Thursday Afternoon Links

by | May 11, 2023 | Daily Links | 295 comments

THE LATEST FASHIONABLE HOBGOBLIN: Forever chemicals (PFAS)? Feh, so last Tuesday. Want to be hip and trendy at your next proggie cocktail party? Breathlessly, yet confidently, warn your fellow cosmo-drinkers about the dangers of quaternary ammonium compounds, aka QACs (pronounced “quats”).

PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE CULTURE OF MEDIOCRITY: A nice read from Connor Boyack and Corey DeAngelis. Boyack is one of our favorite authors, and is well known for the wonderful Tuttle Twins books for children.

THOSE LITTLE HELLIONS: You know how for the past (at least) forty years practical fusion has always been twenty years away? Well, Microsoft just moved the window with an ambitious five-year plan to buy fusion-generated electricity from startup Helion by 2028. We know the linked gee-whiz article says “2023” in the body text, but the headline, and original source (WSJ, paywalled) say 2028.

WE’RE NOT GOING TO EVEN MENTION ALIENS: “For whatever reason, [human DNA] were suddenly ‘spiced up’ in a short period of evolution. Because we are the only species in which these regions have been rewritten so quickly, they are called ‘human accelerated regions’ (or HARs). Furthermore, scientists believe that at least some of the HAR may be the source of many qualities that distinguish humans from their close relatives, such as chimpanzees and bonobos.” Fluffy, breathless, ‘splainer here, their original source article here.

CHINA SEEKS PARTNERS FOR INTERNATIONAL MOON BASE: CCP founds International Lunar Research Station Cooperation Organization (ILRSCO). That name, “ill risk co,” for the lulz. The CCP has long needed a major “first” in space exploration. A moon base is more attainable than a Mars landing, and offers more options for partnering with other nations and having those nations defer the cost.

Due to the paucity of news links, the comments are all yours, dear friends.

About The Author

Tonio

Tonio

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

295 Comments

  1. Count Potato

    “quaternary ammonium compounds”

    I use those in the kitchen all the time.

    • Name's BEAM. James BEAM

      Same here.

      This is my favourite, and I’ve used it around the house for almost 30 years now:

           https://diversey.com/en/product-catalogue/virex-ii-256-one-step-disinfectant-cleaner-and-deodorant-54334-nam

      When diluted per instructions, it’s also cheap as chips for a cleaner.

      • robodruid

        Ive used contrad 90 in the lab. great cleaner.
        And i am involved with cleanup of PFAS
        Doomed.

  2. Count Potato

    “Boyack is one of our favorite authors, and is well known for the wonderful Tuttle Twins books for children.”

    Tapeworm? I think a enby bear is impossible.

    • Tonio

      ???

      • Count Potato

        “our”

      • Tonio

        Ah. It’s an old-school journo affectation to use the “royal we” when editorializing. And I am both old and affected.

      • Sensei

        We did the same when I wrote research for Wall St.

  3. Sean

    Space Commies!

    • Aloysious

      Worse than moon Nazi’s?

  4. Count Potato

    Fusion in the hands of the people who make Windows? What could possibly go wrong?

    • Sean

      Have you tried rebooting your reactor?

      • Rat on a train

        blue screen of death

      • Nephilium

        The black screen of death is the new blue screen of death.

      • Tonio

        [thunderous applause]

        You know that the end-users will claim they did, even though they didn’t.

      • SDF-7

        We’re sorry — MS Fusion 1.0 is no longer a supported API. We’re moving you (whether you want to or not) to our new Azure Fusion 365 Workplace Portal subscription. Containment will depend on your credit card availability.

      • rhywun

        “It looks like you’re trying to construct a nuclear weapon. Would you like help with that?”

      • Tres Cool

        Check the thermostat.

    • Timeloose

      Will they have Triti the helpful Hydrogen atom to give you suggestion on how to use your new reactor?

  5. Stinky Wizzleteats

    I’ll pass on a space at the Chinese engineered moon base, thank you very much. They can’t even adequately reverse engineer ten year old Russian fighter jets, no way I’d trust them on this.

