The GOP doesn’t want Americans to know anything about its candidates

GOP will attend no debates on CNN/NBC and Telemundo
Politics • Views: 26,975

The GOP has bet everything on white and is throwing the dice with arrogance even though it can’t afford to lose even a single chip. The only hope that the GOP have of winning is to make some inroads into the minority vote: to put it simply, white people aren’t as racist as the GOP thinks they are, and there is not much more of the white vote to get, and what there is is in states the GOP already wins.

The GOP has learned that no matter how many carefully engineered opportunities they create to ‘rebrand’ they serve up for people like Rand Paul to flub, even if those occasions were successful their barking kennel of Tea Party fanatics— not to mention old Country Club GOP members— will say racist, sexist, homophobic shit and these pesky minorities actually get all het up by that sort of thing and turn out to vote in huge numbers after you call them all a bunch of lazy good-for-nothing cheats.

So the brilliant plan that the GOP has come up with is, apparently, to try to hide their candidates from minorities, while still exposing them to white people. (I can’t really think of a better word than ‘expose’, the process seems hermetic.) They somehow think that keeping their candidates off of NBC/CNN/Telemundo will render them invisible to minority eyes.

Is this a legitimate strategy, or have we moved into the state of the GOP as a con game, a political party that exists to rake in donations, seize control of state legislatures and bust unions and loot pension funds until stopped by the court? I can’t honestly tell.

Jump to bottom

330 comments
1 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:06:16pm

Great post - promoted!

2 Kragar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:07:19pm

“Frankly, the less you know about our candidates, the better off we are.”

3 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:09:35pm
4 A Man for all Seasons  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:09:46pm

Obdiecut! *Clapping*

5 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:11:06pm

I’ll take ignorant strategy for $1,000, Alex.

6 Kragar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:11:38pm

re: #5 Justanotherhuman

I’ll take ignorant strategy for $1,000, Alex.

They should replace the party elephant with an ostrich.

7 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:11:54pm

The hoop the GOP has created for its own candidates to jump through to be nominated is growing smaller and smaller.

8 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:12:59pm

Second last paragraph fourth word you have plant when you mean plan.

9 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:13:30pm

It won’t help to hide from ‘minorities’. The majority in play in 2016 is women. Good luck with that.

10 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:14:44pm

re: #7 Sol Berdinowitz

The hoop the GOP has created for its own candidates to jump through to be nominated is growing smaller and smaller.

They’re waiting for it to reach glory hole size.

11 Targetpractice  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:15:06pm

Yes, further cocoon yourselves from criticism, guys. That’ll win the voters over!!

////

12 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:15:13pm

re: #8 Creepy Totalitarianist

Thanks - corrected.

13 Kragar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:17:40pm

The Birth Certificate Donald Trump Won’t Talk About

In the leadup to the 2012 election, entrepreneur, perennial presidential flirt and reality television star Donald Trump spent a good deal of time loudly spreading the false conspiracy theory that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya and, thus, ineligible to occupy the White House.

However, Trump seems far less interested in discussing the intricacies of 2016’s birther-esque drama — the Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) citizenship saga. TPM has attempted to speak with Trump multiple times over the past three days about the release of Cruz’s birth certificate and revelations the senator holds dual citizenship in Canada and the U.S., but Trump has not responded.

14 Balfour Rage  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:20:25pm

Surfing channels. When Fixed Noise calls Planned Parenthood a “controversial organization,” you damn well know the derp will be oozing at a fever pitch.

15 A Man for all Seasons  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:22:06pm

Oh they are crying tears cause those networks are going to make a movie about Hillary.
Big effen deal..Hey guess what..They can make their own movie about Hillary..The real Hillary or something like that. Lord knows there is plenty of stuff about the Clinton’s to make a dozen movies.
Better yet…These guys that are bitching own a whole lot of cable outlets.
They should play the movie ’ Primary Colors ’ every week for 3 years. I love that movie..

Now..If Hillary gets elected.. Bill will be back in the WH! How delicious would that be?
Now that will be awesome! I can’t wait!

16 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:22:24pm

See how they phrase the headline?

David Miranda wins partial court victory over data seized by police

theguardian.com

Judges curtail using or sharing of material, but authorities can examine it for ‘national security’

“A Home Office lawyer said the material seized from Miranda as he was in transit from Berlin to Rio de Janeiro included tens of thousands of classified UK intelligence documents “disclosure of which would risk lives”.

“The Met welcomed the decision “which allows our examination of the material to continue in order to protect life and national security, and for the purposes of the schedule 7 examination [ie whether Miranda is a terrorist].

“Initial examination of the material seized has identified highly sensitive material, the disclosure of which could put lives at risk. As a result the Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) has today begun a criminal investigation. This investigation is at an early stage and we are not prepared to discuss it in any further detail at this stage.”

17 andres  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:23:08pm
Is this a legitimate strategy, or have we moved into the state of the GOP as a con game, a political party that exists to rake in donations, seize control of state legislatures and bust unions and loot pension funds until stopped by the court? I can’t honestly tell.

On National, there’s some remotely legitimate reason to do this, but the RNC will fall into the problem (alas, one of many) Romney had: They are completely dependent on the Democrats f*cking things up. A less than perfect performance by the Democrats will spell trouble for the Republicans except in the safest places.

This won’t come in play at state level unless it’s a contested seat.

18 blueraven  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:23:30pm

re: #14 Balfour Rage

Surfing channels. When Fixed Noise calls Planned Parenthood a “controversial organization,” you damn well know the derp will be oozing at a fever pitch.

They are hyperventilating because PP is getting 1 million to help spread the word about ObamaCare.

Abortion!! Money is Fungible!!

I swear, they are the 24 hour anti-ObamaCare channel.

19 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:24:09pm

re: #16 Justanotherhuman

Know who else won a ‘partial’ victory?

PVT Manning.

20 Political Atheist  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:26:39pm

re: #6 Kragar

They should replace the party elephant with an ostrich.

Pffft. May as well go for a man in a pointed white hood.

Oh and congrats on a promoted Page. Nice.

21 Targetpractice  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:27:05pm

re: #16 Justanotherhuman

See how they phrase the headline?

David Miranda wins partial court victory over data seized by police

theguardian.com

Judges curtail using or sharing of material, but authorities can examine it for ‘national security’

“A Home Office lawyer said the material seized from Miranda as he was in transit from Berlin to Rio de Janeiro included tens of thousands of classified UK intelligence documents “disclosure of which would risk lives”.

“The Met welcomed the decision “which allows our examination of the material to continue in order to protect life and national security, and for the purposes of the schedule 7 examination [ie whether Miranda is a terrorist].

“Initial examination of the material seized has identified highly sensitive material, the disclosure of which could put lives at risk. As a result the Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) has today begun a criminal investigation. This investigation is at an early stage and we are not prepared to discuss it in any further detail at this stage.”

That would be a hell of a capper on this, for Miranda to end up being charged with terrorism or at least aiding terrorists by transporting these files.

22 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:27:49pm

re: #18 blueraven

They are hyperventilating because PP is getting 1 million to help spread the word about ObamaCare.

Abortion!! Money is Fungible!!

I swear, they are the 24 hour anti-ObamaCare channel.

I normally am against promoted results in Google, but I’m very glad that the google search for “Obamacare” has this near the top:

obamacarefacts.com

23 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:27:51pm

Pam and her little drones are going to be in a tizzy soon:

24 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:28:18pm

re: #19 Decatur Deb

Know who else won a ‘partial’ victory?

PVT Manning.

“Steven Kovats QC, counsel for Theresa May, said the home secretary “does not accept that we are concerned here with journalistic material” and believed Miranda “is not a journalist, and stolen documents can’t be held in confidence and don’t qualify as journalistic materials”.

The Guardian and Miranda are still alleging, not that Miranda is a journalist, per se, as both they and Greenwald originally were, but that he was “somebody working with a journalist”.

25 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:28:55pm

I find the disappearance of news coverage of ways for the GOP to generate free electoral votes for itself (e.g., assigning electoral votes by congressional district) in states subject to GOP misrule ominous.

The obvious time to implement such ideas is after the 2014 midterm elections, at which time it will not be possible to replace the offending state-level apparatchiks in time for the 2016 general election.

If this scenario ends up being the GOP’s best hope for a win in 2016, it’s hard to see it not being followed.

The resulting loss of legitimacy for the GOP would be very nearly total, and the larger strategy for such a plan would pretty much have to be to loot and wreck the country, and then flee.

26 Balfour Rage  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:29:53pm

Yes, really.

27 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:30:05pm

re: #23 ProTARDISLiberal

Pam and her little drones are going to be in a tizzy soon:

[Embedded content]

LOLOLOL

Someone needs to troll those fools and tell them that if you drink that water, you’ll automatically become a Muslim.

It’s the shahada in a bottle. And it refreshes, too!

28 Targetpractice  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:30:32pm

re: #24 Justanotherhuman

“Steven Kovats QC, counsel for Theresa May, said the home secretary “does not accept that we are concerned here with journalistic material” and believed Miranda “is not a journalist, and stolen documents can’t be held in confidence and don’t qualify as journalistic materials”.

The Guardian and Miranda are still alleging, not that Miranda is a journalist, per se, as both they and Greenwald originally were, but that he was “somebody working with a journalist”.

That the legal equivalent of saying “I’m holding it for a friend” when caught with stolen goods.

29 brennant  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:30:57pm

re: #26 Balfour Rage

What dumb fuckery is this?

30 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:31:22pm

re: #27 Dr Lizardo

LOLOLOL

Someone needs to troll those fools and tell them that if you drink that water, you’ll automatically become a Muslim.

It’s the shahada in a bottle. And it refreshes, too!

Not to mention the strange concept in US conservatism that waste is a virtue if practiced by those who can afford it.

31 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:31:32pm

re: #29 brennant

What dumb fuckery is this?

“Prudence dumbfuckery”…

32 blueraven  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:31:49pm

re: #22 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

I normally am against promoted results in Google, but I’m very glad that the google search for “Obamacare” has this near the top:

obamacarefacts.com

LOL…I think the republicans will rue the day they started calling the ACA ObamaCare as a pejorative. I love that he embraced it and spoiled it for them.

33 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:32:46pm

re: #30 EPR-radar

Not to mention the strange concept in US conservatism that waste is a virtue if practiced by those who can afford it.

Heh. Yeah, a lot of the wingnuts seem to be of that mindset.

34 Balfour Rage  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:33:44pm

re: #29 brennant

What dumb fuckery is this?

It’s Prudence. It’s a dumbfuckery not understood by normal people, only by hyperventilating wingnuts.

35 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:34:01pm

re: #27 Dr Lizardo

And the quote is pertinent in Australia, considering their chronic drought issue.

Hell, in the American Southwest & Great Plains, it is too. Stop with the lawns!

Okay, I have a very special hate for lawns at homes. As a kid, when I would mow the lawn, if I made a mistake, my male biological contributor (MBC) would yell, scream, and sometimes hit over the usually tiny imperfection.

Also, lawns are a waste of resources.

36 bratwurst  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:35:21pm

Kentucky movie theater owner won’t show ‘Butler’ because of Jane Fonda

I am sure he would be a big fan of this film if Fonda weren’t in it. /

37 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:35:28pm

It really was not that long ago when the Republican party had absolutely unassailable PR and message-polishing, and the Democrats simply could not help but trip over nine different feet every time they attempted to do any given damned thing.

I don’t know when exactly that switch happened, but it sure was rapid and dramatic.

38 kerFuFFler  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:36:20pm

re: #32 blueraven

LOL…I think the republicans will rue the day they started calling the ACA ObamaCare as a pejorative. I love that he embraced it and spoiled it for them.

Agreed!!!! “Please proceed…”

39 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:36:29pm

re: #35 ProTARDISLiberal

And the quote is pertinent in Australia, considering their chronic drought issue.

Hell, in the American Southwest & Great Plains, it is too. Stop with the lawns!

Okay, I have a very special hate for lawns at homes. As a kid, when I would mow the lawn, if I made a mistake, my male biological contributor (MBC) would yell, scream, and sometimes hit over the usually tiny imperfection.

Also, lawns are a waste of resources.

In my crankier moments, I’d like to see every bluegrass lawn in arid or semi-arid parts of the US southwest (i.e., just about all of it) removed as being a crime against nature.

40 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:37:12pm

re: #39 EPR-radar

Right with you!

Who wants to draft the law?

