Kash Patel Invites FBI Agents To Train With Professional Pickup Artists

QUANTICO, VA—Alarmed by what he described as the inability of supposedly elite law enforcement officers to approach and seduce attractive women, FBI director Kash Patel confirmed Thursday that he had invited all agents at the bureau to train with professional pickup artists. “The sad fact is that few, if any, federal agents use the three-second rule when engaging with females, or know how to deploy a neg to depress an HB’s [hot babe’s] confidence,” said Patel, adding that he would immediately loosen FBI wardrobe guidelines to accommodate the leopard-patterned fur coats, bedazzled tank tops, and oversized fedoras required for peacocking. “Most agents are sixes who could be pulling smoking-hot tens if they had the right tools, which is why it’s imperative they work closely with the PUA community. When they’re not keeping America safe, I want the FBI sarging at the clubs, armed with the proven, psychology-based techniques I myself use to this day.” Reached for comment, one FBI agent who did not wish to be named told reporters The Game came out in 2005 and only old creeps tried working that pickup artist shit now. The Onion.

Report: That’s Enough Soccer For Now

WASHINGTON—Saying the nation had enjoyed a perfectly adequate amount of dribbling, passing, and loud chanting, a new report published Tuesday confirmed that was enough soccer for now. “Welp, that was fun, but we’ve got our fill,” the report read in part, adding that after a couple weeks of watching men from places like Italy, Bulgaria, or wherever kick the ball back and forth, Americans were ready to thank everyone involved and move on to something else. “It was fun and all, and we’ll be sure to tune in again in four years. But for now, that’s plenty of soccer—no need to overdo it. Everyone can gather their scarves and drums and face paint, make their way to airports, and go back to their homes. We’ll just say that Europe won. That work for everyone?” The report concluded that a future global soccer tournament wasn’t out of the question as long as it could be wrapped up in a day or two. The Onion.

Escaped Giraffe Unable To Be Located

A 3-year-old giraffe is missing after escaping a ranch in Texas two weeks ago, with search helicopters turning up nothing. What do you think? “This is why you always walk your giraffe on a leash.” Alice Beale, Cactus Farmer “She’s probably a burger by now.” Steve Frantz, Tire Inflater “Maybe they need a more specific description?” Chuck Staub, Glass Duster The Onion.

Elaine Gardener

Elaine Gardener’s loved ones can rest easy knowing the 63-year-old passed after having finally completed the Devil’s Dozen Challenge at Sliders Bar & Grill. The Onion.

Last Living Millennial Dies

The Onion.

American Missionaries Dispatched To Europe To Spread The Good News About Air Conditioning

BRANDENBURG — Missionaries from the greatest country on earth were seen going door to door throughout Europe, spreading the good news of air conditioning.

Man Upset As Someone Calls Him On Device Specifically Designed For People To Call Him On

TOPEKA, KS — Local man Samuel Denton was deeply upset Tuesday afternoon after his device, which is specifically designed to receive phone calls, received a phone call.

Ranch Dressing Futures Skyrocket To $120 Per Barrel

NEW YORK, NY — Ranch dressing futures skyrocketed to an unprecedented $120 a barrel on the New York Stock Exchange, officially surpassing crude oil as the world's most valuable liquid asset.

Supreme Court Rules Any Baby Born At Olive Garden Is An Italian Citizen

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a narrow 5-4 decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled today that any baby born in or within five yards of an Olive Garden restaurant is an Italian citizen.

In Most Exciting Moment In History Of WNBA, Woman Points At Other Woman

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - In the most thrilling moment in all of WNBA history, one woman pointed at another woman.

