Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Well, well, well. Here we are. I'm not around much any more - but I couldn't let this event pass without celebrating an amazing achievement of Newtboy reaching Galaxy.

Even though I'm not around much - going through some life changes (time makes you bolder, even children get older) VideoSift is still my high water mark for making a dent in the world - and I'm very proud that great people like Newtboy still choose to make a home here on the Sift. VideoSift forever!

My song is short and sweet this time. I'm mainly a cappella these days ... with a large helping of apologies to The Eagles. @lucky760, flip the switch on the new badge! Congrats @newtboy.

Your video, STUDY: $500 Per Month Life Changing For The Homeless, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

Covid kills people. Forced vaccinations stop the killing.

Since you're making the argument that the government should exercise total control over citizen's bodies for the health and safety of one potential human, obviously you now see you must support them taking minor control over your body to force vaccinations for the health and safety of millions of actual viable living people and the nation as a whole, right?

Certainly you wouldn't be so hypocritical as to force dangerous, life changing, sometimes deadly options on mothers but not a pin prick to save multiple actual lives, the economy, and the national sanity....Would you?

I don't know if you've seen the sort of thing I'm talking about, but the usual formula is you see a video with a title like "Bully picks on the wrong guy" or something, then you watch the video and what you see is someone getting their head kicked in, and you feel good. Then you have an entire comment section with "That's what you get for being a bully" etc. But nothing in the video actually shows him being a bully.

So if the title had been "Man is attacked completely unprovoked and suffers life changing injuries" the judgement would be very different. Maybe you just watched a crime and enjoyed it.

I find it really strange that people will argue back and forward about the details of the content of the video, but never question the framing. It's "a given" he was a bully etc. because some text at the top said so, we just discuss whether it was appropriate.

So in this video, maybe the situation was exactly as described, but I don't know what information I'd use to get to that conclusion. And nobody in the comment section really seems to be trying.

Why don't we see him asking for his grade to be marked up? Wouldn't that be the money shot here? Kid makes outrageous request, which for some reason I edited out, then behaved terribly... maybe they didn't get their phone out in time... who knows? Not me.

This is not one of those 'instant karma' videos I mean, I'm just drawing the parallel with the context free clip, followed by collective righteous feeling and judgement.

I don't know if you've seen the sort of thing I'm talking about, but the usual formula is you see a video with a title like "Bully picks on the wrong guy" or something, then you watch the video and what you see is someone getting their head kicked in, and you feel good. Then you have an entire comment section with "That's what you get for being a bully" etc. But nothing in the video actually shows him being a bully.

So if the title had been "Man is attacked completely unprovoked and suffers life changing injuries" the judgement would be very different. Maybe you just watched a crime and enjoyed it.

I find it really strange that people will argue back and forward about the details of the content of the video, but never question the framing. It's "a given" he was a bully etc. because some text at the top said so.

So in this video, maybe the situation was exactly as described, but I don't know what information I'd use to get to that conclusion. And nobody in the comment section really seems to be trying.

Why don't we see him asking for his grade to be marked up? Wouldn't that be the money shot here? Kid makes outrageous request, which for some reason I edited out, then behaved terribly... maybe they didn't get their phone out in time... who knows? Not me.

Yeah...I pulled it out of my ass, it's not a well thought out proposal.
My point was it's a horrendous crime that should have serious repercussions, because the crime is serious and life changing.

Adoption is always an option for healthy kids....but I do prefer the abortion choice, plenty of unwanted people already. ;-)

Franklin, as an ELECTED public servant, has consistently represented his constituents well enough to be re-elected.
Betsy Devos has never held office, never run a loan organization, never run an educational business, been hyper critical of the department she is tapped to run, and doesn't understand the issues this office entails at all, much less have a grasp of the details involved in the life changing decisions she'll be in charge of making, AND she refuses to answer questions when she knows her answers look terrible AND she has not yet finished her application (they've conveniently ignored the ethics forms nominees fill out BEFORE they get a hearing, so she shouldn't receive a hearing at all yet, like the rest of the nominees, which clearly indicates they have something to hide that would disqualify them all). In fact, it's obvious that she's only been nominated because her family bought the post with $200,000,000 in donations to Republicans and her vocal push to privatize education (but not it's funding, leaving us with something like our quasi-privatized prison system), meaning the Republicans plan to hand her the post with no real hearings and no matter how incompetent and unprepared she is....she already bought it, the hearings are just a formality.
...so no, not at all the same.

