Salt and Pepper
@somethingnew76.bsky.social
"I have nothing to offer anyone except my own confusion" - Kerouac
Have people forgotten that they can still have nuanced opinions without enabling and empowering people acting like a complete piece of shit? Social Media really is the disease that may kill what is good and unique about America. Sigh....
January 5, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Have people forgotten that they can still have nuanced opinions without enabling and empowering people acting like a complete piece of shit? Social Media really is the disease that may kill what is good and unique about America. Sigh....
Perhaps one reason that the drift away from reading and reflecting to consuming media - especially short form - and immediately reacting to it is concerning is that it allows us to gain "knowledge" without reflecting on what it is, why its there, and how we truly feel about it.
January 3, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Perhaps one reason that the drift away from reading and reflecting to consuming media - especially short form - and immediately reacting to it is concerning is that it allows us to gain "knowledge" without reflecting on what it is, why its there, and how we truly feel about it.
2 things I find interesting:
1) People who take furious interest in things in which they typically have no interest due to very specific and curated circumstances
2) People who reflexively or condescendingly dismiss or explain those concerns and unilaterally deny any potential conflicts.
1) People who take furious interest in things in which they typically have no interest due to very specific and curated circumstances
2) People who reflexively or condescendingly dismiss or explain those concerns and unilaterally deny any potential conflicts.
December 31, 2025 at 12:38 PM
2 things I find interesting:
1) People who take furious interest in things in which they typically have no interest due to very specific and curated circumstances
2) People who reflexively or condescendingly dismiss or explain those concerns and unilaterally deny any potential conflicts.
1) People who take furious interest in things in which they typically have no interest due to very specific and curated circumstances
2) People who reflexively or condescendingly dismiss or explain those concerns and unilaterally deny any potential conflicts.
This #FDNY chief story is fascinating. What is the role of a chief? Of the FDNY?
If a company needed a CEO and had one division with which it was most associated and the most complex, but also was only 30% of its sales, and the head of a larger division was made CEO instead, would that matter?
If a company needed a CEO and had one division with which it was most associated and the most complex, but also was only 30% of its sales, and the head of a larger division was made CEO instead, would that matter?
December 28, 2025 at 2:52 PM
This #FDNY chief story is fascinating. What is the role of a chief? Of the FDNY?
If a company needed a CEO and had one division with which it was most associated and the most complex, but also was only 30% of its sales, and the head of a larger division was made CEO instead, would that matter?
If a company needed a CEO and had one division with which it was most associated and the most complex, but also was only 30% of its sales, and the head of a larger division was made CEO instead, would that matter?
I will say that I kind of respect the Trump ride-or-die people who are clearly identifying themselves today. At least they are showing they really believe that shit. Yikes, but I'll take that over feckless cowards every day and twice on Sunday...and that goes across the political spectrum FWIW.
December 15, 2025 at 7:39 PM
I will say that I kind of respect the Trump ride-or-die people who are clearly identifying themselves today. At least they are showing they really believe that shit. Yikes, but I'll take that over feckless cowards every day and twice on Sunday...and that goes across the political spectrum FWIW.
If there are any true "sides", they are and always be violence vs peace. Recognizing the value of individual lives vs thinking they are dispensable.
Violence begats violence, violence excuses and defends violence even while abhorring it.
There is no war of any kind that can stop it. Only we can.
Violence begats violence, violence excuses and defends violence even while abhorring it.
There is no war of any kind that can stop it. Only we can.
December 14, 2025 at 12:38 PM
If there are any true "sides", they are and always be violence vs peace. Recognizing the value of individual lives vs thinking they are dispensable.
Violence begats violence, violence excuses and defends violence even while abhorring it.
There is no war of any kind that can stop it. Only we can.
Violence begats violence, violence excuses and defends violence even while abhorring it.
There is no war of any kind that can stop it. Only we can.
Thinking about a $1B grant for gyms in airports and thinking of something more fundamental. In a truly free market, if there is demand for something, there would be momentum to meet it on its own. So, if its not supplied, either there isn't demand OR supply is being stopped. Always focus there.....
December 12, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Thinking about a $1B grant for gyms in airports and thinking of something more fundamental. In a truly free market, if there is demand for something, there would be momentum to meet it on its own. So, if its not supplied, either there isn't demand OR supply is being stopped. Always focus there.....
