Random Thoughts

If you have some ideas for possible submissions to the site but can’t seem to stretch any of them out to a full length treatment, you can always swipe a page from Thomas Sowell’s playbook and write a “Random Thoughts” article.

You can make one of your random thoughts be about writing a “Random Thoughts” article

Self-referential jokes are the puns of the 21 century.

We’ve all learned a lot from Marshal Dillon but Captain Marvel also has a lot to teach us, Not the nerd-triggering woke female Captain Marvel but the Old Timey Republic Series Captain Marvel.

That Captain Marvel’s go to move when fighting henchmen was to toss them off things… bridges, cliffs, 5 story parking garages, etc… Yes these were bad guys and they were trying to kill him, but he is invincible, is certain death the proper punishment? It brings to mind the discussion once linked to or brought up here about how many times do you let an infant hit you before you defend yourself.

I have no idea why people complain about the content of either the posts or the comments on this site, do they not have a mouse with a scroll button?

Things I hate about this site-

A.Ā  People linking to one asshole and claiming that “they” are speaking for “x”, I’m tempted to bring back my ‘Name Seven’ schtick. One asshole is not “them”, or ‘The Democrats’ , or ‘the progs’, or ‘the commies’. I challenge all of you to go a week without using “They” or “The – (generic name for people you disagree with)” or “These are the same people who…”

B. Speaking of commies, quit calling everyone you disagree with a Commie ratfucker, “they” (see above) have stripped the terms ‘Racist’ and ‘Nazi’ of all meaning through overuse, you’re doing the same for ‘Commie’. When everyone is a Commie no one is.

Pointing out Hypocrisy is the laziest form of political discourse

Even with listening to a different SiriusXM music station each day of the week I’m getting tired of hearing the same shit over and over. Some stations (LSUG, and Outlaw Country!) do add new music fairly often but most still rely on the same playlists, over and over and over and over again. We need pirate radio, and we need it now!

Every time I encounter one of those “You Are Going This Fast” signs, I am ashamed if my speed is displayed in green with the “Thank You” message underneath, I will speed up until I am breaking the law. Red numbers and “Slow Down” is how I roll, I am a rebel!

About The Author

The Hyperbole

The Hyperbole

The Hyperbole can beat any of you chumps at Earthshaker! the greatest pinball machine of all time.

273 Comments

  1. pistoffnick

    I don’t get Howard Stern’s appeal.

    I don’t understand why car commercials on the radio are so annoying.

    Why does my local power company (which has a monopoly) advertise?

    I do nut understand radio station morning shows. They are rarely funny. Play some damn music, preferably upbeat music, so I can get my dragging ass to work.

    Listen, Hyperbole, you Commie ratfucker…

  2. This Machine

    Even with listening to a different SiriusXM music station each day of the week Iā€™m getting tired of hearing the same shit over and over.

    I feel like this is true everywhere, even on those internet radio sites like Spotify, etc. It doesn’t matter that they have an entire genre to work with from infinity past to now, they still have the same few dozen tunes that get rotated through.

    • rhywun

      My own music library is broad enough to hold my interest as long as I add something new every once in while; I don’t need or want someone else pick my music for me.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Qobuz does a pretty good job of compilations and the sound quality is excellent. Unfortunately, their family sharing plan is expensive compared to the others.

      • CatchTheCarp

        I bought a 1 year Tidal Hi-Fi subscription at the start of the year. I love it, audio is CD quality or better and there are tons of genre’s and artist catalogs to explore. I haven’t tried Qobuz yet but plan on trying it soon.

      • R.J.

        Apple Music has playlists that are maintained by individuals, some of whom do radical updates weekly. Just avoid the playlists curated by Apple.

      • Tundra

        Our pal egould is a fucking musical encyclopedia and has assembled the best playlist I’ve ever heard.

        <a href="http://” target=”_blank” >Jangle Noise

        It’s like ten hours of awesome. Highly recommended!

      • rhywun

        Can confirm there is lots of good stuff there.

        I don’t have Spotify, though. ?ā€ā™‚ļø

  3. The Hyperbole

    IT seems I broke the site with my erudite observations, also I forgot link a musical suggestion, Since he passed away earlier this year to little or no fanfare I suggest you all look up Michael Stanley (Band) , Cleveland Ohio’s answer to The Boss or South Side Johnny or J Geils Band. “Midwest Midnight” or “Lets get the shown on the road” are good intros to his music if you aren’t familiar with it.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      My musical suggestion

      (because I like everyone to feel like puny, insignificant, unaccomplished losers)

      https://youtu.be/aMjmjXHJoPg

      • Chafed

        Sure he’s fantastic but it isn’t fun without David Lee Roth.

      • Mojeaux

        I like everyone to feel like puny, insignificant, unaccomplished losers

        Mission accomplished.

      • Mojeaux

        Actually, that’s got a very Pat Metheny vibe to it.

      • Gender Traitor

        (Pssssst! If I haven’t already told you, remind me some time to tell you TT’s Pat Metheny story. Or maybe I should sweet talk him into writing it up to post here…)

      • Mojeaux

        Do it! I love Pat Metheny. Not a fangirl, but I dig it.

  4. westernsloper

    Speaking of commies, quit calling everyone you disagree with a Commie ratfucker,

    But everybody I disagree with is a commie ratfucker ya ca commie ratfucker!

    • DEG

      But everybody I disagree with is a commie ratfucker ya ca commie ratfucker!

