Imagine the crushing sadness of buying a Valentine’s Day card for yourself so you can pretend your dog or cat sent it to you.
Senate confirms Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence in 52-48 vote
In a 52 to 48 vote, the Senate confirmed Gabbard’s nomination, with one Republican — Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — joining Democrats in opposing her. McConnell said that Gabbard “failed to demonstrate” that she was prepared for the role.
Gabbard was previously seen as one of the most unlikely of Mr. Trump’s picks to get through the Senate. Though she served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, Gabbard doesn’t have a background in intelligence. And she faced scrutiny for meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017, as well as her comments about Russia’s war in Ukraine, her previous opposition to renewing a key government surveillance authority and a push to pardon National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Sorry about Mitch, y’all. He brings home the bacon for Kentucky, but he’s encysted by the idea that the government should be all-powerful and all-knowing, like the Wizard of Oz with a lot of fat in his neck throwing off clots.
Bask in the glory of this thread. Really soak it in.
Like most miserable bastards, I’m actually a hopeless romantic at heart. Never been the biggest Dire Straits fan, but this one always got me right in the black void.
Can’t read the thread on slave-lite solutions.
It dares to ask the question… Who doesn’t want a meth-addicted schizophrenic taking care of their elderly mother in Memory Care?
Probably better off with work camps that teach job skills. (A guy in Germany had success with that plan).
Those that are too far gone may need a stay in a mental hospital.
If the program is solely based in DC, I’m all for it.
FDR also did that in the US. The Civilian Conservation Corps while less overtly political and militaristic, was still a regime labor organization.
Yeah — given all the programs to “help” that are out there now, my gut instinct is that those who want to freely do drugs and have no restrictions on their lives will continue to do so. I think involuntary is going to be the key word for any program that actually addresses it, unfortunately.
Having known a couple CCC young guys they were grateful for the opportunity (in retrospect). They learned some things.
The WPA was another work program for the older guys. I knew a couple of those too but they enjoyed getting paid. Some worked, some didn’t pretty much like society.
I’m curious how many people are reflexively against indentured servitude, but think we should expand the H1-B and J-1 programs.
^Nailed it.
At least “asylees” can visit their home country. H-1Bs expire when you leave the country.
I had a client once who was located in Mpls. The company was bought and the offices were moved to Chicago. The only people who moved were the H1-B employees. (and the incompetent CTO who was the guy I worked for).
The CTO and other management at the new company were all so impressed by the power they had over the H1 workers, they went in whole hog and restaffed with as many H1-B workers as they could. They were already a fairly inept bunch, but after that they were really bad.
“H-1Bs expire when you leave the country.”
This is complete nonsense. I was on an H-1B visa for several years. Of course, I could leave the US and come back any time. It’s just a work visa. The one that’s the easiest to get, if you otherwise qualify. Everyone I know who was waiting for their employment-based green card had an H-1B visa. The green card doesn’t pop up overnight. So, I certainly think that there’s too much hysteria about H-1B visas. Granted, I was surprised when I saw the share of Indians among H-1B visa holders. None of the H-1B visa holders I know is Indian.
That illustration is what I would call a ‘tell’. Beautiful young woman in dire straights on her knees scrubbing his floor. At his mercy. Uh huh.
Dude just needs to get an au pair form shitholia and confiscated her passport when she arrives. I wonder if he has a dungeon in his basement.
Kidding aside, No. People are free to enter into contracts as they see fit but no contracts can be binding under all circumstances. They must have an escape clause.
You may be a hopeless romantic at heart, I’m just hopeless.
There’s hope for you
Is Tulsi still on the terrorist watch list?
Good question. I don’t even know who’s in charge of that list.
That’s the thing, isn’t it? Does Trump have operational control of the FBI, CIA, or the Pentagon?
That’s the real fight right now.
Apparently neither does anyone else.
She needs to book a commercial flight and see if the dreaded SSSS code pops up on her boarding pass.
