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Chavez the Hugo 2020
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AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published.
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Eight Democrats Vote for Cloture on CR Bill, Securing Only Minor Concessions
—Ace
Eight Democrats gave up the ghost and voted to end the filibuster. In case you're not up to speed on how this works, before a vote on the actual merits of a bill can happen, the Senate must vote for "cloture," for the closing of all debate on the bill. This requires 60, not 50, votes, though the vote on the bill itself requires 51 (or 50 plus a VP tie-breaker vote).
Eight Democrats just voted for cloture so that the entire Senate can now vote on the bill itself. The vote was 60-40, with eight Democrats joining the Republicans to end debate, and grandstanding douchebag Rand Paul of course joining the Democrats to show how pure and virtuous he is.
OSZ
@OpenSourceZone
Senate breaks Dem filibuster on to end the government shutdown
Thune did not "cave," as people had worried, to get the cloture vote. Some concessions were made, which I guess you can object to on principle. But the left is going berserk over how little the Democrats got so I guess by negative inference we can say that Thune "won," mostly.
This is what capitulation looks like, and the left knows it.
The deal is simple. Schumer's caucus agreed to advance a package of spending bills that will reopen the government and extend funding through January.
That's it.
No sweeping policy concessions, no big wins tucked into the fine print, no "historic framework" or "moral victory." Just a basic continuing resolution, dressed up with some boilerplate back pay for furloughed workers and funding for food assistance through next fall. In other words, exactly what Republicans had put on the table before the Democrats decided to make a scene.
This shutdown began because Schumer thought he could strongarm the GOP into extending Obamacare subsidies that were set to expire and repealing Medicaid reforms that closed a loophole handing out free healthcare to illegal immigrants. President Trump and Republican leaders had already said they planned to address those subsidies separately, aiming to rein them in and curb abuse. But Schumer wanted drama. He shut down the government over it, thinking Republicans would blink.
They didn't.
Although there is nothing being added to the CR itself that can be called a concession to Democrats, Thune and the Republicans did make some minor promises about what they'll grant the Democrats in exchange for a cloture vote:
OSZ
@OpenSourceZone
Proposed Government Funding Bill To End The Government Shutdown:
🔴 Fund the government through January 31
🔴 Promise to vote on ACA subsidies in December
🔴 Reverse the mass layoffs of federal workers (RIFs) since Oct. 1
🔴 Provide full-year funding for Veterans Affairs
🔴 Provide full-year funding for SNAP
On the last two, I don't know what's being given up here. This is my guess: Democrats want SNAP and Veterans Affairs funded now for a full year so if they shut the government down again, they will not have to worry about their EBT army shrieking about "starving." As far as Veterans Affairs -- I dunno, Democrats don't really care about veterans.
On YouTube, Dr. Steve Turley says that that guarantee of a restoration of the jobs Trump cut during the shutdown isn't as big a concession as it seems. He says that while Republicans agree to restore those positions...
1, it does not require Trump to re-hire the people fired from those positions. He can hire other people. MAGA people.
2, it doesn't actually even require Trump to hire anyone. The Republicans agree that these positions will be restored, but there's no promise those positions will be filled.
Is that accurate? Not sure. I heard it from a guy on a webcam.
The last concession is that Republicans agree to a vote on the endless "emergency covid" Obamacare subsidies. I think this means they agree they will not demand a 60-vote threshold for cloture, but they guarantee a vote on the merits. Republicans have 53 votes and I'm almost certain that the Democrat in RINO clothing Lisa Murkoswski will vote for these supposedly temporary emergency covid subsidies, and so will the liberal "Republican" Bill Cassidy in Lousiana. I can imagine another couple of votes coming from the likes of Susan Collins and Tom Tillis (who still plagues us as he's not out of the Senate yet).
Democrats would need 51 votes to get these "temporary emergency covid subsidies" extended.
So I do think that's a concession. I do think that is a very real chit we gave the Democrats.
On the other hand, the Democrats were sabotaging the economy to try to win the 2026 midterms and set the stage for a 2028 win so... pick your poison.
After spending weeks insisting the Republicans caused the shutdown, the entire base is enraged that Democrats aren't continuing to cause the shutdown https://t.co/o954TnwOrdpic.twitter.com/rWPgumE2yX
These people aren't "Traitors," mostly -- they're following orders. As Mark Halperin observed, Chuck Schumer's plan was always to pretend that he is still ready to fight the Republicans until the last overweight EBT charity case dies of starvation. But he will end the shutdown by telling his "moderate" purple-state soldiers to stand down and pretend to "stab him in the back." That way he can still say he's a "Democrat Who Fights" in his 2026 primary battle with AOC.
Dick Durbin, for example, is one of the most partisan, nasty, cynical operators there is, but he was asked to vote to end the shutdown because he is retiring and has no fear of a more stridently left-wing challengers.
No big surprise, but nasty progressive nepo baby Matt Yglesias, who shows how "tough" a prog he is by routinely defending lying as a valid political tool, says that the shutdown was a success because it damaged Trump's poll numbers and got Republicans to fight.
This is true. It’s also true that Matt cares more about gaining power than feeding poor black people Democrats turned into their slavish dependents. pic.twitter.com/FzN0gAAMK5
I will write more later about this... if I must. On a personal level, I'm pro-ending-the-shutdown, because this is one of the least compelling things to have to write about. I know that's not a good reason to support ending the shutdown but what I can I say?
How is y'all? Did you have a good weekend?
Mine was a loss. I got very little sleep both nights and just vegged and did nothing productive nor fun for 48 hours.
At my day job, I recently participated in a gathering of 10 employees for the purpose of introducing a new company initiative. As an icebreaker, the moderator asked each person when introducing themselves to name a television series they are currently watching. Four of the ten individuals stated that they don’t watch any TV at all. Of those four, three of them were clearly under-35, possibly in their mid to late 20s (it’s hard for me to guess ages these days) and the other was a lady probably over 55. The moderator gently pressed a little and asked if they watch any shows on their tablets or devices, and all four of them said “no.”
I thought about old memories of how TV was demonized when I was a child in the ‘70s, yet today’s younger generation has somewhat abandoned television.
I also thought about what this portends for Hollywood. I knew that people had generally stopped going to theaters to watch movies like they used to, but I kind of assumed that meant more time was spent in front of the TV, and that there was still strong demand for all the streaming TV shows. Maybe not.
Since I’m talking television today, rather than my normal focus on the climate hoax, woke capital, or burning EVs, here are a few more television-related things that are on my mind…
*****
Missing the Red Netflix Envelope
Does anyone else miss getting movies and TV shoes on a DVD from Netflix? It was great. I would still prefer to watch a movie or TV series this way, rather than streaming.
For one thing, there was never any question about what to watch. There were always two DVDs to choose from representing shows we had previously made a decision to watch.
More importantly, there were no commercials and no buffering. How did we get to the point that I am paying a premium to stream TV shows and movies, but unlike the HBO of my youth, I’m also still having to sit through commercials?
Back to Netflix, my wife and I were “red envelopers” right until the end. That is how we watched the entire Justified series.
Also, there was an abundance of movie titles that could be rented on DVD that were not available for streaming. I believe this was due to licensing reasons, but since Netflix had actually bought the physical DVDs in my queue, those could then be rented out to me. After we had returned our last red envelopes, my wife found out that Netflix wasn’t even requiring them to be returned, since they were just going to be discarded. Had I known that, I would have made sure my last two disks were something special to me, perhaps Jaws, or Animal House, or Live and Let Die.
++ What would your last two Netflix DVDs be if you knew you didn’t have to return them?
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Why I Hated Star Trek and MTV
I hate Star Trek. Actually, I don’t have any actual malice toward the TV show, although I never got into it. But I hate how it ruined outdoor fun and play when I was a kid.
After school, I wanted to play catch, shoot hoops, ride bicycles, maybe get a pickup game of touch football going in the street, whatever. But at 4:30 every afternoon, reruns of Star Trek came on, and my two closest friends would go inside to watch it. They had already seen every episode numerous times, and for the life of me I did not understand why they wanted to re-re-re-re-watch a show for which they knew every line, rather than engage in some outdoor fun and play.
In retrospect, as my circle of closest friends changed around the high school years, I think Star Trek may have been a factor in me moving on from TV-rerun-addicted friends to new friends.
Related, MTV annoyed me the same way in college. Trying to pry some of my friends away from MTV to go out and actually engage in college fun could be exasperating. (“Hang on Buck, just a few more songs.”) As cool as Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More” video might have been, I could not understand watching it for yet another time rather than going to out to a college bar and chatting up some coeds.
If you’re too young to remember, here’s the video I’m referencing.
*****
Do not misunderstand, I watched plenty of TV as a kid. When my wife and I moved for my job about a decade ago, I relocated six weeks before she did, temporarily living in a furnished apartment. The TV was over-the-air, but it included a channel that exclusively showed TV shows from the ‘60s and ‘70s, so I had sit-coms from that era keeping me company in the evening. Having not seen those shows in decades, it was fascinating to realize that the “erudite” shows were not as good as their reputations, but the sit-coms dismissed as trashy at the time were brilliant.
Maude and MASH are unbearably pretentious. Even Barney Miller was not as good as I recalled (although Dietrich made it much better.) The laugh tracks in all of those shows are horribly distracting too.
But Sanford and Son, Three’s Company and The Jeffersons were masterpieces of writing and comedic timing. Redd Foxx, John Ritter and Sherman Hemsley were comic geniuses.
*****
Throckmorton’s First Law of Live Music, If There’s an Upright Bass in the Band, It’s Probably Going to be Good
As corny as “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” might have been, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs were amazing musicians. I’m probably not the only kid who started dabbling in bluegrass at a young age thanks to watching Beverly Hillbillies reruns.
Good morning kids. Well, it certainly appears that the Schumer Shakedown Shutdown Shitshow has come to an end, after 40 days. Essentially Schemer and the Dems got nothing in return for passing what amounts to just another continuing resolution and the hardcore Maoists are blowing a gasket. Cue a very loud sad trombone
Whatever one thinks of polling, even before last Tuesday's horrendous election day results, polls had consistently indicated that Americans were blaming the Democrats for the perceived and in maybe a few instances real pain being felt by the government shutting down. So if their calculus was to use this as a weapon to beat up on Trump and the GOP in the run up to next year's midterms, perhaps Schumer felt it wise to just lick his wounds, fold up the tent and as Democrats always do, pray that the economy tanks and Americans suffer so they can ride that to victory next November and again in 2028 while discrediting the America First economic and political agenda.
This is what capitulation looks like, and the left knows it. The deal is simple. Schumer’s caucus agreed to advance a package of spending bills that will reopen the government and extend funding through January.
That’s it.
No sweeping policy concessions, no big wins tucked into the fine print, no “historic framework” or “moral victory.” Just a basic continuing resolution, dressed up with some boilerplate back pay for furloughed workers and funding for food assistance through next fall. In other words, exactly what Republicans had put on the table before the Democrats decided to make a scene.
This shutdown began because Schumer thought he could strongarm the GOP into extending Obamacare subsidies that were set to expire and repealing Medicaid reforms that closed a loophole handing out free healthcare to illegal immigrants. President Trump and Republican leaders had already said they planned to address those subsidies separately, aiming to rein them in and curb abuse. But Schumer wanted drama. He shut down the government over it, thinking Republicans would blink.
They didn’t.
After 40 days of a shutdown over a laundry list of demands, Democrats have nothing to show for it. Their only “win” is a vague promise of a future vote on Obamacare subsidies in December—a meaningless gesture that even they know is dead on arrival.
The current economic indicators, at least those attributable to the 10-month Trump administration, are strong.
Fourth-quarter GDP is estimated to grow between 2.7 and 4 percent, the robust latter figure according to the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank.
