Category: Misc Thoughts & Rants

March 31, 2026

Angry Old Extremely Religious Christian White Man Yelling from His Porch Syndrome

Why You Can’t Debate Someone Who Just Wants to Watch You Lose Let me tell you what finally broke my brain. The Epstein files dropped. Years of QAnon. Years of “protect the children.” Years of Democrats running secret pedophile rings in pizza restaurant basements. The entire moral foundation of a movement — the thing they…
March 28, 2026

Are We About to Come Full Circle on Who We Trust?

Is It Possible We All May Share The Same Reality Again Thanks To AI I was driving to yet another baseball tournament Saturday morning, half-awake, NPR on in the background, when a story about AI disinformation in the Iran conflict completely hijacked my brain for the next forty-five minutes. The segment was trying to walk…
March 24, 2026

Is the Iran War America’s Biggest Self-Own of Self -Owns?

How to Punch Yourself in the Face. Three and a half weeks in. That’s where we are. Twenty-four days of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, oil at $112 a barrel, 13 American soldiers dead, the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, and the administration scrambling to lift sanctions on the very country we’re bombing just…
March 13, 2026

The Metric System Makes Sense to Everyone: American Misguided Exceptionalism and a $327 Million Spacecraft.

When I was a kid, we started learning the metric system in school. There was an actual plan. America was going to join the rest of the world and switch from the imperial system — you know, the one built on the length of some king’s foot — to a logical, base-ten system that scientists,…
March 1, 2026

How MTV Killed the Video Star (And Cable/Network Greed Finished the Job)

I’m not a media analyst. Smarter people than me — like Evan Shapiro, who you should follow on LinkedIn immediately — dissect this industry for a living. But I spent years working inside broadcast television, and I’ve been chewing on this particular problem for over a decade. So here’s my humble, slightly obsessive take on…
February 23, 2026

So Close, Yet So Far: The Telo MT1 and the Small or Mini EV Pickup I’ve Been Waiting For

Let me set the scene. We’ve got a 2016 Audi Allroad that my wife loves — genuinely loves — and it’s somewhere north of 100,000 miles at this point, probably pushing 125k by the time we actually get around to replacing it. Comfortable, capable, goes anywhere, hauls everything. The problem is it’s aging out, and…
February 18, 2026

Americans Agree on Almost Everything—We Just Don’t Realize It

I Fact-Checked a Viral Infographic About What Americans Actually Agree On. Here’s What I Found. This infographic popped up on social media (which I know is evil but I use it to promote my ecom site) claiming Americans have overwhelming consensus on most major issues — Majority agreement across the board. Gun control, healthcare, abortion,…
February 13, 2026

(Eventual) Well Tank Replacement: How I May Have Ignored an Obvious Problem for Years

January 9, 2026 The Signs I Missed Looking back, I think the well tank bladder had been broken since at least summer 2024. It might have been failing for a year or two before that. What I was noticing: the water pressure would drop a little, then go back up when the pump kicked in.…
January 29, 2026

Term Limits: Why This Popular Idea Could Make Things Worse (And Who’s Really Pushing It)

I Used to Think This Was a Great Idea I’ll be honest: I was sympathetic to term limits. Like most Americans, I’m exhausted by career politicians who seem completely out of touch. The frustration is real: So term limits sound great, right? Fresh blood, new ideas, less corruption! But then I thought: With how things…
January 29, 2026

VOTING REFORM: Analyzing Every Voting System We Could Find. Here’s What Might Actually Work to Break the Two-Party Stranglehold.

We’re All Trapped Voting AGAINST Candidates Instead of FOR Anyone When’s the last time you actually wanted to vote for someone? For most of us, voting has become damage control. We’re not voting FOR our candidate—we’re voting AGAINST the one that scares us more. About 70% of Americans think the country is heading in the wrong direction.…
January 28, 2026

The Argument over ICE and Alex Pretti is bait. Don’t take it.

