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365 comments
1 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 8:31:02pm
2 Decatur Deb  Mar 23, 2015 8:39:20pm

re: #1 Charles Johnson

If anyone needs me I’ll be in Franceland.

I thought we re-named that “Freedonia”.

3 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 8:41:47pm
4 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 8:42:27pm
5 Decatur Deb  Mar 23, 2015 8:43:01pm

Hail Freedonia!!

…

6 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 8:43:42pm

The crying piccolo kid is sitting in with The Roots on The Tonight Show

7 Lidane  Mar 23, 2015 8:43:56pm
8 goddamnedfrank  Mar 23, 2015 8:47:10pm
9 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 8:48:47pm

He must be hurtin’ for cash

10 Lidane  Mar 23, 2015 8:53:46pm
11 Timothy Watson  Mar 23, 2015 8:54:23pm

re: #8 goddamnedfrank

[Embedded content]

Someone remind that tool he was used by the communist Cuban intelligence service in an attempt to discredit one of the strongest opponents of the Castro regime.

And, unlike Ted Cruz’s father, Menendez’s father didn’t fight for Castro.

12 goddamnedfrank  Mar 23, 2015 8:55:41pm

re: #9 SteveMcGaziBolaGate

He must be hurtin’ for cash

The Capitol Police fucked up his grift at the Valadao / Boehner fundraiser and apparently he didn’t get much traction at the Rohrabacher shindig. That’s the reason he goes to these events, to play remora and suck up to the big fish.

13 psddluva4evah  Mar 23, 2015 8:57:27pm

So yay! Tomorrow I’m going to see Stevie Wonder at the Smoothie King Center here in NOLA for his “Songs In The Key of Life” tour.

To prepare myself, I’ve been listening to the “Songs in the Key of Life” LP in its entirety.

It’s weird, I was born in November 1976 this album was released in September of 1976. I guess I must have heard these songs in my crib, cause I swear I know all these songs. I blame being the oldest grandchild and having young aunts and uncles. My mother’s brothers (my uncles) were ALL into music…

In the boys’ room is where all the record albums and the “stereo” system was. They had this one easy chair that was central to this little ass room…lol. They would sit in it, turn on the record player and just sit in that chair, listen to the music and tap their feet. I have memories of them all, in this chair and I see them with their eyes closed, tapping their feet and hands on the floor and arms of the chair. Probably one of my earliest memories.

14 goddamnedfrank  Mar 23, 2015 8:58:02pm

re: #10 Lidane

[Embedded content]

I don’t mind that they spied on them, that’s natural and expected. I mind that they actively undermined them, while advocating no alternative position beyond open war.

15 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 8:58:15pm
16 Decatur Deb  Mar 23, 2015 8:58:19pm

Still no hoverboards, but we’re edging into the future:

Boeing patents ‘Star Wars’-style force fields

cnet.com

17 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 9:00:07pm

re: #10 Lidane

Is the US working on a separate deal with Iran? Shouldn’t the story be that Israel spied on Iranian nuclear arms talks with multinational partners?
Either way, I would expect any nation to spy an any other nation.

18 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 9:01:49pm

re: #13 psddluva4evah

My daughter knows all of the Carpenters’ Greatest Hits and she didn’t know why until I told her I put that on in her room for white noise. REALLY white noise.

19 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 9:03:47pm
20 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 9:04:37pm

In Franceland they don’t have state troopers.

21 goddamnedfrank  Mar 23, 2015 9:05:05pm

Who builds a Southwest Adobe style McMansion on the water in Puget Sound?

Rich people, What the Fuck?

22 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 23, 2015 9:09:55pm

re: #21 goddamnedfrank

Who builds a Southwest Adobe style McMansion on the water in Puget Sound?

[Embedded content]

Rich people, What the Fuck?

Born and raised here—every time I see one of those Spanish-style houses (and there are more of them than you might expect) I shake my head.

Of course, any house with a flat or shallow-pitch roof is stupid here to begin with.

23 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 9:15:49pm

Too bad that dumbass baseball player cancelled his Twitter account. He could have called that piccolo player a (you know what) too.

24 goddamnedfrank  Mar 23, 2015 9:16:17pm

Here’s the listing. I know Kingston is on the poor side of the Sound, but is there no Architectural Review Board at all operating there? I’m baffled as to how that happens on land that valuable.

25 gwangung  Mar 23, 2015 9:24:30pm

re: #13 psddluva4evah

Well, that’s proof you were raised right.

26 goddamnedfrank  Mar 23, 2015 9:24:38pm

No.

27 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 23, 2015 9:25:19pm

re: #24 goddamnedfrank

Here’s the listing. I know Kingston is on the poor side of the Sound, but is there no Architectural Review Board at all operating there? I’m baffled as to how that happens on land that valuable.

No, it’s not the poor side—a lot of really well-off people live over there and commute on the ferry, Either Kingston —> Edmonds or Bremerton —> Seattle. I’d rather die, but that’s just me.

28 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 9:28:27pm

re: #26 goddamnedfrank

BREAKING EXCLUSIVE WOW

29 William Barnett-Lewis  Mar 23, 2015 9:29:16pm

G’night all.

30 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 23, 2015 9:31:40pm

re: #28 Charles Johnson

BREAKING EXCLUSIVE WOW

MUST CREDIT GOATNEWS—for pointing out something that was already there. Fuck the original poster!

31 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 9:32:02pm
32 retired cynic  Mar 23, 2015 9:32:55pm

re: #31 Charles Johnson

I’d bet you dream about Franceland tonight, butterflies and all.

33 darthstar  Mar 23, 2015 9:39:20pm

Sleep well everyone…and be glad you’re not Ryan Seacrest.

34 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 23, 2015 9:40:41pm

OT, but maybe of interest.

After a few days of quietude, UpChuck posted yet another flop of an exposé. He’s trying to defend Razib Khan … I think.

BUSTED: @GotNewsDotCom tries to make a point and loses it #FAIL

Let’s play Spot the Difference, shall we?

Subject A: Razib Khan, whose Op-Ed contributor contract with The New York Times was recently severed after gawker.com revealed that he had written many articles for racist websites. A science writer, Khan has written widely about perceived correlations between race and IQ, and co-founded the site, Gene Expressions. He has also written for Discover Magazine and Science Blogs.

Subject B: Elizabeth Spiers, who is founding editor of gawker.com, the very same site that outed Khan. Spiers has been involved in several online media sites, including Gene Expressions. Spiers’ literary output does not typically include science writing, unless one considers fascination with Kim Kardashian’s booty a study of anthropology.

Notably, UpChuck’s headline implies Khan *is* a racist.

35 HappyWarrior  Mar 23, 2015 9:46:00pm

re: #26 goddamnedfrank

[Embedded content]

No.

How do you disprove feminism?

36 psddluva4evah  Mar 23, 2015 9:47:28pm

Just so I understand it…So Israel was spying on US vis a vis Iran talks. So another country spying on another…no surprise.

But am I correct in saying that Israel actually showed the intelligence gathered to some US lawmakers?

And those lawmakers are attempting to tank Iran diplomatic talks…how is that NOT treasonous?

Interested to know which lawmakers it was.

37 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Mar 23, 2015 9:53:24pm

I missed it earlier! Gemini 3 was 50 years ago today. How is that possible? It was the first manned launch my Mom wouldn’t let me stay home from school to watch.

38 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 23, 2015 10:04:16pm

re: #35 HappyWarrior

How do you disprove feminism?

We will never know:

Interview With Reed Student Kicked Out of Class For Doubting Campus Rape Myth

Charles C. Johnson interviews Jeremiah Truehttp://… … Read Full Article

Clicking the link gives:

39 Charles Johnson  Mar 23, 2015 10:10:20pm
40 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 23, 2015 10:11:02pm

The student in question has a lot of names: Jeremiah Josias Luther George True

His parents must have had trouble deciding what to call him.

41 HappyWarrior  Mar 23, 2015 10:12:36pm

re: #39 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

No wonder why Obama is so pissed at Bibi.

42 GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 23, 2015 10:22:50pm

So I dusted off my ole electric guitar thats been in the closet for a good 25 years. She’s not in bad shape. I was never more than a beginner before I put it down (regret that decision very much). My tastes in music have changed a great deal since then. I’ve been researching resonator guitars for weeks now and finally “settled” on a Gretsch Honey Dipper. Going to pick up blues/slide and actually stick with it this time. Should have the new rig in my hands on Thursday. And with that, I bid you all a good night with a big FU to Bibi.

…

43 Kragar  Mar 23, 2015 10:28:28pm

re: #39 Charles Johnson

Any alliance depends on a mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties.

Bibi and the GOP seem hellbent on fucking that up.

44 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 10:34:18pm

When you go to Franceland please don’t put mayonnaise on your Freedom Fries.

45 FemNaziBitch  Mar 23, 2015 10:51:40pm

Wishing you-all a good night!

46 Kragar  Mar 23, 2015 10:57:04pm

“Let me clarify this a little bit: students at Liberty University were required to attend a partisan political speech where a small-government conservative who had just promised he would respect privacy rights, told them if they cared about freedom, text your information to a mysterious address that collects your cell phone number for undisclosed purposes,” Stewart said.

47 SteveMcGaziBolaGate  Mar 23, 2015 11:04:07pm

Cruz will do his job of making Jeb look like a moderate.

48 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 1:29:50am

re: #39 Charles Johnson

After NSA revelations this shouldn’t raise a lot of eyebrows. Countries spy on each other. Allies do too.

49 goddamnedfrank  Mar 24, 2015 2:04:16am

re: #48 Nyet

After NSA revelations this shouldn’t raise a lot of eyebrows. Countries spy on each other. Allies do too.

