Glibertarians.com 2018 Archive

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  • The Hat and the Hair: Episode 80

     

    “Meet you all the way! Roseanne, uh yeah, uh yeah,” Donald sang loudly.

    “Uh, Donald,” the hair said.

    “All I want to do in the middle of the evening is hold you tight! Roseanne! Roseanne! I didn’t know you were looking for more than I could ever be,” Donald belted out.

    “Donald,” the hair said again. He reached down and flicked something off of Donald’s lapel. A crumb from his morning McGriddle.

    “Just let him sing,” the hat said. “He’s upset. Fucking Valerie Jarrett,” the hat muttered, not looking up from the phone he was typing up. “And since when is she black? She looks Puerto Rican, for fuck’s sake.”

    “I didn’t know that a girl like you could make me feel so sad,” Donald said in a hoarse whisper and sank down on the bed heavily.

    “Rosanna, Donald,” the hair said. “The song is about Rosanna.”

    “Rosanna?” Donald asked. “Who the fuck is Rosanna?”

    “The song was written about Rosanna Arquette,” the hair said.

    “Who told you that?” the hat asked. He was furiously typing on Donald’s burner phone.

    “It was on VH1. Pop-Up Video,” the hair replied.

    “Oh, man. I miss Pop-Up Video,” the hat said. “Blorp. Blup.”

    “So what are we going to text about Roseanne?” the hair asked.

    “No clue. I’ve been beating up on Jeff all morning,” the hat said. He hit send on the phone and then cackled. “Oh, man. I hope that gets the little dwarf crying.”

    “Well, we’ve got to say something in support, right?” the hair asked.

    “Rosanna Arquette?” Donald asked. “Is she the one that cut her dick off? The ugly tranny one?”

    “No, that was Alexis,” the hair said.

    “So she was the one married to Courtney Cox?” the hat asked.

    “No, that was a guy, David,” the hair said dryly.

    “So Monica’s husband got a sex change?!?” the hat asked.

    “No, he didn’t. And they are divorced,” the hair said.

    “So which one is the song about, asshole?” the hat demanded.

    “Probably the one with the big floppy jugs from True Romance,” Donald said.

    “That’s Patricia!” the hair snapped.

    “Just how many of those fuckers are there?” the hat wondered aloud.

    “Rosanna Arquette was in Desperately Seeking Susan,” the hair prompted.

    “Nope,” Donald said.

    “I got nothing,” the hat said.

    “She was Jody in Pulp Fiction? Eric Stolz’s wife? The one with all the shit in her face?”

    “Was he deformed in that movie too?” the hat asked.

    The hair fell flat on Donald’s head in exasperation.

    “Roseanne!” Donald sang out in a cracking falsetto, “You don’t have to put on the red light!”

  • Wednesday Morning Helpful Links

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    Last evening, I was in the market for a smartphone, but a Tracfone. You know the deal, no contract, add minutes on the fly etc. I told OMWC I’d be right back for dinner, I just had to do a quick errand. I drove the two miles to the local Big Box store.

    I ventured to the back of the store to the electronics department, where I saw no phones. A young woman asked if she could help me, and I told her what I needed. She helpfully summoned an elderly gentleman working on the photo processor innards. I’ll call him “Mike”…mostly because that was his name.

    MIKE: Well, they moved all the phones to the front of the store, you know where the bank and eye place are. In the Wireless Center. We are a Full Service Wireless Center.

    SP: Oh, thanks, I can find it.

    MIKE: No, I’ll walk up with you and make sure you find it. I’m really supposed to be working there anyway.

    SP: Thank you, that’s very helpful.

    MIKE: I’m happy to help! It’s my job.

    SP: Well, thank you. So let me tell you what I need. A smartphone, but it needs to be a Tracfone, because I don’t want a monthly contract.

    MIKE: Well, they aren’t the best phones or service. Here, let me show you these other ones over here. They’re better. Of course, they have a $35 a month charge.

    SP: No, thanks, really, I just need a Tracfone with no contract. I don’t even really care what kind of smartphone it is.

    MIKE: Well, let me show you all the Tracfones we have in stock. How much do you want to spend? And you know you need a card with minutes for these, right?

    SP: Yes, but, really any of those will do. Let’s go with this cheapish LG model. *surreptitiously checks time*

    MIKE: You know that’s not an iPhone, right? Now how much minutes do you want?

