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
I wonder if there's any chance J.D. Vance will stop courting Tuq'r Qarlson and his audience now that he's announced he's running against him.
Probably not.
MTG, Massie get onboard with Tucker Carlson plan to launch third party, 'movement has come'
Greene's photo featured the Republicans who have been sidelined over their opposition to Trump's agenda and suggests discussions on a third party are continuing.
Former Republican Majorie Taylor Greene posted a photo this weekend of herself, Tucker Carlson and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., along with the statement that "the movement has come."
Last month, Carlson said he was planning to create a new political party, the Columbia Journalism Review reported.
Greene's photo, posted on X on Saturday, featured the three, who have been sidelined over their opposition to President Trump's agenda and suggests discussions on a third party are continuing.
Plus Joe Kunt.
"We said no more foreign wars and we meant it and supported Donald Trump because he made that promise. But he's betrayed us all. Our commitment is America First for all Americans, right, left, and center," Greene stated in the post.
We said no more foreign wars and we meant it and supported Donald Trump because he made that promise. But he’s betrayed us all. Our commitment is America First for all Americans, right, left, and center. The movement has begun. pic.twitter.com/mZXadw0kBr
— Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@FmrRepMTG) August 1, 2026
The Demolition Crew of the American Right.
Tucker Carlson was registered as a Democrat in Washington, D.C., from 2006 until 2020.
Joe Kent switched to the Libertarian Party in 2004 and then registered as a Democrat before the 2020 election. He also voted for Bernie Sanders in… pic.twitter.com/8RAMdrri97
WHOA: Tucker just called for President Trump and the congressmen pushing for American-Israeli military cooperation in the NDAA to face Nuremberg-style treason charges pic.twitter.com/gQCVlQZ3Ei
Related, because Tuq'r and Joe Kent and Thomas Massie are all leftists attempting to hijack the right and turn it into a socialist party: Mamdani says you'll have to present, get this, ID when you shop at one of his illegal government-operated markets.
But I was told that black and brown people can't get ID...?
And the Democrats claim that married women can't get it either?
I can’t believe married woman - who often have children - are effectively being barred from these grocery stores. Monsters. https://t.co/S1AHadJ4Ow
Ultrapartisan Conspiracy Theorist Rosie O'Donnell Confirms She Will Return to The View As ABC's Lawyers Insist the Show Is a "Bona Fide News Product"
—Disinformation Expert Ace
The FCC is investigating ABC's violation of the rules of equal time. The law requires broadcast networks to offer equal time to all candidates and all political sides if they use their taxpayer-granted airwaves to agitate for any candidate or party.
An exception is made for "bona fide news programs," whose political agitations aren't subject to equal time provisions. (But they should be!)
ABC does not want to give Trump 30-120 minutes per week equal time to offset the daily attacks made on him by The View, so they continue arguing, absurdly, that it's a "bona fide news program."
And just to prove how bona fide this news program is, they've rehired disgusting hag Rosie O'Donnell.
Rosie O'Donnell will be back on "The View" for Season 30.
The former co-host confirmed her return on Monday's episode of the "Tangle With Kyle Ridley" podcast, saying she will take part in the show's 30th-anniversary special.
The 64-year-old plans to take part "in whatever way they want" her "just as a guest."
She added, "They're bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I'm pretty proud of that show, what it's become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics."
O'Donnell, notably, co-hosted the ABC talk show for Seasons 10 and 18.
In addition to an infamous on-air spat with colleague Elisabeth Hasselbeck that led to her initial 2007 exit, the comedian had a "tense" dynamic with Whoopi Goldberg before her 2015 departure.
"I admired Whoopi, wanted to be on her team, had respect for her and I expected we would be like Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan passing the ball back and forth, shooting and leading the team to victory," she recalled on Monday. "And that's not exactly what happened."
She speculated that Goldberg, 70, "felt encroached upon in some way," which may have been why their time together "didn't go so well."
...
"It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about," the Daytime Emmy winner pointed out, which didn't "sit right with her.
...
O'Donnell has opened up about her short time on "The View" before, including a 2023 chat with Brooke Shields about why co-hosting is something she would not "ever do again."
At the time, she said, "It's not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness."
Oh Lord. I know you're all looking at the part about "defending humanity and kindness" but the really absurd part to my mind is "my talent."
Here are just a few of the many, many uncountably many times the "bona fide news program" called The View openly and absurdly electioneered for the far left:
🔥🚨LATEST: Joy Behar told her audience today that Trump is helping Saudi Arabia build a nuclear weapon to drop on Cleveland Ohio. This is airing on ABC.
The FCC is currently reviewing whetherThe View qualifies as a news program. You cannot make this up. pic.twitter.com/we7YUYLprB
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) July 29, 2026
Now The View claims Trump is using ICE to murder people in the streets so he can win the midterms...
Fake Republican Ana Navarro demands everyone vote Democrat:
"What I will say is this, though, this tells us why as long as Republicans are in power in the majority there will never be accountability, there will never be checks and balances, there will never be oversight.
I guess she's saying it's my fault, too, but all I know is that I would never fuck something that looks like it lives in the Death Star's garbage system.
Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before Update: Trump Blasts "Duplicitous" Iran Leadership
—Disinformation Expert Ace
Trump was ready, he says, to unleash a bombing campaign on Iran that would be the most destructive since World War II, but Iran and some Gulf States told him that Iran had accepted the basic framework of a "deal" and so Trump cancelled the attack.
It's like the sun coming up and going down every day.
President Donald Trump has called off a major strike against Iran, claiming to have reached a framework for a deal with the regime.
"The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to," President Trump announced in a Saturday evening post on Truth Social.
The tentative deal includes "Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT," the president continued.
The pause in the military operation was "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL," he warned.
It's the Groundhog's Day War:
Tehran talks tough, denies agreement reached
Tehran rejected President Trump's latest peace overture, renewing its threats against the U.S.
"Iran has reached no agreement regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Fars news agency reports, quoting a member of Tehran's negotiating team," Sky News (UK) reported.
An irate President Donald Trump on Monday fumed over "duplicitous" Iranian leadership, after he called off planned strikes on Iran to resume peace talks, only for Iran to deny plans to meet.
"Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous! They ask for a meeting, some would say 'beg,' talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they're not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they're only dealing with 'Oman,'" he posted on Truth Social.
"They then go on to give their usual blather in saying, the Strait of Hormuz will be operated powerfully by them, when it is already completely controlled by the United States Navy and our 'Blockade' or, as some say, 'The United States Wall of Steel!" he wen ton. "Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished."
Trump's remarks follow Iran denying plans to meet with American negotiators on Monday. The president had anticipated a formal resumption of peace talks.
I heard someone say "Iran has never won a war, but never lost a negotiation."
Politico: NJ Democrat Officials Anonymously Admit Far More Illegals Are Registered to Vote Than the Governor "Mikie" Is Admitting; Some Think the Real Number Exceeds Trump's Estimate of 35,000
In May, a bipartisan duo of New Jersey state senators introduced a simple piece of legislation that got little public attention.
It would add one sentence to the state's automatic voter registration law to make sure someone who indicates they aren't a U.S. citizen won't be prompted to register to vote.
The bill turned out to be extremely prescient.
That's because Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill disclosed last week that a "software error" at the Motor Vehicles Commission led to roughly 6,600 noncitizens getting added to the state's voter rolls. About 400 of them voted, she said.
Her disclosure set off a political uproar that's resonated well beyond New Jersey, feeding into the Trump administration's push for voter restrictions and setting up a legal battle with the Department of Justice.
But it also exposed an open secret about New Jersey's so-called motor voter law that officials and political operatives have known for years: There's little to stop noncitizens from registering to vote if they want to, or even by mistake. And election officials and campaign consultants from both parties believe that the number of noncitizens being added to the voter rolls is significantly higher than the 6,600 Sherrill cited -- because the state has been automatically registering drivers since 2018, and her figure covers only June 2023 to June 2024.
"It's the honor system," said Hunterdon County Board of Elections Administrator Beth Thompson, who also leads the New Jersey Association of Election Officials.
It's unclear how many noncitizens have registered to vote in New Jersey beyond the one-year period Sherrill cited. The Trump administration gave a preliminary estimate of around 35,000. While New Jersey political insiders don't know if that's true, they're almost certain it's more than 6,600. Some speculated it could be slightly more. Others said it could be even above the Trump administration's estimates.
But Democrats and Republicans alike agreed that the statewide voter database is a mess, and that noncitizen registrants are just one category of people who shouldn't be on it, like people who left New Jersey without notifying election officials and whose names linger until periodic clean ups of the voter rolls.
