Can’t watch the video, but if someone could summarize that would be cool.

My guess: “My office has cleared my office of any wrongdoing, because fuck you.”

re: #1 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

“I would very much like to run for president, and I’m pretty great, so all you media and libtards shutup.”

Is it part of ACA that we’re forced to listen to Christie?

re: #1 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

Can’t watch the video, but if someone could summarize that would be cool.

My guess: “My office has cleared my office of any wrongdoing, because fuck you.”

“I, I mean you, paid for this highly expensive absolution of anything I may have done (which I didn’t) so thank you very much and I won’t be taking any questions.”

The law firm he got to do it was just putting their defense together in case Christie gets charged.

What I heard of it, and I admit it was just a left wing view of it, sure sounded like a law defense, not an investigation.

Did he find that missing plane yet?

Randy Maestro’s report has enough weasel words to say Gov. Christie had no knowledge of what happened. Of course, the same report also buries the not insignificant tidbit that the investigators couldn’t interview certain people central to the investigation because they refused to cooperate - namely Baroni, Kelly, Wildstein, and Stepien. Further, the Hoboken Mayor refused to cooperate namely because she saw it as a whitewash attempt to clear the governor.

Christie’s investigation isn’t worth the paper it’s written on, and I will simply wait for the federal and separate state criminal investigations before ruling out that the governor was out of the loop on this.

But for anyone to believe that Christie, a noted micromanager, was out of the loop and didn’t instigate this incident, would have to take a leap of logic that he’s either a bumbling fool, is way too trusting of his own hires, and/or that he hired a bunch of people who would go rogue in a heartbeat to further the governor’s agenda without him knowing it.

That speaks to his failure of judging the character and judgment of his underlings and appointees in sensitive nonpartisan positions. After all, Wildstein and Baroni were both top executives in the Port Authority, whose job is to provide transit/infrastructure benefits to the NYC metro area - including NJ facilities and bistate facilities. Instead, they used the agency to further a partisan political agenda against the mayor of a city within which one of the Port Authority facilities is located.

re: #6 Killgore Trout

Did he find that missing plane yet?

He has the same law firm on it.

I haven’t been following the investigations closely but I am getting the impression that Christie is effectively muddying the waters and taking the steps that will turn things from an investigation of Christie, his staff, and their behaviors into something that can (and probably will) turn into a straight partisan GOP vs Dem fight.

In other words he is generating enough of a smoke screen to allow the NJ GOP to come in and back him up rather than feeling a need to throw him under the bus. And that, at a minimum, will keep him going though the rest of his term. And beyond that possibly start rebuilding his national image for the future.

Oh, and now comes word that David Sampson is out at the Port Authority too. Resigned- not fired?

re: #5 b_sharp

The law firm he got to do it was just putting their defense together in case Christie gets charged.

What I heard of it, and I admit it was just a left wing view of it, sure sounded like a law defense, not an investigation.

I’ve been ignoring the partisan coverage of the scandal, just too much bullshit. I’m still doubtful of the scandal (aside from scoring political points) But even CSM didn’t think much of the investigation
Bridge-gate shocker: Christie probe clears Christie

@PANYNJ: hive of villany and scum, who had audacity to request massive toll hike, then reduced request to make #Christie & #Cuomo look good

— lawhawk (@lawhawk) March 28, 2014

How anyone, esp. .@GovChristie, can claim objectivity of the GWB report when none of the principals were interviewed stretches credulity.

— lawhawk (@lawhawk) March 28, 2014

Pretty amazing: Top Port Authority official wasn't interviewed in 350-pg report exonerating Christie. Next day, said official has resigned

— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) March 28, 2014

I hear @MittRomney has some free time in 2016, GOP. #Christie

— Gabe Ortíz (@TUSK81) March 28, 2014

Basically the gist of the report is that anyone who actually new anythign refused to be interviewed or to hand over their emails. Of the people they did interview, nobody could say that Christie knew anything. Therefore the result is that their investigation showed no sign of any wrongdoing by Christie himself.

What it should have concluded is:

Our investigation cannot be considered comprehensive in that the most important actors in this story either were not interviewed or did not provide the requested information. Therefore while we have not seen any information showing us that Christie knew anything, we are also not able to conclude that Christie had anything to do with 9/11 or that Christie is in fact Santa Clause. In short, we took millions in fees to tell you that without the ability to compel testimony and evidence under oath , you are wasting your fucking time.

Gee, he sure is trying real hard to whitewash something he says he knew nothing about.
Wonder why.
/

The presidential campaign possibilities sure have severely amplified the attention to this scandal. Without an alleged presidential contender in the mix it would be state politics as usual.

Meanwhile, on other networks CNN remains in continuous drivelous coverage of the MH370 story*.

We’re circulating a petition here at work to have the TV in the lunchroom set to another channel. (It’s internal programming from 8-11am and then on CNN the rest of the day.)

