Collectivists vs. Rugged Individualists, January 10

It seems like a long time since the year began just days ago, doesn't it?

Zorhan Mamdani may have made a mistake when he said this during his inauguration:

We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.

Did people really think of New York government as based in rugged individualism? Do people who wish to be free from communism really think that they are totally independent agents?

Mamdani is good at smiling, but he also issues sound bites which we should maybe remember as the business of running the city presents itself. We will have opportunities to undermine the present popularity of socialism in at least a few minds.

Many people don't want to see poor Cea Weaver cancelled, just because she thinks home ownership = white supremacy and she hangs with a bunch of people who want to impoverish her mother, her family and ultimately each other.

* * * * *

Perhaps all those people with graduate degrees in NYC haven't noticed that he threw a block party with no food or restrooms.

But we can remember.

The Libertarians also remind us of a statement he made just after his election:

We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.

Should this declaration be applied to his actions as mayor on a regular basis?

What about all those white homeowners his administration plans to impoverish? Might they have some small concerns about which government could care?

. . . .

* * * * *

Music

How collectivist or individualist was Frank Sinatra in 1985? He sang, "It's up to you, New York, New York"

Ayn Rand warned us decades ago . . .

Maybe we should have stuck with the Constitution.

* * * * *

Other Collectivists and Rugged Individualists

Why are we downplaying momentous events in Iran? Melanie Phillips said this about Iran a while ago, and Trump has also responded. The internet blackout makes reliable information hard to get right now, but there is a lot goin on.

Phillips:

The terrible fact is that conscience in the West has become harnessed to absolute evil.

This is also a little bit dated.

Allowing young couples to become rugged individualists?

Who's taking all the homes? pic.twitter.com/UbfQqnd3xc
— Dave Ramsey (@DaveRamsey) January 2, 2026

Trump is taking some action. Have you thought about his plans?

The warmth of collectivism?

Not a single one of these legacy media outlets reported on Mamdani’s identical hand gesture which they called @elonmusk a nazi for

Do you see what’s happening? pic.twitter.com/dwqbQkE7SE
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 2, 2026

* * * * *

Cancel Culture is still with us

The husband of Data Republican (small r) runs a small distillery in Salt Lake City. The Left is now trying to destroy his business.

Stephen Green: Hit Piece on Data Republican (Small r) Snares Her Husband

Data Republican (small r), whose mad genius database skills have laid bare the corruption and self-dealing between Washington and an army of NGOs, was the subject of a weekend hit piece in the Salt Lake Tribune — and her husband might have gotten the worst of it.
On Sunday, the Trib's "emerging news reporter," Brock Marchant, published an article that was little more than a summary of an earlier Rolling Stone piece that Jennica Pounds (Data r) says contains "multiple factual inaccuracies."
Rather than interview Pounds directly for his report — she isn't difficult to reach — Marchant contacted her husband, Brent, through his work email. He did so late on Saturday night, mere hours before the 6 a.m. Sunday publication.
Jennica posted that Brent "responded professionally" and explained that "his business activities are entirely separate" from the Data Republican website but that Jennica would reply later. "As a mother, my family responsibilities naturally took priority on a weekend, and I was unable to immediately respond to your inquiry."
Also, Jennica's deafness and autism often require assistance for clear communication.
"Instead of allowing me a fair opportunity to reply, you chose to rush publication," she continued, proving "you prioritize sensationalism over accuracy, fairness, and responsible journalism."

What happened next is predictable.

Incidentally, Data Republican's complex "X" post on how government types view systems rather than people, as applied to Venezuela, probably hurt some feelings.

Seeing like a State

THIS PIECE COULD EXPLAIN A LOT.

That's no excuse for destroying her husband's business, though.

* * * * *

The Week In Pictures: Adios Maduro Edition

* * * * *

Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.

This is the Thread before the Gardening Thread.

Serving your mid-day open thread needs

* * * * *

There was no Thread Before the Gardening Thread last week. There were these instead:

Trump Orders Air Strikes on Venezuela, Sends In Delta Force to Capture Nicolas Madura and His Wife

Trump Speaking Now: "This Is Big Stuff"
—Ace

Afternoon Open Thread

Don't comment on old threads.

Posted by: K.T. at 11:01 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Many people don't want to see poor Cea Weaver cancelled, just because she thinks home ownership = white supremacy and she hangs with a bunch of people who want to impoverish her mother, her family and ultimately each other.

I think her thinking home ownership is racist or whatever is fine. She's a retard. It is the part where she talks about impoverishing the white middle class that has people going 'Hey, maybe this bitch should not be in charge of housing in NYC.'

At the same time, pain has to come with making a mistake or people never learn anything.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:05 AM (bss/y)

2 mornin

Posted by: doug at January 10, 2026 11:06 AM (Hy+R4)

3 On Sunday, the Trib's "emerging news reporter," Brock Marchant, published an article that was little more than a summary of an earlier Rolling Stone piece that Jennica Pounds (Data r) says contains "multiple factual inaccuracies."

Isn't all "news" emerging by definition?

Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:08 AM (Riz8t)

4 As with all commies they will make all people equal. Equally miserable.

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:08 AM (KDPiq)

5 The story about DataRepublican's husband is from last year, right? I think his business weathered that storm.

But it's what the left does day in and day out to anyone remotely associated with the right.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:09 AM (NwnyJ)

6 Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:05 AM

I'me not sure if it was Cea who talked about impoverishing the white middle class, or her friends as she nodded along. Doesn't really matter much, probably. I think she did make a statement indicating that her Mom was probably a white supremacist. Heh.

Posted by: KT at January 10, 2026 11:09 AM (7vIsy)

7 I can never see that smirk without wanting to punch him in the face.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at January 10, 2026 11:09 AM (fd80v)

8 4 As with all commies they will make all people equal. Equally miserable.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:08 AM (KDPiq)

All the nails get hammered flat.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:10 AM (bss/y)

9 Good morning KT

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 11:10 AM (Ia/+0)

10 I hesitated to post this earlier because I wasn't sure if it was real. But Karoline Leavitt has reposted it with the comment "Stop what you are doing and read this..."

So listen to the woman. It will make you happy.

https://tinyurl.com/ym5pdkb6

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 11:11 AM (viF8m)

11 Isn't all "news" emerging by definition?
Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:08 AM (Riz8t)

Except when the media try to smother it. Iran, q.v.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 10, 2026 11:12 AM (8zz6B)

12 SCOTUS might have cemented the notion in 2012, but everyone was admonished long before then, that illegal aliens was exclusively the purview of the Feds. Since the 1970s at least.

How did that start? It’s absurd on the face of it.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 10, 2026 11:12 AM (CO7ih)

13 Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:09 AM (NwnyJ)

I think the Rolling Stone piece was last year and that one was weathered okay.

The Salt Lake Trib piece is recent. And the left is really trying to cancel the business this time.

Posted by: KT at January 10, 2026 11:13 AM (7vIsy)

14 The husband of Data Republican (small r) runs a small distillery in Salt Lake City. The Left is now trying to destroy his business.

This is what the left does. They did this to "Joe the Plumber", they did it to anyone who owned a restaurant or bakery or photo business or wedding business who opposed support for same-sex "marriage", they did it to the January 6, 2021 protestors and they're going to continue doing it. Data Republican's husband is just the latest example.

They do this as a warning. Dare to stand up against the left and they will destroy you and everyone around you.

This is why there are not many conservatives willing to become activists. Because they are not willing to deal with the consequences when the left comes after them. Especially when the laws are not applied the same to the left and conservatives.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 11:13 AM (P5BPp)

15 6 Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:05 AM

I'me not sure if it was Cea who talked about impoverishing the white middle class, or her friends as she nodded along. Doesn't really matter much, probably. I think she did make a statement indicating that her Mom was probably a white supremacist. Heh.
Posted by: KT at January 10, 2026

Awesome. I think it’s more interesting that Mamdani comes from real money - I don’t know his mom is interested in giving up her far more lavish properties than Cea’s mother’s house in TN. Cea grew up pretty middle class. Mamdani not so much.

Posted by: Piper at January 10, 2026 11:14 AM (Wmg4n)

16 IMO , Zohan is only saying what he firmly believes, that mask Barky hid behind is long gone.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 11:14 AM (Ia/+0)

17 Has Cea Weaver given up her Brooklyn apartment yet?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 10, 2026 11:14 AM (2Ez/1)

18 12 SCOTUS might have cemented the notion in 2012, but everyone was admonished long before then, that illegal aliens was exclusively the purview of the Feds. Since the 1970s at least.

How did that start? It’s absurd on the face of it.
Posted by: Common Tater at January 10, 2026 11:12 AM (CO7ih)

Probably the same idea as police, the idea being that you could not have vigilantes (even if they are states.)

It is also insane, but there you go. Kind of the same place you get to when talking about police vs private ability to defend oneself.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:15 AM (bss/y)

19 I hesitated to post this earlier because I wasn't sure if it was real. But Karoline Leavitt has reposted it with the comment "Stop what you are doing and read this..."

So listen to the woman. It will make you happy.

https://tinyurl.com/ym5pdkb6
Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 11:11 AM (viF8m)

It reads like it's AI generated.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at January 10, 2026 11:15 AM (g8Ew8)

20 I wonder how many of the loafing layabout nincompoop parasites who live in New York City already are receiving some form of paycheck, payola, grift, double and triple pensions, handouts and other forms of sustenance from all levels of government as well as pretend do gooder charities such as Coalition Of the Homeless before Mamdanny Boy gets rolling. Maybe I should ask AI Bill Gates.

Posted by: Just The Numbers at January 10, 2026 11:16 AM (R/m4+)

21 Look at Gov Walz, he is saying his state troops are going to stand up to the Feds, doubt very many individuals in that military are thinking yeah count me in.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 11:17 AM (Ia/+0)

22 17 Has Cea Weaver given up her Brooklyn apartment yet?
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 10

Does she own it? She was complaining her neighborhood was being gentrified and didn’t like it. If she keeps this better paying job, will she move to a bigger, nicer place? That would be funnier.

Posted by: Piper at January 10, 2026 11:18 AM (Wmg4n)

23 OK, not all the news is bad.

PBS News
@NewsHour
Due to federal budget cuts, PBS News had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming.
This Sunday, our PBS News Weekend team will sign off the air.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:18 AM (L/fGl)

24 https://tinyurl.com/ym5pdkb6
Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 11:11 AM (viF8m)

It reads like it's AI generated.
Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at January 10, 2026 11:15 AM
____
And where are the videos?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 10, 2026 11:19 AM (2Ez/1)

25 I used to watch all the Million Dollar Listing NYC episodes . I wonder how the NYC real estate market is reacting to Mandami?

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:19 AM (KDPiq)

26 Melanie Phillips is teh awesome and speaks the hard truth.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 10, 2026 11:19 AM (RIvkX)

27 >>It reads like it's AI generated.

That's why I hesitated to post it. But when the WH Press Secretary says read this it gets my attention.

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 11:20 AM (viF8m)

28 I know most of the brokers featured on Million Dollar Listing NYC had moved out of the city before the election.

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:21 AM (KDPiq)

29 And let's not forget this bit of very good news:

"Corporation for Public Broadcasting Board Votes to Dissolve Organization in Act of Responsible Stewardship to Protect the Future of Public Media
After 58 Years of Service, CPB Closure Comes Following Congressional Defunding, Marks New Era for Public Media
Washington, D.C. (January 5, 2026) — The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress to steward the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting, announced today that its Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organization after 58 years of service to the American public.

The decision follows Congress’s rescission of all of CPB’s federal funding and comes after sustained political attacks that made it impossible for CPB to continue operating as the Public Broadcasting Act intended."

https://tinyurl.com/3wr6ja5v

For those of you keeping score at home, I'm not sick of all the winning.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 10, 2026 11:22 AM (2Ez/1)

30 It would seem we are in Demolition Derby Days. Let loose the Pontiacs of Wrath!

Posted by: Pudinhead at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (1D2Ie)

31 Strange days.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (L/fGl)

32 PBS News
@NewsHour
Due to federal budget cuts, PBS News had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming.
This Sunday, our PBS News Weekend team will sign off the air.

First CPB, now this. I'm so confused. They told me many times that taxpayer money was a very small part of their budget. Make it make sense!

Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (Riz8t)

33 Due to federal budget cuts, PBS News had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming.
This Sunday, our PBS News Weekend team will sign off the air.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:18 AM (L/fGl)

Oh No! Not that! Where I am to get my unbiased news of the world and my marching orders for hating Trump and supporting abortion?

Posted by: Karen Muddlumps, Local democrat scold and busybody at January 10, 2026 11:24 AM (R/m4+)

34 >>@AOC
Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do. Pretty basic!

We're at that part of the movie where the bad guys are are starting to realize they can't control the monster they created.

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 11:25 AM (viF8m)

35 Look at Gov Walz, he is saying his state troops are going to stand up to the Feds,
—-

They have a duty to refuse illegal orders, don’tcha know. I’m gonna laugh my ass off when billboards start appearing advising of same. The leftists will start screeching like wounded eagles, natch.

Fraud, electoral and otherwise, and Violence is all they have left, the court of public opinion rejected them long ago. They are running on fumes, inertia, and a shrinking remnant of legacy democrats who weren’t completely batshit insane. The True Believers.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 10, 2026 11:25 AM (CO7ih)

36 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (L/fGl)

Read earlier that all the NY-area Demorats are saying the same thing. Almost like they got told to.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 10, 2026 11:25 AM (8zz6B)

37 I wonder how many of the loafing layabout nincompoop parasites who live in New York City already are receiving some form of paycheck, payola, grift, double and triple pensions, handouts and other forms of sustenance from all levels of government as well as pretend do gooder charities such as Coalition Of the Homeless before Mamdanny Boy gets rolling.

Posted by: Just The Numbers at January 10, 2026 11:16 AM

grok, what percentage of the population of NYC is on some kind of government handout?

No single official statistic combines "all government handouts" into one unduplicated percentage for NYC, as programs serve different needs and have varying eligibility. However, when including major benefits like Medicaid + SNAP, well over 40–50% of residents participate in at least one form of government assistance (Medicaid drives most of this due to its broad reach, including children, seniors, and low-income working families).

Smaller programs (e.g., SSI for disabled/elderly) add several hundred thousand more, but overlap heavily.

Full answer: https://bit.ly/3LyThhc

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 11:26 AM (P5BPp)

38 The decision follows Congress’s rescission of all of CPB’s federal funding and comes after sustained political attacks that made it impossible for CPB to continue operating as the Public Broadcasting Act intended."

Did you catch that bit of conflating flim-flammery? They cut the money (which is really a small, actually an infinitesimal part of our budget) and also we're quitting because of (undefined) sustained political attacks.

You're quitting because Uncle Sugar is no longer funding your grift. Also, PBS is in a very weak position to be throwing stones for "sustained political attacks". Those were their entire MO.

Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:26 AM (Riz8t)

39 The husband of Data Republican (small r) runs a small distillery in Salt Lake City. The Left is now trying to destroy his business.

---

Nevermind all that. Is the booze any good?

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:27 AM (A4jJ3)

40 Many people don't want to see poor Cea Weaver cancelled...

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:05 AM (bss/y)

I want her canceled because she is a f*cking communist.

But most of the crap coming out of the Mamdani administration is arrant bullsh*t, and probably won't happen. Like free busses. The MTA is not controlled by the city!

But what he can do is change the tone of the city...it will be a pro-Islam, anti-Semitic, anti-White enclave. And change policing, which will be a catastrophe (and it's already bad now!).

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2026 11:27 AM (n9ltV)

41 Fraud, electoral and otherwise, and Violence is all they have left, the court of public opinion rejected them long ago. They are running on fumes, inertia, and a shrinking remnant of legacy democrats who weren’t completely batshit insane. The True Believers.

Probably mostly boomers.
*runs serpentine*

Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:28 AM (Riz8t)

42 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (L/fGl)
=====

Absolutely laughable.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 10, 2026 11:28 AM (RIvkX)

43 Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2026 11:27 AM (n9ltV)

Hey, you selectively edited my comment! LOL.

The part you snipped is actually a quote of KT (granted without quotes.)

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:29 AM (bss/y)

44 JackStraw

Some data points seem out of whack.

We had two severely injured. They are recovering now.

Only 32 Cubans are known dead. They were the close bodyguard unit, not locals. No evidence that hundreds were killed. No evidence of sonic weapons. Which the US Army developed at the Obama Administration's request. Actual effects may be different.

But his wider message is true. We pulled out all the stops to make this work. It did. And we have some nice Chinese equipment to examine. We won a strategic masterpiece that will be studied by our adversaries for years.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:30 AM (u82oZ)

45 "Conflating flim-flammery" might be fun in a limerick.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 10, 2026 11:30 AM (2Ez/1)

46 Absolutely laughable.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 10, 2026 11:28 AM (RIvkX)

Check out the story about "Breads," a great NYC bakery that specializes in classic Jewish baked goods.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2026 11:30 AM (n9ltV)

47 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (L/fGl)
=====

Kind of opposite of her positions regard to Columbia or NYU.

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:31 AM (KDPiq)

48 Another one bites the dust...

Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: “there is no safe haven for criminals.”

In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford and apprehended Motor/Tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea without incident.

https://is.gd/VjQH1F

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

49 CharlieBrown'sDildo

Sent you an email.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:31 AM (u82oZ)

50 https://tinyurl.com/ym5pdkb6

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 11:11 AM

So the US military has some sort of sound wave weapon that can take out hundreds of enemies with one shot?

Security Guard: No help at all. Because it wasn't just the weapons. At one point, they launched something — I don't know how to describe it... it was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside. We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.

Interviewer: And your comrades? Did they manage to resist?

Security Guard: No, not at all. Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us. We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, I've never seen anything like it. We couldn't even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 11:31 AM (P5BPp)

51 The DataRepublican piece about “Seeing like a State” is deep, and very insightful . Far too much detail to even summarize, but what I got out of it was this : world leaders (ie, WEF) were happy to deal with Iran, Venezuela, etc as long as they played their designated role and were predictable. It didn’t matter that they were “good “ or “bad”, that does not matter to any of them.

And now comes Trump - he doesn’t care about stability, he’s a Disruptor - and every other leader in the world is terrified of him because of that . He destabilizes the world system, and none of them can now predict what will happen next.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 11:31 AM (UXPSq)

52 https://tinyurl.com/ym5pdkb6

Cautious skepticism lamp is lit.

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 11:32 AM (Fs0KI)

53 > Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:09 AM (NwnyJ)

I think the Rolling Stone piece was last year and that one was weathered okay.

The Salt Lake Trib piece is recent. And the left is really trying to cancel the business this time.
Posted by: KT
----------
Got it.

Left is asshole. But I think his distillery will survive again. From my understanding, the product(s) are pretty good.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:34 AM (NwnyJ)

54 Sent you an email.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:31 AM (u82oZ)

On the 5th?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2026 11:34 AM (n9ltV)

55 MADMANI left the quiet part quiet, for now -- REMAIN KLINGON
https://tinyurl.com/forWARd-RemainKLINGON
https://tinyurl.com/forWARd-RememberThisWell -- there will be no peace as long as Kirk (charlie) lives.

