Is the movie theater experience dead? As someone who grew up going to movies multiple times a week - I'm starting to worry that the end is nigh.  I'm aware many have said movies are dead at different times over the past 30 years - and they've all been wrong... but even though I pay a monthly fee for a movie pass that allows me to see multiple movies a week - I find myself unwilling to leave the house.

Part of this is the amount of ads before the film - part is the the number of people who think the movie theater is their living room and proceed to talk through the film - part is the amount of people who are on their phones while the film is going... 

As someone who loves movies, who has made movies and TV all of my adult life - I'm just wondering if the communal experience of sitting together and laughing, crying, screaming and enjoying a great film is something that is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

I wonder....

Do you still go to the movies?  Do you enjoy it?  

If not... 

Why not?

Engage or Enrage. It is likely that we have family members or friends that we differ with greatly when it comes to politics, healthcare, etc.  I am no different.  When the inevitable hot topic arises, do you recommend flight or fight, engage or enrage?  How do you respond when this occurs?

I underestimated tariffs. Here is what I've learnt. I used to quietly feel smug watching others underestimate the power of tariffs in the hands of the United States, especially in discussions about the balance of power between China and the U.S., only to realise I had been underestimating them myself.

1. The mere threat of tariffs can coerce behavior.

2. Applying even low, broad tariffs breaks the illusion that any country is immune and increases bargaining power.

3. Markets have learned to distinguish between a threat, a temporary tariff, and a permanent one. This helps explain why the U.S. economy has absorbed much of the tariff-related volatility.

4. The U.S. could lose leverage if enough of the world joined a unified trade bloc and bargained collectively. But this remains unlikely. Most countries are competing to boost exports and create jobs, which puts them in competition with each other rather than cooperation.

5. By targeting BRICS members, the U.S. is using tariffs to weaken emerging trade blocs. Any bloc without strong internal governance, such as the EU has, is unlikely to survive a direct challenge from the U.S.

6. Tariffs have become tools of industrial policy. The U.S. is now using them to incentivise domestic manufacturing, rebuild supply chains, and advance strategic industries like semiconductors and clean energy.

7. Tariffs also provide domestic political leverage. They offer a way to pressure companies to reshore operations and send a strong message to voters about protecting American jobs and industry.

All of this shows that when you are the world's buyer of last resort, and exporters are competing for access to your market and there is no other country with a big enough consumer market to absorb supply, you hold a very strong bargaining position.

It’s worth noting that the world wasn’t always configured this way. It’s only under today’s conditions where global trade is tightly integrated and access to the U.S. market is essential for many economies that tariffs carry this kind of power.  This is part of the reason I was unable to make this insight earlier.

So what do you think? Is the US position as strong as it seems? What can individual nations and trade blocs do to defend themselves from the US?

Timeline of Events in Brian Thompson Assassination. On December 4, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated outside the New York Hilton Midtown. The suspect, later identified as Luigi Mangione, 26, shot Thompson multiple times before fleeing on an e-bike. Thompson was pronounced dead shortly after. Mangione, who stayed in NYC for 10 days prior, was arrested on December 9 in Pennsylvania and charged with second-degree murder. The attack is believed to be a symbolic act targeting the healthcare industry.

November 24, 2024

• 10:11 p.m.: Suspect arrives in New York City on a Greyhound bus from Atlanta, Georgia.

November 24 – December 3, 2024

• Suspect checks into the HI New York City Hostel on the Upper West Side using a falsified New Jersey ID and pays in cash.
• He stays at the hostel for ten days, checking out on December 3.

December 4, 2024

• 5:30 a.m.: Suspect leaves the hostel, likely by bike.
• 6:15 a.m.: Suspect exits the 57th Street F Train subway station.
• 6:17 a.m.: Suspect purchases coffee, water, and granola bars at a Starbucks near the New York Hilton Midtown hotel.
• 6:30 a.m.: Surveillance footage captures the suspect walking while talking on the phone.
• 6:39 a.m.: Suspect arrives in front of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel and waits.
• 6:44 a.m.: Brian Thompson leaves his hotel. The assailant shoots him multiple times, then flees northbound via a pedestrian walkway.
• 6:46 a.m.: Police respond to a 911 call reporting the shooting.
• 6:48 a.m.: Officers find Thompson with multiple gunshot wounds. He is taken to Mount Sinai West hospital. The assailant is seen riding an e-bike into Central Park.
• 6:59 a.m.: Suspect is seen riding a bike on West 85th Street.
• 7:04 a.m.: Suspect enters a northbound taxi at 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
• 7:12 a.m.: Thompson is pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West hospital.

December 9, 2024

• Morning: Luigi Mangione, 26, is arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the assassination.
• Afternoon: Mangione is charged with second-degree murder and other related offenses.

December 11, 2024

• Mangione appears in court, contests extradition to New York, and is held without bail pending a governor’s warrant.

Timeline of Events in Brian Thompson Assassination. On December 4, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated outside the New York Hilton Midtown. The suspect, later identified as Luigi Mangione, 26, shot Thompson multiple times before fleeing on an e-bike. Thompson was pronounced dead shortly after. Mangione, who stayed in NYC for 10 days prior, was arrested on December 9 in Pennsylvania and charged with second-degree murder. The attack is believed to be a symbolic act targeting the healthcare industry.

November 24, 2024

• 10:11 p.m.: Suspect arrives in New York City on a Greyhound bus from Atlanta, Georgia.

