Category Archives: Sunday’s Rant

Spring Ahead

It is that time of year again, and lacking anything better to do, certain congress critters have come up with this plan to make daylight saving permanent.

Now I don’t have a problem with getting rid of the twice yearly time change, but here is where it kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth: Daylight Saving Time is not the correct time!

In actuality, Daylight Saving is about an hour off or more from the actual local time. The whole point of AM, Noon, and PM was based on the idea that at Noon, the sun would be at its highest point in the sky. Under Daylight Saving, actual noon occurs around 1:00PM, plus or minus a half hour.

But I get it. If your job has you coming in from 9 to 5, you just wouldn’t have enough time to go play golf after work, and changing the working hours to 8 to 4 would be akin to socialism… So let’s just fuck with the clocks and pretend we’re coming in at 9 when it’s actually 8. Yeah… That’s such a smart idea.

For the life of me, I have no idea how humanity ever managed to make it this far.

Kudos

Again, thanks for the jokes, and if you want to contribute more, our submission page remains open.

Pax,

-f2x

Averting Adversity Again

So I had to go see the doctor again. Apparently I came down with a really bad case of thrush. I am finally on the mend, but my mouth still feels a little spicy. There for a while, it was quite unbearable. I had trouble talking, and eating was extremely painful.

As bad as thrush is, the more unsettling part is that this disease does not exist in a vacuum. There is usually some underlying condition that is considerably more serious. Under normal conditions, the human immune system doesn’t have any problem dealing with the infection. In fact, a person could eat a bucket full of the stuff and still not get infected by it. Now I’m left to wonder what else is going to go wrong.

But for now I feel like everything is getting better, and I feel stonger. I even managed to lose about 15 pounds as a result of not being able to eat for a while. Now if I could just lose another 85 we’d be set!

Kudos

Well, that’s all I have for this week. Thanks to our anonymous (Big D) donor for the jokes. As you can see, I’m still not editing the jokes anymore, and there are probably a lot of repeats in these latest additions. I am not into spending a lot of time on this site anymore, so I really appreciate it when others take the time to make things happen.

Of course if you would like to help make things happen, our submission page is always at your disposal.

Until next time.

Pax,

-f2x

Exposing the Brainwashed

I’m not a liberal by any means. Just look at the jokes I publish. Hell, I’m surprised the cancel-culture-crowd hasn’t crucified me yet. That being the case, I did not buy an electric car because I care so much about the environment. I don’t really give two shits about the environment other than those places where I personally live and visit. I didn’t just fall off the turnip wagon either. My decision to buy a used electric car was based on financial benefits, reliability aspects, and some impressive performance characteristics.

While the cost to purchase a brand new EV often negates any financial benefit, a used EV typically depreciates to the point that it isn’t really any different in the purchase price of a comparable gas powered vehicle. By carefully selecting a used EV, saving money on gas is a very real benefit.

And my LEAF has demonstrated this point quite nicely. My previous car got lousy mileage, but if you wanted a break-even cost comparison, a comparable gas powered car would have to get around 68mpg. How did I come by that number? If you look at my monthly electric usage year over year, it has been fairly consistent, where last February’s usage was only 19KWh more than the previous year. This past month I used 253 more KWh than last year. It added a cost of about $22, and I drove a little over 600 miles. Gas is hovering around $2.50 a gallon, so 22/2.5 would be like buying 8.8 gallons of gas, and 600/8.8 is about 68mpg. That’s a little better than even a new $25K Prius.

The biggest downside I’ve encountered concerns getting the vehicle serviced. I can’t take this to my usual mechanic, and apparently not all dealerships can work on it either. While obviously the range of a 2016 30KWh LEAF can be a problem, it really isn’t. For over a decade, I’ve had a two vehicle household, and now the one I use as a daily commuter is electric. If I need my GMC truck, I take my GMC truck. (Hint: I almost never need the truck.)

The other downside is the acidic nature of a certain demographic when they realize the car is an electric vehicle.