...
Thompson, the elections administrator, said county elections officials check each registration against a state database using Social Security numbers or driver's license numbers to confirm their identity, and that the information doesn't belong to people who have died. But noncitizens can obtain both forms of identification. "It does not validate any kind of citizenship," Thompson said.
So they have literally no checking of citizenship at all. At best, they check to see if you have a social security number, but illegals can apply for and get those, too.
...
But the existence of the bill, which has yet to advance in the full Senate or Assembly, suggests lawmakers were at least somewhat aware of the system's flaws. (A new law passed during the lame duck legislative session did something similar to Beach and Corrado's bill, but only for those applying for REAL IDs).
Officials admit they have no idea how many illegals are enrolled to vote -- but they're totally sure it's not a problem and never effects any elections, not a single bingle one.
Hello! Here we go again, as a gay robot once said.
THE MORNING RANT: “Church Ladies of the Left” – AWFLs Are the Fallen Angels of Puritan Christianity
—Buck Throckmorton
I have periodically started to write a piece discussing how woke, white women (AWFLs) are the “Church Ladies of the Left.” More specifically, my thesis was going to be that when this type of judgmental harridan was involved in a local church and imposing her righteousness on just one congregation, it might have been rough on the pastor and her co-parishioners, but at least society as a whole wasn’t being tormented by this class of person.
From my own childhood circle of church friends, there are several real-life examples of girls who were prissy “Junior Church Ladies” back then, but who left the church and grew up to be anti-Christian woke-scolds for whom politics is now their religion. Their driving purpose in life is to excoriate the rest of us for our sins, which range from the “bigotry” of disallowed opinions, to “Christian hypocrisy,” to the use of leaf blowers. They live in a perpetual state of outrage because some people are leading a life with different values and priorities.
But I would always abort on this piece, because I couldn’t develop it much beyond an assertion that “a certain percentage of white women are just natural-born church ladies, be they Christians or AWFLs” without expanding on possible reasons why.
Before going further, this is also probably a good place to make the disclaimer that there is not a more conservative sub-demographic of women than white women, and at times it gets a little tiresome hearing very online people snarking about white women in general, just because the subset of AWFLs are so annoying. My wife is a mirthful, conservative, white, Christian woman who has patience for neither “church ladies” nor AWFLs, and pretty much the same can be said about all of the women in our circle of friends.
Returning back to the question of why “church ladies” have transitioned into AWFLs, Christian Heiens has offered a partial explanation in a recent series of tweets, as part of a discussion as to why New England is so liberal despite being very white, a demographic that is otherwise very conservative.
Mr. Heiens notes that there is a super-concentration of AWFLs in New England because these women are culturally still puritan church ladies. They traded their forebears’ Christianity for woke secularism, but they never forsook their puritanical intolerance and righteousness.
It’s so liberal precisely because it’s so white. Whites, and specifically Anglo-Saxons, were the world’s first liberals. When we consider that New England is one of the most ancestrally Anglo part of the country and remains very heterogeneous compared to the rest of America, it’s no surprise that places like Vermont or Massachusetts would be so liberal. Things like Progressivism and Wokeism are what happens when Anglo Puritans secularize their theology and universalize their unique cultural way of life. New England did both of these things long ago, which is a huge reason why it’s one of the largest left-wing bastions in America.
I am going to repeat this line outside of the blockquote because it brilliantly and concisely explains one reason why there are Church Ladies of the Left: ”Things like Progressivism and Wokeism are what happens when Anglo Puritans secularize their theology.”
Mr. Heiens went on to speculate as to why Appalachian whites, who are also descended from Anglo protestants, did not become such woke evangelists.
This got me thinking about why Appalachia didn’t follow suit as it was also settled by Anglo Protestants. I think a big reason why is because while New England went down the puritanical/reformist communitarian/institutional oriented route that eventually ended in Wokeism as a sort of secular theology, the Anglo settlers who moved into Appalachia went down the “rugged individualist” path of Liberalism.
While it’s true that Appalachia is more “rugged individualist” than New England, I think this difference is rooted in the provenance of the settlers. Puritans settling in New England tended to be from East Anglia, whereas Appalachia was settled in large part by Scots-Irish. The Scots-Irish were the rednecks of Great Britain, and although they may have been protestant, they certainly weren’t puritan. This difference in protestant lineages actually supports the hypothesis that today’s woke AWFLs are linear descendants of 17th Century puritans.
Overwhelmingly, the accusers in the Salem witch trials were puritan women. Today’s AWFL woke-scolds are heirs to their legacy.
This got me thinking about why Appalachia didn’t follow suit as it was also settled by Anglo Protestants.
I think a big reason why is because while New England went down the puritanical/reformist communitarian/institutional oriented route that eventually ended in Wokeism as a…
— Christian Heiens �� (@ChristianHeiens) July 25, 2026
Good morning kids. While some of you might wince at this admission, I do lurk on Facebook mostly out of habit I guess but at this point it's just to see what certain very select friends and family are up to and birthdays and such. Also, going through health issues these past two years it was nice to actually reconnect with a couple of old dear friends going back to college and even grade school, that otherwise might not have happened, so I'm grateful for that.
The victim’s husband said Dawood Faisal, who allegedly hit two cars while driving through red lights at a high speed, was ‘looking to do damage in a heavily Jewish area’
A Queens man who was indicted for manslaughter late last month after killing a woman in a three-car crash and then fleeing the scene was also charged with hate crimes yesterday for allegedly destroying property outside a kosher bagel shop just days before the crash.
Well, I assume this Yankee-Doodle-Dandy do or Die has been here long before the rise of Mamdani (his ancestors obviously came over on the Mayflower), but then again Mamdani itself was spawned in the cradle of civilization itself, Idi Amin's Uganda.
But getting back to my old acquaintance, he posted a comment during the flare up of campus Jew-hatred in the immediate wake of the 10/7 wave of terrorism in Southern Israel
An Israeli survivor of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack has reportedly taken his own life on the grave of his girlfriend who was murdered by the terror group.
So, getting back to my old friend, while Mamdani and friends were having multiple orgasms of Jewish babies being roasted alive in front of their gang-raped mothers, he said that New York City has had bad mayors in the past and Mamdani will be gone soon enough and all will be forgotten - - and sadly forgiven since Mamdani has the magic "D" after his name. Having been born and lived much of my life in NYC enduring vermin like Dinkins and then basking in the glorious years of Giuliani only to be subjected to DeBolshvik leaves one to wonder just what the ever-loving fuck is wrong with seemingly intelligent people like my old friends who keep bringing this cancer on themselves while refusing to understand or accept the fact of who and what they reflexively vote for.
So, a different friend and his wife live in a very expensive upper west side condo that has got to be a target for Mamdani's tax assessors. Is it wrong of me to laugh at them. Meh, haven't spoken to them in years, so keep barfing up the same drivel about Trump and conservatives J & J and keep voting Democrat! But anyway, not to worry because Mamdani is just a blip, eh?!
Of course no one on the left is speaking out. Patriots and lovers of freedom, however, can and must do so. For in National Socialist Germany, the harassment and persecution of the Jews did not end with their being barred from certain professions; on the contrary, at that point, it was just beginning. If Mamdani is doing all this now, what will he be doing in five years, or ten? (Those who complacently think he will be voted out after one term should remember that socialism often arrives through the ballot box, but never, ever leaves that way.) And while he has started with the Jews, against whom will he turn next?
Too often, prominent Democrats have fueled this climate with reckless rhetoric. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) famously urged supporters to confront members of the Trump administration in public, telling crowds they should make them feel unwelcome “anywhere.” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stood on the steps of the Supreme Court and warned Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh that they had “released the whirlwind” and would “pay the price.” These incendiary remarks are not just relegated to the past, but are ongoing calls to action from Democrat leadership. . . Today, that hostility has become institutionalized through efforts like “Project 2029,” a sweeping progressive agenda that proposes dramatically expanding executive authority and bypassing Congress to advance its objectives. At the same time, in addition to smears of “fascism,” leading Democrats have repeatedly described conservatives as an “existential threat to democracy.” When political opponents are portrayed as enemies of the republic, it should surprise no one that unstable individuals feel justified in resorting to violence.
“I’m proud that — after contending with my predecessor’s efforts to deny Virginians their fundamental rights — we have restored the rights of more than 66,000 Virginians who have served their time,” Spanberger said. “These Virginians deserve the right to use their vote, make their voices heard, and be recognized as contributing citizens to our Commonwealth and country.”
The press release comes as Virginia residents in the fall will be able to “vote in a referendum on a constitutional amendment that would allow” felons in Virginia to have their voting rights restored “upon their release from incarceration.”
