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A Split In MAGA

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Recent developments, including but not limited to the budget bill and floods in Texas, have made me wonder how long the Trump-MAGA penchant for counter-reality could resist breaking against its opposite. I’ve wondered about that long before, but the idealism of expecting this group to recognize, much less respect, reality continued break on the obduracy of the Trump cult.

I’ve paid little attention to QAnon and its related beliefs because they were so absurd. At times, I wished that more polls measured their support, but the pollsters seemed to share my disinterest. Who would have thought that this might be the breaking point?

Because I’m not versed in the lore, I’ll let four of the faithful speak.

An unusual sight: President Trump is getting ratio’d on Truth Social for asking his followers to move on from the Epstein files. Some say he’s “gaslighting,” others say it will cost him supporters or even “kill MAGA.” A sampling of some replies getting heavy engagement.

Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur.bsky.social) 2025-07-13T02:05:22.051Z

Let’s look at each of the responses to Trump’s long post imploring “his boys and gals” to believe his faithful servant Pam Bondi. The break is not between reality and fantasy, but more like between two fantasies.

Trump’s post is getting ratioed, with more comments than likes. Here’s the whole post.

More reaction

The reaction has gotten worse through the week. It’s foolish to try to predict anything, but this is the first time Trump has had such a bad reaction from his own people.

And yes,some of us live in hope.

Update: Apparently Mike Flynn is part of the opposition.

General Flynn is considered a hero in QAnon world, which is one of the main hubs of the Epstein conspiracies that are now mainstream.

Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yasharali.bsky.social) 2025-07-13T03:18:20.327Z

The post A Split In MAGA appeared first on Lawyers, Guns & Money.

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rocketo
5 minutes ago
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i believe the phrase is, bite each other’s dicks off!
seattle, wa
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Iron Spike ‪@ironspike.bsky.social‬

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100%: Zeboyd Digital Entertainment ‪@zeboydgames.bsky.social‬

If "AI" was as valuable as they say it is, they wouldn't be selling it to you. They'd be using it themselves in secret to make the next Minecraft, the next Avatar, the next Hello Kitty and then they'd sell that to you.

They're trying to sell you a sick goose, while pretending it lays golden eggs.

Which Iron Spike ‪@ironspike.bsky.social‬ quote posted with:

This is put so well.

There are absolutely parallels with cryptobros screaming at you about the impending death of fiat currency.

"Hyperinflation! Great Depression 2.0! Government collapse!!! Your stupid paper money will be worthless, soon! SOOOON!

...

Best to just give it all to me now!"

‪Zeboyd Digital Entertainment‬

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sarcozona
8 hours ago
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Omg so acting like chat gpt customer service is the whole field. AI is literally being used for all kinds of useful and real things constantly - robots using AI just moved an entire city block in Shanghai
Epiphyte City
rocketo
6 hours ago
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seattle, wa
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How to Mount a Balcony Awning

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Hi Kris,

I’ve been reading your website for quite a while. It’s one of my favourite blogs. Thank you for what you are doing!

We are currently experiencing a heat wave in Germany, so I drew inspiration from Low-tech Magazine’s article “How to Dress and Undress your Home” and built an awning on my balcony. I documented the process so that other readers can install one themselves.

The overall cost for my build was around 50 Euros, but you can do it much cheaper by using upcycled materials. It requires only a few tools to build, so almost anyone can reproduce it.

Required materials

  • Steel cable (or rope). I went with a 4 mm galvanized steel cable. I want the build to be sturdy and be able to withstand strong winds. A 3 mm cable would probably work as well. Warning: Some inexpensive steel cables have a plastic outer shell, which may reduce their strength due to the smaller diameter of the steel cable. For example, a 3mm cable would have a 2mm or 1.5mm steel core. You could also use rope instead of steel cable, which will be cheaper.
  • 1 x turnbuckle
  • 2 x cable thimbles
  • 8 x cable clamps. There are different styles of clamps. The one I’ve chosen is also used in heavy construction.
  • 1m petrol hose with 6mm inner diameter.
  • 1m x 3m awning fabric. The distance between eyelets should be 50 cm.
  • 7 carabiners. This number depends on the number of eyelets you have and the number of attachment points you will use.
  • Some paracord. It comes with the awning fabric, and I have no idea how long it was.
Image: Required materials. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: Required materials. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.

