Say it ain’t so, Joe.
I’m back in action today. And yes, the reasons given for my hiatus have possibly been exaggerated. Sometimes we just have too much work to do to get to the fun stuff. This week presented me with a lot of that work. Speaking of work, the 2018 Cincinnati Bengals put some in last night, and beat the Ravens.They’re off to a 2-0 start, which means they might make the playoffs this year…and lose the first game as usual.
On the diamonds, the results were: Colorado over Arizona, New York (NL) beat Miami…twice, Chicago (NL) beat Washington, Boston beat Toronto and lowly Baltimore beat Oakland (and Houston thanks them). And that was all the games that were played. My focus, obviously, is already elsewhere as I prepare to point the wagon toward Dallas and head up to see the Buckeyes take on TCU in Jerry World tomorrow night. The other “big” games include LSU-Auburn, Bama-Ole Miss, Wisconsin-BYU, Oklahoma-ISU, Boise State-Okie State and there might be a few people interested in Texas-USC.
Diplomacy then…”treason” now.
Today’s birthdays include: psychologist Ivan Pavlov, sociopathic racist Margaret Sanger, Star Trek’s Walter Koenig, underrated actor Sam Neill, bassist Barry Cowsill, rocker Morten Harket, errand boy Dmitry Medvedev, and the late, great Amy Winehouse.
Its also the date on which the following events happened: Handel finished his “Messiah” oratorio. Aaron Burr was acquitted. Napoleon occupied Moscow. Francis Scott Key wrote what would later be known as “The Star-Spangled Banner”. The USMC entered “The Halls of Montezuma”. Teddy Roosevelt was sworn in as President after McKinley died. The first ever prefrontal lobotomy was performed. LBJ gave the Medal Of Freedom to Walt Disney (and I would assume he kept all the WH’s jewish staffers away as a courtesy). “60 Minutes” made its debut. So did “The Golden Girls”. And Cal Ripken’s consecutive games streak was broken.
And now on to…the links!
Climate Change did it.
Hurricane Florence is ripping the asshole out of North Carolina. Stay safe if you’re in the area. And let us know if there’s anything we can do. And whatever you do, please done be one of the 67,000 deaths the Dems will soon attribute to the storm.
Dianne Feinstein reaches a new low as a human being. Can’t say I’m surprised. She’s facing a tough re-election challenge…from way to the left of ever her retarded politics. This ought to help in some fund-raising.
Piece of shit
Today’s winner of the “Christ, what an asshole” Sweepstakes is one Paul Menchaca. I mean….come on, dude. Pay for your kink like everybody else has to.
Alanis Morrissette, you have a call on the white courtesy phone from San Francisco. Alanis to the white courtesy phone please.
Chicago taxpayers: prepare to be royally fucked. Oh, and you’ll have to bring your own lube. The city ain’t doing this for your pleasure.
The New York Dam primary for governor results are in: And the results are…the people lose. They’d have lost anyway, as the state slips further into the deathtrap of NYC and away from any semblance of a place where self-defense and freedom of association are real things.
And finally, here’s another asshole (politician, of course) to add to the list. Because rules are for little people.
Hooray for this greatness!!!!!
Now go have a good day and a great weekend, friends.
Early. Sis and nieces near Pinhurst, at least they can get some deer and firewood to hold through.
Mrs. Bum and I are heading to Miramar Beach tomorrow for a week of beach and mimosas…
Good idea.
I hope Pinehurst is ok. Supposed to go there in early spring for a “work” retreat.
Work retreat… 18 holes at Pinehurst #2 sounds about right.
STEVE SMITH PLAYS 18 HOLES A DAY. NEVER FEELS LIKE WORK.
AND BY “PLAY” MEAN….
POUND 18 #2 HOLES. STEVE SMITH USE TEARS OF TERROR AND DESPAIR FOR LUBE
The maps says about 12 hours from here in Austin to Destin, my sister is going to be without power for quite a bit… takes longer to repair the lines on the rural properties. She gets to party like it’s 1899. I will console myself with flat, clear blue waters in Florida and rum. I offered for them to load up, drive out, and stay here, but that would require effort.
That game should have been even worse. Some of those pass interference calls were just garbage.
The socialist club (well 1 of at least 2) has put up about 1000 posters yelling about kavanaugh. Did you know he’s basically Satan?
I’m not sure what roe v Wade has to do with communism, but maybe I’m a moron.
Population control has a lot to do with socialism.
Er, communism.
I think you mean state capitalism, comrade.
That’s fascism, right?
See! Proof that the right wing is fascist! CONFIRMED!
NAZIS! You’re ALL NAZIS!
They flip back and forth on their posters.
I may or may not have written “because I’m greedy” under a headline “why we need a revolution”
But I didn’t. I assure everyone that was not me.
I’m not sure what roe v Wade has to do with communism, but maybe I’m a moron.
Well, the fewer babies born, the fewer gulags you have to build.
Did not even think of that.
I’ll bring my sharpie.
>>Dianne Feinstein reaches a new low as a human being.
This is going on your permanent record!
Did her Chinese spy driver give her the information?
The letter is available.
https://twitter.com/thebradfordfile/status/1040315992474361857?s=21
In seriousness, have the actual details of the (fake) allegations been leaked?
Here’s what I’ve found:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/13/brett-kavanaugh-dianne-feinstein-confidential-letter
And it says this (emphasis mine): A source who said they were briefed on the contents of the letter said it described an incident involving Kavanaugh and a woman that took place when both were 17 years old and at a party. According to the source, Kavanaugh and a male friend had locked her in a room against her will, making her feel threatened, but she was able to get out of the room. The Guardian has not verified the apparent claims in the letter. It is not yet clear who wrote it.
If that’s what this is, it’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard in my entire life.
And I’ve heard some really dumb shit.
Gracias, yep it’s pathetic…
That’s some really desperate political crap right there.
That is dumber than Aqua Buddha.
He tried to keep her in a closet! RRRRRReeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Reeks of desperation and they didn’t have enough anonymous sources or crank up the crazy “I have proof. Don’t make me show it to everyone!” shit to 11 to make it more credible.
HAHAHAHAHAHA
A fucking letter from HIGH SCHOOL?????
My god, they are so desperate it’s actually painful to watch them humilate themselves like this.
Actually, no it isn’t
XOXO. See, I just assaulted you.
They think they are resisting…
At this point they are flinging shit and hoping it undermines or derails things they don’t like, and they care very little about how all this looks to anyone but the stupid fucks that feel an election result should be overturned for the simple reason that they didn’t get the results they wanted.
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton.
In a sane world the only reaction to something like this would be derisive laughter.
We don’t live in a sane world.
The world isn’t insane, just stupid.
Why not both?
Well said.
Insane is highly unpredictable. These attacks are coming like clockwork.
And for me one of the bizzaro features of the 2016 election is how they responded when Trump – in the middle of the election – stated that he might not go along with the results if he thought they were tainted. The DNC et all went off the rails with how that kind of thinking and behavior would be the worst and lowest kind of response in our country’s history. That every candidate who threw their hat in the ring did so with the understanding that they would abide by the outcome.
When they do it to the enemy, it is noble resistance. When the enemy does it to them, it is unpatriotic and tyrannical fascism…
It’s like they are half an-caps.
Half an-cap, double soy?
It’s hilarious that was followed by Hillary’s refusal to give an acceptance speech and a full court press of operatives insisting Russian interference made the outcome illegitimate.
Actually, if one was not just steam rolled by the insanity of the whole thing, this would have been tragic.
These incompetent fucks weaponized the deep state hoping to hand it to Hillary – in a rigged election – so she could take out the enemy once and for all. They hedged their bets by even faking shit so they could claim to have legal grounds to spy on the opposition candidate. When they couldn’t pin any of their lies and bullshit on him, and proceeded to lose that rigged election they thought they had in the bag (some divine power watches over America when it prevented both insane ManBearPig and the psychopathic crime syndicate boss Hillary from winning an election), they freaked out and basically decided to fucking make up shit to confound, confuse, distract, and undermine the new administration and the American people. These people are scared to death that the American people might find out how criminal and corrupt the Obama administration was, and how they were doubling down on Hillary taking that to a totally new level.
It should be pretty obvious by now that the “insurance policy” Strzok and Page were talking about is the Mueller investigation.
Oh it is, but the usual suspect are hard at work stalling and hoping a blue wave will allow them to bury these obstinate and obnoxious facts getting in their way of properly retaking power back from the upstart and the ungrateful deplorable plebs.
The Russian meme has been one of the most hilarious ploys since the cold war. They aren’t a threat and haven’t been in 60 years.
Not militarily. But they’re doing a pretty good job of sowing chaos in our political discourse and weakening the ability of people to not be all politics all the time.
It really bothers me that she forwarded this to the FBI. Because it is an overt acknowledgement that the FBI is a political org used by the left, and no one is batting an eye. If it’s a serious crime then send it, but this is just political manuevering, using the FBI as a threat.
>>Pay for your kink like everybody else has to.
People are worse than even the worst SF story.
You got the short end of the stick in life if you can pass yourself off as someone with Down’s Syndrome.
Also you won’t see scams like this happening in Denmark.
I was wondering which Glib this guy was when I read the article…
FTA, he did in fact pay for their service. The real dispute here is over the caregiver’s ability to price discriminate. I am having difficulty finding the harm here, let alone harm justifying criminal penalty.
