Thursday morning links of perpetration

by | May 16, 2024 | Daily Links | 204 comments

Yeah, you were probably expecting Banjos or Sloopy, instead you get stuck with me.

 

She’s on a mission from Blob.

Idiots believing in Russian propaganda. 

I’ve been playing this to waste my time.  It’s rough around the edges, but I blame Paradox gutting the dev company before release, and killing all support for it shortly after it released.

For those who have been following along with UnCivilServant’s work, this may be of interest.

You know, there’s a reason you don’t generally run your demo on something that hasn’t been tested to death.

Who’s ready for the deepfake debates?

In local news, with recreational marijuana moving forward, don’t forget there’s other drugs that should be legalized as well.

I really don’t need more glassware, but it’s always tempting.

After killing one industry, they’ve decided to move onto another?

Don’t question your betters in NYC government.

It’s just a step up from counting cards.

The NFL released their full schedule last night, and I already see a problem.  Someone scheduled a cruise during the Ravens/Browns game here in Cleveland.

 

Let’s TCB with some music, and don’t forget to super size it

About The Author

Nephilium

Nephilium

Nephilium is a geek of multiple types living in the vast suburban forests of Cleveland.

204 Comments

  1. The Gunslinger

    – “high-end penetration testing duties”

    Where do I sign up?

    • SDF-7

      STEVE SMITH HAPPY TO HEAR OF YOUR INTEREST. HE BE RIGHT AROUND TO DUTIFULLY TEST YOUR PENETRATION LIMITS.

      • The Gunslinger

        Wait, I’ll be the penetrator not the penetratee right?

      • trshmnstr

        STEVE SMITH HAVE POEM FOR YOU:

        BEND OVER, TOUCH YOUR TOES
        THEN WE’LL SEE HOW DEEP IT GOES

    • Not Adahn

      Depending on how high the end is, I may need to stand on a box.

      • SDF-7

        STEVE SMITH ALWAYS PROVIDE UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE. LOTS OF THRUST TO GET YOU OFF THE GROUND.

  2. Not Adahn

    Re: Implementing bad tech in NY, this has happened before.

    NYS: Wind Turbines! We want them! We want this one!

    Manufacturer: Are you sure? That part of the state seems windier than that model is rated for.

    NYS: Don’t care! Gibs us turbine!

    Wind turbine: *bursts into flames*

    NYS: Tricksy nasty false manufacturer! Weesa sue you!

    Judge: Lol, no.

    https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/nys-thruway-authority-loses-lawsuit-over-nonfunctioning-windmills-judge-dismisses-court-case/71-b6118d4b-abf8-4817-9f3d-4e0da5cdecfd

    • juris imprudent

      NYS: [appeals to friendlier court]

      Judge: Appeal granted!

      • Not Adahn

        I can only assume that the debacle was politically useful to someone, because that didn’t happen.

    • SDF-7

      NYS: Tricksy nasty false manufacturer! Weesa sue you!

      Wait… did Gollum and Jar-Jar adopt or something?

      • Not Adahn

        Have you met a NYS politician?

      • SDF-7

        That would explain Chuckie Schumer, I suppose…

  3. SDF-7

    Hey — sometimes the stories are read! 😉

    Re: Blob-girl. I have sympathy for obese / overweight people… since my metabolism slowed down in my 30s, I have a paunch I don’t care for and can’t get rid of (admittedly I could try a lot harder, I know). Every study I’ve heard says that once gained — the human body tries very, very hard not to lose weight (because the mechanism evidently doesn’t understand 100 to 90 pounds is very different from 220 to 200 pounds).

    But all this “Love all bodies!”… “Everyone must accept and support me!” bullshit ignores 1) The slim people probably didn’t choose it (genetics) or if they did, they worked for it. And while it may not be easy for the obese — there’s definitely some choice there. and 2) There are fundamental health issues with obesity (joint wear [physics!], organ stress, etc.)

    As such — it isn’t something to be celebrated… you’re hurting yourself in the long run. (And in the short run, squishing everyone sitting next to you and likely having sweat / body odor issues (because of all that insulation and it being harder to clean) is a thing.

    Anyway — morning, Neph. Morning, all. On to other links.

    • Nephilium

      Some forms are to be followed, and some snark is to be thrown regardless of the veracity. 🙂

      I take issue with the demand that I (as a fellow chubby person who’s trying to drop weight) need to subsidize her travel for raisins that make no sense.

    • PieInTheSky

      l. I have sympathy for obese / overweight people – there is a big difference between the two and grades for both. I have little sympathy for most morbidly obese people and zero sympathy for those who are not even trying to reduce, especially those who do want other to accommodate them.

      Every study I’ve heard says that once gained — the human body tries very, very hard not to lose weight – meh most of those studies I saw were nonsense though, just excuses.

