I had a small role in recruiting this man. He'd spent the last ten years leading engineering teams on a consumer product you've probably used, and he's just arrived in DC to work with the federal government. He started on Monday, and it's now Thursday night. I run into him at an event. He arrives late, and looks shellshocked.

How's it going? He's struggling to put words together. I'm worried. "I just left the office. I think everything's going to be okay." What is he talking about? "For the first day and a half, nothing. Then it was 'go to this agency and help them with this thing. It needs to go live on Thursday and there's a problem.' Yes, there was a problem. The data the service relied on….I've never seen a database like that. Ever." What do you mean? "1993. The guy couldn't find any other way to make it work. The vendors would have taken too long even if someone could justify the budget. So he just hacked it at nights and over weekends. Used whatever he could find and taught himself how to use it. The machine is ancient. The software has just been running since then. I'm amazed he managed to keep it running this long. It's a miracle. Either no one knew, or no one cared — my guess is that they were just happy to have something that worked at all. The guy's been keeping this going like this…I mean…I had no idea…I've never seen…." He's shaking his head and looking past me.

What happened? "First we just had to make sure we could get the data out somehow, make sure we had a copy. I mean, these records…they're the only copy. The whole system relies on this. People rely on this. To help real people. People who need help. If it had failed…" He really is in shock.

"I'd just never seen anything like this. I was afraid if I even touched it, it would all go poof. We got it out. It's okay…. It's okay now…But this guy…He's been keeping this together for 23 years…"

For a minute, I worry that he's angry. And that he might be angry at me for encouraging him to take this job. But I look in his eyes and it's not anger, it's awe. Respect. Admiration and gratitude for a public servant who has achieved the impossible. Made things work in spite of the rules, not because of them. "He made it work. He's the only guy who can run it. He knows it wouldn't work without him so he's deferred his retirement. I mean…he's extraordinary."

Extraordinary. A Silicon Valley technologist, the kind of person we champion as a savior of government, thinks that a career civil servant beyond retirement age with sorely outdated technical skills is extraordinary.

That career civil servant's name is Jed. The system he started building in the 1980s and maintained for decades before my friend came along was called VACOLS, the Veterans Appeals Control and Locator System. It started out serving just 400 users, and expanded to 17,000 across multiple parts of the VA system. Logic Magazine later interviewed him, and the backstory is well worth a read.

Problem: the face of the modern day train movement is a failure in both messaging and substance. Most people can't relate to trains at all and their political platform makes no sense to them. Their most prominent figures are inscrutable, to say the least.

However, even those of us with slight chud leanings are aware there are trains who just want to lead their lives without being a nuisance to the general public, who won't put you in a headlock for misgendering them, and are currently the victims of political crossfire.

Plan of action: trains need an engaging, non sexual, NON POLITICAL tv series where they're interacting with normal people much like the makeover show Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, which—along with the sitcom Will & Grace—was a groundbreaking show for its time. Homosexual men have intuitively understood what kind of media presence would gain them mainstream acceptance: be nonpolitical, be attractive, be non threatening, be funny.

Why haven't transpeople pursued the same?

Trains need a popular normie show where they don't browbeat people about gender ideology. Where they don't bring up the issues of bathrooms, sports, or children. Where they don't cry about transphobia. And OF VITAL IMPORTANCE: where they cast only non threatening, charismatic, and attractive trains.

Just pulling these examples from the top of transtimelines, they need to cast trains that look like this:

https://old.reddit.com/r/transtimelines/comments/1ida40i/1821_11_mo_to_33_mo/

Or this:

https://old.reddit.com/r/transtimelines/comments/19cm73x/i_still_have_the_jumpsuit/

Or this:

https://old.reddit.com/r/transtimelines/comments/1elh10m/i_started_hrt_at_18_and_ffs_at_19_and_im_so_happy/

Gather attractive and entertaining trains, preferably with a good sense of humor, and make a show where they help regular men and women with different struggles. Put their competence, helpfulness, and amicability on display. It's important to show them displaying skills and helping people normies can identify with.

What sort of struggles could trains help with specifically? Not quite sure, but It might be something like helping normies blend into an unfamiliar situation or territory. Here's a transman giving other transmen advice on how to fit into a male dominated workplace…such advice could easily be given to a struggling spergy or effeminate man as well:

https://tiktok.com/@thegravelbro/video/7319501409366314286

Remember, the vital thing is to remove all politics and sexuality from such a show. Most people associate transpeople as being gratingly political (or perverted) because this is the essence of their main, and probably only interactions with trains online.

