GoldenTongue

You’d really need to narrow the definition to get a more definitive answer. Legality varies by state and categorization: online casinos, online sports books, mobile sports books, online horse racing, mobile horse racing, online/mobile fantasy sports, and online lotteries. Some states allow all of the above, while others permit some combination. At present, there are less than five states that prohibit all of those listed (I think it may be down to Hawaii and Idaho, but I’m not completely certain on that).

That's pretty consistent with a lot of what we understand about human psychology and behavioral economics. It's one reason why many books focusing on self-improvement speak to setting process-based goals, as opposed to outcome-based. A process-based goal can be sustainable in the long-term; an outcome-based goal, once achieved, can leave one feeling disheartened and lost. And from a broader perspective, the types of goals that we set can be strong indicators of how our individual value systems are arranged. People with outcome-based goals can often unknowingly cultivate such perspectives as a result of some formative event in their life: poor home environment leaving someone feeling unheard/unrecognized/unloved can induce them to seek validation from external sources, leading to a toxic cycle of defining themselves based upon how they perceive others to see them. That's a bit off-topic, although it's a subject I've studied rather closely in working on better understanding my own emotional baggage and disentangling myself from said baggage. I'd spent a long time (far too long, in all honesty) seeking validation from the approval of others because of a deeply flawed sense of self-worth; reprogramming myself with more positive values has been a bit of a challenge at times.

This is one of the harder aspects of addiction - unless you are/were an addict, your ability to understand an addict's thought processes is going to be extremely limited, at best. Which isn't meant to be disparaging at all; I've experienced it on a number of occasions when trying to explain what I was thinking/feeling while in action, and I'd be lying if I said that a part of me wasn't grateful that my family and friends are incapable of understanding the full scope of what addiction is, and what it can lead us to do. The best articulation I've heard has been from Dr. Kevin McCauley who has lectured extensively on the Disease Model of Addiction; it can offer some solid insights on the neuro-physiological mechanisms associated with addiction. From a more practical perspective, the regression of someone into a compulsive gambler can take numerous forms and paths - from teens/20-somethings getting roped in after a winning Sunday on DraftKings (easiest money ever!) in a social group setting where everyone is doing it, to people struggling with other issues whose coping mechanisms lead them to isolation and escape (and for whom the allure of a casino provides easy and consistent dopamine stimuli while the presence of others fosters an illusory perception of not being alone), to wealthier individuals whose gambling might start with stock market/crypto speculation but gradually extends to other forms of action...the road to rock bottom starts from many different places, following different routes. To your question about the wealthy - it can often be as simple as finding a novel thrill in a life in which there aren't any existential uncertainties that need to be considered. But to answer one question as well as I can - the high comes from that moment of uncertainty when you've put your cards/bet/race form/dice/roulette chips into play, and are waiting to see if you win or lose. The actual result is (or can be) inconsequentual and anti-climactic - it's the juice that comes with taking that risk and putting things into play. And the progressive nature invariably compels us to increasing the stakes - when a single $5 parlay doesn't do it anymore, multiple $20 bets are needed, which turns into $50 bets on every game at a particular time, which turns into....it's a horrific spiral of craving during which rational thought becomes impossible, where the "need" is engaged by the portion of the brain linked to survival instincts. The lying, cheating, and stealing that addicts often turn to thus is less a breakdown of morals, than a short-circuiting of the pathways responsible for moral consideration, driven by a survival-based need to do whatever it takes to get that next fix. It isn't the least bit rational, and studies/literature on compulsive gambling have yielded some results that are absolutely confounding to those with no experience with addiction - in one study, researchers observed periodic feelings of irritation when someone WON while playing slots, because the win disrupted the flow of (losing) action they had been going through. Absolutely bonkers. But I can get it. Addiction can be hard to understand in the context of gambling, where we aren't talking about a particular susbstance being drunk/snorted/injected, but rather a behavior and series of "choices". But despite that, many of the byproducts are virtually identical to those whose addiction is linked to alcohol, opioids, narcotics, etc. All forms of addiction cause diregulation in the body's dopamine/serotonin/oxytocin secretion, leading to (at times) mania, depression, anhedonia, etc.

