One in three NCAA men's and women's basketball players faced abuse from bettors, including death threats, during this year’s tournaments

Angel Reese. Photo: Getty Images

NCAA: 1 in 3 star athletes receive abuse, threats by bettors {ESPN 5/18}

Methinks I am not sufficient of a constitutional scholar to know if the federal government hath any legitimate authority to regulate gambling, and I generally do despise any nanny state tendencies I detect in others. All said, I really do hate gambling. Years ago, I laboured in gas station convenience stores and felt like a glorified drug pusher with all the scratch tickets I did sell to Massholes. Most of the folk buying them were downright pathetic, but I digress. Furthermore, I have long turned a blind eye to gambling in my waning enthusiasm for horse racing, knowing that it hath always been the lifeblood of the industry. Yet, for the life of me, I shall never understand why any individual would desire to play with money. It maketh absolutely no sense.

Absolutely nothing of goodly import is emerging from the explosion of legalised sports betting currently taking place. When combined with the endemic, regressive, and all-pervading hatred raging in the United States at this time, it doth create a deadly combination. The ESPN article notes that female collegiate basketball players are about thrice more likely than their male counterparts to receive abuse. One day, somebody is going to get killed, but it will not matter to the puissant interests invested in the commons casting away coin they cannot afford to lose. It ought to go without saying, this is beyond shameful and yet another sign, among thousands, that the people of #Murica are, in laymen’s terms, losing their s**t.

Alito J6 controversy ‘another blow for Supreme Court under fire’ - Lifetime tenure for Justices was a huge error of foresight by our nation’s founders. {AP 5/17}

President Biden signs a significant aviation safety and airline reform bill into law. {Reuters 5/16}

Cost of living crisis. Suze Orman warns ‘If you don’t have at least $5 million or $10 million, don’t retire early’. {Yahoo! 5/16}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Law enforcement in the U.S. seized over 115 million fentanyl pills in 2023, up from 71 million in 2022, and only 50,000 in 2017

Darwin Brandis/iStock

Fentanyl, with potency exceeding fiftyfold that of heroin, is primarily manufactured in laboratories in India and China before clandestine entry into the U.S., typically via Mexico. According to this DW article, opioid addiction is far less rife in European nations endowed with robust and functioning healthcare systems, evidenced by a mere forty-nine (49) recorded fentanyl overdose deaths in the European Union in all of 2021. In stark contrast, the U.S. witnessed more than 200 deaths per day in 2022, and that may be a conservative estimate.

Nearly every solution enacted at federal, state, and local levels to combat the opioid crisis has been punitive and counterproductive. I dread America will persist in this approach for years to come, reflective of a society divided and politicians, particularly on the right and within the GOP, increasingly keen to exacerbate hardships for those their respective factions deem as societal outcasts. More needless suffering, deaths, and imprisonment shall ensue, and #Murica will become more and more of a s**thole country.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

DOJ recommends downgrading marijuana from Schedule I to III, does not endorse federal legalisation

A poster advertising ‘Reefer Madness’, 1936. Public domain.

Full legalisation nationwide, and the neutering of moral busybodies who routinely treat adults as mere children, are the only acceptable outcomes. Our lives should not be subject to the whims of those yearning for 1950s America; nor should there be a crime if there are not any victims. {AP 5/16}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

MAGA: NOT a movement of rugged individualism, free thought, or human liberty

Rich Logis - former MAGA activist turned anti-MAGA activist, one of the rare few who have come to their senses, or ever will - sheds light on how #Cult45 masquerades as a movement of rugged individualism, when in reality, it embodies the opposite. Christian nationalism, the cornerstone ideology of #Cult45, is as collectivist in its essence as Communism and all the other ‘isms’. Furthermore, it is worthy of note that *all* its adherents are resolute in imposing their beliefs and way of life upon the rest of us. They must be thwarted. #NeverTrump #Biden2024

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

If extraordinary measures must be taken to prevent national suicide, then so be it: The Biden campaign needs to launch an an all-out, all encompassing PR assault on the bloody imbeciles of #Murica, putting the fear of God into them against restoring Trump

President Joe Biden. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

President Biden and his people urgently need to initiate a comprehensive public relations campaign, aiming to instill a sense of urgency and gravity over the repercussions of voting for Donald Trump, or most any GOP candidate on the ballot, this fall. Alas, I see scant evidence of this happening to a necessary-enough degree, and the MSM is not helping matters with its constant doom and gloom coverage of this White House.

