Well, this is the last day of the worst year of my life. So I’ll be happy to say goodbye to 2022 and express my hopes for 2023. Things are looking up what with a new career, Spud part-time moving to town, a possible grandchild, and keeping occasional company with a particularly fine person of the female persuasion. I intend to have the best dinner of the year tonight, and keep my fingers crossed that we can avoid causing foodfights when the talk inevitably turns to politics.
Birthdays today include the first guy to go to Washington; a guy who always sat in the Colored section; someone who made up her biography; a guy who’s the reason that to this day we still spend billions on protecting Germany; a guy famous for doing a camp tour; a guy who impressed Jodie Foster; a guy guilty of police abuse; a guy who was a remarkably shitty pilot; a brilliant musician that, guess, who should be better known; a woman who is easy to blame for one of the shittiest musical movements in history; a biker famous for taking a knee; the most hated guy in New Mexico; and a real life Fredo.
Now let’s get cracking on Links.
Break out the world’s smallest violin.
After this death, the average IQ of the US soared.
SEIU claims that putting things to a vote is anti-democratic.
“We need to better support the people who are trying to run your life.”
This whole (((thing))) is fucking weird.
I love roots and blues. I love Americana. And I really love when they come together. The Old Man is very content listening to this.
a guy who impressed Jodie Foster;
Happy birthday, John Hinckley!
He would have to have been a better shot.
If I recall, signature validation can be done in secret. They don’t have to provide a list of signatures with the reasons for rejection.
Wasn’t that what happened with LA’s District Attorney recall?
a guy who was a remarkably shitty pilot;
Happy birthday, John McCain!
John Denver only crashed once. McCain was a reverse ace.
the most hated guy in New Mexico;
More than Alec Baldwin?
SEIU claims that putting things to a vote is anti-democratic.
Money quote:
Yeah, that line stood out to be as a particularly absurd puddle in a morass of idiocy.
Nobody told them that there would be any roadblocks when the Democrats allowed them to write their laws for them. Poor things.
Also:
Holy shit, $22/hr to ask if you want fries with that?? The unemployment rate for robots will plummet.
McDonalds new $10 menu
The big chains will invest in automation and continue in some form in California. It’s the little family places that actually do all the prep and cooking on site that will have to close.
‘…a guy who was a remarkably shitty pilot’
At least I got the first name right.
Blarg!
Supposed to be in response to Ted;s`
Thank you, P Brooks.
Good Birthdays, OM. So you and the Spudster are gonna be neighbors, on a voluntary basis, good fences and all.
So today we celebrate the 7th day after the birthday of “You Know Who”. One of the participants at that first party may not have been too happy but what do I know?
Happy 2023, and may your van get a new paint job and professional lettering.
“good fences and all”
https://www.vevor.com/razor-wire-c_10196/bto-22-razor-barbed-wire-18-dia-5-x-328-coverage-border-fence-posts-1640ft-p_010941427903?utm_source
The distance is perfect, not too close which would be deadly, not too far which would result inevitably in DUIs. It’s about 3/4 mile, about a ten minute stagger.
I’ve always made sure I never live in crawling distance of a good pub.
A WUI or SUI?
Interestingly, the cops here have a wide libertarian streak. And are VERY protective of the residents (as opposed to the students). So worst case, I’d be offered a ride the rest of the way.
Good luck getting the Donks to buck their union masters.
Yep. Those problems can be addressed by banning public unions and not a second before.
We don’t need no stinkin’ rules
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nancy-pelosi-boosts-maximum-pay-for-house-staff-to-212k-in-final-act-as-speaker
Late entry for typo of the year, or inadvertent acknowledgement of the facts?
They working for us, the people.
If they were working for me they’d be on probation but more likely being given an opportunity to find another career where they’d be a better fit, something in line with their education and skills..
You don’t willingly enter Congress with the expectation of scrimping by on a measly $174K a year.
Only 42%? They must’ve included a bunch of the non-performers to get the number that low.
the people who are trying to run your life
Self-less servants of the people! They are underpaid and overworked, it is known.
the people who are trying to run your life
You misspelled ruin.
Can’t ruin your life if I can’t run it!
Marshall is an interesting study. You would never see what he did in the run-up to (and throughout) WWII in today’s Army. I’d even dare to say he was the most indispensable American to the war effort. Now, that said, I don’t think he’d agree with us continuing to run the NATO grift after the end of the Cold War.
*spits coffee*
It’s dwarfed by the much larger partisan, unprofessional civil service.
We’re so long removed from the spoils system that we forget why nonpartisan and professional at least sounds like a good idea. Of course theory and practice are never the same.
