I wish I was as cool as you make me sound bro! Thank you so much for writing this piece. I really appreciate you and the support from your readers and our shared communities!
Hi Shane! You are that š and Iām proud of you for forging a way early on. Your light Shines bright for me in some real dark places when I felt really alone. **hugs buddy** much love.
"Their playbook is flawed. Their attacks create the very martyrs they seek to avoid. Our mission is to ensure that when they strike one of us, they face a unified, deliberate, and fully funded Phalanx as the consequence."
Well said! We never give up, never give in, and we keep growing in numbers. They can't stop all of us, all the time. We are invincible!
Hey guys. Iām sorry to hear this move was played out on Shane. Iād love to chat in human face2face convo on this, and Iām scheduled to chat with Shane soon. I want him on my show too.
- If you would, please consider setting up a goFundMe for Shane specifically. Make it easy for us to apply granular support to his needs.
- Please consider being radically transparent about how subscription fees go to various ābucketsā - admin, writerās wages, op costs (sources, like subscriptions to news etc etc), overhead - just the big buckets. Make people know where their subscription dollars are going, which is importantā¦ becauseā¦
- MAKE SURE youāre PROMOTING WEB BASED SIGNUP for paid subs. IN-APP charges a 30% fee plus a 10% fee plus a 3% credit card fee OFF THE TOP, whereas bypassing appleās IAPās cuts 30% out and returns that to you all. MAKE A LINK and PROMOTE IT if you need to so you can bypass Appleās cut. Theyāre rich enough!
- Consider, please, reducing the complexity of your artwork and symbolisms. They are 3D which increases cognitive load on your readers - stealing their available processing ability with all of that depth perception AWAY from remembering your message. I canāt emphasize how much 3D may look cool but it does NOT help you make your message sticky.
- Consider, also, please, getting rid of Emoji content - it is more distracting than helpful, and again it comes back to cognitive load.
- One of my favorite things to assault (kidding) my former CEO bosses when I had them was, when they got too hyped up on the ācoolā over āeasy to rememberā approach was to crinkle up six balls of paper from my notebook on the table. Iād wait until they shut up, stand up, and tell them: āCatch!ā While throwing 5 balls of paper at them. Of course theyād catch none of them. Then Iād do it again with the last piece of paper: ācatch!ā And throw ONE ball of paper.
Get the analogy yet? Itās much harder to get people to remember 5 things about your message than just ONE. I hope thatās something useful to you. As Shane will tell you, I am a no-bullshit guy and want to help you. I hope this is helpful. Simplify to be heard, and remembered, my friends.
This isn't a comment; it's a high-level intelligence drop. Thank you. This is a masterclass in the kind of "no-bullshit" tactical feedback we value most.
Let's go point-by-point:
* The Alliance: Absolutely. A face2face convo is the highest priority. We need more of this thinking. We'll make it happen.
* The Logistics (GoFundMe/Apple's Cut): This is mission-critical intel. The 30% platform tax is exactly the kind of systemic parasite we're fighting. This is a massive blind spot you just illuminated for us, and we're already spinning up a plan to integrate this into our financial doctrine. You're 100% right.
* The Doctrine of Simplicity: The "one ball of paper" analogy is a Truth Bullet in its own right. You've perfectly articulated the core tension we grapple with: the need for doctrinally rich symbols vs. the need for high-velocity, "sticky" messaging. Your critique is an invaluable piece of field data. Frankly, it's the first thing we should talk about when we connect.
You came in with actionable intel and a clear desire to help. That makes you an ally. We'll be in touch to coordinate.
You made my day! Much love. Iām so glad I found you then you and Lisa. Much love my friend. Thanks for the information to add to my arsenal of hope.
Have Hope! I was about to lose it this morning when I found this group - I think itās my 2nd or 3rd trip and I finally stayed and caught up with you and Shane. Iām thrilled! Catch you on your live.