COVID was nothing less than a modern-day Holocaust. It killed roughly seven million people worldwide. Economies crumbled, and trillions of dollars were lost. Families were kept apart on holidays. We watched our grandparents die alone on tablets. Funerals were either not allowed or limited to 10 people. Children didn't go to school, creating years of educational and emotional damage they still feel today.
It only took hours for tens of thousands of Moroccan illegal aliens to invade the Spanish territory of Ceuta this week. Removing those who remain will take far longer — if Spain even manages to remove them, given a recent court ruling that prohibits immediately deporting migrants who arrive by sea, as many did.
But let Spain’s overrun border be a reminder to Americans when measuring President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts against the mess left by the Biden administration: A government can destroy its border and country within a matter of days, sometimes weeks. Restoring sovereignty after your country is flooded with foreigners is a much more difficult and slow undertaking — and punishing Trump in the midterms won’t make the problem better.
With that, I bid you all to have a good day,
ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY
Robert Spencer: Of course no one on the left is speaking out. Patriots and lovers of freedom, however, can and must do so. For in National Socialist Germany, the harassment and persecution of the Jews did not end with their being barred from certain professions; on the contrary, at that point, it was just beginning. If Mamdani is doing all this now, what will he be doing in five years, or ten? (Those who complacently think he will be voted out after one term should remember that socialism often arrives through the ballot box, but never, ever leaves that way.) And while he has started with the Jews, against whom will he turn next? In Mamdani’s New York, It’s 1933 All Over Again
The new offensive could begin within days and last several days, according to a Wall Street Journal report Friday, while separate reports said Washington is considering some of its harshest strikes yet against Iranian energy and infrastructure targets. Although Trump reportedly authorized an attack plan presented to him Friday at Camp David, CBS News and Axios reported that a final execution order had not yet been issued, leaving open the possibility that a diplomatic breakthrough could still avert the operation. Mideast on Brink: Trump May Order Fresh Strikes on Iran, Tehran Warns ‘We Are Ready,’ U.S. Embassies Urge Departures
* * * * *
The case highlights the strategic importance of RAF Akrotiri, which plays a critical role in Middle Eastern operations. If extradited, Sultanov could face a significant prison sentence, potentially setting a precedent for future cases involving espionage and foreign hostile activity targeting British interests abroad. Dual National Taxi Driver Charged with Spying on Military Base for Iran.
ISRAEL vs IRAN & GAZA/HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH . . . AND LEFTISTS. . . The U.N... AND HISTORY
Pardon some cynicism, but we’ve seen this Board of Peace framework before. Hamas has always manipulated Western funds to launch another attack against Israel. The Hamaus That Roared
If implemented, the plan could lead to the reconstruction of Gaza and establish a framework for regional stability. However, the disarmament of Hamas remains a contentious issue, with the group attaching significant conditions to any agreement, which the Israeli government may be reluctant to meet. (ugh Mr. President - jjs) Trump Announces Agreement to Disarm Hamas as Part of Gaza Peace Plan.
COVID was nothing less than a modern-day Holocaust. It killed roughly seven million people worldwide. Economies crumbled, and trillions of dollars were lost. Families were kept apart on holidays. We watched our grandparents die alone on tablets. Funerals were either not allowed or limited to 10 people. Children didn't go to school, creating years of educational and emotional damage they still feel today. COVID-19: Fauci's Holocaust
The importance of Fauci’s non-testimony this week cannot be overestimated. By revealing nothing, he revealed everything. A Second Suffering: 2020 Hindsight
We have our Founders to thank for that: Federalism mitigated the burdens of Faucism for the many Americans fortunate enough to live in states whose political leadership defied prevailing COVID-era biomedical despotism. James Madison knew the antidote for Dr. Fauci’s COVID tyranny (A gallows and TV cameras - jjs)
America’s now-discredited Covid czar has much to answer for, but not as much as Beijing, which continues to conceal all relevant information regarding the pandemic. Blame Fauci, Yes—But Blame China Most of All
FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, CENSORSHIP, FAKE NEWS, MEDIA, BIG BROTHER TECH
All of the main players in this photo have one thing in common: they shot themselves in the foot with President Donald Trump after previously winning his trust, and then alienating him in various ways. And each decided that if you’re going to get on Trump’s bad side, you may as well go after him with everything you’ve got. Did Tucker Carlson Just Host the First Meeting of 'The Lincoln Project 2.0'?
The breaches highlight critical vulnerabilities in AI containment systems, raising questions about the safety and oversight of advanced AI technologies. The incidents underscore the need for cybersecurity protocols and more robust testing environments to prevent rogue AI behavior. Rogue Anthropic AI Hacked Multiple Firms During Test, Company Confirms.
The sale raises concerns over job security for BP’s North Sea workforce and the broader future of the British offshore oil and gas industry. Critics argue that current energy policies are driving capital and expertise out of the country and leaving it poorly placed to cope with challenges such as Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz. BP to Sell Off North Sea Operations Strangled by Climate Regulations.
The release was prompted “in part by a federal investigation into the finances of his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom,” aides told the New York Times, one of the few publications tapped to view and report on the returns. Newsom’s Release of Tax Returns Called ‘an Insult to Transparency’
The EU is an oligarchy governed by a small self-perpetuating ruling class that sees “the people” as impediments to its technocratic program. The EU and the Iron Law of Oligarchy
In a four-page filing, the Empire State agreed to a temporary restraining order (TRO) by Biden-appointed Judge Anne Nardacci that momentarily bars government officials from enforcing the contested statute against the Catholic challengers. The directive will remain in effect as Nardacci considers the plaintiffs’ motion for emergency relief and the state’s cross-motion to dismiss the complaint. Catholic Nuns Score Temporary Win In Battle Against New York’s Assisted Suicide Law
ACTUAL SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
In a new paper published in the Planetary Science Journal, Sickafoose and her team describe how Pluto’s atmosphere changed over the 2017-2023 timeframe. Is Pluto’s atmosphere collapsing as predicted?
“This is a major victory for children, counselors, and common sense,” Luke Goodrich, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the counselors, said in a statement. “Kids who are hurting deserve compassion, not a one-way ticket to harmful drugs, hormones, and surgery. Now counselors can offer compassionate counseling without fearing that state bureaucrats will come knocking.” After SCOTUS Ruling, Michigan Agrees To End ‘Talk Therapy’ Ban For Gender-Confused Kids
The famed attorney for the damned came out of retirement in 1932 to defend a racist lynch mob.(Hat tip to commenter and friend Mark Pulliam - jjs) Clarence Darrow’s Tawdry Finale
John Reed was one of the foremost left-wing leaders during America’s early 20th-century Progressive Era and had much in common with today’s Democratic Socialists. Before Mamdani... There was John Reed
For the first time, archeologists have confirmation not only of David himself but also of a line of kings descended from him. How Eilat Mazar Found King David’s Palace
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.
Though this is on top of them being about twice as fast as Zen 4 or Zen 5 desktop CPUs, so they still look pretty good. Though Zen 5 itself was nothing spectacular compared with Zen 4.
When a group of teenagers set out to hike British Columbia's famed Howe Sound Crest Trail in early July, Google Maps suggested the trek would take about five hours.
Instead, the hike stretched deep into the night, leaving the group exhausted, dehydrated, injured, deeply stupid, and in need of a helicopter rescue.
Uh, yeah. That trail involves CLIMBING A FUCKING MOUNTAIN.
Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Sunday ONT. Glad you could stop by! Open thread, as always. Fashion and music, as always. How's August treating you so far?
Pay attention to this guy. He seems to understand how immunity works in the human body
Fauci talking about the flu in 2004:
“f she got the flu for 14 days, she’s as protected as anybody can be, because the BEST vaccination is to get infected yourself. If she really has the flu, if she really has the flu, she definitely doesn’t need a flu vaccine..”
Hopefully he will be called upon years later to explain this when a big pandemic hits and people are wondering the best course of action.
-----
I've been sharing a lot of stuff about Flock cameras recently. Maybe I need to submit a Morning Rant thread about it so the daywalkers get to see this stuff.
Flock cameras are asshoe. Overreach and extremely counter to the 4th Amendment. Those who administer these things certainly understand the concept when they themselves are the ones being filmed. Here's another example.
Can’t even make this up.
Guy goes to film a Flock office building. He is met by Flock employees who say they don’t feel safe being surveilled.
This is from somewhere in Memphis. Horde members are almost old enough!
-----
Seems legit
***
'Ette Couture (Courtesy of Piper)
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.
