Ace: aceofspadeshq at gee mail.com
Buck: buck.throckmorton at protonmail.com
CBD: cbd at cutjibnewsletter.com
joe mannix: mannix2024 at proton.me
MisHum: petmorons at gee mail.com
J.J. Sefton: sefton at cutjibnewsletter.com
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.
Contact OrangeEnt for info: maildrop62 at proton dot me
Virginia Democrats Seethe and Scheme to Mass-Fire All Seven Supreme Court Justices to Replace Them With Compliant Communist Operatives, but Senate Leader Says It's No-Go
—Disinformation Expert Ace
Jonathan Turley
@JonathanTurley
May 10
The gut-and-pack scheme is brutally cynical. The Virginia Supreme Court described the earlier gambit as "a story of the tail wagging the dog that has no tail." Now, Democrats would just shoot the dog and adopt a politically modified dog bred to serve.
They're all about Saving Democracy. Didn't you know that, racists?
RedState reported Sunday on the sheer desperation that has set in among Democrats at the state and congressional levels after the Virginia Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the process state Democrats used to put their gerrymander referendum on the ballot was a violation of Virginia's Constitution.
...
Perhaps the most extreme of the measures that, per The New York Times, were being considered during a meeting Saturday that included House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), was to have "Democrats in Richmond lower the mandatory retirement age for state Supreme Court justices... from 75 to 54," a plan that, if seen through, would force out every justice currently sitting on the state Supreme Court. Afterwards, they conceivably would use their power to "then fill vacancies on the court with sympathetic Democratic lawyers."
Let us violate the clear wording of our state constitution or else we will take the also-unconstitutional step of declaring 54-year-olds to be too elderly to work.
Unfortunately for Democrats, the brakes have been slammed on the various plots they were cooking up by none other than Virginia State Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax), according to reporting from the Virginia Scope's Brandon Jarvis:
It is not happening
Surovell, the top Democrat in the state Senate, told Virginia Scope Monday morning that these drastic measures will not be taken.
Surovell said that the time restrictions at the Department of Elections make the notion impractical.
He also said forcing the retirement of Supreme Court justices would be extreme, and he wants to work within the existing legal system when fighting against Republicans.
Speaker of the House Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, has not responded to a request for comment.
The timing issue is that all changes to congressional voting must be finalized by May 12 -- tomorrow. So they would have to implement this unconstitutional mass-firing, stock the court with seven compliant communists, reconsider the previous ruling, and issue a new communist ruling in 24 hours.
Even attempting to fire the judges by this method seems to violate the constitution:
Ed Whelan
@EdWhelanEPPC
The Virginia constitution provides one means for removing judges: impeachment by the House of Delegates, followed by conviction by 2/3 of the Senate. The idea that the Virginia legislature could remove state supreme court justices by lowering the mandatory retirement age and applying that lower retirement age to *existing* justices is bonkers. And a majority (perhaps all) of the Virginia supreme court justices would rule that such a measure violates the state constitution.
In a court filing on April 23, Virginia Commissioner of Elections Steven Koski wrote that any changes to the district maps would have to happen before May 12, which is this Tuesday, in order for the Dept. of Elections to be able to have time to prepare for midterms. pic.twitter.com/oGKhFyofgq
🚨 JUST IN: Legal expert Jonathan Turley GOES OFF on Democrats for considering *firing* the entire Virginia Supreme Court to reinstate the 10D-1R gerrymander map
"They will pack SCOTUS AS WELL if they take power!"
"Hakeem Jeffries is very unpopular...but hopes to be the next Speaker. But to do that, he's got to engineer a MAJORITY."
"He's watching that evaporate across the country!"
"It captures the fact that now many on the left are saying that we will win by any means necessary."
"The public needs to understand that many of these same voices have been saying publicly that they will pack the Supreme Court as well. As soon as they take power, many Democratic pundits and politicians have said that they want to pack the Supreme Court to create an instant liberal majority."
"It's the same mindset of by any means necessary. No institution, no value is truly sacred."
🚨 JUST IN: Legal expert Jonathan Turley GOES OFF on Democrats for considering *firing* the entire Virginia Supreme Court to reinstate the 10D-1R gerrymander map
"They will pack SCOTUS AS WELL if they take power!"
Such radical proposals are being rationalized with open disinformation. Pundits regularly fail to mention that the Democrats previously gerrymandered states such as Illinois, Massachusetts and New York while claiming the right to win by any means necessary.
Others just deny reality. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., lashed out at the Virginia Supreme Court and demanded to know why they waited so long to rule on whether there were fundamental flaws in the Democratic plan.
Kaine either never read the opinion or sought to mislead voters. The opinion has an entire section on the timing, noting that it was the Democrats and the commonwealth that demanded that the court wait to rule on the merits until after the election. After "successfully" seeking that delay, they are now accusing the court of something untoward in doing what they demanded.
MORNING RANT - The War on Labor Expense: There Never Was a Truck Driver Shortage
—Buck Throckmorton
Those who seek to flood this country with inexpensive, non-citizen labor like to claim that this is necessary due to a shortage of Americans that can or will do the job here in the United States. This has certainly been the case regarding truck drivers.
But there never actually was a truck driver shortage. There has been a shortage of professional truck drivers who will work for the compensation of unskilled labor. Bringing in foreign indentured servants as truck drivers was an awful way to avoid paying market wages for skilled labor.
It somehow became an accepted fact in the business community that one of the industries suffering from a labor shortage was truck driving. This was puzzling, because driving a truck has always been a great opportunity for Americans to earn a middle-class wage and provide for their families, without needing to pursue the college route or go to a highly technical trade school. But that is not to minimize the professional skill and training necessary to be an over-the-road truck driver. It requires its own schooling, technical skills, and a professional demeanor to handle the various challenges of a job that is often very stressful. It is the farthest thing from an entry-level job or a position that requires unskilled labor.
Unfortunately, there is a growing intolerance of any labor expense in some business circles, which makes cheap foreign labor look attractive. In one of those bizarre, horseshoe-shaped political alliances, the American left is in alignment with those who seek to eliminate career-wage, blue-collar jobs in this country. For the left, it’s due to their animus toward heritage Americans, especially those of the “deplorable” working class.
In recent years, while some of us were barely paying attention, our highways suddenly became overrun with untrained, non-English-speaking foreigners who were effectively the property of the Asian “body shops” and the European crime gangs that were trafficking them into the U.S.
Fortunately, the Trump administration is cleaning up this mess and targeting non-qualified and non-domiciled CDLs (commercial drivers licenses), as well as the companies that employ and control them. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is doing great work.
Paying the market wage for skilled labor among a nation’s citizens is not antithetical to capitalism. Just the opposite. It is a fundamental input into the pricing of goods in a free market. Adam Smith, the “Father of Capitalism” was unambiguous in his contempt for the evil institution of slavery as a means to avoid paying for labor. He also understood the futility of expecting the same labor quality from human chattel compared to the quality of work from free people who willingly trade their labor for compensation in a competitive labor market. The chaos and carnage on our nation’s highways from foreign truck drivers has borne this out.
Rather than a shortage of American truck drivers, there will be an abundance of them once the invisible hand of the free market is no longer distorted by the injection of unqualified, foreign labor trafficked into the cabs of America’s big rigs.
There is a shortage of professional truck drivers who will work for the compensation of unskilled labor. Bringing in foreign, chattel-labor as truck drivers was an awful workaround to try to undercut the market price of skilled labor.
Jeffrey Carter Has My Endorsement for Nevada Treasurer
A reminder to readers/voters in Nevada, a friend of the blog, Jeffrey Carter, is running for state Treasurer in the Republican primary. He has my endorsement and he deserves your vote. Early voting starts on May 23 for the June 9 primary.
There are a great many reasons to vote for Jeff, including his financial acumen. But the thing to know is that he is one of us, an out and proud, Trump-supporting conservative who was reading Ace of Spades long before he thought about running for office. He cut his teeth in the Chicago Commodities Exchange, and then ventured into the world of venture capital, never apologizing for or hiding his conservatism nor his support for Donald Trump. (Carter writes the widely linked political site “Points & Figures.”)
While I would endorse Jeffrey Carter, who is a friend of mine, irrespective of the quality of his opponent, Jeff is the clear choice in this race. His opponent, Drew Johnson, is a serial candidate who has name recognition from the races he has lost. The Carter campaign has a link discussing various ethical imbroglios involving Mr. Johnson, but all I need to know is that Drew Johnson is a fringe libertarian who admires Thomas Massie. When Mr. Johnson ran for Congress (a race he lost) he promised to provide Massie a 2nd Republican vote when Massie is working to undermine President Trump.
This is from the Nevada Independent, after Drew Johnson unexpectedly won the 2024 GOP nomination for a Nevada congressional seat:
True to libertarian form, [Drew Johnson] said the current members of Congress who impress him the most are Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), two libertarians who frequently find themselves as the lone "no" vote on bills that every other member supports,
That skepticism of his own party has frequently extended to Trump. In posts from his now locked personal account on X, Johnson called Trump a "socialist" during the 2016 race, called his presidency an "embarrassment" in 2020 over a federal execution during the lame-duck period and said Joe Biden's 2020 victory was "an endorsement of humanity, restraint & kindness."
For Nevadans, Jeffrey Carter is the best candidate to be Nevada’s next Treasurer.