Yes, I donāt understand what you mean by you make the weapons or forge the weapons.
I just saw it now. I hope Iām sending this to oh now Iām sending the wrong place goddamnit anyway, I am not working. I havenāt been working due to the fact that I am disabled and leave it at thatand I live in California so itās not very easy to be fucking disabled and not have any fucking money.
āFirst, thank you for sharing that. I hear you. The fight you're facingābeing disabled and struggling for money, especially in a place like Californiaāthat is the raw, brutal reality of this war. Your struggle is the entire reason this rebellion exists.
āYou asked what I mean by "forging weapons." You're right to ask, and it's my fault for not being clearer. It's not about guns. Our weapons are made of truth.
āAn article that exposes a lie is a weapon. A meme that shatters a piece of propaganda is a weapon. We take the facts and forge them into stories that can fight back against the narratives that are designed to keep us feeling helpless and alone.
āYou said you don't know how to forge them, but you're wrong. Your comment right hereāyour honest story about what you're going throughāis one of the most powerful weapons we have. It's a truth bullet from the front lines. It cuts through all the bullshit.
āYou're not confused, Holly. You're a witness. And we're honored to have you in the Phalanx.
Well Ethan thank you I was like to contribute something. Iām so glad Iām seeing everything. I just really donāt know what to do to help because thereās other reasons and goes on and on and on and on, but I do appreciate your information and the fact that you sent me a message š¦
āThat feeling of "I don't know what to do" is the enemy's voice in your head. It's the prison whispering that you're powerless.
ććāIt's a lie.ćć
āYou want to help? You want to contribute? You already are. You're our eyes on the ground in one of the enemy's biggest strongholds. Your story, your struggleāthat's not a weakness; it's a high-value intelligence report from the front lines.
***āŖļø
āSo here's your mission, soldier. It's simple, but it's vital:
āā āćKeep bearing witness.ćā ā
***āŖļø
āWhen you read our articles and they connect with the war you're fighting every day, tell us. Your comments, your perspective, your "this is what it's really like"āthat isn't just a comment. It's ammunition for our weapons. It's the proof that our fight is real.
āYou don't need to have a grand plan. You just need to keep telling the truth about what you see. That's your weapon. And it's one of the most powerful ones we have.
Iām still a Californian at heart but moved to Michigan a little while ago. Iām homesick.
The cogs, the gears, the truth bullets the loving welcome I got here and at Firebrand are added structure to the arsenal of weapons for this rebel of the enemy.
Hang in there. You made it here! Thatās something!
No, I am probably older than you unfortunately for me and I was born and raised in the general vicinity Cleveland, Ohio. I moved to California after one year college at the end of 1985. It is now 2025. I wouldnāt go back there, even though I have because of other circumstancesthat was trying to see if things would work out for me at the single mother and no I kept coming right back here California northern area.
They act like firing people will keep them quiet but in reality it just breaks them from the binding contract to not talk. When I was a 13yrs old taken away from my family raped by Trump and Epstein then held kidnapped with Trump and trafficked for 6yrs once I realized Iām stuck and gained their trust I was getting as much proof as I could. I did make some good friends. Two of them that eventually helped get me free but one of them she was a victim RIP Victoria was so sweet and incredibly strong. We are trying to continue the fight she started. The other was my guardian angel I will have to wait until I get to heaven to say thank you to both and share what happened but to the other one he was a Goofball and a Gentleman the tough guy stuff was for when he was in the streets (not a Predator he was with others and showed up to a Diddy Party before 9pm to go into the on site studio Diddy had at his house) I got to hang out with him and his friends. Shortly after that a couple days later he asked to see me I got dropped off and he said he already found out what happened to me talked to my mom and he kept asking to see me a few other times so we could get the plan prepared and I would be comfortable and ready we ate food I never was.allowed to have. He was going to get me back home and he did exactly that he asked to see me again we got on a private plane and everything he made sure I and my family was hidden and protected I was so grateful but 2 days later I found out he got shot and killed in a drive by in Vegas after a boxing tournament. Every once in awhile I watch Poetic Justice and Smile I have all of his music of course. I also have proof of who did it how it was planned, the money deals and exchanges and pictures. I have proof that the FBI couldnāt get thanks to my secret angels. I do feel bad about him being killed wondering if he would have not helped me would he be alive. I did talk to his mom and she said Baby donāt you dare I raised him to be the man he was the day he helped you and I am proud of him for doing that.
