Keith Olbermann Fired, Will Sue Al Gore and Current TV

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Keith Olbermann has been fired from his job at Current TV (a show which, I must admit, I never watched), and he’s firing back.

My full statement:

I’d like to apologize to my viewers and my staff for the failure of Current TV.

Editorially, Countdown had never been better. But for more than a year I have been imploring Al Gore and Joel Hyatt to resolve our issues internally, while I’ve been not publicizing my complaints, and keeping the show alive for the sake of its loyal viewers and even more loyal staff. Nevertheless, Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt, instead of abiding by their promises and obligations and investing in a quality news program, finally thought it was more economical to try to get out of my contract.

It goes almost without saying that the claims against me implied in Current’s statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently. To understand Mr. Hyatt’s “values of respect, openness, collegiality and loyalty,” I encourage you to read of a previous occasion Mr. Hyatt found himself in court for having unjustly fired an employee. That employee’s name was Clarence B. Cain.

http://nyti.ms/HueZsa

In due course, the truth of the ethics of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt will come out. For now, it is important only to again acknowledge that joining them was a sincere and well-intentioned gesture on my part, but in retrospect a foolish one. That lack of judgment is mine and mine alone, and I apologize again for it.

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135 comments
1 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 10:59:48am

I used to watch some of Olbermann’s clips from time to time when he was on MSNBC, when they would crop up on various blogs. Current TV doesn’t allow playback in Russia. And from some comments I gather that lots of people stopped watching him because Current TV’s availability is pretty limited, and the production values for Countdown on Current TV were quite low.

2 HoosierHoops  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:00:17am

I’m surprised that MSNBC hired Keith after his ESPN melt down and bridge burning. I guess Al Gore is now on Keith’s most horrible person in the world list.

3 HappyWarrior  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:02:09am

At the core, I probably agree with Keith more than I don’t but he always came across as too hyperbolic for me.

4 Obdicut  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:05:02am

Fight! Fight!

Olbermann always sounds pompous. I’m betting this gets lots of coverage on the right-wing blogs.

5 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:05:09am

From what I saw he turned a lot of the stories he reported into stories about himself.

From Olbermann’s final broadcast:
There were many occasions, particularly in the last two and a half years, where all that surrounded the show — but never the show itself — was just too much for me. But your support and loyalty — if I may use the word insistence — ultimately required that I keep going.
[Link: gawker.com…]

6 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:06:13am
Between 1997 and 2007, incidents between the two sides included Olbermann’s publishing an essay on Salon.com in November 2002, titled “Mea Culpa”, in which he stated: “I couldn’t handle the pressure of working in daily long-form television, and what was worse, I didn’t know I couldn’t handle it.”[28] The essay told of an instance when his former bosses remarked he had “too much backbone,” a claim that is literally true, as Olbermann has six lumbar vertebrae instead of the normal five.[28]
7 HappyWarrior  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:07:43am

re: #4 Obdicut

Fight! Fight!

Olbermann always sounds pompous. I’m betting this gets lots of coverage on the right-wing blogs.

Yeah pompous is another word I’d use for him. And I agree with your second statement too.

8 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:08:21am

wtf

9 HappyWarrior  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:08:30am

re: #6 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Is that from that relatively new book about ESPN?

10 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:08:53am

re: #9 HappyWarrior

Nah, wikipedia, which took it from his article.

11 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:10:26am

re: #4 Obdicut

Fight! Fight!

Olbermann always sounds pompous. I’m betting this gets lots of coverage on the right-wing blogs.

Despite sometimes actually having something interesting to say (his show about his father’s death was an example), I always had such a hard time getting over his massive blowhardness.

12 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:10:59am

KO is not really a bad guy, but Rachel Maddow is 3 heads above him.

13 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:11:52am

Oops. Mandy Nagy just slipped up and posted something blatantly prejudiced.

14 allegro  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:12:29am

Olbermann was a bright light on MSNBC during the Bush years when his was the ONLY mainstream media voice calling out the administration, especially with his Special Comments. They were brilliant. Likewise many of his Worst Person in the World segments. Bummer that his ego, like so many who achieve great media success, has caused him to flame out.

15 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:13:58am

re: #13 Charles Johnson

Oops. Mandy Nagy just slipped up and posted something blatantly prejudiced.

Because wanting to silence women is a uniquely “Arab” attribute?

She’s throwing chum in the water, hoping to watch a feeding frenzy.