And that brings us to today’s actual topic. I am not ranting to defend electric vehicles. I’m ranting about the brainwashed minds of a particular demographic. I say “brainwashed” because they all follow an eerily similar script. They always parrot the exact same talking points and frequently use identical phrasing and terminology. It’s like they memorized lines that came out of the talk radio pundits or the pundits on OANN, FOX News, and the never-ending slew of right wing propaganda outlets. (Yes, I’m going there.)

With a somewhat stone-faced glare, they will utter this phrase as if Pavlov himself had just rung a bell: “That’s great, but I don’t think something like that would ever work for me.” In the month and a half since I bought this car, I have heard this line from at least a dozen people. OK. I get it, but then they feel the need to further elaborate their position.

“I need to be able to travel in my vehicle.” (Yeah, electric cars are only good for 20 miles and then you have to throw them away or something…)

“What do you do if you if there’s an emergency and you need to go help a relative who lives in another state?” (Send flowers to their funeral?)

“How are you going to be able to drive that thing in the snow?” (Seriously? The traction control handles better than the 4WD on my truck.)

“You know my [acquaintance of a relative] had an electric car, and they had all sorts of trouble with it.” (And nobody ever has trouble with a gas powered car?)

“We’ll see how much you like it when you see your next electric bill.” (I still like it… a lot.)

“You know they’re not as Eco friendly as they say they are.” (Since when have you been an environmentalist?)

“What’s the difference between burning gasoline in your car and burning coal at the electric company?” (Coal is cheaper.)

“If everyone had one of those things, I don’t see how our electrical grid could keep up with the demand.” (And I guess the electric company never had to deal with new technologies or growing populations that added to the electrical load.)

“Did you know more CO2 is released during the manufacture of an electric car than for a conventional gas powered vehicle?” (And now you’re suddenly worried about global warming?)

“They say lithium mining is a lot worse for the environment than gas powered vehicles.” (Now you’re trying to be an environmentalist again! What’s your point?)

“Just ask Texas what they think about those electric cars right now.” (I’m not going to speak for people who had to go through a hardship like that. See David Murray’s video for some insight. He is an actual Texan who was hit hard by the recent winter storm, and he can explain it a lot better than I can.)

The longer they talk, the more hostile they become, especially if I try to correct any of their misinformed assumptions. There is remarkably little variation in the wording from person to person as well. They are also likely to sprinkle in a few comments about how they think liberals are trying to force people into electric cars. Bonus points if they bring up AOC, Pelosi, or George Soros. It is like a well rehearsed script, and every line is delivered in a tone that implies their sixth grade education is somehow better informed than all those “stupid liberals”. They also act as though their “logic” is going to deliver a crushing blow to my enthusiastic satisfaction with my new vehicle.

The weirdest part is how most of the everyday people just think it is a neat car, but these “crusaders” suddenly feel like they have to win this duel for their honor. (“Must own the libs!”) It’s really kind of sad. Here is a functional commuter car that costs a fraction to operate compared to the traditional gasoline engine, and this barrel full of crabs is so blinded by their brainwashed induced rage that they can’t see the obvious practical benefits.

Of course the pithy comments some of them utter as they walk past my desk are sadly not very creative either. Usually it’s some variation on having an affinity for the color green, or being affectionate with a tree. Most of them have learned to keep their mouths shut by now, but sometimes they just can’t seem to help themselves, and I have to bring up some unpleasant decisions they made in their own pasts.

I really am saddened by the number of people who get hateful over this car. It has done nothing to deserve this disparagement from this particular demographic, and for a group that seemingly lacks any fundamental understanding about the nature of the universe, they certainly have a highly developed opinion about a car that no one has ever asked them to buy. (Seriously, it’s like pulling teeth to get a dealership to sell you an electric car.) The fact that their opinions and beliefs are so consistent is evidence that this isn’t an accidental conclusion or even a well researched personal analysis that these people have stumbled upon. These opinions have been drummed into them till they chant them in unison like the mindless mob they’ve become.

It is just a fucking car, but it has the unexpected property of exposing something very dark and sinister. These are people who no longer take the time to examine and trust what is actually in front of them. They believe the propaganda over their own senses and lack the ability to reason and think for themselves. They are compromised by their twisted political religion. They live with damaged brains infected by a poisonous ideology that will only be relieved by the inevitable passing of time and the passing of men.