      I know, right?

    • Mad Scientist

      Some of them fuck sheep. Allegedly.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      I have no idea whatā€™s going on there you commie ratfucker.

      • rhywun

        I think I know. *sniff*

      • Mojeaux

        Better get that nose looked at.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Ohhhhā€¦..

        I must be middle aged or something shitty like that

    • westernsloper

      Way better than a nipple piercing!

    • This Machine

      Coke off the tits. Much classier than coke off the ass.

    • J. Frank Parnell

      parmesan_046.jpg from Hunter Biden’s laptop?

  5. westernsloper

    So you stole JATNAS’s whole schtick and turned into a post. Meh, works for me. Good work Hype. Needs moar links though.

  6. Mojeaux

    quit calling everyone you disagree with a Commie ratfucker

    Mr Mojeaux says to stop disagreeing with Commie ratfuckers.

    • pistoffnick

      NEVER!

      • westernsloper

        I’m with Nick on this one.

      • pistoffnick

        WOLVERINES!

      • westernsloper

        Legit LOL.

  7. zwak

    Musically, I have been all over the place; instrumental metal, throughback soul, gothic folk have all been added to the mix.

    And in the vein of your dislike of calling everyone some sort of commie, I really dislike it when someone is called a conman or something like that. You see, my great-grandfather Burt was an actual conman. He would sell property in AZ that he had taken pains to look like it was gold-rich by using a muzzleloading shotgun filled with gold dust in strategic locations. Kind of a piece of work, my great grandmother divorced him in the ’30s, causing my grandfather to drop out of Standford to help support the family. But, my point is people throw the term around when they simply dislike the motives behind a person, but wont take the time to understand them. These are not hard to figure out generally, and if you dislike them so much, it makes them easier to counter. So stop with the laziness.

    Anyway, here is some music
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ9TTN_FMh0

    • zwak

      Throwback.

      Sigh.

    • westernsloper

      Nice. I would be down with that in certain moods. Now I am more into this.

    • Old Man With Candy

      Musically, I’m consistent. Everybody hates the shit I put up. Fuck ’em.

  8. westernsloper

    Pointing out Hypocrisy is the laziest form of political discourse

    This I am going to seriously disagree with especially given the past years complete insanity of unconstitutional tyrannical actions toward the populace that said tyrants did not abide by themselves. Pointing out such hypocrisy may be a factor in the recall going for the tyrant that rules the state of CA.

    • Don Escaped Texas

      I thought it was kinda meta * ducks and runs *

      Seriously, I agree that pointing out stupid shit doesn’t take much talent, but, even in our shitty times, it’s not a bad thing to point out when principle has been conveniently abandoned. I’m still on the hook to make my point and shoot down someone’s bad argument in the first place, but, in the second case, “you’re clearly an unprincipled hack” has never more been in style.

    • Hank

      If, hypothetically of course, some political faction should attempt to seize, then hold on to power, by pretending to be morally superior, challenging that particular frame is essential.

      Not every instance of hypocrisy is pounce-worthy, but in the above context it helps define the adversary.

  9. Fourscore

    Slightly off thread

    This article attempts to explain Minnesoda politics. While it may be accurate for the larger metro areas it completely misses the voting patterns of the other 75 counties.
    Flyover MNsoda has the same Scandinavian-German origins but yet is gun-totin’ conservatives or at least right voting folks.

    https://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/blog/explaining-minnesota-s-radical-political-nature/

    • Fourscore

      The gov, Atty gen and mayor of Mpls are carpet baggers, brought their bizarre ideas with them

    • pistoffnick

      Yeah, there is a VERY pronounced metro/rural divide in Minnesota.

      I need to move to the country. Eat a lot of peaches.

      • limey

        ????????????????
        ????????????????????????????????

      • Tundra

        You need to link.

        Peaches.

      • Tundra

        You’ve been on a roll lately, zwak.

        10/10

      • Tundra

        This rolled up next:

        Grip.

        So, so good.

      • zwak

        Oooh, I hadn’t heard that concert before, nice to get JJ’s ripping bassline again, and seeing the crowd is awesome.

      • rhywun

        I only know a couple Stranglers songs but I love that one so much.

      • l0b0t

        Toiler On The Sea was the very first Stranglers song I heard, and it had me hooked for life.

    • zwak

      I think there are a lot of states with the same problem. One city/county is super liberal and while it would normally be balanced out by the rest of the state, lately they have had a run of things. Oregon, Washington and Nevada all come to mind here in the west.

    • Tundra

      Yeah, it’s kind of garbage. The Range was always union fuckos, but no way would they align with the new left.

      • Fourscore

        Even the ranges are changing, when the oldest generation, the last of the mining folks,, is gone the only unions left will be teachers’ and government.

        I’m one of the few left that actually worked in a mine. I think the younger people here don’t have the union mentality, having not grown up with it.

      • Tundra

        I always struggle trying to explain our weird state.

  10. KSuellington

    ā€œEven with listening to a different SiriusXM music station each day of the week Iā€™m getting tired of hearing the same shit over and over. Some stations (LSUG, and Outlaw Country!) do add new music fairly often but most still rely on the same playlists, over and over and over.ā€

    I know Iā€™ve mentioned them a dozen times here, but check out somafm. They have a couple dozen stations you can stream for completely free with zero commercials. The genres range from Metal to Celtic to reggae with rotating special channels. Itā€™s all donation based. I love their soul station, Secret Agent and Groove Salad, but I go through a few of the others sometimes too. I slip them 50 bucks a year for being frigging awesome, but itā€™s all voluntary.

