It Begins: The Destruction of Syria’s Chemical Weapons

Disarmament experts hasten to comply
Middle East • Views: 55,539

Many were skeptical that the chemical weapons deal brokered by Russia would bear fruit, and many more were quick to pin the blame for that pre-assumed failure on Barack Obama, but the latest word from Syria looks promising: Under U.N. Eye, Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons Begins.

BEIRUT—The historic destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal began on Sunday, as a team of disarmament experts hastened to comply with an international mandate to eliminate the nation’s massive chemical stockpiles by mid-2014.

Syrian personnel under international supervision used cutting torches and other tools to destroy an array of items, including missile warheads, aerial bombs and mixing and filling equipment, the United Nations said Sunday in a statement. The process will continue in coming days, the U.N. said.

The accelerated program is widely viewed as an unprecedented attempt to rid a country of its chemical arsenal under a tight deadline while a civil war still rages within the nation’s borders.

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420 comments
1 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:43:14pm

obviously another sign that obama is the antichrist since he is bringing world peace

2 Iwouldprefernotto  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:43:15pm

Please proceed.

3 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:43:43pm

I wonder if my ‘Obama’s just like Bush, only darker’ brother will note the absence of a drum beat for bombing Syria?

4 The Ghost of a Flea  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:44:04pm

This wouldn’t be possible without Vladimir Putin and his two years of silently supplying Syria with whatever they wanted during their civil war. Truly, his silent business-doing was what tipped the scale.//

5 RinaX  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:45:42pm

More proof that the shutdown is Obama’s fault.

6 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:45:49pm

Another embarrassment for Obama, I suppose.

7 thedopefishlives  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:46:09pm

re: #4 The Ghost of a Flea

This wouldn’t be possible without Vladimir Putin and his two years of silently supplying Syria with whatever they wanted during their civil war. Truly, his silent business-doing was what tipped the scale.//

I need a new avatar: “Don’t be a dudebro.”

8 The Ghost of a Flea  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:47:49pm

re: #7 thedopefishlives

I need a new avatar: “Don’t be a dudebro.”

I want a crest like on Game of Thrones. My motto would be “Do the Fucking Research”

9 GOPHostage#25698724  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:47:50pm

Looks like a huge foreign policy win for the US to me.

10 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:49:46pm

re: #8 The Ghost of a Flea

I want a crest like on Game of Thrones. My motto would be “Do the Fucking Research”

Through an amazing coincidence, that was what my last performance review said.
////////////////////

11 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:54:43pm

re: #8 The Ghost of a Flea

I want a crest like on Game of Thrones. My motto would be “Do the Fucking Research”

i like the addams family motto: “We gladly feast on those who would subdue us”

12 SnowdenBaggerVance  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:55:03pm

Looking forward to the Logic Pretzels about how this is a foreign policy failure in that Putin and Assad had their way with the Teleprompter in Chief.

My Pre-Surprised Face, let me show it to you.

13 Killgore Trout  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 5:55:32pm

re: #9 GOPHostage#25698724

Looks like a huge foreign policy with for the US to me.

I don’t think a “win” was possible in Syria. Assad cut this deal because it allows him to stay in power, weapons promised to rebels from the US never showed up. A “win” for the US would have involved beefing up moderate rebels groups years ago so they could compete with Jihadists but that never happened. This means the civil war grinds on indefinitely, our only two viable choices are Assad or al Qaeda, Iran and Russia have a well entrenched ally, Hezbollah continues to gain combat experience and influence. Not really a “win” but it could have been much worse.

14 Bubblehead II  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:06:35pm

Hate to be a grinch here, but all they have done is destroyed the delivery methode. Until the precursers componds are destroyd, well, nothing has been done. They still have the suff.

* Edited 3 times

15 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:07:22pm

cygwin now installing versions of unix utilities designed to work with ferenghi cpus and in computing environments lacking electrons or polarity

16 Interesting Times  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:09:14pm

re: #15 dog philosopher

cygwin now installing versions of unix utilities designed to work with ferenghi cpus and in computing environments lacking electrons or polarity

I tried cygwin once. It was the perfect motivator to download wubi and create an ubuntu partition instead o_O

17 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:09:37pm

This is obviously a failure for Obama.
///

18 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:11:34pm

re: #17 Kragar

This is obviously a failure for Obama.
///

KT agrees.

19 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:15:02pm

re: #14 Bubblehead II

Hate to be a grinch here, but all they have done is destroyed the delivery methode. Until the precursers componds are destroyd, well, nothing has been done. They still have the suff.

* Edited 3 times

There’s a difference between ‘everything has not been done yet’ and ‘nothing has been done’.

20 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:16:06pm

re: #13 Killgore Trout

I don’t think a “win” was possible in Syria. Assad cut this deal because it allows him to stay in power, weapons promised to rebels from the US never showed up. A “win” for the US would have involved beefing up moderate rebels groups years ago so they could compete with Jihadists but that never happened. This means the civil war grinds on indefinitely, our only two viable choices are Assad or al Qaeda, Iran and Russia have a well entrenched ally, Hezbollah continues to gain combat experience and influence. Not really a “win” but it could have been much worse.

This is what my Mom used to call “Praising with faint damns”.

21 b.d.  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:18:44pm

[dudebro] Shouldn’t you be thanking Putin? [/dudebro]

22 Bubblehead II  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:23:02pm

re: #17 Kragar

This is obviously a failure for Obama.
///

Sun SPots on the moon are Obam’s fault.

Hell, the sun rising in the East and setting in the West is nothing more than a great Obama plot.

What else can we with the great sarc tag attribute to him?

23 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:25:02pm

re: #22 Bubblehead II

Obama gave Joe Barton “slow wind.”

24 Petero1818  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:26:49pm

The truth is that it is early days still and whether or not this is a “win” depends on Assad’s cooperation and honesty in not hiding stockpiles. All that said, the part of this that is impressive is that less than 2 months ago, Assad had yet to acknowledge that he had chemical weapons, he had just used them, and the US was on the brink of another unilateral military action abroad, we were on the verge of a major conflict with Russia The GOP was adamant that Obama’s red line was a disaster for America either because they didn’t want to act, or because it was too limited in scope. Today, the UN is doing the work, the US avoided unilateral military action, the world including Russia and China are committed to getting the chemical weapons stockpile out of Syria reducing the likelihood that such weapons will fall into the hands of someone even crazier than Assad, and we avoided a potentially troubling showdown with Russia, instead showing that we can cooperate even where our interests are not alligned.

25 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:28:04pm

Americas top docs claim this weird ingredient may stop Heart Disease…

isn’t it just accepted now that the presence of the word ‘wierd’ in these teasers means ‘this whole thing is utterly bogus’?

26 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:28:28pm

Anderson Cooper Battles GOP Rep.: This Isn’t Fox or MSNBC, You’re Getting Real Questions Here

Labrador also found it odd that only Obama’s reelection counts, and the Republicans holding a majority in the House in 2012 doesn’t. Cooper shot back, “You’re nullifying two presidential elections and you’re nullifying the vote of Congress because you don’t like it.” When Labrador asked why on earth they would ever put a clean CR up for a vote, Cooper responded, “‘Cause that’s how things work.”

When Labrador accused Cooper of being biased against Republicans, Cooper didn’t let him off easy for that.

“This is the way it works in journalism. When you’re not on Fox News, you get contentious interviews. When you’re not on MSNBC and a liberal, you get contentious interviews. My job is to ask you questions that are different than you think.”

CNN isn’t as wonderful as it thinks it is, but Labrador sure set himself up.

27 gwangung  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:31:21pm

re: #26 Carlos Danger

Anderson Cooper Battles GOP Rep.: This Isn’t Fox or MSNBC, You’re Getting Real Questions Here

CNN isn’t as wonderful as it thinks it is, but Labrador sure set himself up.

Repubs won the House in 2012. But Obama won the presidency. And the Democrats won the Senate. Those two count EQUALLY as much—-and you can’t nullify that.

28 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:32:45pm

re: #27 gwangung

Repubs won the House in 2012. But Obama won the presidency. And the Democrats won the Senate. Those two count EQUALLY as much—-and you can’t nullify that.

And the Dems in the House got a million more votes than the Rs.

29 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:33:34pm

re: #25 dog philosopher

Americas top docs claim this weird ingredient may stop Heart Disease…

Doctors/Linguists HATE this man!

Google banned this video!

isn’t it just accepted now that the presence of the word ‘wierd’ in these teasers means ‘this whole thing is utterly bogus’?

A while back there was a comic on Dkos about ‘One Weird Trick’.

30 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:34:24pm

re: #28 Varek Raith

And the Dems in the House got a million more votes than the Rs.

Somehow gerrymandering just doesn’t get counted when R’s are complaining about “procedural tricks.”

31 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:38:53pm

re: #27 gwangung

Check out the video if you want to see the guy running away from Romney too. He’s trying to deny he even talked about it.

32 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:44:54pm
33 ObserverArt  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:51:25pm

Obama didn’t build that!

On topic…I don’t think anything in the Middle East can be counted a win. I think they refer to them at best as an encouraging development.

Wins will come when the people of the region decide they want change. One of the most perplexing hotspots on earth for, well, ever. Odd many of the major religions all come out of the area. Hmmmm.

34 klys  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:53:10pm

Why does the cat always insist that the proper place to sit is between me and the keyboard?

35 Lancelot Link  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:54:54pm

re: #34 klys

Why does the cat always insist that the proper place to sit is between me and the keyboard?

That’s where the center of attention is.

36 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:57:19pm

re: #34 klys

Why does the cat always insist that the proper place to sit is between me and the keyboard?

Wherever the cat can be of maximum in the wayness.

37 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 6:58:29pm

re: #34 klys

Why does the cat always insist that the proper place to sit is between me and the keyboard?

observe how well the cat predicts where you will step next and contrives to be exactly athwart that spot

38 Belafon  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:00:52pm

re: #13 Killgore Trout

It’s not a win in Syria, but it is a win in that Obama forced the rest of the world to take the Chemical Weapons Ban seriously. Other countries were beginning to act like it didn’t matter because they hadn’t experienced a true chemical weapons attack.

This is very similar to the problem of deciding the EPA is unnecessary, the safety net is unnecessary, and the government doesn’t do anything.

39 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:06:53pm

re: #37 dog philosopher

observe how well the cat predicts where you will step next and contrives to be exactly athwart that spot

Like steps.

..
.
Ouch.

40 klys  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:07:28pm

re: #37 dog philosopher

observe how well the cat predicts where you will step next and contrives to be exactly athwart that spot

This frequently happens when the husband is dealing with the kibble, presumably in the hopes that if he falls and breaks his neck, the kibble container will be on the floor and they can eat their fill.

41 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:08:12pm

Simply put, our cats are trying to kill us.

42 makeitstop  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:11:52pm

Time magazine nails it.

Time Magazine Cover

43 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:13:49pm
44 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:15:03pm

It just pisses me off the way these RWNJs co-opt the Holocaust and slavery for their agenda like they think nobody else knows what it was really like.

45 klys  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:16:09pm

Wordament is available on Android and I didn’t know this until today.

My productivity, it is so fucked.

46 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:26:07pm

This is really, really super dumb (and also fucked up)

47 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:28:14pm

re: #45 klys

Wordament is available on Android and I didn’t know this until today.

My productivity, it is so fucked.

Cool…just put it on my Android. My wife and I have been burned out on Words with Friends for a while…time to get back into the Boggle…which we love as a board game.

48 klys  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:29:33pm

re: #47 darthstar

Cool…just put it on my Android. My wife and I have been burned out on Words with Friends for a while…time to get back into the Boggle…which we love as a board game.

I play against my husband. And my mother. And my mother-in-law. And my father (which is surprising, because he is normally not one for word games). INCREDIBLY addictive.

I was mostly safe on a day to day basis because it was iOS and Win8 only. But now it is on Android and I am doooooooooooooooooooomed.

49 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 7:44:11pm

re: #27 gwangung

Repubs won the House in 2012. But Obama won the presidency. And the Democrats won the Senate. Those two count EQUALLY as much—-and you can’t nullify that.

Republicans in the House lost seats in 2012 and lost the popular vote, more people voted for Dem House candidates. The only reason that Republicans control the House is because they gerrymandered the shit out of districts after the 2010 elections.

The Republican control of the House flies in the face of small d democracy. It is literally the result of entrenched corruption.

51 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:09:08pm

And yet all we hear about are the national parks and monuments:

52 Amory Blaine  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:15:35pm

I kinda wonder what republicans would have done if a government option had been part of the ACA.

53 Stanley Sea  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:17:20pm
54 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:18:05pm

There really should be some common sense rules for drawing Congressional districts:

-They can have only so many sides / borders, if you can’t draw all your legislative districts with less than 8 to 12 sides each then you’re probably trying to game the system.

-There should probably be some set ratio of district circumference to area. Any districts with super long and thin corridors designed to unite two distant and distinct populations would be disallowed as having too much border vs. the area served.

-Each “side” must follow either a public road or natural feature such as a ridge line, river, or state border. A district’s borders can’t run along both sides of the same railroad right of way or utility corridor.

-At redistricting time each district must have roughly an equal number of adults who qualify to be registered to vote, variation +/- 2% max.

55 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:18:48pm

re: #53 Stanley Sea

56 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:22:00pm

re: #43 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

The fuck is that shit.

57 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:22:09pm

re: #54 goddamnedfrank

There really should be some common sense rules for drawing Congressional districts:

-They can have only so many sides / borders, if you can’t draw all your legislative districts with less than 8 to 12 sides each then you’re probably trying to game the system.

-There should probably be some set ratio of district circumference to area. Any districts with super long and thin corridors designed to unite two distant and distinct populations would be disallowed as having too much border vs. the area served.

-Each “side” must follow either a public road or natural feature such as a ridge line, river, or state border. A district’s borders can’t run along both sides of the same railroad right of way or utility corridor.

-At redistricting time each district must have roughly an equal number of adults who qualify to be registered to vote, variation +/- 2% max.

Look at some of the districts in Texas. There’s a reason they keep getting hauled into court over them.

58 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:23:07pm

As for the original topic, words can’t express my gratitude that Obama and Kerry handled this wisely.

59 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:25:03pm

re: #57 Lidane

Like Ted Poe’s 2nd. govtrack.us
Absurd.

60 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:30:34pm

so what’s to stop the teabags from keeping the government closed indefinitely? fox new is already declaring it a “slimdown”

i’m beginning to think that they’ll take care of the debt ceiling since that can’t be ignored, and then settle into a permanent shutdown that they will tout as “proving” that the federal government is useless

61 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:31:51pm

Here Come The Truckers
By Charles P. Pierce

I was just saying the other day that the one thing that American politics needs these days is a bunch of nutballs in really big vehicles.

Truckers For The Constitution Plan To Arrest Congressmen

Brother Conlon is quite a piece of work, as the Tea Party Command Center (!) message board makes quite clear.

Reply by Earl Conlon yesterday:i’ve always believed Obama to be the Anti Christ from the day i first laid eyes one him.. not to mention the dreams i have had for the past 15 years showing me a man in office who i’ve never heard of before. then comes 2008 and the dreams get more detailed and intense… you figure it out..maybe i am crazy?

10-4, good buddy.

esquire.com

62 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:32:07pm

So did I hear tonight or not that the GOP is blocking backpay for federal workers? If true, just another way these fuckers sink even lower. They shut down the government, demand to be paid during it, and now they want to deny pay to federal employees who didn’t choose to cause the shutdown. Seriously fuck the GOP. I’d love to see them go the way of the Whigs or Dixiecrats.

63 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:33:07pm

re: #61 jaunte

Here Come The Truckers
By Charles P. Pierce

Truckers For The Constitution Plan To Arrest Congressmen

esquire.com

I hope the Capitol Hill police are ready to arrest these guys. These guys sound nutty as fuck. Just another case of self-proclaimed defenders of the Constitution taking things in to their own hands because they don’t like policy.

