Romney Memorizes Zingers

Pathetic
Politics • Views: 39,881

The funniest zingers are spontaneous responses to a situation — witty ripostes that happen off the cuff.

So naturally, Romneybot2012 is being hard-coded with a series of memorized zingers, written in FORTRAN by the best zinger-programmers in the GOP.

Mr. Romney’s team has concluded that debates are about creating moments and has equipped him with a series of zingers that he has memorized and has been practicing on aides since August. His strategy includes luring the president into appearing smug or evasive about his responsibility for the economy.

Prediction: most of these memorized laugh lines will be references to right wing Obama-hate memes, like “Obama ate dog!” and “Obama apologizes for America!” If the Romneybot’s programmers are really crafty, though, they’ll find a way to work in the birth certificate while still maintaining plausible deniability. The Holy Grail of right wing zingerdom.

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294 comments
1 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:44:18am

Bet you didn't know that FORTRAN is the best language for zinger programming.

2 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:46:07am

What could go wrong?

3 Kronocide  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:46:16am

Romney is an insult to the voting populace. And the voters who vote for him are an insult to the free world.

I'm still waiting for the bottom on this descent into shallow cynicism and crass politics based on ideology.

4 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:46:48am

"I'm a gremlin... I'm leavin' the party... and I want everyone to stuff the icechest."

5 Kronocide  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:49:20am
As the candidates prepare, the first trick for Mr. Obama is finding time. His rehearsals have started late and ended early because of events like the tumult in the Middle East. He showed up at one practice just after speaking at a ceremony for the four Americans killed in Libya, and aides found that his mind was elsewhere.

“The ability to find solid blocks of time to do nothing but prepare for debate is almost impossible for a president,” said Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director. “The world doesn’t wait for debate prep.”

Not noticed by the WingBots forwarding emails building on the Campaigner in Chief meme.

6 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:50:32am

So basically instead of debating he plans on memorizing a sort of comedy routine. Clearly this shows that Romney is incapable of thinking on his feet.

7 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:52:19am
8 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:52:37am

Let's hope Romney's handlers are having those zingers vetted by a real comedian. Someone like Steven Crowder or Greg Gutfeld. *cough*

9 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:52:43am

Mitt Romney has advanced to an automated Etch-A-Sketch.

10 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:53:57am

re: #6 Gus

He's going to be operating under some incredible pressure to appeal to base and undecideds with the topics under debate. I wonder who the genius is who decided to lumber him with a collection of memorized lines that might not fit the situation.

11 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:55:32am

re: #10 jaunte

He's going to be operating under some incredible pressure to appeal to base and undecideds with the topics under debate. I wonder who the genius is who decided to lumber him with a collection of memorized lines that might not fit the situation.

Fehrnstrom? Whoever did it's a pretty stupid idea. Look at this already. It's a freaking joke. Memorizing "zingers" for a debate? Who is he, Snooki?

12 bratwurst  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:56:52am

re: #11 Gus

Memorizing "zingers" for a debate? Who is he, Snooki?

No, but he is a fan!

13 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:56:56am

re: #11 Gus

"Heh heh, there you go again!"

ZING!

14 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:59:22am

re: #11 Gus

Fehrnstrom? Whoever did it's a pretty stupid idea. Look at this already. It's a freaking joke. Memorizing "zingers" for a debate? Who is he, Snooki?

"Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" was a prepared singer. Politicians do this all the time. Pro-tip: Obama's memorizing zingers too.
/MBF

15 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:00:14pm

re: #14 Killgore Trout

"Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" was a prepared singer. Politicians do this all the time. Pro-tip: Obama's memorizing zingers too.
/MBF

Here's my zinger.

Barrack Obama has a plan for America. Mitt Romney has zingers.

16 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:00:18pm

re: #13 jaunte

"Heh heh, there you go again!"

ZING!

I'm not sure if that one was prepared ahead of time or if Ronnie was thinking on his feet.

17 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:01:19pm

re: #16 Killgore Trout

This year's version of that will probably be something along the lines of "You can't blame everything on George Bush."

18 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:01:31pm

re: #14 Killgore Trout

Pro-tip: Obama's memorizing zingers too.
/MBF

And you know this, how?

19 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:02:13pm

re: #14 Killgore Trout

"Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" was a prepared singer. Politicians do this all the time. Pro-tip: Obama's memorizing zingers too.
/MBF

Heh. Didn't work out so well for Bentsen did it.

20 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:02:26pm

re: #17 jaunte

This year's version of that will probably be something along the lines of "You can't blame everything on George Bush."

I'll place my money on Romney finding some way to tell Obama "you didn't build that"

21 researchok  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:02:40pm
Obama advisers are acutely aware that Mr. Romney used debates to dispatch Republican rivals one by one during the primary campaign. When they watched Mr. Romney’s recent interview with “60 Minutes,” they noticed that his answers were succinct and well rehearsed, a sign of the hours he had invested.

The president’s advisers said they were less interested in one-liners and were focused instead on making Mr. Obama more accessible

Pretty much sums it up.

You don't have to agree with everything but when a man says 'let's talk substance over zingers' he's a man worth listening to.

22 bratwurst  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:03:11pm

Wow, turns out Bentsen just KNEW that Quayle would invoke the name of John F. Kennedy. We sure could have used someone that prescient as VP.

23 researchok  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:03:16pm

re: #20 Killgore Trout

OK, that made laugh.

24 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:03:36pm

re: #21 researchok

Pretty much sums it up.

You don't have to agree with everything but when a man says 'let's talk substance over zingers' he's a man worth listening to.

Like I was saying. Sometimes it helps to read articles.

25 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:03:38pm

I cannot find it but I do remember Romney's sons being interviewed and one of them said that their dad was a prankster. This is par for the course.

26 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:04:12pm

Frankly, I think using Zingers would give any candidate an unfair advantage.

27 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:04:37pm

I'm going to bet that Romney at least once tries too hard to force a zinger into a space that won't allow it.

28 researchok  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:05:21pm

re: #26 wrenchwench

Frankly, I think using Zingers would give any candidate an unfair advantage.

I look at that and put on weight.

29 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:05:31pm

From another article on the subject:

"President Obama is a very gifted speaker with substantial debate experience," said Romney senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom.

He didn't build that!

30 bratwurst  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:05:47pm

re: #27 jaunte

I'm going to bet that Romney at least once tries too hard to force a zinger into a space that won't allow it.

That is my thought. The risk-reward ratio of trying to program this man with canned laugh lines doesn't seem real good to me.

31 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:06:43pm

re: #30 bratwurst

Let's hope the censor's bleep him. //

32 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:06:47pm

Massachusetts Gubernatorial Debate, 2002

33 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:08:44pm

re: #18 Charles Johnson

And you know this, how?

It's common knowledge that many of these zingers are prepared ahead of time.

How important is it for candidates to prepare for a zinger like that?

It’s critically important. Debates typically are about big moments. And those moments are memorable. Many times they’re prepared; sometimes they happen spontaneously.

In 1988, I was the campaign manager for Lloyd Benson in the vice presidential campaign. We had one of the greatest moments ever.

That was against the vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle. The famous line was…

“You’re no Jack Kennedy!” And I think when Senator Benson delivered that to Senator Quayle, it came at just the right moment in the debate. It was about an hour into the debate. That was the third time Quayle had been asked by the reporters a question about whether or not he’d be prepared to serve as president if called upon, and each of those times he really didn’t answer the question. When Benson delivered that line to him, it just devastated him — and that moment lives on.

[These lines] tend to be sound bites, like what you just heard from Senator Brown. That’s a a classic sound bite. I’m sure that was something they thought about and prepared for and delivered as part of their strategy. You’ve got to be able to deliver those moments, those sound bites in a way that doesn’t look scripted or prepared but looks spontaneous and real.

34 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:09:12pm

re: #32 jaunte

Massachusetts Gubernatorial Debate, 2002

[Embedded content]

Is that for real? Damn, what a douche.

I know. I'm being redundant.

35 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:09:14pm
I’m sure that was something they thought about and prepared for and delivered as part of their strategy.
36 ElCapitanAmerica  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:10:22pm

re: #1 Charles Johnson

Bet you didn't know that FORTRAN is the best language for zinger programming.

I think you got it wrong, RomneyBot and his zingers are more appropriately implemented in COBOL.

37 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:11:16pm

re: #33 Killgore Trout

Where does that say anything about Obama memorizing zingers just like Romney?

38 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:11:45pm

Cspan video of Mass Gubernatorial Debate
[Link: www.c-spanvideo.org...]

At 10:00... Mitt: "I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose, and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard."

39 researchok  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:12:11pm

re: #33 Killgore Trout

I don't doubt any of that but I nowadays I believe people are much more media savvy- and they demand more substance.

