Thursday Afternoon Links

by | Oct 27, 2022 | Daily Links | 185 comments

TOTALLY NO AGENDA HERE: Formerly-respectable newsmagazine loses its shit, rants on for four paragraphs about the plight of drag queens in America before finally admitting that, yes, the US Dept of State did indeed fund drag shows in Ecuador. Initially we were sceptical about Ms. Fung’s claim about domestic “legislative efforts to outlaw drag shows,” but based on reporting from Vice we will rate her claim mostly true in that there is one socon group in Idaho which plans to introduce legislation next year to ban public drag shows. A ban which, if enacted, would be swiftly and rightfully overturned on 1A grounds.

DESPERATE DEMS TROT OUT OBAMA TO CAMPAIGN FOR CANDIDATES: Yes, please remind us of your failed policies, divisiveness, and contempt for people with traditional values.

HUGE PLUME OF SMOKE AND FLAMES EMERGING FROM FLARE STACK AT REFINERY: Apparently this sort of thing happens. I’ll leave it to subject matter experts to pontificate about. Knowing you people, at least one of your reads Chemical Safety Board accident reports for fun.

‘WOKE’ POLITICS BLAMED FOR BEAR ATTACK: It’s like they wrote that headline just to troll your linkster. Well, it worked. But it’s a sad story all around.

The comments, dear friends, are all yours. Have at it with your shitposts, links, anecdotes, manifestos, and whatnot.

About The Author

Tonio

Tonio

Tonio is a Glibs shitposter, linkstar (Thursday PM, yo), author, and editor. He is also a GlibZoom personality and prankster. Tonio is a big fan of pic-a-nic baskets. His hobbies include salmon fishing, territorial displays, dumpster diving, and posing for wildlife photographers.

185 Comments

  1. Count Potato

    “the US Dept of State did indeed fund drag shows in Ecuador”

    Your tax dollars at work it, girl?

    • Count Potato

      “Idaho GOP chair and state Rep. Dorothy Moon did not address questions about whether the state party supported the proposal, but she told VICE News in an email that the Idaho GOP is “opposed to the sexualization of children, including ‘family-friendly’ or ‘all-ages’ drag shows.” The events she is referring to include drag queens reading children’s books to kids at public libraries; Conzatti’s comments, moreover, indicated the proposal would apply to drag shows in public spaces even for adults.”

      I’m not seeing those comments.

      “Conzatti said the draft bill is ready to be introduced as soon as the session gets underway but declined to share the text of the bill with the Sun and wouldn’t name the legislators who worked on it with him.

      “No child should ever be exposed to sexual exhibitions like drag shows in public places, whether that’s at a public library or a public park,” he said.”

      ““There were many Supreme Court decisions from the 19th century dealing with public virtue and how sexual practices should not take place in public because it degraded public virtue,” Conzatti said.”

      Who knows if he is trying to use the child issue to ban drag entirely because he won’t say exactly what the bill reads, but if it’s only to prevent kids from seeing drag shows, I would think that might hold up in court. I’m also thinking it would be very difficult to define drag in a bill.

      • Trigger Hippie

        ‘Who knows if he is trying to use the child issue to ban drag entirely because he won’t say exactly what the bill reads’

        Likely. Soc-Justice Warriors unite!

        The Stupid Party is stupid.

      • Tonio

        Any person wearing the traditional clothing of the opposite sex.

        Notice they don’t mention the cases, which might actually exist, but I still think would be unenforceable given 20th Century 1A rulings from the court.

        The whole purpose of drag is it’s raunchy, burlesque humor.

        Drag story hour is the left’s best troll of this year. It’s an obnoxious and pointless practice. It triggers hardcore socons something fierce, and it’s a hill too many people are willing to die on. I’d rather save my energy to fight against mutilating children.

      • Count Potato

        “Any person wearing the traditional clothing of the opposite sex.”

        That would ban trans people, and pretty much all women.

        “I’d rather save my energy to fight against mutilating children.”

        It’s related though. The manufacturer of Lupron has been funding gender ideology in schools.

      • Tonio

        “That would ban trans people, and pretty much all women.”

        Which is another reason it would fail.

      • Count Potato

        Well, I guess it will have wait to read the bill.

      • DrOtto

        We have to pass it to see what’s in it.