I suspect that as we go into the midterm cycle, with the economy and the world at the very least unsettled, we will see politicians shifting messaging from primarily demonizing (though they still will) to fanciful bullshit. People love to hate, but when they are in the shit they want to be saved.
November 22, 2025 at 12:32 PM
I suspect that as we go into the midterm cycle, with the economy and the world at the very least unsettled, we will see politicians shifting messaging from primarily demonizing (though they still will) to fanciful bullshit. People love to hate, but when they are in the shit they want to be saved.
I'm all about finding common ground, but the common ground Trump sees in Mamdani is power and control. They fundamentally agree that "....there is no problem too large for government to solve", they just disagree on the solutions and are largely wrong on the causes.
November 22, 2025 at 12:26 PM
I'm all about finding common ground, but the common ground Trump sees in Mamdani is power and control. They fundamentally agree that "....there is no problem too large for government to solve", they just disagree on the solutions and are largely wrong on the causes.
You can just say its indefensible. You don't have to be a party to it. It won't sacrifice your principles or ideology. If anything, you reinforce them. Zero sum thinking and race to the bottom hypocritical partisanship - with cable news and SM - are a cancer. You can just call it what it is. Wrong.
November 17, 2025 at 12:45 PM
You can just say its indefensible. You don't have to be a party to it. It won't sacrifice your principles or ideology. If anything, you reinforce them. Zero sum thinking and race to the bottom hypocritical partisanship - with cable news and SM - are a cancer. You can just call it what it is. Wrong.
So much is "Who decides"...and somehow believing all decisions made for other people will be made by the "good" people acting in some greater, benevolent interest. It's thinking you can subvert the nature of man instead of using it to create the world you seek - by letting people decide themselves.
November 17, 2025 at 12:42 PM
So much is "Who decides"...and somehow believing all decisions made for other people will be made by the "good" people acting in some greater, benevolent interest. It's thinking you can subvert the nature of man instead of using it to create the world you seek - by letting people decide themselves.
The American people is not so much as "moderate" as they are centrist in the aggregate. Most people are socialist when it comes to things they want or feel entitled to and libertarian when it comes to things they don't want or don't feel entitled to. Like humanity itself, we're hypocrites.....
November 15, 2025 at 2:24 PM
The American people is not so much as "moderate" as they are centrist in the aggregate. Most people are socialist when it comes to things they want or feel entitled to and libertarian when it comes to things they don't want or don't feel entitled to. Like humanity itself, we're hypocrites.....
Let's play a game of.....are they ignorant and foolish or do they just think YOU are?
November 7, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Let's play a game of.....are they ignorant and foolish or do they just think YOU are?
My unsolicited advice for Democrats: Let Trump and his sycophants do arrogant bad & dumb shit while you stay reasonable and focused on "kitchen table" issues and don't say & do dumb shit, and don't worry what Communist1234 on X or Bsky (who doesn't vote for most Ds anyway) thinks about it.
November 7, 2025 at 12:49 PM
My unsolicited advice for Democrats: Let Trump and his sycophants do arrogant bad & dumb shit while you stay reasonable and focused on "kitchen table" issues and don't say & do dumb shit, and don't worry what Communist1234 on X or Bsky (who doesn't vote for most Ds anyway) thinks about it.
We have false choice arguments around "Why are 'we' paying for that instead of this" because we have just accepted the premise that the state exists to solve our problems. I disagree with that, but even if I did, paying upfront and giving virtually unlimited borrowing power to it seems a poor idea.
November 2, 2025 at 11:57 AM
We have false choice arguments around "Why are 'we' paying for that instead of this" because we have just accepted the premise that the state exists to solve our problems. I disagree with that, but even if I did, paying upfront and giving virtually unlimited borrowing power to it seems a poor idea.
True Power is ultimately the power to decide (in an enforceable way) just about anything.....but that doesn't have to be the way it works. We can give power to no one in particular.
Most decisions can just be made by ourselves, for ourselves, you know....even if they're "wrong".
Most decisions can just be made by ourselves, for ourselves, you know....even if they're "wrong".
