ZARDOZ SPEAKS…TO THE ASSEMBLED STAFF. ZED, WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO BRING BAGELS AND COFFEE?
ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONES. ZARDOZ HAS UNCERTAIN COGITATIONS RUNNING AROUND HIS CIRCUITRY. YEAR END REVIEWS HAVE BEEN HELD. ZARDOZ GETS THE FEELING A PAPER TRAIL IS BEING CREATED AGAINST HIM! THE QUESTIONING FROM THE GLIBERTARIAN POWERS THAT BE WAS MOST INTENSE. “WE SPENT $285,000 ON GREEN BREAD?!” “CAN’T YOU JUST USE THE IN-HOUSE HR PEOPLE TO RECRUIT BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS?” THIS IS NOT THE WORST OF IT – ONE OF THE BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS HAS REPORTED TO ZARDOZ THAT INTERVIEWS ARE SURREPTITIOUSLY BEING HELD FOR AN UNNAMED POSITION.
THEREFOR, ZARDOZ SHALL PROVE HIS WORTH BY GIVING THE CHOSEN ONES THE GIFT OF THE LINK…AND ADVICE! GO FORTH AND COMMENT! OH, AND DO YOU WELL TO REMEMBER, THE PENIS IS EVIL, AND THE GUN IS GOOD!
- THANK YOU FOR FLYING AIR BORAT.
- WAS IT DURING A THREE HOUR TOUR?
- PERHAPS ZARDOZ SHOULD RECRUIT AMONGST ALBANIAN GANGS?
SUPERIOR ADVICE ON BEHAVIOR!
Q: My neighborhood grocery store has recently begun featuring a guitar-playing singer during busier shopping times. His makeshift stage is just by the door, so one is in his field of vision upon entering and exiting the store, as well as while browsing the produce.
While the songs aren’t offensive, loud or bothersome in any way, I find the whole arrangement awkward and generally try to avoid eye contact. Am I being rude? How should one respond to a live entertainer when shopping for necessaries?
A: WEAKLING! IF THE MERE PRESENCE OF A MUSICAL BRUTAL WHILST SHOPPING PUTS YOU OFF THIS MUCH, HOW WILL YOU BE ABLE TO CLEANSE THE FILTH OF BRUTALS, WHO PLAGUE THE EARTH?GRANTED, A GUITAR PLAYER IN THE PRODUCE SECTION MAKES AS MUCH SENSE AS A PAN FLUTE PLAYER IN THE BRUTAL EXTERMINATOR’S ARMORY. THEREFOR, ZARDOZ WILL SOLVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS AT ONCE.
LET US SEE…WHINER, STORE MANAGER AND MUSICIAN. ALL PRESENT AND GATHERING GRAIN.
ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.
…
…
…
“Yes, I am proficient in Excel and Word.”
Don’t fly in airplanes in Kazakhstan. Just sayin’.
RACIST!!11!!
They were flying a Fokker 100. That plane doesn’t exactly have a stellar record. I had no idea they were still in service.
Hey now. It’s not a piece of Junker
I hope we don’t get Stuka with a narrowed gaze
Ruining the pun train already. Fokker is actually Dutch. He setup his company in Germany due to higher demand. Then moved back to the Netherlands in 1919 for reasons, the Germans don’t like to talk about in history class.
Koolhoven story, bro.
It’s just a Messerschmidt.
It was down to only one set of wings.
Fokkers are solid airplanes, if you maintain them correctly. Just that some of these airlines don’t have the best record for maintaining them correctly.
Remember being in the cockpit of one in the late 90s that the maintenance facility I worked at (in marketing) was working on (the avionics guys would give us marketing people airplane tours because they knew it excited us.)
Makes sense I was going off the incident list in comparison to how many were produced and there seems to be a lot. But looking into the incident list it’s all Bek Air, Iran air, Brazilian airlines…
There are way worse places than Kazakhstan to get on an airplane. We evacked a camp in the bush in S. Sudan and to do so we got on a baby Antinov owned by the Romanian oil company we were contracted with. Twin turbo prop thing with bench seats and a nice soviet look from the fifties. I was ok getting on it because the ex KGB head of security for the project said, “we cannut garduntee yor safedy at this point in time”. Pissed off locals coming with guns. We were back in a few weeks after it all settled down.
Agreed though. Flying local non international airlines is a risky endeavor.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2019/12/16/bipartisan-utah-group/
I’m agnostic about the reform. Mostly tax shifting, but overall my bill will be less.
Must be nice to live in a state where something like that might get voted up. These retards keep OK-ing higher taxes.
Yes. Except the schools/Media hate the legislature. People are practically brainwashed into thinking the legislature just sits around trying to screw over the voters (which isn’t entirely undeserved). So then you get people saying the want to loose the Income Tax cut.
Genuinely i don’t see the petition going anywhere though because what happened is that the State added previously untaxed services like photography, ride sharing etc. to the sales tax and so those people are super against this. But most peoples taxes will go down.
And, you have to drive like 150 miles across legit salt to get to a good place to sin in peace, so there’s that.
Hahah. That’s true. There is a lot of weird quirks of local/state politics. Maybe i’ll compile a bunch and write an article about it.
WRITE ARTICLE.
I misread it as they’re going to raise the sales tax rate.
I am still suspicious of their motives. If they want to cut taxes, why not just cut taxes for everyone?
I think they are raising some aspects of the sales tax.
Like i said, i’m agnostic because it’s not really a Tax Cut. It’s a Tax Reshuffle. Essentially Utah is approaching a point where it isn’t collecting enough in taxes to fund it’s services. Since cutting services is out of the question the Legislature needed to raise more revenue in a way that was palatable. Throw in that by the Constitution, Income Taxes are earmarked for being spent on education and you see that lowering income tax and shifting it to sales allows the legislature more freedom in spending.
While not of interest to the National Population the Libertas institute is a good institute to follow for Utah Politics. It was founded by the guy who wrote the Tuttle Twin Series. They have declined to take a position on the Tax reshuffle, other than to say that the current bill is better than previous ones that would have mandated an automatic Property tax increase.
Yeah, I noted in the dead thread how stupid I think that is.
It sounds complicated enough to vote No just on principle.
Yeah the Utah Constition is full of weird things where it looks like it was thrown in cause it sounded like a good idea on some referendum, but really should be a legal thing.