Is there someone better educated on the physiological and psychological science of this that can explain why gender transition at that age is not child abuse?

Because from everything I understand about how complicated and frequently fraught with remorse and confusion that issue is for adults....how in the name of fuck can someone that young be mature enough to make that kind of life changing decision? (or indeed have it made for them)

Gender dysphoria is usually only diagnosed in adulthood and usually requires years of psychotherapy and adoption of the desired gender role before any respectable doctor in the UK would allow the transformative process of hormone therapy to begin. (let alone reassignment surgery)

The suicide rate for transitioned people is about 40% I'm told. This appears to mostly be a combination of depression brought on by using the idea of transition to avoid other underlying emotional problems and/or remorse in later years.

None of this is to say people should not transition. There is plenty of evidence to support many a diagnosis of dysphoria and many a success story. But the thing those happy transitions seem to have in common is a very through and mature understanding of themselves.

i.e. things a child is incapable of doing when their mind and personality are still developing.

IDK, the very idea deeply concerns me. Is she actually happy transitioned? Or has she had that idea re-enforced by her parents and such?

I have this hypothetical vision of them panicking at their little boy playing with dolls and tea sets and finding solace in the idea that they are just the wrong gender, instead of being "odd".

I know how silly that sounds, but especially in the south of the USA, gender transition is sometimes considered more socially acceptable than homosexuality and/or being an effeminate male (or so some people in the trans community tell me).

Am I just behind the times on this one? Seems like there would have to be some pretty fucking spectacular medical science to back it up where children that young are concerned...

There are actually a couple of other happiness-increasing technique that is somewhat non-intuitive, is shown to increase happiness in repeated studies, and is fairly easy to implement and difficult to reverse: Having a dog or cat.

It appears that being needed by the animal makes the human feel as if they have intrinsic value which...I mean it would be nice if we had that without pets but, there it is. If you want the best bang for your buck, I would suggest a small dog or cat from the pound as it will eat significantly less food than a bigger animal.

Another life change that actually effectively increases long-term happiness on average is marriage. This seemed a little too hairy for this video though. Also, DEFINITELY NOT DOSE-DEPENDENT. One spouse...better for happiness. Two spouses USUALLY NOT.

So there you go...get a pet, get hitched, and shorten your commute. You need to get home anyway, so you can feed your dog!

SOURCES:
Homeownership doesn't increase happiness: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/14/realestate/homeownership-the-key-to-happiness.html?_r=0
Short Commute = $40,000 raise
http://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141514467/small-changes-can-help-you-thrive-happily
Commuting Linked to Lower Life Satisfaction
https://uwaterloo.ca/recreation-and-l...

Commuting and Metabolic / Cardiovascular Health
https://uwaterloo.ca/recreation-and-leisure-studies/crunched-time-commuting-linked-lower-life-satisfaction

Commuting related to lower social activity and lower general trust
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4509867/

10 Things Commuting Does to your Body
http://time.com/9912/10-things-your-commute-does-to-your-body/

@transmorpher
ha! right on man.

let me start that there really is no argument between us,just a disagreement by degrees is all.

you do not have to refute my claim that "veganism is carried out for the feeling of superiority."

because i never made that claim.
my criticism was specific and focused on a single person @ahimsa,who,if you read his commentary,is most certainly taking a morally superior stance.

if you compare how you were interacting and how ahimsa was interacting.the differences are quite stark.

you were quite open and honest on how you eventually reached veganism.(bravo my friend),but i didnt really see you berate or belittle someone for still eating meat,or being a non-vegan.

oh...you certainly argued your points and exposed weak and facile arguments.you offered new ways of looking at the situation,but you really didn't judge a person for not following your ways of thinking/being/doing.

