Hampton Prescott on “The Curley Effect” – Municipal Mismanagement that Perpetuates Political Power by Driving Away Responsible Opposition

[I needed backup for today’s Morning Rant, so friend-of-the-blog Hampton Prescott kindly offered up another of his excellent essays on the need for a revival of “municipal conservatism” to rescue failing cities. Specifically, I asked Hampton if he would discuss the subject of productive citizens fleeing cities - why it’s happening, the business community’s indifference to it, and what can be done to reverse the problem. I always assumed that the flight of law-abiding, tax-paying residents was a consequence of liberal mismanagement, but as Hampton explains, there is actually a term, “The Curley Effect,” for destructive municipal governance that benefits those in power by driving away responsible citizens who might otherwise vote incumbents out of office. Mr. Prescott’s essay is below the fold. – Buck]

Being a student of history is indispensable, in that it equips you with the capacity to cut through the “we are living through unprecedented times” noise. It also helps tremendously in spotting past parallels to current social, political and economic dynamics.
One aspect of history that is of particular interest is the political career of James Michael Curley, four-time mayor of Boston and governor of Massachusetts in the early-to-mid 20th Century. Curley’s influence persists to this day through what is known as “The Curley Effect,” defined as a political strategy and economic model where targeted, inefficient, or divisive public policies are intentionally leveraged to drive political opponents out. By encouraging wealthier or opposing demographics to flee, the politician employing The Curley Effect alters the local voter base to secure permanent power, even if the strategy causes long-term economic decline. The impact on Boston and Massachusetts in general was disastrous, as Curley’s tenure coincided with Boston suffering from economic stagnation that took until the "Massachusetts Miracle" in the 1980’s to truly shake off.
I can’t help but think of The Curley Effect when I see the abysmal governance of our major cities today. Specifically, it came to mind when I saw a clip of Seattle’s newly elected Mayor Katie Wilson respond to the outflow of the private sector from the City with a vapid response of (verbatim) “To the ones that leave, like bye! Hahaha!”
You don’t have to squint hard to see the connection between the high property taxes and spending policies in Boston that drove out the private sector and the anemic response to crime, vagrancy and other quality of life matters in Seattle that is driving away stalwart institutions like Starbucks and Amazon. No shortage of ink has been spilled on the rise of the far left in major cities over the past decade. What is missing from much of this commentary is the idea that this incompetence could be intentional in order to lock in long-term political power.
The good news is that the Curley Effect is not an immutable law of urban physics (contrary to the opinion of many commentators.) It thrives in environments of low accountability and general apathy. The solutions are there for those serious about reclaiming the cultural and economic beacons that are our cities.
First, business communities nationwide need to shake off the apathy and ineffectiveness that has defined their “activities” in the past decade and re-assert the influence that they once had in their respective cities. Two destructive causes of this unfortunate development:
1) Short-sighted libertarianism that puts a mask on lack of interest in the hard work of fostering on-the-ground relationships; or
2) ESG-type grifting which outsourced much of the work out of “community involvement” for executives.
Other major causes include corporate consolidation that removed many institutional pillars from many major cities and increasing financialization of the real estate sectors. The major real estate owners who had breakfast with city council member once a week were displaced by faceless institutions lacking long-term interest in the viability of the cities they purchased property in.
Sun Belt cities have always been held back due to the lack of a healthy urban core (this has arguably kept them from reaching the prominence of a New York or San Francisco, despite predictions to the contrary stretching back to the 50s), so a scenario where cities like Seattle emulate this structure is one that will make for a less productive and sadder country. The business community needs to get out from behind the Zoom call taken from Palm Beach and take action.
Second (covering the nuts and bolts of policy solutions here) there is a need to impose hard fiscal and governance constraints. Strict balanced-budget requirements, supermajority thresholds for tax increases, and independent performance audits make it harder to fund patronage networks or soft-on-crime experiments indefinitely. Term limits for mayors and city councils reduce the payoff from long-term demographic engineering. Recall mechanisms and robust citizen-initiative processes give remaining residents tools to reverse course before decline becomes terminal. Beyond formal reforms, people concerned with The Curley Effect taking over their hometowns can utilize their social media accounts to hold governance to account. There are many excellent accounts in Atlanta who draw attention to shortcomings in things ranging from mass transit experience to permitting timelines. Social media can be a very valuable tool in this regard.
Third, prioritize the basic public goods that keep productive people in place: competent policing, clean streets, functional schools, and predictable property rights. Cities that restore order and reverse the visible decay of public spaces reverse the outbound migration of the tax base. These are not ideological luxuries; they are the minimum conditions for retaining the human capital that funds everything else. In my experience, my posts on restoring law and order and urban beautification get likes across the wide political spectrum, so the idea that these issues are firmly partisan is a highly questionable one.
History shows that the Curley Effect can be broken. Boston eventually recovered once policy shifted toward growth and competence under Governor Dukakis in the 1980’s. Today’s cities face the same choice. The politicians who wave goodbye to departing employers and residents are not invincible; they are simply betting that voters and institutions will remain passive. Raising the price of that bet, through aggressive counteraction, constraints, and competence, is the practical path out.
HAMPTON PRESCOTT

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at 11:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Sponge!

Posted by: rickb223 at August 31, 2026 11:00 AM (3Ae0s)

2 Nooded.

Posted by: Nazdar at August 31, 2026 11:00 AM (NcvvS)

3 So I am assuming Boston is now a bastion of good government since they shook off the effect in the 80's, Right?

Posted by: Aetius451AD at August 31, 2026 11:02 AM (Y/06r)

4 Nobody wants to live in a shit hole city/county/state. Except the people who created the shit hole in the first place.

But they too tire of it and move elsewhere to start the shitification process all over.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 31, 2026 11:02 AM (2Cry5)

5 the practical path is the Hershey highway to the old dirt road

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at August 31, 2026 11:03 AM (dL8V2)

6 One aspect of history that is of particular interest is the political career of James Michael Curley, four-time mayor of Boston and governor of Massachusetts in the early-to-mid 20th Century. Curley’s influence persists to this day through what is known as “The Curley Effect,” defined as a political strategy and economic model where targeted, inefficient, or divisive public policies are intentionally leveraged to drive political opponents out. By encouraging wealthier or opposing demographics to flee, the politician employing The Curley Effect alters the local voter base to secure permanent power, even if the strategy causes long-term economic decline. T

Interesting that China has chosen to apply this model to an entire country. Of course, it's not always possible for the undesirable demographics to physically flee, and China is doing its best to prevent capital from moving as well.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:03 AM (Riz8t)

7 Decline is a choice. Trump is showing us that there is another way.

Posted by: t-bird at August 31, 2026 11:03 AM (E/qck)

8 Hey, we had effects, too!
-- Moe and Larry

Posted by: Bulg at August 31, 2026 11:03 AM (77rzZ)

9 No monkey.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at August 31, 2026 11:04 AM (zjgNU)

10 This is about me, isn't it?

Posted by: Detroit at August 31, 2026 11:04 AM (2Ez/1)

11 the politician employing The Curley Effect alters the local voter base to secure permanent power, even if the strategy causes long-term economic decline.

*shifty eyes*

Posted by: The Uniparty at August 31, 2026 11:04 AM (Riz8t)

12 “The Curley Effect,” defined as a political strategy and economic model where targeted, inefficient, or divisive public policies are intentionally leveraged to drive political opponents out. By encouraging wealthier or opposing demographics to flee, the politician employing The Curley Effect alters the local voter base to secure permanent power, even if the strategy causes long-term economic decline.

Memphis, Chicago, East St. Louis, Atlanta...

Posted by: rickb223 at August 31, 2026 11:05 AM (3Ae0s)

13 Are we sure Israel isn't at fault? Just asking questions.

Posted by: T'Qatar Carlson at August 31, 2026 11:06 AM (BVbFo)

14 Memphis, Chicago, East St. Louis, Atlanta...

Any large city in California.

Posted by: The Uniparty at August 31, 2026 11:06 AM (Riz8t)

15 By encouraging wealthier or opposing demographics to flee, the politician employing The Curley Effect alters the local voter base to secure permanent power, even if the strategy causes long-term economic decline.

The left really would prefer to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.

Posted by: Bulg at August 31, 2026 11:06 AM (77rzZ)

16 It's Elephant God Day in Paris!

https://tinyurl.com/mmbcu3zn

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Putting the Genie Back In the Bible at August 31, 2026 11:06 AM (ndZc7)

17 LA is about to return to power one of the people responsible for the Palisades burning to the ground.

Or barring that, their other option is putting in power, a person who was given the duty to do something about LA's homeless problem, that person failed spectacularly.

They were given an option to vote for a Republican who actually had skin in the game and wanted to tackle the problems head on.

The citizens of LA rejected this option.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at August 31, 2026 11:07 AM (tjgV0)

18 What a shithole that place became! I, however, am unchanged and will stay here until it reaches the same level of shithole-ness.

Posted by: Urban Flyers at August 31, 2026 11:07 AM (rJhDk)

19 Memphis, Chicago, East St. Louis, Atlanta...

Any large city in California.

And, of course, DC under Marion Barry.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:07 AM (Riz8t)

20 Oh. Well, then …

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:08 AM (ayRl+)

21 The citizens of LA rejected this option.

That was amazing!

Posted by: The Vote-Counters of LA at August 31, 2026 11:09 AM (rJhDk)

22 They were given an option to vote for a Republican who actually had skin in the game and wanted to tackle the problems head on.