The widespread and increasing animosity towards Israel and the Jewish people has stirred a significant portion of the left to oppose the president. Moreover, a considerable portion of the remaining population are misinformed, oft harbouring malice and attaching themselves to #Cult45. Additionally, the Department of Justice hath lamentably failed in its duty to dispense justice: Trump should have been incarcerated, at the very least, three years hence, following J6. The man incited a most egregious insurrection, and the indifference displayed is alarming, mayhap even from President Biden himself. Adhering strictly to conventional norms and taking the high road hath not yielded positive results for Mr. Biden, nor for those of us who have been steadfast in supporting him.

Donald Trump's presidency from 2017 to 2021 was a calamity on most fronts - even if he had performed perfectly otherwise, the grossly incompetent mishandling of the COVID pandemic would be a sole factor to forever disqualify him from any leadership henceforth (I would not entrust the man to oversee a Target or Walmart location). With 91 felony charges pending against him and his dubious association with America's worst adversary, Vladimir Putin, Trump's legal woes incessantly dominate the news. Despite all this, too many Americans are apathetic, allowing him to remain a credible contender for re-election. 

Is this the image we desire to present to the world? Do we find contentment in being viewed as a jest amongst nations? We are going on, approximately, our third decade of being the most despised country on earth; remember, the world hated George W. Bush, and Mr. Bush is most decidedly a very benign figure in comparison to the useless golden boy that immediately followed him in office, and, verily, in comparison to Donald Trump.

I would advise President Biden that the extreme factions on both the right and left of America already harbour disdain for him and will support Trump or enable his return, regardless. Instead, I suggest Mr. Biden should give these various folks something to really hate him over. If the political centre is to hold, Mr. Biden must reach out to those who are still reachable but are not actively engaged and all too susceptible to outdated 'it's the economy, stupid' rhetoric; along with those millions who abstain from voting or paying any attention altogether. It is imperative to continually remind Americans how awfully Donald Trump performed as president during those four years. Because, at the moment, it appears a whole lot of them may be suffering from amnesia and chronic fatigue. 

Our national security, Social Security, individual liberties, and even our very lives are at stake, yet we appear paralyzed and disoriented. If President Biden must take unconventional measures to prevent national suicide, I will support him wholeheartedly. He may never be Mr. Popularity, and that is more than acceptable to him so long as he serves honourably and begins the process of cleaning up all the filth polluting this land.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Newspeak emerges from the pages of '1984' and enters the reality of the 21st century: indeed, Orwell was not merely a writer of fiction, but a prophet

Shepard Fairley/Penguins Books Limited

Purely anecdotal, and examples I will not proffer, but doth mine eyes alone notice that, of late, people's grammar and language skills seem to be deteriorating further, and a more rapid trajectory? Should we not recall '1984' and how the proles were gradually groomed to converse in Newspeak, a simplified version of English crafted to quell critical thinking? '1984' doth swiftly approach as veritable truth. Be alarmed; the degradation of our mother tongue is not something to dismiss lightly.

‘30% of children ages 5 through 7 are using TikTok—despite the platform’s policy that you can’t sign up until age 13’. {Ted Gioia 4/28} 

VIDEO: Trump worship has turned MAGA into a sexual fetish. Even after eight years of this cultish folly, the madness hath no end. Let none cease to remain alarmed and on high alert. #Cult45 are in a worse state than we have realised.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

History to be made today: Trump becomes first former U.S. POTUS to stand trial on criminal charges

Getty Images

Thirty-four felony counts against him, and still the GOP nominee to face President Biden this fall. Consider this post a daily reminder, #Murica, that what is unfolding is far from normal or proper. It never has been, and despite efforts by all of the tentacles of #Cult45 to normalize it, it never will be. {BBC 4/15}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

The eclipse comes and goes, and #Qanon and various groups appear to be embarrassed once more. Do they care? Do they still ‘trust the plan’? (Short answer: the only ‘plan’ is hating and hurting Jews, and every single follower is aware of it)

Getty Images

The eclipse has passed, and no new catastrophe has emerged, once again leaving the tin foil hat-wearing 'Pepe' crowd with egg on their faces. Do the 'trust the plan' #Qanon enthusiasts still ‘trust the plan’? Sadly, the answer remains 'yes', as there is a complete lack of shame and dignity at all times with these people.

All the trappings we see from these folks - the many slogans, the idolization of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the stupid frog, the fixation on pedophiles and child trafficking - are thinly veiled cover for their one overriding purpose: hating and disempowering Jews. It matters zero to them if their ‘plan’ is grounded in reality; they are fervent Christian nationalists with a severely distorted sense of reality, and a highly tuned antipathy to all who do not believe as they do.

