whiskybravo

Depends on how transformative AI can be.

We may be on the cusp of a significant rise in the standard of living over the next generation that all the current political wrangling will be looked on as past noise.

If we look at all possibilities. Invert as Charlie said. Maybe there has been so much positive momentum from technology and possibly transformative future productivity gains from AI specifically, that this has blown away any potentially negative economic consequences of Trump’s policies.

Yep and she was the darling of The Economist.

Casual sex has been in decline for some time now. Certainly less than when I was younger. But you may be right that a young high income guy might be viewed more attractively now than then. However if @whatstheofficerproblem meets someone he resonates with (most likely outside the bar scene) there is no reason he cannot meet a woman who he could establish a successful long term relationship with (if he so desires). I would also echo the idea of roommate(s) to share the expense and the experience. If he’s a runner, I would consider living near Central Park.

I came to NYC and met my wife of 37 years. We met at Lincoln Center. So much for tropes.

Leave the red card, take the cannoli.

That map is inaccurate! The Belgian flag should be covering some percentage of the USA.

Thank you for the gracious wishes from you all, our friends! We just got back from viewing the tall ships and flyovers on the Hudson River. I agree with Spek (and Buffett!).

My point was in the face of our pessimistic atmosphere, foreign visitors seem to be having a very positive experience. “And in the middle of this humid, oppressive gloom? An unexpected, fresh burst of globalized joy, a spasm of multiracial harmony, and the real shocker: a broad, genuine outburst of love for this country, its big-hearted people, and its unsung prosperity. No one expected the World Cup to be much of a draw this year, and many were afraid it would be an almighty flop, given the global atmosphere and you-know-who. But here we are. It’s the one obvious, uplifting, positive thing going on, and it feels like a fucking tonic.”

Borrowing from Andrew Sullivan regarding World Cup visitors: And it’s always a joy when Europeans express the same amazement I felt all those decades ago as I first discovered this wonderland. “Everyone’s just so nice,” said one, which is what every relative who has ever visited me always says about America. Always. If you think the American way of life is ending, you should listen to some of these star-struck visitors. “Indiana is exactly how I dreamed America would be. Small towns, wide open spaces, cornfields, barns, cute houses, diners, water towers, friendly people, great food, American flags everywhere, and so much more!” said one Swede, who’d also been won over by Ranch dressing (a true revelation). By getting peeps to go to the heartland for matches in various stadiums, rather than the usual coastal tourist fare, the World Cup is actually giving a more representative picture of the entire country and it’s a huge hit. https://open.substack.com/pub/andrewsullivan/p/dude-lmao-this-is-a-gas-station?r=9iue0&utm_medium=ios

Norwegians on the subway: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ5Tr1AxHsI/

The Trumpers, man… they’re like these little fish swimming upstream through a river of their own confusion. They keep staring at the rising tide of socialism like it just materialized out of the cosmic fog, completely forgetting they’re standing on the deck of the ship that’s taking on water. Their party feels like a monument to governance entropy, slowly dissolving into static. What did they think was going to happen? And Parsad, seriously, I respect you. Every time you disagree with me it’s like finding a hidden doorway in a room I thought I understood. You make me stop and inspect the wallpaper of reality. But I still think you’re underestimating the scale of what’s unfolding right now. The damage being done feels bigger than politics. It feels structural. Geological. Like cracks forming beneath the foundation while everyone’s arguing about the paint color. What really keeps me up is this looming fiscal singularity. Hyperinflation. Not as some abstract economic term floating around in a textbook, but as this enormous reality-bending force. People hear the words and shrug, but these things can reshape entire civilizations. They’re like tectonic plates moving beneath human consciousness. If people could actually feel the size of these forces, if they could see the shape of them from above, I think they’d be far more alarmed than they are. Instead I mostly see this weird blanket of apathy draped over everything. And does anyone here actually listen to Buffett? For fuck’s sake. The guy has been standing on the mountain for years waving warning flags about inflation, about speculation, about turning markets into casinos. He’s been repeating the same message over and over like some ancient economic oracle trapped in a time loop. But here we are. The brightest minds I can find online are locked in endless battles over trans people while simultaneously sketching elaborate diagrams explaining why Bitcoin is destined to become the sacred currency of the future. It’s like watching philosophers argue over shadows while the building they’re standing in slowly catches fire. I don’t know. Maybe it’s me. But it feels like the whole collective mind of the world has wandered into a funhouse and forgotten where the exit is. And Americans especially seem determined to stare into the mirrors until they mistake the reflections for reality.

PROT.OL

Added Protector and JOE. Sold Berkshire.

Added to Protector

Thank the board for indulging my concerns. Just a follow up. I placed an email with the USPS informing them of the situation. A couple of hours later I received a call from a woman thanking me for raising the matter. She told me that they are aware of the situation and are awaiting a contractor. She told me that she would email that contractor again. If anyone wants I will post a picture when old glory has been restored

Caring about dead children and caring about showing basic respect on Memorial Day are not mutually exclusive. People are capable of being concerned about more than one thing at a time.

There are 33,000 post office locations nationwide. That is why it is the responsibility of the local postmaster to determine when a flag is unsuitable to be flown. Tattered flags should not be flown. It is extremely disrespectful to fly these torn and tattered flags on Memorial Day.

It’s the responsibility of local USPS management. USPS guidance specifically tells “Postmasters and other managers” to regularly inspect flags, replace worn ones, and ensure they are displayed correctly. https://news.usps.com/2023/10/19/flag-check/?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://news.usps.com/2015/05/18/handle-with-care-9/?utm_source=chatgpt.com I try to look at things as objectively as I can and I’ll admit that I don’t know what is going on in the mind of the branch manager. Maybe she is just disorganized or inefficient. I spend time on Memorial Day contemplating its implications. The condition of those flags and the way they are displayed offends me.

Take another look. That flag is torn and near completely detached from the flagpole. It’s been that way for a while, not just this weekend. “According to the U.S. Flag Code, which provides guidelines for the care and display of the flag, the flag is considered a symbol of a living country. When an American flag becomes worn, tattered, or unkempt to the point where it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, traditional etiquette suggests it should be retired in a respectful manner.”

Which led to community uproar. https://www.khou.com/article/news/la-porte-residents-feel-tattered-torn-american-flag-flying-above-post-office-is-disgraceful/285-320997224

Look how the flag is flown in front of a post office in NYC on Memorial Day.

This is not that kind of a forum!

As a retired physician (radiologist) and also someone who went through prostate cancer myself, I appreciate both of you sharing your stories. There’s a lot of value in discussions like this because many people, especially men, delay getting evaluated even when they know something isn’t right. I had a prostatectomy about 8½ years ago. Fortunately, because I kept up with annual checkups and PSA testing, we caught it early after my PSA doubled to 6. I acted quickly and was able to avoid any adjuvant therapy, and I’ve remained cancer free since. Regarding Lazarus’s (btw appropriate name) experience, had he presented in the US with persistent back and flank pain that wasn’t resolving, he would very likely have been imaged earlier. American medicine tends toward more aggressive diagnostic workup. A CT would almost certainly have been ordered, and that tumor near his spleen would not have waited months to be found. Congratulations to both of you on being cancer free.