The citizens of LA rejected this option.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at August 31, 2026 11:07 AM (tjgV0)
----
This assumes that the citizens of LA were given an honest chance to make a difference.

Voter fraud is so ingrained in CA, it seems nearly *IMPOSSIBLE* for anyone who really wants to change things to rise above it.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at August 31, 2026 11:09 AM (FZ29D)

23 "prioritize the basic public goods that keep productive people in place: competent policing, clean streets, functional schools, and predictable property rights"

Competent policing without competent prosecutors and judges and effective laws is futile.

Functional schools? We forgot how to do that 60 years ago.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:10 AM (Jr5Lq)

24 And, of course, DC under Marion Barry.
Posted by: Archimedes

Bitch set him up!

Posted by: DC Wash at August 31, 2026 11:10 AM (JM9I6)

25 1. Vote early. 2. Vote often.

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:10 AM (ayRl+)

26 Hampton Prescott kindly offered up another of his excellent essays on the need for a revival of “municipal conservatism” to rescue failing cities.

Nothing will happen until those failing cities decide to change. As it is, they're still counting on government bailing them out and subsidizing their shiftless lifestyles.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:10 AM (Riz8t)

27 No, it's because of the content of their character.

Posted by: White guy with his family in a minivan pulling a U-Haul trailer at August 31, 2026 11:11 AM (2Ez/1)

28 Meh, they deserve what they voted for, just pray they don't move to your state.

Posted by: Gmac-WTF did you think was going to happen at August 31, 2026 11:11 AM (Q/FnY)

29 Kicking the can down the road works until there is no more street.

Has Gary, IN gotten their power back yet? Or are they still shooting at utility workers?

Posted by: Anna Puma at August 31, 2026 11:11 AM (2GVsD)

30 Those are some ideas, but how exactly are the cities going to implement them?

Our main issue is that everything is too big and governance is too separated from the populace.

If your vote, your involvement has almost zero effect on the outcome, why bother?

If the places where you could affect the outcome have almost zero effect on your life, again, why bother?

We need to bring governance much closer to the people who it governs and make politicians more accountable.

If you govern a ward of 50,000 people, like in Chicago, how much of an effect does each individual have?

But, if your ward was 5,000? You might not know everyone in your ward, but you'd know most families and you'd be much more connected. 50,000? You know the people who fund your campaign.

Our government overall is too big. It needs to be much smaller and much more local.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (zjgNU)

31 Memphis, Chicago, East St. Louis, Atlanta...

Is there power? It is corrupt. But I live in the Northeastern Corridor of Corruption, so I may be biased.

Posted by: t-bird at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (P5C/E)

32 Competent policing without competent prosecutors and judges and effective laws is futile.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:10 AM (Jr5Lq)

----
Yep.

Police might be very competent at their jobs, but they are downstream in a system that prioritizes criminals over law-abiding citizens.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (FZ29D)

33 @22

>>This assumes that the citizens of LA were given an honest chance to make a difference.

Barring a smoking gun, vote fraud is always assumed, but can never really be proven emphatically.

At the end of the day, the citizens of LA either through apathy or simply not giving a f**k has allowed this system to take hold and become the defacto state of play.

Until the people of LA take control of their government, they are going to keep getting the short end of the stick.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (tjgV0)

34 "We're comin' to your town / We're gonna shut it down / We're an American Band!" … who sang that?

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (ayRl+)

35 Anyone with a serious interest in "The Curley Effect" ought to read Jack Beatty's The Rascal King and, for a fictional portrayal, Edwin O'Connor's The Last Hurrah.

As an aside, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones had a song called "The Rascal King," which was a paean to Curley.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (qRla/)

36 hmm

well I'm not as sanguine

the Left is attempting to, via control of cities and certain states, collapse the USA and take it over.

The Curley effect is a TOOL they are using for this. to strengthen THEIR redoubts!

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at August 31, 2026 11:13 AM (j+aD2)

37 Term limits do nothing but make an already lazy electorate more lazy. A lazy electorate is what got us to where we are today.

Participating in governance, being self-governing and participating in government is just TOO HARD, I suppose. But we have to do it. Term limits are a very poor substitute for demanding the kind of government you want, but it’s great to help people shirk their civic duty.

San Antonio city government has term limits and they have done nothing to improve the governance there.

Dude lost me right there. But he makes sense otherwise.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:13 AM (WB/3O)

38 I suspect attacks on 9/11, and those attacks not in blue sh tholes.

Posted by: Eromero at August 31, 2026 11:13 AM (LHPAg)

39 Has Gary, IN gotten their power back yet? Or are they still shooting at utility workers?

One wonders if the utility workers were black or white. If white, they hate whitey so much they'd rather live without power just to get to shoot at him. If black, well, I admit I'd be puzzled by that one.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:13 AM (Riz8t)

40 22, perfesser is spot-on

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at August 31, 2026 11:14 AM (VyBeY)

41 But, if your ward was 5,000? You might not know everyone in your ward, but you'd know most families and you'd be much more connected.

You said it, pal!

Posted by: George Washington Plunkett at August 31, 2026 11:14 AM (qRla/)

42 36 hmm

well I'm not as sanguine

the Left is attempting to, via control of cities and certain states, collapse the USA and take it over.

The Curley effect is a TOOL they are using for this. to strengthen THEIR redoubts!

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at August 31, 2026 11:13 AM (j+aD2)

Except for one thing.

People do have One Final Freedom.

Voting with their feet.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:14 AM (WB/3O)

43 As the song goes, "They'll turn us all into beggars 'cause they're easier to please."

Look at how incandescently enraged they are over the improvements Trump is making to DC*.

It's not just the White House or the cost that infuriates them:
It's that he's showing 1) you don't have to live like this and 2) the degradation and dilapidation was intentional by the Democrats.

They WANT* the disgusting, scummy, run-down, crime-ridden cities.

* Note well, this is why they so openly cheated to stop Spencer Pratt

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at August 31, 2026 11:14 AM (3cUTc)

44 Remind me again why we can't have public hangings of corrupt officials … ?

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:14 AM (ayRl+)

45 Any large city in America. Maybe world wide.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at August 31, 2026 11:14 AM (Cqx++)

46 The citizens of LA rejected this option.
Posted by: Thomas Bender

Ballots rejected that option. Note that not one word above addresses a major cause of urban dysfunction--a) gimmedats, and b) election fraud.

Thieves take over city halls because they steal and sell favors to people like real estate developers for forever. Smart thieves don't rob banks because like Willie Sutton said, that is where the money is. Instead, they play a longer game and take over municipalities to loot and sell favor. Washington Plunkitt called it honest graft.

And that has been going on since cities got big enough to loot from the taxpayers.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:15 AM (E4rtv)

47 “Gresham’s law” (bad money drives out good money) applied to politics.

Decent people, businessmen and women, they don’t want to touch politics with a ten foot pole. And local politics is where the feeder stock for higher office is drawn. Diane Feinstein was a supervisor in San Francisco for just one of many many examples. I’m reading a book about the 1960s and beyond, how SF was deconstructed over the years and she keeps popping up. Real piece of work right there.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 11:15 AM (IkLDu)

48 "We're comin' to your town / We're gonna shut it down / We're an American Band!" … who sang that?
Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (ayRl+)

Bachmann-Turner Overdrive, IIRC. And I believe the lyric is "We're comin' to your town / We're gonna party down"

Posted by: George Washington Plunkett at August 31, 2026 11:15 AM (qRla/)

49 That CCP puppet Wu is worse than Curley. At least they had the decency to jail.him back in the day. Today NWH.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at August 31, 2026 11:15 AM (bX16E)

50 The Curley Effect certainly operates in Portland, and the Democratic Socialists of America (which controls half of the city council) encourages it.

Seventy percent of the population of the Portland metro area lives in the suburbs, so people who are sick of the poor quality of government services in Portland can simply move a few miles and avoid them.

So, if only twenty percent of the population are lunatic leftists, and they all live in Portland, they have a voting majority in Portland.

The problem, of course, is that the people fleeing Portland bring their political beliefs with them, so the suburbs become progressively more left-wing (if more moderate than Portland) over time.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:16 AM (aD4fx)

51 Grand Funk Railroad

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at August 31, 2026 11:17 AM (hUS/0)

52 48 Grand Funk. They say the guitar solo is greatly admired to this day.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at August 31, 2026 11:17 AM (bX16E)

53 If black, well, I admit I'd be puzzled by that one.
——-
Black utility linemen are just “acting White”, you see. Commence firing!!

Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (IkLDu)

54 >>"We're comin' to your town / We're gonna shut it down / We're an American Band!" … who sang that?

Grand Funk, aka Bland Gunk, Railroad.

Posted by: Nazdar at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (NcvvS)

55
As the song goes, "They'll turn us all into beggars 'cause they're easier to please."

They're feeding our people that government cheese

https://t.ly/NPTMT

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (Cqx++)

56 @46

>>Ballots rejected that option. Note that not one word above addresses a major cause of urban dysfunction--a) gimmedats, and b) election fraud.

The system rejected that option, but the system is instituted by the people.

As maxim goes, nobody is coming to save us.

Or in this case, the system is the system and barring a citizen revolt, the system will keep on keeping on.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (tjgV0)

57 People do have One Final Freedom.

Voting with their feet.

Which spreads the virus.

Posted by: t-bird at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (P5C/E)

58 Has Gary, IN gotten their power back yet? Or are they still shooting at utility workers?
Posted by: Anna Puma

====

Website sez they're down to about 70 sites. Not sure if they're under fire.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (39WC0)

59 Yep.

Police might be very competent at their jobs, but they are downstream in a system that prioritizes criminals over law-abiding citizens.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (FZ29D)

Where do we see this?

