He wanted to be an actor?

 

VIA

His recent actions may seem like micromanaging, but they reveal a darker intent. In his first term, Trump received vociferous condemnation from most in the culture industry, particularly in Hollywood. He doesn’t intend to let speech flow unfettered this second time around. Fascism’s perseveration about cultural control can’t help but recall the repressed and the libidinal, such as Hitler’s obsession over his failure as a painter contributing to his desire to be seen as a great artist, working not with paints and canvas but with people and the nation. Even here, Trump’s own humiliation at being an outer borough has-been never fully accepted in Manhattan is the emotional impetus to his middle finger to the arts establishment. 

An AI-generated image Donald Trump posted of himself as a conductor (post by @realDonaldTrump via Truth Social, screenshot Hyperallergic)

Though Trump never wanted to be a painter, he has clearly always wanted to be an actor. In a sense, he is — one with a massive international stage. Just as Hitler drew upon all of the creative energies of German culture to evil result, so too could only the United States produce a Trump — a carnival barker and medicine man, shock jock and pornographer, reality show star and pro-wrestler. The Nazis traded in German kitsch, and so MAGA will trade in Americana. Last week, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a conductor before the National Orchestra with the caption “Welcome to the New Kennedy Center!” As the maestro takes up his baton and the rough beast slouches toward Washington, we must, as artists and critics, ask ourselves: How can we preserve our souls?

Whitney Webb - The Elites Are Using AI to Destroy the Human Spirit

Real!

 

We are Real, not rare.

- Roman Empire

Read on Substack

 

Why It Sucks to Be Around People Who Are Always High or Drunk

 OH HELL YEAH!

Why It Sucks to Be Around People Who Are Always High or Drunk

Feb 16, 2025

---

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to have a real, meaningful experience with someone who is perpetually under the influence—whether it’s alcohol, weed, or psychedelics. When you're sober and fully present, hanging out with people who are altered is like trying to have a deep conversation with someone who keeps buffering.

They’re not fully there. They’re not operating on all cylinders. And yet, you’re expected to adjust yourself to fit into their distorted version of reality—which is exhausting and a complete waste of your precious time.

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

You Have to Constantly Adapt for Them

When you’re the only sober person in a room full of high or drunk people, guess what? The burden falls on you to keep the social dynamics from completely collapsing. You have to:

• Slow down your speech so their fried brains can keep up.

• Dumb down your jokes because they’ve lost the ability to process anything beyond basic humor.

• Pretend their repetitive, slurred, or paranoid thoughts are insightful.

• Tolerate their unnecessary giggling, emotional outbursts, or half-baked theories that only make sense to them in their altered state.

Your experience is now centered around their high, buzz, altered perception— and not anything real, nothing reciprocal, and not anything fulfilling.

You're Not Talking to the Real Person

One of the worst parts? You’re not even engaging with the real version of them. Whatever they’re on has hijacked their personality, turning them into a distorted, watered-down, or exaggerated version of themselves.

• That deep talk you were hoping to have? It’s not happening. They’re too distracted, emotional, or fried to engage in anything real.

• That fun night out? It’s now a babysitting job. Someone’s too drunk to walk, too high to function, or suddenly having an existential crisis because the weed hit too hard.

• That inside joke or meaningful moment? It’s lost in translation because they’re not mentally present enough to register it.

It’s frustrating because while you’re here for a real exchange, they’re just floating through the moment, disconnected, distracted, and dulled.

You Have to Dim Your Light

Being around high or drunk people forces you to shrink yourself down so they don’t feel uncomfortable in their altered state. You can’t be too sharp, too aware, or too quick-witted—because then they’ll feel slow, lost, or paranoid. You can’t be too deep or too intense, because their brain is stuck in a loop, and they can’t follow.

Instead of having an exchange where both people bring something to the table, you end up holding back, simplifying, and playing along with their substance-induced nonsense.

Why? Because they can’t meet you where you are. And instead of them rising to your level, you’re expected to dumb yourself down to meet them at theirs.

No Meaningful Exchange Ever Happens

You could spend hours with a person who’s high, drunk, or tripping, and at the end of it, nothing real has occurred. No authentic connection. No intellectual exchange. No genuine emotional moment. Just time wasted in a half-reality that only made sense to them.

