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Disney, of all sources, actually delivered a brilliant lesson on the value of creativity vs critique.

At the end of “Ratatouille” as evil food critic Anton Ego (voiced by Peter O’Toole) experiences an epiphany while writing a review (and I paraphrase.)

“We critics risk very little. The sad truth is, the average piece of junk is worth far more than our words declaring it such.”

It takes nothing to be a critic.

It takes courage to be a creator.

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T. Roosevelt - “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

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My all-time favorite!

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♥️ 🙌🏼

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Bravo!!!

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True indeed. We need to remember the leftists hate capitalism and would never take the risk to try anything innovative. Look how the media is having a brain hemorrhage because of this glitch. But to DeSantis’s advantage look at the coverage he’s getting.

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OTOH, a really good critic can point out things of great importance and beauty in something that others might have missed. I think we’ve gotten used to reading a sh*t-ton of crappy critics.

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As Scott Adams noted: When tech breaks because too many people want to hear what you have to say that's a win.

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depends what your definition of too many people is.

for example:

DeSantis announcement - 300K audience

April the Giraffe gives birth - 1.2M audience

AOC plays video games on Twitch - 430K audience

Buzzfeed makes watermelon explode - 807K audience

Drake plays Fortnite - 628K audience

Cristiano Ronaldo accidentally records himself in sauna - 700K audience

mind you, tech did not break for any of these larger audiences

maybe Scott Adams should have noted: When tech breaks because you're on Twitter Spaces with Elon Musk and have a measly 300K audience, you have to say that's an epic fail

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Quote from Thomas Edison: "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

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"I also know that without failure you can’t ever achieve things in life."

Indeed. Someone told me that "you only avoid mistakes by doing nothing." The only failure/mistake-free people are those who sit on their hands.

"Trump going after DeSantis makes me think he isn’t serious about saving this country from the fanatics on the Left."

Agreed, again. It is very annoying.

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The MSM liberal media is a prime example of social contagion. Not an original thought nor investigation can now be expected of its ranks. They are fully captured and marching toward their ultimate demise.

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I sure wish "Their empire will collapse like Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme any minute now" was more than just a wish. I see no sign of their power ebbing. Some of us have had our eyes opened and moved on, but there are still so many who get the thrill of being part of the "we know best" crowd.

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I see no sign of their collapse either. They've corrupted mostly everything to keep power- and then they USE that power- unethically to say the least. They even use power when they're out of power. (IE: Russia collusion BS)

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None of which could happen without the complete corruption of the media.

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You should have the immature comments on the WSJ articles on this topic. I’ve never seen more immature comments from supposed independents. Clearly they are not. They are either paid trolls or completely leftists. Regardless, they are completely immature to a level I couldn’t stand to comment there anymore. I’ve grown so tired of that media I was just counting the days to when my subscription would be ending. In a few weeks it would be ending. I called today and made sure they did NOT auto-renew. I can’t even have a normal conversation with adults on the WSJ of all places. Utterly ridiculous what has happened in this country.

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I left the WSJ about five years ago when they veered left, and in a big way with the commenters. That's when I figured it was just a matter of time before the same happened at Fox.

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I kept getting really low priced deals like the current one $4/month. I stayed on because some of the articles were pretty good BUT they eventually veered left. Only the opinion pieces remained conservative. But even there they completely went against Trump while ignoring everything negative about Biden. They ignored the laptop and so many other things. They continue to have Peggy write her weekly column obsessing over Trump even to this day.

And finally, like I said the comment section has just gone to manure. It used to really intelligent people commenting without any moderation. Now itMs filled with leftists posting immature jokes, moderators removing any posts against Biden or Democrats, other censoring, and no way to have any useful debates.

Here you have very smart people with excellent, intelligent discussions with all points of views.

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I think Kim Strassel of WSJ is very good still.

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She is the only one worth reading.

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She’s excellent. So is Henninger. But that’s not enough for me to stay paying a subscription.

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She is great. The Intimidation Game was an excellent book.

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Agreed. So is her Resistance At All Costs

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Peggy Noonan is AWFUL - what a lazy and just deceitful columnist....it's as if she rolled out of bed each morning and began to write in her nightie on the floor....and they pay her $350K a year to write that drivel

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Everything you said about Peggy is true. NY, cocktail parties, all her friends are Democrats, etc.

I picture her on Thursdays with her 4th gin and tonic, clutching her white pearls as she finishes up her column to see off to the Editors.

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I've been to a talk she held years ago at the Cosmopolitan Club in NYC - one of NYC's hoity toity ancient female Democrat hotspots....the obsequiousness on display towards her was laughable...this is where Eleanor Roosevelt also got her daily dose of worship....

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LOL She is no longer the Reagan speechwriter but a NYC Liberal.

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Peggy has such an obsession about Trump, it makes me think he rejected her attempts to become Mrs. Trump after Ivana.

You covered it succinctly.

