The Morning Rant

The amazing success of free markets can be traced through history, and their record is unblemished. That is not to say that they are perfect for all, because as Adam Smith pointed out 250 years ago, it is the millions of individual decisions that drive beneficial outcomes, and not all of those decisions are the best decision.

And...the fluctuations in supply and demand caused by those decisions can cause dislocations across the entire economy, as we see today with the price of petroleum, which has a massive global market and is an excellent example of market pressures at work.

But market economies do not work as well when they are constrained by regulation. Not regulation that controls damage to the public sphere, but regulation that impedes the natural growth of the economy. When businesses must navigate a labyrinth of sometimes competing regulations that do nothing but increase the cost of the project and increase the gap between investment and profit, they are naturally reticent.

Add in governments that are not committed to the freedom of global commerce, and the pressures to expand are overwhelmed by the easier, risk-averse, but potentially less lucrative work to improve efficiency and take advantage of rent-seeking.

Why US Oil Companies Are Holding Off on Drilling New Wells

“We’re seeing a combination of trying to reopen the Strait [of Hormuz] while simultaneously recognizing that there are going to be alternative routes to get oil and gas to market, including expanding production in new places and expanding production in the United States,” Caleb Jasso, policy expert at the Institute for Energy Research, told The Epoch Times. “The world as a whole is really reevaluating global energy supply chains and the need for a greater level of diversification.”
Thus far, however, America’s oil industry has remained cautious, holding off on major new investments and focusing instead on increasing output from existing wells. The combined number of oil and gas rigs operating in the United States declined from more than 700 in May 2023 to 558 today, according to Baker Hughes, an industry analytics firm. And while the oil rig count has increased from 410 at the beginning of this year to 429 as of May 29, most producers remain reluctant to pour significant money into new wells.

Capital intensive industries like petroleum (and semiconductors!) cannot function efficiently on a four-year political timeline. Global markets cannot function efficiently, or sometimes at all on those timelines, when freedom to conduct commerce across the globe is held hostage to the political winds in Washington or Peking or Tehran.

It is very easy to throw up one's hands and say, "Let's just get the hell out of the Middle East!" And based on the less than stellar outcomes of our adventures of the past 25 years, that is a rational thing. Nation Building^TM has been thoroughly discredited, and has, hopefully, been thrown into the dustbin of history, at least until the next president with delusions of grandeur and no common sense decides that Shitcanistan must become a Jeffersonian Democracy, and uses our blood and treasure! And the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz is in all probability a temporary dislocation, as the world scrambles to find alternative methods of transport.

But there is another Strait of Hormuz lurking out there, and another after that one. Even if we fix the issue of a chaotic regulatory landscape and give the economy freedom to plan past the next election, trade routes that can be closed at the whim of despots or 7th century savages is an issue that will never go away.

President Trump's actions against Iran may be politically difficult, but there is no looming occupation of Iran, and the goal of denying the Mad Mullahs and their IRGC handlers a nuclear weapon is unequivocally good. That he is simultaneously degrading their ability to affect global commerce is also an unalloyed good.

Now if we can only get Congress to get off its collective ass and do something about the regulatory miasma!

[Crossposted at CutJibNewsletter and X/Twitter]. If you folks who are on X/Twitter would follow us it would be much appreciated!

Posted by: CBD at 11:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 FIRST!!!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:00 AM (X0axn)

2 I'll let the others know this one's gone live.

Posted by: Hillary's seventh replacement liver at June 04, 2026 11:00 AM (O7YUW)

3 #Winning

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:01 AM (X0axn)

4 Off to lum.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:01 AM (X0axn)

5 Well done, Sponge!

Posted by: Hillary's seventh replacement liver at June 04, 2026 11:01 AM (O7YUW)

6 OK

Posted by: Lizzy at June 04, 2026 11:01 AM (X8xt3)

7 Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.

Posted by: SMOD at June 04, 2026 11:02 AM (RHGPo)

8 7 Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.
Posted by: SMOD at June 04, 2026 11:02 AM (RHGPo)

No thanks

Posted by: It's me donna at June 04, 2026 11:03 AM (gmEzm)

9 "Now if we can only get Congress to get off its collective ass and do something about the regulatory miasma!"

That would require something truly drastic.

Also, off drunken Hillary's pleading liver sock.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 04, 2026 11:03 AM (O7YUW)

10 "It is very easy to throw up one's hands and say, "Let's just get the hell out of the Middle East!""

It's actually difficult, cuz when you throw your hands, you have nothing left to catch them with.

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:04 AM (Wq24h)

11 Well done, Sponge!
Posted by: Hillary's seventh replacement liver at June 04, 2026 11:01 AM (O7YUW)

Thank you. Sorry you were transplanted into such a worthless whore drunk bitch.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:04 AM (X0axn)

12 Now if we can only get Congress to get off its collective ass and do something about the regulatory miasma!

Unfortunately, they've gotten off their collective ass and made it worse by voting to require a DoW for Iran.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:04 AM (Riz8t)

13 "Regulatory miasma" is a quotable phrase

Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:04 AM (q6tQZ)

14 Also, off drunken Hillary's pleading liver sock.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 04, 2026 11:03 AM (O7YUW)

LOL.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 04, 2026 11:04 AM (OYsYV)

15 Wah hey!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 04, 2026 11:05 AM (amcLV)

16 Speaking of Space.

I got my allocation of Space X IPO stock.

And in more Space X news, there is an all-day event for the Space X IPO launch at JPMC today.

Pretty neat.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:05 AM (XV/Pl)

17 I'm old enough to remember when "Drill Baby Drill" was a thing.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:05 AM (X0axn)

18 Why US Oil Companies Are Holding Off on Drilling New Wells

Show us on the doll where the Invisible Hand of Adam Smith touched you...