Good morning kids. While no doubt President Trump and Israeli PM Netanyahu do not view the situation with Iran as such, it certainly seems by all outward appearances that for sure these "negotiations" with the Mullahs or whoever the Mullah du Jour may be, resemble Kabuki theatrics. Despite the absolute necessity of denying and depriving the Armageddon-seeking Dark Age death cult of Islamic controlled Iran of acquiring nuclear weapons as well as exporting terrorism around the globe and brutalizing their own citizenry, what is the end game here, or what acceptable end game can we expect? With the divisions at home not only from the usual America and Trump-haters on the Left but popping up from the right, the battered regime in Tehran may actually survive an onslaught that we had expected and hoped should or would have crushed them. Echoes perhaps of the 1968 Tet Offensive...
Where foreign policy issues are concerned, such as with Iran, a sign of political division always creates a weakness for diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. This has been underscored not only by Kimmel’s jokes but by the comments of various leaders of the Democrat party, like those of Senator Mark Kelly and former Vice President Kamala Harris. The latter, as a presidential candidate in 2024, said all options were on the table to prevent Iran from becoming nuclear armed—only now to criticize the option Trump selected. Ultimately, it was political division and an uninformed anti-war movement that forced an end to the Vietnam war, leaving millions of Vietnamese subject to communism.
President Trump on Sunday appeared to reject Iran’s latest proposal in ongoing negotiations over a peace deal, calling the Islamic republic’s offer “totally unacceptable.”
“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives.’ I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president also warned the country against “playing games” after Tehran refused to discuss its nuclear program in its latest response to America’s peace proposal through Pakistani mediators.
Trump slammed the rogue Mideast country for delaying negotiations historically, ranting on the social platform.
“Iran has been playing games with the United States, and the rest of the World, for 47 years (DELAY, DELAY, DELAY!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Yet between his mixed signals as well as the treasonous behavior of the Left and their media/culture allies, the Mullahs perceive, and perhaps not mistakenly, that time is on their side. Especially with a crucial midterm election approaching and the final months of President Trump's term that could see his political will and power on the wane as he departs office, with no guarantee that a successor will carry on his agenda should whoever the GOP candidate is come out on top in 2028.
If only the President and really the GOP were to treat the Democrat Left and its record of political and physical terrorism against the American people as “totally unacceptable.”
As night follows day, progressives’ response to the Virginia Supreme Court’s tossing of Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s outrageous gerrymander is to demand an instant court-packing move to undo it.
To lefties driving today’s Democratic Party, it’s not “democracy” unless it’s hard-wired to let them run roughshod — and when their power-grab schemes run afoul of the rule of law, their only answer is a fresh scheme.
Specifically, progs want to ram through a law instantly dropping the retirement age for the Virginia court to 54, which would allow the legislature to replace enough justices to restore the gerrymander.
Spanberger’s already caved to the left in pushing an outrage she’d promised to oppose; will she find the spine to say no now?
Wiser minds would call off the madness — but then again wiser minds would’ve avoided this mess in the first place. ..
Nationwide, even moderate Dems are now talking about seizing their next available chance to pack the US Supreme Court, grant statehood to DC and Puerto Rico simply to gain them four safe Senate seats and abolish the Senate filibuster — and so lock in progressive power forever.
Anyone paying attention should realize these lunatics need to be kept out of power until the party comes to its senses.
The Democrat party will never "come to its senses." This is akin to expecting Islam to have a reformation wherein it rejects its goal of the domination of humanity for all time.
In a post on X, Barak Ravid, a global affairs correspondent for Axios, shared that he had a phone conversation with Trump, in which Trump said he did “not like” the response from Iran regarding a “draft agreement to end the war.” Trump also reportedly shared with Ravid that he had a “nice conversation” with Netanyahu. Trump to Netanyahu on Iran Deal: Israel a ‘Great Ally,’ but Deal Is ‘My Business Not Anyone Else’s’
The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Feb. 28 after talks regarding the Islamic regime’s nuclear program broke down. Netanyahu told CBS News reporter Major Garrett that, while the campaign had achieved “a great deal,” he believed there was still “work to be done.” Netanyahu Insists Iran War Is ‘Not Over,’ Says Trump Wants To ‘Physically’ Remove Uranium
There are moments in American foreign policy when the warning signs are flashing so brightly that failing to act becomes its own form of negligence. Ignoring Iran’s Expanding Proxy Network
The indictment alleges Brown attempted to set fire to a building that houses two commercial businesses in addition to the county’s GOP headquarters on January 14. Justin R. Simmons, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, announced the indictment on Friday. Texas Woman Indicted for Attempted Arson of Republican Party Headquarters
Washington, D.C., doesn’t just lean left. It rules a country it doesn’t represent—and the tools to change that do exist. Washington DC. Is Not America
A nation cannot survive by endlessly relitigating grievance; it endures by reclaiming its civilizational inheritance and choosing reconciliation, unity, and stewardship over division. What Choice, Americans?
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tried to turn the American Revolution into a left-wing lecture about billionaires, and somewhere in the great classroom beyond, even the great fabricator Howard Zinn probably winced. Titty-Caca AOC Gives 1776 the Howard Zinn Treatment
The case has reignited national debates over immigration enforcement, with President Donald J. Trump criticizing the former Biden regime for allowing Joachin to remain in the U.S. Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Haitian Hammer Killer.
Muckraking journalists have uncovered massive child care fraud schemes in Minnesota, hospice fraud schemes in California, and a bustling “home health” care racket in Ohio. Which State Is Next In The Medicaid Fraud-O-Rama?
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS, THE COURTS, WASTE/FRAUD/ABUSE
The Supreme Court’s chief justice seems to have something other than the Constitution as his top priority. The Spine of Justice Roberts
The misuse of the EITC, a program designed to support low-income workers, not only drains taxpayer funds but also undermines trust in government oversight. In 2025 alone, the IRS estimated $21.1 billion in erroneous EITC payments, with both fraud and unintentional errors contributing to the problem. This ongoing issue highlights the need for improved interagency cooperation and data-sharing to prevent future losses. IRS Erroneously Awarded Millions in Tax Breaks to Noncitizens.
OFFICIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY/LEFTIST-ENDORSED ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-CHRISTIANITY, PLUS VARIOUS & SUNDRY GODLESS HEATHENS
FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, CENSORSHIP, FAKE NEWS, MEDIA, BIG BROTHER TECH
But it's not the threats to Shirley and his team that caught my attention. It's the responses from the Cuban people he was able to talk to before the regime began harassing him. Many of them refused to speak, fearing for their own safety. Some spoke but with their faces blurred. Others spoke but got quiet when he asked them certain political questions. And some, you could tell, just didn't give a flying flip anymore and were ready to share with the world what their lives are like. They're tired and losing their fear. Nick Shirley Shares More About His 24 Hours in Cuba and... You Just Need to See This
RED-GREENS, CLIMATE CHANGE HOAX, DEMOCRAT-LEFT WAR ON FOSSIL FUELS,
Fewer people won’t save the planet—how we live, build, and innovate matters far more than how many of us there are. Depopulation Won’t Save the Planet (unless it's fewer Muslims and Leftists; Net Zero for both will save us - jjs)
This project is a leaner, faster, and more litigation-resistant project that reuses idle pipe, threads existing corridors, avoids reservation land, and is racing the clock to lock in steel-in-the-ground before the next Democratic administration can once again sacrifice North American energy security to green ideology. Keystone XL Rebranded as “Keystone Light” in Trump’s Push for North American Energy Security
The public still has unanswered questions about Democrat North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein securing early release for an untold number of criminals before his term. Former Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper drew criticism since 2021 for the COVID-19-inspired inmate releases that Stein’s office negotiated while he was Cooper’s attorney general. Stein’s office played a crucial role by capitulating to leftist criminal reform groups who sued in 2020 over the pandemic’s effect on prisons, but he skated to the governor’s mansion in the 2024 elections without enduring as much controversy. We May Finally Get Answers On COVID-Era Mass Prisoner Release Deal
The investigation could lead to significant changes in how LAUSD and other districts nationwide handle allegations of educator misconduct, potentially resulting in stricter enforcement of Title IX requirements. The case also highlights broader concerns about the rise of sexual misconduct in schools, with reports of educator offenses doubling in recent years, according to studies. Trump Admin Investigates LA Schools for Protecting Predatory Teachers.
Monica Crowley, the U.S. government's chief of protocol, dropped a significant claim on Wednesday: hard evidence that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election is coming, and it's coming soon. "He did win in a landslide, and we will soon be able to give evidence about that," Crowley said. Bombshell Evidence About the 2020 Election Is Coming
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) gets asked about a phone call with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) after he said Johnson wasn't willing to sit down for a conversation about a possible government shutdown. Jeffries responded in a way you just can't make up. Hakeem Jeffries Get Owned...By Hakeem Jeffries
. . . Justice Alito’s meticulous majority opinion merely prevents the VRA from being abused to dictate “proportional representation”—that is, racial quotas—contrary to the express language of Section 2, which states that “nothing in this section establishes a right to have members of a protected class elected in numbers equal to their proportion in the population.” (hat tip to author Mark Pulliam - jjs) Justice Alito Cleans the Augean Stable of Faux Voting Rights Precedents
As night follows day, progressives’ response to the Virginia Supreme Court’s tossing of Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s outrageous gerrymander is to demand an instant court-packing move to undo it. To lefties driving today’s Democratic Party, it’s not “democracy” unless it’s hard-wired to let them run roughshod — and when their power-grab schemes run afoul of the rule of law, their only answer is a fresh scheme. Dems scheme to ‘fix’ their Virginia gerrymander fail is a WORSE outrage
If Republicans are wise, Louisiana v. Callais could be the kind of once-in-a-century Supreme Court decision that returns America to its constitutional roots. Louisiana v. Callais and the Long Run
Virginia Democrats’ motion urging the state supreme court to temporarily halt its order against the 2026 gerrymandering referendum appears to include two major typos. The joint motion’s first page misspells “Virginia” in the section identifying the plantiff and, just below it, misspells “senator” when identifying the defendants. Virginia Dems Make Glaring Errors In Rushed Court Motion To Save $64,000,000 Gerrymandering Scheme
If successful, this case would strip Rocha of his U.S. citizenship. Warnings about Rocha’s activities date back decades, with intelligence suggesting that communist Cuba had a “super mole” inside the U.S. government as early as 1987. This is not the first time in recent years that a Western government official has been caught spying for a communist country. Earlier in May, U.S. Moves to Revoke Citizenship of Diplomat Who Spied for Cuba.
