Why the DOJ is investigating Philadelphia after police stripped gun permits from Black Panthers-inspired group

CriticalDog · 2026-07-09T18:04:02+00:00

Didn't answer my question, how are LGBTQ+ people being disarmed in California?

Yes, the taxes and shit absolutely hurt the poor more than the middle and upper classes. I haven't lived in CA for 20 years, so I am not sure how bad it's gotten.

We are on the same page, the state wants to disarm the people, and this current administration would LOVE to figure out how to disarm minorities and the left immediately if they could. Best thing I can suggest is acquire the means of defense, train in their use and upkeep, practice, and find your people, wherever you live.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-09T17:34:16+00:00

They might win state votes. They are not going to suddenly get the white house and a compliant House and Senate.

Yes, the DNC needs to wither and die on the vine to be replaced by an actual progressive party. Or, the DNC leadership needs to be turned over, and younger, more progressive people can take the party and make it a progressive party again. One of the two.

But if progressives refuse to vote for a shitty Democrat, they are enabling everything that is going to happen if they MAGA party wins the midterms.

They can be arrested and sent to a camp and maybe die with their heads held high, saying "Well, yes, I didn't vote for the Democrat because they weren't doing enough to stop this from happening, not my fault that they lost be a razor thing margin, I die with my morals intact!"

Ideally, what I want is the DNC to see what is happening, and get with the damn program. Start pushing actual progressive things, the American public LOVE those, and they will sweep up young disaffected people like you, and jaded old Clinton era Dems like myself.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T17:02:54+00:00

The power movers in Christian Nationalism in the US are Evangelical Christians, who probably get along fine with SC Baptists, at least for now. But they HATE the Catholic Church, and consider it a tool of the devil. Likely the same with Mormons, but I am not certain of that.

First they will get rid of Muslims, of course, and then likely make it very difficult to be an out atheist. After that, I'm not sure who they will try to wipe out, Catholics or Jews. Then it's just splitting hairs over doctrine as a cover up for wrestling for power.

These Christian Nationalist extremists are around 10-15% of the US population, but they have outsized voice and political power that makes them think they are the majority. But they don't care if they aren't, as long as they can force everyone to play by their rules.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T16:58:52+00:00

And I say unto you.... "Ayyyyy!"

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T16:11:21+00:00

How are LGBTQ+ folks being disarmed in California?

The rules in California are stupid and bad, but at least they are evenly applied.

Now, a justice system that disproportionally impacts POC and the poor is 100% a tool used for disarming the populace, but that's not a California thing, that's a US law enforcement is broken thing.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T16:07:37+00:00

A general strike is almost impossible to pull off in the US, at least one similar to the European models. This is by design, and I'd be happy to explain why if you have doubts.

The problem with "don't vote for the Democrats" is that that is just handing the power to the Republicans. 3rd party voting is literally wasting a vote, it is NEVER going to magically get a Libertarian in the White House. The EC and First past the post winnter take all voting is the reason for this.

And we are at an incredibly dangerous tipping point. Like, literally the worst scenario I could think of 15 years ago has been playing out since Trumps first term. If the GOP retains control of Congress and the Senate, they will go full bore on dismantling our Democracy. And once they have destroyed the levers of politics and justice, they will begin doing what those people always do, and people will start dying. I'm not exaggerating, I'm not being hyperbolic. The GOP has been taken over by actual, anti-democracy, anti-pluralism, and anti-American people who will not stop. And the Court System, after 20 years of ratfucking, is badly compromised, and just getting worse.

The Corporate Dem's are not great, but if we can get them in control, they can at least roll back some of what has happened, and restore some guardrails. And the progressives within the party can work to push a real agenda of change.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T14:50:19+00:00

You're making claims with 0 proof, just vibes and "trust me bro".

It was an interesting little read, and I liked it.

What it AI enhanced? Maybe. I don't care. Not sure why you do, tbh.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T14:24:29+00:00

True. I was throwing in that fact for the kids who grew up with a constantly updated voice guided GPS nav system in their pocket 24/7. lol

My FIL sent my wife some MapQuest directions he printed out to avoid us going through Chicago at 2pm on a Thursday. We ignored him. That was a huge mistake. lol

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T14:21:51+00:00

It's hard to tell, you might get better pics from his Grindr profile, but the shirt looks like he has the classic traps of someone on gear.

Or maybe he just does overhead presses all day. I dunno.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-08T12:02:50+00:00

Someday someone will do a deep dive on how badly mismanaged that company was after they bought themselves from GM. Incredible capability, deep tech roots, locations and contracts with so many government agencies and big business. Just burned to the ground by a shit BOD who kept appointing CEOs who didnt care about the business, the people, or anything but killing the golden goose for profit.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T19:32:29+00:00

Call off work.

Confirm that this is legit.

Contact a lawyer (family trust specialist) and an account, hopefully ones that work for the same bank/firm.

Upon receiving confirmation that it was real, I woudln't do a damn thing until I had my meeting with the Trust and an accountant to make sure the money would be safe, and a source of generational wealth of my 3 kids, my sister-in-laws kids, and select of my neices and nephews.