Posted by: t-bird at June 04, 2026 11:06 AM (egaJw)

19 Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.
Posted by: SMOD at June 04, 2026 11:02 AM (RHGPo)
---------
The dead rises!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 04, 2026 11:06 AM (amcLV)

20 TB. Neat.
When does it start trading?

Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:06 AM (q6tQZ)

21 Unfortunately, they've gotten off their collective ass and made it worse by voting to require a DoW for Iran.

Farooz of the IRGC: You see, my gayattolah, I told you all we had to do was wait and the American left would torpedo yet another successful war effort by the US military.

Gayatollah:

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:06 AM (Riz8t)

22 Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.
Posted by: SMOD at June 04, 2026 11:02 AM (RHGPo)

Piker.

Posted by: Liberal Twat Backing With Yeast Infection at June 04, 2026 11:07 AM (X0axn)

23 Fail.

Damn brain.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:07 AM (X0axn)

24 SPONGE!!!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 04, 2026 11:07 AM (amcLV)

25 "I can testify to free markets being successful over thousands of years."
-- Ea-Nāșir

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 04, 2026 11:08 AM (0sNs1)

26 @17

>>I'm old enough to remember when "Drill Baby Drill" was a thing.

There is a tension between drilling enough and drilling too much and flooding the market with oil.

Excess inventory drives the price down below a point where it is financially viable to extract.

The system works when the price of gas is around 2.50 a gallon.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:08 AM (XV/Pl)

27 Also, off drunken Hillary's pleading liver sock.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant

That’s a great sock. A keeper.

Posted by: Kratwurst at June 04, 2026 11:08 AM (36bTp)

28 Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.

That's not my tummy, Gilligan!

Posted by: Gwyneth Paltrow's Mummy at June 04, 2026 11:09 AM (wn0/z)

29 The system works when the price of gas is around 2.50 a gallon.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:08 AM (XV/Pl)
----------
I'll take "Things You Won't See In Oregon" for $500, Alex.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 04, 2026 11:09 AM (amcLV)

30 "The amazing success of free markets can be traced through history, and their record is unblemished."

That's great! I look forward to the USA adopting such a system someday!

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:09 AM (Wq24h)

31 The system works when the price of gas is around 2.50 a gallon.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:08 AM (XV/Pl)

Tommy Norris has entered the chat.

Posted by: tbodie Lurker. Unless you are reading this. at June 04, 2026 11:10 AM (XBNjf)

32 There is a series of long threads on X by an ancient historian going through some of the most common Sumerian tablets.

Such as one detailing a merchant partnership, the investment of silver to join, the penalty for early withdraw, the profit share, etc.

In short: what the marxists losers call capitalism.

4,000 years before Marx stained the Earth.

There is no such thing as "invention of capitalism."

There is the market--humans doing what humans have always done.

And there is everything else that will and always has failed.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at June 04, 2026 11:11 AM (73/SM)

33 When does SPCX start trading?

Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:12 AM (q6tQZ)

34 @33

>>When does SPCX start trading?

June 11th.

You can get allocations right now.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:12 AM (XV/Pl)

35 I continue to believe there's a very good chance we are getting fleeced by Big Oil. Never let a crisis go to waste, as they say.

The American consumer got used to $5+ gas during the Biden Apocalypse. Why should anyone in Big Oil do anything to lower it? It doesn't help that despite all the "branded" gas stations and oils, the reality is the entire industry is controlled by only a few megaliths.

Same with almost every business and industry in the post-Covid, post-Biden era. Customers got used to high prices and shitty service. So industries have little incentive to lower prices and/or improve service.

Sure, every once in a while there will be a revolt -- Cracker Barrel, for example -- but on the whole customers have accepted higher prices and shittier service.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at June 04, 2026 11:13 AM (iFTx/)

36 I'll take "Things You Won't See In Oregon" for $500, Alex.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 04, 2026 11:09 AM

The settler who died of dysentery while on the Trail?

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 04, 2026 11:13 AM (0sNs1)

37 June 11th.

You can get allocations right now.
Posted by: Thomas Bender

Thanks.
I think it'll be jinky for a few days... but what do I know?
I know I want to own it, just where is the question.

Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:14 AM (q6tQZ)

38 the reality is the entire industry is controlled by only a few megaliths.

Exxon built Stonehenge?

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:14 AM (Riz8t)

39 I've got some yeast in my tummy you can use to make bread with, Big Boy.

Posted by: Stormy Daniels at June 04, 2026 11:14 AM (ddl1m)

40 "The amazing success of free markets can be traced through history, and their record is unblemished."

And what's better for free markets than tariffs? 'Freedom Fees' I call em.

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:15 AM (Wq24h)

41 @37

>>I think it'll be jinky for a few days... but what do I know?

It's going to hit the street at 135 a share and probably shoot up to 1k fairly quickly.

It's going to be the largest IPO cash raising in the history. 1.7T or thereabouts.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:15 AM (XV/Pl)

42 I saw Stone Temple Pilots open for A Few Megaliths at Rockaway.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:16 AM (Riz8t)

43 "When does SPCX start trading?"

Pro-tip: Don't buy IPOs at retail. They are for the insiders.

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:16 AM (Wq24h)

44 "Regulatory miasma" is a quotable phrase
Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:04 AM (q6tQZ)

Speaking of regulations:

https://tinyurl.com/mu2zw4an

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 04, 2026 11:17 AM (1z8ji)

45 I know I want to own it, just where is the question.
Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:14 AM

Buy low, and sell high.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 04, 2026 11:17 AM (0sNs1)

46 SPONGE!!!
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 04, 2026 11:07 AM (amcLV)

*fistbump*

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:17 AM (X0axn)

47 Pro-tip: Don't buy IPOs at retail. They are for the insiders.

This is a perfect example of getting carried away by enthusiasm. I'll wait until it settles down a bit.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:18 AM (Riz8t)

48 38 the reality is the entire industry is controlled by only a few megaliths.

