FreedomFest 2024

by | Aug 20, 2024 | Economy, Fitness, GlibFit, Libertarianism, Liberty, Open Post, Supreme Court, Travel | 92 comments

FreedomFest 2024 ran from July 10th-13th, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV at Caesar’s Forum. As usual, the Anthem Film Festival runs concurrently with FreedomFest.

I wasn’t as impressed with this year’s FreedomFest as in past years. There weren’t as many sessions I found interesting. I skipped many, including the Presidential debate and RFK Jr’s talk. I haven’t seen any attendance numbers so I don’t know how the total attendance compares with previous years. I think compared to last year in Memphis that the average attendee is older and the number of attendees is similar.

I am writing this article up from memory. I did not take notes or record any of the sessions I attended. This article will only cover some of the sessions I attended.

FreedomFest 2025 will be June 11th-14th, 2025 in Palm Springs, CA.

Javier Milei

The FreedomFest organizers tried to get Javier Milei to appear this year. They were not able to do so.

Initially, they announced Milei would give a talk on the Saturday of the conference. But, due to current events in Argentina, Milei was not able to travel to Las Vegas. The FreedomFest organizers tried alternatives like a prerecorded interview and a speech via Zoom, but were not able to arrange any alternative allowing him to speak at FreedomFest.

Javier Milei was the talk of the annual Latin America panel. A lot of what was said has been said around here except for one thing. According to José Cordeiro, the author of “The Death of Death”, who is also a friend of Milei, Milei is an immortalist. Milei thinks that advancing technology will abolish death within a few decades.

Supreme Court Roundup

The Supreme Court Roundup panel talked about the Chevron case and the Trump immunity case. I don’t remember any of the discussion around these cases.

I remember a little of what Cody Wisniewski from the Firearms Policy Coalition said about United States v. Rahimi. Wisniewski has reviewed the opinions. He thinks the opinions are not as bad as they’ve been made out to be. I remember only two of his reasons:

  • All justices used the Bruen test: individual Americans have the right to keep and bear arms subject only to restrictions in line with historical laws in place at the time the Constitution was written. Wisniewski added that he thinks only Justice Thomas’s dissent got the history correct.
  • Wisniewski thinks the verbiage Chief Justice Roberts used to limit the scope of the ruling can be used to fight Red Flag Laws.

COVID-19 Talks

I attended three sessions related to COVID-19.

Del Bigtree gave a presentation which touched on the WHO’s pandemic treaty. Bigtree is concerned that this treaty will provide a legal framework for more public health fascism.

Tom Woods gave a talk about the effects of the lockdowns. Woods said he keeps talking about the lockdowns because he does not want the narrative to be a bunch of redneck science deniers interfering with brave public health officials saving lives. I can’t remember his exact words but those are close. Tom Woods said his recent book on the lockdowns, Diary of a Psychosis, is available on the linked website for cost plus shipping.

Matt Kibbe moderated a panel made up of Thomas Massie, Tom Woods, and Warren Davidson. The panel looked back on lockdowns. I remember only two things from the panel discussion. Thomas Massie talked about how he forced a vote on an early Covid stimulus bill, which angered then-President Donald Trump. Kibbe talked about some work he is doing which he thinks will prove that the lockdowns were part of a military operation against the United States. The work will be available on an unspecified future date on Blaze TV.

Global Economic Summit

I arrived a bit late for this panel. I arrived in the middle of Grover Norquist talking about what he thinks will come out of the upcoming US elections.

Norquist has been talking with Republican legislators and other high-ranking Republicans. If Republicans win a trifecta (President, control of the Senate, control of the House) they will lower the corporate income tax. They are also interested in immigration reforms which would bring in skilled workers. Norquist mentioned people in the Trump administration were talking about a plan to bring in skilled migrants before the Rona Panic, but dropped the plan with the start of the lockdowns. I don’t remember if there were other things Republicans were considering if they win a trifecta. Norquist said if the Democrats win a trifecta they will pass a wealth tax and a carbon tax. The carbon tax will be a VAT through the back door. If neither party gets a trifecta, we should expect stasis at the Federal level with the real action being at the state level. Norquist is optimistic about the state level. More states are moving into the “no income tax of any kind” group (i.e. no taxes on salary, wages, capital gains, interest, and dividends). More states are passing school choice programs.

