184 Comments
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James Lord's avatar

Look, I just want to get something off my chest on this Friday. There's been a lot of talk lately about the so-called Sid and Terry lifestyle. I don't know Sid or Terry, or anything about what they do in their personal lives; I just know that not everyone approaches and conducts their lives in the same way I choose to conduct mine. People have to make their own decisions, and I think it's time we cut them some slack.

What's that? Oh. SEDENTARY. Sedentary. Got it. Wow, that's embarrassing.

Sedentary lifestyle. Yeah, that's messed up.

LB (Little Birdie)'s avatar

I'm having visions of a sit-com.

WRE's avatar

Merry, Merry Sedentary... How does you garden grow?

D D's avatar

You can see James, how much we need your clever humor. I know I do.

mike's avatar

That's a good one.

Charlotte Gilway's avatar

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Uncle Mikey's avatar

My cat reads your funnies. Fortunately he can’t order a heated toilet seat! 😂😂😂

Patricia's avatar

I remember my Grandma wanted one of those heated toilet seats…! It didn’t last long though-

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

Went to a friend's house recently. They're always redoing a kitchen here, a bathroom there, adding on a deck or a cocktail room or what have you.

So I asked: well, what new fanciness is there in the house that you can show us?

The husband starts laughing. Says, "Wife, tell them about your birthday present that you love so much."

Wife says, "Husband, I don't think telling them is enough. Don't you think they need to experience it?"

Next we had a show and tell processional to the room with the throne, which, yes, not only was possessed of a heated seat, but - lest anyone have trouble groping their way to it in the dark grogginess of night - also lights up in various colors, so that you can head towards the glowing pink, or turquoise, or chartreuse beacon.

I guess you pick the color according to mood, like a heated mood toilet, I guess it's the the 2026 version of the mood rings of yesteryear.

Health Matters's avatar

Good reason to keep the lid down! My cats can't get on the heated bidet seat- but the heated floors draws them in :). Too funny.

Uncle Mikey's avatar

My cat Hagrid is a male Tuxedo. He is used to always having the lid up. He likely would put it back up immediately anyway. 😂

Kijay's avatar

Are you certain about that? My sister’s cat walked over her keyboard all the time. And now with touchpad tablets….

Uncle Mikey's avatar

My 20 lb male tuxedo Hagrid is used to always having the lid up. He is a dude after all. 😆 My cat destroyed two laptops ripping the keys off of them. 😂😂

Martin A. Allen's avatar

I’m a retired Obstetrician and can say that the cost of having a baby cartoon hits the target. The exhausted parents of the newborn are indeed bombarded with a string of “specialized consultants “ and their cost completely hidden. Let’s add to this cartoon a circumcision fee, a lactation consultant fee,a newborn bathing fee,and the fee for the unhealthy special new parents meal.

weedom1's avatar

That cartoon was too much truth for a Friday.

The rules for new parents, plus the paperwork and the job of compliance so that CPS won't steal your kid stifles the proper care of the kiddos.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is a nightmare for both parents and kids. Membership in this organization is a bad sign when picking doctors.

Martin A. Allen's avatar

I completely agree; I have so many stories.

weedom1's avatar

Wellness care has become physician avoidance, unfortunately.

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

A friend used to tell everyone "whatever you do, don't go to the hospital. They'll try to kill you in there."

She was early to the party of figuring that out; everyone thought she was a bit extreme in her viewpoint.

After serving as medical advocate for 2 parents a loved sister-in-law through 19 years of their respective illnesses prior to their deaths, my friend was spot on.

Medicare now covers Medical Advocacy as of 2024.

Except of course, no one knows that tidbit, so what good does it do anybody?

So I've made it my personal mission to tell everyone I talk to who mentions an ill person in their life.

The woman I chat with in the grocery store, the grumpy old guy behind the desk at the post office, the mechanic who works on my car and the waitress who serves us in a restaurant. You get the idea.

Some insurance companies now cover Medical Advocacy as well. Maybe it is cheaper to cover that than all the wrongful death lawsuits?

https://thirtyyearsdowntherabbithole.substack.com/p/why-you-need-a-medical-advocate

weedom1's avatar

I will share your vital info.

Joy Metcalf's avatar

I'll bet that was a friend who told you that, and not a fiend.

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

Indeed!

And: she and I are still alive, so there's that.

