Thursday Morning Guest <s>Rant</s> Christmas Cheer

Thursday Morning Guest Rant Christmas Cheer

A Happy Accident

In 1955, the Sears-Roebuck department store in Colorado Springs had a Christmas promotion. They opened a phone line so kids could call Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. This promotion was across both print and radio. Kids were encouraged to give Santa a ring. To try to reduce the chances of a bunch of kids calling random strangers, the ads were very clear: do not dial the wrong number.

The copywriters, however, didn't get the memo. The kids called the number in the ad, but did not get to talk Saint Nick. Thanks to a transposition in the published telephone number, they ended up calling what is perhaps the one number that should never, for any reason, be slammed with phone calls from the public. The number was not only wrong, it was spectacularly wrong. The number Sears published in the ad rang directly through to the "Red Phone" at NORAD's air defense operations center.

The man on the other end of the line was not Santa Claus, but Colonel Harry Shoup, USAF. He was, understandably, displeased when he picked up the phone to hear a child ask for Santa Claus. Assuming that this was a random crank call to one of America's more important telephone numbers, he wasn't particularly nice about it and the child started to cry. To mollify the child, Shoup then gave him a hearty "HO HO HO" and asked to talk to the child's mother.

The mother informed Shoup that the little boy had called the number in the Sears ad. Shoup assumed it was a misdial and asked the woman to read off the ad to him. She did, and that is when Shoup learned that the child had not misdialed. He called the number Sears told him to call - it just happened to be the wrong number. They disconnected and the phone immediately rang again. And again.

Whoops. What to do about this?

Col. Shoup called up the chain to tell them that if they had an emergency, they should not call the red phone. Then he assigned a couple of airmen to answer the phone when it rang, to tell the kids that Sears had the wrong number, and to play along so as to not ruin Christmas.

As instructed, when the kids called in, the airmen would tell them that they had in fact reached NORAD and so they couldn't talk to Santa - but that NORAD could tell the kids where Santa was. They'd play along and give a status update as to Santa's location. "I see a UFO on RADAR, and it must be Santa's sleigh over ..." Things like that. The kids got a neat story for Christmas and Shoup handled the problem masterfully.

The subsequent press activity also used the exercise to get in a jab at the Soviets, assuring people that American forces would guard Santa against attacks from those who do not believe in Christmas. It went on from there, and NORAD began to "track Santa" every year. Nowadays, it's done via the web (of course) on the "NORAD Tracks Santa" site.

A misprint and a quick-thinking Air Force colonel gave our country one of our odder - but nonetheless delightful - small Christmas traditions.

Posted by: Joe Mannix at 11:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 sponge

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:00 AM (GBKbO)

2 Hola

Posted by: Thanatopsis at December 21, 2023 11:00 AM (sNtYB)

3 Commenting present

Posted by: Skip at December 21, 2023 11:00 AM (fwDg9)

4 I'm up

Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? .... at December 21, 2023 11:02 AM (qfLjt)

5 Imagine that thing going batshit crazy on you. Wow.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at December 21, 2023 11:02 AM (R4t5M)

6 What a wonderful story

Posted by: Skip at December 21, 2023 11:02 AM (fwDg9)

7 Imagine that thing going batshit crazy on you. Wow.

I really, really hope that is not the Mannix girl for this thread.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:03 AM (CsUN+)

8 Great story, thanks!

Posted by: Inogame at December 21, 2023 11:03 AM (53oGX)

9 hiya

Posted by: JT at December 21, 2023 11:03 AM (T4tVD)

10 "Hello? What? Naw, we shot Santa's ass outta the sky."

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in solidarity with the struggle to maintain Moron standards at December 21, 2023 11:03 AM (SKDsW)

11 The real story here is that Sears always sucked.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (CsUN+)

12 I bet that monkey has toe fungus and skin tags.

Posted by: Emmie at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (Sf2cq)

13 What's sad is were this to happen today, Col. Shella trans would answer, tell the kid Santa isn't real and then try to talk to them about anal sex.

Posted by: Inogame at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (53oGX)

14 He should have received a special medal for quick thinking and not ruining Christmas.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (lXVjD)

15 Angry. Angry young monkey

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (xcxpd)

16 In 1955, the Sears-Roebuck department store in Colorado Springs had a Christmas promotion.

I remember a radio station having a Thanksgiving promotion.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:05 AM (lXVjD)

17 "I see a UFO on RADAR, and it must be Santa's sleigh over ..."

Weapons Free!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:05 AM (W/lyH)

18 15 Angry. Angry young monkey
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (xcxpd)

========

He's just spoilin' for a fight. Probably pretty good humored otherwise.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (GBKbO)

19 What's sad is were this to happen today, Col. Shella trans would answer, tell the kid Santa isn't real and then try to talk to them about anal sex.
Posted by: Inogame at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (53oGX)
++++
Maybe. Better odds that they just take the phone off the hook and ignore it.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (zxP/x)

20 Some people know how to gracefully handle an emergency. Well done Col. Shoup.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (EStcP)

21 16 In 1955, the Sears-Roebuck department store in Colorado Springs had a Christmas promotion.

I remember a radio station having a Thanksgiving promotion.
Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:05 AM (lXVjD)

God as my witness I thought Turkeys could fly...

Posted by: Les Nessman at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (53oGX)

22 In todays messed up world I hate to think what the number was that the kids would be directed to call ....

Posted by: ET at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (AMzZ8)

23 Angry. Angry young monkey
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards

He's just spoilin' for a fight. Probably pretty good humored otherwise.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

That monkey has been to prison. Bet on it.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (lXVjD)

24 18 15 Angry. Angry young monkey
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (xcxpd)

========

He's just spoilin' for a fight. Probably pretty good humored otherwise.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (GBKbO)

It's society that's to blame, really.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (xcxpd)

25 Back when America was America and our armed forces worthy of respect.

I never knew the whole story. Thanks, Joe!

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (Q0kLU)

26 I really, really hope that is not the Mannix girl for this thread.
Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:03 AM (CsUN+)

This grotesque monkey misdialed the Sears number and is now on hold with Randeep.

Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (B/KRV)

27 What's sad is were this to happen today, Col. Shella trans would answer, tell the kid Santa isn't real and then try to talk to them about anal sex.
Posted by: Inogame at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (53oGX)
++++
Maybe. Better odds that they just take the phone off the hook and ignore it.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (zxP/x)
***

How the Hell else are we gonna get any sleep around here???

Posted by: NORAD Night Duty Officer at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (W/lyH)

28 Morning, all. If that happened today, that Colonel would be thrwn in the stockade for some sin against Woke.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (GXqjQ)

29 24 He's just spoilin' for a fight. Probably pretty good humored otherwise.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (GBKbO)

It's society that's to blame, really.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (xcxpd)

=========

No! Blame Canada!

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (GBKbO)

30 This grotesque monkey misdialed the Sears number and is now on hold with Randeep.
Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (B/KRV)
++++
*snort*

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (zxP/x)

31 23 Angry. Angry young monkey
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards

He's just spoilin' for a fight. Probably pretty good humored otherwise.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

That monkey has been to prison. Bet on it.
Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (lXVjD)

Prison swoll

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (xcxpd)

32 10 "Hello? What? Naw, we shot Santa's ass outta the sky."
Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in solidarity with the struggle to maintain Moron standards at December 21, 2023 11:03 AM (SKDsW)

We didn't shoot, don't worry, we misreaded it for a Chinese spy balloon.

Posted by: Anacleto Mitraglia at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (VsUQa)

33 Fortunately, the kid didn't say a coded launch code.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (lTGtQ)

34 Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss

Posted by: ET at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (AMzZ8)

35 What a fantastic story, Joe! Thank you… until now I’d never been aware of the little piece of Americana 👍

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (xT8gx)

36 No! Blame Canada!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (GBKbO)

Their flappin' heads so full of lies!

Just like Ubisoft

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (xcxpd)

37 33 Fortunately, the kid didn't say a coded launch code.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (lTGtQ)

======

"Purple Monkey Dishwasher? Well, it's valid. Nuke Liechtenstein."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (GBKbO)

38 My kids standing at the computer, pressing refresh on the NORAD Santa tracking site ... grown men now and I have to press refresh for myself.

Posted by: Oglebay at December 21, 2023 11:09 AM (ogTiX)

39 Mannix, that's a fun story. Thanks for sharing it!

Posted by: Emmie at December 21, 2023 11:09 AM (Sf2cq)

40 ========

He's just spoilin' for a fight. Probably pretty good humored otherwise.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:06 AM (GBKbO)

It's society that's to blame, really.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:07 AM (xcxpd)

"Well, it's better'n bottlin' it up, innit!!"

- Female Impersonator what walks out with Dinsdale Piranha

Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at December 21, 2023 11:09 AM (N3zMI)

41 "Purple Monkey Dishwasher? Well, it's valid. Nuke Liechtenstein."
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (GBKbO)
++++
Uh oh. YD's gonna be *pissed.*

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:09 AM (zxP/x)

42 Angry. Angry young monkey
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (xcxpd)

In sleepy Ace of Spades there's just no place for
street fightin' chimp

Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:09 AM (B/KRV)

43 I really, really hope that is not the Mannix girl for this thread.
Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:03 AM (CsUN+)

Joe Mannix girl boobage > monkey boobage.

Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:09 AM (W/lyH)

44 These days, if a kid accidentally called a government number, they would probably try grooming him.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:10 AM (lTGtQ)

45 BTW…. This Mannix monkey looks buff and a little ticked off! Dangerous combo

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at December 21, 2023 11:10 AM (xT8gx)

46 I have always preferred this monkey to the hat monkey.

Shirtless monkey keeps it real, yo.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, watching some more Best Pictures at December 21, 2023 11:11 AM (GBKbO)

47 An America that used to be.
Today this story would end with a woke colonel whining how Santa is racist and anti-trans.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:11 AM (BW97Y)

48 Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss
Posted by: ET

Interesting. Kangaroos have large, flesh-ripping claws. Like getting disemboweled with a carpet knife.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at December 21, 2023 11:11 AM (R4t5M)

49

Male reindeer shed their antlers during the winter so all of Santa's reindeers are actually tranny female reindeer... Except Rudolph of course, he's just a twink...

Posted by: Shemp Smith at December 21, 2023 11:11 AM (Jo6t3)

50 Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss
Posted by: ET

Opposing prison gangs.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:12 AM (lXVjD)

51 Cool story. I knew it was rooted in something old fashioned, but did not suspect the Sears connection.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at December 21, 2023 11:12 AM (Q4IgG)

52 Why must you be such an angry young monkey?
When your future looks quite bright to me?

Posted by: Taggart at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (og5mY)

53 Great story!

Posted by: Lizzy at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (izj35)

54 These days, if a kid accidentally called a government number, they would probably try grooming him.
Posted by: Thomas Paine

"Do you like gladiator movies and Turkish prisons?"

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (R4t5M)

55 This was a thing I did with my kids for a few years, track Santa on the website. I always thought he took a very inefficient route.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (BW97Y)

56 Kinda NORAD related. On December 25, 1991, the soviet hammer and sickle was lowered for the last time over the Kremlin and replaced with the Russian Tricolor. The USSR ceased to exist.

NORAD 1 USSR 0

I wonder if NORAD is still up and running...

