Wednesday Night Open Thread

My iPad is all jacked up.

It’s an iPad Pro (the 9.7″ version) and it keeps restarting. So I did a full factory reset. Now, it has a lot less stuff on it, and it still restarts.

That’s an additional problem, because when I’m traveling and away from home, I sometimes only have my iPad with me. However, this time, I brought my MacBook, so I am able to post these silly Open Thread posts.

Now that I’ve posted one, do something for me, would you? Pick a topic to discuss. Heck, pick several. It’s Wednesday Night Open Thread and it’s your turn to discuss whatever is on your mind.

Who wants to start?

Standing on Principle, Obama Walks to Climate Change Conference

“No thanks, we’ll walk” said Obama, eschewing his limo for a 10-mile stroll from the airport to his hotel.

MILAN (AP) – In an inspirational case of walking the walk (in this case, literally), former President Barack Obama arrived on foot to make a speech on climate change at the “Seed & Chips: The Global Food Innovation Summit” in the city of Milan, Italy.

Surrounded by an entourage of Secret Service agents riding solar-powered Vespas, the former leader of the free world’s environmentally-conscious means of transportation raised eyebrows and caused blushes of shame to appear on the cheeks of attendees whose modes of transportation were less respectful of the planet.

“I feel so hypocritical,” sighed famous carbon-criticizing celebrity Leonardo DiCaprio. “I mean, I came into Milan on a private jet and had a 14-car convoy follow me to the convention center. Obviously I’m no Obama.”

While Milanese authorities offered Obama the high level of security befitting a former US President, in a stunning move of dedication to principle – even at the risk of imperiling his own life – Obama turned them down.

“As a matter of course, I told Mr. Obama that we were planning to put out 300 extra officers, plus have a helicopter hovering above his location at all times,” said Milan police chief Benito Gamboni, “but he would not have it. He said, ‘I’m not worth it. Post those men in the woods and by the waters. Protect Mother Earth. She’s more important.’ I’ve never seen a man so dedicated to a cause.”

Although we were able to catch up to Mr. Obama for comment (he’s more of an ambler than a strider) he refused to answer any questions because the microphone we held out for him to speak into ran on electricity.

Random Thoughts: AHCA and Comey

Please stop giving Stephen Colbert or Donald Trump attention.

Chrome, I like that I can mute a tab, but how about sites have to ask for permission before playing sound?

My first experience with Dark Tower was the Marvel comic adaptation which I enjoyed. I then read the first novel and it was terrible.

I don’t know why so many oppose using magical fairy money to pay for the health care everyone wants.

And the argument still is this garbage fire government needs even more control over health care.

I’m glad caring about the poor doesn’t involve anything more than self-righteously arguing how to spend other people’s money.

The left seem completely disinterested in the people in the middle class who were screwed over by Obamacare.

People’s political opinions tell you less about their character than you think.

We’re going back to the dark days of 2009 when poor sick people were summarily executed.
And the hospitals would charge $3,000 per bullet. What was that all about?

An irresponsible bill made by idiots is being replaced by another irresponsible bill made by idiots and I’m too beaten down to care.

Millions are going to die. Maybe around 3 million a year. Probably all unrelated to whatever bill the idiots in Congress passed, though.

Do people honestly think the bill is going to kill millions? Were millions dying pre-ACA? Are there stats to back that up?

If you want people to listen to concerns about ACA being repealed, you have to stop being complete sociopaths about the people harmed by it.
Obama flat out lied to the middle class and then made their insurance worse and more expensive. That was inexcusable.
If you can’t acknowledge that, people are right to dismiss whatever else you say as just more lies made to manipulate people.

The best way Hillary’s PAC could help the Democrats is for it to fund an underground bunker she could hide in and never be heard from again.

With everyone going to 11 about everything, it’s getting impossible to tell the real dumb bad things from the made up dumb bad things.

We need less freaking out and more world-weary head shaking.

You can tell who’s really are worried about the affects of AHCA because they’re not just rallying around talking points.
So no one.

If you like your preexisting condition, you can keep your preexisting condition.

Never watched Mary Poppins since I was a kid. So the premise is those two kids are awful hellions who scare away nannies?
And I’m not sure what Dick Van Dyke is doing, but I am sure it’s problematic.

A good rule of thumb on partisan issues is those who scream the loudest care the least.

Congratulations to Hillary Clinton for being elected president of France.

Well, my six-year-old daughter is very excited for the Wonder Woman movie. I’m not sure it will be appropriate, though.
I mean, this is the same universe as Ben Affleck’s Punisher in a bat costume.

Yes. Finally completed a draft of a novel that’s been “near complete” for years. Next project: the sequel to Superego.
What I completed is my third novel. My second novel should be coming out later this year, so save up those dollars.

I’m excited to get working on a sequel to Superego. People really liked it, but there are a few flaws I’ve seen pointed out in reviews.
A sequel is a chance for me to build on what I’ve learned and hopefully make something even better.
Rico is a dark character, though. I don’t know why I made the main character of my first novel a psychopath. But hey, it was entertaining.

Superego quite popular on Audible. Feel accomplished that someone can listen to 10 1/2 hours of my writing and consider it a good experience.

Want wife to finally watch Blade Runner, but need to prepare her for it. What’s the non-pejorative way of saying it’s kinda slow and boring.

I was not prepared for Blade Runner when I first saw it as a kid. Was expecting some Star Wars sorta fun scifi adventure.
Same thing happened when I saw 2001 as a kid. Did not understand beginning and ending, but the middle part with the killer AI was fun.

Slow doesn’t always mean boring. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly takes it time. Every episode of Better Call Saul is no rush but riveting.

I don’t get all the bad reviews for Iron Fist. Three episodes in, I’m enjoying it so far.

When telling my kids about space travel, I feel like a character from Mad Max talking about “The Beforetimes, in the Long Long Ago…”
“Perhaps your wise grandmother can tell you of when man landed on the moon.”

Despite all the funding and support Trump gave Comey, Hillary is still at large hiding in the woods somewhere.

I know everyone likes to freak out over everything President Trump does, but let’s give the new FBI director, Vladimir Putin, a chance.

  1. Trump does something stupid
  2. Democrats overreact in an idiotic, partisan way so no one takes them seriously
  3. Repeat

Cost effective thing to do is turn entire city of DC into a prison like from Escape from New York but make sure no elected officials escape.

Cartoon of the Day – PR


[Michael P. Ramirez]

If we can get the economy of Puerto Rico in enough of a shambles, and they do become the 51st state, there’s a guaranteed four to six electoral votes (out of a possible 537) for the Democrats.

If you don’t follow my math, PR could get six House seats and two Senators. The six house seats would likely come from Arizona, Missouri, New York, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington, since the number of House members is constant. All states get two Senators, so we’d had 102 Senators.

South Carolina and Texas are GOP locks, while New York and Washington are Democrat locks. Dems would not gain by moving NY or Washington seats, but would by taking South Carolina and Texas seats. Add those corresponding electoral votes, plus the two corresponding electors for the Senators, and you get four to six pickup for the Democrats.

Anyway, that’s down the road. Right now, their economy sucks. A Democrat standard procedure.