    SP: How MANY minutes do I want? Let’s start with this one. *grabs 120 minute card from rack*

    MIKE: Well, now, Miss, that’s not the card that belongs there. That’s supposed to be the 200 minute rack. So, do you want the 120 minutes or the 200 minutes?

    SP: Whichever is cheaper. I can add more later on.

    MIKE: Well, you can, but you’d hate to be stranded someplace with no service. If you can afford it, I really say, go with the 200.

    SP: OK! That’s great. Thanks! That’s very helpful.

    MIKE: I’m happy to help! It’s my job! Let’s go over and get this checked out for you…. well, shoot, these keys don’t open this register.

    SP: *looks around, sees only one register*

    MIKE: Well, shoot, yes, it does I had it in upside down. Now here you go…Oh, wait, you want to pay with cash? Hmm. Let me see where to enter that. Here we go. So, let’s see…your change is…wait, do you want the 2 year warranty?

    SP: No, thanks, really, I don’t need a warranty, the phone is only $30.

    MIKE: Well, the warranty covers pretty much everything that could go wrong, except maybe dropping it in the…well, you know. And it’s only $9!

    SP: No. Thanks. Really. I don’t need a warranty. *checks watch a little more obviously*

    MIKE: OK, now here’s your change…I’m going to give you $12…and a bunch of coins. Maybe a few dimes. Do you mind dimes? I hate to give you a handful of coins like that. Well, here you go. Now wait, I need to activate that for you and put all this stuff in.

    SP: I can activate it online, no problem. I’m a computer geek. It’s no trouble at all.

    MIKE: No, no, I am supposed to help do it. We are a Full Service Wireless Center. I’m happy to help! Here, now come over here and sit down.

    SP: *glances at watch wistfully and thinks about food*

    MIKE: Oh, darnit, I don’t know where Andy put the Laminated Card with the instructions. *rummages in drawer* Nope, not that one. Now I wonder where it could have got to… maybe over in that desk. No, you sit still, I’ll be right back to help you.

    *Two Young Guys walk in*

    MIKE: Now, are you guys in a big hurry? I need to help this young lady first, then I can help you.

    TYG: Uh, how long do you think it will be?

    SP: Oh, go ahead and help them. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. *resigned sigh*

    TYG: We need to pay our Straight Talk bill.

    MIKE: Oh, I don’t think I can do that here. I’d sure like to help, but no, I know I can’t do that.

    TYG: We always pay it here.

    MIKE: Oh. Well…is it due today or can you come back tomorrow when the other guy is here to help you?

    TYG: Yeah, thanks, that’s probably a better idea. *pitying look thrown at SP and sound of running feet as they haul ass out of the Full Service Wireless Center*

    MIKE: Now, where were we?

    SP: Looking for the Laminated Card with the activation instructions.

    MIKE: Oh! It was right here in this drawer marked Instructions all the time. Now let’s sit down and take a look. *sits down, opens package, inserts battery and powers it up* I hope it turns on, they don’t charge these things, you know.

    *goes through the entire activation process in only about 20 minutes*

    MIKE: There! It’s all set! Let’s test it! *Speaks into phone* Google! What’s the weather at my location?

    GOOGLE: Something went wrong. Please try again.

    MIKE: *Shouts into phone* GOOOOOOGLE! W H A T ‘S T H E W E A TH ER at my L O C A T I O N??!!!

    GOOGLE: Something went wrong. Please try again.

    SP: Really, I’m great at this stuff, maybe I should take a look at the settings.

    MIKE: Well, it’s my job to help you. I know, I’ll read the characters from the Laminated Card and you can check what I put in. Active network is http://

    SP: Oh! I see the trouble. You left out the colon.

    MIKE: I didn’t see a colon on the keyboard, so I skipped it.

    SP: Well, look! It’s working great now. I gotta run. Thanks so much for all your help!

    MIKE: Oh, let me repackage that for you and put it in a bag. No, no, it’s my job and it’s Store Policy, too.

    SP: Well, thanks again! I need to go find the a/c filters and get home for dinner. Really, thanks for all your help!

    MIKE: Oh, here, I’ll walk you back to hardware and help you find them….

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  • Tuesday Afternoon Links

    Happy hangover Tuesday. I hope everyone has been successfully pretending to work today. I bring you links.

    I’m shocked… shocked! To find out that there was sexual exploitation going on by essentially all of the NGOs in West African refugee camps.  Wait, no. No I’m not.

    Billionaire George Soros outlines plan to save Europe. I assume this is a linked monologue from the British spy service, recorded as one of their top agents was surviving a blown-cover during a deep cover operation.