16 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:14:17am

re: #13 Charles Johnson

She’s claiming that ‘the boys’ want to shut up the woman “of Arabic descent?”

17 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:15:48am
18 ramex  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:16:13am

Olbermann wants it two ways. He wants to be a serious journalist, spinning out lengthy and thoughtful editorials, and he wants to be a clown presenting “worst person in the world” awards, which always came across as more of the same dirty games coming from radical right-wing news hosts.

19 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:16:46am

re: #13 Charles Johnson

Oops. Mandy Nagy just slipped up and posted something blatantly prejudiced.

I think she meant that she’s of Arabic descent, so that’s why you persecute her. Which is just absurd.

20 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:18:07am

re: #19 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

21 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:18:32am

re: #19 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Her writing is as clear and fluent as Pam’s.

22 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:18:56am

re: #19 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

I think she meant that she’s of Arabic descent, so that’s why you persecute her. Which is just absurd.

I read it to be an accusation that anyone trying to “silence” a woman (as if that’s what is going on here), must by definition be of “Arabic decent.”

23 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:19:02am

Ah, there you go.

This is such a stupid victimology. Really? Liberals persecute her because she’s Arab? (But they don’t even know that, mostly.)

24 ReamWorks SKG  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:19:21am

He’ll never work in this town again.

25 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:19:41am

re: #22 Talking Point Detective

I read it to be an accusation that anyone trying to “silence” a woman (as if that’s what is going on here), must by definition be of “Arabic decent.”

Yes, but I knew beforehand that she had some Arabic roots, which is why I had another interpretation.

26 blueraven  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:19:44am

re: #19 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

I think she meant that she’s of Arabic descent, so that’s why you persecute her. Which is just absurd.

Its hard to parse exactly what she means. She has that Palinesque way of phrasing things.

27 William Barnett-Lewis  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:19:53am

Personally, I just wish KO would stfu about politics and go back to sports. I didn’t know who he as then and I could go back to that status quite happily.

28 HoosierHoops  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:20:44am

re: #20 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

ummm.. Mandy..Nobody cares what the fuck your last name is..or your heritage.. It’s your words..Not your name

29 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:20:58am

Because “Nagy” is such a well-known Arabic surname.

30 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:22:40am

re: #25 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Yes, but I knew beforehand that she had some Arabic roots, which is why I had another interpretation.

Could be - maybe she’ll clarify whether she was being blatantly bigoted or simply wrongly accusing others of bigotry.

31 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:23:22am

re: #30 Talking Point Detective

She already has, see #23.

32 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:27:18am

re: #31 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

She already has, see #23.

I’m still reading that as possibly going either way. It could be: “I’m not bigoted against Arabs, I’M ARABIC.”

It does suggest your reading, however.

I guess I just wasn’t prepared to assume she’s that completely illogical to build on one incorrect assumption (someone’s trying to “silence” her) by adding another (the reason is because she’s Arabic).

I won’t underestimate her stupidity again.

33 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:30:18am

re: #32 Talking Point Detective

Reading “are you trying to silence women of Arabic descent” is more probable than “are you trying to silence women because you’re of Arabic descent”. In the second version she knows that her opponents are not of Arabic descent; and if this is intended to be an insult, then “of Arabic descent” is too long-winded, “what are you, an Arab?” will do. The first version makes more sense, given that she has previously written of her Arabic descent.

34 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:31:08am

re: #33 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

oops, fxd second=first

35 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:32:33am

Hey all!

I have to groom the dogs and don’t want to.

What are you not doing?

36 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:33:30am

re: #32 Talking Point Detective

I guess I just wasn’t prepared to assume she’s that completely illogical to build on one incorrect assumption (someone’s trying to “silence” her) by adding another (the reason is because she’s Arabic).

Call it “Breitbart’s Razor.”

37 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:33:36am

re: #35 ggt

I am not mowing the lawn. It is raining. :)

38 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:33:43am

re: #35 ggt

Hey all!

I have to groom the dogs and don’t want to.

What are you not doing?

Some project… which I really have to finish.

39 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:33:53am

re: #33 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Reading “are you trying to silence women of Arabic descent” is more probable than “are you trying to silence women because you’re of Arabic descent”. In the second version she knows that her opponents are not of Arabic descent; and if this is intended to be an insult, then “of Arabic descent” is too long-winded, “are you an Arab” will do. The second version makes more sense, given that she has previously written of her Arabic descent.

