Social media deeply affects how people perceive themselves and care for their image. Many people, especially college students, will go to great lengths to carefully curate their images and fit into certain narratives. Psychologists have emphasized for years how social media affects our culture and sense of self. It is safe to assume that since the internet makes people more self-conscious, more people are changing their behavior both on and off the screen. We have grown accustomed to being skeptical of what we see online, as generative AI content has risen in popularity. Yet, we fail to question the videos that are not obviously fake. For instance, “day in the life” videos have become commonplace content for even the smallest content creators. But, do these videos show how these people are actually living daily, or, instead, are they posting a specific day during which they perform activities worth bragging about? It is no shock that social media posts are meticulously created to fit an image with which we want to present ourselves. The shocking part is that this behavior translates into real life, especially at a university so plagued by RushTok and the online glorification of attending an SEC school. Trying to fit in as an Ole Miss student can look like taking up Pilates, making loaded tea runs or dressing a certain way, solely because those things are popular here. It is obvious when you pay attention to the amount of Parke sweatshirts or Owala water bottles you see on your walk to class. How many students here bought those things because they actually liked them, not just because they were trying to fit in? Graphic by Grace Ann Courtney Ellie Eubanks, a junior marketing major from Gulfport, Miss., finds that the desire to maintain a perfect image applies in both online and offline interactions. “I think social media has made us extremely conscious of how we present ourselves, and it has compromised our lives. Everything that is online is a selected version of someone’s reality. It’s just a highlight reel,” Eubanks said. “We are putting so much of our identity into our social media presence that it is easy to lose who we actually are.” Eubanks mentioned that although online and offline “performances” are different, they stem from the same place. “Online, it’s easier and more obvious to curate ourselves, while people in real life are adjusting their opinions, personality and interests. It is all coming from people’s desire to be accepted and their insecurities,” Eubanks said. Conformity through overconsumption, Eubanks said, feels like a safe choice to some students still figuring out their identities. “Overconsumption here leads to a sense of belonging,” Eubanks said. “Presenting yourself in a safe way prevents you from being seen as different. I have met people who just try to fit in.” Junior integrated marketing communications major Logan May from Hernando, Miss., said performative behavior is the new normal in everyday interactions. In Oxford, he said, “no one is different.” “People in this town want to be fake and build this persona of the ‘Ole Miss’ (and) ‘snow globe town’ lifestyle,” May said. “People from all over do this so they can seem more popular or cool to be accepted by their peers.” He also noted the role social media plays in influencing our decisions. “It’s like we are living in a constant TikTok trend,” May said. “Everyone needs a new sweatshirt, dress or coffee. People feel the need to be a part of the new trend to not be left behind. There is no personality left. There is no authenticity to people.” Curated online content is limited to an edited video or post, but in real life, having a curated persona means compromising morals and changing who we are at our core. In assimilating to follow mainstream campus trends, we are losing what makes us who we are. This “snow globe town” is meant to bring us together as a community, but in trying so hard to fit in, we are trapped in a dome of insincerity. Nataly Tello is a sophomore English and journalism major from Hernando, Miss.

