Is One Of The Byproducts Of The Trump Revolution A Return To Simple Competence?

That is a photo of the flight tracker provided by United Airlines to the entertainment system screens. At first glance, it seems fine, except that was on a flight from London to Newark. And the same thing happened two months before on a flight going in the opposite direction.

Is it important? Probably not, unless the data are being pulled from the same systems the pilots use, and processed the same way. My guess is that most commercial pilots, even some of the DEI hires, know the difference between east and west, and know that eastbound London to Newark is a very long and expensive flight, and probably not the best choice.

But the anomaly is still significant, because it is a mistake. Something isn't working correctly, and for at least two months, nobody at United Airlines cared enough to fix it. Or maybe that is a Boeing problem, but it really doesn't matter. A system is not working correctly, and the lack of interest in making things right may be indicative of much larger issues. If they don't care about this seemingly trivial problem, then how do they feel about one that is slightly less trivial?

Our country, led by government, has shifted over the last generation to a culture in which feelings and thoughts are paramount, and the actual results of the efforts (or lack thereof) of people have become secondary. Sure, it's a punchline, but "participation trophies" are also a real thing. A diverse workplace is a more important goal than one filled with the best people, regardless of their melanin content or who or what they slept with last night? Metrics like "how valued do you feel" overwhelm the stuff that used to be important, like objective measures of quality and efficiency.

But the reelection of Donald Trump, and his choices for cabinet and other high-level positions within his administration is sending a strong signal that simple competence is now important. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), as personified by Elon Musk is asking straightforward questions, like: "What do you do here?" "What did you do last week?" "Do you come to work?" "Is your job necessary?"

Shocking...isn't it!

For many reasons, most of which are linked to graft and subverting our traditional political philosophy, the federal government has become a vast make-work program designed to funnel unimaginable sums of money to favored groups, regardless of any connection to what is needed by the citizens of The United States of America!

Is that about to change?

The glimpse into the labyrinth of the federal government that DOGE and Trump's cabinet has allowed us is at least as important as the savings ($55 billion and counting)! That glimpse has shown America that the screeching and wailing that we hear whenever any mention of slowing the expansion of government is simply nonsense, and there is a huge amount of waste, rather than a Potemkin Village of earnest, hard working, dedicated public servants.

The goal of course is to cut waste, and shift toward actual needed functions, performed by minimally competent employees. As obvious as that sounds, that will be a tremendous change in the federal government, and it will lead the way in returning America to a more rational view of employment.

Go to work every day and do your job well. That's not so complicated!

If all goes as planned, the federal government will be a smaller, more nimble, more efficient, and less expensive thing. Which is vastly amusing, because Donald Trump is being accused of being a fascist and a dictator, but how many fascists and dictators shrink government?

All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.

Does that sound like President Trump?

Posted by: CBD at 12:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 that is stating it rather bluntly

Posted by: Kindltot at February 23, 2025 12:00 PM (D7oie)

2 MAGA

Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 12:01 PM (fwDg9)

3 The MSM is still purposely incompetent.

They still haven't publish a photo of the guy who executed the two police officers. And you have to have some good Google fu to find a photo.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:04 PM (VofaG)

4 Ralph Raico, an historical economist, had rather scathing things to say about Italian Fascism, mostly in that when the state is run for the benefit of the industrialists, and the industrialists have a great say in what the state does, the first concern of the state is the greatest margin for the industrialists, and the first goal of the industrialists is to make sure that the state does not forget that.

He also claimed that was a bitter joke since Mussolini's government was incapable of running a gelato stand profitably

Posted by: Kindltot at February 23, 2025 12:04 PM (D7oie)

5 Ive been complaining for years now that we are turning into a nation of 'good enough' instead of the Yankee work ethic in pursuit of excellence and perfection in whatever product you are making or job you are doing. Its one of the things that made America exceptional.

Good Enough is a Third World attitude.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:07 PM (VofaG)

6 Without any context for the screenshot we can't know what is going on.

If the plane took off to the East on departure or was in a holding pattern waiting to land the screen shot could be perfectly normal.

If this happened twice on the same flight number I'd lean towards being in a holding pattern.

Posted by: Rick T at February 23, 2025 12:07 PM (xeXUW)

7 Is it important? I would think so...if flight control told you to set course to XX degrees, and your compass was faulty, what would you do? Break out your sextant, pocket compass?

Posted by: BignJames at February 23, 2025 12:07 PM (Yj6Os)

8 I noticed the same error on the same route last week, along with a claim that we were flying 659 mph into a 90 mph headwind and that "Time At Destination" (Newark) was London time.

That UAL system seems broken. And the female stewardesses are (sadly) about as 29 as I am.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (ioK/c)

9 No matter where you go.... there you are.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (Q4IgG)

10 Apparently Musk is doing a live action recreation of the movie, Office Space. He sent an email to all federal employees, asking them "so what would you say you do around here."

They have been given a deadline of Monday, 11:59PM to respond or be fired.

Frankly, I'm not sure how he is going to be able read all those emails.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (lH8E4)

11 It's not what you produce that's important. It's how hard you try.

/sarc

Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (ZmEVT)

12 If this happened twice on the same flight number I'd lean towards being in a holding pattern.
Posted by: Rick T at February 23, 2025 12:07 PM (xeXUW)

So basically a reversed stopped clock scenario.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:10 PM (lH8E4)

13 It could be correct if going the long way around

Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 12:11 PM (fwDg9)

14 The Goggles says Panasonic Avionics produces the inflight seatback screen stuff for UAL.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 23, 2025 12:11 PM (Y1sOo)

15 Good Enough is a Third World attitude.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:07 PM (VofaG)

"Close enough for government work", has been a slogan for as long as I can remember. And I'm nearly 4 years older than our dear departed Viv.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at February 23, 2025 12:11 PM (dgRL6)

16 It's not what you produce that's important. It's how hard you try.

/sarc
Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (ZmEVT)

You should get your participation trophy up front.

Posted by: BignJames at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (Yj6Os)

17 Burt TC well most will just say
OK, you got me

Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (fwDg9)

18 That UAL system seems broken. And the female stewardesses are (sadly) about as 29 as I am.
Posted by: Huck Follywood
+++
Nowadays if it's coffee, tea, or me, I'm going with the coffee.

Posted by: Florida Peasant at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (Lo97M)

19 Great news.
Joy Reid got canned.
Wonderful day.

Posted by: Redenzo at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (V/pbu)

20 It's not what you produce that's important. It's how hard you try.

/sarc
Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (ZmEVT)

Step One: Everyone gets a trophy!
Step Two: Everyone gets a college degree!
Step Three: Everyone gets a job and a guaranteed paycheck!

Posted by: LASue at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (lCppi)

21 Patel allegedly told his FBI staff not to respond to the emails if they receive for now.. That the FBI will do their own evaluations.

This of course was reported framed to make it look like an internal conflict again with Musk / DOGE.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (VofaG)

22 Great news.
Joy Reid got canned.
Wonderful day.
Posted by: Redenzo at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (V/pbu)

Phrasing?

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at February 23, 2025 12:13 PM (dgRL6)

23 Like the klingon running Rura Penthe said, "work well and you'll be treated well, work badly, and you will die"

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 23, 2025 12:13 PM (VwHCD)

24 Without any context for the screenshot we can't know what is going on.

Posted by: Rick T at February 23, 2025 12:07 PM (xeXUW)

Context? We were flying west and the compass said east.

That's pretty obvious.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:15 PM (mWSu4)

25 osted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at February 23, 2025 12:11 PM (dgRL

That was an insult from the private sector. Now it's part of the private sector too.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:15 PM (VofaG)

26 >>>That UAL system seems broken. And the female stewardesses are (sadly) about as 29 as I am.

I just flew united airlines to san diego from d c.
The last 2 trips I've had on united.Were better than expected, Almost as if they realize that people hate them more than any other airline, And they'd better get their shit together if they want to survive. Also.
There is a huge difference between flying and the steerage and flying economy plus.

Posted by: Archimedes at February 23, 2025 12:15 PM (v+zQF)

27 Joy Reid becomes history during Black History Month.

Posted by: SMOD at February 23, 2025 12:15 PM (GITLP)

28 Burt TC well most will just say
OK, you got me
Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (fwDg9)

I think the email actually said something like "respond with 5 things you accomplished last week."

Which, I would think even the most useless worker drone could come up with five things.

1. I read my emails.
2. I responded to emails.
3. I answered the phone.
4. I made phone calls.
5. I filed paperwork about all the emails and phone calls.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:16 PM (5PP+G)

29
Apparently Musk is doing a live action recreation of the movie, Office Space. He sent an email to all federal employees, asking them "so what would you say you do around here."

They have been given a deadline of Monday, 11:59PM to respond or be fired.

Frankly, I'm not sure how he is going to be able read all those emails.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (lH8E4)

*******
@Elon Musk-

https://tinyurl.com/mvzn5x7a

Posted by: redridinghood at February 23, 2025 12:16 PM (NpAcC)

30 Great news.
Joy Reid got canned.
Wonderful day.
Posted by: Redenzo at February 23, 2025 12:12 PM (V/pbu)

I only ever hear about Joy Reid here, so I have to suffer through all the celebrating today, and probably tomorrow.

So no, not a wonderful day.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:17 PM (5PP+G)

31 According to a “news story” I saw on yahoo just this morning, some random guy who wrote a bio of Musk is claiming (emphatically) that all evidence suggests that Musk’s IQ is between 100 and 110, he has no intellectual achievements of note, and he’s a bad CEO. He’s not competent apparently he just lucked into being the richest guy in the world.

Now I surely don’t believe that wealth is an indication of virtue or intelligence… but in the case of Musk it seems clear there’s some substance there. SpaceX and Tesla are not accidents. Random biographer sounds really jealous

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at February 23, 2025 12:17 PM (/iXAp)

32 >>1. I read my emails.
2. I responded to emails.
3. I answered the phone.
4. I made phone calls.
5. I filed paperwork about all the emails and phone calls.

I filled the coffee pot when I took the last cup.

Posted by: Archimedes at February 23, 2025 12:18 PM (v+zQF)

33 March 4, 2025 ... The Great Revealing .. before Congress

Posted by: SMOD at February 23, 2025 12:18 PM (GITLP)

34 The downside of laying off so many federal employees is there is an upswing in low IQ people running around unemployed in the country and they will most likely turn to a life of crime to support themselves and their 80 or less IQ lifestyles.

Posted by: Baltimore at February 23, 2025 12:19 PM (R/m4+)

35 guy in the world.

Now I surely don’t believe that wealth is an indication of virtue or intelligence… but in the case of Musk it seems clear there’s some substance there. SpaceX and Tesla are not accidents. Random biographer sounds really jealous
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at February

Don’t forget PayPal was his, too. He is no dummy.

Posted by: Piper at February 23, 2025 12:19 PM (GMx4K)

36 I filled the coffee pot when I took the last cup.
Posted by: Archimedes at February 23, 2025 12:18 PM (v+zQF)

See, more than five. Easy peasy!

And if you share a rest room with the gals, just put the seat down. There's another!

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (5PP+G)

37 I remember when Reagon reduced the size government, significantly. The primary metric for 'size' was the number of employees.
Government successfully downsized while contractors went up accordingly. Thought it was pretty stupid at the time but still voted for him in his re-election.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (/lPRQ)

38 That was an insult from the private sector. Now it's part of the private sector too.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:15 PM (VofaG)

One reason why I retired in 2019. Dealing with my fellow engineering folks was one thing, but the people being hired in other departments that affected us, were on another planet when it came to work ethic.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (dgRL6)

39 Remember when there was great upset about the fact that emails could be sent to all federal employers simultaneously?

This is why that was necessary.

Posted by: Archimedes at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (v+zQF)

40 23 Like the klingon running Rura Penthe said, "work well and you'll be treated well, work badly, and you will die"
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 23, 2025 12:13 PM (VwHCD)

Ben Hur… We keep you alive to serve this ship. Row well and live

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (/iXAp)

41 I filled the coffee pot when I took the last cup.
Posted by: Archimedes at February 23, 2025 12:18 PM (v+zQF)
---
"Overachiever!"

--Government drone...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (BpYfr)

42 Apparently Musk is doing a live action recreation of the movie, Office Space. He sent an email to all federal employees, asking them "so what would you say you do around here."

The government employee unions already told their members they don't have to respond because Elon is Hitler.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (QZThv)

43 I see one of the things the left is doing with the constant spate of failures in government and big business is to pretend it started the day Trump was elected and then blame him for uh...firing people not related to the failures. I guess this is the best they can do...

But you can see this reduction in competence in a linear fashion going back decades with an acceleration under Obama.