Speaking of NY politics, we have Ocassional Cortex part deux in Brooklyn
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Julia-Salazar-Democratic-Socialist-beats-incumbent-in-New-York-senate-primary-493211171.html
“Salazar faced criticism for saying she was an immigrant from Colombia who struggled financially growing up when she was actually born in Florida and had hundreds of thousands of dollars in a trust fund. She was scrutinized, too, over a political and religious conversion during her years at Columbia University, where she transformed from an anti-abortion Christian Republican to a hard-left Jewish Democrat.”
More goodies in the article
“Salazar faced criticism for saying she was an immigrant from Colombia who struggled financially growing up when she was actually born in Florida and had hundreds of thousands of dollars in a trust fund. She was scrutinized, too, over a political and religious conversion during her years at Columbia University, where she transformed from an anti-abortion Christian Republican to a hard-left Jewish Democrat.”
Nevertheless, she persisted.
Funny how woke SJW types constantly lying never seems to either impugn their character or make the crowd that votes for them even hesitate about doing so, huh?
“Lying is not always black and white.”
-Lieutenant Richard Blumenthal, from his foxhole near Phu Bai
Yeah Blumenthal can suck my dick. BTW, I actually told him that when he was campaigning at the gym we happened to share at that time after I pointed out he was a lying fucking scumbag.
*standing ovation*
Salazar said she “inadvertently misrepresented” her family’s history and chalked up some biographical discrepancies to mistakes by her staff.
Not her fault!
Ineptness by top men is always the fault of the plebs serving them…
You’ll note where they buried that in the article.
Crazy leftist Letitia (sorry, she goes by “Tish” now) “The People’s Lawyer” James cruising into the AG seat concerns me more.
Very busy today – so I am just going to issue a general one to cover all links situations…
*NARROWS GAZE*
carry on.
Ha! That gaze missed me by a mile.
You would think that you of all people would understand the concept of a boomerang gaze.
You only think he missed you.
Someone is phoning in the withering disdain
Look, nobody here cares about how much you enjoy pondering nature Zion National Park.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Narrows_(Zion_National_Park)
That’s a heck of a Pope you Catholics have.
Pope Francis commissioned a four-book study in 2010 as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires attacking sexual abuse victims and defending a priest convicted of molesting a teenage boy.
He needs to go. He’s not living up to his obligation to the followers of his so-called faith.
I’m starting to really wonder about those St. Malachy prophesies.
How can you possibly say that. He is infalable
So… time for an antipope?
I thought this guy already was playing that role?
Just follow Ghost. You’ll feel better, and you’ll rock out a bit.
I think Mel Gibson’s available and he’d be so much more interesting, especially if he’s still drinking.
Drunk Mel would clear out the pedos and put their heads on Swiss Guard pikes on top of St Peters, but he’d also try to launch a crusade.
Not seeing the downside…
Tucker Carlson had Stormy’s lawyer on.
The chyron read “creepy porn lawyer”
Avenatti: “When’s the last time you saw porn?”
Tucker: “Humiliation porn, that’s why I watch you on CNN”
Here
Avenatti is the best thing to ever happen to Trump. If Daniels had hired a real human as her lawyer she would have done so much better in public opinion.
You look at him when he starts jawing on TV and cringe. doG he is a shit heel.
He’s been using the whole thing for his own political posturing,afact that a judge has reprimanded him for.
Ouch
The two allegedly fled to a bus before ending up at the 16th Street Mission BART station
Doh!
What’s funny are the outtakes, first where the cameraman attempts to follow a suspect but slips on a human turd and ends up on his back with the camera pointed at the sky. And second, when he wanders into a bum encampment and walks out with AIDS from a dirty needle that ran through his shoe.
I’d watch that on PPV.
“That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision.”
“I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities,” she added.
Here’s to honor. *Cheers* If you can’t come in her, come on her.
Why, why is it if you ask multiple questions in an e-mail the only one that will get answered is the lowest value question?
Exactly why I always only ask one question per email. All because people will only respond to one of them.
Yes, it would be nice to send out a bulleted list of questions and get back one reply. Physics would also be easier if you never had to account for air resistance.
Might as well acknowledge reality.
One of the questions was asking for a maintenance window, the main point of the e-mail. The one that would correct the problem some of the users are seeing. That’s the question that was ignored.
I really wish I could ask one question per e-mail, but that would make troubleshooting an evil larger nightmare. Why don’t I just call you ask? Because I work on phone systems, which means if the phones were working properly (or as expected), I wouldn’t have to work with them.
The ones that drive me nuts are when, during their answer they contradict themselves or demonstrate that they didn’t know what they are talking about.
Q: what is your favorite color
A: Orange. I think that will be best because it looks like the ocean and tastes like apples.
I gave up asking questions when I was about 25: just make a bunch of assertions and assignments in a dictatorial announcement. You’ll get 20% of it wrong, but the offended parties will quickly point out the right way the right person should do whatever. Much easier, much faster.
/guy who doesn’t give a shit about what anyone thinks, just taking care of business and I’m leaving at five
Wrong way:
We need to clean up the file server fs-mpls-001. Can everyone take a look at it and tell me what needs to be saved?
Right Way:
I’m deleting all the files on the file server fs-mpls-001 this Friday at noon.
alpha AF…the only way to play
Unfortunately, they’re not my companies servers, we just support them. So we need the client’s approval before any changes, and need them to provide the windows we can do the work.
That’s actually better, then: They dawdle, the project runs late, and you bill them.
It’s 8:08 in d-G’s country; I’ve got a 10:30 tee-time. While I’m on the course, ima come up with a solid strategy to help you bill them for 32 hours today.
Aaaah, sweet, sweet consulting.
Yup. Much easier to put up with nonsense when it makes you money.
As my old mentor once said: “If they were smart, they wouldn’t have hired you. They would have simply fixed the problem themselves.”
Back in my consulting days every single company I walked into had dozens of reports being autogenerated and e-mailed or printed out daily/weekly/monthly. My first suggestion at every location was to turn them all off, people will ask about the important ones. The clients who pushed back on that usually led to a conversation like this:
Client: “But we need these reports, I get them every day.”
Me: “Looking at your mailbox, they last two weeks of them are unread.”
Client: “Well, I’ve been busy.”
Me: “So have all of the other supervisors and managers. You can always run them on demand in case you need information.”
Could be worse.
There was a gal who worked at a company that bought our startup that spent all her time generating reports for the executives. She would pull data from all the different systems and combine it into a bunch of super complex reports.
Every month one of the executives would throw some random tweak for a report into her queue. She built a tiny empire out of her reporting.
She finally got burned out and took another job. During her last two weeks she asked who she should train. The executives replied with a “meh. Don’t worry about it, we can live without them.” You could see her ego get crushed when she learned that no one appreciated the work that she had been doing.
I’ve churned out many many programs/reports for this company.
and I have a quick query that I can run to see the last time the report has been run… and how many times. And yes, it is soul-crushing to see the number of them that haven’t been run for years or only a few times.
Which is why I always wanted a more rigorous programming request process – instead of giving everything to everyone.
I’m salaried and just assigned to their account as a focal engineer (don’t blame me, I didn’t pick the title). They can dawdle all they want, as long as I’ve got the reason for the delay documented. They finally gave me a window (which started at over the weekend, then became midnight tonight), so I’ve got the change written up, getting it approved now, and then I’ll pass it over to our overnight support staff to complete.
I’m still getting used to the concept that I can hand over overnight changes to a whole other team who then do the work.
I can only dream of my clients asking me a bunch of questions at once in bullet-point. I usually end up having to deep-dive for each question, separate it, and answer in a different color in bold so there will be no misunderstanding.
I usually answer each question right under with a different color. The message text is just replies bellow in green
I hate, hate, hate that.
Especially when they use red text, which really stands out to guys like me who are red-green colorblind!
I extract the questions into bullets and answer them. … like a man.
One uses green because it is nonthreatening. I would never use red. Sometimes I use blue.
I like to use white text on white background and make people highlight the thing to actually try and read it…
And I would say, “If you want anything done, don’t send me empty emails.”
Random semi-on-topic dose of DOD silliness. My senior-gunner on my Vulcan was red-green colorblind. Being a huge gearhead in civilian life, he enlisted to be a wheeled vehicle mechanic. He was barred from that MOS because of his colorblindness. He was free, however, to join us in Air Defense Artillery where we depend on good color vision to distinguish friend from foe by roundels/livery. Sigh…
“green”, “red”? E-mail has no colors – it’s plain text, just as god and Ray Tomlinson intended.
Well, after a week at a zoo of a trade show, then a blow-out dinner last night with RC Dean, Animal, Swiss, SP, and Mrs. Animal, I am almost conscious again. As I type this, I am having all of my blood replaced with that of a 9 year old orphan. Don’t be concerned- there’s plenty more where he came from.
I need some orphans to paint the back of my house. It’s in primer now but I’m putting off climbing the ladder again to do the first coat.
The problem with orphans is you have to keep a sharp eye on them.
Otherwise you will come home and your entire house will be painted black.
“No, I said paint the BACK!!! Not paint it black.
Or they’ll paint your Ferrari instead of your porch.
I prefer this version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uarX1MQhfOE
Old Man With Harkonnen.
I am much prettier than that.
You are more Feyd-Rautha than the Barron?
related: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye7PIyIcCro
I’m even prettier than that.
Like this?
Closer!
