366 Comments

  1. Not Adahn

    Good morning!

    Sorry for the early OT but when 7:30 happens, I’ll be at the range.

    A better match yesterday than last week so far. Best/worst stage finishes in the staff match were 3rd(!)/14th. Funny thing tho. That stage where I look like a decent shooter? I had a higher hit factor in the Limited match, but for some reason everyone else shooting that stage managed to miss a target or have some other disaster.

    Didn’t sleep well, too much worrying about the stages I tanked. Usually I’m better at letting that shit go, but whachagonnadoo?

    Also, heard some gen-u-ine Southern yesterday, hen someone at the front desk asked a guest “Yagotta problem witcher terlet?”

    • AlexinCT

      Get worried when you hear “You got a purdy mouth”….

      • Lackadaisical

        Worried, or excited?

      • AlexinCT

        Well, yeah, it will depend on your proclivity and who is telling you this, I guess…

      • Ted S.

        Paddle faster; I hear banjos.

      • SDF-7

        Of course you do… she provided us the links!

    • rhywun

      “Yagotta problem witcher terlet?”

      Southern New York City?

  2. Fourscore

    Morning Banjos,

    Watching Sleepy Joe corroborates the “Crazy Aunt in the Attic” theory.

  3. juris imprudent

    The local news had a Fetterman clip last night. He was up in front of [presumably] a supportive crowd and said “I’m doing well… [really long pause] and I’ll be even better in January”. I think there was supposed to be applause and cheering, but he got a stony silence.

    • Sean

      Heh.

      What did the Lump have to say?

      • Count Potato

        Start the reactors, free Mars!

      • UnCivilServant

        The ending prooved it was all bad memory implants. The scalding output of the reactor would have cooked ah-nold and the love interest of the moment, not to mention there would not be enough pressure fast enough for them to stand up and breathe, not to mention the composition of that ice probably isn’t breathable atmosphere.

      • Shiny Nerfherder

        Ok Debbie Downer

      • robc

        Bad memory implants? Or good ones and he is still at total recall and hasnt woke yet?

      • Pope Jimbo

        I don’t like memory implants (even good ones). Give me a pair of natural memory implants any day.

      • Pope Jimbo

        Uffda. That was supposed to be “Give me a pair of natural memories any day”

      • AlexinCT

        What about mammary implants?

      • Pope Jimbo

        A big set of mammary implants can sometimes wipe out memories as the brain repurposes all available cells to process signals from the optical nerves.

      • The Last American Hero

        You read the report on the ice composition, or how the reactors work?

        Team Just A Dream claims the beginning is what gives it away. When he selects his romantic love interest, the “database of hot chicks” literally shows his eventual love interest as it’s toggling through his preferences.

        I’m on Team It Was Real. Mainly because if it was just an interactive simulation, then Arnold should be in every scene or he would be aware of it being a dream. But there are multiple scenes where he isn’t, including the early on scene with Michael Ironside and Sharon Stone and scenes featuring Bossman and Ironside or Bossman and Stone.

        As for the steam, well that’s just Scifi. If you have problems with that, then forget about stories with FTL travel, dragons, or intelligent alien species.

      • UnCivilServant

        It’s simple math. In order to release that volume that quickly, and ideally aiming for sufficient volume to pressurize the planet, you’re going to have to overshoot ‘just enough to vaorpize’ temps in the early stages to pre-heat the next layers of ice. As for the composition, I’m basing that primarily on the known ices available on mars – CO2 and Water. There’s insufficient information on what, if anything, is being used as buffer to reduce toxicity, or what mehod of extracting oxygen from the ice is being used.

        And going “that’s just sci-fi” and trying to handwave away something that could very well be a piece of evidence in the analysis of events is just lazy. Suspension of disbelief comes for things like accepting that in this universe rewriting memories is a commercially available service, and thus common. Whether or not the events after the last known nonfiction data point (getting into that chair) are part of an implanted fiction is what’s up for debate. The plausibility of the reactor is a contributing factor to that debate, not something that should be handwaved away.

      • rhywun

        “Feed me.”

      • KSuellington

        Get this Lump outta my head.

    • UnCivilServant

      He might have voters, but he doesn’t have fans.

    • AlexinCT

      Were his lips moving when he talked, and if they were, were they in synch with whatever recording was trying to fool the idiots?

    • Certified Public Asshat

      Fetterman doctor in letter: “He spoke intelligently without cognitive deficits. His speech was normal and he continues to exhibit symptoms of an auditory processing disorder which can come across as hearing difficulty

      Seems contradictory, but I am not a doctor.

      • Pat

        My medical opinion: He talks like a fag and his shit’s all retarded.

      • AlexinCT

        But since I am a partisan hack first, and a doctor second, I will claim the guy is A-OK to run government of the mentally disabled?

      • Lackadaisical

        To be fair, there will be no effect on government, as it is already retarded.

      • juris imprudent

        Dammit, if he’s slow, PA won’t get it’s share of federal graft!

    • Jerms

      People voted for a guy with dementia and we got our savings destroyed, groceries are up 50% and gas prices have doubled. Now the same people are about to vote a stroke victim into office.

      • Pine_Tree

        Another one, you mean. Brandon had a stroke way back when.

      • juris imprudent
      • Bobarian LMD

        Let’s just turn to a different page

      • hayeksplosives

        Ah yea. He of the “Wide Stance.”

  4. Count Potato

    “The FBI Has Announced Indictments Of 22 Pro-Life Protesters And Zero Pregnancy Center Firebombers”

    They used to be able to go after the Black Panthers and the KKK at the same time.

    • UnCivilServant

      It’s not a matter of ability, it’s a matter of will.

      • juris imprudent

        Political crimes, unlike regular crime, are only recognized by the opposite side of the political question.

  5. AlexinCT

    White House Signals ‘Significant’ Drawdowns From Strategic Reserve Beyond 180 Million Oil Barrels

    This desperate act serves two functions. The first is a desperate but futile attempt to staunch the massive bleeding caused by their energy policies just long enough to carry these scum over the November election line without the people realizing how much worse things are about to get because we have corrupt and evil people in charge of things. The second is to leave the US in a bad position when Biden’s boss – Xi – decides to go all military adventurists to distract his people from the destruction he has wrought on their economy and country because of the corruption and ineptitude.

  6. Count Potato

    “Prominent pollster says that there’s a sector of Republicans who don’t get polled at election time”

    I’m not a Republican, but I hang up on everybody. If Madonna calls, I’m not here.