64 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:34:05pm

re: #62 HappyWarrior

So did I hear tonight or not that the GOP is blocking backpay for federal workers? If true, just another way these fuckers sink even lower. They shut down the government, demand to be paid during it, and now they want to deny pay to federal employees who didn’t choose to cause the shutdown. Seriously fuck the GOP. I’d love to see them go the way of the Whigs or Dixiecrats.

Cornyn’s up to his usual tricks, declaring that the Senate should not speed the bill through and instead demands that it get debated and possibly amended if he sees fit to do so. Note this is a bill that passed the House 407-0, which means even the nutters on the other side of Congress weren’t crazy enough to fuck with furloughed workers back pay.

65 Amory Blaine  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:34:39pm

Holy shit there’s depraved derp going on in the comments on that USNews Trucker article.

66 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:35:03pm

D_F must be so proud!

67 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:35:29pm

re: #64 Targetpractice

Cornyn’s up to his usual tricks, declaring that the Senate should not speed the bill through and instead demands that it get debated and possibly amended if he sees fit to do so. Not this is a bill that passed the House 407-0, which means even the nutters on the other side of Congress weren’t crazy enough to fuck with furloughed workers back pay.

What a fucking bag of dicks. As I said fuck the GOP.

68 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:37:12pm

I think the GOP’s madness is only going to make sense to me if we do the Scooby Doo mask treatment and reveal they’re all Old Man Limbaugh and that they would have gotten away with the government if wasn’t for you meddling liberals and your dumb black president too.//

69 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:37:44pm

re: #60 dog philosopher

so what’s to stop the teabags from keeping the government closed indefinitely? fox new is already declaring it a “slimdown”

i’m beginning to think that they’ll take care of the debt ceiling since that can’t be ignored, and then settle into a permanent shutdown that they will tout as “proving” that the federal government is useless

It’s like I said earlier, the GOP leadership (what there is of it) has already made clear that they consider the debt ceiling their ace in the hole, the leverage that will make President Obama agree to a deal. If they flinch and raise the ceiling, even temporarily, then that’s pretty much it. Continuing the shutdown after that would just be out of pure spite, which would deep six their chances next year.

Besides, I don’t imagine that federal workers would take too many missed paychecks before they staged a walk-out. These nutters forget that those marked “essential” are going without paychecks, even if they’re still on the job.

70 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:37:46pm

re: #57 Lidane

Look at some of the districts in Texas. There’s a reason they keep getting hauled into court over them.

Yeah, it’s pretty hard to hide the intent when everything’s nice and square until you get into the cities, where districts start looking like a slime mold maze experiment.

71 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:39:13pm

The Tea party’s killer robot army

Image: TMW2013-10-09color.png

72 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:40:09pm

The worst thing about this all though is the Suicide Caucus members who caused this shutdown perhaps with one or two exceptions and I’m being overly optimistic here will not be taken out of office. In otherwords, the story will remain the same with the GOP caucus. Gee thanks GOP for pandering to a bunch of morons who would rather shutdown the government than let a Democratic president get a little of what he wanted. Fuckers.

73 Amory Blaine  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:41:03pm

I’m laughing hard at the derp.

William Holt * Top Commenter * Founder/Owner at Wilmington Studios

Ask him why they are disregarding the Constitutional process for electing or replacing members of Congress - elections. Why does he think vigilante tactics that defy the Constitution is the way to go. There are people in Congress who don’t think like him so the hell with the Constitution let’s kidnap them? Sorry, but that is soooo dumb low information stuff.
Reply * 67 likes

Here’s the response:

Joyce Osborn * Top Commenter

William Holt cause theyve tried that in the past and its failed - so now its truckers full throttle- full speed ahead GO TRUCKERS
Reply * 133 likes

74 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:41:40pm

re: #71 Kragar

The Tea party’s killer robot army

Image: TMW2013-10-09color.png

He’s totally right about how the media tries to MBF every fucking thing because they’re petrified of the GOP and right calling them “liberal.” Got news for them but the right is always going to bitch about them regardless.

75 Amory Blaine  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:44:15pm

That one county’s district carving looks like a spiral.

76 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:48:23pm

re: #74 HappyWarrior

He’s totally right about how the media tries to MBF every fucking thing because they’re petrified of the GOP and right calling them “liberal.” Got news for them but the right is always going to bitch about them regardless.

Listening to the Sunday Funnies this past weekend, it seems like even the press is slowly growing weary of hearing the GOP repeating their own talking points every day. They’re actually *gasp!* beginning to question the logic behind insisting Democrats should give into their demands or else they’ll wreck the economy.

77 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:50:28pm

re: #69 Targetpractice

I don’t imagine that federal workers would take too many missed paychecks before they staged a walk-out.

okay, but what time frame and scenario would you think would have to come to pass before these federal workers did something that would sufficiently penetrate the teabag brain or motivate teh boehner to cut the teabags off?

78 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:51:23pm

the eternal snowshine of the teabag mind

79 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:51:43pm

I was honestly ftw surprised that back pay passed the House that easily. Knew that there would be at least one dickhead in the Senate who’d go out and ruin it.

80 RadicalModerate  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:51:59pm

Texas Congressional District 35.

Where they gerrymander minority voters in BOTH Austin and San Antonio.

TX-35

81 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:52:23pm

re: #78 dog philosopher

the eternal snowshine of the teabag mind

In that one, do we get to meet the Tea Party again and not give them Congress in 2010? Or is that too fantasy like.

82 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:52:37pm

re: #77 dog philosopher

okay, but what time frame and scenario would you think would have to come to pass before these federal workers did something that would sufficiently penetrate the teabag brain or motivate teh boehner to cut the teabags off?

Well, considering it’s been my experience that federal paychecks go out on the 15th and 30th, and a lot of bills like mortgage payments come due the first of the month…I’d say that if the shutdown looked like it might stretch past the 30th, federal workers would decide enough was enough.

83 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:53:25pm

re: #80 RadicalModerate

Texas Congressional District 35.

Where they gerrymander minority voters in BOTH Austin and San Antonio.

TX-35

Putting the mander in gerrymander right there. That’s one of the weirdest districts I’ve ever seen.

84 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:54:01pm

Zero-Car Families On The Rise, Study Says

Starting in 1960, the share of American families without a car steadily declined until reaching an all-time low of 8.7 percent in 2007. By 2011, the latest year for which data is available, the share had risen to 9.3 percent

85 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 8:56:34pm

re: #82 Targetpractice

Well, considering it’s been my experience that federal paychecks go out on the 15th and 30th, and a lot of bills like mortgage payments come due the first of the month…I’d say that if the shutdown looked like it might stretch past the 30th, federal workers would decide enough was enough.

as an informed estimate i like it - as of now tho there doesn’t seem to be anything motivating the baggers to do anything except try to shift the blame and/or deride the shutdown as a ‘slimdown’

Least Essential? Some agencies have 0 employees on job during slimdown

7 not-so-essential things still operating during slimdown

Reports of property owners kicked off federal land amid slimdown

86 jaunte  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:01:20pm

re: #65 Amory Blaine

Holy shit there’s depraved derp going on in the comments on that USNews Trucker article.

Dick Backus * Top Commenter * Works at East Liverpool City Schools
Whether you know it or not, there IS A REVOLUTION, coming to America. The bikers came first. Now the truckers. Eventually the VETERANS, will be coming, and I believe there will be blood in the streets. Do I want this to happen. I do not know. What I DO KNOW, is the American people have HAD ENOUGH of these TRAITORS, in the white house, and congress. You can only push America so far. This will be interesting to see what happens. If Obama wants Mashall Law, they will be VERY SORRY. Semper fi

usnews.com

Mashall Law is a’comin’ for us all.

87 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:01:21pm

re: #85 dog philosopher

as an informed estimate i like it - as of now tho there doesn’t seem to be anything motivating the baggers to do anything except try to shift the blame and/or deride the shutdown as a ‘slimdown’

Least Essential? Some agencies have 0 employees on job during slimdown

7 not-so-essential things still operating during slimdown

Reports of property owners kicked off federal land amid slimdown

I note that while the Faux crowd are loving the current situation, there’s nobody on Capital Hill talking too loudly about doing too much with these “non-essentials.” Perhaps because, behind the scenes, even they’re quietly recalling these “non-essentials” back to work. Case in point, my old man was dubbed “non-essential” before this whole mess began and was furloughed at the beginning of the shutdown. He works in the engine shop at the Coast Guard station in Elizabeth City, which as of Friday had zero people working. He just got the call to come back to work today.

These nimrods have no clue as to who’s been dubbed “non-essential,” they’re simply numbers on a paper that are meaningless without context. Most of us would probably agree that things like maintenance and cleaning would be essential functions, but those are also the people who most likely got told to stay home.

88 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:02:29pm

re: #86 jaunte

usnews.com

Mashall Law is a’comin’ for us all.

Semper fi my ass

89 klys  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:03:14pm

re: #64 Targetpractice

Cornyn’s up to his usual tricks, declaring that the Senate should not speed the bill through and instead demands that it get debated and possibly amended if he sees fit to do so. Note this is a bill that passed the House 407-0, which means even the nutters on the other side of Congress weren’t crazy enough to fuck with furloughed workers back pay.

Am waiting for the point where a Senator decides to attach a defund/delay/repeal ACA amendment to this one.

Unfortunately no /

90 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:03:59pm

re: #89 klys

Am waiting for the point where a Senator decides to attach a defund/delay/repeal ACA amendment to this one.

Unfortunately no /

I think that’s inevitable and when the Democrats ultimately reject it, they’ll try to claim that Democrats/Obama don’t care about federal employees.

91 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:05:04pm

re: #87 Targetpractice

yah, it’s true that ‘essential/non-essential’ is a pretty permeable distinction and that things that need to be done will mostly get done

but your old man is an example - if he gets called back since he’s needed, where is the push that will come to shove that will shove boehner and the baggers to quit?

92 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:07:08pm

re: #89 klys

Am waiting for the point where a Senator decides to attach a defund/delay/repeal ACA amendment to this one.

Unfortunately no /

I’m not sure if the votes on this bill will be like the ones on the CRs, but my guess if so then Reid will play the rules in such a way that any amendments would have to pass by majority vote. If that’s the case, the only way any such amendment would end up on the bill is if TPers could keep all their votes in line and convince at least five Democrats to support it.

93 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:08:24pm

re: #83 HappyWarrior

Putting the mander in gerrymander right there. That’s one of the weirdest districts I’ve ever seen.

And amazingly enough, that’s Lloyd Doggett’s district. He’s a Democrat.

It’s one of the few concessions the GOP fuckwits made to the Dems. They had to strike some form of balance in their gerrymandering.

94 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:09:09pm

re: #91 dog philosopher

yah, it’s true that ‘essential/non-essential’ is a pretty permeable distinction and that things that need to be done will mostly get done

but your old man is an example - if he gets called back since he’s needed, where is the push that will come to shove that will shove boehner and the baggers to quit?

It’s like I said, he’s going back to work, but it’s with the understanding that he’s not getting a paycheck. Yeah, he’s happy to be working again, but when the bills start showing up at the end of this month and the first of next, he and my mother may both decide to say “Fuck it, we’re spending money that will pay the mortgage on getting to and from work.” When too many people have the same thought, the game’s over.

What’s the GOP going to do, fire all of them?

95 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:10:15pm

re: #93 Lidane

And amazingly enough, that’s Lloyd Doggett’s district. He’s a Democrat.

It’s one of the few concessions the GOP fuckwits made to the Dems. They had to strike some form of balance in their gerrymandering.

Well I imagine by doing that, they made two of their own incumbents stronger. They kind of did something like that here. Gerry Connolly’s seat is pretty much safe here but I’d be shocked if any of the seats that had been Democratic prior to the Tea Invasion will return. Perhaps Ringell in the Tides which is ironic given that Ringell just may be one of the relatively sane members that were elected that year.

96 Renaissance_Man  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:11:07pm

re: #93 Lidane

And amazingly enough, that’s Lloyd Doggett’s district. He’s a Democrat.

It’s one of the few concessions the GOP fuckwits made to the Dems. They had to strike some form of balance in their gerrymandering.

Actually, that’s the idea of gerrymandering. You can’t redistrict to make a lot of safe seats without putting the Democrats somewhere. So you stick all of them in one huge blue district, which makes all the rest around them safe R. It’s not a concession, just how it’s done.

97 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:11:42pm

re: #89 klys

Am waiting for the point where a Senator decides to attach a defund/delay/repeal ACA amendment to this one.

Unfortunately no /

Speaking about parliamentary rules, I found out the discharge petition process had a major rule change back in the early 90s. It used to be a non-partisan, anonymous way to challenge a speaker, but was changed so each member has to publicly state his/her signature on the petition.

Most representatives might be simpering cowards, but they also don’t want to lose important committee positions challenging the speaker.

By the way, the guy who pushed for this change? John Cornyn.

The Democrats who voted along with that rule change in 1993 were pretty useless too.

98 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:13:04pm

re: #95 HappyWarrior

Well I imagine by doing that, they made two of their own incumbents stronger..

Oh very much so. They pretty much carved up what had been relatively safe Democratic territory and spliced it all to hell.

99 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:13:19pm

re: #94 Targetpractice

It’s like I said, he’s going back to work, but it’s with the understanding that he’s not getting a paycheck. Yeah, he’s happy to be working again, but when the bills start showing up at the end of this month and the first of next, he and my mother may both decide to say “Fuck it, we’re spending money that will pay the mortgage on getting to and from work.” When too many people have the same thought, the game’s over.

What’s the GOP going to do, fire all of them?

well, you know the first thing they will do will be to blame obama and reid yet again

they have to do that every time before doing anything else

but i guess you’re right, they might fold after the deth ceiling or if not then then at the end of the month when mortgages come due

100 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:14:29pm

re: #96 Renaissance_Man

Actually, that’s the idea of gerrymandering. You can’t redistrict to make a lot of safe seats without putting the Democrats somewhere. So you stick all of them in one huge blue district, which makes all the rest around them safe R. It’s not a concession, just how it’s done.

Which is why Texas keeps getting hauled into court over the gerrymandering they’ve been doing.

101 Targetpractice  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:15:45pm

re: #99 dog philosopher

well, you know the first thing they will do will be to blame obama and reid yet again

they have to do that every time before doing anything else

but i guess you’re right, they might fold after the deth ceiling or if not then then at the end of the month when mortgages come due

The rumor mill’s current prediction is that Boehner will try to roll the shutdown and debt ceiling together, then argue that for the price of both, Democrats will have to accept some “concessions.” Thing is, the mill’s also got the TPers in the House saying flat-out that if repeal/defund/delay aren’t in the proposal, it’s DOA. It will be a replay of “Plan B,” with Boehner holding a dead bill and no way to salvage it.

102 Carlos Danger  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:17:05pm

re: #96 Renaissance_Man

About 20 asshole Democratic state representatives from the Philadelphia area voted along with Corbett and the Republicans when they gerrymanded the hell out of PA a few years ago.

Morons. Philadelphia is going to be a safe seat for the Democrats either way- you don’t vote to make a handful of districts goddam safer in a battleground state.

103 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:20:32pm

re: #102 Carlos Danger

About 20 asshole Democratic state representatives from the Philadelphia area voted along with Corbett and the Republicans when they gerrymanded the hell out of PA a few years ago.

Morons. Philadelphia is going to be a safe seat for the Democrats either way- you don’t vote to make a handful of districts goddam safer in a battleground state.

The old I’ll cut off my nose to save my face. Just stupid.

104 Amory Blaine  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:30:41pm

RedState always bears fruit.

wexwuther coqui • 13 hours ago
Bull. This isn’t some kind of Romney-like denial where some GOP hucksters had us convinced that Obama would lose in a landslide. Those days are over. This is about being a patriot and saving America from some socialist scheme to give everyone healthcare. There are winners and losers in capitalism, and no free lunches.

105 sagehen  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:31:53pm

re: #102 Carlos Danger

About 20 asshole Democratic state representatives from the Philadelphia area voted along with Corbett and the Republicans when they gerrymanded the hell out of PA a few years ago.

