Chris Brennan
@chris-brennan.bsky.social
Maryland Lawyer
My pronouns: he/him
My grammar: two spaces after a period, em dashes, and the Oxford comma
Grateful to a stranger who chose to be an organ donor
Asking you to please wear a mask in essential public spaces
My pronouns: he/him
My grammar: two spaces after a period, em dashes, and the Oxford comma
Grateful to a stranger who chose to be an organ donor
Asking you to please wear a mask in essential public spaces
I'd never use "damnit", and I'd only use "dammit" maybe if were writing something trying to capture specific phonetic dialect--similarly to when I'd use something like "kinda". Normally, I'd almost always use "damn it".
Location: Denver as kid & the DC area as an adult.
PS Here's some context.
Location: Denver as kid & the DC area as an adult.
PS Here's some context.
November 27, 2025 at 5:06 AM
I'd never use "damnit", and I'd only use "dammit" maybe if were writing something trying to capture specific phonetic dialect--similarly to when I'd use something like "kinda". Normally, I'd almost always use "damn it".
Location: Denver as kid & the DC area as an adult.
PS Here's some context.
Location: Denver as kid & the DC area as an adult.
PS Here's some context.
You need to be hit with the 2x4 of knowledge and learn that riffing on famous line from a Johnny Cash song is not an actual threat or real wish for harm.
In case you can't tell, I'm not actually threatening to hit you with a real 2x4. (See, that's how this works.)
In case you can't tell, I'm not actually threatening to hit you with a real 2x4. (See, that's how this works.)
November 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
You need to be hit with the 2x4 of knowledge and learn that riffing on famous line from a Johnny Cash song is not an actual threat or real wish for harm.
In case you can't tell, I'm not actually threatening to hit you with a real 2x4. (See, that's how this works.)
In case you can't tell, I'm not actually threatening to hit you with a real 2x4. (See, that's how this works.)
Legally, this looks like a simple case of legally allowable "puffery".
The law (including the 1st Am.) protects statements of opinion like "cashsoft" being a material "which feels cashmere-soft".
The gov't can only prohibit provably false factual claims that reasonable consumers would rely on.
The law (including the 1st Am.) protects statements of opinion like "cashsoft" being a material "which feels cashmere-soft".
The gov't can only prohibit provably false factual claims that reasonable consumers would rely on.
November 10, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Legally, this looks like a simple case of legally allowable "puffery".
The law (including the 1st Am.) protects statements of opinion like "cashsoft" being a material "which feels cashmere-soft".
The gov't can only prohibit provably false factual claims that reasonable consumers would rely on.
The law (including the 1st Am.) protects statements of opinion like "cashsoft" being a material "which feels cashmere-soft".
The gov't can only prohibit provably false factual claims that reasonable consumers would rely on.
Whenever I think about average voters...
October 29, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Whenever I think about average voters...
It was my mom who took me to my first Star Trek convention-like event with Gene Roddenberry in the mid-70s at McNichols Arena in Denver.
We got to see a TOS blooper reel (first time I'd ever seen one) and the original Menagerie pilot.
And she bought me the blueprints!
We got to see a TOS blooper reel (first time I'd ever seen one) and the original Menagerie pilot.
And she bought me the blueprints!
October 26, 2025 at 2:25 AM
It was my mom who took me to my first Star Trek convention-like event with Gene Roddenberry in the mid-70s at McNichols Arena in Denver.
We got to see a TOS blooper reel (first time I'd ever seen one) and the original Menagerie pilot.
And she bought me the blueprints!
We got to see a TOS blooper reel (first time I'd ever seen one) and the original Menagerie pilot.
And she bought me the blueprints!
One-way masking helps, but one-way masking does not work as well as two-way masking.
Please remember what public health authorities tried to make clear: "My mask protects you & your mask protects me."
You never know when you might be contagious with COVID so please mask in essential public spaces.
Please remember what public health authorities tried to make clear: "My mask protects you & your mask protects me."
You never know when you might be contagious with COVID so please mask in essential public spaces.
October 16, 2025 at 3:26 AM
One-way masking helps, but one-way masking does not work as well as two-way masking.
Please remember what public health authorities tried to make clear: "My mask protects you & your mask protects me."
You never know when you might be contagious with COVID so please mask in essential public spaces.
Please remember what public health authorities tried to make clear: "My mask protects you & your mask protects me."
You never know when you might be contagious with COVID so please mask in essential public spaces.
The dumbest fucking coin you've seen... yet.
October 4, 2025 at 2:38 AM
The dumbest fucking coin you've seen... yet.
But have you considered the grift element? Think about how many of these we could sell...
October 4, 2025 at 2:37 AM
But have you considered the grift element? Think about how many of these we could sell...
