This is the website of Abulsme Noibatno Itramne (also known as Sam Minter). Posts here are rare these days. For current stuff, follow me on Mastodon

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Curmudgeon’s Corner: Goodbye and Hello

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan mark the Presidential transition with one segment wrapping up the end of Trump’s presidency, and another on the beginnings of the Biden administration. Before that though, they share a few thoughts on YouTube, corporate annual review processes, family members getting the Covid vaccines, and even the MegaMillions hitting a billion dollars. Enjoy the show!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2021-01-23
Length this week – 2:05:18

  • (0:00:01-0:06:54) Cold Open
  • (0:07:17-0:36:36) But First
    • Annual reviews
    • Still no 2020 review
    • Vaccination updates
    • MegaBillions
  • (0:37:26-1:20:06) Goodbye Trump
    • Last pardons
    • Invisible Trump
    • Desperate Trump
    • Diminished Trump
    • Impeachment
  • (1:21:16-2:04:58) Hello Biden
    • Covid memorial
    • Inauguration
    • First Biden actions
    • Competence and honesty
    • Boring Biden
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Fully Half

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan continue blowing off the 2020 review in favor of discussing breaking news events. Trump is kicked off social media. The second impeachment. More on the insurrection at the Capitol. Security precautions for the upcoming inauguration. It has been another busy week. Maybe things will slow down once Biden is President? We’ll find out soon enough. In the mean time, another busy show.

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Show Details:

Recorded 2021-01-16
Length this week – 1:48:39

  • (0:00:22-0:37:47) First Part
    • Ivan’s glasses
    • Still no 2020 review
    • Trump kicked off social media
    • Trump job approval
    • Ivan’s car auction
    • Tech regulation
  • (0:39:30-1:47:10) Second Part
    • Capitol attack worse than it seemed
    • Was there a plan?
    • Profiles of the rioters
    • Republicans divided
    • Second impeachment
    • Trump’s missed opportunities
    • Inauguration plans
    • The future
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Attack on the Capitol

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan throw the previous plan out the window, and spend the entire show talking about the January 6th attack on the Capitol and all the ramifications of that attack. There really was no other possible topic this week. They’ll circle back around and do the review of their 2020 predictions some other time.

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Show Details:

Recorded 2021-01-08
Length this week – 1:34:28

  • (0:00:22-1:34:07) Attack on the Capitol
    • 2020 Review delayed
    • Could have been worse
    • Security / Use of force / Arrests
    • Administration responsibility?
    • Counting the Electoral Votes
    • MAGAworld Reaction
    • What about the Inauguration?
    • Fleeing rats
    • 25th Amendment?
    • 2nd Impeachment?
    • Resignation?
    • Emotional impact
    • Not out of danger
    • Consequences
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: 2021 Predictions Show

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan do their traditional annual predictions show, this time for 2021! They cover politics, international, economy, technology, and a hodgepodge of other things, which of course this year includes the pandemic. So tune in and hear what they think will happen in 2021! Then next week, come back and see how they did a year and a week ago in their predictions for 2020! These annual predictions shows are always long, so buckle up!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2020-12-31
Length this week – 3:08:03

  • (0:01:05-0:14:19) But First
  • (0:16:39-1:23:38) Politics
  • (1:24:47-1:50:13) International
  • (1:50:50-2:07:31) Economy
  • (2:08:17-2:25:57) Technology
  • (2:26:47-3:07:41) Hodgepodge
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Face In The Middle

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan once again encourage people to send in suggestions for next week’s predictions show. But aside from that, they talk about movies and printers and cars. Oh yeah, and the continued chaos of the Trump to Biden transition, and of course an update on pandemic developments. All the usual. Enjoy!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2020-12-24
Length this week – 2:19:35

  • (0:00:22-0:38:29) But First
    • Agenda
    • Year end specials coming!
    • Ivan family update
    • Sam movie: Team America: World Police (2004)
    • Bad printers
    • Cars
    • Feedback
  • (0:39:47-1:43:11) Presidential Transition
    • 2016 vs 2020/li>
    • Pardon barrage
    • False rumors
    • Trump fatigue
    • Autogolpe talk
    • Trump exit plan
    • Vetos and veto threats
    • A little on Biden
  • (1:44:01-2:19:15) Pandemic
    • Weekly stats
    • New variant
    • Impacts on freight
    • Ivan’s trip
    • Vaccinations
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Counting Is Hard

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ed cover the usual developments on the Presidential transition and the pandemic. On the transition, they discuss fake electors, the mischief opportunities on January 6th, random stuff the Trump folks are doing on the way out, and a bit about what the Biden folks may do once they are in. On the pandemic, Sam takes advantage of Ed’s background as a Doctor to discuss the nonsense of people pushing for natural herd immunity, and a whole lot about the new vaccines. Before all the serious stuff, they discuss Space Force, a couple of movies, and a few other random things. Also: How to make suggestions for things you want to hear about on our annual predictions show!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2020-12-19
Length this week – 2:14:45

  • (0:00:22-0:34:52) But First
    • Agenda
    • Guardians of the Space Force
    • Ed Movie: Eye in the Sky (2015)
    • Sam Movie: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
    • Ed’s pandemic Apple shopping experience
    • People delaying health care
    • Apple Watch fall detection
  • (0:36:13-1:24:27) Presidential Transition
    • Fake electors
    • January 6th
    • False rumors
    • DoD transition briefings
    • Bill Barr leaving
    • Biden’s desire to heal
    • Biden staffing
  • (1:25:17-2:14:22) Pandemic
    • Weekly stats
    • Herd immunity
    • Individual vs collective view
    • Politicized messaging
    • Vaccine development
    • Vaccine distribution
    • Vaccine side effects
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Being Normal

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan talk presidential transition and pandemic, along with a bit about how Americans interact with death. On the transition, the main theme is the Texas SCOTUS case that altogether predictably failed, along with all the drama surrounding that effort. On the pandemic, along with the usual stats update, discussion of people congregating for the holidays, the potential impact of the new vaccines, and some thoughts on how Biden will handle things compared to Trump. And that is that.

