Dominican Republic was an interesting experience, while I loved practicing my Spanish, I won't be back. Nothing bad happened, just nothing was exceptional about the place, one visit was enough, I have high hopes for it being a better travel destination in future. The downside was really just the food and service, which was quite abysmal.
I've broken it up into separate posts for each area I was in, (4 spots in 3 weeks), but the main takeaways are:

• DO NOT DRIVE - DR has the highest vehicular fatalities in the world, get private transport between the towns you visit.
• While the main tourist areas are safe to visit and wander around day and night, do not venture out to other areas, our local drivers told us it is very dangerous elsewhere.
• Food is quite awful to average, we could count on one hand how many good meals we had. Although, my partner and I don't eat meat (but do eat seafood), you'll have a somewhat slightly improved experience if you eat meat and have more options.
• Average restaurants will cost between $25-35 CAD per person for an average meal that isn't special or cooked well. Very local places are cheap though ($15-20 CAD), but there aren't many of those in the areas with good wifi for remote working.
• Outside of the resorts, you will need a good basic understanding of Spanish, not just basic tourist phrases, my partner and I had a Spanish teacher for 3 months once a week and we still struggled a little.
• Wifi varies in the DR, we were lucky enough to find places that advertised over 50mbps download speed to work, but in reality it fluctuated daily dropping below 40mbps sometimes and upload speed was even worse for video calls. Their routers also only worked well in the room they were in, and not well in the bedroom/office. We got by but it was a little inconvenient.

April 22-26: Uvero Alto - Ocean El Faro & El Beso https://www.oceanhotels.net/en/punta-cana-hotels/ocean-el-faro
I was lucky enough to stay here for a coworking summit with my company. We got a great corporate deal and splurged on a “Swim-Up Junior Suite” which was still only US$150 per person all inclusive. While a stunning resort, I am very glad we didn’t pay anymore than we did, as the quality and value was lacking. I was there with my partner for 6 nights, 7 days and that was too long. I’d say 3-4 days is plenty to experience it all. However, I am not a resort person and this was my first resort experience, I would be happy to not experience another resort, unless it was heavily subsidized and a stunning location. Quick review of all the amenities:

• El Mercado - as people have mentioned in many reviews, one of the better restaurants to eat at.
• Italian restaurant - didn’t get to try, again, as mentioned, almost impossible to get a reservation if you’re not privilege. From what I heard the portions were very small but food was decent.
• Margarita - awful - AVOID, tequila tastes like watered down nail polish, people also saw mouse inside
• Sakura - terrible portrayal of Teppenyaki
• Route 66 - great for late night snacks
• Steak House - actually had great salmon here, probably the best restaurant I ate at, even though I don’t eat meat. Others said the steak was ok.
• Blue Moon - awfully slow service, but salmon isn’t bad here either
• Pez Dama - BEAUTIFUL spot for breakfast on a sunny day, only for El Beso and privilege guests. However, the variety is lacking and food was better at the buffet
• Villa Marina - closed while I was there
• Privilege Restaurant - didn’t get to try
• Snack Bar - not great, or veg friendly
• Snack Bar El Beso - crepes offered here were surprisingly decent
• Pool Bars - so fun, just don’t get any cocktails unless you like a cup of sugar with it. The pool bar by the lazy river is the most rowdy, surprisingly.
• Lobby Bar - great meet up spot for groups, especially as the lobby is beautiful
• Piano Bar - quite nice inside, cocktails are sickly sweet though
• Sports Bar - pool was fun, would be better if they had two
• Bowling Bar - incredibly hot and I almost got heat stroke, bowling was fun though
• Bar Disco - didn’t get to try
• Bar Privilege - didn’t get to try
• Beach Club El Faro - as mentioned by others in reviews, the pool bars are more fun
• Beach Club El Beso - it was nice to have a fun and quiet section
• Mike’s Coffee - as mentioned by others in reviews, the busiest place in the resort!
• Ice-cream shop - limited options but still nice to stop by after dinner - but don’t get the strawberry!

April 26-May 3: Santo Domingo - Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/1005877835635365302?source_impression_id=p3_1716938967_qCcY6F7gw1ARPg4Q Private transport from hotel to Airbnb: https://www.bookaway.com/ It was a little disorientating leaving the resort which seemed like some fairyland to Santo Domingo which was REAL Dominican Republic. We booked a private shuttle which was nice, they came 20 mins late but we weren’t in a rush and our local driver was very kind, social and gave us some tips about the capital city and country. He also advised to not leave the capital city as the surrounding neighbourhoods had a lot of crime and you would likely get stabbed and robbed :/ We arrived at our Airbnb in about 3.5 hours (with a brief pitstop). Our airbnb was bare bones, while nice, we wouldn’t recommend it for remote workers as it was hard to cook food there, however, if you’re out exploring all day, this place would suffice. The pool was nice but the gym was unusable as the air conditioner was broken so you had to work out in 35 degrees celsius plus. It was nice to be close to the grocery store though nearby and restaurants within walking distance. While the streets seemed a bit sketchy, it was very safe. We did take Ubers as well which were so cheap, DRP300-500 for 5-10 min rides. We preferred our area over Zona Colonial as there was more to do, but it would’ve been nice to split our time between the two areas. All in all, we’re glad we got to see the real Dominican Republic but were happy to be back close to the beach afterwards. Reviews of excursions and restaurants below. Dominican Culture Around the Fogón: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/V5iWBddV Incredible experience, loved making coffee and chocolate from scratch, learning the ways of the Taínos and the yucca pizza was surprisingly super tasty! Underground swimming hole was also really cool and Jasmine was such a fun host! Even though we half spoke each other’s languages, I had so much fun talking with her and highly recommend this tour! Hiking Tabernacle thundering Waterfall: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/mqMnhLjY Ronnie is the man!! One of the most professional and patient hosts I’ve ever met. He easily navigated the varying levels of skill our group had, made it easy for us to all connect and get to know one another. The chat during the 2 hour ride was seamless and Ronnie even stopped to let us try Arepa! Breakfast family style beforehand was also super tasty with eggs, fried cheese, mashed potato and mangu. The tour itself was so much fun and definitely action packed! I recommend this tour for those who are medium to highly fit, it’s more of a struggle for those who aren’t active. I’m scared of heights and had a couple of sketchy moments but it was so rewarding to finish the hike at the end. Water is also quite cold! It’s manageable but there were many moments where I was trying to find sun spots to warm up. Lunch at the end was also great and I appreciate Ronnie accommodating us last minute (we forgot to mention we didn’t eat meat) and he organised some eggplant to go with the rice, salad, tostones and beans. On the way back, Ronnie also got us some Dominican treats to try, Yanniqueque, Dulce de maní and a coconut - all part of the tour! The best part though was he stoped at a mango stand where we bought 8 mangoes for $2.35CAD! The best mangoes I’ve ever eaten. Thank you Ronnie for an unforgettable experience! Restaurants we went to in order:

• El Ramero Solitario - Ramen Bar - decent veggie ramen that was great for our hangover that we had
• Ajuala - (EN friendly) One of the BEST meals I’ve ever had! I don’t know if it was because we had a week of terrible food but I thought I was in heaven eating here. Love how they had turned Dominican cuisine into fine dining. They also had a mother cat and her kitten living on site and you could see them when you went to the bathroom which was cute.
• Chingu Kitchen - ok Korean food, with ok pricing. Ordered veggie Japchae and Bibimbap.
• Food Truck Village - it was intense coming to the food truck places, as we didn’t realize how they ran. When you sit down, all the vendors will bring you a menu which felt overwhelming. We got a margarita pizza (DRP400) from the pizza place and salpicon (DRP500) from the ceviche place, as they were recommended by the bar owner we befriended. We ended up drinking all night with the bar owner who gave us a few free drinks, it was really nice of him and one of our funner nights. Highly recommend checking out the bar especially here for good drinks and banter!
• Likha Food Park - we ate at Taínos sea food Naco which was not the best, our fish was undercooked and heavily salted. My 1lb of tilapia and tostones was DRP750 and my partners 1.5lb of snapper with tostones was DRP1350.
• Villar Hermanos - recommended by one of our guides, was quite tasty and decent pricing since you get large portions. I enjoyed the camarofongo which was doused in garlic butter - super heavy dish though and very dense. Also ordered filette de mero criolla style with rice and extra sautéed vegetables on the side - which was way too much for two people.
• Jalao - (EN friendly) Don’t come any earlier than 9pm! We got there at 8pm and the music didn’t start until around 9:30pm. The band was good but the music was a but monotonous. The food was ok but we did see cockroaches in the restaurant which was off putting. The fun really starts after the band ends though and everyone is up dancing. My favourite part of this experience was an older man who was hired to dance and get other people to dance who he was absolutely hilarious.