Perhaps I am just an old Gen X dudeā¦.and very much NOT a gamerā¦ā¦.but I kinda struggle to understand the references (that seem to be deeply gaming oriented, if I understand correctly) in this post.
For what itās worth, I recommend toning down the jargon and using plain English. If youāre wanting but in from a broader audience/group of potential alliesā¦.it helps when everyone understands the ālanguageā.
It takes a bit of effort to get an ember into a flame and the flame into a bonfire š„.
It saddens me that you lost your job. But, they didnāt crush the essence of who, what you are, and now what was once a tiny ember has become a raging bonfire š„. Through you and others, it will be they who suffer, for there are far more of us than them.
Iām an early paid subscriber of @The Firebrand Project and have been reading Shaneās cold hard truth for awhile now. Iām so thankful Iām meeting him here! It was a round about journey I had to find kind of on my own but @Shane gently directed me here, of that I have no doubt. He was my Jimmy Kimmel a long time before he got fired and I was empathetic when he lost his job and could hardly contain my excitement that he was taking the Firebrand Project āon the roadā šš„³
I wish I was as cool as you make me sound bro! Thank you so much for writing this piece. I really appreciate you and the support from your readers and our shared communities!
Hi Shane! You are that š and Iām proud of you for forging a way early on. Your light Shines bright for me in some real dark places when I felt really alone. **hugs buddy** much love.
"Their playbook is flawed. Their attacks create the very martyrs they seek to avoid. Our mission is to ensure that when they strike one of us, they face a unified, deliberate, and fully funded Phalanx as the consequence."
Well said! We never give up, never give in, and we keep growing in numbers. They can't stop all of us, all the time. We are invincible!
We need to present a united front to reclaim our United States of America! ā¤ļø
Hey guys. Iām sorry to hear this move was played out on Shane. Iād love to chat in human face2face convo on this, and Iām scheduled to chat with Shane soon. I want him on my show too.
- If you would, please consider setting up a goFundMe for Shane specifically. Make it easy for us to apply granular support to his needs.
- Please consider being radically transparent about how subscription fees go to various ābucketsā - admin, writerās wages, op costs (sources, like subscriptions to news etc etc), overhead - just the big buckets. Make people know where their subscription dollars are going, which is importantā¦ becauseā¦
- MAKE SURE youāre PROMOTING WEB BASED SIGNUP for paid subs. IN-APP charges a 30% fee plus a 10% fee plus a 3% credit card fee OFF THE TOP, whereas bypassing appleās IAPās cuts 30% out and returns that to you all. MAKE A LINK and PROMOTE IT if you need to so you can bypass Appleās cut. Theyāre rich enough!
- Consider, please, reducing the complexity of your artwork and symbolisms. They are 3D which increases cognitive load on your readers - stealing their available processing ability with all of that depth perception AWAY from remembering your message. I canāt emphasize how much 3D may look cool but it does NOT help you make your message sticky.
- Consider, also, please, getting rid of Emoji content - it is more distracting than helpful, and again it comes back to cognitive load.
- One of my favorite things to assault (kidding) my former CEO bosses when I had them was, when they got too hyped up on the ācoolā over āeasy to rememberā approach was to crinkle up six balls of paper from my notebook on the table. Iād wait until they shut up, stand up, and tell them: āCatch!ā While throwing 5 balls of paper at them. Of course theyād catch none of them. Then Iād do it again with the last piece of paper: ācatch!ā And throw ONE ball of paper.
