Re: New WTF Thread

1

Have her read Sirens of Titan (Tralfamadorians in a very different role) and then maybePlayer Piano (no Tralfamadorians). I think these first two "minor*" science fiction works hold up better than a lot of his other stuff.

*Back in the day I recall reading a piece where leading literary figure are asked about their most underrated writers**. Despite not be asked that question, Burgess went out his way to say that Vonnegut was the most overrated, and that liked better when he was a "minor science fiction writer."

**Where I discovered Barbara Pym.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:02 AM
horizontal rule
2

In the land of WTFness, the attempt to get FAA to use Starlink rather than some Verizon contract looks to be particularly bald-faced. Particularly given that Starlink's biggest value is filling in gaps in more standard coverage, does not really add anything in large urban areas and regional centers with good coverage where almost all FAA activity occurs.

I do not know details, but there could be something for coverage at remote places or planes enroute, so here's a caveat that it might only be routinely corrupt rather than extraordinarily so.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:06 AM
horizontal rule
3

It was for centres in Alaska?


Posted by: Alex | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:15 AM
horizontal rule
4

And here's my obligatory media whine. Sometime last week while T was bloviating about Canada/Mexico trade he was asking who could have been so stupid as to have signed the existing agreement. And of course it was him.

In fairness did learn about it via Lawrence O'Donnell who is about the only TV newsy thing I can watch these days (and in small doses). But this got as far as I can tell no other coverage--his egregious lying* (or old man forgetfulness) is just baked in and not news anymore.

*Although the NYT did use "lie" in a headline recently. but their standard reporting does not reflect what you would expect when reporting on a known, repeat liar.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:20 AM
horizontal rule
5

3: Actually, reading a bit more it seems to be a contract for a comprehensive overhaul of the FAA communication system and apparently already awarded to StarLink. So pretty sketchy.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:23 AM
horizontal rule
6

Which contract had previously been awarded to Verizon after jumping through all the legal and regulatory hoops. The court case is going to be a doozy.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:32 AM
horizontal rule
7

It's the most blatant nakedly corrupt thing he's done so far .


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:33 AM
horizontal rule
8

The Tate Bros. thing from Romania is pretty wild. and apparently a bridge too far for even some allies like DeSantis.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:55 AM
horizontal rule
9

What's the Tate Bros thing from Romania?


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:15 AM
horizontal rule
10

Besides when he got arrested there for putting a pizza box on camera.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:15 AM
horizontal rule
11

They're in Florida now. Because Trump loves rapists.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:17 AM
horizontal rule
12

It's pretty weird for DeSantis to come out against rape. Makes me wonder what his real motivation is.


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:23 AM
horizontal rule
13

12 2028


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:25 AM
horizontal rule
14

I mean this is all obviously going to come crashing down on Trump


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:25 AM
horizontal rule
15

I'll believe things are a bridge too far for Republicans who express criticism of Trump/Musk when they don't reverse course within a few days or weeks.


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:28 AM
horizontal rule
16

As soon as we heighten the contradictions?


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:29 AM
horizontal rule
17

16 to 14.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:29 AM
horizontal rule
18

I'm not saying he'll come right out and criticize him directly but it would be a smart move to position himself for 2028 by not tying himself to Trump too closely


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:33 AM
horizontal rule
19

Can we talk about children dying of measles? I feel extremely sorry for the child and not at all sorry for the parents. Hopefully they've learned but a dead child just probably gives them extra Jesus points in their community.

Very cynically...I've wondered if the cavalier attitude toward medicine and public health among rightwing crunchy moms is because having as many kids as your fertility allows is actually stressful and horrible (especially if you have to do attachment parenting and home schooling) and some of these moms might not be sad to lose a few to childhood illnesses or in a botched labor or whatnot.


Posted by: Long Time Shirker | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:35 AM
horizontal rule
20

Don't worry, we're doing nothing about it. (At least at the state-wide level. The county health departments are trying.)


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:38 AM
horizontal rule
21

6: The court case is going to be a doozy extremely entertaining.

8 et seq.: He had our professional diplomats applying pressure to squeeze that turd out. What a disgrace. Is that something you resign and throw your career away over? I dunno, but God, those FSOs have got to feel slimy.

Please, nobody ask me who did well in West Germany's post-war diplomatic corps.


Posted by: Doug | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:51 AM
horizontal rule
22

19: The Missus is enjoying watching leopards lunching on Trump voters, but I feel bad for almost everybody. I mean, the people who provide the practical effort and intellectual underpinnings for all this can go straight to hell. And I don't believe that the Trump rank-and-file are being meaningfully misled or conned -- they know that they are choosing bullshit. But a lot of these people have been educated from a very young age to believe in bullshit as a way of life.

