I have long suspected that some sort of transition occurs when one ages to 25. That is the age where, in addition to car insurance rates dropping considerably, a young man realizes that they do not, in fact, know everything, and elders actually DO have some knowledge about the world that the under-25 youths ignore at their peril.

I'm not a biology graduate, so I was recently surprised to learn from one that the prefrontal cortex of the brain does not fully develop and mature until age 25, which seems to confirm my hypothesis.

[quote]The development and maturation of the prefrontal cortex occurs primarily during adolescence and is fully accomplished at the age of 25 years. The development of the prefrontal cortex is very important for complex behavioral performance, as this region of the brain helps accomplish executive brain functions.

In conclusion, why do we allow the under 25 to vote or drive cars, again? Universities should be expanded to require eight-year degrees for any subject, to encourage young people to remain cloistered and learning away from the rest of society, until their brains have fully matured.

Isn't this just a passive way to agree with someone / their opinion? Why did this become normalized? It's tedious and annoying.

I admit I'd have a hard time. Russian stooge Trump vs. Russian stooges Bernie and Tulsi. Considering Bernie is 78 I really would not want that awful woman so close to the Presidency.

I could stomach it if it were just Bernie, but not sure with Tulsi.

Bernie is a Tulsi supporter and vice versa so it is actually fairly likely it would happen. She's been setting herself up as a VP option to appeal to Trumpers for some time now.

My vote is with the Sexy Nerd.

You needn't hide your true self any longer, while you work at Spotify.

@JenGriffinFNC 6 hours ago, 7 tweets, 2 min read

I just spoke to a distraught US Special Forces soldier who is among the 1000 or so US troops in Syria tonight who is serving alongside the SDF Kurdish forces. It was one of the hardest phone calls I have ever taken.

"I am ashamed for the first time in my career."

This veteran US Special forces soldier has trained indigenous forces on multiple continents. He is on the frontlines tonight and said they are witnessing Turkish atrocities.

"Turkey is not doing what it agreed to. It's horrible," this military source on the ground told me.

"We met every single security agreement. The Kurds met every single agreement. There was NO threat to the Turks - NONE - from this side of the border."

"This is insanity," the concerned US service member told me. "I don't know what they call atrocities but they are happening."

This American soldier told me the Kurds have not left their positions guarding the ISIS prisoners. In fact "they prevented a prison break last night without us."

"They are not abandoning our side (yet)."

The Kurds are "pleading for our support." We are doing "nothing."

Troops on the ground in Syria and their commanders were "surprised" by the decision Sunday night.

Of the President's decision: "He doesn't understand the problem. He doesn't understand the repercussions of this. Erdogan is an Islamist, not a level headed actor."

Acc to this US soldier on the ground tonight in Syria: "The Kurds are as close to Western thinking in the Middle East as anyone. "It's a shame. It's horrible." "This is not helping the ISIS fight." Re: ISIS prisoners: "Many of them will be free in the coming days and weeks."

This US Special Forces soldier wanted me to know: "The Kurds are sticking by us. No other partner I have ever dealt with would stand by us."

Disappointed in the decisions coming from their senior leaders.

He reads Breitbart and Drudge, thinks CNN is the devil and totally liberal, as are all other news sources that aren't conservative slanted. Accused me of being super biased because I "never say anything good about conservatives" and asked me to prove what Trump said was impeachable or even against the law.

He Googled the Constitution for the impeachment rules and said Trump hadn't done anything that was illegal and said it was normal for him to want to investigate "corruption". When I said the President SAID he wanted Ukraine to investigate the Bidens specifically, he said "based on hearsay from the Whsitleblower?" and then dismissed it when I said the White House had released a pseudo-transcript where he mentions investigating the Bidens six times (or more, I couldn't remember).

It's bizarre because he and I agree that the pronoun stuff is bullshit as are much of the other identity politics that pollute a lot of left wing discourse lately. But he thinks I am totally biased and he is not.

THEN he tries to shut down the conversation, saying "let's never discuss politics again" and it just reinforced his belief that people of differing views should never discuss things they don't agree on because we were just talking over each other, etc.

