My parents have always been well-off. At christmas, us kids would get like $1500 worth of toys and junk. each of us like 10-15 presents. I remember a few of them, but you know how much I would have given to hang out with my dad playing video games? All of those presents, from every christmas. He never had time for me, time for us. He was too busy trying to make as much money as he could. It rotted his brain. He truly believes that a persons worth is determined by the numbers in their bank account. So I guess I’ll always be a failure to him. I don’t speak to him anymore.

Keep offering to hang out.

When I was working as a line cook in college, I was one of two white guys behind the line, with the rest of our BOH (Back Of House) crew being black. One day on the line we were all joking around like we always did. One of the black cooks, named Rose (he was an older guy, with coke-bottle glasses and strong, thickly calloused hands. He had a snaggle tooth and a big ol’ pot belly), was regaling us with stories about how he has a veritable harem of women at his beck and call. He told us he was supporting like 5 different women, and all of them were entirely devoted to him.

I thought that he was being hyperbolic, and decided that I would poke fun. I was going to say something like “Rose, I can’t believe for a second that even 1 woman would be after your ugly mug.” But my midwestern-whiteness shone through, and before I could deliver that absolute blister of a line, I decided to use an exclamation so as to punctuate my lack of belief in his statement. I started with “Ooh boy,” and didn’t get to finish.

I was immediately accosted by Rose, his spatula gripped tightly, and he was mad as hell. The other line cooks were instantly aware of the situation and reacted to hold him back, as Rose was about to knock my befuddled ass into next week. Eventually they were able to calm him down, and explained to my dumbass that calling a black man “boy” was explicitly racist, and derogatory.

We were fine once he realized I had no idea it was racist, I just thought of it as an exclamation along the lines of “Boy howdy!” or something.

It was a very eye-opening moment.

I’ve only ever been to one. Been to a lot of protests, but only one political rally.

I went because the politician inspires noble actions, noble thoughts, and I wanted to hear him speak in person. I’ve been a supporter of his for quite a while now, and I wanted to physically show up for him just like I do metaphorically at my polling place. It wasn’t really about hearing his ideas, or receiving new information from him, it was just about being present in the moment, together in a throng of people who all gathered in solidarity with what he and his candidacy represents. Like, how you don’t have to worry about being embarrassed about singing your bands favorite songs out loud, when you’re in a crowd of people gathered to see that band. It was there that I could enthusiastically cheer for what I believe in, what I prioritize.

The rally I’m speaking about was for none other than Bernie Sanders. He was introduced by Donald Glover, and oddly enough, while introducing him, a bird alighted upon the podium, much like what happened at another rally he did. It was a great time, and I’m glad I was there. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.

I loathe trunk or treat. It’s not the same as trick or treating, it’s cheating. When I was young the only way I got a bunch of candy was to run all over the neighborhood, and then run to the other neighborhoods to squeeze in more. I was out and about, acting the fool, where chicanery abounds. I’d end up at home, exhausted at the end of the night.

Today’s kids walk around a parking lot. It’s just not the same.

When we were kids halloween was the best. As an adult, there was nothing more I looked forward to than handing out candy, seeing costumes, scaring some kids with all my decorations. But now it’s all sanitized and boiled down into the something as ludicrous as walking around a parking lot asking for handouts from cars. What, are they just prepping the nations children for a life of panhandling? Joking aside, it’s just not as fun for anyone involved. I don’t want to drive somewhere and decorate the fucking trunk of my car (especially when I decorated my house already?), and the kids don’t want to walk around a parking lot!

Trunk or treat is the worst solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

I like to do that with great albums. I’ll listen to the whole thing, just, over and over and over again. Until I’ve got pretty much the whole thing memorized. Then I go on to another one. I’ll only do it that way if the whole album is banging, though.