    Oh look instead of $300/bbl oil, Russia and Saudi Arabia got to almost $80 and then decided to pump more.

    I… What sort of moron do you have to be to start a wildfire? Oh one who burns an American flag blanket to protest Memorial Day.

    Finally, the Little Rover That Could has learned a new way to drill holes on Mars. I’m just endlessly fascinated by the fact that the little fucker keeps working year after year.

     

    For the Wile E. Coyotes of every era, here’s a little afternoon chill guitar.

  • ZARDOZ VS DEAR PRUDENCE…THE RETURN

    ZARDOZ ARRIVES TO SAVE THE DAY!

     

    ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONES. HAVING LIFTED YOU FROM BRUTALITY, THERE IS NO WAY ZARDOZ WILL LET SOME SMALL MINDED SLATE ADVICE BABBLER LEAD THE CHOSEN ONES ASTRAY! NO! ZARDOZ WILL GIVE THE BEST ADVICE, AND KEEP THE CHOSEN ONES ON THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND BRUTAL CLEANSING! RECEIVE THEN…THE GIFT OF ADVICE!

     

    Q: Creepy doll conundrum: My partner’s mother has owned a realistic imitation infant doll for more than a decade. She keeps it dressed and placed in a bassinet in her living room to hold when she misses her now-grown children. She has attachment and boundary issues, and while the doll has always creeped me out, it seemed harmless and perhaps helpful to her, so we never said anything about it.

    Fast-forward 10 years, and my partner and I have a toddler. Without warning us, Grandma brought her doll on her last visit and gave it to our daughter when we weren’t present. It is extremely lifelike, weighs around 8 pounds, and is not going to withstand the activity and whims of our active child. If it were a new purchase, we’d return it for a similar toy meant for a child.

    More than anything, my husband and I are concerned that my mother-in-law is giving her own “therapy” doll to our child, and that she desperately wants our daughter to love and care for it as much as she does. When she left, my mother-in-law said she wants the doll back if we don’t want it, and said other manipulative comments intended to guilt us into keeping it. Donating it, returning it to her, or telling her it’s not wanted would cause a huge rift in the family.

    We don’t want to be held ransom by this doll or my mother-in-law’s emotions. Our child won’t play with it and asks us to put it in a closet before she sleeps; we only bring it out when Grandma visits. How do we return it and reinforce some healthy boundaries with Grandma?

    A: ZARODZ CAN ONLY WONDER HOW SUCH PATHETIC BRUTALS AS YOURSELVES HAVE MANAGED TO SURVIVE THIS LONG. CLEARLY YOUR EXISTENCE, AS WELL AS THAT OF YOUR INSANE MOTHER IN LAW (OR PARTNER-MOTHER…WHATEVER YOU DROOLING HIPSTER BRUTALS ARE CALLING SUCH A ONE THESE DAYS) PROVES ZARDOZ CORRECT IN WISHING TO CLEANSE THE EARTH OF THE FILTH OF BRUTALS!

    THE “DOLL” SHOULD BE DECAPITATED AND THE HEAD RETURNED TO THE CRAZY OLD BRUTAL, AS A WARNING. YOU AND YOUR “PARTNER” SHALL BE UTILIZED AS GRAIN SLAVES, WHERE ZARDOZ EXPECTS YOU TO FAIL WITHIN A FEW WEEKS…NO GREAT LOSS.

    THANK GRANNY FOR THE WONDERFUL “GIFT”

    YOUR “TODDLER” SHALL BE GIVEN OVER TO PROPER PARENTS TO RAISE!

    RAISE THE TODDLER UP FROM BRUTALITY!

    ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.

     

    Q: Personal party planner: I moved to a new city about nine months ago, and while I’ve started building a group of wonderful friends, at this point it primarily comprises roommates and co-workers because my demanding work schedule doesn’t allow time for much socializing.

    I will be turning 30 in a few weeks. I have never been incredibly invested in birthday parties, and generally hate being the center of attention, but it would feel a little sad to let this milestone pass without celebration. None of my friendships are at the point where they would organize something for my birthday, but I think many of them would be glad to help me celebrate. But planning my own birthday party seems gauche and a little desperate, since I am newly forming these friendships. What’s the etiquette here?

    A: YOU PULING, WEAK FOOL OF A BRUTAL! THE ARRIVAL OF YET ANOTHER BRUTAL TO PLAGUE THE EARTH IS NO EVENT WORTH CELEBRATING. INSTEAD, IT SHOULD BE A TIME OF MOURNING. FEEL FREE TO PLAN ALL YOU WANT… YOUR OWN FUNERAL.