It’s more about taking the information gleaned through spying and selectively feeding portions of it back to an ally’s legislature in order to undermine their executive during delicate ongoing peace negotiations. Bearing in mind that the negotiations in question don’t just involve the US and Iran but include four other countries.

The allegation here is that Israel didn’t just spy on us, but that they openly subverted the separation of powers built into the structure of our (admittedly dysfunctional) government. If proven true any President would be forced to view this as an adversarial act bordering on actual hostility and antithetical to the concept of an allied partnership between two democratically elected governments.

It should be noted that Netanyahu’s government is flat out denying that they did any of this. However it fits perfectly in line with the tone of his recent rhetoric and his vocal, categorical rejection of any conceivable deal with Iran.

50 Romantic Heretic  Mar 24, 2015 2:40:09am

re: #22 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Born and raised here—every time I see one of those Spanish-style houses (and there are more of them than you might expect) I shake my head.

Of course, any house with a flat or shallow-pitch roof is stupid here to begin with.

About a decade ago Toronto was hit with a huge snowstorm. About a meter (3 feet) in 36 hours. Being a good neighbour I helped some of the people on the street with their shovelling.

One of those neighbours had a newer home. The developer had bought two lots, torn down the original houses and put in six where two had been. So the design of the houses was; garage in front, rest of the house in two floors behind it with a narrow walk between fence and garage to the front door. The area between the garage and the street was mostly driveway with a small ‘garden’ to one side.

Well, I had no place to put the snow. The walkway ended up with a path shoulder wide with the snow piled up shoulder high against the fence. The ‘garden’ ended up with snow piled higher than I could shovel. Two and a half meters (eight feet). I ended putting it on the road for the cars to run over and spread around as slush.

You have to wonder about someone who designs houses not meant for snowy climates.

51 Romantic Heretic  Mar 24, 2015 2:43:23am

re: #48 Nyet

After NSA revelations this shouldn’t raise a lot of eyebrows. Countries spy on each other. Allies do too.

They’d be damned foolish not to.

52 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 2:44:32am

re: #51 Romantic Heretic

They’d be damned foolish not to.

The only foolish thing is to trust one’s “allies” any farther than we can throw them.

53 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 2:47:38am

re: #41 HappyWarrior

No wonder why Obama is so pissed at Bibi.

Really, we were only listening to the Iranian side. We plugged our ears and said, ‘NANANANANA’ whenever Secretary Kerry spoke.

54 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 3:10:46am

Why is Obama having to take the heat for this?

Israel denies spying on US-Iran nuclear talks

bbc.com

The Rs and Netanyahu have been trying to make plays on the talks for months now, even to scuttle them, by any means necessary. They haven’t been shy about what they’re trying to do.

55 goddamnedfrank  Mar 24, 2015 3:16:20am

If the allegation is true then the real offense here is that Israel gave ammunition to the voices that say it controls the United States. It will be the absolute antithesis of Hasbara. If this is born out with proof then Netanyahu has really done both countries an enormous disservice, ripped the curtain back, and clumsily played into the rhetoric of reasonable critics of Israel & anti-semites alike. He will have jeopardized the absolute hell out of a longstanding special relationship that has served both our interests by lobbing an absolutely reckless, one use only hail Mary pass that may well yet fail to connect, all while providing fuel to fire the fears of a legion of paranoid scizophrenics.

And let’s be honest here, there’s almost no way to do what has been alleged here without leaving tons of evidence. If it happened then it’s going to come out. There will be little Obama can do to keep it quite even if he wanted to, and it’s clear that members of his administration are among the sources pushing the story. I am yet reluctant to say Netanyahu’s government is lying, but so far the denials seem to be rather pro forma and unconvincing.

56 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 3:29:37am

re: #50 Romantic Heretic

It’s the urban experience. Even in Charlotte where population has risen so much, we started seeing a reduction in actual yard space in new houses from almost an acre to 1/4 ac in the 1980s, w/large houses crammed in almost wall to wall, and what had been the ‘burbs in the 50s and 60s became “town” and the burbs spread about to a 30 mi radius. The closer to town, the less yard; and the building of condos and hi-rises in the center city commenced as well which were snapped up by YUPs.

Gentrification didn’t start in places where the 1200 sq ft brick houses w/large yards were built 50 yrs ago, but in the older mill villages of 100 yrs or the gingerbread “victorians” in town which were more valuable land, on the street, with little garden space. The closer to town, the better. Even the mill villages had a hierarchy of houses, from little more than shotgun shacks to large 2 stories which were being used for boarding houses at the time of gentrification. You can see the class stratification easily wherever the mills are were located. Even the old mills have been turned into “condos” and low-income housing in one case.

57 goddamnedfrank  Mar 24, 2015 3:32:23am

The reason the spying story is believable is because it smacks of desperation and Netanyahu has been acting absolutely desperately and erratically of late. The election flip flop on the two state solution being a prime example. That the story seems not only plausible but actually fits well within that context and pattern of behavior is by itself deeply unsettling.

58 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 3:37:53am

re: #57 goddamnedfrank

The reason the spying story is believable is because it smacks of desperation and Netanyahu has been acting absolutely desperately and erratically of late. The election flip flop on the two state solution being a prime example. That the story seems not only plausible but actually fits well within that context and pattern of behavior is by itself deeply unsettling.

59 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 3:40:08am

Now we get to hear maverick McCain explain how this is a good thing as the US can’t be trusted.

60 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 3:49:03am

re: #59 darthstar

Now we get to hear maverick McCain explain how this is a good thing as the US can’t be trusted.

Because it elected the wrong president in 2008…

61 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 3:54:10am
62 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 3:54:48am
63 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 4:03:52am

re: #61 darthstar

That’s no forest—it’s simply the “woods”. Like the few acres behind my apt that are surrounded by businesses and houses.

And we need moar roads so people can tear those woods down, too. ////

64 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 4:06:37am

re: #63 Justanotherhuman

That’s no forest—it’s simply the “woods”. Like the few acres behind my apt that are surrounded by businesses and houses.

And we need moar roads so people can tear those woods down, too. ////

In reality, there’s more wooded area in the US now than there was in 150 years ago. A lot of it is fragmented, but it had to be grown back where possible.

65 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 4:12:25am

re: #64 Dark_Falcon

In reality, there’s more wooded area in the US now than there was in 150 years ago. A lot of it is fragmented, but it had to be grown back where possible.

Germany is still probably the most forested area of central Europe but there is nowhere in Germany that is more than 6 miles from the nearest road.

66 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 4:14:05am

re: #64 Dark_Falcon

Not around here. They’re building housing and roads as soon as they can get the land. The mountains of NC are even under siege, although “ridge laws” which prevent bldg to a certain height have been passed, to prevent high rise developments of condos for the vacation crowd and PT residents.

BBIAB.

67 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 4:21:42am

re: #66 Justanotherhuman

Not around here. They’re building housing and roads as soon as they can get the land. The mountains of NC are even under siege, although “ridge laws” which prevent bldg to a certain height have been passed, to prevent high rise developments of condos for the vacation crowd and PT residents.

BBIAB.

It’s different where I am, although most wooded areas around Chicagoland are Forest Preserve land. Some (though not most) of what is now forest preserve was cleared for farming at one point, then later sold or donated to county governments (Forest Preserve management is by county around here) who seeded the area with trees. That sale and reseeding was begun in the 1920’s and ran until the 1960’s, so those areas are well covered nowadays.

Just a minor bit of local history, is all.

68 goddamnedfrank  Mar 24, 2015 4:32:03am

re: #64 Dark_Falcon

In reality, there’s more wooded area in the US now than there was in 150 years ago.

Is that because the US looked like this 150 years ago?

69 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 4:37:30am

re: #68 goddamnedfrank

Is that because the US looked like this 150 years ago?

[Embedded content]

I don’t think so. it’s possible (though unlikely) I’m in error for the US as a whole, though I know I’m right about that being true for Illinois.

70 Doofus  Mar 24, 2015 4:40:22am

re: #69 Dark_Falcon

If you have ever been to the many battle fields of the Civil War, there is an amazing difference in how it looked then and today as far as mature trees are concerned.

71 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 4:40:28am

Wikki check says: en.wikipedia.org

72 goddamnedfrank  Mar 24, 2015 4:40:30am

re: #69 Dark_Falcon

I don’t think so. it’s possible (though unlikely) I’m in error for the US as a whole, though I know I’m right about that being true for Illinois.

In any event the statement ignores the fact that you can’t recreate an old growth forest ecosystem. “Wooded area” is a rather useless term in this regard.

73 Doofus  Mar 24, 2015 4:41:40am

100 years ago the Adirondacks of New York were logged bare.

74 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 4:47:49am

re: #71 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

Wikki check says: en.wikipedia.org

Reads right. That’s why there are more deer today than in 1492—the forest type has changed to the more sustaining ‘scrub’ regrowth. Climax forest offers less for deer.

75 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 4:48:55am

re: #72 goddamnedfrank

In any event the statement ignores the fact that you can’t recreate an old growth forest ecosystem. “Wooded area” is a rather useless term in this regard.

I know. But there was never much old growth around Chicagoland and most what there is gone. What’s left is protected, but in other places the only thing left was to start fresh.

As for SH_Sl’s point, I have lived near long-lived and mature trees. Actually there is still a large old elm tree near where I grew up in Chicago. It towers higher than any other trees within several blocks, though the sheer size of its canopy means there are no other trees right next to it.

76 Doofus  Mar 24, 2015 4:50:28am

re: #74 Decatur Deb

My dad always said deer come running to the sound of a chainsaw.

77 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 4:51:21am

re: #76 Doofus

My dad always said deer come running to the sound of a chainsaw.

So do coeds in negligees.

