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aceofspadeshq at gee mail.com CBD: cbd at cutjibnewsletter.com Buck: buck.throckmorton at protonmail.com joe mannix: mannix2024 at proton.me MisHum: petmorons at gee mail.com J.J. Sefton: sefton at cutjibnewsletter.com | THE MORNING RANT: Apple and the NFL Are Diverging on the “Financialize Everything” Business FadA subject I frequently return to is the destructive business trend that some critics refer to as “The Financialization of Everything,” which seeks maximum short-term profit through whatever means, irrespective of the long-term damage it causes. MGM Resorts and Panera Bread are two vivid examples of companies who did immense damage to their brands by pursuing a strategy of slashing headcount, reducing quality, and gouging customers. As I wrote in a piece last November about their greedy self-harm, “A corporation can target its loyal customers for revenue mining and temporarily increase its profits. It can also slash employee headcount and customer service, thereby reducing labor expense to produce a short-term increase in profits. It can even reduce its product size and cheapen the product’s quality to reduce cost of goods sold, also giving a short-term boost to gross profit. But in every case, these actions tell customers that rather than being valued, the corporation sees customers as marks to be exploited. A great many customers may get hoodwinked once, providing the short-term profit boost that was being sought, but then never come back, thus destroying the company’s long-term prospects. A downward spiral of alienated customers, declining revenue, deteriorating facilities, and degraded reputation ensues.” Related to this, there are two recent business stories that have caught my attention. On the positive side, Apple may have re-discovered the value of having a loyalty-building “loss leader.” On the negative side, the NFL has reached the “eating its seed corn” level of revenue mining, by forsaking long-time customers and future fans to gain a short-term increase in streaming revenue. Here’s a quick look at both of them: 1) APPLE An individual named Aakash Gupta explained on X/Twitter how Apple TV+ loses over a billion dollars per year, but rather than being a money-losing problem, Apple TV+ is instead a strategic “loss leader” which draws in users and revenue for its other products. Mr. Gupta wrote:Apple deliberately built the only money-losing service in its entire company, and it might be the smartest line item they have. Apple TV+ loses over a billion dollars a year. Music, the App Store, iCloud all print money. TV+ bleeds. And this was the plan: the projections written before launch budgeted $15 to $20 billion in losses across the first decade. Here's the math that makes it rational. Apple cleared $93.7 billion in profit last year. A billion-dollar TV loss runs about 1% of that. For that 1%, Apple gets Severance, Ted Lasso, a wall of Emmys, and a legendary game designer telling his millions of followers he couldn't stop watching their new horror show until 2am. Netflix spends $18 billion a year on content to own that cultural slot. Apple spends $4.5 billion, eats a $1 billion loss, and buys a version of the same prestige for a fraction of the price. The show is the marketing. Every awards sweep quietly answers the only question that matters to someone choosing between a $1,200 iPhone and a cheaper Android: which company makes things worth your time. TV+ has under 1% of US streaming viewership. By streaming math, that's a flop. By Apple math, it's a rounding error that makes a $3 trillion hardware company feel like culture. Cheapest marketing budget in the building.Matthew J. Peterson of the Claremont Institute reposted Mr. Gupta’s tweet about Apple TV+ with the advice to “Internalize this.” Good advice. More businesses need to do so. In fact, that was pretty much the thesis of a piece I wrote for The Blaze which discussed how Buc-ees provides gas at loss-leader pricing and has famously clean restrooms that are free to all. In return, patrons flock in and spend their money on other goods. Buc-ees is also well staffed and pays its employees very well, ensuring that customers receive excellent service and that the store is immaculately maintained. Everything Buc-ees does is contrary to the business school practices that caused so much damage to Panera and MGM Resorts. 2) The NFL The NFL, which is a monopoly without competition, has shown that it is fully committed to this familiar strategy of short-term revenue-maxing, irrespective of how it affects long-term customer retention. Clay Travis testified before Congress a few days ago (the transcript is here) about the NFL divvying up its product among numerous subscriber-only streaming services, and how this is a betrayal of the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. That congressional act from 65 years ago provided professional sports leagues with anti-trust protection and other special privileges. In exchange, the sports leagues were required to sell viewing rights to their product to over-the-air television networks. What should we expect from a reasonable fan and what should Congress do to ensure he's not being taken advantage of by sports leagues who are exploiting laws put on the books back in 1961, when television was a new technology and its implications were just being tested, to extract more money from the reasonable fan while giving him less in return for his money? I would submit that the absolute bare minimum a reasonable fan should expect is a fair price for a fair product. That bargain no longer exists. I would submit that reasonable fans have been taken advantage of over the past generation, that at some point we all started getting charged way more and getting way less, and I would submit that this is the exact opposite direction that a successful marketplace should move in a capitalistic society. Our sports fan viewing experience is broken when it comes both to affordability and access.Mr. Travis points out in his testimony that to watch the full slate of NFL games and his favorite MLB baseball team, he must have 12 different subscription services beyond the ever-shrinking number of games that are shown on over-the-air television. This sparked an interesting online discussion among some friends of this blog: Hampton Prescott: “Sports leagues used to recognize the set up they had – benefiting from monopoly under the implicit knowledge that they maintained at least a resemblance of accessibility. Now nosebleeds going for $10K & spreading coverage behind multiple paywalls risks blowing the whole thing up.” George MF Washington: “I can’t believe the number of smart people who don’t see the problem here. I think I watched two, maybe three NFL games last season. Ten years ago I would’ve laughed if you told me that.” Hampton Prescott: “As you know very well being in the entertainment industry, eventually the reservoir of goodwill dries up if neglected.” Buck Throckmorton: “’Goodwill’ is an actual Balance Sheet asset that has value. The short-term spike in revenue that comes from degrading a sports league’s customer goodwill is no different than removing equity from a business, running it through the Income Statement & then announcing record Revenue.” Hampton Prescott: “This is a vital point that the financial engineers frequently miss.” It’s time to revoke the anti-trust protections of these monopoly sports leagues. Ace himself advocated this point in a recent piece about MLB forcing players to wear uniforms advocating for the LGBT agenda while prohibiting those same players from displaying their Christian faith.
Comments(Jump to bottom of comments)1
FIRST!!!!!
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:00 AM (2YhKe) 2
1
Posted by: Skip at June 26, 2026 11:00 AM (sgkY8) 3
Bows to Sponge
Posted by: Skip at June 26, 2026 11:00 AM (sgkY8) Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:00 AM (2YhKe) 5
Nooded.
Posted by: Nazdar at June 26, 2026 11:01 AM (NcvvS) Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:01 AM (2YhKe) Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:01 AM (2YhKe) 8
Legalinsurrection.com just popped in The Stash pleads guilty to 1 count od stealing documents
Posted by: Skip at June 26, 2026 11:01 AM (sgkY8) Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:02 AM (2YhKe) 10
On the positive side, still $20, same as in town
Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at June 26, 2026 11:02 AM (Kt19C) 11
Hi
Posted by: Lizzy at June 26, 2026 11:03 AM (X8xt3) 12
A great many customers may get hoodwinked once, providing the short-term profit boost that was being sought, but then never come back, thus destroying the company’s long-term prospects.
--------- Yep. As I likely back in November as a response to that: I worked in Technical Customer Support for awhile, and the lesson I learned was ... it can take months or even years to gain a new customer, and seconds to lose them. And once lost, nearly impossible to every get them back. Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:03 AM (t/lcw) 13
At this point, the NFL would have to pay ME to get me to endure their "product".
Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:04 AM (Riz8t) 14
... it can take months or even years to gain a new customer, and seconds to lose them. And once lost, nearly impossible to every get them back.
Yes, but they make it up on volume. Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:04 AM (Riz8t) 15
Everything Buc-ees does is contrary to the business school practices that caused so much damage to Panera and MGM Resorts.
Buc-Ee's has incredibly strict dress codes. No visible tattoos or extraneous piercings. Ever. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:05 AM (2YhKe) 16
That's a really good analysis, Buck. Well done!
Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:06 AM (Jr5Lq) 17
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:01 AM (2YhKe)
*fistbump* Just finished reading the content. Posted by: Nazdar at June 26, 2026 11:06 AM (NcvvS) 18
Buc-Ee's has incredibly strict dress codes. No visible tattoos or extraneous piercings. Ever.
What about hair colors not found in nature? Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:06 AM (Riz8t) 19
>>Clay Travis testified before Congress a few days ago (the transcript is here) about the NFL divvying up its product among numerous subscriber-only streaming services, and how this is a betrayal of the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
Same problem with college football and other sports. Incredibly frustrating when you'd like to, say, watch the local state university football team only to discover that the channel it's on changes weekly AND half the time it is a subscriber-only channel. You want to kill sports? Make it impossible to casually watch. Posted by: Lizzy at June 26, 2026 11:07 AM (X8xt3) 20
On the positive side, Apple may have re-discovered the value of having a loyalty-building “loss leader.”
----------- Quick, someone tell Las Vegas (whose tourism industry according to various increasing anecdotes over the years of friends from my old hometown, has been strangled by the modern MBAs who insist on every cost center being a profit center). Make La Cosa Nostra Great Again! Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:07 AM (t/lcw) 21
I'd really like to see if any of the top business schools offer a course in "Customer goodwill, and how not to lose it by doing stupid, short-term s***".
Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:07 AM (Riz8t) 22
>>>A great many customers may get hoodwinked once, providing the short-term profit boost that was being sought, but then never come back, thus destroying the company’s long-term prospects.
I was buying coffee on a subscription plan, 5# at a time. Subscription plans are the bane of customers, because it is a trend to make them near impossible to manage (resulting in too much product purchased), and impossible to cancel. I got shorted near half a pound on an order and tried to cancel, with no clear option to do so. I went full BBB/AG threat, and thankfully the owner quickly cancelled my subscription and apologized. Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 11:08 AM (dK+Kv) 23
Go Clay Travis go.