    • SDF-7

      Yeah, I don’t pick up the phone (or pay attention to spurious texts) unless I’m sure I know who I’m dealing with and I want to talk to them. I can’t imagine after years upon years of telemarketing scum that most people don’t do the same — so I can’t grok how pollsters would get an even vaguely representative sample set.

      • AlexinCT

        Some people remain desperate to have anyone talk to them. Even telemarketers or pollsters, is what I hear…

        Mental disorders of that sort worry me.

    • Pat

      In college I’d take political polls on Mechanical Turk, typically for between 50 cents and 5 bucks, depending on complexity. Even as broke as I am today, it’s not worth my time. That probably says something about who responds to these sorts of polls.

  7. Lackadaisical

    ‘Narrative backfire: ‘Mainstream media’ most widely feared threat to democracy in new poll’

    The people aren’t as dumb as some think.

    • AlexinCT

      Too many of them still are. You would be surprised how many people, especially team blue people, do not want out the bubble of lies they live in because it would mean they would have to admit they are idiots. I am sure there are some team red morons in this state as well, but it seems to be a constant with team blue people. Which is also the answer to a question I used to ask myself often: “Why do some people feel compelled to silence and punish anyone that refuses to accept their narrative, especially when it is blatantly obvious the narrative is bullshit?”.

      Team blue people can’t debate and use logic & facts to explain and or defend their emotionally driven campaign of lies that seem to always favor globalism and the destruction of the American dream and middle class.

      • juris imprudent

        Yeah, I’m not sure team blue has any real edge over team red on that.

        Oz is running ads touting how he’ll keep us safe and cut our taxes. Really? As a U.S. Senator?

      • AlexinCT

        He certainly can vote to cut taxes as a senator, can’t he?

      • juris imprudent

        Only if the House sends such a bill to the Senate (before Biden vetoes it).

      • Lackadaisical

        A real possibility if the reps take the house, which I’ve heard they’re likely to do.

      • juris imprudent

        If the only thing those asshole Republicans can agree on is a tax cut – they deserve to be run out of office. CUT SPENDING.

      • invisible finger

        He can also vote against regulations, which have the same effect as taxes.

      • Lackadaisical

        “Why do some people feel compelled to silence and punish anyone that refuses to accept their narrative, especially when it is blatantly obvious the narrative is bullshit?”.

        Exactly because it is bullshit, they need the censorship.

  8. AlexinCT

    19 states investigate major US banks for pushing ESG policies ‘killing’ American companies

    What’s the problem of the other 31 states that are not doing this? Is this just a question of “yet”? Cause I can’t think about anything as problematic and a violation of fiduciary duties that would require SEC intervention and then jail time for the scum peddling this shit than not caring about stockholders as much as stakeholders.

    • Lackadaisical

      They’re engaged in good think. Nothing will happen.

      • AlexinCT

        Then we should scrap the SEC as well as the FBI for being a partisan hack organization.

      • Lackadaisical

        Agreed.

      • Bobarian LMD

        Make all those teams join the ACC.

      • juris imprudent

        Bring back the old SWC.

      • rhywun

        Yeah, the other 31 states are in control of people who are enthusiastic supporters of wrecking the economy.

    • R C Dean

      I thought I saw that the SEC was looking at making ESG mandatory for publicly traded companies, or some such. Where’s the SEC? Exactly where you would expect – supporting crypto-Marxism and pushing “fundamental transformation” along with all the rest.

      • rhywun

        I think it was NASDAQ.

        In other news, fuck NASDAQ.

      • Lackadaisical

        I won’t be surprised when SEC mandates ESG or similar to be publicly traded. Aren’t they going after some companies for not properly believing in climate change?

  9. Count Potato

    “The Democrats’ $370 billion climate spending package, which Biden signed into law in August, strengthens the EPA’s methane rules”

    Remember when they said Trump hates Mexicans?

    • Count Potato

      “Biden’s Interior Department (DOI) in June announced a five-year oil and gas leasing plan that gave the agency the option to not hold any new lease sales until the end of 2028, according to a DOI press release. But only two months later, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) found that cutting back on offshore drilling would hike energy prices and increase the U.S. dependence on foreign oil, according to a BOEM report.”

      They needed a report to tell them that?

      • I. B. McGinty

        Yes.

      • UnCivilServant

        Indeed. Managers, politicians, and similar folk need a report to tell them the obvious.

      • AlexinCT

        The need to be able to claim research was done & data was collected when the whole thing goes south. If you however pretend your agenda came from “research and the data it produced”, you can then superimpose their agenda on that “research”, no matter what the research data and findings are, and claim they didn’t just decide to do whatever the fuck idiot shit they wanted.

  10. Semi-Spartan Dad

    Lack, saw your question about the advantages of outdoor wood furnaces. The best advantage to me is not needing to carry and store wood in the house. I can just stack the wood outside near the furnace and call it a day. Also no risk of fire and larger capacity than indoor furnaces.

    • Lackadaisical

      Thanks. I thought about the fire hazard side, but my phone likes to make me type special…

      Seems like you would lose heat to the outside that would have otherwise been inside. Do you know the relative efficiency? Also, can you cook on an outside one?

      • Fourscore

        My understanding is they are very fuel consuming. I heard my neighbor used 25 cords (sounds unreal) a winter, old house, probably not well insulated. I burn 5 cords or a little more, 2600 SF, inside furnace. They lose a lot of heat through the skin. Wood is only practical if you have your own and are able to cut, haul, split, stack it. Buying firewood and dealing with the ash may be a false saving.

      • Semi-Spartan Dad

        I don’t really know too much about them, other than my wife’s uncle has one and greatly prefers it over a wood indoor furnace. There is a boiler version and forced air version. Here’s a site with a few different models.

        https://www.wood-heating-solutions.com/outdoor-wood-furnaces/

        The outside metal is supposedly cool to the touch so heat loss should be minimal. I don’t think you can cook on it, but I’d prefer to cook on my grill if I’m outside anyway.

        Three inches of Morgan Super Wool Blanket on front of furnace and in the door for a Cold Weather Package R-value of 88.23

        You can actually put your hand under Morgan Super Wool, heat the other side of it with a blow torch and not burn your hand

      • Gustave Lytton

        Our missing steel mill electrician has one in (or outside) of his house. I remember seeing it in one of his pictures.

        I looked into one briefly but would require a bit of work for our house (single floor slab construction) and more ongoing work than we’d like. And our couple of acres wouldn’t produce enough to keep it fed.

      • Grummun

        The outdoor woodburners I’ve seen around here look like little shacks, bigger than a dog house, smaller than a storage shed. Maybe 4′ x 6′ by 5′ tall? The firebox is insulated, and heat is carried into the house by a heavily insulated underground water loop. So, no cooking on it. Advantages are as SSD says: no mess inside the house, reduced fire hazard, larger capacity and they can take larger pieces, so you don’t need to split the wood as much, or at all.

