Random Thoughts That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread Go Here

[Lathum]

The good news is I don't think my daughter remembers who came to any of her parties, except maybe the last one. So the pain is real, but hopefully it doesn't last.

yeah, I get it but in the moment for a 13 year old girl it is tough. Compound it with her favorite uncle dying 2 days ago and last night she got a potential long term injury that may keep her from softball the timing is tough. The friend also plays on all 3 softball teams with her and they do everything together.

The father agreed to have her guest play for another team not realizing the party was the same day.

[Ksyrup]

I went to the eye doctor and heard an acoustic/adult contemporary version (no vocals) of Since You Been Gone by Rainbow. I don't know what the point is except it just seems weird to imagine that song/band being covered in that way.

[CrimsonFox]

I went to the eye doctor and heard an acoustic/adult contemporary version (no vocals) of Since You Been Gone by Rainbow. I don't know what the point is except it just seems weird to imagine that song/band being covered in that way.

Reminds me of the time I got in an elevator and heard muzak. Once I figured out what the song was I died laughing out loud. It was
We don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time oh no
we can dance and party all night
and drink some cherry wine

[GrantDawg]

Kurt Loder turned 81, and reading that caused ME to break a hip.

[dubb93]

They really need to remove local races from the primary system where you have to pick a party and can only vote in those primaries. As a guy who leans blue but lives in an area that is 100% red locally I can either vote for dem candidates that have a shot at the state/federal level and have zero say in local representation or I can do the opposite choosing my local representatives while having zero say in state/federal candidates I would be willing to vote for.

Locally all the races are decided in the republican primary. Rarely are there any dem candidates on the ballot at the general election. Just seems like something could be done about this at some point.

[miked]

Totally random, anyone here ever create a will using LLMs? We don't have a ton of spare cash right now and most lawyers want to charge my wife and I almost $4k for a simple will. We only own our joint accounts, retirement accounts, and have a house that is like 60% paid off. Two kids and not much other family around. Why is it $4k for a stock document that is most likely just edited to fit our specific case?

[albionmoonlight]

Totally random, anyone here ever create a will using LLMs? We don't have a ton of spare cash right now and most lawyers want to charge my wife and I almost $4k for a simple will. We only own our joint accounts, retirement accounts, and have a house that is like 60% paid off. Two kids and not much other family around. Why is it $4k for a stock document that is most likely just edited to fit our specific case?

You are paying for someone to look at your situation and ensure that you are not missing anything. It's not so much the work they will do as the expertise to know what work needs to be done.

[flere-imsaho]

I just realized that in texts my Mom does not click on a statement someone else made and select the "thumbs-up" button to signal agreement. She instead finds the actual "thumbs-up" emoji and replies with that.

[Atocep]

We're flying to Omaha for my son's college graduation today. I got pulled aside for additional screening because the security scan flagged my groin as a possible weapon. The wife has not heard the end of it since and I'm pretty sure she was ready to leave me in Seattle.

[Lathum]

Not sure who thought giving a group of 4/5 graders a 7:30 Disney mash up to perform at last nights spring choir concert was a good idea.

[Ksyrup]

I just realized that in texts my Mom does not click on a statement someone else made and select the "thumbs-up" button to signal agreement. She instead finds the actual "thumbs-up" emoji and replies with that.

I've still never used an emoji. Nor have I ever taken a true selfie. I'm holding onto as much of my dignity as I can for as long as possible.

[flere-imsaho]

We're flying to Omaha for my son's college graduation today. I got pulled aside for additional screening because the security scan flagged my groin as a possible weapon. The wife has not heard the end of it since and I'm pretty sure she was ready to leave me in Seattle.

You can't let that kind of opportunity go to waste.

[Ghost Econ]

I don't know who thought cilantro lime rice was a good idea, but I wish they hadn't.

[RainMaker]

There isn't a true crime thread here but it seems really bizarre they never found out what happened to Savannah Guthrie's Mom. Like kidnapping an old lady out of her home with cameras everywhere seems like it'd be hard to do.