Sadly, our other close friend, who went conventional tx only when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, passed away before reaching 60 years old, about 3 years after diagnosis.

Martin A. Allen's avatar

Consider a functional health and wellness physician. Same education but different approach, natural remedies, better food choices, almost no big pharma.

Joy Metcalf's avatar

How's about get physicians out of the picture altogether and stop treating it as pathology, rather than a normal function? How about midwives and home births? How about something like the way Norway functions?

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

Norway… I dreamed a dream in days gone by….

Seriously, though. I’d love to see the study where they take American parents of newborns and give them the generous paid parental leave at 80% of their pay or whatever it is for a year and a half or so that the Scandinavian countries get.

We all know that the parent/child bonding will get off to a much more relaxed, calm, unstressed start.

Fast forward 10, 15, 20 years.

And how are those kids doing?

My guess is that even though they would have been subjected to many of the same stressors as their peers, and certainly the radiation and other environmental factors that contribute to brain dysfunction, that they would be more solid, stable and doing better overall, with lower rates of our current scourges of depression, anxiety, etc than their peers who hit the more typical American experience of infancy.

because the critical attachment phase of early infancy happened in a way that was more conducive to creating a long-term sense of that human feeling loved, grounded, nurtured, and safe.

Which leads to a more stable adult who can more often be in a place of equanimity while spending less time in a place of reactivity.

In other words, the world becomes kinder and softer because the adults are not losing their poopy all the time.

Now you see why I dreamed a dream…

Joy Metcalf's avatar

I don't envision giving 80% pay (paid by those still working!) to parents to take time off, but it's evident that in bygone days, especially in agricultural societies, parents were there to raise their children. Perhaps and surely life was harder in many ways, but as a rule, families were closer, children were valued not only as children, but as a necessity to keep the family going. It, of course, depended on the culture, as well as on the individuals, but we were not divorced from life and death as we are now.

Patricia's avatar

Yes, hospital fees are through-the-roof! I do remember when my husband was hospitalized for 19 days; he actually complained about the waste he saw, & the costs just for a bandaid, or tissues, was expensive. He couldn’t wait together back home!

Paula Mitchell's avatar

This is just sad! No wonder people are have less kids and sometimes none at all.

Martin A. Allen's avatar

That and everyone of childbearing age is too engrossed in their social media persona to procreate. Studies show less sex= fewer babies.

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

Martin, sadly, you are correct.

All the data is the teens are engaging in sex less and drinking less and being less reckless in general.

It sounds fine until you realize that it is because they’re hanging in their rooms all day long.

There were some study in England, and it was not that long ago, so it was not at the height of the pandemic, and some astounding percentage of 20 something had literally not interacted face-to-face with a human in six months.

They were working remotely, ordering Uber eats, ordering groceries online, interacting socially” via FaceTime or other online options.

And then we wonder why they’re all depressed.

.

Martin A. Allen's avatar

Amazing how social media has managed to override even the seemingly invincible testosterone driven young male libido.

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

Right!?

A friend listened to a Ted talk. Apparently there’s all kinds of erectile dysfunction happening among YOUNG males - think teens/twenties. - because they’ve so acclimated to online porn being how they engage in sex that then when they are in a live encounter it is no longer sufficiently exciting. They need to up the ante so they ask the partner if they can choke her to help the situation along. The young women apparently say yes because of fear that he will move on to a more accommodating partner if they say no.

Being a therapist/school counselor to the younguns brings other horrifying revelations. The procedure at a party for teens/twenties: boy approaches girl. Boy requests oral sex. Girl complies. Transaction has been completed; no frther interaction to be had.

When asked “well then, why do it?,” the girl will shrug and say “dunno. Because he asked?” Kind of like people back in the day might say “I scratched the itchy place on his back that he couldn’t reach.”

Final horrifying reveal from a young male client as to how the app scene works, at least for him. You “talk” (by which they mean text, there has been no voice to voice communication) for a bit. You then agree to meet: your house or mine? (hello, safety issues?) . Prior to arrival, you go down the menu of sexual activities together and agree on what will transpire, which I swear to me sounds like ordering from the menu at a restaurant. I cannot fathom what on Earth is the point of that kind of encounter; my recollection is that what made it all so fun was not knowing where it would go and letting things unfold along the way.

(Old person shakes head, sighs, says “I really don’t understand these kids today.”)

