11 thoughts on “Thursday Open Thread”

1. The Onion Has Bought Infowars.

   This is NOT an Onion headline! They actually did buy all of Alex Jones business assets.

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   1. Alex Jones Owned by the Libs – Literally.

      H/T Daily Kos

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   2. As for the vitamins and supplements, we are halting their sale immediately. Utilitarian logic dictates that if we can extend even one CEO’s life by 10 minutes, diluting these miracle elixirs for public consumption is an unethical waste. Instead, we plan to collect the entire stock of the InfoWars warehouses into a large vat and boil the contents down into a single candy bar–sized omnivitamin that one executive (I will not name names) may eat in order to increase his power and perhaps become immortal.

      Here’s Why I Decided To Buy ‘InfoWars’

      By Bryce P. Tetraeder, Global Tetrahedron CEO

      lol

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2. "Bad and Getting Worse" MahaBlog

   Just read the whole thing.

   I’m out of metaphors to compare to Trump’s picks for his cabinet and administration. They’ve all been bad. But this afternoon, when I saw a headline that said Trump wants Matt Gaetz as attorney general and Tulsi Gabbard to be national intelligence director, I saw the English language itself surrender. There are no words.

   Grocery prices are about to soar – Paul Krugman.

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   1. I'm hoping there will be coherent articles on

      • Trump campaign promises, in all their rhetorical excess.
      • Trump Co. funding and existing projects, allowing a clear view of future development projects
      • Ongoing coverage of Trump Media and Technology Group (current price $27.16).  I'm not certain if there will be a corporate buy-out or on-going efforts to keep it afloat.  One hint:  "Trump Media CFO to Sell Up to $13 Million of DJT Stock" dated Nov 8.
      • a clear list of consumer prices on key goods as of January 20, 2025, with promises to update quarterly.  The "drill baby, drill" policy for oil and gas is going to create stability or deflation, right?

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3. Krugman: Trump Voters About to Be Shocked at How Badly He Scammed Them

   (Here's the Krugman Interview.)

   As Trump’s personnel choices signal mass deportations are coming, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman explains how this will spike inflation—and why Trump voters will soon realize they’ve been had.

   Donald Trump has picked three anti-immigrant hard-liners for his administration: Stephen Miller will be deputy chief of staff for policy; Tom Homan, his former head of ICE, will be “border czar”; and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem will be Homeland Security secretary. Which means Trump will act on his threat to carry out mass deportations. We talked to New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, who has a great new column arguing that mass deportations will cause a large spike in inflation. He explains why Trump’s policies will likely backfire, how he’ll corrupt government information to cover it up, and why Trump voters may soon be shocked at how badly he misled them. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.

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   1. If you are considering any significant purchases involving foreign goods, I'd suggest you buy before January 21, 2025.  Presidents can set tariffs — and higher tariffs are one consistent thread in Trump's "thinking" since he stepped up his visibility on politics.

      But since other countries pay them, they won't contribute to Republican inflation, amIright? 

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4. Don Old Trump keeps referring to his "mandate," but now I get it.  It's all his bro time with Elon–Man Date!

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5. Has anyone noticed that the sky seems more blue and the clouds are brilliant white? If not you may need cataract surgery. What marvelous science. If you are in the age range, go for the premium lens. It's like turning on HD television.

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6. Ok, a bit different subject today.

   The Coming AI Pause

   We're about to hit a slow period in AI improvements

   

   The clipper was arguably the best commercial sailing ship ever created. They dominated the seas from 1850 – 1890 for fast movement of cargo and passengers. They were the final best result of what was arguably 2,000 years of improving sailing vessels.

   And that was the end of it. The steamship came out and there was nothing that could be done to a sailing vessel to compete with steam. Nothing. End of the line for sailing (aside from doing so for pleasure and sport).

   click here to read the rest…

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7. Resistance takes many forms.

   Drag queens putting on bingo events at senior citizen centers is one form of cultural outreach. The "Drag Bingo" event yesterday at Eaton Senior Center drew 50 plus seniors,  armed with bingo cards , competing for various tchotchkes for prizes, Ms. Iman, Boyish Charm, and others pranced, danced, sang, did karaoke, and called out the bingo numbers.

   My conservative baptist-funded  senior apartment complex residents ate it up. So even if they voted for Trump, as many did, and don't approve of inclusive education, and suspect that the country may be on the wrong track, they at least now know that drag queens are people, with all that implies about  life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

    

    

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