    Somafm.com

    • J. Frank Parnell

      Seconded. I listen to Secret Agent, Deep Space One, and DefCon Radio all the time.

    • EvilSheldon

      Obviously a gentleman of taste and refinement. I’ve been a fan of SomaFM for probably twenty years now.

    • KSuellington

      Right on guys. Iā€™ve been digging it for fifteen years now. Itā€™s introduced me to tons of great music.

    • The Hyperbole

      Cool, thanks I’ll check it out.

  11. Tundra

    When everyone is a Commie no one is.

    True.

    But fascism is ascendent, so who gives a flying fuck about communism?

  12. blackjack

    Am I the only one who read this in Andy Rooney’s voice?

    “I’ve often wondered…”

    “And another thing”

    “Why is it that …”

    • slumbrew

      I just searched ‘Andy’ to find this comment.

      Thank you for enacting my labor.

      I will forevermore mentally read Hype’s comments in Rooney’s voice. Fitting, really.

      • Fatty Bolger

        I will forevermore mentally read Hypeā€™s comments in Rooneyā€™s voice.

        Same

    • Fatty Bolger

      Nope, same here, and was just going to say that. lmao

  13. Tulip

    Paging Deadhead: have you ever wanted to do the four deserts grand slam? I’m watching a documentary about it.

  14. westernsloper

    Thanks for the post Hype. On a checking out note, the new pizza oven arrived today. I have gone through the “before you use your oven” steps and have a mess of dough in cold rise/ferment mode in the fridge with the only real good advice The Hyperbole has ever given. Sesame oil in the dough. The oven may make a Zoom appearance tomorrow as pizza needs to be made. The first pizza will be sausage and onion since I am on a mission to remake the 2 AM drunk AF by the slice joints pie I knew and loved in Key West FL back in the day. I was young then and not near as bitter so my whole soul may have changed. I am not sure I can re-create it.

    • Tulip

      Yes! Please show the pizza oven on the zoom! TresCool will be so jealous, as will the rest of us.

  15. kinnath

    I have been watching way too much of This Guy.

    Now I have to build a resonator guitar from scratch.

    I think I have most, if not all, the wood working equipment in the garage.

  16. hoof_in_mouth

    Michael Greer, former archdruid and all-around prickly and interesting guy has a (long) and timely essay on managing the communication commons using courtesy, allowing the informative parts and excluding disruptive performative parts as a way of maintaining them. Smart guy.

    • hoof_in_mouth

      My rule of thumb is that as soon as I see the word commie, libtard, nazi, rethuglican, democrap, or similar thought-stoppers (anywhere, itā€™s not much of an issue here) directed at someone I stop reading and jump to the next thread.

      • Tulip

        Yes, me too.

      • tripacer

        I’m partial to pinko myself. I’m trying to help it make a comeback.

  17. mexican sharpshooter

    When everyone is a Commie no one is.

    Well…I guess weā€™re all communist rat fuckers, now.

    • Mojeaux

      That is beautiful.

    • slumbrew

      I, too, have been listening for years and years. Groove Salad is my working music.

      I slide them money every year, for sure.

      • slumbrew

        *Le sigh*

        This was supposed to be a SomaFM comment.

        My comment for _this_ was that I was expecting this. Which I believe I first saw from a Mojo link.

      • Mojeaux

        Yes indeedie, that is one of my favorites of all time.

      • Chafed

        Which one is Nikki Sixx?

      • Mojeaux

        Not the thicc one in the back.

      • Chafed

        That’s Vince Neil.

      • Mojeaux

        If he’d only done more heroin…

      • KSuellington

        Right on Slum. Long live Rusty!

      • slumbrew

        I have Groove Salad to thank for my comment on youtube(?):

        ‘I keep running into some downtempo act and think “I love this – oh, it’s another Steve Cobby project”‘

        which got a response from Steve Cobby

        *squeees like a fangirl*

      • KSuellington

        Heheh, I love that stuff too. Tosca and K&D are probably my favorites of the more downtempo stuff. Suzuki and J.A.C are both incredible albums.

      • slumbrew

        This is great:

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf6vrmcMzJE

        Some of the old comments are gone, but someone was asserting “it’s Harvey Fierstein” or something.

        Someone else points out it’s Neil Postman and Cobby chimes in: “It’s Neil… The reason I’m so sure is due to the fact that I wrote the tune.”

        Re: downtempo:

        Love K&D – this is the tune that started my multi-year obsession with downtempo. ‘Sessions’ is just an amazing album.

        I like Tosca a lot more than Peace Orchestra, so apparently I’m a Dorfmeister guy.

        dZihan & Kamien are great too, if you’ve not given them a listen. I think a few tunes pop up on Groove Salad. Stiff Jazz is a jam.

      • Mojeaux

        I’ve linked Thievery Corporation before, their Saudade album.

        Please do not let me know what their stupid politics are.

      • KSuellington

        Yup, we definitely like some of the same deep shit. Also more of a Dorfmeister guy than the Kruder solo stuff. If you want a good uptempo show from him check out Groovement, a live show he did in Vienna thatā€™s great. Also this live one from K&D is some super stuff. I lived in the Dam for several years and it gives me nostalgia for there.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcRURpj0nyU

        Thievery is also great, I love so many tracks from them. The one they did with the Flaming Lips is terrific.