Morons. Philadelphia is going to be a safe seat for the Democrats either way- you don’t vote to make a handful of districts goddam safer in a battleground state.

Which is why the PA delegation is 13 R’s and 5 D’s. In a state that went for Obama by a significant margin.

106 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:35:14pm

re: #105 sagehen

Which is why the PA delegation is 13 R’s and 5 D’s. In a state that went for Obama by a significant margin.

Virginia’s like that too. Only 3 D representatives and 2 of those are in safest of safe districts.

107 dog philosopher  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:36:40pm

re: #101 Targetpractice

The rumor mill’s current prediction is that Boehner will try to roll the shutdown and debt ceiling together, then argue that for the price of both, Democrats will have to accept some “concessions.” Thing is, the mill’s also got the TPers in the House saying flat-out that if repeal/defund/delay aren’t in the proposal, it’s DOA. It will be a replay of “Plan B,” with Boehner holding a dead bill and no way to salvage it.

at some point boehner has got to tell the baggers to get fucked or nothing will ever happen

108 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:40:27pm

John Stewart time

Youtube Video

109 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:45:01pm

John Stewart: “A giant asteroid is coming to destroy the Earth, but Republicans wont send Bruce Willis until Obamacare is defunded.”

110 HappyWarrior  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:45:41pm

re: #109 Kragar

John Stewart: “A giant asteroid is coming to destroy the Earth, but Republicans wont send Bruce Willis until Obamacare is defunded.”

or Independence Day. No funding for the mission to destroy the massive spacetrip unless Obamacare is repealed!

111 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:52:04pm

re: #110 HappyWarrior

or Independence Day. No funding for the mission to destroy the massive spacetrip unless Obamacare is repealed!

I liked “Americans will camp out for a week for a shirtless werewolf movie, but if you can’t get healthcare in 10 minutes…”

112 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 9:56:40pm

re: #104 Amory Blaine

RedState always bears fruit.

And they’re talking about the Affordable Care Act, which started as a Heritage Foundation idea.

Anyone who thinks the current GOP is anything like what they were even 20 years ago is delusional. They’ve gone full-bore towards the hard John Birch Society right. The Democrats are now closer to what the GOP used to be.

113 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:09:42pm

re: #112 Lidane

And they’re talking about the Affordable Care Act, which started as a Heritage Foundation idea.

Anyone who thinks the current GOP is anything like what they were even 20 years ago is delusional. They’ve gone full-bore towards the hard John Birch Society right. The Democrats are now closer to what the GOP used to be.

So in 15 years I have to wear tri-corn hats, believe in Ted Nugent and listen to Rush Limbaugh? Kill me now!

114 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:12:55pm

Want to fight poverty? Give people birth control.

Image: bc1.png

Ezra Klein deserves the credit for the link.

115 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:13:26pm

Dear Idiot Employer,

Asking me to upload a resume and a social media profile for a site like LinkedIn then REQUIRING that I list my entire job history by hand doesn’t endear me to you. WTF.

No love,
Me

116 darthstar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:14:48pm

re: #115 Lidane

Dear Idiot Employer,

Asking me to upload a resume and a social media profile for a site like LinkedIn then REQUIRING that I list my entire job history by hand doesn’t endear me to you. WTF.

No love,
Me

The good news is that soon retweets will count as references.

117 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:18:42pm

re: #116 darthstar

The good news is that soon retweets will count as references.

Heh. True.

Still, I just backed out of an application for a job that sounded like it was right up my alley because of this. My most current resume and my LinkedIn profile should cover all the bases. There is no reason to then require an applicant enter their entire resume by hand. WTF.

It’s just as well. If they’re that obnoxious in the application process working for them must be a nightmare.

118 sagehen  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:21:19pm

re: #114 darthstar

Want to fight poverty? Give people birth control.

Image: bc1.png

Ezra Klein deserves the credit for the link.

[Embedded content]

I like that the link options after the cover page are “know more” or “no more”.

119 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:29:05pm

Someone I really like from High School is sharing the Obama debt ceiling quote from 2006. She’s had some mental difficulties and is surrounded by a bunch of poisonous libertarian “friends” so I’m trying to gently explain the key differences between then and now:

Neither Obama nor any Democrat attempted to filibuster either the budget or the debt ceiling.

The Democrats didn’t take the budget or debt ceiling hostage in order to try and get an Iraq War timeline for withdrawal, even though the war was polling far more negatively then than the ACA is now.

In April of 2007 Congress independently passed a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq, only for it to be vetoed by President Bush.

Democratic Party response to the veto: In September of 2007 the debt ceiling was raised, again with no threats of filibuster or attempts to hold anything hostage.

It’s difficult to find a historical parallel of a Presidential initiative that polled worse than the Iraq War did in the last half of President’ Bush’s second term. However at no point did any Democratic party members in the House or Senate attempt to hold either the budget or the full faith and credit of the United States hostage to a timeline for withdrawal.

What the Republicans are doing now is wholly without precedent, utterly reactionary and grotesquely irresponsible.

120 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:33:41pm

re: #115 Lidane

Dear Idiot Employer,

Asking me to upload a resume and a social media profile for a site like LinkedIn then REQUIRING that I list my entire job history by hand doesn’t endear me to you. WTF.

No love,
Me

That pisses you off too, huh?

“I just uploaded an entire fucking resume to you. Why the fuck are you making me type the whole damn thing again?”

121 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:35:26pm

re: #120 Kragar

That pisses you off too, huh?

“I just uploaded an entire fucking resume to you. Why the fuck are you making me type the whole damn thing again?”

Seriously. I had already provided a resume, my LinkedIn profile and a cover letter. WTF more do they need?

I mean, I get asking demographic info or maybe some screening questions about who you are, job goals, etc. But asking for a resume and cover letter then demanding I type the whole fucking thing out again by hand is unacceptable. No deal.

122 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:39:15pm
123 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:39:44pm

re: #121 Lidane

Seriously. I had already provided a resume, my LinkedIn profile and a cover letter. WTF more do they need?

I mean, I get asking demographic info or maybe some screening questions about who you are, job goals, etc. But asking for a resume and cover letter then demanding I type the whole fucking thing out again by hand is unacceptable. No deal.

I love the grab bag of miscellaneous requirements some of them ask for:

The entry level position which requires you to have a senior certification in the field.

10 years of experience with a system that has only been out 5.

And so forth

124 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:45:47pm

re: #123 Kragar

that’s HR speak for “we have a position but it’s just for show, so we can say that there aren’t any qualified applicants”. The same thing as asking for experience with a proprietary system, you know, the one that the company looking for help actually produces as a product; which means that you already have to be working for them in order to qualify for the position.

One of those advanced MBA techniques for keeping the staff in crisis mode…..

125 Lidane  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:45:55pm

re: #123 Kragar

The entry level position which requires you to have a senior certification in the field.

10 years of experience with a system that has only been out 5.

And so forth

Ugh. Tell me about it. I’ve seen that a lot lately. It’s ridiculous.

126 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 10:51:38pm

re: #119 goddamnedfrank

I have learned the Libertarians are very fair-weather friends. Haven’t seen them in over a year. Though, to be fair, I did have a penchant for cruelty and malice, which I severely regret.

That’s a portion of the reason I am going back to OK. I have more solid foundations there, and I need that more than anything.

127 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:20:17pm

re: #73 Amory Blaine

Joyce Osborn * Top Commenter cause theyve tried that in the past and its failed - so now its truckers full throttle- full speed ahead GO TRUCKERS

So, in order to save democracy, they want to subvert democracy.

128 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:27:43pm

re: #127 GeneJockey

So, in order to save democracy, they want to subvert democracy.

BJ and the Bear to the rescue!

Youtube Video

129 GeneJockey  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:31:47pm

re: #128 Kragar

BJ and the Bear to the rescue!

[Embedded content]

Wow, there has been a lot of really awful shit on TV for a really long time.

130 HoosierHoops  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:32:01pm

Good Morning Lizards!
I woke up in the middleof the night..1 AM on a Tuesday morning..Pisses me off.. ..

First off..The Food network is on TV. Oh Gawd that looks good..mmm. What is happening in the kitchen? mmm..Food..
Has that ever happened to you? Oh no..D3 is on and that looks so good…Maybe if I stay under my covers with just my head peeking out..It will go away..Oh that looks good..Crap!
But there is something else going on..Very disturbing in the middle of the night..
My dog is snuggled up with me..What the hell? Winston! No free hugs! What are you doing? sneaky little dog.. ( I just hope he had no input to those dreams I’ve had ) Brat dog..
I’m so hungry..I blame the Food Network..Eat and go back to bed and lock Winston out.
Good Morning Lizards..Is the Government open yet?
/Call me…
//What sounds good? Ice cream? mmm

131 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:36:16pm

re: #129 GeneJockey

Wow, there has been a lot of really awful shit on TV for a really long time.

How can you hate any show where a big hairy monkey is the star?

Plus, it had a chimp!
///

132 piratedan  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:42:00pm

re: #131 Kragar

and one of those Landers girls (Judy, IIRC) who to my young teenage libido ended up starring in personal erotic dreams for a year…..

133 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:44:57pm

re: #129 GeneJockey

Wow, there has been a lot of really awful shit on TV for a really long time.

Lots of awful shit cave paintings too.
;)

134 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:48:30pm

re: #133 Varek Raith

Lots of awful shit cave paintings too.
;)

“You call that a gazelle? What the fuck, Umak?”

135 Varek Raith  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:49:24pm

re: #134 Kragar

“You call that a gazelle? What the fuck, Umak?”

“Stop stifling Umak creativity!”

136 Kragar  Mon, Oct 7, 2013 11:55:03pm

re: #135 Varek Raith

“Stop stifling Umak creativity!”

“Don’t start that shit again or I’ll see to it you never work in this cave again!”

137 Kragar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 12:12:28am

“Again with the mastodons? Come on, lets get some fertility symbols going, maybe some moons and shit. Set some mood.”

138 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 12:20:06am
139 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 12:55:30am

re: #86 jaunte

usnews.com


If Obama wants Mashall Law, they will be VERY SORRY. Semper fi
Read more at

This is the scenario that scares me: there are people out inciting a response from the government, compelling them to step in to ensure safety or to restroe freedom of movement/access.

At that point, the government response will be given as proof that they are all out to round us up and put us into FEMA liberal LGBT Sharia athiesmic reeducation camps.

We are on the verge of becoming an ungovernable nation.

140 Lidane  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 12:58:36am

re: #137 Kragar

“Again with the mastodons? Come on, lets get some fertility symbols going, maybe some moons and shit. Set some mood.”

“Oh, and I almost forgot…. I’m also going to need you to go ahead and come in to paint those fertility symbols on Sunday, too. We, uh, lost some people in last week’s hunting party and we sorta need to play catch-up. Mkay? Thanks.

141 Lidane  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 12:59:42am

re: #139 Sol Berdinowitz

We are on the verge of becoming an ungovernable nation.

If people keep electing Tea Party morons, we will be.

142 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 1:45:40am

Good afternoon from the Middle Kingdom.

I have just finished explaining to a relative in the USA that the ACA will not kill the USA, that Obama is not the one holding the nation hostage, and that ACA will not fuck the poor. i also noted that the ACA was originally a GOP idea, and Romneycare in MA is just about the same system. Hope I changed his mind some.

But we are already on the same page regarding Mitch McConnell — we both hate him.

143 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 1:47:10am

re: #142 wheat-dogghazi

Good afternoon from the Middle Kingdom.

I have just finished explaining to a relative in the USA that the ACA will not kill the USA, that Obama is not the one holding the nation hostage, and that ACA will not fuck the poor. i also noted that the ACA was originally a GOP idea, and Romneycare in MA is just about the same system. Hope I changed his mind some.

But we are already on the same page regarding Mitch McConnell — we both hate him.

but…BENGHAZI!!!!

144 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 1:50:30am

re: #143 Sol Berdinowitz

but…BENGHAZI!!!!

How could have I forgotten? {smacks forehead with palm}

/

145 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 1:53:07am

re: #139 Sol Berdinowitz

This is the scenario that scares me: there are people out inciting a response from the government, compelling them to step in to ensure safety or to restroe freedom of movement/access.

At that point, the government response will be given as proof that they are all out to round us up and put us into FEMA liberal LGBT Sharia athiesmic reeducation camps.

We are on the verge of becoming an ungovernable nation.

What BS—who is writing their material? Besides, everyone knows it’s marital law. // I don’t, however, know WTF “athiesmic” means. Something about multiple dieties, perhaps?

146 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:00:00am

Remember the key image of the Tea Party: armed uprising against a tyrant and usurper.

In order for that to be valid, they have to totally disregard the results of free and fair elections and paint Obama as tyrant and usurper.

Only the delusional or ideologically blindered among us could maintain that our recent elections were not overwhelmingly free, fair and representative of the will of the people while still in keeping with the Constitution.

147 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:02:22am

re: #143 Sol Berdinowitz

Now he’s complaining that Obamacare is killing the full-time job market, because companies aren’t hiring 40-hour-a-week workers because Obamacare. I pointed out that WalMart has used this employment model years before Obama took office.

Incidentally, he’s in Louisville, KY, home of noted fuck-the-workers loudmouth John Schnatter, CEO of Papa John’s. He’s the one who said he was going to lay off workers because Obama.

And, just like Schnatter, my relative is blaming Obama and the ACA for job market troubles.

148 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:05:37am

If your relative has health insurance from his employer, then he has no grounds to be concerned.

If he is not troubled by the millions of Americans who are unisured and does not mind his tax money going to fund emergency clinics that often have to perform emergency operations on patients who could have been given preventive care for a lot less under ACA, then let him.

Deep down inside, a lot of these people would like to close the emergency clinics and just let the deadbeats bleed to death…

149 freetoken  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:07:33am

re: #147 wheat-dogghazi

Incidentally, he’s in Louisville, KY, home of noted fuck-the-workers loudmouth John Schnatter, CEO of Papa John’s.

Also where Mullah Mohler and his religious instituion is located, btw.

150 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:08:22am

re: #148 Sol Berdinowitz

He’s not too clever politically, so whatever he hears from Fox, etc., is what he believes. Ironically, he’s a veteran, so he’s got VA coverage. He works for a security contractor, and the number of F/T employees is being cut back.

151 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:09:19am

re: #150 wheat-dogghazi

He’s not too clever politically, so whatever he hears from Fox, etc., is what he believes. Ironically, he’s a veteran, so he’s got VA coverage. He works for a security contractor, and the number of F/T employees is being cut back.

In other words, a socialist deadbeat and a “taker”.

152 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:10:27am

re: #149 freetoken

Also where Mullah Mohler and his religious instituion is located, btw.

Yup. Louisville is just chock-full of RWNJs. Fortunately, there are just enough Democrats and moderates in the 3rd Congressional District to elect John Yarmuth to the House. There were not enough in KY to keep Rand Paul out of the Senate, though.

153 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:11:12am

re: #151 Sol Berdinowitz

In other words, a socialist deadbeat and a “taker”.

I think I’ll skip mentioning that. heh

154 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:30:27am

So, let’s see how GG’s bff Rousseff handles this—probably with martial law?

Clashes erupt at Brazil teachers’ protest
Demonstration calling for overhaul of education system in Rio de Janeiro turns violent.

aljazeera.com

According to this site, “Teach English in Brazil”, the average teacher pay is $800-1,500 USD per month. I suspect for native teachers, it’s probably more in the $800 range, since the average in 2005 was only $625. An interesting little comment on the cost of living vis a vis the pay was “break even”. Probably not if you live in expensive cities like Rio or Brasilia, and probably even a poor existence elsewhere.

gooverseas.com

155 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:31:48am

re: #153 wheat-dogghazi

I think I’ll skip mentioning that. heh

He’s got his own, and that is what matters.

156 freetoken  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:32:06am

I’ve been watching dancing for years, and that includes DWTS. That show’s trajectory over the years, evaluated in the framework of what I know about dance and the little bit I know about music, reinforces my belief that a great deal of our “entertainment” undermines our knowledge of the past, history, and of course “good taste” but that latter is not really what I’m ranting about here.