When your blood turns him into a pedophile, will he target 1 year-olds? Or is he in the sweet spot where he will be able to date age appropriately for 3 years before the curse manifests itself?
This wasn’t an exchange, it was a donation, IYKWIMAITYD.
Hah. Got you beat. I found a 7 year old orphan.
Difference is that mine was human.
Mine was! Well, almost.
Oh, if STEVE SMITH comes around looking for me, tell him I’m out for a short beer.
Transgender woman accused of sexually assaulting inmates
the slammer
Leave me out of this
What a stupid time we live in. To be sure (c) a large number of self-proclaimed MTF prisoners are probably not looking for a chance to commit sexual assault. But the proggy cult insists that it’s offensive even to suppose that someone might be able to take this sort of opportunity (while simultaneously insisting that all men are potential rapists).
They’re not men. They’re women. They say they’re women, so they are. And women who were born women but refuse to share that label with transgender women, who are just as much women as they, aren’t real women. Real women don’t mind sharing a dorm room or a shower or a shelter or a jail cell with women with penises. Oh, and the whole “women” term is just a social construct so it’s not like it matters anyway, except inasmuch as transgender women insist it matters. Understood?
How many fingers am I holding up, Winston?
It’s not her fault, after a lifetime of being forced to live up to societies expectations as a man, she finally caved in and became a rapist. If this isn’t proof of rape culture I don’t know what is.
This is my shocked face.
hawt
Russian social network hosts ‘Miss Hitler’ beauty pageant
Considering what happened to Eva Braun, I’m not sure they’ve completely thought this through.
You know who else promoted Hitlerian culture?
Drumpf?
I actually got use “you know who else” in real life! And I think the guy got it. I was at the supermarket, and the manager at the customer service counter and I were chatting. He was talking about company logo shirts he sees with “Morning Star” in the name, and how it’s another name for Satan, and one of them was for a Morning Star Organic Vegetarian Farms. I just couldn’t resist asking “You know who else was a vegetarian?” You could tell from his awkward squirming he knew the answer, but didn’t want to say it in front of the other customers:)
Herbet Kornfeld ?
*Herbert
Interesting, considering how Russia hates the Nazis for that whole invasion thing.
Done ironically?
5 black trans women have been killed in Florida in 2018 — Londonn Moore Kinard, 20, is the latest
Hal Trejo, a of the Florida-based LGBTQ community group All Rainbow and Alllied Youth, told the stations that Kinard’s death is part of a worrying trend. “It’s the fifth [trans] person [killed] in Florida alone this year, so we see its a huge crisis and needs to be addressed and talked about.”
The stations reported that local police are considering the possibility that Kinard’s murder could have been a hate crime. “We have no information at this point that it was a hate crime”
There have been 1,111 murders in Florida in 2018. Five LGBTQ murders is 0.4% of the total. Not a trend. Not a crisis.
Since this is representative of their demographic concentration in the general population, we approve these murders.
/SPLC
So, some person the state says isn’t intelligent enough to make a decision about alcohol consumption should be trusted to make a gender decision for itself?
First sex doll brothel raided by police, closed down
ewww
Can you use a dishwasher to do that ‘cleaning”?
Why would you want a illegal mexican kid to clean up your sex doll?
I am told they are cheap labor…
The city’s health authority is also investigating if the dolls in the secret establishment situated in the north-western city of Turin are thoroughly cleaned after each use, the Daily Mail reports.
Do they do that with the live brothels as well or nah?
And ruin the terroir?
Under capitalism the rich get power, but under socialism only the powerful can get rich.
Want to see why nobody should take the dnc operatives with bylines seriously? Look at the NYT article headline Nikki Haley’s View of New York Is Priceless. Her Curtains? $52,701.. WTF, right?
Except if you scroll waaaay the fuck down you hit this beauty…
““A spokesman for Ms. Haley said plans to buy the curtains were made in 2016, during the Obama administration. Ms. Haley had no say in the purchase, he said.””
You think that detail would be important when you are trying to character assassinate someone and by association pretend the current president is at fault for this sort of shit?
Hold the fuck up. How can curtains actually cost $52k?
I mean seriously. Are they magically weaved by some Tibetan shamaness? Honestly the only thing I can think of is if has a shitload of 24k gold embroidery.
Is that really a thing? People are so fucking dumb with their money. (Yes, I know it’s not their money and yes, I know why they do it.)
Cost of inputs ain’t got nothing to do with it. I’ll sell anyone curtains for 52k
Well, duh, you’ll sell them if someone is willing to buy ’em.
The question is why anyone would buy them.
Yes, I do know the answer to this. It’s just…infuriating. And when people do it with their own money–fuck it. Go for broke. I don’t care. But I will judge you based on your abjectly retarded purchases.
1. New York City
2. Government specifications
3. Not giving a shit about cost
When we bought our place, curtains were one of those, “How are these things that expensive?!” purchases. They can be expensive AF.
My mom always made our curtains (when sewing wasn’t a luxury hobby), and I’ve always bought cheapo mini blinds (they all look alike anyway).
So when I looked into drapes, I damn near fainted.
Homemade is the way to go. My work study job in uni was making curtains for the dorms. Really not that hard, but the material is what kills you. Go with naugahyde.
Curtains, no problem. I’m intimidated by actual drapes. Expensive fabric, precision involved, etc.
Kind of sad, but I never knew the difference between curtains and drapes. *Sobs*
Curtains actually cover the windows, drapes are just decorative?
http://news.curtainandbathoutlet.com/window-treatments/drapes-vs-curtains
Although many individuals confuse the words drape and curtain, believing them to be the same thing, there are actually distinct differences between the two that are important for those interested in purchasing new window treatments for their homes.
Drapes are generally considered to be only heavy materials that are not made from sheer or see-through fabrics – these types of window treatments generally run floor-length and are made to block out light during the day and to seal in heat during cold or winter months. Drapes are known to be more expensive than traditional curtains, as they contain more fabric than their window counterparts; although they are sometimes of a higher quality than curtains and can help homeowners save on their heating bills throughout the year.
Curtains are usually made out of lighter fabrics like cotton or sheer and translucent materials and are cheaper to buy as they are less expensive to produce than heavy drapes. Curtains, unlike drapes, are not usually lined and so they provide less privacy when used alone but are light enough to be paired with blinds or shutters without making windows appear bulky.
Because it is chick stuff for the home.
One of my old clients was a manufacturers’ rep. He helped companies sell their shit (mostly to Target) and get paid. One of the most interesting reports you could run was to compare the msrp with what Target was selling it for.
The big margin stuff was all home decorating crap. A cover for your sofa, blinds, pillows for your bed. All that crap was super lucrative.
True story: First time I ran that report I came home to find out my wife had just purchased a sofa cover. My cheap ass wife. Why? Still don’t know what triggered that.
Shit like this is why I can get a real decent haircut & shave from my barber for about $20 (includes tip) while a chick pays close to $100 for her haircut: they are vain and stupid enough to do it.
I’m guessing she couldn’t stand looking at the sofa anymore. Instead of saying, “I hate that sofa” (read: “I want a new sofa”), she got a sofa cover. A new sofa cover is far more affordable than a new sofa.
Reasons:
1. It’s not their money. Have nice things.
2. Their sense of decorum gives them an ego boost.
3. A very fine opportunity to launder money.
FTA: ~ $30k for the curtains themselves, ~ $23k for the automation setup.
It’s a 6,000 sq. ft. penthouse, so I assume it’s an awful lot of curtains I also assume they’re sound-deadening, etc. to defeat laser mikes, etc.
IOW, spendy, but not utterly out of line. Maybe knock off 15-20% if this weren’t a government purchase.
ISTR I spend well over a grand my condo (made to order top-down/bottom-up opening roman shades), which is 1/8th the size.
Hold the fuck up. How can curtains actually cost $52k?
In part it depends on how many windows you are curtaining and how big they are. The article mentions none of these details.
Still too expensive, no doubt, but $52K for 20 windows would be a lot more reasonable than $52K for two.
I LIVE IN A SHOEBOX. I HAVE TWO WINDOWS. ONE OF THEM IS COVERED IN BUBBLE WRAP AS GOD INTENDED.
ONE OF THEM IS COVERED IN BUBBLE WRAP AS GOD INTENDED.
Blackout curtains or GTFO.
Rollladen.
Had those on our house in Germany. Eminently practical & no idea why they haven’t caught on here.
But they do match the carpet in this case.
A Gilbert man was arrested for pretending to have Down syndrome and hiring caregivers to bathe him and change his diapers.
Get a load of that guy.
Sounds like some people had to deal with his “load”….
His hair is all nappie
He is a Rutgers alum. At least that’s what Imus told me.
Missed your pun. Guess I shit the bed on that.
daijobu.
You’ve led a pampered life and can’t be expected to know about diapers.
Man, i just luvs this subthread.
It just depends on how much shit you’re willing to take.
BTW, Japanese diapers have some unusual names./a>
Goon just isn’t used that much anymore to describe a baby. As for the Moony Man brand it seem like a Neneh Cherry song.
Twitch hires head of diversity and inclusion
What could go wrong with that?
Diversity and inclusion is one creepy ass commie throwback term.
Also, it’ social engineering. That’s all it is. They achieve ‘diversity’ by discriminating against other groups. Usually whites (naturally) and sometimes Asians.
It’s about picking winners and loser. When these fucks speak about equality what they really mean is forced equality of outcome for the plebes. The top men are exempt from that bullshit.
