Open Thread

What’s on your mind?

Comments

[not guilty]

It seems that Ka$h Patel, Director of the FBI, has dedicated himself to the promotion of life, liberty and the pursuit of poontang at government expense. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/us/politics/kash-patel-girlfriend-fbi-protection.html

Well, maybe not life and liberty so much.

[Mr. Bumble]

Paywalled but would bet this is the typical happy horseshit NYT story with no one on the record.

Poontang, is there anything it can't do?

[Martinned]

Stay classy!

[Mr. Bumble]

Of course you meant that for not guilty.

[Martinned]

No, I meant that for the person who used the word "poontang".

[Mr. Bumble]

not guilty 1 hour ago
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Mute User

It seems that Ka$h Patel, Director of the FBI, has dedicated himself to the promotion of life, liberty and the pursuit of poontang at government expense.

[Martinned]

Have you been listening to Andrew Tate too much? Or one of the millions of other online entrepreneurs who target incels with misogynist content?

[TwelveInchPianist]

Meant for not guilty?

[grb]

The substance is readily available from dozens of non-paywalled sources, Bumble, if you have the stomach to go look. Among the items, Patel assigned an elite FBI SWAT team to watch over his honey. The agents normally operate out of the Bureau's Nashville office and are meant to be on call for major incidents such as mass shootings or terrorist attacks. Apparently doting after Patel's main squeeze also falls under their job description.

Plus there's Patel taking the FBI's 60mil dollar plan to Pennsylvania to watch his lovey-dovey sing, then giving her a ride on same back to Tennessee. But what do you expect? Patel was given the job heading the nation's premier law enforcement agency because he's a sleazy little two-bit hustler, not in spite of it. I'm guessing when Trump heard Patel was hawking "anti-vaxx" pills to all the dupes, chumps and marks stupid enuff to be scammed, that sealed the deal.

“Mrna detox, reverse the vaxx n get healthy,” Patel wrote in one post. “Spike the Vax, order this homerun kit to rid your body of the harms of the vax,” he wrote in another. I'm betting Trump read that gibberish and his tiny little heart glowed with warmth. There's nothing DJT loves more than a fellow criminal, no matter how small and petty.

[Mr. Bumble]

"The substance is readily available from dozens of non-paywalled sources,..."
If so, and you are aware of them, why not provide even one of the "dozens"?
Given the history of FBI directors, Patel is no better or worse than his predecessors.

[grb]

https://people.com/fbis-kash-patel-faces-criticism-for-girlfriend-alexis-wilkins-swat-protection-11855358

[grb]

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/kash-patel-alexis-wilkins-protection-fbi-b2870881.html

[grb]

https://nypost.com/2025/11/17/us-news/kash-patels-girlfriend-gets-protective-detail-from-elite-fbi-swat-team/

[grb]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2025/11/17/kash-patels-girlfriend-has-an-fbi-security-detail-report-says/

[Mr. Bumble]

Thanks.
As I said above, he's no better or worse than his predecessors.

[Martinned]

Isn't he, though?

[grb]

So I'm late in the office, trying to wrap-up my backlog as prelude to taking the next week off. And I discover someone else is burning the midnight oil aside from me & NG (and Bumble) - our President! Via the torpor of his mind and busy little thumbs, this:

"Despite the massive amount of money being made by the United States of America, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, as a direct result of Tariffs being charged to other countries, the full benefit of the Tariffs has not yet been calculated in that many of the buyers of goods and products, in order to avoid paying the Tariffs in the short term, “STOCK UP” by purchasing far more inventory than they can use in order to avoid Tariff payments in the short term. That heavy inventory purchase is now, however, wearing thin, and soon Tariffs will be paid on everything they apply to, without avoidance, and the amounts payable to the USA will SKYROCKET, over and above the already historic levels of dollars received. These payments will be RECORD SETTING, and put our Nation on a new and unprecedented course. We are already the “hottest” Country anywhere in the World, but this Tariff POWER will bring America National Security and Wealth the likes of which has never been seen before. Those opposing us are serving hostile foreign interests that are not aligned with the success, safety and prosperity of the USA. They couldn’t care less about us. I look so much forward to the United States Supreme Court’s decision on this urgent and time sensitive matter so that we can continue, in an uninterrupted manner to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Thank you for your attention to this matter! President"

Kinda boggles the mind, doesn't it? Upon reading it, the first question is whether the addled old halfwit has a single ounce of functioning grey matter left in his skull.

The second question is the same, but asked of his followers.

