I woke up to the first morning in March and the news about the big takeout in Iran. I’m not a big fan of regime change wars, but Iran has been a worldwide threat for decades, and sadly, the USA has enabled its terrorism. With the leadership now dismantled, it’s on the Iranian citizens to stop being victims and stand up for their freedom. The clips I saw of the people in the streets in Iran celebrating Khamenei’s death were telling. Just like the outraged American leftists protesting this bold move that may lead to a more peaceful Middle East, they have shown where they stand in opposition to freedom, peace, and human rights. We shall see what happens next.
An oldie but goodie:
Meanwhile, life goes on in my little piece of paradise, such as it is.
Decay Dance:
In the afternoon, I practiced darts and threw halfway decent, but I wasn’t feeling the Saturday tourney at Alley Cats. Instead, we made our way out to Cheap Charlies.
We decided to try somewhere we seldom visit next. Our first option was Cyclone Bar, but before we even got to the door, we could hear the crap music blaring. That was a good reminder of why we stopped going there. So we ventured further up the highway and popped into Nipsey’s Bar. We were the only customers, but the girls on stage stood up and went through the dance motions as we sat down. The music was shit, but I am more tolerant when young gals are movin’ to the beat of songs they know. And then the thought occurred to me that the music genre shouldn’t matter to a dancer. I called the waitress over and asked if I could request a song, and my request was granted. I had them play the Glenn Miller classic, “In the Mood.” That song is even older than I am. I couldn’t resist dragging Swan up from her seat and doing a little swing dancing with her. The gals on stage seemed to enjoy watching, too. After my requested song was done, the playlist reverted to some classics from the ’50s and ’60s, and I was really enjoying the vibe. And then a couple of the gals on the dance stage tried their hand at swing dancing and did a nice job of it. Naturally, they earned a tip!
We did our nightcap at Queen Victoria, and they actually had some customers. I guess they are doing something right. I even got comped a beer for the first time there. A nice way to end our Saturday night.
And now, from the October 2017 LTG archives, is the post entitled “FUCK ME!” Yeah, one day into my new “love” affair, I got fucked good and hard. At least I didn’t have to wait seven years to get screwed, as I did in my previous relationship. And for those who might be interested in the epilogue, after years of no contact, on a whim, I sent Loraine an email a few weeks ago to see how she was doing. I was a little surprised she bothered to respond, but she told me she is doing well. She and Kev are still together, but he’s living in the UK and can’t yet afford to retire in the Philippines. Also, Loraine’s annulment still hasn’t been granted, so the marriage Kev promised hasn’t happened. She chose the path she considered best for her, and I wish her a happy life. Things turned out okay for me in the end.
Today’s YouTube video is the story of another man’s unhappy ending in the Philippines. As is the case in most of these sad tales, stupid choices lead to bad outcomes. Obviously, avoiding the quagmire of the Philippine “justice” system should be everyone’s primary goal, but sometimes shit happens.
And now for the happy ending:
And that’s all he wrote. For today anyway.
Swan is the Godmother of that little girl. When she was a newborn, her mother, whom we’d met while walking, asked Swan to be the Godmother ($$$).
Spot the errors! Hint: See here and scroll down a bit.
Sorry you ride on Earth was so short.
Spot the error! And that funeral service’s name seems morbidly appropriate. Can you go to these places and give them what text you want to appear on your banner, along with a strong request for no typos, please?
So we ventured further up the highway and popped into Nipsey’s Bar.
farther vs. further
The AI summary is correct.
Well, I’ll try to remember that.
How about HOMES as a mnemonic?
Huron
Ontario
Michigan
Erie
Superior
“Huron’s basically Ontario, mate, and Michigan’s eerie but superior.”
That may be the most wholesome dancing-girl story I’ve read on this blog.
Re: Iran
I think things had to change there, but it wasn’t too long ago that our current president was tweeting about bad it was that other presidents were wanting to invade Iran just to get reelected. (But if he is a member of your tribe, all is good. LOL. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.))
Re:Video
Yeah I agree, a lot of bad choices on that guys part and we are only hearing one side of the story. A couple of things that caught my attention.
He said at the beginning was something along the lines of “tolerance of foreigners has decreased”. Much of it is probably because there is a significant minority of foreigners that are a**holes. The term, Ugly American, is a stereotype for a reason. Unfortunate that a few ruin it for the rest.
