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Brisketexan

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Everything posted by Brisketexan

  1. This. It’s a big turning point in your read of American history when you realize the pilgrims weren’t persecuted because of their religion, they were loathed because they were total dicks.
  2. That vid had me laughing. They’re fucking cows, man. Of course, I remember when I was in elementary school in Houston and our class went to the stock show. I came home and told my mom how shocked I was that many of my classmates were genuinely terrified by the cattle (which I had walked up to and pet, talked to, etc). My mother explained “well, Brisket, not everyone has a ranch in the family. These are city kids, and probably never saw a cow before.” Which gave me some perspective, but my take was still something along the lines of “but dude…they’re just freaking cows.” That dude needs to shred his man card.
  3. [car meme] $62 for a bike bell? I should get the State of Texas bike bell contract. [/cat meme]
  4. 100%. I’m very fortunate that my wife is great at living that out all the time. Our kids grew up in a house where we’ve taken people in, given freely, etc., and it was ingrained in them in a “this is how you’re supposed to do life” kind of way. All the conversations and such help, but the example…especially when it’s hard or inconvenient, is what drives it home.
  5. I have in mind a sweet deal on a new deck at Casa Brisket, in exchange for my endorsement: “as a holder of a great deal utterly useless and frankly, undeserved, rep on Surlyhorns, I recommend these dudes. PM Derka for your coupon.”
  6. Update - daughter can see the aurora in London.
  7. My kids are farther north, and they're looking. But they're in cities, so the glare is a problem. My daughter sent a pic from one of her friends in rural northern Germany, they got the aurora. Apparently, the lights show up better on your phone camera than they do for the naked eye.
  8. We have a back patio (elevated, covered, two levels) that is wood...and needs real work. It's both a usability issue and a safety issue (it has railings, as it's high up in the air, and one of those railings that's most exposed to the elements just collapsed from rot). We'd like to replace the deck material with composite material (we know that's more expensive than wood, as we did so on the front deck last year as part of a larger home remodel), and we have to replace all of the railings so that they are reliable and safe. We also know that with the material change (composite isn't as rigid as wood), we might need to add joists. And, that end of the house has structural piers that run from the roof to the ground. So, there's likely some engineering work that would need to go with it as well. We'll get back in touch with our contractor from last year, but deck work is just one of the things they do -- don't know if they'd take on a job that is JUST deck work. So, any recommendations in Austin for a good deck contractor who could handle something that has structural elements/concerns involved as well?
  9. TTIWW a link to how to have sex with beautiful and sexy women from all countries and earn money. BOOOOOOOO.
  10. It isn't performative faux humility (or it shouldn't be). It should be real. Be humble. Be kind. Use what you have been given to do good. Be aware of other people's situations, which are often no more their fault than your situation (and advantage) is your fault. Have some empathy, which goes hand-in-hand with humility. DON'T be the guy born on third base who brags about how he hit a triple, making fun of all of those people stuck standing at the plate without even a bat.
  11. I agree - they didn't do anything wrong in being born on third base. They just need to be aware of what a privilege and advantage that is. And to do good with it. Man, the older I get, the simpler that truth gets. Just do good. When you can, how you can, for whoever you can. It's just so damned important. And that requires a big dose of humility.
  12. Well, from the perspective of a full set of kids in their position, it ISN'T "fair," is it? Kid A has access to great educational resources, a stable household, good healthcare and nutrition, and even "seed money" to keep them from ever going into a hole. Kid B has none of that. Neither Kid A nor Kid B did anything to earn/deserve that situation. They were just born into it. So, yeah, it really isn't fair that Kid B across the highway from us doesn't have the huge advantages my kids have. It's good and healthy to acknowledge that, and importantly, for Kid A NOT to think that he's inherently better or more deserving than Kid B just because he has those advantages. And beyond that, Kid A should be instilled with the virtue and ethos of devoting some of his life's energy to helping the Kid B's of the world close that opportunity gap some. It's great to be born at the top of the mountain. It sucks to be born at the bottom. A good person at the summit realizes that, and devotes some of their time and resources to helping other folks climb.