You know how some people record their high conversations and listen back the next day? Most of the time, it’s embarrassing. Because what felt profound in the moment was nonsense.

That’s what it’s like for the sober person in real-time. You see through the illusion while they think they’re on some next-level wave of genius.

Hanging Out with Altered People Is Just a One-Sided Experience

The worst part? They’ll never fully remember or appreciate the time you spent with them.

• That deep talk they thought was life-changing? They’ll forget most of it.

• That stupid joke they laughed at for 20 minutes? It wasn’t funny.

• That moment when they got all sentimental and told you they love you? Meaningless.

Because it wasn’t them—it was their high/drunk self hijacking their experience. And you were just along for the ride, forced to entertain their intoxicated reality.

Conclusion: It’s a Waste of Your Time

If you value genuine connection, deep conversation, and real experiences, being around people constantly under the influence is a dead end. You will always be the one adjusting, compensating, and wasting your energy on interactions that don’t matter in the long run.

So if you’re wondering why you feel annoyed, drained, or disconnected after spending time with perpetually altered people—it’s because you’re the only one present. Might as well be alone.

EP. 78: WAKE UP (LATER) WITH SONIA POULTON & GUESTS: 19 February 2025

Lakota Author Tiokasin Ghosthorse : GO FUND ME (urgent)

Dear readers and listeners,

I could write a book. Actually, at least three of my books have been influenced by a Lakota friend, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, and his perspectives coming from the Lakota Nation, but i'll keep it short.

Virtually every day when i'm out and about talking with people casually, or on the phone, and some topic arises, i'll mention something Tiokasin has said. For example, the Lakota language has no words for "domination" or "exclusion" or "I/me". Those are three of the main culprits of all the world's problems and the disrespect and abuse of Mother Earth and all manner of species including fellow human beings ("species" a sciencey word for what Native Peoples refer to as "relations", which, to my interpretation is how a "rock" can be like your grandfather, a "tree" your uncle/aunt, and so forth).

About 15 years ago i met Tiokasin at an event showing Native films and with live talks and musical performances. I asked him if he knew of any Native poets because at the time i was hosting a poetry reading at Locust Valley Library and i thought that would be cool. He raised his hand in the air. Sometime after that i picked him up at the Locust Valley train station and when he got in the car, he said to the effect of, "Poetry, huh? I write prosetry." Typically i would have told someone, well it's a poetry event, but having heard him speak once before at the Native event, i didn't care b/c i simply wanted to hear more about the Lakota perspective, because what little i had already heard i hadn't heard before and it was truly mind-bending. He read from his essay in the anthology Soul Companions:

"The way we, the Lakota people, speak about Spirit is not a rational process that can be measured. The Indigenous thinking process is relational and egalitarian, where everything is alive and everything is energy. ... When we hear a bird or animal speak, we try to mimic them because they're speaking the language of the stars."

If that's not what in English is called "poetry". . . i don't know what is.

And that's just one example of how Tiokasin, and many other Natives and non-Natives, think outside the box of labels and categories and rules, and try to live outside that box but it's darn near impossible nowadays, for example, try not paying the every two years car registration -- for a car you already paid for or are monthly paying for -- just so you can have a new sticker to prove it's kosher, it's still you driving the same car. But in this case Tiokasin is having to pay steep medical bills and other living expenses.

As the gofundme page explains: "Last spring of 2024, Tiokasin inhaled Roundup (Glyphosate) during waking hours while the fans were running. He unknowingly inhaled this toxic spray which led him to have an acute lung episode, leaving him debilitated. This episode happened just one or two days after the spraying and activated some underlying comorbid conditions which have brought his life to a halt. Over the last months Tiokasin has been unable to breathe with ease, he struggles to stand and to walk, even to do basic things like button his shirt and put on socks. He is unable to work– except for when he is invited to do online talks and has the energy to do so. This barely pays for his rent. In addition to Tiokasin being unable to work, he is in need of several medical treatments which Medicare does not cover. At the moment he is receiving mediocre care from a Medicare doctor and cannot afford to get the treatments or afford the medicine, food, and housing that he needs to heal during this time."