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (puDky)

57 "Do you like gladiator movies and Turkish prisons?"
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (R4t5M)
++++
LOL

Does *anyone* like Turkish prisons?

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (zxP/x)

58 That nasty ape tore my face off, right after weasels ripped my flesh!

Posted by: Bwana Dik at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (V5BDR)

59 Thank god there wasn't a Gen Milley on the line.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (VwHCD)

60 Roided out monkey is back.

Posted by: That Northernlurke embracing the suckd at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (miT2W)

61 > Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss
___________

Potential pay-per-view bonanza.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (Q4IgG)

62 Do they still celebrate Christmas in America?

Or is it the Holidays now?

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice - Personality Commentator at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (TzW+Y)

63 Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss
Posted by: ET

Plain ole everyday wolverine has entered the chat.

Posted by: naturalfake at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (nFnyb)

64 Nice story!

I've never heard it before, though I'm sure Paul Harvey did an exposition on it. Stories like that were right up his alley.

Posted by: browndog unearthing eternal truths at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (TTAGa)

65 57 "Do you like gladiator movies and Turkish prisons?"
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (R4t5M)
++++
LOL

Does *anyone* like Turkish prisons?
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (zxP/x)

Well the real life prisoner that inspired the movie 'Midnight Express' apparently liked the prison sex part.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (xcxpd)

66 I used to point out contrails to my kids and explain that that was Santa making observations on good vs bad children.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (lTGtQ)

67 Why must you be such an angry young monkey?
When your future looks quite bright to me?
Posted by: Taggart at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (og5mY)

How can there be such a sinister plan?

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (xT8gx)

68 Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss
Posted by: ET at December 21, 2023 11:08 AM (AMzZ

++++
https://is.gd/Rdl1Mu

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (zxP/x)

69 Ah, I see that Mannix has gone with the Grinch ape for his Christmas cheer rant.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (9yWhg)

70 >>>A misprint and a quick-thinking Air Force colonel gave our country one of our odder

There's always an otter!

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (x7m+Z)

71 63 Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss
Posted by: ET

Plain ole everyday wolverine has entered the chat.

Posted by: naturalfake at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (nFnyb)

Pfft...

Posted by: Honey Badger at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (TTAGa)

72 So I am assuming that the number Sears was supposed to publish had some Schmo sitting by a silent phone all night twiddling his thumbs. Hope he got paid well.

Posted by: Muldoon at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (991eG)

73 Very sad story - what a missed opportunity!

Posted by: zombie Nikolai Bulganin at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (B/KRV)

74 I used to point out contrails to my kids and explain that that was Santa making observations on good vs bad children.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (lTGtQ)
++++
Nice.

"The eye in the sky is always watching you, son!"

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (zxP/x)

75 In 1955, the Sears-Roebuck department store in Colorado Springs had a Christmas promotion.
I remember a radio station having a Thanksgiving promotion.
Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:05 AM (lXVjD)

Yep,. The Sears-Roebuck store in Perth Amboy, NJ did the same. I still remember visiting 'Santa' downstairs when I was a little kid. The setup in "A Christmas Story" reminds me of those innocent days.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy now with twice the crazy at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (iODuv)

76 65 Well the real life prisoner that inspired the movie 'Midnight Express' apparently liked the prison sex part.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (xcxpd)

=======

I found it hard to sympathize with a guy who started the movie knowingly violating a foreign nation's drug laws and then complaining that he wasn't being held to American judicial standards.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (GBKbO)

77 This absolutely reminds me of the Community tv show bit where Duncan calls the number to order more staples and gets some top secret army line.

(youtube link)

http://tinyurl.com/yt6vfftk

Posted by: Are you sure about this sir? at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (zOD0w)

78 What do the female reindeer do on Christmas Eve while Santa's delivering gifts?

They go into town and blow a few bucks.

Posted by: FormerHostage at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (mwPeI)

79 Well-told, Joe Mannix.

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (x7m+Z)

80 42 Angry. Angry young monkey
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:04 AM (xcxpd)

In sleepy Ace of Spades there's just no place for
street fightin' chimp
Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:09 AM (B/KRV)

nice Rolling Stones callback

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (xcxpd)

81 Does NORAD miss the 1.4MB floppys?

Posted by: BourbonChicken at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (JFCPJ)

82 LabPadre rocket booster, static test
youtube
https://is.gd/TqSjmu

Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? ... at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (qfLjt)

83 So I am assuming that the number Sears was supposed to publish had some Schmo sitting by a silent phone all night twiddling his thumbs. Hope he got paid well.
Posted by: Muldoon at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (991eG)
++++
Very likely got paid to do nothin'.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (zxP/x)

84 Good thing NSA Bob wasn't listening in on the NORAD call. Mom, Dad, and the kid rounded up in a 0200 raid and sent to the DC Gulag. And the dog gets shot.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (0EOe9)

85 The grandkids used to love tracking Santa on Norad! Thank you, Colonel.

Posted by: PJ at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (G1dq6)

86 I don't much like the looks on this monkey.

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (x7m+Z)

87 That is a great story.

Do you want to play a game?

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (ufFY8)

88 Do they still celebrate Christmas in America?

Or is it the Holidays now?
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice - Personality Commentator at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (TzW+Y)

I live in northeastern MA. Around here, it seems to be slightly in favor of 'Merry Christmas,' oddly enough.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (Q0kLU)

89 83 Very likely got paid to do nothin'.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (zxP/x)

=======

"Nappin' ain't nothin', pal."
-That guy

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (GBKbO)

90 76 65 Well the real life prisoner that inspired the movie 'Midnight Express' apparently liked the prison sex part.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (xcxpd)

=======

I found it hard to sympathize with a guy who started the movie knowingly violating a foreign nation's drug laws and then complaining that he wasn't being held to American judicial standards.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:15 AM (GBKbO)

He fucked around, then he found out.

Don't find out in Turkey, kids.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (xcxpd)

91 76 65 Well the real life prisoner that inspired the movie 'Midnight Express' apparently liked the prison sex part.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:14 AM (xcxpd)

=======

I found it hard to sympathize with a guy who started the movie knowingly violating a foreign nation's drug laws and then complaining that he wasn't being held to American judicial standards.

Brittany Griner says tell me about it

Posted by: Taggart at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (og5mY)

92 My wife used to do the NORAD Santa-tracking website with our son when he was little. It was fun.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (9yWhg)

93 A misprint and a quick-thinking Air Force colonel gave our country one of our odder - but nonetheless delightful - small Christmas traditions.

Posted by: Joe Mannix

But, more importantly, he was a cisgendered heteronormative white man in a position of power, in a patriarchal system that OPENLY discriminated against homosexuals, and didn't even ACKNOWLEDGE the existence of trans and other queer folx.

His awards should be revoked, records deleted, and his memory disposed of into the dustbin of history.

Posted by: SJW Commissar at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (JCZqz)

94 Male reindeer shed their antlers during the winter so all of Santa's reindeers are actually tranny female reindeer... Except Rudolph of course, he's just a twink...
Posted by: Shemp Smith

Saw a drone video of an elk sneeze at just the right moment in time and both antlers fell off. Scared the crap out of the elk.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (lXVjD)

95 Does *anyone* like Turkish prisons?
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:13 AM (zxP/x)

Some of the walls of the Turkish prison in Sinop Turkey go back to the time of the Hittites. It is a nasty place. The prisoners once had a riot (before I was stationed there) and the fires burned for a week. The authorities took the bodies out at night so as to not disturb the locals.

Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:18 AM (W/lyH)

96 They'd be lucky now not to get an antichristian screed or asking if they'd like to meet up if the col brought some Mike's hard lemonade.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Johnson work phone at December 21, 2023 11:18 AM (GmPfo)

97 94 Saw a drone video of an elk sneeze at just the right moment in time and both antlers fell off. Scared the crap out of the elk.
Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:17 AM (lXVjD)

========

Fun backstory: the elk's name was Todd.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:18 AM (GBKbO)

98 So the “red line” was just a regular phone number? That’s seems strange. And wouldn’t the Russians have known this number as well? Seems odd for such a. Top secret thing to be a random phone number that anyone can dial.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:18 AM (BW97Y)

99 "The eye in the sky is always watching you, son!"

You got that right, mate.

Posted by: Alan Parsons Project at December 21, 2023 11:18 AM (Q0kLU)

100 100

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:18 AM (x7m+Z)

101 Do you want to play a game?

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (ufFY

The only way to win is to not play

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at December 21, 2023 11:19 AM (xT8gx)

102 And the number of course was 867-5309

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:19 AM (BW97Y)

103 Once in a previous job, I dialed in to a meeting, only to find out the number they had given us was incorrect. Instead of the meeting, I reached the office of the local army recruitment center.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (AVPtn)

104 https://www.noradsanta.org/en/

Come Back December 24th to track Santa's flight around the world

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (x7m+Z)

105 Message Follows:

Sierra-Alfa-November-Tango-Alfa (Break) Charlie-Lima-Alfa-Sierra (break) India-Sierra (Break) Romeo-Echo-Alfa-Lima (Break) Mike-Echo-Echo-Romeo-Yankee (Break) Charlie-Hotel-Romeo-India-Sierra-Tango-Mike-Alfa-Sierra

End

Posted by: Archer at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (gmo/4)

106 Our upstairs window had a view of I-70 off in the distance. I told my son, who was four at the time that the lights he could see zooming along were running lights on Santa's sleigh. (Semi tractor trailer rigs). He bought that story, but only once.

Posted by: Muldoon at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (991eG)

107 NY Times Criticizes Kids' Shows for Having "Weirdly Present" Fathers

-
Yeah, what's up with that?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (FVME7)

108 What happens in Vegas . . .

A former pro basketball player choked a Washington medical assistant to death with an HDMI cord as he lured her to have “kinky sex” with him and another woman, who had planned the murder, newly released police records revealed.

Chance Comanche, 27, confessed that he was helping his ex-girlfriend, Sakari Harnden, 19, with the gruesome murder of Marayna Rodgers on Dec. 6, while he was in the area “between team activities,” according to Las Vegas police records obtained by KCRA.

http://tinyurl.com/3k7axkyd

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (FVME7)

109 So the “red line” was just a regular phone number? That’s seems strange. And wouldn’t the Russians have known this number as well? Seems odd for such a. Top secret thing to be a random phone number that anyone can dial.
Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:18 AM (BW97Y)
++++
It was 1955. Secure comms used coding systems and code groups sent by wire. Emergency comms were telephone. It was a time when much of the country didn't even have direct local dialing, and very little of the country had direct distance dialing. Any phone getting an inbound call had a phone number. It wasn't until the 60s that calling could effectively be restricted by origin (a true "hotline" with only two endpoints). The number wasn't published, it was just a number that was very unlikely to be called by strangers.

What we think of as "secure comms" today didn't really exist before the sixties, and weren't common until the 80s.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (zxP/x)

110 And the number of course was 867-5309

BEechwood 45789.

You can call up and have a date any old time.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (Q0kLU)

111 102 Wrong! It was BR-549!

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (9yWhg)

112 101 Do you want to play a game?

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at December 21, 2023 11:16 AM (ufFY

The only way to win is to not play
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at December 21, 2023 11:19 AM (xT8gx)

I'd be off that damn computer, and on Ally Sheedy like a bum on a baloney sandwich...