*OBVIOUSLY* if you hire for something other then competence you will get less of it. The left can't even really argue this, because they constantly argue, correctly, that if you don't hire for "diversity" you won't get as much.

But...diversity is worthless bullshit. No one actually cares if their pilot is black, white, a woman, or gay. They care if that person is the best person to get them safely to their destination

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:21 PM (t0Rmr)

44 The downside of laying off so many federal employees is there is an upswing in low IQ people running around unemployed in the country and they will most likely turn to a life of crime to support themselves and their 80 or less IQ lifestyles.
Posted by: Baltimore at February 23, 2025 12:19 PM (R/m4+)

Think of the liquor store lines alone.

Or weed stores, if you happen to be in one of THOSE states.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:21 PM (5PP+G)

45 Random biographer has an IQ of 90 and thinks that he or she is smarter than the average Joe.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 23, 2025 12:21 PM (ZmEVT)

46 The government employee unions already told their members they don't have to respond because Elon is Hitler.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (QZThv)

Me thinks they need to watch that FaFo video.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 23, 2025 12:22 PM (VwHCD)

47 The government employee unions already told their members they don't have to respond because Elon is Hitler.

Funny thing about that - before WWII at least, and really well into WWII, being a NAZI in good standing was all you needed to get a government job - competence was secondary. This was their version of "diversity".

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:22 PM (t0Rmr)

48 The government employee unions already told their members they don't have to respond because Elon is Hitler.
Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:20 PM (QZThv)

I think of the poor forest rangers, who get their messages by carrier pigeon. Responding by midnight on Monday is going to be a challenge.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:22 PM (5PP+G)

49 Now I surely don’t believe that wealth is an indication of virtue or intelligence… but in the case of Musk it seems clear there’s some substance there. SpaceX and Tesla are not accidents. Random biographer sounds really jealous
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at February 23, 2025 12:17 PM (/iXAp)

Just a quick read of his Wiki page which is biased would contradict that ignorant writer.

He has a degree in Physics and Economics and has 29 patents. makes more than 110 IQ to accomplish either.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:23 PM (VofaG)

50 Or weed stores, if you happen to be in one of THOSE states.

I saw that California recently had the grim milestone that more than half of the weed store licenses issued were for defunct businesses.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:23 PM (QZThv)

51 When I left Boeing, the seat selection was the airline's job. They could have Boeing do it, or contract out. Not sure if today that includes the entertainment systems. I did some early work on the antenna system for bringing in satellite links and that was all Boeing.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:23 PM (W/lyH)

52 Did you read Asimov's Foundation ? Or see the TV show ?

Nothing we can do will prevent the collapse of civilization. They might slow it down a bit, for a short while. The parasites outnumber the hosts.

Posted by: Next2Nothing at February 23, 2025 12:23 PM (tA1/w)

53 The downside of laying off so many federal employees is there is an upswing in low IQ people running around unemployed in the country and they will most likely turn to a life of crime to support themselves and their 80 or less IQ lifestyles.

You don't need a high IQ to provide goods and services people you want. But...if for the last decade your job has been spending 30m reading emails and an hour going to zoom meetings, well, there aren't really any private sector jobs that work like that

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:24 PM (t0Rmr)

54 Funny thing about that - before WWII at least, and really well into WWII, being a NAZI in good standing was all you needed to get a government job - competence was secondary. This was their version of "diversity".
Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:22 PM (t0Rmr)

Not true! I hear tell you had to be a free speech champion as well. It's what the nazzies are most famous for.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:24 PM (5PP+G)

55 I find hope and solace in the fact that Milei, Musk, King Harv, and a polar bear are all running around with chainsaws.

Posted by: Harry Homelite at February 23, 2025 12:24 PM (G5+As)

56 I want to see all of the replies from congress to Musk's email.

They're Feds too.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 23, 2025 12:24 PM (Q4IgG)

57 I think of the poor forest rangers, who get their messages by carrier pigeon. Responding by midnight on Monday is going to be a challenge.

The rangers hung a giant American flag upside down on El Capitan to #Resist #LiterallyHitler #SoStunningSoBrave.

They weren't happy when people pointed out MSNBC saying hanging a flag upside down was an illegal insurrection when one of the SCOTUS judges' wives did it.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:24 PM (QZThv)

58 But...diversity is worthless bullshit. No one actually cares if their pilot is black, white, a woman, or gay. They care if that person is the best person to get them safely to their destination

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:21 PM (t0Rmr)

I don't give a shit if he, she, it looks like it crawled out of the star wars bar in Mos Eisley. Fly the plane without going high speed dirt.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 23, 2025 12:25 PM (VwHCD)

59 When I left Boeing, the seat selection was the airline's job. They could have Boeing do it, or contract out.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:23 PM (W/lyH)

I am not concerned by the error...sh*t happens, and most systems will fail eventually.

It's that nobody at United gives a sh*t!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:25 PM (mWSu4)

60 Hanging the flag upside-down used to mean the ship was in distress.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 23, 2025 12:26 PM (ZmEVT)

61 They have been given a deadline of Monday, 11:59PM to respond or be fired.

Frankly, I'm not sure how he is going to be able read all those emails.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (lH8E4)

My thought as well. Maybe it is just an exercise to make people think.

Posted by: javems at February 23, 2025 12:27 PM (8I4hW)

62 I saw that California recently had the grim milestone that more than half of the weed store licenses issued were for defunct businesses.
Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:23 PM (QZThv)

If I can pause and be serious for a moment, it should surprise no one that when Californica legalized weed businesses, many of those folks who had been doing just fine, growing, harvesting, and selling the stuff for decades, went out of business. Because of taxes and government regulations.

Ironically, Californica legalization did more to curb the weed biz than decades of interdiction by law enforcement.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:27 PM (5PP+G)

63 I am sure whatever compass simulator they are using has a bunch of different display options. It may be set to "airplane mode" and on planes (and boats) the compass is often read from the side, not the top, with the direction of travel indicated on the side nearest to you. If you put that in the vertical 2D of a screen,I suppose direction of travel would be on the bottom. It might make sense to somebody using a flight simulator that understood what they were looking at, but a silly choice to put on a public display. My guess is that compass simulator was just plugged into the software from a off the shelf game routine by somebody with no clue about going anywhere without an Uber.

Posted by: BrianH at February 23, 2025 12:27 PM (gI5Ey)

64 Does Random biographer work for Random House?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 23, 2025 12:27 PM (63Dwl)

65 BTW… employees should be not only competent in their specific job duties but also (perhaps just as important) be competent in dealing with people and working on a team.

This work with a lady who’s a pretty good engineer, but she’s an emotional mental basket case who regularly melts down in meetings and creates drama. It’s exhausting… in a sane company she’d be fired or shuffled off to a job where she’s always alone in some computer lab. I strongly suspect the company puts up with her antics because she’s a female and is quite aggressive in getting HR involved in lots of situations

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at February 23, 2025 12:28 PM (/iXAp)

66 You're going the wrong way!!!!!!

Posted by: Weasel at February 23, 2025 12:28 PM (iu4Pw)

67 On Elon's IQ, remember those people said Barky's was the highest of any President

Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 12:28 PM (fwDg9)

68 I ran across an interesting thread on housing prices. It followed the normal pattern of a younger person complaining that a generation or two housing prices were lower (which is true) but this person then followed up with "and don't tell me this is just because my generation gets married later if at all".

Now housing prices have a number of obvious causes that people on the left don't want to talk about:

Demand: More immigrants mean more demands for housing means higher prices
Supply: Restricting where and how houses can be built reduces the supply and therefore increases the price
Inflation: Inflation directly increases the price of everything

But someone pointed out another problem with demand I hadn't included in my analysis before - if people are marrying later and less of course that will also increase demand. If the size of family units go down that will mean more demands for housing - basically the man and woman married at 20 needed one dwelling for the rest of their lives, whereas the man and woman that never cohabitate will always need 2 dwellings.

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:28 PM (t0Rmr)

69 They still haven't publish a photo of the guy who executed the two police officers. And you have to have some good Google fu to find a photo.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:04 PM (VofaG)

Speaking of incompetence, the word is "murdered". If you want to elaborate, and call it an "execution-style slaying", that's OK, too.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (8zz6B)

70 But...diversity is worthless bullshit. No one actually cares if their pilot is black, white, a woman, or gay. They care if that person is the best person to get them safely to their destination

Right. It's self evident that in 99% of businesses diversity isn't going to move the needle. If you hire a black guy who really knows his shit and does great work, it's because he really knows his shit, not because he's black.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (QZThv)

71 Ironically, Californica legalization did more to curb the weed biz than decades of interdiction by law enforcement.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:27 PM (5PP+G)

Nonsense. Illegal marijuana has boomed in CA since legalization. The market size increased, and the illegal trade can undercut the legal trade.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (mWSu4)

72 9 No matter where you go.... there you are.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (Q4IgG

And everybody has a place.
'Cept thems that what got no place.
They just run around on other people's places.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (W/lyH)

73 on’t forget PayPal was his, too. He is no dummy.
Posted by: Piper at February 23, 2025 12:19 PM (GMx4K)

he started a few tech companies that were bought or merged. I think he started the company that merged to become PayPal was started with his brother.

What I find interesting is I think he started the idea of Space X prior to Tesla. He went to Russia to attempt to buy Launch rockets but was refused so he used his money from the sell of his tech companies to make his own rockets. Almost bankrupted him. But he's a honey badger and doesn't care.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (VofaG)

74 My thought as well. Maybe it is just an exercise to make people think.
Posted by: javems at February 23, 2025 12:27 PM (8I4hW)

My honest belief is that Elon Musk is still something of an adolescent. A very smart adolescent, but an adolescent nonetheless.

This looks like a massive trolling. A response to all the criticisms he's gotten. For all we know, he DID just rewatch Office Space before he did this.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (5PP+G)

75 10 Apparently Musk is doing a live action recreation of the movie, Office Space. He sent an email to all federal employees, asking them "so what would you say you do around here."

They have been given a deadline of Monday, 11:59PM to respond or be fired.
Frankly, I'm not sure how he is going to be able read all those emails.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (lH8E4)

Any response at all will probably be acceptable - even "I posted 1500 replies on twitter last week, that's what I did!"

The reason behind this is the suspicion that there are thousands of federal paychecks going to employees who don't actually exist, the money just goes to dummy accounts that someone else can skim. That's why the threat to fire anyone who doesn't answer.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM (wyMQY)

76 Nonsense. Illegal marijuana has boomed in CA since legalization. The market size increased, and the illegal trade can undercut the legal trade.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (mWSu4)

You just don't know what you're talking about.

As usual.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM (5PP+G)

77 "What did you do last week?"

You know who else demanded that government employees document what they were doing?

Posted by: Zombie Adolph Hitler! at February 23, 2025 12:31 PM (uxCna)

78 I strongly suspect the company puts up with her antics because she’s a female and is quite aggressive in getting HR involved in lots of situations

At a lot of companies managers are given specific diversity targets. Firing a woman is a step backward and will come up at the manager's review.

Especially if you have a competent female engineer they will never, ever fire her even if she is a bitch and a half and pisses off her co-workers.

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:31 PM (t0Rmr)

79 My thought as well. Maybe it is just an exercise to make people think.

The popular theory on X is that he's repeating how they found USAID: issue a fairly anodyne request, and see who screams all out of proportion about it. They get the next root canal.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:31 PM (QZThv)

80 Speaking of gummint inefficiency, Nidal Hassan is still drawing breath. Yes, I know it's the military justice system.

Posted by: Target Practice at February 23, 2025 12:32 PM (G5+As)

81 The reason behind this is the suspicion that there are thousands of federal paychecks going to employees who don't actually exist, the money just goes to dummy accounts that someone else can skim. That's why the threat to fire anyone who doesn't answer.

The left has spent a lot of time creating fake voters. It would be a shock if they didn't create a bunch of fake government workers as well. And since this is the first time since the cold war there has been a serious audit of fedgov we are talking 30 years of corruption...

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:32 PM (t0Rmr)

82 24 Without any context for the screenshot we can't know what is going on.

Posted by: Rick T at February 23, 2025 12:07 PM (xeXUW)

Context? We were flying west and the compass said east.

That's pretty obvious.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:15 PM (mWSu4)
***

OR....
The picture was taken at the exact moment the UFO bit the airplane with the sensor beam, causing the electronics to go all screwy.
I'm thinking you dodged a real bullet there.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:33 PM (W/lyH)

83 OR....
The picture was taken at the exact moment the UFO bit the airplane with the sensor beam, causing the electronics to go all screwy.
I'm thinking you dodged a real bullet there.