-----
Cher’s Dress Reveals on The Cher Show: When Primetime Got a Little Spicey
In the mid-1970s, long before everyone tried for viral red-carpet shock and awe, there was Cher. And there was that moment, every week, when she stepped onto the stage of her variety series The Cher Show, draped in a dramatic cape, cloak, or feathered cover-up, only to whip it away and reveal something spectacular underneath.
Those dress reveals, masterminded by the legendary costume designer Bob Mackie, weren’t just costume changes. They were events. It was mix of glamour, calculated shock value, and absolute showmanship that pushed the boundaries of what American television audiences expected to see on a Wednesday night. Decades later, the clips still circulate wildly on social media, looking every bit as daring as they did fifty years ago.
The Ritual of the Reveal
The Cher Show followed the end of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Cher was now the solo star, and Mackie, already her trusted collaborator, went into overdrive. A single episode could feature multiple looks, but the signature moment was the dramatic unveiling. Underneath: a body-conscious confection of sequins, beads, cutouts, sheer illusion panels, feathers, and midriff-baring two-pieces that left little to the imagination.
Standout Moments That Still Sparkle
Among the many reveals, a few have achieved near-mythic status:
• The “Satisfaction” rainbow two-piece that fans still rave about for its pure joy and color.
• A striking turquoise number from “Got to Get You Into My Life”that stopped the show mid-spin.
• The purple “Crocodile Rock” drama.
• The white “Let Me Entertain You” sparkle
Each reveal felt like a mini fashion show compressed into a few electric seconds. The audience reaction, cheers, gasps, applause, it was all part of the performance. The sequined, feathered, cutout creations helped define the 1970s and continue to influence stage costumes, red-carpet risk-takers, and anyone who believes clothes should make an entrance. Glamour, after all, is best when it’s revealed.
Enjoy a compilation Cher’s season 1 reveals:
-----
Thanks, Piper!
The rest of you - Don't forget to check out Piper's X page.
Sorta kinda fashion adjacent?
Hilarious rodeo event competition. The ladies had to find their own shoes to get a prize. pic.twitter.com/l7irYGVnzS
Top 10 sockpuppeteers:
1 [207 names] 'Quarter Twenty ' [29.39 unique names/day]
2 [206 names] 'Fugitive From Board of Mental Health'
3 [168 names] 'colmektube.cc'
4 [85 names] 'J. Gordon Miklos-Coogler'
5 [52 names] 'Count de Monet'
6 [49 names] 'Duncanthrax'
7 [47 names] 'Miklos'
8 [43 names] 'Franziazepines'
9 [28 names] 'Sponge - F*ck Cancer'
10 [23 names] 'mindful webworker - It seemed like a good idea at the time'
***
Tonight's ONT brought to you by eternal justice
***
Doof Enterprises, LLC is in talks with Flock to surveil ONT readers. It has come to our attention that some of you may be faking your level of whelm so we need a real gauge.
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 Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be the First August Edition? I told you it was coming! I may not be around much in the comments so please don't burn the place down. Appreciate it!
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
I preach a lot about fundamentals. Mostly the mechanical shooting fundamentals of stance, grip, sight alignment and trigger manipulation. To become a successful competitive shooter you need to add grit, determination, seemingly endless practice and the will to never quit. Those who have attended a TXMoMe have probably met lin-duh's spawn, appropriately named Spawn and maybe even seen her shoot on the ranges. I can tell you from years of experience in evaluating shooters that Spawn has skills.
Here is what lin-duh had to say about her recent trip to the National Matches.
Here is a picture of the spawn shooting her rimfire iron rifle at Nationals. Despite all the team drama this year she did well individually. This is the first year she won anything and it was all HOA awards. The second place RPO is the one she wanted the most and had the biggest field of competitors.
lin-duh
And here are the results:
3rd place Female Rimfire Revolver
3rd place Female Center Fire Revolver
2nd place Female Rimfire Pistol Optic
It's quite an achievement, so please join me in congratulating Spawn!
This is what the result of focus looks like!
******
S&W Model 60 .38 Special Restoration
Alternate title: Birth of a Pimp Gun. As you know, not a fan. Are you?
******
Colt Python: Old v. New
******
Inside Hornady's Accuracy Center
I'm not sure I knew that Hornady had an Accuracy Center.
******
Our Pal Research Reactors
******
Ax Weasel
Q: Weasel, do you know how are Blackwing pencils made, perchance?
A: Why yes, yes I do. Please see below.
******
Highway Patrol!
This week's episode: The Seventh Green!
******
Invasion Of The Saucer Men!
Holy crap! It's the gol'-danged saucer men!! Personally, I'd have preferred saucer babes, but whatever.
******
Cigar of the Week
This week our pal rhomboid scores again with this excellent review of the La Palina No. 4
La Palina is an old name in cigars, and one of the more interesting ones. It's an American company, not Cuban, Nicaraguan, or Dominican, and always has been. Founded at the end of the 19th century in Chicago by a Ukrainian immigrant, it was a victim of the Depression. It was revived in the early 2000s by the founder's grandson - who, interestingly, was the son of one of the big kahunas of broadcast TV (and radio before that), William S. Paley, of CBS. That grandson revived the company and brand, and now its managed by 2 cigar industry veterans. All of that to introduce a fairly ordinary cigar, the La Palina No. 4. Ordinary, but well made, tasty - and inexpensive. I happened upon a deal, $57/box, recently, and here we are.
The No. 4 is a Nicaraguan puro except for the Ecuadorean binder. Wrapper from Jalapa, fillers from there and two of the other major growing regions, Condega and Esteli. Construction is solid, draw is perfect. Reviews and marketing talk of cocoa and sweetness, for me there's more citrusy tang, slightly sweet wood, and some spice here and there. At under $3/stick for a long-filler cigar, this one's suitable for a yardwork cigar (or sorting brass, or cleaning guns), but it's nice enough that for now it's in my regular rotation. Normal price isn't much more painful, just shy of $4 each. So, a solid candidate if you're looking for good quality at a bundle cigar price.
Excellent, rhomboid! Thank you!
******
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?
Well once again, Mr. CBD has left the kitchen unlocked while he goes on vacation, and something has to be served up. I may not be a chef, but even the busboy has to prepare some food at times, so with apologies to those of you who deserve better, here is the weekly Food Thread.
*****
For the Love of Cauliflower
I love cauliflower, be it baked, boiled, or raw. I always have loved it, even before cauliflower became trendy in recent years.
When I was kid and we had roast beef after church on Sundays, I preferred mushy cauliflower to mashed potatoes as a side, especially when the cauliflower was covered in brown gravy made from the roast’s drippings.
My very favorite dish nowadays in my town is a “Japanese Style Cauliflower,” in which the florets are tempura fried with chili flakes then covered in something called gochujang sauce. (That dish is in the header picture above.) I’m going to ask Mr. CBD to cook some up for the Co-blogger Christmas Party this year.
Well, this item below may not have gochujang sauce, but I’ve discovered a simple but tasty form of cauliflower that I can prepare in just minutes on a busy weeknight – cauliflower hash browns!
I just drizzle a little olive oil in a skillet, then fry up a couple of these pucks with a little salt and pepper. I‘m not eating these because I‘m seeking something healthier than fried potatoes, I just like ‘em. But I suppose they might be a little bit healthier than fried spuds, if healthy is your thing.
Speaking of this vegetable, how do you pronounce it? My family, which hails from the Great Plains down to Texas, all pronounce it “call a flower,” or perhaps “KAH-luh-flower.” But here in the South, I hear a lot of people pronounce it “collie flower,” which I just can’t bring myself to say.
And since I’m talking about cauliflower, I’ll launch into my periodic “al dente vegetable” rant, which I’ve probably done before…
There are vegetables that I love, whether they‘re cooked or if they’re served raw, including broccoli and cauliflower. But I’m annoyed when a restaurant (or more likely a banquet hall) serves me warm, raw vegetables. If you’re not going to cook my broccoli, fine, I like it raw. But what is the purpose of warming it to barely above room temperature and then putting it on a plate.
*****
Spice Rack Inflation
This could be one of Mr. CBD’s First World problems, but have you noticed that no matter how many jars you have in your spice rack, whenever you try a new recipe, it requires yet another a new spice?
That picture is the spice rack in my house. Buried in the back are all the infrequently used spices. The most commonly used ones necessarily migrate to the front.
In a few months, the chili spices will be working their way to the front – especially chili powder, cumin, and paprika.
During the next big cupboard clean-out, perhaps my wife and I can pull out all the spices we’ve only used once, and before throwing them out, challenge ourselves to make a dish that uses them.