This operation eliminates a potential nuclear security risk and demonstrates renewed international cooperation with Venezuela. The processed uranium is likely to contribute to U.S. energy independence and nuclear innovation. U.S. Completes Transfer of Venezuela’s Enriched Uranium to South Carolina.
Repression, slander and libel, panicked labeling campaigns to smear whole parties and movements as dangerous extremists, surveillance and fake intelligence dossiers, victory. Political conflict isn’t the same across the world, but it often rhymes. Europeans Are Also Tired Of Dumb Leftists Ruining Everything They Touch
It’s hard for Americans to fathom the horror of what goes on every day in North Korea. Kim Jong-un Is Not Our Friend
THE UKRAINIAN "FRONT"
Speaking to reporters in Moscow amid Victory Day celebrations, President Putin suggested that a resolution with Kyiv and its Western partners is possible, even going so far as to say he would be willing to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country after a peace framework is agreed. Putin Says He Believes Ukraine War May Be Coming to ‘Completion’ Amid Trump-Brokered Ceasefire
A young liberal woman refused to cooperate with prosecutors after violent recidivist Rhamell Burke attacked her on the subway five weeks before he allegedly pushed a retired NYC teacher to his death on Thursday. Now the 23-year-old woman has regrets. “Maybe a part of me was just like, I don’t want to put another black man in jail,” she told The Post. Miranda Devine: The left is weaponizing women’s misplaced empathy — and it threatens all of us
Though a liberal by creed, Ted Turner embodied conservatism in practice—creating wealth through risk, restoring ecosystems through ownership, and building shared national culture. Ted Turner: Voting Left and Living Right
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's not going to be cheap thanks to the RAMpocalypse, but shipping manifests show that Valve has collected 50 tons of something in a warehouse, and the latest update to Steam includes four new product codes and a reservation queue that again appear to correspond to the new device.
I'm not sure I'll get one - it's a low-end console replacement and I have multiple systems more powerful - but it's good to see signs of life.
The TMX 1795 and the Mostek 5065 are new to me, as is the Electronic Arrays 9002. Interesting point there: It had 64 bytes of on-chip memory, which is a single register today but this processor shipped fifty years ago.
Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Sunday night ONT. A whelming place to end your weekend. Open thread, as always. Fashion and music, as always. What's on YOUR mind tonight?
A 28-year-old New York woman was arrested at a school campus in the Bronx and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, trespassing, and criminal impersonation after enrolling at the school as a 16-year-old girl, under a fake name.
Last month, Kacy Claassen enrolled at the Westchester Square Academy as Shamara Rashad, born in 2010, who had just moved to New York from Ohio with her sister. She attended classes for about two weeks and was even issued a school ID with her fake name and age, but then someone discovered her social media profiles.
***
One of the woman’s social media pages listed her birth date as July 29, 1997, and one photo showed her holding a baby girl. In one of her posts she admits that she has a beautiful daughter.
OK, have you made your guess yet?
Repeatedly confronted about her identity, the 28-year-old admitted that she had lied, claiming that a friend had advised her to enroll so she would qualify for more social assistance.
Police believe that Kacy Claassen was trying to cash in on some sort of benefits scheme, but they didn’t go into details.
Ridiculous, yes. Unbelievable, no.
Socialism sucks. And it breeds behavior like this.
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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2026 Wedding Dress Trends: From the Bride’s Dream Gown to Mother-of-the-Bride Elegance and Guest Glam
Wedding season 2026 is here, and the runways have spoken: bridal fashion is celebrating sculptural romance, refined luxury, and joyful self-expression. Gone are the days of rigid rules or predictable silhouettes. Instead, designers are blending vintage-inspired details with modern tailoring, luxurious textures, and unexpected pops of personality. Whether you’re the bride saying “I do,” the mother of the bride shining in the front row, or a guest ready to celebrate in style, there’s a trend for every role.
Bridal Gown Trends: Sculptural Drama Meets Ethereal Romance
Brides in 2026 are leaning into gowns that feel like wearable art. Sculptural draping is everywhere—think artful folds, structured pleats, and fabric that cascades with intentional drama rather than fluff. Paired with this is the rise of basque waists (a hybrid of the classic drop waist and structured corsetry), creating a flattering, elongated torso that feels both vintage and fresh.
Lace is having a major moment, but not the flat, traditional kind. Expect elevated lace with 3D florals, corded textures, and shimmering threads that catch the light. Sheer layers, delicate embroidery, and satin shines add dimension, while minimalist brides are loving sleek crepe or silk faille with impeccable tailoring.
Other standout details include:
• Statement necklines and sleeves — Cat-eye shapes, halter styles, and dramatic off-the-shoulder or long, flowing sleeves.
• Corsetry and bows — Exposed boning, front bows, and micro embellishments for a touch of whimsy.
• Subtle shimmer and texture — Sequins, metallic threads, and ethereal tulle for that red-carpet glow without going overboard.
Two-piece separates and bridal midis are also gaining traction for modern, fashion-forward brides who want versatility. These trends offer something for every body type and wedding vibe—from garden romantics to black-tie ballrooms.
Mother of the Bride (and Groom) Trends: Sophisticated, Comfortable, and Photogenic
Mothers are done with “frumpy” expectations. In 2026, MOB and MOG dresses are all about timeless elegance with modern flair. Think polished silhouettes that flatter real bodies—column shapes, refined A-lines, and flowing chiffon that moves beautifully for dancing and photos.
Key trends include:
• Luxurious, wearable fabrics — Crepe, mikado, organza, and chiffon with subtle sheen and texture.
• Elegant details — Halter necklines, one-shoulder styles, capes, ruffles, soft sleeves, and focused embellishments like beads or sequins (never overwhelming).
• Color palettes — Soft neutrals (champagne, taupe, dove gray), muted pastels (sage, dusty blue, blush), rich jewel tones (emerald, sapphire, plum), and even navy or black when styled elegantly. Metallics and soft shimmer add glamour.
Pant suits and chic midis are also popular for mothers who want comfort without sacrificing style. The goal? A look that feels regal, confident, and perfectly coordinated with the wedding’s aesthetic.
Wedding Guest Trends: Expressive, Elevated, and Fun
Guests in 2026 are embracing more-is-more while staying respectful of the couple’s vision.
Standout trends:
• Icy pink and soft pastels — The pastel of the season, perfect for spring and summer weddings.
• Bold prints and florals — Fawn (deer-inspired) motifs, vibrant jacquards, and flowy florals that photograph beautifully.
• Dramatic silhouettes — Drop-waist dresses, capes, statement sleeves, asymmetrical hems, and fluid maxis or jumpsuits.
• Texture and shine — Satin slips, ethereal chiffon, beading, and elevated details that feel special but wearable.
Seasonal color palettes are helping guests coordinate effortlessly: butter yellow and lavender for spring; cobalt blue and fuchsia for summer. Neutrals and metallics work year-round, and expressive prints let personalities shine.
Final Tips for 2026 Wedding Style
• Coordinate thoughtfully — Brides, share your color palette and vibe with your moms and closest guests. Subtle coordination looks intentional, not matchy-matchy.
• Prioritize comfort — All-day events mean movement is key. Test your outfit for dancing, sitting, and photos.
• Personalize it — The best looks feel like you—whether that’s a sleek minimalist gown, a beaded cape, or a bold floral maxi.
2026 weddings are all about celebrating love in style that feels fresh, flattering, and full of joy. Whether you’re walking down the aisle, dabbing tears in the front row, or raising a glass on the dance floor, these trends ensure everyone looks and feels their absolute best.
DJ Doof - This Date In Music History Edition
from thisdayinmusic.com
On this date in 1985: All girl group The Go-Go's announced they were breaking up. The members went on to enjoy solo success, (Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin) and the group reformed in the late 90s.
On this date in 1986: Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee married TV star Heather Locklear in a courtyard in Santa Barbara California with five hundred guests. Tommy wore a white leather tuxedo.
Born on this date in 1947: Jay Ferguson, from American group Spirit
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Tonight's ONT brought to you by perpetrators
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Doof Enterprises, LLC wishes a Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!
Your feedback may or may not be very important to Doof Enterprises. Follow Mr. Doof on X @doof2112 or do the email thing – 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 Hallmark Shitballs! It's our festive annual Mother's Day Edition where it only seems fitting to pay tribute to the shooting Mom's in our lives, so Happy Mother's Day to all of you Mom's out there! In fact, all the shooting 'ettes deserve a special day of their own, don't you think?! Ma Barker, pictured above, certainly fits the definition of a shooting mom... or did she? While there is some question regarding her level of participation in the "gang" bearing her name, some of her sons were unquestionably familiar with firearms. In any event, it's an interesting story, some of which is chronicled at the Oklahoma Historical Society's website, and Wikipedia even has some interesting things to say on the subject.