That child had parents who were motivated by love and bullshit -- the basis for quite a lot of religious belief and many other things, not all of them bad. I don't mind that such people are despised -- I'm not arguing from a place of moral superiority or anything. And the Hunter Thompson phrasing -- "fear and loathing" -- continues to resonate with me. But mostly I feel bad.


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:55 AM
horizontal rule
23

Here, have some more wtf
https://x.com/komadovsky/status/1895526183858798972?s=46&t=nbIfRG4OrIZbaPkDOwkgxQ

https://x.com/michaeldweiss/status/1895529810253996192?s=46&t=nbIfRG4OrIZbaPkDOwkgxQ


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 10:05 AM
horizontal rule
24

23: My God. Fuck these fucking motherfuckers. Shameful.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 10:31 AM
horizontal rule
25

That was so difficult to watch. Like if I was given a choice between having to watch that or a tape of my parents fucking I'd have to think it over for a few minutes.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 10:42 AM
horizontal rule
26

23. Incandescent rage


Posted by: lw | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 11:06 AM
horizontal rule
27

The Ukraine situation has had me wondering about the counterfactual where Beneš/Czechoslovakia* says, fuck it, we're fighting, in 1938. It probably wouldn't have gone well but would it have led to a much more limited war than what ended up happening? Or would the US and western Europe have stood around saying, I guess you should have signed when you had the chance.

*All the cool kids seem to be talking about Molotov/Ribbentrop instead.


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 11:38 AM
horizontal rule
28

I guess you should have signed when you had the chance

I meant to add: and then followed by something similar to the World War II that happened.


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 11:39 AM
horizontal rule
29

23: I've never been more embarrassed to be an American.


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 11:42 AM
horizontal rule
30

I'm livid
https://x.com/lrozen/status/1895539100389642587?s=46&t=nbIfRG4OrIZbaPkDOwkgxQ


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 11:51 AM
horizontal rule
31

29: My thoughts exactly.


Posted by: J, Robot | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 12:33 PM
horizontal rule
32

War on the rocks guy is a cunt, glad I stopped my subscription https://bsky.app/profile/ryanevans.bsky.social/post/3ljaxylxzqk2p


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 1:01 PM
horizontal rule
33

I wonder what Kofman thinks


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 1:03 PM
horizontal rule
34

29: You've never been more embarrassed to be an American so far.

I stole that from Bluesky.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 3:26 PM
horizontal rule
35

So not sure the extent that this was a pre-planned ambush. Vance seemed to take the lead in really starting the insults, but that impression may just be because Trump's insults are already baked into my expectations. u tit does jive with Vance's aggressive and insulting remarks in Europe.

Is it a minor diplomatic Reichstag fire to justify completely abandoning Ukraine? Seems too machiavellian, but it may be the end result no matter what.

Zelensky's interview on Fox with Baier was more respectful than I might have expected (other than Baier asking whether Zelensky owed Trump and apology--but nothing in the other direction.).

Most shameful have been Graham (shocking I know) and Rubio going from Zelensky fanbois this morning to attacks this afternoon.

Not sure how far it goes, but I would not be surprised if by the end of this year that the official US position on Russia and Ukraine will have flipped 180 degrees and there will be aggressive DOJ investigations of any significant support for Ukraine. (Assuming they are not effectively a Belarus by then.)


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 4:26 PM
horizontal rule
36

29: Tim is going to France for a week in June, so I'm going to go, and I was looking up how to express that so that I can pre-emptively apologize. J'ai honte du gouvernment des Etats-Unis.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 4:31 PM
horizontal rule
37

NYT headlines its News "analysis" with: Zelensky, Seeking a Diplomatic Victory With Trump, Leaves With a Debacle

The president of the US and his sidekick have no agency or stakes in the outcome I guess.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 4:32 PM
horizontal rule
38

36: We have 2 weeks in Newfoundland in July. Can't blame anyone if they want to be rude and dismissive to us.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 4:35 PM
horizontal rule
39

Assuming they are not effectively a Belarus by then.)

Except for capitulation along the lines of Zelensky getting kicked out or the US redirecting military aid to Russia or its allies*, how likely is Russia to win by the end of the year. Russia kind of is hurting and they haven't even been invaded. I'm assuming no nukes are involved.

*Just kidding, I don't really believe Trump would send aid to North Korea, no matter how much he admires their leader.


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 5:31 PM
horizontal rule
40

39: Yeah. Probably right. Caught me overestimating the importance of US in the picture.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 5:40 PM
horizontal rule
41

38: Mexico for us in March. Christ.