* - I think it’s more of a non-story really beyond “An airplane disappeared and the few known facts make it very unclear on what happened at this point. Investigations and searches continue.”

SC Lt. Gov. upset that NAACP fails to ‘mutually respect’ the valor of slave-owning Confederates | The Raw Story http://t.co/1Uwvg1pkxB

— Kragar (@Kragar_LGF) March 28, 2014

“What’s sad about that,” he continued, “is that irresponsible grandstanding threatens to unravel the fabric of mutual respect and to divide our state for decades to come.”

“What we did is, we sealed our state together by mutual respect, and let me explain that: first we went to a soldier’s flag, so we could truly say that we respected the valor of the soldiers that left their homes and family to answer the call of the government,” he concluded.

“And most of them didn’t own slaves.”

He did not, however, indicate how the NAACP should have “mutually respected” the valor of those that did.

OT.

If the update from Windows 8.0 to Windows 8.1 happens to crash on you, preventing you from starting up the system, don’t even try to use the recovery partition - Windows 8.1 has munged it.

re: #20 Kragar

I presume it is implied that they should do so by shutting up and accepting second-class citizenship as their rightful place.
////

There has been an outrage a fatwa

Saudi Arabia’s Comic Book Fatwa

The president should confront Saudi leaders over the ludicrous fatwa against ‘The 99,’ a ground-breaking Muslim superhero comic.

I like to listen to this while Christie is talking.

Youtube Video

Cons on report: Nothing new, nothing to see here. Whitewashing of events considering that no one who actually knew anything spoke to Maestro and the investigators here.

Pros: For a scandal lacking on salacious details and sex, we now have it. Apparently Stepien and Kelly were something of an item.

re: #20 Kragar

[Embedded content]

It’s certainly true that the vast majority of the men who fought for the Stars and Bars were good men, but to ask black people to celebrate them is just too much.

It also explains why I don't love it. RT @Slate: Music theory explains why you love Daft Punk's “Get Lucky”: http://t.co/YaGcnGHfY7

— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 28, 2014

re: #24 S’latch

GAH!!!! The Mrs. does that whenever we cross the upper deck on the GWB because that’s what here family does. I get a kick out of it. But thanks for that earworm.

Oh, and useless trivia about the GWB. The upper deck is known as George. The lower deck (which was added after the bridge was built) is known as Martha.

listening to Christie and his constant “Ums” and “Ahs” I can imagine there is a buildup of flop sweat as he gets grilled.

re: #25 lawhawk

Cons on report: Nothing new, nothing to see here. Whitewashing of events considering that no one who actually knew anything spoke to Maestro and the investigators here.

Pros: For a scandal lacking on salacious details and sex, we now have it. Apparently Stepien and Kelly were something of an item.

And if you believe this report I got a bri…..
Nevermind.

re: #27 Charles Johnson

The new Skrillex is pretty good though.

re: #11 Killgore Trout

I’ve been ignoring the partisan coverage of the scandal, just too much bullshit. I’m still doubtful of the scandal (aside from scoring political points) But even CSM didn’t think much of the investigation
Bridge-gate shocker: Christie probe clears Christie

LOL, you’re still doubtful based on what—the great record NJ politicians have for being ethical? FFS, since everyone is refusing to cooperate, no one even knows for sure what the purpose of the whole thing was, however the lanes being closed and the “traffic study” being bogus are FACTS. Do you suppose the feds’ criminal investigation is also just partisan BS? Good grief.

re: #29 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

listening to Christie and his constant “Ums” and “Ahs” I can imagine there is a buildup of flop sweat as he gets grilled.

He’s a former prosecutor. He should know that the less that is said, the better, and yet he’s going on and on. It’s the same criticism as in the first spectacular session he gave last year.

At least now he gets to claim some piece of paper exonerates him, except that the paper can’t draw any other conclusion because the investigators never interviewed anyone who might know what happened.

re: #20 Kragar

OFFS

re: #27 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Lots of crap coming out that is easy to hate.

re: #32 CuriousLurker

LOL, you’re still doubtful based on what—the great record NJ politicians have for being ethical? FFS, since everyone is refusing to cooperate, no one even knows for sure what the purpose of the whole thing was, however the lanes being closed and the “traffic study” being bogus are FACTS. Do you suppose the feds’ criminal investigation is also just partisan BS? Good grief.

Forget it CL, it’s Chinatown Killgore.

re: #27 Charles Johnson

Ok, just listended to it, not too impressed. Sounds like something made for mass consumption that would be played in an elevator or a mall.

Takeaway from Christie presser: he's gotta be the worst governor in the US. Everyone he hired was a liar.

— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) March 28, 2014

re: #23 Killgore Trout

There has been an outrage a fatwa

Saudi Arabia’s Comic Book Fatwa

Thank goodness here in America we don’t have any religious fanatics making asinine proclamations about things like comics & video games. Oh, wait… //

re: #33 lawhawk

He’s a former prosecutor. He should know that the less that is said, the better, and yet he’s going on and on. It’s the same criticism as in the first spectacular session he gave last year.

At least now he gets to claim some piece of paper exonerates him, except that the paper can’t draw any other conclusion because the investigators never interviewed anyone who might know what happened.

He’s just throwing Chaffe out there and trying to obscure everything. One thing about a liar is they always throw out a bunch of miniscule details and other shit to distract from things.

re: #20 Kragar

Conservatives in the US South really need to accept the simple fact that the Confederacy was one of the worst causes over which a war has ever been fought.

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

It’s certainly true that the vast majority of the men who fought for the Stars and Bars were good men, but to ask black people to celebrate them is just too much.

It would be like asking an Israeli to salute the valor of the German soldiers of WWII.

re: #42 Kragar

It would be like asking an Israeli to salute the valor of the German soldiers of WWII.

Exactly.

Oh, good…another marathon presser!

Awesome dad (works at Dreamworks in CGI) making videos of his kid in random situations.

Youtube Video

twentytwowords.com

re: #41 EPR-radar

Conservatives in the US South really need to accept the simple fact that the Confederacy was one of the worst causes over which a war has ever been fought.

They also need to accept the fact that you can’t celebrate the Confederacy and call yourself an American patriot, but they won’t do that either.

re: #39 CuriousLurker

Thank goodness here in America we don’t have any religious fanatics making asinine proclamations about things like comics & video games. Oh, wait… //

Or demands that people be fired for impure thoughts or forced apologies from comedians.
/

re: #46 Lidane

They also need to accept the fact that you can’t celebrate the Confederacy and call yourself an American patriot, but they won’t do that either.

they never can explain why it does not amount to support for a foreign, enemy power.

Christie STILL thinks there was a traffic study. Just whistling away… pic.twitter.com/Or4hqa3v6d

— Rob Tornoe (@RobTornoe) March 28, 2014

“I permitted Bill Baroni to hire him[Wildstein].” —Christie “taking ultimate responsibility” #DodgyFucker

— Sean McCabe (@darthstar99) March 28, 2014

re: #49 darthstar

[Embedded content]

It’s all water under the bri…
DAMMIT!
I’m going back under my…
FFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

re: #39 CuriousLurker

…

Thank goodness here in America we don’t have any religious fanatics making asinine proclamations about things like comics & video games. Oh, wait… //

Self-censorship in response to hysterical fear-mongering by busybodies is ever so much better. The US has been there and done that.

en.wikipedia.org

Thankfully, the comics code in the US is now defunct.

Per wikipedia, the 1954 comics code criteria:

Crimes shall never be presented in such a way as to create sympathy for the criminal, to promote distrust of the forces of law and justice, or to inspire others with a desire to imitate criminals.

If crime is depicted it shall be as a sordid and unpleasant activity.

Policemen, judges, government officials, and respected institutions shall never be presented in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority.

Criminals shall not be presented so as to be rendered glamorous or to occupy a position which creates a desire for emulation.

In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds.

Scenes of excessive violence shall be prohibited. Scenes of brutal torture, excessive and unnecessary knife and gunplay, physical agony, gory and gruesome crime shall be eliminated.

No comic magazine shall use the words “horror” or “terror” in its title.

All scenes of horror, excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust, sadism, masochism shall not be permitted.

All lurid, unsavory, gruesome illustrations shall be eliminated.

Inclusion of stories dealing with evil shall be used or shall be published only where the intent is to illustrate a moral issue and in no case shall evil be presented alluringly, nor so as to injure the sensibilities of the reader.

Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, torture, vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism, and werewolfism are prohibited.

Profanity, obscenity, smut, vulgarity, or words or symbols which have acquired undesirable meanings are forbidden.

Nudity in any form is prohibited, as is indecent or undue exposure.

Suggestive and salacious illustration or suggestive posture is unacceptable.

Females shall be drawn realistically without exaggeration of any physical qualities.

Illicit sex relations are neither to be hinted at nor portrayed. Rape scenes as well as sexual abnormalities are unacceptable.

Seduction and rape shall never be shown or suggested.

Sex perversion or any inference to same is strictly forbidden.

Nudity with meretricious purpose and salacious postures shall not be permitted in the advertising of any product; clothed figures shall never be presented in such a way as to be offensive or contrary to good taste or morals.

re: #48 palmerskiss

they never can explain why it does not amount to support for a foreign, enemy power.

And they can’t admit that the concept of states’ rights is fully tied to slavery. They never want to admit that the whole thing has its roots in the notion that a state’s got the right to decide that it is legal to own and subjugate another human being.