Wishing a bigly Gun Thread HMD to all the Mom's out there!
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
Here's a sort-of fundamentals question; what caused you to take up shooting as a hobby? Did you start shooting as a kid and that continued as an adult? Did a friend take you to the range and from there you were hooked? Was it a self-defense a consideration? Do you just like guns and shooting?
Thinking about this some more, what aspects appeal to you the most? The challenges such as precision and accuracy? The combination of mechanical skills and art? The camaraderie of other shooters? The smell of gunpowder in the morning?
For me? I just wanted to learn how to shoot and kind of got carried away! OK, a lot carried away. I started competing because I knew that keeping score would track my progress and incentivize me to try my best.
OK, I swear I am not making this up. I just finished writing the above (really!) and checked my email and what do you suppose I found? Why, a note from Sharon(willow's apprentice). How timely!
This summer will be 6 years since I encountered the horde for the first time at the NoVa MoMe. Weasel had suggested JesseinDC give me a ride. Jesse believed all women should learn to shoot. He took me under his wing, introduced me to Stinky's daddy and took me to a range for the first time in my life. I went to Texas and got coached by Steck and Eromero and Weasel and Geoff. I bought a couple of pistols. Met Ed L, Blaster, And Hrothgar so Iris and I pushed and the DMVMGC was born. Last Sunday I picked up my G48 with Holosun sight and shot this target at 7 yds.
Then I picked Sra Blaster's gun and shot this one at 5 yds. It felt amazing. I won't stop practicing fundamentals and I will keep trying to get better but I just wanted to say thank you to those who helped me get here and encourage those of you considering going to a MoMe to Do It! Guaranteed to change your life.
Sharon(willow's apprentice)
(I may have these pics rotated incorrectly -W)
Thanks SWA!! Nice shooting and glad to hear you're sticking with it.
To all y'all, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts and your specific personal reasons for taking up the shooting sports in the comments!
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1911 Fun
and...
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.32 ACP?
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Our Pal Toxic Propellant Hazards
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NoVaMoMe 2026
What - you thought there wasn't going to be a NoVaMoMe in 2026?
Note: One of the great joys of NoVAMoMe season, at least for me, is being able to cut and paste the entire block of text below and haranguing you to attend the event. Are you attending? Are you focusing on the fundamentals of attending?
Alright, guys and gals, the long awaited and highly anticipated details of the 2026 NoVAMoMe are here! That's right, I finally got my act together and updated the information page for 2026, and need to go over a few details. First, the date is June 20th, 2026 from 11am to 3pm. Nextly, my bestest blog buddy bluebell and I have decided 2026 will continue the longstanding tradition of NoVAMoMe simplification, and want to pass along the changes from prior years.
First, no registration and no advance charge for food. If you would like to attend, send an email to WeaselBell Productions, and let us know. You will be directed to a sekrit webpage with all of the details. We do ask once you have decided to attend to let us know so we can coordinate an expected count with venue management. Once there if you are hungry or thirsty simply order from the onsite menu and pay separately. Cash and credit cards accepted. Next, although fun, we have decided to again take a break from the raffles and mug sales this year. Depending on how it goes, that may be something we bring back in future years. While your generosity is always appreciated, with no prize table, please leave donations and contributions at home, but bring your appetite for a great afternoon spent with your imaginary online friends.
Next, a NoVAMoMe PSA from our pal bluebell
Hi folks - just a quick PSA. If you write for info about the MoMe, please give us a few words in the body of the email just so I know you are a Moron and not a spammer (moron). I do receive spam on this email account because it's sitting right here in my nic, so that's why I'm asking. I don't want to give our details to a spammer. Also, remember to check your spam folder if you don't receive a reply email.
Thanks.
bluebell
Seriously, just send an email then go to the website with the password provided. If you forget, a link to the email is on the main page, left sidebar. If you do not sign up, bluebell will be disappointed. Weasel will be disappointed, too, but it's bluebell you need to worry about.
AJ Fernandez, one of the giants of current cigar blenders, does collaborations with just about every brand you can think of. As with the rest of his creations, I have yet to find one that doesn't deliver. AJ has done two collaborations with the Cuban legacy brand H. Upmann. I reviewed his first effort a while back - it's among the sticks I'll pick up without hesitation when I come across it in the wild (H. Uppman by AJ Fernandez). Just tried his more recent one - H. Upmann Nicaragua Heritage by AJ Fernandez.
It's a rustic-looking dark brown cigar (I tried the toro, 6 X 54). It has a Brazilian mata fina wrapper, with Brazilian and Nicaraguan fillers. Construction, draw, and smoke volume all very good - burn line did require some management at times. Profile was fuller end of medium-full. Flavors - something medium with a hint of sweetness at the start - coffee or something close, moving into oak, earth and leather from about the mid-point. This one packed a noticeable (though not overwhelming) nicotine punch. While not the flavor profile I usually reach for, a very good cigar that will please most who prefer the earth and dark wood experience. The H. Upmann Nicaragua Heritage by AJ Fernandez is available online for around $10 and up.
Excellent, rhomboid! Thank you very much!!
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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
Anyone have others to include? Perhaps a small local roller who makes a cigar you like? Send me your recommendation and a link to the site!
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?
Yes...another installment in the never-ending saga of Dildo's Yorkshire Pudding JourneyTM!
Yes, these were...fine. But not impossibly fluffy and tall and ethereal. But I got some advice from a real live Brit last night. We had him for dinner, and he tells me that his father swears by the minimalist technique of using a tiny bit of fat. No more than a bare bit to lubricate the bottom of the vessel.
That goes against every fiber of my being, which is that the more fat the better the food! We shall see if he is correct...so look for the next episode coming soon!
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Recently in the comments, somebody pointed out that it is the water in vodka that makes the difference between the various brands. My apologies, but I do not remember which commenter it was, but I think it is a very interesting point. So I made some vodka with Everclear and my wife's favorite bottled water, and did a blind taste test to see whether she could identify it. It wasn't a perfect comparison, because I don't have a graduated cylinder for precise measuring, so I think the Everclear vodka was a bit more alcoholic.
One interesting result was that she did not choose what she thought was her favorite vodka as the winner! She also didn't choose the Everclear vodka made with her preferred water, so more experimentation is needed.
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That was served to me on a recent flight. Supposedly it is "filet," although it did not specify what animal's filet, so I am tending toward rat, or maybe racoon.
I am sure that the exact temperature is specified in the instructions to the food techs (I won't call it a recipe, and I won't call them cooks), so that isn't some overdone mistake on the part of the food company. I firmly believe that it was intentional, which suggests the question: Why?
If you are going to kill the food, why not just make something really cheap instead?
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That is my first attempt at a Mescal cocktail, and it was a success! Mescal, Amaro (I used Aperol), simple syrup, lemon juice, bitters, and an egg white. Shake it all up with ice and pour it in a cocktail glass.
Very good, although I will need to play with the proportions a bit, since I and the other taster thought it was a bit too sweet, masking the tartness of the lemon juice.
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That is a simple pork Milanese, but with a small twist. I have some cornbread crumbs that I made because I am a cheap bastard and didn't want to throw away the stale cornbread. So I mixed it with regular breadcrumbs to see whether that worked. And it did, but not as well as breadcrumbs alone. I think the cornbread was too sweet. But it was fun to try, and it certainly browned nicely!
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I'll be in and out, so behave yourselves, and in particular, don't talk about boring food!
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The garlic is busily growing, with pretty impressive green shoots that are pushing a foot tall! I even fertilized them! And if they survive the deer and squirrel apocalypse, and actually grow into something edible, I will be in garlic heaven! In case it doesn't, send all of your excellent home-grown garlic to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.
Rumor has it that the Bourbon Bubble is bursting. I have seen no evidence of decreasing prices, but maybe the bursting started somewhere else! 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!
Sigh...we had some heavy drinkers over yesterday for a roast, and the bast*rds drank most of my Guinness!
Why is it that people will gravitate toward that which is in short supply? I have about 40 bottles of Bourbon, but no...they had to knock off the beer first!
Whole milk in our schools? That should be entirely unexceptional, especially since reduced fat milk is a new thing. Children have been drinking whole milk from animals for at least 10,000 years (and probably longer), and in case some people are unaware, infants drink human milk, which is even richer than most cow's milk!
But the food lunatics must have their way, which means they have taken shoddy science (fat makes you fat!), ignored confounding variables, and tried mightily to transform the American diet into a horror-show of low fat, high carbohydrate foods that have made us one of the fattest societies in the world. And of course these maniacs cite that data to claim that whole milk is one of the culprits! Never mind that these same maniacs are part of the destruction of normal childhood behavior like running around at recess, and racing around the neighborhood until dark.
The rule furthers the president’s “commitment to improving childhood nutrition and supporting America’s dairy farmers by ensuring schools and child nutrition providers can once again offer students nutrient-dense dairy options that align with the latest nutrition science and consumer preference,” the USDA said in a May 8 statement.
“Whole milk and other dairy products provide essential nutrients including protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamins A, D, and B12. Whole milk is especially important for young children aged 1 to 10 to support energy needs and brain development.”
Oh, and let us not forget the massive welfare state that many of these same deluded, anti-science zealots created. Pay for poor people's food, but they will have to eat what we say! And that means more of that incredibly destructive diet!
And just for sh*ts and giggles, they throw in the very poorly studied claims that kids who eat a normal diet are getting cardiovascular disease!
In a Sept. 10, 2025, statement, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine called on the MAHA commission to drop whole milk from its recommendations, citing potential cardiovascular health risks to children.
