Open Thread - 4/28/23 - Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

Ever seen this one?

"God Bless our Soldiers. Especially the Snipers". Located just outside the Huntsville, Texas, city limits. Can't quite figure it out. Can you?

This one, near Elgin, Texas: "Dilly Doo's Barbecue". Does that make you hungry? Or think of a sex toy?

Another, on the side of an old box truck near Fredericksburg, Texas: "Trump: Promises Kept". Okay...

Then, "Cowboy Church: Real Church and Real Believers". Just outside Roan's Prairie, Texas. Tsk tsk, all those fake churches right down the road with fake believers. God's wrath will be epic, and spurs will be involved. They will jingle jangle.

Everywhere you look, there are signs of the times. Homelessness. Long lines at food banks. Houses falling down, and that includes old ones and brand spanking new ones. Closed businesses. Banks failing, bailed out with our tax dollars. Stealth Submarine on it's way to the China Sea, although making that a headline rather undermines the stealth aspect.

I could go on, but we all see the signs of Empire Falling.

Are any of you seeing glimmers of something better?

I am willing to keep an open mind and I sincerely want you all to mention some good. Or, bad, or ugly, or whatever in hell you want to say to give the rest of us something to talk about.

Open Thread, people! Let 'er rip!

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we all need to escape every now and then.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp

I pictured the calf ending up in another corral with different fences and then many more corrals interconnected off as far as we can see.

Life is fun if we don't take it too seriously. Hmmm...

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@on the cusp Along the lines of Bill Casey's quote from 1981, I believe one of the most malicious and dangerous lies of the past two or three years has been the denigration of Ivermectin, a cheap, readily available wonder drug that won the Nobel Price for Medicine (Human medicine) in 1987. It has anti-viral, anti-tumor and many other anti-desease properties that threaten an entire corral of "sacred" cows of Western coprorate medicine (There, I tied it into the video above!).

Please check out the 14-minute mini-documentary:
https://covid19criticalcare.com/documentary-seeks-truth-on-ivm/

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Sima's picture

@on the cusp
when it wants some momma's milk??

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

@Sima Or something...
My brother told a story today about a Santa Gertrudis bull we had years ago. It was huge. 1800 lbs.
We, that bull jumped any fence, got into neighboring pastures, did his romantic rendezvous, then jumped back in to our pasture to eat. Neighbors got rid of their bulls, relied on our jumper. My brother actually watched him jump from a standstill.
Back in the early 90's, I had a Charolais bull that did the same thing. And neighbors did the same thing. One neighbor actually lowered his fence to let my bull get easy access.
Good times, Sima!
Hope you and the kids are just alright.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

We have a local trucking outfit named A. Duie Pyle.
They must haul some shit.
Love the escaping calf. Freedom this way --->

Happy Birthday to Chuck Leavell.
Shares mine.

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@QMS @QMS

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp

Fun song. Another chapter, turn the page...

could always relate to this one during the searching days

cheers!

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Sima's picture

@QMS
There's a lot of birthday songs out there, but I found this one... and it fits right in with this Open Thread. However, it isn't super positive, it's very punk, for Weird Al, so I wanted to say I don't echo that for your birthday. Have a great one! and many more!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

janis b's picture

@QMS

You couldn't have chosen a more lively performance or talented musician to share and celebrate a birthday with.

Enjoy!

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dystopian's picture

Hi all, Hey OtC, Hope it is all good out there. Signs huh? Wink

I was once a sign-sellin' fool. Ten years in a tie and a four-door Detroit tanks of various models. The '78 Caddy Seville was the best. Prolly 30 states we did. Most is on slides I have to scan.

Texas is a bit over the top with its roadside sign attractions... they have mastered the quick ditty on a board like their troubadours have songwriting.

In Hondo TX right on Hwy. 90: This is God's country, please don't drive through it like hell.

One I missed a pic of with great regret (thought it would always be there) was a semi-trailer near Lost Maples St. Pk. that had painted on its side: EMUS - big birds - big bucks. At the Emu ranch. He fell afoul, ahem, of Lady Bird Johnsons roadside sign law and had to move it out of view from the road.

Sandpiper Lounge, Halsted St., South side of Chicago 1984, check. Armadillo Ballroom Lake Jackson, TX with the cute cowboy armadillo couple goin' to the dance for a logo, got it (I sold 'em the dang thing about '87)! I know I have a pic of the Midland TX RV sales place with the lit sign saying Gone Fishin'. Story was he told the salesman he didn't need any more business or advertising, he was too busy. Our salesman were friggin' good. Not sure if I have a pic of the one a few of us sold together in Banning CA with big individual letters a couple feet high: PASS GAS. You did not get back to see many, most, of the signs you sold. Often we were on one way trips.

One day I will organize and compile my sign photos from ten years I spent traveling the U.S. selling said item (and camping and/or birding most weekends). Main St. in Idaho Springs CO in 1982? Got it. And so on times a thousand. The original 'they that go down in the sea' statue in Glocester, MA (Groton's logo), got it. Street scenes and Americana from all over the country in the 80's, with a focus on signs. World Trade Center with spike from Statue of Liberty crown at top of frame (taken from inside head), check. I hope to get to that still...

