Celtics 2024.

I lost my NBA bet. I was so wrong. I don't watch basketball; I'm just a headline reader. The only sport I watch live is UFC, but I made this crazy bet based on someone's energy. In retrospect, it seems like the NBA is grooming Anthony Edwards to be the face of the league in preparation for the huge void LeBron James will leave behind. I really bought into it. Don’t get me wrong, Anthony Edwards has established himself as remarkable. Despite being wrong about my bet, the point of my blog still stands: This era of basketball is at such a high level, it's insane.

I could not believe that a team as good as the Minnesota Timberwolves basically got swept. Luka and Kyrie were incredible. It was amazing to see them play and witness their connection and playing styles. Yet, this team found itself losing 3-0 to the Celtics. The talent and strength of the different teams and players nowadays are simply incredible. I really do feel like anything could happen in this league. There are so many contenders and up-and-coming talents who are developing and working hard.

I don’t like sports betting. I am a gambler, but I prefer mathematical games where my strategy and gameplay can give me an advantage. Betting against algorithmic research by huge conglomerates, on a whim, based on the tone of Kevin Durant, is not the way to gamble effectively. I did it for the blog. I wish it had gone differently, but I’ve learned my lesson.

Apparently, I wrote this blog before, but I was just thinking about it again tonight, so here’s another take, post-Celtics dominance.

P.S. This is not a sports blog. At all.

Champs.

Passive Headlines

AI is coming, rapidly and terrifyingly, bringing with it tremendous promise. People often describe the possibilities in apocalyptic or utopian terms. Both outcomes are possible, but the reality is likely somewhere in between. It's easy to think about dystopian scenarios. Sometimes, AI is discussed as if it were a magical solution. Given its capacity to take on a life of its own, I understand the hope and theoretical possibilities. However, it will probably follow the pattern of other technological advancements, leading to a huge concentration of data, wealth, and power. This means a small group of individuals will make decisions with a significant global impact.

It's important to recognize that the programming of much of our technology will continue to reflect societal biases, power imbalances, and social hierarchies. Despite this, I wanted to experiment with using this technology to dissect something truly dystopian: the way our modern society consumes news. The huge conglomerates that tell us what's happening make many decisions that gradually shape society and its viewpoints through subtle and outright manipulation of language and narrative.

I used ChatGPT to experiment with dissecting headlines on a topic dear to my heart for decades. I won’t explain much; I'll simply attach my screenshots. I will say, look at how this ends and notice the "backpedaling-like" behavior that ChatGPT exhibits. I find this consistent with human behavior in hedging bets and being agreeable through non-confrontational, chameleon-like techniques. Scroll through using the arrows on the side.

The Big Comfy Couch.

I've been documenting the events of Brooklyn Comic Con since before it officially launched. My friend started it and shared his grand vision with me even before it came to fruition. The amount of thought, time, care, and work that went into this project was truly remarkable. I have been documenting these efforts for several years as a videographer.

Over the years, there has been a steadily growing number of celebrity guests, mostly from the "Comic Book World." While this isn't typically my scene, my experience working at Brooklyn Comic Con has opened my eyes to the incredible creativity and dedication that forms the foundation of this community.

Though I don't watch superhero movies or read comic books, I am consistently impressed with the attendees of these conventions. They are dedicated, creative, and deeply immersed in their worlds. There is something fascinating about their intense passion for incredibly niche but tremendously well-developed universes.

The costumes people create and wear are outstanding, requiring incredible dedication both in their elaborate construction and in wearing such impractically large, often obtrusive outfits.

All this is to say, I admire, respect, and am very intrigued by what I see at Brooklyn Comic Con every year. However, nothing I’ve seen there has truly moved me—until this year. This year, I met Alyson Court. Oh, Alyson Court of X-Men fame? No, that’s not it.

My friend and I were talking, and The Big Comfy Couch came up. I lit up a little. “I loved that show,” I said. “Loonette is here,” he replied. I started to get really excited. Loonette is here! Alyson Court was a special guest this year, available for photos and autographs. At my first opportunity, I darted off to her area. I fangirled really hard.

“I loved your show a lot as a kid,” I told her. “I thought it was interesting and weird, and I remember the episode where you pranked your neighbor with a snack that had a snake pop out when opened. Then she tricked you back.” Alyson started talking about this episode, and I told her about something that had happened recently. About two months prior, I had randomly Googled something from The Big Comfy Couch, which has one of the most iconic parts of the show: the clock stretch!

