Why I replaced Facebook with something better...

There haven't been a lot of posts here in 2020. Only 5 before this one. Some of you probably wondered if I'd disappeared or abandoned this blog. I'll bet a lot of you (including my stalkers and haters) thought I was gone forever. Yeah... Right... As if that were possible. Not even all the Communists and Hajjis in Hell can stop me from doing ANYTHING, let alone keep me from fucking with the internet. I was just focusing on school and then after the semester ended, enjoying my summer. And by 'enjoying' what I really mean is going stir-crazy since I'm basically stuck at home most of the time over this ridiculous Kung Flu bullshit. Still, you can't keep a good shitposter down forever. Like the Phenom once said, 'You cannot destroy that which does not wish to perish!'

That being said though, there is one website that I suddenly/unexpectedly severed myself from 2 years ago. Considering all the bullshit from that site, I didn't bother to go back. Yep, I am talking about Facebook. Simply put, I had enough of Facebook's bullshit. Besides, I found a better alternative and I just don't want to go back. This blog's text will explain why I came to this decision in more (read: painstaking) detail. If you want to continue following my online misadventures, you're going to have to follow this blog and my profile over on the Facebook alternative named Minds.com. I can be found there with the screen name @LordPublius.

Sooner or later, this will end up on Facebook in some kind of way for my friends and family to read. And just so all of them are caught up with the major events in my life since August 2018...

First, I very quickly found a new (to me) vehicle to replace the truck that I lost when someone rear-ended me. It's a Chevy Impala that I named Belle. You can read about that here.

Second, I switched majors from Computer Science to Business Administration. I am not interested in being some code monkey sitting in a cubicle for the rest of my life. Also, I am not particularly interested in working for other people for the rest of my life, either. Besides, I have a great idea for a business I would like to run and I need to learn how. You can read the full list of reasons for the change in majors here.

Take the CEO's advice. Trust me.

Third and Final, I left the military/veteran fraternity that I helped start on UNO's campus shortly before Christmas of 2018. There were several good reasons, but it all boils down to 2 major categories: Not enough money/time for that project anymore and BAD LEADERSHIP. Long-time readers and anyone that I served with can tell you how I feel about bad leadership. I wasn't even sure what I wanted to do in that organization, anyway... And the organization itself seemed a bit puzzled on that matter as well. :P

Now that we got that stuff out of the way, it's time for yet another controversial list article from your favorite Aspie with a blog. This has been coming for a long time. That corporation owned/controlled by the Zuckbot refuses to behave itself. So, y'all know what time it is...

Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur...

Also, it's been a while since I did a potentially controversial listicle thingy for this blog... And I do need to return to public life... 3:)

Yes, Khan. We shall begin.

1.) FB is just another communication tool now, and thus, no longer fun.

I'm sure all of you have noticed that Facebook has become more and more of a chore, as opposed to the fun utility it once was in years past. I certainly have. So have all of these young Millennials that I have been taking classes with at UNO since January 2018. They just don't want it in their lives. One of them actually disdained the fact that she had to create an account just to stay in touch with her parents. Since that young lady was from Cajun Country, I do genuinely wonder why her parents don't just call her on the phone. They couldn't possibly be more than 2 hours drive away from the campus. And long distance calls don't cost much of anything nowadays. Do phone companies even charge for that anymore?

2.) I am sick of seeing other people's drama... 

Uninformed political & social opinions, celebrity bullshit, arguing with former spouses or lovers online, etc. It all gets old really quick. It also makes you look like an asshole. If you do this kind of stuff, I strongly advise you to stop. The only place where we should be seeing drama is on Television, the Movies or a Shakespeare play. (And it often gets old there too.)

And yes, I know I routinely expressed strong opinions there, here and on any other internet platform where I have a voice. However, mine are quite well informed, thank you very much. I'll even provide sources, if requested. (And assuming they weren't presented from the start for some reason.) Also, I don't denigrate other people for disagreeing with me. That will only make people even more entrenched in their bad ideas. Those who do get butt-hurt when someone disagrees with them are just a bunch of narcissists. Those people are NOT fun to interact with at all. More on that later...

Any chance I can get to sneak a pretty nude Redhead into things... ;)

3.) I am sick of those same people trying to rope me into their drama...

Or, for that matter, try to tell me how to live my life. These shitbags can't even run their own damned lives. I have at least two great examples, one of which has been mentioned in this blog several times before...

First up, we have an individual originally from Michigan that we will refer to by his initials, SC. He was someone I served with at some point in the Army. I will not say where exactly because I don't want anyone trying to learn his identity and harass him.

Anyway, this dude freely admitted to being a jackass in what he probably would have called a comedic way. However, I think everyone else would have just nodded in agreement. He tended to rub people the wrong way online. He assumed that he knew everything about technology because he was a Linux nerd and got some tech training from his Army job. Whenever I mentioned a technical issue on FB looking for help, you can bet he'd chime in with a long, convoluted solution that might not even work. However, an old High School friend of mine (and at least one Army buddy who knew something about computers) would give me FAR better advice. SC's advice would sound like a Starfleet Engineer trying to give me instructions on rebuilding a warp engine. My high school buddy's advice was often as simple as 'go to this menu and uncheck this checkbox.' Whose advice would you take?

And of course, being an arrogant dumbass, SC had to start arguments with that high school friend and other folks. The high school friend ended up blocking him. I'm sure a few others did too. I would also, eventually, block him too in late 2016. (Or was it early 2017?)

Anyway, in November or December of 2016, this kid started getting more uppity than ever before. He started talking down to me like he owned me and was going to make me pick his cotton. Funny, I thought these Yankees fought a war against my beloved South just to stop people from acting that way. What the fuck?!

Seriously SC, what is your fucking problem?

So, what exactly did he do? He started trying to tell me how to live and tried to make my personal business very public. Only problem is, he had no idea what my personal business really was and never would. I don't talk about that stuff online. At first, he tried convincing me to get out of the insurance adjusting business. He thought the insurance business was a scam. It's not a scam, but that's beyond the point. What he didn't know is that I was already on my way out of that business anyway. As soon as I straightened out all of my issues with the VA, that job was no longer necessary. I started collecting the benefits that I was entitled to and used the G.I. Bill to return to college. The insurance adjusting thing was just to keep the bills paid after I left the Army in 2014. It was never going to be a permanent career. I'm also certain that I said as much numerous times. Some people just don't listen.

He also got it into his head that I was going broke and was about to lose my house. Nope! Not even close to being true. He posted some long diatribe in the comments on one of my posts about that once. I don't remember what the post was about anymore. In this diatribe, he was essentially ordering me to sell my house, move somewhere and get a tech job like his, etc. I deleted that comment almost as fast as it was posted. I didn't need this dumbass unintentionally spreading rumors like that around. He immediately re-posted it, which tells me that he took time to write it in a word processor program (or, at least, Notepad) and was serious. I deleted it again, then signed out and went to a Bible study.