        Downsides (as I understand them, I don’t have one personally): some insurance carriers will still ding you for a woodburning heater, even if it is outdoors (I’m fairly sure this is true for my carrier, Grange). Larger pieces of wood take longer to dry, so consider that when timing when you cut wood and where you store it. Larger pieces are also harder to lift. The outdoor furnace is always making heat, even if you don’t need it in the house, so you may go through more firewood than you would with a indoor stove where you are more carefully metering wood into the stove as needed. The anecdote I heard suggests A LOT more wood, but perhaps SSD can speak to that directly.

      • R C Dean

        If its hot enough to cook on, you are losing a crapton of heat, so probably not a good idea for an outdoor furnace.

  11. Pat

    Mortgage rates hit 20-year high

    On first reading I thought that said marriage rates hit a 20-year high. What a relief…

    • AlexinCT

      You not a lawyer? Cause I remember how happy they were when gay marriage was approved cause their divorce workloads just went up, and news like this would also be pleasing to a lawyer…

  12. AlexinCT

    Mortgage rates hit 20-year high

    The powerful all wonder why the serfs should care. After all, they will soon not be allowed to own anything and be happier!

  13. AlexinCT

    ABC News Producer Missing Since FBI Raided His Home

    RUSSIANS DID IT!

  14. robc

    The mortgage 20 year high is still reasonable.

    • robc

      We need banks to catch up on the deposit side. What are CD rates?

      • AlexinCT

        Loss?

      • AlexinCT

        When your government privatizes profit to help the connected, and socializes losses and makes the commoner pay for it, the changes to the system that would benefit the masses are the last thing to happen. And maybe that won’t happen at all.

    • slumbrew

      Still not close to the worst rates of the 70s

      • juris imprudent

        Early 80s.

      • Fourscore

        That was when I got serious about savings. Local S&L was paying 18% interest and it was time for an IRA.

      • Drake

        To robc’s point, back then I could put my lawn-mowing earnings into the bank and get a return 3 or 4% above inflation.

      • UnCivilServant

        When was this? I don’t recall a time when I had any money that the bank paid over inflation.

      • Drake

        I remember nice returns in the early 80s.

      • UnCivilServant

        I was born in the 80s. I didn’t have money until I started working in the late 90s.

      • juris imprudent

        I thought rates were very slightly ahead of inflation up until 2007 and then QE!

      • Bobarian LMD

        I had a checking account that was paying 3.5% in college (mid ’80s).

      • Pat

        I had an ordinary savings account that was paying 4.8% APR when I opened it in 2005. By the time I closed it in 2009 it was paying 0.2% APR. The official inflation rate in 2005 was 3.4%. So I wouldn’t have beaten real inflation, but still wasn’t getting hosed quite as rigorously.

  15. AlexinCT

    The FBI Has Announced Indictments Of 22 Pro-Life Protesters And Zero Pregnancy Center Firebombers

    Enemies of the state! And you know this is being done not just to get enemies of the state, but also to give the idiots that love hardcore statism and support the people doing this shit something to feel all warm & tingly about.

    • SDF-7

      Yup… if “holding hands at clinic entry” == TERRORIST! BLARG!!! versus “Threatening protest mob to intimidate Supreme Court Justices” == “No biggie” didn’t make it clear, I don’t know what will.

    • juris imprudent

      Yeah, the DoJ claims to have convictions under the FACE act, but I can’t believe they would stand on appeal. That law is a farce.

      • Lackadaisical

        I’m not so sure. Why do you think their convictions would be overturned?

      • juris imprudent

        Well, aside from the distinct lack of any interstate activity, I don’t know.

      • Pat

        Nobody is going to pull on that thread, or half our federal administrative state comes unraveled.

  16. SDF-7

    I know y’all talked about it some yesterday afternoon — but while I’m not terribly surprised they went along with the vax in the “Vaccines for Kids” program (anything that keeps the Feds handing out freebies to buy the voters off, after all) — count me in as one where today’s vote is a bit of a red line. California has already made it clear a lot of them want to make it mandatory, home schooled or not — if the CDC adds it, I expect that will happen (the argument from the home school program that we’re in at least is that they do have get togethers / field trips where the kids can meet up, hence the vax schedule comes into play).

    If Abrams gets sent back to run the Federation as it appears (and as I would hope), I would shift to then hoping that GA doesn’t move it to mandatory and that would be my moving option since I still have a house there. Otherwise and if all the states sign on, we’re talking a huge mess.

    It just makes so little sense given the risk / benefit analysis, that this is still experimental, etc. I know it makes sense to the industry (perpetual lack of liability! yay!), but there’s just no argument here I see… the kids aren’t at anywhere near significant risk, they’ve had to admit it does nothing for transmission (so you can’t say it is for the teachers)… if parents want to get it for their kids they can. Blooming authoritarian back room weasels.

    Anyway… just needed to vent a little on that topic. Sorry for ranting at the choir and all.

    • rhywun

      When you have even European countries ending the madness of targeting children, you can be certain the CDC’s actions have nothing to do with “health”.

    • The Last American Hero

      Walgreens is literally running commercials where a young child is excited to get the shot so their infant sibling will be safe.

      It’s sick, and somebody needs to sue them into bankruptcy.

      • rhywun

        That whole thing is one of the most despicable commercials I have ever seen.

        “How many people have you jabbed?”
        “At least a thousand!”

  17. I. B. McGinty

    That song…is that real?

    • Pat

      It makes a certain kind of sense. The Norks are actual commies and RATM are trust-fund commies.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        But the corporations man.

      • Pat

        Bulls On Parade remains one of the all-time great anti-authoritarian anthems, and they’re not totally wrong about hating big business, they just happen to be a supermassive blackhole of hypocritical douchebaggery and unwarranted self-importance.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        Oh definitely, they just can’t see the obvious connection between big business and big government. Or they do and don’t give a shit.

      • EvilSheldon

        Tagged for review.

    • Nephilium

      The one they covered, or the video of them playing it?

  18. Count Potato

    “Let’s be clear: having children is why you’re worried about your price or gas, it’s why you’re concerned about how much food costs. For women, this is not a reductive issue,” Abrams said. “You can’t divorce being forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy from the economic realities of having a child. And so these are, it’s, it’s important for us to have both, and conversations.”

    When Georgia sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re on drugs. They’re allowing crime. They’re retards. And some, I assume, are good people.