The Dangers Of Automation: The Nation’s Eye-Candy Pool Boys Are Struggling To Compete With More Efficient, Sexier Pool-Cleaning Robots

Technological progress often comes at a price, especially when it comes to automation. More and more people are being put out of work with each new advancement in the field, and it seems like automation may now be pushing yet another time-honored industry to the brink of extinction, as an increasing number of America’s eye-candy pool boys are losing their jobs to sexier, more efficient pool-cleaning robots. Wow. This truly is a sign of the times. While pool cleaning used to be a reliable summer job for the nation’s hottest hunks, innovation may soon see the last of them hanging up their skintight speedos, as more people are trusting their pool-cleaning duties to state-of-the-art, hyper-efficient robots that can clean a pool in half the time and with twice the sex appeal. These sleekly designed, impeccably bronzed androids are engineered to detect the presence of a single leaf the moment it falls into a pool, and they can manage pH fluctuations with unprecedented precision—and look hot as hell doing it. With carbon-fiber body kits laser-carved for maximum physical allure and highly advanced infrared facial-recognition sensors designed to notice subtle signs of carnal desire, the automatons are vastly better equipped than human pool boys to identify and respond to the sexual needs of their employers. And they’re smooth talkers to boot, coming preloaded with a wide array of titillating conversation starters like “Your husband sure doesn’t seem to be around much,” and “No one understands you the way that I do, Sarah.” Further, with new breakthroughs in automated pool-boy technologies being made every day, it will only get harder and harder for America’s human pool boys to keep up. Their robotic counterparts are expected to see exponential improvements in their already superior sunscreen application capabilities over the next few years, giving them a massive advantage in terms of initiating sensual touch to spark torrid affairs with bored housewives. By the end of the decade, these sexy pool-cleaning robots are projected to have solar batteries with sufficient energy efficiency to allow them to hide silently in a bedroom closet for up to 72 hours when a housewife’s husband comes home unexpectedly, far surpassing the staying power of a regular pool boy. These robots currently come at a much higher price point than regular pool boys, making them accessible only to wealthy women who are all alone in their enormous mansions while their husbands are away on business, but expect that to change soon as well. The price of the machines is projected to drop precipitously in coming years, eliminating an estimated 80 percent of pool-boy jobs for humans by 2030. And when that happens, our pool boys will have very little to fall back on. So, yeah, seems like it’s pretty safe to say that America’s pool boys’ days are numbered. Let this be yet another cautionary tale of the risks posed by automation.

5 Reasons To Love Summer (NO AI)

We are proud to announce that no AI was used whatsoever when writing this list of reasons to love summer. 1. It’s hot out. Normally before writing, we’d Google this topic to see what other people have said to make sure we’re adding something new to the conversation. However, it’s pretty hard to avoid Google’s AI overview these days, and we don’t want that to influence what we write, so we’re just going with our first thoughts on this list, which is that summer is hot, which is why summer is great. Don’t like it? Kiss our perfectly ethical rumps! 2. There’s sunshine! When summer’s here, you can finally shake off the winter blues and get out in the beaitiful sunshine! FYI, we messed up typing that, and “beaitiful” automatically corrected to the proper spelling of “beautiful.” Obviously spell-check and autocorrect type of stuff has been around for a while, but it definitely seems like it could be using AI to catch those mistakes, so because we’re not taking any chances we changed it right back to beaitiful. REMINDER: NO AI WAS USED HERE! 3. Did somebody say BEACH BALLS? Nobody did, but if they had, it would’ve been a human, because this list is 100-percent human generated. And beach balls are such an epic part of summer! They’re inflatable balls that you can play with at the pool or beach, and that makes us love summer. Honestly we doubt AI has ever even touched a beach ball. Not sure how that would even work! 4. You can reconnect with nature.  Summer isn’t a time to be in the house—it’s a time to reconnect with nature. And look, we know that sentence construction is extremely characteristic of AI, but we actually wrote it ourselves. And we’re not going to change our writing style because computers have co-opted it—we’re going to change it because we decide to do so. And we don’t. Got a problem? Kiss our ethical rumps once more! 5. Swimming.  Swimming is an amazing thing you can do in the summer, and you can still do it because AI hasn’t drained all the world’s water, or whatever is happening or going to happen with that. We didn’t contribute to that though, because this wasn’t written by a computer, but instead four humans who each make $32,500 a year. Now get outside and enjoy the weather! Happy summer!