You seem to be right about the interpretation - but just as a semantic argument, I don’t agree about the probability. I think a very probable reading was a sarcastic question to make a bigoted point (that would be in alignment with her political ideology).

“Why do you want to silence a woman, boys? [Is the explanation to that question because you are] Of Arabic decent?”

40 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:35:09am

re: #39 Talking Point Detective

You seem to be right about the interpretation - but just as a semantic argument, I don’t agree about the probability. I think a very probable reading was a sarcastic question to make a bigoted point (that would be in alignment with her political ideology).

“Why do you want to silence a woman, boys? [Is the explanation to that question because you are] Of Arabic decent?”

ah! Shows the need of a whole new international language for intent in writing. Emoticons help.

41 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:35:49am

re: #39 Talking Point Detective

Background knowledge changes probability. Bayesian stuff. Once you know about her Arabic descent, the first version is undoubtedly more probable.

42 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:39:18am

re: #41 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Background knowledge changes probability. Bayesian stuff. Once you know about her Arabic descent, the first version is undoubtedly more probable.

Vocabulary Word for the Day:

Bayesian:
refers to methods in probability and statistics named after Thomas Bayes (ca. 1702–1761), in particular methods related to statistical inference:

43 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:39:55am

re: #41 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Background knowledge changes probability. Bayesian stuff. Once you know about her Arabic descent, the first version is undoubtedly more probable.

Heh. Not sure about the “undoubtedly” part - given your set of assumptions/priors (that your own reading is more likely to be accurate because it’s your reading).

But for your analysis to be correct, we’d have to assume that she knows that others know that she’s of Arab decent. Given that she has a lifetime of experience realizing that people don’t recognize her name as Arab - I’d say that’s questionable. Her logic that people were attacking her because she’s Arabic would be based on a completely illogical assumpti….


Oh.

Wait.

Maybe you are correct.

44 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:41:17am

re: #43 Talking Point Detective

Heh. Not sure about the “undoubtedly” part - given your prior set of assumptions (that your own reading is more likely to be accurate because it’s your reading).

But for your analysis to be correct, we’d have to assume that she knows that others know that she’s of Arabic decent. Given that she has a lifetime of experience realizing that people don’t recognize her name as Arab - I’d say that’s questionable. Her logic that people were attacking her because she’s Arabic would be based on a completely illogical assumpti…

Oh.


Wait.

Maybe you are correct.

In the US,anyway, names indicate nothing. Especially to the younger generation. They might recognize a Latino name.

45 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:42:38am

re: #41 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Using the logic of the victimizer pretending they’ve been victimized:
“I can’t be supporting racists, I’m Arabic, so you’re the racist.”

46 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:42:52am

re: #43 Talking Point Detective

But the reason I know about her Arabic descent is because she mentioned it during the current blogwar several times (prior to the tweet), so that is not an issue.

Heh. Not sure about the “undoubtedly” part - given your prior set of assumptions/priors (that your own reading is more likely to be accurate because it’s your reading).

Incorrect, as I presented the logic of my reasoning.

47 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:43:13am

re: #44 ggt

In the US,anyway, names indicate nothing. Especially to the younger generation. They might recognize a Latino name.

Her name is Hungarian BTW.

48 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:43:52am

re: #47 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Her name is Hungarian BTW.

LOL

under what regime?

49 HoosierHoops  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:44:53am

re: #35 ggt

Hey all!

I have to groom the dogs and don’t want to.

What are you not doing?

I’m trapped.. I was going to get coffee this morning but the problem is I got to the main road and the College fair is going on.. Cars lined up as far as the eye can see. I turned around without my coffee… It’s that way on college football saturdays here also.. You are going to the game or nowhere.

50 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:45:27am

re: #46 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

But the reason I know about her Arabic descent is because she mentioned it during the current blogwar several times (prior to the tweet), so that is not an issue.

Incorrect, as I presented the logic of my reasoning.

You think that your analysis of what is “undoubtedly” more probable isn’t based on your own priors?

51 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:46:05am

re: #48 ggt

LOL

under what regime?

Imre Stupigy, I think.

—-

*** “Nagy” is pronounced as something like as [nadj] - [Link: www.forvo.com…]

52 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:46:36am

re: #50 Talking Point Detective

You think that your analysis of what is “undoubtedly” more probable isn’t based on your own priors?

My analysis is laid out above, you can address it.

53 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:46:57am

re: #49 HoosierHoops

If that is all you can do just sit back and enjoy the game.

