The Second Seal is Broken – part I
An Isolated Incident I, II, III The First Seal is Broken I, II, III, IV, V
It would turn out the only decent print on the glass was the bartender. There had been some debate about extrapolating from the partial and smeared prints that may have been Conor’s, but the likelihood of getting anything remotely reliable was too low, even just for background intel and would certainly never hold up in court. Nor were any epithelials harvested from the rim of the glass, but there were microscopic traces of latex, a barrier to prevent the shedding of skin cells on the glass. There was essentially no physical evidence of Conor’s existence and Frank wasn’t surprised by that.
What troubled Frank was the chance encounter, that he couldn’t quite accept as chance. Everything he had learned about CNO told him chance was not a key element of their operation. He also found himself subject to some long and detailed questioning from other members of the task force. They wondered too about the chances of it being random, and if it wasn’t random, Frank, what made you of interest to him? The grilling ended after many hours over several days when finally Deputy Director Fuller had stepped in and announced that enough was enough. Frank didn’t know Fuller and he would end up wondering why he had intervened, not that he wasn’t appreciative of the respite from suspicion. His father’s comment about “knowing your own operations” had left Frank with the idea that someone inside the FBI (in the past or even currently) may be part of the CNO. That he had been approached in such proximity had made that seem even more plausible/troubling. He wondered if anyone else had been approached, and not reported it – that was an even more troubling thought, for they might report back out that Frank had.
A couple of more weeks passed, with no breaks in the case, and as everyone on the task force was quietly thankful for – no additional attacks. It was frustrating having no good leads, but no one wanted anything new to come up, even if a lead might come out of it. Equally, everyone knew that there would be more, that this wasn’t just over. On a Thursday afternoon, Frank was called into Deputy Director Fuller’s office. Fuller directed Frank to sit in one of the chairs facing Fuller’s desk. They were the only two in the office. A few pleasantries were exchanged.
Fuller spoke, “I’m sure you can imagine the political pressure we are under to make progress on this case. Such pressure that we’ve been given the green light for some unconventional actions. One of those courses of action involves you Frank.”
Frank nodded and Fuller continued, “CNO seems to have some interest in you, at least that is your own guess and mine as well. Are you willing to attempt an infiltration if the opportunity arises? I don’t have to tell you of the danger; that we can’t run you as close as we would any other confidential informant. The risk would be enormous; of course, so would the pay-off. We’ve had zero success in identifying anyone on the inside, not even anyone who knows anything about one of them. I personally would never consider putting an agent at the risk I’m asking you to take on, but I think you know as well as everyone else on the task force – risks need to be taken.”
Frank took it all in, which honestly was a bit overwhelming. It also occurred to him that there was no other person in the room, not even one of the seniors on the task force. Frank asked, “why isn’t this being run down the line? Shouldn’t the chain of command know?”
Fuller grinned, “that’s part of the risk. Your possible role outside has to be invisible to the team inside. If everyone knows, it may effect the investigation; worse, they may rely on you. Hell, we don’t really know that you’ll get a second approach, do we?”
Frank nodded but added “he did say I’d buy next time we met.”
Fuller said, “I’m kinda counting on that. I don’t like hope as a plan, but if the opportunity comes and we can seize it”, shrugged and continued “so you can see, this is you, on your own – I’m the only one at my level that knows, and no one else between you and me can. And obviously no one, not your family, friends, no one can have the slightest idea. Even above me, your identity wasn’t disclosed, just that an agent had been approached.”
Frank quietly weighed this, then asked “what are the other unconventional actions being contemplated?”
Fuller leaned back and slowly said, “you don’t really have a need to know that.”
Frank smirked a little, but the thought about CNO’s understanding of FBI operations jumped back at him and obviously things out of the ordinary were exactly what was needed. His face expressed a grim earnestness as he said “alright, I’ll do it”.
Fuller’s face was a mask, “no, not so fast. You haven’t considered this as thoroughly as you need to. I want you to have plenty of time to think it through. You’ll give me your answer on Monday. In all honesty, I don’t expect you to do it because it’s damn close to a suicide mission.”
My first day back and I get a first? Huh.
Couldn’t happen to a better person.
It’s nice to see that someone around here besides me knows how to First.
Good stuff Juris.
Are you caught up?? There are 8 previous parts.
Not entirely and I am too tired now. I have one foot on the bed and the other on a banana peel.