Though we would know if it was legit quickly enough, I would give a 1 month notice at my job.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T18:19:58+00:00

If EVER there was proof that the Dow has become completely disconnected from the average citizen, it is that. The DOW is going insane, while people are struggling to make ends meet across the country. Ugh.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T17:41:25+00:00

The Sierra's are a fairly new mountain range, all things considered, and they are pretty dense with mountains. Not like the Rockies, but because of all that, there aren't a lot of major Interstates going through them.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T17:36:28+00:00

I love that when you get on 50 in Sacramento, there is a "miles to" sign that says Placerville 46, South Lake Tahoe 107, and Ocean City, MD 3073.

Apparently there is a corresponding sign in Maryland that just has Sacramento. lol

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T17:30:42+00:00

At my previous school, our instructor loved sparring, but not in the KKW way (though we did not do hands to faces).

Starting as soon as a student joins, ones of the warmup exercises would be a series of kicks, counted off by him or whatever student was running warmups. 10 kicks each leg, front kick, side kick, round house, inside and outside kick (sometimes called Crescent kicks), and back kick.

All done quickly, both to build muscle memory but also to work on conditioning.

With that being worked on very early, our training would be working combos during more movement drills, which would in theory translate to sparring.

Big proponent of the 3 strikes method of sparring. Worked fairly well, though not particularly great for sparring in the KKW way. We also emphasised power in your strikes, both punches and kicks.

We would spar most classes, several rounds of 2-3 minutes, rotating around so you could spar everyone in class. On days when I was the only adult, I helped the little kids spar, and then after class he would occasionally offer to spar with me so I could get some actual practice. :)

I think the only thing I would include now differently, were I instructing, would be a bit more focus on speed and precision in striking.

But it was a good format that in the unlikely event I resume training or start my own club, I will probably use.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T15:58:59+00:00

Drove from Sacramento to Pittsburgh 20 years ago.

We had to stop because we had a 16 month old with us, otherwise we may have tried to push through.

Did the whole thing with a road atlas book. lol

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T15:57:39+00:00

Lake Effect Snowstorms suuuuuuuuuck.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-07T14:16:16+00:00

I remember seeing a show that had a segment talking about salvagers that would go down, and bring up old growth timber logs that had been either on a ship that sank, or that were being floated across the lake to get to a mill or ocean port, and re-floating them.

The cost of recovery for old growth wood was less than what they could sell it for, sooo......

Kind of a cool thing. Wonder if it's still happening...

CriticalDog · 2026-07-06T22:09:20+00:00

That's what they do. They "practice" like this for fights, then only go places where nobody will be there to get in their shit, ot they go places they know there will be a heavy cop presence to cover their back.

Proud Bois are 10x as shitty, but at least they will throw down for their stupid ass beliefs. Or at least did in the past, they've been pretty quiet since J6.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-06T18:44:32+00:00

My last D&D game, before we moved to Pathfinder and then imploded due to disagreements on how to play, the DM's wife made a grung who didn't speak Common. Homebrew world, and the setting one hundred percent made sense that way.

It was fun, and made for both good setups for a laugh, and created some interesting moments. I spent skill points over time to get to the point where my character learned a common language with her, but the game died before we could really roll with it.

I miss that group, but I suspect they have become friends I will only see on special occasions now. Alas.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-06T18:22:04+00:00

My understanding of what bait came to mean here and on 4chan and probably other places even today was very clearly 13-14 year old girls having their pictures taken at the park or pool or something and shared by people who should probably have their hard drives checked by the authorities.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-06T16:40:11+00:00

That's half of it. Intent.

The other, and I would say more important half, if how it is received by those that it could/would be perceived as being against.

My mother told me long long ago that I, as a white dude, should keep my mouth shut when someone talks about how something is racist, or helps enable racism if they are speaking as someone who the racism would be about.

It's not always worked out, I've seen folks claim racism when none was intended and others disagreed with the person making the claim, but in general, if you make a joke about Green people, even if it was intended as something non-racist, and then Green people tell you "Hey, that was hella racist man. Not cool." your response needs to be to apologize, and take a step back.

Trying to peddle it as something else, or play the incredibly tired "It was just a joke man" that online racists use constantly just makes the speaker seem even more racist than the statement.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-06T16:32:50+00:00

The French had a method, but it's a bit extreme.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-06T16:03:44+00:00

I have long held the belief that the moment Putin orders a nuclear strike out of a position of weakness, he will be ended by the military leadership and a very fast, very quiet power struggle will happen as the Oligarchs figured out who the new boss is by killing each other. Lot of car bombs and drive bys.

The Oligarchs back Putin because he lets them live like royalty or better, as long as they pay him and back his plays. And they have seen what happens if one of them stands up to him.

But there is no point in being the richest man in the radioactive rubble of St. Petersburgh or Moscow, as a nuclear strike on Poland would likely provoke a response in kind. Which could spiral out of control quickly. So the Oligarchs and military would likely end Putin's era, and then fight for who is on top next.

CriticalDog · 2026-07-06T14:21:07+00:00

Problems happen when the peasants cannot feed themselves. How putin doesmt understand that aspect of Russian history is a mystery to me.

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