How do you get a platform that’s open and free to join to be more open??
Only icky gamer nerds join. So we need to make sure the right people join.
I’ll just leave this here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-selection_bias
fail to open.
Weird — the link is simply the URL!
My son is in a tabletop gaming club at high school. I bet if you visit, it’s predominantly white and male. Just a fucking hunch.
Have to get them indoctrinated while they’re young. I guess the schools and universities weren’t enough.
Rand Paul Fully Rebrands as a MAGA Shitheel
Trying to find a mole on your staff isn’t “unlibertarian.”
Trying to find a mole on your staff isn’t unlibertarian”, but it is close to navel gazing. IYKWIM.
Mulligan. Trump thought he found the mole on his staff. Turns out it was Stormy shit.
No true libertarian would try to ingratiate themself to a politician to influence policy.
I should start printing MAGA Shitheel shirts now, ahead of the demand.
As soon as someone uses the term “lie detector,” you know they’re ignorant.
My functional lie detector works great.. I know they are lying every time I see a politician move their lips…
I don’t believe you unless you swear on a stack of bibles. And, no, “fuck” doesn’t count.
Because trying to identify a saboteur in your administration is unlibertarian?
I think I need an updated handbook or something.
To be fair, Libertarians are only experienced with sabotage carried out by the candidate upon himself.
It sure is evil when said saboteur is part of the left’s resistance.
I asked one of these woke fucks pointing out how they now had proof Trump as a tyrant for trying to root out someone undermining his administration what his response would be if this revelation came out about the Obama admin. You should have seen the pretzel that fuck turned himself into trying to make the case that Obama would have a real reason to go after such a traitorous scum, because that individuals sole motivation to do something like that would be racism…
There’s nearly one example of a libertarian holding public office, so they obviously know what they’re talking about.
Let’s have a conversation. Sit down and shut up.
But the advantages of celebrity connections and name recognition only go so far when it comes to unseating a powerful incumbent. The high-profile donations Nixon drew from famous people all over the country, including Lena Dunham, Rosie O’Donnell, Alec Baldwin, and Susan Sarandon, didn’t make a dent in Cuomo’s giant war chest. The thoroughly Instagrammed and star-studded events Nixon hosted in New York City probably didn’t reach, or only served to alienate, the upstate and low-income residents she championed in her speeches. Even Amy Schumer, who donated $10,000 to Nixon’s campaign relatively late in the game, endorsed Cuomo because she didn’t think Nixon would “be able to pressure the state legislature in stuff” or even “know what the heck to do.” (At the last minute, Schumer reversed herself and decided to vote for Nixon.)
Nixon and other Democratic candidates in the Trump era have helped start an important conversation among party leaders and voters about how much experience it takes to be a political leader. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who will almost certainly represent the Bronx and Queens in the House come January, ousted a 10-term congressman in her primary race. She has never held elected office but, like Nixon, has a history of political activism. Ocasio-Cortez won on the strength of her ideas, her excellent grassroots organizing, and a background that closely aligns with those of her future constituents. Ayanna Pressley performed a similar feat in Massachusetts earlier this month. She has several years of experience on the Boston City Council, but her primary win over a progressive 10-term congressman was largely based on personality and lived experience, not political positions. In both Pressley’s and Ocasio-Cortez’s races, a white man’s two decades of experience in office was a shortcoming, not a selling point. Those who consider Cuomo a corrupt, unprincipled machine politician might have made a similar case for Nixon.
There is a case to be made that a celebrity candidate, even one with a history of political advocacy, should launch her political career by pursuing a smaller-scale position. You could also argue that celebrities should eschew political candidacy entirely in favor of throwing their cultural and financial weight behind people with more experience and lives that mirror the average voter’s. But if Nixon’s goal was to make a difference in the Democratic Party, not just in New York, she undoubtedly succeeded—because of her celebrity, not despite it. Nixon focused the entire country’s eyes on a gubernatorial election whose results have never seemed like anything but a foregone conclusion. She encouraged New York voters and a significant number of outsiders to think about what the Democratic Party should stand for and be willing to settle for. Cuomo has long been floated as a possible 2020 presidential candidate; the reckoning that Nixon forced this year could help the party choose a better nominee when the primaries roll around. Thanks to Nixon’s star power, his shortcomings are now national news.
Cynthia Nixon, out there in the trenches, doing God’s work. Making the Democratic Party better and more representative of rich airheads.
*Aside- I can’t help noticing how much more frequently the google news pukes up Slate and Salon, these days. I guess they tweaked their algorithm to bring legitimate journalism to the fore.
“Ocasio-Cortez won on the strength of her ideas…”
How the hell can you look at that little idiot’s performance and type something like that?
Katrina Jones, who will start next month as Twitch’s head of diversity and inclusion, is the former head of diversity at Vimeo. At Vimeo, Jones created the company’s diversity strategy, and worked on disrupting bias and fostering inclusion.
tlk;dr- BLAAAARGH.
Twitch said, “you know Vimeo?”, and People said: “what?”,
“Yeah we want to be just like them”
“Yah-who?”
Need something to read in the bathroom? Pick up a copy of the Uranus Examiner .
STEVE SMITH EXAMINE URANUS. AND BY EXAMINE MEAN…
Seems to be a trend of “Refugees” incinerating Romanian women.
Was that wrong? Should I not have done that?
Acid attacks are so passe now.
Silver and Fire, a stake through the heart and decapitation are the only known ways to be sure.
Seventh Circuit Takes Up Fight Over Butter Grading
While that’s a retarded law, I have to confess that I have never once in my entire life actually checked the grade of my butter. Mostly because I was utterly unaware that there was such a thing.
More like “udderly unaware”, amirite ?
I’m cowed into silence by your comment.
Some of these puns are stomach churning, but the cream always rises to the top.
Many are cheesy, that’s for sure.
I think we’ve taken this whey too far.
Seriously, who the fuck would think such a thing even existed, let alone, mattered.
Have you ever had grade C butter? It’s made from sad cows with saggy udders and broken dreams.
Sounds delicious…
“… sad cows with saggy udders and broken dreams.”
Also, that describes any strip bar in Flint, Mi.
About two decades ago I went to a local strip bar with two work buddies. The stripper – and I mean the only one working the “crowd” of all three of us – was overweight, small but saggy breasted, and was wearing a stained thong. We kept turning her down when she would come by to do lap dances, which only pissed her off.
We slammed those overpriced beers and got out of there.
Got to love a skanky stripper getting pissed that her marks are not falling for her wares…
You may have over reacted. Where was the stain? Front or back?
yes.
Inside AND outside? Soaked through? Viscous or hardened?
All right LH, stop answering him now, cause I am getting a feeling Straff has taken it out of his pants and is doing what his mommy told him not to do…
My senior year of high school I used to play poker (not a euphemism) at one of the Indian casinos with a couple of strippers from State Line. The one had a face that could stop a clock, but they were both adequately equipped for their profession otherwise. Thirsty dudes would lose to them either because they wanted to keep them at the table or were too titillated to think straight. And then us regulars would sit by and let the riches trickle down. Good times.
Don’t blame me. “Stained thong” is harder to not imagine than “purple alligator”.
Two tone underwear… Yellow in the front, brown in the rear…
This reminds me of the time that I was doing laundry and my roommate at the time had left his in the dryer. I dumped it out into his basket and lying on top I see a pair of tighty-formerly-whities. I immediately snap a photo of the two-tones on my phone and made that photo my roommate’s avatar in my contacts.
“Where was the stain? Front or back?”
Looks like someone is…[takes off sunglasses]…thinking outside the box…
Kerrygold is so superior to Land O’Lakes in taste and texture that only a government bureaucracy could get it this wrong.
Yup. We switched to Kerrygold. It’s good stuff.
I tied it once – it tasted “off” to me. I must be used to the inferior stuff.
Then where do you get your DIY porn?
Did I miss something about Alanis?
Moreorless.
I mean, there was a slight hint of irony in that link…
You had 1 hand in your pocket, didnt you ?
And the other one’s flipping the bird because these puns suck!
Its not like you had to swallow a Jagged Little Pill or anything.
You’re all so droll.
You should submit those to that jack-off Seth Meyers.
Fine. A camera crew in SF proved that SF is SF. That’s about it.
I left my shit in San Francisco.
I might do so this weekend myself. Leaving for a conference there Saturday and coming back Wednesday. I was told one of the highlights of visiting that town was the ability to just drop trou, cop a squat, and pinch a loaf right there on the sidewalk, and I might just try it.
Once upon a time I was out with (Japanese) co-workers at Karaoke when one of them pushed the mike into my hands for the song they had selected for me (without any prior discussion) – and I was pissed (American: not happy) and pissed (British: inebriated) enough that I went along, in my way which they never caught…. “I left my Fart in San Francisco”…
The real irony is there is very little irony in Alanis’s “Isn’t it ironic” song.
That’s what makes it ironic. It’s meta.
Does “forced abstinence” from gaming lead to pornography use? Insight from the April 2018 crash of Fortnite’s servers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30203695?dopt=Abstract
In April 2018, the servers of the popular video game “Fortnite” crashed for 24 hr. During this period, Pornhub (a popular pornographic website) analyzed trends in pornography access, finding that: (a) the percentage of gamers accessing Pornhub increased by 10% and (b) the searches of pornographic videos using the key term “Fortnite” increased by 60%.
