Fwd: The commies really are coming for us

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Tom Woods <tom@tomwoods.com>

Join the (real) Resistance.

View in browser There's a quotation falsely attributed to Sinclair Lewis that goes like this: "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." It's good that Lewis, whom I rather like, didn't say this, because it's idiotic, and becomes even more so with each passing year. It isn't right-wing regimes around the world that are threatening free speech, for example. It's left-wing ones, which cannot abide voices that dissent from their sacred ideologies. This is the way the left these days debates, too. You are called a name for being a heretic vis-a-vis the sacred ideology, and then you are treated as if you're not even a person. Well, author Michael Shellenberger just posted this disturbing update out of Brazil, where the radical left regime isn't even trying to hide its repressiveness, and I wanted to make sure you saw it: Last night, around 8 p.m. local time in São Paulo, Brazil, Federal Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes announced a criminal investigation into Elon Musk, the owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, for allegedly spreading disinformation, obstructing justice, and allowing people who De Moraes had banned from social media to freely express their views. De Moraes said he would fine X twenty thousand dollars per day for every banned person Musk allows to speak. As such, De Moraes has taken Brazil one step closer to being a dictatorship. What's more, the events of the last few weeks make clear that Elon Musk is the only thing standing in the way of global totalitarianism. Without free speech, there can be no democracy. If X goes down, we must continue to fight. We can continue to communicate through email and other social media platforms, such as Facebook. But email is no substitute for social media platforms' capacity to share information with millions of people. Mark Zuckerberg, the owner of Facebook, abandoned his principled free speech position in 2020 after three years of relentless pressure from activist NGOs, Democrats, and corporate advertisers. Today, Facebook actively represses the spread of news. The mainstream corporate news media have never been more corrupt and totalitarian. With few exceptions, they spread government propaganda as a matter of policy. Nobody demands censorship more than the corporate media, which benefit from governments shutting down their competitors. Governments are either not protecting free speech or actively participating in the war upon it. Last month, the US Supreme Court held a hearing where justices made clear that they were fine with the US government pressuring social media companies to censor. Last week, the Scottish government implemented a law to crack down on so-called hate speech, including jokes by comedians. In Ireland, the government wants the power to send police into people's homes to search computers and phones for hate speech. In Canada, the governing Liberal party wants the power to send people to prison for life for things they've said. And the European Union has empowered a tiny group of bureaucrats to decide what is true and false and engage in mass censorship. All of this is happening at the very same moment that my colleagues and I have revealed that government intelligence organizations are working through NGOs to interfere in elections by spreading disinformation about populist activists and political candidates. In other words, governments are demanding censorship in order to protect their ability to spread disinformation. Making matters worse, governments are directly financing corporate news media. The current Brazilian government is spending 30 times more than the previous government on media advertising in order to spread its disinformation. I never in my life thought I would live to see the rise of totalitarianism in Western countries. A powerful minority of educated elites around the world are demanding the censorship, persecution, and incarceration of their political enemies. Naturally, they are doing so in the name of saving democracy. I am shocked and embarrassed that I used to call many of these totalitarians friends and allies. The only explanation is that they are in the grip of mass psychosis after years of media propaganda and government disinformation falsely claiming that populist political movements are undemocratic. The fact that the future of free speech rests upon the shoulders of a single individual is not something any of us should want. I do not think that this is a responsibility Elon Musk wants. He would be a far richer person had he never bought Twitter. He would also be living a more peaceful life. After Musk bought Twitter, the Biden administration and the Democratic Party declared war on him. Various government agencies filed multiple frivolous lawsuits against Musk and his companies in ways very similar to the war the Brazilian government is waging against X. What all of this reveals is that, until Musk bought Twitter, we didn't really have freedom of expression. The US government felt that it controlled both the corporate news media and social media companies. We saw in the Twitter Files that the FBI orchestrated a disinformation and censorship campaign in order to protect Joe Biden. Starting with the Cyber Threat Intelligence League, operatives working for the US Department of Defense and the British Ministry of Defense sought to hide their censorship and disinformation efforts as "cyber security." After that, the US Department of Homeland Security and the Stanford Internet Observatory engaged in a mass censorship effort around the 2020 elections and Covid. There's a bit more, but you get the idea. Everything out of the mouths of the people Shellenberger talks about is a lie. Every last thing. During the Covid fiasco in particular they turned up the dial on the lying and the suppression of the truth higher than I had seen at any other point in my life. As we look back on that episode, it's becoming clearer and clearer that pretty much everything they said about everything was a lie. It wasn't just three or four things. It was virtually everything. I highlight this episode in particular because on April 23 I will be debating the subject of Covid policy at the notorious Soho Forum in New York City, and I hope you'll come watch (or at least catch the livestream). Tickets here: https://www.TheSohoForum.org Remember, too, that my new book Diary of a Psychosis is a merciless bludgeoning of the whole thing, and that the audiobook version is especially entertaining because, narrated by me, it contains just that balance of sarcasm and contempt that you crave:   https://www.tomwoods.com/diaryaudiobook Tom Woods

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Garry D's free lifeguard webinars. He is from Maine too!