May 3-5: Bayahíbe - Booking.com Villa Iguana
Bayahíbe was SUCH a cute town, I wished we could’ve stayed here for a couple more days to enjoy the water which was so beautiful and clear. The infrastructure is limited for remote workers though, average 20mbps download speeds, hence why we only came for the weekend. As it is a small town, 3-4 days would suffice, you can walk around the whole town centre in 45-60mins probably. But you could also head over down south towards where the hotels are to experience some other restaurants and beaches. Highly recommend visiting Cueva de Chicho while here, very cool experience swimming in a cenote cave with bats - bring a waterproof head lamp if you can! This is the only swimmable cave in the area and it cost DRP200 pp to enter and walk 20 mins to the cave from the entrance. I’m not sure if this was normal either but there was a large market on Friday night in the town centre with a DJ which had a fun local feel. We had an unfortunate event when we were leaving Bayahíbe to Bávaro via Uber - we recommend you DO NOT DO. Use Bookaway and pre-book a shuttle. We actually had a shuttle booked originally but they accidentally cancelled it for no reason when we were in Santo Domingo and because Ubers were cheaper and we got one from Santo Domingo to Bayahíbe no problem, we thought it’d be fine. We ended up spending an hour trying to get a driver to take us, but they all kept calling to ask for double the price that was on Uber, where it advertised DRP2500 and the drivers wanted us to pay DRP4000 cash. So we kept cancelling and being bumped between the limited drivers available. Eventually one driver refused to cancel so we couldn’t find another driver, essentially forcing us to use him. It was a very uncomfortable experience, we felt scammed as all the drivers kept saying the same price but shame on Uber if they truly do underpay their drivers there - which is the reason the drivers gave. However, we paid DRP5000 to go from Santo Domingo to Bayahíbe which is double the distance, so I don’t know what was fair or not, perhaps we cheated that driver. Reviews of excursions and restaurants below. Vip Cruise on SpeedBoat to paradise Mano Juan, Saona Island: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/QdC06cdN All in all this was still a good trip but it was a little unorganized and we didn’t see/do everything on the itinerary. We also didn’t leave the port until around 10:15/10:30am, there was only one bottle of water per person all day provided (luckily I brought my own water), we didn’t get a coconut either with lunch nor visit the shipwreck for snorkelling. I wish we spent more time during the morning activities, and less time at the old fishing village. It started off well but got boring towards the end. I don’t know if I’d recommend this tour at the current cost, there are similar tours for half the price, so feel a little cheated seeing as we didn’t get/do everything we were supposed to. Isidro was nice though, and seeing the baby sea turtles was definitely a highlight, water was also stunning.

• Playa BarcoBar - good lunch spot, food was ok but view was great and service was nice and quick. Drinks weren’t bad either!
• Restaurante Comedor Johana - little spot tucked away and ran by a sweet older lady. Service is quite slow but food was very authentic.
• La Bahia Beach - The atmosphere is the only thing going for this place. You’re better off getting empanadas from a local stand and heading to the beach for free, which is what I wish I did. The service was incredibly slow, and food awful.

May 5-11: Bàvaro - Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/32934066source_impression_id=p3_1716939104_OS2Nv%2F5S2CgNAY1s I have mixed feelings about this place, it felt very touristy but had such great potential. The beach was unfortunately covered in sargassum and was not pleasant to swim, if you head north you might be able to find a spot to swim though. Thankfully we had a pool and since it was the shoulder season, basically had it all to ourselves. Restaurants were more expensive than I thought for the quality, I wish I ventured into the local area, Friusa, driving past it looked like it would have tasty cheap eats! We didn’t do much here since it was our last 6 days and we were only here during the week, but we did get an Uber to Playa Macao which didn’t have as much sargassum and was really nice to swim in. Barely any amenities there though so pack some food and drinks with you as the restaurants that are open are quite expensive for the quality. Reviews of restaurants below.

• Villa Blanca Beach Club - terrible service but surprisingly good fish burger and salads
• Bella Napoli Pizzeria & Restaurant - really good woodfired oven pizza - vegan options were great!
• La casita de Yeya Los Corales - food was good but very small portions so quite expensive for what it was
• Chic at Grand Palladium Bávaro - such a fun experience, the energy is incredible, the performances were 5/5 and food and drinks were great - highly recommend for a special event. If you’re not staying there it’s a bit of a pain to book though
• Dalia's Cafe & Bakery - terrible - don’t go
• Soles Beach Club - decent food and lovely staff but very slow service
• Restaurante Capitán Cook - low quality food, they served us grilled mussels that weren’t open and they lure you in with the decent prices for whole fish but you can’t order 1 or 2 lbs you have to order 6lbs.
• COFFEE & RUM - great spot for sugar cane juices and cheap coffee and snacks! Location on google maps is wrong though, it’s actually here in this plaza: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xb5pLGmqNBgdCDHW8?g_st=ic

TLDR: Ocean El Faro/El Beso is a beautiful resort, but has terrible food. Hike Tabernacle with Ronnie and eat at Ajuala in Santo Domingo; Book private transport in and out of Bayahibe; Don’t make Bávaro a priority to visit, can be easily missed - it’ll be better later on
Hope this is helpful for some people, let me know if you have any qs!