Required tools

  • Wrench or spanner for cable clamps
  • Something to cut the steel cable. Here are some options:
  • Metal chisel and hammer
  • Cable cutter
  • Hacksaw
  • Angle grinder
  • Hardware shops will cut the cable to the desired length

Building steps

Measuring

Image: The south-facing balcony. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: The south-facing balcony. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.

The required cable length is the distance between the posts plus one or one and a half meters. It’s better to have a little more cable than you need. It’s easy to cut extra wires, but it isn’t very easy to join cables if you don’t have enough. In my case, the distance is 3.8 m, and I used just under 5 m of cable.

Prepare the cable

The upper support for the awning consists of two pieces. The shorter piece is attached to the left post and has an eyelet. The longer piece is fixed to the right post and has a turnbuckle attached to the other end.

Tip: Wrap the area where you plan to cut the cable with electrical tape to prevent fraying. See this video.

The images below illustrate an example of how to use a thimble and cable clamps to secure the turnbuckle. You are probably fine using just one clamp, but for safety, I opted for two clamps. You should tighten the clamps very well until you see some deformation on the cable. Always place the loaded end of the wire on the base of the clamp and the free end on top of it.

The image at the bottom shows how the shorter piece of cable should look before the installation. The hose has two functions. It prevents damage to the posts and provides a perfect grip to avoid slipping. The image in the top right corner shows how the turnbuckle is attached to the longer piece of cable.

Image: Preparing the cable. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: Preparing the cable. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.

At this point, I finished all the preparations I could do inside the house.

Assembling

Now it’s time to move outside and start final assembling. When tightening the cable around the post, leave some slack. You should be able to adjust the cable up and down to suit your needs later.

You need to unscrew the turnbuckle fully. There should be no tension on the cable between the posts. You should be able to get the hook on and off easily. Now, you are ready to position it as desired. Use the turnbuckle to put tension on the cable.

Image: Tightening the cable around the post. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: Tightening the cable around the post. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.

Fasten the fabric

Use carabiners on every top eyelet. You can use carabiners or rope to secure the bottom of the fabric to the railings.

Image: Fastening the fabric. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: Fastening the fabric. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.

Final result

I’m happy with the outcome. I can finally spend time on my balcony, even on sunny days. There was way too much sun in the summer as my balcony faced south.

Image: The mounted awning. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: The mounted awning. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: The folded awning. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: The folded awning. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: The mounted awning. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.
Image: The mounted awning. Photo: Dmitriy Kurochkin.

Retrospective

What went well?

What can be improved?

Wall and ceiling mounts

If you don’t have a post to attach the cable, your only option is to attach the cable to the wall or ceiling. Wall and ceiling mounts come in many different forms and shapes. It should be able to handle at least 100 kg, as wind gusts might be pretty intense. Generally, the stronger it is, the better. It uses screws and dowels to attach to the wall. It will require tools for drilling, such as a hammer drill and a drill bit suitable for the type of wall material being used.

You can use the keywords “ceiling hook,” “hanging chair mount,” or “eyelet plate” to find it online. 

Below is an example of a complete set from the Toldoro manufacturer.

Image: Ceiling hooks.
Image: Ceiling hooks.

Safety precautions

Learn how to safely use all tools before starting. Read manuals or watch quick guides if needed.

Wear gloves when handling steel cables. Frayed ends can cause cuts or puncture wounds on your skin.

Use a stable stepladder for installing upper lines. Place it on flat ground and don’t overreach. Consider having someone nearby to assist.



