Overnight Open Thread [01/12/2026]

Gazing up into the night sky seems elemental, for reasons I do not understand. Perhaps it is the wonder of the vastness of the universe that attracts us, or maybe just that it is simply beautiful!

We have a fair amount of light pollution (what a silly phrase), so while we can see the beauty of the heavens, it is nothing like looking up during a cold dark night, far from the lights of a metropolitan area.

Sadly, our fixation with modern phones and the admittedly impressive cameras built into them have made photos such as the one above a rarity for most people. I am sure many of you have tried to take photos of the moon with your phones, and it simply does not work!

******
I love the South!

[Hat Tip: TC]
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Once upon a time, there was a marine biologist who absolutely loved dolphins. He'd been fascinated with them since childhood, so marine biology was a natural field for him, and he spent almost all of his time researching, swimming with, and playing with dolphins. He grew to love many of his dolphins and consider them his family. But there was a problem.
Dolphins, like humans, are subject to the ravages of aging, growing feeble and infirm as they get older, until they inevitably died. But dolphin lifespans are much shorter than human lifespans, so as the years went by, the biologist saw dolphins that were very dear to him grow old, become too weak to frolic, and die, and it broke his heart every single time. He never got used to seeing one of his beloved dolphins pass away and leave forever, and he determined to do something about it. His research became increasingly focused on finding a way to keep dolphins from aging. And finally, after decades of experimentation, he achieved a major breakthrough. But again, there was a problem.
He developed a serum that could completely halt the effects of aging in dolphins, allowing them to theoretically live forever in perfect health. But the major ingredient of his formula was a paste made from the ground-up bodies of baby hatchlings of a certain rare species of seagull. In fact, that particular species of seagull was so rare that it was considered critically endangered and had the strongest level of protection. Interfering with these birds, especially their chicks, was strictly forbidden and heavily punishable. So there was nothing he could do to help his dolphins.
Until one fateful day.
On that day, one of his dearest, most beloved dolphins (a female with whom he had a very special and unique relationship) died of old age. Grief-stricken, the marine biologist decided that the law could go to hell, and that saving his dolphins was much more important than some stupid endangered seagull. He loaded a truck with empty cages and, in the dead of night, drove to a beach that had a nesting colony of these seagulls.
He worked through most of the night, going from nest to nest, grabbing any baby birds he could find, and locking them in cages in the back of his truck. Just about an hour before sunrise, he had loaded up his truck with all he could carry and started the long drive back to his laboratory where he could grind up the chicks and make his serum.
Unfortunately, it was late, and after working through most of the night he was tired and unfocused, and by the time he saw the animal lying in the road, it was too late. The biologist caught a glimpse in his headlights, and to his surprise it was a lion, who had been relaxing peacefully in the road before the biologist ran him over.
A state trooper saw the whole thing. He pulled the marine biologist over, and arrested him for transporting underage gulls across a staid lion for immortal porpoises.

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Take 'Em Away, by Old Crow Medicine Show.
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It's almost certainly fake, but still extremely funny.

What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?

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Ah yes...the Brylcream addict who would be president. And that is his handler, the younger Soros ghoul.The sh*t-show that is California is accelerating into the abyss, and Newsom seems to relish its image as the crackpot capital of the country. Is his political bubble so all-encompassing that he simply does not see reality? Hell, he went to Davos last week and was bitterly critical of America. And he thinks that is going to resonate outside of the wealthy blue enclaves?

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I am not a Dead-Head...I saw enough of them while living in Berkeley! They would invade for several days while The Dead played The Greek Theater, and the behavior of those lunatics was a powerful impression of how not to love a band! But I do like some of their songs, and Ripple is my favorite.

If JackStraw is around, he can tell you why The Dead are popular in his neck of the woods.

Here is John Mayer's version that he sang at some memorial to Bob Weir. I apologize for the vile people in the background!

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[Hat Tip: TC]
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This is fascinating, both as a glimpse into the complexities of building high-quality barrels, and the skill and attention to detail of a master craftsman.

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The Far Side

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AoSHQ may trigger convulsions and projectile vomiting in some new readers. Please use vomit bag in seat pocket. Knives are to be sheathed at all times unless written waiver is received by our attorneys. Ace and cobloggers specifically disavow all responsibility for content. We are not responsible for any injury, including chafing. Disabling ShowerCam^TM is a violation of the terms of use.

Posted by: CBD at 10:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 foist

Posted by: morigu at January 26, 2026 10:00 PM (gInLa)

2 536yb35y56

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 26, 2026 10:01 PM (n2vmh)

3
morigu? I don't believe I've seen you in these parts previously. Let me tell you about a little tradition...

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 26, 2026 10:01 PM (n2vmh)

4 I coulda been a contenduh!

Posted by: buddhaha at January 26, 2026 10:01 PM (IMmiQ)

5 Ball Of Fire

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:01 PM (m24qK)

6 Good evening good people.

Posted by: Tonypete at January 26, 2026 10:02 PM (cYBz/)

7 Wait wait, don't start without me.....

Oh, darn.

Posted by: mindful webworker - classic style at January 26, 2026 10:02 PM (OJSFI)

8 Yay, ONT!

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at January 26, 2026 10:03 PM (lUFok)

9 Good evening morons w grazie CBD

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 26, 2026 10:03 PM (RIvkX)

10 Bojangles is awesome.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 10:03 PM (lpTXP)

11 So, we stood down in Minny? Not sure what Trump's doing, but he must have something planned.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:03 PM (uQesX)

12 Gavin Newsom is the avatar for the modern Democrat party.

Unaccomplished. Dull. Excellent at rote memorization.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 26, 2026 10:05 PM (RIvkX)

13
So, we stood down in Minny? Not sure what Trump's doing, but he must have something planned.
Posted by: OrangeEnt

===========

Way down in the willow section of the cafe thread, 8th Circuit tells DHS they can pepper spray protestors to their heart's content. I imagine that may have entered the conversation with Walz and Frey.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 26, 2026 10:05 PM (n2vmh)

14 What does the T in T-shirt stand for?

The shape? No, but good guess.

Tyrannosaurus, because of the short arms.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 10:06 PM (S/Y4j)

15 I just found out that "Atrocity Exhibition" was flipped. Bernard Sumner played bass; Peter Hook played guitar.
Sumner was competent; Hook wasn't, lol. Martin Hannett the producer made Hook's crashing noise on guitar to form an atmospheric background.
This is a Stephen Morris track. The drum makes this one work. Well that and Ian Curtis' poetry.

Closer really was an album for the eternal.

Posted by: gKWVE at January 26, 2026 10:06 PM (gKWVE)

16 "Good evening good people."

Hey, what about the rest of us???

Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 10:06 PM (pXTL4)

17
What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?

I have two Dodge Charger R/T cars, a red one and a blue one. I long conned an asshole at workmfor 18 months that I had two grey ones and was color blind. The week the asshole was rotating out was Christmas party week, and he asked if there was anything he could do. I handed him my key fob and asked him to get the plates and cups out of my blue one. The look of betrayal on his face was priceless.

Posted by: BifBewalski- at January 26, 2026 10:06 PM (QVmho)

18 So, we stood down in Minny? Not sure what Trump's doing, but he must have something planned.
Posted by: OrangeEnt

PDJT, like the Russians, doesn't take a dump without a plan.
-- Zombie Admiral Josh Painter

Posted by: Tonypete at January 26, 2026 10:07 PM (cYBz/)

19 Gazing up into the night sky seems elemental, for reasons I do not understand. Perhaps it is the wonder of the vastness of the universe that attracts us, or maybe just that it is simply beautiful!
-
The scope and beauty of the heavens teaches us something about the nature of our Creator.

Posted by: Methos at January 26, 2026 10:07 PM (vSvIl)

20 Gavin Newsom is the avatar for the modern Democrat party.

Unaccomplished. Dull. Excellent at rote memorization.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 26, 2026 10:05 PM (RIvkX)

Inept, Incapable. Queer adjacent?

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 10:07 PM (lpTXP)

21 Hello, Horde! 😊♥️🥶

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Texas, AoSHQ's Plucky Wee One - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at January 26, 2026 10:08 PM (SRRAx)

22 Way down in the willow section of the cafe thread, 8th Circuit tells DHS they can pepper spray protestors to their heart's content. I imagine that may have entered the conversation with Walz and Frey.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 26, 2026 10:05 PM (n2vmh)

Usually not around for the cafe thread. Only thing I've seen is the guy in charge has been pulled out and Trump talked to Swish One and Swish Two and we're backing off. I don't think anything else is going to happen. If this Signal thing is true, a lot of people should be getting rounded up right now.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:08 PM (uQesX)

23 What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?

I'd prefer to not go into specifics but let's just say a set of twins were involved.

Posted by: Tonypete at January 26, 2026 10:08 PM (cYBz/)

24 11 So, we stood down in Minny? Not sure what Trump's doing, but he must have something planned.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:03 PM (uQesX)

You don't send Tom Homan when you want to stand down. You send him when you want someone you trust to tell you exactly where and how you should be applying your forces, and then make it happen.

Posted by: Splunge at January 26, 2026 10:09 PM (7DKa5)

25 Thanks for the dandy Monday Night ONT, CBD!

That moon shot up top is bewitching. We're in a dark skies neighborhood and the stars are spectacular.

Loved the Far Side!

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at January 26, 2026 10:09 PM (kB9dk)

26 If those dingoes were next to Quality Learing Center, they'd be pretty bored.

Posted by: PA Dutchman at January 26, 2026 10:09 PM (h/O4U)

27 Did Newsom actually pose for a photo while wearing those knee pads? Or is that AI?

If that's a real photo, he sure did make a fool of himself at Davos.

Posted by: Emmie at January 26, 2026 10:09 PM (FMtrg)

28 Nice, punny dolphin joke!

Hahahahaha!

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at January 26, 2026 10:09 PM (kB9dk)

29 CBD,

If you have certain of the more recent vinatge iPhones Pro, you have the ability to use a Zoom function that allows for lunar photos that are damn close to what you posted.

You need a tripod, but I've had some good results ... not Ansel Adams quality, but good enough.

Posted by: browndog head cocked to the side at January 26, 2026 10:10 PM (3sXRv)

30 Evenin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at January 26, 2026 10:10 PM (sAmhv)

31 Thanks for the ONT.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 26, 2026 10:10 PM (zZu0s)

32 Nice, punny dolphin joke!

Hahahahaha!
Posted by: Legally Sufficient at January 26, 2026 10:09 PM (kB9dk)

So, you're saying it was posted on porpoise?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:10 PM (uQesX)

33 Nice, punny dolphin joke!

Hahahahaha!
Posted by: Legally Sufficient

Long, shaggy-dog setup. Very Norm MacDonald.

Posted by: mikeski at January 26, 2026 10:11 PM (VHUov)

34 Having now taken a look at pictures of Sparkle Beach Ken and Patrick Bateman, I now think Scott Bessent is a genius. That was not some casual insult. It was a perfect capture of Newsom's soul.

Posted by: Splunge at January 26, 2026 10:11 PM (7DKa5)

35 Happy-ish Monday Evening, all y'all . . .

Posted by: Adriane the Time . . . May Not Be On Your Side Critic . . . at January 26, 2026 10:11 PM (3ZUWJ)

36 The photo is real, the knee pads are just metaphorical.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 26, 2026 10:11 PM (zZu0s)

37
So, you're saying it was posted on porpoise?
Posted by: OrangeEnt

Why I otter....

Posted by: nyuk nyuk nyuk- at January 26, 2026 10:11 PM (QVmho)

38 Gazing up into the night sky seems elemental, for reasons I do not understand. Perhaps it is the wonder of the vastness of the universe that attracts us, or maybe just that it is simply beautiful!

It reminds us that, no matter how much we know, or how much we've seen, there is always more to learn, to explore, to experience, and to do, both out among the stars and within ourselves.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 10:12 PM (S/Y4j)

39 [Obligatory]

That's no moon.

Posted by: Obi Wan Baloney at January 26, 2026 10:12 PM (fhCge)

40 What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?

There was some snipe hunting. A friend and her pillowcase to save the snipes. She is still my friend.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 10:12 PM (lpTXP)

41 8th Circuit Court of Appeals rules in favor of Trump admin allowing ICE agents to arrest, detain, pepper-spray or retaliate against violent anti-ICE rioters, in Minneapolis, without probable cause — Fox

Thus the phone call.
Posted by: davidt

Fix Bayonets

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 26, 2026 10:12 PM (/lPRQ)

42 AoSHQ may trigger convulsions and projectile vomiting in some new readers.
=====

I never stopped.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 26, 2026 10:12 PM (RIvkX)

43 If you are talking about the Border Patrol guy, Bovino?, he has not been relieved of duties.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 26, 2026 10:11 PM (8zz6B)

One story said yes, another said no.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:12 PM (uQesX)

44 Gazing up into the night sky only started seeming elemental after I moved away from the Pacific Northwest. Sky-spanning cloud layers are no more interesting at night than they are during the day.

Posted by: Splunge at January 26, 2026 10:13 PM (7DKa5)

45 So, you're saying it was posted on porpoise?
Posted by: OrangeEnt

Why I otter....
Posted by: nyuk nyuk nyuk- at January 26, 2026 10:11 PM (QVmho)

Calm down, or you'll have to resolve this on a log in a lake with fresh caught pike.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 10:14 PM (S/Y4j)

46 If you are talking about the Border Patrol guy, Bovino?, he has not been relieved of duties.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

One story said yes, another said no.
Posted by: OrangeEnt

Schroedinger's Cop.