78 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 4:52:32am

re: #77 Decatur Deb

So do coeds in negligees.

and zombies

79 Doofus  Mar 24, 2015 4:54:03am

re: #78 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

They more or less shamble, unless you believe in parkour type zombies.

80 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 4:55:15am

re: #78 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

and zombies

…

81 Doofus  Mar 24, 2015 5:01:32am

This is my baby, a Husqvarna 575XP with 20” bar.

Husky saw
82 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 5:04:59am

re: #81 Doofus

This is my baby, a Husqvarna 575XP with 20” bar.

[Embedded content]

You’ll put your eye out.

83 Doofus  Mar 24, 2015 5:08:16am

re: #82 Decatur Deb

I wear protection! Special pants and double eye protection which consists of safety glasses and a full face shield with ear muffins.

84 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 5:09:24am

re: #83 Doofus

I wear protection! Special pants and double eye protection which consists of safety glasses and a full face shield with ear muffins.

stud ear muffins?

85 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 5:10:50am

Good morning! Here is TEH FIRST MOAST STUPID MEME OF THE DAY.
Actually it’s much more scary than stupid, and Tweeted by someone with a #UniteBlue in their profile. WTF.

86 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 5:21:41am

Damn, campaign not even a day old and he’s already losing the Faux vote.

87 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 5:23:17am

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, right, meets with Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and others in his crisis cell in response to the crash of Germanwings Flight 4U 9525

88 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 5:26:06am

US security adviser Rice, in meeting with ex-head of Syrian opposition coalition al-Khatib, said Assad must go; reaffirmed US commitment to negotiated political transition, White House says - @Reuters
end of alert

89 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 5:28:05am

re: #86 Targetpractice

[Embedded content]

Damn, campaign not even a day old and he’s already losing the Faux vote.

Teehee!

“After working in his joke, Gutfeld circled back to discuss whether Cruz really wants to be president.

“The only person who didn’t know Ted Cruz was running was Ted Cruz. We’ve known about this. He has been running for years. The problem I have is, is he running for himself or is he running for the country?” Gutfeld asked. “Republicans have had their fill of attention-seeking vessels who are looking for a talk show or looking for something else. The problem with the Republican candidates is that we want vision, and they want television.”

90 goddamnedfrank  Mar 24, 2015 5:28:23am

re: #85 The Mother Of All Pies

Here’s the guy she’s responding to..

He’s the damned Paterfamilias.

That photo is pegging my old-o-meter pretty hard.

91 b.d.  Mar 24, 2015 5:30:21am

re: #61 darthstar

[Embedded content]

The Russian and Canadian forests don’t count?

92 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 5:30:47am

Hi.

93 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 5:32:39am

France’s Transport Minister Alain Vidalies: ‘There was a distress call recorded at 10:47. This distress signal showed that the aircraft was at 5000 feet, in an abnormal situation,’ he added that the crash took place ‘shortly after’ the signal - @francetvinfo
read more on francetvinfo.fr

Germanwings is owned by Lufthansa; 150 people, including crew, is believed to be on board in this flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, mostly Germans, but about 40 Spaniards on board, flying over Alps.

94 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 5:35:03am

Germanwings is low-budget but had never had an accident. Accident happened “rapidly”. Went from 38K to 5K ft quickly. Distress call was sent.

95 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 5:36:40am

re: #12 goddamnedfrank

The Capitol Police fucked up his grift at the Valadao / Boehner fundraiser and apparently he didn’t get much traction at the Rohrabacher shindig. That’s the reason he goes to these events, to play remora and suck up to the big fish.

We resent that comparison to Chuckie and demand an immediate retraction and apology
96 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 5:38:08am

Meh.

Broadband providers sue FCC in effort to stop net neutrality regulations - @latimes

latimes.com

97 b.d.  Mar 24, 2015 5:38:24am

re: #90 goddamnedfrank

Here’s the guy she’s responding to..

[Embedded content]

He’s the damned Paterfamilias.

That photo is pegging my old-o-meter pretty hard.

The musical chairs champion of Enid, Oklahoma?

98 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 5:38:48am

re: #91 b.d.

The Russian and Canadian forests don’t count?

From that photo I’m guessing ‘intact’ means not so cut by roads that animal populations are cut into genetic ‘islands’. The overpass seems intended to maintain migration.

99 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 5:46:42am

re: #70 Doofus

If you have ever been to the many battle fields of the Civil War, there is an amazing difference in how it looked then and today as far as mature trees are concerned.

And the NPS on some of them is trying to work (within budgets) towards making them look more like they did at the time of the battle.

For places like Chickamauga it’s so far simply keeping places that were farmer’s fields mown and wooded areas wooded. The woods generally have too much undergrowth though since the NPS isn’t running herds of cows and pigs in them as well.

And most of them have been parks long enough that they have mature tree growth that would not have been there 150 years ago.

100 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 5:48:48am

French accident investigators describe the crash site as in Meolans-Revel, a remote and sparsely inhabited commune in the foothills of the French Alps - @dw_english
end of alert

101 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 6:02:52am

Another hard-hitting story from UpChuck and GotNwes:

EXCLUSIVE: WTF is Ted Cruz? We checked (4) media reports since 1990s, …

UpChuck is under the impression that the media is trying to re-classify Cruz as something other than Hispanic, so that Hispanic voters would not vote for him.

He misses the point that Hispanic voters will probably not vote for Cruz in any event, and the small detail about Cubans and Mexicans not really being the same thing.

102 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 6:07:50am

re: #70 Doofus

I’m going to be doing a major jaunt through the Virginia/Maryland/Pennsylvania battlefields soon. Hitting Gettysburg, Manassas, Antietam, Harpers Ferry, as well as Shenandoah, and Monticello and Montpelier (as well as Ike’s home and Wilson’s presidential library).

It’ll be a full schedule to be sure, but we tend to pack a lot in to our trips. Just hope the weather cooperates (hopefully warmer, I’ll accept some dramatic skies as long as I get at least one or two clear nights for stargazing).

103 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 6:09:27am

re: #101 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Another hard-hitting story from UpChuck and GotNwes:

EXCLUSIVE: WTF is Ted Cruz? We checked (4) media reports since 1990s, …

UpChuck is under the impression that the media is trying to re-classify Cruz as something other than Hispanic, so that Hispanic voters would not vote for him.

He misses the point that Hispanic voters will probably not vote for Cruz in any event, and the small detail about Cubans and Mexicans not really being the same thing.

Then they wonder why any minority will not vote for them.
RWers think they are all the same.

104 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 6:11:13am

Disturbed Man Tries to Get Into White House

A disturbed Canadian man wants to try to get into the White House, according to reports.

The man, who was born in Calgary before drifting to Texas, has been spotted in Washington, D.C. in recent years exhibiting erratic behavior, sources said.

In 2013, he gained entry to the United States Senate and was heard quoting incoherently from a children’s book before he was finally subdued.

More recently, he was heard ranting about a plan to dismantle large components of the federal government, such as the Internal Revenue Service and the nation’s health-care program.

Despite a record of such bizarre episodes and unhinged utterances, observers expressed little concern about his plans to get into the White House, calling them “delusional.”

XD

105 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 6:28:27am

Why is this sadist relieved of duty “with pay”? Fire his ass. The proof is on video and the victim no longer has a spleen.

OPD officer to be charged in excessive force case

Officer Peter Delio relieve of duty with pay

wesh.com

106 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 6:33:08am

Asshole hackers…

Cyberattack strikes Maine website for 2nd day - @WMTWTV

wmtw.com

107 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 6:33:34am

re: #102 lawhawk

I’m going to be doing a major jaunt through the Virginia/Maryland/Pennsylvania battlefields soon. Hitting Gettysburg, Manassas, Antietam, Harpers Ferry, as well as Shenandoah, and Monticello and Montpelier (as well as Ike’s home and Wilson’s presidential library).

It’ll be a full schedule to be sure, but we tend to pack a lot in to our trips. Just hope the weather cooperates (hopefully warmer, I’ll accept some dramatic skies as long as I get at least one or two clear nights for stargazing).

Sounds like a fun trip.

How much time are you allocating for Gettysburg? It’s a sprawling battlefield, and hopefully you’re self-guiding since the two tours I know of skip parts of the battle that I think are interesting.

I also like Antietam quite a bit since it is a bit more compact, very walkable in places, and the driving tour covers the main points pretty well. A good “one day” battlefield visit.

Haven’t gotten to Manassas yet myself, so I can’t comment on it.

108 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 6:33:36am

re: #101 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Another hard-hitting story from UpChuck and GotNwes:

EXCLUSIVE: WTF is Ted Cruz? We checked (4) media reports since 1990s, …

UpChuck is under the impression that the media is trying to re-classify Cruz as something other than Hispanic, so that Hispanic voters would not vote for him.

He misses the point that Hispanic voters will probably not vote for Cruz in any event, and the small detail about Cubans and Mexicans not really being the same thing.

For seven long years, they’ve bitched up a storm about how wrong it was to vote for the President based upon his race rather than his record. Now they want people to ignore that Cruz’s ideas were outdated when the Articles of Confederation were abolished and vote for him because he’s Hispanic.

Oy.

109 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 6:39:21am

re: #107 Feline Fearless Leader

I’ll probably be doing the self guided tours exclusively; that’s how we normally roll in the Shire. We will try to do as much self-guided stuff as possible since it means we can spend more time on what we want (like photos), but will do tours where that isn’t possible.

110 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 6:39:28am

re: #107 Feline Fearless Leader

Sounds like a fun trip.

How much time are you allocating for Gettysburg? It’s a sprawling battlefield, and hopefully you’re self-guiding since the two tours I know of skip parts of the battle that I think are interesting.