54 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:47:19am

This I can grasp (and barely hold):

From a logical standpoint, Bayes’ rule makes a great deal of sense. If the evidence doesn’t match up with a hypothesis, I’m unlikely to believe it. On the other hand, if I think a hypothesis is extremely unlikely a priori, I’m also unlikely to believe it even if the evidence does appear to match up. For example, imagine that I have various hypotheses about the nature of a new-born baby of a friend of mine. If I’m presented with evidence in the form of a picture of a blond-haired baby girl, I’m likely to believe the baby is indeed a girl and does indeed have blond hair, and less likely to believe the baby is actually a brown-haired boy, since the evidence doesn’t agree with this hypothesis. On the other hand, if I’m presented with evidence of a picture of a baby dog, then I’m unlikely to believe the baby is actually a dog, since my prior belief in this hypothesis (that a human can give birth to a dog) is extremely small.

Now, when presented in the mathematical formula (which I can’t seem to copy and paste) it might as well be Klingon.

55 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:47:49am

re: #49 HoosierHoops

I’m trapped.. I was going to get coffee this morning but the problem is I got to the main road and the College fair is going on.. Cars lined up as far as the eye can see. I turned around without my coffee… It’s that way on college football saturdays here also.. You are going to the game or nowhere.

hmmmm

56 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:48:34am

I know someone whose last name is:

Nagey

pronounced Nae-ghee.

57 Stanghazi  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:48:45am

re: #35 ggt

Hey all!

I have to groom the dogs and don’t want to.

What are you not doing?

Killing time till the final four. Deciding if watching @ home or the pub… Oh so exciting.

58 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:49:10am

re: #52 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

My analysis is laid out above, you can address it.

I don’t agree with your assessment of what is more “long-winded.” I don’t find it to be a particularly objective prior.

59 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:50:15am

re: #49 HoosierHoops

I’m trapped.. I was going to get coffee this morning but the problem is I got to the main road and the College fair is going on.. Cars lined up as far as the eye can see. I turned around without my coffee… It’s that way on college football saturdays here also.. You are going to the game or nowhere.

Is there only one place to get coffee??

60 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:52:10am

re: #58 Talking Point Detective

I don’t agree with your assessment of what is more “long-winded.” I don’t find it to be a particularly objective prior.

It’s not a natural way of saying “what are you, an Arab?”, and it’s not a natural insult to opponents who are unlikely to be Arabic.

61 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:52:13am

re: #54 ggt

This I can grasp (and barely hold):

Now, when presented in the mathematical formula (which I can’t seem to copy and paste) it might as well be Klingon.

What I really don’t understand is WHY we need math for this.

62 Kronocide  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:54:12am

Chuckie - I’m the victim - you’re irrelevant - Chuckie - I’m the victim - you’re irrelevant Chuckie - I’m the victim - you’re irrelevant -Chuckie - I’m the victim - you’re irrelevant - Chuckie - I’m the victim - you’re irrelevant - Chuckie - I’m the victim - you’re irrelevant

Rinse, lather, repeat

63 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:54:25am
64 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:55:26am

re: #61 ggt

What I really don’t understand is WHY we need math for this.

I’d say that it’s somewhat of a fallacy to believe that math is an inherently necessary tool for understanding probability. Many times people use math to, in my view, substantiate misunderstandings of probability. A good example would be Sabermetrics in baseball.

That said, the sophistication of mathematics for understanding probabilities is sometimes awe inspiring for me (not that I understand the math either).

65 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:56:18am

re: #63 Killgore Trout

That is awful. Horrible

66 HoosierHoops  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:56:23am

re: #59 ggt

Is there only one place to get coffee??

There is no place available if you can’t get out of the driveway onto the road. I forgot about the fair…Winston and I will take a walk down there in a while.. He got to see an elephant last year and PGL is probably over there working a booth like last year.

67 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:57:57am

re: #64 Talking Point Detective

I’d say that it’s somewhat of a fallacy to believe that math is an inherently necessary tool for understanding probability. Many times people use math to, in my view, substantiate misunderstandings of probability. A good example would be Sabermetrics in baseball.

That said, the sophistication of mathematics for understanding probabilities is sometimes awe inspiring for me (not that I understand the math either).

I understand probablilty like this:

It will happen
It won’t happen
It might happen

68 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:58:19am

re: #63 Killgore Trout

Bombs in Thailand kill 14, wound 340

Wow.