Posted by: mikeski at January 26, 2026 10:14 PM (VHUov)

47 "Please use vomit bag in seat pocket."

I checked the seat pocket. What I found was a baggie with the corner ripped off and a package of crumbled Captain's Wafers.

Stewardess, I'd like an upgrade to first class, please?

Posted by: mindful webworker - and you'll like it at January 26, 2026 10:14 PM (OJSFI)

48 SPONGE!

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 26, 2026 10:14 PM (ULPxl)

49 26 If those dingoes were next to Quality Learing Center, they'd be pretty bored.
Posted by: PA Dutchman
..............................
The Somalis would eat them.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at January 26, 2026 10:15 PM (sAmhv)

50 Fix Bayonets
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 26, 2026 10:12 PM (/lPRQ)

They should. Facing cold steel would make these assaulter think before acting. I nice, long WWI era bayonet.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:15 PM (uQesX)

51 Disabling ShowerCamTM is a violation of the terms of use.
----

My shower cam came off the mount and landed in the toilet face up. You are free to watch the new perspective.

Posted by: clarence at January 26, 2026 10:16 PM (jgwdN)

52 536yb35y56
Posted by: Blonde Morticia

* gets out Super Secret AOSHQ code breaker ring*

I'm no Alan Turing, so this may take me awhile.

Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 26, 2026 10:16 PM (uaYsl)

53 The Far Side was great.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:16 PM (snZF9)

54 The best night sky viewing I ever did was at Ayers Rock, Australia. Second best was Big Bend State Park, TX. It used to be dark out at Scary Acres. We could see the Milky Way. But the light pollution of Austin metro has made that harder. We have to sit in the field and look south.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 10:18 PM (lpTXP)

55 @zerohedge . 12m

"Sleep Tight, America. We Got This": NatGas And Coal Power Plants Prevented Grid Collapse During Historic Winter Blast

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:18 PM (m24qK)

56 CBD, what the heck are you doing up at this hour?

Posted by: RI Red at January 26, 2026 10:18 PM (30Gj0)

57 That Soros person/thing is evil personified.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 26, 2026 10:18 PM (fhCge)

58 That's no moon.
Posted by: Obi Wan Baloney

Sorry but I'm pretty sure this trumps:

https://tinyurl.com/234sppss

Posted by: Fen at January 26, 2026 10:18 PM (ciYHQ)

59 It was good marine mammal pun, but I bet you can't do it again. It was just a fluke.

Posted by: Bilwis Devourer of Innocent Souls, I'm starvin' over here at January 26, 2026 10:18 PM (w/O5Q)

60 536yb35y56
Posted by: Blonde Morticia

* gets out Super Secret AOSHQ code breaker ring*
I'm no Alan Turing, so this may take me awhile.
Posted by: Sock Monkey

I think she's playing 3D Battleship.

Posted by: it's submarines, all the way down at January 26, 2026 10:19 PM (VHUov)

61 Regarding the reveals of the Signal comms, I was wondering when we would start to hear of the management/leadership levels being exposed of the riots.

During anti-riot training exercises back in the day, the instructors stressed that the front ranks are simply lumps and not really too important in the overall scheme of things. If it went hot, we were taught to fire into the 3rd or 4th ranks to cripple the NCO levels, and even further back to take out the officer levels of the mob. Overall battlefield command is off site.

I imagine it's still the same today.

Posted by: Tonypete at January 26, 2026 10:19 PM (cYBz/)

62 If those dingoes were next to Quality Learing Center, they'd be pretty bored.
Posted by: PA Dutchman

The Somalis would eat them.
Posted by: Puddleglum

It is a dingo "farm."

Posted by: mikeski at January 26, 2026 10:21 PM (VHUov)

63 I imagine it's still the same today.
Posted by: Tonypete at January 26, 2026 10:19 PM (cYBz/)

I was wondering why the hell we would announce it? Now, they'll just use some other method.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:21 PM (uQesX)

64 the front ranks are simply lumps and not really too important in the overall scheme of things.
----

That is what the water cannon is for.

Posted by: clarence at January 26, 2026 10:21 PM (jgwdN)

65 It's my understanding that taking a photo of the Moon on a Samsung Galaxy S21/S22/S23 Ultra phone is a breeze. Perfect shot every single time. (some of you will get this reference).

Posted by: Orson at January 26, 2026 10:21 PM (dIske)

66 54 The Far Side was great.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:16 PM

Gary Larson has clearly been to the house of TRex and Grateful.

This was today's Far Side:

https://tinyurl.com/3hrk9292

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:22 PM (HlyYF)

67 "Overproduced by Martin Hannett take 4"

Posted by: Dark Litigator at January 26, 2026 10:22 PM (KAi1n)

68 I actually did take a really good moon pic with my phone. Its a new phone with a good camera. I had to change a million settings through trial and error, but it finally worked. It was in the past September. It was a reddish color moon. It came out with great surface details and caught the reddish color perfectly. A couple months later there was another great moon, but I couldn't duplicate what I did.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:22 PM (snZF9)

69 We emerged from the worst of this winter weather today, warmed up a bit and a good deal of the accumulated snow and ice melted. It'd going to be cold again tonight, but we should be on a path to slightly warmer and dryer.

Watching the illegal, not 1A protected assembly of pot-banging, mother-banging pot smokers imbeciles scrèeching at motels. Stupid. But dangerous.

Celebrating 24,178 consecutive days of largely minding my own business and not getting shot by the cops.

Posted by: ErikInTexas at January 26, 2026 10:22 PM (4b7CV)

70 I read that Trump has ordered all the federal authorities out of Minneapolis and a twenty-mile radius of the city.

It's the only way to be sure. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Posted by: mindful webworker - desperate times, desperate measures at January 26, 2026 10:22 PM (OJSFI)

71 Overnight Open Thread [01/12/2026]

Really?? I am travelling back in time!!

Posted by: Joemarine at January 26, 2026 10:22 PM (y171U)

72 536yb35y56
Posted by: Blonde Morticia

* gets out Super Secret AOSHQ code breaker ring*
I'm no Alan Turing, so this may take me awhile.
Posted by: Sock Monkey
+++
It just says Be sure to drink your Ovaltine.
A crummy commercial.

Posted by: Florida Peasant at January 26, 2026 10:23 PM (Lo97M)

73 Ha! Someone in one of the upper windows of this targeted motel just mooned the "protestors." And glipped 'em off. Pretty funny stuff.

Posted by: ErikInTexas at January 26, 2026 10:24 PM (4b7CV)

74
One of Andrew McCarthy's Mineral Moon shots:

https://is.gd/UoGCUk

Those colors are there, they're just too faint for the naked eye.

Scroll through his X feed there. Lots of beautiful stuff.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 10:25 PM (w6EFb)

75 Regarding the reveals of the Signal comms, I was wondering when we would start to hear of the management/leadership levels being exposed of the riots.

During anti-riot training exercises back in the day, the instructors stressed that the front ranks are simply lumps and not really too important in the overall scheme of things. If it went hot, we were taught to fire into the 3rd or 4th ranks to cripple the NCO levels, and even further back to take out the officer levels of the mob. Overall battlefield command is off site.

I imagine it's still the same today.
Posted by: Tonypete

The front-liners we've seen haven't exactly been management material.

Posted by: pointy-haired mikeski at January 26, 2026 10:25 PM (VHUov)

76 Richard Grenell retweeted
TraderJill (Leigh)@RealTraderJill

Here Are 5 Uncomfortable Facts Showing How Bad Europe is compared to America:

1. Mississippi, which is the poorest state in the entire country is now wealthier than Europe's top economies - Wealthier than the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain.

2. European spending power is collapsing. Disposable income for the average American is now 80% higher than UK or French citizens, and 50% higher than German citizens.

3. European counties have stagnated. Nvidia alone is worth more than Germany, France and UK stock markets combined. In a fun and zippy twist, Nvidia is worth more than the entire Canadian economy.

4. Europe has the lowest fertility rate of any continent. Using the current trajectory Europe will cease to exist in 100 years due to the failing fertility rate.

5. Europe is not competitive in anything related to high tech. Not blockchain, crypto, robotics, AI, space technology or drones. Absolutely nothing.

So, when Europeans say that the United States thinks we're better than they are, they're right. We do.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:25 PM (m24qK)

77 Not aware of any "standing down" of any sort. Detention operations continue. If past examples are a guide, Bovino has made brief appearances in "surge" cities (LA for sure, I think also NOLA) but doesn't stay for the duration.

The spokesblonde at the WH today laid out very clearly the (obvious) requirements that will be enforced on the vile and farcical "leadership" in MN. Full (normal) cooperation in detaining criminal aliens, whether in custody or when they're collared.

Don't have ICE's master plan but much can be discerned from the pattern so far. They have a priority list of targets in each major metro. They go after them first. They don't get all the criminal aliens in the area (LA, obviously, was fully cleaned out before surge resources moved elsewhere (NOLA, Memphis, etc).

(cont)

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:26 PM (U/Byj)

78 What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?

It was in the computer lab at junior college but it was so context-specific that even if I could describe it adequately it still wouldn't be funny to anyone else. It was literally one of those "you had to be there" things.

Posted by: Oddbob at January 26, 2026 10:26 PM (Fs0KI)

79 54 The Far Side was great.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:16 PM (snZF9)

________________________________

That's the Australian version. The Netherlands version has the Stek Oost School housing next to a Syrian refugee camp.

Posted by: Orson at January 26, 2026 10:26 PM (dIske)

80 It's my understanding that taking a photo of the Moon on a Samsung Galaxy S21/S22/S23 Ultra phone is a breeze. Perfect shot every single time. (some of you will get this reference).

Posted by: Orson at January 26, 2026 10:21 PM (dIske)

Mine is an S25+. It took a great picture, but I don't remember how I did it. I went through a lot of settings, some were counter intuitive, but it worked.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:27 PM (snZF9)

81 What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?
A cow-orker had, shall we say, a delicate stomach. A bunch of us were sitting around a table at lunch. There's lull in the conversation, and one guy slides his finger into a small.plastic bag filled with peanut butter in his pocket, says, "Damn, I stepped in something ." He bends over under the table, stretches his hand toward his shoe, and comes up with the peanut butter on his finger. Looks at it, says, "Hmmm, that looks like dog shit." Sticks it under his nose, sniffs, and says, "Smells like it, too." Sticks his finger in his mouth, says, "Yeah, tastes like it."

Gary didn't make it out of the lunchroom before he left his lunch on the floor.
Explained the joke to him later.
He was not amused.
We were.
If you wanted to needle him, just say, "Peanut butter."

Posted by: buddhaha at January 26, 2026 10:27 PM (IMmiQ)

82 Gary Larson has clearly been to the house of TRex and Grateful.

This was today's Far Side:

https://tinyurl.com/3hrk9292
Posted by: Pillage Idiot
*************
Today I wished I was a dino, spent far too many hours chopping 3-4inches of ice - the result of 12+ hours of nonstop sleet. I'm sure dino's had a better way of addressing this - weren't they fire breathing?

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at January 26, 2026 10:27 PM (IQ6Gq)

83 Once a permissive (normal, with local PD/sheriff support for security) environment is returned, operations continue, but with zero public attention (or nearly zero). LAPD/Sheriffs AFAIK now react normally to threats to federal facilities. Ditto IL - an unremarked but to me big development a few weeks ago was when IL state police shut down the idiots besieging the regional fed facility - which constituted a near total surrender by Pritzker, by definition.

Related, DOD announced DHS would have use of Ft. Snelling in Mpls for housing and support. Why this wasn't done earlier, or at least plans ready to do it instantly if needed, I find disappointing. C-, bros.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:28 PM (U/Byj)

84 Minneapolis police have ordered the crowd to disperse

Minneapolis 1/26
IRT Media
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxe1_GINeic

LIVE: Demonstration Outside Hotel Protesters Suspect Greg Bovino Is Staying At
BG On The Scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1E781HJg0k

Posted by: BetaCuck4Lyfe at January 26, 2026 10:28 PM (9aVck)

85
I'm too lazy too scroll through enough to find, but Andrew McCarthy has taken some pretty good shots with just his cell phone camera. The trick is knowing all the complex settings to override the default behavior.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 10:28 PM (w6EFb)

86 74 Overnight Open Thread [01/12/2026]

Really?? I am travelling back in time!!
Posted by: Joemarine at January 26, 2026 10:22 PM (y171U)

Soundtrack?
https://youtu.be/R4xf50aUxaE

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 10:28 PM (S/Y4j)

87 Repost from earlier....
--------
- Here's what's going down in Minneapolis;
ICE goes in and does their job arresting/processing and deporting illegals. Local leftists get torqued, gin up anti-ICE protests and get national/international monetary support for it. The situation degrades.

Call in Border Patrol Service. The proverbial mounted calvary. Ride in, break some shit, kill a few leftists. Be the stick.

Local politicos, especially one governor who's a weirdo, gets a sternly worderd memo about FAFO. A couple days later the BPS is pulled from Minneapolis and the governor would like to talk to Trump about "turning down the heat."

Walz caved. Minneapolis is restored to order by the end of the week.

Else it keeps up and the retards in Minneapolis are going to hate life.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 26, 2026 10:28 PM (qwVdq)

88 A message from
_ The United States Department of War

https://tinyurl.com/383v4ccz

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (m24qK)

89 73 I read that Trump has ordered all the federal authorities out of Minneapolis and a twenty-mile radius of the city.