A strong EM field will do the same thing...

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:33 PM (t0Rmr)

84 The reason behind this is the suspicion that there are thousands of federal paychecks going to employees who don't actually exist, the money just goes to dummy accounts that someone else can skim. That's why the threat to fire anyone who doesn't answer.
Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM (wyMQY)

That's possible. I assume they made a provision in their algorithm for people like janitors who presumably don't use email at work.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:34 PM (5PP+G)

85 The picture was taken at the exact moment the UFO bit the airplane with the sensor beam, causing the electronics to go all screwy.
I'm thinking you dodged a real bullet there.

CBD would be ruined if the aliens anal probed him with maple syrup.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:34 PM (QZThv)

86 peaking of incompetence, the word is "murdered". If you want to elaborate, and call it an "execution-style slaying", that's OK, too.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (8zz6B)

WTF? why the unnecessry and petty insult ?

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:34 PM (VofaG)

87 Make white guys great again.

Posted by: WHIGGAS at February 23, 2025 12:34 PM (dg+HA)

88 If all goes as planned, the federal government will be a smaller, more nimble, more efficient, and less expensive thing. Which is vastly amusing, because Donald Trump is being accused of being a fascist and a dictator, but how many fascists and dictators shrink government?

Remember, to the left fascist just means "something that does or says things I really don't like"

See also racist, sexist, transphobe, homophobe, etc etc

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:34 PM (t0Rmr)

89 I was very pleased to see that Trump is going to make Kash Patel the Acting Director of ATF, as well as head of the FBI. This is fantastic news, because first, it requires no senatorial confirmation, and second it is exactly what you would do if your goal was to do away with the ATF and fold its functions into the FBI.

With this one move, Trump may be making the big change in Gun Control laws and enforcement that we've wanted.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:35 PM (wyMQY)

90 It's that nobody at United gives a sh*t!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:25 PM (mWSu4)

One reason I quit flying them years ago. That and I had no where to go. But mostly because I had no where to go.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:35 PM (W/lyH)

91 Does that sound like Trump? No, amico mio, sembra il Duce.

Posted by: Ries Gorthanes at February 23, 2025 12:36 PM (7F3TY)

92 Shortcomings of the airlines are nothing new. They precede DEI.
I have been on commercial airplanes that have had wing flap actuary pontoons missing, several continuous rivets missing on upper wing panels, my passenger seat not anchored to the floor (only one fastener attatched)... I could go on. These have all been reported to the flight attendants without their concern (blowing it off).

Posted by: john at February 23, 2025 12:36 PM (nEWxZ)

93 You know who else demanded that government employees document what they were doing?
Posted by: Zombie Adolph Hitler! at February 23, 2025 12:31 PM (uxCna)

To be honest, I've had supervisors who were so useless, they would ask for a list of things I did during the day. Which should have been obvious.

So I would make sure, when I responded (which sometimes I didn't) to mention the amount of time I wasted, telling them what I did.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:37 PM (5PP+G)

94 83 OR....
The picture was taken at the exact moment the UFO bit the airplane with the sensor beam, causing the electronics to go all screwy.
I'm thinking you dodged a real bullet there.

A strong EM field will do the same thing...
Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:33 PM (t0Rmr)

Like a target tracking radar???

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:37 PM (W/lyH)

95 Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms should be a convenience store.

Posted by: Stuff Chris Plante sez at February 23, 2025 12:37 PM (dg+HA)

96 As usual.
Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM

Everything I've read agrees with CBD.

I'll go further and state that, IMNSHO, that CBD's correct average is .983 or maybe even higher.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at February 23, 2025 12:37 PM (g07/a)

97 One reason I quit flying them years ago. That and I had no where to go. But mostly because I had no where to go.
Posted by: Diogenes

I hope at least that you were all dressed up.

Posted by: Beau Brummell at February 23, 2025 12:38 PM (G5+As)

98 You know who else demanded that government employees document what they were doing?

The screams of rage that you document the five most important things that you did last week illustrates the yawning gulf between government employment and private employment.

Although the media loves to talk about the Federal employees who maintain high-voltage transmission lines and clear forest trails, 85% of Federal employees work at a desk - or did, but they have been "working from home" for the last five years.

The most entitled group of people on the planet.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 12:38 PM (uxCna)

99 What I find interesting is I think he started the idea of Space X prior to Tesla.

He wanted to compete in the Ansari X Prize. The X Prize turned out to be kind of irrelevant - Burt Rutan (with money from Microsoft's Paul Allen) won but hasn't really done anything with their glider-ish technology.

Elon took the far more conventional route: start with well-proven mechanicals and then add cheap fast computers that can ride the parameters on it much faster than any human to get performance levels considered to be impossible.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:39 PM (QZThv)

100 Patel allegedly told his FBI staff not to respond to the emails if they receive for now.. That the FBI will do their own evaluations.

This of course was reported framed to make it look like an internal conflict again with Musk / DOGE.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth
=====

It really isn't Musk asking questions, nor his highly motivated staff.
It's a crawler whipped-up to poll known employee e-mail ddresses from OPM. Or they just bought them from Chyna as the only thing OPM has to do with day-by-day employee operations is giving their data to others (such as Chyna). This has all the hallmarks of spear-phishing.

Patel recognizes one cannot answer candidly w/o violated long established rules, OPSEC, and all that shit.

If just a test for actual live employees attached to the e-mail, very blase answers should be sufficient. And their direct supervisors would have to direct them to answer as that kind of shit goes into the spam can, no matter if your email is work related or not.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 12:39 PM (/lPRQ)

101 I want to know why the compass has a French Cross in the center? Is this a sign? What does it mean?

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:40 PM (W/lyH)

102 Remember, to the left fascist just means "something that does or says things I really don't like"

See also racist, sexist, transphobe, homophobe, etc etc
Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:34 PM (t0Rmr)

Jimmy Dore posted side by side video of Charlemagne The Dog saying "Of course we should keep calling them fascists, they want to put everyone in camps" before the election, and then after the election ridiculing people for calling Trump a fascist.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:40 PM (5PP+G)

103 The conservative (for Europe) Christian Democratic Union appears to be taking the lead in the elections there. The so-called "far right" Alternative for Deutschland is also making a strong showing.

Naturally, both these are described as "racist" because they want fewer splody-dopes in Germany to murder and rape. Never mind that the co-leader of AfD is a lesbian who is "gay-married" to a woman from Sri Lanka...

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 12:41 PM (W5ArC)

104 Posted by: BrianH

You may be over-thinking it on sideways presentation thing.

If you look right in the middle of the compass in the pic, you'll note that it's a stick figure airplane, meaning it's "flying" in the direction displayed.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 23, 2025 12:41 PM (Y1sOo)

105 Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM (5PP+G)

Sure. Stick with that story if it makes you feel better.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:41 PM (mWSu4)

106 Everything I've read agrees with CBD.

I'll go further and state that, IMNSHO, that CBD's correct average is .983 or maybe even higher.
Posted by: Duncanthrax at February 23, 2025 12:37 PM (g07/a)

Then you didn't read what I said.

He responded with a different thing, that had nothing to do with what I said.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:41 PM (5PP+G)

107 The left has spent a lot of time creating fake voters.
Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:32 PM

There is much wailing and gnashing of fangs over at DU over the 6 million Biden voters who didn't show up to vote for Kamala!.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at February 23, 2025 12:41 PM (g07/a)

108 Jimmy Dore posted side by side video of Charlemagne The Dog saying "Of course we should keep calling them fascists, they want to put everyone in camps" before the election, and then after the election ridiculing people for calling Trump a fascist.

What percentage of Branch Covidians wanted to put purebloods in concentration camps? I think it was something like 2/3s.

Then the same people scream Trump not giving them money is the same as the Holocaust.

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:41 PM (t0Rmr)

109 German election exit polls (polls are closed)

The Left is getting clobbered. AfD, characterized as extreme right by the current junta, received 19.6% (+9.2%). Merkel's old party, the CDU/CSU got 29% (+4.5). The SPD, the current Left coalition leader whose government that failed received 16% (-9.7%). Ouch. The Greens got 13.3% (-1.4%). After that are a number of minor parties that will probably factor in when The coalition government is cobbled together.

The message I read is Germans are fed up with all this left-wing bullshit such as open borders and loopy climate change policies. The challenge now is the CDU/CSU has to form a party with a coalition of three parties of which one is ideologically not aligned with their center right approach. Still, this looks like a sea change election upon which the populist right that reflects the will of the people didn't build on.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at February 23, 2025 12:42 PM (Q8Bj8)

110 Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM (5PP+G)

Sure. Stick with that story if it makes you feel better.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:41 PM (mWSu4)

I understand you, Charlie. I'm certain that bothers you.

You could just let it go, but it's not in your nature.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:42 PM (5PP+G)

111 I want to know why the compass has a French Cross in the center? Is this a sign? What does it mean?
Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:40 PM

It means we will taunt you some more if you don't go away.

Posted by: French Castle Guards at February 23, 2025 12:43 PM (g07/a)

112 The conservative (for Europe) Christian Democratic Union appears to be taking the lead in the elections there.

Angela Merkel was in the CDU, and let millions of Muslims into Germany as Chancellor.

She was "conservative" in the same sense that Jeb Bush is "conservative".

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 12:43 PM (uxCna)

113 The stupidest person on television, Joyless Reid: GONE. Her show has been canceled.

Now if they'll just do the same for Rachel Madcow and Chunk Uglier...

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 12:43 PM (W5ArC)

114 The conservative (for Europe) Christian Democratic Union appears to be taking the lead in the elections there. The so-called "far right" Alternative for Deutschland is also making a strong showing.

The most recent numbers I've seen are

30% CDU
21% AfD

Since nominally they share most goals they want obviously form a coalition with the CDU moderating the AfD (which is also honestly too moderate).

But...because the CDU is controlled opposition I suspect the end results of the election will be to basically give power to the SPD (Socialists) or maybe even Linke (the people that ran communist Eastern Germany)

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:44 PM (t0Rmr)

115 > Angela Merkel was in the CDU,

Operative term: "was".

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 12:44 PM (W5ArC)

116 osted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 12:39 PM (/lPRQ)

everything you said is accurate and Musk reveals that by saying almost any response would be sufficient.

Patel knows that but the point is the MSM is reporting it to frame it as a conflict.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:44 PM (VofaG)

117 WTF? why the unnecessry and petty insult ?

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:34 PM (VofaG)

That is one of my hot buttons, Sebastian. Leftards love to use the word "execute" in situations like that, because they endorse the killing of cops. It's antifa talk, and we should be better than this. I know you are not a Leftard, so it comes down to sloppy usage. We are constantly inundated with that sort of sloppy usage from the Enemy Media, so it's easy mistake to make, but we must be vigilant.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 12:44 PM (8zz6B)

118 Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM (5PP+G)

Actually, CA legal sales have dropped every year since 2021. If you are stupid enough to assume that total consumption is down even more, then I can't do anything about that.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:44 PM (mWSu4)

119 100 Patel allegedly told his FBI staff not to respond to the emails if they receive for now.. That the FBI will do their own evaluations.

This of course was reported framed to make it look like an internal conflict again with Musk / DOGE.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth

Agree, an agency that's competently managed doesn't need to be part of this, it can find fake employees on it's own. In the tech thread this morning, I mentioned that one of the scandals that came to light after Hurricane Katrina was when N.O. tried to get all 1400 of its Police officers to report for emergency duty, and no more than 800 or 900 could ever be found. Turned out the rest were fictitious and their paychecks, funded by a federal grant, went into a slush fund controlled by the Mayor, the DA, and the Chief of Police.

That's the kind of thing DOGE is looking for.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:45 PM (wyMQY)

120 A little known factoid:
When an aircraft come up for a major service, most airlines contract the job to companies in...Mexico. That in and of itself isn't a big deal, but it begs two questions: who does the signoff on the maintenance work; and where does AeroMexico send their airplanes???

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:45 PM (W/lyH)

121 Now if they'll just do the same for Rachel Madcow and Chunk Uglier...

I thought Maddow *was* gone and Chunk Yogurt was a podcaster.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:45 PM (QZThv)

122 I suspect the story of how Merkel rose to the top of the CDU is very similar to the story of how Denis Hastert rose to the top of the GOP

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:45 PM (t0Rmr)

123 Rats! I missed the jigsaw puzzle thread yesterday - I love the OLD wooden puzzles from companies like Pastime. Very hard to find, and very pricey. But each one is a piece of history and very artistic - lots of whimsy pieces, and each piece is uniquely shaped.