    • Sensei

      The Chinese had been storing its nuclear waste in vast disposal sites on the far side of the Moon, but when an unknown form of “magnetic radiation” is detected, the accumulated waste reaches critical mass and causes a massive thermonuclear explosion. The force of the blast propels the Moon like an enormous booster rocket, hurling it out of Earth orbit and into deep space at colossal speed,

      • SDF-7

        Call me when they pick up the shapeshifter daughter of BRIAN BLESSED!

      • Chafed

        I don’t remember any Chinese actors on Space: 1999.

      • rhywun

        She has a daughter, Miki Berenyi, who was the lead singer and guitarist of the English alternative rock band Lush.

        😮 That is awesome. I did not know that.

      • Zwak , who will swing for the crime, in double time!

        Heck yeah! Lush is awesome. Miki is awesome!

      • rhywun

        Yeah, Lush was a big fave back in the day.

  6. Shirley Knott

    Human evolution? HAR HAR HAR

    • Tonio

      Well done. I was hoping someone would make that joke.

      • Shirley Knott

        Given my nym’s genesis (heh), how could I not?

      • SDF-7

        Were you just sitting around in your hotel room waiting for it there, Star Child?

      • pistoffnick

        Put a glide in your stride
        And a dip in your lip
        Come on!

      • Rat on a train

        Somebody first has to make it funky.

      • Shirley Knott

        👍👍👍

      • Tres Cool

        Relevant link about The Funk.

      • kinnath

        Awesome

      • Name's BEAM. James BEAM

        I haz disappoint, Tundra. The ultimate expression of Tower of Power’s song is in this opening sequence to the long-gone Drew Carey Show:

             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN71DbKaCb4

      • Nephilium

        It’s not gone yet!

      • kinnath

        Thank you.

        I miss the music from back then.

      • Tundra
  7. Count Potato

    So Chinese girls in silver mini-dresses and fuchsia wigs?

    • Scruffyy Nerfherder

      Yes?

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      No, party apparatchiks in Mao coveralls.

      • Count Potato

        Listen, we don’t need put Hillary Clinton on the Moon, just launch her into space.

      • rhywun

        into space the sun

        better

    • Chafed

      You’re thinking of UFO.

      • Sensei

        Same story universe I believe. In the pilot and/or opening there was scene from the space station.

      • Chafed

        Close but not quite right. It’s the same production company.

    • R C Dean

      I, too, went to the UFO minidress and wig combo. Great(?) minds, Count.

  8. Rat on a train

    Fusion went from perpetually 20 years off to 5 years off. As elapsed time approaches infinity remaining time approaches but does not reach zero.

    • SugarFree

      Fuck off, Zeno.

      • SDF-7

        I’d say he’s hit your limit — but it doesn’t seem to be an integral bit of the conversation.

    • Tonio

      Asymptotically, old chap.

  9. Bobarian LMD

    We already established Moonbase Alpha in 1999.

    And then the moon blew up and away.

      • Shirley Knott

        Now available in women’s lockers across the country. Some states excluded.

  10. cyto

    In politicians getting rich news, I have seen several Tweets claiming AOC is now worth $30 million, after coming to Congress as a paycheck to paycheck barkeep. Somehow she parlayed netting a couple hundred grand per year into what is described as “earning $1.5 million per year from various investments”.

    • SDF-7

      JHTFC. Her supposedly rabidly “democratic socialist” constituents should be rigging the lampposts now.

    • The Other Kevin

      A woman of the people, just like Scranton Joe.

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      If you can’t trust random Tweets, what can you trust?

      • Tundra

        And she is co sponsoring a bill to prohibit congresspeople from trading stocks.

        I guess we know how real that is.

      • Nephilium

        I hope it passes against the wishes of the sponsors.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        *shakes fist*

        It’s possible her derpy boyfriend is the one benefiting from the insider information.

      • DEG
      • Gustave Lytton

        So if she hasn’t filed financial disclosures since 2021, how are people knowing she’s worth $30M and income of $1.5M?

      • Ownbestenemy

        All sides are not immune to rage politics?

      • Ownbestenemy

        Well a lot can change between filling in beginning of 2021 and now in filing period of 2023 and just not filing at all

      • Certified Public Asshat

        She’s probably achieved millionaire status which is why she is delaying the recent filings, but I still highly doubt she is at $30M.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Unless Pelosi took her under her batwing.

