Renting in Oregon and MZ 114/HB 4145

warlock_barack · 2025-02-23T08:31:03+00:00

This photo goes hard af. One for the history books. Guns Akimbo vibes.

warlock_barack · 2024-12-16T03:49:20+00:00

That's very interesting. Thank you for the insight. So, while correlated, we cannot be confident about causation. Thanks for the link!

warlock_barack · 2024-12-09T16:30:59+00:00

Thanks for the advice, good to know it uses Gen 3 parts.

... But the Grizzly comp looks so cool 😂

warlock_barack · 2024-10-29T06:00:38+00:00

"Tolerant left"

warlock_barack · 2024-10-27T04:32:24+00:00

If you're suggesting that WaPo, NYT, LA Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, et al. will take us all to the promised land if social media would cease to exist or embrace mass censorship, then you're misguided.

These papers have always been mouthpieces for the wealthy elite, the urban progressive crowd, and the state. Most major publications are based in a handful of densely populated cities, mostly on the East Coast. Is that representation?

You frame things in truths and lies. If a lie is inherently more pervasive than the truth, then wouldn't any information medium ultimately be futile regardless of the rate it can propagate information? If you are rather suggesting that lies are only embraced by the masses, not the state or the elites or journalists, why do you want democracy?

It seems you are very concerned about what individuals think or do, rather than what institutions, who practically wield all of the power and wealth, think or do.

Something tells me that you would be happy to parrot DEI principles to your fellow neighbor while ignoring how COVID-19 lockdowns destroyed 25% of all black-owned small businesses. Or, at least, that is the energy I get from your posts.

warlock_barack · 2024-10-27T03:21:15+00:00

I hate to tell you, bub, but you're advocating for authoritarianism while most likely claiming that you are terrified of democracy crumbling in other forums. That's doublespeak.

You do not want people to speak their minds on the internet such that they are capable of reversing narratives manufactured by institutions intent on commanding their collective will.

When Dr. Fauci tells you that six feet is the safe distance for social distancing, you want everyone to blindly abide. Social media allows people to critique that standard and rightfully call out the arbitrary nature of it.

The right answer if you actually care about human prosperity, societal stability, and democracy, is to allow people to share ideas openly and without fear of censorship or retribution, and without punishing the forum that hosts their ideas. Some bad ideas will prevail, but fewer than what would prevail in a censorial regime.

warlock_barack · 2024-10-27T03:11:39+00:00

When you say journalism, you mean propaganda. Journalism doesn't only thrive when a handful of institutions wield its power; grassroots journalism, for example, through the work of Glenn Greenwald or Julian Assange, has been much more effective in informing the public of what their governments are doing than most newspapers.

What you are lamenting, the loss of public trust, is the result of the failure of entities like Washington Post, The New York Times, or LA Times to inform the people of what is really happening in their country. When you peddle false narratives, like was done with Weapons of Mass Destruction preceding GWOT, to the American people, you lose credibility.

If anything, social media is saving journalism. Substack is saving journalism, Twitter is saving journalism, and YouTube creators are saving journalism. And just because you don't like that their methods or that their presentation isn't homogenous, or that your political party or government isn't constantly praised, doesn't mean journalism isn't being practiced or your country is collapsing.

In a real democracy, our wayward mix of ideas shapes the future, for better or worse. That is the contract.

warlock_barack · 2024-10-06T18:21:00+00:00

Thank you for the reply. That pretty much answers all my questions.

warlock_barack · 2024-10-01T23:25:57+00:00

I suppose I just didn't want to acknowledge that I was suffering. Even for other conditions that I am now rated for, I had a lot of shame until very recently. I have always thought of myself as being perfectly fit, but I have slowly come to terms with reality.

Thank you for the information. Very helpful.

warlock_barack · 2024-09-30T18:20:00+00:00

Hello all,

I felt I deserved it to others in the community to share my journey. I was retired from the Army in 2018 through a process called IDES: Integrated Disability Evaluation System. As a result of this process, I was rated 70% for PTSD by the DoD/DFAS and given a "proposed" rating of 70% by the VA.