[GrantDawg]

There isn't a true crime thread here but it seems really bizarre they never found out what happened to Savannah Guthrie's Mom. Like kidnapping an old lady out of her home with cameras everywhere seems like it'd be hard to do.

And the video of the guy who did it didn't exactly strike me as a criminal mastermind. At this point I think it was a kidnapping gone wrong, and she has been dead since that night.

[flere-imsaho]

I'm a consistent reader of Leafs' columns over on the Athletic and I don't know how he keeps on coming up with fun column ideas, even in the middle of the playoffs! Anyway, the column on the Maruk trophy is great.

[NobodyHere]

There isn't a true crime thread here but it seems really bizarre they never found out what happened to Savannah Guthrie's Mom. Like kidnapping an old lady out of her home with cameras everywhere seems like it'd be hard to do.

Speaking of True Crime, Alex Murdaugh gets a new trial for killing his wife and son because the court clerk told the jury "not to fooled" by anything Alex said at trial. The clerk went on to write a book about the trial.

I get why the conviction was overturned but on the other hand I doubt a person with a public defender would get this kind of outcome.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I get why the conviction was overturned but on the other hand I doubt a person with a public defender would get this kind of outcome.

Never underestimate the leanings of the judge making a ruling. My observations of routine outcomes being more frequent than they used to be have given me a lean toward the attorneys having less impact -- on either side and in either direction -- than the inherent bias(es) of at least 80% of judges.

I think it's more like how (those of us who believe) NASCAR might not be fully rigged -- cause they can't control who has a mechanical failure -- but the deck is often stacked.

[cuervo72]

Mildly surprised if he hasn't sought a pardon on the federal side of his financial crimes.

(Separately, I have no idea of the logic behind the pronunciation of his name.)

[Lathum]

This is outstanding.

- YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xPzKUn5MWqQ&ra=m#bottom-sheet)

[GrantDawg]

https://x.com/Todd_Spence/status/2056421216702136792?s=20

[RainMaker]

I love when the ticketmaster fees cost more than the actual ticket.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I love when the ticketmaster fees cost more than the actual ticket.

I don't think I've actually had one of those, have been close a few times.

I DID however have one with some random obscure one recently. Tix dot com is probably as bad as it gets. I had to look up the exact
$46.50 ($25.00 + $21.50 fees)
with an additional $5 surcharge for e-ticket/print-at-home. Meaning a $25 ticket costs $51.50

That's not just Ticketmaster bad, that's worse than Ticketmaster.

As are most of these random ones I've seen lately.

[Lathum]

I’ve never been in a waffle house.

[NobodyHere]

I’ve never been in a waffle house.

Would you go to one if there was a gas station attached?

[Lathum]

Hey Lathum, we're getting a Wawa less than 5 minutes from our house. Unfortunately. Not specifically about Wawa, but just that they are starting to build up around us way too quickly. It's actually starting a big community issue because we're 15-20 minutes from Lexington, and people want this town to remain small and mostly rural.

Anyway, I'll definitely give it a shot if I can easily go get the food and bring it home. I'm not eating in, but I'll give it a try on your recommendation. It'll probably be mid-late next year before it's built.

update?

[cuervo72]

Related, there was a huge to-do out in Colorado surrounding the proposed building of a Buc-ees down towards Colorado Springs, with the proposal ultimately being withdrawn. Same basic concerns.

(Also, NH's Wawa callback made me chuckle.)

[Ksyrup]

update?

We've been out of the country for the past 2+ weeks but when we left, they were only just pushing dirt around and setting up the outline of a road/parking lot for the shops going in the new development. I'll be surprised if it happens before next year but maybe they'll hurry up to get it done before winter.

[Passacaglia]

I just recently learned Ctrl-Shift-Esc takes you to the task manager. Why have we all been using Ctrl-Alt-Del then clicking task manager? Does anyone use Ctrl-Alt-Del for anything other than getting to the task manager? Is Ctrl-Shift-Esc a newer shortcut, compared to Ctrl-Alt-Del, such that by the time it came around, everyone was already so used to Ctr-Alt-Del that Ctrl-Shift-Esc never caught on?