He's my personal trainer but after that (I had one more exercise to do) I said "I think I'm done for today" and he said "alright" and left. I actually got pissed off at the last part of that conversation where he said "you're clearly biased, and I have my views" (of course he didn't say HE was biased, because he doesn't think he is, says he isn't Republican, but then quotes mostly Republican talking points and all the news sources he reads are conservative-slanted).

What news source can you name that a conservative won't say is biased? CNN leans too far to the right, in my opinion, and MSNBC is nothing like Fox News but don't even suggest either to a conservative or they will laugh at you. There are none I can name! Do they even exist?

Could YOU say anything good about a conservative/Republican nowdays in America? Are there ANY good ones?

(Calming photo of sexy Antoine Moriult below)

Unruly little trogs!

---

Scotland has become the first country in the UK to make it a criminal offence for parents to smack their children.

The ban on all physical punishment was backed overwhelmingly by 84 votes to 29 by the Scottish Parliament on Thursday afternoon.

The move will give children in Scotland the same protection from assault as adults when it comes into force.

Parents and carers are currently allowed to use "reasonable" physical force to discipline their children.

The smacking ban bill was introduced by Scottish Greens MSP John Finnie, a former police officer, who won the support of the SNP, Labour and Lib Dems as well as his own party and many children's charities.

Mr Finnie said smacking teaches children that "might is right", and that the ban would "send a strong message that violence is never acceptable in any setting".

He also said there was "irrefutable" evidence that physical punishment damages children, is not an effective form of discipline and can escalate into physical abuse.

...

I don't even know where to begin! 😍

Sexy but deluded right wing gay Chadwick is sorry/notsorry

[quote]I kick men out of my bed for being circumcised. Natural is beautiful. Sorry!

What's the point?

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I'm working my way through The Order - it's about a secret order of powerful magicians at a posh university, and there's werewolves. It's not bad so far, and some of the guys are hot. Also I started watching Riverdale (yes, I'm very late to that), and am about three episodes in. I haven't really found anything I feel inspired to binge lately.

I've only seen this in people's dating profiles before they flirt with me and ask to see my cock. Usually they are Generation Z or a tail end Millennial.

I agree with Dan Savage, although I'm sure he was crucified for this:

In 2017, Dan Savage, the sex and relationship guru behind the column and podcast Savage Love, was scathing about demisexuality, despite being considered a progressive beacon on understanding identity and sexuality. He wrote: “We used to call people who needed to feel a strong emotional bond before wanting to fuck someone people who, you know, needed to feel a strong emotional bond before wanting to fuck someone. But a seven-syllable, clinical-sounding term that prospective partners need to Google – demisexuality – is obviously superior to a short, explanatory sentence that doesn’t require internet access to understand.”

Exhausting!

It seems to have permeated everywhere. I'll begin:

"We're in the darkest timeline"

"Do better"

"There's always a Trump tweet!"

the writing of sentences with no ending punctuation or caps to seem chill

"Me:

Someone:

Someone else:"

They pulled the 'ol "our account was hacked"! excuse.

Fuck Marianne Williamson! Fraus have a new Queen to guide them!

Gabby has a new "book baby" coming out soon on how to attract everything to you, using, I dunno, skyhooks or something! Her feed is filled with age-old wisdom, such as:

What are choices you've made today to protect your peace?

Praying doesn’t have to mean kneeling beside your bed and talking to God. A prayer can come through a simple surrendered thought, when you decide that your will is no longer working and you invite in a higher power to take the lead.

The Universe is always conspiring to support you, guide you, and compassionately lead you toward the highest good.

In order to manifest the reality we want, we must be in an energy of detachment. In this energy, we become willing to allow and receive.

Hope is the conduit for miracles, and the pathway back to hope is through surrender.

Begin each day w/ these words: "Today I surrender my goals and plans to the care of the Universe. I offer up my agenda and accept spiritual guidance. I step back and let love lead the way."

“Thank you, Universe and guides of the highest truth and compassion. I am ready to feel free. I welcome a newfound faith.”

Let us investigate this positive, uplifting being of light! And she's blonde!

It was just a shove, but when you read what the guy who did it says about the congressman, it sounds frighteningly similar to the militant anti-abortion activists (and that Pizzagate moron who thought there were children being held captive under that pizza parlor by Hillary Clinton), the "saving the children" rhetoric that inflames gun nuts.

...