Je zegt wel dat **( ex, moeder kind) geen obstakel is in onze relatie maar … laatst heb je gezegd dat als er nog sex was met *,dat jullie nog samen waren. Dat was heel leuk voor mij om te horen, niet dus….maar doordat je dat hebt toegegeven weet ik mijn plek in jouw leven…een aanvulling op wat je bij haar niet meer krijgt . Wat jullie hebben is gewoon een open relatie. Behalve dan intiem en meer zijn jullie gewoon nog samen, jullie hebben gewoon een lat relatie zonder lichamelijke intimiteit ( zoals in alle relaties/ huwelijken die 20 jaar duren…) je gaat van elkaar houden, sex of geen sex. Alles van haar gaat voor mij… Jullie eten vaak samen, zonder **(zoon) als excuus, drinken vaak ( koffie) samen, je haalt haar dingen uit handen die ze makkelijk zelf zou moeten kunnen. Ze heeft ook nog een grote zoon inwonen die haar kan helpen…. Geen idee waar ze nog meer jouw hulp bij vraagt en wat jij haar allemaal geeft van jezelf maar ik zie het opeens.. .
Je doet nog husband taken, een nat dekbed uit het bad halen en uitwringen is iets dat ik altijd alleen heb moeten doen, is ze gehandicapt ofzo? Of is ze zo ziek zwak en misselijk dat ze “ de kracht er niet voor heeft ? Het is wel makkelijk het hulpeloze vrouwtje te spelen met jou in de buurt. Terwijl je tegen mij over alles zegt dat ik dat alleen kan en moet.. En hoe vaak zeg je niet dat alle vrouwen altijd misbruik maken van je goedheid?? Is "**** soms lekker dominant en ben je graag haar bitch, ook al is het onder nep protest van jou naar mij .alsof je het erg vjnd? Zij gebruikt jou en jij vind het maar al te fijn om gebruikt te worden door haar. Jullie zijn nog samen, en jullie halen wat je niet meer samen hebt bij een ander. Super handig hoor maar voor mij toch wat minder om verschillende redenen.
Lange afstand enzo. Je appt liever niet maar ondertussen app je constant met haar, en niet alleen over jullie zoon, waar het het volgens jou alleen om gaat.
Ik snap het wel hoor, prima geregeld zo voor jullie alle 3.. Maar voor mij?? Ik voel me echt dom stom en achterlijk dat ik de rol speel van opvulling van wat je niet meer bij haar krijgt…. Wat bespreek je over mij met haar? Wat weet ze allemaal van mij? Als je überhaupt ooit met haar over mij spreekt…
Je sprak over haar alsof jullie niets meer hebben, alsof je een hekel aan haar had, dat het allemaal alleen over jullie zoon ging..maar ondertussen is het tegenwoordig ***** voor en "**" na .. Je vind het wel erg dat zij ooit beroofd is met een mes, maar mijn ontvoerder heeft mij al die uren met een mes op mijn keel door de hele stad heen getrokken..dat wuifde je weg als zijnde niet erg ..mijn mishandeling en mijn verhaal heeft je nooit iets gedaan en je hebt er nooit naar gevraagd. Eigenlijk heb je het vooral belachelijk gemaakt…
En dan het uitwringen van een dekbed…maakt me niet uit dat je helpt hoor maar dat is gewoon iets wat ze zelf zou moeten kunnen, als jij niet meer in de buurt was, hoe had ze het dan opgelost?? Gewoon gedaan, want ze moest wel dan.
Jullie houden de relatie gewoon in stand op deze manier, wel onder het mom van zoonlief en dat het niet anders kan vanwege praktische dingen ( samen eigenaar land en huis en de gevolgen daarvan) en het is lekker makkelijk, allemaal logisch maar ik voel er eigenlijk niets meer voor om een addendum te zijn en jullie open huwelijk, ook al zijn jullie nooit getrouwd.
Zij gaat altijd voor. Aan de telefoon, met bijzondere dagen en zo meer. Ik weet eigenlijk bijna zeker dat wanneer zij met oud en nieuw thuis was, ik jou niet gezien had. Alleen wanneer Zij niet thuis is kan jij mij ontmoeten…
Het maakte me niet al te veel uit omdat ik je geloofde dat jullie niets meer hebben en alleen nog vanwege praktische redenen en jullie zoon met elkaar om gaan. In begin deed je het voorkomen of ze bijna een heks was die jouw leven zo zuur heeft gemaakt maar ondertussen heb ik door hoe het echt zit. Open lat relatie, platonisch of niet, maakt dan niet uit. Das vaak zo met stellen die langer samen zijn .. Jij eet gewoon van twee walletjes… Gewoon omdat het kan. Net als Zij, ze heeft jou als haar redder nood in diverse situaties waar een normale alleenstaande vrouw zich alleen uit moet zien te redden. Ze heeft jou als gezelschap wanneer ze niet alleen wil zijn. Je zegt wel dat ze de tuin zelf moet doen maar dat is denk ik alleen omdat je dat werk écht niet leuk vind en je tenminste één ding hebt waarbij je demonstratief kan zeggen “ zie je, er is iets dat ik weiger dus zijn we uit elkaar” . Wie hou je voor de gek?? Je gaat nooit bij haar weg…en de praktische redenen zijn nooit minder praktisch, en pas wanneer Zij zegt dat het klaar is, wordt het pas opgepakt…ik durf te wedden dat jij nooit de persoon zal zijn die dat initiatief zal nemen. Ook al zouden wij bijvoorbeeld 5 jaar bij elkaar zijn dan nog bungel ik erbij als opvulling van wat je bij haar mist, behalve dan misschien wanneer ze om welke reden dan ook zelf uit de situatie stapt/ uit zichzelf vertrokken is.
Ik zal het volgens jou wel weer helemaal verkeerd zien en ik ben vast weer niet redelijk en vast weer erg jaloers enzo, het zal zo zijn maar dit is hoe ik het zie….
Wie the fuck ben ik dan behalve wat ik nu ben???
“ Ik hoop toch wel dat er meer is ..” zeg je vaak…ik vraag me al tijden af wat dat meer dan is volgens jou…. Had ik eigenlijk eens moeten vragen…. Je zei ook dat wat wij hebben geen relatie is , want zij zien elkaar elk weekend en wij niet. Je hebt ons vergeleken met alcohol, leuk in het weekend naar dat begint het echte leven weer.
Je weet zelf blijkbaar niet wat je met mij wil…je weet alleen dat je nooit vrijwillig bij haar en deze situatie weg zal gaan.
Ik weet niet wat ik hier verder mee moet of wil…. Het is al bijna 7 maanden niet anders, ook al deed je anders voorkomen….maar toen je begon over Lonneke haar “ Trauma” een “overval met mes in haar huis,” en daar wel empathie voor had, deed dat iets met mij. Dat gecombineerd met je bekentenis nog samen te zijn met haar als er nog sex was heeft iets in mij veranderd.
Eerlijk gezegd ben ik even behoorlijk afgekapt nu ik dit schrijf. Jij waarschijnlijk ook op mij omdat ik dit schrijf .
Dat is dan maar zo…
Dit is wat ik voel dat er aan de hand is en het zit me niet lekker.
Ik zou eigenlijk met haar moeten praten..en het liefst ook met hem. Hoe denkt hij over jouw grote aandeel in haar leven??? Zij komt nooit naar jou zover ik weet, jij komt altijd opdraven wanneer je mag .
Ik vind het best vreemd..Waar is al je bravoure over alle vrouwen bla bla bla… als het op haar aankomt??? jij die mij steeds moet vertellen dat ik alles maar zelf moet doen?? Dat ik zelfstandig moet zijn, wat in al ben zolang ik alleen woon… ??!! Iets klopt er niet….***** kan niets zelf en je staat steeds klaar, je komt wanneer ze roept en mij duw je af met “ dat kan jij “ . Zoek het zelf maar uit…wees eens zelfstandig joh..
Hoe meer ik hierover schrijf, hoe meer ik het zie voor wat het is, ook al zeg jij van niet…
Pfft..
Wat moet ik nu? Doen of het normaal is en zogenaamd onschuldig of de eer aan mezelf houden…
Waarschijnlijk wil je hier niets mee te maken hebben en heb je dit hele verhaal niet eens gelezen, en ben je er waarschijnlijk klaar mee.
Het zal wel..weet ik iig dat ik het goed had, ik uiteindelijk niet veel voorstel in jouw leven en ik mezelf al die tijd voor de gek heb (laten) ( ge-) houden ….
Swa...
Geen idee wat nu....

I've been reading up on what supplements I need to take for my immune system to settle this flare up and I've landed on this community. There is so much information. Is Lion's Main good or not? Can I get a link of what you recommended I take for best results? I'm currently taking 350 mg ashgawanda, vitamin D3, omega3 (all Nordic Naturals), zinc 50mg and Vitamin c. I just heard about "Turkey Tail" today, what is this exactly and should I add it to my supplements? I've also read that sugar feeds HPV, does anyone know if natural sugar from fruits applies to this?

Thesis

Sources:

• Tweet
  
• The ADL - Israel: A Guide For Activists
  

Elaboration

The ADL promotes 'replacement theory' in Israel, while condemning it in America.
Awhile back, the ADL put out a hasbara handbook - a guide to advocating for Israel.
In the handbook, on pages 59-60, the ADL espouses views that are word-for-word taken from 'replacement theory'.

• The ADL - Israel: A Guide For Activists

Excerpt:

A bi-national state, in principle and in practice, would mean the ideological end of the Jewish State of Israel and lead to the forsaking of Jewish nationalism and identity, along with its special status as a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution.
Furthermore, bi-nationalism is unworkable given current realities and historic animosities. With historically high birth rates among the Palestinians, and a possible influx of Palestinian refugees and their descendants now living around the world, Jews would quickly be a minority within a bi-national state, thus likely ending any semblance of equal representation and protections. In this situation, the Jewish population would be increasingly politically – and potentially physically – vulnerable.
It is unrealistic and unacceptable to expect the State of Israel to voluntarily subvert its own sovereign existence and nationalist identity and become a vulnerable minority within what was once its own territory.

• Alarmism about 'birth rates' = ✅
  
• Alarmism about immigration = ✅
  
• Alarmism about the demographic majority becoming a minority and losing its privileged status = ✅
  
• Equating the privilege of being a demographic majority with 'sovereign existence' (which in-turn negates the existence and/or concerns, agency, progress, etc. of the Out-group) = ✅
  

All of this is typical 'replacement theory' talking-points.
A commentator on Twitter points out that the ADL uses the same rhetoric as American and European ultra-nationalists, who fear-monger about PoC and immigrants.

The interplay between right-wing nationalism & support for Israel

The ADL's primary purpose now is to defend Israel's apartheid regime.
Note how Rep. Stefanik is pictured in the ADL tweet. She is the one leading the charge right now with these public antisemitism inquisitions of college administrators.
Right-wing nationalists support Israel because they want to emulate Israel's policies towards Palestinians (as a stand-in for immigrants, PoC, leftists, etc.).
A study on European antisemitism found that xenophobes (who rated higher in antisemitism) tend to support Israel due to its immigration policies. Whereas those critical of Israeli policy were less xenophobic & less antisemitic.

• This fits the American Right too.
  
• Former New Republic editor, Peter Beinart, wrote about this in an article titled 'The Beinart Notebook - Are Zionists more antisemitic than anti-Zionists?'
  

Since Zionism is a form of cult-like nationalism, it's no surprise that the ADL would adopt 'replacement theory' talking-points when discussing their concerns about the political agency of the Jewish demographic majority in Israel.
In order to maintain that demographic majority, Israel uses discriminatory legislation & enormous State violence.
A lot of Zionists obfuscate what Zionism means now (for all practical purposes) by signaling some support/empathy for Palestinians. So the primary question one must ask, is whether you support a Jewish demographic majority in Israel.
If the answer is 'yes' - then you're justifying massive discrimination & violence against the Palestinian out-group. It no longer matters what games one plays with the 'definition' of 'Zionist'.
Get straight to the functional point. Are you morally consistent?

The ADL, Mike Pompeo, and the Jewish National Fund

Peter Beinart, in a discussion with FMEP's Lara Friedman & political strategist Rania Batrice, talks about how the ADL supports discriminatory policies in Israel that it would never support in America.
Peter notes that Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, has to 'code-switch' when advocating for Israel, for this very reason. Whereas, someone like Mike Pompeo, who is also a cultish nationalist, is more forthcoming in what he wants for America (a Christian nationalist State).
For Pompeo, it's perfectly fine to support an analog to the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in America (ie a hypothetical Christian National Fund; an organization that would support land access/development for Christians only). Greenblatt would lose his mind if a CNF existed in America - but he won't propose abolishing the JNF in Israel.
In Israel, the government controls 93 percent of the land¹ - directly or indirectly through quasi-governmental bodies like the Development Authority (DA) or the JNF. But all of it is administered by a governmental body, the Israel Land Administration (ILA).
The JNF's mandate is to develop land folease land to Israeli Jews, so 13% of the land in Israel excludes Palestinian citizens of Israel & everyone else. Thus, when the ILA tenders a lease owned by the JNF, they are directly complicit in "outright discrimination".²

1. The Israel Land Administration
2. Human Rights Watch - Off the Map: Land and Housing Rights Violations in Israel’s Unrecognized Bedouin Villages
3. Human Rights Watch - Israel: Discriminatory Land Policies Hem in Palestinians

Israeli historian at Tel Aviv University, Prof. Gadi Algazi, explains how the Ben-Gurion utilized the 1949 Absentee Property Law to facilitate the JNF acquiring stolen Palestinian land.