[NobodyHere]

I always right clicked the windows start menu button to get to the task manager

[Sweed]

I just recently learned Ctrl-Shift-Esc takes you to the task manager. Why have we all been using Ctrl-Alt-Del then clicking task manager? Does anyone use Ctrl-Alt-Del for anything other than getting to the task manager? Is Ctrl-Shift-Esc a newer shortcut, compared to Ctrl-Alt-Del, such that by the time it came around, everyone was already so used to Ctr-Alt-Del that Ctrl-Shift-Esc never caught on?

I didn't know that. I always get to task manager by right clicking the task bar and it's one of two options. Task manager/ taskbar settings.

[RainMaker]

I don't think I've actually had one of those, have been close a few times.

I DID however have one with some random obscure one recently. Tix dot com is probably as bad as it gets. I had to look up the exact
$46.50 ($25.00 + $21.50 fees)
with an additional $5 surcharge for e-ticket/print-at-home. Meaning a $25 ticket costs $51.50

That's not just Ticketmaster bad, that's worse than Ticketmaster.

As are most of these random ones I've seen lately.

This was my second. A couple years ago I got Portland Trailblazers tickers for $14 each but the fees were like $17.50 each.

What really sucks about this is it kills finding cheap entertainment. I remember many years ago getting in for a day of the Big 10 tournament for $8. If Northwestern football was bad, you could get general admission tickets for like $10. When you tack on $20 in fees now, it makes something you might do on a whim not worth it.

[Lathum]

My wife is mad at me because I stayed up until 3:30 and slept until almost noon.

[dubb93]

My wife is mad at me because I stayed up until 3:30 and slept until almost noon.

Yea. Gotta set an alarm. If you stay up until 0330 you gotta pay that tax at 6 still.

[Passacaglia]

This was my second. A couple years ago I got Portland Trailblazers tickers for $14 each but the fees were like $17.50 each.

What really sucks about this is it kills finding cheap entertainment. I remember many years ago getting in for a day of the Big 10 tournament for $8. If Northwestern football was bad, you could get general admission tickets for like $10. When you tack on $20 in fees now, it makes something you might do on a whim not worth it.

I guess secondary markets help with this? I got tickets for the two Wednesday Big Ten Tournament for $5 each on TickPick.

[RainMaker]

I guess secondary markets help with this? I got tickets for the two Wednesday Big Ten Tournament for $5 each on TickPick.

That's where I was getting tickets from. The NBA ones have a "transfer fee" or some shit. Maybe I'm using the wrong secondary markets.

[NobodyHere]

Yea. Gotta set an alarm. If you stay up until 0330 you gotta pay that tax at 6 still.

It would be easier to find a new wife.

[Lathum]

Like most schools our high schools graduation anyone can come if outside, but if moved inside each family gets 3 tickets.

Someone is on our towns facebook group trying to sell two of theirs for $125 each. It is going about how you would expect.

[Ghost Econ]

Haaland is the best goal scorer I've ever seen, but if Mbappe played as hard as Haaland does, he would be better than Messi.

[Lathum]

Haaland is the best goal scorer I've ever seen, but if Mbappe played as hard as Haaland does, he would be better than Messi.

This random thought seems like it should be in a soccer thread :p

[NobodyHere]

Be very careful if you ever find yourself saying "Do we charge extra for caulk?"

[Lathum]

My son got his learners permit a few weeks ago and we just took him on the garden state parkway and now I’m going to drink heavily.

[NobodyHere]

My niece is learning to drive and she already caused one small accident.

She's OK though but the experience may have left her a little gunshy about driving.

[JPhillips]

Last year my daughter had to drive for work throughout NYC and surrounding counties. She was terrified, but now she drives in Boston like a maniac. I told her nothing will ever scare you if you can get from Newburgh to JFK and back.

[NobodyHere]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ36UxNZf1Hs9TIMd9zwPierC7TVqoSTnQsPQ&s

There's nothing "suggestive" in this popcorn bucket design is there?

