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I really agree with pretty much everything you're saying, but I wonder about the point you're making above...the idea of "social contagion" where Facebook is churning out trans people is pure BS of course, but I think social media has had a big impact in allowing trans people to spread their stories and that's been at least part of an increase of awareness/acceptance. For the X% of people who have been trans since long before we were using that word for it, this is just reducing the stigma for them to lead their lives as their true selves and that's nothing but a good thing. Where I wonder if there's anything to the 'alleged uptick', is the idea that for kids who are growing up and trying to figure out who they are, they're likely to try on many hats in that search. These days, now that this is a more acceptable option on the menu, so to speak, will it lead to at least a perceived uptick of people experimenting with living life as trans while trying to figure themselves out? I have no evidence of that happening and maybe I'm way off base, it's just what I'd assume is happening on at least some level.

I don't want to pick around the edges of this with you. We've not engaged personally but from what you post I respect where you come from. Hopefully we can all get to where mutual respect wins the day and knee jerk bigotry dies. Have a great and boozy evening.

I could be wrong, but I've heard that he's not going to get the opportunity to 'turn on Trump'. He was given multiple chances to be honest, to simply tell the FBI the truth and he chose to lie. His credibility is shit. The prosecution doesn't need his testimony to convict Trump. They have tons of evidence. I think they want a 'little guy' to show they aren't just going after Trump. They want to show the whole world that there are consequences for aiding and abetting crimes of this magnitude. Of course, it will also be a clear demonstration of how well Trump treats his 'loyal followers'. The money he's conned out of his cult members could easily be given to Nauta to help cover his defense expenses. Think that's going to happen? HA!!!!

Plenty of people getting baited on these threads, but it's not Brent....

Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene removed from US House Freedom Caucus I'm trying really, really hard to pick a side here. :-(

Surely this much is easily agreed to by most, I think. Of course, we should all be civilized enough to not intentionally, and out of sheer stubbornness, hurt the feelings of our fellows who are struggling with gender identity issues. But mistakes should not be stigmatized socially or penalized legally. The bottom line is that we are way too early in our understanding of the problem of gender dysphoria to have even a solid guess at how much of the condition is owing to nurture or to nature or to Facebook. As we take the time to learn I think the best path is to broadly disagree with the idea of gender reassignment surgery for minors but otherwise just live and let live.

I am not a good source - of advice about BASE gear - since my last BASE jump was in 1986. I wore stock skydiving equipment. The only change was a larger pilot-chute and spider slider. The larger pilot-chute helped at low airspeeds. I believed that the 4-grommet spider slider helped keep line groups separate and neat. Multiple generations of BASE gear have been built since then.

This one, yeah?