2023 was a pretty abysmal year for jump+ when it came to finding new hits. The best new series performance was …..

1. Hope You're Happy, Lemon 2 — 3,841 — 700k views

Not bad for the platform…but that being your best new performer is terrible when compared to previous years. Jump+ is more lenient, and they allow you to persist on the platform with a few thousand sales and like 400k views per chapter or more, but still. However, in the span of a few months, jump+ has produced three hits this year, all of which are instantly in the top 20 of the platform after their first volume.

1. Kaiju No. 8: B-Side 1 — 75,807 — 1.3M views
   
2. Thermae Romae Redux 1 — 35,474 — 650k views
   
3. Girl Meets Rock! 1 — 9,527 — 550k views
   

The catch is……All 3 series had pre-existing audiences.
Something youll note about all 3 of those series, is that they had pre-existing audiences. Kaiju 8 B side is a spin off, thermae romae redux is a sequel to a well-known manga, and girl meets rock had an audience online. This doesn’t mean they are bad or anything, it just means that jump+ has still not produced a new organic platform grown hit since 2022.
These series still count obviously, but it showcases perhaps a switch in strategy for jump+, or at least one they should attend to. Maybe bringing in people with a pre-existing audience to ensure some initial momentum… or spin offs on existing series is better than looking for a new original hit.
Why are new jump+ titles struggling so much in sales, even when viewership is decent?
This is something lots of people have been speculating on, myself included, and I thought id give my two cents, based on reception in japan and my personal opinion.
What I mean by this is there are a bunch of series that have good viewership, but still sell like crap. For example.

1. Shibatarian 3 — <1,550 / 0 day — 760k views
   
2. The Game Devil 4 — <1,500 / 0 day — 700k views
   
3. Muscle Island 4 — <1,500 / 0 day — 500k views
   
4. Wild Strawberry 2 — <1,400 / 1 day — 450k views
   

Given their viewership, you would expect these to sell at least a few thousand copies, if not more. For reference, girl meets rock and thermae have similar views and sell 10k or more, and then titles like these have higher sales and correspondingly higher views.

1. Dandadan 14 — 70,074 — 1.5M views
   
2. You and I Are Polar Opposites 6 — 54,624 — 1.2M views
   
3. Kindergarten WARS 9 — 41,350 — 1.1M views
   

Sales and views source https://mangahelpers.com/forum/threads/shonen-jump-plus-news-and-discussion.3016912/page-104
Heres a bunch of theories.
Are they selling in digital mainly?
We don’t have digital data, but we can infer from circulation numbers and rankings on online bookstores. The titles in questions don’t really perform that well online and don’t have notable circulation numbers mentioned. They just have good viewership and terrible sales.
Are most new jump + releases….just kinda meh ?
This is a controversial point, because technically its subjective…BUT, we can scour comments in japan to make this more concrete. Most of the series with low sales and decent views have what I would call middling reception… people who kinda enjoy it, but have lots of criticisms .
For example. Lets take wild strawberry. This was one of the top rated comments for its last chapter on jump+
“It would be fun to read if you could get a strong weapon for getting a certain score or defeating a strong opponent, but... the only difference between the characters is their hairstyle... It's boring to read regardless of the intentions of the upper echelons, and there are almost no characters that you have an emotional attachment to, so there's no suspense.”
How about shibatarian…some top rated comments
“I don’t understand anymore”
“I don't understand why there are so many Satos and the various Shibatas are disgusting, so I shouldn't read it, but I'm curious about the rest and I keep reading.”
I use these two examples, because I like both series, but also don’t think they are that good. I read them because they are either comfort food in the case of wild strawberry, its just very generic shonen with good art, and in shibatarians case I just cant help but read it…..for reasons. Looks like im not alone, and the English reception on reddit manga etc seems similar.
The argument would be something like…. there is a certain amount of “capture” with online titles where people will read it if its familiar, or looks good or has intrigue, but wont feel compelled to go buy volumes if they aren’t actually that good.
This might be true of lots of jump+ titles, which are all in that middling quality for reception.
Is jump+ just not the platform that rewards creativity and innovation that we thought?
The idea that Jump+ is a platform for more experimental and creative works is debatable to some. Most of the stuff at the top is in conventional genres,(spy family,chainsaw man,dandadan,kaiju 8,) it just a little more out there in tone than might be ok in regular jump. Even that is debateable with chainsaw man originally being in jump.
This is the kicker that many might not want to admit, but I think its increasingly true. If what guarantees sales now are bringing in pre-existing fans, and home grown viewership is not translating to sales, maybe the platform isnt what we think it is.
Either they are not actually selecting for good quality, which could be an issue of editorial etc, or the readership is not receptive to genuinely good and creative works. Or both….
A Good Litmus test. Centuria and Goze Hotaru ….ie if these arent hits the platform just kinda sucks.
So to play by my own rules here, if titles that have good reception on jump+ don’t actually sell and become hits, even with decent to great viewership…the platform might actually be in need of change. Two recent titles that I personally think are great, but also have great reception on jump+, will be a good test case.
Goze Hotaru ……ie does Jump+ care about quality, beauty and creativity.
This is a story of a blind girl who endeavours to become a travelling musician, fighting through her anxiety and reclusiveness, and mixes this with beautiful art and poetic writing while still being entertaining. Its niche obviously, and this isnt just me gushing. Almost All comments on the last chapter on jump+ for example, were universally positive. Its viewership is not great, but its quality I think is undeniable.
“This story made me decide to buy the comics.”
“The final spread and the whole story are amazing. I had no choice but to buy the book.”
“It's amazing. It's not for everyone, but it's a fascinating manga. The first volume was released early.”
“The last page spread made me sigh. Even though I am ignorant and don't know even a single line of the song "Shiogama," I felt like I could hear Sango-chan's voice. What an amazing story! What amazing illustrations!”
“The contrast between the girl rising to the top and the protagonist who is barely keeping up on the last page was really good. It sent shivers down my spine.”
Centuria…….ie does Jump+ care about exceptional art and action that has good reception and commercial appeal
This series is very marketable, is done by a fujimoto assistant(like spy x family, dandadan etc), is a mix between vinland saga and berserk in theme and tone, and has incredible art. It also has very good viewership, especially at the start, but its retaining well. It also does really well in the west, with its blending of western fantasy motifs, darker themes and just sheer brutality.
Its reception on jump+ is also very positive. Some top rated comments.
“The movement and flow of the story is very pleasant to read.”
“I was impressed that three humans were able to defeat that monster. It was so cool. And the main character finally showed up. It was a really satisfying read.”
“It's important to have good illustrations, but that's not all. Not only is there a lot of writing, but the composition of the spread is also well done and the ending is exciting every time. I'm really looking forward to it every week.”
“It’s great that even though it’s a tense and suspenseful story, everyone has their own moment to shine.”
In any case, goze hotarus volume 1 is out in a few days, and the amazon pre orders……. aren’t great. Centuria will be out in july.
If neither of these are at least decent hits in sales, at least relative to their viewership(its mainly centuria, im just throwing goze hotaru in there because im salty lol)…we might have to revaluate jump+ as a platform that genuinely rewards quality and creativity….or at the very least having the ability to translate good viewership or reception into sales for home grown series.
And as I write this, kaiju number 8 is getting a second spin off coming out this month…..