Exxon built Stonehenge?
Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:14 AM (Riz8t)

Other way 'round.

Posted by: Don't think about it too hard at June 04, 2026 11:18 AM (TbWk/)

49 Nation BuildingTM has been thoroughly discredited, and has, hopefully, been thrown into the dustbin of history,
---
But has true nation building ever been tried?

Posted by: OSHA at June 04, 2026 11:19 AM (Fi81e)

50 49 Nation BuildingTM has been thoroughly discredited, and has, hopefully, been thrown into the dustbin of history,
---
But has true nation building ever been tried?
Posted by: OSHA at June 04, 2026 11:19 AM (Fi81e)

Liberia, but it ended up eating itself.

Posted by: Quite literally IIRC at June 04, 2026 11:20 AM (TbWk/)

51 Nation BuildingTM has been thoroughly discredited, and has, hopefully, been thrown into the dustbin of history,
---
But has true nation building ever been tried?
Posted by: OSHA at June 04, 2026 11:19 AM (Fi81e)

Liberia, but it ended up eating itself.
Posted by: Quite literally IIRC at June 04, 2026 11:20 AM (TbWk/)
---
They got hungry, huh?

Posted by: Axeman at June 04, 2026 11:20 AM (Fi81e)

52 Re: SPCX
There will be huge institutional money thrown at it to try to get it beat down... guaranteed.
There will be massive amounts of retail money trying to buy it.
Oughtta be fun.

Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:22 AM (q6tQZ)

53 The Dow is up 1.7%.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:22 AM (Riz8t)

54 It's going to hit the street at 135 a share and probably shoot up to 1k fairly quickly.

It's going to be the largest IPO cash raising in the history. 1.7T or thereabouts.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:15 AM (XV/Pl)
---------

They're raising $80B in the IPO and that would put the company valuation at $1.7T.

Posted by: WisRich at June 04, 2026 11:22 AM (G0vdT)

55 Pro-tip: Don't buy IPOs at retail. They are for the insiders.
---
Bloomburg made much of his fortune by selling microsecond advantages to insiders.

But, he's a Democrat in Good Standing.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at June 04, 2026 11:22 AM (73/SM)

56 53 The Dow is up 1.7%.
Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:22 AM (Riz8t)

Why ? Has Trump claimed to have a deal with Iran again ?

Posted by: It's me donna at June 04, 2026 11:23 AM (gmEzm)

57 @47

>>This is a perfect example of getting carried away by enthusiasm. I'll wait until it settles down a bit.

Not really, it's a pretty big event, and even paying full freight at IPO is potentially a bargain.

As an example, google hit the street at 85 a share in 2002, which is roughly 150.00 adjusted for inflation.

15k invested in google at it's IPO would be roughly 2.5 million dollars today accounting for DR and splits.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:23 AM (XV/Pl)

58 All I want to know is...
What's Pelosi gonna do?

Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:23 AM (q6tQZ)

59 Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.

Posted by: SMOD at June 04, 2026 11:02 AM (RHGPo)

They can't be certain the yeast was exclusively 5000 year old stomach yeast. Although the opportunity for jokes overrides anything I want to assert about the story.

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:24 AM (oknh1)

60 > 8 7 Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.
Posted by: SMOD at June 04, 2026 11:02 AM (RHGPo)

No thanks
Posted by: It's me donna at June 04, 2026 11:03 AM (gmEzm)

Oh, that's not the worst place that yeast can come from...

Posted by: Itinerant Zymurgist at June 04, 2026 11:24 AM (IG3/x)

61 All I know is I was told by well respected commenters on this site that the Iran conflict would be over by May. It is June and there is still no end in sight.

My concern is not June but November.

A Democrat-controlled Congress will be unbearable for the final two years of Trump's term.

Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:25 AM (qmxL/)

62 But has true nation building ever been tried?
Posted by: OSHA at June 04, 2026 11:19 AM (Fi81e)

In the case of Persia, it has had a long history as a nation and an empire. Get rid of the muslims, and it will once more be a nation.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 04, 2026 11:25 AM (1z8ji)

63 @54

>>They're raising $80B in the IPO and that would put the company valuation at $1.7T.

They are going to use that valuation to raise more capital than the initial 80B.

It's exactly what Musk did with Tesla.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (XV/Pl)

64 Great and truthful post, CBD!!

And remember that Trump is fighting - like we always are - the City of London in the SoH. Bankers. They are controlling distribution and that needs to end. And it will.

Posted by: Danimal28 at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (HR77u)

65 "All I know is I was told by well respected commenters on this site that the Iran conflict would be over by May."

You fucked up, Flounder. You trusted them.

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (Wq24h)

66 What's Pelosi gonna do?
Posted by: MkY at June 04, 2026 11:23 AM (q6tQZ)

Tick.....tock.....

Posted by: The Reaper at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (X0axn)

67 Was the sourdough from the mummy’s tummy yummy?

Posted by: Bulg at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (77rzZ)

68 Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:25 AM (qmxL

I don't recall any commentators saying that. Who were they?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (OYsYV)

69 Thx CBD.
John Bolton will plead guilty to retaining classified info. Anyway.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at June 04, 2026 11:27 AM (gQKJe)

70
I don't recall any commentators saying that. Who were they?
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (OYsYV)

Me either...

Posted by: It's me donna at June 04, 2026 11:27 AM (gmEzm)

71 The Dow is up 1.7%.
Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:22 AM

In other New York City news, the Bronx is up, but the Battery's down.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 04, 2026 11:27 AM (0sNs1)

72 John Bolton will plead guilty to retaining classified info. Anyway.
Posted by: Smell the Glove at June 04, 2026 11:27 AM (gQKJe)

OVERRULED!!!!