      • Semi-Spartan Dad

        It triggers hardcore socons something fierce

        Depends what you mean by triggering, but not just hardcore socons. I’d guess I hold the opposite view of most every social component of the socon position and this bothers me quite a bit. I wouldn’t ever protest, but I certainly would end any relationships with the parents and cease to patronize the business. Ostracizing the parents from society and bankrupting the businesses would put an end to this pretty quick.

        I also look at these parents and ask where are their parents.

      • Gustave Lytton

        It’s not just trolling. It’s also about sexualizing children and destroying traditional societal norms. The shitbirds pushing this are counting on their opponents restraint and their own allies hold on the levers of power.

    • Trigger Hippie

      Cover Girl!
      Do a Trwil!

    • Count Potato

      “Idaho, like much of the country, has also seen an uptick of violence towards LGBTQ+ people in general. In June, Coeur d’Alene police arrested dozens of white supremacists who allegedly planned to disrupt the city’s Pride festival, and charged them with conspiracy to riot. Trials in the cases began last month.”

      Patriot Front? You could use one of them as a reading lamp.

      • rhywun

        like much of the country

        They asserted, without evidence.

      • Count Potato

        Well, there has been an uptick in violence in general, which wouldn’t exclude LGBTQ+ people. That’s how bullshit works.

      • Trigger Hippie

        It’s amazing how much light is emitted via khaki pants, Polo shirts and Oakley’s.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Arresting and prosecuting persons for intent to disrupt lawful public events, rather than tutting that the targets brought upon themselves? Madness. Next will be not charging the targets when they defend themselves.

  2. Count Potato

    It’s rare for former Republican Presidents to go out and campaign, but if I remember it’s SOP for Democrats.

    • kinnath

      Cult of Personality

    • Swiss Servator

      Trump does whip up a rally, but has a quite mixed sense of selection in who he backs (looking at you, Dr. Oz…)….Also, would you want Boooosh stumping for you?

      • C. Anacreon

        Now that Bush is highly thought of by the Left and MSM, he doesn’t want to do any political appearances, lest they all remember what a dipshit he is.

  3. Yusef drives a Kia

    It Was a nice day, now its getting cold again, yippee🙄

  4. Count Potato

    “According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), a mother bear charged a woman out walking her dogs”

    Hold on, is that person a biologist?

    • Count Potato

      “After the woman was rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, a WDFW team enlisted the help of a Karelian Bear dog to track down the mother bear before the team killed it.”

      That seems unfair. If she only had non-life-threatening injuries, the bear wasn’t even trying.

      • Swiss Servator

        Could just be bad at being a mother bear?

      • Gustave Lytton

        That deserves a Sarah Palin gif.

    • Count Potato

      “This time of year, Nelson pointed out, is when bears “pack on as much as they can because they’re coming into hibernation. Their feeding drive is at a premium.”

      Then it’s your fault for fat-shaming.

      • Tundra

        Think it’s the chicks or the dogs?

        I didn’t realize you were up there, too. So we have three AK Glibs?

      • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

        I think the dogs agitate the bears. And when the dog starts running it triggers the bear’s instinct to chase.

        I used to go fishing up there with my dad.

  5. Certified Public Asshat

    Open data on government spending shows that federal money was granted to CEN specifically for 12 drag theater performances held by the non-profit, although details of the performances are unclear.

    Some fine fact checking.

    • Grosspatzer

      Not sure I want to know the details. Used to be that drag involved attempts, often successful, to be attractive, and practitioners were actually skilled. Too many ugly ass freaks these days.

      • Shiny Nerfherder

        When all this drag promotion started, there were some older performers who fought back against it precisely because drag is sexual in nature. They didn’t want to associated with the creeps performing for kids or getting kids to perform.

        They were also concerned that the resulting backlash would ruin decades of progress for the gay community.

        They, of course, were drowned out by the loons and the white women, but I repeat myself.

      • kinnath

        Not all white women are loons.

      • Sean

        I got a good one.

      • Shiny Nerfherder

        I wouldn’t know, I married an Italian.

      • Grosspatzer

        Some are quackers *ducks*

      • Aloysious

        (❁´◡`❁)

      • Mojeaux

        I object! I most certainly AM a loon!

      • C. Anacreon

        Are the fruit of the loon unaware?

      • Fourscore

        Well, they have to swim or sink

      • Zwak. who's suit is as ragged as his nerves.

        That is a very tighty joke, Whitey.

      • rhywun

        Drag is just another institution the left has marched through and taken over.

        All the culture wars we’re seeing today are a result of the same process.

