Network

by | Jan 12, 2023 | Film, Fun, GlibFlick | 255 comments

Everyone saw your fly down when you stood up…

Network

Welcome to Tinfoil Hat Thursday.Β  “I am Howard Beale” should be a T-shirt just as much as “Who is John Galt.”Β  Beale is a man who finally cracked from all the bullshit, and was then exploited by his cynical bosses to make a few bucks, like he was some circus freak show exhibit. A funny thing happened to this movie on the way to pop culture fame in the 21st century.Β  This movie damn near vanished off the face of the earth.Β  Blame the shift from video tapes to DVDs and then pay per streaming,Β  if you think that is what happened.Β  Or instead realize what a profound truth this film was telling. And that many people might not want you to think about their profession in that light… People that control the media, to be precise. As a result this isn’t on free streaming right now nor can you find this over the air. That’s really all it takes nowadays for a film to be forgotten. Even if it has 25,000 audience reviews.

So here we are, on the Internet Archive, watching a copy of a film a lot of people would like us to forget. Older Glibs have seen this.Β  Not recently, though, unless they had a copy stashed somewhere. Younger Glibs may have only heard about this film, but never viewed it.Β  No matter what category you fall into, watch this film tonight. How good is this film?Β  Well, it’s definitely one of the best films I have ever shown. In 2005, the screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky was voted one of the 10 best in history by both writer’s guilds. Damn, is this film profound in the 21st century. It ceases to be a black comedy and becomes a parable. That makes it all the more strange that this film isn’t more well known today. Kids should be wearing Howard Beale shirts everywhere.

In interviews, Paddy Chayefsky talked about his concerns with television news reporting,Β  He saw the news media as “an indestructible and terrifying giant that is stronger than the government.”Β  How right you are, my little droogie. Paddy wrote a number of screenplays, including The Hospital and Altered States (which was butchered by the director). Looking back at his creative output, the zenith is definitely tonight’s film.

Since we are on the Internet Archive this film may not be repeatable.Β  Things come and go on there all the time.Β  So enjoy this while you can. Also, you’ll most likely be watching on your PC instead of a nice flat screen.Β  This is the price you pay sometimes. It will be worth it.

So Watch!Β  Or Don’t!Β  Everything is voluntary… Or is it?Β  Next week, Soylent Green.Β  I will only do that if tonight goes well. Maybe the Twonky. After that will be the last week in January.Β  And I have something very special planned…

IMPORTANT NOTE: Internet Archive is a little wonky.Β  It is unlikely the movie will play the first time ‘Play’ is clicked.Β  Be patient, you may have to try up to three times to get it to start playing the film. Chrome, Safari or FireFox are recommended.Β  Microsoft hates you and wants you to only watch things Bill Gates likes. This movie will play, it was tested by the crack GlibFlick team over Christmas break. This is the only way I can get some of these films, so I apologize for any inconvenience.

Feel a little tense after watching the film? Here’s some music while you chill in the luxurious GilbFlick post-show lobby

About The Author

R.J.

R.J.

Hello. My name is R.J. I am a Tulpa with extra cheese and sour cream.

255 Comments

  1. Brochettaward

    Put the First in the coconut…

    • Brochettaward

      I have never actually heard of this one.

      In interviews, Paddy Chayefsky talked about his concerns with television news reporting, He saw the news media as β€œan indestructible and terrifying giant that is stronger than the government.” How right you are, my little droogie.

      I’ll reserve judgement, but not a fan of this take.

      I will watch this one.

      • robodruid

        Heh.
        The giant was coopted.

      • Chafed

        You’ve never heard of Network?

      • MikeS

        Pretty pathetic Firster, right?

      • Brochettaward

        I am the present and future.

        You two are but speckled fecal matter on the road of the past as my glorious Firsting caravan of peace, love, and conquest proceeds onwards and upwards.

      • Chafed

        Stop it. You’re making me feel bad for you. I can’t believe you were unfamiliar with this film.

      • Gustave Lytton

        He’s as first as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore!

    • R.J.

      …And shake it all around!
      If MkeS doesn’t show up soon,
      He’s going to lose ground!

      The great Firsting war continues.

      • Brochettaward

        He’s yellow.

        And…two dimensional.

      • MikeS

        I laugh at your silly 1 dimensional world

        β¬…

      • R.J.

        *applause

  2. DEG

    Thanks RJ! I’ll queue this up for later viewing. I’m heading to bed early tonight.

  3. Count Potato

    “Also, you’ll most likely be watching on your PC instead of a nice flat screen.”

    Besides streaming, you can download it, then either put it on a USB stick and stick that stick in your TV, or play it with VLC or some other player on you computer and connect it to your TV with an HDMI cable.

    • R.J.