California voters elected Democrat Xavier Becerra as the state’s next governor in the November 3, 2026, General Election. The Associated Press called the race for Becerra shortly after polls closed. He defeated Republican Steve Hilton. Unofficial results from the California Secretary of State as of early morning November 4, with nearly all precincts partially reporting showed: Xavier Becerra (D): about 4.99 million votes (63.9%) Steve Hilton (R): about 2.81 million votes (36.1%). Becerra, 68, previously served as California Attorney General, a longtime U.S. congressman from the Los Angeles area, a state legislator, and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Biden. He will succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom and take office on January 4, 2027. Becerra is California’s first elected Latino governor. California has had a Latino governor – Romualdo Pacheco served as California’s 12th governor in 1875. Pacheco a Republican, was elected lieutenant governor in 1871. He became governor by succession when Governor Newton Booth resigned to take a U.S. Senate seat. I’m still wondering how in a state that takes 30 days to count the ballots, media can call the election. Becerra campaigned heavily in opposition to President Donald Trump and the administration’s policies, and highlighted his experience suing the federal government as California Attorney General. Hilton focused on cost of living, housing, and one-party Democratic rule. California has not elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger. With nearly half the votes counted, the Globe will update the election results as they come in. Xavier Becerra’s victory/acceptance speech as California governor-elect: Good evening, California. What a great night to be a Californian. What a great night to be an American—to be the son of immigrants, from a union household, to be standing in victory with all of you.Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. These past two years have been tough: higher prices, more wars, corruption, and lawlessness. But we hung in there, fought back. It felt like Mission: Impossible. We knew it was mission necessary. And tonight, sisters and brothers, because of your tireless work, we can proudly utter the inspiring battle cry of our beloved and departed sister and warrior, Dolores Huerta: Sí, se puede. Yes, we can. Yes, we did. We fought and we won. Thank you for making tonight’s victory possible. Thank you for making history in this election for governor. As Carolina said, there is no victory without you. And Carolina, there is no me without you. Together we have made a life, a family, and now history. But what value has history without a future? Being governor is important, but my legacy was written the moment Clarisa, Olivia, and Natalia entered this world. Carolina and I have tried to do our part to place the future in fierce, resilient hands. So I say to my three daughters: no pressure, girls. No pressure. Ladies and gentlemen, you have now entered the Becerra era. But really, the Becerra era began in the 1950s, when Manuel (raised in Tijuana) and María Teresa (who is here tonight, from Jalisco, Mexico) came to California with $12 in their pockets—a construction worker and a clerical worker. They earned every dollar, saved every penny, and built their California dream. I watched and I learned. Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad, for building the Becerra era. And here, let me make something very crystal clear: I didn’t run to make history. I ran to make a difference—for anyone and everyone who calls California home, whether you voted for me or not. For the next construction worker and clerical worker who want to buy their own home. For the first-generation college student studying to follow Carolina’s footsteps and become a doctor. For the go-getter with a big idea but little capital to start a business. For the family with a medical emergency and a rent payment facing the prospect of homelessness.Remember, we are America’s frontier model—a conveyor belt of invention, industriousness, and ganas. Don’t look it up. I’ll tell you right now: G-A-N-A-S—guts, grit, and game all wrapped in one. That God does. Every day, everywhere, Californians transform the seemingly impossible into the virtually unstoppable. And we do all of that as the most diverse place in America. So let me say to those in power who traffic in division and disinformation: there is no American greatness without California. And there is no California without our diverse communities. Diversity is not our shortcoming. It’s our superpower. And it isn’t our finish line. It’s our bottom line. To all of those of you who have felt left out, locked out, priced out, drowned out, down and out, even asked to drop out—remember when I was in that race at the beginning of the primary? I say to each and every one of you: this is your moment. This victory is for you—the farm workers and firefighters, the teachers and tradesmen, small business owners and service workers, and my brothers and sisters from the laborers. LIUNA in the house!I also want to say thank you to my campaign team—the best in the business. We built this plane midair and ran into a bit of turbulence in the primary from time to time, but we flew straight and true. And man, did we land it. Now the real work begins. In two months, I take the oath of office for the state’s highest office. And I want to be straight with you: California is exceptional, but it is also far from perfect. We have a lot of work to do together. Despite all our fortune, economic security is slipping out of reach for too many of our families. Despite our shared values, not everyone who builds and harvests the California success story gets to enjoy its fruit. As governor, my mission is straightforward, but not simple: Deliver a California we can afford and defend a California we can’t afford to lose. And here’s the good news: Californians don’t expect a miracle from government. They just want a government that works. A government that can build things. A government that keeps our streets clean and schools safe, basic services delivered on time and on budget. With leaders who are accountable and transparent, who can reach up without talking down. And after two years of chaos, corruption, and sky-high cost, we need that more than ever. Never in our lifetimes has so much of what we love been on the line: our families, our safety, our freedom—freedom to love, freedom to learn, freedom to unionize and earn a living wage, the right to see a doctor, and the freedom to make your own decisions about your body. Freedom to breathe clean air, drink clean water, travel unpolluted coastlines. Freedom to walk the streets without fear of gun violence or ICE mercenaries. And freedom tonight to hold a free election.Brothers and sisters, this is California—where no problem is too big to solve and no person is too small to matter. The California dream is universal. It’s non-negotiable. And yes, it is undeportable. Tonight, I have a message for all those who have been made to feel afraid: There’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s got a law degree and a union card. If anyone wants to come after California or any one Californian, they better be ready for a fight. We can’t be bought. We can’t be bullied. And we will never ever back down from a fight worth fighting. And our people, our values, and our resources are always worth fighting for.Brothers and sisters, this is California’s moment. Tonight, all across the country, in blue states, in red states, and all over the places in between, voters are choosing hope and repair over division and despair. After two exhausting years of red flags, America is following California’s blue beacon of light. So, are we ready, California? It’s time for California to adopt a Muhammad Ali mentality. If our minds can conceive it and our hearts can believe it, then we can achieve it. And if I were a little younger, I’d do the shuffle right there at the same time.So I ask you, California: Are you ready to lead? Are you ready to achieve? Then brothers and sisters, here in California, we’re going to get to work.Thank you all very much. Thank you. God bless this great state and our great nation.