[JonInMiddleGA]

I've had a lot of bizarre UberEats, etc experience but I'm currently having easiliy the MOST bizarre

My order from a restaurant over 10 miles away was accepted by an "Uber Bicycle"

My expected delivery time is currently more than 30 mins later than the original estimate ... and that's if this would-be Lance Armstrong survives peddaling along the most dangerous stretch of highway in Athens (there to here pretty much requires getting on the bypass / loop, a 4-6 lane road known for speeders & fatal crashes)

I tried to reach the driver to ask if they were sure they wanted to do this.
I reached out to UberEats help (bot driven, utterly useless)

What a fucking zoo.

[GrantDawg]

I've had a lot of bizarre UberEats, etc experience but I'm currently having easiliy the MOST bizarre

My order from a restaurant over 10 miles away was accepted by an "Uber Bicycle"

My expected delivery time is currently more than 30 mins later than the original estimate ... and that's if this would-be Lance Armstrong survives peddaling along the most dangerous stretch of highway in Athens (there to here pretty much requires getting on the bypass / loop, a 4-6 lane road known for speeders & fatal crashes)

I tried to reach the driver to ask if they were sure they wanted to do this.
I reached out to UberEats help (bot driven, utterly useless)

What a fucking zoo.
Don't leave us hanging. Did they bike it over?

[cuervo72]

I know a human on a bike is a different matter, but now I'm picturing a hapless delivery bot trying to cross a six lane highway. (And yes, picturing a truck obliterating it "Enter Sandman" or Costanza and the Frogger machine style.)

[Lathum]

Could it have been an ebike?

[RainMaker]

Could it have been an ebike?

That's what I'm wondering. Those are all over Chicago making deliveries.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Don't leave us hanging. Did they bike it over?

And in the end, her "bicycle" was ... a Honda Accord. Kind of a letdown tbh.

So my delayed delivery was ultimately just the usual: driver accepting an order to lock it down & then sitting in one spot waiting until they could do two in the same general location(s).

[GrantDawg]

And in the end, her "bicycle" was ... a Honda Accord. Kind of a letdown tbh.

So my delayed delivery was ultimately just the usual: driver accepting an order to lock it down & then sitting in one spot waiting until they could do two in the same general location(s).


Ugh, I hate that.

[RainMaker]

You just described why I almost never use delivery apps anymore. Had a 90 minute wait for a Chick-Fil-A order last time I bothered and the fries were cold and soggy.

Sure I blame the delivery drivers for doing what they do but the companies have to know what they're doing and continue to allow it.

[RainMaker]

Also speaking of Chick-Fil-A, why are their grilled nuggets so insanely expensive?

[Lathum]

Everything is. My daughter got a large Mac and cheese and it was around $15. Insane for pasta and cheese. The total bill was over $70.

[Lathum]

Dola- we’ve reduced our door dash usage by about 90%. We’re saving a ton and I’ve lost ten pounds.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Everything is. My daughter got a large Mac and cheese and it was around $15. Insane for pasta and cheese. The total bill was over $70.

Gotta be a location thing. I just looked it up out of curiosity. Large m&c in Athens, GA is $7.99 for pickup through CFA. Delivery price through UberEats is $10.99

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sure I blame the delivery drivers for doing what they do but the companies have to know what they're doing and continue to allow it.

Yeah, that's my issue with it honestly, the companies need to excluding drivers because it's their reputation being damaged.

edit to add: That said, I'll just be candid about my experiences with that phenomenon specifically (and it's not uncommon here): if they DID exclude drivers who do it they'd face suits claiming both racial & gender bias. Over 90% of drivers who've clearly done it to me have been black females. I literally cringe whenever I see a black female driver assigned here at home because over half my transactions have that happen, it's become predictable at this point.

I do NOT have that happen with the same demographic profile when I order away from home incidentally, it's an Athens thing I'm talking about here.

[flere-imsaho]

The only delivery we do anymore is the local pizza place and the delivery driver is usually the owner or one of the actual employees.

Otherwise I get up and drive and pick up the food.