Speaking to international swim coaches -- intro

Looks like a speaking gig is coming. An example certificate and promo.

All the people's picks for those brackets

Thanks to ESPN's bracket game. My mom has picked 88.1% and ranks 3,182,106.

Fwd: Calling All Pittsburgh Nonprofits! 2024 Community Partnership Awards Apply Today!

Dear Pittsburgh Friends,

           Does your nonprofit have a program, built through partnerships, that drives positive change?

If so, then we encourage you to apply for the 2024 Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award Competition.

Applications are due July 1, 2024.

The Community Partnership Award Competition is how Mutual of America supports organizations making positive contributions to communities across America through meaningful partnerships. Since 1996, Mutual of America has honored over 250 outstanding partnerships fostered by nonprofits that all demonstrated incredible and innovative contributions to their communities.

The Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum has worked with the Mutual of America Foundation to evaluate applicants for this achievement award. An independent committee selects six winning organizations. The Thomas J. Moran Award is given to the national award-winning program and includes $100,000 and a documentary about the program. Four organizations are named Honorable Mention recipients for their program, and each receives $50,000.

We would also like to take this opportunity to offer our heartiest congratulations to Auberle, who was recognized as one of the four Honorable Mentioned $50,000 award recipients. Auberle's recognition is for their Employment Institute partnership with Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC which placed and supported more than 90 clients into career positions in the hospital in the last two years, changing the trajectory of both UPMC Magee's workforce and the lives of the individuals in the program. Learn more about the partnership here: https://lnkd.in/erMm2sZq

In honor of Frances Hesselbein's lifetime of dedicated community-based work and longstanding involvement with the Community Partnership Award competition, Mutual of America recently established the Frances R. Hesselbein Award. The award gives $75,000 to a partnership that is addressing social challenges in more than one community or that demonstrates the potential to be replicated in other communities.

Visit the official YouTube channel for the Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award to watch videos of each of the national award-winning programs.

If you have questions about the 2024 Community Partnership Award competition, please email mutualofamericafoundation@mutualofameria.com.

If you know of organizations that would benefit from this opportunity, we encourage you to share this announcement with them!

Thank you for your time,

The Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership
and Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum

 

Fwd: Countdown to Kids of STEEL Fest | New Partnership, Record Breaker Donation, & Fresh Training Plan Inside!

Get ready for the ultimate Kids of STEEL Fest experience! Discover the latest news on our new partnership, a record-breaking donation, and a game-changing training plan. Don't miss out – read on!

REGISTRATION REMINDER Calling all families! MOVE with us at the 2024 Kids of STEEL Fest on April 6, 2024 at the P3R Track & Field, located at the RMU Island Sports Complex (7600 Grand Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15225). From 9:00-11:00 AM, free-flowing games and activities centered around movement will be available with each activity being an opportunity for participating children to complete their scorecard and earn prizes at the on-site Kids of STEEL store.  Participate in the FREE family-friendly activities led by partners such as Chick-fil-A, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Pittsburgh Passion, PFFL, Roaring Lion Martial Arts, YMCA, Clemente Museum and the Kids of STEEL staff. Take pictures with your favorite mascots, snap selfies and pose at the P3R backdrop for a great family photo. Enjoy tasty treats and vendor giveaways from some of your favorite brands such as Eat n' Park, Turner's Tea, Kona Ice, Caliente Pizza and more! Don't miss your opportunity to get the whole family moving in a fun way! All individuals planning to participate in the event must register and complete a waiver. To save time and reduce lines, pre-registration is encouraged, but on-site registration will also be available.  Be sure to follow us on social media @KidsofSTEELpgh to stay up to date on who you can expect to see at the event. REGISTER NOW! GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR DONATES TO KIDS OF STEEL Butler High School senior Drew Griffith, etched his name in local and national sports legend - when he broke the U.S. High School 2 mile indoor record at the New Balance Nationals Indoor; clocking in at a stunning 8 minutes and 34.91 seconds.  His accolades are widely recognized as he was named the Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. With this award, Drew was able to donate $1000 to a non-profit of his choice. Griffith chose to direct his donation to P3R's Kids of STEEL program, reflecting his commitment to supporting youth development initiatives in his community.  We are honored to be Drew's selection.  Gatorade Player of the Year Community Grant Background Gatorade has a longstanding history of serving athlete communities and is continuing to do more to create positive change. In the last decade, youth participation in sports has been on a double-digit decline, largely due to a lack of resources and limited access to athletic programs. To help reverse this trend, Gatorade has launched Gatorade Player of the Year Community Grant, an initiative that empowers athletes to give back to other athletes so they can realize their potential through sports. Photo by Nate Kuntz of PA MileSplit Join Drew in Donating to Kids of STEEL STEEL TOGETHER We are happy to announce our recent partnership with U. S. Steel - us "steels" have to stick together!  One of the fun new announcements with this partnership is the "U. S. Steel Site of the Week!' Every Friday from March 22nd to May 3rd we will announce a new "U. S. Steel Site of the Week". To be eligible for this designation, email Kids of STEEL a group picture of your site. Winners will be recognized on social media as well as on the start-line video screens during the Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon (oops...may have let the cat out of the bag there)! So send in those pics!  Enter Now! NEW TRAINING PLAN! The Kids of STEEL program is excited to announce a new 6-Week training plan, designed to be a fun and engaging game of exercise. Use this tool to keep moving, or to prepare for the 2024 Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon!   The training regimen begins the week of March 25th, so let's get moving!  Begin Training SPRING IS HERE! 🌸Spring officially kicked off on March 19th, and some of us probably have been hibernating a bit too much during those chilly winter months. Feeling the urge to get back in action? Hooray! Hold on just a moment! Before you "Spring" back into action, don't forget the importance of stretching.  Thankfully, Kids of STEEL has you covered with the perfect quick and effective stretching routine.  Watch Now! KIDSOFSTEEL.ORG    412-586-7785 | kidsofsteel@p3r.org 810 River Avenue, Suite 120, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