One of my favorites from Dire Straits.
BZZZZZT!
That is incorrect. Your favorite Dire Straits video is Skateaway.
Allegedly there is music that accompanies that video, but I wouldn’t know because I moved all my brain cells that normally process auditory messages over to occular processing tasks.
I suppose that voluntary indentured servitude might work for the miniscule percent of the homeless population that aren’t crazy or addicted.
Raids on homeless encampments where a few dozen are plucked at random and rendered into pet food might solve the problem quicker, once you get over those pesky “monstrous crime against humanity” qualms that some folks will have.
Great, little yappy dogs hopped up on meth infused bum pet food.
I thought the poor grandmas ate the dog food?
Most of us are wage slaves. /derp
Sam Kinison had some good ideas.
https://youtu.be/v_xDdpT4YwQ
Or, you know, “a job”.
Ay, there’s the rub. And the reason why the idea is silly.
“Valentine’s Day Cad” was my nickname in college.
“Imagine the crushing sadness of buying a Valentine’s Day cad for yourself so you can pretend your dog or cat sent it to you.”
I almost bought one of those for Mrs. Dean today. To be “signed” by the Dean Beasts, of course. Since I got her two boxes of chocolates, I thought maybe each one could have a card.
Then I thought “No way am I letting those little bastards get credit for the chocolate I bought.”
I do it for mother’s day for my wife on behalf of our dogs. She loves it, and the dogs love the attention that comes with the flowers arriving. Everyone’s happy.
My cats leave gifts all year long.
I’ve gotten Bells Brewery to send cards to the girlfriend several years. They used to send out an e-mail when they were starting this, and they would mail them out with handwritten notes (and a couple of stickers).
She was always excited, and it made it easy for me.
I just got done looking at some sites to get flowers delivered to a few people back home for V-Day. Normally I buy the flowers myself and deliver them. The local supermarket will sell a dozen roses for about $20.
Uffda, everywhere online wants to charge boutique flower prices. I think there are a few spinster relatives who are just going to get an e-card this year.
Where is some cheap ass Uber Flowers that will pick up the flowers from the supermarket and deliver them for a modest fee?
Now that I think of it, given the progressive proclivities of these gals, having “Uber” in the name of this service might be triggering.
Instacart? Task Rabbit? (No idea on fees.)
First though, have you contacted the local florist/s?
Toxsy:
I’m in Korea. Time zones and shit are all working against me. I love my relatives, but not enough to extend myself to the point where I’m trying to figure out how to make IP based calls to florists.
I also remember that before the supermarket started offering flowers, the local florists were charging premium prices. Not sure if they still do that or not.
I’m banking on “It is the thought that counts” attitude this year. Also, I never get the appeal of flowers as a gift.
My husband’s dudebropal brought flowers to his wife for their first whatever (Valentine’s, anniversary, her birthday, whatever). She threw them in the trash immediately and said, “Don’t ever bring me flowers again. They’re worthless.”
Now, that might sound harsh, but they had a bunch of kids together AND got rich as Croesus in the doing, so obviously she knows her money management.
I’m a bit in the “flowers are worthless” camp myself, but not nearly that vehemently.
It turns out that even a short visit to Florida can turn you into Florida Man
A man was standing inches from a pilot’s face, screaming and threatening him until law enforcement stepped in and escorted him off a plane that landed Feb. 9 in New Jersey, court documents say.
Vaquero, 27, of Passaic County, New Jersey, mocked Jewish passengers and directed threats toward a disabled minor while the flight was in the air, prosecutors said.
I’m guessing he found some of the good stuff while he was in South Beach.
No pictures of the perp?
Sad!
There is a clue:
“Vaquero”
Easy there, cowboy.
Why shouldn’t we rush to judgement? Are you saying that we are saddled with unhealthy stereotypes just based on his name?
