Thursday Morning Links of Brett

by | Jun 27, 2024 | Daily Links | 241 comments

Happy Thursday, y’all. I’ve been slaving away all week while my parents took my older two to Mount Rushmore and other places where dogs don’t bite their owners twice. Its weird to have only the little two. Somehow there’s still 80% as much work, but only 20% as much talk back. Someone should come up with a rule about that.

Let’s see what we’ve got for linkage….

Lots of people refinance their home 20-30 times, right? Lord knows there’s nothing I like doing more than giving a bank $6000 for the privilege of paying them for even longer.

Looks like the Boog is going down in Bolivia. Huh, they’ve got 12M people? So this is basically like the Celtics victory parade?

Old man sneeze, Florida Man style.

The Federalist defends nicotine? Next they’ll find a reason why porn is okay. *I am in favor of both of those positions.

Be careful of partying with hoors in Colombia, yo. Honestly, this should be something that doesn’t need to be said.

Let’s get ready to go

About The Author

Brett L

Brett L

Brett set out to find America, the real America, the America of strip malls and serial killers, of butthole waxing and kelp smoothies, of cocaine and maggots. He sought it in the most American part of America—Florida: swamp gas and fever dreams, where love arrives on a rickety boat and leaves when it doesn't have the money for its fourth abortion. Oh, where has Brett gone? He’s drinking at the neck of America’s wang, chewing its foreskin and working its shaft. Brett is becoming legend. Brett can never die. Brett can never die. Brett is America, facedown in his own patriotic puke: the red his blood, the white his stomach lining, and the cold, cold blue his gas station slushie, spiked with coconut rum and tetracycline.

241 Comments

  1. cavalier973

    Did the sneezing man demand a refund?

    • cavalier973

      Did the other customers at the restaurant demand refunds?

      • SDF-7

        They were too busy laughing to bust a gut.

      • cavalier973

        *polite applause*

    • ron73440

      My wife has told me she wouldn’t be surprised if I die if I hit my head into something while sneezing.

      That sounds worse.

      I guess I’ll have to sneeze the day while I still can.

    • The Other Kevin

      Ah, choo people and your puns.

  2. cavalier973

    Though marijuana is still illegal in six of the 50 states, daily marijuana consumption has outpaced that of daily alcohol consumption.

    At least alcohol doesn’t reek of dead skunk’s butt.

    • rhywun

      This. Pot is disgusting and now that I quit smoking I can say the same about cigarettes.

      • SDF-7

        As a non-smoker (of any sort) — I find it odd that pipe smoke is the most pleasant of the variations (dip doesn’t smell, but boy did I abhor the boy’s restroom in high school growing up with all the damned badly aimed spit and cups being left), yet given the lack of filtering is probably one of the worst for the actual consumer.

        I would have thought with all the cannabis oils, cannabis edibles, etc. out there the reefer junkies would just get their high more subtly these days without the skunk butt… *shrug*

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

        My wife, who likes to indulge from time to time, mostly sticks with gummies, as she isn’t a big fan of smoking in general, and knows how much I loath the smell. My friend Doug still smokes it, as he loves the smell and the… ritual, I guess. Just loves rolling a big fattie, and toking up.

      • rhywun

        just get their high more subtly these days without the skunk butt

        It’s almost like there are people who want to be that asshole or something.

      • rhywun

        I loved the ritual in college. But I grew out of it.

      • EvilSheldon

        I can definitely smell people who dip – it gets into the sweat and it absolutely reeks.

        As bad as filthy weed-smelling hippies? Depends on the situation, I guess.

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

      Yes. Pot is gross, but cigarettes are sublime.

      Fuck, I miss smoking.

      • rhywun

        Fuck, I miss smoking.

        Oh god, yes.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      Nothing has squeezed my libertarian cred more than marijuana legalization. I hate it.

      *views list of 6 states*

      Surprised by NC, but I could make one of those 6 work.

    • bacon-magic

      Ya’ll can gtfoh with all that weed smells bad shit. It is the incense of the gods. *prays some more

      • Certified Public Asshat

        You have ruined the smell of bacon with your stinky weed.

      • Nephilium

        CPA:

        Well, THC is fat soluble… and bacon has quite a bit of fat…

      • bacon-magic

        I went for a drug test about 6 years ago…hadn’t smoked in 4 months. Still failed the drug test. I’m obese so it lasts longer…I’m like a walking dispensary.

  3. cavalier973

    Did y’all get Raptured?

    • Timeloose

      Not me, looks like I didn’t make the cut.

      • cavalier973

        I’ll hold a seat at the dinner table for you, for when you get here. Looks like it’s going to be lamb with bitter herbs, and manna.

    • Rat on a train

      I’m waiting for the man from Mars to swing by.

      • SDF-7

        I think he’s been held up looking for fine guitars to eat, but he may just be stringing us along.

        But Fab 5 Freddy says everybody’s fly.

    • SDF-7

      Sheesh… try to read the articles before commenting and people act like its the Second Coming….

      • cavalier973

        Admit it: you just got caught up in reading the stories.

    • Ted S.

      Some of us work.

  4. cavalier973

    I guess I fell into an alternate timeline.
    Oh, well.

    Led by a top general vowing to “restore democracy,” armored vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia’s government palace Wednesday in what the president called a coup attempt, then quickly retreated — the latest crisis in the South American country facing a political battle and an economic crisis.