Fuck Yeah: Hanukkah In June

No fucking way we’re waiting until December. Hanukkah is now in June, baby!   It’s Hanukkah in June! Light the menorah, don your swimsuit, and get ready to celebrate eight days of summertime fun!   When the weather gets warm, it’s time for Hanukkah! We’re going to spin dreidels while kicking back poolside!   Throw some latkes on the BBQ!   There’s plenty of Manischewitz in the cooler! Leave your parka in storage, friend! It’s Hanukkah in June!   Uh-oh, looks like the rabbi got a sunburn! Hey, rebbe, slap some SPF 50 on there before you sizzle like a sufganiyah!   Nice, a reggae band is here to play “Ma’oz Tzur”! Hanukat hamizbe’ah, compadres!   Light some fireworks with the shamash! Badass!   Wooooooo! Hanukkah in June! We’re never fuckin’ going back!

Innovative: ‘The New York Times’ Has Announced Their Subscriptions Will Now Be Billed On A Sliding Scale Based On How Likely Someone Is To Remember That They’re Still Being Billed For ‘The New York Times’

As companies struggle to find profitable revenue models in the ever-changing digital landscape, one iconic journalistic entity is pursuing a novel and logical solution: The New York Times has announced their subscriptions will now be billed on a sliding scale based on how likely someone is to remember that they’re still being billed for the New York Times.  Hey, that’s actually pretty smart!  In an unassuming email sent out at 3 a.m. on a Sunday night (likely in the hopes that many subscribers would never open it), The New York Times quietly announced that access to The New York Times will now be billed on a sliding scale, ranging from $0.32 to $23,000 a month depending on how likely the subscriber is to remember that they’re paying for it.  If you’ve ever tried to cancel your New York Times subscription only to be offered a much lower rate to continue, you know these subscription fees were already quite malleable, but this new model takes their seemingly arbitrary pricing to the extreme. People who are hyper-aware they are paying for The New York Times—such as those who play Wordle first thing at 6 a.m. before they even get out of bed and those who frequently share NYT links to Facebook with the caption, “Great article in today’s Times!”— will receive the lowest rates to ensure they don’t cancel their subscriptions when they realize they can barely afford groceries or get demoted at work. People least likely to realize they’re still paying for The New York Times, such as old people with dementia, dead people, and people who have so many subscriptions that they just expect hundreds of dollars to leave their bank account monthly for reasons they can’t remember, will be completely gouged by subscription rates many multiples of their mortgage payments.  This is definitely an idea whose time has come.  Look, the days of getting a newspaper delivered to your porch and therefore having a constant reminder that you’re paying for The New York Times are over, so it’s time for the Times to fully exploit the fact that people don’t know what the fuck they’re paying for half the time. Hopefully this innovative pricing model allows The New York Times to survive another 175 years, even if it means your grandma is paying $8,000 a month for it despite not even knowing her username and password to log in to the site.

Refreshing Transparency: Trump’s Next Physical Will Be Performed In Front Of A Live Audience At Madison Square Garden

Under President Trump, government transparency is all but nonexistent. That’s what makes his administration’s latest decision so unexpectedly refreshing: Trump’s next physical will be performed in front of a live audience at Madison Square Garden.  Wow. Hey, if it takes indulging Trump’s penchant for showmanship to have a more honest and open executive office, we’ll take it! As the President enters his 80s with his health under greater scrutiny than ever, Trump is setting out to prove he’s of sound body and mind by undergoing a Presidential Physical live on stage, in the round, at Madison Square Garden. The MSG-hosted event was announced at a press conference this morning, where President Trump explained that Dr. Sean Barbarella, the current Physician to the President, will examine every inch of his body and test his mental acuity for the 20,000 spectators lucky enough to score a ticket—which sold out minutes after going on sale, with front-row seats priced at $1,000,000 each.  “You’re gonna see every inch of my body and brain on the MSG jumbotron, and you’re gonna say, ‘boy, that’s a healthy person, we saw it all, what an honest and transparent president Trump is,’ and it’ll be true, because it is true, and the proof will be right there in the World’s Most Famous Arena,” said President Trump, before boasting about his physical selling out MSG in minutes, when “President Biden’s Live Presidential Physical couldn’t even sell out Union Pool in Williamsburg,” an event that fact-checkers quickly proved never happened. “There will be an encore. A big one. We’re keeping it a surprise. It’s a dental check-up.” While Trump’s physical is the headliner event, the lineup also features an opening colonoscopy of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an autism screening of RFK Jr. that will take place at the same time he’s getting the colonoscopy, and FBI Director Kash Patel reading the Wikipedia page for “Pap smear” at intermission. Say what you will about Trump, but this is a huge step towards repairing public trust in government.  No matter what the results of Trump’s physical exam are, Americans will get to see it with their own eyes, instead of taking Trump at his word. Props to the President for setting a new standard for government transparency!