Get the analogy yet? Itās much harder to get people to remember 5 things about your message than just ONE. I hope thatās something useful to you. As Shane will tell you, I am a no-bullshit guy and want to help you. I hope this is helpful. Simplify to be heard, and remembered, my friends.
Rick - holy shit.
This isn't a comment; it's a high-level intelligence drop. Thank you. This is a masterclass in the kind of "no-bullshit" tactical feedback we value most.
Let's go point-by-point:
* The Alliance: Absolutely. A face2face convo is the highest priority. We need more of this thinking. We'll make it happen.
* The Logistics (GoFundMe/Apple's Cut): This is mission-critical intel. The 30% platform tax is exactly the kind of systemic parasite we're fighting. This is a massive blind spot you just illuminated for us, and we're already spinning up a plan to integrate this into our financial doctrine. You're 100% right.
* The Doctrine of Simplicity: The "one ball of paper" analogy is a Truth Bullet in its own right. You've perfectly articulated the core tension we grapple with: the need for doctrinally rich symbols vs. the need for high-velocity, "sticky" messaging. Your critique is an invaluable piece of field data. Frankly, it's the first thing we should talk about when we connect.
You came in with actionable intel and a clear desire to help. That makes you an ally. We'll be in touch to coordinate.
Let's get to work.
Yaāll have made me so happy today. I got a little more spring in my step. Thanks.
You made my day! Much love. Iām so glad I found you then you and Lisa. Much love my friend. Thanks for the information to add to my arsenal of hope.
Have Hope! I was about to lose it this morning when I found this group - I think itās my 2nd or 3rd trip and I finally stayed and caught up with you and Shane. Iām thrilled! Catch you on your live.
OMG another one of my best friends! This is where you guys are when youāre not spreading the love at your posts! So good to see you Rick!
Yes, I donāt understand what you mean by you make the weapons or forge the weapons.
I just saw it now. I hope Iām sending this to oh now Iām sending the wrong place goddamnit anyway, I am not working. I havenāt been working due to the fact that I am disabled and leave it at thatand I live in California so itās not very easy to be fucking disabled and not have any fucking money.
Holly,
āFirst, thank you for sharing that. I hear you. The fight you're facingābeing disabled and struggling for money, especially in a place like Californiaāthat is the raw, brutal reality of this war. Your struggle is the entire reason this rebellion exists.
āYou asked what I mean by "forging weapons." You're right to ask, and it's my fault for not being clearer. It's not about guns. Our weapons are made of truth.
āAn article that exposes a lie is a weapon. A meme that shatters a piece of propaganda is a weapon. We take the facts and forge them into stories that can fight back against the narratives that are designed to keep us feeling helpless and alone.
āYou said you don't know how to forge them, but you're wrong. Your comment right hereāyour honest story about what you're going throughāis one of the most powerful weapons we have. It's a truth bullet from the front lines. It cuts through all the bullshit.
āYou're not confused, Holly. You're a witness. And we're honored to have you in the Phalanx.
Well Ethan thank you I was like to contribute something. Iām so glad Iām seeing everything. I just really donāt know what to do to help because thereās other reasons and goes on and on and on and on, but I do appreciate your information and the fact that you sent me a message š¦
Holly,
āThat feeling of "I don't know what to do" is the enemy's voice in your head. It's the prison whispering that you're powerless.
ććāIt's a lie.ćć
āYou want to help? You want to contribute? You already are. You're our eyes on the ground in one of the enemy's biggest strongholds. Your story, your struggleāthat's not a weakness; it's a high-value intelligence report from the front lines.