He's a solid dude who seems to give no f*cks about your feewings. Good for him. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:08 AM (2YhKe) 24
The final June consumer sentiment numbers are out today from the University of Michigan.
Consumer sentiment is 86.2 for Republicans. Consumer sentiment is 37.3 for Democrats (and 44.5 for independents). The figures were approximately reversed during the Biden Administration. We are increasingly inhabiting two separate perceived realities. Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 26, 2026 11:09 AM (aD4fx) 25
The NFL, in particular, lost me when the games were being dragged out by constant flags, "TV timeouts" and officials dithering on calls for 15 minutes because reasons.
A one hour "game" should be, you know, an hour. Not four. Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 26, 2026 11:09 AM (jehhT) Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:09 AM (Jr5Lq) 27
What about hair colors not found in nature?
Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:06 AM (Riz8t) Don't think they allow that either. Next time I go to one, I'll have to pay closer attention, but I believe that's part of it as well. You got blue toilet water hair? Your services aren't needed here. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:09 AM (2YhKe) 28
Time to end the monopoly for the NFL. That way, the Browns can keep moving to new leagues where they might go to the playoffs more than once a generation.
Posted by: Chuck Martel at June 26, 2026 11:10 AM (Dv3i1) 29
>>>By Apple math, it's a rounding error that makes a $3 trillion hardware company feel like cult
Fixed. Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 11:10 AM (dK+Kv) 30
At this point, the NFL would have to pay ME to get me to endure their "product".
Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:04 AM (Riz8t) ALL of this. What are they going to do when Mr. Taylor Swift retires and Tay Tay is no longer in the suites at home games? Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:11 AM (2YhKe) 31
This apparently has been Warren Buffett's modus operandi forever - take a well-regarded consumer brand (like Sees Candy), cut the quality, and boost the profits.
Wash and repeat. Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 26, 2026 11:11 AM (aD4fx) 32
The New York Yankees are sliding merrily down that slope.
It used to be easy to find where the game was broadcast. 95% of the time it was on the YES network, which is their network. The rest of the time it was on a national feed. Now? Apple Streaming. Amazon Streaming. Roku Streaming. And for all I know, somewhere else also. The result? I watch far fewer games. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 26, 2026 11:11 AM (PLxDd) 33
Time to end the monopoly for the NFL. That way, the Browns can keep moving to new leagues where they might go to the playoffs more than once a generation.
Posted by: Chuck Martel at June 26, 2026 11:10 AM (Dv3i1) But, if they're a monopoly, why is the UFL allowed to exist and play on TV? Geez I crack myself up. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:11 AM (2YhKe) 34
Costco has their $1.50 hot dog and $5 rotisserie chicken. But they probably make it back from people buying more. Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 26, 2026 11:12 AM (O0L8i) 35
The only subscription I have is Amazon Prime, and that's because I live way out in the boonies, and it's easier to just order what I need.
As far as watching anything, I don't, beyond my DVDs. Sports isn't even on the radar, so to speak. Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at June 26, 2026 11:12 AM (Q28kH) 36
You want to kill sports? Make it impossible to casually watch.
Posted by: Lizzy College Football knows how this works. On the other hand, NIL still might ruin the sport. Posted by: Chuck Martel at June 26, 2026 11:13 AM (Dv3i1) 37
>>I worked in Technical Customer Support for awhile, and the lesson I learned was ... it can take months or even years to gain a new customer, and seconds to lose them. And once lost, nearly impossible to every get them back.
Think the problem is that nowadays, companies don't even want to deal with customers. Go to our website, interact with a chatbot, call our 800# and interact with an automated system (press 1 for yes, blah blah blah). IF you manage to actually come in contact with a live human being, it's a 99% chance it's a call center on the other side of the world, and a representative who reads a script quickly, with a heavy accent. American companies have, for the most part, ditched the entire concept of customer service. They don't want to keep us, they just want us in a position where it's them or nothing. Posted by: Lizzy at June 26, 2026 11:13 AM (X8xt3) 38
Unfortunately HEB allows the weird hair color not found in nature. Not sure about the tattoos and piercings. I know they have some but it's not crazy by today's standards.
Posted by: lin-duh in Texas at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (rZgqp) 39
Starting pay at Buc-ees is $16 /hr. That's a lot of money for virtually unskilled labor in Florence SC.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (qFwJc) 40
Costco has their $1.50 hot dog and $5 rotisserie chicken. But they probably make it back from people buying more.
Don't forget their $10 pepperoni pizza, which is, to my mind, every bit as good as any of the chains. Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (Riz8t) 41
Costco has their $1.50 hot dog and $5 rotisserie chicken. But they probably make it back from people buying more.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 26, 2026 11:12 AM (O0L8i) $14 pizza dinner for 4, including for at least one hungry teen. It is impossible to pass up. Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (dK+Kv) 42
Apple gets Severance, Ted Lasso, a wall of Emmys, and ...
-------------- Never seen Ted Lasso, but heard it's a good TV Series. A friend and I were discussing this recent phenomenon of folks saying "I appreciate YOU" instead of how we grew up saying "I appreciate IT." I first heard it about 5 years ago, and assumed it was a modern Christian phenomenon -- or most likely spread from some TV Series. Sure enough I searched online, its long been of southern/Appalachian origin but owes its viral spreading to the TV Series Ted Lasso. Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (t/lcw) 43
SMH, hi. Hon. I'm with you on the DVD s but I don't buy anything from Amazon .
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (afJtY) 44
I’m no fan of NFL behavior the last 15-20 years but anyone who thinks it’s going away is wishcasting. It’s the most popular thing on TV by far and fans have demonstrated they’re not going away no matter now retarded the league office is…. The product on the field now stinks compared to 1975-2010 but it doesn’t matter it still crushes all competition ratings wise. Heck their draft coverage beat NBA playoff games! I like Clay Travis but his testimony was a little misleading. If you have access to over the air networks plus ESPN you can watch 3 games every Sunday and the Monday night game. Add Amazon Prime Video… which many people have and you can also watch Thursday night
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (g7CYy) 45
Sol Price, the guy that started Price Club told his executives "If you ever raise the price on the hot dogs, I'll fire you."
Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 26, 2026 11:15 AM (qFwJc) 46
Don't forget their $10 pepperoni pizza, which is, to my mind, every bit as good as any of the chains. Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:14 AM (Riz8t) ___________ Recently had a hankering for a pepperoni pizza. Got a large from a nearby Pizza Hut. It was awful, thin and tasteless. Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 26, 2026 11:15 AM (O0L8i) 47
I’m no fan of NFL behavior the last 15-20 years but anyone who thinks it’s going away is wishcasting.
I don't think about it going away. I don't think about it at all. Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:16 AM (Riz8t) 48
SMH, hi. Hon. I'm with you on the DVD s but I don't buy anything from Amazon .
Posted by: Ben Had ___ Hey Ben Had! Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at June 26, 2026 11:16 AM (Q28kH) 49
The WNBA knows how to win an audience!
Posted by: Chuck Martel at June 26, 2026 11:16 AM (Dv3i1) 50
>>I'm with you on the DVD s but I don't buy anything from Amazon .
They have them at the public library! Posted by: Lizzy at June 26, 2026 11:17 AM (X8xt3) 51
This is a really good post. Even five years ago, I watched a lot of NFL. Today I don’t even check scores. Ten years or so, I watched NBA, at least the playoffs. Fifteen years ago, I’d follow an NBA team or two. Now I don’t watch any of it. I never followed MLB unless my local team was in the playoffs.
I’ve quit watching all US professional sports. I’ve quit watching college basketball. I watch college football and European soccer. I used to watch Formula One, but it moved to streaming only. I won’t buy streaming while I already pay the parent networks via satellite service. If I can get streaming services from a limited point of sale (I don’t want five or more subs), I’ll drop satellite. There’s a limit on what I’ll spend, and to whom. Not because I can’t afford to, but because I don’t want multiple providers with duplicate content. Posted by: Advo at June 26, 2026 11:17 AM (jO4mz) 52
The WNBA knows how to win an audience!
Right? Have your thugs beat up the white, straight franchise player. Posted by: Archimedes at June 26, 2026 11:17 AM (Riz8t) 53
I can get 2-3 Costco pizzas for what the big chains charge. Plus they are huge and taste good. Not a lot of choice but you can add toppings at home.
Posted by: lin-duh in Texas at June 26, 2026 11:17 AM (rZgqp) 54
This mindset has been laying waste to everything. Consumer electronics. Entertainment of all sorts. Restaurants and other food. Clothing. You name it. Extend it beyond just dollars and this kind of short-termism has infected other things two; "max the next quarter's profits" in business becomes "win the news cycle and next elections" in politics. Same mindset. Same results. What seems like a win in the small case becomes catastrophic when extended over a nation...or a civilization.
Posted by: Brother Tim sez: Fiat Justicia, Ruat Caelum at June 26, 2026 11:17 AM (OUMaO) 55
I worked in Technical Customer Support for awhile, and the lesson I learned was ... it can take months or even years to gain a new customer, and seconds to lose them. And once lost, nearly impossible to every get them back.
Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:03 AM (t/lcw) It's a write off, Jerry. They just write it off! Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung, DURING PRIDE MONTH IS EVIL! at June 26, 2026 11:18 AM (rii+a) Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 26, 2026 11:18 AM (O0L8i) 57
Costco used to have polish sausage and Combo pizzas. COVID-19 killed it.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 26, 2026 11:18 AM (qFwJc) 58
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ALL of this. What are they going to do when Mr. Taylor Swift retires and Tay Tay is no longer in the suites at home games? Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:11 AM (2YhKe) Return to the BLM logos on the field? LGBTQ rainbows for yard lines? Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:18 AM (N39Ws) 59
At the point that mlb.tv decided that I was in the blackout zone for the St. Louis Cardinals (9 hr drive) and the Milwaukee Brewers (also a 9 hr drive), they lost me as a potential customer.