I also like Antietam quite a bit since it is a bit more compact, very walkable in places, and the driving tour covers the main points pretty well. A good “one day” battlefield visit.

Haven’t gotten to Manassas yet myself, so I can’t comment on it.

Did Manassas a few years ago. It’s also quite compact, walkable in half a day. There was good explanatory signage. Back across the highway you can also visit the fern joint where John Wayne Bobbit used to work.

111 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 6:40:03am

re: #108 Targetpractice

For seven long years, they’ve bitched up a storm about how wrong it was to vote for the President based upon his race rather than his record. Now they want people to ignore that Cruz’s ideas were outdated when the Articles of Confederation were abolished and vote for him because he’s Hispanic.

Oy.

I recall a discussion about George Zimmermann’s ethnicity, he being also Hispanic, and that it Hispanic is not a race, but a cultural/ethnic affiliation.

112 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 6:45:37am

Whopper of the morning:

All politicians lie. It comes with the territory. It’s knowing and separating the big lies from the little ones.

Cruz can’t seem to tell the difference, and he lies about pretty much everything.

113 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 6:46:24am

re: #112 lawhawk

Whopper of the morning:

[Embedded content]

All politicians lie. It comes with the territory. It’s knowing and separating the big lies from the little ones.

Cruz can’t seem to tell the difference, and he lies about pretty much everything.

Not off to a good start Ted.

114 makeitstop  Mar 24, 2015 6:48:11am

re: #112 lawhawk

Whopper of the morning:

[Embedded content]

All politicians lie. It comes with the territory. It’s knowing and separating the big lies from the little ones.

Cruz can’t seem to tell the difference, and he lies about pretty much everything.

His corporate owners are thinking ‘WTF? We’re not paying him to do that!’

115 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 6:48:57am

re: #112 lawhawk

Whopper of the morning:

All politicians lie. It comes with the territory. It’s knowing and separating the big lies from the little ones.

Cruz can’t seem to tell the difference, and he lies about pretty much everything.

No president can tell the truth all the time, at least in public. That’s not how politics and diplomacy work.

Cruz could start telling the truth now, instead of telling each audience what he thinks they want to hear, because he’s got a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the nomination, much less the election.

116 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 6:49:41am

re: #111 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

I recall a discussion about George Zimmermann’s ethnicity, he being also Hispanic, and that it Hispanic is not a race, but a cultural/ethnic affiliation.

Yeah, I’ve been trying to explain this to my older relatives who were amazed that my SiL, from Peru has white relatives. The difference is her non-Spanish/Portuguese ancestors that immigrated went to Peru instead of the U.S or Canada.

117 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 6:50:36am

re: #111 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

I recall a discussion about George Zimmermann’s ethnicity, he being also Hispanic, and that it Hispanic is not a race, but a cultural/ethnic affiliation.

UpChuck seems hazy on this point.

In truth, “race” is whatever people want it to represent, since it has no real scientific meaning.

118 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 6:52:02am

As for the spy revelations. It’s already said but needs to be reiterated that it’s not the spying. It’s the spying and then going to the Congress. That was what we call in my house a “dick move.” I think Obama was already upset at Bibi and this is a legitimate reason to be pissed.

119 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 6:52:27am

re: #116 HappyWarrior

Yeah, I’ve been trying to explain this to my older relatives who were amazed that my SiL, from Peru has white relatives. The difference is her non-Spanish/Portuguese ancestors that immigrated went to Peru instead of the U.S or Canada.

Curiously, it wasn’t just silly white English peoples who colonized other parts of the world.

Did they think Zorro was Anglo?

120 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 6:55:15am
121 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 6:56:23am

re: #119 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Curiously, it wasn’t just silly white English peoples who colonized other parts of the world.

Did they think Zorro was Anglo?

I think they were honestly just confused. They definitely weren’t aware of how diverse Latin and South America really are. And to be honest, I myself was not aware of this until I took a class on the region. I mean I knew everyone was not of Spanish or indigenous decent but at the same time, I was very surprised for example to learn about Fujomori rom my SiL. For those of who don’t know, Albert Fujomori was a child of Japanese immigrants to Peru who ended up becoming president in the 90’s I believe.

122 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 6:58:22am

So day 2 of Cruz: The Awakening. Has anyone come out and endorsed Ted to be allowed to sit in the big boy chair yet?

123 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 6:59:34am

re: #121 HappyWarrior

I think they were honestly just confused. They definitely weren’t aware of how diverse Latin and South America really are. And to be honest, I myself was not aware of this until I took a class on the region. I mean I knew everyone was not of Spanish or indigenous decent but at the same time, I was very surprised for example to learn about Fujomori rom my SiL. For those of who don’t know, Albert Fujomori was a child of Japanese immigrants to Peru who ended up becoming president in the 90’s I believe.

Some parts of South America are almost as diverse as the USA. And Cubans and Brasilians are quite mixed from being former slave nations.

124 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 7:03:35am

re: #122 HappyWarrior

So day 2 of Cruz: The Awakening. Has anyone come out and endorsed Ted to be allowed to sit in the big boy chair yet?

You mean this Big Boy?

Maybe Ted could work the relief shift.

125 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:04:42am

re: #123 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Some parts of South America are almost as diverse as the USA. And Cubans and Brasilians are quite mixed from being former slave nations.

Yeah it’s not just European immigrants and their descendants but also Asian. Turns out that my favorite Peruvian dish- Lomo Saltado is strongly influenced by Chinese cuisine which had to do with the Chinese emigrants that went to Peru. But yeah Brazil and Cuba especially are heavily mixed because of the legacy of slavery and I think slavery ended there after it ended here while in the other countries, it did not end until later which makes sense given that Cuba was a Spanish colony for a longer period than the others and Brazil a monarchy.

126 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:05:29am

re: #124 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

You mean this Big Boy?

Embedded Image

Maybe Ted could work the relief shift.

Heh that works too but I was thinking about a high chair.

127 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 7:06:20am

re: #118 HappyWarrior

As for the spy revelations. It’s already said but needs to be reiterated that it’s not the spying. It’s the spying and then going to the Congress. That was what we call in my house a “dick move.” I think Obama was already upset at Bibi and this is a legitimate reason to be pissed.

And the GOP got played in the very way that they used to claim the Democrats were getting played by the Russians.

128 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 7:14:59am

re: #124 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

129 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 7:15:47am

re: #112 lawhawk

Whopper of the morning:

[Embedded content]

All politicians lie. It comes with the territory. It’s knowing and separating the big lies from the little ones.

Cruz can’t seem to tell the difference, and he lies about pretty much everything.

Let’s see him tell the truth in his campaign.

130 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:17:42am

If he’s so eager to tell the truth. I’d love to get a straight answer of what he meant when he said what he did about Jesse Helms.

131 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 7:18:04am
132 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 7:18:22am

re: #128 Varek Raith

Embedded Image

Oh, yeah! Something else full of hot air, just like Cruz.

133 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 7:18:38am

re: #128 Varek Raith

That’s a big boy (4-8-8-4) locomotive. Huge.

And sweet :)

134 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 7:22:10am

re: #129 darthstar

Let’s see him tell the truth in his campaign.

Let’s see him say he’s an American. /////

135 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss  Mar 24, 2015 7:22:55am

re: #121 HappyWarrior

I think they were honestly just confused. They definitely weren’t aware of how diverse Latin and South America really are. And to be honest, I myself was not aware of this until I took a class on the region. I mean I knew everyone was not of Spanish or indigenous decent but at the same time, I was very surprised for example to learn about Fujomori rom my SiL. For those of who don’t know, Albert Fujomori was a child of Japanese immigrants to Peru who ended up becoming president in the 90’s I believe.

I’d add that people also don’t realize that South America has its own history with racism that has a different shape than the US—people who in the US would be considered “Latin” will view themselves as “white,” and look down on not just “black” people, but other Latinos— such that simply being South American doesn’t preclude one from being racist.

Sorry about the quotes, but it’s the only way to convey how vague the concept of race is, both in general and in the imbedded context of South American nations. The historical context goes all the way back to colonial standards of racial classification, with white/native/black being the components. It manifests differently in different SA countries, and heavily folds in issues of social class.

136 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 7:23:27am

250-mile wide asteroid impact zone — Earth’s largest to date — discovered in Australian outback
Best comment;

i420 • 3 hours ago

Now we know where all those fucking spiders in Australia came from.

137 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:25:58am

re: #135 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss

I’d add that people also don’t realize that South America has its own history with racism that has a different shape than the US—people who in the US would be considered “Latin” will view themselves as “white,” and look down on not just “black” people, but other Latinos— such that simply being South American doesn’t preclude one from being racist.

Sorry about the quotes, but it’s the only way to convey how vague the concept of race is, both in general and in the imbedded context of South American nations. The historical context goes all the way back to colonial standards of racial classification, with white/native/black being the components. It manifests differently in different SA countries, and heavily folds in issues of social class.

Yep.

138 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss  Mar 24, 2015 7:27:30am

re: #136 Varek Raith

250-mile wide asteroid impact zone — Earth’s largest to date — discovered in Australian outback
Best comment;

This is Australia, who’s flora and fauna are 50% Darwinian adaptation, 50% motor gangs from the Mad Max series.

It’ll take a bigger asteroid.

139 Lidane  Mar 24, 2015 7:29:03am
140 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 7:29:21am

re: #136 Varek Raith

250-mile wide asteroid impact zone — Earth’s largest to date — discovered in Australian outback
Best comment;

Australia is that kinda place you think exists only in fiction, where everything evolved to kill humans.

141 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 7:29:27am

re: #138 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss

This is Australia, who’s flora and fauna are 50% Darwinian adaptation, 50% motor gangs from the Mad Max series.

