Did James O’Keefe Try to Plant an Undercover Operative in Ferguson to Incite Protesters to Violence?

Crossing all kinds of lines
US News • Views: 30,865

I don’t trust any of the people involved in this story, neither the James O’Keefe associates nor the New York Post, but if true this could be the end of James O’Keefe’s creepy business: Activist Allegedly Tried to Bait Protesters With ‘Kill Cops’ Script.

A controversial conservative activist is being accused of trying to incite anti-police protesters by saying, “I wish I could kill some of these cops,” to provoke them into making outrageous statements.

A former top staffer with Project Veritas, Richard Valdes, said the incident occurred in January, when an undercover operative assigned to infiltrate the protest groups was given a script that included the startling comment.

Valdes said he was fired by the group’s founder, James O’Keefe, for not following through on the bizarre assignment.

Valdes said Veritas assigned a Muslim undercover agent pretending to be anti-cop to attend protest meetings and utter the following statement: “Sometimes, I wish I could just kill some of these cops. Don’t you just wish we could have one of the cops right here in the middle of our group?”

But the undercover agent refused, according to Valdes.

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480 comments
1 goddamnedfrank  Mar 17, 2015 8:23:31pm

People are being dicks to Chuck and he’s not happy about it:

2 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 17, 2015 8:23:52pm

Sounds par for the course to me. How would this be any worse than what we know he’s already done?

3 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 8:24:11pm
“Project Veritas would never do anything that we believe would incite violence against police officers. Anyone suggesting otherwise is clearly unfamiliar with our body of work*,” Veritas spokesman Dan Pollack said.

*According to court documents obtained by Wonkette, conservative activist James O’Keefe has agreed to a $100,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed against him by Juan Carlos Vera, a former employee of ACORN. Vera filed the suit against O’Keefe in 2010, alleging O’Keefe had illegally taped their conversation at an ACORN office in California as part of his fraudulent “exposé” of the community activist group.
mediamatters.org

4 goddamnedfrank  Mar 17, 2015 8:26:27pm

Sorry, I kind went OT right off the bat there.

Still, it looks like his detention by the Capitol Police has emboldened criticism of him from his erstwhile colleagues. Expect more dicks to come flopping out of the woodwork, so to speak.

5 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 8:27:33pm

re: #2 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Sounds par for the course to me. How would this be any worse than what we know he’s already done?

While I agree in theory, someone (a police officer, most likely) could have been murdered depending if a crowd was whipped into a frothy frenzy. It’s not like Ferguson wasn’t a powder keg to start with.

6 Mattand  Mar 17, 2015 8:28:49pm

Combine the lack of empathy present in much of the conservative movement; the ego of someone who basically got a light wrist slap for breaking into a Senator’s office; and the smugness associated with destroying a liberal operation based solely on your fabrications.

Yeah, I can see these guys trying to start a riot to get someone (most likely black people) killed.

7 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 8:29:20pm

re: #4 goddamnedfrank

Tis ok by me. Chuck, he of the teenie peenie, deserves all the animosity he garners.

8 allegro  Mar 17, 2015 8:30:22pm

re: #3 jaunte

I believe it, that they weren’t trying to incite violence against the police. They wanted violence against the protesters, death by cop, by trying to record a supposed threat against the police to make them itchy enough to start shooting.

9 Decatur Deb  Mar 17, 2015 8:30:31pm

re: #6 Mattand

Combine the lack of empathy present in much of the conservative movement; the ego of someone who basically got a light wrist slap for breaking into a Senator’s office; and the smugness associated with destroying a liberal operation based solely on your fabrications.

Yeah, I can see these guys trying to start a riot to get someone (most likely black people) killed.

Their goal wouldn’t be to get someone killed, but to discredit the protesters. If someone got killed, that would just be collateral damage.

10 retired cynic  Mar 17, 2015 8:31:10pm

re: #3 jaunte

Our body of work, indeed. Gag me.

11 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 8:33:52pm

re: #10 retired cynic

I don’t think they really want anyone looking too closely at that body.

12 goddamnedfrank  Mar 17, 2015 8:34:49pm

re: #8 allegro

I believe it, that they weren’t trying to incite violence against the police. They wanted violence against the protesters, death by cop, by trying to record a supposed threat against the police to make them itchy enough to start shooting.

They wanted to get some bullshit rhetoric on video. It’s their basic MO, try to get people to go along with or condone an outrageous prompt, deceptively edit out all context, use video to discredit the target.

13 Dark_Falcon  Mar 17, 2015 8:36:28pm

re: #8 allegro

I believe it, that they weren’t trying to incite violence against the police. They wanted violence against the protesters, death by cop, by trying to record a supposed threat against the police to make them itchy enough to start shooting.

Whichever way any violence occurred it still would have been people dying so O’Keefe could get a ‘scoop’.

James O’Keefe is actually a throwback in that way. He would have fit right in among the staff of one of William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers 100. 110 years ago. This is the exact sort of shit those newspapers were infamous for doing.

14 Decatur Deb  Mar 17, 2015 8:39:15pm

Was this provocateur planning to wear the Bin Laden drag or the urban pimp suit? So many choices when you’re igniting a riot.

15 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 17, 2015 8:39:47pm

re: #12 goddamnedfrank

They wanted to get some bullshit rhetoric on video. It’s their basic MO, try to get people to go along with or condone an outrageous prompt, deceptively edit out all context, use video to discredit the target.

Yeah, see—that word “context”. They have no idea in hell what that means. They’d just stare at you if you used it. Their world is just fractally broken up into unconnected factoids, some of which support their side and must be plastered on every medium till they saturate them, and some that don’t and must be obliterated by ridicule and legal action.

Conservatism really is a diagnosable mental deficiency.

16 Dark_Falcon  Mar 17, 2015 8:39:59pm

re: #12 goddamnedfrank

They wanted to get some bullshit rhetoric on video. It’s their basic MO, try to get people to go along with or condone an outrageous prompt, deceptively edit out all context, use video to discredit the target.

O’Keefe and some of his allies call this sort of thing a “tactic out of the Saul Alinsky playbook” but that just proves they don’t understand Saul Alinsky. He never would have tried this sort of tactic, because he understood that riots are a bad thing and not something you want to encourage. They also give the government a ready-made excuse to crack down on your organization.

17 goddamnedfrank  Mar 17, 2015 8:40:37pm
James O’Keefe walks into a Starbucks.
18 Dark_Falcon  Mar 17, 2015 8:43:11pm

re: #15 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Yeah, see—that word “context”. They have no idea in hell what that means. They’d just stare at you if you used it. Their world is just fractally broken up into unconnected factoids, some of which support their side and must be plastered on every medium till they saturate them, and some that don’t and must be obliterated by ridicule and legal action.

Conservatism really is a diagnosable mental deficiency.

Take out that last sentence and you’re fine. This sort of thing isn’t ‘conservative’; It’s amoral exploitation intended to be marketed to a conservative audience. Whether it would have worked is unknowable, because the man O’Keefe intended to use to stir shit up refused to do so.

19 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 8:46:37pm
20 Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 17, 2015 8:48:35pm

re: #18 Dark_Falcon

Take out that last sentence and you’re fine. This sort of thing isn’t ‘conservative’; It’s amoral exploitation intended to be marketed to a conservative audience. Whether it would have worked is unknowable, because the man O’Keefe intended to use to stir shit up refused to do so.

Dark, Conservatism is what Conservatives are, what Conservatives believe, and what Conservatives do.

21 teleskiguy  Mar 17, 2015 8:49:28pm

James O’Queef. UpChuck Johnson. Don’t these assholes see Andrew Breitbart as their guide, their beacon, their muse?

Breitbart poisoned the well quite thoroughly. Hacks like UpChuck and O’Queef are emboldened to throw things like ethics and basic human decency out the window to further a far right ideology more in line with the politics going on in Trans-Somali Disputed Zone.

Breitbart thought he was doing right-wing gonzo journalism, injecting himself into the story any way he could. His methods in media were some of the most unscrupulous around. He’s gone, but he has devoted disciples like O’Queef and UpChuck.

22 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 8:49:31pm
23 Stephen T.  Mar 17, 2015 8:52:01pm

re: #8 allegro

I believe it, that they weren’t trying to incite violence against the police. They wanted violence against the protesters, death by cop, by trying to record a supposed threat against the police to make them itchy enough to start shooting.

I think that we’re over-thinking the O’Keefe strategy. Give a brown guy a script calling for violence against the police. Get video of the brown guy reciting script surrounded by “fellow” protesters. Carefully edit the rest of the video to not include the protesters saying they want none of that. Use video to “prove” that the protesters are violent thugs.

24 allegro  Mar 17, 2015 8:53:21pm

re: #21 teleskiguy

James O’Queef. UpChuck Johnson. Don’t these assholes see Andrew Breitbart as their guide, their beacon, their muse?

Breitbart poisoned the well quite thoroughly. Hacks like UpChuck and O’Queef are emboldened to throw things like ethics and basic human decency out the window to further a far right ideology more in line with the politics going on in Trans-Somali Disputed Zone.

Breitbart thought he was doing right-wing gonzo journalism, injecting himself into the story any way he could. His methods in media were some of the most unscrupulous around. He’s gone, but he has devoted disciples like O’Queef and UpChuck.

My only quibble with your comment is that I don’t see either of these little fucknoodles particularly caring about any ideology. They are simply into shit stirring for their own self promotion and know where the suckers are.

25 Decatur Deb  Mar 17, 2015 8:58:47pm

re: #24 allegro

My only quibble with your comment is that I don’t see either of these little fucknoodles particularly caring about any ideology. They are simply into shit stirring for their own self promotion and know where the suckers are.

There’s a direction to their BS, though, or else they could be Black Bloc ninja types. Both showed RW attachment in college, or even prep school for CCJ. O’Keeffe got a boost from the Leadership Institute, and CCJ had his ‘prize’ internships.

26 Dark_Falcon  Mar 17, 2015 8:59:49pm

re: #20 Blind Frog Belly White

Dark, Conservatism is what Conservatives are, what Conservatives believe, and what Conservatives do.

Thing is GJ, very few on the right and none in the mainstream condone this sort of dishonestly and almost all understand why its bad. There’s few racists who might consider this stunt a version of “lying for Jesus”, but even most of the racists won’t like it because if it had worked it would have put police officers in real danger.

James O’Keefe isn’t about ideology, and he’d just as happily concoct a dishonest ‘story’ for MSNBC as he would for Fox News. The difference is that NBC News tends to actually look for confirmation and so would likely figure out O’Keefe was full of crap, as usual.

O’Keefe was counting on having footage to hand to FNC which Fox would rush onto the air without first checking other sources for confirmation. Given the way Fox News often operates, it likely would have worked, too.*

*: I say ‘likely’ instead of ‘certainly’ because in my mind there’s a 10-20% chance that Fox would have decided this sort of story’ was risky to run without checking. Had they checked, even Fox would have uncovered O’Keefe’s dishonesty.

27 goddamnedfrank  Mar 17, 2015 9:00:42pm

USPS apparently broke the bottle of Birchwood-Casey Plum Brown I had coming from Amazon. That must’ve been an awful mess.

28 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 9:02:05pm

re: #25 Decatur Deb

“The Leadership Institute is a Virginia based training organisation for potential conservative political leaders.

According to the groups website The Leadership Institute is “the premier training ground for tomorrow’s conservative leaders. Conservative leaders, organizations and activities rely on the Institute for the preparation they require for success.”

………

Past Students

Mitch McConnell: U.S. Senator from Kentucky
Jim Gilmore: former governor of Virginia
Karl Rove: Bush 43 political strategist[2]
James Guckert: Talon News “reporter”
David McIntosh: Congressman from Indiana
Mark Souder: Congressman from Indiana
JoAnn Davis: Congresswoman from Virginia
Joe Wilson: Congressman from South Carolina
Grover Norquist: President, Americans for Tax Reform
Ralph Reed: former Executive Director Christian Coalition
Jason Miller: Young conservative leader
sourcewatch.org

29 teleskiguy  Mar 17, 2015 9:03:57pm

re: #24 allegro

My only quibble with your comment is that I don’t see either of these little fucknoodles particularly caring about any ideology. They are simply into shit stirring for their own self promotion and know where the suckers are.

There’s no doubt about this. But consider what they’re pushing. UpChuck is a white supremacist and anti-semite. O’Queef is pimping crazy wingnut shit on the daily. From his bio at his website:

James O’Keefe’s groundbreaking investigations have exposed corruption and malfeasance in major taxpayer-funded institutions, including ACORN, Planned Parenthood, public education, labor unions, NPR, Medicaid, Organizing for America, state election divisions, the “Obamaphone” program, Hollywood and more.

They’re pushing far right ideologies in addition to being egomaniacal turds of the human race.

30 Dark_Falcon  Mar 17, 2015 9:04:36pm

Presented without comment:

Ted Cruz tells Seth Meyers media turned him into ‘Freddy Krueger’

On Monday, a video was posted on YouTube showing Texas Sen. Ted Cruz speaking to a group over the weekend in New Hampshire and inadvertently freaking out a 3-year-old girl with his rhetoric that the Obama-Clinton foreign policy was a disaster and “the whole world’s on fire.”

“The world’s on fire?” said girl in the front row, identified by the Washington Post as Julie Trant. Laughter ensued.

Not surprisingly, the media ran with the story. Cruz appeared on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” on Monday night and did his best to re-humanize himself.

“In the last 24 hours there have been 50 media stories that say ‘Cruz terrifies little girl.’ By the end of it, I was Freddy Krueger, I had the fingernails. I mean, it was terrible.”

He went on to say that he was able to calm the girl down and even make her see him not as a boogeyman but as a kind of fireman.

31 CriticalDragon1177  Mar 17, 2015 9:04:45pm

Charles Johnson,

Don’t wingnuts accuse liberals of trying to do stuff like this all the time. Self projection maybe?

32 allegro  Mar 17, 2015 9:05:18pm

re: #28 jaunte

But they aren’t mainstream and they aren’t representative of the right. Right?

////

33 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 9:07:25pm

re: #32 allegro

Also see Ryan Sorba, who worked with O’Keefe to attack ACORN.
twitter.com

34 klys (maker of Silmarils)  Mar 17, 2015 9:07:30pm

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

Thing is GJ, very few on the right and none in the mainstream condone this sort of dishonestly and almost all understand why its bad. There’s few racists who might consider this stunt a version of “lying for Jesus”, but even most of the racists won’t like it because if it had worked it would have put police officers in real danger.

James O’Keefe isn’t about ideology, and he’d just as happily concoct a dishonest ‘story’ for MSNBC as he would for Fox News. The difference is that NBC News tends to actually look for confirmation and so would likely figure out O’Keefe was full of crap, as usual.

O’Keefe was counting on having footage to hand to FNC which Fox would rush onto the air without first checking other sources for confirmation. Given the way Fox News often operates, it likely would have worked, too.*

*: I say ‘likely’ instead of ‘certainly’ because in my mind there’s a 10-20% chance that Fox would have decided this sort of story’ was risky to run without checking. Had they checked, even Fox would have uncovered O’Keefe’s dishonesty.

Citation needed.

35 Floral Giraffe  Mar 17, 2015 9:08:33pm

re: #31 CriticalDragon1177

Ooh a chew toy?

36 Dark_Falcon  Mar 17, 2015 9:08:48pm

re: #34 klys (maker of Silmarils)

Citation needed.

I really have to say I’m going with my gut on that one and can’t back it up with sources.

37 goddamnedfrank  Mar 17, 2015 9:08:54pm

re: #27 goddamnedfrank

When the Post Office publishes their budget deficit for this year, you can thank me and my bottle of corrosive oxidizer for fucking their shit up even further.

38 CriticalDragon1177  Mar 17, 2015 9:09:01pm

re: #18 Dark_Falcon

Take out that last sentence and you’re fine. This sort of thing isn’t ‘conservative’; It’s amoral exploitation intended to be marketed to a conservative audience. Whether it would have worked is unknowable, because the man O’Keefe intended to use to stir shit up refused to do so.

And we should definitely be thankful that it didn’t work. I also agree with you, doing something like this hardly “conservative.” Its more “ends justify the means,” than anything else, assuming O’keefe didn’t want to rile up unrest just to get more readers and ad revenue.

39 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 9:11:36pm

re: #38 CriticalDragon1177

I also agree with you, doing something like this hardly “conservative.” Its more “ends justify the means,” than anything else

Unfortunately, the meaning of ‘conservative’ in the political world seems to have shifted to “radical reactionary.”

40 allegro  Mar 17, 2015 9:13:34pm

My point about not being about ideology as much as self promotion is like the way I see religious grifters. They know where the rubes are, those who will believe anything and hand over the cash. The teabaggers fit that bill beautifully. Whether the grifters believe their own bullshit is incidental.

41 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 9:14:08pm

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

Thing is GJ, very few on the right and none in the mainstream condone this sort of dishonestly and almost all understand why its bad.

You’re kidding, right? Right wingers in congress defunded ACORN over this. They knew it was bullshit. This type of stuff is everywhere on the right, from Fox to Limbaugh to Beck to Redstate to Drudge. Are you so blinded by loyalty to a party that hates everyone who’s not rich as fuck that you can’t see this?

42 CriticalDragon1177  Mar 17, 2015 9:17:44pm

re: #31 CriticalDragon1177

Why did someone thumb down my comment. When I say wingnuts, I’m basically talking about the far right, not the right in general.

43 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 9:19:53pm

re: #41 WhatEVs

And don’t tell me Limbaugh isn’t mainstream when every elected official bows before his feet. G. H. W. Bush called into his show asking “how’s our man Ailes”. How is that not mainstream?

44 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 9:20:45pm

re: #42 CriticalDragon1177

Why did someone thumb down my comment. When I say wingnuts, I’m basically talking about the far right, not the right in general.

There’s a difference? I haven’t seen that in about 8 years.

45 jaunte  Mar 17, 2015 9:21:36pm

re: #42 CriticalDragon1177

Never mind. It was a hit and run.

46 klys (maker of Silmarils)  Mar 17, 2015 9:23:22pm

re: #36 Dark_Falcon

I really have to say I’m going with my gut on that one and can’t back it up with sources.

With all due respect, the fact that you don’t want him on your side doesn’t change the reality that all of his actions are consistent with him being on your side.

47 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 9:25:39pm

re: #46 klys (maker of Silmarils)

With all due respect, the fact that you don’t want him on your side doesn’t change the reality that all of his actions are consistent with him being on your side.

And the fact that this is mainstream conservatism these days.

Voting Republican is voting for this, whether one approves or not.

48 teleskiguy  Mar 17, 2015 9:32:48pm
49 allegro  Mar 17, 2015 9:33:19pm

re: #48 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

Wut?

50 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 9:33:51pm

re: #49 allegro

Wut?

Parody account.

51 teleskiguy  Mar 17, 2015 9:34:04pm

re: #49 allegro

Wut?

T’is a parody account. I do like the handle, @HavanaTed.

52 allegro  Mar 17, 2015 9:34:43pm

Jeez, I bought it. LOL

53 Decatur Deb  Mar 17, 2015 9:36:54pm

Off to check the northern sky.
‘Nite, all.

54 Amory Blaine  Mar 17, 2015 9:40:13pm

Beautiful sky tonight. Plus, lots of togetherness.

55 allegro  Mar 17, 2015 9:45:16pm

re: #54 Amory Blaine

Beautiful sky tonight. Plus, lots of togetherness.

[Embedded content]

Heh, I was just thinking about my bucket list as I sit here enjoying a lovely Chardonnay, mellowing to Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood. I would very much like to, just one time, smoke a legal joint before I kick it.

56 piratedan  Mar 17, 2015 9:49:21pm

the more threads I read and the comments within, the closer I feel that DF is close to a Kevin Bacon security guard breakdown moment from Animal House indicating that all is still well and please remain calm about today’s GOP. You know DF, there may still be some very nice well meaning conservatives out there, but you folks aren’t in charge and we never hear you speak out en masse or work in unison to wrest your party away from these truly dangerous unethical pieces of work and the fact that you sashay in here and earnestly defend what you know to be a klown kar shitshow is simply sad.

