my journal: various subjects, opinionating, CW at times
The title explains itself.
If you're interested in the ramblings of a middle-aged man with chronic conditions who, at times, sees things a little too clearly for his own good, then read on.
Sometimes I get political, but it won't be all the time.
I don't mind comments in general but if you're going to differ with what I write, that's fine--as long as you can explain your position clearly & reasonably. Rants, shouting & general incoherence will be ignored or flagged, depending on the situation. Try to remember that not everyone else in this world holds your beliefs.
Every so often I may post art or snapshots of projects I'm working on.
If you're still interested after reading all the above, great. (I do wonder at how much time you have on your hands, though)
From the Found Chuckles Dept.:
A G00gle Maps review about a nightclub somewhere -
Also, my journal here has gotten lengthy...as of now there is 83 pages of this s***. A few of you still follow it, which is amazing...
So we've taken out the top theocrat in Iran & are sending forces now...well.
I have mixed feelings about it.
On one hand, it is a war. War is never pretty, kind, or neat & tidy...to put it mildly. Innocents suffer & die in wars; it has always been so & always will be. War is one of the most horrifying experiences a human can go through. Countless people have been left crippled by it, in body & mind. Just ask any combat veteran....I'm no vet--always been a cake-eating civilian--but in the 2010's & early 2020's I studied enough military history to know that Gen. Sherman was right when he said "war is he.ll".
This war could easily be another effort to distract everyone from the Epstein files controversy. Trump has reason enough to make the tail wag the dog (Bill Clinton might have even more reasons, if he were prez right now)...at this point practically everyone outside his MAGA base knows or suspects that many powerful people were connected to Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive...& also sampled what he provided for them. Nothing captures the attention of the masses & the news media like a war in a foreign land.
Now having said all that...
The Iranian regime has had it coming for decades. Since their revolution in 1979, Iran has been the main destabilizing force in the Near East. The Shi'ite theocracy generously funded Hamas (despite the doctrinal difference) & Hezbollah every time they kidnapped Israelis, launched rockets, sent a suic1de bomber to detonate himself in a crowd of Jews, etc. I'd go so far as to say Iran bears as much responsibility as Israel--& more--for the tragedy of the Palestinians' saga.
Nor is that all. Iran's gov't has imprisoned, tortured & executed thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) of its own people for such terrible offenses as exposure of a woman's hair or ankle in public. One of the worst crackdowns in recent years occurred when Mahmoud Ahmedinejad was PM, in response to popular protests about his policies (particularly the economic. Ahmedinejad's populist measures might've been nice in theory; in reality they improverished the country). And let's not forget the Iran-Iraq war...& more recently the Houthi militias. At Tehran's assistance & urging, they took over Yemen & then goaded Saudi Arabia into a costly war. The boys in Tehran have wanted to remake the Near East in their own image for a long time now, & consider Israel (& indirectly the US) a key obstacle in their quest.
The point is, the Shi'ite regime has been stirring the pot for decades. It uses Hamas & Hezbollah as its cat's paws, harrying Israel while refraining from attacking directly. Did they really think they could just pull that s*** indefinitely & nothing would ever happen to them? Forget it!
Am not losing any sleep over Khameinei's & Ahmedinejad's deaths, not a bit. I'm just sorry that Trump is the one to bring the hammer down on Iran...instead of a smarter, better president.
@slowdecline48 I was waiting for your take on it.
Obviously, you and I have different view points regarding the whole Israel thing. But I'm glad you acknowledged how messed up war is as a whole. I'm not there- in the middle east- but my friends are. my family is. And im frankly sick of all the people living in the west acting all high-and-mighty as they argue over who's right and who's wrong. You ask me?
Everyone's wrong, and it'll take half of humanity self-destructing for them to notice. Maybe not even then.