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 6:23 PM
horizontal rule
42

You could kill a cartel guy for the reward while you are there to pay for the trip.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 6:28 PM
horizontal rule
43

41. I was just there, people were nice. I said to the checkin guy at one place that we're against Trump, he chuckled and said good. Didn't really talk to anyone local much this time, so not much of a way to gauge sentiment-- Apo mentioned picking up on some earlier, I think up north-- and I did see a fuck Trump graffito (in Merida).


Posted by: lw | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 7:46 PM
horizontal rule
44

43: Guanajuato, which is pretty much the exact middle.


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:41 PM
horizontal rule
45

People were perfectly pleasant, but graffiti started appearing and hearing it second hand. There's a big ex-pat community there, and there was some underlying tension about it driving up rents even before the recent inflation surge.


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 8:45 PM
horizontal rule
46

I hate Vance so much
https://x.com/komadovsky/status/1895526183858798972?s=46&t=nbIfRG4OrIZbaPkDOwkgxQ


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 9:18 PM
horizontal rule
47

https://bsky.app/profile/epicciuto.bsky.social/post/3ljb3jvpmms2a


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 10:11 PM
horizontal rule
48

I've been thinking that every Friday since the inauguration, the Trump administration has announced something crazy that goes beyond the daily crazy, like firing the inspector generals, or the purge of the joint chiefs. I spent some of the afternoon wondering what this week's Friday announcement was going to be and maybe it was withdrawal of support from Ukraine since it doesn't seem like anything bigger came later.


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 02-28-25 10:43 PM
horizontal rule
49

https://www.ft.com/content/2108807d-2f06-4cc4-9c83-c6485c941939

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and António Costa, president of the European Council, said: "Your dignity honours the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President Zelenskyy."


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 12:26 AM
horizontal rule
50

32: The original Never Trumper licks the boot.
The whole frame of reference is wrong. Zelenskyy isn't a head of state meeting another head of state, far less a friendly head of state. He's meeting a nepo baby cosplaying a gangster. It is wholly appropriate that a head of state treat a gangster with contempt.


Posted by: mc | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 1:45 AM
horizontal rule
51

His only mistake was talking the meeting at all.


Posted by: mc | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 2:09 AM
horizontal rule
52

In better news, Flow is a masterpiece. A joy to watch, a joy just to know it exists. I cared more about Dinosaur Whale than anyone in, to name a prestige picture at random, The Brutalist.


Posted by: mc | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 3:55 AM
horizontal rule
53

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/flow-animated-film-review


Posted by: mc | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 3:55 AM
horizontal rule
54

52 I caught it at the film festival they have here in the fall. It was great and an added bonus to watch it in a theater with a lot of kids all of whom were enraptured by it.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 4:05 AM
horizontal rule
55

It was pretty stark seeing it straight after the trailer for Disney's latest live-action retread.


Posted by: mc | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 4:33 AM
horizontal rule
56

Made in 30 year old FOS software. Incredible.


Posted by: mc | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 4:35 AM
horizontal rule
57

I'll be in Lyon and maybe I can hide my nationality if I am walking around by myself. I once had English people in an Italian park ask me tot ask their photo, and when I spoke English fluently, they told me they had thought I was Italian. (I was wearing clothes I'd bought in Italy.)

And when I was in Portugal waiting to get on a tour bus, I talked to some French people who asked me if I was French.

Tim lived in NJ and Sweden when he was young and only mi ed back to Canada when he was 4 or 5, so he has a kind of generic North American accent, so I don't think Europeans will be able to tell that he's Canadian. His brother, OTH, was born in Sweden but moved back to Canada at age 1, so he sounds more like the rest of the family, though not as midwestern as their parents who grew up in Winnipeg.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 4:53 AM
horizontal rule
58

57: "to take their photos"


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 4:54 AM
horizontal rule
59

Well, I did it! A whole day without a single purchase! It was hard, but no one said defeating fascism would be easy.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 6:24 AM
horizontal rule
60

I failed. I paid registration for a regional math conference, like a nazi.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 8:02 AM
horizontal rule
61

Guys, wrong thread.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 8:14 AM
horizontal rule
62

60, 61: Failure! But the struggle goes on!


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 8:42 AM
horizontal rule
63

||

NMM to New York Doll David Johanson aka Buster Poindexter.
What an incredible voice and stage presence he had.

|>


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 8:52 AM
horizontal rule
64

No time for a full border/immigration roundup or anything but just saw this in the Times.

