one man’s journey to get out the ghetto MDA, RKLB, SHMD, LPTH, TEM, GNRC, BULL BULL
Queens, NY
Joined December 2019
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Blastoise Capital retweeted
Republicans are going to have a terrible night, and the simple reason why is that Trump has put up perhaps the worst *performance* this term of any president in a century or more.
Remember that he entered with an actual mandate: the House and Senate, a popular vote victory and a swing-state sweep, and 6-3 Supreme Court. Democrats were afraid enough to vote for mild but real immigration restrictionist legislation in the Laken Riley Act. Everyone wondered how far the "Vibe Shift" would go.
Trump managed to turn that into essentially zero durable wins whatsoever. He personally *hates* the very idea of legislation, the notion that he would have to spend time going back and forth with Congress, learning details and making compromises. So he simply didn't do it! He didn't make a compelling case for abolishing the filibuster. He didn't try communicating clearly to the public in support of popular bills to get to 60 votes. He just decided not to do it at all.
So they passed an unpopular tax cut, some funding for ICE, and a sop to the crypto industry, and that was basically it. Least productive Congress in decades, due to the tastes of one man.
Trump adopted one of the worst macro policies we've ever had: high deficits, high tariffs, and attacks on central bank independence. We managed to pay higher interest rates while still having high trade deficits AND weakening the dollar. Just a total failure.
On immigration, perhaps THE signature issue, Trump essentially min-maxxed effectiveness and backlash. Instead of trying to leverage the political moment for new laws and a self-deportation agenda (that is, walling off the economy to remove the benefit of irregular presence in the US), he opted for a maximally aggressive approach. The administration spent attention, funds, legal manpower on stunts like deporting random people to Salvadoran prisons with essentially no due process. ICE and Border Patrol were encouraged to be aggressive and confrontational, which helped contribute to the shooting deaths of American protestors. It turns out, that's extremely unpopular!
What about the approach of going after employers? The obvious vector? Trump hated that idea! He repeatedly has said he doesn't want to target businesses (especially farms) that use large amounts of illegal labor. This is just an incomprehensible position. Instead of charging a few dozen businessmen and removing the incentive for millions of illegal workers to be here, you arrest people off the street one by one at the cost of thousands of dollars in manpower per each, while their crying wives and kids post TikToks about it.
Upshot on immigration: electoral strength turned into a crippling electoral weakness in exchange for deporting maybe 6% of the illegally present population.
The tariffs were a total shitshow. Embarrassing rollout, no underlying theory of action at all. No targeted focus on key industries. Our country tariffed products we can't grow. We tariffed *inputs* of our own valuable exports. The schemes and amounts changed constantly, sending the stock market reeling and presenting scenes of chaos to the world.
Trump's messaging throughout has been generationally bad. While facing nearly 2:1 unpopularity, he spends his days posting AI slop, saying he'll rename New Mexico or invade allies, among other bizarre remarks. He brags about a ballroom and a pool repainting while gas hits records. At no point has he ever attempted any kind of message discipline.
Then there are the deeply unpopular attacks on rule of law, his "game-recognize-game" pardons for all manner of scammers and criminals, the crypto schemes that he and his family engage in, the evilly conceived and embarrassingly executed legal attacks on Comey, Jerome Powell, and others. With his monthslong stand on NOT releasing the Epstein files, he became maybe the first president ever to stake out a 99-1 issue on the 1% side.
That's not even getting into Iran, DOGE, his candidate recruitment choices, or countless other things. Simply put: Trump has managed to royally screw up virtually every single facet of his presidency. It's been undeniable, voters have noticed, and there's really no escape from it. This is what the GOP base chose in early 2024, and this is the world they're living with now. Where they handed the reins of history to a fat, vain, washed-up old man and let him drive.
Blastoise Capital retweeted
“Imagine Hormuz opens” heard on my podcast circuit again.
When all these people accept that Hormuz is closed for years, what are the biggest investment implications?
Blastoise Capital retweeted
As one of the biggest $VKTX bull here.
After some DD, introducing: The road to approval! (or road to 300$)
A fun way to keep track of our favorite biotech adventures.
Blastoise Capital retweeted
“Let me die,” American photojournalist Heidi Levine repeats to journalists Jasper Nathaniel as they try to outrun masked Israeli settlers who attacked her on Friday while she covered the olive harvest in the West Bank village of Abu Falah, near Ramallah.
Around 80 settlers attacked Palestinian olive harvesters in the village, AP reported. The Palestinian Red Crescent said it treated six people injured in two attacks in Abu Falah.
Levine, a freelancer for the Washington Post, told the Committee to Protect Journalists that the settlers knocked her down and kicked her for at least 10 minutes, even after she identified herself as an American journalist. They stole her camera, phone and bag. She was eventually taken to a hospital in Ramallah.
