And... Starbucks is "expanding" to Tennessee.

AKA: They are slowing relocating to Tennessee to escape the absurd taxes here in Washington State.

We're losing businesses at a steady stream while legislatures sit on their hands. MUCH LIKE THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR DIGITAL DRIVER'S LICENSES AND PUSHING CONGRESS TO ALLOW US TO ADOPT PERMANENT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME LIKE BRITISH COLUMBIA TO THE NORTH OF US HAS. Senators Patty Murray* and Senator Maria Cantwell* and my Representative, Kim Schrier, might want to look into saving Washington from themselves. Because if any more major companies move out, they'll likely make up the difference by raising our taxes even more. At which point people are going to be voting for whomever runs against them... no matter how big a dumbass they end up being.

I mean, just look at this bullshit... we're #2 in regressive tax policy circa 2024. After Florida. FLORIDA!

By "regressive" it means that the burden of taxes are mostly on low-to-middle-income families. And that should really tell you something. Because if most of the tax burden is on us... and businesses still want to leave because of high taxes... exactly how fucking high are our taxes? Monumentally huge. Insanely huge.

There's only so much gas in the tank.

And speaking of gas... it's averaging $4.50 in Washington State? Since Trump blamed Biden for that even though the president doesn't have much to do with gas prices, do we now get to blame Trump?

I swear... the broken way the USA governs itself is beyond stupid. At what point are Americans of all political parties going to come together for the common good and start over with a system which hasn't been corrupted to the point of idiocy? Americans can disagree on issues. That's bound to happen. But there are major points where we agree, and we should build from that. Not continue to pay a government huge amounts of money to act against our collective best interest.

But it's all special interest and billionaires running the show, and they don't give a crap about us.

   
*I am still raw over the fact that Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell voted against cheap drug re-importation from Canada over "safety concerns." AKA: They didn't want to jeopardize the cash flow from Big Pharma. Like we're supposed to believe that Canadians are dying left and right over "bad prescription drugs." Murray, facing massive backlash, eventually flip-flopped on her position... I have no idea where the fuck Maria Cantwell is standing. Probably wherever is paying her the most.

UPDATE: And, right on cue, look what popped up on my Facebook feed. An ad from Washington State House Republicans...

My GOD Democrat politicians are fucking stupid. They do stupid this shit while the Republicans walk all over them to gain followers, then whine like dumbass dipshit assholes when they lose elections. It's useless hand-wringing while wailing "HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO US?!?. Democrats just LOVE to lose. They're designed that way. Or so I would assume. I mean, look where we are now.

Today was supposed to be a boring entry on the apps that I've got installed on Docker for my NAS. I had it all ready to go yesterday. All I needed to do was proofread it. And then I saw a news article that made my blood boil, so you're getting a rant instead.

I'll post the article in the next paragraph. But first I am compelled to tell you that I fucking loathe the US Congress. And, if not for them, this rant wouldn't be necessary. Here's the article...

British Columbia adopts permanent daylight saving time; western Washington an hour behind November through March — A shitty headline, because it's all of Washington. Not just "western Washington." But the article was probably written by an AI bot which thinks that western and eastern Washington are in different time zones, so what-the-fuck-ever.

Washington State would be right there with our brothers in the Province to the North of us (back in 2019!), thanks to RCW 1.20.052. But since Congress is FUCKING USELESS, we can't actually make the change. The best we can do is ignore Daylight Saving (like Hawaii and Arizona do) which doesn't require Congressional approval. But that would suck. And so... here we are... having to hope that Congress will eventually stop wasting time protecting assholes in the Epstein Files and other crap so they can get to the stuff that's been sitting on their docket FOR OVER SIX FUCKING YEARS.

Like not dicking around with the clocks twice a year. Something stupid as hell in the Year of Our Lord 2026.

So much for "States Rights." There is absolutely no end to my seething fucking hatred of Congress. And most politicians, really.

Anyway. See you again tomorrow, when you'll get that thrilling article on Docker.

Unless I read something in the news that sets off another rant. Which, let's face it, is extremely likely.

Don't think that yet another war started by the "president of peace" and chairman of the "board of peace" who campaigned on a promise "no more wars" will send me into a rage so fucking deep that I can't blog... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Health is Overrated! There's a fuck-ton of idiocy in the news this week, but I'm going to focus on one. Wanting an anti-science, anti-vax, medical residency drop-out dipshit grifter social media influencer as your fucking Surgeon General. No big deal. Just the health of all Americans at stake. Jesus Christ.