Pan, a Democrat from Sacramento, was pushed from behind by Kenneth Austin Bennett, who challenged the senator in the 2018 primary but did not qualify for the general election. Bennett filed a recall petition against Pan earlier this year alleging the senator was committing treason by authoring bills to increase vaccination rates in the state.

...

Bennett posted the video with the caption: “yes, I pushed Richard Pan for lying, laughing at us and for treason.” He added in the video that if Pan “Got what he deserved he would be hanged for treason for assaulting children, for misrepresenting the truth.”

Hardwick

Putnam

Banks

She talks of her non-traditional marriage, her porn addiction, her children and their porn addictions, in open and frank terms. Truly a womyn of the century!

...

They first met when they were barely adults; he was starring in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and she was on A Different World. They later married and had two children, Jaden and Willow. “I knew that I was not built for conventional marriage,” she explains. “Even the word ‘wife’: it’s a golden cage, swallow the key. Even before I was married, I was like, ‘That’ll kill me.’ And it damn near did! So why wouldn’t you share what you’ve been through, when you see that other people are out there, trying to figure this crap out? We decided to make it public because it’s part of the healing. I feel like if we don’t have real understanding about it, I don’t know if interpersonal relationships are possible.”

They clearly dote on their children, and she stresses the strength of their union, too. “Will is my life partner and I could not ask for a better one. I adore him, I never want people to think it was Will I didn’t want to marry – he and I were talking about this the other day. But I can assure you that some of the most powerful women in the world feel caged and tied, because of the sacrifices they have to make to be in that position. So I wanted to talk about how we really feel about marriage. How do we really feel about different, unconventional relationships? How do we really feel about raising children? Honestly.”

...

Jada will reveal, for example, that she spent several years addicted to porn and felt it had to stop when she was climaxing five separate times a day. Her mother will nod. Yet she tells me she was actually deeply uncomfortable. “I think the pornography show was the first time I got squeamish talking with my mother. Not so much Willow, because we had already talked about it.” Willow had shown her mum her Tumblr feed (a collection of blogs that she followed online) when she was about 11, only for deeply unsuitable material to flash up that Willow, now 18, insisted had nothing to do with her. “So she’s flippin’, flippin’, flippin’ and some of the most hardcore pornography came up and I was just like – ‘What the hell is this?’ So the first time I had to talk to her about it was then. She was so used to it, she couldn’t understand why I was trippin’ about it. So then I had to go, ‘When was the first time you saw it? How did it make you feel? You have to know that this is not lovemaking, right?’” Then she laughs. “I also told her, you know what I had to go through to get some porn!” It was her older brothers who had first shown her it, “and older siblings expose younger siblings to everything. I think every kid today is introduced to sex through porn.”

As a gay man, do you use lip balm? What brand do you use? Is there such a thing as lip balm trends? How often do you apply it, and do you do so in front of other people? Do you have different lip balms for different occasions? Do you prefer the stick lip balm, or the kind that requires you to dip a finger into it?

If you're straight, bi, or a Lesbian, please identify yourself as such so we know what we're dealing with. And if you're queer, nonbinary or "other", please go to Twitter or Reddit.

Can anything be done for this poor man? Should we start a GoFundMe to support scientific research aimed at identifying his developing fellatio-phobia?

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

America’s largest retailer has refused to stop selling guns after the latest massacre at one of their stores — but will limit ads for video games.

Walmart has been pressured to stop selling firearms, including in a public letter to CEO Doug McMillon by New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin.

“You, singularly, have a greater chance to use your role as the chief executive of the country’s largest retailer and largest seller of guns — with greater sway over the entire ecosystem that controls gun sales in the United States than any other individual in corporate America,” the open letter read. “What happened over the weekend was not your fault — but it is your moral responsibility to see that it stops.”

“The 22 people who died in your store this past weekend deserve more than words of consolation to their families. They deserve a leader who is going to work to make sure it never happens again,” the letter concluded.

But Walmart is instead cracking down on video games — despite the fact there is no evidence they have anything to do with mass shootings.

“Walmart stores are reportedly removing ‘signing and displays referencing violence,’ including signage and playable demos for video games, following recent shootings at two of its stores,” Vice reported.

I'm apparently low class, I've never heard of this. Looks like caviar jerky.

This list was compiled by women. Do you agree?