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The value of being illegible

https://open.substack.com/pub/worktopia/p/the-value-of-being-illegible?r=3vced&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Fwd: Build A High Speed Pull With Fins

The more propulsion swimmers can create, the more speed they'll be able to create. And in backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle, most of that propulsion is coming from the upper body. It's 'only' about 50% in breaststroke, and that's if the swimmer has a good kick. So if swimmers want to go fast, they need to have an effective pull. Using resistance can be a really powerful tool for helping swimmers create more propulsion with each stroke. Same with stroke counts. However, creating more propulsion per stroke is only half the solution. Swimmers need to be able to create a lot of propulsion with each stroke FAST. And that is a different challenge. My favorite solution? Fins. Check out the video for why it matters and how to put it into practice. ​ Keep it simple... Andrew P.S. If your swimmers aren't swimming fast enough, sometimes they just need to swim faster. In that case, fins will get the job done. -------------------- ​THE BOOK​ ​

Fwd: Claude 3 is here

Introducing the next generation of Claude Claude 3 is here Read our blog post Hello, We're excited to introduce Claude 3, our next generation of vision-enabled AI models - now available on claude.ai. Claude 3 Opus is our most intelligent offering, as well as the most capable model in the world on a wide range of benchmarks. It sets a new market standard, offering top-level performance on highly complex tasks, and showing us the frontier of generative AI's possibilities.  Claude 3 Sonnet strikes the ideal balance between intelligence and speed—particularly for high-volume tasks. For the vast majority of workloads, Sonnet is 2x faster than Claude 2 and Claude 2.1 with higher levels of intelligence. Claude 3 Haiku is the fastest and most affordable model in its intelligence class. Haiku is a versatile solution for a wide range of enterprise applications. What's new? The Claude 3 models excel at nuanced content creation, analysis and forecasting, accurate summarization, coding, and scientific queries. They also introduce new and improved capabilities across the following areas: Vision The models have sophisticated vision capabilities. They can understand a wide range of visuals, including photos, screenshots, charts, graphs, and technical diagrams. Coding Claude 3 is more proficient in complex code generation, debugging, and code Q&A - enabling users to ask questions about a codebase, or receive explanations about a piece of code. Multilingual Claude 3 offers enhanced fluency in non-English languages like Spanish, Japanese and French, enabling use cases like translation services and international customer support. Try Claude 3 Claude Pro subscribers now have access to Opus and Haiku, in addition to Sonnet, which powers the free experience on claude.ai. We've published a new prompt library with best practice examples across a breadth of personal and business tasks, and you can watch demo videos on our YouTube channel. If you're interested in building applications with Claude 3, you can also access the models through our API, which is now generally available. We can't wait to hear what you think! Warmly, The Anthropic team

Fwd: Check out the six challenges 💪 along the Oxford Athletic Club 4-Mile Fitness Challenge course HERE...

Are YOU up for the challenge?!

Challenge Announcement! Here are the six unique challenges that will test the speed, strength, and endurance of those preparing to conquer the Oxford Athletic Club 4-Mile Fitness Challenge.   🔷 OBSTACLE COURSE CHALLENGE - 73 foot long Air Force Inflatable Obstacle Course 🔷 HIIT WORKOUT CHALLENGE - 30 foot Army Low Crawl, 10x Pull-ups or 30-second hold 🔷 TIRE FLIP CHALLENGE - 10 yards down and back course with various weights and sizes 🔷 OXFORD ATHLETIC CLUB FULL BODYWEIGHT CHALLENGE - 15x Burpees, 25x Push-Ups, 50x Jumping Jacks, 25x Air Squats, 60-second Plank Hold 🔷 JUMP ROPE CHALLENGE - 3lbs Weighted Jump Rope, 100 reps 🔷 WEIGHTED LUNGE CHALLENGE - 25 yards down and back course with various weights Get a two week trial membership at Oxford Athletic Club Wexford when you register! Conquer the Challenge this May! THEPITTSBURGHMARATHON.COM    412-586-7785 | INFO@P3R.ORG 810 River Avenue, Suite 120, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

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