• The Real News Network - Israeli Tree Campaign "Judaizes" Expropriated Land

Ben-Gurion circumvented any future international legal intervention by 'selling' (absolutely illegally) the land entrusted to the custodians (Ben-Gurion appointed Israel the custodians of the stolen Palestinian land following the 48' War) to the JNF so that Israel, in the case of an international debate, could say 'sorry, it's not in my hands anymore'. Within days, about a million dunams (1M dunams = about 250K acres) of land were sold for a price well below their value to the JNF. Another million would be sold later on.

Then-Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion appointed the Israeli government as custodian of the land and then sold 250,000 acres to the Jewish National Fund. The problem of the Arab refugees was forgotten in the main despite the United Nations trying to resolve it. Ben-Gurion thought that time would eventually solve the problem. The abandoned village land and houses were given to Israeli soldiers so Arabs couldn’t return.

• The Berkshire Eagle - Leonard Quart: A documentary about Israel's past digs at the roots of its present uncertainty

Some speculate the JNF never even paid for the land. Instead, the Israeli government agreed to subsidize the purchase in exchange for assurances the land would be set aside for Jewish settlement.

But the Israeli cabinet ordered the JNF to stop all efforts at buying land from Palestinians directly, and the men returned to Israel.144 Ben Gurion told Weitz and Danin in December 1948 that “The JNF would buy land only from the State. There was no need to buy land from Arabs.”145
[...]One month after Ben Gurion told Weitz that the JNF should buy land only from the state, the two sides finally concluded a major deal by which the JNF would purchase a huge amount of refugee land in January 1949. Despite his mistrust of sharing power with the JNF, Ben Gurion had long wanted to sell captured Palestinian land to the JNF. In fact as early as May 13, 1948, the day before he publicly read Israel’s declaration of independence, Ben Gurion offered to sell a massive 2 million dunums of land to the JNF for £P0.5/dunum. He was trying to sell land he did not yet control to raise money for arms.

• Fischbach, Michael. Records of Dispossession (Institute for Palestine Studies Series) (pp. 61-63). Columbia University Press. Kindle Edition.

The deal involving the so-called “second million” dunums was finalized on October 4, 1950, and involved the transfer of an additional 1,271,734 dunums by the Custodian of Absentee Property on behalf of the Development Authority to the JNF, 99.8 percent of which (1,271,480 dunums) was rural land. Granott later placed the amount at 1,278,200 dunums. The amount of £I66 million was to be paid to the government over a ten year period. Some sources indicate that the JNF was actually to turn the money over to the Jewish Agency on the government’s behalf; the amount then would be considered a loan by the government to the JA. Others claim that the JNF never actually paid the amounts it owed under the two deals.163

• Fischbach, Michael. Records of Dispossession (Institute for Palestine Studies Series) (pp. 65-66). Columbia University Press. Kindle Edition.

Thus, Israel confiscated Palestinian land and held it in trust - only to sell it to an organization that would only allow the land to be used (sold/leased/etc.) by Jewish people only.

The JNF faced no such obstacles and was free to discriminate against Arabs in favor of Jews. Its charter mandated that all land that it purchased thereafter would be inalienable, to be held by the JNF on behalf of the Jewish people in perpetuity. Because the JNF could not sell land it acquired, it leased land to Jewish settlements and individual Jews on the condition that it not be re-let to non-Jews and that only Jewish labor be used on the land—the policy of “Hebrew labor” [Heb.: ‘avoda ‘ivrit]. Thus as a nongovernmental organization free to manage its own land on an exclusivist basis within the new state, the JNF argued for its control of refugee land on this ideological base: if the JNF obtains the land, it will be the best way to guarantee that it is used for Jewish settlement only. This attitude was expressed by a JNF official at the 23rd congress of the World Zionist Organization held in 1951, the fiftieth anniversary of the JNF’s establishment, who stated that the JNF “will redeem the lands and will turn them over to the Jewish people—to the people and not the state, which in the current composition of population cannot be an adequate guarantor of Jewish ownership” [emphases in the original].

• Fischbach, Michael. Records of Dispossession (Institute for Palestine Studies Series) (pp. 59-60). Columbia University Press. Kindle Edition.

It's important to note that all throughout the history of the JNF, its officials openly talked about dispossessing the Palestinian people and taking their land.
In Records of Dispossession, Michael Fischback writes about the culpability of Zionist organizations in the expulsion of the Palestinian people - and singles out one important figure, Yosef Weitz of the JNF.

The question of to what degree Jewish authorities deliberately expelled Palestinians is a hotly contested one.13 For many historians of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the issue comes down to whether Zionist authorities ordered the deliberate expulsion of the Palestinians according to a master plan of ethnic cleansing. It is beyond dispute that some expulsions occurred as it is that, even before the fighting began, various figures in the Zionist movement were actively investigating the idea of what they euphemistically called “transferring” the Palestinians out of the country. One such person was Yosef Weitz of the Jewish National Fund [Heb.: Keren Kayemet le-Yisra’el]. Weitz was born in Russia in 1890 and immigrated to Ottoman Palestine in 1908. He began working for the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in 1918. The JNF was established by the World Zionist Organization [Heb.: ha-Histadrut ha-Tsiyonit; later, ha-Histadrut ha-Tsiyonit ha-‘Olamit] in December 1901 to acquire land in Ottoman Syria for the establishment of a Jewish state. It acquired its first land in Palestine in 1904. In 1907, the JNF was incorporated in London as the Jewish National Fund, Ltd., although its offices were located on the continent and moved several times over the decades. Starting in 1932, Weitz had risen to serve as the director of the JNF’s Land Development Division. He was also involved in the establishment of the Histadrut, the all-encompassing Zionist labor federation.

• Fischbach, Michael. Records of Dispossession (Institute for Palestine Studies Series) (pp. 4-5). Columbia University Press. Kindle Edition.

Weitz countered with a hard-line vision of transferring the Palestinians completely out of the country. He detailed his ideas in his diary:

It should be clear to us that there is no room in Palestine for these two peoples. No “development” will bring us to our goal of independent nationhood in this small country. Without the Arabs, the land will become wide and spacious for us; with the Arabs, the land will remain sparse and cramped . . . . The only solution is Palestine, at least Western Palestine [i.e., Palestine without Transjordan], without Arabs. There is no room here for compromises!14

Weitz and Lifshits agreed to try to work toward this goal. In fact, in 1948 they served together on a committee that investigated transfer (see below). When the fighting broke out in 1948, Weitz believed that it provided a golden opportunity to effect such a transfer. By the spring of that year, thousands of Palestinians were already in flight and leaving behind large stretches of land. For Weitz, the proper course of action was simple: prevent their return and take over their land. On May 20, 1948, Weitz noted in his diary that the refugee flight would create “a complete territorial revolution . . . . The State is destined to expropriate . . . their land.” 15 Once the fighting was underway, he would move to realize this.

• Fischbach, Michael. Records of Dispossession (Institute for Palestine Studies Series) (pp. 6-7). Columbia University Press. Kindle Edition.

The ADL's history of anti-Palestine activism: the spying case

Historically, the ADL surveilled Arab-American and Jewish-American activists who were sympathetic to the Palestinian struggle.

• The Los Angeles Times (1993) - New Details of Extensive ADL Spy Operation Emerge : Inquiry: Transcripts reveal nearly 40 years of espionage by a man who infiltrated political groups.
  
• The Associated Press (1993) - Arab-Americans Sue Anti-Defamation League Over Alleged Spying
  
• The Los Angeles Times (1999) - Anti-Defamation League Settles Spying Lawsuit
  
• The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (2002) - ADL Settles Privacy Lawsuit, but Denies It Did Anything Wrong
  

Excerpt, from a JTA (2002) article on the ADL spying on anti-Zionist Jewish-Americans:

Both sides had filed appeals in July when a San Francisco Superior Court judge dismissed the cases of plaintiffs Anne Poirier and Steven Zeltzer, but not that of Jefferey Blankfort, who claimed the ADL obtained his Social Security number "for nonjournalistic purposes." Because the settlement took place before the appeals came though, the ADL agreed to compensate all three.

Blankfort explains the court case:

• The National Press Club - Jeffrey Blankfort: The ADL: Covert action, censure, and courting law-enforcement.

In earlier decades, the ADL put out dossiers on pro-Palestine activism with titles like, 'Target U.S.A: The Arab Propaganda Offensive' (1975).