Well understood, dude.
Your writing keeps getting stronger, JI.
I’m enjoying these a lot.
Intensity intensifies, good Stuff!
Ooo, this is getting good. 🙂
OT, but fun NFL news.
Broncos Fan Reacts to Aaron Rodgers…Russell Wilson Trade!!!
I couldn’t put this article down, JI, same as a book review. I wish there was more than 1 Tuesday in a week. At this point I am totally directionless, no idea and I’m snared. Thanks, JI.
Im off to work, kids
Leave a light on for me.
Leaves light on for Tres
https://youtu.be/72AVXpeo_ZI
Turn the lights on
Turn off the Dark
Let your light shine down
Step Into The Light.
This little Light of Mine…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqXDPnBPa3o
I’m all Lit Up again.
That’s a legit hit. ~ 55 million views and counting…
Leave the lights on
Turn out the lights
https://youtu.be/tpONlZhStR8
Out go the lights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5IN-NPfA5E
Great tune but not nearly as funny.
Excellent.
Good night all.
Sleep well. Glad you are back with us.
Good to see you again, Suthen.
OT sportsball rant.
NYC FC are playing a “home” game in East Hartford, CT in the North American equivalent of Champions League against a team from Guatemala.
Last week they played a “home” game in Los Angeles.
It is amazing that all the petrodollars that also fund the Manchester City juggernaut haven’t found their way into a fucking stadium for NYC FC. Especially after they won MLS Cup last year.
Their usual “home” stadium is Yankee Stadium, and last I heard there isn’t any baseball or am I crazy?
Do they have unvaxxed players? Cuz NYC still won’t let Kyree play for the Nets at home, could be that.
Ah, I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t watch pre-game shit where that might come up but that sounds like the probable cause.
It’s a weird reversal where the more celebrity you are, the more they enforce an illegal diktat.
I am quite certain that the guys running the bodegas and liquor stores around me are not being followed around by the vaccine police.
The butt-hurt in the sports world was palpable when they found out Rodgers was unclean. HE LIED! There is still a ‘SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET THE SHOT!’ tint most times Kyree is talked about. You could hear it easing up when people thought NYC was going to lift restrictions like other places, but then it doubled up when he didn’t.
It’s just pure vindinctiveness. Every other local restriction has been lifted except this one that apparently only applies to sports figures. Oh, and plague vector children under five or some shit.
Wild are schooling the Rangers.
After all the losses, I’m ecstatic.
Ouch. I was focusing on soccer, but… yikes. Well, the Rangers schooled Winnipeg the other night so *shrugs*.
I wonder if Georgiev (sp?) started. He’s kind of… not good. Nice kid but…
Contra argument:
This matches were scheduled months ago, no?
Just because baseball is fucking themselves, that’s no reason to make a last-minute venue change for the soccer games.
People already bought their tickets and made their travel plans.
Maybe there was supposed to be a baseball game at Yankee Stadium tonight; I dunno. I do think that NYC FC is by a pretty wide margin the most mis-run team in the league. They are an afterthought of the organization that runs Man City and it shows.
We sometimes play “home” games at our biggest rival’s stadium (New Jersey Red Bulls), FFS.
I’m not sure the Revolution are “mis-run”, but they’re definitely an afterthought for the Krafts (for understandable reasons).
In their defense: the Krafts have pushed, for years, for a dedicated 20k soccer stadium in a couple of locations – Dorchester, in particular. The problem is, as ever, the local governments with their hands out.
The Krafts built Gillette Stadium with (almost) no “public” funds (they had some road work done on the public dime). It’s now one of the most valuable NFL teams, period.*
The local pols won’t make that mistake again – they want in.
* Fun fact: Boston is the only city where all four major sports franchises play in privately owned stadia:
Bruins & Celtics at TD Garden
Red Sox at Fenway
Patriots at Gillette
All the local pols went to the Big Dig School of Finance. They want a piece of any future infrastructure.
Precisely. TBF, those were some sweet, sweet federal funds, with almost no oversight – the Krafts might actually want some return on their investment.
The nerve!
Absolutely. I suspect all the Boston owners figured out they would take a bath if the locals had a role in constructing their stadiums.
For the most part, the stadia pre-date or post-date the thought of public bonds to build them.
The Krafts re-did Foxborough on their own dime (largely), since people had figured out that the concessions were such a huge cash-cow.