Barbara Kolm went over the recent elections for the EU Parliament and in France. She said the Left lost ground in the EU Parliament elections. In France, despite Le Pen’s party increasing its vote totals, the parties on the Left did well enough to gain seats. However, she expects whatever government Macron puts together will be shakey. She said that Viktor Orban has been using his EU presidency to travel to Ukraine, Russia, and China in an attempt to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine War.

Rainer Zitelmann talked about Germany is the “Sick Man of Europe”. He blamed the shift to “green” energy which has greatly increased the cost of energy in Germany. Handouts to migrants does not help the situation but is dwarfed by the cost of energy.

There was talk about Poland, India, and China. I don’t remember the details beyond the panel is bearish on China, optimistic but not bullish about India, and praised Poland.

Free State Project

Carla Gericke, chairwoman of the Free State Project (FSP) board, and Eric Brakey, executive director of the FSP, gave a short presentation on the FSP. They gave a little background and history. Jason Sorens founded the FSP with an essay in The Libertarian Enterprise. The goal is get libertarians to concentrate in one state to change that state’s politics. The FSP voted for New Hampshire. Activists have been moving to the state ever since.

Gericke and Brakey highlighted the successes of the project. Some Free Staters run a real estate company which helps Free Staters moving to New Hampshire. Members have founded community centers throughout the state. Activists and the local libertarians have gotten enough libertarians masquerading as Republicans elected to the state legislature that about a quarter of the legislators are libertarians.

Car Tracking and Fees

The National Motorist Association and the Reason Foundation had a session, which happened to be one of the final ones of the conference, on cars. They talked about tracking, license plate readers, and fees.

The Reason Foundation supports mileage based fees as a way to replace the gas tax. I think they downplay the potential for tracking of movement.

The talk on license plate readers covered their history, their pros, and their cons. The person gave this part of the talk points out that they can help solve crimes through information gathering. On the other hand, this information gathering has privacy concerns.

Anthem Film Festival

Persian Films

There were a set of films at the beginning of the Anthem Film Festival from Iranian filmmakers. A Persian Film Festival grew out of Anthem. This year, Anthem featured three films from the Persian Film Festival: “Coffee With Baba”, “Bubjan” , and “Hidden”.

Hollywood Takeover

“Hollywood Takeover” is a video documenting China’s influence on the film industry. A summary is that Hollywood wants access to the Chinese market and the money there, and so needs to cater to Chinese tastes and more importantly Chinese government censors.

Fun Stuff

Gordon Ramsay’s Steakhouse

I had dinner at Gordon Ramsay’s Steakhouse with some H&R refugees. This was expensive but worth it. I recommend splitting the Tomahawk. The sticky toffee pudding was delicious.

GlibFit

I used The Dragon’s Lair Gym for two weight training sessions while I was in Las Vegas. Members have 24 hour access to the gym. Guests have to arrive during staffed hours. A guest pass is $30, which is about the same as other Las Vegas gyms I looked at.

For the negative: I was surprised at how small the gym floor was. It was also very crowded with equipment which the pictures on their website don’t show. I don’t know when the gym staff took those pictures, but I noticed differences between those pictures and what I saw when I was there. They have a lot of Arsenal Strength equipment though for most equipment there is only one example of that piece of equipment. For example, there is only one barbell incline bench.

For the positive: The variety of equipment is interesting. They have things like a custom skull crusher machine that I haven’t seen elsewhere. They have a plate loader for deadlifting and Olympic lifting. The people that come here take their training seriously. It’s not far from the Strip.

Despite the negatives, I would go back if I were in Las Vegas. I would go at a less busy time so it would be easier to get equipment.

