CPAC 2014, Festival of Lunacy Photo Gallery, Featuring Cowboy Reagan

Right wingers in their habitat
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A few of the many special moments from this year’s CPAC, courtesy of the new embed feature of Getty Images.

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NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 08: An exhibitor plays a video game in their booth during the 41st annual Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center on March 8, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland. The conference, a project of the American Conservative Union, brings together conservatives polticians, pundits and voters for three days of speeches and workshops. (Photo by T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images)

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375 comments
1 Shiplord Kirel  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:06:13pm

I guess there’s not much Eisenhower memorabilia there, even though many of the participants can remember him.
Younger wingnuts are likely to respond with, “Eisenhower was a Republican? No shit?”

2 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:07:36pm

How much is a poster of cowboy Reagan going for?

3 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:08:26pm

re: #2 jaunte

How much is a poster of cowboy Reagan going for?

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 07: Free posters of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan are handed out during the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland. The CPAC annual meeting brings together conservative politicians, pundits and their supporters for speeches, panels and classes. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

4 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:09:05pm

They’re giving Cowboy Reagan away for free. What a world.

5 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:09:48pm

I’d like one of those cutouts of Rand Paul. It looks larger than life.

6 Pie-onist Overlord  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:10:08pm

HURR HURR!!!!! TEH SEEKRIT PLAN TO DESTROY AMERCIA1!!!!!!

7 EPR-radar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:11:13pm

re: #1 Shiplord Kirel

I guess there’s not much Eisenhower memorabilia there, even though many of the participants can remember him.
Younger wingnuts are likely to respond with, “Eisenhower was a Republican? No shit?”

One of the trademark lunacies of the John Birch society was the proposition that Ike was a communist. Many movement conservatives have probably absorbed this stupidity, since no stupid idea can be allowed to die off in conservatism.

8 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:11:26pm

Callista Gingrich, rockin’ the epoxied hair swoosh.

9 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:11:36pm

It’s a Cargo Cult. They await the Cowboy. The Cowboy will return. The Cowboy is all. Cowboy.

10 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:11:45pm

re: #6 Pie-onist Overlord

Golf is part of the plan to destroy America!

11 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:12:40pm

12 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:12:58pm

Oh no. I’ve offended someone.

13 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:13:39pm

Given those posters and CPAC rhetoric, I suspect con-goers will be going through a lot of Kleenex tonight.

“Ronny, take me awaaaaay on your mighty steed!”

14 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:13:49pm

Actually, that’s ObserverArt’s fault. I blame everything on ObserverArt.

15 EPR-radar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:13:59pm

re: #9 nines09

It’s a Cargo Cult. They await the Cowboy. The Cowboy will return. The Cowboy is all. Cowboy.

It’s entirely possible that a cargo cult is a more rational proposition than US movement conservatism.

For example, a cargo cult requires paying attention to reality at least enough to notice the arrival of a ship full of strangers.

16 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:13:59pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

They’re giving Cowboy Reagan away for free. What a world.

Did they also give away air freshener to knock down the stench of death and decay that must have been permeating that exhibit hall?

17 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:14:30pm

re: #14 Charles Johnson

Actually, that’s ObserverArt’s fault. I blame everything on ObserverArt.

ObserverArt loses his right to criticize Russia.

18 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:15:19pm

re: #15 EPR-radar

It’s entirely possible that a cargo cult is a more rational proposition than US movement conservatism.

For example, a cargo cult requires paying attention to reality at least enough to notice the arrival of a ship full of strangers.

They wouldn’t even know Goldwater threw the John Birch Society out of the GOP would they?

19 EPR-radar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:16:09pm

re: #18 nines09

They wouldn’t even know Goldwater threw the John Birch Society out of the GOP would they?

All of the housecleaning that Goldwater and Buckley et al. attempted back in the day has come undone.

20 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:16:12pm

re: #16 TedStriker

Even a life supply of this would not get rid of the odor. amazon.com

21 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:16:33pm

re: #7 EPR-radar

One of the trademark lunacies of the John Birch society was the proposition that Ike was a communist. Many movement conservatives have probably absorbed this stupidity, since no stupid idea can be allowed to die off in conservatism.

Conservatism can never fail, it can only be failed, right?

///

22 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:16:52pm

re: #2 jaunte

How much is a poster of cowboy Reagan going for?

Free if you can guess the hat size.

23 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:17:18pm

re: #16 TedStriker

Did they also give away air freshener to knock down the stench of death and decay that must have been permeating that exhibit hall?

That’s what the 50-gallon barrel of lube is for. Sort of.

24 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:17:23pm

Youtube Video

25 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:17:32pm

re: #19 EPR-radar

All of the housecleaning that Goldwater and Buckley et al. attempted back in the day has come undone.

Gleefully undone. Droolingly undone.

26 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:19:06pm

re: #3 Charles Johnson

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 07: Free posters of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan are handed out during the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Isn’t it ironic? Don’tcha think? /morisette

27 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:20:29pm
…And they gave Cowboy Reagans for free…

There’s a song in there somewhere.

28 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:20:47pm

re: #6 Pie-onist Overlord

Well, then, he’s doing quite well.

That’s an upding in the Bond Villain column and a downding in the “weak-kneed ditherer” column, yes, wingnuts?

29 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:21:08pm
30 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:23:49pm

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NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 07: Student David Allerhand gets a little instruction from Claudia Olsen at the National Rifle Association’s laser target range at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland.

31 Kragar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:23:53pm

Aren’t those mom jeans Reagan is wearing?

32 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:23:58pm
33 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:24:06pm

re: #18 nines09

They wouldn’t even know Goldwater threw the John Birch Society out of the GOP would they?

They wouldn’t even know Goldwater threw the John Birch Society out of the GOP would they?

FTFY. Twice.

34 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:25:10pm

re: #29 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

35 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:25:46pm

re: #30 jaunte

Oh yes. I had to add that one to the post.

36 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:25:52pm

re: #30 jaunte

Because, in America, you can’t have politics without guns (est. 1776).

37 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:26:59pm

re: #34 Gus

BAD TRIP!

38 Ryan King  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:27:00pm

re: #36 chadu

Because, in America, you can’t have politics without guns (est. 1776).

Because Jesus rocked the tricorne and musket.

39 Timothy Watson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:27:06pm

re: #10 jaunte

I thought Agenda 21 was going to ban golf or however that wingnut conspiracy theory goes.

40 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:28:03pm

re: #31 Kragar

Mommy jeans!

41 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:28:15pm

re: #39 Timothy Watson

Yes, it’s hard to know from day to day how they feel about golf. Preserve it from radical enviros, or despise it because Obama.

42 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:28:20pm

Gunny gunny gunnity gun gun.
Whitey white whitastic white.
Blackity black black blah-ack.

Gunny gunny blackity-black?
No, gunnity gun-gun whitey white!

Gun, gunnity gunnity gunny, the children.

Amen.

43 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:29:10pm

re: #37 nines09

BAD TRIP!


I put a fly on Santorum’s nose.

44 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:29:27pm
45 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:29:30pm

46 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:29:50pm

re: #43 Gus

That nose has been a lot of places.

47 Ryan King  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:30:07pm

re: #39 Timothy Watson

I thought Agenda 21 was going to ban golf or however that wingnut conspiracy theory goes.

Oh hell no. I’ll go wingnut if I cant murder me some poa annua or bermuda whilst duffing malty beverages.

This is an outrage.

48 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:30:16pm

re: #38 Ryan King

Because Jesus rocked the tricorne and musket.

I though we established Jesus preferred automatic pistols*?

* Remember, Yeshua has a “Get Out of Space-time Causality FREE!” card because of family connections.

49 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:31:10pm

re: #39 Timothy Watson

I thought Agenda 21 was going to ban golf or however that wingnut conspiracy theory goes.

Why would you want to golf in 21?

Wouldn’t that screw up the lines of blow dance floor?

50 DKoch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:31:36pm

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With his arm around a communist leader in Red Square

With Iraq’s Tareq Aziz in the Oval Office

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Donald Rumsfeld, Reagan’s special envoy to Saddam Hussein

With the Taliban in the Oval Office

With Apartheid regime in the Oval Office

Illegally selling arms to Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini

241 Americans killed in Beirut bombings. Reagan proceeds to cut and run and divert attention by invading Grenada.

Raids Treasury for tax cuts for the rich

51 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:31:48pm

re: #31 Kragar

Aren’t those mom jeans Reagan is wearing?

Yeah, Your Mom’s jeans.

52 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:32:21pm

53 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:33:05pm

re: #52 Gus

INTRODUCING……………………….THE COCKROACHES!!!!!!!!!!

54 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:33:35pm

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NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 07: Kasey Darling of the Charles Koch Institute poses for photographs with people dressed as characters from Star Wars used to promote author Travis Brown’s ‘How Money Walks’ at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland.

55 Pie-onist Overlord  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:34:07pm

HURR HURR!!!!! MOAR GUNZ IS TEH ANSWER TO ALL TEH QUESTIONS!!!!!!!

56 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:34:36pm

re: #54 jaunte

Evil ComiCon.

57 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:34:50pm

re: #54 jaunte

I…

What?

58 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:35:28pm

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NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 07: Students Dragana Bozic (L) of New York City and Pi Praveen of Durham, NC, pose for a photograph with a lifesize cutout photo of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland.

He’s so slim!

59 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:35:57pm

re: #54 jaunte

The Koch brothers hooking up with Star Wars.

Money has changed hands. Big time. Those costumes have to be licensed, for a lot of kale.

60 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:36:15pm

Daylight Savings Time is back. Please turn your clocks ahead one hour. littlegreenfootballs.com

61 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:37:36pm

re: #58 jaunte

He seems……so……..stiff.

62 EPR-radar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:37:51pm

re: #59 Charles Johnson

The Koch brothers hooking up with Star Wars.

Money has changed hands. Big time. Those costumes have to be licensed, for a lot of kale.

From this, it would appear that Lucas’ conversion to the dark side is complete.

63 DKoch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:37:52pm

re: #58 jaunte

Empty suit

Light weight

Paper tiger

Not worth the paper it’s written on

64 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:37:59pm

re: #55 Pie-onist Overlord

And I will not obey the orders to surrender to the Hideous Chicken People of Nod.

Both orders have the same relative likelihood of being issues.

65 Targetpractice  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:38:02pm

re: #9 nines09

It’s a Cargo Cult. They await the Cowboy. The Cowboy will return. The Cowboy is all. Cowboy.

That was my first thought when I saw these posters. The American Right is a modern cargo cult, worshiping the false persona of a long-dead movie star, chanting “Low taxes! Deficits don’t matter! America is #1!,” reading from the Holy Book (Atlas Shrugged), and partaking of the sacraments (Big Gulps and Fritos), in the hope that they can make the fantasy of “America As We Remember It” real.

66 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:38:10pm
67 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:38:31pm

re: #61 nines09

He seems……so……..stiff.

On the plus side, the cardboard version won’t say stupid stuff about black history and gay marriage.

68 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:38:46pm

re: #58 jaunte

Christ, even his standee looks like it’s got something barbed and gnarly shoved up his butt.

69 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:39:12pm
70 Targetpractice  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:39:14pm

re: #58 jaunte

[Embedded content]

He’s so slim!

Wow, Rand’s never seemed so lifelike!

71 Pie-onist Overlord  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:39:25pm

HURR HURR!!!!! GUNS GUNS GUNS GUNS!!!!!!!

72 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:39:44pm

re: #60 PhillyPretzel

Daylight Savings Time is back. Please turn your clocks ahead one hour. littlegreenfootballs.com

The Doctor will save us.

Youtube Video

73 Timothy Watson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:40:18pm

re: #50 DKoch

It was 241 American servicemen (220 Marines, 18 sailors, three soldiers).

And the Mujaheddin != Taliban.

74 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:40:34pm

re: #63 DKoch

Empty suit

Light weight

Paper tiger

Not worth the paper it’s written on

75 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:40:37pm

re: #61 nines09

He seems……so……..stiff.

As shallow as his policies.

76 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:40:50pm
77 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:40:56pm

re: #65 Targetpractice

That was my first thought when I saw these posters. The American Right is a modern cargo cult, worshiping the false persona of a long-dead movie star, chanting “Low taxes! Deficits don’t matter! America is #1!,” reading from the Holy Book (Atlas Shrugged), and partaking of the sacraments (Big Gulps and Fritos), in the hope that they can make the fantasy of “America As We Remember It” real.

Just think this one thing. Reagan said a “rising tide raises all boats.” So why is the RR loving GOP against a minimum wage increase? Cult of personality and not anything else.

