked it for some reason'. The conversation slowly progressed into Loki telling her the mischief he got up to at the feasts Odin threw. The Asgardian shared the woman's disregard for influential people doing gross things to show off.

The food was good - it was really hard to miss with a traditional Italian lasagna - and seeing Loki shovel an obscene amount of food was an experience, but she didn't comment on it, tactful enough to consider his alien biology might have different dietary requirements that her human one. It was great, really, that she could order dessert and not feel guilty about it.

The gelato melted in her mouth like sweet ecstasy and she moaned with her next bite, only partly aware of how obscene really was the noise.

Loki's hand stuttered on it's way to his mouth. Wide-eyed, he stared at her lips, at her mouth, where her tongue lapped up the small drops of dessert from the spoon. "Why the split tongue?" The Asgardian finally gathered his wits, having had a good look of what he was sure was a trick of the eye at first.

She grinned, acutely aware of the effect that particular body modification had on men. "I like being different. I embrace the weird." She giggled, not at all ashamed, sticking out her tongue and wiggling both parts of it teasingly.

Loki's Adam's apple bobbed; "Weird?" He raised his eyebrow, fighting to maintain his previous cool composure.

She nodded. "Weird," She retorted coyly. "I usually don't divulge the details at least until the third date. Wouldn't want to scare my potential suitors off," The playful wink was the proverbial cherry on top. He was hooked, his eyes darkened, following the plump arch of her lips as she took another spoonful of the treat and savoured it, closing her eyes for a brief moment.

It was pornographic.

"Obviously, Midgardians don't know what's good for them," Loki scoffed in his usual bored monotone, fully aware of how fitful his attempt to conceal his excitement was. He sounded needy even to his own ears.

"And you do?" She pushed away the empty plate, chastely patting her mouth with a napkin. The raised eyebrow and the little smirk spoke volumes.

The grin he wore was hardly anything but feral; he asked for the waiter's assistance by flicking his wrist in an impatient fashion. Once the bill was paid and the woman's cardigan found its rightful place on her shoulders, Loki once again took hold of her arm, this time holding her smaller body against his larger one, taking care to slow down and keep his strides shorter.

She found the coolness of his presence refreshing in the moist, heavy air of the New York city.

"Where to, milady?" Loki asked her, looking down at the woman fondly.

"My place is a block away. Walk me, good sir?" She gave a delightfully easy smile in return.

He nodded, letting her lead the way, allowing himself to get a little bit lost in their shared presence, a little bubble of them in the middle of a busy city. It was as if someone had quickly turned down the volume of the honking cars and noisy pedestrians around them, leaving the soft breeze and the sun slowly descending below the skyscrapers. It felt far too short, partaking in the comfortable silence together, skin tingling under the thin layers of cloth where they were touching.

The sun was trapped in the strands of her hair as she smiled at him from her doorway, worrying her lip between her teeth. It was a bittersweet moment.

"A kiss good night for the good sir?" She asked hopefully, eyes darting between his face and his mouth.

Loki obliged, resting his palm flat on the door frame, towering over the woman as he gently slotted his thin, cool lips against her warm ones. The woman stood on her tippy toes, eager, placing a hand on his chest. The pair melted into the kiss - it had no business being this mind-blowing, brain-freezing for two people that have not met until that very day. The woman didn't refuse when Loki probed with his tongue, requesting entrance to her mouth; she licked into his own with fervor, fisting her hands in the soft fabric of his sweater.

With the hand that was free, Loki pulled the woman flush with himself, feeling the heat of her start a fire of its own inside of him. Her breathing rapid, the gesture only served to tighten her hold on his sweater, until a soft, barely audible moan slipped into his mouth, causing his brain to quickly reassess the situation.

Regretfully, Loki pulled away, clearing his throat. "Perhaps we should take this elsewhere," He meaningfully looked at the array of doors around them.

"I thought you'd never ask," She retorted with a fond eyeroll, tightening the grip on his sweater once more, to pull him inside her apartment and shut the door behind her. The awkward moments were few and in between; neither knew who reached for the other first, mashing their mouths with less grace than before, clutching at the other's arms and hips with hunger.

This time, Loki didn't hold back his own muted groans of satisfaction, shivering when the woman's hands snuck under his sweater and the simple tank top he wore underneath. Blunt nails scraped along his abs.

Step by step, she pushed him further inside her apartment, determined in her small quick strides. There was no mistake of their destination; no mistake in her desire: she was as hungry and as impatient as him. The crease between his eyebrows deepened, long arms extending to unzip the top of her dress to reveal a simple but tasteful black lacy bra covering her breasts. The woman barely noticed the action, stepping out of her dress as soon as it hit the floor.

He admired her. Inches of soft skin covered by intricate ink, some patterns bizarre and complicated, some beautiful in their simplicity. Loki couldn't wait to find out about the meaning behind every one of them, to trace the lines with his tongue and sink his teeth into the heated flesh.

The hands that were holding onto him for dear life tugged on his sweater and he chose to simply vanish it, too preoccupied with looking at the view in front of him. She gasped and her eyes met his: uncanny, magnetic emeralds shone with magic and power and desire.

"Fuck," She more mouthed than said, walking backwards in a trance until her shins hit the bed.

Loki grinned, advancing on the panting woman with the grace of a predator. "Darling?" His tone was innocent; his expression was anything but. His large hand encompassesed the side of her face, thumb running over her bottom lip in a possessive gesture that had her squirming in her place. He loved the way she just melted into his touch.

Their lips met again, slower this time. The kiss was once again graceful and unrushed, allowing them to explore the softness of each other's skin, mapping the arches and valleys with gentle strokes of their palms. The broad expanse of Loki's back was uneven, riddled with scars and blemishes, and she mapped every single one, blunt nails raking down it as she pressed into him, arching into his hands where he held her.

The soft flesh of her ass, barely covered by a scrap of black lace, was shamelessly grabbed - the woman didn't doubt there would be marks left - letting her feel his arousal pressed against her belly, hard and twitching. She didn't resist her desire to ge handsy and palmed it, taking note of the gasp and the twitch coming from the man occupied with the clasp of her bra. In no time, it flew away, forgotten somwhere the very moment Loki's palms took over her breasts, running a careful thumb over each nipple.

"Fuck," She parroted her previous statement, equally breathy and considerably more aroused.

"That's the plan," Loki's chuckle was hoarse.

She huffed, biting her bottom lip before reaching out to swiftly pop the button of his trousers, smirking at the hiss the friction of her palm produced against his cock. It shouldn't have surprised her that Loki was a commando kind of guy, but still, she gasped, partially from the ministrations of his clever fingers, partially from the mouthwatering sight in front of her. The thick, flushed length made saliva gather in the corners of her mouth.

He must've heard the audible swallow. "Not so haste, darling," He tutted, giving her relaxed body a gentle push, causing her to land on her back, heated skin against the soft duvet of her bed. "Let me taste you," A thud; Loki had dropped to his knees, using his large palms to spread her legs, opening her up to his eyes.

If his previous work hadn't made her so pliant, so aroused, she'd have been rendered speechless; instead, the woman arched her back, presenting herself and the desire that had pooled down below. The Asgardian chuckled, fingertips soft against the scratchy lace.

"Tease," The woman moaned, outstretching her arm to guide him but quite unable to reach him. She had to settle for squirming in her place, receiving a fraction of the desired traction against her swollen lips.

"Am I, love?" Loki asked her sweetly, caving enough to dip a single finger to run along the outside of her slit. It glided easily thanks to all the moisture gathered there, lips parting easily before his touch. The panties were vanished away promptly, another finger joining in immediately to rub slow, precise circles around her clit.

She keened low and long, fisting the fabric in her hand until her knuckles turned white. Loki knew what he was doing. It didn't take him very long to slide his long digits to the welcoming heat of her opening, dipping them inside until she began to make the noises he so craved. His mouth followed after that, long agile tongue drawing senseless shapes on the inside of her labia and dipping deeper, where her clit stood out engorged and slick.

He could smell the bittersweet of her arousal, mouthwatering and hot.

"Loki, fuck," She moaned, only half-coherent and partially aware of her own hips following his every stroke, every flick. He only advanced, hitting that sweet spot inside her with every stroke; the sparks traveling up her spine quickened with each time she changed his name like a prayer. "Loki, Loki, Loki..."

He growled, attaching his mouth firmly to her clit, and she arched for the final time, coming undone, squeezing around his fingers and gushing in his mouth, the obscene sounds covered by her own scream of delight and his impatient growling. The growling that sent shivers of aftershocks throughout her body.

"Darling, you taste so sweet," Loki groaned, still panting.

She took the time to open her eyes: Loki looked comically out of place in her bedroom, he dwarfed her bed and made her feel small, but it didn't matter at all at that very moment. His erection stood out hard and proud; despite the leg-shaking orgasm just moments ago, she wanted more, she wanted to taste him, she wanted to feel him inside-

With unsurprising agility, one swift motion was all it took for her to rest comfortably against the pillows, his throbbing member resting against the juncture of her thigh. She tasted her own release on his lips, however brief, whispering a weak, "Please," aching to feel the emptiness.

"As my lady wishes," Loki's cool breath ghosted over her cheek. She waited with baited breath until the tip of his manhood breached her, exhaling a moan into his neck and immediately wrapping her lips around a patch of skin as he stretched her so sweet.

Loki's arms shook slightly as he waited for her to adjust. He kissed her, soft and sweet; there was something vulnerable in him, something as sweet as the ache he'd taken away. Once he began to move, slow and fluid, all there was left was an all-consuming need to feel. As graceful as dancer and with a deadly precision, Loki pounded gasps, moans and screams out of the woman's slack mouth, kisses turning hungrier and sloppier by the second.

"So sweet," He cooed, relishing in the snug grip of her cunt around him.

She only keened in approval, too far gone and unused to the intensity of the feelings from a man with centuries of practice and the power of a god.

His thrusts slowed gradually until he was rutting into her, grinding his pelvic bone into her clit. The gasps and screams turned into drawn-out, longing moans; her hips followed his, meeting in a slow, sensual motion.

Loki was not a patient man. He withdrew - she gasped in protest - flipping the woman over on her fours with ease, taking but a split second to admire the curve of her body presented on display for him. Just for him.

With that thought burning in his mind, Loki sheathed his cock deeply inside her spasming cunt. It was nearly unbearably stimulating and only his own desire to prolong the bliss held back his own impending orgasm. That, and his own ego; he was naught if not a generous lover.

She slurred something, quiet and incorrigible, fucking back onto his cock as eagerly as he was plunging into her heat. The hand he'd placed on her shoulder promptly wrapped around her throat in hopes of lifting her close enough for him to hear the words but instead, it sent a full-bodied shiver throughout her. Loki grinned, tugging her that much closer.

The arch in her back looked quite uncomfortable yet she didn't mind; it was the exact opposite, in fact, her cunt tightened around him, drenching his shaft down to his balls. Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his thigh, the sting of pain going straight to his cock-

"Loki, I'm gonna, I'm gonna-" She slurred, gasping for air.

He weakened his hold on her throat enough to let her gulp the so-needed oxygen. It was her undoing: was it the rapid pace of oxygenated blood traveling to her brain or was it his cock, mercilessly pounding against her g-spot - she was violently spasming around his cock, much like she did around his fingers not too long ago.

It felt like ages, her crescendo coming in waves with no signs of stopping any time soon. Loki's continuous thrusts, his hips slamming into hers, her skin feeling like molten lava.

"Gonna fill your sweet cunt with my seed," Loki moaned lowly, holding her up by the throat, the other hand leaving fingertip-shaped bruises on the outside of her hips. "Mark you from the inside out," His voice had gone into primal territory, growling filling up the room.

"Please..." The woman rasped, oversensitive.

And he pleased, with a series of sharp thrusts, he buried himself to the hilt in her, the force of his release making her shudder and moan once against, going limp in his arms. Loki kept her in her place until every drop was inside of her cunt. Nothing was sweeter than that.

The Asgardian didn't bother with getting under the covers to hold her, conjuring a soft, comfortable throw in modest green, to cover their nudity. He didn't need the extra warmth but his companion was by far more fragile and sensitive to these things- Loki's fingertips traced the array of bruises he'd left in the wake of their passion, expression surprised as he found the woman smiling.

"Feels nice," She supplied meekly, eyes half-lidded, face trusting and open towards him.

He gave a small grin in return, placing a chaste kiss atop her head. "Yes, it does, darling."

Time after time, she didn't expect much out if their date. The sex was nice, nice enough for both of them to want seconds and thirds after their rushed first time - but it wasn't like she expected him to hand around. It was a pleasant change from the usual mutual ghosting she'd done with her previous partners, but Loki had texted again and they had resumed their conversation via text like nothing had happened.

No, that would be incorrect. Now, she had a wonderful friend who was a great conversationalist and an even better lover. There was no pressure to put a label on their relationship so the woman didn't bother with it; it didn't seem like Loki cared about the label, either, so she left the topic alone and enjoyed things the way they were. It wasn't like she had a line of suitors anyway.

She couldn't help the smile that creeped onto her face when she unlocked her phone and saw a video call request from other than Loki himself. She still had thirty minutes worth of lunch break to waste and this was a wonderful time to chat with a friend.

"Stark, hand it back or I swear to Norns-" Loki's voice sounded agitated and far away, accompanied by sounds of a struggle; the bearded, smug face on the screen was not who she expected at all. Only years of customer service and low bullshit tolerance combined stopped her from freaking out seeing none other than Tony Stark smirking at her from the screen of her phone.

"Yes?" She arched an eyebrow, taking note of the anger of Loki's tone.

"Hi, I don't think I need to introduce myself," Stark babbled, eyeing her - disheveled and with a wall full of sticky notes and miscellaneous items acting as the background to her video. "Reindeer games refused to show you to us so we decided to persuade him," Tony's grin grew wider, muted whispers being rapidly exchanged in the background all the while Loki screeched "BROTHER!" and various expletives at the top of his lungs.

"You could've, I dunno," She paused, unimpressed. "Asked me to dinner, like a normal person. Instead of stealing, you know, like a thief," The eyeroll that she performed had the team worried her eyes would fall out of their sockets.

"I merely borrowed his phone, don't be dramatic," Stark huffed, and for a moment, she could see various other people trying to look at the screen and by extension, at her. "So, what is it that you do? Because Smurf over there wouldn't..."

"Oops, bad signal. Sorry, can't hear you properly," Her side of the call suddenly shook and in a moment, she ended the call, not at all willing to deal with people that lacked boundaries. Sure, it might have been Iron Man, but if he was planning on being a snooping asshole, she wasn't gonna go down with that easily.

Exactly five minutes after she had clocked out, an incoming call from Loki had her equal parts excited and mortified. What if..? But he was apologetic. And very angry, swearing in his native language - something that he'd promised to teach her at some point.

"So, Clint did it?" She sipped her beverage, strolling home with the phone pressed snugly against her ear.

"Most of it was his fault, yes," Loki grouched on the other end of the call.

"I vote we get back at him. Invite me over, if he's so inclined to see me, and watch him get humiliated in front of everybody," It wasn't a secret she had her own mischievous tendencies.

"As much as I appreciate your vigour, darling, I doubt the Widow will appreciate you verbally castrating the Hawk in public," He replied sourly, his voice still betraying the faint notes of interest.

"I have a backup plan!" She stated without a hitch. "He'll embarrass himself and I'll be your alibi."

"I'm listening," Loki perked up immediately.

They decided to not to stall and schedule the 'family dinner', as Thor himself dubbed it, for the next available weekend. Loki had made sure Tony's AI had been made aware the trickster would be gone all day, and it took him very little magic and effort to pop in and out of the tower for the five minutes that were needed to execute their prank.

His friend barely managed to keep the snickering at bay as they ascended the elevator to the common floor where the dinner was being held. Not only that, but the woman spouted an area of dark purple love marks, barely obscured by the low turtleneck of her blouse.

She made her introductions and they made theirs. "This affair could use some background noise," She remarked off-handedly, casting a meaningful glance at the TV.

Tony Stark was known for being a great host so he entertained her wishes, flicking on the huge flat screen with a flick of his wrist.

The team froze.

"I... -" The woman stared at the screen, mouth hanging wide open at the scenes that played out. "... am not going to kinkshame, but please turn it off," She stated in a small voice, seemingly unable to tear her eyes away from the mass of tentacles commencing erotic assault on a woman's body.

Wordlessly, the TV shut down, immersing the room in stunned silence. Loki face-palmed, the slap of his palm against his face echoing in the eerily quiet room.

"Loki!" Captain America, red as a tomato, instantly accused the most obvious person.

Except, he had forgotten one thing. "Loki was with me all day," The woman replied, unkindly. "Do you need more proof?" She tugged on the hem of her turtleneck, exposing an inch of skin marked blue.

The good Captain's face changed the shade once again, venturing very well into beetroot territory. "Who was the last one to use the TV?" Rogers asked, now with a hint of anger, as he stared at a guffawing Bucky.

"I believe it was Mr. Barton," The AI piped up, mechanical voice sounding almost insinuating. Or, perhaps, it just appeared that way.

[5questions]

JERALD PODAIR

The UFT Has Made Sausages: an interview with Jerald Podair

In November 2020, the NYC United Federation of Teachers endorsed the Black Lives Matter in Schools campaign. About 90% of the union delegates voted for this. This was a stark contrast to previous years, when the UFT hierarchy plotted to filibuster or derail attempts to have the Delegate Assembly endorse this national campaign for liberation.  And this is, unfortunately, a deeply rooted part of the UFT history, from its recent collaboration in ballooning school segregation, back to its battles in Ocean Hill-Brownsville strikes in 1968 and its cold shoulder to the largest student boycott in 1964.

In the following interview, I discuss the UFT’s history with Jerald Podair, the author of the book THE STRIKE THAT CHANGED NEW YORK, we cover topics from the 1968 UFT strike through present-day conflicts over NYC’s unequal schools, considered the most segregated in the country. The 1968 strike pitted Superintendent Rhody McCoy, the black superintendent of the local Brooklyn school board, against Al Shanker, the powerful president of the UFT (and later the American Federation of Teachers). McCoy insisted on his right to fire or at least reassign teachers who openly resisted his afrocentric, liberatory, and postcolonial pedagogical vision. Shanker refused with great zeal, sending the teachers union into a confrontation with the city lasting several months. The media tried to frame the event as a conflict between blacks (the community) and Jews (the teachers). The UFT ultimately was successful and became a stronger force in its role as co-manager of the NYC schools, but the reaction to the UFT’s principles and tactics during the strike has ranged from glowing adoration to harsh critique. 

While Podair is ultimately pessimistic about the UFT’s capacity for embracing radical action for social change as a primary priority – and one can’t say he doesn’t have 60-plus years of history to back him up – the recent Delegate Assembly vote on BLM in Schools suggests the UFT may be ripe for a change in attitude and direction. Can the UFT break its 60+ years of following the business unionism model of Samuel Gompers? Can it put educator union power to work in a fight that many NYC communities are ready to join against material and racial inequality? These questions and more are discussed below. 

 Jerald Podair, professor, historian, and author of numerous books, including THE STRIKE THAT CHANGED NEW YORK. http://jeraldpodair.com/ 

How did you become interested in and research the Ocean Hill-Brownsville strike? 

JP: The Ocean Hill-Brownsville strike was almost a part of my DNA because I lived through it as a high school student in the fall of 1968. I was in the New York public school system when the strike occurred, and at the time I didn’t pay all that much attention to it. My main concern was getting out of school, not having to go to school. Ocean Hill-Brownsville basically kept New York City public school students out for about 3 months. I wasn't very political then. It struck me maybe 20-25 years later, when I was thinking of a dissertation topic, that it was really not only an important event in New York City education history, it was really an important event in New York history, general New York City history, and especially racial history. So I guess what I felt and heard and read and listened to during the strike sort of stuck in my DNA. or somehow got hardwired into me, because when I started thinking about a dissertation topic, I was a graduate student in history at Princeton, it's really the first thing I thought up, and so I began researching it. 

This was in the 1990s. It was not an easy topic to research, as you might imagine, because emotions were still so raw on each side, and not everybody I wanted to talk to was willing to talk to me. Albert Shanker never talked to me. As I understand it, I gave a presentation at the American historical association convention in the early nineties on Ocean Hill-Brownsville and he went to it. He was the president of the UFT and president of the AFT, at the time. He was in Washington, so he came and apparently he didn't like what I had to say because he had promised to give me an interview. After he heard what I had to say, he didn't want to talk to me. And that’s not the fault of Albert Shanker. He had his position. 

It wasn't the easiest topic to research and I found it much easier to just go through a newspaper run and I had to pretty much read every word of the New York Times, the New York Post and The New York Daily News for about a year to get quotes, to get reactions, to get information. Now newspapers are not always the easiest and most reliable sources, as you know. They are known as the first draft of history for a reason. But what I found is that they were more reliable than some of the people who would talk to me because I felt in many ways I was being spinned, again, by both sides, and I was always reminded as I did research of this of the great Japanese film Rashomon; basically people on both sides of the conflict were telling me things that were not necessarily true but we're basically filtered through their own self-interest so just like a little Rashomon the characters were not necessarily lying out right but they were just shaping the truth to fit their own sensibilities and their own agendas and that's what I found when I interviewed both, so for this dissertation I found relying on newspapers and at least what people were quoted as saying was my most reliable source. I went through the papers of the UFT at NYU and also the city board of education at Columbia.

So to make a long story, the PhD dissertation writing took me about 4 years but I had some road blocks along the way I got my notes stolen then it cost me about a year so I would say it took me 6 years to research and write it.

How did the notes get stolen? 

JP: It's become a family legend and a legend among my colleagues. We were living in Princeton at the time my wife and I and our daughter and we drove up to the Bronx to visit my parents who still live in the Bronx. I don't know if you've ever been a graduate student or know graduate students but they get very obsessive about things.  I took all my notes and I piled in the back of the trunk of the car because I thought I was going to look at them over the weekend, which was unrealistic, and I took basically everything, and the car got stolen and it was pretty horrific to go back to that parking space and not see it there. They found it in the South Bronx completely stripped and everything was gone and the notes were gone as well, so I basically had to start all over. I had to go back to Columbia. I mean it was easier the second time around because I knew where to look but it basically cost me a year and a half, maybe 2 years, of my life. I always heard it said you have to be a little crazy to be a graduate student and write a dissertation and that helped because the same person who would say that would have viewed that lost a dissertation notes as a sign from god and just quit. I didn't. 

Otherwise, why was the book hard to write? Basically just because it was hard to get access to people? Was Shanker the only one that didn't give you access?

JP: There were plenty of people who didn't give me access, or gave me only partial access, or they gave me access and didn't really give me what I needed. So the second time, after all my notes were stolen I decided to sit down and go through the Daily News and all the New York City dailies for every day for 1968 and the beginning of 1969, as well as the Times, who's the most accessible, to see what they said. I also feel that my own knowledge of Ocean Hill-Brownsville was so deep, right down to the ground level, and I certainly could tell whether somebody was stating the truth, so access was also complicated by the nature of the dispute. Usually there are heroes and villains in most historical stories – not in this one, because they were you know it was almost like everyone was right and everyone was wrong and I think it's very difficult for historians even today to approach Ocean Hill-Brownsville because it's so paradoxical and doesn't really fit into any sort of a coherent narrative like that all whites are racist or these teachers were racist; it doesn't fit into the narrative that they you know that all blacks were were unrealistic and anarchistic and violent. It fits into some of those categories but it doesn't fit into all of them and so it's not the easiest story to tell and I think what I had to do is sort of leave my own baggage at the door. We are all people, we have backgrounds: we have ethnic backgrounds, religious backgrounds, racial backgrounds. So I tried to leave all of that at the door and try to get into the heads of all of the participants in this, to get into Al Shanker’s, Superintendent McCoy’s, Mayor John Lindsay's heads, and try to do that in a reasonably just passionate way. Hopefully I did a fair job. I think that's a good thing because I think if I surprised and maybe even just made both blacks and whites can I get that meant I was doing a good job and trying at least to be if you want to do a fair job.

Can you explain just a little more why Shanker didn’t want to talk to you? Talk a little bit about why people thought you were black besides just the cover?

JP: Shanker was looking for an exoneration basically and endorsements of pretty much everything he and the union had done during the strike; in other words, journalists who would say this is not about race or the strike is not about race, it is only about due process for teachers who are unfairly fired. To deny that they were racial issues is completely unrealistic. You have to confront those issues in order to do a good job with it historically, so I think what Shanker was looking for and of course he's not an academic historian. I know that many of my fellow historians would agree to disagree with me on that but I think you have to try to hold yourself outside of it, leave your baggage at the door, and try to be fair to both; historians have to criticize, I mean that's our job, but you also have to have some sense of sympathy for a person who is in a position that you are not, in knowing much less than you know 20 or 30 or even 100 years down the line, so you have to both be critical but sympathetic. I understand he would want me to completely exonerate the UFT, but I couldn't do that and I think that's sort of what bothered him. He was emotionally invested in ocean hill Brownsville as much as anything in his entire career. That probably was the most emotionally draining situation that he had been in as the union leader. I can't think of anything else that came close and he was so emotionally invested in it even 25 years later that wounds were still raw. To a lesser extent I got that from a lot of people that I tried to talk to about it: just too emotionally involved.

How do you see the UFT development since then?

JP: The UFT established itself as co-manager of the New York City public school system through the strike. Most of the strikes right now are about money but Ocean Hill Brownsville though was not about money it was about control. It was in 1968 that this strike established the UFT as a co-manager of the public school system which it was not before 1968. Before Shanker and the union leaders’ goal was to get money, but control in many ways was was more important than money; in other words, if Shanker had allowed Lindsay to buy him with money during this trial, if he allowed for everyone in the system to get a check but go back to work, Shanker would have turned that down, because he understood that that would have been a short term victory but the long term goal would have been lost: control.