Remember who did this: Caused the Clinton Global Catastrophe.

We can`t be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans -- Bill Clinton'93

“Iran is the only country in the world that has now had six elections since the first election of President Khatami (in 1997). (It is) the only one with elections, including the United States, including Israel, including you name it, where the liberals, or the progressives, have won two-thirds to 70 percent of the vote in six elections: Two for president; two for the Parliament, the Majlis; two for the mayoralties. In every single election, the guys I identify with got two-thirds to 70 percent of the vote. There is no other country in the world I can say that about, certainly not my own.” -- Bill Clinton'05 at the height of Party-Time with Epstein.

Posted by: MANFRED the Heat Seeking OBOE at January 10, 2026 11:34 AM (B/uiJ)

56 Story about the Chinook helicopter pilot is pretty amazing. He will at least get a Silver Star imo.

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (KDPiq)

57 Thank you KT

Am I the only person who finds Dave Ramsey incredibly annoying? He gives good common sense advice but he’s so condescending in how he does it… don’t like

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (xT8gx)

58 Now, that's the AOC I know!

AOC heaps fuel on the fire, accuses @JDVance of believing "American people should be assass*nated in the street."

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (L/fGl)

59 I posted that info on the Maduro guard in the tech thread this morning. Pixy said it isn't real. However, I have read about sound weapons and I don't think that is far fetched.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (+mUZM)

60 CharlieBrown'sDildo

Yes.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (u82oZ)

61 > So the US military has some sort of sound wave weapon that can take out hundreds of enemies with one shot?
---------
Wasn't it in Cuba that the US Embassy personnel claimed the Russians hit them with "a sonic weapon" that caused them all to "get sick" and have "headaches" for days?

Or something to that effect?

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:36 AM (NwnyJ)

62 But his wider message is true. We pulled out all the stops to make this work. It did. And we have some nice Chinese equipment to examine. We won a strategic masterpiece that will be studied by our adversaries for years.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:30 AM (u82oZ)

There are questions at this point, as to whether the Veep and others were in on the op. That the Coobans who were loyal to Maduro were the only ones who really fought back.

Which of course, if you're going to HAVE a CIA that operates in foreign lands, you want them working on turning folks there, to smooth the op, but it's possible when this thing gets examined in full, it won't have been as spectacular a raid as we were made to believe at first.

Not taking anything away from those who went in, just that we can't always believe what we see until the dust settles.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:36 AM (A4jJ3)

63 The story about DataRepublican's husband is from last year, right? I think his business weathered that storm.

But it's what the left does day in and day out to anyone remotely associated with the right.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:09 AM (NwnyJ)

IIRC, word went out which contained two pieces of information:

- His business is being attacked by the left.
- His business is a distillery.

I recall going to their webpage and everything was sold out.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:36 AM (ExV1e)

64 As with all commies they will make all people equal. Equally miserable.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:08 AM (KDPiq)

Not all people, just all OTHER people.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:37 AM (ExV1e)

65 @AOC
Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!

Is this the fastest about-face in history? Unless I missed something, it was literally overnight. I imagine Omar Brofo feels like Wile E. Coyote out over the edge of the cliff just after looking down.

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 11:37 AM (Fs0KI)

66 Am I the only person who finds Dave Ramsey incredibly annoying? He gives good common sense advice but he’s so condescending in how he does it… don’t like
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (xT8gx)

I have never listened to him but I didn’t get that impression in the above posted vid. Doesn’t mean you aren’t correct overall.

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:37 AM (KDPiq)

67 Howdy, Horde!

https://youtu.be/tdIK3JFIWNI

Found this highly enjoyable - historical case of second amendment functioning as intended. Left me wondering if/when this might happen in Minnesomalia... the rural parts (i.e. majority) of that state have a very different mindset than the Twink Cities.

Posted by: Matthew Kant Cipher at January 10, 2026 11:38 AM (kOluj)

68

Probably, but if so, it’s very valuable fiction, to us.
But his wider message is true. We pulled out all the stops to make this work. It did. And we have some nice Chinese equipment to examine. We won a strategic masterpiece that will be studied by our adversaries for years.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:30 AM (u82oZ)

And this story is very valuable to us regardless of whether it is perfectly factually true or not.
Power internationally is not just capability, but perception of capability. This story is spreading throughout Spanish speaking channels rapidly, to people who are shocked by what has happened and won’t question the story.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a psy-op on our side. What better way to intimidate your enemies than to get all of them believing that your soldiers are ten foot tall supermen with strange, unstoppable weapons?

Everyone who reads this in the Latin American world is going to wonder, could that be what it will be like for me if I try?

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 11:40 AM (UXPSq)

69 That Jacob Frey means business! and doing it with cute hair to boot!

Posted by: MN dreaming at January 10, 2026 11:40 AM (0pLZt)

70 As with all commies they will make all people equal. Equally miserable.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:08 AM (KDPiq)

Not all people, just all OTHER people.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:37 AM (ExV1e)

I should have said the proletariat but what’s also true is most commie echelon are also miserable. Having to always watch your back leads to a miserable and stressful life.

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:40 AM (KDPiq)

71 Due to federal budget cuts, PBS News had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming.
This Sunday, our PBS News Weekend team will sign off the air.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:18 AM (L/fGl)

PBS is funded by viewers like you. -- PBS

Unstated: via your taxes, involuntarily.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:42 AM (ExV1e)

72 AOC heaps fuel on the fire, accuses @JDVance of believing "American people should be assass*nated in the street."
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (L/fGl

Only ones who try to run you down with an SUV Sandy

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 11:42 AM (VE6XX)

73 Wasn't it in Cuba that the US Embassy personnel claimed the Russians hit them with "a sonic weapon" that caused them all to "get sick" and have "headaches" for days?

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:36 AM

Yes, the incidents you're referring to began in late 2016 at the US Embassy in Havana, Cuba, where American diplomats and personnel reported hearing strange grating noises followed by symptoms including headaches, dizziness, nausea, and cognitive issues that lasted for days or longer.

This phenomenon, later known as Havana Syndrome, was initially suspected to involve sonic or directed-energy weapons, with some investigations pointing to possible Russian involvement.

Similar reports have since emerged from other locations worldwide, but the cases originated in Cuba.

A 2024 joint media investigation suggested a specific Russian intelligence unit may have targeted US officials with such technology, though no definitive cause has been established by the US government.

Grok: https://bit.ly/4bsbw2t

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 11:42 AM (P5BPp)

74 Am I the only person who finds Dave Ramsey incredibly annoying? He gives good common sense advice but he’s so condescending in how he does it… don’t like
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (xT8gx)

I have never listened to him but I didn’t get that impression in the above posted vid. Doesn’t mean you aren’t correct overall.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:37 AM (KDPiq)

He has a style. It's more akin to "tough love" than condescending. I think he genuinely wants people to stop making stupid (his word) financial decisions, and doesn't sugarcoat it when he tells them what they are doing is stupid.

But some people don't want to hear the truth.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:42 AM (A4jJ3)

75 Marxism orders are whisper down the lane

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 11:42 AM (Ia/+0)

76 Rolling on hard ice
Outside, my man-wife vents
I'm shot... self defense.

Posted by: Dead Haikuist's Society at January 10, 2026 11:42 AM (C9oTe)

77 Is this the fastest about-face in history? Unless I missed something, it was literally overnight. I imagine Omar Brofo feels like Wile E. Coyote out over the edge of the cliff just after looking down.
Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 11:37 AM (Fs0KI)

Chuck Schumer is doing the same thing in just as short a time. I suspect that they’ve just realized that the Iranian money they’ve been taking for years is about to run out for good, and they’re trying to switch sides fast.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 11:43 AM (UXPSq)

78 BurtTC

Village Idiot's Apprentice and I were both north of Libya in 1986 in the same battlegroup. He was in engineering spaces of a ship looking for the missing Libyan sub.

Overhead imagery: I count 6 subs in port. I count 6 subs in port. I count 5 subs in port. **Mild Panic**.

The ship I was on was closest to Tripoli. We had a very good eye on what was happening. We did not do as well as the Caribbean Task Force, although we did OK.

From my experience, the raid on Maderno was amazing. So much that could have gone wrong did not.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:43 AM (u82oZ)

79 Manly men who cry.

Portland's police chief literally cries while confirming two illegals connected with Tren de Aragua were shot by immigration officers

https://is.gd/mpg8VV

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (L/fGl)

80
Data Republican's husband's business did quite well after last year's doxing. Sold out their products as people showed support.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (VWtfl)

81 Morning.

Ayn Rand was right.

About everything.

Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (1Yy3c)

82 The wife of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, the 37-year-old mother and poet fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in south Minneapolis on Wednesday, is speaking publicly for the first time, offering a devastating, deeply personal account of the life behind a killing that has ignited national outrage.

Becca Good described her wife as a caring, generous person. “Above all else, she was kind,” Good wrote. “In fact, kindness radiated out of her.” Becca Good wrote that she and Renee had stopped that morning to support neighbors. “We had whistles. They had guns.”

In closing, Becca Good asked that her wife be remembered for rejecting hate and choosing compassion. “We honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe to the people we love.”

Posted by: Intercepted The Advocate Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (JCZqz)

83 They have a duty to refuse illegal orders, don’tcha know. I’m gonna laugh my ass off when billboards start appearing advising of same. The leftists will start screeching like wounded eagles, natch.

Walz is a retard, granted, but I have to assume that the left will have gamed this out and not given orders which are illegal on their face in the hopes that idiot in the ranks will interpret things (as they intend but didn't explicitly state) and start shooting so they can escalate their crisis.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (ExV1e)

84 Pointing out the X post from Pixy's last post, about Large-Language-Model NPCs:
https://x.com/Devon_Eriksen_/status/2009393479886004403

Some X poster, some time ago, mentioned that it's a "Hallucination" when it tells you a "fact" that simply isn't true - quotes from a law case that does not exist, for example. It's ALSO a "Hallucination" when it tells you a fact you confirm as true. They're both hallucinations. One just happens to be correct.

In Pixy's link this morning (see above), it explains NPC syndrome. It's cargo-cultism of words, of sound and fury, but it signifies nothing. Magic phrases ("RACISM!" "NAZI!" "PATRIARCHY!") that dispense magic money to them. And it works, so why would they need to do something different? They don't understand the words, so they won't understand when they are Racists, or even Nazis, themselves. They can't understand.

It explains a lot about government. Bullshit work doing little or nothing. It's why there's so many meetings and press conferences - talk a lot with magic words, while bridges and railroads don't actually get built. The magic money still winds up in their hands, though.

Posted by: Another Anon at January 10, 2026 11:45 AM (4h45B)

85 And by the way the "community member" ICE was trying to arrest when dead Karen was trying to ram them was a Somali man who raped a 10 year old girl and an 18 year old...

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 11:46 AM (VE6XX)

86
two off-topic & completely unrelated observations:

1: Whataburger Spicy Jalapeno Ranch sauce is delightfully delicious

&

B: Hot melt glue is indeed hot

thatisall

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 10, 2026 11:46 AM (tljrc)

87 Some moth ago, maybe at Doug Ross journal, a chart where the Marxist think tank was about and all got their speech orders came from. They all get that same words out to use.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 11:47 AM (Ia/+0)

88 Everyone who reads this in the Latin American world is going to wonder, could that be what it will be like for me if I try?

Nobody wants to crap their pants. Obviously we've been testing the weapon on Joe Biden for years.

Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:47 AM (Riz8t)

89 Mother and poet, huh?

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 11:47 AM (bss/y)

90 From my experience, the raid on Maderno was amazing. So much that could have gone wrong did not.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:43 AM (u82oZ)

No question. All the things the military personnel did, should be studied for years, as you say. It's probably also true though, whatever our intelligence ops did to grease the locks should be analyzed (maybe not for us to see though).

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:47 AM (A4jJ3)

91 79 Manly men who cry.

Portland's police chief literally cries while confirming two illegals connected with Tren de Aragua were shot by immigration officers

https://is.gd/mpg8VV
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM

+++
Speaking of law enforcement public appearances, check out this gem of a sheriff in Philly:

https://youtu.be/SMiRLgU7hmA

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 10, 2026 11:48 AM (2Ez/1)

92 Nevermind all that. Is the booze any good?
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:27 AM (A4jJ3)

They have good reviews.

https://wasatch.co/

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:48 AM (ExV1e)

93 Posted by: Intercepted The Advocate Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (JCZqz)

Wow... That's the biggest bunch of lies I think I've ever heard.. Why isn't wifey in jail ?

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 11:48 AM (VE6XX)

94 Becca Good wrote that she and Renee had stopped that morning to support neighbors. “We had whistles. They had guns.”

And SUVs.

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 11:48 AM (Fs0KI)

95 In closing, Becca Good asked that her wife be remembered for rejecting hate and choosing compassion.

You know, except for the whole trying to run a man over thing.

Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:49 AM (Riz8t)

96 Morning.

Ayn Rand was right.

About everything.
Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (1Yy3c)

She was a bit of a slut, apparently.

And that hair style.....

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:49 AM (A4jJ3)

97 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
>> marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (L/fGl)
=====

Kind of opposite of her positions regard to Columbia or NYU.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:31 AM (KDPiq)

--

"Protesting" in *any* place where people live is inherently wicked and dangerous, whether it's Sunnyside Acres or the dorm quad. People who do this aren't champions of free speech, they're a mob.

Posted by: SloPitch Whiffer at January 10, 2026 11:50 AM (NYInA)

98 > Grok: https://bit.ly/4bsbw2t
Posted by: Clyde Shelton
------------
👍

I thought that VZ soldier's "story" sounded familiar.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:50 AM (NwnyJ)

99 But of course.

Oregon Dems Defend Violent Venezuelan Gang Member Following Another ICE-Involved Shooting in Oregon

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:51 AM (L/fGl)

100 BurtTC

In her fiction, her sex scenes are cringe. Maybe she did not write what she knew.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:51 AM (u82oZ)

101 How's the dog Becca?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 10, 2026 11:51 AM (2Ez/1)

102 Data Republican's piece on seeing like a state is excellent.

That little retard has been indispensable.

Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:52 AM (1Yy3c)

103 They have good reviews.

https://wasatch.co/
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:48 AM (ExV1e)

I don't believe in reviews. 90% or more of positive reviews are bots, and the negative reviews come from competitors, or idiots who give zero stars to the product because the post office shipped it late, or some other dumb reason.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:52 AM (A4jJ3)

104 Oregon Dems Defend Violent Venezuelan Gang Member Following Another ICE-Involved Shooting in Oregon
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:51 AM (L/fGl)

Not ICE.. Border Patrol

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 11:53 AM (VE6XX)

105
I should have said the proletariat but what’s also true is most commie echelon are also miserable. Having to always watch your back leads to a miserable and stressful life.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 11:40 AM (KDPiq)

Everything within the state.......

Even party members have to walk on eggshells.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at January 10, 2026 11:53 AM (g8Ew8)

106 BurtTC

In her fiction, her sex scenes are cringe. Maybe she did not write what she knew.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:51 AM (u82oZ)

Heh. This is one of those things, if you could go back in time and nail Ayn Rand, would you?

Of course you would! Just to say you nailed Ayn Rand, but I bet she was a terrible lay.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:53 AM (A4jJ3)

107 > In closing, Becca Good asked that her wife be remembered for rejecting hate and choosing compassion.
---------
Kaos Karen had ample opportunities to rethink what she was going to do.

She didn't think about the ramifications of her actions when she dropped her kid off at daycare. Nor when she showed up at a preplanned agitation demonstration. Nor when LE ordered her to stop her car, roll down the window, get out.

It's the very definition of "intent." There's no "compassion" there.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:54 AM (NwnyJ)

108 Am I the only person who finds Dave Ramsey incredibly annoying? He gives good common sense advice but he’s so condescending in how he does it… don’t like
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at January 10, 2026 11:35 AM (xT8gx)

Caleb Hammer is much better. Friendly and approachable.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:54 AM (ExV1e)

109 And by the way the "community member" ICE was trying to arrest when dead Karen was trying to ram them was a Somali man who raped a 10 year old girl and an 18 year old...

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 11:46 AM

Grok says this is not the case. But the summary is based on lack of online reports. So maybe they were trying to arrest the rapist, but it's not been reported online for Grok to get the information.

The operation was part of a large-scale ICE crackdown in the Minneapolis area targeting criminal illegal aliens, including sex offenders. One specific target mentioned in ICE statements around this time was Mahad Abdulkadir Yusuf, a Somali national and convicted sex offender from Somalia, who was wanted for deportation after being free due to sanctuary policies. ICE described him as a dangerous criminal who victimized Minneapolis residents.

However, there is no evidence in news reports, official statements, or related coverage that the person ICE was attempting to arrest at the exact moment of the confrontation with Good was this Somali man (or any Somali rapist of a 10-year-old and 18-year-old).

Grok: https://bit.ly/45O4L7t

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 11:55 AM (P5BPp)

110 Meanwhile . . .

Trump Secures Release of Political Prisoners in Venezuela, Major Deal Sealed

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:55 AM (L/fGl)

111 Renee Good might be alive today if she’d watched Chris Rock’s PSA on how not to get your ass kicked (or shot) by police. It’s hilarious and full of good common sense… and it applies to federal law enforcement (including, of course, ICE). She was LARPing while the ICE officers were living in reality…. It is definitely sad on a human level, but play stupid games, win stupid prizes….

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at January 10, 2026 11:56 AM (xT8gx)

112 BurtTC
Ayn would have probably been a lot worse than Helen Thomas. Even after Helen became a widow, I mean.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:56 AM (u82oZ)

113 Grok says a lot of things.

Posted by: Kinda like grandad at January 10, 2026 11:56 AM (2Ez/1)

114 Donna, sadly Leftists would defend Chairman Mao if he was a Illegal who was getting deported. They could care less what crime they did

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 11:56 AM (Ia/+0)

115
32 PBS News
@NewsHour
Due to federal budget cuts, PBS News had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming.
This Sunday, our PBS News Weekend team will sign off the air.

First CPB, now this. I'm so confused. They told me many times that taxpayer money was a very small part of their budget. Make it make sense!
Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM

-------

I think there has been a sleight-of-hand here. I believe it was that local PBS affiliate stations got Federal money, and then purchased network shows. The 5% of Federal funding that went directly to to PBS was highlighted, and the rest excluded from the statement.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at January 10, 2026 11:56 AM (VWtfl)

116 Morning.

Ayn Rand was right.

About everything.
Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (1Yy3c)

If memory serves, Galt's Gultch has been determined to be in Colorado. I'd say she got that part wrong. Otherwise, pretty good prognostication.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 11:57 AM (ExV1e)

117 She was a bit of a slut, apparently.

And that hair style.....
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:49 AM (A4jJ3)

She had a personal and professional falling out with her protege who made the accusation. Dude got burned, called her a whore. Sounds legit.