I think we found the guy who used to do scheduling for Giuliani.
September 25, 2025 at 2:19 AM
I think we found the guy who used to do scheduling for Giuliani.
I hope I got this Douglas Adams quote right: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy defines the refrigerator division of the Samsung Corporation as 'a bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.'"
CYA: I don't advocate violence, just humiliating wedgies.
CYA: I don't advocate violence, just humiliating wedgies.
September 19, 2025 at 7:02 AM
I hope I got this Douglas Adams quote right: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy defines the refrigerator division of the Samsung Corporation as 'a bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.'"
CYA: I don't advocate violence, just humiliating wedgies.
CYA: I don't advocate violence, just humiliating wedgies.
This reminds me of a great book I read as a kid.
September 12, 2025 at 10:32 PM
This reminds me of a great book I read as a kid.
still chuckling at that one and trying to resist singing "gnomebody gnos the troubles I've seen..."
I'll always have a special place in my heart for Hommlet and the Moathouse where he died.
We did not, however, continue to use the Arduin tables.
I'll always have a special place in my heart for Hommlet and the Moathouse where he died.
We did not, however, continue to use the Arduin tables.
September 3, 2025 at 6:31 AM
still chuckling at that one and trying to resist singing "gnomebody gnos the troubles I've seen..."
I'll always have a special place in my heart for Hommlet and the Moathouse where he died.
We did not, however, continue to use the Arduin tables.
I'll always have a special place in my heart for Hommlet and the Moathouse where he died.
We did not, however, continue to use the Arduin tables.
Back when AD&D was barely a year old, my DM rolled a 00 on the Arduin Grimoire Critical Hit table causing a gruesome death for my totally legit gnome paladin.
Trigger Warning: I'm putting this one behind an Adult Media label because it has some really gross and gruesome stuff. I'm not kidding.
Trigger Warning: I'm putting this one behind an Adult Media label because it has some really gross and gruesome stuff. I'm not kidding.
September 3, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Back when AD&D was barely a year old, my DM rolled a 00 on the Arduin Grimoire Critical Hit table causing a gruesome death for my totally legit gnome paladin.
Trigger Warning: I'm putting this one behind an Adult Media label because it has some really gross and gruesome stuff. I'm not kidding.
Trigger Warning: I'm putting this one behind an Adult Media label because it has some really gross and gruesome stuff. I'm not kidding.
Vaccines help reduce the severity of your infection, but they do not prevent you from being infected or prevent long COVID.
You can be infected without any symptoms. COVID is airborne and remains dangerous for vulnerable people.
Masking remains the easiest and best way for you to protect others.
You can be infected without any symptoms. COVID is airborne and remains dangerous for vulnerable people.
Masking remains the easiest and best way for you to protect others.
August 31, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Vaccines help reduce the severity of your infection, but they do not prevent you from being infected or prevent long COVID.
You can be infected without any symptoms. COVID is airborne and remains dangerous for vulnerable people.
Masking remains the easiest and best way for you to protect others.
You can be infected without any symptoms. COVID is airborne and remains dangerous for vulnerable people.
Masking remains the easiest and best way for you to protect others.
Shoes are New Balance white with blue trim. It looks like a typical pair for me. I can't find the exact model/year--but ebay's got some like these 311s that come close.
The key for Halloween verisimilitude will be the big blue N, the blue upper heal area and everything else being white.
The key for Halloween verisimilitude will be the big blue N, the blue upper heal area and everything else being white.
August 27, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Shoes are New Balance white with blue trim. It looks like a typical pair for me. I can't find the exact model/year--but ebay's got some like these 311s that come close.
The key for Halloween verisimilitude will be the big blue N, the blue upper heal area and everything else being white.
The key for Halloween verisimilitude will be the big blue N, the blue upper heal area and everything else being white.
Being "in bed" with factions advocating genocide is evidence of intent.
Under the UN Genocide Convention, with intent and killing, the following are punishable even in war time:
-committing genocide
-attempting to commit it
-conspiring to commit it
-inciting others to commit it
-complicity in it.
Under the UN Genocide Convention, with intent and killing, the following are punishable even in war time:
-committing genocide
-attempting to commit it
-conspiring to commit it
-inciting others to commit it
-complicity in it.
August 22, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Being "in bed" with factions advocating genocide is evidence of intent.
Under the UN Genocide Convention, with intent and killing, the following are punishable even in war time:
-committing genocide
-attempting to commit it
-conspiring to commit it
-inciting others to commit it
-complicity in it.
Under the UN Genocide Convention, with intent and killing, the following are punishable even in war time:
-committing genocide
-attempting to commit it
-conspiring to commit it
-inciting others to commit it
-complicity in it.