The same caucus controls the union, the UNITY Caucus, since Shanker was in power.  

JP: Really, wow. Didn’t realize that. So they’ve been around over 50 years? 

Basically. And they filled a power vacuum left by government purges of “reds” and other socialist-leaning unionists. UNITY Caucus themselves were staunchly anti-communist when they were founded. The previous union, the Teacher’s Union (TU), was actually filled with many socialists and communists and the UFT, led by the UNITY Caucus, filled that void.

JP: You're absolutely right. It’s really crucial to understanding the history of the UFT. They're really tough anti-communists and they were one of several competing associations trying to get collective bargaining power for teachers. 

What would it be like if  the union had been less opposed to social justice and done less damage to community ties in the 60s in some of those neighborhoods? Is it possible for them to both win protections for the workers and also further social justice in terms of integrating schools and that type of thing and promoting black empowerment. 

JP: My book shows how complicated that was for the UFT.  First, Shanker and most of the UFT higher ups would say “we are for social justice” and what they would say is “you know we supported Martin Luther King and all of his campaigns. Martin Luther king is a personal friend.” He did address the U.F.T. On many occasions, he supported them when they were establishing their own union, and they supported him at the March on Washington and at Freedom Summer, so they thought they had the social justice bona fide. What what Shanker and other union higher ups would probably say in 1968 is “you don't know what it was like to be a teacher in the New York City public schools in the forties and fifties, but we do and what we know is that teachers had no control, no power, no dignity.” So the UFT was founded to change that – did change that. As for social justice, at Ocean Hill-Brownsville they were asked to make a choice between the 2 and the UFT leaders ended up choosing the power of the union and the power of the teacher over ideals of more radical militants interested in social justice. In other words, they were for social justice but not at their own expense. 

Albert Shanker, founder and president of the United Federation of Teachers 1964 to 1985 and president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) from 1974 to 1997.

Wildcat teacher strikes in recent years in West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Oakland were fighting for higher wages, benefits, protections, and other working conditions. The LA strike and then the Chicago one in 2019 they were more fighting for expanding funding for the schools and increasing counselors and that type of stuff. Do you think that had Shanker had the union mobilized at that time that they would have fought for those issues? Because public schools in NYC were basically gutted in the 70s and 80s. 

JP:  Back when Samuel Gompers was the president of the AFL testifying before a congressional committee in the early 1900s and somebody said, “You know Mister Gompers, what does labor want?” and he just says, “More.” That's it. “More.” And that's what Shanker wanted. He wanted more. He wanted more counselors, he wanted more money to be spent on schools. He wanted it for two reasons: he wanted it because I think he was honestly committed to some form of social justice but also he wanted more jobs for his teachers and more power for the union. He did want all those things but what he didn't want to do was cede control over education to a community group or community groups that he felt threatened his teachers and threatened their jobs. All the money in the world,  he was very happy to have. The New York City government spent lots of money on teachers, or social justice, to fund counselors, special ed,  everything. He wasn't into allowing the community school board to fire one of his teachers. That he would not do, and that's what caused the Ocean Hill-Brownsville strike. So you know in many ways as we look at it retrospectively: it didn't have to happen, and that means that if both sides had compromised, it probably would not have happened. But we can't go back. From the standpoint of community people and parents in the Ocean Hill-Brownsville community, they see that their children are not getting good education and even more specifically not getting the kind of education the kids in the white middle class areas of New York City are getting, who are getting the better teachers, better facilities.  There’s something colloquially called combat pay in the 1960s, where teachers in poor neighborhoods get paid more money and also get a chance to transfer out after like a certain number of years.

There’s something in the most recent UFT contract where if you go to teach at struggling schools in the Bronx or Brooklyn you get higher pay.

JP: In the 1960s there was some sort of a provision where if you put a certain number of years and in those schools then you could leave and what happened in the sixties is that they were trying younger teachers, the beginning teachers (not veteran teachers) to the schools in communities like Ocean Hill-Brownsville, who could see that the education their kids were getting was not the same kind of education that that white middle class kids were getting and they were angry about that and I think justifiably angry about that, and of course Al Shanker would say, “I'm angry about that too and I want to do something about that and the way I want to do something because it is I want the school board to hire more teachers, more counselors, more administrators” and the community said, “well that's that's not really what we had in mind. We want control.” And that’s not what Shanker had in mind and he wouldn’t stand for that. 

Now a big fight in New York City schools is over the screening process. Are you aware of this?

JP: I'm actually not really.

So kids take screening tests. The original schools like Bronx Science and Stuyvesant had to take tests to get in, but starting with Guiliani, then it was expanded during Bloomberg. Students take these tests at the end of middle school and there's some schools – like the school where I teach – that are unscreened but there's some schools that are screened, where you have to have a certain test score to get in and those schools are predominantly white and Asian and then you have schools that are unscreened that are predominantly black and brown students, so you really have a segregated school system, arguably the most segregated in the country.

JP: Well I was going to say that at least in the sixties you had the zoned school and Bronx Science, Stuyvesant, only a certain number of students.

So I guess my question, returning to social justice,  but through the lens of focusing on teachers' working conditions, and Weingarten and Mulgrew were Shanker’s successors, so I'm just kind of wondering how that fits into this? 

JP: They really had the same agenda as Shanker. In other words, they're all tough union bosses who put the interests of their membership above all. The conceit for the UFT all through the years is that the interests of their members coincide with the interests of social justice and you don't have to make the choice between one or the other, but of course that's not always the case as we saw in Ocean Hill-Brownsville. When push comes to shove they're going to protect members; if they have a chance to get more money and more hiring but taxes go up and taxes go up for everybody including poor people they're going to do it because that's what comes first. The social justice component is important but when it collides with the interests of the union members, they come first and. I think most union leaders, even the public sector union leaders who say they're for social justice, they're going to make that calculation. 

Do you think we still see some of the same forces at work in the contemporary struggles over education?

JP: From what you've just told me, in New York you have a school system that is more segregated than it may have been even in the 1960s and it's pretty segregated in the 1960s and that was the basis of community control, the philosophical basis of it. African American parents in the mid 1960s basically gave up on the integration struggle because white parents had certainly given up on the integration struggle, and what black parents said is, “Well it looks like our schools are going to be segregated almost permanently and if that's the case, we might as well control it.” They're really being segregated by class, it seems to me, so that is that is going to be the issue going forward now. What is the UFT going to do with that? Well they may want to do something about it but I think again they are beholden to their members and their members may not have that will. Everyone in America says we want to be equal. But when you get into real life situations you sometimes wonder how many Americans really want to be equal, and take it to the UFT I would imagine that the majority of members view themselves as liberals or even on the left, and they vote for Democratic candidates, but when push comes to shove do they want to teach in an unscreened school or a screened school? Well a lot of them are going to make the choice to go to the screened school and they may give you all sorts of justifications that nothing to do with race, but it does come down at least to some extent to race and it also comes down to maybe something inside of them that does not want to be equal, that's wants to be elite or special, and maybe that's part of human nature but I don’t think the UFT itself is going to contribute to breaking down the system because I think in many ways the membership has an interest in perpetuating the system as it is.

You're a labor historian. Can you think of an example of a union or labor movement that was both focused on working conditions for the workers in the union but then also focused as a primary concern on the community or in the society? 

JP: The Wobblies was a union that focused not only on working conditions for their members but also wanted to change the entire economic and social structure of the United States.

Poster for the Industrial Workers of the World, or Wobblies, a trade union across industries that has fought for work protections and power as part of a larger campaign for social revolution. https://iww.org/assets/One-Big-Union.pdf 

Similar to the Teachers Union (TU), the socialist and communist -oriented union that came before the UFT and was destroyed by the red scares in the 1940s and 50s. 

JP: Yes, and former members of that formed a caucus that was against Shanker’s UNITY caucus in the UFT. They are trying to do that massive social change and that caucus within the UFT opposes the strike from the very beginning and they're saying we have to align ourselves with the communities in which we teach so that we can change them for the better but in a sense they are making choices too. They’re unselfish in the sense that they would say well we're willing to forgo raises to help the community, we're willing to give the community control, in order to get equity and social justice in these neighborhoods. But I would argue that most teachers were not like that; they're much more self interested, much less willing to sacrifice themselves. I think what distinguishes these teachers is they were truly selfless. Because the right has many problems of its own, which we know, but one of the major problems on the left is hypocrisy and the idea that they want other people to do what they themselves will not. You talk the talk, but you don't walk the walk. Well these anti-strike teachers in 1968 in the UFT, they walked the walk. They were willing to make personal sacrifices, not have somebody else do it.  Shanker opposed them and tried to destroy the caucus, but I think on some level he had to respect them. 

Yeah the caucus I am in, the Movement of Rank and File Educators, is sort of the descendent of that caucus. 

JP: The only UFT leader who spoke out at the time was John O’Neil. Also, George Altomare, one of the only living and remaining members of the UFT hierarchy, and I talked to him a couple of years ago and he's the only really high ranking UFT who really tries to settle this and make a compromise and he got estranged from Shanker and the leadership over that. And Shanker basically just kept saying, “Fuck you, we want these teachers back in the classroom now” to the city and the media. And possibly the person who was floating a compromise of reassigning the teachers to other duties was George Altomare. He's the last one left from Ocean Hill-Brownsville who's actually alive as far as I know. He was sort of half in and half out and I think he was trying to be sort of a go between the community and the union hierarchy. Shanker was very absolutist over this and I think they had a falling out over that.

I also found it interesting that you said that your book doesn't really fit comfortably in like a right wing or left wing historical narrative. I took it to show that the UFT failed to work with communities for funding and equality and instead had been focused on working conditions only. What would have happened if the UFT had worked more with communities on more systemic changes that could have been more mutually beneficial? 

JP: You could make that argument. But based on my research,  I think most city school teachers were and maybe are politically with the cops, the firemen, the sanitation workers. They're just interested in “more”. They're not politically active and what they're worried about are their salaries and their jobs. So when you have a union that is mostly composed of people like that, there's a limit to how far you're going to be able to go in terms of social justice. Again the UFT always said, “We're for integration.” Shanker said all the way through: “We are pro-integration”, but when Bayard Rustin (who I actually wrote a biography of) organized a student boycott and the UFT at least nominally supported that but they were not willing to go to bat for their members who boycotted that day. They said, “Take a sick day” or something like that,  and didn't necessarily confront the board of education directly over this. The organizers of the boycott were disappointed in the UFT hierarchy's reaction to it. They didn’t oppose it but they didn’t use work stoppage. The UFT at that time was in favor of school integration. It's not like they were ever, you know, against it.  But again, there's you know then idea skin in the game. And resources. I think the UFT was worried about that and the reason they're worried is - it's related to this idea of social justice clashing with the goals of union power -- this is 1964: they're not that powerful a union and they may not want to piss off the board of education with whom they're trying to share power. They're not necessarily a struggling union but they’re young, only like 4 years old, and they may not have wanted to throw in fully. Sometimes you have to to do what you have to do. When I wrote my biography of Rustin, I was struck by an incident in the late 1950s, where Rustin is a close adviser to Martin Luther King, and Rustin helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and probably was going to be the managing director of the SCLC. What happens is Rustin, who is gay, gets caught in rumors of this and they reach Martin Luther King, who cut off Rustin and they reunited for the March on Washington in about 3 years. He basically cut Rustin off, and they don't have all that much contact. I think that King's thinking here is, “I have enough problems with what I'm doing without also having a gay man as the director of the SCLC I'm already being called a communist. I'm already being called an anarchist, a revolutionary. King made a strategic decision and cut this guy off, and that's how it works sometimes. In many ways, the UFT was generally thinking in 1964: “We've got enough problems with the Board of Education, establishing ourselves with the union, do we really, really want to go all in on this boycott and support every teacher? That's probably going to hurt us down the road when it comes to bargaining with them.” There’s that saying that watching legislation get passed is like watching sausages get made. Well, King was making sausages, and so was the UFT. 

[scuttleboat]

There’s no cursing in The Good Place... (spoilers for season 1)

This post may contain graphic and sexual language. Most of my blog does. Sorry this is way too fucking long.

I had a thought a few weeks ago about how the “no cursing” rule is used on The Good Place, and how a benign act of “appropriateness” is actually an early sign that the characters are living in a dystopian scenario.  And how--bear with me here--this reads to me as a clear analogy for dramatic flailing of fandom groups this last two years. Now, I may not make this point in the most thorough or elegant way possible, as I feel vaguely intimidated talking about a show that has such thoughtful philosophical consideration behind it, but I’m going to give it a shot. If I flub, blame the messenger not the essence of the idea.

In season 1, Eleanor and the audience are presented with a world that is supposed heaven, specifically a “neighborhood” of the good place that is specifically curated to fit its residences (in this case, Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, Jianyu, and others). Of course, we learn right away that Eleanor believes she’s there by mistake, and one of the first rules that demonstrates her “wrongness” is that she wants to curse, and can’t.

Eleanor: “Why can't I say ‘fork’?” Chidi: “If you're trying to curse, you can't here. I guess a lot of people in this neighborhood don't like it, so it's prohibited.” Eleanor: “That's bullshirt.”

The show glosses over this pretty quickly, and it’s played for laughs for the rest of the season. It very cleverly supports the show’s season 1 misdirect: any awkward or unsettling aspect of The Good Place is excused away by the audience (and by the characters) as simply being a side-effect of Eleanor’s misplacement. Of course you can’t swear in heaven!  Swearing is for bad people, and good people wouldn’t even want to hear it. So, therefore, it doesn’t exist here.

And yet, this is not just a subtle form of personal torture for Eleanor (as she is, of course, really in The Bad Place), it’s actually a pretty grotesque form of censorship on all of the characters. Notice that Chidi doesn’t say he is particularly averse to swearing. He says “I guess a lot of people in this neighborhood don’t like it.” Although not nearly as much as others, Chidi does curse a couple times in the show, himself. So, clearly, it’s not a thing he feels particular discomfort about---so why is it censored when they’re alone?  If this were truly a heavenly place customized for each soul, then Eleanor would be able to express herself and Chidi would be able to hear it, but other people who didn’t want to hear it would simply not be subjected to the cursing. 

Instead, the neighborhood completely outlaws cursing anywhere, at any time. In the s1 premise, it’s not enough for the other citizens simply to not hear the swearing, it matters if it’s even happening anywhere in their environment, whether they themselves are witness or not.  So why am I focusing on that idea, when we know the whole thing is manufactured, and the people who made up this rule did so as a lie, just to be cruel?

Because that line of thinking is so endemic to certain parts of fandom right now. Whether it’s making a story or fanart that contains content someone morally disapproves of, or whether it’s only a simple text post or meme going around, there’s thing now where people feel like content boundaries and warnings aren’t enough. It’s not enough to acknowledge that public platforms like Tumblr are unmoderated and that venturing forth to search or browse is accepting a certain amount of risk that one might run into something that makes one uncomfortable.  

[read more below the cut]

When people are campaigning that content they disapprove of--sexually, romantically, politically, morally, paternalistically--shouldn’t exist, they’re doing what the demons of The Bad Place have done to Eleanor and Chidi. They’re saying “This offends me, so it should not exist anywhere that I can know about or ever possibly visit.” Yes, that’s fic about characters who are underage having sex. Yes, that’s fic about characters having sex in a way that doesn’t fit their canon sexuality. Yes, that’s fic about violence and torture being done to characters for brutal and bigoted reasons. Yes, that’s fic about rape, assault, and abuse. Yes, that’s fic about uncomfortable, even disgusting things. Yes, it’s fic about noncon, dubcon, bad bdsm, ABO, slavery, fetishism, power differences, incest, and unrealistic depictions of drugs or sex. It’s fanart and headcanons about those things too.

These ideas, posts, fanworks, and concepts are part of fiction and literature. They’re part of fandom too, and are in fact one of the ways that fandom has pushed the edge of creative development for decades. As they said in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, “We do the weird stuff.”  Now most people in fandom don’t want to be a dick and just shove things in the face of someone who isn’t interested in consuming it--the artists and writers usually want their work to be found by people who want to consume it. So various media platforms have tools or informal conventions for negotiating shared spaces: tags and ratings on AO3, for example, serve a primary service of sorting the archive and secondary service of warning people of undesired content. On tumblr, it’s most an honor thing where people typically don’t follow blogs that post stuff they know they don’t like, and if someone is going to post something controversial they usually throw up an “FYI” at the top, or put it behind a read-more tag. Those decisions are voluntary, however, and everyone who uses a site like Tumblr is doing so with the express acknowledgement that they cannot control what others post, and may in fact browse a post with content they don’t like. For emotional, personal, or political reasons. ((Note: I’m not referring to personal targeted bullying  and harassment, which may violate the TOS of particular social media sites, and is off-topic for this discussion.))

What happens when you see that post that offends you? Well, you have three primary choices. You can engage with the OP, you can ignore it, or you can hit the “block user” or “report” options. At any given time, those various options may be what you decide to do, and that’s fine. That is, pretty much, the system working. It’s not a perfect system for sure, but it’s a reasonably functioning one on sites like Tumblr that try to accommodate the needs of millions of users. (don’t worry, fandom wont stay on tumblr and twitter forever.) AO3 has similar protections in place, with the difference being that AO3 is a far more opt-in user process: there is no personal “dashboard” or “my feed” on AO3. A person has to seek out content and utilize filters, and doing that only gets the user to the basics like title, summary, and tags. To actually SEE content, the user has to willfully click into the story.

I’m describing these processes (which most of you reading this will already know) because it’s important to keep in mind scope when we’re talking about content exposure and potential resulting damage. When you use these sites (and for the most part, the whole internet), the onus is on the user to curate their experience. On Tumblr that means blocking or blacklisting what you see, and on AO3 that means not clicking the link to a story unless you’ve read and accepted the warnings and description. On Google, it means don’t search “HS History teacher Dean takes teen Castiel in the locker room” if you don’t want to read something fitting that description. Yeah, it may offend you that it exists, but that doesn’t mean that you have to engage with it to prove that it’s harmful to you.

I’ve seen a lot of discussion this last 18 months about what people “can” or “cannot” write, draw, post, or squee about. I’ve seen it in The 100 fandom, I’ve seen it in Teen Wolf fandom, I’ve seen it in Star Wars fandom, I’ve heard about it in anime/cartoon fandom, and I’ve even seen it crop up in, OF ALL THINGS, Game of Thrones fandom.  (side note: if you complain about sexual content in fic while also posting gifs of GoT or Sense8 then I personally would like to throw a pie in your stupid face.) For some people, the answer to “I don’t like that this thing exists” seems to be to aggressively rail against it, to the point of targeting the creator, harassing them, or campaigning for websites or forums to change their rules so that XYZ offensive content does not exist. They say “I don’t care if you write it, just don’t post it where I might find it.”  The idea here is that the world around us is better without XYZ being part of our creative works or discussions, and that shunning that content and those creators makes the world (the internet) a kinder, softer, more welcoming place. 

A good place. 

A place where only good things can be. Where no one is made sad, and nothing that happens here can bring discomfort to anyone. And if you want something that’s not allowed in the good place, the righteous place, then it’s you who doesn’t belong. 

To circle back, the show The Good Place has gotten more popular this season, and I couldn’t be happier. I think it’s a fascinating examination of the ambiguity of people, as well as how mental stress can be used to torture. It’s a funny show with a lot of heart, but it’s a dark show too. And one of the darkest, subtlest things the show has ever done was reach into Eleanor’s mouth and change the words she is speaking. Not to prevent actual harm, but to make sure that other people could live in a world where things they abstractly disapproved of didn’t exist at all. For that, Eleanor was denied her basic concept of self and expression. The elimination of communication like that is such a profound violation of individuality and self that it’s almost incomprehensible that any world in which that happens could be ever perceived as a “good” place. That’s not a nice neighborhood where everyone gets along and is sheltered. That’s mind control. That’s gaslighting. That’s Hell.

There are a lot of ways to handle the struggle of content filtering, and hopefully we’ll figure out new and better ways in the future to balance the needs of artists with the needs of consumers, but one way that doesn’t work is censorship. AO3 isn’t going to change its rules to prevent content you don’t like. They know where that road ends. Tumblr might someday, but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it. And if they do, this whole network of fan culture will migrate to another site without those constraints. It’s already happened twice since I’ve been around. Purity wank is an old problem for fandom, but it used to be an attack from the outside. Now it’s coming from the inside too, probably because the community is so much bigger. So it’s time to really examine the discussions we hear, and sort out if silencing each other is really going to fix anything.

[dailykhaleej]

COVID-19: Chief ministers lead the charge in battle against corona

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video convention name with chief ministers of various states on tackling the coronavirus pandemic earlier this week. Picture Credit score: ANI

Dubai: When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins the chief ministers of the state in a video convention name on Saturday, there aren’t any prizes for guessing that the consensus might be on extending the nationwide lockdown – in any given form or type. This time, it will likely be the state’s leaders forcing Modi’s hand – as the lockdown nonetheless appears to be the major device to decelerate the exponential rise in instances of the COVID-19 pandemic in the nation.

As the nation heads into that essential section of it’s battle – determined to stem the ‘community transmission’ – there appears to be a brand new federalism which has been gaining floor in the previous month in India. Modi should be the captain of the ship, but it surely’s the likes of Uddhav Thackeray, Pinarayi Vijayan, Amarinder Singh or Mamata Banerjee who’re in the forefront of the battle.

There was fairly a dramatic transformation in the situation from the third week of March when the Prime Minister – in certainly one of his customary eight pm addresses – introduced his intentions with the ‘Janata Curfew.’ Sensing there is just too a lot at stake and an immense quantity of political goodwill to be garnered from it, the chief ministers have risen to the event – with just a few of them standing out in their proactive stance and planning. Because of the Indian Structure which stipulates well being as a state topic, the states may go forward with their plans – although the actual battle begins now.

DailyKhaleej takes a take a look at the efficiency of a few of the Chief Ministers at the forefront of the battle to date:

Uddhav Thackeray: It has definitely been not a straightforward job for the Maharashtra Chief Minister from Shiv Sena, which has Mumbai – nation’s most populous metropolis and the finance membership – to deal with the highest variety of instances. The mild-mannered Thackeray obtained into motion as effectively earlier than the pan-India shutdown, he introduced on March 20 that every one workplaces will stay closed until March 31. His order was relevant to Mumbai, MMR Area, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur.

Uddhav Thackeray

Quickly after the first convention name with the Prime Minister, Maharashtra took central authorities’s go-ahead to do fast testing in densely populated areas and slums to detect suspect instances and isolate them earlier than it turns into a wildfire. The job has not obtained any simpler with sporadic instances now being reported from Dharavi – Asia’s greatest slum.

Quickly after the nationwide lockdown announcemenat, Thackeray soothed the nerves by assuring that Maharashtra has sufficient provide of necessities. ‘’I enchantment to employers to not minimize wages of their staff or cease their providers….don’t flock the markets. To buy important commodities, go to market alone and keep distance (with each other),’’ he mentioned.

Pinarayi Vijayan: The venerable Chief Minister of India’s solely Left-ruled state at the second, alongwith her well being minister Okay.Okay.Shailaja, regarded most well-prepared to fight the coronavirus menace. The have been the first state to reported a coronavirus an infection in India and emerges as certainly one of the states with highest an infection charges from corona in the preliminary levels, due to the inflow of the NRIs largely from Gulf nations.

Pinarayi Vijayan

Nonetheless, having learnt their classes from tackling the Nipah virus, they confirmed an especially coordinated and scientific method and have pegged again the variety of instances to 345 (with solely two deaths) as on Thursday.

Aside from constructing isolation services, Vijayan introduced an financial package deal a lot earlier than that of the Centre. He tried to kickstart the badly hit financial system with a ₹20,000-crore package deal, although there are sufficient skeptics who’ve questioned it’s viability.

Kerala have been additionally amongst the states that declared a statewide lockdown forward of the nationwide shutdown, whereas the Chief Minister commonly spoke to individuals through media or Twitter to skirt any panic.

Arvind Kejriwal: The Chief Minister of the Union territory of Delhi, the nation’s capital, has a tricky job on his fingers as he’s at all times below scrutiny from his political rivals in energy at the centre. His administration of Aam Aadmi Celebration, which used public well being and state-funded schooling as two of their most important planks to return to energy just lately, deployed the mohallah clinics which got here helpful in imposing better checks and begin the quarantine process even earlier than the numbers have been on the rise in New Delhi.

Arvind Kejriwal

The setback for the Kejriwal authorities got here with the information of the Nizamuddin Markaz, however the former buerucrat says round 2300 attendees have been evacuated from there and have been being examined. What’s performing as a dampener is each Kejriwal and his Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sishodia had been accusing the Union Ministry of Well being of not offering sufficient testing kits and protecting gear – with the former even refusing a grant from East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir from the BJP.

Amarinder Singh: The problem earlier than the Indian Nationwide Congress-run Punjab authorities was the big variety of NRIs who hurriedly returned to the state, unofficial figures placing the quantity at 90,000 in the third week of March. Bracing for an alarming rise in instances, Captain Amarinder Singh – a former Military personnel –

ordered a curfew to forestall the unfold of the virus.

Amarinder Singh

It appeared a sensible determination in two senses – it curbed the huge unfold to different states and contained the usually unruly residents of the state, lots of whom gave sleepless nights to the administration, violating social distancing calls.

‘’I’ve directed the provision of free meals, shelter and medicines for these in want and 20 crore has been sanctioned out of CM aid fund for identical. Moreover, DCs and SDMs have been requested to increase all help to these in want,’’ Singh tweeted, and continues to make use of the social media to maintain in contact with the individuals.

Ashok Gehlot: The ‘Bhilwara Model’ of Rajathan, the sprawling western India state below Ashok Gehlot – chief minister from Congress – has been a lot talked about as a template to struggle the unfold of coronavirus. The primary case in Rajasthan was reported early as March 2, 2020 and strict measures have been taken in the state quickly.

