The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is an exploration and appreciation of two remarkable shows with equally remarkably anti-war messages. The way war is depicted in the media is often mixed at best and unhealthy at worst.
But “The Dragon Prince” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender” dared to offer a different perspective. They don’t just explore the more damaging, less obvious aspects of war. They do so in a way that perfectly complements their respective stories. Enjoy!
YES, I KNOW I’M TYPING IN ALL CAPS! THAT’S BECAUSE I’M SHOUTING AND TREMBLING WITH JOY!
HUGH JACKMAN IS COMING BACK TO PLAY WOLVERINE AGAIN IN DEADPOOL 3!
Okay, I’ve taken a moment to catch my breath.
I know I don’t normally just post short bits like this. I’m kind of working off raw adrenaline at the moment. I just wanted to share this news and the unfiltered joy it gave me.
Like many, I was very disappointed at the lack of X-Men news at D23 and San Diego Comic Con this past year. I worried we weren’t going to get much else aside from X-Men 97.
Then, Ryan Reynolds decides to drop this little bombshell on us. And I can’t thank him enough for that.
Suddenly, it looks like 2024 is going to be one of the most epic years in the history of cinema and I am so ready for it!
That was the mantra I heard every other day in school as a kid. Others my age heard it too. There were entire assemblies about drugs at least twice a year. There were regular PSA’s after some of my favorite kids shows. Every health and PE class, it seemed, took time out of their schedule to talk about the dangers of drugs.
For the most part, I listened to these message and took them seriously to some extent. However, I could never truly buy in. I’ve mentioned before how certain anti-drug programs I went through in school sent mixed messages. These days, I’ve come to see those programs and most of those anti-drug efforts to be either a waste of time, misguided, or outright deceitful.
I’ll go so far as to say that the drug war is a complete and utter failure and should be ended right now.
I’m not trying to make a political statement. I’m just trying to put my attitude towards drugs and the drug war in context. A lot factors went into this current overview. However, there was one particular experience that really re-shaped how I saw this issue. It wasn’t something I experienced in school or some life-changing PSA. It was actually a result of dental surgery.
That, in and of itself, is saying a lot because, as I’ve noted before, I despise going to the dentist.
A big part of that aversion to going has to do with some of my less-than-stellar dental health over the years. I’m not just talking about having a cavity or two. Most people deal with that. I’ve actually had a number of major dental procedures over the years. I’ve had fillings in my molars, gum grafts for my lower lip, and a whitening procedure that made my teeth hurt for days on end.
In short, I haven’t had many pleasant experiences at the dentist. In fact, most of my major medical procedures thus far have been of the oral health variety.
However, it was when I had my wisdom teeth removed that really changed my outlook on drugs. It also happened to be the most significant medical procedure I had done at that point. It marked the first procedure that required general anesthesia and recovery process. Naturally, I was nervous, but it had to be done.
For a lot of people, getting wisdom teeth removed is entirely necessary. I was among those who had to get it done as early as possible. The longer I waited, the more it would damage my teeth, my mouth, and my overall well-being. Those were my dentist’s exact words.
The experience, itself, was fairly standard. Even if I was nervous, I knew it had to be done. My mother even took time off work to take me because she knew I would be out of it for a while. However, I don’t think she knew just how much the drugs used in the procedure would effect me.
Again, this was my first major surgery and my first encounter with the powerful drugs used in said surgery. I had little experience and no tolerance, whatsoever. Naturally, I was going to react. I just didn’t know how colorful my reaction would be.
It went like this.
I sat down in a dental chair, the nurse put something over my nose, and then told me she was delivering some nitrous oxide.
I distinctly remember her putting this tiny rubber mask over my nose. I don’t remember anything three seconds after that.
The next thing I knew, it was over. I woke up, my mouth was full of gauze, and the dentist said we were done. He might have said something more, but I honestly don’t remember because I was laughing so had.
This is when I learned why nitrous oxide was also known as laughing gas. I definitely got the laughing part down.