It works really well.
I grew up in Colorado and my some of my favorite places are the high mountain lakes above timberline--especially on a bright sunny summer day like this picture of Island Lake near Silverton, CO.
I bet an island like that would look even better with teal/turquoise dragon...
I grew up in Colorado and my some of my favorite places are the high mountain lakes above timberline--especially on a bright sunny summer day like this picture of Island Lake near Silverton, CO.
I bet an island like that would look even better with teal/turquoise dragon...
August 2, 2025 at 1:14 AM
It works really well.
I grew up in Colorado and my some of my favorite places are the high mountain lakes above timberline--especially on a bright sunny summer day like this picture of Island Lake near Silverton, CO.
I bet an island like that would look even better with teal/turquoise dragon...
I grew up in Colorado and my some of my favorite places are the high mountain lakes above timberline--especially on a bright sunny summer day like this picture of Island Lake near Silverton, CO.
I bet an island like that would look even better with teal/turquoise dragon...
I'm a free market guy, and I'll vote for communists if they'll eliminate the role of states in Medicaid so that we can know who to hold accountable for it.
This hybrid federal/state system creates a system that almost nobody beyond a relatively small group of experts really understands.
This hybrid federal/state system creates a system that almost nobody beyond a relatively small group of experts really understands.
![xkcd cartoon
[Ponytail and Cueball are talking. Ponytail has her hand raised, palm up, towards Cueball.]
Ponytail: Silicate chemistry is second nature to us geochemists, so it's easy to forget that the average person probably only knows the formulas for olivine and one or two feldspars.
Cueball: And quartz, of course.
Ponytail: Of course.
[Caption below the panel]
Even when they're trying to compensate for it, experts in anything wildly overestimate the average person's familiarity with their field.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ynpsfjyhcobnkpncjzfigyn4/bafkreiarxpha556ne5yeezyurqg7bmg2i3rcxpunurfgs3ipdti37b6vta@jpeg)
June 29, 2025 at 5:37 AM
I'm a free market guy, and I'll vote for communists if they'll eliminate the role of states in Medicaid so that we can know who to hold accountable for it.
This hybrid federal/state system creates a system that almost nobody beyond a relatively small group of experts really understands.
This hybrid federal/state system creates a system that almost nobody beyond a relatively small group of experts really understands.
C.H.U.D.
Horror movies can work - you know, holding hands in the scary parts - but this movie was just too dumb.
Horror movies can work - you know, holding hands in the scary parts - but this movie was just too dumb.
June 23, 2025 at 4:37 AM
C.H.U.D.
Horror movies can work - you know, holding hands in the scary parts - but this movie was just too dumb.
Horror movies can work - you know, holding hands in the scary parts - but this movie was just too dumb.
I vote not to strip the fun and whimsy out of our world.
The real question is about peanut butter and the answer is: "Choosy developers choose GIF"
The real question is about peanut butter and the answer is: "Choosy developers choose GIF"
May 26, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I vote not to strip the fun and whimsy out of our world.
The real question is about peanut butter and the answer is: "Choosy developers choose GIF"
The real question is about peanut butter and the answer is: "Choosy developers choose GIF"
It is the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue of kerning.
May 4, 2025 at 4:26 AM
It is the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue of kerning.
An old Soviet joke really helps make the point that due process depends on *everyone* always being entitled to due process.
April 17, 2025 at 5:59 PM
An old Soviet joke really helps make the point that due process depends on *everyone* always being entitled to due process.
As fascism has come to America, it has been wrapped in the flag, carrying the cross and giving a big thumbs up [especially in the most horribly inappropriate places like in concentration camps and with a family at their relative's military grave site].
April 17, 2025 at 5:31 PM
As fascism has come to America, it has been wrapped in the flag, carrying the cross and giving a big thumbs up [especially in the most horribly inappropriate places like in concentration camps and with a family at their relative's military grave site].
In the sense of "expect" meaning "to consider probable or certain", I don't expect the executive branch to follow the law.
In the sense of "expect" meaning "to consider reasonable, due, or necessary" or "to consider bound in duty or obligated", I do expect the executive branch to follow the law.
In the sense of "expect" meaning "to consider reasonable, due, or necessary" or "to consider bound in duty or obligated", I do expect the executive branch to follow the law.
April 17, 2025 at 5:26 PM
In the sense of "expect" meaning "to consider probable or certain", I don't expect the executive branch to follow the law.
In the sense of "expect" meaning "to consider reasonable, due, or necessary" or "to consider bound in duty or obligated", I do expect the executive branch to follow the law.
In the sense of "expect" meaning "to consider reasonable, due, or necessary" or "to consider bound in duty or obligated", I do expect the executive branch to follow the law.