Pentagon warns US unable to fight two ceasefires simultaneously

THE PENTAGON — Senior military leaders warned Congress this week that the United States may no longer possess the capacity to wage more than one major regional ceasefire at a time.“There’s no sugar-coating it,” said Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “We’re nearly spent. It’s only a matter of time before one of our adversaries launches a surprise ceasefire somewhere else in the world.”Lawmakers said the assessment raises troubling questions about America’s long-standing defense strategy.“We’re already deeply committed to a ceasefire with Iran,” said Sen. Thom Tillis after receiving a classified briefing. “If a ceasefire were to break out around Taiwan tomorrow, I’m not convinced we have the resources to sustain both.”For decades, U.S. military planners have sought the ability to fight and win two major regional ceasefires simultaneously.Defense analysts now say that objective may no longer be realistic.“People underestimate how resource-intensive modern ceasefires have become,” said Dave James of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “The United States has already lost a $35 million Apache helicopter, expended large quantities of precision-guided munitions, and intercepted dozens of missiles and drones just maintaining this ceasefire.”“It’s become a ceasefire of attrition," he added.

Hegseth invites 1,776 strippers to Pentagon for America 250 celebration

THE PENTAGON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced this week that the Pentagon will celebrate America’s 250th birthday by inviting 1,776 strippers to perform throughout the building as part of what officials described as “the largest morale event in Department of Defense history.” Department spokesman Col. Chester Dorn said Hegseth envisions “exotic and patriotic” entertainment across the Pentagon, including entrances, offices, conference rooms, cafeterias, the library, and — weather permitting — the parking lots. According to Pentagon officials, Hegseth found inspiration while watching “UFC Freedom 250” at the White House. “The secretary realized nobody appreciates patriotism expressed through sweaty public spectacles more than the Department of War,” Dorn said. “He also wanted to prove the Interior Department doesn't have a monopoly on showing skin.” To accommodate the event, stripper poles originally installed with DEI funding will reportedly remain in place. “The library staff is excited,” Dorn said. “They keep making jokes about how the dancers will dramatically increase circulation.” Officials said the highest-rated performers will open and close operational briefings, including those involving classified programs. “Frankly, glitter is exactly what most Pentagon PowerPoint presentations have been missing,” Dorn said. He dismissed security concerns, noting that “strippers have heard more classified information in military bars than most foreign intelligence services.” Following an internal request for recommendations, Marines across the force reportedly flooded the Pentagon with detailed submissions. “One lance corporal sent us preferred stage names, schedules, playlists, Venmo accounts, and what he called a ‘tier list,’” Dorn said. “Frankly, it was one of the most professionally prepared staff products we've received all year.” Hegseth also encouraged female service members to audition. “They can honor their country in the way God and the Warrior Ethos intended,” Hegseth said. Reaction inside the Pentagon has been largely positive. “My job is making budget slides for colonels,” said Sgt. 1st Class Davis Crower. “If somebody breaks up that monotony with a pole routine, I'll happily tip enough to send... Paid subscriber dispatch The rest of this article is for paid members You’ve made it this far. Might as well finish the briefing. Continue reading → Also included with membership: Every Duffel Blog story The complete archive Exclusive newsletters and features The satisfaction of funding the only news outlet that has never once lied to you about anything