Inflation from June to August ranged from 2.7 to 2.9 percent, significantly lower than the 5 percent annual average during Biden’s 2021-2025 term. . .
. . . the recent off-year elections, albeit in blue states like California, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, were decided mostly on perceptions of “affordability,” shorthand for the economy.
When independent voters heard little from Republican candidates about the good economic news or of the sharp contrast from the prior Democratic train wreck, they simply bought the left-wing line that the lack of “affordability” was due to the administration in power—that is, Trump.
Third, most of Trump’s key economic initiatives are long-term and will not be fully realized by the end of 2025 or in early to mid-2026.
That right there is key. The timing of when things will be felt is crucial. No doubt local and national Democrat Pols will do all they can to make their own constituents suffer so they can then blame the President and his party. Of course the media as is their wont and raison d'être will be to broadcast that message 25/8/366 all the way through 2026 and beyond.
[Friday] marked the 108th anniversary since the Bolshevik Revolution, which took place on November 7th, 1917 (October 25th, according to the Julian Calendar). Rarely has a local event produced such a profound global effect as the October Revolution, which ultimately enslaved billions around the world and caused mass murder and famine at an unprecedented rate.. . . Today, over a century later, the results are dismal — over 100 million murdered globally and billions starved and deprived of opportunities for normal lives. What is even more insidious, perhaps, is that the ideology of the October Revolution infected and conquered the education, media, and culture of the self-doubting West.
Also, Yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of the great Northeast blackout that left millions in the region and parts of Canada without power for 13 hours, and which gave rise to the expression, Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?
The lament of then British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Gray at the outset of the First World War comes to mind: "The lamps are going out all over Europe; We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."
It remains to be seen if the miraculous victories of Donald Trump as well as the all too brief life and influence of the late Charlie Kirk are blips on an inevitable trajectory to decline and fall, or are harbingers of a great reawakening of American, Western and Judeo/Christian culture and the advancement of civilization and humanity.
ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY LINKS
Victor Davis Hanson: Trump’s first-year economy is surging, but the race ahead hinges on perception, messaging, and whether voters see the boom before the 2026 midterms. The Race for the Trump Economy
Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (R) called him “Comrade Zohran,” and predicts he’ll be little more than a “radical DSA puppet,” saying, “It was always obvious that he would carry the will of the most radical among us to the highest seat of power in our city. Now we will see what happens when the insane run the asylum.” What The Democratic Socialists Are Demanding From Mamdani Is Truly Terrifying
The unapologetic commie preparing to take over New York City showed his hand by praising one of the early 20th century’s most energetic fellow travelers. (The communism is horrid enough. It's the Islam that scares me shitless- jjs) Zohran Mamdani and the Ghost of Eugene Debs
Roger Kimball: The Heritage Foundation’s Halloween fiasco revealed less about antisemitism on the right than about the establishment’s renewed war on Trump’s populist movement. The Heritage Foundation’s Meltdown
The shooting occurred near 26th Street and Kedzie Avenue when an unknown male in a black Jeep fired shots at federal agents before fleeing the scene, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Others at the scene threw a paint can and bricks at Border Patrol vehicles. Man Allegedly Fires At Border Patrol Agents In Chicago
Carlos Zapata Rivera, an illegal migrant from Ecuador, refused any medical help and displayed “absolutely zero” signs of medical concerns just moments after appearing to suffer a seizure, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Administration officials released the response after viral footage appeared to show him convulsing in his car on Thursday while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents tried to arrest his wife during a targeted operation in Massachusetts. (RELATED: Investigation Finds Judge Was Aloof About Plan Allowing Illegal To Escape ICE Arrest) DHS Says Man In Viral Video Faked Seizure To Delay Deportation Of Wife Who Stabbed Coworkers
The group of Democrats argued their party should withhold their votes until Republicans agree to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies. (RELATED: Thune Warns Democrats Against Seizing On Election Results To Keep Shutdown Going) Hakeem Jeffries, Progressive Dems Rage Against Deal To End Shutdown
What is not working right now is the mountain of government programs and regulations and left-wing conceits that are piled high on capitalism like spices from India on an overloaded camel. Whaddya Mean: Capitalism is not Working?
Corporations don’t pay taxes, and they never will. That’s the big secret leftists don’t want you to know. The Illusion of the Corporate Tax
Trump shared an image on Truth Social comparing himself to Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose administration created the 30-year mortgage during the Great Depression. The president campaigned on making housing affordable for younger Americans but faces challenges as prices continue climbing. Trump Admin Confirms Plans To Introduce 50-Year Mortgage Terms For Homebuyers
A pair of highway truck crashes, caused by Indian nationals who entered the country unlawfully, sparked national outrage over trucking regulations and prompted the Trump administration to issue sweeping restrictions on commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for illegal migrants. Trucking experts point to a combination of mass illegal immigration and lax vetting procedures as the recipe that not only attracted unqualified migrant truckers, but also a significant uptick in freight thefts. Trucker Theft Rings Stealing Millions As Industry Reels From Horrific Crashes
WE-ALL-SLAM-FOR-I-SLAM
Thad McCotter: Terrorism is a crime, not a creed—and confusing faith with fanaticism only empowers evil while eroding the freedoms that define America. Sorry Thad, you are wrong and you first paragraph is a doozy of cluelessness of Islam! - jjs Terrorism Is a Political Act, Not a Religious Act
PBS’ newest Frontline documentary, “The Rise of Germany's New Right” concerns the rise of the AfD in Germany (Alternative for Germany) party and it’s supposed links to Nazism and Putin's Russia. Germany’s migrant problem surged after 2015, when former Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the borders to people fleeing the Syrian war. Over three million refugees and asylum seekers have entered Germany since, some bringing Islamic-style terrorism with them and causing understandable backlash toward the open-border policy. PBS Frontline's Latest Hit Piece Against Opposition to Violent Refugees in Germany
Brussels’ climate policy a poverty engine -- one that is systematically draining Europe’s industrial base in global competition. The Climate Cult Fails Europe
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) issued a vital water permit for the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline Friday, in a reversal from its previous rejections, according to NYSDEC. The project has been hotly contested by some Congressional New York Democrats, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and others urging Hochul to consider the environmental impacts of the pipeline on Oct. 15. New York Finally Advances Trump Endorsed Pipeline Despite Democrats’ Enviro Pleas
Though some locals raged against the prospect of a data center in Devlin Tech Park for years, Stanley Martin Homes LLC reportedly sold the land to Amazon Data Services on Oct. 31, according to the Washington Business Journal. After a judge ruled that the land bordering neighborhoods and schools could be used for data center proliferation, locals raised concerns over how another energy-hungry data center may spike their utility bills, according to multiple local reports. Big Tech Reportedly Gobbles Up Land For Massive Data Center In Suburbs
As more employers consider creating company microschools to support their workers’ families, some clear, simple federal measures can help. Microschools: A New Education Option
The American Federation of Teachers president’s new book is less a defense of public education than a testimonial for her union’s interests. Randi Weingarten’s Revisionist Narrative
The lawsuit seeks $350 million in damages and accuses Planned Parenthood of misleading women and violating RICO statutes. (Now do the Democrat Nat'l Committee - jjs) Florida Sues Planned Parenthood, Invoking Mafia Law.
THE 2020 and SUBSEQUENT ELECTION HEISTS , SHENANIGANS/FRAUD and AFTERMATH
DEMOCRAT/LEFTIST AND RINO SCANDALS, MESHUGAS, CHUTZPOCRISY
You’ve never heard of Joe Tache, but chances are that over the next year, you will hear a little more about him for all the wrong reasons. Although the 30-year-old Northeastern University graduate is running for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts to unseat incumbent Democrat Ed Markey, we surprisingly know very little about him at this stage. Fed-Up Normies on X Ratio Socialist Senate Candidate Over ‘Pharmacy Desert’ Claim
Frey spoke for nearly a minute in Somali to a crowd of supporters, thanking them repeatedly in their native language before switching to English. Video of the speech circulated widely on social media, drawing sharp criticism from conservative commentators. (maybe if he chewed off his clitoris they'd have given him a standing O - jjs) Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Blasted On Social Media For Victory Speech In Somali After Winning Third Term
Malig-Nancy Pelosi may be leaving Congress, but her brand of progressive power politics isn’t—her era is not ending, it’s only just beginning. The Pelosi Era
Clarice Feldman:"Think tanks" work on engaging voters to vote for their candidates and you’re paying for a lot of their work undermining your candidates’ chances of victory. 'Think' Tanks vs. Doers
Eric Trump’s Under Siege offers a rare, heartfelt inside look at the Trump family’s unity, resilience, and determination in their battle to defend America’s future. Front Line View in the Fight Against Nasty Politics
When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, facing $6 milk and $1,000 rent hikes, peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is irrelevant. Trump Is a Macro President in a Micro World
Speaking to a packed crowd at East River 9 Golf Course in Houston, Abbott unveiled a bold agenda focused on property tax relief, border security, and economic freedom. “Texas is the blueprint for America’s future,” Abbott declared, touting the state’s top rankings in job creation, business development, and innovation. “Since I’ve been your Governor, Texas is number one for new jobs, number one for the best state for doing business, number one for business relocations and expansions, and number one for electrical generation.” Abbott Declares War on Texas Property Taxes, Border Chaos, and Woke Left in Fiery 2026 Re-Election Campaign Launch
ISRAEL vs IRAN & GAZA/HAMAS . . . AND LEFTISTS
The plot first came to light on Friday, when Israel’s Embassy in Mexico released a short statement thanking Mexican authorities for helping foil an assassination plot by Iran against its ambassador, Einat Kranz Neiger. The statement did not reveal details of the plot, nor did it mention whether any arrests or operations had taken place. Israel noted that Iran has been behind prior plots, including one against the Israeli Embassy in Argentina in 1992, where they killed 29 people and injured 242 others. A second attack took place two years later in that country at a Jewish community building where Iranian terrorists killed 85 victims. Israel: Mexico Stopped Iranian Assassination Plot Against Its Ambassador
ByHeart Inc. has begun recalling two lots of the company’s Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Saturday. Thirteen infants were hospitalized after drinking formula from lots 206VABP/251261P2 and 206VABP/251131P2, CBS News reported. The incidents happened in Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. Baby Formula Recalled After Reports of Infant Botulism in Nearly a Dozen States
In what might be described as a Canadian mini-Waco, a long-stewing confrontation between the intergenerational owners of a small ostrich farm in British Columbia and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has come to an ignominious end. Health Officials Gun Down Hundreds of Ostriches on Family Farm For Bird Flu
ALSO: The Morning Report cross-posts at CutJibNewsletter.com usually within an hour or so of posting here, if you want to continue the conversation all day.
It says it contains a copy of the long-lost fourth edition of Unix, but since the tape is more than fifty years old, it's been shipped off to the Computer History Museum for expert restoration before anyone tries to check its actual contents.
Song is the extended edition of Lindsay Buckingham's Holiday Road, which he wrote at Harold Ramis' request for National Lampoon's Vacation. Since there's no original music video for the extended edition, this one is taken from clips of Vacation and the second sequel, Vegas Vacation.
Disclaimer: Sorry folks, comments are closed. The moose out front shoulda told ya.
BREAKING: A deal has been struck to reopen the government, with a test vote expected imminently. Republicans have agreed to provide back pay to federal employees and reverse White House firings of federal workers (RIFs) dating back to October 1st.
This is a developing situation. If you see anything relevant, please share it in the comments.
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Socialism for Dummies
Simple explanation
This video should be a huge wake up call for young people that are all gung-ho about Socialism but will the message actually sink in? pic.twitter.com/NW8yWeLZYF
It was said that all roads lead to Rome, but from where do all the roads to Rome lead?