It's the only way to be sure. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Posted by: mindful webworker
.................................
Finally!!

youtu.be/k8EURBL53_k

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (sAmhv)

90 A great many Leftists need to simply disappear without a trace. Make sure that when their computers or phones are eventually found, there are recent searches for "non-extradtion countries".

Totally unrelated yet out of curiosity, how deep do feral hogs dig if they sense something to eat?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (a4flb)

91 I like to buy a dingo jacket. Do any furriers carry that item?

Posted by: What's A Dingo Pelt Sell For? at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (oftw2)

92 Celebrating 24,178 consecutive days of largely minding my own business and not getting shot by the cops.
Posted by: ErikInTexas

Heh, gotcha beat by 297 days. Instead of telling you to get off my lawn, I'd say, pull up a chair and sit a spell. We can make fun of the yungsters.

Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (uaYsl)

93 "It's not a moon."

Well, it is a moon. It just looks like the Death Star.
https://youtu.be/aKC1cfBGnFk

Posted by: mindful webworker - space ocean satellites of Saturn at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (OJSFI)

94 I have really had it with these "we hate America" types. Where, pray tell, is life any better than here?

Get it in your head, they don’t really “Hate America”. I mean, they don’t hate the dirt, right?

They hate *you*

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (tE2Wy)

95 ANTIFA ATTACKS A HILTON HOTEL IN MINNESOTA FOR THE 2ND NIGHT #LIVE #ICE #PROTEST #MINNESOTA
3K watching
Smoke N' Scan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyzQW0JHseI

Posted by: BetaCuck4Lyfe at January 26, 2026 10:30 PM (9aVck)

96 During anti-riot training exercises back in the day, the instructors stressed that the front ranks are simply lumps and not really too important in the overall scheme of things. If it went hot, we were taught to fire into the 3rd or 4th ranks to cripple the NCO levels, and even further back to take out the officer levels of the mob. Overall battlefield command is off site.

I imagine it's still the same today.
Posted by: Tonypete

Been a lot of articles by observers, some amateurs, some professional, noting just that.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 26, 2026 10:30 PM (/lPRQ)

97 The front-liners we've seen haven't exactly been management material.

Posted by: pointy-haired mikeski at January 26, 2026 10:25 PM

To be fair, the managerial class of the Democrat Party isn't exactly management material either.

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:30 PM (HlyYF)

98 If it went hot, we were taught to fire into the 3rd or 4th ranks to cripple the NCO levels
Posted by: Tonypete

Good tactics. There's an aphorism that NCOs are the backbone of the Marine Corps. Probably because the Cpl/Sgt ranks are the sweet spot re the intersection of #troops with leadership skills.

Posted by: Fen at January 26, 2026 10:30 PM (ciYHQ)

99 What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?
********8
Working the overnight shift in a psych hospital on March 31-April 1, we "created" a patient, chart and all. Even reported on him the next morning. Pure panic when they were unable to find him. For some reason, staff didn't find this nearly as humorous as we did.

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at January 26, 2026 10:31 PM (IQ6Gq)

100 Thanks for the ONT, CBD. That was a looooong trip to the punch line!

Posted by: LRob in OK at January 26, 2026 10:31 PM (47diA)

101
A timelapse of a setting thin waxing crescent Moon:
https://is.gd/WVdsrT

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 10:31 PM (w6EFb)

102 Portland seems to be in a hybrid zone. PD is mostly useless, but does eventually react to attacks on fed facilities, such as the one a few nights ago. If only to catch/release a few of the worst perps. Guessing they're trying to avoid making it to the top of the ICE whiteboard. Though there surely far fewer high priority targets there than in other major metros now being addressed.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:31 PM (U/Byj)

103 Overnight Open Thread [01/12/2026]
Really?? I am travelling back in time!!
Posted by: Joemarine

🎷🎶Does anybody really know what day it is?
Does anybody really care?

Posted by: mindful webworker - as I was floating through the park one day at January 26, 2026 10:31 PM (OJSFI)

104 One of the far side cartoons that I always remember, and I'm not sure why it hit me as funny as it did, was about some science award presentation. There was an auditorium, and a stage, and 2 dudes at the podium up on stage. The presenter and the scientist getting the award. the presenter says something like "And this years award goes to professor Melvin Fenwick, who in 1953 coined the phrase "Fools, I'll destroy you all".

Shit, i'm laughing just typing this. lol

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:32 PM (snZF9)

105 Related, DOD announced DHS would have use of Ft. Snelling in Mpls for housing and support.

I was asking this question when Pajeet wasn't allowing ICE to stay at their Hilton/Hampton Inn franchise.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 26, 2026 10:32 PM (a4flb)

106 A great many Leftists need to simply disappear without a trace. Make sure that when their computers or phones are eventually found, there are recent searches for "non-extradtion countries".
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

Maybe a more random liquidation would be more artful - gas explosion at home takes out whole family, falling out windows, passes out on dumpster and compacted by garbage truck, stabbed by crackhead during robbery...

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 26, 2026 10:32 PM (/lPRQ)

107 January 2026 snow/ice armageddon.

One star. Do not recommend.

Posted by: TRex - dino review at January 26, 2026 10:32 PM (IQ6Gq)

108 @73. Trump ordered all Feds out of Minneapolis with a 20 mile radius.

Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?

Posted by: Case at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (E7+ue)

109 Get it in your head, they don’t really “Hate America”. I mean, they don’t hate the dirt, right?

They hate *you*

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (tE2Wy)

Of course. But mostly they hate God. That is a commonality I see with lefties I know. They hate God.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (lpTXP)

110 That's a Reader's Digest joke.

I say that in admiration, not accusation.

Posted by: Jack Squat Bupkis at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (jYRYu)

111 Thanks for the ONT, CBD. That was a looooong trip to the punch line!
Posted by: LRob in OK
+++
Around the world and back. Three times.

Posted by: Florida Peasant at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (Lo97M)

112 Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:28 PM (U/Byj)

My 2nd eldest brother has said much the same. He's a Marine (retired) and has been following all this fairly closely. He calms me down when I lose my shite! So do you!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM (Vvh2V)

113 …more recent vinatge iPhones Pro, … allows for lunar photos that are damn close to what you posted.

While the zoom on my iPhone 13 isn’t quite up to the task, it does take great photos of the moon through a telescope. Sadly not up to photos of Saturn or Jupiter, at least with my skills with this much light pollution.

Got a decent photo of the comet going by two TxMoMes back, that I couldn’t see without binoculars. I forget how long the exposure was to get it.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM (EXyHK)

114 Heh, gotcha beat by 297 days. Instead of telling you to get off my lawn, I'd say, pull up a chair and sit a spell. We can make fun of the yungsters.
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 26, 2026 10:29 PM (uaYsl)

I'll bring the beer.

Posted by: ErikInTexas at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM (4b7CV)

115 If you wanted to needle him, just say, "Peanut butter."
Posted by: buddhaha
--------

Ooooh, lunchrooms at work... ew.

There was this one guy, kinda creepy backwoods type-- zapped *something* reeeealllly rank in the department's microwave.

I was sitting with a friend when the stank wafted over, as creepy guy sat near us. Whooo... smelled like rotten fish, looked like raw beef. So I asked him: "Hey, whatcha got there?"

He says: "Chicken."

***BARF!***

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM (rdVOm)

116 Today I wished I was a dino, spent far too many hours chopping 3-4inches of ice - the result of 12+ hours of nonstop sleet. I'm sure dino's had a better way of addressing this - weren't they fire breathing?

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at January 26, 2026 10:27 PM

In my paleontology class, we learned that the tail spikes on a stegosaurus were used primarily to sweep crusty packed snow off of Late Jurassic driveways!

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM (HlyYF)

117 LIVE: Demonstration Outside Hotel Protesters Suspect Greg Bovino Is Staying At
BG On The Scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1E781HJg0k
Posted by: BetaCuck4Lyfe at January 26, 2026 10:28 PM (9aVck)

The whistles annoy me. I know I would be guilty of cramming one down a throat. Therefore I would have the sense to stay home by the warm fireplace.

I liked how the police swarmed onto the cockroaches. Suddenly! There they were!

Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM (WONhk)

118 how deep do feral hogs dig if they sense something to eat?
——

I dunno, but one time somebody on a field exercise left a sealed case of MREs out in the open overnight and a hog ate a hole right through the center of the heavy duty outer sleeve, the box itself, the heavy plastic wrap, the entrée cardboard box, and the mylar pouches of the meal itself. A big muddy hole in the box, and looked like it exploded with all that packaging crap everywhere.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:35 PM (tE2Wy)

119 In high school our chemistry teacher would often leave the classroom while we worked on assignments. One day he left class and we opened the lab bench gas valves enough so the room smelled like gas. The lookout person said, here he comes, and we all pretended like we were passed out with our heads on our desks. The teacher freaked out when he smelled gas and saw us passed out. He initially freaked out but quickly knew we pranked him and he never left us alone in class again.

Posted by: Mark in SC at January 26, 2026 10:36 PM (1rSMD)

120
* gets out Super Secret AOSHQ code breaker ring*
I'm no Alan Turing, so this may take me awhile.
Posted by: Sock Monkey

Drink more Ovaltine.

Posted by: BifBewalski- at January 26, 2026 10:37 PM (QVmho)

121 We emerged from the worst of this winter weather today, warmed up a bit and a good deal of the accumulated snow and ice melted..
Posted by: ErikInTexas

Dallas here. Native but we recently moved back after 20 years in DC. I went outside this morning, noticed that NO snow removal in the 24 hours after the storm, not even the main roads. I started on a little rant on how this was unacceptable - and then stopped cold when I realized I sounded like That Yankee Guy everyone hates.

Posted by: Fen at January 26, 2026 10:37 PM (ciYHQ)

122 Still haven't found what I'm looking for but

Good News

NiedermeyersDeadHorse aka NDH@NiedsG . Jan 26

At 815pm, mom received her new heart. ❤️

Tomorrow starts next chapter: recovery

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:38 PM (m24qK)

123 The front-liners we've seen haven't exactly been management material.

Posted by: pointy-haired mikeski at January 26, 2026 10:25 PM

To be fair, the managerial class of the Democrat Party isn't exactly management material either.
Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:30 PM (HlyYF)

They exemplify the Peter Principle, with little competence outside of lying and following orders. The GOPe only requires lying.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 10:38 PM (S/Y4j)

124 Don't think BP presence was any sort of special pressure on the idiots. The idiot mobilization, its intensity, and the utter disgrace/absence of local LE to maintain order forced a surge of personnel for security, including Bureau of Prisons guys.

Haven't seen BORTAC (BP SWAT) there, or mentioned.

The level of ICE operations will naturally decline as they work down their known target list. Probably already happening.

What's distinctive here of course is the mobilization of idiots - specifically the extensive involvement (not just dereliction) of local govt. types, of course the external $$ and organization, and most disturbing (for me) the apparent misuse of license-plate database access and FLOCK (traffic) cams.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:38 PM (U/Byj)

125 Jeez, everyone I know seems to think Pretti was a noble martyr instead of an idiot who shouldn't have been there. "But he was just trying to help!" The local broadcasts have been awful.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 10:39 PM (Kxi0p)

126 But mostly they hate God. That is a commonality I see with lefties I know.
——

I think you’re correct, now that I think about it. Same experience. Their hatred of God doesn’t affect me directly though, from a practical standpoint.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:39 PM (tE2Wy)

127 Still haven't found what I'm looking for but
Posted by: Braenyard

Have you scaled these city walls?

Posted by: gKWVE at January 26, 2026 10:39 PM (gKWVE)

128 I witnessed one of the best practical jokes. But, had nothing to do with it. There was a woman in our office who was a menace. She was one of those holistic hippie types. That was fine. But, she annoyed everyone by scolding us about our unhealthy lifesyles. Critizing lunch selections, not having a crystal with us at all times. Really strange gripes overall, but incessant and persistent in her badgering.

One of my coworkers had enough and finally confronted her. He very seriously told her that crystals cloud the mind and damage neural activiity. Then he said he could prove it and proceeded to walk her around the office. He'd stop at an employee and tell them to think of a color, or animals, or number. Then he would correctly tell them what it is. He had gone around to all of us and just told us to affirm anything he said. We all did. Right every time.

She was much more quiet after that.

Posted by: Orson at January 26, 2026 10:39 PM (dIske)

129 Jeez, everyone I know seems to think Pretti was a noble martyr instead of an idiot who shouldn't have been there. "But he was just trying to help!" The local broadcasts have been awful.
Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 10:39 PM (Kxi0p)

I think Pretti was Pretti Stupid.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 10:40 PM (S/Y4j)

130 The whistles annoy me. I know I would be guilty of cramming one down a throat. Therefore I would have the sense to stay home by the warm fireplace.

I liked how the police swarmed onto the cockroaches. Suddenly! There they were!

Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM

I also hate the whistles.

I suspect the noise level of the protestors is well above the OSHA limit for a workplace.

Causing deafness results in a serious disability. I would love to see some federal marshals grab up about 20 whistle-blowing AWFLs and charge them with THAT level of battery!

Seeing a few of their ditzy friends get 10 year sentences would calm down the ardor of most of the non-insane protestors.

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:42 PM (HlyYF)

131 Posted by: Mark in SC at January 26, 2026 10:36 PM (1rSMD)

Thst was epic!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at January 26, 2026 10:42 PM (Vvh2V)

132 Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?
Posted by: Case at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (E7+ue)

Enhanced radiation warhead?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 26, 2026 10:41 PM (8zz6B)

250,000 feral hogs for the Somalis?