• Source: Stanford University, the Berman Jewish Policy Archive.

News article coverage from that time, reporting on then-director of the ADL Jerome Bakst's speaking engagement in town.

• Source: The Evening Herald of Pennsylvania, November 1975.

In the present, the ADL still keeps tabs on pro-Palestine activism & activists like Mohammed El-Kurd.
With so many more Zionist groups now, the ADL no longer has to be a one-stop-shop for all things Israel advocacy. They no longer need to spy on Americans when plenty of other organizations do. They no longer have to profile people, because other Zionist groups like Canary Mission do.
So while the ADL isn't outright spying people as it did years ago, it's not out of some moral shift. It's because they no longer have to.

Long story short we had a relatively healthy happy relationship. Been married 4 years. Both had supportive families on either side of so I thought.
Found out my wife (32) back in 2021/22 was getting bullied in her old work place. Wife’s mum used to ring me for hours on end asking why I don’t do it. Yet tell me my wife is a big girl and can deal with bullying on her own, along with telling me she’s worried about my wife’s weight and weight loss. My wife very private person opted not to talk about her bullying and try sort it internally. As her husband I watch her crumble and decided enough with enough. Various stress factors nearly caused my wife’s bowels to explode due to stress damage. Multiple A&E/ER trips medical bills my mother in law never once came near the hospital to support my wife. But always arm chair directing. I eventually helped my wife get a new job.
Few months later we figured my wife developed an eating disorder which I thought had gotten worse since previous bullying trauma. At a family BBQ at her mums, I asked both my own mum (wife is very close to) and her own mum for support. To which my mother in law replied she is a big girl and waved away eating disorder! Yet she flagged the weight loss previous.
Roll forward to 2023 weeks found out we were expecting a baby last year, my mum (I’m the husband) was over joyed and so excited. Finally becoming a grandma. My wife very apprehensive going to tell her mum on the same night. We did and her mums response was nothing short of disgusting. She (52 year old lady) sat on her big chair repeated fuck, oh fuck, fuck off with a face that looked like it had been slapped with a fish. The disgusting facial expressions still haunt me to this day. My wife really cried and disappointed on her mums response, I tried to sugar coat and say her mum was just shocked it being her first grandchild.
The months after this my mother in law being really awkward and strange. Mother in law used to whisper when my wife wasn’t around you made a mistake you made a mistake regarding getting my wife pregnant. My father in law works away and when he found out his response was joy and happiness like my own mums.
My mother in law booked a holiday half way through my wife’s pregnancy taking my wife. Who hated her body image while being pregnant due to eating disorder (which she was getting help for to over come) my wife was guilt tripped into the holiday and while there spent 5 days texting me saying hate it here, didn’t want go and can’t wait to come home. I didn’t want cause a fuss and kept my wife moral up, telling her how she was doing amazing pregnant and the holiday might relax her.
My wife and I lived in my mums home (big enough house) due to building on land nearby. Pregnancy happened much quicker than we expected, issues with building and work along with wife health put the house build on hold. My wife got sick and our little one made a very quick appearance in the world at 28 weeks. As husband being my first baby I felt my wife smashed child birth, no pain relief, 6/7 hours in labour and baby arrived very early, tiny but healthy. My wife nearly broke my hand due to squeezing so much lol. As a man the proudest moment ever seeing my child for the very first time.
Nearly a stressful 10 weeks in neonatal unit which our child battled life with many ups and downs. Grandparents (just our mums) were only allowed in due to infection minimisation were the only ones allowed the visit 1 hour each a day. All of a sudden my wife’s mum who didn’t give a shit about the pregnancy wanted in every day. Even when our baby had infections never listening to nursing protocols and basically making me leave each time she came in. Some days while at sitting watching our child my mother in law would say aw she will be living with me again soon, I’ll have my family back together. Telling me I’m a worthless man, I didn’t deserve a child or to be a dad and I had little boy dreams for my business that I should be working a real job.
I work in IT contracting live what I do but my passion is my start up business in healthy beverages which has grown and fast. The idea of my business was to ensure I could work from home and be there flexibly with clients Rigid timings or deadlines.
My mother in law does no work, lives in a big house which is falling apart and nearly $1 million of debt is used (from what my father in law states) mother in law pretends to live the high life making her husband work 7 days a week around the west coast to fund her 3/4 holiday fair designer hand bag life. My mother in law always outs me down, picks on my wife and stopped our house build due to medaling with the contractors and causing issues. Since our son was born my mother in law has taking our child out and about exposing her to germs days after being released from hospital which result in a breathing infection near killing our little one.
My wife is petrified to stand up to her mum, who rings 20/30 times a day. My wife could be brushing her teeth gets a face time stops her life to answer. My other in law has got my wife and child to move 1.5 hours away causing my wife and I split. I can’t take the pressure of a controlling mother in law. I want my wife back but she is too scared to see how her mum acts and treats her.
How the hell does anyone deal with this!!!

Hoor hier veel praat over mensen dat ze slim zijn om niet in populistische praat in te gaan. Ook dat het geen zin heeft om te stemmen op het VB omdat immigratie federaal ligt.
Dat laatste vind ik toch een vreemde, aangezien immigratie toch wordt opgelegd door het Europees parlement en de federale regering hier ook niet omheen kan?
Ik hoor ook veel praat dat als je voor VB bent, dat dan wil zeggen dat je tegen de Europese Unie bent en pro Putin/pro Trump bent.
Ik heb mijn vragen over de Europese Unie, en hoe personen zoals Guy Verhofstadt die hun land uit verkopen en waarvan we nog altijd de gevolgen van zien, dan toch beloond worden en een hoge positie krijgen binnenin de Europese Unie. Het zelfde met Charles Michel die in mijn ogen een van de slechtste regeringen ooit heeft waargemaakt. Het Qatarschandaal, ...
De Europese Unie is zelf ook niet zo zuiver en zo corrupt als het maar kan, maar dat wil niet zeggen dat ik pro Putin ben. En ik besef ook dat een groot aantal VB stemmers als ik met hen in dialoog ga het niet beseffen hoe gevaarlijk Rusland is voor onze maatschappij, en ik ga hier altijd mee in discussie.
De meesten van hen denken dat we Rusland met rust moeten laten en ons focussen op ons zelf, maar daar ga ik niet mee akkoord. Ze denken dat Rusland dan ook beter is, dan wijs ik hun altijd over hoe de Russen de Chechenen de baas laten spelen en dat zijn een van de hardcore moslims op deze wereld. Dan zwijgen ze en zijn ze ineens stil.
Ik weet nog altijd niet op wie ik moet stemmen, maar aangezien immigratie eerder van Europees vlak komt, dan lijkt het mij logisch om daar voor de partij te kiezen die tegen immigratie is, dus daar gaat mijn voorkeur naar het Vlaams Belang.
Ik weet ook niet waarom mensen zeggen dat laaggeschoolden eerder op VB stemmen, aangezien dat dit de mensen zijn die het meest door immigratie zullen geconfronteerd worden. Iemand met een goed diploma, die in een sjieke wijk woont en met een goede job zonder te veel concurrentie, zal niet wakker liggen van immigratie.
Ze kunnen zich veroorloven om te verhuizen, zullen niet snel geconfronteerd worden met concurrentie door veel goedkopere werkkrachten en zullen alleen de goede dings onder multicultureel en diversiteit meemaken.
En als het probleem het hoogst bij immigratie ligt, waarom zou ik op een partij stemmen die ons in de miserie heeft geholpen?
Ze doen er allemaal aan mee, zelfs Groen. Allemaal stuk voor stuk kapitalisten die stiekem gewoon goedkopere werkkrachten wil importeren.
Op wie moet je dan stemmen? Traditionele partijen die nu ineens het licht hebben gezien na decennia ons in deze miserie geduwd hebben? Wie gaat die nog geloven?

So I started with Celsius then moved to a few others and I have landed on reign I LOVE REIGH. I need new suggestions I won’t drink anything with large amounts of sugar or calories.
My TOP 2 FAVORITES are reign Orange dreamsickle (10/10) Blue razz (9.5/10)
I’ve tried Ghost sour patch (4/10) Ghost watermelon warheads (7.5/10) Reign watermelon (6/10) Celcius blue razz (6/10) Celcius orange (9/10)
PLEASE GIVE MORE SUGGESTIONS!!!!