Posted by: pookysgirl, wrestling Lil Pooky for the keyboard at June 26, 2026 11:18 AM (Wt5PA) 60
NASCAR of eternal viewership decline, thought this was a good idea as well.
They went to NetFlix, which pissed people off. They went to The CW, whatever the f*ck that is, and pissed people off. ESPN declined renewal and they're still on TNT for part of their season. I really don't know who broadcasts their stuff anymore, not that I care, honestly. They shit on me, so I'll not be back until they apologize, which they'll never do. Bristol Motor Speedway used to be the Lambeau Field of motorsport. You couldn't get a ticket unless you knew someone or someone died. Nowadays, you can walk up on the day of the race and get a good seat, likely still overpriced, and enjoy open spaces in the 1/2 capacity crowd. Nice job, NASCAR. Your executive group is f*cking retarded. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:19 AM (2YhKe) 61
We need to dispel this notion of the "Cheaper" Android.
Android phones are on par with, and in several cases, more expensive than iPhones. Especially in the foldable market which Apple hasn't gotten into despite the technology being mature now for going on 8 years (the Z Fold 8 will release in September). Its baffling to me how these stereotypes persist. It's not 2009 anymore and iPhones aren't the best hardware you can buy. They're nothing but status symbols at this point - symbols that don't match the communicated status. Its cultish devotion. Posted by: Defenestratus at June 26, 2026 11:19 AM (WYStd) 62
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Oh, those hot chicken things Costco has for $3.99 are super excellent. Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 26, 2026 11:18 AM (O0L8i) Seacoast NH is finally getting a Costco - in about a year. Can't wait. Only time you'll hear me say "It'll beat BJs". Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:20 AM (N39Ws) 63
Kids an teens aren't watching any of this sh*t.
I believe, in roughly 5-10 years, you will se the absolute collapse of everything as people simply find other things to occupy their time and aren't going to let these companies strip mine their wallets. Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 26, 2026 11:20 AM (XV/Pl) 64
Has the NFL cured breast cancer yet?
Posted by: I gotta ask at June 26, 2026 11:20 AM (CJnkZ) 65
Time to end the monopoly for the NFL. That way, the Browns can keep moving to new leagues where they might go to the playoffs more than once a generation.
Posted by: Chuck Martel at June 26, 2026 11:10 AM (Dv3i1) And you can work your way up. You stick with it long enough, you'll manage your own location making over $200k a year. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:20 AM (2YhKe) 66
I dimly remember a comment (from Jerry Pournelle?) describing this scenario: the aliens have landed and they want the planet. They're a patient lot and in no hurry, so they'll give us an end to famine, war, disease, and they'll toss in a lifespan of 1000 years to everybody. But from the moment of accepting the deal, every human born will be born sterile. The problem with current business practice is that it offers no real basis for refusing the deal.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at June 26, 2026 11:21 AM (q3u5l) 67
MLB channel will offer me maybe four games a day through Hulu. Usually three of those games are blacked out. My understanding is that ESPN has taken over the MLB channel, but while ESPN is broadcasting more games, MLB continues to black out games. I haven't seen the Cardinals on MLB this season.
Posted by: Blutarski, Gradually then Suddenly at June 26, 2026 11:21 AM (l26NL) 68
It's not 2009 anymore and iPhones aren't the best hardware you can buy. They're nothing but status symbols at this point - symbols that don't match the communicated status. Its cultish devotion.
Posted by: Defenestratus That's been the case for a decade or more now. Stop thinking of Apple as a consumer electronics company and look at it instead as a designer label, just for gadgets instead of evening wear. It makes sense then. Posted by: Brother Tim sez: Fiat Justicia, Ruat Caelum at June 26, 2026 11:21 AM (OUMaO) 69
Thx Buck.
The leagues put a lot of cash in political coffers both Republican and Democrat. They'll keep gouging until the fans walk away from the various TV deals whether cable or streaming. Until then, these hearings are just show Posted by: Smell the Glove at June 26, 2026 11:22 AM (ik64N) 70
. it can take months or even years to gain a new customer, and seconds to lose them. And once lost, nearly impossible to every get them back.
Yes, but they make it up on volume. Posted by: Archimedes ------ They just write it off. Posted by: Kramer at June 26, 2026 11:22 AM (XeU6L) 71
I think the whole policy of having publicly-traded companies report their financials quarterly is bad. It encourages short-term thinking. Semiannual reporting would be better, or even just annual.
Posted by: Bulg at June 26, 2026 11:22 AM (77rzZ) 72
Its baffling to me how these stereotypes persist. It's not 2009 anymore and iPhones aren't the best hardware you can buy. They're nothing but status symbols at this point - symbols that don't match the communicated status. Its cultish devotion.
If all your computers/pads/phones are seamlessly integrated into the Apple ecosystem, it's tough to give that up. Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 26, 2026 11:23 AM (aD4fx) 73
60
Nice job, NASCAR. Your executive group is f*cking retarded. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:19 AM (2YhKe) Amazon Prime has some of the races now. Those clowns took over the souvenir trailers that race teams would bring in. They wanted the money themselves. NASCAR used to embrace local media on the days leading up to a race. Drivers used to get on radio stations. They shut all that down too. There is no name recognition with most of the drivers on the premier circuit. What is left used to be considered "also rans". Everyone else got out when the getting was good. Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:24 AM (N39Ws) 74
If all your computers/pads/phones are seamlessly integrated into the Apple ecosystem, it's tough to give that up. Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 26, 2026 11:23 AM (aD4fx) All your life are belong to Apple. No thanks. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:24 AM (2YhKe) 75
Financialization is driven by MBAs, who can't even conceive of organic growth or nurturing the customer base. The Soviet Union discovered huge oil fields in western Siberia. They set to work pumping out as much as fast as they could. They neglected well and rig maintenance and soon output collapsed. Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 26, 2026 11:24 AM (O0L8i) 76
We are an Apple family and all our devices are seamlessly connected in good ways. I have to use a windows computer for work. I don't like it. The only thing good in Microsoft is Excel. I hate sheets
Posted by: lin-duh in Texas at June 26, 2026 11:24 AM (rZgqp) 77
Still sitting right here in the back of the store, boss.
Posted by: The Costco rotisserie chicken at June 26, 2026 11:24 AM (CJnkZ) 78
Hoping this is relevant: 🤷♀️
"That congressional act from 65 years ago provided professional sports leagues with anti-trust protection and other special privileges. In exchange, the sports leagues were required to sell viewing rights to their product to over-the-air television networks." Comcast and Verizon Fios utilize itemized surcharges, including Regional Sports Network (RSN) fees and Broadcast TV fees, which add ~ $20 to ~ $45 to a monthly bill on top of advertised rates. These are not government-mandated fees, but rather pass-through costs that providers charge to carry local sports networks. For basic TV packages via Comcast, these fees are non-negotiable, heavily inflating the total price of their service. package. For Verizon Fios, some higher-tiered plans or custom packages may waive the RSN fee or the separate "Sports Pass." Reportedly, the money is primarily funneled to the sports franchises and regional networks, rather than staying with Comcast or Verizon. Cable and fiber providers use these surcharges as direct "pass-through" costs to recoup the massive carriage fees demanded by Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) & local broadcast channels. It's all too much. Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at June 26, 2026 11:24 AM (NFX2v) 79
I am in the barely above 2 cans and a string technology.
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:25 AM (afJtY) Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 26, 2026 11:26 AM (O0L8i) 81
Still sitting right here in the back of the store, boss.
Posted by: The Costco rotisserie chicken ---- Don't worry, we still love you. Posted by: lin-duh in Texas at June 26, 2026 11:26 AM (rZgqp) 82
Never seen Ted Lasso, but heard it's a good TV Series.
Posted by: ShainS Season one was great. Season two was ok, season three not so good. That being said, season four starts in August so we'll see if they can recapture the fun of the first season. Posted by: Tuna at June 26, 2026 11:26 AM (lJ0H4) 83
There is no name recognition with most of the drivers on the premier circuit. What is left used to be considered "also rans". Everyone else got out when the getting was good.
Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:24 AM (N39Ws) Carl Edwards was the first to see the writing on the wall. After he retired, they started dropping like flies. All the big names walked away. Some went to the booth, some started podcasts some just went away. Surprisingly, propping the racist piece of shit Bubba Wallace, who actively tried to destroy the sport, as the face of the franchise DIDN'T kill it. I won't be back mainly because of that right there. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:26 AM (2YhKe) 84
I'm so glad I don't watch nor care about sportsball in any of it's various genders. Except of course women's softball, witch I don't watch either. All of them could disappear suddenly and I wouldn't know it unless it was reported here.
Posted by: Eromero at June 26, 2026 11:26 AM (LHPAg) 85
If all your computers/pads/phones are seamlessly integrated into the Apple ecosystem, it's tough to give that up.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 26, 2026 11:23 AM Yep, the wife and I both have Iphones and pay 99 cents a month for what amounts to unlimited storage for us. I have an older model Ipad that also links to the cloud. We will never have any storage issues and any one of our devices has access to our entire photo albums on demand. Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 26, 2026 11:27 AM (0N4FZ) 86
A corporation can target its loyal customers for revenue mining and temporarily increase its profits. It can also slash employee headcount and customer service, thereby reducing labor expense to produce a short-term increase in profits. It can even reduce its product size and cheapen the product’s quality to reduce cost of goods sold, also giving a short-term boost to gross profit. But in every case, these actions tell customers that rather than being valued, the corporation sees customers as marks to be exploited. A great many customers may get hoodwinked once, providing the short-term profit boost that was being sought, but then never come back, thus destroying the company’s long-term prospects. A downward spiral of alienated customers, declining revenue, deteriorating facilities, and degraded reputation ensues.”
