@LuFins-Dad Don’t assume Fogel was forgotten or left behind. For one or more reasons Putin wanted to hang on to him until the right opportunity presented itself. That opportunity was now. The queer black basketball player would have been too high maintenance for the Russian prison system to want to keep around. Similar with Gerkowitz. Whelan was probably just a pain in the zhopa and of little bargaining value given his background history. Fogel on the other hand, was a valuable team player who gave English lessons to other inmates and likely any guards who wanted to learn. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/02/12/washington-to-release-russian-crypto-kingpin-alexander-vinnik-in-exchange-for-marc-fogel-us-official-says-a87975

@kluurs That will make it easier for Americans to do business in Russia. It was quite an impediment for some back in the 90’s.

[image: 1739395361345-20250129_140627-resized.jpg] Sake, this one is rather nice, a Christmas present from Tokyo. (I don't read Japanese and the only thing on the reverse label I can understand is 720ml and 40%; but found the brand online and one that looks near identical... is 750ml 16%ABV so I'm not exactly sure what I'm drinking)

Analysts are saying the 4T increase in the debt limit in the house is planning 'should last us 2 years. So here they are adding >10% to the national debt in just the first two years.

I think a couple of members have introduced bills in every congress for several decades now. I think it only got out of committee once, in 2021.

I retired at 44. At some point I'll retire again (from the foundation) latest that could be would be at 61 (due to term limits). That would be 5 years hence.

@89th said in What does this even mean?: I didn't have to watch the rest of it. I stayed until the tran with a beard that was made out of glitter.

A leap of faith

@LuFins-Dad said in DOGE shifts the crosshairs: I wonder if any of the "payments to people who are dead" I thought of that while I was watching Mr. Musk. He was talking about a veteran who received benefits after his 150th birthday, that must be close to the limit for his family. Irene Triplett was the last person to receive a Civil War pension in the United States. She died at the age of 90 in 2020. Who was Irene Triplett? Triplett was born on January 9, 1930. She was the daughter of Mose Triplett, who fought for both the Confederacy and the Union during the Civil War. Triplett qualified for the pension because she was a helpless adult child of a veteran who suffered cognitive impairments. She received $73.13 per month from the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).

It’ll be cold in Feb. it’s 22 there today.

Quick, (kind of) humane, painless, cheap(?) I have thought that if there is going to be a death penalty, using nitrogen is the best method.

@jon-nyc said in Death On The Tarmac: I won’t resist this one: I’m going to assume all involved were white men, else this would be bigger news as DEI would have been to blame. He's not very Diverse I wonder why he wore glasses with better than 20/20 vision. [image: 1739373546288-fb2629c6-982e-42a0-a1b2-f558aed8bde8-image.png] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14389067/Joie-vitosky-saved-vince-neil-girlfriend-motley-crue-plane-crash.html

He regularly coauthors books with conservatives or libertarians, eg Richard Epstein from U Chicago.

@89th said in Florida Mom: I checked, she's a red head now. If you need me to check again, just let me know. Please conduct a thorough investigation and share a comprehensive report with TNCR.

@jon-nyc said in The Pre-game Interview: XL is particularly expensive I think. Same brand was three dollars cheaper for L. I want that extra gram of protein And this brand is fabulous. Deep orange yolks. Okay, how much were they normally? By the way, I was wrong. The eggs were $4.99 per dozen. I bought 2 more. [image: 1739351710494-img_3765.jpeg]

Lol, but ouch! That probably hurt for days and ended up a pretty shade of purple.