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 10:42 PM (S/Y4j)

133 120 In my paleontology class, we learned that the tail spikes on a stegosaurus were used primarily to sweep crusty packed snow off of Late Jurassic driveways!

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM
***
You would think that tail spikes and spinal plates would guarantee survival but they were gone by the time the T-Rex arrived on the scene.

Posted by: TRex - late crustaceous dino at January 26, 2026 10:42 PM (IQ6Gq)

134 My favorite harmless prank started when the Lidl chain of grocery stores arrived in the USA. They originated in Germany and now have locations throughout Europe. Whenever I have a business trip taking me to Europe (Köln, Budapest, Prague), I bring back some flyers from the local Lidl and surreptitiously leave them in the US stores. I used to do the same thing with the free Metro newspaper which also is published in multiple cities and languages.

Posted by: Otto Zilch at January 26, 2026 10:42 PM (Ws2ua)

135 Fen, our little county roads couldn't handle snow removal. It scrapes away the thin layer of gravel covering the much-beloved washboard effect.

Posted by: ErikInTexas at January 26, 2026 10:42 PM (4b7CV)

136 I was assuming the ICE would expand and continue their LA surge, massively - since it's probably got more high value targets than the next 2-3 cities combined.

And to support this was assuming/hoping they'd set up an "Alligator Alcatraz" at Pendleton. Good practice for the engineers - and plenty of room. Last time something this was done, AFAIK, was back in mid-70s for Vietnamese refugees (real refugees). But I guess they've addressed their detention capacity issue enough to support expected pace of operations. And the LA surge came to an end - not operations, just at that level.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:43 PM (U/Byj)

137 Deport them all:

https://tinyurl.com/5n87k28x

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:44 PM (m24qK)

138 Another take from randos on Twitter

Another display of Trumps incredible capacity for restraint in the service of strategy. Made more powerful by his ability to keep his enemies convinced that he has the emotional control of a toddler.

I would guess they have Walz dead to rights and he doesn’t strike me as the kind of man to die for his principles.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 10:44 PM (rbvCR)

139 I would love to live in a place where I had a view of the sky uncontaminated by city lights. I recently started trying to memorize the names and locations of the 57 navigational stars for the northern hemisphere. I'm working on Orion and the Big Dipper right now. Why? I dunno... I'm easily distracted and get focused on weird things for no particular reason.

Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 10:44 PM (pXTL4)

140 8th Circuit tells DHS they can pepper spray protestors to their heart's content.
———

Well no, they can’t spray protesters. We have to be extremely careful not to use leftist euphemisms. Pepper spray, tear gas, hickory shampoo - that stuff gets deployed in a Riot as far as I’m concerned.

There is no need, after all, to hit protesters with pepper spray (or anything else). It’s easy to slip into silliness on these phrases. Sometimes you’ll hear someone on “our side” talking about “violent rioters”

Is there any other kind?

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:44 PM (tE2Wy)

141 You would think that tail spikes and spinal plates would guarantee survival but they were gone by the time the T-Rex arrived on the scene.

Posted by: TRex - late crustaceous dino at January 26, 2026 10:42 PM

They knew you were so terrifying that they preemptively surrendered!

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:46 PM (HlyYF)

142 The brightest Star (planet??) in the sky by far is always just a bit “north” of the constellation Orion. What is that?

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:47 PM (tE2Wy)

143 Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?
Posted by: Case at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (E7+ue)

Enhanced radiation warhead?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 26, 2026 10:41 PM (8zz6B)

One can dream...

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:47 PM (snZF9)

144 Maybe a more random liquidation would be more artful - gas explosion at home takes out whole family, falling out windows, passes out on dumpster and compacted by garbage truck, stabbed by crackhead during robbery...
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 26, 2026 10:32 PM (/lPRQ)

Private jet accidents?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 10:48 PM (uQesX)

145 >>> 148 The brightest Star (planet??) in the sky by far is always just a bit “north” of the constellation Orion. What is that?
Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:47 PM (tE2Wy)

Because once you get past us things move really fcking slow around the Sun.

Jupiter will be there for a while...

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 26, 2026 10:48 PM (ULPxl)

146 The brightest Star (planet??) in the sky by far is always just a bit “north” of the constellation Orion. What is that?

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 10:47 PM (tE2Wy)

Brightest star is Sirius. Follow the belt of orion south and you'll see it.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:48 PM (snZF9)

147 Jeez, everyone I know seems to think Pretti was a noble martyr instead of an idiot who shouldn't have been there. "But he was just trying to help!" The local broadcasts have been awful.
Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 10:39 PM (Kxi0p)

He was a useful idiot they will forget after the next outrage, whoever that is.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 10:48 PM (lpTXP)

148 Oh my gosh Grateful, that was a great practical joke at work, I am still chuckling. Good to see you, I am usually here way too late to say hi.

As to the top photo, the only place in New England that allows one to view a beautiful night sky is way up in Maine, such a beautiful state. The Somalis have established a foothold there.

Posted by: Debby Doberman Schultz at January 26, 2026 10:48 PM (0nHVk)

149 The teacher freaked out when he smelled gas and saw us passed out. He initially freaked out but quickly knew we pranked him and he never left us alone in class again.
Posted by: Mark in SC

Been funnier if he puled out a zippo, lit it, tossed it in, and closed the door

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 26, 2026 10:49 PM (/lPRQ)

150 147 They knew you were so terrifying that they preemptively surrendered!

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:46 PM
***
Common misconception. Mostly peaceful dino.

Posted by: TRex - historical dino at January 26, 2026 10:49 PM (IQ6Gq)

151 I think Pretti was Pretti Stupid.

As they say:
How is it going in Minnisomalia?
Pretti Good.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 26, 2026 10:49 PM (a4flb)

152 Because once you get past us things move really fcking slow around the Sun.
Jupiter will be there for a while...
Posted by: Helena Handbasket

T2-a3=0

Posted by: Johnny Kepler at January 26, 2026 10:50 PM (gKWVE)

153 Evening, folken,

It took me a minute to "get" the Far Side cartoon. Sometimes the best ones are like that.

Still chilly here for one more night and day, then we'll have a few days of warmup, and then another freeze this weekend. Howzabout you?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 10:51 PM (wzUl9)

154 149 Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?
Posted by: Case at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (E7+ue)

__________________________

I'm guessing quality over quanity. They likely have a clandestine apparatus that can just fit in with the crowd, can pass any inquiries from the locals, locate their target, grab them and depart. A more precise deployment under the radar. People will just start disappearing.

That's going to lead to ANTIFA doing something really stupid. It would, also, be entertaining as the press falls all over themselves to try and figure out what's going on.

Posted by: Orson at January 26, 2026 10:51 PM (dIske)

155
The brightest star is Sirius, Alpha Canis Majoris, the Alpha Big Dawg of the sky. It's moved a bit since the time of the ancient Egyptians, but over our lifetime, it's fixed relative to Orion.

Jupiter is up there close as well right now.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 10:52 PM (w6EFb)

156 Because once you get past us things move really fcking slow around the Sun.

Jupiter will be there for a while...

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 26, 2026 10:48 PM (ULPxl)

The sun has only made 20 laps around our galaxy since its birth. Thats some shit. It takes something like 250 million years for one lap. Better not miss that bus. lol

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 10:52 PM (snZF9)

157 Slowed down video of Federal Officer being hit in the face by a brick last night protecting the hotel in Minneapolis.
https://x.com/Recon1_ZA/status/2015778411650732184

Full video is here:
https://x.com/ScooterCasterNY/status/2015642345077637288
Oliya Scootercaster 🛴
@ScooterCasterNY
NOW: Border Patrol agents point weapons at press as they reportedly were preparing to evacuate agents from the Home2Suite Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis
8:25 PM · Jan 25, 2026

Posted by: BetaCuck4Lyfe at January 26, 2026 10:52 PM (9aVck)

158
[Gavin Newsom] “I think he may be in over his hairdo. Being on the national stage is very different than being governor—with no signature achievements…he brought kneepads, maybe that was for his meeting with Alex Soros.”
_Scott Bessent

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:53 PM (m24qK)

159 Pretti is now a good commie, but Good isn't pretty any more.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 26, 2026 10:53 PM (ULPxl)

160 ...and we all pretended like we were passed out with our heads on our desks.

OK, now that's frickin' funny! Even more so for the scale and coordination involved.

Posted by: Oddbob at January 26, 2026 10:53 PM (Fs0KI)

161 Friend sent a WSJ slug that claims this is in fact a collapse by Trump, that the always-wrong and idiotic concern about "optics" - of course screeched by the idiotic GOP - has led him to back down.

I doubt it. Oh - not the bit about the GOP. The GOP governor of OK (OK!!!) and that congressthing Comer publicly mewled about how icky it all was, and there was a need to reconsider. OK governor - not makin this up - even talked about the need for "immigration reform". In 2026. In this context. Stunning.

If there's any backing down, Trump will regret it, as will unfortunately the entire country. If a lawless state can shut down *removals of violent criminal aliens*, chances of effectively addressing 95% of the problem (non-criminal illegal aliens) drop to near zero. And that prospect already looks dim, based on tea leaves and policies.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:55 PM (U/Byj)

162 I like to buy a dingo jacket. Do any furriers carry that item?
Posted by: What's A Dingo Pelt Sell For?
------
A few(!) years back, there was some woman who.was spinning dog fire into yarn and knitting sweaters out if it. Evidently, they were very warm,but has a major problem.
When they got wet, you smelled like wet dog.

Posted by: buddhaha at January 26, 2026 10:55 PM (IMmiQ)

163 My best prank in high school was filling our little concrete pond with about twenty-five 8# carp.

There were perfectly happy in there and drew a big crowd on Monday morning before school started.

Unfortunately, somebody dropped a dime on me and I got called into the principal's office at lunch.

His 2nd-floor office had a huge set of windows and looked out over the front of the school. As he was reading me the riot act, I could see lots of activity over his shoulder.

It turned out that a bunch of Vietnamese boys were in the pond with their pants rolled up. They would catch a carp and hand it to their sister in a jacket, and they were all running up the street towards home.

The principal finished with, "I want all of those fish out of there by the end of the day."

I replied, "Yes Dr. Roberts, I guarantee all of those fish will be gone by the end of the day!"

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 10:55 PM (HlyYF)

164 Since it came up, I took some decent photos of the moon a while ago:

https://is.gd/cPT329

Posted by: ... at January 26, 2026 10:56 PM (E0p3T)

165 to paraphrase Mathers "Rabbit" in 8 Mile, Bessent may be gay but Newsom is a faggit

Posted by: gKWVE at January 26, 2026 10:56 PM (gKWVE)

166 Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 10:44 PM (pXTL4)

Have you thought about seeing if you have ADHD? No need to medicate oe anything, but that's a pretty common tell.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at January 26, 2026 10:57 PM (Vvh2V)

167 Portland seems to be in a hybrid zone. PD is mostly useless, but does eventually react to attacks on fed facilities, such as the one a few nights ago. If only to catch/release a few of the worst perps. Guessing they're trying to avoid making it to the top of the ICE whiteboard. Though there surely far fewer high priority targets there than in other major metros now being addressed.
Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:31 PM (U/Byj)

I am told but cannot verify that the Portland Cops have a list of people they are not to contact or speak to, and should they come into contact with them they are instructed to list the encounter as something like "suspicious car" or "loose dog"

the cops are reputed to not be happy about this sort of thing.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 10:57 PM (rbvCR)

168 >>>If the protesters are nice and polite and respectful of others, leave them be. If they are obnoxious and nasty, provoke them into rioting, and then bring the hammer down hard.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
--

BlueBird Busses and C-17s.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 10:58 PM (m24qK)

169 Agents (Bureau of Prisons, I think) only pointed rifles at the idiots after one idiot threw a big object and almost seriously injured one of them. Idiots scattered/ran. Hotel had already been vandalized.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:58 PM (U/Byj)

170 My two large volumes of Dave Larson's comics kept me sane (sort of) during the last two weeks of the election of President Trump One. As he beat the Hag like a rented mule in 2016.

I would be reading & snickering. Some bring me to tears that are my favorites.

I love the way he draws cows. Well, & people & everything about him.

On today's subject, I think MN is in for a big surprise. They don't know yet, but it's coming. I believe that Trump & Co. have it all in hand. With plans to use the information gathered against them. Other sanctuary cities should be on notice. I am also an eternal optimist.

They've reached The End of The Road.

I also love Alison Krauss and wth, here's one of my favorites off her new album. I had the privilege of seeing her live under the stars this past summer with my husband. One of the highlights of my year, and the first concert in decades.

Her voice is every bit as strong as it was when I first heard her over 20yrs ago. Pitch perfect & effortless. Incredibly talented musicians who love each other and what they do. It shows,y'all.

We were enthralled & the most polite 3k people to be together one summer night.

https://tinyurl.com/5843d7kz

Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at January 26, 2026 10:58 PM (WONhk)

171 Somewhere around 1998 type to text audio was kind of a new software package that was bundled with my PC. Fun to mess around with. Had a selection of different voices, male and female. What to do with it?

It took a long time, a couple hours, but I crafted a fictitious “United States Army Automated Information Systems” cold calling program and spoofed my neighbor. He was really wondering where his next duty assignment would be. Let’s fuck with him!

Each oeriod after a phrase added a few seconds of time, I guessed how long it would be, spoofing how phone banks worked. “Press 1 if you wish to continue” etc. sure enough, I would hear him press the keys! Beeep. It was great.