    • Count Potato

      It’s from her OnlyFans.

      • Brochettaward

        That work would be too honest for AOC.

      • Chafed

        Bro is right.

    • Gustave Lytton

      I’d read your Trump screed on reason but their website has aids and doesn’t display comments.

      • The Other Kevin

        I’m getting that too. You click the link for comments and nothing happens.

      • Sean

        Tells me I have to log in. Nope.

      • Bobarian LMD

        Just like all the libertarian sites.

      • kinnath

        Excellent rant

      • R C Dean

        Concur.

        And I never thought Trump could possibly be as stupid as he is routinely portrayed, for one reason:

        He succeeded in one of the most toughest businesses in the country – commercial real estate – in one of the mot brutal, cutthroat markets. It didn’t give him the tools to do much in the Swamp, and certainly didn’t beat the narcissism out of him, but you don’t make a ton of money in NY real estate if you’re a fool.

      • robc

        Has he made a ton of money?

      • Brochettaward

        He’s made money. But you could legitimately question if he’s made as much money as he should have given the massive head start he had in life. I haven’t studied the matter, but I’ve seen arguments that most of his wealth is still owed to his father’s holdings rather than any of his own decisions.

        Trump became a character of a character a while ago. His brain is fried by the narcissism. You listen to him in the early 80’s and you only have a hint of the persona he has fully adopted today. I’d say he is shrewd and has base cunning at best.

        And yet, most effective Republican of my lifetime.

      • Zwak , who will swing for the crime, in double time!

        I watched an interview with him in the eighties recently, done by Phil Donohue. He was just as on top of the questions in the real estate field then as Cyto thinks he was (I have no interest in watching it) on CNN. He knew the score, and he worked it. Phil looked an ass by the end.

      • slumbrew

        Trump starts ~ 1:35:30

      • Zwak , who will swing for the crime, in double time!

        Far too many people wanted Trump to be all things to all people, and in the end on one could do that. Not the Gipper, not O-shithead, no one. Trump was not one of us, and wasn’t looking at DC from the same vantage point we have been staring at it for the last 15-20 years. Did he think that people would do their jobs? Maybe, maybe not. But I don’t think he felt that the people who swore and oath to protect the country would try to sabotage it in the way they did with him. That was too far over the line for someone of his generation. And, further, I am sure he didn’t think that the party he represented, that the members of who sent him quickly to the top of for being plain speaking, would sabotage him in the way that they did. He is cutthroat, but I don’t think he is disloyal.

        Now? If, and it is a big if, he gets back in, there is going to be hell to pay. And a lot of people know it.

      • rhywun

        Jesus… Buttplug is still there?!

        And I can’t imagine slogging through all those hundreds of comments; life is too short.

      • Pat

        Jesus… Buttplug is still there?!

        Could be worse, it could have been Michael Hihn *snickers in BOLD ALLCAPS*

      • rhywun

        Bully!

      • Sean

        Fucking excellent cyto.

      • Tundra

        Seconded.

        That was fantastic.

      • cyto

        Thanks for the love guys.

        And yes, it is a slog over there.

        I think there are at least 3 separate paid dnc shills on the board, plus the usual mentally ill trolls

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      A not bad movie.

      • R.J.

        It was great. Sadly, it spawned sequels. The one good thing we got out of that was the Fuhrer riding a dinosaur.

    • Tres Cool

      Thats exactly what I was hoping, and I still need to watch the entire movie.

  11. R.J.

    My cat produces large amounts of ammonium compounds. Just don’t drink them.

  12. Rebel Scum

    Where are the enviro-nazis on this?

    Stunning footage from our drone team shows an enormous amount of clothing & trash dumped by migrants at the edge of the river after they cross illegally into Brownsville in this spot. Mixed in, you will find IDs/paperwork from around the world, & Mexican humanitarian visas.

    • Chafed

      All that stuff is good for Gaia because… Hey look over there! *drops smoke bomb and runs away*

    • R C Dean

      Yup. One of the first things they figured out is if they don’t have ID showing where they’re from, they can’t be deported. This info, of course, was spread far and wide by NGOs who are guilty of millions of crimes (aiding and abetting, etc.) but who are totally unmolested by law enforcement.