More than 5,000 people have been killed in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces — Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala — since an Islamist insurgency flared in January 2004.

I hadn’t realized that the carnage is that extensive.

69 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:58:53am

Why Thailand?

70 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:59:06am

re: #67 ggt

I understand probablilty like this:

It will happen
It won’t happen
It might happen

Probability of you meeting a dinosaur on the street is 50%: either you do, or you don’t. /

71 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 11:59:30am

re: #69 ggt

Those three provinces used to be a Muslim sultanate.

72 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:00:05pm

re: #70 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Probability of you meeting a dinosaur on the street is 50%: either you do, or you don’t. /

Well, if I don’t change reality by opening the front door … .

73 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:00:18pm

re: #71 jaunte

Ahh. They want their land back.

74 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:00:48pm

re: #71 jaunte

Those three provinces used to be a Muslim sultanate.

And Anna was there with the King.

75 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:00:48pm

I wonder if it is more of an Islamist thing, or more of a nationalist-fueled-by-Islamism thing.

76 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:01:23pm

re: #73 Georgia Tech Aunt

Some time ago:

Sultan Ismail Shah (d. 1530?), founder of the kingdom according to one account, and the first ruler to convert to Islam. In fact, other rulers must have preceded him. It is also likely that during his reign the Portuguese first visited the port to trade, arriving in 1516. He was called King Phaya Tu Nakpa before his conversion.
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

77 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:01:27pm

re: #75 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

I wonder if it is more of an Islamist thing, or more of a nationalist-fueled-by-Islamism thing.

It’s a Power and Money thing clothed in religion and testosterone fueled.

78 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:02:44pm

South Thailand insurgency
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

79 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:02:55pm

re: #77 ggt

Well, in Chechnya, for example, it was at first a nationalist cause that morphed into an Islamist cause on the basis of nationalism. I wonder if it’s similar here.

80 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:03:10pm

re: #68 Talking Point Detective

Wow.

I hadn’t realized that the carnage is that extensive.

It’s been going of for years, mostly small attacks. These new bombs must have been huge to get that many wounded. I’m surprised the death toll wasn’t higher.

81 Stanghazi  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:03:28pm

re: #66 HoosierHoops

There is no place available if you can’t get out of the driveway onto the road. I forgot about the fair…Winston and I will take a walk down there in a while.. He got to see an elephant last year and PGL is probably over there working a booth like last year.

Hey, tell PGL hi. That’s cool.

Is firecat here? I see a good ending . I swear I’ve watched firecat mature right before my eyes. Hope for PGL.

82 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:04:24pm

Do I know PGL?

83 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:05:00pm

re: #82 ggt

ProGunLiberal?

84 Stanghazi  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:05:27pm

re: #82 ggt

Do I know PGL?

Pro gun lib. Had a bit of an event here. He’s a kid finding his way. LGF could assist greatly IMHO.

85 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:05:59pm

BTW, he’s no longer blocked:

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com…]

So it was a temporary measure by his request.

86 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:06:24pm

re: #60 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

It’s not a natural way of saying “what are you, an Arab?”, and it’s not a natural insult to opponents who are unlikely to be Arabic.

It’s entirely natural for frightwingers to insinuate that liberals are analogous to terrorists. It’s ubiquitous as well as natural (for them - in fact, I’d almost say it’s definitional for them).

I think it is entirely natural to say “[What are you] Of Arabic decent?”

It is natural to answer a rhetorical question after posing it.

I don’t think it is any more “natural” to say, “[Is the reason why you want to ‘silence’ me because I am] Of Arabic decent?” She could just as easily say “Do you want to silence me because I’m Arab?”

I’m not getting the relatively “long-winded” assessment - as a native speaker of English. And English has so many “natural” ways to say just about anything. I’m not saying that you’re necessarily wrong - I’m questioning your “undoubtedly” evaluation. If you have some computational linguistic analysis, I’ll stand down.

87 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:06:25pm

re: #79 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Well, in Chechnya, for example, it was at first a nationalist cause that morphed into an Islamist cause on the basis of nationalism. I wonder if it’s similar here.

Sort of. I have to wonder if these latest bombing might have had help from Iran after Thailand busted the Iranian bomb factory in Bangkok. There is a local nationalist cause but I’m sure they get some help from foreign backers.

88 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:08:41pm

re: #87 Killgore Trout

Chechen terrorists had a lot of outside help, from Saudi Wahhabis and whatnot. So it’s not outside of the realm of probability, but one would need some evidence.