Using a mountain of data, a team of two dozen scientists have created a digital road atlas of the Roman imperial world, complete with many features you’d recognize from Google Maps.
Called Itiner-e, it displays the roads that would have been found throughout the Roman Empire around the year 150 CE. It’s the most expansive research project on the topic to date, and increases the estimated length of the empire’s road system by over 60,000 miles.
At its height in the second century CE, the Roman Empire included over 55 million people and stretched as far north as modern day Britain to as far south as Morocco, eastward to the Syrian deserts, and, turning towards Europe, included all of Turkey, northeastern Bulgaria, and the Danube. It was carved up and maintained by a network of stone/gravel/sand highways stretching 117,162 miles.
But the total extent of the Roman interstate system had remained incompletely mapped and existing digitizations were low resolution. Seeking to improve on them, a vast international and interdisciplinary team of scientists from across Europe created Itiner-e using archaeological and historical records, topographic maps, and satellite imagery.
Check out the whole thing. Video segment at the link.
It's that time of the week - when we turn the ONT over to our good friend Piper for a bit. Here's this week's fashion pr0n.
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Why Your Grandma’s Closet Is the Hottest Runway Right Now: The Maximalist Grandmother Trend Is Here to Stay
Listen up, darlings—minimalism is officially on hospice care, and the new queen of style is your 85-year-old nonna (or mother) who never met a brooch she didn’t pin somewhere outrageous. Welcome to the Maximalist Grandmother Trend, a deliciously chaotic movement that’s taking over Paris runways. Think: clashing florals, pearls the size of gumballs, velvet everything, and enough vintage charm to make Marie Antoinette jealous.
What Exactly Is “Maximalist Grandma”?
It’s “eclectic grandpa” brighter, wiser, and twice as extra. Where eclectic grandpa gave us oversized cardigans and loafers, maximalist grandma says, “Hold my martini” and layers on the sequins. It’s the aesthetic of a woman who has lived through eight decades of fashion and decided rules are for people who don’t own 47 scarves.
Core elements:
• Clashing prints like it’s personal (leopard + gingham + toile? Yes, all at once)
• Jewelry that enters the room five minutes before you do
• Velvet, brocade, lace, and anything that feels like a hug from 1972
• Handbags that could double as small suitcases
• Shades of merlot, emerald, and mustard that scream “I have stories”
The Runway Said It First
Gucci’s Fall 2025 show literally sent models down the runway in florals with pearls. Dries Van Noten layered baroque tapestry everywhere. Even Miu Miu— the patron saint of quiet luxury—threw in a broached sweater that looked stolen from someone’s bubbe in Boca.
Gucci Fall / Cruise 2025
Dries Van Noten AW 2025
Miu miu AW 2025
But the streets? The streets are where the real magic happens.
How to Nail the Look
1. Start with a statement coat
Find a vintage velvet opera coat or a brocade swing jacket. Bonus points if it has a mink collar (faux is fine, we’re not monsters).
2. Layer like you’re allergic to subtlety
Silk blouse + lace camisole + chunky knit vest + embroidered shawl. If you can still move your arms, you’re doing it wrong.
3. Jewelry rules? There are none.
Mix gold with silver with bakelite with pearls. Wear every ring you own. Earrings should graze your shoulders. Necklaces should reach your navel.
4. The “I found this in a trunk” bag
Think beaded 1940s evening bags, wicker baskets with silk scarves tied on, or structured leather totes covered in pins.
5. Shoes that make you gasp
Kitten heels with rhinestone buckles, mary janes with bows the size of dinner plates, or metallic brogues worn with frilly socks.
6. Makeup = old Hollywood meets vamp
Red lipstick (always), winged liner sharp enough to cut glass, and a beauty mark, why not?
Where to Shop (Because Yes, You Need This Now)
• Etsy “vintage brooch lot” – buy in bulk, never look back
• The RealReal’s “statement coat” filter – set price low to high for maximum chaos
• Your actual grandmother / mother – offer to clean out her attic for “sentimental reasons”
• Thrift stores in Florida – trust me on this one
Maximalist Grandmacore inspiration:
Why We’re Obsessed
In a world of beige cashmere, maximalist grandma is a glorious middle finger to restraint. It’s the fashion equivalent of eating dessert first and talking too loud in restaurants. It’s joy in fabric form. It’s proof that getting older doesn’t mean getting boring.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with a velvet blazer that smells faintly of Chanel No. 5 and decades of fabulously questionable decisions.
Save this post. Your future self (wearing seven brooches and zero regrets) will thank you
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Thanks, Piper -- I think. Actually, I can hear my Mom-Mom from the afterlife saying "Aw, HELL no!"
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DJ Doof - Song Titles Named After Their Artists Edition
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Weekly commenter stats for week of 11-9-2025
AoSHQ Commenter Statistics:
Number of posts: 87
Number of comments: 26006
Number of unique hashes: 2209
Top 10 commenters:
1 [458 comments] 'Its Go Time Donald' [65.05 posts/day]
2 [380 comments] 'toby928(c)'
3 [366 comments] 'Sponge - F*ck Cancer'
4 [356 comments] 'Bulg'
5 [325 comments] 'runner'
6 [324 comments] 'the way I see it'
7 [284 comments] 'm'
8 [274 comments] 'Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon'
9 [271 comments] 'Alberta Oil Peon'
10 [243 comments] 'Boss Moss'
Top 10 sockpuppeteers:
1 [172 names] 'Old Yeller' [24.43 unique names/day]
2 [160 names] 'Cue the solipsism brigade'
3 [77 names] 'J'Quavious'
4 [57 names] 'Count de Monet'
5 [45 names] 'Quarter Twenty '
6 [38 names] 'The Grateful - Acta Non Verba'
7 [38 names] 'It's A Swindle, A Swindle'
8 [32 names] 'Duncanthrax'
9 [30 names] 'toby928(c)'
10 [30 names] 'Moron Analyst'
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Tonight's ONT brought to you by THAT game
Mystery Click is a hint to the ONLY correct answer!
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All rights to tonight's ONT reserved by a shell company with loose ties to the Ace Media Empire. The utmost care for not caring about your feelings went into the creation of tonight's ONT.
Comments or questions? Suggestions for content? Meaningless rants and bloviations? Do the email thing at doof2112 at proton dot me.
Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!
Holy Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be the Second November Edition? The time, she's flying!
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
Does any of this sound familiar? I am running out of ways to politely suggest you focus on fundamentals and practice with a purpose.
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Sig P320 - The Story That Will Not Die
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Steel Target Safety
Probably time for a refresher on steel target safety.
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AK Fiddy?
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Minuteman III
This is pretty spiffy!
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Potato Cultivation and Distribution
Q: Weasel, can we pleeeeze have a presentation on potato cultivation and distribution?
A: OK. Sure.
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Highway Patrol!
This week's episode: The Sniper!
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The Changeling
A slight departure from our usual sci-fi offerings, but seasonally appropriate I reckon. A very good and spoooooky movie!!
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Cigar of the Week
This week our pal Diogenes scores again with this excellent review of El Mysterio Cigaro
Mystery Cigar
The first thing you will note in the picture is the lack of a wrapper and label. This is because the provenance of this cigar is unknown to me. My source was my neighbor, a retired sailor, who received it (along with several others) from another sailor who claimed he picked them up in Costa Rica. He said they were Cubans. So can you really trust a sailor???
Perhaps.
So. I took a couple of these and put them into my humidor and let them rest for a couple of months. From the initial touch, they seemed a bit dry and the humidor lets them rehydrate a bit. I'm glad I did as this turned out to be an excellent cigar, very close to being on par with the likes of the Cohiba or the Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva.
In fact, this cigar was a real treat. A very smooth smoke, easy to clip and light. It had a light draw and the ash burned evenly. The smoke was plentiful, and rich with aroma. Every third was a pleasant discovery. The first third had a bit of bite with cinnamon and light pepper. It mellowed in the second third with a pleasant tobacco taste that didn't burn the tongue as some might do. The aroma was even more powerful here as well. The final third was disappointing in that the cigar ended too soon. It was a rich smooth flavor. Smoking a cigar should be a time to sit back, relax, and just enjoy the blessing of our lives. This one was perfect for that.
I have said in other reviews that a good cigar will improve the whiskey and that a good whiskey will improve the cigar. This stick was the perfect compliment to each glass I enjoyed with it. (Yes, there were several)
I wish I could pass along a name and price but alas I cannot. Sometimes life throws us a mystery that is meant to be unsolved but not forgotten.
Bigly excellent, Diogenes! Thank you! Maybe a Nicaraguan?
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Local Cigar Roller in Weston, MO.
Late breaking tip from our pal KCSteve
Not a smoker but you asked for some local cigar makers. Weston, MO is a small (formerly) river town near Kansas City. I say formerly because the river moved one year.
They have various little festivals we like to go to and in one of the buildings that used to be a riverside warehouse there's a local cigar maker that *smells* wonderful - the Weson Tobacco Company - Weston Tobacco
I'm betting you have a reader here in the KC area who *does* smoke who can give you a hands-on report on their wares.
Thanks KCSteve! How about it all y'all? Anyone tried this roller? Do they deserve a place among the links below?
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Here are some different online cigar vendors. You will find they not only carry different brands and different lines from those brands, but also varying selections of vitolas (sizes/shapes) of given lines. It's good to have options, especially if you're looking for a specific cigar.
A note about sources. The brick & mortar/online divide exists with cigars, as with guns, and most consumer products, with respect to price. As with guns - since both are "persecuted industries", basically - I make a conscious effort to source at least some of my cigars from my local store(s). It's a small thing, but the brick & mortar segment for both guns and tobacco are precious, and worth supporting where you can. And if you're lucky enough to have a good cigar store/lounge available, they're often a good social event with many dangerous people of the sort who own scary gunz, or read smart military blogs like this one. -rhomboid
Please note the new and improved protonmail account gunthread at protonmail dot com. An informal Gun Thread archive can be found HERE. Future expansion plans are in the works for the site Weasel Gun Thread. If you have a question you would like to ask Gun Thread Staff offline, just send us a note and we'll do our best to answer. If you care to share the story of your favorite firearm, send a picture with your nic and tell us what you sadly lost in the tragic canoe accident. If you would like to remain completely anonymous, just say so. Lurkers are always welcome!
That's it for this week - have you been to the range?
It's that time, when the leaves are falling from the trees, and there is a nip in the air! Well, the leaves are falling, but we haven't had much cold weather yet, so I am going to have to fake it with beef stew in the absence of frost!
One makes due.
But I am baking a sourdough loaf to go with the stew, because here at Chez Dildo we are nothing if not authentic! However, the stew recipe I am using is a bit odd...it calls for orange zest and cloves. And too much of both! I pulled two thirds of the orange out after about 10 minutes, and didn't bother with the cloves, because that's just weird!
It also called for two cups of flour with which to dust the meat. Two cups of flour for three pounds of chuck? That's quite a bit! So I made a roux instead, because it was obvious that the stew wasn't going to be thick enough for the aesthetic pleasure of the season's first robust dish! I also added more potatoes and carrots and pearl onions. And didn't really follow the instructions for cooking.
So...why did I bother with a recipe in the first place?
SNAP and other food-based boondoggles have been in the news lately. At the risk of exposing my ignorance of government programs and their largesse, I had no idea how much SNAP provides, and after doing a bit of research, I retched!
But it also made me think about how to maximize one's food dollar, which many of us do naturally as a consequence of being of a certain age and upbringing.
It really is pretty simple. Fresh foods, the less processed the better. Raw state will almost always be cheaper than even minimally handled stuff. That's why I learned how to butcher a chicken at a very early point in that whole pay-for-your-own-food thing. Stretch foods with beans and rice and other inexpensive stuff, and be generous with fats. They taste good, make us feel full, and are not the health risk that the elite fools in our government have been claiming for 50 years.