Oh noes!
Bored people denied a desired activity want to jerk off, film at eleven.
please, please no film.
Demagogues: people we don’t like, saying things we don’t want to hear.
Former President Barack Obama on Thursday decried “demagogues who promise simple fixes to complicated problems” — an implicit but clear rebuke to his successor, President Donald Trump, whom Obama suggested is regularly violating political norms and threatening basic democratic institutions.
That rat bastard Trump has disrupted our march to a one party utopia. He broke democracy.
“demagogues who promise simple fixes to complicated problems”
Because that doesn’t describe Obama at all. Projection, projection, projection.
That’s the message. Democracy is broken and we must fight back!
‘We don’t like the results in elections in the USA and Europe and thus conclude it’s because of populists duping people who read Facebook. Ergo, democracy is broken and we must fight for it!’
Did I get that about right?
I forgot to add:
‘We don’t like the results in elections in the USA and Europe and thus conclude it’s because of populists duping people who read Facebook and capitalism no longer works because wage gaps. Ergo, democracy is broken and we must fight for it!’
Shouldn’t he be in North Carolina repelling the rising seas?
We don’t need this fixes if government can fix everything
“demagogues who promise simple fixes to complicated problems”
This is the dipshit whose marquee policy appeal was that his administration had cooked up a healthcare system under which people would save $2,500 a year on average, and many more people would have health coverage.
Gulags were ‘compassionate’, ‘educational’ institutions, say trans rights campaigners
Students at a leading London university have been condemned as blind to reality after defending the system of Soviet Gulag labour camps where thousands perished as “compassionate” places of rehabilitation.
During a bizarre exchange on Twitter the LGBTQ group at Goldsmiths Student Union described life in the Gulags as “rehabilitatory” and “educational”.
Paradoxically the thread was written as an apparent justification for an earlier post by the same group which threatened to send a political opponent “to the gulag”.
I’m starting to think these people don’t have the best intentions.
Chinese officials approve of that message!
Intermittent fasting is shown to be good for you and prolong life
So always fasting must be great!
There was a joke the donkey died just as the peasant got it used to not eating
Obama never mentioned Trump directly by name, other than a passing reference to “the person in the White House.” But the message was unmistakable.
“None of this is normal,” Obama said.
Obama said that during his presidency he “was confident the American people wanted to hear the truth” — a pointed jab at Trump, whose penchant for hyperbole and fact-free assertions has been a persistent feature of his personality.
Yes, of course.
something something “‘If you like your health care plan, you can keep it'”
“Benghazi was a spontaneous protest over a Youtube video.”
Shovel ready jobs.
Darwin Awards candidate?
https://youtu.be/8ZH9ebAZouk
Windows 10 test ‘warns’ users against installing Chrome or Firefox
Hey, remember when Microsoft got hammered by antitrust regulators for bundling a browser with their OS?
Make a browser that doesn’t suck to high heaven and that won’t be needed.
Fuck Microsoft and their bullshit.
Eh, it’s a minor nuisance that only basement dwellers and European regulators are going to get up in arms about.
For basic browsing, Edge is actually nice but since I’m so heavily hooked into
DNCGoogle services, I use Chrome.Yes, the whole antitrust crusade against them in the ’90s was bullshit for the same reason, but how fucking tone deaf can you possibly be? I guess everybody in their workforce old enough to remember that episode is retired or something.
I got rid of Chrome for Firefox (which probably isn’t much better, or won’t be in the long run, but at least they’re not so fucking pervasive). I’m going off gmail, too. Deleted Facebook, Twitter, switched to duckduckgo for most searching… I’m sick of giving tacit endorsement to people who hate me and mine.
I’m down with this. Can’t get rid of everything, but I tell the “boycotts are useless” folks that Woke, Inc. has made it clear to me that they consider my viewpoints to be malignant, and they don’t want my business. It is only fitting that I disengage.
Same, except I tried for Opera, but alas no monocles there. I can’t be a true glibertarian without my monocle so I went to Firefox like you.
Any plugins designed for Chrome should run in Opera as it’s on the chromium base.
I’d still rather not use anything on the chromium base or Blink engine though. It’s been caught calling home in the past. Not really a problem since I’ve been running Firefox since 1.0. It really fucking sucks that there’s so little diversity in rendering engines and browser bases. For all intents and purposes there are only really two choices, chromium/Blink and Firefox/Gecko.
Mandy Is Metal As Fuck
Nicolas Cage is appropriately batshit in director Panos Cosmatos’ blood-soaked acid trip of a film.
https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/film-tv/blog/21022284/mandy-reviewed
The Humanity Bureau was so bad that I’m not watching another Cage film for a while. Though, TBF, Mandy looks good.
But does it have bees?
Am I missing something visually? That cage doesnt look like it keeps the bees in.
Nicolas Cage is the true National Treasure.
that’s looks like the prefect vehicle for him.
So I guess Barry Manilow didn’t sing the theme song…
Maybe?
Where were these teachers when I was in h.s.?
A high school teacher in the Bronx who admitted performing oral sex on a 14-year-old student was only sentenced to 10 years’ probation and allowed to keep her teaching certificate. The teacher reportedly performed the act multiple times.
In August, Dori Myers, 30, who was arrested in January 2018, pleaded guilty to a criminal sex act for performing oral sex on the student in November 2017 at the New School for Leadership and the Arts in Kingsbridge where she taught social studies.
If I’m ever single again which is unlikely. Hot high school teachers will be on my have fun but don’t commit list.
Comments like this are making light of that boys trauma
You mean the fact that he will now have to spend a few years waiting to get some action again?
This chick gets around.
KEK.
The pic from the article is a big gavel
Would pound. Repeatedly.
STEVE SMITH’S SECRET TO STAYING FIT.
“Social Studies”
was only sentenced to 10 years’ probation and allowed to keep her teaching certificate. The teacher reportedly performed the act multiple times.“
Well something to be said for charity as a mitigating circumstance
If you read to the end of the article
No jail time is a bit easier to understand now isn’t it?
Well sure…but the implications in my statement are far more amusing.
At 14 he’s probably still shooting blanks.
Dianne Feinstein reaches a new low as a human being.
Honestly I think this was her worst moment. She explicitly and openly stated her desire to violate her oath of office.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffI-tWh37UY
“…and started a war that would’ve killed the republic.”
molon labe
Fatties
The release states that obesity levels are highest in black and Latino communities, as well as low-income and rural communities due to the limited access that people have to healthy food choices.
John Auerbach, president and CEO of TFAH said in the release that “obesity is a complex and often intractable problem.” Auerbach calls obesity in America an “epidemic,” saying it has “serious health and cost consequences for individuals, their families and our nation.”
“The good news is that there is growing evidence that certain prevention programs can reverse these trends,” Auerbach said. “But we won’t see meaningful declines in state and national obesity rates until they are implemented throughout the nation and receive sustained support.”
The report outlines several recommendations to combat the obesity epidemic across the country, including implementing policies that “make the healthy choice the easy choice,” investing in programs that are specifically tailored to different communities and forming collaborations among multiple health, education and food agencies.
“Certain prevention programs” like labor camps, and agricultural production controlled by the Ministry of Plenty?
First poor people were skinny. Now they’re fat. And I’m supposed to care because ?
They are poor, you shitlord!
The release states that obesity levels are highest in black and Latino communities, as well as low-income and rural communities due to the limited access that people have to healthy food choices.
Yeah, that’s why.
It’s totally not because they choose fast food and high-carb diets, shitlord!
Matching: Select the most appropriate response (B) to the choices listed under (A)
_____________A______________ is the fault of _____________B______________
(A)
Racism
Obesity
Manspreading
Mansplaining
Starvation (aka Food Deserts)
Disease
The Wage Gap
Gaslighting
Murder
NetFlix Throttling
Election Tampering
Minority Representation in Entertainment
Something Something Polar Bears
Rape
Sexual Harassment
Gamergate
Global Warming
Global Cooling
Global Ideal Temperature
Toxic Fandom
Unequal Wealth Distribution
Homophobia
Acid Attacks on Women
Genocide
(B)
White people
The Venezuela diet works wonders
Maybe we shouldn’t be so hard on the SJW types telling us we need that same shit here in the US then. It looks like they are doing it because they really care about the obesity epidemic amongst the masses…
Yeah, that’s the reason…
So you are saying PSUVfit beats Glibfit?
Going by the results in Venezuela, I am going to have to say yes Pie…
https://youtu.be/K5r-YWawZU4
Anecdotal of course, but I don’t think access to healthy foods has anything to do with it. Most of the overweight people I know just prefer to eat chicken nuggets and burgers, and think healthy foods are gross. Many don’t cook at home other than a frozen pizza. That’s a cultural thing.
Then you have my oldest daughter. In our house we didn’t stock junk food or pop, and we made 95% of our meals at home. Once she got a car and a job, she picked up a fast food habit and gained 80+ pounds in 2 years. She has the access and knowledge to eat healthy, she just chooses not to.
The sad fact is that humans are wired to like food heavy in calories. Most fast food targets that genetic condition. Turning off a million years of evolution because we figured out how to make food abundant in 1000 years is going to cause problems. Knowing how to eat healthy doesn’t mean people that look for instant gratification will do so.
Instant gratification is another good point. In our Facebook/Snapchat/Twitter society we’re being conditioned to go for that instant high from a LIKE or whatever. A candy bar or a can of Coke will also give you that brief high.
