Open thread 7/24/2026
I took this photo the other day in a parking lot, near sunset time. It’s a reflection of the sky in the window of the car parked next to mine:
The New Neo
A blog about political change, among other things
I took this photo the other day in a parking lot, near sunset time. It’s a reflection of the sky in the window of the car parked next to mine:
Nearly 150,000 mail ballots rejected in California’s primary despite efforts to count every vote … If the world is sane humble me is insane…voter issues, Govt issues, etc. Looks like some blame might fall on the USPS — “Updated agency policy says postmarks might not indicate the first day the Postal Service received the mail, but rather the day it was handled in one of its processing centers.”
‘You can’t fight it,’ Trump tells Americans about data centers moving into their communities … as an AI Whisperer I have been surprised by the amount of resentment towards AIs and the coming Data Centers. Well, people complained about autos, TVs, computers, etc. when they first came out – so it should not be surprising. Human progress is hard to stop…
ACCELERATING FEDERAL PERMITTING OF DATA CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE … Executive Order 14318:
Re: Shopping baskets
I shop for myself, so when I go shopping, I really don’t want to be pushing around a full-size, family-of-six, shopping cart for the seven or so items I’ll buy. I’d much prefer to use one of the plastic baskets the store also supplies.
Except those baskets are usually impossible to find. Why?
The other day at my supermarket I found out, when I got into a conversation with an employee in the self-checkout area.
Turns out shoplifters load up a plastic basket full of expensive items, then dash out the door. They often get away with it, so the store is out the groceries and the $20 plastic basket.
So no plastic baskets for the rest of us.
Living in a low-trust world.
@Karmi:I have been surprised by the amount of resentment towards AIs and the coming Data Centers.
Data centers have been around a very long time. The new resentment is not to me surprising at all, because it’s ginned up like anything else that NGOs get behind. They just want to create the illusion of resentment so they can get paid off. I’ve seen these before too many times. Ten years ago it was sand mining. Who remembers? This too shall pass after the checks get cut.
The best part of AI will be the complete evisceration of DEI Hollywood and their a-hole actors like this windbag:
“Reacher” Actor Alan Ritchson Melts Down, Calls President Trump a “F**king Rapist” Who Is “All Up Into 13-Year-Olds” in Deranged Epstein Rant
AI actors won’t blowup projects shooting their mouths off and they won’t age, become drug addicts, chase little boys, etc.
These AI movie shorts are popping up on YouTube. This one is 37 minutes, but has sequels that probably turn it into a complete movie.
It’s pretty incredible. Human actors optional. It also makes the credits very short.
NO WAY BACK | He Chose the Alien Woman Over the Army | Sci-Fi Full Movie 2026 | 4K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fItjxeUSQaY
AI Data Centers are a recent specialization, but the broader idea of data centers has existed since the 1950s and 1960s. Modern AI-focused Data Centers began emerging as a distinct category around 2024, with generative AI accelerating that shift in the 2020s. Like President Trump said: ‘You can’t fight it’ — Govt or NGO created…
Wonder if they’ll still be political … 🙂 🙂 🙂
What is it with all of these male actors, who play tough guys on camera–enacting on screen what would seem to be Conservative attitudes and values–but who, when they go “off screen,” and talk about what they believe in and how the really feel, turn out to actually be Leftists—spouting the current obligatory leftist attitudes, phrases, and talking points, and they are–in reality–the exact opposite of the characters they are portraying on screen?
A cast in point—Alan Ritchson.*
* See https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/07/reacher-actor-alan-ritchson-melts-down-calls-president/
Snow on Pine:
They’re actors. Maybe they are also acting when they’re spouting off politically. It helps in getting roles. Who knows what they really think?
And who cares, at this point?
Niketas Choniates on July 24, 2026 at 1:10 pm mentioned that “Data centers have been around a very long time” — I went back as far as 50’s with reply, but then thought about the Aztecs (c. 1300 AD – 1521 AD), Egyptians (c. 3100 BC – 30 BC), and Sumerians (c. 3500 BC – 2000 BC). Google AI Mode also adds: Honorable Mention: The Incas (c. 1400 AD – 1532 AD):
The Sumerians: ‘The “Servers”: Baked clay tablets stored in specialized archive rooms.‘
We’ve come a long way since baked clay tablets — smile
huxley:
That doesn’t seem to be happening where I live, but I wonder if it’s one of those things that will spread, like locking stuff up in drugstores and grocery stores. I see that quite a bit on the west coast.
Letter in Decision Magazine rebuking Senate Candidate Talarico’s crazy theology. ” God is non binary” and other such things he has said.
https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/articles/longtime-pastor-rebukes-texas-rep-james-talarico
Huxley:
Use reusable bags to shop.
Re: reusable bags. If you carry them with you and starting filling them before you get to the checkout, you might be accused of shoplifting, despite your honest intention to unload the bag at the checkout and reload after payment.
The stores where I shop have large carts and smaller ones for smaller shopping lists.
New business concept.
Facial recognition cameras at store entrance connected to a service that flags known shoplifters. Any known shoplifter that has been entered into the system. Steal from one store and you get blocked from all stores using said service.
Maybe my ‘Karmic Forecasting’ is off!?! I have been ‘Feeling’ good about the GOP’s midterm chances this year, but this Emerson College Polling poll is showing Dems w/ an “11-Point” lead at this point. I asked Grok about ECP – Grok replied:
July 2026 National Poll: Democrats with 11-Point Generic Ballot Advantage
Here’s where I think their whole poll may be off:
I say baloney! Buttigieg?!?! No way. Gavin Newsom has more ‘Baggage’ than Genghis Khan & humble me put together. If President Trump can keep it s-t-e-a-d-y until November – even w/ Iran and gas prices as they are – then I still like the GOP’s chances in November.
Why this gas price surge could be different – Snippets:
Trump needs to keep hanging in there—no American boots on the ground tho…
So actor Ritchson goes on some podcast, spews all of this leftist rhetoric, and doesn’t seem to realize that people in his audience (I’d bet, consisting of more than 50% conservative viewers) will see or hear about his rant and, when they learn what he said, be insulted by it, feel somewhat betrayed, hit the remote and, voila, there goes a good chunk of that 50%.
He, apparently, just couldn’t help himself, he had to open up his big Yap, “break character,” and show the audience that his personal views are wildly at odds with–apparently in direct opposition to–his persona on “Reacher.”
@Snow on Pine:show the audience that his personal views are wildly at odds with–apparently in direct opposition to–his persona on “Reacher.”
He’s an actor. He’s supposed to be able to assume a persona that’s not actually him. It seems like you want acting to be like pro wrestling.
Anyway, if you don’t want to watch something that leftists aren’t writing, producing, or acting in, you won’t watch much. And you’ll probably be better off anyway. But if you do watch, don’t start thinking that someone who plays a persona IS that persona and then get butthurt when you find out he’s acting, as actors do. Says right on the label.
Niketas Choniates–All Ritchson had to do with keep his mouth shut i.e. “Better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak, and to confirm it.”
The point of my post above was, how this hunky dolt made a probably disastrous, unforced, bad “business decision,” likely in an effort to demonstrate and affirm that he is a card carrying member in good standing, with the current Hollywood club; likely looses a good portion of his audience in exchange for likely employment by his leftist “friends” in the future.
Update – ref: Karmi on July 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Inside the Phone-Throwing Drama at the Troubled, Broke Democratic Party
If true – am still liking GOP’s midterm chances…
That’s an interesting revelation about the handbaskets at the grocer. Some of the stores in my area still have them, but I’ve noticed that they’ve been going away more and more.