Why the author brings up only Rome's decline? Surely there have been many other declines of other nation-states. Could it be that Rome's decline is the only nation-state decline that the author has some familiarity with? Maybe the author should read more history.

@Aqua-Letifer said in Coming out of a 28-year retirement.: I wish people would stop asking for more C&H. His ending it when he did is precisely why people want to see more of it. Let things resolve for fuck's sake. Not everything has to be Star Wars. Nothing should be Star Wars. Not even Star Wars. C&H ran its course and it is done. Let it be done. There's a FB group that regularly rehashes the strips and that's fine. We haven't watched the new Frasier yet. I am not expecting much.

@Renauda said in A Renauda Opportunity: Thanks for the tip, but I think I’ll pass. Have come to conclusion that this pensioned retirement gig is highly underrated. Damn straight it is.

@jon-nyc It’s a side effect of having Rumble as your default search engine. This one though is a particularly sad case.

@Jolly said in Hay Horace!: And...For the ultimate in cowboy culture, you've got the Houston Livestock Show coming up after the first of the year. Livestock, rodeo, all things agriculture. Speaking of... https://www.rodeohouston.com/where-does-your-wine-come-from/ Went to that last year. That stadium is officially too small for me to sit in, at least the cheap seats up top. Shocking amount of leg room, and not fair to the person in front of me, with a knee in their ear. It was fun to see the cow roping though.

@Doctor-Phibes said in From 2020...: Next you're going to tell me that Darth Putin isn't actually Putin. Say it isn’t so.

Totally agree. Urban kids often don't have the best parental role models. Suburban kids are often coddled. Farm kids are often ahead of the game early on.

2-0 Rangers last night. They play again today.

@Horace

I guess Schumer is a NIMFY kind of mensch.

@jon-nyc said in My grammatical pet peeve of the day: @Doctor-Phibes said in My grammatical pet peeve of the day: I make this mistake all the time, but to be honest I could care fewer. FIFY,NNTTM Damn, had the same lame dad joke reply. Guess I was further away from the computer than I thought.

Yup, the article "mirror" what I have been saying and thinking.

He probably did, but he probably doesn't remember it.

That's interesting, It would seem we'd have found some at least if they were there.

@George-K said in Will anything change?: @Horace said in Will anything change?: There has been no social price to be paid for progressive beliefs up to now. I suspect this'll nudge the ship's keel just a little. Several thoughts come to mind. First of all the wonderful application of Alinsky's rules - "Make them own it." Secondly, I've seen more than one report that support for Hamas, though vocal as hell (at least here in the US) remains a minority. More than 60% of Democrats and GOP support Israel in this disaster. I can understand an abstract sympathy for a hopeless average kid born in Gaza to hopeless parents. There doesn't seem to be any plausible way to fix it though.

@Mik said in "Starter Villain": Mofos. I have to admit, Will Wheaton does a great job narrating it. This is a book that you can easily go thru in an afternoon/evening. Wheaton's interpretation makes it the time investment.

Good news, @89th, Uncle Joe and the FTC are coming to the rescue: https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/11/23912563/ftc-proposal-junk-hidden-fees The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is proposing a new rule that it hopes will put an end to hidden junk fees that some businesses often add as a surprise when consumers are checking out. The agency is currently seeking public comment on the rule, known as the Trade Regulation Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, after having already collected 12,000 comments last year from individuals, businesses, law enforcement groups, and others on how deceptive fees affect them. Consider adding your comment to suppose the proposed rule.

I prefer the clarity of agencies other than CNN: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/poland-holds-high-stakes-election-amid-rows-over-democratic-rule-2023-10-15/

Looks as though the Kaczynski’s populist nationalist government there will not be forming another coalition this time. https://tvpworld.com/73442390/polish-elections-poles-determined-to-break-turnout-record-with-more-than-57-voting-by-5-pm

@Horace said in Brick and mortars don't work well anymore.: Right, but it can't even get there at an alleged grill temp of 350. It's been > 1 hour and the water reads at 175. Ah...that's a problem.