The Pentagon is sending about 3,000 additional troops to the southwestern border, rushing to comply with President Trump's order to increase the military's role in stemming the flow of migrants into the country.
Armed infantry and support troops from the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson in Colorado -- one of the Army's most seasoned combat units -- are expected to deploy within days, two Pentagon officials said on Saturday, following Mr. Trump's declaration on his first day in office that U.S. military forces would confront what he called an "invasion" of migrants, drug cartels and smugglers.
Combined with 1,100 support troops from the military's Northern Command announced on Friday, and the recently arrived headquarters personnel from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., the reinforcements announced on Saturday will bring the total number of active-duty troops on the border to about 9,000, Defense Department officials said. The Washington Post reported the additional troop mobilization earlier.
This will be the second major wave of active-duty troops sent to secure the border since Mr. Trump took office on Jan. 20. About 1,600 Marines and Army soldiers arrived soon after the inauguration, joining 2,500 Army reservists called to active duty who were already there.

Posted by: lurid keyaki | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 10:18 AM
horizontal rule
65

This is an interesting interview

https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/musk-in-your-computers-an-interview

And so the most dangerous thing is just how little we know. In this case, with Marko Elez getting in there, it seems to be downloading data. For a time, I had sources right in the Bureau of the Fiscal Service office or building where he was bouncing around looking at all these very sensitive systems and my sources could see him download data. But the systems are so sensitive that even senior IT people in these places could see that Marko Elez was downloading data but couldn't see what the data was because these systems are so sensitive, even they don't have access to them.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 10:36 AM
horizontal rule
66

65: that is a really good interview-- I encourage people to read the whole thing.


Posted by: NickS | Link to this comment | 03- 1-25 7:51 PM
horizontal rule
67

65/6. Agreed. But after reading it and crying for a bit and throwing some plates at the wall, what do you do?


Posted by: chris y | Link to this comment | 03- 2-25 4:15 AM
horizontal rule
68

65: available on video too. I watched it while walking on the treadmill.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 03- 2-25 5:36 AM
horizontal rule
69

Not least among my regrets is that I have a brother called Donald and it is growing increasingly likely that, in 2030, this will be about as acceptable a name to have as Adolf or Osama.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 1:44 AM
horizontal rule
70

Whenever I meet an Osama in Arrakis or the region generally I always find myself doing an age calculation in my head.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 1:57 AM
horizontal rule
71

There might be an easy alternative for them because AFAICT Arab culture is quite accepting of nicknames? If I had the misfortune to be named Osama I would simply make it clear that I wanted to be known by my nickname from now on, "Abu Ekranoplan" or whatever.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 2:02 AM
horizontal rule
72

It's possible I've forgotten but I actually can't recall meeting one who was born after September 2001 though I've met a few who were born in the mid to late 90s and I while I still look at it a bit askance I reserve the possibility that their parents may not be total cunts.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 2:10 AM
horizontal rule
73

-I


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 2:14 AM
horizontal rule
74

They fuck you up, your pop and mama
They may not mean to but they do
They name you something like Osama
Though you were born in March '02


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 2:15 AM
horizontal rule
75

Bravo!


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 2:25 AM
horizontal rule
76

People who enjoyed A Complete Unknown may like this interview.


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 5:03 AM
horizontal rule
77

69: I like to think that no matter what Agent Krasnov does he will never eclipse the global fame of Donald Duck.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 5:27 AM
horizontal rule
78

You can have two out of three: Wear Trousers, Have the name Donald, Respect.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 5:31 AM
horizontal rule
79

78:At the risk of violating the sanctity of off - blog communication, I'm fairly certain that one our frequent commenters has all 3. I'm just guessing about the trousers.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 6:14 AM
horizontal rule
80

Apparently someone arranged for cybertrucks to be the vehicles to help run a Mardi Gras parade. Hilarity ensued.

From reddit (and you can see some videos on Bluesky:

So, I was actually one of the marshals in the cars. I was in car 3, the silver one with no wrap. Had 2 american flags flying off the back. I've been volunteering for the marshals for the past 4 years and I got assigned to cars this year (we use cars to call cross streets, respond to incidents, relieve other walkers as needed) which was super exciting because I didn't want to walk the whole parade anymore lol. We had no idea the cars this year were cybertrucks until we were assigned. First off, fuck musk. Second, let me tell you that it was boos and attacks from start to evacuation. I couldn't believe my eyes. I knew it was gonna be bad, but holy shit. The people in charge were telling us to get out and stop people from crowding the trucks, and we all said "I'm not stepping foot out of this thing, they'll think I'm apart of this and attack me". The drivers were blasting music to "drown out the boos" and they were defending Elon the whole time to me (they knew why they were being attacked, but "What? They don't like Elon finding waste?") Had to flag down a cop to let them exit on gravier, and I hopped out at Annunciation. They went off to metairie to all meet up and go back home. Definitely one of the most memorable mardis gras for me, and I was hiding a smile the whole time.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 6:31 AM
horizontal rule
81

79: I'm talking about some years in the future. I think this will result in an end to the centuries-long dominance of trousers in men's wear.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 03- 4-25 6:40 AM
horizontal rule