Specifically, the entire talking head cast of DWTS (and SCD) goes along with really absurd or twisted view of what were important pieces of our cultural background.

A specific problem is how they handle “Latin” dances and music. The show (and this includes the original Strictly Come Dancing (SCD) version on the BBC) presents a very historically inaccurate story of what some of the music was, and still is, and what the dances were.

An example: the performance numbers are given a title like “Salsa” though the music chosen to be played has nothing specifically tying it to the historical genre, and the dance number has little likewise to do with the genre. This may seem like a minor point to some, but I propose the producers of the show are just another example of how a dominant group (in this case the Anglo-American entertainment companies like the BBC and Disney) will simply take for themselves someone else’s cultural heritage, often without credit or with incorrect attribution, and try to rewrite history. The idea of course is to make profit off of a “brand” - in this case the brand is “Salsa”, without actually delivering the original goods.

This is about cultural history, more than political history and the latter is what most people like to argue about (which we do here.) But the same operation that can rewrite cultural history for their own benefit will just as easily rewrite political history.

Cultural hegemony I guess is a marxist term but I view this case as more as an example of how the quest for fast money (as opposed to long term investment - in this case in cultural knowledge and appreciation) pushes aside an appreciation for what is historical reality.

157 freetoken  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:34:19am

And I’m sure there are some post-modernists out there shaking their heads over my assertion of an “historical reality”.

158 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:37:38am

re: #157 freetoken

And I’m sure there are some post-modernists out there shaking their heads over my assertion of an “historical reality”.

It is television, and television is about entertainment and selling advertising time to people who want you to buy the sort of things that advertise well on TV.

159 freetoken  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:40:51am

re: #158 Sol Berdinowitz

Well, yes, of course.

My rant is about how the rich and powerful really will, in their desire to make more money (in this case through advertising via moving images on a small screen), stomp all over any culture with abandon.

160 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:42:43am

re: #159 freetoken

Well, yes, of course.

My rant is about how the rich and powerful really will, in their desire to make more money (in this case through advertising via moving images on a small screen), stomp all over any culture with abandon.

Which is another reason I do not own a functioning TV set (I have one that I use as a monitor for DVDs)

161 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:43:06am

re: #159 freetoken

Well, yes, of course.

My rant is about how the rich and powerful really will, in their desire to make more money (in this case through advertising via moving images on a small screen), stomp all over any culture with abandon.

When I hear the word ‘culture’, I reach for my petri dish.

162 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:46:52am

re: #156 freetoken

I don’t watch those shows, but I understand your main idea. Competitive ballroom dancing includes Latin dance styles, which are only distantly related to the original (aka “native”) dance steps. It’s all about conforming to set requirements, like Olympic gymnastics routines, that presumably some largely Anglo committee decided on beforehand. I’ve watched DTWS only once, and it seems to follow the same format as ballroom competitions.

Is ballroom salsa “real” salsa (or tango, or rhumba, etc.)? Not really, because those are party or club dances done only for fun, not for prizes and fun. There are no rules for party dancing (except for ones like, “don’t grab your partner’s butt if she happens to be the host’s wife, sister or daughter, ese”). There are rules for competitive dancing.

163 goddamnedfrank  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 2:58:25am

Watching a very good documentary running this week on HBO about the murder of Lawrence King in Oxnard, 2008.

Valentine Road. Recommend you DVR it if you can.

164 goddamnedfrank  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:08:32am

re: #163 goddamnedfrank

The group interview with the three old bigoted women who deadlocked the first jury is one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen.

165 Amory Blaine  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:08:45am

This is part of the results of Walker’s ideological idiocy when he turned down the 800 million for light rail. He left these trains to rot, not paying the trainmaker and reneging on a contract. Which the train maker Talgo is suing for an expected to be judgement of over 100 million.

Suit filed over $40 million unused train cars

The Milwaukee to Chicago Amtrak route is bursting with passengers. So the state hired Talgo to build two new sets of train cars. Now one year later, court battles and endless politics have the trains sitting in mothballs.

Taxpayers spent more than $40 million to build the new train cars.

TODAYS’ TMJ4 has learned the feud is about to blow up into a bigger lawsuit as Talgo goes after the state for more money - claiming the state has not lived up to its end of the deal.

The state can disagree all it wants. The courts are still going to enforce contract law. Walker’s reckless breaking of the contract put all people doing business with the state on notice: contracts are not respected by this self described conservative administration and further damages Wisconsin’s ability to attract jobs.

166 ObserverArt  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:08:49am

Morning…

Right now Carl Bernstein is kicking ass on Morning Joke. He is ragging on the media for feeding Republican stupidity. And saying the Repubs are at a cross roads.

Oh, wait…Joe is moving to shut him up…go figure.

Grrrrrr.

167 freetoken  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:25:25am

re: #162 wheat-dogghazi

Is ballroom salsa “real” salsa (or tango, or rhumba, etc.)? Not really, because those are party or club dances done only for fun, not for prizes and fun. There are no rules for party dancing (except for ones like, “don’t grab your partner’s butt if she happens to be the host’s wife, sister or daughter, ese”). There are rules for competitive dancing.

Yes, that is part of the root problem. Yet even in the highly stylized world of competitive dance there are acknowledgments about genres. What DWTS is doing these days, and this is true for other shows too, is not even acknowledging the genre but just using the “brand” or label and attaching anything to it.

It’s part of the process of stripping words of meaning or context.

Another example from last night’s show - Valerie Harper doing a “Viennese Waltz”. Now Harper is there to draw ratings and to be the elegant one in the sea of burlesque that swamps the show, and frankly to draw sympathy ratings (because she is dying of cancer.) Anyway, the thing about her waltz is… that it wasn’t even in waltz time, at least from what I paid attention to it.

The producers could have pulled any dance label out of a hat and given it to the talking heads and they would have used that term to describe Harper’s performance.

Words have meaning… or not?

168 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:31:26am

re: #167 freetoken

Words have meaning… or not?

Not when they are being used to sell dog food and deodorant…

169 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:33:38am

re: #166 ObserverArt

Morning…

Right now Carl Bernstein is kicking ass on Morning Joke. He is ragging on the media for feeding Republican stupidity. And saying the Repubs are at a cross roads.

Oh, wait…Joe is moving to shut him up…go figure.

Grrrrrr.

Listening to these over-privileged pundits on Morning Jerk is really pissing me off.

They have never had to wait for anything, have they? They’re not used to being without, with having “to apply”, being inconvenienced by shortages or war, doing without a paycheck, even facing the day w/o coffee because you’ve run out of SNAP and money. If they were ever in that position, they have forgotten completely what it’s like for many, many others. Because. they. don’t. care. As long as they’re pulling down the dough, they’ll say anything.

What right, really, do they have to comment on much of anything that affects the lives of ordinary people? All they can do is speculate, drift with the political winds, and earn lots of money for which they don’t have to work very hard.

170 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:40:58am

re: #167 freetoken

People who are into real dance probably don’t watch DWTS, unless it’s to laugh at how bad it is. It’s entertainment for the masses — folks who can barely put one foot in front of the other without tripping. (No offense intended if anyone here likes this show.) They are a cheap vehicle to fill air time (no scripts, no plots, no dialog — so no writers), and a way to get somewhat washed-up stars back in front of national audiences.

American Idol, The Voice and the plethora of other talent shows are a similar TV product. Most of the performers are achingly bad, but people watch them in part to see amateurs be humiliated on air, and in part to root for the top performers who might make it to the big time, baby.

Such shows are regretfully very popular in China.

171 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:42:36am

re: #170 wheat-dogghazi

People who are into real dance probably don’t watch DWTS, unless it’s to laugh at how bad it is. It’s entertainment for the masses — folks who can barely put one foot in front of the other without tripping. (No offense intended if anyone here likes this show.) They are a cheap vehicle to fill air time (no scripts, no plots, no dialog — so no writers), and a way to get somewhat washed-up stars back in front of national audiences.

American Idol, The Voice and the plethora of other talent shows are a similar TV product. Most of the performers are achingly bad, but people watch them in part to see amateurs be humiliated on air, and in part to root for the top performers who might make it to the big time, baby.

Such shows are regretfully very popular in China.

Bread and circuses work everywhere.

172 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:48:01am

re: #158 Sol Berdinowitz

It is television, and television is about entertainment and selling advertising time to people who want you to buy the sort of things that advertise well on TV.

Television is the boredom-killing business, as a famous fictional anchorman once put it.

Youtube Video

173 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:48:15am

re: #170 wheat-dogghazi

Because it’s never a bad idea to post Turf Feinz, here they are.

Youtube Video

Real dancing.

174 ObserverArt  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:50:08am

re: #169 Justanotherhuman

Listening to these over-privileged pundits on Morning Jerk is really pissing me off.

They have never had to wait for anything, have they? They’re not used to being without, with having “to apply”, being inconvenienced by shortages or war, doing without a paycheck, even facing the day w/o coffee because you’ve run out of SNAP and money. If they were ever in that position, they have forgotten completely what it’s like for many, many others. Because. they. don’t. care. As long as they’re pulling down the dough, they’ll say anything.

What right, really, do they have to comment on much of anything that affects the lives of ordinary people? All they can do is speculate, drift with the political winds, and earn lots of money for which they don’t have to work very hard.

So true. But Hey Scarborough is just fine with the 9 year old kid that took the free plane ride. I guess he admires the fact the kid has a criminal record that would embarrass a 35 year old convict.

That says a lot about him.

175 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:52:02am

re: #171 Justanotherhuman

Chinese TV is a curious blend of deadpan news shows, jingoistic wartime melodramas, talent shows, historical dramas set in imperial times, copies of Japanese obstacle-course competitions, and imports from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. There is also a localized version of Ugly Betty, nature programs that make Wild Kingdom look dynamic, an entire channel devoted to sports (snooker being one of them), an entire channel devoted to traditional Chinese music and drama, and CCTV International, the English language propaganda news and public affairs channel.

Almost all my students watch Korean, japanese, American and British TV shows on their computers. They say Chinese TV is dull and stupid. There is hope for this country yet.

176 Amory Blaine  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:52:42am

It’s Working!!!!

Under Scott Walker, Wisconsin keeps increasing its long-term borrowing

Gov. Scott Walker has honed his reputation as a fiscal conservative, taking credit for closing a $3.6 billion spending gap left from the Jim Doyle administration.

But a new report from the non-partisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance shows the state has actually just been borrowing more money.

The two-year, $70 billion state budget signed in July authorizes an additional $2.05 billion in borrowing, with $1.64 billion of it paid for with general fund revenues. That continues a borrowing trend that has tripled since 1999 under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

cont..

The main reason for the borrowing increase is Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for low-income and disabled residents. Spending there will increase an average of 8.7% annually over the next two years compared to a 2.2% increase for schools and 0.5% for county and municipal shared revenues.

“These numbers illustrate what has been a decade-long shift in state priorities from local assistance to Medicaid,” says the report.

Walker has only added to the problem, some have argued, by rejecting $4.4 billion in federal Medicaid assistance, linked to Obamacare, over the next decade.

177 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:56:26am

re: #165 Amory Blaine

The Milwaukee-Chicago corridor is one obvious money-maker for passenger rail. Walker’s short-sighted stupidity to turn down $800M, just because it’s federal money, boggles the mind.

178 Amory Blaine  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 3:57:04am

We have a contender

Mary Burke announces candidacy to challenge Scott Walker for governor

Mary Burke, a former Trek Bicycle Corp. executive and state Commerce secretary, ended months of speculation Monday by announcing in a web video that she is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Scott Walker.

Burke, who becomes the instant Democratic primary favorite, emphasizes her business background and Wisconsin roots in the three-minute video. As a millionaire, she brings substantial personal money to the race, giving her a leg up in fundraising that delights many Democrats but also provides a potential critique for Republicans.

179 Amory Blaine  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:00:10am

re: #177 wheat-dogghazi

The high speed rail is going in. Instead of passing from Chicago - Milwaukee - Madison - Twin cities. It will be Chicago - Rockford - Twin cities. His stupidity has caused great problems that will be felt for generations in Wisconsin.

180 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:00:22am

re: #178 Amory Blaine

As a millionaire, she brings substantial personal money to the race, giving her a leg up in fundraising that delights many Democrats but also provides a potential critique for Republicans.

Because Republicans are highly suspicious of candidates who have a lot of money?

181 jonhendry  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:04:44am

re: #9 GOPHostage#25698724

Looks like a huge foreign policy win for the US to me.

Yes and no.

Assad can still drop thermobaric bombs on elementary schools until the cows come home.

182 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:07:44am

What will Pammy say about this?

EDL leader Tommy Robinson quits group

bbc.co.uk

“English Defence League leader and founder Tommy Robinson has left the group, saying he has concerns over the “dangers of far-right extremism”.”

Well, good for him. Will he moderate his other political leanings as well?

183 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:10:31am

Science takes time. Ignorance can be forever.

Nobel physics prize spotlights Higgs boson, plus Drs. Higgs and Englert

nbcnews.com

?Two theorists who predicted the existence of the subatomic Higgs boson almost 50 years ago — and were proven right just last year — won the Nobel Prize for physics on Tuesday.

“British physicist Peter Higgs and Belgian physicist Francois Englert shared the honors, announced in Stockholm at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

“It was Higgs, 84, who lent his name to the particle that sparked a multibillion-dollar quest. The 80-year-old Englert and his late colleague, Robert Brout, proposed the particle’s existence independently in 1964.”

184 Amory Blaine  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:12:08am

re: #180 Sol Berdinowitz

They’re already bashing her as a trust fund elitist. She had quite a bit to do with Trek’s success however. I don’t think she’s much of a “workers candidate” though. I’ll reserve judgement for now but I’m skeptical.

185 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:12:42am

re: #182 Justanotherhuman

What will Pammy say about this?

EDL leader Tommy Robinson quits group

bbc.co.uk

“English Defence League leader and founder Tommy Robinson has left the group, saying he has concerns over the “dangers of far-right extremism”.”

Well, good for him. Will he moderate his other political leanings as well?

Did Tommy-boy wake up at last? The scales fell from his eyes? Did he an experience an epiphany of some kind?

186 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:15:33am

re: #179 Amory Blaine

The high speed rail is going in. Instead of passing from Chicago - Milwaukee - Madison - Twin cities. It will be Chicago - Rockford - Twin cities. His stupidity has caused great problems that will be felt for generations in Wisconsin.

May it be forever known as “Walker’s Folly” in Rockford, Illinois, which will surely benefit from the service.

I will tell you, I love the high speed rail service in China. it’s fast, reliable and comfortable. It’s sometimes almost as expensive as flying, but with fewer hassles. Plus, the seats are more comfy.

187 Amory Blaine  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:17:22am

re: #184 Amory Blaine

They’re already bashing her as a trust fund elitist. She had quite a bit to do with Trek’s success however. I don’t think she’s much of a “workers candidate” though. I’ll reserve judgement for now but I’m skeptical.

From an article:

And yet, denigrating wealth and juxtaposing the fortunes of the few with the misery of the masses seems to be the Wisconsin GOP’s first line of attack against Mary Burke, the wealthy former Trek executive who on Monday declared her candidacy for governor.

In fact, in anticipation of Burke’s announcement, state Republicans even snagged the domain MaryBurke.com. The site is now dedicated to attacks on Burke, many of which focus on her personal wealth.

Designed to look like a cork board, its homepage is filled with post-it notes that describe Burke’s apparent flaws.

For example: “Madi$on millionaire.”

Another one: “Out of Touch.”

188 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:19:26am

re: #187 Amory Blaine

But Mitt Romney …

189 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:25:21am

WELCOME YOUR NEW ZIONIST OVERLORD!

My youngest daughter gave birth last night to her firstborn, a 7lb 9oz. Girl Overlord. This brings the full count of Overlords to 35.

FEAR THE BABUSHKA!

190 jonhendry  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:26:34am

re: #123 Kragar

I love the grab bag of miscellaneous requirements some of them ask for:

The entry level position which requires you to have a senior certification in the field.