89 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:10:23pm

re: #86 Talking Point Detective

Actually, I’ll stand down anyway - this is one deceased equine - although it’s been fun.

90 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:10:35pm

re: #84 Hoodies for Justice. T

Pro gun lib. Had a bit of an event here. He’s a kid finding his way. LGF could assist greatly IMHO.

Ah, I miss so much.

Tell him I said Hey!

91 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:11:29pm

re: #86 Talking Point Detective

frightwingers

PERFECT!

92 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:13:04pm

sabermetrics

Again, I ponder, WHY?

93 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:15:02pm

I’ve decided when people say they are against Socialism -many are really thinking of Totalitarianism.

They can’t seem to separate the differences between an economic system and a political system.

94 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:15:37pm

gtg. bbl.

95 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:16:09pm

re: #86 Talking Point Detective

It’s entirely natural for frightwingers to insinuate that liberals are analogous to terrorists. It’s ubiquitous as well as natural (for them - in fact, I’d almost say it’s definitional for them).

Then you will have no trouble showing several mainstream instances of right-wingers calling non-Arabic liberals Arabs as a form of insult.

I think it is entirely natural to say “[What are you] Of Arabic decent?”

I don’t. Why would the word “descent” be there? It’s redundant for an insult, especially compared to just “Arab”, so it’s not natural.

It is natural to answer a rhetorical question after posing it.

I don’t think it is any more “natural” to say, “Is the reason why you want to ‘silence’ me because I am] Of Arabic decent?” She could just as easily say “Do you want to silence me because I’m Arab?”

But it is natural, since she is not, strictly speaking, Arabic but has some Arabic roots. When she wrote “I’M ARABIC”, it was obviously to drive point home and shield herself from further accusations of racism. When she is not defensive, she writes about her grandparents/ancestors being Arabic.

I’m not getting the relatively “long-winded” assessment - as a native speaker of English. And English has so many “natural” ways to say just about anything. I’m not saying that you’re necessarily wrong - I’m questioning your “undoubtedly” evaluation. If you have some computational linguistic analysis, I’ll stand down.

I don’t know why this is important to you. “Undoubtedly” refers only to higher probability, not to interpetation as such.

96 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:16:11pm

meetooo!

dogs need to be worked-on.

97 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:16:38pm

re: #92 ggt

sabermetrics

Again, I ponder, WHY?

Heh. It’s fun - although sometimes it does seem like a concerted effort to strangle anything enjoyable out of being a fan. Baseball does, however, naturally lead to a constant evaluation of probabilities.

98 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:21:29pm

re: #92 ggt

sabermetrics

Again, I ponder, WHY?

OK, I thought that was comparing each others’… um, sabers. Yeah. //

99 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:23:32pm

OK, need to work a bit. bbl

100 Talking Point Detective  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:29:54pm

re: #95 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Then you will have no trouble showing several mainstream instances of right-wingers calling non-Arabic liberals Arabs as a form of insult.

You can’t possibly have missed this as a ubiquitous phenomenon w/r/t Obama?

I don’t. Why would the word “descent” be there? It’s redundant for an insult, especially compared to just “Arab”, so it’s not natural.

You make a good point. I guess it’s more likely that she’d use the qualifier if “decent” for herself than for someone she’s accusing of being misogynistic by virtue of being of Arabic

When she wrote “I’M ARABIC”, it was obviously to drive point home and shield from further accusations of racism. When she is not defensive, she write about her grandparents/ancestors being Arabic.

I think you’re making a pretty big jump there, based on subjective reasoning.

I don’t know why this is important to you. “Undoubtedly” refers only to higher probability, not to interpetation as such.

I find your assessment of what is “undoubtedly” of higher probability to be problematic. It is what it is.

Anyway, I’m out. Thanks for the discussion.

101 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:34:24pm

re: #67 ggt

I understand probablilty like this:

It will happen
It won’t happen
It might happen

If you want to predict a trend, confidence in the accuracy of the calculated trend is based on probabilities.

102 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:35:38pm

re: #70 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Probability of you meeting a dinosaur on the street is 50%: either you do, or you don’t. /

Whether you arrive home safely is 50%, either you do or you don’t.

///

103 _RememberTonyC  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:41:15pm

Every time Olbermann gets a job, the ending is the same. I worked with him and I have experienced him first hand. His bosses at Current TV might not be the best, but Keith is the worst.