Here’s another example:
Article XII, Section 19. [Blacklisting forbidden.]
Each person in Utah is free to obtain and enjoy employment whenever possible, and a person or corporation, or their agent, servant, or employee may not maliciously interfere with any person from obtaining employment or enjoying employment already obtained from any other person or corporation.
Sounds like it makes non-compete clauses illegal in the state. Good for them.
Something is not a foot, and worse….
How’s she doing?
She went into ICU this morning, then they contacted me to do emergency surgery, no time to drive up, so phone permission etc.
Still waiting on a a phone call, so she ain’t dead yet,
My thoughts are with you.
Jesus, Bob. I’m sorry.
Damn man, stay strong.
Damn dude. I can’t even imagine. Prayers sent.
Sorry to hear that Bob. Good luck and wishes.
Thanks Glibs, I’m hanging on, for now, I’ll be there first thing if the phone doesn’t ring first.
Are you on your way there? Safe travels, if so. Hang in there, man. Thinking of you both.
No, I’m real close on funds, so I’m scheduled for tomorrow, as long as I don’t get a call, seems horrible but that’s what we decided, what with the finances…
Damn. I can’t imagine being in that position.
Holy crap. Best wishes to the Mrs.
Prayers, Rufus.
Sorry, man.
Yusef. Fuck.
Blame Tres…..
Nope. I blame my aging brain.
I really, really want a break for you two.
Same. Thinking of you both.
Praying for the best
I’m Sorry man, Stay safe.
❤️❤️❤️
That’s rough, man. Stay strong and keep doing what you’re doing for her. Best wishes.
Sorry to hear, Yusef.
Random question for you BP. Do you play Post Scriptum?
I haven’t, but a brief glance at their website looks interesting. Let me post below.
Nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said, Pardner. We’re here for you as necessary.
Sorry to hear that. Think about and praying for y’all.
I am so sorry!
Sorry to hear this. Sending prayers your way.
Damn. Hoping both of you come out of this OK.
Prayers incoming !!
*offers up general Protestant prayer*
Get some of the mechanical/electrical glibs to make her some cyborg feet. I volunteer to do whatever analytical chemistry needs doing.
I have access to a FARO arm and a shitty 3-D printer. I also know a few things about servomotors. I’d need help with the biological interface, though. Don’t know much about anatomy – just ask my wife!.
Prosthetics are easy, fluid in the chest and infection of the heart is the issue, Fuck!!!!!
Yikes! Good luck!
Saying a prayer for you both, Bob.
Ugh.
My prayers to you and I’m not a praying man.
I’m a heathen and I’m on the verge of praying.
All are Welcome, thanks Blackjack,
#metoo
#methree
Same, Yusef. Prayers.
Since ZARDOZ likes Webleys, something for the exterminator armorer to try out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3IaGVwWeds
Neat.
Spare the whip, spoil the brutal.
ZARDOZ have you reviewed your employment contract recently?
My in-laws watch nothing in the evening but DVR’d episodes of The Young and the Restless, Dateline NBC and various CSIs. There’s only one TV in the house and the internet isn’t good enough to stream football.
Still like being here better than at home and going to work though. Even though I’ve been working most of the week remotely.
Legally, I think that’s grounds for divorce.
No, that would require the Real Housewives, I’m pretty sure.
Good that you’re not here. Upstairs is non-stop Fox News. Downstairs is a TV that rarely gets turned on plus a really boring old guy on this computer. Plus its 20 degrees outside and knee deep snow with more tomorrow.
You’re better of where you are
Sounds like we’re getting Snowmageddon MCXVI this weekend. Stay safe and warm.
Sleet and ice here. Second on the safe and warm.
Lost In Space Season 2 just dropped on netfilix, most of you pissed upon the first season from a great height but I liked it so take that nerds.
Not even on a dare…
I almost (ok, fine, I did) liked the movie, but hard pass on the new reboot.
I didn’t even know there was a reboot.
Oh yeah! One of the kids is black for some reason, Dr Smith is a crazy bitch, the Robot is an alien ( that isn’t accepted because xenophobia, or because he killed a bunch of humans), there was a gun control episode ( or so I was told I didn’t grok it) all kinds of woke shit for people to complain about. It’s glorious.
Is there any unwoke stuff to complain about?
I just want equal opportunity complaints.
Plenty
No all the science stuff is dead on, (AFAIK ( and I got a C+ is AP Chemistry)).
Some people find Science Unwoke, so i’ll count it.
Mostly, the characters are supposedly brilliant yet all act in predictably stupid ways in order to create conflict.
My 17 year old son has watched the first few episodes of the new season. He likes the CGI, but says the writing and characters are worse than most children’s anime.
I first read that as “hard pass on the new ROBOT”.
I don’t do netflix
Me neither and that’s not changing tonight.
I tried to watch season 2 but I have decided to piss on it instead.
It’s just a constant refrain of foreshadowed mishaps and out of thin air solutions.
Plus the kid with the perpetual hard-on for the robot annoys me.
…and the mother is an obnoxious bitch.
But it ended with a cliffhanger, a literal cliffhanger. Wonderful.
She sure is – imagine being lost in space with galaxy’s biggest bitch. Already divorced once for some reason.
Glad to see you are not being deliberately contrary.
I enjoyed it too. I see why people didn’t like it… it is very close to the model, but some of the archetypes are a bit much.
And then there’s the Doctor. The new version of Dr. Smith might be the most evil character I’ve ever seen… because she is close to real, and she is pure narcissism. She absolutely would poison a two year old with drain-o if she thought it would benefit her. And she has absolutely no conscience. No regret. No moment of redemption. Even when she does something good, it is from a perfectly selfish point of view.
She is so relentlessly and predictably evil that it actually is more of a leap to suspend disbelief on the fact that they have not executed her yet than the sentient psychic robots or FTL travel.
They made a woman be that evil, and not have a white man in that role?
And the chick who won’t make eye contact with the guitar player is a bitch.
Well, he’s not a real guitar player.
But he is a Busker, throw him some cash if he’s good,
How to busk
Can you produce some evidence of that?
Her letter. Bee-atch.
Lettuce assume for a minute that you are correct….
If he had dangled a carrot, she might have responded better.
You always stare them down.
Nah you walk by and look throught hem like they don’t exist.