10 years of experience with a system that has only been out 5.

And so forth

I get emails about jobs from staffing firms that have a whole table of information for me to fill out, including a field asking for the last 4 digits of my social security number.

I delete these emails.

As far as I can tell, it’s always India-linked firms.

191 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:29:01am

re: #184 Amory Blaine

They’re already bashing her as a trust fund elitist. She had quite a bit to do with Trek’s success however. I don’t think she’s much of a “workers candidate” though. I’ll reserve judgement for now but I’m skeptical.

And Mitt Romney earned every penny he owned, right?

192 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:30:07am

Dear Bryan:
Try reading this article before you Tweet. Because it does not blame the current POTUS, but the JRRB CREEYATERZ that you worship.

193 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:32:05am

re: #123 Kragar

I love the grab bag of miscellaneous requirements some of them ask for:

The entry level position which requires you to have a senior certification in the field.

10 years of experience with a system that has only been out 5.

And so forth

They do this just to be able to say “Look! We can’t find any U.S. applicants with the skills we require, now please will you approve our H1B request!”

194 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:33:01am

That said, there are no H1B’s at my current workplace which is a CALL CENTER, but 10 years ago they were the majority.

195 jonhendry  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:33:56am

re: #156 freetoken

Specifically, the entire talking head cast of DWTS (and SCD) goes along with really absurd or twisted view of what were important pieces of our cultural background.

A specific problem is how they handle “Latin” dances and music. The show (and this includes the original Strictly Come Dancing (SCD) version on the BBC) presents a very historically inaccurate story of what some of the music was, and still is, and what the dances were.

Would that be different from how it would go in a non-televised multi-style ballroom dance competition?

196 Stoatly  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:33:58am

re: #189 Vicious Babushka

You’ve really embraced the whole “Go forth and multiply” thing :)

197 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:35:55am

re: #196 Stoatly

You’ve really embraced the whole “Go forth and multiply” thing :)

We take “Ruling the World” very seriously here.

198 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 4:41:34am

re: #197 Vicious Babushka

We take “Ruling the World” very seriously here.

Congratulations!

199 freetoken  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:01:45am

re: #195 jonhendry

Would that be different from how it would go in a non-televised multi-style ballroom dance competition?

IMO yes, in almost all cases.

But again, these are social dances being deconstructed and being reassembled into something else (more or less all into a non-differentiated form of “Variety Show” routines) at best.

200 Stoatly  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:08:11am
201 jonhendry  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:08:12am

re: #199 freetoken

Ah. My only involvement in such is that lately I’ve been voting for Leah Remini on DWTS’ Facebook page. I haven’t watched the show, I’m just supporting her because she recently left Scientology and has been a bit of a thorn in their side since. And the Scientologists are probably voting for the competition.

202 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:14:46am

re: #9 GOPHostage#25698724

Looks like a huge foreign policy win for the US to me.

No, its a moderate-sized win for us and a bigger win for Putin. Putin outmaneuvered Pres. Obama ans SecState Kerry, but to do that he had to get Syria to concede a critical point to the US, hence the moderate US win.

203 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:15:37am

re: #202 Dark_Falcon

And what did Putin get?

204 Stoatly  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:18:25am

The only thing that makes less sense than the TP world-view:

Youtube Video

205 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:25:26am

re: #203 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

And what did Putin get?

He kept his client in his seat, for now at least. He also got to play peacemaker on the world state, which tends to play well to a leader’s public.

206 Bulworth  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:25:39am

re: #192 Vicious Babushka

Dear Bryan:
Try reading this article before you Tweet. Because it does not blame the current POTUS, but the JRRB CREEYATERZ that you worship.

Gov doesn’t create jobz but Obomo not creating jobz!!elelveyt

207 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:26:35am

re: #204 Stoatly

The only thing that makes sense than the TP world-view:

[Embedded content]

You’re missing a word; May I suggest adding ‘less’ between ‘makes’ and ‘sense’?

208 Bulworth  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:27:57am

re: #189 Vicious Babushka

Waitwaitwait….didn’t we just have TWO Babushkas—-TWINSSS—-born a month or so ago???!!??!!

This is THE big story of the country, but all we get in the media is debt, shutdown, blah blah blah.


//

Oh, almost forgot, Congratulations!

209 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:29:59am

re: #208 Bulworth

Waitwaitwait….didn’t we just have TWO Babushkas—-TWINSSS—-born a month or so ago???!!??!!

This is THE big story of the country, but all we get in the media is debt, shutdown, blah blah blah.

//

Oh, almost forgot, Congratulations!

Yes, two little twin Babushkas, born to my daughter-in-law in GDforsaken Alabama! and now my youngest daughter who is in the heart of Brooklyn, NY.

Next up is my DIL in Canada, she drops another one every year.

210 francis  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:32:19am

re: #1 dog philosopher

So, where is the world peace Dog, in Egypt, Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea,
maybe the streets of Chacigo.

211 A Mom Anon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:36:18am

re: #169 Justanotherhuman

I can’t watch that anymore. It makes my morning suck. It’s like listening to Lovey and Thurston talk about the riff raff and, well, just no.

I still watch CSPAN in the mornings, but the wingnuts sometimes really fuck up Washington Journal and the hosts have to remain neutral and not correct their bullshit. So it kind of just sits there uncorrected, until a caller might override it. I’ve noticed they’ve been having guests from the freaking Washington Times on to discuss things too. Then I drift over to the dreaded evil liberal talk radio out of Los Angeles (KTLK,via I Heart Radio) because I love Stephanie Miller. Daytime TV is horrible, our TV isn’t on at all during the day beyond the little I watch of CSPAN. Morning Joe is godawful, always has been.

212 Stoatly  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:38:49am

re: #207 Dark_Falcon

Ah, yes - that didn’t make, er, sense

213 A Mom Anon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:39:01am

re: #209 Vicious Babushka

I’m all in on the welcoming the Zionist Overlord thing as long as we get to eat all the wonderful food you cook. Major Congrats on the babies, all of them.

214 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:41:30am

My daughter is up texting and Facebooking. You would think after 20 hours of labor, 2 hours of pushing and then finally a C-section, she is exhausted and needs to get some rest. But she is totally hyper, which you would be too if you just had your FIRST baby.

215 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:41:47am

re: #205 Dark_Falcon

He kept his client in his seat, for now at least. He also got to play peacemaker on the world state, which tends to play well to a leader’s public.

Keeping Assad in the seat isn’t really a big win for Putin. It’s as much of a problem as anything else. And nobody but already pro-Putin idiots or anti-Obama idiots believe that Putin is a peacemaker.

I don’t think it gained him anything, and the mendacity of Russia’s claim that the rebels used the chemical weapons is egg on Russia’s face.

In a similar way, nobody except people who are already disposed to believe the GOP bullshit believe anything about what the GOP is saying about why they are attacking the United State’s functional democracy. Nobody but those who have surrounded themselves with antifactuals thinks that the GOP has anything other than its own naked (and, ironically, totally mistaken) self-interest in their actions.

216 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:42:48am

re: #210 francis

If you’re going to talk about the city of my birth, then at least spell its name correctly, Letter Troll.

217 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:44:38am

Chacigo, land of derp.

218 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:44:51am

re: #200 Stoatly

The 13 reasons Washington is failing

From that article: “Here’s Grover Norquist on Ted Cruz: ‘He pushed House Republicans into traffic and wandered away.’”

219 kirkspencer  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:46:08am

re: #206 Bulworth

Gov doesn’t create jobz but Obomo not creating jobz!!elelveyt

It’s simple. If it was bad it was Obama’s fault. If it was good Obama had nothing to do with it.

220 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:46:16am

Then again, my relatives think I live in a place called ‘Warshington’.
Wherever that is.
;)

221 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:49:47am

None of my kids wants to live in Detroit. Why do you suppose that is?

They all love the Tigers and the Red Wings.

222 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:52:01am

DERP.
Never mind that this meme has been totally debunked, Prudence will keep on Derping it forever. TROOF!!!!11!!!!!!

223 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:54:29am

Greets and saluts from the NYC metro area. As you know, there was some real bad weather that came through the metro area. One particular storm got close to the lair. A funnel cloud was spotted in the next town over (Paterson), and wind damage hit parts of Fair Lawn, Paramus, Elmwood Park, and several others causing damage to homes, power outages and downed trees. Oh, and the storm and the accompanying rains lasted all of five minutes.

There were a couple of minor injuries, so all in all, much to be thankful that it wasn’t worse than that.

224 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:56:13am

[Flips desk.]

225 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:56:41am

Oh, so you mean that the #GOPshutdown also shuts down death benefits for families who lost loved ones in combat? Yes. Yes it does. Thanks to the GOP refusal to accept a clean CR, these families suffer the additional indignities of losing benefits accorded to them because the GOP refuses to accept that the ACA is law and want to overturn a duly enacted law with a hissy fit to end all hissy fits.

226 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:56:50am

Throws dirty dishes down the basement stairs.

Brings in garden hose… sprays dishes.

227 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:57:01am

Blows up computer.

228 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:57:24am

re: #224 Gus

[Flips desk.]

/ (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

229 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:58:37am

re: #228 Varek Raith

/ (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

Fuckity, fuck, de fuck!

[Lights portfolio on fire.]

230 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:59:07am

You ok man?

231 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:00:08am

re: #225 lawhawk

Oh, so you mean that the #GOPshutdown also shuts down death benefits for families who lost loved ones in combat? Yes. Yes it does. Thanks to the GOP refusal to accept a clean CR, these families suffer the additional indignities of losing benefits accorded to them because the GOP refuses to accept that the ACA is law and want to overturn a duly enacted law with a hissy fit to end all hissy fits.

HURR HURR ITZ OBAMAS FAULT!!!! OBAMA HAS ALL TEH FAULTS!!!!

232 A Mom Anon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:00:52am

re: #224 Gus

It’s a little early for all that desk flipping and the like, knock it off young man. (I kid, you ok this morning?)

233 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:01:14am

re: #230 Varek Raith

You ok man?

No. Started the wrong building and then lost about 50 minutes of hard and fast work on the wrong building which I was hoping to swap for the right building.

234 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:02:00am

re: #229 Gus

Fuckity, fuck, de fuck!

[Lights portfolio on fire.]

If you didn’t have any coffee, get some coffee. If you’ve had coffee, don’t have any more coffee.

235 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:02:42am

“Guardian readers vote for Iranian president to win the Nobel Prize…”

Hahahahaha!

236 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:03:41am

re: #235 Gus

“Guardian readers vote for Iranian president to win the Nobel Prize…”

Hahahahaha!

[Dudebro]WHY U NOT VOTE FOR TEH MIGHTY GREENWALD!!!! YOU’RE IDIOTS, THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU!!!!!!![/Dudebro]

237 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:05:05am

re: #236 Vicious Babushka

[Dudebro]WHY U NOT VOTE FOR TEH MIGHTY GREENWALD!!!! YOU’RE IDIOTS, THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU!!!!!!![/Dudebro]

He’s saving the shelf space for the Pulitzer.

238 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:05:27am

re: #236 Vicious Babushka

[Dudebro]WHY U NOT VOTE FOR TEH MIGHTY GREENWALD!!!! YOU’RE IDIOTS, THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU!!!!!!![/Dudebro]

But, but… Bibi said something about jeans!

239 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:06:01am

re: #234 Decatur Deb

If you didn’t have any coffee, get some coffee. If you’ve had coffee, don’t have any more coffee.

Think I’ll fuck off for now.

240 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:06:46am

re: #237 Decatur Deb

He’s saving the shelf space for the Pulitzer.

I want to send Glenn Greenwald a box that he opens up and a rubber chicken pops out. HERE IS YOUR PULLET SURPRISE!

241 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:06:53am

Think if I ever moved to the UK I’d last about 15 minutes before my head would explode.

242 A Mom Anon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:08:05am

re: #231 Vicious Babushka

I’m about to write my sister off with her stupid shit. The new wingnut thing is/was that Obama shut down the Amber Alert system for missing children. In reality all they did was take the website down during the shutdown, the program itself was untouched. But wait! There’s more… so no Amber Alert but Michelle Obama’s (who my sister called The Wookie) Let’s Move! thing is still happening in schools. Which is voluntary and doesn’t cost a thing to implement. I lit into her, haven’t heard a word back. The Amber Alert site is back up now btw, for whatever reason. I don’t want these fucking racist assholes around my kid (as bad as my sister is, my brother is worse). Yeah, the holidays suck because they’re the only family we have locally(and of course my parents choose to spend that time with them), but I cannot handle the racist stupidity.

243 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:08:10am

re: #240 Vicious Babushka

I want to send Glenn Greenwald a box that he opens up and a rubber chicken pops out. HERE IS YOUR PULLET SURPRISE!

Won’t work. GG is having his housemate open all the mail these days.

244 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:09:37am

re: #243 Decatur Deb

Won’t work. GG is having his housemate open all the mail these days.

Actually, he’s having his Brazilian govt security detail open his mail.

FTFY.

245 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:09:57am

Drive by mailboxes… pulls out baseball bat…

BAM!

246 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:10:02am

re: #242 A Mom Anon

I’m about to write my sister off with her stupid shit. The new wingnut thing is/was that Obama shut down the Amber Alert system for missing children. In reality all they did was take the website down during the shutdown, the program itself was untouched. But wait! There’s more… so no Amber Alert but Michelle Obama’s (who my sister called The Wookie) Let’s Move! thing is still happening in schools. Which is voluntary and doesn’t cost a thing to implement. I lit into her, haven’t heard a word back. The Amber Alert site is back up now btw, for whatever reason. I don’t want these fucking racist assholes around my kid (as bad as my sister is, my brother is worse). Yeah, the holidays suck because they’re the only family we have locally(and of course my parents choose to spend that time with them), but I cannot handle the racist stupidity.

Could be wrong, but one report said the Federal Amber site did not manage Amber Alerts—it showed state agencies how to set up AA systems.

247 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:10:52am

*Hides Button of Doom from Gus*

248 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:10:56am

re: #244 Justanotherhuman

Actually, he’s having his Brazilian govt security detail open his mail.

FTFY.

He should just ask the NSA—they’ll send him a summary.

249 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:14:06am

re: #247 Varek Raith

*Hides Button of Doom from Gus*

(◑_◑)

250 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:14:27am

re: #246 Decatur Deb

Amber Alert shutdown - Snopes says…. you guessed it… FALSE.

The distribution of Amber Alerts is not affected by the #GOPShutdown.

251 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:15:31am

WTFITS
Forbes, go eat a bag of dicks, and don’t forget to leave some for Prudence.

252 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:16:02am

Hmmm… food.

253 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:16:16am

Dudebros!

Silk Road: four suspected sellers of illegal drugs arrested in Britain

National Crime Agency says more arrests likely as it investigates UK users of now-closed US drugs website

theguardian.com

What, no comments from the usual defenders of online “privacy”?

254 darthstar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:16:53am

re: #233 Gus

No. Started the wrong building and then lost about 50 minutes of hard and fast work on the wrong building which I was hoping to swap for the right building.

I hope you’re not in demolition.

255 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:17:38am

Yes Prudence, closing the Park Service is going to cause SO MUCH MOAR SUFFERINGS than stopping WIC. WTF.

256 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:17:50am

So, the NYPD has identified another person involved in that wild motorcycle group attacking the Range Rover. One of the people who broke the rear window of the SUV? One of several off-duty and/or undercover NYPD officers riding along.

Internal Affairs is going to have their hands full with this.

257 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:17:59am

re: #252 Gus

Hmmm… food.

I’m making 100% whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread. It will be a couple of hours before it’s ready, though.

258 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:18:05am

re: #242 A Mom Anon

My relative with the gripes about the ACA and I have agreed to not talk about politics anymore. There is too wide a gulf between me and him, between reality and the Fox News fabrication they call “the news.” Some people just cannot be reasoned with.

259 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:19:25am

re: #229 Gus

Here, have a Snickers.