   
• Classic Dutch: Expert spots vulnerability in Dutch national security, gets trolled with a souvenir t-shirt for his efforts. "So I notified the Dutch CERT that a Dutch ship was using a satellite router with a default password and that it was exposed to the internet. They notified me that the vulnerability was mitigated and asked for my address to send me a T-shirt. At first I was worried, but today I received the shirt."

This is epic. Dutch government +1000 points. No notes.

   
• Cuteness Overload! I'LL TAKE FIVE!!!

Though I'm not sure how the cats would react. Probably not well.

   
• NEWSFLASH: Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own features. And it's fucking absurd if everybody else doesn't follow suit. We are getting to a point where AI can render new realities. Do you want anybody to be able to use your likeness to have you doing whatever they can dream up and it looks convincing enough that people think it's really you? Kids in school are already taking their own lives because assholes are releasing deepfakes of them in horrific scenarios, and the sooner we start introducing severe penalties for abuse the better.

   
• No Freedom for You! This story appeared in my Facebook feed a couple days ago: "Trans man jumps in frigid lake & saves baby from drowning: 'I wasn’t going to let that baby die'" — Could have just said "man" but okay.

Then right after that, this story appeared: "Kansas is suspending the driver's licenses of trans people. Just abject cruelty. Nazis also revoked identity documents from trans people."

What the fuck is it about trans people merely existing that makes people become total assholes? They're just trying to live their life the best they can with the cards they were dealt, so why the endless persecution? Why in the so-called "land of the free" can't they be free to be who they are?

   
• Shitter! Oh God. I knew Twitter was awful... but I had no idea. The second half of this video is terrifying...

The death and destruction caused by bullshit and lies promoted on Twitter is cause to shut it the fuck down.

   
• Political Inaction! I am not wired to handle physical credit cards and ID cards. Despite trying real hard to keep them all in the same place, I keep losing them. Which is why I love my Apple Wallet and Apple Pay. But some cards don't work with it. Including my Driver's License... because the fucking assholes in Washington State government are looking for more ways to tax us instead of doing shit that will make our lives easier. Mississippi has digital licenses, but the state claiming to be a bastion of technology doesn't? A bill has been in legislative hell for THREE YEARS without movement. Fucking useless politicians. Especially stupid given that this is a bipartisan bill It was sponsored by both parties: Mark Mullet (D), Phil Fortunato (R), Chris Gildon (R), Marko Liias (D), Joe Nguyen (D), Jamie Pedersen (D), Claire Wilson (D). God how I fucking hate political idiocy. We've also voted to make Daylight Saving Time permanent... that's going nowhere too. JUST GET THIS SHIT DONE!

   
• When it absolutely, positively, has to be a pain in the ass! Remember when you could just call FedEx, tell them you had a package to pick up, and they would take care of it? Not any more. I spend 40 minutes trying to get a package picked up. Couldn't do it. The company that sent me the label tried for an additional half hour. Couldn't do it. It's insane. You can't even go online and do it because you have to have an account or some other stupid crap. Service has gone right out the window. I used to love FedEx... now I outright loathe dealing with their bullshit.

   
And now back to yet another war, already in progress. Ironic that our commander in chief is calling upon the Iranian people to rise up against the government when Americans can't even fucking protest the government (as guaranteed in our Constitution) without getting fucking shot.

You could not pay me to watch the State of the Union address. I am so done with the hate and lies that I don't have the fortitude to endure it.

Especially knowing that the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy... a non-partisan non-profit organization who does analysis on the taxes we pay... reminds us that unless you're a millionaire or billionaire where your taxes went down, you're paying more fucking taxes now, and have less to show for it because you're losing government services so that millionaires and billionaires can pay less...

You can read all the depressing details on their site here.

In other words, the people who can least afford to pay more are paying more, and the people who have an ungodly amount of money are paying less. Which shows you exactly who the current administration is working for... the top 5% of us. So I hope you have a fucking shit-ton of money so you're getting some kind of benefit out of the shit-show that's become our daily reality.

Shocker.

It's just like where all the economists said that the illegal tariffs will worsen the economy. Then that's exactly what happened, and people are all "HOW COULD WE HAVE KNOWN THIS WOULD HAPPEN?" Well, maybe trusting a guy who could bankrupt a fucking casino would be a good start.

Or you could have just read Project 2025, where everything that's been done was spelled out with alarming clarity.

So... what am I doing if I'm not watching television?

1. Cleaning my toilets because if I don't, hard water stains will build up.
2. Drilling holes in my wall so I can install an in-wall cable kit.

And then I'm going to try to get some sleep. Or try to while knowing I'm paying more in taxes so billionaires can have a better life.