Maximum chaos and the inability of government to function efficiently is a good thing.
Really? You want that for real (not the BS) national defense? For the administration of justice?
Anarchists at least pretend they can have an orderly non-coercive society – but chaotic govt isn’t going to cut it.
At the moment, I would relish some real government infighting.
It’s when they all agree with each other that I tend to get the shaft.
I use a similar argument when I am trying to plant the seed of a red pill in their mind. “Whenever there is a war or a banker bailout, the vote is like 99-1.” They have to agree, because it’s unfortunately true.
I intended to say I usually use this on left-leaning people.
The US could defend itself with a few subs and some reservists, given its advantageous geography.
Well, not from the invasion of illegal immigrants.
Damn Canadians!
keep my fingers crossed that we can avoid causing foodfights when the talk inevitably turns to politics.
Be sure to have plenty of dinner rolls on hand, for throwing.
Hayeksplosives has some frozen Brussels sprouts she can throw at them.
Or force the combatants to eat them.
Pray, do tell!
Three children of reproducing age (36, 30, 22), so your guess has a 33% shot.
I’m extremely jealous.
Best of luck to whoever it is.
One contentious issue over the years has been dealing with workers who do not meet the expectations of the job, with the annual survey of federal employees finding that only 42 percent of employees believe that steps are taken in their work unit to deal with poor performers who cannot or will not improve.
This problem can be addressed by ensuring agencies make effective use of the probationary period for employees, during which an agency decides whether an individual is the right fit for the job. Too often, the probationary period passes without a clearly articulated, documented decision on the employee’s performance. Congress should require that supervisors affirmatively determine that the employees meet the required standards, and if they do not, termination proceedings would follow.
Or you could make them at-will employees and fire them all.
Ah yes, good old political patronage.
The worst way to staff a government, except for all the others?
I don’t think it would take many years of patronage to have us longing for the nonpartisan and professional govt workforce. It would at least be a more attractive delusion.
When did you start writing for Cosby?
Max Stier is president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a better government and a stronger democracy.
Do us all a favor and hang yourself, Max.
Is social media really so powerful that a business couldn’t just say “nah, we’re not logging on to see what all the Antifa accounts said about us, and men can’t go in the women’s dressing room, that’s final.”?
“Bring your testicles into the ladies room and we’ll remove them for you.” should be the sign on the door.
Sure social media is that powerful, for people that want to participate in social media. And since the mainstream media just regurgitates what is in social media, it has outsized influence.
At the office for yet another weekend of cleaning up my sister’s multi-year bookkeeping mess. 2023 will at least be better in this regard.
So sorry, Scruffy. 😞
Thank you. On the bright side, hopefully I’ll be more profitable now that the fiscal boat anchor is gone.
And I’ll actually know my numbers for the first time in years. Can’t tell you how much that drove me nuts.
I’ll raise a glass to better times ahead.
Cleanup is always the most thankless job of demolition.
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“😀”.
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Excellent read.
In some ways, Glibs is the mirror opposite of DU – we’re just as detached from the reality of partisan operation as the worst kind of progressive.
The establishment has hated the base ever since the big-government wing took control.
You do realize this is the exact same argument made by the most deranged progressives, right? Except for them it is the sell-outs to corporate power, both D and R.
Are they wrong though?
You suggesting the ends of the horseshoe are equally correct?
Same as it ever was.
Next you’ll tell us that libertarians think we’re badly governed.
I have often said that I think progressives often have a good grasp on the problems that exist, it is their solutions that are fucking insane.
I might agree in some cases, but these are the same people that are SJWs, and with that the problem and solution are both insane.
Hence my use of the word “often”.
I think we have a strong grasp on the reality of the LP.
I would be inclined to say that the LP and the Democratic Socialists are equally likely in their prospects of electoral success.
LP elects people in NH, Socialists elect people in VT.
Yep, sounds about equal.
Life on the fringe!
How many Libertarians are in congress? I know there are more than a few DemSoc members, at least four.
That actually ran as DemSoc only, not dual-hatted as Democrats?
According to their website, they have four: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Socialists_of_America
How they actually ran? How much bullshit do you want to wade through?
as Democrats. … also been seated as Democrats.
In other words, they’re Democrats first and foremost and DSA to please to the furthest reaches of the stupid.
Mornin ‘, reprobates.
nonpartisan, professional civil service.
They misspelled “unelected bureaucrats”.
Birthday Boy Burton had some serious vocal chops. Pretty fair flute solo here as a bonus.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zHKqPSAchcU
That was Old Guy Music some months ago. I love playing it on guitar as well- the chords really lay out beautifully.
