- Welcome to Principia Discordia.
Recent posts
#1
Literate Chaotic / Re: The Scrapyard --or-- CNO's...
Last post by chaotic neutral observer - Yesterday at 02:16:59 PMBeware of belief in statements which immediately appear reasonable, and you are inclined to agree with, but for which you have no evidence.
That is how fad diets start.
That is how fad diets start.
#2
Aneristic Illusions / Re: The Republicult™ On Parade
Last post by Pergamos - Yesterday at 03:52:45 AMQuote from: Abbot Mythos on February 13, 2026, 01:42:01 AMI've never see, or heard of anything like this every happening in any state:
Only Republican Disqualified From Senate Race in Democrat-Led State
As per this article:
"New Mexico will have no Republican on the ballot for the U.S. Senate race after GOP candidate Christopher Vanden Heuvel was disqualified for failing to submit enough valid signatures to qualify, New Mexico's secretary of state press team told Newsweek."
And, as per further along in this article:
""I am writing to inform you that you did not qualify as a candidate for the office of United States Senator, pursuant to the express requirements of the New Mexico Election Code," a letter obtained by Newsweek signed by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver sent to Heuvel.
The letter continued, "To qualify as a candidate for this office, a prospective candidate must submit a declaration of candidacy and the statutory minimum number of nominating petition signatures at the time of filing."
Oliver said that after review, the office determined that he "failed to reach the required 2,351 signatures in accordance with NMSA 1978, § 1-8-33.""
Now, perhaps requirements like this vary widely from state to state. But, requiring only 2,351 signatures to get a candidate for the U.S. Senate on a political party's ballot for their primary election sounds to me like a really low bar to jump. (Although in my state it's only 2,000 signatures, a $200 filing fee, and signatories must be members of the candidates political party.) Yet, the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM), couldn't qualify a single candidate. Not one.
Weird, New Mexico is pretty purple.
#3
High Weirdness / Re: Will NASA Diminish the UFO...
Last post by Abbot Mythos - February 15, 2026, 02:18:49 AMWell, if this doesn't get the UFO believers' hearts pumping, nothing will:
Barack Obama Says Aliens 'Are Real', but Not in Area 51
As per this article:
"The exchange occurred during a "lightning round" portion of Cohen's interview, where the journalist prefaced his question by noting the rare opportunity to speak with a president of the United States. Cohen asked directly: "Are aliens real?"
Obama's response was immediate and unequivocal: "They're real, but I haven't seen them, and they're not being kept in, what is it—"
Cohen interjected: "Area 51?"
"Area 51," Obama confirmed. "There's no underground facility, unless there's this enormous CONSPIRACY (Emphasis mine), and they hid it from the president of the United States."
Cohen then asked what the first question Obama wanted answered when he became president. Without hesitation, Obama replied: "Where are the aliens?"
The exchange ended with laughter from both men as Cohen repeated, "Where are the aliens?"
And, never let it be said that Former President Barack Hussein Obama doesn't have a sense of humor.
Barack Obama Says Aliens 'Are Real', but Not in Area 51
As per this article:
"The exchange occurred during a "lightning round" portion of Cohen's interview, where the journalist prefaced his question by noting the rare opportunity to speak with a president of the United States. Cohen asked directly: "Are aliens real?"
Obama's response was immediate and unequivocal: "They're real, but I haven't seen them, and they're not being kept in, what is it—"
Cohen interjected: "Area 51?"
"Area 51," Obama confirmed. "There's no underground facility, unless there's this enormous CONSPIRACY (Emphasis mine), and they hid it from the president of the United States."
Cohen then asked what the first question Obama wanted answered when he became president. Without hesitation, Obama replied: "Where are the aliens?"
The exchange ended with laughter from both men as Cohen repeated, "Where are the aliens?"
And, never let it be said that Former President Barack Hussein Obama doesn't have a sense of humor.
#4
Apple Talk / Re: On This Day in History
Last post by Abbot Mythos - February 14, 2026, 04:09:12 PMFebruary 14, 1929 - 'Merican Organized Crime Committed the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre
Seven members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang were murdered in a garage, with 'Merica's iconic Thompson submachine guns, and a shotgun.
The murders have been widely attributed to the Chicago Outfit, headed by Al Capone. However, although several investigations took place, and suspects were arrested, no one was ever charged, or convicted for committing this brazen, high profile, criminal act.
Happy Valentine's Day.
Seven members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang were murdered in a garage, with 'Merica's iconic Thompson submachine guns, and a shotgun.
