tom brandt
@twbrandt.net
PC(USA). Retired software engineer. UMich grad. He/him. Jackal (IYKYK). Dearborn, MI 🏳️🌈
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” — Anne Lamott
https://twbrandt.net/about/
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” — Anne Lamott
https://twbrandt.net/about/
Just because you have a ridiculously oversized 4-wheel drive pickup doesn’t mean you can drive like a jackass on snowy slippery roads and think everything will be OK.
January 1, 2026 at 5:46 AM
Just because you have a ridiculously oversized 4-wheel drive pickup doesn’t mean you can drive like a jackass on snowy slippery roads and think everything will be OK.
Happy New Year everyone! I hope it will be much better than the previous one!
January 1, 2026 at 5:46 AM
Happy New Year everyone! I hope it will be much better than the previous one!
Reposted by tom brandt
Arizona is raising the minimum wage 45 cents or so tomorrow and there is a 60 something pizza shop owner complaining about it and once again if you can not pay your employees minimum wage you don't have a business you have a hobby that requires others to subsidize it with their labor.
January 1, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Arizona is raising the minimum wage 45 cents or so tomorrow and there is a 60 something pizza shop owner complaining about it and once again if you can not pay your employees minimum wage you don't have a business you have a hobby that requires others to subsidize it with their labor.
This horrible year is almost over.
January 1, 2026 at 12:13 AM
This horrible year is almost over.
Reposted by tom brandt
The final Calvin and Hobbes, which appeared in papers 30 years ago today.
December 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The final Calvin and Hobbes, which appeared in papers 30 years ago today.
Reposted by tom brandt
BREAKING NEWS: Actual facts appear for the first time on "Truth" Social.
December 30, 2025 at 7:47 PM
BREAKING NEWS: Actual facts appear for the first time on "Truth" Social.
Reposted by tom brandt
This is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed, the craft here is impeccable.
August 13, 2025 at 6:06 AM
This is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed, the craft here is impeccable.
Reposted by tom brandt
Costconomics vs Walmartnomics in a nutshell. Here’s why having a Costco in a community boosts the entire community, including nearby businesses, while Walmart destroys whole towns and leaves people leaning on social safety nets.
And yes, it’s about as simple as you think. …
And yes, it’s about as simple as you think. …
December 30, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Costconomics vs Walmartnomics in a nutshell. Here’s why having a Costco in a community boosts the entire community, including nearby businesses, while Walmart destroys whole towns and leaves people leaning on social safety nets.
And yes, it’s about as simple as you think. …
And yes, it’s about as simple as you think. …
Reposted by tom brandt
“.. fame and exceptionalism can be very, very destructive. .. I think it’s good to make your own bed, it’s good to go do your shopping, to have your feet on the ground, to know that you’re a human being as well. The other stuff is projection.”
- Annie Lennox, born today in 1954 💕
- Annie Lennox, born today in 1954 💕
December 26, 2025 at 12:56 AM
“.. fame and exceptionalism can be very, very destructive. .. I think it’s good to make your own bed, it’s good to go do your shopping, to have your feet on the ground, to know that you’re a human being as well. The other stuff is projection.”
- Annie Lennox, born today in 1954 💕
- Annie Lennox, born today in 1954 💕
It is December 28, 2025, and it is 58F in Dearborn, Michigan.
Good thing climate change is a hoax.
Good thing climate change is a hoax.
December 29, 2025 at 1:54 AM
It is December 28, 2025, and it is 58F in Dearborn, Michigan.
Good thing climate change is a hoax.
Good thing climate change is a hoax.
Just made Vivaldi the default browser on my macbook. We'll see how it goes.
December 28, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Just made Vivaldi the default browser on my macbook. We'll see how it goes.
It was a Tuesday in 1981 when the San Francisco police kicked in the door.
Inside the small apartment, they expected to find a hardened criminal. They expected a drug kingpin. They expected resistance.
Instead, they found a 57-year-old waitress in an apron.
Inside the small apartment, they expected to find a hardened criminal. They expected a drug kingpin. They expected resistance.
Instead, they found a 57-year-old waitress in an apron.
rainey 🌻 (@raineyday@beige.party)
Attached: 1 image
It was a Tuesday in 1981 when the San Francisco police kicked in the door.
Inside the small apartment, they expected to find a hardened criminal. They expected a drug kingpin. They...
beige.party
December 28, 2025 at 3:27 PM
It was a Tuesday in 1981 when the San Francisco police kicked in the door.