I told Alyson that I loved this as a kid, and now, as someone who practices yoga regularly, I view it through a new light. I thought the show was unique and cool in a very atypical way. It was down-to-earth and growth-oriented while being silly and fun. I can't express how happy it made me to discuss this with Alyson.

I don't believe in getting photos with celebrities I admire (though I might make exceptions in certain circumstances). Instead, I try to have a genuinely nuanced interaction where I explain my passion and appreciation for what they've done. If I feel the conversation will be the same one they’ve had imposed on them by fans, I won't approach or try to have that interaction. If I feel I can add value or show my appreciation in a way that will resonate and be seen as genuine, I always go for it. Alyson was so great to talk to and seemed like a very down-to-earth person. This was a very joyful experience.

Here is an insane version of the clock stretch that I’ve been seeing. I’ve seen many versions but couldn't find the exact one I was looking for.

Trader Joes Line

If you’ve ever been to a Trader Joe’s that has really long lines (I go to the one’s in New York City, so they’re among the longest) you may be familar with a system that use to move the line along. They have two seperate lines and at the front of the line they have someone who filters both lines alternatingly towards the register. There are upwards of 30 registers in some of the bigger New York City stores. It is bustling, and in those situations swiftness of flow is essential. So at Trader Joes, after finishing a transaction, the person at the cash register waves a number flag, signifying they are done. The employee at the front of the line then tells you the number of the now aviable registe.

I am kind of psychotic when it comes to participating in this process. First of all, I make sure to greet the person. “Hey how’s it going.” I say to a person who’s life is currently about saying a number to me. While this might seem like I’m being friendly, grateful and seeing this employee as a fellow human being, ripe for a potentially surprisingly meaningful interaction. Nah, fuck that. I’m disarming them for this game I play. I like to see the flag with the corresponding register number before they tell me. I like to show the employee my rapid fire reflexes. I step up to the front of the line, eyes locked in, ready to win. I am focused. This is actual footage of me at the front of the Trader Joe’s line, with the guy who’s job it is to alert me to my register number talking to me.

Another book I should have written

Back in the day when weed was illegal—actually, it still is in some places and isn't federally legal—it was legalized solely for the profits of a certain group of people. But that's beside the point. Years ago, I smoked weed a lot and needed to hide it from my parents, teachers, and the police—the trifecta of authority figures during my younger years. I became very interested in ways to conceal my weed smoking and developed many strategies and techniques.

At the time, I often talked about my plans to write a book on how to smoke weed without getting caught. This meant avoiding detection by everyone in the trifecta of authority figures. Sometimes, this also included girlfriends who were not comfortable dating someone they perceived as a junkie, even if my drug of choice was weed. Over the years, I refined these strategies and wanted to create a guide for people. Now, I'm revisiting this idea. It won't be a full-fledged book, but I do want to write about certain techniques.

For the record, I think there are many reasons not to smoke weed, but I also believe that getting caught when you're not trying to doesn't help anyone. So, I'm not opposed to creating micro-content designed to help you keep your habits private. I plan to produce a well-designed PDF with tips and guides, which I will distribute for free in a way that collects people's email addresses for my personal agenda.

This is a stock photo I had to use because of its stock photo-ness.

Here is a story from my previous weed-smoking days.

A Riddle I made up.

This is a riddle that I think I made up. I’m not sure, but I’ve never heard it before. It doesn’t sound like a Riddle, but there is a conclusive correct answer and I love this one personally.

Imagine you are kidnapped at gunpoint and brought into an alley. Another person is in that alley already and they too have been kidnapped at Gunpoint. You are told. At the count of three you must start singing the same song or else you will both be shot….

One time I asked my friend. And their answer was incredibly stupid, like beyond belief. But then again maybe I missed the point. They guessed the opening lines of The Weight by The Band “I pulled into Nazareth was feeling bout half past dead.” I’m not even kidding, she fumbled the line saying it. I bullied her for this relentlessly. Then she said something that

Then basically it was revealed that since she was going to die, she decided to sing the song she wanted to last hear at that moment. Now I’m the shithead. I made it all about survival, while my friend was in the moment, just living life , singing one last tune. More like dying life! Alright.

Brands vs Plants

I think about these "memes" a lot. I’m not sure if calling it a meme is the right word; it’s not really a joke. But this was a powerful infographic in my life. I think of it often. I think about how readily identifiable these man-made logos are and how well we know the products. We can all discuss the Beetle, the Big Mac, the Like button, Air Jordans, Lacoste polos, and iPhones. Very few people, comparatively, can name these plants, identify edible roots, or engage in any basic survival skills.