October 31, 2025 at 11:34 AM
True Power is ultimately the power to decide (in an enforceable way) just about anything.....but that doesn't have to be the way it works. We can give power to no one in particular.
Most decisions can just be made by ourselves, for ourselves, you know....even if they're "wrong".
Most decisions can just be made by ourselves, for ourselves, you know....even if they're "wrong".
Most people just want something to believe in. Its a natural, human need. It's also the root of so much strife and suffering.
October 28, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Most people just want something to believe in. Its a natural, human need. It's also the root of so much strife and suffering.
I'm just going to say that the literal optics of the East Wing being completely demolished for a #Ballroom is a gift the Democrats really can't squander ("hold my beer" though?). Michael Deaver would have helped to win 3 election cycles with those pictures alone.
October 23, 2025 at 11:16 AM
I'm just going to say that the literal optics of the East Wing being completely demolished for a #Ballroom is a gift the Democrats really can't squander ("hold my beer" though?). Michael Deaver would have helped to win 3 election cycles with those pictures alone.
Everybody really is 12 now, huh?
October 19, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Everybody really is 12 now, huh?
My unsolicited advice for #NoKings is to truly reject the idea of corruptive power over people's lives, no matter who wields it, no matter their intentions. Give power away to no one and focus only on protecting people, their property, and their ability to freely interact with one another. Period.
October 18, 2025 at 5:47 PM
My unsolicited advice for #NoKings is to truly reject the idea of corruptive power over people's lives, no matter who wields it, no matter their intentions. Give power away to no one and focus only on protecting people, their property, and their ability to freely interact with one another. Period.
Hoping to find this out there:
"This is awful, I hope I never contributed to someone else feeling this way" and "That must be so awful, I would be crushed if that happened to me".
It IS happening to them, It IS happening to you....we just pretend its not and in that denial we risk our humanity.
"This is awful, I hope I never contributed to someone else feeling this way" and "That must be so awful, I would be crushed if that happened to me".
It IS happening to them, It IS happening to you....we just pretend its not and in that denial we risk our humanity.
September 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Hoping to find this out there:
"This is awful, I hope I never contributed to someone else feeling this way" and "That must be so awful, I would be crushed if that happened to me".
It IS happening to them, It IS happening to you....we just pretend its not and in that denial we risk our humanity.
"This is awful, I hope I never contributed to someone else feeling this way" and "That must be so awful, I would be crushed if that happened to me".
It IS happening to them, It IS happening to you....we just pretend its not and in that denial we risk our humanity.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
September 17, 2025 at 8:30 PM
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Something that's fascinating when you make a concerted effort to see media & opinions from a wide range of sources. You see information debunked or with important context added, but then you see that original information used and additionally distorted & used as evidence. Not just R or L either.....
September 14, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Something that's fascinating when you make a concerted effort to see media & opinions from a wide range of sources. You see information debunked or with important context added, but then you see that original information used and additionally distorted & used as evidence. Not just R or L either.....
10+ years ago, I gave thought to what I thought were the most urgent and important issues fundamentally.
Poverty
Mental Illness
Bureaucratic bloat/Incompetence
Corruption
I still hope we can address them collaboratively & earnestly (and not disingenuously) - prioritizing freedom and compassion.
Poverty
Mental Illness
Bureaucratic bloat/Incompetence
Corruption
I still hope we can address them collaboratively & earnestly (and not disingenuously) - prioritizing freedom and compassion.
September 14, 2025 at 11:37 AM
10+ years ago, I gave thought to what I thought were the most urgent and important issues fundamentally.
Poverty
Mental Illness
Bureaucratic bloat/Incompetence
Corruption
I still hope we can address them collaboratively & earnestly (and not disingenuously) - prioritizing freedom and compassion.
Poverty
Mental Illness
Bureaucratic bloat/Incompetence
Corruption
I still hope we can address them collaboratively & earnestly (and not disingenuously) - prioritizing freedom and compassion.
If everyone really stepped back, the common thread that unites us is that people, especially younger people are at risk with the constant barrage of information that distorts and isolates, and by product is contempt, dehumanization, and violence.
September 14, 2025 at 11:31 AM
If everyone really stepped back, the common thread that unites us is that people, especially younger people are at risk with the constant barrage of information that distorts and isolates, and by product is contempt, dehumanization, and violence.