Gareth Penn
@garethspenn.bsky.social
"Those who cannot remember George Santayana are condemned to misquote him."
I asked a tour guide at San Simeon if the madonna above the main entrance of La Casa Grande was the one Dorothy Parker had written about, and he said, "Who's Dorothy Parker?"
I asked a tour guide at San Simeon if the madonna above the main entrance of La Casa Grande was the one Dorothy Parker had written about, and he said, "Who's Dorothy Parker?"
I predict that the cost of coffee at the supermarket won't be reduced by much when tariffs are dropped because retailers will calculate that consumers have gotten accustomed to higher prices, and they will just pocket the difference.
November 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I predict that the cost of coffee at the supermarket won't be reduced by much when tariffs are dropped because retailers will calculate that consumers have gotten accustomed to higher prices, and they will just pocket the difference.
The change would also cause people to confuse the Department of War with the Dow Jones average, colloquially known as "the Dow."
November 13, 2025 at 3:13 PM
The change would also cause people to confuse the Department of War with the Dow Jones average, colloquially known as "the Dow."
Wow. Actions have consequences. Who knew?
November 13, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Wow. Actions have consequences. Who knew?
"Biden legacy inflation" has a long shelf life. "Best used by 20 January 2029."
November 13, 2025 at 1:25 PM
"Biden legacy inflation" has a long shelf life. "Best used by 20 January 2029."
The best I could come up with at the time was "Trump worried about losing Pecker," but your version is better.
November 12, 2025 at 11:04 PM
The best I could come up with at the time was "Trump worried about losing Pecker," but your version is better.
Will somebody explain to Bannon what "twelve o'clock high" means in flyboy jargon?
November 12, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Will somebody explain to Bannon what "twelve o'clock high" means in flyboy jargon?
You're overlooking one important thing: practically none of the people listening to Trump speak about affordability have even heard the word "groceries" before, since its existence was discovered only recently, and it was Trump who discovered it. He's ten steps ahead of us all.
November 12, 2025 at 5:14 PM
You're overlooking one important thing: practically none of the people listening to Trump speak about affordability have even heard the word "groceries" before, since its existence was discovered only recently, and it was Trump who discovered it. He's ten steps ahead of us all.
The BLS doesn't deliver data to your doorstep.
November 12, 2025 at 3:24 AM
The BLS doesn't deliver data to your doorstep.
My stepfather lived in the same house for 40 years. But then he started doing it at age seven.
November 12, 2025 at 2:17 AM
My stepfather lived in the same house for 40 years. But then he started doing it at age seven.
Why does Goofy wear pants but Pluto does not?
November 11, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Why does Goofy wear pants but Pluto does not?
Republicans have been working on their healthcare plan for ten or eleven years now, and they've never revealed a single detail. They're like the mountain in the Aesop fable that labors mightily and gives birth to a mouse.
November 11, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Republicans have been working on their healthcare plan for ten or eleven years now, and they've never revealed a single detail. They're like the mountain in the Aesop fable that labors mightily and gives birth to a mouse.
Here's what he left out: "…something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something."
November 11, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Here's what he left out: "…something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something something."
If Trump proposed that everybody have poison ivy on the soles of their their feet, Hassett would say it was a good idea, and he would say it with the same shit-eating grin on his face.
November 11, 2025 at 4:39 PM
If Trump proposed that everybody have poison ivy on the soles of their their feet, Hassett would say it was a good idea, and he would say it with the same shit-eating grin on his face.
I took a course offered by the anthropology department at Berkeley in 1961 titled "Law in pre-industrial societies," taught by Laura Nader. Regina v. Dudley and Stephens was on the reading list.
November 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I took a course offered by the anthropology department at Berkeley in 1961 titled "Law in pre-industrial societies," taught by Laura Nader. Regina v. Dudley and Stephens was on the reading list.
Carroll's suit was adjudicated in federal District Court for the Southern District of New York.
November 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Carroll's suit was adjudicated in federal District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Who analogizes Sandwich Guy? The Fool?
November 11, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Who analogizes Sandwich Guy? The Fool?
Ruritanian Renaissance has always been my favorite architectural style.
November 11, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Ruritanian Renaissance has always been my favorite architectural style.
The last time, we were all made poorer by "credit default swaps." What euphemism will they use this time to put us back in the poorhouse?
November 11, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The last time, we were all made poorer by "credit default swaps." What euphemism will they use this time to put us back in the poorhouse?
A memorable Monty Python sketch has a man trying to buy an insurance policy who is told that along with his check, they want a 10-gallon urine sample. He says he understands why they want the check but why the urine sample? "We just want to see how serious you are about buying our insurance."
November 11, 2025 at 1:49 AM
A memorable Monty Python sketch has a man trying to buy an insurance policy who is told that along with his check, they want a 10-gallon urine sample. He says he understands why they want the check but why the urine sample? "We just want to see how serious you are about buying our insurance."
"'Magnet' is a new word, like 'groceries.' Nobody ever heard of it until I brought it up."
November 11, 2025 at 1:41 AM
"'Magnet' is a new word, like 'groceries.' Nobody ever heard of it until I brought it up."
"If the French are so good, why do they piscine their swimming pools?"
November 11, 2025 at 1:39 AM
"If the French are so good, why do they piscine their swimming pools?"
"Millions of people have left well-paying jobs because they have been lured away by $188 a month in SNAP benefits. On another note, NASA has just confirmed that the moon actually *is* made of green cheese."
November 11, 2025 at 1:37 AM
"Millions of people have left well-paying jobs because they have been lured away by $188 a month in SNAP benefits. On another note, NASA has just confirmed that the moon actually *is* made of green cheese."
IF YOU WANT BALLROOM BUY A JOCKSTRAP
November 11, 2025 at 1:32 AM
IF YOU WANT BALLROOM BUY A JOCKSTRAP
The federal government is the world's largest purchaser of airline tickets. Buying in bulk enables it to get them at low prices. Individuals buying airline tickets have to pay a lot more. The same principle applies to health insurance. Without ACA, you'll have to pay a lot more.
November 11, 2025 at 1:31 AM
The federal government is the world's largest purchaser of airline tickets. Buying in bulk enables it to get them at low prices. Individuals buying airline tickets have to pay a lot more. The same principle applies to health insurance. Without ACA, you'll have to pay a lot more.
Now he's suing the BBC for $1B. Between his lawsuits, signing Executive Orders, and napping in public, how does he have time for anything else?
November 10, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Now he's suing the BBC for $1B. Between his lawsuits, signing Executive Orders, and napping in public, how does he have time for anything else?