I set up a power supply, but the last component is an adjustable regulator, set by connecting pairs of pads like jumpers. Out of the box, it looked like these were not connected. But it was putting out the 12v “all connected” voltage.
Turns out they shipped with tiny surface mount 0Ω resistors bridging the pads. I suppose I can remove them with a regular iron, but they’re right next to a bunch of other tiny components.
Thankfully, they turned out to be so small that the heat wnet roguht through and melted both ends at once.
Romeo and Juliet is a fine choice for afternoon music.
Speaking of Dire Straits, a good theme song for Musk and DOGE would be Private Investigations. The lyrics aren’t entirely on point… I just like the song.
OMB is winning so much I think the NWO will release Covid20™ this spring.
So is the “Director Of Government Oversight” actually blind or visually impaired or is he sticking it to whatever body he is reporting to?
The jokes write themselves…
https://x.com/EndWokeness/status/1889756543773454728
Once we played a few hockey games in Peoria (same place I went last weekend), and after a particularly bad game a blind girl with a cane told us we “looked good”. Worst compliment ever.
Was she the ref?
Some of my teammates might think so. 😉
Now convince me that we are not all in a matrix concocted by a dude with a twisted sense of humor. Go ahead. Convince me. I dare you.
Community note corrected it…
“He is not the Director of Government Oversight.
He is the Director of Government Affairs for an NGO called POGO (Project on Government Oversight).”
Gotta be quicker ’round these parts, i suppose.
So it is worse. We are paying an NGO who is tasked with overseeing who we pay money to.
Was that correction supposed to be a ‘gotcha!’? It is, just not the one they thought.
An NGO receiving millions from government finds no government waste. It just writes itself
Clapton is playing with Bonamassa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41t8uSjNWIE
roughly the thirty nine minute mark. turned out to be just one song, darn it.
and…. it’s the concert from 2009. rats. I was hoping it was a new one.
*goes back to bed*
Another good Dire Straits hopeless romantic tune is ‘Tunnel of Love’. Wondrous guitar work at the end.
Roller Girl is one of my favorites
Speaking of Tulsi being on a watch list.
😉
Yeah, I don’t think you do those events, consistently, if your 2A conversion is just bullshit for the rubes.
First US cabinet appointee with an active USPSA classification. I’m okay with this.
That video of Hegseth doing PT yesterday is making the rounds. That guy’s the real deal too.
That tatted up fucker is carrying around a green log book like he’s doing shit or something.
This is the America version of Putin shirtless on a horse. Our global dominance has been re-established.
I dont want dominance…I want prosperity. I want the rest of the world to be prosperous too. What I dont want is the world we made where we pay for everything for everyone while they burn us in effigy.
Putin’s puppet!
That’s all I’m hearing in the news. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
McConnell said that Gabbard “failed to demonstrate” that she was prepared for the role.
Insufficiently deferential to the “intelligence” establishment. Sad.
What they mean with this kind of thing (see, also “doesn’t have experience”) is that they don’t come from inside the agencies they are supposed to oversee. Coming from inside, in my book, should be a negative for an oversight role.
Oh, and McConnell voted for Buttigieg for SecTrans. So I guess his standards are, err, flexible.
McConnel is a uniparty drone. He way overdue for retirement. Go home Mitch.
The only thing he did was help us dodge a bullet with Garland. For that I am grateful…or feel lucky. If Garland was too awful for Uniparty Mitch imagine how bad he really is outside of what we saw with him as AG. Imagine him on the SC.
Other than that Mitch…go home.
Did he or was that during the remote voting they were doing?
He’s a stroked out turtle looking turkey necked power hungry fuck, the epitome of loser Republican controlled opposition.
So….you are not a fan?
I suppose I could have saved this for a SEA SMITH post, but there is no time like the present:
***
Mr Freeman believes the monster sightings can be explained.
He said: “The idea of a pre-historic reptile in these cold northern lakes is a non-starter.