Insomnia has been kicking my ass, but I'm not letting that stop me... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Punch-kun! I ran across the tragic story of the macaque snow monkey "Punch-kun" because I still follow Japanese news. Punch was abandoned my his mother and took comfort in an IKEA stuffed orangutan named "Djungelskog." There were numerous photos of the poor little guy doing his best to find acceptance and love from a plushie...

But then, after days on his own, he finally got a hug from one of his troop...

So that's nice. Especially after the shit-show of a week we've had.

   
• Whither Pixar? When Onward was released in 2020, it was a turning point for me when it came to Pixar. With one exception, I didn't like any of these films. And I never really understood why. I never bothered to search my feelings to understand what it was about Pixar that was turning me off. Then this morning I saw this...

And there it is. The reason there's one exception to Pixar from 2020 onward? It's because I've been to the coastal Italian towns which inspired the film Luca. I have a personal connection to the movie because I can draw on an experience that I've had. It's also why I can like a movie like Elio, but not fall in love with it.

   
• Dave Smash! I've been a big Morningstar Farms fan since becoming vegetarian decades ago. I veered away to Boca Burger for my burgers because they had superior taste and mouthfeel, but after Kraft bought them out and fucked up the recipe, I went back to Morningstar Grillers. They aren't great, and you have to know how to cook them so the texture isn't awful, but at least I'm not gagging them down. And then... Beyond Meat released Beyond Stack Burgers...

Now, I should say that Beyond does make an actual smash burger product, but they're not sold near me and aren't meant to be frozen (though you can), which means you have to eat them the day you open the package. The "stack" version always come frozen and are meant to stay frozen until used. Which means I don't have to eat them all after opening the package. But anyway... I found that I can get the Beyond Stack Burgers locally (well, 25-minutes away locally, but still). I absolutely love these burgers. A little high in sodium (260mg per patty), but not atrocious. They also cook weird, with a strange foamy residue in the pan, but the results are tasty enough when you smash them that I just don't care. As a bonus, Beyond has packaging that actually works... unlike shitty Morningstar Farms packaging which I hate, hate, hate.

   
• Thor Tells Jokes! I really want to see this standup as a special... where is Netflix when you really need them?

Hearing this makes me want to watch Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King again. It's a highly personal work which happens to be very, very funny. And touching.

   
• The Dow! The Dow! This is an absolute banger...

I couldn't even watch the hearing because Bondi is a gaping fucking asshole. Instead of using her position to serve the American people and seek justice, she's conspiring to protect child predators. She's such a massive pile of lying fucking shit that any time she speaks I see red, so I don't put myself in a position to watch. Thanks to this video, I can see the highlights in a way that doesn't make me want to hide under my bed and start screaming.

   
• SANDIWARA! Given my love of all things Michelle Yeoh, I was thrilled when a friend shared this with me...

The comments having people saying this should be a Malaysian tourism video. I cannnot disagree. This definitely makes me want to visit Penang (I've only ever been to Kuala Lumpur in the country).

   
• Finalizada! Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família... AKA the Sagrada Familia basilica, is finally nearing completion. After 144 years...

Fascinating. I've visited Sagrada Familia three times over a 20 year span. It never seemed like it was any closer to being completed. Now that we're so close, it feels like it might be time to visit Barcelona again. Not that I need an excuse... it's one of my favorite cities on earth.

   
• Sci-Fi Entertainment! This list isn't perfect, but dang if it doesn't make me want to re-watch every one of these films...

Even though I've already seen all of them more than once. Some of them many times.

   
And now back to needing more sleep.

It is astonishing to me the mental gymnastics that people are doing in order to justify protecting pedophiles. I would have never in a million years have thought that people would ever endorse such a thing.

And yet here we are.

And I have no fucking clue why. The further down the rabbit hole I fall, the more inexplicable it becomes.

And, no, Pam Bondi did not actually say this. But her actions make it clear she might say this.

In all honesty... does a system deserve to stand if it built around protecting those who would sexually assault children?

Hell no.

So burn this mother-fucker down. I don't give a shit who gets prosecuted or what the consequences are.

I said I was done with commenting on Bad Bunny's Halftime Show, but the hate... it just won't stop.

The things people are saying just blow my fucking mind. On top of the blatantly racist hot takes on somebody daring to sing in Spanish during the Superb Owl... or denying that Puerto Rico is a part of the USA when it's a US territory... and now we've got next-level racism coming at him in the form of The Great Replacement Theory? What the ever-loving fuck?

Just look at this bullshit...

"America first."

Puerto Rico is a part of "America"... a territory of "The United States of America." So what the fuck are you even talking about, you dipshit white supremacist piece of shit? This country's entire purpose is to be a melting pot of cultures. I wonder if this asshole makes similar declarations for Oktoberfest celebrations around the country? Probably not... that's European and white. It's just Cinco de Mayo, Bad Bunny, or anything where people are celebrating while non-white.