Ich (42m) bin seit 10 Jahren mit meiner Frau (35w) verheiratet und kennen tun wir uns bereits seit 18 Jahren. Streit gab es schon immer, aber seit der Geburt unserer zwei Kinder (eine Tochter, 3 Jahre und ein Sohn, 1 Jahr) ist es noch schlimmer geworden.Tatsächlich erfahre ich viel verbale und emotionale Gewalt. Früher kam ich mit den Beleidigungen noch eher klar und konnte sie wegstecken. Damals dachte ich oft auch, dass die Attacken zwar etwas hart, aber in der Sache vielleicht auch gerechtfertigt sind und ich einfach das nächste mal besser auf Ihre sensiblen Punkte achten muss. Anschließend hatten wir dann auch wieder ein paar sehr harmonische Wochen.
Inzwischen wird es häufiger und es reichen Kleinigkeiten, wie ein schlecht gewähltes Valentinstagsgeschenk. Am meisten stört es mich, wenn sie mich vor unseren Kindern beleidigt. Da fallen Sätze wie "Versager, bekommst nichtmal deinen eigenen Sohn beruhigt. Was bist du für ein Vater, ihn schreien zu lassen?" oder wenn unsere Tochter weint "Du machst alle in dem Haus wahnsinnig mit deiner Art, sogar deine 3 Jährige Tochter" so als ob mich deren Weinen nicht selbst treffen würde. Sie beschimpft mich bei Streitigkeiten auch mit Kraftausdrücken wie "Stinkendes Stück Scheiße", "blöder Wichser" und "dreckiges Schwein" vor den Kindern. Nach einer Beleidigung sage ich dann oft einfach nur das Gegenteil (also zB dass ich kein Vollidiot bin), alleine um die Beleidigung so nicht stehen zu lassen. Aber im Grunde bin ich einfach nur hilflos und fühle mich erniedrigt.
Zu den Kindern selbst ist sie aber liebevoll und eine tolle Mutter. Auch sie brüllt sie hin und wieder an, aber verletzt dabei nicht ihre Integrität.
---- Nun folgen viele weitere Beispiele, die vielleicht etwas mehr Kontext geben und mir dabei helfen, den Kummer von der Seele zu schreiben. Alternativ kann die LeserIn auch gerne direkt zu den Fragen unten scrollen ----
Im Alltag habe ich das Gefühl, dass meine Persönlichkeit vor den Kindern mit Kleinigkeiten zersetzt wird zB indem meine eigentlich harmlosen Ansagen wie "genug genascht" revidiert werden. Neulich hat mich meine Tochter gefragt, ob ich auch schon einen Pyjama an habe. Meine Antwort war, dass ich noch Straßenkleidung trage. Darauf verdreht meine Frau die Augen und sagt zu meiner Tochter genervt, dass Papa ganz normale Kleidung trägt und keine "Straßenkleidung". Offenbar hat sie Sorge, dass unsere Tochter ungebräuchliche Wörter lernt. Weiteres Beispiel: Sie bittet mich Sonnencreme für den Kindergarten rauszusuchen. Ich hole ein Spray mit LSF 30. Darauf brüllt sie vor meiner Tochter, ob ich noch ganz normal sei. Jeder weiß, dass es spezielle Kindersonnencreme mit LSF 50 gibt. Meine Tochter nimmt mir dann die Flasche aus der Hand und gibt es meiner Frau mit den Worten "Hier Mama" zurück worauf meine Frau noch einen draufsetzt mit "Siehst du, sogar deine Tochter weiß, dass dein Verhalten nicht normal ist".
Das ist für sich alleine genommen nicht so tragisch, aber in der Summe und auf lange Sicht ist meine Befürchtung schon, dass bei meiner Tochter hängen bleibt, dass Papa dummes Zeug redet und nur Mama Bescheid weiß. Wenn ich mich rechtfertige und meine Motive für meine in ihren Augen unpassenden Handlungen darlege (zB LSF 30 ist doch recht hoch und langt in 95% der Fälle) , kommt als Antwort, dass ich doch einfach mal die Klappe halten und aufhören soll, ständig Streit anzufangen.
Sie legt sehr viel Wert auf Aufmerksamkeiten und Geschenke. Umgekehrt habe ich aber nicht das Gefühl, dass die gleichen Regeln auch in meine Richtung gelten. Zum Hochzeitstag und Valentinstag habe ich zB nichts bekommen, umgekehrt sind die Erwartungen an die Geschenke aber groß. Hochzeitstag und Valentinstag sind Garanten für Ärger zu Hause, weil ich grundsätzlich das falsche schenke. Meine kleinen Gesten im Alltag sind hingegen zu Selbstverständlichkeiten verkommen. Am Wochenende stehe ich mit den Kindern früh auf, versorge sie und spiele mit beiden, bis meine Frau gegen 11 Uhr ausgeruht und geduscht dazukommt. Ihr Kommentar das letzte mal war "Oh mein Gott. Nicht mal Frühstück für uns beide gemacht. Völlige Überforderung hier unten. Papa im Überlebensmodus". Nach einer Woche auf der Arbeit würde ich mich im Gegenzug sehr darüber freuen, auch mal den Morgen im Bett bleiben zu können. Ich hatte gefragt, ob ich Sonntag auch mal ausschlafen dürfte. Da war ihre Antwort, dass von ausschlafen keine Rede sein kann, bei dem Lärm den ich mit den Kindern mache. Jede weitere Nachfrage habe ich mir lieber verkniffen.
Vor ein paar Tagen ist es dann wie schon so oft eskaliert. Ursprünglich wollten wir alle zusammen schwimmen gehen. Da meine Frau aber nicht so richtig Lust hatte, habe ich gefragt, ob ich mit unserer Tochter einfach alleine schwimmen gehen soll. Sie hat zugestimmt. Am nächsten Morgen sind wir dann los und sie hat uns beiden noch viel Spaß gewünscht. Wie wir zurück kamen war sie bereits gereizt. Ich fange trotzdem an, gut gelaunt zu erzählen, nachdem ich die nassen Sachen ausgepackt und etwas verschnauft habe: "Wir sind auf dem Hinweg mitten in ein Unwetter geraten" und warte kurz auf eine Reaktion. Sie wird aggressiv: "UND WEITER? Muss man Dir alles aus der Nase ziehen? Du kommst nach Hause und erzählst nichts. Voll unheimlich und creepy. Wer verhält sich denn so? Was bist du fürn Mensch? Sagst nichtmal wo ihr wart". Ich: "Ja, in der Therme". Sie: "Familienausflug ohne mich also. Ich dachte ein normales Schwimmbad. Grenzt mich ruhig aus. Du bist so ein Arschloch. Mit dir wird man einfach nur wahnsinnig und unglücklich. Einfach respektlos. Ich weiẞ nichtmal wo mein Kind ist. Nichtmal das wird mir gesagt und ihr seid 4 Stunden weg ohne Anruf. Welcher Idiot verhält sich so? Glaub mir, irgendwann verlasse ich dich". Und dann ist mir der Kommentar rausgerutscht: "Na Hoffentlich". Ich bin nicht stolz darauf und mir ist klar, dass der Kommentar natürlich genau den Kern ihres Vorwurfs trifft, dass ich sie nicht genug wertschätze und liebe.
Seitdem ist die Stimmung angespannt und gestern sogar noch weiter eskaliert. Ich komme nach der Arbeit Hause, spiele mit meiner Tochter im Garten und füttere danach meinen Sohn. Meine Frau fragt, ob ich schon mit meiner Mutter gesprochen habe, da meine Mutter an dem Tag eine wichtige Untersuchung zu einer ggf. lebensbedrohlichen Krankheit hatte. Ich sage "ja, auf der Heimfahrt von der Arbeit" und dachte, als nächstes kann ich erzählen, was dabei rauskam. Darauf rastet sie aber völlig aus: "Du dreckiges Schwein. Du bist nicht normal im Kopf. Wieso sagst du das nicht? Wieso muss ich fragen? Bin ich kein Teil der Familie? Du assozialer Wichser." Darauf sage ich wirklich ruhig (aus Rücksicht vor den Kindern), dass ich bisher noch nicht dazu kam, es noch gemacht hätte und sie mich bitte nicht vor den Kindern beleidigen soll. Sie wieder: "Halt die Fresse. Ich rede wie ich will". Ich wieder: "Beleidige mich nicht vor den Kindern". So geht es ein paar mal hin und her, bis sie mit einem Gegenstand nach mir wirft und unsere Tochter mit einbezieht: "Dein Vater ist ein assozialer Wichser. Ein dreckiges Schwein. Siehst du wie er mich behandelt? Ich hasse ihn." Darauf holt meine Tochter auch etwas und schmeißt es nach mir, worauf meine Frau noch "Sehr gut, Schatz" sagt. Das hat mich sehr verletzt. Ich habe dann kommentarlos meinen Sohn fertig gefüttert, war dabei aber den Tränen nahe.
Ich weiß nicht genau, warum sie derart impulsiv ist und woher das kommt. Sie hat bestimmte Erwartungen und Vorstellungen an die Beziehung, die ich offensichtlich enttäusche. Sie handelt in voller Überzeugung, dass ihre Wut meine Schuld ist. Sie ist dann voller ehrlichem Hass für mich. Nach solchen Wutanfällen fängt sie dann bei jedem Gesprächsangebot an, unsere ganze Beziehungshistorie auszurollen (mit einem aus meiner Sicht völlig konstruiertem Narrativ), wieviel sie für mich in der Beziehung geopfert hat, angefangen damit, dass sie für mich 250km hergezogen ist und als Dankeschön dafür vor 15 Jahren zum Geburtstag nur einen unpersönlichen Gutschein fürs Shopping Center geschenkt bekommen hat, oder dass ich noch nie (wie andere Männer für ihre Frauen) eine Überraschungsparty am Geburtstag organisiert habe oder dass ich nach der Geburt unseres Sohnes am zweiten Tag erst 16 Uhr im Krankenhaus war und sie "wie ein Stück Dreck habe verotten lassen" (ich hatte Vorbereitungen getroffen, weil wir die Tage darauf zur Hochzeit ihrer Schwester wollten und meine Frau schon am dritten Tag nach Hause konnte. Da sollte alles erledigt sein). Unter Tränen folgen etliche weitere Belege aus der Vergangenheit, die zeigen, wie schlecht ich sie schon immer behandelt habe und was sie alles mitmachen musste und dass die neuen Streitigkeiten nur ebenfalls zeigen, wie verzweifelt ihre Lage mit mir ist. Es gäbe etliche weitere solche Dialoge zu berichten, aber ich lasse es bei diesen Beispielen. Viele habe ich mir direkt nach dem Streit notiert, damit ich im Kampf um die Deutungshoheit hinterher zumindest für mich einen klaren Kopf behalte.
Inzwischen schreibt mir zusätzlich ihre Schwester und rät mir, mich auch mal in ihre Lage zu versetzen und mehr auf meine Frau einzugehen. In der Vergangenheit habe ich Stunden, manchmal Tage damit verbracht, sie wieder zu beruhigen, damit wir uns wieder versöhnen. Ich möchte das aber nicht mehr. Ihr Umgang mit mir vor den Kindern war wie ein (viel zu später) Weckruf. Andererseits habe ich Angst vor der Trennung. Ich liebe meine beiden Kinder sehr und bei dem Gedanken, nicht mehr Teil ihres Alltags zu sein wird mir richtig übel. Auch meine Frau liebe ich noch, aber merke. wie ich mich mehr und mehr innerlich distanziere und kaum noch zu Zugeständnissen bereit bin. Ich bin der arbeitende Teil der Familie. Sie hat noch 2 Jahre Elternzeit. Auf ein Wechselmodell wird sie sich wohl kaum freiwillig einlassen. Eine Eheberatung hat sie ebenfalls ausgeschlossen, weil für sie mangelnde Wertschätzung meinerseits als Ursache feststeht.
Heute morgen ist sie mit den Kindern zu ihrem Bruder übers Wochenende gefahren, was mir wieder meine Ohnmacht bzgl. der Kinder vor Augen führt. Aufhalten kann ich sie eh nicht und für die Kinder ist es besser, wenn sie denken, es wäre ein schöner Ausflug. Daher habe ich noch packen geholfen und das Auto getankt. Aber es macht mich traurig, wie sehr ich dieser Willkür ausgeliefert bin. Hat jemand ähnliche Erfahrungen gemacht? Meine konkreten Fragen sind:

• Wart ihr nach einer Scheidung wirklich glücklicher oder eher unglücklicher?
• Wie ist euer Verhältnis zu den Kindern heute und wie habt ihr euch auf den Umgang geeinigt?
• Wie kann ich mich gegen die verbalen Übergriffe schützen, ohne dass es weiter eskaliert?
• Wie kann ich die gute Beziehung zu meiner Tochter schützen? Falls die Trennung tatsächlich konkreter werden sollte, wird es sicher weiter eskalieren.
• Was ist aus eurer Sicht für die Kinder das geringere Übel? Schnell einen Schlussstrich ziehen, damit alle eine neue Routine aufbauen können oder doch erstmal Ruhe bewahren, um zu sehen, was zu retten ist?
• Und vor Allem: Wo und wie fange ich mit einer Trennung an? Erstmal alleine ausziehen und den Kontakt zu den Kindern riskieren? Oder bei den Kindern im Haus bleiben und von dort regeln? Das Haus und eine weitere Wohnung wird auch finanziell nicht einfach.

Ich bin für jeden Tipp und Rat dankbar. Sorry für den langen Text und Danke an alle, die bis hierher durchgehalten haben.

I'm a teacher making a zine for my kindergarten class. We do something called "morning meeting" where the kids can talk about problems, plans and sharings if they want, and we take notes all year, so I'm making a zine about the things the kids talked about this year and some other media (art, notes, letters, etc).
Anyway, I don't think I'll have enough time to go to a printer and was wondering if anyone knew if there's anywhere in LA where you can use a public printer with something other than standard printer paper? I made my master copy of the zine on 40lb paper and that's what I was hoping to print on.
The zine is 26 pages on 8.5" x 11" paper. I need 75 copies.