No. 10 Ole Miss will welcome No. 2 Georgia to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this Saturday, Nov. 7, at 6:30 p.m. for a pivotal Week 10 game. The playoff-hopeful Rebels (6-2) cannot afford another loss this season. The Bulldogs (7-1) gained an ugly home loss to Auburn but are still the top team in the SEC. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country. He has thrown for 1,671 yards and 16 touchdowns on a 72% completion percentage. He has just four interceptions. Head coach Pete Golding spoke about Stockton in a press conference on Nov. 2. “(Stockton) has competitive character. You see his toughness on tape, but more importantly than those two things, he’s an elite game-manager,” Golding said. “(He) doesn’t press. (He) doesn’t try to do too much. (He) has a really good understanding of their system and takes what the defense gives him.” Behind a Bulldog offensive line that has allowed just nine sacks this season, running back Dwight Phillips Jr. has rushed for 415 yards and two scores. Nate Frazier has 302 rushing yards and six touchdowns.Utah In the receiving game, Craig Dandridge leads the team in yards with 349 and one touchdown. Talyn Taylor and London Humphreys are tied for the most receiving touchdowns with three each. Tight end Lawson Luckie is also a major receiving threat. He has nearly 200 yards and two scores this season. Last year in Athens, Ga., Ole Miss did not force a Georgia punt in a 43-35 loss. Stockton threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns, adding 59 yards and a score on the ground. The Rebels simply could not contain him. Moreover, five Bulldog rushers combined for 221 rushing yards, while Ole Miss managed 88. A few months later in the Sugar Bowl, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss went for 362 passing yards and two touchdowns. He only ran for 14 yards on four attempts, but his legs prolonged plays. Georgia could not bring him down. Suntarine Perkins tackles Georgia’s Gunner Stockton the 2026 Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1.Photo by Olivia Cangelosi While Ole Miss allowed 34 points, seven of those came from a defensive scoop-and-score late in the second quarter. The Rebel defense improved from its regular season matchup against the Bulldogs, only allowing 124 yards on the ground and 343 total yards, compared to 510 in the first game. This Week 10 matchup is going to come down to two things: Chambliss recreating his Sugar Bowl performance and the ground game. Ole Miss will look to establish the run and stop Georgia’s running backs. In the Rebels’ two losses this season, they have failed to control the running game. Against Florida, they allowed 302 yards, and they allowed 207 against Texas. Offensively, Ole Miss managed just 113 yards against the Longhorns and 128 against the Gators. Chambliss played two great games against the Bulldogs last season. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart praised Chambliss in a press conference on Nov. 2. “It’s the down-in, down-out decision-making … (and) the accuracy that (Chambliss is) elite at,” Smart said. “He has an anticipation of windows that’s probably unmatched. I don’t know if that was God-given or the fact that he played a lot of football before he got to Ole Miss.” Smart also said that Chambliss is an elite athlete. “(Chambliss) goes forwards (and) backwards as fast as he goes sideways,” Smart said. “He’s just a great athlete that is a great quarterback.”

They ruled the Earth for millions of years. Now, they're coming back to life on your walls.. - [currently €0 (0%) of €1,500 goal]

In ‘The Water Carriers,’ history professor Gregory D. Smithers explores an overlooked but enduring element of Indigenous culture.