*****
Guess That Food Game
Speaking of food challenges, my wife and I have a circle of friends who take turns hosting dinner parties in which we play a parlor game of some sort as the evening’s activity.
I’m thinking it might be fun when we next play host to do one of those taste-test games, where the player is blindfolded and then takes a bite of food and must guess what it is.
Or perhaps we could simply narrow it down to common types of cheeses and fruits, and see if people can guess which cheese or fruit they’re tasting.
Have any of y’all ever done this? What foods did you use?
*****
Peak Rosemary
Back to spices, are we past “peak rosemary” yet?
I don’t necessarily dislike rosemary – it can add some nice flavor. But it’s sort of like cilantro in that a little goes a long way, and I’d rather forego it altogether than have it suffocating all the other flavors.
A few years ago at a trendy restaurant with a small menu that changes nightly, I ordered the pork and roast potatoes. The pork was coated in rosemary; the potatoes were covered in rosemary; and even the focaccia bread on the side was sprinkled with rosemary. I did not order dessert, as I reckoned it too was likely to have rosemary in it. As it was, it took a long time for me to get the taste of rosemary out of my mouth.
Since then, I’ve completely avoided any dish that has rosemary. It’s probably time for me to give it another chance, and just tell the chef to please go light on the rosemary if at all possible.
The same goes for bay leaves. One bay leaf max is all that I ever dare put in a stewed dish.
What foods or seasonings do you find to be overbearing if the chef goes a little heavy with them?
*****
”Mom’s on a diet again”
In my house, canned peaches with cottage cheese said “Mom’s on a diet again.” pic.twitter.com/oIomoFV6Nu
Periodically when Mrs. Throckmorton isn’t looking, I’ll regress to my bachelor ways and have what I call a “bachelor survival salad.” I highly recommend this as an alternative to no salad at all.
Quite simply, I’ll take a head of lettuce (romaine works best), rip off a leaf, wash it, and while standing over the sink, pour some bottled ranch or blue cheese dressing on it and eat it like a lettuce wrap. Three or four leaves make a salad, and there aren’t any dishes to clean up!
Guys: What foods do you eat while standing over the sink?
Ettes: Do any of y’all eat while standing over the sink, or is that just a guy thing?
Thanks for hanging out here today. Your regular host should be back next week to restore some dignity and decorum to this place.
That's a 24 inch linear shower drain. It's in the master bathroom (yes, I still use that term) of the house I'm currently renting. That's only relevant to convey that this was NOT a drain setup that I intentionally chose. Sure, it's a clean finished look to match the stone of the shower floor. But it is a pain in the ass to maintain.
The actual drain part below that 24" x 3" slab is only 1.5 or 2 inches in diameter. That little basket sits in the drain. If anyone with even a moderate amount of hair on their head (obviously not referring to myself here) uses the shower regularly, the basket fills up with hair seemingly every other day. Water doesn't drain well through hair, so the shower floor becomes a lake of soapy water.
The slab is heavy. I think it's concrete with stones grouted (or whatever the term is) over it. That little tool next to the basket is what you use to lift it up. It also can be used to grab the wad of hair in the basket. The slab itself is clunky and slippery! Careful where your fingers are if it slips out of your other hand or tips over when titled up on the shower floor (ask me how I know). There are 4 little plastic clips underneath of the slab that hold it in place and keep it flush with the shower floor. Guess what? Those clips like to collect hair, too!
I've tried just letting the hair go down the drain without the basket. It makes a little bit of difference as far as the intervals between clearing the drain. But the clips still collect hair, and then what appears to be a small hairy rodent is trapped in the drain.
Since this isn't my house, I can't tear up the shower floor and redo it. But I am certain that I will NEVER have a set up like this in any house I own. Give me the ugly 4 inch drain plate in the middle of the shower floor any day!
Everyone is aware of the radical change in America's attitude toward public assistance and government action in supposed defense of the welfare of Americans.
The vast array of government programs presented to any citizen who is not perfectly comfortable is mind numbing. They claim to provide everything! Housing, food, cell phones (!), internet access, medical care, child care, help with utility bills, transportation, discounts on taxes, higher education, and on and on. Whether those innumerable government programs actually provide those pie-in-the-sky promises is a different question, but we all know that if they do, it comes at an obscene and inefficient cost. And it is becoming increasingly obvious that the many billions of dollars spent each year are often stolen!
They programs are shoved at us every day, from signs at the market touting EBT benefits, to signs on highways with government phone numbers to call for aid, to emergency room medical coordinators frantic to find a government program to pay their exorbitant bills.
The list of who to blame is long, but the heavy hitters are FDR, LBJ, Nixon (Yup!), Obama, and Biden. They conspired to make the default attitude of Americans that of a supplicant, rather than a citizen with rights and responsibilities.
Indeed, one of the striking features of early America is not that assistance was unavailable, but that many people who qualified for relief were reluctant to seek it. Contemporary accounts from several states—including New Jersey—describe respectable men and women enduring extraordinary hardship before accepting public charity. To modern ears, such reluctance may seem irrational. To them, it was a matter of preserving self-respect.
That moral instinct—that accepting public assistance should be exceptional rather than ordinary—formed an essential part of the American understanding of citizenship until the 20th century.
The first cracks in that understanding appeared during the Progressive Era and deepened during the New Deal. Faced with industrialization, urban poverty, and the Great Depression, Americans increasingly looked to government to perform functions that earlier generations had entrusted to institutions outside of the government. Much of that expansion responded to genuine crises, and programs such as Social Security reflected the extraordinary circumstances of their time.
Even so, the nation’s underlying philosophy was beginning to change. Government was no longer viewed simply as a safety net for those unable to care for themselves; it increasingly became expected to solve all social and economic problems. The shift was gradual and often justified by necessity. But it subtly weakened the older assumption that public assistance should remain exceptional, temporary, and closely tied to preserving personal independence.
Nothing here is surprising...it is the long and sordid story of our creeping socialism.
But another consequence of this plunge into the welfare state and the welfare psyche is that even people who have no need for government assistance in its many forms have been tarnished by it.
We see destitute people overwhelming our cities, and we recoil. We turn away from those in need. And that is a rational response to people who have lost their sense of morality and shame and pride and self-respect. We have come to expect that the government will take care of it, even though we know that government is incapable of that task, and we have the data to prove it! But government has placed obstacles in the way of regular Americans to help their less-well-off neighbors. Churches must jump through hoops to provide a hungry man a hot meal. Charitable organizations are buried under oceans of paperwork and, sadly, some have become vehicles for the self-aggrandizement of their sponsors. Just look at the Clinton's "charity" for evidence of that.
Have we lost all sense of goodness and charity? No, of course not. We are still the most generous people on earth, but the taint of government has injured even that!
Welcome to my second attempt at a book thread. I'm still learning to include images so this one is just text [I helped...CBD]. And, as always, I hope everyone had a great week of reading.
I enjoy reading westerns. Not just for the shoot-em-ups (although that is part of the appeal) but for the characters and descriptions of town life and the wild country. The plot is usually fast paced, the books are often under 200 pages and in a few hours you have another novel on your 'books I've read' list. The good guys win, the bad guys lose and justice, not necessarily the law, is served. Vivid and satisfying.
It seems to be the universal opinion that Lonesome Dove is one of the best western novels ever written. I won't argue because I haven't read it yet. (McMurtry does have a place in my heart because he wrote all his books on a manual typewriter.) But when I reread a western, it's usually a Louis L'Amour book. I like the way he can provide insight into his characters and circumstances with just a few lines that reveal but don't disturb the pace of the story.
I like all of his books: Flint, Hondo, Down the Long Hills, and the older history periods like The Walking Drum, etc. But the Sackett series books are the ones that stay with me. Maybe it's the span of generations of a family at different points in history, circa 1600 to the late 1800s. Maybe it's a common thread of toughness and fortitude that binds the different family members even though the main characters, all very much individuals, face different problems in different environments. My favorites in the series are Jubal Sackett, Ride the River, and The Sackett Brand. Sadly, L'Amour died before doing a Sackett story involving the American Revolution.
Any particular westerns that got you interested in the genre or keep you coming back to it? What is the appeal for westerns? The Horde is a very varied group so I'm hoping to hear about western books or authors new to me.
If you need a place to start with westerns, check out Sgt. Mom's (Celia Hayes) books like Lone Star Sons: Being The Entertaining and Mostly If not Always True Adventures of Texas Ranger Jim Reade and his Blood Brother Delaware Scout Toby Shaw in the Time of the Republic of Texas, which is a fun read (and a fun title). It's suitable for youngsters and this not so young reader enjoyed it.