Blame the internet, cable, whatever.

40 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:13:18pm

re: #33 Killgore Trout

Do you realize that the NYT article linked above specifically says that Obama is not focusing on "zingers?" It's not Think Progress, you could actually read it.

41 JamesWI  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:13:26pm

re: #33 Killgore Trout

It's common knowledge that many of these zingers are prepared ahead of time.

Strange that Lloyd Bentsen's "campaign manager" can't remember Bentsen's last name.

42 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:14:55pm

Mitt Romney... is going to try to make the president appear smug...

How the hell is the most smug man in the country going to make anyone in his vicinity appear more smug than himself?

Hang on to your butts, this is gonna be one hell of a show !!!

43 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:15:23pm

Romney had plenty of zingers when he didn't know he was on camera.

44 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:16:29pm

re: #42 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Mitt Romney... is going to try to make the president appear smug...

How the hell is the most smug man in the country going to make anyone in his vicinity appear more smug than himself?

Hang on to your butts, this is gonna be one hell of a show !!!

Romney should use Botox to keep his upper lip from forming a sneer.

45 researchok  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:16:58pm

re: #32 jaunte

No free passes for anyone no matter what their last name is or which party they belong to.

Hell, if some rich guy turned me on to a few tax loopholes and shelters I could exploit, I'd say thanks.

46 Randall Gross  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:17:51pm

That "you're no Jack Kennedy" zinger was just so devastating that Quayle slunk off to be a lowly Vice President while Lloyd Bentsen realized his life long dream of losing his state for the ticket in a presidential election.

47 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:19:02pm

re: #46 Randall Gross

That "you're no Jack Kennedy" zinger was just so devastating that Quayle slunk off to be a lowly Vice President while Lloyd Bentsen realized his life long dream of losing his state for the ticket in a presidential election.

Quayle had the last laugh on that one, which was probably a very unusual experience for him.

48 tricstmr  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:20:14pm

dear gods.. let this be true that they are clueless enough to think that memorized zingers are the key... such a superficial strategy is bound to lead to at least a couple of big gaffes that will--given the expectations game ( [Link: www.buzzfeed.com...] ) that now has it set that Romney's gonna have to crush Obama to even seem like he won--cause him major problems.

Seriously--I do hope that he relies on these zingers and then Obama totally reagans (yes--I'm going to make that a verb) him with "There you go again..."

It would be exquisite...

49 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:21:00pm

re: #44 wrenchwench

Romney should use Botox to keep his upper lip from forming a sneer.

Especially after he delivers one of his more clever well rehearsed, off the cuff zingers.

50 sagehen  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:21:36pm

re: #14 Killgore Trout

"Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" was a prepared singer. Politicians do this all the time. Pro-tip: Obama's memorizing zingers too.
/MBF

Palin's debate prep team definitely told her to work in "say it ain't so, Joe"...

51 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:24:06pm

re: #50 sagehen

Palin's debate prep team definitely told her to work in "say it ain't so, Joe"...

It was so painful to watch her deliver that line, that I cringed.
And I wanted her to lose...

52 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:24:18pm

re: #32 jaunte

Massachusetts Gubernatorial Debate, 2002

[Embedded content]

Mitt Romney. Master zinger.

53 Page 3 in the Binder of Women  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:24:30pm
54 researchok  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:25:36pm

re: #52 Gus

Mitt is manager (read: numbers guy), not a people person.

'm trying to be kind.

55 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:26:02pm
57 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:28:38pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

Let's hope Romney's handlers are having those zingers vetted by a real comedian. Someone like Steven Crowder or Greg Gutfeld. *cough*

Or Dennis Miller.

58 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:30:30pm

re: #40 Charles Johnson

Do you realize that the NYT article linked above specifically says that Obama is not focusing on "zingers?" It's not Think Progress, you could actually read it.

I don't believe that Obama's team would be politically negligent enough to implement a zingerless debate strategy. This is the kind of thing that wins debates. Mitt's statements are going to be predictable and it would be a waste to not prepare witty retorts (aka zingers). It's just the way politics works.

59 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:34:38pm

re: #58 Killgore Trout

I don't believe that Obama's team would be politically negligent enough to implement a zingerless debate strategy. This is the kind of thing that wins debates. Mitt's statements are going to be predictable and it would be a waste to not prepare witty retorts (aka zingers). It's just the way politics works.

Mitt Romney has barely laid out any plans during this campaign. Romney has no plan other than maligning the president. Obama is preparing for a debate while Mitt Romney is preparing to attempt to trick the American people with one liners.

Obama is genuine while Romney, being multiple choice Mitt, has to practice his "part" like an actor rehearsing for a play.

60 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:34:53pm

You sure Romney wasn't programmed in FORTH???

61 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:35:00pm

re: #58 Killgore Trout

Who said anything about "a zingerless debate strategy?"

You said Obama was also memorizing zingers, sans evidence, and I pointed out that the NYT article says he's not focusing on zingers, which strongly suggests he's not doing any memorizing.

It's easy cynicism to say they're both doing the same thing, and it's also intellectually lazy.

62 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:35:42pm

D Madison programs the best zingers.

63 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:36:17pm

Dennis Miller.
Does anyone really know what he's talking about?

64 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:37:25pm

re: #55 Gus

Classic: at 3:45, his answer to the question, "What is your greatest personal failing?"

"Mr. Romney, can I interrupt you? This was a question about your greatest personal failing."

65 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:37:31pm

re: #15 Gus

Here's my zinger.

Barrack Obama has a plan for America. Mitt Romney has zingers.

To borrow a line from Bruce Campbell in Army of Darkness, Romney (and Ryan) ain't leadin' but two things now, Jack and shit.

And Jack left town.

66 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:40:13pm

re: #64 jaunte

Classic: at 3:45, his answer to the question, "What is your greatest personal failing?"
[Link: www.c-spanvideo.org...]

Not seeing that in the main video. Is that another video there?

67 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:41:30pm

re: #66 Gus

Sorry, I put in the wrong link. Fixed now.

68 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:43:25pm

Fox's Bolling: Al Qaeda Conducted Libya Attack Because Obama "Has Been Spiking The Football On Killing Bin Laden"

The we should appease them...? Not have killed him? What?
Silly wingnuts.

69 A Mom Anon  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:44:07pm

A zinger isn't something you can memorize and just throw into a conversation. This isn't a fucking sitcom. A zinger,for it to be effective,has to be spontaneous, which requires being fast on your feet and actually being smart and having a sense of timing.

Jesus,this is freaking insulting. These debates are going to be devastating to the Romney camp. It's like this nitwit thinks he's cramming for finals with a cheat sheet after not being in class the whole semester. Yeah,that's real damned Presidential. WTF is WRONG with these people???

70 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:44:26pm

re: #67 jaunte

Sorry, I put in the wrong link. Fixed now.

Thanks. He's like a beauty pageant contestant.

71 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:44:49pm

re: #69 A Mom Anon

A zinger isn't something you can memorize and just throw into a conversation. This isn't a fucking sitcom. A zinger,for it to be effective,has to be spontaneous, which requires being fast on your feet and actually being smart and having a sense of timing.

Jesus,this is freaking insulting. These debates are going to be devastating to the Romney camp. It's like this nitwit thinks he's cramming for finals with a cheat sheet after not being in class the whole semester. Yeah,that's real damned Presidential. WTF is WRONG with these people???

"It's just been revoked."

72 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:46:06pm

Reminded me of this.
Zingers!

73 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:46:13pm

re: #70 Gus

"My greatest personal failing is that I make everyone jealous with my extreme awesomeness."

74 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:49:15pm

re: #71 Varek Raith

"It's just been revoked."

Peter Griffin?
I'm beginning to think i watch waaay too much TV.

75 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:49:40pm

re: #68 Varek Raith

Fox's Bolling: Al Qaeda Conducted Libya Attack Because Obama "Has Been Spiking The Football On Killing Bin Laden"

The we should appease them...? Not have killed him? What?
Silly wingnuts.

He should have killed him and then told everybody it was suicide.

76 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:50:49pm

re: #69 A Mom Anon

Obama is much, much better at thinking on his feet than Romney. Contrary to what some people are saying, the most effective debater is not the one who can regurgitate prepared lines, but the one who prepares thoroughly, thinks quickly, and makes a case by connecting both to the intellect and the emotions of the audience.

Romney is at a terrible disadvantage, and a story about him "memorizing zingers" is a perfect illustration why.

77 A Mom Anon  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:51:15pm

re: #71 Varek Raith

I really just am freaked the hell out by this crazy ass stuff. It's like Romney truly doesn't understand what the President actually DOES. This isn't a game and that's how they're treating it.