    HAPPY “BIRTHDAY” BRUTAL!

    HOWEVER….IF YOU STILL FEEL COMPELLED TO HAVE SOME BIRTHDAY OBSERVANCE, JUST INVITE SOME NEW FRIENDS TO MEET AT A BAR AND KNOCK BACK A COUPLE OF BEVERAGES – DON’T BE A DRAMA BRUTAL ABOUT IT.

    ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.

     

    Q: Do I have to always be flexible, workwise?: I’m a college student who works part time at a café over the summer and on school breaks. My schedule is usually very flexible, and as a result I can often fill in for co-workers if they are unable to come into work for whatever reason.

    My problem, though, is that I’m afraid that they take advantage of my flexibility and regularly ask me to take their shifts. I really don’t mind filling in occasionally if someone is sick or has a family emergency, but I often feel like I’m constantly “on call” on my days off. I’ve worked eight and nine full days in a row before, and I know it may sound selfish, but sometimes I really do just want to enjoy having a few days off. I suppose I’m just asking for permission to say no to them occasionally, but I have a pathological need to please and I would feel bad knowing that I don’t necessarily have any plans that would prevent me from taking their shifts. Do I have a moral obligation to take extra work shifts to help out my co-workers?

    A: OH LOOK, CHOSEN ONES! THE DOORMAT IS ASKING IF IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO ALLOW OTHERS TO WIPE THEIR FEET ON IT. ZARDOZ BELIEVES YOU HAVE TWO ALTERNATIVES – YOU MAY CONTINUE NON-STOP WORK UNTIL YOUR DEMISE:

    HAVE SOME TIME OFF, BRUTAL. ETERNAL TIME OFF!

    OR YOU MAY ASSERT YOURSELF IN YOUR NEW JOB…AS A BRUTAL EXTERMINATOR! IMAGINE THE LOOKS OF TERROR FROM YOUR FORMER CO-WORKERS AS YOU CONFIDENTLY STRIDE IN AND CLEANSE THEM.

    HERE TO “FILL IN” FOR A LAZY COWORKER BRUTAL.

    ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.

  • Tuesday Morning Links

    Hope everyone had a nice long weekend. Or regular weekend for that matter.  And I hope you remembered those who gave their lives to make sure you were able to enjoy it.  And no, I don’t mean the fucking labor unions.

    Come and take it, Limeys!

    Patrick Henry, who uttered the famous phrase “give me liberty or give me death” was born on this date.  So was funny man Bob Hope, climber Tenzing Norgay, president John F Kennedy, composer Danny Elfman, “celebrity” LaToya Jackson, musician and buffoon Noel Gallagher, and Spice Girl Mel B.  Also on this date, Charles II returned from exile, the aforementioned Patrick Henry made his historic speech against the Stamp Act, the last of the 13 colonies (Rhode Island) ratified the Constitution, Coca-Cola began advertisements, Larry Bird beat out Magic Johnson for Rookie Of The Year, and the Boston Red Sox retired Ted Williams’s iconic #9 and Joe Cronin’s #4. And the “Gilbert” of Gilbert & Sullivan passed away, as did CIA drug runner Manuel Noriega.

    Well the Warriors did what I knew they’d do.  Hell, you could have turned it off with about 3 minutes left in the third after Curry hit three 3-pointers in a row to take the lead to 6.  That game was done.  Now they get to play LeBron James for the thirty-sixth NBA Finals in a row it feels like.  Also, the Yankees fans were none to keen on Justin Verlander shutting their bats down. And out in the desert, Las Vegas got the Stanley Cup Finals started with a 6-4 win over the Washington Capitals.

    OK, now that we’ve gotten that cleared up, and I managed to give a double-shoutout to Patrick Henry as he deserves, let’s get into…the links!

    I can’t possibly see how this could be twisted to make libertarianism look bad. I personally approve, but prepare yourself for the onslaught of retarded big-government progressives saying we would pay tolls for every foot of road we drove on if we had our way (forgetting that we pay a shitload of money in fuel taxes, municipal taxes and every other way the government twists our arm into paying for “free” public roads.

    Even though Q’in didn’t get the job for the Weather Channel, he kept dreaming and finally landed a short-term assignment in Florida.

    Hey reporters, take note: its better to report on the story rather than become the story. Condolences, but this was bound to happen sooner or later as reporters consistently try to place themselves closer and closer to danger in their idiotic game of one-one-upsmanship.