Omega Mart

I went with some of the FSP folks to Omega Mart. R.J. wrote about the place a while back. Omega Mart is neat. There are a lot of hidden gems like the goods for sale and the rooms in the back. We figured out there there is a mystery around a missing daughter, but weren’t able to solve it.

Wrap Up

Will I go next year? I don’t know.

Las Vegas was expensive back in more normal times. Las Vegas isn’t more expensive now, the dollar is worth less. Breakfast (food, coffee, water, no booze) in the bar at the casino cost me more than $40 a day. Other attendees complained about paying $15 for coffee at coffee shops in the area around the convention center. I’d expect Palm Springs to be cheaper than Las Vegas except that I see nothing in the tea leaves of the upcoming election indicating the Federal government will cut spending.

It’s far too early to know what speakers the organizers will invite.

Current year attendees can receive a discount on next year’s attendance, but the time for that discount is running out. I’m not going to use that as an excuse to rush to make a decision.

About The Author

DEG

DEG

Will work for guns, ammo, booze, books, and cool cars.

92 Comments

  1. DEG

    I think compared to last year in Memphis that the average attendee is older

    To clarify because I think some of you might say, “Yeah, they’re a year older!”:

    They were few younger people. Most every event was a sea of gray haired folks. I probably brought the average age of attendee down this year, whereas last year I was probably close to the average age of attendee.

    • Don escaped Texas

      is it the year or the place?*

      Is there something about 2024 where younger people are already committed or more distracted or just care less?

      I’d think Vegas and Memphis draw the same demographic: folks who think the US peaked during Ike. The gambling and hookers in MEM are inferior to LAS**. But does their pyramid have any gators? Did your hotel have any ducks? Or barbecue? Or barbecued ducks?

      thanks for a great writeup

      * it’s the year

      ** dear Ted’S: LAS sucked before they renamed for Reid; MEM operates as a single new terminal now, but DEG missed that last year

      • DEG

        It’s definitely the year. FreedomFest 2022 in Vegas had more people than FreedomFest 2024. FreedomFest 2022 also had more younger people than FreedomFest 2024.

        I flew into and out of Las Vegas. No road trip this year in order to save time to road trip to and from Honey Harvest. I’ve never liked Las Vegas airport and I refuse to call it by its new name.

  2. DEG

    Rainer Zitelmann talked about Germany as the “Sick Man of Europe”

    I proofrad gud.

    You get what you paid for.

    • Chafed

      We knew what you meant.

  3. DEG

    The person who gave this part of the talk

    You’re not getting your money back.

  4. DEG

    Current year attendees can receive a discount on next year’s attendance, but the time for that discount is running out. I’m not going to use that as an excuse to rush to make a decision.

    I made the decision before the discount expired. I’m going next year.

  5. The Other Kevin

    Spoiler Alert: My gym looks nothing like that. But I do look forward to your review 🙂

    • DEG

      I look forward to stopping in your gym.

  6. C. Anacreon

    And here I showed up just to hear you talk about me and the others, merely to find out we only merit identification as “H&R refugees”. (sob)

    • DEG

      I figured you guys could out yourselves if you wanted.

    • Evan from Evansville

      Indeedily-doodily, what is up, doc?! Been a long time!

      I also assumed it was to avoid doxxin’ y’all without (known) cause.

  7. The Hyperbole

    “Las Vegas isn’t more expensive now, the dollar is worth less.”

    I’m missing the distinction/difference here.

    • DEG

      I prefer thinking about symptoms of inflation as the dollar is worth less.

      • The Hyperbole

        But it’s worth less everywhere, Vegas is still more expensive, your 40$ breakfast cost me $20 at my local each Sunday and that’s including a Bloody Mary, and I tip well.

      • DEG

        Oh. I see what you’re getting at.

        I’m comparing Vegas prices now to Vegas prices of yesteryear.

        I didn’t pay $40 or so breakfast in Vegas in years past. I paid less.

  8. pistoffnick (370HSSV)

    The sticky toffee pudding was delicious.