Sugar is addictive. We talk about the “opioid epidemic” and the “obesity epidemic” and diabeeetus, but we don’t talk about sugar addiction.
I’ll never forget an article written about a tiny village in the Australian outback populated by a few groups of natives who had come to live there directly from their ancestral culture of wandering the outback, living on whatever came their way.
One day word came that a small band of cousins had been spotted. The one white person living there loaned them a car to go and bring back one of these “cousins”.
After they had brought this person to the village (imagine travelling from paleolithic to modern times in 20 minutes in the back seat of a car) the white guy asked them if she (the cousin) was going to stay with them to which they assured him she would. When the white guy asked why they were sure she would stay they told him “We gave her sugar”. They each, to a man, remembered the first time they had tasted sugar which bound them tighter to the modern world stronger than laws or iron could ever had done.
pop
You mean soda?
Sit’s back with a bucket of popcorn to watch this match go down…
Who is Sit?
Sit’s back with a bucket of popcorn to watch this match go down…
Don’t you mean sodacorn?
Every cooking show I watch eventually has an enormous southern woman on it deep-frying everything in sight but yeah they have “no access to healthy food”. It is a cultural thing, and you’re supposed to pretend not to notice it.
Horse shit. We did not have a lot of money growing up, but my parents made sure we ate healthy, well balanced meals. We didn’t go out much, ate no deep fried foods at home, and didn’t stock a shit ton of junk food.
Anger rising…
I’m guessing all these obese people were educated in public schools.
Sloop, are you positioned to pick up any liquidation inventory from the United acquisition of Blueline? Just wonderin’.
If I’m ever single again which is unlikely. Hot high school teachers will be on my have fun but don’t commit list.
Having a conversation with a teacher would be impossible for me, I fear. I’d be better off hitting on their female students. You might actually hear something insightful.
Given i drank a lot recently i got my Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) tested and it came out great. Maybe I dont drink enough…
That’s the right way to look at it…
I unfortunately have to cut back on my drinking cause all those empty calories are making me gain weight.
empty?
Bah.
They’re only empty if you’re not having a good time!
I once did a Krispy Kreme ad of some new jelly-filled doughnut with the headline “Do these calories look empty to you?”
Just to add to my comment up top about the ‘fight for democracy’ nonsense.
Folks. Meet the diplomat of the year according to Foreign Policy (what the heck happened to that magazine?): Chrystia Freeland.
Yup. Freeland.
Educated to the tilt, yet so banal in her ‘ideas’. What is it with these award committees handing out awards? It’s almost as if they’re created to hand them to their pals and tell the world, ‘see? Now shut up and listen to us!’
Freeland is terrible. But she screams ‘Trump bad’ so she’s seen as some kind of heroic figure or something.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/06/14/2018-diplomat-of-the-year-chrystia-freeland-read-the-transcript/
i’m going to withhold judgement until google image search…
GUILTY
At this point, repeating idiotic Wilsonian banalities makes you a “diplomatic sophisticate”.
The truth is that Trump, so far, has had one of the most effective foreign policies in a generation. But, let’s ignore the results. He doesn’t say the right magic words.
I swear, Bismark, Metternich and even Kennan must be rolling over in their graves.
From that Chicago link:
“But, with Daley in office and three top officials in his administration in on the decisions, the city pension funds agreed to give Davis and Vanecko’s DV Urban Realty Partners the money, which they said they would use to buy and develop properties in struggling Chicago neighborhoods.”
And
“the redevelopment of a burned-out Dominick’s supermarket in Lake View that’s now occupied by a Mariano’s.”
In what world is Lake View a “struggling Chicago neighborhood”? And they still lost money. Unbelievable incompetence. It’s a fiduciary fund, you shouldn’t even be investing assets in something as speculative as real estate redevelopment.
Does Chicago have a law requiring the city to fund the pension fund if it goes tits up?
The state has a law that cities cannot go tits up.
There are always tax payers to squeeze to make sure that doesn’t happen…
I remember that episode of The Sopranos.
Crowder has a good piece on Norm with lots of video highlights of his appearances on shows over the years ripping OJ…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Tyl67zCV4
Thanks – Norm is awesome.
Seconded. Really funny!
Today’s birthdays include Star Trek’s Walter Koenig. Yes, but more importantly they include Babylon 5’s Walter Koenig. Amirite Nephilium?
You know it Chafed.
“Teddy Roosevelt was sworn in as President after McKinley died”
A dark anniversary for America
No kidding. I think Theodore Rex was one of the 5 scariest books I’ve ever read.
Unexpected
A Dallas police affidavit released Thursday says officials found marijuana in a man’s apartment where he was allegedly shot by an off-duty police officer, but a lawyer for the victim’s family says the search shows that police are attempting to discredit him.
——–
Police recovered 10.4 grams — or .37 ounces — of marijuana in a search of Jean’s apartment, according to a police affidavit.
The search “highlights just sort of the nefarious nature of their investigation,” said Lee Merritt, an attorney for Jean’s family. Merritt learned of the latest search warrant details shortly after Jean’s funeral Thursday.
“They went in with the intent to look for some sort of criminal justification for the victim,” Merritt said. “It’s a pattern that we’ve seen before … we have a cop who clearly did something wrong. And instead of investigating the homicide — instead of going into her apartment and seeing what they can find, instead of collecting evidence relevant for the homicide investigation — they went out specifically looking for ways to tarnish the image of this young man.”
Obviously a drug kingpin. Good shoot. America is a safer place to live.
My God, a third of an ounce?? We’re lucky he didn’t go on a rape murder spree while giving all that pot to 500 local children.
I remember quarter bags and a half ounce. The loser dealers I dealt with weren’t good enough at fractions to sell by third of an once.
I honestly don’t know, but that’s enough for what? A few joints?
Smoking frequently every day I would go through 3.5 grams (of good shit) in about 10-14 days. Most people I know would say 3.5 g (about $50) in a week.
So about a month of smoking if you’re not stupid, i.e. if you DON’T smoke joints. God, joints are stupid with two exceptions: If you’re driving or if you’re at a festival or something. They are incredibly wasteful. The amount that goes into a joint can easily be three bowls-worth if you use a (glass) pipe.
For me that would easily be a comfortable month even during my college heyday. When I used to get stoned for every Walmart visit. Now I can only smoke at night, alone or with people I’m VERY comfortable with and I know that I’m not going to have any random interactions with the Squares.
Not that I can get weed here. However, trip to Chiang Mai in two weeks. Lady and I plan on getting nice and toasted and I will make it my business to find mushrooms–which will be her first time tripping. That, will be very fun. It’ll probably be my 50+ time. Such a good drug once you get past the nausea of the first 45 min or so. Would be so beneficial for so many people if that shit were legal.
Sad!
You probably know this, but in case you don’t: fast before eating them. Cuts way back on the nausea. Then have a big meal while coming down.
It’s a pretty good amount. Bigger joints they sell in Colorado are usually .5 grams or 1 gram.
My roommate and I would split a half ounce a month, only smoking after work. If you’re a full time pothead, 10 grams enough to get to Friday.
This amount is pretty much the same as a case of beer.
Maybe 2 cases.
Id guess he bought in bulk to save cash. Probably a half ounce every month or two, based on his job and what seems to be the prevailing take on who he was as a person.
I am convinced HE didn’t have it before the cops planted it.
I immediately thought of the hospital scene in The Godfather where Michael had to hire private investigators to protect the godfather from the cops. The family here should have hired 24/7 security for the apartment during the investigation.
I assume they were looking for evidence tying the shooter and victim together socially or am I assuming too much?
iirc they asked for a warrant specifically to see if there was anything that she could have seen to justify the shooting.
So the guy was mellow and the cop still feared for its life?
The Math of Jeff Bezos’ Astounding Greed
Trinket magnate Jeff Bezos, America’s richest man, has made a very public charity donation of a $2 billion. The number sounds big, doesn’t it? In fact, it is a disgrace. Let us demonstrate:
Jeff Bezos’ approximate net worth: $163 billion
Jeff Bezos’ largest-ever commitment to charity: $2 billion
Percentage of Jeff Bezos’ net worth charity donation represents: 1.2%
Median net worth of an American household: $97,300
Equivalent charity donation by an average household: $1,168
Jeff Bezos has given to charity the same portion of his wealth that an average household would give by donating less than $1,200.
But does the average household offer two-day shipping?
Presuming that the 2 billion dollar donation is the sum total of his charitable giving, and that net worth is a good approximation of liquid assets, and that you’re entitled to someone else’s money.
The Math of Splinter News Astounding Envy
A. Jeff Bezos is no Andrew Carnegie.
B. Notice how they talk about good one largest donations, and then act like that is the only donation he made.
C. Greed is one of those deadly sins often pointed out by someone with another deadly sin, envy.
Worth ≠ cash on hand for charitable purposes.
Ugh!
Another good point I overlooked.
Obviously we can liquidate Jeff Bezos and have $163 billion in cash to throw at everyone. There is no value lost when Amazon is no longer an operable entity.
With Amazon out of the way, people can go down to Mom and Pop Shoppe and overpay for stuff off the shelf, as it was meant to be.
Even if he didn’t donate $1, he’s done more with his money to help the poor than just about any philanthropist. He’s been, arguably, making our economy more efficient. What people think of as ‘charity’ is usually just a hand out with caveats attached to it that doesn’t actually help anyone.
How many average households donate $1168 in a single instance?