[Honolulu_Blue]

More often than not my DoorDash experiences have been good. There was one time that I placed an order at a restaurant that's about 10 minutes south of me. The order was taking some time so I checked the app and watched the delivery driver's car pass by my house and end up going about 20 minutes north of me.

When I texted the driver they said that they had to drop off an Uber passenger and then would deliver the food. Good on them for being honest.

The bigger issue is the expense. Places mark up their food so much that it's painful to order.

[Ksyrup]

I only use UberEats because I have credit cards that give me $25 a month to use. I end up saving a little, plus get to eat in my house instead of having to go out. I can see how it makes sense in big cities where you have almost limitless possible places to order from, but for me, there are only 2 or 3 real places I can order from without it taking an hour+ to deliver and the food still being worth eating. We don't eat at Arbys/Wendys/McDs enough to use it for that kind of crap.

[GrantDawg]

I'm not searching for the YouTube thread, but Midwest Safety has put up a documentary of rescue operations during the London, Kentucky tornadoes last year. It is well worth the watch. Rescue out there trying to save people while another ef4 tornado was bearing down on them.

[NobodyHere]

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA23TAvU.img?w=768&h=432&m=6

No it isn't AI generated

[cuervo72]

Yes, it is, but it represents a photo (from 1992) which did capture something similar.

[Lathum]

Armageddon and deep impact came out within 2 months of each other.

[Ghost Econ]

So my wife is the CEO of a medical practice. The company recently sold to a large system moving into the area. She's essentially been demoted now in the system's heirarchy.

Her new boss, who based on his linkedin simps Elon Musk and thinks Pete Hegseth is a genius (he's former military), dressed her down in a meeting because they couldn't find documents she sent them, even though she pulled up the date and time they were sent. He then proceeded to say her leadership style of NOT blaming others for mistakes you make is weakness and he doesn't operate that way.

He then said if documents don't go out over the weekend (documents she isn't involved in preparing and they won't let her see, even though it's related to compensation tiers for her employees), then he's just going to tell people they didn't go out because she was sitting by the pool all weekend. Shockingly, this system has no women above a position of clinic manager.

I guess my random thought is, at what point can I punch this asshole in the face?

Also, the owners who sold are just sitting in the meetings watching my wife get belittled and tell her to be patient. These are WOMEN who have treated her as a best friend the last 5 years. I guess once you get paid, friendship and faith (the clinic is faith based) don't matter anymore.

[GrantDawg]

She needs to be looking for a new job pronto. They will be looking for reason to get rid of her soon anyway, but there is no reason to carry their water and take their abuse until it happens.

[JPhillips]

Document, record if legal, and be ready to sue.

[Ghost Econ]

She needs to be looking for a new job pronto. They will be looking for reason to get rid of her soon anyway, but there is no reason to carry their water and take their abuse until it happens.

Yeah, she's on it. Supposedly as part of the agreement she's guaranteed at her salary and bonuses for a few years, but I have no reason to believe at this point.

It's just insane that people like this actually exist. I know we literally see it every day in the news, but it always seems so cartoonish that it almost lulls you into thinking it can't be widespread... but then you encounter it.

[flere-imsaho]

In addition to what JPhillips said, she should probably also talk to a good employment lawyer. She probably already has a case on the "hostile work environment" front.

Play this right, and she can end up with retire-now money.

[PilotMan]

So my wife is the CEO of a medical practice. The company recently sold to a large system moving into the area. She's essentially been demoted now in the system's heirarchy.

Her new boss, who based on his linkedin simps Elon Musk and thinks Pete Hegseth is a genius (he's former military), dressed her down in a meeting because they couldn't find documents she sent them, even though she pulled up the date and time they were sent. He then proceeded to say her leadership style of NOT blaming others for mistakes you make is weakness and he doesn't operate that way.

He then said if documents don't go out over the weekend (documents she isn't involved in preparing and they won't let her see, even though it's related to compensation tiers for her employees), then he's just going to tell people they didn't go out because she was sitting by the pool all weekend. Shockingly, this system has no women above a position of clinic manager.