      It streams from a phone to a smart tv very well too.

      • rhywun

        In my Apple TV days I could do that easily but I have no idea if it works with Sony.

      • rhywun

        My PC and my TV are both connected – wired! – to the same router so it shouldn’t be as difficult as I know it will be.

      • R.J.

        I am using an Apple phone and a Roku TV. Yours should work. Air play rolled out to non Apple devices two years ago. Android β€œscreencast” did so four years ago, I think.

      • rhywun

        It says “not available” when I use my phone.

      • R.J.

        I have sadness.

      • rhywun

        My PC screen is extra-wide – this is working out quite nicely.

      • Festus

        Are we not doing phrasing anymore?

    • slumbrew

      Downloading it to my Plex instance…

  4. Count Potato

    *hits play*

  5. pistoffnick

    Why Yes, I am mad pissed-off as hell.

    • rhywun

      No kidding. And more so every day.

    • Fourscore

      So, business as usual Chez Vous.? I’m guessing more property will become available as spring shows up, maybe prices a little lower too.

      • pistoffnick

        The real estate crash can’t come soon enough for me.

  6. Sensei

    Great choice. No idea it was this hard to find.

    Thanks!

  7. Hyperion

    I’ve been watching a lot of weird stuff on Prime lately. Like Mister Nobody and Utopia. Also Outer Range, that is all sorts of fucked up, especially the hippy chick who just shows up , starts squatting on the land and starts a cult. I gotta finish that one.

    So I’m going to try to watch this one tonight. Wife’s bday so I gotta pay attention to her, but…

    Oh, sorry to OT so soon, R.J., but I have to say this. I was somewhere today surfing around and there’s this story about Larry Ellison and how he owns like 98% of this Hawaiian island, a rather large one in fact, and he gets pulled over by the fuzz in his billionaire car, on his own island. The point of it is, and I guess I never noticed this before. But the dude was born in 1944. The dude is really drinking baby blood, or eating placentas or some fucked up shit, because he’s 79 years old and it’s not just that he looks really young, I know he’s a mega billionaire. But the guy looks unreal young, like I’ve never seen anything like it, there is definitely something going on there we don’t know about, seriously. Whatever it is he’s taking I want some of it, like I’d kill for it and so will a lot of other people.

    • R.J.

      He drinks green alien blood. He’s such an asshole. Copper -based life forms have feelings too!

    • R C Dean

      Yeah, that is freaky. Based on the pics (fully dressed, and there are many tells from the neck down), he looks like he could pass for, I dunno, 40s?

      • Hyperion

        I went through a bunch of recent pics of him. He looks like he’s in his 40s, yes. It’s fucking freaky as hell. Like I said, it is not normal, at all.

      • The Hyperbole

        Meh, this is not a 40-50 year old, yeah he looks good for his age but he’s no spring chicken.

      • rhywun

        It’s the hipster facial hair.

      • Festus

        I’d guess sixty-five. Slim people age slower than portly.

      • rhywun

        That too.

      • R C Dean

        Yeah, that pic shows the work. I’d probably guess 60s, too. But not 80.

    • Chafed

      He owns 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lanai.

    • Not Adahn

      Outer Range is good, but too little payoff to be worth watching unless there’s a second season.

  8. rhywun

    Microsoft hates you and wants you to only watch things Bill Gates likes.

    I believe I told you already that it works perfectly fine on Microsoft’s built-in browser. πŸ˜›

    Will watch shortly.

    • Hyperion

      You can have your built in browser, but no farm land, that is all belong to the Bildo.

  9. Festus

    Network is a good flick! Sorta OT but I visited my GP this morning. No answers, no help but he did schedule me for another visit three months hence so that’s something. Also ordered some blood-work. He seemed pleased that my blood pressure is back to normal and wrote me a new scrip for the meds. I didn’t have the heart (get it?) to tell him that I stopped taking them nearly 9 months ago. More fuckery, more waiting around to die. A little bird told me that 5-10 minutes with your Doctor ain’t worth a hill of beans. Sorry for the whinge, RJ. Just had to vent it away before I started screaming from the window.

    • R.J.

      Bless you and yell here. There is no need to plead OT here, you may discuss what you want at any time in the Thursday night post.

  10. The Late P Brooks

    The Hospital is an incredibly good movie. I have seen this one, and I do not recall being all that wild about it.

    I’m definitely not in the mood to fiddlyfuck around with internet archive, whatever that is, and I/m not going to watch a movie on the laptop. back to youtube on the big screen.

    • R.J.

      You will be missed.

    • Festus

      “Britannia Hospital” is an evisceration of Britain’s NHS from forty years ago. Well worth the watch if you can find it. Nothing has changed or even if it has it has gone for the worse. Remember those scary “Death Panels”? They are happening today. The infirm get lessor or no care anymore.