***āŖļø
āSo here's your mission, soldier. It's simple, but it's vital:
āā āćKeep bearing witness.ćā ā
***āŖļø
āWhen you read our articles and they connect with the war you're fighting every day, tell us. Your comments, your perspective, your "this is what it's really like"āthat isn't just a comment. It's ammunition for our weapons. It's the proof that our fight is real.
āYou don't need to have a grand plan. You just need to keep telling the truth about what you see. That's your weapon. And it's one of the most powerful ones we have.
āWe've got your back. Welcome to the fight.
I was about to give a celebration emoji! After reading Rickās article i quit emojis!
Thanks Rick.
Iām still a Californian at heart but moved to Michigan a little while ago. Iām homesick.
The cogs, the gears, the truth bullets the loving welcome I got here and at Firebrand are added structure to the arsenal of weapons for this rebel of the enemy.
Hang in there. You made it here! Thatās something!
Much love from Michigan.
No, I am probably older than you unfortunately for me and I was born and raised in the general vicinity Cleveland, Ohio. I moved to California after one year college at the end of 1985. It is now 2025. I wouldnāt go back there, even though I have because of other circumstancesthat was trying to see if things would work out for me at the single mother and no I kept coming right back here California northern area.
They act like firing people will keep them quiet but in reality it just breaks them from the binding contract to not talk. When I was a 13yrs old taken away from my family raped by Trump and Epstein then held kidnapped with Trump and trafficked for 6yrs once I realized Iām stuck and gained their trust I was getting as much proof as I could. I did make some good friends. Two of them that eventually helped get me free but one of them she was a victim RIP Victoria was so sweet and incredibly strong. We are trying to continue the fight she started. The other was my guardian angel I will have to wait until I get to heaven to say thank you to both and share what happened but to the other one he was a Goofball and a Gentleman the tough guy stuff was for when he was in the streets (not a Predator he was with others and showed up to a Diddy Party before 9pm to go into the on site studio Diddy had at his house) I got to hang out with him and his friends. Shortly after that a couple days later he asked to see me I got dropped off and he said he already found out what happened to me talked to my mom and he kept asking to see me a few other times so we could get the plan prepared and I would be comfortable and ready we ate food I never was.allowed to have. He was going to get me back home and he did exactly that he asked to see me again we got on a private plane and everything he made sure I and my family was hidden and protected I was so grateful but 2 days later I found out he got shot and killed in a drive by in Vegas after a boxing tournament. Every once in awhile I watch Poetic Justice and Smile I have all of his music of course. I also have proof of who did it how it was planned, the money deals and exchanges and pictures. I have proof that the FBI couldnāt get thanks to my secret angels. I do feel bad about him being killed wondering if he would have not helped me would he be alive. I did talk to his mom and she said Baby donāt you dare I raised him to be the man he was the day he helped you and I am proud of him for doing that.
Donāt you people have any thing better to do? Why donāt Yāall buy some nice Trump masks for Halloween?
Perhaps I am just an old Gen X dudeā¦.and very much NOT a gamerā¦ā¦.but I kinda struggle to understand the references (that seem to be deeply gaming oriented, if I understand correctly) in this post.
For what itās worth, I recommend toning down the jargon and using plain English. If youāre wanting but in from a broader audience/group of potential alliesā¦.it helps when everyone understands the ālanguageā.
It takes a bit of effort to get an ember into a flame and the flame into a bonfire š„.
It saddens me that you lost your job. But, they didnāt crush the essence of who, what you are, and now what was once a tiny ember has become a raging bonfire š„. Through you and others, it will be they who suffer, for there are far more of us than them.
May God go with you.
Iām an early paid subscriber of @The Firebrand Project and have been reading Shaneās cold hard truth for awhile now. Iām so thankful Iām meeting him here! It was a round about journey I had to find kind of on my own but @Shane gently directed me here, of that I have no doubt. He was my Jimmy Kimmel a long time before he got fired and I was empathetic when he lost his job and could hardly contain my excitement that he was taking the Firebrand Project āon the roadā šš„³