Posted by: Lord God King Boasberg at June 04, 2026 11:27 AM (X0axn)

73 Bankers

JOOOOS

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at June 04, 2026 11:28 AM (Kt19C)

74 They are going to use that valuation to raise more capital than the initial 80B.

It's exactly what Musk did with Tesla.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM (XV/Pl)
--------

Most certainly. Another sure thing, a lot of SpaceX employees are about to become millionaires.

Posted by: WisRich at June 04, 2026 11:28 AM (G0vdT)

75
Capital intensive industries like petroleum (and semiconductors!) cannot function efficiently on a four-year political timeline.

That's worse than a five year plan, comrade!

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 04, 2026 11:28 AM (Cqx++)

76 “The world as a whole is really reevaluating global energy supply chains and the need for a greater level of diversification.”

Translation, we have had it with iran throwing a temper tantrum and screwing up the price of oil world wide and after 50+ years of sitting on our a$$es watching it happen over and over while doing nothing we are finally going to address that issue.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 04, 2026 11:29 AM (0N4FZ)

77 67 Was the sourdough from the mummy’s tummy yummy?
Posted by: Bulg at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM
+++
It was sour.

Posted by: Says so right there in the name at June 04, 2026 11:29 AM (2Ez/1)

78
MUNKEY

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 04, 2026 11:30 AM (FkdoK)

79 All I know is I was told by well respected commenters on this site
Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:25 AM

To be fair, that certainly narrows the field down considerably!

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 04, 2026 11:30 AM (0sNs1)

80 >Scientists have made sourdough bread from a yeast found within the stomach of a 5,000-year-old frozen mummy.
-----

the old-fashioned way, like Mummy used to make

Posted by: Don Black at June 04, 2026 11:30 AM (ZxPkt)

81 Was the sourdough from the mummy’s tummy yummy?
Posted by: Bulg at June 04, 2026 11:26 AM

It would make for a crummy gummy, though.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 04, 2026 11:31 AM (0sNs1)

82 Was the sourdough from the mummy’s tummy yummy?
----
The secret is under wraps.

Posted by: Oh, no... at June 04, 2026 11:33 AM (2Ez/1)

83 The sourdough starter is known as the "mother" so maybe someone just got confused.

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:35 AM (oknh1)

84 82 Was the sourdough from the mummy’s tummy yummy?
----
The secret is under wraps.
======
Don't be cryptic.

Posted by: Groan at June 04, 2026 11:36 AM (2Ez/1)

85 The Dow is up 1.7%.
Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:22 AM (Riz8t)

Why ? Has Trump claimed to have a deal with Iran again ?
Posted by: It's me donna at June 04, 2026 11:23 AM (gmEzm)

The financial sector is way up. Don't know why.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at June 04, 2026 11:36 AM (ExV1e)

86 Im usually down but kick a little extra and ill be on top.

Posted by: Stormy Daniels at June 04, 2026 11:36 AM (ddl1m)

87 There are over 1500 species of yeast, so it's a fair bet that whatever leavened bread you eat, you're gonna get some diversity in there.

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:38 AM (Wq24h)

88
John Bolton will plead guilty to retaining classified info. Anyway.
Posted by: Smell the Glove at June 04, 2026 11:27 AM (gQKJe)

Please tell me that his sentence will include time in Federal PMITA prison.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 04, 2026 11:38 AM (FkdoK)

89 All I know is I was told by well respected commenters on this site that the Iran conflict would be over by May. It is June and there is still no end in sight.

My concern is not June but November.

The price of gas aside (and it's coming down) how does the war affect the average person? No soldiers are dying, few munitions are being expended, and the rest of the ME is firmly on our side.

The Dems will demagogue it of course, but I suspect that will be less effective than many expect.

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:38 AM (Riz8t)

90 Translation, we have had it with iran throwing a temper tantrum and screwing up the price of oil world wide and after 50+ years of sitting on our a$$es watching it happen over and over while doing nothing we are finally going to address that issue.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 04, 2026 11:29 AM (0N4FZ)

Not so fast! -- US House of Representatives

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at June 04, 2026 11:38 AM (ExV1e)

91 WSJ

"SpaceX made $18.7 billion in revenue in 2025, including sales from xAI. That means it is priced at about 93.6 times its sales.

The aggregate price-to-sales ratio of the S&P 500 is 3.38"
---

Yikes

Posted by: WisRich at June 04, 2026 11:39 AM (G0vdT)

92 Since I'm on top of the Executive Branch, shouldn't I get paid more than the President?
Even Lord Fauci makes more than the President.

Posted by: Judge Boasberg at June 04, 2026 11:39 AM (ddl1m)

93 Congress will come to the mullahs's rescue.

Posted by: Don Black at June 04, 2026 11:41 AM (ZxPkt)

94 I thought Iran would be done within a week. I don't think I "guaranteed" anything, just wasn't rushing to judgment. But I'm not respected so it's moot.

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:41 AM (oknh1)

95 Willowed from last thread but anyone else as clueless as me?

Posted by: farquad at June 04, 2026 10:58 AM (CFMhl)

I must be a kid at heart because I didn't learn until recently that was a pun for the adults watching Shrek.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2026 11:42 AM (WNOcj)

96 *Even Lord Fauci makes more than the President.*

Tee hee.
And I'm not in jail.

Posted by: Little Lord Tony at June 04, 2026 11:42 AM (2Ez/1)

97 Are Democrats gonna promise to bring gas prices down after railing against oil for 50 years? I mean yeah they probably will but who is going to believe them.