    Within hours, the nation of 12 million people saw a rapidly moving scenario in which the troops seemed to take control of the government of President Luis Arce. He vowed to stand firm and named a new army commander, who immediately ordered the troops to stand down

    Looks like the general just wanted to create a new Arce-hole

  5. PieInTheSky

    Looks like the Boog is going down in Bolivia. Huh, they’ve got 12M people? So this is basically like the Celtics victory parade?

    Why can you Americans leave South America be? Are you afraid o0f the success of socialism? Coup after coup and all CIA

    • slumbrew

      You’re off by a factor of 10 on the Celtics parade; the town just isn’t that big.

      • slumbrew

        Sorry, Brett was off, not you.

  6. SDF-7

    Lots of people refinance their home 20-30 times, right? Lord knows there’s nothing I like doing more than giving a bank $6000 for the privilege of paying them for even longer.

    Once every 17 months? It does raise the thought that there might have been some sweetheart “deferred payment and cash out equity” going on for a prominent local politician, yeah.

    But the quip in the article about “they have a substantial income yet still have debts on their properties!” made me roll my eyes. Some of us are just stupid with money sometimes, okay? (I know I carry more debt than I should… I am trying to pay it down… but also to be fair, I’m not claiming to be the leader of the nation and setting its fiscal policy either!)

    Having just been to Rushmore myself on the trip across the country — I’m sure your younguns will enjoy it, Brett. The “helicopter tour” probably isn’t worth it (if your parents haven’t done this before) since you can’t get very close to Rushmore (restricted airspace apparently). There is a nice 1.6 mile trail around various vista points if your parents are up for it, they’ll probably also enjoy the Jewel cave quick tour on the other side of Custer. Other than that I didn’t get a chance to sample (need to go back and visit some of the other parks some day).

    Morning, all!

    • cavalier973

      Anonymous conservative’s theory is that there are no billionaires, only play actors who are allowed to use the Cabal’s assets as long as they push the Cabal’s message. He argues that that is why no billionaire in recent years plans to leave his wealth to his children. It’s because he actually has no wealth.

      From AC’s news brief a couple of days ago:
      Joe Biden has lived in two houses in his home state since 1975, when he bought his first property in Wilmington that he later sold in the late 1990s. But records obtained by DailyMail.com show the couple have had a habit of negotiating a new mortgage or credit deal on both homes every 17 months. Does this sound like Cabal drops them in the house, and they get to live there, but Cabal wants the equity to expend on other things, so this is part of the deal?

    • Brett L

      My parents found a series of grandparents-grandkids tours and decided to try this one. Its a couple of miles of walking a day, some activities, etc. I’m sure my kids will remember it for life.

      • cavalier973

        Sounds like fun!

        Getting them away from the media is good for them.

        It’s also good for the kids.

      • SDF-7

        Hopefully so — sounds like a solid plan and a good time ahead for the extended-Ls.

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

        My parents (really my mom*) drug us to Mt Rushmore back in the seventies, and I still remember it, vaguely.

        *My dad was supposed to give a paper at the IHC conference on his way to tenure, but my mother decided to make it a cross-country family trip, in a ’66 Mustang ‘vert pulling a tent trailer. By the end of it my father had painted a white line down the middle of the back seat and, upon pain of death, made sure that neither my brother nor I crossed that DMZ. Good times, much too long of a trip though.

    • Pope Jimbo

      Wall Drug is more entertaining the Mt. Rushmore.

      Custer State Park is better than Mt. Rushmore

      The SoDak Badlands are better than Mt. Rushmore.

      Reptile Gardens in Rapid City used to be better, but now it is sissified. As a kid I remember them doing a show where a snake wrangler went out into a pit of rattlers and fucked with them. Now all the shows are “educational” which is no fun at all.

      Better yet, go to Medora, ND and see the badlands there. More beautiful and no crowds. This marker can also be seen at a small gas station in Sentinel Butte, ND.

      The Yellowstone Expedition of 1876, Organized to quell the hostile Sioux, marched from Fort Lincoln May 17, 1876.
       
      7 miles east and one mile south of this marker the troops camped for three nights during a snow storm May 31st through June 2, 1876.

      • UnCivilServant

        But should I still stop by the Reptile Gardens? I have them on my Deadwood-Suix Falls leg of my itenery

      • Pope Jimbo

        But should I still stop by the Reptile Gardens?

        Yes. But be prepared for them no longer letting you ride the tortoises (like I did as a kid). And instead of hyping the rattler as the killer of the prairie, the now teach that it is part of Nature and to be treasured.

        Still lots of interesting reptiles can be seen. And let’s be honest, what else is there to do in Rapid City?

      • Pope Jimbo

        Big! Giant! Heads!

        If they were claiming that the Natives were upset because the Black Hills were sacred to them, you lost me. The Dakota had no idea that the Black Hills were there until the Ojibwe pushed them out on the plains in the late 1700’s. So there are churches on the East Coast that had a longer history of being a sacred place than the Black Hills*.

        * Talking about the Sioux only. There were other tribes who were originally in that area that might have thought the Black Hills were sacred, but they are never the ones that are cited. It is always the Dakota tribes talking about how sacred the place is.

      • Brett L

        They are doing Wall Drug today or tomorrow.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      I’ll drag myself out to see Mount Rushmore someday, but I do find it to be an appalling sculpture.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      But the quip in the article about “they have a substantial income yet still have debts on their properties!” made me roll my eyes. Some of us are just stupid with money sometimes, okay? (I know I carry more debt than I should… I am trying to pay it down… but also to be fair, I’m not claiming to be the leader of the nation and setting its fiscal policy either!)