  19. SDF-7

    ‘Orning ‘ordles: Tolerable preliminary, my usual cock-up in the main event, but managed to not chump. Too bad Hype isn’t running the spreadsheet anymore, I’m suspicious Cowboy has an impressive streak of low scores, charting by person over the last couple of months runs through my head from time to time. But I don’t care enough to spin up Excel for myself before anyone asks… just passing thoughts.

    Daily Duotrigordle #232
    Guesses: 36/37
    Time: 06:38.17
    https://duotrigordle.com/

    Daily Quordle 269
    6️⃣5️⃣
    8️⃣7️⃣
    quordle.com

    • Sean

      Daily Quordle 269
      4️⃣3️⃣
      6️⃣7️⃣
      quordle.com

    • Grumbletarian

      Daily Quordle 269
      8️⃣6️⃣
      5️⃣4️⃣

    • Pat

      Daily Quordle 269
      8️⃣7️⃣
      5️⃣6️⃣

      If anybody is keeping track, I’m certain I’m bringing up the rear.

    • Grummun

      7 8
      4 5

    • Tundra

      Daily Quordle 269
      6️⃣4️⃣
      7️⃣8️⃣

      Bleh.

    • Cowboy

      Daily Quordle 269
      7️⃣3️⃣
      4️⃣5️⃣
      quordle.com

      Missed a 50/50 on TL, otherwise these seed words are working well for me

    • robc

      Chessle 250 (Expert) 5/6

      ⬛⬛🟨🟨🟨⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛
      🟩🟨🟩🟨⬛🟨⬛🟩⬛⬛
      🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩⬛🟩🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩🟨🟩🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

      https://jackli.gg/chessle

      Should have got it in 4.

      • robc

        Daily Quordle 269
        6️⃣5️⃣
        8️⃣7️⃣
        quordle.com

    • kinnath

      Daily Quordle 269
      4️⃣6️⃣
      8️⃣9️⃣

    • whiz

      Daily Quordle 269
      5️⃣3️⃣
      6️⃣7️⃣
      quordle.com

    • Grosspatzer

      Daily Quordle 269
      7️⃣8️⃣
      5️⃣4️⃣
      quordle.com

  20. Tonio

    “There’s an important chunk of people that are what I call submerge voters that you cannot get on the phone and you cannot reach them any other way.”

    I have been saying this for years. And not just Republicans, as noted above by the Count, but people who value their time and privacy. The sort of people who tend to not vote Democrat.

    • R.J.

      “Tend not to vote Democrat.”
      Most correct assessment.

      • juris imprudent

        Descending order of significance of politics in daily living:

        Communists, progressives/SJW and honest-to-god fascists
        Democrats
        .
        Republicans
        .
        .
        everyone else

  21. AlexinCT

    CDC votes to add Covid-19 vaccine to ‘Vaccines for Kids’ program

    I am gonna go out on a limb, and bet that this idiotic decision has nothing to do with this being a decision made to help kids and everything to do with
    scumbag law makers making bank.

  22. rhywun

    I got a chuckle out of this.

    Some social media blue checks had a bit of a temper tantrum this week following the release of a New York Times poll that showed overwhelming support for Republicans among Gen X voters.

    The tweets in the first link are a goldmine of derp.

    • AlexinCT

      idiots are gonna idiot in over drive when their oxen are gored.

    • Pat

      Too bad you guys’ parents didn’t have more of you to make up for the two consecutive generations of authoritarian wankstains that followed.

      • rhywun

        inorite?

        And the boomers are still running the show.

    • Aloysious

      And we have a message for the Biden regime:

      Eat. My. [Dirty] Shorts.

      I approve this message.

    • R.J.

      Wow. The subject avoidance is amazing on that twitter feed. Divert! Divert! We must not discuss the real reason for it!

    • The Other Kevin

      That was pretty good. Recently I’ve been listening to 80’s skate/punk music when I work out. We had songs like “Fuck Authority” and “Rise Above”. You don’t get songs like that today.

      • Swiss Servator

        “Bend the Knee”

        “Bow down to The Proper Authorities”

        “OBEY”

        ….

        /Future playlist

      • The Other Kevin

        “Just Wear the Mask”
        “Follow the Science”
        “Stop Disinformation”

      • Nephilium

        There was a shirt for sale at the Punk in Drublic show that had a snake being stomped on, a yellow background, and the caption “Please Tread on Me.”

    • rhywun

      Aw!

    • Fourscore

      Thanks Dr Sunshine, I remember those days in the not too distant past.

      • Fourscore

        Too late, the calendar says no more education for me.

    • Tundra

      Nice. Thanks, Holiness!

      • Pope Jimbo

        Hey, I saw your boasting last night about being the first multi-state Glib member of TOK’s hockey team. You forget that I could hop over to the earlier Chicago tourney or to St. Louis and beat you.

        The nice thing about the one in Minnesoda is that you can bring your own beer into the stadium.

      • The Other Kevin

        There’s plenty of me to go around. I’m looking forward to seeing you both again. I didn’t know that about the beer, that’s a nice feature. That Minnesota tournament is turning out to be a favorite.

      • Tundra

        That’s a great tournament. My buddy’s kid has played in it for years.

        Go for it! As long a Kevin has plenty of fans, I don’t need to be first!

      • Pope Jimbo

        I bet Mrs. Tundra would be surprised to hear you say that.

  23. Raven Nation

    Huh, Liz Truss has resigned; 45 days as PM.

    • AlexinCT

      The machine decided she had to go because she was not doing what they wanted…

      • juris imprudent

        Or the party isn’t even a Rube Goldberg contraption let alone a functioning machine.

      • Drake

        They didn’t want Boris or Brexit either but they got them. Then he squandered it all in favor of day drinking and obsessing over the Ukraine.

    • Drake

      Since Labour collapsed, the Tory Party became the UK’s liberal party.

      • Fourscore

        So England is no longer employing a Truss?

      • Raven Nation

        American liberal or British liberal?

      • Sensei

        What difference at this point does it make

      • R C Dean

        Crypto-Marxist or Neo-Marxist?

    • invisible finger

      She was as conservative as Liz Cheney.

  24. Certified Public Asshat

    Overdosing in a Tim Hortons is a human right

    “Just because overdoses are no longer happening in Tim Hortons bathrooms doesn’t mean they are not happening,” said longtime harm reduction advocate Dr. Andrea Sereda of the London Intercommunity Health Centre in southwestern Ontario.

    “We know from research that drug users only travel a maximum of 500 metres from point of drug purchase to location to use,” she said. “Therefore these injections are still happening in the immediate area surrounding the Tim Hortons.