I guess my random thought is, at what point can I punch this asshole in the face?

Also, the owners who sold are just sitting in the meetings watching my wife get belittled and tell her to be patient. These are WOMEN who have treated her as a best friend the last 5 years. I guess once you get paid, friendship and faith (the clinic is faith based) don't matter anymore.


After having watched many hours of mandatory videos regarding workplace harassment, I can tell you that this is workplace harassment, at least by the State of Illinois standards.

[Ghost Econ]

Maybe I'm going crazy, but I was just looking to order something from DoorDash to pick up on my way home for lunch later. I was seeing what I wanted, and I noticed that the price of food items change depending on if I was going to get it delivered or pick it up myself. I don't mean there were additional fees, I mean the food was literally priced differently between pickup or delivery.

Maybe it's always been this way, but this is the first I've seen.

[cuervo72]

I don't do DoorDash so I haven't encountered that, but I have had to be careful in making sure that going to an online order form directly from the place that I am ordering from vs one that serves essentially as a middle man, adding a little for themselves and relaying the order.

[Ghost Econ]

I don't do DoorDash so I haven't encountered that, but I have had to be careful in making sure that going to an online order form directly from the place that I am ordering from vs one that serves essentially as a middle man, adding a little for themselves and relaying the order.

Exactly, like I expect to be gouged by the delivery apps by the food process being higher on them in general vs on the restaurant's website, but I had never seen the price change when I select pickup or delivery on the Doordash app itself. Normally it's just priced higher overall and then they add fees on top

[Ksyrup]

I'm not searching for the YouTube thread, but Midwest Safety has put up a documentary of rescue operations during the London, Kentucky tornadoes last year. It is well worth the watch. Rescue out there trying to save people while another ef4 tornado was bearing down on them.

On Discovery, In the Eye of the Storm just premiered Season 4 Episode 1 on Sunday which is about this storm. It follows it from the west through the plains into Indiana and then to London/Somerset which took the worst of the hit. The main guy they interview throughout is a Lexington meteorologist (Chris Bailey) who is basically KY's unofficial state meteorologist - he's extremely active on social media and has a website he updates daily.

There's also In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers which just started and follows storm chasers chasing tornadoes. I can't believe it took this long for someone to replace the original Storm Chasers show from like 15 years ago. And Reed Timmer's on it as well. Always hilarious to watch that dude in action. I don't know if they'll have an episode about this particular storm, but just in general, it's a great watch.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I wonder ... how long will the AI graphics last before we all get tired of seeing them?

Maybe it's just me but between casual/personal usage AND business uses, I'm already getting fatigued with seeing the same ol' image style just about 24/7 on all my socials. It's not any one person/place, it's that it's constant and everywhere.

Or, shrug, maybe it's just me.

[cuervo72]

Nah, hate it too.

[Kodos]

I have never used Door Dash.

[GrantDawg]

I wonder ... how long will the AI graphics last before we all get tired of seeing them?

Maybe it's just me but between casual/personal usage AND business uses, I'm already getting fatigued with seeing the same ol' image style just about 24/7 on all my socials. It's not any one person/place, it's that it's constant and everywhere.

Or, shrug, maybe it's just me.


Definitely not you. My wife bitches about it all the time. She constantly points it out wherever she sees it.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, it's like seeing Pixar (or whoever it is) movies where all of the animated characters seem related even though they are all completely different movies.

[cuervo72]

It's funny - for a while it was folks using the cartoon style where everything is kinda beige. Then it was stuff like George Lopez constantly inserting himself into Mexican memes or made up retro photos (him in LA in the 80s, him with Freddie Prinz in the 70s, etc.) for...whatever reason.

RIGHT AFTER Jon's complaint and my initial reply, a guy from HS on FB starts posting Disney/anime style renderings of him and his (still new-ish) wife. And he very much fits the profile of a doofus I would think would use such a thing (mostly benign and harmless, but has always struck me as someone who thinks he is more clever/funny/insightful than he is and just...very subtly annoys me).