    Can confirm.

    I made a reasonable facsimile of it at home for my girlfriend’s birthday this spring. Not all that difficult and very tasty. You can find recipe’s on-line.

    • DEG
  9. Gustave Lytton

    Fuck Robert Poole and his tax increases.

    • DEG

      I used to subscribe to his transport e-mail newsletter. I dropped it. I don’t regret it.

    • creech

      You o.k. for paying for roads through gasoline user fees dedicated solely to road building and maintenance?

      • Gustave Lytton

        Since the gas tax isn’t going away, yes. Better than “fees” on top of the gas taxes and vehicles tracking schemes.

        Step one would be to end the gas tax diversions.

  10. Fourscore

    ” I see nothing in the tea leaves of the upcoming election indicating the Federal government will cut spending.”

    But at least taxes will go up, we can be certain of that.

    • DEG

      Like death

    • dbleagle

      Taxes will rise and so will the hidden taxes named “fees.”

      Out here you must pay for auto registration renewal with a credit card. No cash or checks accepted. So you must use the CC and they tack on a 2.5% “convenience fee” when you pay. MF’ers.

      • Chafed

        I’m shocked there hasn’t been a lawsuit. That seems coercive even for local government.

    • Chafed

      Maybe dial down your intensity.

  11. Derpetologist

    Been doing some online dating tonight. It’s a grind. If I wanted to have sex with something covered in ink, I’d fuck a newspaper.

    Also OnlyFans should be renamed MostlySingleMoms.

    • Evan from Evansville

      I’ve dashed a toe into getting back into the online scene. What are you using? I’m clueless.

      Tinder worked REALLY well back in the day… in Singapore. Actually met some interesting gals that way. But here? I’m in la-la- but-unpleasant- land. It’s JUST like doing job interviews all over again! *RIPS HAIR OUT* Well. Work begins tomorrow morn and that’s the obvious, massive step. I’m quite certain the curtains of opportunity will soon be a-flappin’.

    • Don escaped Texas

      @raylehmann The old joke about Florida Crackers is they started out as Georgia Crackers and their moving increased the average IQ of both states

      so watch out for FloridaWoman

    • Pope Jimbo

      I have a buddy who is a sales guy so pretty smooth talking. Also has never been married and owns his own company (and now has a job). He goes through the single moms on online dating like a hot knife through butter. They all think that he is the perfect candidate to financially support them.

      He has less conscience than a snake though. And even if they ever did trap him, the joke would be on him because he’s a financial wreck.

      When we used to work together, I’d watch him pick fights with girlfriends A, B and C so they’d give him the cold shoulder so he could go on a long weekend with girlfriend D.

    • Chafed

      Unreal if true.

  12. Evan from Evansville

    Fond memories of going to Vegas in ’95 when I was 8. Mom went to Egypt w Grandma and Dad… decided to take us to Vegas. We stayed at The Excalibur, and it was as fabulous as you can possibly imagine. (Possibly just for me, combined with being 8… The Hobbit probably wasn’t my favorite book yet, but I’d like to think I’d seen the shockingly good animated version of it.)

    My parents were remarkably good with money, almost solely spending it to travel. Passed on well. *Cheers to them*

  13. Derpetologist

    From the article I mentioned in the PM links:

    ***
    I’ve used structural equation modeling to predict STEM access for underserved students and to make recommendations to broaden pathways to STEM. As a United Way director of education, I used statistical methods, such as linear regression, to make investment and funding decisions.
    ***

    Ooh, so she figured out how to click a few things in an Excel scatter plot? And she brags about his? Good lord.

    I’m surprised she doesn’t brag about knowing the multiplication tables.

    ***
    During my 2019 run for Congress, my statistical expertise proved invaluable in analyzing trends, guiding campaign messaging and optimizing resource allocation. I felt empowered like never before, having the ability to make more accurate interpretations and informed decisions.
    ***

    ***
    Melodie Baker (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent New York’s 27th Congressional District. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 23, 2020.
    ***

    ***
    And since earning my Ph.D., I’ve used these skills across various professional domains.
    ***

    Lady, there’s nothing shameful about being mediocre. Most people are in most things.