The re-build of the Garden followed the Kraft’s lead – no need for public funds, since you can keep all that sweet, sweet concession money yourself otherwise.
No idea why places like Minnesota are cool with floating public bonds for stadia – that’s pure public cost, private profit.
But *muh Vikings!*, I guess.
In NYC you can’t build anything without enthusiastic support from the functionaries who run their fiefdoms that we call “community districts” – unelected positions that are filled with NIMBY assholes.
NYC FC have at any given time three or four proposals going and all of them get shot down. The last one was the spot where the Islanders built their new stadium.
or, “arena”
So, pretty much what the Krafts are facing
ISTG, Gillette Stadium only got built because it’s 45 minutes away from Boston; a new stadium on the T will never happen because too many pols have their hand out.
I’d be happy if NYC FC could figure out a way to play at the Meadowlands but I guess ownership issues prevent it.
It’d be a fuckton better than fucking Yankee Stadium.
If they had to play in East Hartford then someone was being punished.
Digging this story. A lot.
Today in “new normal”.
I have three Amazon packages out there in limbo that are “running late”. One already over a day and two that were supposed to arrive tonight.
Last month I had two packages that never arrived at all (well, one of them “arrived” to the wrong state).
I wonder if I will receive any of these three.
PS. I saw something that brightened my day.
There is rampant package theft in the lobby of my apartment building. I frequently see notes posted on the wall asking the criminal to kindly return this package or that. The latest one read (paraphrasing) “To the thief who stole my son’s birthday present, I hope YOU BURN IN HELL!!!”
I do wonder if the lobby cameras are working and if any of the thieves are actually caught. I sure hope so because they are the lowest scum.
That is some lowdown shit.
I passed on an apartment once with a doorman/concierge because I was like “this is an old-people building” but I’m beginning to see the appeal. I should add “doorman” to my list of requirements for my next place – it’s already a long list with things like “no small children within earshot” and “no rent control”.
Or you could move somewhere that you don’t need a doorman to protect your deliveries.
Just sayin’…easier said than done (or desired)
I’m a city boy. This dog ain’t learning any new tricks.
But actually my next place will probably be under six units which is the cutoff for rent control. My last place was a “flat” (three units, very common in this neighborhood). My next place will be something like that. Big building has some advantages and many disadvantages, as I’ve found out over the last nine years.
I get that. I see the appeal. I actually wonder if I’m not a city boy in country boy’s clothing. I’ve had a few business trips to Chicago and loved it. Alas, my life is settled and a move to the city isn’t in the cards. Oh well. We all play the hand we’re dealt.
The new site I’ve been using to buy my Transformers grup toys from has shit tracking. It says ‘arrived in destination country’ and that’s pretty much the only update I get until it shows up. Not even where in the country it arrived. But, so far I’ve gotten them. Delivery company (not sure which since that info isn’t provided) left the last one on the hood of my car, I guess they were scared of the ice on my sidewalk after the freezing rain the day before.
lol
I can’t get any loads out. LTL can’t even pick up a simple pallet. The excuses change every day.
A lot of things have fallen apart during virus theater, but what got even worse in the past month?
Finding employees.
Db we gotta should get together and work on a format. Also great installment again juris!
Thank you, juris.
*waiting for the next episode*
Same bat-time, same bat-place
Adam West will always be my The Batman.
Adam West is the fun Batman. Michael Keaton will always be The Batman.
It’s the only Batman movie I’ve seen so sure, I’ll go along with that. The other seventy-nine Batmans can piss off.
And not one of them has been accurate to the source material. You’d think they’d try it at least once.
Yeah… I’m not the target audience for a source-accurate Batman, to be honest.
There is reason why I haven’t watched any of those impostors.
I get to regale the youngins about the only live action Spider-Man I knew until I was an adult.
DC sucks.
He got to play Batman one last time before he passed.
Uh… I had no idea he died. Sorry, Adam.
Sorry to break the news to you 5 years late.
Adam West was one of the few celebrities who didn’t mind poking fun at themselves. It was easy to tell that he was having fun while filming
Another that comes to mind is Steve Tyler. I lumped the group into “basic rock” and didn’t pay much attention to them. Then Tyler started showing up in these skits where he was taking jabs at himself and, again, having fun. I’ve appreciated him a lot more over the years for his off-stage persona.
Still creeped out by how he used his daughter.
I didn’t know it was his daughter when it came out!