Secondly, he mentions that the PI does not seem to be keeping up with the rest of SE Asia. Though I have not been to the PI, from my readings and visiting of other SEA countries, this does seem to be the case. And it is probably self inflicted by the Filipinos themselves.
Brian, what’s taking place in Iran certainly isn’t about American politics. Trump will not be re-elected. He saw a threat and diminished it. Now it is up to the Iranian people to exert their will if they desire freedom.
Regarding that vlogger, I have certainly witnessed no evidence that “tolerance for foreigners has decreased.” At least in my neck of the woods, we are still appreciated and treated with respect. But yeah, the fuck ups get what they have coming. As for the keeping up with the rest of SE Asia claim, I might have missed the context of his message. The PI has always lagging in infrastructure compared to places like Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. The corruption is as rife as ever, and the ignorance and inefficiencies abound. I’m not seeing that as falling behind, just more of the same old, same old.
Kevin, you know it is not uncommon for me to use improper nouns. That sentence about the godmother felt off when I wrote it, but not about the capitalization issue. Now I see it was wrong on so many levels. Here’s my do-over:
“Swan is the godmother of that little girl. As a newborn, the baby’s mother, whom we’d only recently met while walking, asked Swan to be the godmother ($$$).”
As for the other error, upon further review, I missed the typo when I wrote “you” instead of “your.” I guess I was right to capitalize “Earth” based on the PTOSP on nouns you linked.
Breathless is a great name for a funeral parlor. I’m sure the clients can have whatever they want on the banner, but typos are free of charge!
That’s a Great mnemonic for Lakes, although my feeble brain couldn’t memorize that either.
Re: Iran
I get what you are saying, and I do agree that something had to be done. I just find it funny that President Trump (and his acolytes) was bashing other presidents when there was talk about invading or bombing Iran. But when he does it, all is good and righteous.
I am fed up with both sides. I find it hard to stomach when either side tries to claim some sort of moral superiority over the other. Both are morally bankrupt IMO.
The US needs a centrist third party. The fanatical ~20% on either end seem to drive the conversation, AND seem to have an outsized voice in the primaries, so a lot of candidates make it to the general election who have no business being there. The middle 60% shake their heads in disgust and end up voting not FOR a candidate but AGAINST the other candidate. Unfortunately, the system is such that a it is difficult or almost impossible for a third party to make any headway.
Rant over. LOL
Brian, I don’t disagree that these days it is more about voting AGAINST someone than it is about supporting a candidate. I recall when it was Hillary versus Trump, I was thinking, “Who are you gonna choose, the crook or the clown?” I went with the clown and have been pleasantly surprised at his competence.
I’m curious, what do you consider the extreme positions on the right?
Banning abortion in all cases. I think that is extreme.
Pushing gun rights at all costs. I dont get it. (Some) people say that the right to bear arms is written in the constitution and nothing can take that away. Well, my reply is that it has and can be interpreted differently. For example, I cannot go out and buy a RPG launcher. Ditto for a nuclear bomb. Does that infringe upon my right to bear arms? I am pretty sure that the writers of the constitution did not imagine the weaponry that exists today. For example, Free speech is not absolute. I dont think that anyone argues with that. You can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded movie theater just to see how people would react. You would get arrested.
Arresting people based on the color of their skin. To whit, the recent ICE actions. Detaining people solely based on the fact that they look foreign. I am 100% all in on stopping illegal immigration. But it has gone too far. How would you feel if you were still married and in SC, and your wife was stopped on the street. Not perfect English, looks foreign……. How would you feel if the PI immigration police rounded up all foreigners in Barretto because they are white and possibly there illegally?
Maybe not extreme (but in my mind it is), all the stupid shit he is doing with tariffs. A lot of them are because some foreign leader doesn’t lick his boots, so Trump gets his undies in a bunch and says he is going to put a tariff on that country.
Trump had the opportunity to be one of the better presidents, but he has failed miserably. I have been tracking 15 economic parameters (inflation, GDP, trade balance, # of federal workers, etc.) and 18 months since he won the election, the overall economy is certainly no better than it was under Biden, and in many cases, worse. “Let’s bring jobs back to the US!!!!” Will a US worker making Nike shoes be satisfied with $5/hr? Nah, we have to pay them $40/hr. Now, the $100 shoes are $250.