57 teleskiguy  Mar 17, 2015 9:58:36pm

re: #55 allegro

I would very much like to, just one time, smoke a legal joint before I kick it.

We got ‘em in Colorado! We even got the big Bob Marley joints (recommended only for very large gatherings).

58 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 17, 2015 10:00:00pm

re: #48 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

Congratulations to Bibi Netanyahu on his re-election. Tonight’s vote proves that the people of Israel support a full repeal of Obamacare.

It might be worth having Obamacare repealed* to hear all the teabaggers who have their shiny new health insurance yanked away saying: “Wait a minute…that was Obamacare?”

I think of Dick Shawn in The Producers: “So you mean we can’t attack Germany?”

*Just kidding////

59 Timothy Watson  Mar 17, 2015 10:00:54pm

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

Thing is GJ, very few on the right and none in the mainstream condone this sort of dishonestly and almost all understand why its bad. There’s few racists who might consider this stunt a version of “lying for Jesus”, but even most of the racists won’t like it because if it had worked it would have put police officers in real danger.

James O’Keefe isn’t about ideology, and he’d just as happily concoct a dishonest ‘story’ for MSNBC as he would for Fox News. The difference is that NBC News tends to actually look for confirmation and so would likely figure out O’Keefe was full of crap, as usual.

O’Keefe was counting on having footage to hand to FNC which Fox would rush onto the air without first checking other sources for confirmation. Given the way Fox News often operates, it likely would have worked, too.*

*: I say ‘likely’ instead of ‘certainly’ because in my mind there’s a 10-20% chance that Fox would have decided this sort of story’ was risky to run without checking. Had they checked, even Fox would have uncovered O’Keefe’s dishonesty.

DF, O’Keefe and his ilk are the mainstream of the Republican Party.

60 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 10:06:21pm

Wow.

61 teleskiguy  Mar 17, 2015 10:09:12pm

re: #54 Amory Blaine

[picture of a bucket of beer]

I’ve not had a drop of alcohol for three weeks. One more week and it’ll be a month! Unthinkable just a year ago.

62 Amory Blaine  Mar 17, 2015 10:15:19pm

re: #61 teleskiguy

I have no doubt.

63 Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 17, 2015 10:15:31pm

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

Thing is GJ, very few on the right and none in the mainstream condone this sort of dishonestly and almost all understand why its bad. There’s few racists who might consider this stunt a version of “lying for Jesus”, but even most of the racists won’t like it because if it had worked it would have put police officers in real danger.

James O’Keefe isn’t about ideology, and he’d just as happily concoct a dishonest ‘story’ for MSNBC as he would for Fox News. The difference is that NBC News tends to actually look for confirmation and so would likely figure out O’Keefe was full of crap, as usual.

O’Keefe was counting on having footage to hand to FNC which Fox would rush onto the air without first checking other sources for confirmation. Given the way Fox News often operates, it likely would have worked, too.*

*: I say ‘likely’ instead of ‘certainly’ because in my mind there’s a 10-20% chance that Fox would have decided this sort of story’ was risky to run without checking. Had they checked, even Fox would have uncovered O’Keefe’s dishonesty.

You’re fooling yourself, Dark. If anything had come of it, it would be immediately excused as ‘getting them to say what they were thinking. They wouldn’t have shot them police if they weren’t all violent thugs!’.

Conservatism itself is no longer about ideology. It’s only about slutshaming, gayshaming, poorshaming, racism, and fellating the rich. Oh, and being the opposite of whatever they think Liberals are. Even their theocracy is largely a reaction to perceived loss of control. O’Keefe is about that. No, he wouldn’t do the same thing for MSNBC, because MSNBC is The Enemy.

Based on how Fox never apologized or corrected for the Shirley Sherrod or ACORN ‘scandals’, and stands behind Bill O’Reilly after calling for Brian Williams’ head, there’s no reason to believe they’d check it, or even stop running it after it had been exposed as incitement.

64 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 17, 2015 10:22:08pm

Driftglass on the Mickey Kaus situation:

No, Mickey, you’re not owned by Joe’s Muffler Shop: you’re a hooker in a franchise whorehouse who picked a fight with the madam.

Because integrity!

Seriously, Roger Ailes and a handful of others own Conservatism. Own it. And this consolidated, top-down control is the only reason the Conservative scam did not collapse long ago and Taratino-style under the weight its grotesque record of fraud, lies, blood and ruin (Not Safe For Work):

[Mexican standoff scene from Reservoir Dogs]

The scam remains upright and marching forward despite it’s unbroken record of failure and catastrophe only because everybody goose-steps to the same beat…all while LOUDLY shouting what Constitutional Conservative Christian Patriots they are using the words men like Roger Ailes put in their mouths.

When Roger decides deficits are irrelevant…nobody cares about deficits you terrorist-loving asshole because 9/11 changed everything!

When Roger decides deficits are the Most Important Issue in the World…hordes of enraged teabaggers fill the streets screaming about deficits and Kenya and taking their country back, while Village Elders gather in solemn conclave to insist that a cat-food commission be immediately convened to solve a problem they didn’t give a shit about 10 minutes before.

And if, this Fall, Roger decides Real Patriots (tm) need to signify by, say, putting porcelain figurines up their butts, expect Crazy Uncle Liberty to show up this Thanksgiving with a Hummel “Merry Wanderer” shoved up his ass, demanding to know to why you hate Murrica!

This is the way the media works now and everyone knows it.

But since this is the way the media works now, no one is permitted to say it.

65 WhatEVs  Mar 17, 2015 10:27:11pm

I’m shocked. Ok, not at all.

66 Lancelot Link  Mar 17, 2015 10:56:44pm

re: #54 Amory Blaine

Did you know that Diageo, the global corporation that manufactures Guinness, are supporters of the right-wing lobbying group, ALEC?
At least they stopped supporting the Heartland institute and sponsoring Rush Limbaugh a year or two ago.

67 LastYearsMan  Mar 17, 2015 11:10:38pm

It’s not about ideology for the right anymore (I also say as a former conservative). Now it’s just about tribalism. And what better way to make people show their allegiance than by demanding blatantly irrational beliefs? Only people who are on your side could possibly agree, quickly sorting the world into two groups. Then people who dare admit facts and logic can be labelled “partisan” and forgotten.

That’s been Fox’s technique since Roger Ailes came aboard. “Teach the controversy.” “Reality-based community.” “Science is a left-wing plot”.

And I fear that until the crazy right is absolutely crushed in the polls, things will only get worse.

68 Charles Johnson  Mar 17, 2015 11:20:21pm

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

James O’Keefe isn’t about ideology, and he’d just as happily concoct a dishonest ‘story’ for MSNBC as he would for Fox News.

Oh please. You can’t be serious.

These attempts of yours to disavow the actions of people like James O’Keefe are really wearing thin.

69 BeachDem  Mar 17, 2015 11:29:41pm

re: #68 Charles Johnson

Oh please. You can’t be serious.

These attempts of yours to disavow the actions of people like James O’Keefe are really wearing thin.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure O’Keefe hasn’t received any Young Liberals Awards—


James O’Keefe Wins 2014 YCC Buckley Award
Conservative filmmaker James O’Keefe was presented an award named after William F. Buckley, Jr. for “significant achievements in advancing the conservative cause” before the age of 30 at an awards ceremony in Washington DC last Friday evening…

The YCC awards the Young Professional Conservative Leadership “Buckley Award” to five “young professionals in recognition of significant achievements in advancing the conservative cause…

The other award winners were Editor in Chief Matthew Continetti of the Washington Free Beacon, Executive Director Roger Custer of America’s Future Foundation, Founder and Principal Attorney Dan Backer of DB Capitol Strategies and Chief Operating Officer Ryan P. Williams of The Claremont Institute.

(Now there’s a group no sane person wants to be part of.)

prweb.com

70 BeachDem  Mar 17, 2015 11:41:06pm

Oh, and as to that “nobody in the mainstream supports what O’Keefe does” bullshit, let us not forget:

A congressional resolution was introduced in 2009 with 31 cosponsors praising him for his work.

Broun, Paul [R-GA10]
Brown, Henry [R-SC1]
Akin, Todd [R-MO2]
Bartlett, Roscoe [R-MD6]
Barton, Joe [R-TX6]
Bishop, Rob [R-UT1]
Bonner, Jo [R-AL1]
Boozman, John [R-AR3]
Campbell, John [R-CA48]
Carter, John [R-TX31]
Coble, Howard [R-NC6]
Cole, Tom [R-OK4]
Conaway, Michael [R-TX11]
Culberson, John [R-TX7]
Fallin, Mary [R-OK5]
Franks, Trent [R-AZ2]
Gohmert, Louie [R-TX1]
Granger, Kay [R-TX12]
Hall, Ralph [R-TX4]
Jordan, Jim [R-OH4]
King, Steve [R-IA5]
Kline, John [R-MN2]
Lamborn, Doug [R-CO5]
Luetkemeyer, Blaine [R-MO9]
Lungren, Daniel [R-CA3]
Marchant, Kenny [R-TX24]
Pitts, Joseph [R-PA16]
Posey, Bill [R-FL15]
Roe, David “Phil” [R-TN1]
Schmidt, Jean [R-OH2]
Shadegg, John [R-AZ3]

Hmmm, what do all those cosponsors have in common???

71 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 12:12:01am

Ynet: Netanyahu wakes up to shock election victory

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been trailing his Zionist Union opponent in the polls leading up to the elections, the real-time results on Wednesday morning show the Likud leader enjoying a major advantage over the left-wing’s Isaac Herzog.

A count of 99 percent of the ballot boxes had Likud with 30 seats and Zionist Union with 24. The Joint Arab List placed third behind the two major parties with 14 seats. Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid received 11 seats.

Moshe Kahlon, lauded as this election cycle’s kingmaker, received 10 seats in the count, with Bayit Yehudi maintaining its eight seats, Yisrael Beytenu with six seats, United Torah Judaism and Shas at 7, Meretz dropping to 4.

A slightly more accurate count on other Hebrew news sites has the Likud with 29 - in the end, it’s almost the polar opposite of the 4-5 mandate lead that was actually projected according to nearly all the polls leading to yesterday (for the Zionist Union rather than the Likud)…

72 freetoken  Mar 18, 2015 1:35:39am

re: #71 Archangelus

I don’t know enough about Israeli government to know if the results are really significant in regards to changing anything, but if Netanyahu did win then I am certain that the wingnut GOP who invited him to speak to Congress will be crowing about it.

73 freetoken  Mar 18, 2015 1:39:16am

MP3 Audio

74 Nyet  Mar 18, 2015 1:50:24am

Netanyahu’s win once again shows that appeals to the lowest instincts of racism and bigotry work. Also, the whole concept of “special relationship” and “unconditional support” must be revised. Any support and good relations must be conditional on the two-state solution.

75 goddamnedfrank  Mar 18, 2015 1:58:46am

re: #71 Archangelus

Ynet: Netanyahu wakes up to shock election victory

A slightly more accurate count on other Hebrew news sites has the Likud with 29 - in the end, it’s almost the polar opposite of the 4-5 mandate lead that was actually projected according to nearly all the polls leading to yesterday (for the Zionist Union rather than the Likud)…

If the pre-election and exit polls differed from the actual result by that much here or there in the more liberal party’s favor right wingers would be up in arms and openly declaring the election to be stolen by fraud.

76 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 2:16:29am

re: #75 goddamnedfrank

Haaretz is saying Likud got 30 seats; Zionist Union 24; Joint List 14. Who will the Joint List and other parties align with? I suppose it depends upon how nationalistically rightwing they are.

Netanyahu can’t rule without cooperation from then, can he? He hasn’t got a mandate, not with 30 votes.

6:06 A.M. With 99 percent of the ballots counted, Likud is increasing its lead with 30 Knesset seats, compared to the Zionist Union’s 24.

The Joint List, the third-largest party, gets 14 seats, followed by Yesh Atid with 11, Kulanu with 10, Habayit Hayehudi with eight, Shas with seven, United Torah Judaism with six, Yisrael Beiteinu with six, and Meretz with four. It appears at this point that Yahad has not crossed the electoral threshold. (Haaretz)

haaretz.com

77 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 2:20:51am

Senior PA officials: Netanyahu’s win shows there is no partner in Israel

Abbas and PA have yet to respond officially, but sources say picture is clear following Netanyahu’s declarations during campaign vowing not to create Palestinian state or significantly clear settlements.

haaretz.com

78 Nyet  Mar 18, 2015 2:22:34am

re: #76 Justanotherhuman

As usual he will be joined by religious fanatics from Shas, racists and neofascists like Yisrael Beiteinu.

79 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 2:24:55am

re: #78 Nyet

Enough votes for a solid coalition?

80 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 2:30:29am

I’m just wondering exactly how many seats in the Knesset will give Netanyahu real power? Coalitions can fall apart and the govt might have to re-form.

81 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 2:36:03am

re: #76 Justanotherhuman

Haaretz is saying Likud got 30 seats; Zionist Union 24; Joint List 14. Who will the Joint List and other parties align with? I suppose it depends upon how nationalistically rightwing they are.

Netanyahu can’t rule without cooperation from then, can he? He hasn’t got a mandate, not with 30 votes.

6:06 A.M. With 99 percent of the ballots counted, Likud is increasing its lead with 30 Knesset seats, compared to the Zionist Union’s 24.

The Joint List, the third-largest party, gets 14 seats, followed by Yesh Atid with 11, Kulanu with 10, Habayit Hayehudi with eight, Shas with seven, United Torah Judaism with six, Yisrael Beiteinu with six, and Meretz with four. It appears at this point that Yahad has not crossed the electoral threshold. (Haaretz)

haaretz.com

Joint list is the Arab party union - they most certainly won’t support Netanyahu, but they’re apparently unwilling to sit in a coalition even if Herzog leads it. Insist on staying ‘outsiders’, and opposition at all costs even now, it would seem.
Yesh Atid should be hating Netanyahu with a passion - he personally fired their chairman, then-Finance Minister Yair Lapid - and ran a campaign that was unofficially against him.
Kahlon is the real wildcard at the moment - he’s Likud originally but was essentially forced out of the party, and his party’s ideology is more central-leaning. There’s also the fact that the Likud ran a horrendously dirty campaign against him - the party was found guilty by a court yesterday of running with an edited recording of the man from two years ago, playing it to voters in phone calls where it seemed as though he was supporting Netanyahu at the last minute. He could very much torpedo Netanyahu’s efforts if he wants, but given the difference in the final votes it would be a political first.

82 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 2:40:04am

If the Arab union and Kahlon decided to play along, Herzog could be the next PM - but the odds for the former are small and the latter unclear.

In any case, this was not as good a victory for Netanyahu as is being portrayed - sure it’s a stunning result given the original projections (the Likud got a lot of votes in the end from its traditional voters in the south, whom they screwed considerably but managed scare at the last minute) but the central-left axis is still stronger now than before and Netanyahu’s pissed off a LOT of the very parties he needs to play along with, including his “close” ideological allies in the right (from whom he also stole votes in the end - especially Bennet and Liberman).

83 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 2:43:09am

re: #82 Archangelus

Case in point: Avigdor Liberman, head of Yisrael Beitenu (and the man who was once Netanyahu’s closest ally), just implied that his seat in a Netanyahu coalition is not a given, and that he ‘won’t sit in the coalition at any price.’

84 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 2:43:55am

Chemical lobbyist exposed as author of new bill to regulate industry

Rachel Maddow reports on the discovery that a draft of a new law to make much-needed updates to regulations on the chemical industry was authored by the American Chemistry Council, the leading trade organization and lobbyist for the chemical industry.

msnbc.com

And a Democrat defends the draft of this bill. Hint: Not Barbara Boxer who explains some of the negative ramifications.

re: #81 Archangelus

Thanks for that explanation. I’d think that in light of Netanyahu’s remarks, Joint List would realize the faults of its position, but yes, they’re dealing with quite a diverse makeup in their own ranks, and damned if they do and damned if they don’t as they attempt to cement their “outsider” status.

85 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 2:46:26am

It is a rather mixed up mess of governing, no offense to Israelis in the audience. Building any sort of coalition government means either putting together parties whose leaders hate each other or putting together parties whose ideologies are at total odds with each other.

86 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 2:49:40am

re: #85 Targetpractice

It is a rather mixed up mess of governing, no offense to Israelis in the audience.

No offense should be taken, because pretty much most Israelis find the system to be royally FUBAR….

87 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 3:01:33am

I can’t begin to imagine what a parliamentary system would look like here in the US. The fighting is bad enough between two parties. Imagining the fights that would break out just to weld together a left, right, or center coalition gives me headaches.

88 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 3:02:40am

In Israel’s left wing, the Zionist Union/Labor grew considerably in strength compared to the last elections, the Arab faction became a new force to be reckoned with, and Meretz, the long-standing liberal party, lost votes but survived against some expectations.
In the central wing, Lapid’s party was weakened but still in play, and now appears to be a lasting force (a first, as most previous central parties in Israel didn’t survive after one term), while Kahlon rose to prominence for the first time.
In the right wing, Bennet’s nationalist right-wing party was essentially cut down to half, and Liberman right-wing party was weakened.
And among the religious factions, Yishai didn’t pass the electoral minimum and his new party has been wiped out, Shas barely survived a civil war and is headed by a formerly-convicted felon hated by many.

Did Bibi take the largest number of votes? Yes. Did he and the right really win? Don’t be too sure just yet…

89 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 3:03:17am

re: #86 Archangelus

Israel seems like a nation divided. Not unlike the US at this point in time, but it takes far more for a US admin’s party to fall from grace.

Even with Nixon’s shameful resignation, the Rs still retained power and Leslie Lynch King Jr. (who had changed his name to Gerald Rudolph Ford as an adult—not that I blame him) not only ascended to the VP slot earlier on the crook Spiro Agnew’s resignation, he was elevated to Pres when Nixon left and pardoned Nixon. The public, divided as usual, refused to keep him in office and elected Jimmy Carter by a narrow margin.

90 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 3:17:16am

re: #87 Targetpractice

I can’t begin to imagine what a parliamentary system would look like here in the US. The fighting is bad enough between two parties. Imagining the fights that would break out just to weld together a left, right, or center coalition gives me headaches.

I don’t even want to try imagining it - it would be downright impossible; Israel had 26 political parties running in this year’s elections (which is crazy but still an improvement after the last elections had 32) - and roughly 174,000 votes (about 4% of certified votes) were completely flushed down the toilet after only 10 of them passed the minimum vote threshold needed to enter the Knesset.
This is before even taking into account the massive infighting and conflicts between the 10 that made it.

It’s a messed up system, to say the least.

91 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 3:31:59am

I had a very weird dream last night that we all met at Charles’ house for some unknown reason. He was very gracious about it, though, for the most part. : )

We had only been there a short while, arriving in 2s and 3s, when I was awakened by my grandson coming in from work.

I dream about houses a lot, even former residences which only resemble those I lived in. Most are larger, even 2 stories. If I were a Jungian…

briancollinson.ca

To me, though, dreams are just an escape, part of sleeping, and I dream a lot, even several dreams, always have. Some remembered, some not, and most are usually pleasant.

92 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 3:44:35am

Part of “Blockupy” in Frankfort; “Capitalism Kills”.

About 350 people detained in Frankfurt’s European Central Bank protests, police say - @Polizei_FFM
end of alert

2h
Activist group Blockupy estimates about 10,000 demonstrators are at the rally in Frankfurt - @Reuters
end of alert

2h
80 police officers injured in Frankfurt ‘Blockupy’ protests, chief says - @FFHRegional
read more on ffh.de

93 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 3:53:42am

It’s not capitalism, per se, that kills—it’s the people who run it.

Money is power and it’s frequently abused through the greed of capitalism, often posing in “‘progressive” clothes.

94 Chrysicat  Mar 18, 2015 4:05:48am

re: #92 Justanotherhuman

Oh, joy. Communists coming out of the woodwork.

Look, guys, it really is true – capitalism is the worst economic system on earth, with the exception of any other.