104 prairiefire  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:43:34pm

re: #103 _RememberTonyC

Every time Olbermann gets a job, the ending is the same. I worked with him and I have experienced him first hand. His bosses at Current TV might not be the best, but Keith is the worst.

I’ve read rumors that he is a tyrant to work for.

105 _RememberTonyC  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:47:35pm

re: #104 prairiefire

I’ve read rumors that he is a tyrant to work for.

He is really smart, but has no regard for others and is a total narcissist. He has no social skills and will think nothing of making young female colleagues cry with his cruel and insensitive remarks. Nobody likes him.

106 Stanghazi  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:59:03pm

What’s your best crock recipe?

107 Stanghazi  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 12:59:30pm

Crock pot. Oops

108 engineer cat  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:00:28pm

Sue Al Gore

a boy named sue ought to be tough enough to go back to 2000 and save us from w and dick

109 prairiefire  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:03:35pm

re: #107 Hoodies for Justice. T

Crock pot. Oops

I ate an apricot jelly, chicken broth, and chicken breast crock pot dish once that was delish. I do not have the recipe. Maybe you could do a search.

110 dragonfire1981  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:03:42pm

Hey Charles, I don’t understand what Dan Riehl is on about in this tweet:

111 engineer cat  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:07:23pm

re: #93 ggt

I’ve decided when people say they are against Socialism -many are really thinking of Totalitarianism.

They can’t seem to separate the differences between an economic system and a political system.

yes!

but also:

socialism meaning #1: nationalized health and pension arrangements

socialism meaning #2: government owns and operates all major industries

so, if you support social security and medicare, you love stalin and castro

112 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:07:43pm

re: #110 dragonfire1981

Hey Charles, I don’t understand what Dan Riehl is on about in this tweet …

He’s retweeting my comment about him. That’s what “RT” means.

113 Eclectic Infidel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:08:43pm

re: #8 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

wtf

[Embedded content]

Mandy is a dishonest twit.

114 Stanghazi  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:13:49pm

re: #109 prairiefire

I ate an apricot jelly, chicken broth, and chicken breast crock pot dish once that was delish. I do not have the recipe. Maybe you could do a search.

Thanks girl. I decided in the last minute to do my cream of mush soup. Comfort!

115 Eclectic Infidel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:18:41pm

re: #109 prairiefire

I ate an apricot jelly, chicken broth, and chicken breast crock pot dish once that was delish. I do not have the recipe. Maybe you could do a search.

[Link: busycooks.about.com…]

the above recipe isn’t exactly like the one you described but ingredients can always be swapped out. sounds delicious though.

116 Eclectic Infidel  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:20:24pm

Actually I’ve met people like Mandy before, and I think what is really going on is that she’s emotionally immature. The blatant dishonesty is a dead giveaway, come to think of it now.

117 Stanghazi  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:22:08pm

re: #115 Eclectic Infidel

[Link: busycooks.about.com…]

the above recipe isn’t exactly like the one you described but ingredients can always be swapped out. sounds delicious though.

Hey! You still in culinary school? How’s it going? Pls share!

118 engineer cat  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:24:18pm

i would tend to think ‘nagy’ is a hungarian name

‘-gy-’ in hungarian is pronounced similarly to a ‘J’

hungarians are ‘magyars’

119 HappyWarrior  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:26:07pm

re: #118 engineer cat

i would tend to think ‘nagy’ is a hungarian name

‘-gy-’ in hungarian is pronounced similarly to a ‘J’

hungarians are ‘magyars’

I believe Nagy is the most common surname in Hungary actually. I only know it’s a Hungarian surname due to Imre Nagy, one of the leaders of the failed 1956 Hungarian Uprising and there was a baseball pitcher named Charles Nagy for the Cleveland Indians in the 90’s too.

120 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:29:00pm

re: #118 engineer cat

Also Arabic; maybe the similar sounds are unrelated:
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

121 HappyWarrior  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:30:13pm

re: #120 jaunte

Also Arabic; maybe the similar sounds are unrelated:
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

Interesting, I never knew it could be an Arabic name.

122 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:30:52pm

re: #121 HappyWarrior

It looks like a fairly common one: [Link: www.google.com…]

123 HappyWarrior  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:31:19pm

re: #122 jaunte

It looks like a fairly common one: [Link: www.google.com…]

Learn something new everyday.

124 jaunte  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:32:25pm

“Why do you want to silence Hungarian Arabs?”