I had the book around kindergarten or first grade should it should at least be 20 years old or even older. It was similar to Where's Waldo books wherein its pages presented a large landscape with mutiple different scenes however it wasn't a puzzle book. It wasn't limited to the mesozoic but had some pages dedicated to the paleozoic as well. For the art style it was simple yet stylish and the coloring was reminiscent of water coloring. It was hardcover and had very large pages. That's the most I remember so any help would be appreciated.

My almost 9yo has always been homeschooled. We had tried it for one semester in 2nd grade, and she begged to come back to homeschool. I’ve always made it clear that homeschooling is one pathway, and that we aren’t anti-school. She currently attends art, music, and PE at her leisure. Recently, she decided that she would like to try public school next year, because she feels lonely and doesn’t want to come to work (I’m out town’s Youth Librarian) with me anymore. Her younger brother is starting Kindergarten in the Fall, so we considered this pretty good timing.
We enrolled her last week, and had her take the Renaissance Star360 tests for reading and math, so that we could assess if there were learning gaps we would need to address before she starts next year. Upon completion, the vice-principal of the school came out to show me her results. She scored in the 98th percentile for Math (actual score was 1275 before the test timed out), and in the 94th for Reading. We were surprised with the results, but I admit I don’t have much context for what they mean. The VP told us that they would have to work hard to keep her stimulated next year, and that made my stomach sink.
I worry, because I know that our school district isn’t very well funded and hardly has enough help for the kiddos who struggle, so what chance does my sensitive, seemingly “advanced” child stand to be supported? How do I advocate for her? The last thing I want is for her to dislike learning because she’s bored in a classroom setting. Am I overthinking this?

Hi all!
I don't really think there is an active solution to this, but I more just want to hear from others who are going through something similar.
I am someone who throughout my office career has always struggled with focus and staying organized. My memory at work is truly terrible and I honestly don't know how I somehow seem to move upwards in this career when I feel like I am in a mental fog all the time. I have also struggled with depression, being an introvert, and never feeling like I fit in whether this was in high school/university or in my career. I have always chosen to live alone because I get a lot of anxiety from sharing space with others and crave a lot of alone time. I love a clean environment but can struggle keeping things clean (my car is truly embarrassing and I no longer give anyone rides in it). The few hobbies I've enjoyed I was not able to keep enough interest in to do for longer than a year maximum.
When I was 31 I was seeing more posts about inattentive ADHD and truly never felt more seen. Despite the "you can't diagnose yourself from Instagram posts" feedback I was getting from a boyfriend at the time, I decided to reach out to a psychiatrist and the following year I took the CAARS-2 test. It showed my likelihood of having ADHD was 96% and lead to my diagnosis. I started on anti-depressants, therapy and 6 months later I'm now also on Vyvanse.
Recently I visited my parents and we found a bunch of old school binders my mother put together from kindergarten up until 6th grade. The report cards were extremely consistent: that I lacked focus, that I could have had better grades if I just turned in my work on time, that I only did well in art/english/sometimes history (aka the subjects I found interesting) and I absolutely floundered in everything else. My personal school notebooks were a mess - covered in doodles and notes to myself and drawings (teachers commented on this as well in the reports). My 6th grade teacher commented that I was a "creative young lady with great potential, but will struggle if [I] don't figure out how to be better organized". I made a comment to my mother about how it's not surprising that later in life I got diagnosed with ADHD based off of what I am reading in these report cards. Both surprisingly and not, she commented "Well I guess we were just terrible parents!"
I explained that my comment is not a slight towards them and that I am aware diagnosing girls was not common at that time, especially since I was not hyperactive (I was more of a kid who wanted to hide in a corner and read my book). But as this week is passing I am feeling more and more upset and can only describe this as a feeling of mourning of a live I could have lived if I had received proper help/guidance. My older brother is on the spectrum/has ADHD and received a lot of attention and care for this while in elementary school. It's hard to not feel like I was very ignored in that way. How am I not supposed to feel resentful? Since my diagnosis, it feels like something my parents are choosing to actively ignore instead of asking me how I feel about it.
I have been going back and forth on discussing these feelings with my mother and I know the ultimate answer is that I should. But I also don't want to give her the guilt I know she will feel. My life ultimately isn't horrible - I have a good job, a nice apartment, some close friends and I have enough money to treat myself from time to time. On the flipside I am very lonely, still struggle to navigate being around people and keeping focused even with therapy/medication, and overall just wish my brain worked differently so I could be "normal".
I'd love to hear from other adult women who are going through this so maybe I can feel a little less alone. I don't have friends with ADHD or have only met those who are more hyperactive rather than inactive.
Thank you! <3

I've got a 5 year old who knows the basics thanks to Kindergarten. She does well on her homework and seems "on pace" based on conversations with her teacher.
I want to keep her reading throughout the Summer - how can I do that and make it fun?
-Finding books appropriate for her age at the library
-Learning Pokémon Card Game (she loves the art, and it could help with math too...)
-??
What did you do to give your kid a leg up on reading?

So basically when i was like four, i was classified as extremely gifted, and was reading at a 5th grade level, went to the library and got an astronaut book. By the way, BEST BOOK EVER. I still have a copy somewhere. (The Book was called "How To Astronaut; an insiders guide to leaving planet earth By Terry Virts if I remember correctly) And kindergarten went well. (Except for being easy, but the school didn't want to move me up a grade because they had a bad problem with bullies) First grade, same story.
The summer after first grade, it had rained A TON. I drew a picture of the rainbow I saw, and was confused when my parents said that it was "Very Imaginitive" and"Good job being creative!" Next day, Colorblind test at the eye doctor.
Basically my parents told me that we had to go check and see if my eyes had superpowers or not, and so I was psyched! We went, and then the eye doctor basically told my parents I was a severe protan, and they talked like i wasn't there listening, and since I am extremely gifted, I heard a few words I knew and didn't like.
"Disabled" and "Defective" were my least favorite of the bunch.
I go back to second grade, knowing that i'm disabled, but decide not to tell any one. THE FIRST DAY, WE HAVE A COLOR CODED ASSIGNMENT. I went up and told my teacher I needed help and she helped me. However, I heard two of my friends, Lauren and Taryn snickering behind my back. When I turned around and walked back to my desk, they muttered some mean words undertheir breath, including disabled, and defective. I didn't tell anyone right away, because I figured it would stop and life would go back to normal.
By recess, the news had spread and as soon as I stepped outside from the lunch room, I got circled by people from the grade above me asking "What color is this?" and laughing when I got it wrong. This kept happening, and what they called me kept getting worse. It went from them calling me defective and disabled, to them calling worthless, and telling my that I don't deserve friends. More and more people were joining their side, but I didn't tell anyone because I was worried they would be worse if I told someone. The next day they duck taped me to the fence and laughed and called me names while I stood there and cried. I still didn't tell anyone.
Around this time, my great grandfather died, and that was heart breaking. He was colorblind too, and helped me get through life. He was the only one who understood. Basically, the bullying continued, and I got depressed and anxiety.
Then the art unit rolled around, and my art teacher failed me because I was color blind and we were learning about the color wheel. After that year, my parents homeschooled me and my siblings, and everything was fine. Until seventh grade...
I went to a different school in seventh grade, and basically didn't mention my cvd to anyone, and marching band was my favorite class, but one day, my section leader asked me to put a piece of sheet music "in the red bucket" I don't really know what happened but I just started to cry a little bit, and he sat me down behind a tree and asked me what was wrong. He was so kind, and I told him the whole story. Keep in mind, this 6' 5" junior, who has no experience with kids, was doing his best to help a color vision defecient 4'3" seventh grader, and I think that deserves a mention. We need more kind people like teagann in this world. He calmed me down and wrote sheet music on the red bucket so I would know. Nobody else found out, and that was how I wanted it.
Then I made the mistake of telling a six grader in my section. She seemed nice, and acted a lot like me, so I figured she would be nice about it. She was, but then she told everyone. I started getting bullied by two sophomores who thought it would be funny to mutter "Blind baby" whenever they saw me. Not only were they targeting my color blindness, but they were also targeting my height. I didn't tell anyone.
THAT WENT ON FOR A YEAR, AND THEY TOOK IT UPON THEM SELVES TO MAKE MY LIFE HELL.
the next year, I transfered schools again, and now is now. Any advice on how to not get bullied or feel self consious about the clothes I wear because I can't tell what color they are?

Demographics

• Gender: Female
• Race/Ethnicity: Asian(Chinese)
• Residence: China but studies in Singapore(International)
• Income Bracket: ~$110k/yr
• Type of School: Private boarding
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): First-Gen

Intended Major(s): Business/Finance/Econ
Academics

• GPA (UW/W): My school doesn't calculate GPA. All based on IB, 7 is full. 6 courses in total and 3 extra for Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity Activity and Service.
• Rank (or percentile): N/A
• of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: IB triple language course selection
• Senior Year Course Load: IB Chinese A Language&Literature Standard Level, IB English B Higher Level, IB French B SL, IB Economics HL, IB Computer Science SL, IB Maths Application and Interpretation HL

Standardized Testing
List the highest scores earned and all scores that were reported.

• SAT: 1480(700RW+780M) for ED1 and EA; 1520(730RW+790M) superscore for ED2
• AP/IB: IB predicted 35/42 or 37/45
• Other (ex. IELTS, TOEFL, etc.): TOEFL 103 ED1 and EA submitted only. ED2 Waived

Extracurriculars/Activities
List all extracurricular involvements, including leadership roles, time commitments, major achievements, etc.
Copy pasted from Common App

• Leader, Economics & Finance Society——Organized weekly meetings to discuss economic and financial news; invited guest speakers, developed agendas and crafted presentations.
• Member, Southeast Asia Exchange(Six-week program)——School Worked with peers from other Asian countries on regional issues like education and health care; Found appropriate solutions with help from experts.
• Head of Student Admissions Facilitator——Supported school admissions team recruiting new students; Organized alumni interviews with prospective students and made detailed notes.
• Leader, Child at Street 11——Taught kids from low-income families; Planned and executed activities for a small class, including reading, art, maths, and games.
• Member, Girls In Tech——Brainstormed and solved coding challenges in a team setting; invited women in the STEM industry to give talks about their careers.
• Member, Swimming Club——Learned different types of swimming: breaststroke, freestyle.
• Traditional Chinese dance——Hobby, performed in the local community.
• Member, Author, School magazine——Wrote 4 articles per week during the summer for school magazine on international news and school memories.
• Member, Alumni Association——Helped organize events such as alumni reunion and alumni talks; Networking with alumni to discuss their strength and shared it with current students.
• Member—— Read English books to kindergarten children in our school; Practiced monologue speech; Ensured class participation.