Houston. The cops there might well be competent, but the judges voted in there assure a revolving door to jail, or letting people out with stupid low bonds, etc. And the Harris County DA is a soft on crime zealot as well.

The thing keeping Houston from being like Chicago, IMHO? The fact that people there are armed to the teeth and are not hesitant to defend themselves.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (WB/3O)

60 Which spreads the virus.
Posted by: t-bird at August 31, 2026 11:18 AM (P5C/E)

It can. Not always.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:19 AM (WB/3O)

61 >>So I am assuming Boston is now a bastion of good government since they shook off the effect in the 80's, Right?

As someone who lived through the revival and eventual return to idiocy in Boston I have a slightly different view of how Massachusetts and Boston in particular rebounded and are now sinking again.

When we bought our condo in Boston back around 1980 they were practically giving them away. They were so eager to sell they tossed in a parking space for free and if you know Boston parking that was big. What caused the Massachusetts Miracle It was really the advent of the computer age.

Long before Silicon Valley was a thing there was Route 128 in MA. Companies like Digital Equipment, Wang, Lotus BB&N and many more sprang up all over the region, largely fed by the colleges and universities in and around Boston. It was an absolute gold rush. And people with money started demanding better services from the politicians and they complied. Briefly.

And then, of course, politicians started feeding off it, property values went through the roof, and lots of those jobs moved out of state taking lots of money with them. That opened the door for the new Curley politicians.

Posted by: JackStraw at August 31, 2026 11:19 AM (viF8m)

62 33 @22

>>This assumes that the citizens of LA were given an honest chance to make a difference.

Barring a smoking gun, vote fraud is always assumed, but can never really be proven emphatically.

At the end of the day, the citizens of LA either through apathy or simply not giving a f**k has allowed this system to take hold and become the defacto state of play.

Until the people of LA take control of their government, they are going to keep getting the short end of the stick.
Posted by: Thomas Bender
=======
I have come to the conclusion that unlimited franchise simply is unworkable. But, if we want to actually give it a fair chance first, that requires reducing the endless election of minor offices into a few and having those elections during the regular primary and general election cycle. We have too many elections essentially which means that only about 10-15 percent of the electorate, many of which depend on gimmedats from government (jobs, welfare, favors), end up voting on municipal elections.

And who does what in many governments is hard to comprehend even for a specialist as urban areas vary and have overlapping offices, jurisdictions, and powers.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:19 AM (E4rtv)

63 Sooooo … how many cities should have Don McLean's "American Pie" as their theme song … ?

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (ayRl+)

64 I believe it was a Grand Funk Railroad firm, who generously offered their enthusiastic assistance at “partying down” in your town.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (IkLDu)

65 If black, well, I admit I'd be puzzled by that one.
——-
Black utility linemen are just “acting White”, you see. Commence firing!!

You think that black people have a problem shooting other black people?

Most mass shootings in the United States are ignored, because the shooting occurs in a black neighborhood.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (aD4fx)

66 52 48 Grand Funk. They say the guitar solo is greatly admired to this day.
Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at August 31, 2026 11:17 AM (bX16E)
Mark Farner, I think.

Posted by: Eromero at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (LHPAg)

67 My daughter, formerly of NYC, was over for dinner last night, and was regaling me with tales of her visits with her old friends there. Almost all of them are the scions of wealthy parents, and almost none of them have real jobs, choosing instead to rely on their parents for support into their 30s. They do, however, have their precious degrees in Film Arts. They are all very, very woke, and insist that Mamdani is great, while living in their parentally-subsidized apartments on the East Side of Manhattan. Even my fairly liberal daughter is becoming red-pilled, and took pride that she has a good job in a real field (software development) and doesn't need us to support her.

Decline is a choice.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (Riz8t)

68 Bachmann-Turner Overdrive, IIRC. And I believe the lyric is "We're comin' to your town / We're gonna party down"
Posted by: George Washington Plunkett at August 31, 2026 11:15 AM (qRla/)

GFR

BTO were Canadian.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (WB/3O)

69 Memphis, Chicago, East St. Louis, Atlanta...

Is there power? It is corrupt. But I live in the Northeastern Corridor of Corruption, so I may be biased.
Posted by: t-bird

Sad to say, but if there is an MLK BLVD. Is almost an even bet. Then there's all of Louisiana.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (3Ae0s)

70 Once the corruption takes hold, and people begin to profit off it, it's next to impossible to stop. It just keeps growing until there are only two demographic populations:
- Politicians and their supporters making bank
- Everyone else, living next to, or in, poverty

Whatever's "in the middle" of those two groups is desperately trying to flee. Be it R or D.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 31, 2026 11:21 AM (2Cry5)

71 When we moved to Missouri, we had to go through the dreaded changing vehicle titles, DLs, and vehicle registration and other fees.

The DMV in the small town we had to go to was the most...pleasant experience I ever had in a DMV.

It was like being in grandma's living room, with knick knacks and Bible verses hanging on the walls, couches, and locals just shooting the breeze while conducting their business.

There were maybe a dozen at most in the office, which used to be someone's very nice home at one time.

I never really had a bad experience at a DMV, but living in a town with maybe 1200 people, the very small town charm is enticing to even lefties, who then proceed to destroy that charm.

So yes, I pray for our cities, and I pray for lefties, as well as everyone else that need to repent.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:22 AM (Rln0i)

72 Term limits do nothing but make an already lazy electorate more lazy. A lazy electorate is what got us to where we are today.
--
We do not need more laws.
We need less laws.
Laws reducing the size, scope and reach of government at every level.

This Byzantine leviathan of laws we have erected has conditioned a public to assume the government must--and that only it can--take care of everything.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at August 31, 2026 11:22 AM (3cUTc)

73 So I am assuming Boston is now a bastion of good government since they shook off the effect in the 80's, Right?
Posted by: Aetius451AD at August 31, 2026 11:02 AM

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

*gasps*

You're killin' me, here!

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:22 AM (bFu5X)

74 If black, well, I admit I'd be puzzled by that one.
——-
Black utility linemen are just “acting White”, you see. Commence firing!!

You think that black people have a problem shooting other black people?

Most mass shootings in the United States are ignored, because the shooting occurs in a black neighborhood.
Posted by: The ARC of History!

It's "putting it to the man", not necessarily the individual.

Posted by: rickb223 at August 31, 2026 11:22 AM (3Ae0s)

75 63 Sooooo … how many cities should have Don McLean's "American Pie" as their theme song … ?
Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM (ayRl+)

Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
And the good ol boys singing Whiskey and Rye
Drinking “this will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die”

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:23 AM (WB/3O)

76 Laws reducing the size, scope and reach of government at every level.
___

This^^^

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:23 AM (Rln0i)

77 BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

*gasps*

You're killin' me, here!
Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:22 AM (bFu5X)

Huh. That's weird.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at August 31, 2026 11:23 AM (Y/06r)

78
It's Elephant God Day in Paris!

https://tinyurl.com/mmbcu3zn

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Putting the Genie Back In the Bible at August 31, 2026 11:06 AM (ndZc7)

Hilarious!

It's just like Christmas only with throwing garbage till it's ankle deep all over the streets.

Why don't we change the name of San Francisco

to Ganesh City?

It's already got the garbage everywhere.

Posted by: naturalfake at August 31, 2026 11:24 AM (iJfKG)

79 Or in this case, the system is the system and barring a citizen revolt, the system will keep on keeping on.
Posted by: Thomas Bender
=======
Localities fail when the money fails. US is facing a debt crisis in the near future--Trump saw that there is and was no constituency for austerity and kicked the can down the road, hoping that the economy growing faster than the debt might save us.

And we are leaning on the residual reserve currency to save us in the short run, perhaps too much, perhaps the new crypto linked to government securities might prolong it.

But if the national government money becomes worthless, then too does all the spending that localities do. So you get something like Germany post WWI--repudiation by massive inflation or even formal repudiation.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:24 AM (E4rtv)

80 Rule in hell, of their own making, rather than live in paradise.

Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable and Totally Unserious at August 31, 2026 11:24 AM (xvV+O)

81 We do not need more laws.
We need less laws.
Laws reducing the size, scope and reach of government at every level.

We need immediate, draconian, implacable punishment for crimes already on the books.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:24 AM (Riz8t)

82 So I am assuming Boston is now a bastion of good government since they shook off the effect in the 80's, Right?
Posted by: Aetius451AD at August 31, 2026 11:02 AM (Y/06r)

So it would seem, haha.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:24 AM (1z8ji)

83 Sooooo … how many cities should have Don McLean's "American Pie" as their theme song … ?
Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM

I dunno. How many have levees?

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:25 AM (bFu5X)

84 Maybe the best musical accompaniment for today's cities is Mr Duane Allman's 'One Way Out' from their 'Fillmore East' album …
('Ain't no way I'm goin' out that front door … ')

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:25 AM (ayRl+)

85 Police might be very competent at their jobs, but they are downstream in a system that prioritizes criminals over law-abiding citizens.
——-
This is easy to figure out, by logical deduction. If your “leadership” will throw you under the bus if anything goes sideways, if you risk life and limb to arrest bad guys and they are back out on the street before you’ve filed the report, then you’re going to learn to be invisible - aka “tourist in blue”.

