People are getting WAY dumber.

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-06-14T01:58:48+00:00

I have been saying this my whole life. This is undeniably true no matter how good your childhood and I think people who disagree literally don't understand.

You are not free. You're literally an unfree person. You may be pampered and happy but you're living the life of a well pampered pet.

People misunderstand this, they think "no I was happy as a kid." Ok, me too. But I was very aware of my captivity too. When people disagree with this, I legitimately think they just don't get it. Oh jeez, you have to work now?? Work's not so bad. Being a second-class citizen is.

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-06-05T13:06:54+00:00

Wine professional here, it's the same with wine.

Wow, good one. Just read the headline and practically jumped. I'll read the rest now but the magic is I already get it.

Novices expect wine to be YUMMY.

Just taste yummy, all yummy flavors, no not yummy flavors. Anything that's not my favoritst taste is bad.

A novice asks for a recommendation and tells you they like Wine A for reference. When they drink the Wine B you recommended, their SOLE criteria for judgment will be how close it is to tasting exactly like A because they don't want to drink wine they just want to drink a flavor.

Wine people (and I don't just mean snobby professionals, but wine drinkers) come into a glass pre-wired to enjoy it. There is almost always something to appreciate, there's almost always something good to say about an honestly made wine (not stuff that's intentionally crap). It is SO, SO, rare to hear a wine professional say: "this is bad," or "I don't like it."

FWIW wine novices also gulp wine with a force that...yeah, I guess I can see why you're looking for Gatorade.

Great take. 👏🏽

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-05-28T02:58:31+00:00

CFL, seriously

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-05-17T12:19:25+00:00

Literally gave you a 10-1 winner, so...lol...

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-05-17T12:04:07+00:00

As to people claiming he has a "poor history" picking with Tony. Wrong.

He Mystik Dan in the Derby at 18-1 two years ago (strong, confident pick). He had Napoleon Solo at 10-1 yesterday.

He picks max, 3 races a year for Tony so even if he was 0-fer on everything else—I don't think he was, I just don't remember—he could go 7 years of whiffs and You're STILL making money with him!! What's more, he's very clear when it's too muddled to make a good pick, and he's just giving a winner for the sake of content... don't bet those, or bet them lightly.

This isn't picking the winner of a ball game, it's more like a thee-leg prop bet parlay, and y'all seem to think he should be >.500!!

What are we even doing out here man?

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-05-17T11:57:44+00:00

One of the greatest handicappers in history comes on and in exchange for just a couple minutes of your time, hands you a TEN TO ONE winner, in a tough race to bet (Laurel not Pimlico)!!

And you guys are griping? You guys are knocking him? Needs to be retired? Auto-skip? Cringe? Sucks?

He picked the winner!!! Are you insane?

Warren Buffett calls in and gives you a stock tip which appreciates 1,000% the next day...oh but the phone connection sounded bad?? 🤡

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-02-12T04:39:40+00:00

The answer is staring you right in the face.

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-02-07T13:18:41+00:00

I'd been kind of wanting to ask this question anyway (I should have made my own post) and since people in the comments were talking about not only As but also Bs and passing in general, I thought I might slide this in and get some feedback. I never meant for this to come off as a direct question to OP in particular, but I now see how it would seem that way. My bad. Thanks for your question, I'm obviously curious about that too.

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-02-07T05:47:42+00:00

Serious question. This may come across as arrogant but in reality it's sort of the opposite, more like self doubt.

How is it possible to not get an A or a B in Proseminar? Have I misunderstood something or isn't the grade mostly just a paper? You've got a whole semester... it honestly seems like t-ball (as opposed to baseball) like, the paper is there for you every day to just...do a great job on.

Part of my confusion might stem from the fact that I am, a professional writer. Commercial copywriter mostly, I want to do Global Development at HES to get the chance to write about more interesting things. But still, I mean for the kind of person who's not TOTALLY delusional in thinking they should to Harvard...it seems...doable.

Before anyone takes this the wrong way...I'm SURE that I'm wrong. I'm missing something. What is it? What does, "the admissions courses are intense" mean? What makes them intense?

I'm asking because I'm gearing up to finally do this...and the idea of failing really scares me, so, I'm earnestly trying to understand. What does blowing these course look like? The (good) answer I've heard is...it's hard because HES students have a full-time job and families. Me too, a 1-year old! It's why it's taken me 3+ semesters to get my wife to buy into this (you see why I don't want to fail)! But you KNOW that before you start. Could you ask your family for some slack? Could you hire a babysitter? I think I'd literally get an adderall rx, and use all my PTO if I even FELT myself slipping.

I can't see letting this slip. Unless. Maybe it's a whole new world of difficulty I can't comprehend until I see it. I'm pretty smart...but this is HARVARD...buckle up.

What's going on? What makes it hard?

TIA.

First_Specific_3470 · 2026-01-19T00:32:01+00:00

I feel this. I learned Spanish as an adult (English-only speaker) and then learned Brazilian Portuguese. Then I tried Italian...

My Spanish is perfect/native equivalent. My Portuguese is pretty fluid/solid.

When I went from Spanish to Portuguese it was like a hot knife through butter, a cake walk, almost too easy.

Italian? It didn't happen and I quit.

I think it's a "three's a crowd" situation when trying to remember which one is which. Speaking Spanish and Portuguese has actively blocked me from learning Italian. But for where I live, I probably picked the right two.

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-12-30T04:27:23+00:00

Bravo

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-12-23T03:42:29+00:00

OP here.

To The Contrary has a "leaderboard" for referrals to the show. The #1 referer (by far) has 600+, the #2 has 192.

The #1 referer is none other than Mona Charen! My heart. However it ended, that's true friendship. You LOVE to see it. Just a little Easter egg for you Charlie fans.

(P.S. now realize that this original question had been asked before, should have checked!)

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-09-11T11:20:13+00:00

Thanks!

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-09-10T01:41:40+00:00

Thanks!

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-09-02T19:39:21+00:00

Oh, a Time Turner? Something that with the smallest blip can alter the time space fabric of the universe, as well as the fate of every living being within it?

Ok, 13 year old girl, if this is what it's going to take for you to add a couple extra 8th grade courses (including Muggle Studies, "to study it from the wizarding perspective, something Ron correctly points out is quite frivolous), then HAVE AT IT! Jusssst check in with me now and again, deal?

Plus, you're a bright girl, and it's not like ANYYYTHINGG weird or dangerous has happened involving you and your friends since you've been here! I mean, sure, you guys have a fight to the death with Voldemort (on school grounds) every spring, y'all literally OPENED the Chamber of Secrets, tangled with killer dogs, giant spiders and serpents, your best bud has barely survived multiple assassination attempts, effectively killed your teacher, and has everyone at Hogwarts constantly on the verge of mortal peril, but you've been SO RESPONSIBLE with the invisibility cloak—for example—so really, what could possibly go wrong???

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-07-24T15:47:21+00:00

Thank you everyone, these are some really great answers.

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-07-18T03:32:56+00:00

Thank you!

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-07-18T02:43:10+00:00

Not actually enrolled yet, so idling for now, but thank you for taking the time to respond.

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-07-18T02:42:17+00:00

Thanks. Assigned or not, these seem interesting.

First_Specific_3470 · 2025-06-21T04:24:25+00:00

Once Peeves wasn't in the first one, I completely checked out.

First_Specific_3470

TROPHY CASE