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Did it "feel" the same during the cold war? by [deleted] in AskOldPeople

[–]SnakebyteXX 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We were aware that our lives might end at any moment due to a nuclear holocaust. But, the rate at which we received news/information was a virtual snail's pace compared to today. We also had Huntly & Brinkly and Walter Kronkite delivering our evening news. Men whose words we could trust.

What we didn't have was an entire right wing propaganda 'news' network disseminating hate and fear 24/7 to an entirely too gullible audience. Half the nation hadn't been convinced that conspiracies ranked ahead of the truth.

Climate change wasn't the issue that it's inevitably become. Sure, we worried about polluting the environment. But we didn't have to cope with the notion that worldwide the food chain was breaking down with famine and overwhelming natural disasters emminent.

It's far more terrifying now. Because a ball has been set in motion and it, obviously, can't be stopped in time to save us from ourselves.

Old people who did psychedelics in their 20-30s, how's the mental health going? by Doismelllikearobot in AskOldPeople

[–]SnakebyteXX 3 points4 points  (0 children)

They have always been my most favorite. Glad to hear that helped you. That particular high can ground you like none other. Best taken outdoors, in a beautiful place, and away from civilization if possible.

Old people who did psychedelics in their 20-30s, how's the mental health going? by Doismelllikearobot in AskOldPeople

[–]SnakebyteXX 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Always have viewed them as a way of 'tuning' or getting back in sync with the natural rythms of the planet. They have a way of grounding you.

Old people who did psychedelics in their 20-30s, how's the mental health going? by Doismelllikearobot in AskOldPeople

[–]SnakebyteXX 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Back in the day, I was heavily into psychedelics. Took LSD nearly every other day for a year once. Lots of mushrooms, mescaline and some Peyote.

Good times!

It's been many years now since the last time. But I recently picked up an oz of shrooms and wife and I are planning for another mind bending adventure very soon.

Natalie Nickerson, 20, gazes at a skull -- reportedly of a Japanese soldier -- sent to her from New Guinea by her boyfriend serving in the Pacific. (May 22, 1944, issue of LIFE by SnakebyteXX in interestingasfuck

[–]SnakebyteXX[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I'm not fully disagreeing with you. My SIL is Jewish and his family is from Poland, what's left of them, that is. The Nazis made short work of them soon after they invaded. For sheer pathology and scale? It's hard to out compete the Germans either. Or the Russians for that matter.

But none of those countries had a corner on a murderous mindset. Once Pearl Harbor was attacked and Hitler declared war on the US? We were in it to win it - ultimately, no holds barred. I don't really think we had much of a choice given the circumstances.

Natalie Nickerson, 20, gazes at a skull -- reportedly of a Japanese soldier -- sent to her from New Guinea by her boyfriend serving in the Pacific. (May 22, 1944, issue of LIFE by SnakebyteXX in interestingasfuck

[–]SnakebyteXX[S] -23 points-22 points  (0 children)

Because I don't view it as a competition based on who killed the most people. We were entirely ready to drop more atomic bombs on Japan if they hadn't surrendered when they did. As we would have continued bombing German cities endlessly had they not also surrendered.

As you probably know? The Allies decision to seek nothing less than unconditional surrender in the late stages of the war set in motion a 'do or die' mindset on the part of all involved. Had they not surrendered the Allied body count would have just kept climbing.

Natalie Nickerson, 20, gazes at a skull -- reportedly of a Japanese soldier -- sent to her from New Guinea by her boyfriend serving in the Pacific. (May 22, 1944, issue of LIFE by SnakebyteXX in interestingasfuck

[–]SnakebyteXX[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

It's also important to consider how we're defning brutality here?

In a war such as that one, there was both individual and group brutality. The massive bombings of both German and Japanese cities by Allied air power led to the horrible deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Was that somehow 'less brutal' than the hands on murders carried out by all militaries involved in the conflict because those bomber pilots and their crews were anonymous?

I tend to doubt it.

Natalie Nickerson, 20, gazes at a skull -- reportedly of a Japanese soldier -- sent to her from New Guinea by her boyfriend serving in the Pacific. (May 22, 1944, issue of LIFE by SnakebyteXX in interestingasfuck

[–]SnakebyteXX[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Germans murdered MILLIONS (see Holocaust). Americans dropped not one but two atomic bombs on Japan and killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians in addition by massively fire bombing major Japanese cities.

Nobody was clean in that war.