That said, every #Cult45 acolyte knows, deep down, that Donald Trump did not win the 2020 presidential election, and Trump and his enablers know he did not win; they shout 'Trump won' in our faces as a form of abuse, not because anybody thinks it is true. #Cult45 will be proven wrong time and time again, and every time they will only intensify their hatreds and willful delusions. It is organized insanity in service of neo-Nazism and white supremacy. 

Do not underestimate the absurdity and cruelty these committed fanatics are willing to perpetrate. Despite their willful delusion regarding specific details, their profound fear and hatred of the Jewish people remain unwavering in the grand scheme of things. This hatred is as ancient as time itself, a malignant cancer that will likely endure for hundreds and thousands of years to come - assuming the world still stands, but I digress.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

A quick note on rejecting conformity and embracing being hated

I have never neatly fit into any box, nor hath I blindly followed any crowd. Being ordinary is simply not in my constitution; my personality is prickly. From birth, I hath been anemic, weary, and at times given to confusion. By reason of these traits, among others, I hath ever been despised by the typical person in my life, especially in childhood but continuing decades hence. Most people hate me. Well, the feeling is quite mutual. Never more so than in these rotten days. #JustSaying 

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

The masses are a**es: reinforcing humanity's harshest truths and refuting the universe's biggest lie in a time of extreme degradation

E.G. Records

The period from (at the very least) 2016 until now has reinforced a harsh reality about humanity, one that nearly all of us prefer to ignore: While people may age physically and their personalities may be altered over the course of a lifetime, the majority tend to retain the same immature a**holes they were in high school. It is disheartening to acknowledge that most individuals are not inherently good, despite the notion demanded of us that people in general are fundamentally decent. The past eight years, coupled with significant and soul-crushing self-reflection, have unequivocally confirmed these sobering truths for me. It is distressing to witness not only the failure of many to mature, but also the outright regression of most adults in this absurd era. #Cult45 serves as the starkest evidence, naturally, but they are not the sole culprits; numerous other examples could be cited. Consider grown adults indulging in video games, eating fast food, or listening to teen pop music, for instance. And how vehemently they will defend themselves if anyone dares suggest that ‘hey, come on, this is kid stuff’. But I digress.

Since just before the pandemic, I have endured profound agony and near-total isolation, striving to confront and overcome the darkest parts of myself. Meanwhile, I have watched as many others appear to embrace their own inner demons in this diseased age and within these dying United States of America. Every pessimistic thought and suspicion I ever harboured about humanity has been painfully confirmed and then some. At 46 years old, not once in my life have I ever felt a sense of belonging, only now I am proud and grateful to not belong among all these bloody imbeciles. The collective decline is becoming too much to bear, with people becoming increasingly self-absorbed and indifferent. Sadly, this trend shows no signs of abating; an American renaissance is unlikely to occur in any of our lifetimes, and the planet itself is suffering irreparable harm. Get me the f**k out of here.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

An AI safety researcher warns that there is a 99.999999% probability that Artificial Intelligence is an existential threat to humanity

Getty Images

The director of the Cyber Security Laboratory at the University of Louisville doth caution that once superintelligence is achieved, controlling AI becomes virtually impossible, stressing that the only prevention is to abstain from its development entirely. Conversely, Elon Musk, the Boy Genius, estimates the perilous odds of calamity at a relatively mere ten to twenty percent, and advocates continued research and development. When even the staunchest proponents admit there is a measure of hazard, it is time to take heed. Or embrace the looming spectre of Armageddon, one or the other.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Polish PM Donald Tusk, speaking on the prospect of a wider European war

‘War is no longer a concept from the past. It is real, and it started over two years ago. The most worrying thing at the moment is that literally any scenario is possible. We haven’t seen a situation like this since 1945. I know it sounds devastating, especially for the younger generation, but we have to get used to the fact that a new era has begun: the pre-war era. I’m not exaggerating; it’s becoming clearer every day.’ (CNN: Europe in ‘pre-war era,’ warns Poland’s Prime Minister Tusk, citing Russia’s threat. 3/29}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Lee Greenwood, professional 9/11 profiteer and country music one-hit wonder, defends selling $60 Bibles with Trump

screenshot

(THE HILL - Lee Greenwood hits back at critics of ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible sales: ‘Trump haters’)

Words cannot adequately express the extent of the evil and heresy in this act. It serves as a prime example of the state of Christianity in #Murica: a shameful disgrace aimed at deception and destruction. One must continue to wonder, what depths will Trump not sink to? The same question applies to all of his acolytes in #Cult45. Truly, he and they never cease to amaze with their audacity. 