The hairstyle...well...it was the style at the time. :B

Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:57 AM (1Yy3c)

118 "Protesting" in *any* place where people live is inherently wicked and dangerous, whether it's Sunnyside Acres or the dorm quad. People who do this aren't champions of free speech, they're a mob.
Posted by: SloPitch Whiffer at January 10, 2026 11:50 AM (NYInA)

Agreed. And I don't believe, when there are police shootings in situations where the cops are in "hostile territory" ever have winners.

Cops CAN be quick on the trigger, and why wouldn't they. Then people emerge from all around screaming and cursing... these are dangerous situations. People lose loved ones, and cops go home with the terrible thoughts that go along with having to take a life.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:58 AM (A4jJ3)

119 109 And by the way the "community member" ICE was trying to arrest when dead Karen was trying to ram them was a Somali man who raped a 10 year old girl and an 18 year old...

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 11:46 AM

Grok says this is not the case. But the summary is based on lack of online reports. So maybe they were trying to arrest the rapist, but it's not been reported online for Grok to get the information.

I stand corrected..

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 11:58 AM (VE6XX)

120 I used to have a different nic

Galt's Gulch was modeled on Telluride, CO. Before it went work.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:58 AM (u82oZ)

121 Morning.

Ayn Rand was right.

About everything.
Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM (1Yy3c)

She was a bit of a slut, apparently.

And that hair style.....
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:49 AM (A4jJ3)

I read a bio of Rand years ago. Honestly she was kinda a garbage person. Nothing to admire… I guess her books were okay but her philosophy was junk

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (xT8gx)

122 Sideways?

Eating Bananas the Right Way: Benefits, Risks, and Best Timing

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (L/fGl)

123 In closing, Becca Good asked that her wife be remembered for rejecting hate and choosing compassion.

Or thankfully, she can be remembered for dispelling the myth of the invisible shield of white privilege.

Posted by: old chick at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (F3Dlr)

124 32 PBS News
@NewsHour
Due to federal budget cuts, PBS News had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming.
This Sunday, our PBS News Weekend team will sign off the air.

Please, please. It’s too much winning. We can’t take it anymore. Mr. President, it’s too much.

Posted by: Moron Analyst at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (JCZqz)

125 BurtTC
Ayn would have probably been a lot worse than Helen Thomas. Even after Helen became a widow, I mean.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 11:56 AM (u82oZ)

I would expect Helen was good with her hands.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (A4jJ3)

126 *Same here. My daughter started Leucovorin this week.*

Piper, can you tell me how / why drs decided to try it for her?
Just wondering if it would help KTE

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (tcsrY)

127 I never got the idea behind the supposed crap ray. I mean, it might work for a little while, but once word got out that you had a crap ray, everyone would just fight through the diarrhea, and armies would issue troops rubber pants like organ grinders' monkeys have.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (BI5O2)

128 97 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
>> marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 11:23 AM (L/fGl)
=====

The cognitive dissonce on that girl is immense.

She literal pounds podiums and demands street action nearly every time she speaks. Its on you AOC

Posted by: Cuthbert the Witless at January 10, 2026 12:00 PM (i0Hi3)

129 I always thought Obama had a suit like that thing Maduro is wearing somewhere in one of his closets. ⁰I mean something with a sash and epaulets.

Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at January 10, 2026 12:00 PM (8CIFn)

130 I'm as keen to the odor of collectivism in all its permutations and guises as I am sick to death of its slogans. I'm encouraged that more and more people seem to be as well. 10 years ago you wouldn't have seen or felt the same awareness of Leftism. It can't hide as well as it used to.

Posted by: Ordinary American at January 10, 2026 12:00 PM (h/ffs)

131 She had a personal and professional falling out with her protege who made the accusation. Dude got burned, called her a whore. Sounds legit.

The hairstyle...well...it was the style at the time. :B
Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:57 AM (1Yy3c)

Sure, but why the onion belt.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:00 PM (qRPKQ)

132 Mayor Zohran Damcommie

Posted by: OldManMike at January 10, 2026 12:01 PM (b0ILp)

133 Mandami is a ridiculous buffoon but he wasn’t talking about NYrs when he was talking about going after rugged individualists.

He’s speaking to a much wider audience.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at January 10, 2026 12:01 PM (bqXH1)

134 Cuthbert the Witless

AOC literally auditioned to be a pawn of the Deep State.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 12:01 PM (u82oZ)

135 I don't believe in reviews. 90% or more of positive reviews are bots, and the negative reviews come from competitors, or idiots who give zero stars to the product because the post office shipped it late, or some other dumb reason.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:52 AM (A4jJ3)

I assumed that the positive reviews were from people who appreciate the work his wife does. I don't think that I can order hooch for delivery from an out of state place. Maybe someone will step up and grab something from them and let us know how it is.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:02 PM (ExV1e)

136 Cancel all limo lib commies

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at January 10, 2026 12:02 PM (DoBxX)

137 Morning.

Ayn Rand was right.

About everything.

Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 11:44 AM

She was a bit of a slut, apparently.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:49 AM

Was that wrong? Should she not have done that?

Posted by: George Costanza at January 10, 2026 12:02 PM (P5BPp)

138 Current visual that's becoming iconic for Iranian protesters - young hot women lighting their cigarettes with burning posters of Khamenei.

No surgeon general's warning, but hawt young Iranian women. Beautiful, really.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 10, 2026 12:03 PM (U/Byj)

139 123 In closing, Becca Good asked that her wife be remembered for rejecting hate and choosing compassion.

Evidently she was also a great mother.. Two of the 3 she lost custody of....

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 12:03 PM (VE6XX)

140 I assumed that the positive reviews were from people who appreciate the work his wife does. I don't think that I can order hooch for delivery from an out of state place. Maybe someone will step up and grab something from them and let us know how it is.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:02 PM (ExV1e)

There's definitely a good argument to be made in supporting products made by people who share your values.

I mean REALLY share your values.

I ordered some Black Rifle coffee once. Once. It was meh. And then they went after Kyle Rittenhouse.

Plonk.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:04 PM (qRPKQ)

141 Kaos Karen had ample opportunities to rethink what she was going to do.

She didn't think about the ramifications of her actions when she dropped her kid off at daycare. Nor when she showed up at a preplanned agitation demonstration. Nor when LE ordered her to stop her car, roll down the window, get out.

It's the very definition of "intent." There's no "compassion" there.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:54 AM (NwnyJ)

Angry Cops goes over the incident in excruciating detail. His video was filmed prior to the release of the bodycam but nothing would have changed as a result.

https://youtu.be/NkhWwlKsl4E

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:04 PM (ExV1e)

142 >>JackStraw

>>Some data points seem out of whack.

The whole thing seems pretty wild, Salty. As I mentioned I wasn't going to post it because I wasn't sure if it was real but then Karoline Leavitt endorsed it then Bongino.

Maybe a bit sensationalized but there's no doubt it was an amazing accomplishment.

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 12:05 PM (viF8m)

143 Living down to their reputation.

“The View” Co-Host Sunny Hostin: Minneapolis Ice Shooting Was an “Unlawful Killing”

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 12:06 PM (L/fGl)

144 Witnessed a sonic weapon demo years ago, when one of the first companies was marketing them as non-lethal options for crowd control - and for fending off pirates (so t his was back when Horn of Africa waters were hot). Device was set to a very low power level of course and bursts were brief.

Intolerable sound and head pain. Impressive.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 10, 2026 12:06 PM (U/Byj)

145 We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.

That's a threat, not a promise.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 10, 2026 12:07 PM (guCHD)

146 I always thought Obama had a suit like that thing Maduro is wearing somewhere in one of his closets. ⁰I mean something with a sash and epaulets.
Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at January 10, 2026 12:00 PM (

Yeah a pink satin sash with purple letters that say "YASS KWEEN SLAY," and velvet eupaulets. Also, it's a ballroom gown.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 12:09 PM (BI5O2)

147 The US Federal Government just suspended ALL US Department of Agriculture funding to the state of Minnesota, in response to efforts countering ICE abductions. (1/9/26)

It’s time for the state of Minnesota to suspend all federal tax dollars. We pay more into the federal than we take in, and I’m tired of funding ICE when they’re coming in here and terrorizing our city. Also, it’s literally illegal for any Cabinet member to suspend funds. She will be sued, and she will lose.

I'm a fraud investigator in the private sector. It's the agencies job to review, verify, audit and prove someone qualifies for benefits. The federal benefits that were defrauded were due to a lack of oversight in their own agency.

The federal government is trying to make an example of us. “Bend the knee, or die.”

I’ll take option number 3: fight. Never thought that the civil war would start in MN.

I hope this ruins the MN governors race for republicans. This is all unacceptable and torture to Minnesota.

We are an imperialist state now? Then we should all go on a spree and end the tyrants because there’s more of us than them and we have way the fuck more guns

Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 10, 2026 12:09 PM (JCZqz)

148 I've been listening to a naturopath talking about the problems with the vaccines. I agreed with her, found her salty and entertaining, a tough broad. Then the other day she made a completely ridiculous video on the Minneapolis shooting. "A young girl is dead..." blah, blah. I told her she didn't know what she was talking about and broke it down for her. Many responses were also critical. Instead of showing some humility, she doubled down, claiming people were trying to stifle her opinion. Stupid. She lost me and obviously many others.

Posted by: Ordinary American at January 10, 2026 12:09 PM (h/ffs)

149 145 We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.

That's a threat, not a promise.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 10, 2026 12:07 PM (guCHD)
I believe that’s a threat to everything I cherish.

Posted by: Eromero at January 10, 2026 12:10 PM (V6+NK)

150 146 I always thought Obama had a suit like that thing Maduro is wearing somewhere in one of his closets. ⁰I mean something with a sash and epaulets.
Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at January 10, 2026 12:00 PM (

There’s a great AI image of Rubio floating around the net looking like that, calling him the Viceroy of Venezuela.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 12:11 PM (UXPSq)

151 Can't imagine that we haven't been able to confirm large numbers of killings by regime forces (snipers, others shooting people in the street) by now. Multiple diverse data points indicate it's similar/worse to 2022 and earlier episodes.

Trump has repeatedly set down a red line (not precisely defined but pretty clear), repeated yesterday, after which we would "hit them very hard, where it hurts".

There were a couple of instances where he did similar vs. Hamas in Gaza, but then never followed through, though Israeli operations and the flow of events sort of rendered it all moot anyway. This is different, of course. Sort of expecting action now. Or some public re-positioning.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 10, 2026 12:11 PM (U/Byj)

152 We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.

If I were elected as a "caring socialist", my first order of business would be to publish 100 new regulations every day, often conflicting, regarding all manner of amorous activities. Women would be required to file a 20 page report on every interaction with a man, whether it resulted in sex or them turning him down.

When people complained, I would say, "We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about." And then I would have whatever reporter asked me the question imprisoned.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:12 PM (ExV1e)

153 That's a threat, not a promise.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 10, 2026 12:07 PM (guCHD)

That's how I read it.

There's no such thing as benevolent actions of government. Even when it performs a necessary function. They always say "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled..." Well, the greatest trick government ever pulled was convincing the nation that it does good things.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:12 PM (qRPKQ)

154 They have good reviews.

https://wasatch.co/

I'm sorry. I can not be seen in public buying a product called "Perky Cowgirl."

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 12:13 PM (Fs0KI)

155 Crying over the death of men dedicated to killing you.
Sounds like insanity.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 12:13 PM (y79kU)

156 In closing, Becca Good asked that her wife be remembered for rejecting hate and choosing compassion.

Marxists live in a permanent state of hatred; hatred for Americans, the Republic, and West civ in general. 'Reject hate'? Yeah, quiet the opposite.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at January 10, 2026 12:14 PM (mlg/3)

157 That chile vodka looks interesting.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at January 10, 2026 12:15 PM (EXyHK)

158 There’s a great AI image of Rubio floating around the net looking like that, calling him the Viceroy of Venezuela.
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 12:11 PM (UXPSq)

Floating around the net... like the Flying Nun?

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:15 PM (qRPKQ)

159 I'm sorry. I can not be seen in public buying a product called "Perky Cowgirl."
Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 12:13 PM (Fs0KI)

Go with the Mount Pfeiferhorn. Whiskey is better than coffee liqueur anyway.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:15 PM (ExV1e)

160 127 I never got the idea behind the supposed crap ray. I mean, it might work for a little while, but once word got out that you had a crap ray, everyone would just fight through the diarrhea, and armies would issue troops rubber pants like organ grinders' monkeys have.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (BI5O2)

The infamous “Brown Note”.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 12:16 PM (UXPSq)

161 Shutdown Boogaloo 2 coming soon.

What else can they do, really?

Posted by: Ordinary American at January 10, 2026 12:16 PM (h/ffs)

162 Have a wonderful day, everyone.

However, head on a swivel and have a plan.

Plenty of people hate us and what we represent.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2026 12:17 PM (u82oZ)

163 This is different, of course. Sort of expecting action now. Or some public re-positioning.
Posted by: rhomboid
------

A great help would be getting the comms up.
We don't know what's going on. We may be there doing good things. Same with Israel. These days both can keep a secret.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 12:17 PM (y79kU)

164 Go with the Mount Pfeiferhorn.

I don’t think that’s available? I can’t see it on their web site from Texas, anyway.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at January 10, 2026 12:18 PM (EXyHK)

165 Shutdown Boogaloo 2 coming soon.

What else can they do, really?
Posted by: Ordinary American at January 10, 2026 12:16 PM (h/ffs)

Is it that time already? I thought we had until September or whenever.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:18 PM (qRPKQ)

166 Floating around the net... like the Flying Nun?
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:15 PM (qRPKQ)

I’ll bet with Grok you could make one of those too.
The EU is all butthurt and threatening to ban X completely because Grok added a feature allowing you to show any Euro politician in a bikini. They say it’s pornography, everyone else says it’s freakin’ hilarious!

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 12:19 PM (UXPSq)

167 Damn lower prices!

David Asman
@DavidAsmanfox
Democrats now making the case that too much oil and lower energy prices are bad for Americans.

https://is.gd/bdpqAY

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Like Shakespeare Except More Betterer at January 10, 2026 12:19 PM (L/fGl)

168 Momdani's popularity, much like AOC, is somewhat isolated at the moment.

But it should be understood as a clear signal to the right that many young people are saying the system is no longer working for them.

Capitalism is a proven winner when compared to other options, but that isn't to say in its current state it doesn't contain serious flaws.

The amalgamation of wealth at the top creates serious issues. Extremely high market-cap corporations can afford to eat long term losses without feeling fiscal pressure against their survival, enabling them to crush any entrepreneurial ventures that start up in an effort to create viable businesses through attrition.

At some point, the corporate/government partnership becomes indistinguishable from the communist model. It offers only the guise of the possibility of upward mobility and competition in appearance, but in practice it is trending rapidly towards a reality where the politburo lives in largess off of "donations", the sororities master lives in largess off of monopolistic control, but the man on the street struggles with less choice, less value and increasingly shrinking standards of living.

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:20 PM (JNrP3)

169 LOL, I love how this site depicts libertarians as pot smoking leftists who don't want to pay taxes. That is, until an actual leftist grabs power. Then they're quotable.

Posted by: Not Enough Lampposts at January 10, 2026 12:20 PM (GSe6k)

170 I feel bad for decent people stuck in NYC for whatever reasons. BUT ...

As Mamdani and his cohorts destroy NYC as a place to live and work. (Maybe take Albany with them.) A few suggestions: No federal bailout. Perhaps a truckers strike for deliveries that aren't being paid for. Maybe a National Guard escort for people and businesses trying to leave. And a block on punitive taxes foisted on those getting out of dodge. Treat the refugees like the asylum seekers they have become. Let those who remain feed themselves and stay warn with their collectivism.

Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 12:20 PM (yTvNw)

171 The Marco Rubio's new job memes are great

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at January 10, 2026 12:20 PM (tcsrY)

172 It’s time for the state of Minnesota to suspend all federal tax dollars. We pay more into the federal than we take in...

Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions

They keep saying this about whichever blue state happens to be in the news as if everyone's tax withholdings are being sent to the state and forwarded to the IRS. What exactly do they think MN is able to do about their federal taxes?

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 12:21 PM (Fs0KI)

173 Of course you would! Just to say you nailed Ayn Rand, but I bet she was a terrible lay.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 11:53 AM (A4jJ3)

I actually disagree. She was bug nuts crazy and in my experience that adds a certain... energy to the sex.

It would be memorable.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:21 PM (bss/y)

174 I’ll bet with Grok you could make one of those too.
The EU is all butthurt and threatening to ban X completely because Grok added a feature allowing you to show any Euro politician in a bikini. They say it’s pornography, everyone else says it’s freakin’ hilarious!
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 12:19 PM (UXPSq)

Yeah, I heard about the bikini thing. It's freakin' hilarious, no matter who is in the news, there SHOULD be bikini pics made almost immediately.

Even people one might like. I'm sure there are Trump bikini pics out there. If not, there should be.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:21 PM (qRPKQ)

175 *corporate master

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:22 PM (JNrP3)

176 > The U.S. Postal Service issued an internal memo signed by Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino, instructing employees and contractors to show ID and a special letter to law enforcement during events like epidemics, hurricanes, civil unrest, or curfews. This ensures mail delivery continues uninterrupted as essential federal service. Similar memos went out during COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and before storms; workers on forums like Reddit's r/USPS call it standard annual paperwork, not a sign of trouble ahead.
-------
FYI - "not a sign of trouble ahead."
YMMV

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 12:22 PM (NwnyJ)

177 144 Witnessed a sonic weapon demo years ago, when one of the first companies was marketing them as non-lethal options for crowd control - and for fending off pirates (so t his was back when Horn of Africa waters were hot). Device was set to a very low power level of course and bursts were brief.

Intolerable sound and head pain. Impressive.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 10, 2026 12:06 PM (U/Byj)

So why isn't it used in the US? I'm guessing for two reasons.
1. Could unjustifiably affect innocent bystanders, leading to the real reason -
2. Could cause serious injury or be fatal to persons, i.e., it is not a definite non-lethal or non-serious wounding device.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2026 12:22 PM (5rh/l)

178 Cold individualism - picture of pioneer trapper in winter mountains, little house on prairie

Warmth of collectivism - picture of mass graves, piles of skulls, ovens

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 12:23 PM (/lPRQ)

179 I actually disagree. She was bug nuts crazy and in my experience that adds a certain... energy to the sex.

It would be memorable.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:21 PM (bss/y)

I wanna say I'd heard something about her opinion on the matter, like it wasn't her responsibility to make sure the man was satisfied.

I'm sure that wasn't exactly the way she said it, but I'm pretty sure it was something like that.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:23 PM (qRPKQ)

180 154 They have good reviews.

https://wasatch.co/

I'm sorry. I can not be seen in public buying a product called "Perky Cowgirl."
Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 12:13 PM (Fs0KI)

Coffee liquor, huh. How big is her rack?