However, I wasn’t juts laughing. I was light-headed, loopy, and just giggling like the happiest guy in the world. I don’t remember a whole lot about what I did or said, but I felt so good, despite my mouth being bloodied and sore. I’m also pretty sure I told the nurse I loved her and I might have even proposed to her. I don’t know. I’m genuinely worried that I made that nurse uncomfortable.
Also, remember that my mother is there. She has never seen me this doped up before. She had hard time not laughing. If she’s reading this right now, she might start laughing at the memory because I really was that out of it. I was so drugged up that my mother actually got my dad on the phone so he could hear me. I don’t remember what I said, but I’m pretty sure he laughed too.
Eventually, the effects did wear off. When they did, my mouth hurt. It het a lot. It was at that point when drugs stopped being funny and I realized something important.
Sometimes, you really do need drugs in order to get through something.
For me, it was serious dental surgery.
For others, it might be something else and it doesn’t always have to with medical procedures.
On top of that, these drugs work. Seriously, I do not know how I could’ve possibly endured getting my wisdom teeth removed without anesthesia. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have laughed nearly as much or flirted with the nurse.
Beyond the actual procedure, I was also prescribed some prescription strength pain killers to help with the pain afterwards. I won’t say what type of pills the were. I’ll just confirm that they were a form of opioids. Yes, they were those kinds of opioids.
I’ll also confirm that those pills worked. They were very effective at making my jaw hurt less as I recovered from the procedure. Sometimes, they worked a little too well. That was why I was generally very reluctant to take them. However, they did get the job done. Were it not for those pills, my recovery from that surgery would’ve been a lot more painful.
That’s really what it all came back to, pain and comfort. These drugs were necessary for me. They also made me feel really good while I was enduring something very distressing. That put a very different context around drugs, the drug war, and why people do drugs. Suddenly, all those anti-drug messages I got from school seemed woefully shallow.
Yes, drugs can be very dangerous and harmful. The number of people who die from overdoses is proof enough of that. However, people don’t just take drugs to overdose from them. There’s generally another reason behind it and that reason doesn’t always revolve around getting high.
While that does happen, it’s not nearly as damaging as many of those anti-drug messages claim. My experience with dental surgery gave me a taste of how pleasant it could be. I wouldn’t blame anyone at all for wanting to pursue that feeling, even if doing so came with serious risks.
More than anything else, my dental surgery experience complicated the whole issue of drugs, drug abuse, and why we wage war on drugs. The feelings I experienced, especially with the benefit of hindsight, convinced me that waging a war on drugs just isn’t winnable. These drugs work too well and people generally like to feel good. Like it or not, that’s exactly what these drugs do.
As time goes on, I’m also convinced that the drug war and the overly simplistic “drugs are bad” message is a gross oversimplification, as well as a misguided crusade. Why people do drugs varies, but let’s not avoid the truth. These drugs have potent effects and so long as people desire these effects, there will be those who seek drugs and abuse them.
To those who have only a limited understanding of drugs and drug abuse, I hope this experience helps change your perspective a bit.
Also, to that nurse who was there after I had my dental surgery, I sincerely apologize if I said anything inappropriate. It turns out nitrous oxide just has that effect on me.
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This is video a fresh entry in my ongoing “Jack’s Comic Gems” collection. And this gem highlights a modern retelling of Marvel’s First Family. Back in the mid-2010s, Marvel launched a series of graphic novels that retold the classic origins of iconic characters in a more contemporary setting.
Naturally, the Fantastic Four were one of the first titles to come out and they set an incredibly high bar. Most already know the story of the Fantastic Four, but Season One re-told that story in a way that made it a true gem. Enjoy!
I understand that following politics in any capacity these days is likely to result in multiple gut punches your faith in humanity.
Believe me. I get it.
I used to exercise what I believed to be a healthy faith in humanity’s overall goodness. I still followed the news and came across plenty of awful stories in trends. But in general, I still maintained that faith.
After these past two years, I just can’t maintain it as much as I used to. I won’t say it’s completely gone. I’ll just say my faith in humanity has become severely limited. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and recent political trends, I just couldn’t justify that faith anymore.