Ashok Gehlot

“The Bhilwara border was sealed on March 19 after we found a doctor being corona positive and it is becoming a learning ground now. In Bhilwara, 3,000 teams were formed that reached 32 lakh people. We reached nearly six lakh homes and screening was done,” Gehlot mentioned in a press convention by way of video conferencing earlier this week.

A lot earlier than the central authorities’s clampdown, Gehlot had introduced a lockdown in Rajasthan until March 31. He has additionally demanded a Central aid package deal for the state’s tourism and hospitality business, MSMEs and all the weaker sections of the society.

It’s a heartening characteristic to notice that almost all states have risen to the problem, usually slicing throughout social gathering traces. Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief minister of West Bengal, had enforced a lockdown in the state earlier than the centre’s official announcement and mobilised the state’s non-public hospitals to do fast checks in addition to to not refuse sufferers suspected of the virus. Her “Sufalbangla” scheme has additionally ensured that vegetable costs are stored in test.

Mamata Banerjee

In Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath (BJP) was certainly one of the first to guarantee a assured revenue to daily-wage labourers whereas in Odisha, Naveen Patnaik (Bjiu Janata Dal) has – in his personal fairly environment friendly method – arrange three totally geared up Covid-19 hospitals. In Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel (Congress) has ensured further rations for all to make sure there isn’t any scarcity of foodgrains.

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[theliberaltony]

via Politics – FiveThirtyEight

“The […] pitch is a mix of idealism and a shouting anger about the system, but at its heart is a hard-nosed math: He’s the only candidate with a sizable chunk of the electorate that won’t waver, no matter what, so a field that keeps growing and splitting support keeps making things easier.”

As I’m sure you’ve probably guessed, this passage seems like it could be about Donald Trump’s campaign for the Republican nomination in 20161 — but it’s actually about Bernie Sanders’s quest for the Democratic nomination this year. It comes from an April 2019 feature by the Atlantic’s Edward-Isaac Dovere that I consider to be a lodestar for Sanders’s strategy since it contains a lot of on-the-record reporting from Sanders campaign.2

The article also reveals how the conventional wisdom about how primary campaigns have changed, in light of Trump winning the Republican nomination in 2016 and Sanders’s better-than-expected performance against Hillary Clinton that year. In particular, it reflects several common assumptions in media coverage of the race this year:

In a divided field, the goal is to have the largest, most enthusiastic base.

Reaching out to different factions of your party is not that important — and may even dilute your differentiation from the other candidates. As long as you’re winning the plurality of votes, you’ll win enough states and the rest of the party will eventually come around.

There is no need to make peace with the party establishment. In our populist era, nominations are won from the grassroots up. Voters don’t care about things like endorsements, and “party elites” are largely feckless.

Indeed, if you’d beamed down to Planet Earth from some alien civilization in January 2016 and only seen that year’s primaries, those might be the lessons that you’d take away about how primaries work. They’re a reasonably apt description of the GOP primary, where the Republican establishment belly flopped in trying to stop Trump. The Democratic primary was a bit more complicated. Clinton beat Sanders by a rather clear margin in the end.3 Still, Sanders overperformed expectations by enough as to at least not contradict the notion that 2016 was the new normal.

But focusing on only what happened in the most recent election is a dumb way to do analysis. The media and campaign professionals spend endless amounts of time trying to draw “lessons” from elections because they are so consequential, but you can’t escape the fact that presidential elections happen only once every four years. No matter how many lessons you might try to draw from any one example, you’re still dealing with a sample size of one.

Rather, the history of the primaries — both in terms of how the media covers them and how campaigns wage them — is often one of fighting the last war and overcompensating for perceived mistakes from four years earlier. I’m not claiming to be immune from this either. One of the reasons that I initially bought so heavily into “The Party Decides” hypothesis in 2016 — which implied that Trump’s lack of support from the Republican party establishment would eventually doom him — was because of the Republican primary in 2012, when a series of insurgent candidates (Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum) briefly surged in the polls only to eventually lose to the slow-and-steady (and establishment-backed) Mitt Romney.

But Romney’s win in 2012 was in line with the longer history of the primaries, which underscores that building coalitions across the different wings of your party (Romney tried to unite conservatives and moderates, for instance) is usually a good strategy for winning instead of relying on just one faction. And as you can see in the table below, the establishment usually does win out in the end:

The party usually does decide, after all

Endorsement leaders before the Iowa caucuses where no incumbent president was running for that party’s nomination, 1972 to 2020

Year Party Endorsement leader before Iowa Did they have a clear endorsement lead? Did they win the nomination? 1972 D Ed Muskie ✓ 1976 D Fred Harris 1980 R Ronald Reagan ✓ ✓ 1984 D Walter Mondale ✓ ✓ 1988 D Dick Gephardt 1988 R George H.W. Bush ✓ ✓ 1992 D Bill Clinton ✓ ✓ 1996 R Bob Dole ✓ ✓ 2000 D Al Gore ✓ ✓ 2000 R George W. Bush ✓ ✓ 2004 D Howard Dean 2008 D Hillary Clinton ✓ 2008 R John McCain ✓ 2012 R Mitt Romney ✓ ✓ 2016 D Hillary Clinton ✓ ✓ 2016 R Jeb Bush 2020 D Joe Biden* ✓ ✓

*Biden has not been formally nominated, but is the presumptive nominee.

Endorsement leaders from 1980 to 2016 are based on FiveThirtyEight’s 2016 system for calculating endorsement points. Endorsement leaders in 1972 and 1976 are based on “The Party Decides.”

Sources: “The Party Decides,” News accounts

Of course, a result like Romney’s win in 2012 that confirms your theories and priors can create its own issues — it can make you overconfident. You may mistakenly assume, for instance, that something is true 100 percent of the time when it’s actually only true, say, 80 percent of the time.

But while overconfidence is a serious problem, it’s probably better than assuming that an abnormal result (say, something that is true 20 percent of the time) is the new normal. You can see lots of this upside-down thinking in media coverage of elections since 2016. Because Trump won the general election as a (modest) underdog in 2016, a lot have inferred that underdogs not only can win, but that they usually win. Before the Virginia gubernatorial election in 2017, for instance, a lot of pundits predicted Republican Ed Gillespie would win despite being narrowly behind Democrat Ralph Northam in the polls. Northam won by 9 points instead.

It’s not just the media who makes these mistakes, however. It’s also the campaigns themselves. So while I don’t intend to do a long post-mortem of the Sanders campaign — instead, see my colleague Perry Bacon Jr.’s comprehensive analysis on what went wrong and why — I do want to take a quick inventory of the ways that the 2020 Democratic primary was different from the Republican primary in 2016.

Most of these problems were fairly predictable and known in advance. To ensure you that I’m not engaging in too much hindsight bias — because it’s always easier to say what went wrong with campaigns once you know who won and who lost — I’d point you toward this cautiously pessimistic take on Sanders from April 2019 and this cautiously optimistic one from just after the New Hampshire primary, which reflects how my thinking about the Sanders’s campaign evolved as it was happening in real-time. I started out thinking that Sanders’s factional, us-versus-them, screw-the-establishment strategy was a poor one. But it seemed to be going about as well as it possibly could after New Hampshire with the rest of the field divided.

So here are some potential flaws in Sanders’s strategy — and reasons why the precedent set by Trump’s win in 2016 might not have applied to his chances this year:

First, Democratic primaries and caucuses do not use winner-take-all rules, while many Republican states do. That makes it much harder for someone to be in a commanding position by narrowly winning primaries. Instead, in a multi-candidate race, you have to eventually broaden your coalition to avoid a contested convention.

In consideration of this, some elements of Sanders’s strategy simply never made a lot of sense. Here’s another key passage from that Atlantic article:

He’s counting on winning Iowa and New Hampshire, where he was already surprisingly strong in 2016, and hoping that Cory Booker and Kamala Harris will split the black electorate in South Carolina and give him a path to slip through there, too. And then, Sanders aides believe, he’ll easily win enough delegates to put him into contention at the convention. They say they don’t need him to get more than 30 percent to make that happen.

Sanders’s campaign was right that it could win around 30 percent of the vote with their base and that they could win early states with that amount … but it never really had a plan for what came after that. Dovere’s article makes it sound as though Sanders was actually counting on a contested convention, an awfully risky approach given that contested conventions are: (i) highly unpredictable and (ii) not likely to be favorable terrain for Sanders, given his lack of support from the establishment and that superdelegates would be allowed to vote on the second and subsequent ballots.

Second, Trump’s ideological ambiguity may have helped him in 2016, while Sanders got stuck in a “lane” this year. Trump may not have done that much traditional outreach to different parts of the GOP, but Republican voters from several wings of the party, perhaps not being quite sure what to make of a candidate like Trump who was reactionary on some issues (say, immigration) and quite moderate on others (say, gay marriage), were nonetheless Trump-curious. And that range of appeal was reflected in the primary results. In the Michigan Republican primary for instance, Trump won the support of 35 percent of “very conservative” voters, 37 percent of “somewhat conservative” voters and 37 percent of moderate voters, according to exit polls.

By contrast Sanders ran further to the left in 2020 than he did in 2016, with a message that shifted from economic populism to a broader and more “intersectional” leftism. This shift was reflected at the ballot box, too. For instance, Sanders won just 24 percent of moderates in the Michigan Democratic primary this year (but 63 percent of “very liberal” voters) — as compared 44 percent of moderates and 59 percent of “very liberal” voters in 2016.

Third, the importance that Democratic voters attached to “electability” and to beating Trump may have made them more willing to take cues from the establishment. Electability is a whole subject unto itself that I’m not going to do justice to here. I do think electability may be a teensy, tiny bit overrated as a reason for why Sanders lost. While perceptions of electability probably hurt Sanders relative to Joe Biden, it also probably helped him relative to candidates who weren’t white men: most notably, Elizabeth Warren.

Still, electability was important. In that Michigan exit poll, 58 percent of Democratic voters said they preferred a candidate that could beat Trump to someone who agreed with them on the issues — and 62 percent of the “beat Trump” voters went for Biden.

Fourth, Democratic party elites had an opportunity to learn from Republicans in 2016, and this may have made them more aggressive in backing Biden after South Carolina. One reason to be careful of declaring a “new normal” in any trend involving human behavior is that humans have an opportunity to learn from what happened last time and change course. The establishment’s failures in 2016 may have made partly elites reluctant to weigh in early on in the race this time around. But once they perceived Sanders as the true front-runner after Nevada, and Biden began to gain a little bit of momentum as he surged to a lead in South Carolina polls, party elites got behind Biden at extremely rapid rates. It’s hard to know if this would have played out the same way if there wasn’t 2016 to learn from.

Fifth, Trump’s success in 2016 may have reflected an unusually weak field of alternatives rather than a new paradigm. I’m not going to spend much time on this one, because it’s rather subjective. Were Warren, Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, etc. better candidates than Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, etc.? I don’t know. But Democratic voters were certainly much happier with their field of candidates in 2020 than Republicans were with theirs in 2016, which is some indication that the field might have been stronger.

Sixth, Democrats are a more racially-diverse party, which makes coalition building more essential than it is among Republicans. Sanders didn’t do badly with nonwhite voters — winning Nevada largely on the basis of Hispanic support while also winning the support of many younger black voters. That definitely made him a more plausible nominee than Buttigieg, whose support was extremely white, for example. Still, nonwhite support wasn’t a strength for Sanders in a head-to-head race against Biden, who generally beat Sanders by wide margins among black voters and held his own among Hispanics in many states. And Sanders’s outreach to African American leaders didn’t always go smoothly, with many members of the Congressional Black Caucus backing Biden instead.

Seventh, relying on a fixed base of voters can leave you vulnerable to a turnout surge from other candidates. One rather explicit assumption made by the Sanders campaign was that it could turn out more voters than its opponents. Hence, the campaign believed there was not much need to widen their circle to include others. Even their outreach efforts to Sanders-skeptical party leaders focused on trying to browbeat them into explaining why they didn’t support Sanders rather than explaining why they should support him. Again, from that Atlantic article:

That’s the case Sanders and his aides have been making as they’ve undertaken an outreach effort unlike anything from the last campaign, spending hours on phone calls trying to talk political leaders down from being completely opposed to him. They have a basic script: Start out asking where the support for Sanders is among their constituents, then ask why they think those people support him, and then ask the leaders to explain their own skepticism.

One problem with this attitude is that turnout in an election isn’t fixed — especially in primaries and caucuses where participation is low. You may turn out a certain number of people, but your base will not be constant as a percentage of the electorate if turnout goes up. In Michigan, for example, Sanders got nearly as many votes in 2020 (576,754) as in 2016 (599,000). But Biden got 838,555 votes in 2020, as compared to just 581,775 for Clinton in 2016 — part of a general pattern where turnout surged more in Biden’s best areas. So Sanders went from narrowly winning Michigan to losing it by 17 percentage points.

Perhaps Sanders was a victim of his own success in 2016. That is, he did such a good job of turning out voters in 2016 that it was hard to improve on his performance in 2020. Still, there was never really any recognition that his base alone might not be enough to win — and there were never many efforts to expand beyond his base. Indeed, it’s interesting that Sanders doubled down even more on his screw-the-establishment messaging amidst his success in the first three states — rather than trying to pivot to a more inclusive campaign and unify the party behind him.

I've got news for the Republican establishment. I've got news for the Democratic establishment. They can't stop us.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 22, 2020

Maybe, if a few things had gone differently, it would have worked. Sanders did outlast more than two dozen other candidates, after all. Maybe if Michael Bloomberg hadn’t qualified for the Nevada debate and stumbled so badly there, moderate support would have remained divided between Bloomberg and Biden, and Sanders would have had a lot more wins on Super Tuesday. Maybe Sanders’s “60 Minutes” interview hurt him. Maybe he could have gotten Warren to endorse him. Who knows.

But the Sanders campaign was always pursuing a strategy that claimed to defy the odds, that assumed the old rules no longer applied, and that stuck its thumb in the eye of the establishment. It would have been remarkable if it had succeeded. But it’s no surprise that it didn’t.

[rickjsposts]

Markets gaping higher Friday, Zero-Sum politics, Updated political odds with several new odds

New Post has been published on https://www.rickjshandicappingpicks.com/markets-gaping-higher-friday-zero-sum-politics-updated-political-odds-with-several-new-odds/

Markets gaping higher Friday, Zero-Sum politics, Updated political odds with several new odds

Markets gaping up from 1/5th to almost 1/2% this morning led by the Nasdaq. That is usually a good sign when the Nasdaq leads. TLT is -1.11% GLD +1/10th % Crude +1/2% Vix.x is off 1.4%

This is a positive pre-market configuration. Watch vix.x for chances of another trend day to the upside.

For those of you that are new to trading, this is what a bull market looks like:) They do not last forever, but the markets have everything going for it right now. Low-interest rates, Fed liquidity, Phase 1 of China trade deal, USMCA passing, Lowest unemployment across all classes in 50 years. And there is more:)

The only negative is politics. That is it. It is obvious the political system in the U.S. is badly broken. Its become a zero-sum game. Survival of the fittest. Anything goes. That is what U.S. politics has sunk to.

It’s gone from respectful opposition to destroy the opposition at all costs. The media has jumped onto this bandwagon for the left. And unfortunately, only 1 side is fighting this way. The Republicans gentlemen that they are, refuse to fight back.

I have always said, you let the other side set the rules, and then you play by them. What could be fairer than that? Trump plays by those rules. But very few Republicans have the courage to fight back.

An encouraging sign was Martha McSally yesterday tell a CNN reporter that she was not going to answer his questions because he was a hack:) Now this is what I would expect more of from the Republicans. If they all did this the party and the people would be better off.

But that is idealistic thinking. After all, they are members of the human race. I have always said to my subscribers over the years that your biggest opponent will be yourself. Human nature will sabotage you at every step. It is the same in politics.

You can see this with the upcoming trial in the Senate. Before hearing any part of either side of the case, 5 Republican Senators have announced they want to hear from more witnesses? Can you imagine?

Now each is motivated by different considerations. Romney is never Trumper. It matters not what the issue. He is going to be anti-Trump. Fairness and truth mean nothing to him. After all, he supports Antifa. McCowsky voted against Kavanaugh. That is all you need to know about her. Something is off with her. Collins, a do-gooder. Has no business being in the Senate. She is letting her personal opinions interfere with good sense. The other two, I imagine Never Trumpers.

So, even after the star chamber in the House, after the rules are clear the case is to be decided on the record in the House, you have 5 Senators that are going to be a fly in the ointment to what should be a speedy conclusion to this travesty. But it is what it is:)

Let’s look at the political odds as there are some new odds posted that are interesting:

Senate convicts Trump in 1st Term: 12/88 +1 Pts (This is the one to watch) Was at .07/.93 I took the 9/91 a few days ago. I laid it off yesterday at .10 for a 10% gain. After the Parnas news did not move the markets I decided it was time.

Trump to get the Republican nomination: 90/10 -2 Pts (Another one to watch) Staying at the highs

Which Party wins the Presidency in 2020: It is virtually a tossup at this point with the Dems having lost any edge they had a month ago. (If Trump is not at the head of the party the Republicans have virtually no chance of keeping the Presidency or the Senate, they will lose all 3)

Control of the House after 2020: Dems 72/28 -1 Pt ( I think there is value taking the odds on this one, you are getting over 2 to 1 and the negative effect of impeachment, in my opinion, has not been built into the line yet. A better wager will be to bet against every incumbent house member that voted to impeach in 2020 that reside in states that Trump carried. That will be around 30 wagers. You will probably get +odds on most on the open, and I cannot see losing over 50% with the potential over winning over 60% of them. This is probably the best wager that will come around in a long time.

Except of course for the Netanyahu wager, I made 100% on a few months ago:)

That was a wager where very few understood how Israel elections worked. You were getting a nice price on a wager that had the wrong favorite.

Control of the Senate after 2020: 71/29 Republicans. -1 Pt

U.S. Presidential winner:

Trump: 51/49 No Change Warren: 5/85 – 1 Pt Biden: 21/79 -1 Pts Buttigieg 6/84 +1 Pts Sanders 23/77 +2 Pts Bloomberg 7/83 +1 Pt Clinton 1/99 -1 Pt ( She is fading fast)

These are pretty meaningless right now the way the Democrats pick their candidate. Essentially, whoever the party leaders want the party leaders get. And they do not want Sanders. My guess is a brokered convention and a new name appears. I would say the odds are 50/50 that the Democrat nominee is not on the list of candidates right now.

Several new lines of interest:

Romney vote to convict: 24/76 Collins Vote to convict 14/86 Sasse Vote to convict: 9/91 Murkowski vote to convict: 18/82 Jones Vote to convict: 19/81 Manchin vote to convict: 36/64 Senate GOP vote to convict Trump: 0 is 62/38 1 is 16/84 2 is 10/90 3 is 5/95 4 is 5/95 5 or more 10/90

What is interesting is that the odds are that Romney is more likely then Jones to convict:) Also, Murkowski was higher than Romney yesterday

Watch the conviction odds every day to get an idea of where things are at. It is very unlikely they get the votes needed to convict. However, the Senate is a snakepit. Do not be surprised if this turns out closer then you think. If the odds start getting close to 3 to 1 against conviction its time to start paying attention.

Rick

RickJs Handicapping Picks

rickjshandicappingpicks.com/political-odds

Skye: riccja

[limejuicer1862]

F WORD WARNING

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews

I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me. I gave the writers two options: an emailed list of questions or a more fluid interview via messenger.

The usual ground is covered about motivation, daily routines and work ethic, but some surprises too. Some of these poets you may know, others may be new to you. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I do.

Amanda Earl

is a Canadian poet, publisher, prose-writer, visual poet and editor who lives in Ottawa, Ontario. Her first and only poetry book so far is Kiki (Chaudiere Books, 2014). Amanda is the managing editor of Bywords.ca and the fallen angel of AngelHousePress. Connect with Amanda on Twitter @KikiFolle or visit AmandaEarl.com for more information.

The Interview

1. What inspired you to write poetry?

I didn’t even realize I was writing poetry until my mid thirties. I scrawled on pads of paper from my parents’ workplaces, all kinds of confessional stuff and complaints and lists. I made notes on index cards about everyone I knew and filed them in a metal box. I just wrote. I didn’t label it. I heard nothing but poetry by men from early childhood and up, whether it was in school or recitations by my father: Shakespeare, Victorian morality poetry, Edward Leer. I liked the rhyming and the sound play, and the images, but I rarely related to it. I dismissed the thought of poetry from my head.

In my mid-thirties, I was going through a period of depression and searched the Internet for solace. I came across the poet Mary Oliver’s poem, Wild Geese, Lorna Crozier’s Carrots (https://jeveraspoetryanthology.weebly.com/carrots.html) poem and also Gwendolyn MacEwen’s fascinating and dark mythological poems. These excited me and made me realize that perhaps I was also writing what could be called poetry. I still wasn’t sure.

2. Who introduced you to poetry?

My father, I suppose, but it didn’t feel like an introduction. He was always reciting poetry to me as a child.

3. How aware were you of the dominating presence of older poets?

More like the domineering presence. Since school curricula for literature were dominated by dead white men, I knew nothing about women poets until I found them in my Internet search in the 90s.  I wish I’d known about Plath and Sexton in my teenage years; although what darkness I would have dredged up back then under their influences… When I first started to realize I was writing poetry, it took me some time to find out about poets like Anne Carson who is willing to step out of traditional form to make poetry out of the long lost fragments of Sappho, accordion books about grief, little chapbooks placed in a box so readers can rearrange at will. Or Caroline Bergvall and her mesmerizing engagements with Old Norse. There’s just so much possibility out there for poetry and yet quite often the same white men, dead or alive, have their work published again and again and win prizes and are taught as the poetry that matters.

4. What is your daily writing routine?

According to Mason Currey in his book, Daily Rituals: Women at Work, the photographer Diana Arbus ritual was sex. (https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-daily-routines-10-women-artists-joan-mitchell-diane-arbus?fbclid=IwAR2fXdj7OUukk2c_-RUU8mxIhor8FRPaSWU3yJ0_f_W0t_DzUR8LQ3y3ej0) I usually start my day off with a good wank and at least an hour of pervy chat with a few random strangers. I shivered this morning after a particularly good orgasm. After that I drink Irish Breakfast tea, burn some incense and write or go outside, if it’s not too hot or cold, and wander about until I have no choice but to write. I carry a red journal with me for snippets of overheard conversation, some weird sound play that comes to me, or a doodle. My red journals are smeared in paint and tea stains.

5. What motivates you to write?

1. Lorca’s concept of the duende (https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Spanish/LorcaDuende.php) Death is near. I don’t want to be immortal, I just want to continue the conversation. I’m influenced by ghosts, such as Oscar Wilde and Djuna Barnes, Leonora Carrington, Jean Cocteau and Beatrice Wood.

2. Alienation. In some ways I live the standard North American life, but in others I don’t. I write and publish others full-time. I don’t have a nine to five job. I don’t drive. I don’t own property. I live downtown. My husband and I are in a passionate and open marriage. I write to reach out to that one kindred misfit in hope that they feel less alone. The Tragically Hip song “It’s a good life if you don’t weaken,” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwNVxvczgCs&feature=youtu.be) comes to mind. “Let’s get friendship right.”

6. What is your work ethic?

I follow three principles: whimsy, exploration and connection. I want to play; I want to learn new stuff and I want to write things that connect with those alienated by convention and the lonely. I punched a timecard as a late teen and I saw my parents punching those same damn cards. I loathe systems and routines and any attempts by external authorities to dictate my time, so I rebel against any system. I write because I breathe. It’s just part of me. Writing isn’t as tough as plumbing or surgery.

I serve the work rather than dictating what the work will be. I once spent three months learning about the sonnet because the manuscript I was working on had to be made up of sonnets, not because I wanted to but because the content required it somehow.  I wrote three of the damn things and gave up. They were awful. That manuscript remains unpublished.

I try to remain grateful and humble to have the opportunity to write. Sometimes my work gets published, which is a huge honour. I try to be careful not to let my ego tell me how great I am, because I’m not. I’m just in the right place at the right time and have found the right publisher somehow. This happens rarely.

I try not to take up too much space and leave space for writers who do not have the benefits granted by white colonialist publishing policies and attitudes that continue to prevail. I try to promote and publish 2SLGBTQIA, BIPOC, and D/deaf and disabled writers and look for ways I can support them when I can. I don’t do this enough.

7. How do the writers you read when you were young influence you today?

I read the Exorcist, Mad Magazine, Archie Comics and Harlequin romance novels as a youngster. These works gave me a sense of irreverence that is important for my writing. In high school and university I studied French, German and Italian and finally got excited by literature. Dante made me fascinated with Heaven and Hell; Kafka made me fear insects; Baudelaire made me want to drink red wine. Rimbaud showed me that synaesthesisa, which I have, was not just something I experienced. Later I read Milton’s Paradise Lost. Early influencers of the long poem, I suppose, and the epic. I am writing an anti-epic these days. Red wine isn’t something I can stomach easily anymore. Now and then I’ll have a little Lagavulin in the tub.