      • slumbrew

        The Thievery / Flaming Lips track is fantastic.

        Thanks for the live link – that’ll be music for the next work-day (Monday – we got a ‘wellness day’ tomorrow – woo!)

  18. Yusef drives a Kia

    I need help here, why does the Sun come up at 6 and it’s still daylight at 9? and it’s only May? I get Latitude but jeez, Long days, at least they get good after Work,
    /Manistee Disc Golf!

    • commodious spittoon

      Global warming.

    • R C Dean

      Wait a month or two. Not quite ā€œmidnight sunā€, but closeish.

  19. R C Dean

    ā€œEvery time I encounter one of those ā€œYou Are Going This Fastā€ signā€

    I want to put a sign next to it that says ā€œHigh Scoreā€, and below that put ā€œ48ā€ crossed out, and below that ā€œ52ā€ (or whatever speeds seem inappropriate but plausible).

    • Sensei

      They are usually not great quality so if you keep accelerating it will never lock and display a speed.

  20. Don Escaped Texas

    I just tagged my dead vaccine article from this morning thus: “I hate that I missed this real-time, but thanks for the interest. I find the commentary excellent and the tangents tasty. Normally you like to be around when your article drops, but this got scheduled for 11 on a school day, so I had the Rufus problem.”

    I really enjoyed following up and showing a buddy over a beer.

    • Sensei

      Our non US based Glibs have similar issues.

      NJ wanted nothing but my insurance so they could bill it. Otherwise you could claim uninsured and the state just eats it. I had no issue using my insurance.

      • rhywun

        Huh – I thought it was just “free”, like anyone walks in and gets one.

      • rhywun

        I mean without questions.

      • Sensei

        You can, but if insured they want to bill for services if it is covered.

      • Sensei

        My favorite is the Tesla forums where all the green progs scream bloody murder in states that have high registration and annual fees for electrics because they pay no gasoline taxes which are the means those states fund road maintenance.

        Look man Iā€™m driving a $50k car and saving the planet. Iā€™m not spending $300 to $500 on registration.

  21. trshmnstr the terrible

    Watching Empire Strikes Back, and the 4 year old has questions. Questions like “did the silly gorilla kill that black guy?” ?

    • OBJ FRANKELSON

      That, there is proper child care.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      Uhhhhā€¦. nope

      (to the rhetorical question)

      • blackjack

        Sorry, but this the quintessential Judge Nap song! It actually not horrible.

      • blackjack

        And, I know. It’s fucking Creed. Keep your shirt on.

  22. OBJ FRANKELSON

    I don’t know I think we do a pretty good job distinguishing between the wild eyed commies vs. the dead-eyed establishment parts of the left.

  23. UnCivilServant

    Apparently it is possible to have too much bacon on hand.

    I have a whole brick of uncook bacon that just reached its use by date without having been opened yet.

    So now I’m just cooking it all. It’s still good, but I also found a $12 steak that failed the sniff test and had to be thrown out.

    A wonderfully poor way to end a wonderfully poor day.

    • OBJ FRANKELSON

      Use by dates are a guideline.

      • UnCivilServant

        The rate at which I was going through my bacon meant that I had to do something else a lot of the brick would end up in the trash.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        It wouldn’t have gone to waste if it made it to the trash can.

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        Wait… you don’t smoke it in the ceiling of your longhouse?

    • Fourscore

      The Missus pulled out some 11 year old horseradish yesterday, unopened. I told her “Pitch it out”. She was reluctant but reminded her that getting sick trying to save a few pennies. If it looks bad, smells bad, it is bad.

      Good decision on the steak ,UCS. Bacon probably would have been good for awhile but you cooked it and rescued it anyway. Now don’t forget to eat it.

      Here the critters will eat that old stuff and dig through the rest of the garbage.

    • zwak

      I always forget how much good stuff is on that soundtrack. Concrete Blonds Everybody Knows is drop dead.

      • Mojeaux

        I love that movie.

      • rhywun

        I haven’t seen it in forever but I remember finding it both silly and enjoyable.

        It’s very of its time.

    • PudPaisley

      Ivan’s still kicking out some good music with Dumpstaphunk. I seen them live about 10 years ago and they were a rollicking good time.

      Here’s a good upbeat song from their new album.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh1m3g_tFek

  24. LJW

    I’ve been reading up on the “first” battle of World War I. Battle of Alsace and Lorraine. It’s told from German perspective taken literally from war archives. The Bavarians are meticulous record keepers. It follows every unit step by step throughout the whole battle. I was able to pull up google maps and pinpoint each event along with machine gun and artillery placements. The French haven’t done much with the infrastructure since the war, all the roads still match the battle maps. I thought about doing a walk-through write up but I don’t have the time.

    • Fourscore

      I was stationed in Germany in ’57, near the French border. The remnants of the Maginot Line were still visible. I wanted to explore, for the historical connection, but they were heavily secured with barbed wire and signs that even I could read. It was weird, seeing the war relics that still there, things I’d read about but never understood (the War).

    • blackjack

      My grandfather on my dad’s side was a big shot Lt. in WW2. He went to Normandy, but after the invasion. His job was to oversee the rebuilding of the bridges that were blown up. He told me that the townspeople would tell him how organized the Krauts were and the kept immaculate records. Everything was carefully sorted and organized. The Americans were haphazard and chaotic. But, the Germans took 9 months to build the bridge and the Americans did it in two weeks.