Youtube Video

260 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:20:20am

THEIR COMING TO TAEK AWAY UR GUNZ!!!!11!!!
CONFIRMED. FACT. Based on a Tweet posted as a comment to Weaselzippers.

261 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:20:24am

re: #259 lawhawk

Here, have a Snickers.

[Embedded content]

Youtube Video

262 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:20:27am

re: #255 Vicious Babushka

Yes Prudence, closing the Park Service is going to cause SO MUCH MOAR SUFFERINGS than stopping WIC. WTF.

[Embedded content]

Love the quote without attribution.

It’s what the RW does all the time. If a person’s name isn’t attached, it’s not true.

Idiots.

263 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:26:12am

I find “motivational Tweets” to be rather annoying.

264 Stoatly  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:28:19am

re: #262 Justanotherhuman

It’s what the RW does all the time. If a person’s name isn’t attached, it’s not true.

If a person’s name is attached it’s often false as well

265 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:28:25am

re: #263 Gus

I find “motivational Tweets” to be rather annoying.

Not as annoying as “motivational Twerks”

266 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:30:37am

Hahaha! “Supernatural” (some TV show I never heard of dealing with make-believe stuff) is trending under “Obamacare.”

[Ain’t that America.]

Also, American Adults Lag Behind Global Average In Critical Skills.

267 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:31:37am

re: #265 Vicious Babushka

Not as annoying as “motivational Twerks”

Ick. That Miley kid is gross. Even my super liberal friend agrees along with his two you children.

268 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:33:37am

re: #264 Stoatly

If a person’s name is attached it’s often false as well

Thank you for that correction. : )

I know better—it was just a reflex.

269 danarchy  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:33:50am

re: #267 Gus

Ick. That Miley kid is gross. Even my super liberal friend agrees along with his two you children.

I wish someone would tell her the whole tongue thing ain’t working. She looks like an idiot.

270 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:35:47am

re: #269 danarchy

I wish someone would tell her the whole tongue thing ain’t working. She looks like an idiot.

She is an idiot. Just because something is done doesn’t mean you should do it.

271 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:36:03am

re: #269 danarchy

I wish someone would tell her the whole tongue thing ain’t working. She looks like an idiot.

She looks like Bill the Cat

272 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:36:04am

re: #269 danarchy

I wish someone would tell her the whole tongue thing ain’t working. She looks like an idiot.

Gawd bless ‘Merica!

273 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:36:44am

re: #269 danarchy

I wish someone would tell her the whole tongue thing ain’t working. She looks like an idiot.

The whole sexpot shtick isn’t working for her, either. She’s not Madonna. Madonna has class. Miley has none.

274 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:38:01am

re: #269 danarchy

I wish someone would tell her the whole tongue thing ain’t working. She looks like an idiot.

The whole tongue-out cat thing has been done:

Image: 1341295-btc.jpg

275 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:38:25am

re: #273 wheat-dogghazi

The whole sexpot shtick isn’t working for her, either. She’s not Madonna. Madonna has class. Miley has none.

Madonna has no class, but Miley has negative class.

276 danarchy  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:39:06am

re: #273 wheat-dogghazi

The whole sexpot shtick isn’t working for her, either. She’s not Madonna. Madonna has class. Miley has none.

Yeah, if she is going for sexy she missed the mark by quite a bit. Lewd=/=Sexy

277 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:39:39am

re: #276 danarchy

Yeah, if she is going for sexy she missed the mark by quite a bit. Lewd=/=Sexy

She’s not “lewd” either. Just lame and boring.

278 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:41:07am

What Miley Cyrus reminds me of…

Image: funny-chipmonk-pictures-dumpaday-16.jpg

279 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:43:48am

re: #275 Vicious Babushka

Madonna has no class, but Miley has negative class.

I can agreed with the second part, but not the first. Madonna’s shtick is self-promotion. Fortunately, she has enough talent and wit to pull it off. I don’t think everything Madonna has done is great stuff, but even her worst is light-years ahead of Miley’s best.

280 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:45:17am

re: #277 Vicious Babushka

She’s not “lewd” either. Just lame and boring.

I think she’s famous with both teenage girls and men over 40. [Gag.]

281 darthstar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:46:00am

re: #276 danarchy

Yeah, if she is going for sexy she missed the mark by quite a bit. Lewd=/=Sexy

It’s just today’s youth trying to shock their parents who thought it was cool to paint their hair green and wear tons of black on black because it was shocking to their parents who wore ripped up t-shirts and pierced their cheeks with safety pins because it was a way to rebel against their tie-dye wearing free loving parents.

In a few years, the next Disney manufactured star will come out wearing nothing but a skirt of fake penises, and we’ll all say, “Aren’t you taking it a bit far, sweety?”

282 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:47:23am

re: #281 darthstar

O tempora! O mores!

283 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:48:18am

If Miley really wanted to be shocking and get EVEN MOAR ATTENTION she would gain 60 lbs. let her public hairs grow out, and then dance naked.

284 Ian G.  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:48:32am

So this news should result in:

a) wingnuts blabbering about how Obama is weak and lost to Putin because Putin just has those hot abs and never hesitates to bomb the shit out of problematic Muslim populations.

b) dudebros whining that Obama has not disbanded the US Military, the CIA, and the NSA, so he’s really no different than Nixon.

c) sane people exhaling and thanking the FSM that Obama isn’t the impulsive hot-head that, say, John McCain is, and got what he wanted without a single cruise missile fired.

285 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:48:34am

I made myself throw up in my mouth.

286 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:49:04am

Madonna was and remains one of the most preeminent self promoters in music. She broke the mold, and anyone coming after her has to outdo things that Madonna did 20 years ago. Like a Prayer anyone? Miley wishes she could put together a resume like Madonna.

Right now, there’s only one or two women in pop music who could have careers as long and varied and shake up the genre as Madonna - Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Gaga’s act is far closer to Madonna and the parallels between the two are everywhere. Katy Perry is more traditional though some of her musical themes are about breaking barriers.

Miley mistakes skanky for sexy.

But she and her managers seem to have this figured out. We’re still talking about her. And to them, that’s all that counts.

287 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:49:06am

re: #285 Vicious Babushka

I made myself throw up in my mouth.

Have a mint. //

288 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:49:40am

re: #275 Vicious Babushka

Madonna has no class, but Miley has negative class.

What’s “classy” about showing the entire world what every other woman has?

It just says you’re willing to exploit it for cash. I’ve never had any interest in seeing anyone else’s tits, ass or vagina. : )

When I want music, I go for talent, not soft porn. It isn’t how men make it in the music biz, either.

289 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:52:32am

Welp, last female singer I had playing in my head was Peggy Lee.

290 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:52:50am
We will camp out all night to be the first people to buy a phone or see a movie about shirtless werewolves, but you got 10 minutes to get me this f*ckin’ health care. You understand what I’m talkin’ about?

- Jon Stewart

291 wheat-dogghazi  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:53:01am

re: #286 lawhawk

Madonna was and remains one of the most preeminent self promoters in music. She broke the mold, and anyone coming after her has to outdo things that Madonna did 20 years ago. Like a Prayer anyone? Miley wishes she could put together a resume like Madonna.

Right now, there’s only one or two women in pop music who could have careers as long and varied and shake up the genre as Madonna - Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Gaga’s act is far closer to Madonna and the parallels between the two are everywhere. Katy Perry is more traditional though some of her musical themes are about breaking barriers.

Miley mistakes skanky for sexy.

But she and her managers seem to have this figured out. We’re still talking about her. And to them, that’s all that counts.

The only bad publicity is no publicity.

292 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:53:06am

re: #289 Gus

Welp, last female singer I had playing in my head was Peggy Lee.

Is That All There Is?

293 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:53:23am

re: #292 Vicious Babushka

Is That All There Is?

Yep.

294 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:53:31am

Nobody likes Barbra Streisand?

295 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:53:44am

There’s always Doris Day too…

Que sera, sera!

296 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:54:21am

re: #290 lawhawk

- Jon Stewart

Sounds about right. Trying to figure out why so many people are on their fainting couch over this.

297 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:54:21am

God dammit.
Lost this week’s client.

298 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:54:55am

re: #297 Varek Raith

God dammit.
Lost this week’s client.

Ah see!

[Flips desk.]

299 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:56:14am

Everyone is antsy over the shutdown. Pulling back money/contracts.
Dammit.

300 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:59:02am

From the department of no shit Sherlock:

Chronic multitasking makes us worse at everything
Including, bizarrely, multitasking itself
By Carmel Lobello

301 sattv4u2  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:59:05am

re: #290 lawhawk

- Jon Stewart

“I’m going to attempt to download every movie ever made, and you’re going to try to sign up for Obamacare, and we’ll see which happens first.”

Jon Stewart

302 darthstar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 6:59:15am

re: #297 Varek Raith

God dammit.
Lost this week’s client.

Tell me you’re not a hunting guide.

303 sattv4u2  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:00:06am

re: #302 darthstar

Tell me you’re not a hunting guide.

Worse news is, he didn’t even give them orange vests

304 darthstar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:00:36am

re: #303 sattv4u2

Worse news is, he didn’t even give them orange vests

But the reindeer hats are cute.

305 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:00:43am

They all wish they had this talent.

Youtube Video

I could name plenty of others…

306 Varek Raith  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:01:18am

re: #302 darthstar

Tell me you’re not a hunting guide.

Lol.
I replace computers/parts/servers/stuff.

307 sattv4u2  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:02:52am

re: #306 Varek Raith

Lol.
I replace computers/parts/servers/stuff.

Have a friend that does that

Problem is, he “replaces” them from your place to his then sells them

I can visit him on Sundays,,,,, noon till five!!
/

308 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:04:07am

re: #296 Gus

The site rollout had its problems, and there may be issues with how the site organizes and processes applications causing the errors/timeouts we’re seeing. But the GOP has been undercutting the ACA from day one, so is it surprising that they’re capitalizing on any amount of negative news.

Then there’s the fact that we’re talking about pent up demand for affordable health insurance and lots of people curious about what the health exchanges have to offer. Lots of people who just want to see what kind of costs are being calculated, even if they already have insurance by other means.

It’s a learning curve for people who are likely to be covered, as well as all those who aren’t currently requiring coverage, but may need it at some point down the road.

The GOP and media are magnifying the problems exponentially, and setting up nonsensical parallels to how the rollout has bogged down. They cite to iPhone, but ignore the Newton (or Lisa, or any other Apple product that didn’t actually catch on). As Jon Stewart says, people will wait days and weeks for the new version of the iPhone, but can’t wait a few minutes for health insurance.

And that they’re not willing to wait for insurance is rather telling.

309 sattv4u2  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:07:35am

Ah well

The Day Of Errands beckons

Hopefully I’ll get them done in time to squeeze in nine holes of golf before it gets dark,,, (and if I skip a few errands,,, 18)

310 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:09:17am

So I wake up to the rumor going ‘round that Boehner thinks he’s found a way to head-off Reid, having the House put forth a short-term debt ceiling increase peppered with “one-to-one” spending cuts. Supposedly this is in response to the White House saying it’d be open to a short-term increase, with the predicted hopes that it’ll drive a wedge between the President and Reid.

311 darthstar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:10:59am

re: #308 lawhawk

Washington State registered 10,000 people/families in the first week. Pass a budget and then the Administration can take to the airwaves with ads promoting the program. I’m seeing ads in California, but those I believe are paid for by the state.

But at this rate, I don’t think the ACA will be a failure.

312 darthstar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:12:20am

re: #310 Targetpractice

So I wake up to the rumor going ‘round that Boehner thinks he’s found a way to head-off Reid, having the House put forth a short-term debt ceiling increase peppered with “one-to-one” spending cuts. Supposedly this is in response to the White House saying it’d be open to a short-term increase, with the predicted hopes that it’ll drive a wedge between the President and Reid.

They do understand that the President, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi talk to each other and won’t be played off each other like two parents with a spoiled child trying to manipulate them…right?

313 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:15:03am

re: #312 darthstar

They do understand that the President, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi talk to each other and won’t be played off each other like two parents with a spoiled child trying to manipulate them…right?

The supposed thought is that, if Boehner can get this bill out the door and to the Senate, then the Senate debt ceiling increase can simply be stuffed in a desk drawer, while Boehner calls on the White House to accept the House’s bill over Reid’s objections.

314 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:15:07am

re: #260 Vicious Babushka

THEIR COMING TO TAEK AWAY UR GUNZ!!!!11!!!
CONFIRMED. FACT. Based on a Tweet posted as a comment to Weaselzippers.

[Embedded content]

I don’t know why people, even those fleeing reality, take that kind of ‘no names story’ seriously. I just ignore those now, as in my mind its bullshit unless someone is willing to go the record.

315 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:16:49am

Yeah, let’s complain about Obama and golf courses, and the WWII memorial being shuttered, but damnit, if you close the Congressional gym, there’ll be hell to pay.


Boehner made sure that it stayed open - considering it essential. That’s right.

Priorities.

316 DisturbedEma  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:17:41am

re: #283 Vicious Babushka

If Miley really wanted to be shocking and get EVEN MOAR ATTENTION she would gain 60 lbs. let her public hairs grow out, and then dance naked.

Underarm hair too…I remember a music video from the 80s 99 Luftballons…the lead singer raised her arm up and EEWWWWW, while I knew there were cultural differences to be had, it was my first mass media example…

317 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:18:08am

The other thought is that, if the House can get it’s bill passed and the Senate gets its passed, then the GOP will insist that if the White House won’t accept the House’s bill, then they should go to conference committee and consolidate the bills. But again, that’s just an insistence on going to the table with the deck stacked in their favor.

318 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:20:09am

re: #315 lawhawk

Yeah, let’s complain about Obama and golf courses, and the WWII memorial being shuttered, but damnit, if you close the Congressional gym, there’ll be hell to pay.

[Embedded content]


Boehner made sure that it stayed open - considering it essential. That’s right.

Priorities.

Well, it might well be essential for the purpose of keeping sane congresscritters in good health. Which is important, since the last thing we need is to have a sane Republican fall over dead or invalided and then see that person replaced by someone who enters Congress whirling a teabag.

319 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:21:15am

…Stupid auto save didn’t work either. [Mumbles to self.]

320 Eventual Carrion  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:44:40am

re: #308 lawhawk

[snip]

The GOP and media are magnifying the problems exponentially, and setting up nonsensical parallels to how the rollout has bogged down. They cite to iPhone, but ignore the Newton (or Lisa, or any other Apple product that didn’t actually catch on). As Jon Stewart says, people will wait days and weeks for the new version of the iPhone, but can’t wait a few minutes for health insurance.

And that they’re not willing to wait for insurance is rather telling.

Maybe the republicans should have offered the ORCA software they used from the last election, ‘cause that worked so fucking good.

321 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:45:58am

re: #318 Dark_Falcon

Well, it might well be essential for the purpose of keeping sane congresscritters in good health. Which is important, since the last thing we need is to have a sane Republican fall over dead or invalided and then see that person replaced by someone who enters Congress whirling a teabag.

It might be essential to make sure that folks who rely on WIC, SNAP, and TANF for food, or for startup businesses on the IRS to process their business registrations so that they can begin actual business, but the House GOP didn’t see that as necessary.

It’s a spurious argument that the health of Congressmembers is dependent upon access to a free perk to them - the gym. That’s on top of their Congressional health care program.

But they oppose anyone else getting health benefits via the ACA, and are denying food to women and children via WIC, SNAP, and TANF - which has a direct and measurable impact on those people’s health.

Missing the gym for as long as it takes will not adversely affect their health.

322 William Barnett-Lewis  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:46:01am

(trying again…)
re: #286 lawhawk

I’d personally include Pink on that short list but other than that, I agree.

323 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 7:59:28am

Damn hamsters.

324 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:02:30am

re: #323 Gus

Damn hamsters.

More glitches…

325 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:02:40am

re: #323 Gus

Damn hamsters.

The nonessenial hamsters have been furloughed. The few remaining have not been guaranteed this week’s kibble.

326 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:03:09am

Is LGF giving away free healthcare to freeloaders or what?