    • Gustave Lytton

      The guy works as a manatee doctor?

      • Chafed

        Florida man status confirmed.

    • Brochettaward

      I mean, it was painfully obvious that shitbag DA would charge.

      • R C Dean

        Yeah. But not the black guy who also held him down. Of course.

      • cyto

        Excellent observation.

  13. Semi-Spartan Dad

    “For whatever reason, [human DNA] were suddenly ‘spiced up’ in a short period of evolution. Because we are the only species in which these regions have been rewritten so quickly, they are called ‘human accelerated regions’ (or HARs)

    Sounds like a particularly active transposon. You can even now buy commercially tailored transposons to do exactly this for your DNA splicing needs.

    • The Other Kevin

      Make sure you use those transposons’ preferred pronouns.

    • Sean

      Wanna open a wood chipper rental business with me? The future bodes well for success.

    • Ownbestenemy

      South Elementary School have determined that sexual assault did not occur.

      But a jury can determine it did 30 years after the fact.

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      Believe all women doesn’t apply here because she was only six.

      • Nephilium

        It’s believe all women, not believe all girls.

    • Brochettaward

      It makes for a good headline, but do we really want to start prosecuting other 6 year olds for rape?

      • Tundra

        How about caning the parents and teacher?

      • Brochettaward

        I mean, that’s the big question. Why were the left unmonitored, where did they get the idea for it etc.?

        Maybe one could even ask why 6 year olds have recording devices.

      • R C Dean

        I thought I saw the teacher was in the room, but had her earbuds in or somesuch. Probably a bunch of kids yelling and carrying on is typical in her classroom, so she didn’t even look up.

      • Tundra

        Correct. In the room but not paying attention. Using the fucking school-issued iPads for babaysitters.

        Caning at a minimum.

      • Brochettaward

        I don’t have a fancy degree in childhood education, but I’m pretty sure I know it’s a bad idea to leave a horde of six year olds to their own devices even if I’m not expecting them to rape one another.

      • R C Dean

        It’s a tough one, but . . . Maybe?

      • Brochettaward

        What if, as the headline suggests, the 6 year old girl was not forced to do what she did in anyway? Is a 6 year old boy who was exposed to sexualized content at a way too early age who convinces other stupid kids in class a criminal in any way, shape, or form?

        That goes back to the headline. It generates outrage, but this is hardly a clear cut situation. A 6 year old doesn’t even know what rape is let alone the consequences. Shouldn’t even know what presumably oral sex is. And why is he more responsible for his behavior than the 6 year old girl if he didn’t use physical force?

        Look into the parents. Look into the homelife. I’m not going to attack the school here for anything other than for hiring a teacher who failed to prevent this from happening in their classroom.

      • R C Dean

        Well, I was mostly being facetious.

        But if the six year old boy would only know about oral sex because he is an abuse victim, wouldn’t the same be true of a six year old girl? What are the odds two six year old abuse victims find each other and decide to get it on the middle of a classroom full of yelling kids?

        But I’m not buying the school’s story, so there’s that.

      • Brochettaward

        I don’t know if the boy was an abuse victim. It’s possible. It’s also just possible he saw his parents doing something and just had the idea in his head. And he brought that idea into class and convinced a 6 year old girl who was clueless to do it. It didn’t mean he forced himself on her or to go under the desk.

        When I was a kid, not that much older than 6 if not right around that age, I had girls who would want to kiss and do…things. It’s a reverse of that. My next door neighbor had a large box and took me in there and kissed me. Little Bro was not raped. If the roles were reversed, would I have been guilty of some form of sexual assault?

        There could be some extreme scenario where I’d take a harder stance on the kid here, but I do buy the school’s story. It’s a fucked up situation. I may take a harder stance against the kid if this was a scenario where he forced himself on the girl somehow, but no evidence of that.

      • Zwak , who will swing for the crime, in double time!

        I would say it is more like that he watched porn on the school provided iPad.

        But, I do remember playing “doctor” with Nora, at probably six or so. It was in no way rape, and it was not initiated by just one of us.