      • rhywun

        the Germans took 9 months to build the bridge

        We’re all Germans now.

      • Fourscore

        Need some environmental impact statements, Corps of Engineers studies , economic impact statements and lots of law suits

      • db

        yep

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        My maternal Grandfather was a pre-med student before the war so he ended up in a field hospital as a Surgical Orderly in France. He wanted nothing to do with medicine when he got back stateside. He went into house building with his brother afterwards.

      • PudPaisley

        Julius Caesar built two bridges across the Rhine, the first in about 10 days and the second in “a couple days”. Supposedly they were 500-1,000 feet long and 10-15 or so feet wide, with the river as deep as 30 feet.

        Both times he brought his 40,000 troops across, burned and ransacked some villages, then crossed back over after a couple weeks and destroyed the bridges. He just wanted to let the Kraut tribes know who was boss and that he could come after them any time, river be damned.

    • OBJ FRANKELSON

      I did a tour of Verdun. Very sobering. The ossuaries made one hell of an impression.

      • KSuellington

        Yes, it is. I worked on a house in Verdun for my Dutch boss. Itā€™s like WWI was recent there, is spooky as hell.

  25. J. Frank Parnell

    re: SiriusXM: I mostly listen to Ozzy’s Boneyard, and it has made me realize that i really hate Ozzy’s solo stuff. Whenever some Ozzy song comes on I immediately start cycling through Liquid Metal / Turbo / First Wave in the hopes of finding something better.

    Also, if people I disagree with don’t want to be called commie ratfuckers, maybe they should try not being communists and/or not fucking rats.

    • Hyperion

      SiriusXM is a fucking big ripoff if you don’t drive all the time. I have it because my wife wanted it. It was like $10 a month or something. Just saw on my bank statement that it’s $35. Fuck that shit, I’ll just flip the FM seek on the steering wheel, like in the old days.

      People I disagree with are commie ratfuckers and luddites. Nothing worse than that combination.

      Brings back memories from a long time ago when I first discovered on the intertoobz that I might be a libertarian. So I wound up on some blog (pre-TOS) and a guy on there says ‘I don’t like libertarians because they call me a sheep’. So someone responds and says ‘Then stop being a fucking sheep!’. LOL, was right there I knew I must be one of those libertarians.

    • Chafed

      My avatar disagrees.

    • db

      nice. Anyone have enough ammo to fill it?

    • OBJ FRANKELSON

      I wonder if you have to get a BFA tax stamp for that?

      Nobody tells David Hogg that this exsists. I’d to refrain from telling Biden, but, well, you know.

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        *NFA

      • db

        Probably not. The definition of a machinegun under NFA requires that more than one shot is fired per single manipulation of the trigger. For “Gatling” style guns, as long as the crank only fires one shot per full revolution, it’s not considered a machinegun. “real” Gatling guns will be geared differently to allow multiple shots per revolution.

  26. J. Frank Parnell

    https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1390415034443091975

    Justin Amash
    @justinamash
    Thanks so much to @AOC for speaking with my students at @UChiPolitics! She graciously answered every question and went into overtime with them. Libertarians and progressives can be great allies in the causes of decentralization and better governance.

    whut

      • Gustave Lytton

        Better dead than redHyperbole.

        (Couldn’t resist)

    • Hank

      Consider the possibilities:

      -He knows something others don’t

      -He’s a moron

      -He’s yanking our chain

      I’d commend him for having students reach beyond their comfort zone to experience divergent perspectives, but really, I think the students were already exposed to the wisdom of socialism.

    • Hank

      Consider the possibilities:

      -He knows something others don’t

      -He’s a moron

      -He’s yanking our chain

      I’d commend him for having students reach beyond their comfort zone to experience divergent perspectives, but really, I think the students were already exposed to the wisdom of socialism.

      • slumbrew

        – He’s morphed into a straight-up grifter who will do anything to stay in the public eye

        “progressives” and “decentralization” have absolutely zero in common.

    • Gustave Lytton

      Yeah, progs are all for decentralizing government. And making it everywhere.

    • Winston

      causes of decentralization and better governance.

      How exactly do they advocate decentralization? Beyond opposing central governments when being run by Republicans and “neoliberals” that is.

      And better governance means TOP MEN

    • rhywun

      I always thought he was some sort of pod-person.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      Iā€™m not a fan of Amash but…she spoke to his students, answered questions, and even though he disagrees with most of what sheā€™s saying he gives her props for doing so. Maybe heā€™s a bit naive with his overly effusive praise (or maybe heā€™s just full of shit) but, on the surface, good on them both.

      • slumbrew

        Yes…. but:

        “Libertarians and progressives can be great allies in the causes of decentralization…”

        Does not compute – what cause do progressive lobby for decentralization? “Moar government!” is their answer to everything.

      • Q Continuum

        No kidding. Either Amash is just fundamentally ignorant (which I don’t believe), he’s fucking with everyone (possible I suppose) or he’s just been lying about his libertarian bona fides all this time and OMB drove him around the bend (most likely).

      • Stinky Wizzleteats

        Even thatā€™s defendable if taken on face value but, well damn, he sounds like either a sellout or a sucker.

    • EvilSheldon

      The really sad thing is that Amash probably really believes that a meeting of the minds is possible between libertarianism and progressivism.

    • rhywun

      The government shuts down your livelihood and you have to apply for a favor from them.

      Sickening.