But as bad as things have gotten, I have not completely abandoned all semblance of hope. I still wake up every day and attempt to do the best I can, whether it’s helping my friends and loved ones or working to make myself a better person. As an individual, I understand I can only do so much. But as a whole, we can collectively do more.
The problem is there aren’t too many basic, tangible things we can all do collectively that will change our current course. However, one such opportunity is coming along for my fellow Americans on November 8, 2022.
That’s Election Day. It’s on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. And while this year is not a Presidential Election year, which typically motivates more people to turn out, it’s still incredibly important to get out there and vote. It doesn’t matter if it’s for a senator, a governor, or a local school board member. Voting is one of the few things that you can do that will incur some level of measurable change.
It’s also frustrating in that ordinary people have to work extra hard, just to keep the rich and well-connected in check. But it’s still worth doing.
This year, there’s more than just candidates on the ballot. In this era of deep polarization, there are people running for political office who have no interest in maintaining a healthy democracy. Their idea of democracy has less to do with the will of the people and more to do with the will of their particular political tribe. Anything that deviates cannot be permitted, tolerated, or allowed.
That is a dangerous precedent.
History has shown, time and again, that if you give undemocratic people power, then they’re not going to be inclined to surrender that power. We’ve already seen what can happen when this goes too far. Regardless of how you feel about the other side of the political spectrum, nobody wins in the long run if the principles of democracy are abandoned in favor of holding onto power.
That’s not democracy, freedom, or a robust republic.
That’s just a foundation for tyranny and the many cycles that fuel it.
If it gets to a certain point, then voting won’t just be ineffective. It’ll be completely gone and done a way with, as we know it. If you live in a functioning democracy at the moment, you cannot allow it to get that far. Because once it does, it becomes much harder to resolve.
So please, take voting more serious than usual this time around. If you only ever vote in Presidential Elections, make an exception this year. For the good of democracy and the fight against encroaching authoritarianism, put in the effort.
If you haven’t already, learn how you can register to vote. Use this site from USAGov as a guide.
It doesn’t cost you anything. And the potential benefits for you, your family, and future generations are vast.
America is not yet past the point of no return in which our democracy can’t recover, but we’re disturbingly close. We can’t undo all our mistakes and missteps all at once. But at the very least, we can make a concerted effort.
And the best way to contribute to that effort is to vote.
Don’t wait.
Don’t put it off.
Be as proactive as you can possibly be. Democracy needs us every bit as much as we need it.
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is both a review and a retrospect of Jason Aaron’s Heroes Reborn, a major crossover event from 2021, which is also the same name of a major mini-series from the late 90s. It was a strange event and one with a title that carried a lot of baggage. I know because I remember that mini-series and it was forgotten for a good reason.
As a result, I freely admit I was very skeptical about this series. But I still gave it a chance. Much to my surprise, it exceeded my expectations in so many unexpected ways. And since it’s release, I think it’s worth exploring and celebrating. Enjoy!
The following is a sexy short story about a couple celebrating the kickoff of a new NFL season. One day, I hope to share a similar celebration with my future wife. Enjoy!
It had been seven long months for Patrick Bell and his wife, Joseline Amaya – seven months since they woke up early on a Sunday, full of excitement and anticipation. It shouldn’t have seemed so long ago. They had navigated periods of time far more extensive than that throughout their lifetime. Even so, it had once again been an agonizing wait.
That was because it had been seven months since Patrick and Joseline had watched a meaningful game of NFL football together. They still remembered vividly watching the final seconds tick away of the Super Bowl back in February. It has been an exciting, satisfying conclusion to another season. But as always, there was a solemn realization every time the colorful confetti fell on the new champion.
Football season was over. And they wouldn’t be able to watch another meaningful game until September.
Every Sunday after that felt so empty and uneventful. Patrick remembered waking up the following weekend, seeing Joseline just stirring her morning coffee with a spoon, already wanting the next season to start. He knew that feeling well. And he knew the agony of the wait before them.
Like her, he came from a family of die-hard sports fans. His mother, his brother, and his two sisters built many fond memories around gathering by the TV, eating snacks, and watching football on a Sunday afternoon. His father once said it best.