Foreign relations – do you really think that the US is stronger internationally and has better relations worldwide than 2 years ago? China is stepping into the void created by the US pulling back and the way we have disparaged our allies.
Anyway, I think he is a horrible human being. I wouldn’t let any female I know within 10 miles of him. And yes, that does matter when you are asking someone to be president of the US. People just say, “oh, that is just Trump being Trump.” Call me naive or living in a fantasy world, but holy shit, accepting that the way he acts is okay just boggles my mind. Dont think that would have flown in your or my workplace.
Okay, now rant is really over! LOL
What do you think are the positive things he has done in the last 18 months?
shutting down the border? check
?????
Brian, I consider myself more or less a moderate, but the more extreme the lefties get, the righter I am. Based on this response, you are left of me on the spectrum.
Abortion: Once the fetus can sustain life outside the womb, it has a right to life. It’s the woman’s call until that point. I’d favor an arbitrary law banning abortion after 90 days unless the mother’s life were in danger.
Trump’s accomplishments thus far: Securing the borders, deporting illegals, identifying fraud, waste, and abuse, reducing government bureaucracies, standing up for America’s interests on the world stage, freeing the people of Venezuela from cartel leadership, working on freeing Iranians, and maybe even Cubans soon.
Anyway, I’m getting what I voted for. If you think Kamala was a better choice, we’d best agree to disagree. Neither of us is going to change our minds.
Enforcement of immigration laws: Sorry, we are on opposite sides of this issue. And it has nothing to do with skin color; it is about being here illegally. So-called sanctuary states and cities exacerbate the enforcement problem. I’d love to see all the criminal aliens rounded up and shipped out.
Gun rights: The founders knew that an armed population was a means of preventing tyranny. I am adamant in maintaining my right to keep and bear arms. No one has argued that right includes weapons of mass destruction. The government should focus on disarming criminals, not law-abiding citizens. Its failure to do so speaks volumes. If Jee Yeun were stopped in SC, she’d whip out her Green Card. The Philippines doesn’t fuck around when it comes to immigration enforcement. The stick you in a crowded jail cell for months until they get around to deportation. Follow the rules, and you have nothing to worry about. This isn’t a race thing.
Free speech: As we witnessed during COVID, the government’s attempts to silence critics and people with opposing views were chilling. Saying masks are worthless and lockdowns are an illegal infringement does not equate to yelling “fire” in a theatre.
I love the tariffs! The USA has been getting fucked for ages, now it is our turn to say, America first, fuck yeah!
As for foreign relations, we are no longer the world’s footstool. I totally disagree with you on China. They are in a weaker position on the world stage thanks to us having an aggressive president.
Sorry, if you honestly believe we were better off economically under Biden, I can only shake my head and say, seriously?
I’m not a fan of Trump the man and wish he’d tone down his rhetoric, but his actions speak louder than words, and the results speak for themselves. And at least Trump never molested his daughter in the shower.
I think I am a moderate in the way of a George Bush Sr. or a Clinton democrat. Dont know if I was ever a Republican or a Democrat, but as friend who has been a lifelong Republican told me, “I did not leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left me.” I find it ironic that President Reagan is put on a pedestal by alot of current republicans, including Trump, but Reagan’s republican party and platform looks nothing like the current iteration of the republican party. (Free trade comes to mind but there are tons of other policy platforms that are different.)
Anyway, to address some of your points.
Abortion – agree with you
Securing the borders/deporting illegals – agree
>identifying fraud, waste, and abuse, reducing government bureaucracies,
You’ve got to be kidding me. The number of federal workers has INCREASED in Trump took office. Government spending is higher under the Trump administration vs. a similar point in the Biden administration. As to fraud, just do an internet search on what has occurred under Trump. (Trump coins, Truth social, Jared Kusher (son in law) getting a $2B investment from the Saudis for his investment fund even though he has never run an investment fund before). Just to name a few. Always just done real estate.
>standing up for America’s interests on the world stage, freeing the people of Venezuela from cartel leadership, working on freeing Iranians, and maybe even Cubans soon.
I actually agree with this. I am more of a globalist than a nationalist. But I do find it ironic that he campaigned about getting the US out of foreign wars and conflicts, reducing military involvement abroad. And his supporters were all on board with this. Now, they are all on board with the opposite. Just proves to me that he has cultivated a cult of personality and whatever he says, regardless if it is 180 degrees earlier statements, is embraced by his followers.