I don’t know if you saw Aerosmith on SNL years ago. They all appeared in a Wayne’s World skit. It was very funny. The entire band looked like they were having fun.
Same bat-time, same bat-*channel*
Crazy good.
Thanks, brother.
?
Well I can tell you all, I’m about as unsure of what is going on as you are. Is Fuller setting him up, or recruiting him? Is Frank a good guy or a true Fed? What does there are none that are not accountable for what they do really mean? I’m glad you’re enjoying this as much as I am.
JI you are doing great. I am enjoying this series.
I like it, you really have an interesting tale going.
Great stuff JI. Even more fun knowing the author doesn’t even know yet where it’ going.
Better than most recent James Patterson “co-authored” stuff. Good story line and reader isn’t at all sure where it is heading. Unlike Patterson, and his ilk, you haven’t padded the story with extraneous crap about what the characters are wearing, drinking, smoking, packing, or screwing. And, so far, no basement dwelling hacker genius, misunderstood and damaged goods female figure, or ex-SEAL who can take on and defeat twelve heavily armed assassins while bound and chained to a chair in an empty warehouse.
.
There is a time and a place for that. I love a doorstopper sometimes but other times sure, it’s not needed.
I gave up those bad girls
with the methamphetamines.
I’ve been known to stretch the truth
when it’s just me and the whiskey.
Reminder: send me your “what we are reading” contributions through a message in the forum and I will compile. I need responses by Saturday the 12th. Thanks
“Leviathan Wakes”. About 30 pages in.
At my current pace I might finish the nine books in 2031.
It is well worth your time.
How’s Babylon 5 coming along?
Quiet, you.
Rhy I am starting to worry about you. My youngest and I have been watching sporadically and we’re in the middle of season 4. It’s sooooooo good. Get back on your horse and enjoy the ride.
I want to but I find it very difficult to direct all my focus on the TV. Everything else I watch is stuff that makes great background noise.
The Expanse > B5.
*dons flame-retardant suit*
(I’ve not watched B5 but I know Glibs will Have Thoughts about that statement)
Oh, I replaced my taped-off-of-TNT entire run of B5 with DVDs back when they were first available.
But The Expanse is the best scifi show of all time.
Not saying it’s my favorite mind you, but I have a mental disorder that forces me to enjoy absolute garbage wrapped up in sci-fi wrappers *koff koff EarthFinalConflict koff*
*sigh* Glibs. *shakes head*
Is the series returning?
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/courage-strength-optimism/iran-plotting-assassination-of-john-bolton-others-even-while-biden-negotiates-nuclear-deal
If only.
So that’s how you get me to root for Iran.
Vaguely identified sources. Ugh.
Gell-Mann Amnesia in the same story, twice. No need to even turn the page.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/ukraine-claims-revenge-on-famous-russian-warship-that-attacked-snake-island
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stoli-group-announces-major-rebrand-301496135.html
How is this a rebrand to remove Stolichnaya? It’s been called Stoli for years, so it’s not really removing the Stolichnaya association.
They’re trying to thread the needle – keep the name people know them as, drop the problematic Russian name.
In a sane world, it’d be a non-issue.
We’ll see.
I just don’t see how people wouldn’t see Stoli as its Russian name still. Or it’s Russian association. But then I’m not a branding expert.
Agreed.
Too bad I don’t drink vodka. Otherwise I’d buy boxes of Russian–or not–vodka at deep discounts.
Already pulled here. Now the idiot state and their franchisees are storing them indefinitely.
Went to check on which stores have inventory in hopes of finding some ignoramus, but the one thing they sort of do well is broken. And they’re now using Tableau, which I’m pretty sure is the shittiest visualization software hence its popularity with government agencies. “Oh look, I have meaningless metrics in pretty colors in a layout that ignore normal browser controls. I’m a data scientist!”
Ugh…everything is Tableau… but beats the daily ‘forms’ I have to fill out built in Excel. FedGov…hey at least we aren’t using floppy….shit, we aren’t still on WinME….no…..uh….russia!
I still saw real Russian vodka, as in made in Russia, in a few liquor stores in California in the last week. It was Russian Standard in San Diego and Beluga in LA. Of course, everyone still had Stoli.
I remember really enjoying Crystal/Gold Ring back in the late ’80s and ’90s. No idea if that was Russian or Latvian.
I saw $6/gallon gas on my drive home tonight. Joe Biden is going to be a Jimmy Carter Redux.