    “I do actually understand why businesses don’t want injections on their premises — liability, impact on other customers, fear within their employees when it happens,” Sereda said. “However, blue lights don’t stop the harm of injection drug use.

    “Blue lights only move the injections into less safe spaces, probably resulting in more death.”

    • Nephilium

      only travel a maximum of 500 metres

      Are they doing tag and release on the addicts?

      • pistoffnick

        Are they doing tag and release on the addicts?

        *imagines Marlin Perkins in a Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom helicopter aiming an elephant tranquilizer gun at some scurrying Canadian tweakers*

        “This is a nice specimen right here. Notice the greasy mane, the rotting teeth…”

    • rhywun

      “Therefore these injections are still happening in the immediate area surrounding the Tim Hortons.

      Tim Horton’s is dealing drugs? Maybe stop doing that.

      • UnCivilServant

        They built their business model around it. And Caffiene is perfectly legal!

      • DrOtto

        Caffeine is a gateway drug.

      • Translucent Chum

        Hey, buddy!

    • Semi-Spartan Dad

      “We’re just like every other community right now,” she said. “We’re struggling with our homeless population and with homelessness comes addictions as well. Everybody in our community, whether it’s the United Way or the police board, we’re all trying to work together to come to some solution.

      “I don’t have the magic answer. I just know that we do have a community that cares and everybody is trying to come to some sort of a solution.”

      I have the magic answer. Decriminalize drugs and bring flophouses back. Let the free market provide a very low cost and voluntary solution for addicts to have a bed, some bread, and place to shoot up. Gets them off the streets.

      But that would cut off the taxpayer spigot to the homeless NGOs and drug warriors.

      • juris imprudent

        Local Congress-critter is running ads all about fentanyl and Biden’s border. None of that shit would enter the country if there weren’t buyers, but no one wants to admit that is the problem. So fine – propose your war, but be honest about who the enemy is and why.

      • Pat

        None of that shit would enter the country if there weren’t buyers

        You’d also have a hell of a lot fewer people willing to buy fentanyl of questionable provenance and overdosing on the sidewalk if they had legal options for getting high.

      • rhywun

        And that’s not caring.

      • juris imprudent

        Bush and his compassionate fascism.

      • DrOtto

        “…with homelessness comes addictions…” pretty sure that’s backwards.

      • Drake

        Also go back to putting the truly crazy dangerous ones into institutions or exile. The outer islands of NY used to be used as places to store nut-jobs away from normal people.

    • Count Potato

      “Some businesses have installed blue lights in their public washrooms in an effort to curb intravenous drug use there, working on the concept the lights reduce vein visibility. ”

      That’s an awfully stupid concept.

      • rhywun

        They said it was working. 🤷🏻‍♂️

      • Jerms

        You stick it in right next to the last needle mark.

  25. AlexinCT

    This evil shit is why the left wants government in control of healthcare: they will use healthcare as a weapon to enforce compliance with evil & stupid shit.

    • B.P.

      The public is disappointing Jen Psaki. Be better, people.

    • juris imprudent

      I don’t understand this warning about a recession, we’re already two quarters into one.

      • Fourscore

        In these times of high inflation a recession is not a recession until it becomes a depression. That’s when you have a recession.

      • Drake

        The best definitions for an economic depression I can find is:

        1. A decline in real GDP exceeding 10%, or
        2. A recession lasting 2 or more years.

        By 2024 we should easily meet both those requirements.

      • blighted_non_millenial

        You will have a recession when your betters declare you have one and not a second before.

      • The Other Kevin

        And it will always be used to get some kind of political advantage.

    • UnCivilServant

      It’s probably already illegal outside of designated sporting arenas where they are required to remain under lock and key by a state licensed official.

    • Aloysious

      I wonder. While baseball bats are easy to acquire, wouldn’t it be a good opportunity to purchase a Tactical Self Defense Cane?

      It does have a certain appeal, and would be nothing if not stylish.

      Or maybe it would be a bright neon sign saying “Mess with me”.

      Just a thought.

      • Aloysious

        Shillelaghs have a distinct style all their own.

        After poking around a bit, I see that there are many styles of walking sticks available.

        It’s an intriguing option. Personally, in the moment, I would want one that wasn’t flashy.

      • R.J.

        A crowbar painted like wood with a rubber cap on the end?

      • kinnath

        I have a staff, a walking stick, and a cudgel. All from this guy.

      • The Last American Hero

        Also, a backpack, 2 large sacks, one small sack, 2 weeks iron rations, 2 oil skins, 10 spikes, 2 water flasks, a belladonna sprig and a 10′ pole.

      • Aloysious

        💖

        A man after mine own heart.

      • Surly Knott

        But you forgot the rope.

      • Aloysious

        Kinnath- thanks for the input. I like having lots of options.

      • kinnath

        You are welcome

    • EvilSheldon

      Because beating someone with a baseball bat is, somehow, better than shooting them.

      I didn’t see any mention of OC spray. That stuff is tailor-made for aggressive junkies and panhandlers.

  26. The Late P Brooks

    From rhywun’s link:

    Meanwhile, the Democratic Party went insane. Democrats scare the shit out of us, and not in a good way. It’s not just that Joe Biden is a pathological liar, a self-aggrandizing fraud, and a reckless leader, but he and his fellow Democrats are full-blown Marxists, embracing radical and dehumanizing policies that few saw coming even five years ago. And these twisted perverts are coming for our kids.

    We’re not gonna take it anymore.

    *applauds, whistles, stamps feet*

    • Suthenboy

      “…that few saw coming…”
      Uh huh. It is not your fault at all.

  27. The Late P Brooks

    Huh, Liz Truss has resigned; 45 days as PM.

    It were misogyny what dunnit.

    • juris imprudent

      From NR:

      Truss’s resignation makes her the shortest-serving prime minister in British history. The previous record-holder was George Canning who died 119 days into his stint in 1827.

      That’s gonna be a tough record to beat.

      Also, her successor will be the first to receive office under Charles.

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      The UK just can’t handle a strong woman as PM.

      • juris imprudent

        Not one that isn’t made of iron anyway.

  28. Pope Jimbo

    Since the west side of Wisconsin gets their TV from the Twin Cities we get the luxury of getting to watch their political ads too. I can hardly wait to see the “fact check” of this one.

    The 30-second ad, first shared with NBC News, will hit airwaves in the battleground state Wednesday. It features a former Madison police officer narrating video that shows violent clashes around the U.S. Capitol during last year’s insurrection.