As for Irans wrongdoings...I dont know what theyre doing. Im not Shia, so Ill avoid that whole mess long as I live, but even now theyre attacking the middle east instead of focusing on their own defense. Why? Theyve hit airports. Effectively stranded my loved ones in their own h#ll hole. Dont know wth theyre upto, nor what your president has going through his mind, but none of us here in the ME signed up to be used as a distraction for his own crimes, and I hope he'll come to deeply regret all his choices.
@unassumingEyes -
"I was waiting for your take on it." That doesn't surprise me 😂 ...By now you know I usually say what I think in here, except for stuff that would likely get me banned. You know I could come up with such statements reeeeal easy. 😏
I don't know what President Cheeto is thinking, either... One thing to remember: he is older now than Joe Biden was when he was in office. The guy is in his early 80's now...to me he looks a bit senile at times. My hypothesis is that to a considerable extent, SECDEF Hegseth & certain other officials are doing Cheeto's thinking for him. Of course I have no way to prove or disprove it.
One thing I don't buy is Hegseth's & Cheeto's declaration that this will be a short war, because every leader &/or staff who starts a war says the same. World War 1 was originally supposed to be a six-month war at most, according to British military planners. In Germany, von Moltke & his staff honestly believed they could envelope France & take Paris in under half that time...as we all know, it didn't play out that way. I doubt we will leave an occupying force in Iran for 20 years but at the same time, it will not be over & done with as quickly as Cheeto & co. claim.
I need to check on it but last time I scanned, the Ayatollah & his regime were only popular among a %age of older Iranians & the more religious working-class folk. A solid majority of Iranian citizens < 30 years old hate their gov't, some of 'em enough to cheer when they heard Khameinei was removed from the census. Ditto for the Iranian diaspora in the US--yes, they exist--some of them want the shah Reza Pahlavi back on the throne. (I don't agree because he's too old now. Iran needs younger people with vision in charge)
@unassumingEyes I was in Dubai when Iran retaliated. My friend was like - thats a fast moving shooting star.... it was a MISSILE!!! But we were safe though... Far away... Also, not my first rodeo in a war zone... Anyway, I returned home and he is still there because apparently he has work to do...and The UAE has moved on.
@azurePond
Glad youre safe- hope your friend will be too
I disagree with one statement– the UAE has not moved on. Or, if it has, i dont see how. My father was stuck there till last night, and his flight out was delayed hours because of the sirens. Gave us a good scare.
However, hopefully the UAE is close to moving on, as well as other countries in the area. Like i said, no-one there signed up for this.
@azurePond Dubai?...you do get around. I didn't know you traveled that much.
Never been in a warzone myself...closest I've come to that was my time in a ghetto during my Vegas days. (We were all jarred awake by a meth lab blowing up--that happened more than once. Lotta s*** going on when I was there)
Your statements re the current conflict are particularly valid concerning Iran's geography. Still, I believe the war has been coming for a good while. Everyone knows the regime is behind Hamas & Hezbollah...Israel is tired of their s***. Frankly so am I. While I am no fan of Netanyahu & his cronies, I can't blame them for deciding to tackle the problem at its source. With Iranian interference erased, perhaps a peace agreement with the Palestinians can eventually be reached...I hope.
@slowdecline48 Yeah... it's my fight or flight response.. and by flight ..I literally mean getting on a plane. Also Dubai is kinda my second home.. One of my siblings also lives there... works there. I have a lot of friends there.
See, I am a child of peace and my opinions differ from children of war. War is something I can leave behind and it's not the same for everyone and... those people who cannot leave behind tend to have stronger but biased arguments against the US- Israel strikes against Iran. And just because they are biased doesnt mean their opinion are entirely at fault. The thing is, I agree with you, It should have been some other President who cracked down on Iran. Someone who could have destroyed the regime and not the people. But yes, this war was long time coming. I just hope it doesnt end up becoming another Vietnam for the US and another failed regime change for Iran.
Then there's a whole lot of problems that will arise when the hormuz strait is closed.. international trade.. economies.. I mean yes, the US have Venezuelan oil now but how long? and it is not just oil.
