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

Categories

Calendar

February 2025
S M T W T F S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
232425262728  

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Pour My Brain

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner Sam and Ivan’s main topics are the Republican Civil War that is brewing, and various Trump administration mini-scandals from the last week. But they also spend some time on the solar eclipse, MacBook Pros, Powerball, the military transgender ban, if Trump will have a primary challenger in 2020, the recent Navy crashes, Trump’s Arizona speech, and more!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-08-24
Length this week – 2:12:05

  • (0:00:36-0:28:02) But First
    • Agenda
    • Sam and the Eclipse
    • Ode to Macbook Pro
    • Powerball
  • (0:28:46-1:01:15) Republican Civil War
    • McConnell article
    • Cracks in the wall
    • Obstruction of Congress
    • Approval ratings
    • Trump agenda
    • Congressional agenda
  • (1:02:58-1:35:57) Mini-Scandals
    • Carl Icahn
    • Ryan Zinke
    • Louise Linton
    • Steven Mnuchin
    • Secret Service
    • Ben Carson
  • (1:36:36-2:11:45) Lightning Round
    • Movie: The Jungle Book (1967)
    • Military Transgender Ban
    • 2020 primary challenge for Trump?
    • Navy Crashes
    • Trump’s Arizona speech
    • Unstable Trump

 

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: Punch the Cupcakes

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner, guest host Brandy joins Sam to talk about this week’s news. The main topics for the week are of course the events in Charlottesville, everybody’s reactions to Charlottesville, the reactions to the reactions to Charlottesville, and the debate over Nazis and free speech. In addition, they also discuss Bannon’s departure, what that means to the administration, if we’re heading toward an invocation of the 25th amendment, Bannon’s “war”… and if the left should double down on their base or try to reach the Obama voters who flipped to Trump in 2016… and a few other things too.

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-08-19
Length this week – 2:26:15

  • (0:00:17-0:20:30) But First
    • Agenda
    • Intro to Brandy
    • Base vs Middle
    • Why Fire District?
  • (0:21:15-1:14:42) Charlottesville
    • What happened?
    • Why is this different?
    • Motivating resistance
    • Has Trump done damage?
    • Trump’s reactions
    • Trump racist himself?
    • Why is anyone surprised?
    • Trump vs Pence
    • What can R’s do?
    • What’s next?
    • Provoking violence
  • (1:15:48-2:03:00) Free Speech and Nazis
    • Disclaimer
    • Why Charlottesville isn’t a good example
    • Sam and Ivan conversation
    • Sam gets extreme on free speech
    • What about politicians and war?
    • Who gets to decide?
    • Judging entire groups
    • Actual speech vs symbols and code words
    • What about private speech, newspapers, websites?
    • Limits on government
    • How big is the threat?
    • Old doesn’t mean good
  • (2:04:08-2:25:55) Bannon Out
    • Chaos or Improvement?
    • Kelly in control?
    • Trump and his Staff
    • Controlling Trump
    • 25th Amendment
    • Bannon declaring war
    • Everything messy

 

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: Something that Scary

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan talk about North Korea, that Google document, Venezuela, the raid on Manafort, the latest from Trump, a book Sam read, and more! Oh, and we announce a Slack for the show. Enjoy!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-08-11
Length this week – 1:39:50

  • (0:00:30-0:10:54) But First
    • Agenda
    • Show Slack
    • Tired and Sleepy
  • (0:12:41-0:40:05) North Korea
    • Fire and Fury
    • Bluffing
    • 25th Amendment
    • High Risk
    • Containment
    • Trump Engagement
  • (0:40:51-1:02:12) Google Doc
    • Lip Service
    • Distributions
    • Ivan’s Evolution
    • Should he have been fired?
    • What if this was external?
  • (1:03:33-1:39:30) Lightning Round
    • Venezuela
    • Book: Spam (2013)
    • Manafort Raid
    • Leaks and Infighting
    • Trump Statements
    • Divisions on the left
    • New download record

 

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: Flexibility

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner Sam and Ivan work their way through the very busy news of the last week. Scaramucci. Healthcare. Priebus. Kelly. North Korea. Trump. Russia. Flake. Democratic Purity. Oh yeah, and the results of Sam’s wife’s local election. They cover it all!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-08-03
Length this week – 2:16:06