Before you react to this, before you decide whether you agree or disagree with me, I want you to understand what’s happening to you right now, psychologically. Research shows that the conformist instinct in your brain happens automatically. You’re literally unaware of it. You think your political beliefs accurately reflect reality, but they’re actually being…
January 22, 2026

Oh My Goodness, I really like some of these G-Rated Burns

For those of you that like to argue on social media Ankles.(I had to dig to find what this one means) Thanks for helping. It was like doing it by myself, but harder. Cootie queen, lint licker As per my last email… Hope your pillow is always warm on both sides. Who ties your shoes…
January 20, 2026

Pella Architect Series Windows: The Review I Should Have Posted 14 Years Ago

Why I Will Never Buy Pella Windows Again Product: Pella Architect Series Double-Hung Windows Specification: Double pane, E-glass coating, wood interior, primed Installation: 2009-2010 Review Date: January 2026 (15+ years of use) Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5 stars – and that’s generous) Note: I should have written this review 14 years ago. Maybe I could have saved…
January 20, 2026

Let’s Stop Screaming at Each Other: How the Division Machine Keeps Us Fighting While Our Pockets Get Picked

The Name-Calling Trap Libtard. Right-wing nut. Snowflake. MAGA moron. Commie. Fascist. We’ve all heard it. Many of us have said it. And every time we do, someone wins – but it’s not you, and it’s not the person you’re yelling at. Americans have become increasingly polarized by design. When you’re pissed off, it’s hard to see…
January 19, 2026

Mamdani Madness: More of The Same From the System

So Zohran Mamdani was sworn in on January 1st as New York City’s first democratic socialist Muslim mayor, and the outrage machine on both sides has been in full swing. Actor Michael Rapaport has already announced he’s running for mayor in 2029 to “save NYC” from what he’s calling “Zohran the moron.” And I’m sitting…
January 16, 2026

In Defense of Smart People (And Against Shopping Cart Abandoners)

I’m not the smartest person. Not even close. But I’m also not the dumbest person. I think. Maybe. The jury’s still out, and frankly, I’m not smart enough to serve on that jury. But here’s the thing: I really, really like smart people. I like people who understand quantum physics even though there’s absolutely no…
January 12, 2026

Big Tech Is Making Everything Harder on Purpose

(And Why I’m Too Stupid to Figure It Out) It has always amazed me how complex Big Tech has become and how poor their UI and UX are, given how much money they make. A simple task can take hours to slog through if you aren’t an IT person and only update certain things occasionally.…
January 5, 2026

The Gable Epidemic: A Plea to Modern Home Designers

What is going on with all the gables being added to homes over the last 10 years? Seriously, are there tax breaks for the more gables you have that I don’t know about? Or have architects and builders just gotten too lazy to figure out a coherent design plan? The logic seems to be: Design…
January 3, 2026

“Make America Great Again” sounds obvious. So why is it so hard to define?

“Make America Great Again” is one of those phrases that feels like a statement of common sense. Who doesn’t want the country to be “great”? But MAGA isn’t just a campaign line. It’s a whole movement. People get labeled “MAGA” (or “MAGA enough”). There are hats, shirts, flags, slogans, and a strong sense of in-group…
December 29, 2025

Who/What Actually is a Patriot?

Spoiler: It’s probably not who you think—or at least not for the reasons you think In contemporary American politics, “patriot” has become perhaps the most weaponized word in our vocabulary. Politicians invoke it to rally supporters. Activists claim it to legitimize their causes. Critics wield it to question opponents’ loyalty. Everyone wants to be one,…
October 29, 2025

The “Finished” Drain Board: A Concrete Countertop Reality Check

Let me start with the truth: I finally “finished” my concrete countertop drain board refurbish, and it’s blotchy as hell. But here’s the thing—the shape is perfect. It looks exactly like a drain board should look. It’s just that after all the layers, all the different materials, and all my well-intentioned repair attempts, it’s ended…
October 16, 2025