The single largest demographic seeking help for compulsive gambling, by a HUGE margin, over the past 18 months, has been young men between the ages of 21 and 30. And while the stats are somewhat questionable, our best current estimates are that 1 in 900 compulsive gamblers seeks help from GA, and while there are certainly other programs available for treatment, few have the (admittedly limited) success rate of a 12-step program. One of, if not the greatest dangers, of the mass proliferation of legalized gambling, is the lingering perception that problem gambling is limited to 50+ year old guys at the track or OTB. It's hard to forecast how devastating this growth and expansion of gambling will ultimately prove to be, but I'm pretty confident that the answer is that it will be far, far worse than we are imagining now. I'm on the board of trustees for NYIG (basically the governing body for Gamblers Anonymous in NY), and we're now dealing with questions like - if a 16 year old calls the GA hotline or shows up at a meeting alone after getting information from the website, do we have an ethical obligation to disclose this to their family? There isn't any legal obligation, but ethically - it's a challenging question, and a terrible one to have to deliberate on. And it's a question that is coming up with increased frequency, because it's started happening.

Absolutely adored the finale - while Filoni has certainly struggled with consistent quality in the live action shows (Ahsoka is not holding up well for me on a repeat viewing, even as a "Rebels Season Five" fan service exercise), his work on the animated side remains absolutely stellar. I feel like we could easily have arived at the show's ending via derivative and ham-fisted tropes that belied the sense of struggle that's permeated the last couple seasons, resulting in something that felt hollow and contrived, and jarringly saccharine sweet. To reach that ending in a way that felt entirely earned and "believable" - kudos to Filoni and his team. A wonderful effort that absolutely nailed the landing. I really hope that we continue to see more from Filoni on the animated side, and while he's doing a wonderful job of fleshing out the SW universe in the post-RotS/pre-ANH era, I'd love seeing him tackle something from an entirely new time period, where he could apply his world-building in a way less bound to/by existing canon. One question - is Operation Stardust something that's been referenced in any SW media outside Timothy Zahn's Thrawn books? I loved that little Easter Egg, but I'm only familiar with it from the Thrawn books - I can't recall it being directly referenced in any other shows/movies.

As someone in recovery, I can appreciate where you're at. I don't really know you and don't have any past experience to use for comparison, but you seem genuine in your efforts to take accountability and make amends, so I'll wish you the best in your growth and recovery. The benefits of recovery are wonderful, but the process and work (in my experience) is marked by pain in taking responsibility for one's shortcomings and broken values. With regard to the OP - imo, Failure is the way forward. Failure is a far more potent and effective teacher than success will ever be, and I've long thought that the only people who never fail, are those who never try.

Starting Strength, or (a better alternative, but similar in many regards) Greyskull LP. Three times per week, linear progression for four main lifts, with token accessory work. Simple enough that it can be written on the back of a napkin, yet incredibly effective. Add in getting 10k-12k steps per day and you've got a solid foundation to work from. Feeling pretty good. New PR for the squat on Sunday (540 for a single), and a solid attempt at hitting 405 for bench press - stalled out right at the halfway mark, about 2" below the point where had I cleared that portion of the lift, would have been able to hit lockout. Should easily be able to get it after my next training meso in six months. May try for Deadlift (600#) and OHP (275#) PR's this week, although I'm trying to manage my work load closely, with another comp this weekend, one that I expect to be pretty taxing - heavier circus dumbbell than I've handled before, Car deadlift for reps, and Conan's Wheel, along with sandbag toss and keg load and carry, should leave me feeling nicely thrashed by the end of the day.

I don't believe this for a second. Setting aside the fact that, with the exception of the past eight years, unions have been overwhelmingly left-leaning in support, do you know when union support began to erode among the mainstream in a meaningful way? Do you know who the president was, and the nickname he earned among union organizations? Ronald "Union Buster" Reagan. The idea that conservatives aren't anti-union, that they haven't historically (and still do) land on the side of management, is patently absurd. Are you being willfully ignorant, or is this just a bit of partisan hackery coming through?