    • Evan from Evansville

      *whispers* i’m completely ignorant when it comes to excel and most Office programs/etc. I could easily learn them methinks, but certainly best if i did so without someone looking over my shoulder /whisper

      I learned Blox fairly swiftly for the Tribune, though it was also considered woefully outdated by everyone who used it. *shrug* I grew up with Windows 3.1, getting in ’95 when most o’ my friends were getting Windows 95. Ah, post dial-up kids are stranded, and I don’t mean that without a good chunk o’ truth. Phone Boy at Eldest Nephew’s track practice was a good demonstration. *kicks pebble* I detest (much of) my generation.

      • pan fried wylie

        i’m completely ignorant when it comes to excel and most Office programs/etc

        You can get a lot more out of Excel than just summing a column with a little perusal. The Help doc isn’t even completely useless, as you’d expect.

  14. pan fried wylie

    Every graduate of elite NYC Jewish high school avoids Columbia for first time in decades

    Columbia University: How do we get them out of every university?

    (((Them))): *starts (((their own))) University, with blackjack, and hookers. Even keeps the classes. Enrollment soars, (((takeover))) of higher Ed. Justification for Federal (((Pogrom))). OMB still the only Hitler. Kamalamaramadingdongoooeeeoooahah secures 2nd term in 2028 on Conquer Israel platform. And Nothing Else Happened. *

    • Chafed

      If my people started a university with blackjack and hookers, I’d go back to college.

  15. pan fried wylie

    Nephilium on August 19, 2024 at 8:27 am

    As a kid who went to a private school where their mom taught (Phys Ed, to make it even worse), it was not a pleasant experience.
    M

    *taunting* “Neph has two mom-mies, Neph has two mom-mies!”

  16. pan fried wylie

    while Chicago’s biggest business winner was this company that boards up other businesses in prep for the dnc riots.

    Two weeks prior: “Yeah, uhh, we can get to you in 6-8 weeks, maybe 12 at the outside, that work for you? Oh, well, i guess you could try to source your own orientedstrandboard, from another state prolly, good luck wit that, DA BEARS *click*”

  17. pan fried wylie

    Unless a pretty serious course correction happens, Minneapolis will soon be Detroit.

    You’re not fooling me, that’s two names for the same place aint it?

    • pistoffnick (370HSSV)

      Unless a pretty serious course correction happens, Minneapolis will soon be Detroit.

      I don’t think that is an exaggeration.

      Fortunately, rural Minnesota still has some common sense. The Iron Range, though largely union, doesn’t much care for communism.

      • pan fried wylie

        Ok, but what can those hicks actually accomplish surrounded and inundated by ten thousand lakes, lethargic from cheese curd overdosage?

        #AmIDoingThatRight?

      • Pope Jimbo

        :Panny

        When you are crashing from the cheese curds, you gotta hit some lutefisk to get the metabolism going.

  18. J. Frank Parnell

    The Reason Foundation supports mileage based fees as a way to replace the gas tax.

    Were they actually pretending that mileage-based fees would replace, instead of being ‘in addition to’, the gas tax?

    • DEG

      I think they were serious.

  19. pan fried wylie

    While some understood “white guy taco” to mean the type comprising flour tortillas (or maybe Ortega crunchy shells)

    Unfried corn tortillas are useless garbage. Wheat is the supreme cereal crop.

    The Appropriated Face of Wheat Supremacy /Shipip

    • pistoffnick (370HSSV)

      Flour tacos>>corn tacos

      • pan fried wylie

        I’m not saying raw corn tortillias taste bad, just that they’re absolutely inferior as a sandwich substrate.

        Yes, a taco is a sandwich.

      • CPRM

        I do not care for the texture of corn tortillas or masa.

    • Ownbestenemy

      I don’t understand why they are even trying to twist this. Dude straight up said, unseasoned ground beef, cheese and lettuce. It was probably a line that one of his Gen Z speech writers gave him cause its so over the top humorless I cannot think of anything else.