We’ve got ~ 3 long years before he’s Carter part 2.
Between us dog owners, it’s going to feel like 21 years.
It feels like dog-years for all of us right now.
I’ll expand on a note to Tulip, but I just started The Forgotten Man.
The introduction alone has me wanting to shout out loud, due to so many parallels.
I need to put that on my reading list.
But an electric powered nuclear reactor and you, too, can proudly stick it to Putin.
Will it power my rail gun?
What’s driving me nuts is how so many people think that, by escalating tension and engaging more directly in military action, they are being “anti war.” So, I’m supporting Putin’s war by not wanting a bigger war? Saddam, Muammar, Assad = bad guys. So what? The response by the US was worse. No reason to believe further US involvement in “current year war” on the other side of the globe is gonna help one iota.
We spent 2 years with slavery is freedom, down is up, chick’s with dicks are women, men need tampons, men pregnancy emotions, etc etc….
Saying you want all but boots on the ground is anti-war now. Supply warships, bullets, supplies and tweets from your back porch and you too will be holding the red menace at bay.
I was wondering today where the no blood for oil crowd was.
Next to Cindy Sheehan wondering why they are of no use
Is supplying Ukraine with arms, but not troops, escalating tension? Serious question.
I would say yes. It’s an open proxy war at this point.
⬆?
I’d say so if it’s the US govt doing it.
Thanks. We have a difference of opinion. The way I see it, Russia is the aggressor. They violated the NAP. They may complain about others, including us, arming Ukraine but they brought it on themselves.
For me it’s not even a question of who’s the agressor. It’s a question of: will US involvement help given how people across the political spectrum ( including Biden himself) warned us not to expand NATO. They did it anyways and when you treat someone like an enemy, don’t be surprised when they turn into one. The US has zero credibility in diplomacy with Russia on this point now.
That’s side stepping the issue to my mind. Ukraine didn’t do a thing to Russia. Russia invaded them. Russia is deliberately shelling civilians. I see no reason not to arm Ukraine so they can defend themselves.
The regime in Ukraine had been attacking ethic Russians in Eastern Ukraine for the past ten years. Estimates say 10k~15k dead civilians.
Yes, that was an internal conflict, so Putin really escalated by making in an inter state conflict. As far as the NAP goes, however, that distinction is irrelevant.
R2P!
Putin better cut a check to Samantha Power.
The Ukrainian rulers should have stayed away from the US domestic politics. They didn’t.
The Russiagate angle is just one more reason this isn’t a clear cut case of “good guy, bad guy”. BTW, the UN estimates 30K dead civilians since 2014.
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_13th_HRMMU_Report_3March2016.pdf
” I see no reason not to arm Ukraine so they can defend themselves.”
Compare and contrast to Korean and Vietnam wars (hell, Afghanistan, Soviet edition). The super powers did everything they could to fuck with each other, short of actually shooting at each other (some ‘volunteers’ aside). That did not (and shouldn’t) escalate to full on nuclear death.
I am sympathetic to claims that Russia has a legit security claim, and that the breakaway provinces should have a proper referendum- but that should have been solved through diplomacy. Unfortunately, Trump didn’t get reelected. I have a strong suspicion this would not be happening now as Putin was less afraid Trump would stick our collective dicks into Ukraine.
“The regime in Ukraine had been attacking ethic Russians in Eastern Ukraine for the past ten years. Estimates say 10k~15k dead civilians.”
Isn’t this a little overblown? They’re attacking rebels, collateral damage happens. Absent some obvious malice I’m not going to accept implications they’re ethnically cleansing without a bit more evidence- 2k people a year during hostilities doesn’t a genocide make.
@Straff:
Are you getting the 30k from your report (dated in 2016):
“In total, from the beginning of the conflict in mid-April 2014 to 15 February 2016, OHCHR recorded 30,211 casualties in eastern Ukraine, among civilians, Ukrainian armed forces, and members of armed groups – including 9,167 people killed and 21,044 injured.3”
That number is lumping all casualties together. Obviously the report is now 6 years old, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they had gotten up to 30k, but the rate at the time of the report was averaging <100 civilian casualties a month for the past year.