The Great Concrete Drain Board Debacle: A DIY Odyssey

When a simple countertop repair turns into a three-week saga involving four molds, toe-damaging weights, and enough failed attempts to question your life choices. The Origin Story: DIY Concrete Counters Circa 2010 Back in 2010, when YouTube had DIY videos but nothing like today’s endless stream of concrete countertop influencers, my wife and I decided…
August 28, 2025

Every Job I’ve Ever Had (Or At Least the Ones That Paid Me)

Looking back at the jobs I’ve held, it’s less like a career path and more like a very weird, slightly embarrassing scavenger hunt. I’ve mowed lawns, stacked hay, flipped burgers, wrestled decks into submission, and even played an extra on a Greek island. Somewhere in there, I got a finance degree, which mostly came in…
July 22, 2025

What’s Old is New: My Dad Was Basically Elon Musk (Just 40 Years Too Early)

The Original Energy Crisis Dad You know how every family has that relative who hoards plastic bags “just in case”? Well, my dad was the energy crisis version of that guy. The 1970s oil shortage hit him like a religious awakening, except instead of finding Jesus, he found electricity. And boy, did he commit to the bit.…
July 15, 2025

What’s the Future of EVs/ICE? Why Aren’t We Talking About Onboard Generators?

Is this just me, or does going entirely EV seem short-sighted? (coming from an EV owner) And I’m not talking about the usual ICE vs. EV debate here. I’d say “can’t we all just get along,” but with the complexity of internal combustion engines and everything that comes with that complexity, ICE just feels very…
July 15, 2025

My C and D Pillar Design Rules: Why Car Pillars Can Drive Me Crazy

This post started with my long, odd obsession (for an American, anyway) with station wagons. Why they got such a bad rap in the US, I’m not really sure. I don’t think they were ever considered cool, even before National Lampoon’s Family Vacation sealed their fate as the ultimate uncool family hauler. The Europeans figured…
May 21, 2025

Wildlife 1, Mobile Connector 0: Something decided my charging cable was a snack

Just discovered this lovely surprise today – something decided my mobile connector cable looked like a tasty treat. Woke up to find it chewed through with the wires exposed. Not sure if it was a squirrel, rat, rabbit, or some other critter with a taste for expensive EV accessories. Anyone else had wildlife go after…
March 21, 2025

Did Tesla’s “Fixes” Break My Lights?

Tesla’s latest update supposedly fixed the automatic light adjustment… except now mine seems completely broken? The release notes claimed this was fixed? It wouldn’t be so frustrating if they put actual physical controls in the vehicle for when something breaks, but everything is engineered with the assumption things will “just work” – which happens few…
March 21, 2025

Tesla Model Y LR 7-Seat: The Four-Month Reality Check

Tesla Model Y LR 7-Seat: The Four-Month Reality Check After four months and about 6,000 miles with my first EV—a used 2023 7-seat Model Y Long Range with acceleration boost—I’m ready to share my unfiltered thoughts. Surprisingly, despite the cons I’m about to list, I’d probably still make the same decision today—though not without some…
December 20, 2024

How We Came To Purchase A Tesla Model Y LR 7-Seater

The Search Begins I had a 2019 Honda Ridgeline which I really liked, but we decided we needed something with a 3rd row so we could transport occasional extra kids or take one vehicle when going out with the grandparents. With two boys (12 and 11), we started looking at hybrid models as our first…
November 29, 2024

Protect Your Tesla with Elongplant Stickers: A Humorous Defense Strategy

In recent months, Tesla owners across the country have reported an unfortunate trend: vehicles being vandalized seemingly based on opinions about the company’s controversial CEO. These incidents have left many Tesla drivers looking for ways to protect their investments while maintaining their sense of humor. The Tesla Owner’s Dilemma Let’s be honest—most Tesla owners didn’t…
March 28, 2023

A Family Learning to Snowboard. What Could Go Wrong?

I spent a good part of my teenage and college winters going skiing and had always wanted to share that with our kids. But here’s the thing: skiing (or snowboarding) is now REALLY expensive. Rentals, helmets, tickets, clothing—it adds up to more than $1,000 for a family of four. All for an outing that our…