I gotta fly, have a great day all!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian Pass Gas is a big winner!
A buddy of mine put himself through law school by selling billboards. He said he misses the steady income.
We are seeing some different birds flying into the feeder this year. We haven't identified them as yet.
Please round up your pictures and post them. I know we would all love to see them.
Have a great weekend, pal!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

dystopian's picture

@on the cusp Hi OtC! Small world, a billboard guy eh? Too funny! Yeah there was money in that too. Ours were internally lighted permanent biz ID stuff mostly. Very nice ones, we hated flashing arrows. It was a great thing to do from age 25 to 35 or so, the 80's. For me it was a vehicle. Besides learning corporate, sales, etc., and getting what was essentially a degree in business... To see all the birds of America, which I did. But for a very few. Food, motels, gas, were biz expenses. I did not make a ton of dough, it was ok, until you added in the travel and horse trading. Now it appears we did a million bucks worth of travel. Then it was .50 cents a gallon for gas and $30/night for a safe motel. Most of the time my suits were dressed down with cowboy boots, so had that McCloud thing goin'. LOL. You can always post (or send me) bird pics, I will ID anything I can.

be well,

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

snoopydawg's picture

I can’t even get Sam to chase the ball twice…never knew a lab that wasn’t interested in a game of catch. She must have missed that class.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg Just WOW!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@snoopydawg
That dog is amazing, and so are its humans!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

enhydra lutris's picture

The signs are all about us, but as I am neither seer nor oracle, I cannot read them. Some samples --

most elided verse of this land is your land:

As I went walking I saw a sign there,
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing.
That side was made for you and me.

~~ Woody Guthrie

The sun came up, a sign that they didn't blow up the world while I slept

My neighbor spotted a coyote walking along the sidewalk at about 4 am night before last

There's been a cooper's hawk hanging out for about a month now. Crows also too, but we never see any crow on cooper's confrontations, so it is obviously sneaking in under their radar.

A couple of red states' anti-abortion bills failed yestidday

My internet is terribly flukey lately as is firefox, but not chromium.

Tucker Carlson's departure got a lot more attention than Jerry Springer's, is that a good thing or not?

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

@enhydra lutris white tail hawk a week or so ago.
I rarely spot a coyote, but they are all around in the woods and pastures, yipping and howling daily.
Are you tired of trying to figure out ways to survive a nuclear bomb drop?
Or where you will live when the ocean's rise?
Are the signs starting to point to Smart Cities?
Hey, friend, you just be well and have a good one!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

enhydra lutris's picture

@on the cusp

Are you tired of trying to figure out ways to survive a nuclear bomb drop?
When and where I grew up it was certain that my peers and I would never survive, probably not even the one's whose folks built shelters. And if we did, why since it would be a wasteland. None of us expected to live very far into adulthood, if even that long. I just hope that there's enough warning to get high and watch.

Or where you will live when the ocean's rise?
Maybe right here. I'm at about 400 feet in the East Bay hills, but how to get food will be an issue. That issue still needs work - a shrinking land mass and an expanding population just doesn't provide for a lot of solutions. Besides, my infusion center is at 56 feet above sea level maybe a mile from the bay, so ...

Are the signs starting to point to Smart Cities?
How will dumb people create smart cities? Any city is an ecosystem and we aren't good at handling those.

I'm sort of planning on not getting out of here alive, but, after all, nobody does. Wink

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

dystopian's picture

@on the cusp Hey again OtC! That White-tailed Hawk is certainly one of the most beautiful raptors in the U.S. Though widespread in the new world tropics, in the states, it is only found in Texas. And only along coastal plains, it is rare once you get more than about 50-75 miles from coast. Those chestnut or rufous shoulders, that snow white tail with black band... One of the recent editions of the Tex. Ornithological Society Handbook to Texas Birds (A & M press) about 2002, had it on the cover, they are so impressive. Whaddabird! GREAT you got to see one.

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian from the coast. We are minutes from Lake Livingston, the 5th largest lake in Texas. Lots of open pastures with native grass.

We were driving along a local Farm to Market road and saw a large hawk size bird fly from the ground to a low branch on a tree. The white tail was unmistakable. Hubby, being from the upper midwest had seen many eagles and knew immediately that it wasn't an eagle. When we got home we immediately did a search for: "large hawk-like bird with a white tail:" and recognized it as a white tail hawk.

It was stunning! From now on, we will stop using that 4 mile road as our personal race track. It was approximately 3 miles from our home. We will be looking, trying for a picture.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

unpunished.
We replaced a fridge, wondered what to do with the old, perfectly usable old one.
And Dear One came up with the idea to give it to my secretary for her b'day. She doesn't have a freezer, and this fridge has lots of freezer space.
BUT...it needed cleaning, and I swear, the toughest manual labor EVAH in housekeeping is cleaning a fridge.
I am almost done, took lots of breaks, crawled on the floor to clean the front all the way to the bottom.
So, QMS has his B'Day, secretary has has one coming up, and mine is only days away.
Let's be glad we aren't dead!
Better to be old.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Cassiodorus's picture

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

janis b's picture

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@janis b with that one!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981