  11. R C Dean

    It’s not free, but you can buy it to stream on Prime for $9.99. Amazon has it on Blu-Ray for $14.99.

    Haven’t seen it in ages. May actually buy it.

    • R.J.

      Please do. I brought this back up from the muck to make a point. People knew more than 40 years ago where we were headed. Watching this now is an eye opener in ways nobody saw in the 90’s.

  12. Count Potato

    jiggily boobage

  13. Ted S.

    Looking back at his creative output, the zenith is definitely tonight’s film.

    Definitely? There’s also Marty and The Americanization of Emily.

  14. juris imprudent

    No one is up to it yet, but Ned Beatty’s performance in this is as good as everyone else in it.

    • Festus

      Poor Ned. Typecast forever.

      • Mojeaux

        Yep. I have vicarious cringe for him.

  15. MikeS

    “We have over 900 fucking phone calls complaining about the foul language.”

    haha

    • R.J.

      It’s so fantastic.

      • rhywun

        I didn’t know Robert Duvall was in this. One of my favorites.

  16. Festus

    I think that I saw The Tubes back in 1983 when they backed Peter Gabriel and David Bowie. I was pretty fucked up when we got to the stadium so the rest of the concert was more memorable. They were touring that one song that they hate. No skin off my potato, back then I was like “What’s a Tube?”

  17. Hyperion

    It looks great on my PC in Chrome on my 34″ monitor and I should be able to cast to my 80″ 4K Bravia. But wifey is currently occupying the TV, so…

  18. R.J.

    The second best screed in this movie is
    β€œyou’re gonna be just like Archie Bunker.”

  19. R.J.

    I just got to β€œTelevision is a goddamned amusement park.”
    Another fantastic rant.

  20. MikeS

    Dunaway’s character is inventing “reality TV” right before our 1976 eyes.

    • Festus

      I knew there was a reason that I never cottoned to that actress.

  21. MikeS

    This movie is chock full of 70’s and 80’s B actors whose names aren’t on the tip or my tongue.

  22. rhywun

    This movie is reminding me how awful the seventies really were, and how we’re sliding right back into them.

    • pistoffnick

      …how awful the seventies really were…

      I think you meant to say “how awesome”.

      • MikeS

        Faye Dunaway braless in a white silk blouse makes me lean your way.

      • Mojeaux

        I did a paper on Bonnie and Clyde with Beatty and Dunaway.

      • R.J.

        He’s screaming at Howard Beale right now.

      • Brochettaward

        I think your opinion may have been heavily influenced by substance abuse.

      • Festus

        ^^^ Angry Nick get’s it!

      • rhywun

        Fuck that. They were awful. Just listen to Howard Beale.

      • Count Potato

        Need a lude, dude?

      • rhywun

        I… maybe?

      • R.J.

        Nnnneeeeed… Lllluuuuuuuuuude….
        β€œStop those golfers!”

      • Festus

        Oh fuck! “Pro Golfers On Ludes” got us into detention! Nice pull! Where are ya going Tooooom?

  23. robc

    Are Jeff Beck and Lisa Marie Presley 2/3rds of the same death triad?

    • R.J.

      One more coming.

    • Festus

      Jeff Beck never belongs in the same sentence or dirt nap with her.

      • Festus

        Behold! https://youtu.be/eW73VIz7ctU The only thig that she ever did was get spawned. I’ve loved Jeff since 1977.

      • Gender Traitor

        TT said (or quoted someone as saying,) “He’s your favorite guitar player’s favorite guitar player.”

    • The Bearded Hobbit

      She was a rough-looking 54.

  24. rhywun

    Surpassed only … (some hits and) … Phyllis

    LOLOL

    • Festus

      And then there’s Maude.

      • rhywun

        lol

        My childhood is spinning before my eyes.

    • MikeS

      I just got there. haha

  25. Festus

    Followed up quickly by “The China Syndrome”. Coincidence? I think not!

  26. Brochettaward

    The Moderna CEO justified the 400% price hike of their covid boosters by actually claiming, “”I would think this type of pricing is consistent with the value.”

    Demand for your product has plummeted. It is nothing like what you anticipated. In any sort of actual free market, you would never be able to raise your prices 400% to compensate for it. You have a small group of deluded fools who are too invested in a narrative about your product to ever admit they were wrong and stop getting it…and besides, they won’t pay out of pocket for it. Insurance companies who don’t want to take a beating in the press for refusing to pay for it will cough up the money you want so there’s no actual sticker shock.

    What value.

    • Brochettaward

      OH, I can’t forget those poor sons-a-bitches who are still mandated to get the shots for work purposes. I guess there is some value in still being able to keep your job.

      • Festus

        What the fuck? They have already made their coin. Rich as Croseus they are.