78 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:53:10pm

And yes, I must confess that I was on high school and college debate teams.

79 Kragar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:54:54pm

re: #76 Charles Johnson

Obama is much, much better at thinking on his feet than Romney. Contrary to what some people are saying, the most effective debater is not the one who can regurgitate prepared lines, but the one who prepares thoroughly, thinks quickly, and makes a case by connecting both to the intellect and the emotions of the audience.

Romney is at a terrible disadvantage, and a story about him "memorizing zingers" is a perfect illustration why.

Romney: "NO ONE TOLD ME AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WAS INVOLVED! ABORT, RETRY, FAIL? ABORT, RETRY, FAIL?"

80 A Mom Anon  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:55:14pm

re: #76 Charles Johnson

Exactly,this is what is freaking me out about Mitt. There just seems to be no sense of how big the job is and what it's going to require of him. This isn't sitting on the board of some corporation or even like running a big company. He's going to be required to do more than memorize zingers and have perfectly coiffed hair. This isn't some 9-5 job where you get to boss everyone around.

81 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:56:47pm

Scott Walkers son discovers how badly his dad fucked up the bus system in Milwaukee

82 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:57:33pm
83 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:57:46pm

Ann: Honey, I'm worried about your mental well-being.

Mitt: Ah, don't worry Ann. I'm going to memorize a bunch of zingers for the debate. If you need me I'll be in the basement.

84 A Mom Anon  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:57:54pm

re: #81 Amory Blaine

Too bad the poor kid doesn't know anyone who could help out with that or anything....

85 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:58:41pm

re: #81 Amory Blaine

Scott Walkers son discovers how badly his dad fucked up the bus system in Milwaukee

[Embedded content]

His dad of course was the Milwaukee county executive.

86 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:58:52pm

Notice that the article says Romney's been working on memorizing his most excellent zingers for two months.

87 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:59:36pm

He's been "practicing" on his aides. And I'll bet they laugh themselves silly every time.

88 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 12:59:40pm

re: #83 Gus

Ann: Honey, I'm worried about your mental well-being.

Mitt: Ah, don't worry Ann. I'm going to memorize a bunch of zingers for the debate. If you need me I'll be in the basement.

*rides car elevator down*

89 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:00:11pm

re: #86 Charles Johnson

That's either...
1. A lot of zingers
2. I forget the second thing

90 Interesting Times  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:00:32pm

re: #83 Gus

Ann: Honey, I'm worried about your mental well-being.

91 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:00:32pm

re: #88 wrenchwench

*rides car elevator down*

How quaint.
My house as an elevator too. A space elevator.

92 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:02:35pm

re: #86 Charles Johnson

Notice that the article says Romney's been working on memorizing his most excellent zingers for two months.

I can't wait for his stand up routine. Wonder what the League of Women Voters would have to say.

93 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:03:13pm
94 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:03:49pm
95 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:03:56pm
His sparring partner, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, channeling Mr. Obama, has gone after him repeatedly, to the point of being nasty. The goal is to get Mr. Romney agitated and then teach him how to keep his composure, look presidential.

Mitt will be totally throw off when Obama is all cool and nice to him.

96 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:05:38pm

Like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

97 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:05:50pm

re: #95 wrenchwench

Mitt will be totally throw off when Obama is all cool and nice to him.

Sen. Rob Portman, playing the part of Clint Eastwood's empty chair.

98 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:07:57pm

"You want me to do what to myself?"

99 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:08:40pm

Does MittBots comedy matrix run on punch cards?

100 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:09:01pm

The complete book of zingers / Croft M. Pentz

Aphorisms and apothegms.
Axioms.
Maxims.

101 garhighway  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:09:24pm

re: #20 Killgore Trout

I'll place my money on Romney finding some way to tell Obama "you didn't build that"

which would be an opening for BHO to point out what a deceptive meme that is.

102 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:10:23pm

re: #95 wrenchwench

...to the point of being nasty.

They really are rehearsing against an imaginary Obama. I can't recall ever seeing Obama act "nasty" in public.

103 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:10:47pm

re: #99 Amory Blaine

Does MittBots comedy matrix run on punch cards?

..........................."I am proud to run on my record."

[match detected]

104 Kragar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:12:01pm

re: #86 Charles Johnson

Notice that the article says Romney's been working on memorizing his most excellent zingers for two months.

"Mr. Romney, what do you have to say to those people who say you haven't given any specifics to your policies?"

"Your mom! (Nailed it!)"

105 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:12:22pm

re: #97 Charles Johnson

Sen. Rob Portman, playing the part of Clint Eastwood's empty chair.

Senator Rob Portman

Zingers! Very mechanical.

106 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:12:48pm

re: #101 garhighway

which would be an opening for BHO to point out what a deceptive meme that is.

Yes, I expect Obama is also preparing counter-zingers to the antipated zingers. This is what political consultants do.

107 Hercules Grytpype-Thynne  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:12:53pm

re: #63 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Dennis Miller.
Does anyone really know what he's talking about?

Trust me, you don't want to know.

108 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:13:12pm

re: #68 Varek Raith

Fox's Bolling: Al Qaeda Conducted Libya Attack Because Obama "Has Been Spiking The Football On Killing Bin Laden"

The we should appease them...? Not have killed him? What?
Silly wingnuts.

RWNJs love to game any discussion about President Obama and especially on the subject of OBL: by authorizing the strike that took OBL out, Obama invited reprisals against American citizens/assets from Al Qaeda/other terrorists. Had he not, they would shout to the heavens that President Obama (and, by extension, the rest of the Democratic Party) is soft on national defense and on prosecuting the War on Terrorism.

Obama can't win with these fuckers, who are so desperate to stack the deck in their favor, because they can't win on sheer facts.

109 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:14:38pm

I also predict that if Obama does get a good zinger all the people insisting he's not working on zingers will think it was the most devastating zinger ever in the history of zingerdom.

110 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:15:38pm

Researcher says Android flaw allows data to be wiped out


I thought at first it was about Mitt.

111 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:15:55pm

Maybe Obama should work up a good Morgan Freedman impression or something. That would kill!

112 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:16:16pm

re: #109 Killgore Trout

I also predict that if Obama does get a good zinger all the people insisting he's not working on zingers will think it was the most devastating zinger ever in the history of zingerdom.

[Troutrage]I don't see what all the OUTRAGE is all about. I went over to Daily Kos and they're getting all moonbatty about this too. Mitt Romney is simply going to do what all politicians do including Obama.[/Troutrage]

113 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:16:25pm

re: #109 Killgore Trout

I also predict that if Obama does get a good zinger all the people insisting he's not working on zingers will think it was the most devastating zinger ever in the history of zingerdom.

And perhaps that it was ad libbed.

114 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:17:31pm

re: #113 wrenchwench

And perhaps that it was ad libbed.

Of course.

115 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:18:44pm
116 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:19:07pm

re: #105 Gus

Senator Rob Portman

[Embedded content]

Zingers! Very mechanical.

He falls flat from the first zinger.

117 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:19:38pm

[Link: www.time.com...]

Looking through the lists of famous debate zingers I'd guess about 60% were practiced in advance. Probably more.

118 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:19:45pm

The comedy matrix does not compute ad libbed responses. It does however allow the shuffling of the punch cards for simulation.

119 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:20:23pm
120 krypto  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:21:30pm

FORTRAN??? Does Mitt's program include the proper

"CALL EXIT
END"

statements?

121 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:21:53pm

re: #115 Gus

Sarah Palin Tea Party Speech Zingers

[Embedded content]

I don't think Palin so much memorized zingers and catch phrases. Her entire thought process was catch phrases and zingers.

122 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:22:33pm

re: #105 Gus

Senator Rob Portman

[Embedded content]

Zingers! Very mechanical.

The perfect guy to play Obama. Even looks a little like him.

/

123 bratwurst  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:23:04pm
124 A Mom Anon  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:23:47pm

re: #109 Killgore Trout

Oh stop it. If Obama does get a dig in it's not going to be some rehearsed childish nonsense. Obama can actually think on his feet and if something like that happens,it will be the result of a natural flow of the conversation in the debate,not some pre-rehearsed nitwit 10 yr old bully boy horseshit.

Romney should be taking this time to educate himself on the debate topics. Instead he's acting like he's hosting a Comedy Central Roast. If he gave a shit about this country he'd take this time to educate himself. That he isn't says quite a bit about his character and humanity.

125 gwangung  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:24:17pm

re: #117 Killgore Trout

[Link: www.time.com...]

Looking through the lists of famous debate zingers I'd guess about 60% were practiced in advance. Probably more.

No doubt.