Days Since Last El Paso: 9
SET 1 [7:34 - 8:39 PM PDT]
Cold Rain and Snow
DOOR OPEN (Followed by takeoff from Haight-Ashbury during Mississippi Half-Step)
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
Bertha
West L.A. Fadeaway¹
They Love Each Other²
Jack Straw
One More Saturday Night
SET 2 [9:20 - 11:05 PM PDT]
Let the Good Times Roll
Sugar Magnolia
Althea
Terrapin Station
Drums >
Space >
Standing on the Moon >
Good Lovin’
Deal
DESCENT (Slowly landing back at Haight-Ashbury during Knockin’)
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Vintage news clip on the Dead
Not Fade Away
¹ First since 7/12/22
² ‘73 version
Poster
Rules:
1) Be Kind. You don’t have to agree with everybody, but there’s no reason to be rude.
2) Please don’t skunk up the thread by asking for or sharing miracles. If you choose to share links, keep them in the DMs/PMs. You just gotta poke around.
3) Please don’t award this post. While I appreciate the thought, your money is better spent on a good cause. A cause near and dear to my heart is The Trevor Project
4) No spoilers! If you caught soundcheck or a flash of the setlist, please spoiler tag it or do not mention songs by name!
5) If someone says the word "tempo" we all have to take a shot (or hit, or drink of your choosing (alcoholic or non))
Check-ins: Baton Rouge, LA; Section 406; Section 104 x2; Grand Rapids, MI; Twin Cities; Pine, AZ; LA; Wilmington, NC; El Paso, TX; Charlotte, NC; Amarillo, TX; Section 101; Seattle; NJ; Athens, GA; Section 102; Section 204; Humboldt, CA; Milwaukie, OR; SF; Birmingham, AL

Hello again! I'm back and re-opening my sale with some new items! I've lowered some prices and am open to reasonable offers. Thank you!
Payment via PayPal G&S. Shipping starts at $5 for a small item depending on zip and increases with weight (USPS). At least $7 for heavy items like palettes and heavy skincare. Shipping from the East Coast. $10 min before shipping preferred. All item conditions are noted and pictured best as I can.
Please don't ghost. It's okay if you change your mind. NIL based on timestamps. Note that I have some of these items listed on other platforms as well and will adjust the availability accordingly.
BN = Brand New; BNIB = Brand New In Box; BNIP = Brand New in Packaging; FS = full size; DS = deluxe size/travel size/mini; FWP = free with purchase
I'm very careful to keep my makeup clean and protected, keeping original packaging where I can. Smoke- and pet-free home. Always masking. See this wonderful feedback from previous buyer 1, 2 and 3 as references 😊
 
Swap for the following only. ISO: Sephora mother of pearl travel mirrors from the recent event giveaway. Try me on BN Florasis palettes.
 
Eyeshadow Palettes

• Chanel Les 4 Ombres quad in 354 Warm Memories, in original packaging with dust bag and plastic insert still clean, used 1-2x (applicators never used) - $40
• The Creme Shop x BT21 limited edition shimmery eyeshadow trio in Golden Lolly (RJ). In original box with plastic insert. Very gently swatched only - $11
• MAC Girls Smarty Pants palette, used or swatched 1x, in original packaging with plastic shade name insert - $18 $15
• MAC Connect in Colour eyeshadow palette in Rose Lens, used 1x, comes with box - $16
• Tarte Tarteist Pro To Go mini palette, swatched
• Tartelette Flirt travel palette, lightly swatched some shades, with box - $16
• Elf Bite Size Mini eyeshadow palette in Rose Water, light usage - FWP
• Elf Bite Size Mini eyeshadow palette in Mint to Be, light usage - FWP

 
Face Palettes

• Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow & Blush cheek palette (blush, highlighter and bronzer), BNIB - $38
• bareMinerals Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo (matte & glow), BNIB - $20
• bareMinerals Gen Nude Northern Lights eye & cheek palette in Rose Golds. (limited edition with holiday sequin packaging), swatched - $4

 
Mascara, Eyeliner & Brows

• Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes waterproof mascara, full size, BNIB - $10
• Urban Decay Perversion Volumizing Mascara 3ml DS, BNIB - $3
• Benefit Roller Lash in black, mini 4g - $3
• Rimmel Scandaleyes Wow Wings mascara in 003 extreme black, FS, BN, can't remember purchase date - $1
• Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in shade Zero DS, BN - $3
• NARS Larger Than Life longwear eyeliner in Via Veneto, DS - $4 each, 3 available
• Cynthia Rowley eyeliner in black, DS, BN - $1
• Tarte Sex Kitten mini eyeliner, BN - $2
• LA Splash Art-Ki-Tekt Slim felt-tip liquid eyeliner pen, BN SOLD
• Laura Geller Inkcredible Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Ultra Violet, FS - $5
• Pixi by Petra Endless Silky Eye Pen in black, FS, BN/sealed - $5
• Sigma Beauty Brow Powder Duo in Light, BNIB - $6
• Judydoll Shaping Eyebrow Pencil in shade 01, in box, used 1x - $4
• Melt Perfectionist Brow Ultra-precision Pencil in shade neutral blonde, in box, used 1x - $4

 
Eyes

• Laura Mercier caviar stick in Vanilla Kiss, travel size, BN - $8 each, 1 available
• Laura Mercier caviar stick in Rose Gold, travel size, BN - $8 each, 3 available
• Laura Mercier caviar stick in Sugar Frost, travel size, BN SOLD
• Laura Mercier caviar stick in Au Naturel, travel size, BN - $8
• bareMinerals loose eye color eyeshadow in Star Material, BN/sealed, 3 available - $5 each or 3 for $12
• Tarte Chrome Paint Shadow Pot in Martini (bronzed olive) 3g, BNIB - $9
• Tarte Chrome Paint Shadow Pot in Wild at Heart (pink with blue duochrome) 3g, BNIB - $9 (take both shadow pots for $16)
• Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Weenie, usage shown - $1
• Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Bae, BNIB. Arrived broken/dry as shown - $1
• Nabla Creme Shadow in Dusk, swatched - $8
• Revlon ColorStay Crème Eye Shadow, Pistachio, used 1-2x - $2
• KIKO Milano longlasting eyeshadow stick in 46 Multicolour Mauve (duochrome), discontinued shade, used 1-2x - $8
• Colourpop Colour Stix eyeshadow stick in Devotion, swatched & sharpened - $2
• Sephora Collection colorful metal effect eyeshadow in 07 Volcano Land (metallic brown), arrived broken, pushed back into the pan - FWP
• Sephora Collection colorful shimmer eyeshadow in 254 Diving In (blue), very delicately swatched - $2
• Phase Zero shimmer eyeshadow in Nude Newbie, usage shown - FWP
• Juvia's Place large pan single eyeshadow (36mm) in Empress, BNIP - $3
• Juvia's Place large pan single eyeshadow (36mm) in Zaira, BNIP - $3 each, 2 available
• Buxom Mink Magnet mini eyeshadow in compact, BN - $3 each, 2 available (one in packaging)
• KVD Metal Crush eyeshadow/highlighter in Thunderstruck, BNIB - $11
• Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow in Nude Glow, BN/sealed - $1
• Naked Cosmetics Loose Pigment in Naturally Nude, BN/sealed - $2

 
Face

• Laura Mercier foundation primer in Radiance, 15mL travel size - $8 $5 each, 2 available
• NYX Plump Right Back Electrolyte Plumping Serum + Primer, 8mL travel size, BN - $3
• NARS Pore & Shine Control Primer, DS 8mL, BNIB - $4 each, 2 available
• NYX Dewy Finish setting spray mini 18mL, BN - $2
• Colourpop Flexitarian Super Shock Cheek highlighter, gentle use shown - $2
• bareMinerals Original loose powder foundation SPF 15 in Golden Fair 04, full size, ~80% remaining - $5
• bareMinerals Original loose powder foundation SPF 15 in Fairly Light 03, full size, BN/sealed - $24
• bareMinerals Original Mineral Veil Setting Powder, full size 2g, BN/Sealed - $16 $12 each, 2 available
• bareMinerals Original Mineral Veil Setting Powder mini, BN/sealed - $3
• bareMinerals All Over Face Color loose powder trio, small size, all BN/sealed (Warmth, Soft Focus Bare, Soft Focus Romance) - $15
• bareMinerals All Over Face Color in Warmth (bronzer), small size, all BN/sealed - $5 each
• Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow minis, all BN/sealed - $5 each or 4 for $18
• Laura Mercier Rose Glow Blush Color Infusion in All That Sparkles (Limited Edition), used 1-2x - $13
• CoverFX travel size highlighter in Moonlight, usage shown - $5
• Florence by Mills Out Of This Whirled marbled bronzer in Warm Tones, usage shown - $5
• Covergirl Clean Fresh Radiant Loose Powder Bronzer, 002 Golden Hour, BNIP - $3
• Essence Pure Nude Spacelighter, discontinued - BN SOLD
• Essence Mermazing Hololighter, rare limited edition, BN - $9
• DLS Baked Highlighter in Bellini, swatched
• IBY Beauty Radiant Glow Highlighter in 24h Mirage, BN - FWP
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla, travel size, BN - $8 each, 2 1 available
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Affogato, travel size, swatched 1x clean back of hand only - $7

 
Laura Mercier Radiance 6-pc Bundle - $38
Limited edition soft faux leather wristlet clutch containing 5 travel size items: Radiance primer, caviar eyeshadow sticks in Rose Gold & Vanilla Kiss, Matte Radiance baked powder in shade Bronze 03, mini translucent glow powder
 