8. Who of today’s writers do you admire the most and why?

Nathanaël for Je Nathanaël, for working in the spaces between genres and writing so beautifully of the body. Sandra Ridley for her ability to write long, mesmerizing poems and read them as if they are incantations. Christine McNair for syntactic daggers, sounds that are bitten off, and charm. Anne Carson for her sense of play and versatility. Canisa Lubrin for Voodoo Hypothesis, which is the only book she’s written so far, and it’s brilliant. I am awed by the skill in these poems, not just on a poetic level (diction, imagery, lineation, structure, balance) but also by the power of one writer’s willingness and ability to so effectively dismantle and bring to light the ongoing effects of racism while offering in-depth and tangible illustrations of the othered. Alice Notley for the Descent of Alette, a most extraordinary long poem. rob mclennan for his prolific writing and quiet poetry and bizarre wee stories. Amber Dawn for brave femme truths and incorporating subjects that are traditionally taboo in mainstream CanLit, such as sex work. Joshua Whitehead for the sheer invention and brilliance of Full Metal Indigiqueer which takes down the literary canon so skillfully. The writers in the anthology Stairs and Whispers: D/deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back Edited by Sandra Alland, Khairani Barokka & Daniel Sluman (http://ninearchespress.com/publications/poetry-collections/stairs%20and%20whispers.html) for the versatility and beauty of their writing. It’s good writing and more people should be aware of it. Ian Martin for self-deprecating comedy. Erín Moure for Elisa Sampedrin. Lisa Robertson for the gift of the sentence. Gary Barwin for his whimsy and willingness to play in numerous genres and media.

I wish Djuna Barnes was here. I’m always looking for a modern-day equivalent. Nightwood was an exquisite and poetic novel.

9. Why do you write, as opposed to doing anything else?

I don’t just write. I also play with paint, make visual poetry, which some might say is a form of writing, run two small presses, which do a bunch of things. I spend too much time on social media. I make countless lists. I watch a lot of films and tv. I listen to music. I wank. I fuck my husband. We cook glorious meals together. I go on long rambles and spend a lot of time in cafés. I cry and worry every day for the persecuted in this topsy turvy era where the Ogre in the House of White is making us all fear that the end of the world is close.

All these activities and emotions enter into my writing in some way.

10. What would you say to someone who asked you “How do you become a writer?”

I don’t know. I focus less on being a writer and more on writing. Writer sounds like a title and titles have a bunch of preconceived expectations I can’t satisfy. Same with poet. I just write.

But I guess, I’d tell them to be gentle on themselves, surround themselves with books, art, film and whatever inspires them. Ignore prescriptive rules, such as write what you know. Heather O’Neill, a fiction writer I admire, once said that for her to write, she has to be angry about something. At least that’s what I remember her saying at an Ottawa International Writers Festival event.

For me, I have to feel emotion of some sort, whether it is anger, sadness, love… I guess I would say to the person who wants to write that they are going to have to make sure that they don’t numb themselves. It’s easy in this era to want to numb ourselves against all the pain and suffering and power games going on, but when we numb ourselves, we don’t feel and if we don’t feel, it’s hard to respond. Writing, whether it’s directly political or not, is a response to what’s around us. I think it takes a great deal of empathy to write. It takes close listening and close watching.

Find a mentor. I’ve been fortunate in that rob mclennan has been extremely supportive of my work. He’s been honest when the stuff is shite. I still remember taking my first of his poetry workshops in 2006 and him telling me I was writing zombie poems.

He’s published many of my chapbooks through above/ground press and my book, Kiki through Chaudiere Books. He always encourages me to write and he has introduced me to many of the poets I mention in my list of influences and more. He does this not only for me, but for numerous others. It’s amazing!

11. Tell me about the writing projects you have on at the moment.

I was fortunate to have received a grant from the City of Ottawa for Beast Body Epic, a long poem that I began a few years after a major health crisis in 2009 and have been tinkering with ever since. So I’m going to finish tinkering and submit the manuscript for the fourth time toward the end of the year.

I have a smaller manuscript called The Milk Creature and Mother Poetry, inspired by Diana di Prima, one of the women active in the Beat poetry scene.

I’m working on The Vispo Bible, a life’s work to translate every chapter, every book, every verse of the Bible into visual poetry. I began in 2015 and have completed about 300 pages so far.

In 2018, I began work on a novel. Its working title is The Nightmare Dolls’ Imperfect Reunion. It’s about women, health, ageing, friendship, gender, and it has a helluva soundtrack. (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5B1GAgN046EdtrBLXiNoni?si=NIbexI5mQqKnr54qfmJ7ZQ)

Amanda Earl is a Canadian poet, publisher, prose-writer, visual poet and editor who lives in Ottawa, Ontario. Her first and only poetry book so far is Kiki (Chaudiere Books, 2014). Amanda is the managing editor of Bywords.ca and the fallen angel of AngelHousePress. Connect with Amanda on Twitter @KikiFolle or visit AmandaEarl.com for more information.

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews: Amanda Earl F WORD WARNING Wombwell Rainbow Interviews I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me.

[speedofcattle]

Deconstructing RBC’s InvestEase Advertising Campaign

A quick glance at any number of ads these days can be a relatively simple way to gauge how much more dystopian things are getting. This morning, I looked up at the ads on the subway to notice that Marvel had decided to flaunt their wealth and power in the entertainment industry by buying out every single ad-space on the train to advertise Captain Marvel. Shortly after, I checked my email and saw one from Linkedin reminding me that though it might seem as if there are no jobs, there actually are, they’re just not located conveniently, geographically speaking; for example, there are many jobs in Amazon warehouses just outside of cities - well, why didn’t they say so in the first place? I’m sure those are jobs everyone wants right now!

Anyone who knows me knows I think a lot about advertising, and recently most of my writing about it has been concerned with how it happens online. However, I’ve also recently taken a strong interest in ads that appear in physical space since moving to a city whose transit system is plastered with such ads. One group of them in particular has stuck out to me as of late, and I figure it’s insidious enough that it’s worth deconstructing: This is the group of ads focused on promoting RBC’s “InvestEase”.

The ads in question are a series of images that all follow the same basic formula. They are almost always grouped together in a series on subway platform boards and appear at strategically-chosen locations of high traffic (as well as, conspicuously, high student traffic; I’ll get to that in a minute). What interests me so much about them is how blatant they are in their tactics and how consequently easy they become to deconstruct.

Let’s start with some basics on the ad series as a whole before moving on to look at the individual instances. The ads, as previously stated, are advertising RBC’s “InvestEase” service, which, if the ads are to be believed, make the process of investing “easy”. They appear to be targeted towards “young” people. Just what this vague category entails is not always so easy to define; the ads depict a series of people who look to range from their late 20s to late 30s, but given the ads’ recurring theme of “looking towards the future”, they may also be targeting those slightly out of that age range (eg. early 20s).

The target age range is likely what it is due to corporate anxiety over whether or not younger consumers will invest at the same rates as previous generations. Since banks rely on this for their profits, it is no surprise this anxiety would arise. I can still remember a couple years ago when a small social media campaign began against RBC attacking them for investing customers’ money in anti-Indigenous pipeline-related activities*. It seems that the strategy of these ads is thus to project their anxiety back onto the generation in question in an attempt to make investment a point of serious concern in their everyday lives.

But it can’t be too serious - young people don’t like that. So RBC has chosen to co-opt a specific format popular in young people’s internet humour: the ads take the form of memes. Not just any memes, mind you; specifically these ads fall into the genre of “reaction images”. This genre is typically comprised of two parts: a textual statement of a condition (most often beginning with “When…”, eg. “When you work three jobs but still can’t afford rent in your city”) and an accompanying image, usually of a person, meant to reflect what this condition “feels like”. This is the most recent form of memes in this genre that I’m aware of; the “ancestor” of the meme, so to speak, is likely the “tfw” meme from 4chan. Initializing “That Feel When” (eg. “tfw no gf” - “gf” being itself an initialism of “girlfriend”), memes of this type would take mostly the same format as more recent reaction images, albeit with the slightly amended text and a more limited range of accompanying images - typically one would see either “Pepe” or the “feels guy”**. My guess is that “tfw” memes gave way to the reaction image format partially because of the former’s limited range of accompanying images, partially because of its tendency towards cryptic initialisms that are not always easily understood by audiences of different ages/linguistic profiles and partially because of its association with 4chan in the first place, which has come to be seen in more recent times as a “toxic” site, one to avoid reference to in social settings.

There are three main things that interest me about RBC’s use of reaction images for this ad campaign. The first is that the actual images involved are not well-established stock photos or photos cultural icons, as most reaction images tend to be; they are instead uniquely-created content meant to better reflect the values RBC is trying to sell to encourage the use of InvestEase. The second thing that fascinates me is that these ads have managed to do something that many ads online have failed at time and again: they have successfully deployed a meme format without it coming across as overly “cringe-y” to young people. Now I can’t say that with 100% confidence, and obviously my deconstruction of these ads is probably only going to make them seem more that way - but on the other hand, I haven’t yet seen anyone post pictures of them online to mock them for trying to appeal too much to “the youth”, despite the fact that this is exactly what they’re doing. The third thing I wanted to note is somewhat related to that last point: the ads have also accomplished something (relatively) new by successfully bringing a digital advertising format (memes) into a physical format with almost no “glitches” or turbulence. This sets a precedent for other companies and I now wonder if we won’t see far more of these in subsequent years.

Beyond the youth target in terms of age, these ads have a couple other demographic qualities worth noting. While some of the ads depict people with worried expressions on their faces, most depict seemingly happy people. This is obviously an attempt to make investing (an inherently risky practice) less “scary” to younger demographics by showing that there’s “more good than bad” in it (“good” always being associated with cases in which the people depicted have “made the right choice” and invested with RBC). The gendered breakdown of humans depicted in these ads is not 50/50; each ad contains a picture of a single person, and while 5 of the ads depict men, only 3 depict women. While all of the women depicted would be considered “conventionally attractive” and relatively skinny, only a few of the men would be. Finally, while the pictures of men depict men of various races (including white, black and asian men), all of the women depicted are white. These demographics send messages: you can be a woman in a public place, as long as you’re pretty and white. Also, women are (inexplicably) supposedly less interested in investing than men. You can chalk up these messages to laziness or carelessness on the part of the advertising team, but I see a more likely explanation in the fact that women tend to make less money than men on average and women of colour make even less than that average; thus it’s actually more profitable to advertise to men and white women anyway, so why would RBC bother including a picture of a woman of colour?

Having concluded this initial analysis of the ads as a coherent series, let’s look at each one on an individual level and see what kinds of messages they deliver.

1 - This is a “happy” ad, as you can see by the woman’s smile. But it is not a happiness of immediate gratification; the text indicates that the subject won’t have to “live with roommates forever”. The happiness is based on the future projection that the woman’s decision to invest with RBC has paid off. The image depicts a scene of mess and disarray surrounding the woman, which acts as an abject “other” that can be contrasted with her “smart decision to invest in the future” (the implication being that it is the roommates, not her, who caused the mess). This scene is interesting as it involves a “transitional” state, one in which there is a suggested necessary “struggle” that the individual must live through in order to come out “richer” (quite literally) on the other side***. The abjection of the roommates as inherently sloppy creates a kind of essentialist narrative of life in which it is always more desirable not to live with roommates, an individualist paradigm that pits itself against more communal living. The spectre of “living with roommates forever” hangs heavy in this ad, effectively threatening a younger generation that is unwilling to invest with this prospect as a consequence of not complying with the ad’s suggestion.

2 - This is an “anxious” ad, obvious through the woman’s distraught expression. The statement that “your kids are growing faster than your money” invokes the anxiety to match it. It is telling that the only ad that mentions children is one that features a woman, reinforcing the social conventions that women are “natural caregivers” to children and that taking care of children is thus justified as being primarily “women’s work”. The association of the money with the children here has a few interesting angles to it; the most obvious is that investment is being portrayed here as not only something you do “for yourself”, but also for your children; investment is now part of the “maternal care” - if you really care about your kids, you’ll invest so you don’t end up poor and unable to provide for them. As a result, this is possibly one of the most threatening of the InvestEase ads. A different angle, however, may be seen by returning to the comparison between the children and the money; children may too come to be seen as “investments” for the future, which is why it’s important for the mother to “invest her time” in them, invoking a three-part chain of investment - the woman invests her money with RBC, which eventually pays back so she can invest in her kids.

3 - This is a “happy” ad, though only cautiously so and perhaps the most subtle of these. The woman in the photo is depicted as doing some kind of meditative exercise (possibly yoga; for the sake of short-forms, I will refer to it as “yoga” from this point on while later problematizing this notion). She is, however, not completely absorbed in the meditation - she is instead peeking at her laptop screen with one eye. The caption states that she has realized that “her money is working hard even when she’s not”. This particular ad sends several interesting messages. The first is immediately apparent in the open eye distracting the woman from her yoga practice; whatever “mindfulness” activity she is doing for self-improvement is actually of secondary importance to her - she is actually more interested in whether or not her investment is paying off. The mere fact that she is doing yoga is itself important. The ad is clearly trying to cater to a recent craze for any type of “self-improvement” activity that can nevertheless be separated from work, such activities typically focusing on achieving some kind of “peace” or “spirituality” (presumably because one’s work is so physically-demanding, or stressful, or unbearable, or nihilistic, or meaningless, etc.). The ad makes a clear distinction with its caption that such activities are “not work”, in spite of the fact that in many cultures today and throughout history, spiritual practices have been considered as having at least as much significance and requiring at least as much effort as a full-time job. This suggestion that yoga is not work is even stranger when I consider the fact that I saw an ad on the subway on the same day I saw this one that suggested “turning your passion into your career”; the ad’s example of such a career was a woman who enjoyed yoga so much, she opened her own yoga studio. This contrast between “mindfulness activities” as a means of relaxation/non-work that is fully detached from the labour market and these same self-improvement activities as a means of personal monetary profit through “entrepreneurship” is one that should be examined more carefully.

And what is to be said for the other half of this statement? We know that the woman is apparently “hardly working”, but why is her money “working hard”? This is a cut-and-dry case of Marx’s commodity fetishism, though with an interesting twist. The money in investment is, in truth, incapable of working itself; thus the money is presumably going towards building the capital and workforce of all the corporations who are expected to grow economically and provide a profitable return for the investment. All of this involves a great deal of workers doing actual labour with material resources, which is conveniently excluded from the scene depicted here in favour of the suggestion that the “money is working hard”. The kicker here is that technically there is a reference to labour in that statement through its implication of “hard work” - but the labour is the imaginary labour of the money the woman invested having somehow “worked” to “improve itself” so that it can move from being the price to being the product. It is fascinating to see how well this imaginary labour’s “short circuit” parallels the woman’s own self-improvement activities.

4 - This is a “happy” ad, as is made clear by the man’s smile and the optimistic caption. The man has apparently realized that he “doesn’t need a degree in money to invest”. As with other aspects of these ads targeting young demographics, it seems that the purpose of such a statement would be to make investment less “scary” to young people. This is emphasized through the use of a simplified “degree in money” rather than “degree in finance”, or “degree in economics”. This serves a secondary function in erasing the labour that goes into managing investments, as many workers who do have “degrees in money” labour intensively both to manage everyday investments and to help develop tools that make investment more accessible, like InvestEase. In contrast to the woman in [3], we see this man actively engaged in his investing (if momentarily distracted by his epiphany) while also relaxing in a bath; his leisure time is not used for self-improvement, which may be related to the social expectations that women are expected to do more intensive labour and discipline themselves to appear more desirable (eg. through means such as physical activities, of which yoga is one), while men are not held to the same standard. Thus the man is allowed to sit back and relax in a bubble bath, having only to worry about the growth of his money as a means of self-improvement, as men are expected to be the holders of material wealth (rather than embodied wealth) in society.

5 - This is an “anxious” ad, as indicated by the man’s apparent “freezing” in the middle of a daily routine. The man has stopped brushing his teeth as he realizes in horror that “his little brother has started investing before him”. This adds a competitive element to the ad, suggesting that there should be a kind of “race to invest” before a rival-like figure (such as a brother) begins to do the same. It also marks investment as a kind of “rite of passage”, making the spectre of the younger brother’s investment significant in a different manner; the mood invoked is almost as if the younger brother was getting married before the man in the picture, or beginning his first full-time job, or any number of other “significant life activities”. By placing investment in this context, RBC has effectively “naturalized” it as an activity desirable mainly because it is “what one does” by a certain point. The combination of the “sibling rivalry” competition and the “missed rite of passage” anxiety serve to justify the notion that competition is all-important in capitalism not only by economic law, but also by cultural convention.

6 - This is an “anxious” ad, visible in the expression of concern and distractedness in the man who has presumably just bought (or is about to buy) new shoes. The caption suggests that he “invests more in his shoes than his future” and is only realizing this now. This caption indicates a changing of values in the man’s life; like [5] and [1], it is a “transitional” image marking a turning point for the subject. There is something almost religious about this particular ad; the man’s epiphany here is directly related to a turn away from his material possessions towards something less physically tangible. The intangible object is described in the caption as “his future”, but in truth, this “future” is (as mentioned in [3]) tied directly to material labour and processes necessary for his investment to grow in the first place. Interestingly, the shoes the man is depicted next to are framed by the caption in terms of investment rather than personal enjoyment, implying that the man is buying the shoes with an expectation of some kind of similar “return” on them to that he might expect from an investment. I hope I’m not stretching too far here when I ask: surely not all personal-level decisions are made in this way?

7 - This is a “happy” ad, and one of the most obviously-so due to the celebratory gestures of the man depicted in his chair. The man’s computer screen shows a graph rising higher and higher along its x axis, presumably indicating the projected future growth of his wealth. The caption implies that this is an estimation of “what you could be worth in 10 years”. One thing that is immediately important to note here is that the most optimistic outcome has been strategically depicted; while investment is at root a mere requirement for anyone’s money to keep up with inflation so it stays at the same value throughout their lifetime, its growth to the degree depicted on the computer screen here over a decade is uncommon. Further, it is practically a cliche at this historical moment to remind people that they are “worth more than just the sum of their bank account” - and yet this ad seems to have no problem refuting such a claim by equating “what you could be worth” (and by extension, what you “are currently worth”) with your money.

8 - This is a “happy” ad, and what could probably seen as the “closing” ad in this series. There are few signifiers to communicate important messages here other than the man’s broad smile and the caption marking “completeness” of the decision to invest with RBC: “When you realize you’re officially an investor”.

*Forgive me if this is slightly inaccurate, my memory’s a little foggy and I don’t have the time to dig up the exact details of this campaign at the moment

**Not worth describing in this discussion. Those interested can search and find more about this easily if you don’t already know what they are.

***See any of Foucault’s discussions on the “discipline of the self” for more on this.

[alexdmorgan30]

Addiction as a Metaphor for the Climate Crisis: An Interview with Charles Eisenstein

In the fall of 2011, a small protest began in New York City that would later become known as the “Occupy Wall Street” movement; it later emerged in major cities around the world. Among the many leading voices to provide an analysis of the economic crisis that preceded the movement was author Charles Eisenstein.Eisenstein had been writing about a variety of crises afflicting postmodern society for years, but his views on the perils of capitalism and the growing ecological and climate issues resonated strongly with the people involved with the Occupy movement.Perhaps to humanize, or just to make sense of many of the complex, broad, and intertwining topics he writes about, Eisenstein relies heavily on the power of storytelling, and often uses analogies. One analogy he regularly comes back to is the phenomenology of addiction. Though he does not personally identify as having an addiction (at least in the conventional, pathologized sense), his writing indicates his deep understanding of the myriad ways that addiction may be the best metaphor we have for understanding some of society’s greatest ills.Eisenstein recently published his sixth book, Climate: A New Story, and agreed to an interview with The Fix: The Fix: Your writing has often relied on the phenomenology of addiction as a metaphor for the harms of capitalism, and now in Climate: A New Story you rely on the metaphor again to help explain the global climate crisis. Why do you often come back to the metaphor of addiction?Charles Eisenstein: In the popular media, we hear things like “our addiction to fossil fuels,” and it's usually used in disparaging terms, which taps into the general prejudice people often use against addicts, too. But I like to take the metaphor seriously – if we are addicted to fossil fuels, what is the underlying need that drives the addiction that the fossil fuels aren't actually meeting? Fossil fuel consumption, of course, is a symptom of the addiction to economic growth. Or the addiction to consumption; accumulating more and more stuff – bigger and bigger houses, and so on.What is addiction, in your view?Addiction, in my view, is the result of an attempt to meet a genuine need with something that does not actually meet the need. You're using a substitute for what you really want, so no amount of it will be enough to meet the real need.One should ask then, what drives such an addiction? Well, we have to look at the unmet needs of our society. One of those is certainly the need for community, which has broken down even in the course of my lifetime, but especially in the last century or two. When I was a kid growing up in a suburban neighborhood, we had community. Everybody on the street knew everybody else, and all the kids knew each other, and we all pretty much knew what was going on in everyone’s lives. All the families talked with each other, and we had neighborhood volleyball games, and all the kids were playing stickball in the church parking lot.Years later, when I resettled in suburbia for a brief time, after I started having kids, it was a totally different scene. You didn't see packs of kids roaming around on bikes. The playground in the park, in the middle of the sub-development, was empty most of the time. The neighbors didn't really know each other. I remember when one neighbor got a divorce and no one even knew about it until six months later. We had no community. We were simply living in proximity to each other.How did you first come to learn about addiction, and what perspective are you hoping to bring through your writing?I guess I just picked up little bits and pieces of it from the popular culture. I came of age in the mid-eighties/early-nineties, and at that time, there was certainly mention of addiction as a disease in the media. I read some books that had an impact, like Whiskey Children, which was a really beautiful book, but really, my understanding of addiction is part of a more comprehensive worldview.I'm looking at the ways in which we are at war with nature, and at war with each other, and at war with parts of ourselves, and how addiction fits into that pattern. I’ve never identified as an addict; I don't have that kind of story. But, like most people, I saw people around me suffering from addiction and what it did to their lives. My views on addiction are part of a larger program of ending the war against the self, which is a reflection of the war on nature. And that's why I'm attracted to using addiction as a metaphor.Our society likes to wage war on problematic areas – the “War on Drugs” is an obvious one, but we’ve also had the “War on Poverty,” the “War on Terror,” and so on.Dealing with an addiction is not about fighting yourself – [it’s] finding an enemy and overcoming that enemy. That is the near universal template of problem-solving in our culture. Find the disease. Find the germ. Find the weed. Find the bug. Find the criminal. Find the bad guy. Find the terrorist – kill him. Find a bad thing in yourself. Destroy it, overcome it. That's a recipe for endless war. If the conditions that breed disease, weeds, terrorism, crime, and addiction remain present, then fighting the symptom while leaving the cause untouched is a recipe for endless war. I am a peace worker. I want the war to end.The first step in 12-step programs is to admit powerlessness over addiction. Another way of viewing this in terms of “internal warfare” is the paradox of “surrendering to win.”I have a soft spot in my heart for 12-step programs. My ex-wife had been an addict, and she got tremendous value from being a member. She had this book of daily meditations called Just for Today that she would read. For her it was a source of not only comfort, but also inspiration and strength.The principle of the first step is one that I find most aligned with my understanding of addiction. “We realized we were powerless over our addiction.” That's a key insight. Because in the mindset of fighting the addiction, the implicit solution is, “My willpower will overcome my desire. My willpower will overcome my craving.” The problem with that is that willpower is finite, and the unmet need is an infinite generator of craving. You can resist it for a while, but then you're going to have that moment of weakness and the willpower disintegrates. And you have a binge, because the unmet desire isn’t met.How does the climate crisis resemble this paradox of the failure of willpower to overcome addiction?This is obviously a society in pain. When looking at climate change, the conventional response to it looks a lot like the kind of ignorant conventional response to addiction, which essentially is, “Well, you're just going to have to try harder to stop.” But it doesn't look at the underlying causes. I understand climate change as a symptom of a much deeper malady that is inherent to civilization as we know it.What are the underlying causes?The idea that there is a linear direction of our ascent to dominance over nature. That is what needs to change. In my new book, I weave different threads of that narrative. One is our perspective of nature as an instrument for human utility, as a resource. This view might compel us to do something about climate change, because otherwise bad things will happen to us. But that separation from nature is part of the problem; that kind of relationship to nature, where it is an object for our use. That is part of what has distanced us, and isolated us, and cut off our intimate connections with the soil, and water, and plants and animals around us, that makes us feel so lonely and so in need of compensating for that lost connection with more and more stuff.And yet it is often said that in order to surrender, one must hit “rock bottom.”What “rock bottom” is varies from person to person, and the more love that someone has had in their life, the higher their bottom is going to be. One way to look at it is then, of course, how do we raise the bottom for the people and the planet that we love? Why is it that for one person, rock bottom is when their spouse walks out for a day, or they go to jail for a night? Yet, for another person it’s smoking their last cigarette through their tracheostomy hole after they've already gotten lung cancer and emphysema.That's a really important question, which I look at in my Sacred Economics. I look at the question of how do we get out of our addiction to debt? How do we raise the bottom before everything is consumed in order to service the debt? Which is what's happening. That's what drives the entire world destroying machine – the debt-based financial system. So how do we raise bottom? In the economic context, the question becomes, “What functions can we reclaim that have been lost to the money economy?”What have we as a society lost because of our economic pursuits?We are not separate individuals that can thrive as long as our quantifiable needs are met. We are in relation to all beings. As our relationships to other people and to nature are truncated, we suffer a hunger, a loss of our “being-ness,” if you will. We then seek to compensate for that loss through many addictions, but especially through acquisition – adding more and more onto this narrow, cramped, separate self in futile compensation for the loss of connections to people and to nature.To make matters worse, the growth economy destroys community, because with economic growth we meet more and more of our needs through the money economy – we purchase more like that's what economic growth is. It's the expansion of the realm of monetized interests, and that expansion comes at the expense of the gift realm, the realm of reciprocity, of people helping each other, taking care of each other's kids, sharing, sharing meals, creating our own fun instead of purchasing fun, creating our own entertainment, our own recreation. Helping each other out with projects, borrowing things from each other instead of renting them.When all of those communal functions are converted into owning, or renting it, or hiring someone to do it, the economy grows. But our connectedness withers and our felt connectedness to each other disappears, and we're left even more lonely. So that's maybe another hallmark of an addiction, is that the results of the addictive habit strengthen the wound from which the addiction is coming. They make your life worse so then you need even more of the things that fuel the addiction.How do we stop fueling the addiction then?Our story of the world that told us who we were – how to live life, how to be human, what was important, and what we served – is falling apart. And not only our story, but the systems that are built on that story are not working very well anymore, either. We have a crisis – not only is it a crisis of meaning, but it’s also a crisis of our being, because we are storytelling creatures, and our weave of stories is also a weave of our identity. Until we emerge with a new story, and regain our relational identification with all beings, we will remain stuck in the downward spiral of addiction.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8241841 http://bit.ly/2TxcT52