    Since they’ve managed to tackle every serious problem on the continent, like rising crime rates, an immigration crisis, economies spiraling the drain and persistent terrorism, the European Union has decided it has the free time for stupid shit.

    Seek. Psychiatric. Help. Immediately.

    What a crazy bastard. Manning is currently running for the Senate as a Democrat.  I’m sure this will garner the candidate some sympathy votes from some quarters but turn off people in others, namely those with an ounce of brains.

    North Korean official en route to New York City for talks on the upcoming summit. (cue Dem talking point that Trump will put him up in his hotel in violation of the Emoluments Clause and say this is grounds for impeachment) Let’s hope Dennis Rodman is available if needed.

    Corruption, thy name is the Chicago Public Schools system.  Seriously, why is this level of corruption not national headlines every sin…oh, never mind. It has nothing to do with Trump and is a city completely controlled by the Democrat Party.  Therefore it doesn’t merit national attention.

    Wait, were they seriously considering charging a man who does society a favor? Also, it could have been done more humanely if gun-free zones at schools weren’t a thing.  So don’t hate the playa, hate the game.

    Its like Andy always said, “get busy gropin’ or get busy dyin’.”

    Also, Nelson Mandela Morgan Freeman fights back against assault allegations. I’m with him.  Words aren’t assault, snowflakes.  You don’t like what someone says, tell them to go fuck themselves. Don’t wait 25 years and then squeal like a pig to the media when piling on is all the rage.

    And that concludes the links.

    Well, except for this ditty. Happy birthday!

    Have a great day and a great start to the short week.

  • SEA SMITH MONDAY EVENING LINKS

    SEA SMITH GRUMPY

    WHEW…SEA SMITH NEED BREAK FROM HOUSE WORK. IT ALWAYS SOMETHING. SEA SMITH JUST GET CARIBBEAN HOME REDONE, AND STORM MESS IT UP. SEA SMITH VERY UNHAPPY. HE GO TAKE IT OUT ON CREW OF SMALL MERCHANT SHIP, BY TAKE IT OUT, MEAN RAPE. BUT HE STILL LIKE PEOPLE HERE, SO HE GIVE LINKS FOR YOU.

    • THIS SOUND LIKE SILLY SPY STORY. OR BAD MOVIE. SEA SMITH NOT SURE WHAT GOING ON. BUT HE LEAVE IT TO YOU TO FIGURE OUT.
    • SEA SMITH GLAD HE STAY AWAY FROM YEMEN. NO TRIP TO GULF FOR SEA SMITH THIS YEAR!
    • THIS MAKE SEA SMITH LAUGH. WHAT IS BIG DEAL?
    • SEA SMITH NO UNDERSTAND…IS RENEWABLE ENERGY!  OK, SO IT A BIT TOO MUCH ENERGY AT ONCE…

    SEA SMITH HAVE GO NOW…START CLEAN UP. HOPE YOU HAVE GOOD REST OF DAY.

  • Life of Pie: living next to an old graveyard

    Free street parking, moslty
    What is the meaning of life and death?

    I live in a fairly central area of one of the busiest cities in Europe. At the end of my street- well not mine per se – is a wall. If this seems totally unremarkable to you, it’s because it is. It is an old wall, fairly long and not particularly distinctive. It does not have a gate or any another entrance on this side, and above it all you can see is tree tops. Most people who pass the wall have no idea what is behind it, nor do they care.

    On the ehm… other side, so to speak, lies a quite old and mostly abandoned graveyard. Due to some peculiarity of human psychology, some people find living next to a graveyard unsettling. I am not one of those people. Being mostly abandoned, it is little more than an unkempt park, siting on 7 hectares of quite prime real-estate (600-800 dollars per square meter or maybe more) and containing some 30 thousand graves. The cemetery is no longer active, so you don’t have to see funerals –maybe one or two a year –  or mourners walking about as the graves are old and the families are no longer living in Romania. The cemetery is called Cimitirul Evreiesc Filantropia, meaning of which I assume you can eventually figure out without translation.

    For most of my life I paid it little mind. It had, off course, some perks being an area with no buildings, it was quiet and provided glorious, available street parking, which in a city like Bucharest can be a godsend, so to speak. Usually the departed don’t drive, although they may still have a valid license and, on occasion, vote.