A few books that I'm listening to depending on what I'm doing and how much bandwidth I have available: NOISE: A FLAW IN HUMAN JUDGMENT , by Daniel Kahneman (R.I.P.), Olivier Sibony, & Cass R. Sunstein - I don't think there's anything I've ever read from Kahneman that disappoints, and so far, NOISE continues that trend. I'm not too far in, but within the span of 2-3 chapters, the book's done a masterful job of illustrating just how pervasive statistical noise truly is, in a number of fields, many of which result in some incredibly disheartening truths. THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK , by Mark Manson - Just started listening this morning, not far enough in to have any thoughts yet. THE DESIGN OF EVERYDAY THINGS , by Don Norman - This is among my personal favorites. Discussing the various ways in which psychology intersects with design in ways which can be humorous, frightening, catastrophic, or just utterly confounding. The example of pseudonymous "Norman Doors" (doors which leave users confused on how they function as a result those visual features which serve to support fundamental design practices of discoverability and usability) serves as an engaging point of entry into what the book is focused on. DAVID AND GOLIATH - UNDERDOGS, MISFITS, AND THE ART OF BATTLING GIANTS , by Malcolm Gladwell - This is a personal favorite of mine, which I'm revisiting mainly for the sake of writing a more comprehensive personal review for a WhatsApp chat for one of my recovery groups. Gladwell is (generally speaking) somewhat subversive by nature, and the ways in which he challenges conventional wisdom on a number of points (from the underdog status of the titular pair, to morally questionable actions embraced by leaders of the Civil Rights movement, to deeply unsettling approaches employed by a doctor desperate to find ways of treating patients in a childrens leukemia wing, to the effectiveness of "Three Strikes" laws such as those used in California for a time) is always engaging. And his discussions of "Desirable Difficulties" in discussing several dyslexic individuals who went on to become titans in their fields not in spite of, but largely because of, their condition (or more specifically, through application of the practices they had learned and utilized in navigating the disability) really resonates with the recovering addict in me who has come to appreciate a number of counter-intuitive truths while recognizing that some of my own defects are closely aligned with some of my greatest strengths. WHITE FRAGILITY - WHY IT'S SO HARD FOR WHITE PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT RACISM , by Robin DiAngelo - Ever since my wife received her LMSW in a masters program in which she was the one white person in an incredibly diverse cohort (during which time she came to have a whole new understanding of white privilege), I've tried to find good sources on exploring the subject further. This book has caused me to feel more than a little discomfort at times, which I regard as a positive, given that the discomfort comes from ignorance butting up against realities for which my understanding can only be, at best, limited.

First comp for the year done: Lift For Autism 2024. Pissed with myself that I didn’t spend more time practicing CBD work; came in dead last in the first event; had I been able to do just a little better, would have wound up winning overall instead of finishing third. Still a great time; ended up with the longest hold time for the Hercules Hold for anyone in the men’s class, which was nice, and had the most reps on Saxon Bar Block DL for anyone in the men’s classes, also nice. Here’s a highlight reel for anyone interested in seeing me doing my stupid human tricks, lol.

But what does that really mean? Turn on him in favor of what? Those R's aren't about to cross party lines, nor is this more likely to make them stay at home and refrain from voting, not when they see the left capitalizing on national sentiments regarding the issue.