There is a company in Colorado called Liberty Puzzles that has renewed interest in this type of puzzle. Rather than using jigsaw to cut the pieces, they use lasers, so the puzzles all have a smoky smell to them.

I have more puzzles than I am ever going to be able to finish in my !ifetime....

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at February 23, 2025 12:45 PM (SRRAx)

124 All within the party, nothing outside the party, nothing against the party.

Posted by: Jay at February 23, 2025 12:46 PM (zhWvq)

125 and where does AeroMexico send their airplanes???

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:45 PM (W/lyH)

India?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:46 PM (mWSu4)

126 and where does AeroMexico send their airplanes???

You're assuming AeroMexico does maintenance.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:46 PM (QZThv)

127 The most recent numbers I've seen are

30% CDU
21% AfD

Since nominally they share most goals they want obviously form a coalition with the CDU moderating the AfD (which is also honestly too moderate).

But...because the CDU is controlled opposition I suspect the end results of the election will be to basically give power to the SPD (Socialists) or maybe even Linke (the people that ran communist Eastern Germany)

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 12:44 PM (t0Rmr)

An interesting possibility is that the recent stabbing sprees in the EU may boost AFD's results a good bit.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:46 PM (wyMQY)

128 > I thought Maddow *was* gone and Chunk Yogurt was a podcaster.
Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:45 PM (QZThv)

Nope. Madcow is still on MSNBC and Uglier's show is on several of the major streaming services.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 12:47 PM (W5ArC)

129 Trump fired the guy at the FAA who ensures accuracy on inflight, back-of-seat compass heading displays.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 23, 2025 12:47 PM (Y1sOo)

130 I suspect the story of how Merkel rose to the top of the CDU is very similar to the story of how Denis Hastert rose to the top of the GOP

It's crazy that a literal former Stasi ended up running Germany after the Cold War. Then again, the US was run by a Muslim 7 years after 9/11.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:48 PM (QZThv)

131 I hope at least that you were all dressed up.
Posted by: Beau Brummell at February 23, 2025 12:38 PM (G5+As)

These days i use only pants optional airlines.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:48 PM (W/lyH)

132 Olaf Scholz, the SPD leader, has declared the election a bitter result and that the SPD will never work with the "far right". Basically the SPD has learned all the wrong lessons from this shellacking and is going to plow ahead with all their failed policies. Good luck with that, especially when German citizens can look to the United States and see what Trump is up to, who in the eyes of the SPD is to the right of Germany's the right.

Sanity is starting to prevail in Germany.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at February 23, 2025 12:49 PM (Q8Bj8)

133 > Olaf Scholz, the SPD leader, has declared the election a bitter result and that the SPD will never work with the "far right".

We're perfectly fine with that. See ya', comrade.

Posted by: The German "Far Right" at February 23, 2025 12:49 PM (W5ArC)

134 "even some of the DEI hires, know the difference between east and west"
That is a bold assumption.

Posted by: boynsea at February 23, 2025 12:50 PM (n6wI5)

135 133 > Olaf Scholz, the SPD leader, has declared the election a bitter result and that the SPD will never work with the "far right".

The key word here is "right" sorry buddy

Posted by: It's me donna at February 23, 2025 12:51 PM (VE6XX)

136 61 They have been given a deadline of Monday, 11:59PM to respond or be fired.

Frankly, I'm not sure how he is going to be able read all those emails.

Posted by: BurtTC at February 23, 2025 12:08 PM (lH8E4)

My thought as well. Maybe it is just an exercise to make people think.
Posted by: javems at February 23, 2025 12:27 PM (8I4hW)

He won't.
Nonresponses will be highlighted and investigated by Elon's team.
Responses will be also sent to bosses. Bosses will have to verify actual work done and assigned to their boss, and then their boss. Discrepancies will be noted and sent on.
So, that part of the work will be done for Elon's team without them.

Posted by: Nova Local at February 23, 2025 12:51 PM (exHjb)

137 everything you said is accurate and Musk reveals that by saying almost any response would be sufficient.

Patel knows that but the point is the MSM is reporting it to frame it as a conflict.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth

I suppose then that internally the 'leadership' (Patel, etc.) will disseminate through their email systems to answer in non-specific ways... Because we all know that FBI physically comment on active cases.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 12:52 PM (/lPRQ)

138 *We are constantly inundated with that sort of sloppy usage from the Enemy Media, so it's easy mistake to make, but we must be vigilant.*

I prefer to use the term "government schools."

It always starts with the language.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at February 23, 2025 12:52 PM (dg+HA)

139 I suppose then that internally the 'leadership' (Patel, etc.) will disseminate through their email systems to answer in non-specific ways... Because we all know that FBI physically comment on active cases.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 12:52 PM (/lPRQ)

The other way to handle it is for Doge to just say "Okay, Patel's dep't is exempt."

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:53 PM (wyMQY)

140 > 134 "even some of the DEI hires, know the difference between east and west"
That is a bold assumption.
Posted by: boynsea at February 23, 2025 12:50 PM (n6wI5)

Hell, they don't even know the difference between men and women.

Speaking of language that plays into their hands... I think we need to stop using "gender" altogether. Human beings do not have "genders". They have sexes, of which there are exactly two.

Posted by: The German at February 23, 2025 12:53 PM (W5ArC)

141 Because we all know that FBI physically comment on active cases.

There's a decent chance Kash is gonna take an axe to at least some of the active cases. Like recalling the agents assigned to watch Bergdorf's in case Trump decides he no longer likes Melania, he wants E. Jean.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:53 PM (QZThv)

142 I just saw a brief video of Creepy Senile Joe with a big bruise on his face.

Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at February 23, 2025 12:54 PM (SXxzC)

143 JOB HUNTING? ... Mike Rowe is not only the host of the TV show "Dirty Jobs", he also has a foundation to help businesses recruit workers and to help people to find jobs ... There's also a tab labeled "Scholarships" which looked interesting ... More information can be found at MIKEROWEWORKS-DOT-ORG

Posted by: Kathy at February 23, 2025 12:55 PM (qpw89)

144 Seen on Insty just now: the UK has decided to purge straight white men from firefighting. Because that worked really well in California.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:55 PM (QZThv)

145 > Like recalling the agents assigned to watch Bergdorf's in case Trump decides he no longer likes Melania, he wants E. Jean.

I'm betting the pervs who chortled while messing with Melania's underwear drawer are gone.

Posted by: The German at February 23, 2025 12:55 PM (W5ArC)

146 I washed my hands after I used the potty.

Posted by: Useless govt worker. at February 23, 2025 12:55 PM (BV96/)

147 The CDU leading the German government is effectively going to be more of the same but with marginally better policies. They strike me as being, in American terms, the GOPe Wing of the Uniparty. Trying to form a three or four-way coalition means a German government is useless. Trump is dead right to diminish entanglements with the EU.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (Q8Bj8)

148 Seen on Insty just now: the UK has decided to purge straight white men from firefighting. Because that worked really well in California.

Am I strong enough to move your husband if he is in trouble? Well, if he got himself in trouble he is going to have to get himself out.

Posted by: Some CA lesbo fire chief at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (t0Rmr)

149 > 142 I just saw a brief video of Creepy Senile Joe with a big bruise on his face.
Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at February 23, 2025 12:54 PM (SXxzC)

Harry Reid left his exercise equipment to Joe in his will.

Posted by: The German at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (W5ArC)

150
It always starts with the language.

True dat!

Posted by: Hrothgar at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (hOUT3)

151 Boy, I wish I would have had one of those flight trackers. Would have made the story easier to tell.

Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (gm9Sb)

152 Trump fired the guy at the FAA who ensures accuracy on inflight, back-of-seat compass heading displays.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 23, 2025 12:47 PM (Y1sOo)

I knew it was his fault!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (mWSu4)

153 Speaking of language that plays into their hands... I think we need to stop using "gender" altogether. Human beings do not have "genders". They have sexes, of which there are exactly two.
Posted by: The German at February 23, 2025 12:53 PM (W5ArC)
---
I've been saying this for years. Decades, actually.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 12:57 PM (ZOv7s)

154 I just saw a brief video of Creepy Senile Joe with a big bruise on his face.
Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at February 23, 2025 12:54 PM (SXxzC)

The brute! He's battering his wife's fist again.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 12:57 PM (8zz6B)

155 >>Nonsense. Illegal marijuana has boomed in CA since legalization. The market size increased, and the illegal trade can undercut the legal trade.

Weed is legal in Maine. Maine is also covered with illegal weed farms, most of them Chinese owned.

I don't think it's super wise of the Maine governor to be taunting Happy Fun Trump over guys in girls sports.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 23, 2025 12:58 PM (LkLld)

156 ...He’s not competent apparently he just lucked into being the richest guy in the world.

Now I surely don’t believe that wealth is an indication of virtue or intelligence… but in the case of Musk it seems clear there’s some substance there. SpaceX and Tesla are not accidents. Random biographer sounds really jealous
Posted by: LinusVanPelt

Luck is a major component. With all the "world's richest men" they got lucky and got there first. But the dumb ones get their patents stolen out from under them. The smart ones become billionaire$.

We get one or two every generation.

Good for them...
/Except Bill Gates.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 12:58 PM (/lPRQ)

157 The US Patent & Trademark Office led the way.
Every two weeks you had to justify your existence. Your work output was measured against high goals. Quite stressful, actually.

Back in the day, 1/4 of all federal firings came from the 3,000 or so Patent and Trademark examiners.

It was common to work holidays, weekends, and to take annual leave, then go to work. Because then the clock did not count against you.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 23, 2025 12:58 PM (u82oZ)

158 You mean Germany finished counting votes on election night... Like a proper first world country

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at February 23, 2025 12:59 PM (du1c2)

159 An interesting possibility is that the recent stabbing sprees in the EU may boost AFD's results a good bit.
Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:46 PM (wyMQY)

That and when Hans, the average German, took his family out for schnitzel at the gasthaus (the one that had been on that corner for the last two hundred years) was now owned by Achmed, and the cook, Mustafa, refused to touch the pork for the schnitzel. Plus the bier was nonalcohol.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 12:59 PM (W/lyH)

160 Thx CBD. The definition of fascist for the left has become "anything leftists don't like" .

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (cMcMn)

161 Maybe Elon should pass the word to Kash that even though we are fiscally embarrassed, the Bureau can afford pens instead of pencils on the 302s.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (gm9Sb)

162 I used to drive my eldest to high school and we'd chat on the way while listening to the radio.

Some woman was assaulted on campus while jogging through a woodlot at night and I explained to my daughter that it was very foolish and she was outraged.

Why women have a right to safety!

Uh, no. In all of recorded human history, a woman running in what is effectively underwear through the woods at night was an invitation to disaster.

It is a triumph of civilization that it is even thought of now, but it should never be taken for granted.

We took it for granted. We took lots of things for granted. The notion that wish-fulfillment is some sort of right, has a firm hold over a lot of people, and there will continue to be needless deaths and injuries until things are set right.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (ZOv7s)

163 Was thinking other day we haven't heard a peep from Sundowner

Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (fwDg9)

164 Speaking of language that plays into their hands... I think we need to stop using "gender" altogether. Human beings do not have "genders". They have sexes, of which there are exactly two.

Correct. Gender is a term to describe words in most European language el libro vs la casa

Humans beings have sex - male or female

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (t0Rmr)

165 Itinerant Alley Butcher: I agree completely. As you say, some people just get lucky, but when a person has multiple, repeated successes in unrelated areas (Musk, Steve Jobs), you're right. There's gotta be some genuine moxie there.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:01 PM (W5ArC)

166 I've been saying this for years. Decades, actually.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 12:57 PM (ZOv7s)

Yup. Gender is a grammar term.

Sex is the correct word.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:01 PM (mWSu4)

167
The email demand must be a pass/fail exercise. Those who fail to comply get marked for termination.

That said, I hope Elon has built a special DOGE tracker, because from what one reads, federal systems aren't up to the task of IDing the fails.

But I've gotten kind of lost on the termination thing. What were the terms of the Resign email?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at February 23, 2025 01:02 PM (d51Pj)

168 "...most commercial pilots, even some of the DEI hires, know the difference between east and west..."

THAT is a funny sentence. "Even some"

Posted by: Raspail at February 23, 2025 01:02 PM (dyMss)

169 Itinerant Alley Butcher: I agree completely. As you say, some people just get lucky, but when a person has multiple, repeated successes in unrelated areas (Musk, Steve Jobs), you're right. There's gotta be some genuine moxie there.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:01 PM (W5ArC)

Not necessarily limited to IQ alone. There has to be an intense drive to succeed.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 01:03 PM (8zz6B)

170 The reason behind this is the suspicion that there are thousands of federal paychecks going to employees who don't actually exist, the money just goes to dummy accounts that someone else can skim. That's why the threat to fire anyone who doesn't answer.
Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 12:30 PM (wyMQY)

Let's see...Chuck Schumer, C.Schumer, CU Schumer, Charles Schumer, Chaz Schumer, Chucky Schumer and C Ellis Schumer.