@slowdecline48 Here are my thoughts on this -
1. Ali Khamenei was not a good man. The people in Iran hated him. But the thing is he was not just a supreme leader of Iran. He was the leader of the Shi'tes. and he knew he would be killed and he still chose to be there. And he got killed and ended up becoming a martyr. And you cant k.ill people who chose to di.e to be a martyr. This has unified Iran.
2. We know the US President did not do this because of charity or his love for democracy or even because of the "threats".
3. You cant win a war against Iran on their own territory because of the geography - the Zagros and Elbrus mountains. You have to go through Pakistan or Afghanistan. The Only other thing you can do is shower missiles on them. And the US does have a loooot of missiles and nukes...And the US can win... but financially this will cost a lot . Also Iran has choked the Hormuz strait.
So I think this is an unnecessary war, which costs a lot financially. ( I am not even getting into ethics and human costs).
Because when you think about it.. . the Iranian regime who is behind all the brutalities and terrorism... they are willing to die for it and become martyrs. But since, the US cannot directly attack the leaders, the people of Iran are being k.illed in the fire.. The same people who protested against the regime. Even while losing the Iranian leaders are winning and people are dying. And what has US gained, other than more financial loss?
@azurePond You made some good points there...
Posted a new tanka poem.
Jesus on a pogo stick, when will I ever get enough sleep?...
Am wondering if I should still keep this account open, dear readers.
The main reason why is because despite being password-protected, what we post is still far too accessible. Consider what brings members to this place, what so many of us discuss in the forums. Turns out there is no real security for any of it, as seen here. I probably should've known about this before tonight...just hadn't added it all up until reading the thread.
Got other reasons too...mainly due to the fact that I'm the only Jew who logs in & posts anywhere near regularly in Cups. I have potential enemies (possibly one real one) in one other forum, which I will not name. Those of you who've been reading this journal for long enough know which one it is & why.
Cups is supposed to be a safe place for people with mental/psych & emotional issues. I don't feel safe here for the reasons above. When you are Jewish, you're not safe anywhere. It has almost always been so.
If I decide to have this account wiped, would any of you like to keep in contact? Let me know if you do.
@slowdecline48
But ultimately our usernames are random so no one would ever know who it was referring to 🥰
@Amanda84 G00gle knows...and if G00gle knows, then whatever firms it sells or transmits the info to also know. The panopticon doesn't miss much.
@slowdecline48 Wiped? Just your threads or your whole account?
@mytwistedsoul Exactly...that's why I only go by this acronym here. Nor do I post any links to anywhere else I go online, for the same reasons. I've never linked to Cups from anywhere else or referred to it, either.
Your last two sentences' truth is only matched by their quotability ("quotableness"?).
@slowdecline48 You're smart about things online by not linking those things. Not everyone thinks that far...
@slowdecline48
That post bothered me too. I searched mine up and things came up from deep within the corner (which isnt even up anymore!) and a penpal chat with a friend. A very vulnerable penpal chat with a friend, when we were both in a bad place.
And, like you said– Google knows.
I hate that Jews arent safe just because of your religion or culture or background. Its ridiculous, but i believe you. Ive heard it enough: the Jews are our enemy. Like we're all such saints.
I wldnt be glad to see you go, tho, thats for sure. Youre the only online uncle ive got, arent you? ive learnt a lot from you. But i know youre not...dependent on cups as some teens are. Youll be alright without this place- maybe even better- so if thats what you want, ill bid you a necessarily dramatic farewell. With poems and everything. We dont do things halfway here 🫣
Ehh...I'm taking my time in deciding. If this account gets deep-sixed, you & my other friends here will be notified first.
Does anyone know if there's a point to daylight savings time?
...seriously. If there's a sensible reason for switching our clocks twice a year, I have no idea what it is.
@slowdecline48 I think they do it now just mess with everyone's sleep lol
@mytwistedsoul Sounds legit...g0ddammit.