“However, the monsters could be some kind of large fish. I think the best bet are giant sterile eels.
“The common eel swims out to the Sargasso Sea to breed then die. The baby eels follow scent trails back to their ancestral fresh waters homes and the cycle begins again.
“Sometimes, however, a mutation occurs and the eel is sterile. These stay in fresh water and keep on growing. Known as eunuch eels, no-one knows how old they get or how big.”
Mr Freeman said two Canadian tourists came across a 7.6m (25ft) eel floating in shallow water of Loch Ness in February 2004.
***
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-21603269
***
A little further down the Great Glen from Loch Oich is long and straight Loch Lochy.
The flat area of land separating Oich and Lochy is known to historians as the site of Blar na Léine – the Battle of the Shirts.
Fought on 15 July 1544, it marked a violent escalation in a dispute over the leadership of Clanranald, one of the most powerful branches of Clan Donald.
But, for monster hunters, Loch Lochy is better known as the haunt of Lizzie. First reported as being sighted in 1929, Lizzie is said to have three humps and resemble a plesiosaur, a description sometimes used for Nessie.
***
My AC turned on for the first time this year, about a month earlier than last year. My thermostat is set at 75 because anything lower will burn out the compressor according to my landlord.
Loch Ness is the most studied body of fresh water in the world. Every cubic inch of it has been scanned and analyzed repeatedly. For a limnology class back in the ’80s a boat went from the southwest end to the north east end and counted every single minnow in that puddle. They measured the depth and mapped every wrinkle and pebble on the bottom.
There is no Loch Ness monster.
“Never been the biggest Dire Straits fan”
Don’t like Dire Straits? You’re probably just a little faggot with an earring and makeup anyway.
That’s gotta Sting!
“Gabbard was previously seen as one of the most unlikely of Mr. Trump’s picks to get through the Senate…Gabbard doesn’t have a background in intelligence. And she faced scrutiny for…her comments about Russia’s war in Ukraine, her previous opposition to renewing a key government surveillance authority and a push to pardon National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.”
CBS, like the rest of the legacy media, STILL. DON’T. GET. IT.
AG BONDI: “We filed charges the State of NY, Kathy Hochul, Letitia James, & Mark Schroeder”
https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1889804250743710066
🍆
ICE needs to raid the DMV data center and seize the non-citizen driver license database. Use it as a priority deportation list. Thank you NY for compiling it.
This! This! This!
Minnesoda just passed driver’s licenses for all last year. They claim there is no way for the illegals to be winnowed out from the citizens, but I bet Big Balls could do it.
We’ve had it for several years here. After swearing up and down that it could never happen and all illegal voting was prosecuted, turns out illegals were being registered to vote as citizens. And some actually cast ballots. No prosecutions of course.
I don’t know who Mark Schroeder is but those other two have so many crimes you could prosecute them for, where do you start?
Voluntary indentured servitude kinda has personal appeal. If I didn’t have loving parents, or when they’re gone my bro, I would be teetering on ….sigh.. dire straits. Finding work hasn’t happened since I left phlebotomy Dec 8, or rather, was last fired by plasma center #2. (It was a bold attempt, I grant myself that. Upset it didn’t work out, as I actually ‘enjoyed’ it. I did deserve to be twice fired, though at least I didn’t fuck up my needlework.) Latest salvo: I just got fucking rejected for a kennel attendant gig. Um. Wtf? They said they were short-staffed and stressed and … they turn down a non-corpse? I did a walk-through interview with folk there, and I’ve legit studied animal behavior, and worked with lions, tigers, and other big cats for a hope of upward advancement. But for now, it’s a goddamn doggy daycare gig. And… rejected. Huh.