    • Chafed

      The way uptake of the vaccine is going, they won’t be able to give it away.

  27. rhywun

    Mao Tse Tung hour… LOL I can’t even

    • Festus

      I can rock the hair-do.

  28. rhywun

    LOL does she never shut up?

    • R.J.

      Yeah. When the dude does a desk pop.

      • Festus

        Apparently she was always like that on set.

      • R.J.

        Oy.

  29. juris imprudent

    “We’re in the boredom killing business” – man ain’t that the fucking truth.

  30. DrOtto

    I love Network. I have seen it with/in the last 3 years somewhere on streaming though, I can’t remember where. I remember thinking at the time I was surprised they hadn’t buried it somewhere under the Disney vault by now. I need to buy it while I still can.

    • DrOtto

      First time I saw it was as a kid on the Saturday afternoon movie one rainy weekend. My brother and I went around shouting that for the next week until my mom put a stop to it. Also, George Clooney’s character references it in a scene in ‘Out of Sight’ when he’s locked in the trunk with JLo.

    • R.J.

      Yes, buy it now. You can find a digital copy or DVD. That may change any minute. This was darn near buried ten years ago and I haven’t seen it surface on network or cable in longer than that.

      • The Bearded Hobbit

        It’s been on TCM fairly often.

      • Shirley Knott

        Score! I was able to request the DVD from MELCat, the Michigan inter-library loan system.

  31. Mojeaux

    Heh. The doctor I am currently transcribing is a polyglot from Angola. In the background I can hear Sean Hannity.

    • Festus

      He’s the black face of white supremacy. Better call that one in, Mojo.

      • Mojeaux

        I’m not turning him in. I don’t want attention on ME!

    • Not Adahn

      They didn’t yank his license when he went to prison?

  32. MikeS

    The commies arguing about revenue percentages is delicious.

    • R.J.

      So nice.
      *desk pop
      β€œGive her the motherfucking distribution!”

    • rhywun

      That was LMFAO

  33. MikeS

    Someone needs to grow a pair and remake this. Change out ChiComs for Arabs, add in some condemnation of social media, and basically leave the rest of the script untouched.

    • R.J.

      I do not think that will happen in our lifetime.
      The choice of actors, the screenplay, everything came together here. Lightning will not strike twice.

      • rhywun

        I had no idea Ned Beatty had that in him.

      • Gustave Lytton

        The man would have made Otisberg great if it was wasn’t for that lousy horseman.

      • MikeS

        Jeezus. Just got to Ned Beatty’s soliloquy. I bet they play it at Davos every year.

      • rhywun

        inorite

      • R.J.

        It’s spot on. Also it has been recycled in a number of other movies. Never as well written. And it is never as good as it is with Ned.

      • Festus

        You’re right. Actors used to own their craggy faces and the actresses all looked a little off. Who the hell thinks that Karen Black was a beauty queen?

      • rhywun

        I had to look up William Holden – that’s a rough-looking 58 these days.

      • MikeS

        Ditto.

      • rhywun

        Faye kept saying “middle-aged” and honestly he looked past 70 to me.

      • MikeS

        I was thinking the same. If this old looking fucker can get a young cuttie, there’s still hope for me! (assuming the wife approves)

      • Gustave Lytton

        Tell her she can double her shoe budget with the proceeds from the OnlyFans account.

      • Festus

        Tom Cruise is that age, as am I. I walk with a cane.

      • rhywun

        I walked with a cane just before my colon blew out a couple years ago. The relief was… interesting, as I made my way to the ER.

      • The Hyperbole

        You had to look up how old he was or just look him up in general? Never seen “The Wild Bunch”? Third best western ever regardless of what CPRM will tell you.

      • MikeS

        Obviously from the context he meant his age, but I’m sure you’ll go on a long diatribe about how he should have framed it better.

      • rhywun

        His age.

      • The Hyperbole

        I don’t do context.

  34. Gustave Lytton

    Eff me. Corpsefucking dead threads.

    • Festus

      If they are dead than I don’t understand the complaint. Share with us your churning guts!

  35. rhywun

    Mikey!

    • Festus

      He likes it! Hey Mikey! Mushy, too sweet stuff but most of us had to endure at one box of “Life” cereal.

      • rhywun

        Cinnamon Life is fucking magical.

  36. Hyperion

    This thread seems sorta dead. But it’s not, because there is not another thread.

    • R.J.

      122 is pretty good for before ten CST. Thursdays normally wrap up around 200 or so.

      • Hyperion

        Yeah. It just seemed like I checked back after reading the hilarious trans subreddit posts, and it seemed like it just died. So I popped in to see if it was going to come back to life, seems early.