"The IDF provided cover, with tear gas and machine guns, while the settlers beat" Levine "nearly to death," Nathaniel wrote, adding that soldiers then shot a Palestinian bystander and aimed their guns at and shoved paramedics trying to treat him. AP photos and circulating videos show Israeli soldiers standing over a wounded Palestinian man after they shot him.
Andrey X, an activist also at the scene, said a Palestinian man "saved our lives from the settler-terrorists who attacked the olive harvesters and journalists” armed only with a slingshot.
Blastoise Capital retweeted
非洲真的很缺水吗？其实“懒”才是他们穷的根本原因。有数据显示，非洲地下水储量是地表的100倍，为何他们不挖井，而是到处找水？
我之前跟着一支海外工程队在那边待了快八个月，亲眼见过太多让人匪夷所思的事，说出来真的好多人都不敢信。我们当时的营地建在一片开阔的草地上，刚过去的时候要解决用水问题，队里找了个测水的师傅随便找了个地方打井，打到不到十二米就出了清水，水质甜得很，除了供我们队四十多个人吃喝洗澡，还能引出一垄水浇我们开出来的小菜园，天天浇水都用不完。
而离我们营地不到两公里的地方，就有一个百十来口人的部落村子，我第一次跟着采购去村里的时候，就看见全村人都围着一个半米深的泥坑接水，那水浑得放半小时都澄清不了，水面上还飘着虫子和牲畜的粪便，小孩渴了蹲下来直接舀了就喝，大人也不管，不少小孩隔三差五就拉肚子，缺药耽误着能拖出大病，看着真的让人心疼。我当时就问翻译，咱们这边打井出了这么多水，他们咋不来打一口？翻译笑笑说，你往后看就知道了，不是水的事。
没过多久工程闲下来，队长说反正咱们设备人都有，不如免费帮他们打一口井，也算做件好事，结果第一步就卡壳了。村长带着一群人堵在我们选好的井址，说这块地是他们部落的公用土地，要打井就得给他们十袋面粉五桶食用油外加两箱汽水，不然别想动土。我们队里想着反正也不多，给就给了，就当换一口井给村里人用，这点东西对我们来说不算什么。
接下来要找几个当地人帮忙打下手搬东西，我们说好一天给一斤玉米面两瓶汽水，这个待遇在当地已经够一个三口之家吃饱喝足了，比他们自己瞎晃赚得多太多，结果来了五个人，干了不到四十分钟，全都撂挑子坐到树底下乘凉去了，说太阳太晒，会晒伤皮肤，祖宗规矩就是正午不能干活，要等太阳落山再干活。我们想着入乡随俗那就等，结果太阳落山之后，连个人影都没见着，第二天上午好不容易来了三个，还要求必须先给汽水玉米面，不给就不动手，我们给了之后，三个人晃悠着挖了不到半米，又坐下来歇着聊天了，一聊就是一上午，第三天干脆全都不来了，托人带话来说拿到的吃的够喝够吃好几天，先回家休息，吃完了再来。
最后没办法，我们工程队自己上手，不到十天就打出了一口出水稳定的井，还给他们在井口安了简易的提水架，放了两个大木桶，跟村长说以后大家随便来打水，只要别往井里扔垃圾就行。一开始村里人可开心了，天天排着队来打水，结果半个月不到，井口就堵了，我们过去一看，大大小小的树枝石头烂叶子堵了小半井，原来大家打完水垃圾随手就扔在井口边上，下雨一冲全进去了。我们免费帮他们清干净，反复跟村长和村民说不要扔垃圾，要保持井口干净，结果不到两个月，又堵了，之后村长干脆来找我们，说井坏了，你们再帮我们打一口新的吧，那语气说得理所当然，好像我们就该天天给他们收拾烂摊子。
我之前还碰到过一次，营地的围墙坏了一段，找了四个当地工人来修，说好一天干完给对应的工钱，结果四个工人八点开工，九点就歇着喝茶，十点吃早饭，十二点要睡午觉，睡到下午三点才起来，干了不到一小时又说要回家喂孩子，一天下来只码了不到五块砖，第二天还过来要全额工钱，说我们没给他们提供茶和饼，所以干得慢，钱不能少给，当时给我们队长气得直接把他们赶走了。
待得久了我才发现，这种事真的不是个例。有个二十多岁的小伙子天天来我们营地卖野果，我们看他挺活络，就说你干脆天天给我们营地送菜，我们一个月给你固定的工钱，比你卖野果稳定多了，结果他干了三天，第四天就不见了，过了一周晃悠过来，问他为啥不来，他说前三天赚的钱够花了，在家歇着花完了再来。还有国际援助组织免费给他们发蔬菜种子，教他们开荒种地，说种好了够全村吃大半年，结果一半种子被他们煮着吃了，剩下的随便往地里一撒，既不浇水也不除草，长不出来就接着等着发援助。
真的，很多人说非洲穷是因为气候不好历史遗留问题，可我们明明看到脚底下十几米就是清水，储量够整个村子用几十年，有人免费帮你打出来，就只要随手维护一下都做不到。他们不是没有力气，跑出去找野果跳篝火舞能折腾一整天，一说到干活赚饭吃，半小时就喊累；也不是没有资源，地下水摆在那，援助摆在那，就是不肯伸手去动。
我待了八个月见过好多口废弃的援助井，全都是打完没两年没人维护废了，当地人宁愿背着水桶走三四公里去接脏雨水，也不肯花半天时间清一清堵了的井口。你说这到底是延续了几千年的靠天吃饭的生活方式已经刻进骨子里改不了，还是真的就是“懒”才导致一直摆脱不了穷呢？你怎么看这件事？
Blastoise Capital retweeted
Part 2 of @moonlightbro's Malfoid fanfic, I forgot the "stupid ghost" line in Part 1, so fixed it here.