This is purely confusion between correlation and causation, fueled by sampling size errors. While rescue pets can be predisposed to certain idiosyncracies as a result of their upbringing (abuse, neglect, failure to get regualr veterinary care/checkups, etc.), those purchased from breeders can just as easily be prone to certain types of aberrant conditions. In the overwhelming majority of instances, poor behavior is a reflection of the owners, as there are countless stories of animals who've been rescured from absoutely abhorrent conditions to become happy, well-adjusted members of the family. Is that possible for 100% of rescues? Of course not - some rescues have sufficient past trauma that they cannot be rehomed to any random person, but that is something that the shelter/rescur organization fostering the animal should be aware of and sensitive to when vetting out potential adopters. Unfortunately, rescue organizations and shelters all over the country are currently in a state of crisis, as thousands of animals adopted during COVID have been returned (or simply turned loose on the street) by worthless pieces of shit with no sense of responsibility - as someone who works actively with my wife for two rescue organizations, typically fostering anywhere from 3-6 cats at a time, I'll admit to some bias on this point. As a result, some shelters and organizations have loosened some standards when it comes to potential adopters, simply because they don't have the capacity to continue fostering an overabundance of rescued/recovered animals. From 2004 through now, I've had (or have) ten cats and two dogs, all rescues: two cats rescued from a shelter, four cats rescued from the street and ultimately adopted (aka Foster Failures to those of us who work in the TNR/rescue sector), two (dogs) adopted from another rescue organization, and four cats adopted from another rescue organization. All have been/are cherished members of the family, despite several having some definite idiosyncracies. As for the original topic - I would have zero qualms sterilizing anyone who believes or advocates for anti-vax bullshit. Addition by subtraction in terms of contributions to the collective gene pool.

Starting on choline and inositol, although I'm going to start with 2g/day and check my labs in three months. Into a peaking block now; realizing the strength gains feels incredible, but I fucking hate seeing how quickly I started becoming deconditioned with the sharp dropoff in volume. Not as bad as it's been at other times, since I'm back into doing KB swing intervals each day, but there's still a noticeable drop in work capacity that irritates tf out of me, especially knowing how much the start of the next training block is going to just suck when I'm going from high intensity low volume work, back to relatively high volume at medium intensity...but such is the nature of periodization. Fun few weeks coming up though. I have a charity strongman comp this coming weekend that should be fun, and without anything overly taxing in terms of max efforts, shouldn't leave me feeling too terribly beat up: I have a 125# circus dumbbell clean and press for reps (60 seconds), 135# Saxon Bar Block Deadlift for reps (60 seconds - RIP my thumbs, for which I've come closer than I'd like to ripping callous tissue more than once with the Saxon barbell grips), Sandbag load and carry medley 150/200/250, 675# Yolk Carry, and a Hercules Hold, which I'm hoping has a cool-looking setup as I'd love to get a good photo for that one. Then another comp three weeks later, which will probably beat the shit out of me: Car deadlift for reps in 60 seconds (front handle which sucks so much more than side handle), Circus DB Clean & Press 130# for reps, Keg Carry/Load Medley 200/225/250, Head to Head Farmer Hold with 250# frames (RIP my thumbs again fucking hook grip), Sandbag Toss (easy enough weights), and a Conan's Wheel rated with a 600# load - I have no idea wtf that means, since I can't imagine a 600# barbell load in the crook of my arms; that's got to be a total weight somehow distributed along the length of the arm extending out from the center of the wheel. Really hoping I don't end up passing out on that one, since I've seen it happen numerous times. Will plan on a light/deload recovery week after that depending on how I feel, then I may test some new 1RM's: 405 for the bench feels questionable at the moment, as does a 550 squat, but 275 OHP and 600 deadlift are looking good. And my biggest strength bucket list goal (315# Strict OHP) feels like it could be attainable, although it may take another year (maybe two), to get there. All that said, I am really looking forward to starting a new training block. As much as the first couple weeks is going to just suck until I regain some muscular conditioning, life just feels so much easier when I'm not training with loads north of 85-90% of 1RM.

Absolutely amazing epsiodes. Absolutely loving the degree to which Bad Batch (and Andor, in some regards) fleshes out how repugnant the Empire really is; so much of Star Wars presents it in on a grander scale, which nonetheless feels a bit more sterile. Episodes like the first of the two from this week on Bad Batch evoked a similar (albeit much stronger) feeling of the episode last season that ended with Crosshair killing the Imperial officer; both showcased just how utterly dehumanizing the Empire's influence is/was on personal levels. Absolutely riveting. And the second BB ep of the week, just an extraordinary buildup of tension and inevitability. Semi-spoilerish based upon the events from the BB episodes this week -

TUDCA + NAC? My doctor recommended those to me since my ALT & AST are chronically about 10% higher than testing reference intervals. I'm a bit skeptical since the levels have been relatively steady at those numbers for a long, long time now, and there are no other indicators of liver damage.