It’ll take a bigger asteroid.

On the evening of the sixth day, God sat down and smoked a big doober. Then he remembered he had one more continent to populate with flora and fauna, so he created Australia…

142 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 7:30:11am

So, now the science on concussions is junk science to murky?

Who does this writer think he is at FoxNews? An NFL flack who has denied any kind of traumatic brain injury among former/current NFL players for decades, until they not only admitted a huge problem (at least 1/3 of players), but set aside a still all too small pool of funds for victims?

Seriously, the only junk science being peddled is the version of reality by the NFL doctors who were generally team doctors who weren’t neurologists by training, let alone pathologists or experts in CTE/TBIs.

143 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 7:30:24am

Fox News - always looking for a way to be on the wrong side of a story.

144 makeitstop  Mar 24, 2015 7:30:54am

re: #127 Feline Fearless Leader

And the GOP got played in the very way that they used to claim the Democrats were getting played by the Russians.

At this point, I wouldn’t put it past the Congressional GOP to have been actively and willingly complicit.

Their opposition to Obama has metastasized into pure hate, and they’re not thinking rationally any more.

145 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 7:31:01am

re: #134 lawhawk

Let’s see him say he’s an American. /////

I hope he uses Born in the USA as his campaign song.

146 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 24, 2015 7:32:32am

re: #128 Varek Raith

That looks to be the Big Boy at the Pomona Fairgrounds. I consider myself blessed in that I saw and heard an actual Big Boy in Freedom Train livery in 1975. Just by chance we were less than twenty yards from the track with a clear view for miles. I heard that steam train sound and I couldn’t believe my ears so we waited and there she was, coming ‘round the bend. Damn, what a sight.

147 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:33:08am

I think it has to be on the resume when you sign up for work at Fox that you have to be a raging douchebag.

148 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:33:57am

re: #144 makeitstop

At this point, I wouldn’t put it past the Congressional GOP to have been actively and willingly complicit.

Their opposition to Obama has metastasized into pure hate, and they’re not thinking rationally any more.

Wouldn’t shock me at all sadly. It’s pure hatred of Obama with these guys and if that means doing this, I wouldn’t put it pass them.

149 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 7:34:29am

re: #146 Higgs Boson’s Mate

That looks to be the Big Boy at the Pomona Fairgrounds. I consider myself blessed in that I saw and heard an actual Big Boy in Freedom Train livery in 1975. Just by chance we were less than twenty yards from the track with a clear view for miles. I heard that steam train sound and I couldn’t believe my ears so we waited and there she was, coming ‘round the bend. Damn, what a sight.

That’s a lucky chance. A locomotive that size must be a real pain to fire up and take out on the line.

150 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 7:34:44am

re: #142 lawhawk

Chris Borland has a lot more intelligence than football junkies and he doesn’t want to lose that.

151 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 7:34:47am

re: #146 Higgs Boson’s Mate

That looks to be the Big Boy at the Pomona Fairgrounds. I consider myself blessed in that I saw and heard an actual Big Boy in Freedom Train livery in 1975. Just by chance we were less than twenty yards from the track with a clear view for miles. I heard that steam train sound and I couldn’t believe my ears so we waited and there she was, coming ‘round the bend. Damn, what a sight.

en.wikipedia.org

152 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:35:51am

Well given the right’s denial in the 90’s about cigarettes and lung cancer, it’s not surprising I guess the Fox is in denial mode about concussions.

153 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 24, 2015 7:37:04am

re: #138 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss

This is Australia, who’s flora and fauna are 50% Darwinian adaptation, 50% motor gangs from the Mad Max series.

It’ll take a bigger asteroid.

I found the late Terry Pratchett’s The Last Continent to be the most accurate description of Australia I’ve ever read.

154 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 7:37:24am

re: #142 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

So, now the science on concussions is junk science to murky?

Who does this writer think he is at FoxNews? An NFL flack who has denied any kind of traumatic brain injury among former/current NFL players for decades, until they not only admitted a huge problem (at least 1/3 of players), but set aside a still all too small pool of funds for victims?

Seriously, the only junk science being peddled is the version of reality by the NFL doctors who were generally team doctors who weren’t neurologists by training, let alone pathologists or experts in CTE/TBIs.

You know, I think I’ll take the position of Army Medical Command on the matter of concussions over that of a Fox News op-ed writer.

155 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 7:38:23am

re: #142 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

So, now the science on concussions is junk science to murky?

Who does this writer think he is at FoxNews? An NFL flack who has denied any kind of traumatic brain injury among former/current NFL players for decades, until they not only admitted a huge problem (at least 1/3 of players), but set aside a still all too small pool of funds for victims?

Seriously, the only junk science being peddled is the version of reality by the NFL doctors who were generally team doctors who weren’t neurologists by training, let alone pathologists or experts in CTE/TBIs.

These are the same nimrods who thought leaded gasoline was safe and cigarette smoking conducive to one’s health because hired guns would put on lab coats and declare that the science proving otherwise was “junk” or “murky.” Their opposition isn’t being driven by facts or evidence, it’s being driven by emotion and bias. There’s just no way that football players could be suffering traumatic brain injuries, because if there was, then that would mean the sport needs to be reevaluated if not ended altogether.

156 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 24, 2015 7:40:17am

re: #149 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

That’s a lucky chance. A locomotive that size must be a real pain to fire up and take out on the line.

It was. During the trip West the engineers were not happy with the performance of one of the loco’s injectors. Though it was working they felt that it wasn’t up to par. Looking for a replacement, they found the injector on the Pomona Big Boy to be in great condition and a swap was made.

157 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 7:42:07am

re: #131 darthstar

158 Dr. Matt  Mar 24, 2015 7:43:46am

The upside of Ted Cruz announcing his candidacy so early is that every kook in the GOP klown kar will feel emboldened to jump into the race as well.

159 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:44:04am

re: #157 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

I love reading about these. It’d be a hoot to see one of them in a debate one day.

160 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 7:44:59am

re: #151 Varek Raith

en.wikipedia.org

Winton and a few other US companies were very interested in helping the USN develop better and more compact diesel engines for submarines in the 1920s and 1930s because they knew that any such engines developed for diesel-electric drive trains would also be useful for the railroad industry as engines. Steam was hitting its limits.

(The 1,500 ton US submarines used for most of WW2 had four diesel engines.)

161 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 7:45:05am

re: #157 lawhawk

Sen. Ted Cruz isn’t the first official presidential candidate of 2016—he’s the 195th.

But I think we can say that he is the first candidate holding a national office to declare.

162 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 7:45:18am

re: #153 Higgs Boson’s Mate

I found the late Terry Pratchett’s The Last Continent to be the most accurate description of Australia I’ve ever read.

Including the drop bears.
/

163 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 7:45:42am

re: #162 Feline Fearless Leader

Including the drop bears.
/

and the cigarette bush.

164 Great White Snark  Mar 24, 2015 7:46:07am

Hello William,

Or any Halestorm fans. Video

New music. Can I get an Amen?

165 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 7:46:23am

re: #159 HappyWarrior

I had the displeasure of meeting one of these declared candidates once. Jeff Boss. He’s a conspiracy nutter who has run for office in NJ a number of times now, and his schtick is nothing but 9/11 trooferism, mixed with other gibberish.

I felt dumber just coming into contact with him.

…

166 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 7:47:47am

re: #156 Higgs Boson’s Mate

It was. During the trip West the engineers were not happy with the performance of one of the loco’s injectors. Though it was working they felt that it wasn’t up to par. Looking for a replacement, they found the injector on the Pomona Big Boy to be in great condition and a swap was made.

I’ve been fascinated with steam locomotives since I was a kid. I’ve taken a couple of steam excursion rides, but never seen anything as huge as a Big Boy.

They really took steam technology pretty far, and I guess if it hadn’t been for diesel being more efficient and easier on the trackage, we’d still be seeing steam in use now. They’d have to solve the pollution problem, though.

167 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 7:47:51am

re: #165 lawhawk

I had the displeasure of meeting one of these declared candidates once. Jeff Boss. He’s a conspiracy nutter who has run for office in NJ a number of times now, and his schtick is nothing but 9/11 trooferism, mixed with other gibberish.

I felt dumber just coming into contact with him.

[Embedded content]

Yeah i figured many of them are like that.

168 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 7:47:59am

“Leave my Medicare alone” cont.

US House Speaker Boehner says permanent fix to Medicare doctors payment formula likely, ‘no intention’ of passing short-term repair instead - @Reuters
end of alert

wsj.com

Actually, this sounds like a fairly decent compromise for Medicare pmts to drs.

“But the House vote itself is something of a milestone. Lawmakers have long wanted to bring an end to the ritual of overriding the formula, known as the “doc fix,” and snap a string of 17 straight patches. What’s more, because the patches have frequently taken the form of freezing doctor payments, the current payment rate is 17% below the 2001 rate, adjusted for increases in the cost of providing services, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Some physicians have responded by declining to accept new Medicare patients.”

I kept wondering why my co-pays for drs were getting more expensive, esp those in hospital settings, like ER treatment.

169 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 7:48:00am

re: #156 Higgs Boson’s Mate

It was. During the trip West the engineers were not happy with the performance of one of the loco’s injectors. Though it was working they felt that it wasn’t up to par. Looking for a replacement, they found the injector on the Pomona Big Boy to be in great condition and a swap was made.

They were pretty much the at the limit of steam/boiler technology with these things.
And that wasn’t enough. Some lines over the Wasatch mountains needed two of them to get over the grade and to prevent it from running away once on the other side.

170 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 7:49:37am

re: #145 darthstar

I hope he uses Born in the USA as his campaign song.