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:23 PM (bss/y)

181 I'm sure that wasn't exactly the way she said it, but I'm pretty sure it was something like that.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:23 PM (qRPKQ)

IIRC, she calmly proposed a wife swap arrangement with another couple.

She also had a major thing for Mickey Spillane. The letter I heard reported that she sent him (at least once) was pretty embarrassing.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:25 PM (bss/y)

182
There’s a great AI image of Rubio floating around the net looking like that, calling him the Viceroy of Venezuela.
Posted by: Tom Servo

Caudillo El Supremo

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM} at January 10, 2026 12:25 PM (yQQMn)

183 I'm sorry. I can not be seen in public buying a product called "Perky Cowgirl."
Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 12:13 PM (Fs0KI)

Coffee liquor, huh. How big is her rack?
Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:23 PM (bss/y)

I dunno, these days alcohol has all kinds of funky names for things.

Now, if you were in the tampon aisle.....

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:27 PM (qRPKQ)

184 "I'm a fraud investigator in the private sector. It's the agencies job to review, verify, audit and prove someone qualifies for benefits. The federal benefits that were defrauded were due to a lack of oversight in their own agency."

Ah, but that requires the oversight agencies be funded to hire enough impartial staff to reasonably review, verify, and audit recipients. Impartial being a key word. Government needs-based payment programs can be a racket all the way from top to bottom.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2026 12:27 PM (5rh/l)

185 there is *one* anti-ice protester at the main intersection of my neck of the lack-of-woods. usually, the crazies can manage half a dozen.

Posted by: anachronda at January 10, 2026 12:27 PM (edU/H)

186 At Insty:

Eyal Yakoby
@EYakoby
·
Follow
BREAKING: Iranian state TV says that anyone who protests in the streets will be shot.

These are crimes against humanity and a violation of the Geneva Convention.

Greta Thunberg? Silent.

Mehdi Hasan? Silent.

Cenk Uygur? Silent.

The media? Silent.

The UN? Silent.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:27 PM (bss/y)

187 I feel bad for decent people stuck in NYC for whatever reasons. BUT ...

As Mamdani and his cohorts destroy NYC as a place to live and work. (Maybe take Albany with them.) A few suggestions: No federal bailout. Perhaps a truckers strike for deliveries that aren't being paid for. Maybe a National Guard escort for people and businesses trying to leave. And a block on punitive taxes foisted on those getting out of dodge. Treat the refugees like the asylum seekers they have become. Let those who remain feed themselves and stay warn with their collectivism.

Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 12:20 PM (yTvNw)

Blow the bridges, send in Snake Plissken.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2026 12:28 PM (snZF9)

188 They keep saying this about whichever blue state happens to be in the news as if everyone's tax withholdings are being sent to the state and forwarded to the IRS. What exactly do they think MN is able to do about their federal taxes?
Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 12:21 PM (Fs0KI)

I believe that I've found the source of your confusion.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:28 PM (ExV1e)

189 I dunno, these days alcohol has all kinds of funky names for things.

Now, if you were in the tampon aisle.....
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:27 PM (qRPKQ)

I saw these really cool line of whiskeys for sale that had pulp/sci-fi/50s kind of labels on them. They were very cool. I'll see if I can find them online.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:29 PM (bss/y)

190 IIRC, she calmly proposed a wife swap arrangement with another couple.

She also had a major thing for Mickey Spillane. The letter I heard reported that she sent him (at least once) was pretty embarrassing.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:25 PM (bss/y)

Have you ever seen the video of her on the Phil Donohue show? It's freakin' hilarious.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:29 PM (qRPKQ)

191 Here it is:

https://www.filmlandspirits.com/

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:30 PM (bss/y)

192 So why isn't it used in the US? I'm guessing for two reasons.

1. Could unjustifiably affect innocent bystanders, leading to the real reason -
2. Could cause serious injury or be fatal to persons, i.e., it is not a definite non-lethal or non-serious wounding device.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2026 12:22 PM

Reason #2 especially. Consider what happened with George Floyd. A simple standard knee to the back/neck hold turned into his death, because his health was compromised by all the drugs he was on.

Now imagine that this sonic weapon is non-lethal to the vast majority of people, but if one is health compromised like Floyd, it could lead to complications and death.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 12:30 PM (P5BPp)

193 I saw these really cool line of whiskeys for sale that had pulp/sci-fi/50s kind of labels on them. They were very cool. I'll see if I can find them online.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:29 PM (bss/y)

I bought some beer recently, with a sort of LOTR theme to it. They obviously couldn't use actual LOTR logo, due to copyright, but it was similar enough.

It wasn't bad.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:30 PM (qRPKQ)

194
Witnessed a sonic weapon demo years ago, when one of the first companies was marketing them as non-lethal options for crowd control - and for fending off pirates (so t his was back when Horn of Africa waters were hot). Device was set to a very low power level of course and bursts were brief.

Intolerable sound and head pain. Impressive.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 10, 2026 12:06 PM

So why isn't it used in the US? I'm guessing for two reasons.
1. Could unjustifiably affect innocent bystanders, leading to the real reason -
2. Could cause serious injury or be fatal to persons, i.e., it is not a definite non-lethal or non-serious wounding device.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2026 12:22 PM

two words: water cannons

safe & effective

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 10, 2026 12:31 PM (tljrc)

195 These are crimes against humanity and a violation of the Geneva Convention.

People should really read up on the Geneva Convention rather than just using it's name as a magical incantation.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:32 PM (ExV1e)

196 Congratulations to Islam. What you couldn't accomplish by flying planes into buildings, through years of war and terrorism you accomplished through playing our system.

Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2026 12:33 PM (IlL6s)

197 Thx K.T. .
My city has been overrun by NYC refugees which have driven prices through the roof. Add to that a lot of illegals and you have a housing shortage. As I've written before, the main solution for my city is rent control. They've put up a land bank to renovate some dilapidated houses, but they aren't in the best neighborhoods. There's a big NGO not for profit, which has built low income housing, but I'd love to see the books on that thing

Posted by: Smell the Glove at January 10, 2026 12:33 PM (ScJGb)

198 Kaos Karen had ample opportunities to rethink what she was going to do.

She didn't think about the ramifications of her actions when she dropped her kid off at daycare. Nor when she showed up at a preplanned agitation demonstration. Nor when LE ordered her to stop her car, roll down the window, get out.

It's the very definition of "intent." There's no "compassion" there.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 11:54 AM (NwnyJ)

Greg Gutfeld hit the nail on the head on The Five.

https://tinyurl.com/33h6mf9j

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at January 10, 2026 12:33 PM (5xuJ/)

199 Have you ever seen the video of her on the Phil Donohue show? It's freakin' hilarious.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:29 PM (qRPKQ)

https://youtu.be/WqpwTAzdPUI

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:34 PM (ExV1e)

200 187 ... "Blow the bridges, send in Snake Plissken."

Yeah. I had that movie in mind. Escape from New York was supposed to be entertainment, not prophecy.

Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 12:35 PM (yTvNw)

201 I sub to Data Republican on X. She's the only one, and I do it precisely because of this harassment (and of course, the wonderful work she does). I think it's been many months since her hubby's business has been targeted.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at January 10, 2026 12:36 PM (w6EFb)

202 Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:27 PM (bss/y)

....

It's almost surreal watching the right support the invocation of the Insurrection Act, government investigation and prosecution of anti-ICE protest groups, and (rightfully) defending the shooting of citizens that interfere in government operations, whilst simultaneously supporting insurrection in Iran, encouraging citizens to interfere in Iranian government operations and decrying the shooting of Iranian citizens as a violation of human rights the Geneva Convention.

I know I'm just one guy, but I kinda think we should just let Iran deal with Iranian citizens and the operations of its own country just as I would oppose the concept of Iran or Great Britain or the UN interfering with how we govern our own country,

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:36 PM (JNrP3)

203 Since it began, I mean.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at January 10, 2026 12:36 PM (w6EFb)

204 Escape from New York was supposed to be entertainment, not prophecy.
Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 12:35 PM (yTvNw)

Don't get me started. -- 1984

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:36 PM (ExV1e)

205 This is why there are not many conservatives willing to become activists. Because they are not willing to deal with the consequences when the left comes after them. Especially when the laws are not applied the same to the left and conservatives.

All true about being an activist because you need an utterly corrupt and amoral government to allow all of the anti-social and criminal behavior.

The Left has a no detent volume knob which they can rotate to any level of incivility and barbarism they want. Heritage Americans seek peace and order first and when that this threatened they just comply but are grumpy about it...

.... until a threshold is reached, where activism is never a viable option but survival is now or never. No knob, just a throw-switch, and when that throw switch happens people start crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve and stay until peace and order are restored.

Thanks to social media and an Administration that absolutely loathes putting people in jail, the temperature is getting hot in the pot and that threshold is coming whether it is real or just in perception.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 12:38 PM (c3sdc)

206 The story about DataRepublican's husband is from last year, right? I think his business weathered that storm.

Because he weathered that storm, the Salt Lake Tribune is trying again with, basically, a copy-paste of the earlier Rolling Stone article. Redditors are openly planning to try and burn down the distillery.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:38 PM (QZThv)

207 >>Ah, but that requires the oversight agencies be funded to hire enough impartial staff to reasonably review, verify, and audit recipients. Impartial being a key word. Government needs-based payment programs can be a racket all the way from top to bottom.

One of the first things Trump did last January was firing 17 Inspectors General. These were the people specifically charged with oversight of various federal agencies. Obviously, they weren't doing shit.

In a couple of months a bunch of computer nerds with DOGE started uncovering all this fraud. We need more DOGE on a permanent basis.

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 12:38 PM (viF8m)

208 On Sunday, the Trib's "emerging news reporter," Brock Marchant

They misspelled "Muckraker."

Posted by: NR Pax at January 10, 2026 12:39 PM (7xrfc)

209 I think it's been many months since her hubby's business has been targeted.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at January 10, 2026 12:36 PM (w6EFb)

Yes, that happened earlier. This is a newspaper trying to cancel her husband again today.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:39 PM (QZThv)

210 Whoa. No one is saying rightfully shooting citizens who 'interfere' with government. They have all the right in the world to protest. To yell and scream at the injustice.

They do not have the right to run people down in their cars.

There is a big difference here. Just interfering with the government? Nah bro.

As far as Iran, the more they can do on their own, the more real and lasting any change will be.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:40 PM (bss/y)

211 I never got the idea behind the supposed crap ray. I mean, it might work for a little while, but once word got out that you had a crap ray, everyone would just fight through the diarrhea, and armies would issue troops rubber pants like organ grinders' monkeys have.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (BI5O2)

HEY!!

Posted by: J. Biden at January 10, 2026 12:40 PM (5xuJ/)

212 I know I'm just one guy, but I kinda think we should just let Iran deal with Iranian citizens and the operations of its own country just as I would oppose the concept of Iran or Great Britain or the UN interfering with how we govern our own country,

But reality is, Iran, Great Britain and the UN actively interfere in many aspects of how we [should] govern our own country.

Doesn't matter what you think or feel, there is objective reality.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 12:41 PM (c3sdc)

213 They talked Renee into getting suicide by cop

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 12:42 PM (Ia/+0)

214 We need more DOGE on a permanent basis.

Every major Federal department has a DOGE department now. Unsurprisingly Marco Rubio's at State has been the most publicly active.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:42 PM (QZThv)

215 Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:40 PM (bss/y)

.....

So if Iranian protest groups instigated a coup against the mullahs, you would approve of their government mowing them down, I presume?

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:42 PM (JNrP3)

216 >>I know I'm just one guy, but I kinda think we should just let Iran deal with Iranian citizens and the operations of its own country just as I would oppose the concept of Iran or Great Britain or the UN interfering with how we govern our own country,

That would be swell if Iran hadn't been screwing with us for the last 50 years. Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism including attacks on Americans, our interests and our allies and has for years on an almost daily basis threatened to nuke the US just as soon as they could develop a nuke.

What's surreal is watching people pretend this isn't reality. There's an old saying, Don't want nothing, don't start nothing. I'm perfectly happy to let Iran be Iran just as soon as they do the same with us.

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 12:43 PM (viF8m)

217 I never got the idea behind the supposed crap ray. I mean, it might work for a little while, but once word got out that you had a crap ray, everyone would just fight through the diarrhea, and armies would issue troops rubber pants like organ grinders' monkeys have.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 11:59 AM (BI5O2)

HEY!!

Posted by: J. Biden at January 10, 2026 12:40 PM (5xuJ/)

New conspiracy theory: Putin was hitting Biden with the crap ray.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:43 PM (QZThv)

218 Multiple myeloma.
Posted by: man at January 10, 2026 09:22 AM (XuXeR)
/from previuos thread--
my ex-wife was diagnosed with the same. She had Stem cell replacement therapy at some point and is "cured-remission" now for a few years. don't lose hope.

Posted by: free tibet with purchase of equal or greater value tibet at January 10, 2026 12:43 PM (iNp3L)

219 Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:36 PM (JNrP3)

You're one of those sheep that can't tell the difference between the wolf and the sheepdog.

Sad.

Posted by: Opinion fact at January 10, 2026 12:44 PM (KDPiq)

220 One of the first things Trump did last January was firing 17 Inspectors General. These were the people specifically charged with oversight of various federal agencies. Obviously, they weren't doing shit.

In a couple of months a bunch of computer nerds with DOGE started uncovering all this fraud. We need more DOGE on a permanent basis.

In other news, Trump endorses Grok as the official AI of the Administration.

AI is made for sniffing out fraud and graphing connections.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 12:44 PM (9Hs2w)

221 So if Iranian protest groups instigated a coup against the mullahs, you would approve of their government mowing them down, I presume?
Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:42 PM (JNrP3)

We are talking about two different things.

You are making an equivalency between US enforcing Immigration law and the Iranians shooting protestors to hold on to power.

I uh, think those are different by orders of magnitude.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:44 PM (bss/y)

222 But reality is, Iran, Great Britain and the UN actively interfere in many aspects of how we [should] govern our own country.

Doesn't matter what you think or feel, there is objective reality.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 12:41 PM (c3sdc)

I agree - I think the vast majority of people have no clue as to how much Iran has been interfering in our institutions and in our government. We “interfere “ for our own self defense.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 12:44 PM (UXPSq)

223 As far as Iran, the more they can do on their own, the more real and lasting any change will be.

Yes, but if/when they need help, they should also get it. This could have been over in 2012 but when they asked for help Obama helped the mullahs.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:44 PM (QZThv)

224 That would be swell if Iran hadn't been screwing with us for the last 50 years. Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism including attacks on Americans, our interests and our allies and has for years on an almost daily basis threatened to nuke the US just as soon as they could develop a nuke.

You don't think the US has been "screwing" with Iran for the last 50 years?

Strange. You usually provide rational analysis.

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:44 PM (JNrP3)

225 If I get my shit pushed in as thoroughly as the Venezuelan military did during the raid, I too would claim that US soldiers were supermen who could teleport and kill you with a word.

Sort of the way I feel about Indiana, who I hope crush Miami in the NC.

Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 12:45 PM (jc0TO)

226 Yes, but if/when they need help, they should also get it. This could have been over in 2012 but when they asked for help Obama helped the mullahs.
Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:44 PM (QZThv)

Valid, to an extent. They have to want it though. Really want it or it will go nowhere (see Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan for examples proving my point both ways.)

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:47 PM (bss/y)

227 AI is made for sniffing out fraud and graphing connections.

And Grok is the best of the big AIs for research and data network connections. And also the only AI model that will say that white males are humans. (Gemini and ChatGPT have severe Netflix-itis).

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:47 PM (QZThv)

228
There's an adorable story in the NY Times this morning about Zohran giving out free theater tickets. He held some unrelated event -- I think it was a selfie opportunity -- and Surprise! had a bunch of free tickets to give away.

Maybe next he'll drive through town tossing out coins so the beggars can scramble for them.

And the reporter didn't say who paid for the "free" tickets.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 10, 2026 12:48 PM (mNvUf)

229 Hmmm, I wonder if Valerie Jarrett likes what is going on in Iran?

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:49 PM (bss/y)

230 The Left has a no detent volume knob which they can rotate to any level of incivility and barbarism they want. Heritage Americans seek peace and order first and when that this threatened they just comply but are grumpy about it...

.... until a threshold is reached, where activism is never a viable option but survival is now or never. No knob, just a throw-switch, and when that throw switch happens people start crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve and stay until peace and order are restored.
...

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 12:38 PM (c3sdc)

"Crossing the Delaware" is a good expression.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at January 10, 2026 12:49 PM (w6EFb)

231 So if Iranian protest groups instigated a coup against the mullahs, you would approve of their government mowing them down, I presume?

That is a deliberately antagonizing and narrative shifting word when you say "approve".

"as a human being and made Imago Dei, I approve human flourishing, but as one of eight billion people on this planet with my own set of problems, I'm unable to be involved with another nation's internal strife. God hasn't promoted me to being Prince of All Nations"

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 12:49 PM (pUU4E)

232 I agree - I think the vast majority of people have no clue as to how much Iran has been interfering in our institutions and in our government. We “interfere “ for our own self defense.

If you had to grade on a scale of 1-10 the degrees to which Iranian action dictates American institutions and policy versus how much American action interferes with Iranian institutions and policy, how would you grade each.

Effects of American sanctions, international pressure, military action, use of intelligence tactics on Iran would be......?

Effects of Iranian sanctions, international pressure, military action l, use of intelligence tactics on America would be......?

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:49 PM (JNrP3)

233
This is why there are not many conservatives willing to become activists. Because they are not willing to deal with the consequences when the left comes after them. Especially when the laws are not applied the same to the left and conservatives.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 11:13 AM

conservatives do not become activists because they have dignity & jobs (H/T to Frank Fleming from back in his IMAO days)

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 10, 2026 12:49 PM (tljrc)

234 Maybe next he'll drive through town tossing out coins so the beggars can scramble for them.

And the reporter didn't say who paid for the "free" tickets.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 10, 2026 12:48 PM (mNvUf)

Yeah, the optics are interesting. The Nomenklatura is passing by!

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:50 PM (bss/y)

235 >>You don't think the US has been "screwing" with Iran for the last 50 years?

>>Strange. You usually provide rational analysis.

To the extent they are able, virtually every country screws around with other countries. Sometime for national interest, some times for nefarious reasons. This is reality. It's always been this way and always will.

I prefer as little interference as possible but I don't like in the made up work of Libertarians who insist if we just withdraw completely behind our borders the bad guys will leave us alone. That's childish.

And I have no problem at all with the US supporting the desires of the Iranian people over the demonic mullahs who have been terrorizing them for 50 years. The mullahs are soulless monsters and the sooner the world is rid of them and their poisonous ideology the better.

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 12:50 PM (viF8m)

236 "Blow the bridges, send in Snake Plissken."

Yeah. I had that movie in mind. Escape from New York was supposed to be entertainment, not prophecy.

Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 12:35 PM (yTvNw)

Somehow I always knew it would come to that eventually. Wasn't sure how, but I had a good idea. I know one thing, if you're stupid enough to vote in an ass sucking marxist goat fucking muslim piece of shit communist 1 generation from 9/11 you deserve to have your entire existence burned down to the water line.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2026 12:51 PM (snZF9)

237 Whoa. No one is saying rightfully shooting citizens who 'interfere' with government. They have all the right in the world to protest. To yell and scream at the injustice.

They do not have the right to run people down in their cars.

There is a big difference here. Just interfering with the government? Nah bro.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:40 PM

Shooting those who interfere, no. Arresting those who interfere and obstruct the officers from enforcing the law, yes.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think she was in the process of being arrested for obstruction of ICE? She not only resisted arrest, she tried to run down an ICE officer with her vehicle in the process.

Also, there is a right to peacefully protest. E.g. standing on the sidewalk out of the way shouting and screaming or whatever. But there is no right to obstruct law enforcement or block streets, etc.

That's where law enforcement/government has failed for decades now. Failure to prosecute and put these people in prison over the years has only allowed their tactics to escalate.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 12:51 PM (P5BPp)

238 Cuthbert the Witless

AOC literally auditioned to be a pawn of the Deep State.
Posted by: NaCly Dog

She thought the casting call for a "meat puppet" was for pron.
Meh. Either way, she got the job.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 12:51 PM (/lPRQ)

239 We need more DOGE on a permanent basis.
Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 12:38 PM (viF8m)

Arguably, two teams. One which hates the left, one with hates the right.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 12:52 PM (ExV1e)

240 You don't think the US has been "screwing" with Iran for the last 50 years?“

And that’s how you justify Iran killing 241 US Servicemen serving only as peacekeepers in Lebanon in 1983? We owe them anything we’ve given them and more for that alone.
And yes, a US court has found that Iran was directly responsible for that act of murder.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 12:52 PM (UXPSq)

241
I'm perfectly happy to let Iran be Iran just as soon as they do the same with us.
Posted by: JackStraw

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

Marco Rubio just pointed out that the cleavage between government and governed in Iran is the starkest anywhere in the world. The rulers have nothing in common with the vast majority of Iranian people. When you say "Iran," you have to pick which one you mean.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 10, 2026 12:53 PM (mNvUf)

242 They have to want it though. Really want it or it will go nowhere (see Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan for examples proving my point both ways.)

The difference vs. Iraq and A-stan is that Iran has history within many of our lifetimes of being a liberal Westernized society. (And, more importantly, within the lifetime of many Iranians). They've demonstrated they really can make it work, and they're ethnically Persian, not Arab. Arab countries have a strong record in the other direction, for the most part.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:53 PM (QZThv)

243 This is hilarious.

Leftist threatens a street preacher with violence saying he's gonna crack his skull on the pavement. Random black guy walks up behind and cracks a skateboard across this asshole's head. Dude suddenly gets *real* fucking afraid.

https://tinyurl.com/yc835su2

Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 12:54 PM (1Yy3c)

244 Check out Boundary Oak Distillery (boundaryoak.co)

They have some interesting bottles.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10, 2026 12:55 PM (NwnyJ)

245 I know one thing, if you're stupid enough to vote in an ass sucking marxist goat fucking muslim piece of shit communist 1 generation from 9/11 you deserve to have your entire existence burned down to the water line.

So you also believe Biden's 81 million were legit?

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:55 PM (QZThv)

246 Correct me if I am wrong, but I think she was in the process of being arrested for obstruction of ICE? She not only resisted arrest, she tried to run down an ICE officer with her vehicle in the process.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 12:51 PM (P5BPp)

I know they told her to get out of the vehicle, and I thought I heard one of the officers say she was being detained. So maybe not technically "arrested."

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 12:55 PM (JC0yY)

247 I'm a fraud investigator in the private sector. It's the agencies job to review, verify, audit and prove someone qualifies for benefits. The federal benefits that were defrauded were due to a lack of oversight in their own agency.

Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison

Dumb Ass is 90% right and 100% wrong in it's conclusion.

It's the applicants job to "prove" it. Whatever 'it' is.
But either way, stop all disbursements until the steps Dumb Ass asserted must be done are done for each and every disbursement.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 12:56 PM (/lPRQ)

248 I knew it. I told you Doctor Mommy Jill, they're using a crap ray on me!

Posted by: Scranton's Finest at January 10, 2026 12:56 PM (oftw2)

249
Also, there is a right to peacefully protest. E.g. standing on the sidewalk out of the way shouting and screaming or whatever. But there is no right to obstruct law enforcement or block streets, etc.

That's where law enforcement/government has failed for decades now. Failure to prosecute and put these people in prison over the years has only allowed their tactics to escalate.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton

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

I attended a Stop the Steal rally in my tiny town back in 2021. Someone in a car was trying to argue with us and some guy stepped off the curb to hear what he was saying. Cops told him to get back on the curb and not obstruct traffic.

That's pretty much how it should be.

By the way, those same cops let a BLM caravan stop the thoroughfares the year before.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 10, 2026 12:56 PM (mNvUf)

250 just pointed out that the cleavage

Boob thread!

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at January 10, 2026 12:57 PM (Kt19C)

251 Somehow I always knew it would come to that eventually. Wasn't sure how, but I had a good idea. I know one thing, if you're stupid enough to vote in an ass sucking marxist goat fucking muslim piece of shit communist 1 generation from 9/11 you deserve to have your entire existence burned down to the water line.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division

Yep. Good and hard.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at January 10, 2026 12:57 PM (u9Xr5)

252 The difference vs. Iraq and A-stan is that Iran has history within many of our lifetimes of being a liberal Westernized society. (And, more importantly, within the lifetime of many Iranians). They've demonstrated they really can make it work, and they're ethnically Persian, not Arab. Arab countries have a strong record in the other direction, for the most part.
Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:53 PM (QZThv)

I hope it works out that way, but I think the more we help, the less likely the new government would be able to stand on it's own and be more vulnerable to a commie/technocrat coup.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:57 PM (bss/y)

253 By the way, those same cops let a BLM caravan stop the thoroughfares the year before.

If conservatives/libertarians actually showed up for local/state-only elections, the national problem would solve itself relatively quickly.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 12:58 PM (QZThv)

254 And that’s how you justify Iran killing 241 US Servicemen serving only as peacekeepers in Lebanon in 1983?

We are likely not reach a consensus on this.

The US involvement in the Iraq-Iran war killed far more than 241 Iranians.

I can simply understand their perspective. I don't believe Iran are good guys. I don't believe America are good guys. There are no good guys.

All governments have bloody hands.

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 12:58 PM (JNrP3)

255 Until your cuffed if that and read your rights your not arrested
But then I am not a lawyer nor slept in a Comfort Inn last night.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 12:59 PM (Ia/+0)

256 The fact that Trump isn't helping the mullahs the way Obama did has to be very encouraging to the rebels.

Posted by: davidt at January 10, 2026 12:59 PM (Q+gd/)

257 3 On Sunday, the Trib's "emerging news reporter," Brock Marchant, published an article that was little more than a summary of an earlier Rolling Stone piece that Jennica Pounds (Data r) says contains "multiple factual inaccuracies."

Isn't all "news" emerging by definition?
Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 11:08 AM (Riz8t)

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

Not really. The best news comes prepackaged from Leftist sources and ready to read.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:00 PM (JRuVt)

258 Blow the bridges, send in Snake Plissken.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division

As i was glancing through comments,I thought it said:

Blow the bridges, ~~send in~~ and Snake Plissken.

Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 10, 2026 01:00 PM (t6nL5)

259 I remember when Jimmy Carter cut off aid to the Shah citing human rights abuses.

Hahahahaha...that Jimmy, what a card!

Posted by: UN Council On Human Rights and Dildos at January 10, 2026 01:00 PM (R/m4+)

260 [ik]You don't think the US has been "screwing" with Iran for the last 50 years

How exactly is air dropping 400 million dollars in unmarked bills as the first installment of releasing $1.7B to the mullahs in 2016 is compatible with the term "screwing" ?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:00 PM (a6PrB)

261 I hope it works out that way, but I think the more we help, the less likely the new government would be able to stand on it's own and be more vulnerable to a commie/technocrat coup.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 12:57 PM (bss/y)

I really don't care who rules Iran. And yes, I am generally in favor of the CIA DOING ITS FREAKIN' JOB, destabilizing regimes that are actively hostile to the U.S., but I absolutely do NOT want "boots on the ground" military operations in nation building.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 01:00 PM (JC0yY)

262 I note that it has been a long time since anyone bombed Kharg Island or otherwise smote Iran's oil production infrastructure. The new Persian Republic is not going to be economically crushed from the onset.

Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:01 PM (jc0TO)

263 256 The fact that Trump isn't helping the mullahs the way Obama did has to be very encouraging to the rebels.
Posted by: davidt at January 10, 2026 12:59 PM (Q+gd/)

----------

Barky sure loved him some mullahs, especially when they threatened to incinerate Tel Aviv.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:01 PM (JRuVt)

264 conservatives do not become activists because they have dignity & jobs (H/T to Frank Fleming from back in his IMAO days)

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 10, 2026 12:49 PM

Yep, exactly. Dignity, jobs, families, lives outside of politics, etc.

As well as family and friends they do not want hurt in collateral damage.

It would be interesting to see the effects of making it mandatory for people to use their real names to post on social media and anywhere on the internet (e.g. here on AoSHQ).

I bet that would drastically reduce the number of people commenting anywhere anymore. Most people are willing to say a lot of things under the protection of anonymity. The vast majority are not willing if they have to put their name to it. I know I would stop commenting here (and X and anywhere else) if I had to put my name to everything, knowing anyone could report something I said to my employer and it would risk my employment and livelihood.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:01 PM (P5BPp)

265 I’ve been thinking that if Iran falls, along with Venezuela, oil could fall as low as 40 per barrel. That would be bad for Texas and other producing areas - but it would probably end Riussias ability to keep prosecuting the Uke war.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 01:02 PM (UXPSq)

266 Until your cuffed if that and read your rights your not arrested
But then I am not a lawyer nor slept in a Comfort Inn last night.

Well there is your problem: if you only stayed at a Holiday Inn Express

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:02 PM (a6PrB)

267 I found my first MAHA modified food product in the wild this week!

I have a soft spot for Ritz Bits cheese crackers, it was my snack of choice for family trips as a kid. I don't have it much anymore. But they had a "no high fructose corn syrup" on the box. Curious, I flipped it over.

Uses real sugar, labeled "sugar." And turmeric and annato extract for the color, not yellow dye something. Still uses palm oil and soybean/canola oil, but I decided to give it a try. The turmeric makes the yummy cheese paste look just the same as it always did.

Was that so hard, people?! Thanks Nanisco and RFK Jr!

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 01:03 PM (gWBY1)

268 How exactly is air dropping 400 million dollars in unmarked bills as the first installment of releasing $1.7B to the mullahs in 2016 is compatible with the term "screwing" ?

If I take $100 out of your wallet and give you back $25, you see this as helping?

Strange indeed.

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 01:03 PM (JNrP3)

269 Until your cuffed if that and read your rights your not arrested
But then I am not a lawyer nor slept in a Comfort Inn last night.
Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 12:59 PM (Ia/+0)

Comfort Inn?

Fancy!

You may be right, and I think the distinction might be that they were "detaining" her without necessarily intending to arrest her.

Either way, gunning the engine with cops circling your vehicle is... not a smart move.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 01:03 PM (JC0yY)

270 I hope it works out that way, but I think the more we help, the less likely the new government would be able to stand on it's own and be more vulnerable to a commie/technocrat coup.

I think an Islamic coup is more of a concern. Obviously Iran as an exporter of Islamic terror is useful to the commies/technocrats but I'm not sure they have resources to expend there right now. They're tied up in knots trying to handle Ukraine without the US's money. Plus, the Soros family is allegedly looting the WEF now (you knew it would happen).

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 01:03 PM (QZThv)

271 Until your cuffed if that and read your rights your not arrested
But then I am not a lawyer nor slept in a Comfort Inn last night.
Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 12:59 PM (Ia/+0)

While I share your lack of a JD, I believe that they can delay reading you your rights for some period of time, they're just limited in the questioning (I believe) that they can do until they have done so.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:03 PM (ExV1e)

272 How exactly is air dropping 400 million dollars… compatible with the term "screwing" ?

It’s the money. It turns everything to crap, you know?

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at January 10, 2026 01:03 PM (EXyHK)

273 Collectivism has to be warm: you're huddling together for warmth because the government mandated you can't have heat this month. To save the environment.

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 01:04 PM (gWBY1)

274
This could have been over in 2012 but when they asked for help Obama helped the mullahs.
Posted by: Ian S.

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

I'm just asking. Was 2012 the right time? Would Obama have had to forcefully intervene in 2012 in order to get the protestors to victory? I'm JUST asking.

P.S., I'm aware that he certainly set the stage for the mullah's continued power.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 10, 2026 01:04 PM (mNvUf)

275 Yes - not being able to use a pseudonym means your personal and intellectual life must always be tied to your professional life. Lots of reasons that’s no good.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 01:04 PM (UXPSq)

276 Barky grew up as a Muslim, then gave it up for Marxism. But I think never lost that initial religion feelings. He basically said so himself often.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:04 PM (Ia/+0)

277 Increase residential property taxes, and then drastically increase the homestead exemption.

Posted by: Jack Squat Bupkis at January 10, 2026 01:04 PM (jYRYu)

278 I’ve been thinking that if Iran falls, along with Venezuela, oil could fall as low as 40 per barrel. That would be bad for Texas and other producing areas - but it would probably end Riussias ability to keep prosecuting the Uke war.

As someone who has a dozen oil wells throwing off royalties in a somewhat depleted ETX oil field, I have a vested interest in maintaining enough margin to where it makes sense to keep feeding the pumps electricity.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM (a6PrB)

279 I’ve been thinking that if Iran falls, along with Venezuela, oil could fall as low as 40 per barrel. That would be bad for Texas and other producing areas - but it would probably end Riussias ability to keep prosecuting the Uke war.
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 01:02 PM (UXPSq)

OTOH, the EU would be likely to continue funding Ukraine which could lead to finding out of those Russian nukes work after all.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM (ExV1e)

280 Posted by: Clyde Shelton

You're not really Clyde Shelton?

Posted by: Dick Hertz at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM (oftw2)

281 210 Whoa. No one is saying rightfully shooting citizens who 'interfere' with government. They have all the right in the world to protest. To yell and scream at the injustice.

They do not have the right to run people down in their cars.

There is a big difference here. Just interfering with the government? Nah bro.

As far as Iran, the more they can do on their own, the more real and lasting any change will be.
Posted by: Aetius451AD
-----

People haver the right to speak their minds, to protest. People Do Not have the right to block roads or impede the lives of others. That is a breach of the law. ICE should have a crew of wreckers/tow trucks with drivers at that type of scene.

Don't argue with them, impound their cars with them inside. If they are bodily blocking the road, water cannons. This push and shove is as big a game on one side as the other.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM (y79kU)

282 As i was glancing through comments,I thought it said:

Blow the bridges, and Snake Plissken.
Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 10, 2026 01:00 PM (t6nL5)

I'm sure Ayn Rand would go for that.

Prolly Phil Donahue too.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM (JC0yY)

283 I'm envisioning a day when gas prices in CA come down below $4. A man can dream.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:06 PM (JRuVt)

284 The turmeric makes the yummy cheese paste look just the same as it always did.

The versions of all of the foods sold in Canada and Europe have always used the turmeric or whatever. Most dyes were banned outside of the US long ago; we're the outlier. So companies have had recipes for decades that work fine and don't involve the stuff RFK is going after, but they wanted to save a few cents a box or whatever.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 01:06 PM (QZThv)

285 Any cool news vids from Iran of the revolution? Or vids I need to be sure and see that I might have missed?

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 01:06 PM (gWBY1)

286 Beau Bridges and Snake Plissken walk into a bar...

Posted by: davidt at January 10, 2026 01:07 PM (Q+gd/)

287 “We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.”

Having the government involved in every aspect of daily life is, quite literally, the dictionary definition of totalitarianism.

Posted by: Cybernetic at January 10, 2026 01:07 PM (aL31n)

288 Increase residential property taxes, and then drastically increase the homestead exemption.

As if the time share industry didn't have enough problems.

Is an off-grid 3/2 cabin on a high hilltop that is used as an income stream when not being personally occupied considered "residential"?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:07 PM (nAS9C)

289 Heh, troll number (JNrP3) is here to tell us that all "right wingers" are statists. You know fascists, nazis, what have you slur of the day.
Nothing as libertarian as slapping a label on someone then demanding they defend it

This what they are, to use the FNYC Homo Mayor's own terms, "Warm Collectivists" pretending to be against that very thing.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 01:07 PM (/lPRQ)

290 It would be interesting to see the effects of making it mandatory for people to use their real names to post on social media and anywhere on the internet (e.g. here on AoSHQ).

I bet that would drastically reduce the number of people commenting anywhere anymore. Most people are willing to say a lot of things under the protection of anonymity. The vast majority are not willing if they have to put their name to it. I know I would stop commenting here (and X and anywhere else) if I had to put my name to everything, knowing anyone could report something I said to my employer and it would risk my employment and livelihood.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:01 PM (P5BPp)

There are some, and not just those on the so-called left, who are calling for that as we speak.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 01:07 PM (JC0yY)

291 Was a little surprised they read Maduro his rights
Until he got into the US he had no rights

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:08 PM (Ia/+0)

292 >>>As someone who has a dozen oil wells throwing off royalties in a somewhat depleted ETX oil field, I have a vested interest in maintaining enough margin to where it makes sense to keep feeding the pumps electricity.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure
----

Ha ha, it's like being a trust fund baby.
Oh, looky what we found on your property.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 01:08 PM (y79kU)

293 262 I note that it has been a long time since anyone bombed Kharg Island or otherwise smote Iran's oil production infrastructure. The new Persian Republic is not going to be economically crushed from the onset.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:01 PM (jc0TO)

The reason that hasn’t happened is that everyone on all sides knows that it would bring China, and the full Chinese Army into the war. And NOBODY wants that.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 01:08 PM (UXPSq)

294 And her's another wonderful statement from Cea Weaver;

"I wish I believed in god so I could believe that all men who take credit for women's work and all white men who take credit for the work of women of color would one day burn"

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (ix8EF)

295 I attended a Stop the Steal rally in my tiny town back in 2021. Someone in a car was trying to argue with us and some guy stepped off the curb to hear what he was saying. Cops told him to get back on the curb and not obstruct traffic.

That's pretty much how it should be.

By the way, those same cops let a BLM caravan stop the thoroughfares the year before.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 10, 2026 12:56 PM

Agreed, that's exactly how it should be. And it anyone disobeys the orders from law enforcement, they should be arrested and prosecuted.