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:42 AM (oknh1)

98 All I know is I was told by well respected commenters on this site that the Iran conflict would be over by May. It is June and there is still no end in sight.
--
You're mistaking us with Democrats and their promises about Ukraine.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at June 04, 2026 11:43 AM (73/SM)

99 thought Iran would be done within a week. I don't think I "guaranteed" anything, just wasn't rushing to judgment. But I'm not respected so it's moot.
Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:41 AM (oknh1)

I was right there with you except I said two weeks.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2026 11:43 AM (WNOcj)

100
Since I'm on top of the Executive Branch, shouldn't I get paid more than the President?
Even Lord Fauci makes more than the President.
Posted by: Judge Boasberg at June 04, 2026 11:39 AM (ddl1m)

For awhile, the gnome was the highest paid Fed employee

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 04, 2026 11:43 AM (FkdoK)

101 The sourdough starter is known as the "mother" so maybe someone just got confused.
Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:35 AM (oknh1)

When a man yeast and a woman yeast love each other very much........

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 04, 2026 11:44 AM (g8Ew8)

102 A Democrat-controlled Congress will be unbearable for the final two years of Trump's term.

Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:25 AM (qmxL/)

Yeah, GOPe is doing much better.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 04, 2026 11:44 AM (dK+Kv)

103
Ban cars!

Bike everywhere!

Electric by 2030!

Also... cheap oil ahoy!!!

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:45 AM (oknh1)

104 "In that part of the world, ceasefire is when you're shooting in a more moderate manner."

---- PDJT

Posted by: Itinerant Zymurgist at June 04, 2026 11:45 AM (IG3/x)

105 "When a man yeast and a woman yeast love each other very much........ "

Mrs Yeast to Mr Yeast: "Do these vacuoles make my bud look fat?"

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:46 AM (Wq24h)

106 Anybody remember Corvis and it's revolutionary all optical switch?

Achieved a market capitalization of roughly $28 billion on day one of the IPO — extraordinary for a pre-revenue company (it had virtually no sales at the time).

Posted by: pawn at June 04, 2026 11:46 AM (+rSJz)

107 49 But has true nation building ever been tried?

the true nation building is the friends we made along the way.

Posted by: anachronda at June 04, 2026 11:47 AM (sGtp+)

108 I thought Iran would be done within a week. I don't think I "guaranteed" anything, just wasn't rushing to judgment. But I'm not respected so it's moot.

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:41 AM

It took about 10 months to sort everything out back in the 80s for iran to agree to reopen the straits and remove their mines during the tanker wars. We were doing escort duty for re flagged kuwati tankers back then. IIRC at least one of our ships hit a mine.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 04, 2026 11:47 AM (0N4FZ)

109 All the Democrats and their useful idiots literally want us to lose big in Iran. ( except Fetterman) . That is sickening to see. Just like they wanted us to lose in Vietnam.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2026 11:47 AM (WNOcj)

110 All I know is I was told by well respected commenters on this site
Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:25 AM

To be fair, that certainly narrows the field down considerably!

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 04, 2026 11:30 AM (0sNs1)

I don't recall Whig saying anything of the sort. Who else you got?

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 04, 2026 11:47 AM (dK+Kv)

111 Yeah, GOPe is doing much better.
Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 04, 2026 11:44 AM (dK+Kv)

Inept is far preferable to...whatever horrific adjective you want to ascribe to the Dems. I suppose horrific works

Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:48 AM (qmxL/)

112 Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 04, 2026 11:47 AM (dK+Kv)

Yeah I'm drawing a blank. I mean there's the cobs.... wait no....

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:49 AM (oknh1)

113 Did we really nation build in Iraq and Afghanistan? Seems to me we let them choose their ruling system. They chose a parliamentary system that was unpopular with the Muslim population and we did not have the strength of will to effect cultural change on them.

Posted by: Darth Randall at June 04, 2026 11:49 AM (mseD3)

114 I don't want to just up and call out anyone, becuase obviously I'm not blaming them (they have no control over these things), but jamesmadison was the one who said it.

But what would James Madison know about quickly winning a war!

Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:50 AM (qmxL/)

115 All the Democrats and their useful idiots literally want us to lose big in Iran. ( except Fetterman) . That is sickening to see. Just like they wanted us to lose in Vietnam.

And Iraq, and Afghanistan, and Panama, and Grenada, and...

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2026 11:50 AM (Riz8t)

116 35 I continue to believe there's a very good chance we are getting fleeced by Big Oil. Never let a crisis go to waste, as they say.

The American consumer got used to $5+ gas during the Biden Apocalypse..........

Same with almost every business and industry in the post-Covid, post-Biden era. Customers got used to high prices and shitty service. So industries have little incentive to lower prices and/or improve service......

Posted by: Elric The Blade at June 04, 2026 11:13 AM (iFTx/)

I paid 4.73 per gallon at Costco yesterday. First time in months it's been below 5$ here.

Chevron has come down to 5.899 from 6.299.

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's Phone) at June 04, 2026 11:50 AM (QGaXH)

117 Yeah I'm drawing a blank. I mean there's the cobs.... wait no....

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:49 AM (oknh1)

He said commenter, not limerickers, so Muldoon is out.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 04, 2026 11:50 AM (dK+Kv)

118 But what would James Madison know about quickly winning a war!

Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:50 AM (qmxL/)

You said "respected."

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 04, 2026 11:51 AM (dK+Kv)

119 If it wasn’t puns or boob talk, it wasn’t I.

Posted by: Bulg at June 04, 2026 11:51 AM (77rzZ)

120 The campaign lasted only 39 days before Trump, inexplicably to me, stopped it. But I realize I'm not in the loop but I wish the White House would consult with me before doing these things.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2026 11:51 AM (WNOcj)

121 The free market only works for enhancing The Man's profits while sucking the life blood from brown and black persons. Our city owned food stores will eliminate this exploitation and also insure that innocent children are not murdered by crazy Asian store owners.

Posted by: Mayor Zohran Mamdani at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (IqKsT)

122 Capitalism works. Crony capitalism, which we have currently, doesn't. When the government picks winners and losers in the market, capitalism is kicked aside.

The people crying for socialism because evil billionaires are exploiting the labor of their employees don't realize that socialism is crony capitalism on steroids.