When we talk about global warming and the challenges that climate change will bring humanity, including the biggest existential threats, I think about how not knowing what surrounds us is such a big part of the fight. We do not know the intricacies of the nature we are losing, so how can we protect something we don’t notice or value? Since seeing this meme, I have learned no plant types, no leaves, trees, etc. However, I have learned multiple new logos from different brands.

This is why I think we’re doomed. I really do care, and yet my mind is still entrenched in this system. The decolonization of the mind is a vital step. The commodification of all things puts us out of touch with our natural form.

1

Returning Found Money

One time, my mom took my cousins and me to Six Flags. At the time, I lived in Massachusetts, and they lived in New Jersey. Seeing them was always a major treat. My mom disliked that we spent all our time vegetating in the basement playing video games, so she often encouraged us to go out and do things. This sometimes meant reluctantly bringing us to amusement parks or similar events. My mom is a very intellectual lady who prefers to take us to bookstores, libraries, museums, and cultural events.

However, she understood that sometimes sacrifices had to be made. On this particular day, she brought us to Six Flags, which meant spending the whole day waiting in really long lines for rides. But being with my favorite cousins made it all worthwhile.

While waiting in line for a particular ride in a dark cave, my cousin bent down to tie his shoe and exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, I just found $100!” It was quite unexpected to find money in such a dark place.

To our horror, my mom insisted that we take the money to someone working at the theme park. "Someone might be looking for their money," she told us with all the naivety and genuineness in the world. "If nobody claims it, we can come back and get it," she said. Yet, probably two seconds after we were out of sight, the money ended up in the pocket of the laughing employee. My mom is such an earnest, principled person. This memory stands out vividly for me. I cannot believe she made us turn in that money.

I recently recounted this story, probably two decades later, and she couldn't believe she made us do that either. She laughed but acknowledged the hilariously naive aspect of the situation. This memory is probably more unique than if we had just kept the money and spent it on... I don't know, overpriced sugar and nonsense at Six Flags. I'm sure we got plenty of that anyway. Thanks for reading.

This was not the cave where this took place, that cave was actually darker and less “manicured”, but the vibe is similar.

Flirting with Barbara Corcoran

So, I was running late for work, hustling to get there. This meant navigating through the Times Square/Bryant Park area of New York City. On this particular day, I encountered a massive crowd blocking my path. I glanced over and noticed a Target commercial being filmed, attracting everyone's attention as they stood there gawking like basic spectators. "Look at these losers," I thought to myself. They see a camera and immediately become enamored with it.

Turning the corner, I spotted Barbara Corcoran from Corcoran Real Estate and Shark Tank. I instantly halted. I was determined to talk to Barbara, even if it meant risking my job.

Barbara was filming a promo and appeared entirely natural. As she wrapped up, a male figure, presumably her security, noticed my presence and seemed unimpressed. Though no words were exchanged, his gaze remained fixed on me.

When Barbara finished, I managed to catch her attention effortlessly, and we engaged in conversation.

I recounted specific details from podcast interviews I had listened to featuring her. I expressed my admiration for her ability to use her ex's disparaging words as fuel and motivation. Despite being told she would "never amount to anything" without him, Barbara went on to build a real estate empire. She's one of my favorite Sharks. Initially, I didn't quite understand her approach, but I've come to appreciate her visceral investment style. She trusts her instincts and identifies character traits that give her the confidence to bet on a particular team.

I found myself immensely drawn to Barbara. Towards the end of our conversation, she surprised me by saying, "I thought you were going to ask me out." She had picked up on the vibe I was giving off.In response, I quipped, "I still can." To which she replied, "You're too young for me."

I wasn't entirely convinced, but it was a delightful encounter nonetheless. I'm glad I stayed. However, I do regret not asking her out. I should have seized the opportunity.

Building Strength Gradually: A Lesson from "Holes"

Part of my fitness philosophy was designed after a concept I read in my favorite childhood book, "Holes." SPOILER ALERT.

In the book "Holes" by Louis Sachar, there is a story within the story about a character named Elya Yelnats. Elya falls in love with a girl named Myra Menke, but her father, Mr. Menke, says she will marry the man who can offer the largest pig as a dowry. Elya seeks advice from Madame Zeroni, an old woman who gives him a tiny piglet and tells him to carry the piglet up a mountain every day to drink from a stream. As the pig drinks the water, it will grow stronger, and Elya, by carrying the pig, will grow stronger too. Madame Zeroni also warns Elya to carry her up the mountain to drink from the stream as well, or his family will be cursed for eternity.