Neither one is about escalating tension, but supplying arms makes us a co-belligerent and participant. Do we want to go to war with Russia? Because supplying arms does so.
https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/ART/240-300007?OpenDocument
https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/ART/240-300009?OpenDocument
I don’t see how this is a naval war. But let’s say it is. Does The Hague Convention say anything about shelling civilians? I’m going to guess Putin & Co. aren’t playing by any rules but his own.
It’s not a naval war, but it still defines what is a belligerent and what is a neutral party. If we wish to remain a neutral party, we cannot supply arms to a party, at least as far as from the government. We do so and we become a belligerent, and yes, a valid target. There was a reason we supplied arms on the QT through private parties and cutouts to the mujahadeen.
Russia’s violations are irrelevant, and even if he is Hitler do not allow us to supply arms and remain neutral. We can either remain neutral or we can be a belligerent. Those are the choices. Are we ready to go to war?
War with a nuclear power that we foolishly alienated after the Cold War?
Heard today ‘Putins price increase….’
I don’t even know where to start with that.
OFFS
An honest press would check to see if Russia is actually selling less oil/gas to other countries now. Honestly, I dunno but I’d guess there are plenty of buyers out there.
That would require work.
Even were it less, that’d just be evidence that buyers were having issues obtaining it due to sanctions, not that Russia wasn’t trying to sell.
There is a kernel of truth in that an oil producing state at war will increase gas prices. Of course, you have to ignore the year long run up in prices and Biden doing what he can to limit US production.
My children are communing over employeehood at Walmart. I’m skeert.
Look into the future
Look into my eyes
And tell me everything’s alright.
Tell me where we’re going
I’m so afraid, cuz I don’t know what’s going on
With my life
But, it’ll be alright, tonight.
Not normally my thing, but that video led me to this song, which I’ve always liked.
That kicks ass.
Your lack of appreciation for Ozzy is disturbing. But yes, Judith is a kick ass song.
I fucking hate that song. Victim blaming wrapped in an atheism anthem. And his mom is the target, no less.
Maynard James Keenan is a pile of human shit. And not even much of a songwriter.
I can’t believe you are hitting on me after ignoring my Steel Panther link.
I can’t believe you think Judith is a god song.
Topical typo: Meant “good” not “god”
I understand your antipathy for the lyrics. I feel same the same way about much of Rage Against The Machine’s work. It’s still great. I know that’s irrational. It’s just how I feel. ?♂️
It’s one thing to look past politics. It’s another to ignore that fucker blaming his mother and her God for her death. Fuck him.
Meh, still a great song.
I don’t think it is wrong to have those feelings and even to express them.
I never took it as blaming God or his mother for her illness so much as saying, how can you believe in God? If He exists, He could have prevented this. That is not an unreasonable query- the goodness of God and the existence of suffering is a true religious quandary.
Rage has some killer riffs. ?♂️
Did they ever actually find anything on Oak Island other than Reality TV shows?
They’re still digging, and they do seem to keep finding evidence that something significant happened there. I’d tell you the latest, but as last night’s episode started and the usual suspects drove up to what’s currently the most promising dig site (the “money pit,”) I dozed off on the sofa and don’t remember another thing about it.
Some Spade said, “rock-n-rollers, you’re all the same.”
Sam Spade said “When your slapped, you’ll take it and like it.”
More music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzXoVo16pTg
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_Crisis
First as tragedy, second as farce.
These military pledges to come to the aid of a country under attack are bullshit. They pledge that future leaders are bound to join a fight they may not wish to join otherwise. Who has more knowledge, the people who made these promises or the ones who lead now?
Random music link; The Needle Lies I alway mishear “needle” as “leader” Both work for current events.
Morning.
I don’t want to go to work today 🙁
So don’t. Call out with Covid toe.
That would make me feel lazy. Even though I’m feeling burned out.
I haven’t called out sick since the early aughts. Even then, it was super rare.
I called out just two weeks ago when my ear infection was making it difficult to think. That’s another reason I’m hesitant to do it, since it hasn’t been that long.
Meh, it is a government job, they won’t really care.
I have my own personal standards.
Anyway, I have to get on the road.
https://nationaltoday.com/national-barbie-day/
Happy national Barbie day.
“Barbie cancelled for being in the ‘Nutcracker’.”
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/03/08/Arnold-Classic-Slap-Fighting-Championship/3261646773413/
Wut?
WTF is wrong with people?
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/03/08/fk-brno-psd-compact/
Want. With 10mm barrel.
They both look expensive.
