I think this is only partly about the need to keep the value of commercial real estate inflated.

I think there’s a more fundamental psychological motivation.

The illusion that the C-suite actually contributes value sufficient to arguably justify their obscene salaries depends in large part on them sitting in offices at the top of a building full of workers.

If the building is not full of workers, that threatens the illusion.

Behind closed doors, the consensus has been that other countries don’t want to get dragged into the current war in accordance with NATO mutual defense agreements.

But since Trump insists that he can end the war, that’s obviously not a consideration for him - by his claims, there will be nothing more standing in the way of Ukraine membership in NATO.

Which makes this announcement that much more significant - essentially what he’s saying is that even after the main obstacle to Ukraine membership has been eliminated, the US will oppose it.

Why?

Because… no, Trump is not Putin’s puppet. He’s something even worse - a cringing sycophant, desperate for affirmation from his strongman idol.

psychopath /sī′kə-păth″/

noun

1. A person who engages repeatedly in criminal and antisocial behavior without remorse or empathy for those victimized.

2. A person with a personality disorder indicated by a pattern of lying, cunning, manipulating, glibness, exploiting, heedlessness, arrogance, delusions of grandeur, sexual promiscuity, low self-control, disregard for morality, lack of acceptance of responsibility, callousness, and lack of empathy and remorse.

That’s what Daddy Putin wants, so that’s what Daddy Putin gets.

The Toddler-in-chief strikes again.

As always, I just wonder if it’s a pose or a delusion.

In much the same way that the Zionists have characterized any criticism of Israel as antisemitism, Democrats have characterized any criticism of themselves as “both sides.” And it’s for the same reason in both cases – so they can reject criticism out of hand rather than facing up to it.

For the professionals, it’s simple, if loathsome - they get to feed at the money trough as long as they can continue to essentially pose as leftists but not really accomplish anything (since anything truly leftist would be at odds with the desires of the people and corporations who are keeping the money trough full).

For the rest though - the rank and file that just repeat the cant they’re fed - what do they gain?

I’ve never been quite clear on that, but I assume it’s that their self-images are wrapped up in the labels they wear, and one of those labels is “Democrat,” and it only works as a boon to their self-images if it can’t be criticized.

I can’t see how that can be worth it though.

Good luck. You’re going to need it.

Being ineffective at stopping something isn’t the same thing as enabling.

Lol.

You’ve got your fingernails dug into a hair-thin crack here.

You might do well to stand back a bit and ask yourself why you’re so desperate to absolve the Democrats of blame.

Yeah - I’m prepared for that. I had a friend who had a GS back in the day, and it notoriously ran sometimes. Overall it spent more time running than it did broken down, but it was close.

But the other thing that struck me about it, and still does, is I think it’s one of the most distinctive and attractive auto designs ever. Just something about those curves and that stance appeals to me in a way that no other car ever has.

And while part of the reason I’d want a stock one is that people notoriously bolted crappy parts to them, most of it is that I’d actually want it mechanically rebuilt pretty much from bumper to bumper. If I could find one that’s had all of that done, and done well, that’d be fine too, but I’d rather have it done exactly the way I want it. And either way, I want the body to be completely stock.

The Toddler-in-chief.

It doesn’t get much more Musk than, "I polled the racists and they said racism is okay, so racism is okay "

I can do a spot-on impression of the standard deep, booming monster-truck rally advertising voice.

“This FRIDAY! (Friday… Friday…) Only at the Gigantodome! Beer Swiller Productions presents MONSTER TRUCK MAYHEM! You’ll pay for the entire seat but you’ll only need the EDGGGGGGGGE!”

Well… of course you can’t hear it, but if you could, seriously, it’s dead-on.

1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, fully stock.

This is a coup.

I sincerely expect future historians (if there are any) to have a specific name for this particular period in American history - something like “The idiot Age” or “The Faceplant Years.”

Is there some sort of joke here that I’m not getting?

I built better tree forts when I was 12.