    • Chafed

      JFC I forgot about that. Do better Oregon.

  27. Winston

    https://mobile.twitter.com/jeffreyatucker/status/1390496893550145539


    Jeffrey A Tucker
    @jeffreyatucker
    The idea of “human rights,” as we used to call them, is that they are baked into the culture and self enforcing. Not true now. They require courts and courts require $. It’s even worse: we’ve gone 14 months during which time “human rights” haven’t even received a hearing.

    He’s right. That’s why letting the left win the Culture War was a terrible idea since culture does matter and a culture where no one believes in inalienable won’t defend them.

    How many libertarian arguments take this attitude? Innovism, dynamism, trade, urbanism, the singularity, the internwt of thinga, teh Yutes, weed, Mexicans and Ass-Sex all seem predicated on the notion that History and Progress are on our side so no need to worry if there is an actual culture of liberty being produced.

    And of course what is the culture of liberty exactly and how does one protect it exactly? The Public Schools and the universities were supposed to do that yet they failed.

    • Winston

      For example weed, Mexicans and Ass-Sex. Back in the 1960s and 70s the libertarians didn’t like the socons and the socons didn’t like those three things so that made it seem like legalizing those things would make things libertarian. The idea that someone would support those three things and support tyranny in other areas seemed impossible back then to libertarians yet that is exactly what is happening in Canada.

      And as for free trade, urbanization and consumerism back in the 18th and 19th centuries reactionary aristocrats and priests attacked those three things so supporting them seemed like an inherently liberal things there is no way an urbanite who buys goods from China would support tyranny, right?

    • Winston

      We need to get rid of old traditions, customs and social norms yet retain the old ones we like such inalienable rights. How is that supposed to work?

      What if we people decide that inalienable rights are some outdated old idea created by a bunch of racist genocidal slaveowning cishet white men? That won’t happen…

      • Q Continuum

        I see your point but what’s always missing from your posts is some kind of solution. You’re very good at identifying problems, but you never propose any kind of alternative. Is it prog-esque domination of culture but with libertarian values? Who decides those values? Is it limitation of the franchise? Or are you just taking a nihilistic approach in which there is no solution and long term liberty is hopeless? Mind you, I’m not being hostile, I’m truly curious.

      • Chafed

        ?

      • Winston

        To be honest I am not sure about the alternatives for the exact same reasons as you bring up.

        Is it prog-esque domination of culture but with libertarian values? Who decides those values? Is it limitation of the franchise?

        “Domination” of the culture has the serious problem that I don’t think the kind of person that would want to dominate would want to leave people alone.

        And yes who exactly gets to decide what “our values” since we are pretrty much blindly hoping they agree with us and won’t change their minds and their successors won’t. And what about those who disagree?

        Another big problem is that one reason we are in the mess we are in right now is that in 1990s a bunch of power was handed over power to a bunch of neoliberal technocrats and many people, even libertarians liked that because of their trade and immigration policies and how they tried to rein in spending and regulation.

        However these technocrats face turned on us and we are on serious trouble. ..

      • Q Continuum

        “the mess we are in right now is that in 1990s a bunch of power was handed over power to a bunch of neoliberal technocrats”

        Agreed. That may have been the final nail in the coffin though. It all started going sideways IMO during the Progressive Era; that’s when the “march through the institutions” plan was set in motion. Letting technocrats take control just gave them the Trojan Horse they needed to sneak True Believers into every nook and cranny of the swamp.

      • This Machine

        It all started going sideways IMO during the Progressive Era; thatā€™s when the ā€œmarch through the institutionsā€ plan was set in motion.

        Goddamn Gramsci was a motherfucker. The Soviet government expired but the Soviet dream lies on.

  28. Cannoli

    If you guys don’t mind, please keep my grandfather in your prayers. He is in the ICU with sepsis. It’s been two years of medical hell for him, and we thought he was finally out of the woods when this happened.

    • Mojeaux

      I’m so sorry. Get well, Cannoli’s Grandpa!

      • Cannoli

        Thanks, Mojeaux

    • Q Continuum

      šŸ™ Bummer.

    • slumbrew

      So sorry to hear, Cannoli.

    • Ask your doctor if BEAM is right for you

      Roger that, lass. Hopefully this is the last detour before a return to better health for him.

    • Chafed

      Oy. Sorry Cannoli.

    • Old Man With Candy

      Awww, so sorry to hear that. Please keep us updated if you can.

    • KSuellington

      Sorry about that Cannoli, hope he improves.

    • Cannoli

      Thank you all so much for the well-wishes. I just heard from my dad that they got his blood pressure stabilized, so that’s good news.

      • slumbrew

        Excellent news.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        Glad to read that.

      • Gender Traitor

        Wonderful! I hope that’s a sign that the worst is over. I’ll be thinking about you and your family. Please keep us posted as you’re able.

    • Sean

      Sorry to hear that Cannoli. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

      • Fourscore

        Lat as usual. Hope all is well in the Cannoli household this morning.

    • Hank

      I hope your grandpa gets better.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      The rats will always be with us and they always have been. Just ask Jesus.

  29. This Machine

    Random late-night comment, but do any glibs live around the Seattle-Tacoma area? Gonna be moving there end-of-this-year/beginning-of-next, most likely, and since you’re the only internet strangers I trust I figured I’d see if anyone has suggestions on places to live (or not to live).

    • slumbrew

      egould moved up not so long ago, as I recall. Some other glibs are there too.