One thing that is often overlooked is the use of spices. They are not expensive per serving, and having flavorful and interesting food to look forward to is a huge advantage when one is trying to economize!
Scampydog found these in a hunting shack...in 2001. Sadly, he has not tasted them, although I am hoping that he will on the 25 anniversary of his discovery.
What's the oldest food you have ever eaten? Booze and wine do not count!
I like weirdly colored foods, simply because they are startling on the plate. I think that's why Indian food appeals to me. Of course, in nature, weirdly colored things can often signal danger, which in some respects is exactly what Indian food does!
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It is said that Great Britain and America are two countries separated by a common language. Of course, Jamie Oliver may not speak either version of English, and instead speak some dialect rich in pomposity and obfuscation.
Which would be okay, if the food was tantalizing. But this Chicken & mushroom puff pie is a lot of work, both trying to decipher his blather and also make a relatively complex dish out of something that should be simple.
Yeah...I don't much like ole Jamie. His woke cooking is mostly obnoxious.
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A long-time lurker who has contributed some very interesting stuff in the past sent this link along.
Really, anything that Homesick Texan does is going to be worthwhile. I had a very pleasant email conversation with her many years ago, and I still use her biscuit recipe!
Saved by red beans and rice is just that! Rescued from the catastrophe that is classic roux. But it is a serious recipe with depth of flavor that is difficult to find outside of authentic cooking.
It sounds so ridiculously simple, but a pot of good beans is delicious on its own, and adding meat and rice creates a dish that is simply marvelous.
By the way, Homesick Texan knows how to write recipes. I compare her to that idiot Jamie Oliver, and it is an embarrassing reflection on the silliness that most celebrity chefs have become.
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A friend graciously gave me some genuine grown-in-the-USA garlic, and I am going to taste one clove and plant the rest, because my pathetic failure last year is an anomaly...right?
And...send all of your extra antelope to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.
Who are those poor deluded souls We know who shakes their Manhattans! These are the same people who drink fine bourbon with coke, and probably shake red wine with ice too.
$1,200 for a bottle of bourbon is just stupid, insulting, and a ghastly affront to most people's palates and wallets. I think the sweet spot is $40-$60 for excellent and interesting bottles, and bumping that to $100 gets you an incremental improvement in quality, but nothing mind-blowing. More than that and I think you are paying for hype and rarity, which may look good in your liquor cabinet, but doesn't translate to more quality in the bottle.
The problem...or the solution...is to buy lots of bourbon, take tasting notes, and eventually arrive at your favorites! It should take forty or fifty years, but it is worth it!
I used to have two of them, but one perished in an industrial accident. Well, I knocked it off a banister and it cracked into about 10 pieces, mostly along the repair lines! So my one remaining mug, which is barely 40 years old, must last the rest of my life!
Pathetically, the company doesn't make them any more. How a consumer products company can last without paying attention to their customers is a mystery, but I will persevere...maybe.
Unless the remaining one breaks. Then...I'll be coming for you Waechtersbach!
They Keep Taking Our Money and Ignoring Our Priorities (scampydog)
—Open Blogger
Taxes Not the freshest topic - many justified complainers, nobody shuts up about them, and nearly every politician insists this time it’ll be different. We all know the cycle: Promise big…Collect small, Over report….Deliver little…Blame others…Repeat.
Politicians treat taxes the way linguists treat grammar: obsessively, creatively, and with a hammer of righteous. A new noun appears? They’ll find a way to tax it. A new verb? There’s a fee for that too. The left, in particular, gets excited about conjugating taxes - a new tense, a new bracket, a new license. If it exists in language or life, it exists in their desire to tax it.
Recent tax theater: Courtesy of NYC’s gobemouche voters (thanks for the novel word, CBD) and Sharia fan, Zohran Mamdani, who has proposed the most predictable tax plan. A plan that is apparently loved by young, female voters.
• Raise city income tax by 2% for those earning over $1M
• Raise corporate tax from 6.5% to 11.5% (a barely noticeable 77% hike). Incidentally, matches the Garden State's rate. What a cuck.
Florida and Texas, close your borders or ready your welcome committee. Better yet, hire the best honey badger gatekeeper that money can buy.
Pollyanna-style, the Zohran plan calls for $9B a year in fancy new tax revenue. Quick, rhetorical question: Has any tax hike delivered what it promised (besides kickbacks and insider stock tips)? Taxes are Kickstarter campaigns: generation of excitement of the easily impressionable around an oblique idea with clouded intentions and delivery problems.
However, a study from Columbia Business School estimates that if corporate taxes and high-earner surcharges lead to accelerated relocations, the city could see up to $50 billion in lost GDP and between 150,000 and 200,000 finance-related jobs disappear over several years. And should investor confidence falter, rating agencies such as Moody’s and S&P could reevaluate the city’s municipal bond rating, raising the cost of public borrowing. This would complicate Mamdani’s ability to fund new housing and infrastructure—a tension his administration will need to manage carefully.
If this passes, which requires the NY legislature and Governor Hochul’s signature (she’s up for re-election in 2026), high earners and corporations definitely won’t flee… Scout’s honor.
Minnesota: Hotdish of Hidden Taxes
Let’s hit some flyover country and hidden/invisible taxes. Minnesota delivers the waste stream hotdish. Solid waste taxes rise with a Minnesota Nice smile and style. “We are encouraging environmental stewardship.” Translation: We found a new noun – garbage - and we are taxing it.
The Minnesota trash/waste plan offers a better return than ESPN’s extortion model to streaming services and cable providers. Quick side bar. ESPN is charging Next TV $9.42 per subscriber. ESPN/Disney/Groomerville.
Case study: Kandiyohi County built a shiny new transfer station, overspent, and now requires unrealistic volumes at predatory rates to be landfilled there - logistics be damned. Tip: the economics don’t favor haulers or the public. The result? A subtle mace to the face disguised as local planning. Reminds someone of Silver State Disposal back in the 90’s. Only hauler in the greater Las Vegas area. And they were not shy about wielding their power.
Not all landfills are created equal. In Minnesota, cardboard is classified as MSW (municipal solid waste – household garbage) vs. C/D (construction and demolition) waste. C/D landfills need to separate and transfer if it ends up at their facility – generally speaking their permits do not allow for landfilling. There is no market to recycle cardboard or plastic (whether “high value” PET or HDPE). Currently both are net losers. More accurately, the cost of processing exceeds the price to sell. What is the county solution? Raise the invisible taxes and force behavioral patterns they want.
Take a gander at this flairless spreadsheet snip.
Colorado: Tax Yourself
Heading west, Colorado voters recently approved new taxes for themselves – ignoring the millions spent around telling them not to. One cannot underestimate the power of wine box AWFL’s and stupid. Like watching someone argue in their mirror. Coloradans: Government wastes my money. Take more! We don’t trust government, let’s give them more money to prove it.
Colorado lever pullers just voted their approval on Proposition MM and LL. Both of which are for the “free school meals” program. Households earning over $300k got themselves a tax increase (via less state income tax reductions / write offs).
The Rest of the West
• California: In the rarest moment, California did not have any statewide ballot measure around taxes in the 2025 election. We are shocked, Californians. Do better.
• Oregon and Washington… hold my Bacardi. Oregon has a few items winding their way through the process. House Bill 2025 would increase fuel tax, vehicle fees, EV fees, and transit payroll tax (transit payroll tax...read that again). Portland being Portland wants to raise property taxes from $0.80 to $1.40 per $1,000 assessed value - a shy, barely noticeable 75% jump.
• Washington passed a fuel tax increase of 6 cents per gallon – a smooth 12%. Going from 49.4 cents to 55.4 cents. Per gallon. Bonus (There is always a bonus with blue states). They pegged a 2% annual increase onto it. Geometrically, this math is not a friend.
Proposed Taxes
Probably giving them ideas, but let’s close the rant with a bit of silly and fun.
Sunday Morning Book Thread - 11-09-2025 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]
—Open Blogger
Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading (shut it all down!). Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...(Jolly Green Giant was unavailable for comment.)
So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?
This is an image of the "Jacobean Traveling Library" which dates back to 1617. I suppose it could be the world's first truly portable library, like an analog Kindle. I know it might have come in handy when I traveled quite a bit in the days before we could all carry a huge library of books on the smartphones in our pockets. I usually take several physical books with me when I travel in addition to the books I have on the Kindle app. I just prefer paper.
AI WRITING IS TAKING OVER
Jared points out in the video above that AI is writing fake books for people who want to cash in on the success of others. Nowadays, it's trivial to create massive numbers of fake books based on successful books and then attempt to fool their audience into thinking the audience is purchasing the genuine article. It is a form of fraud if the purchaser is not paying close attention to their purchases. During the fire on Maui a couple of years ago, I once found a book that was written just DAYS after the fire the purported to tell the "real story" behind the fire. No one could possibly know the real story after that short period of time. The same "author" wrote numerous "biographies" about famous people. These books were being churned out in just weeks. Looking further into the matter, naturally all of these books were getting 5-star reviews, almost certainly generated by AI as well. Previewing the available content revealed that the books were "meh." It was obvious that they were not well-written or edited. The books disappeared off of Amazon after a while, so I'm guessing Amazon or someone removed them. Still, it was an odd situation.
Another problem Jared identifies is that AI writing is starting to infest the legal realm. For instance, he brings up situations where police officers rely on AI-generated reports. I'm sure they are not fun for cops to write them up, but relying on AI to do it for you just seems like a recipe for disaster, especially if they are not checked for accuracy. How many people will be arrested and convicted based on AI-generated police reports?
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AI SLOP AND THE EPIDEMIC OF BAD WRITING
This another instance where AI-generated writing is causing problems. AI-generated writing that's fit to be printed in a magazine? Well, maybe, I suppose, which doesn't say much for the editorial quality of that magazine. The YouTuber above points out that the review uses a ton of academic buzzwords that sound important, but don't mean anything when you try to decipher the meaning of the sentences. Sure, the flow might be nice, and there's parallelism to make it sound good, but again, there's NO SUBSTANCE to the examples he describes. Where is the evidence for their claims?
In academia, students are realizing they can use these tools to pass their classes. I have students in MY class that have used ChatGPT for some of their work. It's pretty obvious when you know what to look for. Again, students using lots of buzzwords without providing any supporting evidence for their claims is one of those signs. I also have had students who provided sources that didn't exist (I check their sources). Some students just try to coast by in my class because they do not see the relevance or importance that writing/communication will have in their career. Their loss, I suppose, when they find themselves passed over for promotions and bonuses because the quality of their writing sucks.
MORON RECOMMENDATIONS
Just began reading Michael Connelly's new one, Nightshade, and it's not a Bosch, not a Ballard, and I am liking it.
Opens at dawn on Catalina island, the detective-deputy in charge of things is in his Deere Gator, awaiting the judge who motors in on his sailboat, emerging from the fog. Regular weekly trip to deal with routine matters.
After a bit of ordinary things happen, it's still morning, and someone reports a sunken corpse under the mooring line of a Venezuelan sailing yacht. It's a woman.
Thus begins the mystery.
Connelly doing Bosch bores me, but this new character might prove interesting.
Posted by: M. Gaga at November 02, 2025 10:12 AM (zeLd4)
Comment: I read one of Connelly's Bosch novels and wasn't too impressed. It was very much a police procedural with heavy emphasis on "procedure" as we followed Bosch through all of the grueling detective work he had to go through to solve a cold case. Just didn't find it too interesting and by the end I didn't much care what happened to the criminal.