Yup. And be careful what you wish for, grandchirren are sometimes quite shitty. You might want to work on your diaper changing skills.
“Hey, your baby just shit xerself. Get over here and fix it.”
There. Now I’m in proper Grandpa condition.
My grandchildren grew up to be respectable, responsible adults. They didn’t learn it at home.
You are my role model.
My father said he didn’t change his kids’ diapers. Why would he change his grandkids’.
Don’t the Ukrainians have an FBI to
censor badthinknudge the press into presenting the approved narrative? That’s how we do it, after all.Don’t the Ukrainians have an FBI to censor badthink nudge the press into presenting the approved narrative?
The funding for the Ukranian Stasi will be in the next inflation reduction bill.
My understanding is we’re already paying the salaries of everyone in Ukrainian government.
2021 GDP $198 billion
We could be paying the salaries of everyone in the country.
Ha! Like our taxdollars are being squandered on Ukrainians.
The Big Guy only demands 10%.
I think we have become the defacto “make work” for the Russian army.
An additional issue involves reducing the number of political appointees subject to Senate confirmation, which currently number about 1,200 positions. The complexity of the appointment process makes it difficult for any president to get a full team in place quickly, and this hampers the functioning of federal agencies that must cope with leadership voids for long periods of time.
A smaller corps of politically appointed officials, supported by career employees, will promote professional expertise, stability and greater accountability to Congress and the public.
The deep state is just a paranoid fantasy of right wing cranks. That’s why we have to make it stronger and better insulated from the whims of the figurehead government.
When I worked in insurance, I tried for a bit to get a position as an underwriter. Didn’t manage, but if I had, there is no way I’d ever sell insurance to rock musician who flew (as pilot or passenger) on a private plane. Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, Jim Croce, half of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Randy Rhoads. And, of course, John Denver. It’s as if you can curse a rock/pop musician by holding up a small model of a Cessna.
And SRV and Aaliyah, off the top of my head.
Otis Redding, too.
Long tradition dating back to Glenn Miller.
Hawkshaw Hawkins, Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas
Ricky Nelson.
I immediately thought of Vaughn too, as well as Patsy Cline. There are quite a few more.
On the other hand, plenty of performers on stage and screen fly private now with nary a mishap. Perhaps the secret is to not get on a plane at night during bad weather with a pilot who’s not IFL rated. Both Cline & company and Holly et al were killed by bold pilots.
‘Aaliyah’
I had a big crush(?) on her as a kid.
She was right fine, no doubt.
I had a roommate who went with some friends to the next to last SRV concert. His friends stayed for the concert the next day, but he had to get back to start a new job.
He said he would have stayed if he had known, obviously.
The law establishes a 10-member council empowered to set minimum wages as well as standards for hours and working conditions for California’s fast food workers.
What could possibly go wrong?
The council should also have the authority to set prices.
Baby steps
They’re already setting prices for labor, so why not go full derp?
We haven’t tried real fascism before.
Why stop with just fast food? Why not other industries? Each having their own 10-person council.
And each council needs to have a council to set the hours and wages of the council! Endless jobz!1!!
TACO Jerbz!
The other day, as I was reading something which included the time honored claim that we (the U S) have a higher percentage of our population incarcerated than any other country, I thought to myself, “We can thank our vast army of efficient professional civil servants for that.”
Now remove the portion there for vice crimes – which The People love to impose.
Well, this is the last day of the worst year of my life.
To a better 2023 and beyond, for you and everyone!
And thanks for providing such entertaining and, dare I say, educational vignettes so consistently.
“I still don’t think there’s any confidence in him, that he can articulate a vision, or that he can take us where he says he wants to go,” one source at the network told The Hill this week. “And no matter how hard he tries, he’s not going to disabuse anyone of the notion of more layoffs coming in 2023.”
Maybe they’re not all as dumb as they act.
Under Zucker, CNN enjoyed a boon in ratings, but had developed a reputation as being aggressively anti-Trump in its programming and overly combative in its coverage of the former president. Licht has signaled an interest in shifting that perception.
“At a time where extremes are dominating cable news,” Licht told advertisers during CNN’s UpFront session just days after taking over, “we will seek to go a different way, reflecting the real lives of our viewers and elevating the way America and the world views this medium.”
During his first months on the job, Licht has made a series of editorial moves that raised eyebrows inside and outside the network, particularly with progressives who saw CNN as offering too much of an olive branch to GOP or conservative viewers.
He could be the Elon Musk of the news business if he plays his cards right.
“He’s destroying CNN!”