Martin A. Allen's avatar

Sad truth indeed that the Western concept of courtship, relationship, meaningful sex has been so subverted. We could spend hours on that discussion. My view is that this is an offshoot of the Leftist “slow march through the institutions “

WRE's avatar
May 10Edited

It makes one wonder how humans managed to procreate 100 years ago (and even today) with only a bed or bathtub and maybe a midwife!!!

Barbara Lee's avatar

I live near an Amish community. I’m part of the midwife team of untrained ladies who deliver babies. My job is ambulance driver if anything goes seriously wrong which it does about 1% of the time. I’ve been present for over 500 healthy births delivered by a team of 4 women who apparently know exactly what to do. Babies are nearly always robustly healthy and look like they are a right out of a picture book. Total cost is ZERO. There are advantages to living in a close knit community that welcomes children. Birthing is considered community service. So there’s that to consider right along with milk and eggs not being made by the grocery store .

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

Barbara, that’s fantastic. There’s a lot to be said for the Amish.

When a gunman went into an Amish school house in a community about an hour from where I live and shot and killed, I think nine children and the teacher, by the end of the day, the Amish had gone to the home of the shooter, who had killed himself, to express their condolences and forgiveness for the person who had murdered their children.

That’s a level of forgiveness and compassion that I aspire to. It is such a far cry from our cancel culture, where if you piss me off because you wore the yellow T-shirt on the day that I wasn’t in the mood for it, you are dead to me forever.

I love natural birth. I actually trained to be an assistant to a midwife years ago when I was at a career crossroads, but then I ended up going in a different direction.

My own two girls were born via midwife. Both births were in a hospital as I didn’t quite have the courage of my convictions to birth at home, but I was able to labor in the bathtub with both and both were born with zero medication or intervention.

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

Thank you, Weedom1. There’s lots more. Like breast cryotherapy for breast cancer. Who knew?! Spread that one too!

https://thirtyyearsdowntherabbithole.substack.com/p/breast-cryotherapy-yes-its-a-thing

Caroline Fike's avatar

Jill, you're "da bomb"! I love the humor you dig up and, BTW, the messages you convey are SPOT ON!

And, Doc, I have only one thing to say to you: "Keep up the good work and fight, fight, fight!"

Science is Political 2.0's avatar

I know Jill really keeps the laughs coming. :) great work.

Joseph Kaplan's avatar

Of all things for me to worry about that I can do nothing about at my age, UFO’s are last on my list

oldguy52's avatar

If God put us here, he also put (if you believe it) the aliens here.... Learn to live with it, panikins.

Joseph Kaplan's avatar

I’m happy not knowing what I don’t or can’t know. What I was saying in I’m not interested in looking at all those docs. Which probably don’t say anything definitive

Science is Political 2.0's avatar

I am still interested. One actually did look like weather balloon. 😆🤣😐

oldguy52's avatar

Sorry, when I said you I didn't mean YOU personally. Apologies for my lack of eloquence.

Susan Longstreth Maroto's avatar

and here I was lying awake at 3 AM last night worrying about them.

Patricia's avatar

If I ever see a UFO, or a UAP, I guess I will say “I beleive”. Otherwise, I guess anything is possible in our world, but out-of-sight, or out-of-mind, I’ll keep my eyes wide open!

Joy Metcalf's avatar

I guess I'm at the "I believe" stage, because I've seen UFO's over my house when I lived in Colorado. Blew my mind!

Patricia's avatar

Oh WOW! Let me guess the area: South on I-25, towards Walsenburg?

Joy Metcalf's avatar

Elbert County, near Elizabeth.

Patricia's avatar

That’s interesting, because I live in Elbert county, 10 miles NW of Elizabeth! I’m wondering if you lived in the area close to the South 40, where I saw an interview with two people from a show called “Beyond Skinwalker Ranch”, & they interviewed a gal that had strange experiences on a ranch in Elbert county (no legal description of that ranch), or ranch name. I have heard of sightings in Elbert county.

Uncle Mikey's avatar

One of the funniest cartoons ( to me). Was a picture of a UFO saying “ I wanted to believe until the government said they’re real” 😆🛸

Patricia's avatar

Thats funny! I do watch the Alien Channel on Direct TV, & it’s not what one would think, it’s all about aliens. Actually, the show has various groups that investigate the “Unknown”- Bigfoot; alien documentaries, & some of those stories cover the Roswell alien (alleged) crash; Area 51, & just short shows of alien sightings all over the globe. Believe it or not? That’s my category!