Elya follows her advice, and the piglet gradually grows bigger and stronger. However, when the time comes to present the pig to Mr. Menke, Elya forgets to fulfill his promise to Madame Zeroni, setting off a chain of events that leads to the Yelnats family curse.

I got carried away there, but the takeaway is that Elya initially asked how he could carry a great big pig up a mountain. The answer was simple: “'You must carry the pig up the mountain every day,' said Madame Zeroni. 'By the time the pig is big and fat, you will be big and strong as well.'”

The idea was that the pig wasn’t too heavy initially because it was a baby, but every day, gradually, it would grow, and the workload would only increase proportionally to Elya’s growing strength.

From this, I developed my workout philosophy, which applies to my core workouts. My philosophy was to start out doing my ab exercises in a way that would not intimidate me. This would ensure that I would complete the exercise. So, the first day, I did just one crunch. That’s it. The next day, two. The next day, three. Every day, I increased by one. Within three months and change, I was doing more than 100 a night. I eventually capped this off at 1600, but the task is now easy because I started out with a very manageable amount and added to it very gradually.

My favorite Childhood Book.

One of my favorite books ever was "Holes" by Louis Sachar. I loved it so much. It was by Louis Sachar who was a legend. "Holes" was the first Louis Sachar book I ever read. I bought it after my cousin had purchased it months earlier during a trip my mom took us to Barnes and Noble. This was a typical type of outing. My mom was probably very dissatisfied with how we were wasting our lives away playing video games in the basement. So she would take us on trips to the bookstore and let us all pick out a book to read. My cousin picked "Holes," and on the car ride, he remarked about the book cover. "Look at how appealing that made this cover. This kid with this cap, the texture of the word holes," he said as he ran his finger down the text. I remember that well. Months later, I bought what turned out to be my favorite childhood Book. I started reading all of Louis Sachar’s books. Louis Sachar is a legend and wrote so many different kinds of books. He had such range.

The book cover that started it all.

One of my fondest memories was when my mom took me to the Curious George Bookstore in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Curios George Book Store in Cambridge Massachusetts.

This was an iconic outing for me in my childhood, this was an expensive trendy beautifully directed children’s book store and I did not buy books from their often. On this day, Louis Sachar was doing a reading of "Holes." This was so exciting it was crazy. Before the reading, my mom and I went to a bookstore that she loved, a store that had tons of used books and really rare books. I think it’s my among my mom’s favorite book stores in the world. Which says a lot. Anyways, I went to the Louis Sachar section and bought like 10 books. Then we went to the Curious George Bookstore where the reading was taking place. The section Louis read was amazing. After, I had him sign every book of mine. In "Holes," he wrote “To Sherif: Happy Digging, Louis Sachar, 1999." I will include a photo of this soon. I don’t have the book with. But here is the original cover that started this madness. Holes is also responsible for my “workout” philosphy and jumpstarted my fitness life. I will write a blog post about that this week.

I love this man’s books, and this memory is a great one. I’ll never forget this beautiful memory my mom helped me create.

Tracy McGrady’s Legendary Fourth Quarter Against the Spurs: An Underrated NBA Moment

This is going to be a short blog, but I just want to bring your attention to something that is an underrated moment in NBA history and an incredibly underrated player. This is the time that Tracy McGrady had one of the greatest fourth quarter performances of all time. This guy was an absolute beast.

What’s amazing about this clip is that T-Mac was facing the San Antonio Spurs, a seasoned team, incredibly poised, just an incredible squad coached by an incredible coach, Gregg Popovich, one of the all-time greats. This team made virtually no mistakes at the end. They didn’t turn the ball over excessively; they made free throws. They closed out the game the way they should. The mistakes were minimal here.

I’ve included the long version, which is the best for the drama, though the video seems very grainy through modern eyes. Then I have this terrible one-minute sensationalized ESPN garbage coverage of it. Take your pick. I just wanted to highlight this moment and T-Mac.

What Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan Said About Tracy McGrady: Kobe Bryant once said that Tracy McGrady was the toughest player he ever had to guard, acknowledging McGrady’s blend of size, skill, and athleticism. Michael Jordan also praised McGrady, noting that he had all the tools and talent to be one of the greatest players in the league. Both legends recognized T-Mac's unique abilities and his potential to dominate the game, further cementing his legacy as one of the most gifted players in NBA history.