So I had dial his number, he answers. It went like: (robotic computer voice)

“Welcome to the United States Army Automated Information System.

Important Career Information Follows For (pause)
(His full rank and name)

If you wish to continue please press 1 - beep!
Please enter your 9 digit social security #
He does!! He’s totally thinking this is legit

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 11:00 PM (tE2Wy)

172 That's a Reader's Digest joke.

I say that in admiration, not accusation.
Posted by: Jack Squat Bupkis at January 26, 2026 10:33 PM (jYRYu)

It was in Bennett Cerf's Treasury of Atrocious Puns. I think Mom bought her copy brand new in 1968

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 11:00 PM (rbvCR)

173 >>> 175 Portland seems to be in a hybrid zone. PD is mostly useless, but does eventually react to attacks on fed facilities, such as the one a few nights ago. If only to catch/release a few of the worst perps. Guessing they're trying to avoid making it to the top of the ICE whiteboard. Though there surely far fewer high priority targets there than in other major metros now being addressed.
Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 10:31 PM (U/Byj)

I am told but cannot verify that the Portland Cops have a list of people they are not to contact or speak to, and should they come into contact with them they are instructed to list the encounter as something like "suspicious car" or "loose dog"

the cops are reputed to not be happy about this sort of thing.
Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 10:57 PM (rbvCR)

Who would have the authority to provide such a list?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 26, 2026 11:00 PM (ULPxl)

174 Wolfus, have you talked with Avery yet?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 11:01 PM (uQesX)

175 Tammy al-Thor - I don't think I have ADHD; I can focus if needed. One of my friends described me as "intellectually curious," in that I tend to want to know everything about everything. You'd think that would apply to useful things, but no, I usually get distracted by the most random things imaginable.

Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 11:02 PM (pXTL4)

176 Bessent. He is more than competent for his job and that's what I care about. He makes people crazy and that makes me happy.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 11:02 PM (lpTXP)

177 Wolfus, have you talked with Avery yet?
Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026

***
I was going to ask you about that. I sent an email over a week ago. No reply yet.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:03 PM (wzUl9)

178 Hey there DDS, great to see you in the ONT. Please tell whomever the bartender is tonight to put all of your drinks on my tab!

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at January 26, 2026 11:03 PM (IQ6Gq)

179 You'd think that would apply to useful things, but no, I usually get distracted by the most random things imaginable.
Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 11:02 PM (pXTL4)

Hi!

Posted by: Squirrel! at January 26, 2026 11:03 PM (uQesX)

180 : PabloD at January 26, 2026 11:02 PM (pXTL4)

Random things ate usually the most interesting!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at January 26, 2026 11:03 PM (Vvh2V)

181 pepper spray protestors to their heart's content. I imagine that may have entered the conversation with Walz and Frey.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 26, 2026 10:05 PM (n2vmh)

Load up the water bombers with pepper spray and low level passes...please?

Posted by: a dude in MI at January 26, 2026 11:04 PM (+I6Y/)

182 For Gary Larson fans, he still posts a couple of his old cartoons every day.

https://tinyurl.com/4w5spmzv

If you follow the link, you can then put the correct url in your favorites.

I go to AOS and The Far Side every day. I think I may be a double-Moron!

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 11:04 PM (HlyYF)

183 While the zoom on my iPhone 13 isn’t quite up to the task, it does take great photos of the moon through a telescope. Sadly not up to photos of Saturn or Jupiter, at least with my skills with this much light pollution.

Got a decent photo of the comet going by two TxMoMes back, that I couldn’t see without binoculars. I forget how long the exposure was to get it.
Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at January 26, 2026 10:34 PM (EXyHK)

Yeah, I had a 13, and upgraded to a 17 Pro when my battery died this summer.

Now I have the ability to go to 15x, and supposedly there is a way to go to 40x, but I haven't found that function yet

Posted by: browndog Official Mascot of Team Gizzard at January 26, 2026 11:05 PM (TTAGa)

184 I was going to ask you about that. I sent an email over a week ago. No reply yet.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:03 PM (wzUl9)

Hm. Usually get an answer the next day or so. I have half, so I was going to email her soon. I'll check if your email was received.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 11:05 PM (uQesX)

185 >> It takes something like 250 million years for one lap. Better not miss that bus. lol

The error bars on that "Galactic year" are a bit wide, IIRC the range is 225 - 250 million.

Since the galactic gravitational field is far from spherical and pure inverse square, that motion is not a simple Keplerian ellipse. There's is also an up and down motion, bobbing up and down through the galactic plane as it goes around. The Sun moves at 100 parsecs above or below the plane with a period of about 60 - 70 million years. And the error bars on that are even wider, I think.

We're currently on the upswing.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:05 PM (w6EFb)

186 Sometimes you’ll hear someone on “our side” talking about “violent rioters”

Is there any other kind?
Posted by: Common Tater

Oi!

Posted by: Quiet Riot at January 26, 2026 11:06 PM (VHUov)

187 The investment company who has some XPO Pension funds for me from my 1978-87 job has still not sent any paperwork about it. I called them today, almost two months since I first got in touch, and they say they are still calculating it up. I have no idea how much or little this might be. Apparently I need to call them in a couple of weeks as they suggested, and otherwise let it go for now.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:06 PM (wzUl9)

188 Since it came up, I took some decent photos of the moon a while ago:

https://is.gd/cPT329
Posted by: ... at January 26, 2026 10:56 PM (E0p3T)

I saw a moon awhile ago.
Another fraternity brother thinking he's 19 again.
Very sad. But funny as hell.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 26, 2026 11:06 PM (2WIwB)

189 Someone called in sick for the night shift at the truck stop glory hole and is hanging out here instead....

Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 11:06 PM (pXTL4)

190 I'm guessing quality over quanity. They likely have a clandestine apparatus that can just fit in with the crowd, can pass any inquiries from the locals, locate their target, grab them and depart. A more precise deployment under the radar. People will just start disappearing.

That's going to lead to ANTIFA doing something really stupid. It would, also, be entertaining as the press falls all over themselves to try and figure out what's going on.
Posted by: Orson

Disappear the leaders of Antifa. Put out word that they were government agents and took their money and ran after dropping dimes.

Sit back and watch Antifa eat each other as trust drops to zero.

Posted by: rickb223 at January 26, 2026 11:07 PM (zILP0)

191 We're currently on the upswing.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:05 PM

Only as long as we still have Trump and not the normal RINOs running the GOP.

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at January 26, 2026 11:08 PM (HlyYF)

192 >>omeone called in sick for the night shift at the truck stop glory hole and is hanging out here instead....
-------

Yep:

(8umiS)

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:08 PM (rdVOm)

193 Time to take a break. Don't y'all say anything I'd want to read while I'm gone.
🙄

Posted by: mindful webworker - wants to read everything at January 26, 2026 11:08 PM (OJSFI)

194 A state trooper saw the whole thing. He pulled the marine biologist over, and arrested him for transporting underage gulls across a staid lion for immortal porpoises.

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

I can even hear Muldoon groaning from here ...

Posted by: ShainS -- Who's Gonna Be Today's FAFO Darwin Award Winner? at January 26, 2026 11:09 PM (V+K+8)

195 186 Bessent. He is more than competent for his job and that's what I care about. He makes people crazy and that makes me happy.
Posted by: BarelyScaryMary
---

Yeah, he pulled kneepads on Newsom.
What's Newsom going to do?
Call him a bigot, a homophobe?
hahahahaha

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 11:10 PM (m24qK)

196 OK, time to go muck around with one of my useless distractions. Be well, Hordelings; keep your powder dry.

Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 11:10 PM (pXTL4)

197 TACO (8umiS)

there's always someone who can't hold it in at the bathhouse hot tub

Posted by: gKWVE at January 26, 2026 11:10 PM (gKWVE)

198 Time to light the oven for a while.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 11:10 PM (m24qK)

199 The Sun moves at 100 parsecs above or below the plane with a period of about 60 - 70 million years. And the error bars on that are even wider, I think.

We're currently on the upswing.
Posted by: publius

I know a guy who can do it in 12.

Posted by: rickb223 at January 26, 2026 11:10 PM (zILP0)

200 Who would have the authority to provide such a list?
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 26, 2026 11:00 PM (ULPxl)

The cops and the chief work for the city. So that is where you start.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 11:11 PM (rbvCR)

201 I wonder if it would have been wiser for the administration to bring charges against Tampon Timmy and Frey first, before ramping up ICE in MN. Nobody is even talking about the damned fraud, which is exactly what the Dems want.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 11:11 PM (Kxi0p)

202 Happy hour snacks tonight are: potstickers (with spicy dipping sauce!) and "pork & seeds"....

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:11 PM (rdVOm)

203 Just sent an email, Wolfus.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at January 26, 2026 11:12 PM (uQesX)

204 Tammy al-Thor - I don't think I have ADHD; I can focus if needed. One of my friends described me as "intellectually curious," in that I tend to want to know everything about everything. You'd think that would apply to useful things, but no, I usually get distracted by the most random things imaginable.
Posted by: PabloD at January 26, 2026 11:02 PM (pXTL4)

The classic definition of a "dullard" is someone who goes to look up something in the encyclopedia, pulls out the volume, finds the correct article, reads it and makes notes, and then puts it back.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 11:12 PM (rbvCR)

205 Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?
Posted by: Case

Who would notice?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 26, 2026 10:59 PM (pkeXY)

Perhaps an enema is in order.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 26, 2026 11:13 PM (S/Y4j)

206 >>> 216 I wonder if it would have been wiser for the administration to bring charges against Tampon Timmy and Frey first, before ramping up ICE in MN. Nobody is even talking about the damned fraud, which is exactly what the Dems want.
Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 11:11 PM (Kxi0p)

Think of it this way: the little twats have shown even many LIVs how far they'll go to cover their own asses.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 26, 2026 11:13 PM (ULPxl)

207 Hope there are some spicy Margaritas, JQ. But none for the pendejo.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 11:13 PM (lpTXP)

208 I wonder how many ELINT and observation drones they have had circling Minneapolis during the riots, this time?

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 11:14 PM (rbvCR)

209 Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?
Posted by: Case
--------

A massive dose of RU486 in the water supply?

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:14 PM (rdVOm)

210 JQ, did everything work out the other night with your family member? Is he safe?

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 11:15 PM (Kxi0p)

211 Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?
Posted by: Case

Who would notice?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr

You might notice this time of year. A lot of the fermentation and rot slows down at -8 F.

Posted by: mikeski, chillingly at January 26, 2026 11:16 PM (VHUov)

212 OK, proposal:

I would have preferred 2 feet of snow and 20 degrees to this snow and ice and 3 degrees.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 26, 2026 11:16 PM (bss/y)

213
I'm guessing quality over quanity. They likely have a clandestine apparatus that can just fit in with the crowd, can pass any inquiries from the locals, locate their target, grab them and depart. A more precise deployment under the radar. People will just start disappearing.

That's going to lead to ANTIFA doing something really stupid. It would, also, be entertaining as the press falls all over themselves to try and figure out what's going on.
Posted by: Orson at January 26, 2026 10:51 PM (dIske)

I hope so.
I used to train on how to do this.
If not, you can bet your ass local towns like mine won't tolerate this bullshit. Vigilante time is looming.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 26, 2026 11:16 PM (2WIwB)

214 Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 11:11 PM (Kxi0p)

I was asking about you not long back. Nice to see you around!

Posted by: ... at January 26, 2026 11:16 PM (E0p3T)

215 Hope there are some spicy Margaritas, JQ. But none for the pendejo.
Posted by: BarelyScaryMary
-------

¡Sí!

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:16 PM (rdVOm)

216
Sit back and watch Antifa eat each other as trust drops to zero.
Posted by: rickb223 at January 26, 2026 11:07 PM (zILP0)

What do you think of the possibility that Don Lemon didn't earn an arrest warrant because he is an FBI snitch?

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 11:17 PM (rbvCR)

217 Nice to see you too!

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 11:17 PM (Kxi0p)

218 The brightest Star (planet??) in the sky by far is always just a bit “north” of the constellation Orion. What is that?
Posted by: Common Tater
------
Are you serious?😁

Posted by: buddhaha at January 26, 2026 11:17 PM (IMmiQ)

219 A massive dose of RU486 in the water supply?
Posted by: JQ

Be careful trying to poison us Minnesotans..... Minneapolis' used water supply winds up going down the Mississippi River.

Posted by: mikeski, abortively at January 26, 2026 11:18 PM (VHUov)

220 JQ, did everything work out the other night with your family member? Is he safe?
Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v
-------

He was alive, in CA, as of last week. Waiting for him to be "found" again & contact me.

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:18 PM (rdVOm)

221 So it's a bit icy here In CenTex. My car's hood, windshield, and roof is covered in snow that turned into ice and is parked in my driveway that gets very little sun in the winter. Husband tells me I need to go clear my wipers/ windshield so I can get to work tomorrow morning. So I go start my car and run the defroster then start working on the outside scraping the ice off with a very soft spatula. I clear most of the ice off and jump into the car and take it around the block and park it back in the driveway. About 3 hours later my husband asks me why I parked so far back, almost in the street and blocking the sidewalk. I said I wouldn't park like that, I thought he was yanking my chain. My spawn pulled up the driveway camera and sure enough my car had slid backwards about 8 feet. I didn't park exactly when I was before and apparently was on ice... that could have ended very badly.
Oh, and my windshield is cracked from the temperature extremes of ice, heat from the defroster. And did I mention my pipes froze for a while on one side of my house last night and I woke up to no hot water???