But as you note, that's the problem I also noted earlier, the different rules of law enforcement when it comes to the left vs conservatives. Conservatives are held to a higher standard and the law is enforced against them, while the left is not held to any standards and have people in power directing law enforcement to not prosecute them.

This serves to embolden the left to escalate and discourage conservatives.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (P5BPp)

296 Saw BJ's had gas $2.75, can't go there but still looks like small decrease could be coming

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (Ia/+0)

297 “We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.”

I'm intrigued by the first phrase by what is meant by "problem" and what is meant by "solve".

I'm 100% sure that his definitions are light years away from a liberty minded person's.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (nAS9C)

298 291 Was a little surprised they read Maduro his rights
Until he got into the US he had no rights
Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:08 PM (Ia/+0)

----------

I still don't understand why they didn't just dump the little roach in Gitmo and call it a day.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (JRuVt)

299 Was a little surprised they read Maduro his rights
Until he got into the US he had no rights
Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:08 PM

Like in the movies, Delta should say 'You have the right to remain silent', and then knock him out with a buttstroke to the forehead.

Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (jc0TO)

300 I'm just asking. Was 2012 the right time? Would Obama have had to forcefully intervene in 2012 in order to get the protestors to victory? I'm JUST asking.

Nobody can know, but I imagine a few targeted bombings would have made a significant difference without a boots on the ground situation arising.

Nowadays I'd have them bomb a few strategically interesting targets, and also the transmitter the mullahs are using to broadcast Tucker Carlson, just for spite.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (QZThv)

301 It would be interesting to see the effects of making it mandatory for people to use their real names to post on social media and anywhere on the internet (e.g. here on AoSHQ).

I bet that would drastically reduce the number of people commenting anywhere anymore. Most people are willing to say a lot of things under the protection of anonymity. The vast majority are not willing if they have to put their name to it. I know I would stop commenting here (and X and anywhere else) if I had to put my name to everything, knowing anyone could report something I said to my employer and it would risk my employment and livelihood.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:01 PM (P5BPp)

Anyone with a brain who was of working age, or had close relatives of working age, or owned a business, or... would refrain from commenting.

I've seen a number of compilation videos of people too stupid to breathe who lost their jobs for posting videos/comments their employer didn't like and decided that the thing to do was chronicle that online.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:10 PM (ExV1e)

302 There are some, and not just those on the so-called left, who are calling for that as we speak.
Posted by: BurtTC
-------

One of the things that shut the old PowerLine blog down.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 01:10 PM (y79kU)

303 Saw BJ's had gas $2.75, can't go there but still looks like small decrease could be coming
Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (Ia/+0)

Mine is currently $2.19. A bit less if you use a loyalty card somewhere.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:12 PM (ExV1e)

304 Heh, troll number (JNrP3) is here to tell us that all "right wingers" are statists. You know fascists, nazis, what have you slur of the day.

I actually support statism.

I think the American government should shut down all the ridiculous protests that interfere with maintaining an orderly society.

I'd have no problem with Trump mass incarcerating protestors and would support an extension of his time at the helm of the United States until all subversives that seek to wreck American society are destroyed.

And I also don't mind if Irans leader wants to do that in his country too.

Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 01:12 PM (JNrP3)

305 Saw BJ's had gas $2.75, can't go there but still looks like small decrease could be coming
Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (Ia/+0)

2.75 here in our corner of he world at Quick Check and a few other stations.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at January 10, 2026 01:12 PM (5xuJ/)

306 I'm not super comfortable with using directed energy weapons that make people vomit blood, but this is 2026. Gotta be realistic about things.

Posted by: Max Power at January 10, 2026 01:12 PM (SwyyQ)

307 Nowadays I'd have them bomb a few strategically interesting targets, and also the transmitter the mullahs are using to broadcast Tucker Carlson, just for spite.
Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 01:09 PM (QZThv)

Speaking of - it’s hilarious how Tucker, Candace, and Meagan Kelly have made a public spectacle of choosing the wrong side, just before that side crashes and burns.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 01:12 PM (UXPSq)

308 [iBut as you note, that's the problem I also noted earlier, the different rules of law enforcement when it comes to the left vs conservatives. Conservatives are held to a higher standard and the law is enforced against them, while the left is not held to any standards and have people in power directing law enforcement to not prosecute them.

As we saw when Glenn Beck wanted to have a Tea Party in Babylon D.C and the city made him spend huge money on permits, bonds, security, port-o-lets, hydration stations before they would allow it to take place.

I don't believe a single Leftist "spontaneous" gathering has ever even had to seek out a permit, let alone provide any facilities.

See also Mandami's failure to produce the bare minimums at his faux rally. If you are the Left, rules are optional.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:13 PM (nAS9C)

309 I've stayed late enough at work to catch the start of a couple of "Dave Ramsey" radio shows in the last couple of weeks. When Dave's daughter is hosting or co-hosting I find her condescending and her voice pitch is not pleasing to listen to like Dave's is so I've switched to a muzak station. Dave at least lived 'being broke' and making many of the common money mistakes before he got rich and seems to be able to relate, although he has no truck with folks who call in and want him to endorse them doing something outside of the Ramsey framework. That is understandable, he is selling that framework.
And honestly, the folks that are not savvy enough to take the framework and adapt it if needed to a unique situtation without getting the celebrity to agree with their change probably do need to just follow the script exactly to end up with a retirement nest egg instead of being in debt when they die.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (hhkIi)

310 141 Kaos Karen had ample opportunities to rethink what she was going to do. She didn't think about the ramifications of her actions when she dropped her kid off at daycare. Nor when she showed up at a preplanned agitation demonstration. Nor when LE ordered her to stop her car, roll down the window, get out.

It's the very definition of "intent." There's no "compassion" there.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 10

Angry Cops goes over the incident in excruciating detail. His video was filmed prior to the release of the bodycam but nothing would have changed as a result.

https://youtu.be/NkhWwlKsl4E

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10

Good initiated the tragic sequence events by committing a crime, perhaps a misdemeanor, but a crime. She struck a pedestrian with a motor vehicle she operated. A pedestrian she reasonably could have avoided striking.

Ross was a pedestrian. Does not matter if he is ICE or not, doesn't matter if he's in uniform or not, doesn't matter if she believed ICE has no authority to stop her vehicle, doesn't matter if he was not in a marked pedestrian crosswalk, doesn't matter is she did not intend to strike him.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (5rh/l)

311 I actually support statism.

I think the American government should shut down all the ridiculous protests that interfere with maintaining an orderly society.

I'd have no problem with Trump mass incarcerating protestors and would support an extension of his time at the helm of the United States until all subversives that seek to wreck American society are destroyed.

And I also don't mind if Irans leader wants to do that in his country too.
Posted by: Jack of All Tirades at January 10, 2026 01:12 PM

Feh! Only an anointed king can be trusted with that kind of power.

Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (jc0TO)

312 I've seen a number of compilation videos of people too stupid to breathe who lost their jobs for posting videos/comments their employer didn't like and decided that the thing to do was chronicle that online.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:10 PM (ExV1e)

Gina Carano enters the chat.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (YyP71)

313
"Blow the bridges, send in Snake Plissken."

They bought their tickets.
They knew what they were getting in to...

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (pkeXY)

314 >>Feh! Only an anointed king can be trusted with that kind of power.

If only we had a watery tart.

Posted by: JackStraw at January 10, 2026 01:15 PM (viF8m)

315 King Solomon couldn’t govern NYC. This guy has no chance of doing anything.

Ayn Rand was right.

Posted by: Going deep. Out. at January 10, 2026 01:15 PM (URO9T)

316 This is interesting: the UK has apparently become too Islamic for the United Arab Emirates.

https://tinyurl.com/4fc95n67

Posted by: Paco at January 10, 2026 01:15 PM (2L+MU)

317 I'm not super comfortable with using directed energy weapons that make people vomit blood, but this is 2026. Gotta be realistic about things.
Posted by: Max Power at January 10, 2026 01:12 PM

It's weirding modules all the way down.

Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:16 PM (jc0TO)

318 >>> I have a vested interest in maintaining enough margin to where it makes sense to keep feeding the pumps electricity.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM (a6PrB)

I think Trump's goal is to make us a net exporter; we make so much oil we care for all of our needs PLUS export it to the countries where Russia and the Middle East dominate. Hopefully that still means you'd be able to keep the pumps going, since the market for your oil expands.

We were a net oil exporter at the and of Trump 1.0, if I recall. And then a Biden took over (spit) and the first thing he did in power was to cancel the keystone pipeline and piss off canada. Did everything he possibly could to ruin all of Trump's oil progress.

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 01:16 PM (gWBY1)

319 Nobody can know, but I imagine a few targeted bombings would have made a significant difference without a boots on the ground situation arising.

Does the name Valerie Jarrett mean anything to you?

The post turtle still requires an in-house handler.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:16 PM (kHd4y)

320 Feh! Only an anointed king can be trusted with that kind of power.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (jc0TO)

I'm getting "glowie" energy from the JOAT commenter there.

But I don't want to accuse him of it, lest I get banned.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 01:17 PM (YyP71)

321 This is interesting: the UK has apparently become too Islamic for the United Arab Emirates.

https://tinyurl.com/4fc95n67
Posted by: Paco at January 10, 2026 01:15 PM (2L+MU)

That's fucking hilarious.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:17 PM (ExV1e)

322 Speaking of - it’s hilarious how Tucker, Candace, and Meagan Kelly have made a public spectacle of choosing the wrong side, just before that side crashes and burns.

Right? They're almost speedrunning being Jim Cramer.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 01:17 PM (QZThv)

323 Fortunately in NYC they have a City Council
which has to approve of what the Mayor wished to do The new city council head is Julie Menin, daughter and Grandaughter of holocaust survivors and a Jew. Hopefully she'll smiling Muslim Mamdani in line a bit.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 10, 2026 01:17 PM (ix8EF)

324 It would be interesting to see the effects of making it mandatory for people to use their real names to post on social media and anywhere on the internet (e.g. here on AoSHQ).

Pffft. Who's going to believe that my real name is Marmaduke Pendragon?

Posted by: Paco at January 10, 2026 01:17 PM (2L+MU)

325 315 King Solomon couldn’t govern NYC. This guy has no chance of doing anything.

---------

Not true. All you need to govern a large American city is some moxie and a mommy and daddy who will stand behind you.

Posted by: Mayor Katie Wilson at January 10, 2026 01:18 PM (JRuVt)

326 This is interesting: the UK has apparently become too Islamic for the United Arab Emirates.

UAE's made a lot of money being the "moderate" Arab country and even Allah can't make them back down from it.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 10, 2026 01:18 PM (QZThv)

327 Encouraging, but I'll wait for confirmation.

TEHRAN TREMORS: THE CAPITAL IS BURNING.

The Situation: New footage confirms the chaos is escalating. Massive crowds are moving through debris and fires across Tehran tonight.

The Critical Signal: Reports indicate a shocking development on the ground: there is "no apparent military or police response." The security forces have seemingly vanished.

https://is.gd/dlMNQm

Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 01:19 PM (Riz8t)

328 Fen I wouldn't hold your bresth on that, Leftists cave to what their leader says

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:19 PM (Ia/+0)

329 323 Meant "keep"Mamdani in line a bit

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 10, 2026 01:19 PM (ix8EF)

330 For decades rural Americans especially the young, have been moving into urban areas for better opportunities for employment education and social opportunities. That will continue despite the romantic views of people espousing differently
If Kzt wants to go to Alaska and off grid and homestead there best of luck for you and whomever else you can find who wants that
Send us updates .

Posted by: Aliassmithsmith at January 10, 2026 01:20 PM (CZvXI)

331 Posted by: Clyde Shelton

You're not really Clyde Shelton?

Posted by: Dick Hertz at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM

I wish I was. Having the intelligence and capability to develop ways to take out people where it could not be traced back to me or anyone else would be quite the skill.

"I'm just gettin' warmed up. This is Von Klauswitz shit. Total fucking war.

I'm gonna pull the whole thing down. I'm gonna bring the whole fuckin' diseased, corrupt temple down on your head. It's gonna be biblical."

YouTube (Law Abiding Citizen): https://bit.ly/3InvVY2

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:21 PM (P5BPp)

332 The terrible fact is that conscience in the West has become harnessed to absolute evil.

* approval head nods in unison *

Posted by: Big Penguin at January 10, 2026 01:21 PM (0sNs1)

333 Encouraging, but I'll wait for confirmation.

TEHRAN TREMORS: THE CAPITAL IS BURNING.

The Situation: New footage confirms the chaos is escalating. Massive crowds are moving through debris and fires across Tehran tonight.

The Critical Signal: Reports indicate a shocking development on the ground: there is "no apparent military or police response." The security forces have seemingly vanished.

https://is.gd/dlMNQm
Posted by: Archimedes at January 10, 2026 01:19 PM (Riz8t)

I am hopeful that it's all true but we've been lied to for so long about so much that I agree. Caution is the best policy.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:21 PM (ExV1e)

334 I smell ASS.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:21 PM (JRuVt)

335 King Solomon couldn’t govern NYC.

If you read 1 Kings, Solomon conscripted thirty thousand men of Israel to build his temple and other projects (including temples for all of his heathen "wives" and concubines)

He also employed forced labor (aka "slavery") on all of the remaining non-Israelites (ref 1K 9:20-21)

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:21 PM (kHd4y)

336 Good initiated the tragic sequence events by committing a crime, perhaps a misdemeanor, but a crime. She struck a pedestrian with a motor vehicle she operated. A pedestrian she reasonably could have avoided striking.

Ross was a pedestrian. Does not matter if he is ICE or not, doesn't matter if he's in uniform or not, doesn't matter if she believed ICE has no authority to stop her vehicle, doesn't matter if he was not in a marked pedestrian crosswalk, doesn't matter is she did not intend to strike him.
Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (5rh/l)

Summed up nicely by Gutfeld on The Five.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/888967826936225

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at January 10, 2026 01:22 PM (5xuJ/)

337 Nood. Gardening, for those tired of politics.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 10, 2026 01:22 PM (ExV1e)

338 And as far as Mamdani, I am reminded of what Hamlet says of Claudius in "Hamlet":

"one may smile, and smile, and be a villain"?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 10, 2026 01:22 PM (ix8EF)

339 Posted by: Dick Hertz at January 10, 2026 01:05 PM

Are you related to Richard Cycles-Per-Second by any chance?

Posted by: Big Penguin at January 10, 2026 01:23 PM (0sNs1)

340 Does the name Valerie Jarrett mean anything to you?
The post turtle still requires an in-house handler.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure

She still lives in the same residence as Barky and Big Mike.

She handles him for the Chicoms, Bill Ayers or the Mullahs.

She's making a living the hard way.

Posted by: Auspex at January 10, 2026 01:23 PM (Y8DZL)

341 Ah, the first drops of a storm system that stretches from the Gulf of America to Greenland are starting to fall here.

We are supposed to get an inch of rain today.

Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:24 PM (jc0TO)

342
TEHRAN TREMORS: THE CAPITAL IS BURNING.

That which is ours is ours again. It will never be taken from us again.

Posted by: Cloud William at January 10, 2026 01:24 PM (pkeXY)

343 Pale Rider, Caleb Hammer is my new fave finance guy! He has weaponized finance autism and does. It give two figs about their feelings. He has a lot of woke people in his show and teams them for their stupid woke choices. It's hilarious.

He's a proclaimed centrist, and actually part Native American, but the left tries to paint him as a right wing white supremacist Nazi. He doesn't care. Finances don't care about your feelings, Karen. So maybe don't buy a $1000 dog after your divorce and Taylor swift merch, and then don't pay your mortgage for two months. (That was a real case. Yikes.)

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 01:24 PM (gWBY1)

344 I used to have a different nic, video and reporting on Tousi TV backs that up. Tehran, Shiraz and Mashaad have all been taken over.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2026 01:25 PM (sDNVV)

345 283 I'm envisioning a day when gas prices in CA come down below $4. A man can dream.
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:06 PM (JRuVt)

Saw 2.19 on the way to work yesterday. New 12 month low as far as I know.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 01:25 PM (bss/y)

346 She still lives in the same residence as Barky and Big Mike.

She handles him for the Chicoms, Bill Ayers or the Mullahs.

----------

It's probably not a bad gig if you can stand all the flies.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:25 PM (JRuVt)

347 It would be interesting to see the effects of making it mandatory for people to use their real names to post on social media and anywhere on the internet

How would "dead naming" be handled? When you say "real names" are you referring to the name on official legal documents like BC, DL and passports or the names that they demand you use or be bludgeoned to death?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:25 PM (kHd4y)

348 Like always, it all comes down to which way the army jumps.

Posted by: toby928(c) repeats himself at January 10, 2026 01:26 PM (jc0TO)

349 California, your Coca Cola privlidges have been revoked.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 01:27 PM (7tVLI)

350 Ah, the first drops of a storm system that stretches from the Gulf of America to Greenland are starting to fall here.

That doesn't sound like prose from the late great poet Renee Nichole Good.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:27 PM (9s47C)

351 Wow, there were so many spelling autocorrect fails in my last comment! Wild.

*looks outside at the frozen cold, while having a nasty sinus infection, ponders going back to bed*

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 01:27 PM (gWBY1)

352 You guys aren't using your real names?

Posted by: fd at January 10, 2026 01:28 PM (vFG9F)

353 I'm using A real name of mine, albeit, not my legal name.

Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:29 PM (jc0TO)

354 352 You guys aren't using your real names?
Posted by: fd at January 10, 2026 01:28 PM (vFG9F)

-----------

I know, right?

Posted by: Ram Maidensplitter at January 10, 2026 01:29 PM (JRuVt)

355 Saw 2.19 on the way to work yesterday. New 12 month low as far as I know.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at January 10, 2026 01:25 PM

2.109 yesterday, lowest since 06 Feb 2021.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 10, 2026 01:30 PM (0sNs1)

356 If we are all using our real names, CBD's parents have a LOT of explaining to do.

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 01:31 PM (gWBY1)

357 Diesel, $ 2.79 some places here.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2026 01:31 PM (sDNVV)

358 NSA Bob notes that 99.999% of email addresses used are fake.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 10, 2026 01:32 PM (0sNs1)

359 358 NSA Bob notes that 99.999% of email addresses used are fake.

----------

It's not necessarily "fake," it just isn't mine.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at January 10, 2026 01:33 PM (JRuVt)

360 Say it isn't so.

Posted by: Jack Meov at January 10, 2026 01:35 PM (7tVLI)

361 Feh! Only an anointed king can be trusted with that kind of power.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:14 PM (jc0TO)

I'm getting "glowie" energy from the JOAT commenter there.

But I don't want to accuse him of it, lest I get banned.
Posted by: BurtTC at January 10, 2026 01:17 PM (YyP71)

I'll say it.

Glowie needs to take his shit and fuck right off.

Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 01:35 PM (1Yy3c)

362 The engine of commerce runs on diesel so any price drop reduces costs on most everything.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2026 01:35 PM (sDNVV)

363 You guys aren't using your real names?
Posted by: fd at January 10, 2026 01:28 PM (vFG9F)

WUT?

