GlibFit 4.0 – Coronavirus Edition XVI: Fourth of July

by | Jul 5, 2020 | GlibFit, Musings, Society | 440 comments

Yes, I know this is being published on July 5th. Indulge me.  I wrote it on the fourth.

There are two secular holidays that really hit home for me.  The Fourth of July is one of them. Going back to grade school, it struck me as remarkable the world had not seen anything like a functioning democracy in over a millennium and yet here we were, about to give it a go.

Between my religious beliefs and the civics I was taught, it struck me as deeply unfair that not all citizens could participate in the new democracy.  But it was still a huge departure, for the better, from anything else in the world.  Of course, I also had the benefit of hindsight so I knew our democracy improved with time.

It wasn’t until high school that I was taught the deep divisions among colonists.  That this was, in fact, a not entirely popular uprising was a shock to me.  There were colonists that left for England.  There were colonists that were rooting for the Crown.  But the cause was just even if not everyone recognized it.  

Well, perhaps that is overstating it.  The three-fifths compromise struck me as deeply immoral from the moment I learned about it.  Every year at Passover, I thought being freed from slavery in Egypt thousands of years ago, while The Founding Fathers sort of shrugged their shoulders hundreds of years ago. I don’t have any brilliant insight about what should have been done differently.  It seems to me, fallible men were grappling with an impossible situation resulting in a flawed, but perhaps necessary-in-the-moment, outcome.  Slavery truly is our original sin.

But our history didn’t end with our founding.  The franchise has expanded in fits and starts throughout our history.  The application of our natural rights has also expanded.  It often takes too long but we correct our mistakes.  We keep getting better.  The Founding Fathers created a remarkable, enduring system of government.

All of this makes our current situation both infuriating and predictable.  Humankind hasn’t changed. The responses to government crackdowns in the time of the pandemic are just the same as during our founding.  Some people will gladly give up their freedom out of fear; others will always demand their freedom.

I am sure the vast majority of you are drinking all you can this weekend.  Have at it.  I’m not going to scold you for celebrating freedom.  

This week’s music. (Hat tip: KSuellington.)  And one more.

About The Author

Chafed

Chafed

I'm looking California but feeling Minnesota

440 Comments

  1. Crusty Juggler

    “I am sure the vast majority of you are drinking all you can this weekend.”

    I did yesterday and then was woken up early to go into work and do…I can’t believe I am saying this…physical labor, like I am a Poor…in the brutal humidity. And I survived, mostly because of my physical conditioning, mental toughness, and natural God-given gifts.

    Also, work is stupid and I want to go on unemployment.

    • Nephilium

      I don’t think I’m shitlording correctly. I asked the girlfriend to pick up some citrus fruit on her way home from work yesterday. She bought bags of every citrus she could find. Half the oranges were already on the way out (and you can’t do returns now, because COVID), so I took three of them, juiced them, mixed with some simple syrup and some cream, and I’ll be making some sherbert today.

      I asked for citrus for cocktails, and I’m somehow making desserts out of it.

      • Tulip

        Mmm, sherbet

  2. Nephilium

    /raises a pint glass of beer to Chafed

    The trend line has been bending back down this weekend. I’ve done shit for exercise other then walking up to a bar to eat lunch on Friday.

    On the plus side, I’m now looking at planning two 300+ mile bike rides this summer to burn vacation time. Right now, the real decision is do I bike down to Cincinnati, or ride down with the girlfriend and bike back up from Cincinnati? On the psych side, biking home is usually an easier ride, and the first stop on the ride out would just be near my office, which kind of kills any excitement to kick off the big ride.

    • Chafed

      ?

  3. Crusty Juggler

    OT: Underappreciated babes

    Mary Tyler Moore.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        I hear she was like that IRL. *shudder*

      • C. Anacreon

        That movie was filmed at my high school, which is also the site of the book the movie was based on. Unfortunately they filmed after I graduated, but many friends appeared in the film, especially the choir I had been a member of. My kid sister even has a very brief, easy-to-miss line as an extra.

        Weird trivia… when the book was written I was a sophomore in that high school. Timothy Hutton’s character in the movie, as in the book, was on the swim team and a tenor in the choir; I was the only person in the school who also matched both of these. But I never had a brother who died in a boating accident.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        Cool stories (for real).

    • R C Dean

      Concur.

      • Fourscore

        …and lived in Mpls…Oh, only for the show?…

      • Tundra

        *sigh*

        The Minneapolis I loved…

      • egould310

        I loved that show as a kid, and our family watched it every week.

        We want to come out to the Honey Harvest, will Minneapolis be open/operating? My wife keeps a list of places we’ve seen on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and other shows we’ve seen on Food Network/Travel Channel. Alot of our vacations involve “Let’s go to Chicago and eat at Lou Malnati’s.” I’m sure there’s a few spots in mpls we want to try. At this point, though…

      • Tundra

        Honestly, I don’t have a clue.

        I’m sure HH will happen, but who knows what kind of bullshit the government will foist on businesses.

        I’ll definitely keep you in the loop!

  4. Mojeaux

    -2 lb again this week.

    I may try intermittent fasting on low carb.

    • DEG

      Progress is good.

      Yes, I’m reading comments here instead of pouring a shot and reading your story. But I’ll get to your story finally.

      • Mojeaux

        Awww, don’t feel obliged, but I hope you enjoy it! 😀

      • DEG

        I read it. I liked it.

        A couple thoughts I had as I read it:

        – I think the mother might have been a little more isolated or naive than her son thinks. He said at one point, “For reasons I do not ken, you refuse to acknowledge these things, though you have borne the brunt of some”. Actually, I’m probably being too harsh here.
        – Fury and the son definitely love each other.
        – In this bit: “I know the exact spot, too. Five hundred miles inland from the coast, along the Cuyahoga River. A thousand acres of virgin land with two wide, clear streams running through a valley, and hundreds of thousands of wildflowers between them, begging to be plowed.” That sounds like a good plot of land. And I noted the euphemisms.

      • DEG

        HAH! I’m just now reading the comments on that article. I see I’m not the only one that picked up on the euphemisms in the description of the Ohio land.

      • Nephilium

        See I was just guessing it was the Cuyahoga Valley National Park area she was talking about. But it’s not really 500 miles from the coast, and anyone here in Ohio considers Erie a coast.

      • Mojeaux

        I’m glad you liked it! I was hoping to spark a philosophical discussion about duty and opportunity cost and suchlike.

        Yes, Elliott and Fury very much love each other. The question is, can they get together AND STAY together? So many obstacles.

        The mother is very naive and very sheltered. She’s also been very privileged, something Fury later calls her on. Actually, Fury calls her on many things and basically ends up emotionally and intellectually kneeling to Fury because she knows she can’t win. Her privilege is what leads her to believe man can solely direct his own path. She also doesn’t understand what Elliott has become throughout his years at war; he hasn’t been home that much and she still sees in him her beloved little boy, not the man of war he has become.

        Anyway, he and his mother fight the entire time they’re together until he leaves for good.

      • Mojeaux

        Actually, Fury calls her on many things and basically ends up emotionally and intellectually kneeling to Fury because she knows she can’t win.

        The MOTHER ends up falling short of Fury, not Fury to the mom.

      • DEG

        You know, I didn’t notice that mistake until you pointed it out.

      • Fourscore

        Good on you, Mo. I’m holding steady at my preferred weight. Eating garden stuff but not hungry. Limited carbs but still a few at every meal.
        Last fall’s venison is almost gone but that’s OK, too.

  5. Crusty Juggler

    Trump

    Biden

    Kanye

    Jo Jergenson

    Who ya got?

    • LJW

      SMOD

    • Chipping Pioneer

      The sad thing is that Kanye is not the worst in that set. Maybe not second worst, either.

      • Fourscore

        Yeah, he’s looking better ‘n better, compared to the front runners. Certainly can’t be any worse.

    • creech

      I bet Kanye has no idea how tough it will be to get ballot status in any but a handful of states. Maybe ballot access reform should be his new crusade.

    • Spudalicious

      That’s glorious.

      • Suthenboy

        Scroll down.

        Never feed the wildlife.

      • Spudalicious

        I knew I shouldn’t have done that.

    • Chafed

      Better ask Nikole Hannah-Jones.

    • DEG

      Fucking beautiful.

    • Fourscore

      …and made in China…or Mexico…

  6. Gender Traitor

    It often takes too long but we correct our mistakes. We keep getting better. The Founding Fathers created a remarkable, enduring system of government.

    Speaking of which, I’m currently reading The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789, about those Founding Fathers – Washington, Jay, Hamilton, and Madison – who were convinced that the United States would NOT endure under the Articles of Confederation and who thus helped steer the country toward the Constitution. My public school education glossed over the Articles era, so it’s interesting to learn about their drawbacks, especially thinking about them from a libertarian perspective.