Yeah, now apply that same ethos to a society and you'll understand why young people are starting to consider socialism. If there is no good faith between an entity and its participants, people begin to look elsewhere. Posted by: Millennial Consevative at June 26, 2026 11:27 AM (6Rf1G) 87
Part of the reason I don't play video games anymore is they are all "pay to win."
Sure, sure you can play without buying anything after buying the game. But, you'll never have the good stuff unless you pay. BTW, do go and watch "Chronicles of Bone" on YouTube. It's the type of AI production that will kill Hollywood. Really well done. Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at June 26, 2026 11:27 AM (73/SM) 88
NASCAR's currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Their coverage of cup is in (IIRC) the 2nd season.
TBH... it's way better than FOX. The camera work is top notch, the race call is on point, and the fluff pieces don't cringe as bad as FOX either. But... it's a subscription (Prime) that many probably already have. Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 26, 2026 11:27 AM (jehhT) 89
"I worked in Technical Customer Support for awhile"
It is so very depressing to try to help customers when you know the product is shit. Been there. Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:28 AM (Jr5Lq) 90
Its cultish devotion.
Posted by: Defenestratus at June 26, 2026 11:19 AM (WYStd) Maybe- but as an avid Apple user with questionable tech skills, I can attest to the intuitive nature of their products. I have 2 iMacs my studio, one runs the front desk, POS, and my management system, the other has audio and visual through it. The connection between these, my MacBook, both of my iPhones, my iPad and my watch is seamless and set up by me. Posted by: Piper at June 26, 2026 11:28 AM (Wmg4n) 91
ESPN's broadcast of the Stanley Cup absolutely sucked. The camera work sucked, the between periods analysis sucked, and PK Subban is just outright boring and his mom dresses him funny.
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 26, 2026 11:28 AM (3Ope8) 92
I'm so glad I don't watch nor care about sportsball in any of it's various genders. Except of course women's softball, witch I don't watch either. All of them could disappear suddenly and I wouldn't know it unless it was reported here.
Posted by: Eromero at June 26, 2026 11:26 AM (LHPAg) SPORTSBRA! Go boobs!!!! Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:28 AM (2YhKe) 93
Its baffling to me how these stereotypes persist.
Posted by: Defenestratus at June 26, 2026 11:19 AM (WYStd) It's a cult. Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 11:29 AM (dK+Kv) 94
83
I won't be back mainly because of that right there. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:26 AM (2YhKe) My dad and I used to go to the Charlotte 600 every year. Had great seats one section before the start/finish line. Always was a good time for us. When drivers started leaving, they introduced the race staging b.s., the noose saga in the garages, and Bubba Wallace -- that cemented my decision to never ever go again. Or watch. Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:30 AM (N39Ws) 95
Got through decades of tech career without having to engage with Apple tech. I don't have any beef with their stuff, but thank goodness it was one less platform I had to wrestle with.
Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:30 AM (Jr5Lq) 96
There has been a fair amount of discussion on "whole life subscription" like some insane Philip K Dick novel where everything is pay as you go and nothing is owned.
Posted by: Kindltot at June 26, 2026 11:30 AM (rbvCR) 97
SPORTSBRA!
Go boobs!!!! Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:28 AM (2YhKe) This guy gets it. Go TEAM!!!! Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:31 AM (N39Ws) 98
And yeah, NASCAR dumping the merch trailers on the outside of the track was a REALLY stupid move.
The race weekends were 4 day tailgates where people spent one or 2 afternoons roaming the trailers and picking their merch. The worst thing to happen to NASCAR was the deaths of Bill France and Bruton Smith. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:32 AM (2YhKe) Posted by: Kindltot at June 26, 2026 11:33 AM (rbvCR) 100
we hung onto i7 phones for years and then all at once they became bricks...bought i15 phones when the 16s were a thing and I don't use a 10th of its spectrum of frustration
fortunately for me DanMa'am is an ace on this kind of stuff Posted by: DanMan at June 26, 2026 11:33 AM (8uzBS) 101
There has been a fair amount of discussion on "whole life subscription" like some insane Philip K Dick novel where everything is pay as you go and nothing is owned.
I still remember the story where the talking door to your apartment refused to open because you owed the door money. Posted by: The ARC of History! at June 26, 2026 11:34 AM (aD4fx) 102
avid Apple user with questionable tech skills . . . [=] intuitive nature of their products.
Posted by: Piper at June 26, 2026 11:28 AM (Wmg4n) Nailed it. People use what they know, and attribute habitual momentum to intuition. Where do you find the "save as" file command? Under the "file" menu, of course. What is copy-paste? CTRL-C, CTRL-V, silly. These are all learned behaviors that became habits and that could be any other habit. Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 11:34 AM (dK+Kv) 103
ESPN's broadcast of the Stanley Cup absolutely sucked. The camera work sucked, the between periods analysis sucked, and PK Subban is just outright boring and his mom dresses him funny.
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 26, 2026 11:28 AM PK is a quality human. He donated $10m to a children's hospital in Canada. He finished the last payment during the season and they made him an honorary Dr. He wore a lab coat in studio. It was funny. But, the biggest name at ESPN is Stephen A. Smith as they've lost so much money and respect and talent. You're not winning with that. The TNT broadcasts are markedly better and more entertaining. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:34 AM (2YhKe) 104
BTW, do go and watch "Chronicles of Bone" on YouTube.
It's the type of AI production that will kill Hollywood. Really well done. Posted by: People's Hippo Voice ++++ Yuck. Zombie people with swords in a grim world where the sun never shines. Posted by: No, thanks at June 26, 2026 11:35 AM (CJnkZ) 105
Quick, someone tell Las Vegas (whose tourism industry according to various increasing anecdotes over the years of friends from my old hometown, has been strangled by the modern MBAs who insist on every cost center being a profit center).
Make La Cosa Nostra Great Again! Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:07 AM (t/lcw) There's a lot of people living in Vegas that would agree with you. Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 26, 2026 11:35 AM (HZUER) 106
A pretty Turkish lady
https://tinyurl.com/378pjkr5 Posted by: Kindltot at June 26, 2026 11:33 AM (rbvCR) Yum. Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 11:35 AM (dK+Kv) 107
Apple has always been something of a cult. Back in 2000 I attended one of those certification camps for Apple. You get "educated" on their hardware and software so you can troubleshoot and potentially fix issues in your specific enterprise deployments.
A lot of time was spent on Steve Job's "visions" for us. Deeply weird experience. Deeply weird people. Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 26, 2026 11:36 AM (jehhT) 108
“Never seen Ted Lasso, but heard it's a good TV Series.”
Ted Lasso started as a couple extended commercials for Premier League soccer on NBC Sports, now on USA network (and some NBC and Peacock). Ted Lasso is an American football coach hired to coach an English soccer team. Those commercials are on YouTube, and they’re worth looking up. The first in particular is a stitch. I’ve never seen the show, cause it’s on streaming. Posted by: Advo at June 26, 2026 11:36 AM (jO4mz) 109
Regarding college football, it irks me that you can't watch state university team games without subscriptions. It's a state school supported by our tax dollars but we have to pay ESN, Fubo, etc.to watch a d@mn game???
Sure, sometimes it's on a regular channel, but IIRC, there were bowl games last year that were only on pay channels. Not everyone is a sports superfan, and an extra pay channel just to catch some games on a fall Saturday is not in the budget. They are monetizing the shizz out of this, yet making the appeal much more selective. You've made the choice: either be a superfan who invests 100's/1000's of dollars per year to watch the games vs. not watching, stop caring because it's too much work to hunt down if it might be free this week. Posted by: Lizzy at June 26, 2026 11:36 AM (X8xt3) 110
So I have to get rid of my Apple products and not buy stuff from Amazon?? Will I be okay then? How about Starbucks?
Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:37 AM (Gqar8) 111
63 Kids an teens aren't watching any of this sh*t.
I believe, in roughly 5-10 years, you will se the absolute collapse of everything as people simply find other things to occupy their time and aren't going to let these companies strip mine their wallets. Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 26, 2026 11:20 AM (XV/Pl) There is a novel, Flood, by Stephen Baxter. One of the themes is a cartoonish voice on children's phones singing "I'm your best friend'. Erie. Posted by: Eromero at June 26, 2026 11:38 AM (LHPAg) 112
When drivers started leaving, they introduced the race staging b.s., the noose saga in the garages, and Bubba Wallace -- that cemented my decision to never ever go again. Or watch.
Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:30 AM (N39Ws) We had season tix and camping at Texas for something like 17 years. The product on the track declined and the levels of fun in the campgrounds was diminished with crackdowns on DJ's, live music and such. Now, there were f*cking idiots acting like f*cking idiots, sure, but when women are sitting around laughing and having fun at 2AM on a Friday and the cops come up, something is wrong. We've never been back. Driving by the track on the Thursday before race weekend, the campgrounds are MAYBE 1/4 full. They've earned that. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:38 AM (2YhKe) 113
fortunately for me DanMa'am is an ace on this kind of stuff
Posted by: DanMan at June 26, 2026 11:33 AM (8uzBS) I refuse to use the Apple stuff, and, as a result, the wife is the Apple tech here, except for rare networking and setup issues. Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 11:38 AM (dK+Kv) 114
>>There has been a fair amount of discussion on "whole life subscription" like some insane Philip K Dick novel where everything is pay as you go and nothing is owned.
Ah, you've seen our 2035 plans? Posted by: WEF at June 26, 2026 11:38 AM (X8xt3) 115
These are all learned behaviors that became habits and that could be any other habit.
Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 26, 2026 Or command as the case may be. 🤣 I do love the Universal Clipboard, though. That is a useful feature. Posted by: Piper at June 26, 2026 11:38 AM (Wmg4n) 116
110 So I have to get rid of my Apple products and not buy stuff from Amazon?? Will I be okay then? How about Starbucks?
Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:37 AM (Gqar Definitely Starbucks. Dunks is better. If you are in the upper midwest - try Bigby. Beats both of them. Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:38 AM (N39Ws) 117
So I have to get rid of my Apple products and not buy stuff from Amazon?? Will I be okay then? How about Starbucks?
Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:37 AM The beauty of a free country is you can do what you want. Unless, of course, you're a millennial sheep and will do what you're told. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM (2YhKe) 118
But, the biggest name at ESPN is Stephen A. Smith as they've lost so much money and respect and talent.
You're not winning with that. The TNT broadcasts are markedly better and more entertaining. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:34 AM (2YhKe) Is Smith the idiot with the hats? Posted by: Eromero at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM (LHPAg) 119
BTW, do go and watch "Chronicles of Bone" on YouTube.
It's the type of AI production that will kill Hollywood. Really well done. *watches 10 minutes worth* *wets self* Posted by: Hollywood at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM (Riz8t) 120
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:34 AM (2YhKe)
I don't have anything but respect for PK, I just don't want to listen to him blather about the game. He doesn't really bring any insight into the discussion as much as he just restates what you already saw. Even Moose kinda rolls his eyes once in while. TNT on the other hand has BizNasty, Chelios, Carter and Lundqvist on the regular line up and all those guys seem to have some keen insight. Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM (3Ope8) 121
College football is doing the same thing as the NFL. If a harder problem to solve, because where I generally want to see UT play, I could give a flying about TAMU or BAMA or Notre Dame, etc. Unless they're playing Texas, then it's okay for them to infest muh eyeballs. Posted by: naturalfake at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM (iJfKG) 122
So I guess Project2025 went ahead and then killed us all right?
Notice they just.... stopped talking about it? Posted by: ... at June 26, 2026 11:40 AM (l9DAo) 123
We've never been back. Driving by the track on the Thursday before race weekend, the campgrounds are MAYBE 1/4 full.
They've earned that. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:38 AM (2YhKe) At NH Motor Speedway, there was one parking lot referred as "The Jungle". It was everything you can imagine it would be based on the name. But that too is history. Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:40 AM (N39Ws) 124
Is Smith the idiot with the hats?
Posted by: Eromero at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM (LHPAg) No. He's the loudmouth racist a-hole who thinks he'll be president one day. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (2YhKe) 125
whatever you think of Vivek, he would be a massive upgrade from this clown:
"AP - Gov. Mike DeWine has vetoed a new Republican-passed bill that would have required Ohioans to show a photo ID to vote by mail. DeWine announced late Wednesday that he had vetoed House Bill 472, which expanded the strict photo ID requirement Ohio has had for voting since 2023. The Republican governor issued an unusually lengthy statement explaining his decision. He said the requirement would pose an unwieldy challenge for voters without providing any real benefit." Posted by: Commodore at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (V6W16) 126
As someone who uses both daily, I prefer Apple.
Hubby is a back end engineer. Has worked in all the environments and also prefers Apple. Posted by: lin-duh in Texas at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (rZgqp) 127
Apple and the NFL.
What are "Two things that suck worse than a black hole?" Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:00 AM (2YhKe) Exactly. Both are selling "product" that I would not have in my home. Both are luxury goods that have no need to exist, at all. I might watch NFL if it's on a TV that I am not paying for. Football on TV can be decent entertainment, but then so are Roadrunner cartoons. Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (1z8ji) 128
I took a job as sole coder on a legacy product. (Everybody else had quit.) Support was handled by a third party. After a few years, I had to take over support too. That's when I found out about all the customer problems that the support company never reported to us. Cripes.
When I have to call support for a defect in a product, I always ask them to 'please report this defect up to the devs! Please!!' I do that because I enjoy doing futile things so much. Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:42 AM (Jr5Lq) 129
TNT on the other hand has BizNasty, Chelios, Carter and Lundqvist on the regular line up and all those guys seem to have some keen insight. Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM You are correct. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:42 AM (2YhKe) Posted by: naturalfake at June 26, 2026 11:42 AM (iJfKG) 131
Is Smith the idiot with the hats?
Posted by: Eromero at June 26, 2026 11:39 AM (LHPAg) No. That's Cam Newton. Stephen A Smith is the negro that does the shuck and jive telling routine with all the uptalking inflection, Ebonics and wild gesticulation. Posted by: Millennial Consevative at June 26, 2026 11:42 AM (6Rf1G) 132
Or more accurately: "Screamin' A. Smith."
Posted by: Loudmouf at June 26, 2026 11:43 AM (CJnkZ) Posted by: mindful webworker - preserve and conserve at June 26, 2026 11:43 AM (C8pEi) 134
Hewlettt Packard printers (and all their other stuff) used to be built like a tank constructed by a fine jeweler.
Carly "The C**t" Fiorina decided that they could make major bank by just slapping an HP badge on the same ubercrappy Chinese printers that all the other companies were selling. That worked for about a year. I still can't believe she was ever considered a serious Republican presidential contender. Posted by: Guy at Fijian Bar at June 26, 2026 11:44 AM (IG3/x) 135
In fact, that was pretty much the thesis of a piece I wrote for The Blaze which discussed how Buc-ees provides gas at loss-leader pricing and has famously clean restrooms that are free to all. In return, patrons flock in and spend their money on other goods.
=== Costco and the $1.50 Hot Dog! Posted by: runner at June 26, 2026 11:44 AM (GD0B3) 136
I like these columns. Somebody needs to wave a pen at these shibboleths, if anyone's going to question them.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at June 26, 2026 11:45 AM (BI5O2) 137
I would guess those MBAs coming up with financialization schemes to goose next quarter's profits are saying exactly what company management wants to hear.
Posted by: Diego Taylor at June 26, 2026 11:45 AM (2ap+5) 138
"To download Citizen Vigilante from X (or other video)
https://ssstwitter.com" Very cool! Does anybody have the link for 'Citizen Vigilante' so I can plug it in there? Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:46 AM (Jr5Lq) 139
I have no problem with any non Apple tech. Whatever people want. I am convinced that ALL tech has progressivism baked into the cake. Cannot think of any exceptions.
Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:46 AM (Gqar8) 140
The fact that almost every single movie critic from every single political angle hates the new "Supergirl" movie, kinda makes me want to go see it. On the other hand, I don't want my eyeballs and brain to hate me. It is a dilemma. Posted by: naturalfake at June 26, 2026 11:46 AM (iJfKG) 141
I'll put in a good word for Panera. I went back to their shop after a decade long absence (because, as noted, they had enshittified) and the sandwich I got was good again. Maybe not as good as in the late 2000s but fine.
Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 11:46 AM (gKWVE) 142
Hewlettt Packard printers (and all their other stuff) used to be built like a tank constructed by a fine jeweler.
HP printers used to be like IBM. Never got fired for buying IBM. Now they brick their printers if you try to use the wrong toner. Won't buy another one, ever. Brother is starting to follow in HP footsteps, sadly. Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:47 AM (N39Ws) 143
Stephen A Smith is the negro that does the shuck and jive telling routine with all the uptalking inflection, Ebonics and wild gesticulation.
Posted by: Millennial Consevative at June 26, 2026 11:42 AM (6Rf1G) ---------- You're gonna need to be A LOT MOAR specific than that ... /I denounce myself Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:47 AM (t/lcw) 144
OT
This sounds like an awful film. I only looked it up because of the title - Leviticus . It's about two Australian boys who are (surprise ! ) attracted each other and the hypocrisy of their strict religious Christian community . How groundbreaking! / s https://tinyurl.com/55mh6akc Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (8Cor4) 145
I’ve never had the Costco hot dog (it’s got pickle relish on it, which I hate), but I’ve had decent meats there just going around to all the free-sample stations on a Saturday.
Posted by: Bulg at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (77rzZ) 146
Why would the nfl do anything other than it’s doing? They’re printing money because their customers will hand over their money under any circumstances.
It would be like your employer saying hey want to make $2M a year and you going nahh $75k is sufficient. Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (5ZewQ) 147
Hasn't Grrrrrrrl Power! run its course? Can't we be done with that?
Posted by: I gotta ask at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (CJnkZ) 148
Panera used to have good bread. Then they did something to is and it started to have weird texture and weird taste. So I said adios.
Posted by: runner at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (GD0B3) 149
Curious about what the colors are that cannot be found in nature.
Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (MDua2) 150
144 OT
This sounds like an awful film. I only looked it up because of the title - Leviticus . It's about two Australian boys who are (surprise ! ) attracted each other and the hypocrisy of their strict religious Christian community . How groundbreaking! / s https://tinyurl.com/55mh6akc Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (8Cor4) Bait and Switch, defined. Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (Gqar8) Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:49 AM (Jr5Lq) 152
never had the Costco hot dog (it’s got pickle relish on it, which I hate),
— It doesn’t come with relish on it. Condiments are self serve after you get the dog. Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 11:49 AM (5ZewQ) 153
Curious about what the colors are that cannot be found in nature.
Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (MDua2) ---- Yesterday's Art Thread should give you a clue... Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at June 26, 2026 11:49 AM (gnNyN) 154
As someone who uses both daily, I prefer Apple.
Posted by: lin-duh in Texas at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (rZgqp) John Moses Browning designed stuff 115 years ago that is still the class of the industry. Apple products are the striker-fired techno-pistols of tech. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 26, 2026 11:49 AM (PLxDd) 155
FenelonSpoke, if cinemas weren't also thoroughly enpooped, they'd consider screening "Citizen Vigilante". Which I'm sure you'd also refuse to watch, but I bet more people would pay to see that than to watch Gay Cowboys Eating Pudding IV: The New England Creampie
Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 11:50 AM (gKWVE) 156
I’ve never had the Costco hot dog (it’s got pickle relish on it, which I hate), but I’ve had decent meats there just going around to all the free-sample stations on a Saturday.
Posted by: Bulg at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM The costco we go to has their hotdogs plain and you put whatever you want on them after you buy it. Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 26, 2026 11:50 AM (0N4FZ) 157
>>Panera used to have good bread.