But to be EFFECTIVE, you can't recite them mechanically; you have to know when to insert them into the flow of speech for maximum effect. Most importantly, you have to know when NOT to use them and to sit on them when they aren't going to be effective.

I simply think Romney doesn't have a shred of this latter ability.

126 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:24:30pm

I'd pay big money for video of Portman rehearsing with Romney as "nasty Obama."

127 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:24:37pm

re: #109 Killgore Trout

I also predict that if Obama does get a good zinger all the people insisting he's not working on zingers will think it was the most devastating zinger ever in the history of zingerdom.

I'd like to see them both come on stage dressed like
Image: rodeo+clown.jpg

I mean, why not. They'll both be trying to distract and toss bull!!
/

128 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:24:51pm

re: #112 Gus

[Troutrage]I don't see what all the OUTRAGE is all about. I went over to Daily Kos and they're getting all moonbatty about this too. Mitt Romney is simply going to do what all politicians do including Obama.[/Troutrage]

Sorry, even Dkos isn't interested in this one. I guess they're still recovering from the outrage that Mitt's wife thinks he's mentally unstable.

129 JamesWI  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:25:38pm

Looks like Rasmussen is finally starting to realize that all he is doing is making himself even more of a joke. After keeping it tied for the whole time Romney was flailing and falling in every other poll, he had it +1 Obama yesterday, +2 today.

130 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:25:42pm

re: #126 Charles Johnson

I'd pay big money for video of Portman rehearsing with Romney as "nasty Obama."

Nasty Obama? Is that a wingnut action figure or something?

131 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:26:39pm

re: #128 Killgore Trout

Sorry, even Dkos isn't interested in this one. I guess they're still recovering from the outrage that Mitt's wife thinks he's mentally unstable.

[Link: www.dailykos.com...]

132 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:27:23pm

I like the Strawman. Now we're against using zingers in a debate. That's not the point. The point is that that clown Mitt Romney announced to the world via the NY Times that his debate prep is by and large made up of practicing zingers. That's atypical since most debate prep involves being clear on your facts and policy positions. Romney is not known for having any wry wit or even delivering zingers other than his pathetic gaffes on the campaign trail. Maybe he'll get tongue tied again and call Russia the Soviet Union.

133 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:28:32pm

re: #130 Amory Blaine

Nasty Obama? Is that a wingnut action figure or something?

Comes with his own BC forgery kit and a packet of arugula seeds.

134 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:29:05pm

re: #132 Gus

I like the Strawman. Now we're against using zingers in a debate. That's not the point. The point is that that clown Mitt Romney announced to the world via the NY Times that his debate prep is by and large made up of practicing zingers. That's atypical since most debate prep involves being clear on your facts and policy positions. Romney is not known for having any wry wit or even delivering zingers other than his pathetic gaffes on the campaign trail. Maybe he'll get tongue tied again and call Russia the Soviet Union.

I wish Obama had time to grow his hair long enough to let it fall over one eye. We know what that does to Mitt.

135 Hercules Grytpype-Thynne  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:29:14pm

re: #128 Killgore Trout

Sorry, even Dkos isn't interested in this one. I guess they're still recovering from the outrage that Mitt's wife thinks he's mentally unstable.

You keep using that word.

136 A Mom Anon  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:30:11pm

re: #132 Gus

It's freaking insulting,IMO. That's truly how little he and the party think of us,and the actual,you know JOB of running the country.

I hope Obama mops the floor with him,wrings him out and then mops some more.

137 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:30:38pm

re: #135 Hercules Grytpype-Thynne

You keep using that word.

Which word?

"even"?
"the"?

wait

"from"!!

138 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:31:46pm
139 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:32:35pm
The League of Women Voters is withdrawing sponsorship of the presidential debates...because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. It has become clear to us that the candidates' organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.
—League President Nancy M. Neuman, LWV October 03, 1988
140 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:35:12pm

re: #137 sattv4u2

Which word?

"even"?
"the"?

wait

"from"!!

Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong.

The word in question is "outrage"...but I'm sure that you already knew that.

141 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:35:18pm

re: #138 Gus

The best of the GOP debate zingers

[Embedded content]

Deep.

Hah! I hope Romney breaks out his "payphone world" zingers. That was some funny-ass shit.

142 bratwurst  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:35:19pm
143 recusancy  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:35:34pm

re: #128 Killgore Trout

Sorry, even Dkos isn't interested in this one. I guess they're still recovering from the outrage that Mitt's wife thinks he's mentally unstable.

You really are becoming a caricature.

144 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:36:10pm

re: #140 Gert Fröbe

Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong.

The word in question is "outrage"...but I'm sure that you already knew that.

Oh,, THAT word

Well, I'm OUTRAGED!!!

(with an obligatory side order of Harrummph!!)

145 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:37:01pm

re: #138 Gus

Romney: "We've gone from a pay phone world to a cell phone world, and President Obama keeps jamming quarters into the pay phone thinking things are going to get better... it's not connected Mr. President!"

Wacky.

146 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:38:03pm

re: #138 Gus

The best of the GOP debate zingers

[Embedded content]

Deep.

Deep indeed...deep shit (for Romney).

147 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:38:29pm

Metaphor needs work. See me for a brief discussion after class.

148 Tigger2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:39:47pm

re: #126 Charles Johnson

I'd pay big money for video of Portman rehearsing with Romney as "nasty Obama."

Damn, wish I could find them for you. lol

149 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:40:23pm

re: #145 jaunte

Romney: "We've gone from a pay phone world to a cell phone world, and President Obama keeps jamming quarters into the pay phone thinking things are going to get better... it's not connected Mr. President!"

An indelible image. Barack Obama at a payphone at an abandoned gas station in the middle of a desert somewhere with no phone lines, pumping quarters into the phone and yelling "Hello? HELLO? Is anyone there!!!? Can't anyone make it BETTER?!"

150 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:41:51pm

Maybe that bomb cartoon that Bibi used at the UN was really just a zinger.

//

151 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:42:23pm

So indelible that I actually watched the debate and had no memory whatsoever of Romney's PayPhone World zinger until I saw that clip.

152 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:42:25pm

re: #143 recusancy

You really are becoming a caricature.

Zing!

153 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:43:01pm

re: #150 Gus

No. It is a doozy. //

154 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:44:02pm

re: #153 PhillyPretzel

No. It is a doozy. //

Box came in the mail. It's labeled "ACME Zinger Kit."

155 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:44:55pm

re: #152 Killgore Trout

Zing!

I prefer the ones with the yellow cake/ frosting over the chocolate or reddish/jellie ones

Image: zingers.jpg

156 JamesWI  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:45:15pm
157 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:45:23pm

governor’s done a great job of convincing people that the economy’s bad,” said Brett O’Donnell, a Republican debate coach who worked briefly for Mr. Romney. “He’s got to do a better job of making the case that President Obama’s directly responsible for that. That’s got to be his focus. If it becomes about anything else, then I think the governor’s at a disadvantage.”

they're still not getting the point that most americans don't agree with the message that they're so concerned about getting across

if romney manages to communicate his plan clearly and succinctly, he'll lose even worse

158 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:46:26pm

All Obama has to do to win the debates, is drop a logic bomb.
ZING!!!
I wonder if androids' heads really do explode?

159 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:46:39pm

re: #156 JamesWI

[Embedded content]

I look forward to Romney's zingers when he has to answer a question about the war dead or disabled veterans...

"That Libya, man I tell ya, it's a real zinger. So, the ambassador walks into a bar..."

160 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:47:04pm

"Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!"

"You talkin' to me?"

"Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls!"

"Up your nose with a rubber hose!"

161 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:48:04pm

re: #160 jaunte

"Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls!" Love the line from Laugh-in.

162 JamesWI  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:48:08pm
163 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:48:15pm

As for Ann Romney's statement that she's concerned for Mitt's mental well-being, I actually thought it was kind of touching. Obviously not cleared with their handlers, and probably not a very wise thing to say, but it seemed honest.

Of course, the next question is why she thinks that might be a problem if Romney's elected. Obviously there's some kind of experience that prompts saying something like that.

164 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:49:03pm

It's yet another GOP gimmick.

165 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:49:16pm

Romney holds 'private meetings' ahead of debate
Hmmm...very secretive. I suspect he's up to something nefarious.

166 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:50:06pm

Romney Clears Debate Hurdle Of Likability And Presidentialness

now viewed by most as likable, presidential, clueless ignorant asshole

167 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:50:18pm

re: #165 Killgore Trout

Romney holds 'private meetings' ahead of debate
Hmmm...very secretive. I suspect he's up to something nefarious.

They're going through his underwear drawer trying to decide which pair is the most magical!