    • Shiny Nerfherder

      The comments are worthy of the WaPo.

  6. Rebel Scum

    DESPERATE DEMS TROT OUT OBAMA TO CAMPAIGN FOR CANDIDATES

    Democracy is literally at stake if the plebs don’t vote correctly.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      Just don’t think too hard about who is responsible for elevating Biden.

  7. Rebel Scum

    HUGE PLUME OF SMOKE AND FLAMES EMERGING FROM FLARE STACK AT REFINERY

    Has anyone seen Greta lately?

    • Tres Cool

      HOW DARE YOU

  8. Rebel Scum

    Paypal is assho.

    News is spreading that PayPal has reinstated their policy to fine users $2,500 directly from their account if they “provide false, inaccurate or misleading information” according to its updated PayPal User Agreement.

    “You are independently responsible for complying with all applicable laws in all of your actions related to your use of PayPal’s services, regardless of the purpose of the use. In addition, you must adhere to the terms of this Acceptable Use Policy. Violation of this Acceptable Use Policy constitutes a violation of the PayPal User Agreement and may subject you to damages, including liquidated damages of $2,500.00 U.S. dollars per violation, which may be debited directly from your PayPal account(s) as outlined in the User Agreement (see “Restricted Activities and Holds” section of the PayPal User Agreement).

    Its Restricted Activities and Holds states, “In connection with your use of our websites, your PayPal account, the PayPal services, or in the course of your interactions with PayPal, other PayPal customers, or third parties, you must not provide false, inaccurate or misleading information.”

    • Shiny Nerfherder

      I encourage this behavior. Let Paypal fuck itself.

    • Grosspatzer

      Why I do not.have any accounts linked to PayPal, reason 3576.

    • Semi-Spartan Dad

      I have two PayPal accounts. One canceled fine online this morning, but the site wouldn’t let me cancel the second and told me to call customer service. Customer service asked why I wanted to cancel. I explained that they are insane because of the updated terms of service. The PayPal rep told me the fine for misinformation was taken out of context and it’s not true.

      I insisted it was and that we proceed with cancellation. The rep told me that my request for cancellation would be forwarded for review and I would be notified within 7 days of the decision.

      It’s getting weird out there.

      • slumbrew

        My cancellation won’t go through either.

        I’m not even a seller. I barely use the thing.

        I suspect they’ve disabled cancellations altogether.

        The context is pretty clear:

        https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/ua/useragreement-full

        If you are a seller and receive funds for transactions that violate the Acceptable Use Policy, then in addition to being subject to the above actions you will be liable to PayPal for the amount of PayPal’s damages caused by your violation of the Acceptable Use Policy. You acknowledge and agree that $2,500.00 U.S. dollars per violation of the Acceptable Use Policy is presently a reasonable minimum estimate of PayPal’s actual damages …

      • Fatty Bolger

        lmao. What are they going to do, refuse to cancel your account?

        Probably a delaying tactic, so they have time to send you some offers to get you to change your mind.

      • R.J.

        I couldn’t cancel because some magical $5 os in an “account.” I have no active account. FU Paypal.

      • Michael Malaise

        How can you not cancel your own account? Ridiculous.

  9. KK the Porcine Pearl-Eater

    Hello The Tonio!

    • Tonio

      Hi, KK. Just checking in here. I got the links set earlier and ran out to the Kroger for an even-more-disappointing-than-usual shopping trip. Seems they’ve discontinued one of their heat-n-eat entrees, and changed up another one so it’s beyond recognition. Pro-tip: always check to make sure they didn’t short the chicken/beef in the container you’re about to buy.

  10. db

    Knowing you people, at least one of your reads Chemical Safety Board accident reports for fun.

    *hangs head*

    • KK the Porcine Pearl-Eater

      Hi db!!!

      • db

        wazzup

    • Grosspatzer

      Hey there!

      • db

        Hey, ‘patzer! How’s the weather further out East? We had a nice run of beautiful days until yesterday out here.

      • db

        It’s nice and clear here now, but still too cool

      • Grosspatzer

        Lovely, thanks. Cooled off, a real fall day. A little past peak, still some great color.

        Sleep much lately? 🍼

    • Ted S.

      I figure people here are more likely to engage in the same sort of panic-mongering they did over the food-plant fires.

    • DEG

      Howdy db

  11. Rebel Scum

    Even the non-whites get railroaded on the altar of St. Floyd of Fentanyl.