Wife was a huge Panera fan until about 8 years ago. Now, she never asks to go there, and pretty sure she doesn't go at all. Posted by: Nazdar at June 26, 2026 11:50 AM (NcvvS) 158
I still can't believe she was ever considered a serious Republican presidential contender.
Posted by: Guy at Fijian Bar at June 26, 2026 11:44 AM (IG3/x) Same. She killed HP in Colorado. My dad used to work for them as a cleanroom tech and then they were just *gone*. Wouldn't have voted for her even if she'd gotten the nomination. Too much chance she'd do that to the country as a whole. Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (lFFaq) 159
John Bolton pleads guilty to one count of illegal possession of classified material. Plea deal. He could get up to five years and/or fine of $2.25 million. I'm confident Ace will post about this.
Posted by: Gref at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (5rh/l) 160
Nice job, NASCAR. Your executive group is f*cking retarded.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 11:19 AM (2YhKe) NASCAR lost me long ago, when they stopped racing ostensible stock cars, and went to formula cars with blow-molded plastic shells for bodies. Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (1z8ji) 161
"it ain't what ya use but how you use it"
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (afJtY) 162
I have no problem with any non Apple tech. Whatever people want. I am convinced that ALL tech has progressivism baked into the cake. Cannot think of any exceptions.
Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:46 AM (Gqar -------------- * Even most Linux distros now has entered the chat (going #Woke and all-in on "Mandatory Age Verification" as a ruse for Adult Surveillance and Ability to Infringe on Digital Privacy * Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:52 AM (t/lcw) 163
154 As someone who uses both daily, I prefer Apple.
Posted by: lin-duh in Texas at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (rZgqp) John Moses Browning designed stuff 115 years ago that is still the class of the industry. Apple products are the striker-fired techno-pistols of tech. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 26, 2026 11:49 AM (PLxDd) And a good thing in my world. Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:52 AM (Gqar8) 164
"It doesn’t come with relish on it. Condiments are self serve after you get the dog.
Posted by: Heroq" Thats when you put the ketchup on. Posted by: urban pedestrian at June 26, 2026 11:52 AM (MWfyi) 165
147 Hasn't Grrrrrrrl Power! run its course? Can't we be done with that?
Posted by: I gotta ask at June 26, 2026 11:48 AM (CJnkZ) Look, until somebody figures out how to defend the flying muff smother girl power will rule! Posted by: G.O. Gurley at June 26, 2026 11:52 AM (+BtIE) 166
The trailer for Supergirl was okay. The actress is very cute and she is trying to save her dog, I think?
Posted by: Diego Taylor at June 26, 2026 11:53 AM (2ap+5) 167
161 "it ain't what ya use but how you use it"
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (afJtY) Ehh there's two sides to every Schwartz. Posted by: Dark Helmet at June 26, 2026 11:53 AM (gKWVE) 168
And a good thing in my world.
Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:52 AM (Gqar Then you are not of the body. Begone with you! Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at June 26, 2026 11:53 AM (PLxDd) 169
When half of your college education is hate America, why would you care about pride in your American product?
It's intentional as far as I'm concerned. I'd bet there are whole courses in those institutions of lower living based on how to milk a legacy company for every penny and get the founders heirs to chear it on. Posted by: Reforger at June 26, 2026 11:54 AM (mTPps) 170
I'll go to Panera for the coffee and Wifi when I'm on a road trip and need some laptop time. It's a good atmosphere for focus. Maybe get a Greek salad.
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at June 26, 2026 11:54 AM (CJnkZ) 171
I read the Critical Drinker review of Supergirl. Pretty well sums up all current movies.
Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:54 AM (Gqar8) 172
Brother is starting to follow in HP footsteps, sadly.
Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:47 AM (N39Ws) That sucks. Brother has been our go-to for a while as Inspector was always impressed by how well the ones in business venues held up. No idea where our next one will come from. Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 26, 2026 11:54 AM (lFFaq) 173
For some reason, I thought the dogs at our local Costco came with the relish already applied. Guess I’ll have to investigate further.
Posted by: Bulg at June 26, 2026 11:54 AM (77rzZ) 174
167 161 "it ain't what ya use but how you use it"
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (afJtY) Ehh there's two sides to every Schwartz. Posted by: Dark Helmet at June 26, 2026 11:53 AM (gKWVE) I see your Schwartz is as big as mine. --Dark Helmet Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:54 AM (N39Ws) 175
John Bolton pleads guilty to one count of illegal possession of classified material. Plea deal. He could get up to five years and/or fine of $2.25 million. I'm confident Ace will post about this.
Posted by: Gref at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (5rh/l) ------------- Can we haz flaming skull with 'stache? /Maybe if our buddy ellipsis has time ... Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (t/lcw) 176
My first smartphone was an iPhone back in the late 2000s. I tried a Samsung once. First and only time. Back to iPhone I went and never looked back. Samsung wasn’t bad it just wasn’t as good.
Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (5ZewQ) 177
I have a 50 dollar phone and don't watch sportsball. Am I a criminal?
Posted by: The Ballots at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (LOZbR) 178
If they made a move about SuperDog, and kept Supergirl as an accessory part, they would make a fortune.
"Puts out Palisade fire with a single lift of his leg!" It almost writes itself. Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (MDua2) 179
Polliwog. How is Inspector doing?
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (afJtY) 180
Nerdrotic applied a Chaca head to Supergirls body.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (oUQlg) 181
Sure, customers get apple tv at a subsidized price ... subsidized by themselves, by overpaying for every other apple product. The losses on the tv content are accounting tricks and gimmicks.
Don't get me wrong, I like apple products and think it's a great company. And unlike many on our side, I think companies should maximize profits. They don't owe their customers anything. The reverse is true too: the customers don't owe companies anything, and are free to leave for a competitor or just drop the product/service altogether. If companies like panera bread want to go after short-term profits or gains, so what? That's their business. If their customers don't like it, the customers are free to take their money elsewhere. Posted by: Elric The Blade at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (iFTx/) 182
> John Bolton pleads guilty to one count of illegal possession of classified material. Plea deal. He could get up to five years and/or fine of $2.25 million. I'm confident Ace will post about this.
--------- He's getting a fine. No prison time. I don't think the fine is the max $2.25M either. He'll be back in front of some TV camera on FOX or CNN or wherever by this time next week. Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 26, 2026 11:56 AM (jehhT) 183
177 I have a 50 dollar phone and don't watch sportsball. Am I a criminal?
Posted by: The Ballots at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (LOZbR) Yes. Turn yourself in. Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:56 AM (Gqar8) 184
trailer for Supergirl was okay. The actress is very cute and she is trying to save her dog, I think?
Posted by: Diego Taylor at June 26, 2026 11:53 AM (2ap+5) Save a filthy dog? Horrible movie. - Muslims Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 11:56 AM (5ZewQ) 185
I am in the barely above 2 cans and a string technology.
Posted by: Ben Had --- I very reluctantly have a cell phone, a flip phone. I do not 'text'. I quite contentedly hunt and peck on a laptop, running Win 8.1. Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 26, 2026 11:56 AM (XeU6L) 186
I buy the $50 smartphone when they don't have the $40 one.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (oUQlg) 187
Brother is starting to follow in HP footsteps, sadly.
Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 11:47 AM (N39Ws) That sucks. Brother has been our go-to for a while as Inspector was always impressed by how well the ones in business venues held up. No idea where our next one will come from. Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 26, 2026 11:54 AM (lFFaq) ------------ Yeah, we've owned two Brother printer/scanners over the past couple of decades and a-half, and they've been extremely reliable and robust. Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (t/lcw) 188
On the other hand, I don't want my eyeballs and brain to hate me.
It is a dilemma. Posted by: naturalfake at June 26, 2026 11:46 AM (iJfKG) Here, let me help. For the money you might spend on this movie, there are so many other fun things you could do rather than propping up a studio that thought putting out this piece of sh*t while simultaneously disrespecting the audience, was a good idea. Did that help? Posted by: hobbitopoly at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (k9OZB) 189
Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 11:50 AM (gKWVE
I don't think I'd refuse to see it, but I don't have an X account so can't watch it for as long as it's available over there. Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (WFtAr) Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (t/lcw) 191
185 I am in the barely above 2 cans and a string technology.
Posted by: Ben Had --- I very reluctantly have a cell phone, a flip phone. I do not 'text'. I quite contentedly hunt and peck on a laptop, running Win 8.1. Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 26, 2026 11:56 AM (XeU6L) Do you use fire?? Posted by: tubal at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (Gqar8) 192
never had the Costco hot dog (it’s got pickle relish on it, which I hate),
It doesn’t come with relish on it. Condiments are self serve after you get the dog. Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 11:49 AM (5ZewQ) Dilemma in Costco's: A Short Play About Life *pays for a receives Costco Hot Dog* "I love Costco hot dogs!" *adds pickle relish to his Costco hot dog* "But, I hate pickle relish!!!" *Adds more pickle relish to hot dog* "But...but, it's Free!" *keeps adding more pickle relish* "Help...help me. I can't stop. It's free! So freeee!' *pickle relish now over flowing hot dog* "Oh, you bastards!!!! Yoooou Bastars!!!!" *has stroke, collapses on floor* FIN Posted by: naturalfake at June 26, 2026 11:58 AM (iJfKG) 193
Didn't someone build a printer with cheap color ink?
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 11:58 AM (oUQlg) 194
Zombie people with swords in a grim world where the sun never shines.
-- Those are the vampires, descended from Vlad, who rule over all the realms of man. They recently helped Captain Hook conquer NeverLand, killing Peter Pan. They are fighting off a rebellion by King Author in the south. There's also Robin Hood leading another rebellion against them. It's a bunch of different stories, but I'm enjoying it. Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at June 26, 2026 11:59 AM (73/SM) 195
I only have a cell phone because the landline and the ISP don't support each other.
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:59 AM (afJtY) 196
Polliwog. How is Inspector doing?
