I have and do, likely more than you. Thanks for patronizing!

That doesn’t change my point, that the danger of gun violence is a problem, but is considerably made out to be worse than the reality by the media.

Like, we have states larger than some European countries. If you took the reporting on all the bad shit happening over the equivalent space/population amount in Europe it would be pretty fucking harrowing as well.

I’ve known multiple people fall into a life of constant anxiety due to overexposing themselves to the media. Convinced that every city was a fucking gun violence warzone. That horrible things were happening all the time. They didn’t know anyone who knew anyone who had experienced the things they were convinced were regular horrible occurences. And they knew more than one person (mutual friends) that worked and lived in the US city with the highest homicide rate at the time. None of those people had been even in the vicinity of gun violence.

I’ve been around for nearly 35 years, and I enjoy talking with people. I’ve met only one single person who had been a victim of gun violence, in that they were robbed at gunpoint while working nights at a gas station in a rough area.

There are fucking studies about this shit that are over 15 years old that show that exposure to news media back then caused people to ridiculously overestimate the frequency of crime (and especially violent crime). News has only become more emotionally charged since.

I’m not saying America is some amazing place. I’m just saying that the news would have you believe that almost everyone here has had a gun violence experience, or that visitng the US is unsafe because of gun violence, when that’s not the case.

How… how much gun violence do you think actually happens here?

There’s a lot by number, and that’s a serious fucking issue, but the US is also massive. It’s not a regular or frequent danger of normal life here.

Even those numbers are pumped up by the fact that suicide by gun is counted in the exact same “gun violence” statistics as gang violence, and the “school shootings” statistics include all from the “gun violence” stats that occur within a certain radius around, regardless of when it happened (summer break, middle of the night, etc) or if it was any danger to students.

News overfocuses on shit like that because it pulls eyes and clicks, and therefore ad revenue.

Again, it is a serious fucking problem, but it’s not the kind of thing you’re going to experience in daily life or as a tourist.

Depends on the officer you’re dealing with. There’s multiple stories, from before Trump ever took office, of people being detained for up to a day for saying this or refusing to grant access to their phone. I can only imagine it’s worse now.

It’s a shitposty protest against how this sub/community has been getting flooded with news and US politics.

Fuck off, we corn now.

What motherfucker is out here straining their creamed corn? LMAO

I mean for dealing with worm parasites in the field, given limited supplies and (I’m assuming) this being a pretty old manual, this isn’t too bad.

Basically instructions for forcing out the entire contents of your stomach or using something that is probably handy to kill them before they do too much damage to you.

Stupid sexy corn.

Out of the leather of his shoes, if I remember correctly.

Neat! This one I’ve actually seen before IRL!

For fucks sake man, NSFW tag this smut!

I’m more concerned about the words “glass” and “squeeze”. Don’t need more one man one jar in the world.

The stickied post explains it. Shitposty retaliation against all the news and politics that had taken over.

It started as a shitposty counter-movement to the overwhelming amount of posts here that are just news and politics. At this point I think it’s being perpetuated by the meme of it all.

Maybe. It would entirely depend on my level of comfort with the other person, and their personality.

I’ve had wealthier friends, who I did not have a sexual relationship with, pay for my share of a hotel room for a convention. A different one treated me out to a (cheap for a concert, but not cheap for me) concert. I had known those friends for at least a year in both of those cases and had no worries about them or their personalities.

As another commentor said, what happens if you have a falling out while you’re over there?

Also, depending on your relationship, and the personality of the person paying, they could use this as a form of control. They could effectively treat this as entirely their vacation, and you’re just the human sex toy they brought along who’s going to stay in the room the whole time until they want your “services”. Or you’re just the trophy boytoy to hang off her arm and look pretty. You wouldn’t have much room to push back on it.

Or this could just be someone living in a different income bracket to you trying to do something nice for you that isn’t a big expense for them. I personally think that’s less likely with a trip to the Maldives, but it’s not impossible.

Or this could be them trying to turn the FWB situation into something more serious.

As with most things in relationships, even FWB, it would probably be worth talking with them. “Hey, I’m happy that you’d do this for me, but I’ve never done something like this before. Is there anything you’re looking for from me as your plus one?”

This is the exact sort of thing the cornposting was started because of. Fuck off with this.

Didn’t you get the memo? We corn now.

We were warned, but it’s too late now.

;-)

Somewhere in the distance, you hear a Mariah Carey. Check the doors again. Locked. Good. Safe.

Louder. Closer. Maybe the neighbors? Blinds closed already. Won’t see movement through the windows. Wait! Lights. Turn them off? Risky. It could see the change. Sounds like it’s at the end of the street. Risky. Still may be time. Risk it? Don’t?

Crashing noise. The “song” rises to a frenzied pitch. Screams. Not yours. Quick! While it’s busy. Lights off. Safer. Safe enough?

Closer now. “Song”. Disgusting mockery of humanity, cheer. Clawing at the edges of your sanity.

Sudden quiet. Blessed silence. Over? No. Muffled crunch of “footsteps” in snow. Close enough to hear. Safe enough?

A thump. Against a door. Your door? No. Close.

I don’t want a lot for Christmas…

Scratching. Nails against glass. Not your window. Safe enough?

This is all I’m asking for…

Sudden cachophony. What did it do? No. Inside. It’s here. But no. Outside. Continues.“Song”. More noise. Here! Inside!

A duet! Not safe enough.

Translation: Creating a recurring meeting to look into changing to the our processes to have better PR while not costing any money.