    • PieInTheSky

      also it is very very rare for metabolism to slow down in the 30s, and usually people think it did but it absolutely didn’t.

      • PieInTheSky

        i feel insulted. You will here from my seconds.

      • kinnath

        Been there; done that.

      • SDF-7

        No change in diet or exercise — but I went from “burn anything, 29 inch waist since I was a teenager” to “36 inch waist, sometimes fluxing to 38”, so my anecdote is the singular of data as far as I’m concerned! 😉 And around the same time I started getting grey hair, etc… so I very much think I hit the “Welp, he’s past his reproductive prime… time to shut down and clear the way for the next generation!” mode.

      • slumbrew

        Did you get your testosterone levels checked? 30s is too early for that sort of slow down.

      • SDF-7

        See yesterday’s comment “Haven’t seen a doctor since GHWB”. I’ll survive — not worth worrying about at this point (almost 20 years since the slow down, after all).

      • juris imprudent

        Even though that may be the biology, our social indices differ. Women peak in attractiveness during the best reproductive years, men more plateau (with a very long trail off).

      • Nephilium

        /raises hand

        It was about my 30’s as well where my metabolism shifted. The only thing I’ve found that works consistently for me is calorie counting, which is tedious and difficult when traveling.

      • ron73440

        I was fine until I hit 45, but coincidentally that was when I got out of the Marines and my activity level has dropped.

        Starting to get back to it, we’ll see if I need to worry about my diet or not(I mostly eat healthy, but don’t obsess over it)

      • ZWAK came for the two-fisted tentacle-fighting, stayed for the crushing existential nihilism.

        Yeah, when I was injured out of the phone company at 44, that is when I started to put on the pounds. Didn’t help that walking was difficult, nor that I was, unbeknown to me, living with MS. But, now with a good PT advising me and changing my diet (no more potato’s every morning) I am dropping weight.

      • trshmnstr

        My metabolism is as fast as it has been in a long time. Yeah, I’ve not been losing weight by the scale, but im more muscle and less fat than 6 montjs ago. Given that my only change has been adding an hour of lifting 3-4x per week, I’m impressed with the metabolic improvement. Now I’ll see how going gluten and added sugar free for the next 6 weeks helps move the scale.

        /turning 36 next month

      • Sean

        and added sugar free

        I approve this message.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        I guess everyone has decided step counting is passe now, but a lot of people just need to walk/run 15k+ a day.

      • trshmnstr

        I need to be better about doing that. I’ll usually go on a walk once or twice per week. Wouldn’t be hard to get that up to 5 or 6 days per week.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        Play more Disc!
        138lb. Soaking wet
        60 years old
        /ducks

      • Gustave Lytton

        I walked quite a bit already but added an hour more for walking the new pup. I’ve noticed a difference.

      • DrOtto

        When I start to get fat and achy, I dump added sugar and the weight falls off. If I really want to supercharge it, I delete fried foods as well. 50+ here. The problem is, I’m a life long sweet-tooth.

  4. SDF-7

    Idiots believing in Russian propaganda.

    And God forbid the answer to widespread election doubt is to tighten up security of said elections so their integrity is self-evident and no one can cheat…. Because that doesn’t make people immediately think that your goal is to exploit said issues and cheat fortify as needed or anything. Nah… just attack anyone raising concerns… that will do the trick!

    • ron73440

      Don’t worry, CBS is happy to set the record straight:

      despite a persistent lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud in Washoe, or any other county in the U.S.

      I mostly skimmed and tapped out after that, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they said all the courts looked at it and they all said it was the most secure election ever.

      • rhywun

        Yeah I tapped out there too.

        They are on record admitting they stole the election, assholes.

      • ZWAK came for the two-fisted tentacle-fighting, stayed for the crushing existential nihilism.

        My brother has lived in Washoe county for 30 years, and it is a pretty dirty political environment. Casinios do NOT want the clean up (not too surprising, as they aren’t the primary source of revenue there anymore.)

  5. Timeloose

    Neph pitch hitting this morning. Nice job sir.

    I do like the older style martini glasses better than the unstable version that became popular. I don’t want to spill my drinks just to make a visual statement!

    • Nephilium

      I do like my little Nick and Noras I picked up, just the right size for a three ounce cocktail with an appropriate collar. But I don’t have any coupes, and I saw some much nicer Nick and Noras that were not expensive.

      • ZWAK came for the two-fisted tentacle-fighting, stayed for the crushing existential nihilism.

        I figured Nick and Nora would just be drinking out of the pitcher. Have you read The Thin Man? Even in my drinking heyday I would never be able to keep up.

      • Not Adahn

        Drinks were smaller back then.

      • Nephilium

        Three ounce pours were the standard for a martini. Regardless of how the drink size has grown, drinking in America has been in a steady decline since the founding. I wind up using my larger v-shaped glasses more for home made frozen cocktails (ED NOTE: Look to the archives)

        But yes, I have read the Hammett and Chandler classics.