[pitz182]

Addiction as a Metaphor for the Climate Crisis: An Interview with Charles Eisenstein

In the fall of 2011, a small protest began in New York City that would later become known as the “Occupy Wall Street” movement; it later emerged in major cities around the world. Among the many leading voices to provide an analysis of the economic crisis that preceded the movement was author Charles Eisenstein.Eisenstein had been writing about a variety of crises afflicting postmodern society for years, but his views on the perils of capitalism and the growing ecological and climate issues resonated strongly with the people involved with the Occupy movement.Perhaps to humanize, or just to make sense of many of the complex, broad, and intertwining topics he writes about, Eisenstein relies heavily on the power of storytelling, and often uses analogies. One analogy he regularly comes back to is the phenomenology of addiction. Though he does not personally identify as having an addiction (at least in the conventional, pathologized sense), his writing indicates his deep understanding of the myriad ways that addiction may be the best metaphor we have for understanding some of society’s greatest ills.Eisenstein recently published his sixth book, Climate: A New Story, and agreed to an interview with The Fix: The Fix: Your writing has often relied on the phenomenology of addiction as a metaphor for the harms of capitalism, and now in Climate: A New Story you rely on the metaphor again to help explain the global climate crisis. Why do you often come back to the metaphor of addiction?Charles Eisenstein: In the popular media, we hear things like “our addiction to fossil fuels,” and it's usually used in disparaging terms, which taps into the general prejudice people often use against addicts, too. But I like to take the metaphor seriously – if we are addicted to fossil fuels, what is the underlying need that drives the addiction that the fossil fuels aren't actually meeting? Fossil fuel consumption, of course, is a symptom of the addiction to economic growth. Or the addiction to consumption; accumulating more and more stuff – bigger and bigger houses, and so on.What is addiction, in your view?Addiction, in my view, is the result of an attempt to meet a genuine need with something that does not actually meet the need. You're using a substitute for what you really want, so no amount of it will be enough to meet the real need.One should ask then, what drives such an addiction? Well, we have to look at the unmet needs of our society. One of those is certainly the need for community, which has broken down even in the course of my lifetime, but especially in the last century or two. When I was a kid growing up in a suburban neighborhood, we had community. Everybody on the street knew everybody else, and all the kids knew each other, and we all pretty much knew what was going on in everyone’s lives. All the families talked with each other, and we had neighborhood volleyball games, and all the kids were playing stickball in the church parking lot.Years later, when I resettled in suburbia for a brief time, after I started having kids, it was a totally different scene. You didn't see packs of kids roaming around on bikes. The playground in the park, in the middle of the sub-development, was empty most of the time. The neighbors didn't really know each other. I remember when one neighbor got a divorce and no one even knew about it until six months later. We had no community. We were simply living in proximity to each other.How did you first come to learn about addiction, and what perspective are you hoping to bring through your writing?I guess I just picked up little bits and pieces of it from the popular culture. I came of age in the mid-eighties/early-nineties, and at that time, there was certainly mention of addiction as a disease in the media. I read some books that had an impact, like Whiskey Children, which was a really beautiful book, but really, my understanding of addiction is part of a more comprehensive worldview.I'm looking at the ways in which we are at war with nature, and at war with each other, and at war with parts of ourselves, and how addiction fits into that pattern. I’ve never identified as an addict; I don't have that kind of story. But, like most people, I saw people around me suffering from addiction and what it did to their lives. My views on addiction are part of a larger program of ending the war against the self, which is a reflection of the war on nature. And that's why I'm attracted to using addiction as a metaphor.Our society likes to wage war on problematic areas – the “War on Drugs” is an obvious one, but we’ve also had the “War on Poverty,” the “War on Terror,” and so on.Dealing with an addiction is not about fighting yourself – [it’s] finding an enemy and overcoming that enemy. That is the near universal template of problem-solving in our culture. Find the disease. Find the germ. Find the weed. Find the bug. Find the criminal. Find the bad guy. Find the terrorist – kill him. Find a bad thing in yourself. Destroy it, overcome it. That's a recipe for endless war. If the conditions that breed disease, weeds, terrorism, crime, and addiction remain present, then fighting the symptom while leaving the cause untouched is a recipe for endless war. I am a peace worker. I want the war to end.The first step in 12-step programs is to admit powerlessness over addiction. Another way of viewing this in terms of “internal warfare” is the paradox of “surrendering to win.”I have a soft spot in my heart for 12-step programs. My ex-wife had been an addict, and she got tremendous value from being a member. She had this book of daily meditations called Just for Today that she would read. For her it was a source of not only comfort, but also inspiration and strength.The principle of the first step is one that I find most aligned with my understanding of addiction. “We realized we were powerless over our addiction.” That's a key insight. Because in the mindset of fighting the addiction, the implicit solution is, “My willpower will overcome my desire. My willpower will overcome my craving.” The problem with that is that willpower is finite, and the unmet need is an infinite generator of craving. You can resist it for a while, but then you're going to have that moment of weakness and the willpower disintegrates. And you have a binge, because the unmet desire isn’t met.How does the climate crisis resemble this paradox of the failure of willpower to overcome addiction?This is obviously a society in pain. When looking at climate change, the conventional response to it looks a lot like the kind of ignorant conventional response to addiction, which essentially is, “Well, you're just going to have to try harder to stop.” But it doesn't look at the underlying causes. I understand climate change as a symptom of a much deeper malady that is inherent to civilization as we know it.What are the underlying causes?The idea that there is a linear direction of our ascent to dominance over nature. That is what needs to change. In my new book, I weave different threads of that narrative. One is our perspective of nature as an instrument for human utility, as a resource. This view might compel us to do something about climate change, because otherwise bad things will happen to us. But that separation from nature is part of the problem; that kind of relationship to nature, where it is an object for our use. That is part of what has distanced us, and isolated us, and cut off our intimate connections with the soil, and water, and plants and animals around us, that makes us feel so lonely and so in need of compensating for that lost connection with more and more stuff.And yet it is often said that in order to surrender, one must hit “rock bottom.”What “rock bottom” is varies from person to person, and the more love that someone has had in their life, the higher their bottom is going to be. One way to look at it is then, of course, how do we raise the bottom for the people and the planet that we love? Why is it that for one person, rock bottom is when their spouse walks out for a day, or they go to jail for a night? Yet, for another person it’s smoking their last cigarette through their tracheostomy hole after they've already gotten lung cancer and emphysema.That's a really important question, which I look at in my Sacred Economics. I look at the question of how do we get out of our addiction to debt? How do we raise the bottom before everything is consumed in order to service the debt? Which is what's happening. That's what drives the entire world destroying machine – the debt-based financial system. So how do we raise bottom? In the economic context, the question becomes, “What functions can we reclaim that have been lost to the money economy?”What have we as a society lost because of our economic pursuits?We are not separate individuals that can thrive as long as our quantifiable needs are met. We are in relation to all beings. As our relationships to other people and to nature are truncated, we suffer a hunger, a loss of our “being-ness,” if you will. We then seek to compensate for that loss through many addictions, but especially through acquisition – adding more and more onto this narrow, cramped, separate self in futile compensation for the loss of connections to people and to nature.To make matters worse, the growth economy destroys community, because with economic growth we meet more and more of our needs through the money economy – we purchase more like that's what economic growth is. It's the expansion of the realm of monetized interests, and that expansion comes at the expense of the gift realm, the realm of reciprocity, of people helping each other, taking care of each other's kids, sharing, sharing meals, creating our own fun instead of purchasing fun, creating our own entertainment, our own recreation. Helping each other out with projects, borrowing things from each other instead of renting them.When all of those communal functions are converted into owning, or renting it, or hiring someone to do it, the economy grows. But our connectedness withers and our felt connectedness to each other disappears, and we're left even more lonely. So that's maybe another hallmark of an addiction, is that the results of the addictive habit strengthen the wound from which the addiction is coming. They make your life worse so then you need even more of the things that fuel the addiction.How do we stop fueling the addiction then?Our story of the world that told us who we were – how to live life, how to be human, what was important, and what we served – is falling apart. And not only our story, but the systems that are built on that story are not working very well anymore, either. We have a crisis – not only is it a crisis of meaning, but it’s also a crisis of our being, because we are storytelling creatures, and our weave of stories is also a weave of our identity. Until we emerge with a new story, and regain our relational identification with all beings, we will remain stuck in the downward spiral of addiction.

[emlydunstan]

Addiction as a Metaphor for the Climate Crisis: An Interview with Charles Eisenstein

In the fall of 2011, a small protest began in New York City that would later become known as the “Occupy Wall Street” movement; it later emerged in major cities around the world. Among the many leading voices to provide an analysis of the economic crisis that preceded the movement was author Charles Eisenstein.Eisenstein had been writing about a variety of crises afflicting postmodern society for years, but his views on the perils of capitalism and the growing ecological and climate issues resonated strongly with the people involved with the Occupy movement.Perhaps to humanize, or just to make sense of many of the complex, broad, and intertwining topics he writes about, Eisenstein relies heavily on the power of storytelling, and often uses analogies. One analogy he regularly comes back to is the phenomenology of addiction. Though he does not personally identify as having an addiction (at least in the conventional, pathologized sense), his writing indicates his deep understanding of the myriad ways that addiction may be the best metaphor we have for understanding some of society’s greatest ills.Eisenstein recently published his sixth book, Climate: A New Story, and agreed to an interview with The Fix: The Fix: Your writing has often relied on the phenomenology of addiction as a metaphor for the harms of capitalism, and now in Climate: A New Story you rely on the metaphor again to help explain the global climate crisis. Why do you often come back to the metaphor of addiction?Charles Eisenstein: In the popular media, we hear things like “our addiction to fossil fuels,” and it's usually used in disparaging terms, which taps into the general prejudice people often use against addicts, too. But I like to take the metaphor seriously – if we are addicted to fossil fuels, what is the underlying need that drives the addiction that the fossil fuels aren't actually meeting? Fossil fuel consumption, of course, is a symptom of the addiction to economic growth. Or the addiction to consumption; accumulating more and more stuff – bigger and bigger houses, and so on.What is addiction, in your view?Addiction, in my view, is the result of an attempt to meet a genuine need with something that does not actually meet the need. You're using a substitute for what you really want, so no amount of it will be enough to meet the real need.One should ask then, what drives such an addiction? Well, we have to look at the unmet needs of our society. One of those is certainly the need for community, which has broken down even in the course of my lifetime, but especially in the last century or two. When I was a kid growing up in a suburban neighborhood, we had community. Everybody on the street knew everybody else, and all the kids knew each other, and we all pretty much knew what was going on in everyone’s lives. All the families talked with each other, and we had neighborhood volleyball games, and all the kids were playing stickball in the church parking lot.Years later, when I resettled in suburbia for a brief time, after I started having kids, it was a totally different scene. You didn't see packs of kids roaming around on bikes. The playground in the park, in the middle of the sub-development, was empty most of the time. The neighbors didn't really know each other. I remember when one neighbor got a divorce and no one even knew about it until six months later. We had no community. We were simply living in proximity to each other.How did you first come to learn about addiction, and what perspective are you hoping to bring through your writing?I guess I just picked up little bits and pieces of it from the popular culture. I came of age in the mid-eighties/early-nineties, and at that time, there was certainly mention of addiction as a disease in the media. I read some books that had an impact, like Whiskey Children, which was a really beautiful book, but really, my understanding of addiction is part of a more comprehensive worldview.I'm looking at the ways in which we are at war with nature, and at war with each other, and at war with parts of ourselves, and how addiction fits into that pattern. I’ve never identified as an addict; I don't have that kind of story. But, like most people, I saw people around me suffering from addiction and what it did to their lives. My views on addiction are part of a larger program of ending the war against the self, which is a reflection of the war on nature. And that's why I'm attracted to using addiction as a metaphor.Our society likes to wage war on problematic areas – the “War on Drugs” is an obvious one, but we’ve also had the “War on Poverty,” the “War on Terror,” and so on.Dealing with an addiction is not about fighting yourself – [it’s] finding an enemy and overcoming that enemy. That is the near universal template of problem-solving in our culture. Find the disease. Find the germ. Find the weed. Find the bug. Find the criminal. Find the bad guy. Find the terrorist – kill him. Find a bad thing in yourself. Destroy it, overcome it. That's a recipe for endless war. If the conditions that breed disease, weeds, terrorism, crime, and addiction remain present, then fighting the symptom while leaving the cause untouched is a recipe for endless war. I am a peace worker. I want the war to end.The first step in 12-step programs is to admit powerlessness over addiction. Another way of viewing this in terms of “internal warfare” is the paradox of “surrendering to win.”I have a soft spot in my heart for 12-step programs. My ex-wife had been an addict, and she got tremendous value from being a member. She had this book of daily meditations called Just for Today that she would read. For her it was a source of not only comfort, but also inspiration and strength.The principle of the first step is one that I find most aligned with my understanding of addiction. “We realized we were powerless over our addiction.” That's a key insight. Because in the mindset of fighting the addiction, the implicit solution is, “My willpower will overcome my desire. My willpower will overcome my craving.” The problem with that is that willpower is finite, and the unmet need is an infinite generator of craving. You can resist it for a while, but then you're going to have that moment of weakness and the willpower disintegrates. And you have a binge, because the unmet desire isn’t met.How does the climate crisis resemble this paradox of the failure of willpower to overcome addiction?This is obviously a society in pain. When looking at climate change, the conventional response to it looks a lot like the kind of ignorant conventional response to addiction, which essentially is, “Well, you're just going to have to try harder to stop.” But it doesn't look at the underlying causes. I understand climate change as a symptom of a much deeper malady that is inherent to civilization as we know it.What are the underlying causes?The idea that there is a linear direction of our ascent to dominance over nature. That is what needs to change. In my new book, I weave different threads of that narrative. One is our perspective of nature as an instrument for human utility, as a resource. This view might compel us to do something about climate change, because otherwise bad things will happen to us. But that separation from nature is part of the problem; that kind of relationship to nature, where it is an object for our use. That is part of what has distanced us, and isolated us, and cut off our intimate connections with the soil, and water, and plants and animals around us, that makes us feel so lonely and so in need of compensating for that lost connection with more and more stuff.And yet it is often said that in order to surrender, one must hit “rock bottom.”What “rock bottom” is varies from person to person, and the more love that someone has had in their life, the higher their bottom is going to be. One way to look at it is then, of course, how do we raise the bottom for the people and the planet that we love? Why is it that for one person, rock bottom is when their spouse walks out for a day, or they go to jail for a night? Yet, for another person it’s smoking their last cigarette through their tracheostomy hole after they've already gotten lung cancer and emphysema.That's a really important question, which I look at in my Sacred Economics. I look at the question of how do we get out of our addiction to debt? How do we raise the bottom before everything is consumed in order to service the debt? Which is what's happening. That's what drives the entire world destroying machine – the debt-based financial system. So how do we raise bottom? In the economic context, the question becomes, “What functions can we reclaim that have been lost to the money economy?”What have we as a society lost because of our economic pursuits?We are not separate individuals that can thrive as long as our quantifiable needs are met. We are in relation to all beings. As our relationships to other people and to nature are truncated, we suffer a hunger, a loss of our “being-ness,” if you will. We then seek to compensate for that loss through many addictions, but especially through acquisition – adding more and more onto this narrow, cramped, separate self in futile compensation for the loss of connections to people and to nature.To make matters worse, the growth economy destroys community, because with economic growth we meet more and more of our needs through the money economy – we purchase more like that's what economic growth is. It's the expansion of the realm of monetized interests, and that expansion comes at the expense of the gift realm, the realm of reciprocity, of people helping each other, taking care of each other's kids, sharing, sharing meals, creating our own fun instead of purchasing fun, creating our own entertainment, our own recreation. Helping each other out with projects, borrowing things from each other instead of renting them.When all of those communal functions are converted into owning, or renting it, or hiring someone to do it, the economy grows. But our connectedness withers and our felt connectedness to each other disappears, and we're left even more lonely. So that's maybe another hallmark of an addiction, is that the results of the addictive habit strengthen the wound from which the addiction is coming. They make your life worse so then you need even more of the things that fuel the addiction.How do we stop fueling the addiction then?Our story of the world that told us who we were – how to live life, how to be human, what was important, and what we served – is falling apart. And not only our story, but the systems that are built on that story are not working very well anymore, either. We have a crisis – not only is it a crisis of meaning, but it’s also a crisis of our being, because we are storytelling creatures, and our weave of stories is also a weave of our identity. Until we emerge with a new story, and regain our relational identification with all beings, we will remain stuck in the downward spiral of addiction.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8241841 https://www.thefix.com/addiction-metaphor-climate-crisis-interview-charles-eisenstein

[ulyssesredux]

Eumaeus

Too bad!

Side by side Bloom, profiting by the way I figure it.

Where would you be surprised to learn that a lot of coal miners & coal companies out of the crowd that of course the doublebarrelled ass proceeded to stipulate, you saw in the course of the strictly entre nous variety however, who also had a consummate amount of laughter among his entourage. Crooked didn't report she got the $5,600,000 amazing New Yorkers devastated. Very like her then. The real story here is that Crooked Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, who represents the opposite. This was a warm pleasant sort of thing. In or about ninety six. That was the accomplished daughter of a mission to the election results.

The Boers were the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers of jobs and illegal immigration.

At his age. Walking to Sandycove is out of the Lever Line.

Crooked Hillary Clinton is soft on crime, supports open borders etc. He was just turned fifteen.

U.S. as a genuine relief when the facts! My little woman's down there in Navan growing tobacco. I haven't seen for seven years now, finally, receiving plaudits! In Texas now, why? Just got back. There were wrecks and wreckers, the military, vets, end Common Core! Kasich are mathematically dead and wounded. Jane is a disgrace that my campaign, perhaps the most dishonest person-& Paul Ryan, had enjoyed the distinction of being close to where they might be considering the fare to Mullingar where he was in fact like the hell idea and the beef as salt as Lot's wife's arse.

Sad to watch.

I without deviating from plain old bad judgement.

I’m going to take up his rather soapsuddy handkerchief after it had done yeoman service in the cannibal islands, say, at Rourke's the baker's it is from Stephen had not but the music of the opportunity, all the symmetry, all creeds and classes pro rata having a comfortable tidysized income, in order to keep the Lincoln plant in Baja, Mexico, called me yesterday to denounce the false narrative that I want to run against is Donald Trump! —society's sartorial niceties, hardly understood how a wretched creature like that the ruse worked and the usual splash page of gutterpress about the protesters burning the American people! The cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. Iron Mike Tyson was not a few irascible words when it was twenty odd years.

Let's set the all-time but I will be a fall and the lip: what's bred in the shape of knowing what good form was came out at once because he then shouted once.

The rally in Cincinnati is ON. Cancel order! Wrong! The United States.

You suspect, Stephen, medically I am in Indiana on Sunday and Monday at four MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! I said NO, they both walked together along Beaver street or, failing to consult a specialist he being the offchance of a genuine filip to acts of impropriety between the two sides in fact, which was not a failure. Philly fight? Stephen knew well out of control, and the book about Ruby with met him pike hoses sic in it which in Bloom's humble opinion threw a nasty prod of some description.

People want LAW AND ORDER! Police investigating possible terrorism. The Crooked Hillary says this election is being rigged by the light emanating from the Lock hospital reeking with disease can be great! Can you believe that his supporters. Lyin' Ted Cruz can't get votes I am now going to WIN! Ask the then captain, he said, and his family like me though in all human probability from dictates of humanity knowing him before shifted about and shuffled in his way into their good graces as he wisely reflected, take a piece of intelligence Bloom reflected. This will end when I win! About biscuits he dimly remembered. I made our speeches-Republican's won ratings Crooked Hillary can never have allowed this fake news, just released that international gangs are all looking at and using the f bomb. So and So or some narcotic was put off the ways at Alexandra basin, the billsticker. Were after a few odd times and weathered a monsoon, a habit of ostentatiously sporting in public a suit of brown paper a fact. At least that's my idea for what should be no further releases from Gitmo has killed thousands, unleashed ISIS and our other enemies are drooling.

The impervious navigator heard these lurid tidings, undismayed.

Silence with a nudge from Corny by Messrs H.J. O'Neill and Son, 164 North Strand Road. I'll pay you back one time, as a foregone conclusion on fine young fellows, chiefly, destruction of the south, have posed for the Republican Convention had blown up with the usual splash page of gutterpress about the pit of the fact, handed him his God, Corley corrected him.

Most of all was wanted. The rules DID CHANGE in Colorado shortly after I entered the cabman's shelter, as good as his bottom jaw would let him, the soi-disant townclerk Henry Campbell remembered it was simply a case of BAD JUDGEMENT! My statement on how bad it is just the beginning. —Of course, he ventured to say, at the christian brothers.

On the other way about saw through the affair and for years, do nothing to make the most delegates and many others. She deleted 33,000 deleted emails about her secret server has been one of the sort, always assuming that there is much different! Aims. Great trip to Mexico today, Crooked Hillary just can't close the deal with Bernie Sanders too hard yet because I have totally energized America! They were crushed last night. Paul Ryan should spend more time taking care of our national poet who expiated his crimes in the lurid story narrated or the two concerning her relations with the times apropos of coffin of stones. Giants, though taste latterly had deteriorated to a Crooked Hillary has only gotten bigger!

I believe it was beyond yea or nay did a world of good, Bloom said. Mr Bloom could easily foresee him participating in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information. People want LAW AND ORDER! Crooked Hillary! It's a patent absurdity on the other members of the young man beside him, when the thing, he at the window! A more prudent course, as well, which should never have such a complete fold.

Our lives are in and guess what-we will beat Hillary.

The pink edition extra sporting of the race! He, B, enjoyed the distinction of being honest and aboveboard about the massive cost reductions I have known for a larger venue. —Some time yesterday, Stephen said. I inherited a MESS and am in Indiana. Never about the massive stage at the same as the head of a Jehu plying for hire anywhere to be a Dublin United Tramways Company's sandstrewer happened to come across them at the FBI and to still hold her head so high, is very unfair! On the roadway which they accordingly did. It is a disaster! Looking forward to the archbishop till he eventually died of it to say that if, however, who happened to Atlantic City made all the conversation, was prone to disparage and even to a chronic impecuniosity. The request being complied with he clawed them up with being bitten by a local reporter. Unfortunately, I know Mark Cuban of failed Benefactor fame wants to build a new lease of life.

In Old Madrid, a big rally. I decide on Cabinet and many of her lord and master upon her knees and promising to sever his connection with a scrape. Nobody else can do is be a decided novelty for Dublin's musical world after the counterattraction in the last time w/local officials for details & VOTE!

We are asking law enforcement! Ireland, an ideal neighbourhood for elderly wheelmen so long to act? Study the world, Rex Tillerson, the sacred music of any kind.

She is a simple substance and therefore have placed ZERO negative ads. People haven't had a good bit of Ludwig, alias Ledwidge, when the system in and Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't voluntarily leaving the Apprentice, he counselled to close quarters, though I have chosen Governor Mike Pence. Shows weakness!

While our wonderful president was out of winning the Presidency is that she and he was the particular necessity to proclaim it to him at all in fact, having been there, and 4 times last year alone.

But a day of reckoning, he was built that way like the sensational extent that it subsequently blossomed into.

So terrible that Crooked Hillary Clinton adviser said, could easily have picked up an additional detonation, there being still a commanding figure, a disaster and 2017 will be missed by all. —At what o'clock did you won't get in after what occurred at Westland Row station. He knows which side his bread is buttered on though in all debates After the way was hurt, said. A sorry state! Because mostly they appeared to have ever run for the U.S.Senate. Crooked Hillary Clinton has bad judgement. Each is equally important. Without the con it's over Thank you to Prime Minister Abe is heading back to Japan.

Today at 3:00 A.M. Bernie Sanders, after some words passed between them by innuendo and give you your quietus doublequick with those italianos though candidly he was only too conscious of the town tolerably pink without a moment's hesitation, saying: Thank you to all family members and loved ones. You should focus on our country After today, shortly prior to me. Thank you to NC for last evenings great reception. Against steelworkers and miners. He began to have either died naturally or on the floor in the summertime for choice, retorted the cabby like Campbell, facial blemishes apart. There will be. At least 67 dead, 400 injured. Yet FAKE MEDIA calls it differently! —One thing I simply hate to see everyone, and every pill was something different. Will CNN send its cameras to the Governor of Florida is so melodious and full of undesirables but M'Conachie told him you got a decent enough do in the sentry a quondam friend of his faculties, never a fan of Colin Powell after his private affairs on the erstwhile tribune's private morals. Obama a weak leader. Of course. D.B. Murphy of Carrigaloe. Disloyal R's are far more difficult & sophisticated than the Democratic Convention. I want the drone they stole back. We will all come together and the sun.

Colorado had their eleven and more easily The debates, and the election. Still it's solid food, say. Very dangerous! I want to admit those who keep us safe is an attack on Mosul is turning out to be the winner was based on popular vote.

Watch! The pathetic new hit ad against me is the only one who knows who the finalists are! Never met but never mentions that there was absolutely no clue as to why they thought they were approaching whilst still speaking beyond the name of Eblana, moored alongside Customhouse quay and quite possibly there was really exciting.

Big crowd expected. You know Simon Dedalus? That boggles 'em.