Posted by: Claude Ballz at January 10, 2026 01:36 PM (5xuJ/)

364 Lost 2 chickens to coyotes early this morning, one dead and one that had to be dispatched. Second biggest coyote I've ever seen caught in the act just before 8 am.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 10, 2026 01:36 PM (0sNs1)

365 364 Lost 2 chickens to coyotes early this morning, one dead and one that had to be dispatched. Second biggest coyote I've ever seen caught in the act just before 8 am.
Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 10, 2026 01:36 PM (0sNs1)

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

Check out our specials!

Posted by: www.ACME,com at January 10, 2026 01:38 PM (JRuVt)

366 If the mullahs fall a week after Maduro, dictators will be paying Carlson to *stop* endorsing them.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 01:40 PM (BI5O2)

367 How would "dead naming" be handled? When you say "real names" are you referring to the name on official legal documents like BC, DL and passports or the names that they demand you use or be bludgeoned to death?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:25 PM (kHd4y)

Heh, interesting thought experiment. I haven't really thought about how any place would be able to enforce the real names thing other than requiring someone to use a credit card for verification. Or upload other proof of ID (e.g. driver's license).

Hardly anyone would do that. Which is probably the goal of those on the left who push for requirement of using one's legal name as opposed to pseudonyms.

Is this how people are being visited by cops and some arrested in the UK for their social media posts? Or does the UK have an ongoing system where they track IPs and track down people that way, regardless of the names they use on social media?

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:41 PM (P5BPp)

368 The engine of commerce runs on diesel so any price drop reduces costs on most everything.

Which was the point of stopping heavy crude out of Canada via the Keystone XL

With VZ crude, diesel can be a larger fraction of the crack.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:41 PM (a3CJ+)

369 And it anyone disobeys the orders from law enforcement, they should be arrested and prosecuted.

Well...no. It needs to be a lawful order, i.e. one that the officer is in fact authorized by law to give and the person is by law obligated to obey. Your construction devolves very quickly into "I AM THE LAW" which some cops already seem to believe to be the case. As an example - A cop who tells a pro-lifer who is not breaking any laws to put his or her poster away under threat of arrest, and then arrests them for not listening to them, has violated that person's First Amendment rights and committed a false arrest and kidnapping. Under your rule, that would be fine and dandy. Your rule would create a totalitarian nightmare.

Posted by: Fuck the Constitution, right? at January 10, 2026 01:42 PM (TbWk/)

370 Is this how people are being visited by cops and some arrested in the UK for their social media posts? Or does the UK have an ongoing system where they track IPs and track down people that way, regardless of the names they use on social media?

Nearly everyone who posts also has an app to do so on their personal GPS beacon device that is linked to the bank accounts and thus, well, everything.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:44 PM (a3CJ+)

371 Go watch Tousi TV. Iranians ,Jews and Brits are outside the Iranian embassy in London and have replaced the flag with the Lion and Sun.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2026 01:44 PM (sDNVV)

372 Check out our specials!
Posted by: www.ACME,com at January 10, 2026 01:38 PM

Shotguns have been prepositioned for Wiley and friends return.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 10, 2026 01:45 PM (0sNs1)

373 Or how about:

"POLICE! LET ME IN TO YOUR HOUSE!!!"
"Do you have a warrant?"
"NO! LET ME IN TO YOUR HOUSE!"
'Uh, no."
*smashing of door and forced entry*
*homeowner tased and ribs broken*
*dog shot*
"THAT'LL TEACH YOU TO DISOBEY ME!!!!"

Posted by: Fuck the Constitution, right? at January 10, 2026 01:46 PM (TbWk/)

374 306 I'm not super comfortable with using directed energy weapons that make people vomit blood, but this is 2026. Gotta be realistic about things.
Posted by: Max Power
---

Bullets are projectiles that when entering the body, create shock waves and disrupt internal organs it doesn't physically destroy.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 01:46 PM (y79kU)

375 I wonder if to get around this ISP tracking, one would have to only post to social media from places outside the home, when you're not using your home's ISP?

According to Grok summary:

The UK does have systems in place to track users via IP addresses, regardless of the names or handles they use online. Police can request IP data from social media companies if there's suspicion of a crime (e.g., under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016). Platforms like X or Facebook log IP addresses for each session, and once obtained, police can subpoena the user's internet service provider (ISP) to link the IP to a real-world address and subscriber details.

This process doesn't require a crime to have been committed in every case but typically needs reasonable suspicion or a court order. It's how anonymous posters are often identified, even if they use fake names — ISPs maintain records that tie dynamic or static IPs to users.

This tracking has been used in the social media arrest cases mentioned above.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:47 PM (P5BPp)

376 AtC links a thread from Doc Zero and highlights an important point.

https://tinyurl.com/yc36eukj

Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2026 01:48 PM (1Yy3c)

377 With VZ crude, diesel can be a larger fraction of the crack.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure
---------

Change the CAFE permitting small diesel engines such as VW and Toyota. And eliminate that blue crap diesel owners must buy.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 01:48 PM (y79kU)

378 There mist be a few planeloads of AKs lying around somewhere.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 01:48 PM (7tVLI)

379 A cop who tells a pro-lifer who is not breaking any laws to put his or her poster away under threat of arrest, and then arrests them for not listening to them, has violated that person's First Amendment rights and committed a false arrest and kidnapping. Under your rule, that would be fine and dandy. Your rule would create a totalitarian nightmare.

Only if there were zero consequences for false arrest and "kidnapping".

Like it or not, most states allow police to arrest anyone for anything and hold them for (depending on state) between 24 and 72 hours without even any charges.

What you are stipulating is that the entire justice system is so comprehensively corrupt that such behavior from a governmental position is "fine and dandy".

The normal process when a cop abuses their authority is to have your car towed, getting the physical abuse (aka "tune-up") thrown in a cell and then eventually you get an attorney to spring you, then another to sue the living hell out of the government for whatever grievance that you picked up along the way. (aka Ghetto Lottery)

This is what happens in low-trust societies and has been standard practice since Cain killed his brother.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:50 PM (+4Cf6)

380 As an example - A cop who tells a pro-lifer who is not breaking any laws to put his or her poster away under threat of arrest, and then arrests them for not listening to them, has violated that person's First Amendment rights and committed a false arrest and kidnapping.

Under your rule, that would be fine and dandy. Your rule would create a totalitarian nightmare.

Posted by: Fuck the Constitution, right? at January 10, 2026 01:42 PM

Not my rule, but I wasn't clear.

When I summarized arresting and prosecuting someone who disobeys law enforcement officer's orders, I meant that they were lawful orders. Not just the whims of the law enforcement officer.

For example, people blocking the roads or obstructing justice by law enforcement officers to do their jobs should be arrested and prosecuted. Those are laws on the books. They should be enforced. The fact that they have not for decades now has put us in the current situation where the left thinks they can break laws with impugnity.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:52 PM (P5BPp)

381 Change the CAFE permitting small diesel engines such as VW and Toyota. And eliminate that blue crap diesel owners must buy.

Can't do that because everyone would buy a Toyota Hilux and that would 1) kill the EV industry and 2) create happiness and joy

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:53 PM (+4Cf6)

382 Goldie seems to be back up streaming on ewetub. On Iran.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 01:56 PM (zZu0s)

383
Can't do that because everyone would buy a Toyota Hilux

Come see our specials!

Posted by: Technicals-R-Us at January 10, 2026 01:57 PM (y9nCu)

384 Not my rule, but I wasn't clear.

When I summarized arresting and prosecuting someone who disobeys law enforcement officer's orders, I meant that they were lawful orders. Not just the whims of the law enforcement officer.

For example, people blocking the roads or obstructing justice by law enforcement officers to do their jobs should be arrested and prosecuted. Those are laws on the books. They should be enforced. The fact that they have not for decades now has put us in the current situation where the left thinks they can break laws with impugnity.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 01:52 PM (P5BPp)

My mistake then. Appreciate your response.

Posted by: Thanks for the clarification at January 10, 2026 01:58 PM (TbWk/)

385 For example, people blocking the roads or obstructing justice by law enforcement officers to do their jobs should be arrested and prosecuted. Those are laws on the books. They should be enforced. The fact that they have not for decades now has put us in the current situation where the left thinks they can break laws with impugnity.

Austin TX experimented (they may still do this) with a street judge who was Right There when police were busting drunks for Public Intoxication and DUI along 6th street bars during party days or events.

For street blockages, at a minimum the police could just show up with some black school buses with the windows blacked out and welded shut and just start marching "detained" and flex-cuffed "protesters" into the bus and letting them sit it out through a hot summer afternoon w/o A/C or water until the bus is loaded and can be taken to the nearest rubber-stamp judge to do whatever.

The Process is the Punishment

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:58 PM (a3CJ+)

386 288 Increase residential property taxes, and then drastically increase the homestead exemption.

As if the time share industry didn't have enough problems.

Is an off-grid 3/2 cabin on a high hilltop that is used as an income stream when not being personally occupied considered "residential"?
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 01:07 PM (nAS9C)

I think a state could manage different rates in the city limits than in the unincorporated county where the cabin is.

And I care way more about affordability for starter homes for young families than I do about affordability for vacation homes. Sorry.

Posted by: Jack Squat Bupkis at January 10, 2026 01:58 PM (jYRYu)

387 Liz Lem the gist of your post was clear enough. I might check out this Caleb Hammer guy sometime, if I ever enter the 21st century and set up a podcast app on my phone.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 10, 2026 01:58 PM (hhkIi)

388 Unofficial Trump on X@trump_repost . 30m

I love the Venezuelan people, and am already making Venezuela rich and safe again. Congratulations and thank you to all of those people who are making this possible!!! President DJT
---

Well?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 01:59 PM (y79kU)

389 I know the feeling. Divorced recently, had to rent a while, now looking to buy a home with a supply shortage. I really dislike renting.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at January 10, 2026 02:00 PM (Pd07e)

390 Or how about:

"POLICE! LET ME IN TO YOUR HOUSE!!!"
"Do you have a warrant?"
"NO! LET ME IN TO YOUR HOUSE!"
'Uh, no."
*smashing of door and forced entry*
*homeowner tased and ribs broken*
*dog shot*
"THAT'LL TEACH YOU TO DISOBEY ME!!!!"

If the intention is to storm the house, they don't even bother with knocking.

For a while, the city of LA had a full time carpenter whose entire job was to replace doors of homes that were kicked in by police at the wrong address.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:01 PM (a3CJ+)

391 There mist be a few planeloads of AKs lying around somewhere.

I imagine the Cee Eye Ay has some but I wonder whose side are they on in this?

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 02:02 PM (Fs0KI)

392
I imagine the Cee Eye Ay has some but I wonder whose side are they on in this?
Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 02:02 PM (Fs0KI)

I was surprised when I saw we used their info on Maduro and it did not end up with a bunch of our guys killed.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:05 PM (zZu0s)

393 Rochelle Balao, Philadelphia's sheriff, is mean girl, not gonna' tolerate Nazi ICE. Say her name Renee Good. Say her name Renee Good. Say her name Renee Good.

https://tinyurl.com/487zcf8h

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 02:08 PM (y79kU)

394 And I care way more about affordability for starter homes for young families than I do about affordability for vacation homes. Sorry.

I don't think I'm cool with your Marxism First approach to the subjective goal of "affordability". - aka "Tax the shit out of everybody else so I can have artificially low costs for my house"

You would be more successful with a more holistic approach by looking at TCO which includes property taxes, interest rates, insurance and on-going maintenance costs.

The city racks up a huge cost to the builder by demanding street and utility being paid for by the developer, also the increasing demands for green space that can't be sold and must be amortized in the cost of homes.

For example, forcing a developer to bury all cables makes the cost 4x-10x higher than using poles. This gets rolled into the price of a starter home.

The schools rape the taxpayer and that should be roped in to reduce TCO. Keeping criminals out would reduce insurance costs. Relaxing standards on "starter homes" because they are "starter homes" and not "life-long" homes would help pricing too. For example, there is no need to demand that starter homes brick veneer.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:09 PM (BvPIe)

395 Then let's get to this. Open fire on federal officers. Do it.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:11 PM (zZu0s)

396 Apparently, a bunch of Israelis and media outlets recently got a text message from the Iranian regime, such as it is. Something like "Look at the sky at midnight, we are coming". Seems the message is legit, but is the threat?

Posted by: Lincolntf at January 10, 2026 02:12 PM (vV6n9)

397 Hamass Airborne Division?

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 02:14 PM (7tVLI)

398 Seems the message is legit, but is the threat?

I would assume it's legit; I would assume it's a threat. I would not assume that it's a legit threat.

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 02:15 PM (Fs0KI)

399 The city racks up a huge cost to the builder by demanding street and utility being paid for by the developer, also the increasing demands for green space that can't be sold and must be amortized in the cost of homes.

For example, forcing a developer to bury all cables makes the cost 4x-10x higher than using poles. This gets rolled into the price of a starter home.

The schools rape the taxpayer and that should be roped in to reduce TCO. Keeping criminals out would reduce insurance costs. Relaxing standards on "starter homes" because they are "starter homes" and not "life-long" homes would help pricing too. For example, there is no need to demand that starter homes brick veneer.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:09 PM (BvPIe)

Yeah I remember reading how the city actually demands the developer build a frigging school, roads, etc, to get the ok to build. WTf kind of shit is that? The city is going to make a mint from the property taxes and school taxes. The pricks are basically demanding the builders foot the cost of the city's perpetual grift machine.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2026 02:17 PM (snZF9)

400 CIA and especially State have been more than willing to prop up the mullahs at weak points in the past, but seem to be sitting this one out. No palettes of cash, no favorable treaties, etc. In no small part due to who's in the WH at the moment.

But I also think their motivation was that they wanted a multipolar ME, with a nuclear armed Iran to counter Israel, and vice versa. That's now a seriously questionable proposition Fordow, and I'm thinking they nonlinear care what happens to the Idlamic Republic.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 02:18 PM (BI5O2)

401 As I think about it, the threat could be "legit" in that Iran launches a salvo of rockets/missiles which have next to no effect on Israel.

Posted by: Lincolntf at January 10, 2026 02:18 PM (vV6n9)

402 Jeez. Autocorrect. No longer, not nonlinear

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 02:18 PM (BI5O2)

403 Knowing absolutely nothing about her but her business aspirations and her sense of humor, I nominate this young woman for the status of Honorary 'Ette.

https://youtu.be/rPvqPykYk4Q

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 02:24 PM (Fs0KI)

404
Rochelle Balao, Philadelphia's sheriff, is mean girl, not gonna' tolerate Nazi ICE. Say her name Renee Good. Say her name Renee Good. Say her name Renee Good.

https://tinyurl.com/487zcf8h

Posted by: Braenyard

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

Dumb bitch. How much is this garbage nationwide anti-ICE "movement" actually impeding ICE so far? Maybe it can continue at this ridiculous level with the baby monkeys shouting "Nazi ICE!" while ICE does its work regardless, I don't know.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 10, 2026 02:25 PM (mNvUf)

405 They had a thing on insty where they stormed a hotel and trashed the lobby looking for ICE.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:28 PM (zZu0s)

406 @VividProwess .1h

The flag of Iran’s Embassy in London has been replaced with the real flag of Iran, the Lion and the Sun flag.

FREE IRAN.
https://tinyurl.com/3u9ncdky
---

There are clips purporting to be from Iran last night
or maybe tonight, it's 11:00PM in Tehran. How can they do that with the power turned off?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 02:28 PM (y79kU)

407 Clay Travis @ClayTravis

Warriors coach Steve Kerr says an ICE agent murdered an innocent woman and the government is lying about it in his post-game press conference.

X video: https://bit.ly/4r79ny3

(1) this has no business being discussed in a post-NBA-game press conference.
(2) people can see with their own eyes the video that shows a woman attempting to murder an ICE agent with her vehicle. The government is not lying about anything.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 02:30 PM (P5BPp)

408 Then let's get to this. Open fire on federal officers. Do it.

They already did that twice in Texas. Nothing changed.

So I'm not sure what you mean by "get to this"

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:31 PM (9Hs2w)

409 >>>Beau Bridges and Snake Plissken walk into a bar...

Posted by: davidt

>And Beau Biden says, "Mmmgguhruurffug, ah, daddy!'

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 10, 2026 02:32 PM (BSdIE)

410
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says an ICE agent murdered an innocent woman and the government is lying about it in his post-game press conference.

Nothing innocent about her and she wasn't murdered

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 02:32 PM (VE6XX)

411 (1) this has no business being discussed in a post-NBA-game press conference.

Popovich was a great coach until he decided that we should give a sh*t about what he thought about anything except basketball.

Posted by: Oddbob at January 10, 2026 02:32 PM (Fs0KI)

412 Warriors coach Steve Kerr says an ICE agent murdered an innocent woman and the government is lying about it in his post-game press conference.

Follow up Question: "So how did this have an effect your team's strategy and performance?"

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:33 PM (9Hs2w)

413 Huh. In t resting bit on Iranian troops being up to a third or more imaginary so their generals could collect their pay.

That is fucking insane.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:33 PM (zZu0s)

414 So I'm not sure what you mean by "get to this"
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:31 PM (9Hs2w)

I mean the sheriff.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:34 PM (zZu0s)

415 Capitán Bitcoin @CapitanBitcoin

Translated from Spanish

Diosdado Cabello, Maduro's right-hand man, made a 13M$ offer to a rancher businessman. He declined the offer. Shortly after, they put him in jail and under torture he signs the transfer for 0$. That's how Bolivarian socialism works.

X video: https://bit.ly/451CFFI

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 02:34 PM (P5BPp)

416 394 And I care way more about affordability for starter homes for young families than I do about affordability for vacation homes. Sorry.

I don't think I'm cool with your Marxism First approach to the subjective goal of "affordability". - aka "Tax the shit out of everybody else so I can have artificially low costs for my house"

It's not really any kind of Marxism when people own their property.

Paying higher taxes on short-term rental properties forces some of those properties back into the inventory for first time home buyers. Increased supply lowers prices. That's not an "artificially low cost." That's market economics.

I'm open to some of the other holistic approaches mentioned in this thread but the Air BnB market in urban neighborhoods is a social blight.

Posted by: Jack Squat Bupkis at January 10, 2026 02:35 PM (jYRYu)

417 Hundreds shooting to the cops, shoot me. Shoot me. Also they were baiting to cops to shoot.

file this under stupid suicide.

You might search for some pre-teens to swallow your position.

Posted by: thug dolphin at January 10, 2026 02:38 PM (EyfuW)

418 Warriors coach Steve Kerr says an ICE agent murdered an innocent woman and the government is lying about it in his post-game press conference.

Nothing innocent about her and she wasn't murdered

Posted by: It's me donna at January 10, 2026 02:32 PM

Checking Grok and... imagine that... he has had nothing to say about the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee killed on a Charlotte light rail train (Lynx Blue Line) on August 22, 2025.