Sometimes I forget there are people out there to whom it is not immediately obvious that this is the correct answer.
I prefer……”FREEBIRD!” with lighter out.
Most requested song of my youth. Well tied with Stairway To Heaven, anyway.
Shudder to think what it might be now…
https://twitter.com/anthonyvclark20/status/1209624252862943232
I can’t even.
“DSA ?Congressional Candidate for IL 7th District! Veteran, Teacher, np Director, Fighting to eliminate inequality caused by white supremacy & capitalism!”
At least he doesn’t blame the Russians.
He likes the Russians… Well the Soviet ones.
“”””
?Rage?
@Thepolcker
·
Dec 24
Couple things:
-same argument was used to justify slavery
-jobs existed in the Soviet Union and they didn’t have billionaires
-supply chains don’t need billionaires?? billionaires don’t even architect them there’s an entire sector of business colleges about supply chains
26
10
watts
@Wattamus
·
Dec 26
Hahaha. Unironic praise of the Soviet economy is today’s joy. Thank you
“”””
Lol.
Jesus Christ.
“Twitter for iPhone”
LOL
Ahh…I see someone is hoping to gain Hank Johnson’s title of stupidest person in congress! Godspeed, dumb sir. Godspeed.
Wow, it is so utterly bizarre how prevalent the idea of a fixed pie of wealth is.
When Steve Jobs stole the iphone mine from the Ouisosucky Tribe and butchered them in their communal lodges you people cheered him on! When Google enslaved the internet Shamans of the Nowital people of the Congo, and Disney stole their history to create Wakanda you people cheered again! When will it end?
LOL
Screenshot.
“The same year, the airline successfully challenged aviation authorities’ plans to make the International Air Transport Association operational safety audit mandatory for all local carriers on the grounds that such a move required changes to law rather than just government regulations.”
So Kazakhstan is freer/has more rule of law than the U.S.?
Those are the lamest questions to Miss Manners ever linked.
Unless it’s a pube buck up buttercup.
Like hand sanitizer and shopping carts, how did we ever survive?
Could I be more disgusted bu people’s need to make the world a clean room?
TODAY I was at WM and a woman used a napkin to pull out the cart, scrubbed down the cart with Clorox wipes, dropped her pen on the floor, and carefully picked it up with a napkin.
Lady, you’re out-Monk-ing Monk. Here, have some Abilify.
Then put their “Service dog” in the cart, WTF?
You should have coughed on her, wiped your nose with your sleeve then farted.
“Oh, excuse– AHCHU! –me– SNORTLE –I’ve got such bad sinus– SCHLURP –es. It’s not a cold– AHCHU! –really. Oh, did I get that– AHCHU! –on you? Here, let me– SCHLURP PTOOEY –here’s my Kleenex. It’s fine.”
“You have a garbage disposal in your shower?”
“Yes, I prepared this meal as I was bathing!”
Remember when there was no such thing as safety seals? Kids are amazed by such a thing.
Hey, remember The Boy in the Plastic Bubble?
Adjacent: Now doctors are encouraging people to give their small children tiny amounts of peanut products and gradually increasing.
Paul Williams! “Leave us alone” I remember well ,Diana Hyland!
I thought that was John Revolting?
No, it’s a Royale With Cheese.
My buddy’s kid used to be deathly allergic to all nuts – even as long as I’ve known my coworker (3 years) – but he started microdosing stuff and apparently he’s now barely allergic to peanuts (2 years of progress?) and they’re working on pistachios, almonds, etc.
Seems to be effective on the whole. IIRC he’s in 8th grade at the moment.
Yes, I was allergic to heroin as a child, but now, I’m fine with it.
+1 “micro” dosing
Need to get my hands on some modafinil.
And then her pajama-boy husband got all bent out of shape because she let him clean his plate. Uffda.
We visited some well educated friends in Montana a few years back. After eating, the dog cleaned the plates. Mrs F was horrified while I was merely aghast. Mrs F washes the dishes before she puts them in the dishwasher.
We’re country but there are some things we don’t do.
I’m city and that doesn’t bother me at all 🙂
The cat may be self-cleaning, but the kitchen isn’t.
Yeah, but you’re a New Yorker. That means you’re one of the rudest people in the country.
He should know the score by now
As long as they didn’t go straight into the cupboard after Fido was done, I don’t see the problem.
I probably wouldn’t do it with house guests, but wouldn’t care (if they did make it to the dishwasher).
Depends on how hungry you are, no?
Clearly dude has no kids.
5 second rule!
While I generally adhere to this rule, I will note that a friend of mine, after dropping some cookies shipped to him from home, coined the phrase: “In Afghanistan, there is no three second rule. If it falls on the ground there, it is Allah’s.”
I’m sure Hayek can say there is a Similar rule at Dugway Proving Ground.
I’ll say that hair from some stranger in my restraunt food will gross me out.
There was a Cheetah’s in San Diego that offered a free cheeseburger lunch while completely nude dancers performed over your plate.
I always politely declined with a “Fuck No”
I’m amazed at how many restaurants I’ve had a cheeseburger at that didn’t offer that option.
“Unless it’s a pube buck up buttercup.”
What do you call a man with pubes stuck in his teeth?
Gladiator (Glad he ate her)
You deserve a tongue lashing for that.
You just won a free flight to Ireland on Air Lingus.
And if she’s a lesbian? Lickalottapuss!
Why are pubes curly?
So you don’t poke your eyes out.
http://imgur.com/gallery/S5B2N4a
Clearly fake, but still funny. Creators will probably be fined and jailed for it.
Tears came out of my eyes. Thanks
I definitely laughed out loud.
title of my next article
I gave a grand daughter a gun book and a deer hunting book. She was thrilled.
There’s always something like this too ;p (of course the first guy who posted the vid is a douche): https://twitter.com/JoeSilverman7/status/1210665858760138752
I’m doing the bored husband shuffle at old navy… Somebody entertain me with their antics!
Hey look, Betty White has a message for you!
Not with a ten foot pole, Betty.
Not exactly a gremlin.
Wow! Betty was a hottie.
Right?!
Betty White is an American treasure you monster!
Sucks to be you. I’m sipping 18yo bourbon.
Start trying Capri pants on. The wife will immediately want to leave.
Works for me.
You can’t put your mind at ease in old navy?