Awards/Honors
List all awards and honors submitted on your application.

1. International Certificate of Education with Distinction
2. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages(CEFR) Diploma of Studies in French Language B1
3. National Economics Challenge China 2022 National Top Scoring Individual Bronze Award

Letters of Recommendation
(Briefly describe relationships with your recommenders and estimated rating.)
Maths Teacher- 7/10 Counselor - 8/10 English Teacher - 8/10
Interviews Not even a single one.
Essays
(Briefly reflect on the quality of your writing, time spent, and topic of main personal statement.)
Common App Essay: family background with no English speaking people, childhood of first-gen student, experienced gender prejudice in the community(with examples), process of overcoming above challenges
Decisions (indicate ED/EA/REA/SCEA/RD)
Acceptances:

• Brandeis University (ED2)——5-year MBA program in international business, undergrad and master offer (direct into master if high GPA guaranteed until junior year) ——> COMMITED
• Northeastern University (EA)——NUin program, first semester at partner schools in Europe, remaining at Boston campus ——> DECLINED DUE TO ED2 COMMITMENT

Waitlists: None
Rejections: Tufts (ED1)
Withdrawals: Boston University, Babson College, George Washington University, Rutgers University
Additional Information:
You don't need to be perfect to get into your dream school. Think of what you want to get out of university and what the school wants. Does it match? If no, don't try to fit in. Be yourself, show yourself. Be confident. Yall gonna have a satisfying career even without university. I was astonished when I received the 5-year undergrad and master offer when not even a single person in my family speaks English or has attended a proper high school fully.

When it comes to early childhood education, understanding the various programs available for your child can be challenging. Two common terms parents often encounter are Pre-K and VPK. While both are crucial for early development, they serve different purposes and cater to different age groups. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you understand the difference between Pre-K and VPK, especially if you're looking for these programs in Pembroke Pines.

What is Pre-K?

Pre-K, or pre-kindergarten, is an educational program designed for children around the age of four. It serves as a bridge between informal home learning and the more structured environment of kindergarten. Pre-K programs focus on a ~child’s early development~, providing a blend of play-based learning and basic academic skills. The goal is to prepare children socially, emotionally, and cognitively for the challenges of formal schooling.

Key Features of Pre-K:

• Age Group: Typically for children aged 3-4 years old.
• Curriculum: Emphasis on social skills, motor skills, basic literacy, and numeracy.
• Structure: More flexible and less structured than VPK, allowing children to learn through play and exploration.
• Availability: Offered by various childcare centers, preschools, and some public schools.

What is VPK?

~VPK, or Voluntary Prekindergarten~, is a state-funded program in Florida designed to prepare four-year-olds for kindergarten. It is a more structured program compared to Pre-K and is specifically tailored to enhance the early learning foundations in preparation for school.

Key Features of VPK:

• Age Group: Exclusively for children who turn four years old by September 1 of the current school year.
• Curriculum: Focuses on literacy, math, language, and social skills to ensure children are ready for kindergarten.
• Structure: More structured than Pre-K with specific learning standards and goals.
• Availability: Free for eligible children, available at various public schools, private childcare centers, and specialized VPK providers.

Differences Between Pre-K and VPK in Pembroke Pines

1. Eligibility and Age Group:

• Pre-K: Serves children aged 3-4. It’s more inclusive in terms of age.
• VPK: Specifically for four-year-olds who turn four by September 1.

2. Curriculum and Learning Goals:

• Pre-K: Flexible curriculum focusing on a broad range of developmental areas.
• VPK: Structured curriculum with a strong emphasis on preparing children for kindergarten, focusing on specific academic and social skills.

3. Cost:

• Pre-K: Generally a paid program, although some centers might offer subsidies or sliding scale fees.
• VPK: Funded by the state of Florida, making it free for eligible children.

4. Program Duration:

• Pre-K: Varies widely, can be part-time or full-time depending on the provider.
• VPK: Typically a set number of instructional hours per year (540 hours for the school-year program or 300 hours for the summer program).

Pre-K or VPK: Which One is Right For My Child?

Choosing between Pre-K and VPK can be a pivotal decision in your child's educational journey. Here's a closer look at each option to help you determine which is the best fit for your child:

Pre-K:

• Age Group: Typically for children aged 3-4 years old.
• Curriculum: Emphasizes social skills, motor skills, basic literacy, and numeracy, often through play-based learning.
• Structure: More flexible and less structured compared to VPK, allowing children to explore and learn at their own pace.
• Availability: Offered by various childcare centers, preschools, and some public schools.

VPK:

• Age Group: Exclusively for children who turn four years old by September 1 of the current school year.
• Curriculum: Focuses on literacy, math, language, and social skills to ensure readiness for kindergarten, with a structured approach.
• Structure: More regimented compared to Pre-K, with specific learning standards and goals set by the state.
• Availability: State-funded, making it free for eligible children, offered at public schools, private childcare centers, and specialized VPK providers.

Consider your child's developmental readiness, your family's preferences, and your long-term educational goals when making this decision. Both Pre-K and VPK offer valuable opportunities for early learning and development, but the right choice ultimately depends on what aligns best with your child's needs and your family's circumstances.

Why Choose Nowtech Academy for Your Child’s Early Education in Pembroke Pines?

At Nowtech Academy, we understand the importance of early childhood education and are dedicated to providing a nurturing and educational environment for your child. Whether you're looking for a Pre-K program to start your child's learning journey or a VPK program to prepare them for kindergarten, we have tailored programs to meet your needs.
Our experienced educators use a balanced approach that combines play-based learning with structured activities to foster social, emotional, and cognitive development. Located in Pembroke Pines, Nowtech Academy offers a supportive community and state-of-the-art facilities to ensure your child receives the best start in their educational journey.

Enroll Your Child Today!

Give your child the best foundation for their future. ~Enroll in Nowtech Academy’s Pre-K~ or ~VPK programs~ today and watch them thrive in a nurturing and educational environment. Contact us now to learn more about ~our programs~ and secure your child’s spot.
At Nowtech Academy, we're committed to helping every child succeed. Join us and become a part of our vibrant educational community in Pembroke Pines!
For more information, ~visit our website~ or call us at [(954) 589-153](tel:+1-954-589-1530).
Nowtech Academy - Where Learning Begins!

My youngest daughter is 4. She was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder right before turning 2. It's tough sometimes, but we get by. Now she's getting close to kindergarten age.
Currently she has an IEP and goes to special education school, under KCPS. The whole program is so spotty. A new manager every year. Communication with the teacher is hard. Transportation is not reliable.
It pains my heart to look outside our district for alternatives. My oldest daughter goes to Border Star Montessori (at 63rd and Wornall) and I couldn't be happier with her education. She's in kindergarten and her teacher has a PhD. She has music and art lessons. Her reading is above the expected level for her age. And the Montessori method emphasizes independence and working to achieve your goals.
Have you folks had a different experience with IEP students in other districts in the metro? I'm not looking to move now but it's something I wouldn't rule out in the next few years. Though I love living in Waldo.