Posted by: browndog unearthing eternal truths at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (TTAGa)

113 Years ago my mom took my son to Macy's at a nearby mall to drop off his wish list for santa - does Macy's still do those boxes? Anyway, my mom was mugged while entering the Macy's from the parking garage, with my son standing there watching in horror (the guy body-slammed her from behind then dragged her by her purse). A very nice policeman assisted her, and after much thanks, he offered to give our family a tour of the police station (my son was into Lego City at the time, building police stations, firestations, etc.), which my son loved. Cool outcome from such an awful experience.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 21, 2023 11:21 AM (izj35)

114 Fathers not bailing is raycist yo!!

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:21 AM (BW97Y)

115 Charlie-Lima-Alfa-Sierra (break)

bzzzt

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:21 AM (x7m+Z)

116 Mike-Echo-Echo-Romeo-Yankee (Break)

bzzzt

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:22 AM (x7m+Z)

117 Obviously unconstitutional. Someone should tell Biden about this.

Posted by: Eeyore at December 21, 2023 11:22 AM (1bNHn)

118 I just hit a new low in being a slob. Put on my usual uniform of the day, sweats, pocket tee, beat up skechers (no socks) and went to the barber. Came home and put on a scruffier, more well washed and worn pair of sweats and tee, replaced the skechers with flip flops.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 11:22 AM (0EOe9)

119 Message Follows:

Sierra-Alfa-November-Tango-Alfa (Break) Charlie-Lima-Alfa-Sierra (break) India-Sierra (Break) Romeo-Echo-Alfa-Lima (Break) Mike-Echo-Echo-Romeo-Yankee (Break) Charlie-Hotel-Romeo-India-Sierra-Tango-Mike-Alfa-Sierra

End
Posted by: Archer at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (gmo/4)
***

Then the Staff Duty Officer calls my house because I'm the NRAS custodian.
At 02:33!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:22 AM (W/lyH)

120 I adore the Norad Santa tracking site and hope it continues.
But call a Federal agency nowadays, there's no one there.

RCP, yesterday, "After Telework Surge, Federal Buildings Remain Largely Empty."

And few 'managers' can account for their staffs and/or contract workers.

Posted by: L - They don't have to outrun the bear, they only need to outrun us - for now at December 21, 2023 11:22 AM (GshMh)

121 This is who's really watching you these days:

http://tinyurl.com/4d86zv3u

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (7fElN)

122 While I was looking at the truck lights with my son, my brother climbed out on the roof and clomped around while my dad put out gifts by the chimney. The look on my son's face when we went back downstairs was unforgettable.

Posted by: Muldoon at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (991eG)

123 I know this ugly ape thread is supposed to bring Christmas cheer, but the untimely murder of Harambe is still traumatic to me. RIP, Fair Prince!

Posted by: Gorilla My Dreams at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (V5BDR)

124 110 And the number of course was 867-5309

BEechwood 45789.

You can call up and have a date any old time.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (Q0kLU)

Pennsylvania Six-Five-Oh-Oh-Oh

Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (N3zMI)

125 It was 1955. Secure comms used coding systems and code groups sent by wire. Emergency comms were telephone. It was a time when much of the country didn't even have direct local dialing, and very little of the country had direct distance dialing. Any phone getting an inbound call had a phone number. It wasn't until the 60s that calling could effectively be restricted by origin (a true "hotline" with only two endpoints). The number wasn't published, it was just a number that was very unlikely to be called by strangers.

What we think of as "secure comms" today didn't really exist before the sixties, and weren't common until the 80s.
Posted by: Joe Mannix

GET ME THE KREMLIN ON THE PHONE!

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (lXVjD)

126 Can anyone tell the difference between fedgov employees working and not working?

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (BW97Y)

127 >>NY Times Criticizes Kids' Shows for Having "Weirdly Present" Fathers

IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE TV DADS HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTE IDIOTS FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS.

HEY - WHAT DID THEY THINK OF THE WEIRDLY PRESENT DR. CLIFF HUXTABLE CHARACTER?

Posted by: BEN ROETHLISBERGER at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (izj35)

128 Can today's incompetent woke imbeciles in our military even track Santa anymore?

Posted by: Elric Blade at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (iFTx/)

129 120 few 'managers' can account for their staffs
Posted by: L - They don't have to outrun the bear, they only need to outrun us - for now at December 21, 2023 11:22 AM (GshMh)

They should maybe look in the Congressional conference room.

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (x7m+Z)

130 Nowadays, it's done via the web (of course) on the "NORAD Tracks Santa" site.

--------------

"WHY IS THE ELF DEPICTED AT THAT WEBSITE WHITE! REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

/Heartwarming take, Mannix -- I recall having heard about this decades ago but had since forgotten ...

Posted by: ShainS -- CISA Cognitive Security Agent at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (uHfuq)

131 Underwater.

“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” Reportedly on Track for Worse Box Office Opening Than “The Marvels”

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (FVME7)

132 Buff monkey vs ripped Kangaroo ... discuss
Posted by: ET

Interesting. Kangaroos have large, flesh-ripping claws. Like getting disemboweled with a carpet knife.

Then the battle you really want is between a 'roo and an ostrich, or possibly an emu.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (CsUN+)

133 I adore the Norad Santa tracking site and hope it continues.
But call a Federal agency nowadays, there's no one there.

RCP, yesterday, "After Telework Surge, Federal Buildings Remain Largely Empty."

And few 'managers' can account for their staffs and/or contract workers.
Posted by: L

Stop their paychecks. You'll see how fast you can find every last man jack.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (lXVjD)

134 Fathers are destroying the environment by procreating.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (BW97Y)

135 Can today's incompetent woke imbeciles in our military even track Santa anymore?

Posted by: Elric Blade at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (iFTx/)

Might be better if they didn't. They would probably shoot him down.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (VwHCD)

136 Then the battle you really want is between a 'roo and an ostrich, or possibly an emu.
Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (CsUN+)

HAHAHA...pfft...

Posted by: Cassowary at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (TTAGa)

137 GET ME THE KREMLIN ON THE PHONE!
Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (lXVjD)
++++
Keeping an entire Transatlantic circuit open for diplomatic purposes was expensive. Private industry had it worse, though.

The big investment banks with branches in both New York and London would keep lines open continuously, at international rates. They'd have girls from the typing pool read books to each other to ensure the line stayed open (and detect disconnects) until someone needed it for a trade.

The phone bill had to have been staggering.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (zxP/x)

138 That story didn't contain any sodomy whatsoever. It'll never get greenlighted for production. Let's make the colonel an obese black lesbian and have Norad shoot down Santa, and have the airmen tell the children that he's dead, like God, but to cheer up because there's still time to transition.

Posted by: modern creatives at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (pjs7m)

139 Can today's incompetent woke imbeciles in our military even track Santa anymore?

Posted by: Elric Blade at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (iFTx/)

-----------

They've had to outsource it to Elon Musk.

Posted by: ShainS -- CISA Cognitive Security Agent at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (uHfuq)

140 Christmas cheer in Hollywood.

Christmas came a few days early for Hollywood stars who are celebrating Colorado’s Supreme Court ruling disqualifying former President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot.

Celebrities including Bette Midler, Rob Reiner, Mia Farrow, and George Takei broke out in festive jubilation over the left-wing court’s thinly veiled act of election interference.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (FVME7)

141 131 Underwater.

“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” Reportedly on Track for Worse Box Office Opening Than “The Marvels”
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (FVME7)

My oldest daughter is going to see it tonight. She wants it to be a Truly Bad Film.

Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (N3zMI)

142 Daily tests on the US/Moscow hotline (actually a teletype) had the Soviets giving poetic descriptions of the sunrise in the Rodina and the like. US response was always the same ol' "the quick brown fox...".

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (0EOe9)

143 This is not Joe Mannix's drivers license photo ?

Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (RjBju)

144 Can anyone tell the difference between fedgov employees working and not working?
Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:23 AM (BW97Y)

*raises hand*
OOO!!! OOO!!! I know this one!
You can tell when government employees are working because all they talk about are raises to the next step in the pay scale.

Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (W/lyH)

145 Kodiak Bear v. African Elephant?

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (9yWhg)

146 131 Underwater.

“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” Reportedly on Track for Worse Box Office Opening Than “The Marvels”
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (FVME7)

========

The first entries in both franchises made over a billion dollars, and their direct sequels are bombing very hard.

The comic book phase was a massive bubble. May it rest in peace.

Long live the toy-themed bubble brought on by Barbie!

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (GBKbO)

147 Can today's incompetent woke imbeciles in our military even track Santa anymore?

Posted by: Elric Blade

This may explain the preponderance of UFO sightings.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (lTGtQ)

148 Might be better if they didn't. They would probably shoot him down.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (VwHCD)
---
And then say it was a Chinese-made spy balloon...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (7fElN)

149 I've been watching 'The Chosen' on Amazon Prime with the wife. Seemed appropriate for the season.

It's surprisingly good.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (xcxpd)

150 That story didn't contain any sodomy whatsoever. It'll never get greenlighted for production. Let's make the colonel an obese black lesbian and have Norad shoot down Santa, and have the airmen tell the children that he's dead, like God, but to cheer up because there's still time to transition.

Posted by: modern creatives at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (pjs7m)

-------------

Well-played.

Posted by: ShainS -- CISA Cognitive Security Agent at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (uHfuq)

151 138 That story didn't contain any sodomy whatsoever. It'll never get greenlighted for production. Let's make the colonel an obese black lesbian and have Norad shoot down Santa, and have the airmen tell the children that he's dead, like God, but to cheer up because there's still time to transition.

So, put a chick in it and make her gay ?

Posted by: Taggart at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (og5mY)

152 This is not Joe Mannix's drivers license photo ?
Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (RjBju)
++++
Sadly, no. I don't look that good.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (zxP/x)

153 @105/Archer: Out of Uniform were you?

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (qPw5n)

154 The thing that pisses the democrats off is that Rudolph and his buds were white

Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:27 AM (RjBju)

155 The comic book phase was a massive bubble. May it rest in peace

—

So maybe someone in Hollywood will make movies geared to people older than 17? Saaa-weeet.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (BW97Y)

156 That story didn't contain any sodomy whatsoever. It'll never get greenlighted for production. Let's make the colonel an obese black lesbian and have Norad shoot down Santa, and have the airmen tell the children that he's dead, like God, but to cheer up because there's still time to transition.
Posted by: modern creatives at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (pjs7m)
++++
GET THIS MAN A CONTRACT

Posted by: Disney at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (zxP/x)

157 Can anyone tell the difference between fedgov employees working and not working?
Posted by: Montec

Working - They are watching porn
Not working - Absent

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (lXVjD)

158 The first entries in both franchises made over a billion dollars, and their direct sequels are bombing very hard.

The comic book phase was a massive bubble. May it rest in peace.

It's to the point that I think most big name stars in HW will refuse to appear in superhero movies, because the damage to your brand is too great.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (CsUN+)

159 NORAD reminded me that my LaCrosse weather/clock updated. It was about 70 seconds fast. I reset it to the correct time and within a day or two it was TWO minutes fast. I just looked now and it is in sync with all the other electronic clocks, PCs, etc.
So it wasn't batteries. Maybe Boulder?

Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? .. at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (qfLjt)

160 BESURETODRINKYOUROVALTINE

Posted by: Archer at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (gmo/4)

161 Sadly, no. I don't look that good.
Posted by: Joe

That guy does have a bit of mange there

Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:29 AM (RjBju)

162 NORAD reminded me that my LaCrosse weather/clock updated. It was about 70 seconds fast. I reset it to the correct time and within a day or two it was TWO minutes fast. I just looked now and it is in sync with all the other electronic clocks, PCs, etc.
So it wasn't batteries. Maybe Boulder?
Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? .. at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (qfLjt)
++++
Weird.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:29 AM (zxP/x)

163 I watched a couple "Cold War" movies a while back. There was one, can't recall the title (Strategic Air Command?) and during the mission(s) to nuke Russia the various commanders would take phone calls from their minions just as if someone was ordering pizza.

I thought it was unrealistic until I did a bit of research. But yet, call a particular number and you could potentially get NORAD or a Titan II missile bunker on the line.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at December 21, 2023 11:29 AM (Q4IgG)

164 That story didn't contain any sodomy whatsoever. It'll never get greenlighted for production. Let's make the colonel an obese black lesbian and have Norad shoot down Santa, and have the airmen tell the children that he's dead, like God, but to cheer up because there's still time to transition.

Was that before or after the traditional Christmas bug meal?

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:29 AM (CsUN+)

165 So, I went to a theater screening of the original Die Hard. In the previews is a remake of Planet of the Apes. Apparently, from what they showed, in this new version, an ape is romantically involved with a human female. Talk about missing the entire point of the original.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:29 AM (lTGtQ)

166 131 Underwater.

“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” Reportedly on Track for Worse Box Office Opening Than “The Marvels”
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (FVME7)

-------------------------------

I had no idea a new Aquaman movie was even coming out.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (AVPtn)

167 Short of a nookoolar war which nobody wins, China could easily win if they invaded today.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (BW97Y)

168 The first entries in both franchises made over a billion dollars, and their direct sequels are bombing very hard.

The comic book phase was a massive bubble. May it rest in peace.

Long live the toy-themed bubble brought on by Barbie!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (GBKbO)

I think/hope that people will still show up for a good movie. No one expects Aquaman to be a good movie.

But I wouldn't have picked Barbie to be a hit, so I dunno.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (xcxpd)

169 Can anyone tell the difference between fedgov employees working and not working?

The working ones are the ones shitting in the hall.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (Q0kLU)

170 Spare a tear for Hollywood.

Collin Rugg
@CollinRugg
NEW: Hollywood actress Taraji P. Henson sobs for not getting paid enough & complains that the government takes too much money.
Stop voting Democrat.
"I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do & getting paid a fraction of the cost."
"Uncle Sam is getting 50%. Now have $5 million. Your team is getting 30% off what you gross, not after what Uncle Same took. Now do the math."
Henson previously whined about not making $500,000 in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
"I asked for half a million. That’s it. And they gave me $100,000. Does that make sense? I’m number three on the call sheet. Does that make sense to you? All I was asking was $500,000," she said in 2019.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (FVME7)

171 Kodiak Bear v. African Elephant?
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus

Strap a 2x4 with nails sticking out of it to his trunk.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (R4t5M)

172 I don't think I've seen this discussed:

If the CO supreme court ruling removing Trump from the ballot is legally sound, or is upheld, then there is nothing to restrict it there.
The same opinion justifies-- mandates, if fact-- the removal of current office holders.
By the judiciary alone.
Merely the allegation, so long as it sways one judge anywhere, of one engaging in insurrection or rebellion, bars that person not only from being in the ballot but from holding current office.

This is far beyond a tit-for-tat; red states removing Biden from their ballots.
Blue states will "impeach and remove" from office by mere judicial decree.
Blue states will ban the entire Republican party from any office.

The Colorado Decision was an extermination decree against the Republican Party.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice - Personality Commentator at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (TzW+Y)

173 I had no idea a new Aquaman movie was even coming out.

It isn't. You wouldn't want to see it. Stay away from the theater.

Posted by: Jason Momoa at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (CsUN+)

174 The working ones are the ones shitting in the hall.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (Q0kLU)
++++
Fact Check: Mostly True

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (zxP/x)

175 I just hit a new low in being a slob. Put on my usual uniform of the day, sweats, pocket tee, beat up skechers (no socks) and went to the barber. Came home and put on a scruffier, more well washed and worn pair of sweats and tee, replaced the skechers with flip flops.
Posted by: bill in arkansas,

In 1950, you might have been scooped off the street dressed like that and placed into Pilgrim State Hospital for an extended stay. As one should be!

Posted by: Beau Brummel at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (V5BDR)

176 Kodiak Bear v. African Elephant?
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus

Never understood how the lion was the "King of Beasts".

Not when an African bull elephant can turn you into a greasy spot without breaking a sweat.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (lXVjD)

177 Can anyone tell the difference between fedgov employees working and not working?

Near as I can tell, Federal office workers (along with other government workers) now consider Work From Home to be a Constitutional right that cannot be infringed.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (YAtuc)

178 138 have Norad shoot down Santa, and have the airmen tell the children that he's dead, like God, but to cheer up because there's still time to transition
Posted by: modern creatives at December 21, 2023 11:25 AM (pjs7m)

have Norad shoot down Santa, and have the airmen tell the children that he's dead, like God, *AND* to cheer up because there's still time to transition

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (x7m+Z)

179 166 I had no idea a new Aquaman movie was even coming out.
Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (AVPtn)

=======

Apparently, it's been tested a whole lot leading to a bunch of reshoots. It's got backstage drama around Amber Heard (Jason Mamoa was apparently really mean to her on set). It's wildly expensive. The first film was a flash in the pan (it's really bad, too).

But, hey, The Flash was okay.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (GBKbO)

180 Christmas cheer in Hollywood.

Christmas came a few days early for Hollywood stars who are celebrating Colorado’s Supreme Court ruling disqualifying former President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot.

Celebrities including Bette Midler, Rob Reiner, Mia Farrow, and George Takei broke out in festive jubilation over the left-wing court’s thinly veiled act of election interference.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (FVME7)

-----------

I hope I live long enough to see the Neo-Maoist Cultural Revolution swallow them first.

Posted by: ShainS -- CISA Cognitive Security Agent at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (uHfuq)

181 One of my new church friends told me that he finally sat his boys down over the summer and let them know that Santa Clause doesn't exist. Deep down they probably suspected it, though. I think we all know it once we've reached a certain age.

Terry Pratchett's "Hogfather" is all about keeping the mystery of Santa Clause alive for children, though, because they *need* certain mysteries in their lives. Until it's time for them to put them away as they are now able to deal with the real world...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (7fElN)

182 168 I think/hope that people will still show up for a good movie. No one expects Aquaman to be a good movie.

But I wouldn't have picked Barbie to be a hit, so I dunno.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (xcxpd)

========

It was the masculine energy of J. Robert Oppenheimer that got her that popularity.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (GBKbO)

183 146 131 Underwater.

“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” Reportedly on Track for Worse Box Office Opening Than “The Marvels”
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:24 AM (FVME7)

========

The first entries in both franchises made over a billion dollars, and their direct sequels are bombing very hard.

The comic book phase was a massive bubble. May it rest in peace.

Long live the toy-themed bubble brought on by Barbie!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (GBKbO)
_________

I thought they delayed AM2 until 2025?

I think we'll see a lot of Barbie clones, but the "toy" movies have been bombing other than hers. So I don't think it will be toy-themed so much as a clones of the Barbie movie.

Good riddance to all the comic-book dogshit. Was so sick and tired of it.

Posted by: Elric Blade at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (iFTx/)

184 159 NORAD reminded me that my LaCrosse weather/clock updated. It was about 70 seconds fast. I reset it to the correct time and within a day or two it was TWO minutes fast. I just looked now and it is in sync with all the other electronic clocks, PCs, etc.
So it wasn't batteries. Maybe Boulder?
Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? .. at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (qfLjt)

----------------------------

Maybe it was having trouble getting the signal. In my experience, the clocks keep shitty time if they can't reset regularly.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (AVPtn)

185 I saw a movie on HBO recently can’t remember the name. It was about a b52 plane that had orders to drop nukes on the Russians once ww3 started. Rebecca DeMornay (mmmmmm) was in it.

Kinda a 80s but kinda fun.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (BW97Y)

186 This busty blonde in her underwear adores a nice Christmas story:
https://is.gd/a12QjZ

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (zxP/x)

187 171 Kodiak Bear v. African Elephant?
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus

Strap a 2x4 with nails sticking out of it to his trunk.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (R4t5M)

Been there, done that...

Posted by: Peter Jackson at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (TTAGa)

188 170 Spare a tear for Hollywood.

Collin Rugg
@CollinRugg
NEW: Hollywood actress Taraji P. Henson sobs for not getting paid enough & complains that the government takes too much money.
Stop voting Democrat.
"I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do & getting paid a fraction of the cost."
"Uncle Sam is getting 50%. Now have $5 million. Your team is getting 30% off what you gross, not after what Uncle Same took. Now do the math."
Henson previously whined about not making $500,000 in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
"I asked for half a million. That’s it. And they gave me $100,000. Does that make sense? I’m number three on the call sheet. Does that make sense to you? All I was asking was $500,000," she said in 2019.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (FVME7)

========

But if you lower taxes, then there won't be cops to protect you! Also, defund the police!

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (GBKbO)

189 Near as I can tell, Federal office workers (along with other government workers) now consider Work From Home to be a Constitutional right that cannot be infringed.

Some Oregon state employees who had moved to other states were demanding that the State pick up their travel expenses if they were ever required to attend an in-person meeting in their office.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at December 21, 2023 11:33 AM (YAtuc)

190 Celebrities including Bette Midler, Rob Reiner, Mia Farrow, and George Takei broke out in festive jubilation over the left-wing court’s thinly veiled act of election interference.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 21, 2023 11:26 AM (FVME7)
__________

Who?

Posted by: Elric Blade at December 21, 2023 11:33 AM (iFTx/)

191 I love this story. Did you know that when Santa isn't being monitored what you see on the website is retarded elves fucking up a game of tic tac toe, repeatedly.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at December 21, 2023 11:33 AM (cRrcX)

192 Back in the 1970s, when in port at Norfolk, we had a phone on the quarterdeck. You could receive/make calls. We'd order pizza most times. Back then, the pizza guys could drive right up to the ship.

Posted by: Archer at December 21, 2023 11:33 AM (gmo/4)

193 Never understood how the lion was the "King of Beasts".

Not when an African bull elephant can turn you into a greasy spot without breaking a sweat.
Posted by: r

It is because he has a bunch of hotties hanging around waiting to get banged and bringing him food.

Stupid bear just wanders around in the woods scratching trees, eating berries and wiping his ass with rabbits

Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (RjBju)

194 186 This busty blonde in her underwear adores a nice Christmas story:
https://is.gd/a12QjZ
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (zxP/x)

The best present any man could ask for. And some women.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (xcxpd)

195 Posted by: Beau Brummel at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (V5BDR)

The real Beau Brummell was once told about a man who was so well-dressed that people in the street turned to look at him as he walked by.