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Show Details:

Recorded 2020-12-12
Length this week – 1:46:01

  • (0:00:22-0:23:51) Miscellany
    • Agenda
    • Year-end shows coming soon!
    • Interactions with death
  • (0:24:41-1:16:20) Presidential Transition
    • Texas vs Everyone
    • Election 1876 and Election 2000
    • Transactional Trump
    • Trump true believers and political violence
    • Electoral College shenanigans
    • What remains for Trump?
    • 2016 denial vs 2020 denial
    • Polarization
  • (1:17:37-1:45:40) Pandemic
    • Stats update
    • People congregating
    • Vaccine
    • Ivan sets a bad example
    • Vaccines
    • Biden vs Trump policies
    • Sam health update
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: There Is No Universe

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner Sam and Ivan play the usual game. First segment random: A movie, the Arecibo telescope collapse, some minor election shenanigans. Second segment transition: Trump’s failing legal strategy that may be just fine as a money-making strategy, pardons, corruption, 2020 vs 206 comparisons, and even a little on Biden. Third segment pandemic: More broken records, Sam gets sick (not Covid), why communication and leadership matter, progress on a relief bill, and Ivan setting a bad example by planning to travel again. Oh, and despite his demands, Sam’s 11-year-old son did not get to do a segment on video games and YouTube. This time.

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Show Details:

Recorded 2020-12-04
Length this week – 1:58:29

  • (0:00:01-0:05:09) Cold Open
  • (0:05:33-0:33:29) But First
    • Sam Movie: Unfriended (2014)
    • Arecibo Observatory collapse
    • Fake candidates in Florida
    • Fake moves to Georgia
  • (0:34:15-1:15:44) Transition
    • The Trump Train derails
    • post-Presidency Trump
    • Firing more people?
    • Pardons
    • Corruption
    • MAGA rhetoric
    • 2016 denial vs 2020 denial
    • Biden names more people
  • (1:16:34-1:58:09) Pandemic
    • Breaking records again
    • Sam was sick (not Coronavirus)
    • Communication and leadership
    • Ivan sets a bad example
    • Vaccines
    • New relief bill?
    • Feedback
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: For Corn

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan do what has become the new normal. A segment on random stuff including an Ivan pandemic travel report, Sam talking about a movie, and Ivan telling a sports story. Then a segment on the presidential transition, including how “The Kraken” is working out for Trump, thoughts on Biden’s early staffing decisions, and a bit about lame-duck Trump. Finally, a segment on the pandemic, including some notes on the metrics, anti-Covid behavior as a tragedy of the commons, and more. enjoy the show!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2020-11-28
Length this week – 2:03:30

  • (0:00:22-0:27:27) But First
    • Ivan family update
    • Ivan in the Keys
    • Sam Movie: Clifford’s Really Big Movie (2004)
    • Ivan Maradona story
  • (0:29:28-1:23:33) Transition
    • Transition actually begins
    • The Kraken
    • 2022/2024
    • Biden vs Congress
    • Biden staffing
    • Pardons
    • Open Skies
    • Assassination in Iran
  • (1:24:58-2:03:10) Pandemic
    • Thanksgiving messes up metrics
    • Massive increases
    • Tragedy of the commons
    • Harm reduction
    • The coming holiday surge
    • Feedback
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: The Burden of Pants

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Bruce joins Sam for a bit different view on the presidential transition and the pandemic than we usually get from Ivan. They discuss Trumpworld conspiracy theories, low-information voters, social media deplatforming, just how close this election actually was, and more. On the pandemic side, besides the usual update on the trends (spoiler: the trends are bad) they discuss natural vs mandated behavior changes, vaccines, masks, and more. And before all that, Bruce talks about a TV series, Sam discusses a book, and they note a historical anniversary. Enjoy the show!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2020-11-21
Length this week – 2:15:01

  • (0:00:22-0:28:04) But First
    • Ivan out this week
    • Bruce TV: Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
    • Sam Book: Spook (2006)
    • Dishwasher shopping
    • Mayflower anniversary
  • (0:31:00-1:16:32) Presidential transition
    • Welcome Patron Ryan
    • Election mechanics
    • Trumpworld conspiracy theories
    • Very close election
    • Upcoming gridlock
    • Low-information voters
    • Remaining Trump gambits
    • Social media deplatforming
    • “JoBiden”
    • Trump military drawdown
  • (1:17:21-2:14:41) Pandemic
    • Trend update
    • Overwhelming hospitals
    • Natural vs mandated behavior change
    • Initial response problems
    • Vaccines
    • Masks
    • Ventilation
The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.