You got my attention….
Good thing this happened in Britain, with their strict gun laws, so we know this is fake news.
LJW, I used to play V4V, which was incredible for it’s time (early 90’s).
Ah there is a guy who uses the name Baked Penguin, on the server I play on. It’s a fun game not your basic FPS, requires patience. You will die a lot learning how to play.
Oops, but to answer your actual question, no, I’ve never played Post Scriptum.
I vaguely remember playing V4V back in the day. Kind of looks like an early version of Hearts of Iron.
Yeah, it was an incredible game at the time. Just a strategy/hex board game taken to computer, but I was impressed. On the heels of SimCity and Civ I, it became clear that computer games wouldn’t have to suck.
Never played Hearts of Iron.
And yeah, my handle is not nearly as original as I thought it’d be.
Do you know who else wanted to build stuff?
https://twitter.com/iheartmindy/status/1210657902454878210
Woops!
How is Lou Reed’s leprosy doing?
/Reply 13
I’m still all broke up over that.
Just keep showing us cleavage pics, sweetie.
BP, I was sorting some image files today and saw a think you said that I screenshot: “The Browns are the pallbearers of hope.” That is beautiful.
“Saw a think”. *Mind blown*
*puffs on fingernails, buffs on blouse*
*slinks away furtively*
Thank you, Mojeaux, but I must be honest and admit it came from the story of the old Browns fan who wanted players to see him under – to ‘let him down one last time.’
Oh, well. It’s a good line. 🙂
People have weird musical taste. The kid living next door has been practicing Pomp and Circumstance on his recorder all morning. He keeps fucking up at the exact note every single time. Doubt he’s ever going to hear the real thing.
I played alto sax for seven years. After playing Pomp and Circumstance for two hours straight at high school graduation, I put it down and never picked it up again.
I enjoyed playing P&S every year (trombone)
/average class size in my school was 10.
“/average class size in my school was 10”
Quiet prom? Or Champagne music from Strassburg?
Prom was open to grades 10-12, IIRC.
They cancelled it due to incest incidents.
Heh heh. That made me chuckle.
LOL!
I played that fucking thing for years, too. The old dude I took lessons from tried to talk me into switching to bassoon, but I was too stupid to listen. To this day I hate the sax.
Fucking thing. Zactamundo.
I loved playing sax, until that day.
My kid plays bassoon. Are you sure he didn’t want to sell you a bassoon?
Google how much a “student” instrument of any kind of quality costs.
Although I’m amazed that Fox Bassoon a red white and blue ‘merican company makes what many to consider one of the absolute best ranges of bassoon.
Naturally, I got a good deal on a German instrument so that what he plays. No complaints by either he or his instructors.
Haha! Maybe you are right.
Back then, no one played bassoon. I was pretty good and my teacher wanted the best for me.
Interestingly, he was also something of an expert on Duesenbergs. Funny how people that you interact with for such a short time can have an outsized impact on your life.
To this day, I wish I would have listened to him.
About Duesenbergs or bassoons?
Yes.
I’ve toyed with the idea of buying a used Selmer alto sax.
Whom hasn’t?
Me.
I have a mid-range Yamaha named Cleo who would be very upset if I cheated on her.
I spent my entire childhood listening to my older brother practice clarinet and sax. Can’t fucking stand the things to this day.
#metoo. “Tootle tootle HONK! Tootle tootle HINK!”
Now be kind, he may be doing it FOR school.
One of my friends in Japan is a serious amateur flute player. She has some kind of phone booth size sound proof practice booths. I’ve never seen or heard of such a thing, but the Nipponese do live in close proximity.
My kid just rattled the house practicing, but he still plays in orchestra in college so it’s all good. It also gives us something to bond over as used to play and we both know all the orchestral standards. Also makes for fun conversation practice with my friend where I get to learn what musical vocabulary is in Japanese and English. HINT: Both use lots of Italian, but as usual the Japanese pronunciation is hysterical.
Well, the Fokker story led me to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_Scourge
Just saw someone play Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor on an electric piano. Expensive instrument. Very expensive. Trans-Siberian Orchestra so it better be. It had all the proper “stops” pulled (yeah, okay PROGRAMMED), but it just didn’t have the same timbre as an organ, particularly a pipe organ.
Then a different person played Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, 3rd movement on an electric piano. Still didn’t sound like a piano should. Please to compare.
No. Just…no. No Mannheim Steamroller, either.
Thank you.
I agree. A little of them go a long way.
That said, if you ever want to use the specific phrasing (or change it to fit your story) from what we discussed above, go ahead.
To be clear: I fell down that rabbit hole. I did not go looking for Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
I had to go to Valentina to cleanse my ears.
Now, I never turned into a virtuoso or anything, mostly because I didn’t want to. No, Mom, don’t want piano lessons. I want art lessons. I want to see what’s in my head. Anyhoo, Claire de Lune was my go-to competition/recital piece and I played it perfectly. Yet my mom screamed at me that I wasn’t playing it right.
I shouldn’t say “screamed.” I should say, “Wailed in existential and romantic agony.”
It was years before I understood what she meant.
Yeah. I played it perfectly. That was the problem.
I heard he wrote Toccata just so he could play that organ, half of it seems to be jamming/gibberish anyway, Awesome!
You played Debussy, did you ever play any Satie? I love(d) his work.
No. I was really really really not interested in playing the piano and it showed. I did it because I was made to and since I was made to and I was competing and performing, I couldn’t exactly embarrass myself, now could I?
IF I could not have art, and IF I would be made to do piano, my interest was in jazz piano. That, alas, was verboten (dad thought it was pretentious).
I also played the clarinet and flute, but that was because I was in a very small school, my mother was the accompanist for the choir, and the music teacher begged her to make me play clarinet for the band because it needed one. I could read music. I had a 30-minute lesson on how to blow (heh), mount my reed, suchlike, and then I was a clarinetist. Never had a lesson until I went to college. I played for my teacher. She said, “What is that NOISE?” Me: “Oh, that’s my sinuses rattling.” She and I thought lessons were wasted on me, and I completed my semester in band.
Ah. I took some piano lessons, and really sucked at playing. The best I ever got was getting through about the first half of Moonlight Sonata‘s first movement. I then tried trombone, and really sucked at that, too. My parents were discouraged, but in my early teens, I took up bass guitar of my own accord, and finally found my instrument. My parents were thrilled enough to buy me a cheap bass and amp. They really wanted me to play an instrument.