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

A Friday essay.

We are a constitutional republic. This requires both an educated and well informed populace for optimum performance. For this reason we have given the press their own niche in the first amendment of the Constitution and have expended bucket loads of money on public education. And both are now failing our republic. Why and what to do?

We were a young, naive nation evolved from English culture and sadly wedded to the idea of European prominence rather than growing our own. We allowed multitudes to immigrate here who though dissatisfied with their national origins were too immersed in their culture to blend into ours and we allowed the import of political philosophies totally antithetical to ours. We now are faced with the consequence of these mistakes,,,, we are immersed in endless attacks from all sides on our politics, our history and our culture. And we are told that any response to these threats are, ironically, unconstitutional. A delimma?

Not if the answer lies in basic self defense. Our enemies hide behind the first amendment of the Constitution. They can print anything in the press because of Freedom of the Press. They can teach seditious dogma in our schools because of Freedom of Speech. Really? My impression is that much of this so called freedom was invented by progressive judges whose loose interpretations are legendary. Communism is being taught in our schools even though a federal law remains on the books making Communist Party membership a crime. Why have not aggressive Attorneys General revisit the decisions that have made its enforcement impossible and strive to expand its reach? The First Amendment protects free speech, but not all of it. If you cannot falsely yell fire in a crowded theater, how can you teach sedition in a classroom, or print seditious or libelous articles in a newspaper? Allowing this type of activity runs counter to the basic premise of self preservation and should not be tolerated....period.

Alan Davis (FlyoverAlinCT)'s avatar

Rock on Brother Nash!

Ah, yes - the Redwashing of American education.

27 year old prodigy William F Buckley, Jr. published “God and Man at Yale” asking why a college founded by capitalist money to teach Congregationalist Ministers turned in to teaching communism and atheism.

I reminded that except for pure research, no good idea comes from the University. Marxism, Zyklon Vax and Napalm all came from the university - which is least destructive. Unless destruction is the goal - which to the Ungodly - is exactly the point.

The biggest enemies to the left in the last 80 years have been Joseph McCarthy, Ronald Reagan, Rush Limbaugh, and Donald Trump. They see the enemy unflinchingly.

MrsMc's avatar

I agree. At a minimum, and while we can, we need to clarify that yes All Men (as in humans) are Created Equal in the eyes of our God, as known to our founders (Judeo Christians), but all countries are not created equal. US is exceptional. An immigrant comes into the USA the correct and legal way, proves knowledge and agreement of our Constitution and our Laws and signs an oath. The Sharia Law problem needs to be addressed now. i know you know this. I'm leaning towards Chip Roy, don't know much about Mace Middleton.

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

Keep hearing very suspicious negative feedback re Chip. My personal opinion is that he is solid gold. Understand he practically ran the office when Paxton tied up in that impeachment crap and did a pretty good job of it. Middleton has nowhere near as good creds for the AG job.

MrsMc's avatar

I voted for Chip in the primary and will again in the runoff. I've seen postcards from Middleton but have never seen him interviewed. Be nice to have an endorsement from Trump.

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

Claims Trump endorsed Middleeman, POed at Roy for something or other but does not affect my opinion...will vote for Chip

Joy Metcalf's avatar

Trump has a habit of punishing anyone who doesn't agree with him.

South Texas farmer's avatar

You are probably right about Trump POed at Chip. Chip was a vocal supporter of Liz Cheney in the Democrats action with the Jan 6 committee. There is plenty of evidence now that the 2020 election was stolen or at least flawed. Questions should have been properly raised before certification. Chip and his loud mouth is good for TV and sound bites. But I don't think he is a deep thinker. I don't think he likes Trump. Should have stayed in congress. From what I understand Mayes Middleton stepped in to run the AG office while Paxton was tied up when the democrats in Texas were trying to impeach him.

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

Thought that was Roy. Thought Middleton light on actual litigstion, more a businessman

Alan Davis (FlyoverAlinCT)'s avatar

Rock on Brother Nash!

Ah, yes - the Redwashing of American education.

27 year old prodigy William F Buckley, Jr. published “God and Man at Yale” asking why a college founded by capitalist money to teach Congregationalist Ministers turned in to teaching communism and atheism.