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

#OTD 1976: A military coup in Argentina toppled the constitutional government of Isabel Perón

A monochrome portrait captures Argentine President Isabel Perón at a press conference before she was ousted by the nation’s military. Photo: Getty Images.

On this day in 1976, a military coup in Argentina toppled the constitutional government of Isabel Perón (pictured), heralding eight years of neo-fascist dread known as the ‘National Reorganization Process’. Strikingly, this regime bears notable resemblances to the ideologies espoused today by hard-right #Cult45 populists, Christian nationalists, and a decisive portion of average GOP voters in the United States, with Donald Trump as the centre of this neo-fascist movement. The Argentine junta did not revolve around a cult of personality, whilst our military in the United States rightfully withholdeth from intervening in domestic political matters, but therein may lie the end of the differences.

It is long-past concerning that the individual who led a botched coup attempt continues to evade consequences and is now poised to become his party’s nominee for president this autumn, with a plausible chance of success. While theirs may not be a military coup, #Cult45 hath akin many objectives to the junta that inflicted years of oppression and violence upon the people of Argentina. For further insight, one can search for ‘Project 2025’ to uncover parallels with the ‘National Reorganization Process’.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

MORE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT ANTI-SEMITISM AND CONSPIRACISM ARE GOING MAINSTREAM IN #MURICA

Assorted American Nazis at the Charlottesville rally of 2017. Photo: Chet Strange/Getty Images

If there was ever a disheartening indication to me that humanity is facing dark times, it was today's discovery that a former girlfriend of mine - once the epitome of sweetness and kindness, with whom I shared many years - now disseminates QAnon conspiracy theories and virulent anti-Semitic content on her Twitter (X) account. I had been aware since 2016 of her support for Trump. We parted ways in 2017, partly due to our political disparities (i.e., even the most rational of Trump supporters morph into big babies whenever their idol is criticised). However, I never could have imagined that this woman would eventually embrace such ancient, hateful beliefs as the blood libel.

Trumpism is an incremental mental disorder, one that typically starts off innocently enough for most, but ultimately consumes the hearts and minds of its followers, leading towards hateful ideologies such as Nazism. However, it's not just Trump supporters who exhibit concerning tendencies; it is all the leftists who are quick to blame Israel and our own government for the actions of Islamist extremists, true to their long-standing and petulant refusal of over twenty years to acknowledge the true threat posed by Islamist terrorists.Anti-Semitism is becoming increasingly prevalent across the political spectrum, and it achieves no positive outcomes or offers any solutions except more hate and violence.

Large segments of the American populace are increasingly turning against Israel, blaming the victims and siding with the oppressors (Hamas), while simultaneously Vladimir Putin's popularity among Americans soars along with anti-Ukrainian sentiment. What kind of monsters are Americans becoming? I find it increasingly difficult to recognize this nation and much of its populace, and genuinely feel as though I am trapped in a bizarre fever dream. Unfortunately, these dire circumstances will only worsen, particularly as the younger generations come of age, their brains addled by (among other things) video games and Tik Tok. The irreversible decline and eventual disintegration of the United States are inevitable now, as the election of 2016 opened the Gates of Hades. There is no saviour in sight to prevent our self-inflicted demise (if America is the new Babylon of prophecy, as I’ve long suspected, then the Bible tells us that God is not going to save it); nobody will be left to pick up the shattered pieces when the inevitable collapse occurs.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

THE GOP AND ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND REFLECTION DOTH INFORM THAT THESE TWAIN DOTH OPERATE WITH AKIN MALEVOLENT ESSENCE

geo pixel/Wikimedia Commons

THE GOP AND ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND REFLECTION DOTH INFORM THAT THESE TWAIN DOTH OPERATE WITH AKIN MALEVOLENT ESSENCE

By Arthur Newhook

In 2016, I, along with a remnant of #NeverTrump folks, did sever ties from what was then 'Conservatism Inc.' (now ‘Trumpism Inc.’) for the selfsame reasons that later prompted my departure from AA. These are authoritarian cults that demand absolute conformity, yet few among their adherents - most of all, their leaders - genuinely embody the values they profess. For over four years now, I have dwelt in near-complete isolation, harbouring no inclination to reintegrate into any organization or group. Indeed, my need for solitude doth only wax stronger. All collectives are inherently flawed, either being led by charismatic charlatans from their inception or yielding unto corruption with the passage of time; attributes stemming from humanity's flawed nature.