But wait, there's more! I come home a few hours later and log-in again. This time, I see that SC has re-posted this same diatribe that I deleted twice on his own page and tagged me. There was also a snarky message from this little shitbag in my inbox with only one line. Something along the lines of 'Got anything to say?' At that point, I didn't even bother to talk to him anymore. I just blocked that dumbass and moved on with life. Who does this shitbag think he is anyway? My boss? He doesn't feed me, finance me or help get me some women who are willing to fuck me. So, I can't say that I'm ever going to be inclined to be taking suggestions from that particular sad result of a broken condom. Fuck that guy.

The only LOLCat image that I've ever made...

A few days later, a mutual friend of ours messaged me about him. Apparently, he was really pissed off that I got rid of him and seemed genuinely concerned about me being broke, close to homeless, etc. Awwww, what's the matter, SC? Got a terrible case of Sandy Vaginitis? You do realize that there are over-the-counter treatments for that right?

Anyway, I just told that mutual friend that he was full of shit and told REPEATEDLY to dispense with the Bravo Sierra. Since he didn't, I got rid of him.  I don't take orders from anyone anymore. It will also be a cold day in that fictional 'fire and brimstone' Hell the Vatican invented before I let them talk down to me like I'm a black man in the Jim Crow era.

Don't worry, Batman. I found a way to defuse that N-Bomb before it went off... :P

Be pissed off all you want, SC. It doesn't matter. I do not suffer fools.

If I have a daughter like Soph someday, I will be extremely proud. Her shitposting gives me hope for the future... <3

Second, we have someone that has already been mentioned in this blog on several occasions, including two posts all about him and his shenanigans. You can read them here and here. That's right, we're about to talk about the psychotic jackass that I only refer to by his initials: BPC.

To make a really long story short (especially since I've already told the long version in the two posts linked to in the previous paragraph), he went nuts and tried to cyberstalk/impersonate me on Facebook. To their credit, Facebook did rectify the situation VERY quickly when they were made aware of these shenanigans. However, the fact that it could happen at all makes me rather uncomfortable with even using the site. It's obviously not very secure. He even tried to get back into my good graces and attempted to apologize, but it wasn't going to happen. He went too far. And, since he wasn't on my friend list anymore, the message went into that 'Other' folder in the Facebook mailbox. I rarely even noticed that folder existed, let alone checked it at all. When I saw a message from him with a new profile there (several months after the message was sent), that profile was immediately blocked/message deleted without even a second thought. Once again, I do not suffer fools.

I miss James Gandolfini... *sniff*

So, who exactly is BPC? This particular lost soul was someone I knew in Basic Training over 10 years ago now and have not seen in person since. Whoever he is now, he's probably not the same (seemingly sane) individual that I knew then. For whatever reason, this poor, demented individual is/was rather obsessed with me. The operating theory among those Army buddies that I still talk to (and everyone else that saw how he was behaving on Facebook) is that he's a homosexual with a crush. BPC vehemently denied that notion. However, I'm not able to rule out any possibilities. After all, he is quite insane. There's no telling what's going on with him.

He also tends to get triggered like a Leftist Cuck whenever I point out the seemingly homosexual behavior on his part. That tells me that he's mentally weak in a lot of ways. Ways that I can exploit. Simply put, I could do to this guy what 4chan did to Jessi Slaughter and in FAR less time. However, I am not that cruel...

A meme from 2012 explaining the situation, for those who have never heard of Jessi Slaughter. Poor girl...

I can understand that BPC was pretty desperate and nearly homeless when he enlisted. (That's what he claims. I have no reason to doubt him.) I can understand why he was thankful that someone gave him a job, food, clothing, shelter, etc. However, that's no reason to turn a government job into your own personal religion. I never let the Army brainwash me or started acting like a cultist/narcissist. Besides, military men acting like they're in a cult is more of a Marine Corps thing, BPC. Neither of us were ever going to be that hardcore. And yes, I am addressing him directly here. I know he reads my blog to this day. Should I be flattered?

BPC as a child (Probably)...

BPC, as much as you say that you're 'done with me', you still keep following my online works in whatever form is possible for you. Why bother? You know it won't get you anywhere. Are you really that bent? Next time you go to the VA hospital, tell them that you're obviously NOT getting enough psychological care. Believe it or not, I do want you to get better. However, you're not going to ever be even a tangential part of my life anymore. You can't be trusted to behave yourself. You went way too far with your bullshit. And for what? Because I decided that the Army was a waste of my time and moved on with my life? People do that every day. The only thing that made my situation unique was that I was so vocal in my long list of reasons for the career change.

Even I can make some major mistakes...

You ought to see the blog he created to complain about the fact that I exist and insist on being an apostate to his personal religion. (And telling a few of his own Army stories.) I could barely understand any of it since the grammar and formatting were so awful. I do believe the phrase that best describes it is 'unintelligible word salad.' I am NOT going to post any links to that blog here. I'm worried that exposing my readers to that garbage could cause a few people to have a stroke. Yes, it is that bad. Last time I looked at it, there were three different usernames from this same blogger account too. All of them talking shit about me. I just laughed. Were these sock-puppets or different accounts for all of the split personalities he might have? (I really do hope that's just a joke...)

Me when I tried to read BPC's poor excuse for a blog a while back...

To think that all of this happened just because I got tired of his shit and blocked him on Facebook... And then later threatened to go to the Army Criminal Investigative Division and report his cyberstalking attempts if he didn't immediately fuck off... And called him a faggot in a few really elaborate, roundabout ways... And him also getting worked up because I told him to kill himself, just like you routinely do online when dealing with annoying assholes... Jesus Fucking Christ...

The Internet is the most glorious thing that Humanity has ever invented.

I'm amazed that simp took me seriously on that one. You'd think he was brand new to the internet. Everyone eventually gets called a faggot and then told to kill themselves. I did it with someone else earlier in this very blog!

Having to explain them just ruins the punchline...

And don't think that the Army chaptering you for mental issues means that you're safe from Johnny Law. Army CID can't do anything now, but the FBI still will. And the moment I tell them how you unwittingly violated OPSEC, you can bet they will be coming for you in very short order. The fact that you had no idea just how retarded you were acting is the only reason why I have thus far taken pity. Think about it for a moment, BPC. Why would I be so keen on NEVER posting photos of myself anywhere online, especially old photos of me in uniform? Dumbass.

Seriously BPC, did you learn NOTHING from me over the years?
You're the most disappointing apprentice since Darth Maul.

All it takes is one phone call to the regional FBI field office at the number they list on their site. And if that triggers you too, I suggest you call another government office at 1-800-273-8255. They have people there 24 hours a day to listen to whiners complain about how life is so unfair. Also, just a word of advice, be patient if you call on a holiday. They tend to get swarmed with calls on those occasions.

Even if your life sucks right now, it will eventually get better. Just keep working at it and don't do stupid shit... Like messing with a very talented internet shitposter/Final Boss of the Internet whose liable to destroy your sanity (and life) just because you annoyed him... And because he was bored...

I know this one is in poor taste, but I couldn't help myself.
RIP Robin Williams. I miss you... *sniff*

Ya know, he probably just got triggered again since he doesn't have a sense of internet humor. I swear BPC, you keep acting as if life was meant to be so damned serious. It's not. Calm down.