78 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:41:19pm

79 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:42:08pm

re: #67 The Ghost of a Flea

On the plus side, the cardboard version won’t say stupid stuff about black history and gay marriage.

The cardboard version cannot make an ass of itself. Only the people propping it up can do that.

80 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:42:48pm
And I will not obey the orders to surrender to the Hideous Chicken People of Nod.

TRU FACT: Who, as determined by my college buddies and I one wee hours discussion in the smoking lounge after varied chemical enhancements, are who Cain had kids with after that whole fratricide thingy.

81 Targetpractice  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:43:17pm

re: #71 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURR!!!!! GUNS GUNS GUNS GUNS!!!!!!!

[Embedded content]

I’d really like to know what good they think an M-16 knock-off is gonna do against an M2 Bradley.

82 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:43:25pm

re: #76 Charles Johnson

Unless they ‘forgot’ those costumes are licensed property.

83 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:44:19pm

re: #73 Timothy Watson

It was 241 American servicemen (220 Marines, 18 sailors, three soldiers).

And the Mujaheddin ≠ Taliban.

I assume you were trying to put in a ‘does not equal’ sign, since the 1980’s Mujaheddin were not in fact the direct ancestor of the Taliban. The Taliban were created by Pakistan’s ISI in the 1990’s as a way for Pakistan to exert increased control of Afghanistan.

84 A Mom Anon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:44:31pm

So is there a count of attendees to this fun filled fiesta of fucktitude? I mean if this is such an important event, wouldn’t there be thousands? At the very least?

I also had the pleasure of running into a gaggle of teabaggers today in the parking lot of a grocery store. It was really very sad. They were campaigning for some dude running in our district and doing a lousy job of it. Not a word about what the guy stands for, nothing about why he’s even running, just here’s a bumper sticker and a yard sign. I politely declined. About all they seemed to be accomplishing was burning through lots of Marlboro Lights and bottled water.

85 prairiefire  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:44:40pm

He’s still dead, Jim.

86 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:44:58pm

re: #65 Targetpractice

That was my first thought when I saw these posters. The American Right is a modern cargo cult, worshiping the false persona of a long-dead movie star, chanting “Low taxes! Deficits don’t matter! America is #1!,” reading from the Holy Book (Atlas Shrugged), and partaking of the sacraments (Big Gulps and Fritos), in the hope that they can make the fantasy of “America As We Remember It” real.

Who said that “these people’s idea of heaven is like a theme park”?

87 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:46:35pm

re: #82 jaunte

Unless they ‘forgot’ those costumes are licensed property.

BIG GUMMINT STOP REGULATING ME; FREE SPEECH; O HAI MR. LUCAS I TOTES RESPECT YOUR MONEY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY NOW THAT I GOT CAUGHT CAN I TOUCH YOUR MIGHTY BEARD TO FEEL THE MOOLAH-POWAH?

88 Timothy Watson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:46:50pm

re: #47 Ryan King

There was a wingnut that ran for the Republican nomination for the House of Delegates here in Virginia whose entire campaign was: THE UN IS TRYING TO DESTROY MY GOLF COURSE WITH AGENDA 21!!!1! (unfortunately, I can’t find a link to a news story on Google.)

Mind you, this is the same district that gave us Catherine Crabill, a GOP nominee that repeatedly stated the federal government was behind the Oklahoma City bombing.

89 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:47:29pm

re: #82 jaunte

Unless they ‘forgot’ those costumes are licensed property.

They wouldn’t do that. Lucasfilm defends its ownership of Star Wars fiercely. and it would sue Koch Industries without hesitation if those costumes were used without permission. I assure you, Koch Industries had that permission. They paid heavily for it, but they did have it.

90 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:48:11pm

re: #77 nines09

Just think this one thing. Reagan said a “rising tide raises all boats.” So why is the RR loving GOP against a minimum wage increase? Cult of personality and not anything else.

Libtard wants to give teh poors yachts now! HURR HURR!

91 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:48:31pm
92 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:48:41pm

re: #76 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Comicon would go bust.

93 Pie-onist Overlord  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:49:09pm

re: #89 Dark_Falcon

They wouldn’t do that. Lucasfilm defends its ownership of Star Wars fiercely. and it would sue Koch Industries without hesitation if those costumes were used without permission. I assure you, Koch Industries had that permission. They paid heavily for it, but they did have it.

I thought Disney owns the rights to Star Wars. And if you think Lucasfilm was stringent about its trademarked products, it’s got nothing on Disney.

94 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:49:18pm

re: #81 Targetpractice

I’d really like to know what good they think an M-16 knock-off is gonna do against an M2 Bradley.

WOLVERINES!

AR-15’s shoot adamantium-jacketed slugs, right? Should cut through that armor like butter!

95 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:50:26pm

re: #59 Charles Johnson

The Koch brothers hooking up with Star Wars.

Money has changed hands. Big time. Those costumes have to be licensed, for a lot of kale.

re: #62 EPR-radar

From this, it would appear that Lucas’ conversion to the dark side is complete.

re: #82 jaunte

Unless they ‘forgot’ those costumes are licensed property.

Remember who owns almost all of the Star Wars IP these days (with the exception of the original trilogy films, which Fox holds the rights to those until 2020 or so): Disney.

Somehow, I’m guessing these were cosplayers on a gig (SW cosplayers are famous for going to great lengths to make movie-accurate costumes; see the 501st Legion) and no money went to LucasFilm/Disney for any sort of licensing.

96 EPR-radar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:51:21pm

re: #93 Pie-onist Overlord

I thought Disney owns the rights to Star Wars. And if you think Lucasfilm was stringent about its trademarked products, it’s got nothing on Disney.

There are other contributors, but Disney Inc. is the main reason why nothing in the US after Steamboat Willie will ever get into the public domain by having copyright expire.

97 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:52:18pm

re: #95 TedStriker

Somehow, I’m guessing these were cosplayers on a paying gig (or not) and no money went to LucasFilm/Disney for any sort of licensing.

That’s what I’m thinking too. A vast Koch Bros conspiracy is unlikely and Chris Christie is too fat to be in the storm trooper costume.

98 Pie-onist Overlord  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:52:55pm
99 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:53:28pm

re: #95 TedStriker

Remember who owns almost all of the Star Wars IP these days (with the exception of the original trilogy films, which Fox holds the rights to those until 2020 or so): Disney.

Somehow, I’m guessing these were cosplayers on a paying gig (or not) and no money went to LucasFilm/Disney for any sort of licensing.

I’ll bet “no.”

Because Star Wars had the rebels, which is like the revolution and the civil war, AMRITE?

Which makes me wonder: why is it rare that I see wingnut fans of either Babylon 5 or Firefly? (Adam Baldwin excepted.)

100 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:53:29pm

Since this is a lunacy thread…

A major Wyoming news outlet runs a “letter” by a known white supremacist and Brimelow-clown, Paul Nachman:

Nachman: Refugee influx not so great

He attracts comments by the usual assortment of rejects, including one whose last comment is part of the lunacy contingent:

CeltKitty - 10 hours ago
Every single word you’ve written is a lie, and slander against Whites. So let’s begin:

1) “Euros” “foisted” what, exactly, on “Natives”? You are repeating the LIE that the “White Man stole North America from the Red Man”. DO try to keep up with the latest anthropological data. All kinds of genotypes have been on this continent, for thousands of years. The EARLIEST evidence of Human inhabitants are the artifacts left behind by the Solutreans. The artifacts are like those found ONLY in France. The Solutreans were most likely Celts. Cause Celts go everywhere. The Solutreans were here centuries before your ersazt “Natives” aka Land Bridge Asians. Forthwith known as LBA’s.

Evidence is emerging all over that Whites were HERE. and were slaughtered and subsumed by LBA’s. There was a Welsh colony in what is now TN, in the 5th Century. Lot’s of so-called Natives have a LOT of Celtic DNA. And do look up the Windover Bog People. of FL. Then, there-s Kennewick Man.

The LBA’s are NOT “Natives”. They are arrivistees, and murderous ones at that. Before modern Whites returned to reclaim this Continent, the LBA Tribes were veery very very busy slaughtering and enslaving each other.

Finally - White People ARE Native Americans. White Christians founded and created the USA. NOT Asiatics. All other Races are free-booters. They’ve come here to flee their “Native” lands, and enjoy what Whites have created.

The stupid is so deep in that one, she can’t even get the Solutrean hypothesis correct, so obviously she’s oblivious to the fact that it has been shown to not hold up to the data.

I guess my bigger point is that “mainstream” media is quite open to running with ugliness, as a means to survive.

101 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:54:18pm
How Money Walks - How $2 Trillion Moved Between the States, and Why It Matters

The author is a lobbyist/consultant in Missouri, working for a group called Let Voters Decide to get rid of state income and sales taxes, to be replaced with sales taxes.
google.com

102 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:56:10pm

re: #99 chadu

I’ll bet “no.”

Because Star Wars had the rebels, which is like the revolution and the civil war, AMRITE?

Which makes me wonder: why is it rare that I see wingnut fans of either Babylon 5 or Firefly? (Adam Baldwin excepted.)

It’s probably because most FF/B5 fans think that Baldwin’s a POS IRL.

103 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:56:51pm

re: #97 Killgore Trout

That’s what I’m thinking too. A vast Koch Bros conspiracy is unlikely and Chris Christie is too fat to be in the storm trooper costume.

George Lucas’s lawyers vigorously enforce his intellectual property. It’s no “vast Koch Ros conspiracy,” it’s just simple commerce. There’s no doubt that large sums of money changed hands to make this happen.

104 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:56:51pm

re: #100 freetoken

The stupid is so deep in that one, she can’t even get the Solutrean hypothesis correct, so obviously she’s oblivious to the fact that it has been shown to not hold up to the data.

On the upside, that means that white people killed off all the Western Hemisphere megafauna, so they got that going for them.

So they’re the reason we don’t have mammoth-boys riding the range. Jerky Iron Age white people!

105 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:57:10pm

re: #100 freetoken

Since this is a lunacy thread…

A major Wyoming news outlet runs a “letter” by a known white supremacist and Brimelow-clown, Paul Nachman:

Nachman: Refugee influx not so great

He attracts comments by the usual assortment of rejects, including one whose last comment is part of the lunacy contingent:

The stupid is so deep in that one, she can’t even get the Solutrean hypothesis correct, so obviously she’s oblivious to the fact that it has been shown to not hold up to the data.

I guess my bigger point is that “mainstream” media is quite open to running with ugliness, as a means to survive.

Egads, my brain hurts after reading that quote.

106 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:58:11pm

re: #102 TedStriker

It’s probably because most FF/B5 fans think that Baldwin’s a POS IRL.

Let’s try that again, since Adam Baldwin derailed the actual question.

Which makes me wonder: why is it rare that I see wingnut fans of either Babylon 5 or Firefly?

107 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:58:16pm

re: #104 chadu

On the upside, that means that white people killed off all the Western Hemisphere megafauna, so they got that going for them.

So they’re the reason we don’t have mammoth-boys riding the range. Jerky Iron Age white people!

So then the Indians came over and wiped out the white man? Or the early white man turned into the red man before later being vulnerable to small pox and being only thought of as “good” when dead?
/

108 DKoch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:58:45pm

Can you image the outcry if Obama played dress-up and wore an equestrian costume. “Mr Gorbachev, tear down these pants!”

109 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:59:09pm

Judge blasts tax plan ballot descriptions

Schweich had advised voters that the measure had an uncertain impact, increasing revenue by up to $300 million a year or cutting it by as much as $1.5 billion. The state’s Office of Budget and Planning estimated that under that scenario the state would lose $1.5 billion.

Both numbers were calculated by an analyst in Schweich’s office from the material submitted by Let Voters Decide, while other analyses, showing much large revenue losses, were discounted. All of the submitted impact statements assumed lawmakers would impose the maximum allowable tax rates.

110 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:59:28pm

re: #103 Charles Johnson

George Lucas’s lawyers vigorously enforce his intellectual property. It’s no “vast Koch Ros conspiracy,” it’s just simple commerce. There’s no doubt that large sums of money changed hands to make this happen.

Maybe not: 501st.com

111 Pie-onist Overlord  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:00:51pm

re: #108 DKoch

[Embedded image]

Can you image the outcry if Obama played dress-up and wore an equestrian costume. “Mr Gorbachev, tear down these pants!”

HE’S WEARING TEH HITLER PANTS!!!!!1!!!!!!!

112 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:01:10pm

re: #107 Feline Fearless Leader

So then the Indians came over and wiped out the white man? Or the early white man turned into the red man before later being vulnerable to small pox and being only thought of as “good” when dead?
/

Yes, exactly. This all had to happen very fast, because remember, the Earth was created only 6000 some odd years ago, on a Monday.