I did just apply to Aldi and Walmart and have ‘hopes.’ Likely will to Costco as well. I’ve put out copywriting+ apps out recently, but I also doubt those’ll go anywhere. From yesterday: “If you filter the [employment] statistic to include as unemployed people who can’t find anything but part-time work or who make a poverty wage (roughly $25,000), the percentage is actually 23.7 percent.” <– I believe it. Right now, any work is key. I need to have more sustained work Stateside to build my rep here. After 'leaving' the Peru Tribune in June, 2023, I haven't had a gig that's lasted more than three months. I remote graded elem kids' tests for a short contract and another temp gig I detested, doing glorified daycare for the ultra affluent at a local elem school.
I'll see what happens next. If I didn't have a place to stay, I'd absolutely volunteer to train and work in return for less money but plus a domicile/barracks situation. Back in the day, I'd likely have ended up in a monastery. I'd do whatever work they'd want, pretty much, just give me a comfy pew to sleep on. I have a profound lack of faith in the working spirit of my generation, but I'm confident I wouldn't be alone opining on the option. Opine for a piney pew. Thankfully, I was born into a fantastic, loving family, but the idea still has merit. Would depend on fine print, natch, but why the hell not (for me)?
Likewise, I might end up working at Walmart again after a 22-year hiatus. At least I have savings and a cheap apartment in a place I like.
The military is effectively a form of indentured servitude and for some it is the employer of last resort.
Given how much I like to read, I probably would have been a monk in medieval times as well. They also got the best beer.
My oldest is in a similar situation. She’s been here 2 weeks, which isn’t too long, but has gotten only the one interview at Walmart.
Indentured servitude? If it provided a lot of structure it would probably work for her. She’s not a self-starter but works well if directed.
Both my kids’ first jobs were at Wallyworld. Neither had a great experience, but they learned a shit-ton about the real world. XX found out she liked forklifts and XY found out he didn’t want to work at Walmart. FedEx is actually only the second job XX has had since she was 15.5 (she’s 21.5 now). She paid for most of her car with her Walmart job.
Crappy jobs at the beginning of you life make you appreciate good jobs you get later.
At my last job, we had a kid straight out of college (23 or so) who had all sorts of odd habits at work. Turns out that this was their first job ever. Nothing in high school or college.
So this was their first job and they had no idea what was expected. So they’d do strange things like leave in the middle of the day to pick up dry cleaning. (not bad, but this was in addition to lunch and other breaks). I felt really bad for the manager who had to coach him up on what is acceptable and what isn’t.
“Voluntary indentured servitude”
And to think that was standard practice only a hundred and fifty years ago. For the price of a potato and a bottle of whiskey a day you could have a surly and drunken Irishman or Irishwoman at your beck and call and it mostly worked out well for the country.
@rhywun
Grimm reset back to the pilot today if you wanted to start watching at the beginning. Comet, of course.
Ha. So did Perry Mason – I’ve been watching that lately. Never saw it before.
But this week it’s hockey nations something or other.
Trump’s fault
Analyst Cody Acree estimated that the average sticker price would rise about $5,790, based on the impact of the currently paused 25% levies on cars and components from Mexico and Canada. That would raise the cost of an average new car above $54,500, or nearly 12% higher than in 2024.
“We believe the Auto sector is the most exposed to the risks of increased tariffs,” Acree wrote in a note to clients, “given its sheer size of trade dollars, the complexity of the intertwined supply and manufacturing channel that has been cultivated over decades, and the sheer number of our companies that participate in support of this key consumer industry.”
Trump is why cars and trucks are so expensive.
Good, send over more real Japanese cars that’re made in Japan then. Mexican Mazdas just don’t cut it and I’ll be happy to pay a premium.
That’s typical sell side research. CNBC is cherry picking it.
The idea, rationally enough, is that investors want to know what happens to costs if such tariffs were implemented.
He is not making political or environmental commentary. However, it seems high from just a WAG. Which also isn’t uncommon because consensus based sell side research doesn’t get noticed.
I did this research for a different industry for a decade.
Are there any players or factors in the auto industry that are not forcing higher prices?