And then they often hire people who don’t belong, aren’t capable, don’t meet standards, etc when recruitment and retention craters. Nobody wants to work for low frequency defective people if they can help it.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 11:25 AM (IkLDu)

86 Most mass shootings in the United States are ignored, because the shooting occurs in a black neighborhood.
Posted by: The ARC of History!

It's "putting it to the man", not necessarily the individual.
Posted by: rickb223
======
Subgeniuses using cargo cult thinking--if we shoot at the repair guys, we can make the power company do as we like. Third World thinking.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:26 AM (E4rtv)

87 @ 83 Sooooo … how many cities should have Don McLean's "American Pie" as their theme song … ? Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:20 AM
I dunno. How many have levees? Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:25 AM (bFu5X)
___________________________________

How many of 'em have a river … ? Or a lake? Creeks don't count.

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:26 AM (ayRl+)

88 o I am assuming Boston is now a bastion of good government since they shook off the effect in the 80's, Right?
Posted by: Aetius451AD at August 31, 2026 11:02 AM (Y/06r)

So it would seem, haha.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:24 AM

Of course...it's an absolute Wutopia here in Boston.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:27 AM (bFu5X)

89 Our government overall is too big. It needs to be much smaller and much more local.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (zjgNU)

True, but never forget that the assholes you see populating Congress got their start at the very local level. Many of them, anyway. Working their way up from school boards, county courthouses, city government, etc. Local does not always mean better, as you can see by local governments in TX spending the taxpayers into penury.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:28 AM (WB/3O)

90 If Greasy Gavin Newsom ran Grand Funk Railroad they wouldn't be coming anywhere.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Putting the Genie Back In the Bible at August 31, 2026 11:28 AM (ndZc7)

91 Cities are safer now
Murder rates are low.
Blue states have higher incomes live longer lower crime than red states.

Posted by: Paul at August 31, 2026 11:28 AM (n3y/k)

92 Sad to say, but if there is an MLK BLVD. Is almost an even bet. Then there's all of Louisiana.
Posted by: rickb223
___

It wasn't all that bad living on MLK Jr Ave in hubby's hometown in South GA back in the 90s.

The girls walked to school, and a lot of the neighbors knew Ex-ex and his family since they all went to school together.

Now...it's bad.
Real bad.

We last drove through there back in 2023...and we were both armed...just in case.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:29 AM (Rln0i)

93 Functional schools? We forgot how to do that 60 years ago.
Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:10 AM (Jr5Lq)

Didn't forget.

We handed control of the schools to people who aren't interested in functional schools, but a pliable populace.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at August 31, 2026 11:29 AM (zjgNU)

94 @ 91 Cities are safer now
Murder rates are low.
Blue states have higher incomes live longer lower crime than red states.
_______________________

I'll have whatever he's having …

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:29 AM (ayRl+)

95 *eyes Paul*

Bless your heart.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:30 AM (Rln0i)

96 Paul is correct. Cities are safer now, because Trump has deported so many criminals. Thanks for that observation, Paul.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:30 AM (Riz8t)

97 Grand Funk, aka Bland Gunk, Railroad.
Posted by: Nazdar
________

Hey, I really like Bad Time. Nice harmonies and key changes.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at August 31, 2026 11:30 AM (XvL8K)

98 Blue states have higher incomes live longer lower crime than red states.

And yet, people flee blue states for red states.

It's the strangest thing.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:30 AM (aD4fx)

99 I'll have whatever he's having …
Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:29 AM (ayRl+)
___

lol

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:30 AM (Rln0i)

100 First time "competence" and "Dukakis" have been used together in the same sentence?

Posted by: toddg at August 31, 2026 11:31 AM (ceFtv)

101 First time "competence" and "Dukakis" have been used together in the same sentence?

*contemplates possible limerick incorporating Dukakis and Arrakis*

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:32 AM (Riz8t)

102 At bleepingcomputer, "Microsoft asked customers this week to ignore alerts that Defender Antivirus has been turned off after installing the latest Defender updates."

Cripes.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:32 AM (Jr5Lq)

103 And yet, people flee blue states for red states.
___

Yep, that's why we moved to Missouri.

Because Illinois was too...safe.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:32 AM (Rln0i)

104 Yep, that's why we moved to Missouri.

Because Illinois was too...safe.

Posted by: SMH

It sounds like your new place is wonderful.

Posted by: Bulg at August 31, 2026 11:33 AM (77rzZ)

105
As observed above,

Blue cities are safer because of Trump.

Does that mean Paul is going to vote for Trump?

or, nah?

Shocka! Bluebird is Bluetarded!

Posted by: naturalfake at August 31, 2026 11:33 AM (iJfKG)

106 We do not need more laws.
We need less laws.
Laws reducing the size, scope and reach of government at every level.

This Byzantine leviathan of laws we have erected has conditioned a public to assume the government must--and that only it can--take care of everything.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice

That byzantine web of laws occurs because you either have government punish people or society. We decided long ago to not let society punish (which avoids lynching, witch burning, etc.) but instead creates these web of laws. Your neighbor decides to ignore basic hygiene and crap in the ditch and strew trash, rather than beating his ass into compliance, we instead employ code enforcement and perhaps even law enforcement if he proves recalcitrant.

The local teacher decides she is going to teach all the boys that they are she--instead of having the witch burned at the stake, we get the school board meeting, due process with a lawyer attached, the firing process, etc. etc.

The local druggie decides to fund his habit by selling to anyone, including kids, ditto.

To quote Madison, if men were angels, no government would be necessary. And so it becomes Leviathan.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:33 AM (E4rtv)

107 Paul is correct. Cities are safer now, because Trump has deported so many criminals. Thanks for that observation, Paul.
Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:30 AM (Riz8t)
___

Okay, there's that.

St. Louis is much more pleasant to go to nowadays.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:33 AM (Rln0i)

108 Well, that interview went. It was more of a screening call anyway, and despite how the job description read, they were looking for one end of things - the end I didn't have.

Oh well. *scratches it off the list*

Back to the treadmill.

Still got hopes for a couple from last week plus some recruiters that owe me a response.

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click!) at August 31, 2026 11:34 AM (aJQbY)

109 Except for one thing.

And stick to that.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at August 31, 2026 11:35 AM (kYmoU)

110 A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at August 31, 2026 11:35 AM (g8Ew8)

111 89 Our government overall is too big. It needs to be much smaller and much more local.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at August 31, 2026 11:12 AM (zjgNU)

True, but never forget that the assholes you see populating Congress got their start at the very local level. Many of them, anyway. Working their way up from school boards, county courthouses, city government, etc. Local does not always mean better, as you can see by local governments in TX spending the taxpayers into penury.
Posted by: Cow Demon
=======
Absolutely true. And that is a real cost when the population does not agree on basic ground rules--diversity gives those officeholders more power essentially because they become arbiters rather than representatives.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:35 AM (E4rtv)

112 And yet, people flee blue states for red states.

The Left is now claiming that 400,000 trannies have fled red states for blue states since Trump was reelected.

This was based on a very dubious survey, but what makes it even funnier is they assume that 1.3% of the population is trans - four million trannies in the United States.

Portland doesn't come remotely close to being 1.3% trans, let alone 1.3% of the whole country.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:35 AM (aD4fx)

113 St. Louis is much more pleasant to go to nowadays.

My daughter left StL about 8 years ago. It was pretty bad when she was there, but there was incessant talk about an incipient turnaround. From what little I've seen, that hasn't happened, but it would be nice if it did.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:36 AM (Riz8t)

114 110 A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound.
Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons
=======
As long as the bomb bay doors stay shut.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:36 AM (E4rtv)

115 Of course...it's an absolute Wutopia here in Boston.
Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:27 AM (bFu5X)

"Wutopia" LOL,

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:36 AM (1z8ji)

116 108 Good luck to you, RandomDave.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:36 AM (Jr5Lq)

117 A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound.

If it drops a single object, head for the basement tout de suite.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:37 AM (Riz8t)

118 91: Paul and his programmers are at it again. How many times does he spout this nonsense?

Crime is down thanks to criminals being kicked out of the country in droves and loosened restrictions on firearms.

The programmers talk about how blue states have higher incomes than red states. Maybe. But states like TX don’t gobble up incomes with sky high state income taxes. And cost of living in red states are way lower. Try buying a house in CA, IL or NY and let me know how that goes compared to TX or other “inferior” red states.

Program Paul better.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:37 AM (WB/3O)

119 102 At bleepingcomputer, "Microsoft asked customers this week to ignore alerts that Defender Antivirus has been turned off after installing the latest Defender updates."

Cripes.
Posted by: gp
=======
Microsoft is melting down in real time with enshittification.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:37 AM (E4rtv)

120 @ 110 A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound. Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at August 31, 2026 11:35 AM (g8Ew
__________________________

Don't look at the bright flash when it comes, 'kay …

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:37 AM (ayRl+)

121 Hey Bulg, it is!

Mother-in-law and sister-in-law are visiting this weekend from south GA. They're driving.

This will be Nana's first time in Missouri, and she's gonna love the place. And she's gonna love the horses.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:38 AM (Rln0i)

122 117 A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound.

If it drops a single object, head for the basement tout de suite.
Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:37 AM (Riz8t)

That close? I’d say you are fucked. Maybe yell “yee-haw” like Slim Pickens (without the benefit of the ride).

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:39 AM (WB/3O)

123 Of course...it's an absolute Wutopia here in Boston.
Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:27 AM (bFu5X)

"Wutopia" LOL,
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:36 AM

I forget who I stole that from. There was also "Wuville," but I'm still waiting for the Grinch of reality to dopeslap the mayor of Wuville.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:39 AM (bFu5X)

124 And she's gonna love the horses.
Posted by: SMH

Do you have horses yourself, or just live among folks who do?