basically you took responsibility for your choices.shared your reasons for those choices and have allowed people to make THEIR own choices.

how can you not respect that?
which is why i wanted to trade partners.
tongue in cheek of course..that was my way of giving you props and respect.

ahimsa,on the other hand,didnt even respect those he engaged with enough to even use his own words,and instead indulged in presumption,laziness and pretentious twattery.(god,i love that phrase.thank you britain!)

ahimsa approached veganism much the same way a newly born again person approaches talking about their new love for jesus,by proselytizing.

being a man of faith i can understand and relate to someone experiencing a profoundly life changing event,manifested by a serious epiphany and the desire to share that new understanding with everyone you meet.confident in an absolute certitude of righteousness.

but it can be so aggravating to be on the receiving end of such self righteousness,because there has been little time of actual examination and reflection.the newness and novelty cloud all other considerations and ANY rebuttal or deviation is seen as an affront,a sacrilege and blasphemy and therefore should be dismissed...entirely.

i suspect that ahimsa is young and his/her veganism is fairly new and fresh.this would explain the religious quality of his/her arguments.

YOU..on the other hand,have approached from a far more even handed and open way.choosing instead to use humor and wit to make your arguments while not judging those you disagree,allowing for a real dialogue which can lead to understanding.

so good on you mate.

i specifically like the fact you lay out your journey and the reasons why ,but you do not admonish those for not following the same path.which is the correct way to engage.

and what i REALLY dig,is that your argument is basically "this is how i came to where i am,and i am betting that you will to...eventually".

because,at it's heart,you are 100% correct.there really IS no reason to eat meat.

a person who eats meat really has only ONE reason and that is simply "because i want to".now there are cultural and racial reasons,long standing heritage and dishes passed down over generations,and you acknowledge that,because it really is important and is underlying reason why so many still eat meat(and because we want to).

but i suspect that your final argument is more correct than incorrect.meat will eventually go away and be replaced by something better and more healthy.

but that takes time.possibly a generation or two.maybe three.
you recognize this,while ahimsa does not.

i also suspect you may be heading on your way to old fartdom.

anyways,thanks for the dance mate.
you seem a righteous dude.

i have watched a few of this guys videos,and while he has great energy,passion and a penchant for sly humor,but he tends to impose his understandings as somehow being more valid and accurate.

just take his example of the role of government.
he makes a valid point,and then solidifies his position by implying his view is set in this countries original documents.

which is fair,but only to a point...he literally ignores the federalist papers,which he actually references,and it was these 200+ papers and/or arguments that debated the actual role of the federal government vs the role of state government.

@MonkeySpank he is actually right.america is not a true direct democracy but rather a democratically elected representative republic.

after he makes some valid,if fairly biased points,he devolves into the gospel of capitalism and how it is a natural extension of our democratic republic.

really dude?
name ONE corporation that is democratic in any fashion?
you can't?
maybe that is due to the very obvious and plain fact that corporations are tyrannical by their very design.

this semi-educated man is just preaching the gospel of his religion:capitalism.

and referencing lenin like 20 times?
dude...read a fucking book on the history of the soviet union.

oh jesus..now he defending trickle down economics.....
sighs..how the zealots adore their doctrine of their holy texts,even if those texts are just figments of some economists wet dreams and has been proven to be an utter and glorious failure.

sanders is a democratic socialist,not like a denmark flavor but more of a FDR flavor.you know...the most popular president in this countries history and ushered in the most prosperous era in this countries history.

i could do a play by play on this man all day,and make him cry like a pretty little thailand ladyboy who cant afford his life-changing surgery into a actual woman.

well..he does have that douchebag hair.so he may already be looking for a surgeon.

yeah..im with @MonkeySpank,this dude just needs a good cock punch.