All of these Schumers work at the Department Of The Interior and are all GS-13s?

Posted by: DOGE at February 23, 2025 01:03 PM (R/m4+)

171 I don't think it's super wise of the Maine governor to be taunting Happy Fun Trump over guys in girls sports.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 23, 2025 12:58 PM (LkLld)

But it sure is fun to watch!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:03 PM (mWSu4)

172 Boy, I wish I would have had one of those flight trackers. Would have made the story easier to tell.

Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (gm9Sb)

Nobody under 29 will understand that reference.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (W/lyH)

173 @153 yup, stop funding gender studies, gender reassignment, gender conferences. Everything on the gender world should be defunded

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (cMcMn)

174
"Gender affirming care."

Like an MRE, three lies for the price of one.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (dg+HA)

175 162 Women jogging have the right to a Ruger LCP .380 in their fanny pack.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (gm9Sb)

176 You flat earthers are so dumb. you can totally get from London to Newark by heading east.

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (TuZu+)

177 Correct. Gender is a term to describe words in most European language el libro vs la casa

Humans beings have sex - male or female
Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (t0Rmr)
---
I knew the wokes are about to crash and burn when they tried to create a neuter case for Spanish. Um, no. Classical Latin had a neuter case, but it disappeared in the Vulgate.

German has a neuter case, and basically the gringos were trying to tell Mexicans how to talk.

Note that these were the exact same people advocating cultural sensitivity. Idiots.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (ZOv7s)

178 > Uh, no. In all of recorded human history, a woman running in what is effectively underwear through the woods at night was an invitation to disaster.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (ZOv7s)

Some years back, some stupid European woman decided to hitchhike through the Middle East as an "art project".

Exactly no one with any common sense was surprised when she wound up raped, killed, and dumped in a ditch.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (W5ArC)

179 >>That is a bold assumption.

Based on feedback I'm getting from my old circle of mates, you'll never see me in a passenger seat of a regional airline.

Nor any of my family members, if I'm given any say in the matter.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (Y1sOo)

180 The Compass Points are RACIIIIIIIIIIT !!!!!!

Posted by: Ferd Berfall at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (A2iSa)

181
Why women have a right to safety!

Uh, no.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

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

Yes, they do have a right. Whether it will be respected is the question. (Answer: prepare for No.)

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (d51Pj)

182 137 everything you said is accurate and Musk reveals that by saying almost any response would be sufficient.

Patel knows that but the point is the MSM is reporting it to frame it as a conflict.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth

I suppose then that internally the 'leadership' (Patel, etc.) will disseminate through their email systems to answer in non-specific ways... Because we all know that FBI physically comment on active cases.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 12:52 PM (/lPRQ)

I think Fed law enforcement, intel, and defense agency employees should be exempted. Who knows what they'll write and send and who will have access? The saboteurs could send info they shouldn't then leak it and blame DOGE. Employees may intentionally or carelessly reveal ongoing investigations by FBI, DOJ, Marshal's Service, etc., that if got out of DOGE would harm the investigations.

Posted by: Gref at February 23, 2025 01:05 PM (aBgBM)

183 As I understand it, going into a Latino bar and calling someone "Latinx" is a good way to get your ass kicked.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:05 PM (W5ArC)

184 osted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (ZOv7s)

Tell her about highway men of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 01:06 PM (VofaG)

185 This is about us, isn't it?

Posted by: Women running through the woods in their underwear at February 23, 2025 01:06 PM (dg+HA)

186 Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book called Outliers…. I don’t know if he was right, but his conclusion was that people who were extremely successful the reasons were a combination of hard work, luck (including the accident of being born in a certain era), and a minimal level of intelligence (above average but extremely high IQ not necessary). Fits people like Steve Jobs, Musk and Bill Gates…. Seems a plausible theory

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at February 23, 2025 01:07 PM (WdMlw)

187 I don't think it's super wise of the Maine governor to be taunting Happy Fun Trump over guys in girls sports.
Posted by: JackStraw at February 23, 2025 12:58 PM (LkLld)
---
Their mindless opposition to everything Trump does puts them in a position of saying men are allowed in female locker rooms.

That's a lovely hill to die on, isn't it?

The thing is, the momentum to normal is still building. A year from now there will be open mockery of trannies on mainstream comedies.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:07 PM (ZOv7s)

188 Happened to come across two different national park Facebook pages today and read they’re announcing that the park will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for the foreseeable future. One said due to staff shortages. The libs on those pages are shrieking about Musk and Trump. I don’t think Musk has gotten into the National Park Service yet has he? And isn’t Doug Burnham from North Dakota in charge of the park service as a part of the department of the interior?

Posted by: Jen the original at February 23, 2025 01:07 PM (ATBDX)

189 70 Christians Beheaded by Islamist Militants in DRC, Legacy Media Silent

-
A handful of Christians.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:08 PM (L/fGl)

190 Great essay CBD. The endless push for DEI by the Left has created a incompetence culture where the sole "competence" metrics that matter have exactly nothing to do with classic bottom line achievements and have been replaced with, as one example, showing up to work from time to time in the right skin color.

This is a death spiral that eventually causes everything to grind to a halt, and fall apart. It's the Soviet model where nobody is accountable for anything.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (Q8Bj8)

191 According to msnbc asking people what they did to justify their paycheck is racist. And no im not making it up.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (qswDr)

192 As I understand it, going into a Latino bar and calling someone "Latinx" is a good way to get your ass kicked.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:05 PM (W5ArC)
---
No one even knows how to say it. Is it "latinx" like minx, or latin-x, like Malcolm?

They don't know, because they have room temperature IQs and also don't know anyone outside of gender studies majors.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (ZOv7s)

193 This is about us, isn't it?
Posted by: Women running through the woods in their underwear at February 23, 2025 01:06 PM (dg+HA)

Whose hotter, Hillary wandering around the woods in her underwear after losing in 2016 or Ranae Holland from "Finding Bigfoot"?

Posted by: James Bobo Fay at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (R/m4+)

194 Let's put it this way: if I go into a bar in the bad part of town and get falling-down drunk, while flashing a big roll of hundred dollar bills, I'm very likely to get rolled and dumped in the alley.

Does that make strong-arm robbery okay, or excuse the robber in any way? Of course it doesn't.

But it DOES make me a fucking idiot.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (W5ArC)

195 This is about us, isn't it?
Posted by: Women running through the woods in their underwear at February 23, 2025 01:06 PM (dg+HA)

A Newfie buys him a .303, and heads out into the woods to go hunting. He comes across a naked woman skipping through the woods, "tra-lal tra-la, tra-la". He asks her, "Are you game?" She looks him up and down, and says, "I sure am, Big Boy!"

So he shot her.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (8zz6B)

196
I thought Maddow *was* gone and Chunk Yogurt was a podcaster.
Posted by: Ian S.

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

Maddow is such an eminence that she was preserved for a weekly show. But after November 5, she was deemed to be so essential to the nation's survival that her daily show was revived. MSNBC's brand is so tightly linked to her, I don't see how they could let her go without sinking it.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (d51Pj)

197 According to msnbc asking people what they did to justify their paycheck is racist. And no im not making it up.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (qswDr)
---
I think it's to set up a deadpool for MSNBC and CNN. They are not long for this world.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (ZOv7s)

198 To play devils advocate, during takeoff the plane could go east for a while, before turning west.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (qswDr)

199 Why women have a right to safety!

This is where the left's "right" stuff gets wonky.

Normal people would agree a woman has a right to be unmolested going for a jog but...not everyone agrees with that. Especially our new diverse refugees.

So to leave women mostly safe you can

1) Send the diverse refugees home
2) Hire a ridiculous number of police and give them unlimited power to search/observe anyone that have a concern with

The left claims both ideas are rayciss. So...they've set themselves up to fail to respect this "right".

And TBH this is an area where right leaning politicians should wake up. Every time a diverse refugee commits a crime local right leaning AGs should arrest the local Dem pols for conspiracy, and right leaning executives and legislators should invoke bills to send ALL the diverse refugees home. It doesn't matter if it fails you want to get the public talking about this.

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (t0Rmr)

200
Posted by: Women running through the woods in their underwear at February 23, 2025 01:06 PM (dg+HA)

How ironic!
That was my dream last night!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (W/lyH)

201 Their mindless opposition to everything Trump does puts them in a position of saying men are allowed in female locker rooms.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:07 PM (ZOv7s)

And that will be their downfall. Trump has shifted the Overton Window so far that previously unimaginable ideas are now considered within the realm of rational and sensible policy.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (mWSu4)

202 I'm reading a Robert Crais novel, "Two Minutes."
It's about bank robbers. An ex- FBI agent meets another agent in downtown LA near the FBI building. The author remarks that it's the most expensive real estate in downtown and it's surrounded by huge parking lots. The joke amongst the agents is that it could be sold for a fortune and turned into condos. Maybe Kash reads Robert Crais. He could do this and move the offices to East L.A., where the crime is.

Posted by: M. Gaga at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (KiBMU)

203 Read the accident reports on Apollo 13, American Airlines Flight 191, the Challenger and Columbia debacles, The Kansas City Hyatt walkway collapse, too many bridge collapses to recount, and on and on and on...

"Close enough" and "good enough" and
"Oops, sorry you're dead" has been a fixture in America for way too long.

Posted by: Raspail at February 23, 2025 01:11 PM (dyMss)

204 To play devils advocate, during takeoff the plane could go east for a while, before turning west.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (qswDr)

This was about 60 minutes into the flight. We were over the Atlantic. And it continued this way for the entire flight.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:11 PM (mWSu4)

205 Itinerant Alley Butcher: I agree completely. As you say, some people just get lucky, but when a person has multiple, repeated successes in unrelated areas (Musk, Steve Jobs), you're right. There's gotta be some genuine moxie there.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:01 PM (W5ArC)

I'm no Steve Jobs fan boy but the movie, Jobs was pretty good. Don't know how accurate it is but
even if somewhat accurate it showed Jobs was part of what makes America exceptional.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 01:11 PM (VofaG)

206 Amusingly when I bought my current house I noticed there were women joking/walking alone after dark which told me it was a safe neighborhood.

Of course we've had a few of our Dem pols complain bitterly about how "non-diverse" we are and how unaccepting of "immigrants" the town is...

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:12 PM (t0Rmr)

207 What I find interesting is I think he started the idea of Space X prior to Tesla. He went to Russia to attempt to buy Launch rockets but was refused so he used his money from the sell of his tech companies to make his own rockets. Almost bankrupted him. But he's a honey badger and doesn't care.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (VofaG)

He also makes a far better rocket motor than any Proton now.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 23, 2025 01:12 PM (D7oie)

208 194 David Hogg, getting led into a Southy Bar in Boston by Harvard classmates sick of his shit. "Go ahead, Dave, say it". "I'm David Hogg, I'm queer, and God save the King".

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 23, 2025 01:13 PM (gm9Sb)

209 The Compass was created by White Guys in KKK Robes back in the 1200's or something in Europe and they went to the Africa place for slaves.

They also put into it something to make Pilots of Color fly the wrong way. Given that then the opportunity to fly the wrong way was put into all compass things that the compass would know that the pilot was of color and then calculate the wrong way to fly.

Posted by: Kamal Harris at February 23, 2025 01:13 PM (0oV4I)

210 Tell her about highway men of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 01:06 PM (VofaG)
---
We used to walk through news stories step by step and examine how the person bad things happened to could have avoided them. She was really good at it and then fell in love with a guy who was a drug addict and burned through all her cash, sired two children with her and then took the dirt nap.

You never can tell.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:13 PM (ZOv7s)

211 This is a death spiral that eventually causes everything to grind to a halt, and fall apart. It's the Soviet model where nobody is accountable for anything.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at February 23, 2025 01:09 PM (Q8Bj

Exactly.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:14 PM (mWSu4)

212 In the tech world it’s common to have daily stand up meetings. In these meetings every team member says what they accomplished yesterday and what they plan to accomplish today. And any issues they encountered.

And nobody thinks twice. Because it’s like uhm you pay me to do work and I will tell you the work I’ve done. A very rational thing to do.