Posted by: Ben Had at June 26, 2026 11:55 AM (afJtY) Much better. Getting stronger daily. The main concern is that they never really found a definite cause, so it could happen again. At least he can eat now, which increases his chances of improving. Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 26, 2026 11:59 AM (lFFaq) 197
"I very reluctantly have a cell phone, a flip phone. I do not 'text'. I quite contentedly hunt and peck on a laptop"
Yeah, we desktop and laptop people got left way behind by the smartphone phenomenon. I've got a $40 Tracfone smartphone with no phone service. I use it only as a music player. Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 11:59 AM (Jr5Lq) 198
My canon mx-something printer myst be more than 10 years old. We don't print a lot these days, so I don't have the itch to get a new one. Plus the ink goes quick and costs a lot which means less to spend on booze, which my liver appreciates.
Posted by: Diego Taylor at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (2ap+5) 199
And unlike many on our side, I think companies should maximize profits. They don't owe their customers anything.
— Same. As a consumer I’ve never been offended that a company did something. I have two choices buy the product/service or not. If the company provides what I want at a price I’m willing to pay, that’s all I care about. The rest is noise. Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (5ZewQ) 200
I don't think I'd refuse to see it, but I don't have an X account so can't watch it for as long as it's available over there.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (WFtAr) You can also watch Citizen Vigilante here via the following blog (Conservative TreeHouse): https://is.gd/7wYtAq Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (t/lcw) Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (XeU6L) 202
DeWine announced late Wednesday that he had vetoed House Bill 472, which expanded the strict photo ID requirement Ohio has had for voting since 2023.
The Republican governor issued an unusually lengthy statement explaining his decision. He said the requirement would pose an unwieldy challenge for voters without providing any real benefit." Posted by: Commodore at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (V6W16) Can the House override the veto by repassing the bill? Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (1z8ji) 203
I haven't had a landline in longer than I can remember. They had a $70 connection fee.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (oUQlg) 204
The actress is very cute and she is trying to save her dog, I think?
Posted by: Diego Taylor at June 26, 2026 11:53 AM (2ap+5) Assumes facts not in evidence...... Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 12:01 PM (2YhKe) 205
Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (t/
Thanks. I'll have to watch it after Sunday to have some uninterrupted time. Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 26, 2026 12:02 PM (WFtAr) 206
I'll go to Panera for the coffee and Wifi when I'm on a road trip and need some laptop time. It's a good atmosphere for focus. Maybe get a Greek salad.
=== Old and Busted: Panera Bread New hotness: Panera Greek Salad, Atmosphere and WiFi ! Speaking of , they did do a rebrand I believe, something like "Bread and More". Posted by: runner at June 26, 2026 12:02 PM (GD0B3) 207
I know an author who writes everything on a smartphone. I offered to give him a real keyboard and desktop monitor to hook up to it. Maybe make his life a little easier. Nope, he's not having it.
Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 12:02 PM (Jr5Lq) 208
decades and a-half
------------ I guess I could have gone with "quarter-century" for clarity. Posted by: ShainS One score and five years ago... Posted by: Honest Abe, scribbling on a napkin at June 26, 2026 12:02 PM (MDua2) 209
Supergirl is an antihero.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 12:02 PM (oUQlg) 210
I never understood why DUNKIN DONUTS rebranded as DUNKIN. Dunkin what? Basketballs?
Bro. You sell doughnuts. Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (gKWVE) 211
Supergirl is an antihero.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 12:02 PM (oUQlg) I believe in The Critical Drinker. He says it sucks, hard, and not in a good way. I will avoid. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (2YhKe) 212
"My canon mx-something printer myst be more than 10 years old. We don't print a lot these days, so I don't have the itch to get a new one. Plus the ink goes quick and costs a lot which means less to spend on booze, which my liver appreciates."
I tossed my home printers, and switched to printing stuff at the public library. Costs way less in the long run. Posted by: gp at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (Jr5Lq) 213
Can the House override the veto by repassing the bill?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 26, 2026 12:00 PM (1z8ji) ====== the governor's veto can be overridden with a 60% vote in the house and the senate. the republicans have more than 60% of the seats in both chambers, but who knows how the vote would go Posted by: Diego Taylor at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (2ap+5) 214
American companies have, for the most part, ditched the entire concept of customer service. They don't want to keep us, they just want us in a position where it's them or nothing.
Posted by: Lizzy Gas and electric services. Just spent three days saying Customer Service, Representative on the phone. Finally, got a message that if I'd like to speak with someone for other than a bill (which a subcontractor in another country handles) or an emergency service (to which a union tech will respond), I could chat...with a bot. Yelling at air that I was going to the PUC, a Customer Care (v. Service) rep. got online and quickly resolved the issue. I think. Will find out Monday afternoon. Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at June 26, 2026 12:04 PM (NFX2v) 215
Pathetic sports addictis will continue bending over for the NFL and then ask for more.
Posted by: Erebus- Ex Killer Whale at June 26, 2026 12:04 PM (UInKc) 216
I don't think I'd refuse to see it, but I don't have an X account so can't watch it for as long as it's available over there.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 26, 2026 11:57 AM (WFtAr) You can, actually. I don't have an account and had no trouble whatsoever. Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung, DURING PRIDE MONTH IS EVIL! at June 26, 2026 12:05 PM (rii+a) 217
Some have compared Supergirl to the Feral Kid in The Road Warrior. Now I can't unsee it.
Posted by: Pug Mahon at June 26, 2026 12:05 PM (PSEDc) 218
I'd rather rewatch, eyes tapes open, England and Ghana passing a soccer ball for two hours (again) than Supergirl.
Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 12:05 PM (gKWVE) 219
The Blade would bang Poopergirl. But he won't see her shitbag movie. The Blade has zero interest in another stupid superhero movie with a Rad Girlboss Badass that nobody cares about.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at June 26, 2026 12:06 PM (iFTx/) 220
DeWine announced late Wednesday that he had vetoed House Bill 472, which expanded the strict photo ID requirement Ohio has had for voting since 2023.
The Republican governor issued an unusually lengthy statement explaining his decision. He said the requirement would pose an unwieldy challenge for voters without providing any real benefit." Posted by: Commodore at June 26, 2026 11:41 AM (V6W16) ------------- Allowing illegal aliens to vote disenfranchises and dilutes the votes of American citizens. Asshat. lol gf Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 12:07 PM (t/lcw) 221
never had the Costco hot dog (it’s got pickle relish on it, which I hate),
It doesn’t come with relish on it. Condiments are self serve after you get the dog. Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 11:49 AM (5ZewQ) ---------- Quick Survey: Do you go to the food court before or after you shop. I've done both. Doing it before does eliminate the hassle of dealing with a full shopping cart. Posted by: WisRich at June 26, 2026 12:07 PM (G0vdT) 222
Some have compared Supergirl to the Feral Kid in The Road Warrior. Now I can't unsee it.
Posted by: Pug Mahon at June 26, 2026 12:05 PM (PSEDc) Valid. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 12:07 PM (2YhKe) 223
They have this thing now called the internet. You can watch everything for free.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 12:07 PM (oUQlg) 224
210 I never understood why DUNKIN DONUTS rebranded as DUNKIN. Dunkin what? Basketballs?
Bro. You sell doughnuts. Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (gKWVE) Been in one recently? Not many donuts any more. Lots of sandwiches, croissants, etc. Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at June 26, 2026 12:08 PM (N39Ws) 225
Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung, DURING PRIDE MONTH IS EVIL! at June 26, 2026 12:05 PM (rii+a)
Thx. Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 26, 2026 12:08 PM (oT1li) 226
217 Some have compared Supergirl to the Feral Kid in The Road Warrior. Now I can't unsee it.
Posted by: Pug Mahon at June 26, 2026 12:05 PM (PSEDc) ---------- From the previews I've seen, I can't disagree. Posted by: WisRich at June 26, 2026 12:08 PM (G0vdT) 227
NASCAR lost me long ago, when they stopped racing ostensible stock cars, and went to formula cars with blow-molded plastic shells for bodies.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 26, 2026 11:51 AM (1z8ji) I lived NASCAR as a kid. MIS is on property that belonged to my family. My grandparents lived so close you could walk there. My grandpa was big with Elias Brothers who had catering and trinket shops set up. I had signed hats from Bill Elliot, Dale Earnhart and Richard Petty. Met more racers than I can count. Haven't watched a race in 30 years. I only know Bubba from news. I did watch that dude plant his car into the wall around 3 and 4 somewhere and gun it. Used that safety barrier to go from 10th to 5th. Very impressive tactic. Posted by: Reforger at June 26, 2026 12:08 PM (mTPps) 228
Quick Survey: Do you go to the food court before or after you shop.
Food court after the bookstore, before the other shopping. *taps side of head like that African guy meme* Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 12:08 PM (gKWVE) 229
Couldn't Trump veto the war powers resolution? They lack the votes for an over ride.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 12:09 PM (oUQlg) 230
Quick Survey: Do you go to the food court before or after you shop.
I've done both. Doing it before does eliminate the hassle of dealing with a full shopping cart. == But then you'll have no appetite for the little snacks offered throughout the facility! Posted by: runner at June 26, 2026 12:09 PM (GD0B3) 231
Quick Survey: Do you go to the food court before or after you shop.
I've done both. Doing it before does eliminate the hassle of dealing with a full shopping cart. Posted by: WisRich at June 26, 2026 12:07 PM (G0vdT) ------------ It's often impossible to get a seat in our Costco food court, so I plan on buying a hot dog & soda or slice of pizza after shopping -- then taking it with me in the shopping cart out to the parking lot and eating it in my car, usually while driving home. Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 12:09 PM (t/lcw) 232
I never understood why DUNKIN DONUTS rebranded as DUNKIN. Dunkin what? Basketballs?
Bro. You sell doughnuts. Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (gKWVE) And coffee. And breakfast sandwiches. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 12:09 PM (2YhKe) 233
Couldn't Trump veto the war powers resolution? They lack the votes for an over ride.