Monarch Networth Capital's Samvat 2083 stock picks include 13 stocks across banking, consumption and other sectors. Check its target prices and market outlook.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: the Twentieth Annual SantaThing is here at last! This year we continue to focus on indie bookstores from around the United States. You can still order Kindle ebooks, we have Kenny’s and Blackwell’s for international orders, and also stores local to Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. » SIGN UP FOR SANTATHING NOW! What is SantaThing? SantaThing is “Secret Santa” for LibraryThing members. How it Works You pay $15–$50 and pick your favorite bookseller. We match you with a participant, and you play Santa by selecting books for them. Another Santa does the same for you, in secret. LibraryThing does the ordering, and you get the joy of giving AND receiving books! Sign up once or thrice, for yourself or someone else. Even if you don’t want to be a Santa, you can help by suggesting books for others. Click on an existing SantaThing profile to leave a suggestion. Every year, LibraryThing members give generously to each other through SantaThing. If you’d like to donate an entry, or want to participate, but it’s just not in the budget this year, be sure to check out our Donations Thread here. Important Dates Sign-ups close THURSDAY, November 19th at 12pm EST. By the next day, we’ll notify you via LibraryThing message who your Santee is, and you can start picking books. You’ll then have two weeks to pick your books, until WEDNESDAY, December 2nd at 12pm EST. As soon as the picking ends, the ordering begins, and we’ll get all the books out to you as soon as we can. » Go sign up to become a Secret Santa now! Supporting Indie Bookstores We’re once again teaming up with independent bookstores from around the country to deliver your SantaThing picks, including BookPeople in Austin, TX, Longfellow Books in Portland, ME, and Powell’s Books in Portland, OR. We’re also bringing back the following foreign retail partners: Readings for our Australian participants, Time Out Books for the Kiwi participants, and Kennys for our Irish friends. International deliveries will be available through Kennys and Blackwell’s. Kindle options are available to all members who are registered on Amazon.com (not .co.uk, .ca, etc.). See more information about all the stores. Shipping Some of our booksellers are able to offer free shipping, and some are not. Depending on your bookseller of choice, you may receive $6 less in books, to cover shipping costs. You can find details about shipping costs and holiday ordering deadlines for each of our booksellers here on the SantaThing Help page. » Go sign up now! Questions? Comments? This is our TWENTIETH year of SantaThing. See the SantaThing Help page for further details and FAQ. Feel free to ask your questions over on this Talk topic, or you can contact Kate directly at kate@librarything.com. Happy SantaThinging!

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kodiak Gas Services, Inc. (NYSE: KGS), (“Kodiak”) today announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.51 per share of common stock for the third quarter of 2026, payable on November 25, 2026, to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on November 16, 2026. The $0.51 per share dividend represents a 4.1% increase over both the prior quarter and the year-ago quarter. Since Kodiak initiated its dividend in 2023 at $0.3

NLC India shares rose 9% to a high of Rs 250.85 today against the previous close of Rs 230.15. Market cap of the firm surged to Rs 34,783 crore.

What better way to ease the stress of life than to immerse yourself in a personal spa session. The bathtub is filling up with hot bubbly water, waiting for you to relax in it. Candles flicker on a long tray, and the smell of burning wood and soft scent spreads in the room. A bottle of wine, of course, chilled prior to this endeavour, paired with a single glass. A record player provides a perfect music ambiance. There is something pleasant about being able to turn the busyness of the outside world into an aesthetic prop for yourself. The skyline, all those skyscrapers and rows and rows of light – they become nothing but a beautiful backdrop to observe from your cozy tub. The lights of the city reflect on the enamel, on the golden hose of the shower and on the wine glass. Even though the windows are unadorned, there is a sense of safety and privacy in this bathroom. A cute lamp hangs just a little away from the bathtub, adding a little more flicker to the room, just like the lights outside. And once you are relaxed, there is a stack of fuzzy towels awaiting. But there is no rush, no need to hurry. For now, it is just the tub, the playful bubbles and relaxing music. Disclaimer: this is a privately designed interior, created specifically for this article. It is not available for visiting in-world. Credits:BackBone – Playtime Bathroom Modular WallDaD – Mandarin Spa Jellyfish ceiling lampdust bunny – laundry room clutter – rolled towelsFancy Decor – Merlot BottleFancy Decor – Merlot Wine GlassFancy Decor – Saturn Record Player@home – wooden path [single slat]Kalopsia – Rustic BenchMadPea – Bath Bomb Spa – Incense HolderMadPea – Bath Bomb Spa – Blueberry Bliss BombsMadPea – Bath Bomb Spa – Lavender Fields BombsMadPea – Bath Bomb Spa – Votive Candle TrayNutmeg – Classic Bathroom TubNutmeg – Colonial Bathroom DispensersZAKER – Potted PalmettoZADIG – Tokyo Nights Skybox Originally published by Love to Decorate