Posted by: Bulg at August 31, 2026 11:39 AM (77rzZ)

125 As long as the bomb bay doors stay shut.
Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:36 AM (E4rtv)

I can think of a few cities where the converse might be welcomed.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:40 AM (1z8ji)

126
We'll keep you safe.

Posted by: Flock cameras at August 31, 2026 11:40 AM (2Ez/1)

127 We'll keep you safe.
Posted by: Flock cameras at August 31, 2026 11:40 AM

Flock off!

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (bFu5X)

128 "A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound."

Google AI sez there are only two left flying worldwide. I got to tour one once, very cool.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (Jr5Lq)

129 Program Paul better.
Posted by: Cow Demon

One advantage of a primitive interface here, is that the non English speaking trolls have a hard time, they usually just like to drop AI or photoshopped memes on X that are essentially thread jacking. You can always tell what the internal talking points are to the paid and unpaid trolls that way--they drop their little balls of turd regardless of the subject.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (E4rtv)

130 This is happening statewide. People credit DeSantis with turning Florida red. He's great but mostly it is Republicans fleeing New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. California is also permanently blue due to rational people fleeing.

Posted by: Ted Torgerson at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (wGerL)

131 108 Well, that interview went. It was more of a screening call anyway, and despite how the job description read, they were looking for one end of things - the end I didn't have.

Oh well. *scratches it off the list*

Back to the treadmill.

Still got hopes for a couple from last week plus some recruiters that owe me a response.
Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click!) at August 31, 2026 11:34 AM (aJQbY)

Sorry man. Been there done that.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (WB/3O)

132 MA has significantly worse government now then under Curley.

The current governor and mayor are arguing that the massive increases in crime and government expenditures are just the price to be paid for living in a modern society and most of the MA electorate seems to agree.

I've gotten into it with lefty LIVs in MA and while they agree things are far worse they'll still offer up "But I can't vote for a Republicans, they are NAZIs. Better crooks then fascists right?"

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (sKqQm)

133 Try buying a house in CA, IL or NY and let me know how that goes compared to TX or other “inferior” red states.
___

A house and over four acres for less than $250,000 in the Ozarks.

I'm fine with less people here.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (Rln0i)

134 A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound.

Some day I'd really like to see a B-36 Peacemaker fly by, but I'm not sure there are even any airworthy ones left.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (Riz8t)

135 >>>friend-of-the-blog

Uh oh.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at August 31, 2026 11:42 AM (dK+Kv)

136 I forget who I stole that from. There was also "Wuville," but I'm still waiting for the Grinch of reality to dopeslap the mayor of Wuville.
Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:39 AM (bFu5X)

She sounds like Olivia Chow, the deranged NDP mayor of Toronto.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:42 AM (1z8ji)

137 > A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound. Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons
---------
Pretty rare sighting of one flyable. Not sure how many are in operational condition, but it's got to be in the single digits.

Saw one up close at Monterey's airport years and years ago. They also had a B-24 and a B-25 on display.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 31, 2026 11:42 AM (2Cry5)

138 Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click!) at August 31, 2026 11:34 AM (aJQbY)
___

Prayers up.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:42 AM (Rln0i)

139 Most people are dumb, selfish and lazy. Living in big cities comes natural to this type as they would starve to death if they lived elsewhere.

Being self sufficient does not appeal to them.

Posted by: Feed Me at August 31, 2026 11:43 AM (+iYtA)

140 "B-36 Peacemaker" Six turning, four burning.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:43 AM (Jr5Lq)

141 "A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound."

Google AI sez there are only two left flying worldwide. I got to tour one once, very cool.

Maybe ten years ago, there was an airshow in DC, and my old lab backed directly onto the Potomac, down which the planes flew. A B-29 was among them; it was just stunningly beautiful. You know, if you aren't Japanese.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:43 AM (Riz8t)

142 137 > A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound. Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons
---------
Pretty rare sighting of one flyable. Not sure how many are in operational condition, but it's got to be in the single digits.

two. fifi and doc.

Posted by: anachronda at August 31, 2026 11:43 AM (sGtp+)

143 One advantage of a primitive interface here, is that the non English speaking trolls have a hard time, they usually just like to drop AI or photoshopped memes on X that are essentially thread jacking. You can always tell what the internal talking points are to the paid and unpaid trolls that way--they drop their little balls of turd regardless of the subject.
Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (E4rtv)

Absolutely.

On one YT post there was an AI apologist for the PRC. The topic was Canada and I could tell it was a bot because no matter the objections to the PRC, it kept saying over and over again “China is Canada’s largest wheat export market.” In EVERY post.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:43 AM (WB/3O)

144 112 And yet, people flee blue states for red states.

The Left is now claiming that 400,000 trannies have fled red states for blue states since Trump was reelected.

This was based on a very dubious survey, but what makes it even funnier is they assume that 1.3% of the population is trans - four million trannies in the United States.

Portland doesn't come remotely close to being 1.3% trans, let alone 1.3% of the whole country.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:35 AM (aD4fx)
Could it be possible that's it's all a LIE?
P.S., The scripture was right Old and New Testaments both.

Posted by: Eromero at August 31, 2026 11:43 AM (LHPAg)

145 You don't have to be Jewish to love levees.

Posted by: Chicken Salad On Rye at August 31, 2026 11:44 AM (JM9I6)

146 If you ask a leftist, cities have never been better. They gush about “high density” housing and new transit, bike lanes and their new favorite word… walkability.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 11:44 AM (iY+4Q)

147 MA has significantly worse government now then under Curley.

I lived in Chicago under Mayor Daley The First, and I joked that Chicago's motto was "Good Government, Plus 10%".

Far, far better than what Chicago has now.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:44 AM (aD4fx)

148 AI informs me that there are no airworthy B-36 Peacemakers.

*sad face*

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:44 AM (Riz8t)

149 Some day I'd really like to see a B-36 Peacemaker fly by, but I'm not sure there are even any airworthy ones left.

Posted by: Archimedes

Looked it up, the only surviving examples are all museum display pieces. The rest were scrapped long ago.

Posted by: Brother Tim (102mm/W59), Keeper of the Tim Continuum at August 31, 2026 11:44 AM (OUMaO)

150 Another fun Boston story...

Not long after the current anchor baby mayor was first elected she decided to implement a clot shot mandate for going to a restaurants and public functions in Boston.

She then had an ask my anything where pretty much everyone complained about the mandates and the restaurant business went to her and said they expected at least a 50% loss in revenue. Amusingly government stats said 90% of Boston was clot shotted and 80% of MA (which makes me pretty sure those stats were false).

She eventually relented but she ran and easily won in 2025...

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 11:45 AM (sKqQm)

151 She sounds like Olivia Chow, the deranged NDP mayor of Toronto.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:42 AM

We've secretly swapped Boston's and Toronto's mayors. Let's see if anyone notices...

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:45 AM (bFu5X)

152 126
We'll keep you safe.
Posted by: Flock cameras at August 31, 2026 11:40 AM (2Ez/1)

I keep me safe.

Posted by: Cow Demon and his trusty LTC and 9mm at August 31, 2026 11:45 AM (WB/3O)

153 Where my EBT card at?

Posted by: La'Shondra at August 31, 2026 11:45 AM (2Ez/1)

154 @ 121 Hey Bulg, it is! Mother-in-law and sister-in-law are visiting this weekend from south GA. They're driving. This will be Nana's first time in Missouri, and she's gonna love the place. And she's gonna love the horses. Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:38 AM (Rln0i)
__________________________________

Y' gonna take 'em to Sweetie Pie's and Melroy's too … ?

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:45 AM (ayRl+)

155
The Left is now claiming that 400,000 trannies have fled red states for blue states since Trump was reelected.

This was based on a very dubious survey, but what makes it even funnier is they assume that 1.3% of the population is trans - four million trannies in the United States.

Portland doesn't come remotely close to being 1.3% trans, let alone 1.3% of the whole country.

The estimate is based on a sample group of...wait for it...ten people. I kid you not.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:46 AM (Riz8t)

156 Google AI sez no flying B36s remain.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:46 AM (Jr5Lq)

157 Some day I'd really like to see a B-36 Peacemaker fly by, but I'm not sure there are even any airworthy ones left.
Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:41 AM (Riz8t)

I used to hear them flying very high over our area when I was a kid. They were especially loud during the colder months. A deep throbbing noise.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at August 31, 2026 11:46 AM (g8Ew8)

158 There was a Reddit post asking what did Fauci do to make people so mad?

99% of replies were “maga hates science and fauci is amazeballs”

These are the people who live in cities and vote for people like the mayor of Boston. They are still true believers to this day and will never not believe.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 11:47 AM (iY+4Q)

159 The citizens of LA rejected this option.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at August 31, 2026 11:07 AM (tjgV0)

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

Ameri-gorn: You already voted.
DNC Pippin: Yes, we had one, but what about second voting?
DNC Merry: I don't think they know about second voting.

Posted by: Cray Cray at August 31, 2026 11:47 AM (CYBB0)

160 Tee hee. I'm not in jail.

Posted by: D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at August 31, 2026 11:48 AM (2Ez/1)

161 The NDP is simply the Communist Party of Canada at this point.

Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:48 AM (WB/3O)

162 The estimate is based on a sample group of...wait for it...ten people. I kid you not.
Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:46 AM

So...a fraction of one of those 10 people was trans? That math ain't mathin'.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:48 AM (bFu5X)

163 1.3 of the 10 were trannies?