Replied the Beau, "Then he was not well-dressed."

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (Q0kLU)

196 I love this story. Did you know that when Santa isn't being monitored what you see on the website is retarded elves fucking up a game of tic tac toe, repeatedly.
Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at December 21, 2023 11:33 AM (cRrcX)
++++
Look, when your workforce is a slave race, you can't select for quality.

Posted by: Santa Claus at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (zxP/x)

197 129. Certainly, if Legislative branch.

There's little chance of tracking a great deal of Executive Branch folks - excluding Military - spread throughout the World.

Posted by: L - They don't have to outrun the bear, they only need to outrun us - for now at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (GshMh)

198 Never understood how the lion was the "King of Beasts".

Not when an African bull elephant can turn you into a greasy spot without breaking a sweat.
Posted by: rickb223

In The Jungle Book stories, even Shere Khan didn't mess with Hathi. And he was just an Indian elephant.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (9yWhg)

199 But if you lower taxes, then there won't be cops to protect you! Also, defund the police!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

—-

And only cops should have guns.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (BW97Y)

200 NORAD reminded me that my LaCrosse weather/clock updated. It was about 70 seconds fast. I reset it to the correct time and within a day or two it was TWO minutes fast. I just looked now and it is in sync with all the other electronic clocks, PCs, etc.
So it wasn't batteries. Maybe Boulder?
Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? .. at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (qfLjt)
++++
Weird.
Posted by: Joe Mannix

I have one that is two minutes off.
No. Matter. What.
Doesn't matter with time change. Doesn't matter if I manually reset it. It's always off two minutes. Never three. Nor one. Four is right out.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (lXVjD)

201 It was 1955. Secure comms used coding systems and code groups sent by wire. Emergency comms were telephone. It was a time when much of the country didn't even have direct local dialing, and very little of the country had direct distance dialing. Any phone getting an inbound call had a phone number. It wasn't until the 60s that calling could effectively be restricted by origin (a true "hotline" with only two endpoints). The number wasn't published, it was just a number that was very unlikely to be called by strangers.

What we think of as "secure comms" today didn't really exist before the sixties, and weren't common until the 80s.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (zxP/x)

Now we know ... not only is Mannix a cop, he's a phone cop!

Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (B/KRV)

202 I hope I live long enough to see the Neo-Maoist Cultural Revolution swallow them first.
Posted by: ShainS -- CISA Cognitive Security Agent at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (uHfuq)

-----------

They'll be swallowed last. The Revolution needs obedient and hateful apparatchiks to bash in the heads of the Enemies of the State with hammers.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (IJevL)

203 I think/hope that people will still show up for a good movie. No one expects Aquaman to be a good movie.

But I wouldn't have picked Barbie to be a hit, so I dunno.

We've talked here before about all the reasons people have stopped going to the theater to see a movie. I don't think anyone has mentioned that the rise of Netflix, Prime, etc... means that you no longer have to take what HW dishes out. I'm pretty sure I have unusual tastes (oh, shut up), but I can usually find something interesting on streaming. I don't have to look at the theater website and choose between bad and worse.

Example: I mentioned yesterday that Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix was very good, and CD echoed that. You won't see anything like it in a theater, though.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (CsUN+)

204 Now we know ... not only is Mannix a cop, he's a phone cop!
Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (B/KRV)
++++
Did Ma Bell have a police force? It wouldn't surprise me, but I don't know.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (zxP/x)

205 >>Christmas came a few days early for Hollywood stars who are celebrating Colorado’s Supreme Court ruling disqualifying former President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot.

I'm sorry, what does this have to do with celebrating the birth of Jesus? And two of those people are of another faith. . .? I suspect it was written that way to insult Christians.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (izj35)

206 199 But if you lower taxes, then there won't be cops to protect you! Also, defund the police!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

—-

And only cops should have guns.
Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (BW97Y)

========

Also, progressive taxation is the only equitable form of taxation. Switching to something like the Fair Tax would be unequitable. She is unequitable and should be canceled.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (GBKbO)

207 189 Near as I can tell, Federal office workers (along with other government workers) now consider Work From Home to be a Constitutional right that cannot be infringed.

Some Oregon state employees who had moved to other states were demanding that the State pick up their travel expenses if they were ever required to attend an in-person meeting in their office.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at December 21, 2023 11:33 AM (YAtuc)

My little corner of government made everyone WFH for three years. Then they went on a hiring spree, now they have too many employees for the cubicles they have allocated. So the WFH continues for a lot of people.

It's kinda funny.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:36 AM (xcxpd)

208 This busty blonde in her underwear adores a nice Christmas story:
https://is.gd/a12QjZ
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (zxP/x)

Vegas call girl look. Would not.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:36 AM (Q0kLU)

209 AM (AVPtn)

185 I saw a movie on HBO recently can’t remember the name. It was about a b52 plane that had orders to drop nukes on the Russians once ww3 started. Rebecca DeMornay (mmmmmm) was in it.

Saw that, she was not very hot riding that bomb out of the bay waving her hat

Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:36 AM (RjBju)

210 Can anyone tell the difference between fedgov employees working and not working?

The working ones are the ones shitting in the hall.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing

"Ooooh, where do I apply?"

Posted by: Amber Heard at December 21, 2023 11:36 AM (9yWhg)

211 Look, when your workforce is a slave race, you can't select for quality.
Posted by: Santa Claus at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (zxP/x)

-----------

Oh do we have stories we could tell.

Posted by: The Keebler Co. at December 21, 2023 11:36 AM (IJevL)

212 204 Now we know ... not only is Mannix a cop, he's a phone cop!
Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (B/KRV)
++++
Did Ma Bell have a police force? It wouldn't surprise me, but I don't know.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (zxP/x)

The clue is in the song "Michelle, ma belle."

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:37 AM (x7m+Z)

213 204 Example: I mentioned yesterday that Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix was very good, and CD echoed that. You won't see anything like it in a theater, though.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (CsUN+)

========

I just finished the Scott Pilgrim anime.

You know who the main character of the Scott Pilgrim anime is? Yup, it's Ramona.

You know who the main bad guy is of the Scott Pilgrim show? Yup, it's Scott Pilgrim (Even Older Scott, to be precise.)

It's like The LEGO Movie 2 all over again.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:37 AM (GBKbO)

214 I have one that is two minutes off.
No. Matter. What.
Doesn't matter with time change. Doesn't matter if I manually reset it. It's always off two minutes. Never three. Nor one. Four is right out.

Posted by: rickb223

I hate to tell you this, but you are going to have to move two minutes of longitude to the east.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:37 AM (lTGtQ)

215 It was 1955. Secure comms used coding systems and code groups sent by wire. Emergency comms were telephone. It was a time when much of the country didn't even have direct local dialing, and very little of the country had direct distance dialing.

I can hear that in Jack Webb's voice.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (Q0kLU)

216 This busty blonde in her underwear adores a nice Christmas story:
https://is.gd/a12QjZ
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (zxP/x)

Vegas call girl look. Would not.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing

Agree.

Posted by: Amber Heard at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (9yWhg)

217 We've talked here before about all the reasons people have stopped going to the theater to see a movie. I don't think anyone has mentioned that the rise of Netflix, Prime, etc... means that you no longer have to take what HW dishes out. I'm pretty sure I have unusual tastes (oh, shut up), but I can usually find something interesting on streaming. I don't have to look at the theater website and choose between bad and worse.

Example: I mentioned yesterday that Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix was very good, and CD echoed that. You won't see anything like it in a theater, though.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (CsUN+)

Netflix is very tempting. They never put their original stuff on DVD, sadly. But I don't want to reward them for their pro-pedo stuff.

I did see CD's review of Blue Eyed Samurai...I just saw the Boy and the Heron so the animation looked pretty janky to me, at least in his review.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (xcxpd)

218 215 It was 1955. Secure comms used coding systems and code groups sent by wire. Emergency comms were telephone. It was a time when much of the country didn't even have direct local dialing, and very little of the country had direct distance dialing.

I can hear that in Jack Webb's voice.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (Q0kLU)

; -)

Posted by: m at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (x7m+Z)

219 I'm sorry, what does this have to do with celebrating the birth of Jesus? And two of those people are of another faith. . .? I suspect it was written that way to insult Christians.
Posted by: Lizzy at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (izj35)
---
Leftism is the One True Faith for all of them...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (7fElN)

220 Damn, off sock!

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (9yWhg)

221 > Can anyone tell the difference between fedgov employees working and not working?

Near as I can tell, Federal office workers (along with other government workers) now consider Work From Home to be a Constitutional right that cannot be infringed.
____________

When covid forced the Army to send all civilian employees home to work back in 2020 some who'd bitched and complained about not being able to work from home were ecstatic. Until they spent every waking hour with their spouse, kids, dogs, cats, whatever. The bitching was then about not being able to sleep in, watch TV or surf the web without interruptions.

So not every Fed worker is fond of working from home. Especially if their spouse and/or kids hates them.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (Q4IgG)

222 I WFH and so does most of my team. Of the 10 or so do-workers so I interact with on a regular basis, only 3 live in my company’s HQ city. The rest of us are spread out across the country in all time zones.

It works fine, there’s really no need for all of us to sit in a cube next to each other to do our work.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (BW97Y)

223 I saw a movie on HBO recently can’t remember the name. It was about a b52 plane that had orders to drop nukes on the Russians once ww3 started. Rebecca DeMornay (mmmmmm) was in it.

Pilot was banging his co-pilot - DeMornay.

Wait until you see that scene in the remake, citizen!

Posted by: Archer at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (gmo/4)

224 What we think of as "secure comms" today didn't really exist before the sixties, and weren't common until the 80s.
Posted by: Joe Mannix

Exactly. We were still in the prototype stage for the cone of silence in the 60s!

Posted by: Maxwell Smart at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (JCZqz)

225 Did Ma Bell have a police force? It wouldn't surprise me, but I don't know.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:35 AM (zxP/x)

Johnny Fever was certain of it.

Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (B/KRV)

226 176 Kodiak Bear v. African Elephant?
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus

Never understood how the lion was the "King of Beasts".

Not when an African bull elephant can turn you into a greasy spot without breaking a sweat.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:31 AM (lXVjD)
----
Yeah but elephants are not carnivores. lions will kill and eat a baby elephant given the chance.

Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? . at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (qfLjt)

227 I hate to tell you this, but you are going to have to move two minutes of longitude to the east.
Posted by: Thomas Paine

*snort.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (lXVjD)

228 >>But if you lower taxes, then there won't be cops to protect you! Also, defund the police!

THAT'S FUNNY BECAUSE TARAJI P HENSON'S SON FAKED A POLICE HARASSMENT INCIDENT, CLAIMED RACIAL PROFILING.

http://tinyurl.com/y56wb423

Posted by: BEN ROETHLISBERGER at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (izj35)

229 "Uncle Sam is getting 50%. Now have $5 million. Your team is getting 30% off what you gross, not after what Uncle Same took. Now do the math."

Why does she want to kill grannies and children?

Posted by: Ripley at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (JojsZ)

230 not only is Mannix a cop, he's a phone cop!
Posted by: spindrift at December 21, 2023 11:34 AM (B/KRV)

He's trying to track down Dr. Johnny Fever.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (9yWhg)

231 217 Netflix is very tempting. They never put their original stuff on DVD, sadly. But I don't want to reward them for their pro-pedo stuff.