      The point is they don’t need debt, but use it because it is to the advantage of wealthy elites to do so. Especially when you are the senator from Delaware.

  7. PieInTheSky

    The Federalist defends nicotine? Next they’ll find a reason why porn is okay. *I am in favor of both of those positions.

    Meh I don’t much get the point of porn… But as long as it is not onlyfans…

  8. SDF-7

    Re: Bolivia — looks like the coup fizzled out.

    • PieInTheSky

      I blame not enough cocaine… soldiers lacked energy

      • PieInTheSky

        Bolivians cannot march without marching powder

  9. PieInTheSky

    Again with the embedding of youtube videos… you people…

    Also I have not heard that song in may a year

  10. SDF-7

    I am in favor of both of those positions.

    In what will be simply shocking around these parts (gasp!), I favor having clear information for habits / addictions as we can (without it being just propaganda) and letting adults make up their own mind instead of trying to sin tax or ban stuff.

    I expect no one else here to ever think the government should stay out of people’s lives. Simply unthinkable. (/sarc)

    • cavalier973

      Vices are not crimes.

      • PieInTheSky

        you forgot to ask Jesus again, didn’t you

      • cavalier973

        That ain’t a crime.

      • SDF-7

        Apparently he’s around now, so at least Cav should be able to when he finishes his bitter herbs and unleavened bread.

      • Rat on a train

        Jesus allows wine, but nothing harder.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        Make Vices Stigmatized Again

  11. Timeloose

    The Biden real estate story looks like a family that has variable influxes of money and needs to cover lots of expenses in between. Kind of like general contractors, drug dealers, and politicians who might be peddling influence in exchange for cash.

  12. SDF-7

    No offense to the elegant Winston’s Mom, but:

    “Be careful of partying with hoors in Colombia, yo”

    is more my impression — mess with people doing illicit activities outside the law and you risk all sorts of unsavory types becoming involved. Shocker, I know.

    • cavalier973

      You might even be convicted of 34 felonies.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      It’s my party and I’ll party with hoors if I want to.

    • Nephilium

      Man. Next you’ll say that the black market is dangerous because there’s no agreed upon body to register complaints with and settle disputes.

  13. SDF-7

    I do like Ready To Go — but of that particular moment in time, I thought Elastica had a much more solid album all around.

  14. cavalier973

    June is pride month.

    At the USPS, it’s also “dog bite awareness” month.

    I’m certain that there is no connection.

    • UnCivilServant

      It is no such thing. There is no reason to celebrate mortal sin.

      Also, stop biting dogs.

    • SDF-7

      Puppy postal play?

    • db

      Wouldn’t that be “Lion Bite Awareness Month?”

  15. UnCivilServant

    How is it the end of the month already?

    • PieInTheSky

      This is what happens when you procrastinate

  16. Strange Brew

    I bought my house in 2009 and paid it off in 2022. A lot of financial sacrifice was required on my part to accomplish that. A year later I paid off my car and I don’t plan on having any debt for the rest of my life. It’s pretty amazing how little money is required to live when everything is paid off. I comfortably live on 30% of my gross income and the rest is now being invested. I couldn’t imagine the stress involved in refinancing my mortgage 17 times. Incompetent, compromised, and delusional is no way to go through life, and yet Joe failed his way up to the highest office on earth.

    • SDF-7

      Well at least I’m not compromised! 😉

    • Rat on a train

      But you miss out on the tax deduction!

    • Drake

      Refinancing that many times has to be some sort of scam. No way it’s worth it otherwise.

      • WTF

        Probably some sort of money laundering scheme.

      • Drake

        Yep.

      • R C Dean

        Exactly what I was thinking. Third parties make payments on the mortgages, and then they refi to get the money out. Because the thing is, the monthly payments on a mortgage wouldn’t even pay down the principal enough to cover the fees on a refi in 18 months. And if you’ve got the money to make big principal payments on it, why would you refi?

        I’d love to see the payment records on those mortgages – amounts and sources.

    • UnCivilServant

      I just paid my monthly bills, and am amazed that I am not completely out of cash as was common when I was carrying debt.

      Doing some back of napkin calculations, 30% of gross is about what I’m spending on both necessities and frivolities.

      The numbers all look better pre-tax…

      • SDF-7

        Sigh… all you rational and responsible people trigger my guilt at my bad habits even more.

        Well, at least I can go read 19th Century Russian Literature and think “They manage their finances even WORSE!”. That’s something.

    • Fourscore

      It’s a good feeling, not to have a mortgage. Then the repairs, taxes and insurance all come due at the same time. Damn it!

      • DrOtto

        Preach it brother. We just proactively replaced our water heaters and the AC just went out. Insurance is due on the 29th.

    • PieInTheSky

      A year later I paid off my car and I don’t plan on having any debt for the rest of my life – unfortunately the world ends in 6 months

    • Nephilium

      I’ve got enough in brokerage accounts to pay off the house, but it’s locked in at a low interest rate, so I’m in no rush to pay it off.

      • Drake

        Where we were at before the escape from NJ. Nobody wants to give up their 2.5% mortgage these days.

        After the move, we paid cash.

  17. Pope Jimbo

    OK, this story is the usual drivel about how the outdoors is racist somehow and that is why black people can’t go camping or some shit. What made me post a link is this:

    Sarah Berhow, public relations officer for Parks and Trails at the Department of Natural Resources, spoke about the “I Can” programs at the Department of Natural Resources, which are focused around exposing people to various outdoor activities, including camping, mountain biking and fishing.
     