Children are increasingly exhibiting early signs of high cholesterol, heart disease, and other cardiovascular diseases. Allowing full-fat whole dairy in school meals will only result in more such health issues, the committee said.
“Instead of addressing real changes to provide healthier school meals, the MAHA Strategy is pushing whole milk at the expense of children’s health,” Neal Barnard, president of the committee, said.
“The federal government should be putting less saturated fat on school lunch trays, not more, and it can do that by making it easier for students to access nondairy beverages and plant-based entrees.”
Oooh! "Plant-based!" The Holy Grail of the food Nazis! That's the real agenda. No more red meat, then no more whole milk, then no more animal protein, then only insect protein to supplement the "plant-based" crap. It's to save the earth! And the spotted owls! And the children!
Do you hate children?
This is all nothing more than carefully disguised social engineering that is indistinguishable from the manipulations of culture by the communists of the Soviet Union and Red China. They strive to change the essential nature of Man, and whether that is through diet, forcing us into 15 Minute Cities, making sexual characteristics fluid and changeable, destroying our religions, or many other culture-destroying manipulations. And the goal is always the same...the elites will rule us from their lofty perches, and we will wallow in the muck as society decays because of the loss of free will and individuality.
Then want us to be identical cogs in their infernal machine, and every single thing they do is in furtherance of that goal.
Good morning, ‘rons and ‘ronettes. It’s time once again for the monthly MP4-hosted Sunday Book Thread. As it’s May, it’s Goodwood Races time in England and women are encouraged to wear their finest:
So ask the barman for a Pimm’s, covfefe or tea and let’s get started!
TBR, TBRA and what’s the point?
Here on the Book Thread, we talk a lot about our To Be Read (TBR) lists and, sometimes, about our To Be Read Again (TBRA) lists. I can look around my house and find lots of books I have yet to read (some of them in my hands for years) as well as the more familiar ones I’ll pick up when I’m at a loose end. On the TBR list I’ve got, for example, Shelley Puhak’s bio of Ersebeth Batory, The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal and the Making of a Monster. I also have William Mann’s Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood, which I’ve only managed to get a quarter of a way through.
In the latter category, I have my comic strip collections, a plethora of true-crime works, 20-odd books on English and Victorian history and shelves of volumes on a variety of topics. These are the books I’ll pull down when I’m sitting to relax, or as entertainment over a meal or just because I’ve enjoyed them so much, re-reading is a pleasure.
“What about ‘what’s the point?” I hear you say. That was a thought that occurred to me the other night as I was finishing off a TBR book. I glanced up at my packed shelves and wondered – why do I keep these books which I’ve read and will likely never read again? For instance, Barbara Mertz’s Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: I’ve read it, taken in its knowledge and shelved it. I doubt I will ever page through it again. So why do I keep it when I could trade or sell it and make room for other books?
I don’t know. Part of me knows I’ve got dozens of ‘finished’ books which are gathering dust, but another, stronger part of me recoils at the very idea of getting rid of any book for any reason. I know that when I die, everything I have except for my Hollywood and Jack the Ripper collections (which will sell for a pretty penny) will end up in the dumpster, so why not anticipate the reaping now?
What about you? What books are begging to be read and which ones are the old friends you turn to at a leisure moment? And do you, like me, hoard your books like Scrooge hoarding his gold?
CPanel issued patches for three new vulnerabilities over the weekend, after 44,000 CPanel servers were hacked in the past week. (My own server was affected, but I managed to get it locked down before the wave of ransomware hit. And I have off-site backups.)
Since each server can host hundreds of websites, 44,000 hacked servers could affect a lot of people.
With mid-range smartphone sales dropping as memory prices bite, Mediatek and Qualcomm have cut their production orders with TSMC for 5nm and 4nm chips. AMD immediately took up the slack. (WCCFTech)
All current AMD CPUs (and GPUs) are built on TSMC's 5nm and 4nm processes - they don't use 3nm at all, and 2nm is set to arrive at the end of the year with Zen 6 - and AMD is selling every CPU they can churn out.
I mentioned that Intel's stock recently hit a 20-year high. You know who bought the dip? The federal government. (WCCFTech)
The Trump Administration converted a Biden-era grant - which came with conditions attached that Intel couldn't meet - to a straightforward share purchase.
At the bottom of the market.
Oh, and Intel is currently in talks to manufacture chips for Apple 25% cheaper than TSMC.
A man in a bar starts talking to a prostitute. He says, "How much for a hand job?" She says it's $250. He says, "$250 for a lousy hand job? That’s crazy!" She says, "Honey, follow me," and takes him outside.
"See that Ferrari? I bought that Ferrari just with money from hand jobs. I give the best in the world." So he tries it, and it's great. A week later he's horny again. He goes back to the bar and asks her about a BJ.
She says it's $500. He thinks that's too much. She says, "Honey, come out back. See that mansion up on the hill? I bought that mansion with money from BJs. I do it the best." So he takes her up on it, and it's amazing. He's drained for a month.
Now obsessed, he goes back. Desperately he says, "I gotta know, how much for the coochie?" "Oh honey," she says, "If I had one of those, I'd own this town."
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Elderly couple in church.
Wife turns to Husband suddenly during the service, leans close to his ear and says "I've just done a silent fart. What should I do?"
Husband says "Put new batteries in your hearing aid!"
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Drink of the Night
Tonight we drew the 6 of spades from our deck of playing card cocktails.
Beware of brain freeze!
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Club ONT Department of Stopping to Smell the Flowers
Photo credit: Dick van Duijn
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Club ONT Department of Music History
Philips and Sony collaborated on the size of the compact disc in the late 1970s to create a single standard and avoid a format war (like VHS v. Betamax). Philips made an early prototype in 1979 which was an 11.5 cm disc that held about 60 minutes of audio. Sony initially favored a smaller 10 cm disc but Sony president Norio Ohga pushed for more capacity. Specifically, the goal was a disc that could fit Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.
They settled on a 12 cm diameter disc which was precisely enough to fit the longest known recording at the time (a 1951 version at about 74 minutes).
The size of the hole in a compact disc was determined when Joop Sinjou, the head of Philops audio products development in the Netherlands, put a Dutch 10 cent coin (known as a dubbeltje) on the table during a standardization meeting. The coin created a hole of exactly 15 mm.
— Hollywood Horror Museum (@horrormuseum) May 8, 2026
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Club ONT Department of Hallucinations
This video simulates what it looks like when you are on acid. Stare at the numbers in the middle of the screen and then look around - whoa. 😵💫 pic.twitter.com/h1rtn9O18T
The co-owner of a Boston bakery is offering baked goods as a reward for the safe return of the eatery's "mascot," a large plastic ice cream cone named Swirly.
Swirly, a fixture outside of Flour Bakery on the Boston Common, was initially feared to have blown away during the winter, but co-owner Joanne Chang said she now has good reason to believe the mascot is still nearby.
"He was possibly spotted in a nearby dorm window looking down longingly at home and we have reason to believe he may be confused about where he is," Chang wrote on social media.
She said all the bakery wants is Swirly's safe return.
"To anyone who is temporarily sheltering him: thank you for protecting him this winter, please return him safely, no questions asked, in exchange for baked goods and our eternal gratitude," Chang wrote.
O Swirly, Swirly where art thou? Deny thy temporary dormitory dwelling and return home. Break free from the shackles of communal living. If for nothing else, think of the sprinkles that you once called compatriots.
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The Club ONT Magical Jukebox
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Top 10ish Comments of the Week
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Club ONT is brought to you tonight by the hot v crazy matrix:
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The Club ONT lost and found still has several frilly hats left behind from Derby day last week. And lots of other stuff. Some unidentifiable. Some unmentionable. Please stop by and grab what's yours (or pick up a nice gift for Mom)!
When an author decides to tell a story in a world not our own, he or she has two main paths to choose from. The first is the path of Tolkien.
Build an intricate mythology, legendarium, and multiple languages to create a backstory for a world (that includes the transformation of the geology from a flat world to a globe), all that spans thousands of years, includes a creation myth, all of which is the author's real passion which he is then able to include in a sequel to a silly children's book he wrote to entertain his children. Heck, Tolkien directly references the central gems of what his son would put together as The Silmarillion, the Silmarils, in The Lord of the Rings.
Or, you can have a central conceit and create a very vague world around it with generic pieces that don't always really come together. This is how Suzanne Collins wrote The Hunger Games. I really don't think the world she created is any good at all. It's outright bad. And yet, I mostly don't think it matters.
So, I had The Hunger Games on the brain because my wife decided that our eldest son was old enough to watch it. Watched the original four movies over the course of a few days. It's a series I've seen multiple times, it being a standard bit of entertainment in the house since we first dated (seeing the four in theaters together as dates). So, watching them again, my mind drifted to the worldbuilding and how meager it all is.
It's a country set in a dystopian future that's supposedly built from the ashes of America. Collins does not provide real clues beyond generalized geographic descriptions for where any of the twelve districts that make up the majority of the country's area are or where the capitol is other than being in the mountains. This has led fans to come up with maps that all disagree with each other except on some basic points like District 12 being West Virginia or Pennsylvania and the Capitol being in the Colorado Rockies.
There seems to be little thought into why these places exist, especially when you get to the point later in the series when District 12, presumably their only source of coal, a major source of energy, gets bombed to the stone age, and...no one talks about how the Capitol could be facing an energy crisis. Does that mean that District 12's work was...unimportant? It's very possible. We see a major dam in the third film that gets blown up that seems to have more of an effect on energy than destroying all the coal miners in the country. Does this narrative hole matter?