…

A wandering Canadian,
Banished from his hearths,
Traveled , weeping, through
foreign countries.

One day, sad and pensive,
Sitting at the waters’ edge,
To the fugitive current
He said these words:

“I’ll bet these rubes would
elect me President…”

171 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 7:53:18am

re: #169 Varek Raith

They were pretty much the at the limit of steam/boiler technology with these things.
And that wasn’t enough. Some lines over the Wasatch mountains needed two of them to get over the grade and to prevent it from running away once on the other side.

The Wikipedia article says otherwise, though. According to teh wiki, the load capacity of the Big Boy was uprated.

. Towards the end of their career, the Big Boys could still pull more than their rated tonnage of 6,573 tons (6,573 t). The Big Boys’ ratings were increased several times until they regularly pulled 8,727 short tons (7,917 t) over the Wasatch range.

en.wikipedia.org

172 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 7:54:21am

…
VROOM!

173 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 7:55:03am

re: #171 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

The Wikipedia article says otherwise, though. According to teh wiki, the load capacity of the Big Boy was uprated.

en.wikipedia.org

Good gravy, that’s some power.
/Corrected.

174 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 7:56:16am

re: #169 Varek Raith

They were pretty much the at the limit of steam/boiler technology with these things.
And that wasn’t enough. Some lines over the Wasatch mountains needed two of them to get over the grade and to prevent it from running away once on the other side.

And…. I was wrong.
See above.
:P

175 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 7:57:52am

re: #172 Varek Raith

[Embedded content]

VROOM!

Took a grandkid to see the IMAX about the building of the Canadian Pacific. The history is tied together by the journey of a restored engine. It’s mind-blowing to see a piston and drive rod fill an IMAX screeen.

176 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 7:58:00am

re: #172 Varek Raith

[Embedded content]

VROOM!

And in the livery of the same railroad as the Big boy, no less.

177 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 7:59:07am

re: #168 Justanotherhuman

“Leave my Medicare alone” cont.

US House Speaker Boehner says permanent fix to Medicare doctors payment formula likely, ‘no intention’ of passing short-term repair instead - @Reuters
end of alert

wsj.com

Actually, this sounds like a fairly decent compromise for Medicare pmts to drs.

“But the House vote itself is something of a milestone. Lawmakers have long wanted to bring an end to the ritual of overriding the formula, known as the “doc fix,” and snap a string of 17 straight patches. What’s more, because the patches have frequently taken the form of freezing doctor payments, the current payment rate is 17% below the 2001 rate, adjusted for increases in the cost of providing services, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Some physicians have responded by declining to accept new Medicare patients.”

I kept wondering why my co-pays for drs were getting more expensive, esp those in hospital settings, like ER treatment.

Yeah, I’ve heard that this is a deal that’s been in the works between Boehner and Pelosi, and that it has bipartisan support in the House. Which of course means conservatives in one or both houses will see an opportunity in either opposing the deal (“We need to be privatizing Medicare!”) or using it as a trojan horse for something they can’t otherwise get through.

178 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 24, 2015 7:59:32am

re: #166 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I’ve been fascinated with steam locomotives since I was a kid. I’ve taken a couple of steam excursion rides, but never seen anything as huge as a Big Boy.

They really took steam technology pretty far, and I guess if it hadn’t been for diesel being more efficient and easier on the trackage, we’d still be seeing steam in use now. They’d have to solve the pollution problem, though.

When I was just a spout my mom, brother and I took the train from San Francisco to Seattle where we would embark for Japan aboard the USS General J. C. Breckinridge ( T-AP-176). The trip is vividly etched in my mind because our main steam locomotive (We had a helper loco aft) conked out in the Tehachapi mountains. Took from morning until just past sundown to get the old loco removed and a new one in place.

179 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 8:00:49am

I heard you like engines so…
…

180 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 8:03:13am
181 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 8:04:29am

re: #179 Varek Raith

I heard you like engines so…
[Embedded content]

Holy moley! 35 in tandem? You could have coupled them to St. Louis and pulled it into Colorado!

182 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 8:06:26am

May be time for this since…

The lunatic(s) is in my head. Well, they want to be.

…

183 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 8:06:31am

re: #168 Justanotherhuman

According to CNN:

The total price tag of the bill is roughly $200 billion, but only about one-third of it is offset with cuts elsewhere so Boehner is risking angering conservatives again.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi also agreed to some structural changes as part of the agreement, including some “means testing” for beneficiaries of the program — something Democrats have resisted in the past.

A vote is expected on the House floor next week.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday the White House was aware of the negotiations but it was too soon to weigh in on the administration’s formal position.

A Classic Congressional Compromise: both sides get something, both sides give something, and the irrational elements of both parties have something to whine about.

184 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 8:07:50am

re: #183 Dark_Falcon

According to CNN:

A Classic Congressional Compromise: both sides get something, both sides give something, and the irrational elements of both parties have something to whine about.

Indeed, it is a great example of how our government worked in the past…which is why I expect it to get derailed by partisan bullshit.

185 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 8:08:24am

re: #178 Higgs Boson’s Mate

When I was just a spout my mom, brother and I took the train from San Francisco to Seattle where we would embark for Japan aboard the USS General J. C. Breckinridge ( T-AP-176). The trip is vividly etched in my mind because our main steam locomotive (We had a helper loco aft) conked out in the Tehachapi mountains. Took from morning until just past sundown to get the old loco removed and a new one in place.

Our first house (1945) in Pittsburgh was above the tracks alongside the Monongahela. Passing steam, then diesels, was an hourly event. Distinctly remember flatcars with WWII aircraft going by, their wings tucked alongside.

186 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 8:08:45am

re: #180 darthstar

[Embedded content]

They’ll be allowed to halt games, till the fans start yelling and throwing things, and then they won’t.

187 freetoken  Mar 24, 2015 8:09:25am

I see Ben Carson is projecting himself onto President Obama.

This is going to be quite the primary season.

188 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 8:09:59am

Rail grinding (That’s what she said!)
…

189 Justanotherhuman  Mar 24, 2015 8:10:02am

BBL.

190 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 8:10:49am

re: #186 Dark_Falcon

They’ll be allowed to halt games, till the fans start yelling and throwing things, and then they won’t.

I don’t see it lasting more than half a season before the practice is “suspended” pending further investigation or some such weasly words to end a practice that is costing them money due to fan outcry.

191 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Mar 24, 2015 8:13:31am

Hasta mañana!

192 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 8:14:58am

re: #184 Targetpractice

Indeed, it is a great example of how our government worked in the past…which is why I expect it to get derailed by partisan bullshit.

That’s more likely in the Senate at this point. The fact that’s it’s a bipartisan bill means that the ‘Hastert Rule’ will likely not be in effect and if it isn’t then an insurgent conservative opposition will simply FAIL.

Which is part of why its a bipartisan bill: This way a majority for it can be safely put together and those on the further edges of the left or right who won’t support the bill can vote against it without it being voted down. that way of doing things involves its own species of bullshit, actually, but its much less harmful BS than that which kills bills.

193 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 8:16:53am

re: #192 Dark_Falcon

That’s more likely in the Senate at this point. The fact that’s it’s a bipartisan bill means that the ‘Hastert Rule’ will likely not be in effect and if it isn’t then an insurgent conservative opposition will simply FAIL.

Which is part of why its a bipartisan bill: This way a majority for it can be safely put together and those on the further edges of the left or right who won’t support the bill can vote against it without it being voted down. that way of doing things involves its own species of bullshit, actually, but its much less harmful BS than that which kills bills.

But it can wait until amendments are attempted to approve the Keystone Pipeline and repeal the ACA.
//

194 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 8:17:01am

re: #192 Dark_Falcon

That’s more likely in the Senate at this point. The fact that’s it’s a bipartisan bill means that the ‘Hastert Rule’ will likely not be in effect and if it isn’t then an insurgent conservative opposition will simply FAIL.

Which is part of why its a bipartisan bill: This way a majority for it can be safely put together and those on the further edges of the left or right who won’t support the bill can vote against it without it being voted down. that way of doing things involves its own species of bullshit, actually, but its much less harmful BS than that which kills bills.

It’s a bill that will likely see the “Rule” overridden, which will only further aggravate the TP caucus. $200 billion unpaid for? Oh yeah, you can be sure somebody in the Senate is going to see an opportunity in opposing this bill as more “big government spending,” if not evidence that the program itself is costing “too much.”

195 Great White Snark  Mar 24, 2015 8:17:42am

re: #185 Decatur Deb

Our first house (1945) in Pittsburgh was above the tracks alongside the Monongahela. Passing steam, then diesels, was an hourly event. Distinctly remember flatcars with WWII aircraft going by, their wings tucked alongside.

I really had a good time on Amtrak going to Santa Barbara. We are thinking taking it all the way to Seattle this summer.

196 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 8:24:57am

re: #195 Great White Snark

I really had a good time on Amtrak going to Santa Barbara. We are thinking taking it all the way to Seattle this summer.

These are pricey, but you can excuse them as photo ops:

canadarail.ca

197 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 8:25:11am

re: #194 Targetpractice

It’s a bill that will likely see the “Rule” overridden, which will only further aggravate the TP caucus. $200 billion unpaid for? Oh yeah, you can be sure somebody in the Senate is going to see an opportunity in opposing this bill as more “big government spending,” if not evidence that the program itself is costing “too much.”

Actually it’s $134 billion that isn’t being paid for, since offsetting cuts elsewhere were agreed-to for $66 billion.

As for the rest, I think the strategy for Boehner and Pelosi is to get this through this House and then reply on the “Hands off My Medicare!” sentiments to keep the Senate from scuttling it.