    “I’ll never forget Jan. 6th, watching my fellow law enforcement officers defending the Capitol,” retired Police Capt. George Silverwood says in the ad. “And then, five officers died. But Ron Johnson is making excuses for rioters who tried to overthrow our government, even calling them ‘peaceful protests.’”

    I mean since they took the GOP gubernatorial candidate to task because there was 2 seconds of a carjacking that happened in Miami (and not Minnesoda) for playing fast and loose with the facts, they surely will go to DEFCON1 on this one for claiming cops were killed. And 5 of them!

    • juris imprudent

      I’m glad ol’ George there is retired. He isn’t in touch with reality.

    • rhywun

      No one except the far-right MAGA white-supremacist press is calling them out on that blatant lie.

    • DrOtto

      “Since 5 officers did die on Jan 6, just not in that precinct and not neccesarily even in the line of duty, we rate this story as deluxe super-ultra true.”

    • Gustave Lytton

      Glossed over: was it an incoming international passenger or an illegal domestic search?

      • juris imprudent

        Attempting to board a flight in LA, so not an international passenger (arriving in country).

      • R C Dean

        Could have been a connection from an international flight. But probably not, since the one thing that gets examined in Customs is food.

      • juris imprudent

        The suspected trafficker fled but has been identified, authorities said, without providing details.

        Uh huh.

    • Pope Jimbo

      You know the skittles wrappers were full of that Halloween rainbow fentanyl.

      • Bobarian LMD

        That’s what I’m giving out this year.

  29. Shiny Nerfherder

    It’s 2022 and you still can’t get a reliable USB printer connection on Windows.

    • UnCivilServant

      Are we talking about regular printers or check printers?

      • Shiny Nerfherder

        It’s just an HP laser printer. Refuses to work on USB, but works fine over the wireless connection which has to be programmed using the USB cable. So effing tedious.

      • UnCivilServant

        I’m liking my no-frills Brother home laser printer more and more. I spent $150 on it ages ago and it’s still going hassle-free today.

    • Pat

      Interestingly, printer support is leagues better on Linux than Windows in my experience, and has been for years. One of the few peripherals where that’s the case.

      That said, it’s 2022, just plug in the ethernet cable.

  30. The Late P Brooks

    Our shining city on a hill is gone and we want it back. We demand an America that’s fun, happy, and free—the country we grew up in and that we crave for our children. For now, Joe Biden and the Democrats are in our way. But, to parse Judas Priest, if they think we’ll sit around as the world goes by—they’ve got another thing coming.

    And it starts in November.

    We can only hope.

    But unless you can find a way to hold a lot of political feet to the fire, the Deep State will ramble on, unperturbed by your tantrum-throwing.

    • PieInTheSky

      We demand an America that’s fun, happy, and free – when was that?

      • R C Dean

        Relatively speaking, I would say pre-2001.

      • Pat

        9/11 really did a job on the zeitgeist of the post-Soviet ’90s. Of course a lot of that was mass delusion. The Iraq prequel, Ruby Ridge, Waco, the assault weapons ban, the WTC prequel, the Richard Jewell frameup and the Rodney King riots were all happening, but so long as the ol’ portfolio was hoppin’ it was all sunshine and blowjobs.

      • mindyourbusiness

        Too long ago for my liking.

      • Grumbletarian

        Coolidge administration?

    • Pat

      How many degrees of Kevin Bacon is that?

      • rhywun

        350, for about 15 to 18 minutes.

      • rhywun

        (Depending on thiccness.)

      • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

        Grade A.

    • Gustave Lytton

      98.6 degrees of bacon?

      • UnCivilServant

        No, that would be raw. You have to cook it.

    • Pope Jimbo

      The story could have been improved if they murderer was Jewish or Muslim.

    • EvilSheldon

      Interesting parallels with Dahmer. I wonder if the lack of police interest was more, ‘It’s just a bunch of fags, fuck ’em.’ versus, ‘We don’t want to get in trouble for making accusations against a member of a marginalized community…’

  31. DrOtto

    K-pop sucks, why do commies always have the better music?

    • UnCivilServant

      First, those two clauses are not related.

      Second the question is vague. Are you asserting that good musicians tend to be commies, or that communist regimes have the better music?

      • The Last American Hero

        Both. The Beatles are commies and Bernie saw the symphony for a nickel when he vacationed in the USSR.

    • PieInTheSky

      what nork music are you referring to?

  32. PieInTheSky

    EVAMELE HAWAII SWIM SHOW 2022 – Swimwear & Underwear

  33. Count Potato

    “Only the political class is afraid of Trump and his mean tweets. Voters will back him in the next cycle as never before, even beyond 2020 election levels. We understand this is a showdown, and it has nothing to do with Republicans and Democrats: This is people versus government. This is America versus politics. Don’t lose sight of that. And don’t try to out-clever the professional political manipulators. You already know who they fear the most: Trump terrifies them. The thought of Trump being president again scares them silly. That alone should tell you who our best candidate is.

    The only chance the uniparty has is to divide the voter base, to siphon off Trump support to serious people like DeSantis or unserious ones like Kanye West. Don’t fall for it. Trump is America’s man for 2024.”

    https://amgreatness.com/2022/10/18/why-desantis-should-not-run-in-2024/

    If Trump is the nominee, he will lose.

    • rhywun

      Not sure I’m buying his argument.

      I had concluded the author just wants him for Florida.

    • juris imprudent

      That is 100% bullshit fantasy.

    • Tundra

      Easy enough to test. That’s what primaries are for, after all.

      • juris imprudent

        Well the primaries are guaranteed to produce one loser (in the general election) and a whole bunch of losers (in the primary elections). Nothing says we’ll get someone good out of that.

      • R C Dean

        Many general elections have two losers. It’s just that one of them gets more votes.

      • juris imprudent

        Oh, the electorate always loses.

    • R C Dean

      Picking a position (or candidate) because the other team is opposed to it is one of the stupider manifestations of partisanship.

  34. The Late P Brooks

    I have the magic answer. Decriminalize drugs and bring flophouses back. Let the free market provide a very low cost and voluntary solution for addicts to have a bed, some bread, and place to shoot up. Gets them off the streets.

    Also- bring back casual labor for cash. Let the hobos work at odd jobs again, as they used to.

    • Gustave Lytton

      And enforcement of squatting and illegal camping.

      • R.J.

        And crimes against life, liberty and property. You break into a car? Prison and cold turkey for you.

  35. The Late P Brooks

    “This sale will complete the historic, 180-million-barrel drawdown the President [Joe Biden] announced in the spring, which has helped to stabilize crude oil markets and reduce prices at the pump,” a White House fact sheet states.

    Maintaining disequilibrium is not “stabilizing” the market.