  13. Yep. And for each generation, a big part of our job is to hand off things to the next in the best shape that we can. As Gen X, that's frustrating as shit, because it feels like the best we can do is try to hold the line to keep things from getting shittier, and telling the next generations "here ya go, we tried to keep it from breaking further....good luck fixing it." But it indeed will be up to them, in their time and in their way, to do what they can to make it better. They may be fucked, but they are also that tiny ember of hope standing in the corner of Pandora's box. Our job as parents is to keep that ember going till they can stoke the fire themselves.
  14. It's not inherently bad or good. It's what you do with it. And our kids damned well know the rule of "to whom much is given, much is required." Having a mother who knows the Gospel of Luke helps. That IS something about Gen Z that is hopeful - there's a bigger sense of "we need to make this place better" in their ethos and motivation. Shit, I had to talk him out of spending his summer helping rehab damaged communities outside of Kyiv (mom says "no-go" into a warzone). But I also know that pretty soon, he's a grown-ass man out from under our roof completely. And he may go do things like that anyway. Because he gives a shit. AND, he knows that his position of privilege allows him the means to do so. We aren't wealthy enough to really invoke "noblesse oblige," but if you've got it....you need to use it for good. I hope we've set a good enough example for them. I live in regular fear that we haven't.
  15. Download your weekend porn videos onto your phone now, just to be safe, though. Pro tip.
  16. Adds meaning to "got one in the slot."
  17. One of the things I love about this brand of nutbattery is the idea that 1) total economic and social collapse is coming, so one of the keys is 2) buy precious metals. Dude. When society and the economy collapses, precious metals are just shiny baubles. NOTHING THAT IS NOT UTILITARIAN WILL HAVE VALUE. If we are REALLY heading for total social and economic collapse, the only metal you should be buying is lead, cast into ammo and topping off a powder-filled brass casing. It's like they buy into the doom fantasy....but only partially. Just enough to support their goldbug/silverbug erection. Lying to yourself in a different flavor is still lying to yourself. But let's get back to the shutdown of all of our communications today and tomorrow ("widespread service disruptions"). If we all still have service tomorrow, meaning that pimphand's promises of impending doom are bullshit, will he eat crow? Sings point to "no."
  18. ....and the Trumpanzees masturbate furiously to both - completely inconsistent - statements. Because stupidity is king.
  19. No. More than just "fuck that guy." I hope he dies a painful death, and right soon. He is evil incarnate. He is bitter and angry, and wants the rest of the world and humanity to suffer to make himself feel better. I want him to live the remainder of his days in excruciating pain, physical and emotional, with no hope for relief, and no easy path to suicide. Just a slow drip of decay, causing his death in months.
  20. We've had lots of conversations with them about having a healthy perspective of what "success" and "happiness/satisfaction" look like (and that they don't have to look like "wealth" or "lots of stuff"). For example, a few years ago over Xmas break, my daughter and I were having a long chat in our living room. She looked around and said "it just occurred to me that I'm probably living in the most prosperous household that I'll ever live in." I told her that was reasonably likely, but ALSO, there's a whole lot of living between "your parents' big nice house in NW Hills" and "poor and broke." And in that band is a shitload of happiness and living. Shit, her parents grew up in that band, and had great lives. And honestly, among their generation, I think that view has some traction. Big fancy houses aren't as important to them (yes, it's still important to plenty of them, I'm just saying it's less important overall). Fancy cars aren't as important. Security, being able to afford the basics, and spend time with people you care about, matter more. Which I actually think is healthier. And for us, there's a cheat code, and it isn't fair: my kids stand to inherit enough (from my dad and from us) to provide them a baseline of security. They could probably acquire a decent/modest home with inherited money, and then not have to pay for housing anymore. What a HUGE leg up that is. But it's cheating, because they are exceptionally lucky. To their credit, they know it (that it's luck). They've been given a lot, and they know it.
  21. I do love how the theme here is "Hollywood is full of pedophiles." Every church in America be all like
  22. I mean....let's not pretend that the AI/algorithm has to do a lot of heavy lifting. For example, if I was to get on a dating site, within about 5 minutes, the algorithm would say "yeah, yeah, I get it -- I should just show you middle-aged brunettes with great tits."
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