Update for Everyone VIII: He who laughs have the last laugh

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I just ordered a Swiss military surplus wool jacket. Who knows when it will come but I'm hoping it will make this winter LIT.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I woke up several times last night unable to breathe, idk what’s going on. I been so depressed today.

Any possible chance of COVID-19?

I feel fine otherwise so probably not. Just worried about why it seems like my body is forgetting to breathe when I’m asleep.

Could be sleep apnea. You may want to talk to a doctor about that, can be serious.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Found out today I’m descended from Arabs, apparently 🤔

Me and my wife did one of those DNA tests, 23andMe, and I guess my mother, who is a second generation Italian-American, must actually be an Arab. I was expecting to see at least a good amount of Italian but nah only 2% Italian and 10x that amount between Turkish, Syrian, and Egyptian.

The rest was pretty much England and France which yeah sounds about right. Still shocked about the Middle East stuff tho. Some of u guys follow me on the gram u know how pale I am. Wtf.

I’m going to guess that the Arab factor is a mix between Maronite and Coptic Christians. A lot of Syrians, eastern Turks (in fact I’m guessing mixed Anatolian/Kurdish), and a few North Egyptians really could pass as Italian easily.

That's why they are so hot.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Blake Shelton - Honey Bee

Remember when country music was still good?

Your new avatar...

It's Lit.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

There's thinking country music is bad these days, which is valid, and thinking Blake Shelton is somehow an exception, which is very suspect.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Good recent country music:

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Found out my great uncle passed away this morning. I already lost an aunt several months ago. Losing relatives is really hard.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I'm cleaning old photos out of my phone and I stumbled across this gem from my days at the People's Republic of Berkeley:

I'm supportive of LGBT rights but college campuses have changed a lot in 50 years. The discourse went from discussing things like anti-war activism, civil rights, and economic issues, to an almost comically single minded obsession with social justice only, sometimes taken to an extreme focus like in your example (although some are obviously valid like BLM advocacy and mental health awareness.) Since the American college campus is now a business, they can't discuss the economic stuff because they themselves are a major factor in those problems, they can't talk anti-war because of all the ROTC and GI Bill welfare queens and recruiters on their campuses, and focusing on mental health is great until you realize they are CAUSING a lot of mental health problems. I hated college, being able to go to Berkeley or anywhere else in the '50s and '60s would have been a dream.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I'm cleaning old photos out of my phone and I stumbled across this gem from my days at the People's Republic of Berkeley:

I'm supportive of LGBT rights but college campuses have changed a lot in 50 years. The discourse went from discussing things like anti-war activism, civil rights, and economic issues, to an almost comically single minded obsession with social justice only, sometimes taken to an extreme focus like in your example (although some are obviously valid like BLM advocacy and mental health awareness.) Since the American college campus is now a business, they can't discuss the economic stuff because they themselves are a major factor in those problems, they can't talk anti-war because of all the ROTC and GI Bill welfare queens and recruiters on their campuses, and focusing on mental health is great until you realize they are CAUSING a lot of mental health problems. I hated college, being able to go to Berkeley or anywhere else in the '50s and '60s would have been a dream.

Your comments on The Troops^TM aside, are you saying that there is a physical or regulatory prohibition on such, or that it simply violates contemporary campus culture? Colleges have had ROTC and GI Bill attendees since before the protest era, so far as I'm aware.

Yeah but back then it wasn't such a financial commitment. They're now getting tens of thousands of dollars per student in those programs, so they can't do anything that would threaten that revenue stream. Not an official prohibition but a choice that is made. Not to mention that since the early 2000s, any criticism of the military tends to be shouted down.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I hate living with my roommates. They are nice guys for the most part, but they live like college kids even though we are all the same age. Dirty dishes every day, never mopping, random trash left lying around. Not being careful with covid stuff including having parties and going to stores without masks. I'm honestly miserable living there, I have a few months left on the lease and am definitely shopping around for a new place.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I have been reflecting on the conflictedness of my current display name after spending a considerable amount of time in musings about Metallica's One and euthanasia, which you might agree is one of the most stereotypically Battista Minola things ever.

As I noted in the "opinion of the previous poster's display name" thread, the conflicts at its heart are what make it such an intriguing phrase.

As I noted in a "guilty pleasures in music" thread, Metallica's music is supreme but their lyrics are "culture of death" to a fault.

How do you feel about euthanasia in regards to a situation like in the movie? To me, that just sounds like an awful existence.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Two days of the Biden-Harris administration feels like it's pushed what I want to talk about way too the right.  By the end of the Trump administration, I was so over him, and I still think the GOP needs to move on.  But, two days of this administration, and I feel that the political sentiment in my brain has gone from "move past Trump" to "oppose Biden-Harris".

Was really cheering on Governor Lee for this tweet against Kamala:
https://twitter.com/GovBillLee/status/1352691253490675713?s=19

Lol

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I've been fantasizing about moving to Pittsburgh. Does anyone have recommendations on how to find a job in order to relocate?

I know, a dumb question for a forum where the median age is like 19.

PM'ing you

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

That's so awful. Prayers with you and your family.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Does anyone have Scott's contact info to check in on him?