    “(For) all of the ‘I Can’ programs, the equipment needed to participate is provided. If somebody wants to go camping but they don’t have a tent and a camping stove and all of those kinds of things that you would bring with you, that’s OK because that’s provided,” said Berhow. “If somebody wants to do paddling but they don’t have a canoe or a kayak, that’s provided. The life jackets are provided, all of those things. It’s a way for people to try it out and learn the skills, see if it’s something that they enjoy.”
     
    The “I Can” program is lower in cost than comparable programs, said Berhow, and those costs are subsidized through the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund. The program has also been advertised in a variety of media outlets centered on different communities, including Anishinaabeg Today, Hmong Times, El Minnesota de Hoy, the Sahan Journal, KMOJ Radio and 3HmongTV, to name just a few.

    I added the emphasis. Our gubment is advertising about going outdoors in an Indian newspapers! Really? They need to be educated about the wonders of nature?

    • SDF-7

      The white devils severed their connection to the land so severely that it takes white liberal women saviors to swoop in and aid the poor dears.

      Snark aside — a program set up to say “Here’s something you can do, we have a package that includes a campsite permit/fee, rented equipment, whatnot” sounds like a sound plan for a park (as long as you’re pretty adamant on getting the stuff back or charging appropriately if you don’t). Part of why I’ve never considered camping is I know I wouldn’t do it often and don’t need all the equipment lying around afterward. So kudos for that bit at least…

      • rhywun

        I got the impression from reading that that the stuff is provided for free.

        Fuck that noise.

      • Fourscore

        I dunno, seems like the poor deers survive year after year, camp out side in the summer in the bugs, tramp through the deep snow in the winter. Don’t need any government handouts, to speak of.

        There ought to be a law and walking paths and deer stan.., I mean observation towers.

      • SDF-7

        You say they’re poor deers, 4×20 — but they sure seem to have enough bucks lying around.

      • Pope Jimbo

        My hometown had The Rec. It was a small building in the middle of the city’s parks and as a kid you could go borrow just about any sporting good you needed to play a game. They also had a covered area where you could play ping pong, board games or fooseball when it rained.

        To get any of the equipment you had to sign your name and your home phone number. If you didn’t return something your parents got a call at home. As far as I know no one ever tried stealing anything.

        The equipment was beat up, but as a kid it was great to be able to get up a game of anything depending on who was around.

        I just can’t get over the idea that they are advertising up on the rez about the benefits of getting outdoors.

      • Pope Jimbo

        You say they’re poor deers, 4×20 — but they sure seem to have enough bucks lying around.

        Bucks are fine, but if you really need doe to have have fun.

    • Nephilium

      It’s an ongoing story here too about how the parks aren’t welcoming to our black communities. The only complaint that I’ll accept is general access. Since the ghetto areas don’t have much in the way of green space, they need to travel further than the suburban people (where it’s hard to be more than a mile away from a park). The city is getting much better about it, with one of the big projects currently ongoing connecting the Towpath trail the rest of the way to downtown Cleveland.

      In the Metroparks defense, the park system is called the Emerald Necklace for a reason (it loops around the city).

    • DrOtto

      Since they took the squaw out of the canoe off the butter box, they forgot.

    • Fourscore

      I remember my son’s first haircut, he wasn’t laughing.

      Thanks, Jimbo. Kids laughing is like music to a parent’s ear

  18. cavalier973

    I got a call from my Mom last night. She said that the night before, she and Dad had eaten at Olive Garden, and when they were leaving they heard a loud crash. A car had crossed a barrier and hit their parked car. They heard another crash soon afterward, and looked to see that someone had hit a light pole and the pole fell over into my parent’s car.
    It turns out some crazy lady was going the wrong way on the parkway, and people were having wrecks trying to avoid her.

    My mom said she was glad that the waitress was slow that night.

    • slumbrew

      Wow, glad they were unscathed.

    • SDF-7

      Hope the crazy lady got apprehended so the folks who damaged your parents’ car can be sued to recoup what their insurance will have to pay out to your parents’ insurance (so hopefully none of the innocent party rates will go up more than they have been anyway over the last 3.5 years…)

      Glad your parents are okay.

    • UnCivilServant

      Wrong way driver – Drunk, or just senile?

    • R C Dean

      So somebody ran into your parent’s car and then a light pole fell on your parent’s car?

      • The Other Kevin

        God did not like that car.

    • PieInTheSky

      Continental Europe had a running joke:

      A guy from e.g Romania goes to England and rents a car to go between cities. He receives a phone call from a friend: be careful there is some idiot going the wrong way on the freeway!

      He answers: One? There are hundreds!

      • UnCivilServant

        From context, I take it Romania drives on the right hand side of the road?

      • PieInTheSky

        Of course. Why would we drive on the wrong side?

      • UnCivilServant

        Well, Euros do a lot of things wrong, so I can’t put anything past them.

      • Nephilium

        I’ve heard that joke told with a Polack, a Mick, and a drunk (but I repeat myself).

    • Sean

      I assume it’s a total loss.

      Sue Olive Garden! They’ve got deeper pockets. 🙂

  19. UnCivilServant

    So, I figure I should raise the matter again, since nobody has responded.

    Mr Ilium, Grumman, and I are trying to find new players for a Starfinder game I’ve been running on Tuesdays. I did start a topic on it in the ever unvisited Forums.

    We fell below the practical threshold for number of players and would need only one or two people to get going again. The game is held via maptool and Zoom/Jitsi/teleconference so geographic location isn’t a factor beyond time zones.