Yet somehow asking govt workers the same question is fascism.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:14 PM (qswDr)

213 This was about 60 minutes into the flight. We were over the Atlantic. And it continued this way for the entire flight.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:11 PM (mWSu4)

My guess? Whatever software routine generates the compass image for the seatback displays simply locked up for some unknown reason. Only fix is is to shut off the whole plane and restart it.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 01:15 PM (8zz6B)

214 >> several continuous rivets missing on upper wing panels

Those are speed holes. They make the plane go faster.

Posted by: Boeing Sales Rep at February 23, 2025 01:15 PM (l3YAf)

215 And that will be their downfall. Trump has shifted the Overton Window so far that previously unimaginable ideas are now considered within the realm of rational and sensible policy.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:10 PM (mWSu4)
---
Pritzker defending child mutilation and the off-label use of dangerous hormones is going to be great.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:15 PM (ZOv7s)

216 >>But it sure is fun to watch!

Might get funner.

>>Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ Brother Helped Transfer Nine-Acre Black Market Cannabis Grow to Chinese National “Mother” Living in Guangdong Province: Triad Weed

https://tinyurl.com/mr2yrrb3

Posted by: JackStraw at February 23, 2025 01:17 PM (LkLld)

217 "Good enough for government work" was already a thing when I was growing up. Maybe it originated in FDR's works projects?

But the good enough attitude has grown. Is it because the 'elites' needed an ever dumber, less competent, population as they got dumber and lazier? It it a side effect of importing too many 3rd world folks, and not by enticing the ambitious ones, but by promising free shit to their lazy segment?

Posted by: PaleRider at February 23, 2025 01:17 PM (CKOCg)

218 This was about 60 minutes into the flight. We were over the Atlantic. And it continued this way for the entire flight.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo

The needle was probably stuck. Didn't you tap the screen to unstick it?

Posted by: DEI hire, the smartest! at February 23, 2025 01:17 PM (rdVOm)

219 Pritzker defending child mutilation and the off-label use of dangerous hormones is going to be great.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:15 PM (ZOv7s)

I want him to be the Democrat nominee for president in 2028.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:18 PM (mWSu4)

220 And nobody thinks twice. Because it’s like uhm you pay me to do work and I will tell you the work I’ve done. A very rational thing to do.

Yet somehow asking govt workers the same question is fascism.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:14 PM (qswDr)
---
This is normal everywhere but in the deepest, most useless corners of bureaucratic empires.

Imagine chatting with a colleague at a meeting and them getting offended when you ask them what they do for the company? usually they bend your ear over how important they are.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:18 PM (ZOv7s)

221 Bring me Solo and the Wookiee.

Posted by: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker at February 23, 2025 01:18 PM (W5ArC)

222 Trump has apparently declared war on the small businessman.

Human Smuggler Blames Trump's Border Policies for 80% Decline in Business Since Inauguration

-
Coyotes gotta eat too.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:19 PM (L/fGl)

223 The needle was probably stuck. Didn't you tap the screen to unstick it?

Posted by: DEI hire, the smartest! at February 23, 2025 01:17 PM (rdVOm)

I probably should have looked at the screen from the other side. It would have been pointing in the correct direction then!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:19 PM (mWSu4)

224 Some years back, some stupid European woman decided to hitchhike through the Middle East as an "art project".

Exactly no one with any common sense was surprised when she wound up raped, killed, and dumped in a ditch.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:04 PM (W5ArC)

I think there was a couple not too long ago that were backpacking around the middle east to prove to "haters" how wonderful the people were there. Yup, as you would expect...dead.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 23, 2025 01:19 PM (VwHCD)

225 > I want him to be the Democrat nominee for president in 2028.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:18 PM (mWSu4)

I don't think he'll be doing much "running" or even (as the Brits and Canadians say) "standing".

Is "mobility-scootering" a thing?

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:20 PM (W5ArC)

226 186. Malcolm Gladwell. Outliers. Fascinating theory.

Was Bill Gates brilliant? Or, did he have the good luck to be born within walking distance of the University of Washington computer lab when they would let a 15 year old kid come in at 3 in the morning to play with code when no one else was using the time? Or that his Mom sat on a charity board with the Chair of IBM right at the time IBM was looking for an operating system for its first home computers?

In 1964, were the Beatles young mop-top prodigies or were they the most experienced rock-and-roll band in the world having played 12 hour gigs six days a week for a couple of years in Hamburg?

Posted by: Raspail at February 23, 2025 01:20 PM (dyMss)

227 I've got the rocking pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu.

Pope Francis, SJ, Communist, Nut

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 23, 2025 01:20 PM (gm9Sb)

228 Part of the issue is yuuutes have bought into the anti-work mindset. The left has brainwashed an entire generation into thinking being an employee is akin to slavery. Reddit is full of groups where they talk about how they fuck over their companies, how they do the absolute bare minimum, etc. it’s an us vs them mentality.

I’m Not saying you have to put in 20 hours a week of unpaid overtime. But if you’re paid to do a job fucking do it well. Or don’t work there.

But the mindset now is do as little as possible cuz fuck you capitalism!!! And that’s a bigger problem than DEI, IMO.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:20 PM (qswDr)

229 I think Trump should call their bluff and agree that biological born males can compete in women's sport if they cut off their junk, get breast implants and take estrogen .

They wouldn't agree but it would be fun to hear why.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 01:21 PM (VofaG)

230 Some years back, some stupid European woman decided to hitchhike through the Middle East as an "art project".

I remember a similar story from Morocco.

The cities there are relatively safe for Americans because the government cracks down on ISIS/AQ (probably because we pay them).

Anyway a couple of Euro women decided to go camping in the middle of nowhere, some AQ "volunteer" found them and killed them.

It is amazing how our urbane educated lefty peers know NOTHING about the cultures of people not like them

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:21 PM (t0Rmr)

231 What do I do?!!! I'm a human being! Not a human doing!!!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:22 PM (L/fGl)

232 But the good enough attitude has grown. Is it because the 'elites' needed an ever dumber, less competent, population as they got dumber and lazier? It it a side effect of importing too many 3rd world folks, and not by enticing the ambitious ones, but by promising free shit to their lazy segment?
Posted by: PaleRider at February 23, 2025 01:17 PM (CKOCg)
---
It was the result of midwit kids getting into college using every trick in the book.

I see it all around me. I'm in a college town, professors' kids, civil servants mostly. Lots of lawyers (state capital down the road).

Back in the day, high school was modeled on college. Open campus, demanding curricula, and of course top rankings because it was the children of smart folks.

Same town today: kids are fragile, parents nervous over status, college for everyone, lower standards so even the smart kids phone it in.

Sure, there are still elites but let me just point out that Nate Silver when to my high school. Compare him to another grad, Larry Page.

The decline is obvious.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:22 PM (ZOv7s)

233 Clouds and drizzle on the beach. But I get to have brunch with a moron, so my morning will be lovely.

Cheers!

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 23, 2025 01:22 PM (rkCMe)

234 218. "The needle was probably stuck. Didn't you tap the screen to unstick it?"

Saw Jack Lemon do that in "The China Syndrome". Much badness ensued. Jack ended up shot on the floor of the reactor control room. Oh, and spoiler alert.

Posted by: Raspail at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (dyMss)

235 Since Trump has already shown that he will hire without going by party line, I believe we will see hard working men and women of any color going into good jobs and keeping them. The resistance will dwindle to black women and soi boys that want a participation trophy.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (o5+a9)

236 Asks flight attendant for a Post It note

Writes "264" on it.

Sticks it over the "84"

All better.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (Y1sOo)

237 It is amazing how our urbane educated lefty peers know NOTHING about the cultures of people not like them
Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:21 PM (t0Rmr)
---
That's because its boring and stuff.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (ZOv7s)

238 Part of the issue is yuuutes have bought into the anti-work mindset. The left has brainwashed an entire generation into thinking being an employee is akin to slavery. Reddit is full of groups where they talk about how they fuck over their companies, how they do the absolute bare minimum, etc. it’s an us vs them mentality.

And yet nothing of them will move to a socialist paradise like Cuba nor will they share THEIR stuff with the less fortunate.

I'm reminded of a guy in CHAZ that had his phone stolen and was told by other people in CHAZ that obviously the thief needed it more then he did. Well, this time our young CHAZ-ite disagreed.

Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (t0Rmr)

239 Every captain of industry from Vanderbilt to Bezos had some luck and being in the right place at the right time. Doesn’t take away from their accomplishments.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (qswDr)

240 I knew it was his fault!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (mWSu4)

Investigators in Montreal have determined the crash was not the weather's fault, it was not the pilot's fault, it was the asphalt.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (W/lyH)

241 DOGE Reveals Schools Spent Billions in COVID-Relief Funds on Las Vegas Hotel Rooms, an Ice Cream Truck

-
You survived the great plague, didn't you? Who's to say what would have happened but for that ice cream truck?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:26 PM (L/fGl)

242 FedSloth employee: Im'ma *quiet quit* this job.

DOGE: Resignation accepted.

Posted by: JQ at February 23, 2025 01:26 PM (rdVOm)

243 Investigators in Montreal have determined the crash was not the weather's fault, it was not the pilot's fault, it was the asphalt.
Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (W/lyH)

And that bitch gravity.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:27 PM (qswDr)

244 and read they’re announcing that the park will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for the foreseeable future

Malicious compliance.

As a former head of the Parks Service once said testifying before a Congressional subcommittee, if his budget was cut, the only way he knew of to cut expenses was to close the Washington Monument to the public.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 01:27 PM (uxCna)

245 "The needle was probably stuck. Didn't you tap the screen to unstick it?"

First time I saw a pilot do that, and the needle unstuck, my only thought was, Oh crap!

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:27 PM (W/lyH)

246 Speaking of the Overton Window moving, has anyone noticed more articles being published by ex-gay people?

First Things had a column last month about German man who describes what the gay scene was like, how it warped his mind, and how he learned to re-program himself. He lamented the years he wasted but was thankful that he found a good woman and loved being a father.

The current issue has a letter regarding this from a woman who had a lesbian "marriage" that she broke up and went straight, found a good man, is now a mother and loves it.

Both articles emphasized how being gay is actually hard work, whereas straight felt effortless. This stuff could not have been published not that long ago.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:27 PM (ZOv7s)

247 Every captain of industry from Vanderbilt to Bezos had some luck and being in the right place at the right time. Doesn’t take away from their accomplishments.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald

Elizabeth Warren helped them build that!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:28 PM (L/fGl)

248 very captain of industry from Vanderbilt to Bezos had some luck and being in the right place at the right time. Doesn’t take away from their accomplishments.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:23 PM (qswDr)

But some people make their own luck. There are a lot of cases of being in the right place at the right time ( Gates IMO) or making your luck ( Musk determined to have space rockets)

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 01:28 PM (VofaG)

249 Exit polls from Germany:

28% for the CDU, 20% for the AfD. SPD at 16, Greens at 12.

Now we wait to see what sort of governing coalition they come up with.

Posted by: Dr. T at February 23, 2025 01:29 PM (JIS8C)

250 I kinda don’t give a fuck about national parks. There are bazillions of acres of national forests, blm land, etc. There’s no entrance gates to them. Wanna go experience nature? Just go.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:30 PM (qswDr)

251 ‘James Lewis, you away from that wheelbarrow! You don’t know nothin’ bout no machinery!’

Posted by: Eromero at February 23, 2025 01:30 PM (LHPAg)

252 20% for the AfD
—
Willa Romanian court nullify the election?

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:31 PM (qswDr)

253 Now we wait to see what sort of governing coalition they come up with.

I believe that the CDU continues to announce that they will not form a coalition with the AfD under any circumstances.

So the Christian Democrats, the Greens, and the Commies it is as coalition partners.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 01:31 PM (uxCna)

254 The buyout...

The first purge, the pre-purge, was freezing all new hires, including those offered a job and due to start 'tomorrow'.
Then it came out that Dept of Defense was exempt.

Next came shit-canning those still in probationary period, if for no other reason that it is easy and will get most of those that the Junta tried to embed. There are exemptions to that too.

Now is the Turing Test.
Will Ranger Rick get a waiver after being deep in the desert for a week? Maybe...

In the end the only activity left standing will be Space Force. Trump's baby and Elon, well, he may have some interest there too.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 01:31 PM (/lPRQ)

255 Exit polls from Germany:

28% for the CDU, 20% for the AfD. SPD at 16, Greens at 12.

Now we wait to see what sort of governing coalition they come up with.
Posted by: Dr. T at February 23, 2025 01:29 PM (JIS8C)
---
I think AfD will overperform the polls given the current environment.

it's going to be like Trump this time 'round. Everyone's going to be like "Oh, of course he had a popular majority!"