  • (0:00:59-0:25:04) But First
  • (0:26:38-0:41:04) Scaramucci
  • (0:42:13-1:06:12) Healthcare
  • (1:07:32-1:20:41) Priebus to Kelly
  • (1:21:56-1:31:36) North Korea
  • (1:32:20-1:51:06) Trump Scandals
  • (1:52:07-2:15:45) Allies and Purity

 

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: Take it to the Bank

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan talk healthcare (recorded before McCain killed it, oops), the Spicer to Scaramucci transition (recorded before Scaramucci’s New Yorker rant, oops again), the Trump vs Sessions battle, and Kushner’s testimony. But they also talk about the Charlie Gard case, data tethering, Ivan’s treating himself after getting a new job, some TV stuff, Sam’s wife’s run for office, and even more! Another big full show as usual!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-07-27
Length this week – 2:14:12

  • (0:02:15-0:31:26) But First
    • Agenda
    • Intro Length and Show Length
    • Tethering and HBO
    • Ivan’s new job
    • Ivan fails
    • Ivan glasses again
    • Ivan’s Treat
  • (0:33:08-0:57:12) Healthcare
    • McCain and the MTP
    • Sausage making
    • Republican no-win scenario
    • What comes next?
    • Skinny repeal
  • (1:01:31-1:40:43) Trump Administration
    • Spicer Out, Scaramucci In
    • Trump vs Sessions
    • Kushner Testimony
    • Who is cooperating?
    • Ongoing drama
    • Trump misdirection?
  • (1:41:28-2:13:50) Lightning Round
    • TV: Class (2016)
    • Charlie Gard
    • Trump and the Boy Scouts
    • Run Brandy Run

 

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: Stuff Like That

On Curmudgeon’s Corner this week, Sam and Ivan dive into the latest developments in the Trumpcare saga, the revelation of the second Trump/Putin meeting, and Trump’s revealing interview with the New York Times. Rounding out the show, shorter discussions of wearing different sorts of glasses, John McCain’s diagnosis, odd happenings in Florida, and some factoids from Wiki of the Day.

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-07-20
Length this week – 2:15:16

  • (0:00:58-0:38:59) But First
    • Agenda
    • Glasses
    • John McCain
    • Beep update
    • Mensch correction
    • Florida tag
    • WotD factoids
  • (0:39:38-1:12:56) Healthcare
    • Feedback
    • Several rounds
    • The conservative case
    • Entitlement ratchet
    • Deal making
    • Bipartisan approach
    • Odds for Trumpcare
    • Obamacare crash and burn
    • Logic of repeal only
  • (1:13:32-1:38:47) Trump and Putin
    • Trump on Russian winters
    • 1st Trump/Putin meeting
    • 2nd Trump/Putin meeting
    • Perceptions
    • Expanding Don Jr meeting
    • 7 circles of Trump
    • Too stupid to know?
    • Quid pro quo?
  • (1:40:07-2:14:57) Trump Interview
    • Trump on Sessions
    • Staffing agencies
    • Christie’s cellphone
    • Why aren’t more people quitting?
    • Trump on Mueller
    • Manafort finances
    • Trump on other people

 

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: Nothingburger

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan focus on the “nothingburger” of the Donald Trump Jr meeting everybody has been talking about. Nothing to see there, right? But before that, they do manage to get in some conversation on Trump’s performance at the G20, and on completely non-Trump matters, they talk about unlimited data plans, kids and YouTube, and revisit the minimum wage. Lots of meat in that nothingburger!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-07-14
Length this week – 2:08:38

  • (0:01:30-0:38:35) But First
    • Andy Pandy
    • Agenda
    • Unlimited Followup
    • Kids and YouTube
    • Christmas Drone
    • Feedback
    • Minimum Wage/Income
  • (0:39:55-1:01:24) Trump at the G20
    • Godfather
    • Trump Isolation
    • Micromanager or Disengaged?
    • Cooperating with the world?
    • Ivanka’s participation
    • Nobody resigning
  • (1:04:53-2:08:18) Donald Trump Jr
    • Background
    • Back to the dossier
    • The dangle
    • Digital operations
    • Conspiracy theories
    • Crimes this week
    • Treason?
    • State vs Federal
    • What about DNC/Ukraine?
    • All the crimes
    • Do Republicans ever bail?
    • Peter Smith suicide
    • Back to the primaries?
    • How much more is there?
    • Bernie Bros
    • Bring on Gen X
    • McMullin 2020