    • PieInTheSky

      NERD

      • UnCivilServant

        Why, thank you.

        It’s good to be acknowledged.

      • Nephilium

        /buffs nails

        Geek.

      • UnCivilServant

        Why would you want a downgrade?

    • EvilSheldon

      Is Starfinder anything like Pathfinder?

      • UnCivilServant

        It’s made by the same people based on a similar ruleset, but Science Fantasy instead if straight fantasy.

      • EvilSheldon

        I suspected. Thanks, I hope you find a new player.

  20. slumbrew

    Glitch in the matrix – my alarm this morning was the exact same song as Sean’s morning music selection.

    • SDF-7

      If you’re now in a Groundhog Day loop I expect you to at least master the piano or something.

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        If your clock radio starts playing Sonny & Cher be very worried.

      • slumbrew

        I’m in a time loop, I’m hitting the range every day.

    • Sean

      I assure you, I do not work for the NSA and I did not hack your alarm clock.

      • UnCivilServant

        Of course not – you hacked the radio station.

      • PieInTheSky

        is it hacking when you have a backdoor?

      • Nephilium

        PieInTheSky:

        Someone left the Back Door Open?

      • Ted S.

        Derpetologist thinks you did.

  21. Pope Jimbo

    Nice police work Lou. What a shit show.

    Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said on Wednesday that in the year since it has launched, the office’s youth auto theft intervention initiative has helped lead to a drop in car thefts by nearly a third so far in 2024.
     
    During a news conference, Moriarty discussed the influence of the program, which launched in June of 2023, and showcased the results thus far, including positive data trends from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
     
    “This initiative shows that when prosecutors, law enforcement and social workers work together to intervene early, and support young people and their families, we can prevent crime from occurring,” she said, adding that law enforcement have asked her office to expand the program into addressing other crimes.
     
    Minneapolis had a record-high number of car thefts in 2023. It has seen a 30% decrease in auto theft reports in 2024 compared with the same period last year, however the city is still at a 140% increase in car theft reports this year when compared with 2019. Moriarty acknowledged that there is more work to be done.

    Sure more than double the cars are still being stolen, but it is slightly less bad than last year. Take a victory lap Ms. Pro-crime DA!

    • Pope Jimbo

      Police across the county refer juveniles to the program who have been exhibiting “risky auto theft behavior” but have not been charged with a crime. If they qualify, the county will offer resources to the youth and their families. The participants can include those who have been charged in the past or have not been charged. Anyone who has an active criminal case or is on probation can not be referred, and the program does not accept anyone 18 or older.

      Since the initiative began, 81% of the participants who were referred to the voluntary services had no new charges as of May 15, Moriarty said.

      Services offered include mental health services, transportation, basic needs like food, clothing and shelter, and more, Moriarty said. The vast majority are accepting the services from a social worker, according to the attorney’s office.

      What exactly are “risky auto theft behaviors”? Looks like the program is to pay miscreants to stop being bad?

      • Fourscore

        The reason thefts are down is that there are fewer cars to steal with gas prices up , who wants to steal a car with an empty tank. Fewer kids know how to drive and all have their telephone for their vicarious thrills.

      • R C Dean

        They’re probably giving them cars that were impounded for unpaid parking tickets and the like.

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        “The, “risky auto theft behaviors”, are the result of these poor innocent Alddins needing bread for their starving families and if they were able to play basketball at midnight all of this would be solved.” -Hennepin County DA, probably

    • Drake

      “youth” Everyone knows this is a racist dog whistle.

  22. SDF-7

    I may have to reconsider my mental plan to kick the boy out when he gets old enough — even with roommates, this is getting out of hand.

    Being unsurprisingly suspicious of government programs — a big part of me jumps to the thought of “demand spiking due to unfettered immigration” combined with “COVID era ‘rent subsidies’ being kept alive because INFLATION!, so like student loans… government is pumping money into an inflationary market… so rents rise to consume the added money”. No data on that — but it seems to fit the timeline.

    And a bit old — but this chart… yeesh.

    • PieInTheSky

      I may have to reconsider my mental plan to kick the boy out when he gets old enough – in Romania that is usually around 30.

    • Pope Jimbo

      Wonder how much that can be attributed to landlords knowing that x number of tenants won’t pay and can’t be evicted?

      • Nephilium

        This right here is why I’m very glad the girlfriend and I didn’t decide to pick up a property to rent out in late 2019.

  23. SDF-7

    I played https://squaredle.com/xp 06/27:
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    🔥 Solve streak: 447

    • Sean

      I played https://squaredle.com/xp 06/27:
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      I played https://squaredle.com 06/27:
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  24. Suthenboy

    I gotta say, that is one hell of an obituary.

  25. Sensei

    And somehow the IRS decided no need to question this, right?

    Jeweler Vasken Khorozian told jurors Nadine Menendez visited his Edgewater jewelry store three times between March and May of 2022 to sell four one-kilogram bars, worth about $60,000 each, and four 24-carat American Eagle coins worth $7,200. The first time, she told him she “had a financial situation,” but she didn’t explain her subsequent visits, he testified.

    https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/06/26/as-feds-closed-in-sen-menendezs-wife-cashed-out-jeweler-tells-jury-in-bribery-trial/

    The jeweler is required to report transactions of this size. Watching Menendez throw his wife under the bus shows his true colors.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      That’s crazy taking all of that to the same place and gold can be melted and recast, no need to take those amounts in either. We really are ruled by morons.