    One of the two former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting George Floyd’s killing pleaded guilty Monday, and the other officer agreed to waive his right to a jury trial that was scheduled to begin this week.

    The decision by fired officer J. Alexander Kueng came as jury selection was about to start in Hennepin County District Court. After Kueng’s plea deal was announced, co-defendant Tou Thao told District Judge Peter Cahill that he would go forward with a trial by stipulated facts rather than go before a jury.

    Attorney Robert Paule said that means Cahill will review all the evidence in Thao’s case, to be received by Nov. 17, and issue a verdict by mid-February.

  12. pistoffnick

    Have at it with your shitposts, links, anecdotes, manifestos, and whatnot.

    FREE NORTHERN MINNESODA!

    • pistoffnick

      FREE THE NIPPLE!

      • pistoffnick

        FREE TUBE STEAK! ALL YOU CAN EAT!

      • kinnath

        ** Raises fist in solidarity **

      • Grosspatzer

        Ah, memories. I wonder how Birgitta (my college Russian instructor) is doing these days.

      • Grosspatzer

        She was actually Swedish, and hot AF. My Russian, such as it was, had a combination Nordic/Texas quality (the other instructor was a dude from Texas who had a distinct twinge in his English.)

      • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

        FREE BEER!

  13. Rebel Scum

    Of course we didn’t have problem counting votes to know the victor on election night until recently.

    On Monday, Pennsylvania acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman revealed that there will likely be delays in posting the results from the state’s midterm election.

    Chapman detailed in a virtual news conference how the state would be handling vote counting in the upcoming election, and said that it would likely take several days to count and certify the votes, according to Lehigh Valley News.

    “It’s really important for us to get accurate information about the election process in Pennsylvania,” Chapman said. “So voters and the public know that when there are delays in counting, it doesn’t mean that there’s anything nefarious happening. It’s just what the law is in Pennsylvania.”

    • Fatty Bolger

      Related: Lawmakers Want to Know Why Pennsylvania Sent Out 240,000 Unverified Ballots

      Almost a quarter of a million ballots were mailed to Pennsylvania voters without verifying their identity, state lawmakers say in a letter seeking answers from the state’s top election official.

      “According to the data, as of Oct. 21, 2022, a staggering 240,000 ballots are ‘NOT VERIFIED,’” 15 Republicans in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives write Tuesday in the letter to acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Leigh Chapman.

      • Dr. Fronkensteen

        Election season people. Vote early, vote often *

        *(only for Democrats)

      • rhywun

        Well, I guess we know the source when Lump gets an overnight dump of 240,000 votes.

      • Shiny Nerfherder

        Mmmmm… biscuits ‘n mustard

      • Zwak. who's suit is as ragged as his nerves.

        Uhm, it’s Fetterman’s Monster. Fetterman was the scientist who created him.

        He is always being mis-scienced.

  14. The Late P Brooks

    The likelihood that bears like these would be foraging in a town park with a playground, ball fields and kids fishing pond would be far less if lawmakers and voters weren’t “making political decisions about biological situations for political considerations,” Nelson continued.

    But they’re so cute.

    My sister in law had a close encounter with a bear in the back yard a while back. No injuries, fortunately, but it scared the shit out of her. She was drinking coffee and scrolling the phone out by the pool one morning, and all of a sudden she heard a bear snuffling around not nearly far enough away. She yelled at it, and it just looked at her. No fear of humans at all. Not good. At least it didn’t run her down when she bolted for the house.

    For years they have talked about how cool it is when the bears come around. Not anymore.They have shotguns. I think he might have picked up some slugs, after that.

    The game wardens came and set a trap but no bear.

    • Fourscore

      A few years ago we had a bear in the yard, I had gone off fishing for the evening. Mrs F went out on the deck with a broom, pounding on the deck. The bear was not impressed. Later when I got home after dark the bear came back. The yard light was on and I solved the problem.

    • Ted S.

      For years they have talked about how cool it is when the bears come around. Not anymore.They have shotguns.

      Yeah, it’s not cool at all.

      • Grosspatzer

        I for one fully support the right to bear arms!

    • grrizzly

      I’m sure I would get along with a wild bear just fine.

    • rhywun

      The statement from the world’s largest chemical giant by revenue came after it opened the first part of its new €10 billion plastics engineering plant in China a month ago, which would support growing demand in the country.

      Because of course. It’s not like China has any pesky concerns about the environment to gum up the works. So what if you had to give all your trade secrets to the CCP.