      • Not Adahn

        Of the incident itself, PISD stated it was “brief” lasting approximately “34 seconds” and appeared to be mutual as there was no struggle or call for help from the 6-year-old girl, the outlet stated.

        Someone’s asking to be killed.

      • Not Adahn

        “We cannot speak to the conclusion of the Hale County District Attorney or FBI. The law in the State of Texas does not provide for criminal penalties for children under the age of 10, and public schools are prohibited from expelling or suspending children in 3rd grade or below,” the school district’s statement read, according to KCBD News.

  14. The Other Kevin

    I’m having a case of Trump overload.

    • Chafed

      You’re not alone.

      • Tundra

        Definitely. He had his moments, but this sequel sucks so far.

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      It’s a great, big, beautiful overload. You be so overloaded, you be tired of overloading. And CNN is going to pay for it.

    • Chafed

      If all those people were really at the border, then the country would have flipped over.

      • Ownbestenemy

        I am thankful they are there, I haven’t eaten in weeks and according to our betters, they feed us.

      • Tres Cool

        So you heard Hank Johnson’s comments, too?

  15. Tonio

    Okay, the topmost paragraph has been updated with a link to the QACs. Thanks to Neph for both the original link and the proofread.

    • Brochettaward

      Really, the whole country is a fucking sanctuary city.

    • Chafed

      Adams makes no sense. He just says whatever pops in his head.

      • rhywun

        I can’t believe how awful he is turning out to be. I mean, I can, but hoo boy is he in over his head.

      • Tundra

        It does appear to be full on panic.

      • Zwak , who will swing for the crime, in double time!

        He stuck his dick into national politics, and is surprised that it stuck it’s dick back.

        What an idiot.

      • Chafed

        It’s not like NYC had better options in the last election. NY seems determined to make the same mistakes as SF and Chicago. I wonder how long before there is talk of a doom loop.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      Daniel Penny meet Daniel Perry.

    • R C Dean

      Really, the only thing you can do is never, ever set foot in a blue shithole. If anything happens and you have to defend yourself, you’re fucked, period, full stop.

    • Not Adahn

      I thought he got pardoned.

      • Brochettaward

        Texas doesn’t allow governors to issue pardons, only recommend that some review board looks at it. So, he may yet walk, but Abbott can’t do that on his own.

      • Pat

        I saw a breathless headline that he “stands ready” to do it, so here’s to hoping.

  16. The Late P Brooks

    In politicians getting rich news, I have seen several Tweets claiming AOC is now worth $30 million, after coming to Congress as a paycheck to paycheck barkeep.

    Who whined about not being able to afford a decent place to live in D C, as I recall.

    • Pat

      Lol, I was gonna say, is that the same Icahn I’m thinking of? Sure is…

      • The Other Kevin

        She’s fit as a fiddle, just like our robust and healthy president Biden.

      • Name's BEAM. James BEAM

        I’m surprised that they weren’t able to juice up a photo of her with Photoshop.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Reportedly the AI touchup program responded with “I am not God….yet”

      • Sensei

        The news here has a bunch of rules on what photo manipulation is and isn’t allowed.

        But some “correction” of color and lighting is generally ok. No instagram filters though.

      • Name's BEAM. James BEAM

        Ah, that’s better.

    • Brochettaward

      Power is a hard thing to let go of.

    • Sean

      I have nothing nice to say.

    • Chafed

      I don’t know what SugarFree will do with it, but I’m sure I will vomit.

    • rhywun

      Yikes.

    • Nephilium

      Strike her down, and she will only return more powerful than you can imagine!

    • Rebel Scum

      That was not handled well at all.

    • Plinker762

      hot/crazy/cold

    • Tres Cool

      “New Hyde Town Supervisor Al Torreggiani told the Poughkeepsie Journal that officers began wearing body cameras in March 2022, a month before the shooting.”

      Bet they regret that.

    • Scruffyy Nerfherder

      You begin to wonder if the clotshots have caused brain damage to a lot of people.

      • EvilSheldon

        Nah, they were fucked up well beforehand.

    • whiz

      The video wasn’t really clear, but if she pulled a knife, I call a Darwin.

      • R C Dean

        Yeah, pull a knife, get a bullet.