The Approach: This is a by-the-book event that should run from five to eight p.m., before dinner, with women in dresses at- or slightly-below the knee and men in casual suits. Adjust to accommodate the season and location. If you know the host’s personality that can also give a clue into the general vibe of the party.

Gentlemen: A suit and oxfords are always a sure bet, but you can be creative and more casual. “Technically speaking for men, cocktail attire does not require a tie unless the word formal is written alongside it,” Meier says.

Options for summer cocktail, fancy cocktail, and formal cocktail follow!

Are they the most exhausting people or what?

As far as I can tell from real life interactions with this sub-species, they seem to trot out the "demisexual" or "gray asexual" label in profiles, but that still doesn't stop them from flirting with you and asking to see your dick at the first opportunity.

Is everyone just in a quest to find some label for themselves so they can feel special?

There's just too much stuff now to tell. Anyone have any ideas for overlooked items that are readily available now, but you think will be scarce and desired in a few decades?

One writer on queerness, masculinity and the fetishization of body hair

The hair on my chest, ass, and thighs has been the property of others for as long as I’ve had it.

When I was in high school, boys in the gym locker room would make their eyes as big as a tree frog’s and cackle in the direction of the tangled, coarse, chestnut-colored mess of hair on my chest. To avoid unwanted attention, I changed clothes in the bathroom stall.

SEE ALSO: How Brooklyn became the world’s queer mecca

The boys who laughed at the sight of my chest hair did not have as much as me, but were often the same ones who called me “faggot” or confronted me about my sexuality in front of large groups of people in the way that makes closeted, young gay boys’ hearts fall to their feet. My chest hair protected my masculinity in some ways, but also called attention to my difference. It was a weapon, but also a liability.

I came out as gay when I was a freshman in college. While my experience with my own body hair has changed, it’s still a point of conversation. Especially when it comes to sex. Often, it’s brought up even before we get into the bedroom.

(The essay goes on...)

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Tee hee!

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WASHINGTON — Senator Mitch McConnell is usually impervious to criticism, even celebrating the nasty nicknames critics bestow on him. But Mr. McConnell, the Senate majority leader, is incensed by the name “Moscow Mitch,” and even more miffed that he has been called a “Russian asset” by critics who accuse him of single-handedly blocking stronger election security measures after Russia’s interference in 2016.

Democrats had been making the case for months, but it was supercharged last week by the testimony of Robert S. Mueller III, the former special counsel, who told the House Intelligence Committee that the Russians were back at it “as we sit here.”

Mr. McConnell cites several reasons for his opposition — a longstanding resistance to federal control over state elections, newly enacted security improvements that were shown to have worked in the 2018 voting and his suspicion that Democrats are trying to gain partisan advantage with a host of proposals.

Republican colleagues say that Mr. McConnell, a longtime foe of tougher campaign finance restrictions and disclosure requirements, is leery of even entering into legislative negotiation that could touch on fund-raising and campaign spending. Sign Up for On Politics With Lisa Lerer

A spotlight on the people reshaping our politics. A conversation with voters across the country. And a guiding hand through the endless news cycle, telling you what you really need to know.

But whatever Mr. McConnell’s reasoning, the criticism has taken hold — even back home in Kentucky, where the majority leader faces re-election next year.

“Democrats want more aggressive legislation to protect America’s elections after Robert Mueller’s stark warning about Russian interference,” began one report aired on a Louisville television station last week. “Mitch McConnell blocked it.”

Even President Trump felt compelled to come to his defense — as only he could.

“Mitch McConnell is a man that knows less about Russia and Russian influence than even Donald Trump,” the president told reporters Tuesday as he was leaving for a speech in Jamestown, Va. “And I know nothing.”

That did not relieve the heat on the majority leader, who on Monday had appeared to open the door ever so slightly to doing more on election preparedness.

It's sad and depressing. Also: guns!

My oven needs to be cleaned but this is a lease so fat chance of that happening. I'm tired of everything I make in it smoking/stinking up the whole house for days and causing my kitty and me to cough. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good toaster oven? I want something that is almost as fast as a microwave, as I am very impatient and important.

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I shouldn't have to concentrate to understand English. But who cares, he's gorgeous.

I'm still working on 'hygge', but apparently I should be 'niksen' too.