168 gwangung  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:50:47pm

re: #165 Killgore Trout

Romney holds 'private meetings' ahead of debate
Hmmm...very secretive. I suspect he's up to something nefarious.

Or stupid.

Hm. That may be redundant for Romney.

169 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:51:32pm

re: #163 Charles Johnson

As for Ann Romney's statement that she's concerned for Mitt's mental well-being, I actually thought it was kind of touching. Obviously not cleared with their handlers, and probably not a very wise thing to say, but it seemed honest.

Of course, the next question is why she thinks that might be a problem if Romney's elected. Obviously there's some kind of experience that prompts saying something like that.

It's long hours, stressful situation, hard decisions. We've all seen these guys age 20 years after 8 in office. It's a tough gig.

170 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:51:55pm

re: #164 Gus

It's yet another GOP gimmick.

It might be that they've never had the opportunity to test such an advanced simulacrum of a human being in such a high-stress position. They're not sure how the servers will react to the traffic.

171 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:53:12pm

Hundreds of Libyans handover their weapons

Hundreds of Libyans converged Saturday on a main square in Benghazi and another in Tripoli in response to a call from the military to hand over their weapons, some driving in with armored personnel carriers, tanks, vehicles with mounted anti-aircraft guns and hundreds of rocket launchers.

172 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:53:16pm

re: #170 Charles Johnson

It might be that they've never had the opportunity to test such an advanced simulacrum of a human being in such a high-stress position. They're not sure how the servers will react to the traffic.

That's what this private meeting is about. Give the scientists and engineers a chance for the Mittbot 2012™ to try out its new Zinger Interface.

173 JamesWI  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:53:33pm

New Ad Ties New York House Candidate To Todd Akin

A new advertisement for Dan Maffei, a Democrat running for Congress in upstate New York, links his opponent to controversial Senate candidate Todd Akin. It's the first ad to do so in an election cycle where Akin, who was nearly pushed out of his race over his "legitimate rape" comment, has become a bludgeon for Democrats to use in other races.

The ad focuses on a bill that would redefine rape as "forcible rape," which both Akin and incumbent Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle cosponsored.

I know I just said it yesterday, but I'd like to thank Todd Akin again, for staying in the race. And an extra-special thank you to the Republican Party leaders for embracing him once more.

174 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:54:15pm

re: #171 Killgore Trout

some driving in with armored personnel carriers, tanks, vehicles with mounted anti-aircraft guns and hundreds of rocket launchers

Just some extra stuff that was lying around the house

175 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:54:37pm

problem: how to communicate to republicans that gummint hiring people to do useful things will result in them being employed

why is this not clear?

176 Tigger2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:55:16pm

re: #165 Killgore Trout

Romney holds 'private meetings' ahead of debate
Hmmm...very secretive. I suspect he's up to something nefarious.

They are probably discussing the secret specifics of his secret policies that will remain secret until after he elected.

177 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:56:05pm

re: #172 Gus

That's what this private meeting is about. Give the scientists and engineers a chance for the Mittbot 2012™ to try out its new Zinger Interface.

I wonder if Mitt imported Chinese engineers...
Heh.

178 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:57:16pm

re: #177 Reverend Mother Ramallo

I wonder if Mitt imported Chinese engineers...
Heh.

I thought he only exported jobs!

179 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:57:38pm

re: #174 sattv4u2

some driving in with armored personnel carriers, tanks, vehicles with mounted anti-aircraft guns and hundreds of rocket launchers

Just some extra stuff that was lying around the house

Who would have thought guys with rocket launchers and APC's would give them up when asked? Pretty impressive.

180 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:58:52pm

re: #179 Killgore Trout

Who would have thought guys with rocket launchers and APC's would give them up when asked? Pretty impressive.

All kidding aside, it really is

I wonder what the back story is

181 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 1:58:54pm

re: #165 Killgore Trout

Romney holds 'private meetings' ahead of debate
Hmmm...very secretive. I suspect he's up to something nefarious.

Thing is, Romney really has been secretive about many things in this campaign, and I'm sure even you can think of some of those examples. Being secretive is part of his style and he's actually pretty unapologetic about it.

182 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:00:35pm

re: #179 Killgore Trout

Who would have thought guys with rocket launchers and APC's would give them up when asked? Pretty impressive.

It's fantastic to see a popular anti-Islamist movement spring up in Libya and toss out those creeps. The killing of Amb. Stevens was the final straw.

183 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:03:22pm

re: #180 sattv4u2

All kidding aside, it really is

I wonder what the back story is

I think after the attack killing the ambassador the militias realized the game was up. Someone also linked to a very interesting article a while ago about the sectarian divide in Lybia. Many of the militias are salifists while most of the people in Lybia have their own strain of Islam. The salifists realized they had little hope of retaining any power.

184 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:04:08pm

i went to prep school, and it took me a few years of washing dishes, short order cooking, and other jobs like red's AAA wrecking crew and cleaning offices to wake up and realize just exactly how privileged my upbringing was

i mean, at the time i graduated high school i actually thought all americans went to college - that's how out of touch a person can be

anne romney is a nice lady, but, just like her husband, she is unusually far away from understanding how little they know about ordinary americans

185 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:04:58pm

re: #183 Killgore Trout

I think after the attack killing the ambassador the militias realized the game was up. Someone also linked to a very interesting article a while ago about the sectarian divide in Lybia. Many of the militias are salifists while most of the people in Lybia have their own strain of Islam. The salifists realized they had little hope of retaining any power.

That.
But many of those militias sprang up after Gadhafi was ousted. In that the gov't is still in it's infancy i'm surprised the militias trust them so soon

186 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:05:40pm

re: #178 sattv4u2

I thought he only exported jobs!

Well, he also encourages the immigration of skilled workers.

187 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:07:49pm

it seems many people are unaware that FORTRAN stands for Fucking Out-of-touch Romney TRANslator

188 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:07:58pm

re: #184 engineer cat

anne romney is a nice lady, but, just like her husband, she is unusually far away from understanding how little they know about ordinary americans

It's their unknown unknown. And it's the unknown unknowns that always get you.

189 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:08:30pm

re: #188 wrenchwench

It's their unknown unknown. And it's the unknown unknowns that always get you.

I did not know that!
/

190 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:08:44pm
191 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:09:13pm

re: #179 Killgore Trout

Who would have thought guys with rocket launchers and APC's would give them up when asked? Pretty impressive.

It is very impressive, especially since there are collectors and Second Amendment fanatics here that would give their eyeteeth for military hardware like that.

192 Charles Johnson  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:09:42pm

The Libyan people aren't just trading one set of dictators for another though - they're specifically rejecting the Islamists' attempts to impose their fundamentalist rules on Libyan society.

Some of the people who helped toss out the militias were also in the demonstrations against the anti-Islam video, but were horrified when the Islamists showed up with heavy weapons and killed Chris Stevens. It seems like it may have been a real wake-up call for some.

193 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:09:49pm

re: #190 Gus

Global Citizen Festival -- LIVE!

[Embedded content]

5 words

DON'T EAT THE BROWN ACID

194 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:10:15pm

re: #188 wrenchwench

It's their unknown unknown. And it's the unknown unknowns that always get you.

What about the superunknowns?

195 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:10:39pm

re: #188 wrenchwench

It's their unknown unknown. And it's the unknown unknowns that always get you.

Yes, these are things we don't know we don't know.
Or something.

196 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:10:58pm

here's my debate moderator question:

"mr romney, how do you hope to help middle class americans when it's self evident that you don't know the first thing about them?"

197 Killgore Trout  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:14:15pm

re: #192 Charles Johnson

The Libyan people aren't just trading one set of dictators for another though - they're specifically rejecting the Islamists' attempts to impose their fundamentalist rules on Libyan society.

Some of the people who helped toss out the militias were also in the demonstrations against the anti-Islam video, but were horrified when the Islamists showed up with heavy weapons and killed Chris Stevens. It seems like it may have been a real wake-up call for some.

I was thinking about the relationship to the Mo' movie protests too. Governments that promoted the protests like Egypt, Pakistan (and I think Indonesia) are still happy to exploit Islamist populism, anti-west, anti-Israel sentiment to cover for their own shitty governance. It's a cheap and easy exploit. Governments like Libya seem more serious about tackling real problems and fostering a stable society.

198 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:15:07pm

re: #196 engineer cat

here's my debate moderator question:

"mr romney, how do you hope to help middle class americans when it's self evident that you don't know the first thing about them?"

But...but he ate tuna off of an ironing board...

199 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:16:17pm

re: #192 Charles Johnson

The Libyan people aren't just trading one set of dictators for another though - they're specifically rejecting the Islamists' attempts to impose their fundamentalist rules on Libyan society.