I do love an at-home swimming pool though.

41 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:38:02pm

Of course you need control of or cooperation with all three branches of government to pass legislation and move the country forward, but you really only need to hold one to obstruct. Maybe the Republican Party simply doesn’t need to seek the Presidency anymore.

42 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:39:00pm

re: #35 ProTARDISLiberal

And the quote is pertinent in Australia, considering their chronic drought issue.

Hell, in the American Southwest & Great Plains, it is too. Stop with the lawns!

Okay, I have a very special hate for lawns at homes. As a kid, when I would mow the lawn, if I made a mistake, my male biological contributor (MBC) would yell, scream, and sometimes hit over the usually tiny imperfection.

Also, lawns are a waste of resources.

Indeed, Australia and many parts of the US face chronic water shortage issues. It’s never a good idea to waste water, even under the most ideal of circumstances.

Heh - I had to mow the lawn too, but it was just part of the usual chores I had to do around the house. Fortunately, my parents never had a big lawn, just the usual suburban plot, so it wasn’t so bad. Well, there was that one time the power mower crapped out, and I had to use the manual reel-mower. That was something.

43 brennant  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:41:43pm

re: #41 erik_t

Of course you need control of or cooperation with all three branches of government to pass legislation and move the country forward, but you really only need to hold one to obstruct. Maybe the Republican Party simply doesn’t need to seek the Presidency anymore.

SSSHHH YOU! Don’t give them any ideas!

44 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:42:30pm

re: #42 Dr Lizardo

And it’s a typical suburban lawn too.

But he has to have it perfect.

Though, I got a good call just now. Really nice one.

45 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:43:19pm

Who do the Rs think actually watch broadcast news channels now?

Well, I’m old, and I don’t even watch cable. Get all my news on the ‘net, albeit with MSNBC playing on a livestream, but checking out domestic headlines as well as foreign sources.

If I want to find out about a candidate, I do research anyway.

46 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:43:38pm

re: #41 erik_t

Of course you need control of or cooperation with all three branches of government to pass legislation and move the country forward, but you really only need to hold one to obstruct. Maybe the Republican Party simply doesn’t need to seek the Presidency anymore.

The big busiess interests are actually really regretting their tea party support now. They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.

A guy I know— wouldn’t call him a friend— is a lobbyist for mining companies, and he said that his clients don’t know what the fuck to do. All they’ve ever known is ‘pay to try to get the Republican elected’ but then the Republican winds up getting a sequester that means the department of weights and measures takes an extra few weeks to certify some equipment which costs them hundreds of thousands of dollars, etc. etc. Big industries depend heavily on government.

47 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:43:54pm

re: #37 erik_t

It really was not that long ago when the Republican party had absolutely unassailable PR and message-polishing, and the Democrats simply could not help but trip over nine different feet every time they attempted to do any given damned thing.

I don’t know when exactly that switch happened, but it sure was rapid and dramatic.

8 years of near total incompetence under GW Bush sure contributed:

1) Strong on defense talking point nulled by the Iraq boondoggle.

2) Fiscal conservative talking point nulled by tax cuts + wars of choice.

3) Adult in the room talking point nulled by breathtaking levels of incompetence in virtually every action taken.

Meanwhile, Obama and the Democrats have compiled a respectable record since the elections of 2008 of being 1) strong on defense, 2) fiscally prudent, and 3) being the adults in the room.

The only talking points the GOP has left that have any grounding in reality at all are various radioactive so-con positions, which they’re actually attempting to deliver on.

48 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:45:21pm

The party is driven, at this point, by corporate-type clowns who excel at maximizing short-term profit over long-term health, and by religious whackos who truly do not believe their God will allow them to actually ruin anything. Mortgaging the future national relevance of the party at the expense of keeping the House is, in fact, right up their alley. And given the way things are gerrymandered, it could easily take a few Census cycles to flush everything clean.

Shit. What, exactly, does a country do about that?

49 Dr. Matt  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:46:20pm

Charles, fellow Bob Schneider junky, our friend from Austin has premiered yet another video from his latest album

blogs.riverfronttimes.com

50 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:47:28pm

re: #43 brennant

SSSHHH YOU! Don’t give them any ideas!

If the GOP suffers electoral defeats in 2014 and 2016, it’s possible that the party leadership may choose to abandon the national field to the Democratic Party, and concentrate on consolidating their power in the Deep South and Intermountain West. Under that scenario, the one thing they will need to pay great attention to will be Texas. If they lose Texas - and they likely will in the next decade or so, what with changing demographics - it’s game over for the GOP at the national level. They’re reduced to a more-or-less permanent opposition party; a party of libertarians, Christian fundamentalists, and an assortment of Southern revanchists and White Nationalists. The West Coast will be lost to them entirely, as will the Upper Midwest and the Northeastern US. They’ll be winning big - in the places where no one lives.

51 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:47:59pm

re: #48 erik_t

Look what Hawaii did.

In many Hispanic heavy areas, expect this to happen. If I were to guess, sometime between 2020-2035.

52 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:48:47pm

re: #48 erik_t

The party is driven, at this point, by corporate clowns who excel at maximizing short-term profit over long-term health, and by religious whackos who truly do not believe their God will allow them to actually ruin anything. Mortgaging the future national relevance of the party at the expense of keeping the House is, in fact, right up their alley. And given the way things are gerrymandered, it could easily take a few Census cycles to flush everything clean.

Shit. What, exactly, does a country do about that?

The only way forward I can see is for the reliable R voters that aren’t crazy to start voting against the crazy unless they agree with it.

If nearly 50% of the voters are insane, there is no solution.

If we have 20-30% insane voters who have taken over the GOP to get leverage for their craziness, then the problem is huge, but not hopeless.

53 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:49:38pm

re: #46 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

The big busiess interests are actually really regretting their tea party support now. They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.

A guy I know— wouldn’t call him a friend— is a lobbyist for mining companies, and he said that his clients don’t know what the fuck to do. All they’ve ever known is ‘pay to try to get the Republican elected’ but then the Republican winds up getting a sequester that means the department of weights and measures takes an extra few weeks to certify some equipment which costs them hundreds of thousands of dollars, etc. etc. Big industries depend heavily on government.

And their congressman, when bitched at about this, is as likely as not to howl SEE BIG GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS R KILLIN JERBS

54 Lancelot Link  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:49:56pm

re: #35 ProTARDISLiberal

Here’s a weird factoid - one of the things that especially bothered Sayyid Qutb, and eventually led him to form the Muslim Brotherhood, was the wastefulness and ostentation of the suburban American lawns surrounding him when he studied in Colorado.

55 kirkspencer  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:52:21pm

re: #42 Dr Lizardo

Indeed, Australia and many parts of the US face chronic water shortage issues. It’s never a good idea to waste water, even under the most ideal of circumstances.

Heh - I had to mow the lawn too, but it was just part of the usual chores I had to do around the house. Fortunately, my parents never had a big lawn, just the usual suburban plot, so it wasn’t so bad. Well, there was that one time the power mower crapped out, and I had to use the manual reel-mower. That was something.

I have a long dislike of golf, and the water issue is one reason why.

56 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:53:36pm

Finally, it would be a mistake to treat the GOP leadership structure as a single rational actor, because it plainly is not. To use the most strictly correct academic language, some of the shit they do, it just don’t make no goddamned sense.

This is interesting in itself, because one of the few criticisms I could never levy at earlier iterations of the GOP is “disorganized and rudderless”.

57 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:53:40pm

re: #53 erik_t

And their congressman, when bitched at about this, is as likely as not to howl SEE BIG GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS R KILLIN JERBS

But if the department of weights and measures actually was killed, if that was unregulated, then US industries would sink hugely in value because you wouldn’t know what you were getting. Are you just going to trust Massey Energy, who let their people die so they didn’t have to pay extra money, when they tell you how much stuff they’ve given you? No, of course not.

And that’s just a trivial example, but there’s a thousand others.

58 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:54:53pm

re: #57 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

What, are you suggesting some kind of large organizational structure above the companies, that actually has major supervisory authority over them? That tries to tackle society-wide problems on a society-wide level?

Don’t be obtuse. That would never work.

/

59 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:56:14pm

re: #54 Lancelot Link

Except that what he said Americans were doing in that area of Colorado wasn’t true.

I did a paper for a class in College on him, and read his account (in part). There are inconsistencies everywhere between what he said happened, and events at the time. He said Americans celebrated the killing Hassan al-Banna, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Almost no one over here knew who he was, or is.

He was a liar to the first degree. Also, a massive racist. You should see what he wrote about African Americans and Jazz. Which, considering what The Prophet (pbuh) said about that behavior, makes him an Un-Islamic hypocrite.

60 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:56:39pm

The GOP doesn’t want

the Stupids will grab the Corporates by the throat and make sure all americans will see it, no matter how hard the Corporates try to hide ot

61 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:56:47pm

re: #56 erik_t

Finally, it would be a mistake to treat the GOP leadership structure as a single rational actor, because it plainly is not. To use the most strictly correct academic language, some of the shit they do, it just don’t make no goddamned sense.

This is interesting in itself, because one of the few criticisms I could never levy at earlier iterations of the GOP is “disorganized and rudderless”.

At the very least, there are powerful elements within the GOP that can no longer agree on the basic GOP agenda. This is not yet the GOP civil war I’m eagerly anticipating, but it is a big step in that direction.

62 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:57:54pm

Oh, fuck me…

Steve Brusk ‏@stevebruskCNN 7m

President Obama interrupted by hecklers in Syracuse. Two women were escorted out, pool says one carried “Free Bradley Manning” sign

Shut up, Medea (fake name) Benjamin. She’s another “stealth” libertarian people are finding out about.

63 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:58:02pm
64 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:58:17pm

re: #61 EPR-radar

This is not yet the GOP civil war I’m eagerly anticipating, but it is a big step in that direction.

Image: popcorn.gif

65 brennant  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:58:30pm

re: #63 Charles Johnson

well… his haircut didn’t change much.

66 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 3:59:21pm

re: #60 dog philosopher

The GOP doesn’t want

the Stupids will grab the Corporates by the throat and make sure all americans will see it, no matter how hard the Corporates try to hide ot

For once, the tendency of the media to go for mindless entertainment will not be totally useless. The GOP clown show is going to get covered, despite the best efforts of the GOP establishment to keep things on the down low.

67 Lancelot Link  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:00:01pm

re: #59 ProTARDISLiberal

I’m not saying I like or agree with the guy - He objected to dancing!
I just thought it was interesting that something so trivial would lead to such greater consequences.

68 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:00:41pm

Twitter is in full junior high mode today.

69 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:00:59pm

re: #68 Gus

Twitter is in full junior high mode today.

Must be a day ending in ‘y’.

70 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:02:29pm

re: #59 ProTARDISLiberal

Though, to be fair, other Radical Islamist crazy has come from this state.

Anwar al-Awlaki went to CSU (and got busted for trying to pick up a prostitute, or something like that), and taught at a Denver Mosque.

Jihad Jane’s sidekick, Jamie Paulin-Ramirez, came from here too.

There are some others, but that is what I can remember specifically right now.

Colorado, as Liberal as it is now, seems to produce religious-based crazy like like a nut farm.

71 Dr Lizardo  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:03:06pm

re: #59 ProTARDISLiberal

Except that what he said Americans were doing in that area of Colorado wasn’t true.

I did a paper for a class in College on him, and read his account (in part). There are inconsistencies everywhere between what he said happened, and events at the time. He said Americans celebrated the killing Hassan al-Banna, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Almost no one over here knew who he was, or is.

He was a liar to the first degree. Also, a massive racist. You should see what he wrote about African Americans and Jazz. Which, considering what The Prophet (pbuh) said about that behavior, makes him an Un-Islamic hypocrite.

I’ve read “Milestones” and some of that had me rolling my eyes. I was thinking, “Yeah, riiiiiight.”

72 Balfour Rage  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:04:06pm
73 Political Atheist  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:04:25pm

re: #63 Charles Johnson

Goodwins law calls for a caption contest rite?//

74 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:04:35pm

re: #67 Lancelot Link

I’m not saying I like or agree with the guy - He objected to dancing!
I just thought it was interesting that something so trivial wold lead to such greater consequences.

I think the point that is being made is that if Sayyid Qutb is the only source that indicates the important of US lawn watering practices in his thinking, his reliability (or lack thereof) as a narrator is the only basis for actually believing the lawns were important.