Just how miserable would I be without internet humor?

Also Chef BPC, I have to address a few things that I could decipher from that word salad of yours... I wasn't listening to the song Disposable Heroes when I decided to slowly transition back to civilian life. It was Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Didn't our drill sergeants put a LOT of emphasis on 'attention to detail' in the first few weeks? You try to offer rebuttals to my list of reasons for getting out of the Army and then completely screw up the details. You make yourself look foolish when you make those mistakes. Also, constantly bitching about me online just makes you look like a basic bitch with a broken heart. Move on with your life.

Audrey was a smart lady...

Furthermore, I saw you mention that you have a 70% disability rating from the VA now. Congratulations. However, did you really need to tell me (and the rest of the world) that you're now getting 70% of the base pay for the last pay grade you had in the Service? People can look up the pay tables and see exactly what Uncle Sam is giving you in tax-free disability money. That's not smart, dude. Especially if you're also planning on becoming an accountant someday. Remove that bit from your blog ASAP, just for your own security. I doubt your future clients will like the fact that you're willing to publicly discuss finances. I doubt your friends will stay friendly with you for long if you can't keep anything secret, either. How can they trust you if you can't even keep your own info secure? OPSEC is for life, not just while in uniform. Once again, I do not suffer fools.

Yep...

I can sit here all day listing various assholes that I had to block, many of them total strangers that I had no previous contact with beforehand. (And sadly, many oddball psychotics that I met in the Service.) However, there are other points to make. Let's move on, shall we?

Okay, Bender! Sheesh...

4.) I am really tired of constantly being thrown in FB jail every time I blink, often without any explanation why.

All that demonstrates is that FB is deliberately trying to silence people that they dislike for whatever reason. That is unacceptable. It's one of the reasons why I wrote to my representation in Congress about that shitshow of a company (and the rest of their Silicon Valley cabal)...

Tell'em, James. \m/

And that leads us to...

5.) The CONSTANT censorship is unacceptable and *quite* Un-American.

Banning people will only drive them deeper and deeper into the underground. And that will just make them more and more nuts. However, trying to get FB to understand that objective reality is impossible. Ever hear of something called the Streisand Effect, Facebook?

Sunlight really is the best disinfectant for bad ideas. If people cannot express themselves and their shitastic opinions, how are you ever going to debate them? How are you ever going to help them realize their ideas suck? You wonder why hateful bastards like Louis Farrakhan and Richard Spencer actually exist and get more radical with time? It's because you keep trying to push them out of mainstream society. And it's not just hateful assholes like the two that I just mentioned. FB also censor lots of Conservatives they dislike and harmless conspiracy cranks like Alex Jones. What's the matter, Facebook? Afraid that someone is going to expose your own bad ideas to a little sunlight disinfectant?

You'd think this would be a simple concept to understand,
but not for the Leftists running most social media sites.

As if that wasn't bad enough, their algorithm also censored someone for posting The Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July in 2018. Their damned algorithm called our Declaration of Independence from the British Crown a form of 'Hate Speech.' You just can't make this shit up...

Zuck ought to be publicly hanged just for this, let alone all of his other Bullshit...

I could go on for quite some length about how much that pisses me off, but I'll just use a little meme magic instead...

Get'em, George... 3:)

6.) The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Mark Zuckerberg. Not just Facebook, him personally, because of this censorship crap and the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

In fact, Facebook’s competitive practices currently are under investigation separately by the U.S. Congress, Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission and (at least) 47 state attorneys general. Looks like all the complaints sent to Capitol Hill are starting to have an effect. That's including a letter that I sent to both of my state's Senators and my House Representative via e-mail AND the U.S. Post Office. I wanted to make damned sure that my feelings on this subject got to the right people in Congress. My Senator even replied to my messages, saying that he'd keep my thoughts in mind when the issue came up for a vote. Also, since this Senator is a Republican, chances are good he has a hate boner against the FAANG companies anyway.

There's also a chance that disgrace to Autists everywhere is liable to go to jail over his company's shenanigans. That doesn't exactly leave me feeling enthused about using his company's products and services. Who wants to do business with a dishonest man? Would any of you buy a car from Mark Zuckerberg? I sure wouldn't. Talk about some faggot that needs to kill himself...

Knowing the Leftist ass-clowns running those sites, chances are good they are going to eventually fail. Good riddance.

Media reports on the matter are saying the investigation is over Facebook's complete lack of information security, but the censorship is not going to help his case. I look forward to when he goes to jail and becomes Bubba's new cellmate, assuming that Congress can get its head out of its ass. As for you Zuck... Well, you better use those billions to invest in some soap on a rope, bitch. And straight razors to finally end the pain when the ass-rape becomes too much...

Telling assholes to kill themselves is surprisingly cathartic...
And still wrong...

7.) FB is supposedly censoring memes now too? F*ck me...

I can't say that I know for sure from my own experience. I haven't used FB since August of 2018. However, my sources on these things are quite reliable. I can't say that this action on their part would encourage me to embrace the site again, either. Social Media (and the internet itself) just isn't any fun without memes. The more dank and vile, the better.

Fuck YOU, you disgraceful excuse for an Autistic Asshole!!! You make all the rest of us look bad with your bullshit!!!

After a lifetime of rough experiences, my sense of humor has become... a little warped. The dank memes actually help to keep me jolly. That's what we all want, right? After all, we wouldn't want a Semi-Dysfunctional Veteran with a history of anger management issues to be getting angry again, would we? No! No, we would not...

Leftists have ZERO sense of Humor.

That being said, Zuck censoring people for sharing these memes and lampooning him as a public figure is NOT FUNNY AT ALL. It's denying people their right to parody a public figure under the Free Speech clause of the 1st Amendment. It's also FB acting like a publisher instead of a platform, violating the consent decree they were given in 2011 and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. And that is why FB needs to be split up via the Sherman Anti-Trust Act as soon as possible. **Ends Armchair Lawyering**

Also Zuck, if you learn to laugh at yourself, you might find a lot of those memes to be funny too. You do have a lot of strange mannerisms that the public has noticed. Learn to laugh at yourself, dude. You'll be a much happier person.

8.) You don't need FB to function in society or keep in touch with people.

E-mail, snail mail, discussion forums, chat rooms, Instant Messenger programs, text messages and phone calls still exist and are often much more direct. Not to mention a lot more private. Even if you can't keep the conversation private, you can at least have some anonymity via screen names in the forums, chat rooms and Instant Messenger programs. That was how online communication happened before social media became a thing with MySpace. That's probably how it should be for most things. That, and, God forbid, we could all try socializing and talking to each other in real life again. Remember that, folks? Surprisingly, I do miss certain aspects of that phenomenon.

Social Media has its uses, but it is becoming far too much of a pain in society's ass. Time for it to be scaled back...

And by 'scaled back', what I really mean is violently chopped up into pieces
by the Feds via the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Ma Bell's past should be Facebook's future.

9.) Current (and potential future) employers are going to spy on you with these social media tools. They will also use what they see as an excuse to either not hire you or fire you from your job.