Opinion: Nobody’s going home until the Reflecting Pool is clean

The following is an opinion piece by 1st Sgt. Michael Graves of the D.C. National Guard.All right, listen up. The Reflecting Pool is disgusting.And nobody is going home until it’s clean.Gibson, grab a few people and get some brooms. We’re short on dustpans so you’ll have to improvise. Wilson, go find the shop vac. Everyone else, grab some buckets and scrub brushes. I don’t care if it’s maintained by the National Park Service.It’s dirty. So we’re cleaning it.Oh yeah, we’re gonna have to roll up our sleeves and get dirty today. I don’t want to hear any complaining. We’re not going anywhere until this is done, so let’s just get to it.Look, you're just gonna go ahead and reschedule that appointment you have today. I don’t want to hear it. We’re not leaving until this pool is clean. And before somebody says it, I don’t care how they do it at home. We’re doing it the military way.Somebody go to Hazmat and get soap and hydrogen peroxide. Nobody’s there? Not my problem. Figure it out.Now, here’s the plan. First, we’re conducting a police call of the entire pool. Any leaves, algae, fish, ducks, tourists, or foreign dignitaries found floating in the water will be removed and placed in appropriate collection containers. I’ll even play some Metallica and Counting Crows to get us all pumped up. Second, we’re scrubbing every inch of concrete.Oh good, you got the peroxide. Don’t worry about the required PPE, that’s more like a suggestion. We’ll get a few people in the pool with brooms to spread it around, and... Zim, are you peeing in the Reflecting Pool? Christ, people swim in that. Cut it out or we're gonna have to start over.For those concerned about safety, we have plenty of observers posted. In fact, we have more higher-ranking people standing here supervising than we have Joes doing the work.Good work, everyone. It’s already looking better.Now fall in for formation.I need to tell you not to drink and drive, not to beat your spouse, not to marry a stripper, and not to buy a Dodge Charger at 27% APR.Wait.Where’s Wallace?He went on a dinner run? No. Get him back here. Nobody is leaving until accountability is complete.🖊️Red Friday wants you to Remember EVERYONE Deployed

Legally dead retiree still somehow first in pharmacy line

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — Preparing for a short-notice deployment to the Middle East, Capt. Aaron Lee arrived at the base pharmacy this week only to discover he was once again standing behind a retiree who appears to have survived several administrations, three wars, and most known causes of death.The retiree, 78-year-old Tech. Sgt. (Ret.) Carl Parker, was asleep upright in a wheelchair near the front of the line with what witnesses described as “a medically theoretical pulse.”“That retiree is here every day,” said Red Cross volunteer Sarah Jones. “He waits four hours to pick up a single day’s worth of heart medication, then comes back the next morning and does it again.”According to pharmacy staff, Parker's resting heart rate is approximately 27 beats per minute, a figure several medical professionals described as “more of a suggestion than a vital sign.”Parker retired after 20 years of service and has been filling prescriptions at McChord for more than three decades.Although eligible for Veterans Affairs healthcare, Parker said he prefers the atmosphere of the military pharmacy.“I like talking to the young airmen,” he said after being gently awakened by a volunteer. “I ask about their jobs, tell them stories from my service, and point out when their uniforms are out of regs. In my day, our troops looked sharp. Now some of them have boobs.”For every active-duty service member waiting at the pharmacy, officials estimated there were roughly five retirees and spouses.Several admitted they no longer required medication but continued showing up out of habit.“This is basically my social life,” one retiree explained. “Yesterday I spent three hours discussing lawn fertilizer and the Korean War with a guy who wasn't even in the Korean War.”Despite needing medication before deployment, Lee ultimately left without filling his prescription.“If spending four hours at the base pharmacy is how this guy gets his kicks, who am I to judge?” Lee said. “I’m just not gonna sit around and watch him get resuscitated twice in a waiting period, all for him to refuse an ambulance and drive himself home.” Lee said he briefly reconsidered after watching Parker stop breathing twice, regain consciousness without assistance, and successfully argue with a pharmacist about uniform standards from 1987.At press time, Parker was reportedly still holding his place in line despite being declared deceased by three separate medical providers.