I suspect they were less thrilled when I’d play a record 8 or 9 times trying to learn the bass line, but they never had a problem with me playing (without company over). I really sucked at bass, too, but playing an instrument 3-6 hours a day, you’ll achieve competence – even become proficient. Especially after 4 or 5 years.
Sorry you weren’t able to do what you love. Oh well, Imma go play the bass now. Just change the Bach video into a Clash video or something.
Paul Simonon is muy bueno.
Si!
Hey Tundra! I like the avatar. Was listening to “Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely” this morning. Grant Hart at his best. Great pop song. And the guitar is pretty good too.
I love that song.
Thanks! I’ve decided to use excellent album covers for my avatar for awhile. Like you and your guitarists, before Lolita of course!
I love Bob, but I really think Grant was superior in that band.
Plus, I’m gonna steal you avatar idea for a while and do album covers, too.
Good plan. The 40th anniversary of London Calling got me going. I miss album covers!
Inspired choice, by the way!
What if everybody did that?
Chaos!
Dogs and cats living together!
#MeToo
Mo, that album was popular when I got my first personal cassette player (not a Sony – we were working class). I had it at school and a chick I really dug asked to listen. To this day I can see her singing and dancing to Loverboy.
Thanks for the memories!
It was my very first album. I requested it from my aunt for Christmas and she was like… uh…really?
Yes, really.
And there it was.
#metoo
I wish I had thought of using an album cover for my avatar.
Jeez, Chafed. What a copy-cat.
The bum on the cover of that Loverboy album belonged to the 13 year-old daughter of the art director. She liked the the pants. I had a 26 inch waist in 1982 so we can see the confusion. Back then there were many miscalculated groping incidents.
Marie-Clair Alain is always the definitive version of that for me.
Toccata and fugue in D minor BWV565
Lovely. Chills supplied and appreciated.
How do you feel about Carmina Burana and if you have feelings, orchestral or chamber?
Generally prefer orchestral to chamber on more “intimate” pieces.
I didn’t even know there was a chamber version until I saw the KC Ballet do it with the KC Choral. Thing about the “chamber” version is that there are no strings or horns. It is solely percussion and voice.
It was damn near orgasmic. And when I say damn near orgasmic, that is exactly what I mean.
Chorale*
It’s not the version I grew up with and is therefore wrong 🙂
Isn’t that always the case. I’ll listen to some of the scratchiest tinniest recordings of some classical pieces because to me they are the way the piece is supposed to sound.
Actually… by the time I got to the end I decided it was a damn fine version.
🙂
Second.
I can never listen to that without thing of this https://youtu.be/9OM18mJwMDM
Don Dorsey does an interesting take on Moonlight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beethoven_or_Bust
At the time one of the first full digital CDs. Also Mr. Dorsey later found employment with Walt Disney and you can hear his heavy influence on the “Electric Parade”.
Baroque is my favorite of the traditional classical music. I can’t stand Mozart. Beethoven is perfectly acceptable, but, as Helena Bonham Carter says in A Room With a View, “Beethoven makes me peevish.”
Love the Rach 3, but I didn’t really know or understand much Rachmaninoff until I saw Shine. In fact, I use the Rach 3 as a Pomodoro-type timer. It’s 45 minutes long. “How many Rach 3s will this task take me?”
Don’t care for Tchaikovsky.
My love is with Orff and, to a lesser extent, Gershwin.
JS,JC, and Chopin
Chopin is my mother’s favorite.
This choppin’?
Start choppin’
yaaaaaass
You know who else liked Chopin?
Gazebo? What kind of name is Gazebo?
Also, would the evil lesbian.
OMG. There’s an extended version.
It was a different time. Italo Disco.
I’m a Baroque guy, through and through. Later stuff seems “busy” to me.
Dude, what? Baroque is nothing BUT busy. It’s just a very REGULATED busy. Baroque furniture. Baroque gowns.
The repetition calms me. I could give a pube about the architecture.
That was some serious cheese overload.
Yeah. I loved them at first, but the shine wore off very quickly. I even saw them in concert, which was lovely, and then I was done.
For Her Head Cold, Insurer Coughed Up $25,865
TLDR Scammer Dr goes outside network for unnecessary tests to make money. I am sure this is more fuel for “we need single payer”.
Doc is clearly bilking the insurer by sending the unneeded test to his own lab.
Thievery 101
How to enter an establishment that you totally aren’t going to rip off.
What? They didn’t look like upstanding young gentlemen to you?
I’m sure they had someone following them about five seconds later.
I have it on good authority that only colored people get followed in stores.
Any ideas for Android games? I prefer offline ability, and like logic/puzzle/strategy games
Sorry. I’m an Angry Birds, Tetris, Mah Jongg, solitaire, free cell kinda girl.
I like til labrytnth and pinball, I get it
I like sudoku.
I play soduku almost obsessively.
I do daily sudoku and nonograms. They’re mindless fun.
Do you write the possible numbers in the upper corner?
On the hard ones, yes. I consider it to be a better success if I don’t have to.
I just downloaded “Nonograms Katana” from the Play store. Looks cool, thanks for mentioning the puzzle. I had never heard of it.
Check out Wordscapes. I’ve played it offline for a while, but I would think it would need to occasionally connect for new puzzles. Not sure.
I’m addicted to Wordscapes
A Packer’s fan in training.
Ha!
Sucks about the helicopter tourists. I did a Blue Hawaii helicopter tour on the big island over Kilauea (and other parts). Worth $200 to me (never got to go up in the embarked helos on either of my ships/deployments).
In musical notes…how about some old school, retro….k-pop!?! Good stuff.
There’s good K-pop?
Yes.
I hate to say I enjoy that song. The comments made me wonder if it most viewed video this says no. It is # 6.
It was for quite a while after it first came out though.
It’s a guilty pleasure of mine as well. With the caveat that at least half of my joy comes from watching the video. It’s pretty funny.
Really, my link isn’t technically K-pop…or rather…it “technically” is – but really just much better old school tunage.
Because I am in a weird mood and some of you appreciated HM’s Vulfpeck “Running Away” link, allow me to point you to Janelle Monae’s “Say You’ll Go” in a small live studio and album.