Simply setting your profile to private may not be enough, either. Fortunately, I am largely immune to this for a number of reasons, including being a self-employed businessman someday. Kinda hard to be fired when you're the boss...

These days, it may be more like 5-10 hours at most. Remember that Starbucks employee
who threatened to spit in the coffee of Trump supporters after the 2016 election?

Also, these social media sites that actually do require the use of your real name can inadvertently make a LOT of really important private details very public. You may not want your bosses to know some of these very private things. No, it doesn't matter if you didn't post it there or not. The info can still get out all because of one person mentioning something they shouldn't or tagging you in a picture they took of you. So, even if you delete your account, Facebook will still have a 'shadow profile' on you with a LOT of potentially damaging information. This fact is also one of the reasons why I got rid of SC after his ranting about my supposed financial troubles...

All the more reason why I do NOT take pictures anymore...

The mere fact that these shadow profiles exist make me VERY glad that I fed Facebook an insane amount of bullshit over the years just to cover my tracks. Not that their algorithm for displaying ads ever did a good job of catering said ads to my needs/tastes anyway. What exactly would make them think that I would want a Japanese car? I don't drive foreign trash.

10.) If you really must have your social media fix, there are alternatives to these Silicon Valley snobs who think they can control the flow of information.

I'll let this meme show all the alternatives for me...

Liberty or Death, your choice.

I have been using Minds and DuckDuckGo for some time now. DuckDuckGo's search results are comparable to (if not better than) any other search engine, including Google. Also, I can verify that DuckDuckGo is FAR superior when it comes to Image Searches. If I do a reverse image lookup on a photo of a car, Google's results will usually say something like 'car' or some other general term that is totally worthless. DuckDuckGo will actually give me links to pages where that image is, year/make/model of the car and all relevant links. And this is just one example I can use. What happened, Google? Your search results used to be top-notch. The only things I'm using Google for now would be a few different (rarely checked) e-mail addresses, this blog, Maps, language translation and watching YouTube videos. And I rarely need maps or language translation.

When I start making videos again in the future though, they are going to BitChute instead. YouTube's censoring of Non-Leftist opinions is totally unacceptable.

I never used Reddit or Twitter. You shouldn't either. They are both Normie trash. (And have horrible user interfaces...)

Wikipedia has always been suspect so, I don't rely on them for anything important. All Wikipedia was ever good for was giving you a general idea about things and creating a format for fans to create online resources about their favorite fandom. For example, the semi-official and highly-informative Star Trek wiki Memory Alpha. I have yet to find a single error on ANY of its pages. That is impressive.

As for Minds... Well, it's a website that takes the best of what Facebook and other social media sites are and turned it into a far superior product. That site will not censor you for ANYTHING unless it's required by U.S. Federal Law. That means they don't give a shit about the European Union passing a bill like Article 13. That's the way that an American company should operate. Yet, Facebook, Twitter, et al. are all too happy to suck the EU's proverbial cock on this one. What the Fuck? (And don't even get me started on how some of them are bending over and taking it in the ass from the Chi-Coms...)

Since there are virtually no rules on Minds, I can speak freely there. That means that the stuff that I post there can be even more hilarious than the dank/vile stuff I used to put on FB when that site was fun. (Remember those days? Those were some good times, man...) Although, it's usually just the same kind of stuff. I don't want people to get too overloaded.

Not to mention every Leftist's worst nightmare...

Something else that I noticed is that almost everyone on the platform is really polite compared to Facebook. Even if they vehemently disagree with you, they don't get nasty. And if anyone does, you can block them just as easily there as on any other platform. That being said, I have blocked many people on Minds for various reasons. Usually because I saw something on their page that was really objectionable to me. Stuff like crazy conspiracy theories, hateful garbage, etc. Since this platform respects Free Speech, people are all to happy to use that Free Speech to show you exactly who they are. In that regard, it's a lot like old-school discussion forums back in the day: just a digital Old West, with virtually no oversight. I prefer it that way. That is what makes the internet so different (and so much better) than any other medium. It's as open and free as it is interactive. It needs to stay that way. Otherwise the internet will become just as boring (and one-way) as television.

The best part though, is that Minds will let you use a screen name instead of your real name. That is how they protect your data. They give you the option of not even handing any over. Facebook will never do that because selling your data to advertisers is how they stay in business. And that is ultimately why Facebook can never be 100% fixed. Not to mention why I routinely fed that website so much bullshit that even my own family and friends never really knew what was going on with me. Who knows, maybe that's why SC & BPC got so concerned and started acting crazy. Did I somehow gaslight them without even knowing it, or are they both just insane, narcissistic assholes? Probably the latter.

So folks, in conclusion, PLEASE quit sucking Zuck's e-cock and come join me on Minds. I promise you will all be so much happier. Once again, you can find me on the platform with the screen name @LordPublius. I look forward to seeing you there.

No need for any border walls here... ;)

- Lord Publius

9 reasons NOT to date single moms...

Every once in a while, I come across something on the internet that is so profoundly stupid that I just have to lampoon that shit. And this 'article' written by Becca O'Handley for Thought Catalog in 2016 called '9 Reasons It Takes A Strong Man To Date A Single Mom' certainly fits the bill. This is the most pathetic thing I've seen online since the bullshit claim that the Left somehow knows how to meme. (Lolz...)

So, for this 400th post of my blog, we are going to dissect this non-sense and have a very good laugh at the expense of a broad who's somehow not aware of the fact that she's a fool... And probably a THOT... I swear that after reading this crap, I became ever more convinced that 3rd Wave Feminism is just an evil plot by butch lesbians to ruin things between the sexes and increase their chances of getting a date.

Yet another reason why those Tojo bastards
need a 3rd nuclear bombing... ;)

I want it known from the start that I am not a part of the MGTOW movement or part of the Men's Rights Movement. I never even heard of those two phenomena until about 4 or 5 years ago. I consider the fact that either of them exist to be sad proof that something has gone tragically wrong in our society. So, all of you hookers with bastard kids can go fuck yourself with the idea of somehow associating me with those groups. I don't get involved with ANY groups these days, unless you want to include college, church or the local THOT Patrol.

Also, for you ladies who are divorced with kids from your prior marriage... Not much of anything in this post is likely to apply to you. You did the right thing by having your kids in holy wedlock. I do feel bad for you about your marriage not working out, though.

As usual with these response blogs, the quoted text (grammar mistakes and all) will be italicized and my text will be both regular and grammatically flawless.

Looks like single moms are also Feminazis... Why am I not surprised? :P

1. Weak men can’t handle us or our kids

If you’re dating someone that seems traumatized the first time he sees your toddler throw a tantrum, RUN. Run as fast as you can. This is the type of person that can’t handle your lifestyle. Kids have tantrums. Kids, to say the least, can be little jerks at times. As a matter of fact, so can adults. At least kids have an excuse. They are in the process of learning reasoning and accurate control of their emotions. If a man gets scared off the first time he is exposed to back arching screaming, and body flailing craziness that a toddler can be, he clearly lacks experience in sensible reasonability. If he’s standing there mid tantrum, looking to be in shock and contemplating running for the hills, if he looks frightened or disgusted, well f*** him.