I reminded that except for pure research, no good idea comes from the University. Marxism, Zyklon Vax and Napalm all came from the university - which is least destructive. Unless destruction is the goal - which to the Ungodly - is exactly the point.

The biggest enemies to the left in the last 80 years have been Joseph McCarthy, Ronald Reagan, Rush Limbaugh, and Donald Trump. They see the enemy unflinchingly - hence had to be destroyed.

SR Miller's avatar

Been doin’ my own thinking along these lines myself a bit of late. Our founders were a fairly homogeneous group of people, culturally, and I suspect didn’t quite have a grasp of what could happen in a hundred, two hundred years - keep in mind up through 1800 radical technological advances we’re still fairly well spaced out. The cultural pressures we face today did not exist 250 years ago - and our foundational documents reflect this.

Re: the 1A, I can’t go into a theater, crowded or not, and shout hysterically "fire" or "gunman" if there isn’t one without consequences, I can’t go into a tinder dry forest with a flame thrower w/o facing consequences, etc etc etc. If I want to establish a tree farm it would be foolish to also pack it full of beavers or set locusts free in a wheat field. When those things happen, beavers or locusts, we take the necessary steps to protect what we planted.

Why isn’t it the same with our nation, our constitution. When a threat arises, on the horizon, on our shores, we should take action if it threatens the culture of America. If a looming threat arises with arms we took up arms; but when the threat involves "words," "religion," or 🤔 "politics?" we’re suppose to just roll over? This is the fight I’m concerned we’ll lose since we’ve allowed the enemy to set up its armies on the presumed high ground all around.

What I’m getting at is take the freedom of speech: sure, say what you will but if it’s opposed to the founding ideas/ideals of America then you’re free to speak somewhere else. That’s just one example - if American ideals are worth defending then American ideals should be worth fighting for.

weedom1's avatar

The freedom of speech worked much better when communities weren't forced to be inclusive of people exhibiting harmful and antisocial behaviors, as well as to be careful of their feelings.

oldguy52's avatar

The first amendment also protects freedom of religion. Why is there no clause in there barring religions (there’s really only one) that proclaims it’s OK to kill or enslave folks that do not wish to belong?

MrsMc's avatar

there needs to be, and now! It needs to be clarified. I believe there are two. It is implicit in our laws but we've let religions like Satanism which believes in child sacrifice through abortion, thus vote democrat to keep the law on their side - not that really matter to them because they vote democrat anyway. We've let them put up monuments and desecrate ours, and its getting worse with the Sharia law followers. Sometimes I get surveys supposedly to voice my opinions but what they really want is donations. I'm going to start sending them in with my opinions and while I do write my senators, I'm going to write all of elected officials. Its so lame tho, they just use the info to call me back and ask for donations.

MrsMc's avatar

I need to learn how to "meme" (like the funny above suggests)

Phyllis Dawson's avatar

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Proverbs 17:22

Thank you for doing my heart good!

Dr. Robert W. Malone's avatar

If there was a smoking gun in the UAP documents release, the government and Trump would have led with that.

Now- IMO - I think there are smoking guns to be discovered in the government documents and evidence regarding UFOs, but not in the new webpages just put up.

John Guy's avatar

WW2 German Flying Disc Technology - Now TWO Stunning Films SHOWING German

Flying Discs! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYk8082ptz0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyU62Rg5p2U

Test Flight film at 5:40 minute mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-67kADrIMM

Stunning, Rare George Adamski Daylight

Films Of UFO Sightings -

Adamski's Video just happens to match the German discs

in the above photos/video but were taken in the USA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EttKw7ROGN8

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2wros

GMoody's avatar

Since I retired 3 months ago the first thing I do on Friday and Sunday is look for the Funnies email in my inbox. The funnies and a good cup of coffee go together like a horse and carriage! Love the funnies!

Swabbie Robbie's avatar

Just watch out for your keyboard when you spew your coffee at the good humorous ones.

AFistFullOfGizzards's avatar

Just taking a break from trying to identify some plug plants I bought last week (melons or some kind of Summer:Winter squash), to have a PM coffee, and that toilet seat finally broke me. My cat is sitting up against the radiator side-eyeing me for not turning on the whole house's heating so he can warm his bum. What would improve it even further is for the lid to be heated and the human to leave their phone behind on loop with Facebook shorts.

oldguy52's avatar

Ha ha ha... Yeah the smells like a new truck one damn near did me in.