I did see CD's review of Blue Eyed Samurai...I just saw the Boy and the Heron so the animation looked pretty janky to me, at least in his review.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (xcxpd)

========

Netflix has a limited deal with Criterion, so a handful of things have shown up, most notably The Irishman, on disc.

As time goes on, these streaming giants are realizing that the on disc home video market is still a good revenue stream, especially when their entire business model doesn't make sense.

Disney's even started released things like The Mandalorian on disc.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (GBKbO)

232 I can hear that in Jack Webb's voice.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 21, 2023 11:38 AM (Q0kLU)
++++
One of my favorites. Jack Webb and Johnny Carson in the "Copper Clapper Caper:"
https://youtu.be/jgYbogp1Ha0?t=8

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:40 AM (zxP/x)

233 I did see CD's review of Blue Eyed Samurai...I just saw the Boy and the Heron so the animation looked pretty janky to me, at least in his review.

I don't watch a lot of animation, but I remember being struck with how good it was. Give it a shot.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:40 AM (CsUN+)

234 133
‘ Stop their paychecks. You'll see how fast you can find every last man jack.’
That’s one of my ideas for stopping the deep state if we ever get power again. Make sure their money stops working every time they try to pull shit.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 21, 2023 11:40 AM (jbnUc)

235

Call Santa at ME2-6681.

http://tinyurl.com/2p9y3myt

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 21, 2023 11:41 AM (63Dwl)

236 And the number of course was 867-5309

//

And the number for Catholics was Et cum spiri 220

Posted by: PJ at December 21, 2023 11:41 AM (G1dq6)

237 We have been binge watching Slow Horses on Apple TV and it is excellent. Any time I think about grabbing a Christmas cookie I remember Gary old man's character eating Chinese food or anything really and I drop the cookie.

Posted by: nckate at December 21, 2023 11:41 AM (SnxUt)

238 Oh do we have stories we could tell.
Posted by: The Keebler Co. at December 21, 2023 11:36 AM (IJevL)
---
Robot Chicken has a hilarious sketch about the Keebler Elves vs. Cookie Monster

https://youtu.be/MVjf2ut2oYE?si=elDUTbttnXCac0m9

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:41 AM (7fElN)

239 NORAD...in Colorado?...Rocky Mountain high?

Posted by: BignJames at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (AwYPR)

240 I just finished the Scott Pilgrim anime.

You know who the main character of the Scott Pilgrim anime is? Yup, it's Ramona.

You know who the main bad guy is of the Scott Pilgrim show? Yup, it's Scott Pilgrim (Even Older Scott, to be precise.)

It's like The LEGO Movie 2 all over again.

Sorry, but I don't know what this means. I've never watched any of the shows you mention, and have no knowledge of Scott Pilgrim.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (CsUN+)

241 16 I remember a radio station having a Thanksgiving promotion.
Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:05 AM (lXVjD)

I believe it was a Cincinnati station....

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (g7xtB)

242 Short of a nookoolar war which nobody wins, China could easily win if they invaded today.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:30 AM (BW97Y)

-----------

Why invade when you can far more cheaply buy 5th Column traitors who will collapse the culture, economy, and society for a mere fraction of the cost?

Posted by: ShainS -- CISA Cognitive Security Agent at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (uHfuq)

243 It’s always hilarious when leftoids learn about income taxes. But but but but when I said tax the rich I meant someone making $1 more than me, not me!!

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (BW97Y)

244 226 Yeah but elephants are not carnivores. lions will kill and eat a baby elephant given the chance.
Posted by: Ciampino - Does that mean you're not coming? . at December 21, 2023 11:39 AM (qfLjt)

Refusing to eat what you kill is a bitch move.

Posted by: XTC at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (sm6Pk)

245 In the 80s, the ex and I had the shittiest phone company in the world, United Telephone Service, UTS, united tincan and string. Long distance calls were sky high, even if you were calling a nearby town serviced by Ohio Bell. Used to call the local Air Force Reserve base and request a WATTS line for more than a few calls. Always got patched through.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (0EOe9)

246 240 Sorry, but I don't know what this means. I've never watched any of the shows you mention, and have no knowledge of Scott Pilgrim.
Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (CsUN+)

========

Well, then you should check out Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It's on Netflix! The actual movie.

Directed by Edgar Wright.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (GBKbO)

247 244 Refusing to eat what you kill is a bitch move.
Posted by: XTC at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (sm6Pk)

=======

Is this XTC's way of coming out as a cannibal?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (GBKbO)

248 Rooftop shooter at the university of Prague

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:44 AM (lTGtQ)

249 140
'Celebrities including Bette Midler, Rob Reiner, Mia Farrow, and George Takei broke out in festive jubilation’
Hell yes, they did. They love their police state.
God willing, I’ll get to see their reaction if police state tactics are ever used on them.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 21, 2023 11:44 AM (jbnUc)

250 248 Rooftop shooter at the university of Prague
Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:44 AM (lTGtQ)

They have MAGAs in Prague?

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:44 AM (BW97Y)

251 Well, then you should check out Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It's on Netflix! The actual movie.

Directed by Edgar Wright.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (GBKbO)
---
I recognize Scott Pilgrim as a cult classic, but it's a cult in which I don't quite belong...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:44 AM (7fElN)

252
I don't watch a lot of animation, but I remember being struck with how good it was. Give it a shot.
Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:40 AM (CsUN+

Have you seen Kubo and the Two Strings ?I really think it's great

Posted by: It's me donna at December 21, 2023 11:45 AM (n2vyf)

253 185 I saw a movie on HBO recently can’t remember the name. It was about a b52 plane that had orders to drop nukes on the Russians once ww3 started. Rebecca DeMornay (mmmmmm) was in it.

slim pickens > rebecca demornay

Posted by: anachronda at December 21, 2023 11:45 AM (sGtp+)

254 48 Rooftop shooter at the university of Prague
Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:44 AM (lTGtQ)

-----------

Can't be. Czech Republic has ironclad gun control laws.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at December 21, 2023 11:45 AM (IJevL)

255 Rooftop shooter at the university of Prague
Posted by: Tho

What did the roof do to him ?

Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:45 AM (RjBju)

256 189. Some Oregon state employees who had moved to other states were demanding that the State pick up their travel expenses if they were ever required to attend an in-person meeting in their office.

Some of Oregon's programs - EPA, occupational safety and health - are 'monitored' by the Feds. Since the feds get those travel expenses within certain limits, the monitored state plan personnel demand the same. For example, OSHA = AK, OR, ID, WA Region 10. EPA = AK, OR, ID, WA and 271 Tribal Nations.

Posted by: L - They don't have to outrun the bear, they only need to outrun us - for now at December 21, 2023 11:45 AM (GshMh)

257 Hallmark use to sell North Pole communicator where you can talk to Santa and the would sell chips each year so you would get different interactions with Santa the Elves Mrs Clause I don’t know why they stopped

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at December 21, 2023 11:45 AM (dKiJG)

258 And for news from our favorite banana republic:

http://tinyurl.com/y5sw4z55

Milei begins dismantling the Argentine State by imposing 300 reforms in a single decree

(this is what a "motosierra" looks like, I guess)

Posted by: Kindltot at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (D7oie)

259 246 240 Sorry, but I don't know what this means. I've never watched any of the shows you mention, and have no knowledge of Scott Pilgrim.
Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (CsUN+)

========

Well, then you should check out Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It's on Netflix! The actual movie.

Directed by Edgar Wright.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (GBKbO)

Bleh. Michael Cera AND Brie Larson AND it's a bunch of Millenial wankery.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (xcxpd)

260 Gotta be a bit odd watching a guy walking along just shooting the roof

Posted by: N at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (RjBju)

261 251 I recognize Scott Pilgrim as a cult classic, but it's a cult in which I don't quite belong...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:44 AM (7fElN)

=========

It's not my favorite film by Edgar Wright (that would probably be The World's End), but it's real good.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (GBKbO)

262 If only Prague were more like EuRoPe with sensible gun control?

Wait what?

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (BW97Y)

263 247 Is this XTC's way of coming out as a cannibal?
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (GBKbO)

I'm not a killer.

Which I should probably be ashamed of.

Posted by: XTC at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (sm6Pk)

264 Rooftop shooter at the university of Prague
Posted by: Tho

It's a Czech point.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:47 AM (9yWhg)

265 259 Bleh. Michael Cera AND Brie Larson AND it's a bunch of Millenial wankery.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (xcxpd)

=======

Brie Larson has never been hotter, and she plays a bitch.

And the songs by Beck are pretty good.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:47 AM (GBKbO)

266 After Major Kong took the ride, did the boys ditch near the weather ship?

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 11:47 AM (0EOe9)

267 ... Used to call the local Air Force Reserve base and request a WATTS line for more than a few calls. Always got patched through.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (0EOe9)
++++
Heh. There were any number of small local companies in sweet spots that were able to dodge long distance thanks to geography.

When I grew up in the CO mountains, calling Denver was long-distance, but calling the town right next to the Metro was not. Someone there discovered that he was in *both* local zones - he called Denver for free and could call pretty far into the mountains for free. That also meant either could call *him* for free.

He bought a bunch of phone lines and set up a system where you called his switchboard, waited for the tone, then dialed the Denver area number. His board patched it through. Local call. He charged something like $10/month for the service.

USWest (or maybe it was Mountain Bell at the time) sued him and lost.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:48 AM (zxP/x)

268 261 It's not my favorite film by Edgar Wright (that would probably be The World's End), but it's real good.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (GBKbO)

No love for Hot Fuzz?

Posted by: XTC at December 21, 2023 11:48 AM (sm6Pk)

269 It's not my favorite film by Edgar Wright (that would probably be The World's End), but it's real good.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (GBKbO)
---
I agree that The World's End is probably my favorite of the "Cornetto Trilogy." Mainly because I can identify with Gary King and his gang to some degree more than I identify with the main characters in the other movies. I used to run with a very similar crowd back in the day.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:48 AM (7fElN)

270 I saw Barbie this weekend, it’s streaming on Max. Wasn’t as woke as it had been described. A lot of it was tongue in cheek too. It had some funny stuff too.

Michael Cera’s character Alan, stole the show I thought.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (BW97Y)

271 268 261 It's not my favorite film by Edgar Wright (that would probably be The World's End), but it's real good.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (GBKbO)

No love for Hot Fuzz?
Posted by: XTC at December 21, 2023 11:48 AM (sm6Pk)

=======

Mucho love for Hot Fuzz.

I just think The World's End has this marvelous structure to it that feeds into both the jokes and the drama.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (GBKbO)

272 Probably another Mormon shooting up Prague

Posted by: MAC V SOG at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (P4Pk9)

273 Have you seen Kubo and the Two Strings ?I really think it's great

I have not. Good ideas from both of you.

Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (CsUN+)

274 265 259 Bleh. Michael Cera AND Brie Larson AND it's a bunch of Millenial wankery.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (xcxpd)

=======

Brie Larson has never been hotter, and she plays a bitch.
...
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:47 AM (GBKbO)

How is Brie Larson being a bitch an inducement to watching that vomitfest?