    • Pope Jimbo

      How long until Trudeau and Cuba* realize that the US has sold off all its munitions to Ukraine and all its gas to the local price gouging gas stations and invade us in a pincers movement?

      * Of course, they will align. Justin has a claim to the throne of Cuba through his daddy.

      • creech

        Those of us who are hockey fans already know how to sing “O Canada.” Don’t know what the Cuban anthem is but it might be cool to see hot Latin chicks singing it before ball games.

      • Brochettaward

        IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION SINCE THE LAST ELECTION!

        60% OF ALL OF US WILL HAVE AN ELECTION DENIER ON THE BALLOT!

    • Shiny Nerfherder

      WW3 here we come.

      • Drake

        We really are Peloponnesian War era Athens – violently bullying the world into staying within our trading empire or else.

    • The Last American Hero

      So they will call it the Arabrics?

      • Ownbestenemy

        I think that one should have been a squint

      • juris imprudent

        I don’t think any slants are allowed.

  36. The Late P Brooks

    On Wednesday, Biden will also announce that the U.S. government intends to repurchase crude oil to replace the depleted SPR inventory when prices are at or below $67 to $72 per barrel.

    The White House said the DOE is finalizing a new rule to allow fixed-price contracts through a competitive bid process for oil delivered at a future date, which the Biden administration hopes will create certainty for the oil markets.

    “This repurchase approach will protect taxpayers and help create certainty around future demand for crude oil. That will encourage firms to invest in production right now, helping to improve U.S. energy security and bring down energy prices that have been driven up by Putin’s war in Ukraine,” the White House fact sheet states.

    “According to my model, it will work.”

    • Spartacus

      It will work fine. One more COVID lockdown to drive down demand, and voila.

  37. The Late P Brooks

    Here’s Chris Hayes to help us dummies understand why selling off the reserve before an election is necessary for the sake of “our democracy

    Good grief, what a nattering imbecile.

    • juris imprudent

      Par for the MSNBC course.

  38. Ownbestenemy

    Whew…I was afraid that my decade long streak of getting a random drug test would be broken this year.

    • rhywun

      I’m glad my industry doesn’t do that. I’d have some hard choices to make.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Even the tester was like…”not very random when you are top of the list every year”

      • juris imprudent

        And you don’t even go to Burning Man?

      • Swiss Servator

        “He looks like one of them Reefer Addicts!”

      • Ownbestenemy

        I’ll take it

      • juris imprudent

        Now I want to have a refrigerator as an art piece at BM, with all manner of Reefer madness posters, etc. on it.

      • UnCivilServant

        It should be a refrigerated trailer.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Couldn’t produce enough…so they have me sitting, violating everyone’s privacy as I see everyone who is tagged for a test while I drink no more than 32oz of water. Good job contractor. You will be getting slapped down by my union.

  39. The Late P Brooks

    The world is a complicated place

    U.S. firms developing a new generation of small nuclear power plants to help cut carbon emissions have a big problem: only one company sells the fuel they need, and it’s Russian.

    That’s why the U.S. government is urgently looking to use some of its stockpile of weapons-grade uranium to help fuel the new advanced reactors and kick-start an industry it sees as crucial for countries to meet global net-zero emissions goals.

    I think Joe’s administration can find a way to appease the Green Absolutists and keep that from happening.

    • Shiny Nerfherder

      Gee, who approved the sale of that uranium mining company to the Russians?

      • Pope Jimbo

        It is a complete mystery. We’ll never know.

      • Swiss Servator

        It would be funny to see her hoist on a RUSHHHHUHHHH TREAZONZ petard.

    • Cowboy

      Well, good news is the DoE is allowing HALEU manufacturing in the US, awarding a contract to X-energy. Hopefully they can get it moving in time for the DOW chemical reactor to come online. (In the chemical industry, electricity prices are a large chunk of the budget. If DOW is successful with their experimental reactor, it could mean a lot to the industry as a whole, but particularly in my area.)

    • Swiss Servator

      Was that the stuff Hillary sold…?

      • Swiss Servator

        *reminds self to scroll up before posting*

  40. Certified Public Asshat

    . @AOC wrecked again – her own constituents keep putting her on blast Fire AOC – vote @TinaForteUSA! pic.twitter.com/LYMc2ZUSoc— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) October 20, 2022

    I don’t think AOC is going anywhere, but why does she keep doing these townhalls?

    • Pope Jimbo

      Uffda. That “Listen, Listen, Listen” at the very end is about as bad as Hillary when she did her southern accent.

      Also, why did the lights go off? Were they bum rushing the uppity voter who was giving AOC a hard time and didn’t want it captured on camera?

    • rhywun

      Because she loves to hear the sound of her own voice.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        Sure, but she could go to any college campus and receive adulation.

  41. JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

    1 877 VAX 4KIDZ
    1 877 VAX 4KIDZ
    Vaccinate your kids today

    • Swiss Servator

      AHHHHH! Damn you. Ear Worm!

    • rhywun

      🎶 “Jab your kidz today” 🎶

    • The Other Kevin

      Is it tax deductible?

      • rhywun

        Ah even better…

        🎶 Donate your jab today 🎶

        Then you can get a tax deduction and a vacation voucher.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Can we put that to the J.G. Wentworth tune?

      • Count Potato

        “I’m a complete retard and I need jab now”

    • Toxteth O'Grady

      Oh good, not an actual link.

  42. The Late P Brooks

    We’re cranking them out as fast as we can

    As the US moves into the fall, Covid-19 cases are dropping. Normally, that would be a reason for hope that the nation could escape the surges of the past two pandemic winters. But virus experts fear that the downward trend may soon reverse itself, thanks to this gaggle of new variants.

    Keep fear alive.

    • Ownbestenemy

      A gaggle of variants? A murder of variants? A pack of variants?

      • Swiss Servator

        A veritable vast volume of variants!

      • R.J.

        A plethora of pestilence!

      • Bobarian LMD

        A diaspora of disease?

      • UnCivilServant

        An Inclusion of Infections?

      • Fourscore

        A veritable variety of variants?

    • Sensei

      +1 Boston University!

    • creech

      Didn’t we all die recently from Monkeypox?

      • UnCivilServant

        No. That really only infected gay dudes and most of them recovered, except that one who had AIDS and died with the pox rather than from it.

    • Pine_Tree

      Wait’ll they have the Pi variant. That one will be especially bad because it’s irrational! And it’ll never end.

      • Spartacus

        Sounds like a transcendental experience.

  43. Ownbestenemy

    The ads here in Nevada that are pushing Ranked-Choice primaries are laughable. “I am the 37% that are denied to vote”. Not really but keep on lying.