== the already backtracked and devoted it Posted by: runner at June 26, 2026 12:10 PM (GD0B3) 234
Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at June 26, 2026 12:04 PM (NFX2v)
We got "slammed" by an electric utility (or was it a phone company?) in PA almost 30 years ago. It took 3 *months*, and a threat to call the PUC, to get them to stop billing us. Imagine my dismay when we moved back to CO and that company bought out the one that we had started using there. Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 26, 2026 12:10 PM (lFFaq) 235
Nood Haitians.
Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung, DURING PRIDE MONTH IS EVIL! at June 26, 2026 12:10 PM (rii+a) 236
But then you'll have no appetite for the little snacks offered throughout the facility!
Posted by: runner at June 26, 2026 12:09 PM (GD0B3) ------------ THIS! Posted by: ShainS at June 26, 2026 12:10 PM (t/lcw) 237
Beyond suburbia the malls are dying.
Posted by: Boss Moss at June 26, 2026 12:10 PM (oUQlg) 238
Last land line I had was 2010ish. I’m not sure if I could get one even if I want one. My house doesn’t have any phone jacks.
Posted by: Heroq at June 26, 2026 12:10 PM (5ZewQ) 239
I never understood why DUNKIN DONUTS rebranded as DUNKIN. Dunkin what? Basketballs?
Bro. You sell doughnuts. No doubt 'cuz some whizbang MBA decided it'd be a great thing because reasons. Can you imagine the costs associated with that decision just as they affected the most mundane things like letterhead, documents, legal stuff, etc... Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 26, 2026 12:12 PM (3Ope8) 240
>the actress is very cute
Posted by: Diego Taylor at June 26, 2026 11:53 AM (2ap+5) Dude. She's a Walmart 6 at best. Helen Slater was a cute Supergirl. Melissa Benoist was a cute Supergirl. Laura Vandervoort was a cute Supergirl. Milly Alcock is not a cute Supergirl. Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 26, 2026 12:13 PM (IG3/x) 241
I watched the US/Turkey soccer game last night. Not a big soccer guy so I might have this wrong but it looked like the (probably)muslim ref from Algeria had his thumb on the scales for the (probably) muslim Turkey team. Almost every time the US got momentum near the net, he whistled them for offsides, which often looked pretty questionable. To be fair though, the TurkaaaaaYYYYs, played with much more enthusiasm and aggression than the US team. They clearly wanted the win while the US was kind of ambivalent to go by their play last night. Posted by: naturalfake at June 26, 2026 12:15 PM (iJfKG) 242
232 I never understood why DUNKIN DONUTS rebranded as DUNKIN. Dunkin what? Basketballs?
Bro. You sell doughnuts. Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (gKWVE) And coffee. And breakfast sandwiches. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 12:09 PM (2YhKe) Used to love Double D as we would call it. Now in my area all the donuts are cooked in a factory 45 miles away and shipped to the stores. Might as well be eating a friehoffers box donut. Posted by: Cuthbert the Witless at June 26, 2026 12:15 PM (+BtIE) 243
Apple makes crappy hardware and can't design a user interface to save their life. They used to be the exact opposite. Top notch hardware they would stand behind and intuitive interfaces that if you walked up and didn't immediately understand just by looking at it Steve Jobs would beat the designers with a crowbar.
No more. They've transitioned to throw away status symbols that people will still scramble to buy. I don't see anyway that will ever change. The quality and profit margin has been completely uncoupled and apple is progressing the way that uncoupled control systems normally do. Posted by: banana Dream at June 26, 2026 12:18 PM (3uBP9) 244
The gaming industry is doing this self-strangulation as well, killing IPs that don't/won't hit arbitrary profit goals - while still being profitable - in the short term. Destiny 2 is a current example, a 15 year IP with loyal fans being put into maintenance while hitting historic player counts in preference for Marathon, a stumbling un-impressive extraction shooter (a genre that is fading) with less than 1/10th the engagement. Across the industry you had Activision threatening old guard founders of Blizzard if their projects didn't hit an arbitrary profit milestone by firing half their team and blaming them personally. Same for Microsoft gutting a projects and projected profitable ready-to-release products because it didn't make ENOUGH for them. It's crazy, and they are eating themselves with this short term madness.
Posted by: Inspector Cussword at June 26, 2026 12:20 PM (lFFaq) 245
>>> I never understood why DUNKIN DONUTS rebranded as DUNKIN. Dunkin what? Basketballs?
Bro. You sell doughnuts. Posted by: gKWVE at June 26, 2026 12:03 PM (gKWVE) And coffee. And breakfast sandwiches. Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 26, 2026 12:09 PM (2YhKe) Used to love Double D as we would call it. Now in my area all the donuts are cooked in a factory 45 miles away and shipped to the stores. Might as well be eating a friehoffers box donut. Posted by: Cuthbert the Witless at June 26, 2026 12:15 PM (+BtIE) It's like that stupid gimmick social media rebrand that IHOP did saying they were burgers now. That completely flopped and the company would rather we all forget about that unpleasantness. Keep doing what people like because you're new fancy idea to pull in new customers is most certainly crap. Because marketing people don't build things. They just come up with stupid ideas that other poor competent people have to mitigate the fallout of. Posted by: banana Dream at June 26, 2026 12:23 PM (3uBP9) 246
Good one, Buck!
Posted by: m at June 26, 2026 12:25 PM (6wpGE) 247
>>> The gaming industry is doing this self-strangulation as well, killing IPs that don't/won't hit arbitrary profit goals - while still being profitable - in the short term. Destiny 2 is a current example, a 15 year IP with loyal fans being put into maintenance while hitting historic player counts in preference for Marathon, a stumbling un-impressive extraction shooter (a genre that is fading) with less than 1/10th the engagement.
Posted by: Inspector Cussword at June 26, 2026 12:20 PM (lFFaq) I feel bad about all the bungie IP. A solid mac gaming company, bought out by microsoft to steal halo as a xbox unique. All the great marathon, myth, oni worlds shut down. Each with a huge narrative universe like halo. But now all gone like tears in the rain. Posted by: banana Dream at June 26, 2026 12:28 PM (3uBP9) 248
The idea that I'd be more inclined to buy an iPhone over a vastly more affordable Android because I like a TV show made by a division connected in name only is the silliest thing I've heard today. On par with the heavily pierced and tattooed girl telling people they were idiots if the didn't see the connection between earthquakes and climate change.
I quite liked 'Monarch, Legacy of Monsters' but it affects my phone choice not in the slightest. (I'm not an AppleTV subscriber.) Posted by: Epobirs at June 26, 2026 12:55 PM (/0z9K) 249
Buck, COBS and ace, thanks so much for all your posts. I can't write or type well, so no comments { STOP CHEERING!} but rest assured I read 'em all.
Posted by: creeper at June 26, 2026 01:01 PM (80oeU) 250
#61
My 2024 Moto G Power was under $150 new. You can get a lower end version for as little as $40 by buying a Tracphone package from Walmart or supermarket. After a few months with the carrier you can transfer to any other compatible carrier. Has a microSD slot, so storage is as much as you choose to buy, even after the purchase of the phone. (I added 256GB to mine.) For most people, these units are plenty powerful enough and nothing remotely comparable is offered by Apple in terms of price. You can get an outdated used iPhone but then get to put up with Apple increasingly locking you out of the latest features. Posted by: Epobirs at June 26, 2026 01:05 PM (/0z9K) 251
The NFL is doing the same thing that killed boxing. Boxing used to be broadcast on TV fairly regularly - I remember watching Leonard, Hagler, Ali, Hearns, etc. on broadcast channels. It was the rare big fight (Leonard-Hearns, Ali-Foreman, etc.) that was closed circuit and that wasn't broadcast live (although usually by the weekend it would show up on something like Wide World of Sports).
But then, with the advent of Pay-Per-View, promotors started putting more and more fights behind a paywall, while boxing on broadcast TV declined. And along with that, so did its popularity. Not enough people will pay PPV prices to watch fights between a couple of so-so fighters or even a big name fighter taking on somebody who's not that well known. So pretty soon, boxing became out-of-sight, out-of-mind for a critical mass of people, and its popularity declined precipitously. The NFL is walking right down the same path, with the hubris of thinking it can't happen to them. But the inertia they have now will eventually fade if they keep trying to extract more dollars from the fans. Posted by: Cynical Stoic at June 26, 2026 01:18 PM (2r+jB) 252
AMEN
The two banks I am dealing with now to make a big purchase treat me like a criminal. Online banking sucks. Posted by: Random PJ at June 26, 2026 01:24 PM (+jscL) 253
249: Thank you Creeper. We appreciate those kind words.
Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at June 26, 2026 02:13 PM (Q8hAS) 254
Nice job, NASCAR. Your executive group is f*cking retarded.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer Yep. Used to love it back in the 90s/early 2000s. Can't stand it now. The Bubba Watson Garage Door Hanging Noose BS was my final straw. Haven't watched it since that embarrassment. Posted by: Biergood at June 26, 2026 02:15 PM (PwgSL) 255
This process is older than I am...
The Big Four American automakers in the late 50s and early 60s had essentially a monopoly in the US and market control over the whole world, used the UAW to eliminate minor competitors in the US and allowed their quality to go to hell. Several American beer manufacturers of the same time frame, notably Schlitz and Pabst, sacrificed quality for the bottom line, and wound up with miniscule market shares. Posted by: Philip Nolan at June 26, 2026 02:16 PM (1kQia) 256
I finally recognized the NFL for what it was during the strike, back in the 1980s. You may recall that actual fans were an after thought during that debacle. I decided then that I'd care for them exactly as much as they cared for me. Once I stopped caring, I stopped watching. It's been at least 35 years since I watched an entire NFL game. My only regret is that I can't cut them off twice.
Posted by: STW at June 26, 2026 03:55 PM (sUQEO) Processing 0.05, elapsed 0.0493 seconds. |
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