    In Glibfit progress, I resisted chocolate temptation for four straight days at the office. Of course, Friday my employer bought us box lunches, and since it came with a cookie, I made mine a triple chocolate with walnuts. (Fewer calories than the chocolate chip!) And Saturday Tom T. bought me a brownie, so what could I do? But…but…FOUR DAYS!!!

    • Nephilium

      There are two cookies left from what I bought yesterday when I got beer. Local place, $5 each cookie, and they’re all over 4 ounces and stuffed. Very nice punk rock girl doing the baking, she was complaining about needing to be on the books of Face to run a business site.

    • Chafed

      The patriarchy is working to undermine you.

    • Suthenboy

      Someone on here alerted me to the fact that carrot cake Oreos exist, may they burn in hell.

      • Ted S.

        The carrot cake Oreos, or the person who told you they exist? 😉

      • Suthenboy

        The person who put me on to them. I curse them.

        I have bought 4 or 5 packs so far and it is the same story each time. I get them home and decide…just two or three cookies. I pour a glass of milk. I open the pack. I put one cookie in my mouth and take a swig of milk. Then I tear into the pack and turn into the Cookie Monster. Then I throw the empty package away and resolve never to buy them again.

        *loosens belt one notch*

      • Gdragon

        All of those specialty Oreo flavours are basically just evil. Thank god that most of them are just a temporary thing.

      • Incentives Matter

        And not available in Canada. I already have enough food temptations to deal with.

      • Don Escaped the Quality Department

        that is excellent

      • Ted S.

        You’re probably going to curse me to Hell for telling you these Oreos exist.

  7. Nephilium

    So to derail CJ, and get back on topic. The girlfriend is slowly realizing how out of shape she is (she hit peak heart rate on a walk for the majority of it, per Fitbit). I’m trying to come up with a good plan for her that will have goals, and stats that can be used. All without being too much of a dick about it (I’ve had issues with that).

    Equipment we have: recumbent stationary bike, Bowflex, bicycles, trainer (that can be hooked up to a bike), and Switch Ring Fit Adventure. My first thought is to build a baseline by doing test to failures (and realizing that falls astray of the dick rule), so any advice or recommendations?

    • Spudalicious

      That’s a risky strategy if she’s already hesitant about working out.

      • Nephilium

        Yeah. That’s why I’m hoping for advice. The spin studio I go to has stats and metrics that are displayed (more or less depending on the class). The girlfriend has been in last place every time, and she gets sad for me if I’m not in the top three. She doesn’t get upset that she’s in last, and I can’t wrap my head around that. That’s why I’m asking for advice. I’m not looking for her to run a marathon or ride a century, but walking a mile shouldn’t be a challenge.

      • Spudalicious

        Set easy goals at first so she feels good about accomplishing something and she’ll stick with it longer.

      • DEG

        Yes.

      • Don Escaped the Quality Department

        yes

        this is good for most things: small steps, small wins, small changes, small pains

        I’ve said it before here: just lose a pound a year for the rest of your life; anything more is a happy accident

      • Suthenboy

        Strategies I have used in the past: Take her camping (gathering wood, hiking, swimming)
        Buy her a bicycle and go on rides together. Go for long walks or hikes to somewhere fun…restaurant, pool or park.

        Getting exercise doesnt have to be self-flagellation.

      • Nephilium

        She actually has a better bike then me (she won it a couple years back). She dislikes camping, hiking, and swimming. I tried using destinations to get her to ride bikes with me, but she considers a 10 mile ride long, and completely fears riding on streets.

      • Gustave Lytton

        How about close by? Like a mile or two away? Heck, a 1/2 mile ride down to the store/shop instead of getting in a car. It doesn’t have to be much if it’s more frequent.

      • Nephilium

        The frequency for that will be the issue. She expects immediate results from any exercise, and has said she doesn’t want to lift weights because she’s worried she’ll get too bulky. Me trying to explain that no one gets that way by accident doesn’t help.

        The problem is also finding a place that would be worth going to .5 miles from here that aren’t their own problem (walking up to get frozen custard is not a good long term fitness goal, but it is delicious).

      • Mojeaux

        How about custard samples? Do they have the teeny spoons?

        Go walk to the custard place. Get a teeny-spoon sample, walk home.

      • Gustave Lytton

        ^^^ this

        Be more active, whatever it is. Cut down sedentary time.

        If she’s hitting peak HR on a walk, slow it down and walk a little bit further. It doesn’t have to be a race.

      • Nephilium

        This was a 1.4 mile walk. She was at peak heart rate for 80% of it. I didn’t even hit cardio heart rate per my Fitbit. There’s already been arguments about walking speed, since she’s a foot shorter then me.

        On the plus side, it sounds as if she may be willing to try an exercise routine. The Peak HR on the walk may have been the tipping point.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Try to slow it down even if you’re no where near your own peak, at least in the short term. My wife walks slower than me, and I don’t walk that fast either, and it’s annoying in stores or airports but I just have to pace myself to her.

        Exercise separately (which it sounds like you already do) and use the together time for her conditioning.

      • egould310

        @ Gustave Very good advice.

      • Homple

        Maybe start with fun walks and increasingly challenging hikes with small picnic lunches. Why spook her out with all that technology and statistical hogwash? She’s your girlfriend, not a racehorse or running back.

      • Don Escaped the Quality Department

        My pony can handle non-homogeneous differential equations.

        But my running back can’t balance a checkbook 🙁

    • Chafed

      I had something similar happen with daughter 1. This is sensitive territory.

      You have to meet her where she is and figure out her motivation. What does she want to get out of exercising? What activities does she like or dislike? Does she perceive your presence as helpful or intimidating?

      • Nephilium

        The motivation is her wanting to get into shape again. BUT she expects quick and easy results. So when there’s no gains in a couple days, she gets discouraged and gives up. She’s not a fan of any outdoor activity, and I’m probably more on the intimidating then helpful side (my family has me as a cyclist, my sister who runs marathons, and my BIL who does triathlons). I had gotten her riding a bike for a bit, but she tried to drift up a curb and hit the ground. She’s ridden less then 20 miles since then (and that was a couple years back).

      • DEG

        BUT she expects quick and easy results.

        She is going to have to get over that.

      • Gender Traitor

        ^This. Chicks gotta play a long game. I honestly believe there are biological factors that make it harder for women to lose weight than it is for men to lose weight. It probably has something to do with babies. (Never had one, never will.) I’m having a much harder time dropping the relatively small amount of weight I want to lose than I did less than a year-and-a-half ago. For all I know, losing about twenty pounds, then gaining it most of it back may have put my body in “self-preservation” mode.

        I’m trying to do what I can – with an emphasis on what I enjoy doing – and trying to become more conscious of what factors hold me back from making quicker progress AND what helps. For instance, being busy at work helps keep me from snacking out of sheer boredom.

        One idea I just pulled out of my butt: Let her pick out some nice article of clothing and buy it one size too small, then keep it out and visible where she exercises (assuming she works out some at home.)

      • Mojeaux

        Menopause is hell for weight loss.

      • Nephilium

        GT: I love the concept of aspirational clothing (and I have several). She’s been sticking with a restricted hour diet for a couple weeks (which is longer then she’s stuck with most other things), and has started seeing results, which has made her want to stick with it. I’ve tried asking her what she enjoys for exercise, and the answer is usually yoga (or nothing).

      • DEG

        Yoga is good for strengthening and flexibility. Strengthening means more muscle, which means higher metabolism.

      • Gender Traitor

        There are many versions of yoga. I once took a yoga class that included stuff designed to increase “core strength” and it just about kicked my butt. (I forget what they called the class.) I just checked our local Y schedule, and they have a couple of classes that combine yoga and Pilates – one called “PiYo” and the other called “Yogalates.” Don’t know what the difference it, but it would certainly be more intense than standard Hatha yoga.

        (“Yoga with Wine” sessions are The Best Thing Ever, but might kinda defeat the purpose.)

      • Nephilium

        I have my own biases, one of which is based on the fact I’m hyper mobile (double jointed in the before times). I’ve been having my own issue trying to find good stretches that actually have me stretch.

      • Gender Traitor

        (“…what the difference it is…”)

      • Count Potato

        “I once took a yoga class that included stuff designed to increase “core strength” and it just about kicked my butt. (I forget what they called the class.) ”

        That sounds like the Sthira Bhaga of Ashtanga.

        Anyway, there are a bunch of vinyasas. You could just have her do sun salutations.

      • Chafed

        That’s a tough one. My suggestion is getting her to keep track on a weekly basis. When she loses a pound or two each week, it’s a celebration. That may keep her in it for the short term. After three or four weeks of victories, she may, on her own, realize how she gets to her long term goal.

        I suspect as she has some victories, she may become more willing to try different activities. That doesn’t mean she will like what she tries. But each time something is not objectionable it can be added.

      • Nephilium

        Yeah.. I’m really trying to ratchet back my asshole and competitive traits for this.

        I’ve gotten her on board with realizing weighing in every day is a good thing (as long as you look at the trends, and not the daily weights). That took a while.