75 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:06:06pm

re: #70 ProTARDISLiberal

Though, to be fair, other Radical Islamist crazy has come from this state.

Anwar al-Awlaki went to CSU (and got busted for trying to pick up a prostitute, or something like that), and taught at a Denver Mosque.

Jihad Jane’s sidekick, Jamie Paulin-Ramirez, came from here too.

There are some others, but that is what I can remember specifically right now.

Colorado, as Liberal as it is now, seems to produce religious-based crazy like like a nut farm.

If I recall correctly, there is still a world-class concentration of religious extremism in the Colorado Springs area, including the Air Force academy.

76 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:06:08pm

re: #61 EPR-radar

At the very least, there are powerful elements within the GOP that can no longer agree on the basic GOP agenda. This is not yet the GOP civil war I’m eagerly anticipating, but it is a big step in that direction.

the tipping point would come if there turns out to be some issue that is essential to one side and indigestible to the other

but so far the Corporates have given in to the Stupids whenever this happens e.g. bush’s immigration reform was dropped even though it had a lot of things that corporations really wanted

so you see that even corporations can be cowed by the Great Mass of Stupid

77 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:06:24pm

Regular, dutiful, and patriotic military personnel can’t gender transition in the military yet Manning should get special treatment. Stunning.

78 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:06:58pm

re: #73 Political Atheist

Goodwins law calls for a caption contest rite?//

Baby Godwins!

i call band name

79 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:07:12pm

re: #71 Dr Lizardo

That was the only criticism I had of “The Looming Tower” book by Lawrence Wright.

It never pointed out the bullshit in “Milestones.” Most of the stuff that he talked about in the book as being what we do isn’t true today, and has never been true.

However, it colours our perception in the Middle East. We haven’t done a good enough job in the Foreign Service and the State Department of calling that BS out, and debunking it.

80 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:07:36pm

re: #76 dog philosopher

the tipping point would come if there turns out to be some issue that is essential to one side and indigestible to the other

but so far the Corporates have given in to the Stupids whenever this happens e.g. bush’s immigration reform was dropped even though it had a lot of things that corporations really wanted

so you see that even corporations can be cowed by the Great Mass of Stupid

That point may come when the stupids demand a government shutdown, and the corporates object because it would be bad for business. This actually has a decent chance of happening.

81 Targetpractice  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:08:12pm

re: #76 dog philosopher

the tipping point would come if there turns out to be some issue that is essential to one side and indigestible to the other

but so far the Corporates have given in to the Stupids whenever this happens e.g. bush’s immigration reform was dropped even though it had a lot of things that corporations really wanted

so you see that even corporations can be cowed by the Great Mass of Stupid

Sequester’s looking like it might, at Obdi noted, be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Defense spending cuts alone are already causing a great deal of heartburn amongst the old-timers and the TPers are absolutely opposed to ending the sequester if it involves compromise.

82 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:08:45pm

re: #75 EPR-radar

I live in it, you don’t have to tell me.

But the Islamist crazies come from other parts of the state.

And yes, I felt an urgent, and pressing need to point out that Awlaki was busted for attempting to pick up a prostitute in the past.

83 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:10:21pm

re: #77 Gus

Remember, though - these people do already believe Manning is a hero. Of course it makes sense that they’d demand treatment that no other military person gets.

As soon as Manning’s not in the news for a couple of months, most of these emoprogs will forget all about him and move on to some other emo issue.

84 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:11:40pm

Oops, I wrote “him.” I hope Firedoglake doesn’t write a hit piece on me now.

85 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:12:01pm

re: #84 Charles Johnson

Oops, I wrote “him.” I hope Firedoglake doesn’t write a hit piece on me now.

I know. I said “his” this morning but let it float.

86 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:13:17pm

re: #84 Charles Johnson

I lol’d. I may be a bad person.

87 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:15:23pm

1. The GOP will just say that democrats do not have primary debates on FOX news.

2. The talking points will be spread far and wide via the usual suspects.

3. OUTRAGE!!!!

4. Dems will cave, go on FOX to be destroyed by carefully crafted questioning.

5. GOP will go on the other networks, as I believe they plan to all along.

6. The other networks will treat the GOP with kid gloves as usual to avoid appearing “biased”.

88 majii  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:20:13pm

re: #37 erik_t

I think the current WH resident had a little something to do with the change. Although republicans always say he never has any good ideas and is totally incompetent, they’re now trying to copy from his playbook.

89 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:23:34pm

re: #87 Amory Blaine

I would really like to see your #4 go something like this:

4) Dems run the Fox News greatest hits collection in a nationwide ad buy, including all the times a GOP politician involved in a scandal had (D) after his name on the Fox News chyron. After that, a Dem publicist channels HL Mencken and thoroughly rejects the notion of going onto Fox News.

90 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:25:19pm

re: #84 Charles Johnson

Oops, I wrote “him.” I hope Firedoglake doesn’t write a hit piece on me now.

Speaking of which, this is the way “Breaking News” is presenting his trial now: “WikiLeaks suspect Chelsea Manning trial”

91 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:25:29pm

re: #83 Charles Johnson

Remember, though - these people do already believe Manning is a hero. Of course it makes sense that they’d demand treatment that no other military person gets.

As soon as Manning’s not in the news for a couple of months, most of these emoprogs will forget all about him and move on to some other emo issue.

Seems Rolling Stone has/will publish an updated hagiography of Barrett Brown.

92 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:26:38pm

re: #88 majii

I think the current WH resident had a little something to do with the change. Although republicans always say he never has any good ideas and is totally incompetent, they’re now trying to copy from his playbook.

Many of Obama’s policies are sufficiently centrist that rejecting them out of hand puts the GOP into an extremist position, even before they turn the crazy up to 11.

93 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:28:43pm

Jim Kenyon ‏@JimKenyonCNY

Egyptian Americans protest Obama in Syracuse pic.twitter.com/1cVs45sWgJ

Andrej ‏@thisisandrej 4m

.@JimKenyonCNY Logic 101: When the US gets involved, they protest. When the US remains on the sideline, they protest. THANKS OBAMA!

94 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:30:07pm

re: #92 EPR-radar

Many of Obama’s policies are sufficiently centrist that rejecting them out of hand puts the GOP into an extremist position, even before they turn the crazy up to 11.

obama transported back to 1955 is practically an eisenhower republican

95 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:31:20pm

With respect to the OP, it’s too early to write the obituary of this version of the GOP as a national party.

1) The GOP probably keeps the House in 2014, unless they self-destruct on a government shutdown relating to Obamacare.

2) Swing voters are a fickle and incomprehensible group. A significant number of voters may swing GOP in upcoming elections for reasons as stupid as “it’s their turn”.

3) The Democrats have had remarkably few incidents of major political bad luck or incompetence in the Obama years. We can’t expect this to continue indefinitely.

96 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:31:48pm

re: #93 Justanotherhuman

I think Egypt (both sides) are exploiting our political situation to their own ends.

Unfortunately, the MB has much more ability in the Propaganda department.

97 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:32:25pm

re: #90 Justanotherhuman

Speaking of which, this is the way “Breaking News” is presenting his trial now: “WikiLeaks suspect Chelsea Manning trial”

Oh, shit…I did it, too.

98 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:33:20pm

re: #95 EPR-radar

With respect to the OP, it’s too early to write the obituary of this version of the GOP as a national party.

1) The GOP probably keeps the House in 2014, unless they self-destruct on a government shutdown relating to Obamacare.

2) Swing voters are a fickle and incomprehensible group. A significant number of voters may swing GOP in upcoming elections for reasons as stupid as “it’s their turn”.

3) The Democrats have had remarkably few incidents of major political bad luck or incompetence in the Obama years. We can’t expect this to continue indefinitely.

It would take two news cycles to put the Dems in the hopper. It’s always that close with an electorate that has lost consensus.

99 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:33:51pm

re: #90 Justanotherhuman

Speaking of which, this is the way “Breaking News” is presenting his trial now: “WikiLeaks suspect Chelsea Manning trial”

He hasn’t legally changed his name so as far as the army is concerned his name is still Bradley Manning. He could have changed his name to this today but at the end of the day he’s still known as Bradley.

100 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:35:09pm

re: #94 dog philosopher

obama transported back to 1955 is practically an eisenhower republican

I found a more complete version of my favorite Eisenhower quote at
eisenhowermemorial.org

Now it is true that I believe this country is following a dangerous trend when it permits too great a degree of centralization of governmental functions. I oppose this—in some instances the fight is a rather desperate one. But to attain any success it is quite clear that the Federal government cannot avoid or escape responsibilities which the mass of the people firmly believe should be undertaken by it. The political processes of our country are such that if a rule of reason is not applied in this effort, we will lose everything—even to a possible and drastic change in the Constitution. This is what I mean by my constant insistence upon “moderation” in government. Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.

It is an even better indictment of today’s GOP than I thought it was.

101 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:37:11pm

re: #100 EPR-radar

What is H.L. Hunt’s background?

102 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:37:50pm

re: #99 NJDhockeyfan

He hasn’t legally changed his name so as far as the army is concerned his name is still Bradley Manning. He could have changed his name to this today but at the end of the day he’s still known as Bradley.

He’ll answer to “#237645”.

103 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:39:18pm

Breaking.

104 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:40:45pm

re: #101 ProTARDISLiberal

What is H.L. Hunt’s background?

Texas oil billionaire.

“Hunt became best known for his political views. From 1951 to 1956 he funded his own foundation, called Facts Forum, which produced radio and television programs of conservative, anti-Communist political commentary. The foundation also distributed books by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and others. In 1958 he revived the foundation as Life Line, to distribute a daily 15-minute radio program carried by more than 400 stations.”

britannica.com

105 A Mom Anon  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:41:15pm

re: #77 Gus

No legit doctor of any kind would sign off on gender reassignment without some therapy first. I’m sure Manning is wanting to transition asap for a whole host of reasons, I hope before that happens there’s more than a little time spent in therapy and working on whatever personal issues lie there. Otherwise what you end up with is an even more miserable soul.A soul that could become a monster of epic proportions. At some point she (and I’ll use the female pronoun because that’s what you do if someone wants that- regardless how I might feel about the crimes committed by that person) is going to get out of jail, releasing a monster should never be the goal of incarceration- rehabilitation should. That can be done without pampering someone, the usual argument for keeping prisons as horrible as possible and ignoring rape and violence. You can rehab and preserve humanity and not have prison become the proverbial”country club”.

The whole mess is sad, maddening, and such a waste of humanity overall. Manning totally deserves jail time for what he did, but stripping her of any humanity that might be left is a bad idea.

(edit: and see, I mixed pronouns too,lol. We have a long way to go to “get” transgender people- I’m trying, and it is difficult to understand, but I’m willing to learn)

106 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:44:07pm

Good evening.

107 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:44:16pm

re: #105 A Mom Anon

No legit doctor of any kind would sign off on gender reassignment without some therapy first. I’m sure Manning is wanting to transition asap for a whole host of reasons, I hope before that happens there’s more than a little time spent in therapy and working on whatever personal issues lie there. Otherwise what you end up with is an even more miserable soul.A soul that could become a monster of epic proportions. At some point she (and I’ll use the female pronoun because that’s what you do if someone wants that- regardless how I might feel about the crimes committed by that person) is going to get out of jail, releasing a monster should never be the goal of incarceration- rehabilitation should. That can be done without pampering someone, the usual argument for keeping prisons as horrible as possible and ignoring rape and violence. You can rehab and preserve humanity and not have prison become the proverbial”country club”.

The whole mess is sad, maddening, and such a waste of humanity overall. Manning totally deserves jail time for what he did, but stripping her of any humanity that might be left is a bad idea.

Yes. Then along with everyone else in prison.

108 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:44:58pm

I need several surgeries myself. I suppose I need to hook up with the ACA. Burp.

109 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:45:12pm

re: #103 Gus

Breaking.

[Embedded content]

This is my shocked face.

110 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:45:16pm

If the GOP would just adopt the party platform that the post-mowing beer should be a Constitutionally protected right, they’d have my vote.

/

But seriously, not quite sure if /

111 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:45:32pm

re: #106 Pavlovian Hive Mind

Good evening.

Alfred? Is that you?

112 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:45:56pm

re: #105 A Mom Anon

I’m sure Manning would like the military to pay for the whole thing.