Communism is particularly bad in that totalitarianism always comes along for the ride–just ask Venezuela.

95 Chrysicat  Mar 18, 2015 4:08:59am

re: #94 Chrysicat

One day I am going to learn why this site’s text editor now hates en-dashes.

96 Varek Raith  Mar 18, 2015 4:11:19am

Rant

The whole enrollment process for health care was a nightmare.
And I still can’t afford it.
This is a problem.
Wheee

/Rant

97 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 4:12:42am

re: #96 Varek Raith

Universal health care anyone? : )

Yeah, the Rs are actually going to allow that.

98 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 18, 2015 4:13:42am

re: #94 Chrysicat

Totalitarianism comes along for the ride with anything that is unregulated and has no checks and balances. Capitalism and feudalism both provide excellent ways for tyrants to organize an economy.

99 Varek Raith  Mar 18, 2015 4:14:12am

re: #97 Justanotherhuman

Universal health care anyone? : )

Yeah, the Rs are actually going to allow that.

That would be nice.
I just don’t understand how I make ‘too much’ for the tax credits, yet enough that I must have a plan that is unaffordable when I take in to consideration all my expenses, rent being the biggest one.
Oy.

100 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 4:14:59am

So it seems that, while everybody was focusing on the Israeli elections, the whole “DID SHE SIGN THE OF-109?!?!” Faux line imploded with the twin revelations that none of her predecessors did and that the form is optional for appointed officials.

101 Varek Raith  Mar 18, 2015 4:15:58am

re: #100 Targetpractice

So it seems that, while everybody was focusing on the Israeli elections, the whole “DID SHE SIGN THE OF-109?!?!” Faux line imploded with the twin revelations that none of her predecessors did and that the form is optional for appointed officials.

Did OF-109 win the Israeli elections?
First robot ruler.
Neat.

102 Varek Raith  Mar 18, 2015 4:17:30am

I have until April 30 to figure it all out. I’ll make it work somehows.
Thanks, Virginia.

103 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 4:18:30am

re: #101 Varek Raith

Did OF-109 win the Israeli elections?
First robot ruler.
Neat.

Nah, OF-109 was Megyn Kelly’s windmill to tilt at in “Emailghazigate,” this assertion that Hillary had committed perjury if she signed the form while maintaining her official emails on a private email server, or that there was something nefarious afoot if she refused to sign it. Turns out that neither is the case, but Kelly went on the air last night to continue to push the RNC line that not signing the form was a sign that she had something to hide.

104 Varek Raith  Mar 18, 2015 4:19:26am

re: #103 Targetpractice

Nah, OF-109 was Megyn Kelly’s windmill to tilt at in “Emailghazigate,” this assertion that Hillary had committed perjury if she signed the form while maintaining her official emails on a private email server, or that there was something nefarious afoot if she refused to sign it. Turns out that neither is the case, but Kelly went on the air last night to continue to push the RNC line that not signing the form was a sign that she had something to hide.

Ah, is that what the nonsense was all about.

105 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 4:22:40am

re: #99 Varek Raith

Yeah, rent is a big problem around here, too. Comparable apts to what I’m now paying would almost take up my entire SS check. And we’re not winding up in some broken down trailer, which is the only other alternative. I. refuse. them. And they’re energy-suckers, no matter how new they are.

Also, Medicare is no bargain when you have hundreds of dollars in co-pays moldering in your desk, all demanding payment which would dig into what little I have left over after other living expenses, even with my grandson picking up his part of the bills. We only manage because I can budget well enough, but that doesn’t include some things.

And today, I must pay cash for an eye exam and glasses, if needed. Medicare covers neither those nor dental work.

106 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 4:22:54am

BBIAB.

107 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 4:31:41am

re: #51 teleskiguy

T’is a parody account. I do like the handle, @HavanaTed.

Shouldn’t that be @SaskatoonTed?

108 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 4:36:04am

re: #77 Justanotherhuman

Senior PA officials: Netanyahu’s win shows there is no partner in Israel

Abbas and PA have yet to respond officially, but sources say picture is clear following Netanyahu’s declarations during campaign vowing not to create Palestinian state or significantly clear settlements.

haaretz.com

Projection. If the Palestinian ‘leadership’ really wanted Israel as a peace partner, then there would have been progress long ago. They decided on a path of belligerence and intransigence, and Netanyahu’s policies are their just reward.

109 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 4:38:52am

Bibi is all like this now to everyone:

110 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 4:41:16am

re: #109 The Mother Of All Pies

Bibi is all like this now to everyone:

[Embedded content]

Yeah, I’d say the US/Israeli “special relationship” was one of the casualties of these elections. After his statements this past weekend, I’d say the man can expect a very frosty reception in the near future from the White House.

111 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 4:42:30am

BIBI HAS WON TEH ELECTION, THAT MAKE HIM TEH KING OF EVERYTHING!!!!! WHY IS OBAMA STILL IN TEH WHITE HOUSE!!!1!!?????? INPEECH!!!!!

112 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 4:43:43am

re: #104 Varek Raith

Ah, is that what the nonsense was all about.

It’s designed to be bolted onto Whitewater, the White house Travel Office Firings. Vince Foster, Cattle Futuregate, and of course BENGHAZI!!!11. These things are all to be put together like the Transformers Constructicons to form Devastator The Proof Hillary Clinton is a Lying Liberal Bitch. Megyn Kelly will do so piecemeal, but I’m sure Glenn Beck will lay it out in full on one of his infamous blackboards.

113 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 4:47:15am

re: #105 Justanotherhuman

Yeah, rent is a big problem around here, too. Comparable apts to what I’m now paying would almost take up my entire SS check. And we’re not winding up in some broken down trailer, which is the only other alternative. I. refuse. them. And they’re energy-suckers, no matter how new they are.

Also, Medicare is no bargain when you have hundreds of dollars in co-pays moldering in your desk, all demanding payment which would dig into what little I have left over after other living expenses, even with my grandson picking up his part of the bills. We only manage because I can budget well enough, but that doesn’t include some things.

And today, I must pay cash for an eye exam and glasses, if needed. Medicare covers neither those nor dental work.

Double-check Medicare re eye exams.

114 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 4:48:49am

I’m not sure how it’s possible not to see the GOP pulling the strings on this latest “scandal.” NYT “breaks” the story just hours before the House GOP issues subpoenas and makes a lot of noise about these emails? Faux pushing the OF-109 in concert with demands from the RNC for said form from the State Dept? You sort of have to be blind not to realize who it is that is pushing this BS.

115 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 4:55:36am

re: #114 Targetpractice

I’m not sure how it’s possible not to see the GOP pulling the strings on this latest “scandal.” NYT “breaks” the story just hours before the House GOP issues subpoenas and makes a lot of noise about these emails? Faux pushing the OF-109 in concert with demands from the RNC for said form from the State Dept? You sort of have to be blind not to realize who it is that is pushing this BS.

The problem for Hillary Clinton is that the core issue isn’t BS: What she did wasn’t a crime, but creating a personal email account and then doing all of her State Department email through it was not what she was supposed to do as Secretary of State. It was clearly an attempt to avoid scrutiny, which while understandable is seriously problematic for a cabinet official. And her email’s initial lack of encryption left it vulnerable to interception, and there are many intelligence services that would love to read the US Secretary of State’s email.

The OF-109? Clearly a classic Fox News “OUTRAGEOUS OUTRAGE!!1”, but the email issue is real and legitimate.

116 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 4:58:42am

It’s also one that none of her potential opponents can attack her on without seeming to be massive hypocrites. And the GOP will find it difficult to charge her with a crime without evidence, which of course they do not possess. They can demand all they like that she turn over the server to a “neutral” party to investigate the matter, but the longer they beat on this horse, the more asinine it will seem.

117 urbanmeemaw  Mar 18, 2015 5:03:41am

re: #70 BeachDem

Oh, and as to that “nobody in the mainstream supports what O’Keefe does” bullshit, let us not forget:

A congressional resolution was introduced in 2009 with 31 cosponsors praising him for his work.

Broun, Paul [R-GA10]
Brown, Henry [R-SC1]
Akin, Todd [R-MO2]
Bartlett, Roscoe [R-MD6]
Barton, Joe [R-TX6]
Bishop, Rob [R-UT1]
Bonner, Jo [R-AL1]
Boozman, John [R-AR3]
Campbell, John [R-CA48]
Carter, John [R-TX31]
Coble, Howard [R-NC6]
Cole, Tom [R-OK4]
Conaway, Michael [R-TX11]
Culberson, John [R-TX7]
Fallin, Mary [R-OK5]
Franks, Trent [R-AZ2]
Gohmert, Louie [R-TX1]
Granger, Kay [R-TX12]
Hall, Ralph [R-TX4]
Jordan, Jim [R-OH4]
King, Steve [R-IA5]
Kline, John [R-MN2]
Lamborn, Doug [R-CO5]
Luetkemeyer, Blaine [R-MO9]
Lungren, Daniel [R-CA3]
Marchant, Kenny [R-TX24]
Pitts, Joseph [R-PA16]
Posey, Bill [R-FL15]
Roe, David “Phil” [R-TN1]
Schmidt, Jean [R-OH2]
Shadegg, John [R-AZ3]

Hmmm, what do all those cosponsors have in common???

Being elected by reasonable conservatives.

118 Bass Reeves  Mar 18, 2015 5:06:11am

re: #115 Dark_Falcon

May I ask, seriously, how you come to this conclusion when her actions are in line with her predecessors, and most of the relevant regulation wasn’t applicable while she was SoS?

I understand the line of reasoning that the Secretary of State should be using government email. I don’t understand how this is an attack when neither Condi, Powell, or any of the SoS before them did.

Edit:
I do agree about the security concerns btw, I just think the reason it was okay before was our lack of actual understanding of the cyber threat at the time.

119 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 5:07:19am

And since I had to mention BENGHAZI!!!11, here’s a story about something that’s actually happened in Benghazi:

The Libyan National Army going DIY: AK-230 naval guns mounted on trucks

This forced the Libyan National Army (LNA) to look for creative solutions to provide the required amount of firepower for its troops. And while the Libyan Conflict has seen the birth of many outright strange vehicle conversions over the years, the LNA in Benghazi took the contest to a whole new level by installing 30mm naval guns on trucks.

The first product of this limited series (seen above) combined a recently delivered Kamaz 6x6 with a double-barreled 30mm AK-230 naval gun originally found on Soviet fast attack craft, minesweepers and frigates. The AK-230’s original task was to shoot down incoming missiles and aircraft while guided by a MR-104 Drum Tilt radar.

To allow for easier access to the guns and munition, the turret was removed. The two 30mm NN-30 cannons are belt-fed, with each belt holding five-hundred rounds. Reloading the two cannons is extremely time-consuming, even for an experienced crew.

The Libyan National Army is currently fighting Libya Dawn in Benghazi, where the latter is currently entrenched in the hope to hold the city. Libya Dawn was in control of most of Benghazi, but never managed to capture the port, which also serves as a base to to the Libyan Navy.

Benghazi’s Naval Base was home to the Koni-class frigate 212 Al Hani, the Nanuchka-class corvette 416 Tariq-Ibn Ziyad, one of the few remaining Natya-class minesweepers and an inoperational Foxtrot-class submarine. However, the Al Hani left Benghazi a couple of years ago and the Tariq-Ibn Ziyad was set on fire by artillery and subsequently sunk.

The single Natya-class minesweeper already sunk close to a year before due a lack of maintenance, but not before it was deprived of both of its AK-230 gun emplacements, which were subsequently installed on the Kamaz and Scania trucks.

Here’s a photo of this wild-looking war wagon:

120 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 5:09:36am

To give an idea of how much of a non-story this “scandal” is, consider that Clinton’s two most likely opponents are in an even worse position. Jeb also used a private server for all his emails while in office, but he took said server home with him when he left. And he has also left the job of deciding which emails concerned official business to his staff, and they have not done a great job of it, as 12,000 emails have had to be pulled for containing personal information like names, birthdates, and SSNs.

As for Walker, the only way we’ve seen any of his emails from his time as Milwaukee County Exec and governor has been through those subpoenaed as part of the numerous “John Doe” investigations launched since he took the former office. Investigations which, it should be remembered, have resulted in six of his former compatriots ending up in prison.

121 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 5:11:17am

re: #118 Bass Reeves

May I ask, seriously, how you come to this conclusion when her actions are in line with her predecessors, and most of the relevant regulation wasn’t applicable while she was SoS?

I understand the line of reasoning that the Secretary of State should be using government email. I don’t understand how this is an attack when neither Condi, Powell, or any of the SoS before them did.

Actually Rice did have an use a .gov account, just not for everything. And things clearly were supposed to be moving in the .gov direction as well. As for the regulations, again I don’t think Clinton broke the law, but that’s never been what this is about. It’s more about her coming across as secretive while in an office where more disclosure was needed.

122 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 5:13:02am

re: #116 Targetpractice

It’s also one that none of her potential opponents can attack her on without seeming to be massive hypocrites. And the GOP will find it difficult to charge her with a crime without evidence, which of course they do not possess. They can demand all they like that she turn over the server to a “neutral” party to investigate the matter, but the longer they beat on this horse, the more asinine it will seem.

But wouldn’t that seem to argue against the story being stage-managed by Republican operatives? Why would such people do such a thing if their own side was vulnerable?

123 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 5:15:56am

re: #122 Dark_Falcon

But wouldn’t that seem to argue against the story being stage-managed by Republican operatives? Why would such people do such a thing if their own side was vulnerable?

That’s a might like asking why would they endanger a bipartisan bill that would demonstrate that they can govern by cramming in an amendment to appease special interests and then compounding the error by holding up a presidential appointment until said bill gets a vote.

124 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:19:15am

re: #113 Decatur Deb

It will only pay for needed surgery, like cataracts, AFAIK. And so far, I’m lucky.

But I’ll ask. : )

125 Bass Reeves  Mar 18, 2015 5:21:48am

re: #121 Dark_Falcon

No, I think that reference to the OF-109 is an attempt to say she broke the law. The original story was an attempt to say she broke the law. The main story line has been that she broke the law. The legitimate part is that her security was lax. I’m not super concerned about lax security on unclass emails that have been mostly dumped on the public over the last few years anyway because of Benghazi.

126 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:22:41am

re: #107 The Mother Of All Pies

Yeah, that’s really snarky. : )

127 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 5:25:08am

re: #126 Justanotherhuman

Yeah, that’s really snarky. : )

[Embedded content]

If only wingnuts knew that Israel has single-payer healthcare and free abortion…

128 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 5:26:15am

re: #125 Bass Reeves

No, I think that reference to the OF-109 is an attempt to say she broke the law. The original story was an attempt to say she broke the law. The main story line has been that she broke the law. The legitimate part is that her security was lax. I’m not super concerned about lax security on unclass emails that have been mostly dumped on the public over the last few years anyway because of Benghazi.

Indeed, the entire focus of the Times story was on the potential illegality of her actions, and everything flowed from there. This attempt now to argue that there is a legitimate “scandal” here by suggesting there is something to the concern over security on said server or her having a separate server being indicative of an intent to conceal information is ridiculous.

129 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 5:26:57am

re: #125 Bass Reeves

No, I think that reference to the OF-109 is an attempt to say she broke the law. The original story was an attempt to say she broke the law. The main story line has been that she broke the law. The legitimate part is that her security was lax. I’m not super concerned about lax security on unclass emails that have been mostly dumped on the public over the last few years anyway because of Benghazi.

The OF stands for “optional form”. Translation for stalkers and conservatives: It’s not required.


gsa.gov

130 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:28:30am

re: #124 Justanotherhuman

So, here it is. Since I have a little night blindness but am no longer pre-diabetic, not really sure if it will pay for anything. I haven’t had an eye exam in at least 6 yrs, but my vision is not quite as sharp as it was, even though I can still see quite clearly to drive. Also, driver’s license renewal is next birthday, Feb ‘16.

medicareinteractive.org

131 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 5:28:48am

Today’s right-wing faux scandal: Hillary Clinton did not sign a document she was not required to sign. Not only was she not required to sign it, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and every other Secretary of State wasn’t required to sign it either. Nor did they.

132 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 5:29:15am

re: #95 Chrysicat

One day I am going to learn why this site’s text editor now hates en-dashes.

Just use two hyphens—it turns that into an em-dash.

133 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:30:16am

re: #131 Dr. Matt

But Rs will use every off-the-wall complaint they have to make Clinton look bad to the public at large, which doesn’t pay much attention to anything but screaming headlines.

134 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 5:32:37am

re: #133 Justanotherhuman

But Rs will use every off-the-wall complaint they have to make Clinton look bad to the public at large, which doesn’t pay much attention to anything but screaming headlines.

Of course. Clinton Derangement Syndrome was the precursor to ODS.

135 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:33:31am

Editor’s note: Exchanges of gunfire have been heard at Tunisia’s parliament building, Reuters is reporting citing the TAP state news agency. A large police presence is moving to evacuate the building, reports say. A local radio station is reporting three gunmen may have also taken a hostage from nearby Bardo museum and may have attacked a tourist bus in front of the museum. Deaths and injuries are unconfirmed. We’re watching for updates to confirm this story. - Rebecca

Tunisia security forces surrounding 2 militants inside Bardo Museum in parliament grounds, government official says - @Reuters

Tunisian interior ministry spokesman says security forces still verifying media reports that militants are holding tourists hostage in parliament attack - @Reuters

136 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:36:36am

More:

At least 8 tourists killed in Tunisia parliament attack, government official says; others held at nearby museum - @Reuters
end of alert

137 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 5:36:49am

I love this guy:

138 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:41:19am

The Bardo Museum and Tunisian Parliament are very close, as shown on this map.

139 De Kolta Chair  Mar 18, 2015 5:43:13am
140 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:45:15am

Of course your mother would say that. We’re all underprivileged anyway, so this will work well for us.

In e-mail, Barbara Bush says Jeb Bush ‘is our best chance of taking back the White House in 2016,′ launches ‘Run Jeb, Run Fund’ - @edatpost
see original on twitter.com

141 De Kolta Chair  Mar 18, 2015 5:47:50am

re: #137 Dr. Matt

Cartoon by Ashley Holt
142 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 5:55:31am

Holy shit, to $8,900/mo? Are the walls painted in gold leaf or something?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TENANT FACING 400 PERCENT RENT INCREASE

abc11.com

143 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 5:55:31am

Good morning Lizards from sunny (as always) Philadelphia!

No luck with the flash drive - so now I look into data recovery. And looking on the originating laptop it looks like I did a “move” rather than a “copy” and the photos are not otherwise recoverable. (sigh)

144 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 6:00:30am

re: #140 Justanotherhuman

Of course your mother would say that. We’re all underprivileged anyway, so this will work well for us.

In e-mail, Barbara Bush says Jeb Bush ‘is our best chance of taking back the White House in 2016,′ launches ‘Run Jeb, Run Fund’ - @edatpost
see original on twitter.com

Wait, I thought Barbara said we “had enough Bushes”

145 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 6:01:33am

re: #142 Justanotherhuman

Holy shit, to $8,900/mo? Are the walls painted in gold leaf or something?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TENANT FACING 400 PERCENT RENT INCREASE

abc11.com

Why do I get a feeling that the landlord has been given a sweet offer for the property, sans tenants?

146 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:01:51am

re: #144 The Mother Of All Pies

But you can never have enough privilege and power. Gotta keep that in the family, doncha know.

147 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:05:07am

re: #145 Targetpractice

Why do I get a feeling that the landlord has been given a sweet offer for the property, sans tenants?

There appears to be a loophole in the law that, since the tenants in another apt left, she is the only one in the bldg, so it can be considered a “one family home”. And these assholes are taking advantage of it.

Nadia Lama, of the landlord family, is trying for damage control:

abc7news.com

148 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:08:25am

In a bit of irony, regarding that terrorist attack in Tunisia:

Lawmakers were discussing anti-terrorism legislation prior to attack on Tunisian parliament - @BBCAfrica

bbc.com

149 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:10:19am

And, in Clown Car news:

Donald Trump announces he is forming a presidential exploratory committee; ‘I am the only one who can make America truly great again’ - statement
end of alert

Ego: Totally out of control.