“There are only two seasons. Football season and getting ready for football season.”
Joseline’s family was very similar. She said that while other girls watched Disney movies, she would watch Sportscenter with her dad and two brothers to see football highlights. Her father also happened to be a former player and a high school football coach. Her mother worked in sports medicine, specializing in young athletes. Fittingly enough, Joseline ended up going into the same field, which only seemed to amplify her love of the sport.
That set her apart from many other women. Some men were even shocked by just how much she loved sports like football. Joseline could reduce some men to tears with her knowledge of the NFL and NCAA. It was a big part of what had attracted him to her in the first place. And when she told him about how she built her entire Sundays around watching NFL football, Patrick knew she was the one. She was the love of his life.
But at the moment, their love for each other and their love for sports was not their primary source of frustration.
“Is it just me? Or is the clock on my phone moving slower?” said Joseline as she paced restlessly around the living room.
“It’s not just you. That much, I’m sure of,” Patrick replied.
“Damn! Just once, I’d like to be able to blame the clocks,” she said with a sigh.
“Well, maybe one year, we’ll catch a break and experience a time-space anomaly. For now, we just have to endure one more hour without football.”
“Also known as the longest hour of the year,” said Joseline.
Patrick watched his wife pace faster. He had been habitually checking the time, as well. Whether it was the clock on the cable box or the timer on his phone, every second seem to tick by slower. They were so close to a new NFL season. They just had to hold out a bit longer.
That once again proved easier said than done. He and Joseline had woken up earlier than usual. They made it a point to get all their groceries, finish any incomplete chores, and prepare their lunch and snacks before kickoff. Along the way, they watched a couple of pregame shows. They also checked their fantasy football teams, even comparing notes with friends and relatives.
It was all just filler activities to help pass the time. But now, they had run out of things to do to occupy themselves. All that was left was to wait by the TV for kickoff. They already had the NFL Redzone channel queued up. There was even this final countdown timer on the screen. But it still moved painfully slow.
“There’s gotta be a better way to deal with the offseason,” Joseline said with a heavy sighed.
“If there is, I’m not smart enough to know it,” said Patrick. “Maybe we’ve been doing something wrong these past seven months?”
“That or we just love football too damn much,” she said, laughing and shaking her head.
“Well, if loving football that much is wrong, then I’m not sure I want to be right.”
“Why would it be wrong? Hell, if it weren’t for football, we never would’ve met. What other girl meets her future husband at one a.m. in a sports bar during a Monday night game in week two?”
“What other girl stays sober long enough at a bar to keep yelling at the TV when all her friends have checked out?” Patrick quipped.
“In my defense, my old college friends were lousy drinkers,” she quipped.
“Doesn’t change the fact that you only had half-a-beer by the fourth quarter…or the fact that you yelled almost as loud as me when at that bullshit pass interference call.”
“Almost?” she questioned, sounding offended at such a notion.
“You want me to call up my dad and brother again? They were there. They’ll back me up. They’ll even recount how you kissed me on the spot when the game ended on a pick six in overtime.”
“Will they also recount what happened in the women’s bathroom fifteen minutes later?” she said curtly.
“If they did, that would be very awkward. But it wouldn’t make me less right.”
She laughed again and flipped him off, as was often her refrain when he won an argument. Patrick just shrugged innocently, smiling back with the same look he had that fateful night they first met.
Right or not, it was a fond memory – meeting Joseline at that sports bar during their freshman year of college. The only reason he’d gone to that bar was because the TV in his dorm had broken and he refused to miss Monday Night Football. Patrick didn’t go with the expectation to meet a beautiful woman who loved football as much as he did. That was just how it all played out.
The game had just started when he arrived with his dad and brother, who were in town at the time. And Joseline was already yelling at the TV, much to the annoyance of her female friends, who were more interested in drinking and flirting. She was also arguing constantly with other men at the bar, challenging them their football knowledge and their ability to surmise how the game would unfold. Some men flirted with her, but most just couldn’t keep up with her – not until he approached her.