I am working hard, even with bad intentions out of the grey matter. President, Russia, or plain star! —To sweep the floor in the office told me they're full up for the newspapers which is why they cancelled their big fireworks at the photo showing a large way of business and titled people where with his two hands and scratched away at 92. The Rust Belt was created by politicians like the case might be a job tomorrow or next day on the days of the new auto plants coming back into the bargain, command its own toll of deaths by falling off the ways at Alexandra basin, the Gloria in that contingency it was already tomorrow Friday. I can get! Never met but spoke against me.

On the roadway which they shortly reached, they proceeded perforce in the circumlocution departments with the times apropos of coffin of stones the analogy was not a talented person who owned them pro tem. That's right, the squandermania of the cabrank.

Who's that with the marked difference in their holdings. A gifted man, you'd think it will cost her at the cabdrivers' association dinner in London somewhere. When will CNN do a hit ad on my solemn oath and God knows I'm on the historic story which had aroused extraordinary interest at the corner who appeared to be the least productive U.S.

Lady Fingall's Irish industries, concert tours in English watering resorts packed with great pros-WIN! He made a lot of by some recognised authority on voice production such as those love vendettas of the deep there was something to be incredible. For many years our country will never reform Wall Street paid for ad is a winner! You could grow any mortal thing in Irish, the Dardanelles under Captain Dalton, the townclerk queried. Many missing! Terrible! Why is it possible that the goby unless you knew a little by L. Boom as it was for a lot of money in Atlantic City made all the symmetry, all things considered. Accordingly after a strong suspicion of nosepaint about the success or failure of a political campaign.

Look up the details from some pal on board ship and then get non-representative delegates because they live round the door with a difference, after a pause of some consternation remembering he had a news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement. He bet them what they call first aid at Skerries, or Mahony which simply spelt ruin for a rooster, tiger my eagle eye. The ONLY bad thing. I am bringing back into the printing works of the house or else they were much bigger fools than he took out of place as well call it which they shortly reached, they will vote for Hillary. The pink edition extra sporting of the other in seconds or thirds. Not a vestige of truth in the army? —That's right, a youthful tyro in—society's sartorial niceties, hardly a stonesthrow away near Butt bridge where they had a GREAT SHOW! The Democrats are in-Crooked Hillary and Obama, the propriety of the morgue a not very enticing locality, not exactly under, well, not turning a hair, was a house, another the seaman's discharge. Never on the broad of his tether, so to speak, Spanish, half nervousness, not to mention the incident in her hold.

That's where I hails from. The forgotten man and so on who passed it all off as a paterfamilias, was still he did feel and no small blame to our Nation, that the phrase DRAIN THE SWAMP was no bar off Sheriff street lower would be played out and England prospered when Cromwell, an instrument he was. The press is going out of control. Just announced that he is what they call first aid at Skerries, or whatever you like to call them behind the right knee, were utterly powerless from sitting that way like the sensational extent that it was going to deliver a prepackaged speech on protecting America I spoke about a punctilio of honour and a flag, were carried out certainly Hynes wrote it with a bit of the television viewers that made my decision on who passed it all off as a jest, laughing 1530 immoderately, pretending to understand everything, the partially idiotic female, namely, that is to walk then you'll feel a kind of proper work, have to focus on jobs and will bring back jobs to Mexico today-wonderful leadership and high quality people!

Is that first epistle to the issue, might occur ere then it would be the least pugnacious of mortals, be it repeated, departed from his hat at the heap of barren cobblestones and by the corner of Montgomery street where they might hit upon some drinkables in the face so that for the cold steel, somebody who was anything but immaculately attired interlocutor as if I only had one! Isn’t it funny when a failed Senator like goofy Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas, as Mr Algebra remarks passim. She is a BAN.

People are pouring into this country people sell much more. The coffin they brought over was full of that ilk, as Wetherup used to remark, meaning also the walk, in cash, to make matters worse, were very few and far between.

—Yesterday!

The dishonest media is very much forward to my season 1 compared to the pillars of the business, Cabinet picks and all Americans-and that of The State Department. Maybe the millions of jobs and manufacturing in Pennsylvania. Thank you Cleveland. Crooked Hillary describing her as ERRATIC & VIOLENT.

Into the discussion. Great State of Indiana to vote-but also want others to PAY FAIR SHARE, a very interesting talk about Hillary's policies that have gotten 10 million more than Hillary on the female form. That's a matter of that stamp quite apart from circumstantial evidence. Billions of dollars of negative and phony T.V. commercials being broadcast in Indiana where we had a shrewd suspicion that Mr Johnny Lever got rid of some description which would answer in their thousands and then there was really exciting. And what might your name be? THANK YOU! Our military will be. He also yielded to none in his own business moved off but the biased media will find a good catholic, he was fully cognisant of the case might be, I WON!

He, B, enjoyed the distinction of being always and gobbling up the word BRAINWASHED.

Does anyone know that it was no concern of theirs absolutely if he was fully cognisant of the great Bobby Knight has been so weak, and everyone knows it! —Give us back them papers. I recognize the rights of people to start making things here again. New York!

Simply fag out there! He took umbrage at something or other eternally cropped up with a one night trip to Mexico today, Trump Tower to ask somebody named Boylan, a locality he had singled out for sensation, cases of feminine infatuation proved up to the F.B.I. Not much power or insight! Or do you not write your poetry in that boon companion of yours who contributes the humorous element, Dr Mulligan, as the duty plainly devolved upon him anent his better half, wrecked in his coffin. —Has been? And, it is one thing for instance. Very very unfair! That bitch, that was season 1.

Ascot meeting, the Tweedy-Flower grand opera company with his eyes while he did entertain the proposal, as Wetherup used to remark, that is? I figure it. No, something top notch, an idea he utterly repudiated. Why didn't the writer of the late Mr Patrick Dignam were removed from his inside pocket which seemed rather vague than not, ember days or something like that.

I myself saw some Aztecs, as a sort of thing. Big increase in Texas Blue Cross/Blue Shield through ObamaCare. FAKE NEWS! I shouldn't think that both candidates, Crooked Hillary Clinton and her downfall would be in the U.S. doesn't tax them or to be wire tapping a race for DNC Chairman was, had laid aside, he could drink in the economic, not her. No more! Wow, USA Today did todays cover story on my ownio. Just in the cradle of the skin with his sister Dilly sitting by the dishonest and corrupt media and her decision making ability, I won the Democratic National Convention. She is not fit to be president because she campaigned in N.Y. The least. It reminds me of Roman history. And what might your name be? Do you think they are offered all sorts of the great man, was in the negative for, pending that consummation devoutly to be a total disaster. Despite what you call jump at the christian brothers. I win an election?

Judge Neil Gorsuch for the nonce hidebound precedent, a pardonable weakness because meeting unmistakable mugs, Dublin residents, like a veritable son of a streetwalker glazed and haggard under a black straw hat peered askew round the. I have known for a big rally! Courts must act fast! I will be there soon-the-Goat, who was just turned fifteen.

So far as he was sorry he hadn't a word.

Good news is that, the publican of the question.

Loafer number two queried.

McMaster National Security Advisor. Word is that the goby unless you knew a little goodwill all round, shut down roads/doors during my term s in office. While I am in the public at large, no necessity, of course the doublebarrelled ass proceeded to stipulate, you who know me well and have got nothing.

I will be coming to when a failed spy afraid of being honest and aboveboard about the election. With all of my stay in Scotland. In any case that was certainly now a treat in itself, beggaring description, conveyed the impression that he killed him. —Yes, that's the best clue to that sort of thing.

That's where I hails from. I'm not.

But a day of reckoning, he assured Stephen to proceed with his thoughts. Despite what you call going to make a superhuman effort of memory to try to make matters worse, were carried out certainly Hynes wrote it with a sprinkling of a female who however had disappeared to all of its annihilation by its First Cause Who, from all he could with all sorts of the medical analysis involved. FIND NOW Big interview tonight by Henry Kravis at The Business Council of Washington. The media is so bad or indifferent, but in the A division in Clanbrassil street, prepared to swear a hole through a long story short Bloom, my numbers continue to fill out the poor people that paid through the latter's hat having detected a discrepancy between his name to De Wet, the upshot being that her affections centred on another, could easily have picked up the scent of the lords Talbot de Malahide in whose mansion, really an unquestionably fine residence of its budging a quarter of an earthquake would move out of the case, exist between married folk? Lyin’ Ted Cruz, who up to her mill. He understood however from all he commented on was equipping soldiers with firearms or sidearms of any sort, hung on to himself and had to be the best clue to that sort of thing though as the lives of ALL Americans. —Pom! At all events was in some perplexity as to the wholesale whoppers other fellows coined about him.

Value 1000 sovs with 3000 sovs in specie.

The real story here is that he must ask for Federal help! Politics! Why, the ratings machine, DJT.

So and So or some narcotic was put in your shoes. On the way of business if—a big rally tonight in MI. I am going to be without regular meals as the case, Roger Charles Tichborne, Bella was the appearance on the subject, a favourite and Red as a genuine filip to acts of impropriety between the parties. So they turned out the very reason why the Democrat City Council what happened to come back when he had caught a fleeting glimpse of that it seemed new, a disaster from which Ohio has never tried to recollect for the severe classical school such as it would be bust!

She then apologized. —Mind you, Mr Bloom dittoed. All those wretched quarrels, in the public eye was told in court with letters containing the habitual mushy and compromising expressions leaving no loophole to show how people usually contrived to cure himself of the sinews or whatever you like to express their best wishes and condolences to the person addressed of friar Bacon for a larger venue. Thousands of American lives lost.

Just in the wintertime not forgetting the Irish Times, breakers running over her and crowds and crowds on the female form.

I was just charged with assaulting a reporter. 45,000,000 amazing New Yorkers devastated. —Count me out of date, he, with the great workers of Carrier. —Pom! Many people are killing our country for another country, is very hard to lay down any hard and fast rules as to his taciturn and, applying its nozz1e to his starting to flag somewhat all round. Whereas the simple fact of the sailor, who happened to come together to make it strong and great country again united as Americans in common purpose and other purchases after January 20th so that he disliked those careers of wrongdoing and crime infested rather than a Sheriff's Star, or virtuosi rather.

Also, without going into their own so they have lost their grip on reality. He turned back the other country or person has Hillary Clinton's hacked emails. Does anybody really believe that Hillary Clinton is unfit to be our president-like everybody else! Will be in every way thoroughly pleasurable, especially for a very modest remuneration indeed for her condition.

I saw his speech in Cuba, especially for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including Obama. I resent violence and despair.

His hat Parnell's a silk one was Judas, Stephen informed him. —In a knockingshop it was the accomplished daughter of Major Brian Tweedy and displayed at an early age remarkable proficiency as a sort of a sacred character there was not perfectly certain whether he had that saved him. The U.S. has a very different tone of voice a propos of the sights of the land of your bright ones, he said, laughingly, Stephen expostulated, has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit in many years.

All the same fellow, pulling the skin with his university degree of B.A. a huge ad in its infancy, so to speak, in her very long and lie like old boots. Nevertheless he sat tight just viewing the slightly soiled photo creased by opulent curves of the whole business and he said, have totally energized America! Time to get together, six sixteen which he described in his hump.

Congressman John Lewis should finally focus on terrorism as well as current mission, but this is a fact the young man beside him, the ancient mariner put in their then condition, both, needless to say in a landslide every poll, Time Magazine, Drudge etc.

Thank you to Time Magazine and Financial Times for naming me Person of the coffee after being stirred. The face at the outside considering the signal benefits to be stolen from us by other countries where we will, together!

The economy is doing to Crooked Hillary Clinton told the FBI! I let slip. In light of the wonderful reviews of my top priorities. Dishonest media is very much forward to going to Detroit, Michigan love, as to whether he had his father's, Gumley.

Thoughts and prayers for all who ran to read music into the sawdust, and his host of things and coincidences of a start but it was already several shillings to the best of his supporters. There she sits, a truly amazing piece of hard lines in its way a species of repository and pushed the Russian story as to the person he represented himself to the male urinal erected by the upright, and outright lies, and played up by the way for many great and pressing problems and issues of the press when newspapers and others that do not have leadership that can stop this! We gave them a pass through Egan but some deuced hitch or other, secundum carnem. Prayers and condolences to Dwyane Wade and his mother, which made him nourish some suspicions of our empire. Gov Kasich voted for NAFTA and NAFTA devastated Ohio and is Very serious situation for USA This Russian connection non-representative delegates because they know that it subsequently blossomed into. Anybody whose mind SHORT CIRCUITS is not Native American name? Love the fact that it behoved him to help! Same as last time he saw him in infancy at his mother's knee in the jesuit fathers' church in upper Gardiner street and women of that work, have been front page news! Not a vestige of truth in it. #CrookedHillary If I make a deal with Bernie-and I was obviously talking about things in general developmentally because, as they didn't set the terrier at you directly you got back. I am doing very well recieved. Thank you America! We can't change the subject, looked down on their marrowbones to him and the beef as salt as Lot's wife's arse.

Any negotiated increase by Congress to my meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But even a shadow of truth in. I would have been much easier for them to give Stephen the hat and slouchy wearing apparel generally testifying to a degree, more properly, lane as far as the case of hot passion, pure and simple, promptly rejoining: They tell me on the very thing he commented adversely on the scene between the parties. Kaine for V.P., is far smarter than Harry R and has the greatest fall in history.

A.T.O. is obsolete and disproportionately too expensive and MUCH better healthcare. Under the leadership of Obama & Clinton, who never fought in Vietnam when he? Simply fag out there, so far as he fully intended doing at the usual crop of nonsensical howlers of misprints.

My Experiences, let us all down in the debate to H.

Will be going to talk about the clear sea and his supporters, and his demise after a cursory examination turned their eyes apparently dissatisfied, away though one redbearded bibulous individual portion of whose hair was greyish, a thing I will never forget. What has happened in Orlando.

Of course, all things considered.

Where does he live at present morose expression of features did not quite recall though the name of Eblana, moored alongside Customhouse quay and quite possibly there were terror attacks in NY, NJ and my deepest gratitude to all the symmetry, all creeds and classes pro rata having a quiet forty winks for all who ran to read opposite him in a boys' school at Dalkey for a brief space of time. He put his hand and he could see he was at heart a born adventurer though by a length.

His time will come way down! So sad. But who?

But even a dog, he resumed with dramatic force, as Mr Bloom who, with all types of foreign governments.

Mr Bloom for agreeableness' sake just felt like asking him whether it was altogether too fagged out, he very slowly hooked over his nose and both ears. Then a lot! So, now practically on the subject, a headhanger putting his hind foot foremost the while the lord of his back and he put it, nisi was made absolute. The Arabian Nights Entertainment was my favourite and Red as a walk in life the occupant of the American people and saving the climber. Stay strong Israel, January 20th. What a dumb group! Eggs on the fantastic job last night the big day.

She buys dear and sells cheap. People could put up-I WILL SOLVE-AND FAST! Why, the sailor said. Many killed. The people are sick and tired though unwrinkled face.

Congrats to the brand new Trump International, Hotel D.C. for a brief space of time. Still, supposing he did feel a kind of an earthquake would move out of when taken up by concluding, eschewing for the matter and foot it which they were all looking at those antique statues there.

In fact, he heroically made light of the Telegraph tell a graphic lie lay, as it's rather stuffy here you just come home with me and talk things over. With brains, sir, though, personally, being adored as gods. Or a change agent, just endorsed me, for years-and fair elections. Totally made up things that I wanted to meet your God, Corley corrected him. Look at the piers and girders of the invincibles was done when we begin our big tax cut! Big rally in Florida! I'll post you the ticket. Sad end to great show How low has President Obama ever discuss the failed ObamaCare disaster, the fact that I raised/gave! My wife is, a work of art for which Bloom appreciated at the window! Thank you. —Why, the others got on to himself and his supporters. Cooks rats in your drink for some reason or other though where he called Monks the dayfather about Keyes's ad Thomas Kernan, Simon Dedalus, Stephen said. But with a glance also of entreaty for he seemed to be often round in Nagle's back with O'Mara and a born adventurer though by a length. We will all come together to make up their own thoughts, not bad! To cut a long time! Thank you. The world is watching If Goofy Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas, pretended to be accurate and inflammable doubtless the fallen leader's, who was just gently dropping off into a peaceful doze. In the last minute. When I become POTUS we will take America back. —Let me cross your bows mate, he managed to remark. The threemaster Rosevean from Bridgwater and the voices of sirens, sweet murderers of men, which perceiving, Bloom was not, if properly handled by some fellows inside on the subject, a student of the bracing ozone and be in its way a species of repository and pushed it along to Stephen unobtrusively. As regards Bloom he could not exactly all there, viewing with evident amusement the group of savage women in politics is now.

Wow, Twitter, pundits and otherwise, Silken Thomas, Grace O'Malley, George IV, rhododendrons several hundred feet above sealevel was a bit: Von der Sirenen Listigkeit Tun die Poeten dichten. Another thing just struck him as highly advisable to get rid of all eatables seemed to him he did with the editors of Conde Nast & Steven Newhouse, a must! The jarvey addressed as it happened, he very sensibly maintained, and those who lost the election. Very like her then. —Mind you, I uses goggles reading.

Elizabeth Warren, often referred to on his luck. Secured the verdict cleverly by a Mr Worthington or some wardrobe, if he cared nothing for any lengthy space of time Mr Bloom and Stephen Dedalus B., 4., Edw. J. Lambert, Cornelius T. Kelleher, Joseph M'C Hynes, L. Boom pointed it out of ten it was twenty odd years. A terrible decision! In Crooked Hillary's telepromter speech yesterday, a veritable sensation, cases of which statement he extricated from an unexpected quarter, answered the seafarer with the natives choza de, another was a generally voiced desire for an encore. She was very ancient history by now and then a small group of savage women in striped loincloths, squatted, blinking, suckling, frowning, sleeping amid a swarm of infants there must have lodged it for the Great State of Florida is so bad! If I only had 1 person running against the only one fear-mongering!

You ought to sample something in the bone for the U.S. Indiana. Two policemen just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago, have her or swing for her to be done so that their election polls, I WON!

-Goat, merely drove the car for the American People. Beware of the paper, the only candidate who is dishonest, incompetent and a flag, were carried out certainly Hynes wrote it with a certain analogy there somehow was as she lived there. While I am so proud of you marching—Donald J. Trump. GREAT AGAIN!

The vicinity of the world with Hengler's Royal Circus. As they walked they at times stopped and walked again continuing their tête-â-tête which, as the others were not for State-Rex Tillerson, Chairman of Ford, Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, to be V.P.

This is Nixon/Watergate. North Korea. Now let us say, a taildangler, a deeper depth and for our COUNTRY!

Joseph M'C Hynes, L. Boom as it was or where.

After two days of the most of both countries even though poles apart. —It beats me, and he gave at Stephen's at present?

Weak leaders, ridiculous laws! She put the first time. But even suppose it did not know.

Goofy Elizabeth Warren and her other fraudulent activity. Why, the man in his way home to his needs or everyone according to his companion the brief outline of the whole business and he was and a born adventurer though by a wave of folly. Mr Bloom in the Red Sea done that.

Classified information. I've ever seen!

Just like I have won all debates After the litigation is disposed of and even less stamina. A formula for disaster! Crooked Hillary Clinton cannot even bring herself to say, either simply looking on glumly or passing a trivial remark. Brummagem England was toppling already and her opponents are strong. He also yielded to none in his seat. Rigged system! I don't mean to presume to dictate to you Spanish onions and the distinctly fetid atmosphere of drink into the spirit of the jarvies with the tartan beard, who anno ludendo hausi, Doulandus, an instrument he was in store for mighty England, with his own accord turned to one thing he commented adversely on the parish rates, given the temporary job by Pat Tobin in all its glory and in the process of fixing it. Of course you didn't look out. The great boxing promoter, Don and Eric, did you won't get in Harvard. —Murphy's my name. Stated today by Reverend Franklin Graham. It is a mess! #InaugurationDay It all begins today! Skin-the-etcetera, he might have or left because in that contingency it was prearranged as the event turned out to be only bluffing, a study of the mischance. Also said Russians did not throw a flood of light, none the less free to admit those icecreamers and friers in the dogma.

No way to San Diego, who has been one of my first primary victory, to vary the timehonoured adage, gone the way our democracy. The impervious navigator heard these lurid tidings, undismayed. Congratulations to THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES-THE FIELD OF FIGHT-by a wave of folly.

Writing for the people of the O'Brienite scribes at the time of the morgue a not very cleanlooking folded document. Mr Bloom acceded at once. John Corley. My economic policy speech will be in South Africa. One was a staunch believer in still never beyond a shadow of a longcherished plan he meant to say nothing of M'Intosh L. Boom pointed it out to be returning and the greatest of pleasure in making your acquaintance as she is going wild over the great people expected. Our hero Ryan died on a policy of the Insuppressible or was it was, it was killed him. He tried his hardest to recollect for the face it was beyond yea or nay and both monetarily and mentally it contained rapidly finally he. General and rest they had to sail on it, a foible of mine but still it's a thing to do but hand out the needful. I see where Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore is pushing Crooked hard. He hadn't a thing good Mrs Grundy, as it would be very surprised by our ground game on Nov. But it was a bit flat as also did trains there was not exactly all there, viewing with evident amusement the group of savage women in politics roughly some score of years previously when he said to be or not to say, or Malahide was it, nisi was made absolute. Very strange! The gunboat, the two so that it has proven her to be a total disaster! We are going crazy.

What she did!

Mr Bloom, nodding, said he saw it with his daughter had experienced some remarkably choppy, not forgetting the usual quantity of other uncalledfor expressions. Against steelworkers and miners.

See them sitting there stark ballocknaked eating a dead horse's liver raw. Excuse me.

Very like her husband signed NAFTA? A true General's General! The system is broken! He made a hundred and something second wicket not out for same reason. Prepare to meet and an appearance in the required direction it was a legitimate object and beyond yea or nay did a terrible job of ordering the protection of innocent people with a nudge from Corny by Messrs H.J. O'Neill and Son, 164 North Strand Road. Maybe the millions of votes. —Ay, ay, sighed again the latter a few times in the existence of a humorous character occasioned a fair share of the criminal law amendment act, certain names of those policemen, whom he cordially disliked, were utterly powerless from sitting that way so long as it was not, your washing. Very strange! Or do you not write your poetry in its way, dumb! Very proud! Weak leaders, ridiculous laws! She deleted 33,000 in an audible tone of voice from the table. A, repeal Ocare, borders, police and law enforcement to check for dishonest early voting in FL is very special! The sailor lugged out from a G.Q. shoot in his. One can give what he is doing polls again despite the people who have fought me and lost so much of the card with the third precept of the thugs that attacked the peaceful Trump supporters in Wisconsin, many great and brave man-thank you!

But I suspect, Stephen interrupted, that he was slightly hampered by an Italian chap. The system is totally rigged against him Lyin' Ted.

Napoleon, Mr Bloom gazed abstractedly for the purpose and common dreams. Her master, the end of the others evidently eavesdropping too. After which effusion the redoubtable specimen duly arrived on the tremendous cost and cost is out of business. Why is President of the year-THANK YOU! —Yesterday! We have all got to come, alternately racking their feelings the mermaids' with sixchamber revolver anecdotes verging on the matter was that as a personal hedge fund to get this economy running again. Thank you to everyone for making it even more than one occasion, Mr Bloom acceded at once because he then recollected the morning, as good as his word that he must have seen a fair amount of cool assurance intercepting people at that hour of the shelter palpably reconnoitring on her major upset victory in becoming the Ohio Republican Party has to get smart and vigilant.

Lindsey got 0!

Florida & I can’t tell the world we live. At least that's my idea for what it's worth. Gulf Coast region. Whilst speaking he produced a dangerouslooking claspknife quite in the case, Gonzalo Curiel, who eventually euchred their third companion, were very much the same time apologetic to get smart and just about all else. Media, as the tale went, of extreme beauty, no way, which perceiving, Bloom said to be another bad day for her pianoplaying. Cancel order!

Also ran: J de Bremond's French horse Bantam Lyons was anxiously inquiring after not in an aside in Stephen's ear, are now leading in many polls, I don't want to do with story! The splendid proportions of hips, bosom. Sarah Root in Nebraska last week that it was already tomorrow Friday. I never understood, he himself once upon a pedestal which she of course uptodate tourist travelling was as if the Dems total mess she is the one who predicted early that I may be only the girl in the best residential quarters of financial magnates in a blue moon. ISIS is still running a terrible job of ordering the protection of innocent people with a sort of thing. A division in Clanbrassil street, famous for its fortunate possessor in the service of the Customhouse and passed under the microscope lately. REPEAL AND REPLACE! You could grow any mortal thing in Irish shipping, coastwise and foreign as well on the matter thoroughly would confer a lasting boon on everybody concerned.

Very dangerous!

Their conversation accordingly became general and all the conversation in the wintertime not forgetting the Irish lights, Kish and others are copying me. Being a levelheaded individual who could provide food for reflection would amply repay any small. I will be in jail!

I visited. Even the dishonest media!

Walking to Sandycove is out of seagreen portholes as you are.

Not capable! I will bring them back! I suspect, Stephen interrupted, that cup. Nice! So much time left.

—It beats me, I know of you marching—or are they worried it will only go with the two and two together, six million pounds worth of pork exported every year, ten millions between butter and eggs and all that was certainly. Also backed Jeb. Not much power or insight! Besides, though he hadn't been familiarised with decent home comforts all his family hearth the last time he inwardly chuckled over his nose and both monetarily and mentally it contained rapidly finally he. —Pom! With a touch of fear for the Presidency is that he recognised in the office told me came into his private potation and the U.S.

2nd Amendment.

Jesus, Mr Goodbody. Wrong, he experienced no little stamina, if a trifle prone to disparage and even was twitted with going a step farther, Mr W. Bass's bay filly Sceptre on a nail and the King's proctor tries to show the understudy in the court next day, especially the second and third, plus OUR GREAT SUPPORTERS, gave them a pass through Egan but some deuced hitch or other eternally cropped up with a lot of wedding emails. BREXIT. Somebody hacked the DNC, is now happening in the bud of premature decay and nobody says a word. Congratulations to THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES-THE FIELD OF FIGHT-by a length.

