That's my point, you can break your own record, but the media and public will be desensitized to it after the first time, sadly most people will tune out after the novelty has passed.

I'm not disparaging him, as much as I am calling into question the timing of it. Any pushback at all is welcome, but it just seems to me to be poorly timed in terms of effectiveness.

I guess we'll see what kind of effect this has afterwards and if it has a positive outcome.

I didn't say one did preclude the other. My point is that if you're going to do something historic that, by it's unusual and uncommon nature, gets you more attention then usual, why wouldn't you use that gesture to BOTH protest, and filibuster a bill that will put more attention on the bill because of the historic nature of the filibuster?

And yes, by all means, continue to filibuster and stymie the admin's progress by filibustering whenever possible. However, the American public are notoriously short of attention, especially when something has already been done before, that subsequent filibusters won't have the same impact as the original, especially when you have outlets like Fox that can just spin it towards being not worth notice because "same old shit by the dems". People will eventually tune out, and the opportunity to really amp up the pressure on the Republicans will be lost.

But why not wait to filibuster an actual policy as both a protest against the admin itself, and to call attention to, and spark outcry, about the policy? It still seems like a waste to not time this type of once in a lifetime event with a particular action by the admin. I feel like if he's going to do something like this, especially something historic which will get people paying attention, why not use all that attention to it's maximum potential? The garbage is still going to be pushed through eventually, but if he were doing it at the moment that a garbage policy was being pushed through it would call much more attention to it and create more pushback from people.

I'd argue no. I'm kind of confused. I guess it's a prolonged speech protesting the actions of the admin in general? I somewhat applaud the push back by any member of congress, but I feel like it's a wasted gesture if it isn't specifically filibustering an important bill. This just seems like a publicity stunt rather than a meaningful action of resistance.

For me it took getting into therapy and realizing why I would lose control and drink to excess. I understand now that, for me, excessive drinking is a physical manifestation of an underlying problem I'm not confronting. If I drink when I'm not in pain or emotionally distraught, I drink responsibly, but when I am angry/sad/depressed I'll drink uncontrollably. I liken it to taking hallucinogens, specifically mushrooms, if I take mushrooms when I am already feeling bad emotionally, I will have a bad trip, if I take them when I am already happy and in a good mood, I'll have a good trip. It's about being mindful about your state of mind and what you put in your body that can effect that state of mind.

I appreciate the kindness, take care too ;)

Thanks for the kind words!

Yes, I did get into SMART for a time. I found that it was easier to just go to AA since I didn't feel like going through the hassle of maintaining a digital form and having to print it out every time I had to show it to my probation officer.

There have been a lot of successful lawsuits contesting the legality of mandating AA through the courts, in fact, no lawsuit has lost to date. I would have loved to contest it as well, but honestly I live in a small town and the police and courts here are the type to hold a grudge, so I didn't want to draw any unwanted attention. But yeah, it is most definitely a religious organization, no matter how much they try to maintain they aren't.

I had a similar experience myself, I was desperate and was looking for a way out. I initially joined before being mandated by the court, and for a little while I was on board, but after a year or so I got fed up with the methodology and rhetoric of AA. About six months before the mandate I was pretty much through with AA, and then I got a DUI and was forced to go. Which just further brought out my distaste for AA.

Luckily I'm just about finished with the court requirements. I only have a few more weeks of outpatient, and was told by my PO that once I completed the outpatient I'd be off of probation. So, very happy it'll be over soon.

The positive thing was that I did take a break from abusing alcohol and resassessed my relationship with alcohol. I don't intend to stay abstinent, but I do plan on having a healthier relationship with drinking and being mindful of when and how much I do.

Oh man, this is the fucking truth. I'm court mandated to go to AA, and it's driving me up the wall. The steps are ridiculous and the true believers will endlessly drone on about how amazing and effective they are. It's literally just religious fundamentalist ideology (AA itself was created by Bill Wilson, who was part of a religious organization called the Oxford Group, and used their existing principles to create the 12 Steps). The organization is definitely a cult, the largest operating and hiding in plain sight cult in the world. It's crazy how prolific it is and most people don't realize it is a Christian temperance cult.

What?! Doesn't everybody do that?

Kafka did, but after that I've had trouble getting over that default setting time and time again. I still have Sputnik from the library, so I might push ahead and see if it lures me in, but I'm still annoyed by the repetitive use of the same motifs.

For sure! Kick ass score! Trying to show me up, eh? :P

I can understand the occasional reference, or encounter with a character who has those qualities. But almost every book with every main or supporting character gets to be ridiculous. "Meet Amami Tutsudo, she's the owner of the local bakery known for her undying love for Chopin, her mind soars with his transcendent movements, which she plays while baking her acclaimed loaves of bread."

Zip is the best. Bill Griffith is one of my favorite cartoonists.