I know people think this film is apolitical and are irritated by left and right interpretations, and it's about journalism, which it is. For sure. I don't give a shit about politics and I'm a white guy that doesn't any kind of agenda, I'm not even American. I generally despise conversations about people looking too far into art/media but this film has the ol' wheels turning.
So I drank the Koolaid so you don't have to, and will present a case, I don't necessarily believe all of this but here's how the full Pepe Silvia / Charlie argument would go.
TLDR: there's a good amount of implied evidence that the Civil War in the film is somewhat connected to a wider race war. Would only be apt since the first Civil War was kind of about race... or was that just... state's rights (to WHAT?).
Hotel Bar Scene
Sammy: "And you can't get anywhere near Philly. So you gotta go west, maybe as far as Pittsburgh."
Question is why can't we go anywhere near a city that's still in the loyalist part of the US? It's 700 miles from the front lines, and thousands of miles away from the successionist states, so what's going on? (43% of Philly identifies as black, the most in PA.)
Sammy: "But... you gonna make me explain why I have to be there?"
Why the fuck does Sammy have to BE THERE in particular? Job security? Both Lee and Joe don't have a response and look semi-ashamed after he says this, they then agree to take him to Charlottesville, he is 100% fearful of going near Washington, possibly because he's big boned.
Road Trip Through PA
Impartial counterpoint: on the way out of NY into PA, a few of the checkpoint soldiers are indeed black or POC - but these are possibly just militarized police, conscripted MPs or National Guard, the Gov't is getting squashed in the war and probably aren't sparing real manpower to lowly checkpoint posts.
Sammy: "You don't wanna miss this" - he has Jesse look to up at the road - the US version of the highway of death in PA - Sammy damn well knows it's coming up (cars are pointing West - the direction they're travelling, likely on the Westbound road out of Philadelphia toward Pittsburgh. (digital highway sign says MINES AHEAD).
This is possibly an allusion to the infamous (in the 90s and 2000s at least) "Highway of Death" from the Gulf War, US/UK/Canada/French forces destroyed some 3000 mostly stolen Kuwaiti fleeing vehicles on the road from Kuwait to Basra mostly by airpower.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Death
So WHY were these people in particular targeted when other cities and people seem to functioning? These people weren't WF, maybe just sympathizers. They were clearly fleeing and stopped by force, fleeing from Philly going west?
Impartial counterpoint: Two looters strung up (and shot off screen) are white.
Sammy suggests hardball questions Joel should ask the President, obviously he's thought a lot about what he'd like to ask him himself but for some reason can't go to DC himself (possibly he's too big boned)
Sammy: "State of the nation is QED"? (Don't know what this means)
Hawaiian Shirt Militia scene
Like 80% of the Hawaiian shirt militia are POC. They execute a (white) wounded solider on sight and very happily machine gun three of the captives (white). This is the literal definition of a war crime. Joel is seen having a good laugh with the "war criminal henchman" afterward, the others are nonplussed as usual. But Joel is characterized as a generally good dude, so what gives?
Stadium Refugee Camp
Most people in the refugee camp stadium are POC, like 90%. No where anywhere does it say this, and it's a stretch, but is this a cordoned off ghetto? This can't be geographically far from idyllic pristine white town scene that comes next. The girl that lets them in looks like a volunteer, UNICEF type person, so maybe not.
Through exposition, Jesse's and Lee's parents are revealed to be back home on a farm 'pretending it's not happening'. They're white and possibly don't have an existential stake in this war for whatever reason.
Idyllic Town in West Virginia
All white, where are the POC? Sammy doesn't go in to the shop for whatever reason and leans against the truck on the curbside, physically covering his big bones from the line of fire from the two snipers on the roof, the camera pans up to reveal they've been watching him closely. He says be subtle when he asks Lee to take a look, then asks her "you actually bought something?". But not in a judgmental tone, just one of mild surprise. Lee says this is everything she'd forgotten (normalcy) and Sammy says it's everything he's remembered (people watching him with suspicion).
At this point the 'all white townspeople' dispels the notion that Garland just casted random extras for all the scenes. For me at least.
Meth Damon and the Genocide Boys
Meth Damon and the two guys are using 3 military earth movers, the SUV they captured (Hong Kong guy and Jesse) was forcibly parked and detained off camera just out front of a nicely kept estate with a freshly mowed lawn, the secret mass graves are literally in the backyard. This means the "secret" mass graves are mostly in plain sight.
From a distance Joel guesses they're "not government forces, not up here". Implying they're too far from the front line to be an active Gov't unit. So they're possibly deserters or extreme (very extreme) far right local civilian LARPers. Possibly taking advantage of the chaos and having a good laugh while ethnically cleansing their neighborhood.
However they have a CIB patch and SSI on their left shoulders which imply at least the uniforms are Gov't military. Nametags/rank/etc, are stripped from their uniforms and they don't seem to be enforcing much of a dress code, hence the sexy non-reg glasses. So they've been operating without oversight for a good while.
All of the people in the dump truck bed being dumped into the mass grave are POC.
Here's a stretch - they could be the far right US Gov't version of the Einsatzgruppen (Nazi death squads). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einsatzgruppen The Nazis tended to choose real hardliners for these units, guys who violently put down prison revolts, etc., seems within character with Meth Damon.
The first execution is the most obvious POC - no questions asked. Next is Joel, while facing execution, Joel pauses and is trembling when he's compelled to say he's from Florida, which the audience expects will seriously piss off Meth Damon because Florida is a (fucking) successionist state leading an insurrection against the US government.
Meth Damon replies 'central', as in "Central America", implying he cares more about Joel's ethnicity than the fact he's hailing from a literal enemy state.
Meth Damon gives the two white people (Jesse and Lee) free passes for being from Colorado and Missouri. American. Then shoots guy from China. The mass grave is full of POC, including lots of women, women weren't spared on account of them being women, but white. Post scene exposition regarding what the holy fuck just happened is completely missing because Sammy is dying and because of Sturgill Simpson.
There's definitely a kindergartener in the mass grave.
Counterpoint: Some people in the grave look potentially white/have white people looking hair.
My takeaway is that they're just a side effect of the chaos and lawlessness near the front - they're what the farthest of the far right neo nazis would do - Even the reporters haven't seen anything this bad, the underestimate it.
Counterpoint - If Garland wanted us to think they were legit, Govt forces carrying out policy he'd have out them in full kit, full name badges, receiving orders from superiors, etc. Clear decision here to leave the fundamental reasons ambiguous, but 100% racially motivated.
Why don't the journalists know any better? They don't know shit about the war.
At the hotel scene Sammy, a New York Times reporter, says the WF supply lines are collapsing and they are operating in anarchy, competition with one another, and will turn on themselves once the war is over. Totally not true when we see finally see the WF FOB, even reporters have been fed propaganda and don't know shit what's going on out there. There doesn't seem to be a functioning Internet anywhere on the road, outside of the hotel, which is slow and prone to disconnects (probably firewalled worse than China's).
After Sturgill Simpson
Super ambiguous - Lee says "it may sound fucked up there were so many ways it could have ended for him, and a lot of them a lot worse. He didn't want to quit." Why does Sammy have horrifying potential deaths and not the rest of them? Big bones?
White House
Presidents staffers and staff in the Beast are white. Secret service all seem white, I didn't rewatch this part closely so don't quote me.
Counterpoint - Press Secretary ? who tries to negotiate the President's extradition is black. However, the black lady WF soldier is the only person the squad allows to speak to her, the others don't interrupt, and she is the only person to open fire on her - a single shot, no backup fire or doubletapping. Why? At no point is she leading the squad so why does she speak for them? Seems like an very specific and intentional decision by the director.
Counterpoint - Before she dies, he requests the President's extradition to a neutral territory - Greenland or Alaska - Alaska isn't part of the US anymore (Alaska has been solely run by Republicans since the 1960s, and is only 4% black)
The most telling point of the film:
The three "Navy Seals" and the other WF Forces holding the President at gunpoint are white, except for WF black lady. The black WF soldier is allowed to fire the only two execution shots. The others don't jump the gun or ask if they can be the hero who pulls the trigger, or fire additional shots.
Imagine how thirsty Seal Team 6 was to be the guy who shot fucking Bin Laden. Why did Garland write this so only the black female soldier gets the kills shot?
That's what I got.

I know people think this film is apolitical and are irritated by left and right interpretations, and it's about journalism, which it is. For sure. I don't give a shit about politics and I'm a white guy that doesn't any kind of agenda, I'm not even American. I generally despise conversations about people looking too far into art/media but this film has the ol' wheels turning.
TLDR: there's a good amount of implied evidence that the Civil War in the film is somewhat connected to a wider race war. Would only be apt since the first Civil War was kind of about race... or was that just... state's rights (to WHAT?).
Throughout my two rewatches - I absolutely was NOT looking for political undertones, just more background reasons for the war itself. There's lots of there's lots of showing, not telling in this film and here's what I've got:
Hotel Bar Scene
Sammy: "And you can't get anywhere near Philly. So you gotta go west, maybe as far as Pittsburgh."
Question is why can't we go anywhere near a city that's still in the loyalist part of the US? It's 700 miles from the front lines, and thousands of miles away from the successionist states, so what's going on? (43% of Philly identifies as black, the most in PA.)
Sammy: "But... you gonna make me explain why I have to be there?"
Why the fuck does Sammy have to BE THERE in particular? Job security? Both Lee and Joe don't have a response and look semi-ashamed after he says this, they then agree to take him to Charlottesville, he is 100% fearful of going near Washington, possibly because he's big boned.
Road Trip Through PA
Impartial counterpoint: on the way out of NY into PA, a few of the checkpoint soldiers are indeed black or POC - but these are possibly just militarized police, conscripted MPs or National Guard, the Gov't is getting squashed in the war and probably aren't sparing real manpower to lowly checkpoint posts.
Sammy: "You don't wanna miss this" - he has Jesse look to up at the road - the US version of the highway of death in PA - Sammy damn well knows it's coming up (cars are pointing West - the direction they're travelling, likely on the Westbound road out of Philadelphia toward Pittsburgh. (digital highway sign says MINES AHEAD).
This is possibly an allusion to the infamous (in the 90s and 2000s at least) "Highway of Death" from the Gulf War, US/UK/Canada/French forces destroyed some 3000 mostly stolen Kuwaiti fleeing vehicles on the road from Kuwait to Basra mostly by airpower.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Death
So WHY were these people in particular targeted when other cities and people seem to functioning? These people weren't WF, maybe just sympathizers. They were clearly fleeing and stopped by force, fleeing from Philly going west?
Impartial counterpoint: Two looters strung up (and shot off screen) are white.
Sammy suggests hardball questions Joel should ask the President, obviously he's thought a lot about what he'd like to ask him himself but for some reason can't go to DC himself (possibly he's too big boned)
Sammy: "State of the nation is QED"? (Don't know what this means)
Hawaiian Shirt Militia scene
Like 80% of the Hawaiian shirt militia are POC. They execute a (white) wounded solider on sight and very happily machine gun three of the captives (white). This is the literal definition of a war crime. Joel is seen having a good laugh with the "war criminal henchman" afterward, the others are nonplussed as usual. But Joel is characterized as a generally good dude, so what gives?
Stadium Refugee Camp
Most people in the refugee camp stadium are POC, like 90%. No where anywhere does it say this, and it's a stretch, but is this a cordoned off ghetto? This can't be geographically far from idyllic pristine white town scene that comes next.
Through exposition, Jesse's and Lee's parents are revealed to be back home on a farm 'pretending it's not happening'. They're white and possibly don't have an existential stake in this war for whatever reason.
Idyllic Town in West Virginia
All white, where are the POC? Sammy doesn't go in to the shop for whatever reason and leans against the truck on the curbside, physically covering his big bones from the line of fire from the two snipers on the roof, the camera pans up to reveal they've been watching him closely. He says be subtle when he asks Lee to take a look, then asks her "you actually bought something?". But not in a judgmental tone, just one of mild surprise.
At this point the 'all white townspeople' dispels the notion that Garland just casted random extras for all the scenes. For me at least.
Meth Damon and the Genocide Boys
Meth Damon and the two guys are using 3 military earth movers, the SUV they captured (Hong Kong guy and Jesse) was forcibly parked and detained off camera just out front of a nicely kept estate with a freshly mowed lawn, the secret mass graves are literally in the backyard. This means the "secret" mass graves are mostly in plain sight.
From a distance Joel guesses they're "not government forces, not up here". Implying they're too far from the front line to be an active Gov't unit. So they're possibly deserters or extreme (very extreme) far right local civilian LARPers. Possibly taking advantage of the chaos and having a good laugh while ethnically cleansing their neighborhood.
However they have a CIB patch and SSI on their left shoulders which imply at least the uniforms are Gov't military. Nametags/rank/etc, are stripped from their uniforms and they don't seem to be enforcing much of a dress code, hence the sexy non-reg glasses. So they've been operating without oversight for a good while.
All of the people in the dump truck bed being dumped into the mass grave are POC.
Here's a stretch - they could be the far right US Gov't version of the Einsatzgruppen (Nazi death squads). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einsatzgruppen The Nazis tended to choose real hardliners for these units, guys who violently put down prison revolts, etc., seems within character with Meth Damon.
The first execution is the most obvious POC - no questions asked. Next is Joel, while facing execution, Joel pauses and is trembling when he's compelled to say he's from Florida, which the audience expects will seriously piss off Meth Damon because Florida is a (fucking) successionist state leading an insurrection against the US government.
Meth Damon replies 'central', as in "Central America", implying he cares more about Joel's ethnicity than the fact he's hailing from a literal enemy state.
Meth Damon gives the two white people (Jesse and Lee) free passes for being from Colorado and Missouri. American. Then shoots guy from China. The mass grave is full of POC, including lots of women, women weren't spared on account of them being women, but white. Post scene exposition regarding what the holy fuck just happened is completely missing because Sammy is dying and because of Sturgill Simpson.
There's definitely a kindergartener in the mass grave.
Counterpoint: Some people in the grave look potentially white/have white people looking hair.
My takeaway is that they're just a side effect of the chaos and lawlessness near the front - they're what the farthest of the far right neo nazis would do - Even the reporters haven't seen anything this bad, the underestimate it.
Counterpoint - If Garland wanted us to think they were legit, Govt forces carrying out policy he'd have out them in full kit, full name badges, receiving orders from superiors, etc. Clear decision here to leave the fundamental reasons ambiguous, but 100% racially motivated.
Why don't the journalists know any better? They don't know shit about the war.
At the hotel scene Sammy, a New York Times reporter, says the WF supply lines are collapsing and they are operating in anarchy, competition with one another, and will turn on themselves once the war is over. Totally not true when we see finally see the WF FOB, even reporters have been fed propaganda and don't know shit what's going on out there. There doesn't seem to be a functioning Internet anywhere on the road, outside of the hotel, which is slow and prone to disconnects (probably firewalled worse than China's).
After Sturgill Simpson
Super ambiguous - Lee says "it may sound fucked up there were so many ways it could have ended for him, and a lot of them a lot worse. He didn't want to quit." Why does Sammy have horrifying potential deaths and not the rest of them? Big bones?
White House
Presidents staffers and staff in the Beast are white. Secret service all seem white, I didn't rewatch this part closely so don't quote me.
Counterpoint - Press Secretary ? who tries to negotiate the President's extradition is black. However, the black lady WF soldier is the only person the squad allows to speak to her, the others don't interrupt, and she is the only person to open fire on her - a single shot, no backup fire or doubletapping. Why? Seems like an very specific and intentional decision by the director.
Counterpoint - Before she dies, he requests the President's extradition to a neutral territory - Greenland or Alaska - Alaska isn't part of the US anymore (Alaska has been solely run by Republicans since the 1960s, and is only 4% black)
The most telling point of the film:
The three "Navy Seals" and the other WF Forces holding the President at gunpoint are white, except for WF black lady. The black WF soldier is allowed to fire the only two execution shots. The others don't jump the gun or ask if they can be the hero who pulls the trigger, or fire additional shots.
Imagine how thirsty Seal Team 6 was to be the guy who shot fucking Bin Laden. Why did Garland write this so only the black female soldier gets the kills shot?
That's what I got.