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rocketo
16 hours ago
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seattle, wa
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Real Human Bones for Sale

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“Everything in America is about genocide.”
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rocketo
1 day ago
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““Death is like a covered tunnel,” he said. “Light, then darkness, then supreme light.” We went to Waffle House after and tried to figure out the metaphor. We couldn’t make out which part was supposed to be death and which was life.”
seattle, wa
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Scientists Find that Hosing Glizzies Is Basically a Death Sentence

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A recent survey by a team of nutrition researchers is sounding the alarm on the harm of processed foods, like the beloved hot dog.

As millions of Americans stock up on hot dogs ahead of Independence Day, researchers have some bad news: those franks are deadly — no tails, snouts, or butts about it.

The tragic news comes from a survey published in Nature Medicine, an esteemed biomedical research journal. Combing over 60 previous nutrition studies on processed foods — specifically cured meat, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids, all staples of the North American diet — researchers determined there's "no safe amount" of processed food humans can eat.

The survey established an iron-clad link between the consumption of those three foodstuffs and chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and colon cancer.

For example, the data showed that even eating one hot dog a day leads to an 11 percent greater risk of type 2 diabetes, and a seven percent increased risk of colon cancer, compared to non-glizzy guzzlers.

"This current research has shown, yet again and consistent with prior research… that to achieve health gains it is best to avoid or minimize the habitual consumption of each of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and industrially produced trans fatty acids," Dr. Nita Forouhi, head of nutritional epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, told CNN.

While the science seems sound, decoupling America from the humble frankfurter may be easier said than done.

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) — arguably a biased source — the US collectively consumes anywhere between 9 and 20 billion hot dogs per year. It's estimated that some 150 million of those are eaten on the 4th of July alone.

Meanwhile, a 2021 survey reported by BEEF Magazine — seriously, who else has this kind of data? — found that 73 percent of Americans believe hot dogs are "essential to a cookout."

Of course, hot dogs are just one of many things consumed around the world that aren't necessarily "good" for you. But for Jamie Loftus, the author of "Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs," the glizzy is the perfect avatar to represent everything wrong with the industrial meat industry.

In her book, Loftus follows the frank along its entire lifecycle, detailing the depression-era roots of the hot dog, the role of hot dog eating competitions, the horrors of factory farming, and the lack of federal oversight over meat industry labor conditions.

It's not a pretty story, to put it mildly, but it is an important reflection on the state of food in the United States — especially in light of the fact that glizzies are literally killing us.

Joey Chestnut did not respond to a request for comment.

More on Food: Famous Chef Boasts That He's Using AI to Invent New Recipes

The post Scientists Find that Hosing Glizzies Is Basically a Death Sentence appeared first on Futurism.

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rocketo
7 days ago
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who is eating one hot dog a day?
seattle, wa
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How to Step Into the Present Moment

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Many meditation practitioners believe that formal sitting meditation is the pinnacle of practice, relegating other meditation practices to a secondary status. Contrary to common belief, the Buddha taught that mindfulness, and even awakening, can be cultivated in any position, whether sitting, standing, walking, or lying down. Walking meditation is a powerful complement to seated practice.

Walking meditation can calm the nervous system, mirroring our natural inclination to pace when anxious. It can also revitalize us when we feel sluggish. Moreover, it allows for continuous practice, especially when sitting becomes uncomfortable. Walking meditation is accessible to beginners.

The practice is simple in structure, yet profound in its potential. The essential thing that distinguishes walking meditation from ordinary walking is that the practitioner walks back and forth along a designated path, or walks in a circle (often around a sacred object or an altar). This repetitive motion encourages us to let go of the idea of “getting somewhere” and focus instead on the present-moment experience of walking itself. Find a path of ten to fifteen paces, indoors or outdoors, based on your preference. A natural setting like a garden or forest can be particularly grounding, but any space can be suitable. In urban settings, seek quieter areas or practice indoors.

Begin with feeling the experience of standing still. Notice the subtle micro-adjustments your body makes to maintain balance. Distribute your weight evenly across the soles of your feet.  

Then walk along your path and bring your attention to the sensations of movement: the shifting balance, the raising and lowering of your legs, the intricate coordination of muscles and bones, the natural pendulum swing of your arms, and the subtle rotation of your torso. The foot, with its intricate network of twenty-nine muscles and thirty-three joints, reveals the profound complexity hidden within the seemingly simple act of walking.

