Clearing out the ol’ earworms on you guys:
Better than the original.
Gotta hurry up and clean some guns/mags and get them packed, along with enough shorts and solar hoodies to last me a week. I’m starting to have a decent mental map of the homogenized corporate suburban hell that is the “name things after stars/constellations” area of Columbus. Not that I’m going to use that for much since I plan to spend my not-on-the-range time sleeping. Unless there’s some sort of “suggestion” that socialization will influence getting my red jersey.
But I will take the time to perform my solemn duty of providing a buffer/comment reset between the links posts.
It’s a good week for love. This particular sign is agnostic on whether it’s with your official partner or someone else.
Thursday is a good day to stay home.
Saturday is lucky. But a different kind of “lucky” than two paragraphs up.
Best practices are to have a band name that is easily chantable.
Lots of Coins cards this week. Money is important.
Gemini: 4 of Cups reversed – Novelty, presage, new instruction, new relations.
Cancer: King of Coins – Valor, realizing intelligence, business and mathematical aptitude.
Leo: 9 of Coins reversed – Roguery, deception, voided project, bad faith.
Virgo: Ace of Coins – Perfect contentment, felicity, ecstasy, cha-ching.
Libra: 2 of Coins – Recreation, games, news and messages in writing, obstacles, agitation, trouble, embroilment.
Scorpio: Wheel of Fortune – Destiny, fortune, success, elevation, luck, felicity.
Sagittarius: 10 of Wands – Oppression, especially following some sort of gain. Also a card of false-seeming, disguise, perfidy.
Capricorn: 10 of Cups reversed – Repose of the false heart, indignation, violence.
Aquarius: Knight of Swords – Skill, bravery, capacity, defense, address, enmity, wrath, war, destruction, opposition, resistance, ruin. Badassery in general, for good or bad.
Pisces: The Empress reversed – Light, truth, the unravelling of involved matters, public rejoicings, vacillation.
Aries: Knight of Coins – Utility, serviceableness, interest, responsibility, rectitude.
Taurus: 9 of Swords – Death, failure, miscarriage, delay, deception, disappointment, despair. But other than that, things are ok.
Leo: 9 of Coins reversed – Roguery, deception, voided project, bad faith.
Like work’s not hard enough
Roguishly deceiving someone in bad faith to kill their project really isn’t that much work, you know/
Something differenter
A man with three buttocks?
A man with a nose on his elbow.
Sagittarius: 10 of Wands – Oppression, especially following some sort of gain. Also a card of false-seeming, disguise, perfidy.
Those whom the gods would destroy, they first taunt mercilessly.
Posted in dead thread by mistake.
Trump has been very bad for the Bitcoins. Shit was just starting to rise again and then he started up this bullshit.
I suspect gas prices will jump.
The price went up here about a half a buck over the last 60 days or so. It was 2.75 all though early spring, now 3.25.
Wow! Maybe even more than having a week of vacation? 😃
“ Cancer: King of Coins – Valor, realizing intelligence, business and mathematical aptitude.”
1+1=69
I guess.
In chinese 69 is Two Can Chew
Spasticus Autisticus will save us
I’ve read that Iran may have purchased 2 bombs from South Korea, and possibly one from Pakistan.
South Korea?
K-pop is da bomb?
The Norks and Pakis? Possible but still unlikely. Both those states would know that they soon be in the crosshairs without a way to respond. Deny it all they want, but nukes have unique chemical “fingerprints” that would quickly identify the source.
Kim is a wild fucker but I doubt he wants to commit suicide indirectly. He don’t give a quarter shit about Israel. If he is going to kill himself with a nuke he at least wants the joy of it being his attack.
Pakistan is a more difficult issue. But they would suffer from the entire world’s revulsion.
The ROK is under the US nuclear umbrella so they have no reason to develop a nuke.
Err, North Korea
I could see N Korea selling for some of that Obama airlift money. Counterfeiting only goes so far.
Don’t underestimate the Norks cybercrime efforts.
Netanyahu had the balls to say he understands America First, but not America dead. Pretending that Iran is an existential threat to us so it’s in our interest to join this bullshit.
Yes, and his duty is to protect Israel, not to adopt a cautious approach to assessing US interests. So I am not sure it’s something objectionable for him to muster arguments in favor of us doing the part of the job his forces can’t. Iran is, and has been, a threat. The fact that they are not an existential threat is certainly relevant, and I tend to agree that we should not get involved, and absolutely agree that we should not put a single boot on the ground, but pretending Iran isn’t a threat to us at all goes beyond reality. The only existential threats to us are internal, so every international conflict will fail the existential threat test. Iran doesn’t hate us more today than they did yesterday. They maxed that out a long time back.