      • Sean

        They assume they’re untouchable. And, largely, they are right – until they piss off the wrong person.

      • EvilSheldon

        Gold is quite difficult to melt and recast. It’s not something you’re going to do on your backyard gas grill, particularly in kilo+ quantities. Especially if you’re a NJ political operator, with all that implies…

        Also, if you show up to your precious metals dealer with a stack of unmarked off-size ingots, it’s going to raise some eyebrows. Much more than showing up with cased 1oz. American Eagles, which people buy and sell all the time.

        Menendez’s big mistake was to try and move those kind of quantities in two months at a single dealer. Spread that shit around, or move it overseas.

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        I always assumed higher-end NJ homes come with a crematorium for… reasons

    • Suthenboy

      I dont know where to start with that. Everything that can be wrong with a story is right there.

    • creech

      All journal entries were “properly” notated.

  26. PieInTheSky

    Spoke about this with my English mate: place-names in England and Wales rendered into High German (morphologically reconstructed with attention to ultimate etymology and sound evolution processes). Fun to read through the map!

    https://x.com/simongerman600/status/1805703768031248397

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      German sounds like you have something stuck in your throat and somehow looks that way too.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      But vaping looks like smoking and secondhand smoke kills millions and millions every year…it’s just science.

      • Suthenboy

        Year? I thought it was every day. Y’know, those of us not part of the 100 billion killed by the cootie bugs

      • Suthenboy

        I asked around about the cootie bugs….apparently neither I nor anyone I know knew anyone actually killed by the cootie bugs. Funny that.

      • Nephilium

        And don’t forget about third hand smoke!

    • Sensei

      Outdoors sure. Indoors I don’t want to breathing your flavored shit.

      NYP mentioned she has a $2k bag and also had a picture of the ridiculous sneakers she was wearing. I’m sure they were pricey too.

      Other stories mentioned fare evasion. I can’t see a NYPD cop be bothered to do anything more than tell you to stop it if you weren’t an ass and not paying.

      • Suthenboy

        Another story where I hate everyone in it.

      • Common Tater

        Subway platforms are practically outdoors.

        Vaping doesn’t travel very far. It’s no worse than chewing gum as far as flavoring the air.

      • R C Dean

        “Indoors I don’t want to breathing your flavored shit.”

        Living in a free society means tolerating other people’s choices/behaviors to some point.

      • Suthenboy

        “Living in a free society …”
        When you find this place please let me know where it is.

      • Sensei

        Tater your experience and mine differ. Indoor subway platforms in nyc and supercharged vapes I can smell 10 feet away.

        RC Dean, I didn’t say it should be forbidden. Just that I’m allowed to call you a self centered asshole when you do it in my face.

      • Common Tater

        What about some douchebag wearing a quart of body spray?

      • R C Dean

        When I say “tolerating”, I don’t mean teeing off on everyone who annoys you. Cultivate some stoicism and all that.

      • Sensei

        Gents. Maybe I’m not being clear here.

        I’ve never teed off on somebody that vapes despite wanting to do so.

        My issue is vaping people who vape seem to think it has no externalities. It does.

        I’ve seen considerate vapers and people that do it on subway cars where you can’t move an inch. Despite that getting into a fight at that moment is not worth it. But he or she is 100% an ass doing that on a packed car.

        In 30 years of putting up with plenty of shit and assholes in NYC the amount of times I’ve teed off can be counted on one hand. You never know what the hell is going to happen.

      • Suthenboy

        “…in NYC…”
        I think I see the problem.

      • Fourscore

        It’s OK if they need it or are French but I repeat myself

      • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

        The vape smell might at least cover up the smell of pot that’s everywhere in NYC.

      • R C Dean

        Gotcha, Sensei. Misread your “allowed to call you a self-centered asshole” thing

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      Another climate change death.

  27. R.J.

    @TPTB, @Neph
    I put together a quick post called Histrionic Presidential Debate Post for tonight, with the Zoom link and an alternate film. Let us all watch the bum fight of the century!
    Please just throw Zombie vs. Ninja into pending again, it can go out some week after the July 4th weekend. I may bump it out for something else anyway.
    Thanks!

    • Suthenboy

      The whole thing is stupid beyond measure.

      “yeah we will have a debate but the whole thing will be totally fixed.”

      I think what we are seeing is the democrat party shooting themselves in the dick like no one in history has ever done.
      If I wanted an enemy I couldn’t dream up a better one than that lot.

    • Nephilium

      Yep, apologies for not replying here, but the message was passed along, and I was told it’s being taken care of.

    • Sensei

      Also other stories note there was a big pissing match about carryon luggage.

      I think there is more to this story too. Not that I’m willing to defend the airline either.

    • Certified Public Asshat

      “He said, ‘”He”?’ and I said, ‘Yeah.’ He then said, ‘She’s wearing a dress,’” Longoria said.

      Lol.

    • Pope Jimbo

      Stewardesses got way too much power during the pandemic. (They had too much before as well). They got a taste for yelling at customers. “Pull up your mask!” and other nonsense.

      Now they can’t give it up. They could easily be replaced by any fast food worker.

      • kinnath

        They could easily be replaced by any fast food worker.

        For most days, probably. When shit hits that fan, not so much.

        I had the opportunity to visit the Singapore Airlines training facility a few times. One of the managers we were meeting with said that if they really liked a visitor, they would let them get in to pool with the flight attendants during emergency evacuation training. Apparently, I was not liked well enough.

  28. R C Dean

    So, is anyone planning to actually watch the debate tonight?