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Since he ran for office Peggy Noonan has written about Trump 90% or more in every single of her Friday columns on the WSJ. He lives in her mind. If there is anyone with Trump Derangement Syndrome it’s her. Not ONCE has she written about the disaster at the border this year.

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Peggy Noonan lives on the Upper East Side of New York - she's a OLD LADY now and fears being prevented from going to cocktail parties - she NEEDS to be invited - that is her reason for being

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Totally agree. I will only read the good opinion pieces. Kimberly is very good. But the commenters are clearly less educated name callers, very much like NYT.

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Alice, that's exactly right. WSJ had good opinion pieces, like from Kimberly. But their commenters got to a point where the immaturity level was so bad it was impossible to have any discourse. The recent DeSantis Twitter article was filled with all Disney jokes.

I just signed up to Sasha Stone here for her $5/month subscription since my WSJ subscription is ending. I'd rather give Sasha the money. Better journalism and better commenters to have conversation with.

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Great move JJoshua!

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I love Kim, but refuse to pay for a subscription to read her.

Substack, Kimberly, Substack!

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I noticed that also. It has gotten much worse recently for some reason.

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Just watched this video of Vivek talking about being canceled by LinkedIn for “hate speech” and “misinformation.” No denying we are in an ever worsening civil war. Not a culture war of left vs right but, as Dave Rubin says, a reality war of the Woke vs the nonWoke which is also very much a global war. All things are now global in our always online global civilization. Vivek says the merger of the democrats with Big Tech is fascism. That’s also exactly what Bret Weinstein, a leftist, says. Actually, many now say this since it is obviously true. We’re very fortunate though to have so many superbly high quality people on our side. This is by far our greatest advantage against the Woke.

“Big Tech Election Interference has Begun.” (4 min)

Vivek Ramaswamy. May 25, 2023

https://youtu.be/0JO0LEeIi_E

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Well said, especially that last sentence.

He just got cancelled by LinkedIn? wtf?

We're in for a HUGE fight! They took over the colleges and now those foot soldiers are running companies with their Marxists tactics designed as "Democracy". Keep fighting y'all!!

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Another thoughtful post by Sasha. I even had to learn me a new word “bacchanalia”. 😂

Does anyone believe Trump going after DeSantis is even close to the level that the Progressives, The Deep State or the MSM will attack him? Seriously it’s just some petty name calling. Politics is a brutal sport. The weaponization of the CIA, FBI, IRS and state DA offices is some serious corruption. They do not play fair. I understand vengeance isn’t a true answer but there is something satisfying about the bad guys getting bashed in the face. I was hoping DeSantis would sit out and let Trump do all the dirty work. If you’re going to get in then prepare to get dirty.

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Yes, I had to look up that word too. :-)

I'm just listening to the sentences of the J6ers- 20 years for Rhodes, the head of the Oath Keepers? When they're letting criminals go free in DC?

Chilling.

The Democrats (including the captured DOJ, Media, FBI etc.) are the REAL threat to Democracy.

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The J6 protestors are suffering some serious injustice. It’s insane. To Trumps credit he’s made assertions that those who were not guilty of violent acts would be pardoned. Is it justice to serve 4.5 yrs for putting your feet up on a desk? I wonder what he would have received if he shoved his boot up Nancy’s arse? 🤷‍♂️

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My permanent respect! And undying gratitude.

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I “learned me a new word” too! I bet we weren’t the only ones. Lol

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Thanks for your insight Sasha, I so appreciate it and enjoy your writing.

I differ a bit on your take here:

"Trump going after DeSantis makes me think he isn’t serious about saving this country from the fanatics on the Left." He's serious. That's just how you take out your competition in a primary.

"The Democrats were never serious about the “threat to Democracy itself” and “Extreme MAGA Republicans" because they spent over $60 million boosting them in primaries to push their feckless, zero-charisma candidates instead." They did that because they thought they could beat the extreme MAGA candidates (with the help of the media who supported their extreme rhetoric about MAGA) and that proved true mostly.

Where the two above differ I think is that Trump actually wants to save this country and make it great again for ALL people to become anything if you work hard enough. The Democrats want to keep power and "fundamentally change" this country into a socialist one, which they think is better for the people. Other Democrats are Marxists and want complete control.

:-)

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Sasha, don't forget, we're trying to save the country from both the fascist Left and the RINO right, ie, DeSantis' backers. It's a two-front war.

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I've noticed that politicians never talk about freedom, or mention what laws and regulations they plan to abolish, and reporters never them ask about them.

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Yes, every time they make a new law, I think shouldn't we go through the old laws? See if we're not doubling up or something?

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Yeah, like a deep cleaning! Computers ought to be able to detect all the duplications and redundancies, at least, and get rid of them.

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The Constitution could have required that all laws go away (sunset) after some period, perhaps ten years. Politicians could then argue unceasingly and get much FaceTime. (This would not apply to the Bill of Rights.) Of course that was not done, but we can all ask our representatives these questions.