150 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 6:15:23am

re: #149 Justanotherhuman

And, in Clown Car news:

Donald Trump announces he is forming a presidential exploratory committee; ‘I am the only one who can make America truly great again’ - statement
end of alert

Ego: Totally out of control.

…

151 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 6:17:47am

re: #149 Justanotherhuman

And, in Clown Car news:

Donald Trump announces he is forming a presidential exploratory committee; ‘I am the only one who can make America truly great again’ - statement
end of alert

Ego: Totally out of control.

Translation: I need more attention

152 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 6:20:41am

In all fairness, this is a step further than last time. As we all remember, last time all he did was make a lot of noise about considering a run…then used all the attention to promote his show.

153 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:21:31am

Is this good news?

Microsoft says it will upgrade ‘all qualified PCs’ to Windows 10 sometime this summer - @Reuters
end of alert

154 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 6:24:00am

re: #152 Targetpractice

In all fairness, this is a step further than last time. As we all remember, last time all he did was make a lot of noise about considering a run…then used all the attention to promote his show.

Pffftt. I’m awaiting a serious commitment by the First Hairpiece.

155 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:24:54am
156 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 6:26:27am

re: #81 Archangelus

And by running his own party, he can now dictate terms to a coalition govt with Likud and Bibi that he wasn’t able to as a member of Likud directly. That means extracting concessions or ministry positions that he would otherwise have been unable to obtain.

Likud’s path to getting a coalition is still easier than Zionist Union, and Bibi’s still going to get a first crack at forming the coalition (which is as I’ve seen it for the past week, even with all the noise from the pre-election polling putting ZU ahead). I see him getting it done by cobbling together with Yesh Atid, the religious parties, and Kolanu.

Interestingly, the new Knesset will have more women, fewer Orthodox, and more Arabs. Yet the coalition government will be more right wing than before.

Welcome to Israel, where the government makes even less sense than the parliamentary process used in electing it.

157 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 6:27:54am

Oh, and we just had a quick burst of snow during brilliant sunshine here in Lower Manhattan. Sun-snow. Super. Welcome to spring in NYC, which by the way starts Friday with 1-3 inches of snow predicted.

158 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 6:27:54am

re: #155 Justanotherhuman

At the Bardo museum now. Quietly shitting myself.

How’s Brigitte holding up?

159 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 6:27:54am

re: #152 Targetpractice

In all fairness, this is a step further than last time. As we all remember, last time all he did was make a lot of noise about considering a run…then used all the attention to promote his show.

Bingo. It’s just another pathetic PR stunt by the bozo. And the media will fall for it, fawn over Trump, give him unwarranted airtime, etc., etc., etc

160 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:30:10am

French comedian found guilty over anti-Charlie Hebdo joke

reuters.com

161 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 6:30:49am

re: #159 Dr. Matt

Bingo. It’s just another pathetic PR stunt by the bozo. And the media will fall for it, fawn over Trump, give him unwarranted airtime, etc., etc., etc

I figure he and Carson are engaged in the same scam, making a lot of noise about considering a run when everybody knows they will never get very far, before quietly dropping out and pocketing the money.

162 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 6:31:03am

re: #124 Justanotherhuman

It will only pay for needed surgery, like cataracts, AFAIK. And so far, I’m lucky.

But I’ll ask. : )

Wife, who handles our money, says mine are re-eimbursed to the optometrist (1:yr).

163 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 6:33:28am

Stover man charged with threatening the President

An Aryan Nation-connected white supremacist in Missouri.

My shocked face…

164 wrenchwench  Mar 18, 2015 6:34:17am

This one is for the quasi extinct olds:

165 CuriousLurker  Mar 18, 2015 6:34:54am

Excuse me while I go OT for a minute. This all sounds so familiar—freaking religious extremists all seem to use the same “logic” (in case anyone is unfamiliar with it, VNP is the right-wing Hindu Nationalist NGO):

VHP defends attack on Haryana church, says rape of nuns is ‘Christian culture’

VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain on Monday defended the demolition of a church in Hisar, Haryana, asking whether Christians would allow construction of a Hanuman temple in Vatican City. […]

Rubbishing any communal angle claim in the gang-rape of a nun in Bengal, Jain said that it was a ‘conspiracy of the church’ and that sexual exploitation of nuns was a ‘Christian culture’, not a Hindu one. […]

Ugh. I need to stop reading my Google Alerts first thing in the morning.

166 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:34:59am

reuters.com

(snip)

“The EB-5 program is also driving up prices of residential property, real estate agents said. Many Chinese immigrants with EB-5 visas make a living collecting rent in less expensive states such as Texas and North Caroline, they said.

“Some of them don’t speak English and cannot find a job, so they buy four or five houses to generate rental income here, where housing prices are cheaper but can still give them a 6 to 7 percent yield,” said Houston-based agent Gladys Wang.

“This is the third wave of immigrants; they’re the upper-middle class and no longer the most wealthy ones from China.” More

167 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 6:35:34am

re: #164 wrenchwench

This one is for the quasi extinct olds:

[Embedded content]

“Please tell your leader there is nothing up there that will save your dying planet.”

168 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 6:40:31am

Grasping at a strawman argument, LOL:

littlegreenfootballs.com

169 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:41:35am

re: #157 lawhawk

Heh. I’m ready for spring and bought lavender, thyme and rosemary plants yesterday. Putting them into the ground instead of containers (the others died over winter in containers even though they were mature), but won’t do it yet, since it’s a bit early.

But I want to. : )

170 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Mar 18, 2015 6:43:39am

Good morning Lizards.

171 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 6:43:53am

re: #168 Backwoods_Sleuth

Grasping at a strawman argument, LOL:

littlegreenfootballs.com

We should simply issue a free and mandatory Citizen ID to everyone, and a legal resident alien ID to everyone who is not a citizen. That would end all discussion of voter and welfare fraud and make it a lot easier to control and regulate illegal immigration.

Any takers out there?

172 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:45:11am

re: #168 Backwoods_Sleuth

Cheeez. And IDs are so not free. $10 for a non-driving ID in NC in addition to gas, distance, time (mostly taken off work), etc.

That person is a total idiot.

173 Archangelus  Mar 18, 2015 6:47:08am

re: #149 Justanotherhuman

Ego: Totally out of control.

Same applies to the pet roadkill hairpiece

174 wrenchwench  Mar 18, 2015 6:47:13am

And here’s one for goddamnedfrank:

[…]

“Yeah, I know,” Giles continued, “but it’s another interesting funny thing about race. Like, there would be some people that would feel that you co-opted something like that, and other people might feel like that’s his background and that’s really cool too… These are conversations, you know, ‘Yo, like ya know, yeah, if somebody takes my wallet,’ I mean it’s really interesting.”

“It’s also interesting because I’m actually black, but you assumed otherwise,” said Smooth, so patiently. “And this is the sort of awkwardness we can look forward to at Starbucks across America.”

175 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 6:47:17am

re: #171 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

We should simply issue a free and mandatory Citizen ID to everyone, and a legal resident alien ID to everyone who is not a citizen. That would end all discussion of voter and welfare fraud and make it a lot easier to control and regulate illegal immigration.

Any takers out there?

Wait and go bio-metric.
“Pee in the cup and dip your ballot in it.”

176 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:47:52am

The Rs will just say he’s taking another vacation…

177 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 6:48:32am

re: #175 Decatur Deb

Wait and go bio-metric.
“Pee in the cup and dip your ballot in it.”

I like the concept of voting by pissing in the corresponding cup. Would make democracy a lot more of a viable concept to a lot of people.

178 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Mar 18, 2015 6:48:40am

re: #176 Justanotherhuman

He’s going to Hedonism II (which if he did would definitely earn him cool points in my book).

179 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 6:48:41am

Mornin’ everyone…

180 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 18, 2015 6:49:47am

GotNwes is catching up with the news cycle.

EXCLUSIVE: The absolutely true (in our mind) story of the Chuck Johnson Bakersfield Affair

181 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Mar 18, 2015 6:49:50am

re: #177 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

I like the concept of voting by pissing in the corresponding cup. Would make democracy a lot more of a viable concept to a lot of people.

yeah but to make it truly satisfying you’d have to have it where the person they are voting for is the cup they DIDN’T piss in. That way it would be a vote for someone and registering their displeasure with the other person.

182 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 6:49:56am

re: #176 Justanotherhuman

The Rs will just say he’s taking another vacation…

[Embedded content]

No, he is going to Jamaica to discuss plans to impose mandatory marijuana consumption on all US citizens and going to Panama to oversee handing the Canal over to ISIS.

183 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 6:50:25am

re: #177 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

I like the concept of voting by pissing in the corresponding cup. Would make democracy a lot more of a viable concept to a lot of people.

Free drug test, diabetes screening, and NFL clearance. What’s not to love?

184 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Mar 18, 2015 6:50:52am

re: #179 darthstar

also add in grapes, wine, pistacchios, and X number of other fruits and vegetables.

185 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 6:50:53am

re: #181 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

yeah but to make it truly satisfying you’d have to have it where the person they are voting for is the cup they DIDN’T piss in. That way it would be a vote for someone and registering their displeasure with the other person.

Think about it. What does the person you vote for do almost immediately after taking office?

186 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 18, 2015 6:51:07am

re: #143 Feline Fearless Leader

Good morning Lizards from sunny (as always) Philadelphia!

No luck with the flash drive - so now I look into data recovery. And looking on the originating laptop it looks like I did a “move” rather than a “copy” and the photos are not otherwise recoverable. (sigh)

You got a Linux box around?

187 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 6:51:13am

re: #176 Justanotherhuman

The Rs will just say he’s taking another vacation…

[Embedded content]

He’s a Secret Rasta.

188 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Mar 18, 2015 6:51:49am

re: #185 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

Think about it. What does the person you vote for do almost immediately after taking office?

Fair point. I just would love to register my displeasure with republicans by pissing in their cup and it not being a vote for them.

189 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:51:58am

re: #179 darthstar

And the prices are already being reflected in the supermarkets. Artichokes I can do without; the rest, not so much.

190 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 6:53:25am

re: #179 darthstar

To say nothing of the fact that a whole bunch of the nation’s bottled water (Dasani, Arrowhead, Aquafina, & Crystal Geyser etc.) comes from California sources.

The state is a mess when it comes to trying to adopt rational water use policies when they can’t even identify all of the users in one place.

And because the drought shows no signs of lifting, this problem is going to get much worse. Much worse.

191 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 18, 2015 6:53:53am

re: #153 Justanotherhuman

Is this good news?

Microsoft says it will upgrade ‘all qualified PCs’ to Windows 10 sometime this summer - @Reuters
end of alert

For free? That I kinda doubt.

192 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 6:54:26am
193 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 6:54:54am

re: #191 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

For free? That I kinda doubt.

They will upgrade Windows Vista to free Ubuntu.

194 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:56:26am

re: #180 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Brilliant!

195 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 18, 2015 6:57:05am

re: #194 Justanotherhuman

Brilliant!

Thanks. it’s been percolating in my head since this weekend.

196 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 6:59:25am

Trees are in full bloom, daffodils up.

Wowser, it’s spring, at least it is here. Feeling liberated. : )

BBL.

197 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:05:31am

re: #180 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

GotNwes is catching up with the news cycle.

EXCLUSIVE: The absolutely true (in our mind) story of the Chuck Johnson Bakersfield Affair

Nicely done. As presidential candidates start coming to California to suck at the money tit, expect more opportunities for Chuckles to get escorted from events by security.

198 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:08:29am
199 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Mar 18, 2015 7:09:48am

re: #191 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

For free? That I kinda doubt.

That’s their claim. All PC’s running Win 7 and above. Including pirated copies: Microsoft tackles China piracy with free upgrade to Windows 10.

200 Timothy Watson  Mar 18, 2015 7:13:10am

re: #199 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

That’s their claim. All PC’s running Win 7 and above. Including pirated copies: Microsoft tackles China piracy with free upgrade to Windows 10.

You’ll take my Windows 7 from my cold, dead hands!

201 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 7:18:46am

re: #186 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

You got a Linux box around?

No. Which might be unfortunate.

Though I will also talk to the PC Support guy here at work when I get a chance to see if he has any suggestions or software on-hand. Otherwise, I will download and try Recuva or a similar product this evening.

202 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 18, 2015 7:21:16am

re: #201 Feline Fearless Leader

No. Which might be unfortunate.

Though I will also talk to the PC Support guy here at work when I get a chance to see if he has any suggestions or software on-hand. Otherwise, I will download and try Recuva or a similar product this evening.

I wrote this some time ago, after I managed to recover a corrupted SD card. YMMV.

wheatdogg.com

203 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 7:24:17am

The GOP clown car has another occupant:

204 Timothy Watson  Mar 18, 2015 7:25:04am

re: #201 Feline Fearless Leader

No. Which might be unfortunate.

Though I will also talk to the PC Support guy here at work when I get a chance to see if he has any suggestions or software on-hand. Otherwise, I will download and try Recuva or a similar product this evening.

You could try a Linux LiveCD/LiveUSB.

205 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 7:25:40am

re: #202 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I wrote this some time ago, after I managed to recover a corrupted SD card. YMMV.

wheatdogg.com

PhotoRec is on my list as an alternate solution to try if the initial attempts fail.

(I am especially annoyed about this since I very carefully made sure to verify the USBs were disconnected using Windows, and so forth. I probably disturbed the drive somehow by deleting a set of old folders to make space and then moved in a big folder with 1.6 G of photos on it.)

206 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:26:38am

re: #200 Timothy Watson

You’ll take my Windows 7 from my cold, dead hands!

I’ve still got Windows 7 on this Dell in my lap, though I’m running Ubuntu. Need to reformat one day and wipe the rest of that partition out.

207 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:27:46am

re: #203 Lidane

The GOP clown car has another occupant:

[Embedded content]

Presidential exploratory committee = Talk show invite pre-requisite.

208 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:31:19am

re: #207 darthstar

Presidential exploratory committee = Talk show invite pre-requisite.

209 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 7:31:43am

Ucch I just blocked someone in my Time Line who compared Bibi to ISIS.

Bibi sucks but HE IS NOT ISIS OR HITLER.

210 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 7:32:42am

Oh fuck you, you lying hack.

211 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 7:32:53am
212 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 7:33:48am

re: #209 The Mother Of All Pies

Ucch I just blocked someone in my Time Line who compared Bibi to ISIS.

Bibi sucks but HE IS NOT ISIS OR HITLER.

That’s stupid. It’s well established that Obama is ISIS and Hillary is Hitler/

//

213 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 7:34:07am

re: #192 darthstar

[Embedded content]

That graph isn’t actually useful, and the book the tweet links to is far too partisan to be considered anything but preaching to the liberal choir.

Verdict: Non-credible source.

214 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 7:35:44am

That’s a feature, not a bug. Many of these folks seem to think that a 2-state solution (or 3-state) or any kind of peace process isn’t workable. So, hearing Bibi saying he’d never accept a 2-state solution, and wont divide Jerusalem is music to their ears.

Frankly, though, you can’t trust anything Bibi says. The Israeli govt continues to have backchannels with Hamas and the PA through direct and indirect means. Netanyahu himself has warned about the demographics of not having a 2-state solution (though that too presents problems in how he perceives Arabs, minorities, and even the Orthodox Jews - demographics is an issue for all plurality and equality in Israel, and making these kinds of pronouncements - whether that there’s a demographic bomb waiting to go off, or a refusal to consider a 2-state solution - is a huge problem for which he offers no solution.

That’s why I think he has gone and said outlandish stuff for the sake of winning reelection. It’s not going to be a true reflection of what the Israeli govt actually does. Frankly, I see the Netanyahu government continuing to fumble and stumble along. I can even see another round of fighting with Hamas down the road with the same kind of muddled outcome where Palestinians suffer casualties far in excess of Israelis, but Gaza takes another pounding and Hamas declares victory while Israelis wonder just how their security has improved with yet another war with Hamas that hasn’t admitted defeat in a generation.

215 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 7:36:17am

re: #168 Backwoods_Sleuth

It’s baaack!

216 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:36:29am

re: #213 Dark_Falcon

That graph isn’t actually useful, and the book the tweet links to is far too partisan to be considered anything but preaching to the liberal choir.

Verdict: Non-credible source.

He hawks his book in every tweet. But we don’t need the graph anyway…we have you. :)

217 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 7:38:43am

No. of comments posted: 32
Karma: -23
littlegreenfootballs.com

Nice ratio.

218 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 7:39:37am

re: #214 lawhawk

The problem is that there is no solution with Hamas, or at least none that any moral nation could implement. Israel has to obtain meaningful security gains in exchange for concessions, and no Palestinian faction is willing or able to make that happen.

219 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:40:22am

re: #216 darthstar

He hawks his book in every tweet. But we don’t need the graph anyway…we have you. :)

And we still have Tom Cotton.

220 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 7:40:42am

re: #214 lawhawk

I believe it’s been noted by far greater personages than myself that Israel only has three real options when it comes to dealing with the Palestinians: two-state solution, apartheid, or driving them off the land. If Bibi really is seriously about abandoning a two-state solution, then he’s left with either apartheid or genocide. I’m not sure which the GOP feels is an acceptable answer, but I’m sure whichever Bibi chooses, they’ll be totally okay with arguing that the Palestinians “brought it on themselves.”

221 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:43:08am
222 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 7:43:51am

It’s good to have a congressman who isn’t afraid to talk about jazz.

223 Timothy Watson  Mar 18, 2015 7:44:54am
The fervor surrounding American Sniper is divided into two camps. On one side, it’s people who take issue with the lies Chris Kyle included in his memoir (which are omitted from the film adaptation), who then decided to question the motivations and recollections of a war vet with clear emotional struggles. On the other side, it’s the America-boner, war drum-beating “Serve, or STFU” die hard fans who thought the guy who directed the film was on their side. *sad trombone* Turns out Clint Eastwood is still standing his ground that the movie is anti-war and you know what? I’m having trouble typing because I’m laughing at the irony, so read his direct quote as I compose myself. Via Huffington Post:

I think it’s nice for veterans, because it shows what they go through, and that life — and the wives and families of veterans. It has a great indication of the stresses they are under. And I think that all adds up to kind of an anti-war [message].

AHAHAHAHA, OH GOD, OH GOD IT’S SO GOOD, I’M STILL GOING, HERE, HERE READ THE REST:

Eastwood admitted the film “glorifies” the sniping that its true-life subject, Chris Kyle, did during his tours in Iraq, but he said Kyle’s actions are qualified by regrets. “And that’s just the way it is,” he said. “I think it’s anti. It just depends on how you want to look at it.”

thesuperficial.com

NOTE: LINK IS NSFW/LSFW DUE TO PHOTOS IN THE SIDEBAR.

224 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 7:49:11am

re: #223 Timothy Watson

Second comment:

Were there WMD’s, yes. It’s been proven.
Was it noble thing to depose Hussein? Yes.
Was the cost worth it? No. I understand that middle east countries that have only known tyrants and dictators for thousands of years cannot transition to democracies without lots of blood being shed.
To Fish and your point: War is not always the answer but neither is appeasement.

SMH

225 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 18, 2015 7:49:53am

re: #199 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

That’s their claim. All PC’s running Win 7 and above. Including pirated copies: Microsoft tackles China piracy with free upgrade to Windows 10.

Interesting. Convincing people to try the new windows (hopefully gaining back some lost to Apple, Linux, etc in the process), getting some of the horribly broken versions security holes gone & making a dent in the seemingly intractable China/SEA piracy problem all at the same time? Might well make free very well worth it to MS. Their real money remains in the y monthly rental of Office and their various server products (Exchange, SQL Server, etc). The real problem for them to actually make any progress in these areas is if they can significantly _shrink_ the system requirements for Windows 10 from the enormous amounts of RAM and CPU cycles needed by 7 & 8 which is a large part of what has driven users of lower end machines to Linux or to stay on XP and/or Vista.