The murders have been widely attributed to the Chicago Outfit, headed by Al Capone. However, although several investigations took place, and suspects were arrested, no one was ever charged, or convicted for committing this brazen, high profile, criminal act.
Happy Valentine's Day.
#5
Literate Chaotic / Re: Five word horror
Last post by Abbot Mythos - February 14, 2026, 12:38:41 AM
#6
Aneristic Illusions / Re: The Republicult™ On Parade
Last post by Abbot Mythos - February 13, 2026, 01:42:01 AMI've never see, or heard of anything like this every happening in any state:
Only Republican Disqualified From Senate Race in Democrat-Led State
As per this article:
"New Mexico will have no Republican on the ballot for the U.S. Senate race after GOP candidate Christopher Vanden Heuvel was disqualified for failing to submit enough valid signatures to qualify, New Mexico's secretary of state press team told Newsweek."
And, as per further along in this article:
""I am writing to inform you that you did not qualify as a candidate for the office of United States Senator, pursuant to the express requirements of the New Mexico Election Code," a letter obtained by Newsweek signed by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver sent to Heuvel.
The letter continued, "To qualify as a candidate for this office, a prospective candidate must submit a declaration of candidacy and the statutory minimum number of nominating petition signatures at the time of filing."
Oliver said that after review, the office determined that he "failed to reach the required 2,351 signatures in accordance with NMSA 1978, § 1-8-33.""
Now, perhaps requirements like this vary widely from state to state. But, requiring only 2,351 signatures to get a candidate for the U.S. Senate on a political party's ballot for their primary election sounds to me like a really low bar to jump. (Although in my state it's only 2,000 signatures, a $200 filing fee, and signatories must be members of the candidates political party.) Yet, the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM), couldn't qualify a single candidate. Not one.
Only Republican Disqualified From Senate Race in Democrat-Led State
As per this article:
"New Mexico will have no Republican on the ballot for the U.S. Senate race after GOP candidate Christopher Vanden Heuvel was disqualified for failing to submit enough valid signatures to qualify, New Mexico's secretary of state press team told Newsweek."
And, as per further along in this article:
""I am writing to inform you that you did not qualify as a candidate for the office of United States Senator, pursuant to the express requirements of the New Mexico Election Code," a letter obtained by Newsweek signed by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver sent to Heuvel.
The letter continued, "To qualify as a candidate for this office, a prospective candidate must submit a declaration of candidacy and the statutory minimum number of nominating petition signatures at the time of filing."
Oliver said that after review, the office determined that he "failed to reach the required 2,351 signatures in accordance with NMSA 1978, § 1-8-33.""
Now, perhaps requirements like this vary widely from state to state. But, requiring only 2,351 signatures to get a candidate for the U.S. Senate on a political party's ballot for their primary election sounds to me like a really low bar to jump. (Although in my state it's only 2,000 signatures, a $200 filing fee, and signatories must be members of the candidates political party.) Yet, the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM), couldn't qualify a single candidate. Not one.
#7
Techmology and Scientism / Re: Weekly Science Headlines
Last post by Abbot Mythos - February 12, 2026, 10:29:32 AMA century of hair shows how lead exposure collapsed
"A century of human hair shows just how dramatically lead exposure fell after leaded gas was banned."
As per this article:
"Before the Environmental Protection Agency was formed in 1970, lead pollution was a routine part of daily life across the United States. It came from factories, lead-based paint, drinking water pipes, and most of all from vehicle exhaust. Lead is a toxic metal that builds up in the body over time and has been linked to learning and developmental problems in children. As environmental rules tightened in the decades that followed, lead in the environment dropped sharply, and human exposure declined with it."
And, here's the link to the original paper the above article is based upon:
Lead in archived hair documents a decline in lead exposure to humans since the establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency
Getting lead additives out of gasoline was a major undertaking by the EPA, back in the day. And, I'm not 100% certain the current administration would have the will, yet alone the interest, in doing so today, if the problem were only recently identified. Anyway, in my state, the lead pollution from a single Exide Technologies lead-acid battery manufacturing plant in Laureldale/Reading, PA is so extensive that it has still not been completely remediated, even though cleanup work first started in 1988.
Last, the above article reminded me of what some historians believe excessive lead exposure did to the Roman Empire a couple of millennia ago. Here's a link to a summary of that theory, if anyone's interested:
Roman lead poisoning theory
"A century of human hair shows just how dramatically lead exposure fell after leaded gas was banned."