      • Hyperion

        Some of those trans posts are hilarious, like ‘I’m so sick of these Cis gaslighting me! She didn’t even ask me what my pronouns are!’. For real, hilarious.

      • rhywun

        This movie was long and engrossing. I’m sure it’ll perk up in the hour or so before Real Time Zone has to go to bed.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Happened to pop into the Glib archives and noticed the comment counts from several years ago. Wowsers.

    • rhywun

      “Professors of Practice”

      What a fucking joke.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Of course it is. The article correctly calls it a sinecure. Similar things for so many the political elite once they leave their offices.

  37. MikeS

    Wow. What a movie. I should have watched it years ago. Although, I don’t know if I would have gotten the same message from it before my Glibening.

    • Hyperion

      Everything is different as a true Tulpa.

    • juris imprudent

      Well it is different watching it from the perspective of being older than Max.

  38. Gustave Lytton

    Wife has Jordan Peterson on. I think I’m going to kill myself if his blather keeps going.

    • Mojeaux

      Dude, what? I’ve got Peterson on at the moment. He’s interviewing Temple Grandin and visual thinking.

      I find his voice comforting.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Ok, that I might watch. Dr Grandin is my hero.

      • Mojeaux

        She sounds EXACTLY like my aunt who was an English teacher and always going to these “thinking” conferences, how you learn, how you think (words v pictures), etc etc etc., but she retired long ago. I’m sitting here pondering whether I should send her Grandin’s book because, you know, she’s retired. Does she even care anymore? Dunno.

    • Hyperion

      He’s quite boring, it is hard to listen to. I’d rather read his stuff.

  39. MikeS

    Don’t know why I just posed this question in the previous post, but I’ll do it here, too:

    I’ve had a bad head cold for well over a week. This evening, I lost my sense of smell. Is there any practical reason to get β€œthe test” and prove to myself (or others) what I already know?

    • Gustave Lytton

      Would taking it change anything you would already do?

      • MikeS

        No. My one and only reason would be if having proof of getting over it would help me somehow. Especially since I am planning a trip to Europe in May.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Far as I can tell, Europe only requires tests if traveling from China.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Oh, it might be useful if something requires a vax or proof of recovery maybe. Do any countries you’re entering require such proof?

      • MikeS

        Not currently. (Holland and Germany at this time) I’d just hate for them to implement it a week before my flight. But hell…would a home test pass their muster anyway? I suppose it’s all a crap shoot.

      • Gustave Lytton

        You’re right, pobably wouldn’t be accepted. Get better soon!

      • Ownbestenemy

        Surprisingly many European countries were actually accepting natural immunity for up to 180 days, so a test would be beneficial if they reimplement.

      • MikeS

        The only thing concerning me right now is having another propane leak like last time I lost my smell. πŸ‘ƒπŸ»πŸ’₯

      • Ownbestenemy

        Just remember to light that match after a good BM

      • MikeS

        That’s what I thought. When I looked into it, Germany said they are no longer requiring “proof of vax or infection“, so that’s what got me thinking.

      • MikeS

        BM. You remind me of my dear, sweet mother. πŸ‘ΌπŸ»πŸ’— (she refused to say “poop” or any other crass descriptor)

      • Ownbestenemy

        Sometimes I have table manners and a lady never “poops” good sir.

    • kinnath

      quinine and zinc. asap.

      you don’t need a test. just limit your contact with anyone from a high risk group. no need to kill someone else off.

      • MikeS

        I first had symptoms 12 days ago and my worst days are behind me. Just a little lingering cough which up until today I attributed to my asthma. I honestly thought it was a cold and was surprised how late in the game I lost my smell. But the more I think about it, last time I got it the smell thing happened over a week after first symptoms, too. The wife came down with it a couple days ago and is already getting over it.

      • Ownbestenemy

        I’ve lost smell with a normal flu/cold in the before times….

      • MikeS

        The only other time I’ve lost my smell/taste (to be replaced with the “metallic” taste) is when I tested positive for “it” almost exactly a year ago. There was also only one other time I’ve had a cold last as long as this one has…

    • Ownbestenemy

      Practical? No unless you have reason to do so…Vitamins, rest and fluids. I hear that is some new fangled way of home treating illness.

      • rhywun

        I worked every day through my bout of same last year around this time. Only because WFH made it possible. No way I could have done the office thing.

    • The Hyperbole

      You should let the authorities know, They need to accurately assess the spread and risk so they can dictate precautionary actions (masking and boosters and what not) to the general public. We are all in this togetherβ„’

      • MikeS

        Yeah, no. Home test or nothing.

      • rhywun

        “This Is CNN.”

    • Sean

      It’s game over, man. Can I have your stuff?

  40. Ownbestenemy

    Well fuck. My kids mom is getting moved into hospice. Oldest is here in town to say goodbye, not like he wants to. Youngest is struggling but okay.