Posted by: windbag at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (tMgrj)

123 Did we really nation build in Iraq and Afghanistan? Seems to me we let them choose their ruling system. They chose a parliamentary system that was unpopular with the Muslim population and we did not have the strength of will to effect cultural change on them.
Posted by: Darth Randall at June 04, 2026 11:49 AM (mseD3)

Iraq was Babylon, once. Never been a nation since, and warring tribes of goatrapers will never a nation make. Afghanistan, q.v.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (1z8ji)

124 "He said commenter, not limerickers, so Muldoon is out."

I suggest 'limericist' or 'limerician' over 'limericker.' Sounds more expert. Which he is.

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (Wq24h)

125
CNNLOL

Such votes signal a lack of resolve even in Trump’s own party to continue the war.

But four Republicans voted for it anyway, allowing the resolution to pass 215-208 and delivering Trump one of the biggest legislative rebukes of his presidency.

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (oknh1)

126 “… Capital intensive industries like petroleum (and semiconductors!) cannot function efficiently on a four-year political timeline. Global markets cannot function efficiently, or sometimes at all on those timelines, when freedom to conduct commerce across the globe is held hostage to the political winds in Washington or Peking or Tehran…”

This quote from CBD’s post is Exactly the headwinds we face in instituting any long lasting significant change in the country. A perennial problem baked into our system. How this is remedied seems beyond our reach. Sucks, but there we are.

Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (Gqar8)

127 Posted by: Darth Randall at June 04, 2026 11:49 AM (mseD3)

And to pacify the muslims they both added into their constitutions that sharia was the winner whenever there was a conflict between everything else the constitutions said and sharia. Which means they immediately had a sharia dominated system and I knew everything had been in vain (other than killing a lot of their guys there instead of here, which isn't nothing but still not the win I'd hoped for).

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 04, 2026 11:53 AM (lFFaq)

128 Did we really nation build in Iraq and Afghanistan? Seems to me we let them choose their ruling system. They chose a parliamentary system that was unpopular with the Muslim population and we did not have the strength of will to effect cultural change on them.
Posted by: Darth Randall at June 04, 2026 11:49 AM (mseD3)

From the gitgo after 9/11, islam was considered peaceful. That's where all the nation-building went to shit.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at June 04, 2026 11:53 AM (g8Ew8)

129 Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (oknh1)

Yeah they consider that bipartisan. And one of the 4 is a declared enemy of Trump.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2026 11:54 AM (WNOcj)

130 You know, James Madison was a naturalist. A lot of people don't know that. He really loved the environment and care a lot about wildlife. In fact, he tried to put protecting wildlife into the bill of rights, but a lot of people don't know that he was dyslexic too. So when he was writing the 2nd amendment he wrote the right to bear arms, but what he meant was the right to arm bears!

Posted by: Tip your waitress at June 04, 2026 11:54 AM (2Ez/1)

131 With what went down in Venezuela, our renewed access to the oil fields there, and, hopefully a positive outcome in Iran the US will be in a pretty nifty position regarding the flow, price and who gets what in terms of petroleum products.

I mean, that's certainly a potential outcome. Presuming the administration would like to be in that position.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 04, 2026 11:54 AM (jehhT)

132 Scratch my balls and sniff.
Malty. Yeasty.

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at June 04, 2026 11:55 AM (Kt19C)

133 I just saw the Bolton news. At least it gives him time to write his memoir, Not My Fault (And They Had It Coming).

Posted by: gKWVE at June 04, 2026 11:56 AM (gKWVE)

134 You made a pretty strong case against tariffs. Well done.

Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at June 04, 2026 11:56 AM (+48wn)

135
All the Democrats and their useful idiots literally want us to lose big in Iran. ( except Fetterman) . That is sickening to see. Just like they wanted us to lose in Vietnam.
Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2026 11:47 AM (WNOcj)

The only post-Vietnam war that the Donk commie cocksuckers have been willing to support is A-stan immediately after 9/11.

And even then, it was simply a matter of political survival. If they'd have pulled the usual bullshit, they'd have been shivved by the voters. So despite their desires to shit all over the nation and especially the US military, they toned down the anti-military rhetoric for awhile.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 04, 2026 11:56 AM (FkdoK)

136 Posted by: windbag at June 04, 2026 11:52 AM (tMgrj)

"Crony capitalism" is actual fascism. Only the dependable get to be in nominal control of the major companies because they can be trusted to do as told.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 04, 2026 11:56 AM (lFFaq)

137 132 Scratch my balls and sniff.
Malty. Yeasty.
Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at June 04, 2026 11:55 AM (Kt19C)

That’s - an interesting comment.

Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 11:56 AM (Gqar8)

138 My fucking iPhone listens to my calls and fishes for mentions of product, and then Google throws targeted ads at me right here at ace.mu.

In the terrific YA novel "Feed," a tragic teen love story set in a future that seems now not so unrealistic, the big bro gov makes all get a chip implant at the age of speech, and it insists you remain updated. The phone is a relic. In this new world, the chip delivers the feed to your mind, and you can think-message instead of needing to speak.

Your feed is full of targeted ads, and when one of the teens in the novel looks at the jeans worn by a kid walking by, an ad for those jeans, complete with lush vids, flashes through in the feed.

And when the president decides he wants to deliver an address, it comes via the feed, and he always, begins with "Dude, . . . "

Posted by: M. Gaga at June 04, 2026 11:57 AM (KiBMU)

139 "This quote from CBD’s post is Exactly the headwinds we face"

It's hard to get things done in a representative democracy with a fickle, unserious electorate, in a nation that careens reactively from one 'crisis' to the next, always applying stupid, expensive, and exigent bandaids and 'fixes' along the way.

Posted by: gp at June 04, 2026 11:57 AM (Wq24h)

140 Was he buked before he was rebuked?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 04, 2026 11:57 AM (Cqx++)

141 61 All I know is I was told by well respected commenters on this site that the Iran conflict would be over by May. It is June and there is still no end in sight.