Ignore the over full lots and 100-300+ days of inventory
Cunty Aunt Susie’s lawyer is an idiot. That’s okay. Mine just did an amended motion for partition, which is absolutely savage. No, Aunt Susie, we don’t agree to your terms in exchange for withdrawing our motion. We just got a bigger cudgel.
“Savage Cudgel” is the name of my new rock’n’roll band.
That IS awesome, innit?
By purest coincidence, it’s also the name of my adventuring company in my D&D game.
Also, I’m developing a new laundry detergent, called “Savage Cudgel”. It comes in liquid, powder, and pod forms.
He is not making political or environmental commentary. However, it seems high from just a WAG. Which also isn’t uncommon because consensus based sell side research doesn’t get noticed.
It didn’t look like he made any attempt to adjust for anything; just laid the tariff on top of a set of aggregate numbers.
So crappy sell side research. There is a lot of that. I didn’t recognize his firm. Can’t say I’m shocked, but I’ve been out of that business for a long time.
My favorite Dire Straits song: “Calling Elvis”.
https://youtu.be/ay4F-_LGiww?si=J5VG96RHVer1r9Ne
How far apart are voluntary indentured servitude and apprenticeships?
As the College For All scheme is crumbling, there seems to be a big need to figure out how to transform young adults into productive workers. A big part of the problem is the sky high minimum wage laws. You can’t hire a dumb teen anymore and hope for the best. There is just no way you can pay a knucklehead $15/hr and hope they add more value than that.
Our old Swiss neighbors told us that in Switzerland there was a robust apprenticeship program. Starting in Jr. High kids would start getting real world experience in various jobs. If they liked it, they could start a formal apprenticeship and come out of it ready to work in the field.
When I was a kid, there was a robust Vo/Tech school system for guys who wanted to go into the trades. When I was looking at them lately it seems most of them have been transformed into Jr. Colleges.
Germany was (is?) the same way.
Which requires “tracking” which is verboten in the US nowadays because guess why.
What if, say, the manager of a Dollar General could bring in the homeless guy laying in front of the store and pay him $40 to sweep the floor?
No HR, no drug tests, no income tax filings. Just, “Hey: you wanna make a few bucks?”
“Two hours of pushing broom
Buys a eight-by-twelve four-bit room.”
Those apprenticeships and similar should return to the norm. Just like following Dad’s footsteps, kids’d have *someone* in the neighborhood/ community/ clan that needed labor, and training was expected. (Otherwise, how’s the kid *not* gonna fuck everything up?) Derp’s also right on with the long-held reality of the military-as-last-resort option. It was stable training ground, an outstanding way to keep eyes on yutes so they’ve got eyes on them to give ’em purpose, keep ’em out of trouble, with a warm place to sleep. An obvious way to make sure young men don’t have enough time to create havoc.
Many/most in this world don’t ‘create’ well on their own. They need to be taught or simply be given simple, though laborious tasks to complete ad nauseam. The idea of letting every 18yo ‘wander’ out to find their own calling simply ain’t ever gonna happen, nor did it ever. With more of us now, the swarm of incompetent, incapable youth is too deep for ’em to rise above it. “No, no. Dig *up* stupid.”
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith has noted that despite the $4.5 trillion allowance, it may not be enough to fully implement the proposed tax policies. The extension of Trump-era tax cuts is expected to face strong opposition from Democrats, who argue the original cuts favored the wealthy and corporations. With the national debt exceeding $34 trillion, fiscal conservatives within the GOP may also raise concerns about long-term economic impacts.
https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-reveal-trump-tax-plan-will-cost-us-45-trillion-2030024
The national debt is $34 trillion because of spending, not because taxes are too low.
Is this a ploy to move the elimination of the income tax to an earlier date? “We aren’t getting any money from income taxes, anyway, so we might as well end it.”
The tax cuts favored the people who pay the lion’s share of taxes? Shocking.