The biggest lie in the universe has always been the notion that human beings are inherently ‘good’. Even during my tenure within the aforementioned cults, I still maintained, albeit to a lesser extent, the conviction that the inverse holds true. Do we not emerge from the womb as blank slates, devoid of inherent virtue? Were we innately ‘good’, the constructs of law, courts, and prisons would not be needed. Our existence is a perpetual quest to decipher the intricacies of navigating this bleak, unforgiving realm. Alas, most ultimately resign themselves to the belief that ignorance, debasement, and servitude are the sole avenues to survival. Thus, malicious and predatory cults find their fertile ground.

In the ultimate reckoning, it becomes apparent that well-nigh every institution crafted by humanity doth exploit the vulnerable state of human nature. The present-day GOP, led by its egregious and disastrous orange figurehead, stands out as a quintessential example of this manipulative mindset. Whilst I abstain from delving into the particulars of mine encounters with the aforementioned 12-step sect - the anguish inflicted by certain individuals therein remains too agonizing to recount - it bears resemblance to #Cult45 in essence: both are societies nurtured by tyrants and sadists, devoted to the oppression and annihilation of those already broken. I beseech the Almighty for forgiveness, for all of my numerous lapses in judgment, and above all, for my erstwhile involvement and misguided trust in these nefarious cults.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

A major public backlash against new technologies is brewing

‘We have arrived at the scary moment when our prevailing attitude to innovation has shifted from love to fear’. {Ted Gioia 3/19}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

POPULISM AND GRIEVANCE: THEOCRATIC FASCISM’S STRONGEST WEAPONS

Reuters

On a primal level, #Cult45 adherents are cognizant of the intentions of Trump and his associates: Namely, to establish an Fascist and theocratic regime, closely aligned with Putin's Russia. The rank-and-file enthusiastically supports such efforts and greatly desires conformity, silencing dissenting voices (‘own the libs.’) Unfortunately, those most vulnerable to the consequences of this political climate are often disengaged, preoccupied with distractions like video games and cell phones, and are 100% jaded and cynical (not without much justification to feel such way.) With pervasive violent rhetoric and the assertive nature of #Cult45, a significant number feel intimidated, unwilling to ‘resist’ regardless of the circumstances. Neither will they find the courage to stand up and resist. January 6, 2021, was all about a show of power - to put the fear of God into a nation and its people - and I believe the majority of Americans were sufficiently spooked by that event. #Cult45 operates as a formidable pressure group, a collective of intimidating figures led by a supreme bully. Their relentless efforts have worn us down considerably, and are showing no indication of relenting. Exactly the opposite.

Do we truly believe that all this amplified 'Boomer' rhetoric about everything being 'woke,' younger generations being soft and not wanting to work, the illegal aliens and the ‘Great Replacement’ theory, the panic about drag queens, the anti-intellectualism, etc. is all just a coincidence? Confirmation bias and time-tested, yes - the ‘get off my lawn’ type is as old as time immoral - but not a coincidence. All the 'back in my day' memes that saturate our feeds nonstop do so because the intended demographics eat that s**t up with a silver spoon. Donald Trump absolutely knows what his audience wants, and has since day one of his political career. Fox News and talk radio do not devote most of their broadcast days to populist bellyaching as the target audience is predisposed to such complaints by their elder nature. Elon Musk's influence is transforming X (formerly Twitter) into a breeding ground for extremist ideologies, driven not solely by his own Nazi inclinations but also by the widespread presence of millions - perhaps even billions - of populist-minded individuals worldwide, who are always characterized by racist, nationalistic, and religious biases. Said individuals are the biggest marks around, and the likes of Trump, Musk, and Putin are taking full advantage.

Do not misunderstand me, there are many hints of truth to all these populist laments about a country gone 'soft' and a culture that is rotten: For most Americans are too cowardly, and/or dumb, and/or complicit to defend themselves against those taking everything away from them, and therefore will only give our would-be overlords and their army of minions the added satisfaction of having correctly proved their point before they slice our throats. We only narrowly averted Fascism in 2020, and only under extraordinary circumstances; even then, many of those 81 million that elected President Biden had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing so. Reminder: In 2020, Trump actually received around 12 million more votes than he did in his triumphant 2016 campaign. With President Biden successfully cast as the central villain in their twisted tale, #Cult45 and their leaders are licking their lips and smelling blood, more motivated than ever. The rest of us are too tired or apathetic to do anything about it. Am I wrong? 

