Ryan LaFlamme (🔜 PAXU)
@trickybluemage.bsky.social
Gamer, news & poli sci junkie, history nerd, techie, all around geek. Founder & Editor of The Cardboard Republic - currently on partial hiatus.
So long and thanks for all the fish! Pax Unplugged 2025 is over, and it was a nice recharge event for me. I'm bad with making timely posts and taking photos and such, but to everyone I chatted with for 3 days in Philly, know it was exactly what I needed. So thank you.
And here's to the next one.
And here's to the next one.
November 24, 2025 at 8:40 PM
So long and thanks for all the fish! Pax Unplugged 2025 is over, and it was a nice recharge event for me. I'm bad with making timely posts and taking photos and such, but to everyone I chatted with for 3 days in Philly, know it was exactly what I needed. So thank you.
And here's to the next one.
And here's to the next one.
In just a few hours I will be in Philly for the annual #PAXUnplugged soiree.
Despite the con being early throwing me off and not being the best at sting active online in recent months, still alive and very much looking forward to seeing as many familiar faces as I can.
Also something about games?
Despite the con being early throwing me off and not being the best at sting active online in recent months, still alive and very much looking forward to seeing as many familiar faces as I can.
Also something about games?
November 20, 2025 at 1:17 PM
In just a few hours I will be in Philly for the annual #PAXUnplugged soiree.
Despite the con being early throwing me off and not being the best at sting active online in recent months, still alive and very much looking forward to seeing as many familiar faces as I can.
Also something about games?
Despite the con being early throwing me off and not being the best at sting active online in recent months, still alive and very much looking forward to seeing as many familiar faces as I can.
Also something about games?
Person: Why do you have subtitles on to watch TV? How can you even focus?
Same Person: Check out these 15 second videos that's a just a woman pointing and nodding to a wall of text longer than the Illiad. I've been watching them for 2 hours straight.
Same Person: Check out these 15 second videos that's a just a woman pointing and nodding to a wall of text longer than the Illiad. I've been watching them for 2 hours straight.
November 8, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Person: Why do you have subtitles on to watch TV? How can you even focus?
Same Person: Check out these 15 second videos that's a just a woman pointing and nodding to a wall of text longer than the Illiad. I've been watching them for 2 hours straight.
Same Person: Check out these 15 second videos that's a just a woman pointing and nodding to a wall of text longer than the Illiad. I've been watching them for 2 hours straight.
If you can vote today in your town/city/county/state, and you haven't already, do that.
That's all.
That's all.
November 4, 2025 at 3:08 PM
If you can vote today in your town/city/county/state, and you haven't already, do that.
That's all.
That's all.
There were so many people in DC today you'd think it was an Obama inaugural. party
October 19, 2025 at 12:00 AM
There were so many people in DC today you'd think it was an Obama inaugural. party
Yes. Very sad.
Annnnyway....
Annnnyway....
Hackers Dox Hundreds of DHS, ICE, FBI, and DOJ Officials
Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters—one of the latest amalgamations of typically young, reckless, and English-speaking hackers—posted the apparent phone numbers and addresses of hundreds of government officials...
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Yes. Very sad.
Annnnyway....
Annnnyway....
Good job, little sign. How would anyone know otherwise?
October 15, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Good job, little sign. How would anyone know otherwise?
When The West Wing originally aired, it was on NBC. If made today, it'd be on TruTv.
September 27, 2025 at 7:31 PM
When The West Wing originally aired, it was on NBC. If made today, it'd be on TruTv.
In light of the latest deep state conspiracy at the UN, I'm reminded of a much wiser man:
September 25, 2025 at 4:44 PM
In light of the latest deep state conspiracy at the UN, I'm reminded of a much wiser man:
Oregon Trail on Hardcore Mode
September 24, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Oregon Trail on Hardcore Mode
The face of everyone not wanting to start over on a Monday morning...
September 22, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The face of everyone not wanting to start over on a Monday morning...
When a company blatantly refuses to defend first amendment rights, one can argue fairly easily it therefore doesn't deserve your money or your patronage. Going to be very interesting to see how the mouse handles the backlash to the backlash.
September 18, 2025 at 3:15 AM
When a company blatantly refuses to defend first amendment rights, one can argue fairly easily it therefore doesn't deserve your money or your patronage. Going to be very interesting to see how the mouse handles the backlash to the backlash.
So if I understand the bloviating from our geniuses running administration and Justice Department, it's hate speech if you call out, repudiate, or quote someone else's hate speech, but the original hate speech is okay because that's free speech. Do I have that right?
Attorney General Pam Bondi: "There's free speech and then there's hate speech, and there is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie, in our society...We will absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech."
September 16, 2025 at 4:31 PM
So if I understand the bloviating from our geniuses running administration and Justice Department, it's hate speech if you call out, repudiate, or quote someone else's hate speech, but the original hate speech is okay because that's free speech. Do I have that right?
I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but the whole Weasel Timeline thing kind of tracks...
September 16, 2025 at 1:59 AM
I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but the whole Weasel Timeline thing kind of tracks...
I feel like history is going to show that those who refused to admit we had a climate crisis, refused to admit we had a pandemic, and refused to admit we were fighting off a fascist administration - each until it was far too late - will all fit in some heavily overlapping circles.
September 9, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I feel like history is going to show that those who refused to admit we had a climate crisis, refused to admit we had a pandemic, and refused to admit we were fighting off a fascist administration - each until it was far too late - will all fit in some heavily overlapping circles.