Mistakes were made, because Skydad hadn’t had his coffee yet.

Or invented coffee.

Or invented a place to grow coffee.

113 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:01:36pm

re: #108 DKoch

Looks like a Karzai outfit.

114 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:02:04pm

re: #108 DKoch

[Embedded image]

Can you image the outcry if Obama played dress-up and wore an equestrian costume. “Mr Gorbachev, tear down these pants!”

Vader: I find your lack of pants disturbing.

(It’s the Pants Game!)

Forget it, Jake — it’s pants.

115 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:02:23pm

re: #110 chadu

Maybe not: 501st.com

That’s not the Koch brothers - at the level of the multi-billionaire, no money is invested without lawyers being involved, and this was a Koch brothers group sponsoring this.

116 Interesting Times  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:02:43pm

re: #84 A Mom Anon

I haven’t been here all that much for the past week, but I saw your earlier comment about being diagnosed with GAD and the worse-than-useless responses you got from certain friends as a result. I figured you’d probably relate to these (assuming you haven’t seen them already):

Adventures in Depression

Depression Part Two

It really is some of the best writing about depression and the clueless responses from others that I’ve ever seen.

117 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:02:48pm

re: #103 Charles Johnson

George Lucas’s lawyers vigorously enforce his intellectual property. It’s no “vast Koch Ros conspiracy,” it’s just simple commerce. There’s no doubt that large sums of money changed hands to make this happen.

Lucas sold off Lucasfilm in 2012 to Disney, one of the few companies that are more anal about enforcing their IP rights than Lucas was. You may be right, they may have went to the House of Mouse and paid a hefty license fee to have those performers there in costume, but that doesn’t necessarily speak to any political stance of Disney’s, because money speaks their language.

However, part of me still thinks that CPAC did this on the sly and on the cheap.

118 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:03:37pm

re: #111 Pie-onist Overlord

HE’S WEARING TEH HITLER PANTS!!!!!1!!!!!!!

Instead of “Hitler Painted Roses” we now have “Hitler Sewed Jodhpurs.”

en.wikipedia.org

119 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:04:00pm
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 07: Kasey Darling of the Charles Koch Institute poses for photographs with people dressed as characters from Star Wars used to promote author Travis Brown’s ‘How Money Walks’ at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland.

There is no way something like this would happen without all the proper licensing fees being paid.

120 DKoch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:04:38pm

Getty Image

“The force is strong in this one”

121 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:04:51pm

re: #103 Charles Johnson

George Lucas’s lawyers vigorously enforce his intellectual property. It’s no “vast Koch Ros conspiracy,” it’s just simple commerce. There’s no doubt that large sums of money changed hands to make this happen.

Disney enforces the licensing on its “Princess” titles so strictly that most ‘princesses’ that you hire for children’s birthday parties have to go to great lengths to show that they’re not imitating specific Disney princesses. LucasFilm was a little bit more lenient, especially with parody use, but now that Disney owns it I’d expect their enforcement to be likewise fierce.

I worked on umpteen licensed Disney products—interactive books and toys—and the prices you have to pay are steep, and you have to also show that you’re using the product with ‘integrity’ and ‘respect for the mouse’.

Cosplayers who don’t receive compensation and aren’t promoting anything in particular don’t have to pay jack because it’s not a commercial venture, it’s just people goofing off. You can’t just be goofing off in a corporate setting, though.

Not sure how licensing fees are a conspiracy though.

122 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:04:56pm

re: #115 Charles Johnson

That’s not the Koch brothers - at the level of the multi-billionaire, no money is invested without lawyers being involved, and this was a Koch brothers group sponsoring this.

Ah. Did not know that.

Wonder if they’ll try to spin it as a “spontaneous” cosplay thing, though.

123 prairiefire  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:04:59pm

re: #108 DKoch

[Embedded image]

Can you image the outcry if Obama played dress-up and wore an equestrian costume. “Mr Gorbachev, tear down these pants!”

Nicely pressed pants. The boots look rather feminine.

124 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:05:41pm

re: #116 Interesting Times

I haven’t been here all that much for the past week, but I saw your earlier comment about being diagnosed with GAD and the worse-than-useless responses you got from certain friends as a result. I figured you’d probably relate to these (assuming you haven’t seen them already):

Adventures in Depression

Depression Part Two

It really is some of the best writing about depression and the clueless responses from others that I’ve ever seen.

…for Allie Brosh!

125 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:06:17pm

Travis Brown’s ‘Make the Poors Pay for Everything with Sales Tax’

126 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:07:16pm

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - MARCH 07: S ZARDOZPAC delegate Zed the Brutal lead the panel discussion, “Is the Gun Good, and Penis Evil?” . It was a difficult panel, as the majority of attendees differed, feeling that it is, in fact, the vagina that is (sic) super duper evil. Several breaks had to be taken to clean the stains off Wayne LaPierre’s pants. Photographed at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland.

127 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:07:37pm

re: #125 jaunte

Travis Brown’s ‘Make the Poors Pay for Everything with Sales Tax’

Travis Brown’s Flat Tax, Better Sex

128 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:07:39pm

re: #122 chadu

Ah. Did not know that.

Wonder if they’ll try to spin it as a “spontaneous” cosplay thing, though.

There’s almost certainly nothing to spin. Disney set a price for the use of the costumes and that price was paid. That being so, there’s no problem needing spinning.

129 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:08:08pm

re: #126 The Ghost of a Flea

Sorry, but that photo merits a downding.

130 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:08:11pm

re: #126 The Ghost of a Flea

[Embedded image]

131 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:08:45pm

re: #117 TedStriker

Lucas sold off Lucasfilm in 2012 to Disney, one of the few companies that are more anal about enforcing their IP rights than Lucas was. You may be right, they may have went to the House of Mouse and paid a hefty license fee to have those performers there in costume, but that doesn’t necessarily speak to any political stance of Disney’s, because money talks their language.

However, part of me still thinks that CPAC did this on the sly and on the cheap.

Very doubtful. This isn’t CPAC - it was an exhibit put on by the Charles Koch Institute. Pictures of it were taken by the world’s major photo services, as you can see. Maybe it was paid to Disney instead of Lucasfilm directly, but the point remains.

Licensing fees for an event like this might seem huge to a normal person, but we’re talking about people with hundreds of billions of dollars at their disposal. It’s a drop in the bucket to them.

132 klys  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:10:01pm

re: #131 Charles Johnson

Very doubtful. This isn’t CPAC - it was an exhibit put on by the Charles Koch Institute. Pictures of it were taken by the world’s major photo services, as you can see. Maybe it was paid to Disney instead of Lucasfilm directly, but the point remains.

Licensing fees for an event like this might seem huge to a normal person, but we’re talking about people with hundreds of billions of dollars at their disposal. It’s a drop in the bucket to them.

Hey, at least they were honest and licensed the use of characters associated with the Dark Side.

133 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:10:16pm

re: #128 Dark_Falcon

There’s almost certainly nothing to spin. Disney set a price for the use of the costumes and that price was paid. That being so, there’s no problem needing spinning.

It’s apparently promoting a specific lunatic book, and it’s possible that dude or that dude’s PR team (perhaps a racoon working from the back of panel van) thought this would be a good idea. Companies like Disney serve tons of lawsuits every year.

They either paid, or they’re stupid and didn’t pay and didn’t think it would be a big deal.

134 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:11:16pm

re: #133 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

(perhaps a racoon working from the back of panel van)

You win.

135 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:11:58pm

re: #131 Charles Johnson

Very doubtful. This isn’t CPAC - it was an exhibit put on by the Charles Koch Institute. Pictures of it were taken by the world’s major photo services, as you can see. Maybe it was paid to Disney instead of Lucasfilm directly, but the point remains.

If the author’s PR team did this without prior knowledge of the Koch’s, they wouldn’t give a shit, the penalty would be isolated to the author.

I am really not getting the connection between this conspiracy-theory book and Star Wars except I guess they’re both made up.

136 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:12:46pm

re: #121 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Not sure how licensing fees are a conspiracy though.

Almost seems like a passive aggressive attack, doesn’t it?

137 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:13:51pm

Basically, Disney didn’t just buy LucasFilm for billions of dollars so that jackholes can parade around as Boba Fett promoting weird-ass books. They bought LucasFlims because licensing this shit makes them tons of money. You don’t buy a brand for future products, you buy it for existing IP.

138 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:14:22pm

Boba Fett on an escalator
abcnews.go.com

139 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:14:39pm

re: #137 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Basically, Disney didn’t just buy LucasFilm for billions of dollars so that jackholes can parade around as Boba Fett promoting weird-ass books. They bought LucasFlims because licensing this shit makes them tons of money. You don’t buy a brand for future products, you buy it for existing IP.

And people like Charles Koch are the ones who pay those exorbitant licensing fees.

140 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:15:10pm

The star wars guys had their own booth for something

141 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:15:39pm

re: #135 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

If the author’s PR team did this without prior knowledge of the Koch’s, they wouldn’t give a shit, the penalty would be isolated to the author.

I am really not getting the connection between this conspiracy-theory book and Star Wars except I guess they’re both made up.

Freedom from Imperial Tyranny (and the unfettered continuance of droid slavery!)

142 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:15:47pm

re: #140 Killgore Trout

The star wars guys had their own booth for something

Laser guns?

143 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:16:08pm

Disney’s IP is so intense they will come after you if a commercial has a logo-ed product of their in the background, even if it has nothing to do with what’s being sold.

Happened to my mom’s company back in the 70s. Shot a commercial where the baby had a Disney bib.

144 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:16:56pm

March 6th, 2014

Darth Vader and crew are at CPAC to help author Travis H. Brown sell his book about income tax. “Star Wars” and income taxes. Got it.
politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com

145 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:18:18pm

news.yahoo.com

something something Cantina

146 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:18:33pm

The only way to stop a bad man with a droid army is a good man with a clone army.

147 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:18:57pm

re: #145 Killgore Trout

Mos Eisley Cantina

148 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:19:57pm

re: #140 Killgore Trout

The star wars guys had their own booth for something

Hey, reading captions is fun!

Kasey Darling of the Charles Koch Institute poses for photographs with people dressed as characters from Star Wars used to promote author Travis Brown’s ‘How Money Walks’ at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center March 7, 2014 in National Harbor, Maryland.

If they’re promoting a book, they owe Disney a licensing fee. You can’t just use branded people in order to promote whatever, or else everyone would be doing it. I don’t get what you’re not grasping about this incredibly simple goddamn concept.

Maybe ABC is wrong and these people just wandered in and wandered around and weren’t, as it very clearly says, promoting this book. I doubt it, though, and when you use trademarked characters to promote something commercial, you pay for that privilege.

Even for your levels of trollish obtuseness, this is a new height. Depth? Which direction does obtuseness go?

149 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:20:13pm

Han shot first.

…but it doesn’t really matter, since Greedo sure as fuck wasn’t white.

150 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:21:12pm

Speaking of the Rotten Right, I see that Paleo-Pat’s latest column is, once again, an attempt to explain Hitler as simply responding to injustices occurred to Germany.

151 klys  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:21:13pm

re: #148 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Hey, reading captions is fun!

If they’re promoting a book, they owe Disney a licensing fee. You can’t just use branded people in order to promote whatever, or else everyone would be doing it. I don’t get what you’re not grasping about this incredibly simple goddamn concept.

Maybe ABC is wrong and these people just wandered in and wandered around and weren’t, as it very clearly says, promoting this book. I doubt it, though, and when you use trademarked characters to promote something commercial, you pay for that privilege.

Even for your levels of trollish obtuseness, this is a new height. Depth? Which direction does obtuseness go?

Your argument is invalid because the kids on my street didn’t pay licensing fees for their own homemade costumes of stormtroopers for Halloween!

/////

152 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:21:42pm

Travis H. Brown is a writer for Forbes magazine, and my point still stands. If these Star Wars characters were at CPAC to promote his book, there’s no doubt that money changed hands. These characters don’t show up at a major event like this without licensing deals.

153 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:21:44pm

re: #139 Charles Johnson

And people like Charles Koch are the ones who pay those exorbitant licensing fees.

They may very well have paid fees to Disney so that they could have SW performers at their booth, but part of me still thinks that the Koch folks may be playing the “it’s better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission” game, because I see absolutely no upside for Disney here to allow licensed SW characters at such a hyperpartisan event.

Talk about alienating a big chunk of your fanbase once the word gets out.