    • PieInTheSky

      I like the v shaped martini glass but my general cocktail consumption is closing in on 0. It just does not fit in the alcohol budget.

      • Not Adahn

        And it’s summer, so it’s more of “and soda” drinks. Though I do still love a Pimm’s Cup.

      • Nephilium

        I have two styles of V shaped glasses in my house, one is mounted on the back of Hot Wheels cars (about a 4.5 ounce capacity), the other is on a solid base (about a 7 ounce capacity). Both are stemless, which helps alleviate the tipping problem. Which is one of my problems with the teku glasses (although I do have a couple stemless tekus in the house as well).

    • slumbrew

      I usually order my cocktails ‘down’ – just give it to me in a rocks glass. I promise to keep my hot hand off of it.

  6. Fourscore

    Standard travelers should subsidize first class seating for extra tall people. OTOH I’d rather subsidize fat people seats than have the spillover affect into my comfort zone or have a sign that says “If you’re this wide then you pay extra for your ride”

    • Timeloose

      Fourscore, I like the cut of your jib.

    • Fourscore

      As cars have gotten smaller it has made it more difficult for fat/tall people to get comfortable in a car. I don’t mind paying more for a bigger seating arrangement (bigger car) but somehow he EPA has a one size fits all mentality.

  7. SDF-7

    but I blame Paradox gutting the dev company before release, and killing all support for it shortly after it released.

    That does seem to be Paradox’s MO lately — there was a Star Trek game built off of Stellaris that they did much the same on. Released… a patch or two — then the devs were gutted from what I can tell.

    If it doesn’t make enough money to support DLC cash cows, on to the next one! seems to be their business model.

    • Nephilium

      This one they laid off (reportedly) 80% of staff a month or two before the go live date, which is why I’m assuming the tutorial is harder than the starting missions, and doesn’t touch on some of the mechanisms clearly (since it’s a game that’s meant to be replayed multiple times, it’s not the end of the world).

      I did see that Harebrained at least got to hold onto the rights for the game (and Battletech). Full disclosure, I was a backer of their (failed) tabletop mini game, Battletech, and the Shadowrun games. I enjoyed their take on Battletech and Shadowrun quite a bit.

      • SDF-7

        Yeah, I have their Battletech PC game and it is mostly fun (I think the AI gets way too many cockpit shots at low levels and think the ranges (both firing/accuracy and detection) are silly for the mech sizes and weapons involved, but I’m assuming that stemmed from the tabletop game more than anything else.

      • Nephilium

        Yeah, the range rules for tabletop were made for balance reasons (and then rebalanced for the PC games). That’s why LRMs, SRMs, ballistic, and energy weapons all have different strengths and weaknesses.

        I was always partial to building an LRM 20 missile boat to sit in the back and use indirect fire to take out enemies with a couple of specialized spotters/melee mechs. I’ve probably played through the career mode four times.

  8. rhywun

    I’ve been playing this to waste my time.

    Was just looking at maybe playing one of the newer city-building games again, and noted all the reviews are “mostly negative”. Lots of complaints about half-backed base game and I recalled that the previous iteration had more DLC than base game and this one will most likely be the same.

    Something seems rotten in the state of game development. What the hell happened to just putting out a complete game?

    • Nephilium

      If it was a Paradox game, that seems to be their MO. Release a bare bones base game, and then release scads of DLC for it.

      • rhywun

        Number 1 on the list is the previous version. 38 DLC’s.

        No.

        It’s complete bullshit. Your choices are to play an unfinished game or to spend hundreds of dollars to “complete” it.

      • Nephilium

        They have a bunch of fans. Who will then argue what’s the best DLC’s to run with the game for the best experience. I’ve got too big of a backlog to allow myself to get dragged into that kind of minutiae to play a game anymore.

      • rhywun

        And none of it will be half as much fun as I had playing SimCity 2000 decades ago.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Manor Lords is okay for a city builder.

      • rhywun

        Huh. Not really interested in the “large-scale tactical battles” but it does look nice and Franconia is my German home away from home.

        I shall wish-list it and see where it goes.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Its early-access, but I believe there is a “I just want to build shit” mode.

      • dbleagle

        Why not build an empire with “Rome: Total War”? You can autoplay the combat, or play the combat, and build all over three continents.

    • SDF-7

      I just want a 4X game that doesn’t plop 3 AIs right next to you immediately so you can actually explore again.

      (And that doesn’t suck in general).

      • Nephilium

        I had a good time with a couple of play through of Old World. Civ builder that is only interested in the initial couple of ages and has dynastic leaders that can influence your play style.