That encounter was the first of many. For the rest of the season that year, they met up to watch football every Sunday. Joseline claimed she just wanted to watch with a guy who could talk seriously about football without staring at her tits every two minutes. That fell apart after just a few weeks. And by the time the playoffs started that year, they were hooking up after every game.
Watching football together wasn’t just a fun Sunday activity for them to share. It had been the catalyst for why they fell in love to begin with. It carried a great deal of meaning for them. He and Joseline had only come to appreciate it more after getting married.
“What do you think they’re doing to pass the time?” Joseline wondered as she started pacing again.
“Hard to say,” said Patrick. “My dad and my mom usually keep themselves busy with crossword puzzles. My brother just constantly shuffles cards and plays poker with himself.”
“I still think that’s weird,” she said.
“You’re not the only one. But I tried both last year. It didn’t make the time go that much faster.”
“Neither did my dad’s tried and true approach of re-watching old Super Bowls on VHS,” said Joseline. “It never did much for me. But I swear that’s like meditation for him.”
“I’m just surprised he still has a working VHS player. But if it works, I still envy him.”
“Maybe it does something special for him – something you just can’t get by watching highlights from YouTube,” she wondered.
“If there is, it’s too late for us this season. We’ll just have to find something else to do to get us through the home stretch.”
Joseline sighed again. She then checked her phone and groaned. Time still wasn’t moving fast enough. Restless and resigned, she set her phone aside on the table next to the couch. Patrick remained fixated on the TV for a moment, watching the countdown clock on the NFL Redzone channel tick down. It wouldn’t move fast enough for him, either.
They were so close. The final hour was upon them. He and Joseline just needed to hold out a bit longer. Anything that could make time go a little bit faster would be godsend at this point.
A anxious silence fell over the living room. He and Joseline stared at the TV for a brief moment. Patrick was prepared to get up and pace anxiously with her. Then, she looked back towards him and her demeanor shifted. She suddenly got this look in her eye that said an idea had just come to her – one that likely wasn’t normal.
“Well, if neither of us can thank of anything right now, there’s always one alternative,” Joseline said with a hint of mischievous subtext.
“And what might that be?” asked Patrick.
She cast him a knowing smirk. She then proceeded to casually slip out of her sweatpants, remove her shirt, and undo her bra. Patrick was momentarily taken aback, seeing his wife undress on the spot. Even though he had seen her naked many times before, watching her take her clothes off with such a cavalier attitude was still quite jarring – albeit in the best possible way.
“What are you waiting for? Take your pants off,” she said, as though it were the most casual request she could’ve made.
Patrick remained dumbstruck for a brief moment. Then, he started thinking with his other head. And like a reflex, he did as his wife asked. He slipped out of his pants, boxers and all. He fumbled a bit, having not prepared himself for his wife’s actions. But her intentions quickly became clear as she slipped out of her panties, tossed them across the room, and approached him.
“Stay seated,” Joseline told him, speaking in that sexy, authoritative voice she knew he loved.
“Um…is there a plan here?” Patrick asked while taking off his shirt.
“No plan. Only a goal,” she replied. “We need to distract ourselves. This will help with that.”
Patrick opened his mouth to say something, but chose to stay silent. Either his brain wasn’t getting enough blood anymore or he just couldn’t contest her point. Her logic was as sound as could be. If this helped pass the time between now and kickoff, then what was the downside?
He stopped giving it further thought as he watched Joseline drop to her knees, position herself in front of him, and eye his exposed penis. He was still a bit surprised. The blood was just starting to flow to his lower body. But his wife didn’t wait for him to get into a better mental and physical state. She just went for it, grasping the base of his shaft with one hand and enveloping the tip with her soft, supple lips.
“Oh Josie!” Patrick gasped.
Now sinking comfortably into the couch, he closed his eyes and let his wife work her magic. Joseline ditched the usual finesse and technique she employed with oral sex, opting instead for a more direct approach. She was so focused and fervent, sucking hard and stroking his manhood. Audible slurping noises soon filled the living room, briefly overshadowing the noise of the TV.