I DID NOT WRITE THIS BELOW

Tracy McGrady's exclusion from the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team is widely regarded as one of the most significant snubs in the league's history. Known for his extraordinary scoring ability, versatility, and athleticism, McGrady dominated the court during his prime, securing multiple scoring titles and seven All-Star appearances. His ability to single-handedly take over games and deliver unforgettable performances, such as his legendary 13 points in 33 seconds against the Spurs, showcased his unique talent and clutch factor. Despite these remarkable achievements, McGrady's absence from the top 75 list is perplexing to many fans and analysts who believe his impact on the game and his contributions to the sport are more than deserving of recognition among the NBA's greatest players. His omission underscores a broader debate about how the league evaluates and honors its most influential figures.

Long version 7 minutes something: Watch the long version

Garbage ESPN version: Watch the short version

Lessons from my Bet on the Minnesota Timberwolves

Ok, so the Timberwolves lost to the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Technically, it was five games, but in spirit, it was a sweep. They got crushed, and unfortunately, I must address my bet that I made, which was based not upon astute watching of NBA games, diligent work looking over stats, or advanced betting strategy. Instead, I placed an impulsive bet based on an interview I’d seen by the guy whose team just got beat by them. The guy was Kevin Durant, and I loved the way he spoke about Anthony Edwards. Here’s the blog I wrote about it. At the time, Anthony Edwards' hype was at an all-time high. It remains to be seen if it will ever reach that height again. It could have been the peak talk of his career; that’s very possible.

One theory that I think is very likely is that, given LeBron James’ rapidly approaching retirement, the NBA will have a huge hole to fill in terms of having a “face of the league,” a league spokesman, and an ambassador. Anthony Edwards is young, so the potential for longevity in that dynamic is maximal, and he’s funny, charismatic, and a smooth talker—people love his energy.

In the blog I wrote about how we’re in an era where dynasties and dominance are so difficult because of the tremendous level of play. There are so many players who are gifted to an otherworldly extent. They have grown up being the beneficiaries of an internet era that enables watching basketball clips, drills, talks, coaches, etc., to an unprecedented level. Everything is available at all times. Couple this with peak knowledge about training, nutrition, and the immense scientific advances that have accompanied sports these past years, and you can understand the massive uptick in talent. The money involved in these leagues is also at the highest level it’s ever been, so the incentive for people to become sports stars is at an all-time high. Clearly, you have a very strong class of players every single year. Anthony Edwards was being primed to be that guy, and he’s remarkable. He’s so good and very young. It will be interesting to see how he bounces back from this because he and the Timberwolves got absolutely smoked. On paper these games were so so close. The first two games were won by a combined 4 points. But time and time again Luka had an answer and was relentlessly clutch. He couldn’t be stopped. It was shocking that a team as good as the Timberwolves were down 3 games to 0. They were a great team AND they were playing very well.

As I stated before, I did not think my bet through properly because a huge factor I underestimated was Luka Doncic. I know the Celtics were the heavy favorite when I placed my bet, but I was afraid of Luka if anyone. Luka and Kyrie have been an incredible duo, and Luka, I think, is the best player in the NBA. Jokic and Embiid could also be considered, but the things Luka is doing on a nightly basis are completely ridiculous. I do think he’s MVP of this past season. I don’t know how anybody let Mark Cuban snipe him out.

How Mark Cuban Got Luka Doncic: On the night of the 2018 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected Luka Doncic with the third overall pick, but they had already agreed to a trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks, who had the fifth overall pick, selected Trae Young and then traded him to the Hawks along with a future first-round pick in exchange for Doncic. Mark Cuban and the Mavericks' front office had their eyes set on Doncic for his extraordinary skills and potential, making a bold move that has significantly shaped the team's future. Doncic has since become a cornerstone for the Mavericks, showcasing his exceptional talent and transforming the team's prospects.

This duo is very impressive.

I think the way Anthony Edwards bounces back from this loss is really important. I think the way he did that with the Nuggets was incredibly impressive and had the mark of greatness. However, to reach that undeniable elite level where you’re the best player in the NBA, the response is going to have to be decisive. I’ve included this meme about Michael Jordan; it’s true. His legacy is 6-0 in the finals, and it doesn’t talk about a lot of these huge losses included in this image. The reason being, Michael Jordan avenged these losses and absolutely transformed himself physically and mentally. Let’s see if Anthony Edwards does the same thing.

Facts, but avenged.