154 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:21:52pm

re: #147 jaunte

Mos Eisley Cantina

Ah, ok
starwars.wikia.com

155 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:22:45pm

re: #143 The Ghost of a Flea

Disney’s IP is so intense they will come after you if a commercial has a logo-ed product of their in the background, even if it has nothing to do with what’s being sold.

Happened to my mom’s company back in the 70s. Shot a commercial where the baby has a Disney bib.

Disney lawyers make other lawyers shit pickles.

156 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:23:11pm

But what do I know? I’ve just been dealing with licensing issues for several decades.

157 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:23:24pm

re: #155 chadu

Disney lawyers make other lawyers shit pickles.

… with pixie dust.

158 Kragar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:23:48pm

I wonder how many wingnuts never realize that “standing up against tyranny” means they’ll be shooting the police, troops, and veterans they claim to support and respect so much.

159 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:24:38pm

re: #155 chadu

Disney lawyers make other lawyers shit pickles.

My mom recounts that anecdote like it was a war story. Only happened once.

160 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:24:45pm

re: #144 jaunte

Darth Vader and crew are at CPAC to help author Travis H. Brown sell his book about income tax. “Star Wars” and income taxes. Got it.

Is Vader pro or con on income taxes?

161 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:25:03pm

re: #151 klys

Your argument is invalid because the kids on my street didn’t pay licensing fees for their own homemade costumes of stormtroopers for Halloween!

/////

Someone LucasFilm wisely didn’t sue but instead promoted was Keltech, AKA DJ Vader.

Youtube Video

The reason why they didn’t sue him is because he was fucking awesome and he was good for the brand.

162 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:25:42pm

re: #160 chadu

I think he’s there to make the book buyers go “oh yeah, evil empire!”

163 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:26:13pm

re: #154 Killgore Trout

Ah, ok
starwars.wikia.com

Thanks for linking to a wiki article on Mos Eisley cantina, Killgore, that’s the kind of bewilderingly obvious and yet simultaneously irrelevant shit that makes you you.

164 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:26:21pm

re: #146 The Ghost of a Flea

The only way to stop a bad man with a droid army and then a bunch of sexless space-wizards is a good man bad space-wizard and a bad space-wizard-cyborg with a clone army.

FTFY.

165 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:26:56pm

re: #141 chadu

Freedom from Imperial Tyranny (and the unfettered continuance of droid slavery!)

C3PO always mistranslated R2D2 heavily because most of his tweets were actually quotes from The Little Red PDF.

166 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:27:14pm

re: #148 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Hey, reading captions is fun!

If they’re promoting a book, they owe Disney a licensing fee. You can’t just use branded people in order to promote whatever, or else everyone would be doing it. I don’t get what you’re not grasping about this incredibly simple goddamn concept.

Maybe ABC is wrong and these people just wandered in and wandered around and weren’t, as it very clearly says, promoting this book. I doubt it, though, and when you use trademarked characters to promote something commercial, you pay for that privilege.

Even for your levels of trollish obtuseness, this is a new height. Depth? Which direction does obtuseness go?

Hey, now, I misunderstood the situation, too.

167 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:28:47pm

re: #147 jaunte

Mos Eisley Cantina

Youtube Video

A very jazz type of music, going well with the rough crowd of the Cantina. You can imagine the music playing in a speakeasy in 1920’s Chicago fairly well.

168 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:28:59pm

re: #158 Kragar

I wonder how many wingnuts never realize that “standing up against tyranny” means they’ll be shooting the police, troops, and veterans they claim to support and respect so much.

Many of those being family, friends, or acquaintances.

169 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:29:06pm

re: #160 chadu

Is Vader pro or con on income taxes?

He is disturbed by your lack of faith in more tax cuts for the 1%

170 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:29:29pm

re: #156 Charles Johnson

But what do I know? I’ve just been dealing with licensing issues for several decades.

The ability to destroy a planet Your actual experience is insignificant next to the power of the Force just asking questions on the Internet.

(And I paint myself with that brush, too.)

171 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:30:06pm

re: #156 Charles Johnson

But what do I know? I’ve just been dealing with licensing issues for several decades.

Charles, I’m not doubting you, I’m doubting the honesty and integrity of the Koch folks.

172 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:30:48pm

re: #169 Feline Fearless Leader

He is disturbed by your lack of faith in more tax cuts for the 1%

173 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:30:53pm

Hell, if we’re going to be having a “Mos Eisley Controversy” discussion, I might as well crank it up to 11:

HAN SHOT FIRST!

174 RealityBasedSteve  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:31:08pm

Well, I’ve got 12 11 10 cupcakes all done. I’m going to hang it up for the night, take care of some odds and ends, and I’ll see all of you in the morning.

RBS
Dreaming of a world without CPAC

175 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:31:11pm

re: #166 chadu

Hey, now, I misunderstood the situation, too.

Yeah, but you’re not keeping up a wavefront of barely-following-the-conversation obtuseness now.

I also am just still not getting how these dudes are useful for promoting the book. At all. The book is some lunatic shit about breaking up California into six states, because liberal states are stealing all the money whargble.

The fuck does that have to do with Star Wars? This is worse advertising logic than most local car commercials

Youtube Video.

176 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:31:39pm

re: #165 Feline Fearless Leader

C3PO always mistranslated R2D2 heavily because most of his tweets were actually quotes from The Little Red PDF.

Me, I always assumed he just swore like a space-sailor.

177 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:32:05pm

re: #171 TedStriker

Charles, I’m not doubting you, I’m doubting the honesty and integrity of the Koch folks.

It’s not an issue of integrity, its that Charles and David Koch are not stupid men and their lawyers are not stupid either.

178 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:33:27pm

re: #171 TedStriker

Charles, I’m not doubting you, I’m doubting the honesty and integrity of the Koch folks.

Place yer bets on honesty and integrity, folks.

Them Koches are tricksy, what with the support of PBS alongside nutbar astroturfing.

179 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:34:30pm

re: #175 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

I suspect the advertising gimmick is simply to make the passer-by pay attention.

Star Wars is basically Cowboys in Space.
Ronald Reagan was a cowboy (not in reality, but in wingnuttia).
Thus Star Wars is Reagan-esque.

Syllogisms - don’t leave home without them.

180 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:34:56pm

re: #178 chadu

They have enough to throw money all over the roulette table.

181 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:35:15pm

re: #176 chadu

Me, I always assumed he just swore like a space-sailor.

R2D2 was proto-Kenny from South Park…

182 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:35:15pm

re: #171 TedStriker

Charles, I’m not doubting you, I’m doubting the honesty and integrity of the Koch folks.

These people would try to get away with anything they could get away with, at an event with a lower profile. But these Star Wars characters were being photographed by the world’s top news agencies at one of the highest profile conservative events in the US. Trying to snake out of the licensing fees for something like this would be very, very stupid indeed, and you would certainly end up in court, on the losing side.

183 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:35:25pm

Use the Free Hand of the Market, Luke

184 DKoch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:36:04pm

Getty Image

Egad! Mom jeans! What will Putin think!

185 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:36:28pm

re: #173 Dark_Falcon

Hell if we’re going to be having a “Mos Eisley Controversy” discussion, I might as well crank it up to 11:

HAN SHOT FIRST!

Actually, amongst sane people, there’s no controversy.

Cantina security tapes entered into evidence in the mid-to-late 70s clearly shows that Han shot first, and the subsequent “special edition” that came out twenty years later was obviously and sloppily digitally altered.

You can almost see the heat maps with the naked eye.

186 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:36:39pm

re: #178 chadu

Place yer bets on honesty and integrity, folks.

Them Koches are tricksy, what with the support of PBS alongside nutbar astroturfing.

I think I missed something here…

187 Weet  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:38:03pm
188 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:38:07pm

re: #171 TedStriker

Charles, I’m not doubting you, I’m doubting the honesty and integrity of the Koch folks.

Here are some more pics of their booth

washingtonpost.com

There is, however, a Star Wars-themed booth decrying the injustice of the personal income tax.

They also used the star wars font for a shirt. Did they may Lucas/Disney Licensing fees? Maybe but I’m guessing they hired some cos players and will claim some sort of fair use if they get sued.

189 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:38:26pm

re: #175 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Yeah, but you’re not keeping up a wavefront of barely-following-the-conversation obtuseness now.

Give me another chance! I can try harder!

I also am just still not getting how these dudes are useful for promoting the book. At all. The book is some lunatic shit about breaking up California into six states, because liberal states are stealing all the money whargble.

The fuck does that have to do with Star Wars? This is worse advertising logic than most local car commercials

Nope, Chuck Testa.

190 lawhawk  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:39:22pm

re: #59 Charles Johnson

The Koch brothers hooking up with Star Wars.

Money has changed hands. Big time. Those costumes have to be licensed, for a lot of kale.

Not really. You can buy the licensed costumes for a couple hundred bucks.

But Lucas went over to the Dark Side with his futzing with the original trilogy and nonsensical retconning that ignores what happened in 4/5/6.

Besides, Han. Shot. First.

191 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:39:39pm

Yup. Passive aggressive hostility rocks.

192 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:40:00pm

re: #182 Charles Johnson

These people would try to get away with anything they could get away with, at an event with a lower profile. But these Star Wars characters were being photographed by the world’s top news agencies at one of the highest profile conservative events in the US. Trying to snake out of the licensing fees for something like this would be very, very stupid indeed, and you would certainly end up in court, on the losing side.

Thus, I blame my “just asking questions on the Internet” on wishful thinking.

(sings) “What a day for a day-dream…”

193 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:40:16pm

re: #190 lawhawk

Not really. You can buy the licensed costumes for a couple hundred bucks.

But Lucas went over to the Dark Side with his futzing with the original trilogy and nonsensical retconning that ignores what happened in 4/5/6.

Besides, Han. Shot. First.

But you can’t use those costumes to promote a commercial venture without further licensing fees.

194 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:40:18pm
The fuck does that have to do with Star Wars?

We’re a plucky band of rebels, fighting the evil empire of big taxation!

195 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:40:49pm

re: #184 DKoch

Egad! Mom jeans! What will Putin think!

In Soviet Putin’s Russia, jeans mom you.

196 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:41:04pm

re: #188 Killgore Trout

Killgore, you be trippin’ trollin’.

197 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:42:02pm

My guess is, dude didn’t pay.

I cite as precedent: every time a conservative didn’t license the music they used for a campaign or conference.

198 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:42:10pm

re: #193 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

But you can’t use those costumes to promote a commercial venture without further licensing fees.

Exactly. And a book is a commercial venture.

199 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:42:45pm

re: #194 jaunte

We’re a plucky band of rebels, fighting the evil empire of big taxation!

Death Cyborging panels!

200 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:42:59pm

re: #186 TedStriker

I think I missed something here…

David H. Koch pumps a lot of money into PBS shows like Nova and Nature, while simultaneously supporting science-phobic politicians through PAC spending.

There have been past theories on these boards about why, here and there, but no good unifying “what the why the hell?”

201 klys  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:43:00pm

re: #198 Charles Johnson

Exactly. And a book is a commercial venture.

I mean, I’m pretty sure “I bought the song on iTunes” doesn’t translate into “I can now use it as the background music for my commercial.”

202 DKoch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:43:17pm

Getty Image

What an amazing diverse coalition

203 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:44:21pm

re: #190 lawhawk

Besides, Han. Shot. First.

In cold blood.

204 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:44:51pm

re: #202 DKoch

[Embedded content]

What an amazing diverse coalition

A token non-gray-haired female?

205 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:45:44pm

re: #204 freetoken

A token non-gray-haired female?

She was there just to humor grandpa.

206 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:45:45pm

re: #200 chadu

David H. Koch pumps a lot of money into PBS shows like Nova and Nature, while simultaneously supporting science-phobic politicians through PAC spending.

There have been past theories on these boards about why, here and there, but no good unifying “what the why the hell?”

Frankly, it’s a mystery…

207 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:46:05pm

re: #202 DKoch

What an amazing diverse coalition

Brown hair, white hair, brown-haired walking uterus/potential fetus-host, white hair with beard…

And they even look to be different weights and heights, too!

Jeezus, how much more diversity do you libtards want?

208 DKoch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:47:30pm

re: #204 freetoken

she’s the one not paying attention.

probably a staffer required to sit in the audience and clap at the beginning and end of her boss’s performance.

209 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:47:44pm

re: #200 chadu

David H. Koch pumps a lot of money into PBS shows like Nova and Nature, while simultaneously supporting science-phobic politicians through PAC spending.

There have been past theories on these boards about why, here and there, but no good unifying “what the why the hell?”

I think it is pretty clear the Koch bros. view of themselves is quite distorted, compared to you and me and most people, by their immense wealth.