    • juris imprudent

      You want an American Liz Truss, this is how you get an American Liz Truss.

      • Ownbestenemy

        I just love how the answer isn’t “make it easier for non-republican/Democrat candidates to form a party” and instead it’s “protect party politics”

  44. prolefeed

    Not seeing the people physically blocking access to abortion clinics as political prisoners, since they were trespassing and blocking access. I suppose you could make the case that they are receiving disproportionate sentences for the offense, and a great enough disparity in sentencing could rise to the level of political prisoners …

    • R C Dean

      If they were being charged with trespass, that would be one thing. But they are being charged because of the purpose of their actions, not their actions themselves. The clinic access law is not a generally applicable trespass law. It specifically targets a particular kind of protector, based on their political position. It’s constitutionality is questionable, but I think it fair to call them political prisoners because they are in jail because of their political views.

      • prolefeed

        I’d say, based on what you said (and which I mostly agree with), that they are being jailed for a combination of a physical act that is a crime, plus crimethink by jailing for a political offense. Sort of like bundling physical assault with the crimethink of a “hate crime”.

        So, technically, they would be undeniably political prisoners once they had completed the sentence time for the physical crime IMO.

        But parsing it like that makes for poor sound bites.

      • prolefeed

        Shorter: it would have been a tactically better, unmuddled, protest if they had protested without blocking access.

      • whiz

        That assumes they actually did block access (I don’t know if they did or not).

  45. whiz

    I used to like xkcd, but I stopped reading it a while back when I got busy during the pandemic. Today I went back to take up where left off (I saved the last one I read). After going through a few of them, I ran across this one. Now I’m just sad.

    • Pine_Tree

      Yeah I kinda feel the same way. He had a pretty good run that was often quite interesting/entertaining, but definitely is a troo bleever on this foolishness.

      I have the hardbacks of his earlier books, but won’t be buying the new one.

    • whiz

      Good God, I know nobody’s left on this thread, but I’ve been reading more xkcd (into 2021 now) and it’s vaccine this and vaccine that, and most of it is the usual, dead wrong, propaganda. *weeps*

  46. juris imprudent

    Bwahahahaha – that’s funny I don’t care who you are.

    • UnCivilServant

      Ideal outcome – no broadcasters pay FIFA, the trounament goes untelevised, and no one in the general public notices.

    • Sensei

      High-filtration masks are one of the few measures that can reliably tamp down on infection and transmission across populations, and they’re still embraced by many parents of newborns too young for vaccines, by people who are immunocompromised and those who care for them, and by those who want to minimize their risk of developing long COVID, which can’t be staved off by vaccines and treatments alone.

    • Swiss Servator

      Last of the Maskhicans

      • juris imprudent

        Cat eyes, dilating.

      • Swiss Servator

        Better n’ a catbutt dilating.

      • Grumbletarian

        :golf clap:

    • Fatty Bolger

      No thanks, my COVID-repelling rock works just as well, and is a lot more convenient.

      • Sensei

        The “beauty” of my commute into NYC is I see many masks.

        They certainly aren’t gone. My wife went in for outpatient surgery and naturally I needed a mask in the waiting room. Because NJ…

      • prolefeed

        I’m on a crowded airplane flight, and maybe one out of twenty people are masked – including my wife for about 10% of the time.

        I gently asked why she thought taking it off and then on works, and got recognizably English words in response.

      • juris imprudent

        4 letters followed by 3 letters?

      • prolefeed

        “Word salad” about sums it up.

      • UnCivilServant

        My least favorite type of salad.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        My dentist still requires masks!

        But then once it is taken off for the cleaning to begin, I don’t bother putting it back on and no one stops me. They only make me walk in wearing one. I would switch dentists if it wasn’t so close to my office.

      • prolefeed

        I switched dentists to get one without that policy.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        I accompanied someone to an oral surgeon with that policy. A man walked in maskless and was politely reprimanded. I pointed out, “You are going to work on his MOUTH” and was loudly ignored. So I left and waited outside.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      A couple of weeks ago, my mother got in touch with me from one such place: Taiwan, where she grew up. Masking was still quite common in public spaces, she told me in a text message, even where it wasn’t mandated. When I asked her why, she seemed almost surprised: Why not?

      Taiwan has the highest current case rate in the world and cases are rising dramatically again, despite their consistent 95-99% mask compliance & one of the world’s highest vaccination ratesSomehow, not one “expert” has been willing to discuss why they’ve failed to control COVID pic.twitter.com/FcINt3xCna— Ian Miller (@ianmSC) October 5, 2022

      • PieInTheSky

        I hear the asian do it so it must be good argument all the time about maks

      • UnCivilServant

        That doesn’t show efficacy.

      • R C Dean

        “Why not?”

        Because it’s dehumanizing. No different than the niqab in strict Muslim societies.

  47. The Late P Brooks

    Higher education in crisis

    “We are analyzing the data to determine where and why most of the decline occurred,” Mary Hester-Clifton, director of communications and institutional advancement, told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “There is no singular reason for the decrease, [but] it appears that the pandemic and economic conditions are affecting our enrollment.”

    Concerns about student debt and a strong labor market for unskilled workers, and questions about college affordability, particularly at four-year colleges, are other major factors keeping prospective students away from getting a degree, according to Shapiro.

    They studiously avoid that pesky “value for money” factor.

    • Spartacus

      Seen on a tag in Orlando: ICYUNVME .
      Some dude driving a Honda, so no, I don’t.

      • UnCivilServant

        Icy University of Nevada? I thought Nevada was a desert. Did the dude get locked in a freezer?

      • Spartacus

        Say the first six letters out loud individually.

      • UnCivilServant

        India Charlie Yankee Uniform November Victor

        I don’t get it.

      • Spartacus

        I See(C) Why(Y) You(U) Envy (NV) Me

      • UnCivilServant

        I saw the intended message when you first posted it, I was just fooling around.

      • Spartacus

        I kinda wondered. On the other hand you said earlier that were born in the 80s, which would make you about the same age as my son. I’m never quite sure if he gets something or just says he does.

        I was going to tell you to quit wasting time and get a job, but then I remembered I’m a tenured professor, so glass houses, stones, etc.

  48. The Late P Brooks

    Taiwan has the highest current case rate in the world and cases are rising dramatically again, despite their consistent 95-99% mask compliance & one of the world’s highest vaccination ratesSomehow, not one “expert” has been willing to discuss why they’ve failed to control COVID

    That cannot be because masks are utterly ineffectual.

    They’re just not hitting it hard enough.