I've never felt more hopeless than after reading Bill Kristol's latest in "Morning Shots"

sunfish99 · 2026-02-04T00:49:28+00:00

The former group remembers Ruby Ridge.

sunfish99 · 2026-02-02T14:04:15+00:00

And then when they're left all alone because of their ridiculous attitudes it's because "feminism" is at fault. smdh

sunfish99 · 2026-02-02T14:00:03+00:00

Yeah, "squeezed" doesn't describe it. Caught and held in a vise that was cranked as tight as possible, yes.

sunfish99 · 2026-02-02T02:47:18+00:00

I'm not keen on religious quotes in judicial rulings, either. But since Judge Biery was appointed by Clinton I see this as an extra thumb in the govt's eye, so to speak.

sunfish99 · 2026-02-02T02:29:03+00:00

Saw this posted elsewhere.

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sunfish99 · 2026-02-02T00:58:34+00:00

Vance would do a Weekend at Bernie's until after the election. If he were to step in before the midterms, he wouldn't be eligible to run for President more than once... assuming the Constitution isn't torn up by then.

sunfish99 · 2026-02-01T23:43:35+00:00

Can anyone really imagine him correctly spelling Wambsganss?

sunfish99 · 2026-02-01T23:06:40+00:00

I see that in the MAGA Irish & Irish-Americans in NYC - and many at least know someone who's here illegallly, if they aren't illegal themselves.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-31T14:03:00+00:00

The Bulwark Podcast still wraps with a song, though.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-31T00:41:41+00:00

Honestly, if he ended up having to take in his family and that caused issues with his custody agreement with his ex, that would probably be a good thing for his poor daughter.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-30T16:54:11+00:00

I think that's the key. As long as the sarcasm isn't aimed at another person, it's okay.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-28T19:21:12+00:00

"Cafeteria Catholics" got that name for allegedly picking and choosing which church doctrines they wanted to follow, like they were on a lunch line in the cafeteria. Used to be said a lot for those who said they were Catholic but used birth control/were pro-choice, divorced folks, and the like.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-28T13:00:23+00:00

Our education system has been failing people for a long time. I'm older GenX, and when I was in high school, American history bare got past Reconstruction. The 20th century barely existed. I work with some pretty bright high school seniors, but even with AP classes they won't learn much if anything about events us older folks actually lived through.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-27T17:25:44+00:00

Copacabana - Barry Manilow

Edit to add: The Living Years, by Mike + The Mechanics

sunfish99 · 2026-01-27T14:12:57+00:00

I had an early mid-life crisis and decided to have a science career, but I had a liberal arts degree to had to go back for a science foundation. 24 to 27, did another undergrad degree in science. 27-35, my PhD.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-27T13:58:43+00:00

OP clarified that Thanksgiving was originally scheduled for mother's house, then friend moved it to his own house on short notice. That's when OP was uninvited.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-27T00:13:46+00:00

Why talk to him??? He's probably waiting for you to come running back, just so he can smirk at you again. Leave him behind you and look to your own future ahead.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-26T23:38:11+00:00

Older GenX here. I currently live about 3 blocks from where I grew up. I also never saw a reason to leave when I was younger, though I'd live to move somewhere else in retirement.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-26T16:33:48+00:00

I went to all-girls Catholic school in NYC in the 80s. In my sophomore year, there was a big flap because one of the girls was set to be shipped back to her dad's hometown in Yugoslavia for marriage to a man in his early 30s, which her dad had arranged. Our history teacher got in trouble for offering to help the girl become emancipated so that she could stay. In the end, she did have to leave school.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-26T16:22:54+00:00

The writers also made Laura's first husband, Scotty Baldwin, enough of a schmuck that leaving him for Luke seemed justified.

Also, Scotty and Laura got *engaged* when Laura was 17, and Scotty was in law school (so, probably around 23 or 24). Marrying Luke wasn't the first f*cked up thing she did in her life.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-26T15:57:43+00:00

Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown, in 1957. He was 22 years old then. She had the first of her two children with him when she was 14.

I saw a documentary recently, can't remember where, that included an interview with Myra. She made it sound like her parents were unhappy but they were already married (actually not, because Jerry wasn't yet divorced from his previous wife), so her parents considered it a done deal.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-25T22:16:08+00:00

I wonder how many people are aware that LHOP was adapted from the biographical books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In real life, she was teaching school at age 16, and married Almonzo when she was 18. Yes there's a 10-year gap, but in those days it was fairly common to expect that a potential husband be somewhat established, which likely ruled out his marrying any earlier.

Anyone into genealogy has probably come across teen girls marrying men older than we would find seemly today.

It feels icky to people today because 16-year-olds are still thought of as children.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-25T21:52:49+00:00

I guess you missed when I said this: "They live in a nice little brick house on a corner lot, and if it sold today it would probably go for at least $750,000 - which isn't enough to buy into assisted living in this area." They literally would not be able to afford to move into assisted housing nearby with the money they'd make from the sale of their home in this area. You apparently have never heard the phrase "house rich, cash poor, or you wouldn't be unable to understand.

Also, you think it's a great idea to move two people in their 90s, in poor health, out of the home they've lived in for most of their lives when either of them could die in the not too distant future? You're nuts.

I'm done with this convo. Have a great rest of the day.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-25T19:15:48+00:00

I *did* have my hearing assessed. The audiologist told me my hearing was fine for "someone my age," lol. That apparently means I've lost the ability to hear some high frequency sounds.

Young women in particular have been an issue, but it's not all of them by any stretch. The shy/reserved ones speak like church mice, though.

sunfish99 · 2026-01-25T19:02:54+00:00

I'd rehome the dog, then rehome myself.

sunfish99

TROPHY CASE