113 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:46:11pm

“Army Pfc. Bradley Manning will have access to psychiatric services while serving a prison sentence for his role in the WikiLeaks case, but the Army will not provide hormone therapy or sex-reassignment surgery, a spokesman said Thursday.
[snip]
“Current Army regulations authorize “all necessary medical care” for military prisoners, but the policy for “intersex” surgery is that it’s only covered if it corrects sex gender confusion or ambiguous genitalia “documented to have been present at birth.”

Read more: politico.com

114 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:46:56pm

re: #108 Gus

I need several surgeries myself. I suppose I need to hook up with the ACA. Burp.

Open season starts 1 Oct. There might be some advantage, depending on whether your state government was stupid about Fed money.

115 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:47:05pm

Dog Day Afternoon

116 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:47:46pm

re: #114 Decatur Deb

Open season starts 1 Oct. There might be some advantage, depending on whether your state government was stupid about Fed money.

Open season? Do we get to shoot Gus’s foot?

117 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:49:31pm

re: #29 brennant

What dumb fuckery is this?

That’s just Prudence, the dumbest fuck on Teh Twitters.

118 A Mom Anon  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:51:01pm

re: #112 Charles Johnson

Probably, my understanding is though that since she hasn’t begun the process already the chances are pretty small that they will pick up the tab. Which I guess means more time for therapy and research and getting things set up for after release. If it was me, that is where I’d take it. But again, I am only just beginning to wrap my head around transgender people’s struggles and gender reassigment, I don’t understand it, but it’s real for those experiencing it. I feel like I should respect that much at least.

I hope nothing violent happens. I kinda feel like announcing this now is almost a suicidal thing.

119 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:54:24pm

Here he goes again, with the Ellsberg comparison:

Glenn Greenwald ‏@ggreenwald 2h

Do people believe NYT reporters & editors committed crimes by receiving, copying & publishing top-secret Pentagon Papers from Ellsberg?

120 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:54:54pm

re: #63 Charles Johnson

He really does look like Eric Cartman!

121 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:54:57pm

re: #106 Pavlovian Hive Mind

Good evening.

Ditto.

122 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:56:33pm

re: #112 Charles Johnson

I’m sure Manning would like the military to pay for the whole thing.

Manning hasn’t even started the standards of care treatment (SOC). It’s already pretty clear that he’s suffering from depression. But, Manning wrote a letter. Interesting to note that the Stasi like US Army allowed said letter/statement to be released.

123 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:57:40pm

re: #119 Justanotherhuman

Here he goes again, with the Ellsberg comparison:

Glenn Greenwald ‏@ggreenwald 2h

Do people believe NYT reporters & editors committed crimes by receiving, copying & publishing top-secret Pentagon Papers from Ellsberg?

Actually, IIRC, I don’t think that was tested. The Supreme court decision was narrowly focused on prior restraint. (Would bow to Lawhawk or a JD, of course.)

en.wikipedia.org

124 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:57:47pm

re: #119 Justanotherhuman

Here he goes again, with the Ellsberg comparison:

Glenn Greenwald ‏@ggreenwald 2h

Do people believe NYT reporters & editors committed crimes by receiving, copying & publishing top-secret Pentagon Papers from Ellsberg?

The Feds botched the case against Ellsberg because of prosecutor misconduct. Had the case against Ellsberg held up in court, it certainly would have been feasible to also bring charges against the newspapers that published the Pentagon Papers.

Civil disobedience, which both Ellsberg and the newspapers engaged in at that time, does not come with a get out of jail free card.

125 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:58:13pm

re: #120 Vicious Babushka

He really does look like Eric Cartman!

Youtube Video

126 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 4:59:02pm

re: #118 A Mom Anon

Probably, my understanding is though that since she hasn’t begun the process already the chances are pretty small that they will pick up the tab.

Manning should be considered to be entitled to choose the gender by which she would like to be identified, but she is not entitled to have the taxpayers pay for corresponding physical changes? We’re already at the point of accepting that whichever dangly parts you have doesn’t identify which gender you are, necessarily.

I think?

As you say, I really haven’t given this stuff a great deal of thought.

127 Balfour Rage  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:02:19pm
128 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:04:38pm

California prisoners on hunger strike. We better take care of Manning first.

129 wrenchwench  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:05:23pm

re: #113 Justanotherhuman

ambiguous genitalia

Now there’s a band name.

130 Wile E. Wonka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:06:06pm

re: #105 A Mom Anon

The whole mess is sad, maddening, and such a waste of humanity overall. Manning totally deserves jail time for what he did, but stripping her of any humanity that might be left is a bad idea.

Hear hear. I’ve been cringing at this whole narrative, especially the pile of people who go on to make a special point of handing out extra HIM HIM HIMMITY HIM since Manning released the statement.

It’s not about whether you think Ms. Manning is a traitor or a hero. It’s not even about her at all. It’s about any transgender individual’s ability to be taken seriously as the person they are, and not having to continually justify, defend, or apologize for their most basic identity all the freakin’ time just because their body weren’t shaped right.

Like, um, okay, speaking as a New Jerseyan, anyone remember Jim McGreevey? Sure, I figure he probably went out and wrapped himself in the rainbow flag during his resignation to squeeze some pity and sympathy (however undeserved) outta the liberal base, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s gay, or the fact that the stigma against gay men contributed to whatzizname’s ability to blackmail him into actually endangering the state of NJ through his nepotism.

It doesn’t demean gay men in general to admit that McGreevey is gay; that’s obvious. But it demeans any gay person struggling to come out of the closet, rebuild their life, and make amends if we try to deny that slimy bastard his identity as a gay man just because he exploited it some.

Same with Manning. In fact, why not celebrate the fact that we’ve come far enough in treating LGBT people decently that coming out as gay, or as transgendered, can actually function as a cynical bid for sympathy? Eh?

131 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:06:10pm

re: #91 Decatur Deb

Gonna be a little more difficult to rehabilitate BB to the general public - a heroin addict who made public death threats. Not quite the same sort of sympathetic figure.

132 AlexRogan  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:07:20pm

re: #46 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

The big busiess interests are actually really regretting their tea party support now. They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.

A guy I know— wouldn’t call him a friend— is a lobbyist for mining companies, and he said that his clients don’t know what the fuck to do. All they’ve ever known is ‘pay to try to get the Republican elected’ but then the Republican winds up getting a sequester that means the department of weights and measures takes an extra few weeks to certify some equipment which costs them hundreds of thousands of dollars, etc. etc. Big industries depend heavily on government.

Buyer’s remorse is a bitch, isn’t it, business owners?

At least you can suffer some with the rest of us plebes…

133 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:08:43pm

re: #124 EPR-radar

The Feds botched the case against Ellsberg because of prosecutor misconduct. Had the case against Ellsberg held up in court, it certainly would have been feasible to also bring charges against the newspapers that published the Pentagon Papers.

Civil disobedience, which both Ellsberg and the newspapers engaged in at that time, does not come with a get out of jail free card.

Actually, I did receive a “get out of jail free” card for civil disobedience (done as passive resistance) at an anti-Vietnam War rally, but I know what you mean.

134 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:11:04pm

Anybody want to guess what my avatar is?

135 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:11:12pm

re: #122 Gus

Stasi like? And people accuse me of hyperbola? There is a vast difference between living under a voluntary discipline and being controlled by a secret police agency in a totalitarian state.

136 Decatur Deb  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:12:12pm

re: #131 Charles Johnson

Gonna be a little more difficult to rehabilitate BB to the general public - a heroin addict who made public death threats. Not quite the same sort of sympathetic figure.

They’re trying:

gawker.com

137 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:12:31pm

re: #135 William Barnett-Lewis

Stasi like? And people accuse me of hyperbola? There is a vast difference between living under a voluntary discipline and being controlled by a secret police agency in a totalitarian state.

Please tell me your sarcasm meter is working.

138 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:12:43pm

Incidentally, what a fascinating swan song for DADT.

139 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:13:09pm

re: #136 Decatur Deb

They’re trying:

gawker.com

Stand byyyyyyyyy your troooooooollllllllllll.

140 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:13:22pm

re: #137 Creepy Totalitarianist

Didn’t register as sarc to me given how he wrote it.

141 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:13:37pm

re: #136 Decatur Deb

I know, I’ve seen some of it. He’s got some kind of network of people he hasn’t alienated yet promoting him.

142 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:14:57pm

re: #140 William Barnett-Lewis

Didn’t register as sarc to me given how he wrote it.

It is broken then.

143 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:16:18pm

re: #140 William Barnett-Lewis

Didn’t register as sarc to me given how he wrote it.

There have been a lot of sarcastic [Just like X!!] comments in the last few days. Seen in that light, it’s more obvious.

144 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:17:22pm

Politico ♥ Walker

Scott Walker’s stealth 2016 strategy

The picture of Walker in the article include 2 close allies of his. Tim Russell on the left and Brian Pierick on the right.

Both of them are now convicted criminals. One of them is a felon.

145 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:17:49pm

By the way, just for comparison…

146 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:17:58pm

re: #134 Creepy Totalitarianist

It looks like an owl.

147 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:18:40pm

re: #145 Charles Johnson

By the way, just for comparison…

[Embedded content]

Whats the diagnosis of the photo?

Mostly bullshit.

149 Political Atheist  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:19:03pm

re: #136 Decatur Deb

They’re trying:

gawker.com

Stand by Your Troll: Rallying For Barrett Brown Over Wine and Cheese

Rallying over wine and cheese? Reeks of pretentious wealthy slacker. Perfect.

150 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:19:39pm
151 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:19:55pm
152 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:20:00pm

re: #145 Charles Johnson

By the way, just for comparison…

[Embedded content]

Reuters knife crop.

153 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:20:17pm
154 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:21:09pm

re: #144 Amory Blaine

Politico ♥ Walker

Scott Walker’s stealth 2016 strategy

The picture of Walker in the article include 2 close allies of his. Tim Russell on the left and Brian Pierick on the right.

Both of them are now convicted criminals. One of them is a felon.

Too bad his stealth 2016 strategy doesn’t include Wisconsin’s economy recovering like the ones in the states to the south and west.

Ultimately, his record looks pretty shitty on the economy, and I find it hard to imagine the squishy middle of the electorate caring about anything else in 2016.

155 AlexRogan  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:21:35pm

re: #84 Charles Johnson

Oops, I wrote “him.” I hope Firedoglake doesn’t write a hit piece on me now.

Until it’s legal and he’s actively under a course of medical treatment to make a permanent gender change, ‘Chelsea’ is still Bradley, IMO.

156 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:21:55pm

re: #116 Creepy Totalitarianist

Open season? Do we get to shoot Gus’s foot?

AK-47s for everyone!

157 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:22:45pm

re: #134 Creepy Totalitarianist

Anybody want to guess what my avatar is?

Looks like an owl from a distance.

158 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:22:47pm

re: #145 Charles Johnson

By the way, just for comparison…

[Embedded content]

The red card looks like a graphics card, AGP I think. It may be PCIE

The system board looks like it may be a notebook board, but only if a number of chips have been smashed off.

My question is why would anybody beat the crap out of this stuff, all the data is on the HDD.

159 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:23:07pm

Not suggesting any kind of fakery in the picture (yet?) but again - the Guardian described this image in several places as showing “the remains of a Mac Pro,” and that is not what it actually shows.

160 Targetpractice  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:24:14pm

re: #156 Pavlovian Hive Mind

AK-47s for everyone!

C&C: Generals?

161 Targetpractice  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:25:24pm

re: #158 Creepy Totalitarianist

The red card looks like a graphics card, AGP I think. It may be PCIE

The system board looks like it may be a notebook board, but only if a number of chips have been smashed off.

My question is why would anybody beat the crap out of this stuff, all the data is on the HDD.

And the HDDs are nowhere in sight. Though the dudebros have an excuse for that, namely “The government took them!”

162 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:25:35pm

On second look, the system board is from a desktop, not a laptop/notebook.

These parts are not from one system.

163 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:26:35pm

re: #149 Political Atheist

Stand by Your Troll: Rallying For Barrett Brown Over Wine and Cheese

Rallying over wine and cheese? Reeks of pretentious wealthy slacker. Perfect.

That’s “whine and cheese” actually…

164 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:27:13pm

re: #157 Stanley Sea

Looks like an owl from a distance.

A diamond.

165 wrenchwench  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:27:16pm

re: #134 Creepy Totalitarianist

Anybody want to guess what my avatar is?

I think some important identifying details have been cropped out.