“Believe me, everybody…” Therein lies the problem, Governor…people don't believe you. #bridgegate

— Sean McCabe (@darthstar99) March 28, 2014

re: #48 palmerskiss

they never can explain why it does not amount to support for a foreign, enemy power.

“What would you do if a bunch of terrorists attacked a US military base inside the US, then declared they were own country, removed from the United States?”

“We need to kick their ass!”

“Lets talk about Ft Sumter.”

“SCREW YOU! THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN!”

re: #52 EPR-radar

wow, if that was still in effect then a lot of good comics and graphic novels would never have been made.

So nice of Christie to declare the whole thing over.

re: #58 darthstar

So nice of Christie to declare the whole thing over.

Lets not bicker and argue, this is supposed to be a happy occasion!

re: #39 CuriousLurker

[Embedded image]

Thank goodness here in America we don’t have any religious fanatics making asinine proclamations about things like comics & video games. Oh, wait… //

Well, Leland Yee made asinine pronouncements about video games. And this week we found out he’s been in tight with a triad boss trying to smuggle illegal automatic weapons into the US.

So, on the Christie “report”, it’s, yaawwnn?

re: #53 Lidane

And they can’t admit that the concept of states’ rights is fully tied to slavery. They never want to admit that the whole concept has its roots in the notion that a state’s got the right to decide that it is legal to own and subjugate another human being.

re: #56 Kragar

“What would you do if a bunch of terrorists attacked a US military base inside the US, then declared they were own country, removed from the United States?”

“We need to kick their ass!”

“Lets talk about Ft Sumter.”

“SCREW YOU! THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN!”

and yet - if you liberals are not u.s.a. 100% of 100% of 100% of the time, you are a traitor, or worse, french.

re: #58 darthstar

So nice of Christie to declare the whole thing over.

And, “Don’t bother me again about it.”

once again scuppered by the quote function. sorry.

re: #61 Justanotherhuman

So, on the Christie “report”, it’s, yaawwnn?

I think it was the expected result of Christie proclaiming victory and that anyone still concerned is just a partisan hack.

Holy shit, and I mean that literally.

I’ve been following this guy for a while. He posts thoughtfully about Pakistan, his home country.

Was fired at near Raja Market. My driver is wounded. I was dreading this day

— Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) March 28, 2014

I tweeted earlier about the shooting attack on Pakistan journalist @Razarumi; his driver has died. RIP http://t.co/3gQFVSoXof

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) March 28, 2014

re: #59 Kragar

Lets not bicker and argue, this is supposed to be a happy occasion!

Is it northern or southern New Jersey that is the good pig country?

re: #66 wrenchwench

Holy shit, and I mean that literally.

I’ve been following this guy for a while. He posts thoughtfully about Pakistan, his home country.

[Embedded content]

this is bad news. Pakistan is on a spiral into a darkness. it is very very hard to find good news coming out of Pakistan that is not isolated.

re: #56 Kragar

“What would you do if a bunch of terrorists attacked a US military base inside the US, then declared they were own country, removed from the United States?”

“We need to kick their ass!”

“Lets talk about Ft Sumter.”

“SCREW YOU! THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN!”

Though to call Gen. Beauregard’s actions “terrorism” isn’t appropriate. They were an act of armed rebellion, but the conventional military actions of the Confederacy should not be called terrorism. That is not to say that members of the Confederate Army did not engage in terrorism. Nathan Bedford Forrest surely did, but P.G.T, Beauregard did not.

re: #60 Dark_Falcon

Well, Leland Yee made asinine pronouncements about video games. And this week we found out he’s been in tight with a triad boss trying to smuggle illegal automatic weapons into the US.

Leeland Yee did more than just make pronouncements about video games. He got a law passed that banned the sale of violent video games to anyone under 18. He also earned a 7-2 smackdown from SCOTUS for his troubles.

WH Twitter Stuffs 6M ObamaCare signup numbers in GOP’s FACE

Yeah, pretty effective mic drop there.

re: #58 darthstar

Really going easy on us…

re: #51 Varek Raith

It’s all water under the bri…
DAMMIT!
I’m going back under my…
FFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Troll. //////

re: #63 Justanotherhuman

And, “Don’t bother me again about it.”

That comes up in the next presser. “We settled all of this back in March. Let it go already!”

Controlling the narrative like a rogue bull.

re: #38 Charles Johnson

“He’s not to blame for people he hired!!”

//

re: #69 Dark_Falcon

Though to call Gen. Beauregard’s actions “terrorism” isn’t appropriate. They were an act of armed rebellion, but the conventional military actions of the Confederacy should not be called terrorism. That is not to say that members of the Confederate Army did not engage in terrorism. Nathan Bedford Forrest surely did, but P.G.T, Beauregard did not.