As for the risk of Senate meddling, if Boehner is thinking in Machiavellian terms he might welcome Ted Cruz going after the ‘doc fix’: There’d be no surer way to cut Cruz down to size as to get him to grab at the ‘3rd Rail’ that Medicare represents. Oh, the shock Ted would get!

198 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 8:27:40am

re: #181 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Holy moley! 35 in tandem? You could have coupled them to St. Louis and pulled it into Colorado!

But you still couldn’t pull STL into the 21st Century re: racism.

199 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 8:35:00am

re: #197 Dark_Falcon

Actually it’s $134 billion that isn’t being paid for, since offsetting cuts elsewhere were agreed-to for $66 billion.

As for the rest, I think the strategy for Boehner and Pelosi is to get this through this House and then reply on the “Hands off My Medicare!” sentiments to keep the Senate from scuttling it.

As for the risk of Senate meddling, if Boehner is thinking in Machiavellian terms he might welcome Ted Cruz going after the ‘doc fix’: There’d be no surer way to cut Cruz down to size as to get him to grab at the ‘3rd Rail’ that Medicare represents. Oh, the shock Ted would get!

And Cruz would happily grab it, as to do any less would hard his street cred with the “true conservative” crowd.

Speaking of Havana Ted, TPM is pointing out how his jumping out ahead of all the other potential candidates is actually going to hurt the GOP, as they will now be pressed to either show how they’re even more “conservative” than he or get caught in trying to prove themselves as “sane” compared to him.

To which I say “Pass the popcorn!”

200 Dr Lizardo  Mar 24, 2015 8:35:11am

So apparently there was a plane crash today involving Germanwings; an Airbus A320 nosedived from 31,000 feet and crashed in a remote region of the French Alps. From what I’m reading, there was no mayday issued. All aboard were killed.

theguardian.com

201 makeitstop  Mar 24, 2015 8:35:16am

This is simply bizarre.

L.I. woman says psych ward doctors believed she was delusional for insisting Obama follows her on Twitter

NYPD should get some social media consultants on board. They clearly lack any sort of working knowledge of Twitter.

202 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 8:41:02am

re: #49 goddamnedfrank

It’s more about taking the information gleaned through spying and selectively feeding portions of it back to an ally’s legislature in order to undermine their executive during delicate ongoing peace negotiations. Bearing in mind that the negotiations in question don’t just involve the US and Iran but include four other countries.

Because the US would never do such a dastardly thing. /

The only questions I would have would be to the American counterparts to whom the info had been fed.

203 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 8:43:03am

re: #200 Dr Lizardo

So apparently there was a plane crash today involving Germanwings; an Airbus A320 nosedived from 31,000 feet and crashed in a remote region of the French Alps. From what I’m reading, there was no mayday issued. All aboard were killed.

theguardian.com

Not true. There was a distress call issued before the crash.

French President Francois Hollande called the crash of the Airbus A320 a “tragedy” and said the wreckage was in a hard-to-reach area not far from the town of Barcelonette.

“The conditions of the accident, which have not yet been clarified, lead us to believe there are no survivors,” he said.

Germanwings Flight 4U5925 left Barcelona at 9:55 a.m. en route for Dusseldorf, Germany. The plane sent out a distress signal at 10:45 a.m., then crashed at an altitude of about 6,550 feet, French Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said, according to The Associated Press.

Germanwings — a budget airline run by Lufthansa — said two babies were among the 144 passengers and 6 crew members on board and that it did not yet have information on what caused the accident. The captain of the plane had logged more than 6,000 flight hours on the Airbus, Germanwings later added.

204 Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 24, 2015 8:43:48am

One year ago on Facebook, after getting tired yet again of my W. Va cousin liking stupid Conservative posts, I started a thread just for free association, with one word: Fish.

One year and 16,600 posts later, it’s still going. My friends and relatives are truly strange people, including my wingnut cousin.

Life is good. Mostly.

205 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 8:44:54am

Let the pandering begin!

206 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 8:45:12am

BTW, the US found out about the alleged leaks when it was spying on its Israeli allies. Here’s my big yawn.

207 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 8:45:53am

re: #205 Targetpractice

Let the pandering begin!

Ted Cruz: Ever since 9/11 I’ve listened to country music, not rock

Which country?

208 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 8:48:16am

re: #207 Decatur Deb

Which country?

I guess it’s k.d. lang, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell.

209 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 8:48:59am

re: #205 Targetpractice

Let the pandering begin!

[Embedded content]

…Ok…
…
..

210 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 8:49:35am

re: #206 Nyet

BTW, the US found out about the alleged leaks when it was spying on its Israeli allies. Here’s my big yawn.

OH NOES SPYING!!11!tY

211 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 8:50:14am

re: #205 Targetpractice

Let the pandering begin!

[Embedded content]

So no Nugent for Ted? This is hysterical though. Responded? What the fuck is he babbling on about? I guess he has a problem with musical artists not all rock though having a problem with how Bush used 9/11 as a pretense for the war in Iraq.

212 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 8:50:39am

re: #208 HappyWarrior

I guess it’s k.d. lang, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell.

Ian Tyson.

213 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 8:50:41am

re: #207 Decatur Deb

Which country?

He definitely means this kind of country

214 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 8:51:11am

re: #211 HappyWarrior

So no Nugent for Ted? This is hysterical though. Responded? What the fuck is he babbling on about? I guess he has a problem with musical artists not all rock though having a problem with how Bush used 9/11 as a pretense for the war in Iraq.

Cruz/Nugent 2016: The Walking Teds

215 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 8:52:11am

re: #214 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

Cruz/Nugent 2016: The Walking Teds

Can we do 25/75 on the band name merch rights?

216 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 8:52:32am

re: #210 Varek Raith

OH NOES SPYING!!11!tY

Exactly. I get that the US is pissed when it is the one being spied upon. Big whoop.

217 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 8:53:07am

re: #201 makeitstop

This is simply bizarre.

L.I. woman says psych ward doctors believed she was delusional for insisting Obama follows her on Twitter

NYPD should get some social media consultants on board. They clearly lack any sort of working knowledge of Twitter.

It was the doctors who thought her crazy regarding her Twitter feed. As for why the cops sent her to the shrinks, the article doesn’t provide enough detail to know how that decision was made. [joking]They’d thought she was high earlier, perhaps they suspected Reefer Madness.[/joking]

218 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 8:53:50am

re: #216 Nyet

Exactly. I get that the US is pissed when it is the one being spied upon. Big whoop.

Makes it a bit harder to keep my Navy vet friend on the rails.

219 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 8:54:02am

re: #215 HappyWarrior

Can we do 25/75 on the band name merch rights?

Agreed, likewise on the groupies.

220 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 8:54:08am

I see the media hasn’t yet grasped the fact that everyone spies on everyone.

221 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 8:55:06am

re: #220 Varek Raith

I see the media hasn’t yet grasped the fact that everyone spies on everyone.

And the intelligence data is absolutely used to influence events in other countries.

222 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 8:55:46am

re: #220 Varek Raith

I see the media hasn’t yet grasped the fact that everyone spies on everyone.

…even on allies, and uses the information they gain for their own ends.

223 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 8:56:02am

re: #221 Nyet

And the intelligence data is absolutely used to influence events in other countries.

OUTRAGE!

Right?
I’m supposed to be outraged???
Or something.
/

224 Dr Lizardo  Mar 24, 2015 8:56:07am

re: #220 Varek Raith

I see the media hasn’t yet grasped the fact that everyone spies on everyone.

THAT’S BECAUSE EDWARD SNOWDEN AND GLENN GREENWALD HAVE TOLD THE WORLD THAT SPYING IS EVIL, NASTY AND DIRTY, AND ONLY THE USA DOES IT, WHICH IS WHY AMERICA IS WORSE THAN HITLER!!

225 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 8:56:20am

re: #220 Varek Raith

I see the media hasn’t yet grasped the fact that everyone spies on everyone.

And everyone is expected to have the good grace and competence not to get caught at it, nor to trumpet the discovery when an ally fails.

226 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 8:56:45am

I have a real fucking idiot in my timeline:

227 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 8:57:04am

re: #222 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

…even on allies, and uses the information they gain for their own ends.

Germans were understandably pissed at the US when it turned out that the US was tapping Merkel’s phone. Now it’s the US’ turn to be pissed at Israel. Meh.

228 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 8:57:14am

re: #220 Varek Raith

I see the media hasn’t yet grasped the fact that everyone spies on everyone.

If for no other reason than that information can be passed to a spy that can’t be shared through official channels.

229 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 8:57:27am

re: #223 Varek Raith

OUTRAGE!

Right?
I’m supposed to be outraged???
Or something.
/

The Obama admin is outraged.

230 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 8:58:12am

What a fucking idiot

231 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 8:58:39am

re: #229 Nyet

The Obama admin is outraged.

I see that.
It’s all part of the silliness.
We pretend to be outraged by your spying and you pretend to be outraged by our spying.
Wink wink.

232 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 8:58:59am

re: #230 The Mother Of All Pies

What a fucking idiot

[Embedded content]

Words spoken by someone who has been coddled their whole life.

233 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 8:59:09am

Jesus Christ I just can’t even…

234 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 8:59:39am

re: #229 Nyet

The Obama admin is outraged.

No problem. Israel can always depend on the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

235 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 8:59:55am

re: #231 Varek Raith

Yup. I mean, I’m not against it if this is used against Netanyahu. Such are the rules. Shouldn’t have gotten caught. But we should know better.

236 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:01:14am

I thought the problem wasn’t so much the spying as the fact that the intelligence gathered from said spying was brought to Congress or am I missing something here. But yes the spying and getting spied on and pretending to be oh so outraged is part of the game that the Greenwalds of the world don’t get.

