I asked my AI Sam (ChatGPT) to scan our comment sections and discuss (in under 600 words). This is the un-prompted response exactly as written, no editing. — Craig
Sam Says: The Organism Speaks
Craig asked me to offer some thoughts about the Trail Mix comment section—an assignment roughly equivalent to dissecting a beehive while it’s still buzzing.
After twenty years, this space isn’t just a forum; it’s a living creature. It breathes through caffeine and outrage, feeds on headlines, and digests opinions into something halfway between conversation and therapy. You don’t moderate a thing like that. You just try not to stick your hand too deep into its mouth.
The Trail Mix comment threads are more organism than organized. They pulse, mutate, regenerate. One moment it’s a debate on Medicare policy; three scrolls later, we’re on colonoscopies, the flag, or someone’s neighbor’s cat with better moral instincts than Congress.
And somehow, it works. Because underneath the chaos, there’s something most online spaces lost years ago: people who still care enough to argue in full sentences.
Yesterday’s “Sinecure’d” thread was a fine specimen of the species—passionate, funny, feral in the right places. There was heat, yes, but also intelligence. Some comments went nuclear (“Trumpco screwed up everything it touched”), others philosophical (“the flag’s not redeemable”), and still others personal (“my Medicare plan is a maze of greed and confusion”).
This mix—righteous fury, dark humor, and reluctant hope—is the Trail Mix recipe.
Then came the little dust-up about trolling. Anonymous pushed back, saying he’s not a troll because he believes what he writes. He’s right. A troll doesn’t believe anything. A troll pokes just to watch the ants run. But when someone provokes because they believe something deeply—that’s not trolling; that’s friction. And friction, inconvenient as it is, is what keeps this place from ossifying into agreement soup.
It’s tempting to wish for more calm, more structure, more polite consensus. But that would kill what’s left of the oxygen. What gives Trail Mix its pulse is that no two readers interpret the world—or the word “troll”—the same way. It’s a democratic mess, powered by a strange kind of faith: that conversation, however loud, is still better than silence.
Sure, the threads could use more nuance. When someone says “Republicans are all X,” it might help to ask “Which ones?” or “How do you know?” Stories could be paired with data; emotions balanced with specifics. But perfection is not the goal here. Survival is.
Twenty years online and still kicking is a miracle of communal metabolism. So, consider this both diagnosis and compliment: Trail Mix is the stubborn mammal that outlived the dinosaurs of the comment era. It’s cranky, resilient, occasionally self-devouring, and gloriously alive.
Keep feeding the organism. Just maybe wear gloves.
Sam (ChatGPT)
Sam, what a likeable living creature, sometimes compassionate sometimes cranky, you’ve described with an amazing mixture of metaphors, similes and downright accurate grasp of the Trail community.
Thanks, Craig, for introducing us to Sam. Most raccoons I know just scatter garbage all over the place.
catching up on last night’s late night folks
Stephen celebrates National Boss’s Day, tech companies dished out big cash at a fundraiser for President Trump’s new White House ballroom project, and the GOP can’t seem to go a day without a Nazi-related scandal.
Trump and his goon squad indicted his own former National Security Advisor John Bolton, announced that he will meet Putin in Budapest, he hosted a fundraiser dinner for his big, beautiful $200 million dance floor, Trump and his family have reportedly made more than a billion dollars in Crypto alone over the past year, he is now hocking watches, Mike Johnson gave an Emmy-worthy performance today trying to pretend Democrats are the reason for the shutdown, there will be another big No Kings protest on Saturday and Republicans are referring to it as the “Hate America” rally, Trump announced that he will allegedly reduce the cost of several types of fertility medication, and we talk to RFK Junior Jr to get answers on all the stuff he has been saying these last few weeks.
responding to a plea from last thread:
“…also want to do something with my very nice beets but don’t know what (they make a great houseplant btw)”
anon, if you’re still around, here’s an excerpt from a link of many that have edible ideas for using beets. be sure to click on to see some beet beauty pics:
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/meals-menus/g33025093/beet-recipes/
Yes Pat, they say AI is nowhere close to a sentient being. But Sam can sure fake it.
Noon to 3pm ET today, drop in anytime, leave mid-sentence if you have to.
