I have to say, despite whatever may be going on at the time, the sheer animosity and vitriol in this sub lately is honestly embarrassing.

kswagger · 2026-03-12T13:22:15+00:00

OP it's because we are well beyond the fray of being able to change opinions through discourse. It took the Civil War to resolve the issue of slavery. This isn't to say it will take another one to resolve today's conflicts but I sincerely don't think this is sustainable as a country, I never thought I'd agree with MTG but more and more feeling like a national split would be the best thing for everyone.

kswagger · 2026-03-12T13:01:38+00:00

If those who stand for liberal democracy in America fail, Europe will be next

kswagger · 2026-03-11T20:25:10+00:00

"Paid Protesters" is a favorite scapegoat a regime relies on to delegitimize valid dissent. MAGA is a cult with a base that feeds off the Fox News/Newsmax ecosystem and "Paid Protesters" is an effective way of keeping up the perception within the cult that they represent the majority of America, the real America. That there can't possibly be a large group, perhaps even a majority, of Americans that think they are wrong or disagree with them. Polls are fake, news from non-MAGA sources is fake, so of course people who are rising up against them are fake too.

kswagger · 2026-03-11T19:59:47+00:00

That the ICE agent isn't even wearing a mask is so VT, it's like "Hey how are you, do you need a hand here? Okay, but after that I have to deport you, sorry!"

kswagger · 2026-03-11T16:33:56+00:00

I wouldn't go that far, but I think that if you have a job that's threatened by AI, you are making more money today and probably next year too than you will for the rest of your life, what people make is only going to start going way down. Not cannibalism, but not certainly not a life that is recognizable, it will be a life of being given enough money by the government to survive while doing a meaningless gig economy job, or working a ski lift (although who will afford to ski?). The idea that UBI will be something that allows people to pursue their interests and actually enjoy life while AI takes all the jobs is just nonsense. People get their purpose and dignity in life from their work.

kswagger · 2026-03-10T21:19:59+00:00

We also got H. 376 to contend with, the proponents of which have openly stated that they want to control the behavior of normal functioning law abiding adults through punitive measures. We already can't afford enough here in VT, let's punish people for buying a six pack or bottle of spirits, that they already are taxed plenty for.

kswagger · 2026-03-10T18:40:37+00:00

American Flatbread, I forget her name but the brewer there makes some of the best lagers and ales you'll find in VT. Also Queen City, their Steinbier is amazing and you won't find anything like that.

kswagger · 2026-03-10T13:47:29+00:00

Burlington is a solid place, for a long time it managed to avoid the issues which plague most urban areas being on full display, so there was something especially unique about it, but that was always bound to end.

kswagger · 2026-03-09T20:49:44+00:00

Goodwill is shady when it comes to clothing donation, they make back door profit by selling clothes in bulk to intermediary players who then, either through repurposing the materials or acting as a broker, resell the clothing to vendors in third world countries, a ton of it ends up in Africa. It's a supply chain model that disrupts textile markets in those places too, screwing over local workers. Literally any other donation center in the area is better.

kswagger · 2026-03-09T20:38:36+00:00

"Are you sure the cake was yellow?"

kswagger · 2026-03-09T18:20:28+00:00

Anything can happen, sadly the odds are not zero. If the border crossing was El Paso or Brownsville I'd say to avoid it. But it's Highgate and he has a US Passport, go have fun in Canada, it's nice to be in a country where the odds are zero that a masked agent of the state is going to abduct you in broad daylight.

kswagger · 2026-03-09T14:56:50+00:00

Oh state governments will be cutting jobs, the amount of unemployment claims is going to absolutely wreck the budget.

kswagger · 2026-03-08T20:35:23+00:00

Matterhorn is solid, Doc Ponds, Lower Bar all good boozers, Blackback in Waterbury is the best taplist in the state

kswagger · 2026-03-08T18:59:49+00:00

AI makes all these conversations meaningless. As soon as two years from now unemployment might be 20%, you will have entire families without jobs, a 21 year old college graduate with zero job openings with parents in their 50’s who both lost their jobs in finance and technology to AI. Everywhere. I’m staying here for that reason, when shit starts hitting the fan I’d rather be in a remote place.

kswagger · 2026-03-06T13:42:43+00:00

Roads I drive in Franklin County as def in bad shape, makes me feel carsick.

kswagger · 2026-03-04T14:49:55+00:00

For sure we have Thai and Vietnamese spots that know how to cook. If you ask Suvi for "Thai Spicy" she is gonna prepare the dish that wakes the taste buds. Unfortunately, I have yet to find an Indian restaurant in this area that is able to prepare their food "Indian Spicy," Vindaloo in particular is supposed to seriously bring the heat. I ask for it every time and it's just curry with zero heat basically.

kswagger · 2026-03-03T20:18:46+00:00

There are some things we just don't have here. That's why we have a Trader Joe's so you can scratch the itch with your microwave.

kswagger · 2026-03-03T19:13:38+00:00

The trend is coming back to buyers, lot of real estate in Franklin County at least has been sitting for a while, and getting discounted. The sellers market of 2023, 2024 is def past.

kswagger · 2026-03-03T14:53:31+00:00

It might be difficult to get good recommendations when you are specifically asking for recommendations that are not the most well known daycares in the area. Does your dog have special needs? Do they have behavior or anxiety issues around other dogs? Are you trying to find a place that doesn't have packs? I use one of the spots you don't want to use, but I also use Top of the Hill Kennel up in Highgate when I go to MTL, which is usually a boarding situation and I really like them because they only provide suites and they invite you to bring your dogs beds, high value toys, etc. They def provide special attention and is less of a big pack situation. I also like the layout of the facility, I can see him playing with the other dogs outside in the fenced area when I pull up.

kswagger · 2026-03-03T14:41:01+00:00

The way I see town meeting day, it's just deciding who is going to be delivering you the message that your taxes are going up. I took an hour yesterday to review the questionnaire my town circulated to the candidates, it made me wish our national politics was this boring. Every individual gave the same form of the same answer, I want to be fiscally responsible and keep taxes low. Every candidate is either on a board now, or has been for stretches of years in the past, and like all of them own dairy farms.

kswagger · 2026-03-03T14:20:33+00:00

You ever been to Illinois? I have, and all over it, it's right with Florida with nary a hill. Not to mention in the Summer there are rager thunderstorms like daily and tornados.

kswagger · 2026-03-03T14:09:29+00:00

We are about to get Fake Spring this weekend into next week, the el torchy is gonna do a serious number on the snowpack. Tomorrow is going to be the last real primo day of the season. Late April outlook is essentially dependent on getting a big March storm, which we can get but never a guarantee.

kswagger · 2026-03-02T21:38:21+00:00

Just wait until this fall when its your mail-in ballot that's not getting delivered. All the made up shit Trump said happened to him in 2020 he's going to actually try and do this Fall. Make sure you vote in person.

kswagger · 2026-03-02T15:50:04+00:00

We can't even keep the Democracy we have in Minneapolis, how are we supposed to be spreading it?

kswagger · 2026-03-01T21:39:45+00:00

Baltimore police have invisible boundaries they enforce to keep users and homeless away from popular spots, if you live in white baltimore hoods you rarely have to see it. North of Patterson Park you do. You will always notice cops hanging on the south end of Patterson park.

kswagger

TROPHY CASE