Most Based Comments

Basedness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔘

It's funny how woke/SJW are posting on all these places thinking that anyone has the wherewithall to actually read any of it. I don't give a crap about DEI, all I care about is who has the best product and the best price for it.What's more interesting though is the psychological mentality for people thinking this is somehow useful. It's not, all I care about is product and price. This is same train of "organic" food which failed because the real issue isn't DEI but economics for normal families. (-44)

Basedness: 🔥🔥🔥🔘🔘

No one mentioned DEI, I just said I didn't want to support MAGA. No one will have the best price shortly.And the best way, and most American way to vote has, and always will be, vote with your wallet. I'm voting with mine. (19)

Just replace DEI with MAGA. Still don't care. The only thing I hate about MAGA is the tarriff/inflation which hits our wallets. Let's stay focused on the real goal here. (-23)

Basedness: 🔥🔥🔥🔘🔘

Craziness don't go away easily. Kirkland is in the middle of liberal population. You have nothing to worry about. Move on with your life. (-19)

Angriest Comments

Angriness: 😡😡😡😡😡

So are you a capitalist or a constitutionalist.In your world, I am responsible for not only voting my conscience, but am then responsible for the economic stability of people who express ideals that are inimical to my belief systems. Under that logic, I am being punished for valuing things like free speech (if Musk is a special government employee, and he's actively banning political views from X, then this is a violation of my rights), separation of church and state, equal rights, etc.The moral gymnastics you are doing here is amazing. You've said it yourself, you really don't care, as long as people take care of your business by shopping at it. That's unbelievably selfish and completely morally vapid. (0)

are the two mutually exclusive?Didn't say you're responsible for others, but I did point out the harm that you'd cause (it would take a LARGE group of boycotters to have an impact, so when I say "you" I mean the entire r/kirkland subreddit) and the futility of your efforts (ya aint gonna change anybody's mind, but you will most likely entrench them). I can't tell you what to do, but I can let you know how stupid and futile it is.I think you misread. I pointed out the harm a boycott would do to businesses - not only the target's business but affiliated businesses and employees. And while it could include my business, the point I was making is the interconnectivity of all of us in this community. So how much collateral damage do you think is acceptable to punish someone for legally and constitutionally exercising their right to vote?Again, boycott criminals, child male feminists, and real Nazis. But when one group of people tries to punish another group for voting in their own self-interest,... (2)

Angriness: 😡😡😡😡😡

If a business posts QANON or MAGA paraphernalia at this point in the game they are advertising that they support an openly fascist regime. Where do you draw the line? (0)

What do you think will happen? If you boycott Spud Fish & Chips* because the owner voted for Trump, which do you think is more likely:a - The owner sits in a dark room with a glass of scotch and re-assess his life and choices. He thinks, "wow, maybe I AM wrong and I shoulda voted for Kamala"b - as sales at Spud Fish and Chips take a 10% hit, he lays off two employees and reduces his orders from local food and supplies vendors. He has no idea why sales have dropped because all the people who disagree with him ARENT engaging with him - they're boycotting. All he knows is what FOX news tells him, and he blames it on Bob Ferguson's climate policies. * I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE OWNER OF SPUD VOTES! I'm just using him/her as an example. Anyway, boycott child male feminists. Boycott real, avowed racists and Nazis. But don't boycott people who are exercising their Constitutional right to have an opinion (no matter how misinformed it may be) and to vote on it. Because that's waaaayyy too close to firi... (2)

Angriness: 😡😡😡😡😡

Calm down my dude, I'm just asking for info to be more conscious in my decision making, as most commenters agree lol. (3)

And I'm agreeing!! HATE!! HATE!!! HATE!! Let's do this shit!!! (-3)

Biggest Lolcow: /u/goggleblock

Score: 🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮(+5🐮)

Number of comments: 14

Average angriness: 🔘🔘🔘🔘🔘

Maximum angriness: 😡😡😡😡😡

Minimum angriness: 🔘🔘🔘🔘🔘

NEW: Subscribe to /h/miners to see untapped drama veins, ripe for mining!