I was in Iraq when they were giving the insurgency weapons to penetrate the armor of MRAP’s. So I’m well aware they are not a non-threat. I’m also well aware that our leadership turned a blind-eye to that for the better part of two decades and that our attack has nothing to do with that.
Iran is now a far larger threat to us today than they were yesterday.Has nothing to do with subjective notions like hatred. They now have to respond, have to try and make this painful for us back in return.
As I said last night, Israel is doing what’s in their best interests. What’s in their best interest is diametrically opposed to what’s in ours with regards to this. Yet we did it anyway. I don’t think our leadership is so concerned with some moral imperative to protect Israel.
Their outside control over our political class, regardless of the cause or reason, needs to end.
And if the Iranian regime falls, it will lead to boots on the ground. Or you will have a genuine threat to us and our homeland via terrorism and refugees flooding into Europe at numbers that make what we’ve seen so far look like a splash compared to a tidal wave.
Bro, you asked earlier if someone could give one reason why the US government isn’t in Israel’s pocket. I’ll give you one. We can disagree on if it’s correct, but I’d say it’s a reasonable alternative to Epstein and Jews as pulling strings.
It’s the same reason as Ukraine and putting boots on the ground in Afghanistan. Individuals inside and connected with our government are made extremely wealthy by keeping nations either at war or constantly ready for war. Supporting Israel doesn’t have to involve a deep seated conspiracy theory involving honeypots and blackmail. Dollars are simple enough. And it puts Israel as a client state, like so many others (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc), not the master.
Just like with Ukraine, the MIC makes a shit ton of money from US taxpayers giving Israel weapons. Unlike Ukraine, the MIC also makes a shit ton of money selling Israel weapons. It’s double-dipping and only made possible by keeping Israel in constant state of war with its neighbors.
Israel could quickly turn Iran into ash. The notion they need our help to beat Iran with gloves off is absurd. Russia could easily turn Ukraine into an uninhabited wasteland. We could’ve done the same in Iraq or Afghanistan or North Korea or Vietnam…. Japan surrendered quickly enough without boots on the mainland. There’s no money in destroying your opponent though. It’s profit from continuous low-grade warfare that’s the point… made possible by all of these ridiculous rules of engagement that are designed to prevent actual victories and instead draw out conflict. The US has kept the muzzle on Israel intentionally to keep the Middle East a hornet’s nest because it’s good business. It’s that simple.
It’s certainly more plausible and in-line with my own views of our political class. I’m not buying arguments about religious zealotry (Ted Cruz’s nonsense) or cultural ties.
I am willing to discuss these things as long as I’m not being accused of being an anti-Semite for daring to question whether Israel and our own interests actually align here.
I would still add that this explanation is rather open ended and has holes still. Like we would Trump resist getting involved more deeply in Syria, why pull out of Afghanistan or plan to etc. There’s obviously some limit to the MIC’s control over our foreign policy.
Regardless, I’ll stick to saying that Trump has become a tool of the deep state he claimed to be fighting. He basically feeds the machine he was supposed to oppose.
for daring to question whether Israel and our own interests actually align here.
OBE can speak for himself, but something tells me his response would be that that’s not what you were really saying.
OBE waffled on what he was actually trying to say talking out of both sides of his mouth and refused to even engage with the highly suspicious connections Epstein had.
Guy went from being a disgraced former teacher who was fired for sleeping with his students to become the right hand man and money manager for a guy with deep ties to Israel overnight. And people who knew him did not praise his business savy or knowledge of financial affairs.
People here have been sympathetic to Trump. I’ve been accused of being too pro-Israel, too pro-Trump etc. I’m calling a spade and spade. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
If that makes me an anti-Semite, I guess sign me up. I believe Israeli intelligence is very good at what they do.
No one here is anti-Semitic. I like to think of most of us, myself included, as misanthropes. I can only think of one poster one was blatantly anti-Semitic, and he left or was ejected several years ago.
The B2 strike is powerful promotional message for American military goods. Even if we’re not selling bunker busters and B-2 bombers to other countries, showing that apex equipment that no other country can manage speaks volumes to the rest of our goods. It also painted a stark contrast about the capability of our main arms competitors, Russia and China, and their client state Iran. I’m not saying the strike was carried out to sell more arms, but it’s a damn effective promotion.