Within the context of the story, which is laser-focused on the main character of Katniss Everdean, I don't think so. The purpose of the original trilogy of books and quadrilogy of movies is the main character's journey. The world is incidental to that, so a certain vagueness about how things worked on a grander political level is understandable. The point isn't the world, the point is Katniss's journey from no-one to symbol of a resistance. It makes sense.
It doesn't sweep away the fact that the world is kind of...generic and doesn't make the most sense. Couldn't Collins have named the districts? Oh well.
Problems Arising
I think this is only noteworthy because the story did continue beyond the original three books and four movies (don't split the final entry into two, Hollywood, Mockingjay Part 1 is boring). Collins, becoming one of the richest fiction authors in the world, has written nothing but Hunger Games prequels since 2013. The first, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, was published in 2020 and the movie version came out in 2023. The second, Sunrise of the Reaping, was published in 2025 and the movie version is coming out this year.
So, she has this generic world she's barely explored and has the opportunity for a guaranteed paycheck to expand it with prequels. What does she do?
She repeats herself...hard.
Our main character in the first prequel is a character from the original books, President Snow (but this time only as a poor student) while the action is only in the Capitol and...District 12, while a girl from District 12 becomes the Victor of the Tenth Annual Hunger Games. No scenes exploring any other district. Just the Capitol, District 12, and the arena for the Hunger Games. What about the second prequel? Well, it's centered around a character from the original books (Haymitch, Katniss' mentor) and how he won the Hunger Games. So...District 12 to Capitol to Hunger Games arena...again.
Is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes bad for that? Well, I think the book is terrible and the lack of exploration of the rest of the world is part of that. I think the movie version is okay because it deals with some of my other issues around point of view and pacing while providing spectacle that the books couldn't really deliver. But the frustration with the myopic view of the world continues.
Should there be more? Can Collins write stories with the same motifs, settings, and character traits and still create good things? Of course, but I don't see any kind of poetic repetition here, I just see imagination-deficient repetition. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that she obviously doesn't care about the world she built.
World Building or Story or Both?
It's not an either/or proposition. You can have both world building and story, but it's obvious that Collins much prefers her story over her world building (her story is...pretty good overall). And I end up creating a comparison in my head.
Collins is writing for teens. Effectively children. What else is for children? Fables. Fables like Hansel & Gretel. Do we need a deep construction of the particulars of geography and history of the Old Forest in the story? Or can "dark, creepy, ancient forest" be enough for the purposes of the story?
That's the proper way to think of Panem, I think. The equivalent wouldn't be Middle Earth, a fairy setting for adults (as Tolkien put it), but the Old Forest and the witch's hut. It's a generalized setting in which to place an easily digested moral that the younger than adult mind can grasp easily.
So when she decides to try and create something a bit more adult, like the creation of YA Dystopian Hitler in the backstory of President Snow, the lack of worldbuilding ends up working against the sudden move into something requiring more nuance since she wants to create a real journey from sympathetic young man to literal Hitler. We're still in fable territory with the world, and I think it clashes with the attempt at a more serious story (which I don't think she really pulls off because she's not really that great of a writer, but much wealthier and more successful than I ever will be, so what do I know?).
A newer approach that actually expanded the story in serious ways, giving us new looks at new districts we've never seen and introducing more complex politics beyond "crazy powermad person at the top" would have helped, and in order to do that you have to be invested in making the world itself feel real.
Conclusion
It's just a thought brought on by recent viewing. How important is world building? Well, I guess it depends on what kind of story you're telling. Would a geneology of the mayors of District 12 have improved the story itself? No. What about a detailed description of how the economies of each district contributed to the Capitol's GDP? Also, no.
But I do think the lack of anything makes the films and books feel a bit emptier than they are and harder to expand when, ironically, that should make it easier. Collins hadn't written herself into a box. She could expand in a whole host of ways, and yet...she just keeps going back to District 12.
The Men of Sherwood Forest (Rating 3/4) Full Review "It's a modest entertainment that understands the assignment and reaches no further beyond that." [Library]
Third Party Risk (or, The Deadly Game) (Rating 2/4) Full Review "It's an unremarkable, thin wrong man adventure that flitters from little sequence to the next, its central star doing what he can to elevate things, and largely disappearing from mind before it's even over." [YouTube]
The Lyons in Paris (Rating 2/4) Full Review "Still, it's really just silly antics with performers doing their utmost to get some laughs. I almost chuckled a few times." [Library]
The Quatermass Xperiment (Rating 2.5/4) Full Review "Still, the horror is halfway decent and there's surprising emotionality hidden in the middle there, all while it looks pretty decent and has solid supporting performances." [Prime]
X the Unknown (Rating 2/4) Full Review "It's still largely an kind of dull monster flick with a disappointing monster in the end. But the use of music and the implication of the danger for a good stretch are nice." [Archive.org]
The Curse of Frankenstein (Rating 2.5/4) Full Review "And yet, while it plays out, I may not feel much, but I do end up with a modestly good time watching this vibrantly colored take on a well-worn story." [Max]
Quatermass II (Rating 3/4) Full Review "I was fully on board, and it's just a disappointment that it doesn't end at the same level as most of the film operates." [Plex]
Email any suggestions or questions to thejamesmadison.aos at symbol gmail dot com.
I've also archived all the old posts here, by request. I'll add new posts a week after they originally post at the HQ.
My next thread will be on 5/30.
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 officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. For this week, the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) decided on a Montana travel theme for this Hobby Thread.
Why Montana? We may never know. The ways of the Wheel are strange and mysterious.
[Top Photo: Cathedral of St. Helena, Helena, Montana]
As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. All (legal) hobbying is welcome. We have a theme, but no need to stick with the theme. Even if the theme does not speak to you, find something else or offer something else relating to hobbying. Leave politics and religion to threads elsewhere. Pants are optional. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.
Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.
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Captain Vasili Borodin had dreams of Montana. "I will live in Montana. And I will marry a round American woman and raise rabbits, and she will cook them for me. And I will have a pickup truck... maybe even a 'recreational vehicle.' And drive from state to state. Do they let you do that?"
Are you wise in the ways of Montana?
Have you visited? Do you have favorite spots or scenic drives or seasons?
National parks? Ski slopes? Ghost towns? Mining history? Dinosaurs?
This is a travel themed thread. Let's go to Montana!
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Glacier National Park may be the closest the US has to European Alps. Pictures do not do it justice:
The Going-to-the-Sun Road is not accessible year round. It gets snowy. Very snowy.
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Butte is known for its mining history. They called it "The Richest Hill on Earth." Good overview and good old photos in this documentary.
The Bekeley Pit in Butte is one of the most well known mining sites in Montana. Most of the Youtube videos are heavy with indignant environmental lectures, so learn more by reading this explanation at Pitwatch, the official website set up with information about the pit.
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Remember our beekeeping and honey theme from a few weeks ago?
Montana consistently ranks among the top 5 honey-producing states in the U.S.
Montana typically produces 9-15 million pounds of honey annually from around 100,000-270,000 colonies.
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Has anyone visited the Ringing Rocks?
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Our Lady of the Rockies is built atop the Continental Divide outside Butte
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Beartooth Highway - one of the most scenic drives in the US? Absolutely.
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Yellowstone is large. This overview covers a lot of ground and will give you a good sense of the park. Of course, nothing compares to being on the ground, but a good armchair tour is the next best thing.
This is very nice. No voice over or music - just great scenery and natural sounds.
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I know what you're thinking. "There has to be some interesting ghost towns in Montana that are off the beaten path. Maybe old mining towns?" Yes, yes there is. Allow me to introduce Comet.
Top tip: if you go beyond the town, look for a sign that says "Road not maintained. Proceed at your own risk." When you see the sign, turn around. Trust me.
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While Montana is generally known for "big sky country," it also has a place called "Big Sky" that is a skiing favorite.
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The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman is one of the world's best dinosaur museums. Extraordinary specimens. T-Rex history!! Apparently Wyoming is first on the dino bone discovery list and Montana is second.
Mandatory stop. For obvious reasons.
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I know what you're thinking. "I have an extra $30m in my checking account and I am interested in a 2006+ acre ranch in Montana. I'd really like something that comes with a resident Elk herd. Do you have any options for me?"
This car makes a statement: the Auto Union Lucca is emblematic of the technical innovation of the four rings in the 1930s. Audi Tradition has recreated the spectacular record-breaking car and will unveil it for the first time in early May in - aptly - the Italian city of Lucca. On February 15, 1935, the car set a widely acclaimed flying-start mile record on a straight section of the autostrada near Lucca, achieving a calculated average speed of 320.267 km/h and a measured top speed of 326.975 km/h. The Rennlimousine, a period term meaning "racing sedan," was completed in the spring of 2026 and will join the legendary Silver Arrows in AUDI AG's historic vehicle collection.
Audi had the Auto Union Lucca recreated by Crosthwaite & Gardiner based on historical photos and various other documents from the archives. After spending just over three years on its construction, the British restoration specialists completed the project in early 2026. All components are handcrafted especially for this model; in addition to the technical implementation, the production of the streamlined bodywork - such as the cockpit canopy and the tapered tail - was particularly labor-intensive. The hard work paid off: at the end of April, a drag coefficient of 0.43 was measured for the record-breaking car in the Audi wind tunnel.
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Random hobbying - a NASA Mars Rover replica made from matchsticks:
On display at the San Deigo Air & Space Museum.