SO..... to read more about his situation and if you have the ability to kick-in some money, please look at the gofundme page:
"Communal Medical Fund for Tiokasin Ghosthorse"
https://www.gofundme.com/f/communal-medical-fund-for-tiokasin-ghosthorse

Also, he's the host, founder and executive producer of: ”First Voices Radio,” now in its 32nd year on the air, an internationally syndicated one-hour radio program originating from and heard weekly on Radio Kingston WKNY 1490 AM and 107.9 FM in Kingston, New York. "First Voices Radio" explores global topics and issues of critical importance to the preservation and protection of Mother Earth presented in the voices and from the perspective of the original peoples of the world."
And btw he's a world class, master flute player...

thanks for reading this and be well,
~ mankh

2017 post

Water coming off my roof on 6-30-17 - big thunder booms too

Excerpt By Tiokasin Ghosthorse

Recognizing, Honoring, and Respecting Water

There has to be recognition, honor, and respect given to Water in a way that equates all life’s thinking, feeling, memory, consciousness, and motion with what Water gives and with what Water represents to all the cultures of Grandmother Earth. Water is in your breath, on your tongue, fingertips, and water keeps your eyes moving in your sleep. Water dreams with you and retains what we humans forget in our busy “timed” lives. Water keeps us humble when we think ourselves too important. Almost every morning nearly everyone has a Water ceremony whether or not they are aware of it. This includes all plants, birds, trees, and all life that depend on the life-giving being of Water.

I splash Water on my face and cool the fire in my eyes in the morning. I sprinkle drops over my head and body in recognition and gratitude for giving life to all in the past, present, and the potential possibilities; if only we as forgetful humans would remember to be givers-of-care rather than takers-of-care.

I ask permission before I drink water. Water gives me the language and responsibility to carry the message of life. Water is not a noun, but a loving, moving, growing, cleansing, and powerful living being. So I drink this cup of stars called Water while thinking, speaking, and wanting all things to live fully, rather than purely exist within the lonely world where too many of us have found ourselves—an anthropocentric world that has disconnected us from the Being of Water and caused us to take so much for granted.

About Tiokasin

history is confusing and wrong, right?

 

These guys👇 are GREAT!

1:47:00 : Ice Age Civilizations 

substackers

 

This is the 10,000 pound gorilla in the room that nobody’s talking about.

- Roman Empire

Read on Substack

- MellowKat

Read on Substack

Expert shows AI doesn't want to kill us, it has to.

SO depressing? read the awesome comments after the video👇

@skrdykatjunior6125

3 weeks ago

Sometimes lately I'm glad I'm old. Good luck guys!

 

basically...

 

Is it too much to ask - I SAY NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Signs you are TRAPPED?

 

Signs You’re Trapped in a System of Illusion and Control

February 9, 2025 ~ admin

Jordan McKenzie – The term “the Matrix” transcends its sci-fi origins, symbolizing the pervasive systems of control that shape modern life. Many of us unknowingly live within invisible frameworks designed to limit consciousness and autonomy, from financial dependencies to media narratives. But how do you know if you’re truly awake—or still trapped in the illusion? Let’s explore the subtle signs of systemic entrapment and how to reclaim your sovereignty.

10 Signs You’re Trapped in the Matrix

1. You Fear Questioning Authority

The Matrix thrives on unchallenged obedience. If questioning governments, corporations, or mainstream narratives feels taboo or dangerous, you might be subconsciously accepting their control. True freedom begins with curiosity.

Why It Happens:
From an early age, societal conditioning teaches us to trust authority figures without question. Schools, workplaces, and media reinforce this narrative, creating a culture of compliance. The fear of being labeled “rebellious” or “unpatriotic” keeps many from challenging the status quo.

How It Manifests:

• Avoiding conversations about controversial topics.

• Feeling uneasy when others express dissenting opinions.

• Accepting information at face value without critical analysis.

Practical Tip: Start small—research alternative perspectives on historical events, health practices, or economic systems.

Spiritual Insight: Trust your inner knowing. Your intuition is a powerful guide that can help you discern truth from manipulation. Meditation and mindfulness practices can strengthen this connection.

YES: spoken words can change living DNA

 

WHY did this not get passed down to everyone - let's guess...

"...My body is not me. It is the container for my soul.  I co-inhabit with this beautiful gift from nature, my body, as long as I am alive.  My body knows my consciousness intimately well – yet I am clueless about the awareness that my body has.  Easily I think we are the same consciousness, and we are not.