Strong men will recognize that this is a normal stage of a child’s development. They will certainly not hold it against you that your child is being a little stinker. On the contrary, they will do their best to help the situation. Better yet, they won’t let a little tantrum scare them away from the awesome person you are. They may even have a new found respect for you, because after all, anyone who deals with that kind of behaviour on a regular basis is surely to be considered a damn superhero.

Yeah... That kind of bad attitude is NOT going to attract a mate... Maybe it's not the kid that's causing me to be alarmed. Maybe it's the fact that you haven't disciplined the little bastard and taught him NOT to act that way in a public place. If I started throwing a fit as a toddler, my parents would have spanked me. We really shouldn't have moved away from that as a society. Also, you won't have to run away from the guy. Chances are good he already started running away long before you even had the idea come to your deluded mind.

PICTURED: How fast I am liable to run away from used-up broads
with a legion of Hellspawn in tow...

2. We don’t need to be saved

Weak, insecure men will feel it necessary to achieve the man of the house role so to say. Instead of appreciating you and letting you shine in all the glorious strength you are, their ‘manhood’ will be threatened. After all, you are indeed a force to be reckoned with. You fiercely tackle the responsibilities of home and children by yourself, and yet do so gracefully. One could even say you make it look easy. You are not some damsel in distress that needs this big strong man to come in and fix everything. You got this shit handled by yourself. Weak men need to feel superior to feel strong. A strong man will stand beside you and push you to even greater limits. He will be your biggest supporter.

Is this broad high? Of course the man is going to want to 'assume his role' as man of the house. That's why you wanted him, right? Are you looking for a partner or just the occasional dicking and a source of supplementary income?

PICTURED: The kind of single mom that would believe this stupid shit...

3. Games, Games, Games

Let me be very clear on this point. The ONLY games single moms want to play, is with their children. We don’t have time for bullshit. We don’t have the extra energy required to exert on trying to read between the lines of all your mixed signals. Chances are we have already spent a good chunk of time wasted in a relationship that was wrong for us. In the end, our children were absolutely worth everything of course, but going into something new, we don’t have, nor want, any valid reason to waste our time. We’ve been there, done that. Be real, be an adult or go find someone else to play your mind games with. We are mature adults that deserve honesty, not some high school twit you can mess with.

On this point, we're actually in complete agreement. I hate when women try to play games with my mind too. Also, I don't send out ANY signals, let alone mixed ones. I'm a Sperg. Body language is not exactly my thing, honey. As for other types of games... Well, I do have an entire room in my house filled with video games. I'm sure your (probably illegitimate) crotch-fruit would have loved that too. However, if you're going to insist on being such a cunt, I'll just go find a nerdy chick who doesn't have kids instead.

PICTURED: The kind of relationship that actually would be ideal for me...
Just me and my woman playing Mario Kart in our underwear.
Whoever wins gets head first. :P (|)

I don't play D&D. However, I would still love
the chance to help this gal 'level-up',
if ya know what I mean... ;)

4. We can’t be swept off our feet

Those cheesy pick up lines that have worked on 90% of your conquests. Throw them out the window. They don’t apply and will simply not work. We can be temporarily swayed by your dashing good lucks and charming persona but ultimately, you can’t fool us. We know a thing or two about seeing through the mask. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with telling us how awesome we are, but don’t kiss ass. It won’t get us in bed any quicker. We won’t be another notch on your belt, unless of course we decide to be. Really, we just want someone to be real with us. We want to enjoy a mature conversation that doesn’t involve topics of potty training, and playgroups. We want to feel like an adult, not just a mom. We don’t need you to put us on a pedastoole. Treat us like you respect us. Treat us like an equal.


I'm going to guess that you meant to write 'pedastal' and neither you or the editor caught that mistake. Either way, I don't use pickup lines. I'm also not interested in random hook-ups. That's a good way to get sick or create another single mother that burdens society by applying for welfare benefits. Also, the fact that those little bastards exist at all is proof positive that the pick up lines actually did work at least once with you. That, or you decided to be 'another notch in the belt one night' and nature took its course. Either way, all you're doing is making yourself sound like a bitter whore with this tripe. Unless you were raped, you chose to have sex with that dude. You knew the risks. Don't get mad at me and the rest of Humanity just because you made poor life choices.

Something tells me that this article I'm destroying was
written by a woman that used to be like
the whores in this picture...

5. Our kids will always come first

We may not necessarily always know what we want, but one thing is for certain, we know what we don’t want. We don’t want to bring anyone into our lives, or potentially our kid’s lives without thoroughly thinking it through. Our kid’s best interest will always be first. We will put their needs above our own and yours anyday. It should not be a competition; it’s just what makes us amazing moms. Weak men cannot understand this. They feel threatened by our children, like they need to compete for our love. Trust me; moms have an endless supply of love to give. There’s plenty enough to go around. If you make a mom feel as though she’s stuck in the middle between you and her kids, trust me you will be dropped at the blink of an eye.

So, I'm basically just a source of sexual amusement/living dildo and a walking ATM for you. Gotcha...

Probably one of the few instances where the
Vatican & I will be in total agreement with each other...

I know the kids come first. So does whatever simp is wasting his time and money on you. However, if you neglect him, he'll eventually walk out on you too. Just like that kid's father... Assuming that you even know who that is...

6. We aren’t looking for a daddy

Our kids have a dad, we don’t need you to play daddy for them. We don’t go into dating with the expectation that you will become a parent to our children someday. We date for ourselves, not for our children. We don’t need someone to pay our bills, and support our kids. We manage by ourselves. Yes, ultimately we are a package deal and there is no escaping that. In regards to long term, if you are lucky enough to end up with a single mom, it only means that you will someday be a part of something amazing. You will become a part of a family. You will be fostered into a loving dynamic and you will become a role model. But those long term possibilities shouldn’t detour you now. We aren’t thinking of it so you shouldn’t be worrying about.

I have 5 things to say to this talking point...

1.) Didn't you just say that the kids ALWAYS come first? Make up your mind!

2.) I am happy to hear that you at least know who the father is, honey. Hope you're getting child support out of that guy because you aren't getting it from me. I'm not a walking ATM.

3.) Don't feed me this bravo sierra about how you don't expect me to be a parent to the kid someday. Don't tell me that you don't need any help managing the finances, either. That is the whole reason why you're looking for a relationship. If all you wanted was to get fucked, you could have continued acting like a THOT. Yes, I am making that assumption. Only a THOT would be deluded enough to actually believe this tripe.

4.) I am not interested in being your daddy. He obviously didn't do a good job raising you. For his sake, I sincerely hope there actually is enough alcohol in the world to help him drown his sorrows and shame.

5.) I don't want to be called Daddy, either. The only two men that a ho like you calls 'Daddy' is her actual father (assuming you know who that is) and your pimp. I am neither of those two people, nor do I wish to be. Simply put...

Conan the Barbarian is not even remotely interested in dealing with your Bullshit.