Building the Mars rover Perseverance began in April 2020 and used 880,000 matchsticks and 28 gallons of wood glue by the time it was competed in the spring 2021.
The massive matchstick model measures over 10 feet long, 9 feet wide, and 7 feet at its tallest point. In addition to having a remote control video camera mounted atop the mast, the rover can be remotely operated to move forwards and backwards.
Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did an car repair 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 your own. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.
Cherri Merritt thought she would never see her cat Tasha again after the longhair ragdoll mix went missing near Dallas, Texas on a cross-country road trip over seven months ago.
However, Tasha is now back home purring peacefully in Merritt’s lap after a twist of fate and a series of unexpected connections brought the cat back to Eugene.
Great story involving a lot of good people!
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How to Draw a Cat
1. Find a picture of a skull-faced cheerleader waving giant leaves. There's probably lots on the internet.
2. Draw a rope connecting her ankles.
3. Draw a rope connecting her toes by going over her head.
4. Add two triangles at the top, then slightly bigger ones over those, and voila! A cat!
Thank you for the weekend threads!
BeckoningChasm
NOW GET CREATIVE! Thanks, BeckoningChasm!
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Meet The PetMorons
Hi K.T.
This is my pup Whiskey staring at me from around the corner. So sad and forlorn he is. He does this every morning until I finish my first cuppa tea because that's when he gets his breakfast. Twenty minutes can seem like a lifetime to him, I'm sure, yet he perseveres daily nonetheless.
~~IrishEi
Love that photo! Such eyes! Such a face!
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I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had to let my Eskimo dog go over the Rainbow Bridge. Here’s my new pup, Luna, an 8-month old Eskie puppy. She was a stray who ended up in a kill shelter (and God, do I hate that term) but was saved by a foster mom. I drove to Alexandria to get her and now she is in her forever home. I’m a sad, rotten fellow, but having her makes me happy.
MP4
So happy for you and for Luna that you and a foster mom were able to rescue her! Great rescue photo!
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PetMoron Adjacent Animals
Encountered by Members of The Horde
The doves are back. This is hatching #2 for 2026. They are ready to fly the coop. Momma is currently sitting on two more eggs so look for two more hatching in late June. They love this dove box and it has been occupied every year since 2022. The nesting pair arrives in February and they leave in September.
rocdoctom
What a great thing! Those doves look cozy!
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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.
The pink flower is Bletilla striata, a terrestrial orchid. I planted it years ago and can't remember what the bare root looked like. I've seen it described as a root, pseudobulb or a tuber. Breck's calls it a rhizome. It is pretty dependable and not really fussy,. The plant does spread slowly but a single plant will eventually grow to more.
I love that little flower. The middle looks ruffled. I used to have some, in part shade. The rhizomes sometimes stuck out above ground. They were green.
The blue flower is Sisyrinchium angustifolium, blue eyed grass. and is a native perennial in most of the US. It's actually not a grass, it belongs to the Iris family. I was a little surprised to see it come back; I had just planted this past summer and not only were temps really low this winter it's planted in a corner that sometimes pools water. The clump is doing surprisingly well!
Lirio100
Glad you are having success with this one. Wonder who named it?
Thanks for sending in the great photos!
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Last month, we posted some photos of small flowers from Don in Kansas. Today, how about some larger ones? Be sure to click over on the link to see all of them and larger photos.
Unfortunately, the big news around these parts is our annual flooding. Between intense rain soaking the ground, and my neighbor's pond overflow discharging through my yard (allowed, as my yard has a creek, so it's the natural drainage or somesuch), it's a bit soupy.
I have a couple native plum that have more blooms, and are more fragrant, than I recall from past years, so maybe we'll see some fruit, as they're only a few years old. We have one nice little cherry tree that produced several pounds of cherries last year, and things look good so far.
Finally, I think this is a redbud along my normal walking path. Color is pretty striking.
Intrepid Liaison/Admiral Ackbar
Sorry about the flooding. Thanks for the great photos!
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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.
Things I have learned: (1.) The shooter is best friends with the Vice President and his wife, and (2.) A Fox News correspondent made sure the K9 officer didn't interfere with the shooter as he removed the gun from his coat - - after guests moved from the red carpet through security to the ballroom.
It all makes sense. If the assassination attempt must be fake.
Here's Fox News war correspondent Trey Yingst running over to direct the K9 handler who spoke with the “shooter” at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, just before he ran out of the room his dog hit on twice. https://t.co/iwMctKl4D9pic.twitter.com/Mk4aOroEkt
(Notes: A woman who looked like the VP's wife was at an event with the shooter in 2017 and Trey Yingst says he was reaching to shake hands with photographers near the red carpet).
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All the people who think the assassination attempt was fake also believe that Apollo 11 was fake. Why is that?
Enemy Maintenance Democrats are working overtime to manufacture enemies and keep their armies of straw men alive.
“For me to be right, you must always be wrong no matter what” seems to be the mechanics behind a lot of sociopolitical turmoil these days, and it is often utilized by people who intentionally twist positions, most that their opponents never held, simply are not true, consist of terms that have been redefined to fit, situations that have been recontextualized, or they just never happened so they can be “right.”
It happened to me this week when a person attacked me for things I never said, I never did, I never believed, nor have I ever espoused—and no matter how much direct, objective, and in some cases, publicly known, evidence I presented, he just would not accept any of it. His entire package of grievances was a neatly tied up box of manipulated rhetoric, things taken out of context, false memories and mythmaking that was completely and totally false.
People ridiculed President Trump in his first term when he founded the Space Force as a new branch of the military. Well who’s laughing now? True, it might seem that building a wall against alien incursions is impossible, but didn’t Star Trek solve this decades ago with modulated shields? And we’re already long past making analogies between the Administrative State and The Borg. And this, you see, is why I have to re-appear here, because let’s face it, John is just weak (by his own admission) about sci-fi-pop-cul. Meanwhile, the Persian Gulf ceasefire punctuated with “kinetic activity” continues. And oh yeah—Spirit Airlines died. I suspect this is not a coincidence. I’ll bet it was an alien front all along, and Trump’s Space Force is on it!
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Dance
Watch Bob Fosse's snake performance in "The Little Prince" from 1974 and tell me you don't see Michael Jackson's entire dance career born in real time.
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:
3/10 – Update on Susan, who we have been praying for as she battles cancer. She is hospitalized again with an infection in her colon that quickly turned bad. The doctor says the signs are sepsis but they are running tests to make sure. The good news is that the pancreatic cancer was and is responding to the chemo and her cancer numbers are going down. God bless and thank you!
4/18 Update – Susan is doing outstanding. Her weight is better than expected. They have increased her dosage for chemo, and her cancer numbers are the lowest they have been since they started keeping track of them. They are so thankful for the mercy they have received. Thanks to everyone for the thoughts and prayers.
3/14 – Retired Buckeye Cop asks for prayers for Mrs. Cop’s cousin, “A.B”. He has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. He is a retired police officer who was hit by a car years ago. He attempted to deal with the pain by self-medicating with too much Tylenol, which ended up poisoning his liver. His only alternative is a liver transplant, but he is uncertain if he wants to have surgery.
4/11 Update – A.B. got a second opinion and testing determined his live score was 15. (21+ means transplant time.) That’s bad, but not as critical as initially thought. He went to the Cleveland Clinic for a third opinion, and testing found that his score had dropped to 9 and a liver transplant was not even something to consider. The doctor suspected a reaction to Ozempic and told him to stop taking it for 6 months.
3/28 – Hrothgar asked for prayers for a dear and long time close friend and former neighbor, Daniel, who is scheduled for open heart surgery in mid-April. Prayers for his wife would be appreciated as well, as she will be carrying a heavy load for the next few months.
4/18 Update – Daniel survived his complex open heart surgery. He is sitting up and it seems like it went well, but they are not going to release him as quickly as he would like, so he is not happy. Thanks to the Horde for the prayers and please keep praying for his dear wife, who now has even more to put up with.
3/28 – Jordan61 posted that Mr. Jordan61 is back in the hospital. His sepsis has returned and gotten into where his compression fracture is, and he has vertebral osteomyelitis. The doctor is supposed to come in today and let them know the plan.
4/9 Update – On 4/1 Mr. Jordan61 was released from the hospital with six weeks of IV antibiotics, which Jordan61 is administering every 8 hours. He’s in a lot of pain; they’ve given him oxy, fentanyl, and dilaudid, and nothing seems to touch it. From what they were told, the pain won’t subside until the infection is cleared up. For the time being, he is bed-bound and they are limiting his movement as much as possible to keep the pain to a minimum. Jordan61 will send updates with progress.
4/25 Update – Mr. Jordan61 is making slow but steady progress. He can get up and walk for short periods of time, and can sit in the living room for an hour or so per day. He is halfway through the IV antibiotics, with 3 weeks to go. A physical therapist will be coming to help him build strength and learn how to move without aggravating his back injury. Thank you all for the prayers!
4/3 – Teresa in Fort Worth posted an update. Her chemo seems to be holding things steady for now. Unfortunately, as she is receiving a steroid, she has gained about 25 pounds. Her blood sugar has also jumped up about 40 points (which only happens when she is on steroids).
4/24 Update – Teresa in Fort Worth provided an update: The pump that was put in to battle cancer in December can only be used for 6 months. After that, it starts to damage the liver. So she may have to go back onto the medication that made her lose her hair and messed up her vision and nails, and then return to this medication after a break. This is not good news, since this new medication is working so well. But for now, she is doing well and is incredibly grateful for the time that she has been given so far.
4/11 – Eromero craves prayers for Mrs. E., as she has been diagnosed with lymphoma. She begins infusions on 4/23.