In another example, my body knows when I can’t handle any more bad news.  It takes the negative emotional energy and stores it for a time when I can sort it through and hopefully release it.  Meanwhile, I want to be a good person, so I tell myself and others that I had no problems forgiving this person or putting a bad experience behind me. Simultaneously, my body is dealing with all the pain from this situation that I can’t handle.  This negativity is making the body’s job of keeping me healthy harder.  I am completely unaware that there is even negative energy that I have not addressed.

While I watch TV, my body is running my organs, circulatory system, digestive system metabolic process, and so much more. I am unaware.

The Russian biophysicist and molecular biologist Pjotr Garjajev discovered that DNA stores data like a computer’s memory system. Not only that, but our genetic code uses grammar rules and syntax in a way that closely mirrors the human language! The structuring of DNA-alkaline pairs follows a “grammar” pattern. Are words verbalizations of our DNA? Does my body understand English?

The team discovered that spoken words could change living DNA. They transmitted information from one DNA to another: they transformed frog embryos into salamander embryos from sound alone. 

This is why affirmations and hypnosis are such a powerful influence on us. 

Our DNA responds to language. [i] Does my body listen in on my statements?  When I say over and over that “I am sick and tired”, does it deliver to me what I ordered?

It is finally dawning on me that my body is more conscious and aware than I am.  My body understands things, more complex stuff than I know about.  My body works for me all the time, tirelessly working to remain in perfect health.  Yet, how eagerly I complain about being fat, my eyebrows are crooked, or ankles are fat. I don’t even have kind things to say to this tireless and loving friend, that I never thank.

Now I am more aware. I know my body is conscious, separately from me. And I have no better friend in the whole world...

 

SF Source Jill’s Wings of Light Jan 2025

[i] https://thrivingaudios.com/russian-scientists-reprogram-human-dna-using-words-and-frequencies/

moon rings

 

MOON RINGS -- 'AUREOLES' VS. 'CORONAS': Sometimes the best thing about a bright full Moon is what goes on around it. Last night in Pennsylvania, Dave Mitsky photographed this beautiful moon-ring:

The correct name is "lunar aureole," cousin to the better-known lunar corona. Aureoles and coronas are caused by water droplets in clouds.  When the droplets are a jumble of different sizes, they produce a straw-colored ring--an aureole.  When the droplets are all of the same size they produce a rainbow-colored ring--a corona.  Look for both tonight.

more images: from Heiko Ulbricht of Freital, Saxony, Germany

space weather | rare nighttime apparition

 

MINOR GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Another solar wind stream is heading for Earth. It is flowing from a canyon-like hole in the sun's atmosphere. First contact with the stream on Feb. 14th could cause a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm with Arctic auroras for Valentine's Day. 

POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUDS AT NIGHT:  Unusual weather in the stratosphere has set the stage for a rare nighttime apparition of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). Marianne Bergli photographed the display last night in Kilpisjervi, Finland:

"The PSCs were even more colorful than auroras," says Bergli. "The full Moon lit them beautifully."

This is rare.  Normally, Earth's stratosphere has no clouds at all. Only when the temperature drops to a staggeringly-low -85 C can widely-spaced water molecules assemble into icy Type II PSCs. During a typical polar winter, sky watchers might see them no more than once or twice, almost always during the day when bright sunlight causes their colors to blossom.

Nighttime displays are doubly rare because the clouds must coincide with a bright Moon to make them visible in full color.  Tonight is such a night!

"I have seen more PSCs this winter than I have seen before in all my life," says Fredrik Broms of Kvaløya, Norway, a well-known aurora photographer who has been carefully watching the Arctic sky for decades. This is what he saw on Feb. 11th:

"The PSCs were truly amazing," he says. "Since mid-January 2025, I have seen these colorful clouds weekly or every second week."

According to NASA's MERRA2 climate model, the polar stratosphere has been exceptionally cold this winter with temperatures dropping to near 45-year lows. The reason might be the stratospheric polar vortex. This winter's vortex has been strong, keeping cold air bottled up over the Arctic Circle.

Springtime dynamics could soon upset that cold air mass. Until then, Arctic sky watchers should remain alert for PSCs--even at night. They're the most beautiful clouds on Earth.

Beware! Mysterious Fog Causing Illness Worldwide!