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 11:49 AM (iY+4Q)

164 The estimate is based on a sample group of...wait for it...ten people. I kid you not.

Meanwhile, the Left continues to be confused that there isn't more evidence of people fleeing hellish red states.

A Portland example:

blue cities/states need to build a metric fuckton more homes to make room for those who want to live somewhere they can raise a trans kid, get an abortion, live in a hospitable climate. If we don’t make room for all the new neighbors we clearly aren’t as welcoming as our lawn signs suggest

Almost no new housing is being built in Portland, because it doesn't pencil out, despite all the alleged demand for that housing.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:49 AM (aD4fx)

165 "; it was just stunningly beautiful. You know, if you aren't Japanese.
Posted by: Archimedes"
*********
My brother is married to a German woman. When his family visited I was showing him my newly acquired M1 Garand. His half German son asked what the rifle was used for? Before I could reply with "killing krauts" my brother explained that it was the US military's battle rifle of WW2.

Posted by: Cosda at August 31, 2026 11:50 AM (5Mso3)

166 Grand Funk's "Bad Time" was produced by Frank Zappa.

They were, and are, from Flint.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at August 31, 2026 11:50 AM (zdLoL)

167 You think a B-29 carried a big bomb load, you should see our pants!

Posted by: Biden/Nadler 2028 at August 31, 2026 11:50 AM (JM9I6)

168 The estimate is based on a sample group of...wait for it...ten people. I kid you not.
Posted by: Archimedes
=====
The media depends on lies and innumeracy.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:50 AM (E4rtv)

169 The last B-29 ('Fifi') I saw was at a Alvin Callendar Field air show put on by the (wait for it) — CONFEDERATE Air Force. Then they got all 'politically correct' and went to 'Commemorative Air Force' … what bullshittery …

Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:51 AM (ayRl+)

170 There was a Reddit post asking what did Fauci do to make people so mad?

99% of replies were “maga hates science and fauci is amazeballs”

Then they'll tell you there was never a clot shot mandate and no one ever said it stopped the spread of COVID...but you should get it anyway

But I want to take this back a step, by any objective measurement Fauci absolutely failed. Take the official government death numbers and compare them with say China. Yes both are lies but the left tells me its real.

By those numbers Fauci should have been fired an hell, we should have hired some Chinese bureaucrat instead...

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 11:51 AM (sKqQm)

171 The NDP is simply the Communist Party of Canada at this point.
Posted by: Cow Demon at August 31, 2026 11:48 AM (WB/3O)

It's never been otherwise. Filthy Commies.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at August 31, 2026 11:51 AM (1z8ji)

172 That byzantine web of laws occurs because you either have government punish people or society. We decided long ago to not let society punish (which avoids lynching, witch burning, etc.) but instead creates these web of laws. ...
(several examples)
...

To quote Madison, if men were angels, no government would be necessary. And so it becomes Leviathan.
Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:33 AM (E4rtv)

You're missing another founder: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other"

We have a byzantine amount of laws because we rejected Christianity and morality. (I'm not going to pretend that Adams thought any other religion would have worked, because he meant Christianity.)

The underpinning of Christian morality allowed for self-governance. It was never perfect, but the law was generally not necessary to enforce compliance for the vast majority of people.

(NOW, you did get excesses where some pharisees insisted that children were not allowed any fun on Sundays, but I think that's a smaller problem than wilding gangs attacking passersby in "Street Takeovers".)

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at August 31, 2026 11:51 AM (zjgNU)

173 The estimate is based on a sample group of...wait for it...ten people. I kid you not.

Michael Mann's classic global warming "proof" was based on just one tree.

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 11:52 AM (sKqQm)

174 Don't look at the bright flash when it comes, 'kay …
Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:37 AM (ayRl+)

And be sure to hide under your desk and pull your coat over your head,.

Posted by: A Boomer who grew up in the 50's with that advice at August 31, 2026 11:53 AM (hmYU4)

175 The left is fighting a full war on single family housing. They want everyone living in Soviet style apartment blocs.

And they’re winning this war. California does not allow single family zoning anymore. Someone can build an apartment complex virtually anywhere. Several other states have something similar and a ton of cities do as well.

It’s one of the most under reported stories of what’s happening in the country. One day you too will wake up with a construction crew next door to your suburban home with a section 8 apartment complex ready to be constructed. Because nobody’s paying attention ton and fighting it.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 11:53 AM (iY+4Q)

176 (NOW, you did get excesses where some pharisees insisted that children were not allowed any fun on Sundays, but I think that's a smaller problem than wilding gangs attacking passersby in "Street Takeovers".)

One thing that bothers me is a lot of LIVs don't realize how much things have changed compared to the 90s or moreso the 50s.

It has always been dangerous to be out at night anywhere in America right?

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 11:53 AM (sKqQm)

177 My brother is married to a German woman. When his family visited I was showing him my newly acquired M1 Garand. His half German son asked what the rifle was used for? Before I could reply with "killing krauts" my brother explained that it was the US military's battle rifle of WW2.
Posted by: Cosda at August 31, 2026 11:50 AM (5Mso3)
___

lol

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:54 AM (Rln0i)

178 Grand Funk's "Bad Time" was produced by Frank Zappa.

They were, and are, from Flint.
Posted by: Way, Way Downriver
_________

Brave AI says it was produced by Jimmy Lenner, but that Zappa produced their last studio album a couple of years later.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at August 31, 2026 11:54 AM (XvL8K)

179 158 There was a Reddit post asking what did Fauci do to make people so mad?

99% of replies were “maga hates science and fauci is amazeballs”

These are the people who live in cities and vote for people like the mayor of Boston. They are still true believers to this day and will never not believe.
Posted by: Lake America
=======
Some are real, somewhere between 50-80 percent are fake bots/paid commenters or foreigners that have no stake in the US.

About in X indicates that these various Mikes, Katies, etc. are often located in Bangladesh, India, etc.

And the scam is old, Democrats used to have an organized system to spam letters to the editor using key buzzwords such as claiming to be Republican, etc. Fake and gay theater kid bullshit.

Modern era just outsourced Moby-ing to bots and foreigners.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:54 AM (E4rtv)

180 Don't look at the bright flash when it comes, 'kay …
Posted by: Dr_No at August 31, 2026 11:37 AM (ayRl+)

And be sure to hide under your desk and pull your coat over your head,.

And, of course, kiss your ass goodbye.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 11:55 AM (Riz8t)

181 It’s one of the most under reported stories of what’s happening in the country. One day you too will wake up with a construction crew next door to your suburban home with a section 8 apartment complex ready to be constructed. Because nobody’s paying attention ton and fighting it.

It's always been grimly amusing that suburban AWFLs vote for people who intend to destroy the suburbs.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at August 31, 2026 11:55 AM (aD4fx)

182 Modern era just outsourced Moby-ing to bots and foreigners.
Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 11:54 AM

Rush's "seminar callers" for the digital age.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at August 31, 2026 11:55 AM (bFu5X)

183 What happens when you put psychopaths in charge of local government?

The Curley effect.

Posted by: Democracy does not do a great job of weeding out psychos, but neither does any other form of governm at August 31, 2026 11:56 AM (anL5R)

184 Pennsylvania. Once just Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and York...now an ever growing part of each SE county (& maybe more.)

Keep increasing state and municipal jobs & funding 'social service' non-profits so we'll never break free of ever increasing pensions, benefits, grants.

The rulers' millage is always less and their deductions much more.

Posted by: L - No nic... at August 31, 2026 11:56 AM (NFX2v)

185 Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:54 AM (Rln0i)

Morning there hon. Sending my best, which isnt really good enough, but sending it all the same.

Posted by: ... at August 31, 2026 11:57 AM (eZQ1g)

186 > A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound. Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons
---------
Pretty rare sighting of one flyable. Not sure how many are in operational condition, but it's got to be in the single digits.

Saw one up close at Monterey's airport years and years ago. They also had a B-24 and a B-25 on display.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 31, 2026 11:42 AM (2Cry5)

We had a nicely restored Grumman Goose fly into our small municipal airport for a car and plane show. What a work of art. And those rotary engines get you going.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at August 31, 2026 11:57 AM (dK+Kv)

187 Tom goes back to vet today for a followup on his sneezing. Looks like the treatment worked; no more sneezing or runny nose. He'll get his rabies shot, and maybe get his ears cleaned out. Next appt will be for Flash, for shots, and to get his ears cleaned too.

Posted by: gp at August 31, 2026 11:57 AM (Jr5Lq)

188 B36 had 6 recip piston engines, 28 cylinder each or whatever.

Needed spark plug change after every flight. Or before, whatever you prefer. Kept the crew chiefs from getting into trouble in town I betcha.

They topped off the fuel tanks again, after it got taxiing to the runway. Nobody could afford to fly it today, other than Uncle Sam

Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 11:58 AM (IkLDu)

189 War on single family homes is also aided by chamber of commerce “conservatives”. More profitable to build up than out. So they love it. It’s an unholy alliance of far left and corporate right which fucks over regular people.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 11:58 AM (iY+4Q)

190 > A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound
-----------------

Once at the USAF museum I saw a group of Japanese tourists posing for pictures around Bock's Car and a replica of Fat Man.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (WtXXf)

191 It's always been grimly amusing that suburban AWFLs vote for people who intend to destroy the suburbs.

In a town near me they seized the town's historic hotel/event location to build a slum for "newcomers".