I was nervous about Luka, but I bet against him anyway because my cousin told me his knee was messed up, that he was injured. Well…if that’s the case… you really can’t tell. But that’s what the most elite superstars ever do. They just ignore things that seem like inevitable dealbreakers. Knee injury? Who cares? I’m beyond impressed. I think what he’s doing often resembles wizardry, and I think it’s so interesting that he doesn’t appear fast; he seems slow and overweight a lot of the time, but he’s unstoppably good. He’s in the Jokic school of basketball. These next years will be interesting in terms of NBA dominance. Luka is a prime candidate. Could he win the championship? Repeat? Is a three-peat possible for anyone going forward? I’m very excited about Wembanyama; he shows insane promise.

I’m excited about the NBA again, despite my skepticism about all sports leagues being at an all-time high due to their ridiculous involvement with sports gambling brands as business partners. What could go wrong here?

“an isolated incident”

Book(s) I should have Written.

There’s a couple of books that I said historically I was going to write. They are as follows. I wanted to write a book that was about how racist the show Seinfeld is. I love Seinfeld. I think it’s a brilliant show for a number of reasons. I think the way the episodes tie together in a way that is not anticipated is really great. I remember feeling this way about the Hot Tub episode. I remember being very impressed by how many things came together at the end. I thought the part with the short-circuiting due to the hot tub overheating was so well done. I remember thinking everything ties together so neatly without it being obvious at all how that will happen. This can be seen in Curb Your Enthusiasm and I suspect it is the doing of Larry David, who I think is the true mastermind behind Seinfeld, as is maybe evidenced by the weaker seasons that took place after Larry left the show after season 7. Seasons 8 and 9 are considered to have taken a step back in quality, though I must admit I like them. With Curb Your Enthusiasm, the way things tie together at the end became very formulaic, tired, and predictable.

Another thing I love about Seinfeld is how incredibly New York it is. I think the way Seinfeld has these NYC phenomena is absolutely unrivaled. There are so many completely niche New York City moments that Jerry hits out of the park.

Anyways, I always wanted to write a book about the racism that is prevalent throughout the show. I think racism is peppered throughout the show, and I wish I had written this book. I was not shocked when the incredibly racist Michael Richards outburst happened. I will be writing about this incident specifically in the future and the aftermath.

But I always wanted to systematically discuss the racism on Seinfeld; it is a show I respect and view as one of the Holy Grails of TV comedy, but it is laden with racism. I wish I’d written this book because it would serve so well at this moment when Jerry’s extreme racism and hatred is coming to the forefront. I’d have sold some book had I done that. Which is a lesson I’m publishing here so that I can finally learn it. Do the damn thing, immediately, always. The time is now. I will get into this Jerry Seinfeld and his racism more soon but here he is at a fantasy camp where visitors are able to simulate attacks on Palestine as part of the gameplay. (Ironically, this last sentence pushes something I’m going to do in the future. An ideal way to end a paragraph about doing things immediately always)

Admittedly, I do not know very much about the specifics, but I remember that the publication of this photo was very controversial and brought to light in an extreme way, something I’d always known. Jerry Seinfeld is an incredible racist. One thing that was awesome was that Jerry needed to take down this photo due to the backlash. I thought this was cool because there was a certain impunity it was posted with, thinking it would just be a cool family vacation photo to share with the internet.

Israeli military fantasy camp Caliber 3 posted pictures of Seinfeld's visit. “American comedian Jerry Seinfeld causes outrage among supporters of Palestinian rights after posing with machine guns at an Israeli military fantasy camp that simulates shooting Palestinians during a family holiday.”

The backlash was such that it has to be taken down; things like that are big for hugely entitled people. I am not a fan of Jerry’s personality at all. But I want to specifically say my reverence for what he has done in the world of comedy could not be higher. His stand-up comedy is not my style, and not my type. But his philosophy about many specters of comedy, his incredibly body of work, and the way he operates areas inspiring to me as the rest of his character is despicable.

I will write about another two blogs about two more books I wanted to write this week. I am convinced that I should either still write these books or publish some blogs about the topics. Maybe both. I will do wrote those blogs in the coming weeks as well.

A Consumer Tip I Learned from Bill Burr, and one of my own.