The CDU really has no choice but to accept the will of the voters. The AfD is big enough that the only other option is a grand coalition that can achieve nothing, and the AfD heckling them constantly.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:31 PM (ZOv7s)

256
msnbc is replacing racist joy reid with 3 other racists

reid's replacement is the bald racist simone sanders, who just the other day said PDT fired JCS Charlie Brown because he black.

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 23, 2025 01:31 PM (oFVAY)

257 >>> 57
==
The rangers hung a giant American flag upside down on El Capitan to #Resist #LiterallyHitler #SoStunningSoBrave.

They weren't happy when people pointed out MSNBC saying hanging a flag upside down was an illegal insurrection when one of the SCOTUS judges' wives did it.
Posted by: Ian S. at February 23, 2025 12:24 PM (QZThv)

When did this happen?

Are they still employed and if so, when will this change?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 23, 2025 01:32 PM (Vqx30)

258 Order or disorder? FAFO

Posted by: Deplorable Minion at February 23, 2025 01:32 PM (QSrLX)

259 Oh, that trustworthy compass?
I'd look out the window and fly get my bearings.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 01:32 PM (/lPRQ)

260 The AfD is big enough that the only other option is a grand coalition that can achieve nothing, and the AfD heckling them constantly.

It's Germany.

That's exactly what they will do.

Let the AfD into government, and they will do fascist things, like demanding the release of the secret report that says who blew up the Nordstream pipelines.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 01:33 PM (uxCna)

261 “The harder I work, the luckier I get”

Luck plays a role in success, no doubt about it. But without persistence there is no chance. We know what character traits are necessary to have a chance at success. As I get older I am struck by the almost perfect correlation between leftist policies and “How To Fuck Up Your Life in 7 Easy Steps”. If it isn’t deliberate, it would be difficult to tell. If they were merely incompetent then they would make mistakes in our favor from time to time. That never happens

Posted by: Common Tater at February 23, 2025 01:34 PM (+DQk7)

262 I kinda don’t give a fuck about national parks. There are bazillions of acres of national forests, blm land, etc. There’s no entrance gates to them. Wanna go experience nature? Just go.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:30 PM (qswDr)

This.
Although in Washington or Oregon, go armed. A lot of illegal pot farms out there. And they are guarded.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:34 PM (W/lyH)

263 It's Germany.

That's exactly what they will do.

Let the AfD into government, and they will do fascist things, like demanding the release of the secret report that says who blew up the Nordstream pipelines.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 01:33 PM (uxCna)
---
I think a third option is the CDU forms a minority government and while it won't ask for AfD votes, it can't refuse them, either.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:34 PM (ZOv7s)

264 Now we wait to see what sort of governing coalition they come up with.

Posted by: Dr. T at February 23, 2025 01:29 PM (JIS8C)

AfD will be locked out, if they follow the pattern of France.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:35 PM (mWSu4)

265 Women jogging have the right to a Ruger LCP .380 in their fanny pack.
Posted by: bill in arkansas,

Hunting over bait.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 01:37 PM (/lPRQ)

266 I'm just going to put this out there, but politicians regularly lie about what they will do if they get elected.

So the CDU looking at where the seats are and saying "Sorry, that pledge is untenable" should not surprise anyone.

They flirted with breaking it already, with far lower stakes.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:37 PM (ZOv7s)

267 So the Christian Democrats, the Greens, and the Commies it is as coalition partners.
Posted by: The ARC of History!

The graft must flow!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:39 PM (L/fGl)

268 AfD will be locked out, if they follow the pattern of France.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:35 PM (mWSu4)
---
French and German politics are different because the system is different. The Chancellor runs Germany. The name of the President of Germany is a trivia question.

The President of France runs France. The name of the Prime Minister is a trivia question.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:39 PM (ZOv7s)

269
Anyone remember obama closing national sites, such as the Lincoln Memorial?

If I recall, obama did it out of Pure Spite in reaction the Republicans' spending freeze. That was when McConnell was putting on a good show of opposing obama after the 2014 midterms.

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 23, 2025 01:39 PM (oFVAY)

270 Minnesota wants to get in on Maine 's hill to die on

Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 01:40 PM (fwDg9)

271 Welcome to Costco. I love you.

Posted by: jsg at February 23, 2025 01:40 PM (UJ+K5)

272 The CDU really has no choice but to accept the will of the voters. The AfD is big enough that the only other option is a grand coalition that can achieve nothing, and the AfD heckling them constantly.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:31 PM (ZOv7s)

They will do literally everything possible to avoid accepting the will of the voters. It's *theoretically* possible they would make a minority government with the AfD, if there was no other option, but I consider it much more likely they will form a coalition with the SPD first. There might be the seats to pull that off.

Posted by: Dr. T at February 23, 2025 01:41 PM (JIS8C)

273 > Anyone remember obama closing national sites, such as the Lincoln Memorial?

Posted by: Soothsayer at February 23, 2025 01:39 PM (oFVAY)

He even "closed" Mount Rushmore.

What a fucktard.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at February 23, 2025 01:41 PM (W5ArC)

274 As far as I'm concerned the sooner Germany self destructs the better

Posted by: It's me donna at February 23, 2025 01:42 PM (VE6XX)

275 272 The CDU really has no choice but to accept the will of the voters.

LOL

Posted by: jsg at February 23, 2025 01:43 PM (UJ+K5)

276 They will do literally everything possible to avoid accepting the will of the voters. It's *theoretically* possible they would make a minority government with the AfD, if there was no other option, but I consider it much more likely they will form a coalition with the SPD first. There might be the seats to pull that off.
Posted by: Dr. T at February 23, 2025 01:41 PM (JIS8C)
---
Yeah, the percentage of the vote is misleading. We need to know the seat count.

Parties under 5% get nothing, so that will boost the AfD's seat count.

A big question is if the FDP wins any seats. I saw they were close to the margin of failure.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:43 PM (ZOv7s)

277 My 'ol man told me getting rich was easy. Think of something that costs a dollar to make that a million people would be willing to pay $5 for.
In today's terms, that would be $5 to make and people would pay $29.95 plus shipping.
Those dudes that came up with TrukNutz were friggin' brilliant.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:44 PM (W/lyH)

278 "Enjoy your life in the private sector.". Of course Trump would think of a better crack. "The hill to die on.". Expect a cease and desist order from, oh I don't know, The Lord, for improper use of scriptural metaphors. But after all Satan can't create anything so all he has is weak sauce parodies for us to ridicule. Tampon Tim Walz. Aaaaaahahahaha!

Posted by: Deplorable Minion at February 23, 2025 01:45 PM (QSrLX)

279 Obama closed the WWII memorial despite it being a park. Honor flights were cancelled for elderly WWII vets. Piece of crap

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:45 PM (cMcMn)

280 The Associated Press@AP
Tens of thousands attend the funeral of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah 5 months after his killing

Jews Fight Back
@JewsFightBack
Nasrallah’s funeral just got a special guest appearance—courtesy of the Israeli Air Force.
Imagine mourning your “martyr” while the very jets that sent him to hell are roaring right over your head.

https://is.gd/QZsxem

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:45 PM (L/fGl)

281 My 'ol man told me getting rich was easy. Think of something that costs a dollar to make that a million people would be willing to pay $5 for.
In today's terms, that would be $5 to make and people would pay $29.95 plus shipping.
Those dudes that came up with TrukNutz were friggin' brilliant.
Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:44 PM (W/lyH)
---
There are bad breaks in the world, and plenty of misfortune to go around, but I've found that people who really really really want to make money, will find a way to do so. you don't have to be a CEO, just take that second job, push hard for promotion, etc.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:45 PM (ZOv7s)

282 ICYMI from the tech thread.

>>>Elonnuel Goldmusk has taken only a month to set back the communist poisoning of the American soul by decades. (The Verge) (archive site)

>>>We can only wish that the screeching of the lunatics is true.

https://archive.is/zOwtH

Worth a read.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at February 23, 2025 01:46 PM (i24o9)

283 American Airlines flight enroute to Delhi diverted to Rome with fighter escort due to bomb threat.

Posted by: one hour sober at February 23, 2025 01:47 PM (Y1sOo)

284 “I think a third option is the CDU forms a minority government and while it won't ask for AfD votes, it can't refuse them, either.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:34 PM (ZOv7s)

That’s the option I think is most likely.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 23, 2025 01:47 PM (73vBl)

285 The EU has already indicated that they will find a way to overturn election results they don't like. Scum never sleeps

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:49 PM (cMcMn)

286 There's never been any reason to Head East.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 23, 2025 01:50 PM (63Dwl)

287 Sex is the correct word.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo

Exactly. That also is specific to intercourse between men and women, penile insertion to vagina.

Everything else is simply fucking around.

Posted by: Auspex at February 23, 2025 01:50 PM (j4U/Z)

288 Just to be clear, I don't want people to assume I think the CDU gives a damn about the voters per se, I'm just looking at this from a purely political perspective.

If forming a coalition with AfD gives the CDU more power, I think they will do it, promises by damned. No one ever went broke betting on politicians to renege on their pledges.

The next elections are a long way off, and by then, the AfD could be completely legitimized by giving Germans safer villages and a recovering economy. Naked self-interest vs suicidal sentimentality.

Tougher call than it should be.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (ZOv7s)

289 Anyone remember obama closing national sites, such as the Lincoln Memorial?

Posted by: Soothsayer
---------

Along the Blueridge Parkway, the NPS *blockaded* the entrances to restaurant concessions. People who had paid to operate these businesses.

At the Outer Banks parking lots along the seashore were barricaded by the NPS.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (XeU6L)

290 >>> 162 I used to drive my eldest to high school and we'd chat on the way while listening to the radio.

Some woman was assaulted on campus while jogging through a woodlot at night and I explained to my daughter that it was very foolish and she was outraged.

Why women have a right to safety!

Uh, no. In all of recorded human history, a woman running in what is effectively underwear through the woods at night was an invitation to disaster.

It is a triumph of civilization that it is even thought of now, but it should never be taken for granted.

We took it for granted. We took lots of things for granted. The notion that wish-fulfillment is some sort of right, has a firm hold over a lot of people, and there will continue to be needless deaths and injuries until things are set right.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:00 PM (ZOv7s)

I am sometimes amazed at how well we have done in various things - this in particular is a great example - and more so, annoyed at how few people (thanks, government-run Prussian-style "schools"!) *appreciate* how extraordinary our lives are compared to the historical norm.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (Vqx30)

291 Jews Fight Back
@JewsFightBack
Nasrallah’s funeral just got a special guest appearance—courtesy of the Israeli Air Force.
Imagine mourning your “martyr” while the very jets that sent him to hell are roaring right over your head.

https://is.gd/QZsxem
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:45

Why is that stadium still standing?

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (W/lyH)

292 I don't know. Europe seems so Neutered right now.

And the vet didn't even leave them some ball skin to lick like they do with a dog.

Posted by: jsg at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (UJ+K5)

293 The EU has already indicated that they will find a way to overturn election results they don't like. Scum never sleeps
Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:49 PM (cMcMn)
---
The EU without Germany is a nullity, and everyone knows it.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (ZOv7s)

294 In the private sector you set out with a set of measurable goals and a weekly review of progress/issues and changes affecting achieving those goals.

If there's no measurement, nothing is done.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at February 23, 2025 01:52 PM (wBaIH)

295 > Anyone remember obama closing national sites, such as the Lincoln Memorial?
Posted by: Soothsayer at February 23, 2025 01:39 PM (oFVAY)

He even "closed" Mount Rushmore.
What a fucktard.
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia

Sent people out on OT to put up barricades on 'scenic overlooks'.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 01:52 PM (/lPRQ)

296 “I think a third option is the CDU forms a minority government and while it won't ask for AfD votes, it can't refuse them, either.

The CDU and AfD do differ significantly on Ukraine - CDU wants to double down on supporting Ukraine; and the AfD observes that the sanctions on Russian energy are destroying the German economy, and wants to pull back on supporting Ukraine.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 01:53 PM (uxCna)

297 Sex is the correct word.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo

I thought grease is the word.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:53 PM (L/fGl)

298 There's never been any reason to Head East.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 23, 2025 01:50 PM (63Dwl)

Was I not clear???

Posted by: Horace Greely at February 23, 2025 01:54 PM (W/lyH)

299 The CDU and AfD do differ significantly on Ukraine - CDU wants to double down on supporting Ukraine; and the AfD observes that the sanctions on Russian energy are destroying the German economy, and wants to pull back on supporting Ukraine.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 01:53 PM (uxCna)
---
Right, but that's why it is a plausible option, because the CDU could go to the other parties for its Russia fetish.