Some of the people who helped toss out the militias were also in the demonstrations against the anti-Islam video, but were horrified when the Islamists showed up with heavy weapons and killed Chris Stevens. It seems like it may have been a real wake-up call for some.

It's just a bit frustrating and gutwrenching that four of our consular staff had to die at the hands of those militias before this happened, though.

200 ReamWorks SKG  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:16:18pm

re: #1 Charles Johnson

I would have thought one of those NLP languages would be better.

201 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:19:11pm

re: #197 Killgore Trout

I was thinking about the relationship to the Mo' movie protests too. Governments that promoted the protests like Egypt, Pakistan (and I think Indonesia) are still happy to exploit Islamist populism, anti-west, anti-Israel sentiment to cover for their own shitty governance. It's a cheap and easy exploit. Governments like Libya seem more serious about tackling real problems and fostering a stable society.

Good points, but lets not get ahead of ourselves

As positive and encouraging as the story is, it does say "hundreds" turned in their weapons while at the same time the estimate is that over 200,000 people in Libya are armed.

I do hope this is the 1st wave of turning in stuff and that it catches on, because (again, from the article) ",,, (the gov't) has attempted a number of disarmament schemes, including offering people jobs in exchange for handing over their weapons, or offering to buy guns. Those offers have shown few results."

202 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:21:23pm

Speaking of weapons

Think I'll go down to the kitchen and arm myself with a Wok

Beef and Broccoli with a side of pot stickers

203 Ming  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:21:38pm

I'm only guessing, but I suppose the following may be part of Romney's strategy. Any zinger that Romney delivers in a debate immediately becomes possible fodder for (1) a pro-Romney TV ad, and (2) a Fox News broadcast. For example, if Romney delivers 20 zingers, there may be one or two that, when taken out of context (waaaay out of context!) make him look good, when replayed endlessly on TV.

204 sauceruney  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:26:00pm

re: #26 wrenchwench

The raspberry ones with coconut are good, too

205 Randall Gross  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:26:23pm

Free concert live from Central Park:
[Link: www.youtube.com...]

206 sagehen  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:26:47pm

re: #184 engineer cat

anne romney is a nice lady, but, just like her husband, she is unusually far away from understanding how little they know about ordinary americans

Privilege only goes so far to explaining that sort of obliviousness. I mean, c'mon, I was about 9 when I caught on that our maid was having to support a family on what we paid to have our house cleaned... and then she still had to clean her own house too.

207 Randall Gross  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:28:05pm

Band of Horses, Foo Fighters & more later

208 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:28:55pm

re: #204 chris joseph

The raspberry ones with coconut are good, too

GAHHH

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

209 Randall Gross  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:30:03pm

oops : Band of Horses starting now

210 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:33:06pm

re: #209 Randall Gross

oops : Band of Horses starting now

I'll take Seabiscuit in the 5th

211 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:33:15pm

re: #206 sagehen

Privilege only goes so far to explaining that sort of obliviousness. I mean, c'mon, I was about 9 when I caught on that our maid was having to support a family on what we paid to have our house cleaned... and then she still had to clean her own house too.

Empathy is kind of a mystery. Is it learned? Can it be learned? If so, it must be taught.

212 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:36:24pm

re: #211 wrenchwench

Empathy is kind of a mystery. Is it learned? Can it be learned? If so, it must be taught.

Nature vs. nurture: it's been debated by psychologists and sociologists for decades about many things.

I lean towards nature.

213 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:37:08pm

re: #212 Gert Fröbe

Nature vs. nurture: it's been debated by psychologists and sociologists for decades about many things.

I lean towards nature.

You're a pee-in-the-woods kinda guy, huh!?!

214 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:38:34pm

re: #206 sagehen

Privilege only goes so far to explaining that sort of obliviousness. I mean, c'mon, I was about 9 when I caught on that our maid was having to support a family on what we paid to have our house cleaned... and then she still had to clean her own house too.

yes, i agree - the roosevelts and the kennedy, not to mention good old ny guvnah rockefellah, all grew up wealthy but they knew what's what

215 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:41:01pm

re: #213 sattv4u2

You're a pee-in-the-woods kinda guy, huh!?!

I do "water the grass" from time to time.

///

216 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:42:54pm

re: #215 Gert Fröbe

I do "water the grass" from time to time.

///

You're neighbors must be,,, impressed!

217 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:46:00pm

re: #212 Gert Fröbe

Nature vs. nurture: it's been debated by psychologists and sociologists for decades about many things.

I lean towards nature.

Has to be some of each. If you don't think something can be learned, you won't try to teach it. Since we don't know the limits of nature or nurture, we should always try.

218 Amory Blaine  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:47:21pm

re: #163 Charles Johnson

As for Ann Romney's statement that she's concerned for Mitt's mental well-being, I actually thought it was kind of touching. Obviously not cleared with their handlers, and probably not a very wise thing to say, but it seemed honest.

Of course, the next question is why she thinks that might be a problem if Romney's elected. Obviously there's some kind of experience that prompts saying something like that.

That 3:00 am call is from Walgreens looking for a prozac refill.

219 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:58:20pm

re: #216 sattv4u2

You're neighbors must be,,, impressed!

Only because I have an:


///
220 sattv4u2  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 2:59:26pm

re: #219 Gert Fröbe

Only because I have an:

[Embedded content]


///

So in other words, you're a big dick!
/

221 simoom  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:03:27pm

The Debate:

Romney: (zinger, Zinger.)

Obama: "It's been reported that my opponent has been memorizing debate zingers since August, and let me just congratulate my opponent's speech writers on that last one -- very clever!"

...

Romney: (Zinger, Zinger!)

Obama: "Ah, another excellent zinger Gov. Romney, well done!"

...

Romney: (Zinger, ZINGER!)

Obama: "I just want to congratulate my opponent again on how well he's memorized his prepared one-liners, though as the American people are well aware, being president is about far more than memorizing a series of zingers."

222 Kragar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:09:22pm

Spend last night and an hour this morning getting 2 travel cases, a game bag, and a box of extra stuff ready for a game.

Drive 30 minutes, park, unload all that and walk into the store.

See every table full as they are demoing the latest edition of a collectable card game.

Turn around, reload the car, drive home.

Sigh.

223 b_sharp  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:12:44pm

re: #217 wrenchwench

Has to be some of each. If you don't think something can be learned, you won't try to teach it. Since we don't know the limits of nature or nurture, we should always try.

Our brain is rebuilding itself all the time. The nature part is in the structure which determines base functions like emotions, fright or fight, hunger, etc.. Even areas like those used for sight and hearing modify themselves.

224 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:14:26pm
225 bratwurst  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:18:56pm
226 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:20:04pm

re: #222 Kragar

Spend last night and an hour this morning getting 2 travel cases, a game bag, and a box of extra stuff ready for a game.

Drive 30 minutes, park, unload all that and walk into the store.

See every table full as they are demoing the latest edition of a collectable card game.

Turn around, reload the car, drive home.

Sigh.

That sucks...

227 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:21:32pm

The Dangerous Conspiracy Theory Behind Mitt Romney’s Lyme Disease Mailers
By Judd Legum on Sep 29, 2012 at 6:08 pm

...

So what’s the point of this Romney mailer?

A highly influential social conservative in Virginia, Michael Farris, believes that people can contract “chronic Lyme disease” that must be treated with long-term antibiotics. The Center for Disease Control says there is no such thing as “chronic Lyme disease” and “long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease has been associated with serious complications.”

...

The Romney flier advocates providing “local physicians with protction from lawsuits to ensure they can treat the disease with the aggressive antibiotics that are required.” Farris’ wife recieves treatment from “Dr. Joseph Jemsek, who moved his practice to Washington, D.C., after losing his medical license in North Carolina for treating patients with long-term antibiotics.”

228 wrenchwench  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:23:54pm

re: #227 Gus

The Dangerous Conspiracy Theory Behind Mitt Romney’s Lyme Disease Mailers
By Judd Legum on Sep 29, 2012 at 6:08 pm

Sorry for not RTWT, but does that mean protection from suits for malpractice?

229 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:24:26pm

Mike Farris and the Lyme Disease quacks behind Loudoun’s “Initiative”
Creationism advocate–Christian home-schooling proponent and now self-proclaimed Lyme Disease authority Michael Farris.

If you were puzzled as I was why the Loudoun Republican Party suddenly decided that it was up to them to save us from Lyme Disease, it turns out that the answer is in our own backyard: the moving force behind this odd business is none other than home-schooling and creationism-advocate (and politically well-connected Republican lawyer) Michael Farris, head of the unaccredited Bible college he founded in Purcellville for like-minded home-schooled Christians, Patrick Henry “College.”

Contninues.