    • Crusty Juggler

      “So to derail CJ”

      🙁

      • Spudalicious

        Don’t look sad, bunky. He said he was a dick.

      • Nephilium

        Man, it’s like you didn’t even read the rest of the post.

        /looks to see what can be made from the leftover mixers from last night

    • Mojeaux

      When you go out, park farthest from the door and walk. For instance, if you went on a pub crawl, park at one end of the route and walk.

      Not walk. Stroll. Just…stroll. Make it about ANYTHING but walking. Have a destination.

      My current goal is to be able to walk to the grocery store and back. I’m nowhere near that, but I’m not just walking around the block, which I cannot ABIDE.

      Have a destination. Make it okay to stroll. Park at the back of the lot.

      • Nephilium

        She’s finally come around to my side about parking near the exit, not the entrance. The needing of a destination is why I hate the stationary bike so much. Getting on a bike and being able to bike somewhere trumps going upstairs, sitting down, and peddling for 30 minutes. Hell, the reason I’ve stuck with the spin classes is to keep them open for winter, and because they give me stats (last week I hit a new max power of 927 watts).

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        The only way I could tolerate a spin class is to be somewhat back in shape and not feel like a complete loser for staring.

      • Nephilium

        I signed up for the spin classes because the first one was free, and it let me keep up my cycling conditioning through the winter. I was planning on suspending my account when I could ride outside, but then the COVID happened. I’m generally the oldest one in the classes, one of the only guys, and I’ve realized I’ve aged into “safe old guy” territory. The place I go has RPM, Power, and their own point system. The point system is based on age, gender, weight, and some secret formula. I got first place when they first opened up again, and was shocked as hell. Previously, I may have had a higher RPM and Average power, but the formula always had me lower.

      • Suthenboy

        “I’ve aged into “safe old guy” territory”

        It’s called ‘wising up’.

        Me – “Look out! Dont do that or it will be a disaster”
        Step son – *looks at situation, light comes on* “I didnt see that. Hey, how do you always know what is going to happen?”
        Me – *rugs scars* “How do you think I know?”

      • Suthenboy

        Rubs, not rugs

      • Nephilium

        I was referring more to that I’m now allowed to be the cute old guy in the fitness club. Me chatting up the girl in her 20’s is somehow not leching any more, just because I’ve got grey in the beard and no hair.

      • Gustave Lytton

        If you don’t have rug scars, you’re not doing it right.

      • Count Potato

        Now you you can power your own stereo.

    • Crusty Juggler

      “so any advice or recommendations?”

      Call her Fatty Fat Tits and oink everytime she walks by you.

      Have her research gout?

      This is disgusting…but…trying to plan active couples activities. I just vomited in my mouth.

      Don’t mention her fitness level at all, concentrate on getting really fit to make yourself feel better, repeatedly embarrass her with your sexual stamina, and then hope she gets the picture.

      • Nephilium

        So, what’s the opposite of subscribing to your newsletter? 🙂

      • Gender Traitor

        [Mute]

      • Nephilium

        Never will I mute anyone. I even made it a point to read the -1 posts back when I was still regularly reading /..

      • Crusty Juggler

        This is what you get for asking.

      • Mojeaux

        *snortlaugh*

      • Suthenboy

        You don’t subscribe to Crusty’s newsletter. It subscribes to you.

      • Tres Cool

        The “Switch Ring Fit Adventure” has to be something in Creosote Achiles’s arsenal.

      • Nephilium

        It’s a gaming thing. Nintendo Switch console, they released a fitness RPG called Ring Fit Adventure. For me, it had enough gamification to keep me going forward in it.

    • Incentives Matter

      You left out one very important piece of equipment: a dog that needs to be walked.

      (I’m only half-joking.)

      • Nephilium

        I’ve never had a pet in my life. The girlfriend’s mom had an ankle biter (who outlived the mom). I’d be on board with a big ole Irish Wolfhound or the like. The girlfriend doesn’t like the idea of a dog being larger then her.

    • Jarflax

      You cannot motivate anyone except yourself. Difficult changes in your life, whether it is weight loss, quitting an addiction, or dealing with a mental illness can only come from within. This is why court ordered programs virtually never prodice lasting results. My suggestion is to offer non judgmental support when you are asked and otherwise keep silent because the odds are very long that any particular attempt at something will fail (most people fail overall, and those who succeed usually take several tries) and if you push you will be the face of the failure and inherit the resentment.

  8. Crusty Juggler

    Upstate woman charged with tossing Molotov cocktail at NYPD car falsely claimed she got explosive from Black man, new court papers show

    Blame the Nergo!

    Amerman, in interviews with law enforcement on Thursday and Friday, acknowledged his fondness for Bulleit bourbon — a small-batch Kentucky whiskey.

    Authorities had previously received “a glass Bulleit bourbon whiskey bottle that (a) witness saw Samantha Shader use as a vessel for the Molotov cocktail that she threw at the NYPD vehicle,” the complaint charged. “Amerman told a law enforcement officer that Bulleit bourbon is his bourbon of choice.”

    My God done in by the drink.

    • Suthenboy

      It’s always a black guy….average height, average build…30-45 years old….

      I am glad the people we are up against are morans.

    • R C Dean

      “Amerman, 29, of Saugerties, N.Y., admitted in a Facebook post that he “kitted up” Shader with glass bottles, paint and a hammer to throw at Brooklyn cops and counter-protesters, the complaint said.“

      Not mentioned that I noticed: Amerman’s skin color. Default assumption: when a criminal’s skin color is omitted, they are not pale.

  9. Adama, Yusef Adama

    Up at 430, played a tournament at 7, took Bella to the beach and drank a 12 pack, that’s Glibfit!

    • Adama, Yusef Adama

      or, nobody noticed……………

  10. Sean

    Glibfit food:

    We just tried some of the Rebel keto ice cream.

    https://rebelcreamery.com/products/mint-chip

    The store only had a couple flavors, and we got this one. Decent. Good flavor, but the texture could be creamier.

    We will definitely try more flavors.

    • Tres Cool

      Ive really, really, been craving Big Boy onion rings and a proper Super Big Boy sammich. Today @ our local franchise (Frisch’s) I pussed out and got just the burger, and once I was home stripped it down to just the meat. Ive been doing this diet for nearly 2 years, no sense in blowing it now.

      Gonna drink a bunch of (3.5g-carb/can) beers tho!

      • Sean

        We’re rapidly approaching 5 years. #ketolife

      • C. Anacreon

        I’m glad to hear you liked it, I’ve been working through all the flavors and some are definitely better than others, but they are mostly all good, especially considering the very low carbs.

        Did you follow the recommendations and let the carton sit out 15 minutes before eating it? It’s much creamier that way. But I agree that overall it could be creamier, and some have a touch of aftertaste.

      • Sean

        I did let it sit out first.

      • C. Anacreon

        A couple times I couldn’t wait and tried to eat some straight out of the freezer. Practically needed an ice pick. However, that was still better than when I give it time to soften, only to get berated multiple times by my wife, saying “honey, did you know you left a carton of ice cream sitting on the counter?”

  11. KSuellington

    Cheers Chafed and the rest of the Glibs on this Independence Day weekend. I’m not sure if the hat tip was for an idea or Jimi (I am a huge Hendrix fan). This one wasn’t easy to celebrate, I was really not feeling it. But then I had the riff raff of the neighborhood over here in my garage and out front last night. This neighborhood always goes off on the 4th as there are a couple growers around that throw down some serious cash to set off a show. Always good to see a bit of healthy disobedience, especially after these months of way too much submission to authoritah.

    Glibfit will have to wait until tomorrow and a clear head!

    • Chafed

      I saw your link to Hendrix’s Freedom the other day.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      I’d get dirty for thirty.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        40 frightens me

      • Chafed

        The look in her eyes says bunny boiler.

    • prolefeed

      #7

    • Count Potato

      It’s asking me for a captcha again.

    • DEG

      #1. Wow.

      #29 is a RealDoll.

      #39 is Curriejune Anne Bowlby.

      #40 looks like she wants to kill people.

      I like #46’s shirt.

      With a couple of exceptions, the selection is excellent.

      • Crusty Juggler

        “#39 is Curriejune Anne Bowlby.”

        Ew

      • DEG

        Sad.

  12. Scruffy Nerfherder

    Rode 24 miles yesterday. Getting my bike legs back fairly quickly.

    Trying to get up to two thirty mile rides a week by the end of the month.

    I’m finding that my back is the problem as the fifty year old spine is not as tolerant as it used to be.

    • KSuellington

      If you are on a road bike you may want to switch to a more upright handlebar setup. I love riding my wife’s hybrid because of the super comfortable flat handlebar that’s more like something on a mountain bike. You lose a bit of speed tho.

      • Nephilium

        Depends on how you’re sitting and the tires. There’s been some interesting (to me at least) studies showing that the thinner tires don’t increase speed over long enough rides as the potential of a flat tire increases.

      • Nephilium

        I’ve got a hybrid touring bike on the list for next spring. I’ve currently got a Giant OCR3 road bike, and a Specialized hybrid.