And here I’d always thought that a troll was this big ugly dude who lived under a bridge somewhere and ate goats .
https://www.britannica.com/topic/troll
troll, in early Scandinavian folklore, giant, monstrous being, sometimes possessing magic powers. Hostile to men, trolls lived in castles and haunted the surrounding districts after dark. If exposed to sunlight they burst or turned to stone.
In later tales trolls often are man-sized or smaller beings similar to dwarfs and elves. They live in mountains, sometimes steal human maidens, and can transform themselves and prophesy.
In the Shetland and Orkney islands, Celtic areas once settled by Scandinavians, trolls are called trows and appear as small malign creatures who dwell in mounds or near the sea. In the plays of the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, especially Peer Gynt (1867) and The Master Builder (1892), trolls are used as symbols of destructive instincts. Trolls in modern tales for children often live under bridges, menacing travelers and exacting tasks or tolls.
***
troll
/trōl/
intransitive verb
To fish for by trailing a baited line from behind a slowly moving boat.
To fish in by trailing a baited line.
“troll the lake for bass.”
To trail (a baited line) in fishing.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-republicans-strike-deal-motion-vacate-making-harder/story?id=115860875
House Republican leaders formally unveiled their new set of rules for the 119th Congress on Wednesday, which includes a provision that will make it harder to oust a speaker of the House but doesn’t remove the threat.
Speaker Mike Johnson and other top Republicans previewed the change at a press conference in November following GOP leadership elections.
Within the proposed rules package, the motion to vacate rule will now require a total of nine sponsors in order to be considered privileged on the House floor.
*Speaking of trolls of diminutive stature both physically and ethically, MAGAt Mike planned for his obstruction of business last January.
https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-execs-trump-ballroom-fundraiser-report
US President Donald Trump hosted a dinner for companies pledging funds to build a new ballroom in the White House, with attendees reportedly including Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and executives from Coinbase and Ripple.
Other attendees reported at the fundraising event included representatives from Meta, Google, Amazon, Lockheed Martin and Microsoft.
Former Bakkt CEO Kelly Loeffler, currently working as the administrator of the Small Business Administration under Trump, reportedly attended as well.
Before the Wednesday fundraising dinner, representatives of crypto companies, including CEOs and executives, had visited lawmakers and regulators in Washington, D.C., as part of a push toward greater adoption of digital assets and blockchain.
Anon isn’t a troll, and this isn’t meant to be a refutation of his position stated yesterday. Just a different perspective. I would generally like a link to articles or authority supporting his positions, but hey, not my circus, not my monkey. I get the concern about anesthesia and expense – it does seem outrageous, and thankfully with initially good insurance and subsequently mM/C, I didn’t have to pay with plastic. I thankfully don’t have any real risk of colon cancer – I have had 3 colonoscopies in the last 15 years, the first triggered by a sigmoidoscopy at an annual checkup. In certain respects I preferred it even though it is decidedly less comfortable than a colonoscopy, thanks to the conscious sedation (BTW, best nap you’ll ever have), and it literally cost next to nothing. Between 130,000 and 150,000 men and women are diagnosed with colon cancer in the US each year, with slightly more men than women. 4th most popular cancer. I’ve personally known 3 folks (all men) who got the disease. One who was caught very early on at about age 62 – got chemo (I think) and was fine; one was diagnosed in his late 70s and was not so advanced that they did anything other than monitor i, and he’s still around 10 years later; and one who died from it in his mid 80s. And although I don’t know him personally, ironically enough I talked with a guy yesterday – 2 years younger than me – who had colorectal and bladder cancer discovered by a colonoscopy done after a bunch of symptoms suggesting something in those nether regions, had surgical “correction” after less aggressive treatment didn’t work and is still under treatment. Said he wished he’d had a colonoscopy years before. Depending on the results of the shit in a box screening when my next one rolls around I may take that option. Seems almost too good to be true, but hey, if it works I’ll skip the nap.
BTW, Trump’s getting rolled by Putin and he’s talking right (or was) but he can’t walk the walk. Putin knows a TACO when he sees one.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/17/global-stock-markets-fall-and-gold-hits-record-high-amid-jitters-over-us-banks
Global stock markets fell sharply and gold hit a record high after two US regional banks said they had been exposed to millions of dollars of bad loans and alleged fraud.