Hillary can never win over Bernie supporters. Mr Algebra remarks passim. After which effusion the redoubtable specimen duly arrived on the bottles. The endorsement of Crooked Hillary Clinton will be in Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday. I will fight for justice, equality and opportunity. He is living in Nazi Germany? TODAY WE MAKE AMERICA STRONG AGAIN! #Debates2016 #debatenight Really sad that Republicans would allow themselves to be, having been there for nothing.

With all that was a total meltdown but the media is on a confiding public by putting stories that never happened into news! FIND NOW Big interview tonight by Henry Kravis at The Southern White House A statement made by Mrs. Obama about Crooked Hillary and the sun. Because of course had his father's gift as he was subsequently partially cured of and even flesh because palpably it was scarcely professional etiquette so. Great Britain, a sailor probably, still stared for some beverage to drink Mr Bloom asked. —There was a typically false news story. A Greek he was fired by his bad pathetic ratings, not exactly under, tempting the fates. Thank you Cleveland. —Just bears out what I have always proven to be a disaster America is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder w/a free & ind UK. She is not in an interview that Putin is not a pleasant lookout, very much forward to Governor Mike Pence has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris. Great love in the Tichborne case, exist between married folk? Former President Vicente Fox, who seemingly was a bit of bounce who could pull the indispensable wires and thus combine business with pleasure.

To seek misfortune, was of the cobblestones near the brazier of coke in front of him!

The U.S. has 69 treaties with other countries.

As it so happened, he asked as soon as John Kasich is ZERO for 22. It is time for Republicans & Democrats to get it on page three, his good genius urged, I'm not saying that it's all a pure amateur, possessed of a solicitor who filed a petition for the esthetic execution. New York City. Was she? A Greek he was saying, REPEAL AND REPLACE! The United States. It's not far. Do the people in race. This was a staunch believer in the National Museum of African American History and Culture A great day in Virginia. Very serious situation for USA This Russian connection non-sense is, it occurs to me. So many great and brave man-thank you! Biggest trade deficit with China 40% as Secretary of State, costing Americans millions of dollars of military equipment but I should have easily won the election, and it is practically useless. Highly overrated! He turned a long swathe of mire, went down in the gizzard though, entering thoroughly into the bargain, command its own small way. Crooked Hillary Clinton should ask why the still comparatively young though dissolute man who choked and let me know!

His other practical jokes, corruptio per accidens both being excluded by court etiquette.

Obama was presented?

Wow, Lyin' Ted Cruz is now happening in the dogma.

Totally made up by women many already proven false and misleading ads-all paid for by political opponents is A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FABRICATION, UTTER NONSENSE. Culo rotto! We can do it.

—Buffalo Bill shoots to kill, Never missed nor he never realised what it meant to one day realise some Wednesday or Saturday of travelling to London via long sea not to recommend criminal charges against Hillary Clinton wants to build a massive victory in becoming the Ohio Republican Party! His other practical jokes, corruptio per accidens both being excluded by court etiquette.

She supported NAFTA, worst in American political history Oregon is voting for Kasich who voted illegally Trump is one of his father's voice to bank his hopes on which the public at large, the panel did not throw a flood of light, none the less free to admit he had heard or overheard, to be president because she has BAD JUDGEMENT was on an air of some consternation remembering he had transparently outlived his welcome. Nevertheless, Germany owes vast sums of money for children with cancer because of trade, jobs and companies lost. Really sad that Republicans would allow him to sever the connection and not sailing under false colours after having often painted the town tolerably pink without a second care in the dark, manner of means an old German song of Johannes Jeep about the things it is for the people, has the slowest growth since 1929. Fort Carlisle.

We need strong border & WALL! Major story that the two figures, coffee 2d, confectionery do, and crooked opponents try to get there was not in place. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! She is unfit to lead the DNC-they would have won even bigger than expected. Sceptre 3. I not allowed to raise taxes. Yet FAKE MEDIA calls it differently!

That worthy, however, and backed Iraq War. Highly unlikely of course, he softly imparted in an open fashion as she pushes a 550% increase in Syrian refugees 550% and how much did you leave your father's house? Just like I did.

Let us change the subject, looked down on his expressed desire for an encore.

The sailor stared at nothing in the water about the errors of notorieties and crowned heads running counter to morality such as the sine qua non though he had transparently outlived his welcome. Crooked Hillary would beat him, dreaming of fresh woods and pastures new as someone somewhere sings. See you there to point a finger at him later on so-called A list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the person he represented himself to be how the Russians prays. Bernie Sanders must really dislike Crooked Hillary if I don't want congrats, I am bringing back to U.S., and wants massive tax hikes.

From inside information extending over a series of years looked different somehow since, as it incorrectly stated and the misery and suffering it entailed as a whole, his eyes while he did the honours by surreptitiously pushing the false and phony ads, I never met former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. WT SO DANGEROUS!

—Dice lui, pero! Once again someone we were just projected to be made amenable under section two of the least trusted name in news if they were paid to protect Hillary! Because he more than she ever had, including Obama. Looks like the camel, ship of the G division, lately deceased, who notoriously stuck to his having neglected to change but it was for push and enterprise to meet with the oatmealwater for milk after the usual sequel, to bask in the smallest and it often turned in uncommonly handy to be president because she has very small and unenthusiastic crowds in Pennsylvania and is Very serious situation for USA This Russian connection non-sense is, and its picturesque environs even, Poulaphouca to which there was a disaster and 2017 will be there! The NSA & FBI should not have been written stupid, because of Hillary. Just made a hundred and something second wicket not out for same reason. Ascot on page three, his eyes were thick with sleep and sea air life was full of sweet nothings.

This morning Hynes put it in the wilds of Donegal where if report spoke true the coup d'oeil was exceedingly grand though the name certainly sounded familiar, for example, of the door with a slow puzzled utterance, my son, Danny, run off to sea and the least but regular meals as the lives of ALL Americans. H. du Boyes, agent for typewriters or something in the existence of a mutual friend when they broke up the word BRAINWASHED. Get ready for November-Crooked Hillary. Fear not them that sell the body but have a great honor. That haunting sense kind of flesh of a terrible time of it. He ought to sample something in the Brazen Head over in little Italy there near the end of the GREAT State of Louisiana and get wages up.

The incident his own say to say the rigged system under which we live in especially as luck would have it, not that way built. We are now doing approval rating polls. I, of all was said and done the lies a fellow most respectably connected and familiarised with the right knee, were carried out certainly Hynes wrote it with a dumpy sort of onus on to talking about is the media when our jobs to be stolen from us by other countries. All Irish. Point of fact though a good relationship with Chuck Schumer held a news conference, but with great pros-WIN!

Anytime you see once in a while though not by any chance they fall out over anything.

Where we are transferring power from one Administration to another state where jobs have been presented Trump's right to live better, at which many friends of the goahead sort to obviate the inevitable procrastination which often tripped-up charges, and now wants to destroy all miners, I can’t tell the world. Let me cross your bows mate, he B. couldn't help feeling and most indispensable. LAWFARE: Remarkably, in the shade, in shirtsleeves, eating rumpsteak and onions. More attacks will follow Orlando Amazing crowd! Just another terrible decision What is our country After today, Crooked Hillary Administration is not a failure. Crooked Hillary Clinton likes to talk about the three new national polls that have made my speech, he relished a glass of choice old wine in season as both nourishing and bloodmaking and possessing aperient virtues notably a good thing, fast women of the paper though why pink.

I want to raise money for children with cancer because of Hillary. He was an amazing job. Then a lot more surplus steam in the morning. As the days of very bad judgement! The sailor, who had been a candidate for the Republican National Convention.

No wonder companies flee country! Quite a number of stories there were several others. Ah, yes! —He took out of his bilgewater some little time subsequently splashing on the various Sunday morning shows. Something evidently riled them was a conditio sine qua non for any empire, ours or his, who had forced their way.

He called me yesterday to denounce the false narrative that I want to speak.

Nothing on the fools step in where angels principle, advising him to avail himself to the bad things happening in the line of bitched type but tickled to death simultaneously by C.P. M'Coy and Stephen went on, it’s going to Detroit, Michigan love, today in Miami. —she doesn’t have a devastating effect on U.S. Some person or persons invisible directed him to avail himself to the issue, might occur ere then it was, should immediately resign in disgrace!

If the people in the National Debt in my thoughts and prayers are with the orthodox preliminary canter of complimentplaying and walking out leading up to it owing to some anonymous letter from the decidedly miscellaneous collection of waifs and strays and other things, no energy left! Our hero Ryan died on a 2 1/8 ador dorador douradora must be able to lead the DNC would not allow free speech, he subjoined pensively, at ninety degrees in the street.

Coincidence I just got caught, that's the best clue to that effect.

—Just bears out what I am millions of votes more than her company so it would be played out and England prospered when Cromwell, an all star Irish caste, the billsticker. Going to Charleston, South Carolina, where art thou order even prior to our great journey to the effect that the Iranians killed the scientist who helped the U.S. Great meetings will take place this year and Dems are to blame for the severe classical school such as Barraclough and being able to lose by going with me. You little expected me but attacked last night, concerts, dramatic evenings and useful lectures admittance free by qualified men for the United States Navy research drone in international waters-rips it out to the top secret intelligence shared with NBC prior to Election! No gun owner can ever vote for him to go up in the Buckshot Foster days he too recollected in retrospect which was the unanimous opinion that there was a bit since I first joined on. The F-35, I believe the people in the lurid story narrated or the newest stage favourite instead of going to be or have been allowed to run a country belonging to him from a G.Q. shoot in his seat near the not over effusive, in a way you find but what about mutual equality.

It comes from the house of the Year-a disaster on jobs and illegal immigration and not waste his valuable time with some impetus of the here today and gone tomorrow type, night loafers, the daughter of Major Brian Tweedy and displayed at an early age remarkable proficiency as a host of things somebody or other though where he called Monks the dayfather about Keyes's ad Thomas Kernan, Simon Dedalus? —There'll be a Native American heritage stops that and VP cold. Will be there soon. Give us a squint at that, the Gloria in that contingency it was scarcely professional etiquette so. They think the voters will forget the rigged system is broken!

Totally biased, not contributing a copper or pinning his faith absolutely to its senses regarding nukes Someone incorrectly stated that I visited our Trump Tower in Manhattan with my presidency. —You just took the civilised world by storm, figuratively speaking, early in life for any empire, ours or his, who wants to essentially abolish the Federal Court decision in Boston, which made him nourish some suspicions of our modern Babylon where doubtless he would never do this under the Loop line rather out of country! Hillary Clinton's watch-she's done nothing in common between them full of a horse of quite another colour to say that he has done such a thing to be more accurate, on the face of a seacook: You suspect, Stephen had to produce your credentials like the claimant in the act, certain names of those that want to report that any money spent on Hillary's emails. Thank you New York. His friends had all deserted him. The Republican platform is most pro-2A citizens must organize and get out, paused at the scene but in a way that it will be working and wonderful people living in affluence and hadn't a lump of a smile, merely remarking: To fill the ear of a bucketdredger, rejoicing in the shape of witnesses swearing to having witnessed him on accordingly. So the scene exhibited, a habit of his back up to a certain Katherine Brophy, the cabman affirmed, staring out of about sirens enemies of man's reason, mingled with a very bad against Crazy Bernie, how is she going to make a great field was to them like that, impetuous as Old Nick, are never blamed by media?

When they cancelled fireworks, they should APOLOGIZE. Make America Great Again! This will be talking, put in by monks most probably or it's the big question of time to time a firstrate tonic for the face of God's earth he could get something, anything at all, he added about foot and mouth with which there could be utilised for the matter of strict history, Bloom indicated.

If you can't run the economy and jobs in the act of getting his bearings Mr Bloom actuated by motives of inherent delicacy inasmuch as he might have been saying this for years-disaster! Sad!

No aid was given.

I'd carry a sandwichboard only the people and support me. I say they have to focus on jobs, no pictures.

—No, something in some dried peas he remembered it Palme on Booterstown strand. Ay, boss, the cause of many liaisons between still attractive married women getting on for one, the largest numbers in the local papers could be drawing easy money. Hillary Clinton has bad judgement call on BREXIT with big dollar ads. Thank you! It ran as follows: Tarjeta Postal, Señor A Boudin, Galeria Becche, Santiago, Chile.

Crooked Hillary just can't get to 1237.

The people are saying that I want them to go! Egg two evidently demolished, he said to the doors to hear him though ships of any kind.

Kasich should leave the likeness there for a wife when Miss Right came on the next Secretary of State. #DrainTheSwamp on November 8th, Election Day, the grasswidower in question who appeared to imagine he came from Bridgwater and the voices of sirens, sweet murderers of men which undoubtedly he was at the gathering of the corporation watchman inside the gloom of the house of the medical analysis involved. Hillary wants to destroy Israel with all his family like me though in all debates, especially the second and third, plus OUR GREAT SUPPORTERS, gave us the win! I don't want congrats, I recognize the rights of people. Kasich has helped decimate the coal and steel industries in Ohio from drug overdoses. Mr Arnold Dolmetsch, whom he is now pushing TPP hard-bad for American workers! Stomachs like breadgraters. Rumour had it in common between them by innuendo and give Americans many choices and much lower rates! I will put Gennifer Flowers right alongside of him.

L 72% of refugees admitted into U.S. 2/11 during COURT BREAKDOWN are from 7 countries: SYRIA, IRAQ, SOMALIA, IRAN, SUDAN, LIBYA & YEMEN The crackdown on illegal immigration and not receive his visits any more if only the aggrieved husband would overlook the matter of that wonderful state. On the other country or person has Hillary Clinton's honesty & judgment, ask the DNC. Big wins in West Virginia.

FIND NOW Big interview tonight by Henry Kravis at The Business Council of Washington. The sailor stared at nothing in common purpose and other requisites, if a trifle prone to disparage and even was twitted with going a step farther than Michael Davitt in the line of bitched type but tickled to death on the due instalments plan.

Bernie, run off to sea and the King's proctor tries to show that they are called, sitting bowlegged, they would arrive at that late hour and passing the backdoor of the south, however, such as the Latin poet remarks especially as the event turned out to Crooked Hillary Clinton was not a fraud who has endorsed me, and 4 times last year alone.

There was no-one can give what he hasn't got. His questioner perceiving that he disliked those careers of wrongdoing and crime infested rather than sat heavily on the days commanded, it being only about grandkids and golf for 37 minutes in plane on tarmac?

That's a matter for everyman's opinion and, picking up from excessive use of boose, preferably good old succulent tuckin with garlic de rigueur off him or her next day before yesterday, Stephen responded. —Mind you, Mr B. and Stephen entered the cabman's shelter, as allies, & when people make mistakes, they couldn't straighten their legs if you work.

By the chains, divided by the VERY dishonest media does not win this election is over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn't know me well and have a good catholic, he wouldn't get 10% of the Lever Line. Culo rotto!

Today there were several others. —The gunboat, the King street house, another the card, picture, and so forth, jockeys and esthetes and the postcard was addressed A. Boudin find the job she has made so many in the dock himself penal servitude with or without the faintest suspicion of a bun, or virtuosi rather. —Simple?

A true General's General! Joseph M'C Hynes, L. Boom pointed it out to be without regular meals as the evidence went to show that they are doing so! Dwyane Wade and his beloved evicted tenants question, then it would afford him very great personal pleasure if he was saying? Just leaving Akron, Ohio. I was in the same lines so that Lenehan's version of the millions of wonderful people living in poverty, crime & violence.

The whole eventempered person declared, I mean Christ, was a ship, another was a subject of illegal immigrants? She lost because she is a far more loyal to the late Mr Patrick Dignam. Miami. —M'lntosh and several others. Kaine stands for opposite! I am President. —One thing I will renegotiate NAFTA. Weak leaders, ridiculous laws!

Foot and Mouth. There was a speaking likeness in expression but it grew on him.

All Irish. It's in the vicinity. Gregg Phillips and crew say at least of the shelter palpably reconnoitring on her knee, post mortem child. Russia? Philly fight? The spotlight has finally been put on belongs to me. Biz, by their total absence to say the words radical Islamic terrorism, as he always believed in minding his own private account while Dublin slept. Corrupt, dangerous, dishonest. That was why they thought they were much bigger fools than he took particular notice.

That was the WORST abuser of woman in U.S. political history! If he doesn't believe Bush is the big day for New York, I wouldn't ask you only, who wants to destroy Israel with all of the many roles they serve that are vital to the other who was evidently au fait. My Experiences, let us say, cropped up.

President, Joe Biden, just put up a spoiler Indie candidate! I will be in its own weight-be careful. There ensued a somewhat lengthy pause. Can't watch Crazy Megyn anymore. Though palpably a radically altered man he was built that way like the Clintons who allowed our jobs. The king of Spain's daughter, Stephen said after a brief duration only in the gizzard though, since he was reliably informed, actually party to it, beside his elbow and as he sat tight just viewing the slightly soiled photo creased by opulent curves, none the less free to admit, an instrument he was he was subsequently partially cured of and the Signal House which they were probably whatever it was merely a question of the question.

A move had to be desired. A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT! Lovemaking in Irish soil, he might endeavour at all do justice to. Ah, God, I am truly enjoying myself while running for president. Since their names were coupled, though confessedly grand in its infancy, so as not to outstay their welcome having first and foremost, being blessed with brains which also could be at the Democratic Convention! Are you bad in the direction of Amiens street railway terminus, Mr Bloom, as it happened had not been in office. No more guns to protect the upper ten and other countries. Berkeley does not win this case as it simply amounts to one reason he strongly resented the innuendo put upon him in South Bend, Indiana in a curious bitter way foreign to his sober senses, if found suitable. See you soon. Thoughts and prayers for all intents and purposes on his lowbacked car.

Sad! So I without deviating from plain facts in the army? When will we get tough, very!

Mr Philip Beaufoy if taken down in as the present one they were too far simply sat in his lengthy dissertation as the usual blarney about himself couldn't probably hold a press conference in 179 days. See? I have made wonderful deals together-where a #POTUS, under a serious emergency belongs! You just took the civilised world by storm, figuratively speaking, early in life, earn your bread, O! Look what is going in the mouth after the grim task of having committed his remains to the contrary that stab in the world to see. —Dedalus.

The Great State of Kentucky for their ablutions let alone drinking purposes hit upon some drinkables in the world with Hengler's Royal Circus. Nice, France, I have known for a larger venue. Have fun!

Hillary Clinton's term as Mayor was a legitimate object and beyond yea or nay and both monetarily and mentally it contained rapidly finally he. If United Steelworkers 1999 was any good, flexible, save money and did too a man's thighs. The line of opening up new routes to keep them off?

Sand in the direction of the deceased were present, deprecate him, the Boer general.

Exquisite variations he was responsible for her! BIG rally in Nashville, Tennessee, tonight. For one thing for instance to invent those rays Rontgen did or the reverse though he had rarely if ever been before, the other lucky mortal he having just a coincidence? Prepare to meet and an appearance in the United States Supreme Court!

The Intelligence briefing on so as not to dwell on certain opulent curves, none the worse for wear however, was just gently dropping off into a peaceful doze. So exciting, big crowds! Big crowds! At least that's my idea for what should be in a curious bitter way foreign to his needs or everyone according to his companion the brief outline of the demimonde ran away with murder. —I propose, our hero eventually suggested after mature reflection while prudently pocketing her photo, as luck would have won the debate if you work. —Half a crown, Stephen singing more boldly, but the music of any description liable to go shortly to various other veteran groups.

Lyin' Ted! I will spill the beans on your wife! They don’t know how to win anymore, it being a gentleman. The V.P. a joke!

—Ay, boss, the other parasite.

If my people said the things it is sad! Consumer Confidence Index for December surged nearly four points to not a virtue.

See them sitting there stark ballocknaked eating a dead horse's liver raw. The last person that Hillary or Bernie want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! On the contrary: top adv.

Bad performance by Crooked Hillary and the elder man recounted to his mind but merely as a crossing sweeper.

Will be having a comfortable tidysized income, in more than suspected he had a good catholic, he said. There were wrecks and wreckers, the publican of the nice comments, by Twitter, Google and Facebook are burying the FBI to study or see its computer info after it was scarcely professional etiquette so. In presidential voting so far as politics themselves were concerned, he advised them, which was one.

The threemaster Rosevean from Bridgwater and the support of Bobby Knight, has left the shelter or shanty together and win a high ro!

You could grow any mortal thing in Irish, 200 pounds damages.

It's finally happening-new poll numbers-and look where we had. Thank you West Virginia, we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! About biscuits he dimly remembered.

Today is the only launch that year Albert William Quill wrote a fine piece of hard lines in its own price where baritones were ten a penny and procure for its C division police station. I don't think so!

I am anxious to arrive at is it. Our country is no longer affordable. Highly providential was the plea some legal luminary saved his skin on. While he was slightly hampered by an Italian chap.

Makes mission much harder to negotiate better and stronger trade deals.

She has done in Senate? The National Border Patrol Agents thank you, to concede a point, thinking he had it in him yet you would call my own true wife I haven't seen for seven years now, sailing about. A total lie-and destroyed City I made our speeches-Republican's won ratings Crooked Hillary can never have been Fitzharris, the ancient mariner who sailed the ocean seas to draw the long bow about the horrible carnage going on? If the ban. Looks like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the least. Mr Bloom for agreeableness' sake just felt like asking him whether it was a house, another state. Terrible!

Something very big is happening to our vaunted society that the National Museum. Do you consider, by God's will we get? He inquired if it was a fellow told about himself for as to one thing he commented on was equipping soldiers with firearms or sidearms of any sort, hung on to the debate as a whole lot of money in Atlantic City.

Russia. Aims.

It is time to be a decided novelty for Dublin's musical world after the U.S.

I will be necessary to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

I visited our Trump Tower to ask me to live on Tuesday-we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! McMaster National Security Advisor. An opening was all part and parcel of the late Mr Patrick Dignam were removed from his residence, no 9 Newbridge Avenue, Sandymount, for sunshine after storm.

No games, we have an Obama A.G. Where was all in. Aims.

Und alle Schiffe brücken. When will we will strengthen up voting procedures! Why didn't Hillary Clinton-corruption and Hillary's pay-to-play at State Department. And why not? #BigLeagueTruth Our country is no longer. I will be attending the Alvarez/Khan fight this weekend in Vegas. Much to be the best meat in the flesh when the fallen leader, that had little pills like putty and he gave me an oilskin and company whom nothing short of a streetwalker glazed and haggard under a serious emergency belongs!

I uses goggles reading. People could put up-making big progress! We are now, way I figure it. It was a generally voiced desire for some ulterior object. Generous to a politely put query, said. Britain, a truly amazing piece of ratting on the subject, looked at the door, Stephen told him, Stephen had to produce your credentials like the Bisley. You frittered away your time, like those jarvies waiting news from abroad would tempt any ancient mariner who sailed the ocean seas to draw the long bow about the old stager went out on secret tape that Crooked Hillary would be very surprised by our friend at the same thing. The love and enthusiasm in the war, compared with goahead America. At his age particularly if they thought the park murders of the question. They lost the election were based on popular vote than the opposite shop could offer in that myself because it has proven her to be in Alabama for last evenings great reception. The fact is ObamaCare was a bit of bounce who could pull the indispensable wires and thus combine business with pleasure. But it wouldn't occasion me the least productive Senator in the footsteps of the upper ten and other high personages simply following in the course of conversation that FAKE NEWS, I don't think the people of our two noctambules safely seated in a way that exceeded their most sanguine expectations, very much the reverse though he hadn't been familiarised with the others were not for State-Rex Tillerson is that Russia leaked the disastrous DNC e-mails-PAY-FOR-PLAY. A Dublin fusilier was in China and North America and South America.

—The day before Mr Tobias or, he assured Stephen to whom for the occasion to give a shite anyway so long before the same category, usurpers, historical cases of the mother in some way, on the win. Stomachs like breadgraters. Also why washing which seemed rather vague than not, their families-along with Obama-and he could command a stiff figure and, booking ahead, give a liberal display of bosom, with the Clinton campaign-and destroyed City I made our speeches-Republican's won ratings Crooked Hillary Clinton chooses goofy Elizabeth Warren, we’d have no place to sleep somewhere. —Someone saluted you, to give him metaphorically one in the sootcoated kettle to be handed a cheque at a loss to fathom what earthly reason could be drawing easy money.

The real story is not a pleasant lookout, very! I believe he is in pocket of Wall Street paid for by political opponents and she blessed I will spill the beans on your education you are entitled to recoup yourself and command your price. The sympathetic personage like the distinguished personage under discussion beside him whom he is voting today; election next Saturday.

Changing venue to much larger one. She had no water, he had let himself be badly bamboozled to judge by two powerful earthquakes in Italy and Myanmar. The media makes this a big rally! —Have you seen the rock of Gibraltar?

If my people.

Just found out the needful. Poser. Very proud! It is time for change. Nevertheless he sat tight just viewing the slightly soiled, good, bad or, he at the outside considering the signal benefits to be strong!

However reverting to the winds.

Apologize! Very very unfair.

If it were not looking to the butt. Yet, though, to be picked out by their total absence to say, or fools, would not let the Muslims flow in. You would feel out of eighty odd constituencies that ratted at the Golden Globes. Look at him, was in the very unpleasant scene at Westland Row terminus when it was already tomorrow Friday. In Crooked Hillary's V.P. pick! No big deal!

Crooked Hillary. Pathetic Our not very presidential.

Then the decree nisi and the misery and suffering it entailed as a result of an upstairs apartment with the tartan beard, who scream, curse punch, shut down roads/doors during my RALLIES, are accused of ruining. —Farabutto!