FIFY
Trump saved CNN ironically enough.
He can’t be the Elon Musk of news, as Musk is going to be their new target.
They will be the George Soros of news!
Barbara Walters wasn’t that bad was she or should I hate her for some reason? Compared to the current crop of clucking hens, shrieking harpies, emasculating ballbreakers, and pig-ignorant narcissists that make up The View she was a breath of fresh air. RIP.
Dumb as a box of rocks (she was one of the highest profile promotors of Uri Geller) and just as bought in to carrying Team Blue water.
Wait a minute, you can’t bend spoons with mental energy? Well that’s news to me.
Wait, what?
Oh right, that’s because there is no spoon.
She created The View.
LOL
Forgot about that.
She made her name by getting all kinds of big name interviews.
Which she got because she was incredibly soft-ball interviewer. People would sit down with her for what amounted to a round of image fluffing.
If I remember right, it was rough-fluff, as they all got to cry at the end of the questions.
👆👆👆
She was the designated apology tour interviewer.
TOS: Florida’s Fight Over Kids at Drag Shows Is a Classic Moral Panic
I don’t know Shackford, why can’t these drag shows voluntarily restrict entry to over 18?
He concedes that the shows are sexualized and quibbles as to the degree. Defense of parents who take kids to sexualized drag shows is a retarded hill to die on and it taints others who care about liberty with the same stench. For fuck’s sake Reason, just because it’s written doesn’t mean it has to be published.
Didn’t we have the quasi-academic paper that the intent behind DQSH is to acculturate youngsters and subvert the dominant social paradigm? I mean, why should we take them at their word that they have mal-intent?
Relax, the giant boobs are fake.
Yes.
LOL. Perfect encapsulation of the Reason mindset.
Imagine if you will any groups counter to the perceived cultural “norm” they are trying to create and in the coming years say “…kids are able to see people who defy fluid gender nonsense and imagine a world where everyone can be their selves in God’s image”
Christians, Jews, *hushed voice* Muslims….would be just as protested and had all of the media running them out of town.
As for me, I’m all for kids at drag show.
Just give them earplugs, those cars are loud. *Rimshot*
Barbra Wawa.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kLRF7Lb-fOM
News fatigue is real, particularly after the Trump presidency and coronavirus pandemic, said Frank Sesno, former director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University, who previously spent years as a reporter at CNN.
People are sick of being lied to nonstop? Sick of being hectored and bullied?
Say it ain’t so.
I’m going to hazard a guess that Frank Sesno, former director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University, longs for the days of three or four networks and one or two dailies saying the exact same approved things.
Sorta like this?
As opposed to two dozen networks, social media oligopolies, and search engines all saying the exact same approved things?
Well yeah, but there are a zillion alternatives now not all saying the same thing. That didn’t exist back in the good old days.
Can you imagine how many FBI agents are needed to guide these media companies?
Hanging over CNN’s political coverage in 2023 will be how much airtime to give to Trump, whose 2016 presidential run benefitted from near-constant cable news coverage.
I love that one. “If the media hadn’t given Trumpolini so much free air time, no one would ever have even known he was running.”
There is no way they can resist doing exactly what they did last time by hovering over his every deplorable word.
Relax, the giant boobs are fake.
I have tried to find an appropriate illustration, to no avail, but this stuff always makes me me think of circus clowns dressed up as women, with gargantuan boobs and asses, wearing polka dot dresses, giant work boots and Minnie Pearl hats.
If this is the same extravaganza I read about, the act features a giant fake penis too.
Maybe fringe characters? But I don’t recall any such claims.
Which begs the question: just what level of nudity and simulated sex is appropriate for children?
I always imagine Laura Ingalls in the loft of that little house listening to the bumping and grinding from Charles and Caroline that produced her younger siblings.
Simulated?
If you were willing to wear a dress instead of a leisure suit, you’d be unassailable.
Here ya go.
I was thinking of this based on his descriptor, though not the size he suggested.
Combine the two, and it’s about right.
Killer Clowns from Outer Space had it. As an animated GIF!
https://pa1.narvii.com/6270/7f609a55300174c5134439f8f6513a85a61f9961_hq.gif
Look at us using the internet like a well tuned Federal agency…only took four of us to produce the desired outcome!
I’ve only ever worked for private / corporate interests, and I can tell you, nobody cares how many people ground the meat, so long as the sausage is good. (pun intended, I guess).
That’s a euphemism for an orgy, isn’t it?
