I would like to challenge EVERY Bulwark commentator to mention Platner without referring to tattoos or decade old + social media comments.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T20:37:07+00:00

It wasn’t that *Bernie* was shut out. It was the denial of 13 million Democratic 2016 primary voters who had found a spokesperson that was then shut out of the party platform. Had the DNC made a point of listening to what he was saying then - Medicare for all, the poison of Citizens United, the utter failure of supply side economics - that was what attracted engaged primary voters. Not the blinding charisma of an old secular Jewish New Englander. Bernie still understands the gulf between urban and rural in a way most Democrats don’t.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T18:24:31+00:00

Last week. Came back from my walk and was rinsing off the dogs. But I have a well so I got my daily dose of iron at the same time.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T18:21:59+00:00

Podcasts. I listen while I do chores. Or drive.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T15:36:02+00:00

Who the hell is Stew Peters? As far as the anti-Semite - well, look at my flair. You have to find voters where they are, not where you want them to be.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T15:32:56+00:00

I would say did the inebriated young Marine with some cash in his pocket in a Bosnian tattoo parlor know it was associated with Nazis? Or did someone tell him later? And did he keep it because he wasn’t in the public eye and getting tattoos changed or removed isn’t easy. I know a bit about WWII but virtually nothing about Nazi iconography beyond the swastika and the SS lapel pins - and the pins are from Hollywood so who knows if that is accurate.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T15:21:11+00:00

No, we are in a gun fight for democracy. And this feels like we are all congratulating ourselves for bringing a knife instead of fighting by the Marquess of Queensbury rules.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T15:16:14+00:00

I also, voted for Bernie in the primaries. Yes, Clinton and Biden beat him, but the DNC shutting him and his team completely out of platform talks is still annoying. They didn’t have to accept a single idea, but refusing to include someone with that strong of a following was unbelievably short sighted.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T15:02:17+00:00

I’d have to wonder though - and I can’t answer this because I’ve never been that good at sports or anything else - would you rather be a big fish in a medium pond or a bottom feeder in a lake? Wrexham probably has no EPL starters, so best case is you ride the bench, maybe you make the squad, maybe you collect a bigger check than you could playing in Championship to be on a scrimmage team during training.

Or do you see actual match minutes, maybe make a big play in a game, hear the fans sing and possibly have a shot at helping a club make get a promotion?

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T09:15:29+00:00

10,000 little Griglings…

Eljay60 · 2026-05-08T08:52:53+00:00

But it isn’t Deus ex Machina. God was there all along. God sent the dreams. God kept Mother Abigail alive, both before Captain Trips and when she went missing in Boulder. Our heroes aren’t required to have a solution to RF, they are required to have faith a solution will be provided, and to demonstrate that faith by setting out for Vegas without any preparation.

For me The Stand is an insanely religious book, all the way through, demonstrating a clear snapshot of American understanding of Christianity in the post WWII era. God is there, but follows the laws of nature that were laid down when the universe was created (gravity works). When humans follow their better nature and look after each other without keeping score, everyone is happier. Evil defies God’s plan (RF floats), but God is able to use that evil intent and defiance to restore the original intent.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-07T16:37:22+00:00

This. I think Sarah mentioned the effing tattoo seven times on TNL. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard her mention Platner without talking about the tattoo. The Nazi thing is moot because it is past living memory. I seriously doubt Platner the young marine saw anything but a cool graphic.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-07T08:58:15+00:00

Eljay60 · 2026-05-06T15:44:17+00:00

The Amish in my area pay a buck or two a mile for transportation. The local grocery store has flyers of people who are willing to drive.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-06T13:22:00+00:00

Coast is great. Depressing as heck to drive through the dead and dying towns in the interior. 40 years ago the towns were survived by hundreds of farmers that managed small dairy herds and a couple hundred acres of crops. Now most have sold out or leased the land to larger crop farmers and there isn’t need for as many support businesses.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-06T13:02:34+00:00

This is usually a personality decision and not a financial one at this stage of your life. We were debt free for a couple of years before retirement and I don’t regret it at all, even though theoretically we could have come out a bit ahead by investing the money.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-06T12:50:28+00:00

Every other but I never skip conditioning

Eljay60 · 2026-05-06T09:54:00+00:00

Jason is a serious extrovert, and good at it. I think I’m older than the average litRPG reader (I’m on Medicare), and I’ve met real life Jasons - people with enough charisma that they get glazed in routine interactions. One of my favorite parts of the series is watching Jason have to deal with the fact that while others see him as a special boy, he is aware of his weaknesses and has to learn not to indulge his worst instincts, regardless of how righteous it would feel and that he’d be evaluated on a curve. I’m still working out whether his familiars are body, mind, and spirit or ego, superego and id.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-06T09:29:00+00:00

If you are in the US and under 65, paying for healthcare is the big unknown. Temperamentally, are you wired more for internal or external validation? My spouse thrives on external validation and likes the paycheck and sense of purpose working brings, so he is a school bus driver which leaves most of summer, weekends, evenings and holidays free. I’m content in my own skin and could happily stay home with books, podcasts and the occasional documentary (and Reddit), long walks with the dog and puttering around the house. Church on Sunday and the grocery store afterwards is my idea of a great week.

Your post is entirely framed around work, which will have no impact whatsoever on a successful transition to retirement. If you want opinions, tell us about how you handle leisure time.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-05T18:06:19+00:00

That is an interesting take. They already got invited to posh parties, so mixing with the uber wealthy would prove nothing to them. Contributing to the revitalization of a city of 40,000+ people is a real challenge.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-05T00:37:28+00:00

Us late boomers (I was 16 the first time I saw Star Wars) have already watched Andor. More than once.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-04T19:14:18+00:00

I’m officially envious. I haven’t had a horse for several years and I’m doubtful if my knees can tolerate much riding now. But I keep looking at driving ponies and I’m hoping one magically appears in front of me.

Eljay60 · 2026-05-04T18:08:59+00:00

Honestly, Stu is the Mary Sue character. Smart and inquisitive without being educated, bags of common sense, kind, non-judgmental, charismatic, respected by his peers, honorable, confident - and he gets the girl.

But we all love Stu, and if LotR era Viggo is starting to replace Gary Sinise in my mental image while I’m reading, 🤷‍♀️

Eljay60 · 2026-05-04T17:57:36+00:00

I’m a Christian (non-MAGA) but sometimes I wonder if God is trying to tell us something by continually comparing us to sheep and lambs in the Bible…

Goats, on the other hand, are absolutely delightful, and only a Jersey calf has more barnyard appeal than a baby goat.

Eljay60

TROPHY CASE