As per this article:
"Before the Environmental Protection Agency was formed in 1970, lead pollution was a routine part of daily life across the United States. It came from factories, lead-based paint, drinking water pipes, and most of all from vehicle exhaust. Lead is a toxic metal that builds up in the body over time and has been linked to learning and developmental problems in children. As environmental rules tightened in the decades that followed, lead in the environment dropped sharply, and human exposure declined with it."
And, here's the link to the original paper the above article is based upon:
Lead in archived hair documents a decline in lead exposure to humans since the establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency
Getting lead additives out of gasoline was a major undertaking by the EPA, back in the day. And, I'm not 100% certain the current administration would have the will, yet alone the interest, in doing so today, if the problem were only recently identified. Anyway, in my state, the lead pollution from a single Exide Technologies lead-acid battery manufacturing plant in Laureldale/Reading, PA is so extensive that it has still not been completely remediated, even though cleanup work first started in 1988.
Last, the above article reminded me of what some historians believe excessive lead exposure did to the Roman Empire a couple of millennia ago. Here's a link to a summary of that theory, if anyone's interested:
Roman lead poisoning theory
#8
Apple Talk / Re: Tales from the Cutting Edg...
Last post by Doktor Howl - February 12, 2026, 12:07:20 AMHad one of those candy-gram charity things at work.
Bought one for each of my employees.
Billy: "Thank you for being so adequate."
Lauren: "Whatever is wrong with you works."
pRick: "You bring premium mediocrity to the workplace."
Mike: "Shit, I forgot you don't work here anymore."
John: "If this team was an ocean, you'd be the bicycle."
Maggie: "Thank you for lowering the bar."
Jose: "Thank you for keeping the 1970s alive."
The Other One: "What was your name again?"
And one to my boss:
"Give me some more money you bastard."
Bought one for each of my employees.
Billy: "Thank you for being so adequate."
Lauren: "Whatever is wrong with you works."
pRick: "You bring premium mediocrity to the workplace."
Mike: "Shit, I forgot you don't work here anymore."
John: "If this team was an ocean, you'd be the bicycle."
Maggie: "Thank you for lowering the bar."
Jose: "Thank you for keeping the 1970s alive."
The Other One: "What was your name again?"
And one to my boss:
"Give me some more money you bastard."
#9
Aneristic Illusions / Re: Hard Lessons to be Learned...
Last post by Abbot Mythos - February 11, 2026, 06:54:58 PMI originally started this topic having only the next U.S. Presidential Election in mind. But, some of these lessons will be applicable to the next U.S. Midterm, and U.S. Off-year Election as well.
And so, here's my latest edit of the first lesson. I'm fairly satisfied with this version. But, I may still need to tweak it a bit to make it more compatible with the lessons that will complete the document:
Lesson # 1. Know Your Country's Constituency
America is not the shining city upon a hill. It's 'Merica, and it's a trailer park on the banks of a swamp, with Billy Bob's Good Ol' Boys Bar & Grill on one side, and Ridgerunner's All Night Live Bait 'n' Ammo Shop on the other. And, the clergy has convinced many of its denizens that The Rapture before Armageddon is a viable retirement plan.
It ain't pretty. But, recognize it for what it is, not for what you want it to be.
And so, here's my latest edit of the first lesson. I'm fairly satisfied with this version. But, I may still need to tweak it a bit to make it more compatible with the lessons that will complete the document:
Lesson # 1. Know Your Country's Constituency
America is not the shining city upon a hill. It's 'Merica, and it's a trailer park on the banks of a swamp, with Billy Bob's Good Ol' Boys Bar & Grill on one side, and Ridgerunner's All Night Live Bait 'n' Ammo Shop on the other. And, the clergy has convinced many of its denizens that The Rapture before Armageddon is a viable retirement plan.
It ain't pretty. But, recognize it for what it is, not for what you want it to be.
#10
Apple Talk / Re: I Learned a New Word Today
Last post by Abbot Mythos - February 11, 2026, 10:31:14 AMQuote from: Abbot Mythos on February 09, 2026, 11:31:55 PMI learned a new word today:I've not yet come up with the perfect, catchy phrase that oozes the essence of 'adynaton.' So, I think I'm going to need more than just one new adynaton.
adynaton is a figure of speech, and a rhetorical device, in the form of hyperbole taken to such extreme lengths as to insinuate a complete impossibility.
I was curious about what form of speech the phrase "When pigs fly ..." is called, and the word popped up. Now, my self imposed challenge is to invent a new, catchy phrase for my personal use that simply oozes the very essence of 'adynaton.'
Now, this one is far from perfect, but variations of it should amuse me on the occasions when it's an appropriate reply:
"Just like when the South started the Civil War to end slavery."