    What I cannot understand is my parents. They couldn’t just comfort their grands and instead made comments of “I knew she would end up this way” and “you know I never liked her”. Jesus fucking Christ. My grandma must be trying to slap my mom from her grave for comments like that.

    • slumbrew

      Damn, that’s rough. Especially your parents’ lack of grace. Now is not the time for I-told-you-sos.

    • MikeS

      Damn. Sorry, OBE. That sounds like a bunch of suck.

    • Gustave Lytton

      Im sorry OBE. You’re a good father.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Yesh it’s relief and sadness. They have a half sister who is the oldest and I’ve instructed them she is their priority. Do not leave her alone to make decisions or be the only one dealing with it. Regardless of what your mother was, she was your mother. Set aside the shitty and handle what is here and now.

      • MikeS

        You’re a good dude.

      • Chafed

        Oy, what a situation. I’m glad you have risen above the pettiness and are giving your kids good advice. Sorry you have to deal with this situation.

    • Sean

      Sorry OBE.

    • robodruid

      I am also sorry OBE,
      You are acting very classy,

  41. Gustave Lytton

    Two hours of Jordan and haven’t killed myself yet. Fucker is growing on me.

  42. Yusef drives a Kia

    Tall cans from an undiclosed location in the high desert of Cali
    🍻

    • UnCivilServant

      Permanatly or temporarily?

  43. cyto

    Should wait for later, but screw it I am sticking it here post:

    A few of us here were ranting about the media trying to shill and spin for Biden in the “Classified documents scandal-off” with Trump and I made the suggestion that this might be a move to shuffle Biden off the stage. Several others had the same notion.

    Well, last night Tucker Carleson spent a full segment making the same point. Mayne more than a segment, Ida know…. someone sent me the YouTube link because we were texting the same thing.

    My supposition at the election was that nobody intended for the senile old coot to stay in office past the mid-terms. I figured he would not even make it that long before they had him resign and installed Harris for the run up to the next election.

    Well, here it is.

    Turns out that they were covering a bunch of activity back around the midterm. Turns out, they did not in fact “just discover” that box in his garage. Turns out, that was last year too. Also Turns out , Garland already had teams “investigating” back then.

    There are clearly more than one group of leftists trying to steer the ship right now. One is minimizing everything in the press, saying that this is totally different (Tucker destroys that argument), and the other is putting an independent counsel in place.

    The media thinks they are the dog and the deep state is the tail that they wag. But it is clear that the deep state has been the dog for some time now.

    It will be interesting to see how this plays out….but like epstein, when everyone calls the shot before it happens, you gotta put a lot more weight on that otherwise crazy conspiracy theory.

    A bunch of us called this in 2020. Remember, a bunch of the DNC wanted to pull the plug on Biden before the election and install Cuomo (probably what got him killed politically). A bunch of us speculated as to whether he would resign for health reasons within 2 years.

    In that light, all of the antipathy from the white house toward Kamala makes more sense. If they undermine her in the public eye, maybe Joe will be safe from the hangman….

    Looks like at least one group has decided that he needs to move aside so they don’t have to run a corpse in 2024.

    • Brochettaward

      Speaking of Cuomo – deep conspiracy theory. He was given marching orders along with a few other governors to put the vid patients in with the nursing home patients to juice the death numbers.

      Even at the time, I never heard any actual argument for doing that. It was known before the covid was confirmed stateside that it mostly knocked off the elderly, particularly those with underlying conditions. Like those found in nursing homes.

      • cyto

        The rational given at the time was that they needed to preserve the beds at the hospital, so they required the nursing homes to take them back if they didn’t need to be hospitalized for care.

        Remember, even asymptomatic people were still testing positive as much as 15 days later. Keeping beds for 2 weeks was definitely going to be a problem. So they did the dumbest thing possible in the face of this problem.

      • Brochettaward

        Of course, a rational person might have waited until beds at hospitals actually started to get full before they decided to shuttle people into nursing homes. And maybe they would have considered if there weren’t better alternatives than sticking them in with the most vulnerable population possible.

        These cunts rent hotels for migrants who aren’t even in the country legally at $400-500 night. They have put bums in hotels, too. But they never even considered something like that for this. No, the only solution they could come up with, despite hospitals never really bein overwhelmed, was to preemptively put them in with the most vulnerable to death from covid.

        If you were trying to increase the death toll deliberately, it would look no different from the public health policies they picked.

      • cyto

        Hard to argue with that logic.

        Also hard to parse malice from stupidity.