Patricia's avatar

Absolutely agree with you: Friday & Sunday comic strips & two cups-O’-Joe, are a great way to begin my day! :)

Handsome Pristine Patriot's avatar

THEY'RE HERE !

They live among us.

They're called "Democrats"

They reproduce through anal sex.

On the other hand.......

I guess I'm lucky to live here.

We don't have a village idiot, or a town drunk.

We all take turns.

weedom1's avatar

The climate change dogma has stifled the lefties' reproduction hugely, (in addition to possibly missing the mark as you suggested).

Handsome Pristine Patriot's avatar

Oh no!

You take my post wrong.

Dems believe that men can be woman, woman can be men, and daddies can be mommies.

So, why can't butt sex result in procreation?

They've obviously evolved from a different environment than normal folks.

weedom1's avatar

That would require some ginormous rapid evolution. 😎

As a proper nerd, I prefer to think of the lefties as an evolutionary dead end.

I want to give them a big, collective Darwin award.

Handsome Pristine Patriot's avatar

Of course it's a dead end. That's why they left their home planet.

James Goodrich's avatar

Just a thought. We’ve been through so many lies it’s easy to question everything. Let me bounce this off you.

Did you ever think “AI” is just another scam to steal trillions of dollars from the middle class. In 2025-2026 AI has created an unprecedented 45 new billionaires and certainly added cash, billions in cash, to the current ones. I mean look at the players pushing AI, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Steve Balmer, Larry Page, Sam Brin, and the list goes on. All trustworthy people with no political connections wouldn’t you say? Nothing to worry about with these pillars of society. And what’s the shysters scary message about this time? The middle class and upper middle class people are going to lose their careers and be unable to sustain themselves. Meanwhile the massive transfer of wealth continues to the elites while the middle class suffers, sound familiar? You can smell the million dollar contributions being sent to our traitor middle feeder politicians who must get their grift to allow the continuance of the sell out of their constituents.

I’m sure the government has its plans to send out to all of their subjects computer printed, deficit exploding 600 dollar checks to keep the masses from revolting and silenced, it’s our piece of cake. Sure we get 600, of our own money, while they get 60 billion again. Haven’t we all been through this recently? Can you say Covid, you’re all going to die.

Doesn’t it seem we already have AI? Hell this carpenter could be a superstar song writer, or William Shakespeare, Tolstoy! I’m not saying this can’t grow, oh it will grow just like the Covid hoax grew. And if they want us to die I’m sure many of us will. Again they’re warning us, life as we know it is over. You’ll all have to wear a mask the rest of your lives. In the meantime the rich keep getting richer and the middle class sinks into poverty. You will own nothing and be happy, the elites self proclaimed motto for us, one of their subjects, J.Goodrich

Dr. Robert W. Malone's avatar

My distrust in the government - that voice inside me that argues that the Congressional and DoW interests may, in the end, have more to do with the blowing up of the DoW budget even more than the bloated monstrosity, it already is.

Swabbie Robbie's avatar

. . . why all the tariff money hasn't done a thing to bring down the national debt, or restore the value and purchasing power of the dollar.

Dr. Robert W. Malone's avatar

As I understand it, the courts are making the Trump admin return all the money back to the EU and other countries, cause Congress didn't authorize the tariffs.

Swabbie Robbie's avatar

As far as I can tell the congress never had much to do with authorizing tariffs and excise taxes since the beginning days when there was no income tax on individual citizens. It really remained an executive power, with Congressional advice and consent. That all changed to some degree when the income tax was created in 1913 which was supposed to be only for the rich and never be more than 3%.

My question for this time is why wouldn't Congress authorize the tariffs? We face the debt growing by at least a trillion dollars on top of the $36 trillion per year. Importantly, the tariffs were meant bring manufacturing back home and protect existing industries and farming. This should have been a no-brainer, even for congress critters.

MrsMc's avatar

Yes but he is taking another route to tariffs; one that was outlined in Kavanaugh's Opinion. This will take a little longer. I still have hope that the benefits that tariffs will bring will work out as Trump has planned.

Mary mallory's avatar

As I understand it, one must be very careful which/whose court you choose.

John Guy's avatar

This may save you some time in the future. You should run a freedom of information request to see what files they have on you.