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Some links to Q-related items today Advertisement All gas no brakes on Operation Illegal Third Term. https://t.co/sImEW6FQP6— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 4, 2026 Trump says no to good bills headed his way https://t.co/NqeJVovAkE— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 4, 2026 Yep. That must be it. https://t.co/COVltKWPKx— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 4, 2026 Trump posted this 4 hours ago: “Republicans are currently showing signs of PRESIDENTIAL-LEVEL midterms turnout already on Election Day” https://t.co/PtwJnRb5rt— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 4, 2026 People showing up today to vote out Republicans… https://t.co/iVyXTL2Htd— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 3, 2026 QAnon is now reduced to "Trump will have to use the military to crush our enemies, as was the plan all along." https://t.co/xkN4Rzj7F9— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 4, 2026 Trump is a lame duck. Nothing you thought would happen will come to pass now. The Dems will win the Presidency in 2028. Some day you’ll figure out that QAnon was a lie. https://t.co/BwrBSPQtJD— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 4, 2026 Yeah you were completely wrong. https://t.co/L8QzIw5uVd— Poker and Politics (@PokerPolitics) November 4, 2026 Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent article at New York magazine as a place to start. THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.Posted by Tony Ortega on November 4, 2026 at 08:00

What began as a personal escape turned into a six-year journey riding over 5,000 miles a year documenting the Portland bike culture. - [currently $870 (4%) of $19,750 goal]

Artist Leticia Bajuyo’s latest exhibition, “Event Horizon Ad Infinitum,” has transformed thousands of discarded compact discs into a massive, spiraling installation that winds through the University of Mississippi Museum. The museum welcomed Bajuyo on Thursday, Oct. 29, for an opening reception and artist talk celebrating the exhibition, which opened on Oct. 13 and will remain on display through April 3, 2027. Drawing on a wide range of inspirations, including musical instruments, science fiction, wormholes and the concept of interconnectedness, Bajuyo’s work explores how memory, technology and everyday objects relate to one another. During Thursday’s talk, Bajuyo discussed her artistic background, previous projects and the creative process that brought “Event Horizon Ad Infinitum” to Oxford. An associate professor of sculpture at the University of Oklahoma, she has created sculptures from CDs since 2009, using a once-popular technology to explore how objects can retain meaning long after they lose their original purposes. The exterior of Leticia Bajuyo’s “Event Horizon Ad Infinitum” exhibit on display inside the University Museum on Nov. 4. Photo by Nataly Tello For her, the discs represent more than outdated technology. Even when a CD can no longer be played, it still carries the memories and stories of the people who once used it. “There’s still memory in there. There’s still a value to that,” Bajuyo said. Throughout the presentation, Bajuyo also shared photographs of her childhood and previous installations, showing how her upbringing in rural Illinois shaped her interest in places and objects that are often overlooked, from rural communities and hay bales to construction scraps and outdated technology. That interest in finding value in things that others might overlook has remained a consistent theme throughout her career. “What is it that we value, and how do we apply value to something, and how can it change? That’s what matters to me,” Bajuyo said. For “Event Horizon Ad Infinitum,” Bajuyo brought those ideas to life through an installation designed specifically for the university museum, making the themes visible in the space itself. The sculptures, made from donated CDs and DVDs, extend through the museum’s galleries and exterior spaces. The winding forms appear to disappear behind walls and reemerge in other galleries, creating the illusion of a continuous structure that connects separate spaces. “We only understand the parts of the world that we can perceive,” Bajuyo said. The installation also incorporates sound through a theremin, an archaic electronic instrument that produces sound without physical contact. Visitors can interact with the instrument by moving their hands near it, which adds another dimension to the exhibition. The interior of Leticia Bajuyo’s “Event Horizon Ad Infinitum” exhibit on display inside the University Museum on Nov. 4. Photo by Nataly Tello While the finished installation is impressive, Bajuyo emphasized that bringing it to life required much more than her artistic vision alone. “Two and a half years ago…the sculpture faculty invited me to come as a visiting artist, to do an iron pour, to meet with the students,” Bajuyo said. “And part of that was a visit to this museum, I’d never been to this museum. We walked around, we (had) a conversation and we started brainstorming early on — just making a relationship. … So much of art is about relationships.” Those relationships became essential to the exhibition. Students, museum staff and community volunteers helped collect, drill and weave the donated discs, transforming what would otherwise be discarded materials into a large-scale sculpture. Bajuyo repeatedly emphasized that the project would not have been possible without the contributions of those involved. “This artwork is so much part of you all, too,” Bajuyo said.