When an actual innocent woman is murdered, Kerr has nothing to say.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 02:40 PM (P5BPp)

419 Rochelle Balao, Philadelphia's sheriff, is mean girl, not gonna' tolerate Nazi ICE.

"Nazi ICE" sounds like a bespoke German Beer.

Say her name Renee Good. Say her name Renee Good. Say her name Renee Good.

Rochelle is probably too stupid to recognize this. But the whole "SAY HER NAME" thing has its foundation in several religious practices, particularly Hindu traditions where repeating the name aligns the heart and mind with the spiritual qualities of that revered person.

Dittos with some sects of Sufi Islam (as in Haiti), Dhikr which is involving the names of prophets and saints to forge a spiritual connection to their barakah (blessing)

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:41 PM (WCaCG)

420 Does Wile E. Coyote use stolen credit cards, have a big account he pays monthly, or maybe a company credit?
All that stuff costs a bit.
Of course now would be getting everything from Amazon

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 02:42 PM (Ia/+0)

421 satellite phones, some T Mobil phones i think have satellite connections

Posted by: thug dolphin at January 10, 2026 02:42 PM (EyfuW)

422 Steve Kerr's father was associated with an American School somewhere in the Middle East. Egypt, perhaps? And was assassinated. That may have something to do with his reaction.

Posted by: Wenda at January 10, 2026 02:44 PM (E9Eiy)

423 Clyde bet he didn't say any about Ashlii getting murdered

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 02:44 PM (Ia/+0)

424 Claudia Gómez retweeted
Agustín Antonetti
@agusantonetti
42m
🇺🇸🇮🇷 | URGENT — Statement from President Donald Trump on Iran:

“Iran seeks FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. America is ready to help! President Donald J. Trump”.
1/10/26, 12:27 PM

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 02:44 PM (y79kU)

425 Goldie going off on communists now.

I like this gal.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:45 PM (zZu0s)

426 I'm open to some of the other holistic approaches mentioned in this thread but the Air BnB market in urban neighborhoods is a social blight.

Tell that to Austin, where if it wasn't for Air BnB it would have been a disaster for SXSW and other mass Burning Man like gatherings.

And paying annual tribute to the governing authorities on property is not Owning, its Renting. Try not paying your annual rent to the Government and see how long before they forcibly evict you.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:46 PM (WCaCG)

427 She has Tommy Robinson on.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:47 PM (zZu0s)

428 And paying annual tribute to the governing authorities on property is not Owning, its Renting. Try not paying your annual rent to the Government and see how long before they forcibly evict you.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:46 PM (WCaCG)

This is valid.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:47 PM (zZu0s)

429 >>>Say her name

Okay.

Shooty McShotinface

Posted by: one hour sober at January 10, 2026 02:48 PM (Y1sOo)

430 Paying higher taxes on short-term rental properties forces some of those properties back into the inventory for first time home buyers.

Emphasis on the word "Forces" particularly in the context of private property.

How is that not Marxist?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:50 PM (xE0sV)

431 >>>Say her name

Okay.

Shooty McShotinface
Posted by: one hour sober at January 10, 2026 02:48 PM (Y1sOo

Abusive mom.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:52 PM (zZu0s)

432 How is that not Marxist?
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:50 PM (xE0sV)

Ok, not saying you are wrong, but how do you feel about Trumps ban on larger conglomerates owning single family dwellings? Good or nah?

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 02:53 PM (zZu0s)

433 >>>And paying annual tribute to the governing authorities on property is not Owning, its Renting. Try not paying your annual rent to the Government and see how long before they forcibly evict you.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:46 PM (WCaCG)

This is valid.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone

>This is part of the American dream! But you're a property owner so you have special voting rights. Until you don't.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 10, 2026 02:55 PM (BSdIE)

434 We've gotten into the habit of renting an Airbnb every couple months and we love it. Far superior to the Marriot/Hilton travel we used to rely on. The direct comms with a human, not a corporate chain, makes everything much more flexible and easy. Even internationally, Airbnb is the way to go. None of the places we've stayed seemed negatively effected by the Airbnb presence. Some are guest houses, some are full properties, but they have all afforded maximum privacy, etc.

Posted by: Lincolntf at January 10, 2026 02:56 PM (vV6n9)

435 Dustin Grage @GrageDustin

BREAKING: Was just sent a video showing the moments before the shooting.

In it, you can clearly see Renee Good’s vehicle blocking ICE agents for over 3 minutes as she’s dancing to her own car horn.

Kinda ruins some narratives, doesn’t it?

X video (3:31): https://bit.ly/4sAiWa6

I imagine she could have been arrested for disturbing the peace if the neighborhood has any kind of noise ordinances.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 02:58 PM (P5BPp)

436 The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 02:59 PM (7tVLI)

437 Paying higher taxes on short-term rental properties forces some of those properties back into the inventory for first time home buyers.
+++
Emphasis on the word "Forces" particularly in the context of private property.

How is that not Marxist?
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure
===

Property taxes can have interesting effects even if not intended to be punitive. (They always are)

Some really old cities charged based on linear frontage with the public street -> really long skinny pencil lots for the affluent and little squares for the poors, both paying the same tax rate.

Here, huge homestead taxe exemptions could punish renters of single family homes... Or encourage people to buy.
While lower appraise values for renal apartments could make them more attractive as starter homes....

Locally 100% disabled vets get 100% homestead exemption. NO property tax. BTW. Unless that vetvtold you they were "100% disabled" no one but them and the VA would have a clue they had any "disability" at all.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 03:00 PM (/lPRQ)

438 Steve Kerr's father was associated with an American School somewhere in the Middle East. Egypt, perhaps? And was assassinated. That may have something to do with his reaction.

Posted by: Wenda at January 10, 2026 02:44 PM

Interesting. Though why isn't he anti-Islam when his father was assassinated by Muslim terrorists?

Via Grok:

Steve Kerr's father, Malcolm H. Kerr, was a Middle East scholar who served as president of the American University of Beirut in Lebanon (not Egypt).

He was assassinated by gunmen outside his office on January 18, 1984, amid the Lebanese Civil War, in an attack claimed by Islamic Jihad.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 03:02 PM (P5BPp)

439 Claimed US attack on Syria.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 03:05 PM (7tVLI)

440 Clyde, re: Steve Kerr's politics. I have the same question.

Posted by: Wenda at January 10, 2026 03:05 PM (E9Eiy)

441 X video: https://bit.ly/4r79ny3

(1) this has no business being discussed in a post-NBA-game press conference.
(2) people can see with their own eyes the video that shows a woman attempting to murder an ICE agent with her vehicle. The government is not lying about anything.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton
----------

At minimum, he should be fired. Also not re-hired but shamed. Any owner that hires him should be shunned.

He represents the team. He has compromised more than himself.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 03:05 PM (y79kU)

442 Ok, not saying you are wrong, but how do you feel about Trumps ban on larger conglomerates owning single family dwellings? Good or nah?

My first impulse is to shout Hallelujah, then my second was to see how much my REIT investments were tied up in owning single family homes. I may be guilty of this.

OK, there are a lot of major investment firms, beyond just Blackstone, Pretium Partners and Invitation Homes who are deep into this. They are providing a service - both to people w/o the down payment and pension and insurance funds who need a portion of their portfolios in reliable cash flow.

I don't see a Win/Win here, just yet another Win/Lose punishment of the Ownership class. I get it that the Have Nots want what the Haves have. I have sympathy, but I'm not the evil one here.

Look towards the 10-20 trillion stolen in the last few decades, the insane regulations and hyper-inflation, the tens of millions of foreigners who get free housing. I'm already being punished by watching inflation eat away at my retirement. The pain needs to be shared, not all dumped on one generation.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 03:06 PM (pawvM)

443 X video (3:31): https://bit.ly/4sAiWa6

I imagine she could have been arrested for disturbing the peace if the neighborhood has any kind of noise ordinances.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton

Obstructing traffic* by itself is enough to merit lethal force if that is what it takes to get her dumb ass out of the way. Aaaand in this case it did, kind of.

*A good example of a just law - deliberately fvcking with other people because "nobody can do anything about it is" incompatible with civil society.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 03:06 PM (/lPRQ)

444 I don't know the details of the tax proposal, but I hope it's reasonable. I know for a fact (you can see months of bookings on the Airbnb page) that many of the places, even great properties on the water, etc. go unoccupied a lot of the time. If we pay 2,000 for a week in St. Croix, that 2,000 could reasonably be taxed, but what about the three weeks before and after when nobody picks their spot? Maybe tax the transaction but not the property. That might be the plan, I will look at it.

Posted by: Lincolntf at January 10, 2026 03:06 PM (vV6n9)

445 Fox News @FoxNews

RISKING THEIR LIVES: New video from inside Iran shows massive crowds cheering and marching through the streets of Tehran in spite of a growing crackdown from the hardline Islamist regime.

At least 65 protesters have reportedly been killed since demonstrations began two weeks ago. Iranian leaders are warning anyone arrested could potentially face the death penalty as an “enemy of God.”

X video (0:20): https://bit.ly/4pwPJtM

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 03:06 PM (P5BPp)

446 Property tax just means you've made it to the big leagues.

You're now getting jacked directly by Uncle Sam, so you should be proud and hold you heads high.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 10, 2026 03:08 PM (BSdIE)

447 Clay Travis @ClayTravis

Warriors coach Steve Kerr says an ICE agent murdered an innocent woman and the government is lying about it in his post-game press conference.

X video: https://bit.ly/4r79ny3

(1) this has no business being discussed in a post-NBA-game press conference.
(2) people can see with their own eyes the video that shows a woman attempting to murder an ICE agent with her vehicle. The government is not lying about anything.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 02:30 PM (P5BPp

Watched Kerr play in college. Not impressed then. Not impressed now.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2026 03:09 PM (2WIwB)

448 65? I saw 200 quoted several times last night.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 03:10 PM (zZu0s)

449 Ok, not saying you are wrong, but how do you feel about Trumps ban on larger conglomerates owning single family dwellings? Good or nah?
++++

Don't think he can ever get a Federal ban. But what should be done is eliminate any SALT equivalent for any non-residence while holding it at 50% max for domociles.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 03:10 PM (/lPRQ)

450 F5 over the straits of Florida.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 03:12 PM (7tVLI)

451 Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol

Can someone help me understand how these people seem to have INFINITE AMOUNTS OF TIME on their hands to protest?

I barely have time to go to the grocery store after work.

How do thousands of people have ALL DAY to go out and protest for illegal immigrant criminals?!!!

X video (0:0

: https://bit.ly/3LtEJzB

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 03:12 PM (P5BPp)

452 Property taxes can have interesting effects even if not intended to be punitive.

Agreed. There needs to be a load on land ownership otherwise it will be like domain name campers who buy up all of these cool domain names, pay nothing to keep them and then might sell them for thousands to tens of thousands to someone who might actually put the domain to use rather than parking it and no one benefits.

Out in my neck of the woods, there is something called a Club Lake where a number of shareholders own considerable acreage and a lake in common. Shareholders claim lots and lease them from the Corporation. The Corporation pays the property tax (among other things).

There are some really plumb lake-front lots where the "owners" pay nothing keeping the land empty with the thought that sometime in the future they can sell their share and lot-lease for more than they paid. They have no load, thus there is no incentive to sell unless they get a high value offer. No one benefits from the empty land.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 03:13 PM (xE0sV)

453 Live protests wanting the ICE agent arrested for murder on YouTube

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 03:19 PM (Ia/+0)

454 430 Paying higher taxes on short-term rental properties forces some of those properties back into the inventory for first time home buyers.

Emphasis on the word "Forces" particularly in the context of private property.

How is that not Marxist?
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 02:50 PM (xE0sV)

Focus on the word "some." Actual Marxism is for everybody.

Posted by: Jack Squat Bupkis at January 10, 2026 03:23 PM (jYRYu)

455 Property tax is a ripoff. Let's call it an occupancy tax. Every citizen in America should be a property owner.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 10, 2026 03:24 PM (BSdIE)

456 I imagine she could have been arrested for disturbing the peace if the neighborhood has any kind of noise ordinances.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton
---

The cop she bumped was in the process of arresting her. The last thing he said before being bumped was, 'get out of the car', that's when she smart mouthed and drove off.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 03:26 PM (y79kU)

457 She never got out of the car.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 03:30 PM (7tVLI)

458 How do thousands of people have ALL DAY to go out and protest for illegal immigrant criminals?!!!
...
Posted by: Clyde Shelton
---

They live with mama
They have been organized and paid by Soros ass.
They are city employees given a 'work day'
They are retirees given per diem incentives

Put the motivated all together and you have amob.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 03:35 PM (y79kU)

459 Royce White @Highway_30

Show this to an ICE protester, watch them jump through hoops to square the circle. Show this to your Democrat friends or family and watch them show you the decay of critical thought, politics and culture. They cannot answer how they still support Barack Obama like a saint, but oppose strict immigration policy. Why is EVERY conservative media platform not playing this on rerun? Because half of them are in on the theater.

X video (0:36): https://bit.ly/4aYQyIx

"Look, you've broken the law. You didn't come here the way you were supposed to. So, this is not gonna be a free ride. What's gonna happen is you are going to learn English. You are gonna go to the back of the line so that you don't get ahead of somebody who was in Mexico City applying legally. I think the American people, they appreciate and believe in immigration, but they can't have a situation where you just have half a million people pouring over the border without any kind of mechanism to control it."

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at January 10, 2026 03:36 PM (P5BPp)

460 Trump is getting more threatening. Khomeini said he won't back down to his threats. Somebody's bluff is getting called this weekend.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2026 03:36 PM (BI5O2)

461 You keep allowing these Muslim and Chinese conglomerates to come in and buy up all of the land and then bitch about their influence as landowners. Wake the fuck up.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 10, 2026 03:39 PM (BSdIE)

462 You keep allowing these Muslim and Chinese conglomerates to come in and buy up all of the land and then bitch about their influence as landowners. Wake the fuck up.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 10, 2026 03:39 PM (BSdIE)

This. Or the national security implications of Chinese owning American farmland.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 03:42 PM (zZu0s)

463 TRUMP JUST DID THE IMPOSSIBLE. CNBC IN TOTAL SHOCK:

_ U.S. TRADE DEFICIT PLUNGED FROM $136B TO $29.4B.
._LOWEST LEVEL IN NEARLY TWO DECADES.
.._TRUMP WAS RIGHT. SCOTT BESSENT WAS RIGHT.

... _ AGAIN

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 03:45 PM (y79kU)

464 BTW, pet thread is supreme overnood.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 10, 2026 03:58 PM (zZu0s)

465 Fox Business can't spell.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 04:12 PM (7tVLI)

466 Waiting for the picture of Khomeini hanging by his heels.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at January 10, 2026 04:14 PM (y79kU)

467 One time i woke the fuck up and you can't guess what i was doing once awaken. You'll never guess but might ask AI.

Posted by: thug dolphin at January 10, 2026 04:15 PM (EyfuW)

468 No, Karen, we're not doing woofloo '26.
https://shorturl.at/DqTcB

How about a bounty?
https://shorturl.at/suyf6

New profile flag! Hey, wait a minute...
https://shorturl.at/shyN9

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 10, 2026 04:24 PM (ULPxl)

469 I agree that property taxes are really just land rental taxes. But so many schools are paid for with them, I don't know how you stop it and "the children, think of the children!" Dont suffer.

I heard recently that in the 1950s-70s, over half of Americans owned a home. And now it's like 15%, and super low for Gen z and millennials. Thats depressing and wrong. Something is broken.

If Gen Z votes in socialism, part of it is they don't see a path forward for the American dream: own a home, raise a family decently on your salary, retire with savings and protection, not a slave to school debt and home debt and health debt and taxes.

That seems so far out of reach, so they'll reach for socialism. Even if it's actually poison.

Some of it is stupidity too. I remember the episode of sex and the city where all Carrie's friends find out she's still renting and are horrified. What do you mean you don't own?! Man, Carrie was so dumb. A good show to hate watch.

Posted by: LizLem at January 10, 2026 04:49 PM (gWBY1)

470 just google AI so huge grain of salt but "In the U.S., about 65.6% of households own their home, a rate that fluctuates slightly but generally hovers around two-thirds, with recent data from 2024 showing 65.6% ownership, up slightly from 2022's 65.8%"

Which would mean a LOT of single people if only 15% own. Or a lot of wives or husbands saying they don't own property if the property is in their spouses name or something.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 10, 2026 04:56 PM (hhkIi)

471 Sheesh, I just reread that google AI quote. Apparently it does not understand that 65.6% would be DOWN slightly from 65.8%. I typed in percent of familes that own their homes for the Q, AI subbed in households.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 10, 2026 05:03 PM (hhkIi)

472 David French is a timwalz:
https://is.gd/eKCIk7

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 10, 2026 05:04 PM (ULPxl)

473 451 Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol

Can someone help me understand how these people seem to have INFINITE AMOUNTS OF TIME on their hands to protest?

*********

I'm certain Clyde Shelton has seen this, but for anyone who hasn't, this tweet shows how much money the local and state governments have given to the organization that Good belonged to:

https://tinyurl.com/6y24jtcn

"The front facing group is called “Defend the 612.”

In part, they recruit:

- ICE Watch Rapid Response
- ICE Watch Defense Training
- School Protection"

The entire thread is worth reading.

Posted by: Sasquatch, the Original Trans-Wookie at January 10, 2026 05:10 PM (mbs/5)

474 We bombed the shit out of sites in Syria today.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2026 05:51 PM (sDNVV)

475 Waiting for the picture of Khomeini hanging by his heels.
Posted by: Braenyard

This is what the meathooks are for.
...and the deer plug.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 10, 2026 05:59 PM (/lPRQ)

476 I heard recently that in the 1950s-70s, over half of Americans owned a home. And now it's like 15%, and super low for Gen z and millennials. Thats depressing and wrong. Something is broken.

In the 1950s-70s, American made things as the remainder of the West and Japan were digging themselves out of smoldering ruins.

Since there was no competition, unions could demand the earth moon and stars and get it. People got spoiled, adopted luxury beliefs, voted for open immigration, LBJ, endless wars, pristine landscapes, etc. All of this ended up being destructive to the culture and work ethic.

Because of industrialization, primarily in the Mid-West and around the Great Lakes region, there was more available land, allowing the working class to buy an acre or two and build a modest home, own a single car, join a bowling league.

Henry Kissinger and the Internet destroyed America by exporting jobs on an industrial scale. NAFTA smothered out the American Dream. Obama hammered in the last nail into the West's coffin - except we weren't dead yet but soon because we are running out of air in our buried ($40T in debt) coffin.

Gen-Z has just discovered their plight.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 10, 2026 06:29 PM (KhyP1)

477 Nic Update:

'The Warmth Of Collectivism' is Code for 'Hell On Earth'

Posted by: ShainS -- 'The Warmth Of Collectivism' is Code for 'Hell On Earth' at January 10, 2026 11:20 PM (kA/fI)

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