All I’ll probably do is upgrade the lobby PC at the hotel. Good Lord knows that no matter what 10 is going to be at least not quite as bad as the steaming pile that is 8.1 on it now. My chromebook will stay running Ubuntu, thank-you-very-very-much.

226 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 7:51:04am

re: #223 Timothy Watson

Two of those sidebar posts:

Everyone’s Staring At Kylie Jenner’s Breasts

BEST OF 2014: Jessie Nizewitz’s Gaping Vagina

Seems like a nice site. Not one I’d want to use for reference, though.

227 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 7:55:36am

re: #224 Dr. Matt

The war crimes/genocide of Marsh Arabs and Shi’ites should have been reason enough to get world attention and consensus to depose Saddam. But that didn’t happen. And the genesis of that begins with the failure to stop Saddam after the first Gulf War from reprisals against those groups that began to rise up against Saddam after he was trounced in the first Gulf War. The no-fly zone was the only measurable attempt to stop Saddam, and that didn’t stop Saddam from killing his political opponents.

Saddam Hussein engaged in genocide (including the al Anfal campaign), and that took a back seat to the WMD claims. The WMD claims turned out to be smoke and mirrors.

Now we find the region dealing with a democidal leader in Bashar Assad, who’s carrying out attacks against his political opponents and Daesh has filled the power vacuum. So, attempting to go after Assad provides benefits to Daesh, while going after Daesh provides benefits to Assad. It’s a no-win scenario as the butcher’s bill increases once again.

228 Timothy Watson  Mar 18, 2015 7:57:19am

re: #226 Dark_Falcon

Two of those sidebar posts:

Seems like a nice site. Not one I’d want to use for reference, though.

Would you prefer the HuffPo link?
huffingtonpost.com

229 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 8:00:44am

re: #218 Dark_Falcon

Israel has disengaged from Gaza, and that’s the same position has been in since 2005. Maintaining settlements in Gaza was disastrous and Sharon’s withdrawal made sense politically and militarily.

Dealing with Fatah in the West Bank is a different story. Building on the Wye Agreement and subsequent security arrangements is possible. And everyone knows it. Even Netanyahu.

That’s why I keep talking about a 3-state solution. It’s something that even Abbas would be okay with, since it would free up funds to the PA in West Bank, and Hamas would wither on the vine while letting development move forward in the West Bank.

Gaza would continue to be isolated as it has been, where even the Egyptians tire of Hamas and other terror groups using it as a base of operations (as well as the Sinai).

230 WhatEVs  Mar 18, 2015 8:00:54am

re: #192 darthstar

What a great blog that guy has.

231 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 8:01:07am

re: #228 Timothy Watson

Would you prefer the HuffPo link?
huffingtonpost.com

That site has a link to this story about Tom Cotton’s first Senate floor speech.

Took him less than sixty seconds to invoke Hitler.

232 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 8:01:46am

*facepalm*

233 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 8:05:04am

So, I had a throwaway line the other day on Twitter about how PSU has learned nothing from the Paterno scandal.

Someone took offense to the fact that I identified the Sandusky sex scandal as Paterno - even though Paterno was up to his eyeballs in the scandal by looking the other way and doing nothing.

For years.

And they’ve repeatedly tweeted since that I don’t understand the situation (ignoring the Freeh report, that a PSU booster in the state legislature sued the NCAA to restore the record over use of penalty funds in PA vs elsewhere). Etc.

I guess identifying facts that are contrary to idol worship tend to whip up the sensibilities of some…

234 Amory Blaine  Mar 18, 2015 8:05:31am

re: #66 Lancelot Link

Thanks for the info. One more to add to the list.

235 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 8:08:53am

Hey Charles - are you noticing any performance issues? This page is in a constant state of refresh.

236 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 8:10:08am

re: #231 darthstar

That site has a link to this story about Tom Cotton’s first Senate floor speech.

Took him less than sixty seconds to invoke Hitler.

Why is he blaming defense spending on the POTUS? The GOP-controlled congress holds the purse strings.

237 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 8:11:33am

re: #233 lawhawk

I have a friend who went to Penn State - seriously nice fellow - devout Catholic - but such a loyal fan of Paterno he’s just happy that this ‘whole thing’ is behind them now.

238 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 8:12:02am

re: #233 lawhawk

So, I had a throwaway line the other day on Twitter about how PSU has learned nothing from the Paterno scandal.

Someone took offense to the fact that I identified the Sandusky sex scandal as Paterno - even though Paterno was up to his eyeballs in the scandal by looking the other way and doing nothing.

For years.

And they’ve repeatedly tweeted since that I don’t understand the situation (ignoring the Freeh report, that a PSU booster in the state legislature sued the NCAA to restore the record over use of penalty funds in PA vs elsewhere). Etc.

I guess identifying facts that are contrary to idol worship tend to whip up the sensibilities of some…

Very true. Back in 2012 when I was working for Marcus Evans, there was quite a lively discussion when the decision was made to remove the Joe Paterno quote that among others had been painted onto the office walls for inspiration. Some people there found it hard to accept that many of the qualities Paterno extolled were ones he in which he was found lacking. He spoke of confidence, loyalty, and integrity, and yet he took no action to see Jerry Sandusky punished for fear of losing money and of damage to his own reputation. And in so doing, Joe Paterno proved himself to be just another hypocrite. And that’s why his words came off an office wall.

239 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 8:12:06am

re: #236 Dr. Matt

Why is blaming defense spending on the POTUS? The GOP-controlled congress holds the purse strings.

details, details…

240 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 8:13:24am

re: #236 Dr. Matt

Why is blaming defense spending on the POTUS? The GOP-controlled congress holds the purse strings.

It’s Obama’s fault that he won’t cut SNAP and Medicaid to provide the funds to gold-plate the F35.

241 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 8:14:28am

LOL WINGNUT MEME FAIL==>
This is not a picture of Giuliani

242 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 8:15:52am

re: #235 darthstar

Hey Charles - are you noticing any performance issues? This page is in a constant state of refresh.

It seems to be worst in Chrome. If you close your browser & reopen it settles down for a while.

There is jelly in the fridge, and bagels on the counter. Help yourself.

243 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 8:16:31am

Damn. The death toll in the attack on the Bardo museum in Tunisia continues to climb:

244 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 8:17:21am

Sex And Dead Children: Every FCC Viewer Complaint About The Super Bowl

As we do every year, we recently submitted a FOIA request to the FCC for all the complaints it received from viewers upset by something aired at the Super Bowl. There were 34 of them, ranging from disgust toward the Katy Perry/Missy Elliott halftime show, offense at commercials that featured sex or profanity, and outright anger over Nationwide’s “dead kid” ad.

A document containing every viewer complaint can be found at the bottom of this post. But first, some highlights, which fell roughly into one of three categories.

1. Complaints about the halftime show
2. Complaints about indecent commercials
3. Complaints about that Nationwide dead-kid ad

245 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 8:17:37am

re: #233 lawhawk

So, I had a throwaway line the other day on Twitter about how PSU has learned nothing from the Paterno scandal.

Someone took offense to the fact that I identified the Sandusky sex scandal as Paterno - even though Paterno was up to his eyeballs in the scandal by looking the other way and doing nothing.

For years.

And they’ve repeatedly tweeted since that I don’t understand the situation (ignoring the Freeh report, that a PSU booster in the state legislature sued the NCAA to restore the record over use of penalty funds in PA vs elsewhere). Etc.

I guess identifying facts that are contrary to idol worship tend to whip up the sensibilities of some…

Yep.

See that on Facebook since a friend there is a hyper-PSU partisan.

I expect the statue to be back up beside the stadium in 2-3 years max.

246 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 8:17:56am
247 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 8:19:16am

A thick slice of baloney.

248 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 8:21:15am

re: #241 The Mother Of All Pies

LOL WINGNUT MEME FAIL==>
This is not a picture of Giuliani

Is that a parody account? If not,……wow.

249 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 8:21:38am
250 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 8:23:07am

lordie, the trolling is getting so thick it’s ridiculous.

littlegreenfootballs.com

251 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 8:23:19am

re: #248 Dr. Matt

Is that a parody account? If not,……wow.

I thought it might be a parody but the deeper you go into the timeline it seems like authentic crazy.

252 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 8:26:48am

re: #246 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Gotta love that GOP field. If they’re not under investigation, then they’re crazier than a shithouse rat.

253 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 8:30:14am

PunditFact: Donald Trump’s file

Spoiler alert: 69% of his statements were False/Pants on Fire

254 WhatEVs  Mar 18, 2015 8:30:50am

re: #253 Dr. Matt

PunditFact: Donald Trump’s file

Spoiler alert: 69% of his statements were False/Pants on Fire

Hardly a spoiler. :-D

255 ObserverArt  Mar 18, 2015 8:31:15am

re: #143 Feline Fearless Leader

Good morning Lizards from sunny (as always) Philadelphia!

No luck with the flash drive - so now I look into data recovery. And looking on the originating laptop it looks like I did a “move” rather than a “copy” and the photos are not otherwise recoverable. (sigh)

I saw you mention this yesterday, and I know I am way behind today. I had a flash drive that was problematic like that once. I too thought it was all over, but I decided to try it in some other computers where I worked to see if any of them would read the drive. I plugged it into one older XP computer and it popped right up. So, I copied the files I needed onto that computer and then took the flash drive and reformatted it in the computer that originally did not like it. I was able to keep it all up and going after that.

Storage drives can be problematic little buggers.

256 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 8:31:59am

Heh.

257 freetoken  Mar 18, 2015 8:34:04am

re: #246 darthstar

If that is real and serious then the institutional Republicans are going to have very few candidates around which to cluster-move for their candidate in 2016.

As bad as the Democratic party has been in floating prospective candidates, the GOP field looks to be dominated once again by wingnuts.

258 freetoken  Mar 18, 2015 8:35:11am

re: #256 Lidane

And all 23 remaining non-wingnut Republicans in the GOP breath a sigh of relief.

259 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 8:35:43am

re: #252 Targetpractice

Gotta love that GOP field. If they’re not under investigation, then they’re crazier than a shithouse rat.

You just gave me an idea. I’ll let it fester/incubate for a while and see if I have time later to put it into practice.

260 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 8:36:13am

re: #257 freetoken

If that is real and serious then the institutional Republicans are going to have very few candidates around which to cluster-move for their candidate in 2016.

As bad as the Democratic party has been in floating prospective candidates, the GOP field looks to be dominated once again by wingnuts.

And the last few elections (and I guess including the just concluded Israeli one) are showing that lies, shouting, extremism, and mudslinging are still the way to gain and maintain office.

261 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 8:38:17am

re: #250 Backwoods_Sleuth

lordie, the trolling is getting so thick it’s ridiculous.

littlegreenfootballs.com

I want to point out that I have not updinged ‘SoCaroLion’ and my only post so far on that thread was critical of that person. That he/she updinged me is not my fault and please don’t downding me for it.

262 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 8:38:35am

re: #257 freetoken

If that is real and serious then the institutional Republicans are going to have very few candidates around which to cluster-move for their candidate in 2016.

As bad as the Democratic party has been in floating prospective candidates, the GOP field looks to be dominated once again by wingnuts.

If Jeb gets knocked out by a scandal like this, then Walker pretty much becomes the mark to beat. According to the latest CNN/ORC poll, the next candidate down the list with the best chance after Walker is Paul. And if he’s the GOP standard-bearer, then the best they can hope for is she implodes.

263 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 8:40:17am

re: #261 Dark_Falcon

I want to point out that I have not updinged ‘SoCaroLion’ and my only post so far on that thread was critical of that person. That he/she updinged me is not my fault and please don’t downding me for it.

SoCaroLion is updinging everyone who responds.

264 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 8:42:43am

re: #256 Lidane

Glenn Beck Declares: I Am ‘Done’ with the Republican Party t.co pic.twitter.com
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 18, 2015

And just 4 short years ago Beck was the leading voice and darling of the right. The idiots that continuously got suckered into his whinefest rallies and gold/seed schemes are still too clueless to realize they were shilled.

265 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 8:43:42am

re: #263 Backwoods_Sleuth

SoCaroLion is updinging everyone who responds.

Thanks for letting me know. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t associated with trolling behavior. I don’t want to get pounded on for something I didn’t do.

266 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 8:45:30am

re: #264 Dr. Matt

And just 4 short years ago Beck was the leading voice and darling of the right. The idiots that continuously got suckered into his whinefest rallies and gold/seed schemes are still too clueless to realize they were shilled.

He’s just prepping for a 3rd party grift run intending to exceed Trump in bringing back America’s “greatness”. He can get CUL as a running mate and make the return of the gold standard as the cornerstone of his platform.
///

CUL = Tron Paul (aka Crazy Uncle Liberty).

267 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 8:46:25am

re: #266 Feline Fearless Leader

He’s just prepping for a 3rd party grift run intending to exceed Trump in bringing back America’s “greatness”. He can get CUL as a running mate and make the return of the gold standard as the cornerstone of his platform.
///

CUL = Tron Paul (aka Crazy Uncle Liberty).

Ron Paul won’t run against his own son. He’s not that kind of asshole.

268 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 8:47:37am

re: #252 Targetpractice

Gotta love that GOP field. If they’re not under investigation, then they’re crazier than a shithouse rat.

TRUMP/FIORINA 2016! GO BANKRUPT IN STYLE!

Haha.

269 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 8:48:18am

re: #268 Lidane

TRUMP/FIORINA 2016! GO BANKRUPT IN STYLE!

Haha.

Demon Hairdo.

270 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 8:48:21am

re: #267 Dark_Falcon

Ron Paul won’t run against his own son. He’s not that kind of asshole.

Sure he is. But he’s also old, and probably doesn’t want to bother with another run.

271 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 8:48:34am

re: #261 Dark_Falcon

I want to point out that I have not updinged ‘SoCaroLion’ and my only post so far on that thread was critical of that person. That he/she updinged me is not my fault and please don’t downding me for it.

I never ding just for ding’s sake, although I’ve been tempted to ding for sake’s sake.

272 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 8:49:34am

Oh, Florida…

273 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 8:53:00am

re: #272 Lidane

That’s a midterm election, so he knows he has a good chance to win.

274 Timothy Watson  Mar 18, 2015 8:55:42am

re: #243 lawhawk

Damn. The death toll in the attack on the Bardo museum in Tunisia continues to climb:

[Embedded content]

Is that a Steyr AUG?

275 Kilroy01  Mar 18, 2015 8:57:24am

re: #274 Timothy Watson

Yes it is.

From wiki:
AUG was chosen since 1978 to be the Primary weapon of the Tunisian Army, The first regular unit to be issued with the AUG A1 was the GTS, later on, the leadership started to arming the National Guard with Sturmgewehr 58 (FN FAL) and the Army with the AUG A1/A2/A3 variants, including the Army’s Special Forces.

276 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 8:58:23am

re: #272 Lidane

It’s Florida, man… oh man.

277 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 9:02:12am
278 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:02:16am

The most powerful country in the world is going insane.

Should we be worried?

279 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:02:27am

The Trump bit gets more interesting, as he’s turned down a guaranteed renewal of The Apprentice. So he might actually be serious about running.

280 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 9:04:23am

re: #278 b_sharp

The most powerful country in the world is going insane.

Should we be worried?

Grand Fenwick has always been a little hincky.

281 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 18, 2015 9:04:39am

re: #246 darthstar

That’s a lot of “doesn’t recall.” In the old days we called it “lying.”

282 Ace-o-aces  Mar 18, 2015 9:04:51am

re: #256 Lidane

While Beck is just now saying he no longer considers himself a member of the GOP, it was more than two years ago that he celebrated the “death” of the Republican Party, complete cake, confetti and footage of dying elephants.

What kind of asshole uses suffering animals as the background to a political rant.

283 Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 9:05:14am

re: #267 Dark_Falcon

He’s not that kind of asshole.

How many kinds of assholes are there?
//

284 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:06:24am

$1.5 trillion and rising. Mein gott.

285 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:07:19am

re: #284 Targetpractice

[Embedded content]

$1.5 trillion and rising. Mein gott.

But it sure looks purdy.

286 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 9:08:25am

re: #284 Targetpractice

[Embedded content]

$1.5 trillion and rising. Mein gott.

Think of how many jobs that created…

287 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 9:11:36am

re: #285 b_sharp

But it sure looks purdy.

We’re in the generational relearning that you can’t build a military jet that will properly fit the needs of the US Air Force, Navy, and Marines at the same time*. Our last repeat of this was the F-111 back in the late-60s/early-70s.

* - The F-4 Phantom served with all of them at the same time, but was not a good fit. It just took time for the replacement aircraft (F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18) to be developed and approved with some false starts along the way.

288 Lancelot Link  Mar 18, 2015 9:14:30am

re: #283 Apocalypse

How many kinds of assholes are there?
//

…

289 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:14:48am

re: #287 Feline Fearless Leader

We’re in the generational relearning that you can’t build a military jet that will properly fit the needs of the US Army, Navy, and Marines at the same time*. Our last repeat of this was the F-111 back in the late-60s/early-70s.

* - The F-4 Phantom served with all of them at the same time, but was not a good fit. It just took time for the replacement aircraft (F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18) to be developed and approved with some false starts along the way.

I have pictures from the ’60s of the F-111 somewhere.

290 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:15:30am

re: #283 Apocalypse

How many kinds of assholes are there?
//

Major, minor, spent and flapping.

291 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 18, 2015 9:15:33am

I am convinced that the separate Air Force is an overall failure and that we need to roll Tac Air back under the Army and give all of the Strategic mission to the Navy. Then cancel the F22 & F35, Then reopen the F16 & A10 production lines - even if the A10 has to start from scratch, it will still be cheaper & better at what actually needs to be done than the zoomies Fubar machine.

292 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 9:16:26am

No longer a Republican, but still batshit crazy:

293 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 9:16:37am

re: #289 b_sharp

I have pictures from the ’60s of the F-111 somewhere.

I have one of a F-111B hiding on my no-longer-cooperating flash drive.

I also recall seeing one in the air once when I lived in northern NY state. They flew out of Plattsburg AFB at the time.

294 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:18:58am

re: #293 Feline Fearless Leader

I have one of a F-111B hiding on my no-longer-cooperating flash drive.

I also recall seeing one in the air once when I lived in northern NY state. They flew out of Plattsburg AFB at the time.

I feel for you trying to recover stuff off of a dead flash drive. I tell everyone to save important stuff on at least 2 drives, one of which should be mechanical.

295 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 9:19:44am

re: #285 b_sharp

But it sure looks purdy.

Don’t think of it as a hangar queen. Think of it as free 4-yr tuition to Princeton for 40 million students.

296 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:20:16am

re: #293 Feline Fearless Leader

I have one of a F-111B hiding on my no-longer-cooperating flash drive.

I also recall seeing one in the air once when I lived in northern NY state. They flew out of Plattsburg AFB at the time.

I just had to search through several old drives for pics of V’s cat Jack, because my laptop drive died just before Jack died.

297 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 9:21:35am

re: #291 William Barnett-Lewis

I am convinced that the separate Air Force is an overal failure and that we need to roll Tac Air back under the Army and give all of the Strategic mission to the Navy. Then cancel the F22 & F35, Then reopen the F16 & A10 production lines - even if the A10 has to start from scratch, it will still be cheaper & better at what actually needs to be done than the zoomies Fubar machine.

My question regarding the A-10 is whether the fixed-wing GS plane still requires being built around a 30mm tank-killer cannon. Given the accuracy of JDAM or laser-designator bombs and the widespread availability of MANPAD systems has the support role moved to a higher altitude and thus no longer needs to be centered around the cannon armament?

It’s still one of the premiere GS platforms, but could it be partially redesigned to be even more effective in the current day military environment?

298 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:22:03am

Looks like we’re going to get a puppy. It will never replace old Jack, but he/she will likely give us joy in a unique way.

299 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:22:15am

re: #292 Lidane

No longer a Republican, but still batshit crazy:

[Embedded content]

Rhetorical question but is Glenn Beck incapable of not being a drama queen for once in his pathetic life?