Begin the fightback immediately, starting yesterday, as failure and tyranny are assured otherwise.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. Visit Stop the Idiocracy, @Sunking278 on FACEBOOK and X; @arthurnewhook on POST. @arthurnewhook.bsky.social; and @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world.

National suicide: Fascism is staring us right in the face, and much of #Murica is oblivious while many more embrace it

America is on a path of gradual national suicide, and within a year, it will meet its final demise unless significant changes occur urgently. The looming threat of a one-party, Fascist, and theocratic dictatorship with echoes of Auschwitz's horrors is imminent. It can happen here, and most Republican officials and lay people are outright begging for oppressive rule. The desire for fascism in these United States is beyond palpable, revealing mean-spiritedness and willful ignorance on a scale I have never known in my 46 years on this rotten earth. 

Despite the fact that we have a sane and capable president, somehow he is hated and resented. The widespread lack of respect for the president from seemingly all sides is appalling, and I have reached a point where I genuinely want to see President Biden assert himself forcefully and instill the fear of God into all those who would have their fellow Americans live in constant fear - the ones deemed bad Americans by #Cult45, so roughly at least half of the overall population of men, women, and children (yes, they will happily kill children, their ‘pro-life’ bonafides notwithstanding.) Give the Fascists a small taste of their own medicine, for we have no other choice if we are going to survive. We are in a cold civil war, soon to turn hot if #Cult45 is not brought down within the next ten to twelve months. This is war.

Americans today appear to actually crave chaos, tyranny, economic turmoil, betrayal of allies, and overall degradation. So long as they are endlessly entertained and the people they do not like are being punished, a majority will lovingly embrace authoritarianism on an epic scale. My faith in fellow Americans perished in 2016, and eight years later, it is abundantly clear that we, as a nation, have embraced pure evil. Americans can no longer be trusted on the world stage, at least not for a long time to come and likely never. By all means, though, keep allowing #Cult45 to trigger us and to set the terms of engagement every single time out. Keep on attending every single fight one is invited to by the trolls and goons. The United States of Entertainment is almost certainly f**ked, but hey, isn't that Taylor Swift great? Our priorities are so out of whack and people better start to take seriously the dire threat staring us in the face, and to realise that the enemy is us. #SeriouslyAnnoyed #Biden2024OrDeath

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Fellow supporters of President Joe Biden: CUT IT OUT WITH THE BLOODY TAYLOR SWIFT WORSHIP

Evan Agostini/AP

#Cult45 manufactures baseless animosity towards those who even mildly disagree with their agenda, or sometimes just because they make a convenient target, as is the case with a successful (relatively) young pop music singer (gee, who could I be referring to?) triggering the angry, old white men who comprise the bulk of the GOP base. Every single time, all too many of you fall into their traps, distracting from real issues in today's morally compromised and celebrity- obsessed America. The Fascists create these phony controversies because it works on a dumbed-down and absurdly restless population that values bread and circuses above all else. Stop playing on their terms! They goad you into wasting time over arguing about people and things that do not really matter so that you do not concern yourselves with health insurance, Social Security, matters of war and peace, climate change, our eroding civil liberties, or any number of pertinent issues. They brand you as sheep, and most of the time all too many of you prove them correct.

For whatever it is worth - and her actual music really is not all that germane to the discussion - Taylor Swift is not an essential artist like Nina Simone, Carole King, or Kate Bush. Despite her commercial success and despite that she hath been deemed an enemy by our enemies, she is still only a disposable pop star making goofy dance music for teenagers. Sure, good for her for enabling voter registration at her concerts, but she is hardly the first to do such a thing and to believe her doing this will save our democracy is pathetically naive. This woman is worth upwards of a billion dollars and can defend herself; she does not need millions of (perhaps well-meaning) people posting memes and expressing outrage on her behalf day and night. Meanwhile, actual human beings in this country and around the world are being oppressed in sundry ways, and they have no one to speak for them; no, they do not dance, lip sync, or date football players, so they do not matter. Our fellow citizens do not entertain us, so who cares about them, right? Our priorities are so screwed up that I cannot even articulate it properly at the moment. 