“Median net worth of an American household: $97,300”
I’d actually be shocked if this is true. With mortgages and what have you, I’d be surprised if the median net worth of an American household is not a negative number.
That being said, Bezos could be the biggest dick on earth and that still would not entitle anyone to even a penny of his money.
Sometimes people include future potential salary as part of net worth. Always seemed odd to me.
Sounds like some sound government accounting right there.
Odd, meaning stupid of course.
Most mortgages aren’t under water so the house still has some positive net worth. If you have a $250k house and a $220k mortgage, that is still $30k of net worth.
Which is why net worth is almost always a BS number, since selling a $250k house will probably cost you $20k plus in commissions, warranties and closing costs. I deal with this kind of math every day, trying to patiently explain to investors that no, in fact a house that rents for $100 a month more than PITI is NOT going to cash flow, and putting $85k in a house that can sell for maybe $95k does not mean you are going to make $10k on your flip. Costs of sale a re thing, and they get really freaking high when what you are selling is $163 billion worth of stock and the mere hint that you are selling will cause a market crash…
With mortgages and what have you, I’d be surprised if the median net worth of an American household is not a negative number.
As long as the house is worth more than what’s left on the mortgage you have a net positive towards your net worth. Which should be the case for most homeowners.
Trinket magnate
FOAD, you envious toad. Bezos built a distribution company that can get you well-nigh anything in 2 days or less, for less than you could find it almost anywhere else. But this worm would reduce that to just selling “trinkets”.
Here’s a profile of the writer.
Jeff Bezos built one of the most sophisticated, efficient and comprehensive distribution networks in human history. I’d be surprised if Mr. Nolan could successfully operate a lemon-aid stand.
No kidding. My most recent purchases on Amazon have been some fasteners to help fix my car, a replacement lens for the phone on my camera, some screwdrivers for the damn safety screws on our broken breadmaker and a book. These will save a significant amount of money and add to my enjoyment of life. Hardly trinkets.
Di hasn’t pulled out the big guns yet. A person who attended kindergarten with Kavanaugh, has come forward and is claiming that another kid in their class told him that a friend of his friend told him that Kavanaugh was overheard calling another kid ‘poopy head’ on the playground. Is this the sort of monster we want on our highest court?
Wait until Kavanaugh’s Canadian girlfriend (who he used to brag about to all his Jr. High buddies) finally comes forward with her accusations.
“Canadian”
He is a monster!
This whole Kavanaugh thing made me realize there is another reason why we have Trump. Everyone who runs for office (well, mainly Republicans) are put under a microscope and then torn to shreds in the media. You may not care for Mitt Romney, but he’s about as milquetoast as they come, yet somehow he was made out to be sexist and LITERALLY HITLER! I mean, THAT GUY is Hitler?
So people who are decent and have a brain in their heads are not going to run for office because they don’t want to put themselves or their families through that. Which leaves only assholes who don’t care about what people think, aka Trump.
Stop trying to blame the Democrats! Republicans are just evil hearted.
True, both sides are really into digging (or making up) dirt, but the Dems have a willing press on their side, and the Repubs only have Fox News.
A sexist, animal-abusing tax cheat, who was going to put blacks back in chains. Then when a man with credible problems in demeanor, coherence, and stability comes along, he bowls them over simply by refusing to knuckle under. And they’ve learned nothing.
The one thing that is obvious from their actions that they have learned, is that they must destroy anyone that supports/supported this guy, so they can make sure nobody dares to do that in the future with someone that could again challenge their hold on power…
They should be more worried about interlopers in their own party using Trump’s schtick to unseat lifelong Dems.
they can make sure nobody dares to do that in the future with someone that could again challenge their hold on power
Yeah. I’m not so sure about that. I just think they might not be too pleased with the alternate method of challenging their hold on power. I’ve heard it said, “Trump isn’t our last chance vis-a-vis the elites. He’s their’s.”
Fake news! Calumny and lies from James Bovard.
Obama declared that“the biggest threat to our democracy is cynicism.” He also called for “a restoration of honesty and decency and lawfulness in our government.” But his eight years as president fueled the distrust of Washington that Obama now condemns.
How can Obama blame Americans for being cynical after repeating dozens of times his false promise that “If you like your doctor, you’ll be able to keep your doctor,” despite the dozens of mandates in Obamacare? How can he blame Americans for being cynical after his 2015 assertion that “it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book”? How can he castigate cynics after he campaigned in 2008 on a peace platform and then proceeded to bomb seven nations? How can he complain about distrust after he flip-flopped on illegal surveillance and unleashed the National Security Administration to target anyone “searching the web for suspicious stuff”?
Obama created the problems he lists
Obama declared Friday that Americans are “supposed to stand up to bullies, not follow them.” But Trump won in 2016 in part because many Americans considered the federal government the biggest bully in the land.
———-
Americans should be alarmed at Trump’s power grabs. But Obama helped establish an Impunity Democracy in which rulers pay no price for their misdeeds. As the New York Times noted after the 2016 election, the Obama administration fought in court to preserve the legality of defunct Bush administration practices such as torture and detaining Americans arrested at home as “enemy combatants.” “Obama’s failure to rein in George Bush’s national security policies hands Donald Trump a fully loaded weapon,” ACLU executive director Anthony Romero lamented.
Who cares if an ex-president belatedly cheers for transparency and accountability? Obama has never admitted how his policies made the federal government more dangerous at home and abroad. Nothing that Trump can do or say should be permitted to expunge Obama’s derelictions.
I found that by accident. I wonder why the google news algorithm didn’t put it on the top stories page.
Google keeps giving me stories about how the leaked video by Breitbart is a big nothing burger
I don’t care if Google’s owners/operators have political preferences. What I do care about is when they drag those political preferences into the workplace. Crying over an election, actively promoting a side, having company wide bitch sessions over politics… these are all things that should send any rational person right out the door. The personal is political movement is going to undo this country.
the part where they’re negligent in their fiduciary duty to shareholders is my biggest concern. but i don’t hold any GOOG other than a small % in some retirement mutual funds.
I suspect at some point someone will sue them and demand they disclose their algorithm logic because they suspect the thing has inherent bias built in favoring democrats, which means that during campaign time, their platform needs to be held to the campaign finance reform laws, and particularly the one that bans anonymous campaign contributions or whatever.
That’s surprisingly sane. It’s also why Google news’ “algorithm” (probably a room in Cambodia filled with 11 year-olds working for 5 cents/hour to promote-demote based on how much an article promotes Democrats) didn’t include it.
Google is evil. I will not support evil.
This also reminds me: USA Today has been impressing me as the last halfway decent legacy outlet left. Sure, they have the occasional TDS column, but of all the mainstream publications, they seem to have kept the most to straight news and at least try to have some kind of balance in their editorials. Credit where credit is due.
It’s not clearing a very high bar.
USA Today has been impressing me as the last halfway decent legacy outlet left.
I’m assuming that’s a function of their structure. USA Today is owned by Gannett, whose core business is running suburban dailies. My understanding is that USA Today itself is mostly just the overlay of the reporting from the suburban dailies. Most of the big legacy papers are mostly, by contrast, focused on the city centers themselves. My guess is that suburban newspaper readers probably have less appetite for leftist circle-jerk than the readers of the city center papers.
“a restoration of honesty and decency and lawfulness in our government.”
We seem to have gotten a little of that when you left office. Fuck, I despise this man.
Even though pool season is mostly over, we can look back and dream about next year.
http://archive.is/6Gsdf
27 to go with a side of 39.
Q did you run this study?
No but I’d be more than happy to try and reproduce it; y’know for scientific validity.
“Staring at boobs is just one of six easy ways men can live longer”
A few silicon valley zillionaires are convinced they will be the first to achieve immortality. But it’s actually going to be Q.
I never get to look at these until later because I am at work. But I’d wager that guessing a few numbers would turn out to be more than sufficient. I’m gonna say 3, 11, and 25.
You stole my lotto number picking system!
(which hasn’t worked yet)
3 – Can’t see face and tits look a little small: Pass
11 – THICC in a great way: Would
25 – YOWZA great choice: Would x 10
#6 is triggering me with her clam spreading.
Obviously we can liquidate Jeff Bezos and have $163 billion in cash to throw at everyone.
That’s the spirit, Comrade! He must atone for his grievous sins against society.
Make an example of him for the other wreckers and hoarders.
“We” can liquidate Jeff Bezos. Who is this “we”?
You know,
you and Ithe Party.Are we talking liquidate his wealth, put him in the guillotine or both?
When the left is doing this stuff it usually is both.. Getting rid of the guy kind of makes it possible for them to then fabricate a story that makes what they did look totes cool without worrying about a rebutal.
Both. Then the minimum wage employees can take over the company and they’ll do a better job than he did.
This is known. I worked in a warehouse during college. These people would be doing great things if it weren’t for rich people keeping them down.
You know who else liquidated people of their wealth because politics?
The City Councils of Detroit and Chicago?
/whatthehell
Margaret Sanger?
Sulla?
Obviously we can liquidate Jeff Bezos and have $163 billion in cash to throw at everyone.
And then what? The next guy with an idea that might make your life wildly better will certainly have learned his lesson – shut up, enjoy the free shit and let things crumble anyway. Do these fu**ers even think beyond the next victim?
They think new businesses happen spontaneously, or are a question of ‘luck’. Even economics textbooks describe the primary factors of production as land, labour and capital. The idea of adding entrepreneurship is “controversial”.