Can you post a higher resolution version?

166 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:27:41pm

re: #164 Creepy Totalitarianist

A diamond.

ooooooooh

167 wrenchwench  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:28:13pm

Dammit!

168 b.d.  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:29:57pm

Ya know, depending on how long my sentence was I might just decide to have a sex change or two too. Gives one something to do and stay concentrated on, that’s important.

//

169 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:30:03pm

re: #162 Creepy Totalitarianist

The red card is positively identified as a PCI Radeon ATI graphics card for a Mac or PC desktop machine. The green card is most likely an ancient PC motherboard, but some people think it might have come from a printer - hard to tell.

170 b.d.  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:30:35pm

re: #134 Creepy Totalitarianist

Anybody want to guess what my avatar is?

The insides of a Guardian laptop?

171 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:31:02pm

re: #166 Stanley Sea

ooooooooh

It’s called the skull diamond by the geologists who found it.

172 Bear  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:31:09pm

Update on Shorty. kxly.com
What is the matter with people? The Oklahoma killing and now this.

173 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:31:34pm

Well, we have a nice little deluge.

The hail was not big enough to hurt my car.

Then the last minute occurred, and it sounds like we are being shelled.

174 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:31:37pm

re: #169 Charles Johnson

The red card is positively identified as a PCI Radeon ATI graphics card for a Mac or PC desktop machine. The green card is most likely an ancient PC motherboard, but some people think it might have come from a printer - hard to tell.

Gus convinced me that the standoff layout (which you can see clearly) is pretty distinctively ATX-flavored (or some small subset thereof).

175 b.d.  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:31:58pm

re: #164 Creepy Totalitarianist

A diamond.

[Joe Wilson] You Lie! [/Joe Wilson]

176 darthstar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:31:59pm

re: #115 Gus

Dog Day Afternoon

ATTICUS! (To Kill a Dog Day)

177 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:32:56pm

re: #169 Charles Johnson

The red card is positively identified as a PCI Radeon ATI graphics card for a Mac or PC desktop machine. The green card is most likely an ancient PC motherboard, but some people think it might have come from a printer - hard to tell.

The left side of the system board where the shield covers the I/O does look like a printer board, although the 1 I/O reminds me of a serial port.

178 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:33:30pm

re: #170 b.d.

The insides of a Guardian laptop?

Kidney stone.

Not really, it’s a small diamond.

179 AlexRogan  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:33:53pm

re: #135 William Barnett-Lewis

Stasi like? And people accuse me of hyperbola? There is a vast difference between living under a voluntary discipline and being controlled by a secret police agency in a totalitarian state.

I read Gus’ post as missing quotes on “Stasi-like” and/or a sarc tag.

It was clear to me that that part of the post was dripping in sarcasm.

180 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:34:08pm

Speaking of owls…..

My friends built an owl house way way way up one of their eucalyptus trees awhile ago. Followed the directions, it’s big, they rubbed leaves all over it before putting it did I say really high up the tree?

Well, blue moon night what do ya know, AN OWL. Got a blurry shot of the guy looking out.

Local Nature Win.

181 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:34:49pm

In any case, none of those smashed parts have any onboard storage. There are no hard drives shown, and that’s what most of the Guardian’s article was about — destroying the hard drives.

Their article said that GCHQ agents did NOT take anything away with them, as well. So if they had smashed hard drives why didn’t they put them in the picture?

182 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:35:30pm

re: #180 Stanley Sea

Speaking of owls…..

My friends built an owl house way way way up one of their eucalyptus trees awhile ago. Followed the directions, it’s big, they rubbed leaves all over it before putting it did I say really high up the tree?

Well, blue moon night what do ya know, AN OWL. Got a blurry shot of the guy looking out.

Local Nature Win.

My wife collects owls. She has about 100 of the damned things.

183 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:36:06pm

It went from being Pea/Dime sized to Half-Dollar sized.

My cute little 2001 Honda Accord with a spoiler might be screwed.

184 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:36:07pm

re: #181 Charles Johnson

In any case, none of those smashed parts have any onboard storage. There are no hard drives shown, and that’s what most of the Guardian’s article was about — destroying the hard drives.

Their article said that GCHQ agents did NOT take anything away with them, as well. So if they had smashed hard drives why didn’t they put them in the picture?

Now that is a good question.

185 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:36:29pm

re: #183 ProTARDISLiberal

It went from being Pea/Dime sized to Half-Dollar sized.

My cute little 2001 Honda Accord with a spoiler might be screwed.

Insurance?

186 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:36:54pm

re: #154 erik_t

Yeah one would hope so. The right wing is very entrenched here however and the Democratic party has been largely MIA. The only whisper from the Democratic party is Mary Burke, former executive of Trek bicycle possibly throwing her hat in the gubernatorial ring. Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris is contemplating a run. Both have a name deficit along with a fierce right wing machine to contend with. We shall see.

187 lawhawk  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:36:56pm

re: #159 Charles Johnson

Not suggesting any kind of fakery in the picture (yet?) but again - the Guardian described this image in several places as showing “the remains of aseveral Mac Pros,” and that is not what it actually shows.

The next iteration?

That they cropped out a couple of relevant details in the image suggests that once again they’re hiding information that would undermine their narrative.

That’s a pretty sweet camera setup they used to take the photo. Why a month after it supposedly happened though.

How to tear down a MacBook Pro - the fully broken down MacBook here.

If they wanted the hard drive, it’s one of the easiest things to remove - and didn’t require a full teardown. But why do they show multiple motherboards? And what are the other boards? They’re not part of the MacBook chasis.

188 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:37:51pm

If I had seen a picture of smashed hard drives that would have been enough for me. But they presented this in a weird, apparently deceptive manner that just sets off my warning bells.

189 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:37:56pm

re: #169 Charles Johnson

The red card is positively identified as a PCI Radeon ATI graphics card for a Mac or PC desktop machine. The green card is most likely an ancient PC motherboard, but some people think it might have come from a printer - hard to tell.

Can it play Crysis?

190 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:38:11pm

re: #187 lawhawk

The next iteration?

That they cropped out a couple of relevant details in the image suggests that once again they’re hiding information that would undermine their narrative.

That’s a pretty sweet camera setup they used to take the photo. Why a month after it supposedly happened though.

How to tear down a MacBook Pro - the fully broken down MacBook here.

If they wanted the hard drive, it’s one of the easiest things to remove - and didn’t require a full teardown. But why do they show multiple motherboards? And what are the other boards? They’re not part of the MacBook chasis.

I think they have some ‘splainin’ to do.

191 Targetpractice  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:39:10pm

re: #190 Creepy Totalitarianist

I think they have some ‘splainin’ to do.

I’m not holding my breath.

192 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:40:44pm

I don’t expect this story to really go anywhere though — the rest of the media is giving the Guardian a total pass on a lot bigger howlers than this.

193 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:41:18pm

re: #185 Creepy Totalitarianist

Yep.

I could get a newer, more efficient car.

But I am attached to mine. It survived Hurricane Katrina, and works like a beauty, even if 12-13 years old.

And I don’t think the insurance would cover enough for me to get that Tesla Car that broke the Crash Test machinery.

194 wrenchwench  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:41:31pm
195 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:42:09pm

re: #187 lawhawk

Yep - the EOS 5D Mark II is a top notch pro-level DSLR. I’d like to have one myself but it’s a little out of my price range.

196 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:42:10pm

re: #193 ProTARDISLiberal

Yep.

I could get a newer, more efficient car.

But I am attached to mine. It survived Hurricane Katrina, and works like a beauty, even if 12-13 years old.

And I don’t think the insurance would cover enough for me to get that Tesla Car that broke the Crash Test machinery.

Darn, eh.

197 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:43:23pm

re: #195 Charles Johnson

Yep - the EOS 5D Mark II is a top notch pro-level DSLR. I’d like to have one myself but it’s a little out of my price range.

Why is the pic so poor? With that equipment shouldn’t it be sharper?

(I know nothing of cameras)

198 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:43:42pm

re: #193 ProTARDISLiberal

And I don’t think the insurance would cover enough for me to get that Tesla Car that broke the Crash Test machinery.

Shockingly (//////////), noted Paypal turd Elon Musk’s company maybe stretched the truth on those results just a tad.

199 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:44:49pm

Weather Channel is calling this “Light Rain with Thunder.”

Bullshit. It is forming a lake around the shed in the backyard. And there are little drifts of hail.

No thunder though.

200 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:44:54pm

re: #197 Creepy Totalitarianist

Why is the pic so poor? With that equipment shouldn’t it be sharper?

(I know nothing of cameras)

They scaled it down from 4,172 x 2,140 pixels to 460 x 276 pixels. Probably to fit a standard size for their articles.

201 wrenchwench  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:45:34pm
202 darthstar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:45:41pm
203 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:45:55pm

re: #200 Charles Johnson

They scaled it down from 4,172 x 2,140 pixels to 460 x 276 pixels. Probably to fit a standard size for their articles.

What did they use to scale it, Windows Paint?

204 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:46:01pm

re: #197 Creepy Totalitarianist

Why is the pic so poor? With that equipment shouldn’t it be sharper?

(I know nothing of cameras)

The bottom thumbnail image in my shot is even worse resolution — it’s the tiny preview image created inside the camera when the picture is actually taken, at the same time as the full-size image.

205 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:46:27pm

Fox News fires top communications executive

Fox News confirmed Wednesday that it fired its top communications executive, Brian Lewis, due to “issues relating to financial irregularities.”

Lewis was considered “the right hand man” to Fox News founder and chief Roger Ailes, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which first reported about Lewis’ departure.

206 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:46:30pm

re: #160 Targetpractice

C&C: Generals?

Bingo.

208 danarchy  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:47:16pm

re: #181 Charles Johnson

In any case, none of those smashed parts have any onboard storage. There are no hard drives shown, and that’s what most of the Guardian’s article was about — destroying the hard drives.

Their article said that GCHQ agents did NOT take anything away with them, as well. So if they had smashed hard drives why didn’t they put them in the picture?

Most of those parts would likely have had some volatile flash based cache storage. While it is incredibly difficult to recover data from them I hear it is possible. I don’t know exactly how, but it involves freezing the parts with liquid nitrogen and then doing some magic to mount them in another machine, and then using special utilities to recover the data. It is generally done to recover stuff from DRAM, but I imagine a similar procedure could work with any volatile flash memory. Not that this has any real impact on the story, I just find it interesting.

209 lawhawk  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:47:28pm

re: #195 Charles Johnson

It’s a dream camera (and money wasn’t an issue) and the lens looks like it could be this one - a 16-35 2.8 USM. A pretty sweet setup.

210 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:47:48pm

re: #204 Charles Johnson

The bottom thumbnail image in my shot is even worse resolution — it’s the tiny preview image created inside the camera when the picture is actually taken, at the same time as the full-size image.

Ah. Thank you sifu.

211 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:49:01pm

re: #172 Bear

Update on Shorty. kxly.com
What is the matter with people? The Oklahoma killing and now this.

OMG

212 Kragar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:52:22pm

Bah, I hate rewriting parts of a story. Why can’t I just get it right the first time?

213 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:52:51pm

re: #200 Charles Johnson

They scaled it down from 4,172 x 2,140 pixels to 460 x 276 pixels. Probably to fit a standard size for their articles.

It looks like they downsized the picture by pelting it with rutabagas. The smearing and focus are terrible.

214 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:53:19pm

Right meow. Always.

215 ObserverArt  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:54:27pm

re: #23 ProTARDISLiberal

Pam and her little drones are going to be in a tizzy soon:

[Embedded content]

Sounds like it would be good with Halal Turkey on Thanksgiving.

/xMany

216 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:54:58pm

re: #209 lawhawk

Of course, now the EOS 5D Mark THREE is out. Just checked price at Amazon: Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera With EF 24-105mm F/4 L IS USM Lens: Electronics

217 Stephen T.  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:55:29pm

re: #76 dog philosopher

e.g. bush’s immigration reform was dropped even though it had a lot of things that corporations really wanted

so you see that even corporations can be cowed by the Great Mass of Stupid

I see it more as “Bush’s immigration reform was dropped even though it had a lot of things that would be good for business, except for those business leaders not liking brown people any more than the Great Mass of Stupid.

218 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:55:51pm

aha, so the bug turns out to be a golden oldie: signed/unsigned mismatch

a classic! a blast from the past!

219 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:57:24pm

re: #217 Stephen T.