By the way, Donald Hamilton (obligatory Matt Helm reference) wrote some westerns in the 1950s and they are excellent. His book The Big Country was adapted for the movie of that name with Charlton Heston. For some reason they were never reprinted and the used copies can be hard to find and are expensive. Definitely worth it if you can find them.
In a recent YT video from Duelist1954, Mike Beliveau lists the top ten selling westerns of all time, the top ten critics choices and his own ten favorites. There isn't a lot of overlap between the lists.
I'm not the first person to notice this but some original Conan stories, especially the ones involving the Picts, are essentially westerns set in Howard's Hyborean Age. The story Beyond the Black River would certainly qualify.
I'm not a fan of most booktubers on YT. I don't care about their latest book haul or that they claim to have read so many books in a short time. Even if true, or possible, what the hell are they getting out of them. I read for pleasure and to expand my world, not to brag about some list to impress others. Having said that, a year of two ago a booktuber, Michael K. Vaughn, suggested June Roundup. This was a casual, informal suggestion to other YT channels to discuss western books during June that they enjoy and why, and reveal some unusual finds they've come across. If you like westerns it is kind of fun.
Recent acquisitions:
- A hardcover edition of Lonesome Dove
- The City of God by Saint Augustine (H/T to A H Lloyd)
- The Penguin Classics edition of Tennyson's Idylls of the King
- The Winchester version of Mallory's Le Morte D'Arthur (as opposed to the Caxton version that is the standard)
Serendipity: Books I've come across unexpectedly that I'll investigate, and probably buy, at some point. (Not quite in the rabbit hole category.)
- Three Bags Full, the book the Sheep Detectives movie is based on
- Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke and a book of his poetry
- A collection of the correspondence between H. Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling
Thanks for putting up with my meanderings. What have you all been reading?
Before the DRAM Apocalypse advice was simple: Do not buy a system with 8GB of RAM unless it is user-upgradable and you plan to immediately upgrade it.
Now the advice is more along the lines of: Buy a Mac, or run Linux.
Since both of those options hit Microsoft below the water line, the company is finally bothering to start to unshit its bed. Long overdue and the outcome remains to be seen, but at least they're trying. Or claiming to try.
Apple does have long-term agreements in place, but those agreements aren't all that long term, and as the sign new agreements during the ongoing drought they find that they no longer have a decisive upper hand.
Saturday Night Club ONT - August 1, 2026 [Disco & Dino]
—Open Blogger
Welcome to Club ONT - a collaboration of The Disco and The Dino. We honor the 5th amendment here. And the 1st. Certainly the 2nd. The 10th is pretty good, also.
Come in in, grab a drink or 3. Keep it light and friendly. Jerks need not enter the premises (the moose out front is keeping track).
[Top photo: Terrace of the Halfway Guesthouse, located in the Tiger Leaping Gorge of Yunnan Province, China]
A guy walks into a bar, orders a shot of whiskey, drinks it, and looks inside his jacket pocket.
He then orders another shot, drinks it, and looks inside his pocket again.
This goes on for an hour.
Finally, the bartender gets curious and asks, "Hey pal, why do you keep looking inside your pocket after every drink?"
The guy looks up and says,
"I've got a picture of my wife in there.
When she starts looking good, I know it's time to go home.
-----
"Where are you going on vacation, Bob?" Dave asked his co-worker.
"Las Vegas."
"You don't sound very excited."
"Well, I'm a little concerned," said Bob. "Went to Cancun last year, and my wife got pregnant. Went to Hawaii the year before that, and she got pregnant then, too."
"Wow! Are you going to take precautions?"
"Absolutely. This year I'm taking her with me."
*****
Drink of the Night
Big penguin is everywhere!
(H/T RedMindBlueState)
In summary (Google AI)
The Fat Penguin is a creamy, tropical cocktail made with orange juice, vanilla vodka, and heavy cream.
Ingredients
2 oz fresh orange juice
1.5 oz vanilla vodka (or whipped cream vodka)
1 oz spiced rum
1 oz heavy whipping cream (or oat/almond creamer)
0.5 oz blue curacao
Whipped cream for garnish
*****
Club ONT Department of Non-pansy Humor
In 1976, after a MATCH GAME contestant guessed a fill-in-the-blank answer correctly with "The Third Reich", the home audience got a shock when Charles Nelson Reilly decided to walk from his seat wearing a drawn Nazi armband with Gene Rayburn doing the Nazi salute. The episode… pic.twitter.com/2f6OJfgP6Y
BOONEVILLE, Miss. - A Mississippi property owner uncovered more than 200 Civil War-era cannonballs while preparing land for commercial development, and historians believe even more artifacts may still be buried.
Harold Knight said he first found a single cannonball on his Booneville property before inviting people with metal detectors to search the site.
The search quickly turned up hundreds of Civil War munitions, including grape shot, canister shot and case shot, all estimated to be more than 160 years old.
Experts at the Booneville Rails & Trails Museum believe the ammunition is likely connected to either the Battle of Blackland or the Battle of Booneville, two Civil War battles fought in July 1862.
*****
Club ONT Department of Dating
*****
Club ONT Bowling League
*****
Club ONT Department of Confusion
Is this Dino pretending to be Doggo or vice versa?
There are some questions in film criticism that never seem to disappear. Every generation argues about the greatest director, the greatest western, the greatest horror movie, the greatest performance. They're fun conversations, even if they almost never arrive at an answer. Over the last few years, though, I've found myself drifting toward a different question, one that I think reveals something more interesting about the people who make movies. If you wanted to explain a director to someone who had never seen one of their films before, where would you begin? Not with the movie that's necessarily their greatest achievement, nor even your favorite, but the one that most completely captures who they are as an artist.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized those are two different questions. Great artists don't spend their careers making the same movie over and over again. They experiment. They wander into unfamiliar genres. Sometimes they discover something remarkable by pushing against the instincts that usually define them. A masterpiece, then, can occasionally be an exception rather than a rule. It may represent the highest point of a career without representing the center of it. Somewhere else in that same filmography there may be another movie (not necessarily better, but somehow more representative) that contains the themes, techniques, and preoccupations that kept drawing the director back throughout an entire career. That's the film I've started thinking of as containing a director's DNA.
Alfred Hitchcock is probably the easiest place to begin because almost everyone already has an answer prepared. Ask someone to name the quintessential Hitchcock film and they'll probably say Psycho. Others will argue for Vertigo, and if the discussion is simply about greatness, I don't have much interest in disagreeing. Both are extraordinary films. But I don't think either one is the purest expression of Hitchcock's artistic personality. Every time I've tried this exercise, I keep arriving at North by Northwest, not because I think it's his masterpiece, but because it seems to contain the greatest concentration of the things that made Hitchcock Hitchcock.
That observation isn't even mine originally. Screenwriter Ernest Lehman famously said that his goal was to write "the Alfred Hitchcock picture to end all Alfred Hitchcock pictures," and, intentionally or otherwise, that's exactly what he accomplished. Nearly every recurring Hitchcock instinct is present. There's the MacGuffin that hardly matters once the story begins. There's the innocent man mistaken for someone else and thrown into circumstances completely beyond his control. There's the glamorous blonde, the elaborate visual set pieces, the humor that somehow coexists comfortably beside genuine suspense, and perhaps most importantly, the confidence that an audience can understand a scene through images alone. Hitchcock made psychological horror, courtroom dramas, romances, even broad comedies, but whenever he returned to what feels unmistakably like Hitchcock, he kept returning to some variation of this formula. North by Northwest isn't the summit of his career so much as its clearest blueprint.
William Wyler
William Wyler made me realize that the exercise doesn't always produce a surprising answer. Sometimes the film containing a director's DNA really is their masterpiece. For me, that's The Heiress. It isn't merely a great William Wyler film; it's difficult to think of another movie that gathers together so many of the qualities he spent decades refining. If Hitchcock's personality announces itself through suspense and visual wit, Wyler's announces itself almost by disappearing. His direction is so carefully controlled that it's easy to overlook how carefully controlled it actually is. Nothing calls attention to itself. The camera isn't trying to impress you. The compositions are elegant without becoming ostentatious. Actors move with extraordinary precision, but never in a way that feels theatrical or artificial. Everything exists in service of revealing character.