Entrepreneurship, or even management.
The ability to put two and two together is a form of capital. Which explains why socialists hate capitalism.
So this is making its rounds. . .
Kap attempting to suck his own dick on a public bus? People are into some weird shit, but whatever makes them happy.
What kind of mentally ill person wears a professional football uniform on a bus?
A couple of bench warmers.
This kind of shit is beyond insulting to Civil Rights leaders who actually faced real challenges and were actually sacrificing for their freedom. These millionaire, virtue signaling, civil rights LARPers can get fucked with a piece of splintered balsa wood.
And what is especially asinine is that you will get called a bigot for pointing that out.
+1
I will say, I think balsa wood is too good for them.
I love that they depicted him in 49ers colors. You know, the team that
cast him aside once he began to express his consciencehe chose to leave when given the opportunity.lol
reminds me of the pic of antifa and Omaha Beach landing comparison.
The artist should have used this photo as the start.
Sugar is addictive. We talk about the “opioid epidemic” and the “obesity epidemic” and diabeeetus, but we don’t talk about sugar addiction.
Where have you gone, Dan T?
*Wasn’t that who used to rant and rave incessantly about the evil High Fructose Corn Syrup, back in the bad old days?
Potato, potahtoh. That does not excuse those (of us) who choose to consume it.
All I remember is him claiming that HOA’s were a government.
So my wife helped out a fellow attorney by going to a hearing on their behalf. And the client, who is currently in jail, begins to hit on her. And then, a few hours later, my wife got two jail collect calls from the inmate in question. She didn’t pick up.
She likes the bad boys?
I told her conjugal jail sex is the best sex but she didn’t believe me.
Wait, I think I’ve seen this one…
You beat me to it…
OTOH I didn’t mind the collect calls, because we usually declined to take ’em. OTOH the fucking pests had nothing better to do than to keep calling.
Worried that your wife now has options?
Options that have far more upside than you?
Hey now… she can leave the Dutch Mafia any time she wants to… really.
::fondles a package of windmill cookies::
Already stories about those who didn’t evacuate the hurricane path awaiting rescue.
Hope JB is doing OK. Anyone else from that area?
Unless you’re talking about the other JB, I’m in Florida.
My wife’s family all live in NC, but mostly far enough inland. A few relatives live near the coast, I know they all evacuated.
My wife’s former sister in law (what do you call your late brother’s widow, anyways?) is actually in Florida with her parents right now.
So you were worried about the storm because you have family in potential danger? You’re a more thoughtful relative than I am.
I like my wife’s family a lot better than I like my own. If they lived in Alabama I’d ask if they could adopt me.
(I say, I say son, these are the jokes)
what do you call your late brother’s widow, anyways?
I think she still qualifies as SIL.
what do you call your late brother’s widow, anyways?
Late at night, drunk on whiskey so you can ask her what she is wearing?
Oh, wait. you said “what” not “when”
Lol. Sure would make for an interesting Thanksgiving.
Well, Heinlein says there’s only one way to comfort a widow…
Was that Heinlein or that movie wedding crashers when the guy decided funerals were way more lucrative?
Notebooks of Lazarus long. That and he also has this advice:
“Widows are far better than brides. They don’t tell, they won’t yell, they don’t swell, they rarely smell, and they’re grateful as hell.”
Rub her feet.
In Hamlet, she’s called Queen again.
Still sister-in-law, I assume.
My brother’s in Apex (WSW of Raleigh); looks like they’re just getting the edge of it, thankfully. His house is on top of a little hill and no large trees nearby, so I think he’ll be in good shape.
I’m waiting for the inevitable “Most Expensive Natural Disaster in History!1!” stories.
After the East Coast government unions and politicians finish up their ‘estimates’ it will be. Sandy was one of the biggest scams in modern history.
I’m still hearing about Sandy money being spent here in NY. One of my favorites is the city (yes, the city) rebuilding houses on the waterfront – and (as of around last year I last heard) they’re still incomplete and built wrong.
Same shit with 9/11. The WTC site has got to be the biggest concentration of graft in US history.
Like journalists, for example.
I know y’all think you posted some dumb takes on the $2 billion Bezos donation above, but this one’s so dumb it makes them look smart.
Just remember, twitter is the Internet equivalent of a men’s room in a seedy bar. You are going to see all sorts of grafitti scrawled on it. Some of it is vicious (eg putting your ex g.f’s number with a statement about how she puts out). Some of it is brilliant. Most of it is so stupid that only a drunk man would even consider it worth reading.
Whoops! Negligent discharge of the Post button.
To continue:
The people who put their energy into tweeting can be brilliant (Iowahawk). Most of them, however, are pathetic losers who need to get a life.
Marxists are just people driven by jealousy and envy.
He’s robbing the government of the opportunity to skim off the same 2 billion dollars before pretending to distribute it to the homeless by doing it himself. Right cunt, he is.
“Luxury socialism and the end of the working left”
So basically prey on envious/jealous people to get power, and then throw scraps at them while enriching the top men?
Check.
work is for dumb rightwingers who don’t know whats good for them
“the working left”
i like that.
There was a new handle on for a few days called deepspeed. Said they were Pimlico sound. I am ocracoke. Let me know what is like on that side. Are you nuese or Pimlico river?
No one is gonna fall for a pickup line like that, Tulpa.
And I hope you are well away from there right now.
I worked long and hard crafting that comment to avoid euphemisms.
Haven’t seen you post for awhile. I enjoyed the “strange but true tales from the sound” from some time ago, and hope everything turned-out OK.
Stay safe!
I am ocracoke
That sounds like a declaration of life purpose.
Hope you’re still there when it’s all over.
That is what I tell people that wanna move out here. There is work, there are jobs but the career you have chosen is living here.
I stayed at a hotel off Falls of Neuse Rd. The signpost almost made me giggle like a schoolboy for some reason.
Pamlico stupid spellchecker. We are all alright out here on ocracoke. The condition of the other side will determine when we get back to normal. Wilmingto n Southport and Conway are gonna have a tough go.
ENGLISH! WE SPEAKA ENGLISH HERE!
Bezos (worth $160+b) will fund homeless charity with donations he can deduct from his taxes after forcing Seattle to repeal a tax on his company that would have funded help for homeless.
How does Bezos donating his money directly perpetuate the endless incestuous circlejerk among government officials, grant writers, NGOs and “consultants”? Won’t somebody think of the parasites?
You see, Bezos needs to set up a third party foundation to independently administer his billions that can then be taken over by the grifters and apparatchiks and run for their benefit, kind of like the Ford Foundation.
kind of like the Ford Foundation.
*fantasizes Henry Ford on a Jesus-vs-the-Moneylenders rampage in the Ford Foundation board room*
Old Hank might not appreciate the comparison to an ancient Jew
Jesus was one of the good ones.
Cause eh gave away his jew-gold?
The WTC site has got to be the biggest concentration of graft in US history.
But you’ve got The World’s Largest Urinal to show for it. That’s something to be proud of.
Two of ’em, in fact. Plus a four-billion-dollar Venus flytrap.
Woke shit. And what is the gist of this word salad?
“From a distance, the 2018 midterm election campaign poses a mystery: With the economy so good, why are prospects for President Donald Trump’s party so bad?
But a closer look solves it. “The economy” may be roaring, but for most voters their economy is not.
The difference between those two things reflects the income inequality that has defined America’s modern economy. The positive news Wall Street savors — robust corporate profits, rising stock prices, surging output growth — deliver the greatest rewards to a relatively modest share of more affluent Americans.”
Get it? This fuckwad wants to make the case that since there is income inequality a roaring economy is not a boon. I guess this asshat was furiously spanking his monkey when the Obama admin people told us we would never have another 3% GDP quarter, and that we should be happy government was pouring tax payer money into picking winners and losers. Seriously, these fucking marxist douches seem to be immune to the laws of economics, nature, and in general, life itself.
I really can’t get through to lefties. I know some that still say most people on Earth are not better off now then in the 70s. I cannot comprehend the stupid necessary to say this.
“The hon. Gentleman is saying that he would rather that the poor were poorer, provided that the rich were less rich.”
/some dead white lady
It is funny that having ancuweather app installed on my phone I get hurricane updater.
Also has it been discussed how it is racist that the stronger taifun hitting the Philippines gets less press than Florence?
Typhoon goddamnit. I seem to have wrote the Romanian word. Which is strange because this never happens to me… probably a word I use rarely.
Anyhoo Mangkhut sounds much more badass than Florence. Also I have been to Florence and it is a pretty decent city…
In America, Florence is a saucy redheaded waitress at Mel’s Diner known for saying “Kiss my grits, Mel.” It was also rumored that she gave truckers “a hand” in the backroom for $5. That hurricane Flo is blowing the Carolinas is appropriate.
Also, “Aunt Flo” is a euphemism for menses. Also apropos, as Aunt Flo regularly interferes with your life and screws up your week.
Apropos of nothing, I assume everyone saw this “unintentional” hurricane map from the NWS? The comments were golden.
Tee-hee
Pray for me – my nephew is coming to stay over and my wife bought these snacks. Holy crack cocaine, batman!
Trying not to eat them all before he arrives. I’m normally not even a sweets guy, but the dark chocolate really does it. She also got the banana ones too, which also have crack-like properties.
I like how they have to add ice cream that is not in the actual food to make the food more enticing.