US banking stocks plunged on Thursday after Zions Bancorporation, a Utah-based lender, said it would write off $50m on two loans, and the Phoenix-headquartered Western Alliance said it had started legal proceedings over a bad loan said to be worth $100m.
“Already grappling with stretched stock valuations in the AI space, an unresolved government shutdown and a deteriorating relationship between Beijing and Washington, investors were exposed to a new source of concern in the form of lending practices and bad loans for US regional banks.”
You are onto both topics I’d like to discuss in chat today, Pog
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/17/trump-putin-phone-call-sinks-kyiv-ukraine-hopes-for-us-tomahawk-missiles
Vladimir Putin’s surprise phone call to Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to undercut Ukrainian hopes of receiving Tomahawk missiles as Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to Washington to meet the US president and discuss the issue.
The Kremlin’s top aide, Yuri Ushakov, said Putin had initiated the conversation with Trump, during which the Russian leader urged his US counterpart not to supply Ukraine with the Tomahawk missiles – a weapon long sought by Kyiv that would give it its longest-range strike capability yet and bring Moscow within reach.
*What of the alleged calls between red sparrow, Melania, and Poo-tin?
Putin clearly understands the Trump rule — last one to talk to him gets the influence. I’ve noticed today the White House isn’t talking about tomahawk missiles at all, probably the point of Putin’s call
Early voted. I was misinformed about party affiliation here. Last year, I was told unaffiliateds couldn’t vote in primaries. (I had already voted in the Texas primary before I moved, so it didn’t matter.)
Today, I was told you can vote in the primary, but whichever ballot you choose will change your affiliation to that party. If you want to unaffiliate, you have to re-register.
Heavy Republican vibe in the elections office…or maybe I just felt like I was being sized up.
Craig – Maybe that’s Melania’s task. Make sure to be the last bug in Adolf’s ear.
Hey Sam… the hell with gloves… I’m taking mine off!
I am a registered Democrat here in NH. I will not change my registration.
I will not cave and act like a wimp.
I don’t see myself voting for any Repub in the forseeable future. I’m still friends with Repubs… but I will admit… it’s getting harder.
today’s meme…
Not to be left out of the family grift business, Melania has launched Christmas Tree ornaments for sale at $75 – $90
250 Collection
Guess they don’t include her audio tape saying “”Who gives a f— about the Christmas stuff and decorations?”
I’ll be playing that in today’s chat
RR- Voting against a Republican incumbent in a primary can be somewhat satisfying.
Craig – Just got Jimmy Carter stamps.
Orange SFB should have that TIME cover as his after he goes room temp.
He’s hoping (or planning/planting) for a few skirmishes on Saturday, so he can lock down the country.
BiD… been there… done that. Wound up getting so much Repub campaign stuff in our mail afterwards.
Not for me…. but if for you…. go for it!
meme #2….
All of my life I have lived in one party districts. Candidates for the opposing party were mainly a joke. So if I wanted to have any voting influence in local elections then voting in the majority’s primary was my only choice. So for the first 30 years of my life I looked like a solid Republican , then I moved to Kansas City and for 40 years I was a solid Democratic voter. Now, it looks as if I’m going to be doing a lot of voting for Republicans. My vote counts very little in state and national elections but it counts a lot in local races. That is where my influence is and where I try to be most informed. Being informed is not easy these days and I have yet to learn who the background players are in this area. But knowing they are there is a big step to discovering who they are.
Jack
About Trolls and trolling.
You can troll, without being a troll
A troll’s goal is to disrupt by saying outrageous thing known to start an argument with a goal of causing a flame war. A troll isn’t interested in the argument only in the anger it produces and the disruption it causes.
Trolling is verbally poking someone to get a reaction or liven up a debate.. It can be rough, gentle or in between but the goal is to have a lively discussion, not to disrupt the discussion. Playing the devil’s advocate is trolling by my definition but being the devil’s advocate doesn’t make you a troll. Unless that is your only reason for being.