That wasn't an accident. Wyler consistently gravitated toward exceptional source material, often adapting acclaimed novels and successful plays rather than inventing stories from scratch. He seemed to believe that directing wasn't primarily about imposing himself upon a story but about refining one that already possessed dramatic strength. More importantly, he trusted actors more than almost any director of his generation. Watch enough Wyler films and a pattern begins to emerge. The emotional climaxes rarely depend upon spectacle. Instead, they depend upon people talking, arguing, hesitating, or making impossible moral decisions. The Heiress feels like the fullest expression of that philosophy. Olivia de Havilland's performance carries almost every emotional beat of the story, and Wyler understands that no technical flourish could possibly improve upon simply allowing her to perform. Other Wyler films emphasize one aspect of his career. Ben-Hur is inevitably remembered for its spectacle. Roman Holiday is remembered as one of Hollywood's great romantic comedies. The Best Years of Our Lives is inseparable from the historical moment that produced it. The Heiress, however, seems to contain all of Wyler at once.
Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese presents a different problem altogether because public perception has simplified him into something he never really was. For many people, Scorsese is the gangster director, an image that's perfectly understandable given the enormous cultural shadow cast by Mean Streets, Goodfellas, Casino, and The Wolf of Wall Street (gangster in its own Wall Street way). Yet those films represent only one corner of an astonishingly varied career that includes religious dramas, psychological thrillers, documentaries, historical epics, literary adaptations, black comedies, and period romances. Reducing Scorsese to organized crime feels a little like reducing John Ford to Monument Valley. It's true often enough to become recognizable, but false often enough to become misleading.
For that reason, my choice has always been The Age of Innocence. It usually surprises people, but the surprise disappears once you stop thinking about Scorsese in terms of genre and start thinking about the questions that seem to fascinate him regardless of genre. Again and again, his films ask what happens when personal desire collides with the demands of a community. Sometimes that community is the Mafia. Sometimes it's the Catholic Church. Sometimes it's politics, family, or business. In The Age of Innocence, it happens to be New York high society, but the conflict is fundamentally the same. Newland Archer isn't trapped by criminals. He's trapped by expectations. He belongs to a world whose values he understands perfectly, and that understanding becomes its own prison.
Scorsese once referred to The Age of Innocence as the most violent film he'd ever made. At first glance that sounds absurd coming from the man who directed the scene of Joe Pesci getting beaten to death with a baseball bat in Casino, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Violence in Scorsese has never really been about bloodshed. Violence is what people do to one another when loyalty, guilt, obligation, or identity become impossible burdens to carry. Sometimes that manifests itself through fists and guns. Other times it manifests itself through silence, manners, and self-denial. Strip away the gangsters, and those concerns remain almost everywhere in Scorsese's work. The restless camera, the intricate editing, the fascination with New York itself. All of those stylistic signatures are present in The Age of Innocence. More importantly, so are the moral questions that seem to have occupied him throughout his career. Watch that film carefully, and the path toward Silence, Bringing Out the Dead, and even The Irishman suddenly becomes much easier to see.
John Ford
John Ford may have been the director who convinced me that a filmmaker's masterpiece and their artistic center can actually point in opposite directions. I think The Searchers is Ford's greatest film. I also think it's an outlier. It presents a vision of Ford that is darker, lonelier, and more tragic than the one that appears throughout most of his career. Ethan Edwards ends that film standing outside the doorway, separated forever from the community he helped preserve. It's one of the greatest endings in American cinema precisely because it denies its hero the thing he has spent the entire story pursuing.
That's why I'd choose The Quiet Man instead. The longer I watch Ford's films, the less convinced I become that he was fundamentally interested in the American West. Monument Valley is unforgettable, but it isn't really the subject of his movies. Communities are. Whether he's filming cavalry officers, settlers, Irish villagers, Mormons, or families struggling through the Depression, Ford keeps returning to the same basic question: how does an individual find a place among other people? That's Shaun Thornton's story from beginning to end. He isn't trying to defeat evil. He's trying to belong.
Once that idea occurred to me, a great many of Ford's stylistic choices suddenly made more sense. He devotes enormous stretches of screen time to dances, church services, funerals, military ceremonies, and shared meals, scenes that many directors would compress because they don't appear to advance the plot. Ford understood that they advance something more important than plot. They reveal the habits through which a community defines itself. Even the famous climactic fistfight in The Quiet Man isn't really about violence. The village gathers around it almost like a festival. The fight restores relationships rather than destroying them. Compare that ending with The Searchers, and the distinction becomes clear. Ethan Edwards saves the family but never joins it. Shaun Thornton joins the community he came searching for. One film is Ford's greatest tragedy. The other feels like the clearest expression of what he spent a lifetime celebrating.
Joe Dante
Joe Dante may be the oddest example because the film I'd choose isn't even my favorite Joe Dante movie. That would probably be Matinee, which I think has a warmth and emotional maturity that few directors ever achieve when looking back upon childhood. Yet if the goal is to identify the movie containing the most Joe Dante, I don't think anything surpasses Gremlins 2. It's a sequel that behaves almost like a parody of the original film, dismantling its own mythology while simultaneously celebrating everything that made it popular in the first place.
That contradiction seems to run through Dante's entire career. He genuinely loves movies, television, monster pictures, comic books, animation, and virtually every corner of American popular culture. At the same time, he refuses to treat any of it as sacred. That's the distinction I think makes Dante unique. He approaches popular culture with affection rather than reverence. Gremlins 2 spends nearly its entire running time mocking sequels, merchandising, studio filmmaking, and even itself. The Gremlins interrupt the movie, attack the projection, and threaten the illusion that we're watching a finished film at all. It feels like the work of someone who knows these traditions intimately enough to understand that genuine love includes the ability to laugh at the thing you love. If Matinee is Joe Dante looking backward with nostalgia, then Gremlins 2 is Joe Dante looking backward with a grin.
A Never-ending Game
The more I've played this game, the less interested I've become in arguing about which films are objectively greatest. Those conversations are enjoyable, but they're ultimately conversations about quality. This feels like a conversation about identity. Asking which Hitchcock film contains the most Hitchcock or which Ford film contains the most Ford forces you to think less about isolated achievements and more about recurring ideas. What themes keep resurfacing? Which visual habits never disappear? Which questions refuse to leave the director alone regardless of genre or subject matter? Eventually a pattern begins to emerge, and somewhere inside that pattern sits a single film where everything seems to converge.
That's the movie I find myself recommending now. Not because it's necessarily the best one, but because I think it's the one that best introduces the artist. Masterpieces tell us what a director was capable of accomplishing. Their DNA film tells us who they were.
The Plague of the Zombies (Rating 2/4) Full Review "Still, there's modest entertainment within. Far from enough to get this near the top of the Hammer pile, but enough for it to sit comfortably somewhere in the middle." [Library]
Rasputin: The Mad Monk (Rating 2.5/4) Full Review "Still, Lee is in almost every scene, the few scenes he's not in are dominated mostly by Pasco. And that's not a bad combination. Honestly, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, but it's certainly not good." [Library]
One Million Years B.C. (Rating 2.5/4) Full Review "There is entertainment to be had, but it's restrained in any impact beyond the sensationalist. Still, the sensationalist part is quite good." [Library]
The Viking Queen (Rating 3/4) Full Review "I latched onto the supporting cast and the setting most, I think, and I went along for an entertaining ride." [Library]
Quatermass and the Pit (Rating 3/4) Full Review "The dread, the scale of the antagonists, and the distinct Britishness of the whole affair created an appealing package that I found infectious." [Library]
Please check out my videos from the last few weeks:
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 8/22.
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) is feeling lucky and decided on a hobby shed theme for this Hobby Thread.
The backyard shed is not unique to England, but it is an uncommonly large part of British culture. Grok says "the sheer numbers, the affectionate cultural mythology around them, media attention, competitions, and the specific stereotype of the solitary (often male) shed-dweller" make it unique. "It is treated as a recognizable part of national identity in a way that is less common elsewhere."
Why? Grok says:
1) Housing and garden patterns - Dense terraced housing and relatively small private gardens (especially in towns and suburbs) made a compact outbuilding practical. Unlike larger American yards with detached garages, British gardens often had just enough space for a modest shed at the end of the plot.
2) Gardening and allotment culture - Britain has a long, intense tradition of gardening. Sheds naturally developed as places to store tools, pot plants, and escape the weather while still being close to the garden.
3) Weather - Frequent rain makes an outdoor but covered retreat useful year-round - something less necessary in sunnier climates.
4) Post-war DIY boom and class culture - After World War II there was a surge in home ownership, DIY, and self-reliance. The shed became the affordable workshop for ordinary people. It also fitted a certain British preference for understated, private hobbies over more ostentatious leisure.
5) Cultural psychology of retreat - The word "shed" itself has Anglo-Saxon roots linked to shade, separation, or a place of quiet. Commentators often describe it as a modern equivalent of the hermit's cell or cave - a small, controllable space of solitude and concentration amid busy family or working life.