Folks, we are going to be crushed in the upcoming election. President Biden is under attack from all sides like no other president in modern history. Under attack by Trump and the GOP, by all the Christofascist loons, by the far-left ‘progressive’ jerks, by Arabs and Muslims furious that he (rightfully) stands by Israel, by the isolationists who would gladly allow Putin to march over all of Europe, by the sleazy mainstream news media, and by so many of the insufferable know-it-alls that live amongst us (that loud-mouth uncle who comes to Thanksgiving dinner, the ‘Karen’ who makes the lives of retail workers miserable, so on and so forth.) He is a capable and steady leader in a nation that has come to relish chaos, division, racism, hatred, and stupidity. We are a nation of impatient, willfully ignorant, and unserious imbeciles. When President Biden loses to a felon and traitor in November, know now that I am going to hold the likes of Taylor Swift, the media which props up these twits, and all of you who are obsessed with said twits at least partly responsible for our loss. When we are locked away in concentration camps - any of us who stand opposed to the nationalist populist agenda - I will remember the millions of lay people who have spent years now concerning themselves primarily with watching ‘reality’ television shows, posting selfies, getting fat on junk food, and living vicariously through the worthless excuses for celebrities that we are saddled with in this time. Our lives are literally at stake, so stop engaging in pissing contests over people who wouldn’t piss on you to save you if you were on fire!

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

The United States of Entertainment: A realm where personality cults, reprobates, and tyrants flourish, and where free will, critical thinking, and basic decency meet their demise

AI generated image

Observing grown adults engage in overt idol worship, fervently insisting on their idols' infallibility and suppressing dissent, is not only lamentable but also profoundly disturbing. This starkly contradicts the ideals of human liberty, critical thinking, and rugged individualism that the United States ostensibly once championed but now disregards. Full stop! I refuse to conform to a society where select mortals (rather mediocre ones, at that) are propped up by perpetual media hype and wield such influence over vast numbers of people that some adherents are practically (or literally) prepared to kill for them. It is important to note that I am not exclusively referring to #Cult45 and not solely pointing the finger at DJT.

The ceaseless idol worship of a disposable, thoroughly mediocre pop music star (initials ‘T.S.’) is becoming more than a mere annoyance. I am genuinely concerned about people’s mental health, and our corrupt media is to blame for enabling these charismatic charlatans - and there are others beyond the aforementioned, such as Elon Musk, who may be classified as an existential threat alongside Trump - to cultivate personality cults. This is not the country and society I grew up in, one that valued freedom of expression, critical thinking, and rugged individualism. That was the United States of America. Now, we are the United States of Entertainment, a country of sheep; anyone daring to stray from the herd shall be 'canceled.'

How did we reach this point, teetering on the edge of outright Fascist theocracy, while the majority of Americans remain blissfully ignorant? Supporting a pop star for enabling voter registration at concerts will not stop Trump, the GOP, and #Cult45 from imposing tyranny. Showing genuine support for the one person standing between us and Fascism - President Joe Biden - would be a better course. Yet, all I see is complaining and fretting over trivial matters, most notably his age. We are not a serious people. President Biden has held this diverse nation together amid serious storms, highlighting his worth and integrity, yet is never recognized for this. The lack of respect for competence and decency, while narcissistic buffoons are held up as role models, makes me sick.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Colorado court rules on Trump ballot access: A privilege a s**tbag such as he *never* should have had to begin with

Luke Gronneberg/Sidney Daily News

Concerning the Colorado ruling: An individual of dubious character such as Donald Trump should never have been legally sanctioned to vie for the presidency in 2016, nor yet in the year 2024, given all that hath transpired. Henceforth, stricter qualifications should be imposed on a federal level to attain the privilege of the ballot. These qualifications may encompass examinations of mental competence, civic knowledge, moral rectitude, a minimum amount of government experience, background checks conducted by multiple law enforcement and national security agencies, and mayhap even the mandate of prior military service, at least for male aspirants. I have also firmly concluded that some of these same prerequisites should be met to qualify for the right to cast a vote: We are compelled to renew our driver's licenses every few years. Wherefore not introduce a voting license resting upon, at the very least, passing a rudimentary civics exam? Those who support this nation-killing jackal bear responsibility for the consequences. The year 2016 revealed the truth, and the COVID pandemic confirmed it – people at this historical moment are truly this horrible and stupid; the trend has worsened exponentially since then with no signs of improvement in the foreseeable future. Get me off this sinking ship.

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Sleepwalking into tyranny: Trump blatantly refuses to rule out abusing power if returned to the White House. Do Americans care?