      • Pat

        When the officers tackle Feith, she eventually manages to wrangle free. At that point, a stun gun is deployed which does not subdue her. A voice can be heard saying: ‘Shoot her,’ Kemlage then fires twice.

        I’m always inclined to take the non-cop side, but yeah.

    • Gustave Lytton

      You’ll never own the libs with that sort of attitude.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Yep that is fodder for the ‘denying people to vote’ crowd.

      • Homple

        Not allowing 15 year-olds to vote is also fodder for the “denying people the vote” crowd. Once upon a time you had to be 21 to vote. You still have to be 21 to buy alcohol. How did people get smart enough vote at 18 but stayed too stupid to buy booze? What’s the rationale for picking any minimum age for voting?

      • Pat

        How did people get smart enough vote at 18 but stayed too stupid to buy booze?

        Same way they got smart enough to drive a car on the interstate at 80 MPH at 16 with 2 months of public school driving instruction, but stayed too stupid to bet on fantasy football.

      • Sensei

        From memory wasn’t it so we could draft “voters” during Vietnam?

    • SDF-7

      Someone has been reading too many Schlichter books. Mandatory military service for full citizenship is a requirement in the Red.

      • Raven Nation

        Maybe he’s going to finally staff Space Force with troopers.

      • Scruffyy Nerfherder

        I don’t want to know more.

        Unless Denise Richards is involved.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      The former CEO said those under the age of 25 could complete six months of service in either the military or as a first responder in the police or fire department.

      ‘Or else you have to pass the same civics test an immigrant has to pass in order to become a naturalized citizen who can vote in this country,’ he added.

      ‘At age 25, that falls away,’ the businessman, who is polling at 5 percent ahead of former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, said.

      I don’t hate it, if we’re going to insist on this democracy thing.

    • Bobarian LMD

      Give the vote to adults.

      If you’re old enough to vote, the government gets no say in what legal actions you can take part in. Smoking, drinking, fucking, prize-fighting, car rentals, etc.

      Pick one number.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Credit apps, financial aid, and parents healthcare.

      • Tres Cool

        I agree. At age 18 you’re legally able to enter into contracts, marry, vote, and get drafted (under selective cervix)
        But 21 to buy nicotine products (unless you’re military or a congressional page) or alcohol cause those things are bad?
        Make up your mind.

      • kinnath

        I got to buy booze at 18 while still in high school. So, I could legally come to school hung over or stay home and write my own excuse the next day.

        The “issue” was 18yos buying booze and serving to underage friends. The government response, stupid as always, was to retreat booze sales to the old age of majority.

        Remember, the government didn’t just make it legal for 18yos to buy booze. They dropped the age of majority from 21 to 18 with all the benefits that come with it. Buying booze was just a small part of it.

      • Pat

        The “issue” was 18yos buying booze and serving to underage friends. The government response, stupid as always, was to retreat booze sales to the old age of majority.

        And now there’s no more underage drinking, and no increase in fatalities caused by binge drinking on college campuses…

    • Ted S.

      Apologies to our ex-military here, but fuck the idea that you should get extra rights for serving the state (or that it’s necessary to serve the state to get basic rights; they’re pretty much the same thing).

      • Brochettaward

        I do like the vehement reaction against it while if we floated the notion of only allowing people who pay a net plus in taxes, a number of people would be on board with that around here.

        I don’t know if I view voting as a basic right. It in fact was not one of the basic rights in our constitution at the start.

      • Pat

        Having some skin in the game doesn’t sound so absurd, but the politics of how much and why type of skin and what type of game is where it gets murky.

  17. Rebel Scum

    Thou shall not offend the gender-nazis.

    “During the hearing, I gave a heartfelt speech, hoping to bring attention to the struggles that the modern marginalized communities are currently suffering. I shared my story, hoping that it would help others understand the difficulties that our children face in today’s society. To my surprise, my speech was received so well by the overall community that another parent made a TikTok video of my segment of the hearing. It went viral with over 120k views and 1k shares in less than 12 hours,” he said.

    Mr. Brunt said that the attention he received turned into a living nightmare after radical progressive activists started harassing him and threatening his family, including homosexual acts toward his children. They even called his workplace with false accusations, which resulted in his immediate termination.