My baby girl got on the bus for kindergarten today.
She was excited.
I, on the other hand, have been up and down all day because of it.
Parenting is wild on your psyche.
She was excited.
I, on the other hand, have been up and down all day because of it.
Parenting is wild on your psyche.
September 4, 2025 at 6:47 PM
My baby girl got on the bus for kindergarten today.
She was excited.
I, on the other hand, have been up and down all day because of it.
Parenting is wild on your psyche.
She was excited.
I, on the other hand, have been up and down all day because of it.
Parenting is wild on your psyche.
My current boss messaged the team to have a good Labor Day weekend.
He sent it on Saturday. So I didn't see it until Tuesday.
I'm not sure if there is better imagery for the holiday than that.
He sent it on Saturday. So I didn't see it until Tuesday.
I'm not sure if there is better imagery for the holiday than that.
September 2, 2025 at 4:06 PM
My current boss messaged the team to have a good Labor Day weekend.
He sent it on Saturday. So I didn't see it until Tuesday.
I'm not sure if there is better imagery for the holiday than that.
He sent it on Saturday. So I didn't see it until Tuesday.
I'm not sure if there is better imagery for the holiday than that.
Ok, see, if the theory holds true, this is the kind of stuff AI can be great for. Not Clippy 3.0.
Deciphered Herculaneum Papyrus Reveals Location of Plato's Grave, Archaeologist Claims - GreekReporter.com
An archaeologist says he has found the exact location of Plato's grave in Athens after deciphering ans ancient Herculaneum papyrus.
greekreporter.com
August 31, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Ok, see, if the theory holds true, this is the kind of stuff AI can be great for. Not Clippy 3.0.
Child: Which do you like more - going to work or to the dentist?
Me:
Me:
a cartoon dog with the words uhh well umm
ALT: a cartoon dog with the words uhh well umm
media.tenor.com
August 29, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Child: Which do you like more - going to work or to the dentist?
Me:
Me:
Woke up at 7:30 to a bunch of my family all texting in the family thread.
Arrived at work around 9 to a bunch of coworkers already full steam into their morning.
Definitely feel like I missed a lesson somewhere along the way about how to function as an adult before 9AM.
Arrived at work around 9 to a bunch of coworkers already full steam into their morning.
Definitely feel like I missed a lesson somewhere along the way about how to function as an adult before 9AM.
August 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Woke up at 7:30 to a bunch of my family all texting in the family thread.
Arrived at work around 9 to a bunch of coworkers already full steam into their morning.
Definitely feel like I missed a lesson somewhere along the way about how to function as an adult before 9AM.
Arrived at work around 9 to a bunch of coworkers already full steam into their morning.
Definitely feel like I missed a lesson somewhere along the way about how to function as an adult before 9AM.
Things I learned today:
Amway and the DeVos family (yes, those DeVoses), one of three biggest and oldest MLMs / pyramid schemes, was instrumental in providing early support during the creation of the Heritage Foundation, creators of Project 2025.
In case you needed any more reason to dislike MLMs.
Amway and the DeVos family (yes, those DeVoses), one of three biggest and oldest MLMs / pyramid schemes, was instrumental in providing early support during the creation of the Heritage Foundation, creators of Project 2025.
In case you needed any more reason to dislike MLMs.
August 15, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Things I learned today:
Amway and the DeVos family (yes, those DeVoses), one of three biggest and oldest MLMs / pyramid schemes, was instrumental in providing early support during the creation of the Heritage Foundation, creators of Project 2025.
In case you needed any more reason to dislike MLMs.
Amway and the DeVos family (yes, those DeVoses), one of three biggest and oldest MLMs / pyramid schemes, was instrumental in providing early support during the creation of the Heritage Foundation, creators of Project 2025.
In case you needed any more reason to dislike MLMs.
At what point does 'Orwellian' become 'Trumpian'?
White House Announces Comprehensive Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions
www.nytimes.com
August 12, 2025 at 10:52 PM
At what point does 'Orwellian' become 'Trumpian'?
Having worked with IT people for nearly 20 years, I can safely say that you actually want 'The IT Crowd' types.
Non-geeky IT people are an entirely different breed of personality.
Non-geeky IT people are an entirely different breed of personality.
August 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Having worked with IT people for nearly 20 years, I can safely say that you actually want 'The IT Crowd' types.
Non-geeky IT people are an entirely different breed of personality.
Non-geeky IT people are an entirely different breed of personality.
In other words, now is probably a good time to dust off some BGA time killing.
So...lemme know if you're down for a game.
So...lemme know if you're down for a game.
Spending 5.5 days driving from MA to Indy & back again for something you WANT to do, only to be home for all of 22 hours (half of which asleep) before being forced to turn around and fly to Michigan for a 2.5 day 'team building' work event to really hammer home what you value.
August 5, 2025 at 11:40 PM
In other words, now is probably a good time to dust off some BGA time killing.
So...lemme know if you're down for a game.
So...lemme know if you're down for a game.
Spending 5.5 days driving from MA to Indy & back again for something you WANT to do, only to be home for all of 22 hours (half of which asleep) before being forced to turn around and fly to Michigan for a 2.5 day 'team building' work event to really hammer home what you value.
August 5, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Spending 5.5 days driving from MA to Indy & back again for something you WANT to do, only to be home for all of 22 hours (half of which asleep) before being forced to turn around and fly to Michigan for a 2.5 day 'team building' work event to really hammer home what you value.