      • SDF-7

        I’ve got it… stopped in the tutorial, if I recall correctly wasn’t too thrilled with how the AI seemed to be able to dance around my lines however they wished while my troops couldn’t advance past them. Been a while, though — may be misremembering. Obviously stopped there for some reason though…

      • Nephilium

        I recall that unlike in most Civ games, you can’t move all of your units each turn. You only have a set amount of actions you can take, and troop movement can eat those up quickly. From memory you can work on upgrades and research paths that allow more actions and even some free actions as the game goes on. To me it rang as an interesting (and thematic) restriction on large troops that would fit the time frame.

  9. juris imprudent

    OK, for certain definitions of prominent I suppose.

    You won’t need more than a short bus.

    • ZWAK came for the two-fisted tentacle-fighting, stayed for the crushing existential nihilism.

      Looks like most of them ride a short bus.

  10. SDF-7

    Who’s ready for the deepfake debates?

    I honestly expected the Biden campaign to stipulate that not only would they be in a TV studio, the mics would only be on during their “time” and friendly moderators — but that they’d be in different studios so that they could either keep the old fool injected or do an AI filter of someone who could hold a conversation, yeah.

    Maybe it is time for President Max Headroom? Might as well go full AI deepfake, after all.

    • Drake

      I expect Trump to be jailed a day or two before the debate.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Nah but there will be a gag-order of some kind and he will not be able to address issues.

      • Drake

        That would be hilarious if NY cops drag him off the stage.

    • creech

      Actually, it wouldn’t be too bad if the mics were turned off at the end of the allotted time for each speaker. It is annoying as hell when one debater keeps babbling on after time is up. If you can’t manage your time slot, how can you manage the Executive branch?

    • SDF-7

      My thought on the second point is that they’ve amply demonstrated over the last several years… they don’t care if anyone is actually fooled. Their trained seals in the media will keep telling you to deny what you see (inflation, anyone?) or that “Yeah, it happened… but it doesn’t matter.” or “If happened… but what are you gonna do? No reasonable prosecutor….”

      I’d say they’re shameless, but really — they’re at least two quanta beyond shameless at this point. There seems to be no accountability and they know it.

    • SDF-7

      Interesting article — though from my perspective it would be a tough sell on “fairness of economic outcomes” when Biden’s tried very hard to kill the energy sector, the trucking/transportation sector (by bringing in advocates for all the California stupidity and pushing it national), manufacturing regardless of what he says (because over-regulation and expensive energy makes you non-competitive) not to mention bringing in hordes of people directly competing for the jobs of the people you’re trying to sway and all…

      And that the sole comment on it immediately harps that “Biden isn’t getting credit for how good the economy is!” makes me wonder just what they’ve been reading (bubbles, I know… but just Krugman? I mean… who seriously thinks wages have outpaced inflation?!?!)

      • Ownbestenemy

        The media will slow walk articles like this to soften the blow to Biden. “It could be worse!”

      • Stinky Wizzleteats

        Sure you’re paralyzed because of negligence but at least you don’t have terminal cancer. Just be thankful and shut the fuck up.

      • Ownbestenemy

        I guessed…poorly, but, at least in the right comedy troupe

      • rhywun

        He loudly bragged about wanting to destroy the economy (sorry, “end fossil fuels”) during the debates.

        Did nobody listen?

    • The Last American Hero

      Here’s two more thoughts:

      2020 and 2022.

      • juris imprudent

        2022 was down to abortion – it drove Dem turnout.

  11. Sensei

    The first story was because of his Cuban background and the revolution he felt compelled to have physical gold. He was going to get a psychiatrist to testify to that effect until the judge said no. I like this one because it shows just how willing he is to completely throw his wife under the bus. I’ll expect he will run her over a few more times in the course of the trial.

    The gold bars belonged to the senator’s wife, Weitzman said, and investigators discovered them in her closet in their New Jersey home. Menendez believed his wife had gotten the gold from her family, who were wealthy and from Lebanon, where collecting precious metal is a cultural norm, Weitzman said.

    We in NJ just don’t deserve him and his service to the state and the country,

    https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/bob-menendez-defense-team-seeks-to-explain-stashed-gold-bars-as-corruption-trial-starts-df19b0ef?st=fmmtaerqsnpsg7i&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

    • Sean

      Yeah. Saw that on the news this morning. Quite the course change. 🙄

    • Ownbestenemy

      Bout as believe as Fani Willis having hoards of cash in her home cause its a ‘black people’ thing.

      • juris imprudent

        Everyone knows you only keep that cash in the freezer if you are black. — former Rep. William Jefferson

    • R C Dean

      If I was the prosecutor, I’d point out that Menendez is a NJ politician, where collecting bribes is a cultural norm.

    • creech

      Was Menendez too dumb to have a “tragic boating accident” with those gold bars?

  12. rhywun

    After killing one industry, they’ve decided to move onto another?

    The left is not doing a very good job at convincing me this anti-Israel stuff isn’t really just commie agitation in disguise.

    • Nephilium

      Are they even trying?