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For readers who like slam-bang, action-oriented fantasy fiction, I can't recommend too highly Farmer's World of Tiers series - or at least the first five, from "The Maker of Universes" through "The Lavalite World". The series' premise is that there was a race of super-scientists, who called themselves "the Lords", and whose technology permits them to create pocket-universes, each with its own laws of physics and biology. Over time, the Lords degenerated from scientific creators to solipsistic consumers; their ability to create or even maintain their technology has faded away, leaving them to fight over the devices that remain. Into this world, Farmer injects an Earthman from a farm in Indiana, and the fun begins.
Highly recommended. Enjoy!
Posted by: Nemo at November 02, 2025 10:18 AM (4RPgu)
Comment: I've had the Science Fiction Book Club editions of these books sitting on my shelves for years, if not decades. Just never got around to reading them. I'm not even sure where I got them though if I had to guess it was at a used book store or a library book sale. The dust jackets are a little bit torn but the books themselves are in excellent condition.
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I started reading the L. Sprague de Camp-edited collection The Spell of Seven the night before Halloween. Starts off with Fritz Leiber's "Bazaar of the Bizarre", then Clark Ashton Smith's "The Dark Eidolon", Lord Dunsany's "The Hoard of the Gibbelins", de Camp's own "The Hungry Hercynian", and Michael Moorcock's Elric story "Kings in Darkness".
All of them amazing. And I still have a Jack Vance and a Robert E. Howard story to go!
Some of their introductions sound exactly like an amazing old-school D&D adventure blurb. The Virgil Finlay interior illustrations are pretty cool, too.
Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at November 02, 2025 10:23 AM (EXyHK)
Comment: Although people like to lump Dungeons and Dragons in with J.R.R. Tolkien, in truth he had very little to do with inspiring the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. Much of it was inspired by the authors above. In fact, in Appendix N of the Dungeon Master's Guide for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (1st Ed.), Gary Gygax explicitly cites L. Sprague de Camp, Fritz Leiber, Robert E. Howard, Jack Vance, and H. P. Lovecraft as having the most immediate influence on the game.
I discovered a small, independent new/used bookstore not too far from my house. So I popped in there on Friday just to look around. Naturally, I am incapable of walking out of such a store empty-handed:
Warrior of the Altaii by Robert Jordan -- This is what he was working on before he published The Wheel of Time. It has a pretty cool full-color map on the inside cover.
Conan the Magnificent by Robert Jordan -- He wrote and published several Conan adventures before he published The Wheel of Time. I never noticed this before, but the map of these stories bears a close resemblance to the maps of Middle-Earth from Lord of the Rings and the Westlands from The Wheel of Time.
Conan the Defender by Robert Jordan
Conan the Triumphant by Robert Jordan
Conan the Victorious by Robert Jordan
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds -- I've heard good things about his works, I liked the one book of his that I've read so far. He seems to be about on par with Peter F. Hamilton.
WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:
Last week I tried something new, attempting to drag this blog kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century. A few of you seemed to like it, so let's keep doing it!
Dropdown arrows? In the AoSHQ blog??
What kind of sorcery is this?
Posted by: Darrell Harris - Je Suis Charlie at November 02, 2025 11:37 AM (0CU3H)
The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker
Jewel of the Seven Stars is not as famous as Dracula but it's pretty darned good by itself. It starts out as sort of a locked-room mystery when Mr. Trelawney, a renowned Egyptologist is found unconscious in his room, having been attacked by an unknown assailant. The facts seem to exclude the possibility of anyone infiltrating his chambers to perform the deed. Yet it happens again the next night, even while others are in the room. Eventually, the mystery starts to unravel when he details some of his past adventures in a forgotten corner of Egypt, the Valley of the Sorcerer. This is exactly the sort of story that no doubt influenced H. P. Lovecraft a few decades later as it has very much the same feel to some of Lovecraft's stories.
The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker
This novella starts out much slower than Jewel, but it also has a Lovecraftian feel to it, as we find out details about an extended family that has lived in a remote corner of ancient Britain for centuries, preceding even the Roman invasion of Britain. Adam Salton has arrived from Australia to become acquainted with his family and his neighbors, who inhabit the eldritch land. The Lady Aribella seems to have some strange connection to the odd events throughout the story, though her role is never made explicitly clear. Another story that no doubt inspired H. P. Lovecraft.
Dracula's Guest and Other Stories by Bram Stoker
In addition to writing novels and novellas, Stoker also wrote quite a few horror short stories. They can be quite grim in the end, so reader beware! They are still quite good, though, often featuring a karmic twist of some sort. "Dracula's Guest" features a protagonist who becomes lost in the woods, and nearly dies, but he's rescued in the nick of time...because Dracula was watching and wanted to keep this particular mortal safe from harm.
A few of the stories are pretty disturbing, especially "The Dualitists; or, the Death-Doom of the Double-Born." Reader be warned...
Von Bek by Michael Moorcock
This is an omnibus edition of four of Michael Moorcock's novels that concern Captain Graf Ulrich von Bek, a German mercenary from 17th century Europe who becomes entangles in a cosmic battle between the forces of Law and Chaos (or Good and Evil). Hmmm...Sounds like a lot of Moorcock's OTHER heroes. Is there a connection? Of course! The Eternal Champion exists in all realities, as a nexus point upon whom the fate of the multiverse hangs.
These books also include a recurring character named "Groot." And yes, he does say, "I am Groot."
Tips, suggestions, recommendations, etc., can all be directed to perfessor -dot- squirrel -at- gmail -dot- com.
Disclaimer: If a dear friend and confidante invites you to participate in an ancient Egyptian ritual to resurrect a mummy, best turn around and walk away in the opposite direction as fast as you can.
The mission - dubbed ESCAPADE - involves two orbiters that will map the magnetic fields and upper atmosphere of the planet, providing data essential to human landings and settlement.
The two orbiters, named Blue and Gold respectively, were built by Rocket Labs and will be operated by the University of California. They will launch on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket - only the second flight for that design.
They'll fly out to the Earth-Sun L2 point around a million miles away to make observations there and say hello to the James Webb telescope, before heading back to Earth for a gravity slingshot this time next year and finally arriving in Mars rendezvous September of 2027.
New Glenn is designed to have a reusable booster and they'll be attempting to land it on a ship at sea, so that will also be fun to watch for.
Nothing groundbreaking, but the new chips will add support for FP16 (16 bit floating point) and VNNI-INT8 (8 bit integer instructions aimed at neural networks) to AVX-512.
AMD introduced AVX-512 support in Zen 4 in 2022 with an implementation that performed 256 bits of calculation per cycle, and then updated it in Zen 5 last year to perform the full 512 bits in a single cycle.
With the new instructions AMD will offer the most complete implementation of AVX-512, despite the instruction set being Intel's baby.
Intel's recent desktop (and laptop) chips do have AVX-512 support built in - in theory - but it was never officially supported in 12th generation chips (2021) and since the 13th generation (2022) has been fused off permanently during manufacturing and cannot be used at all.
With next year's Nova Lake, so far as we can tell from the patches, there will be no support for AVX-512 at all, nor for its nominal successor, AVX10. That makes it a datacenter-only technology if you're an Intel customer, but built in to everything from handheld gaming consoles to supercomputers that use AMD hardware.
I'd much rather have the large Millennium Falcon model, though. It's big enough that it's in scale for regular Lego mini-figs, which this 1701-D is very much not.
Congratulations to m yesterday for figuring out exactly why I said James Watson was 173 years old.
Not everything I say should be treated like a cryptic crossword puzzle but it's nice to see when I do throw something like that in, there's somebody who will figure it out.
Saturday Night "Club ONT" November 8, 2025 [The 3 Ds]
—Open Blogger
Welcome to Club ONT! A collaboration the 3D's - The Disco, The Dino, and The Doggo. The almighty sammich is on the menu this evening. A great human achievement - and accessible across all tax brackets.
***Photo above courtesy of Club patron "mindful webworker". No, those aren't incarcerated Hordelings in those barrels - those are barrels that were confiscated during the Prohibition era.
A priest and a rabbi were sitting next to each other on an airplane. After a while, the priest turned to the rabbi and asked, "Is it still a requirement of your faith that you not eat pork?"
The rabbi responded, "Yes, that is still one of our beliefs."
The priest then asked, "Have you ever eaten pork?"
To which the rabbi replied, "Yes, on one occasion I did succumb to temptation and tasted a ham sandwich."
The priest nodded in understanding and went on with his reading.
A while later, the rabbi spoke up and asked the priest, "Is it still a requirement of your church that you remain celibate?
The priest replied, "Yes, that is still very much a part of our faith."
The rabbi then asked him, "Have you ever fallen to the temptations of the flesh?"
The priest replied, "Yes, rabbi, on one occasion I was weak and broke my faith and made love to a woman."
The rabbi nodded understandingly and remained silent, thinking about five minutes.
Finally, the rabbi said, "Beats a fucking ham sandwich, doesn't it?"
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Did you hear about that new heavy metal themed sandwich shop?
It's called Pantera Bread
For the Peanut Butter Whisky
500 ml Bourbon Whisky
100 g Peanut butter
For the Drink
60 ml Peanut Butter Whisky
40 ml Lemon juice
30 ml Strawberry jam
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Saline solution (10 grams of salt, 40 grams of water)
1 eggwhite
Miniature PB&J sandwich for garnish
First, prepare the peanut butter whisky. Melt the peanut butter over the stovetop or in a microwave and combine it with the whisky in a jar. Mix it up and let it infuse for a few hours or over night.
Put the peanut butter and whisky mix in the freezer for an hour for the fat to solidify, then remove the solids and strain the remaining liquid through a tea strainer and a coffee filter. This process is a lot more messy than fat washing with "pure" fat (e. g. with lard or coconut oil) and hence requires the somewhat annoying step of filtering through a coffee filter.
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, shake with ice for 20 - 30 seconds and pour into a tumbler filled with ice. Garnish with a miniature PB&J sandwich.
The sandwich, as we know it, is often credited to John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Legend has it that during a prolonged gambling session, the Earl requested meat tucked between two pieces of bread to eat without interrupting his game. The convenience of this meal led to its eponymous name. However, the concept of placing meat or other fillings between bread-like layers has ancient precedents.
It's very possible to eat a sandwich for each meal of the day. You could start with a kaiser roll filled with fluffy eggs and cheese for breakfast, house a po'boy with fried shrimp and hot sauce for lunch, and end with a cheesesteak for dinner. Our point: There's a sandwich for every mood, and we have a lot of them on this guide. Below, you'll find 18 of our favorite sandwiches in cities across the country.
Former DOJ employee, Sean Dunn, the pink shirt DC sandwich thrower that stopped at Subway after his power cleanse had his day in court. He couldn't win a fight against a screen door, but did win in court. Was hoping for minimally some community service - wearing a sandwich board. Words are violence but apparently a thrown sandwich is not. Modern jurisprudence: Mean words = felony. Throwing a ham sandwich at an ICE agent = expressive gesture. Got it.
Amusing. Someone took the time to do a bit of legal research on sandwich as a weapon.
Standing Black (1891) on its head, the Supreme Court in Heller expanded the definition of 'arms' as used in the Second Amendment to include any and all instruments not yet known in the Founding Era, to wit adding the Glock and the AR-15 to the billy club, the Bowie knife, the Arkansas toothpick, the slung shot, and the sword cane (District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570, 2008).
It goes without saying, though clearly we are saying it anyway, that the Court's now-expanded definition of what constitutes a weapon not subject to restriction encompasses the sandwich per se, which was known in England in the 1760s and is cited by Jane Austen in 1800, years which span the Founding Era.
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Club ONT Meme Wisdom
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Club ONT Proofreading and Editing
Tonight's lesson in humility and embarrassment: What have been some of your most spectacular typos or editing errors - in email, text, or the comment section?
