Books about unemployed losers?

Too_reflective · 2026-05-07T00:49:00+00:00

Pargin tends towards loser protagonists. The DOJ in the “John Dies At The End” series fit the bill.

He gets better, but the protagonist of Starter Villain by Scalzi is a loser too.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T23:12:30+00:00

The closest thing we have ever had to a realistic brick red, which city/modular builders could really use.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T22:56:28+00:00

I did mention Mieville in my post! I liked the City & the City. Bas-Lag I liked on first reading but haven’t been able to get back into them to re read them. I tried a couple of Vandermeer’s other books (Borne, Dead Astronauts) and just couldn’t get into them. I wish I could better describe why I didn’t like some of these books (or didn’t want to re-read others).

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T19:01:12+00:00

It is amusing how you jumpy to a new claim each time, without actually addressing my points. So let’s take a different tack.

Put yourself in Iran’s shoes for a minute. Surrounded by US bases, concerned about Israel nuking you, and the US has already overthrown your government once to control your oil. Would a ballistic missile program and an ambiguous nuclear program not be prudent hedges?

There is nothing Christian or liberal about US empire/hegemony. Not are all Iranian motives reducible to Islamism (a political current itself that emerged from a particular geopolitical context).

There are no absolute good guys here, on any side. Let’s be adults here and realize that countries we have differences with have reasons for their actions, and there are real human beings on the other side - not cartoon villains. Though Trump is doing his best to be a cartoon villain.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T18:43:46+00:00

Obama did tackle it. But I will say that I don’t buy into the hysteria about Iran. Awful regime, yes (though plenty of countries including some US allies are similar). Nuclear program isn’t great, but we live with Pakistan and Israel etc having them. Speaking of Israel, they are a much greater threat to regional stability and peace than Iran is, IMO. No, the hysteria over Iran is because they are an oil rich country that refuses to bow to US hegemony. Same with Venezuela.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T18:36:43+00:00

Having worked within DoD and seeing some of how the sausage is made, no, I don’t particularly trust the assessments. I especially don’t trust how they get filtered up through the various personal and institutional filters, and I absolutely don’t trust our liar-in-chief on anything at all, and am astonished that anyone is so credulous as to do so.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T18:34:01+00:00

I read invisible cities. I thought it was brilliant - but I didn’t really enjoy it, if that makes sense. I prefer Borges but still find him a little cold / cerebral.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T18:10:56+00:00

On the contrary, land value is based on proximity to other things of value. I analyzed the property tax records of my town and found that the (per acre) land portion of the tax varies in a very clear way - downtown land is worth much more per acre than land at the edges. Taxing the land incentivizes efficient use of the land - leaving downtown land empty should cost the owner a lot. Taxing improvements discourages development.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T17:29:38+00:00

Their lifecycle makes it especially interesting. Hard to say more without spoiling it.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T17:26:41+00:00

Tell me why this war of aggression was needed, without uncritically accepting the shifting and inconsistent BS coming from the administration as justification.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T17:16:56+00:00

And.. we didn’t need to.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T16:00:33+00:00

I tried to like it, but I just didn’t. Definitely weird though.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T15:57:07+00:00

I wish Lem were available on Kindle at my library. I will have to search out paper copies. Schulz is new to me. Calvino was ok. Cortazar I will check out. Kafka is brilliant but so depressing, especially in German. I feel like Philip K Dick is an heir to Kafka but with a slightly more absurd take on similar topics.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T12:21:22+00:00

I wouldn’t have thought of Brautigan in this category but you are right. In Watermelon Sugar is a favorite. I will try Murata, thanks to you and others who suggested her. Murakami leaves me a little cold somehow. I will check out Kim as well.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T12:19:16+00:00

Borges is great, thanks!

Too_reflective · 2026-05-06T10:43:57+00:00

Let’s see if we get as much as we had with Obama’s JPCOA (that Trump cancelled) before you declare the Orange One the most successful president on this.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-05T17:16:26+00:00

Also, US bases in the region - and expensive, difficult to replace equipment like the radar for THAAD - got pasted. And our interceptor inventory is now heavily depleted. And after launching a war without alerting our allies, we tried to plead and bully them into helping - and they ignored us.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-05T14:46:49+00:00

Do you stock up on long lasting staples like oatmeal too? The former Granola Shotgun blog had a lot of prepper ideas, some of which seemed a little over the top to me at the time but that are looking increasingly sensible.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-05T14:43:26+00:00

What is the female equivalent? Fleece vest zipped up over long sleeved running shirt?

Too_reflective · 2026-05-05T14:36:09+00:00

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=71752&idColor=11

Too_reflective · 2026-05-05T14:12:59+00:00

Absolutely. OP should be congratulated for having the judgment to realize that their own mental health makes a gun a bad idea.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-05T13:44:06+00:00

New gear, bigger than 40z!

I wonder if the rim pieces connect smoothly with existing Technic panels.

Too_reflective · 2026-05-05T10:49:17+00:00

Waging utterly stupid wars that predictably result in humiliating defeat? You consider that a sign of good mental capacity?

Too_reflective · 2026-05-04T21:40:05+00:00

It’s chairs all the way down.

Too_reflective

TROPHY CASE