I Did Not See That Coming

 Is this "Peter Thiel goes to where his kind eventually do" or " "Peter Thiel realizes he has planted the seeds of society's destruction and is getting out while he can."

Over the past two months, Mr. Thiel has met with the country’s president, Javier Milei, and his ministers; purchased a mansion in one of Buenos Aires’ most exclusive neighborhoods; and hosted a dinner with local economists where he discussed the Antichrist, one of his favorite conversation topics, according to Argentine officials and people familiar with Mr. Thiel’s activities.

Mr. Thiel, who has a history of collecting backup countries as he hedges his bets against the United States, is considering making Argentina another Plan B, according to two people familiar with his thinking. Born in Germany and raised in the United States, he received citizenship in New Zealand in 2011, and applied for a passport in Malta in 2022.

Boom Boom

Once upon a time I wouldn't laugh at rockets blowing up, but I sometimes do now given the hubris of our billionaire dickhead overlords.

A rocket made by the company Blue Origin exploded on its launch pad in Florida during a test.

Footage shows the rocket bursting into a massive ball of fire, engulfing the area around it. 

Don't worry this was still a great success as they collected lots of data (this is what Musk's crew says every time one of his blows up). 

At Least The War Is Over

That's "nucular shit," Mr. Vice President.

Almost finished with the divorce details. Just going back and forth the "money stuff."

Morning

Feral Friday

Thursday Evening

 Enjoy

Go For It

I think shutting down international air travel to several major cities would be hilarious.

Afternoon

Busy with stuff

Grok, Can You Tell Me How To Make Money With You

I guarantee every AI psychosis-inflicted tech CEO spends all night talking to their favorite chatbot, begging it to tell them how to make money.

More worrying is that I have had friends who I wouldn't think are especially susceptible tell me about the things they question ChatGPT about and... we might just be cooked.

"Accused"

Is nothing ever resolved, Glenn Thrush?

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the 82-year-old former magazine writer who accused Donald J. Trump of sexual assault, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation.

Ok next paragraph.

Ms. Carroll won a $5 million civil judgment against Mr. Trump that he had sexually abused and defamed her, which the president last November asked the Supreme Court to overturn. She also won a $83.3 million civil judgment against him in another defamation case.

Then back again, later: 

Ms. Carroll’s accusations are among the most severe leveled against the president, and he has long sought to demean and discredit her.

Thriving Community

I do not get the craving for bunker life, or the belief that you could survive "armageddon" for very long even with the best preparation.

There are 575 of them, clustered on a former munitions depot near South Dakota’s Black Hills and billed as “The Largest Survival Community on Earth.” The pitch: Ride out nuclear war, the next pandemic or societal collapse in relative comfort.

Yet for many residents, the dream has soured. The threat hasn’t come from Armageddon, but from friction that resembles a suburban homeowners’ association battle.

Lawsuits, countersuits and disputes are piling up over septic systems, property taxes, off-leash dogs and a growing list of community rules. The legal skirmishing has reached the state supreme court—twice. Promised amenities, including a restaurant bunker, a pool bunker and a horse-stable bunker, have yet to materialize. Guns have been drawn, and there have been offers to settle things with fists. The developer denies wrongdoing and says complaints come from a few malcontents.

This is the problem:

 “My vision is to see xPoint become a thriving community of people who want safety in this increasingly crazy world we live in,” Dante Vicino said. He noted that about a third of the units were leased and a few dozen occupied full-time. “The lawsuits have been a real pain, but we’re not set back at all,” he said.

You are marketing to people who fundamentally reject community! What do you expect is going to happen? 

Sure Why Not

 

Morning

Thankless Thursday.

Happy Hour

Get happy

Manifesting

He keeps trying.

⁠US ⁠President Donald Trump says ⁠the Strait of ⁠Hormuz will be open to everyone and not controlled ‌by any country under any deal reached with Iran, adding there were no discussions about easing sanctions on Tehran.

Absolutely Fab

Greatest 250th ever.

An eclectic mix of entertainers is poised to join a massive bash on the National Mall marking America’s 250th birthday, which is being billed as a “once-in-a-generation celebration.”

Country music star Martina McBride, rappers Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice, “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” singers C+C Music Factory and rocker Bret Michaels are among the artists slated to perform at the Great American State Fair, organizers announced Wednesday.

...

Other performers include “Brick House” funk band the Commodores, rapper Young MC, pop duo Milli Vanilli and R&B group Morris Day and the Time, with additional artists to be announced.

Duo?

I do find it quite incredible that even the MAGA faithful can't pretend the 250th is gonna be a major thing. A few years ago I imagined it would be. 

When's The Last Time You Had A Three Hour Medical Exam

I'm not saying that means It's about to happen, but most of us never get this!

The 79-year-old president spent more than three hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for what the White House described as preventive medical and dental checkups. It was Trump’s fourth publicly disclosed medical exam since he returned to office for a second term, and it comes as he tries to project strength ahead of midterm elections that will test his sway with voters.

In a social media post after the visit, Trump said that he had just finished his “6 month physical” and that “Everything checked out PERFECTLY.”

Certainly not if otherwise healthy! Not including "sitting endless in the waiting room" of course.

Retiring Thom Tillis Has A Point Here

No you still don't have to hand it to him.

Senator Thom Tillis, a retiring Republican from North Carolina, is among those who appear increasingly unshackled. He mocked Mr. Paxton’s troubled past over the weekend on CNN in colorful fashion, invoking a comparison to a cannibalistic serial killer. “To call Paxton ethically challenged is to call Jeffrey Dahmer suffering from an eating disorder,” Mr. Tillis said. “This guy is an empty suit.”

No Fair Remembering Yesterday

You are supposed to wake up each day anew, assuming good faith communications from the Trumpers. Like American journalists do!

Hours earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Washington of committing a “blatant violation” of the shaky ceasefire reached on April 8 by attacking the southern province of Hormozgan on Monday night. It added that the strikes validated the “deep suspicion” Iran harboured towards the US.

Bye Cornyn

Trump doesn't have many endearing qualities, but one is his relentless joy punishing the people who are 99.99% sycophants instead of 100%.

Trump might be unpopular, but he still rules the kind of people who vote in Republican primaries. And Ken Paxton is the perfect contemporary Republican.

I don't put any confidence in Dems winning statewide anything Texas, and I'll probably annoyed at all the money wasted on a doomed effort, but I suppose I could be wrong!

Happy Hour

Get happy