/

327 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:04:20am

re: #323 Gus

Damn hamsters.

Perhaps it is time to allow a cat to have one of the hamsters over for dinner, pour encourager les autres.

328 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:04:32am

re: #326 Sol Berdinowitz

Is LGF giving away free healthcare to freeloaders or what?

/

Site has always provided free medical advice.

329 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:05:41am

re: #327 Dark_Falcon

Perhaps it is time to allow a cat to have one of the hamsters over for dinner, pour encourager les autres.

Put the damn cat in the wheel. Everything will speed up.

330 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:06:26am

re: #328 Decatur Deb

Site has always provided free medical advice.

And psychological counseling. //

331 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:21:59am

Give the server a couple kicks, that’ll show it who’s boss.

332 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:22:36am

I was about to upload a picture of the New Zionist Overlord.

333 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:25:19am

So are we really…really back?

334 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:29:17am
335 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:29:25am

So, the shutdown is about to have greater effect on everyone. The data that the government collects and disseminates to the public is not there for a variety of commodities. First there’s the pork and other agricultural products. That’s a huge thing since figuring out fair market value is, well, important.

If the shutdown isn’t resolved soon, the Energy Information Agency will stop reporting its data on oil and gas, which affects, well, everyone.

The pork market may seem trivial to the operation of the American economy, but the same basic problem will be reverberating throughout the commodities sector. The Energy Information Agency is still up and running today, but should run out of cash around Friday, at which point the anything-but-trivial oil and gas markets will be stricken with the pig industry’s problems.

Will disruptions in commodity markets disrupt the ability of other firms to get supplies and earn profits? We would get our first hint in Friday’s producer price index release, except of course there won’t be a producer price index release on Friday. Nor will we get the import and export price index release scheduled for Thursday. Those indexes are the lead-up to the big consumer price index report that’s supposed to come out on Wednesday, Oct. 16, but probably won’t as the shutdown drags on and on.

The markets rely on data, and when you’re not getting data, the markets will do what they think is appropriate. They’ll hunker down, or they’ll make assumptions. They’ll speculate. They may send prices far higher than if they had the data.

If those decisions are wrong, it could have significant and lasting effects on a whole lot of people.

336 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:29:34am

Boehner doesn’t have the guts…

Reid to Boehner: ‘Prove it’ won’t pass

thehill.com

337 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:30:00am

re: #315 lawhawk

Yeah, let’s complain about Obama and golf courses, and the WWII memorial being shuttered, but damnit, if you close the Congressional gym, there’ll be hell to pay.

[Embedded content]


Boehner made sure that it stayed open - considering it essential. That’s right.

Priorities.

Boehner needs his abs.

338 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:31:25am

Wingnuts are Godwinning up a storm because you know the first thing Hitler did was close down all public Tiergartens.

339 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:31:38am

re: #335 lawhawk

So, the shutdown is about to have greater effect on everyone. The data that the government collects and disseminates to the public is not there for a variety of commodities. First there’s the pork and other agricultural products. That’s a huge thing since figuring out fair market value is, well, important.

If the shutdown isn’t resolved soon, the Energy Information Agency will stop reporting its data on oil and gas, which affects, well, everyone.

The markets rely on data, and when you’re not getting data, the markets will do what they think is appropriate. They’ll hunker down, or they’ll make assumptions. They’ll speculate. They may send prices far higher than if they had the data.

If those decisions are wrong, it could have significant and lasting effects on a whole lot of people.

In other words, folks might be smart to fuel up now, because shit’s about to get real.

340 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:32:30am

re: #339 Targetpractice

In other words, folks might be smart to fuel up now, because shit’s about to get real.

In other other words, a bunch of bastards are positioning themselves to make a fortune over America’s hardships (again)

341 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:33:20am

re: #340 Sol Berdinowitz

In other other words, a bunch of bastards are positioning themselves to make a fortune over America’s hardships (again)

Exactly. Maybe that’s the point of the intransigence in the House?

342 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:33:45am

re: #338 Vicious Babushka

Wingnuts are Godwinning up a storm because you know the first thing Hitler did was close down all public Tiergartens.

[Embedded content]

Because the Nazis’ evil was kicking people out of memorials not the mass murders of millions of innocents. And as already said, it’s not the fucking Democrats fault that the monuments are closed. Blame the fucking Republicans who shut the government because they can’t accept a law is law.

343 Carlos Danger  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:34:24am

The volatility index is starting to spike:

finance.yahoo.com

344 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:35:11am

GODWIN

345 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:35:31am

re: #341 Justanotherhuman

Exactly. Maybe that’s the point of the intransigence in the House?

Not necessarily the point of it all, but I would find it hard to believe that a lot of people are not positioning themselves to milk this for all they can…at America’s expense.

346 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:35:53am

re: #334 Vicious Babushka

Here is the new Zionist Overlord!

Perhaps someday she’ll live in a country with a government.

347 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:37:32am

You know our priorities are fucked as a nation if we’re outraged about memorials being closed but not people being denied the help they need under the government when it’s functioning.

348 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:38:08am

re: #334 Vicious Babushka

Here is the new Zionist Overlord!

Beautiful grandbaby. Congratulations.

349 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:38:20am

re: #347 HappyWarrior

You know our priorities are fucked as a nation if we’re outraged about memorials being closed but not people being denied the help they need under the government when it’s functioning.

It’s the RWNJs priorties, not the priorities of the nation as a whole.

350 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:39:23am

You know, the Nazis weren’t some cartoon characters that just did stuff that annoyed people. They wiped out literally generations of people because of their heritage. Likening an annoyance and yes not being able to go to a national park is an annoyance especially when you compare it with having your whole family fucking massacred because you happen to be Jewish.

351 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:39:34am

re: #349 Vicious Babushka

It’s the RWNJs priorties, not the priorities of the nation as a whole.

True be that.

352 makeitstop  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:39:57am

re: #338 Vicious Babushka

Wingnuts are Godwinning up a storm because you know the first thing Hitler did was close down all public Tiergartens.

[Embedded content]

Gee, that guy from Five For Fighting is really going to change a lot of people’s minds. One Hit Wonders have inordinate influence over public opinion!
////

353 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:40:42am

We forgot to shoot it in the head!

House GOP’s Next Move: ZOMBIE SUPERCOMMITTEE!

The next move for House Republicans in the government shutdown/debt ceiling fight is asking for a bicameral, bipartisan committee to hash out a deal to raise the debt ceiling, in exchange for spending reforms. A similar group created by the 2011 Budget Control Act failed to craft a long-term deficit reduction deal that both sides found desirable.

So think of this as a zombie supercommittee.

And as if Cornyn’s little stunt in the Senate concerning back pay for furloughed workers isn’t bad enough:

The House will also propose a bill to pay working essential employees as regularly scheduled, rather than waiting until the end of the government shutdown. But here’s the GOP’s latest procedural trick: The committee and employee pay bills will be combined after they pass the House and then be sent to the Senate. The thinking is that it would be harder for Senate Democrats to deny paychecks for their employees just to spite the House.

354 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:40:51am

re: #352 makeitstop

Gee, that guy from Five For Fighting is really going to change a lot of people’s minds. One Hit Wonders have inordinate influence over public opinion!
////

He’s more than a bird.and more than a plane though.

355 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:41:40am

RWNJs: Bitch about national parks being closed up but hold up backpay for federal employees while demanding they get paid during a shutdown they caused. Must be fucking nice.

356 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:42:00am

What part of shutdown do these idiots not understand.

Oh wait.

They want a shutdown, but not any of the effects - especially as it relates to their pet causes, whether it’s the WWII memorial (the Normandy cemeteries), National Parks, but ignore the huge effect and impact it has on people who rely on the federal goverment’s safety net (TANF, WIC, SNAP), jobs at federal agencies, contract workers who work for the government, and companies that rely on federal contracts.

They want people to think (and it takes a bit of cognitive dissonance to reconcile opposing claims too): 1) Obama is specifically targeting them in the shutdown or exaggerating the claims; 2) the shutdown isn’t have much of an impact since 85% is still functioning; 3) the shutdown isn’t affecting people, so we can do away with the parts that have been shutdown; and 4) reopen national parks and the mall, but keep them closed so we can have photo ops of people sneaking in and trespassing on federal lands and NPS administered property, potentially exposing themselves and the govt to liability issues.

Instead, the GOP thinks it appropriate to keep the Congressional gym open, but cuts off payments to SNAP/WIC/TANF unless the Democrats cave on their extortionist demands.

357 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:43:02am

So, even Roberts thinks money is “free speech”.

Campaign contribution caps at issue at high court

bigstory.ap.org

Why bother voting if those with money can simply buy those who will do their will, as they did in the 2010 elections?

We are seeing the fruits of Citizens United in the House right now.

358 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:44:05am

re: #356 lawhawk

What part of shutdown do these idiots not understand.

Oh wait.

They want a shutdown, but not any of the effects - especially as it relates to their pet causes, whether it’s the WWII memorial (the Normandy cemeteries), National Parks, but ignore the huge effect and impact it has on people who rely on the federal goverment’s safety net (TANF, WIC, SNAP), jobs at federal agencies, contract workers who work for the government, and companies that rely on federal contracts.

They want people to think (and it takes a bit of cognitive dissonance to reconcile opposing claims too): 1) Obama is specifically targeting them in the shutdown or exaggerating the claims; 2) the shutdown isn’t have much of an impact since 85% is still functioning; 3) the shutdown isn’t affecting people, so we can do away with the parts that have been shutdown; and 4) reopen national parks and the mall, but keep them closed so we can have photo ops of people sneaking in and trespassing on federal lands and NPS administered property, potentially exposing themselves and the govt to liability issues.

Instead, the GOP thinks it appropriate to keep the Congressional gym open, but cuts off payments to SNAP/WIC/TANF unless the Democrats cave on their extortionist demands.

Fuck them seriously. You don’t get to shutdown the government over Obamacare and then act all puffy and outraged that certain parts of the government are gasp actually shut-down. I’d respect them more if they at least owned up to the parks being closed but no they’re acting like it’s Obama’s fault directly. If any of these parks or mounments got vandalized during the shutdown, Obama would be the first one to be blamed by them. It’s a fucking game to these fuckmongrels.

359 Gus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:44:13am
360 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:44:33am

re: #357 Justanotherhuman

So, even Roberts thinks money is “free speech”.

Campaign contribution caps at issue at high court

bigstory.ap.org

Why bother voting if those with money can simply buy those who will do their will, as they did in the 2010 elections?

We are seeing the fruits of Citizens United in the House right now.

He basically implies that more money= more speech, dangerous precedent IMO.

361 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:44:46am

re: #356 lawhawk

What part of shutdown do these idiots not understand.

Oh wait.

They want a shutdown, but not any of the effects - especially as it relates to their pet causes, whether it’s the WWII memorial (the Normandy cemeteries), National Parks, but ignore the huge effect and impact it has on people who rely on the federal goverment’s safety net (TANF, WIC, SNAP), jobs at federal agencies, contract workers who work for the government, and companies that rely on federal contracts.

They want people to think (and it takes a bit of cognitive dissonance to reconcile opposing claims too): 1) Obama is specifically targeting them in the shutdown or exaggerating the claims; 2) the shutdown isn’t have much of an impact since 85% is still functioning; 3) the shutdown isn’t affecting people, so we can do away with the parts that have been shutdown; and 4) reopen national parks and the mall, but keep them closed so we can have photo ops of people sneaking in and trespassing on federal lands and NPS administered property, potentially exposing themselves and the govt to liability issues.

Instead, the GOP thinks it appropriate to keep the Congressional gym open, but cuts off payments to SNAP/WIC/TANF unless the Democrats cave on their extortionist demands.

Simply put, the TPGOP has discovered a way to run the country at great cost efficiency, as long as a couple million employees and contractors will work for free. Should save a lot on taxes.

362 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:44:46am

re: #359 Gus

[Embedded content]

Bastards, motherfucking bastards.

363 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:44:55am

re: #350 HappyWarrior

You know, the Nazis weren’t some cartoon characters that just did stuff that annoyed people. They wiped out literally generations of people because of their heritage. Likening an annoyance and yes not being able to go to a national park is an annoyance especially when you compare it with having your whole family fucking massacred because you happen to be Jewish.

Not to mention that allowing people with pre-existing conditions to buy affordable health insurance IS JUST EXACTLY THE SAME as being owned as property, counted as 3/5 of a person, beaten raped & tortured, sold away from your loved ones and hunted down by dogs for trying to escape.

364 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:45:44am

re: #356 lawhawk

What part of shutdown do these idiots not understand.

Oh wait.

They want a shutdown, but not any of the effects - especially as it relates to their pet causes, whether it’s the WWII memorial (the Normandy cemeteries), National Parks, but ignore the huge effect and impact it has on people who rely on the federal goverment’s safety net (TANF, WIC, SNAP), jobs at federal agencies, contract workers who work for the government, and companies that rely on federal contracts.

They want people to think (and it takes a bit of cognitive dissonance to reconcile opposing claims too): 1) Obama is specifically targeting them in the shutdown or exaggerating the claims; 2) the shutdown isn’t have much of an impact since 85% is still functioning; 3) the shutdown isn’t affecting people, so we can do away with the parts that have been shutdown; and 4) reopen national parks and the mall, but keep them closed so we can have photo ops of people sneaking in and trespassing on federal lands and NPS administered property, potentially exposing themselves and the govt to liability issues.

Instead, the GOP thinks it appropriate to keep the Congressional gym open, but cuts off payments to SNAP/WIC/TANF unless the Democrats cave on their extortionist demands.

Cognitive dissonance is the root of all the GOP’s thinking on the shutdown and default. These are the people who say that the default is a horrendous, catastrophic evil whose danger is enough to force Democrats to make concessions…but it won’t be that bad if we do default and we could even come out of it stronger because we’re running on a “balanced budget.” That last part isn’t mine, Rand Paul let that brain fart loose this past Sunday.

365 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:46:21am

If you liked the shutdown, you will LOVE the debt default.

Preppers are already having multiple orgasms.

366 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:46:57am

re: #363 Vicious Babushka

Not to mention that allowing people with pre-existing conditions to buy affordable health insurance IS JUST EXACTLY THE SAME as being owned as property, counted as 3/5 of a person, beaten raped & tortured, sold away from your loved ones and hunted down by dogs for trying to escape.

Totally. I’ve had it with these fuckers and their attempts to cheapen the evils of the Holocaust by just calling any policy they hate Nazism.

367 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:46:59am
368 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:47:13am

re: #347 HappyWarrior

You know our priorities are fucked as a nation if we’re outraged about memorials being closed but not people being denied the help they need under the government when it’s functioning.

We are easily distracted by shiny things, i.e., visual, emotionally evocative images.

369 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:48:22am

And I apologize for cursing so much this morning. This shutdown and the right wing bullshit that comes with it is so annoying. These bastards you know they lecture us about our work ethics and job. Well you right wing nuts, I had a job lined up with the federal employment but then you guys had a fit about a settled law.

370 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:48:40am

re: #365 Vicious Babushka

If you liked the shutdown, you will LOVE the debt default.

Preppers are already having multiple orgasms.

That makes sense. If you’re psychologically and educationally unfit to prosper in the mainstream culture, you might want to try your luck in something more ‘robust’.

371 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:49:00am

re: #360 HappyWarrior

He basically implies that more money= more speech, dangerous precedent IMO.

There’s where the creeping fascism is. Money = speech.

372 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:49:20am

RAND PAUL:
HURR HURR MY GRANNY WAS THRIFTY AND FRUGAL AND NEVER BOUGHT ANYTHING THAT SHE COULDN’T LAY DOWN CASH ON THE BARREL HEAD. SHE SCRIMPED AND SAVED HER ENTIRE LIFE AND DID WITHOUT.

PICKED HER OWN APPLES AND PLOWED HER OWN FIELDS, DIDN’T WASTE COIN ON SOME LAZY HIRED HAND!!!!111

TEH GOVERNMENT SHUD DO TEH SAME AS MY GRANNY!!!1!!