It's funny that you don't extend the same thought to others that WE attacked first, huh?
...
It's also funny that you say that, when the PC people are invariably MORE educated than those complaining about them. They have already changed the 'American way of life', change IS the American way of life.
...
That's a hilarious statement from someone who owned over 600 slaves, don't you think?
...
America is far from the only country with an armed populace, but we may be the least responsible.
The arms citizens can own are completely useless against the government today. If you think differently, ask a Branch Davidian how well a massive armory of the most powerful weapons they could acquire, and intensive training on their use and tactics worked out for them, and they didn't even come up against any military, only law enforcement.

I feel exactly the same way as you, including the angry way you present it as though you've just been nearly killed by someone on a mobile phone.

These people clearly have a cartoon-like understanding of how a thousand lbs of metal and accelerant behave in a collision. As though you get out of the wreck with a few stars whizzing round your head and you shake your head and feel great again. Stuff like that can cost lives - and if you say that to the guilty party they'll laugh at you as though it's impossible, as though no one has ever negligently killed someone in a car crash. It can cause life-changing medical complications, take away people's livelihoods.

I'm also a defensive driver, and i've still been in many near misses. What i don't understand is why aren't all these reckless distracted drivers in more accidents? Do they have some sort of idiot's immunity?

It be feelin' like the life that I’m livin' man, I don't control
Like every day I’m in a fight for my soul
Could it be that my medicine’s the evidence
For pigs to stop and frisk me when they rollin' round on patrol?
And ask “why you’re here?”
I just tell 'em cause it is what it is
I live here and that’s what it is
He chimed “you got a dime?
I said “Man, I’m tryin' to smoke and chill
Please don’t lock me up in front of my kid
And in front of my wife
Man, I ain’t got a gun or a knife
You do this and you ruin my life
And I apologize if it seems like I got out of line, sir
Cause I respect the badge and the gun
And I pray today ain't the day that you drag me away
Right in front of my beautiful son”
And he still put my hands in cuffs, put me in the truck
When my woman screamed, said “shut up”
Witness with the camera phone on
Saw the copper pull a gun and
Put it on my gorgeous queen
As I peered out the window
I could see my other kinfolk and
Hear my little boy as he screamed
As he ran toward the copper begged him not to hurt his momma
Cause he had her face down on the ground
And I’d be much too weak to ever speak what I seen
But my life changed with that sound

Get out, get out, get out, get out
Feeling this, feeling this too early
Get out, get out, get out, get out
Feeling this way, feeling this way
Feeling this, feeling this too early
Feeling this, feeling this early

It be feelin' like the life that I’m living man, I don’t control
Cause every day I’m in a fight for my soul
All hands below, high seas in a rickety boat
Smoke o’s, so the kid might cope
You want cash or hope, no clash, matter fact get both
Go without get turnt to ghosts
You know that's the law, deal done by the shake of claws
It ain't a game if the shit don’t pause
And I find you odd, so convinced in the truth of y’all
That the true truth’s truly gone
And yes there's a they, any time a man say there's not
Then you know that he lost the plot, what can I say?
Truth’s truth when denied or not, like its true crews ride the cock
Fair enough, the way that the beat bump do sound tough
I made it in the dark like Civil War surgery
Woke up in the same air you huff, early
By twelve o’clock the whole Earth felt dirty
Street Lamps stare when you walk watch the birdie
They’ll watch you walk to the store they’re recording
But didn’t record cop when he shot, no warning
Heard it go pop, might have been two blocks
Heard a kid plus pops watched, cop make girl bleed
Go to home, go to sleep, up again, early

This is heartbreaking. Kenyan ingenuity is amazing (as it is everywhere in the world where people can't just throw away things and buy new). The vehicles they use would have been condemned decades ago here in the UK, but without a big spares network, dealer servicing or even a garage to work in they keep them running.

He's following his dream and good for him. It's just so painfully obvious that he's never going to get there. Anyone who looks at what he built and even think 'maybe...' is obviously completely oblivious to aeronautics!

There are some great examples of awesome, life changing technologies which have been created out of scraps in the African bush, like the kid who built windmills in Malawi: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8257153.stm

But it seems for every person who does great things, others fall by the wayside.

I'm glad I don't have to live like they do in Kenya, but I wouldn't mind a bit of their spirit. Dude's built more than I have...