Inside the small apartment, they expected to find a hardened criminal. They expected a drug kingpin. They expected resistance.
Instead, they found a 57-year-old waitress in an apron.
Inside the small apartment, they expected to find a hardened criminal. They expected a drug kingpin. They expected resistance.
Instead, they found a 57-year-old waitress in an apron.
Reposted by tom brandt
We can live without billionaires but billionaires cannot live without us, in the same way that a body can live without cancer, but cancer cannot live without a body.
December 27, 2025 at 11:27 PM
We can live without billionaires but billionaires cannot live without us, in the same way that a body can live without cancer, but cancer cannot live without a body.
seriously, did I just see a Scientology ad on the Hou/LA broadcast???
December 27, 2025 at 11:15 PM
seriously, did I just see a Scientology ad on the Hou/LA broadcast???
My mom’s side of the family arrived in the thirteen colonies before the American revolution. Does that make me a “heritage American”?
Whatever. Someone who was naturalized yesterday is just as American as I.
Whatever. Someone who was naturalized yesterday is just as American as I.
December 27, 2025 at 9:51 PM
My mom’s side of the family arrived in the thirteen colonies before the American revolution. Does that make me a “heritage American”?
Whatever. Someone who was naturalized yesterday is just as American as I.
Whatever. Someone who was naturalized yesterday is just as American as I.
Reposted by tom brandt
Watched the volleyball scene from Top Gun with my kids.
Imagine watching that and thinking America needed gays in the military.
Imagine watching that and thinking America needed gays in the military.
December 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Watched the volleyball scene from Top Gun with my kids.
Imagine watching that and thinking America needed gays in the military.
Imagine watching that and thinking America needed gays in the military.
Reposted by tom brandt
57 years ago today, Apollo 8 crew member Bill Anders took his iconic photo of the Earth rising over the Moon. It is still a fantastic image. Here's a little video of how it was done:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbF...
Earthrise in 4K
YouTube video by NASA Goddard
www.youtube.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:07 PM
57 years ago today, Apollo 8 crew member Bill Anders took his iconic photo of the Earth rising over the Moon. It is still a fantastic image. Here's a little video of how it was done:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbF...
Well, this sucks. I thought well of Bollinger in the past. No longer.
Follow the links in the linked blog for the full story.
Follow the links in the linked blog for the full story.
Columbia and the iron law of institutions
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/12/colu...
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/12/colu...
Columbia and the iron law of institutions - Lawyers, Guns & Money
Andrew Gelman pointed me to his post about former Columbia president Lee Bollinger, which in turn led me to this amazing piece of journalism that everybody should read, about Columbia’s multi-decade l...
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com
December 26, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Well, this sucks. I thought well of Bollinger in the past. No longer.
Follow the links in the linked blog for the full story.
Follow the links in the linked blog for the full story.
Sometimes it takes someone who isn’t a Christian to explain Christianity to those of us who are. 🧵
I am not a Christian of course but like all Americans I have spent my life marinating in Christian mythography, and so around this time of year I have a lot of thoughts about the Nativity and the part where the innkeeper says there's no room in the inn.
December 25, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Sometimes it takes someone who isn’t a Christian to explain Christianity to those of us who are. 🧵
Merry Christmas, everyone!
CHANTICLEER: Silent Night
YouTube video by Chanticleer
youtu.be
December 25, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Reposted by tom brandt
Pope Leo said in a Christmas Eve sermon that the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn should remind Christians that refusing to help the poor and strangers today is tantamount to rejecting God himself. For @reuters.com
Pope Leo, on Christmas Eve, says denying help to poor is rejecting God
Pope Leo said in a Christmas Eve sermon on Wednesday that the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn should remind Christians that refusing to help the poor and stra...
www.reuters.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Pope Leo said in a Christmas Eve sermon that the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn should remind Christians that refusing to help the poor and strangers today is tantamount to rejecting God himself. For @reuters.com
Reposted by tom brandt
This is a fun post from a public transit advocate arguing for the Polar Express to Detroit. (Really, he's suggesting a Grand Rapids to Lansing to Detroit rail route.) thetransitguy.substack.com/p/what-if-th...
What if the Polar Express went to Detroit?
A serious case for Michigan’s most obvious rail line
thetransitguy.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:59 AM
This is a fun post from a public transit advocate arguing for the Polar Express to Detroit. (Really, he's suggesting a Grand Rapids to Lansing to Detroit rail route.) thetransitguy.substack.com/p/what-if-th...