Lips - New

• Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Amaretto, full size, BN - $12
• Roen Beauty Kiss My Liquid Lip Balm Shimmer in Cosmo (clear with gold shimmer), BNIB - $12
• NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Let's Go Crazy, deluxe size, BNIB - $4 each, 3 available
• Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Ruby, travel size, BNIB - $7
• Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color in Parisian red, travel size, BN - $6
• Becca Ultimate Lipstick Love in Cherry, FS, BNIB - $6
• Becca Glow Gloss in Rose Gold, mini, BN - $3
• L'Oreal x Elie Saab Le Brilliant Haute Couture Lip Gloss, Ambre Choc, limited edition, BN - $5
• Buxom Full On Lip Polish in Clair (Pinky Mauve With Golden Shimmer), 2mL travel size - BN - $5
• Buxom Va Va Plump liquid lipstick minis in Wine Me, BN - $3 each or 4 for $10
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Buttercream Lipgloss, full size, shade Popular, BNIB - $7
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Buttercream Lipgloss, full size, shade Totally, BNIB - $7
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor, travel size, all BN. Shades available: Undercover, Swag, Slay, Believer, Boss, Keeper and Cray - $3 each or 4 for $10
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Lip Lacquer in Pout, travel size, BN - $3
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lip Color, full size, shade XYZ, BNIB - $8
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lip Color, full size, shade OM, BNIB - $8
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Radiant Lipstick, mini size, shade Notorious (nude), BN - $2 each, 5 4 available
• BareMinerals barePro Longlasting Matte Lipstick, mini size, shade Petal, BN - $2
• BareMinerals Statement Luxe lipstick, mini size, shade Biba (barbie pink), BN - $2
• BareMinerals Statement Matte Liquid Lipstick, mini size (1mL), shade VIP, BN - .50/each, 4 2 available
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipstick, mini size (1mL), shade Boss, BN - .50/each, 6 available
• BareMinerals Gen Nude Lip Lacquer, mini size (1mL), shade Dahling, BN - .50/each, 10 6 available
• Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Baby Doll, travel size, BN - $3
• Laura Mercier Rouge Essential lipstick in A La Rose, travel size, BN/sealed - $4
• Laura Mercier Creme Smooth lipstick in Spiced Rose, travel size, BN/sealed - $4
• Tarte tarteist glossy lip paint in Goals, FS, BNIB - $9
• Hank & Henry matte liquid lipstick in Petal Pusher, FS, BN - $3
• Aurora Lipgloss in 10 Fairy, BN - FWP

 
Lips - Swatched or Gentle Use

• Dior Refillable Addict Shine Lipstick in 716 Cannage, in box, used 1x - $32
• Chanel Rouge Coco Baume in 920 - In Love, in box, lightly swatched - $36
• NYX Fat Oil Slick Click shiny lip balm in Trending Topic, swatched - $4
• Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip in Guava (OG formula) sheer pink with iridescent blue sparkle, used 2x, in box - $8
• Apieu Juicy Pang Water Tint in PK02, swatched - $3
• Juvia's Place Nubian Earth Lip Gloss in Oasis, swatched - $4
• Juvia's Place Garden of Juvia's Lip Wave Gloss in Flower Girl, swatched - $4
• Hourglass Confession lipstick in "If I Could", used 2x - $14
• Hourglass Confession lipstick in "When I'm With You", used 1x - $15
• Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Ruby, travel size, gentle use - $4
• Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Limited Edition Molly Wow (Melon Wow), full size, gentle usage shown - $13 $10
• Revlon The Gloss in Solar Coral, swatched - $2
• Essence Holo Balm shiny lipgloss (holographic blue), swatched - $1
• NYX Limited Edition Avatar Luminescent Lip Gloss, shade 01 Shimmering Waters, swatched - $3
• BareMinerals BarePro longwear lipstick deluxe mini, Petal, usage shown - FWP
• Tarte travel size busy gal gloss in Run This Town (watermelon with gold shimmer), swatched - $2
• Becca Ultimate Lipstick Love in Maroon, FS, very light usage shown - $4
• Catrice Loves PETA Limited Edition Demi Matt lipstick (similar to MAC powder kiss formula) in C01 Spread Empathy, gentle usage shown- $2
• Catrice Demi Matt Lipstick in 140 Breathless Berry, swatched only - $2
• Catrice Watermelon Shine Glow Lip Balm, usage shown - $2

 
Makeup Bags & Brushes

• NARS limited edition shiny silver keepsake bag with orange lining, 5.8" x 3.5" x 1", BNIP (original tissue paper on zip pulls) - $20
• bareMinerals blue and gold makeup bag, 7.5"x5.5" BN - $4
• bareMinerals Dual Finish Blush and Contour brush (these have dual fibecolor bristles). Work well with Invisible Light face powder duo (listed above under palettes) - $12 $10 each, 4 available
• bareMinerals Beautiful Finish Foundation Brush, limited edition gold handle, FS, BNIP - $20
• bareMinerals mini flawless application face brush, BNIP - $3
• bareMinerals travel size beautiful finish foundation brushes (small buffing brush), BNIP - $6 each, 2 available 1 remaining
• Elf Beautifully Bare blending brush, BNIP - $6 each, or 2 for $10, 3 available
• The Body Shop flat eyeshadow brush, BNIP - $4
• Real Techniques Blend & Blur eyeshadow brush, BN
• Royal and Langnickel Moda Eye Brush M27, BNIP
• It Cosmetics Limited Edition Your Must Have Kabuki Brush, Travel Size Holiday Confetti Popper, BN - $18

 
Skin & Hair Bundles

• 7-pc skincare sampler bundle. Contains: Good Molecules, Andalous Naturals, Strivectin, Dermalogica, Completely Bare, Sunday Riley & Dionis (see photos) - $16
• 7-pc haircare sampler bundle. Contains: Madison Reed, Biolage, Jack Black, Briogeo & Living Proof - $16

 
Skincare

• Cle de Peau Beaute Firming Serum Supreme 40ml (full size), BNIB, sealed, with dust bag - $185 (retail $350)
• StriVectin Multi-Action acne clearing treatment lotion, deluxe mini, never used - $2
• Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex II, 7ml, BNIB - $9 (one remaining)
• Bliss Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub, full size, BNIB - $10
• Clarins Double Serum 7-Day Supply sampler - $1
• iS Clinical Active Serum sample, BN - $1
• Tarte Mermaid Skin hyaluronic serum travel size, BN - $4
• Farmacy Honey Halo moisturizer, 15g travel size, BN - $7

 
Fragrance

• 6-pc sample bundle: Burberry Hero edp; Burberry Goddess edp; Gucci Flora Gorgeous Magnolia edp; Ralph Lauren Ralph's Club Elixir; YSL Libre L'Absolu Platine; YSL Myself edp - $6 or free with any order over $40

 
Thanks for looking!
   

If you live alone in an apartment in the Sugar Land area and don't have utilities included in your rent, how much do you pay a month on average for individual uitlities?
Also how much more do you pay in the summer for utilities if there is a big difference? Just trying to research and figure out my budget ahead of time.
Curious about the following utilities and any other ones I might have missed:

• Electricity
• Water
• Internet
• Renter's Insurance (if you have it)
• Gas
• Sewer
• Trash/Recycling
• Parking

Thanks in advance

Part of the problem with the bowl is that everyone thinks they are the cream of the crop. A big catch. This is far from the truth. Only 20% of the people in the bowl are attractive, at the most. As more people enter the bowl, that percentage drops.
I feel like a lot of SB have trouble coming to terms with this. Since they are getting hundreds of matches in vanilla dating they think this will be the case in sugar. Many of them say “I’m attractive, but I can’t find anyone” which makes no sense. If they are as attractive as they think they are they will be able to land an SD. I know SLF says that all the SD out there are cheap scammers, but the truth is there are lots of legit SDs who pay. I mean come on there are tons and tons of lonely married guys with money who want to date a 20 something year old. As well as wealthy single guys who struggle in vanilla dating.
SDs also tend to be delusional and think they can fuck SBs for free. A bald, fat 60 year old guy has to pay no matter how hot he thinks he is.
I don’t think I’m attractive but I make up for it with generosity. You have to have SOMETHING to offer the other party. That’s why it’s called mutually beneficial. If you have nothing of value to offer, you’re probably not going to find anyone.

Hallo! Ik zag al een week geen boze rant aangaande de woningmarkt, dus; bop bop komtie!
Ik heb zojuist een woning gekocht. In Rotterdam, met een voor en achtertuin, 3 verdiepingen en 170m2. Potverdorie hey, dan moet je écht een grote zak met geld meenemen tegenwoordig. in-fucking-sane. (en ja ik ben er zelf bij, maar je wilt op een gegeven moment ook wat en het kan, dus vooruit... maar toch)
Nu had mijn eega nog een appartement en ik ook, dat allebei verkocht, allebei flinke overwaarde, wat spaargeld en allebei prima baan, maar man man man.
Hoe gaan we dit nog ooit oplossen? Want voor zover ik het allemaal lees wordt de nood alleen maar groter en als een bank als ING doodleuk zegt dat 'de huisprijzen aankomend jaar 6% stijgen' creëren ze naar mijn idee alleen nog maar meer chaos.
Hoe moet je nu als starter op de woningmarkt nog ooit een woning vinden als je bijvoorbeeld in Rotterdam woont zonder een compleet uitgewoond hol te betrekken? Dit gaat toch he-le-maal verkeerd in grote delen van het land?
Edit: POEEEHEEE hoop boze mensen omdat ik mijn appartement tegen WOZ waarde moet verkopen ivm schenkingsrechten en net doen alsof ik een huisjesmelker ben. Ik moet ook gewoon werken voor geld he mensen. En ja, ik geef al aan; ik zit aan de goede kant, maar dat neemt niet weg dat ik snap dat het he-le-maal van de pot gerukt is. Dus chill mensen. Ik ben niet degene die het probleem maakt.