That’s a bonus of immigration reform. It takes the nation away from the bigots and the small minded.

Like my MGC.

220 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:57:32pm

Lol, people complaining about a Seth MacFarlane show going too far…

221 Justanotherhuman  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:58:07pm

re: #207 Kragar

Neo-Nazi Plans to Build an All-White City of Racists in North Dakota

That guy sounds like a real winner. Not.

222 Gus  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 5:58:58pm
223 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:02:03pm

re: #217 Stephen T.

I see it more as “Bush’s immigration reform was dropped even though it had a lot of things that would be good for business, except for those business leaders not liking brown people any more than the Great Mass of Stupid.

I think the business part of the GOP is mostly indifferent to racism etc. They will play along if it is useful for manipulating the goobers in the GOP base, but their heart is usually not in it.

Another way of looking at is is that sufficiently pathological members of the upper class (e.g., Romney) despise the lower classes to a much greater degree than they care about race-based distinctions.

224 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:03:32pm

re: #211 Stanley Sea

Such vile comments.

Phil Haynes * Top Commenter * Montgomery, Texas
Ward S. Eventeen If those people want a race war they won’t believe what i’m capable of doing till they get me

225 lawhawk  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:03:41pm

re: #216 Charles Johnson

Just when you think you’ve got good gear, they trump it. I’m expecting them to come out with a new iteration of the 1D too. Not that the current version is chopped liver, but they’ll push the sensor size to new extremes. Or speed up processing time with a supercharged DIGIC processor (or 2/4).

I’m quite happy with the 60D, which means that the 70D is now available. But the 60D is more than sufficient for my needs, and now I can focus on improved glass.

226 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:05:38pm

re: #208 danarchy

Most of those parts would likely have had some volatile flash based cache storage. While it is incredibly difficult to recover data from them I hear it is possible. I don’t know exactly how, but it involves freezing the parts with liquid nitrogen and then doing some magic to mount them in another machine, and then using special utilities to recover the data. It is generally done to recover stuff from DRAM, but I imagine a similar procedure could work with any volatile flash memory. Not that this has any real impact on the story, I just find it interesting.

Theoretically possible maybe, but we’re talking about thousands of documents, many megabytes (possible gigs) of data. You don’t store that in flash memory.

227 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:05:55pm

re: #207 Kragar

Neo-Nazi Plans to Build an All-White City of Racists in North Dakota

For starters, we could declare a Mexican illegal invaders and Israeli Mossad/IDF spies no-go zone. If leftist journalists or antis come and try to make trouble, they just might break one of our local ordinances and would have to be arrested by our town constable. See?” he wrote.

Cobb has even built a concrete prison, where he plans to “lock up recalcitrant journalists and lefty commies who violate the codes or peace of the community.”

“so cobb, whar are them lefties and mexicans yew promised us? ain’t a nobody coming around here fer to beat up, and ah’m gittin bored…”

228 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:08:39pm

re: #226 Charles Johnson

Theoretically possible maybe, but we’re talking about thousands of documents, many megabytes (possible gigs) of data. You don’t store that in flash memory.

flash is great, but last time i checked it was 10 times as expensive per byte as a regular hard drive

229 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:08:43pm

re: #208 danarchy

I wanted to do that to recover pictures of mah Kittie!!!

;)

230 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:08:59pm

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst calls 911 to pressure police to release jailed relative

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R) reportedly called 911 when a relative was in jail and tried to use his influence to convince officials to release her. According to CBS Dallas-Ft. Worth, Dewhurst made the call on August 3, four hours after his niece was arrested for shoplifting at an Allen, TX Kroger grocery store.

“This is David Dewhurst, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Texas, and I want to talk to your senior officer who is there at your department right now,” Dewhurst said at the beginning of the call.

When the Republican got a police sergeant on the phone, he proceeded to insist that his niece, Ellen Bevers, is “the sweetest person in the world,” and that she should be released as quickly as possible.

“What I would like to do is if you would explain to me, sergeant, what I would need to do to arrange for getting her out of jail this evening,” he said. “You can proceed with whatever you think is proper.”

Allen police say they handled the case just as they would any other case of a relative calling about an inmate. The sergeant on duty explained that Bevers was charged with a Class B misdemeanor and would be transferred to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office for arraignment.

Dewhurst asked for the county judge’s phone number, but the officer would not give it to him.

“What do I need to do to not circumvent anything, follow the law, because this is ridiculous,” Dewhurst insisted.

231 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:09:42pm

re: #227 dog philosopher

FREEEEEDDDUUMMBBB!!1!!1!ty!T!!1!!!

232 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:11:06pm

I heard the Lt. Gov. of Texas has more power than the actual Gov. anyone know if that’s true?

233 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:11:18pm

re: #230 Pavlovian Hive Mind

Correction; He called the station directly.

234 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:11:46pm

re: #230 Pavlovian Hive Mind

Is it impolite to point out that this may be the most rational exercise in GOP ‘governance’ this week?

Using the weight of one’s office to improperly influence criminal justice is crooked as hell, but at least it is rational.

235 Interesting Times  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:12:36pm

re: #224 Amory Blaine

Such vile comments.

And posted through facebook accounts, real names, photos, and all. Looks like anonymity is no longer a requirement of GIFT.

236 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:12:49pm

re: #230 Pavlovian Hive Mind

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst calls 911 to pressure police to release jailed relative

Hilarious.

And busted you fool. Now if a dem has cajones, they PLAY that tape on a TV ad.

237 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:14:00pm

re: #182 Creepy Totalitarianist

My wife collects owls. She has about 100 of the damned things.

Actual live owls or tchotchkas?

I have a collection of bird tchotchkas.

238 Stephen T.  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:15:21pm

re: #223 EPR-radar

I think the business part of the GOP is mostly indifferent to racism etc. They will play along if it is useful for manipulating the goobers in the GOP base, but their heart is usually not in it.

I’ve met far too many managers and small business owners that will tell other white people in confidence that they hate that they have to hide their hatred for minorities*, and the government regulations that prevent them from firing on that alone.

*Minorities is not limited to race, this includes handicaps, religious intolerance, sexual preference and age as well.

239 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:15:23pm

re: #236 Stanley Sea

Hilarious.

And busted you fool. Now if a dem has cajones, they PLAY that tape on a TV ad.

Yeah, I’m totally not throwing my rank around in order to…persuade you officer. Nope!

240 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:17:37pm

re: #237 Vicious Babushka

Actual live owls or tchotchkas?

I have a collection of bird tchotchkas.

Clay, porcelain, wood, stone, brass, wax, fabric, glass, aluminum.

From 1/2” to 14”.

241 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:18:04pm

re: #212 Kragar

Bah, I hate rewriting parts of a story. Why can’t I just get it right the first time?

Guardian style book says you have to rewrite the story 5 or 6 times.

242 steve_davis  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:18:20pm

re: #52 EPR-radar

The only way forward I can see is for the reliable R voters that aren’t crazy to start voting against the crazy unless they agree with it.

If nearly 50% of the voters are insane, there is no solution.

If we have 20-30% insane voters who have taken over the GOP to get leverage for their craziness, then the problem is huge, but not hopeless.

Over half the Republicans in Louisiana literally believe that Katrina was Obama’s fault. The party is dead. What we’re witnessing now is the dead-cat bounce.

243 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:19:11pm
244 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:19:18pm

re: #238 Stephen T.

I’ve met far too many managers and small business owners that will tell other white people in confidence that they hate that they have to hide their hatred for minorities*, and the government regulations that prevent them from firing on that alone.

*Minorities is not limited to race, this includes handicaps, religious intolerance, sexual preference and age as well.

Point taken. What I had in mind was the support of big business for more lax immigration standards than the GOP base, but that is hardly a sign of less racism. Instead, it could be viewed as a desire to increase the number of workers that can be abused by employers because of their lack of legal status.

246 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:21:08pm

“My name is Amory Blaine Chief Pizza Construction Assembler”, that is exactly how I would phrase my opening when I called 911 to get my buddy outta the pokie. “DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?!?!?!”

247 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:21:44pm

re: #242 steve_davis

Over half the Republicans in Louisiana literally believe that Katrina was Obama’s fault. The party is dead. What we’re witnessing now is the dead-cat bounce.

I remember reading a few obituaries of the GOP after the election of 2008 and the McCain/Palin freak show.

Then came the midterms in 2010.

I will wait to dance on the GOP’s grave until is it safely interred.

248 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:22:03pm

No rain now, but thunder.

Way to fail, Weather Channel. That “Light Rain” resulted in 1.5 inches of rain within about 2 hours.

249 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:22:05pm

re: #242 steve_davis

Over half the Republicans in Louisiana literally believe that Katrina was Obama’s fault. The party is dead. What we’re witnessing now is the dead-cat bounce.

I’ve made this before, every once in a while, but nobody can come up with anything better: Everybody must register Republican! Drown out the radicals and send them back where they came from - the Democratic Party!

250 jaunte  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:22:30pm

Now I just need to find a photo assignment that pays 5-6 thousand…

251 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:22:39pm

Dead-nutria bounce.

252 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:23:52pm

re: #249 SteveMcGazi

I’ve made this before, every once in a while, but nobody can come up with anything better: Everybody must register Republican! Drown out the radicals and send them back where they came from - the Democratic Party!

i prefer to get more recruits for my Royalist Party

the common people are not suited to rule themselves, as should be obvious

253 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:24:26pm

re: #247 EPR-radar

I remember reading a few obituaries of the GOP after the election of 2008 and the McCain/Palin freak show.

Then came the midterms in 2010.

I will wait to dance on the GOP’s grave until is it safely interred.

GOP DELENDA EST

254 b.d.  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:26:08pm

I haven’t been able to follow today’s news as closely as I would have liked. Has Glenn destroyed the UK and NBC yet?

255 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:27:34pm

Could you imagine when thousands of minorities start registering Republican? They’ll think the outreach is going great. Then when the white people start registering, they’ll think the anti-Obama stuff is finally working.

256 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:28:47pm

re: #249 SteveMcGazi

I’ve made this before, every once in a while, but nobody can come up with anything better: Everybody must register Republican! Drown out the radicals and send them back where they came from - the Democratic Party!

The so-con theocrats infesting the GOP are never going to go back to the Democratic party.

It would require less of a mass movement of voters for the sane GOP voters to abandon the party than for new sane people to join the GOP in numbers sufficient to drown out the crazy.

257 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:32:35pm

re: #256 EPR-radar

The so-con theocrats infesting the GOP are never going to go back to the Democratic party.

It would require less of a mass movement of voters for the sane GOP voters to abandon the party than for new sane people to join the GOP in numbers sufficient to drown out the crazy.

I disagree. Republican seats are too safe, and fleeing the GOP just leaves these seats in the hands of people who grow ever nuttier. The sentence about the fleeing wingnuts is sort of in jest, they don’t have anywhere to go.
To take it a step further, out government functions with two viable parties. We NEED two viable parties. Abandoning one just because you don’t like the other members (while understandable) will not help in the long run.

258 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:37:14pm

re: #257 SteveMcGazi

I disagree. Republican seats are too safe, and fleeing the GOP just leaves these seats in the hands of people who grow ever nuttier. The sentence about the fleeing wingnuts is sort of in jest, they don’t have anywhere to go.
To take it a step further, out government functions with two viable parties. We NEED two viable parties. Abandoning one just because you don’t like the other members (while understandable) will not help in the long run.

But why on earth would any reasonable person not already committed to the (R) cause want to deal with this GOP? Talk about cleaning out the Augean stables.

Let the big business type that have traditionally run the GOP deal with the Frankenstein’s monster they have created.

The loss of all sane voters would provide sufficient incentive for the GOP fat cats to really hustle, and the big advantage of such a top-down authoritarian approach is its speed.

259 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:39:39pm

re: #258 EPR-radar

But why on earth would any reasonable person not already committed to the (R) cause want to deal with this GOP? Talk about cleaning out the Augean stables.

Let the big business type that have traditionally run the GOP deal with the Frankenstein’s monster they have created.

The loss of all sane voters would provide sufficient incentive for the GOP fat cats to really hustle, and the big advantage of such a top-down authoritarian approach is its speed.

You don’t understand that we have to deal with Frankenstein whether we like it or not. Stomping your feet and turning your back isn’t going to make it go away. Like I said, the seats are too safe.