300 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 9:22:59am

re: #299 HappyWarrior

Rhetorical question but is Glenn Beck incapable of not being a drama queen for once in his pathetic life?

…

301 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 9:23:13am

re: #294 b_sharp

I feel for you trying to recover stuff off of a dead flash drive. I tell everyone to save important stuff on at least 2 drives, one of which should be mechanical.

I’m still kicking myself for selecting “move” rather than “copy”. If I had done the latter the data would still be on a laptop hard drive, or at worst in the recycle bin and easily recoverable if I had deleted right afterwards.

But no… I trusted a working device and tried to be efficient! :p

302 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:23:32am

re: #300 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Yeah I know.it’s honestly just sad honestly how full of himself he is.

303 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 9:23:45am

There is a fucking idiot who is actually attempting to argue that this meme is WRONG==>

304 Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 9:24:25am

re: #296 b_sharp

That was the strange thing that was better with old school cameras; going through a desk drawer to find some widget and then getting hit by a wave of nostalgia.

305 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 9:25:27am

re: #302 HappyWarrior

Yeah I know.it’s honestly just sad honestly how full of himself he is.

We forget his origins as a morning radio shock jock. The whole point of that job is to capture people’s attention and keep them listening in.

306 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:26:14am

re: #303 The Mother Of All Pies

There is a fucking idiot who is actually attempting to argue that this meme is WRONG==>

[Embedded content]

I’m embarrassed that Williams is a professor at my alma mater. I don’t care if he is African American, he enables neo-confederate and slavery apologist assholes when he says stupid shit like that.

307 Kilroy01  Mar 18, 2015 9:26:38am

re: #291 William Barnett-Lewis

Why not just follow the Canadian model and make them the “US Armed Forces”. Think of the redundancy that would remove.

My answer to the aircraft issue. Send in the drones. On the manned side most of our current missions could be done with transports with JDAMS being pushed out the back. (almost sarcasm).

Manned fighters are “sexy” but really with the costs and risk of pilots lives. Why not spend the money on a drone/missile no one cares about if it doesn’t come home? Can’t torture a drone.

308 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 9:26:43am

re: #305 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

We forget his origins as a morning radio shock jock. The whole point of that job is to capture people’s attention and keep them listening in.

If he and Rush get into close proximity do they form a binary derp system due to the sucking ego effect?
//

309 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:26:46am

re: #301 Feline Fearless Leader

I’m still kicking myself for selecting “move” rather than “copy”. If I had done the latter the data would still be on a laptop hard drive, or at worst in the recycle bin and easily recoverable if I had deleted right afterwards.

But no… I trusted a working device and tried to be efficient! :p

That’s the thing isn’t it? We tend to think working devices will continue to work in the future, or that there is time to backup our stuff.

I find flash drives less dependable than HDDs.

310 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:26:57am

re: #305 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

We forget his origins as a morning radio shock jock. The whole point of that job is to capture people’s attention and keep them listening in.

Yeah that is quite true. I did forget that.

311 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 18, 2015 9:28:34am

re: #297 Feline Fearless Leader

My question regarding the A-10 is whether the fixed-wing GS plane still requires being built around a 30mm tank-killer cannon. Given the accuracy of JDAM or laser-designator bombs and the widespread availability of MANPAD systems has the support role moved to a higher altitude and thus no longer needs to be centered around the cannon armament?

It’s still one of the premiere GS platforms, but could it be partially redesigned to be even more effective in the current day military environment?

You could make an argument for changing or even deleting the gun armament. However the ability to go low, slow & still be highly survivable is the most important part of the CAS mission and the part that the AF hates the most.

The biggest problem is that appropriate drones will not have the payload capacity in the near term for CAS though we will be able to replace the F16 with air to air drones if we build some now as a stopgap and stop wasting money on the F22/F35 boondoggles. But CAS will still need larger aircraft and the local pilot to move mud appropriately.

312 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:28:36am

Walter seems to be doing quite well in the welfare state. The wingnut welfare state that is.

313 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:28:41am

re: #307 Kilroy01

Why not just follow the Canadian model and make them the “US Armed Forces”. Think of the redundancy that would remove.

My answer to the aircraft issue. Send in the drones. On the manned side most of our current missions could be done with transports with JDAMS being pushed out the back. (almost sarcasm).

Manned fighters are “sexy” but really with the costs and risk of pilots lives. Why not spend the money on a drone/missile no one cares about if it doesn’t come home? Can’t torture a drone.

The Canadian model is no longer the Canadian model. The Cons put everything back to the old divisions.

314 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 9:28:45am

re: #292 Lidane

No longer a Republican, but still batshit crazy:

[Embedded content]

Galileo was ‘locked’ in his own villa. Ranking church officials occasionally came for dinner.

“Galileo was found guilty, and the sentence of the Inquisition, issued on 22 June 1633,[46] was in three essential parts:

Galileo was found “vehemently suspect of heresy,” namely of having held the opinions that the Sun lies motionless at the center of the universe, that the Earth is not at its centre and moves, and that one may hold and defend an opinion as probable after it has been declared contrary to Holy Scripture. He was required to “abjure, curse, and detest” those opinions.[47]
He was sentenced to formal imprisonment at the pleasure of the Inquisition.[48] On the following day this was commuted to house arrest, which he remained under for the rest of his life.

His offending Dialogue was banned; and in an action not announced at the trial, publication of any of his works was forbidden, including any he might write in the future.[49]

According to popular legend, after his abjuration Galileo allegedly muttered the rebellious phrase “and yet it moves” (Eppur si muove), but there is no evidence that he actually said this or anything similar. The first account of the legend dates to a century after his death.[50] The phrase “Eppur si muove” does appear, however, in a painting of the 1640s by the Spanish painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo or an artist of his school. The painting depicts an imprisoned Galileo apparently pointing to a copy of the phrase written on the wall of his dungeon.[51]
View of the Arcetri area in the hills above Florence, where Galileo spent the remainder of his life under house arrest.

After a period with the friendly Archbishop Piccolomini in Siena, Galileo was allowed to return to his villa at Arcetri near Florence, where he spent the remainder of his life under house arrest. He continued his work on mechanics, and in 1638, he published a scientific book in Holland. His standing would remain questioned at every turn. In March 1641, Vincentio Reinieri, a follower and pupil of Galileo, wrote him at Arcetri that an Inquisitor had recently compelled the author of a book printed at Florence to change the words “most distinguished Galileo” to “Galileo, man of noted name.”[52]

—wiki

315 Kilroy01  Mar 18, 2015 9:30:55am

re: #313 b_sharp

The Canadian model is no longer the Canadian model. The Cons put everything back to the old divisions.

Oh bloody lovely. Figures.

316 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 9:32:00am

re: #307 Kilroy01

Why not just follow the Canadian model and make them the “US Armed Forces”. Think of the redundancy that would remove.

My answer to the aircraft issue. Send in the drones. On the manned side most of our current missions could be done with transports with JDAMS being pushed out the back. (almost sarcasm).

Manned fighters are “sexy” but really with the costs and risk of pilots lives. Why not spend the money on a drone/missile no one cares about if it doesn’t come home? Can’t torture a drone.

I think with the last it involves having control on whether to commit or not as long as possible. And also to deal with the possibility of changing mission parameters or something else that crops up.

Yes, you can abort a missile or drone strike, but having the eyes and response time closer is probably quite valuable to have. I suspect the future is something like a manned “controller” sitting a little further back that is handling a larger force of drones/missiles that make the assault into defended space. And you’d prefer some maneuverability or other assets with the controller since it would be an obvious target. (To wit, a chunk of modern warfare tactics is taking out AWACs, radar, and control assets as quickly as possible to put a crimp in the enemy’s intelligence and control apparatus.)

317 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 9:35:16am

Feline Overlord that left South Carolina in 2013 found in California.

nbcnews.com

Must be a liberal cat who had enough.

318 Kilroy01  Mar 18, 2015 9:36:18am

re: #313 b_sharp

The Canadian model is no longer the Canadian model. The Cons put everything back to the old divisions.

The names have changed.. BUT

The unified command structure of the Canadian Armed Forces was not altered by this change. Unlike the situation prior to 1968 where the services existed as separate legal entities, the current Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force have no separate legal status and continue to exist as elements of the Canadian Armed Forces

319 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 9:36:53am

Wingnut lets the mask slip==>
Hearing #MSM report @netanyahu win as THE END OF DAYS underscores its significance & brings JOY TO MY HEART!

320 makeitstop  Mar 18, 2015 9:37:28am

re: #298 b_sharp

Looks like we’re going to get a puppy. It will never replace old Jack, but he/she will likely give us joy in a unique way.

We waited a year after our Cody died, and decided we missed having the presence of a dog around the house and got Scout.

He’s been with us for nearly a year already (!), and while he’s got a completely different personality from Cody, I’m very happy that we brought that puppy home a year ago. He can brighten my day by just wagging his tail.

321 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:37:47am

re: #311 William Barnett-Lewis

You could make an argument for changing or even deleting the gun armament. However the ability to go low, slow & still be highly survivable is the most important part of the CAS mission and the part that the AF hates the most.

The biggest problem is that appropriate drones will not have the payload capacity in the near term for CAS though we will be able to replace the F16 with air to air drones if we build some now as a stopgap and stop wasting money on the F22/F35 boondoggles. But CAS will still need larger aircraft and the local pilot to move mud appropriately.

The argument could be made to dispense with a gun armament, but there’s an equally strong argument for retaining it. A gun can’t be spoofed by ECM, doesn’t have to deal with environmental issues like dust that might obscure guidance lasers, and is equally effective on a light target like a truck or bunker as it is on all but the most advanced tanks. Plus a single burst from a GAU-8 is cheaper than a JDAM or SDB.

322 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 9:40:02am
323 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 9:40:24am
324 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 9:41:30am
325 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:42:08am

re: #319 The Mother Of All Pies

Wingnut lets the mask slip==>
Hearing #MSM report @netanyahu win as THE END OF DAYS underscores its significance & brings JOY TO MY HEART!

[Embedded content]

And he (Reagan) backed many of those tyrants in the ME and played a part in the unrest by funding Saddam in the Iran-Iraq war.

326 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:43:05am

re: #324 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

It’s clear Obama has no love for Bibi and I can’t say I blame him.

327 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:43:25am

re: #324 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Oh yeah, I’m sure the President really relishes the thought of that call.

////

328 Timothy Watson  Mar 18, 2015 9:44:06am

re: #325 HappyWarrior

And he (Reagan) backed many of those tyrants in the ME and played a part in the unrest by funding Saddam in the Iran-Iraq war.

Don’t forget backing down any time an American was killed by Islamic/Muslim terrorists.

329 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:44:53am

re: #328 Timothy Watson

Don’t forget backing down any time an American was killed by Islamic/Muslim terrorists.

Of course.

330 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 9:45:27am

re: #325 HappyWarrior

And he (Reagan) backed many of those tyrants in the ME and played a part in the unrest by funding Saddam in the Iran-Iraq war.

Reagan put a wreath on nazi officer’s grave
331 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:46:07am

re: #330 The Mother Of All Pies

[Embedded content]

He also employed the biggest anti-semite in American presidential politics, Pat Buchanan for years.

332 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 18, 2015 9:48:04am

re: #330 The Mother Of All Pies

[Embedded content]

…

333 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 9:48:39am
334 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:49:23am

re: #333 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

I believe this is one of those features not a bug thing.

335 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 9:49:51am

re: #291 William Barnett-Lewis

I am convinced that the separate Air Force is an overall failure and that we need to roll Tac Air back under the Army and give all of the Strategic mission to the Navy. Then cancel the F22 & F35, Then reopen the F16 & A10 production lines - even if the A10 has to start from scratch, it will still be cheaper & better at what actually needs to be done than the zoomies Fubar machine.

I agree the separate Air Force has been demonstrated to be a mistake. There are no missions for manned aircraft that aren’t essentially land warfare or naval warfare missions. The continued existence of manned “strategic” bombers—the only thing that could justify a separate Air Force—is simply ridiculous in this day and age.

While we’re at it, does the Navy really need their own private army? Though come to think of it, the Marines are better suited to the kind of operations that are likely to be necessary in the future. The only real function of the Army, properly so called, is to field immense numbers of expendable cannon fodder in mass land warfare, which is hopefully as obsolete as aerial armies of tens of thousands “battling in the Central Blue”.

Really—abolish the Air Force, keep a small portion as Strategic Rocket Forces, Abolish the Army, take the Marines away from the Navy, and recognize that nobody has ever won a dogfight against the F-15 and they probably never will, so cancel all these trillion-dollar boondoggles.

But apropos to a later comment, don’t be so quick to take away an airplane’s guns. That was what was wrong with the F-4—people decided guns were obsolete and that missiles would be the decisive factor in air-to-air combat, with disastrous results. Maybe today’s missiles have the “brains” to make that a reality, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

336 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 9:51:09am

In the great annals of Tom Friedman stupid, this has to be the sine qua non:
Tom Friedman Is Just Sayin': Why Don't We Arm ISIS?

337 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:51:36am

re: #333 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Ah yes, the party which believes that the poor need to know the “dignity of work” wanting to make it easier for the rich to shield their own children from such.

338 Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 9:51:39am

re: #284 Targetpractice
1.5T?
Should have taken a stab at an orbital laser at that cost, the offshoots would have been grand.

Sidebar: where have all those VTOLs things gone?

339 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:51:53am

re: #318 Kilroy01

The names have changed.. BUT

The unified command structure of the Canadian Armed Forces was not altered by this change. Unlike the situation prior to 1968 where the services existed as separate legal entities, the current Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force have no separate legal status and continue to exist as elements of the Canadian Armed Forces

Thanks for that. I thought the same old was just the same old.

The Cons are doing their best to screw the country.

340 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 9:52:16am

re: #331 HappyWarrior

He also employed the biggest anti-semite in American presidential politics, Pat Buchanan for years.

Sold AWACS to the Saudis

341 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 9:52:18am

re: #297 Feline Fearless Leader

My question regarding the A-10 is whether the fixed-wing GS plane still requires being built around a 30mm tank-killer cannon. Given the accuracy of JDAM or laser-designator bombs and the widespread availability of MANPAD systems has the support role moved to a higher altitude and thus no longer needs to be centered around the cannon armament?

It’s still one of the premiere GS platforms, but could it be partially redesigned to be even more effective in the current day military environment?

Everything I’ve read from someone who isn’t an AF paper-pusher says the A-10 is the shit, and still has usefulness.

342 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 9:52:44am

Profiles in courage, y’all!

With an eye on 2016, congressional Republicans are adopting a new strategy on repealing ObamaCare.

For years, the effort to kill President Obama’s signature healthcare law has stalled in the GOP-led House. Now, Republicans have a new goal: getting a bill to his desk.

Congressional Republicans plan to pass a deficit-reduction package that repeals the Affordable Care Act (ACA). After a shaky start this year, GOP leaders want to show they can govern and set the terms for 2016, when they will try to retain control of Congress and retake the White House.
Even though the ObamaCare repeal bill will not become law this Congress, Republicans believe they will benefit politically if they can force Obama into a veto. They claim that would send the message to voters that Republicans just need the White House in order to shake up Washington.

Because wasting more time tilting at the Obamacare windmill is a great way to show leadership. WTF.

343 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 9:53:04am

re: #320 makeitstop

We waited a year after our Cody died, and decided we missed having the presence of a dog around the house and got Scout.

He’s been with us for nearly a year already (!), and while he’s got a completely different personality from Cody, I’m very happy that we brought that puppy home a year ago. He can brighten my day by just wagging his tail.

Lick the face, wag the tail or just look up and smile. Dogs know how to cheer up a human.

344 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 9:54:02am

re: #338 Apocalypse

1.5T?
Should have taken a stab at an orbital laser at that cost, the offshoots would have been grand.

Sidebar: where have all those VTOLs things gone?

There was supposed to be a VTOL version of the F-35, but they gave that up early on.

345 Jenner7  Mar 18, 2015 9:54:37am
History shows that faster black progress was occurring at a time when whites were still lynching blacks, not merely singing about it. Liberals want blacks to ignore the lessons of this pre-Civil Rights era, which threaten the current relevance of groups like the NAACP and call into question the Democratic Party’s belief that there is a federal solution to every black problem.

Moreover, this history reveals that what we see today in black America is not lack of progress due to white racism but retrogression due in large part to post-Civil Rights era social pathology and misguided government interventions. The problem isn’t the attitudes and behaviors of the boys on the bus so much as those of the boys in the ‘hood.

wsj.com

My god. My god.

346 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:54:52am

re: #342 Lidane

Profiles in courage, y’all!

[Embedded content]

Because wasting more time tilting at the Obamacare windmill is a great way to show leadership. WTF.

99 Obamacare repeals on the wall, you take one down……………

347 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:54:52am

re: #342 Lidane

Profiles in courage, y’all!

[Embedded content]

Because wasting more time tilting at the Obamacare windmill is a great way to show leadership. WTF.

So not only are they still tilting at that windmill, but they want to marry it to something that needs to be vetoed anyway, namely more “deficit reduction.” If ever there was a time when we should be avoiding “deficit reduction,” now is it.

348 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 9:54:58am

re: #341 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Everything I’ve read from someone who isn’t an AF paper-pusher says the A-10 is the shit, and still has usefulness.

Plus, if you need a bigger, badder A-10, just buy the MiG-27 “Frogfoot”.

349 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:55:34am

re: #344 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

There was supposed to be a VTOL version of the F-35, but they gave that up early on.

Uh no, they haven’t. In fact, the F-35B is the whole focus of their development program right now, as it’s a complete dog’s breakfast of a program, but the Marines have no CAS without it.

350 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 9:55:50am

re: #320 makeitstop

We waited a year after our Cody died, and decided we missed having the presence of a dog around the house and got Scout.

He’s been with us for nearly a year already (!), and while he’s got a completely different personality from Cody, I’m very happy that we brought that puppy home a year ago. He can brighten my day by just wagging his tail.

Murphy has been a ray of sunshine since we got him over a month ago. Never fails to be excited, even worried when my SO was sick for several days - stayed right by her side.

351 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 9:55:52am

re: #345 Jenner7

wsj.com

My god. My god.

Because if they can get away with saying “welfare” is worse than ACTUAL FREAKING SLAVERY they know they can get away with saying anything.

352 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 9:56:48am

re: #345 Jenner7

wsj.com

My god. My god.

Don’t read the comments. I got as far as the first three and had to back away. Lots of clueless fuckers letting their bigot flags fly.

353 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:56:52am

re: #345 Jenner7

wsj.com

My god. My god.

The only lesson conservatives learned from the civil rights era is that you shouldn’t say n-word aloud.

354 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 9:57:50am

re: #353 HappyWarrior

The only lesson conservatives learned from the civil rights era is that you shouldn’t say n-word aloud.

They haven’t even learned that one, because as soon as you tell them that, they start whining about rap music.

355 wrenchwench  Mar 18, 2015 9:58:17am

re: #332 William Barnett-Lewis

[Embedded content]

I think the Ramones really grew into the position they fell into as very young men.

356 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 9:58:37am

re: #348 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Plus, if you need a bigger, badder A-10, just buy the MiG-27 “Frogfoot”.

MiG-27 is the Flogger D/J. You’re thinking of the Su-25.

357 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 9:58:59am

re: #354 Lidane

They haven’t even learned that one, because as soon as you tell them that, they start whining about rap music.

Heh good point.

358 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 9:59:33am

WTFITS——>

359 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 9:59:51am

re: #356 Targetpractice

MiG-27 is the Flogger D/J. You’re thinking of the Su-25.

“D’oh!” Shit, I knew that, too. Gotta get more coffee.

360 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 10:00:25am

re: #358 Lidane

WTFITS——>

[Embedded content]

361 makeitstop  Mar 18, 2015 10:00:30am

re: #350 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Murphy has been a ray of sunshine since we got him over a month ago. Never fails to be excited, even worried when my SO was sick for several days - stayed right by her side.

Scout sees me all day every day because I work from a home office. But the most fun part of every day now is when my wife gets home from the office.