That’s not in the American citizens’ interests. And us selling more military equipment to other nations isn’t in Israel’s interest either (although the strike itself was). There are more than two interests playing out here… it’s not binary with only America and Israel. Need to at least add the MIC as a 3rd interest.
I wouldn’t deny anything you’re saying there.
But entertain for a moment that Epstein was an Israeli asset even if you don’t agree. What would the real world consequences of such an operation be if not something like this?
No one is ever really connecting that dot. What is Israel’s goal of such an operation, assuming for a moment it was theirs, if NOT to own powerful and influential men and to get them to do their bidding?
I’m concerned about the Iranian’s Women Bobsledding Team not having a place to train. I might be able to find them a place to stay, if they don’t mind the sleeping arrangements.
I don’t know enough about Epstein to form any kind of knowledgeable opinion about his being an Israeli agent. Even assuming its true, I don’t see the benefit-risk trade off of playing a card like this in this case, since bombing Iran already aligns with the interests of the MIC. It’s a convoluted angle and unnecessary motivation. Unless if the theory is that Israel (and their Epstein blackmail) is also behind the massive funds transfer going to Ukraine.
I think a number of our politicians have developed economic “ties” to Ukraine. I think the money being spent is funneled back to them (MIC being one conduit for that money). I think it has less to do with any MIC though I can’t discount what you’re saying. There’s money to be made for everyone to include the defense contractors.
Trump broke precedent on Israel in a number of ways even in his first term. In ways that are tough to explain unless you get conspiratorial. Where’s the money to be made in making Jerusalem the capital of Israel?
I mean other than the fact that it is the historical capital, and the center of their culture and religion? I get a principled opposition to military action; I tend to share it. I get an utter opposition to any nation building games, I absolutely share that.
I think you misunderstood my point. We had historically resisted naming Jerusalem the capital to avoid pissing off the rest of the world. Trump gets in and makes it one of his first acts. Why? It had look been requested by the Israelis and fell on deaf ears.
@Bro: “We had historically resisted naming Jerusalem the capital to avoid pissing off the rest of the world. Trump gets in and makes it one of his first acts. Why?”
Pisses off the Right People? Like making Dems defend a known wife-beater from deportation, making them cry “DUE PROCESS!” as a laser-pointer distraction dust. ‘Why support Iran v Israel?’ seems to be in the same vein.
I don’t really believe this is the ’cause’ or ‘reason,’ but it’s a legit thought-bubble to put in the conversation. The people in Washington decrying the actions are paid to care about such Executive authority. Those, like me, who are angry Trump’s putting our dick into *another* ME never-ending conflict, are correct to be such.
I reckon a private chat w Israel, the benefits to the US currently unseen, was proffered and had.
I gave up trying to figure out Trump’s angle unless somebody has a video of him on Epstein Island. In April they had a big breakthrough in negotiations with Iran and the framework for a deal. The kind of deal Trump would spend the next 3 years bragging about. Instead of hammering out the deal, he started throwing around crazy threats. The “no centrifuges at all” is counter the NPT which Iran has signed and is still in good standing on.
I hear Netanyahu goes to trial on corruption charges as soon as the state of emergency in Israel is over. (Don’t ask me the details) Hard to believe he has that much control over Trump to gin up a war, but other explanations make less sense.
My crackpot theory is at least plausible and I think that makes people uncomfortable.
It’ll be a long time if ever that we get any real evidence of what drove this.
Trickle down economics
The hospital’s regional economic impact is more than $100 million a year, with Medicaid accounting for a major part of that, Martinez said.
Any Medicaid cuts would hit the hospitals hard, but also affect small businesses and their employees. The region is already feeling economic stress from other changes, like recent cuts the Trump administration made to the federal workforce.
The San Luis Valley is home to the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Great San Dunes National Park and other federally-managed lands.
Martinez said recently laid off federal workers are already coming to banks, saying, “‘Can I find a way to get my next two months mortgage payments forgiven? Or can we do an extension? Or I lost my job, what can we do to make sure that I don’t lose my vehicle?'”
Long weepy thumbsucker from NPR(!) about how Medicaid and other federal spending cuts will destroy rural Trumpmerica.
Strangely enough, nearly everyone they talked to has some sort of “public service” job.
The public sector is there to provide the jobs that the free market won’t, duh.
Maybe some federal judge will order Trump to restore Iran’s nuclear research infrastructure and pay punitive damages.
Why not? Because the constitution clearly gives district judges supremacy over the executive branch.
And foreign policy explicitly belongs to some federal judge in Hawaii.
Nah, they’ll reinstall Obama as president instead.
I imagine he and Valerie haz a sad today.