    • Chafed

      That story is hilarious. The demonstrators are so unlikable. Having the UAW defend them makes them even more unlikable. I also imagine at some point the actual auto workers are going to ask why they are involved in this.

      • Nephilium

        Well, Henry Ford hated (((them))) too, so it kind of is going back to their roots.

    • R C Dean

      Not to mention the law firm’s conflict of interest problem with representing a company and filing amicus briefs against it.

      • Sensei

        Firewall!

        I love that on Wall St. the “Chinese Wall” is a now a firewall.

        I fail to understand how making note of a noted historical barrier is now no longer PC.

  13. Ted S.

    A half dozen of us logged in to work today to discover that somehow our VPN desktops had been fucked up. Lovely morning.

    • Not Adahn

      HaXx0rZ!

    • Nephilium

      My work decided to start rolling out blocking personal devices from accessing our Office 365 instance a couple weeks back, with no notice sent out. When I complained about it to our service desk, I was told that the executive leadership team had been notified, and that I should bring up my complaints with them. They helpfully gave me a VP’s name to complain to.

      I am not impressed with our internal service desk.

    • R.J.

      Free day to go fishing!

  14. Certified Public Asshat

    Catholic guy has Catholic thoughts: Backlash against Harrison Butker grows: NFL wades in to say it does NOT support his controversial comments

    Butker, 28, who’s made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known, also assailed Pride month, a particularly important time for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion as well as Covid-19 policies.

    ‘Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder,’ Butker ranted.

    The Georgia-native even quoted self-made billionaire Taylor Swift, although he only referred to her as his ‘teammate’s girlfriend,’ thanks to her relationship with tight end Travis Kelce.

    ‘As my teammate’s girlfriend says, “familiarity breeds contempt,”‘ he told the audience, referring to Swift’s song Bejeweled from her 2022 album Midnights.

    The NFL’s chief DEI officer has now stepped in to make it clear that Butker’s statements were ‘personal’ and do not reflect the league’s efforts to make football more inclusive.

    I need to find a copy of the entire speech, sounds like a banger.

    • juris imprudent

      The NFL’s chief DEI officer

      Stop convincing me I’m completely done with your enterprise, I don’t need any more convincing.

      • Common Tater

        Isn’t the league around 60% black?

      • The Last American Hero

        Yes, and the transgender crowd is massively underrepresented on the field.

      • juris imprudent

        the transgender crowd is massively underrepresented on the field cheerleader squads. FTFY [sort of]

      • Certified Public Asshat

        The Panthers have a tranny cheerleader. That’s enough.

      • ron73440

        I’m afraid to look, so I’ll take you’re word on that.

    • PieInTheSky

      Catholic guy has Catholic thoughts – ban thinking

      • SDF-7

        Everyone knows good Catholics should be all in for LGBTQ2S++++ and abortion like Pelosi and Biden, after all. Not believing in sanctity of marriage, the inherent worth of life starting at conception or the degeneration of morals being designed to push us away from God or anything… nope… that’s all domestic extremist Catholicism worthy of years in prison. Because the 1st Amendment is all about Freedom From Religion, dontchaknow…

      • Ted S.

        More Catholic than the Pope.

        Of course, OMWC is more Catholic than the current Pope.

    • ZWAK came for the two-fisted tentacle-fighting, stayed for the crushing existential nihilism.

      The Georgia-native even quoted self-made billionaire Taylor Swift? Haven’t heard that before.

    • rhywun

      the petition to have him removed from the Super Bowl champion’s roster closes in on 100,000 signatures

      hahahahahahahahahahaha OFFS

    • trshmnstr

      I’m loving this movement of men with “F you” money throwing caution to the wind and saying inconvenient things.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        And he’s a kicker so they can’t even argue his brain is scrambled from concussions.

    • Ted S.

      Every time sports writers say they want players to stand up for what they believe in, what’s meant is that the players should stand up dor whay they the sports writers believe, not what they the players believe.

      • Mojeaux

        Yep.

      • Pine_Tree

        “They don’t want to hear what you think. They want to hear what they think, coming out of your mouth.” – Buzz Lightyear (I think)

  15. Sensei

    I had no idea the $10k transaction limit was put in place in 1945.

    In the waning days of World War II, the Treasury Department required banks to report to the government when customers made unusually large cash transactions, with the goal of stopping black marketers from harming overseas supply efforts. In 1945 Treasury considered $10,000 to be an unusually large cash transaction—equivalent to more than $170,000 today.

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/ten-large-isnt-what-it-used-to-be-regulation-banking-suspicious-transaction-1412e30d?st=32zvwvb839n3x00&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

    • juris imprudent

      Shades of the NFA tax on full autos.

  16. Sensei

    Our intelligence services and tax dollars at work.