4/25 Update – Mrs. E. reports that she feels fine. Praise be to God that she has had only one distressful episode during the infusions. Thank you for all the past and continued prayers.
4/18 – Vmom deport deport deport asked for prayers for Captain Whitebread, who is back in ICU with a leg infection that sounds very serious. She also asked for prayers for her husband’s mental and emotional well-being as he faces transition of a possible forced retirement in 3 months.
4/29 Update Captain Whitebread’s son posted that Captain Whitebread had several more infections and passed away on 4/29.
4/18 – Warai-otoko offered a prayer of thanksgiving that he got a new job that he is really enjoying. Wifey also got an offer for a new job that sounds great, after a decade of putting up with her old job.
4/18 – fd posted that MIL went into the hospital with multiple issues. Then Dad went in. MIL is still there, and Dad is out. Both will be okay – as well as can be expected for 87 and 89 year olds. Also GSD Bruno started chemo for lymphoma and is responding well. Prayers from the Horde have helped.
5/2 Update – MIL and dad are back home. Bruno seems to be doing well. Thank you all, sincerely, for your thoughts and prayers.
4/18 – neverenoughcaffiene asked that Devyn be kept in prayers. She is a young mother of 2 with a mass on her esophagus. The Doc said it was scar tissue and hopefully the second opinion will agree.
4/18 – Smell the Glove could use some prayers as therapy and rehab occur after gout/sepsis.
5/2 Update – The gout has cleared and the infection in the lower back is healing.
4/18 – PA Dutchman asked for prayers for his family. His dad passed away on 4/9 after complications from a fall. He was 95 and a veteran of the Korean War, 34th Inf Rgt. Mostly prayers are need for PA Dutchman’s mom, who is absolutely heartbroken.
4/18 – PabloD has been having dizzy spells for the past few weeks. He is seeing a doctor soon, and is requesting prayers that figure it out and that it’s nothing too serious.
4/18 – Sam Adams requested prayers for a friend, Mary F, who was just sent to a long-term recovery facility after having a tracheostomy.
5/2 Update – Mary’s breathing is improving, and they are weaning her off assisted breathing. She is now off the ventilator for 12 hours a day, and they are aiming for 14 hours soon. Many thanks to all of the Moron Horde for the prayers.
4/18 – Doof provided an update on his mother. She is doing better. She moved into her own room in an assisted living facility. It’s walking distance from Doof’s house, which is great. Her mental state has improved dramatically. She can no longer walk but she does stand with some assistance and can transfer between a wheelchair and bed or a lift/recliner chair. This facility is more of a home and less of a hospital, which hopefully will provide a good opportunity for her to enjoy life. He appreciates the Horde’s prayers and asks for prayers that she settles in comfortably and develops new friendships.
4/24 – Notsothoreau asked for prayers for a friend’s father (Cory), who needs prayers for strength and peace as he is going through some troubled times.
4/27 – Matthew Kant Cipher sent his thanks to those who prayed for his friend Layne (who is also his son’s FIL). The Horde may recall that in August, Layne was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He has since undergone courses of chemo, immunotherapy, and radiation. His latest scans came back clean. The cancer is in remission; praise be to God! Prayers are also humbly requested for Mrs. MKC, who is dealing with a new flare-up of a GI condition that had been leaving her alone until a recent procedure re-aggravated it. It is very frustrating/discouraging as she waits to see a new GI doctor.
4/25 – Retired Buckeye Cop asked that we would continue to lift his 16 year old grandson (LH) up in prayers, as LH continues to consider the call to priesthood in the Catholic Church. LH recently went to a meeting with a group of young men who are considering the priesthood.
4/25 – Fenelon Spoke asked for prayers for “I”, who Fenelon visited and anointed with oil, and prayed for healing of her health concerns.
5/2 – neverenoughcaffiene requested prayers for parishioners at her church, who lost their newborn daughter, Astrid.
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.
Funniest thing I've read about the Virginia mess. Back when they were hustling the referendum through the assembly both Senators, Warner and Kaine, advised them to go slow and play by the rules. Louise Lucas said she respected them but didn't need advice from the "cuck chair" in the corner. The gerrymandering was overturned and Louise is heading for the big house. Edward G. Robinson voice "where's your cuck now?"
Posted by: Smell the Glove
"Ahhhhh ahh I put my career on the line for Louise Lucas and Jay Jones thinking they'd vault me into presidential contention and we ended up costing Democrats 20 House seats and unleashing a Reverse Dobbs ahhhhh ahhh"
"It's f**king f**ked." -- reportedly a genuine comment offered by a "senior Labour source" Correction: I wrote that Labour is losing 88% (now 87%) of the seats it is "defending." I think that's wrong. The right way to say it is the seats they are contesting -- that is, they don't necessarily already hold these seats, but they have put up a candidate to run for the seat. It's still very bad but not as bad as losing 87% of the seats they already held.
Basil the Great
@BasilTheGreat
🚨ED MILIBAND [a Minister in Starmer's government] SAYS KEIR STARMER WILL RESIGN AS PRIME MINISTER
He has reportedly reassured Labour MP's that Starmer will be resigning following the disastrous results tonight
It's over
"The end of the two party system in the UK" as first the Fake Conservatives and now Labour chooses political suicide rather than simply STOPPING THE INVASION Incidentally, the only reason this didn't already happen in the US is because of the Very Bad Orange Man (who is right on 85% of all policy calls and extremely, existentially right on 15% of them)
No political party that is NOT also a doomsday religious cult would EVER choose a cataclysmic loss -- and possible extinction as a party -- to support a toxically unpopular favoritism of NON-CITIZEN ILLEGAL MIGRANTS over actual citizen voters.
Only a cult does this.
Now they've lost 84%.
Annunziata Rees-Mogg
@zatzi
If this continues Labour loses 2,148 seats tonight.
That is much worse than the worst case predictions I’ve seen.
Cataclysmic
Update: They've now lost 88% of the seats they're defending. As I mentioned earlier, I think I heard that London will not bail them out, as many of those Labour seats will probably flip to "Muslim Independent" or Green. Detroit's 5am vote will not save them.
Yup, Labour is losing 80% of its seats...
The British Patriot
@TheBritLad
🚨 BREAKING: Labour have lost 80% of all seats contested as of 2:25 AM.< br>
If this continues, Keir Starmer will be out of office next week.
Reform has surged and projected to pick up between 1700-2100 seats.
Wow, up to 1700-2100 seats. It's not incredible that this is happening. It's incredible that the Davos crowd is so absolutely determined to privilege Muslim "migrants" over the actual native population who elects them, no matter how loudly the natives scream that they want to be prioritized, that they will gladly self-extinguish as a party rather than simply representing the interests of their own voters. Astonishing.
Remember, when they call other people "cultists" -- they are the ones so imprisoned in their social reinforcement and discipline bubbles that they will choose political death rather than dare upset the Karen Enforcement Officers of their cult. Update: Now they've lost 83% of the seats they were defending.
(((Dan Hodges)))
@DPJHodges
Reform are basically wiping Labour out in the North. It's not a defeat. It's not even a rout. Labour are simply ceasing to exist.
Nick Lowles
@lowles_nick
Tonight’s results are calamitous for Labour. Not just for Keir Starmer's leadership, but for the very future of the party
STARMERGEDDON: In early returns, Reform gains 135 seats, Labour loses 90, the Fake Conservatives lose 36 (and I didn't even know they could fall any further), the Lib Dems lose 4, and the Greens gain 6. Note that the only other party gaining seats is the Greens and they're only gaining a handful of seats.
Update: Reform now up 145, Labour down 98. Labour projected to lose Wales -- where they've ruled for 27 years. Fulton County Georgia just discovered 400 boxes of ballots for Labour
Update: REF +156, LAB -107, CON -45
Brutal: In four out of five council seats where Labour is defending, they've lost. 80%.
I'm sure it's not this simple, but Reform is straight taking Labour's and the "Conservatives'" seats. They've lost almost exactly what Reform gained. If understand this right (and warning, I probably don't), all of London's council seats are up for election, and Labour might lose hugely there, as their old voters abandon them for Reform, Muslim Indenpendents, and the Greens.
REF +190, LAB -134, CON -56.
Updates on the Labour collapse in council elections -- which wags are calling #Starmergeddon -- from Beege Welborne. There are about 5000 seats up for grabs, Labour is expected to lose 1,800, Reform will probably gain 1,580, up from... zero. So this would be more than that. People claim that while Labour has adopted the Sharia Agenda to appeal to the million Muslims it allowed to migrate to the country, those voters are ditching Labour to vote for the Muslim Independent Party or the Greens. Delicious. This shadenfreude is going straight to my thighs. Oh, and if Starmer loses about as badly as expected, Labour will toss him out of a window Braveheart style and replace him. He will announce he is resigning to spend more time with his Gay Ukrainian Male Prostitutes.
Media bias and senationalism are as old as, well, the media:
That was written by Denny O'Neill and illustrated by, get this, Frank Miller. Editor to the Stars Jim Shooter was in charge at the time. I always thought the gag was original to the comic book, but in fact the "Threat or Menace" headline was a satirical joke about media bias and sensationalism for a long while. The Harvard Lampoon used it in a parody of Life magazine: "Flying Saucers: Threat or Menace?"
Podcast: Starting a new season, CBD and Sefton discuss their personal journeys to conservative principles, is Nick Shirley the beginning of a trend?, Iran trying to reignite the war, the Left attacks itself, even on "Best Guitarist" lists, and more!