But there's also the fact that Ukraine may not be an issue much longer.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (ZOv7s)

300 There are bad breaks in the world, and plenty of misfortune to go around, but I've found that people who really really really want to make money, will find a way to do so. you don't have to be a CEO, just take that second job, push hard for promotion, etc.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

Only Fans.
But I bet you have to do some warped shit to get enough fans to make it worthwhile.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (/lPRQ)

301 Something isn't working correctly, and for at least two months, nobody at United Airlines cared enough to fix it. Or maybe that is a Boeing problem, but it really doesn't matter. A system is not working correctly, and the lack of interest in making things right may be indicative of much larger issues.

Late to the thread and I'm sure this has been said already but this is indicative of a system where people know they can't be fired. A by-product of the DEI environment. So, quite naturally, people can't be bothered to give a shit about doing a proper job.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (oT3jI)

302 297 Sex is the correct word.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo

I thought grease is the word.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 23, 2025 01:53 PM (L/fGl)

Bird

Bird is the word

Posted by: browndog sniffing about at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (TTAGa)

303 Sent people out on OT to put up barricades on 'scenic overlooks'.

When the government was shut down under Clinton, the Parks Service closed Crater Lake National Park, retaining only enough rangers to issue huge fines to anyone who dared to cross into the park during the "shutdown".

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (uxCna)

304 @293 A.H. , and that is why if the German people select AfD the leftist elite of the EU will find a way to nullify the win. They've done it in other countries and if Germany is the lynchpin they will be forced to do it there

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (cMcMn)

305 Only Fans.
But I bet you have to do some warped shit to get enough fans to make it worthwhile.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (/lPRQ)
---
I was thinking more skilled trades and such. The guy who made the Mad Max movies couldn't find any financing, so he figured doctors make a lot of money, so he became a doctor and that's how he paid for Mad Max.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:56 PM (ZOv7s)

306 Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at February 23, 2025 12:56 PM (gm9Sb)

Nobody under 29 will understand that reference.

I remember Gilligans Island did a parody of that with "Wrongway Feldman" or some such.

Posted by: New nick time! Certified dangerous radical that puts ketchup on hotdogs plus, imma wannabe ratfink! at February 23, 2025 01:56 PM (89Sog)

307 French and German politics are different because the system is different.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:39 PM (ZOv7s)

That's not my point. They may be locked out because the goal was never to manage Germany for the benefit of the people... it is to manage the political system for the benefit of the politicians.

Would you be surprised to see a coalition of the CDU and the communists/Greens?

Even though the most sane coalition would be CDU and AfD.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:56 PM (mWSu4)

308 There's never been any reason to head East.

Now you tell me - Adolf

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:57 PM (cMcMn)

309 286 There's never been any reason to Head East.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 23, 2025 01:50 PM (63Dwl)

LOL good one

Posted by: Gref at February 23, 2025 01:57 PM (aBgBM)

310 What I find interesting is I think he started the idea of Space X prior to Tesla. He went to Russia to attempt to buy Launch rockets but was refused so he used his money from the sell of his tech companies to make his own rockets. Almost bankrupted him. But he's a honey badger and doesn't care.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 12:29 PM (VofaG)

He also makes a far better rocket motor than any Proton now.
Posted by: Kindltot at February 23, 2025 01:12 PM (D7oie)

What you left out was that Russia had the best rocket engines in the world. Musk did buy some of them and then exponentially improved on them with his Raptor series of engines. The Raptors are now the premier engines.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at February 23, 2025 01:57 PM (g8Ew8)

311 There’s a supermarket in my burg where there are two sliding doors at the entrance. One of the two has been non operational for months, maybe even a year. I’m like why hasn’t someone fixed this? It’s crazy. But another sign of the “good enough” mentality out there.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:57 PM (qswDr)

312 Bird is the word

Posted by: browndog sniffing about at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (TTAGa)

What's the word?

Thunderbird!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:58 PM (mWSu4)

313 Of COURSE it looks like it is going the wrong way, the Lorraine Cross is upside down!

Posted by: Kindltot at February 23, 2025 01:58 PM (D7oie)

314 It is amazing how our urbane educated lefty peers know NOTHING about the cultures of people not like them
Posted by: 18-1 at February 23, 2025 01:21 PM (t0Rmr)
---
That's because its boring and stuff.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd
-------
'Irrelevant', they say.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at February 23, 2025 01:58 PM (XeU6L)

315 A.H. , and that is why if the German people select AfD the leftist elite of the EU will find a way to nullify the win. They've done it in other countries and if Germany is the lynchpin they will be forced to do it there
Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 23, 2025 01:55 PM (cMcMn)
---
Germany isn't Romania.

Also, J.D. Vance just put down a big marker. If the E.U. nullifies a German election, our bases and all their money go away.

NATO will be done.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 01:58 PM (ZOv7s)

316 Why is that stadium still standing?
Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (W/lyH)

Israelis should have done the flypast as Mach 1.2, and the sonic boom would have soiled untold thousands of muzzie BVD'S.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 23, 2025 01:58 PM (8zz6B)

317 I knew I wouldn't become extremely wealthy unless I won the lottery or if I got lucky being in the right place at the right time. Focusing on just making money is a sure way to lose a lot of your morals IMO.

Making a good living by working hard and never being in debt was all I cared about. But I also worked to live and not lived to work.

I don't regret that strategy even with some recent bad luck that saw some of my investments take a dive.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 01:59 PM (VofaG)

318 Hello Everyone, my name is Pete Buttplug and I am your pilot today.

The copilot is Donkey Chompers and together we have over a 1,000 hours of video game experience. So, sit back and enjoy the flight.

Posted by: Kamal Harris at February 23, 2025 01:59 PM (7uGna)

319 That's not my point. They may be locked out because the goal was never to manage Germany for the benefit of the people... it is to manage the political system for the benefit of the politicians.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:56 PM (mWSu4)
---
That's exactly what I am saying. If the CDU leadership decides that more graft is possible by working with the AfD, they will do so, regardless of the promises they made.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 02:00 PM (ZOv7s)

320 It is amazing how our urbane educated lefty peers know NOTHING about the cultures of people not like them

Other than the fact that other cultures are superior to ours, of course.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at February 23, 2025 02:01 PM (uxCna)

321 1ST WORLD NOOD

Posted by: Skip at February 23, 2025 02:01 PM (fwDg9)

322 Nobody under 29 will understand that reference.

I remember Gilligans Island did a parody of that with "Wrongway Feldman" or some such.

Posted by: New nick time! Certified dangerous radical that puts ketchup on hotdogs plus, imma wannabe ratfink! at February 23, 2025 01:56 PM (89Sog)

Richard Scarry's books often had "Wrong Way Roger" flying a plane upside-down or backwards. Kids still read those books btw.

Posted by: pookysgirl hates drug-resistant colds at February 23, 2025 02:01 PM (Ep2PD)

323 311
But another sign of the “good enough” mentality out there.

Hey man, you can still get in through the working door, so I fail to see the problem!

Posted by: Hrothgar at February 23, 2025 02:02 PM (hOUT3)

324 Interestingly, if the 'E' was an 'N', that heading would be about right, no?

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at February 23, 2025 02:02 PM (XeU6L)

325 If the CDU leadership decides that more graft is possible by working with the AfD, they will do so, regardless of the promises they made.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 02:00 PM (ZOv7s)

They lie?

I'm shocked!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 02:02 PM (mWSu4)

326 What time is it?

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 02:03 PM (/lPRQ)

327 Why is that stadium still standing?

Posted by: Diogenes at February 23, 2025 01:51 PM (W/lyH)

Right? 2 MOABS dropped about 3 seconds apart would have gone really far in cleansing the planet.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at February 23, 2025 02:03 PM (VwHCD)

328 What you left out was that Russia had the best rocket engines in the world. Musk did buy some of them and then exponentially improved on them with his Raptor series of engines. The Raptors are now the premier engines.
Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at February 23, 2025 01:57 PM (g8Ew

This must have been after he founded Space X and was rebuffed from buying rockets in Russia. The story is well documented.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 02:04 PM (VofaG)

329 310

At 500 ft ASL

Posted by: Hrothgar at February 23, 2025 02:05 PM (hOUT3)

330 I knew I wouldn't become extremely wealthy unless I won the lottery or if I got lucky being in the right place at the right time. Focusing on just making money is a sure way to lose a lot of your morals IMO.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 23, 2025 01:59 PM (VofaG)
---
My maternal grandfather was a self-made man. Came from nothing, busted his ass, climbed the greasy pole and became a Mad Man (ad exec) running the American Motors account, hung out with governors, country club, big house, and his kids despised him.

Paternal grandfather also bootstrapped, but was willing to work as a machinist, teacher, eventually personnel manager for GM. Comfortable life, humble guy, venerated by his descendants.

Both were men of faith, after their fashion. The Mad Man went to daily Mass, donated heavily to the Church and the priest at his funeral gushed over how much he had done for the parish.

GM manager also was devoted to his church, but he was United Methodist, and so was forced out of the leadership when they became woke. He left his home congregation before he did, but they were gracious enough to host his funeral and the place was packed.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 02:06 PM (ZOv7s)

331 There’s a supermarket in my burg where there are two sliding doors at the entrance. One of the two has been non operational for months, maybe even a year. I’m like why hasn’t someone fixed this? It’s crazy. But another sign of the “good enough” mentality out there.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at February 23, 2025 01:57 PM (qswDr)
---
Alternative explanation: theft is rising, and having half a door not work is cheaper than installing an anti-shoplifter gate, which all the stores around here now have.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at February 23, 2025 02:08 PM (ZOv7s)

332 Alternative explanation: theft is rising, and having half a door not work is cheaper than installing an anti-shoplifter gate, which all the stores around here now have.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

Went to a very high end store recently. The door on the right was locked. Bluntly asked the staff if shoplifting was that bad.

"Yes"

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 23, 2025 02:19 PM (/lPRQ)

333 I recall a cartoon character named Cpt "Wrongway" Peter Peachfuzz...or something like that. I think a character in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at February 23, 2025 02:27 PM (oT3jI)

334 I think private sector IT departments are extremely understaffed. In addition to that, IT upper management focuses on the newest thing. Those two things combined lead to either no one being available to or whose sole purpose is to go back and fix minor issues. Only when something is down completely do resources get committed to fixing it. There are many iterations of the 80/20 rule, but I think that most IT execs don't want to staff the necessary people to take care of that final 20%, which typically includes making things work 100% correctly. This is of course shortsighted and leads to outcomes like the article above.

Posted by: TheITGuy2 at February 23, 2025 02:33 PM (+Em2P)

335 The question remains will there be prosecutions of those who authorized this fraud, took part in it,including government employees, politicians and NGO employees and officials, and especially private sector employees such as bank and financial officials.

Or are we witnesses to a vast kabuki play?

Posted by: TJ Jackson at February 23, 2025 02:44 PM (bXvrr)

336 PDT fired JCS Charlie Brown because he black.

Who walked in the HQ cool and slow?
Who called the admiral a homophobe?
Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown
He's gonna get in trouble just you wait and see
"Why's all the MAGgots always pickin on me"?

Posted by: azjaeger at February 23, 2025 04:29 PM (3/XaG)

337 About the 180° offset compass -- was this the LHR-EWR flight that had to turn around 40% of the way to Newark, because of the "unmanned" crashed aircraft?

I was wondering why they couldn't just find a 777-capable airport nearby (Detroit or Montreal)? Maybe too much snow? International flights have different requirements (no divert unless mayday)?

Genuinely curious if this is happening frequently.

Posted by: DrSandman at February 23, 2025 04:46 PM (iYQr2)

338 Oh crap! It was the wrong flight. Sorry. Toronto-LHR, not Newark. My bad.

Posted by: DrSandman at February 23, 2025 05:33 PM (iYQr2)

339 Yup. Gender is a grammar term.

Sex is the correct word.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 23, 2025 01:01 PM

Which is why it is always annoying to see "'gender' reveal" parties.

They should accurately be called sex reveal parties.

It would be interesting to find out if doctors still correctly ask parents-to-be if they want to know the baby's sex or if they are now incorrectly asking them if they want to know the baby's "gender".

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at February 23, 2025 05:59 PM (P5BPp)

340 Luck plays a role in success, no doubt about it. But without persistence there is no chance. We know what character traits are necessary to have a chance at success.

Posted by: Common Tater at February 23, 2025 01:34 PM

Helped out an engineer at my internship at TWA the summer of 1998. While sitting at his desk completing the task, I saw he had a number of motivational quotes on his desk. I found this one the most inspiring and have kept it with me my entire career:

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

-- Calvin Coolidge

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at February 23, 2025 06:25 PM (P5BPp)

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