I hope so…
Tested positive for the coof on Thursday night (after feeling a little out of it for 2 days at work) – looks like its going back around the office and masks are required again next week. On the plus side – assuming no other issues, I should be back in the office Tuesday either way. Kinda weird for me – mostly stuffed up sinuses and phlegm – and the occasional chills although no actual fever (a lot like the effects after getting the shots 2 years ago). Seems similar to a cough I had last summer too, when I tested negative. Either way this shit is endemic now – treat it just like the flu and carry on.
On a different note – follow up to that amazing wafflehouse fight girl from Christmas – https://twitter.com/dancow/status/1608934586091982849?cxt=HHwWgsDS7ejeitQsAAAA
These jack-holes and their mask theater. If one still needs convincing about how pointless it is (beyond all the rcts and epidemiological evidence we already have), just look a China. Masking everywhere, nearly universal compliance, and, if I understand correctly, nearly the entire population has covid. Really effective intervention there, r-tards. Seems no amount of evidence will sway the faithful off their talismans.
Hope you feel better soon!
I would be really, really resentful if I had to go into the office and wear the fucking thing.
I tolerated it for a couple weeks a year and half ago before it became apparent that everyone was just going to continue WFH anyway and so I did too.
But now? You have got to be kidding me.
FedGov is continuing its mask theater. We get weekly marching orders broken down by county and which ones need to wear a mask and/or forced testing. Though the forced testing hasn’t quite materialized due to the failing efficacy of the shots.
OBE, you misspelled “failed”
Depends. If it lets me back in the office even while I’m not back at 100% that doesn’t bug me the same as masking for the sake of it.
I wore one yesterday when I went to the drug store to restock some stuff – just for common courtesy – not coughing too much, but a lot of old folks in my area.
It is literally a talisman – it doesn’t do anything. I’m not playing along anymore.
I got pissed at Scott Adams once because he was making fun of people who disdained masks, saying they had to do something. I wanted to shout “no Dilbert, you’re the dumbass – they don’t do shit against viruses.” But that’s remarkably ineffective through a computer screen.
Me!!
Hey! I’m not hated That much!
I actually invited Val to my birthday one year. Never heard back from him.
Happy Birthday! One more trip around Sol completed.
Happy birthday, Hobbit!
Happy birthday 🎂🎈🎉
Hope your stocked on lembas bread…
Happy Birthday, Hobbit!
Arrgh.. “you’re”
Happy birthday!
Also sharing this glorious day of arrival on this planet, Mrs JI! I just came back in from putting the ribs on the smoker.
Happy birthday, young man!
Speaking of Walters, etc – every now and then they put out some really classic comedy threads on twitter.
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/1609069108506787840
Would your cats enjoy this?
My cats would run screaming into another room if I brought that thing out. They’d think a trip to the vet was coming.
Lol ayup. Fuck you human you won’t trick me again
But put a paper grocery bag on the floor…
Hochul was not RE-elected, she was elected governor. She had been appointed to that position before.
Another onslaught
A new version of omicron has taken hold in the U.S., according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The subvariant of omicron, named XBB.1.5, has raised concerns about another potential wave of Covid cases following the busy holiday travel season.
The CDC projected Friday that about 40% of confirmed U.S. Covid cases are caused by the XBB.1.5 strain, up from 20% a week ago. In the Northeast, about 75% of confirmed cases are reported to be XBB.1.5.
It’s not clear yet where this version of omicron came from, but it appears to be spreading quickly here. There’s no indication it causes more severe illness than any other omicron virus, Dr. Barbara Mahon, director of CDC’s Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, told NBC News.
——-
Studies performed in the lab have found that XBB is capable of evading antibodies from previous Covid infections or vaccinations, meaning that being exposed to the virus would mean someone is more likely to get sick or reinfected and show symptoms.
“It’s clear that there’s immune evasive properties of XBB,” said Dr. Isaach Bogoch, an infectious disease physician and epidemiologist at the University of Toronto. “That’s been demonstrated both in laboratory studies and seen clinically in cases and hospitalizations.”
Given the high level of population immunity in the U.S. — either through infection, vaccination or both — Bogoch and others hope that, even if cases start to rise significantly, there won’t be a dramatic spike in hospitalizations or deaths as seen in previous waves.
Antibody studies don’t tell the whole story. Other parts of the immune system can protect against the virus and the Covid vaccines should remain effective at preventing severe illness and death from the virus, evidence suggests.
This seems insufficiently panicky. Time to adjust the models.
I got pissed at Scott Adams once because he was making fun of people who disdained masks, saying they had to do something.
They LOOK LIKE they must do something, and that’s what’s important.
So, if no one lobbied her she would have just rubber stamped it without knowing what it was? Snazzy.