ramblerant Tag Posts Index

Elon Musk, Social Media Rage, & The Death of Nuance

First things first: I am not an Elon Musk fanboy, simp, or cheerleader. I have a lot of doubts and concerns about him, his businesses, and his influence. However,

Thoughts on Current Events

Here we are, three weeks into an undeclared, pointless war, and the story just keeps getting stranger. I've been avoiding the topic for the sake of my sanity, but

Assessing Trump vs. My Predictions

Sixteen months ago, Donald J. Trump was re-elected to a non-consecutive second term. This is only the second time in the nearly 240 years since the US Constitution

Artificial Intelligence: Progress or Problem?

I have been harshly critical of A.I. slop and the corporate trend to label everything as "A.I.-enhanced," but I do think there is room for nuance. I'll

Ain't No Party Like a Political Party!

Over the last few decades, the American two-party system seems to have escalated in dividing society. I know enough of history to not be fooled into thinking this

A Bad Start to 2026

2025 was rough, but 2026 is shaping up to be worse if the first week and change are any indication. Buckle up. This is a long rambling post which may go nowhere.

Mornings

Mornings are not my thing. At least the after waking part, the wee hours of the morning before I've made it to bed is a different story. Can you believe some people

Free Speech Facsimiles

Remember how outrageously offensive the "free speech zones" were during the George W. Bush administration about 20 years ago? Remote areas were cordoned

Assassins, Blame Games, and American Politics

Earlier today, American right-wing activist and media personality Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a gunman while speaking at a Utah university. I'm not a huge fan

Hoplophobic Hysteria

Every time there is a shooting, the knee-jerk response from the American authoritarian left is demands for new gun laws. Just yesterday (as of this post) a Minnesota

Stablecoins, Hive, HBD, and the "GENIUS Act"

It seems like the more convoluted the acronym, the more sinister the legislation. The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS

The Real Scandal Behind the Signal Leak

A few days ago, news of a comically bad security failure in the Trump administration hit the headlines. Senior Trump administration officials were holding a meeting

COVID-19: Five Years Later

Five years ago, the world went mad. We can't forget what really happened as the court historians scrub the record and continue their eternal campaign to make the

A Penny For Your Thoughts?

About a week ago, Donald Trump announced the US would stop producing the penny (pictured at right). According to The US Mint, it costs 3.69 cents to mint a 1-cent

More Idaho Authoritarianism

The Idaho legislature is proposing a minimum $300 fine for marijuana possession. Neighboring Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Montana have almost entirely decriminalized

Durability, Quality, and Sustainability vs. Fast Fashion

Last year, I wrote a number of posts about my quest for better boots. I thought it would give me a good source of content other guys could relate to, but it's only

Escalating Tensions in Eastern Europe and the World

I had plans for a fun post today, but I'm just not feeling it. Tensions have escalated yet again in Europe. Joe Biden may be too senile to run for re-election, but

Trump: A Worst-Case Scenario

I've had time now for a posting palate cleanser, but it's finally time for a follow-up to Trump: A Best-Case Scenario. While I still think the average Democrat has

Trump: A Best-Case Scenario

Here in the library world, there is a distinct slant to the left among staff and supporters, and the Donald Trump election victory has resulted in some paranoia.

Lessons for Democrats?

Here in the USA, there's still a lot of chaos surrounding Election Day fallout. Trump apparently won, and Harris made a concession speech even though some states