    • Sean

      I am firmly in the “no fucking way” camp.

      • Sensei

        +1

    • kinnath

      no

    • Common Tater

      I will, as I’m usually here on Thursday nights.

      The whole cutting off the microphone thing is just sad. We’re at the point where the two people most likely to be President can’t be trusted to be civil.

      • ron73440

        We’re at the point where the two people most likely to be President can’t be trusted to be civil.

        Biden can, it’s the rapist insurrectionist that can’t be trusted!

        -The average Dem twitter user

      • R C Dean

        Honestly, the format should be the two candidates, each makes say a five minute intro speech and then they just . . . Have a discussion like adults. No moderators, no cutting the mikes, no nothing. Just two adults talking about policy, politics, etc. You would learn more about them in that setting than any of this artificial forum BS.

        The real problem is the idea that the people contending for the head of government need stage managing and baby sitting.

      • Fourscore

        “We’re at the point where the two people most likely to be President can’t be trusted to be civil”

        Already heard ‘Convicted Felon’ on an interview with a Biden spokesman this morning.

        The lying season officially opens today, both parties. I’m surprised that anyone votes. Hope is not a political outcome.

      • UnCivilServant

        Already heard ‘Convicted Felon’ on an interview with a Biden spokesman this morning.

        But… Gropey Joe hasn’t been formally convicted yet.

    • The Other Kevin

      If Mrs. TOK goes to roller derby practice tonight, I’ll look for someone doing a live commentary. Otherwise we’ll continue watching the Indiana Jones movies.

      I really don’t know what to think about this. CNN could easily beclown themselves with their crazy restrictions and obvious bias. But being that blatant, what would it prove? It’s not like that would change anyone’s opinion.

      • Suthenboy

        This.

        The debate, campaigns etc are pointless. The results are all but in already. No one at this point is going to change their vote.

    • slumbrew

      Fuck no

    • Nephilium

      Nope, same as I don’t slow down to stare at accidents.

      • R.J.

        See note above. I got your email.

    • slumbrew

      Serious question:

      Who are these debates for? Who didn’t make up their mind long ago?

    • R.J.

      I figured, so I provided a movie link as well as open post on the debate.

    • The Other Kevin

      I am curious about what RFK Jr. is planning. He’s doing some type of “real debate” so I don’t know if he’s going to livestream the debate and interject his own answers?

      • slumbrew

        He should go full MST3K

    • kinnath

      It’s not a debate. It’s a joint press conference.

    • UnCivilServant

      A debate would have no moderator besides a clock and the candidates would ask each other questions as part of their argument.

      • R.J.

        There should also be full body contact.

    • Gender Traitor

      Oh, hell to the no! The closest I may come to doing so would be to watch someone watching the debate and snarking up a storm – maybe VivaFrei or you folk. No drinking game for me, as I have to work tomorrow.

    • EvilSheldon

      Lol, no. If I want to indulge in masochism for free I’ll just surf Reddit…

    • Pope Jimbo

      I saw some article about the Biden team being upset because CNN said they wouldn’t “fact check” Trump during the debate.

      My reaction was “Huh? You really want live fact checks when your guy is a serial liar who keeps telling bigger and bigger whoppers?”

    • grrizzly

      Of course, I will. I want to see how senile Biden is today. I was certain he was uncapable of doing a debate four years ago. But I was wrong.

    • ron73440

      It’s paywalled, so I couldn’t read it, but I assume they trained the cop, so how can you say nothing’s changed?

      I just read about it on a different site and it’s another story where it’s OK to hate all involved.

      Riggen admitted that he told Bombard: “Once I realized that you weren’t flipping me off, you’re free to go.”

      As Bombard pulled out to leave, however, he cursed and displayed his middle finger, according to the civil complaint.

      In the dash cam video, Riggen can be heard saying: “He called me an asshole and said ‘Fuck you.’ Flipped the bird. I’m gonna arrest him for disorderly conduct.”

      https://vtdigger.org/2024/06/26/st-albans-man-settles-for-175k-after-suing-over-right-to-give-police-the-middle-finger/

    • The Last American Hero

      I can’t wait for this episode of North Woods Law.

  29. Tundra

    Good morning!

    That song is such a banger. For car nerds, the vehicle in the video is a very unusual Volvo TP21 Sugga.

    It makes me tingly all over.

    • slumbrew

      That’s a sweet ride.

    • Gender Traitor

      Good morning, Tundra!

    • SDF-7

      Again you make me break out the Elastica if you want cars….

      • Tundra

        Another mid-90s masterpiece. Thanks!

  30. The Late P Brooks

    I took some road trips with my grandparents when I was a kid. It’s good to know people still do that.

    • db

      My grandparents had no money, so they never took us anywhere. I loved going fishing with my Grandpa at local lakes, though. We took them on vacation with us a couple of years, and that was wonderful.

    • Pope Jimbo

      When I was 14 (sister would have been 11?) we took a 3 week road trip from Minnesoda all the way out to California and back in our old Ford van with an 8 track tape player (Jim Croce, The Carpenters, Johnny Horton and others). An aunt and a cousin also came along. So six people.

      If I remember right, we’d camp in a KOA in our old tent 6 nights a week. 1 night a week we’d hit some cheap hotel. We almost never ate in a restaurant. Cold sandwiches for lunch, hot meals cooked on the Coleman propane stove for breakfast and supper.