    Good contrast with the architectural marvels of communism
    A good background is important

    It is one of 3 Jewish cemeteries in Bucharest and, according to the caretaker, 832 recorded in Romania – although many have been destroyed under the Antonescu regime. This is an Ashkenazy graveyard, build in 1865 on the site of an old quarry. The other two, known as Giurgiu cemetery and The Spanish cemetery –incidentally on much less valuable real-estate – are Sephardic. Giurgiu is the largest of the three – 14 hectares – and second largest in Romania after the one in Iași.  I always though Ashkenazy versus Sephardic to be purely a geographical designation, a Jewish appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) if you will, but the cemeteries seem separate.

     

    Sometime this year it occurred to me that I had never visited it to see what is beyond the wall. In cities like Paris, visiting cemeteries was a thing people did. I decided to change this, and one sunny Saturday morning I went to the entrance, only to find it closed. I did not know cemeteries close, but this one did, every Saturday. So on a sunny Sunday morning, I went for a visit. At first I was not even sure this was possible, to visit it I mean, but it was, with only the request that I wear a small round hat. And since I visited and took some pictures – not particularly good ones, mind you, I only have my phone and am a bad photographer – I thought I would share. So basically trigger warning – pictures of cemetery and graves and stuff, for those who do not want to see such things. Now, normally, I would not make a post on a cemetery, but found this one interesting.

    After the entrance is the chapel. Beyond the main alley started. It was long – 1 kilometer or so- and looked like it got lost in distance and vegetation.

    Walking down it, it had a sort of story atmosphere, as it became progressively less maintained and wilder as you moved along.

    The further back, the older everything was and the alley narrowed

    Towards the end it was barely there until it stopped in thick bushes

     

    Here and there, there are small stone benches, usually with the name of the person who donated it.

    One thing I noticed, unlike orthodox graveyards, there were no real crypts or mausoleums build by rich families. There were some more elaborate graves, but mostly just had a grave stone.

     

    I noticed two kinds – simple stone and black marble or granite, the second ones having survived the passing of time much better. I saw no white marble or lightly colored granite.

    About half way down the alley, there is a monument to Jewish soldiers who died in the Romanian army in World War 1, 119 of which are buried in this cemetery. Until this monument the cemetery looked at least somewhat maintained. After this the wilderness started. The main alley was narrower and in poorer repair.

    While the main alley still looks somewhat taken care of, on the sides of it the cemetery looks quite abandoned

     

    From the main alley there are, as expected, there are side paths. This were sometimes paved, but mostly not and often just look like a path in the forest. Some of the gravestones were completely lost in the vegetation.

     

     

    In the wooded area you can occasionally see really old stones lost in the thicket.

     

    There is an area which I could not access, the vegetation was to thick. I was told that at the center there is a pond. Not originally there, but formed when the ground sank as a result of movements caused by the building of a subway line nearby. It dries durring summer, but in the autumn to spring period, part of the graves are underwater. I could not get a shot of this so just took a geneic picture of the area.

     

    It is, all things considered, a very peaceful and contemplative place. Walking through it, you get to places where you almost cannot hear the traffic, something rare in Bucharest. And, unlike other graveyards in which there are always groups of people walking about, I was alone here and did not see another person besides the caretaker at the entrance. This may be a bit sad or not, depending how you look at it. The families of the people here probably moved on long ago, to the US or Israel or some other country and in a sense, many areas of the graveyard seem long forgotten. Time has moved on. It can be depressing or somewhat comforting, depending on how you look at it. So I will leave it at that, maybe with just a few more pictures.

     

     

     

  • Monday Memorial Day Links

    I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend. And I want to say thank you to our veterans.  I know today is a tough day for a lot of you, as we honor your comrades and brothers/sisters-in-arms who gave their lives for our freedom.  God bless them, their families and those who are and were affected by the loss.

    There’s no smooth transition from that to the rest of the links, so I won’t try to get clever and pull it off.  But I will go into sports.  Looks like I was wrong about Houston and the GSW. Tonight they play game 7 and I thought it would be over in 6.  I still think the Warriors will come out and win, but I sure would love to be proven wrong.  Meanwhile, LeBron did what LeBron does.  He made it to the NBA Finals for the eighth straight year, carrying his team to a game 7 win in Boston when neither team could shoot the ball worth a shit and the Celtics simply locked up in the last 5 minutes.  It was a good series. The NHL begins the Stanley Cup finals tonight, as Washington takes on Vegas.  I’m personally cheering for a meteor.