autodrama: automating away the jobs of dramneurodivergents. Ping HeyMoon if there are any problems or you have a suggestion

https://old.reddit.com/r/unusual_whales/comments/1ii65qf/trump_wants_to_shut_down_the_college_and/

https://old.reddit.com/r/Askpolitics/comments/1iib5o8/why_get_rid_of_the_department_of_education/

Lies lies lies

https://old.reddit.com/r/missouri/comments/1ihvuso/department_of_education_funding/

Shrieking morons begging for death

https://old.reddit.com/r/raleigh/comments/1ii06kt/im_embarrassed_by_our_school_board/

Clip for context: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2366108716?t=463s

For those who can't watch it: Asmongold floats the idea of dressing up as Ash Ketchum from Pokémon to watch illegal immigrants get deported for content.

In general, the folks at /r/livestreamfail are disgusted by this. But his substantial fanbase doesn't really see the issue.

LSF is full of criminal loving scum

Would you house an illegal immigrant in your home?

This sub is full of far left nutters

The right wing grift is so easy

https://old.reddit.com/r/SubredditDrama/comments/1icr5t9/popular_twitch_streamer_asmongold_wants_to_dress/

Streamer Emiru threw a Lunar New Years Party so all the lonely s that watch her can pretend they have friends. At one point a newer streamer named itskatchii who was quite drunk does a "heart goes out to you". Emiru's mods have quietly tried to push it under the rug, but none can stop the weaponized autism that is terminally online streamer drama enjoyers.

Here's a clip of the salute in question: https://i.imgur.com/salute-GcZquYx

yes i KNOWWWWW i'm putting too much effort into this but i'm Highly Intoxicated and i can't say i'm not getting a little giggle over how mad this man is. he's still raging. will update as i go

no really, it bothers me but not like it does some people

i have my excuses (my spine is deteriorating haha) but it is what it is

worst part imo is how far ive come. i used to be a pure antisocial shut in, but it took until my mid 20s to become social. people seem to view me as charismatic now.

im going to ask a girl out soon. ive been on a few dates but its been way too long. i have no money and no car (of my own) so frick it why not.

but there's plenty of things in life that make me happy. my r-slurred cat is sitting on me and i love her so much, but shes making my legs way too hot, but i love her so ill endure it until i cant and then tell her i love her

of course i kinda wanna die but thats more due to the constant crippling pain. lol

its like 3am and i kinda want to kiss my self right now. haha

is it genuinely over? AMA, talk shit, give advice, manifest destiny, idc, i clearly just need attention. i just want to hold someone in my arms thst genuinely wants to be there with me. xD

A taxi driver in Kawasaki has been arrested for killing a pigeon.

He wore a PIGEON MASK while taking videos of the killing, which he then uploaded to Twitter. Police have found the mask. https://t.co/nOmzfOZSda

— Gearoid Reidy リーディー・ガロウド (@GearoidReidy) February 6, 2025

He's me fr fr

There is no postmortem I forgot this happened and I just remembered

I think this was the last funny thing to happen on rDrama aside from the Marself on a Marshelf event

🧵1/19 DeepSeek lied about it's costs.

DeepSeek R1's training did not actually cost only $6 million, that figure was an incomplete and selective representation of the costs. They also have access to around 50,000 Hopper GPUs.

Here's proof.👇

— tetsuo.ai - e/acc (@7etsuo) February 4, 2025

pic.twitter.com/T2uZMi8Rg1

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) February 6, 2025

The Bears will still suck

!eurochads I was told that EU would ban and overregulate Ai...

What the frick is going on?!i

it's literally just a screenshot of the steam page lol

I'm not filling the silence, I'm not starting the conversation, and I don't ask his opinion on anything. We sat in silence for 25 minutes before a live show this weekend because I didn't carry the conversation singlehandedly. When he speaks to me, I always respond and keep the conversation going as long as he does. I don't ask him his opinion, though, and I'm not letting a lack of knowledge on a subject deter me from sharing my opinions. Woo!

>Foid learns to be quiet, things instantly improve for both of them and his depression goes away.

Imagine talking so much that not doing so actively increases the amount of free time you have.

Edit: Ofc she's a

Why do I feel like I time traveled back to the 70s?? pic.twitter.com/jLvPQfOum0

— The Bruiser (@DrHoosierHermit) February 2, 2025