Janelle Monae’s “BaBopByeYa and Dorothy Dandridge Eyes.
Meanwhile I’m listening to J-Pop. New headphone amplifier and quite happily testing it out.
I feel so cheap…
Meh, I was be-bopping along to “Centerfold” while driving today. My kid was embarrassed for me.
Hey, why not? J. Geils is fun. Besides, it’s a parent’s duty to embarrass the hell out of the kids.
Amazon.jp brought me this and a couple others.
I tend to throw YouTube on an mix and see what it throws my way.
Good news is that makes for mostly new music.
Me, an intellectual.
I love The Hu!
They are now Star Wars canon.
There was a Paul Krugman ad on that video. I’m not sure if I can forgive you for that.
OT – in the links I noted that you listed the book you use for one of your introductory classes. I don’t believe it… as it was only something like $23 or so. My kids book bill for his first semester of college is crazy. I hope your students appreciate you!
I hope so. Textbooks are such a fucking racket. I go out of my way to use affordable books and supplement with online readings when I can.
I had a professor flip the fuck out when a student came in advertising book buy back at the campus store.
Was it his/her book?
The textbook we used was his, though he did go to some lengths to try to make it “cheap”. His shtick was that book buybacks drove up prices of books because the authors didn’t get any value from resale.
I get what he was saying but people wouldn’t be so willing to sell their books if they weren’t so damned expensive.
I had a professor who had two of his own books recommended/required for the class. He told us that he was paid a lump sum for one of them but he was paid something extra for every sold copy of the other book. Naturally, he encouraged us to buy the latter and check out the former from a library.
Textbook costs are truly ridiculous.
First semester, the instructor required us to buy an anatomy and physiology textbook. It was $200. I only got out of it because my friend had a copy from taking the same course the previous year.
Second semester, another instructor says on the first day, “It might be a good idea to brush up on your A&P before jumping into this class, so here’s a link to an open-source textbook you can use for that.” It was a free PDF that had basically all the same content as the fucking $200 textbook.
Janelle Monae is one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. She kicks ass.
I love her. She is, however, rather bizarre.
She is weird. But, holy carp, what a talent!
Yes! Absolutely!
Adjacent vis a vis Big Boi’s mentorship: I also liked Idlewild, the movie, even though it got panned. The “soundtrack” is only marginally related to the movie, but I like it too.
According to Hannity, “The left is literally spitting on the graves of every service man or woman that lost their lives fighting overseas.”
That can’t be right.
It’s possible that Hannity is an idiot.
He sure does like the word “besmirched”.
Get Smerched?
The hell you say!
But he has a TV show!
Only possible?
It’s not.
“That” should be “who.”
“…man or woman WHO lost their lives…”
I like to throw a ‘Whom’ around every so often, I have no idea when to one is spose’ to use it but neither do 90% of everyone else and it makes me look smart.
If you would otherwise say “him,” you would use “whom.”
Don’t Writersplain me! Look I already had to looked up Phlegmatic because of you I shouldn’t have to learn nothing else today.
You had to look up phlegmatic? Public schools?
I find that humorous.
Yep, and tOSU.
*flutters eyelashes*
I always use “whom” when it’s appropriate. Given that there are six cases in my mother tongue, I think it’s easier for me than for native speakers.
Who = subject
Whom = object
I always tell people that my favorite book is For Who The Bell Tolls.
The only way that works is Who Tolls the Bell
Him?
He
Xe, shitlord!
Be kind to straff. Thanks to The Land of the Rising Sun he now mostly only thinks of language in the passive voice.
受け身形 sounds gay, doesn’t it?
*Receiver shape
It’s got “uke” so it has to be, right?
Let’s see…
That is literally an inside joke.
*appaws*
Just to prove my spectrum specs, it should be 型. As in “type” of person.
I’m just as impressed you managed to mouse draw the kanji!
Fuck. 系.
Hah! Just my crappy handwriting on a tablet and stylus.
Hannity, “The Deep State is out to get the President” while wearing a CIA lapel pin? You’re saying he may be mentally deficient?
Ya, that is a lot of spitting.
That’s a lot of graves to spit on.
Maybe we can make some more!
/neocons
An old friend of my hubs died of a stroke behind a liquor store the day before Christmas .
Her funeral is on his birthday first week of January.
He’s wrestling with going to it or staying put to carry out his pre existing plans do a getaway weekend .
He’s seriously disproportionately sad for days now. He either is feeling his own mortality or he used to fuck her. Or both.
I’m just doing the “there, there” and pat on the arm.
Oh, that’s kind of rough.
In other news, how are YOU doing? Did you go to the doctor?
Ugh. Am I wrong to want to hear more details on the death? Seriously, though, sorry for Hubs.
No you’re not. Strokin’ out behind a liquor store on Xmas eve is a bitchin’ way to go, I don’t care who you are. Tom Waits is probably writing her Obit.
Well, I can’t speak for him, but I suspect the former. I have lost a few old pals and, even though some of them made shitty choices, it still hit me pretty hard.
Strokes aren’t funny, no such thing as mild, Hopefully I won’t get a phone call until I get there, so far so good…
I would say both. Living behind a dumpster is about the shittiest life one could have in this country.
I see them here in Bullhead, it has to be miserable, I give a bit when I have some change, and thank God for a home…
Don’t go there, Hayek. Those private thoughts have little to do with you. Let the man grieve in his own fashion.
Since I rigged up some keyboard, here’s Wendy’s status, Fucked, she went from IMC to ICU, I took a shower and missed 4 calls, all to get permission to remove some fluid from around here heart, maybe having to crack he open, risky procedure, of course I agreed. After Speaking to the Doctor and a 3 step authorisation process, she went in to surgery, this was at 10:30 PST. Pray….
10:30am? And no word yet?
Dr. and I coordinated it so, no word is good, I’ll be there in the early AM, money is tight, this is my reality,
OK. Thinking of you both.
Pericarditis? I’m praying for the two of you, Yusef.
precisely, when the doc told me, I understood, it killed one of my grandma’s before they knew what happened, so this was a no brainier. I know the risk but the option was death, We’ll risk it.
Hopefully, they can aspirate and not have to crack the chest. Fingers crossed.
Well, say they started at 11:30 a, it should be over one way or the other by now now, don’t you think? If she died they would have called, that was the plan..