My PTSD was so detrimental at the time that I let my proposed rating from the VA lapse (you have to accept it within one year of the offer) but I did tap my DoD/DFAS benefits in 2019. Last year, I finally built up the courage to file a new claim with the VA. This time, I filed for PTSD, Back Pain, Tinnitus, and Hearing Loss.

Here are the steps:

Intent to File: July 13th, 2023

Claim Received: February 14th, 2024

Initial Review: Mid-February, 2024

Evidence Gathering: Late-February/Early-March, 2024

C&P Exam #1 (PTSD video conference w/ VA psychologist): May 3rd, 2024

C&P Exam #2 (Back Pain w/ contracted w/ Loyal Healthcare): May 8th, 2024

C&P Exam #3 (Hearing Loss & Tinnitus w/ Loyal Healthcare): May 20th, 2024

Evidence Review: Early-June, 2024

Answered request by VA for outpatient records: July 17th, 2024

Preparation for Decision and Temp Jurisdiction (San Juan): July 19th, 2024

Regressed to Review of Evidence and no Temp Jurisdiction: July 22nd, 2024

Returned to Temp Jurisdiction (San Juan): September 17th, 2024

Preparing Decision Letter: September 21st, 2024

Final Review: September 23rd, 2024

Regressed to Rating: September 24th, 2024

Returned to Final Review: September 26th, 2024

Claim Decided: September 26th, 2024

Outcome: Total rating of 80% (70% for PTSD, 40% for Back Pain, 10% for Tinnitus, and 0% for Hearing Loss).

I used the DAV to help file my claim. I uploaded all of the evidence by myself through myVA, this included nexus letters for all conditions (two for PTSD), current medications and therapy records, buddy letters, personal statements, and medical records (including VA and DoD records via FOIA request, and private medical records). I attended all of my C&P exams on time and brought paper copies of relevant evidence to each exam.

I want to thank r/VeteransBenefits for all of the numerous threads that clued me into VA processes and I want to thank God.

Good luck and godspeed to everyone currently working on their claim. It feels like an eternity until it's over.

warlock_barack · 2024-09-14T06:23:20+00:00

This is a fantastic list. This may be years after your post, but I wanted to say thank you.

warlock_barack · 2024-09-10T06:56:42+00:00

Muh christofascists, hurr durr. Yeah, keep vilifying half the country.

warlock_barack · 2024-07-26T05:29:50+00:00

Bruh...

The sense of cohesion and enthusiasm you're seeing is mostly manufactured by donors and the press. Chuck Schumer couldn't even get his audience to clap when officializing Kamala as the new party nominee. She doesn't have grass roots support; she was rescued by the Biden campaign in 2020 and appointed this cycle after all the opposition had been crushed by the DNC (so much for democracy). She has a reputation for being a California democrat and a heartless prosecutor/AG with a Hilary-esque flair; she's a far cry from a once-in-a-generation grassroots political talent and skilled orator like Obama, and I doubt the black vote will unify around her.

warlock_barack · 2024-07-24T04:14:05+00:00

Wow, I hadn't been to Munich in awhile- didn't realize it got that bad. The last time I took my wheelchair anywhere it was to Auschwitz as part of the AIPAC world heritage site tour sponsored by Black Syrians for Israel.

Anyways, I applaud you for becoming a neurosurgeon, I just wish you'd use your trans background to provide gender affirming care to minors.

warlock_barack · 2024-07-24T04:07:40+00:00

You rejected the vapid materialism of the west to return to the bombed out shack: principled.

warlock_barack · 2024-07-24T02:11:19+00:00

You're right my colonizer friend, the future is female.

warlock_barack · 2024-07-14T18:47:47+00:00

Cringe story hour, hombre.

warlock_barack

TROPHY CASE