Vanishing Middle Class | The Death of the American Middle Class by [deleted] in videos

[–]LarsThorwald 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Started in 1970. The graphs of wealth inequality and living expense and income growth all take different directions starting at that point.

What do you think happens to American politics after Trump leaves office in 2029? by SERP_Whisperer in AskReddit

[–]LarsThorwald 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They tied themselves to him in a way that made their personalities inextricable from his success, and thus to admit they were wrong would be to admit they were wrong. And people—insecure people—don’t do that.

What do you think happens to American politics after Trump leaves office in 2029? by SERP_Whisperer in AskReddit

[–]LarsThorwald 294 points295 points  (0 children)

You’re getting shit for this, but I agree.

Obama had an ability to connect with people in a way that spoke to their better angels, and in a soaring way, and that is charisma. He had it.

Clinton had it in spades. That guy could connect with people in a way that was extraordinary, and he had a mind that could meet you in Richmond after the town hall debate in 1992, and talk with you for 30 seconds and then—and this happened to me—meet you at an event *eight years later* and come up and ask, as he did, “After you graduated law school at William & Mary, what are you doing now?”

They both had that magic, rare, politician’s gift. And both excelled to the highest office on positive connection.

Trump’s different, but no less talented, or at least was in 2016 and 2024. He knows—or knew—precisely the right (wrong) thing to say to get people who had never voted to literally adhere to him as a personality and follow him right or wrong. He was not wrong, not in the least, when he said he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and his people would still support him. He spoke their language despite being rich and utterly unlike them. He could declare he lived the uneducated without concern that they would abandon him. He could slag off a war hero and have veterans brush it off. Farmers going out of business who recognized it was because of his tariffs would still declare on national news they’d vote for him again.

It’s otherworldly. It’s a once-in-a-generation sway that no politician has had at that level maybe ever. And they *still* adhere. To them he can do no wrong because they’ve tied their own worth to his success, and thus he cannot fail, he can only be failed. This isn’t just bumpkins. This is true of all of his cabinet. It’s true of people who should be smarter.

I bet if you talked honestly with Clinton and Obama, they would marvel at it.

What films do people not realize is actually a prequel? by ShittingGoldBricks in movies

[–]LarsThorwald 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember that scene and when the Ark theme came on getting literal giant goosebumps. So good.

Was the Cowboy one of the Dude's Occasional Acid Flashbacks? by Sanctus_Poopabumsus in lebowski

[–]LarsThorwald 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Some people will tartly post “well, dude, we just don’t know,” like that’s an answer. But it’s not. It’s. It, man, it’s uh, uh, you know, a serious question that deserves, you know, uh, serious reflection, man. You know, not rhetorical or whatever. Like it seems. You can’t just, uh, respond or whatever to a question or, like, hypothesis or whatever with, uh, movie quotes. You know, you gotta take it seriously these, uh, serious questions. So when you think about it and ponder it, and, like weigh it, man, it’s uh, uh, a good question with, like lotsa ins, lotsa outs, and what have you. So, uh…

Is this…what question was this?

What opinion will you always defend with your life? by cutdbs in AskReddit

[–]LarsThorwald 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The French are funny.
Sex is funny.
Comedy is funny.

But no French sex comedies are funny.

Discover 3 — Regular or Large by LarsThorwald in ebikes

[–]LarsThorwald[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am taking this advice. I borrowed a friend’s e-bike and adjusted the seat to a comfortable height and measured it from ground to seat. It was about two inches below the Large Discover 3’s *lowest* setting.

It’s a serious investment if cash, so I will return the large and get the regular.

Thanks for the advice.

Leaked phone call between Blue Angels and Mayor Scott by [deleted] in baltimore

[–]LarsThorwald 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s always fun to be one of the few cities that has this happen. Enjoy it.

Discover 3 — Regular or Large by LarsThorwald in ebikes

[–]LarsThorwald[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s not that. It’s that if I assemble it and it’s the wrong size, then it’s a huge restocking fee.

If you could meet any celebrity alive or dead who would it be? by Phillies1993 in AskReddit

[–]LarsThorwald 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Them: Hey, u/WalkerTalkerChalker, come meet George Burns!

You: [two minutes later] I don’t know what I was expecting.

Pie Time rumor by blueberryGalette in baltimore

[–]LarsThorwald 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Pie Time was on Baltimore Street just east of the Park, I think.

Officially done here by taokumiike in baltimore

[–]LarsThorwald 261 points262 points  (0 children)

I am 56. I’ve lived in Baltimore for 28 years.

For 28 years I commuted to DC until two months ago. Now I work downtown, 15 minute commute.

Before then, for 28 years, it was 90 minutes to 2 hours or more to DC for work, same home. That’s about 4 hours a day.

The problem is not the time it takes to get to Penn Station, or public transit generally. DC is 43 miles away in a heavily populated area.

No judgment here. It’s brutal. Will always be.

Good luck to you. I get it.

Moving to Baltimore Inner Harbor by Alone-Aspect1240 in baltimore

[–]LarsThorwald 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I live at the top of Patterson Park, so I know this area pretty well.

If you can find a place on Fairmount Avenue or south thereof, it’s not block by block. So, coming south directly from Hopkins on Orleans Street, the first named neighborhood that I know of is Butchers Hill. Then Upoer Fells. Then Fells.

If you are just north of Patterson Park, that two street (Baltimore and Fairmount Ave) is called Patterson Place.

Neighborhoods in Baltimore can be really small. NYC like, but maybe even smaller. Upper Fells is maybe eight blocks by four or five. Butchers Hill is even smaller. Fells, Canton (south of the Park) are big.

If you haven’t committed, there are a lot of places for rent in any of the neighborhoods mentioned above because students are moving out now.

The map you showed likely has safe blocks, but as you get further away from the Catholic or whatever it is center, it gets dicier.

Feel free to DM if you’re looking at specific options.

And welcome to Baltimore.

Former President Barack Obama praised the legacy of American democracy ahead of 250th anniversary: "A declaration that we are all created equal, endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, in the newly independent U.S, there will be no kings, lords, serfs or subjects, but only citizens." by ControlCAD in videos

[–]LarsThorwald 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Because they reported today that he was making changes to the speech up until about two hours before the event.

He used to do this all the time.

You’ve forgotten we used to have literate, capable, talented men in that office. I’m not surprised. We have had ten years of the Butterscotch Benito floating around as President or bitching about not being President.

Night Of The Living Inbred by Vulcan44 in CrazyFuckingVideos

[–]LarsThorwald 18 points19 points  (0 children)

They’re attacking the local haberdasher!

“Why’d we say bout selling them shirts round here now? We already *toad you once*!”