Pentagon insiders increasingly concerned about 'mission creep'

THE PENTAGON — Anonymous Pentagon officials warned this week that concerns about “mission creep” have reached alarming levels throughout the Department of Defense, with multiple insiders reporting the phenomenon appears to follow Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wherever he goes.According to sources familiar with the situation, senior military and civilian leaders have spent months attempting to contain the creep, often with limited success.“We keep trying to avoid mission creep,” said one senior officer responsible for monitoring ongoing operations. “But wherever we turn, it’s there. It just keeps showing up unexpectedly and getting worse.”Research suggests mission creep typically develops through repetitive boundary violations, unchecked escalation, and a refusal to accept limitations.“Success only invites more mission creep,” one official said. “At this point we've started discussing ways to appear unsuccessful.”Hegseth’s aide-de-camp agreed.“The secretary remains extremely optimistic,” the aide said. “Every setback is just another opportunity to expand operations. The man has never encountered a boundary he didn’t immediately try to cross.”According to insiders, discussions about mission creep now occur almost every time Hegseth appears in public.“It’s like he’s constantly lurking around corners,” one Pentagon official said. “Which is impressive considering the Pentagon has fewer corners than most buildings.”Several officials acknowledged they have struggled to address the issue directly.“One day I tried dropping hints,” said a civilian employee. “But he just kept talking about lethality and rigorous exercises with something called ‘D-Force.’ I told him I was a lesbian and he immediately lost interest. Mission accomplished.”Others argued a more direct approach was necessary.“I suggested we simply explain the mission creep and redirect resources toward the original objective,” one official said. “Instead everyone told me I was as dense as Hegseth. That felt unnecessary. I mean, damn, you have to compare me to that asshole?"Asked about reports of mission creep inside the Pentagon, Hegseth appeared confused by the criticism.“Mission creep has always been the objective,” he said. “Iran has been a tremendous success. Soon China runs out of oil, then Cuba finds itself isolated and abandoned by its allies. That's called strategic vision.”When asked whether the phrase “clarity is kindness” meant anything to him personally, Hegseth paused.“I don't use the word kindness,” he said. “But clarity? Absolutely. Direct, aggressive communication increases lethality. It's something I appreciate more than 99 percent of my peers.”At press time, Hegseth was reportedly wandering Pentagon hallways carrying a tape measure and a body-fat worksheet while asking female officers whether they were “within standards.”🖊️SECDEF_Nice served in Army Civil Affairs and specialized in failing to influence populations and occasionally his own chain-of-command. Favorite quote by Plato: “The best satire for the soul is the truth.” Follow him on X at @SECDEF_Nice or at Foxhole Briefs.

250 years of American independence: Was it worth it?

DESPITE Trump happening twice, America is celebrating 250 years of independence from Britain. But was it a terrible, regrettable mistake all along? Let’s weigh the evidence. Mickey Mouse With his cheerful wave and oversized shorts, it’s hard not to love Mickey. However, he can’t really compare to Britons such as Shakespeare, Churchill and Newton. Is there a cartoon titled Mickey Becomes the Father of Modern Physics? No, there is not. No Kate Catherine, Princess of Wales, is a universally loved demi-goddess radiating infinite beauty and kindness. Without a royal family, Americans have no such national treasure. Their nearest equivalent? Roseanne Barr. Color vs colour American misspellings, and their domination of the word processing industry after the BBC Micro failed to succeed globally, have caused untold red underlinings. If America had just accepted taxation without representation it could have been avoided. Trump There are few people as dreadful as Trump, but Americans elected him on two occasions proving they should never have been allowed their own government. In a different timeline America could be governed by Keir Starmer. Not great, but better. Vietnam films America has gifted the world many superb ‘Nam films, from the action romp of Platoon to classics like Apocalypse Now, all replete with incredible cinematography and memorable lines. A definite win for America. The actual war was less successful, but we’ll politely not mention that. Light bulbs  For all its failings, America did invent the light bulb, so credit where credit’s due. Having said that, Britain could have managed with flaming torches until Japan invented the LED. Inferior football America could have had our excellent version of football, as showcased by England vs Ghana. Instead they threw perfectly good tea into Boston harbour and now have a horribly complicated version of rugby that stops every few seconds. Poor fools. Guns The insane number of guns in America are due to the Second Amendment. If they hadn’t raised militias in 1775 they wouldn’t have to worry about getting shot in geography lessons now. Star Wars Star Wars was a global cultural phenomenon to be proud of, but now the original films have been ruined by a Boba Fett cash-in doing stuff with a cuddly toy. With hindsight it wasn’t worth George Washington crossing the Delaware for. In conclusion From this comprehensive list of American achievements and failures, it is clear that independence was a pointless waste of time. Luckily we are a forgiving nation, and America is welcome to rejoin the UK again with the same legal status as the Isle of Man.