"Welcome to the dedicated archive of FBI files on Scientists and Medical Professionals at The Black Vault.

This specialized collection offers a revealing window into the FBI’s monitoring and investigation of notable individuals within the scientific and medical communities.

The documents housed in this archive provide a unique perspective on how these professionals and their work intersected with national security interests and intelligence activities.

From renowned scientists to influential medical practitioners, these files uncover the often unseen scrutiny and attention they received from the FBI, highlighting the complex relationship between government surveillance and the advancement of science and medicine."

https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/fbi-files-scientists-and-medical-professionals/

John Guy's avatar

You have many allies who can help:

The Black Vault server on UFO was attack.....

"The largest privately run online repository of declassified government documents anywhere in the world. With more than 3 MILLION pages of documents to read, on nearly every government secret imaginable, The Black Vault is known worldwide for getting down to the truth… and nothing but.

Every page, photo and video you see below in this "FOIA Document Archive" was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or through other means of accessing U.S. government public information."

https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/

oldguy52's avatar

I hope I am not misinterpreting what you say.

If you can’t see this “war’ in Iran as a good and necessary thing, then you are dooming us to the same fate as the Europeans. Their plight is obvious as is the cause of the problem except, apparently, to them. I hope it is not your wish to go there. The muslims have told us their plan, we would be foolish not to take them at their word.

Barbara Lee's avatar

I would be okay with their plan (we’ll just convert them all) if it didn’t come with nuclear weapons. It’s one thing to have a knock down drag out between equals. It’s not when the bully strikes first and obliterates everyone.

Jean's avatar

To me, it looks like the handouts are in trouble. First it was a DOGE $2.000. But the lawfarers have that handcuffed. Then it was the tariff $6,000. But the courts are on it, now locking that down. In the meantime our benefactors are gaining $$ with each reassurance they offer of our moneys being on the way.

Barbara Lee's avatar

You have to wonder why an American judge would rule that the foreigners ripping us off deserve a tariff break that Trump planned to use for US. We can’t win!

Jean's avatar

My understanding is he was claiming the applicable laws didn't permit it. Was he a avowed liberal, had a DJT syndrome - we'll have to find out (on appeal if there is one).

Barbara Lee's avatar

I wish the judges narrowly focused on the “law” would simply let the man work. He has successfully ended wars with trade agreements and made abusive partners stop dead in their tracks. I’m sick of their tying his hands. Let him shake up the world a bit!

Mary mallory's avatar

Did you ever consider that AI is a way to track and control everything; What you eat, wear, do, say, hear, think, how long you live?

weedom1's avatar

AI is another of the population control and reduction mechanisms.

All programs can be hacked.

Show kindness to the kids in the basements on their computers. Some of them are going to grow up and save the world.

GR B's avatar
May 8Edited

James, I agree with much of what you write about AI. However, we must remember that AI can only influence and control those who let it. Resisting control is easier said than done, as AI has infiltrated much of what we see, read, and hear, primarily in digital form. The solution as it is for much of how we conduct our lives (such as lifestyle, diet, fitness, perspective, and staying intimately familiar with how all things work) is by relentless curiosity with a commitment to learning. Not many in our population are willing to do this, however, as the information conditioning urges us to depend on "expert" sources dispensing "wisdom" on how to live our lives. Acquiring the knowledge to identify trustworthy sources is the first step. Just remember that an AI tool is developed by humans, and each tool is programmed on how to present information differently. Some are designed to be benevolent, some are corrupt, and some are just poorly designed. In the end, it is up to each of us to develop an innate skepticism and the desire to know the difference when assessing the blizzard of information available. The other? Taking the action to titrate off the digital information sources so prevalent in our lives is also a healthy goal.

LoverOfHills's avatar

Problem is, GR B, my innate skepticism, like my good looks, when coupled with $2.99 will only buy me a cup of coffee.

LoverOfHills's avatar

Spot on, James. AI data centers will be obsolete - some say in 3 years!

Seems I'm too oft referring to Tucker's chats, but he and Rep. Thomas Massie this week - When Tucker asked him, What do you think of the Data Centers? Rep. Massie's comments - those AI buildings, in 10 years, definitely in our lifetime, they will be Obsolete, covered with vines, and filled with rodents.

On a Quick search, so, uncertain this is a quality resource, article's title, "AI Data Centers Are an Even Bigger Disaster Than Previously Thought".