This "D" sent a text to the wife of a friend: I will leave the key in the lick box. Was supposed to be lock box. Not yet lived that one down.
Even the Bible has one of the more spectacular errors. Referred to as the "Wicked Bible."
This legendary edition became known as the "Wicked Bible." King Charles was not amused by the infamous printing blunder. He ordered the Bibles recalled and destroyed, took away Barker's license to print Bibles, and fined him 300 pounds (that was a lifetime of wages in those days). It is believed that only 11 of the original 1,000 Bibles exist today.
Club ONT was brought to you by the Grilled Triple-Decker Hot Dog Sandwich
Exit question: is a "hot dog" also a "sandwich"?
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council acknowledges that hot dogs were considered sandwiches in the past, but now deserve a category separate from sandwiches. "Limiting the hot dog's significance by saying it's 'just a sandwich' is like calling the Dalai Lama 'just a guy.'"
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NOTICE: If a six foot four, muscular man from Brussels offers you a sandwich, beware. Even though he may appear to speak your language, there is a chance that said sandwich might be infected with vegemite.
Rock And Roll started out with short, snappy songs, but then meandered into new territory as it absorbed different styles and began to dabble in all sorts of new stuff. Folk and grunge and R&B and metal and new wave and progressive and yacht rock and ska punk and you name it, somebody did it.
One of the reasons I was amused by punk rock is that even if the songs sucked, they were only two minutes long! But a lot of other genres specialized in long...sometimes ridiculously long...songs.
I know what I like, but what about you? Anyone have any strong feelings about the length of songs and how they fit into Rock And Roll? Rock-n-roll? Rock & Roll?
Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. A spin of the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies (TM) landed on fall food traditions.
Are you thinking "I don't have any fall food traditions but I do like a sammich from time to time. I'm eager to learn more. I can't wait to get into the content!" I knew it. Enjoy.
As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. All (legal) hobbying is welcome. However, politics, current events and religious debates can live in threads elsewhere. Pants are optional. Puns are welcome and encouraged but don't get your nuts cracked.
Play nice. Don't be a troll and do not feed the trolls.
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This is gem of a film shows the old ways of cider pressing.
Cider donuts originated with the American colonialists. With fall as the butchering season, there was a surplus of leftover fat from the animals. To use it up, colonial cooks would mix the seasonal apples with fry dough, and eventually, cider donuts became a homespun Halloween treat. According to a 1901 news clipping from The Buffalo Enquirer, they were commonly served for dessert at spooky holiday gatherings.
I found the following in a New York Times article from August 19, 1951: "A new type of product, the Sweet Cider Doughnut will be introduced by the Doughnut Corporation of America in its twenty-third annual campaign this fall to increase doughnut sales. The new item is a spicy round cake that is expected to have a natural fall appeal."
According to the 2008 book "Glazed America: A History of the Doughnut," by Paul R. Mullins, the Doughnut Corporation of America (DCA) was founded in the 1920s by a Russian immigrant named Adolph Levitt who was quite the entrepreneur. He launched a chain of doughnut shops, developed a doughnut-making machine and a standardized a mix of ingredients to sell to other bakeries, and came up with National Donut Month and a host of other marketing gimmicks.
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Some photos just feel like fall...
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Humpty Dumpty seasonal humor:
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Videos or stories about making candied apples are very common. Does anyone actually eat candied apples?
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Food for Hobby Thread thought:
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Horde Hobbying - Bonsai from Field Marshal Zhukov
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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did a gaming theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.
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Notable comments from last week:
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Words of wisdom:
"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).
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If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, contribute something from your personal hobbying. We will feature a different theme next time. What are you hobbying? We love showing off Horde hobbying. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.
Hello, Very longtime lurker here. Attached are pictures are of my Sproodle named Zoey.
On the left is the picture as posted on The Pet Thread on 8/20/2016.
On the right is her from today. She has been a Great Companion and Tremendous Joy!
Many Thanks to Ace of Spades and The Pet Thread!
Tom A.
How great to see Zoey again! What a wonderful dog she is!
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From Pat*
KT, this is for the Pet Thread.
This is the shelter for our barn cat Collin. It’s set against the back of our shed, under a covered porch. You can see the wiring for the heated waterproof pad that’s inside, and the thick foam insulation is visible in the doorway. The inside water dish is just to the right of the doorway (there’s a backup water dish outside). You can see the black top of the automatic food dispenser, and the litter box beside the shelter (Collin hasn’t used it yet, but I put it there for when it’s so cold he may not want to go far from the shelter). The lid has a handle, so I can reach in from the top to refill the water dish. There’s an old blanket inside in the back, where he can sleep.
&&&
Not the best photo from the trail camera, but it did prove to us that Collin is using the shelter. (That log rolled off the woodpile - my husband said he spotted magpies sitting on the pile, so it’s probable they dislodged it and it rolled down. We know the magpies hang around here, and will eat the cat food if any is left in the daylight.)
Thanks, Pat*. Great shelter for a barn cat! Collin looks happy! Interesting detail about the magpies.
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PetMoron Adjacent Animals
Encountered by Members of The Horde
Hi KT
Mostly a lurker and I'll let you decide if the photo is best for the gardening thread or the pet thread.
Could go either way.
It's a wasp nest from the box elder in my backyard. I got too close and gotten stung seven times. It was, unpleasant. Many bad words were said with feeling.
I'm Winston, AKA Pops from Central Washington.
Cheers
Kind of different to think of wasps as almost pets. Perhaps we could discuss some ways to keep wasps AWAY from pets. And perhaps some pet winter care tips.
There are actually some cheerier animals than wasps waiting for my computer to stop acting up. See you next week!
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Thank you for sharing your pets and animal photos and stories with us today.
If you would like to send pet and/or animal stories, links, etc. for the Ace of Spades Pet Thread, the address is:
petmorons at protonmail dot com
Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.
Happy Fall! There was some discussion on one of the ONTs about the Ginkgo tree. I'm not sure how the thread meandered onto the topic but there was some good information about how they are an ancient tree (from when the dinosaurs lived!) and have unusual fan-shaped leaves that all fall on one day. The ginkgo tree in my neighborhood is still holding on to its leaves!
Cheers,
The Pilot
What color!
I was just reading about a stinky, fruiting female ginko tree causing a commotion. Can't remember where. But people were being prohibited from gathering the fruits. Most ginko trees planted for landscaping are male trees.
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Edible Gardening/Putting Things By
I bought a few dozen saffron crocuses and my brother planted them a few weeks ago. They weren't supposed to flower the first year, or so I thought. Got a few saffron threads!
Miley
So wonderful!
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Seasonal notes: There are notable differences between Asian persimmons like the "Fuyu" and American persimmons. There are generally also important differences between cooking pumpkins and decorative pumpkins. Though some cooking pumpkins are also decorative. Just be aware.
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Special Offer
If a member of The Horde, especially in or near Texas, would be interested in a start of the lovely daylily below, with Horde Heritage, drop me a line at the address at the bottom of this post.
Big as my hand
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Sorry about the short post. Computer screen froze and I had to unplug the computer. Lost content. Grrrrrrrrrrr.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend.
If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:
ktinthegarden at g mail dot com
Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.
The Blaze Publishes Name of Person It Claims Matches the J5 Pipe Bomber, Based on Gait Analysis
—Ace
Eh.
Update: "Eh" is becoming "nahh."
Breanna Morello
@BreannaMorello
🚨UPDATE🚨
Another federal employee with knowledge on the J6 pipebomb investigation tells me they DO NOT believe Shauni Kerkhoff had a role in the pipebomb.
This source tells me they know where she was at the time and they do not believe it's her.
The FBI may have another suspect they're focused on in their investigation.
Original post below:
It's based on gait analysis, which I do believe is a valid kind of forensic analysis, but...
They say a computer program says that this woman's gait matches the J5 Pipe Bomber's gate at 94%, and they say that adding human analysis to that makes it more like 98%.
Okay, but:
How many other people would also match this gait?
Compare a DNA match to a ballistics marking match. A DNA match means that the DNA either came from this person or a a close family member. Only one, or maybe 3 or 4 or 5, people in the would match the DNA profile collected from the scene.
On the other hand, while the markings on a spent bullet may be "consistent with" the gun a suspect owns, a lot of other guns would fire bullets that would be "consistent with" the bullet from the crime scene. You can say it's a "match," and yes, the bullets have markings that match, but that match does not mean that the bullet was fired from the gun. It means it was fired from that gun, or the hundreds or even thousands of guns with the same rifling pattern in the barrel.
"Match" has some very different meanings based not just on which suspects are included by the match but which ones are excluded. With a DNA match, nearly the entire world is excluded. With a ballistics markings match, many guns are excluded, but a lot of guns are still included.
So which is a gait analysis more like? I am imagining it is much more like a ballistics marking match than a DNA or fingerprint match.
Does that mean this article is wrong? No, but I don't think this is conclusive. They say the gait of the woman they name is like the gait of the J5 bomber. Okay, but how many other 5'7" women of the same age and build would have the same gait? Probably a lot.
So those are my reservations and doubts, and they're substantial.
Should this person be investigated? Certainly, especially if we pretend to believe the left's claim that the events of January 6th, and the 5th therefore, constituted the greatest attack on America since the War of 1812. Every suspect must be considered when attempting to solve the Greatest Attack on America Since the War of 1812.
A computer program that compared the bomb suspect's gait to that of Shauni Kerkhoff produced a 94% match.
A forensic analysis of a female former U.S. Capitol Police officer's gait is a 94%-98% match to the unique stride of the long-sought Jan. 6 pipe-bomb suspect, according to a Blaze News investigation confirmed by several intelligence sources.
A source close to a congressional investigation of Jan. 6 additionally told Blaze News evidence has emerged recently that pointed toward law enforcement possibly being involved in the planting of the pipe bombs.
A software algorithm that analyzes walking parameters including flexion (knee bend), hip extension, speed, step length, cadence, and variance rated Shauni Rae Kerkhoff, 31, of Alexandria, Va., as a 94% match to the bomb suspect shown on video from Jan. 5, 2021. The veteran analyst who ran the analysis for Blaze News said that based on visual observations the program can struggle with, he personally pegged the match at closer to 98%.
Kerkhoff, who was a Capitol Police officer for four and a half years, left the department in mid-2021 for a security detail at the Central Intelligence Agency, sources told Blaze News.
CIA spokeswoman Liz Lyons stated that the subject worked in campus security.
This indicates she is being given a look by "law enforcement:"
Kerkhoff's residence in Alexandria, Va., appeared to be under the watch of law enforcement officers on Friday night. Blaze News editor in chief Christopher Bedford was pulled over by local police after stopping to observe the home. He was then allowed to leave.
In fairness to this woman: The police might have been posted to protect her, as one can just imagine that a person named in this investigation would face a substantial threat.
If I were named as a suspect, you better believe I'd like a cop posted outside my door.
The FBI, which failed to solve the case in nearly five years of investigation but indicated that it was closing in after Blaze News brought its investigation to intelligence sources, was feet from the Falls Church address of the pipe bomb suspect days after Jan. 6, according to the Blaze News investigation.
Former FBI Special Agent Kyle Seraphin realized Friday that he was doing surveillance next door to the woman now suspected of being the Jan. 6 pipe bomber.
"The FBI put us one door away from the pipe bomber within days of January 6, and we were deliberately pulled away for no logical or logically investigative reason," Seraphin told Blaze News Friday. "And everything about that tells me that they were involved in a cover-up and have been since day one.
I don't know what to make of that. They were surveilling someone next to this woman's house, and were pulled off that investigation, so we should consider this woman a suspect?
Eh, that's a stretch. Possible but by no means the most likely explanation.