      One of the hotel nights, my dad pulled off the highway and into the first hotel he saw. He, Mom and the aunt went into the lobby while us kids farted around outside. Not having paid any real attention to what hotel he had stopped at, he didn’t realize it was a No-Tell Hotel. Family lore has a pretty good story about the confusion that happened when the owner kept asking my dad how many hours he wanted it for. Mom and the aunt caught on to what was going on way before Dad did. While he was trying to figure out how many hours were left before 7 am the next morning and muttering why the owner cared about hours, Mom and the aunt broke out into gales of laughter and left with Dad in tow. As a kid, I had no idea what was going on. Just a lot of laughter and my dad had actually blushed so hard you could tell (Dad was really dark skinned).

      • Tundra

        What a terrific memory! Poor dad.

        We did lots of road trips when I was a kid. California was always a favorite because of all the cool places along the way.

      • Fourscore

        Young Fourscore road trip was a picnic at Minnehaha Park. Close to 3/4 mile by car. Still, us kids ran, pushed, shoved, maybe saw some other kids from school. Lots of families didn’t have cars but street cars were around, even had a turn around at the Park. Once a year to Como Zoo, about 4-5 miles away but in St Paul!

  31. kinnath

    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-blocks-purdue-pharma-opioid-settlement-rcna139066

    The Supreme Court on Thursday blew up the massive bankruptcy reorganization of opioid maker Purdue Pharma, finding that the settlement inappropriately included legal protections for the Sackler family, meaning that billions of dollars secured for victims is now threatened.

    The court on a 5-4 vote ruled that the bankruptcy court did not have the authority to release the Sackler family members from legal claims made by opioid victims.

    As part of the deal, the family, which controlled the company, had agreed to pay $6 billion that could be used to settle opioid-related claims, but only in return for a complete release from any liability in future cases.

    Not sure if this is good or bad. Perhaps one of the law folk around here can explain.

    • Sensei

      I can see both sides.

      If you knowingly run a criminal business can we pierce the corporate veil and go after assets outside it.

      That’s not exactly the case here, however and part of the reason for the SC and the split in the decision.

  32. The Late P Brooks

    Public Service Announcement:

    Horse Feathers and Animal Crackers are currently on Amazon Prime.

    Either or both would be preferable to watching elderly narcissists “debate”.

    • R.J.

      I saw Horse Feathers the other night. So happy it is available streaming. It was just not out for years. Only way to see it streaming was go find a copy on Archive.

    • cavalier973

      We have the DVDs for Animal Crackers, Cocoanuts, A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races, and Duck Soup. We also have Monkey Business and Horse Feathers. Our kids re-watch a couple of them every few months.

      Animal Crackers is probably my favorite, but I acknowledge that Duck Soup is funnier.

      A Night at the Opera is probably the most accessible for those who haven’t seen a Marx Bros. movie.

  33. kinnath

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-epa-good-neighbor-rule/

    The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to block an environmental rule that aims to curb air pollution and address harmful smog that travels from certain states into others while legal proceedings continue.

    In a 5-4 decision, the court granted the request from Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia, as well as energy companies and industry groups, to pause the rule. Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the majority opinion.

    Fuck the EPA

  34. The Late P Brooks

    “He said, ‘”He”?’ and I said, ‘Yeah.’ He then said, ‘She’s wearing a dress,’” Longoria said.

    Wearing a shirt with 32 on it doesn’t make you Jim Brown.

    • Nephilium

      /looks at the Browns uniforms

      That is correct.

  35. KK, Plump & Unfiltered

    Song choice was in Vegas Vacation

  36. JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

    That Tinder date in Colombia thing sounds like a Bad Ideas Jeans commercial.

    • Suthenboy

      As I said earlier about Trump’s enemies….

    • The Other Kevin

      I think the key is that right from the start, he does not accept her premise. But she keeps pushing like it’s true. And he will have none of that.

      This whole exchange reminds me of something from my college sociology class, and college is probably where she learned to do this. Here’s a “journalist” who’s completely incurious and just wants to have her “gotcha” moment. This is why nobody likes or trusts the press.

      • Tundra

        He handled it perfectly. Time to start calling these people stupid to their faces. They’ve spent so much of their lives thinking they are the smartest people in the room, it’s gotta hurt pretty bad when they get hammered like that.

    • ron73440

      That was hilarious.

      He explained the right to self defense perfectly and then asked her why a sovereign person should not be able to protect themselves and she had no answer.

  37. The Late P Brooks

    Hamstringing government regulators

    The Supreme Court on Thursday put new limits on the power of the Securities and Exchange Commission to enforce securities laws — the latest ruling in a series of cases that take aim at federal agencies.

    The court ruled 6-3 that adjudication of cases by in-house judges violates the right to trial by jury.

    The case is one of several on the docket involving conservative and business-led attacks on the power of federal agencies. The court’s 6-3 conservative majority is often sympathetic to such arguments.

    Conservative Supreme Court justices don’t want the government to be able to protect us.

    • Suthenboy

      “Please stop helping…” comes to mind

    • cavalier973

      …from ourselves.

      I guess…

  38. The Late P Brooks

    Fuckin’ voters, man

    Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s primary election win was rebuked in The Colorado Sun on Wednesday, which called the Colorado Republican a “carpetbagging canoodler.”

    ——-

    Colorado Sun opinion columnist Mike Littwin said that with Boebert’s win on Tuesday, she “definitely confirmed fears that whatever she does, whatever outrages she commits, whatever theater decorum she violates, whatever norm she offends, the MAGA base remains all in.”

    Democracy is all well and good, in theory…

    • Suthenboy

      Politics is the filter by which all good people are removed.