🎨 THIS HOUSE IS A GIANT WORK OF ART: Véro the Traveling Artist has spent 22 years transforming her Avondale home. We got a tour of it + heard about her inspiration to create in Birmingham.

A TOUCH OF OPULENCE, A WORLD OF POSSIBILITY Some bedrooms are designed for sleeping. Others are designed for making an entrance. LORE’s new Mirage Bed belongs firmly in the second category, bringing richly carved wood, sumptuous textiles, and an unmistakable sense of grandeur to this month’s We Love Roleplay. We Love Roleplay We Love Roleplay is a monthly shopping event dedicated to fantasy, historical, and roleplay design, from clothing and accessories to décor and world-building. November 4–28 | Opens 12 PM SLT | We Love Roleplay Event EXPLORE WE LOVE ROLEPLAY → The four-poster design features substantial turned wooden columns, ornamental carvings, and draped detailing that gives the bed its regal character. Intricate patterns across the bedding and cushions introduce an additional layer of richness, creating a centerpiece equally suited to an opulent palace, an exotic retreat, or a private royal chamber. Customization is extensive, with 18 color options for the blanket, front pillows, back pillows and bolster, and drapes, alongside eight wood finishes. From dramatic jewel tones to more restrained combinations, the Mirage Bed can be tailored to complement a wide range of interiors. LORE’s Mirage Bed combines intricately carved wooden posts, ornamental textiles, and customizable drapery for an unmistakably regal bedroom centerpiece. Customization is extensive, with 18 color options for the blanket, front pillows, back pillows and bolster, and drapes, alongside eight wood finishes. From dramatic jewel tones to more restrained combinations, the Mirage Bed can be tailored to complement a wide range of interiors. The PG version includes 20 female and 18 male single animations, along with 64 couples’ cuddle animations. The Adult edition offers 127 adult animations, including solo options, INM and P&V integration, Lovebridge compatibility for Lovense, and optional facial animations. Visitors can explore the PG bed and HUD on the event’s demo platform, while the Adult version and its HUD are available to try at LORE’s mainstore. The Mirage Bed makes its debut at We Love Roleplay on November 4 at 12 PM SLT, with a 15% introductory discount. The coordinating Mirage Couch and several complementary decorative pieces are also available at LORE’s event booth with a 20% discount. Created in original mesh with copy and modify permissions, the Mirage Bed offers a luxurious foundation for interiors where every detail deserves attention. LORE’s Mirage Bed is available at We Love Roleplay through November 28 Teleport To We Love Roleplay Lore’s Mainstore Originally published by Love to Decorate