(Plus, over the years, I have grown wary of Kyle Seraphim.)
"They were f**king in on it," Seraphin said.
Seraphin proposed doing a "knock and talk" at the door of an Air Force civilian employee whose address was tied to a vehicle that picked up the bomb suspect in Falls Church, Va., on Jan. 5, 2021.
Seraphin's team spent two days watching the man, but Seraphin's request to go face-to-face with the person of interest was denied. The team was pulled off the case the same night, he said.
Seraphin said he has given the same details publicly since 2021.
"There's a personal reaction to it, which is the complete vindication that the things I've been saying and my recollection of being briefed on this stuff has been accurate for years and I've never changed my tune," he said.
The bomber used a smart metro card purchased by an Air Force civilian employee but an investigation has shown that that man is not the J5 bomber. So, the J5 bomber must have gotten this man's metro card, somehow. This doesn't seem to clear, or convict, this new suspect. It seems like a red herring no matter who the real suspect turns out to be. (Unless they can show that a suspect could have easily have taken this man's card, or that he gave it to her.)
...
Kerkhoff was a Capitol Police officer from 2018 until mid-2021. She was a member of the department's Civil Disturbance Unit and a training officer on the use of "less-lethal" crowd-control weapons that were extensively used on the Jan. 6 crowds.
Using lethal force Jan. 6
Interesting, but... doesn't really indicate much.
...
Blaze News approached numerous intelligence officials two weeks ago with questions about findings from its investigation, which suggested that Kerkhoff matched the description and behavior of the suspected bomber, based on her distinctive walk, slight limp, 5'7" frame, and other factors.
...
Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund told Blaze News he is eager to learn the results of the pipe-bomb investigation. But he said he had no awareness of any Capitol Police officer involvement in the pipe-bomb planting.
In my Expert opinion -- and I say I'm an Expert because I'm an Internet Researcher (and all leftwing internet nobodies claim this is accreditation, so I'm claiming it too), this is all somewhat suggestive but not nearly conclusive. Not even close.
There's a problem I see in "internet detective work." It's the Light Under the Street Lamp bias.
You know the old joke about the drunk searching for his car keys? He's searching for them under a street lamp. A passer-by asks him what he's doing, and he says "I'm looking for my car keys." The passer-by asks, "Oh, did you lose them under the street lamp?"
The man says "No, I don't think so."
"So why," the passer-by asks, "are you searching under the street-lamp?"
"Because the light's better here," the drunk man says.
So not to explain the joke and kill it*, but the point is that people search where they can see. They don't search where they can't see... and on a dark night, that means they're not searching most of the world where the car keys might have fallen.
Internet-based research can only include people for whom there is profile on the internet, and pictures, and videos. (This woman's gait was compared to her gait seen in videos of her playing "professional" soccer.)
So internet-based research is always looking "where the light is," and the light here means "people with a presence on the internet and easily-accessed public pictures and video."
(This is why Candace Owens' search for The Real Killers of Charlie Kirk focuses exclusively on public video -- it's where the light is better.)
Yes, more and more people have some internet presence, but this technique always assumes the suspect must be one of (admittedly large-ish) group of people who have a photographic/video profile on the internet. Where the light is better, don't you know.
When the Blaze teased this, they said they had both gait analysis and human intelligence to supplement it. I thought the "human intelligence" would be something like, "and this woman is a disgruntled federal employee who has made threats against the government."
But no, the "human intelligence" just means they had humans look at the gait footage and add a human evaluation to the computer analysis. It's all gait analysis, then.
So... I'm unimpressed. Definitely take a look, but I don't think I'd start clearing out a jail cell just yet.
* Also, why is a drunk man searching for car keys? He should call an uber and retrieve his car when sober.
This joke sends a terrible message about driving while drunk, suggesting that it's okay.
The Left is pretty excited about Mamdani becoming mayor in NYC
“Every socialist needs to read this book. Every abolitionist, every Marxist, every anarchist, every revolutionary needs to read this book. Every person who has ever wondered how the world will function after the final retirement of the market, the commodity form, money, wages, rent, coercive gender roles, prisons, police, class, nation states, borders, profit, and in general the dominating power of any humans over any others.”—Spectre Journal
More information on the book, its authors, supporters, price and advanced praise here. Take a peek. Trust me.
Does not include the enthusiastic commentary by Walter Kirn (or commentary by others who follow him) for some reason:
This is going to be so awesome that I wish it could happen right away.
I'm amazed no one ever thought of it before!
Make sure to keep in the guillotines part! That's my favorite.
Heather MacDonald wrote an intelligent piece for The Spectator about how running NYC requires adult supervision, which is likely to be lacking in the Mamdani administration. At the end is a video which helps one to appreciate what it took to build the city, and what it takes to maintain it.
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One thing you have to give the Left, though, is that they are good at rhetoric. Van Jones noted that Mamdani sounded like a different person in his acceptance speech than he did in his campaign.
And what do you think of this observation?
Scott Adams reveals the persuasion wizardry used by Mamdani@ScottAdamsSays "If he comes up with his own catchphrases, Affordability and Relentless Improvement, I don't know what could stop him.
Incidentally, Scott Adams has a reputation for hating Black People. I like the way Zuby formats this record of their discussion, which includes Adams' feelings about Charlie Kirk's assassination (43:03. This is pertinent to the rest of the post, sort of.
My latest interview with @ScottAdamsSays is now on X. Enjoy!
Real Talk with Zuby Podcast Ep. 384
Timestamps: (00:00) Trailer (00:57) Intro (01:30) Health Update (02:28) Hormone Therapy & Positive Changes (04:09) Discussing Prostate Cancer (06:28) Diagnosis & Public Announcement… pic.twitter.com/NsCLZn3tbX
Nick Fuentes is not a conservative, nor is he somebody who could (at least reliably) be included in the Republican coalition even if we wanted him to be. He is a racist, authoritarian, antisemitic bottom feeder who says he is on "Team Hitler," admires Josef Stalin, attacks JD Vance for marrying his wife, and who literally campaigned against Donald Trump in the last election.
He's not only a scumbag, but he spends a lot of time trying to kick people OUT OF the Republican coalition because they don't fit his model for what America should look like.
Exactly on target. There has been a lot of fighting over Fuentes recently on the Right. Seems strange to me.
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But I also received as a subscription-free "gift NYT article" from a lefty the following.
Opinion
Michelle Goldberg
Nick Fuentes Was Charlie Kirk's Bitter Enemy. Now He's Becoming His Successor.
Nov. 3, 2025
I think the Left is chomping at the bit to help Nick Fuentes take the place of Charlie Kirk in the minds of Republicans:
Months ago, Douglas Murray called flirting with Fuentes by parts of the Right a dark game.
Which brings up a piece written by Chris Rufo, which makes an important point:
About the fights on factions of the right over Fuentes:
Both sides fail to understand the Nick Fuentes phenomenon. They take his statements seriously and engage with them in good faith. But Fuentes’s stated beliefs, while abhorrent, are not best parried by taking them at face value. Instead, the Right should consider him an actor in what postmodern theorist Jean Baudrillard called “hyperreality”: a system in which the simulation of reality comes to replace reality itself.
Under conditions of hyperreality, symbols of past phenomena lose their original meaning. Emptied out, they then circulate through digital media, where they drive the discourse and, while purely derivative, still spark real emotional involvement. In this way, the hyperreal becomes “more real than real,” masking the true nature of reality.
We should understand Fuentes through this framework. He embraces taboos not because he has an authentic faith in Hitler or a deep-seated opposition to interracial marriage. He may well believe these things, of course, but that isn’t why he pushes them. Rather, he embraces taboos because doing so drives attention and creates a spectacle in digital media that benefits him.
The tone of his discourse is not authentic, serious, or reflective. It is ironic, cynical, and provocative. . .
I can't argue with what Rufo says about Fuentes' presentation. Not sure the explanation of "hyperreality" will click with a lot of people.
. . . When Fuentes lauds Hitler and, in another interview, praises Stalin—irreconcilable ideological enemies—he is not expressing a comprehensible ideology that can be scrutinized in debate. He is engaging in a performance, which only becomes coherent when read as a demand for attention.
Unfortunately, both liberals and conservatives have played into the act. The Left, which for a decade has tried to push the narrative that conservatives are Nazis and that Donald Trump is the new Hitler, has finally found in Fuentes an avatar of right-wing fascism. They play along with Fuentes’s irony-laden, hyperreal Nazism because it is useful to them. They give him attention, print his name in prestige publications, and enter into a symbiotic relationship. The Left finally gets its Nazi—and Fuentes gets more attention.
In the recent controversy, the Right has also unwittingly reinforced Fuentes’s Nazi performance. . . .
In the real world, Germany was denazified after 1945 and, apart from small pockets of skinheads and neo-Nazis, Nazism is a dead ideology. Fuentes is not a Nazi in a real historical sense, but a live-streamer who wields the still-charged symbol of Nazism to hijack the discourse and bait his opponents into a reaction. He may genuinely believe what he says—I doubt it—but, in either case, that is orthogonal to the point that he is using people’s horror at Nazism to serve his ends. Every time conservatives operate on his terms, they reinforce his taboo-breaking, making him stronger.
How, then, should conservatives approach a figure like Fuentes, reject right-wing racialism, and move forward constructively?
The Classical Saturday Morning Coffee Break & Prayer Revival
—Misanthropic Humanitarian
“God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next. Amen.”
Good morning boys and girls and everything in between. Before we enter the Prayer Revival just a few housekeeping matters to go over. (Rulz for those of you in Marengo)
1) This is an open thread. Feel free to lurk, opine and/or bloviate.
2) Be kind, be nice. No jumping on the furniture.
3) If you must run, run with dull objects.
4) Have a great weekend! 5) Enjoy a great vid from neverenoughcaffeine
AoSHQ Weekly Prayer List
Please submit any prayer requests to me, “Annie’s Stew” at apaslo at-sign hotmail dot com. Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks unless we receive an update.
Prayer Requests:
9/28 - Teresa in Fort Worth gave an update: It has been 1 year since Teresa started “down the cancer rabbit hole”. She sends her thanks for the prayers as they have buoyed her and her family through this year. She has been blessed to exceed the original 6-12 months predicted, by the grace of God – and the prayers of many people. Her next CT scan is in November, and the surgeon is pretty sure that her tumors will be small enough to remove/destroy.
10/7 Update – A recent CT scan shows lots of calcification (indicating tumor cell death), and the oncologist didn’t see any sign on the small tumors. The area where the largest tumor was now shows lots of calcification and the largest tumor has shrunk by almost 90%! Her next CT scan will be 11/3, and they assume they will be discussing surgery to remove the lobe of her liver, where the tumor is located. Timelines are uncertain, but she is hopeful that she will get to spend Christmas with her family at least one more time, if not more! Thanks to EVERYONE who has been praying on her behalf.
9/29 – toby928 asked for prayers for a brother named Joe, who is being crushed by grief. Joe’s wife is in a coma and will likely die in the next few days.
10/12 Update - – Joe’s wife did pass away. She is safe in the arms of our Savior.
10/18 Update – Joe could still use prayers. Losing both parents and his wife in one year has hit him hard.
10/1 – Duke Lowell sent an update. He is home now, after 8 days in the hospital and every antibiotic known to man. He sent thanks for the prayers, and thanks to God for granting him another day in this glorious world He’s created.
10/11 Update – After a second stint in the hospital, Duke is home now. He was recovering nicely, but something “knocked him sideways”. Severe dehydration put him into renal failure. He is on the mend now.
10/2 – Bluebell passed along an update: grammie winger sends her gratitude for all the prayers – she feels they are working. On Oct 6 she will be starting a cancer treatment program because her doctors are “cautiously optimistic” that they can give her some more time. Monday she gets the port, followed by 6 hours of chemo infusion on Tuesday. The Rev is doing better because now he has some hope. Please pray for her as she starts this treatment program because in her words, “prayer changes things”.