Posted by: lin-duh is offended at January 26, 2026 11:18 PM (VCgbV)

222 What do you think of the possibility that Don Lemon didn't earn an arrest warrant because he is an FBI snitch?
Posted by: Kindltot

That is probably only the 17th-craziest thing I've read today.

Posted by: mikeski, adjusting tinfoil hat at January 26, 2026 11:19 PM (VHUov)

223 I can't recall a practical joke, which may be weird, all things considered in my life.

I'd say some random frat boys pulled the best one on me and my then bf/now husband. I've told it before, but wth.

My mother flew out for my December college graduation and finishing nursing school.

It was the first time she met my future husband and visited. We were on our best behavior and picked her up at her hotel for breakfast. Then toured a bit of the city and drove to my college to show where my parent's money had been going for 2.5yrs.

We rounded a corner and there it was! A 10' anatomically correct erect snow sculpture in front of a boy's dorm!!!

My bf and I locked eyes in the rear view mirror (I was in the backseat; and my proper Southern mother in the front passenger seat). It was RIGHT THERE on her side of the car.

I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing hysterically. He had tears in his eyes. There was dead silence for about a block.

I asked her decades later what she thought and she claims she does not remember! Maybe she somehow thought a large snowman (who was circumcised).

We will never forget. I almost died right there on the back seat suppressing laughter.

Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at January 26, 2026 11:19 PM (WONhk)

224 Posted by: mikeski, abortively at January 26, 2026 11:18 PM
----

Sorry. You know I'd want it to *only* affect the bad actors there.

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:20 PM (rdVOm)

225 OK, proposal:

I would have preferred 2 feet of snow and 20 degrees to this snow and ice and 3 degrees.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 26, 2026 11:16 PM (bss/y)

But you'll get this and be glad.
https://tinyurl.com/yz8pc5xs

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 11:21 PM (lpTXP)

226 What do you think of the possibility that Don Lemon didn't earn an arrest warrant because he is an FBI snitch?
Posted by: Kindltot

LOL but not a chance in fuck. He likely went in knowing he is protected. Kind of a thing among Democrats.

Posted by: ... at January 26, 2026 11:21 PM (E0p3T)

227 I don't even want to take the dog out to pee, its so damn cold out. To stand in the cold to protect gangbangers and fraudsters means you're a special sort of idiot.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 26, 2026 11:21 PM (Kxi0p)

228 When and if the indictments for fraud come for the vile buffoon Walz et al, there will be plenty of attention. This week's festivities will have no effect on that.

Meanwhile, local PD deployed to protect two different Mpls hotels - a first in this disgraceful episode.

Contra the idiot GOP and the WSJ, I don't think there's any backing down by the WH. Spokesblonde laid it out clearly this morning.

If locals cooperate normally with ICE, then - of course - things will change. The whole reason for the scope and size of the operation in Mpls is *because of its aggressive insane "sanctuary" idiocy*. If the relevant parts of that are gone, so is the need for a "surge".

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 11:21 PM (U/Byj)

229 Christy, a friend of mine lived in the first floor of the dorms, overlooking one of the main walkways to the dorm cafeteria. One day I wrote "Frogs in Bondage" on his window in green crayon, which he was not so pissed about, except that the college president and some important alumni wandered by that afternoon and gave it a serious side-eye.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 26, 2026 11:23 PM (rbvCR)

230 In outdoor cat news, the slim gray shorthair who knows us by sight and runs to my door to get his dry food handout showed up just now. It's right at freezing out there. We suspect he has a regular home -- but if so, what are they doing letting him out on such a cold night???

I've got just enough dry food for my monsters for tomorrow morning. So I gave him the good stuff, wet Friskies. If I had a garage or a shed I'd be glad to let him shelter from the weather, but I don't.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:23 PM (wzUl9)

231 Oh, and my windshield is cracked from the temperature extremes of ice, heat from the defroster.
Posted by: lin-duh is offended

Weird. If that were typical, there wouldn't be an un-cracked windshield north of Illinois. Heater/defroster full blast to melt the bottom layer of the ice is how it's done. And we do it when it's -25 F out.

Posted by: mikeski at January 26, 2026 11:24 PM (VHUov)

232 To the tune of Fiddler on the Roof's "Match Maker":

Playing with flashbangs
A girl can get burned....

https://tinyurl.com/5n6jdfrx

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 26, 2026 11:24 PM (oI05U)

233
Path of Jupiter in the sky over the next 4 years:
https://is.gd/qT3IIB

Note the retrograde motion, back and forth. That's due to the Erf whipping around the Sun about 12 times for Jupiter's once. That's parallax afoot.

And that's where parsec comes from. Parsec = parallax arcsecond. One parsec is the distance (heliocentric) of an object with a parallax of one arcsecond (you see how much an object moves 6 months apart when the earth is on the opposite side of the sun.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:25 PM (w6EFb)

234 What do you think of the possibility that Don Lemon didn't earn an arrest warrant because he is an FBI snitch?
Posted by: Kindltot

That's a hard call. If he was, they could have faked the arrest and let him go later, quietly.

If he wasn't, they were truly scared of arresting a reporter. I know he's not, but the optics are truly sub optimal.

Posted by: rickb223 at January 26, 2026 11:26 PM (zILP0)

235 Oh - and now reports of stepped up ICE activity in Phoenix tonight.

More than a week ago, either an insanely stupid, or authorized (and stlll insanely stupid) leak came out that Phoenix was soon to be the target of an ICE "surge". So maybe here it is.

Cannot figure out the value of telegraphing ICE's next punch like this. But it keeps happening.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 11:26 PM (U/Byj)

236 mikeski,
I had several dings already so it was bound to happen...

Posted by: lin-duh is offended at January 26, 2026 11:27 PM (VCgbV)

237 >>>up something in the encyclopedia, pulls out the volume, finds the correct article, reads it and makes notes, and then puts it back.
Posted by: Kindltot
---

Your talking about a card catalog at the library, aren't you?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 11:27 PM (m24qK)

238 One of my coworkers had enough and finally confronted her. He very seriously told her that crystals cloud the mind and damage neural activiity.
——

Ha! Reminds me of a whack job eBay seller I knew of, she didn’t know my handle, but I knew hers. She had some good items, she was a good “picker” but she had a few goofy items, crystals and such that “improve your feelings of calmness and well being” and that kind of bullshit.

So I write to her “Ask Seller A Question” about an item, one of the crystals. “Hey, if I don’t feel any better or one with the universe after communing with one of your crystals, can I get a refund?”

“Absolutely not” was the reply. LOL! Well I had fun with her! eBay has screwy rules that do not favor the sellers, and I knew all the right buttons to push.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 11:27 PM (tE2Wy)

239 The guy with no social media in the Cafe thread sounds like me. I'm here or nowhere ... And the name of the place is "I Like It Like That" (Dave Clark Five)

Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 26, 2026 11:28 PM (igRTw)

240 Hot Sake, for those who dare, LOL... Take your breath away in cold weather!

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:28 PM (rdVOm)

241
17F here at 30 minutes before midnight.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:28 PM (w6EFb)

242 😂😂😂

You want Civil War..

but can't handle entry level explosives. 🤦‍♂️

Posted by: rickb223 at January 26, 2026 11:30 PM (zILP0)

243 Oh, and after all that...the boss decided to have everyone WFH again tomorrow since the schools are closed again. Still lots of ice around and another sub 20 night.

Posted by: lin-duh is offended at January 26, 2026 11:30 PM (VCgbV)

244 lin-duh, look into freeze mizers on Amazon. You put them on outdoor faucets to drip. They are useful and made in TX.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 11:30 PM (lpTXP)

245 Oh, and after all that...the boss decided to have everyone WFH again tomorrow since the schools are closed again. Still lots of ice around and another sub 20 night.
Posted by: lin-duh is offended

Our did the same. I think sometime tomorrow after lunch is when we finally get above freezing.

Posted by: rickb223 at January 26, 2026 11:32 PM (zILP0)

246 I eat the cock of man.

Posted by: TACO at January 26, 2026 11:32 PM (O9qIg)

247 We suspect he has a regular home -- but if so, what are they doing letting him out on such a cold night???
——-

That’s easy. They know you’re a softie, and will feed him

Posted by: Common Tater at January 26, 2026 11:33 PM (tE2Wy)

248 The troll decided to speak some truth.

Posted by: Ouch the Grouch at January 26, 2026 11:34 PM (ZdhjE)

249 Tortilla
Nachos
Amigos
Que pasa
Posted by: TACO at January 26, 2026

***
Paso Por Aqui

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:34 PM (wzUl9)

250 Shirley Bassey sings "Blown Finger!"

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 26, 2026 11:28 PM (8zz6B)
-

Theme song to the movie "Digits Blow Up."

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 26, 2026 11:35 PM (oI05U)

251 Has anyone else noticed that Trace Gallagher (LA Fox guy) is wearing a SeaHawks themed tie?

Posted by: Diogenes at January 26, 2026 11:35 PM (2WIwB)

252 Weird. If that were typical, there wouldn't be an un-cracked windshield north of Illinois. Heater/defroster full blast to melt the bottom layer of the ice is how it's done. And we do it when it's -25 F out.
Posted by: mikeski
--------

My windshield has a rock-chip that's starting to grow a "spider leg". I keep washer fluid in a spray bottle, out in the car, to spray ice/frost before starting up, and then keep the defrost temp fairly low. Don't want to replace that windshield *again*-- takes all day due to radar re-calibration.

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:36 PM (rdVOm)

253 17F here at 30 minutes before midnight.
Posted by: publius
------
7.7 deg. in A'ville

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 26, 2026 11:36 PM (XeU6L)

254 BarelyScaryMary,
My outside faucets are fine. It has something to do with the one tankless hot water heater and the water line feeding it. I'm just running a faucet connected to that system on a low stream so it doesn't freeze again. Doesn't seem to happen when there is a lighter freeze but it was in the teens last night.

Posted by: lin-duh is offended at January 26, 2026 11:37 PM (VCgbV)

255 Watching "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" which is an Iranian horror movie made and produced in the US. It's really good so far, with an amazing sound design (among other things).

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at January 26, 2026 11:41 PM (CHHv1)

256 Popping back in for a mo

In Mark Dice's latest, he does a fair job of pointing out that the Republicans and the Administration are mischaracterizing the suicide-by-ICE incident almost as badly as the Democraps and the propaganda media, which ill-serves the Truth and ICE's work. Ends with a good clip from Andrew Branca about it.

https://youtu.be/gTLFPQZOnMY

(This may be the first Dice video in a while where he didn't somehow skew into his tiresome anti-Israel hangup.)

Okay, ducking back out again.

Posted by: mindful webworker - relatively absolute at January 26, 2026 11:42 PM (OJSFI)

257 >> 7.7 deg. in A'ville

You need to get one of the weather stations so you can put it up on Wunderground. I'd love to see and compare.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:42 PM (w6EFb)

258 The second in Clifton Webb's "Mr. Belvedere" movie series is on Movies! now. As far as I know, this character, the waspish schoolteacher, is the source for the '80s TV series, though they softened him considerably for television. Webb was an unlikely movie star -- but in the late '40s and early '50s he was quite the box-office draw. This flick has a teenage or young adult Shirley Temple in it as well. No idea why the movie-going public didn't take to her as an adult; she was lovely.

Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck are up next in Meet John Doe. I wish Movies! would schedule the major classic flicks like that one in prime time more often.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:42 PM (wzUl9)

259
Check out "Wundermap" (just put that right in the search bar). Zoom in and you'll see the network of personal weather stations. You can see what it looks like in your neck of the woods.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:45 PM (w6EFb)

260
Goodnight Morons. Tomorrow do something I wanted to this year with my grands...blow some bubbles onto the frozen snow in below freezing temps. Fern like designs apppear on the bubbles. But it was (so far) not to be this year. We normally have snow on the ground for December and January.

We tried it once last year and our toddler girl kept stomping the bubbles.

The voice of an angel Alison has.

And I remember someone I also cannot forget in this song.

Life has been good to me.

https://tinyurl.com/smsfrhak

Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at January 26, 2026 11:46 PM (WONhk)

261 Oh, and my windshield is cracked from the temperature extremes of ice, heat from the defroster.
Posted by: lin-duh is offended
*******
Weird. If that were typical, there wouldn't be an un-cracked windshield north of Illinois. Heater/defroster full blast to melt the bottom layer of the ice is how it's done. And we do it when it's -25 F out.
Posted by: mikeski
------
I watched it happen in real time as I was driving down the freeway. BUT...
I had a small crack (about an inch long) at the bottom.of the windshield. It extended up.about 5 inches, then made a right turn and ran over to the edge. Total time was about 20 seconds.
I suspect that an intact windshield should be immune, but any flaw would trigger it.

Posted by: buddhaha at January 26, 2026 11:46 PM (IMmiQ)

262 My windshield has a rock-chip that's starting to grow a "spider leg". I keep washer fluid in a spray bottle, out in the car, to spray ice/frost before starting up, and then keep the defrost temp fairly low. Don't want to replace that windshield *again*-- takes all day due to radar re-calibration.