$1,750
https://fkbrnous.com/product/psd-multi-caliber-pistol/
Fine, I’ll take two. ?
My upper has been in NJ for the last four days 🙁
Should be closing on the new home today. Wish me luck.
Good luck.
Thanks.
Now begins the grind of fixing and replacing everything… I swore I wouldn’t do this to myself again. *sigh*
Good luck.
Was one of the dudes named Cornpop? LOL
A little alone time is nice when the wife is away.
Downside: the dog still expects her morning walk at the time my wife normally takes her out.
Which would be now.
‘Morning, early-rising Glibs.
Good morning, slummy, TARDy, Sean, and Lack!
This morning, the little black cat didn’t insist on being picked up and cuddled while the coffee maker finished up. I hope he’s feeling OK. ?
Morning.
Not sure what to think about the cat. Maybe he’s just being moody?
He’ll probably come over and insist on getting on my lap just when it’s time for me to go clean up and dress for work.
This morning I am pondering the appropriate punishment (read coaching) that should be applied to comedian-wannabee propagators of ‘reply-to-all’ emails. What should it be? I say a bunch of broken pinkies would be instructional.
Some of our managers have resorted to including “PLEASE DO NOT ‘REPLY ALL'” in emails with announcements of good news like promotions, etc.
If it was funny, a promotion. If unfunny, summary execution.
We have distribution lists which have a limited set of people allowed to send emails to them. So anyone tryin to reply all will only get their message through to those who are explicitly listed as recipients and bounce off the DL.
We have other DLs without this protection, and the occassional reply storm does flare up on those.
Our semi-standard move is to send to just a limited list and put the ‘all’ address (dl-all@ or whatever) as a BCC.
That greatly limits the damage.
One think our IT would implement such a policy.
It’s not automatic – it relies on the sender doing the right thing.
That said, once you get a few e-mails with ‘(dl-all BCC’d)’ as the first line, you tend to get in the habit yourself.
Local weather radar claims it’s just started snowing in my area. Luckily, the AccuWindow contradicts that…so far.
What’s the view out the window say?
See reference to “AccuWindow” above. ?
I know – it’s awfully early yet. Have another swig of Dew.
I just figured it was another widget on the bloated and ad-clogged accuweather site.
***SIGH!!!*** Now the traffic report says there’s a severe slowdown on the stretch of the interstate just before my usual exit. Guess I’d better get ready to leave early. ?
Ugh… Traffic.
There is usually no traffic when I come in. There is the occasional wreck caused by late night shenanigans.
The whole reason I went for a 7-3 work schedule was to avoid the godawful rush hour traffic around here. Even then, I’m still catching the opening stages of it.
I’d be a mass murderer if I had to stay until 3PM. Even 20 minutes past 2:30 means an additional 20-45 minutes added to my commute.
The time exponent starts a bit later here. At 3, I can make similar time to nominal traffic. At 3:30, I will be delayed noticabilty, and it gets worse the later the departure time until quite late.
When I was an OT whore, I always stayed until after 6PM. I have not worked late since the before times though.
I find the very idea of a camel beauty pagent hilarious every time there’s an article about one. I just don’t see any beauty in the beasts.
Their beauty is in the toes.
Are there moose beauty pageants?
I’ll defer to Tres on that one.
Bingo Hall lothario, confirmed!
A Møøse once bit my sister… No realli!
suh’ fam
whats goody
No nuke launches so far. That’s good, isn’t it?
Beer is goody. Steady work is goody. The love of a good woman is extra goody. Tee times are goody. The bite-on is goody. The laughter of children is goody. My first smoke in the morning is not goody but the last one always is. Pets are goody. My Glibs are goody.
I havent had a cig in nearly 8 years, and I still miss the 1st one of the morning.
Steak.
Mornin’, reprobates. Where is the snow?
Really digging Frank’s adventures with the insurrectionists(?) Also, good to see that Suthen has returned.
I really need to go back and re-read it from the start. I’m half-in-the-bag when I get around to them.
Things that happened yesterday – The Good? Lolbot and Suthen made their long awaited return! The Bad? The price of gas just jumped another 17 cents per liter overnight. The Meh? My lay-off has been delayed for another month. The Ugly? A conference call with the big-wigs wherein my Asian boss who sounds like George Takei expounding upon death panels and abortion will hold forth and will calmly explain how everything that is happening right now is for the greater good. I will not be updating my health news until I learn what the fuck is going on.