I agree with you on all of this except - rebellion or secession? one would carry - lets say - existential and extraterrestrial threat to the union, and the other would be introspection? Is a succession the same as a rebellion, in the sense the aim is to remain part of but change the parent body, not to separate from or destroy it?

re: #69 Dark_Falcon

Though to call Gen. Beauregard’s actions “terrorism” isn’t appropriate. They were an act of armed rebellion, but the conventional military actions of the Confederacy should not be called terrorism. That is not to say that members of the Confederate Army did not engage in terrorism. Nathan Bedford Forrest surely did, but P.G.T, Beauregard did not.

Using the word terrorist to set up a frame of reference for the idea of armed attackers, which makes a neo-confederate think Jihadis.

re: #71 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

WH Twitter Stuffs 6M ObamaCare signup numbers in GOP’s FACE

Yeah, pretty effective mic drop there.

Heh

MT @WhiteHouse: We did it! pic.twitter.com/bLdDvA7le9

— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) March 27, 2014

re: #60 Dark_Falcon

Well, Leland Yee made asinine pronouncements about video games. And this week we found out he’s been in tight with a triad boss trying to smuggle illegal automatic weapons into the US.

That’s my point. If someone wants to read about politicians, religious leaders, or other public figures doing & saying asinine, hypocritical, bat guano crazy things, then s/he doesn’t have to go far—just pick up a copy of the local newspaper.

re: #77 Kragar

Using the word terrorist to set up a frame of reference for the idea of armed attackers, which makes a neo-confederate think Jihadis.

That assumes he will always respond from the gut. It also leaves you exposed if someone smarter responds as well and pokes holes in your argument based on a bad definition.

re: #78 NJDhockeyfan

That’s the guy who’s an editor at that insane “Ace of Spades” blog, right?

re: #81 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

That’s the guy who’s an editor at that insane “Ace of Spades” blog, right?

Don’t know. The Amazon looking page is funny.

re: #80 Dark_Falcon

That assumes he will always respond from the gut. It also leaves you exposed if someone smarter responds as well and pokes holes in your argument based on a bad definition.

So far, Its worked on every neo-confederate I’ve brought it up to.

But, like you said, a smart person would see the trap.

re: #81 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

That’s the guy who’s an editor at that insane “Ace of Spades” blog, right?

Not only that, he appears to have gotten it from Twitchy.

Retweeted by John Ekdahl
TwitchyTeam ‏@TwitchyTeam 7h

‘LOL’: Don’t miss this ‘priceless’ look at ‘Barack’s Amazon shopping cart’ [Photoshop] bit.ly

re: #82 NJDhockeyfan

Don’t know. The Amazon looking page is funny.

You just basically retweeted Malkin. Congrats.

re: #84 wrenchwench

Derp

re: #82 NJDhockeyfan

Don’t know. The Amazon looking page is funny.

You really do move in this bizarre vague fog of ignorance, posting only shit that you know nothing about.

MT @WhiteHouse: We did it! pic.twitter.com/bLdDvA7le9

— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) March 27, 2014

Yeah, that’s the editor from Ace Of Spades, that nutso blog that promotes Michelle Malkin, Free Republic, and lots of other assholes.

re: #85 wrenchwench

You just basically retweeted Malkin. Congrats.

Did I? I didn’t see that. Oops.

re: #83 Kragar

So far, Its worked on every neo-confederate I’ve brought it up to.

But, like you said, a smart person would see the trap.

Since neo-confederates tend to be idiots, this rhetorical trick should work indefinitely.

Since I’ve been playing World Of Tanks Derp now has a whole new meaning, beginning to lose track of them all.

re: #88 NJDhockeyfan

Did I? I didn’t see that. Oops.

You are so incredibly bad at vetting your sources, or caring about doing so, that you could easily get a job in mainstream media.

re: #89 EPR-radar

Since neo-confederates tend to be idiots, this rhetorical trick should work indefinitely.

Pretty much.

The funny part is that that tweet doesn’t actually contain a joke. I mean, I guess the joke is ‘we don’t know how much this costs’, but that’s not really, y’know, funny. Whatever the cost is, it’s lower than it would be without the ACA.

Weirdos like this Ace of Spade guy seem to think that the ACA created these uninsured people, that if we didn’t have the ACA we wouldn’t have to deal with them getting sick, needing care, going to the emergency room. It’s a really weird lack of critical thinking.

re: #93 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The funny part is that that tweet doesn’t actually contain a joke. I mean, I guess the joke is ‘we don’t know how much this costs’, but that’s not really, y’know, funny. Whatever the cost is, it’s lower than it would be without the ACA.

Weirdos like this Ace of Spade guy seem to think that the ACA created these uninsured people, that if we didn’t have the ACA we wouldn’t have to deal with them getting sick, needing care, going to the emergency room. It’s a really weird lack of critical thinking.