Charlie Neibergall/AP

{AP 12/06: ‘Trump declines to rule out abusing power to seek retribution if he returns to the White House.’}

President Biden’s campaign manager: ‘Donald Trump has been telling us exactly what he will do if he’s reelected and tonight he said he will be a dictator on day one. Americans should believe him.’ Amen, but the real question remains: doth Americans still hold regard for the rights and freedoms of any other than themselves? Care they not if they themselves are stifled and oppressed, as long as the bread and circuses keep coming? The peril is indeed palpable and dire, yet I perceive that pleas for democracy and the rule of law fall upon deaf ears with the common American. From the four troublesome years wherein Trump was sitting president, and from the scourge of COVID, and from the memories of 9/11, and from the multitude of school shootings suffered over recent decades, and from the insurrection of January 6, people hath learned nothing!. 

Madness hath been normalized, honour and integrity are scoffed at, and the populace hath grown insensate. Meanwhile, every other post upon my timeline is venerating a pop music star, most renowned for composing ditties about her foolish ex-paramours, as if she were a deity. When will people start getting serious? We find ourselves in a murky abyss, strolling unconsciously - even knowingly and gleefully in all too many cases - towards despotism. Should President Biden not be reelected in 2024, then turn off the bloody lights, for it shall be curtains for us. Heed the president’s warnings, heed Liz Cheney’s warnings, heed the admonitions of all who still dare to trumpet the alarm. 

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Decency hath forsaken this abode. In a country fraught with ludicrous partisanship and division, denizens from both the left and the right forsake our allies, and, instead, warmly clasp hands with our most malevolent adversaries

Pray, where doth sanity and virtue reside in this bloody country? Much of the American left doth point accusing fingers at Israel in the face of assault, with too many openly applauding Hamas; all disseminating untruths they fervently wish to embrace. The true hues of Jew-hatred are becoming manifest on each side. Most of the American right doth lay blame upon Ukraine for the onslaught, with many boldly extolling Vladimir Putin and reproving (the Jewish) Mr. Zelensky; all spreading falsehoods. Extremes in both factions (arguably the majority of everybody now, the centre hath witherered) do heap blame upon the victims of terrorism, oppression, and anti-semitism. And how quick are each extreme to lay blame upon President Biden, the actual grown-up and decent, sensible human being in the room? Left and right, they cheer on the literal murderers, terrorists, and despots of their choosing, performing and thinking as their leaders dictate.

In these times, I am thoroughly repulsed and oft find myself in solitude with my steadfast beliefs. Uphold Israel, champion Ukraine, and cease the dissemination of propaganda and fabrications, predominantly spawned in the troll factories of St. Petersburg and Beijing, be it from the left or the right. If a bumbling soul and a virtual cripple such as I can discern these matters, what ails everyone else? Alas, I detest these times, and they will become darker still. Aye, far darker. Lunatics of all persuasions are steering us not merely toward a domestic civil conflict but straight into World War III. A lamentable state, indeed. Nick work, #Murica, nation of f**king imbeciles.

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

A few words for the leader of the Roman Catholic church regarding the prelate’s meetings with Israelis and their opponents

Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

AP: Pope meets relatives of Israeli hostages and Palestinians in Gaza and sets off firestorm over words - Señor Bergoglio, and all those who have need to hearken so: This war shall cease only upon the complete obliteration and dismantling of Hamas. Israel engages in battle for its very survival, it has the right to exist. As for the denizens of Gaza - much akin to adherents of #Cult45 in the 'red' states, only on a greater scale - suffer under the oppression wrought by their own kin. Cease this equivocation, bothsidesism, for it hath only contributed to the proliferation of the antisemitic rhetoric that is reaching an intolerable extent. 

I do perceive Islamists and their accomplices, as well as all who form #Cult45 in #Murica, as greatly resembling each other. The Arab Muslims dwelling in Gaza and the West Bank endure hardship for the reason that many amongst them were long since indoctrinated to accuse Jews, Christians, and anyone but their actual oppressors for their wretchedness. Especially in rural domains, the diverse factions constituting the Trump alliance suffer due to their consistent voting against their own welfare. I harbor little compassion for those who lend their support to the Fascist Trump and the traitorous modern GOP, nor do I possess much pity for most 'Palestinians.' Ye have all brought these miseries upon thyselves, and, alas, upon the rest of us as well.

Pray for peace as thou wilt, Pope Francis, but relative tranquility shall only arise through the utter destruction of the agents of death - chiefly Hamas, and all the other bands of Jihadi terrorists that ply their trade in the region. Peace for Israel shall emerge from the crucible of conflict, and none have the authority to pass judgment upon Israel for it. Across centuries, Jews have waged battles for their very survival in every corner of the globe they've dwelt. The Holocaust ought to stand as the ultimate admonition, yet multitudes in this world yearn to reenact its horrors, and their unholy numbers swell. There exists no moral equivalence; Israel must prevail, whatever the cost!

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.