[grb]

I started to quote RFK Jr's sext to Olivia Nuzzi, but stopped. Near as I can tell, this forum has a PG rating, the complete lack of parental guidance notwithstanding. However if you absolutely must see't, a link is provided below. Suffice it to say, Jr's brain worm must have been exceptionally busy before he (RFK) sent "send".

https://nypost.com/2025/11/22/us-news/ryan-lizza-reveals-raunchy-poem-rfk-jr-allegedly-sent-his-then-fiancee-olivia-nuzzi/

[Mr. Bumble]

"allegedly" is there a more worn out word?

[Kazinski]

I thought we didn't care anymore about what consenting adults do with each other.

[Martinned]

Since we were talking about the elements of the crime of genocide the other day, I can recommend this analysis of the Swedish judgment on the Yazidi genocide: https://www.ejiltalk.org/intent-to-destroy-reflections-on-the-swedish-yazidi-genocide-case/

[Mr. Bumble]

Certainly crimes were committed, but genocide?

[Martinned]

If only there was some kind of process to decide which crimes had been committed!

[TwelveInchPianist]

Then, as members of a democratic society, we would be able to question that process, which appears to be what's happening.

[darkknight9]

What's on my mind? I've never been outside the US but lately have wondered what kind of traffic controls you have at borders between nations when each nation drives on different sides of the roads? I was making a lowenbrau joke about it being an insurance adjusters worst nightmare but now I'm genuinely curious.

[Mr. Bumble]

Seems like the largest nations that drive on the "wrong side" of the road are islands.

[Kazinski]

Its not too bad, best way is to use traffic lights. Or an overpass.

The only left/right border I am familiar Is Cambodia and Thailand, and they have to stop at both sides for exit permissions, then stop again for entry and customs inspection, so its not like anyone is going anywhere in a hurry.

But there aren't many left hand drive countries where there are land borders, nobody drives to Japan, UK, Australia, or Indonesia. That leaves just south asia, and southern and eastern Africa where driving is a shitshow anyway.

[gVOR08]

There’s a WIKI page on Dagen H, H Day, the day in 1967 when Sweden switched from driving on the left to driving on the right. Doesn’t say much about the border crossings with Norway and Finland, who drove on the right. Did say before the switch there were a lot of head on collisions on two lane roads because most cars were left hand drive and people couldn’t see to pass.

Back in the days of manual transmissions there was a line about Americans driving in Britain - no matter how much you focus on driving on the left, sooner or later you will attempt to shift with the window crank, and when you do you will look down and momentarily panic when you look back up.

[Kazinski]

I haven't driven a car in a left hand drive country but I have driven a motorcycle in Thailand, its not so bad when there is other traffic you are following, but when there is other no other traffic about the first half dozen right hand turns I made I ended up driving on the wrong side of the road.

[Martinned]

Right-hand drive country, presumably? The US is left-hand drive.

[Martinned]

Broadly speaking, there are no major land border crossings between countries that drive on different sides of the roads. That's why the Swedes changed to driving on the right in the 1960s, and why Suriname drives on the left. (It has a road to Guyana but not to French Guyana or Brazil.)

The borders of former British India with the surrounding countries are generally high in the Himalayas, Hindu Kush, or desert. Not a lot of people drive from the former British colonies in southern and eastern Africa into the rest of Africa either. Etc.

[Martinned]

But sure, here is a border crossing between Tanzania (drives on the left) and Rwanda (drives on the right). Just on the Rwanda side there's a switch-over: https://www.google.nl/maps/place/Rusumo+International+Bridge/@-2.3825773,30.7815113,311m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x1771a69f6499f945:0x874155ce43014549!2sUganda!3b1!8m2!3d1.373333!4d32.290275!16zL20vMDd0cDI!3m5!1s0x19c4ddf371cf330f:0x2bab4ff6505d7c3e!8m2!3d-2.3821053!4d30.7831889!16s%2Fm%2F0rpfzb4!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

[Martinned]

Have we figured out yet whether President Trump's 28-point peace plan for Ukraine is a US plan? (Or indeed whether it's a plan at all, or only a pathway towards a plan?)

[Martinned]

Speaking of which, here is the point-by-point EU/Ukraine counter-proposal: https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/full-text-european-counter-proposal-us-ukraine-peace-plan-2025-11-23/

[Martinned]

The acquisition of cloud company Solvinity, which hosts a lot of key Dutch government functions, by IBM-spin off Kyndryl has now been notified at the competition authority:

https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2025-40490.html

The Dutch government recently put its foot down vis-à-vis the Chinese, by seizing control of Nexperia. It will be interesting to see whether the Americans get the same treatment.

[grb]

When Trump "negotiated" the Doha Agreement with the Taliban, the mullahs must have thought they died and went to heaven, 72 virgins and all. Strictly speaking, the Taliban doesn't celebrate Christmas, but after concession following concession following concession, the deal they were gifted must have looked like Xmas Morning to them. And they didn't have to do anything! All Trump "demanded" was a few milquetoast promises and I bet he got down on his knees and asked "please" first. Poor Neville Chamberlain must have spun wildly in his grave. Appeasement had a new definition.