I know people think this film is apolitical and are irritated by left and right interpretations, and it's about journalism, which it is. For sure. I don't give a shit about politics and I'm a white guy that doesn't any kind of agenda, I'm not even American. I generally despise conversations about people looking too far into art/media but this film has the ol' wheels turning.
TLDR: there's a good amount of implied evidence that the Civil War in the film is somewhat connected to a wider race war. Would only be apt since the first Civil War was kind of about race... or was that just... state's rights (to WHAT?).
Throughout my two rewatches - I absolutely was NOT looking for political undertones, just more background reasons for the war itself. There's lots of there's lots of showing, not telling in this film and here's what I've got:
Hotel Bar Scene
Sammy: "And you can't get anywhere near Philly. So you gotta go west, maybe as far as Pittsburgh."
Question is why can't we go anywhere near a city that's still in the loyalist part of the US? It's 700 miles from the front lines, and thousands of miles away from the successionist states, so what's going on? (43% of Philly identifies as black, the most in PA.)
Sammy: "But... you gonna make me explain why I have to be there?"
Why the fuck does Sammy have to BE THERE in particular? Job security? Both Lee and Joe don't have a response and look semi-ashamed after he says this, they then agree to take him to Charlottesville, he is 100% fearful of going near Washington, possibly because he's big boned.
Road Trip Through PA
Impartial counterpoint: on the way out of NY into PA, a few of the checkpoint soldiers are indeed black or POC - but these are possibly just militarized police, conscripted MPs or National Guard, the Gov't is getting squashed in the war and probably aren't sparing real manpower to lowly checkpoint posts.
Sammy: "You don't wanna miss this" - he has Jesse look to up at the road - the US version of the highway of death in PA - Sammy damn well knows it's coming up (cars are pointing West - the direction they're travelling, likely on the Westbound road out of Philadelphia toward Pittsburgh. (digital highway sign says MINES AHEAD).
This is possibly an allusion to the infamous (in the 90s and 2000s at least) "Highway of Death" from the Gulf War, US/UK/Canada/French forces destroyed some 3000 mostly stolen Kuwaiti fleeing vehicles on the road from Kuwait to Basra mostly by airpower.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Death
So WHY were these people in particular targeted when other cities and people seem to functioning? These people weren't WF, maybe just sympathizers. They were clearly fleeing and stopped by force, fleeing from Philly going west?
Impartial counterpoint: Two looters strung up (and shot off screen) are white.
Sammy suggests hardball questions Joel should ask the President, obviously he's thought a lot about what he'd like to ask him himself but for some reason can't go to DC himself (possibly he's too big boned)
Sammy: "State of the nation is QED"? (Don't know what this means)
Hawaiian Shirt Militia scene
Like 80% of the Hawaiian shirt militia are POC. They execute a (white) wounded solider on sight and very happily machine gun three of the captives (white). This is the literal definition of a war crime. Joel is seen having a good laugh with the "war criminal henchman" afterward, the others are nonplussed as usual. But Joel is characterized as a generally good dude, so what gives?
Stadium Refugee Camp
Most people in the refugee camp stadium are POC, like 90%. No where anywhere does it say this, and it's a stretch, but is this a cordoned off ghetto? This can't be geographically far from idyllic pristine white town scene that comes next.
Through exposition, Jesse's and Lee's parents are revealed to be back home on a farm 'pretending it's not happening'. They're white and possibly don't have an existential stake in this war for whatever reason.
Idyllic Town in West Virginia
All white, where are the POC? Sammy doesn't go in to the shop for whatever reason and leans against the truck on the curbside, physically covering his big bones from the line of fire from the two snipers on the roof, the camera pans up to reveal they've been watching him closely. He says be subtle when he asks Lee to take a look, then asks her "you actually bought something?". But not in a judgmental tone, just one of mild surprise.
At this point the 'all white townspeople' dispels the notion that Garland just casted random extras for all the scenes. For me at least.
Meth Damon and the Genocide Boys
Meth Damon and the two guys are using 3 military earth movers, the SUV they captured (Hong Kong guy and Jesse) was forcibly parked and detained off camera just out front of a nicely kept estate with a freshly mowed lawn, the secret mass graves are literally in the backyard. This means the "secret" mass graves are mostly in plain sight.
From a distance Joel guesses they're "not government forces, not up here". Implying they're too far from the front line to be an active Gov't unit. So they're possibly deserters or extreme (very extreme) far right local civilian LARPers. Possibly taking advantage of the chaos and having a good laugh while ethnically cleansing their neighborhood.
However they have a CIB patch and SSI on their left shoulders which imply at least the uniforms are Gov't military. Nametags/rank/etc, are stripped from their uniforms and they don't seem to be enforcing much of a dress code, hence the sexy non-reg glasses. So they've been operating without oversight for a good while.
All of the people in the dump truck bed being dumped into the mass grave are POC.
Here's a stretch - they could be the far right US Gov't version of the Einsatzgruppen (Nazi death squads). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einsatzgruppen The Nazis tended to choose real hardliners for these units, guys who violently put down prison revolts, etc., seems within character with Meth Damon.
The first execution is the most obvious POC - no questions asked. Next is Joel, while facing execution, Joel pauses and is trembling when he's compelled to say he's from Florida, which the audience expects will seriously piss off Meth Damon because Florida is a (fucking) successionist state leading an insurrection against the US government.
Meth Damon replies 'central', as in "Central America", implying he cares more about Joel's ethnicity than the fact he's hailing from a literal enemy state.
Meth Damon gives the two white people (Jesse and Lee) free passes for being from Colorado and Missouri. American. Then shoots guy from China. The mass grave is full of POC, including lots of women, women weren't spared on account of them being women, but white. Post scene exposition regarding what the holy fuck just happened is completely missing because Sammy is dying and because of Sturgill Simpson.
There's definitely a kindergartener in the mass grave.
Counterpoint: Some people in the grave look potentially white/have white people looking hair.
My takeaway is that they're just a side effect of the chaos and lawlessness near the front - they're what the farthest of the far right neo nazis would do - Even the reporters haven't seen anything this bad, the underestimate it.
Counterpoint - If Garland wanted us to think they were legit, Govt forces carrying out policy he'd have out them in full kit, full name badges, receiving orders from superiors, etc. Clear decision here to leave the fundamental reasons ambiguous, but 100% racially motivated.
Why don't the journalists know any better? They don't know shit about the war.
At the hotel scene Sammy, a New York Times reporter, says the WF supply lines are collapsing and they are operating in anarchy, competition with one another, and will turn on themselves once the war is over. Totally not true when we see finally see the WF FOB, even reporters have been fed propaganda and don't know shit what's going on out there. There doesn't seem to be a functioning Internet anywhere on the road, outside of the hotel, which is slow and prone to disconnects (probably firewalled worse than China's).
After Sturgill Simpson
Super ambiguous - Lee says "it may sound fucked up there were so many ways it could have ended for him, and a lot of them a lot worse. He didn't want to quit." Why does Sammy have horrifying potential deaths and not the rest of them? Big bones?
White House
Presidents staffers and staff in the Beast are white. Secret service all seem white, I didn't rewatch this part closely so don't quote me.
Counterpoint - Press Secretary ? who tries to negotiate the President's extradition is black. However, the black lady WF soldier is the only person the squad allows to speak to her, the others don't interrupt, and she is the only person to open fire on her - a single shot, no backup fire or doubletapping. Why? Seems like an very specific and intentional decision by the director.
Counterpoint - Before she dies, he requests the President's extradition to a neutral territory - Greenland or Alaska - Alaska isn't part of the US anymore (Alaska has been solely run by Republicans since the 1960s, and is only 4% black)
The most telling point of the film:
The three "Navy Seals" and the other WF Forces holding the President at gunpoint are white, except for WF black lady. The black WF soldier is allowed to fire the only two execution shots. The others don't jump the gun or ask if they can be the hero who pulls the trigger, or fire additional shots.
Imagine how thirsty Seal Team 6 was to be the guy who shot fucking Bin Laden. Why did Garland write this so only the black female soldier gets the kills shot?
That's what I got.