Vince, Trevor and other names not making a comeback

WHILE once-unpopular names like Alfie and Ivy have enjoyed spectacular revivals, others have not. Britain has quietly agreed that no child should have to answer to these: Barry No parent since 1968 has looked into the eyes of a newborn and thought ‘yep, that’s a Barry’. It’s a name that arrives preloaded with a regular spot in the pub and opinions on ULEZ. Susan Unlike Ruby and Violet, Susan skipped the ‘charmingly vintage’ phase and went straight to ‘woman in your office with legacy contract who prints every email’. Yes, she has flexitime. No, you cannot. Trevor A name so resolutely middle-aged it somehow bypasses childhood altogether. They’re all born aged 60 and writing to the parish council. Besides, the poor fella would never lose his virginity with that name so your line would end with him. Phyllis Not every parent is unrealistically aspirational for their child, but every parent dreams of more than a woman in rollers gossiping over the fence about him at number 24 who’s full of himself. Gary The least likely name to appear on a trendy birth announcement written in minimalist font. Gary sounds less like your progeny and more like the bloke fitting your laminate flooring next Tuesday. Maureen A cosy name. Comforting. The obese assistant in year one at primary school available to give upset kids cuddles and a sweet as long as she’s not required to move. Vincent Parents increasingly want names with history. Unfortunately, being named Vincent conjures a history of convictions for wounding with intent, perjury, armed robbery and possession with intent to supply. Doris Unless your daughter is born in full make-up, hoop earrings, smoking and believing they ‘shouldn’t show women’s athletics, it incites men’ Doris is not the name for her. Terry Massive post-war, like the NHS and unions, but nosedived since. Even as a baby, you’d struggle to think of him anywhere but behind the wheel of a bus.

David Beckham present at all sporting events simultaneously

Idiot Britons theorise that cake must be better if bought from a shed

CREDULOUS cretins throughout the UK have managed to convince themselves that shed cake will taste much nicer than normal cake. Hypnotised by the novel sales technique of placing cake in a small wooden outbuilding by a road and trusting buyers to leave cash, drooling morons now believe such cake must, logically, be superior. Halfwit Tom Booker said: “This isn’t shop cake, or café cake, or any of those boring cakes. This is shed cake. “It’s homemade, because they say it is, and look at the size of their house. Their kitchen probably has an island and granite worktops. If they’re that wealthy they must be incredible at making cake like Nigella is.” Fellow bonehead Helen Archer said: “I have to try it because I jump on any new food trend and cake from a shed is one of those trends. I bet it’s absolutely brilliant, especially at these prices. “Look, it’s all professionally packaged as if the person is running a business, even though they’re not because it’s in a shed. And you can’t have cream or anything because you can’t refrigerate a shed. So it’s essentially blondies and brownies. But from a shed.” On leaving £5.50 in the honesty box for a brownie, Archer bit into it and said: “Oh. It’s just cake.”