    So long Danica. We hardly knew ya!
    -the Winner’s Circle

    Congratulations are in order for Daniel Ricciardo, who got a little revenge for 2016 as he won the Monaco Grand Prix.  Doing it with that gearbox he had was a hell of a feat, too.  Also congratulations to Will Power for winning a crash-filled Indianapolis 500.  Also congratulations to Danica Patrick.  She ended her “racing” career yesterday, although it ended in a wall.  It was a bizarre sight since she was always most known for climbing out of a wrecked stock car as opposed to a wrecked champ car.

    If you were born today, you share it with such luminaries as Selim II of the Ottoman Empire, King George I, one of the greatest athletes ever in Jim Thorpe, blues guitarist T-bone Walker, cager Jerry West, “America’s Mayor” and Fox News contributor Rudy Guiliani, rocker John Fogerty, and skinny singer Kylie Minogue.  Its also the day a solar eclipse in 585BC ended a war, Pope Leo X signed a treaty with the HRE, the first continental congress convened in 1774, Dodge Brothers and Chrysler merge to create a mega-manufacturer of shitty cars, Dwight Eisenhower unleashed a beast when he signed the first Farm Bill, and Scorcese’s Taxi Driver won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Oh yeah, and Bill Clinton’s business partners in his Whitewater land deal were convicted of fraud.

    That last historical event will make the first story that follows here a bit awkward. Which is my way of saying its time for…the links!

    Chelsea Clinton

    The daughter of privilege (and quite possibly a serial rapist) says President Trump degrades what it means to be an American. She may be right.  We should all life lives of integrity…like having a dad get blowjobs from interns in the White House or a mother who oversaw a gun-running operation that got an ambassador killed and equipped ISIS. But that’s not her fault.  Of course, maybe getting her wedding paid for with funds earmarked for Haitian earthquake victims is…but she’s so stupid she was probably unaware of that as well.

    Maryland has turned into a flood zone.  Wwe feel your pain here in Houston.  You guys stay safe there and get to higher ground if the waters are still rising.

    Hang in there, Maryland.

    Hey Great Britain: FREE TOMMY ROBINSON, you bunch of jackbooted goons.

    The Trump-Kim summit is back on after some posturing. I’m sure there will be people, namely pundits and bureaucrats who have never negotiated anything in their life, who will say this has been poorly handled diplomatically.  But they have never trued to broker a deal before where the hard bargain is a necessity.

    Trump and Kim

    Bobby Kennedy Jr doesn’t believe Sirhan Sirhan killed his father. Ok then.

    Speaking of conspiracy theories, I can’t possibly see how this development will do anything but feed the fever dreams of left-wing morons who don’t understand how oil exploration or extraction work.

    That’s it. This is for the birthday boy.

    Have a great day, especially those of you who lost a comrade.

  • STEVE SMITH SUNDAY NIGHT LINKS

    STEVE SMITH WELCOME YOU TO FOREST!

    STEVE SMITH LIKE HOLIDAY WEEKENDS. HIM GET MANY MORE HIKERS AND VACATIONERS/CAMPERS COME TO WOODS. STEVE SMITH GIVE WARM GREETING. BY WARM GREETING, MEAN RAPE.

    BUT YOU NOT HERE CATCH UP ON STEVE SMITH GOINGS ON, YOU HERE FOR LINKS. AND SAYING FUNNY THINGS IN COMMENTS. STEVE SMITH LIKE READING FUNNY COMMENTS. SO HERE LINKS SO YOU CAN MAKE FUNNY COMMENTS….OR ELSE STEVE SMITH HAVE FIND OTHER WAY TO AMUSE SELF…

    • STEVE SMITH SEE REAL SUPERHERO! AND HERE HIM THINK SPIDER-MAN JUST MOVIE AND COMIC. THAT MAKE STEVE SMITH SMILE.
    • ITALY HAVE TROUBLE MAKE GOVERNMENT. STEVE SMITH WONDER IF EVER HAPPEN BEFORE. MAYBE FUNNY GLIBERTARIAN PEOPLE KNOW?
    • STOP RESISTING! STEVE SMITH SEE JUST ANOTHER DAY ON NEW JERSEY BEACH. GOOD THING HEROES THERE TO SAVE DAY!
    • FLORIDA MAN NOT HAPPY – GO AWAY STUPID STORM! STEVE SMITH STAND BY FOR WEATHER NEWS.

    STEVE SMITH HOPE YOU HAVE GOOD NIGHT, FUNNY GLIBERTARIAN PEOPLE!