The good news: you can once again sort by age group. This year, it's 0-3, 4-7, 8-12, and 12+. (It's not perfect though - I found an early reader in the 12+ section.) You can also search by title and author! As with last year, I will be breaking this down into categories, which will be a little more specific than just age divisions. You are responsible for researching for yourself whether a book is appropriate for your readers.
Everything is listed alphabetically which can make it difficult to find books in the same series. There are also seem to be some glitches with cover art, like the wrong cover for a Llama Llama book, and the use of a Paw Patrol I Can Read cover for a Magic Tree House graphic novel.
There's some overlap with last year's list. Returning items are marked with an asterisk and new items are marked with NEW! Three new Spanish choices this time and a lot more for that space between early readers and full-length middle-grade chapter books. A lot less young-adult material - only five titles, all repeats from last year. Hopefully everyone who's willing to participate can find something.
Spanish books

• Corduroy *
• Dragones y Tacos (NEW!)
• La Llama Llama Rojo Pijama (NEW!)
• The Very Hungry CaterpillaLa Oruga Muy Hambrienta *
• Un Dia De Nieve (NEW!)

Graphic Novels, Mad Libs, Activity Books

• Awesome Science Puzzles (Highlights Hidden Pictures) (NEW!)
• Comics Squad #2: Lunch! (graphic novel) *
• First Day of School Mad Libs *
• Mummies in the Morning (Magic Tree House Graphic Novel) (NEW!) (currently has the wrong cover art)
• School Rules! Mad Libs Junior (NEW!)
• When Stars Are Scattered (graphic novel) (NEW!)

Non-Fiction Who Is/Was series

• What is the Women’s World Cup? (NEW!)
• Where Are The Constellations? (NEW!)
• Who Are Venus and Serena Williams? *
• Who Is Michael Jordan? (NEW!)
• Who Is Simone Biles? (NEW!)
• Who Was Albert Einstein? (NEW!)
• Who Was Alexander Hamilton? NEW!)
• Who Was Duke Ellington? (NEW!)
• Who Was Helen Keller? (NEW!)
• Who Was Jackie Robinson? (NEW!)
• Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? *
• Who Was Nelson Mandela? (NEW!)
• Who Was Ruth Bader Ginsburg? (NEW!)
• Who Was Stan Lee? (NEW!)

Other Non-Fiction

• I Am Amelia Earhart *
• I Am Rosa Parks (NEW!)
• Rebel Girls Level Up (NEW!)
• The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (NEW!)

Early Readers

• A Pig, A Fox, and Stinky Socks (level 2 reader) *
• Big Shark, Little Shark (level 1 reader) (NEW!)
• Dancing Dinos Go to School (level 1 reader) (NEW!)
• Go, Dog, Go! (NEW!)
• I Am Kind (level 2 reader) (NEW!)
• I Am Strong (level 2 reader) *
• I Love Being Me! (level 1 reader) (NEW!)
• Mission PAW! (level 1 reader, Paw Patrol) (NEW!)
• Pizza and Taco: Best Party Ever! (Early reader in graphic novel format) (NEW!)
• Pizza and Taco: Super-Awesome Comic! (Early reader in graphic novel format) (NEW!)
• See The Cat: Three Stories About a Dog (NEW!)
• Survival Mode! (Minecraft) (level 3 reader) (NEW!)
• The Firefly With No Glow (level 2 reader) *
• The Very Busy Spider (level 2 reader) (NEW!)
• This Makes Me Happy (level 2 reader) *

Picture Books (including board books)

• A Is For Apple (board book) (NEW!)
• All By Myself (Little Critter) *
• Beware the Creeper! (Mobs of Minecraft #1) (NEW!)
• Bunheads (by Misty Copeland) (NEW!)
• Corduroy (possibly a board book but I don’t know) *
• Corduroy Takes a Bow *
• Dancing in the Wings (NEW!)
• Darryl’s Dream (NEW!)
• Diggersaurs (board book) *
• Duck and Goose, How Are You Feeling? *
• Good Night, Gorilla *
• Happy Hair *
• Hello, World! Solar System (board book) *
• How to Babysit a Grandma *
• How to Babysit a Grandpa *
• How to be Kind in Kindergarten (NEW!)
• I Love You To The Moon and Back (NEW!)
• I Was So Mad (Little Critter) *
• I’m Not Scared, You’re Scared! (NEW!)
• Jabari Jumps (NEW!)
• Library Lion (NEW!)
• Llama Llama Loves His Mama (board book?) (currently has the wrong cover art) *
• Llama Llama Loves to Read *
• Llama Llama Red Pajama (NEW!) (actually just making its return after a few years ago, I remember ordering this one a few years ago)
• Me and My Family Tree *
• Mighty Pup Power! (Paw Patrol) (NEW!)
• Richard Scarry's A Day at the Fire Station (NEW!)
• Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book *
• Save the School Bus! (Paw Patrol) *
• Snap! Crackle! And Pop! Rock the Day! (NEW!)
• The Berenstain Bears and the Bad Habit (NEW!)
• The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room (NEW!)
• The Gruffalo *
• The Night Before Kindergarten (NEW!)
• The Snowy Day (NEW!)
• The Story of Ferdinand *
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar (maybe a board book, I don’t know) *
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Breakfast (board book) *
• Tomorrow I'll Be Brave *
• Tony the Tiger: A Gr-r-reat Day! (NEW!)
• Where’s Waldo? (NEW!)
• Will You Be My Friend? (NEW!)
• Words of Wonder from Z to A (NEW!)

Early Chapter Books

• A-to-Z Mysteries Super Edition 1: Detective Camp (NEW!)
• A-to-Z Mysteries: The Haunted Hotel (NEW!)
• A-to-Z Mysteries: The Invisible Island (NEW!)
• Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) (NEW!)
• J.D. and the Family Business (NEW!)
• Jada Jones, Rock Star (NEW!)
• Mercy Watson to the Rescue (NEW!)
• The Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House #2) (NEW!)
• Stink (NEW!) (currently has the wrong cover art)
• Unicorn Academy #1: Sophia and the Rainbow (NEW!)

Middle-Grade Chapter Books

• A Bird will Soar *
• Because of Mr. Terupt *
• Beyond the Bright Sea *
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (NEW!)
• Defending Champ (Mike Lupica) *
• Dragons in a Bag (NEW!)
• Dress Coded *
• Fast Pitch (Mike Lupica) *
• Friendship According to Humphrey (NEW!) (currently has the wrong cover art)
• James and the Giant Peach (NEW!)
• Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five, Lisa McMann) (NEW!)
• Maya and the Robot (NEW!)
• Mr. Lemoncello and the Titanium Ticket *
• Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game (NEW!) (currently has the wrong cover art)
• One-Third Nerd *
• Operation Sisterhood (NEW!)
• Orphan Eleven *
• Peacemaker (NEW!)
• Planet Omar: Incredible Rescue Mission *
• Rez Dogs *
• Saving Mr. Terupt *
• Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe *
• Spotlight on Coding Club! (Girls Who Code #4) *
• Starfish (NEW!)
• Strangeville School is Totally Normal (NEW!)
• The Bridge Home (NEW!)
• The Elephant’s Girl (NEW!)
• The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora *
• The Last Kids on Earth (NEW!)
• The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl (NEW!)
• The Witch’s Apprentice (Dragons in a Bag #3) (NEW!)
• They Call Me Guero (NEW!)
• Triple Threat (Mike Lupica) *
• When You Trap a Tiger (NEW!)

Teen/Young Adult

• Everything, Everything *
• Super Fake Love Song *
• The Downstairs Girl *
• The Running Dream *
• The Sun is Also a Star *