If you like this, please show support to @moonlightbro, it would not be possible otherwise. I cannot write to save my life, takes me days to string together 4 lines of dialogue that doesn't make me hate myself 😂
This type of stuff isn't my normal content, but I'm committed to fully adapting this, even if the trend dies in 5 minutes. Just love everything about this trend, especially how wholesome it feels.
Should be able to finish it in the next part, but might be a bit due to certain challenges and busy with stuff.
Hope you all enjoy.
#vidu #viducpp #malfoid
"Affectus remotio" Draconia whispered, gritting her teeth and clenching her wand. Waiting, desperately, for something to happen, for something to change. The stack of books around her growing taller by the hour, with titles such as "Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed", and "A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions". She had been at it for hours, late into the night, casting counter-curse after counter-curse on herself. Feeling nothing change but her level of anguish.
She hadn't showered or left the library in two days. Her hair was greasy, and the bags under her eyes were heavy. "Stupid Snape. Stupid potions. Stupid magic. Stupid Potter!" Draconia shouted, knocking over one of her stacks of dusty tomes.
"Shh." Instructed a passing ghost, much to her irritation.
"Stupid ghost." she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.
She looked a mess, and smelled even worse. Luckily it was several hours past midnight, and the library was completely empty. She had special permission to be out of bed this late of course, from Snape. "Good luck with your research Miss Malfoid, however, I don't suspect you will find the answers you seek in the library." What did he mean by that? Something about the way he said it bothered her. What does it mean? She looked down at her notes, full of hastily scratched spells and their counter curses, references to books that referenced other books, old anecdotes, and rumors of love hexes.
She pulled her hair again, and slammed her fist on the table. If Snape knew what was wrong with her, why wouldn't he tell her? Is this a test of some sort?
As she thought, she absent-mindedly sketched a lightning bolt in her notes.
Suddenly, she knew. Of course. It was unthinkable, but it was the only explanation. Potter used the imperius curse on her. One of the three unforgivable curses, used to control people like a puppet. Probably when she was sleeping, he snuck in and cast it on her, with a subtle enough command that it would go unnoticed. Of course! A spell that dark and that powerful wouldn't be released by simple counter-curses found in the student library.
Draconia was more relieved than angry. Finally, an explanation. Now she just needed to find Potter, get him to release the curse, and tell her father. Finally, something to get that half-blooded creep expelled.
She took out her silver hairbrush, ran it through her platinum hair, and sighed, ready to return to her dorm and get some much needed sleep.
After returning the books to their proper home, she exited the library quietly, smiling to herself. "I'm probably the first witch in history to be relieved to discover she's under the control of the imperius curse", she mused. The castle was unnerving at night, but it was never quiet. The soft roar of the torches in the corridor, the sleepless ghosts floating around, the soft snoring of the living paintings. Though she was apprehensive, at least she wasn't alone.
Alone. The word echoed in her head.
She heard footsteps around the corner in front of her. They were hurried, but light. Someone trying not to be caught. Before she could think, Draconia dove into an alcove nearby, hiding next to a suit of armor who turned to look at her, seemingly confused. She held up a finger to her mouth to quiet the armor, to which it simply shrugged and returned to it's resting position.
Draconia peeped around the corner and saw a Gryffindor robe and untidy black hair speed by. Harry?! What in Merlin's beard is he doing here?
Is he... looking for her? He must be. She gritted her teeth in anger. That creep is up to no good. Probably sneaking around looking for more ways to torment her. Though she was exhausted beyond measure, and yearned for her bed, she decided to follow him.
Harry was going somewhere she had never been before, ducking through hallways and secret doorways. Behind paintings and through dark corridors. Never once did he turn and notice her. How did this oblivious fool manage to cast such a high-level dark curse on her?
Finally, after squeezing into a dark and dusty room, Harry stopped. Draconia ducked down, peeking around a dusty sheet hanging over an abandoned globe to look at him from behind.
