TBoneTX

Wednesday! Time for our Semiofficial Semiweekly VAWA-Thread Joke: ============================== MONASTIC LIVING A man entered a monastery to commit to that religious life. The abbot consented, on the condition that the new monk could speak only two words every three years. At the end of the first three years, the abbot asked if the monk had anything to say. The monk said, "Food cold." After the second three years, the abbot asked again. The monk said, "Bed hard." After the third three-year period, the abbot asked again. The monk said, "Want out." "That's no surprise at all," said the abbot. "You've done nothing but complain ever since you got here!"

At least NC seems to be taking corrective action... but the implications for other states are equal or worse. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ North Carolina Elections Board Finds 34,000 Deceased People on Voter Rolls The North Carolina State Board of Elections has identified over 30,000 dead people's names on their voter rolls in the latest illustration of exactly why Republicans are right to push election integrity reforms. Justice Department Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon highlighted the exposure of the 34,000 deceased voters' names. She has been leading the federal charge on trying to pressure states into investigating and cleaning their voter rolls, and is currently fighting dozens of leftist states in court for their data. The new North Carolina data is just one more vindication of the Trump administration's argument that our elections are ripe for fraud and states should be taking action to prevent it. [...] https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/04/28/north-carolina-elections-board-finds-34000-deceased-on-voter-rolls-n4952304

Do you agree or disagree with this author? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arming The Iranian People Against The Mullahs Is The Dumbest Idea Ever [...] the prospect of another ground conflict in the region is deeply unpopular with most Americans. Such a move, if taken, would almost certainly tank President Donald Trump's already wavering approval rating, sink Republican prospects for the midterms and even 2028, and mar his legacy with a long Middle East war he promised to avoid. In light of that, our other options are to continue the air and naval war alone without a ground element, or, as some have suggested, to begin arming the Iranian people (or other groups like the Kurds and Azerbaijanis) so they can overthrow the regime themselves. Even if the U.S. stops its direct military actions against Iran in the coming weeks as Trump suggested, the administration could still arm and train Iranians to destabilize the regime from the inside. [...] https://thefederalist.com/2026/04/02/arming-the-iranian-people-against-the-mullahs-is-the-dumbest-idea-ever/

Kind of restating the obvious, but interesting from a historical perspective. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What Trump Can Learn From Reagan About Blockading The Strait Of Hormuz As the United States Navy enforces a full blockade of Iranian ports and conducts minesweeping operations in the Strait of Hormuz, the lessons of 1987 and 1988 are once again proving their worth. I know, because I participated in the Pentagon basement war games that shaped Operation Praying Mantis in 1988, which became America's largest Navy surface engagement since World War II. In March 1987, as Iran attacked shipping in the Persian Gulf during the Tanker War, Kuwait sought U.S. protection for its oil tankers. President Ronald Reagan ordered them reflagged under Operation Earnest Will. Before the first convoy sailed, two-week-long war games tested responses to Iranian provocations. I served on the Green team as a young Reagan appointee, modeling a robust, military-centric reaction. The Blue team pursued a restrained, "proportional response" approach favored by the foreign policy "Blob." [...] https://thefederalist.com/2026/04/15/what-trump-can-learn-from-reagan-about-blockading-the-strait-of-hormuz/

[Everyone licks lips expectantly] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Analysts: SPLC Fraud, Money Laundering Charges Could Be The Tip Of The Iceberg Professionals who have experience with anti-money laundering laws are not shocked by the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). If the facts alleged in the indictment are true, they appear to support charges that are unremarkable and to be expected. Those allegations also strongly suggest the possibility of more indictments. [...] https://thefederalist.com/2026/04/28/analysts-splc-fraud-money-laundering-charges-could-be-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/

Thoughts? Mine are mixed. The author's reasoning is one thing. To my mind, re-attending would indicate continued intent to build bridges AND show that he's not scared off; but skipping it is probably more prudent now that the world knows how insecure all non-new-White House Ballroom venues can be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Trump Shouldn't Attend A Party For The Journalists Who Incited Assassination Attempts [...] If the WHCD does have a do-over, Trump shouldn't go, because at some point, the president has to stop rewarding the very institutions that have spent years spreading propaganda that has justified and implicitly encouraged assassination attempts against him and his fellow Republicans. [...] https://thefederalist.com/2026/04/27/trump-shouldnt-attend-a-party-for-the-journalists-who-incited-assassination-attempts/