You guys know that it’s always Lupus.
Feeling Wolfish? It might be Canis Lupus
17 cents per liter? That’s 65 cents a gallon, oh myyyy. Here it “only” went up 20 cents.
Sorry, it was 20 cents per liter. We’re at nearly 2 bucks per liter or almost 8 bucks a gallon. They hate you and they want you dead.
*looks*
It went up 30 cents overnight here.
Wow.
Do you have a car? I’ve don’t think I’ve seen you mention driving, ever.
Knock on effects. Someone has to drive into Brooklyn to deliver his Sushi. (Pace, Rhywun, I know that you are the good sort of cool…)
The long list of items on my Amazon page that are “running late” has me worried.
The knock-on effects are already here.
No. But we all get fucked eventually.
The price charts are insane:
https://www.gasbuddy.com/charts
Sometimes it’s good to be below average.
I mentioned yesterday – you can add ‘Los Angeles’ to the chart and feel better about yourself (unless you’re one of the benighted CA Glibs – sorry, my dudes and dudette(s)).
Fraudulent elections have consequences.
More insanity:
They’re just gonna blow their wad until the next election, it seems.
*Anger rising*
I ain’t gonna lie: Urban life is absolutely awesome in short stretches when money isn’t a serious constraint.
Getting an AirBnB in the old city parts of Montreal, Quebec or Ottawa have been wonderful vacations.
Morning to all,
Finally, finally, it looks like Spring will spring on Sunday, 4 more days of winter and the snow will start to go. I want to walk in the mud again.
I have been up for quite a while, had to catch up on the ongoing rock feuds between MikeS and all the others that happened overnight. Fortunately I don’t (won’t) listen to what is loosely thrown around as music. The advantages of being old.
Now to watch the pols make fools of themselves while jeopardizing the future of our youths.
Mornin’, 4×20.
Now to watch the pols make fools of themselves while jeopardizing the future of our youths.
It’s tough to laugh at those fools considering that my kids will have to deal with the fallout of their idiocy. But I will point fingers and laugh anyway, the alternative being impotent rage.
One nice thing about losing the job might be it lighting a fire under my arse to actually get things done around the place if I can manage. I’ll have a year of “free” money.
Notes from the IFLS Underground.
etc. etc.
Oh, piss off.
They continue to pretend or maybe even believe that they are the rational ones.
Crazy people don’t know they are insane.
Somehow, the same people that can’t teach kids to read and write are experts on health advice. Yet, there are some believers.
Morning All:
Glad to see that we are all here. That’s a hopeful sign.
While i know patriot batteries in Poland are supposed to be defensive, i think its still escallating.
Anybody doing any panic shopping?
Yup. Placing orders for the essentials today – coffee and tobacco. Also will stock the freezer with beef and chicken.
Coffee and tabacco are good ideas.
Not sure about frozen stuff.
I may need to get tobacco seeds….
Where to buy?
Limited space for perishables, sadly.
I guess I’ll get another carton of toilet paper.
Trade goods.
Ay-yup.
FWIW, Amazon is claiming delivery tomorrow for toilet paper and paper towels.
I bought moar ammo. Apparently, I’m assembling another AR. I’m also looking to increase my alcohol reserves.
So, nope. No panic buying here.
I’m still well stocked. Just replacing as I use stuff.
We normally are a little ahead of the curve. I’m putting the missus on a plane Friday, I’ll check Walmart and lay in some additional supplies if they are available.
A friend and neighbor came by yesterday with a nice package. They had butchered a beef, we ended up with liver, soup bones, a nice steak and a couple packs of hamburger. He left with 3 packs of venison sticks that I have made at the local store. I have nice neighbors, no one bothers one another.
Biden’s legacy is safe.
https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2022/03/08/octopus-cephalopod-syllipsimopodi-bideni-Biden/5621646770753/
“Scientists have named a now-extinct relative of the octopus that has 10 arms after President Joe Biden — the syllipsimopodi bideni — according to a study released Tuesday.”
Perfect.
Looking forward to Sleepy Joe attempting to pronounce that.
“the thing”
“c’mon, man – you kno… you know, the thing!”
Syphillis Feet! Come on, Man! The thing!
Hillary would have been more appropriate, or maybe Klaus Schwab
If it has ten arms it isn’t an OCTOpus.
Decapus?
Squid.
So long as it identifies as an 8 leg, all is good.