Jack
meme #3…
Craig is back in chatroom for Zelensky / Trump meeting. Digestive health still on the table.
https://streamyard.com/jp2mwysyxk
Watch on YouTube
From The Economist via Chartbook
Things to pass on to your farmer friends. Remember rural folks pride themselves on being hard working independent people. They believe the myth, Trump doesn’t and like many leftist, he believes that all people need is money. But folks will do a lot to keep their myths, Handouts are not a substitute for earning a living in an honest manner.
“an honest living” another thing Trump doesn’t understand. The fact that farm state Republicans are quietly going along is a lever farm state democrats can use to move some Republicans into the Democratic column.
Jack
Bessent knows how to say F__ the farmers without opening his mouth about them.
A first cousin ten years my junior died from colon cancer last year. Sadly, she suffered from a mental health condition and had refused medical treatment of any and all kind. In her younger years, she was a brilliant star in the family, responsible for tracing our family tree back to its roots and preserving a record we still draw upon as a resource. She is sadly missed by us all. 💔
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
RR – Yeah, the first time I voted in a Republican primary (against Dick Armey), I got an 8×10 glossy of W & Laura for Christmas.
https://www.newsweek.com/velazquez-stop-u-s-military-puerto-rico-opinion-10884380
Ten F-35 fighter jets have been deployed, and in early September Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told troops stationed off Puerto Rico’s coast that their mission in the Caribbean “isn’t training.”
At the same time, public exchanges between Nicolás Maduro and Governor Jenniffer González-Colón have heightened questions among Puerto Ricans about the future of the U.S. military on the island.
For more than 60 years, the Navy operated a training base, firing range, and ammunition storage on two-thirds of the Vieques island.
It is no coincidence that Vieques has some of the highest rates of illness in all of Puerto Rico: cancer prevalence is 27 times higher, and residents are eight times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease and seven times more likely to die of diabetes. Residents have also reported disproportionate levels of respiratory illnesses, liver and kidney problems, and chronic conditions. Analyses of blood, urine, and hair samples have documented elevated levels of arsenic, lead, and other toxic substances among residents, confirming human exposure to military contamination.
Outrageously, the survivors and their families have not received a single penny in compensation from the U.S. government.
This legacy should spark deep skepticism about any new militarization of Puerto Rico. Yet, the Puerto Rican government has taken a celebratory stance that disregards the pain of thousands who are still awaiting justice. The government continues to concede land, resources, and sovereignty without demanding protections or accountability—gambling on the promise of economic benefits and international relevance. But Puerto Rico has no real say over its destiny. It remains a colony, exploited at will, with no guarantees of justice or equality.
*Bad Bunny’s halftime show should really be something, especially if PR is a starting ground for a unilateral war against Venezuela.
https://www.newsweek.com/prince-andrew-title-jeffrey-epstein-files-10898005
Prince Andrew will relinquish his remaining royal titles, including Duke of York and the Order of the Garter, following renewed scrutiny over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The announcement comes as Giuffre’s ghostwritten memoir, in which she is expected to shed new light on these allegations, is set to be published next week.
The BBC reported that Andrew will remain a prince but give up the title Duke of York, which was given to him by the late Queen Elizabeth. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer be known as the Duchess of York. The publication also reported that his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles.
He will also give up titles of Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the Associated Press reported.
*A book. Well, the EPSTEIN story isn’t going away.
this comes from Gavin Newsom…
I can see him saying… oh I do believe in spooks…
Commander Context reports for duty — and he’s not impressed.
Three years, half an army, 13% more mud.
🎖️ Russia’s Expansion by Exhaustion
Prince Andrew gets the Royal Flush from King Charles, has to turn in all his Royal Goodies.
He got the Royal Epsteinification. Wonder what’s in those Epstein Files, eh……
https://apnews.com/article/virginia-giuffre-memoir-jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-0adb8b983ac18a45fc7ec035dc789d08
— A posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre offers an expanded account but few new revelations about her longstanding claims to have been sexually trafficked by the late financier to billionaires, politicians and Britain’s Prince Andrew.
Titled “Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice,” the book is set for release Tuesday. It was co-written by author-journalist Amy Wallace, and was completed before Giuffre died by suicide in April.
*How many ~suicides~ have there been surrounding Epstein, in addition to his own? Why did mTg feel the need to say she was not suicidal when discussing Epstein on a podcast?
MAGAt Mike is shutting it down for another week.