Comments? ~~~~~~~~~ How The Instagram Algorithm Psy-Ops You Into Staying Single For Life A new trend is spreading across TikTok and Instagram, and young women are vulnerable to its feminist messaging. These popular videos use an audio excerpt from the 2024 movie Here, in which a character breaks down over the opportunities she thinks she has missed. "But I never made it to law school," she says, voice trembling, "and I never got to see Paris in the spring, and I never got to stay over in Yellowstone because it was too crowded." In video after video on social media, the audio plays over a montage of women traveling, enjoying "girl time," and pursuing higher education. Across the colorful clips appears a warning: Don't let your figs rot. That line comes from [...] https://thefederalist.com/2026/04/27/how-the-instagram-algorithm-psy-ops-you-into-staying-single-for-life/

Thrilling Tuesday report, see man: Took doc-discouraged bedtime HSM, zzz'd nearly till alarm, and in far less hip-pain, so much for medical science even if we are hosing our kidneys man. Visited favorite large thrift store on sale day and spent much time there, thorough we man. We found Many (2x2x2 +2) shirts + 1 pants for Mini-B. and a t-shirt for us, find we man. We saved $Many ($2x2x2x2) off full price, F$@M. We had not supped all day, no man. On way casa-ward, we searched for a place where we had a coupon, no find place we man. We decided to go to Sam's, on itinerary anyway man. We found frozen/refridged stuff for Two Guys week, must've missed it on first visit man. We got ourself 2 bags of store-brand cheaps, self-indulge we man. We then stood in café line for Many (2 Manyzen) -- si man, Many (2 Manyzen) -- minutes to get our hot dog/drink while idiots in front made complex orders, we and the long line behind us man. Our cold stuff was rapidly thawing, man. Our service took just a few seconds, man. Our hot dog was cold, man. Breakfast/lunch/din-din (at half-past Many p.m.) was the aforementioned hot dog + Pepsi Zero, ingest we man. Sadly, it failed to occur to us that we had bypassed "the" Chinese buffet on way to Sam's, man. Some consolation that the actual ingestational outcome is certainly better for our waistline, waist not want not man. Serviced expectant miu upon casa arrival, service miu we man. Watched TV news and consumed newly purchased cheaps, ingest dessert we man. Attempted siesta failed, man. Finally dished the warsher, must de-dish when finished man. Went through Mini-B.'s closet to pull out shirts still stinking after first use of gas dryer, noxious man. Warshering hot/hot, we used unscented powder with vinegar in rinse compartment, only cure man. After baking & cooldown, we shall smell them to intuit acceptability, hopeful we man. If they are acceptable, they go back in closet, si man; if not, they get donated, sigh man. Mini-B.'s shirts bought today will either be extras or replacements, reason we man. We have one set of queen sheets to be similarly treated, stinking up linen closet all this time man. Linen closets should smell fragrant, not of first-use-of-gas-dryer stench man. No party with the rubias tonight, no cavort we man. No major plans for Wednesday, T-B.-mobile inspection and maybe Costco man. Wednesday is Two Guys eve, man. We and ex-Mrs.-T-B. must find out why Mini-B.'s grades are going straight south, man. And that was/is our thrilling Tuesday, report we man.

The big prize is filling in that final line in your VJ timeline. Highly satisfying.

Keep your eye on the prize -- filling in that last box in your VJ timeline. Highly satisfying.

Dude, you're very gracious, eloquent to the max, and most welcome. Let us know when daughter's card arrives. Hope you'll hang around to contribute, and that we'll see you in successive forums!

LadyGRAY, pushbrk is right, as usual. Become an "A" student of the entire legal-immigration process. Read all instructions carefully, interpret them literally, and answer completely & honestly. We're here for you if you get stuck. Edited to add: Threads have been merged again. Please post questions in the current thread only.

Yee-HAAAAA! (That's Texan for "Congratulations!")

Good idea, L2200 -- scroll through threads in the United Kingdom forum, and if you find nothing, post a new question there. And thanks to KidOo and TomAye for being so helpful.

Bad mouth-badding imminently denaturalized-and-deportable mam ma'am! Bad, BAD mouth-badding MOUTH-BADDING imminently denaturalized-and-deportable IMMINENTLY DENATURALIZED-AND-DEPORTABLE mam ma'am! Mini-B. has really suffered from the dairy in Ecu, for example, see mam ma'am. He also avoids cheesy breakfast items here (= nearly Many00% of the possibilities) because it hoses him in skool, si and sigh man. Well, perhaps, maybe Y ma'am. We compared the ingredients in the old vs. new Costco milk, cartons of each handy man. The new stuff has far more calcium in it than does the old, note we man. Mama T-B. had previously requested "no added calcium" in milk for herself because of taste, si man. We finally understand what she was talking about, comprehend belatedly we man. --- We still don't know how to complain to Costco, no man. And the Lactaid available at Sam's merely lists a percentage of minimum daily requirement, not a number, si and no and really big help thank you Lactaid man.