  13. IRBE

    Hi Chafed, Thanks for the edition. Great music selection but I am more of a fan of Richie Haven’s version of Freedom. 3 hrs at Woodstock.

    Good week of hiking. 42 miles. Drank too much beer because it is kind of warm/hot…got to stay hydrate and bloated. Met up with an Ultra marathoner, doing a virtual run. 76 year old. Pretty impressive, says he runs 60+miles per week.

    Had an interesting experience at the Costco this week. Was at the frozen food section and struck up a conversation with a fellow shopper about langostinos. What was weird is that I am the most unapproachable person without a facemask and with a mask there is no good reason to give me the time of day. It was a fantastic conversation, witty and fun; completely at the engagement of the other person to have it continue. What was most interesting to me other than the what was discussed was the person was what she would describe as African American. It got me thinking that she was probably lonely and that any conversation, even at Costco, was worth the engagement. I wondered if this person because of BLM/social/media and their nonsense has ended up being ostracized from the community (east Oakland, no less; very diverse), since there is the perception that any non-black response or non-response can be misinterpreted to just about anything. She is just an average person with no celebrity and no hustle; who people are scared to engage because they really don’t know what to say or can be said. There are no canned responses like at a funeral..sorry for your loss; ….How about that BLM…took down that Target like a pro. No one sets up the bricks like those guys. I was at CHOP…I met my wife and we had our baby there!

    What kind of damage has occurred to this person and others. She will receive no benefit from the BLMgeddon and probably, will be negatively affected in the short and long term of this divide and conquer…There is nothing she can do about it but be collateral and talk about frozen crustaceans.

    • Nephilium

      Damn. Started all happy and shite, and made me sad at the end.

      If it makes you feel better at all, back in the 90’s, I was working at McDonald’s with a black girl. She was Jamaican, not African-American, and would vociferously bitch out anyone who called her African American.

  14. DEG

    ​I am sure the vast majority of you are drinking all you can this weekend. Have at it. I’m not going to scold you for celebrating freedom.

    I actually didn’t drink all that much this weekend. On the other hand, I stuffed my face with food and sweets.

    I attended the Reopen NH rally yesterday. It was good. I made a chocolate rum cake for the potluck portion of the event. It was well received.

    I indulged in some sweets earlier this week. I suspect that is why I only lost a half pound over the course of the week (277.5 to 277). Given how I stuffed my face this weekend, I expect to be flat or only slightly lighter next Friday.

    My physical therapist OK-d me trying more stuff out at the gym. I’m working with a different trainer there. He evaluated me and noticed a few things like my knees tending to cave in while squatting or doing RDLs. I thought I had beaten that as I remember doing it years ago, but he saw that I did it again. He has ideas about how to fix it which my physical therapist likes.

    I must have done something stupid yesterday at the rally. Either I wasn’t paying attention to how I lifted things as I helped set up, or I was slouching during the rally. I had more than usual morning pain. It has been fading pretty quickly.

    I was in Kittery, ME earlier today with some friends at the Kittery Trading Post to look at their gun selection. I eyed up but did not handle (these euphemisms) a Ruger 57, but not being a Maine resident I’d have to have it sent to a local FFL in New Hampshire. I’d rather just have my local FFL order it if he doesn’t have one in stock.

    Time to enjoy the Jimi Hendrix songs and maybe have a shot of something. Speaking of euphemisms, I am finally going to read Mojeaux’s story posted earlier this week.

    • DEG

      One thing I should add about the trip to Kittery Trading Post: Gauleiterin Mills has plans to update her mask mandate to mandate masks in stores in certain counties and certain cities outside of those counties. The update has not yet, as far as I know, been released. KTP is in one of those counties.

      There was a sign at the door saying employees are required to wear masks, but customers are only recommended to wear masks. The store has masks available.

      My friends wore masks inside the store. I did not. I’d say I was one of about 5% of people not wearing any type of face covering.

    • Sean

      I stopped by a local gun store yesterday, just for kicks. They had mostly bare shelves and wildly high prices on bulk ammo.

      • Chafed

        Same here. I know what Sig Sauer I want to buy. It’s been out of stock for nearly 4 months.

      • Sean

        Oooh, which one?

        /Sig fanboy

      • Chafed

        P226. It has to be CA compliant so either MK-25 or Extreme version.

  15. Derpetologist

    I bought 2 6 packs yesterday, but only drank 7 beers. That’s not a big win, but it is a win. Oh well, I’ll try harder this week.

    In other news, Sanders also gave a speech at Mt Rushmore. But this was in 2016.

    https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-mount-rushmore-monument-two-slave-owners

    ***
    A CNN reporter on Friday described Mount Rushmore “a monument of two slaveowners” situated on stolen land ahead of President Trump’s visit to the national monument.

    Grabien founder and editor Tom Elliot tweeted a clip of the report by correspondent Leyla Santiago in which she discussed Trump’s planned remarks.

    “President Trump will be at Mount Rushmore, where he’ll be standing in front of a monument of two slave owners and on land wrestled away from Native Americans,” she said. “I’m told that, uh, he’ll be focusing on the effort to ‘tear down our country’s history.'”

    In 2016, however, a CNN reporter described Mount Rushmore as a “monument to four great American presidents” while narrating a story about a visit to the monument by then-presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,

    “This is our country at it’s very best,” Sanders said at the time. “What an incredible achievement.”

    The unidentified reporter’s voice can be heard talking about the “majesty of the moment.”

    “Just the accomplishment and the beauty, it really does make one very proud to be an American,” Sanders added.

    ***

    • Nephilium

      So my buying two growlers yesterday was better, right? Since 128 ounces is less then 144 ounces.

      /currently on a double tall gin and tonic

      • Derpetologist

        Yeah. My problem is I have fitness standards to meet for my job, and I have been slacking for a while now. Oh well, at least my weight and waistline have stabilized despite my gluttony.

        My new plan is everyday I will do my full body dumbbell and weight vest routine to failure in the AM and a 3 mile run at night. I did that twice last week.

      • Nephilium

        My work is all from home, no cameras. I’ve at least started seeing the trendline for my weight curving back down. But, I’m getting into a really unhealthy headspace with the lockdowns and work. I’m trying to find a good way out of it.

      • Sean

        Buy a bulldozer and learn to weld?

      • Nephilium

        I’m sure the guy across the street from me with a contracting company would be willing to teach me. For a couple hours, and then I could learn what a hammer to the head feels like.

  16. Walford

    Nice musings and thought provoking article.

    OT: I had a fun evening shooting off fireworks with my 90% blind nephew. It was assuming when his lighter was 2″ from the wick and I would have to guide him in.

    • Sean

      Totally American southern rednecks:

      “Gennadiy Kachankov, Antoliy Kachankov, Andrey Zaytsev, Oleg Saranchuk, Ruslan Tkachenko and Yuriy Kachankov,”

      • The Other Kevin

        Those sound like white names.

      • grrizzly

        After four years of blaming Russians for everything, they found actual Russians. But now only skin color matters.

    • The Other Kevin

      One of the charges was “riot” lol

    • Suthenboy

      That story sounds… suspect …..in more than one way.

    • Rhywun

      The incident occurred against the backdrop of continued nationwide protests blah blah blah

      Really sick and tired of this pablum.

  17. KSuellington

    And speaking of Jimi, here is a song everyone knows but probably few have heard this cover version of it. I have this on a great Curtis Knight\ Hendrix LP that I believe is out of print now.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uOR03EBP2XU

    • DEG

      Excellent.

  18. Tundra

    Hi Chafed!

    Jimi is always a good choice.

    Good thoughts. I’m not ready to write off the experiment yet, either. I was just chatting with a dude about my age about the insanity. “We’ve seen some shit. We’ll see more. We’ll figure it out.”

    I like that.

    No boozing for me. Day 55 has found me another few pounds lighter (166.4). Great week at the gym, too. The old rhythms are coming back. I’m digging being this light. I feel great and none of my clothes fit.

    Now I’m trying to decide what to do as my challenge comes to a close. The modified keto really works well for me, so I think I’ll continue. I’m going to experiment with protein and carbs to see at what point I get bumped out and just try to best support muscle growth. And sleep. I need to work on sleep.

    Thanks as always for this, man. I hope you and all the peeps have a swole week.

    • hayeksplosives

      Sounds like you’re doing well! Good for you 🙂

      That fitness watch that takes BP, SpO2, etc is a $45 V19.

      Happy Independence Day!

      • Tundra

        Thanks!

        That would be a cool feature. I use my machine every morning, but I have wondered how it varies during the day.

        I used to mock the health monitoring devices, but I dig mine a lot.

        I hope you had a happy Independence Day, too!

    • Chafed

      Great work Tundra. I’ve also shrunk out of some clothing. I’m a little nervous to replace anything because I keep thinking at some point I’ll slip and the weight will return.

      • Tundra

        You too!

        I say burn the ships, though. I don’t want to go back and do this again. Do you?