And the Karens were all on board. But now I see their latest posts are around "Why has our town become a city?" "Why is their traffic everywhere" "What is with all the petty crime that is just being allowed now" and... "Why does the town want to raise my taxes?!?"

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (sKqQm)

192 It’s one of the most under reported stories of what’s happening in the country. One day you too will wake up with a construction crew next door to your suburban home with a section 8 apartment complex ready to be constructed. Because nobody’s paying attention ton and fighting it.

Posted by: Lake America

It's not quite that cut and dried, unfortunately--in many areas with a distinct lack of housing inventory there are also zoning and regulatory burdens that are making building anything nearly impossible, which is great for the property values of owners but sucks for anyone trying to acquire housing and still have a few cents left over for niceties like food and such. A mix of types to work with existing neighborhoods would be helpful, but unfortunately you get opposition to most solutions.

I get the association, but it's not some magical effect of the high-density housing that causes the problems. Maybe try dealing with the troublemakers directly...and overhaul all those "civil rights" laws that have less to do with spreading liberty and more to do with destroying accountability...

Posted by: Brother Tim (102mm/W59), Keeper of the Tim Continuum at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (OUMaO)

193 Aloha kakahiaka, Ellipsis. : )

Compared to God, none of us are good enough. ; )

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (Rln0i)

194 Just surfed over to airplaneboneyards dot com

Info about retired military and commercial aircraft stored here in the states and overseas.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 31, 2026 12:00 PM (2Cry5)

195 You're missing another founder: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other"

Posted by: Formerly Virginian
======
I don't use that quote because Adams himself backed off of it after seeing the aftermath of the American Revolution. See his lesser known and much later Defense of the Constitutions of the United States (when he was US ambassador to England). Even during the war, he and his cousin Sam was forced to realize reality when his idea that voluntary militiamen and trying to repeat Bunker Hill again and again simply could not beat the British.

We needed a permanent national army aka the Continentals and they were not going to risk life and limb without some guarantee that they would get something, land , retirement pay, etc. in the end.

Public spirit only takes you so far, working in the direction of self interest, as Adam Smith observed, takes you a lot further.

So the incentives have to be changed to emphasize better behavior rather than depend on some innate virtue.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 12:00 PM (E4rtv)

196 According to a report from the Council on Criminal Justice, homicide fell 17% and other violent crimes dropped between 10% and 24% in 30 U.S. cities during the first half of 2025, attributing these declines to ICE removing "the worst of the worst."

https://tinyurl.com/drjzpabp

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at August 31, 2026 12:00 PM (2Ez/1)

197 Wright-Patterson has the B29 that dropped the Nagasaki bomb.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at August 31, 2026 12:01 PM (XvL8K)

198 I recently watched an Indian documentary on NF about the final retirement of their last Mig-21 squadrons in 2025. It first flew in 1955. The doc was surprisingly interesting. It was clear that the pilots felt a real bond with that aircraft.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 12:01 PM (Riz8t)

199 > A B-29 just flew low over my home. Absolute beauty in form and sound
-----------------

Once at the USAF museum I saw a group of Japanese tourists posing for pictures around Bock's Car and a replica of Fat Man.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (WtXXf)

lol

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at August 31, 2026 12:01 PM (dK+Kv)

200 >>>as you can see by local governments in TX spending the taxpayers into penury.
Posted by: Cow Demon
---

And the taxpayers keep voting to raise taxes.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at August 31, 2026 12:01 PM (vOxCS)

201 And the Karens were all on board. But now I see their latest posts are around "Why has our town become a city?" "Why is their traffic everywhere" "What is with all the petty crime that is just being allowed now" and... "Why does the town want to raise my taxes?!?"
Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (sKqQm)

Uhm it’s all Trump’s fault, silly.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 12:01 PM (iY+4Q)

202 Once at the USAF museum I saw a group of Japanese tourists posing for pictures around Bock's Car and a replica of Fat Man.
Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (WtXXf)
___

It took nukes for them to stop fighting us.

They have every right to be proud, lol.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 12:01 PM (Rln0i)

203 Civil Defense survival instructions were based on Hiroshima-scale bombs delivered by manned bombers to a handful of cities a certain party might reach. They made pretty good sense at that level. The US largely abandoned mass survival strategies in the H-bomb and ballistic missile era.

It was the 1990's before the 'bomb shelter' status was removed from the federal building where my office was. Same water barrels and ration packs as when they went into the tunnel, 1965, and I suspect they were moved there from the former federal building. I managed to score a sign, a geiger counter, and the alarm button boxes. I retired not long after that. "Didn't feel safe."

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at August 31, 2026 12:03 PM (zdLoL)

204 >>>as you can see by local governments in TX spending the taxpayers into penury.
Posted by: Cow Demon
---

And the taxpayers keep voting to raise taxes.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at August 31, 2026 12:01 PM (vOxCS)

That's usury the case.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, Turnming Japanese at August 31, 2026 12:03 PM (dK+Kv)

205 get the association, but it's not some magical effect of the high-density housing that causes the problems

—

Yeah it pretty much is. Apartments are populated by transient people who give zero fucks about their neighborhood. And generally speaking renters are on the lower end of income. No, not every renter is a poor deadbeat. But a poor dead eat is usually a renter.

When you bring a lot of apartments into an area the area turns to shit.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (iY+4Q)

206 Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 11:59 AM (Rln0i)

I just meant compared to you but Amen.

Posted by: ... at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (eZQ1g)

207 It's not quite that cut and dried, unfortunately--in many areas with a distinct lack of housing inventory there are also zoning and regulatory burdens that are making building anything nearly impossible

We imported tens of millions of legal and illegal immigrants. They have to live somewhere.

And if we had some discussion on immigration this is something that would have been addressed that by letting these people in:

Rent/Housing prices will go up
Cities will get denser
Towns will become cities
There will be more "suburban sprawl"

but we never had a discussion because the FNM doesn't want to talk about it and the GOPe has been mostly useless

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (sKqQm)

208 As long as federal taxpayers foot the bill for most of the wasteful spending (transit, Medicaid, schools) in the cities, no one cares.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (RIvkX)

209 Have the Moe and Larry japes been made yet? Just got here and jumped right in.

Posted by: tubal at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (Gqar8)

210 We needed a permanent national army aka the Continentals and they were not going to risk life and limb without some guarantee that they would get something, land , retirement pay, etc. in the end.

Public spirit only takes you so far, working in the direction of self interest, as Adam Smith observed, takes you a lot further.

In, IIRC, 1781, Washington despaired of the Revolution, because his soldiers weren't being paid, and he recognized that the "Spirit of '76" that had once motivated them had long since disappeared. He understood that in the long run, eating and supporting your family will come before patriotic fervor.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (Riz8t)

211 189 War on single family homes is also aided by chamber of commerce “conservatives”. More profitable to build up than out. So they love it. It’s an unholy alliance of far left and corporate right which fucks over regular people.
Posted by: Lake America
=========
Yep, with their libertarian economics types that they pay for their support. As in attacks on all zoning laws as an affront to property rights. Instead of viewing them as a historical continuation of what used to be common law disputes--riparian damages for example.

A classic example was yesterday in the news, some citizens in a small town were trying to prevent a dude (appears to be foreign extraction) that bought a single family house and is trying to turn it into a 72 bed nursing home in the midst of a single family neighborhood citing the California law at issue. City issued the initial permit but the legal battle is just beginning.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (E4rtv)

212 The left is fighting a full war on single family housing. They want everyone living in Soviet style apartment blocs.
———-

And they fully explained what they wanted to do in the 1990s, and why. This should not be a surprise. It was bullshit then, too. They won’t shut the fuck up, and they won’t change the subject. This is one reason they’ve been flooding the zone far and wide nationwide with millions of unassimilated “migrants”, it will completely break any local control, budgets, law enforcement, everything. Every thing.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 12:05 PM (IkLDu)

213 Have the Moe and Larry japes been made yet? Just got here and jumped right in.
Posted by: tubal

I made one in the first 10 comments, or thereabouts.

Posted by: Bulg at August 31, 2026 12:06 PM (77rzZ)

214 When you bring a lot of apartments into an area the area turns to shit.
Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (iY+4Q)
====

You are probably presuming rental apartments, I don't think you would expect the same for condo or co-op apartments which are owner-occupied?

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 31, 2026 12:06 PM (RIvkX)

215 the GOPe has been mostly useless

Ah, the eternal verities.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 12:06 PM (Riz8t)

216 This is one reason they’ve been flooding the zone far and wide nationwide with millions of unassimilated “migrants”, it will completely break any local control, budgets, law enforcement, everything. Every thing.
-------------------
Cloward-Piven

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at August 31, 2026 12:06 PM (uPjcb)

217 We imported tens of millions of legal and illegal immigrants. They have to live somewhere.
——

We did no such thing. Not even a little bit. Not no way no how.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 12:07 PM (IkLDu)

218 Posted by: Common Tater at August 31, 2026 12:05 PM (IkLDu)

But imagine if some actual communists get elected as Democrats. In place of these totally sane and reasonable "moderates".

Posted by: ... at August 31, 2026 12:07 PM (eZQ1g)

219 But imagine if some actual communists get elected as Democrats. In place of these totally sane and reasonable "moderates".

Socialism is an open conspiracy against the constitution and should be treated as so.

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (sKqQm)

220 Google AI sez no flying B36s remain.
Well, they would say that, wouldn't they.
They were hard enough to keep flying when they were on duty.

So I suppose a Hustler is out of the question?
You'd have to look real fast.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (zdLoL)

221 And those rotary engines get you going.
Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at August 31, 2026 11:57 AM (dK+Kv)

Radial engines.