373 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:49:52am

re: #371 Justanotherhuman

There’s where the creeping fascism is. Money = speech.

It’s why Roberts, ACA ruling aside has still been far from a decent CJ.

374 A Mom Anon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:50:25am

re: #321 lawhawk

Seriously, they can do what people do who can’t afford the gym and don’t have a free one to use. Go for a freaking walk, work out at home or something else. What fucking balls these people have. Bitch about the shutdown and then make sure none of their perks get touched. Meanwhile kids are going without meals, so are vets and seniors. If they can open the gym and cherry pick this mess apart as it suits them, they can stop this shutdown bullshit now.

375 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:50:43am

How come the Waltons and their CEO don’t stock their own store shelves and polish the filthy floors if they’re so stingy about paying their “hired hands.”

376 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:52:20am

re: #374 A Mom Anon

Seriously, they can do what people do who can’t afford the gym and don’t have a free one to use. Go for a freaking walk, work out at home or something else. What fucking balls these people have. Bitch about the shutdown and then make sure none of their perks get touched. Meanwhile kids are going without meals, so are vets and seniors. If they can open the gym and cherry pick this mess apart as it suits them, they can stop this shutdown bullshit now.

They can also buy their own exercise equipment or yeah go for a walk. And you’re right. It’s very telling that they’re ignoring that kids are going without meals but oh no they won’t be able to work out, whatever will we do!

377 bratwurst  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:53:04am

re: #375 Vicious Babushka

How come the Waltons and their CEO don’t stock their own store shelves and polish the filthy floors if they’re so stingy about paying their “hired hands.”

Imagine the $avings they could pass on to their customers…aka the Wal-Mart way!

378 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:53:33am

re: #376 HappyWarrior

They can also buy their own exercise equipment or yeah go for a walk.

And risk being arrested by a truck drivin’ Citizen Grand Jury?

379 wrenchwench  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:53:40am

re: #334 Vicious Babushka

Here is the new Zionist Overlord!

Here’s the Equatorial Princess (with a 6 month head start on your new Overlord) having her first soup.

380 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:54:00am

re: #353 Targetpractice

We forgot to shoot it in the head!

House GOP’s Next Move: ZOMBIE SUPERCOMMITTEE!

And as if Cornyn’s little stunt in the Senate concerning back pay for furloughed workers isn’t bad enough:

It’s Boehner trying to prevent default while keeping the loonies from flouncing. It might work for a little while, but not in the long run. Know-Nothings like Ted Yoho have to be given a “You LOSE, sir!” level smackdown in order to get through to them and even that doesn’t always work.

381 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:54:29am

re: #367 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

Fuck you, Rand. Republicans didn’t give a shit about the economy when they were getting us involved in two wars that have added $1 trillion to the debt and have ensured higher costs for caring for our vets for decades to come, creating Medicare Part D without any source of funding and then refusing to entertain any reforms to make it more cost-effective, two series of tax cuts that they have insisted must be kept in place else the whole country will come tumbling down, and now suggesting that we should blow a $29 billion dollar hole in the budget to get rid of the medical device tax.

382 makeitstop  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:54:39am

re: #358 HappyWarrior

Fuck them seriously. You don’t get to shutdown the government over Obamacare and then act all puffy and outraged that certain parts of the government are gasp actually shut-down. I’d respect them more if they at least owned up to the parks being closed but no they’re acting like it’s Obama’s fault directly. If any of these parks or mounments got vandalized during the shutdown, Obama would be the first one to be blamed by them. It’s a fucking game to these fuckmongrels.

Upding for ‘fuckmongrels.’

383 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:55:15am

re: #378 Decatur Deb

And risk being arrested by a truck drivin’ Citizen Grand Jury?

Perhaps they can buy Grouncho Marx glasses and nose and mustaches as disguises? I mean there’s got to be a party city near Congress right?

384 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:56:07am

re: #379 wrenchwench

Here’s the Equatorial Princess (with a 6 month head start on your new Overlord) having her first soup.

MMmmm green.

385 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:56:09am

re: #377 bratwurst

Imagine the $avings they could pass on to their customers…aka the Wal-Mart way!

If only they could how to make people work for them for nothing.

386 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:57:22am

re: #380 Dark_Falcon

It’s Boehner trying to prevent default while keeping the loonies from flouncing. It might work for a little while, but not in the long run. Know-Nothings like Ted Yoho have to be given a “You LOSE, sir!” level smackdown in order to get through to them and even that doesn’t always work.

Fuck the loonies, Boehner needs to grow some balls, put a clean bill to address the shutdown and the debt ceiling on the floor, and be done with it. There’s no way that he can address both and still remain speaker. There will be no negotiations, no deal, no last minute effort to save his sorry ass yet again.

387 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:58:42am

re: #380 Dark_Falcon

If Boehner wanted to avoid default he’d put up a clean bill for raising the debt ceiling. Or, since the debt ceiling makes no sense anyway, he’d put up a bill abolishing it and mandating that the president can borrow to cover congresses’s debts as needed.

That’d be too rational for the GOP though. If it’s Republican, it’s got to be unrealistic and cruel.

388 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:58:47am

re: #386 Targetpractice

Fuck the loonies, Boehner needs to grow some balls, put a clean bill to address the shutdown and the debt ceiling on the floor, and be done with it. There’s no way that he can address both and still remain speaker. There will be no negotiations, no deal, no last minute effort to save his sorry ass yet again.

This will end in tears.

389 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:59:02am

What the fuckety fuck is this fucking bill by fucking Jeff Sessions? This is just another stalling tactic.

House releases text of ‘super committee’ bill

thehill.com

Pres Obama will give a statement at 2 pm. Probably not about this, though.

390 jaunte  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 8:59:15am
A House aide confirmed to ThinkProgress that the House member’s gym is open. The House gym features a swimming pool, basketball courts, paddleball courts, a sauna, a steam room and flat screen TVs. While towel service is unavailable, taxpayers remain on the hook for cleaning and maintenance, which has been performed daily throughout the shutdown. There are also costs associated with the power required to heat the pools and keep the lights on.
thinkprogress.org

You know who else canceled towel service?

391 wrenchwench  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:00:02am

re: #384 Decatur Deb

MMmmm green.

I’d guess split pea, but they have lots of weird foods there in Colombia. Who knows what they’re feeding her. Pretty sure not frogs, though.

392 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:00:25am

re: #380 Dark_Falcon

It’s Boehner trying to prevent default while keeping the loonies from flouncing. It might work for a little while, but not in the long run. Know-Nothings like Ted Yoho have to be given a “You LOSE, sir!” level smackdown in order to get through to them and even that doesn’t always work.

He needed to stand up to them when they were threatening to shut down the government over a settled law. He didn’t do that. Why on earth should we expect him to act rationally when the only thing he evidently cares about his own personal power.

393 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:00:48am

re: #390 jaunte

You know who else canceled towel service?

Hitler, you towel hating bastard.

394 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:01:29am

re: #389 Justanotherhuman

What the fuckety fuck is this fucking bill by fucking Jeff Sessions? This is just another stalling tactic.

House releases text of ‘super committee’ bill

thehill.com

Pres Obama will give a statement at 2 pm. Probably not about this, though.

“To discuss 2014 funding levels”? What, is the GOP going to agree to lift all or parts of the sequester? Not a chance, they’ll go into this insisting that Democrats accept the sequester funding and then give ground on “entitlement reforms” in exchange for what will likely be a temporary debt ceiling increase.

No dice.

395 Decatur Deb  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:01:31am

re: #389 Justanotherhuman

What the fuckety fuck is this fucking bill by fucking Jeff Sessions? This is just another stalling tactic.

House releases text of ‘super committee’ bill

thehill.com

Pres Obama will give a statement at 2 pm. Probably not about this, though.

Once again, I must insist—that is Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions The Third. Be glad he doesn’t demand to fund the Yankee government with confederate scrip.

396 Lidane  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:01:42am

re: #356 lawhawk

What part of shutdown do these idiots not understand.

The part where they have to give a shit about how others are affected.

397 Lidane  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:04:32am

re: #364 Targetpractice

Cognitive dissonance is the root of all the GOP’s thinking on the shutdown and default.

FTFY.

Being a Republican these days requires some form of cognitive dissonance. It’s the only way you can look at the current party and somehow think they’re still the same party they were even 20 years ago. And it’s the only way you can look at POTUS and see anything other than an Eisenhower Republican in the White House.

398 lawhawk  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:04:41am

The last time there was a supercommittee to deal with the spending, debt, and entitlements, we got the supercommittee’s failure to pass legislation that both chambers could agree upon. We got the sequester, which the GOP totally bought into because it meant they got to slash and burn spending across all government. They accepted the DoD cuts, but that was the price to be paid for the cuts everywhere else.

The shutdown is the next phase of their ongoing fight to chop government functions - and when those functions get undermined, claim that they are irrelevant and should be shuttered entirely.

The debt ceiling is framed by the same argument and impetus - do whatever it takes to slash and burn government, even if the economy gets whacked in the process.

The GOP will complain about the lack of economic growth all while ignoring the effects of the sequester on the economy - a negative effect.

The GOP will complain about the debt and how much accumulated under Obama, ignoring the facts that it is a) cumulative; and b) an expression of appropriations previously agreed to by the same Congress that now refuses to pay the bill and authorize the creation of new debt even though the US would still be on the hook for all of it.

It shows a fundamental lack of understanding about the economy, how the government functions, and how the GOP revels in this in trying to slash and burn government in its own image, with the consequences paid for by people who can ill afford it.

399 blueraven  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:09:10am

re: #388 Decatur Deb

This will end in tears.

The other way ends in madness.

400 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:09:11am

re: #386 Targetpractice

Fuck the loonies, Boehner needs to grow some balls, put a clean bill to address the shutdown and the debt ceiling on the floor, and be done with it. There’s no way that he can address both and still remain speaker. There will be no negotiations, no deal, no last minute effort to save his sorry ass yet again.

Actually, I think Nancy Pelosi should offer him the following (non-publicly at first): If Boehner passes a 3-6 month debt ceiling extension then she and Steny Hoyer agree to get Democrats to vote for Boehner as speaker for the duration of the extension. That would at least take the immediate pressure off. It would still enrage the worst of the wingnuts, but a confrontation between them and the rest of Congress is inevitable. Best to just get it over with.

401 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:09:33am

The last supercommittee failed largely because, before it even convened, the GOP was making it loud and clear that it would not abide by any agreement that didn’t match its ideological goals. Boehner came out before the committee had even met and declared that if it considered new tax revenue or the final deal included such, it would go nowhere in the House.

This is a joke of a move and it’s transparently obvious that the GOP leadership (what of it remains) is out of ideas. They keep wanting to hammer this idea that the problem could be solved in negotiations, but keep insisting that such negotiations be entered with the understanding that the GOP will give nothing and the list of demands will only grow once things begin.

402 Carlos Danger  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:10:20am

re: #400 Dark_Falcon

Actually, I think Nancy Pelosi should offer him the following (non-publicly at first): If Boehner passes a 3-6 month debt ceiling extension…

Six months?!! Are you joking?

403 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:11:03am

re: #400 Dark_Falcon

Actually, I think Nancy Pelosi should offer him the following (non-publicly at first): If Boehner passes a 3-6 month debt ceiling extension then she and Steny Hoyer agree to get Democrats to vote for Boehner as speaker for the duration of the extension. That would at least take the immediate pressure off. It would still enrage the worst of the wingnuts, but a confrontation between them and the rest of Congress is inevitable. Best to just get it over with.

It would go nowhere, because even “moderate” Republicans would balk at the idea of Democrats effectively having control over the Speaker. Boehner would quickly balk at the idea that anybody but the TPers can pull his strings.

404 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:13:20am

WTFITS

405 Lidane  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:13:20am

re: #400 Dark_Falcon

Actually, I think Nancy Pelosi should offer him the following (non-publicly at first): If Boehner passes a 3-6 month debt ceiling extension then she and Steny Hoyer agree to get Democrats to vote for Boehner as speaker for the duration of the extension. That would at least take the immediate pressure off. It would still enrage the worst of the wingnuts, but a confrontation between them and the rest of Congress is inevitable. Best to just get it over with.

Fuck that. This is a GOP civil war and we’re all being held hostage over it.

Let Boehner solve his own problems. If he can’t bring the Tea Party economic terrorists in line, then he can cut the “Hastert rule” that even Hastert calls bullshit and he can bring a vote to the floor.

406 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:13:26am

If you ask me. Boehner made this mess by capitulating to these guys time and time again. He needs to fix it.

407 wrenchwench  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:14:53am

Favorite comment of the day (so far):

6 francis Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:41:14am

re: #1 Charles Johnson

I don’t see submit a page when I sign in now. Is there a problem?

408 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:15:04am

re: #404 Vicious Babushka

WTFITS

[Embedded content]

I missed when the Democrats passed repeals of the Reagan tax cuts 40+ times and then shut down the government when Reagan refused to sign it. There’s nothing “sacred” about ACA but it is beyond stupid to keep on passing a repeal on something you know that will never be signed by the president and then to shut the government over. how hard is that to fucking understand.

409 HappyWarrior  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:16:04am

re: #407 wrenchwench

Favorite comment of the day (so far):

Youtube Video

410 Lidane  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:16:13am

re: #400 Dark_Falcon

Also, do you honestly think Boehner has any credibility left after this? Even if he somehow managed to remain Speaker he’s already proven to be fatally weakened by the Tea Party economic terrorist wing in the House. No one is going to trust him or follow his lead.

The House GOP might as well nominate Ted Cruz for Speaker.

411 Targetpractice  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:16:52am

The President once again tries to convince little Johnny to unlock the door and come out of his room:

Obama To Boehner: We’ll Negotiate Once Shutdown Ends And Debt Limit Is Raised

President Barack Obama placed a call to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) on Tuesday to urge a vote on a “clean” government funding bill that would end the shutdown, according to a White House readout of the conversation.

Boehner has argued that such a bill could not pass the House unless it includes other reforms, despite media reports to the contrary.

The White House also said that Obama told the speaker that he is “willing to negotiate with Republicans — after the threat of government shutdown and default have been removed - over policies that Republicans think would strengthen the country.” Boehner’s spokesman Brendan Buck characterized the call slightly differently.

412 Dark_Falcon  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:18:13am

re: #405 Lidane

And is forcing forcing John Boehner to deal with the problem worth a default? I’m not saying that as a threat, but I think it’s question that needs to get asked at this point.

413 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 9:55:01am

FUCKSTICK

414 dell*nix  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 10:05:18am

re: #281 darthstar

Something like Josephene Baker and her banana skirt?

Youtube Video

415 calochortus  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 10:38:50am

Gah. Did I break LGF? All I did was log in and try to post!

416 Kragar  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 10:40:41am

DAMN YOU TOE NAIL FUNGUS!

417 Lidane  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 10:42:29am

re: #412 Dark_Falcon

And is forcing forcing John Boehner to deal with the problem worth a default? I’m not saying that as a threat, but I think it’s question that needs to get asked at this point.

We’re heading to a default anyway because your party has decided that it’s not a big deal and that nothing bad will happen to us if we do it:


Your party is filled with economic illiterates who think that a default will be a good thing. Pelosi and Hoyer offering Boehner an out won’t change that.

418 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 10:49:41am

First he says a debt default is WHAT OBAMA WANTZ TO DESTROY AMURICA AND ARE FREEDOMBZ!!!11 and then he says it’s no big deal.

So then why would Obama want something that won’t DESTROY AMURICA you dumb assbag.

419 dog philosopher  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 10:53:46am

re: #210 francis

So, where is the world peace Dog, in Egypt, Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea,
maybe the streets of Chacigo.

um you missed the point of the joke francis

420 ObserverArt  Tue, Oct 8, 2013 10:59:54am

re: #416 Kragar

DAMN YOU TOE NAIL FUNGUS!

It get’s in the system ya’ know.

The President getting ready to address the madness…should be on at any time, all the talking heads are primpin’ before the cameras.

Or, is that pimpin’?


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