  • GDPR & You Glibertarians.com

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    SP: “Hey, Webdom, do you know a good GDPR consultant?”

    Webdom: “Yes.”

    SP: “Can you give me her email address?”

    Webdom: “No.”

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    If you’ve ever signed up for an email newsletter, registered for a user account online, or purchased something from an online purveyor, you’ve undoubtedly been bombarded the last week (or longer) with emails like the one above. You’ve noticed the new cookie notice here on Glibertarians.com. You might have even read our Privacy Policy.

    I’m not going to get into the details of the mind-numbing array of things the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires to be in compliance. I’m not a lawyer and much of it is open to interpretation.

    If you’re interested there is no shortage of online resources, including the EU’s own website. Companies across the globe have been working on this compliance since the law was passed in April 2016.

    No, what I want to rant about is the fact that as of May 25, 2018, the provisions of the 2-year-old regulation are now enforceable.

    I hear you saying, “So what? It’s an EU law, and we aren’t in the EU.”

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    You crack me up.

    The new regulation is supposedly to protect EU citizens and their “personally identifiable information” (PII) that may be collected, processed, stored, and transferred online.

    What the EU considers PII is much broader than what the US has generally considered PII. The EU insists that anything that could directly or indirectly be used to identify someone is included.

    Personal data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable living individual.

  • Different pieces of information, which collected together can lead to the identification of a particular person, also constitute personal data.
  • Personal data that has been de-identified, encrypted or pseudonymised but can be used to re-identify a person remains personal data and falls within the scope of the law.

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    So, how the heck is the EU going to enforce the myriad complex and heavily nuanced provisions of the law? Fairly and objectively.

    OK, I couldn’t even type that with a straight face.

    The EU provides this helpful information:

    Stronger rules on data protection mean

  • people have more control over their personal data
  • businesses benefit from a level playing field

    • Oh, good! Businesses are going to benefit!

    Well, Uncle Sam wants to help make sure that US businesses are also going to benefit. The EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework is the mechanism by which the EU can impose their laws and regulations on US businesses and non-profits.

    What’s that? Non-profits like the Glibertarian Foundation? Why, yes!

    The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has committed to work closely with the DPA (SP note: data protection authority in the EU) to provide enforcement assistance, which, in appropriate cases, could include information sharing and investigative assistance pursuant to the U.S. SAFE WEB ACT.

    Indeed, one of the key provisions of the GDPR is increased territorial scope. Because of this, any website that “processes” any data from anyone in the EU must comply. Your business website may only ever have one visitor from the EU and if you set a web browser cookie for any reason whatsoever, you must meet the requirements of the GDPR. Seriously.

    What’s the penalty for non-compliance?

    Infringement: the possibilities include a reprimand, a temporary or definitive ban on processing and a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of the business’s total annual worldwide turnover.

    Oh, and that fine is whichever is greater. No potential there for abuse or selective enforcement! But remember, this is not about grabbing money or controlling the world. Because the Forces of Evil said it’s not.

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    So, what are US businesses doing? Most have been working on compliance for a long time now and are falling into line. Nobody really wants to lose their European customers and site visitors, after all.

    Except for a bunch of media outlets and businesses that apparently weren’t ready for the enforcement to start on Friday. But, the EU says, don’t worry! There will not be an effect on innovation or access. Oh, wait, other organizations have just decided not to bother complying, closing business segments or blocking access from European countries.

    Here at Glib HQ, we’ve determined that we have only one European registered user. We’ll miss you Pie in the Sky!*

    We all know who is making bank from the GDPR, as is usual from regulation: lawyers and politicians. On Friday, many lawsuits and complaints were filed against large American tech firms like Amazon, Facebook, and Alphabet. We can expect dozens more to be filed in the coming weeks, months, and, probably, years.

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    *****

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    Does my disgust and cynicism mean I am anti-privacy? Hell, no.

    I have many stylish and useful tinfoil hats, as you all know. I use VPNs, encrypted email, mask my phone numbers, block cookies, browse from different browsers and devices, use cash for everything I can, have a prepaid cell phone for certain uses. The list goes on.

    What I am is anti-government intrusion and regulation.

    Remember, kids, with the exception of this Glibertopia, “If the product is free, the product is me.” Don’t like what Facebook does with your data? Don’t use Facebook; but don’t insist your congress critter pass another law or allow the FTC to enforce a cumbersome and impossible-to-get-right regulation from across the pond. Individuals and their rights always lose when bureaucracy wins.

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    * Just kidding, Pie.

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