Sugar Rush Slot Game
Diving into the Sugar Rush slot by Pragmatic Play was an absolute treat for me. This game is packed with vibrant colors, sugary themes, and plenty of excitement. If you love sweets and high-energy gameplay, Sugar Rush is definitely a game you’ll want to check out.

Game Overview

Sugar Rush is set on a 7x7 grid and uses a cluster pays system, meaning you need to land clusters of five or more matching symbols to win. The symbols are all candy-themed, adding to the overall fun and playful vibe of the game. When you hit a winning cluster, the Tumble feature kicks in, where the winning symbols disappear, making way for new symbols to drop in. This can create multiple wins from a single spin.

Special Features

One of the standout features of Sugar Rush is the Multiplier Spots. Every time a winning symbol explodes, it leaves a wrapper on its position. If another symbol explodes on the same spot, a multiplier is added. This multiplier doubles each time until it reaches a maximum of 128x your bet. This mechanic can lead to some huge wins, especially during the Free Spins round, where the multipliers remain sticky and can significantly boost your payouts.
The Free Spins round is triggered by landing three or more scatter symbols. Depending on the number of scatters you hit, you can get anywhere from 10 to 30 free spins. You can also buy your way into this round for 100x your bet, which is a neat feature if you’re feeling lucky and want to dive straight into the action.

Gameplay and Betting

The game has a decent RTP of 96.5%, making it quite rewarding over time. The maximum win potential is up to 25,000x your bet, which is pretty enticing for those high-stakes players. The betting range is also flexible, accommodating both casual players and high rollers.
Visuals and Audio
Visually, Sugar Rush is stunning. The graphics are bright and cheerful, and the animations are smooth, making for an engaging gameplay experience. The soundtrack complements the theme perfectly, adding to the overall excitement and immersion.

My Experience

Playing Sugar Rush was a rollercoaster of fun. I loved the thrill of watching the multipliers build up and the excitement of the Free Spins round. The Tumble feature kept the gameplay dynamic and engaging, and the potential for big wins with the multiplier spots kept me on the edge of my seat.
In summary, if you’re looking for a slot game that’s not only fun but also has the potential for some sweet wins, Sugar Rush is definitely worth a spin. Pragmatic Play has done an excellent job with this release, and it’s easy to see why it’s becoming a favorite among players.
​
Have you tried Sugar Rush? Let us know in the comments what you think...

IGS Rep
My barter.vg page
Primarily looking for games from Fanatical Bundles.
Want Ash of Gods: The Way from Platinum Collection bundle.
Want Inkulinati from Prestige Collection bundle.
Want Right, Down and Dice and Noob: The Factionless from the Premiere Bundle.
Other games that I want most currently: Letter Quest: Grimm's Journey Remastered, En Garde, Guardians of Holme, Land Above Sea Below, Bear and Breakfast, Scarlet Nexus, Lumencraft, Shining Resonance Refrain
My full wishlist is below, but I will consider other games that I don't know about/aren't on the list. I really like to play Roguelites, Survivor-likes, RPGs, Strategy, Card games, and certain sims.
Have:
My Barter Have List
Highlights:

• Lunacid
• Growing Up
• Sugar Shack
• Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly
• Wylde Flowers
• MythForce
• Ghostrunner
• Nioh 2
• Hi-Fi RUSH
• Disco Elysium
• Victoria 3
• Elex II
• Callisto Protocol

My Barter Wishlist

IGS Rep
My barter.vg page
Primarily looking for games from Fanatical Bundles.
Want Ash of Gods: The Way from Platinum Collection bundle.
Want Inkulinati from Prestige Collection bundle.
Want Right, Down and Dice and Noob: The Factionless from the Premiere Bundle.
Other games that I want most currently: Letter Quest: Grimm's Journey Remastered, En Garde, Guardians of Holme, Land Above Sea Below, Bear and Breakfast, Scarlet Nexus, Lumencraft, Shining Resonance Refrain
My full wishlist is below, but I will consider other games that I don't know about/aren't on the list. I really like to play Roguelites, Survivor-likes, RPGs, Strategy, Card games, and certain sims.
Have:
My Barter Have List
Highlights:

• Lunacid
• Growing Up
• Sugar Shack
• Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly
• Wylde Flowers
• MythForce
• Ghostrunner
• Nioh 2
• Hi-Fi RUSH
• Disco Elysium
• Victoria 3
• Elex II
• Callisto Protocol

My Barter Wishlist

Inmiddels ben ik ruim een jaar F.I.R.E. Hoe ik zover gekomen ben lees je hier: Mijn reis naar F.I.R.E. @ 44
Ik hoop dat deze informatie anderen helpt om beter voorbereid te zijn op hun "R.E.". Omdat ik over de jaren heen hier veel nuttige informatie vandaan heb gehaald vind ik dat het mijn beurt is om iets terug te doen.
De dag dat ik ontslag nam van mijn baan in SG, verliep automatisch mijn visum. Je kan dan wel weer een toeristenvisum voor 3 maanden halen, maar in Singapore blijven was voor mij geen optie. Geen visum voor lang verblijf en levensonderhoud te duur. Het plan was om te gaan reizen. Ik wist dat je ergens ingeschreven moet staan, belastingplichtig moet zijn, omdat banken anders nerveus worden.
“Het enige land ter wereld waar je ingeschreven kan staan zonder er ook te verblijven is Costa Rica”.
Prove me wrong .. serieus, ik ben nog geen ander land tegengekomen met deze specifieke regel. Er zijn genoeg landen met golden visa’s en vergelijkbare regelingen maar je moet er, officieel, altijd minimaal 6 maanden per jaar doorbrengen (ook Panama en ja, ook Dubai). En omdat ik wou reizen leek CR me dus de ideale oplossing. Daarnaast heeft CR een gunstig belastingklimaat ;)
Waar ik even geen rekening mee gehouden had:

1. Geen enkele Europese brokebank wil je als klant als je ingeschreven staat in Costa Rica. (heb ik nog niet gevonden tenminste, maar ik ben gestopt met zoeken). Uiteindelijk kon ik bij Schwab terecht in de U.S.
2. Zodra je bij je bank een adreswijziging doorvoert (naar een ander land) willen ze een bewijs van woonadres zien. Die had ik dus niet. Mijn Nederlandse bank, waar ik al 25 jaar klant was, heeft meerdere keren gedreigd mijn account af te sluiten. Mijn EU broker heeft me daadwerkelijk afgesloten en ik heb met wat moeite al mijn ETF’s daar weg moeten halen.
3. Ik kon bij mijn broker in de VS geen VWRL kopen. Geen probleem dacht ik, dan doen we wel gewoon VTI/VXUS 80/20. Echter, nu betaal ik 30% dividend belasting in de VS. En omdat CR geen belastingverdrag heeft met de US kom ik daar niet onderuit. 30% van 2% dividend is 0.6% van mijn 4% SWR, oftewel 15% minder te besteden.
4. Banken/Brokers sturen écht belangrijke informatie graag nog per post. De beveiligde omgeving in de app is blijkbaar niet veilig genoeg?! Vals adres of in mijn geval bij een relatie in NL werkt dus niet echt. Ik kwam erachter dat er iets mis was omdat ik niet meer kon inloggen en dan lagen er inderdaad weer een paar dreigbrieven op me te wachten in NL. Irritant en stressvol.
5. Als je $1.2M van je EU broker naar je NL bankrekening overmaakt en vervolgens via Costa Rica naar de US sluist dan gaan alle alarmbellen af. Ik wist dat ik niks illegaals deed maar het heeft me veel tijd gekost en stress opgeleverd. KYC / AML
6. “Dan ga je toch gewoon in Thailand wonen?” Nee dus, visums, met name voor lang verblijf en belastingplicht, krijg je nergens zomaar. Zelfs binnen de EU moet je na 3 maanden een vergunning aanvragen en daarvoor heb je een vast adres nodig. Als je van plan bent om ook echt ergens te gaan wonen wordt het al iets makkelijker maar Perpetual Traveler is echt een uitdaging als je je aan de regels probeert te houden.

Deze post is wel weer lang genoeg denk ik. Ik zal over een tijdje een laatste post plaatsen met mijn nieuwe plannen en hopelijk een oplossing voor bovenstaande uitdagingen.