        I bought some clothes awhile back, hadn’t even worn them. Gave them to my brother.

        A song:

        https://youtu.be/7XEDlzz0kmU

    • Tundra

      “Go get the backhoe.”

      LOL!

    • Chafed

      “I can’t emphasize enough how dangerous and unnecessary this is. It’s also a whole lot of fun.” He’s a wise man.

    • Nephilium

      /looks up my goal weight restaurant

      /sees they’re still closed

      /gets another beer

  19. Gender Traitor

    ***SIGH!!!*** ::bellows:: NEXT!

    • Sean

      Defund China!

      • hayeksplosives

        That is hilarious.

        If it were shown today, would wokesters understand it’s about govt control and socialism, or would they somehow conclude the commercial is about big business and capitalism keeping the little guy down?

      • Gdragon

        I remember that! One of those things I would never have thought of if I hadn’t seen it again, thank you for that.

      • whahappan

        Very nice.

  20. hayeksplosives

    I don’t care for the musical format, but the movie/musical “1776” was good.

    A quick intro to the driving personalities and issues the Founders dealt with. It was my first exposure to the idea that not all colonists, even their elected representatives, wanted to rebel, and to the idea that the Declaration almost didn’t happen at all due to disagreement on slavery.

    The very annoying (but charming) John Adams had to be persuaded by fellow abolitionist Ben Franklin to sign now as united colonies, then sort slavery later.

    It’s a worthwhile diversion.

  21. hayeksplosives

    I am a hypocrite I suppose. I hate the masks and think that at best they are theater and at worst they are a test of the pliablity of us sheep.

    Yet I wear a mask every day to work because the employer requires it. So I wear the mask to keep my job. I have to be honest with myself: what are my limits? At what point do I help dump tea in the harbor?

    • Nephilium

      I’ve spent the past couple months trying to decide where my limits are. I don’t like what I’m learning about my coworkers or myself.

    • creech

      I’m finding that wearing a mask is just a minor inconvenience. I’m not going to die on this hill; rather don’t let some asshole in Harrisburg rob me of the few joys in life just because I’m too stubborn to engage in the role play. Your mileage may vary.

      • mrfamous

        We’re in a situation at this point where there’s huge value in simply saying “no” regardless of how big a deal it is. If we don’t start telling them no when they start issuing unconstitutional “executive orders,” they’re not gonna stop anytime soon.

    • DEG

      At this point, I only put on a face covering (bandana, useless except for quieting fears in the sheep) if I go into a place which is under a government’s thumb, like businesses in Nashua. Otherwise, I will take my business elsewhere.

      Even the times I will put on a face covering, it doesn’t cover my nose and sometimes doesn’t even cover my mouth. Fuck ’em.

      If The Clown Prince imposes a statewide mask mandate on New Hampshire, my plague doctor mask will come out.

      • Nephilium

        I’m looking at plague masks again (and I’m half tempted to go full SHARP masks) since CLE has mandated masks.

      • DEG

        I got mine from here. Someone here, I think kinnath, said this is a friend.

      • Nephilium

        Amazon has plague masks for $20. I’m looking to read the law to see how offensive I can be.

      • Rhywun

        Hm, I have a friend who does leather work – corsets, kink, etc.

        I’ll have to look up if he has a plague mask.

    • Derpetologist

      Fear really is the mind killer. No one would put up with body scanners and taking their shoes off at the airport if not for people being scared because of a massive terrorist attack.

      And now that people have been scared out of their wits by kung flu, we have had months of these absurd open-ended mandates.

      It’s interesting that food irradiation is not widespread even though it would prevent almost every case of food poisoning, which kills thousands of Americans every year.

      I carry a mask and carry it if asked or if I see a sign on the door. Enough of this nonsense. The virus was never that dangerous to being with.

      • Nephilium

        I don’t wear or carry a mask, but I respect stores that require masks to go in. I go elsewhere.

        Now it’s looking like I’ll be required to wear a mask. I am totally looking for the most offensive mask I can find.

      • Derpetologist

        oopsy – replace that second carry with wear.

        Derpy’s fingers: don’t blame us; we just go where the boss says

      • hayeksplosives

        I have a few nifty leather masks that don’t cover the mouth.

        I’m thinking of trying one at a “face mask required” zone.

    • TARDIS

      At what point do I help dump tea in the harbor?

      1. When they tell me to bend the knee, or else.
      2. When someone gets in my face for not repeating the words of goodthink.

    • westernsloper

      I have to wear one at work unless I am outside. (which is much of the time) Well, supposed to. I don’t if I am not around any other people. I am also looking for another job. Not so much because of the mask restrictions but they are part of it in a round about way.

  22. Fourscore

    Enjoyed your historical article, Chafed. My high school history days preceded yours but I was amazed as to how astute you were compared to me at the same age.

    I read the days’ lessons, took the tests, never questioned what I was reading or being told. There was never any discussions or challenging, not because we couldn’t but rather we didn’t know enough. We took every thing at face value. We just sat, waiting for 12 years to pass us by and we could claim to be high school graduates and our parents could be proud of us.

    It’s only been since I drifted into libertarianism and realized how little I really knew. I always liked Washington and Lincoln ’cause we got both birthdays off in Feb (from school). I just started a bio of Andrew Jackson, a 2005 edition by H.W. Brands. Looks like I’m going to learn more. Finished a Patrick Henry bio that would be current today with name changes and we’d hardly recognize any differences.

    Thanks to you and all the Glibs for making every day a 4th of July for me.

  23. C. Anacreon

    Interesting question I received from an email friend which I think well displays how many people are viewing things these days, emphasis mine:

    wonder how you see the mental illness from stress in both medical and racial strife especially in your area, can we get through this until we get change in leadership? </strong

    • Nephilium

      C. Anacreon, feel free to tell your friend my response is: “Fuck you you fucking fuck who can’t fuck so fuck you you fucking fuck”. With all due respect

    • Rufus the Monocled

      Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Rhywun

      You know you want to vote Biden to make it all go away.

      • kbolino

        Anyone who thinks a vote for Biden is a vote for normalcy is deluded. Though Biden himself is no longer living in reality, so maybe it’s oddly fitting.

    • Don Escaped the Quality Department

      It must be acknowledged that a big part of change elections is exhaustion or at least an urge for the do-something-this-is-something. When the hordes just-does-something and the correct person is elected, it’s okay of course.

      One wonders what fraction of Changy McChangefaces contributed to the elections of Mssrs Eisenhauer, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Obama, et Trump.

    • Chafed

      Yes because Obama did a marvelous job in that arena.

    • Gustave Lytton

      I assume your correspondent is in California also and is referring to Newsome.

      /not really assuming that

  24. TARDIS

    Good evening, health conscious glibbies. Just finished a smoked smoked brisket cheesesteak sammich. Time for some healthy NA beer.

    • Ted S.

      Did you mean to post it twice, or were drugs falling out of your ass?

      • cyto

        It just fit for LOLS above. This was for the “this is what they actually believe” moment.

    • mrfamous

      From Taibbi’s review of the book mentioned: “DiAngelo writes like a person who was put in timeout as a child for speaking clearly.”

      • Chafed

        I read that. Taibbi is a bit of a puzzle to me. I disagree on most things economic with him. On social issues he is more often right than wrong. He is un flinching and unsparing critiquing his own tribe. He has earned my respect.

  25. Adama, Yusef Adama

    Greetings!
    Just woke up from a safety nap, things are clear now, except for my vision and beer intake, they remain constant……….
    /Carry on….

    • Nephilium

      I never could nap, but my rage is reaching unhealthy limits.

      • cyto

        That is what depressants are for. Start with valium and work your way up. If you reach fentanyl, you went too far.

      • Nephilium

        Alcohol is a depressant, is that not enough, or should I drink more?

      • Adama, Yusef Adama

        I started at 7 am, 8 beers and a 2 hour nap, let’s party,
        Churchill style nappy time….

  26. DEG

    Bloke on the Range on Lee-Enfield target rifles. He covers the L39A1, Envoy, and No. 4 converted.

    I took a look at my L39A1. I have a different front sight block, but I still think mine is legitimate. Mine has a No. 8 buttstock and his has a No. 4 buttstock, but as he points out and my research supports, often people changed the butt. Mine also has a 7.62 NATO magazine, but, again, those could be switched out.

    • BakedPenguin

      …often people changed the butt

      Way to get your comment on topic…

  27. Derpetologist

    today I learned

    ***
    Juragua Nuclear Power Plant was a nuclear power plant under construction in Cuba when a suspension of construction was announced in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the termination of Soviet economic aid to Cuba. Russia and Cuba sought third-country financing to complete the plant in the mid 1990s but in 2000 the two countries agreed to abandon the project.[1]
    ****

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juragua_Nuclear_Power_Plant

    • cyto

      There are several of those around the United States as well. One near my grandparents home are Nashville was nearly complete back in the 80s when we abandoned nuclear power here in the US. At least it kept the local concrete suppliers fat with cash for a decade or two.