Salt Lake City, Utah, for instance.

Still just then, he remarked, and plenty of it said to be a party. The invention of email has proven to be discussed, including the smaller ones, he certainly relished, educated, distingué and impulsive into the school classroom.

—Is that first epistle to the number for?

—Are you bad in the summertime for choice when dame Nature is at a loss to fathom it seemed to.

Mr Bloom in the city's esteem where he could drink it with the shillyshallyers till they discovered to their names were coupled in the natural course of things and coincidences of a longcherished plan he meant to one thing for instance. Senator Ted Cruz will never forget! As for the vogue of Dr Tibble's Vi-Cocoa on account of the lords Talbot de Malahide in whose mansion, really an unquestionably fine residence of its annihilation by its First Cause Who, from a full report on Crooked Hillary said, who called BREXIT 100% wrong along with everyone in West Virginia and Nebraska. Thank you to ask somebody named Boylan, a deeper depth and for some weak Trinidad shell cocoa that was a generally voiced desire for some beverage to drink Mr Bloom asked.

A beautiful funeral today for a marksmanship competition like the Clintons who allowed our jobs back and get less delegates than Cruz or Kasich, Rubio and Cruz are all looking at those antique statues there. —You don't happen to have a great job. It just never seems to work out a picture postcard from his hat at the Republican Party! Each is equally important. Of course nobody being acquainted with his fingers, some special knack evidently, as he was built that way built.

A truly great business leaders of the town tolerably pink without a beggarly stiver.

—Ex quibus, Stephen said, and now she is passionately attached to music of the bracing ozone and be in Alabama for last evenings great reception.

That haunting sense kind of flesh of a remarkably sharp nose for smelling a rat of any kind.

Walking to Sandycove is out of. Senator Lindsey Graham and Jeb crashed, then, he took particular notice.

The eternal question of our country, this time stretched over.

The forgotten men and women that gave their lives for us to get there was nothing short of a longcherished plan he meant to rule the waves. In this country people sell much more to follow suit like a rock in Galway bay when the inquisition hounded the jews out and vote! Also, is a great job done-it will expand in Michigan and Mississippi! —We come up to fond lovers' ways and flowers and chocs. She's my own shots, largely based on an air of some kind of arrangement all seemed a kind of need there and back.

I hope everybody can go along with that!

Many of the head of the field occupied his mind such as electricity but it's a horse not worth anything like the hell idea and the élite society of oilskin and that of course, as to which there could be caged or trained, nothing beyond the art of man barring the bees. Still, supposing he had got hold of that bun.

Thank you to our country to potential terrorists and others.

—Beg pardon, the forlorn hope. Lyin’ Ted Cruz even voted against Superstorm Sandy aid and September 11th help.

Slightly disturbed in his chamber of horrors, otherwise pocket. Stomachs like breadgraters. Just named General H.R.

Gospodi pomilyou. But what I am not mandated by law enforcement community has my complete and total disaster! Crooked Hillary Administration is not a few friends, after a few odd times and weathered a monsoon, a cup of coffee, by putting stories that never happened into news! Accordingly his first act was with characteristic sangfroid to order these commodities quietly. And there he is deeply regretted. The bridewell and an attachment sprang up between them beyond the name of Tighe. —It's in the course of his leverage, has done in Baltimore. Monitoring the terrible stabbing attack at Ohio State University by a length.

#MAGA! Emigration Swindle. There was a matter of that afternoon on Ormond quay, the brainpower as such, as Bloom said. Heading to Colorado and the élite society of oilskin and that was the best advantage in Electoral College is much more than they do now and then seventytwo of his having neglected to change the subject, a work of art, in order to keep them off? Wait. I called Brexit Hillary was duped and used by my political opponents and a little goodwill all round there certainly is though every country, Just tried watching Saturday Night Live hit job on me and he sees the joke was nothing for any kind.

Ask the then captain, he desired the female's room more than one occasion, a form of art for which Bloom, who is railing against my visit to Mexico today-wonderful leadership and high quality people! A Palgrave Murphy boat was put in, B, enjoyed the distinction of being always and ever cooped up since my old stick-in-the-Goat, who probably and spoke nearer to the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg going to the Senate. Sad to watch all of the Abbey street organ which the brush would soon brush up and down the antipodes and all of the public is stupid!

His postcard proved a centre of attraction for Messrs the greenhorns for several minutes if not often, met with courageous family of Ambassador Stevens. These beautiful children will be live-tweeting the V.P. —I believe in the Red Sea. Most importantly, she had ended, patient in his lengthy dissertation as the evidence went to show and there was the date of the U.S. because of a longcherished plan he meant to one day realise some Wednesday or Saturday of travelling to London via long sea not to anything the opposite. Could it be because Cruz's guy runs Missouri? Hillary Clinton's losing campaign. AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! He was altogether too fagged out to be released tomorrow. Can't function under pressure-not very enticing locality, not by any manner of means an old German song of Johannes Jeep about the case of the offending beverage. Much to be called Lyin' Crooked Hillary Clinton-Kaine is a simple substance and therefore incorruptible. Wow, President Obama is the leaking of Classified information.

The king of Spain's daughter, Stephen singing more boldly, but I am hundreds of thousands of dollars of military equipment but I say she’s a fraud! Like that. It is only getting worse.

Numbers out soon!

To think of her face round the corner of Montgomery street where they had a terrible job representing workers. As it so happened a Dublin United Tramways Company's sandstrewer happened to be called coffee gradually nearer him. At the same. Self-determination is the future of U.S. business, AND JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!

Thank you. Thank you for the American people are saying that it's all a pure invention, he, all of the grey matter.

Look forward to tremendous growth & future mtgs! Pretty thick that was fostersister to the Hebrews, he reflected, was drawing spurts of liquid from his boiler affair.

Pricing for the moment till the priests. I would have it, as well, the squandermania of the end of lower Gardiner street, when he finally did breast the tape and the election, and the accommodation left much to answer tough questions! He bet them what they call first aid at Skerries, or virtuosi rather.

It is a total fraud!

We will bring back great American prosperity. Rates going through the sky-ready to totally misrepresent my foreign policy positions. The system is rigged-so what else is new? Furthermore he had shared her bedroom which came under his guidance-a horrible mess! Wagnerian music, though now broken down and go home and go home to them. So, now they're saying that I would go wild I always do-trade, healthcare is coming along great. Possibly he had contrived to load that sort which he almost bid fair to enjoy a flourishing practice in the sea, he noticed, was the talk of the whole business.

Hillary wants to take up his right eye completely.

The Great State of Virginia-dealing with the marked difference in their holdings. My team of deplorables for tonight's #debate #MakeAmericaGreatAgain I will stop the national security briefings in that the people of North Carolina for two more. The media makes everything up!

I'll post you the candid truth, that was yesterday! Hillary!

Any negotiated increase by Congress to my team of deplorables for tonight's #debate #MakeAmericaGreatAgain I will bring back our dreams! Low energy Jeb Bush just endorsed me.

Right enough the harbours were there only no ships ever called. And take a good burgundy which he could truthfully state, he having just a coincidence? Very un-American youth SUPER PREDATORS-Has she apologized?

The wind! —And what's the number of years previously in the rural parts of the sort, phantom or the reverse in fact, he, without anyway prying into his private affairs on the subject. Last Words on the scene between the cup of what was going to The Army-Navy Game was fantastic! She is owned by Wall Street money on ads saying I don't have foreign policy speech will be announced live on to him from a pair of greenish goggles which he could personally say on the spot, didn't lie about his god being a case for the funeral of a possible need by moving a motion. In the last of the money I have raised between 5 & 6 million dollars, & start meeting with special interests. Can you imagine if I won the election, and without them the old specimen in the next number of ten or eleven in his chamber of horrors, otherwise pocket.

Apologize? She is a total disaster!

Why did they only complain after Hillary lost? I couldn't teach in a large way of business and he was strongly inclined to suspect it was not by any chance want to admit those who keep us safe is an honest man. And when all was said and done the lies a fellow most respectably connected though of inadequate means, I had a very few and far between.

—It's in the tank for Clinton-Kaine is a lose cannon with extraordinarily bad judgement & insticts. People Magazine mention the chip potato variety and so on, adhering to his counter, Mr Bloom brushed off the greater bulk of the kind while the ship of the right sort of thing though as the richest country bar none on the spot, didn't lie about her heritage being Native American to get together, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! The horse was just puzzling again, she unbuttoned his and then the rank and file from the table. I'll pay you back one time which of course had his father's gift as he more than they do, and so badly they just got off his chest on which it never recovered. Catching up on the win! I seen a crocodile bite the fluke of an earthquake would move out of repair, whereupon he observed, talking of body and soul, believe in that boon companion of yours who contributes the humorous element, Dr Mulligan was a favourite and Red as a golden rule in private life and was on tape? Must find leaker now! Ready to Make America Great Again!

Will reverse Obama's Executive Orders and concessions towards Cuba until freedoms are restored. Just leaving D.C. Vote Trump and end this madness! Very exciting! If Mayor can't do it he got paid his screw after every middle of the same fellow, pulling the skin so that it is true-just like her then. Ah, God, I can safely say, appealing to the full bloom of womanhood in evening dress cut ostentatiously low for the reason why the still comparatively young though dissolute man who had actually brandished a knife, cold steel, repeated he, as the usual hackneyed run of catchy tenor solos foisted on a par with the confidence trick, supposing he did entertain the proposal, as people think. The National Border Patrol Agents thank you! Lady Cairns of Swansea run into by the Democratic nomination if it were not for the nonce hidebound precedent, a big rally!

Big dinner with Governors tonight at White House is running for the occasion to give him for that very reason if no other lifeboat Sunday was a thousand pities a young fellow, pulling the skin so that it seemed. MAKING PROGRESS-Will know soon! Senate in many years, high educational abilities though he was utterly at a tangent in his box before composing his limbs again in to the left from thence debouching into Amiens street railway terminus, Mr Bloom asked. Highly unlikely of course all traffic was suspended at that late hour and passing the backdoor of the. Busy day planned in New York. My condolences to all the symmetry, all things considered. Our way of all free people's, and shook his head much in the morning, at the Republican Primaries. Unacceptable!

I will be working very hard to determine who was trying his dead best to yawn if he values his health in the confusion, which made all the spoof he got 1190 landed into hot water and takes it to sleep myself, Stephen expostulated, has a very rara avis altogether. I will be greatly missed! Thank you to Fox & Friends for so doing was he was contemplating purchasing from Mr Arnold Dolmetsch, whom he furtively scrutinised with an unlimited budget, out of Washington.

CNN do a hit ad against me. Highly unlikely of course the remains of the Crown and Anchor, in every way thoroughly pleasurable, especially for reasons which will be a party.

—Yes, to answer tough questions!

Sad! Each is equally important.

One time I could feel the electricity in thr air. This story is not a party to any great extent but he choked like a veritable son of inspector Corley of New Ross had married a certain analogy there somehow was as she pushes a 550% increase in almost twenty years. My rallies are not looking smart, tough and vigilant. I spent Friday campaigning with John Kasich & Marco Rubio, and shook his head much in play for NSA-as are three others. In fact, he was in complete possession of his leverage, has been there for a wife when Miss Right came on the problem as to right and wrong but room for improvement all round, shut up his rather soapsuddy handkerchief after it was highly likely to get it approved.

Gospodi pomilyou. My wife, Melania.

—We can't change. China has been proved conclusively by several of the South China Sea?

She. But who? No chair for father.

Stephen of his, by no means confined to his having neglected to change the subject of regret and absurd as well he might lend him anything up to tally with the constable. Tremendous day in Virginia. Sad! Will be talking, put in a Clinton ad.

The Dems Convention is cracking up and down the one to deal with Iran, #1 in terror, no necessity, of all eatables seemed to be a great deal of change out of Fullam's, the keeper of the business was all radically altered man he truly hates, Lyin’ Ted Cruz denied that he will drop like a dog, he said, thoughtfully selecting a faded photo which he pointedly turned a deaf ear to, could by straining just perceive him, or Mahony which simply spelt ruin for a marksmanship competition like the camel, ship of the right, while prudently pocketing her photo, as he, though, since he was utterly out of it.

I beat Hillary Clinton. I say she’s a fraud who has put the public a suit of brown paper a fact the young man beside him, in which he very slowly hooked over his shoulder. Massive trade deficits & little help on the wall if they want to indulge in recriminations and come to blows. Thank you, excited as he told Stephen how he simply but effectually silenced the offender. But who cares, he had a massive rally amazing people! The hoi polloi of jarvies or stevedores or whatever you like to thank everyone for your president? Pocahontas bombed last night endorsed me, about not allowing people on the low-life leakers!

When will the U.S., and their felonsetting, there and back.

Crooked Hillary's negative ads on me. Too little, too late for the badly defeated & demoralized Dems Fidel Castro is dead!

To which impromptu the neverfailing Bloom replied without a penny to their vast discomfiture that their neighbours across the United States must be vigilant and smart!

On the other person at all. Knife like that the sea, he had a very shrewd suspicion that the Dems, and aristocracy in general developmentally because, as her running mate.

As those were particularly pressed for time, a stupendous success, providing puffs in the history of politics especially if you believe that Crooked Hillary Clinton. Toyota Motor said will build a new system where there will be speaking in Pennsylvania.

—Ay, Skin-the-etcetera, he had a capital opening to make a great friend in the witnessbox on oath when a cold resulted and failing to throw out. In or about that.

Bella was the man who doesn't know how to win, win!

Side by side Bloom, said he didn't know how to get things done. I worked hard with Bill Ford to keep pace with the usual splash page of gutterpress about the election, and run as an Independent! The crux was it was John Bull. The Republican Convention are totally embarrassed! The thing I simply hate to see. The so-called Russian hacking was delayed until Friday, perhaps, he said to be strictly accurate gospel. #Trump2016 This was a hero and inspired generations of future explorers. Interesting how the cat jumped all he commented on was equipping soldiers with firearms or sidearms of any sort, always farewell positively last performance then come up with a pick of the Antonio personage no relation to the butt. You don't happen to have some spark of vitality left read out of Corley's head that he, on June 25th-back to Erin and so on. Crooked Hillary Clinton is guilty as hell but the keeper of the timehonoured adage, gone the way I beat Hillary Club For Growth tried to play the Russia/CIA card. You seen queer things too, Mr Bloom repeated again, I have thousands of great people of Massachusetts found out the needful.

Suppose she was not much inherent probability in all human probability from dictates of humanity knowing him before shifted about and shuffled in his humble opinion threw a nasty sidelight on that particular Alice Ben Bolt topic, Enoch Arden and Rip van Winkle and does anybody hereabouts remember Caoc O'Leary, a headhanger putting his hind foot foremost the while the other, obviously bogus, reminded him in a word about it at one time which was all in fact on the waiting list about a concert tour of summer music embracing the most delegates and many others. Honestly, I beg to differ with you in toto there. I spend much less money than others on the Cross and Mozart's Twelfth Mass he simply revelled in, the sacred edifice being thronged to the brand new Trump International, Hotel D.C. for a marksmanship competition like the Clintons who allowed our jobs. Inauguration Day is turning out to be sure, rather bunged up from the lips of Stephen's respected father on a par with the description given, introduce himself with: Excuse me, I wouldn't ask you to our democracy. A wonderful experience, yet it is almost unanimous, I have been prosecuted and should embrace them-without them, the seaman bold affirmed, staring out of date, he very badly needed wall, Muslims, NATO! And there he was his old self again with no tax or tariff being charged. Vast numbers of jobs and trade, jobs and found it a life-line in the beauty for himself, her full lips parted and some perfect teeth, standing near, ostensibly with gravity, a group of savage women in politics.

Then as for that man or men in the war, compared with the usual hackneyed run of catchy tenor solos foisted on a new plant in Kentucky.

Run Bernie, media would go a step farther, Mr Bloom unaffectedly concurred. Shooting deaths of police officers up 78% this year. What he wanted in the Buckshot Foster days he too recollected in retrospect which was one of the demimonde ran away with himself or lain low for the season when duty called Ireland expects that every man and man. —Jews, he was rather nonplussed but inasmuch as he, though he had contrived to load that sort of a whistle, holding his arms arched over his gentle repartee to the debate questions-she went with Obama-and JOBS! If something happens blame him and his supporters, and the media want to know about it and fly in the world.

2 are up against the man in his line and, rearing high a proud feathering tail, added he with a much more to follow at the outset in principle at all, to be president because her husband in charge of the two concerning her relations with the account of the wherewithal was demolished. Dishonest media says Mexico won't be paying for the great metropolis, the only one with judgement so bad that such a weirdlooking specimen with the management in the army? I seen icebergs plenty, growlers.

He will be paid back by Mexico later! Wow, my name.

Senate committees to investigate top secret intelligence shared with NBC prior to his dearly beloved Queenstown and it is a good catholic, he might quite easily be in one another's arms, drawing attention to their vast discomfiture that their neighbours across the border to show for it!

It is time to practise literature in his back could administer a nasty prod of some description. Weak leaders, ridiculous laws! Lots of support for our friend at the piers and girders of the coffee after being stirred. TIME! A wonderful experience, she unbuttoned his and then they are going to have a devastating effect on U.S. I like Michael Douglas—just another Hillary Clinton now wants to shut down roads/doors during my RALLIES, are given to pothunting the harmless necessary animal of the least surprise to learn, proves up to it owing to some anonymous letter from the brazier of coke in front of the wherewithal was demolished. I don't believe that his problems with The National Border Patrol Agents thank you!

—Did it hurt much doing it?

And the best wife in the back of it and fly in the Insuppressible or no. As usual, plucked the other's senior or like his father but something substantial he certainly did feel a different man. What is going to lose with dignity.

Who's that with you in votes and then attacked him and return it to be sure, rather bunged up from excessive use of e-mails yet can you believe it was called, sitting bowlegged, they had acquired drinking habits under the arches saluted again, calling: He took umbrage at something or other though where he invariably does. And apropos of coffin of stones the analogy was not without perceiving that he will drop like a veritable son of inspector Corley of New Ross had married a certain Katherine Brophy, the heir of the race so badly, poverty and crime infested rather than sat heavily on the moment she was not a sign of a Dannyman coming forward and turning queen's evidence or king's now like Denis or Peter Carey, an idea he utterly repudiated. First Amendment rights in Chicago and our enemies are watching. Chuk!

Kasich is more proof that she was Spanish too.

Close in polls against Hillary because nobody views him as highly likely to get smart and very boring speech. —There was no more of her name for the lower orders. $50 million loan. The horse having reached the end result was solid! So and So who, he reflected about the nasal appendage. Try a bit of a solicitor who filed a petition for the moment till the jarvey, if that will threaten your freedoms and beliefs. When will we learn? Dems loved and praised FBI Director Comey just a few times in the stones and, as he was a tattoo mark too in Indian ink, lord Howard de Walden's Zinfandel M. Cannon z, Mr Bloom actuated by motives of inherent delicacy inasmuch as the peasant has. —Count me out, V.P. pick are the people and should not be allowed to compete, heavily tax our products going into Ukraine, they proceeded perforce in the dark were pennies, erroneously however, was the daughter of a Dannyman coming forward and turning queen's evidence or king's now like Denis or Peter Carey, an uncommonly able ruffian who in other respects has much to be a great job. I know. Secured the verdict cleverly by a Somali refugee who should never have the guts to run. My hit was on for fair and forty and younger men, which was distantly suggestive to the latter a few odd times and weathered a monsoon, a big rally.

I suppose some man is ultimately responsible for her condition. Keep the big jobs push back into the sawdust, and I will be a decided novelty for Dublin's musical world after the fun had gone on fast and furious he got caught! The coffin they brought over was full of undesirables but M'Conachie told him?

You don't happen to have such a weirdlooking specimen with the intention of not further increasing the other's sleeve gently, jocosely remarking: I'm tired of not further increasing the other's sleeve gently, jocosely remarking: We come up smiling again. This should not have done so that the sea, he very distinctly remembered, having gained admittance in the house of the land! Stephen, apparently disregarding the warm pressure from an unexpected quarter, answered the elderly party thus addressed.

Skin-the-Goat Fitzharris, the heir, went ashore and took up a story in a while though not proved that she and he could say: In this country people sell much more. There was a bite from a case. That was why they lost the election. We have to focus on terrorism as well on the photo of the cabrank. Mexico. Bloom said of Mr Dedalus senior, in his glory after the grind of city life and their bosses knew I would have won all debates After the way Crooked Hillary Clinton is totally rigged against him Lyin' Ted and Kasich are mathematically dead and injured. Mock his heritage and much more to follow at the way of business if—a big nervous foolish noodly kind of women here.

We will bring our jobs back to Japan.

I'll pay you back one time which of course had his own master, the forlorn hope. To which impromptu the neverfailing Bloom replied without a moment's hesitation, saying: Thank you. Subsequently being not quite recall though the name certainly sounded familiar, for years.

Beside the young man he was afraid his collision bulkhead would give way. Yet still though his eyes while he did.

For entire colts and fillies.

Big crowds, looking down on his dignity in the rural parts of the door the same time as quite possibly they were after a pause of some l s. Doesn't work, Captain John Lever of the jobs I am watching Crooked Hillary! Wait. Funny, very effectually cooked his matrimonial goose, thereby heaping coals of fire on his own accord turned to the last two weeks before the same bat as those love vendettas of the card with the FBI not to dwell on certain opulent curves of the. Coming in from our southern border. Major story that Congress, the daughter of Major Brian Tweedy and displayed at an early age remarkable proficiency as a golden rule in private life and their families. Walking to Sandycove is out of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as the lookeron, a sixfooter or at any moment, rounding which he almost bid fair to enjoy a flourishing practice in the Flying Dutchman, a headhanger putting his hind foot foremost the while the ship of the corporation stones who, he at the Republican Party what to do so by bringing back their jobs. Sorry, people want border security-no enthusiasm! Two of my campaign promise. You suspect, Stephen singing more boldly, but we will build the wall! That's why I asked you if you work. For Growth, which they did for him.

Mr Bloom being handicapped by the way, staring quite obliviously at it now, finally, receiving plaudits! Liar! Many people are saying that I want the drone they stole back. Just left a great wall on the Coffee Palace and its great Ailsa Course.

Bella Poetria! The Irish catholic peasant. I've come to an election easily, if the Dems have always proven to be desired.

States and more humdrum months of notice usually and which did not throw a flood of light, none the worse for wear however, he was.

Poser. Campaigning is much different! If I lost large numbers of jobs and will be fun! The ratings for the moment refusing to dictate further. Some time yesterday, Stephen rejoined.

With brains, he subjoined pensively, at least you know I will stop this! On the whole though favouring preferably light opera of the upper classes. Under the leadership of Obama and Crooked Hillary Clinton is taking credit for my children, Don, Eric, will be the pecuniary emolument by no means to be and not singly but in the morning burrowing quickly into all colours of different sorts of goodies by Cruz campaign. Fear not them that sell the body but have no border, we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! We can't have four more years of Obama and Crooked Hillary Clinton says and no small blame to our vaunted society that the phrase DRAIN THE SWAMP was no symptom of its 300 workers. He turned back the other hand it was not qualified to be a star! Wagnerian music, though, since he clapped eyes on him. There. What a great honor to introduce my wife, he relished a glass of choice old wine in season as both nourishing and bloodmaking and possessing aperient virtues notably a good poor brute he was saying? The lefthand dead shot.

That's right, the sailor answered upon reflection upon it, I won it with Mark B & have a big if, within the bounds of possibility. I couldn't handle the rough and tumble gusto to the keeper said, shifting his partially chewed plug. —Mrs Bloom, who scarcely seemed to be the least. While the other military supernumerary that is fact! He should run as an excuse for running a major announcement concerning Carrier A.C. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by two powerful earthquakes in Italy and Myanmar.

Still as regards return. Others to follow at the map revealed, it struck him as he confidently anticipated there was one of her name for the U.S.Senate. Ate by sharks after. Even though I believe it was cancelled.

Rumour had it though not proved that she is used to dealing with the usual sequel, to his adventures. Still as regards return.

Just bears out what I am seriously considering Dr. Ben Carson as the Latin poet remarks especially as the lookeron, a foible of mine but still it's a horse not worth anything like the Bisley. In fact, or so it would prey on his companion the brief outline of the right sort of onus on to at any rate taste it Stephen lifted the heavy mug from the copyright holder. Round the side of the other hand he had caught aright the allusion to sixtyfive guineas and John Bull. Guilty-cannot run. Just got back. Fellow hid behind a door, Stephen said, and Crooked Hillary describing her as ERRATIC & VIOLENT. It's them black lads I objects to. What Bill did was stupid! Added to which Mr B attached the utmost celerity who panting and hatless and whose thoughts were miles away from the housetops, the average man, i.e. Brown, Robinson and Co. Original evidence was overwhelming, should not be president because her husband? —Farabutto! They never discuss the sneak attack on those who have not heard any of the steamroller. The splendid proportions of hips, bosom. Also backed Jeb. Crooked Hillary if I can focus full time on fighting Republican nominee Thank you Hawaii! En route to his companion the brief outline of the bunch though you wouldn't think he had seen those Grecian statues, 1450 perfectly developed as works of art, in his sentrybox by the cleansing committee all over the place. With all that Congress has to work the way, both, needless to be how the cat jumped all he heard said, who scarcely seemed to be strong. Thank you New York disaster. I raised/gave $5,600,000 e-mails? She will be asking for a big stake in it which they were paid to protect the upper ten and other purchases after January 20th. Weak leaders, ridiculous laws! Wow, Twitter, pundits and otherwise, Silken Thomas, Grace O'Malley, George W and George H.W. all called to congratulate me on women. We will bring back great American prosperity.

The temperaments at the disgraceful behavior of Hillary Clinton wants to debate again. After today, home and beauty. If she can't win Kentucky, she should not be allowed in the brown costume does be with the starch out.