    “However, the attention soon turned into a nightmare. Radical progressive activists began attacking me personally, sending me hate mail and threats. The situation only escalated when I began receiving phone calls at my job, making false allegations and defaming me to an obscene level. To my utter dismay, my employer decided to fire me effective immediately, citing the video as a reason for making people feel unsafe at work. It was devastating to lose a job I had worked so hard to obtain and succeed in,” Mr. Brunt said.

    “As an HR professional, I am understanding and supportive of all people to express themselves as they see fit. However, it seems that today, if you disagree with the progressive ideology, you will be canceled and criminalized. It is not right that merely asking for equality and safe spaces for children like mine, I faced an all-out assault on my personal life,” he added.

    • Pat

      As an HR professional…

      Well, there’s your problem. HR is a make work program for childless, miserable, gender studies credentialed spinsters.

  18. Sensei
    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      She? Elona Musk?

  19. DEG

    A nice read from Connor Boyack and Corey DeAngelis. Boyack is one of our favorite authors, and is well known for the wonderful Tuttle Twins books for children.

    Both were at FreedomFest 2023.

    From the article:

    This is why so many states are creating Education Savings Account programs that let parents direct the taxpayer dollars intended to educate their child. A competitive marketplace of education providers—instead of a one-size fits all system—is our best hope at reversing decades of decline.

    I like that ESAs and the like, in states where state funding is based on enrollment, hurt public schools. The thing I worry about is states attaching conditions to using ESAs.

    • DEG

      Both were at FreedomFest 2023.

      Uhhh…. FreedomFest 2023 hasn’t happened yet.

      They were at FreedomFest 2022.

      • Pat

        That’s exactly what a time traveler would say…

  20. The Late P Brooks

    Anybody who thinks military service should be a mandatory condition of full citizenship can fuck right off.

    • Sensei

      But…. RAH.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      That’s not what he suggested.

      • Ownbestenemy

        But you can see how it will be reported. Too stupid to pass the test? Fight for your government and gain your full adult rights earlier….

      • Certified Public Asshat

        You still have rights, just not a vote.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Oh okay

    • Swiss Servator

      Just say no to slave armies.

      • Chafed

        Putin hardest hit.

    • Semi-Spartan Dad

      I switched over to MSI several years ago. Light years ahead of Dell and HP. I thought at least until this.

      • Sensei

        Any third party MB manufacturer is light years ahead of Dell and HP.

        Gigabyte, Asus, ASRock, and the like.

    • slumbrew

      How the fuck were those keys not in HSMs?

    • Nephilium

      But… but… UEFI was supposed to protect us against all of this.

      Fucking idiots.

    • Pat

      Rad. I was planning on selling my MSI video card and mobo next week. I’m sure I’ll be getting top value.

      • Sensei

        Video card is locked down by Nvidia. Any bios they make is validated by Nvidia, I believe.

      • Pat

        I’m not really that concerned about it from a security standpoint, tbh. I rarely flash BIOS updates unless there’s critical microcode patches that haven’t been mainlined in the Linux kernel. I just hope the news doesn’t screw me on prices too badly.

      • Sensei

        More saying I doubt that an educated buyer would care about the card. The MB on the other hand…

      • Pat

        True. Perhaps in my favor, it’s gamer-oriented stuff, and the COVID explosion in PC gaming has resulted in a lot of DIY system builders who are lucky if they get the thermal paste on the right side of the CPU.

  21. The Late P Brooks

    That’s not what he suggested.

    Ramaswami(?) says some interesting things. He’s higher on my list than Trump. But that “your obligations under the Social Contract” crap needs to be shut down hard.

    • Chafed

      And fast.

      • Zwak , who will swing for the crime, in double time!

        And furious.

    • Nephilium

      My dad (who was a big Trump guy) is all on board with Vivek. When I saw him Sunday he was saying how I needed to read Vivek’s book.

    • rhywun

      Agreed. Don’t go there, V.

    • whiz

      OK DHS, now do Antifa.

      • Brochettaward

        That would be really awkward because most of those examples would be people who are all in on bigger government.

    • Brochettaward

      Watching our government interaction, it’s 1984 meets Veep with progressives perpetually convinced they are supporting the good guys from West Wing.

    • R.J.