There’s an epidemic of that going around.

re: #93 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The funny part is that that tweet doesn’t actually contain a joke. I mean, I guess the joke is ‘we don’t know how much this costs’, but that’s not really, y’know, funny. Whatever the cost is, it’s lower than it would be without the ACA.

Weirdos like this Ace of Spade guy seem to think that the ACA created these uninsured people, that if we didn’t have the ACA we wouldn’t have to deal with them getting sick, needing care, going to the emergency room. It’s a really weird lack of critical thinking.

That’s a feature of the right wing. IIRC there was even a push on the right to eliminate education curricula that stressed critical thinking. They live in a world of “America, Fuck Yeah!” and that’s it.

re: #89 EPR-radar

Since neo-confederates tend to be idiots, this rhetorical trick should work indefinitely.

Thinking that a tactic will work indefinitely because of what your foes tend to be means that sooner or later you’re going to find yourself thumped solidly by a riposte you failed to see coming.

re: #95 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

That’s a feature of the right wing. IIRC there was even a push on the right to eliminate education curricula that stressed critical thinking. They live in a world of “America, Fuck Yeah!” and that’s it.

It’s official: Texas GOP bans critical thinking

“Knowledge-Based Education - We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.”

re: #93 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The funny part is that that tweet doesn’t actually contain a joke. I mean, I guess the joke is ‘we don’t know how much this costs’, but that’s not really, y’know, funny. Whatever the cost is, it’s lower than it would be without the ACA.

Weirdos like this Ace of Spade guy seem to think that the ACA created these uninsured people, that if we didn’t have the ACA we wouldn’t have to deal with them getting sick, needing care, going to the emergency room. It’s a really weird lack of critical thinking.

Which is truly scary considering that this is the same crowd that crowed that they’d fact check the media’s ass, and reinvent media (PJ Media, etc.) and are now shoveling out so much BS that it’s a shitstorm of epic proportions. Heck, most of the time, they can’t even understand what they’re posting (like this one claiming that the ACA costs too much, all while ignoring the already sky high costs of the uninsured has on medical providers - that is already baked into the costs of doing business).

FYI:

FCMA. Fact check my ass (both as a request - don’t take anything I say for granted), and fact check, my ass - that’s what you call a fact check? Ha!

re: #97 Interesting Times

Of course wingnuts (and more generally the GOP) hate critical thinking. Their policy positions are incapable of withstanding intelligent criticism.

re: #97 Interesting Times

Yeah that was it. It’s Friday, had to come to the office, ate pasta for lunch and now want to sleep so never looked it up lol.

Origami Artist Raises a Life Sized Elephant from a Single Sheet of Paper - http://t.co/P4E02nktez pic.twitter.com/mCEQeUfNNQ

— Art Nerd New York (@ArtNerdNY) March 28, 2014

re: #93 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The funny part is that that tweet doesn’t actually contain a joke. I mean, I guess the joke is ‘we don’t know how much this costs’, but that’s not really, y’know, funny. Whatever the cost is, it’s lower than it would be without the ACA.

Weirdos like this Ace of Spade guy seem to think that the ACA created these uninsured people, that if we didn’t have the ACA we wouldn’t have to deal with them getting sick, needing care, going to the emergency room. It’s a really weird lack of critical thinking.

They seem to think that as long as *I’m* not paying for it, it doesn’t matter who does — if it’s not Obamacare, then somebody else is going to pick up the tab, whether it’s a hospital or a charity or private donations or Mr. X.

The guy I’m renting a room from is a really big anti-government guy. Hates ‘em to pieces. He’s got $300 in one of those “unclaimed property” accounts administered by the state and refuses to even ask for *his* money back because he hates the government so much.

He just spent nine days in the hospital because of congestive heart failure. I have no idea what the total bill is going to come to, but I’m sure it’s going to be a whopper.

He doesn’t have insurance. Who’s going to pick up that tab? Best guess is the hospital, which I’d guess will filter down and likely reduce the services they’re able to offer other uninsureds.

re: #52 EPR-radar

Self-censorship in response to hysterical fear-mongering by busybodies is ever so much better. The US has been there and done that.

en.wikipedia.org

Thankfully, the comics code in the US is now defunct.

Per wikipedia, the 1954 comics code criteria:Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, torture, vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism, and werewolfism lycanthropy are prohibited.

You’d think a man, that is Frederic Wortham, who prides himself on his erudite knowledge of English would know that one.

As for the rest of the Code: Wortham probably ate nothing but pablum because that’s what this ‘code’ reduces comics to.

re: #7 lawhawk

Randy Maestro’s report has enough weasel words to say Gov. Christie had no knowledge of what happened. Of course, the same report also buries the not insignificant tidbit that the investigators couldn’t interview certain people central to the investigation because they refused to cooperate - namely Baroni, Kelly, Wildstein, and Stepien. Further, the Hoboken Mayor refused to cooperate namely because she saw it as a whitewash attempt to clear the governor.