They article states, - their estimation was 10y, is now 3yrs, the centers will become obsolete. https://futurism.com/future-society/ai-data-centers-finances

LoverOfHills's avatar

********* Attention, County Leaders, ZONING leaders, especially,, as the Corporate folks selling/coercing your town, are NOT installing the most efficient systems. No one is forcing them to, and so they choose the cheaper options.

Below, is a copy/paste from Docs Malone Sunday Funnies, 4/12/2026. *I hope you don't mind, AHoosier.*

Commenter, Accidental Hoosier.

"Full disclosure: I work for a general contracting firm that builds data centers among many other types of facilities. I am a mechanical engineer; my role is to ensure the mechanical and electrical systems in our projects are commissioned (functioning) properly.

There are two justified concerns with data centers: Power and water. Both are solvable, but solving them takes money, and big tech will always seek to spend as little as possible. That's why with water in particular, current designs waste far more than they could or should.

Water is used primarily for cooling. The most water intensive design uses direct evaporative cooling. This saves construction cost and energy cost, but uses immense amounts of water. Better options such as chilled water and direct expansion cooling use less or even close-to-zero water, but cost more both to purchase and to operate. This is why the majority of cooling in data centers is direct evaporation and why the water usage of those facilities is so high.

As for power, the power requirements of data centers is enormous. This is a fact that will never change. The only solution that makes any sense is to self-generate. This means (most likely) on-site natural gas turbine generators. Modular nuclear is (maybe) coming, but it's years away. On-site makes the most sense for the community as a whole but again, this would cost a lot of money, which is why big tech prefers to just plug into the grid.

If I was a zoning commissioner, any new data center would be required to have air cooled or closed-loop chilled water cooling and on-site power. These are solutions that protect the water supply and the power supply.

So why don't communities force these solutions? They want the money, the jobs, etc. The tech bros know that if Jones County blocks them, they can go down the road to Smith County and build what they want. Because it's data and not a physical product, they can make build them anywhere they have access to land, power, and water.

I'm not defending data centers per se; I do agree with those that say there is an AI arms race that the Unites States does not want to lose. Winning it requires data centers. We can and should build them better than we are. It's sad that there are good engineering solutions available that are not being implemented primarily because of greed.

Maybe if enough communities stand up, big tech will start to notice."

*A reminder - This copy/paste is by a Malone Commenter, Accidental Hoosier. Thank you Mr. Hoosier for speaking up!*

Nicole Smith's avatar

Another great Friday funny. Thank you, Jill, and wishing you, Robert and everyone on the farm a great weekend.

Jean's avatar

Good News! Happy Mother's Day!

Virginia Supreme Court has struck down Spanberger redistricting! Existing Districts will continue to apply.

GR B's avatar

Best news I've heard today!

David Poe's avatar

Studies show that as people become more educated, they lean more to the left. Education should not make you stupid. (Speaking as a physicist.)

LoverOfHills's avatar

Proper Education, requires Moral Teaching. Nefarious types, don't want us equipped with a Moral Compass.

Jane Tracy's avatar

On a lighter note, I sincerely burst out laughing when I saw the Man Falsies that was the DIY version! It was great!😂😂😂

beccar1954's avatar

My sister knits I told her to check it out for the next sweater for her husband!

Kirsten Arbon's avatar

So it took me way too long for my brain to not see a nose with long hair.

Debbie's avatar

That’s all I can see!! What is it supposed to be?!

Kirsten Arbon's avatar

It's a photo from above of a ladies back with her hair flipped up

Kirsten Arbon's avatar

I kind of started panicking when I couldn't see it.

LB (Little Birdie)'s avatar

It's sort of funny, but isn't, when you know something is just not quite right but should be.

LB (Little Birdie)'s avatar

I think that nose picture with the caption above says a lot!. The caption saying "All I can see is a nose with a lot of hair" sets most viewers up to only see what the captioner portrays. Takes a dedicated viewer with a new perspective to change the vision to something possibly more true.

Part of what I love about the Malones' Substack - a longer and more thorough perusal of the picture.

PS: I could only see a nose with long hair also, until somebody said, ""....

Patricia's avatar

I had to stop looking at it, just to see what I missed in the beginning? I might need one more cup of coffee!

Barbara Seville's avatar

I began to rotate the photo. At about 40 degrees, bingo!