  15. Tres Cool

    Refineries arent my thing (I like boilers and steam) but Ive done a fair amount of work at them. Id say someone had a broken level gauge (and back-up) and wasnt paying attention when that column filled like a beer bottle. No idea about the point of ignition, since nearly every damn piece of electronics in a refinery is “intrinsically safe”.

    There goes the price of gas….

      • DEG

        I heat my home with home heating oil, which is untaxed diesel.

        I’ve seen the stories about running out of diesel. Some of those stories have talked about shipments coming into the US to help alleviate the situation.

        I expect I will not be cold this winter as there will be plenty of diesel. On the other hand, I expect prices will keep going up. At my last fill-up I paid about 1.5, 1.75 times what I paid at about the same time last year.

      • DEG

        And after I hit submit, I remembered another story which mentioned a refinery in PA coming back on-line after maintenance. Yes, refineries have something to do with it, but I stand by my claims that there will be plenty of diesel to get through the winter for heating and prices will go up.

      • Count Potato

        “I paid about 1.5, 1.75 times what I paid at about the same time last year.”

        Yikes!

      • Fourscore

        So striking for $15 @ hour should take care of inflation

      • Name's BEAM. James BEAM.

        I assume that’s due to refinery capacity?

        Apparently not:

             https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1585230462473351168.html

        Refineries are crying out for heavy distillates, which is where diesel comes from.

    • db

      That flare is probably for vapors off of a knockout pot or pots from several processes. Possibly a distillation column had a faulty level control, overflowed or had control problems leading to liquid entrainment in the vapor, then the separator/knockout got overwhelmed, other safety devices malfunctioned, and a slug of liquid made it to the flare. The flare ignitor flame probably touched off the slug and voila.

      • slumbrew

        About what this guy said, I think:

        “””
        Looks like the flare knockout drum failed; became flooded with liquids; filled and spilled out the top and the pilot flame ignited the liquid slug mixture. (Twice)

        Best to have it flare off than cover the equipment below and then ignite.

        Definitely a shut down time.
        “””
        https://twitter.com/Krommsan/status/1585439498904928259

        “Former nuclear engineering specialist, robot designer & power generator. Now a Petro-chemical Design Engineer.”

      • Tres Cool

        Faulty control and nobody paid attention to the redundant back-up. When I did refinery work, each year the HASC (Houston Area Safety Council) had us watch a video of some burn-victim dude doing a TED talk on why he looked like a pork rind after a refinery fire. Where he was working, a faulty gauge on a distillation column let it fill, and when he went to check on it, he drove a truck in to that location. A truck he left running after the vapors had collected on the ground.

  16. Aloysious

    HUGE PLUME OF SMOKE AND FLAMES EMERGING FROM FLARE STACK AT REFINERY

    Sometimes that spicy food can be a bear. We’ve all been there, right guys?

    • Tres Cool

      Once Tres Ver 2.0 were out and he wanted wings. We went to a local place, Fricker’s. He was at a “I love to eat really hot things” phase, so he got either their “kicker” or “killer” sauce. Had two, and tapped out.

      Me, being cheap and not wasting my money, bathed what was left in ranch and blue cheese, and finished his. The coating helped them go down, but did nothing for the fire that came out later…

      • slumbrew

        🎶
        And it burns, burns, burns
        The ring of fire, the ring of fire
        🎶

      • Fatty Bolger

        Always wondered what that song was about.

      • Tres Cool

        It was originally “stream of fire” after the 1st time Johnny contracted gonorrhea and took a piss.

      • Zwak. who's suit is as ragged as his nerves.

        So what you are saying is that it was a three rock shit? In that you have to throw a rock into the bowl to splash water up for a cooling effect.

    • Nephilium
      • Tres Cool

        Stay away from the chili verde!

  17. The Late P Brooks

    On Monday, Pennsylvania acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman revealed that there will likely be delays in posting the results from the state’s midterm election.

    “We won’t know how many we have until we’re sure we know how many we need.”

    • Grosspatzer

      See Cook County, 1960 (or any other year, for that matter). The more things change, the more they remain the same.

  18. rhywun

    That Newsweek article is a classic case of lies and deceit. I had to tap out after the first couple paragraphs of mendacious bullshit. I thought they had a decent editor now. Why is he letting garbage like this through?

  19. DEG

    The likelihood that bears like these would be foraging in a town park with a playground, ball fields and kids fishing pond would be far less if lawmakers and voters weren’t “making political decisions about biological situations for political considerations,” Nelson continued.