However, even they must be aware of their central existential problem (i.e., their impending death.)

One way to live on, culturally if not genetically, is to be remembered by others. The Kochs have successfully got their names on enough little bronze plaques scattered around our society that in 200 years people will still remember them. It’s a kind of immortality.

210 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:47:47pm

re: #203 chadu

In cold blood.

He had to. Rodians are famed for being quick on the draw, and even if he wasn’t that smart Greedo had disabled Gnorm the Dissolver with a fast (and lucky) snapshot. Han Solo knew he had to ensure Greedo didn’t have any chance to shoot him, so he gunned the bounty hunter down without warning.

211 klys  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:49:32pm

Final assignment: write a heap allocator.

Singly or doubly linked lists, hmmmmm.

212 lawhawk  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:49:38pm

re: #193 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The whole idea of having Stormtroopers promoting an event supposedly promoting democracy and freedom. SMH

213 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:49:48pm

re: #206 TedStriker

Frankly, it’s a mystery…

Not really. At the level of the Koch brothers, there’s no way they can micro-manage every dollar they invest or donate. Yes, the stuff they oversee directly is very far right wing craziness, but they have so much money that has to be disposed of, they often end up investing in whatever there is to invest in, for the maximum tax benefit.

That’s why you see them as donors to PBS and NPR — it’s about money, pure and simple. Vast sums of money. Ideology isn’t part of that.

Ideology is definitely driving their vast donations to right wing political organizations, though.

214 klys  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:50:52pm

re: #212 lawhawk

The whole idea of having Stormtroopers promoting an event supposedly promoting democracy and freedom. SMH

Like I said, they at least were honest in one aspect.

215 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:51:27pm

re: #210 Dark_Falcon

He had to. Rodians are famed for being quick on the draw, and even if he wasn’t that smart Greedo had disabled Gnorm the Dissolver with a fast (and lucky) snapshot. Han Solo knew he had to ensure Greedo didn’t have any chance to shoot him, so he gunned the bounty hunter down without warning.

Then, Lucas went weak in the knees on the Special Editions and made Greedo shoot a split-second before Han.

One of more than a few unforgivable sins about how Lucas has retconned things into the SW universe over the years.

216 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:51:51pm

re: #212 lawhawk

The whole idea of having Stormtroopers promoting an event supposedly promoting democracy and freedom. SMH

I know, right?

217 freetoken  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:52:31pm

Few people are remembered past 50 years after their death.

All the more so 200, or 500 years after death.

Off the top of your head, how many people can you name who lived exactly 1000 years ago?

That’s one reason so many desire to be one of the “big men” of history, and so run for US President, knowing they’ll be in the books for centuries to come.

The very, very wealthy can do things to make themselves remembered, besides being heads of great empires. Set up institutions, for example.

218 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:53:47pm

re: #54 jaunte

So I went and looked up the book “How Money Walks”. The author is both nuts and deceptive (how surprising.) The thesis is that income and business activity move from states with high taxes to ones with low taxes.
This ties in with dividing CA into 6 states because he seems to feel that the coast from San Francisco down to Los Angeles are suffering from a loss of rich people and peeling them off will be good for places like Sacramento.

There is a nice takedown of his points here from a group in Oklahoma.

I would just ask my basic question of: If wealth is fleeing the SF area, why can’t you buy a decent house anywhere within commute distance for less than $500,000 or so?

219 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:53:52pm

re: #194 jaunte

We’re a plucky band of rebels, fighting the evil empire of big taxation!

BONUS: Vader’s blah.

220 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:54:24pm

A photo from one of today’s scenic short hikes. :)

Not as cold or underfed as the place is noted for.

221 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:55:16pm

re: #219 chadu

BONUS: Vader’s blah.

I would have paid money to see Vader take off his helmet there at CPAC, revealing James Earl Jones.

222 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:56:40pm

re: #201 klys

I mean, I’m pretty sure “I bought the song on iTunes” doesn’t translate into “I can now use it as the background music for my commercial.”

Well, you’re a sane person who’s not separated from any understanding of how economics and intellectual property rights work.

So, you’re up two.

223 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:57:36pm

re: #209 freetoken

I think it is pretty clear the Koch bros. view of themselves is quite distorted, compared to you and me and most people, by their immense wealth.

However, even they must be aware of their central existential problem (i.e., their impending death.)

One way to live on, culturally if not genetically, is to be remembered by others. The Kochs have successfully got their names on enough little bronze plaques scattered around our society that in 200 years people will still remember them. It’s a kind of immortality.

I like it.

224 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:58:21pm

re: #221 TedStriker

I would have paid money to see Vader take off his helmet there at CPAC, revealing James Earl Jones.

“Explain why you shot James Earl Jones.”

“I thought he was threatening me with an ancient superstition?”

“You’re free to go.”

225 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:58:21pm

Why didn’t they just have Jesus promoting the book?

No licensing fees for Jesus.

226 klys  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:59:35pm

re: #225 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Why didn’t they just have Jesus promoting the book?

No licensing fees for Jesus.

Issues with agreement between symbol and messaging. That whole “render unto Caesar” bit gets in the way.

227 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:59:46pm

re: #218 calochortus

Published by Arthur Laffer of the libertarian “Laffer Curve” insanity that inspired “Reaganomics” and the “trickle-down” theory of right wing bullshit.

Again, there’s very big money behind this.

228 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:59:47pm
229 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 7:59:53pm

re: #213 Charles Johnson

Not really. At the level of the Koch brothers, there’s no way they can micro-manage every dollar they invest or donate. Yes, the stuff they oversee directly is very far right wing craziness, but they have so much money that has to be disposed of, they often end up investing in whatever there is to invest in, for the maximum tax benefit.

That’s why you see them as donors to PBS and NPR — it’s about money, pure and simple. Ideology isn’t part of that.

Ideology is definitely driving their vast donations to right wing political organizations, though.

Are you sure that Dave doesn’t just plain like fuzzy aminals? Or has a crush on Jacques Cousteau?

It could happen.

(just asking questions)

230 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:00:48pm

re: #212 lawhawk

The whole idea of having Stormtroopers promoting an event supposedly promoting democracy and freedom. SMH

You know who else had Stormtroopers?

231 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:01:58pm

re: #230 chadu

You know who else had Stormtroopers?

Nazis!

///

232 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:02:03pm

re: #217 freetoken

Few people are remembered past 50 years after their death.

All the more so 200, or 500 years after death.

Off the top of your head, how many people can you name who lived exactly 1000 years ago?

Steve of Iberia. Raised sheep. Played a mean set of bongos. Invented hang-gliding.

233 Political Atheist  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:02:14pm

;-) Not gettyimages

Today in Big Tujunga Canyon

Streaming Still

Roiled Waters

234 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:02:23pm

re: #225 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Why didn’t they just have Jesus promoting the book?

No licensing fees for Jesus.

Well, you see a guy dressed as Jesus at CPAC, and you’re like, so what? They’re a dime a dozen.

Wookies, though, now you’re talking. Not only do you attract the Star Wars fans, you get the racist right wingers who love to call Michelle Obama a “Wookie” too. Win win.

235 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:02:58pm

re: #218 calochortus

So I went and looked up the book “How Money Walks”. The author is both nuts and deceptive (how surprising.) The thesis is that income and business activity move from states with high taxes to ones with low taxes.
This ties in with dividing CA into 6 states because he seems to feel that the coast from San Francisco down to Los Angeles are suffering from a loss of rich people and peeling them off will be good for places like Sacramento.

There is a nice takedown of his points here from a group in Oklahoma.

I would just ask my basic question of: If wealth is fleeing the SF area, why can’t you buy a decent house anywhere within commute distance for less than $500,000 or so?

Because they’re full of shit.

236 prairiefire  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:03:00pm

re: #202 DKoch

[Embedded content]

What an amazing diverse coalition

Puzzled anxiety.

237 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:04:03pm

re: #218 calochortus

So I went and looked up the book “How Money Walks”. The author is both nuts and deceptive (how surprising.) The thesis is that income and business activity move from states with high taxes to ones with low taxes.

Facts not in evidence.

Wasn’t there a big go-round between the governors of MD and TX about this a couple months ago?

Oh, I forgot: current events, the recent past, the middle past — heck, all of history — has a decided liberal bias, and is thus suspect.

238 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:04:06pm

re: #188 Killgore Trout

They also used the star wars font for a shirt. Did they may Lucas/Disney Licensing fees? Maybe but I’m guessing they hired some cos players and will claim some sort of fair use if they get sued.

Fair use isn’t for commercial shit, except parodies.

So basically we can add ‘copyright and trademark law’ to “Shit Killgore knows absolutely fuck-all about and yet yammers on and on about anyway”.

239 The Ghost of a Flea  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:04:30pm

re: #202 DKoch

Anglo…

and Saxon!

240 The Mountain That Blogs  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:05:10pm

The American Museum of Natural History’s David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing

241 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:05:13pm

re: #225 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Why didn’t they just have Jesus promoting the book?

No licensing fees for Jesus.

Frickin’ public domain Messiahs…

242 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:06:18pm

re: #106 chadu

Let’s try that again, since Adam Baldwin derailed the actual question.

Which makes me wonder: why is it rare that I see wingnut fans of either Babylon 5 or Firefly?

Let me take a shot at this one since nobody else seems to have that I noticed in the first dozen or so quotes.

Firefly is a very sexually liberal show, it depicts prostitution several times over in a manner that is not at all shaming. In fact one episode is about the crew helping a prostitue avoid being pushed around by the local big wig.

It portrays homo/bisexuality as normal thing that is not sinful and the closest it comes to any sort of looking down on so be having one character state the obvious fact that men find the two sexually atractive women together to be arousing.

Firefly is about revolution, but it is also a very socially liberal show and that is why you do not see many wingnuts fans of it.

Unless the more obvious answer is simply that wingnuts tend not to like scifi shows due to the science involved…

243 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:06:26pm

re: #240 The Mountain That Blogs

The American Museum of Natural History’s David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing

How perfectly ironic…

244 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:06:35pm

re: #227 Charles Johnson

Published by Arthur Laffer of the libertarian “Laffer Curve” insanity that inspired “Reaganomics” and the “trickle-down” theory of right wing bullshit.

Again, there’s very big money behind this.

So, peer-reviewed, with a long history in the overall discussion!

245 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:08:02pm

re: #231 TedStriker

Nazis!

///

Nah, that can’t be right.

Quit Godwinning the thread!

Next you’ll be comparing Crimea to the Sudetenland…

246 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:08:49pm

re: #245 chadu

Nah, that can’t be right.

Quit Godwinning the thread!

Next you’ll be comparing Crimea to the Sudetenland…

Crimea river!

///

247 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:08:57pm

re: #215 TedStriker

Then, Lucas went weak in the knees on the Special Editions and made Greedo shoot a split-second before Han.

One of more than a few unforgivable sins about how Lucas has retconned things into the SW universe over the years.

It was a major FAIL on his part. A critical part of the original movie is Han Solo as the smuggler who gradually comes to be willing to fight for something greater than himself (though that was an angle that had been explored long before in Casablanca). Solo’s action makes sense for the criminal Solo is at the time: Han’s not a double-crosser, but he’s in it for himself and Chewbacca and he won’t think twice about shooting someone who is a threat to him.

248 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:08:58pm

A trickier location for Philly Pretzel to identify… ;)

Outcrop along an icy trail

And a close-up. Note the near vertical bedding plane.

249 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:09:52pm

re: #232 chadu

Steve of Iberia. Raised sheep. Played a mean set of bongos. Invented hang-gliding.

Oh, wait.

You meant real people, not people I just made up in my head.

Sorry!

250 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:10:45pm

re: #239 The Ghost of a Flea

Anglo…

and Saxon!

Four boiled chickens and an ale.

251 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:11:24pm

re: #240 The Mountain That Blogs

The American Museum of Natural History’s David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing

Read that as “Dinosaur Wang.”

Hilarity ensued.

252 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:11:28pm

re: #239 The Ghost of a Flea

Anglo…

and Saxon!

How come the Jutes always get left out?

253 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:13:07pm

re: #242 jamesfirecat

Let me take a shot at this one since nobody else seems to have that I noticed in the first dozen or so quotes.

Firefly is a very sexually liberal show, it depicts prostitution several times over in a manner that is not at all shaming. In fact one episode is about the crew helping a prostitue avoid being pushed around by the local big wig.

It portrays homo/bisexuality as normal thing that is not sinful and the closest it comes to any sort of looking down on so be having one character state the obvious fact that men find the two sexually atractive women together to be arousing.