The LEAF replaced my rusty old ’97 Plymouth Breeze. The oil pump was failing, and I couldn’t see sinking that much money into saving it. There is no denying I got my money’s worth out of that Breeze, and I couldn’t help but feel a little sentimental about the long journey we spent together.

I remember at one point it looked like there was no hope for that car. It was running like crap, so I went out and bought another vehicle. That’s when I got my truck.

For some reason I didn’t trade in the Breeze back then. It was about six months later when I took it to my mechanic and asked him to take a look at it. I told him I thought it was likely a lost cause, but “just see if there was anything that could be done”. He called back and gave me a surprisingly low repair cost, and urged me to consider it. He quoted one of his mechanics who was working on the car as saying, “For what it is, it’s not in bad shape.”

I drove that car for another 9 years, and believe me when I tell you that when I traded it in, I almost cried saying goodbye to it.

Kudos

Thank you anonymous donor(s) for the jokes. You may contribute more of them on
the submission page, and while the queue is quite full for the next couple months, I will be more than happy to add the submissions without complaint.

(Honestly, I don’t even read the jokes anymore. I’ve already heard them all.)

Pax,

-f2x

Arrrrgh!

So my car is in the shop. Yes, that one. It’s a long story too. Suffice to say there is a problem with the climate control, and I’m finding out the biggest downside to owning an EV: Getting it fixed when things go wrong.

So far I have already been ripped off by one dealership. They told me they could work on my LEAF, but things did not go well there. After I got hosed for $140 and nothing done to fix the problem, I found out from the two other area dealerships that the one I went to does not actually have any technicians certified to work on the LEAF. It would appear they scammed me.

One of the dealerships told me up front they do not have a LEAF tech, but the last one boasted that they are the only ones to have qualified technicians in this area. I wish I had known that beforehand.

So for now, I’m driving my old gas guzzling GMC. Hopefully the dealership will find the problem and be able to fix it soon.

Kudos

Thanks to the wonderful person who has been using our submission page. You are the only reason this site is still doing the daily updates.

Pax,

-f2x

I Have No Idea What Comes Next

After 2020, things couldn’t possibly get any worse, could they? Well, they could, and it is prudent to brace yourself for the possibility that the apocalypse was just getting warmed up.

On the other hand, perhaps the worst is behind us, or at least we will have a reprieve while the Kraken naps for a few more years.

One thing I pretty much know isn’t about to happen:

We ain’t gonna go back to the way things were.

Kudos

There are a number of jokes still left in the queue from the anonymous donor who used our submission page. Thanks again, whoever you are.

“You know how sometimes you tell yourself that you have a choice, but really you don’t have a choice? Just because there are alternatives doesn’t mean they apply to you.” ― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

Pax,

-f2x

Peanut Butter Pills

OK, so you might notice that Gail looks kind of soulfull and sweet in the this shot. Indeed, she has made an extreme amount of progress, and it is all thanks to this wonderful little pill she takes every afternoon. It’s called fluoxitine, and it is used to treat separation anxiety. I call it a miracle!

Some of you might recognize the drug. It is the same drug that goes under the brand name of Prozac. While it is primarily used to treat depression in humans, fluoxitine is an anti-anxiety drug when administered to dogs, and is the only approved medication for separation anxiety in dogs. As an added bonus the overall improvement in Gail’s temprament is something to behold. She is… Lovable.

I guess once you take away a dog’s anxiety, they tend to enjoy being cuddled and fawned over more. It is obvious that Gail is much more content these days, and she is far more trainable. Although not perfect, she is starting to get a grip on a basic vocabulary, and will typically retreive the object you ask for such as a ball, rope, or Wubba from the other room.

Even my cat, Alex has noticed the improvement. His anxiety level has also dropped thanks to the fact that Gail has stopped using him as a chew toy. Every once in a while, Gail will get a little too “nosey”, but for the most part she is respecting Alex’s boundaries.