Past examples include:

• Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
• My Morning Jacket - Circuital
• Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers
• Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid Maad City (& DAMN)
• RadioHead - Kid A (& OK Computer)
• Jeff Tweedy - Warm
• The Tragically Hip - Day For Night

EDIT: couldn’t find the full Tweedy Album, so just linked my favorite song from it

Here’s the nested article, i.e. the article your article is talking about: October 23, 2024, By Blair Fix; The American Housing Crisis: A Theft, Not a Shortage

Reads very well, really puts this in perspective. Extreme income inequality is the root of most Americans problems.

Why does the article keep referring to Google as “The Chocolate Factory?”

well Look at that, definitely never saw those before.

Rachel Ray is for people that aren’t sciencey enough for Alton Brown. I’m sure she has some good recipes, but she lent her name to a lot of bad products. I would not feed my pets her pet food.

Are we still in NATO? then, yes.

no it wasn’t.

nah, it’s a legitimate complaint, and exactly the reason I stopped watching after a couple episodes. They portray cops like they’re “angel helpers” and it just reeks of bootlicking bullshit. The main character is Lucifer Morningstar, or the guy who’s main schtick is questioning authority, and yet he’s 5-0’s best friend. It completely destroys the idea behind the show, when the obvious corrupt organization is never taken to task. Atlanta shows cops as they are, this show is just copaganda.

Cloud Atlas

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Tora Tora Tora!

Oh Brother Where Art Thou

Gone with the Wind

yeah, been weightlifting for years, and the only time the BMI chart says I’m “healthy” is when I’m at my absolute shreddiest. Looking like I’m starving myself to shoot a nude scene in a movie. And I hate that. I know that when I’m at that weight, I may look great, but I’m also at my weakest. So I hate that this chart subconsciously bullies me into trying to maintain some ridiculous 9-12% body fat range, when that’s more of a body building competition range.

I mean, I still think that having an operational moon-based spaceport is something we could see in our lifetime.

And as with all things concerning global affairs, it takes time and consistent pressure to overcome the lizard-brain us-vs-them mindsets that is inherent to our human political sphere. We’ve already grown to the point that we could take care of everyone on the planet, shuffling off the shackles of a scarcity-based economy which so severely hindered global human advancement in the past. I can only imagine what the combined efforts of the American, European, and Chinese economies/governments could accomplish if they put aside their differences, and embraced a true lasting partnership.

Also the website you gave is so incredibly interesting, I need to look at it more before I can appropriately sing its praises

Ounce of prevention worth a pound of not being subjected to an endless stream of racist hate-filled trolls!

Woohoo!

So not only does putin get a big fat L, but the EU continues to grow! I believe from the EU and NATO partnerships, we will someday see 1 global, unifying government that will formalize conflict resolution, leading to a lasting and sustained peace on Earth. And what does global peace mean? It means a massive increase in standard of living for all, as well as expansion into SPACE! When we can unify as one people, only then can we truly embark on the journey Star Trek promised us.

I just wonder what our flag will look like.

But staying in the present, way to go Moldova. As a terrified American, it does me good to see favorable election results.

Great list of websites to never visit 👍

I get enough hate-speech during on-line video games. By not using any of those apps, I successfully save myself from multitudes more, while also foregoing any potentially addictive status-seeking site-based-compulsions. I used to play Clash of Clans on my phone because it was a good way to waste a couple minutes while taking a shit. I quit when I began to play too much. I feel like Facebook, twitter, instagram, they’re all just sites to waste time on. Which begs the question, why waste time on them at all? Why waste time?

I know not every moment can be spent fruitfully, but when something you do to waste a bit of time in between/during mundane tasks becomes something that now demands attention outside of that, then it’s time to stop wasting time on it.

lol, I love it.

C.S. Lewis - “I’m going to make the single most catholic fairy tale ever. This thing will be such catholic, woah, watch out, catholic comin’ out of your ears with this fairy tale.”

The Gays: Smiling, rubbing hands together, menacingly

The single greatest take-away I got from medical school, is that some doctors can be incredibly stupid. They’ll examine you, then step out into the hall and google your symptoms. I wish I was being facetious.

I’m sitting here all comfy/cozy. I’m warm, with a full fridge, and a house all to myself with today and tomorrow off work. The feral pack of kittens I feed is trusting me more and more.