Firefly is about revolution, but it is also a very socially liberal show and that is why you do not see many wingnuts fans of it.

Unless the more obvious answer is simply that wingnuts tend not to like scifi shows due to the science involved…

Thanks; good points.

And I am with great restraint not making the obvious and hoary snark-comment about Star Wars in re: your last sentence. ;)

254 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:13:29pm

re: #235 TedStriker

Because they’re full of shit.

Apparently all the spiffy bar graphs showing loss or gain of “wealth” are of cumulative numbers, so of course they’ll tend to exaggerate the trends to the point that they’re meaningless. I gather he rounded up some IRS statistics, massaged them until they were very, very relaxed, and published.

255 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:13:36pm

And a photo of something that had some hikers along the path (temporarily) mystified since these disturbances were all over.

Mysterious tunnels. Tiny VC?

256 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:14:44pm

re: #253 chadu

Thanks; good points.

And I am with great restraint not making the obvious and hoary snark-comment about Star Wars in re: your last sentence. ;)

Someone one wisely said Star Wars is Science Fantasy not Science Fiction.

257 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:15:04pm

re: #247 Dark_Falcon

It was a major FAIL on his part. A critical part of the original movie is Han Solo as the smuggler who gradually comes to be willing to fight for something greater than himself (though that was an angle that had been explored long before in Casablanca). Solo’s action makes sense for the criminal Solo is at the time: Han’s not a double-crosser, but he’s in it for himself and Chewbacca and he won’t think twice about shooting someone who is a threat to him.

Folks, remember that Lucas thought the Holiday Special and the Ewok MotWs were good ideas.

I lived through them all.

The horror. The horror.

258 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:15:16pm

re: #255 Feline Fearless Leader

And a photo of something that had some hikers along the path (temporarily) mystified since these disturbances were all over.

Mysterious tunnels. Tiny VC?

Hmmm, those look a bit like something (mice? voles?) were running around under the snow before it melted off.

259 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:15:25pm

re: #108 DKoch

[Embedded image]

Can you image the outcry if Obama played dress-up and wore an equestrian costume. “Mr Gorbachev, tear down these pants!”

It’s the early fall half storm trooper look. Drove the Log Cabin Republicans wild. WILD I tell you!

260 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:16:05pm

re: #252 Feline Fearless Leader

How come the Jutes always get left out?

The Jutes: the Pete Bests of UK History.

261 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:16:14pm

re: #258 calochortus

Hmmm, those look a bit like something (mice? voles?) were running around under the snow before it melted off.

Yes, that’s it exactly. I had a neighbor who had those in her mulch around her shrubs and thought that snakes did it.

262 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:16:33pm

re: #254 calochortus

Apparently all the spiffy bar graphs showing loss or gain of “wealth” are of cumulative numbers, so of course they’ll tend to exaggerate the trends to the point that they’re meaningless. I gather he rounded up some IRS statistics, massaged them until they were very, very relaxed, and published.

Happy ending!

263 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:16:53pm

re: #255 Feline Fearless Leader

And since I’ve been thinking about the local economy, I first read the “VC” part as “venture capitalists”. An interesting mental picture.

264 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:17:02pm

re: #255 Feline Fearless Leader

Mice or moles?

265 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:17:15pm

re: #242 jamesfirecat

Firefly is about revolution, but it is also a very socially liberal show and that is why you do not see many wingnuts fans of it.

And what’s-her-name, one of the heroes, supported Unification. Most of what we see of the ‘free’ planets are that petty tyrants rule them—arguably an after-effect of the independents falling to pieces, but remember Mal’s group got basically abandoned to death by their own side. Mal’s cynicism may be just as we much from realizing the leaders of the revolution were assholes as anything else: he never talks about any Independent leader or anything that he admires.

266 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:17:57pm

re: #256 jamesfirecat

Someone one wisely said Star Wars is Science Fantasy not Science Fiction.

You didn’t see me say it; I just heavily implied it. ;)

267 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:18:26pm

re: #258 calochortus

Hmmm, those look a bit like something (mice? voles?) were running around under the snow before it melted off.

Still, voles sometimes live communally so they’re socialist enough to be VC. Best to flush the tunnels with gasoline and them drop in matches. If parts of any little red books come flying out we’ll pull back and nuke the field from orbit.

///

268 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:18:47pm

re: #252 Feline Fearless Leader

How come the Jutes always get left out?

They got their own fabric and naval battle.

269 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:19:43pm

Arthur B. Laffer - SourceWatch

Arthur B. Laffer, inventor of the “Laffer Curve,” is co-chair of the policy council for the Free Enterprise Fund (FEF) and the founder and chairman of Laffer Associates, “an economic research and consulting firm that provides investment-research services to institutional asset managers”[1]. The Laffer Center for Global Economic Growth, founded in 2011 in partnership with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, is tied to Koch Industries through its Vice Chairman, Richard Fink, and Executive Director Wayne Gable, both prominent Koch executives, and a $100,000 grant from the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation in 2009.

270 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:19:45pm

re: #267 Dark_Falcon

Still, voles sometimes live communally so they’re socialist enough to be VC. Best to flush the tunnels with gasoline and them drop in matches. If parts of any little red books come flying out we’ll pull back and nuke the field from orbit.

///

Considering that the photo was from a National Park that solution might raise a few eyebrows (or singe them).

271 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:21:34pm

re: #265 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

And what’s-her-name, one of the heroes, supported Unification. Most of what we see of the ‘free’ planets are that petty tyrants rule them—arguably an after-effect of the independents falling to pieces, but remember Mal’s group got basically abandoned to death by their own side. Mal’s cynicism may be just as we much from realizing the leaders of the revolution were assholes as anything else: he never talks about any Independent leader or anything that he admires.

At this point we’re implying things about the story that we can not say for sure.

After all, for all we know the jackasses who they run into who run many planets (see the guy from Heart of Gold) may be people who supported Unification then moved out to the distant planets to exploite them like space carpet bangers.

272 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:21:35pm

re: #267 Dark_Falcon

Still, voles sometimes live communally so they’re socialist enough to be VC. Best to flush the tunnels with gasoline and them drop in matches. If parts of any little red books come flying out we’ll pull back and nuke the field from orbit.

///

Would you still want to if it turned out to be venture capitalists instead of Viet Cong? ;)

273 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:22:06pm

Here are some facts about the vast influence of the Koch brothers on the Republican Party and the right wing. This is no conspiracy theory.

CASE STUDY: The Kochtopus Media Network

274 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:23:04pm

re: #248 Feline Fearless Leader

A trickier location for Philly Pretzel to identify… ;)

Outcrop along an icy trail

[Embedded image]And a close-up. Note the near vertical bedding plane.

Mica schist?

275 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:23:18pm

re: #265 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

And what’s-her-name, one of the heroes, supported Unification.

Inara.

Mal and Zoe are unrepentant Browncoats.
Jayne didn’t fight.
Wash got captured on his first mission, but not clear if he was a Browncoat or a Purplebelly.
Simon likely supported Unification.
River may-or-may-not have supported Unification (differences between “Safe” and Serenity).
Kaylee was likely for Independence.
And Book has a very high clearance Alliance ID card, for reasons.


I, uh, did a research project for Margaret Weis’ FIREFLY RPG, coming soon.

276 Dark_Falcon  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:23:38pm

re: #270 Feline Fearless Leader

Considering that the photo was from a National Park that solution might raise a few eyebrows (or singe them).

National parks are a Commie concept anyways. Anyone who raises his eyebrows at the gasoline plan is a Parlor Pink!

//

277 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:24:17pm

re: #265 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

but remember Mal’s group got basically abandoned to death by their own side. Mal’s cynicism may be just as we much from realizing the leaders of the revolution were assholes as anything else: he never talks about any Independent leader or anything that he admires.

See Hera, Battle of Serenity Valley.

278 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:24:20pm

It’s easy and facile and wrong to dismiss the influence of the Koch brothers as the equivalent of the right’s George Soros fixation.

279 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:24:31pm

re: #273 Charles Johnson

Here are some facts about the vast influence of the Koch brothers on the Republican Party and the right wing. This is no conspiracy theory.

CASE STUDY: The Kochtopus Media Network

Truth can look like conspiracy theory. This is truth and it should scare the shit out of any sane person.

280 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:24:51pm

re: #275 chadu

Inara.

Mal and Zoe are unrepentant Browncoats.
Jayne didn’t fight.
Wash got captured on his first mission, but not clear if he was a Browncoat or a Purplebelly.
Simon likely supported Unification.
River may-or-may-not have supported Unification (differences between “Safe” and Serenity).
Kaylee was likely for Independence.
And Book has a very high clearance Alliance ID card, for reasons.

I, uh, did a research project for Margaret Weis’ FIREFLY RPG, coming soon.

Honestly, I do not think that River would have been old enough to hold vested political opinions at the time of the war.

281 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:26:24pm

re: #274 Gus

Mica schist?

Yes. And this is the name locale for this particular formation.

282 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:26:31pm

Arthur Laffer, pooh-poohing the idea of a coming recession in 2006:
Youtube Video

“It’s really not a housing economy…. it’s working beautifully!”

283 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:27:05pm

re: #278 Charles Johnson

It’s easy and facile and wrong to dismiss the influence of the Koch brothers as the equivalent of the right’s George Soros fixation.

Thing is, there is a real ‘conspiracy’ with Soros, but the real deal is that he spent tons of money and influence promoting democracy against Communism in Eastern Europe. That’s what’s always been baffling about him as a villain, he spent an enormous amount to undermine communism.

284 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:27:28pm

re: #276 Dark_Falcon

National parks are a Commie concept anyways. Anyone who raises his eyebrows at the gasoline plan is a Parlor Pink!

//

Wait, that’s not a VC coming out of that spider hole.

285 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:27:31pm

re: #265 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Mal’s cynicism may be just as we much from realizing the leaders of the revolution were assholes as anything else: he never talks about any Independent leader or anything that he admires.

Also, though this may be from post-TV show information*, Mal’s homeworld of Shadow got turned into a blackrock during the war.

* MWP rpg ip was for Firefly only, not Serenity, so part of my project was resetting expectations back to FF. Like, for instance, in the show, the Alliance has a Congress; in the movie, it’s a Parliament.

286 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:28:50pm

re: #271 jamesfirecat

At this point we’re implying things about the story that we can not say for sure.

After all, for all we know the jackasses who they run into who run many planets (see the guy from Heart of Gold) may be people who supported Unification then moved out to the distant planets to exploite them like space carpet bangers.

I think Obdi point that the people who run planets are generally dickweeds, whatever their politics, holds true, though.

287 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:30:33pm

re: #248 Feline Fearless Leader

Hmm. The arch was at Valley Forge. The rocky outcrop maybe from the same area.

288 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:31:51pm

Anyone want to bet that the guy dressed up in that Wookie costume at CPAC heard “jokes” about Michelle Obama all day?

289 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:32:21pm

re: #286 chadu

I think Obdi point that the people who run planets are generally dickweeds, whatever their politics, holds true, though.

True I was just suggesting that since people tend to love to draw comparisons between the verse of Firefly and the civil war, I was trying to set up another when were semi-rich people from the core worlds would have headed out to more uncivilized parts to be a big fish in a small pond.

290 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:32:47pm

re: #280 jamesfirecat

Honestly, I do not think that River would have been old enough to hold vested political opinions at the time of the war.

#1: See “Safe,” where in flashback she’s playing war and trying to rope Simon into it (while he’s doing homework); she is on the Alliance side, and upset that her unit save for her and Simon are dead because the Independents used dinosaurs; Simon swears, and gets yelled at as his dad walks in the room.

#2: Later in that episode, Simon says (heh), “River’s been correcting my spelling since she was three,” and her polymath abilities and interests are well-described in that episode and elsewhere.

291 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:33:32pm

Check out any right wing blog and you’ll see what I mean - “Wookie” is one of the right wing base’s favorite ugly slurs for the First Lady.

292 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:33:48pm

re: #288 Charles Johnson

Anyone want to bet that the guy dressed up in that Wookie costume at CPAC heard “jokes” about Michelle Obama all day?

No bet.

293 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:34:15pm
294 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:34:36pm

re: #287 PhillyPretzel

We took the kids to Valley Forge years ago. It was 90º and about the same humidity. It was hard to imagine anyone ever being cold, wet and muddy there.

295 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:34:41pm

Right wingers call Michelle Obama a “wookie” because they think they’re disguising their racism that way.

296 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:35:40pm

re: #294 calochortus

Best time to visit Valley Forge is fall. Wonderful colors in the park.