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Interesting idea. We HAVE to cull the laws for sure. And cull the Federal Gov't too. Cut it in half and then in half again.

I can't imagine we need all those workers and that'll cut the deficit.

A topic for another day.

I'm reaching out to my Rep about the Culling of the laws deal....thank you for that.

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“Trump going after DeSantis makes me think he isn’t serious about saving this country from the fanatics on the Left.” You can’t be seriously thinking.

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I appreciated that statement from Sasha, it stood out to me.

I believe Trump is concerned about saving the country from the Left, but I also equally believe Trump is overly concerned (to put it mildly) that only he can be that Savior. I don’t like that about Trump, because someday he too will pass, and this cultural battle will rage on, for us and our kids.

Trump needs to be careful not to go over the top on DeSantis, personally. This guy turned a purple state red, and not many can say that.

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DeSantis did not turn my State red, Trump did. If Ron hadn’t begged and received Trump’s endorsement, he never would have won. In as much as the MSM have propped him up, his policies, lawsuits, and propositions have failed my State, bigly. He even locked down the State for the plandemic which costs millions of people great hardship from which many business owners will never recover. And, make no mistake, when it comes to dealing with the likes of Putin, Xi, and Kim, Trump is the only President these people will ever answer the phone for. In other words, yes, Trump is our only saviour, however, you are correct, he is not our Savior, and Trump knows this too. I wish you a blessed day.

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Well, everyone gets a start with help of others, since time began. DeSantis just won Florida by the largest margin in past 40 years, and me thinks he has a better shot in the general election, especially the way he carried the Hispanic vote. Ron should invite JFK Jr. as his VP and watch everyone’s head explode

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Ron won’t even make it past the primaries, if we even have primaries … you seem to be someone who is somewhat informed, your mention of JFKJR is a “dead” giveaway (pun intended) so, perhaps you don’t understand the relationship between John and Don which goes back for decades. No, my friend, John would never align himself with an ungrateful loser like “Rob”. Btw, I’m Hispanic and live in Florida, hence, I call it MY State. I don’t know where you live, so, I encourage you to look into attending a Trump Rally or Truth Event in your area.

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I’m a white guy here in Oregon. I live in a deep Blue region, but someday upon retirement will relocate to Red space. All to say, no chance for Trump event here! I’m holding out hope for untraditional alliances this presidential round, on the R side of aisle and a good amount of debate on the issues. I also do like the attention RFK Jr. Is bringing to the ‘corporate capture’ of just about everything. My presidential vote won’t matter in the electoral, but yours in Florida sure will

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I wish you well, my friend. I moved back from one of the most corrupt blue territories, since it’s not really a State, Hawaii. Like you, I would very much like to see an untraditional alliance so as to bring our nation closer to “a Perfect Union”, hence, I am rooting for Tulsi Gabbard for VP. RFK Jr would be a wonderful addition to Trump’s Cabinet, as his campaign against big Pharma would bring far more awareness to the subject of how they’ve been trying to exterminate us for decades. Awakenings are very painful, and for some, swallowing the big red pill will be excruciating. However, all will be revealed, soon.

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You’re spot on, and I enjoy your work.

I have a question about the name Democratic Party. I realize most people write if that way, however it seems grammatically incorrect. And feels like more invented language by the Left. Democratic is an adjective, so it never feels right to me. Beyond the fact that they are anything but democratic, isn’t isnt proper to refer to it as the Democrat Party?

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YES it's the "Democrat Party".

The left is skilled at changing language & "Democratic party" is one way. If they're "Democratic" the other side must be..."Undemocratic"? Perhaps, to the uneducated voter

Both sides do it though, just Dems are better. "Inflation Reduction Act" Gender affirming care", A Womens right to choose...(to end another persons life) and so on.

Repubs: "Patriot Act" - we lost some freedoms with that one.

UGH

Have to get more involved in our self governance experiment for sure. We should start in elementary, not to become "Activists" just to learn, research, critically think and become involved.

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Democrat Party could well be proper but it seems illiterate so I always go with the “Democratic Party” even though I know they have no interest in democracy or the rule of law.

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Robert Kennedy Jr is running as a Democrat, however he talks truth! Don't discount him. If you haven't heard him speak on his presidential campaign, I highly recommend it. He will turn the Democratic party around from the hot mess they have become.

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He has zero chance. Put a fork in it.

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We'll see.

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Really wish I could place bets on the Substack platform. I’d give you odds even more favorable than fivethirtyfive

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Let's see how everything looks in a year.

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On-target summation. The louder the MSM screams the closer to the end of their relevance.

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I wish that were true but I think Dems and MSM rule until inflation hits 15% in 2025; and the SHTF and hungry people get engaged.

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Empires don’t die quietly but it’s happening in front of our eyes.

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Agree with you on Trump. In addition, true leaders are always proud whenever someone they help steps up to do more. And if Kari Lake is Trumps choice for VP my guess is that we will almost never see Melania in DC. Trump knows DeSantis can beat him and so is going after him maliciously right from the start.

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