Benjamin de Groot
@blbdegroot.bsky.social
Art historian, cynic, camera monkey, mini ruiner
If you hadn't checked the mapquest/routenet printout against the highway map and made notes on bigger intersection for fuel stops like you're planning to move some WWII armored division up the rhineland, you basically doomed the holiday trip from the start.
November 11, 2025 at 7:46 AM
If you hadn't checked the mapquest/routenet printout against the highway map and made notes on bigger intersection for fuel stops like you're planning to move some WWII armored division up the rhineland, you basically doomed the holiday trip from the start.
A trained or even just determined shooter with surpise on his side would have done more damage.
November 11, 2025 at 6:38 AM
A trained or even just determined shooter with surpise on his side would have done more damage.
Some context for possible uninitiated readers: De Speld is the Dutch equivalent of The Onion.
November 8, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Some context for possible uninitiated readers: De Speld is the Dutch equivalent of The Onion.
"We're all very disappointed Zohran didn't immediately upend his busy schedule to allow us to attempt to bribe or intimidate him and has the audacity to prioritize commitments he made earlier over the whims of petulent manbabies."
November 8, 2025 at 6:28 AM
"We're all very disappointed Zohran didn't immediately upend his busy schedule to allow us to attempt to bribe or intimidate him and has the audacity to prioritize commitments he made earlier over the whims of petulent manbabies."
Ahw Stevie, is that a public record of admitting to criminal activity?
It's okay, we'll all remember it. Some might even save the video for future prosecution.
It's okay, we'll all remember it. Some might even save the video for future prosecution.
November 7, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Ahw Stevie, is that a public record of admitting to criminal activity?
It's okay, we'll all remember it. Some might even save the video for future prosecution.
It's okay, we'll all remember it. Some might even save the video for future prosecution.
"Also, I'll constantly whine about the virtue signalling of all the people I disagree with, because I find it such a withering shutdown to brand them as dishonest."
November 5, 2025 at 5:44 PM
"Also, I'll constantly whine about the virtue signalling of all the people I disagree with, because I find it such a withering shutdown to brand them as dishonest."
Didn't he with "highly fulfilling social life?". The wealthiest in NY are known for Met-gala (and similar) parties, dropping 10 grand on "business nights", and almost all big finance people having a pied a terre because it's the place they goes to see eachother. Where else would they have that?
November 5, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Didn't he with "highly fulfilling social life?". The wealthiest in NY are known for Met-gala (and similar) parties, dropping 10 grand on "business nights", and almost all big finance people having a pied a terre because it's the place they goes to see eachother. Where else would they have that?
Honestly the problem with stealing priceless, world-famous art is never so much the stealing itself, but rather what you do with it after the stealing.
November 3, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Honestly the problem with stealing priceless, world-famous art is never so much the stealing itself, but rather what you do with it after the stealing.
They hide the jewels in trashed Louis Vuitton paper carries that they picked up 'round the bins near Galleries Lafayette, but then get ushered out of the museum by staff for having brought in bags that should've gone into a locker.
November 3, 2025 at 11:13 PM
They hide the jewels in trashed Louis Vuitton paper carries that they picked up 'round the bins near Galleries Lafayette, but then get ushered out of the museum by staff for having brought in bags that should've gone into a locker.
Interesting how disrespecting and berating cops didn't get her labelled "dangerously belligerent", tased or a broken jaw from being slammed into the pavement face first. Guess she's too fascist to qualify for the normal treatment.
November 1, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Interesting how disrespecting and berating cops didn't get her labelled "dangerously belligerent", tased or a broken jaw from being slammed into the pavement face first. Guess she's too fascist to qualify for the normal treatment.
Nicolae Ceaușescu also hoped that hiding on goverment property would save him when thinfs wenr bad for him. Instead, the police captain whose station he was sheltering in handed him over to the army without much fuss. He and his wife were executed by firing squad three days later.
October 30, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Nicolae Ceaușescu also hoped that hiding on goverment property would save him when thinfs wenr bad for him. Instead, the police captain whose station he was sheltering in handed him over to the army without much fuss. He and his wife were executed by firing squad three days later.
Lowest body count, if you read the Jamaica one as hurricane Melissa
October 30, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Lowest body count, if you read the Jamaica one as hurricane Melissa
Most AI gives a summary of the first few paragraphs of wikipedia and especially in gemini's case, auto-gens that as the first listing above Wikipedia itself, thereby denying Wiki the click-through metrics and engagement time Google uses to gauge user engagement.