    Mystery in the Alps: A Chinese Family, a Swiss Inn and the World’s Most Expensive Weapon
    Switzerland agreed to buy F-35 jet fighters to park on a remote runway. Then the U.S. zeroed in on the Wangs, who owned the rustic hotel next door.

    For months, U.S. and British national security officials had been claiming that its quaint 1903 facade offered Beijing’s intelligence services an ideal watchpost on the front edge of an escalating spy war between America and China. Xi Jinping’s intelligence agencies, U.S. officials warned, were going to enormous lengths to acquire information about the supersonic jet, built to penetrate enemy airspace undetected.

    https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/chinese-family-hotel-spy-jet-switzerland-712fe15c?st=8xrqt4fim1u16ae&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

    • juris imprudent

      built to penetrate enemy airspace undetected

      Didn’t they decide to sacrifice stealth as part of combining joint service requirements?

      • Drake

        It was designed by committee. Every component is an expensive compromise.

      • juris imprudent

        Success! It does nothing well.

      • Drake

        It sounds like a high-maintenance hanger queen.

  17. R C Dean

    I’ve got the mid-day post, but I’ve also got doctor and dentist appointments, so I doubt I’ll be around much before it hits its expiration.

    • PieInTheSky

      real men don’t go to the dentist.

  18. PieInTheSky

    Bodystocking Review | Try On !

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhc105UqlmY

    It is strange these transparent try on hauls get past youtube cause I would think it would be against the rules

    • PieInTheSky

      nsfw

    • Ownbestenemy

      Sex sells and what else will the horny community censors at YT do if they can’t look at quasi softcore porn at work all day?

      • Fourscore

        “Sex sells”

        Wrong. I tried and between the laughs and the threats I gave up after the first 2-3 log hauling trucks went by.

      • ron73440

        If you looked like the girls in the videos (I’m assuming they’re good looking) the trucks would stop in a heartbeat.

  19. SDF-7

    I played https://squaredle.com/xp 05/16:
    *24/24 words
    🎯 Perfect accuracy

    I played https://squaredle.com 05/16:
    *40/40 words (+4 bonus words)
    🎯 In the top 12% by accuracy
    🔥 Solve streak: 370

    • Sean

      I played https://squaredle.com/xp 05/16:
      *24/24 words (+7 bonus words)
      📖 In the top 6% by bonus words

      I played https://squaredle.com 05/16:
      *40/40 words (+13 bonus words)
      📖 In the top 10% by bonus words
      🔥 Solve streak: 319

    • juris imprudent

      IT WUZ RUSSIANZ!!!!! /The Blob and MSM

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      If that’s the case there’ll be so many levels of plausible deniability built in it’ll never get sorted out.

  20. Evan from Evansville

    This fine Thursday I feel oddly prepared. New grading strategy came together and looking at yesterday’s stats…It worked! Kids as Cogs: The two biggest essay metrics are graded from 1-4, 4 being best. Quite few are piss-off 1s and equally few A+++=level papers. About 50% of all go in the ‘2’ category. “Uneven/partial.” I was splitting far too many 2s into 1s or 3s. I tried to rectify this and made a note to myself: ‘Any wonder between a 1–>2 or a 2–>3? Just round it to the 2.

    Just looked at todays stats. I was the ‘most accurate’ of anyone in our team, though several had a higher output, though not consequential. The secret? Care less! I was once again overthinking everything. This is simple factory work, Ev. Treating it as such is beneficial to my rep for the company.

    Fuck the kids, though, right? Can’t have folk actually examining their papers intently. I learned this. Yesterday in our team of 12, I was either best or second best in scoring and was right at the average of 215 papers/shift. (I did 216. Max from a ‘reasonable’ person was about 100 more. Hrm.

    Kids as Cogs.

  21. The Late P Brooks

    “I was shocked by the whole thing,” Elson said, likening the tactic to threatening a witness. “But if you have to choose between your job and your integrity, you choose your integrity every time.”

    A spokesman for Holland & Knight said the firm determined Elson’s course of action was inconsistent with its obligations to its client, and that its determination wasn’t based on coercion or threats from anyone.

    “Tesla categorically rejects the Amicus Motion’s suggestion that it is ‘appalling’ or ‘bullying’ to raise a potential conflict issue with outside counsel, or for outside counsel to insist that their lawyers—consultants or otherwise—comply with their ethical and fiduciary responsibilities,” Tesla said in a letter to the judge responding to Elson’s brief.

    A legal egghead who doesn’t understand conflict of interest. Checks out.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      To hear the recounting he was having a particularly foggy day.

      • The Last American Hero

        Remy needs to do a Foggy Day in Bidentown cover.

      • juris imprudent

        [to the tune of The Foggy Dew]

        A deposition I sat for
        on a cold wintry morn
        sharp questions there posed
        that made me quite forlorn

        My voice did break
        before it shaked in great dismay
        Words of salad my life a ballad
        Rang out on that foggy day

      • Necron 99

        Bravo!