>I love the tariffs!
You do know that tariffs are paid once the goods cross into the US, so the importer is responsible for paying it? I fail to see how tariffs work in the way Trump expects them to. I am an engineer, so I like numbers. The trade deficit has INCREASED slightly since President Trump took office.
>Enforcement of immigration laws:
I dont think we are on opposite sides. I am very much in favor of enforcement but also welcome legal immigrants. My concern is that there have been a number of cases recently where US citizens/green card holders have been picked up and detained for some period of time simply because they did not look american. I know I dont walk around the US carrying my passport/birth certificate, etc.
>Gun rights:
So you do agree that there are (or should be) limits and what is acceptable for private citizens to have? What is that limit and how is it determined? Is an AR-15 with a bump stock capable of firing 150 rounds/minute okay, while an RPG that can fire maybe one round a minute bad?
>As for foreign relations…..
We will have to agree to disagree. LOL I just dont think we are in a better position internationally vs. 10, 15, 20 years ago. For example, Trump gets pissed at Canada for some perceived slight, increases tariffs, etc. Well, Canada signs a deal to allow importation of Chinese made vehicles. Who will ultimately be hurt by this? Canadians? US automakers?
>Sorry, if you honestly believe we were better off economically under Biden, I can only shake my head and say, seriously?
As I said, I am a numbers guy. Show me the numbers. Infllation? Unemployment? GDP? Manufacturing demand? Trade balance? Retail sales? Consumer confidence? Industrial production? As I mentioned earlier, I have been tracking these, plus others, and the numbers just don’t back up that the economy is better under Trump.
>And at least Trump never molested his daughter in the shower.
Are you sure? LOL He has called his daughter a “hot piece of ass”. #eek
Trump is a very very very good cheerleader and has done a good job fostering a cult of personality around him. I remember he accurately predicted that he could shoot someone on 5th Ave. in New York and none of his supporters would care.
Anyway, interesting discussion. It is always good to stretch the brain a bit. I think we are probably closer on a lot of subjects than we both think. If we ever have the chance to meet again in person, we will have to solve the world’s (and US) problems over a beer or three. LOL
Cheers!
Brian, I’m not sure of your sources, but this article (one of many) says there has been a 12% reduction in the federal workforce under Trump.
Tariffs may bring manufacturing and jobs back to the USA, or at a minimum, provide leverage in negotiations.
Anyway, you are right, the conversation is better made over a beer or three. I know things are better now than they were and better than they would have been with an ignoramus like Harris in the White House. Still, I’m glad we are not as far apart on most issues as I feared we might be.
I stand corrected on the federal workforce. #thumbs up on Trumps work in getting this done.
But, other economic data, mainly drawn from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, (https://fred.stlouisfed.org) shows quantitatively (not qualitatively) that the economy is about the same as under President Biden in summer 2024. Your perception may be that it is better, but the reality does not back it up. President Trump is a fantastic cheerleader and has so far convinced people that perception > reality.
Biden ran into the same problem in 2024. Qualitative economic data was not that bad, but the perception was the economy was in bad shape. Biden has nowhere close to the personal magnetism that Trump has and the Republicans were very good about shaping the perception in their favor.
Actually, Trump is running into a bit of the same problem right now. People are complaining about “affordability” of things, especially groceries. Republicans keep trying to hammer that things are not that bad, but there is a growing “perception” (true or otherwise) that the economy is not that good.
It will be interesting how the 2026 midterms go. My prediction (based on absolutely nothing! LOL) is that the Republicans will keep the majority in the Senate, but lose the House badly. That is not a bad thing, as studies have shown that the US government functions most effectively when no one party has control of the House, Senate and Presidency. Better to be a bit divided – forces the sides to work together.
Thought this was funny. LOL
“Trump warned me that if I voted for Kamala Harris we’d have higher prices and a government-run economy at home and new wars abroad, and I voted for Harris and that’s exactly what we got.”
Brian, yeah, it’s a shame that gas prices are down and employment is up.
Don’t mean to be a prick, but US unemployment is actually up since the election.
End Oct 24 = 4.1%
End Jan 26 = 4.4%
https://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-unemployment-rate.htm
Perception is what drives voters. I am guilty of it as much as the next guy. I do try and look past that, but it can be hard.