Hang in there, Yusef. That’s about as rough a spot as a person can be in.
No call sounds like a good thing to me.
Not religious, but saying a word for you and the wife, Yusef.
I’m not good with the religious stuff, but same. You and Wendy have my prayers.
Same. But doing so does no harm so I’ll do the same.
I’ve lost so many friends and classmates I’ve gotten jaded. I missed a couple funerals recently that I would have gone to but didn’t get the word in time. I was sort of relieved, after the fact. It shouldn’t be that way, even if the friends part kind of wasn’t a very strong one. They are (were) the kids I knew and liked but haven’t seen much of over the years but still a friend.
I’m only 56 and have lost a half dozen friends around my age since about 50, as in 51, 53, 53, 56, 60, too young,hell the wife is only 50…
I drove up to my ex-wife’s funeral just as they were putting her ashes in the ground because I got the word late. They were decorating the church for Christmas, just like at our wedding.
It is weird to lose classmates and other contemporaries.
The first one jarred me.it was still high school, but she died at 18 from crashing her car while having a seizure.
Next up, at 20, a classmate died of a sudden aneurysm.
Several are now following suit, with cancer, car wrecks, etc. We are all in our mid forties, but the pace is accelerating.
I’m only 28 but we lost a couple. One who died in high school to a unknown medical condition. Another died of cancer a few years after. The final one died in a hiking accident.
I was in a very small school. A girl in the class above mine (I think I was a freshman?) (I don’t remember) died of leukemia. When I was a senior, a friend I’d had since 4th grade was killed in a hunting accident. I’m 51. I still think about him quite frequently, although quite a bit of that is because my son has his name (my husband didn’t know that and really really liked the name). A couple of years ago I went stalkerbooking (something I very rarely do). A college dorm neighbor died when she was 41 of cancer.
What REALLY killed me, though, was that I looked up my BFF from middle and high school (a boy) and saw he had two really cute kids and there was this twenty-something dude next to him. Then I realized the little ones were his GRANDchildren. That was a whole helluva lot more disconcerting than finding out about my college friend.
I lost at least a dozen close friends from 15-24. After that you seem to enter the Safe Zone until you become oldsters. The definition of “oldster” becoming quite elastic after 45 or so… God-speed Wendy and Bob!
Has anyone seen a couple bottles of whisky? I went to make a highball with the lesser stuff and they were gone. My wife doesn’t drink and no one’s been over. Maybe someone broke into the house?
Wasn’t me…….
It was Mike S, or Sean. Guaranteed.
Wasn’t me. I was at the liquor store yesterday, buying some more Thistle Finch rye and New Amsterdam vodka.
How is the rye? I’m about to finish this (ri)1 and want to try something new.
I like it. A lot. It’s my second bottle of it this month.
Thanks, I’ll look for it today.
You might want to question the guy who bought “Mein Kampf” for his grandson.
*whistles and looks around innocently*
*refills empty glass*
My brother had that problem – then his daughters offered him some delicious homemade butterscotch to make him feel better.
You haven’t driven your wife to the bottle yet?
She’s tried but just doesn’t like alcohol. Which is surprising since everyone else in her family is pretty much a drunk.
If they aren’t secretly drinking rubbing alcohol in the coat closet every morning, you aren’t the husband they deserve.
*hangs head in shame*
I’ve done that, then remembered I drank them.
I’ve been here the whole time!
The USC defense is complete crap.
I have been chain smoking for the last week, between running to Vegas, I’ve been making the house clean and tidy for the wife, and generally organiziing., damn, I need to contact Ozy!
/Cough
So, do you think right now, Wendy would gladly transfer her mind into another body? I personally want the Cylon machine style, it’s more unbreakable, but artificial flesh?
I would say yes.
Sexbot.
Caprica 6, it would fit the whole Cylon thing..
I was just looking at pictures of her. For research purposes.
Tricia is actually Honey brown, HAWT!
Normally, I’d go out with the boys on a Saturday night, but the wife thinks, “We should go on a date tonight!” And big dummy me asks, “With you?” So now I’m stuck going shopping for end tables and then eating at a French restaurant instead of beers and yakitori as usual. *Shrugs*
Smooth. Very smooth.
Mojo-San get’s it.
French food kicks ass, at least.
True.
MikeS I don’t know if you listen to Eddie Trunk’s Friday night show. It’s a year end special; all Iron Maiden tonight.
I don’t. The only time I catch him is on Hair Nation on some Monday’s on the way home.
But I will check it out now.
I ditched Sirius over a year ago. I’m grateful to be able to stream out of state radio.
Wait, you’re talking about the thing he does on his over-the-air radio show, aren’t you? I don’t know where to find that.
I’m streaming Q104.3. I think you can do it directly through the station’s website. You can definitely get it through iheartradio app or website.
You fell asleep didn’t you?
Haha. No, I was listening to his most recent “open phone lines” show and working on some business stuff. I got tuned into his show on Q104.3 and they were playing a live version of Two Minutes to Midnight so I went back to the open phones show.
That seems like an odd choice but it’s your call. Next week is all Black Sabbath.
There’s few bands that I am a big enough fan of to listen to so-so live versions of songs. I Listened for for a minute or two and wondered why it was being played. Dickinson didn’t sound especially good, the overall recording quality wasn’t good…
Did I miss Rush week?
Also a little miffed he isn’t doing an AC/DC week. But I am looking forward to next week.
…and now I am going to fall asleep. Later.
Climbing up out of the pit, you descend in to a basin with good signal, and a 75 mph speed limit, hovering there, you take in the the doom and dark clouds obscuring the desert ranges ahead.
Searchlight is a speedtrap, avoid this, then on towards Railrod pass, and Vegas….
Godspeed, Yusef.
Truth be told, I’m burning out, getting mentally tired…
I’ll add to the chorus of good thoughts coming your way, Yusef. You’ve a tough road as of late.
I’m bouncing between, Yarg! and, Fuck it all, but cliches aside,
I must be strong right now,
Peace!
Peace Yusef. Sending good thoughts to you and your wife.
Blood pressure rising
https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/retail-sales-tobacco-products/selling-tobacco-products-retail-stores
The FDA does not have the constitutional authority to prohibit one class of adults from legally purchasing a legal product that other adults may purchase.