Christie’s investigation isn’t worth the paper it’s written on, and I will simply wait for the federal and separate state criminal investigations before ruling out that the governor was out of the loop on this.

But for anyone to believe that Christie, a noted micromanager, was out of the loop and didn’t instigate this incident, would have to take a leap of logic that he’s either a bumbling fool, is way too trusting of his own hires, and/or that he hired a bunch of people who would go rogue in a heartbeat to further the governor’s agenda without him knowing it.

That speaks to his failure of judging the character and judgment of his underlings and appointees in sensitive nonpartisan positions. After all, Wildstein and Baroni were both top executives in the Port Authority, whose job is to provide transit/infrastructure benefits to the NYC metro area - including NJ facilities and bistate facilities. Instead, they used the agency to further a partisan political agenda against the mayor of a city within which one of the Port Authority facilities is located.

And dismount!

re: #102 BongCrodny

They seem to think that as long as *I’m* not paying for it, it doesn’t matter who does — if it’s not Obamacare, then somebody else is going to pick up the tab, whether it’s a hospital or a charity or private donations or Mr. X.

Yeah, and it’s so dim because they are paying for it. If you have insurance, if you pay taxes, you’re already paying for the health care of the uninsured, just in a much more expensive way.

He just spent nine days in the hospital because of congestive heart failure. I have no idea what the total bill is going to come to, but I’m sure it’s going to be a whopper.

He doesn’t have insurance. Who’s going to pick up that tab? Best guess is the hospital, which I’d guess will filter down and likely reduce the services they’re able to offer other uninsureds.

It’ll be the hospital, the government (who subsidize hospitals, when they’re not outright government hospitals like those associated with state schools or city/county hospitals), and people who do have insurance.

Mark your calendars

re: #87 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

You really do move in this bizarre vague fog of ignorance, posting only shit that you know nothing about.

[Embedded content]

Yeah, that’s the editor from Ace Of Spades, that nutso blog that promotes Michelle Malkin, Free Republic, and lots of other assholes.

When I was dating he hung out on the boards at PlentyofFish™, especially the politics board. He was such a foaming madman I had to wipe the little flecks of spittle off my face after interacting with him.

I don’t know if he ever got laid through that site, but I doubt it.

re: #105 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

Yeah, and it’s so dim because they are paying for it. If you have insurance, if you pay taxes, you’re already paying for the health care of the uninsured, just in a much more expensive way.

The guy I’m renting a room from is a really big anti-government guy. Hates ‘em to pieces. He’s got $300 in one of those “unclaimed property” accounts administered by the state and refuses to even ask for *his* money back because he hates the government so much.

It’ll be the hospital, the government (who subsidize hospitals, when they’re not outright government hospitals like those associated with state schools or city/county hospitals), and people who do have insurance.

He’ll probably still get billed and possibly a visit from a collection agency hired by the hospital. I have a business partner in a side venture who was hospitalized without insurance three years back. A couple weeks in the hospital plus a major operation. He’s still paying bills off based on that, so they aren’t going to just let you walk away from it.

re: #106 Kragar

Mark your calendars

[Embedded image]

For Rifftrax that film will be just like shooting fish in a barrel.

re: #48 palmerskiss

they never can explain why it does not amount to support for a foreign, enemy power.

Not a foreign enemy power, but rather a treasonous rebellion by internal enemies.

re: #108 Feline Fearless Leader

But they generally don’t claw back all of it, only a portion.

re: #110 aagcobb

Not a foreign enemy power, but rather a treasonous rebellion by internal enemies.

I can accept that.

Analysis: Crimea intervention - The increasing sophistication of Russia’s military resurgence

Late on 25 March, the last Ukrainian warship blockaded in its port on Crimea’s west coast surrendered to Russian forces, completing just over three weeks of operations to wrest the strategic peninsula from Kiev’s control.

This whirlwind campaign seems to herald a new sophistication in how Russian commanders conduct military operations. The most distinctive feature of the Russian operation was its emphasis on economy of effort. Unlike previous interventions in Afghanistan in the Soviet era, or Chechnya and Georgia more recently, where Russian commanders relied on mass employment of tanks and artillery, the Crimea intervention featured fewer than 10,000 assault troops lined up against 16,000 Ukrainian military personnel. The heaviest fighting vehicle employed by the Russians against the Ukrainians was the wheeled BTR-80 armoured personnel carrier (APC).

Once Russian troops had moved to blockade Ukrainian military personnel in their bases, psychological warfare, internet/media propaganda, intimidation, and bribery were their main weapons to undermine their opponents’ will to resist, rather than overwhelming firepower. Russian troops also displayed considerably discipline and patience during this phase. In addition, they appeared well equipped, boasting new personnel equipment, body armour, and light wheeled armoured vehicles.