    What could possibly go wrong?

  20. DEG

    Project Veritas’ latest

    Document titled “2022 Midterm Elections Social Media Analysis Cheat Sheet” details what FBI agents should look out for leading up to November 8.

  21. The Late P Brooks

    The BMW 2002 I linked to as the last thread was issuing its death rattle just went for $43000.

    Yikes.

    • Tres Cool

      I was looking at the prices some of the IH Scouts got.
      Good Lord.

      • Tonio

        Those have become fetish items.

      • Tres Cool

        I cant afford the ropes and knot-tying classes for Creosote Achilles’s fetish. Let alone a $92K IH Scout.
        Ill just stick with fat girls, specially with winter around the corner. Free heat.

    • Count Potato

      Wow.

    • Mojeaux

      I’m trying to figure out if my 2000 Ram with 364,000 and needs a transmission seal and a new radiator will go for $1500, which is what we paid for it 9 years ago. Probably won’t actually sell it until we are empty nesters and looking for an apartment.

    • Tundra

      Yeah, when it was in the 20s it was a screaming deal.

      Still, I love it.

    • C. Anacreon

      2002: A BMW Odyssey

  22. DEG

    GOP Establishment fight?

    So, folks got bent when Mitch McConnell’s Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) backed out of a 5.6 million ad buy in support of Don Bolduc. The election is days away. Ad remorse or not, Hassan and her dark money third-party hooligans will be in your face until November 8th. That should not go unanswered.

    NRSC Chairman Rick Scott agrees. He has stepped up to fill some of that void.

    • Fatty Bolger

      Mitch the Bitch vs. Rick the Dick.

  23. The Late P Brooks

    I insisted it was and that we proceed with cancellation. The rep told me that my request for cancellation would be forwarded for review and I would be notified within 7 days of the decision.

    It will take them a week to decide how much to fine you for closing your account.

  24. Tundra

    “Over the past 15 years, Nelson explained, bear populations have increased as state laws restricted spring hunting season and eliminated the use of hound dogs during designated bear hunting seasons.”

    I’m too lazy to look up how many bear attacks there are every year, but I suspect, like sharks, the problem is way overblown.

    If you build in bear land, expect bears. If you are anti-hunting, expect bears. If you are a hunter, expect bears.

    Fuckers seem pretty adaptable.

    • Urthona

      On average, there are 4 bear attacks in the US a year and about one is fatal.

      So bears about 40 times less dangerous than vending machines.

      Also you don’t have the right vending machine arms.

      • Count Potato

        160 people a year are attacked by vending machines?

      • Urthona

        No.

        40 people a year die from vending machines. Unclear how many vending machine attack survivors there are.

        I’ve heard that if attacked by a vending machine don’t run and strike the vending machine hard in the nose.

      • The Hyperbole

        That can’t possibly be true.

      • Urthona

        The part where I was obviously joking or the part where I wasn’t?

      • The Hyperbole

        Apparently my joke-o-meter 5000 needs recalibrated. In my defense you kinda botched the RTVMA bit by leaving out the ‘to’.

      • Count Potato

        If you don’t have the right vending machine arms, you can get stuck trying to grab something.

      • Urthona

        I Googled and you’re right… vending machines are only twice as deadly as bear attacks in average year. I saw the full data and ran with it. 40 is over about 20 years.

    • Grosspatzer

      Nice. The article comes with a bonus link to excerpts from a literary giant turned politico.

  25. The Late P Brooks

    I’m trying to figure out if my 2000 Ram with 364,000 and needs a transmission seal and a new radiator will go for $1500, which is what we paid for it 9 years ago. Probably won’t actually sell it until we are empty nesters and looking for an apartment.

    If it moves under its own power I bet somebody will give you more than that for it.

    • Mojeaux

      Oh yes. It’s actually quite dependable. Just got it inspected. Passed with no problems. It’s a going-to-Home-Depot truck.

      Trashed interior, and the heat/defrost/AC doesn’t work, though. I forgot about those things.

      • Tres Cool

        Id buy that for a dollar!

  26. Nephilium

    In local news, the media is reporting that early voting in urban centers is below expectations through Ohio (an 18% drop for requests for mail in ballots since last year), worrying the Dems.

    • Grosspatzer

      Pennsylvania is right next door, your Dems should be taking lessons from your neighbors.