Focus on the sensations in the soles of your feet: the pressure as your heel strikes the ground, the rolling motion as your weight shifts, and the final push-off of each step. Maybe there is a sense of energetic grounding as you feel the support of the earth. Observe the temperature and texture of the ground, or the feeling of air on your skin. Is the terrain even or uneven? Walking barefoot, when safe, can enhance the sensory experience, deepening your connection to the present moment.

At the end of your path, pause and feel the experience of standing still. Notice the subtle shifts in balance as you come to a stop. Pause for a moment of integration before mindfully turning 180 degrees, observing the coordination involved. Then resume walking in the other direction along your path. Repeat this process of mindfully walking back and forth for your chosen duration.

As you walk back and forth, keep your eyes open, but cast your gaze softly downward, avoiding fixation on any specific object. This helps maintain an inward focus. When distractions arise, as they inevitably will, acknowledge them without judgment and gently redirect your attention to the sensations of walking. Each distraction is an opportunity to practice returning to the present moment.

Walk at whatever pace supports your ability to stay present. While slower walking allows for deeper observation, it’s the quality of attention that matters. A slightly slower pace than usual is often helpful to calm the nervous system, but mindfulness can be cultivated at any speed.

If the mind is especially active, and it’s difficult to stay focused on walking, it can help to add directed thoughts to the practice. You might mentally say the words “left, right, left, right,” or if you’re walking more slowly, “lifting, shifting, placing.” Counting the steps can be helpful, for example, counting to ten and then back to one. If you notice your mental count is fourteen, then you know the mind has wandered. Coordinating your steps with the contemplation of words of goodwill such as “happy, safe, healthy, ease” can help with presence while also providing an emotional uplift. Experiment with different recitations to find what resonates. Recitations are like an anchor that helps us stay present, and these words can crowd out other kinds of distracting thoughts. 

Beyond an overactive mind, other obstacles can also arise, such as physical discomfort, strong emotions, or a sense of impatience. Acknowledge these challenges with kindness, remembering that they are a natural part of the practice. If discomfort arises, listen to your body and adjust your pace, or rest if that’s more appropriate for your body. When emotions surge, observe them without judgment, allowing them to pass like clouds in the sky. And when impatience arises, gently remind yourself that the goal is not to reach a destination, but simply to be present with each step.

Experiment to discover what helps you be more present, such as practicing at a particular location, walking at a particular pace, or focusing on a specific sensation or mental recitation. Personalizing the practice deepens its impact.

Because both walking and sitting meditation emphasize awareness of moment-to-moment experience, the insights that arise in sitting practice can also emerge while walking. As you walk, you can directly see the impermanence of each step, the arising and passing of sensations, thoughts, and emotions as they come and go. When you encounter moments of discomfort, impatience, or frustration, it’s a reminder of the inherent unsatisfactoriness woven into the fabric of human existence. And sometimes, when fully absorbed in the rhythm of walking and fully connected with the body, the strong sense of self begins to dissolve as we become less preoccupied with our usual concerns. As Thich Nhat Hanh, the renowned Vietnamese Zen monk, beautifully articulated, “Walking meditation is a practice of awakening. When you walk, you are fully alive, fully present in the here and now. You are aware of your body, your feelings, your perceptions, and your surroundings. You are not lost in thought or caught up in the past or future. You are free.” 

It’s easy to integrate walking meditation into your daily life. Moving between meetings, pacing while on a phone call, walking the dog, or navigating a grocery store—each of these moments offers a chance to tune into the sensations of movement. Even waiting in line can become a practice of presence. Over time, the cultivation of mindfulness extends beyond formal practice, weaving itself into the fabric of daily life. Every step, no matter how ordinary, becomes a reminder that awareness is always within reach—and every movement can be a step toward awakening.

The post How to Step Into the Present Moment appeared first on Lion’s Roar.

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rocketo
8 days ago
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seattle, wa
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