My concern is not June but November.

A Democrat-controlled Congress will be unbearable for the final two years of Trump's term.

Posted by: Shenanigans at June 04, 2026 11:25 AM (qmxL/)

World Cup competition begins on June 11th. I do not expect President Trump will restart major combat ops against the IRGC until after the World Cup final game on July 19th. I also do not expect the IRGC bastards calling the shots will give up anything in a deal before July 19th.

Posted by: Gref at June 04, 2026 11:59 AM (5rh/l)

142 If you’re going to go to war? Go to war and win. Dont do this 1/2 ass shit that America has been doing since WW2.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

Posted by: Heroq at June 04, 2026 12:00 PM (rKig4)

143 So much for the civilian uprising doing the wet work on the ground.

Is this another intelligence failure based on telling the boss what he wants to hear leading to a prolonged and panful withdraw?

I mean it's not hard for people to see this because it's happened before.

Maybe Trump can turn this into a win but it's not hard to imagine it's not going to happen in the short term.

We do hold all the cards but Congress will unfortunately fuck us.

I agree that it's difficult to manage global strategies on a four year timeline and our enemies can count on the American public getting bored.

Posted by: pawn at June 04, 2026 12:00 PM (+rSJz)

144 My fucking iPhone listens to my calls and fishes for mentions of product, and then Google throws targeted ads at me right here at ace.mu.

In the terrific YA novel "Feed," a tragic teen love story set in a future that seems now not so unrealistic, the big bro gov makes all get a chip implant at the age of speech, and it insists you remain updated. The phone is a relic. In this new world, the chip delivers the feed to your mind, and you can think-message instead of needing to speak.

Your feed is full of targeted ads, and when one of the teens in the novel looks at the jeans worn by a kid walking by, an ad for those jeans, complete with lush vids, flashes through in the feed.

And when the president decides he wants to deliver an address, it comes via the feed, and he always, begins with "Dude, . . . "
Posted by: M. Gaga at June 04, 2026 11:57 AM (KiBMU)

I have an Android phone that I got rooted, and broke the Google shit embedded in it. I get no ads at all. A lot of the apps don't work, but I never used apps anyway. I can call and text OK. Suffices for me.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 04, 2026 12:00 PM (1z8ji)

145 Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 04, 2026 11:56 AM (FkdoK)

Agree . It just seems they aren't trying to hide or even be subtle about how happy they are that this wasn't concluded in a couple of weeks and how Iran has 'beaten' the mean old USA. I'm not talking about the retarded lefty foot soldiers but about the Democrats leaders and politicians.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2026 12:00 PM (WNOcj)

146 And it's time for me to get on with my day. Fog is lifting here; might even see some sunshine.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 04, 2026 12:02 PM (1z8ji)

147 142 If you’re going to go to war? Go to war and win. Dont do this 1/2 ass shit that America has been doing since WW2.

The more things change the more they stay the same.
Posted by: Heroq at June 04, 2026 12:00 PM (rKig4)

True - I'm sure the military loved hearing that Trump would not end the ceasefire unless Iran killed military members (and maybe not even then). So, they are sittting there like big targets unable to actually do the job we want them to do, but also unable to go home and be with the ones they love. Just hurry up and wait...until someone tries to kill you...then MAYBE we let you go back to ending the war.

Posted by: Nova Local at June 04, 2026 12:03 PM (tOcjL)

148 Are rank and file Americans ( not the outliers) a patient people, in our time? Do we have that ability to wait anymore? I suggest that patience has been conditioned out of us.

Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 12:03 PM (Gqar8)

149 I suggest that patience has been conditioned out of us.
Hurry up and get to the point.

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at June 04, 2026 12:05 PM (Kt19C)

150 But what does Convicted Felon John Bolton think?!

- He agreed to plead guilty to felony charges and faces up to 5 years in prison.

Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung, DURING PRIDE MONTH IS EVIL! at June 04, 2026 12:05 PM (Kdi1r)

151 Today is the 84th anniversary of the main event of the days-long Battle of Midway: The carrier battle. The US Navy won a spectacular, decisive, victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Salute!

Posted by: Gref at June 04, 2026 12:05 PM (5rh/l)

152
As I understand it, for Congress to end action against Iran under the War Powers Act, a 2/3 majority in both houses would be required to overcome a presidential veto. And the 60 day limit for hostilities can be dealt with by a pause that resets the time.

The resolutions at this point are political and performative, and have the effects of signaling virtue, opposing Trump, reassuring the current leadership of Iran that time is on their side.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at June 04, 2026 12:06 PM (HLgI3)

153 continue to believe there's a very good chance we are getting fleeced by Big Oil."

Pretty much. Refining and supply are heavily regulated, and those already in the industry apply pressure to limit future competition by controlling the regulators...

Your guv at work

Posted by: man at June 04, 2026 12:06 PM (XuXeR)

154 >>>I'm old enough to remember when "Drill Baby Drill" was a thing.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at June 04, 2026 11:05 AM (X0axn)

--

Me, too. ... oh. Yeah, that too.

Posted by: Slo at June 04, 2026 12:07 PM (NYInA)

155 Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at June 04, 2026 12:06 PM (HLgI3)

It's just to make headlines since there isn't enough bad stuff happening wrt Iran

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 12:08 PM (oknh1)

156 Also, refining is the bottleneck... along with distribution.

Posted by: man at June 04, 2026 12:08 PM (XuXeR)

157 Can you see Democrats promising to drill and refine to make oil cheap? Me neither.

Posted by: ... at June 04, 2026 12:09 PM (oknh1)

158 Are rank and file Americans ( not the outliers) a patient people, in our time? Do we have that ability to wait anymore? I suggest that patience has been conditioned out of us.

Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 12:03 PM (Gqar

That isn't new.

About 18 months into WWII, large chunks of the American populace was over it.