Cor Vos "Some of our racing strategies are going to be a little bit modified," a member of management at a WorldTour team told his assembled staff and riders over video call."We need to fight for points. You know, [a rival team] proved it when they had four guys who finished in the top 10, and they hauled in 500 points. That's quite a haul. So there will be times where we're expecting you guys to fight for the line, even if you're not necessarily winning the race, or maybe a teammate of yours is winning the race, it doesn't mean you give up. Sometimes we're going to be asking you guys to go and hustle and fight for additional points."I feel very confident that we are not going to be in the relegation zone," the boss continued in the footage seen by Escape Collective. "That said, I want to talk about the media. We don't talk to media about points. This is a negative subject. So when they say, 'Have you changed your strategies?' or when they ask you questions like this, and this goes for every member of the team, riders, staff, everybody: we don't talk about points. "Our answer is we're fighting for wins, and if we get the wins, the points will flow. While it's not exactly an accurate statement, it's good enough for the media. I don't want to be talking about points. I don't want to be talking about strategies. Every time they write about us and the points, it's a negative story. So please, stay away from it."The boss then changed tack, from tub-thumping encouragement to calm reassurance."There's no desperation on this team. I believe in you guys, and I know we're gonna end up on the right side of that ledger. But I want to say, if, God forbid, we do sadly, impossibly, horribly end up being relegated, I'm speaking to the staff now, I want you guys to know that there's no change on the team, so you don't need to be worried about your positions. Don't start looking for a job somewhere else. We'll still need you ... we will manage it."This was the summer of 2022 and we were only a few months away from the end of inaugural three-year promotion and relegation period for professional road cycling, with multiple teams battling closely to avoid the drop. For the first time in the sport's history, continued membership of the top WorldTour tier would predominantly be decided by sporting merit.While some teams were finally waking up to the peril of their position, and hatching plans to scoop up as many points as possible before October, fans were also realising the extra meaning that had now been layered into the sport they love. There was now actual sporting value beyond the podium places as riders raced to secure their employer's WorldTour status. No longer could teams rely on political ties for continued invitations to the biggest races on the calendar. They actually had to perform well too.So, six seasons into this new system, how much has it changed cycling? Do upwardly mobile teams relish the chance at rising through the ranks on sporting merit alone? How frustrated are others that are seeing the old order upturned? Do the top teams even care about points, knowing every year they'll be safe from relegation? And how much cut-through has it had with fans?To begin, we'll go back to the World Championships in 2018, where the powers that be "approved a new organisation of men's professional road cycling".