      Even in the 80s, without a heavy Mexican influence* yet taken hold in Los Angeles, my mom seasoned it with some form of ‘taco seasoning’ and had a form of pico de gallo.

      *I mean the explosion of taco shops everywhere. There were several fantastic taco stands around town.

  20. pan fried wylie

    “What Jared is doing — he’s not just going for a joyride,” said Garrett Reisman, a former NASA astronaut who serves as a SpaceX consultant and helped lead the development of Crew Dragon. “Jared (wants) do things that SpaceX wasn’t necessarily doing on its own, to increase their capabilities, to get them to move the ball further downfield.”

    “Look, Fat” he continued, “SpaceX doing more in five years than NASA accomplished in the past fifty just isn’t good enough, and that’s why Elon Musk should be extradited to the UK for indefinite detention.”

  21. pan fried wylie

    Putting such a novel mission together in less than three years is incredibly fast by aerospace standards.

    NASA would still be arguing about what colors to use on the organization chart.

    Organizational charts?! How disequitably white supremacist can you get, I just can’t even with that. What’s next, enforcing the use arithmetic to determine flight parameters or design criteria?!

    Yo Dawg, fuck that noise *slams big red ignition button* *blessedly, nothing happens*

  22. pan fried wylie

    Another argument for all the non-ceremonial jobs of FedGov to be distributed across the county. Let the nobility parade themselves and only inconvenience each other.

    “In other news, the Trump and Harris motorcades collided with each other and the Capitol building where both houses of congress were in full attendance this afternoon, death toll currently standing at 638 plus some drivers and protection detail. The nation is truly mourning this cata……BWAHAHAHHAHHA, Im sorry, I couldnt make it through *pops champaign* *Technical Difficulties card and 440hz tone*”

    • Gustave Lytton

      Fuck it, what’s another list?… I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

  23. Chafed

    Thanks for the write up DEG.

    • DEG

      You’re welcome!

    • Grumbletarian

      Good morning, USC and all and sundry glibnoids.

      • UnCivilServant

        I don’t think I’ve been to the Univeristy of South Carolina, I only stopped for a Gyro and Sweet Potato Fries in that state.

      • Pope Jimbo

        :UCS

        Actually, I was think that you should start your own school called UCS. Set up a site that looks just like U of SC and then prey on dyslexic kids who always dreamed of going to the U of SC.

        When they complain laugh at their disability and say “teavac rotpme”

      • UnCivilServant

        I’m too ethical to get in the Education racket.

    • Ted S.

      Kindly don’t call me old.

    • Gender Traitor

      Good morning, Sean, Ted’S., U, and Grumble!

      • Gender Traitor

        Well, thanks! Today should be a fairly quiet day (🤞) – boss will be working from home, Board meeting is over. How about you?

      • UnCivilServant

        I transferred my Lavender 🌱 to the office. It’s been freshly watered and the timer for the grow light set up again.

        Now I just have to hope the coworkers who agreed to water it remember to do so 🤞

      • Gender Traitor

        Can you assign the task to a subordinate so that their completion (or lack thereof) would be reflected in their evaluation?

      • UnCivilServant

        Funny thing is, I spent probably hours fretting over the logistics of getting that one plant pot setup to the office without risking it. Naturally, I was overthinking it.

        In the end I grabbed an old Amazon box with paper filler materials, set the stuff in there and filled in the gaps with the paper so it wouldn’t slide around, then put the box at the bottom of one of those ‘reusable’ grocery bags so I had handles. Like that the plant was sheltered, wouldn’t roll or fall, and I could carry it on my normal walk from the car to the cube.

      • UnCivilServant

        No, I can’t make them take care of my plant, that would be something that would get messy, and potentially get the union involved.

        I simply asked politely if anyone was willing to do so over the group chat, which included people who don’t report to me, so the voluntary assumption of responsibility does not imply abuse of supervisory authority.