Constitution? Sure they do cause the Congress delegated the authority to the executive.
/Laughs in Nazgul
just go to War and shut up!
/18 year old men
I like Silversun Pickups and have a couple of their albums, but have only see a couple videos.
Then I stumbled upon this one.
A little something for everyone here, I’m thinking.
Good stuff, all around.
I remember a friend falling in love with that band after Lazy Eye hit
I couldn’t stop watching. Good song.
I find the whole arrangement awkward and generally try to avoid eye contact.
Me too, but, like, the whole shopping experience.
Thank Zardoz for self checkout.
Since we’re taking a hike down memory lane,
Roll up and shine!
I’ll play!
Just so you all know, Motley Crue/SixxAM is not my only band-crush. OutKast is another one. https://youtu.be/a8EST8iq8R4
Stop being multidimensional. It confuses me.
I really really really really really dig Sleepy Brown’s voice.
I’ve spent all night listening to the voices of Bruce Dickinson, Blaze Bailey, and Paul D’anno.
Hey yeah. Memory lane. That was my senior year in HS, you Old Dirty Bastards.
That is a brilliant video.
I’m sorry Ms. Jackson. But yeah, the how of the Hey Yeah video was much more intriguing to me than the music itself, I was film school bound after all.
Also, a Tribute.
Not Outkast.
Down a Brazilian memory lane. I saw these guys play in Pernambuco a few years after the guy singing this one, Chico Science, died in a car accident there. A bit of maracatu, funk, and rock.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P-DdzOJOaH4
Dems still don’t understand they are playing against Brer Rabbit.
https://dailycaller.com/2019/12/27/chris-cuomo-lloyd-doggett-joe-biden-senate-testify/
Yeah hidden just handed the GOP a win there. When you’ve got Chris Cuomo asking the hard questions…
Biden*
“Hidden” works, too.
For something a little different.
https://youtu.be/-iqTRNUOsFI
Good one, I will see you this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WwgggzBgJfM
Thx. Too late for the whole thing on the list for tomorrow.
Withers – go for the song, stay for the bass line.
Awesome! Two giants.
I am not a fan of Keb Mo. His songs all sound too-much the same to me. However, seeing him play someone else’s song on a Dobro…that’s cool.
Screw the commies
https://www.bmw.com/en/automotive-life/berlin-wall-escapes-in-a-bmw-isetta.html
Many, many times over.
Good read. Pity the guys lost touch: that’s gratitude for ya. Cutest car ever!
Music for the third day of Xmas
https://youtu.be/8HSNxomFN-Y
Rhhhhheeeeeeeeeeee! I am literally shaking at the thought that someone would DARE to sing in that language!
French?
Or rather, non-PQ French?
I already Rhheeeeed! Stop questioning my outrage, you monster!
Well, it’s been a long week. My wife is helping to run my f-I-l’s business and thus is on a Japanese work schedule – which means she worked right up to the 27th and then had a couple meetings today. While I’m the one who works contracts and thus have a flexible schedule – meaning I’ve been home all week watching our kids since they got out of school on Monday. Also had a list of (what feels like a couple hundred) honey-doo’s to do in the “spare time” in between. Not sure how I managed to avoid introducing corporal punishment so far.
I’ve been contemplating changing my routine after the New Year – get to sleep earlier and get up earlier to exercise like I used to do. That would mean less time spent here as a minus to that plan – not sure I’m that dedicated to the idea.
Wifey is leaving tomorrow to “horse-sit” out at the acreage. She seems to be doing better now but I’m leery of her being away. Probably my paranoia talking.
Guessing you mean that she is taking charge of other peoples’ horses at your (her?) property? No reason you can’t go along?
We (me, wife, and kids) are spending next week away from home. Pretty much a New Year’s tradition. Wife doesn’t have to think about washing, cooking, doing chores or work. Same for me (well, except for a few scheduled e-mails to send/follow up on).
She re-injured her shoulder at work and has been showing some signs. I’ve over-shared on these boards before. Probably just fatigue.
Meaning that she’s been turning into an even more sweet version of a retard. I don’t know, for sure. My hackles are up.
Best wishes to Wendy, Bob and the lovely HayekS. Yusef, I don’t know what to say… Hayek? You go girl! I’ve been a chronic nose-bleeder since I was a littlun. Get checked and also ensure that it has nothing to do with your previous treatments. When I was in the hospital my main IV wanted to bleed for a half hour after they pulled it. “Oh yeah, we’ve had you on anti-coagulants for days!” to the surprise of everyone.
If this isn’t the saddest and creepiest thing that you’ve seen this Xmas https://youtu.be/eHkzAvda61o
When she licks her teeth you either spring away or grow a tuber.
Would all day
Huh! Not just the dumbest Glib but also the most obstreperous. I go bye now.
I’m sure he’ll have a successful career in law enforcement.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50931195
Just home from work, trying to catch up on the thread.
Bob, HOLY MACKEREL! I love you, brother and even this atheist is making himself a pest to G/d on behalf of your lovely wife.
Just downed a worrisome amount of Caeser salad. Wifey might leave for reasons of her own. Next stop, pizza!
Oh man! I love Caesar salad; particularly if it has chicken and/or shrimps in it.
Apparently this is a thing: https://myfox8.com/2019/12/27/rescue-cat-in-nc-animal-shelter-that-looks-like-baby-yoda-becomes-internet-star/
So I outed myself as a bit of a weirdo at work. This came on my random stream and, I couldn’t stop myself, I just belted it out. Headphones on, noise reduction activated, not a care in the world for volume or pitch. Fuck it; it’s a great song.
https://youtu.be/UZeBJ190j7A
I guess it kinda depends on the type and ages of your co-workers. And the industry which kinda pegs the type of people there. I wouldn’t GAF one way or the other – but then I don’t have a lot of fux to give in just about any dimension.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/color_out_of_space
Glib predictions on how bad this movie will be?
It looks terrible. I like Tommy Chong though, and it is likely my least favorite Lovecraft story; so, based strictly upon the trailer I just saw, I give it a solid meh. It’s the sort of film that I will only see by osmosis when wifey views it on the television set.
https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/xnalubxBTEGXaanFTXHC6Q.pCaaWxq8fX8SIcHqoHHxxo
Brewing up some chai tea this morning. ?