He was just standing there, staring at himself in a mirror. What? She continued watching him for minutes, waiting for him to do something, but he just... stood there. Staring at himself.
Draconia couldn't hold it in anymore, and she started laughing.
Harry whipped his head around, wand in hand.
"Malfoid?! What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"
"Honestly Potter, sneaking off to stare at yourself in the mirror? Such vanity!"
"I wasn't... that's not..." Harry stammered, looking away from her shyly.
"That's pathetic, even for you." Draconia giggled, her hair falling forward as she clutched her stomach.
"It's no ordinary mirror, Malfoid," Harry shot back, "It... well... come take a look."
"Sure", she laughed, approaching him. "And what exactly am I supposed to be seeing?"
"What do you mean? Just look in the mirror."
"I am, I don't see anything unusual."
"It's supposed to show you your heart's greatest desire. It's called the Mirror of Erised. Dumbledore told me about it." Harry said, his face turning red.
"Well it seems your mirror is broken, Potter." Draconia giggled, "Because I only see you and me."
Blastoise Capital retweeted
If a man and woman both choose to drink and use drugs and get drunk and high and then have sex -- which, I'm sorry to break it to people, is not a rare occurrence -- is the man guilty of rape, or is the woman guilty of rape, or is it both and neither?
If, in a male/female couple, the man gets super drunk and high and then woman doesn't, and then they have sex, is she guilty of rape?
If both the Cornell accuser and at least some of the accused voluntarily chose to drink and do drugs and have sex -- as happened -- why is the man accused of rape but not the woman?
Choosing to have a drink is not consent, and it’s never a license for sexual assault.
New York law should reflect that.
I support closing the voluntary intoxication loophole and will work with the Legislature to get it done.
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
There is no law in New York saying choosing to drink means consenting to sex.
Current New York law says voluntary intoxication does not invalidate an individual's ability to give consent, as it does not meet the state's standard of "mentally incapacitated".
nysenate.gov/legislation/la…
nysenate.gov/legislation/la…
Blastoise Capital retweeted
Outrage in France after Bally Bagayoko, the far-left mayor of the country’s most infamous no-go zone Saint-Denis joined student rioters who were attacking a high school in the area.
He could be seen laughing with them, giving high fives and jumping up and down.
Bagayoko is the mayor of 150 000 people, of which around 90% are immigrants, second-generation migrants and third-generation migrants.
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
Das Video ist ein verkürzter Ausschnitt eines längeren Videos, in dem zu sehen ist, wie der Bürgermeister zunächst die brennende Tonne vom Gebäude wegzieht und dann den Feuerwehrleuten beim Löschen applaudiert.
Das komplette Video ist z.B. hier zu sehen:
x.com/U71pb/status/2…
Blastoise Capital retweeted
This is actually a really important graph because it illustrates something that we’ve been saying for a long time and liberal media doesn’t understand. Conservative podcasts aren’t actually conservative. They’re on the side of what’s funny and entertaining and interesting. Trump at the time was funny and entertaining and interesting, and now he’s not. So they’re not talking about him anymore. It’s not some grand conspiracy, and the podcasts aren’t inherently political unlike the leftist podcasts. “Conservative” podcast just want to laugh and have fun. Once the fun is gone, they move to the next topic. Liberal media stays inherently political because it’s not about what’s fun, it’s about agenda. The conservative podcasts just want to bro down.
We tracked 70K hours of conservative podcasts. They’re not talking about Trump anymore. (w @noslouch @sabrod123)
Blastoise Capital retweeted
When the crusaders conquered Jerusalem, they butchered everyone, and the blood ran to their knees. These pilgrims were certainly more religious Christians than you. What you are claiming is the eternal Christian morality is just post-WW2 Boomer Hippie International Liberalism.
Blastoise Capital retweeted
Until the Jewish community at large disavows this behavior I will uncover more of it.
Will the government follow up on any of this? Only time will tell.
And yes: if it's not clear enough by now, a large majority of self-described "conservatives", opposed to "waste", "fraud", and "abuse" have no principles.
If a story exposes the "protected groups" that are part of "their team", they become silent or defensive.
Blastoise Capital retweeted
$VKTX and a small " $MRNA moment". Congrats longs! Let's see what the trading day brings. There are a lot of short positions in Viking, too.
Blastoise Capital retweeted
I will return to this paragraph by C. S. Lewis at least once a week until the day I die
Blastoise Capital retweeted
The argument being made here -- if Robert Kraft doesn't want his venue used to express your ideas, he has every right to ban you -- was exactly the argument liberals made when the Right complained about Big Tech censorship:
If the owners of Google/FB/YouTube/Twitter don't want the venues they own being used to express your views, they have every right to ban you.
How can this argument be justified in one case but not the other?