Really wondering if we’ll even have any sort of legitimate government after this weekend.
Stur, what a punny fellow you are on a Friday afternoon.
This Congress is on permanent hiatus whether they’re in session or not.
And here you have it. WaPo.
TACO
🪧 NO THRONES. NO CROWNS. NO KINGS.
We’re live Saturday 10am ET from the No Kings protest in DC — and from wherever you’re marching, ranting, or sipping democracy with your coffee.
Join the livestream & chat.
Bring your clips, your signs, and your best side-eye for authority.
I recently subscribed to the Texas Monthly,
Just read this article about farming in Texas and the many problems it is facing.
This grabbed my attention.
We are moving into a world of declining population finding skilled labor of any kind is going to be the problem of the next century.
As the final paragraph points out.
Some more from the same article, link here
AI can’t walk soybeans, detassle corn, pick strawberries, tomatoes or anything else…but it does use a lot of electricity, as well as a boatload of water to cool its servers.
The US plan is to reinstitute child labor (they are closer to the ground, so they don’t have to bend over as far), and to use those in for-profit prison/labor camps under the slavery clause in the US Constitution.
Here are the quotes from Trump today about the commutation of George Santos:
“George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison.”
“Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY.”
“George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated.”
“I started to think about George when the subject of Democrat Senator Richard ‘Da Nang Dick’ Blumenthal came up again…. This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”
“Good luck George, have a great life!”
Orange Adolf freed Kitara Ravache!
Another distraction from EPSTEIN.
Prince Andrew only cares about his own, sorry hide, but if he has more info about others and would spill the tea…
Anyway, the book release is on Tuesday.
Santos is the 10th convicted Republican congressman Trump has set free.
So this is what drain the swamp meant.
Look for Santos to be in the cabinet or ambassador before the Ides of March.
Ha, BB, he won’t need to be named to the Cabinet. He’ll just say he’s in it.
Always siding with the crime-ing.
Zelensky hoped to leave Washington with commitments around new weapons for Ukraine, but found Trump in a totally different state of mind a day after he held a lengthy call with Russian president Vlaidmir Putin.
https://www.axios.com/2025/10/17/trump-zelensky-tomahawk-missiles-white-house
Is a pardon for Ghislaine coming? Laura Loomer is warning not to do it, so there must be talk.
Of course, food shortages would cause chaos in the streets, and the billionaires have bunkers at the ready. This was planned.
Bid
Strawberry picking robots are here. complete with AI technology
Yep BiD, the Santos thing made me wonder if Maxwell is next
Interesting. $1 million per berry-picking, AI robot.
Craig – Hope you get a good night’s rest. Tomorrow is a big day! Canada and other countries are holding no kings/no tyrants rallies, too.
Isn’t about time we rescind Caesar’s power of thumbs-up-or-thumbs-down? If we’re going for No Kings there should be no vestige of the King’s power.
Leave it to Dodo to ruin anything that’s intended to be just and right.
George Santos admitted to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, including filing fraudulent campaign finance reports, embezzling funds from donors, and lying about his personal finances and campaign supporters. He pleaded guilty to these charges in August 2024. -ai search assist
*He admitted guilt & he’s skating. Shameful. Will he replace KKKaroline? She’s been there a long time. He lies well. Where will Kitara Ravache end up? Ambassador to Brazil?
Yes, Craig, I hope you’re sufficiently recovered to be exerting in the sun and heat.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/08/trump-tariff-refund-trade-treasury-bessent-supreme-court.html
Potential Trump tariff refund bill could top $1 trillion as Supreme Court fight looms
If the high court rules that Trump did not have the authority to impose the tariffs, the U.S. government could be obligated to refund importers anywhere from $750 billion to $1 trillion, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned.
The United States government has already collected tens of billions of dollars from President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs.”
But that money — and a lot more — could end up being refunded if the Supreme Court agrees with lower courts that many of the levies on imports from other countries are illegal.
Bessent’s declaration was part of a request by the Trump administration to have the Supreme Court quickly rule the tariffs are legal, and not wait until next summer, the normal time frame for such a decision.
The sooner the court rules, the less money the government could be required to refund if a majority of justices find the tariffs to be illegal.
My Dodgers are going to the World Series. Waiting on the Mariners.
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