I pride myself on getting the most out of customer service. I absolutely hate what corporations do to maximize profit. I think they’re ruining this country with their endless greed, which comes not only in the form of price gouging but also in more extreme cases that change the landscape of this country both politically and economically. Some of these methods involve lobbying that changes laws, tax codes, and other measures that corrupt a system not built to withstand modern-day capitalistic corruption. This corruption has utterly paralyzed progress in this country. Other ways include how Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, and other tech companies have changed the landscape economically. Driving a yellow cab, owning a car service business, owning property, renting property, and the hotel industry, among countless others, have changed irrevocably with technological advances.

Here, "extreme" does not mean rare; it is actually the standard. Every business has maximized its potential through algorithmic efficiency, stripping a lot of industries of their souls and reducing them to mere transactions. I say all this to emphasize that I love getting the most I can from these corporations, so I complain every chance I get when things don’t go right. I’m going to start including a lot of consumer tips here because I want people to maximize their experiences with these predatory companies.

I think it’s very important to support small businesses, and it’s scary how many businesses I see going out of business that have provided decades of service and cultivated loyal followings.

The first tip I’m going to give in this series of customer service advice was actually shared by Bill Burr on a podcast. When you’re talking to a customer service representative to try to maximize what they’re going to give you to rectify a situation that went poorly, you should never curse. As soon as you curse, they will hang up. Aside from being a terrible strategy, the person on the phone did nothing to deserve an angry attitude. I normally go to great lengths to distinguish the employee from the corporation I’m talking to. I thank the person for their time and emphasize that I know they’re just doing their job. I try to be as friendly as possible, and then I tell them that the corporation is at fault and make that distinction.

Bill Burr’s tip is to keep using the word “unacceptable.” It is magic. You keep saying “unacceptable” until you get transferred to a supervisor who is authorized to give you a monetary resolution. When they come back, you keep saying “that’s unacceptable. Please see what else you can do. Thank you for your time, Nancy.” Nancy will eventually come back with the strongest resolution they can offer.

Thanks for reading. And by the way, the Bill Burr tip is just the word “unacceptable.” The rest is my tip. You’re welcome.

Today Meta AI helped me do precisely what i needed and I’m amazed.

Today i needed Meta AI’s help, it delivered.

Will that be all today? Yes, thank you very much.

“A physical transformation necessitates a mental one.”

Lately, I have been doing physical training like a madman. I think I’m at the peak physical strength I’ve ever been at. I like to say a quote that I’m going to put down in writing here as my own. “Every physical transformation requires a mental transformation.” or maybe i should phrase it like the title instead. I think that’s better. I really believe this to be the case. There are certain battles you have to fight through to lose weight, to get stronger, to run further distances than before, to get more flexible. There are aspects of discipline, execution, no excuse making, that come into play. This is the obvious stuff that comes into play. The quote I hate but is popular is “pain is weakness leaving the body” while I hate the quote and the implications that it can have, I like the idea of the physical transformation required fighting through some sort of pain. This pain can however be pleasurable and joyful and does not need to be viewed as an intensely negative experience that requires resilience and perseverance alone.

In line with this ethos, Socrates, the ancient philosopher, emphasized the importance of physical training alongside intellectual development. He believed that nurturing both the body and the mind was essential for achieving true excellence. One of his famous quotes regarding physical training is: "No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." This quote underscores Socrates' belief that neglecting physical fitness deprives individuals of the opportunity to fully realize their potential, both physically and mentally.

The mental transformation that can take place can even be the result of having more energy and thinking different thoughts because your breath pattern has changes as well as the shapes you make with your body. The way you move can influence though processes. Introducing energy and vitality into your life will ficilate different mental experiences. Some of this stuff I’m saying can be misinterpreted to say negative things about people who are thinkers and not extremely physically fit. I understand that and am empathetic to it, I however do think it’s worth writing about the mind and body connection because I feel that once I began taking cate of my body in new ways, that new mental paths opened up to me.

I will be writing about this connection more in the future and doing so from a place of personal experience.

Free Shipping.

This is going to be a short one, but a little trick I’m proud of. The other day I was ordering something online, and I needed to reach $110 to qualify for free shipping. I was very short of this cost, and shipping was expensive. I inquired about the return policy from this store because I wanted to buy and return an item after I had received the free shipping. But I did not want to have to pay for return shipping. This company did not cover shipping costs; instead, you had to pay for return shipping yourself. This could be costly given the weight of items. Then I discovered that the website sold stickers for $5 each. These stickers had the brand's name and would have been the type of item included for free years ago. These would have been stickers provided in the box for free in hopes that you’d put them on your water bottle, laptop, etc., and advertise the brand name. But they were selling them, and they were very lightweight. Maybe you see where this is going. So I bought 11 of the stickers, which added $55 to my order, qualifying me for free shipping. Since they were very lightweight, return shipping would only cost a stamp or two—35-70 cents. Perfect.