I do like Beck, but I have CDs for that.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (xcxpd)

275 My favorite Santa is Evil Robot Santa from Futurama. (voiced by John Goodman, btw)

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (i9ffA)

276 Brie Larson has never been hotter

----------

That's a very low bar.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (IJevL)

277 Mormon? Muslim?
220,221 whatever.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (BW97Y)

278 274 How is Brie Larson being a bitch an inducement to watching that vomitfest?

I do like Beck, but I have CDs for that.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (xcxpd)

========

I think it's fun to watch her play herself?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:50 AM (GBKbO)

279 253 185 I saw a movie on HBO recently can’t remember the name. It was about a b52 plane that had orders to drop nukes on the Russians once ww3 started. Rebecca DeMornay (mmmmmm) was in it.

BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT, HBO did a lot of movies about nuclear weapons, the one that was a news broadcast where they had a nuclear weapon on a tug boat built by scientists that wanted to end nuclear weapons

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at December 21, 2023 11:50 AM (dKiJG)

280 I'm convinced that the primary function of most bureaucracies is self-preservation. This is accomplished by subjecting their 'customers' to endless loops that actually compound the 'customers' minor problems.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 21, 2023 11:50 AM (XeU6L)

281 If economy is so great and, inflation tamed and the pain is imaginary, why do I see so many article and posts about how to save a few bucks and squeezing more out of a tight budget and cheap travel/entertainment alternatives? The regime can spin the numbers all it want but unofficial financial desperation/advice pieces are up 1000% under Brandon

Posted by: Ripley at December 21, 2023 11:50 AM (JojsZ)

282 Scramble fighters to intercept. : o )

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 11:50 AM (xj+4m)

283 I would imagine that Brie Larson delivers an Oscar-worthy performance when she plays a bitch.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (IJevL)

284 @278 Lay off Brie!

Posted by: Chairman LMAO, white knighter at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (F5SKq)

285 I liked Kubo and the Two Strings, though.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (xcxpd)

286 I think it's fun to watch her play herself?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:50 AM (GBKbO)

Yeah it is!

Oh, I misread. My mind inserted a word that was not present. Weird...

Posted by: The Central Scrutinizer at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (KbCG3)

287 280 I'm convinced that the primary function of most bureaucracies is self-preservation

—

See charities as prime examples. The last thing they want to do is solve the problem they were set up to solve.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (BW97Y)

288 285 I liked Kubo and the Two Strings, though.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (xcxpd)

========

Better than The Boxtrolls!

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (GBKbO)

289 259 246 240 Sorry, but I don't know what this means. I've never watched any of the shows you mention, and have no knowledge of Scott Pilgrim.
Posted by: Archimedes at December 21, 2023 11:42 AM (CsUN+)

========

Well, then you should check out Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It's on Netflix! The actual movie.

Directed by Edgar Wright.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:43 AM (GBKbO)

Bleh. Michael Cera AND Brie Larson AND it's a bunch of Millenial wankery.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:46 AM (xcxpd)
____________

I could barely get through SPvW myself. Bag of shit . . . .

Posted by: Elric Blade at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (iFTx/)

290 My favorite Santa is Evil Robot Santa from Futurama. (voiced by John Goodman, btw)
Posted by: Tom Servo at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (i9ffA)
---
I think John Goodman only did Robot Santa's voice in his first appearance. After that it was John DiMaggio.

Though Robot Satan was consistently voiced by Dan Castellanata (sp?), I think (Homer Simpson).

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (7fElN)

291 What am I, chopped liver?

Posted by: Col Gail Halvorsen at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (xj+4m)

292 Heh. There were any number of small local companies in sweet spots that were able to dodge long distance thanks to geography.

When I grew up in the CO mountains, calling Denver was long-distance, but calling the town right next to the Metro was not. Someone there discovered that he was in *both* local zones - he called Denver for free and could call pretty far into the mountains for free. That also meant either could call *him* for free.

He bought a bunch of phone lines and set up a system where you called his switchboard, waited for the tone, then dialed the Denver area number. His board patched it through. Local call. He charged something like $10/month for the service.

USWest (or maybe it was Mountain Bell at the time) sued him and lost.
Posted by: Joe Mannix

Old commercial:
Operator: "Collect call for Wehaddababyboy" do you accept the charges?

New Grandfather: No. *hangs up
New Grandmother: Who was that?
New Grandfather: It was the kids. They had a baby boy.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (lXVjD)

293 Some Oregon state employees who had moved to other states were demanding that the State pick up their travel expenses if they were ever required to attend an in-person meeting in their office.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at December 21, 2023 11:33 AM (YAtuc)

this is why most Oregon state agencies are not allowing workers to live out of state, I suppose.

visit and work out of state is fine, but they are picky about living out of state.

Posted by: Kindltot at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (D7oie)

294 Brie Larson has never been hotter

Friday Night Tights has a running joke about her feet I suggest you don’t look it up

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (dKiJG)

295 287 See charities as prime examples. The last thing they want to do is solve the problem they were set up to solve.
Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (BW97Y)

========

The March of Dimes won the fight against polio decades ago.

It's nice to know that they shut their doors and have been defunct for those same amount of decades.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (GBKbO)

296 I liked Kubo and the Two Strings, though.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (xcxpd)
---
That was a good movie, though it was quite poignant at times...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (7fElN)

297 290 My favorite Santa is Evil Robot Santa from Futurama. (voiced by John Goodman, btw)
Posted by: Tom Servo at December 21, 2023 11:49 AM (i9ffA)
---
I think John Goodman only did Robot Santa's voice in his first appearance. After that it was John DiMaggio.

Though Robot Satan was consistently voiced by Dan Castellanata (sp?), I think (Homer Simpson).
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (7fElN)

Futurama and South Park had two of the most classic Christmas episodes of all time.

Posted by: The Central Scrutinizer at December 21, 2023 11:53 AM (KbCG3)

298 Thanks Joe, this is a nice glimpse into a different era. Amongst all the stress and threats of disaster, we can look back and laugh. Remember when..

Posted by: Corona exile-back_in_exile at December 21, 2023 11:53 AM (7rzgu)

299 296 That was a good movie, though it was quite poignant at times...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (7fElN)

========

Kids movies need a certain balance of terror in them, I think, and Kubo has that.

The twin sisters are kind of terrifying.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:53 AM (GBKbO)

300 "Milei begins dismantling the Argentine State by imposing 300 reforms in a single decree
Posted by: Kindlto"

I'm going to guess he is not going to try and destroy Argentina cattle ranchers to please the WEF/and John Kerry.

Posted by: Ripley at December 21, 2023 11:53 AM (JojsZ)

301 Autism groups exist to create more people who think they have Autism.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:53 AM (BW97Y)

302 Old commercial:
Operator: "Collect call for Wehaddababyboy" do you accept the charges?

New Grandfather: No. *hangs up
New Grandmother: Who was that?
New Grandfather: It was the kids. They had a baby boy.
Posted by: rickb223 at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (lXVjD)
++++
Something that the kids today will not understand:
- Collect calls
- The various '10-10' numbers for interexchange long distance carriers

"Call 10-10-321 to save on long distance!"

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:54 AM (zxP/x)

303 288 285 I liked Kubo and the Two Strings, though.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (xcxpd)

========

Better than The Boxtrolls!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:51 AM (GBKbO)

low bar...

Maybe I'll watch some MST3K this weekend

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:55 AM (xcxpd)

304 Kids movies need a certain balance of terror in them, I think, and Kubo has that.

The twin sisters are kind of terrifying.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:53 AM (GBKbO)
---
I agree. There's nothing wrong with making a movie scary for children, as long as there is some balance to it (monsters *can* be defeated) so that they are not scarred for life.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:55 AM (7fElN)

305 Something that the kids today will not understand:
- Collect calls
- The various '10-10' numbers for interexchange long distance carriers

"Call 10-10-321 to save on long distance!"
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 11:54 AM (zxP/x)
----
"900" numbers...where you can rack up huge monthly bills if you overindulge...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (7fElN)

306 FIRST!!!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (Zz0t1)

307
But if you lower taxes, then there won't be cops to protect you! Also, defund the police!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (GBKbO)

(Looks left, looks right)

The police protect me? Since when?

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (xj+4m)

308 103 Once in a previous job, I dialed in to a meeting, only to find out the number they had given us was incorrect. Instead of the meeting, I reached the office of the local army recruitment center.
Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 21, 2023 11:20 AM (AVPtn)

In the '90's I misdialed, from my office phone, our corporate travel number, and instead got 'America's hottest live chat line....'

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (g7xtB)

309 I'm convinced that the primary function of most bureaucracies is self-preservation. This is accomplished by subjecting their 'customers' to endless loops that actually compound the 'customers' minor problems.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 21, 2023 11:50 AM (XeU6L)

The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others ; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power.

Posted by: O'Brien at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (D7oie)

310 293. this is why most Oregon state agencies are not allowing workers to live out of state, I suppose.

It's a much better policy. Civil servants need be available - to serve. ; )

Posted by: L - They don't have to outrun the bear, they only need to outrun us - for now at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (GshMh)

311 302 With cell phones, kids don't even know what long distance charges are.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (0EOe9)

312 Btw, I advise anyone checking out the youtube link concerning Candace Owen's tweet about the moon landing in the sidebar, do not read the comments. Holy hell so many people who not only don't believe the moon landing occurred, but try to claim it would have been impossible to do so. One argument, cell phone signals can't possibly reach the moon; another, the radio signal lag would be too great to effectively communicate from earth to the moon. Fellow morons, these are today's yutes.

Posted by: Chairman LMAO, AI Expert at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (F5SKq)

313 There's nothing wrong with making a movie scary for children, as long as there is some balance to it (monsters *can* be defeated) so that they are not scarred for life.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

The child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was terrifying. Still is.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (lTGtQ)

314 309 The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others ; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power.
Posted by: O'Brien at December 21, 2023 11:56 AM (D7oie)

=========

"Who found my aspirational for the day?!"
-Mitch McConnell

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (GBKbO)

315 236 And the number of course was 867-5309
===
I thought it was BR-549. (This will weed out the younguns)

Posted by: Dingbat at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (uMtlM)

316 Though Robot Satan was consistently voiced by Dan Castellanata (sp?), I think (Homer Simpson).
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:52 AM (7fElN)

I think over Christman I'll watch some of those again - Beelzebot is one of the funniest characters they came up with!

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (i9ffA)

317 Cell phones still have long distance charges for international calls.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (BW97Y)

318 There's nothing wrong with making a movie scary for children, as long as there is some balance to it (monsters *can* be defeated) so that they are not scarred for life.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

Scooby Doo was good for that.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (9yWhg)

319 has anyone see 'The Middle' TV show?

I'm in the mood for some Neil Flynn after seeing Scrubs again.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (xcxpd)

320 Been playing NukeMap with Denver as ground zero.
Dang...talk about bang for the buck!

Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (W/lyH)

321 185 I saw a movie on HBO recently can’t remember the name. It was about a b52 plane that had orders to drop nukes on the Russians once ww3 started. Rebecca DeMornay (mmmmmm) was in it.