Posted by: engine configuration pedant at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (wXgT/)

222 ___

It took nukes for them to stop fighting us.

They have every right to be proud, lol.

Posted by: SMH
---

They are fighters. They respect a good fight.
Better that they are on our side.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (vOxCS)

223 In my very Republican small city the mayor is all about building more density. Nobody asked for it. Nobody wants. But fuck you tax paying citizens we know what’s best for you is the answer.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (iY+4Q)

224 214 When you bring a lot of apartments into an area the area turns to shit.
Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (iY+4Q)
====

You are probably presuming rental apartments, I don't think you would expect the same for condo or co-op apartments which are owner-occupied?
Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 31, 2026 12:06 PM (RIvkX)

When they are new, all is relatively well. Time passes, maintenance must occur, and owners hate to pay. Also compromises are made in screening of occupants.

Posted by: tubal at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (Gqar8)

225 Socialism is an open conspiracy against the constitution and should be treated as so.
==
Sharing is caring.

Posted by: Every single wine mom, and k -12 teacher BIRM at August 31, 2026 12:09 PM (anL5R)

226 And those rotary engines get you going.
Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at August 31, 2026 11:57 AM (dK+Kv)

Radial engines.

Posted by: engine configuration pedant at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (wXgT/)

Those, too.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, Turnming Japanese at August 31, 2026 12:09 PM (dK+Kv)

227 A classic example was yesterday in the news, some citizens in a small town were trying to prevent a dude (appears to be foreign extraction) that bought a single family house and is trying to turn it into a 72 bed nursing home in the midst of a single family neighborhood citing the California law at issue. City issued the initial permit but the legal battle is just beginning.
Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 12:04 PM (E4rtv)
=====
You have a cite? That's not physically possible.

Max beds the state will license in a single family home is 6.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 31, 2026 12:09 PM (RIvkX)

228 Perhaps a different economic model than cities with a population over a million which seems to be an utter disaster every time.

You don't have to go full Pol Pot to see the better quality of life in cities of 100,000 and better yet in unincorporated parts of Counties.

Posted by: These fish sticks are hard as tits at August 31, 2026 12:09 PM (8YAxX)

229 In my very Republican small city the mayor is all about building more density. Nobody asked for it. Nobody wants. But fuck you tax paying citizens we know what’s best for you is the answer.

He's going to get paid if he allows the increased density and he's going to face a well funded opponent if he doesn't.

Our problems are mostly about incentives because all across the board we incentivize bad behavior.

Posted by: 18-1 at August 31, 2026 12:09 PM (sKqQm)

230 They are fighters. They respect a good fight.
Better that they are on our side.
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at August 31, 2026 12:08 PM (vOxCS)
____

Amen to that.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at August 31, 2026 12:10 PM (Rln0i)

231
You are probably presuming rental apartments, I don't think you would expect the same for condo or co-op apartments which are owner-occupied?
Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 31, 2026 12:06 PM (RIvkX)

If they were owner occupied no, I would not mind as much. But a lot of condos end up as rentals or worse as airbnbs.

Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 12:10 PM (iY+4Q)

232 Socialism is an open conspiracy against the constitution and should be treated as so.
==
Sharing is caring.

Posted by: Every single wine mom, and k -12 teacher BIRM at August 31, 2026 12:09 PM (anL5R)

So is killing commies.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, Turnming Japanese at August 31, 2026 12:10 PM (dK+Kv)

233 They are fighters. They respect a good fight.
Better that they are on our side.

The PRC seems determined to test your hypothesis.

Posted by: Archimedes at August 31, 2026 12:10 PM (Riz8t)

234 Radial engines.

Posted by: engine configuration pedant
---

They had enough trouble with the radials.
_wankel, wankel, wankel

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at August 31, 2026 12:10 PM (vOxCS)

235 Nood.

Posted by: Nazdar at August 31, 2026 12:11 PM (NcvvS)

236 Wolfus,

You have email.

Posted by: pawn at August 31, 2026 12:11 PM (c/R9o)

237 The PRC seems determined to test your hypothesis.

Posted by: Archimedes
---

Talk about heads of state that believe their own propaganda.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at August 31, 2026 12:12 PM (vOxCS)

238 "Doc" of "FiFi", the 2 airworthy B-29s. Have been inside both, but only on the ground. Didn't feel like spending the $$$ for the flight in "Doc".

Posted by: rhomboid at August 31, 2026 12:13 PM (U/Byj)

239 “ Bureau Chief Shamiso Maswoswe“. I see a problem there, most likely.

Posted by: tubal at August 31, 2026 12:13 PM (Gqar8)

240 That shoulda been Doc OR FiFi, of course.

Posted by: rhomboid at August 31, 2026 12:13 PM (U/Byj)

241 175. It’s one of the most under reported stories of what’s happening in the country. One day you too will wake up with a construction crew next door to your suburban home with a section 8 apartment complex ready to be constructed. Because nobody’s paying attention ton and fighting it.
Posted by: Lake America

The practice of creating land preserves, greenbelts, and conservation easements surrounding ultra-wealthy suburban enclaves is a prominent trend across several states. While often framed under the banner of environmentalism, historic preservation, or farmland protection, critics and urban planners note that these preserves frequently act as structural “green walls” that effectively block dense residential or commercial development, maintaining exclusive zoning and sky-high property values.

In Pennsylvania, this is most visible in the affluent Philadelphia Main Line and Chester County (e.g., the massive private-to-public Brandywine Conservancy projects protecting rolling fox-hunting hills), as well as Sewickley Heights outside of Pittsburgh.

Also see the Direct Comparison of Land Preservation Impacts in NJ, NY, VA, CA and Connecticut.

Posted by: L - No nic at August 31, 2026 12:13 PM (NFX2v)

242 I flew two flights from NAS Glenview to Davis-Monthan AFB delivering P-3Bs to the Boneyard. Got a tour by one of the government CS workers driving me and the other pilot around on a golf cart. It's a very cool place.

Posted by: one hour sober at August 31, 2026 12:13 PM (J4Dwc)

243 In, IIRC, 1781, Washington despaired of the Revolution, because his soldiers weren't being paid, and he recognized that the "Spirit of '76" that had once motivated them had long since disappeared. He understood that in the long run, eating and supporting your family will come before patriotic fervor.
Posted by: Archimedes
======
Yep. He was fighting those in Congress that refused to consider half time retirement pay for officers and land grants to the west for soldiers.

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 12:14 PM (E4rtv)

244 30 Our government overall is too big. It needs to be much smaller and much more local.
--------------------------------
USA has a representavie government problem. The ratio of political representives to populace is among the worst in the world. Rather than add more corrupt congresscritters, the solution may be to break up in USA into three or more regional republics. Maybe Civil Ware 2.0 will do that for us!

Posted by: Martin Tell at August 31, 2026 12:19 PM (sFNX2)

245 Max beds the state will license in a single family home is 6.
Posted by: San Franpsycho
--------
They are tearing down the home if they get approval and building a new high density structure.

Fox LA yesterday had the story, 71 units.
https://tinyurl.com/Woodlands-Hills

Posted by: whig at August 31, 2026 12:20 PM (E4rtv)

246 Wright-Patterson has the B29 that dropped the Nagasaki bomb.
Posted by: Biff Pocoroba
------

And the Memphis Belle. Which has local history here.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at August 31, 2026 12:23 PM (XeU6L)

247 Nobody wants to live in a shit hole city/county/state. Except the people who created the shit hole in the first place.

But they too tire of it and move elsewhere to start the shitification process all over.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 31, 2026 11:02 AM (2Cry5)

I call that "The Locust Effect". I live in a deep red state but even here we have those invaders that are sentient enough to see the ruin and flee their failed blue state, just to get here and start voting the same way that fucked up their blue state. They are unreachable. And that drives me nuts because eventually there'll be no more states to flee to. FFS!

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at August 31, 2026 12:23 PM (i2VYc)

248 99% of replies were “maga hates science and fauci is amazeballs”

These are the people who live in cities and vote for people like the mayor of Boston. They are still true believers to this day and will never not believe.
Posted by: Lake America at August 31, 2026 11:47 AM (iY+4Q)

Or bots.

By the way, since the NPC and automated posters are called bots, I will start calling the posts they make, "warbles"

it is fitting

Posted by: Kindltot at August 31, 2026 12:26 PM (rbvCR)

249 Re the Sun Belt cities "not rising to prominence due to the lack of an urban core".. didja ever think maybe they were settled by people leaving " prominent cites with urban cores"? Maybe you get all "culturally significant" like NYC and SF, but you also get at best generational bureaucratic self-interest culture, in the middle the Mafia, and the worst radical leftist socialist foreigners. The elites who can afford the security and the tickets to the "cultural events" may get benefits, but normal people just want to live in sprawling spread out suburbs that aren't regulated for the benefit of the "elites" too much. That seems to be the motif of Sun Belt cities, although a few are getting big enough that big city thinking is starting to metastize

Posted by: Azjaeger at August 31, 2026 12:28 PM (3/XaG)

250 239 “ Bureau Chief Shamiso Maswoswe“. I see a problem there, most likely.
Posted by: tubal at August 31, 2026 12:13 PM (Gqar

Would it be better if they changed their name to Hercules Washington?

Posted by: Eromero at August 31, 2026 12:33 PM (LHPAg)

Processing 0.04, elapsed 0.0484 seconds.
14 queries taking 0.0127 seconds, 258 records returned.
Page size 155 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.