Democrats beat the polls on November 3, and it wasn’t close. With dozens of House races still being counted on Wednesday, Democrats held 228 seats to 139 for Republicans. They flipped at least seven Senate seats, including Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina. James Talarico won Texas by about 12 points after leading the final polling average by four. Before the vote, many of us on the right, me included, argued that a disorderly world would send voters looking for stability and punish a Democratic Party drifting left. The early vote was supposed to show the socialist surge running out of steam. That didn’t happen. The election was not a referendum on socialism. It was a referendum on Republican governance, and Republicans lost it. What the socialists actually won Honesty starts with the scoreboard. The Democratic Socialists of America had their best night yet. Five DSA-backed House candidates won safe seats, and with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib re-elected, the DSA contingent in the House rises from two to seven, most of them running ahead of the 2024 Democratic margins in their districts. If Angela Gonzales-Torres holds her 58.7% to 41.3% lead over Rep. Jimmy Gomez in Los Angeles, the number will be eight. Abdul El-Sayed, a Sanders- Ocasio-Cortez-backed progressive who never received a formal DSA endorsement, won Michigan’s Senate seat 52.4% to 45.6%. Democratic socialists won the mayor’s office in Washington, D.C. and Providence, and Nithya Raman narrowly leads Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles. The DSA’s Florida Senate candidate, Angie Nixon, lost by about three points, closer than her polls. The label still has limits. Here in Sacramento, Rep. Doris Matsui leads Mai Vang 57.4% to 42.6% with about 41% of the vote counted, in a district where voters viewed the DSA 27% positive and 44% negative before the election. Outside the urban core, the brand still costs votes. Statewide, the night belonged to Democrats generally: Xavier Becerra beat Steve Hilton for governor 64% to 36% on the early count. Rep. Kevin Kiley, the Republican-turned-independent, lost to Democrat Richard Pan, and Rep. David Valadao trails badly in the Central Valley. How it happened I see seven reasons, and only one of them is the decisive one. Democrats picked the battlefield. In politics, you either tell voters who you are or your opponent does it for you. Democrats made this election about the cost of living, and 89% of voters said affordability was a major or crucial factor. Republicans had good economic numbers to talk about and never turned them into a story. As Tom Del Beccaro warned in Fox News in September, the party was repeating 2006. Voters form their impressions in the summer, not in the last three weeks of October. Nobody offered a road map. Democrats did not run on a plan to lower prices. They didn’t need one. They had a large anti-Trump vote and the long history of the president’s party losing seats in a midterm. Forty-three percent of voters said they voted partly to oppose the president, more than in 2018. Republicans could have answered with a short, concrete platform: elect us, and here are the three things we will do in 2027. They never did. People will follow a party that tells them where it’s going. They won’t follow one that only tells them where the other side is going. The Iran war was never sold. Americans have little patience for open-ended conflict, and the administration never made the case to them. Then the war pushed up gas prices. Sixty-three percent of voters said military action against Iran was the wrong decision, and 87% were concerned about the price of gas and diesel. It comes back to the economy every time. The coalition shrank. The voters who elected Donald Trump twice have never grown into a lasting midterm majority. This year, two groups walked away. Latino voters backed Democratic House candidates 62% to 35%, after giving Trump 46% two years ago. Voters under 30 went Democratic 72% to 25%. Voters are impatient. They give a governing party a short window to show results, and then they move on. Republicans signed the tax cut on July 4, 2025. Had it passed in the winter, the economy would have had another half-year to work before voters judged it. As it was, 75% of voters still rated the economy not so good or poor, and 44% said their own finances were worse than two years earlier. Good statistics don’t win elections if voters don’t feel them in time. Republican voters didn’t show up. This is the decisive reason. For months, Republican voters knew Democrats were energized, and they knew how far left the Democratic Party had moved. Many stayed home anyway. Party leaders saw an enthusiasm deficit coming, and in Florida, Republican early turnout lagged despite a big registration edge. To be fair to the numbers, turnout wasn’t the whole story: Republicans were also more likely than Democrats to cross party lines, and independents broke Democratic by double digits. Either way, the result is the same. Democrats vote for their candidates in good years and bad. Too many Republicans sat this one out, and the country will live with the consequences. What we need to stop saying If conservatives want to be believed in 2028, we have to be accurate now. Brazil’s election was not stolen. Lula won by nearly 4.4 million votes, and the Bolsonaro camp offered no evidence of fraud. Rep. Ilhan Omar is under federal investigation, not indicted. The Alaska Senate probe and the federal suit over noncitizen registrations in California are serious, but they are investigations, not proven outcomes, and we should describe them that way. Get the polling right, too. A record 43% of Americans view socialism positively, including 45% of independents. Yet the DSA itself polls at 38% favorable and 54% unfavorable. That gap tells you the word “socialism” alone doesn’t scare voters the way it once did. The specifics still might. Where the fight goes now The DSA’s seven or eight House members will sit inside a Democratic majority of at least 228. That’s too few to block a speaker on their own, though none of the five newcomers has committed to backing Hakeem Jeffries. Watch the January speaker vote and the rules package. The real test is legislative. The agenda these members ran on, including single-payer health care, a 32-hour work week, free college and abolishing ICE, will now meet cost estimates and floor votes. The Cato Institute puts the price of the democratic socialist program at $71 trillion to $212 trillion over a decade, and seizing every dollar held by the 400 richest Americans would cover only 3% to 9% of it. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has already promised to fight the “far-left, socialist wing” of the Democratic Party. That line will work only if it comes with numbers. Voters did not embrace socialism on Tuesday. They fired the people in charge. Republicans who want the job back in 2028 should define themselves early, put a plan on paper by summer, and stop waiting for the other side to lose. A self-governing country only works if its citizens do their part, and that starts with showing up to vote.

Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd = that’s Relationship! I shall not want = that’s Supply! He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = that’s Rest ! He leads me beside the still waters = that’s Refreshment! He restores my soul = that’s Healing! He leads me in the paths of righteousness = that’s Guidance! For His name sake = that’s Purpose! Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death = that’s Testing! I will fear no evil = that’s Protection! For You are with me = that’s Faithfulness! Your rod and your staff they comfort me = that’s Discipline! You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies = that’s Hope! You anoint my head with oil = that’s Consecration! My cup runs over = that’s Abundance! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = that’s Blessing! And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = that’s Security! Forever = that’s Eternity! Face it, the Lord is crazy about you! What is most valuable, is not what we have in our lives, but WHO we have in our lives! Do not ask the Lord to Guide your Footsteps if you are not willing to move your Feet at His Pace. Author – Unknown FURTHER READING Psalm 23 Reflection by Kathy Cheek Psalm 23 by Alec Niemi Praying the 23rd Psalm The post PSALM 23 appeared first on Thoughts About God.