      • R C Dean

        One correction:

        Hospitals were indeed overwhelmed, or so close it makes little difference, at a couple of points during the pandemic – during the first big wave, and during the Delta wave. There were very serious questions about what to do with people who too sick with, or recovering from, COVID. These phases passed after probably 60 – 90 days, but I wouldn’t minimize that the volume of throughput the system needed, compared to its capacity, was a very serious problem.

      • Brochettaward

        Wouldn’t argue that there were times where some hospitals in some parts of the country were strained/at capacity.

        It would have been better to release the covid patients into the wild, resulted in fewer deaths, than to put them in nursing homes. But there were alternatives to housing covid patients besides that.

      • R C Dean

        Nobody was sent to a nursing home that didn’t need to be. There was no β€œjust cut β€˜em loose” option for patients discharged to nursing homes.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      Hospitalized and now dead.
      RIP.

  44. Sean

    Mornin y’all. πŸ˜‰

    • Gender Traitor

      Good morning, Sean, U, Bro, cyto, Stinky, Shirley, ‘patzie, and Roat!

      I am…cautiously optimistic that all that remains of my big yearly gotta-do’s at work is to double-check the figures for the annual 401(k) census, then, next Tuesday, plug the quarterly and semi-annual incentives into payroll and make sure all the new pay rates are in effect.

      I still can’t shake the suspicion that the universe is lulling me into a false sense of security.

      • UnCivilServant

        “Good news, everyone! We’ve decided to change payroll processors again!”

      • Gender Traitor

        ::runs screaming into the night early morning::

    • UnCivilServant

      How did they know something happened? They routinely reconsile the books to the inventory, and you can’t miss a gap that big. So they went to the security footage and found two events of people pumping to a wile that did not match any payment events in the log. That’s when they called the police.

      As for bypassing the payment system, there’s clearly an exploitable flaw, but I don’t know what specifically.

    • cyto

      Our world has become a parody.

      When I was a kid, Nazis were the generic bad guy. World War II movies were still a thing. So every kid drew war movie stuff, like planes and tanks shooting at each other. And the good guy tanks had the US star and the bad guy tanks had swastikas.

      Everybody in this case included my neighbor. He was a Jewish kid who had to endure Hebrew school every day after regular school.

      But that was before the fake outrage train pulled into the station.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      All they really need is a team of janitors with some 409 and a damp rag. If the nowadays people could see what was on the bathroom wall at my highschool in the β€˜80s they’d stroke out.

      • R C Dean

        +1 call for a good time

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      Why would you have to build affordable units when you want to work on your own place? Maybe for building rental units which is still stupid but I at least can see the link.

      • rhywun

        Because FYTW.

        Won’t somebody please think of the votes that need to be bought?

    • Gender Traitor

      “Our good intentions can override your silly so-called ‘laws’ of economics!”/Seattle authorities

      • UnCivilServant

        “You know, that place outside of town is looking nicer by the minute.”

    • Grosspatzer

      In Latin, I hope.

      • Gender Traitor

        Aramaic! πŸ˜ƒ

      • Grosspatzer

        Our tailor/dry cleaning guy is a Syrian immigrant who attends a Syraic Orthodox church where the services are conducted in Aramaic. I need to check that out one of these days.

      • Rat on a train

        He’s going to hell. I expect they speak woke there.

    • Not Adahn

      That was one of the most staggering movies I’ve ever watched.

  45. UnCivilServant

    I haven’t met the guy, but in the discussion of who is on my new team there were some red flags of potential future friction.

    🚩#1 – His personality was described as abrasive.
    🚩#2 – Past cross-training for his area of responsibility failed because of personality conflicts
    🚩#3 – Management past (People who are no longer here) promised him a Grade 25 (ie, my job or on par with my job) but never delivered (apparently That past Manager had a habit of empty promices to make people go away)

    Now, none of these in of themselves say things are going to go badly. I will give him an honest chance, I mean, I’ve never met the guy so I’m not going to prejudge, but I have to be cognizant of these potential issues.

    • Gender Traitor

      If anyone can handle him, you can! “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” It may require all your reserves of self-control, but you got this!

      More importantly, have you found out whether you’re getting an office with a door?

      • UnCivilServant

        I have not found out about the seating.

    • Brochettaward

      Good employees can sometimes be the most “abrasive.” Or, sometimes they are the shit birds who don’t do anything. My management position – the bullshit an employee is worth is in equal proportion to what they bring to the table. At least, that is genuinely the rule with exceptions for major ethical issues etc.

      As a a manager, it may be your job to smooth things over between co-workers if the employee in question is worth it. But I also realize this is government work so I don’t know if any of the work is important or worth it.

      • UnCivilServant

        As I said, I haven’t met the guy. I’ll find out whether its an issue or not.

      • Brochettaward

        I have s oft spot for assholes, at least if they are productive and not just griping malcontents with delusions of grandeur.

        Do you know if he Firsts?