      • Nephilium

        The difference here is the state is run by a veto-proof majority of R’s.

      • creech

        Speaking of Penna., Fox News reported that the “early voting” date in Penna. is 50 days (yes, 50 days) before the election. This is nuts and, of course, the Stupid Party – in the majority – went along with this during the chicomvirus panic. More than 650,000 had already voted before Fetterman’s abysmal performance in the debate on Oct. 25th.

      • DEG

        50 days of early voting is insane.

        Early voting is insane anyways.

        On the topic of voting, did you see my posts earlier today about the bet? Kristen’s cruise post.

      • Semi-Spartan Dad

        I don’t think it’s insane. Early voting is an excellent mechanism to control voting outcomes.

        I mean it would be insane for running a fair and free election. But I doubt that’s the goal here, including for the GOP.

      • rhywun

        Wow.

        Early voting in New York is nine days – it starts Saturday. And mail-in voting has gone back to the pre-plague requirements (i.e. you supposedly have to have a valid reason).

      • rhywun

        Oh, and it must be postmarked by election day. (Looking at you, PA).

      • Michael Malaise

        “. And mail-in voting has gone back to the pre-plague requirements”

        How did the Dems let that happen?

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      Obvious evidence of voter suppression.

    • rhywun

      There isn’t enough string in the world to connect all of that family’s shenanigans.

  27. The Late P Brooks

    If you thought living from paycheck to paycheck sucked when you worked for Big Tech…

    For years, Big Tech companies have competed on pay and perks to lure workers in a tight labor market. Now, the endless hiring and allotments for employee travel, free food, and company swag are being replaced by budget cuts, new performance mandates, and even layoffs.

    It’s a first for many tech workers, an entire generation of whom have known nothing but non-stop growth and a bull market. To these employees, recent changes are “straight up heresy,” as Bill Gurley, a veteran venture capitalist, put it in June. “During this rate-induced boom, competition for employees created a Disney-esque set of experiences/expectations in high tech companies.”

    There was something of an outcry at Meta, for example, when the company earlier this year decided to limit the timing for free meals at offices and took away the laundry service it offered to workers. Within two months, the company froze hiring. Now, employees are worried about it cutting headcount by as much as 20%, as managers warn workers of impending cuts, Insider reported.

    ——-

    Younger tech workers don’t just have to fear losing perks. Their jobs may be on the line as well. Companies like Netflix, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, and Snap have all laid off workers recently.

    “Silicon Valley is seeing layoffs across the board for the first time since 2008,” said Dan Ives, a tech analyst at Wedbush. “Winter is coming to the tech world.”

    Whaddaya mean, “nothing lasts forever”?

    • Shiny Nerfherder

      It’s like 2000 never happened

      • Nephilium

        /waits for a glut of Aeron chairs

      • Tundra

        Nah. Motorized standing desks this time around.

      • Name's BEAM. James BEAM.

        Nuts!! The Spousal Unit’s already got one. (I made the top for it — the ones available on Amazon all looked cheap.)

      • rhywun

        Ugh I hated seeing those fucking things popping up at the office.

        Why, yes, I thoroughly enjoy your yakking on the phone all day spilling into my cubicle.

  28. The Late P Brooks

    This week, Elon Musk, known to be a demanding and mercurial manager, is expected to take over Twitter and make sweeping cuts to headcount. Anonymous employees at the company thought an open letter making a list of “demands” was something that could help them in their endeavor to remain employed. Instead, the company’s chief privacy officer sent a companywide email informing workers of the “risks” associated with signing the document. All links to it quickly disappeared from company Slack channels, an employee told Insider.

    Bucco Capital, a popular Twitter account that comments on tech and financial markets, called the Twitter letter “delusional,” adding it may be “the true and final swan song of the decade long bull market.”

    No more free money for the venture capital sandbox.

    • Tres Cool

      The wheels grind finely, but slowly ?

  29. DEG

    One charge so far from the PSU incident the other day

    A Penn State student is facing misdemeanor charges for allegedly ignoring multiple orders from police officers to leave the area during a protest on Monday night outside a planned event on campus that was to feature the founder of the Proud Boys.

    • creech

      It is pure luck they can identify anyone committing a criminal activity at The Penn State Univ. Several years ago, an athletic assistant saw Jerry Sandusky raping a young boy in a shower but couldn’t articulate what he saw to Coach Paterno so nothing was done at the time.