7. Our tolerance for bullshit is extinct

We have enough stress in our lives as it is. We don’t need more from men. We have fought tooth and nail to find a balance in our lives. If you threaten that balance or disturb the peace in our blissful parental lives, it’ll be ‘bye, bye, bye’ for you. We won’t fight over stupid things; we won’t play in to your little tests. We won’t compete with other women. We certainly will not be a booty call for some asshole that can’t figure out what he wants. We have all the patience in the world for our children, and none for jerks. Sorry.

Kind of ironic that you would say this, because this is EXACTLY how I have come to feel about women like you over the last 20 years. All y'all want to do is ride the cock carousel and treat decent men like they were an Untouchable. That mentality is probably how you became a single mom and it's why you'll stay single for the foreseeable future. Do you really think that kind of bad attitude is attractive? Ya know what Bitch, you deserve these next two memes. They were made for people just like you...

Be gone, THOT!!!

And this is why Men HATE THOTs so damned much.
They help the Douchebag Losers to breed/create more social problems for future generations.
These stupid whores really should have gotten their damned tubes tied...

8. We don’t put out

Hey asshole, this one’s for you. Our bodies have created and inhabited a human being. We have gone through the amazing process of pregnancy and birth. Yes, our bodies may not be as toned as they were before. We may have scars, and stretch marks, battle wounds you could say. We may be a little saggy and a little frumpier then the average childless woman. But you know what… our bodies are a fucking temple. Our bodies gave our children life. We value our bodies and we respect ourselves. We are not an easy lay, as some idiots would believe. If we choose to connect with you in that way, it’s either because a) we’re using you to satisfy our own needs or b) you respect us enough to deserve us. We are in control champ.

This broad really wants to stay single forever. I am all to happy to grant that simple request. Also, human bodies are not a temple. Quit being ridiculous. I don't care if you gave birth or not. If you don't try to keep yourself in shape, you're not going to attract many potential mates. Men go after women in good physical shape because we are biologically programmed to do so. Women in good shape are also likely to be in good health and pass on good genes to our offspring. That's kind of important, honey. Why else would you make sure to get your whore ass into a Yoga class or two at the gym?

More accurate memes have rarely been made.
Many Keks be upon the individual
who originally created this image macro. 

Also, the fact that you do have a kid proves that you do put out. Otherwise, how did you end up with that kid? Rape? Incest? Adoption? Raising a child born to a friend or family member that made you the kid's godmother? Immaculate conception?! Inquiring minds want to know!

Good thing God has a sense of humor and also hates THOTs as much as I do... :P
And no Feminazis, God didn't force Mary into having Jesus.
She consented to the task. It says so in the Bible in Luke 1:38.

9. Last but not least. Our children are NOT baggage

Yes, we cannot be as spontaneous as you. Date nights require planning and scheduling. We aren’t available for you whenever you’re little heart decides you want us. We have responsibilities and obligations. Dating a single mom is a much different, more complicated task then average dating. Our lives are complex and someday we may feel like we are missing out on “normal” life. We may feel that heavy ache in our chest when we reminisce on our child free glory days. But NEVER, do we regret our children. NEVER do we feel like they are holding us back. Our children are NOT baggage, and if you give us the impression you think otherwise, you are not remotely worthy of us.

Baggage? No, I would say more like an encumbrance on the emotional real-estate of your heart and soul. Date nights require planning and scheduling with childless women too. They also have responsibilities and obligations. That's part of being an adult. Also, who would ever call a child 'baggage'? Are you absolutely sure that you really love your kids? It sounds like you're harboring a LOT of resentment towards them. That makes me feel a bit worried for the poor kids. 'Parents' who feel that way often end up becoming abusive monsters that psychologically torture and/or kick the shit out of those poor kids...

Only a Doctor of Memeology like me could ever
find a way to make child abuse funny...

You can reminisce about your child-free days all you want. They are never coming back, unless you get rid of the kids somehow. If that happens, I'll probably think you're a monster or, at the least, extremely irresponsible. As for me not being worthy of you... Yeah, I think you have that backward, you dirty little THOT with a Roastie. You're the one with the limited options here. I have my act together. I don't need someone else to pay my bills. I'm also healthy, own my own car, own my own house and have a bright future ahead of me. You start losing your appeal to men the moment you hit 30. By the time you're 40, chances are good that you're gonna be the neighborhood cat lady. No point in pursuing an old broad that can't help you to procreate anymore... And who has a Roastie... Or a blue waffle... *shudders*

If I had to guess, I'd say they're probably in a happy marriage
with a woman that wanted kids, cooks, cleans, etc.

The only thing that's missing in my life is a good woman. From what I've read in this little diatribe of yours, it is all too obvious that you are NOT that woman. In fact, it is extremely unlikely that I am ever going to date any single mother. And no, it's not just because of what you wrote or any kind of prejudice on my part. It's because I know the truth. No matter what any of you might say, you are very much looking for someone to help raise these kids and/or cover the bills.

This is probably not what Doomcock would have expected
one of his memes to be used for, but I doubt he'd mind...

The only way I'd even consider the idea is if that single mom is a divorced woman that has her own money and looks like a super model. And yes, at least one woman like that does exist. Her name is Adriana Lima. You probably know her. You've bought more than a few of the push-up bras she's modeled in the Victoria's Secret catalog over the years... ;)

Single Moms that look & act like Adriana Lima
have a MUCH easier time attracting a mate.

Adriana keeps herself in shape. She's spiritual. She donates/raises a LOT of money for children's charities. Her kids were conceived and born INSIDE of holy wedlock. (Yes, that is extremely important.) And she is a real sweetheart. I would love to date someone like her, if I got the chance. And no, I am not expecting that to happen. That whole train of thought is an intellectual exercise in hypothetical scenarios that will sadly never come to pass. It's highly unlikely that I am ever going to meet a Supermodel, let alone start dating one. And that is a shame really... I guess she'll never know what she missed... :P

SINcerely,



Lord Publius

U.S. Army Veteran
Doctor of Shitposting and Memeology
Destroyer of Worlds
Leader of the NOLA THOT Patrol

Online personality tests are a bit suspect...

And by 'suspect', I mean often ridiculously inaccurate. We'll start with the famous (or infamous) political compass test...

This is my results from 2017...

2017

Here's the results from February 21st of this year, 2020. The results are slightly different and that will happen over time. However, I am suspicious of the results because they say I'm becoming more of a Centrist. I don't see how that's possible when everyday the Left gives me yet another reason to despise them. It's looking like finding new ways to piss me off has become a sport for those assholes...

21 Feb 2020

And here's the most recent results of the test from April 7th of 2020. These results look fairly close to 2017. Did my views really shift that much in about 6 weeks of time or was it something else? Maybe the test is flawed in some way? Or, maybe there were some questions that I just didn't know how I really felt about that day?

7 Apr 2020

Next up, the Myers-Briggs Personality Test...

If you've ever had a psychology class or been forced to attend some useless training seminar at a white-collar job, then you've probably seen some variation of this test. There's 16 different categories for Human personalities in this test. My results differed slightly when I took the test on 2 different sites on the same day: April 7th, 2020. You can access those tests here and here.