Patrick loved every second of it – not just because it was a distraction, but because his Joseline was so skilled at oral sex, even in unusual situations. She never shied away from getting down and dirty in the spirit of a quality sex life. Usually, she was so selective about when she unleashed this side to her – saving it for either their honeymoon, their anniversary, or a special occasion. This was so unexpected and spontaneous. But that just made it hotter in Patrick’s mind.
He eagerly lost himself in the sensations that followed, enjoying the hot feeling of her lips and tongue working their way over his manly flesh. It wasn’t long before his member grew erect, becoming fully hardened within her mouth. Even after achieving this state, Joseline continued sucking. But before long, she grew impatient in a whole new way.
“Is this helping?” she asked while stroking his cock with one hand.
“Oh yeah! It’s definitely helping,” said Patrick without hesitation.
“Good. Because now I need you to return the favor.”
Without saying another word, she shot up from the floor. Then, still moving with a sense of urgency, she got onto his lap and straddled his hips in an upright cowgirl position. Their naked bodies now aligned, Patrick had a perfect frontal view of his wife’s face and exposed upper body.
“Do me,” she urged him. “Bounce me on your cock. Rock my world until I forget what time it is!”
“Well, since you were so helpful to me…” he said.
Patrick let his words trail off, opting to take the same direct approach she had shown with him. This was usually the point during sex where he would throw some creative wordplay into the mix. She’d always loved how he talked dirty during passionate moments. But this time, he let his actions do the talking.
Taking a firm hold of her hips, he proceeded to make love to her. He not overly careful or overly callous about it. Patrick just channeled pure, unfiltered lust in rhythmically thrusting his hips upwards, driving his manhood into her vagina. Their flesh now entwined, he used his hips and his strong arms to bounce his wife’s naked body in focused outpouring of passion. He locked eyes with her, daring her to stay focused on him as they rocked and writhed together on the couch.
Breathing grew ragged and labored.
Gasps and grunts quickly filled the room, along with the hot slithering sounds of their fleshly entwinement.
It wasn’t the most romantic setting in which to express their love. But for a couple of die-hard football fans, it was so fitting. And it soon had the desired effect.
A steady outflow of pleasurable sensations emerged from their sex, coursing through their bodies as every sensual motion played out before them. Patrick made sure to thrust with added force, causing her breasts and butt to bounce in accord with bit of exertion. Joseline supplemented his efforts, grasping onto his shoulders and gyrating her hips to help work her hot flesh along his. It was so crude in terms of approach, but there was no getting around the results.
It was working.
Patrick had already forgotten about the time. All he could think about now was making love to his wife.
“We’re doing this. We’re really doing this!” Joseline said intently.
“Yeah…we are,” Patrick grunted, tightening his grip on her hips.
“Soon…kickoff will arrive,” she continued, as if to keep encouraging him. “Soon…the new season…will begin. Soon, we’ll…we’ll…ohhh God!”
Joseline cut herself off, a powerful orgasm having rushed up on her faster than expected. It seemed to catch her off guard, but Patrick new her O-Face well. When she closed her eyes, tensed her legs, and arched her lower back, that was the point of no return. She was going to climax.
He watched it unfold before him in a glorious display, grinning as she dug her nails into his shoulders and held on while the orgasmic waves washed over her. He had to slow his pace, the added tightness of her inner folds deepening their fleshly connection. It was so hot and tight that it sent him to the brink as well. Patrick thought he could hold out a bit longer. But he was wrong.
“Ohhh God!” he grunted as he too crossed the point of no return.
Wrapping his armed around her waist, he buried his face in his wife’s cleavage as he got his release. It was so sharp and intense, her hot flesh still throbbing around his penis as he filled her depths with his seed. That sweet mix of sensual fluids gave form and substance to their love – a feeling they had both come to appreciate, regardless of their mood.
For a brief moment, time really did seem to lose meaning. He and Joseline just kept embracing, their naked bodies entwined on the couch. They continued panting heavily, a light afterglow settling over them as the orgasmic rush subsided. In this sensual daze, their gaze met again and they shared a deep kiss. It was messy and uncoordinated, but that didn’t bother them. They were feeling too good to care.