Libertarians would be very excited if they made him go back and get a declaration of war.
I mean, would it matter? Senate would probably give him the authority anyway. The collective wisdom of the Senate is laughable at this stage.
Destiny, fortune, success, elevation, luck, felicity.
I don’t see how this squares with having been summoned for jury duty this week. At least I’ve already been told I don’t have to show up on Monday.
Maybe you’ll get promoted to be the Judge?
I got called up back in March. I made it through the process long enough to learn it was going to be an alleged violation of a no contact order. I was dismissed by lot. (Hawaii gets the potential jury down to 24 then pull names to select the jury and alternates.)
I was a bit disappointed not to have been selected. Based on my prior career I had experience with this type of case and knew that both sides frequently lie. In fact, based on my experience, I will assert that women lie more often about these cases. I thought I would have been a juror with a possibly unique prior experience. Oh well.
I was hoping to have a chance to jury nullify a drug possession charge. Double lack of luck on my part.
You disgusting misogynist! 😉
I’ve been called several times. The first time I was reasonably gung ho about the idea, but I’m a lawyer which means one side or the other will most likely object to me sitting which makes it a waste of time.
I don’t see how this squares with having been summoned for jury duty this week.
Maybe you’ll get a big fat bribe.
I think it’s Tres who wants the fat bribe.
*reads again*
Ohhhhhhh. Bri..Buh. At first I read that as….never mind.
Everybody thinks highly of Israel’s cyber efforts, rightly. However, Iran is skilled in the cyber realm as well. They can cause a great deal of discomfort to real damage to American systems. They have only a few ways to actually cause damage back to the US and cyber is a good means to impose costs without (likely) triggering more bombing. It might be a good idea to have some ready cash around the house and full gas tanks for the next month or so.
I think a full tank of gas is a good idea as Iran may close the Strait of Hormuz and it would take months to reopen it. Hopefully they won’t as it’ll hurt China the most initially.
This. I haven’t heard anyone talking about this.
No one is amenable to the straight or hormuz being closed. That is unacceptable. China’s industry starved of oil? Not gonna happen.
All the Iranians had to do was drill oil, develop agriculture and infrastructure. The place would be heaven on earth. Instead it is ruled by a bunch of red-eyed neolithic savages running a death cult. WTF? Just when I am tempted to have faith in humanity….
Two stories that were briefly in the news before the US entered the war centered on the competing cyber efforts. Iran penetrated Israel’s networks enough that the Israeli civil defense office has started to encourage their citizens to turn off home security cameras, or at least change passwords, because Iran was using the cameras to judge their targeting. Cyber for intel.
The other story was about cyber for destruction. Israeli hackers gained access to the Iranian cyber currency exchange and identified wallets associated with the IRGC. The Israeli are reported to have stolen $90M in various crypto coins and transferred the funds out. Technically impressive. Now comes the genius part and it is right out of the movie “Ocean’s 13.” The stolen funds were transferred to various wallets all over the world that the hackers don’t have access to and the funds are now unrecoverable. Say Jane Roe* has a Bitcoin wallet and after tending her email she checks how the account is doing. It is up $2000. Was it the market or unsolicited deposit from the theft? Who knows? Will the Jane Roe’s of the world go to their law enforcement and confess to having a crypto account and that they would like the $2000 to be transferred back to an internationally recognized terrorist organization? Probably not. Just be quiet is the safest course of action, worldwide.
*Hey FedGov minder, I just made up the crypto account holder’s name at random. Thankyouverymuch.
In a glorious example of “This is something more manufacturers should so – the thread pitch for the adapter plate holes (the two that were threaded) was printed on the adapter plate, so I didn’t have to guess or test. I just needed to find the M4 0.7 screws and pick some of sufficient length to not pop out.
Now I just have to get to the range and zero the optic. There’s enough thread interlocked that I’m no longer worried about the optic popping off.
Comparing the screw that came with the optic to the M4 0.7 screws from the hardware store, there is no way that screw would ever have worked, even if it was long enough – it is too thin a post, the threads were just barely engaged anyway.
https://nypost.com/2025/06/22/lifestyle/uk-bans-dangerous-porn-category-depicting-strangulation/
🇬🇧🤡
Men don’t like playing “strangle me”?
🙄
If Iran ever tests a nuclear weapon, the Israelis will assume any Iranian missile fired at them is armed with one and will respond in kind. Iran can withstand a lot more damage than Israel.
The stuxnet attack didn’t slow down Iran’s nuclear program for long. I suspect the recent strikes will not change the general trend.