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I fucking hate Caillou. I know what you’re thinking, this is some kind of funny joke, but no. Caillou is a piece of shit. A damn bald bitchboy got picked over actual children in the sperm race and he’s supposed to be a role model? And I can’t even tell you how many damn times I’ve seen a great parking space only to turn the corner and realise Caillou is already parked there in his stupid little fucking sedan. He took my wife and the kids and my house and my job. I swear to fucking god, I’m going to kill myself and take that goddamn baldy to hell with me. Caillou has ruined my family. Last summer, I approached the miserable kid in the street, and asked him for his autograph, because my son is a huge fan. The fucking bitch gave me the autograph and told me to burn in hell. Later, when I gave my son the autograph he started crying and said he hated me. Turns out the sisterfucker didnt write his autograph, no, he wrote “you’re a piece of shit, and i fucked your mom”. I’m now divorced, and planning a huge class-action lawsuit against the white devil that ruined my life. Your time is almost over, Caillou. All the people you’ve wronged will rise against you.
Caillou is an ugly ass child.He is so ugly he cries when he looks in a mirror. His mother secretly hates him and his sister. Caillou should be a character in GTA because he looks high all the time. His sister is literally the age of a fetus. It looks like she is starting to go bald like Caillou. Caillou might go into drug dealing when he gets older. His mother doesn't like Caillou because he is bald. She doesn't like his sister because she is ugly. Looks like they got it from somewhere. One day Caillou will die of hatred because of him finding out his mom secretly hates him.
He’s a fucking spoiled brat who gets what he wants because he has a terminal illness. He’s a bald asshole and can’t do anything correctly. He cries like the little pussy he is every time he doesn’t get what he wants. This little shit slams chairs if his mom doesn’t want to go get McDonald’s. He’s a fucking delinquent and never gets punished. He stole a towel from his disabled friend and ran away because they couldn’t chase him. His parents look identical he’s probably from Alabama too. Fuck Caillou
Fuck Caillou. This stupid inbred fucks name is literally “Rock” in French. His parents literally named him after stone, they thought he was so boring and stupid. Also about his parents, their names are LITERALLY “Boris” and “Doris”. They’re actually committing Incest, they’re so disgusting. Fuck Caillou, that stupid waste of air. “Whiny ass bitch” should be his name, but his parents are too stupid to come up with it.
Caillou is an unbearable monster. His whole character is an absolute nightmare. Starting with the design, where the fuck is his hair? He's just bald for no reason, and he's old enough to have hair. Next all his facial feature's are unproportional to the size of his gargantuan monstrosity of a head. It reminds me of the type of drawing I made in kindergarten before I knew how to properly hold a pencil. His animation is just disgusting and looks like some sort of concept sketch that the animators made as joke. Also what the actual fuck is up with Caillou's wardrobe? What is that Ronald McDonald looking shirt he has on? Hey Caillou get a shirt that fits you! You look like fucking Billie Eilish with that giant ass shirt. The worst part is his fucking socks. They look like those giant noodles that they use for Macaroni and Cheese ant Red Robin. They're big and ugly as hell but for some reason they're attchde to the shoe, not inside the shoe. Where the hell did he get these god-awful socks that look like ankle weights? Enough about looks though because Caillou is an absolute peice of shit as a person as well as a horrible-dresser. Caillou is the absolute apitamy of bad parenting. He is a horrible little brat and is constantly bitching about some new problem. Every single fucking episode something is wrong with Caillou. Oh boo-fucking-hoo Caillou! Do you have to wait till tomorrow to go the the circus. Maybe you could get the fuck over it instead of throwing a goddamn tantrum you little twat. All Caillou ever does is constantly bitch about his "problems", cry, and just act like a little fucking brat. His actions never have any consequences so he just keeps being the little fucker that he is. He never learns or teaches the viewers a single lesson besides "be a fucking bitch about every little thing in your life". Lastly what the hell is that voice? He sounds like satan, crossed with a minion from Despicable Me, crossed with a baby. It just makes everything he says, especially his fits even more unbearable. Every time he speaks I want to take a baseball bat to his teeth that he'll never talk again.
Caillou is a despicable, spineless 4-year-old boy who cannot do anything. He can't grow hair, not because he has cancer or progeria, but because he sucks, and even his own body recognizes that he does not deserve hair or food or love. He has a baby sister who dominates his life because she is a normal, loving child who does not whine about the slightest fart of the breeze. Caillou's parents love her better because she is a better person. Someday Caillou will realize this and probably whine while falling face-first onto the pavement in front of a Tim Horton's for no reason whatsoever. Maybe he'll die from his injuries. That would be great, especially because Caillou is Canadian and his health care in event of catastrophic injury isn't on my tab. Win-win for American parents everywhere, really. There is absolutely no plot whatsoever to any episode of Caillou. The average episode involves Caillou being challenged by something: dogs, loud noises, the wind, stairs, cats, vegetables, sitting up, taking really big breaths. He fails at all of these and cries before being left by the side of the road by his laughing parents. They drive off, ecstatic and free, as the credits roll and the screen fades on a shivering silhouette of Caillou alone in the wilds of rural Quebec. The show’s art also sucks pretty badly. Caillou started out life as a cartoon baby, and when he got bigger, the animators simply gave him longer legs and arms. At his rate of current growth, Caillou will look like a human version of a Daddy Long Legs when he reaches adulthood. Adult faces are frozen and expressionless. This is because it is in Canada, which is very cold, and also because the mundane horror of living with Caillou has killed anything human in their souls. Backgrounds are barely fleshed out; the animators hate this show as much as you do, and they want to give it as little effort as possible before returning to making anime pornography and drinking to forget their pain. It's not even that Caillou is bad at things. I have a 4-year-old. They are astonishingly inept at things, but they try, and also randomly excel at things they've never even tried before. They are people, in other words. Caillou is not human. No human has ever given up and cried at every single thing ever attempted and then whined into his parents sweater. Which parent? Either, any, whoever: It is a Canadian cartoon, so everyone wears a sweater all the time, even when nude. Maybe the design of the show was to show 4-year-olds another 4-year-old who would go through many of the same scary things they would undergo in life. Then they would take that 4-year-old, rob him of all will, skill and character, and show him failing and being the worst child on the planet. Then the 4-year-old viewer would feel better about everything because at least they weren't Caillou, who even to 4-year-olds is the walking embodiment of failure and everything they will never, ever be. This is not an isolated opinion. Every parent I know hates Caillou with a passion usually reserved for cockroaches and Hitler, and with good reason: Children who watch Caillou get whinier after watching the show and become more like Caillou, and thus less lovable and more likely to wind up abandoned by their parents on a cold Canadian roadside as bear food. In summary: Bullying is no laughing matter, unless it is done to Caillou. Caillou is awful, and we should get it off the air as soon as possible, and rid this world of his horrible bald face once and for all.
Fuck Caillou and his bald looking ass. Fuck Caillou and his high ass whiney ass voice. Fuck Caillou and his dumbass Mom. Fuck Caillou and his idiot dad. To be fair his little sister is pretty cool though. Fuck Caillou and his yellow shirt. Fuck Caillou and his sometimes colorful hat that doesn’t even have a propeller on it. Fuck Caillou and his weird ass Jean shorts. Fuck Caillou and his blue eyed dog. Fuck Caillou for being a brat to his nice ass teacher.
If I were in a room with Caillou and Hitler and had a gun with two bullets, I would shoot Hitler twice and beat Caillou to death with my bare fucking hands. That bald fucker can go kiss my ass because he is a dumbass that can go die in a ditch while revelling in my greasy testicles. If I were in the military I would send 28 strike teams to his house and give him a present that would make Hiroshima look like a fucking joke. Fuck Caillou.
I want to beat the shit out of Caillou so fucking much, if I see anyone that looks like that bastard, I daydream about grabbing them by their neck, pulling them up and chucking them against a wall, like a Goddamn football. I cannot stand that little shit. All he does is cry and make shit worse for his parents, who both want a divorce but don’t want to put up with his shit on their own. Kinda like me but it’s different. I have a job and an education. Does Caillou have a job? No. That little bastard is too busy shitting his pants. Does he have an education? No. He’s too busy shitting his pants. God just talking about him makes me wish he had cancer. That’s right. The bitch doesn’t even have cancer.

https://archive.is/ZktcB
The Shelburne Falls Memorial Day Committee is planning a commemoration on Monday to honor one of the four Shelburne men killed fighting for their country in Vietnam, with the intention of celebrating the others on a rotating basis in the years to follow.
Pfc. James E. Palmeri was a 20-year-old Army infantryman when he died of combat injuries on Feb. 26, 1969. His memory will be cherished as part of Memorial Day festivities slated to start with a parade at McCusker’s Market at 10 a.m. and end with a ceremony at Arms Cemetery about 40 minutes later.
“We decided to do it because we obviously want to honor all those who gave their lives for this country, but we just want to put a local face on it,” Memorial Day Committee member David Kearney said, “so people know there were people from this town who died for this country.”
Palmeri’s sister, Judy Richardson, said about 25 family members plan to be in attendance, including a nephew who will deliver a few remarks. Richardson said she was 14 years old and sitting on her family’s living room floor at approximately 9:30 p.m. when she saw headlights pull into the driveway. The person she saw get out of the vehicle was the local parish priest.
“We knew that he had died,” she recalled about her brother. “It was not a good time, but a lot of people went through it.”
The other Shelburne men who laid down their lives in Vietnam were Capt. Paul Thomas Looney, Petty Officer 1st Class William K. Batchelder, and Specialist Ronald Edward Wissman, who all died in May 1967. Richardson said it is an honor to have her late brother commemorated by his community.
Another person who plans to attend Monday’s ceremonies is Bob Bassett, Palmeri’s friend and Arms Academy classmate.
“He was good kid — always laughing, full of fun. He really was just always pretty joyful,” Bassett recalled. “Really easy-going guy, all around.”
Bassett said he and Palmeri grew up together, attending school from kindergarten through 12th grade. The two had an industrial arts class together, with Palmeri’s father serving as their teacher. Bassett, 76, said Palmeri was unable to be at his wedding in 1968 but attended a small celebration later, not long before he was killed. Palmeri died of wounds sustained in the Gia Dinh Province in South Vietnam. “It’s always devastating when you lose somebody,” he said.
A parade is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. outside of McCusker’s Market on Monday. The first stage of the parade will stop at either the Iron Bridge or the Bridge of Flowers. After that, the parade will proceed to the Arms Library, where there will be a dedication to the women and men of the United States military. The final stage of the parade will end at the Arms Cemetery for a ceremony at around 10:40 a.m. William Mazanec III, a Greenfield District Court judge, is expected to be a guest speaker. Any children in attendance will get a coupon for a free ice cream, compliments of Mo’s Fudge Factor.
Kearney, a military veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, said he never knew Palmeri, having been born the year he was killed, but he grew up across the street from the man’s family and recalls a memorial flag that flew on that property around the clock, with proper lighting.
“I remember that vividly,” he said.
The Shelburne Falls Memorial Day Committee consists of Kearney, Doug March, John Chadwick, Jackie Goodman, Joe Judd and the members of the Shelburne Falls Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8503.

Hi guys 🙂
I'm 20 f and was a fighter all my life. As a child (kindergarten age) i Was sexually abused over the course of 2 years, got bullied my whole high school time and my first boyfriend was abusive too (and my family.... Not supportive and never believed eventho i proved everything but i digress).
I always stayed respectful and patient towards people, gave ppl 2nd Chances and never ever screamed at everyone. In fact, art and the gym helped me a lot (plus theraphy). But i never had friends so for years i keep trying to make some and besides that, i'm trying to date but people keep ghosting me.
This is purely what i hear from others and bot my own option! But i get told a lot that i had a glow up and am quite attractive. The last few weeks i was involved with a guy but he randomly stoppen following me, left me on read and blocked me on the dating app. The Same happened with a girl i met on a friendship app. Everything was great bit i keep being Thrown away like trash. And wish my past trauma, it drive my insane. I think i will die alone and my fear of being left got so big that i cant leave the house anymore. Maybe i'm over reacting but i never had anything long term or stable i my life and no family / friends/ Partner that truly loved me.
I am currently typing this at 0:30 am and think i have a panic attack but i'm so close to ending it. I feel like a pathetic loser and even if i were to overcome the things, i still lost 20 ears of my life to pain and trauma. I'm a no one and when u tried to kms i wasnt visited by one person, my parents were forced to pick me up after months. I just want one friendly person in my life. Like, its okay if someone doesnt Match with me cuz thats human and not everyone likes everyone but why cant we just communicate? I am s fucking scared of human that i would razher die than to keep failing and not being treated as a human with feeling. I think i will end it soon

So I’ve always loved singing. I was in choirs and performances ever since I was in kindergarten. My whole family is musical, especially my mom who inspired my love of singing. She has been in plays and was in a band, and also sang in choirs(school, church, etc). I used to always get told I was a great singer with a good voice. In 10th grade I dropped choir for art, as I wanted to try something new. After I did that I started noticing how awful I sounded. People who used to say I sounded ok started admitting that it was probably for the best because I obviously couldn’t “keep up” with the choir. Even my mother, who always used to support me in bettering my voice and encouraging me to try new things, told my sister(who snitched to me lol) that it I had no range and a terrible voice. I never thought I was a amazing singer or anything, but I didn’t realize I sounded like nails on a chalkboard. I still love singing, but I’m very self-conscious now. I know that it shouldn’t stop me from doing it and learning how to improve, but I don’t know if I can sing in front of anyone again. My family cringes when I sing, like it’s a physical reaction. I don’t know how to get over this anxiety and just do what makes me happy. I can’t even sing along to the radio on the way to work alone right now. How do people deal with this?