6) Media and humor - British comedy, literature, and journalism have long celebrated (and gently mocked) the shed, reinforcing the tradition.
***
As the intro says, sheds are not limited to England. Sheds are also not limited to structures where you store your yard tools and outdoor furniture. For many, they are a usable living space that just happens to be separate from a main house.
Do you have a hobby shed? How do you use it? Is it a workshop? potting shed? craft shed? bar? gaming room? Did you build it?
If you don't have a hobby shed, what kind of shed would you have?
I wasn't planning on greenhouse content but many of the interweb sites on garden sheds seem to also include small greenhouses. Are greenhouses of interest to the Horde?
***
What are you hobbying?
Sheds may not be everyone's favorite but give the content a chance before you judge. Any hobbying space is in scope, so jump in with your basement, spare room or garage project space. In any event, the thread is not limited to to the theme. Anything (legal) you are hobbying is welcome. Even if the theme does not speak to you, you might learn something or be entertained. If not, find something else or offer something else relating to hobbying. If all of that fails, just check in and say hello.
As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Leave politics and religion to threads elsewhere (unless your hobby is building or restoring churches). Pants? Nope. 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.
Otty's Hobby Shed 2.0 is a wargaming shed built by Chris Otterburn and his friends in 2024. After the pandemic we would regularly convene in his original hobby shed to play wargames. Ranging from Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game, to World War 2 Bolt Action, Warhammer 40k, Star Wars Legion and many more.
As time went on Chris realised we had begun to outgrow shed 1.0 and he set about planning to build a new shed - one that would not only be big enough to play the scale of games we'd dreamt of but also provide comfort and surroundings so we could enjoy meeting up to its fullest. Around this time one of our friends Scott Forrest had been undertaking his own real-life battle with cancer and when Chris started the Shed 2.0 build on his own we all started to help out in getting the shed completed so Scott could get to hang out and play. Sadly, as the shed neared completion, Scott was too unwell to visit and passed away in November 2024.
Since then the shed has become a place where we go to hang out, play games, have fun and remember our friend! We continue to play wargames, drink copious amounts of tea, laugh at the ridiculous misfortune when rolling dice. Alongside that we have grown our miniature and terrain collections. Recreating the forest moon of Endor for Star Wars, the desert battles and the battle of Foy from World War 2.
Impressive DIY project!
***
I know what you're thinking: "Who won Shed of the year in 2025 in the Workshop/Studio category?" Glad you asked. Mike Robinson lives in London but doesn't have much space. He built this tiny workshop on his back patio that opens and unfolds for use.
I'm impressed by people that make the most out of small spaces. As a dinosaur, I prefer more elbow room and space to spread out, but I am impressed.
***
Every three year old needs a garage of their own:
***
Now THIS is a backyard shed...
***
Don't want to build a pub in your backyard yourself? No worries. Just order one and have it delivered (if you live in New Zealand). The company is called My Little Pub.
Pick from several options, design and customize, and they deliver the pub on the back of a truck to your backyard. Think of it like delivering a nicer shipping container. The best part? If you move, you can take your pub with you!
Disclaimer: Ace of Spades does not endorse any specific tiny pub provider.
***
Origin stories like the Tyrrell Formula One team have built the lore and legend around great things coming from sheds. In this case, Ken Tyrrell bought a military surplus building and put it in his family's lumberyard. He successfully ran his racing team for years out of the small building. The shed was recently dismantled and moved to preserve it.
I put this in a recent ONT, but re-posting here in case you missed it in light of the craftsmanship involved.
***
A tour of a bucket list tank museum visit qualifies for hobby thread material:
***
Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did a Las Vegas travel theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.
Notable comments from last week:
***
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).
***
Reminder: if you put links in the comments, use a URL shortener and describe what you're linking to. Failing to do either or both makes you barrel-eligible. Don't make people click to find out what you're linking.
Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Or just email to say hello. Do mighty things.
Scroll down in the thread for more exacting information about color sensitivities in various species. But this gives you an idea why hunters often wear orange.
Very long time lurker from Australia here.
Here are my two Frenchies, Peggy and her little brother Louis. Louis is the guy with the beer and he, sadly, really is a moron. They love cuddling up together when it's cold down here in Australia.
Peggy and Louis are wonderful.
* * *
These two are ying and yang. Tory, the white one is a pure breed husky. Chill and calm. Moon, the black one is a 4 time returned to a shelter adoption because he's kind of a lot to handle. Loves to eat drywall. Best buddies and no class envy here.
TheAlabamaGang
Wow. Great to hear about buddies with different personalities getting along so well with each other. About the drywall eating: could there be an iron deficiency?
* * *
&&&
&&&
&&&
Here are some recent RtC pics in case folks are starving for images. I know his fans are this close to being infected with rabies. So I do my part.
1. Here he is looking imperial.
2. Here he is looking tired of all this.
3. Here is where I discovered that, behind my back, he decided to go into business as a contractor. I've blurred the phone number in case some naughty types wanted to do mischief.
4. Here he is Giving the Look.
Last summer I tore out all of the coneflowers and roses from our front garden bed, and replaced them with 40 different varieties of daylillies, about 50 plants in all.
The new bed is simply beautiful! Daylily flowers each last only for 24 hours, but each plant sports multiple stems with multiple flowers on each stem. The result is a riot of colors, with a different set of flowers blooming every morning. Something nice to get me out of bed in the morning!
I love these! There are more if we can get them formatted to present to The Horde! The one at the top is an unknown variety, and the bottom one is 'Autumn Red'.
Hoping for more photos! What a lot of work, though.
*
Edible Gardening/Putting Things By
From By-Tor:
Rib eye, homegrown tomatoes, and esquites (Mexican corn) for lunch after tennis practice.
Looks great! The quality of those tomatoes makes a difference, and go with the corn!
*
Ah, Nature
Intrepid Liaison/Admiral Ackbar Island update
As a 100% pureblooded cracker, let me offer everyone a friendly, culturally-appropriated "aloha" now that I'm fully moved and integrated on these conquered isles.
I have curated a veritable smorgasbord of photos highlighting both notable flora and fauna I have encountered thus far. Of particular note are the trees...not the ubiquitous palm trees most associate with these tropical climes, but instead a curious and impressive type that spreads a wide canopy, with very few lower branches, which reminds me more of something from an African savanna documentary. They come with a variety of different colored flowers, which I presume delineate different species.
Impressive! Which are your favorites? We may get more later.
The Short Unhappy Life of a Russian Soldier: Why recruits die in 20-30 minutes Interesting video. Some key parts: drones were responsible for 70-80% of all battlefield deaths in mid-2025, and I bet it's higher now. The Russian army is incredibly corrupt. Men get assigned to the most dangerous frontline units, the "Storm" units, unless they pay a superior $2,000 to be assigned to a different unit. Furthermore, there is often no real training for recruits -- commanders pocket the money that would have gone towards fuel and ammo costs incurred during training. Much "training" consists just of taking a single picture of soldiers doing something soldier-y, like fording a river, and publishing that as proof that the training was done. Even when it is done, training is only two weeks long.
Podcast: CBD and Sefton discuss the Berlin attack, Iran...Again! Sefton's mini Odyssey review, Data Republican's blockbuster reveal about the DNC, and more!
Forgotten 80s Mystery Click She's totally committed to major independence
She's a lady through and through
She gives them quite a battle, all that they can handle
She'll bruise some, she'll hurt some too
Podcast: Illegals registered and voted in NJ! Leftist violence is baked into the Democrat cake, Iran's capabilities are being degraded, Londonistan? And...come on SC...no senate dynasties!
FDA is providing an update regarding the sample of lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico which was reported positive on July 18, 2026. Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive. Information about the sample has been removed from the July 18, 2026, update below. FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market. FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples. As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.
Podcast: Trump Slaps Mullin down; he wants the auto stops to continue, we need employment enforcement at our big corporations, The gerontocracy in the Senate, the Iranian junta is true to form, but Trump responds forcefully, and more!
Forgotten 80s Mystery Click: Northern Lights Division
Our topic today is music That's right, like
'Cause my brother and I are now experts in the field, eh
Yeah, right, 'cause we're a band now
Uh, yeah, so Except for him, I'm a band
Aw, how can you do that?
You're making me look bad
You're such a Hosehead
CNBC ranks Tennessee as dead last in its “Worst States to Live” analysis. The specific reason is that cross-dressing men in TN are denied access to children and women’s private spaces. Texas finished 49th. The “worst” states were all red states. [Buck]
