Big Talk

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I am grateful to Sen. Van Hollen for going to El Salvador and meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Kevin Drum wrote a post in early 2024, "How should liberals feel about the border bill?"

https://jabberwocking.com/how-should-liberals-feel-about-the-border-bill/

My comment:

"I think the 2013 bill was a reasonable bill, negotiated in good faith. Not perfect, but reasonable. The inability to pass the 2013 bill has opened the door to bad faith negotiations."

In hindsight, I would perhaps not casually throw around a phrase like "bad faith". I would perhaps say "The inability to pass the 2013 bill undermined faith in the system to do the right thing." Once faith in the system has been undermined, it becomes easier to acquiesce in politics that breaks the system.

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Little Talk

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How Much Brat Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

In a previous post, I said "a politics with fewer spoilt brats, and more ballpark brats". On reflection, I think the phrase should be changed to "a politics with less spoilt brat, and more brat summer". The point is not to wag the finger at those spoilt brats over there, but simply to manage the spoilt brat that lives inside us all.

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How Much Tabloid Reading / Web-Surfing Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

2-4 quick peeks, or slow pokes, or leisurely looks.

quick peek: perhaps 5-15 minutes

leisurely look: perhaps 15-25 minutes

slow poke: perhaps 30-50 minutes

one pattern, perhaps:

1. a quick peek towards the beginning or the middle of the day

2. a slow poke towards the middle or the end of the day

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How Much Waking Up Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

1. wake up

2. stare out the window a bit

3. un-tether the phone, and check whether the sky has fallen

4. set a timer (optional)

5. stare out the window some more (optional)

6. get up, stand up, people get ready

7. ???

8. profit!

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Next post: August 29, 2025