Anyways, this story never happened, but I liked that I thought of the idea. Thanks for reading.

8 Police Officers in My House

The other month, I had a hardcore day of binge eating at night, which caused me to go into a food coma in my room. This was a disgusting nap; it was nighttime, and the packaging associated with my feast was strewn about my room as I passed out.

I awoke to the sound of a cop telling me to “put my hands up.” Immediately, I obliged. “What is going on?” I asked. The officer gave me a stern look that said, “We will address that when the time comes.” He led me down the stairs. There were about 8 cops in the house. As I was registering what was going on, he asked me, “Do you know this person?” As I looked up, an officer was leading my roommate Chloe down the stairs. “Yeah, that’s my roommate,” I responded. There was a second before I turned my head when I had no idea who I’d be seeing. It was just my roommate.

After a few moments, we were told that the door was wide open and a neighbor had called out of concern.

That was a pretty terrifying experience, and it was very weird that in order to protect me and my property, that was the procedure.

I look forward to receiving the body cam footage because the degree to which I must have been confused and scared is something I definitely want to see. I can request the body camera footage for 18 months due to the Freedom of Information Act.

I definitely think about what may have happened had I been Black. It was not impossible for me to be shot and killed due to my door being open. This is the experience of many people in this country; this has happened in so many circumstances.

I understand if there had been a burglary, there could have been serious danger, so I don’t know what the appropriate response should have been to this situation, but it felt really unsettling.

Also, it felt idiotic to have 8 grown armed men telling us to lock our door. Our door had an issue, and that’s why it was open. At the end of the day, though, the cops made me feel far more in danger than the situation they were responding to. That said, the situation could have been bad, so I’m not sure what the appropriate response would have been. But it felt jarring, unnecessary, militaristic, and soulless. USA.

This is only 62.5% of the number of cops that were in my house because a door was open.

p.s

There was no a search warrant. Does that matter? Does the door being open mean they can legally walk in? Now that I’m writing this, it seems possible that some money could be owed. I am actually going to pursue this because I would love to take money from that organization. Love it. I will keep you posted, but now my desire for the footage has a very concrete purpose. I feel invigorated now. I’m excited about this fight.

The Power of Reviews: How I Choose the Best Restaurants

I rely on reviews heavily. They’re one of my favorite things about the internet. I love the database of opinions, knowledge, and categorization that exists for all things. No matter what you’re buying, somebody has taken the time to write, what is often a startlingly in-depth review. Wet wipes? Someone logged into their account to tell you how mediocre they were. Someone else aimed to express how excellent those very wet wipes are.

I pride myself on being able to select great restaurants for a group of people. My selection process is pretty in-depth. If it’s for something huge like Thai food or pizza in New York City, I will consult Reddit for some of the renowned best. When names come up multiple times, I’ll then begin a location-based Yelp review search. I’ll go to the restaurant and then read customer reviews. I’ll think about who is in my group and what kind of dishes they order from said Thai restaurant, or certain characteristics they like or dislike about dishes, or even the ambiance/acoustics at a certain restaurant. I’ll search specifically for reviews that mention those dishes and get the general consensus. I’ll also look at the review history of those whose reviews I’m very into. I don’t want to rely too heavily on someone who has ONLY rated restaurants five stars out of five stars. Also, not every complaint is the same. If someone is complaining about service or some circumstance that is clearly specific to that one day in the restaurant’s history, I’m very likely to dismiss this person as just a complainer and a poor restaurant patron. I’ll look into their history to confirm that they, in fact, are grumpy, annoying customers who are entitled and are basing their rating too heavily on non-food-related factors. (I’d like to note that, of course, certain restaurant circumstances do warrant mentioning.)

I rely very heavily on reviews, and I do not write them. It’s one of my favorite things about the internet ecosystem, and I do not contribute to it. Reviews are excellent, and I’m going to start writing reviews for places/services I love. I will make them nuanced, in-depth, helpful, and reflective of the spirit of how I feel about these places. In the future, I will be publishing some of these reviews as blog posts so you can see. Maybe I’ll work really hard on building up my Yelp following. Sounds like there’s no money involved in that, so I’ll work really hard to develop it anyway.

I’m about to be Yelp Famous. “Bro, I know you from Yelp”

Also, in the future, I will write a blog on white people leaving reviews about backpacks and coats. Thanks for reading.