260 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:41:08pm

re: #245 Pavlovian Hive Mind

The world’s most accurate clock is made from the element ytterbium
Science!

Can I use that in scrabble?

261 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:46:33pm
262 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:46:51pm

re: #260 Stanley Sea

You know something? I’d like to take the metric system, roll it into a little tube, and cram it up Mr. Metric’s ass. The metric system is just as arbitrary as the English system. That thing about the fancy ass clock reminded me that the definition of a second if something like 9 million cycles of a cesium atom. Who the fuck is going to count to 9 million in one second? Admit it, a second is about yea long. A meter is about this long. A foot is that long. It’s all pulled out of somebody’s ass, I just want to shove it back in.

There, I feel so much better now.

263 thedopefishlives  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:46:52pm

Evening Lizardim.

264 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:47:06pm

re: #259 SteveMcGazi

You don’t understand that we have to deal with Frankenstein whether we like it or not. Stomping your feet and turning your back isn’t going to make it go away. Like I said, the seats are too safe.

Frankenstein’s monster is probably about 20% of the electorate. The reason this is such a problem is that they are concentrated in the GOP, and they just about have control of that party. They get to leverage the influence of people who reliably vote (R), but are not themselves insane to advance their agenda.

Your proposal is to add more of these enablers, engaged in a Quixotic quest to reform the GOP. Even if successful, such an influx of new voters would take decades to change GOP policies.

I see that as trying to put out a fire by calling in a napalm air strike.

The GOP is going to be batshit insane for the foreseeable future. As voters, we either vote for that or against that.

265 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:48:57pm

re: #261 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

When scary was scary.

266 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:50:36pm

In the 1940s, Halloween was seriously fucking scary.

267 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:50:38pm

re: #264 EPR-radar

You mean you want to be a democrat for the rest of your life? - just kidding, but I couldn’t resist. I just don’t think that crossing your fingers and hoping the GOP sees the folly of its ways is a bit overly optimistic.

268 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:52:01pm

re: #266 Charles Johnson

In the 1940s, Halloween was seriously fucking scary.

Take all the candy in the bowl.

Take all the money.

Take my first born.

BUT PLEASE DON’T COME BACK.

269 Political Atheist  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:53:09pm

re: #267 SteveMcGazi

You mean you want to be a democrat for the rest of your life? - just kidding, but I couldn’t resist. I just don’t think that crossing your fingers and hoping the GOP sees the folly of its ways is a bit overly optimistic.

I expect the GOP to fall and something else come up. Over time, perhaps a decade.

270 dog philosopher  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:54:48pm

re: #266 Charles Johnson

In the 1940s, Halloween was seriously fucking scary.

yah the kids used to burn trash, steal stuff from people’s yards, throw flour and stuff in people’s faces

you can see it in the old movies

271 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:55:51pm

re: #270 dog philosopher

yah the kids used to burn trash, steal stuff from people’s yards, throw flour and stuff in people’s faces

you can see it in the old movies

Push over occupied outhouses.

272 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:55:55pm

re: #267 SteveMcGazi

You mean you want to be a democrat for the rest of your life? - just kidding, but I couldn’t resist. I just don’t think that crossing your fingers and hoping the GOP sees the folly of its ways is a bit overly optimistic.

The GOP isn’t going to see the error of its ways unless it starts losing big. The way for the GOP to lose big is to lose more and more sane people in elections. They’re working on this pretty diligently, actually.

Another way to look at this is that if we really do have 50+% crazy in the electorate, we’re screwed. That majority will eventually get its way.

Assuming we don’t have 50+% crazy in the electorate, then the biggest problem we have is the enablers that vote GOP for reasons other than residing in a nuthouse.

These enablers need to face facts about what they are voting for.

273 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:55:59pm

Devil’s Night used to be fun, until the professional arsonists burned everything down.

274 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:56:00pm

re: #260 Stanley Sea

Can I use that in scrabble?

Scrabble and all its modern-day ripoffs/cousins like Words With Friends and Word Feud can kiss my ass.

What kind of inside-out dystopian hellscape do we live in when “Zen” isn’t a valid word, but “Qa” and “Za” and “Qats” somehow are? I can think of few things that make me feel dumber than getting my ass kicked in a game of Scrabble, which is the most common outcome. First off, I usually end up with a collection of letters like “U U O B A A V L”. Second, my opponent seems to effortlessly throw down strings of 5 and 6-letter words that I can’t manage to think of at all, and if I did think of them I wouldn’t have the letters to spell them out. Sometimes I get lucky and can spell a long word, but it’s always in places where there are no letter or word bonus squares.

So I feel happy when I realize I can spell “FISH”, until the asshole opponent comes along and spells “Za” on a triple word score square.

Fuck Scrabble. Fuck it to death!!!!!!!!!1111one

275 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:56:53pm

Is this real?

Image: m4kkFYh.jpg

276 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:57:43pm

re: #261 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Image: 9h2OH.jpg

My dad’s Halloween costume, circa 1934 (give or take).

277 Pavlovian Hive Mind  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:58:34pm

re: #276 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

Image: 9h2OH.jpg

My dad’s Halloween costume, circa 1934 (give or take).

Image: 25yuswsw28295.gif

278 Charles Johnson  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:58:37pm

re: #275 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Is this real?

Image: m4kkFYh.jpg

Probably.

279 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:58:47pm

Have you heard this lady talk down the GA school shooter yet?

npr.org

280 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 6:59:43pm

re: #274 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

Scrabble and all its modern-day ripoffs/cousins like Words With Friends and Word Feud can kiss my ass.

What kind of inside-out dystopian hellscape do we live in when “Zen” isn’t a valid word, but “Qa” and “Za” and “Qats” somehow are? I can think of few things that make me feel dumber than getting my ass kicked in a game of Scrabble, which is the most common outcome. First off, I usually end up with a collection of letters like “U U O B A A V L”. Second, my opponent seems to effortlessly throw down strings of 5 and 6-letter words that I can’t manage to think of at all, and if I did think of them I wouldn’t have the letters to spell them out. Sometimes I get lucky and can spell a long word, but it’s always in places where there are no letter or word bonus squares.

So I feel happy when I realize I can spell “FISH”, until the asshole opponent comes along and spells “Za” on a triple word score square.

Fuck Scrabble. Fuck it to death!!!!!!!!!1111one

Oh my friend. Can we play?

281 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:01:13pm

re: #275 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Is this real?

Image: m4kkFYh.jpg

Honestly it wouldn’t shock me. President Obama is apparently supposed to comment on every murder of a white by non-whites and if he doesn’t, it’s because he’s a racist. Sick people. By the way, awesome original post.

282 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:02:57pm

re: #281 HappyWarrior

Honestly it wouldn’t shock me. President Obama is apparently supposed to comment on every murder of a white by non-whites and if he doesn’t, it’s because he’s a racist. Sick people. By the way, awesome original post.

In wingnut reality, the Obama of their imagination is cheering on these killers.

No facts can be brought to bear on this narrative.

283 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:05:16pm

re: #282 EPR-radar

In wingnut reality, the Obama of their imagination is cheering on these killers.

No facts can be brought to bear on this narrative.

Yeah it’s sick and Hannity the race-baiting fuck that he is always goes that narrative. I don’t know if he’s stupid enough to actually believe it but he knows that there is a large portion of his viewership that does and that’s all that matters.

284 122 Year Old Obama  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:05:55pm

re: #275 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Saw that on TV(My mother watches Faux). It’s real.

285 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:07:46pm

Wingnut Outrage Du Jour

BTW this is a bogus “study” by the Cato Institute. Even if it was true, the obvious answer is to raise the minimum wage. But wingnuts insist NO!!! CANCEL ALL WELFARE MAKE THOSE LAZY BUMS WORK!!11!!

They have Peniaphobia (Fear of The Poor, it’s a real syndrome). Do they believe they will all become CEO’s someday if they cheerlead the 1%?

286 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:09:14pm

The problem I see with the GOP though long term is even their younger leaders are batshit. Just thinking about GOP notables under 50- Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Nikki Haley, and Susana Martinez. These people may look young and fresh on the surface but their ideas are more or less the same ones that are part of the GOP’s descent to madness. I think the GOP needs as many here have said a landslide defeat where they have to realize that their strategy and ideology doesn’t resonate with the vast majority of Americans. And they need to do it with one of the fabled true conservatives too.

287 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:10:18pm

re: #286 HappyWarrior

Are they batshit, or are they merely playing batshit?

With notable exceptions like Rick Santorum and Sarah Palin, it can be so very hard to tell.

288 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:12:02pm

re: #287 erik_t

Are they batshit, or are they merely playing batshit?

With notable exceptions like Rick Santorum and Sarah Palin, it can be so very hard to tell.

I wish I knew. Politics after all is the ultimate theater.

289 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:14:09pm

re: #286 HappyWarrior

The problem I see with the GOP though long term is even their younger leaders are batshit. Just thinking about GOP notables under 50- Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Nikki Haley, and Susana Martinez. These people may look young and fresh on the surface but their ideas are more or less the same ones that are part of the GOP’s descent to madness. I think the GOP needs as many here have said a landslide defeat where they have to realize that their strategy and ideology doesn’t resonate with the vast majority of Americans. And they need to do it with one of the fabled true conservatives too.

One way to look at this is that the assorted cranks and misfits that were swept up into the GOP as a result of the civil rights realignment really weren’t getting what they wanted out of the GOP establishment in the 70s and 80s. So they embarked on a long term project to take over the party to make it more responsive to their primal urges.

This project is presently nearing completion.

290 Carlos Danger  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:14:50pm

Found a small bird with a broken beak today. Took him to the animal hospital.

Hope the little guy turns out all right.

291 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:16:02pm

I was waiting for this.

Minus: 1
Dark_Falcon

Please proceed.

292 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:18:47pm

re: #291 EPR-radar

I was waiting for this.

Please proceed.

Removed. I’m too tired to fight tonight.

293 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:22:44pm

re: #283 HappyWarrior

Yeah it’s sick and Hannity the race-baiting fuck that he is always goes that narrative. I don’t know if he’s stupid enough to actually believe it but he knows that there is a large portion of his viewership that does and that’s all that matters.

Hannity, when its all said and done will be in the Father Coughlin column.

294 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:23:02pm

#UniteBlue people: NO. Bradley/Chelsea is NOT A HERO/INE. JUST NOT.

295 Kragar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:23:19pm

Attention Wingnuts,

The reason the President got involved in the Martin case was Martin was killed and the man who did it walked away with no serious investigation being conducted until public outcry made the local authorities sit up and take notice. In every case you’re trying to say is the same, the police have arrested and charged the suspects, usually in a matter of hours.

Pull your heads out of your asses.

296 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:24:39pm

re: #293 Stanley Sea

Hannity, when its all said and done will be in the Father Coughlin column.

That’s how I think he, Limbaugh, Beck, and others should be remembered. Their whole purpose seems to be similar to Father Couhglin’s, spreading hate and fear.

297 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:25:36pm

re: #295 Kragar

Attention Wingnuts,

The reason the President got involved in the Martin case was Martin was killed and the man who did it walked away with no serious investigation being conducted until public outcry made the local authorities sit up and take notice. In every case you’re trying to say is the same, the police have arrested and charged the suspects, usually in a matter of hours.

Pull your heads out of your asses.

Exactly. Thank you.

298 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:25:56pm

re: #286 HappyWarrior

The problem I see with the GOP though long term is even their younger leaders are batshit. Just thinking about GOP notables under 50- Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Nikki Haley, and Susana Martinez. These people may look young and fresh on the surface but their ideas are more or less the same ones that are part of the GOP’s descent to madness. I think the GOP needs as many here have said a landslide defeat where they have to realize that their strategy and ideology doesn’t resonate with the vast majority of Americans. And they need to do it with one of the fabled true conservatives too.

Unfortunately, I don’t think it is possible any more to have the kind of electoral vote margins that have served as wake-up calls in the past.

E.g., Mondale in 1984 got only 13 electoral votes. Goldwater in 1964 got only 52 electoral votes.

Defeat of such magnitude seems unlikely these days.

299 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:28:10pm

re: #295 Kragar

Attention Wingnuts,

The reason the President got involved in the Martin case was Martin was killed and the man who did it walked away with no serious investigation being conducted until public outcry made the local authorities sit up and take notice. In every case you’re trying to say is the same, the police have arrested and charged the suspects, usually in a matter of hours.

Pull your heads out of your asses.