  22. The Other Kevin

    “Nearly 80 officials overseeing elections in 7 swing states doubt 2020 results”

    This is where I see the ruling class as not that bright. They think they can just berate, censor, and threaten anyone who questions that election. But it just won’t go away. It seems that their strategy, and utter refusal to do simple things to make elections more secure (or outright pushing for less security) raises red flags with people. Much like the lawfare against Trump.

  23. The Late P Brooks

    “The Court should have no illusions about what happened here,” Elson wrote. “The frivolous assertion of a conflict was a fig leaf for Musk, acting through Tesla, to try to bully a law professor.”

    Boo hoo, you pompous blowhard.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      You don’t like having plastic whack you on the nose every time you take a swig? This minor imposition on your comfort level is a small price to pay for saving the environment. You really need to reevaluate your perspective.

    • ron73440

      Nobody has a knife?

      Never mind it’s the EU, so you probably need an impossible to get permit.

      • The Last American Hero

        Unless you are an immigrant that’s into honor killings.

      • ron73440

        Meh, that’s an easy fix.

        They just need more knife control.

      • R.J.

        Nobody needs scissors. All they do is hurt people.

      • R.J.

        Correct.

  24. Brochettaward

    The old man asked Brochettaward what is best in life.

    To post before your enemies, see their posts beneath yours, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

  25. The Late P Brooks

    The change highlights the often-chasmic gap between what humans, marketing departments and environmentalists consider optimal packaging.

    If it saves one pigeon…

  26. The Late P Brooks

    Speaking of retards…

    “This purposeful act of cognitive dissonance is proof that the governor and state Legislature are not acting in the best interests of Floridians, but rather to protect profits for the fossil fuel industry,” said Yoca Arditi-Rocha, executive director of the nonprofit Cleo Institute, which advocates for climate change education and engagement.

    We pay those fossil fuel extraction companies to spew carbon and other pollutants into our pure air. That, and nothing else.

  27. The Late P Brooks

    Interference

    U.S. elections face more threats than ever from foreign actors, enabled by rapid developments in artificial intelligence, the country’s top intelligence official told lawmakers on Wednesday.

    Federal, state and local officials charged with protecting voting integrity face a “diverse and complex” threat landscape, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the Senate Intelligence Committee at a hearing about risks to the 2024 elections. But she also said the federal government “has never been better prepared” to protect elections, thanks to lessons learned since Russia tried to influence voters in 2016.

    This year, “Russia remains the most active foreign threat to our elections,” Haines said. Using a “vast multimedia influence apparatus” encompassing state media, intelligence services and online trolls, Russia’s goals “include eroding trust in U.S. democratic institutions, exacerbating sociopolitical divisions in the United States, and degrading Western support to Ukraine.”

    We should probably just cancel the election and declare Biden the winner. That would be the best way to save democracy. Anything else would be too risky.

    • The Other Kevin

      Right on schedule, priming us for more censorship and persecution of “election deniers”.

      • Ownbestenemy

        You might be subjected to information that is contrary to our lies and thus, will interfere with our ability to choose your vote for you.

    • Ted S.

      I love the doublethink from pretty much everybody on the possibility of foreign interference in US elections versus things like the Georgia (Tbilisi) law on registering putative foreign organizations.

  28. The Late P Brooks

    Wednesday’s hearing was the first in a series focused on the election, said committee chair Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), as lawmakers seek to avoid a repeat of 2016, when Russia’s meddling caught lawmakers, officials, and social media executives off-guard.

    2016, when the Russians installed their puppet in the White House. Just say it.

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      $100K in bad ads on Facebook in a multibillion dollar campaign. Those wily Russians.

    • Not Adahn

      Apparently he failed the marksmanship part of his training.

  29. Common Tater

    “BLM Greater NY founder Hawk Newsome arrested after berating cop during caught-on-camera confrontation at NYPD officer’s manslaughter hearing: ‘You a vagina!’

    New York Black Lives Matter leader Hawk Newsome has been arrested after shocking video showed him towering over an NYPD cop while threatening to “beat the s–t” out of him.

    An enraged Newsome was cuffed on Tuesday after he showed up to Bronx Criminal Court for the hearing for an NYPD sergeant accused of throwing a cooler and killing a man last summer, CBS reported….

    The BLM leader notoriously threatened “riots,” “fire” and “bloodshed” if Mayor Eric Adams cracked down on crime back in 2021.”

    https://nypost.com/2024/05/16/us-news/blm-greater-ny-founder-hawk-newsome-arrested-while-attending-nypd-cops-manslaughter-hearing/

    • Not Adahn

      NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran, who was charged with second-degree manslaughter in the August 2023 death of scooter-riding drug suspect Eric Duprey.