  28. Rufus the Monocled

    “There were colonists that were rooting for the Crown”

    Aka Canadians.

    The Loyalists were Americans who stayed loyal to the Crown.

    The origin of the flapping mouth is a mystery though.

      • BakedPenguin

        ….and they became known as the Trailer Park Boys.

        And now you know the rest of the story.

      • Chafed

        When do we get another SNP?

      • Ted S.

        Either WIR or RSN.

        (WIR: When It’s Ready. RSN: Real Soon Now.)

      • BakedPenguin

        Both of those! {insert smiley face emoji]

      • BakedPenguin

        Seriously, though, there’s something coming up relatively soon.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Not so S these days.

        Trumpitler!

  29. The Late P Brooks

    can we get through this until we get change in leadership?

    Seriously. When will the Democrats finally find some people who can get their heads around the fact that Trump won the election?

    • hayeksplosives

      It’s the only way they can process that Herself didn’t win.

      They are in such a bubble—having cut off contact with moderate, libertarian, and conservative friends—that they can’t believe roughly half of the nation didn’t support Herself.

    • Chafed

      Around 2060.

    • Nephilium

      I was hoping for better. I now provide the song that’s been on repeat in my house the past couple of days. Today, because of Mojeaux I learned the lead singer was accused of being a libertarian, which makes me like the band even more. She also wrote a song for some unknown called Ron Paul back in the day.

      • Gdragon

        I love that song! That link is not sweet at all 😉

      • Nephilium

        /goes SHARP and kicks Gdragon

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7Ol-YDS4Jc

        /shaves his head again

        The singer was accused of being a libertarian and supporting Ron Paul.

        here’s a point where I’m sad that this is considered a good thing.

      • The Hyperbole

        Saw them a few years back opening for DKM’s only problem with ska punk Irishy music is that after three or four songs you might as well go home because they all start to sound the same.

      • cyto

        “Accused of being libertarian”

        How dare he support individual rights and freedom!!

      • Gdragon

        The Interrupters actually pop up as a suggestion for me quite a lot and I never click. I will now though, so thanks Neph!

      • Gdragon

        Also, someone mentioned the idea of an “anthem” the other day and I thought of this classic .

      • Gdragon

        And it is now on loop for me too, so thanks again Nephilium! I’m gonna look through more of their catalogue later.

  30. Crusty Juggler

    Party Guests Wouldn’t Talk After 9 Tested Positive. Then Subpoenas Came.

    On June 17, a crowd of up to 100 people, most of them in their early 20s, attended a party at a home in Rockland County, N.Y., just north of New York City.

    The event violated a state order in effect at the time that capped gatherings at 10 people in an effort to slow the coronavirus’s spread.

    For local officials, that was just the start of the problem.

    The party’s host, who was showing signs of being sick at the time, later tested positive for the virus. So did eight guests. County officials, eager to keep the cluster from growing, dispatched disease tracers to try to learn who else might have been exposed to the virus at the party.

    The tracers hit a wall.

    “My staff has been told that a person does not wish to, or have to, speak to my disease investigators,” Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, the county’s health commissioner, said on Wednesday. Of those being contacted about the party, she added: “They hang up. They deny being at the party even though we have their names from another party attendee.”

    Frustrated by the response, county officials on Wednesday took the unusual step of issuing subpoenas to eight people who they believed were at the June 17 party. Those who did not comply and share what they knew by Thursday would face fines of $2,000 a day, officials said.

    Holy shit.

    “I will not allow the health of our county to be compromised because of ignorance, stupidity or obstinance, or anything else,” Ed Day, the Rockland County executive, said at a news conference, where Dr. Ruppert also spoke.

    Tracking down everyone who has had contact with an infected person is considered crucial to containing the spread of an illness, but the effectiveness of such efforts can be limited.

    yeah duh

    • Ted S.

      They should assert their 5A rights, except that a pliable court will say those rights no longer exist.

      • leon

        As long as the County officials are acting in good faith they are ok to do anything. / Roberts

      • cyto

        Stare decisis, mutherfckr. Sara mutherfckng decisis

      • kbolino

        None of them need incriminate themselves, they will be used to incriminate each other.

    • Adama, Yusef Adama

      I. WILL . NOT .COMPLY.

    • hayeksplosives

      What’s next? Children testifying of their parents’ sins to the state?

      The officials are determined to break down our sense of community.

    • Rufus the Monocled

      “I will not allow”

      Or what fucko?

      GO. FUCK. YOURSELF. RUPPERT.

      Stop giving power to the public health officials.

    • blackjack

      Are you now, or have you ever been… a member of the house party?

      • hayeksplosives

        LOL.

        Laughing >> despair

      • Sean

        *golf clap*

  31. The Late P Brooks

    Terrified shrieking

    Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced Friday he intends to introduce a bill banning the sale of tickets for middle seats on flights for as long as the coronavirus pandemic is impacting the U.S.

    Merkley first tore into American Airlines Thursday after he flew on a packed flight, accusing the airline of putting passengers’ lives at risk.

    “.@AmericanAir: how many Americans will die bc you fill middle seats, w/ your customers shoulder to shoulder, hour after hour. This is incredibly irresponsible. People eat & drink on planes & must take off masks to do so. No way you aren’t facilitating spread of COVID infections,” he tweeted.

    It’s just like Murder, Incorporated.

    • leon

      Cue Remy’s people will die song

    • kbolino

      If everybody knows AA has this policy, and they choose to fly with them anyway, so what? You aren’t free unless you’re free to be wrong (for whoever is defining what’s “wrong”).

      • hayeksplosives

        You no longer have the right to make your own health decisions because now “society” gets stuck with the medical bill.

        Because free healthcare was never going to be free.

      • kbolino

        We’re setting up an impressive worst-of-all-possible-worlds arrangement with “healthcare” in this country, it’s really a sight to behold.

      • hayeksplosives

        I called it when it was debated: “this will be the door that leads to full socialism, because everything can be tenuously linked to health: environment, nutrition (bank shows too many chocolate or booze transactions this month), gun safety (doctors started asking this crap a few years ago). That doesn’t even touch medical care itself: rationed food, quota of prescribed exercise…

        Will we have to pay “fat credits” like carbon offsets? One sure thing: all will be arbitrary, and none will lead to greater freedom.

      • Rufus the Monocled

        That’s what drives me nuts about all this.

        ‘Do this or else you’re a drain on the system’.

        It’s as bad as the extortion plea of ‘wear your mask if you want businesses to be open’.

        Son of a bitches.

    • Adama, Yusef Adama

      SMOD, Please Save Us!!!!

    • creech

      He stayed on board did he? Reminds me of the joke about the two (((ladies))) dining at a Catskills resort: “The food here is terrible, and the portions are so small.” Maybe American Airlines knows all the people they put in middle seats are immune to the ChiComVirus because they attended BLM protests.

    • Gustave Lytton

      Merkley sat in back? Bullshit.

    • kbolino

      I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to not read “they” as an exclusively plural pronoun.

    • Rufus the Monocled

      I agree with him.

      If you block traffic you must accept the risk. You’re crazy if a person in a car should just sit there and pay and hope they won’t be beaten up.

      And Kamala Harris absolutely doesn’t give a fuck about that girl.

    • Hyperion

      Thy don’t call her Horizontal Harris for nothing.

  32. Adama, Yusef Adama

    Say I was to create a custom mask, what one word would be suitable for the front of it?
    /I am going to do this…

    • Ted S.

      COMPELLED?

    • hayeksplosives

      CITIZEN 207831

      (Or some other fandom number)

      • hayeksplosives

        Random, not fandom.

        Heck, make the serial number one of those scannable codes leading to this website.

        Or to the Constitution.

      • Mojeaux

        Oooh! A QR code to lemonparty.

    • Rufus the Monocled

      Fear.

      Sheep.

      Fuck you.

      I’ve thought about this too.

      • Chipping Pioneer

        BAAAAA!!

      • Chipping Pioneer

        +1

      • Chipping Pioneer

        Billy Ripken

    • Ted S.

      Or you could buy the Glibs #talismask.

    • The Bearded Hobbit

      OBEY

      • Chipping Pioneer

        I’d be concerned that others would see that as me being A Karen.

    • Adama, Yusef Adama

      I like Compelled, Ted wins a prize!
      STEVE SMITH! Tell him what he won!

    • Chipping Pioneer

      Sounds like masks will be made mandatory here tomorrow. But, if you have certain health conditions, you don’t have to wear one.

      One of the conditions? Hearing loss.

      • Fourscore

        What?

        Thank God Almighty!

    • AlmightyJB

      Government = Force

    • The Hyperbole

      Science

      Courtesy

      Respect

  33. The Late P Brooks

    Frustrated by the response, county officials on Wednesday took the unusual step of issuing subpoenas to eight people who they believed were at the June 17 party. Those who did not comply and share what they knew by Thursday would face fines of $2,000 a day, officials said.

    Ship them off to GITMO and make them talk.