First, the one from 16personalities.com... Their version of the test provided names for the different personality types/categories/whatever. The results are essentially the same as what I always get with this test when I take it every few years for school, work, my own amusement, etc.

Architect of what?

And now, the other one from onlinepersonalitytests.org...

What? No pictures?

These results are not too much different from the usual INTJ or ISTJ that I frequently get with the MBTI. However, it is a first for me. I never had the P letter in any of these tests before. What's the difference between all of these? Not much.

INTJ means that I think everything can be improved. INTP means I love to solve problems. ISTJ means that I make it a point to do what needs to be done. All of those personality types are similar and reflective of an industrious Aspie. However, I do wonder why the results were different on these two different sites. Also, it looks like all three of those types could describe various aspects of my personality while still leaving a pretty incomplete picture.

Decent descriptions of the different MBTI types.

Next up, a Moral Foundations test that I heard about from a YouTuber... I find this one to be suspect just from reading the description, let alone the results. "Social scientists such as Ravi Iyer and Jonathan Haidt argue that there are substantial variations in human morality and that these differences influence not just a person's decision making and reasoning processes but also their political outlook."

There are no variations in Morality. Something is either moral or not. Yes, it is an objective concept. To say otherwise is to employ the school of thought called 'moral relativism', which can be easily used/abused to excuse all kinds of immoral behavior. Everything from making excuses for EVIL dictators to saying there's nothing wrong with a woman being promiscuous.

Anyway, here's the results...

Whut? Care is my highest score?

I don't know how care got to be the highest score with my long history of asocial (and often anti-social) behavior. However, I think the part that really makes me doubt these results is the Loyalty part. Since the 'social scientists' (or, as some would call them, Bullshit Artists) who created this test just had to make it political... Well, that makes me wonder how my results for loyalty got so high.

In politics, my only loyalty is to the Republic and the good things for which it stands: Liberty and Justice for all. That's the way it has to be if I want to stay intellectually honest and NOT end up trying to excuse bad behavior from elected officials that I supported. Also, have you noticed that my scores for almost all of these categories are higher than the other groups? Even with the two where I'm surpassed (Authority and Liberty), it's by a razor-thin margin.

Finally, we have this 'Big Five assessment' that I had to do for a class this semester... The test was done on January 22nd of 2020. I do not remember the website where it was taken, but this test is pretty common. It won't be hard to find one like this through your favorite search engine.

Big Five assessment - 22 Jan 2020

The only aspect of this one that I find strange is the Openness part. How did I score so high there? Historically, I'm not known for being all that open or sociable. I guess this 2nd trip through college and regular church attendance is having a positive affect on my socialization. Hopefully, this Kung Flu pandemic will end soon and we can all get back to business as usual. I do have a business degree to finish and a business of my own to start. I would like to get to those tasks as soon as possible.

- Lord Publius

The Covid-19 inspired problems (and opportunities) of the Movie Theater industry...

I came across a culture article on the website of The Atlantic today about movie theaters facing an 'existential crisis' because of Covid-19. Join the club, pal. I'm sure the Chi-coms (perhaps inadvertently) poisoning the world with the product of their filthy environment is hurting movie theaters pretty bad. It's hurting everyone. However, what really caught my eye in the article was this paragraph right here...

The messaging is clear: It makes no financial sense for movies that cost hundreds of millions to make to be released online only. But NATO’s announcement assumes that the theater industry can return to normal when the pandemic abates. For a sense of what the U.S. might face once the outbreak begins to slow, look to China: The country is only now beginning to reopen theaters after closing them in January. Even as new cases of the coronavirus have rapidly declined and the government has begun to ease social-distancing rules, citizens have so far been reluctant to go back to theaters. The 507 theaters open on Saturday (about 5 percent of the country’s cinemas) made only $4,355, according to Deadline. That’s just a few dollars per theater.

I don't want to see movie theaters go away for good. However, this could also be a golden opportunity for the industry. For years now, the quality of service has gone down while ticket and concession prices have gone through the roof. That's not exactly a recipe for success in any market or industry. However, all hope is not lost. When the pandemic ends, they can get business back by doing the 5 following things:

1.) Significantly cut their prices.

It shouldn't cost me nearly $20 for a ticket to a Matinee showing with my college student discount. That is ridiculous. With prices like that, you'd think they were charging me to see a sex tape featuring the latest leading Hollywood actress. And no, I do NOT want to see something that disgusting, folks. Believe it or not, I don't like hardcore pornography. The acting is never believable and the cinematography in those flicks are always shit.

Also, about those concession prices... Yeah... On what planet does it actually cost anywhere near $20 to buy a bag of popcorn, large soda and box of Milk Duds? And you wonder why people load up on snacks at Dollar Tree (which is open during this epidemic since they are considered an essential retailer) and sneak them in via a purse, large pockets of a jacket, hoodie, etc.

By the way, Dollar Tree just so happens to sell many different candies you can get from movie theater concession counters, including Milk Duds. So, yeah... I'm definitely going to be sneaking my candy in with me. If the theater is lucky, they MIGHT get me to spend $4.75 on a large soda that probably cost them less than a buck to bring to market. However, I wouldn't bet on it... That is the kind of highway robbery that loses business and gets angry customers calling the Better Business Bureau and/or Federal Trade Commission. Knock that shit off, movie theaters.

2.) Act like they give a shit about customers.

I don't remember the last time I had a *good* experience dealing with a movie theater employee. Do you? Also, I hate how you always get cattle-penned into these long, twisting lines when waiting to go see a highly-anticipated new release. That's another good reason why I've been to the movies only once in the last 2 years. And there were a few movies I would have liked to go see, too. However, since theaters are so expensive and have such poor service, I just waited for the home video and Netflix releases.

3.) Insist that Hollywood actually produce movies that people want to see.

The comic book movies do great business. That's why Hollywood insists on making so many of them. However, everything else they make suffers. Everything else they make also doesn't seem to get anywhere near as much advertising, either.

Simply put, not everyone is a comics fanboy that will gladly spend their money watching one super hero flick after another. I want something else. More Star Trek movies, slasher flicks and some GOOD action movies will get my butt into a movie theater seat. I might even pay extra to see the film in 3D, if it's good enough. I did it for the 2009 Star Trek film. I saw that film in theaters a whopping SIX times between 2009 and 2011, thanks to matinee and special midnight showings. That is how powerful a good movie can really be. It was so entertaining that I would go to the theaters to watch it even after seeing it multiple times and having it on home video already. Speaking of which...

4.) Replay some old favorites that I might not have on streaming services and/or home video.

After all, the last time I went to a movie was in October of 2019. What did I see? a 40th anniversary re-showing of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I've seen the movie countless times and have several versions of it including...

• A 'Special Longer Version' on VHS
• Director's Edition on DVD 
• Original theatrical release on Blu-Ray in a collection with all the films featuring the Original Series crew. 
• The novelization 
• The 20th Anniversary re-release of the soundtrack on CD 
• The comic book.

However, I never got to see the first four Star Trek films in theaters. Getting a chance to see that movie (and its glorious special effects) on a big screen was wonderful. It actually made the film better!