I agree. Historically it was just to make people work longer daylight hours. @slowdecline48
No one reads my other thread anyway...just the post that started it
Tried to get here today by typing the URL in my browser, only for some weird nonsensical code to pop up..."400 Bad Request" something with a bunch of gibberish. I got this result twice. I typed the URL correctly, you can count on that.
Could only get in here by doing a websearch & following one of the links that came up.
Add today's experience to at least two Listeners' accounts suddenly getting cancelled without notification as to why...plus the other 💩 we all already know about that goes on, & I gotta be honest here: Cups is looking more unimpressive by the week.
This place is starting to function like a Russian engine factory during the Soviet era.
@slowdecline48 I get bad gateway a lot. Or it gives me some weird error if I go to post something or reply. It's frustrating af
@mytwistedsoul You too, eh?... So do you get this:
*smdh*
@slowdecline48 Yeah that's one of them! It can help if you clear cookies and your cache (sometimes 😅)
@slowdecline48
should i be concerned? on asking google about where i live, its ai said:
Based on discussions on the 7 Cups platform, @unassumingEyes is a Grade 11 student who identifies as a Muslim and has mentioned living in a location where a rumor regarding their city caused concern for friends in Lahore.
Location Context: In a forum post from October 2024, they mentioned to another user that their "sis kept saying it was qatar".
why does ai have access to/memory of deleted forums?
@unassumingEyes Well, hun...dunno what to tell you about this. 🤷🏼♂️ I do not know what advice to give here. My initial reply would be "yes, it is a matter of concern because it means any AI can use your posts as a dataset for training itself"...but. there is at least one mistake in the summary, maybe more. Which means the program does not know quite as much about you as it's "supposed to" know.
(Am not gonna reveal the mistake--you know yourself better than anyone)
Add to the above the fact that you depend on 7Cups more than I do, so you have reasons to maintain membership & post stuff. Add all that together, & I cannot answer your question for certain.... If you think the summary is sufficient reason for concern, then it is...I'm sorry, little one. I have no idea what course of action to suggest here.
@unassumingEyes - The only other thing I can tell you is "the Internet never forgets".
@slowdecline48
Well, i appreciate you replying eitherway. And you're right, about the mistake. I was revealed to see that atleast
Different topic...if memory serves, in another thread you said you were happy that I was not an example of the callous monsters you heard about. Glad I could help, but that got me to thinking...🤔 "how can I explain my people to this girl? She's somewhere in Pakistan, been there her whole life...probably never met any of us in person. How can I put it all in terms she'll understand?"
Finally realized the sheer magnitude of this problem &, well... The best answer I have is: watch this. (And anything else that guy has to say)
@unassumingEyes But seriously...a more informative source might be Frieda Vizel. Yes, she runs a YT channel. Or you can just ask me...I can't guarantee a sensible answer but I will certainly listen. 🤪
Whenever Israel is in a war, it is not limited to Israel.
An FBI agent in the investigation of this act of terrorism said "We will not be able to provide additional information at this time about the subject or his motive, as our goal is to protect the integrity of this investigation." Given the demands of her job & the political climate that has been influenced by certain organizations since 9-11, it makes sense for her to say that. It's the bureaucratically suitable thing to say. We can all ignore:
- "Since the 10-7 attacks & Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza, there has been a notably sharp increase in attacks on Jewish institutions globally, including in Canada." (same article)
- the fact that synagogues everywhere have had to pay for their own security measures--including armed officers--for decades because of antisemitic miscreants...while churches & mosques mostly do without such costs because they don't need them.
- that vehicle ramming is a tactic that has become popular in recent years among certain faith communities in Western Europe.
- that Hamas' original charter (which the current one does not explicitly refute) features Quranic citations.
So, why not?...let's all pretend that a certain major world religion has nothing to do with it.
Had a s**tty day today.
...no need to describe it. If you've been following this journal for a while, you already have a pretty good idea.