November 24 – December 3, 2024

• Suspect checks into the HI New York City Hostel on the Upper West Side using a falsified New Jersey ID and pays in cash.
• He stays at the hostel for ten days, checking out on December 3.

December 4, 2024

• 5:30 a.m.: Suspect leaves the hostel, likely by bike.
• 6:15 a.m.: Suspect exits the 57th Street F Train subway station.
• 6:17 a.m.: Suspect purchases coffee, water, and granola bars at a Starbucks near the New York Hilton Midtown hotel.
• 6:30 a.m.: Surveillance footage captures the suspect walking while talking on the phone.
• 6:39 a.m.: Suspect arrives in front of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel and waits.
• 6:44 a.m.: Brian Thompson leaves his hotel. The assailant shoots him multiple times, then flees northbound via a pedestrian walkway.
• 6:46 a.m.: Police respond to a 911 call reporting the shooting.
• 6:48 a.m.: Officers find Thompson with multiple gunshot wounds. He is taken to Mount Sinai West hospital. The assailant is seen riding an e-bike into Central Park.
• 6:59 a.m.: Suspect is seen riding a bike on West 85th Street.
• 7:04 a.m.: Suspect enters a northbound taxi at 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
• 7:12 a.m.: Thompson is pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West hospital.

December 9, 2024

• Morning: Luigi Mangione, 26, is arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the assassination.
• Afternoon: Mangione is charged with second-degree murder and other related offenses.

December 11, 2024

• Mangione appears in court, contests extradition to New York, and is held without bail pending a governor’s warrant.

More on Indian Marriages. I’m wondering if any of you have insights on how Indian Marriages can be more meaningful.

I find that they are usually very formulaic with few opportunities for genuine connection and interaction. It seems to be mostly about completing certain prescribed rituals.

I’m sure there are exceptions to this norm, however most weddings I have attended have been mostly about dressing up, getting photos taken, eating 🍽️, and some joking / teasing.

If I had to create something different it would include the following:

1. The bride and groom share their hopes and dreams and fears and aspirations.
2. There is an occasion to get to know a little bit about the main members of both sides of the family.
3. An opportunity for people to share some of their talents and gifts.
4. Occasion for blessing the couple with words / poems / short plays and other creative ways.
5. Those who wish to can share their most important relationship wisdom / anecdotes / Learnings.
6. Less money spent on the fancy aspects of the wedding and more on creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and puts people at easy.
7. Maybe a quiz / trivia about the couple and the respective families.

I know this is me imposing my value system on what is a well established tradition. However I felt like sharing my reflections and I welcome your insights.

Thanks.

Finally they learned to cut off people's mics. Hot take: If the media wasn’t so Green and did this in 2016, I think Hillary would have won.

Who should date me? I get really pumped about what can be possible for online dating in UpTrust.

For example, someone having high current trust scores from a majority of his exes.

Or me going through all my single friends who are the gender I date and posting on their Dating Recommendations tree posts like I adore him as a friend and would totally want to date him if we wanted the same lifestyle! He gives the best hugs and is someone whose opinion I value highly when I make major decisions. I’d like to see him with a woman who embraces spirituality and likes throwing Superbowl parties.

So here’s my personal test-drive. Feel free to populate this tree with your opinions on my dating life, recommendations, questions, etc. <3

Anyone drinking molecular hydrogen rich water? A friend of mine bought a water bottle that turns regular water into hydrogen rich water. She’s been drinking this water for several months and swears by it. She says she has more energy, recovers easily from physical exercise, and her senses are heightened.

The water bottle is distributed by a MLM. I thought it was a new thing. But I researched and was surprised to see how popular molecular hydrogen rich water is.

I’ll usually an early adopter of stuff like this but I’m hesitant because the long-term effects are not known.

Is there anyone drinking this stuff? What has your experience been?

The pressure to be thoughtful. It’s an interesting thing - this feeling that I need to post something thoughtful here. I’m feeling tension emerge in my abdomen. There’s a belief that there’s a right and a wrong way to engage in this community with no clarity on what is right or wrong. Noticing that and letting that be.

Whose your Mama? Navigating mother (or other) projections. In a Relateful session today, there was a participant projecting mother energy onto another participant. I often see this play out as an exploration of the projector’s experience and we hear from the projectee as to how they are receiving the projection. I’m curious about alternative approaches the projectee could take to discover more about herself, the dynamic, or the projector.

We’re working with and hosting energies that are larger than individual personalities and my sense is they want to flow freely. This makes me wonder how we can embrace more of ourselves beyond our usual personality playground, and embrace a wider I.

I have more questions than answers here. I wonder what you see as potentials in being the projectee that stay within the practice and promote more consciousness and love? How do you engage with projections in your facilitation or as a participant in groups?

The pressure to be thoughtful. It’s an interesting thing - this feeling that I need to post something thoughtful here. I’m feeling tension emerge in my abdomen. There’s a belief that there’s a right and a wrong way to engage in this community with no clarity on what is right or wrong. Noticing that and letting that be.

Shadows of personal growth culture: weaponized toolkits. I think everyone here has probably experienced weaponized NVC. What are some of the other things you see weaponized that annoy you?

eg:

• Weaponized Commitment to connection: there are bunch of versions of this: i can’t heal myself without you, my feelings are dependent on your reaction (classic codependency) you must stay in the connection and respond to my inquiry or else you’re not deep, spiritual, or committed enough, etc

• weaponized owning your experience

Of course most of the time if you simply use principles, steps, and tools for yourself only you dont run into these issues; but even then people are sneaky and manipulative (often without even realizing it themselves!)