Kinda a 80s but kinda fun.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:32 AM (BW97Y)
----
By Dawn's Early Light

Posted by: Ciampino - For you I'll take the bus at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (qfLjt)

322 Animal shelters overcrowded with pets from families struggling with economic and housing woes (from Breitbart)

http://tinyurl.com/2z2uph2j

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (N39Ws)

323 319 has anyone see 'The Middle' TV show?

I'm in the mood for some Neil Flynn after seeing Scrubs again.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (xcxpd)

========

He peaked with The Fugitive.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (GBKbO)

324 BESURETODRINKYOUROVALTINE
Posted by: Archer at December 21, 2023 11:28 AM (gmo/4)

Son of a bitch!

Posted by: Ralphie at December 21, 2023 11:59 AM (iODuv)

325 He peaked with The Fugitive.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (GBKbO)

Robbed of an Oscar

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 11:59 AM (xcxpd)

326 The Middle is funny.
Norm MacDonald is in it as well, recurring character.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:59 AM (BW97Y)

327 Cell phones still have long distance charges for international calls.
Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (BW97Y)

Want to get your blood pressure up?
Take a close look at your cell phone bill. They got taxes on taxes.

Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:59 AM (W/lyH)

328 The child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was terrifying. Still is.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (lTGtQ)

Truant Officers in "Little Rascals"

Posted by: BignJames at December 21, 2023 11:59 AM (AwYPR)

329
BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT, HBO did a lot of movies about nuclear weapons, the one that was a news broadcast where they had a nuclear weapon on a tug boat built by scientists that wanted to end nuclear weapons
Posted by: Patrick from Ohio

Sounds like Special Bulletin from 1983

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086350

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (63Dwl)

330 Unpopular opinion: Brie Larson was hot in Free Fire.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (xj+4m)

331 As a kid, the monster that scared me the most was that giant animated statue in Jason and the Argonauts.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (9yWhg)

332 317 Yeah, I know, but the kids don't realize that calling a town that bordered on your city limits could be a toll charge would boggle their minds. I remember the wife wanting to call her Mom with us in Ohio and the old gal in MD. A half hour call could wreck the phone bill budget.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (0EOe9)

333 Sue Heck in real life is hawt. They uglied her up on the show.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (BW97Y)

334 Holy hell so many people who not only don't believe the moon landing occurred, but try to claim it would have been impossible to do so. One argument, cell phone signals can't possibly reach the moon; another, the radio signal lag would be too great to effectively communicate from earth to the moon. Fellow morons, these are today's yutes.
Posted by: Chairman LMAO, AI Expert at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (F5SKq)

Flat earthers have entered the chat

Posted by: A dude in MI at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (/6GbT)

335 "Talos," I think it was called.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (9yWhg)

336 The child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was terrifying. Still is.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (lTGtQ)

Truant Officers in "Little Rascals"
Posted by: BignJames at December 21, 2023 11:59 AM (AwYPR)
---
Disney used to make some really scary movies for kids: "The Watcher in the Woods" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes" always creeped me out (even to this day).

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (7fElN)

337 330 Unpopular opinion: Brie Larson was hot in Free Fire.
Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (xj+4m)

========

She is an unappealing woman who hates people like me. She has no butt.

But she's pretty and seems to have nice tits.

So,...

3/10

Would not bang.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (GBKbO)

338 329
BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT, HBO did a lot of movies about nuclear weapons, the one that was a news broadcast where they had a nuclear weapon on a tug boat built by scientists that wanted to end nuclear weapons
Posted by: Patrick from Ohio

Sounds like Special Bulletin from 1983

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086350
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (63Dwl)

Binging Twilight Zone, as I do each December. It's basically war, space, people who are alone, people who are themselves but not really themselves.

Posted by: The Central Scrutinizer at December 21, 2023 12:02 PM (KbCG3)

339 335 "Talos," I think it was called.
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (9yWhg)

and The Snark

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 12:02 PM (xcxpd)

340 Sue Heck in real life is hawt. They uglied her up on the show.
Posted by: Montec

So that she looked like hell?

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 12:02 PM (9yWhg)

341 304 I agree. There's nothing wrong with making a movie scary for children, as long as there is some balance to it (monsters *can* be defeated) so that they are not scarred for life.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 21, 2023 11:55 AM (7fElN)

What about being harsh and toughening them up so they'll be more likely to grow up to be Hard Men?

Posted by: XTC at December 21, 2023 12:02 PM (sm6Pk)

342 Want to get your blood pressure up?
Take a close look at your cell phone bill. They got taxes on taxes.
Posted by: Diogenes at December 21, 2023 11:59 AM (W/lyH)

At least they got rid of that one tax enacted to fund the Spanish American war. So we have that going for us.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 12:03 PM (BW97Y)

343 What a great story!

Posted by: Huck Follywood at December 21, 2023 12:03 PM (pjO2w)

344 337 330 Unpopular opinion: Brie Larson was hot in Free Fire.
Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (xj+4m)

========

She is an unappealing woman who hates people like me. She has no butt.

But she's pretty and seems to have nice tits.

So,...

3/10

Would not bang.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, navigating love and hate with Charles Laughton at December 21, 2023 12:01 PM (GBKbO)

Her late night show guest host appearance should be the only Brie Larson available to view.

Posted by: The Central Scrutinizer at December 21, 2023 12:03 PM (KbCG3)

345 Unpopular opinion: Brie Larson was hot in Free Fire.
Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (xj+4m)

***

I agree... she has a nice chestal region

Posted by: Truck Monkey Report at December 21, 2023 12:03 PM (ZV+pB)

346
So that she looked like hell?
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at December 21, 2023 12:02 PM (9yWhg)

Well played.

Posted by: Montec at December 21, 2023 12:03 PM (BW97Y)

347 Modern NORAD:

"Hello, this is NORAD. What are your pronouns? He/him? Santa wants to rap about sexuality for a little bit... Do you ever play with dolls? Every now and then? Ok, can you go find Mommy's sharpest knife?

While you're looking, let me tell you about the Russian Grinch. He hates Christmas and takes away everyone's boys because he's a bigot who hates love. But Santa's NORAD elves are gonna fix him right up with a limited nuclear exchange."

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at December 21, 2023 12:04 PM (0FoWg)

348 Sounds like Special Bulletin from 1983

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086350
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (63Dwl)

The initial broadcast was done live. Talk about taking a real risk! I was working in broadcast TV back then (NYC market) and many of us engineering people marveled at how well the production was done.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy now with twice the crazy at December 21, 2023 12:04 PM (iODuv)

349 336 The child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was terrifying. Still is.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (lTGtQ)

______________________________

I'll tell you what shocked me. I watched it with my niece and a closer examination of the toymaker...solicited a "Holy Shit!!! That's Benny Hill!!!"

To which, my 4 year old niece said at every occasion involving adults...no idea where she picked that up.

Posted by: Orson at December 21, 2023 12:04 PM (dIske)

350 ... While you're looking, let me tell you about the Russian Grinch. He hates Christmas and takes away everyone's boys because he's a bigot who hates love. But Santa's NORAD elves are gonna fix him right up with a limited nuclear exchange."
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at December 21, 2023 12:04 PM (0FoWg)
++++
"Limited nuclear exchange" is one of the more insane things to be seriously discussed in the press in 2023.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at December 21, 2023 12:05 PM (zxP/x)

351 Animal shelters overcrowded with pets from families struggling with economic and housing woes (from Breitbart)

http://tinyurl.com/2z2uph2j

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at December 21, 2023 11:58 AM (N39Ws)

To follow up with this, I've been looking to adopt a shelter dog. Been looking for a specific breed and have found 3 different dogs over the last few months. Even offered to adopt one that wasn't the breed I was looking for, but she was such a sweet girl. Each time I was denied.

The problem? Many shelters will not adopt out a dog unless you already have one (kind of the chicken/egg scenario). Or only if someone is home all the time (work from home, which I don't). They also require a fenced in yard (which I do have). The applications they want you to fill are unbelievable - 5+ pages. Most dogs in shelters are bully breeds, which I don't have any interest in adopting (my choice, thats all).

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at December 21, 2023 12:05 PM (N39Ws)

352 Nood. Some people did some kids.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at December 21, 2023 12:05 PM (1Z8zZ)

353 329 BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT, HBO did a lot of movies about nuclear weapons, the one that was a news broadcast where they had a nuclear weapon on a tug boat built by scientists that wanted to end nuclear weapons
Posted by: Patrick from Ohio

Sounds like Special Bulletin from 1983

sounds like the first episode of get smart

Posted by: anachronda at December 21, 2023 12:05 PM (sGtp+)

354 But yet, call a particular number and you could potentially get NORAD on the line.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at December 21, 2023 11:29 AM

Tell me about it.

Posted by: David Lightman at December 21, 2023 12:05 PM (xttsV)

355 nood

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, anti-Marxist, buy ammo and keep your rifle by your side at December 21, 2023 12:06 PM (xcxpd)

356 Oh, yeah, talking about ancient phone systems, our sterling service didn't have touch tone in the 80s. Signed up for some deal that gave you reduced long distance. "Sprint" I think. They gave you a giz you held over the phone and punched in the touch tone numbers.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 21, 2023 12:07 PM (0EOe9)

357 315 236 And the number of course was 867-5309
===
I thought it was BR-549. (This will weed out the younguns)
Posted by: Dingbat at December 21, 2023 11:57 AM (uMtlM)

Beechwood 4-5789

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 21, 2023 12:08 PM (g7xtB)

358

Talos

https://is.gd/HxPGFL

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 21, 2023 12:08 PM (63Dwl)

359 Sounds like Special Bulletin from 1983

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086350
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (63Dwl)

Had a housemate who was so stupid she saw the rerun of that late at night, thought it was real, and completely flipped out.

Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at December 21, 2023 12:10 PM (N3zMI)

360 Beechwood 4-5789
Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 21, 2023 12:08 PM (g7xtB)

When I and a fellow teen friend dialed that number back in the 60's, we wound up with an operator calling us back that our call to California was ready now! We were in NJ. We hung up (we were at his house) and ran out of the house. LOL!

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy now with twice the crazy at December 21, 2023 12:11 PM (iODuv)

361 345 Unpopular opinion: Brie Larson was hot in Free Fire.
Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 12:00 PM (xj+4m)

***

I agree... she has a nice chestal region

Posted by: Truck Monkey Report at December 21, 2023 12:03 PM (ZV+pB)
----
But not the buttockal area?

Posted by: Jay Leno's stand-in at December 21, 2023 12:13 PM (qfLjt)

362 361, et al: Brie Larson filled out her jeans quite nicely in Free Fire.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 21, 2023 12:21 PM (xj+4m)

363 thank you and merry christmas

Posted by: billy c at December 21, 2023 12:22 PM (eo/Go)

364 It was all a CIA Cold War Psy-Op....

Posted by: Jake Speed at December 21, 2023 01:34 PM (Vu1jV)

365 Believe it was actually CONAD (Continental Air Defense) at the time, not NORAD, which wasn't stood up until a few years later.

Posted by: rabidsquirrel at December 21, 2023 02:34 PM (NbaC+)

366 God bless Col. Shoup for quick thinking. He saved NORAD and lots of kids who believed in Santa Claus.

Posted by: RebeccaH at December 21, 2023 02:49 PM (Nvors)

367 Thank you for the reminder of how this great tradition got started.

Posted by: GWB at December 22, 2023 12:08 AM (sSx7k)

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