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:36 PM (rdVOm)

safelite repairs safelite replace. lol

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 11:47 PM (snZF9)

263 I dozed off during the episode of Deep Space Nine's fifth season we were watching on DVD. This was the second one tonight. One is apparently all I can handle at a time. The series had a lot to recommend it, but when they start gabbling about religions on the local planet and mysticism centering on Sisko, my brain drifts off.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:49 PM (wzUl9)

264
Well shit fire, now 15F.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:49 PM (w6EFb)

265 It's forty degrees in Big Timber Montana.
What's up with that?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026 11:49 PM (m24qK)

266
Since it came up, I took some decent photos of the moon a while ago:

https://is.gd/cPT329
Posted by: ...

=============

Those are neat!

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 26, 2026 11:50 PM (T8f42)

267 It's forty degrees in Big Timber Montana.
What's up with that?
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 26, 2026

***
The entire country's heat rose and drifted up there?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:51 PM (wzUl9)

268 safelite repairs safelite replace. lol
Posted by: Berserker
--------

Already had "chip repair" but it's not staying repaired, LOL.

Replaced windshield once already-- had a chip, got chip repair... and then sun came out on a frigid day... CRACK!

When it finally grows across my viewing area, I will get it replaced. Again. Sh@tty thin glass, grrrrrr..........

Posted by: JQ at January 26, 2026 11:52 PM (rdVOm)

269 23 degrees in BFE, TX. Faucets dripping.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 26, 2026 11:52 PM (lpTXP)

270 Cold Of Man is delish.

Posted by: TACO at January 26, 2026 11:53 PM (O9qIg)

271 If I were a Medical student at the University of Minnesota, and it was demanded of me to support “Indigenous Ways of Healing” I’d simply demand the hottest babe on campus be presented to me, and we need to fuck right now to ensure a bountiful harvest, a good hunt and keep the evil spirits away, etc.

Every day several times a day, for at least a week or so should be most efficacious.

Posted by: Just Sayin at January 26, 2026 11:53 PM (tE2Wy)

272 Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 26, 2026 11:50 PM (T8f42)

Thanks Blondie. I was hoping someone would like...

Posted by: ... at January 26, 2026 11:54 PM (E0p3T)

273
That seems to check out for Big Timber. Every so often, you'll notice a station that is obviously way off, malfunction, or someone doing something stupid. If a station looks odd, compare to the all the closest stations you can find on the map there. Expect some local variation, but not something ridiculous.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:54 PM (w6EFb)

274 S'pose it's time for me to head off to bed. The big black cat will probably wake me in time for the Tech Thread, darn him.

Cold or no cold, I need to run out tomorrow for some dry chow for the cats and maybe to grab a few other items for me. Maybe get a hot coffee and a croissant at a coffee shop while I'm out.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:55 PM (wzUl9)

275 Tortilla
Nachos
Amigos
Que pasa
Posted by: TACO at January 26, 2026
***
Paso Por Aqui
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius,
------
Cerveza por favor.
Donde es banos?

Posted by: buddhaha at January 26, 2026 11:55 PM (IMmiQ)

276 Evening all.

Posted by: Joyenz at January 26, 2026 11:55 PM (2F0/Y)

277 >> I took some decent photos of the moon a while ago:

Very nice. And you can see the subtle hints of the colors there, too. The "mineral moon" colors.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:56 PM (w6EFb)

278 Inside the west of trees I go.

Posted by: TACO at January 26, 2026 11:56 PM (O9qIg)

279 Mpls PD/Hennepin Sheriff apparently actually doing their job tonight, protecting at least one hotel - but not sure where it is.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 26, 2026 11:56 PM (U/Byj)

280
536yb35y56
Posted by: Blonde Morticia

Let's see... carry the 2, check what the 'y' operation is...

D.R.I.N.K.M.O.R.E.O.V.A.L.T.I.N.E

...a crummy commercial!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at January 26, 2026 11:57 PM (xG4kz)

281 Go whore and release the snakes.

Posted by: TACO at January 26, 2026 11:58 PM (kdTlg)

282 Turns out while my snowbower was living in the shed for the last 2 years some bastard mouse built a nest in the airbox. Didn't think about it. I test fired it a few days before the storm and it fired up. Today while digging out it dies at the end of my frigging driveway and I had to drag it back up to the garage. I figured let me check the spark plug and see if it gets spark. I had to pull the cover on the airbox to get to the spark plug which also holds the on/off switch. I see the nest, and the little fuck ate the insulation off the wires going to the on/off switch, so during vibration they touched and killed the frigging motor. I had to vacume out the airbox, then take the plug off the switch and shrink tube the wires and it fired right back up. My brother thinks I'm Caligula because I lay waste to mice instead of trapping them and releasing them. This is why. Fuck them.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 11:59 PM (snZF9)

283 In time alligator bites penis.

Posted by: TACO at January 26, 2026 11:59 PM (b3G0I)

284 DogeDesigner@cb_doge . 5h

Meta Whistleblowers say WhatsApp private chats can be read by the company, despite promises of end to end encryption.

A lawsuit filed in US court claims Meta misled billions of users worldwide into believing their messages were fully private.
--

No, this can't be. Meta nee Zuckerberg can't be trusted, shocked to the core I am.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 27, 2026 12:01 AM (m24qK)

285 Trust Jew to keep promises

No

No

Makes

Me

Sad!

Posted by: TACO at January 27, 2026 12:02 AM (lsi4m)

286 My brother thinks I'm Caligula because I lay waste to mice instead of trapping them and releasing them. This is why. Fuck them.
Posted by: Berserker
---------

Hail, Caligula!

If you can't have a cat, snap traps are the next best thing...

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 12:02 AM (rdVOm)

287 Well shit fire, now 15F.
Posted by: publius
----------

7 deg. even now.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 27, 2026 12:03 AM (XeU6L)

288 Wonder what he is planning to drop on Minneapolis?
A big stink bomb?
Posted by: Case

Well, here's one thing:
@WomanDefiner
State police are bringing in LRAD's now to clear the protesters. All the agencies from Minnesota are here. Trump absolutely won.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at January 27, 2026 12:03 AM (mlg/3)

289 Private chats aren't private? Next you'll be saying it's bad idea to get violent with LEOs .

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 27, 2026 12:05 AM (lpTXP)

290 Hail, Caligula!

If you can't have a cat, snap traps are the next best thing...

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 12:02 AM (rdVOm)

Snap traps kick ass. I mod them to make them super sensitive. None shall pass, lol. My neighbor's cat takes great interest in patrolling my yard. I don't ever see mice around here. The shed is in a far corner of the yard. Once I do a pole barn that shed is getting detonated.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 12:06 AM (snZF9)

291 Turns out while my snowbower was living in the shed for the last 2 years some bastard mouse built a nest in the airbox.
---------

Heh. Hauled my generator out post-Helen. After previous use I had run/drained carb dry,drained the tank,and left the fill cap off. Discovered (before filling!) that mouse had constructed a shoebox sized nest inside. The inside was gummy with rodent urine/feces.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 27, 2026 12:07 AM (XeU6L)

292 Torches to the ashes we go dig in. Brave sir. Brave. When out in wistful vengeance we break. Chariots burst in anger to appease the monster.
Wait.
No
No
No

Posted by: TACO at January 27, 2026 12:07 AM (YTjJV)

293 The series had a lot to recommend it, but when they start gabbling about religions on the local planet and mysticism centering on Sisko, my brain drifts off.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 26, 2026 11:49 PM (wzUl9)“

I enjoyed those episodes, because they were ST going in a direction the previous series never explored much, and they did a decent job with it.

Fun trivia: the Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn was previously Nurse Ratchett.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 27, 2026 12:07 AM (Sxl5b)

294 jon del arroz is claiming that Paramount is not renewing StarFleet Academy.
But they already have season 1 in the can and season 2 is in production so, I dunno.

Posted by: gKWVE at January 27, 2026 12:08 AM (gKWVE)

295 Elegant sand in blissful yarn may bridge the gap. But never. No never. It shall be in ruins.
Yes
No
No
Yes

Tonight we dance.

Posted by: TACO at January 27, 2026 12:08 AM (4HxCT)

296 Here is the best version of Ripple I have ever heard by far

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=705xVHMgBZA

Posted by: Ripley at January 27, 2026 12:08 AM (PTDkx)

297 Louise Fletcher was a brilliant actress.

Posted by: gKWVE at January 27, 2026 12:09 AM (gKWVE)

298 Garak was my favorite DS9 character. And then Morn. He was a man of few words but I enjoyed his presence.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at January 27, 2026 12:09 AM (lpTXP)

299 Never!!!!
Not once.
Friar bellows.
Once. Thrice.
Man knows not.

Posted by: TACO at January 27, 2026 12:10 AM (LP1Nk)

300 Prank: a sales manager from corporate was visiting a branch back east. The local salesmen meet him at his hotel the next morning. They saw he had a white rental car so they told him a local radio runs a daiIy promotion with the toll roads in town. White is the car that day, so he wouldn't have to pay anything.

As they drove to visit customers the manager followed the salesmen. At each booth they told the person in the booth that they were also paying for the car behind them. Until the last one!

Of course police chased him down and asked what the hell he thought he was doing. All he could say was "But I have the car of the day!"

Posted by: 496 at January 27, 2026 12:10 AM (WeJ8p)

301 We had a dog, until 2019... She was so good, she would catch mice too! But she was so nosy, LOL. Got into the shop one day & nosed a mousetrap. *Ouch!*

It was a couple of months before she'd set foot into the shop again. Poor baby. So smart.

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 12:10 AM (rdVOm)

302 Heh. Hauled my generator out post-Helen. After previous use I had run/drained carb dry,drained the tank,and left the fill cap off. Discovered (before filling!) that mouse had constructed a shoebox sized nest inside. The inside was gummy with rodent urine/feces.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 27, 2026 12:07 AM (XeU6L)

I stuff rags into the exhaust pipes on the harley. I had a customer one time where a mouse ran up the drag pipe and the exhaust valve was open. The little bastard packed his cylinder with shit. Ended up redoing the whole top end.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 12:10 AM (snZF9)

303
I spent on the order of four hours this afternoon running the snowblower to clear off our driveway and front sidewalk. I was grateful for its electric starter, as I started up right away after having not been used for probably four years. I'm tired, but not (yet) aching, and glad to have put the task vehind me.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at January 27, 2026 12:11 AM (xG4kz)

304 Very nice. And you can see the subtle hints of the colors there, too. The "mineral moon" colors.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 26, 2026 11:56 PM (w6EFb)

Yes I always liked that about that one - didn't know what it was - just learned something and now wondering if I have my old RAW files of that night to play

Posted by: ... at January 27, 2026 12:12 AM (E0p3T)

305 Yeah at one location they lined up snow-plow trucks bumper to bumper to form a wall. Arrested a few of the small crowd of idiot noisemakers. Didn't see the LRAD on the video stream, but did see a still of it earlier. Nice.

Tomorrow might tell, but this a yuuuge change in local LE posture from the beginning of this episode.

If ICE operations continue tomorrow with local LE keeping order, it will smell like victory.

Though the big question on immigration will remain unanswered, likely for some time.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 27, 2026 12:13 AM (U/Byj)

306 I spent on the order of four hours this afternoon running the snowblower to clear off our driveway and front sidewalk. I was grateful for its electric starter, as I started up right away after having not been used for probably four years. I'm tired, but not (yet) aching, and glad to have put the task vehind me.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at January 27, 2026 12:11 AM (xG4kz)

Mine has an electric start. Good thing, because that damn thing will not start with the pull cord, warm or not.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 12:13 AM (snZF9)

307 But they already have season 1 in the can and season 2 is in production so, I dunno.
Posted by: gKWVE

Between 6 to 9 million an episode I can see why. Woof.

Garak was my favorite DS9 character. And then Morn. He was a man of few words but I enjoyed his presence.
Posted by: BarelyScaryMary

Apparently Morn only had one line of dialog, but it was in a German dub.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at January 27, 2026 12:13 AM (mlg/3)

308 >> now wondering if I have my old RAW files of that night to play

That would be fun to see if you can pull those colors out, indeed.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 27, 2026 12:15 AM (w6EFb)

309 The best part, after I get 3/4 done with my driveway, which is 30X100, my neighbor cruises over with his Kubota. Says hey I can clear the heavy shit if you need. argh.....

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 12:16 AM (snZF9)

310
N E S T L E S, Nestles makes the very best
......chocolate

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 27, 2026 12:17 AM (m24qK)

311 My brother thinks I'm Caligula because I lay waste to mice instead of trapping them and releasing them. This is why. Fuck them.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 26, 2026 11:59 PM (snZF9)

----

I'm with you.
The little monsters did $2,000 worth of damage under to my engine wiring. I couldn't use the garage one winter when the house was remodeled. Love that warm engine.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 27, 2026 12:17 AM (9RvnV)

312 Mine has an electric start. Good thing, because that damn thing will not start with the pull cord, warm or not.
Posted by: Berserker
--------

I am reminded that the old Maytag gas-engined washing machines had a kickstarter. Not sure what brought that to mind...

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 27, 2026 12:17 AM (XeU6L)

313 Fun trivia: the Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn was previously Nurse Ratchett.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 27, 2026 12:07 AM (Sxl5b)

There was no character in the history of star trek I wanted to see shoved out of an airlock more than Kai Winn.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 12:18 AM (snZF9)

314 That would be fun to see if you can pull those colors out, indeed.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 27, 2026 12:15 AM (w6EFb)

Watch this space...... eventually

Posted by: ... at January 27, 2026 12:19 AM (E0p3T)

315 I'm with you.
The little monsters did $2,000 worth of damage under to my engine wiring. I couldn't use the garage one winter when the house was remodeled. Love that warm engine.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 27, 2026 12:17 AM (9RvnV)

Those little bastards will burn your frigging house down.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 12:20 AM (snZF9)

316 A woman named Claire Louise Feng has been charged with biting the finger off of a border patrol agent in Minneapolis.
---

Is she kin to Fang?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 27, 2026 12:22 AM (m24qK)

317 What are we sposed to do when the AI agent is drunk off its ass? I may have missed that in the safety meeting that I totally attended.