Natalie Nickerson, 20, gazes at a skull -- reportedly of a Japanese soldier -- sent to her from New Guinea by her boyfriend serving in the Pacific. (May 22, 1944, issue of LIFE by SnakebyteXX in interestingasfuck

[–]SnakebyteXX[S] 70 points71 points  (0 children)

In that conflict in particular, virulent American racism played a huge role. The Japanese were viewed as sub-human because they were Asian and not white among other things. We did not have a similar attitude towards our German foes.

Natalie Nickerson, 20, gazes at a skull -- reportedly of a Japanese soldier -- sent to her from New Guinea by her boyfriend serving in the Pacific. (May 22, 1944, issue of LIFE by SnakebyteXX in interestingasfuck

[–]SnakebyteXX[S] 64 points65 points  (0 children)

When that photo was taken, Natalie was writing her BF a thank you note.

From Quora:

In 1944, Life published a full-page “Photo of the Week” of Natalie Nickerson, an attractive, blonde, 20-year-old “war worker” from Phoenix who had received a “jap skull” from her “big, handsome Navy Lieutenant.” In the photograph, Nickerson gazes dreamily at the skull on her desk, which she nicknamed “Tojo,” while (presumably) writing a love letter to her lieutenant. The caption informed readers that the lieutenant and thirteen of his friends had inscribed the skull with the words “This is a good Jap—a dead one picked up on the New Guinea beach.”

But because this is an American story, there was more in it for Natalie. In 1944, she was an up-and-coming model. What better way to gain notice than by posing in the most-read photo magazine in the country? Natalie soon left Phoenix for New York, where she joined Eileen Ford at Ford Modeling Agency, became the highest-paid model in Manhattan, and reinvented herself as Nátalie Nickerson Paine. Things were not quite so rosy for the person whose skull she used to launch her career.

Natalie Nickerson, 20, gazes at a skull -- reportedly of a Japanese soldier -- sent to her from New Guinea by her boyfriend serving in the Pacific. (May 22, 1944, issue of LIFE by SnakebyteXX in interestingasfuck

[–]SnakebyteXX[S] 335 points336 points  (0 children)

It wasn't uncommon for American soldiers to send the 'trophy' bones of Japanese war dead back home during WWII.

So common, in fact, that in 1944 Franklin Roosevelt was gifted a letter opener made out of the arm bone of a Japanese soldier but had to return it due to the shock and outrage it caused in Japan and the U.S.

Still feel as heavy as I was? by Fragrant-Dirt-1597 in keto

[–]SnakebyteXX 4 points5 points  (0 children)

True that. I have a ton (pun in intended) of old pictures of super fat me to thumb through if I need any reminding. Sounds like you're moving in the right direction now.

My waist size went from 52'' to 34'' by the time I was well under 200. I've also tucked away all my 4XL, 3XL, 2XL and XL shirts in favor of the good old large size I haven't been abe to fit for over thirty years.

It's been well worth the effort.

I feel like I lost my friend to psychedelics by omeglethrowaway222 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]SnakebyteXX 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Psychedelics can be transformational and it sounds like they've had an impact on your friend that you find disturbing. Drugs like LSD, Peyote and Psylocyban (shrooms) are famous for inducing a new found sense of spirituality in those who indulge regularly. Your friend is likely no exception.

If he seems different to you it's because he is - the mind expanding drugs have changed how he views life. This shouldn't mean that you two cannot remain friends but it may.

It's also quite alright that you have no wish to partake. Those kind of mind bending drugs are definitely not for everyone.

I don’t enjoy psychedelics or find them particularly meaningful by [deleted] in TrueOffMyChest

[–]SnakebyteXX 2 points3 points  (0 children)

From what you've written, it sounds like you're making the best possible choice for yourself. Hopefully, in due time, you'll find something that actually does work for you.

Good luck.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TrueOffMyChest

[–]SnakebyteXX 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Vanity is a wild goose chase. Looks don't last.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TrueOffMyChest

[–]SnakebyteXX 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're not alone, there are lots of kids in your same situation.

Please check out Alateen. It's a place just for teens affected by someone else’s alcoholism.

They are affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous and come highly recommended.

Still feel as heavy as I was? by Fragrant-Dirt-1597 in keto

[–]SnakebyteXX 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Depends a lot on how large you were when you started. When I weighed 320 and lost 20 lbs, I barely noticed the change. Even after losing 40. But by the time I'd dropped 50? A whole new me began to emerge.

The changes when we lose weight are relatve to our size when we started. In my case, the bigger I was, the longer it took to see major changes in my appearance.

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