  30. The Late P Brooks

    And after I hit submit, I remembered another story which mentioned a refinery in PA coming back on-line after maintenance. Yes, refineries have something to do with it, but I stand by my claims that there will be plenty of diesel to get through the winter for heating and prices will go up.

    In the past few days there have been stories about a natural gas “glut” in Europe.

    The price mechanism strikes again.

    That’s why Biden & Co are trying so hard to destroy it.

    • Urthona

      I’m willing to sacrifice Europe though. Let’s be honest. They’re a bit too smug.

    • Tundra

      Daily Ray of Sunshine.

    • creech

      Two men died so shouldn’t the third attacker have been charged with homicide, even though those killed were his buddies in crime?

  31. hayeksplosives

    OT: My 4 month-old kitten is trying to charm my socks off. He has learned to play fetch.

    He has a little plastic spring toy (it is meant to be a cat toy, so it’s safe), and he likes to have it thrown across the room or down the hall, whereupon he chases it and IMMEDIATELY brings it back to drop at my feet and wait for another throw.

    He will do this up to 40 times in a row. Maybe more; I myself got a little bored.

    But it’s stinkin’ cute for a kitten to play fetch.

    • Tundra

      Video, por favor!

      I really wish I wasn’t so allergic.

    • rhywun

      Good kitty!

      Either of mine just looked at me like I had three heads when I tried to play that game with them, then walked away.

      They loved those feather toys, though. And laser beams.

      • hayeksplosives

        I didn’t try to teach him to fetch; he taught us! My husband causally tossed the spring across the room to get the cat to keep kitty off the keyboard.

        Kitty ran after it, picked it up with his mouth, and proudly trotted (yes, a high-stepping trot) and immediately dropped it at his feet, ready for another toss.

        Now he will play fetch with whichever of us is available.

        Now he’s watching football. He’s weird.

  32. The Late P Brooks

    A slight adjustment

    Hard drive maker Seagate Technology said Wednesday it plans to cut 8% of its global workforce, or about 3,000 employees, citing economic uncertainty and declining demand for its parts.

    “In addition to adjusting our production output, to drive supply discipline and pricing stability, we are implementing a restructuring plan to sustainably lower costs, including reduction in our global workforce,” Seagate CEO Dave Mosley said on a call with analysts.

    The restructuring plan was announced after Seagate reported fiscal first-quarter earnings that missed Wall Street expectations for revenue and earnings per share.

    The company’s shares fell more than 7% during trading Wednesday and are down over 55% so far in 2022.

    Comrade Biden’s not gonna like that. It is the patriotic duty of employers to employ people!

  33. The Late P Brooks

    Just don’t call it a recession

    It appears that more job cuts are coming to Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD), with plans aimed at “right-sizing” CNN, according to its Chief Executive, Chris Licht.

    Speaking with CNBC, Licht said one of his tasks at CNN is to restore the reputation of the cable news pioneer’s brand after a slate of upheavals, including the shuttering of the CNN+ streaming news offering barely a month after it launched earlier this year. According to CNBC, CNN’s in also on track for its earnings to drop below $1B this year, to a level not seen since 2016.

    CNBC also cited unnamed sources as saying Licht’s review of CNN will coincide with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) cutting more than 1,000 jobs by the end of the year. Licht has reported not been given any marching orders for how many of those cuts will come from CNN.

    Licht was named CNN’s CEO in February after the resignation of his predecessor, Jeff Zucker. In one of his first moves in his new job, Licht sent a letter to CNN employees saying that the network needed to take steps to regain the trust of its viewers.

    That’s going to take some serious effort.

  34. The Late P Brooks

    I wonder if my incredibly shitty Tmobile internet will work well enough to let me watch the football game.

    All signs point to NO.

  35. The Late P Brooks

    Does anybody actually listen to George Will?

    • whiz

      George Will

  36. Michael Malaise

    Had my one Twitter account permanently suspended because of the 3 following tweets (over a 6 month period)

    Tweet 1: To Bill Kristol: The silving lining in all of this is that you won’t have to worry about it, as you’ll be dead soon.

    Tweet 2: Reply to Eric Weinstein:’s question about “What ultimately happens with Putin” – I think he’ll end up dying from cancer.

    Tweet 3: I celebrate #indigenouspeoplesday I go to the next town over, kidnap one of their men, drag him to the top of city hall, cut out his heart, eat it, and then kick his twitching body back down.

    Boom. Roasted. It was fun while it lasted. Maybe Elon will bring me back to life.