Posted by: Bilwis Devourer of Innocent Souls, I'm starvin' over here at January 27, 2026 12:22 AM (w/O5Q)

318 I swear, that Soros spawn is a kiddy-diddler. And a sociopath. The boy just oozes "ick".

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, AoSHQ's Plucky Wee One - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at January 27, 2026 12:28 AM (SRRAx)

319 Saw three of them run across my living room floor one sub-zero night, years ago. Stuffed copper mesh/caulk in some gaps in the boards under the siding. Worked until I saw one tiny mouse this year; SNAP!

Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 27, 2026 12:31 AM (fKTed)

320 319 Saw three of them run across my living room floor one sub-zero night, years ago. Stuffed copper mesh/caulk in some gaps in the boards under the siding. Worked until I saw one tiny mouse this year; SNAP!
Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 27, 2026 12:31 AM (fKTed)

You need to borrow a terrier.

Posted by: tcn in AK at January 27, 2026 12:33 AM (6Bc88)

321 316 A woman named Claire Louise Feng has been charged with biting the finger off of a border patrol agent in Minneapolis.
---

Is she kin to Fang?
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 27, 2026 12:22 AM (m24qK)

------

If you need a hanging Judge, look me up.

Posted by: Judge Isaac Parker at January 27, 2026 12:35 AM (L5n1N)

322 Just One Bite
Wish I knew about that before the rat ate its way from the garage through the double sheetrock wall and took up residence in the living room couch.

Friend mailed me some (banned in California). Dying rat in hallway less than 24 hours later.

Posted by: torabora at January 27, 2026 12:35 AM (mTmKa)

323 What are we sposed to do when the AI agent is drunk off its ass? I may have missed that in the safety meeting that I totally attended.
Posted by: Bilwis Devourer of Innocent Souls, I'm starvin' over here at January 27, 2026 12:22 AM (w/O5Q)

Draw a penis on its forehead and dip his hand in a basin of warm water.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 27, 2026 12:36 AM (rbvCR)

324 Evenin’, All.

Posted by: Bulg at January 27, 2026 12:37 AM (77rzZ)

325 The trouble with rodent poisons, is that the lil bastards like to crawl into their hidey-holes to die. Your walls, attic, basement, crawl spaces.... and then rot and stink.

Lucky if they pass where you can reach their carcasses easily!

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 12:38 AM (rdVOm)

326 It’s probably obvious, but Morn was a play on Norm from Cheers. All he ever did was sit at the bar and drink.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 27, 2026 12:39 AM (Sxl5b)

327 310 Mmmmmm…Jan Smithers…mmmmm…

Posted by: Bulg at January 27, 2026 12:40 AM (77rzZ)

328 Blue cities won't let you do the obvious thing -- take the illegals into custody while they're in the jails. Because they're part of the Democrat voting pool.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 27, 2026 12:40 AM (L5n1N)

329 Friend mailed me some (banned in California). Dying rat in hallway less than 24 hours later.
Posted by: torabora at January 27, 2026 12:35 AM (mTmKa)

Yeah, yeah, I read enough Agatha Christie. The killer always has some excuse for getting it and keeping it around.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 27, 2026 12:42 AM (Sxl5b)

330 ICE protesters stop US citizens, demand ID to prove you're not ICE.

Minneapolis cops not worth a damn.

https://tinyurl.com/yc5 cvf87

Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 27, 2026 12:48 AM (tntiz)

331 James O'Keefe@JamesOKeefeIII . 10h

SURROUNDED: O’Keefe & the OMG team under attack in Minneapolis. Frozen projectiles hurled at us. We barely made it out.

We go LIVE tomorrow at 1 PM with our full video report of hidden camera footage from inside the mob.

Watch live on our channels:

YouTube: youtu.be/@okeefemedia

X: xcancel.com/OKeefeMedia

xcancel.com/JamesOKeefeIII

Instagram: instagram.com/okeefemedia?ig…

instagram.com/jamesokeefeiii…

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 27, 2026 12:52 AM (m24qK)

332 JQ, yep, many years ago, I was living in an apt building next to a vacant field. When they started to dig up the field for construction, suddenly everyone in my building had mice coming up through the pipes. I put out poison and found out dying mice liked to crawl in my laundry hamper to die. I used old fashioned traps after that. The building didn't allow pets, but more than a few tenants borrowed friends' kittehs for the duration. I ate off disposible plates for a while because I found mice droppings on my dishes. It was disgusting.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 27, 2026 12:54 AM (Kxi0p)

333 Dump takes a dump on Minnesota gestapo chief bovino and sends him packing. The people united will never be defeated! When they ask you what good protests do. THIS! If the people will lead the leaders will eventually follow. Noem next?

Posted by: raimondo at January 27, 2026 12:56 AM (QyUKq)

334
I read the first chapter of "The Wind in the Willows" to the gKids tonight. gDaughter had read it; gSon had not.

I think that I will try to record me reading the whole thing, augment that with the illustrations, and then present it to the two of them, as I likely won't have the opportunity to do it live with them clear out to its conclusion (not that I won't try to do so).

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at January 27, 2026 12:57 AM (xG4kz)

335 Posted by: Donna&&&&&&v at January 27, 2026 12:54 AM
-------

Ew. I borrowed my parents' cat one time-- my first apartment had mice-- good kitteh was busy allllll night! She couldn't get all of them in 2 nights, though.

Was so happy to move!

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 12:59 AM (rdVOm)

336 The trouble with rodent poisons, is that the lil bastards like to crawl into their hidey-holes to die. Your walls, attic, basement, crawl spaces.... and then rot and stink.

Lucky if they pass where you can reach their carcasses easily!

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 12:38 AM (rdVOm)

That happened one time in my old house in the basement. I kept smelling something weird and I could figure out what it was. I had poison but never used it, because on the very rare occasions I ever saw a mouse in the basement he was dead in a matter of hours with a snap trap. Well some time later I found the box of poison, which were in little bars, and still wrapped in a bag. Yup, something ate a hole in it, so thats probably the weird thing I smelled a year or so before. When I went to sell the house the basement was partially paneled from the dude before me, and I gutted the entire basement back to like it was when the house was built and painted the walls and floors. I never found anything, so who knows where that thing died.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 01:00 AM (snZF9)

337
It looks like there are two glory holes missing their hoovering devices this evening.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at January 27, 2026 01:00 AM (xG4kz)

338
Ew. I borrowed my parents' cat one time-- my first apartment had mice-- good kitteh was busy allllll night! She couldn't get all of them in 2 nights, though.

Was so happy to move!
Posted by: JQ

==============

That's funny, borrowing a cat to get mice. I saw an X tweet once about a guy who runs out to the street, grabs a known stray cat, and brings it up and shuts it into a room with a mouse.

~Fin~

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 27, 2026 01:03 AM (rCdCn)

339
The Sun is somewhere between 17 and 20 parsecs above the galactic plane now. We're currently headed up, with 40 - 50 left to go before we turn down on the downswing.

At one time, there was some interesting correlation with that z-axis/plane crossing motion and long term climate and extinction events. But then better data came and that correlation seemed to go away. But it may be back, I'm not sure.

Anyway, it's an open question if the sun's motion through the galaxy may have something to do with those very long term cycles.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 27, 2026 01:04 AM (w6EFb)

340 I never found anything, so who knows where that thing died.
Posted by: Berserker
-------

When I started cleaning out Dad's house, there was a bunch of stuff packed under the stairway to basement. In between some boxes, I found... a desiccated rodent carcass, just a skeleton. Probably that hamster that we lost in the late '70s but figured it escaped the house. I felt bad for the lil guy.

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 01:04 AM (rdVOm)

341
The trouble with rodent poisons, is that the lil bastards like to crawl into their hidey-holes to die. Your walls, attic, basement, crawl spaces.... and then rot and stink.

Lucky if they pass where you can reach their carcasses easily!

Posted by: JQ

==============

Had that in a school I taught at once. Little corpse (or possibly a big one) was somewhere in the wall of the teachers' lounge.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 27, 2026 01:08 AM (rCdCn)

342 I mentioned earlier today the time I found a rat in the ceiling crawlspace of an old house.

It apparently decided that the knob and tube wiring looked tasty and tried to chow down.

Bad mistake, Mickey.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 27, 2026 01:12 AM (IG3/x)

343 Glue boards work well, but not if you're squeamish. I've used the lightweight glue boards intended for bugs, but they work well on mice (won't hold a rat.). The trick is to punch a hole an inch or two from the edge and use wire to keep it from being dragged off. I have one just inside the door into the studio from the garage, along the wall out of the way. That for gets left open for long periods carrying stuff in and out, and the little buggers will sneak in. I've caught two on that since October. One was still alive while the other had flopped around enough that he/she got its snout into the glue and suffocated. Snip.the wire, pick up the board, into a plastic bag and into the garbage can. Our mouse problem gets worse in cold weather, because the local.neighborhood gopher snakes are hibernating.

Posted by: buddhaha at January 27, 2026 01:12 AM (IMmiQ)

344 In his book "Tales of a Bushrat Governor", former Alaska Governor Jay Hammond told the tale of going out to check on an old timer when he was working for the territorial police (or whatever the State Trooper equivalent was before Alaska was a state -- I forget).

Sadly, the old fella had passed on.

He decided to come back later with some help to haul the body out. He put the corpse in a small room in the cabin, and put the cat in there with it to keep the shrews off him.

Then the weather turned to shit, as only Alaska winter weather can do, and he wasn't able to get back out there for a couple of weeks.

Yeah, you know where this is going, dontcha?

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 27, 2026 01:17 AM (IG3/x)

345
Well, it's warming up. Dropped to 13.8F, then bounced back to 15.1F.

This was interesting. There wasn't any little burst of wind when it happened, which is usually the case, some mixing warming up the surface inversion layer a bit. There was however a little pressure drop and bounce back.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 27, 2026 01:19 AM (w6EFb)

346 Snap traps are quick & clean. No sticky glue and the creatures don't suffer.

I like plain in-shell sunflower seeds as bait, in the plastic TomCat traps. That one time I used peanut butter, it attracted ants! (It was too hot to use butter or bacon fat, which probably also would've drawn ants.)

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 01:19 AM (rdVOm)

347
Yeah, you know where this is going, dontcha?
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia

=============

In fact, David Sedaris wrote a twee column once about your death. Your pets aren't as respectful as you might think.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 27, 2026 01:21 AM (rCdCn)

348 Yeah, you know where this is going, dontcha?
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia
--------

Yeah. Doesn't mean the cat was *bad* though. I hope it survived.

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 01:21 AM (rdVOm)

349 @331 to bad you made it better luck next time.

Posted by: raimondo at January 27, 2026 01:22 AM (QyUKq)

350 If Cat is trapped inside the house when I die, I don't expect him to "be respectful"-- I expect him to do what he must to survive.

Not as if I'd need my body at that point anyway, right? And I'd surely like my little buddy to carry on!

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 01:24 AM (rdVOm)

351 47F at 10:30 p.m. I don't think we've dipped below 40 all Winter.

Posted by: Dark Litigator at January 27, 2026 01:29 AM (KAi1n)

352 I have been fortunate not to have mice or rats for the most part. I think my dogs help with that. They occasionally have produced a corpse for inspection. What I have had plenty of are scorpions (small, harmless ones) at the last place and now, here, mediterranean house geckos. They've come in from the cold this winter. I like 'em. Slay, my little bug hunters.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 27, 2026 01:35 AM (zUe/H)

353 I mentioned earlier today the time I found a rat in the ceiling crawlspace of an old house.

It apparently decided that the knob and tube wiring looked tasty and tried to chow down.

Bad mistake, Mickey.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 27, 2026 01:12 AM (IG3/x)

Knob and tubing was some crazy ass shit. I still have a coffee can of the frankenstein looking porcelain insulators I yanked out of the walls of ancient houses we renovated. That was some primitive shit. The electricians would freak if we did a kitchen in a house with that stuff.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 27, 2026 01:36 AM (snZF9)

354 Today, the U.S. confirmed the 4-ship Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group chopped into U.S. 5th Fleet-CENTCOM AOR.

The “most advanced air wing in the fleet” joins forward-deployed squadrons of USAF F-15E Strike Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons, & A-10 Warthogs.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 27, 2026 01:37 AM (m24qK)

355 Geckos are cute. But they will keep you awake at night with their little 'kissy noises' chirping. And then there's the poo they leave on window sills...

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 01:37 AM (rdVOm)

356 by: raimondo at January 27, 2026 12:56 AM

Hey, there! Have I missed any girl racer updates? I don't check in every night, depends on how my mom is doing.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at January 27, 2026 01:42 AM (Vvh2V)

357 Rons and Ettes, without further introduction, I present to you.................

Mike Pence:

https://tinyurl.com/2eb49zps

Worth scrolling through the comments.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 27, 2026 01:47 AM (UUvzi)

358 Nothing like a Dead show!

Posted by: Jerry Saves at January 27, 2026 01:50 AM (J4jS5)

359 >>Mike Pence:
----------

Wishy-washy. Neither side GAF what he has to say.

Posted by: JQ at January 27, 2026 01:52 AM (rdVOm)

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