297 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:35:59pm

re: #295 Charles Johnson

Right wingers call Michelle Obama a “wookie” because they think they’re disguising their racism that way.

Oh, I don’t think they believe they’re disguising anything. Just being what passes for witty in some circles.

298 William Barnett-Lewis  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:37:16pm

re: #285 chadu

Also, though this may be from post-TV show information*, Mal’s homeworld of Shadow got turned into a blackrock during the war.

* MWP rpg ip was for Firefly only, not Serenity, so part of my project was resetting expectations back to FF. Like, for instance, in the show, the Alliance has a Congress; in the movie, it’s a Parliament.

Well, that would certainly fit with the whole “Outlaw Josey Wales in SPAAAACCCCEEE!!!” vibe the show always gave me. I couldn’t watch it then and still haven’t been able to stomach the concept. Got into more than a few disagreements on Pyramid & JTAS over it.

For the record i did watch and enjoy Serenity. Shrug.

299 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:37:17pm

re: #290 chadu

#1: See “Safe,” where in flashback she’s playing war and trying to rope Simon into it (while he’s doing homework); she is on the Alliance side, and upset that her unit save for her and Simon are dead because the Independents used dinosaurs; Simon swears, and gets yelled at as his dad walks in the room.

#2: Later in that episode, Simon says (heh), “River’s been correcting my spelling since she was three,” and her polymath abilities and interests are well-described in that episode and elsewhere.

I get that River is a genius wunderkid projedy but like I said “vested” or perhaps “well developed” political beliefs are something I doubt she has at that age. It’s more likely just she supports unification because her parrent’s clearly do.

Granted I could be wrong been forever since I last bothered to watch Firefly…

300 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:37:20pm
301 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:37:28pm

re: #296 PhillyPretzel

Best time to visit Valley Forge is fall. Wonderful colors in the park.

I’m sure it is. And I’m equally sure there was a reason we went there in August. I just can’t imagine what it might have been. We were living in Lancaster County at the time, so it was just a day trip. We could have picked better weather.

302 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:37:31pm

Weathered dolomite in abandoned quarry (now a parking lot)

One last photo from today’s walks. The one end of Valley Forge National Park has 3-4 small abandoned dolomite quarries in them. One of them in use as the parking area for the Visitor Center. The others were used as dumps for asbestos waste and are fenced off and off limits.

Along the one road you can get a good look at an interesting geological item - an angular unconformity*. Light was wrong, so I’ll have to go back in the morning at some point and get a decent photo to post.

* - Short version of what is here. Older dolomite (metamorphic limestone) that has been folded with much younger sandstone on top of it. The sandstone bedding is nearly horizontal while the dolomite bedding is at a considerable angle. If there were rocks deposited after the dolomite it was eroded off before the sandstone was deposited.

And a link for the local example:
nps.gov

303 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:37:36pm

9M-MRO

304 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:38:46pm

re: #287 PhillyPretzel

Hmm. The arch was at Valley Forge. The rocky outcrop maybe from the same area.

Arch and the just posted dolomite photo are from Valley Forge. The schist outcrop is from closer to home.

305 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:38:49pm
306 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:39:16pm

re: #289 jamesfirecat

True I was just suggesting that since people tend to love to draw comparisons between the verse of Firefly and the civil war, I was trying to set up another when were semi-rich people from the core worlds would have headed out to more uncivilized parts to be a big fish in a small pond.

In many regards, Inara’s friend Nandi (the madame in “Heart of Gold”) did exactly that — as a Companion Academy-trained individual. The Academy is on Shinon, one of the two capital worlds of the Alliance (the other is Londinium*), so one of the Corest of Core Worlds.

* My personal fanon is that the name Londinium connects Firefly to Batman ‘66, per the latters episodes “The Londinium Larcenies/The Foggiest Notion/The Bloody Tower,” set in Swinging Londinium.**

** My brain is a fun place to live.

307 Kragar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:39:23pm

re: #298 William Barnett-Lewis

Well, that would certainly fit with the whole “Outlaw Josey Wales in SPAAAACCCCEEE!!!” vibe the show always gave me. I couldn’t watch it then and still haven’t been able to stomach the concept. Got into more than a few disagreements on Pyramid & JTAS over it.

For the record i did watch and enjoy Serenity. Shrug.

Watched the pilot, recognized the props as Starship Trooper left overs and never watched the series.

I did like Serenity though.

308 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:39:56pm

re: #305 Charles Johnson

When leftists can’t find racists they’re dead in the water.

Looks like it’s eternal life all round, then.

309 nines09  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:40:21pm

re: #281 Feline Fearless Leader

Mica is thick in Philly. In row house basements in North Philly where I grew up it’s the rock holding the walls up. You could find it easily where the railroads cut deep. We used to try and get it as thin as we could, pull it off sheet by sheet. it would peel like a fluffy biscuit. It was used as a glass or viewer on gauges and equipment in earlier times and I never found it anywhere else but Philly. I remember it used in some facades of buildings and it sparkles.

310 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:41:23pm

re: #293 Gus

[Embedded content]

Interesting. One or two seems statistically possibly but 4 seems pretty unlikely. Maybe something was up. I would think if it was terror related some group would have claimed credit by now.

311 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:41:33pm

re: #289 jamesfirecat

True I was just suggesting that since people tend to love to draw comparisons between the verse of Firefly and the civil war, I was trying to set up another when were semi-rich people from the core worlds would have headed out to more uncivilized parts to be a big fish in a small pond.

I think that’s kind of implied to be true with the asshole from “Heart of Gold”, but on the other hand Prudence or whatever is definitely independent through and through.

The Core isn’t really socialist, though, even though it’s got a lot of social services and shit it’s capitalist and there’s ultra-wealthy people. Its real oppressiveness is the police-statey-ness of it.

312 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:42:03pm

re: #294 calochortus

We took the kids to Valley Forge years ago. It was 90º and about the same humidity. It was hard to imagine anyone ever being cold, wet and muddy there.

The interesting thing is that while Valley Forge gets all the publicity the *next* winter when the Continental Army camped in New Jersey near Morristown was actually considered a harder winter.

313 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:42:23pm

re: #304 Feline Fearless Leader

Either Fairmount or Pennypack parks.

314 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:43:08pm

re: #306 chadu

In many regards, Inara’s friend Nandi (the madame in “Heart of Gold”) did exactly that — as a Companion Academy-trained individual. The Academy is on Shinon, one of the two capital worlds of the Alliance (the other is Londinium*), so one of the Corest of Core Worlds.

* My personal fanon is that the name Londinium connects Firefly to Batman ‘66, per the latters episodes “The Londinium Larcenies/The Foggiest Notion/The Bloody Tower,” set in Swinging Londinium.**

** My brain is a fun place to live.

True enough and an interesting counter point, since I get a distinct feel that the villain in thst episode is doing the same thing (I recall there being talk about how he wanted a chance to play cowboys and horses or something along those lines) though of course he does so while he has some kind of hovercraft and an actual energy weapon as opposed to everyone else.

315 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:45:28pm

re: #309 nines09

Mica is thick in Philly. In row house basements in North Philly where I grew up it’s the rock holding the walls up. You could find it easily where the railroads cut deep. We used to try and get it as thin as we could, pull it off sheet by sheet. it would peel like a fluffy biscuit. It was used as a glass or viewer on gauges and equipment in earlier times and I never found it anywhere else but Philly. I remember it used in some facades of buildings and it sparkles.

Precisely. :)

en.wikipedia.org

316 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:45:39pm

re: #311 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

I think that’s kind of implied to be true with the asshole from “Heart of Gold”, but on the other hand Prudence or whatever is definitely independent through and through.

The Core isn’t really socialist, though, even though it’s got a lot of social services and shit it’s capitalist and there’s ultra-wealthy people. Its real oppressiveness is the police-statey-ness of it.

Honestly the crew never spends enough time on core worlds (I think only Ariel and Trash) for us to get a real feel for how much of a police state it is or is not. Granted they have the blue hands but for all we know they are the exception rather than the rule and family who do not posess psychic super children live their lives relatively unmolested….

317 wheat-dogghazi  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:46:24pm

re: #100 freetoken

Since this is a lunacy thread…

A major Wyoming news outlet runs a “letter” by a known white supremacist and Brimelow-clown, Paul Nachman:

Nachman: Refugee influx not so great

He attracts comments by the usual assortment of rejects, including one whose last comment is part of the lunacy contingent:

The stupid is so deep in that one, she can’t even get the Solutrean hypothesis correct, so obviously she’s oblivious to the fact that it has been shown to not hold up to the data.

I guess my bigger point is that “mainstream” media is quite open to running with ugliness, as a means to survive.

True story. I used to work for that “major news outlet,” when I was first out of college.

318 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:47:08pm

We were talking about CPAC, and then this happened…

Surf Jams Joker.

319 andres  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:47:43pm

OT: While looking at the ebooks in promotion at the Read an eBook Week, I stumbled upon this title:

Sarah Palin: Vampire Hunter

Is there anything these people can do that’s faintly original?

320 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:47:48pm

re: #316 jamesfirecat

The RPG fleshes it out, if you’re considering that. But even beyond that, there’s just the general atmosphere, of prosperousness but extreme orderliness.

Anyhoo, since there’s fuck-all about Star Wars that relates to this shitty book they might as well have chosen Firefly or Toy Story or Leave it to Beaver.

321 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:48:01pm

They really do think this is clever.

322 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:48:31pm

All clocks are turned ahead and I am headed to sleep. Good Night to my fellow Lizards.

323 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:48:43pm

re: #312 Feline Fearless Leader

The interesting thing is that while Valley Forge gets all the publicity the *next* winter when the Continental Army camped in New Jersey near Morristown was actually considered a harder winter.

If I understand correctly the “hard winter at Valley Forge” was because a bunch of the soldiers were from the south and enjoying their first northern winter. They didn’t build their barracks to handle it, nor did they have heavy enough clothing. The other problem was that it was actually a fairly mild winter so the ground hadn’t frozen. That meant roads were sloppy, muddy and nearly impassible in places so that moving supplies in was difficult.

324 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:48:46pm

re: #298 William Barnett-Lewis

Well, that would certainly fit with the whole “Outlaw Josey Wales in SPAAAACCCCEEE!!!” vibe the show always gave me. I couldn’t watch it then and still haven’t been able to stomach the concept. Got into more than a few disagreements on Pyramid & JTAS over it.

For the record i did watch and enjoy Serenity. Shrug.

Like most Whedon shows, it took me about 4 eps to get into.

Then, I fell hard.

325 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:48:58pm

I really understand how it can seem like Ronald Reagan’s term was just a while back. I’m old, I get that.

Reality is that it was decades ago.

That isn’t our world anymore.

We are now living in A Brave New World.

And really, their are posters of younger, sexier men I’d rather have.

:0

326 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:49:32pm

re: #320 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The RPG fleshes it out, if you’re considering that. But even beyond that, there’s just the general atmosphere, of prosperousness but extreme orderliness.

Anyhoo, since there’s fuck-all about Star Wars that relates to this shitty book they might as well have chosen Firefly or Toy Story or Leave it to Beaver.

I vote for Toy Story.

327 jamesfirecat  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:49:34pm

re: #320 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The RPG fleshes it out, if you’re considering that. But even beyond that, there’s just the general atmosphere, of prosperousness but extreme orderliness.

Anyhoo, since there’s fuck-all about Star Wars that relates to this shitty book they might as well have chosen Firefly or Toy Story or Leave it to Beaver.

Leave it to Beaver would have perfectly summed fit their world view, father new best, mom stayed at home and cooked and black people… Didn’t exist.

(I have not actually seen any episodes of Leave it of Beaver so please correct me if I am wrong)

328 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:50:06pm

re: #313 PhillyPretzel

Either Fairmount or Pennypack parks.

Actually along Wissahickon Creek itself. Not a long walk there since the trail was 2” of ice, and then just turned to mud. The 50-year-old “geology of Philadelphia” guide my brother sent me has four described hikes in that area so I did a little scouting today. Lots of looking at how the schist has been bent and folded along with places where there are other features like igneous dikes.

329 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:51:15pm

re: #299 jamesfirecat

I get that River is a genius wunderkid projedy but like I said “vested” or perhaps “well developed” political beliefs are something I doubt she has at that age. It’s more likely just she supports unification because her parrent’s clearly do.

Granted I could be wrong been forever since I last bothered to watch Firefly…

No real evidence, either way, in the show, during the time the war was fought.

But by the time immediately before the pilot, I’d say she had a vested belief about the political/corporate entity that was torturing her/playing with her brain.