      What will they do when conservatives start dyeing their hair pink to blend in? A couple press – on tattoos, you look like every other liberal.

    • R C Dean

      I’m just waiting for them to roll out the

      Social
      Teams
      Acquiring
      Security
      Information

      moniker for the program to to get people to rat out their neighbors.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        Hans…?

      • Penguin

        Sometimes the government has to look into the lives of others

      • Penguin

        OK, bad way to reference a great movie.

      • slumbrew

        Oh, I got it…

    • Pat

      Ask them for their badge number?

  22. The Late P Brooks

    More debt ceiling articles. I love how people argue we have to raise the limit because open ended unlimited IOUs somehow or other constitute “past” spending.

    • Rat on a train

      The government said it would spend money in the future which makes it a debt that must be honored.

    • rhywun

      Good lord. Mayorkas stating something truthful means the universe is about to implode, right?

  23. slumbrew

    For whatever reason, [human DNA] were suddenly ‘spiced up’ in a short period of evolution

    What you’re saying is, we were Uplifted.

    (I’m racking my brain trying to remember the commentator who used a handle from those books).

    • slumbrew

      Ah – Episiarch.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Uh…hello!

      • Chafed

        Herrrrro handsome man.

    • Rebel Scum

      She’s a breast of fresh air.

    • DEG

      I did a little digging.

      Those are AI generated images.

      • Scruffyy Nerfherder

        Then AI has defeated me.

    • Rebel Scum
      • slumbrew

        Uh… would.

      • Tundra
      • slumbrew

        Not quite that old. Yet.

    • Scruffyy Nerfherder

      *boing*

      I might actually be convinced to get a Twitter account.

    • Pat

      I hope this doesn’t dox Q

      Nonsense. We all know Q is really the Booba Pepe

      • slumbrew

        Awww, so smol.

  24. Tres Cool

    Anyone else want a gyro?
    Im going to bed. Some of us work all night.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      His political ideas are almost as bad as his fashion sense.

  25. KK the Porcine Pearl-Eater

    Thursday at 4pm rival’s Friday at 8pm for “wooooot!”

    • KK the Porcine Pearl-Eater

      WTF with the apostrophe

    • KK the Porcine Pearl-Eater

      Now I have to look at that fucking apostrophe for the rest of time

  26. The Late P Brooks

    I have to get this printer working. I guess I’ll go buy ink and hope that is the problem. I hate printers.

  27. KK the Porcine Pearl-Eater

    Anyone know why my onion & garlic that I’m sautéing in olive oil turned green? WTF

    • Toxteth O'Grady

      Er, whatever befell Bridget Jones? /not kidding

      • KK the Porcine Pearl-Eater

        Nope- I didn’t use string in this dish

    • Toxteth O'Grady

      (a blue soup or something)

  28. Sensei

    Japan has lots of manufactured housing, but this appears to be scratch built.

    Good lord the labor here compared to to the US.

    https://youtu.be/zwEDNPUZSxE

  29. Q Continuum

    THICC Thursday reminds us that yoga pants were created by frat boys masquerading as women’s fashion designers.

    https://archive.is/eoFDu

      • R.J.

        Staaaahp it.
        In all seriousness, I can’t wait for the first big wave of battery thefts.

      • Sensei

        Well, a Model 3 battery weighs 1,100 lbs. I’d love to see some moron crushed by one.

        You read the occasional crushed catalytic converter thief story every now and again when some cheap ass jack fails or slips.

    • slumbrew

      They were asking for it, with those short skirts un-armored ignition systems*

      * I have no idea what why they’re more steal-able.

      • slumbrew

        Or what Sensei said.

        It’s an equivalent argument.

        “They were asking for it.”

    • The Other Kevin

      Oh sure and if you put an electric shock system or a self destruct on a car I’m sure they won’t like that either.

      • slumbrew

        Oh, don’t be silly.

        You just have to enclose any vulnerable or valuable parts in titanium cages without accessible bolts. No big deal.

      • Sensei

        I think a simple licensing plan for reciprocating saws will fix the issue.

      • R.J.

        Tight spring wound coils of razor wire tied to the underside of the catalytic converter should deter.

    • Pat

      Truck in liquid propane by the ton, for mother Gaia.