10/18 Update – grammie winger sent an update, that she has had her first chemo treatment. There were no side effects. She noted “God is very kind.”
10/4 – Skip requested prayers for his dad, who fell at church back in August, hitting his head. He fell again at home and has had back pain since then. He is going in for more tests on 10/8.
10/11 Update – Dad has a brace to wear and has pain medication, so is doing OK for now. He will need an outpatient procedure soon for an injection in his spine to fill a void. Continuing prayers will help.
10/18 Update – Dad is in the hospital, needing some blood clots cleared up, and will soon have the outpatient operation for his back.
10/25 Update – Dad was released from the hospital and is in a rehab center near his home.
10/8 – fourseasons asked for prayers for a brother-in-law, Chris, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He had another scan last weekend and there is another tumor. He is losing his vision and has lost his ability to speak. He will have surgery on 10/10, and the surgeon said he will probably lose the ability to walk. The family is devastated. Chris is a wonderful man and has always been healthy.
10/11 Update – Chris is recovering from surgery to remove his brain tumors now. He was talking last night, which he wasn’t able to do before surgery. They are hoping for a full recovery.
10/11 – NuclearJim requests prayers for spiritual strength to defeat prostate cancer.
10/11 – the lower depths asked for prayers for his/her mother Gail and her eyes (macular degeneration) and knees (bone on bone) failing.
10/11 – FenelonSpoke asked for prayers for her son. He needs a job and has been diligently looking for one. His degree is in botany.
10/11 – tbodie Lurker requested continued prayers for a son with pancreatic cancer. He has been through 3 months of chemo that significantly shrank the cancer. This week he had surgery to remove the remaining cancer. They also removed his spleen. So far things look good. Thank you.
10/11 – Brother Tim asked for prayers as he has two more sessions of radiation. Prayer works and God heals.
10/18 Update – Radiation is done and now Brother Tim is recovering from the effects and praying for a clean PET scan.
10/11 – Ben Had asked for prayers for a very special man we know as olddog. May his medical issues be benign and full health restored.
10/13 – K requested prayers for a co-worker (Grant). Grant and his wife are expecting their first child, and they are experiencing some complications. K would appreciate prayers for peace and a healthy baby for Grant, his wife, and their unborn child.
10/15 – Bulg asked for prayers for an elderly neighbor, who used to babysit for them, is undergoing chemo for colon cancer.
10/16 – jrgunn5 asked for prayers for a son who is going through a very trying time. The son is almost finished with his teaching credentials and Master’s program. He sees other students being offered positions that he is more qualified for, yet he is ignored by the schools where he is working. He is becoming angry and despairing of gaining a position to pay off the enormous debt he has taken on to pursue this career. He needs to hear God’s voice, and a door opening soon would be appreciated.
10/18 – rhennigantx asked for prayers for his friend John. John was a functioning alcoholic while working, and then retired about 2 years ago, and is now in rehab. Prayers are also needed for Toni. She had to have a kidney stone crushed and says she will never do surgery again.
10/18 – From about That Time can use prayers, as a biopsy revealed some sort of lymphoma.
10/18 – J.J. Sefton wrote:
First of all I cannot even begin to express my appreciation for all the love, good wishes, support and of course prayers for me over this past year. On a positive note, I am essentially cancer free but glioblastoma being what it is means having an MRI done every 2 months to monitor for any new growth.
Right now, I humbly ask for your prayers for my spouse who was recently diagnosed with NPH, (normal pressure hydrocephalus) She's scheduled for a spinal tap to both drain excess fluid to relieve pain and hopefully restore her ability to walk and engage in routine physical activity. Then an MRI will also help them decide if she needs a shunt to be inserted into the brain to drain excess cerebral/spinal fluid away and into her stomach. I'm guessing she'll likely need it, fingers crossed that we can speed up this process and get her back to 100% ASAP.
God bless you, Prayers from me to all of you who are suffering,
10/21 – TecumsehTea wrote with prayers of praise that she has recovered from her heart attack. Areas of concern, though, are that they cannot keep her blood pressure stable and in a desirable range. This has brought several additional trips to the ER to bring it down and for observation. She is asking for wisdom and guidance for the doctor, and patience and peace for herself. She says this has been a scary ride, but God continues to show His faithfulness.
10/21 – Grateful wrote to ask for prayers for Pillage Idiot, that God would guide him in his search for employment – resulting in an opportunity that makes the best use of his unique skills. And that PI be blessed with acceptance of their love and caring for him, as he does for everyone else.
10/22 – Pennsyltucky requested prayers for his dad, who underwent cancer surgery on 10/21. Everything seems to have gone well (they’re confident they got it all!) but due to his age, his hospital stay and convalescence will be longer than usual. Dad is doing well, is awake and alert. A full recovery is anticipated but it will take a while. Thank you so much.
10/23 – Grumpy and Recalcitrant asked for prayers for TheJamesMadison, who recently lost his job. Please pray that he finds a new job quickly, and that God grants him peace of mind and calmness of spirit to face this unexpected trial.
10/25 – M&B would like prayers for M's sister. Suddenly, she got dizzy, and with no other symptoms, was diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma brain cancer. Surgeons said that they were able to remove most of it but gave her an 18-24 month survival. She's just finished the first round of chemo and radiation, and she just feels awful. She has that "deer in the headlights" look, since this all happened so fast, with no real symptoms! M&B have been searching through all the recent news about other medicinal options that are working for this type of cancer. We are grateful for all prayers!
10/25 – FenelonSpoke asked for prayers for her retired organist Jessie, whose dear daughter, S, died of cancer recently. Also prayers for Korean War vet, R, who has cancer and is not expected to live long.
10/27 – N asked for prayers for her youngest daughter, "LK", who needs prayers for safety and peace, and her best friend "C" for health and that stress not cause a flare up of psoriatic arthritis as they and another roommate work with the police and the landlord to have the 4th roommate "M" evicted because she is threatening them and making the living situation a nightmare. “M” is bipolar and medicating with alcohol. Prayers for her healing and that she find salvation from the self-destructive path she's on would also be appreciated.
11/5 – Mary Poppins’ Practically Perfect Piercing said she could use a prayer or two. She has a pain in her head which, it seems, is occipital neuralgia. It’s not fatal, thank heavens, but is painful until a proper treatment course is settled upon. Many thanks.
11/6 - D sent an update for Susan, his wife, and her battle with cancer. He sent his thanks to everyone for the prayers. They are helping and much appreciated. Susan had an infection which is being treated, but her sodium levels are bad again. She will be sent home soon, but is on restrictive fluids until this is cleared up. The good news is that she has gained some weight back and her voice is much stronger now. Thank you, and please keep up the prayers. They appreciate everyone!
For submission guidelines and other relevant info, please contact Annie's Stew, who is managing the prayer list. You can contact her at apaslo at-sign hotmail dot com. If you see a prayer request posted in a thread comment, feel free to copy and paste it and e-mail it to Annie's Stew. She tries to keep up with the requests in the threads, but she's not here all of the time, so she may not see it unless you e-mail it to her. Please note: Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks or so unless we receive an update.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.
Tucker Carlson claims that it's weird that Ted Cruz is interested in the massacre of Christians by Nigerian Muslims, because he has "no track record of being interested in Christians," then blows off the massacre of Christians by Nigerian Muslims, saying it might or might not be a real concern Tucker Carlson enjoys using the left-wing tactic of "Tactical Ignorance" to avoid taking positions on topics. Is Hamas really a terrorist organization? Tucker can't say. He hasn't looked into it enough, but "it seems like a political organization to me." Are Muslims slaughtering Christians in Nigeria? Again, Tucker just doesn't know. He hasn't examined the evidence yet. He knows every Palestinian Christian who said he was blocked from visiting holy sites in Bethlehem, but he just hasn't had the time to look into the mass slaughter of Christians in Nigeria that has been going on since (checks watch) 2009. He doesn't know, so he can't offer an opinion. Wouldn't be prudent, you know? Don't rush him! He'll sift through the evidence at some point in the future and render an opinion sometime around 2044. Of course, if you need an opinion on Jewish Perfidy, he has all the facts at his fingertips and can give you a fully informed opinion pronto. Say, have you ever heard of the USS Liberty incident...? You'd think that the main issue for Tucker Carlson, who pretends to be so deeply concerned about Palestinian Christians being bullied by Jews in Israel (supposedly), would be the massacre of 185,000 Christians in Nigeria itself. But no, his main problem is that Ted Cruz is talking about it, "who has no track record of being interested in Christians at all." And then he just shrugs as to whether this is even a real issue or not.
Whatever we do we must never "divide the right," huh?
Tucker is attacking Ted Cruz for bringing the issue up because he's acting as an apologist for Jihadism, and he can't cleanly admit that Jihadists are killing any Christians, anywhere. There is no daylight between him and CAIR at this point.
One might conclude that Tucker Carlson himself isn't interested in the plight of Christians -- except as they can be used as a cudgel to attack Jews. Just gonna ask an Interesting Question myself -- why is it that Tucker Carlson's arguments all track with those shit out by Qatarian propaganda agents and the far left? That if Jews crush an ant underfoot it is worldwide news, but when Muslims slaughter Christians it elicits not even a vigorous shrug?
I once glimpsed Garth in the penumbra betwixt my wake and sleep. He was in my dream, standing afar, not looking my way, nor did he acknowledge me. But I felt seen. And that's when I knew I was a traveler on the right path. I'm glad he's still with us.
Greetings, Traveler. If you still have not experienced Garth Merenghi -- Author, Dream-weaver, Visionary, plus Actor -- the six episodes of his Darkplace are still available on YouTube and supposedly upscaled to HD. (Viewing it now, it doesn't appeared upscaled for shit.) I think the second episode, "Hell Hath Fury," is the best by a good margin. Try to at least watch through to that one. It's Mereghi's incisive but nuanced take on sexism.
Podcast: The elections! NYC, Virginia, New Jersey, Texas, California, and the future prospects of the Republican party...
Update on Scott Adams:
Scott Adams had approval for this cancer drug but they hadn't scheduled him to get it. He was taking a turn for the worse. Trump had told him to call if he needed anything, so he did. Talked to Don Jr (who is in Africa) , then RFK Jr, then Dr Oz. Someone talked to Kaiser and he was scheduled. Shouldn't have needed it but he did and he says it saved his life.
Posted by: Notsothoreau
Podcast: Historian and Pundit Robert Spencer joins us for a wide-ranging discussion about the Islamists in our midst: Mamdani in NYC, all across Europe, and others.
Schmoll: 53% of New Jersey likely voters say their neighbors are voting for Ciattarelli, while 47% say the cheater/grifter Mikie Sherrill The "who do you think your neighbors are voting for" question is designed to avoid the Shy Tory problem, wherein conservative people lie to schmollsters because they don't want to go on record with a likely left-winger telling them who they're really voting for. So instead the question is who do you think your neighbors are voting for, so people can talk about who they themselves support without actually having to admit it to a left-wing rando stranger recording their answers on the phone.
Interesting football history: How the forward pass was created in response to the nineteen -- 19! -- people killed playing football in 1905 alone The original rules of football did not allow forward passes. The ball was primarily advanced by running, with blockers forming lines with interlocked arms and just smashing into the similarly-interlocked defensive lines. It was basically Greek hoplite spear formations but with a semi-spherical ball. As calls to ban the sport entirely grew, some looked for ways to de-emphasize mass charges as the primary means of advancing the ball, and some specifically championed allowing a passer to throw the ball forward.
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Some Space Marine:
"[i]German pastor who married the quadruple with he ..."