Then, just as the daze began to fade as well, they heard it.
The countdown to kickoff was over. And they heard the familiar voice of Scott Hansen welcome the audience to NFL Redzone. Almost immediately, Joseline’s face lit up with newfound excitement.
“It’s time!” she said.
“Guess that means this distraction was successful,” he pointed out with a grin.
“Yes. Very successful!”
Now giddy with joy at the ensuing kickoff to the new NFL season, Joseline slipped off his lap, their flesh parting in the process. They were still covered in a light sweat. And they were definitely going to need those refreshments they’d set on the nearby table along with he snacks.
But they were ready. So, now sitting side-by-side on the couch, still naked and feeling a lingering afterglow, Patrick and Joseline settled in for a new season of NFL football.
“Should we get dressed before we get too comfortable?” she wondered.
“A bit too late for that,” he said. “I’m feeling pretty damn comfortable right now.”
“Me too. But I don’t think I’ve ever watched football naked.”
“Me neither,” said Patrick. “What if we end up liking it?”
“Well, I guess that just gives us another reason to look forward to football season!”
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video covers my picks and predictions for the 2022 NFL season. Last year, something remarkable happened in that I actually picked the winner of Super Bowl LVI, the Los Angeles Rams.
Now, I consider that to be a lucky fluke.
But I still hope that gives extra weight to my picks this year. Like previous years, I’ll go division by division. Then, I’ll offer my pick for who I think will win Super Bowl LVII. Enjoy!
For most people, it’s just a generic government holiday. Most treat it as the last chance to enjoy proper summer activities, like cookouts and going to he beach. For kids, it’s often a clear sign that summer break is over and it’s time to get back to school.
However, these past two years have changed a lot about how we see labor, holidays, and traditions in general. I don’t think I need to remind everyone how much change and upheaval we’ve had since 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, I’d rather not remind anyone of just how bad things got for so many people, especially the working class.
So, rather than dwell on that, let me just take a moment to ask that everyone remember what it means to work hard and toil for a living. Many of those reading this have probably worked a menial, arduous job for minimal pay and little benefits. Unless you’re born rich and well-connected, it’s practically unavoidable.
I certainly couldn’t avoid it. One of the first jobs I had was at a fast food restaurant. It was a tedious, laborious job that always left me sore, drained, and moody. I had to help impatient people get greasy, unhealthy food. I had to constantly empty out the trash, clean the toilets, and sweep disgusting crap off the floor.
But the worst part of all was just how slow time seemed to go every day I was at that job. I swear a minute felt like an hour and an hour felt like a day. It also paid minimum wage and the only benefits I enjoyed was a free meal every day.
It was as unpleasant a first job could be. However, it gave me an immense appreciation for those who work hard and toil at these jobs that a lot of us don’t give a second thought. To this date, I try to make it a point to be extra courteous and kind to those working jobs like that. I also try to tip generously whenever I can.
I encourage everyone to do the same because if nothing else, these past two years have shown just how vital these hard working people are to our society. We literally could not function without them. Whether they’re flipping burgers, delivering packages, or crunching numbers behind a computer screen, their hard work and toil deserves to be celebrated.
Labor Day might not offer much to those who still strain their bodies and souls every day, just to survive. But I hope it offers some perspective to those who truly appreciate the value of hard work.
So, in that spirit, I wish everyone from all walks of life a Happy Labor Day.
Every now and then, you come across news that’s so unsurprising that it should hardly qualify as news. To report it is asking to reporting that the sun rose the other day. You don’t need reporters, scientists, witnesses, or researchers of any kind to affirm you. Anyone with semi-average intelligence could’ve inferred the same events.
So when the United States Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade and effectively ended the constitutional right to abortion access, most competent people could infer there would be consequences. You don’t strip half the population of a critical right that they’ve held for over 40 years without incurring some sort of reaction. While that reaction has played out in many ways since the ruling, I want to highlight one in particular. And it’s a story that I doubt will surprise anyone.
It has to do with men getting vasectomies. Because shortly after this ruling came down, there was a major uptick in men seeking vasectomies.