230 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:24:59pm

re: #228 wrenchwench

Sorry for not RTWT, but does that mean protection from suits for malpractice?

I don't know. Randian medical care I suppose.

231 sauceruney  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:26:40pm

Maybe they could get Triumph the insult-comic dog to moderate the debate.

232 Kragar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:26:46pm

re: #229 Gus

"unaccredited Bible college" = Snake Oil University

233 b_sharp  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:27:25pm

re: #229 Gus

Mike Farris and the Lyme Disease quacks behind Loudoun’s “Initiative”
Creationism advocate–Christian home-schooling proponent and now self-proclaimed Lyme Disease authority Michael Farris.

Leave it to the creationists to completely ignore science.

234 BongCrodny  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:27:37pm

re: #227 Gus

The Dangerous Conspiracy Theory Behind Mitt Romney’s Lyme Disease Mailers
By Judd Legum on Sep 29, 2012 at 6:08 pm

Just the type of person you want to have the attention of the President.

A fucking faith healer.

235 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:28:54pm

"Leeches are an established treatment for...everything!"
-Mike Farris

236 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:29:58pm

re: #235 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Oy. Back to the dark ages of medicine. half/

237 b_sharp  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:30:13pm

re: #235 Reverend Mother Ramallo

"Leeches are an established treatment for...everything!"
-Mike Farris

That sucks.

238 Kragar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:30:37pm

Do you want a big government program over seeing healthcare over every American or do you want you local faith healer making sure you've found Jesus before laying his hands on you?

Decision 2012.

239 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:30:42pm

re: #237 reflections of a raging redneck

That sucks.

That's the plan !

240 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:32:05pm
241 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:32:22pm

re: #239 Reverend Mother Ramallo

That's the plan !

Gotta get those humours aligned !

242 Kragar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:32:28pm

re: #235 Reverend Mother Ramallo

"Leeches are an established treatment for...everything!"
-Mike Farris

Drunkard: I was at the festival of the vernal equinox, and I guess I had a little too much mead.. and I darted out in front of an oxcart. It all happened so fast. They couldn't stop in time.

Theodoric of York: Well, you'll a lot better after a good bleeding.

Drunkard: But I'm bleeding already!

Theodoric of York: Say, whos the barber here?

243 Kragar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:34:53pm

re: #241 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Gotta get those humours aligned !

TREPANATIONS FOR EVERYONE!

244 b_sharp  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:37:07pm

re: #243 Kragar

TREPANATIONS FOR EVERYONE!

Drill baby drill.

245 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:37:24pm

Romney's science and medicine adviser.

246 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:37:29pm

re: #243 Kragar

TREPANATIONS FOR EVERYONE!

I need that like I need a hole in the head.
Er... wait...

247 BongCrodny  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:40:52pm

From Michael Farris's Wiki page:

Farris graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science from Western Washington University (formerly Western Washington State College). He received a law degree and graduated with honors from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington.Farris received an LLM in public international law (with merit) from the University of London in 2011.
He married in 1971 and has ten children and ten grandchildren.[1] He and his wife Vickie began home schooling in 1982, leading him to establish the Home School Legal Defense Association in 1983.
He was also ordained as a Baptist minister in 1983.

From Loudoun County Supervisor Janet Clarke's website:

I have been discussing our problem and working with Congressman Frank Wolf and Chairman of the Virginia Lyme Disease Task Force, Dr. Michael Farris, to bring solutions to Loudoun County. Both of these men have endorsed my candidacy and, if I am elected, we will work together when my term begins to implement common sense strategies to fight Lyme in the Blue Ridge District.

I'm really curious to know how you get from A to B here.

248 b_sharp  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:42:53pm

It should be easy to convince a portion of the right to pray their vote in.

249 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:45:44pm
250 b_sharp  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:47:12pm

If the CDC says there is no such thing, but a creationist says there is, then the CDC is just a bunch of alymeists with medical degrees. Big medical, anti-lime elitists, suppressing real pseudoscience.

251 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:51:15pm

Some information on Lyme Disease. [Link: encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com...]

252 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:53:37pm
253 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:55:08pm

Professors to Participate in Creation Conference
May 25th, 2012
By Danielle Builta.
CONTACT: David Halbrook
Patrick Henry College

“Were Adam and Eve real people? Does creation really matter?”

The answer is yes, according to Dr. Neal Doran, Dr. Stephen McRoberts, and dozens of other scientists and theologians who are participating in the “Origins: 2012” conference, July 26-28, hosted by the Creation Biology Society (CBS) and Creation Geology Society (CGS) this summer on Patrick Henry’s campus.

CBS, a society of young–age scientists, was co–founded by Doran in 1996 and holds a yearly conference featuring peer-reviewed scientific research.

While the society isn't known to lay audiences, it does contain several respected scientists. For example, Dr. Kurt Wise, one of the original founders, was called by evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould, “the only creationist who is a scientist.”

Unlike other “polemical” creationist organizations that attack Darwinism, CBS aims “to construct positive alternative models for understanding the history of life on earth.

“Darwin’s problem with creationism," said Doran, "was that it did not provide insight into how the world operated."

Before he went to college, Doran was sent to a creationist apologetic conference as a graduation gift from friends. In college, however, “every idea at the conference was obliterated in one semester by biologists and geologists who truly understood the science.”...

254 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:55:29pm

re: #252 Gus

Some folks are going overboard.

255 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:56:25pm

Social Darwinism at Root of Evolutionary Theory
by Dr. Gene Edward Veith
November 16, 2010
Patrick Henry College

Prior to coming to PHC, at which he served briefly as Dean of Academic Affairs before becoming Provost, Dr. Gene Edward Veith was the Culture Editor of World Magazine. He is well-known in Christian, conservative, and homeschooling circles through his writing books and speaking on various aspects of Christianity and culture. Read full bio.

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was never just about biology. Nor were its consequences just about religion. Rather, the origins and effects of Darwinism were largely cultural and moral.

Darwin’s Origin of Species was published in 1859, which was at the height of the Industrial Revolution and the Capitalist Revolution. The dynamic free market economy, characterized by intense competition in which weak companies went broke and the strong companies thrived, had brought unparalleled economic and technological progress. It was a small step to speculate that animal species compete and progress in a similar way. What Darwin did was to apply the principles of free market capitalism to biology.

Immediately after Darwin’s theories were published, people were relating his biological theories back to economics and, more importantly, to ethics. Herbert Spencer, the great popularizer of Darwinism, coined the phrase “survival of the fittest,” applying it not only to animals but to human society...

256 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:56:48pm

re: #227 Gus

The Dangerous Conspiracy Theory Behind Mitt Romney’s Lyme Disease Mailers
By Judd Legum on Sep 29, 2012 at 6:08 pm

BOTH SIDES DO IT11!11!ty

257 Gus  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:57:11pm

re: #256 Varek Raith

BOTH SIDES DO IT11!11!ty

I don't see the outrage.

//

258 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:57:48pm

re: #247 BongCrodny

From Michael Farris's Wiki page:

From Loudoun County Supervisor Janet Clarke's website:

I'm really curious to know how you get from A to B here.

I'm guessing either a diploma mill or Farris otherwise pulled the "Dr." out of his ass.

259 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:58:55pm

re: #258 Gert Fröbe

Dr can also be Juris Doctor. A law degree.

260 bratwurst  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 3:59:22pm

Good news! Glenn Greenwald didin't block me on Twitter...he just thinks I am criticizing him "harshly" by suggesting some people don't take him seriously and he frequently exaggerates to make a point!

261 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:02:08pm

re: #260 bratwurst

Good news! Glenn Greenwald didin't block me...he just thinks I am criticizing him "harshly" by suggesting some people don't take him seriously and he frequently exaggerates to make a point!

I don't take him seriously because of his hyperbole.
You can tell him that.
:)

262 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:03:12pm

Take a gander.
[Link: www.guardian.co.uk...]

263 BongCrodny  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:05:07pm

From Christian World magazine, April 5, 2008:

Last month at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New Orleans, several dozen leaders of the "Christian right" met to strategize next steps-but the meeting inevitably included discussion of missteps in the GOP presidential campaign. Michael Farris of the Home School Legal Defense Association, an early supporter of Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, chided the group for cold-shouldering his candidate until it was too late.

No fucking way. I would never have believed this guy was a Huckabee supporter if you gave me eleventy guesses.

264 engineer cat  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:05:53pm

self proclaimed Lyme Disease authority

ticks, leeches, what's the difference?

265 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:07:34pm

re: #264 engineer cat

Leeches are larger than ticks. He should try do some actual research. He might learn something.

266 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:08:04pm

re: #255 Gus

Using Herbert Spencer's misinterpretation of Darwin's theories to discredit evolutionary biology. Fallacies within fallacies!