Being bitterly alone as I am, I chat with my cat and sometimes, as I do mundane daily tasks, I like to pretend I'm saving the universe in true drama-laden style complete with over the top dialogue about defeating the ancient enemy of mankind with some superweapon I have discovered. It comes with a high risk of destroying the universe, though! But I must activate it to save us all!

Stuff like that?

You don't hear his name anymore since #metoo kind of fizzled out.

And he proudly tweeted about it:

[quote]“Just spoke to@KanyeWest about his friend A$AP Rocky’s incarceration,” Trump tweeted Friday. “I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky. So many people would like to see this quickly resolved!”

Thank god there's nothing more important going on that needs his attention!

Gasp! The trust fund millennials and the older, fatter millionaire CEO are not seeing eye to eye!

I also love The Daily Beast's subhead where they attempt to make the situation sound dire and racist with careful wording:

[quote]Leaning on editors to be nice to advertisers. Asking for sites to quadruple their traffic—with no new resources. Relocating to roach-filled offices. Publicly remarking about ethnic stereotypes.

GASP!

In fact the whole article is an example of this. Wonder if the author was a former Gawker employee.

I'd post the link, but DL keeps returning "Bad URL" which means either the Daily Beast has been newly blocked or some bad coding is causing it to be rejected.

The headline on the site is "Gizmodo Media Staff Enraged at New CEO’s ‘Insane’ Direction"

He's training for a natural bodybuilding competition and he's straight, as far as I know. How can I get him to flex and show me his muscles without seeming like a lecherous troll?

I already tried the "Do you still have visible abs?" line when we were talking about his bodybuilding competition, and he said yes, but he didn't lift his shirt to show them to me.

(Thread image is an approximation of trainer).

I didn't even know this was a thing, having just used a nosehair trimmer my entire life. Is it recommended instead? What should I use?

an outsider being someone who doesn't frequent or know about DL?

AND he had a mustache!

Handing out shit-where-you-stand sugar free gummi bears to trick o' treaters (Drawback: can only be done once a year)

Leaving your garbage cans out all week because you might be too tired on Monday to take them to the curb

Planting a black locust tree to fuck over the next person who buys your home

Regularly buying a chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake and leaving it in the break room at the office to make the office Fraus fat(ter)

I can't really tell.

I don't have a monobrow, but they are looking rather scraggly. What's the best way to tame them as a man so they still look natural, and avoid looking like a Chola or Billy Zane?

I cannot look away. He has a great body but I can't tell if this is hot or gross. I'm torn!

Should we just nuke it all and start over?

Clothes traditionally worn by women are becoming part of the mainstream of men’s fashion and helping break the straitjacket of prescribed roles

illy Porter is a singer, actor and man of fashion. He is also a man who isn’t afraid to wear a skirt. Porter wore a tuxedo dress to this year’s Oscars and rocked a very fabulous, very pink, uterus-inspired suit-gown to the Tony awards.

Not everyone can pull off an upcycled velvet curtain, but it is a shame more dudes don’t try. As Porter told Stephen Colbert during an appearance on The Late Show, men’s clothing norms are mired in misogyny. “Women wearing pants is powerful,” the 49-year-old said. “It’s strong, everybody accepts it and it’s associated with the patriarchy.” However, “the minute a man puts on a dress, it’s disgusting, so what are you saying? Men are strong, women are disgusting? I’m not doing that any more … If I feel like wearing a dress, I’m gonna wear one!”

It is sad that so many men are petrified about seeming effeminate. It is sad that it is not socially acceptable for men to experiment with fashion in the same way women can. Happily, however, things are changing gradually. No one looks twice at a guy with a man-bun or a man-bag any more; male makeup is a growing industry; and male rompers were a thing for a while.

While men in dresses are still considered noteworthy, guys such as Porter are sashaying into the mainstream. The rapper Young Thug is fond of skirts and the actor Jaden Smith frequently and unapologetically dons dresses. “If I Wanna Wear A Dress, Then I Will, And That Will Set The New Wave,” Smith wrote on Twitter last year. Meanwhile London fashion week featured so many men breezing along in gender-fluid fashion that GQ proclaimed: “2019 is the year men will start wearing skirts.” I certainly hope so. Masculinity is a straitjacket; it is high time more men broke free.