He adores my wife, and he’s the Happiest Dog in the World when she walks through the door. Even when she’s had a rough day, she can’t help but smile when she sees that tail wagging. That alone makes having a dog worth it.

Imma go pet him now, because he’s a good boy! :)

362 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 18, 2015 10:00:40am

re: #348 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Plus, if you need a bigger, badder A-10, just buy the MiG-27 “Frogfoot”.

The Northrop YA-9 lost the competition against the A-10 back in the day. Why would anyone want the Russian copy? //// Seriously, all things considered, the survivability of the A-10 is much higher than the A-9 or it’s Sukhoi derivative (considered in some circles to have been a very successful espionage operation by the KGB).

363 TedStriker  Mar 18, 2015 10:02:20am

re: #200 Timothy Watson

You’ll take my Windows 7 from my cold, dead hands!

Have you tried the Windows 10 Tech Preview?

364 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 10:02:26am

re: #358 Lidane

WTFITS——>

[Embedded content]

Oh no unionized jobs. Can’t have that in a first world country.//

365 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 18, 2015 10:02:50am

Oy, it’s later than I realized. I got to go get some sleep so I can stay awake at work tonight.

Later lizards!

366 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:03:18am

re: #362 William Barnett-Lewis

The Northrop YA-9 lost the competition against the A-10 back in the day. Why would anyone want the Russian copy? //// Seriously, all things considered, the survivability of the A-10 is much higher than the A-9 or it’s Sukhoi derivative (considered in some circles to have been a very successful espionage operation by the KGB).

I’m a big admirer of the A-10. It’s just not pretty enough for the elite flyboys, who can eat a bag-o-dicks, IMO.

367 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 10:03:47am

re: #360 Targetpractice

Seriously. It takes a Dick Cheney level of heartlessness to say you don’t want to create 200,000 jobs in your state because unions might show up.

368 Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 10:04:04am

Have they tried building an extra large electromagnet defence?
/

369 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:04:10am

I’ve mentioned it before here, but Tyler Rogaway at Foxtrot Alpha is really keen on the A10 and has spent a significant amount of pixels on the AF’s attempts to kill it.
Here’s the latest one: At What Point Does The USAF's War Against The A-10 Become Sabotage?

Other posts are here at this tag:
foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com

370 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 10:04:34am

WHAT IS THIS…I CAN’T EVEN…

371 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:05:51am

re: #370 The Mother Of All Pies

WHAT IS THIS…I CAN’T EVEN…

[Embedded content]

Some cab driver suggested this to him, no doubt…..

372 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 10:06:04am

re: #370 The Mother Of All Pies

Oh, Tom. Just give it six more months. You might get a fucking clue by then.

373 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:06:25am

re: #370 The Mother Of All Pies

WHAT IS THIS…I CAN’T EVEN…

[Embedded content]

As I mentioned a few comments back, he’s getting a righteous fisking for that.
Tom Friedman Is Just Sayin': Why Don't We Arm ISIS?
(you might even see a guest appearance by a lizard in the comments ;) )

374 CuriousLurker  Mar 18, 2015 10:06:51am

re: #370 The Mother Of All Pies

WHAT IS THIS…I CAN’T EVEN…

[Embedded content]

I was just going to post that. He has definitely jumped the shark.

375 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 10:07:14am

re: #367 Lidane

Seriously. It takes a Dick Cheney level of heartlessness to say you don’t want to create 200,000 jobs in your state because unions might show up.

You really have to wonder what the folks back in Germany think of the GOP response to VW wanting to involve worker input in decision making. Other there, it’s taken as a given that workers should have a say in how things work. So to work in a country where the management is considered above question has to be absolutely mind-boggling.

376 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:08:11am

re: #361 makeitstop

Scout sees me all day every day because I work from a home office. But the most fun part of every day now is when my wife gets home from the office.

He adores my wife, and he’s the Happiest Dog in the World when she walks through the door. Even when she’s had a rough day, she can’t help but smile when she sees that tail wagging. That alone makes having a dog worth it.

Imma go pet him now, because he’s a good boy! :)

After a couple of weeks with people around all day, Murphy had an “alone with the cats” day last week while I went to work and the SO went to attend to some business. He almost knocked me over when I opened the door coming home that day.

Good boy :)

377 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 10:09:49am

re: #370 The Mother Of All Pies

WHAT IS THIS…I CAN’T EVEN…

Hey, he’s just “asking questions”.

/

378 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:10:57am

Welp, I have cataracts. The dr said I could wait to have surgery done sometime in the next year but not wait longer. Meantime, I’m getting sunglasses in single vision lenses for driving. Walked around about an hour before driving home, and the drops were still sort of bugging me, but I could see “OK”.

This was my best clue: “Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.”

But he also said my vision should be pretty good after surgery.

Tomorrow, the internist…

379 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 10:11:06am

re: #358 Lidane

WTFITS——>

Yes, this is why we must end all jobs except for stocking shelves at Walmart.

//

380 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:11:34am

Can’t verify, but this seems like the ultimate Tom Friedman story:

I’ve told this story before but I’m going to tell it again anyway. Once a few years back I was in the international terminal of Dulles waiting for a flight to Latin America. I was walking down the terminal to get a coffee and I noticed a mom and her little girl waiting outside an occupied family bathroom, and the little girl was bouncing back and forth and obviously holding it in and in desperate need to go. Well the door opens, and out walks Tom Friedman, holding his laptop. He had obviously just dropped a nasty deuce in the family bathroom, because the mother turned right around, apologized to her little girl, and they ran off looking for a regular ladies room. Tom just walked by me normally and went off to his gate.

That is my Tom Friedman story.

fortressamerica.gawker.com

381 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:11:57am

re: #377 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

Hey, he’s just “asking questions”.

/

The “Mustache of Understanding” has finally taken over completely and is doing all the talking.

382 blueraven  Mar 18, 2015 10:13:22am
“Why are we, for the third time since 9/11, fighting a war on behalf of Iran?” Friedman writes in his New York Times column, suggesting that ISIL is the “homegrown Sunni Arab response” to the fall of Saddam Hussein, the Taliban, and any “durable counterbalance to Iran.”

Friedman tempers his comments, writing “obviously, I abhor ISIS and don’t want to see it spread or take over Iraq.”
“I simply raise this question rhetorically because no one else is: Why is it in our interest to destroy the last Sunni bulwark to a total Iranian takeover of Iraq? Because the Shiite militias now leading the fight against ISIS will rule better? Really?”

Read more: politico.com

Really??

383 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:14:09am

re: #378 Justanotherhuman

Oh, I meant to add this link:

nei.nih.gov

384 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:14:32am

re: #378 Justanotherhuman

Hang in there.

385 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 10:15:10am

re: #282 Ace-o-aces

What kind of asshole uses suffering animals as the background to a political rant.

The Glenn Beck kind.

386 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 10:15:13am

re: #382 blueraven

Read more: politico.com

Really??

You kinda knew this was coming eventually. The hatred of Iran is so intense that the idea of supporting monsters like Daesh holds a certain appeal to the Cold Warriors.

387 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 10:16:38am

re: #375 Targetpractice

You really have to wonder what the folks back in Germany think of the GOP response to VW wanting to involve worker input in decision making. Other there, it’s taken as a given that workers should have a say in how things work. So to work in a country where the management is considered above question has to be absolutely mind-boggling.

Corporations are collectives in which investors pool their resources to maximize profits. They are good. They are persons.

Unions are collectives in which thugs and extortionists attempt to drive corporations to bankruptcy by forcing them to give benefits and pay a living wage. They are an abomination unto the Lord.

388 Timothy Watson  Mar 18, 2015 10:17:08am

re: #373 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

As I mentioned a few comments back, he’s getting a righteous fisking for that.
Tom Friedman Is Just Sayin’: Why Don’t We Arm ISIS?
(you might even see a guest appearance by a lizard in the comments ;) )

The one thing I might agree with Greenwald on:

“If I had to pick just a single fact that most powerfully reflects the nature of America’s political and media class in order to explain the cause of the nation’s imperial decline, it would be that, in those classes, Tom Friedman is the country’s most influential and most decorated ‘foreign policy expert.” -Glenn Greenwald

389 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 10:17:34am

A union president trying to get better benefits for him and his workers is a thug. An executive giving himself a seven figure raise and then cutting thousands of jobs is a job creator.

390 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 10:17:40am

re: #386 Targetpractice

You kinda knew this was coming eventually. The hatred of Iran is so intense that the idea of supporting monsters like Daesh holds a certain appeal to the Cold Warriors.

We armed Saddam for the same reasons.

391 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 10:18:03am

re: #388 Timothy Watson

The one thing I might agree with Greenwald on:

“If I had to pick just a single fact that most powerfully reflects the nature of America’s political and media class in order to explain the cause of the nation’s imperial decline, it would be that, in those classes, Tom Friedman is the country’s most influential and most decorated ‘foreign policy expert.” -Glenn Greenwald

Glenn is just jealous that he doesn’t have the kind of influence he thinks Tom Friedman has.

392 blueraven  Mar 18, 2015 10:18:12am

re: #386 Targetpractice

You kinda knew this was coming eventually. The hatred of Iran is so intense that the idea of supporting monsters like Daesh holds a certain appeal to the Cold Warriors.

I would not be surprised to see nuts like Lindsey Graham co-sign.

393 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:20:56am

re: #384 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Oh, thanks! I’m not afraid. Just getting old, which is better than the alternative.

394 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Mar 18, 2015 10:22:29am

re: #386 Targetpractice

You kinda knew this was coming eventually. The hatred of Iran is so intense that the idea of supporting monsters like Daesh holds a certain appeal to the Cold Warriors.

So, we liberated Shiite populated but Suni-ruled Iraq, allowing Shiites a greater say in Iraq’s affairs, except now Iraq’s Shiites are on better terms with Iran’s Shiites, who are our enemies, so we should arm Suni-ISIS to recapture Iraq from the Shiites of Iran.

Is this pretty close to the Tom Friedman argument?

half /

395 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:22:42am

re: #393 Justanotherhuman

Oh, thanks! I’m not afraid. Just getting old, which is better than the alternative.

Getting old sucks, but true, better than the alternative.

396 Kragar  Mar 18, 2015 10:22:43am
397 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:24:10am

re: #392 blueraven

I would not be surprised to see nuts like Lindsey Graham co-sign.

This is a fallback position. Right now “Obama isn’t doing anything against ISIS!” If the fact that he demonstrably is should happen to leak past the MSM filter, it’ll be “Obama should be arming ISIS to fight Iran!”

Since we’ve always been at war with Eastasia, nobody will notice the transition.

398 Targetpractice  Mar 18, 2015 10:24:40am

re: #394 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

So, we liberated Shiite populated but Suni-ruled Iraq, allowing Shiites a greater say in Iraq’s affairs, except now Iraq’s Shiites are on better terms with Iran’s Shiites, who are our enemies, so we should arm Suni-ISIS to recapture Iraq from the Shiites of Iran.

Is this pretty close to the Tom Friedman argument?

half /

That’s pretty much what it sounds like. He’s not saying we openly support them, at least that’s how it reads. He’s saying we pull a Reagan, supporting them under the table with materiel as a bulwark against greater Iranian influence in the region.

For those playing the home game, Friedman was one of those who thought that removing Saddam from power and installing a democratic government in Iraq would be a “good thing.”

399 Dark_Falcon  Mar 18, 2015 10:24:46am

re: #373 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

As I mentioned a few comments back, he’s getting a righteous fisking for that.
Tom Friedman Is Just Sayin’: Why Don’t We Arm ISIS?
(you might even see a guest appearance by a lizard in the comments ;) )

You can have a serious anger at the government of Iran, but if you can’t figure out that they’re a good deal better than the ‘Islamic State’, then you need your head examined.

400 Great White Snark  Mar 18, 2015 10:25:14am

So busted… Arpaio. Paged.

Reminds me of a recent report of similar behavior in Ferguson, once you equate black with hispanic.

401 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:27:38am

re: #400 Great White Snark

Woot!

402 blueraven  Mar 18, 2015 10:29:21am

But…the emails!!!

General Election: Bush vs. Clinton CNN/Opinion Research Clinton 55, Bush 40
Clinton +15

General Election: Walker vs. Clinton CNN/Opinion Research Clinton 55, Walker 40
Clinton +15

General Election: Paul vs. Clinton CNN/Opinion Research Clinton 54, Paul 43
Clinton +11

General Election: Christie vs. Clinton CNN/Opinion Research Clinton 55, Christie 40
Clinton +15

General Election: Rubio vs. Clinton CNN/Opinion Research Clinton 55, Rubio 42
Clinton +13

General Election: Huckabee vs. Clinton CNN/Opinion Research Clinton 55, Huckabee 41
Clinton +14

General Election: Carson vs. Clinton CNN/Opinion Research Clinton 56, Carson 40
Clinton +16

403 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 10:31:22am

re: #402 blueraven

But…the emails!!!

That suggest to me that I don’t think we’ll ever see a huge landslide for the foreseeable future. I think enough people will be voting GOP and Dem no matter what the candidate. That kind of emboldens the fringe since not being totally Mondaled or McGoverned at the polls gives them the delusion that their ideology isn’t the problem.

404 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 10:31:37am

re: #400 Great White Snark

So busted… Arpaio. Paged.

Reminds me of a recent report of similar behavior in Ferguson, once you equate black with hispanic.

Arizona wanted Law and Order writ big and Low Taxes writ even bigger. Sheriff Joe was simply the logical outcome of that constellation.

405 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:32:32am

re: #399 Dark_Falcon

You can have a serious anger at the government of Iran, but if you can’t figure out that they’re a good deal better than the ‘Islamic State’, then you need your head examined.

On this subject, we agree. Say what you will about Iran, but it’s a stable government not out wrecking shit and cutting heads off people and posting it to YouTube.

406 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 18, 2015 10:32:41am

re: #403 HappyWarrior

That suggest to me that I don’t think we’ll ever see a huge landslide for the foreseeable future. I think enough people will be voting GOP and Dem no matter what the candidate. That kind of emboldens the fringe since not being totally Mondaled or McGoverned at the polls gives them the delusion that their ideology isn’t the problem.

No, it’s the Democrats giving away free stuff and Democratic voter fraud.

407 HappyWarrior  Mar 18, 2015 10:33:04am

re: #406 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

No, it’s the Democrats giving away free stuff and Democratic voter fraud.

Obviously.//

408 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Mar 18, 2015 10:35:07am

netanyahu’s declaration that there will never be a palestinian state as long as he is in office rips the mask of deceit off of the likud party

but it does much more than that

not only will all the years i spend defending the good intentions of the israeli government in regard to negotiations with the palestinian people now be made to look ridiculous, but much more importantly

the good name of the jewish people is dragged through the mud as we are exposed as liars

and, there will never, never, be true security for the state of israel

and all this just to save netanyahu’s lying ass when got desperate that he might not be re-elected to the premiership

409 BeachDem  Mar 18, 2015 10:35:49am

re: #378 Justanotherhuman

Welp, I have cataracts. The dr said I could wait to have surgery done sometime in the next year but not wait longer. Meantime, I’m getting sunglasses in single vision lenses for driving. Walked around about an hour before driving home, and the drops were still sort of bugging me, but I could see “OK”.

This was my best clue: “Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.”

But he also said my vision should be pretty good after surgery.

Tomorrow, the internist…

Had both eyes done last year—Medicare/supplemental insurance coverered all but about $200. Went from nearly blind to 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other.

Had worn glasses/contacts since 3rd grade—the cataract surgery was like a miracle!

410 blueraven  Mar 18, 2015 10:37:47am

re: #403 HappyWarrior

That suggest to me that I don’t think we’ll ever see a huge landslide for the foreseeable future. I think enough people will be voting GOP and Dem no matter what the candidate. That kind of emboldens the fringe since not being totally Mondaled or McGoverned at the polls gives them the delusion that their ideology isn’t the problem.

I doubt these numbers will hold up, but a 10+ point win would be a landslide.

411 BeachDem  Mar 18, 2015 10:39:03am

re: #402 blueraven

But…the emails!!!

Encouraging, but looking at the clowncar group, in a sane world, she’d be up by about 35 points over any and every one of them.

412 blueraven  Mar 18, 2015 10:40:10am

re: #411 BeachDem

Encouraging, but looking at the clowncar group, in a sane world, she’d be up by about 35 points over any and every one of them.

Now you are just being silly.

//

413 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:40:41am

re: #409 BeachDem

Congratulations! About 6 or 7 years ago, I was diagnosed with “second sight” which is a precursor to cataracts. It was just a matter of time, and right now, you can’t even see the cataracts. The dr said my eyes were about “stage 3” or something, not far gone at this point. But said to get it done at any rate during this year.

Besides, I have to renew my DL next Feb. : )

414 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 18, 2015 10:41:04am

re: #378 Justanotherhuman

My optometrist found both cataracts and macular degeneration so it was off to my doctor to get a referral to an ophthalmologist to see what can be done and when we can do it. I turn 67 this year so neither condition is surprising. The only bummer is that I’ve stopped surfing until I get a full run down and advice from the ophthalmologist. IOLs will take care of the cataracts, the macular degeneration can’t be reversed, but it may be treatable. We’ll see…
or not.

415 Dr. Matt  Mar 18, 2015 10:41:34am

The worst part about getting a tempo-ban from Teh Twitter is that when you return you get dozens and dozens of automated “thanks for following” direct messages from people you were already following.

416 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:41:38am

re: #402 blueraven

But…the emails!!!

The fact that the GOP candidates are all essentially the same shows that people haven’t really been paying attention. When the bloom is off the rose, they could crater further. I’d say the race could narrow except that Hillary Clinton is a known quantity. Even people who’ve been asleep for the last 15 years have made up their minds about her. The fact that 55% are willing to say they’d vote for her over any Republican at this early stage makes me hopeful for the election.

417 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 10:43:18am

This morning I wanted to listen to some classical music so I turned on the good old trusty NPR classic radio station and OMG WTF
…

418 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 10:44:02am

re: #344 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

There was supposed to be a VTOL version of the F-35, but they gave that up early on.

The USMC expects to be operating their AV-8B (Harrier) until at least 2025.

419 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:44:06am

re: #414 Higgs Boson’s Mate

I hope things turn out all right for you—keeping fingers crossed! : )

420 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 10:45:11am

re: #416 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

The fact that the GOP candidates are all essentially the same shows that people haven’t really been paying attention. When the bloom is off the rose, they could crater further. I’d say the race could narrow except the Hillary Clinton is a known quantity. Even people who’ve been asleep for the last 15 years have made up their minds about her. The fact that 55% are willing to say they’d vote for her over any Republican at this early stage makes me hopeful for the election.

Motherfucking this. It’s too goddamn early to be talking about an election that’s still over a year away.

421 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 10:45:24am

re: #378 Justanotherhuman

Welp, I have cataracts. The dr said I could wait to have surgery done sometime in the next year but not wait longer. Meantime, I’m getting sunglasses in single vision lenses for driving. Walked around about an hour before driving home, and the drops were still sort of bugging me, but I could see “OK”.

This was my best clue: “Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.”

But he also said my vision should be pretty good after surgery.

Tomorrow, the internist…

V had her cataracts done a few years ago. She said the difference was amazing.

422 jaunte  Mar 18, 2015 10:46:23am
423 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:46:57am

I was surprised when Medicare paid all but $39 of my eye exam, too. : )

424 CuriousLurker  Mar 18, 2015 10:47:46am

re: #408 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸

netanyahoo’s declaration that there will never be a palestinian state as long as he is in office rips the mask of deceit off of the likud party

but it does much more than that

not only will all the years i spend defending the good intentions of the israeli government in regard to negotiations with the palestinian people are now made to look ridiculous, but much more importantly

the good name of the jewish people is dragged through the mud as we are exposed as liars

and, there will never, never, be true security for the state of israel

and all this just to save netanyahoo’s lying ass when got desperate that he might not be re-elected to the premiership

I would hope that (rational) people would be able to distinguish between a particular Israel politician or political party, the Israeli people, and Jewish people in general (diaspora). That said, his comments give lots of ammunition to people who are anti-Zionist, not to mention antisemites.