      • Gender Traitor

        Darn unions.

      • Ownbestenemy

        A disgruntled union rep will grieve anything. If you’re not compulsorily union, you should task that person who isn’t a dues paying member with ‘as duties assigned’ with the reasoning that the plant is part of your vision to bring greenspaces to the office for a calming appeal and a sense of accomplishment for all members of the team in the attention to detail it takes to nurture the plant; just as it takes that same attention to detail to nurture your team in growing and thriving.

        Just in case anyone wants to know how government likes to talk/write!

      • UnCivilServant

        We’re a closed shop, and the Union has put in place some hefty hoops to jump through to exercise our Janus rights.

        Plus the civil service law governing our employment means out of title work such as an IT drone doing gardening maintenence (duties of a Tree Pruner (real title for all landscaping jobs)) would be out of title work and something to lodge a greivance over.

      • Fourscore

        Two weeks later

        UCS: “Well, I’ve decided to take my lavender plant home, seems like the cat missed it”

        UCS (under his breath) “Jerks, couldn’t even remember a simple thing like watering a plant”

      • UnCivilServant

        I won’t see the plant for a month, since I’ll be on the road… part of that will be spent visiting you.

    • Evan from Evansville

      Mornin’, y’all. Popping off for my first legit day at work as a phlebotomist at Octapharma Plasma. Today and tomorrow should be just ‘watch training vids’ prep’ and then I move up to shadowing. They’ll get a read of me and see how I can be best used.

      This is the official beginning of my work in the medical field. Tremble all, who kneel before me. (Huh.. this is gonna be strange, and in all the best ways.)

      • robodruid

        have fun stabbing people

      • Pope Jimbo

        Is ‘phlembotomist’ fancy words for hawk-tua?

        Did Winston’s Mom put in a good word for ya?

        Just kidding. Hope everything goes great.

        Onboarding is always a fun week. Pointless meetings, lots of new coworkers who already resent you because they’re busy and babysitting you is cutting into their time.

      • Fourscore

        Headlines: “Sadist gets paid enjoying his work!”

      • UnCivilServant

        No, no, no, Jimbo, It’s Plebotomist – someone who extracts poor people.

      • Evan from Evansville

        Awww, I don’t ‘get’ to stab anyone today! As for the painless part.. well. We use a bigger gauge needle to poke ’em. That’s odd, but never worry! Summary I got, w/o us being able to practice on the appropriate size, was “It’s about the same. Just poke faster!”

        So prick the bastards faster! (But smoothly. I didn’t have a problem with this, to my credit.) The ‘backstabbing’ is apparently real, so online employee reviews say. They also all gave off the impression youngin’s (of which, I remain a partial one) not doing enough work and getting called out on it, accusing the employers of much bias (towards folk who actually work, is the gist I got).

        Should indeed be quite fascinating. Lunch packed and 30 min ‘fore departure. Plasma, ho!

      • Pope Jimbo

        Evan’s first trip to HR

        HR: I hate to do this, but we need to talk about your performance.

        Evan: what is wrong.

        HR: You were supposed to prick his finger. And you got it back asswards.

  24. Ownbestenemy

    Terminal 3 at KLAS is the optimal terminal to depart/arrive at. Those are the E Gates. D Gates are good too, but you have to take the tram and if you do so, take the tram to Terminal 3 if at all possible (unless you have luggage and they send it to Terminal 1)

  25. Not Adahn

    Picked up the CZ97B. I’ve only dry-fired it so far but based on that Would Recommend. The only thing I don’t like is the tiny ring hammer which means I’ll need to be particularly mindful when manually lowering it. It is surprisingly skinny – I’ve got a set of thin Bogies from Lok coming in Friday, but I’m thinking palm swell might have been better.

  26. UnCivilServant

    Me: “Why am I tired?”

    Also Me: “How much sleep did you get?”

    Also Also Me: “Oh…”

    • Ownbestenemy

      I got 9 hours of sleep last night which is 2-3 hours more than I normally get.