[Lathum]

Put me down as another hater. I belong to a few softball groups on facebook and every post for a tryout is one of these AI images.

[flere-imsaho]

The worst for me is the bullshit AI images (and posts, for that matter) on LinkedIn. The site had become bad enough about 8 years ago with all the performative wanking posts (i.e. "#blessed to hear the huge corporation I work for made record profits") but now it's even worse.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Repurposed from my socials, but I do kinda like it so I'm not gonna apologize for it.
----------------

Okay gang, hang in there, I promise this long tale has a point.

You know that there's never a shortage of wry chuckles whenever my genetics lead to misfortune for my young 'un and today is a good case in point.

You might think "I'll go get hot dogs" would be a pretty simple decision to make. But little did he expect that the line would extend from the building nearly into the street, 20 minutes worth of line. A line so long that the restaurant had brought in a saxophone player to keep the crowd entertained.

But he's a patient person (and where else ya gonna go?) so he waited it out so he could enjoy his hard-earned hot dogs, plate resting on the trunk of his car since there's obviously no seating available with a crowd that large.

And then he sent me the picture of the ominous south Florida raincloud overhead. Because of COURSE there is. After all, hard to outrun genetics like mine.

But I started thinking about it ... how perfectly American is that story?

To paraphrase one of the wisest figures to ever grace Will's life "He's where he chose to be, doing what he chose to do, in the time he chose to do it"
I don't feel like I'm stretching the notion much if at all to say THAT is really what being an American is all about.

He's just endured that - in July heat in Miami no less - by choice. I haven't left the house today, hell I ain't managed to put on real pants yet ... by choice. Nobody told either of us where to go today, what to do today, when to do it. Free to do as we saw fit.

250 years. Celebrate it as you choose.

[flere-imsaho]

:D

[NobodyHere]

Note to self:

On the first day of a new job, do not bring drugs to the workplace.

And if you do, don't place it so that when you grab your wallet the drugs don't accidently fall out of your pocket.

That is all.

[QuikSand]

I mean, maybe your mom's garage needs to be set on fire. That happens, I'm sure, somehow.

But where you lost me was... the other part...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Investigators say a Fort Wayne man cut off his penis, lit it on fire and then used it to set his mom's garage on fire.<br><br>Christopher Peden is charged with one count of Arson.<br><br>Peden was arrested last week and his bond was set at $10,000. He has since posted that bond. <a href="https://t.co/0sUmEEpjN4">pic.twitter.com/0sUmEEpjN4</a></p>&mdash; Max Lewis (@MaxLewisTV) <a href="https://x.com/MaxLewisTV/status/2074974039206982039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[GrantDawg]

How flammable is a penis? That doesn't seem like the best accelerant to use to start a fire.

[Ksyrup]

He had a burning itch, I guess?

Posting bond would be the second most important thing on my list.

[Kodos]

I can't blame him. Those wood bundles you buy at the gas station are so expensive!

[Ksyrup]

A lot of places give you free stuff for your birthday. Many are pretty good about giving you something decent (food places I'm thinking of, mainly) and giving you a fairly decent window to redeem it.

Firehouse Subs is not one of those places.

My birthday is coming up, and I got an email about a free medium sub for my birthday. Great! Then I read the conditions. Only available on the day before, day of, and day after my birthday, AND only if I've purchased something at FS within the past 6 months, BUT ALSO I must have made a purchase within the 7 days prior to my birthday. Meanwhile, Red Robin is giving me a free burger, good for 30 days. WTF is Firehouse Subs doing?

[NobodyHere]

Who wears it better?

https://static.the-independent.com/2026/07/20/12/51/tate-arrest-3d19b90d.jpeg?quality=100&width=800&auto=webp

[Atocep]

I'm going with Michael Scott


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRoIgmXsUoPFNQb_pPbduDLAOPHrARUVN3ypw&s

[albionmoonlight]

Giraffes and hummingbirds are two animals that if they didn’t actually exist, I’d never believe that they could

[NobodyHere]

I clicked on one measly article about Salisbury steak and now half my feeds are about Salisbury steaks.