The first thing that came to my mind was how people often say, “Well, the Gazans elected Hamas, so even if they didn’t all vote for them, a majority still chose them freely.” Netanyahu obviously isn’t Hamas, but mark my words that argument will be trotted out: “The Israelis elected Netanyahu, so even if they didn’t all vote for him, a majority still chose him freely.” Ditto for claims that the other side doesn’t want peace.

425 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 10:47:57am

re: #362 William Barnett-Lewis

The Northrop YA-9 lost the competition against the A-10 back in the day. Why would anyone want the Russian copy? //// Seriously, all things considered, the survivability of the A-10 is much higher than the A-9 or it’s Sukhoi derivative (considered in some circles to have been a very successful espionage operation by the KGB).

I saw a Northrup YF-17 prototype last week in Alabama*.

Lost the light fighter competition to the F-16, but it’s essentially the basis for the F-18/A the Navy uses now.

* - In the same memorial park as the USS Alabama, USS Drum, and a SR-71. It’s there on loan from the Navy Aviation Museum.

426 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:47:58am

re: #417 The Mother Of All Pies

This morning I wanted to listen to some classical music so I turned on the good old trusty NPR classic radio station and OMG WTF
[Embedded content]

“Yodelling” with two “l”s? Is this a British yodeling album? That would be a find!

427 CuriousLurker  Mar 18, 2015 10:49:05am

re: #422 jaunte

[Embedded content]

*smh*

428 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 10:49:22am

re: #426 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

“Yodelling” with two “l”s? Is this a British yodeling album? That would be a find!

Australian

429 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 18, 2015 10:50:28am

re: #419 Justanotherhuman

I hope things turn out all right for you—keeping finger crossed! : )

Thanks. I’m a Buddhist and acceptance makes this much easier. It also makes it easier to follow instructions.

430 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 10:51:22am

re: #394 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

So, we liberated Shiite populated but Suni-ruled Iraq, allowing Shiites a greater say in Iraq’s affairs, except now Iraq’s Shiites are on better terms with Iran’s Shiites, who are our enemies, so we should arm Suni-ISIS to recapture Iraq from the Shiites of Iran.

Is this pretty close to the Tom Friedman argument?

half /

As long as we get to sell small arms and such to all of them.
///

431 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 10:51:42am

re: #429 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Thanks. I’m a Buddhist and acceptance makes this much easier. It also makes it easier to follow instructions.

Is being a Buddhist anything like being a Budist?

432 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 18, 2015 10:52:00am

re: #426 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

“Yodelling” with two “l”s? Is this a British yodeling album? That would be a find!

Does Slim Whitman count? He was boffo in the UK.

433 BeachDem  Mar 18, 2015 10:52:02am

re: #414 Higgs Boson’s Mate

My optometrist found both cataracts and macular degeneration so it was off to my doctor to get a referral to an ophthalmologist to see what can be done and when we can do it. I turn 67 this year so neither condition is surprising. The only bummer is that I’ve stopped surfing until I get a full run down and advice from the ophthalmologist. IOLs will take care of the cataracts, the macular degeneration can’t be reversed, but it may be treatable. We’ll see…
or not.

I had to go to an ophthalmologist who specializes in difficult cases. Also had to go to a corneal specialist to make sure all would be OK with the surgery—something about thin corneal walls—elongated something-or-other. My doc was great—said he liked to make sure people didn’t have too great expectations about results beforehand—I told him I was the opposite, and would be fine even if I had to wear contacts after surgery—as long as I could see! (I also turn 67 this year.)

He did the worst eye first—just in case there was any problem. Then did the better eye about 6 weeks later.

434 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:52:16am

re: #426 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Hey, I learned to spell using 2 ls. When did this change? : )

I’ve noticed the red spell check line kicking in when I use “labelling” for instance,

Those nuns really pound the rules into ya…

435 jaunte  Mar 18, 2015 10:52:48am

re: #427 CuriousLurker

*smh*

That’s right, if you’re responsible enough to have $100, sit through a four hour class, and fill out some paperwork, you too can start packing.

436 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:53:51am

re: #425 Feline Fearless Leader

I saw a Northrup YF-17 prototype last week in Alabama*.

Lost the light fighter competition to the F-16, but it’s essentially the basis for the F-18/A the Navy uses now.

* - In the same memorial park as the USS Alabama, USS Drum, and a SR-71. It’s there on loan from the Navy Aviation Museum.

The YF-17 clearly won the flyoff, but they chose the YF-16 anyway. Only to find that the Navy wouldn’t accept it because it only had one engine. So they had to buy the YF-17 as well—to become the F-18—but they took the production away from Northrop.

If I’d been screwed over by the US government as many times as Northrop has, I would have gone to work for the Soviet Union—especially after the F-20 affair.

437 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 18, 2015 10:54:23am

re: #435 jaunte

Embedded Image

That’s right, if you’re responsible enough to have $100, sit through a four hour class, and fill out some paperwork, you too can start packing.

CHL is valid Voter ID in Texas, but student ID is not.

438 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 10:54:36am

re: #428 The Mother Of All Pies

Australian

Ah! Not quite as weird, but still weird. I like it.

439 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 18, 2015 10:54:53am

re: #431 b_sharp

Is being a Buddhist anything like being a Budist?

It seems to work the same for some lucky people. I chose to give it up when I realized that Budism just left me with a lighter wallet, the same feelings and a wicked hangover.

440 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 10:55:27am

re: #398 Targetpractice

That’s pretty much what it sounds like. He’s not saying we openly support them, at least that’s how it reads. He’s saying we pull a Reagan, supporting them under the table with materiel as a bulwark against greater Iranian influence in the region.

For those playing the home game, Friedman was one of those who thought that removing Saddam from power and installing a democratic government in Iraq would be a “good thing.”

But anything the GOP wants is “good”. And tomorrow… tomorrow’s gonna be a… real good day!*

* - Otherwise you end up in a cornfield in Iowa. ;P

441 Lidane  Mar 18, 2015 10:55:46am

“I don’t wanna annihilate anybody, I wanna fuckin’ change America,” Stout allegedly told the informant. “If you had contact with the people that you say you had contact with, I could kill the President of the United States, and then we storm Washington, and then we take over the country that our forefathers created.”

442 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 18, 2015 10:56:10am

re: #433 BeachDem

Thank you! It’s good to hear from someone walking ahead of me.

443 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:56:10am

re: #435 jaunte

Ha, reminds me of a new indoor shooting range down the road which advertised a “Happy Hour” shooting session.

Guess they gave you a 10% discount or something.

I thought it was pretty disgusting since everyone knows what “happy hour” really is. But who knows, maybe you can drink at the same time.

444 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 10:59:33am

Tunisian state television says the death toll in museum attack has risen to 22, including several tourists and 2 gunmen - @AP

445 b_sharp  Mar 18, 2015 11:01:01am

re: #444 Justanotherhuman

Tunisian state television says the death toll in museum attack has risen to 22, including several tourists and 2 gunmen - @AP

Fuckin’ humans.

446 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 11:01:07am

Mesa shooting: 6 shot, 1 dead; gunman still on loose

azcentral.com

“Police are looking for a White man in his 40s with a neck tattoo, wearing a gray shirt and black shorts or pants. Do not approach him if you see him; call 911.”

BTW, this involved 3 different locations.

447 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 11:01:20am

re: #434 Justanotherhuman

Hey, I learned to spell using 2 ls. When did this change? : )

I’ve noticed the red spell check line kicking in when I use “labelling” for instance,

Those nuns really pound the rules into ya…

In America, we double the “l” on adding an ending only if that syllable was already stressed before adding it—like propel —> propeller. The stress shifting to that syllable as a result of adding the ending, as in parallel —> parallelogram, isn’t good enough.

In Britain, they always double the “l”. There’s one weird little loophole where if the “l” is already doubled, and the stress is already on the last syllable, They take an “l” away”: install —> instalment!

448 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 11:03:21am

re: #441 Lidane

449 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 11:04:17am

re: #447 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

My grammar lessons were in the 50s…so it wouldn’t surprise me if we still used British rules. : )

450 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 11:04:18am
451 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 11:07:09am

US attorney Ronald Machen set to step down without charging former IRS Commissioner Lois Lerner with contempt of Congress - @thehill
read more on thehill.com

452 Romantic Heretic  Mar 18, 2015 11:09:50am

re: #369 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

I’ve mentioned it before here, but Tyler Rogaway at Foxtrot Alpha is really keen on the A10 and has spent a significant amount of pixels on the AF’s attempts to kill it.
Here’s the latest one: At What Point Does The USAF’s War Against The A-10 Become Sabotage?

Other posts are here at this tag:
foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com

After reading that article I will, for once, give the GOP some kudos. The A10 is the best CAS airplane ever and American troops deserve to have it covering their asses.

453 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 11:10:18am

Hot damn.

US does not recognize the legitimacy of the treaty signed between Russia, rebel South Ossetia region of Georgia, says spokeswoman for State Department - @Reuters
end of alert

454 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 11:10:22am

re: #409 BeachDem

Had both eyes done last year—Medicare/supplemental insurance coverered all but about $200. Went from nearly blind to 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other.

Had worn glasses/contacts since 3rd grade—the cataract surgery was like a miracle!

I had one cataract replacement in order to allow a fix to a different problem. Even though that eye was not very degraded, the improvement was shocking. Don’t even wear glasses for distance any longer. I’ll get the other done eventually.

455 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 11:11:28am

Watch the stock market drop like a stone…

Federal Reserve ends pledge to be ‘patient’ in normalizing monetary policy, opening door to rate hike - @Reuters
read more on reuters.com

456 lawhawk  Mar 18, 2015 11:12:24am

re: #424 CuriousLurker

A majority didn’t even vote for Netanyahu. His party didn’t get 60+ seats by itself. It’s a bare plurality at around 24% of the vote, which will give Likud somewhere between 27 and 30 seats.

But the rest of your point still stands. Netanyahu ≠ Israel.

Netanyahu’s refusal to accept a 2-state solution doesn’t quite pass the smell test, not when he doesn’t offer up any alternatives, and unless he’s talking about imposing an apartheid-type state or forcible expulsion of all non-Jewish populations in the West Bank and Jerusalem, he’s got some explaining to do.

Much more likely, he’s going to continue the status quo, which means that we’ll see another round of fighting with Hamas eventually (so much for Likud security cred), more fighting, and less security for Israelis both inside and outside the Green Line. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to cut a deal with Abbas separate of the Hamas/Gaza situation to essentially create a 2.5/3 state solution, which is something that is far more likely given that Abbas has no love for Hamas and vice versa. Hamas would hate any kind of deal along those lines even more than Netanyahu and the far right in Israel, so they’d have an incentive to try and kill it.

So, it’s likely that if there’s a backchannel deal in the works that more or less gives Israel the security it needs, doesn’t partition Jerusalem, but allows Palestinians freedoms in the West Bank they haven’t had and allows them to declare Jerusalem their capital (enlarge the definition of Jerusalem and give the Eastern portion of the newly enlarged Jerusalem to their control, while either internationalizing the Temple Mount area or putting it under joint control), Hamas will carry out attacks against Israel and Fatah in an attempt to scuttle, the far right will withdraw from the govt to try and spike the deal, and Abbas will be fending off possible attacks against his regime as well.

Housing and borders are not insurmountable problems - housing can be bought, sold, built or demolished (we saw this in Gaza and Sinai). Borders can be adjusted. But people’s attitudes are far more difficult to change, and even then, you need to have leaders willing to take the leap.

I still doubt that Netanyahu or Abbas are those leaders. And that means that all the talk about a peace process are still just talk, and wont happen anytime soon - the more suckage for those living in the region.

457 Romantic Heretic  Mar 18, 2015 11:14:02am

re: #394 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

So, we liberated Shiite populated but Suni-ruled Iraq, allowing Shiites a greater say in Iraq’s affairs, except now Iraq’s Shiites are on better terms with Iran’s Shiites, who are our enemies, so we should arm Suni-ISIS to recapture Iraq from the Shiites of Iran.

Is this pretty close to the Tom Friedman argument?

half /

This made me think of a rather funny blog post on the situation in the Middle East and Canada’s role in it.

458 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 11:16:50am

re: #453 Justanotherhuman

Hot damn.

US does not recognize the legitimacy of the treaty signed between Russia, rebel South Ossetia region of Georgia, says spokeswoman for State Department - @Reuters
end of alert

Sounds like it’s time for another Tom Cotton letter, signed by mavericks like McCain and Graham.

459 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 11:17:18am

Editor’s note: CNBC says the Federal Reserve’s decision to drop the word ‘patient’ from its post-meeting statement is ‘an indication, subtle though it may be, that the era of zero interest rates is about to end.’ - Tom
end of note

460 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 11:18:30am

re: #459 Justanotherhuman

Editor’s note: CNBC says the Federal Reserve’s decision to drop the word ‘patient’ from its post-meeting statement is ‘an indication, subtle though it may be, that the era of zero interest rates is about to end.’ - Tom
end of note

Maybe they just had to cut it down to 140 characters.

461 BeachDem  Mar 18, 2015 11:18:55am

Charles P. Pierce on Huckabee’s magic cancer cure grift:

I do love the delicacy exhibited by The New York Times in referring to Huck’s scam as an “unconventional” means of fundraising. This is understood best by the hundreds of people who now own the Brooklyn Bridge due to the “unconventional” real-estate philosophy of hundreds of independent entrepreneurs.

esquire.com

462 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 11:21:08am

Dow has reversed early losses, and is up 154 points. That’s why I play the Florida lottery instead.

463 A Cranky One  Mar 18, 2015 11:22:25am

re: #350 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Murphy has been a ray of sunshine since we got him over a month ago. Never fails to be excited, even worried when my SO was sick for several days - stayed right by her side.

And what do the cats think of Murphy now? Are they getting along, or at least co-existing peacefully?

464 darthstar  Mar 18, 2015 11:22:40am
465 Justanotherhuman  Mar 18, 2015 11:24:00am

Hmmm. Is this a blip?

US stocks surge after Fed decision; Dow recovers from a more than 100-point loss to a gain of about 70 - @USATODAYmoney
see original on twitter.com

10-year US bond yield dips below 2% - @CNBCnow

Don’t save! Invest in stocks! And mortgages, as soon as we get the interest rates up…

BoA is paying .03% interest on standard savings accts.

466 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 11:25:20am

re: #465 Justanotherhuman

Hmmm. Is this a blip?

US stocks surge after Fed decision; Dow recovers from a more than 100-point loss to a gain of about 70 - @USATODAYmoney
see original on twitter.com

10-year US bond yield dips below 2% - @CNBCnow

Don’t save! Invest in stocks! And mortgages, as soon as we get the interest rates up…

BoA is paying .03% interest on standard savings accts.

Investing heavily in mushroom compost this week.

467 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 11:26:04am

re: #466 Decatur Deb

Investing heavily in mushroom compost this week.

Is that why you got the bonus fire ants?

468 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 11:26:44am

re: #467 Feline Fearless Leader

Is that why you got the bonus fire ants?

Yup. Little bastards.

469 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 18, 2015 11:27:31am

re: #468 Decatur Deb

Yup. Little bastards.

Saw the hills in a bunch of places in Alabama, Florida, etc. Had been warned not to stand on one.

470 Decatur Deb  Mar 18, 2015 11:28:40am

re: #469 Feline Fearless Leader

Saw the hills in a bunch of places in Alabama, Florida, etc. Had been warned not to stand on one.

They killed one of our state senators a while back. Got pinned on a mound by an overturned tractor.

471 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 18, 2015 11:28:50am

re: #462 Decatur Deb

Dow has reversed early losses, and is up 154 points. That’s why I play the Florida lottery instead.

Hey, the lottery’s a mug’s game, but as our State Lottery commercials used to say: “Somebody’s gonna win it”.

Of course, somebody’s gonna win in the stock market, too—just not you!

472 #FergusonFireside  Mar 18, 2015 11:31:27am

re: #470 Decatur Deb

They killed one of our state senators a while back. Got pinned on a mound by an overturned tractor.

Oh how awful.

473 CuriousLurker  Mar 18, 2015 11:33:28am

re: #456 lawhawk

A majority didn’t even vote for Netanyahu. His party didn’t get 60+ seats by itself. It’s a bare plurality at around 24% of the vote, which will give Likud somewhere between 27 and 30 seats.

True, but the rest of the other votes went to right-wing parties—Yisrael Beiteinu, Jewish Home, Shas, UTJ—some of which are even further to the right than Likud, and those are the people he needs for a coalition (unless he can get one of the centrist parties to cooperate with him). If you add up those parties, then it effectively amounts to a majority. (Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong on any of that.)

As for the rest, I hope you’re right and those who want to create a single state, annex the West Bank, raze the Dome of the Rock, and build the Third Temple don’t get their wish as it’ll almost surely start a regional war across the Mideast, if not WWIII.

474 ObserverArt  Mar 18, 2015 11:34:53am

re: #450 darthstar

[Embedded content]

I take that was from the Arnold Sports Festival held here in good ol’ Columbus a couple weekends back.

I’ve never attended it, but a buddy and his wife went and they both said it was the strangest event they have ever attended. I guess the crowd was very ‘diverse’ in many ways.

475 wrenchwench  Mar 18, 2015 11:37:42am

I was walking to my shop a couple of days ago, and crossed paths with a friend who was walking with another woman. I was telling my friend that my balance was being thrown off by my double vision (hence the walking stick), and she indicated her walking mate and said, “She’s had double vision for what, six years?” (A different condition from what I have, her retinas are involved, which mine are not.) Her friend said, ‘You just have to be careful. Why just yesterday, I squeezed some limes, and then very carefully poured the juice on the floor.’

I laugh about that every time I pour something.

476 Ace-o-aces  Mar 18, 2015 11:39:43am

re: #456 lawhawk

A majority didn’t even vote for Netanyahu. His party didn’t get 60+ seats by itself. It’s a bare plurality at around 24% of the vote, which will give Likud somewhere between 27 and 30 seats.

In Israel, “resounding victory” means, “gets to try and form a government with several parties who would rather be repeatedly kicked in the nuts than sit in the same room together.”

477 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 11:53:19am

re: #435 jaunte

[Embedded content]

That’s right, if you’re responsible enough to have $100, sit through a four hour class, and fill out some paperwork, you too can start packing.

heh…Note that drinks are for sale after 10 a.m. YeeHaw!!!

478 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 18, 2015 11:59:00am

re: #474 ObserverArt

I take that was from the Arnold Sports Festival held here in good ol’ Columbus a couple weekends back.

I’ve never attended it, but a buddy and his wife went and they both said it was the strangest event they have ever attended. I guess the crowd was very ‘diverse’ in many ways.

Not that it’s a bad thing, but certain aspects of the event are quite fabulous.

479 CuriousLurker  Mar 18, 2015 2:29:06pm

re: #456 lawhawk

re: #473 CuriousLurker

True, but the rest of the other votes went to right-wing parties—Yisrael Beiteinu, Jewish Home, Shas, UTJ—some of which are even further to the right than Likud, and those are the people he needs for a coalition (unless he can get one of the centrist parties to cooperate with him). If you add up those parties, then it effectively amounts to a majority. (Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong on any of that.)

As for the rest, I hope you’re right and those who want to create a single state, annex the West Bank, raze the Dome of the Rock, and build the Third Temple don’t get their wish as it’ll almost surely start a regional war across the Mideast, if not WWIII.

I take it back—I was just thinking about the numbers and realized my math #FAIL. Even with a right-wing coalition totaling 60+ seats (representing just over 50% of the voters), it still wouldn’t be a majority as the final voter turnout was 71.8%, not 100% (i.e. that would put it at somewhere between 36-40%… I think).

So yeah, lawhawk, you were right—that would make it a plurality not a majority.

Numbers, ugh.

480 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Mar 18, 2015 6:16:30pm

re: #463 A Cranky One

And what do the cats think of Murphy now? Are they getting along, or at least co-existing peacefully?

It’s a “cold war” situation at present. :)


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