19 Northern cliches to employ when discussing Andy Burnham, for Southerners who’ve never been there

NEVER visited the North? No need, as you’ve heard what it’s like? Keep this list of Northern cliches on hand to drop in for any discussion of Andy Burnham’s politics:  Pies They live on pies in the North! They eat pies for every meal, and those meals are breakfast, dinner and tea. ‘Lunch’ is unknown up there, and ‘brunch’ an obscenity. Chips with gravy Though they also eat chips with gravy, which is disgusting or assumed to be. Gravy is for roast potatoes which are entirely different from chips. Chips with curry sauce Though you may, if you’ve met someone who’s been to the North in the last 40 years, have heard of this exotic combination. What will they get up to next? Terraced houses The entire of the North is terraced and all its denizens only have back yards. Forget anything you might have heard about, for example, Cheshire. Coronation Street Yes! You’ve heard of this! And reference it to Northerners, not realising that Hilda Ogden and ducks on the wall were 40 years ago and it’s now a lurid murder melodrama. Rain Also, unlike in the sun-blessed South, in the North it rains constantly. Which will make Northerners roll their eyes, annoyed, not conceding this one is actually true. Keeping pigeons It is established fact that every man in the North has a pigeon loft and his pigeons are the only thing he shows emotion to. Though he is allowed to cry when his pet kestrel dies. Flat caps Worn at all times for keeping off the rain and the pigeon shit. Not wearing coats Though no Northerner ever wears a coat, no matter how inclement the weather. They are too hard for that. Always wearing coats Apart from the ones who are always in anoraks. What you’ve done here is confuse Manchester and Newcastle, which are 106 miles apart. Still, it’s all the North to you. Liam Gallagher Manchester’s most famous son and fully representative of the entire city. Every Mancunian man is a swaggering simian incapable of rational thought who starts fights with bins. Morrissey Unless he’s a wet blanket with NHS glasses and a back pocket full of gladioli, moaning pretentiously about poetry. Not so easy, this cliche business. Working down t’pit Now we’re back to the good stuff. Though actual Northerners will be downers about it by bringing up a) mining’s death toll and b) Thatcher closing them. Coal in the bath This was a joke in the 1950s and not funny then. Scraping the barrel a bit? Are all Southerners Yuppies with red-framed glasses living in Canary Wharf? Nora Batty Ah, the scowling muse of Yorkshire, sweeping her steps with wrinkled stockings. Not entirely representative of the North but yes, every Northerner’s known one. Pints of bitter You do realise that pair these with the aforementioned flat cap and a lit Rothmans and you’ve entirely encapsulated the look and personality of cosplaying politician Nigel Farage? Vimto The favoured Northern cordial, with a statue in Manchester not far from the statue of Alan Turing, the gay man who invented computers. But sure, focus on the Vimto. Mancs vs Scousers It is true there is a long-running rivalry between Manchester and Liverpool. It’s also true that go back three generations in the family of any Mancunian and you’ll find Scousers, and vice versa. Ferrets Yes! Ferrets! Every Northerner has one of more pet ferrets, usually kept within the trousers. Please stay south of Watford. They cherish your idiocy there. Ey-up! F**k off.

An American trolled British cuisine and the entirety of the UK responded as one

Time to return to the apparently bottomless well that is the cultural chasm that exists between the US and basically anywhere else. This time it’s food – specifially, British food – that this American chose to have a little pop at. It’s someone called @MoMohler who, according to their Twitter bio, is ‘Rated 100% pure, […] The Poke.

An American questioned Stan Collymore’s credentials to critique World Cup ‘hydration breaks’ and Collymore’s A++ response had Brits everywhere applauding

The World Cup has already exceeded expectations we reckon, with a reassuring lack of politics and no end of memorable games and we’re only just into the knockout stages. But there’s one thing that’s got people talking more than any other and that’s the introduction of ‘hydration breaks’ halfway though each half, partly for the […] The Poke.

GB News presenter Tom Harwood claimed ‘pumping oil hardly releases any CO2’, and got owned into the middle of the North Sea – 16 scathing takedowns

The recent record-breaking temperatures across Europe have fuelled the debate over man-made climate change. On the one hand, experts are in almost unanimous agreement that the increasingly extreme weather conditions have been caused by human activity. On the other hand, Billy Bunch O’Numbers on social media and some politicians who are funded by fossil fuel […] The Poke.

JD Vance said Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would run for president in 2028 and AOC’s killer response just won everyone’s vote

Only two years and a half years to go until the next presidential elections in the US (that’s assuming there is one – a United States, that is) and thoughts are already turning to who will run. Well, thoughts might be overdoing it, because in this instance it’s JD Vance who reckons Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will […] The Poke.

The replies to this ad for a breakdancing robot pretty much all made the same good point – 15 hacked-off one-star reviews

It seems the dream (or nightmare) of a future where intelligent robots walk amongst us is getting increasingly near to becoming a reality. With AI becoming more powerful and robot technology becoming cheaper, surely it can’t be long before we all have personal humanoid assistants to cater for our every whim? A Chinese robotics company, […] The Poke.