 

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: Return of the Beep

On Curmudgeon’s Corner this week, Sam and Ivan’s main topics are North Korea and the dust up between CNN and the guy on Reddit. They pack a lot of smaller topics in this week too though. Rick Perry on Economics. The 2014 Annie remake. Dress codes in Congress and elsewhere. The Seattle minimum wage. A listener fact checks our last episode. And much much more…

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-07-07
Length this week – 2:04:17

  • (0:01:05-0:26:59) But First
    • Fireworks
    • Agenda
    • More fireworks
    • Plane Incident
    • Fact Check!
    • Jones vs Bell
    • Couch Update
  • (0:28:08-0:47:41) North Korea
    • Cobol and Y2K
    • The missile
    • Motivations
    • Trump strategy?
    • Escalation?
    • Trump engaged?
  • (0:48:57-1:11:07) Trolling CNN
    • Air Conditioner
    • Jill Innocenti
    • The meme
    • The troll
    • CNN threat
    • Incitement?
    • Found her?
  • (1:12:53-2:03:58) Lightning Round
    • Changing the battery
    • It is not her
    • Rick Perry economics
    • Movie: Annie (2014)
    • Dress codes
    • Youtube shooting
    • Trump dissed?
    • Seattle minimum wage
    • Illinois budget
    • Alex interlude
    • Trump-light again

 

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: Ten and a Bit

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan talk about the anniversary of the iPhone, using password managers, the travel ban, the healthcare bill, the newest Trump scandal news, and anti-Trump fake news. Oh, and also the Martian slave colony, and the fact that like the iPhone, this show is now ten years old too. Happy ten years to Curmudgeon’s Corner!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-06-30
Length this week – 2:15:35

  • (00:01:37-0:21:30) But First
    • Ten years
    • Agenda
    • Leavenworth
  • (0:22:46-0:58:29) Tech
    • iPhone anniversary
    • Sam gets a password manager
    • New cyberattacks
  • (0:59:38-1:39:36) Policy
    • Travel ban
    • Healthcare
  • (1:40:15-2:15:15) Trump Scandals
    • Mars slave colony
    • Russian hackers to Smith to Flynn?
    • Anti-Trump fake news
    • Collusion not that bad?

 

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: Proper Strategy

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan talk about… things other than Trump! Amazing! Topic include the Senate healthcare bill, Philandro Castile, Charleena Lyles, Grenfell Tower, useless press briefings, escalation in Syria, the special elections in Georgia and South Carolina, layoffs at pollster.com, Uber, Sam’s thoughts on recording candidate forums… and even some movies Ivan watched recently! A lot packed in this week… but relatively Trump light! OK, we couldn’t avoid him entirely. But closer than we have come for awhile!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

CCCover20151125bw

 

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2017-06-22
Length this week – 2:29:24

  • (0:00:15-0:34:25) But First
    • Paper
    • Agenda
    • Overshadowed
    • Forum adventures
    • Ivan movie: Interstellar
    • Alex interlude
    • Ivan movie: Sully
  • (0:35:40-1:04:51) But Second
    • Leaks on the Senate healthcare bill
    • Will they get 50 votes?
    • Healthcare cost drivers
    • Repeal or tweak?
    • Cynical ploys
  • (1:06:34-1:34:04) But Third
    • Philando Castile verdict
    • Charleena Lyles shooting
    • Grenfell Tower fire
    • Dealing with emergencies
  • (1:35:24-1:56:40) But Fourth
    • Useless Spicer briefings
    • Critical press, not stenographers
    • Spicy’s future
    • Syrian drones and planes
  • (1:57:19-2:29:04) But Fifth
    • Special election spin
    • Pollster.com layoffs
    • Approval ratings
    • Polling accuracy
    • Uber

 

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.