And to be clear, that’s the same reason Gov. Scott got involved and appointed a special prosecutor.

So those screaming about Obama need to remember the facts then shut up.

300 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:28:41pm

re: #289 EPR-radar

One way to look at this is that the assorted cranks and misfits that were swept up into the GOP as a result of the civil rights realignment really weren’t getting what they wanted out of the GOP establishment in the 70s and 80s. So they embarked on a long term project to take over the party to make it more responsive to their primal urges.

This project is presently nearing completion.

I get the hope reading about some college Republicans that some of the carzy is merely generational and the next generation of Republicans (Millienial generation ones) will be less focused on social issues but I’ve met some pretty insane Republicans my generation too. Sure, some of them may not be total nutso on social issues but some of them especially the ones I know who got their economic gospel from Ron Paul and Ludwig von Mises make up for it with an economic world-view that repulses me as much as any backwards so-con view. I think the Republicans of the 70’s and 80’s understood that government had to work. They preferred it smaller certainly but I think they saw its importance.

301 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:32:42pm

re: #298 EPR-radar

Unfortunately, I don’t think it is possible any more to have the kind of electoral vote margins that have served as wake-up calls in the past.

E.g., Mondale in 1984 got only 13 electoral votes. Goldwater in 1964 got only 52 electoral votes.

Defeat of such magnitude seems unlikely these days.

I agree. I see for the immediate future, each party’s candidate getting at least 45% of the vote. Santorum even though he’d been more out there than McGovern and Goldwater were for 1972 and 1964 would have done better in the popular vote and EV than they did. I think Santorum easily would have had easily over 100 EVs. Ditto what I said for Ron Paul too by the way.

302 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:38:30pm

re: #301 HappyWarrior

I agree. I see for the immediate future, each party’s candidate getting at least 45% of the vote. Santorum even though he’d been more out there than McGovern and Goldwater were for 1972 and 1964 would have done better in the popular vote and EV than they did. I think Santorum easily would have had easily over 100 EVs.

Santorum in 2012 would probably have lost NC. From the raw numbers, it’s hard to see another Romney state that Santorum clearly would have lost. This would give Santorum 191 electoral votes in 2012, which is absurd/terrifying.

303 Amory Blaine  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:39:26pm

I love the metric system. Using meters, grams, and liters is so much more straightforward. Although I like a hybrid such as the kip.

:p

304 Stanley Sea  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:41:16pm

re: #300 HappyWarrior

I get the hope reading about some college Republicans that some of the carzy is merely generational and the next generation of Republicans (Millienial generation ones) will be less focused on social issues but I’ve met some pretty insane Republicans my generation too. Sure, some of them may not be total nutso on social issues but some of them especially the ones I know who got their economic gospel from Ron Paul and Ludwig von Mises make up for it with an economic world-view that repulses me as much as any backwards so-con view. I think the Republicans of the 70’s and 80’s understood that government had to work. They preferred it smaller certainly but I think they saw its importance.

Hoo boy.

305 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:43:31pm

re: #304 Stanley Sea

Hoo boy.

Can you believe I used to be an idealist?

306 erik_t  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:43:41pm

re: #303 Amory Blaine

I love the metric system. Using meters, grams, and liters is so much more straightforward. Although I like a hybrid such as the kip.

:p

Furlongs per fortnight or GTFO

307 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:44:49pm

re: #302 EPR-radar

Santorum in 2012 would probably have lost NC. From the raw numbers, it’s hard to see another Romney state that Santorum clearly would have lost. This would give Santorum 191 electoral votes in 2012, which is absurd/terrifying.

I got 146 but I was being conservative. I think Santorum would have lost North Carolina too but like Romney would have retained Indiana.

308 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:55:09pm

re: #299 Dark_Falcon

Never mind the initial investigation was bungled enough that prosecution would have been difficult.

309 Carlos Danger  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:58:41pm

re: #307 HappyWarrior

If Santorum ran, the house races would have been pretty ugly. There would have been some interesting results out of Georgia, if there was any remaining bad blood between Gingrich.

Arizona might have flipped too.

310 Mattand  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:58:57pm

re: #275 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Is this real?

Image: m4kkFYh.jpg

Wonder if the braintrust involved in that interview will acknowledge that one of the shooters was as white as Fox News’s audience?

311 Kragar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:59:24pm

re: #309 Carlos Danger

If Santorum ran, the house races would have been pretty ugly. There would have been some interesting results out of Georgia, if there was any remaining bad blood between Gingrich.

Arizona might have flipped too.

I really don’t want to see santorum running.

/rimshot

312 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 7:59:47pm

re: #303 Amory Blaine

I love the metric system. Using meters, grams, and liters is so much more straightforward. Although I like a hybrid such as the kip.

:p

Don’t tell anybody I said this, but metric or English, it really doesn’t matter. I still recoil at the memory of weenie teachers trying to tell me the metric system was superior because it was based on multiples of 10. I also remember other weenie teachers griping about about how difficult the English language was.

Go :p on yourself

313 Kragar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:00:01pm

re: #310 Mattand

Wonder if the braintrust involved in that interview will acknowledge that one of the shooters was as white as Fox News’s audience?

Doesn’t fit the narrative.

314 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:01:11pm

re: #311 Kragar

I really don’t want to see santorum running.

/rimshot

He’s plausibly ‘next in line’ for the GOP, as the last whack-a-mole flavor of the week to get buried by Romney $$$.

315 SteveMcGazi  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:02:18pm

While people are singing the swan song of the GOP, always remember that the wingnuttery will always be close to the surface. People will think it’s safe again to vote R, but even moderate Republican got castrated. That’s why we have to flood the GOP.

316 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:02:46pm

re: #312 SteveMcGazi

Don’t tell anybody I said this, but metric or English, it really doesn’t matter. I still recoil at the memory of weenie teachers trying to tell me the metric system was superior because it was based on multiples of 10. I also remember other weenie teachers griping about about how difficult the English language was.

Go :p on yourself

So the English went though a pointless exercise when they put their currency on a decimal system a few years back?

317 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:07:47pm

re: #315 SteveMcGazi

While people are singing the swan song of the GOP, always remember that the wingnuttery will always be close to the surface. People will think it’s safe again to vote R, but even moderate Republican got castrated. That’s why we have to flood the GOP.

I’d like to see the GOP exposed for what it presently is. Let Santorum (or worse) be the GOP nominee in 2016. The general election would be fascinating.

318 Mattand  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:08:42pm

re: #315 SteveMcGazi

While people are singing the swan song of the GOP, always remember that the wingnuttery will always be close to the surface. People will think it’s safe again to vote R, but even moderate Republican got castrated. That’s why we have to flood the GOP.

I’m guessing you mean “flood the GOP with moderates”. If that’s the case, you might as well give up now.

The moderates were more than happy to roll over like beaten dogs with the American Taliban came to town. They still vote for them, despite supposedly being horrified at the GOP’s current drift.

To think they’re going to suddenly grow a spine and eject the RWNJs at this point is delusional.

319 Carlos Danger  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:11:41pm

re: #315 SteveMcGazi

While people are singing the swan song of the GOP, always remember that the wingnuttery will always be close to the surface. People will think it’s safe again to vote R, but even moderate Republican got castrated. That’s why we have to flood the GOP.

The GOP is counting on the single-issue occasional white voter to give them the benefit of the doubt instead of bothering to capture a winning percentage of any minority.

The funny part is that if all the bullshit racial issues were taken out of the equation, I really can’t see the percentage of people voting GOP changing in the long term.

320 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:12:38pm

re: #316 EPR-radar

So the English went though a pointless exercise when they put their currency on a decimal system a few years back?

Now that’s a fun thought - since the US likes Imperial measures lets convert our currency back to L/S/D :) 1 lb of silver as $20 perhaps? 1 oz to the $1 & 12 silver pennies to the dollar and 4 copper farthings to the penny? //// Silver base to make the gold bugs grumpy ;)

321 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:12:55pm

re: #312 SteveMcGazi

Don’t tell anybody I said this, but metric or English, it really doesn’t matter. I still recoil at the memory of weenie teachers trying to tell me the metric system was superior because it was based on multiples of 10. I also remember other weenie teachers griping about about how difficult the English language was.

Go :p on yourself

If I have to do math with lengths, e.g., to design a bridge, meters and centimeters is a hell of a lot easier to deal with than feet and inches.

322 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:14:46pm

re: #309 Carlos Danger

If Santorum ran, the house races would have been pretty ugly. There would have been some interesting results out of Georgia, if there was any remaining bad blood between Gingrich.

Arizona might have flipped too.

I had Arizona going over and maybe Georgia too.

323 EPR-radar  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:15:57pm

re: #320 William Barnett-Lewis

Now that’s a fun thought - since the US likes Imperial measures lets convert our currency back to L/D/P :) 1 lb of silver as $20 perhaps? 1 oz to the $1 & 12 silver pennies to the dollar and 4 copper farthings to the penny? //// Silver base to make the gold bugs grumpy ;)

But doing math with money is important, so relatively few are going to advocate making that harder.

324 b_sharp  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:20:10pm

re: #321 EPR-radar

If I have to do math with lengths, e.g., to design a bridge, meters and centimeters is a hell of a lot easier to deal with than feet and inches.

I use four measurements, erect length, erect width, flaccid length and flaccid width as in, that bridge is 43 e-penises 3 f-penises long.

325 blueraven  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:21:21pm

re: #275 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Is this real?

Image: m4kkFYh.jpg

Oh yes, it is real. Fox news and the entire RW is all hyped up about it.
I mean really, this was an awful, awful crime but the parallel to the Trayvon Martin case ends there.

These boys were arrested and charged right away. There is no controversial law or sloppy police work involved. It is a heinous, senseless murder. If Obama does comment, it should be about the gun violence in America. They will not like what he says.

326 HappyWarrior  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:24:45pm

re: #325 blueraven

Oh yes, it is real. Fox news and the entire RW is all hyped up about it.
I mean really, this was an awful, awful crime but the parallel to the Trayvon Martin case ends there.

These boys were arrested and charged right away. There is no controversial law or sloppy police work involved. It is a heinous, senseless murder. If Obama does comment, it should be about the gun violence in America. They will not like what he says.

Of course not, they want to blame anything including the lack of forced prayer in school on shootings but don’t remind them about in some parts of the country that a trip to the gun store may as well be a trip to the coffee shop.

327 Carlos Danger  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:28:35pm

re: #320 William Barnett-Lewis

Now that’s a fun thought - since the US likes Imperial measures lets convert our currency back to L/D/P :) 1 lb of silver as $20 perhaps? 1 oz to the $1 & 12 silver pennies to the dollar and 4 copper farthings to the penny? //// Silver base to make the gold bugs grumpy ;)

I’d like to see gas prices like that.

3£/3/11-3/4

???

328 Carlos Danger  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 8:42:50pm

re: #323 EPR-radar

But doing math with money is important, so relatively few are going to advocate making that harder.

Ironically the NASDAQ was higher when stock prices were fractionalized…

329 Dark_Falcon  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 9:17:45pm

re: #275 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Is this real?

Image: m4kkFYh.jpg

Yeah, its real. Robert Zimmerman has seen this whole mess as his chance to get his 15 minutes.

330 Mich-again  Thu, Aug 22, 2013 9:58:58pm

This is just an extension of the Mitt on Mute strategy the GOP tried to enforce with absolutely no success during the last election cycle.


This article has been archived.
Comments are closed.

Jump to top

Create a PageThis is the LGF Pages posting bookmarklet. To use it, drag this button to your browser's bookmark bar, and title it 'LGF Pages' (or whatever you like). Then browse to a site you want to post, select some text on the page to use for a quote, click the bookmarklet, and the Pages posting window will appear with the title, text, and any embedded video or audio files already filled in, ready to go.
Or... you can just click this button to open the Pages posting window right away.
Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT
LGF User's Guide RSS Feeds

Help support Little Green Footballs!

Subscribe now for ad-free access!Register and sign in to a free LGF account before subscribing, and your ad-free access will be automatically enabled.

Donate with
PayPal
Cash.app
Recent PagesClick to refresh
Texas County at Center of Border Fight Is Overwhelmed by Migrant Deaths EAGLE PASS, Tex. - The undertaker lighted a cigarette and held it between his latex-gloved fingers as he stood over the bloated body bag lying in the bed of his battered pickup truck. The woman had been fished out ...
Cheechako
3 weeks ago
Views: 437 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 1