330 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:52:39pm

re: #327 jamesfirecat

Leave it to Beaver would have perfectly summed fit their world view, father new best, mom stayed at home and cooked and black people… Didn’t exist.

(I have not actually seen any episodes of Leave it of Beaver so please correct me if I am wrong)

Existed only as servants.

leaveittobeaver.org

Did an African American ever appear on Leave It To Beaver?

In one show only, as a servant. See “Who is Kim Hamilton” for a complete description. In one other show, Beaver did have a friend from Mexico. Other than these two occurrences, no other minorities appeared. Leave It To Beaver was pretty much white-bread America.

331 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:52:48pm

Are you guys talking about the Heart of Gold as in Zaphod Beeblebrox’s Heart of Gold?

332 Gus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:53:09pm
333 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:53:29pm

re: #331 FemNaziBitch

Are you guys talking about the Heart of Gold as in Zaphod Beeblebrox’s Heart of Gold?

Nope, an episode of the show “Firefly”.

334 William Barnett-Lewis  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:53:42pm

re: #324 chadu

Dig it. I just couldn’t watch it long enough to care.

Might buy the RPG if there’s enough to mine for Traveller in it (Mongoose rules, 3I 1105 in the Spinward Marches usually. I need a chance to run The Traveller Adventure… ;)

335 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:54:03pm

re: #305 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Please, someone come up with a rationale of how “Wookie” is not, and cannot be racist, given the historical usage of “monkey” and “savage” as synonyms for Africans and African-Americans.

I’ll go put some popcorn in the microwave.

336 sagehen  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:54:18pm

re: #331 FemNaziBitch

Are you guys talking about the Heart of Gold as in Zaphod Beeblebrox’s Heart of Gold?

Firefly is sadly lacking in an improbability drive. And Earth-That-Was destroyed itself, the Vogons had nothing to do with it.

337 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:54:30pm

re: #333 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Nope, an episode of the show “Firefly”.

ah, is this something I should find on Netflix?

Am I likely to miss out future cultural references if I don’t?

338 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:54:42pm

re: #319 andres

OT: While looking at the ebooks in promotion at the Read an eBook Week, I stumbled upon this title:

Sarah Palin: Vampire Hunter

Is there anything these people can do that’s faintly original?

No.

339 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:55:02pm

re: #336 sagehen

Firefly is sadly lacking in an improbability drive. And Earth-That-Was destroyed itself, the Vogons had nothing to do with it.

Well, at least no one was subject to their poetry.

340 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:55:32pm

re: #323 calochortus

If I understand correctly the “hard winter at Valley Forge” was because a bunch of the soldiers were from the south and enjoying their first northern winter. They didn’t build their barracks to handle it, nor did they have heavy enough clothing. The other problem was that it was actually a fairly mild winter so the ground hadn’t frozen. That meant roads were sloppy, muddy and nearly impassible in places so that moving supplies in was difficult.

A lot of factors in play there. Supply issues, and I think there was also a bit of a morale crisis after the draw at Germantown (Oct 4) meant that the British were going to hold Philadelphia.

341 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:56:04pm

re: #321 Charles Johnson

Talk about a distorted worldview.

342 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:56:31pm

re: #331 FemNaziBitch

Are you guys talking about the Heart of Gold as in Zaphod Beeblebrox’s Heart of Gold?

If you take into account that the HoG’s Infinite Improbability Drive in HHGttG is simultaneously in all spaces/times/dimensions/parallel universes, then “yes.”

Kind of cheating, though.

343 wheat-dogghazi  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:57:14pm

re: #184 DKoch

I note that Rand is sportin’ him some cowboy boots, too. I figure he’s more of a pretend cowboy than a real one.

344 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:57:53pm

re: #335 chadu

Please, someone come up with a rationale of how “Wookie” is not, and cannot be racist, given the historical usage of “monkey” and “savage” as synonyms for Africans and African-Americans.

I’ll go put some popcorn in the microwave.

Because the Magic 8-Ball says so! :p

345 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:58:09pm

re: #343 wheat-dogghazi

I note that Rand is sportin’ him some cowboy boots, too. I figure he’s more of a pretend cowboy than a real one.

I never thought of KY as having enough “grazing” area for cattle.

346 calochortus  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:58:11pm

re: #340 Feline Fearless Leader

A lot of factors in play there. Supply issues, and I think there was also a bit of a morale crisis after the draw at Germantown (Oct 4) meant that the British were going to hold Philadelphia.

I’m sure there were. As a native Californian I was just surprised to realize that warmer winter weather could be a problem.

Anyway, good night all. Hasta mañana.
Which come to think will be an hour earlier than it should be. What fun.

347 Feline Fearless Leader  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:58:45pm

re: #341 jaunte

Talk about a distorted worldview.

[Embedded content]

I think that was an attempt at sarcasm.

348 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:58:57pm

re: #314 jamesfirecat

True enough and an interesting counter point, since I get a distinct feel that the villain in thst episode is doing the same thing (I recall there being talk about how he wanted a chance to play cowboys and horses or something along those lines) though of course he does so while he has some kind of hovercraft and an actual energy weapon as opposed to everyone else.

Yup. There is that, and I’m pretty sure that it’s an unintentional subtext trope (of the Wise Outsider Saving the Locals).

349 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 8:59:45pm

The film upstairs is rather cool.

350 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:01:27pm

re: #316 jamesfirecat

Honestly the crew never spends enough time on core worlds (I think only Ariel and Trash) for us to get a real feel for how much of a police state it is or is not. Granted they have the blue hands but for all we know they are the exception rather than the rule and family who do not posess psychic super children live their lives relatively unmolested….

“Safe” mentions “the Medical Elect” as a high-status group, “blackout zones” where one is not allowed to be, and government structures that (when simply entered) is noted on one’s Permanent Record as “not a good thing”.

351 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:03:34pm

re: #347 Feline Fearless Leader

Not if you read the rest of her tweets.

352 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:05:10pm

re: #347 Feline Fearless Leader

I think that was an attempt at sarcasm.

Nope, definitely not sarcasm.

353 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:05:27pm

re: #320 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The RPG fleshes it out, if you’re considering that. But even beyond that, there’s just the general atmosphere, of prosperousness but extreme orderliness.

That’d be the Serenity RPG, if I’m reading you right.

Due to different corporate entities owning the different IPs between Firefly (Fox) and Serenity (SONY, IIRC), all Serenity-based information had to be trashed and I restarted my project from first principles, inferring from TV show details only.

354 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:06:02pm

What is the attraction so many have to Issa?

355 jaunte  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:06:10pm
356 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:07:06pm

re: #321 Charles Johnson

They really do think this is clever.

“What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)”

The horror. The horror.

357 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:09:00pm

re: #327 jamesfirecat

Leave it to Beaver would have perfectly summed fit their world view, father new best, mom stayed at home and cooked and black people… Didn’t exist.

(I have not actually seen any episodes of Leave it of Beaver so please correct me if I am wrong)

“Ward, I think you were pretty hard on the Beaver last night.”

Euphemism, or not?

358 wheat-dogghazi  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:09:16pm

re: #345 FemNaziBitch

I never thought of KY as having enough “grazing” area for cattle.

I believe Rand hails from the Great State (formerly Republic) of Texas. But you’re right, Kentucky is known for raising thoroughbred horses, not rangling cattle and mustangs.

359 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:09:31pm

re: #327 jamesfirecat

(I have not actually seen any episodes of Leave it of Beaver so please correct me if I am wrong)

Well, gee, Wally, you’re missing out.

360 sagehen  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:10:48pm

re: #337 FemNaziBitch

ah, is this something I should find on Netflix?

Am I likely to miss out future cultural references if I don’t?

Yes, and yes.

Fox played the episodes out of order, and never two weeks in a row, then killed it after only 9 eps aired. 13 were shot, and the DVD’s have them in the correct order. The next four years of story that Joss had vaguely outlined were then boiled down to two hours for the movie “Serenity”. So it’s not nearly as large a time commitment as Breaking Bad.

361 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:12:40pm

re: #360 sagehen

Yes, and yes.

Fox played the episodes out of order, and never two weeks in a row, then killed it after only 9 eps aired. 13 were shot, and the DVD’s have them in the correct order. The next four years of story that Joss had vaguely outlined were then boiled down to two hours for the movie “Serenity”. So it’s not nearly as large a time commitment as Breaking Bad.

SO watch the the 9 episodes first, then Serenity?

362 sagehen  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:13:23pm

re: #361 FemNaziBitch

SO watch the the 9 episodes first, then Serenity?

13, then Serenity.

363 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:13:38pm

re: #334 William Barnett-Lewis

Dig it. I just couldn’t watch it long enough to care.

Yeah, get that a lot with folks about the Dresden Files series.

No harm, no foul.

Might buy the RPG if there’s enough to mine for Traveller in it (Mongoose rules, 3I 1105 in the Spinward Marches usually. I need a chance to run The Traveller Adventure… ;)

Oh, yes, I think you can get some Trav-love out of that.

Me, I’d swap out jump-drives for firefly-esque “hard burn” drives; given the relative “reality” of Firefly space, it’d basically work out the same.

No aliens known, though… But could be good for… Sword Worlds? (I am but an egg wrt Trav.)

364 FemNaziBitch  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:14:58pm

re: #363 chadu

I WANT GOT BOOK SIX

365 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:21:20pm

re: #337 FemNaziBitch

ah, is this something I should find on Netflix?

Am I likely to miss out future cultural references if I don’t?

Prolly.

366 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:24:35pm

re: #344 Feline Fearless Leader

Because the Magic 8-Ball says so! :p

367 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:25:56pm

re: #354 FemNaziBitch

What is the attraction so many have to Issa?

His musky, Victor Mature-like scent?

368 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:30:23pm

re: #364 FemNaziBitch

I WANT GOT BOOK SIX

Game of Thrones? Dodged that bullet; didn’t enjoy the first one.

If Dresden Files, that’s Blood Rites, with porno, chaos, and two flavors of vampire.

369 Kragar  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:48:44pm

re: #368 chadu

Game of Thrones? Dodged that bullet; didn’t enjoy the first one.

If Dresden Files, that’s Blood Rites, with porno, chaos, and two flavors of vampire.

Ever check out the Ciaphas Cain books?

Ciaphas Cain is a “Commissar,” a political officer of the Imperium of Man’s troops. Commissars are charged with maintaining the morale and loyalty of Imperial troops, an important matter when one considers the horrific odds and staggering casualties of the “grim dark future” of the WH40K setting. Despite holding no standard rank and being outside the chain of command, commisars have wide discretionary powers, including summary execution or even decimation, in pursuit of their duties. Cain, having observed the tendency of many members of the Commissariat to fall victim to “accidental” friendly fire, prefers to lead by example and encouragement instead of fear, and has gained a reputation for charismatic leadership, self-effacing heroism and concern for the common trooper. This has spiraled rather out of Cain’s control, as he is now regarded as a “Hero of the Imperium”, and is frequently assigned to dangerous and unusual circumstances. The truth, as presented in the novels, is that Cain is the sort of person he himself is supposed to execute: self-serving, incredibly paranoid, a truly skilled liar, and happy to put as many bodies between him and the enemy as possible in order to save his own skin. The author has stated that the character of Cain was inspired by both Harry Flashman and Edmund Blackadder.[11]

370 chadu  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 9:51:54pm

re: #369 Kragar

Ever check out the Ciaphas Cain books?

Nope!

Will now, though!

Thanks!

371 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 10:00:53pm

re: #202 DKoch

[Embedded content]

What an amazing diverse coalition

Testing…

372 TedStriker  Sat, Mar 8, 2014 10:08:55pm

Getty Image

373 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sun, Mar 9, 2014 8:08:12am

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Oh no. I’ve offended someone.

[Embedded content]

hahahaaa @CatholicLisa is the lunatic lady Lisa Graas.

374 Backwoods_Sleuth  Sun, Mar 9, 2014 9:14:47am

re: #358 wheat-dogghazi

I believe Rand hails from the Great State (formerly Republic) of Texas. But you’re right, Kentucky is known for raising thoroughbred horses, not rangling cattle and mustangs.

Kentucky now is actually the largest cattle producing state east of the Mississippi River. We have more than 1.1 million head of cattle and more than 38,000 active producers. And ranks 5th nationally in number of cattle farms.

375 De Kolta Chair  Mon, Mar 10, 2014 7:13:40am

re: #1 Shiplord Kirel

I guess there’s not much Eisenhower memorabilia there, even though many of the participants can remember him.
Younger wingnuts are likely to respond with, “Eisenhower was a Republican? No shit?”

Republicans didn’t complain about Ike spending so much time at the golf course.


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