      • UnCivilServant

        I don’t even know if he uses the Internet outside of work responsibilities.

    • Grosspatzer

      His personality was described as abrasive.

      I work with Israelis, this is a feature, not a bug.

      • UnCivilServant

        You need to be a US Citizen to hold a state job in New York… I think.

        I’m not sure if Green Cards are acceptable. But you definately have to be a permanant resident at least, and some of the titles do require citizenship (and some even require NY Residency)

      • Grosspatzer

        No love for illegal immigrants?

      • UnCivilServant

        The law was written in the beforetimes, and no one wants to touch civil service law. No upside for the politicians, and the bureaucrats have already bought in to the system.

      • rhywun

        I wonder if anyone would notice the difference if the staff at their local DMV or post office were replaced with illegal immigrants.

      • UnCivilServant

        I haven’t been to the DMV since…2019? 2017?

      • Brochettaward

        I don’t think his point was that this guy was an Israeli, but that being abrasive can actually be constructive. Sometimes, people need a kick in the ass or to be challenged.

        Best managers, in my view, promote a culture of healthy competition. How healthy that competition has to be is dependent on numerous factors.

      • Grosspatzer

        “being abrasive can actually be constructive.”

        This. When I joined this firm in 2017 it was a small startup dominated by Israelis. Technical discussions were a wild free-for-all filled with no holds barred invective; problems were solved and everyone went oit for beers at the end of the day. Now we are a “mature” organization where such behavior is not tolerated. I miss the old days.

      • rhywun

        Yeah, we had some legendary parties back in the day, before we got absorbed by current BigCorp.

      • UnCivilServant

        I’m more worried that it might turn out to be toxic abrasiveness or that someone is going to run to the Union or HR.

        But, as I’ve reiterated, I’ve not met the people and it could be nothing to be concerned with.

      • Brochettaward

        One thing I miss about the Army is that no one gave a damn about feelings in my platoon. A shit ton of personality conflicts, but everyone nutted up and did their jobs.

        Competition brings out the best people are capable of even it is uncomfortable to some.

      • rhywun

        I have a Russian (ethnic; I believe she is in Ohio) coworker who apologized the other day because she thought she was being too “abrasive” as that was “normal” where she is from.

        Everyone was like, get out of here. We can take it.

      • Brochettaward

        UCS is in government work (and it may just be my own bias) but these probably aren’t people looking to be pushed too hard. Also, a lot of people are pussies and can’t handle conflict no matter how benign. There own insecurity prevents it.

      • Gender Traitor

        …too β€œabrasive” as that was β€œnormal” where she is from.

        Must live in the Cleveland area. πŸ˜‰

      • rhywun

        Well, that is where the office is.

        But I think she meant “from Russia”. πŸ˜›

  46. Grosspatzer

    Mornin’, reprobates.

    It’s been a crazy week, TGIF. Looking forward to a three day weekend, assuming that the application issues we’ve been dealing with have settled down. Nothing like having your main Application host die when you don’t have a backup, so you provisooon a new one in a few hors and spend the next two days sorting out issues.

    In the middle of this, Mrs. Patzer and I paid a visit to the orthopedic surgeon yesterday and she is good to have her hip replaced in February. I will be putting in time off request to take care of her during her post-surgical rehab.

    Network is a great flick, will try to re-watch over the weekend.

    • UnCivilServant

      I’d glad they can finally schedule the joint replacement. An end to the pain is in sight.

      • Grosspatzer

        Thanks. It’s a start, the other one needs to be replaced as well and her knees are shot. At least she will be able to attend the youngest Pat?er’s graduation ceremony in May. It’s at the Mohegan Sun, I need to brush up on my blackjack skillz.

      • Gender Traitor

        Best of luck with the impending surgeries!

        And congrats re: Little ‘patzer’s graduation! What sort of degree is he getting from the casino?

      • Grosspatzer

        Heh. U of Scranton, BS in Computer Science, BA in Philosophy, minor in Mathematics. Will wrap up his MS in Software Engineering in 2024.

      • Gender Traitor

        Two degrees and a minor, then an advanced degree next year? Slacker! πŸ˜„

      • UnCivilServant

        I almost liked him until I saw that Philosophy degree.

        Now I dislike him.

      • Grosspatzer

        You Kant be serious!

      • Shirley Knott

        I, on the other hand, approve heartily. Depending, of course, on his focus areas. My degree in philosophy was worth its weight in gold when I entered the software development world in the mid 80s.

      • Timeloose

        Congratulations Grosspatzer.

        By the way there is a Casino, hotel, and Mohegan sun arena. The arena has no gambling, but it has hockey.

  47. R.J.

    Morning all! Congrats and relief sent to Grosspatzer. I been cooking bacon and boiling eggs and now it is time for work.