267 gwangung  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:08:54pm

re: #255 Gus

Social Darwinism at Root of Evolutionary Theory
by Dr. Gene Edward Veith
November 16, 2010
Patrick Henry College

Hm. I always thought it was Adam Smith.

You know, like how Darwin said it was...

268 jaunte  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:09:30pm

"This pseudo-science proves my pseudo-science beats science! Take that, Darwin!

269 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:10:02pm

re: #268 jaunte

lol

270 Cannadian Club Akbar  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:10:26pm

Evening Lyme disease infested honcos.

271 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:11:12pm

re: #268 jaunte

"This pseudo-science proves my pseudo-science beats science! Take that, Darwin!

The Force laughs at your 'science'.

272 b_sharp  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:12:01pm

re: #255 Gus

Social Darwinism at Root of Evolutionary Theory
by Dr. Gene Edward Veith
November 16, 2010
Patrick Henry College

Yah, right. Darwin spent 5 years on board the Beagle, collecting thousands of samples, and writing thousands of pages of notes, so he could link the capitalist system with biology.

273 BongCrodny  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:14:28pm

Just gets better and better with this Michael Farris character.

Farris founded Generation Joshua, a Christian youth organization that "aims to encourage young people to learn about and become involved in government, history, civics, and politics." (From Wiki)

A couple blurbs from the Generation Joshua page:

Generation Joshua is a division of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and is based in Purcellville, Virginia which is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization. HSLDA and Generation Joshua's activities are strictly non-partisan.

And...

Generation Joshua, a division of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), involves its members in partisan activities thru HSLDA PAC. Typically in each election year, 25-100 volunteers are deployed to selected races of endorsed conservative candidates.

Maybe I'm not 100% certain what "non-partisan" means, but I suspect that isn't it.

274 Kronocide  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:15:15pm

re: #255 Gus 802

Social Darwinism at Root of Evolutionary Theory
by Dr. Gene Edward Veith
November 16, 2010
Patrick Henry College

Wow, that's some PhD level bullshit right there. How do you become a Dr in BS?

275 dragonfire1981  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:17:44pm

re: #271 Varek Raith

The Force laughs at your 'science'.

I am altering your science. Pray I don't alter it further.

276 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:18:34pm

re: #259 PhillyPretzel

Dr can also be Juris Doctor. A law degree.

This is true, since he is a lawyer:

Farris graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science from Western Washington University (formerly Western Washington State College). He received a law degree and graduated with honors from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington.Farris received an LLM in public international law (with merit) from the University of London in 2011.
He married in 1971 and has ten children and ten grandchildren.[1] He and his wife Vickie began home schooling in 1982, leading him to establish the Home School Legal Defense Association in 1983.
He was also ordained as a Baptist minister in 1983.

Still, I've never heard of a lawyer being referred to as "Doctor" outside of professional circles and academia; even then, most J.D.s don't seem to use it, but rather add "J.D." or even "Esquire" after their last names, because most people associate "Doctor" with the medical profession.

My guess is that Farris purposely uses "Doctor" for exactly this reason, to give him credence when talking about medical issues, even though he has no fucking clue and no medical training to back him up.

Fucking snake oil salesman...

277 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:19:17pm

Another "zinger" from #MittZingers...

You hear that? [Pauses for five seconds.] I just made more money than you will in all of 2012. #MittZingers” haha!

(BTW: How in the heck do you copy a tweet for embed?)

278 Varek Raith  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:19:47pm

re: #275 dragonfire1981

I am altering your science. Pray I don't alter it further.

279 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:23:04pm

re: #273 BongCrodny

Generation Joshua is a division of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and is based in Purcellville, Virginia which is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization. HSLDA and Generation Joshua's activities are strictly non-partisan.

versus

Generation Joshua, a division of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), involves its members in partisan activities thru HSLDA PAC. Typically in each election year, 25-100 volunteers are deployed to selected races of endorsed conservative candidates.

One of these is not like the other...

280 BongCrodny  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:26:56pm

Gotta admit, however, I'm awfully curious as to what this course consists of:

From Patrick Henry College's Bachelor of Arts in Literature:

BIB223 Principles of Biblical Reasoning

281 MittDoesNotCompute  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:31:02pm

re: #277 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You

Another "zinger" from #MittZingers...

(BTW: How in the heck do you copy a tweet for embed?)

Like this?

If you're on their Twitter page, click on the Details link on whatever tweet you want to embed; it should then open a page with just that tweet and any replies to it.

Go to your browser's address bar, highlight the address it shows, copy it, then paste it in your LGF post.

Volia!

282 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:32:07pm

re: #187 engineer cat

it seems many people are unaware that FORTRAN stands for Fucking Out-of-touch Romney TRANslator

You're probably right. Romneybot can't use COBOL since CO stands for "Common" and a Romneybot is much too privileged to allow a hoi polloi language to run in its processors.

283 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:34:15pm

re: #222 Kragar

Spend last night and an hour this morning getting 2 travel cases, a game bag, and a box of extra stuff ready for a game.

Drive 30 minutes, park, unload all that and walk into the store.

See every table full as they are demoing the latest edition of a collectable card game.

Turn around, reload the car, drive home.

Sigh.

New Magic set was released today. Main reason I was not out at game stores today.

284 docproto48  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:51:16pm

re: #1 Charles Johnson

Bet you didn't know that FORTRAN is the best language for zinger programming.

Wlth the backwards GOP and business I would have expected COBOL

285 docproto48  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 4:52:44pm

re: #282 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

You're probably right. Romneybot can't use COBOL since CO stands for "Common" and a Romneybot is much too privileged to allow a hoi polloi language to run in its processors.

That explains it

286 wheat-dogg  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 7:13:07pm

re: #126 Charles Johnson

I'd pay big money for video of Portman rehearsing with Romney as "nasty Obama."

I'd much prefer watching Natalie Portman rehearsing just about anything.

287 Patricia Kayden  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 7:14:46pm

Wonder if the NY Times is being punk'd with this whole "Romney is memorizing zingers" story. Seems too juvenile, even for Republicans. How could memorized zingers shake things up so much that he'd go from being down in almost all swing state polls to winning the election?

While I believe that Romney is not the brightest bulb in the pack, I don't believe he's stupid, and this story if true, makes him seem stupid.

288 Mich-again  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 7:15:04pm

re: #1 Charles Johnson

Bet you didn't know that FORTRAN is the best language for zinger programming.

Yeah but you really have to be careful to remove all the swinging chads and hanging chads left in the punch cards or the Romneybot might not jump back from the Zinger subroutine.

289 John Q  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 7:23:08pm

Just a reminder what provoked Reagan's "There you go again":

Carter said (correctly) that Reagan had opposed Medicare when it was first proposed, and went on to say that what we needed was a form of national health insurance that would focus on prevention of disease, and that would make health care affordable to everyone, and that Reagan was opposed to such a plan.

290 wheat-dogg  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 7:44:02pm

re: #280 BongCrodny

Gotta admit, however, I'm awfully curious as to what this course consists of:

From Patrick Henry College's Bachelor of Arts in Literature:

Godidit!

291 andres  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 8:29:01pm

I'd be really worried if the engineers hired to make the zingers come from Hammertech...

292 jayjaybear  Sat, Sep 29, 2012 11:03:51pm

re: #199 Gert Fröbe

It's just a bit frustrating and gutwrenching that four of our consular staff had to die at the hands of those militias before this happened, though.

Don't overlook the possibility that Peak Wingnut here may be dependent on a very public fatal incident at the hands of a Tea Party adherent. I haven't seen any ratcheting down via natural factors in four years now, and I don't even think that particular dynamic HAS any kind of governor. It's probably going to take an actual assassination of a public figure to metaphorically shake these folks out of their trance.

293 labman57  Sun, Sep 30, 2012 9:06:14am

Zingers? Perhaps Romney will follow the lead of some right wing bloggers and make derisive remarks about Obama's mamma.

Or perhaps Mitt will head the advice given by Gingrich:
If you don't like the question or don't know the answer, behave indignantly and insult the person asking the question, and then give a stump speech on an unrelated topic.

Alas, this is a debate, not amateur night at the local comedy club.
Maybe Mitt will follow up his shtick with some "fancy pageant walking ..."

294 Pete Puma  Mon, Oct 1, 2012 7:08:26am

***THIS UNIT IS REMINDED OF A HIGHLY AMUSING ANECDOTE. THREE CARBON BASED LIFE FORMS PERAMBULATE INTO A ALCOHOL SERVING ESTABLISHMENT... ***

***SEARCHING FOR PUNCHLINE... SEARCHING... SEARCHING... PUNCHLINE NOT FOUND***


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