    • Gustave Lytton

      Been a while, I think? Hope everything is well with your fun, travel, and adventures.

      • This Machine

        Thanks, sir. Just graduated the Q course. SERE school and language yet to go. After that the real adventure begins.

      • dbleagle

        Congrats on graduating the Q course. SERE was a very well run course and I am sure you’ll learn some valuable things there. Even with a lifetime of backpacking and climbing I learned a few things that have been useful

        I just returned from TDY at JBLM and was stationed there in the past. The key thing is to minimize your time on I-5 during the daily commute. Most of the new grow is south of the base and some areas east of base are nice (but others suck). Steilacoom is convenient and a very pleasant town, but it is pricey. Take your time and speak with guys in your unit.

      • Tejicano

        Add my congrats for passing Q. No small feat there.

        What language are you going for?

      • Gender Traitor

        Just graduated the Q course.

        Is that like identifying the aircraft silhouettes, but with titty pics?

      • l0b0t

        Wow! Kudos for passing Q; that’s fantastic (full confession, I never made it past RIP/ROP). I was with the 7th ID (Light) but hit ETS right as the division was moving to Ft. Lewis. Ft. Ord now, Ft. Ord forevah!

      • Gustave Lytton

        Congrats! Just yesterday you were PTing to go back in it seems.

        Watch out for the poison oak bioweapons they culture at Ft Lewis (never JBLM!). Spent many a weekend drill there when I was in the Guards.

    • Toxteth O'Grady

      Haven’t been there, but I think it safe to say not Chaz.

    • GozWa

      I do, but this thread is likely dead šŸ˜‰

      And assuming you’re going to be around JBLM, Puyallup seems decent, and probably one of the more affordable (relatively) parts around here. And likely one of the last pockets of sanity. You’ll want to stay a healthy 45 minute drive away from Seattle proper to find either.

  30. Trigger Hippie

    A Random Thought: Your Cousin From Boston is a Punk-Ass Bitch and Sam Adams is spinning in his grave.

  31. Yusef drives a Kia

    Happy Friday Glibbies! lets hope for a Smashing good one,
    or let’s just get it over with, YMMV,

  32. westernsloper

    Listening to Pete Q’s episode 574 with my coffee. My jaw has dropped.

      • westernsloper

        Free Man Beyond the Wall podcast. Pete Quinones.

  33. Fourscore

    Mornin’ Yusef, Sean and any other early risers. Another good day.

    • westernsloper

      ?

    • Tejicano

      ‘morning Fourscore. I hope all is well in your house this AM.

  34. Tres Cool

    suh’ fam

    whats goody

    • Festus

      Smoking a cig, drinking my beer and chatting with my Pals. Good enough for now!

  35. Festus

    Mornin’ All! Wednesday was serviceable but yesterday sucked balls. *inserts random The Cure lyrics* “Tuesday, Wednesday, Huff my Farts, Thursday, I don’t care about you, It’s Friday I’m in Stasis”. So sick of the bullshit. Arbitrary decisions making my life a little more miserable with each passing day.

    • Festus

      Sorry, that was pretty dark. It’s just been one morale-killer after another for the last week or so.

      • Gender Traitor

        So sorry, Fes! At least you still have….us?

        Hope you have a good morning – hell, have a great entire day!

        Good morning also to Tres, Teji, ‘sloper (Shut up! šŸ˜‰ ) 4(20), Teh Hype, Yu, and Sean. And all you lurkers out there, SPEAK UP!

        I have a virtual vacation day in store – my boss is off, getting a whole-house backup generator installed, I believe. I expect he’ll call me at some point because he’s bored.

      • Festus

        Yes! Mornin’ Red! Many changes afoot at work. Old dogs hate new tricks. They robbed me of my purchasing power and are micro-managing the fuck out of me. Something came down from corporate and overtime is a fart in the wind… At least I get to work a 40 hour week like most human beans. I think that I offended a friend of mine. It’s been a shit week but it could be much worse.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        I thought it funny,

      • Festus

        It works because it’s true! Mornin’ Bob!

  36. robc

    Every time I encounter one of those ā€œYou Are Going This Fastā€ signs

    Those signs are indicators of a poorly designed road. If you want people to go 25, build a road that encourages driving 25. Also, I am a member of the 25 or less or 55 or more club. There are purposes for a speed limit in between 25 and 55, but they should be rare.

    • UnCivilServant

      You car is missing 2nd gear, isn’t it?

    • Gender Traitor

      My daily work commute is about half surface streets and half interstate. The majority of the surface street portion is a state highway and main thoroughfare through town. I get a lot of that 55>current speed limit>25 bit, and I do find it to be a PITA.

      • Gender Traitor

        Oh – and good morning, rob and U!

      • UnCivilServant

        25 is too slow for almost any road, street, boulevarde, avenue, or drive I’ve met. 35 and 45 are sweet spot speeds for a lot of them. 55 on up really depends on the condition and shape of the pavement.

      • Not Adahn

        I used to think that, then I drove through VT.

      • UnCivilServant

        I’ve regulary been through Vermont. It doesn’t change my statement.

    • Sean

      I passed one at [redacted] this morning on my way in. It didn’t even register my speed. I know it was it on cuz I saw it flash the guy ahead of me (not for long).

      • The Hyperbole

        There’s one where the speed drops to 35 as one nears a village I drive thru everyday, one morning I noticed it wasn’t on, about a quarter mile down the road a Popo was hiding behind the dugout of the ball field. Asshole.