This novel approach was necessitated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s need for the operation to be launched within a tight timeframe after the fall of the pro-Moscow regime in Kiev on 27 February.

Although the operation may have been planned for many months, there was insufficient time to mobilise a larger force. Russian commanders had to make do with naval infantry from the Black Sea Fleet already based in Crimea, backed up by a couple of battalions of airborne troops and Spetsnaz commandos flown onto the peninsula. Economy of force also fitted the campaign’s political narrative: that this was a mission to protect Crimea’s Russian-speaking population rather than an invasion.

Please note: This article is from a non-wingnut site and is written by an Englishman.

re: #113 Dark_Falcon

It really wasn’t a military operation though.

re: #110 aagcobb

Not a foreign enemy power, but rather a treasonous rebellion by internal enemies.

The oath of enlistment reads “I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic” for a reason

Yeah, right.

Port Authority Chairman David Samson on resignation: ‘Over the past months, I have shared with the Governor my desire to conclude my service to the [Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]. The timing is now right, and I am confident that the governor will put new leadership in place to address the many challenges ahead’ - statement via @NBCNews
end of alert

re: #111 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

But they generally don’t claw back all of it, only a portion.

True. I’m quite sure my partner has no current (or past) capability to pay a bill of that scope.

re: #116 Justanotherhuman

Yeah, right.

Port Authority Chairman David Samson on resignation: ‘Over the past months, I have shared with the Governor my desire to conclude my service to the [Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]. The timing is now right, and I am confident that the governor will put new leadership in place to address the many challenges ahead’ - statement via @NBCNews
end of alert

Translation: “If I resign , I’ll be able to keep my pension, which is better than being dragged out in handcuffs.”

re: #115 Kragar

The oath of enlistment reads “I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and >domestic” for a reason

And then the wingnuts try to claim that the CiC is the domestic enemy.

re: #114 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

It really wasn’t a military operation though.

What would you call it, then?

re: #117 Feline Fearless Leader

True. I’m quite sure my partner has no current (or past) capability to pay a bill of that scope.

I had intestinal surgery a couple of years ago, and had to be readmitted for an infection for a few days. The total bills, before being adjusted for insurance, were about $100k.

re: #118 Targetpractice

Christie is such a fucking weasel. And so are his spineless “aides”. They all deserve each other. But NJ doesn’t.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: ‘I honestly believe that having David Wildstein at the Port Authority was a mistake’ - @JessicaTaylor
see original on twitter.com

re: #122 Justanotherhuman

Christie is such a fucking weasel. And so are his spineless “aides”. They all deserve each other. But NJ doesn’t.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: ‘I honestly believe that having David Wildstein at the Port Authority was a mistake’ - @JessicaTaylor
see original on twitter.com

You gotta feel sorry for Christie though. Poor guy hired all these folks he thought were good and they turned out to be dirty rotten liars. Can’t you just feel the agony he’s going through, knowing they lied to him so much?

/////

This Lt Gov McConnell?

postandcourier.com

re: #120 Dark_Falcon

What would you call it, then?

Politics.

I mean, I guess they displayed a basic logistical ability, but they didn’t demonstrate that they could actually, y’know, fight another military.

re: #85 wrenchwench

Check your Twitter DM. There’s a suspicious “egg” out there.

re: #93 Fairly Sure I’m Still Obdicut

The funny part is that that tweet doesn’t actually contain a joke. I mean, I guess the joke is ‘we don’t know how much this costs’, but that’s not really, y’know, funny. Whatever the cost is, it’s lower than it would be without the ACA.

Weirdos like this Ace of Spade guy seem to think that the ACA created these uninsured people, that if we didn’t have the ACA we wouldn’t have to deal with them getting sick, needing care, going to the emergency room. It’s a really weird lack of critical thinking.

Actually enjoying the AoS tweet. It’s as close as we will get to crushing our enemies, seeing them driven before us, and hearing the lamentations of their women. Now let me get back to my last couple ACA enrollment referrals.

#GM has halted the sale of about a third of the #ChevyCruze models on dealer lots. http://t.co/qBrWC203Ar @chrisidore

— cnnmoney.com (@CNNMoney) March 28, 2014

re: #103 Romantic Heretic

You’d think a man, that is Frederic Wortham, who prides himself on his erudite knowledge of English would know that one.

As for the rest of the Code: Wortham probably ate nothing but pablum because that’s what this ‘code’ reduces comics to.

I don’t think Wertham wrote the Comics Code. After all, at that time Wertham dismissed the Code as an inadequate half-measure (per Wikipedia).

I know there’s a new thread, but this fits better here, heh:

“We're just not that into you, @ChrisChristie.” Watch this great video from the @iowademocrats: https://t.co/NHUSbiSA5t

— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) March 28, 2014