      The cop, who has pleaded not guilty, was indicted after tossing the cooler at Duprey as he fled a drug bust in the Bronx, striking him in the head and causing him to crash.

      Not guilty, by reason of lulz.

      • The Other Kevin

        The new Scooter-Riding Drug Suspects album is lit.

    • Ted S.

      Is the cop in fact a vagina?

  30. Common Tater

    “A 66-year-old Florida man gearing up for retirement was stunned to discover he’s not a US citizen when applying for Social Security payments, despite having lived in America since he was a toddler and voting in numerous federal elections for the last six decades.

    Jimmy Klass said he was expecting to receive a letter from the Social Security Administration in 2020 telling him when he could expect to start raking in his well-earned benefits after decades of work, but instead was informed his money was “frozen,” News 6 Click Orlando reported.”

    https://nypost.com/2024/05/16/us-news/florida-man-stunned-to-learn-hes-not-a-us-citizen-after-voting-paying-taxes-for-over-60-years/

    Yikes!

    • The Other Kevin

      Is there ANYTHING this administration does right?

      • Common Tater

        I don’t think so.

      • R.J.

        Incorrect. The current administration is great at screwing shit up.

      • juris imprudent

        Well, this admin isn’t to blame for the decision to build the base the $100M wasted therein.

        Now this part…

        “When she finished, I said, ‘Madame, I am going to summarize in two points what you have said,’” recounted Zeine, who has led negotiations with the United States. “First, you have come here to threaten us in our country. That is unacceptable. And you have come here to tell us with whom we can have relationships, which is also unacceptable. And you have done it all with a condescending tone and a lack of respect.”

        That’s all on this admin.

    • Drake

      Angry woke lectures accompanied by threats is not diplomacy. Since the end of the Cold War, our State Department has been taken over by violent Karens.

      We’re heading into a bipolar world – those who do as we say, and those who are sick of our obnoxious shit and have stopped listening.

    • Gender Traitor

      Did the Biden official demand that the country change its name to “The ‘N’ Word”?

    • kinnath

      Bingo!

    • Gender Traitor

      “Suspect seeks political asylum in Wisconsin.”

    • rhywun

      Are we sure that isn’t a Monty Python sketch?

  31. The Late P Brooks

    Praise Biden

    Grocery prices fell on the whole in April for the first time in 12 months, according to data released Wednesday by the Labor Department.

    ——-

    After rising quickly for most of the past three years due to supply chain constraints and the impact of the Ukraine war, grocery prices are up just 1.1 percent over the past 12 months.

    Grocery prices grew far slower than the overall annual inflation rate of 3.4 percent in April and even the Federal Reserve’s target for 2 percent annual inflation.

    See? Bidenomics is working.

    “Supply chain constraints” like leaving food rotting in the fields based on a hysterical overreaction to a hyped up plague?

    • Ownbestenemy

      Especially since people are now going on record that 6-feet separation was all made up bullshit (which people knew back then too as it was some high school science project if I remember right)

      • creech

        I know a doctor who believed masking was bullcrap, but 6′ was somewhat effective in stopping spread of colds due to sneezed or coughed droplets.

    • B.P.

      “Grocery prices fell on the whole in April…”

      “Grocery prices grew far slower than the overall annual inflation rate of 3.4 percent in April…”

      Which is it?

      • Night Watchman

        It’s Washington. A reduction in the rate of increase is a cut.

  32. Sensei

    Another software band-aid for a mechanical issue.

    The software update would reduce engine torque in the event the vehicle’s computers detected potentially elevated clutch assembly temperatures. The Jeep transmission doesn’t have any way to directly measure the temperature of the clutch, however. Instead, Jeep engineers figured out that they would estimate clutch temperatures indirectly. The clutch assembly generally gets hot when the clutch isn’t fully engaged, and is allowed to slip relative to the flywheel and pressure plate. The sliding friction generates a lot of heat, which can damage components. By comparing engine RPM with vehicle speed sensor signals and the current gear selection, it’s possible for the Jeep’s computers to determine whether or not the clutch is slipping, and thus is likely to be getting hot.

    Jeep Still Can’t Get A Basic Stickshift Right And It’s A Disaster For Wrangler Owners
    https://www.theautopian.com/jeep-screwed-up-a-simple-manual-transmission-and-still-cant-get-it-right-years-later/

    • kinnath

      how do you fuck up a manual transmission?

      • Sensei

        It’s a Jeep thing…

    • juris imprudent

      Almost the Warty Hugeman of cougars.

  33. The Late P Brooks

    By comparing engine RPM with vehicle speed sensor signals and the current gear selection, it’s possible for the Jeep’s computers to determine whether or not the clutch is slipping, and thus is likely to be getting hot.

    No kidding. And then it takes away fuel and timing. Is this a wear issue or driver incompetence?

  34. The Late P Brooks

    That is a massive mountain lion.

    Handsome, too.