This isn't unique to us, either. That tracks all the way back to ancient Greece.

Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung, DURING PRIDE MONTH IS EVIL! at June 04, 2026 12:09 PM (Kdi1r)

159 >>And while the oil rig count has increased from 410 at the beginning of this year to 429 as of May 29, most producers remain reluctant to pour significant money into new wells.
---

For sales to refiners they are competing with free and cheap oil from Venezuela and ghost ships.
Trump said, we've taken so much oil it's paid for the war. - Speculating; refineries are maxing out.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 04, 2026 12:09 PM (ZwdAr)

160 Government intervention has all sort of odd impacts on markets and lives.

For example, part of the difficulty with housing is that because of Bidenflation interest rates went up.

So people siting in a house they might want to sell, but with a low mortgage rate would face a penalty if they sold and moved.

And there are a million little things like this, all making our lives worse

Posted by: 18-1 at June 04, 2026 12:09 PM (sKqQm)

161 Do you know who else had an invisible hand?

Posted by: Michelle Fields at June 04, 2026 12:09 PM (oknh1)

162 Can you see Democrats promising to drill and refine to make oil cheap? Me neither."

FWIW, if my various newz feeds are correct, the next crisis is tomatoes.

(Not kidding. Several tales of woe)

Posted by: man at June 04, 2026 12:10 PM (XuXeR)

163 The toxin of the House resolution lies in the perception, which will be ridden by the EneMedis that the country is badly divided over the Iran affair. Some Reps in DC need a serious ass kicking.

Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 12:11 PM (Gqar8)

164 .
Ace is up: John Bolton Reaches Deal to Plead Guilty to Mishandling Classified Documents

NOOD!

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 04, 2026 12:11 PM (O7YUW)

165 Speculating; refineries are maxing out."

Yep. Jr kidlet and all are chatting about just that these days...

Posted by: man at June 04, 2026 12:12 PM (XuXeR)

166 FWIW, if my various newz feeds are correct, the next crisis is tomatoes.

(Not kidding. Several tales of woe)

Posted by: man at June 04, 2026 12:10 PM (XuXeR)

Sauce for the goose.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 04, 2026 12:13 PM (dK+Kv)

167 158 Are rank and file Americans ( not the outliers) a patient people, in our time? Do we have that ability to wait anymore? I suggest that patience has been conditioned out of us.

Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 12:03 PM (Gqar

That isn't new.

About 18 months into WWII, large chunks of the American populace was over it.

This isn't unique to us, either. That tracks all the way back to ancient Greece.
Posted by: Washington Nearsider: Gotterdammerung, DURING PRIDE MONTH IS EVIL! at June 04, 2026 12:09 PM (Kdi1r)

I suppose so. I intentionally left out the past to emphasize the cultural “ speeding up” that our digital, fast food and instant gratification society permeates our every moment.

Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 12:13 PM (Gqar8)

168 163 The toxin of the House resolution lies in the perception, which will be ridden by the EneMedis that the country is badly divided over the Iran affair. Some Reps in DC need a serious ass kicking.
Posted by: tubal at June 04, 2026 12:11 PM (Gqar

Just 4 - we apparently only have 212 voting Rs (and 211 voting Ds) right now...vote was 215-208.

Posted by: Nova Local at June 04, 2026 12:14 PM (tOcjL)

169 About 18 months into WWII, large chunks of the American populace was over it.

This isn't unique to us, either. That tracks all the way back to ancient Greece.
Posted by: Washington Nearsider:
---

It also tracks with the news media talking it down and flat out lying about events.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 04, 2026 12:22 PM (ZwdAr)

170 First order of business; read The Prince by Machiavelli. It's all in there. Tribalism. The only reason for occupation is to harvest resources.

Do a smash and grab on the nuclear shit and leave the rest for the locals.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at June 04, 2026 12:23 PM (D1E+2)

171 Now if we can only get Congress to get off its collective ass and do something about the regulatory miasma!

Now if only we could get Congress to represent the interests of the American people!

Posted by: Emmie -- be strong and courageous! at June 04, 2026 12:30 PM (FMtrg)

172 Just loiter over the mountain covering their precious enriched uranium and blow the shit out of anything that comes near.

Do this 24/7/365.

Also blowing up switchyards outside of power plants get the locals attention.

Lots of soft targets available.

I'm all for playing tit for tat and getting our shit together here at home.

Iranians have played the waiting game for a long time and are masters. The US, not so much. We demonstrate this over and over again to the world.

We need to be patient to win this.

Posted by: pawn at June 04, 2026 12:40 PM (+rSJz)

173 >>>We need to be patient to win this.

Posted by: pawn

>There may not be 'A' winning solution. This is a 'rinse and repeat' situation. It is foolish to believe we can put 'boots on the ground' to solve anything, unless we want the treasure.

This is about attrition. Let the global 'community' determine the trajectory of global commerce.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at June 04, 2026 12:52 PM (D1E+2)

174 We are at an inflection point in the World Energy market. Have you noticed that global warming hysteria is no longer a thing in the pseudo journalism? Other sovereign countries are beginning to feel the heat for their maleficent regulations that shut down their coal, nuclear and other energy sources in favor of unreliable wind and solar resources. Pity the poor fools! France, with their city of lights seems to be the outlier with their nuclear generation.
We are not being told the whole picture regarding the petroleum market intentionally. The 'Straits of Hormuz' predominately does not supply the U.S, with oil. The U.S. has a surplus of oil production. Because of that supply and demand, domestic fuel prices should have dropped! Why not? The media is playing us for fools! Our oil companies can get a higher price from foreign demand than domestically. Therefore the domestic supply is less which raises the domestic price. Our U.S. oil production demand is global, not domestic. Which is why The Straits of Hormuz affects us here in the U.S..

Posted by: John at June 04, 2026 02:35 PM (0DsdP)

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