    • Adama, Yusef Adama

      Gitmo is not an Acronym, just say’n

  34. The Late P Brooks

    Say I was to create a custom mask, what one word would be suitable for the front of it?

    FARCEMASK

    • Adama, Yusef Adama

      this is good,

    • Chipping Pioneer

      A drawing of a moth.

      • Chipping Pioneer

        I bought my Gadsden Flag mask on Amazon the other day. Probably racist.

    • TARDIS

      A pair of painted, parted lips above the word Kamala.

  35. blackjack

    In case it hasn’t been posted here, yet.

    • kinnath

      Thanks for the Fish!

    • Hyperion

      American Dream? That’s racist!

    • westernsloper

      “what’s your favorite fish?”
      “Samantha”

  36. Derpetologist

    Hercules beetle – from egg to adult

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFbu21AGSho

    They metamorphose inside a a cocoon made of their own shit; kind of like me in my early 20s.

  37. Derpetologist

    Remy throws some cold water on patriotism:

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

    Well, at least I live in a country where people are free to say such things. For now, anyway.

  38. Derpetologist

    today I learned

    concrete comes from the Latin word concrescere, meaning to grow together

    Coarse aggregate is engineering speak for the little rocks mixed into concrete.

    Heavy metal cover of Come Together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPi-MOxR0l4

      • Derpetologist

        I make no exaggeration when I say that you are the world’s foremost expert on weird/bad music.

        I can’t find the clip, but when Churchill was asked to speak at the unveiling of his portrait he said: I make…no exaggeration…when I say…that this…is the greatest portrait…of all time.

      • Ted S.

        You’ve never seen the movie Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band?

        Here’s another song from the movie; sorry I could only find a “point a camera at the TV” video.

        This is the equally spectacular finale, with an all-star cast that rivals any of the later Airport movies.

      • Derpetologist

        The only Beatles’ movie I saw was Yellow Submarine with the blue meanies. I’ve heard the Sgt Pepper song though.

      • Ted S.

        A Hard Day’s Night is actually quite good.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        AHDN is excellent, highly quotable, very Liverpudlian. Even Help! is amusing, if inferior.

    • Gdragon

      Best “ version
      ” is still Chuck’s original I think

    • Suthenboy

      Here is another tidbit for. you.

      The aggregate we have here in Louisiana is the result of the mountain range that was located more or less where the Appalachian range is now. It rivaled the Alps but it eroded away entirely, the Appalachians were pushed up and most of them have eroded away as well. What washed down here was ground up to fine sediment except for the hardest stuff so when it was deposited here only the very hardest material survived….let me tell you…hard doesnt really describe it. The Canadian Shield may as well be chalk compared to this stuff.
      The trip down here still polished it to rounded smooth shapes. All of our roads and concrete were made with the stuff until a decade or two ago.
      I tried to demolish some concrete posts that were poured ini the ’40s and contained that aggregate. It took me two days and I think I wore out two 8lb sledge hammers. Christ…the hammers would bounce off and make a little puff of dust.
      Some time back the state mandated that all aggregates have to have two broken faces. The local stuff is smooth and rounded so we have to import our aggregates now. Nice, huh? That doesnt smell like graft at all, does it?
      Recently I had to break up some concrete that was poured post-aggregate change. It was like breaking sugar candy. I could almost do it with my bare hands. That might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea.

      • cyto

        It is weird. Gravel from the entire region looks like fake gravel. Beautifully polished and rich in color. When I was a kid, my grandfather’s driveway was made of this beautiful polished pea-sized gravel. It looked like the driveway for some 17 bedroom mansion. And they were dirt poor.

      • The Hyperbole

        Maybe (probably) I’m missing something but why would smooth aggregate be better. Aren’t the ribs on rebar there so the concrete has something to grab onto? Also why it’s rusty and not polished and smooth?

      • Suthenboy

        Your rationale is perfectly sound. But if you make the mix of aggregate/concrete mix about 50/50 the surface area of the aggregate becomes about the same as broken faced stuff and since it is so hard….nearly indestructible really….it makes up for it. You have to see it to believe it.

  39. creech

    ABC just reported that the leading new name for the Washington Redskins is “Redtails” to honor the Tuskegee airmen. Personally,I’d go with “Revenoors” or “Leeches” or “Bloodsuckers” if they really want to terrify the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, etc. etc. and fight for old D.C.

    • hayeksplosives

      Isn’t the “Washington” part also problematic?

      • straffinrun

        As is the “National” in the NFL.

      • Gustave Lytton

        That’ll be next.

        The cultural revolution is never finished as long as someone still breathes.

    • blackjack

      My vote is the Washington Thinskins. If they get a penalty, they get sent to a “safe” room.

      • hayeksplosives

        Thinskins. Perfect.

        Let’s change the Washington to Capital City too.

      • TARDIS

        I vote for Mordor.

      • Suthenboy

        I have to second that.

    • cyto

      Tuskegee airmen? What in the world does that have to do with Washington DC. At least the Utah jazz moved the name with the team.

    • kbolino

      Wasn’t “Redskins” an honorific name too?

    • whiz

      Keep the name and change the mascot to a red-skinned potato.

    • Derpetologist

      oops – some kind of goose

      I remember once being at a pond and watching a bunch of baby ducks try to fly. There were some awesome wipeouts.

    • Count Potato

      Um?

      • straffinrun

        Glibfit. My exercise bike.

      • Chafed

        ? Q is going to have to up his game.

    • Ted S.

      I’m over there.

      [points in a different direction]

    • Rhywun

      Loading…

    • cyto

      No, i’m really not. Would consider trading places though….

    • Suthenboy

      She is going to kill you.
      I got bitten for posting my elephant pic because in the background, for scale, was a 4X6 with my favorite of Mrs. Suthenboy in it. We were canoeing on the Calcasieu and had the best day ever….I had no idea why she objected but there you go.
      Yeah, been nice knowing you straffin.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        I could hardly make out the canoe photo, FWIW. “Hm. Somebody on the water.”

      • Suthenboy

        Exactly…WTH?

    • kbolino

      NSFW

      • straffinrun

        Yep. Figured I was probably the only one at W.

  40. Mostly Peaceful JaimeRoberto

    Just got back from a 40 mile ride with about 2500 feet of climbing. Hot as hell.

  41. Tres Cool

    I just got done trying to press the wrinkles out of DRY CLEAN ONLY pants that Jugsy tossed in the washer on full-blast hot, and then dried with the dryer set on CERAMICS KILN.

    Bitch, really? You cant read a tag?

    /end vent

    • cyto

      Lesson learned. Next to.e do your own laundry.

      #thatsmywife

      • Tres Cool

        I do it for both of us, but she sneaked those in on me

    • Suthenboy

      Ugh. I had a half of a dozen or so of vicuna wool sweaters I bought in Bolivia for about five bucks each….here they are 500 bucks.
      My housekeeper, whom I asked not to do laundry, did the same thing to them. After her laundering you might have been able to stretch them out enough to fit on a Ken doll. Maybe.

      *sigh*

    • Count Potato

      This NFAC group has seemed to show up out of nowhere.

      • AlmightyJB

        I’m not worried about them at this point. Don’t appear to be on DNC payroll like the rioters.

      • Rhywun

        Never heard of it.

      • Count Potato

        I hadn’t until today.

      • Rhywun

        Is Oklahoma taken?

      • Tres Cool

        Why do natives hate snow? Its white & settles on their land

  42. Derpetologist

    linguistic quirks

    The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy had Slartibartfast and Hayg Hurtenflurst; Rick and Morty has Floopfloopians and Gazorpazorpians.

    Why do sci Fi writers use reduplication in alien names? I suppose because it is an uncommon feature in Indo-European languages.

    Some languages do not have plurals. In others, the plural is formed by saying the word twice. For example, in Indonesian, guli means a piece of candy and guliguli means candy or a lot of candy. Candy comes from a Sanskrit word that means piece.

    Never eat candy from India. I did once and it took 3 days to get the taste out of my mouth. It was like tooth paste mixed with kerosene.

    In Swahili reduplication in verbs means an action which is done continually, habitually, or repeatedly. Kukata means to cut. Kukatakata means to cut into little pieces. Kutembea means to walk. Kutembeatembea means to stroll. You can do that with almost any verb in Swahili.

    • Don Escaped the Quality Department

      Plural forms don’t really exist in Choctaw but are implied by other words in a sentence; if you will: I will trade you three ax.

      • Derpetologist

        Similar to Japanese, which doesn’t have plurals either. Even the verbs lack conjugation. Yukimasu can mean anything from “I go” to “they went” depending on the context.

        Some languages use adverbs of time to indicate tense. Today, fish. Tomorrow, climb mountains.

        In English, plurals are formed by changing the end of a word. In Swahili, they come by changing the front: Mtu = person, watu = people; kitabu = book, vitabu = books

        In Arabic, plurals follow various patterns and must be learned by heart. Kitab = book, kutub = books; bayt = house, bayoot = houses; raqam = number, arqam = numbers. There are many other patterns.

