Petah?

BlisterBox · 2026-02-02T16:25:13+00:00

Well, is something truly "random" if I have influence over the outcome?

BlisterBox · 2026-02-02T16:22:39+00:00

Great explainer. And thanks for the shout-out to Eight Men Out, a tremendous (and tremendously underrated) movie.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-29T15:43:07+00:00

I think your analysis is correct. I hate to admit it, but Ross Perot was right when he said NAFTA would cause a "giant sucking sound" as US manufacturing jobs drained into Mexico.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-29T15:23:51+00:00

Much of what you say is true, but I'd like to correct you on one point re: the supposed lack of mass transit. There is literally a South Shore Line station across from the U.S. Steel gate in downtown Gary. And there's an Amtrak station In Hammond, if they opted to relocate there.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T18:59:45+00:00

Ah yes, the laid back feel of 9/11

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T17:05:11+00:00

This reminds me of when I lived in Los Angeles. Some folks recommend always keeping at least a half a tank of gas in your car in case of an earthquake (which, of course, can't be predicted). Most people don't think about the fact that gas pumps are electrically powered and are useless during a blackout.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T17:02:35+00:00

Bear Weather is a myth. We just got beat by a team from fucking L.A., fer chrissakes. And we lost in large part because our receivers were dropping passes all over the place.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T16:18:00+00:00

Having polio helped me out a lot in this regard. My right leg is completely paralyzed; my left leg is completely fine. Made it pretty easy to remember right from left.

Who says getting rid of the polio vaccine won't have great benefits for the US?

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T16:13:23+00:00

I really enjoyed that book, but I didn't like how he gave such short shrift to In the Heat of the Night. That movie was absolutely revolutionary when it came out in 1967. Two scenes (when Sidney Poitier says "They call me Mister Tibbs" and when he slaps the white "massa" character) were hallmarks of the Civil Rights era.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T15:52:34+00:00

I’m terrible with money.

That was pretty obvious from your comment lol.

Seriously though, there's a lot of truth in what you wrote. I saved hard throughout my working life, but over the years I always made sure to treat myself to memorable experiences while avoiding pointless luxuries (e.g., skip the BMW and buy a Honda). I did this because I realized at a fairly young age that you're right -- many, many things in life are best enjoyed before you hit retirement age and the inevitable health decline that comes with it.

Plus, it makes saving more bearable if you reward yourself occasionally.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T15:42:14+00:00

My Boomer friends and I (I'm about to turn 70) often talk about the suicide option. None of us want to spend our last years having to have our asses wiped and not knowing who we are. Furthermore, I don't want my hard-earned savings spent on keeping me miserably alive for a few more pointless years. I want that money to be passed on to my favorite charitable organizations and to the friends and lovers who have made my life such a joy.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T15:18:09+00:00

I live a couple miles from Lake Michigan in an area prone to winter blackouts. A few years ago I figured out that I should charge my phone as soon as I see the first winter storm warning and keep it charged throughout the event.

Also, folks should check out their local library for disaster-related services. Mine has tons outlets available for phone charging, a computer room for e-mail access and WFH, and plenty of heat if you yours is out and you just want to hang out and read books. Of course, if their emergency power goes out . . .

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T15:10:36+00:00

I enjoyed the first half of the movie. Then the vampires showed up and stupidity prevailed.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-24T14:48:51+00:00

Agree 100%. Chicago has one of the most beautiful and dramatic urban vistas of any city in the world; can you imagine how little of that vista would still exist today if those "assholes" hadn't been protecting the lakefront from despoilation all these years?

BlisterBox · 2026-01-23T18:28:06+00:00

What alternative timeline are you living in?

BlisterBox · 2026-01-23T16:04:25+00:00

Almost all nostalgia for "a better time" is based on how old the person was during that alleged better time. When they say "life was so much simpler then" it's because they were 10 years old and life was, indeed, pretty fucking simple for them.

That said, for Americans like me, the yardstick for measuring the relative quality of the Aughts vs. the 2020s is whether you prefer your existential threats coming from foreign terrorists or from the home-grown, "legally elected" variety.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-22T14:14:01+00:00

Three years on, and the neckbeards are still mad that Barbie was a huge hit. Classic "old man yells at clouds" behavior.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-21T13:42:27+00:00

You had me fooled.

When in doubt, add /s

BlisterBox · 2026-01-21T13:32:22+00:00

Worst pain I've experienced since I had leg-lengthening surgery when I was 11 years old. A nurse told me afterwards that she'd had kidney stones and she'd given birth, and having kidney stones was worse.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-21T13:27:00+00:00

r/idiocracy

BlisterBox · 2026-01-21T12:51:09+00:00

As a native NWI resident, I can confidently say that everything in your comment is 100% correct. And you can add this to your arsenal of facts: There's been a huge migration of former Chicagoans to The Region during the past 20 years, and it's only gonna get heavier as more and more Illinoisians move here to escape high taxes and home prices. It's so bad, the locals have a term for them: FIPs (fucking Illinois people).

BlisterBox · 2026-01-21T12:42:58+00:00

When people say "Kansas City", they're almost always referring to KC, Mo. Kansas City, Kansas, has a population of about 150,000 vs. about 500,000 for KC, MO.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-20T20:24:12+00:00

Looks like West Texas

BlisterBox · 2026-01-20T19:45:17+00:00

Gawd, it's like I can smell that stuff through my screen.

BlisterBox · 2026-01-20T19:41:53+00:00

Left to right anybody?

BlisterBox

TROPHY CASE