It doesn't have to be just films that appeal to nerds like me, either. How about bringing back holiday comedies around Christmas time? I'd much rather see National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on a big screen instead of the quickly forgotten schlock that Hollywood tends to put out for Christmas every year. At least Christmas Vacation is actually funny!

5.) Go to someone besides Hollywood for movies.

I personally would like to see more foreign and independent films, just for the sake of some variety. Did the Hollywood studio system create slasher flicks like Halloween and Friday the 13th? How about Kaiju movies? NO! It was independent filmmakers and the Japanese film industry that gave us Michael Myers, Pamela Voorhees, her son Jason and Godzilla.

Besides, Hollywood allowed themselves to get boring and predictable by abusing tropes about as badly as Harvey Weinstein abused numerous aspiring actresses. (Yes, I went there.)

Thanks to tropes like the hero's journey becoming so well known, I don't even need to see the latest epic comic book movie anymore. I already know how the story is going to pan out. HOLLYWOOD NEEDS TO BECOME CREATIVE AGAIN. The way to do that is to give them serious competition.

- Lord Publius

College, Covid-19 & entrepreneurial opportunities?

Thoughts/Feelings on the college shutting down, the Chi-Coms infecting the world, et al.

No thanks to the Chi-coms (perhaps unwittingly) poisoning the world with the Kung Flu (or Covid-19, if you don't like making jokes about diseases and disasters), everyone's life is currently upside down. I won't comment on what I think of that because there's not enough data to form any worthwhile opinions on the subject.

That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if this did end up being some kind of bio weapon that escaped from the lab and infected the public. Communist regimes have been known to be that irresponsible before. For example, Aralsk-7 AKA Vozrozhideniya Island or the Sverdlovsk anthrax leak in 1979.

As for me, I am not overly worried about my health. I have been through far too many disasters. That, and my last post in the Army was Fort Detrick, the base where the military once developed/continues to test numerous chemical and biological weapons. The air, water and soil on that base are so polluted, that it would easily become a Superfund site if not for the fact that it's a military installation. So, the info that the VA sent to me via text message may not be all that necessary.

I have been through a LOT of disasters...

Impact on New Orleans...

The local effects here in New Orleans (and Louisiana as a whole) have been 'economically devastating', to say the least. We have the second highest number of cases anywhere in America, second only to Seattle. As of this writing, there have been 240 cases of Covid-19 either confirmed or suspected and 5 deaths. All the deaths happened in Orleans Parish. Orleans also has the highest number of real/suspected cases with 176. Second to that is neighboring Jefferson Parish with 37. All 11 of the other affected parishes have 6 or less. You can keep track of the Covid-19 effects here in Louisiana with an interactive map from the local news outlet WWL-TV here.

Affected areas in Louisiana, as of 18 Mar 2020.

All restaurants have been closed, except for takeout orders and drive-thru windows. Grocery stores are changing their hours. Some are setting up specific times only for senior citizens, to reduce the risk of those people being infected by younger people who may have Covid-19 and not know. Younger people seem to be largely immune to the effects, but older people tend to get hit hard. All 5 deaths in Louisiana so far were between 53 and 84 years old, several with pre-existing health issues.

So far, I haven't had too much trouble getting groceries. I did have to make a 2nd trip to get a loaf of bread and my preferred brand of milk. Other than that, stocking up on food has been easy. However, I did take a few photos of the empty aisles at my local grocery store a few days ago...

Toilet Paper & Paper Towel aisle

Bread shelf in Bakery section

Bread shelf in Bakery section

I saw this in the bakery when I went to the grocery on March 14th.
With everything that's going on, I thought it was sardonically hilarious.

Bars, clubs, casinos, music venues and any other form of public entertainment are shut down. That means the economic hit from this epidemic is going to hit New Orleans harder than most other areas in the United States. Our economy depends on petroleum and tourism. With no one traveling or going out for fun at night, the town is now all but dead. I'm expecting the effects to be just as bad as Hurricane Katrina was for us, if not worse. This depresses me in ways I don't know how to explain with words. Thankfully though, we don't have lots of flooding, property destruction and dead bodies floating down the street like we did during/after that dreadful storm.

Impact on my schooling...

Like all the restaurants and entertainment venues, all schools have been effectively shut down. My school shut down classes after last week. All other colleges in the University of Louisiana system have also shut down classes on their campus. Fellow UNO students can get info from the school's website here and here. The rest of my semester will be done online. Most (if not all) K-12 schools are also closed for at least a month.

I don't care for online classes, but it's not the end of the world. I have done online classes at UNO before. I just prefer in-person classes because you get more out of them. I was also concerned about if and how the VA was going to handle my payments for the G.I. Bill living stipend. I've already recieved word from them via e-mail that nothing will change for this semester. However, if all the classes are online in the fall semester, the amount I'll get in the monthly living stipend will be significantly less. That's a pay cut that I just can't afford. I'll be writing a letter about this potential problem to my Senator, Congressman and President Trump just as soon as I can. With the current economic chaos going on, I don't know if I can find any kind of part-time job to supplement my income. (And I do need one.)

UPDATE 19 MAR 2020:

Just got an e-mail from the VA saying that Congress passed a bill authorizing them to continue G.I. Bill living stipend payments like normal during this crisis. (And any future crises that force a college to switch to online instruction.) It's been sent to POTUS and he'll be signing it ASAP.

This is quite a load off of my mind. I was wondering how that was going to be handled and was about to send a letter to my Congressman, Senator & President Trump on this very issue. TYVM Congress for doing your job well on this matter. I just wish it didn't take a global pandemic/national emergency to get you to fix a problem that we probably didn't even know existed before. :P

Entrepreneurial opportunities

Since any and all entertainment venues are shuttered because of this epidemic, my dream of opening an arcade/retro game store is not likely to happen anytime soon. Hopefully, this thing will blow over before I graduate from school and then (with luck) get loans to open up my business.

Considering that, I started thinking of other businesses I could open that would be much more resilient to these kind of disasters. And that is when it hit me: Disaster Prep.

A business that caters to people preparing for disasters would be extremely profitable in these times. Even during good times, it could still be successful marketing to Doomsday Preppers, Boogaloo Bois and people living in areas prone to disasters, especially New Orleans. We could do everything from putting together people's bug-out bags, hazmat suits, gas masks, medkits, MRE's (or something similar) and old-school 4x4 vehicles using carburetors & trailers. Why old-school 4x4 vehicles using carburetors? Because those vehicles are completely mechanical with their drive-train. This design makes those vehicles immune to the effects of an electromagnetic pulse or any kind of hacking/electronic attacks. They would be the only vehicles that are still running when/if there's a nuclear/radiological incident. I have 2 memes that explain what I mean...

That RamCharger would look good subdued in OD Green & Black trim...

As a former contractor, I can vouch for how useful trailers are...

So, essentially, my disaster prep business will be a combination of specialized used car lot and an Army surplus store. The more I think of this business idea, the more I like it... I still want to do the arcade, but this is not a bad fallback position.

Also, for those of you who do NOT know what a 'boogaloo' is, you can read more about it here.

- Lord Publius