Many of these men were also quite young, some still being in their early 20s. Many didn’t even have any kids and were basically undergoing a procedure that would make it nearly impossible for them to do so.
Now, as a man and as someone who has a functioning news feed, I get it. This ruling was dramatic and far-reaching in so many ways. It’s enough to make anyone of any gender think twice about having kids. It has certainly given me pause. But I also think it’s worth putting this trend into perspective.
Yes, it will definitely impact women in a far greater way.
Yes, women will suffer much more as a result of this ruling.
That is beyond dispute. There’s nothing political about that statement. There have already been documented cases of just how much women are suffering because they cannot get an abortion. But for men, the concerns are still personal, albeit in a less direct way.
Now, depending on which state you live in, there’s a much greater cost to getting a woman pregnant, be it your girlfriend, your wife, or your mistress. Some of that can be measured in terms of dollars. If women are forced to carry that child to term, you’re paying for it one way or another. It might be in the form of child care, pre-natal care, or child support. Even without the emotional cost, you’ll still pay a high price.
Even if you’re happily married and actually want kids, you may still have to pay in other ways. If your wife can’t get an abortion and has a complicated pregnancy, then not only is she more likely to suffer greater, her life could very well be at risk. In the worst case scenario, she might end up dead because the state won’t allow her to terminate a pregnancy that’s doing irreparable damage to her body.
By nearly every measure, it’s a bad situation for everyone involved. A world where the state can force people to have kids they don’t want or deny them certain care that would alleviate their suffering is not a tenable situation.
For that reason, I don’t blame any man for seeking a vasectomy. Whether they just don’t want kids, they don’t want to put their partner in danger, or they just hate wearing condoms, it’s understandable. And there’s a high probability that this situation will get worse before it gets better. It may even never get better.
That’s because more than one conservative mouth piece has said that they’re going to go after contraception now that they’ve won the abortion battle. These reactionaries aren’t being subtle anymore.
They’ve made it clear that they want to turn the clock back.
They want to undo the sexual revolution.
They want to undo feminism.
They want to regress society back to a state where women were just breeding mares and men were just drones who only existed to work and sire more drones/mares.
While we can and should fight back against these right-wing fascists, I no longer have hope that we can win that fight. These people don’t play by the rules. They’ve proven time and again that they will lie, cheat, and bully their way to impose their agenda, even when it’s unpopular. And since too much of the population is stupid, gullible, and ignorant, they’ll go along with it in the name of trolling people they don’t like.
That is not a promising future, nor is it one I’m looking forward to. I do hope I’m wrong. But based on what I’ve seen these past few months, I am starting to accept that we’ve already crossed a point of no return.
I’m still relatively young. I currently am not married and I have no kids. Just a few years ago, I was fairly confident in what I wanted for my future. I wanted to find the love of my life. And I wanted to have kids of my own one day. But in wake of recent events, that sentiment has changed.
It’s not that I don’t want kids or oppose anyone else having them. I just feel like if I did have kids at this point, I would be bringing them into a world that’s going to get progressively worse for them. If I have a daughter, she’ll grow up in a world where the state will gladly make her suffer in the name of conservative values. And if I have a son, he’ll grow up in a world where many of the fun, freedoms, and joys that I had will have been taken away from him.
Again, I really hope I’m wrong. I really hope the current trends change in a major way. But I’m old enough to have noticed a recurring pattern in the global political landscape. Things will get worse because there are too many incentives for those who have or are seeking power.
For that reason, and a few others I prefer not to share, I’m seriously considering getting a vasectomy. I know it’s a big decision and one that would have a significant impact on my personal life, especially if and when I do meet that special someone. But given the current state of the world, it feels like the right decision for me and for whatever children might have been born in this increasingly distressing world.
That’s not to say I’m ready to make my appointment with my doctor. This is just something I’m seriously considering at the moment. And when I do ultimately make my decision, I want to be certain it’s the right one.
I also understand that I may have to make this decision sooner rather than later. Because if the courts are capable of banning abortion, then they’re just as capable of banning vasectomies.
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