I think this conclusion is a bit flawed. You could have a bridge which exceeded every modern code requirement by a factor of 150%, and it is still virtually impossible that it would have withstood the force imparted by a load of that size impacting a primary member at the speed of contact. As for ships being allowed under their own power - how many ports utilize tugs for the majority of passage into/out of the port of entry, as opposed to being used to assist in docking operations or for direct transport of non-directly propelled vessels such as barges, oil platforms, log platforms, etc. You're essentially assigning root cause to a failure in policy that doesn't actually exist. Countless ports relay on bay/harbor pilots to guide larger vessels into/through major port waterways, and do so with a relative minimum of incident. If you want to argue that that policy should change, that all major shipping traffic should be guided via tug throughout most of the entry/exit of a port, that's fine. But recognize that that represents a significant change from how port traffic is handled throughout much of the world, and would incur a substantial additional cost, to say nothing of the delays that would be encountered until fleets of tugs could be built to adequately service the demand.

I’m not sure about either. Sniper was interning in the business back in the IGN days iirc, and I think (not sure) that Warner worked in the business in some capacity. Or, could it be….Ernest Rister? Lol

Sniperpuppies? Warmer? Give us a hint.

As much as I enjoy high-brow cinema, I love me plenty of B-roll schlock. Do those with such schizophrenic tastes qualify? ;p

Wondering (and hoping against) seeing (spoiler from events in those two episodes) in the next episode.

Two new episodes this week

Not really, no. The article cited the basis(es) for the headline, and qualified it appropriately with the fact that the general election is months away.

Which Trump will use as another point against her; how she's being supported by the broken system that's trying to keep him down. Drain the swamp v2.0. And his chuds will eat it up.

I can completely understand. But given the amount of time I've spent being less than active, I don't have nearly as much accumulated joint/tendon wear and tear as you've amassed, despite being north of 45. 1RM efforts for me are something I consider a once/year (maybe twice) type of thing, something I'll consider trying depending on how I'm feeling at the time I'm doing a peaking phase for a competition. Squats are a big question mark for me, but I still feel comfortable enough with exposure to near maximal loads for bench, OHP, and Deadlift, as that's all included in my peaking work; all told, in a full 24 week meso (base phase plus peaking block), there are roughly 4-6 weeks where I'm touching loads at 90% or more of 1RM, and my programming uses submaximal volumizing as a form of progression for most movements, with progression in intensity limited to the big four compound movements along with four variations (done at a lower intensity threshold than the main lifts). I do feel like my passion for strongman/strongman training has had a marked effect in conditioning me not only for heavy loads, but also higher capacity work effort, to say nothing of training to handle disadvantaged loading, which has led to me feeling like my back is damn near bulletproof. Aesthetically? I'd say I'm looking better than I have at almost any point in my life, certainly better than I did for most of my 20's and 30's, although I'm still carrying more fat around the midsection than I'd like. Moving in the right direction there, but being at/near clinical obesity for most of my life means there is a lot of visceral fat to burn through, which is always the hardest to get rid of.

New toys: Saxon Block Barbell Grips. Like Fat Grips, but they simulate a 3"x3" saxon bar (I have Saxon Bar Block DL for reps for an upcoming competition). I'm lovehating them: strange feeling being humbled on a 135# deadlift where pinch strength is the limiting factor, but by the same token, this is going to be a total game-changer for improving my grip strength. No more heavy ass trap bar/farmer carries beating the shit out of CNS; now I can get an absolutely incredible grip strength workout with less than 150# of load. Training going well; feeling good about hitting some new milestones later this year after next training cycle. 405 bench feels very attainable, 275 OHP should be doable, but 550 squat and 600 DL still seem like they might be a ways out. Although tbh, I'm actually wondering if my days of 1RM Squat PR's are behind me: I'm starting to feel a familiar ache in my hips that's happened in the last two cycles around the time my worksets get to ~420 lbs or so, which is right about where I'm at now.