Meanwhile, Bad Bunny just goes about being the adorable human being he is.

Like he was when he went on Hot Ones last year...

Yeah. Tell me again how this guy is a threat to American "culture."

Bad Bunny is American culture.

One more thing about the Mr. Good Bunny Superb Owl show before I move on...

I love that the guy who got married at Bad Bunny's Superb Owl halftime show is just a guy. A nurse, from the looks of it. Not some social media influencer or other nonsense (he's gained Instagram followers since his wedding, but he's only posted some random pics).

This is just a guy who had Lady Gaga and Bad Buny sing at his wedding in the biggest televised event of the year. And his new wife's Instagram is private. So... yeah... influencer-free and perfect...

Photo from Tommy's Instagram

One thing you can't deny is that they're an adorable couple...

Photo from Tommy's Instagram

Photo from Tommy's Instagram

The entire show was a celebration of love and joy, but Benito sings in Spanish, so let's shit all over it, I guess. Gotta keep the faux outrage machine churning to distract everybody from the actual problems plaguing us.

Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks! You may be thinking that Bullet Sunday will be canceled because of the Superb Owl (I am not calling it by its real name because you can be sued for that), but you would be wrong... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Loot! This is not a Superb Owl commercial. It's a fake commercial from the television show Loot. And yet, it really should be a real commercial, because...

Can Maya Rudolph do any wrong? A completely serious question here.

   
• Doggy! If there's anything that will get me to go to the theater to see Supergirl, it's Baby Krypto...

I'm sure the rest of the movie is nice too.

   
• Daddy! I sure hope that Instagram is fucking working again and the right video is here, because damn!

Nothing beats a good joke before having to go back to work in the morning!

   
• Unreality. Watch this and be unshocked that this is how the world works...

Nobody and nothing matters more than corporate profits.

   
• Unreality: Part Two! Lest you think that the USA government is alone for being one of the most horrifically corrupt pile of shit on the face of the earth, here's a video for you. I swear, governments just don't seem like the ever operate in the best interest of the people they are supposed to be serving...

And now is where you fall down a Boy Boy rabbit hole like I did, because they have some phenomenal videos about things that will make you think. Assuming you have an open mind to do so.

   
• Together! I like it when content creators put some creativity in their stuff. This is pretty funny...

There's so many shitty content "creators" who just play other people's content and react to it. They don't even try. Yet they probably get gabillions more followers than people who put the effort in.

   
• NEWSFLASH: Trump wanted Dulles Airport, Penn Station named after him — in exchange for releasing federal funds. CAN YOU FOR EVEN FOR ONE SECOND IMAGINE WHAT THE REACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN IF OBAMA HAD TRIED SOMETHING LIKE THIS? CAN YOU? I MEAN, SERIOUSLY... CAN YOU JUST FUCKING IMAGINE???

   
And there you go. If you'll excuse me, I'm back to not watching the Superb Owl.

I try my best to stay out of politics here any more because it's just not worth it. People are so divided that they're going to think what they're going to think and that's the end of it. You can't change people's minds because they've already bought into a narrative which makes it nigh-impossible to be heard. I've been attacked from all over the political spectrum because I don't adhere to a political party or worship politicians. I'm just a humanist who's critical of politics in general. And that? That's an attitude that's just not possible. Not any more. You have to pick a side.

It's a shame, really. Nobody is growing, learning, and sharing ideas. It's just surrounding yourself with an echo chamber and shouting down anything from the outside trying to get through. So I give up.

Except...

What's happening right now is just so fucking abhorrent that saying something... saying anything is critical.

Jon Stewart and his writers often have good takes on current events. Rational, smart, and researched with a biting humor, I anxiously wait to see if they can make sense of the senseless crap in our world. And in this case, they've absolutely nailed it. If you watch this video from first word to last, you'll know exactly where my head is at...

The hipocrisy and horror of what's happening is so fucking next level that I can't find the words to express just how mortified and angry I am.

And so I'm posting a video.

Which has undoubtedly already been ignored by the people who most need to hear it. They see Jon Stewart, know he's a leftist, and immediately dismiss it out of hand. It doesn't matter that his position here is not a political one. And it really isn't. Not this time. He's merely calling out liars, stating facts, and drawing an inevitable conclusion. But when the liars are people you worship and the facts don't fit the story you choose to believe... well... how could you allow yourself to hear it?

You might draw the same conclusion and have your entire worldview challenged.

And we can't have that.

Not any more.