October 29, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Most AI gives a summary of the first few paragraphs of wikipedia and especially in gemini's case, auto-gens that as the first listing above Wikipedia itself, thereby denying Wiki the click-through metrics and engagement time Google uses to gauge user engagement.
I recenty had a family member with dementia pass away. They ended up stuck on the same things like this too, but also had immense trouble writing. I kinda want to see the signatures on his last few EOs because I think you can track his decline by how shoddy his last couple are getting.
October 29, 2025 at 6:38 AM
I recenty had a family member with dementia pass away. They ended up stuck on the same things like this too, but also had immense trouble writing. I kinda want to see the signatures on his last few EOs because I think you can track his decline by how shoddy his last couple are getting.
It has all the hallmarks of anothrr gulf state vaporware project that won't actually be completed because management is too busy yes-manning whatever sheik is in charge and not tackling the actual engineering challenges.
October 27, 2025 at 9:47 PM
It has all the hallmarks of anothrr gulf state vaporware project that won't actually be completed because management is too busy yes-manning whatever sheik is in charge and not tackling the actual engineering challenges.
The other trekkies I know are there for the OG noblebright messaging. The article can be filed under the same header as the people who misread the Punisher somehow as a friend to cops and authority: a fool will always read criticism of their beliefs as validation.
October 26, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The other trekkies I know are there for the OG noblebright messaging. The article can be filed under the same header as the people who misread the Punisher somehow as a friend to cops and authority: a fool will always read criticism of their beliefs as validation.
As someone with nihilistic conservative family that are trekkies and IT experts, what they got out of it was swashbuckling space adventures where techy people use their brains to save the day and the world is full of cool things like replicators. But even they are miles from the article's vibe.
October 26, 2025 at 6:37 PM
As someone with nihilistic conservative family that are trekkies and IT experts, what they got out of it was swashbuckling space adventures where techy people use their brains to save the day and the world is full of cool things like replicators. But even they are miles from the article's vibe.
"We have to protect children from violent gangs, which is why we're sending armed gangs to gas them so they can suffer PTSD and debilitating respiratory conditions for the rest of their life."
October 26, 2025 at 7:57 AM
"We have to protect children from violent gangs, which is why we're sending armed gangs to gas them so they can suffer PTSD and debilitating respiratory conditions for the rest of their life."
Because it's easier to believe you are justified in your opinion if the dissenting opinion is not genuine. If it is you have to question your motivations for your opinion and that is dangerous to those too afraid to acknowledge their own insecurities
October 26, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Because it's easier to believe you are justified in your opinion if the dissenting opinion is not genuine. If it is you have to question your motivations for your opinion and that is dangerous to those too afraid to acknowledge their own insecurities
They are enough like us that it matters. Even utter psychopaths can't stand constant criticism, if only because it's more personal insult than intimidation. A lot of these guys are not psychos, but just the sort who have the bully mentality of beating up others to mask their own insecurities.
October 26, 2025 at 5:28 AM
They are enough like us that it matters. Even utter psychopaths can't stand constant criticism, if only because it's more personal insult than intimidation. A lot of these guys are not psychos, but just the sort who have the bully mentality of beating up others to mask their own insecurities.
Can only underline this point. After WWII, most collaborators people could get their hands on were rounded up by bands of resistance members, taken to the nearest convenient gully or wooded copse and simply never heard from again.
October 26, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Can only underline this point. After WWII, most collaborators people could get their hands on were rounded up by bands of resistance members, taken to the nearest convenient gully or wooded copse and simply never heard from again.
You deserve to feel better than just struggling with wanting to be and you deserve a 15/10 game that is more than just a handhold to keep you here. I wish you all the strength you need to keep going.
October 25, 2025 at 3:53 AM
You deserve to feel better than just struggling with wanting to be and you deserve a 15/10 game that is more than just a handhold to keep you here. I wish you all the strength you need to keep going.
Still not a big problem. Hypothetically you can pack enough semtex in front of the entrance and vent shafts to collapse them.
October 23, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Still not a big problem. Hypothetically you can pack enough semtex in front of the entrance and vent shafts to collapse them.
Rutte is quite used to milling lies himself; he's just much more of a diplomat about it than Trump
October 23, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Rutte is quite used to milling lies himself; he's just much more of a diplomat about it than Trump