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Got my second pfitzer vaccine dose yesterday! Other than general weakness and some muscle ache, as well as the obvious sore arm, I'm feeling fine right now. Come Monday, I should be pretty safe.

This whole thing has been... A journey.

I'm getting the same on Friday, and have been worried about side effects. I heard the second dose is a real ass-kicker for some people.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

As mentioned today I got the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine today. Now we await the potential side effects. Nothing yet other than a bit of a headache.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Today, March 1st, is the feast of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales - a place I have always been fascinated with. Cymru am byth.

That is awesome. I too have always loved Wales. Ever since I saw the movie "How Green Was My Valley" and studied British history in the Thatcher era.

Edit: I will join in your Welsh tribute.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

Today is my twentieth birthday!
I have mulled plenty over this, which feels like sort of a major milestone to me, and all I can say in the end is that I am feeling very at peace with God right now.

Also, happy π Day (3/14) to everyone.

Gonna have some great pancakes for my birthday tommorow

Happy birthday to both of you!

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

My grandma finally got her first dose of the vaccine today.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I was shooting heroin and reading “The Fountainhead” in the front seat of my privately owned police cruiser when a call came in. I put a quarter in the radio to activate it. It was the chief.

“Bad news, detective. We got a situation.”

“What? Is the mayor trying to ban trans fats again?”

“Worse. Somebody just stole four hundred and forty-seven million dollars’ worth of bitcoins.”

The heroin needle practically fell out of my arm. “What kind of monster would do something like that? Bitcoins are the ultimate currency: virtual, anonymous, stateless. They represent true economic freedom, not subject to arbitrary manipulation by any government. Do we have any leads?”

“Not yet. But mark my words: we’re going to figure out who did this and we’re going to take them down … provided someone pays us a fair market rate to do so.”

“Easy, chief,” I said. “Any rate the market offers is, by definition, fair.”

He laughed. “That’s why you’re the best I got, Lisowski. Now you get out there and find those bitcoins.”

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m on it.”

I put a quarter in the siren. Ten minutes later, I was on the scene. It was a normal office building, strangled on all sides by public sidewalks. I hopped over them and went inside.

“Home Depot™ Presents the Police!®” I said, flashing my badge and my gun and a small picture of Ron Paul. “Nobody move unless you want to!” They didn’t.

“Now, which one of you punks is going to pay me to investigate this crime?” No one spoke up.

“Come on,” I said. “Don’t you all understand that the protection of private property is the foundation of all personal liberty?”

It didn’t seem like they did.

“Seriously, guys. Without a strong economic motivator, I’m just going to stand here and not solve this case. Cash is fine, but I prefer being paid in gold bullion or autographed Penn Jillette posters.”

Nothing. These people were stonewalling me. It almost seemed like they didn’t care that a fortune in computer money invented to buy drugs was missing.

I figured I could wait them out. I lit several cigarettes indoors. A pregnant lady coughed, and I told her that secondhand smoke is a myth. Just then, a man in glasses made a break for it.

“Subway™ Eat Fresh and Freeze, Scumbag!®” I yelled.

Too late. He was already out the front door. I went after him.

“Stop right there!” I yelled as I ran. He was faster than me because I always try to avoid stepping on public sidewalks. Our country needs a private-sidewalk voucher system, but, thanks to the incestuous interplay between our corrupt federal government and the public-sidewalk lobby, it will never happen.

I was losing him. “Listen, I’ll pay you to stop!” I yelled. “What would you consider an appropriate price point for stopping? I’ll offer you a thirteenth of an ounce of gold and a gently worn ‘Bob Barr ‘08’ extra-large long-sleeved men’s T-shirt!”

He turned. In his hand was a revolver that the Constitution said he had every right to own. He fired at me and missed. I pulled my own gun, put a quarter in it, and fired back. The bullet lodged in a U.S.P.S. mailbox less than a foot from his head. I shot the mailbox again, on purpose.

“All right, all right!” the man yelled, throwing down his weapon. “I give up, cop! I confess: I took the bitcoins.”

“Why’d you do it?” I asked, as I slapped a pair of Oikos™ Greek Yogurt Presents Handcuffs® on the guy.

“Because I was afraid.”

“Afraid?”

“Afraid of an economic future free from the pernicious meddling of central bankers,” he said. “I’m a central banker.”

I wanted to coldcock the guy. Years ago, a central banker killed my partner. Instead, I shook my head.

“Let this be a message to all your central-banker friends out on the street,” I said. “No matter how many bitcoins you steal, you’ll never take away the dream of an open society based on the principles of personal and economic freedom.”

He nodded, because he knew I was right. Then he swiped his credit card to pay me for arresting him.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

In the words of Dwight Schrute, it is my birthday.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

After much thought and introspection, I have come to the conclusion that libertarianism is the best and most coherent political philosophy out there.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

I turn 23 today... 

Happy birthday!

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

So we both have Covid. Despite getting a first vaccine. That Delta variant is going to cut through low vax areas of the States like a hot knife through butter.

Get vaccinated. Take precautions. Look after yourself.

Yeah America is going to be up to 1,000 deaths per day again by December, the vast bulk of them unvaccinated.