So this Ukraine business is hardly surprising. Trump wants a headline and will give away the store to get it. That this finely wrapped gift is to his beloved Daddy, Putin, is just icing on the cake. (You kinda know when Putin & Trump have their intimate moments together, it's the former pulling the hair and slapping the ass).

But knowing all that, the incompetence of this kindergarten-grade shitshow is still astonishing. You have Trump saying this deal is the carefully calculated and calibrated output of his Nobel-worthy mind. (have you heard he had an uncle who taught at MIT?).

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Rubio is telling Senators the entire "plan" is simply a wish list handed to Trump by the Russians. Now, I'm betting his supporters don't care a bit. Trump is being Trump, they giggle while waiting for more lib-owning viewing pleasure. As long as they're entertained, Trump can bungle, lie, cheat, and steal.

But the rest of the world sees a banana-republic-grade buffoon leading what was once the former Leader of the Free World.

[Martinned]

Haven't you heard? It's Biden who abandoned the people of Afghanistan to their fate.

At the same time, of course, Afghanistan is a perfectly safe country that the Regime can deport people to whenever it pleases.

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/05/12/dhs-terminating-temporary-protected-status-afghanistan

[Mr. Bumble]

"It's Biden who abandoned the people of Afghanistan to their fate."
...and it was. Even you sometimes get things right.

[grb]

By the time Biden took office, Trump had :

1. Withdrawn all U.S. forces but a small skeletal force.
2. Abandoned most U.S. Military bases.
3. Set strict limits on when U.S. air power could be used against the Taliban.

According to the agreement, U.S. military aircraft couldn't attack Taliban groups waiting more than 500 meters away. They couldn't attack the Taliban within that range if the mullahs stopped firing on Afghan government troops. In the 45 days after the agreement, the Taliban conducted more than 4,500 attacks in Afghanistan, an increase of more than 70% compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. More than 900 Afghan security forces were killed, up from about 520 in the same period a year earlier.

Meanwhile, because of a significant reduction in the number of offensives and airstrikes by Afghan and U.S. forces against the Taliban, Taliban casualties dropped to 610 in the period down from about 1,660 in the same period a year earlier. But back to Trump's Neville Special:

4. Released 5000 Taliban fighters being held by the government.
5. Pledged total withdrawal of U.S. forces less than a year into the following presidential term.
6. Promised the end of all U.S. sanctions.
7. Promised to push the UN to lift their sanctions too.

Less than four months after Trump's "deal", Afghanistan reported its "bloodiest week in 19 years". 291 government soldiers were killed and 550 others wounded in 422 attacks carried out by the Taliban. At least 42 civilians, including women and children, were murdered, with another 105 wounded by the Taliban across 18 provinces. They also kidnapped 60 civilians in the central province of Daykundi. That was just one week of post-Neville-Chamberlain appeasement.

Biden inherited a tiny remnant force, effectively held hostage to the deal Trump inked. When he delayed the last scheduled pull-out, who do you think thundered criticism down on his head? That's right : Trump. He demanded Biden finish the withdrawal immediately.

[Mr. Bumble]

You'll never get any work done at this rate.

[grb]

This is true. Out.

[Martinned]

By the way, you may want to look out for a major international incident that is about to kick off:

URGENT

Two days ago I was contacted by a high-ranking employee of the French Government. After determining this person’s position and proximity to the French couple, I have deemed the information they gave me to be credible enough to share publicly in the event that something happens.
In short, this person claims that the Macrons have executed upon and paid for my assassination. Yes, you read that correctly. More specifically, that the green light was given to a small team in National Gendamaries Intervention Group. I am told there is one Israeli that is on this assasanation squad and the plans were formalized.
Again, this person provided concrete proof that they are well placed within the French government apparatus.
Further to this point, this person claims that Charlie Kirk’s assassin trained with the French legion 13th brigade with multi-state involvement. Journalist Xavier Poussard’s life is also at risk. This is deadly serious. The head of state of France apparently wants us both dead and has authorized professional units to carry this out.
I ask that every person RETWEET and share this.
I do not know who in the American government can be trusted, since this source claims our leaders are aware. But I have more specific information which is definitively verifiable, should they care to reach out to me.
To the brave official in France who did this because they were so moved by the evil of Charlie’s public execution to risk their own life—May God bless you. Truly.

Let all be revealed.

Signed: Candace Owens

[Mr. Bumble]

Who is nuttier, Owens for making the claim or you for playing Enquirer and posting it?
Will space lasers be involved?