      • Festus

        He get’s added to the wall?

      • l0b0t

        We have a long stretch of road going through a nature preserve where it is posted 40mph (one of the few left in NYC as the mayor’s New York Year Zero plan has reduced the limit to 25mph city-wide). People usually drive this stretch between 60 and 80mph. The city put in a speed sensor right before the village of Broad Channel, where the speed drops to 25. The sensor can only display 2 digits, so a local game is to see if one can get the meter to peg. Somewhere in the high 90s (I refuse to believe my Nissan Rouge is capable of hitting 100), the sign gives you double asterisks.

      • Festus

        When Judi’s Nissan Juke was brand-new I took it up to 110 and pussied out. It would have gone more quickly but I was a little buzzed and didn’t want to feck up Wifey’s new car.

    • Gender Traitor

      If SiriusXM had a channel devoted to classic old hymns, I’d add it to my rotation. Come to think of it, maybe I should dig around in the online-only channels – that’s how I do most of my listening lately.

      • UnCivilServant

        How old? The Gregorian Chant Channel?

      • Gender Traitor

        That would be OK for part of the lineup, as long as it’s polyphonic organum! šŸ™‚ Generally, though, mostly 19th-century American hymns would be my preference.

      • Gender Traitor

        [Disclaimer: I found that linked term when I DDGed “polyphonic Gregorian chant.”] They sometimes include chant in the Millennium of Music program Sunday mornings on SiriusXM’s classical channel.

      • Tres Cool

        WDPR (or one of our local pubic radio stations) used to have a program on Sundays called “Pipe Dreams”. It was all organ.

        Ya know that fellow Liberace ? He was a hell of a piano player, but I heard he…….SUCKED ON THE ORGAN !

      • Festus

        I’m trying to rebuild a library of songs from Amazon Prime because we have an account for some reason. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right. I’m not sure if I’m doing anything right.

  37. UnCivilServant

    34 degrees here.

    I knew I shouldn’t have left my windows open all night. Now the house is brisk.

    • Festus

      You’re just trying to entice the rodents to cuddle with you.

    • Gender Traitor

      My goodness, that IS a bit nippy for May! 42 here, but “feels like 37” per the local weatherchick. Back to long sleeves for today, and I hope my ‘tween seasons jacket is enough. I don’t feel like wearing my winter coat any more this year.

      • Festus

        We had a thunder storm. Not unheard of but pretty rare for springtime. We get winter ones which is weird.

      • Gender Traitor

        We may get a thunderstorm around the time I get home from work. I may indulge in watching it from the back porch if there’s sufficient lightning. After dark would make a better light show, though.

      • Festus

        Downloading music to the phone. My big site is a dead area for data. It’s The Toadies. What a fantastic band and how the hell did I not know of them when they were right in my wheelhouse?

      • Festus

        Careful, you might give Tres ideas…

  38. Tejicano

    I got the J&J Jab today. This was mostly for my father-in-law who has a list of the worst co-morbidities but also because I am dying to travel again. Yeah, I know there’s no guarantee but it’s one thing that wouldn’t be in the way.

    • Festus

      Understood but it would take four burly interns to hold me down. I’m healthy as a horse, no need to feck with that.

      • Tejicano

        Truth is I DGAF if I get the commie-cough or not. It doesn’t sound like anything I need to worry about. But my F-I-L lives right next door and I don’t want to be the vector via which he gets it since he’s unlikely to survive it. At the very least I have everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.

      • Sean

        You can still catch covid, ya know that, right?

      • Tejicano

        I know that. But even if I do catch it and end up passing it to my f-i-l and he dies my wife knows I went out of my way to try to prevent that. Some gestures are worth doing.

      • Sean

        Fair enough.

        I still don’t understand the people who had the commie cough, got better, and got the vax anyway.

      • Cy Esquire

        I have elderly relative that have given me an ultimatum that if my family and I don’t all get the shot they won’t visit. It sucks, because I really miss them and love them. But if they knew me at all they’d know that they can take that shit and shove it up their commie asses.

      • Sean

        My parents got vaxxed and won’t go out to restaurants anymore, but want to come over to my place and visit. They know my position on the vaccines quite clearly.

      • Festus

        Heh. I’m the opposite. If everyone wants to leave Grampy alone for his own good, I’m quite sanguine.

      • robc

        I am at the age where I am literally ambivalent about the shot.

        If I was much older, I would want to get it, if I was much younger I wouldn’t get it. I get my 2nd Moderna shot next week. I am going to be living with my Mom for 9 weeks this summer (and she is vaccinated), but it will make her more comfortable if we are too. So that was enough to push me over the top.

  39. Cy Esquire

    “B. Speaking of commies, quit calling everyone you disagree with a Commie ratfucker, ā€œtheyā€ (see above) have stripped the terms ā€˜Racistā€™ and ā€˜Naziā€™ of all meaning through overuse, youā€™re doing the same for ā€˜Commieā€™. When everyone is a Commie no one is.”

    No.

    • Festus

      The Hype is wrong about this issue. I award you one Sean avatar.

  40. cyto

    And if one person, just one person walked in, saying a bar of Aliceā€™s restaurant and then walked out againā€¦.. Well they think she was crazy

    But if two, two people walked in and sang a bar of Aliceā€™s Restaurantā€¦.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/AsraNomani/status/1390525303437635585

    One person stood up. Who will join her?