125 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:37:33pm

re: #100 Talking Point Detective

You can’t possibly have missed this as a ubiquitous phenomenon w/r/t Obama?

There was no such phenomenon (using it as an insult). Those who said that meant that. Like, factually. There was a (dumb wingnut) argument made that he was allegedly from some tribe with Arabic roots, hence an Arab. Nagy does *not* think her opponents are Arabs, so why would she bring up “Arabic descent” out of nowhere?

I think you’re making a pretty big jump there, based on subjective reasoning.

I think I’m making a logical conclusion based on reasonable premises.

126 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:38:36pm

re: #120 jaunte

Also Arabic; maybe the similar sounds are unrelated:
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

Heh, didn’t know that. In any case, hers is a Hungarian, from her Hungarian side of the family.

127 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:45:55pm

Hear, hear.

[Link: www.balloon-juice.com…]

You have to work to be this obtuse. In each and every case listed above, the police and authorities have arrested and charged the murderer, or are working nonstop to discover who the murderers are and track them down and prosecute them.
That’s one reason why the Trayvon Martin case is different. We know precisely who killed him, yet he walks free and clear. That is why the outrage is so loud. Trayvon Martin was killed for the crime of walking while black, the cops did nothing to investigate his death and appear to be actively impeding any investigation, they basically gave his killer a pat on the back before sending him on his way, and then they slapped a John Doe tag on his corpse and threw him into the morgue’s lost and found pile.

While I’m not yet totally convinced about the bleak picture painted about the cops here (knowing that they did interrogate witnesses, took his gun, took his clothes for analysis and wanted to charge him with manslaughter), the difference between this and other cases is obvious.

128 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 1:54:25pm

re: #118 engineer cat

i would tend to think ‘nagy’ is a hungarian name

‘-gy-’ in hungarian is pronounced similarly to a ‘J’

hungarians are ‘magyars’

It is somewhat similar to J ([dʒ]/dzh), but without the pronounced last part. If I had to put a nearest pronounceable approximant, it’s [dj], “soft d”, which English lacks (-дь in Russian).

Here’s how it is pronounced by a native speaker:

[Link: www.forvo.com…]

The actual IPA phonetic transcription is [nɒɟ], but I would have no idea how to pronounce ɟ if I haven’t already known.

129 engineer cat  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 2:20:22pm

re: #128 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

It is somewhat similar to J ([dʒ]/dzh), but without the pronounced last part. If I had to put a nearest pronounceable approximant, it’s [dj], “soft d”, which English lacks (-дь in Russian).

Here’s how it is pronounced by a native speaker:

[Link: www.forvo.com…]

The actual IPA phonetic transcription is [nɒɟ], but I would have no idea how to pronounce ɟ if I haven’t already known.

hungarians tell me that the way to do it is like this: ‘-J-’ in english is pronounced with the tongue touching the place where the palate meets the front teeth. ‘-dy-’ is similar except that the middle of your tongue touches the roof of your mouth

130 SanFranciscoZionist  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 2:31:38pm

re: #3 HappyWarrior

At the core, I probably agree with Keith more than I don’t but he always came across as too hyperbolic for me.

I have to confess that I only ever saw the MadTV skit about him.

131 SanFranciscoZionist  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 2:36:23pm

re: #15 Talking Point Detective

Because wanting to silence women is a uniquely “Arab” attribute?

She’s throwing chum in the water, hoping to watch a feeding frenzy.

Is she saying they’re ‘of Arabic descent’, or that she is?

132 SanFranciscoZionist  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 2:37:33pm

re: #23 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Ah, there you go.

[Embedded content]This is such a stupid victimology. Really? Liberals persecute her because she’s Arab? (But they don’t even know that, mostly.)

But God help anyone who suggests that her friends and colleagues are hostile to Arabs.

133 SanFranciscoZionist  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 2:37:56pm

re: #29 Liberty Hedgehog (fka Freedom Alligator)

Because “Nagy” is such a well-known Arabic surname.

Hungarian, no?

134 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 3:05:45pm

re: #133 SanFranciscoZionist

Hungarian, no?

Sarcasm. Which half-failed in the end, since it turned out there is such a Arabic surname. Half - because it’s not well-known and her name is specifically Hungarian.

135 CriticalDragon1177  Sat, Mar 31, 2012 6:46:34pm

Charles Johnson,

This is interesting. Will the brawl between Olbermann and Gore be televised. Olbermann and Gore, the cage match! :)


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