Initially I was told it would take up to 30 days before there would be any behavioral changes, but honestly I could tell that something was happening after only two weeks. It has been a little over two months, and Gail is like a new dog. It is also of note that the medication is rather affordable. At only $18 for a 60 day supply, I can keep Gail on this pill indefinitely to ensure that her previous disposition never comes back.

Kudos

Some amazingly kind and generous soul has been using our submission page during my extended hiatus. They are a bit different from my usual style, but the submitter was kind enough to provide them, so I will be posting them over the next few weeks with minimal editing. I hope you all enjoy.

“I’m envious of actors. You shoot a movie or you do a season of ‘Big Love,’ and then you’re on hiatus and you have a bunch of free time.” ― Jack McCollough

Pax,

-f2x

I Love My Dog

So during the last fireside chat, I might have given some of you the impression that I don’t like my dog. Well, I do, but with such boundless energy she can be very tiring. I’m getting on in my years, and having a living bouncy ball sap my energy every day is frustrating.

But Gail is my baby girl, and though she often tests my limits, she does have her up sides. Off hand I can’t think of any, but… Oh wait! She does actually settle down, and when I’m sitting on the couch or lying in bed, she is right there snuggled up next to me. She looks at me in such a way as to tell me that I am her everything.

And Gail is still just a pup. Granted, she is an 85 pound musclebound pup, but her brain is still developing. It is always a pleasant surprise when something finally “clicks” in that head of hers, and she learns to control some of the less desirable aspects of her behavior.

Make no mistake, there is a long way to go before Gail is what I would consider a “good” dog, and I have had enough dogs to know the difference. In the meantime, she still gets plenty of toys and treats and belly rubs.

She is going to be great some day.

Pax,

-f2x

Happy First Birthday Gail!

August 4 was Gail’s birthday. She’s come a long way since she was a little puppy, and she still has a long way to go.

Can I be frank though? I got Gail to help me cope with the loss of my beloved Grace who passed away nearly a year ago. Unfortunately this did not pan out like I’d hoped. Gail is a beautiful Labrador, but when you see her in person, it’s apparent she lacks the lovability that Grace had.

She has no impulse control. When you try to pet her she wants to chew on you, or jump on you, or claw/kick you. Not in a mean way, but in an overexcited loss of control way. She also swings her head around like it was a mace on a battle field.

She barks a lot. A LOT. She growls and barks at dogs and cats on the TV. She also howls like a %^&*ing beagle. This can happen out of the blue for no reason, and it’s beyond infuriating. It’s 3AM, not a creature in the whole neighborhood is stirring, and suddenly this dog starts howling and barking. Oh, the neighbors are not amused.

She’s a digger! Yeah, all dogs will dig, but this is done out of spite. It’s a shame I don’t have the mineral rights to my lot. If I let her out, and don’t supervise her the whole time, she will start excavating.

I could go on, but suffice to say, living with Gail has been a rather unpleasant and thus far unrewarding challenge. If I had known then what she would be like at one year, I would not have gotten this dog.

If there’s anything good to say, she seems like she’s genuinely happy here. She likes the food, the treats, the car rides, the walks, the games of fetch, and torturing the cat. Sometimes she even seems to like me.

Happy Birthday, Gail.

Pax,

-f2x

Strep Throat Still Sucks

For the past several weeks I’d been dealing with this painful lump in my throat that made it hurt to swallow. I knew it was either strep or cancer. The good news is, it doesn’t appear to be cancer, but it has taken a couple different rounds of antibiotics to knock this shit out of me.

My lymph nodes are still sore, so I’ve been trying to get as much rest as possible. Not that simple when work keeps piling up at my job, but what else can you do?

I am getting better though.

Kudos

Even Glenn’s not sending me much in the way of jokes this week. It’s not like anyone really reads these jokes anymore. I’ll just start posting the latest Dow Jones reports. Got a joke? I’d love to hear it. Head over to the submission page and type it in for me! You can also email it to flush2x@gmail.com.

“My sore throats are always worse than anyone’s.” ― Jane Austen

Pax,

-f2x