      • kbolino

        Aren’t vowels elided in written Arabic? How does one tell kitab from kutub in writing?

      • Derpetologist

        Short vowels are not written most of the time. The Koran was various markings for vowels, emphasis, and breath control, like a sheet of music.

        For example, kitab in Arabic, transliterated is KTAB whereas kutub would be just KTB with maybe a short vowel marker called a dhamma on the K. KTB could also mean “he wrote” but it would be obvious from the context whether this was a verb or a noun.

        It’s sort of like to, too, and two in spoken English. The meaning is obvious from the context even though the words sound exactly the same.

      • Derpetologist

        has various markings, I mean

        Why do I always see typos right after I hit reply?

        Damn you, beer! You taste great and make me stupid.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Even the verbs lack conjugation

        Uhhh??? There isn’t subject based conjugation and the present/future tenses are pretty much the same, but there is conjugation generally.

        https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_verb_conjugation

        And there are some plurals 😉 …

        木 tree
        林 woods
        森 forest

      • Tejicano

        Japanese “verb conjugation” is very complicated and is less 1st/2nd/3rd person conjugation than inferring relative status. For instance, if I am speaking to a customer to my business I would use a more honorific term/phrase to express receiving something from them than the term I would use when receiving something from a family member.

      • Derpetologist

        tree – 1 tree symbol
        woods – 2 trees symbol
        forest – 3 trees symbol

        Bravo, China. Way to show us stupid foreigners what with our incomprehensible sound based writing systems.

        The character for wash in Chinese has two parts: the first part means water and the second part means tree. The first part tells the reader about the word’s meaning and the second part tells about the word’s sound, because the word for wash in Chinese sounds like the word for tree.

        Reading Chinese is like a game of charades.

      • Tejicano

        Chinese verbs also do not conjugate (there is no “I am, you are, he is” just “I is, you is, he is”) and also does not have tense. Tense is generally implied – for instance “Yesterday you go” – instead of “Yesterday you went“. The “Yesterday” implies the tense.

        However, as Chinese is a high context language, one often will exclude stating “you” as it is implied from the conversation that we are talking about “you”. So instead of the way we would say “You went there yesterday?” they will usually just say “Go yesterday?” with an interrogative particle “Ma”.

    • hayeksplosives

      You point out plot holes in Saturday morning cartoons too, don’t you?

  43. AlmightyJB

    Am I a bad person for hating Ty Pennington?

    • AlmightyJB

      Hate might not be the right word. The sappiness makes me want to hurl.

    • AlmightyJB

      Lol

      • hayeksplosives

        Guffaw.

    • straffinrun

      JFC, it’s FFS, FFS.

    • Ted S.

      Hateful.

      Do you want 500 people posting the same link?

    • Dr. Fronkensteen

      It is probably racist for Trump to keep Blacks from killing each other.

      • Tres Cool

        NOI, NAACP, and BLM are all over it. And as long as they have CoVID masks on, everyone should be safe.

    • LJW

      “I seriously doubt any of these are legal guns.”

      Ruger prefers you don’t question where the guns came from…

      • Tres Cool

        Let me help fix that for you:

        Eric Holder R̶u̶g̶e̶r̶ prefers you don’t question where the guns came from…

      • Tres Cool

        Thats actually a sex toy. Not a BLM endorsement. Ill change it.

    • Jarflax

      As far as I am concerned every citizen shoud have firearms, and the words “illegal firearm” have no valid meaning in these United States.

      • Count Potato

        That’s nice, but unfortunately it’s almost impossible for people to legally carry guns in NYC and Chicago.

        Also, none of this would be happening if drugs legal, either.

    • Rufus the Monocled

      Oh man. Could you imagine if he somehow manages to clean that shit up?

  44. Rhywun

    Then they will change their name to White City.

    • Gustave Lytton

      George White will need to change his name.

    • Count Potato

      Good idea to create a tourist attraction.

  45. Don Escaped the Quality Department

    Power grids are measured by the amount of electricity that can pass through them at any one time.

    Con Edison’s grid, with 62 power substations and more than 130,000 miles of power lines and cables across New York City and Westchester County, can deliver 13,400MW every second. This is roughly equivalent to 18m horsepower. On a regular day, New York City demands around 10,000MW every second
    ,
    Case 49,205,708,147,320,932 of a journalist demonstrating early in an article that he has no idea what he is writing about

    • Tres Cool

      Check your ass for the drugs I put up there earlier. That article dropped out with them this morning.

      • Don Escaped the Quality Department

        every second!

        weekends I don’t, but most of the time I ready or at least skim every article and comment here

      • Tres Cool

        You bastard! I had a legit a/c question for you last night and you didnt show up on ZOOM

        #DonMakesShitGetCold

      • Don Escaped the Quality Department

        I’m agnostic!

        Or at least even-handed: give the Devil his due. Making things hot pays just as well. Of course you know all that.

        A supplier just rolled out a heatpump to generate domestic hot water; the waste stream (cold air) can be used however you might, maybe duct it to some handy spot. Gee, I’ll hafta think about that one for a minute; what to do, what to do. It’s CaliCrap™, but that’s the way of the world: bad ideas to solve contrived problems so that we spend way too much. I believe in reducing energy use, in reducing everything if it makes sense, if it saves money; I try to be elegant. But some of the games being played today aren’t funny any more, and we’re committing people to decades of problems and higher maintenance costs with some of these solutions.

    • Derpetologist

      My favorite example of this was from a CNN article from years ago where they equated a rise of 2 degree C in Antarctica to a rise of 36 degree rise in F, because the writer was too stupid to understand the difference between temperature and change in temperature.

      A change of 2 degrees C is the same as a change of 3.6 degrees F.

      • Don Escaped the Quality Department

        I was nominally managed by a kid at this French company in their heat exchange division. Similarly, he thought translating superheat between systems required the freezing offset. Real smart people who don’t actually know how to do anything are very dangerous; of course, I’m just an arrogant engineer for thinking this.

      • Derpetologist

        Absolute temperature? What the fuck is that?

        [nightmares about reading steam tables]

      • Tres Cool

        /loans you my B&W steam book

      • Derpetologist

        I had a project in engineering school to simulate a chemical plant. With the program they told us to use, there was an option in sandbox mode to define the inlet and outlet pressures of a valve. So I had a stream exiting a valve at a higher pressure than it entered.

        Turns out that is impossible, and there were many muffled laughs from my professors when I presented my design.

      • Don Escaped the Quality Department

        At least somebody learned something useful in school; I went through with guys who seemed to never put the theories and the practical together whatsoever.

        I’m a heat transfer and fluids guy, much weaker in mechanisms, but the latter never cost me at the levels or in the areas I’ve practiced. A loner and a few years older than my classmates, I didn’t realize that steam and refrigerant charts weren’t easy to everyone. I didn’t even know I was special until I got a 100 on a Thermo 2 midterm.

        I was considering comp sci or EE, but my HS chemistry teacher laughed that off: said I was the most obvious mechanical engineer he ever knew. I took his advice and have never felt lost or overwhelmed a day in my career.

      • RAHeinlein

        I often say really stupid people and really smart people often ask the same questions – a lot of decent people won’t ask questions that are “stupid” – end result they grossly miss the mark in application.

      • Derpetologist

        There are stupid questions because there are stupid people. They don’t get smart just in time to ask the questions.

        Although my engineering career fizzled, I’m glad I tried because it sharpened my thinking.

        I beat Roger Corman – his engineering career lasted just 4 days:

        ***
        In 1948, he worked briefly at U.S. Electrical Motors on Slauson Avenue in Los Angeles, but his career in engineering lasted only four days; he began work on Monday and quit on Thursday, telling his boss “I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
        ***

    • Jarflax

      Pig Smoker Swiper Smoked by Plump Pig

      News at 11.

    • Cy

      Something…. something…. feared for my life.

      On another note, can we talk about that gangsta style pistol handling?

      • Rhywun

        MythBusters did it.

  46. Jarflax

    As a glib this facebook joke takes on a much darker feel.

    • Cy

      But do they take their revenue in inches?

  47. Cy

    No zoom today?

    • Mojeaux

      Generally I don’t think we do this on Sunday.

      • Tres Cool

        Praise Jesus H. Koresh. My hepatic system cant take it.

  48. Dr. Fronkensteen

    Is it just me or does anyone else think some of the professional fireworks got”liberated” for yesterday’s festivities. I some home displays yesterday that would have fit in the professional displays.

    • Mojeaux

      XY went to a friend’s yesterday and went fireworks shopping with them. They dropped $2k. And I was pissy about $200 for the A/C.

      Anyway, he said they were really top-notch.

    • Tres Cool

      I mean…Kevin Spacey is akshually “Kevin Fowler”
      Jay-Z is “Sean Carter”

      They’re all actors people pay to see.

      • Jarflax

        I think Kevin Spacey now goes by Gropey McBabyraper

      • Tres Cool

        Roman Polanski may like a word…..

        /through counsel