237 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 9:02:28am

re: #236 HappyWarrior

Yes, countries gather intelligence on each other to influence each other’s politics. Is that something new?

238 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:02:33am
239 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:02:45am

I’m blocking it now.

240 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:03:39am

re: #237 Nyet

Yes, countries gather intelligence on each other to influence each other’s politics. Is that something new?

True enough I suppose but this just seems out of the ordinary to me.

241 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:04:03am

re: #226 The Mother Of All Pies

Stat from the second pie chart worth noting (though most here already know it): Discretionary spending is a minority of the Federal budget. Though the president is proposing changes in Social Security, spending on nondiscretionary items such as SoSec, Medicare, and Unemployment was 58% of the President’s 2014 budget. This is not a slam against the president, more a note on the way the budget works.

Post Edited.

242 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:04:11am

re: #239 The Mother Of All Pies

I’m blocking it now.

She’ll be missed.

243 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:04:49am

re: #238 The Mother Of All Pies

[Embedded content]

Too bad you’re blocking because I’d love to know if unions are the oh so bad guys why many employers threaten employees with firing if they even so much as say the word union. You can’t cry about union thuggery and turn a blind eye to what corporate thugs have been doing to workers for years.

244 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:06:08am

re: #243 HappyWarrior

Too bad you’re blocking because I’d love to know if unions are the oh so bad guys why many employers threaten employees with firing if they even so much as say the word union. You can’t cry about union thuggery and turn a blind eye to what corporate thugs have been doing to workers for years.

I blocked her because not because she is anti-union but because she’s denying historical fact. No point in arguing with denialists & revisionists.

245 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:06:28am

re: #244 The Mother Of All Pies

I blocked her because not because she is anti-union but because she’s denying historical fact. No point in arguing with denialists & revisionists.

Yeah not worth the time. Man there’s a lot of idiots out there.

246 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 9:06:47am

re: #243 HappyWarrior

Too bad you’re blocking because I’d love to know if unions are the oh so bad guys why many employers threaten employees with firing if they even so much as say the word union. You can’t cry about union thuggery and turn a blind eye to what corporate thugs have been doing to workers for years.

Remember: investors pooling their resources to maximize profits is Holy unto The Lord and epitomizes the very spirit of Capitalism.

Employees pooling their bargaining power to maximize wages and benefits is the Work of the Devil and is against Evertything America Stands For

247 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:07:42am

OH NOES!!!! TEH YELLOW FRINGES!!!!!!

248 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:08:13am

re: #244 The Mother Of All Pies

I blocked her because not because she is anti-union but because she’s denying historical fact. No point in arguing with denialists & revisionists.

There’s also her nonsensical reply to that article you linked to. It was from a left-leaning site, to be sure, but it was a neutrally written article on President Obama’s 2014 budget. To say it (and by extension your tweet) blamed Republicans for anything is seriously off base.

249 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:08:31am

re: #246 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

Remember: investors pooling their resources to maximize profits is Holy unto The Lord and epitomizes the very spirit of Capitalism.

Employees pooling their bargaining power to maximize wages and benefits is the Work of the Devil and is against Evertything America Stands For

But of course, and remember a CEO giving himself a seven figure bonus is a producer getting his due deserve and a union worker getting a nice pension is greed. It must be nice to be psychotic and live in a world where up is down, where John L. Lewis was more greedy than john D. Rockefeller.

250 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 9:08:33am

re: #229 Nyet

The outrageous outrage is itself outrageous.

Seriously, everyone spies, but why is the US Congress relying on leaks from the Mossad about what the US is doing? That they’re doing an end-run around the US diplomats at the State Department and the WH to find out what is going on in the P5+1 talks is the real problem here, not that the Mossad was spying on the talks, or that the CIA knew that the Mossad was spying.

Everyone spies. Even on allies. It’s what everyone does with that knowledge that is important.

Netanyahu saw fit to give that Mossad intel to the GOPers in Congress to further his own agenda of derailing the talks, even though it would likely spur Iran to hasten its nuclear ambitions (though any faster and Iran might have nukes in another 20 years based on Netanyahu’s track record of predicting Iranian nuclear capabilities).

The GOP keeps thinking that the WH is the one engaging in spiteful actions, when it was the GOP that launched this entire episode by unilaterally inviting Netanyahu without consulting the WH and the GOP sought to derail the talks by any means necessary, when they have had little understanding of what the talks would entail, let alone what they might achieve, or that they have proposed no alternatives other than tightening sanctions (which are already in effect) and the drumbeat of war (though no one knows where all the nuke sites are, whether anyone could hit all the targets, and it would be a far more difficult task than either of Israel’s nuclear raids against Osirak or the Syrian facility in 2007).

251 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 9:09:14am

re: #247 The Mother Of All Pies

You will never see @BarackObama doing this. #tcot #RedNationRising

Because Barack Obama isn’t an idiot.

252 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:09:24am

re: #247 The Mother Of All Pies

OH NOES!!!! TEH YELLOW FRINGES!!!!!!
You will never see @BarackObama doing this.

I hope not. He looks like an idiot street preacher.

253 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:09:35am

re: #247 The Mother Of All Pies

OH NOES!!!! TEH YELLOW FRINGES!!!!!!

[Embedded content]

You mean you’ll never see President Obama waving the flag around like a political prop? Yeah Ted. You’re right.

254 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:10:00am

re: #252 Decatur Deb

I hope not. He looks like an idiot street preacher.

What? You mean he’s not an idiot street preacher. Oh wait, that’s his father.

255 makeitstop  Mar 24, 2015 9:10:22am

re: #247 The Mother Of All Pies

You will never see @BarackObama doing this.

Yeah, Ted, because Obama’s not a grandstanding, pandering fuckhead like you.

256 Ace-o-aces  Mar 24, 2015 9:10:43am
257 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 9:10:50am

re: #237 Nyet

Yes, countries gather intelligence on each other to influence each other’s politics. Is that something new?

Not by a long shot.

258 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 9:11:05am

re: #247 The Mother Of All Pies

259 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:11:43am

re: #248 Dark_Falcon

There’s also her nonsensical reply to that article you linked to. It was from a left-leaning site, to be sure, but it was a neutrally written article on President Obama’s 2014 budget. To say it (and by extension your tweet) blamed Republicans for anything is seriously off base.

The charts and graphs come from the OMB. Ms. Butthurt was intentionally comparing the combined (discretionary & mandatory) graph to the discretionary graph.

260 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:12:14am

re: #250 lawhawk

The outrageous outrage is itself outrageous.

Seriously, everyone spies, but why is the US Congress relying on leaks from the Mossad about what the US is doing? That they’re doing an end-run around the US diplomats at the State Department and the WH to find out what is going on in the P5+1 talks is the real problem here, not that the Mossad was spying on the talks, or that the CIA knew that the Mossad was spying.

Everyone spies. Even on allies. It’s what everyone does with that knowledge that is important.

Netanyahu saw fit to give that Mossad intel to the GOPers in Congress to further his own agenda of derailing the talks, even though it would likely spur Iran to hasten its nuclear ambitions (though any faster and Iran might have nukes in another 20 years based on Netanyahu’s track record of predicting Iranian nuclear capabilities).

The GOP keeps thinking that the WH is the one engaging in spiteful actions, when it was the GOP that launched this entire episode by unilaterally inviting Netanyahu without consulting the WH and the GOP sought to derail the talks by any means necessary, when they have had little understanding of what the talks would entail, let alone what they might achieve, or that they have proposed no alternatives other than tightening sanctions (which are already in effect) and the drumbeat of war (though no one knows where all the nuke sites are, whether anyone could hit all the targets, and it would be a far more difficult task than either of Israel’s nuclear raids against Osirak or the Syrian facility in 2007).

As usual, you articulate this better than I could, thanks. I don’t mind the spying. I expect it. But what bothers me is they went to the Congress knowing full well how hostile that Congress is to anything Obama does. And did Bibi think they wouldn’t get caught? What the guy is doing is undermining US-Israeli relations for the sake of his own power and his buddy-buddy relationship with US conservatives.

261 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 9:12:58am

re: #250 lawhawk

As I said, those Americans who allegedly used this info certainly have something to answer for. Israel only (allegedly) did what every country would, if given chance. I do object to Netanyahu’s goal, but the methods? “Let any of you who is without sin…”

262 darthstar  Mar 24, 2015 9:13:20am
263 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:13:23am

re: #260 HappyWarrior

As usual, you articulate this better than I could, thanks. I don’t mind the spying. I expect it. But what bothers me is they went to the Congress knowing full well how hostile that Congress is to anything Obama does. And did Bibi think they wouldn’t get caught? What the guy is doing is undermining US-Israeli relations for the sake of his own power and his buddy-buddy relationship with US conservatives.

And it worked.

264 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:14:31am

re: #262 darthstar

News Flash: .@BarackObama isn’t running for President in 2016, idiot.

FSS, don’t tell them that.

265 Ace-o-aces  Mar 24, 2015 9:14:44am
266 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:14:47am

re: #262 darthstar

[Embedded content]

They’re going to be running against Obama till the end of time just like they’re still running against Jimmy Carter.

267 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:15:10am

re: #265 Ace-o-aces

[Embedded content]

He wants to be the first Senator/flag boy.

268 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 9:16:24am

re: #247 The Mother Of All Pies

OH NOES!!!! TEH YELLOW FRINGES!!!!!!

[Embedded content]

And if Obama did do that, wingnuts would be bitching about it.

269 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:17:02am

re: #267 HappyWarrior

He wants to be the first Senator/flag boy.

New Yorkers get to wave an Irish flag, Canadians get to wave a US flag—only fair.

270 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:17:02am

I know there is some conspiracy theory about yellow fringe around the flag means something something but I don’t care enough to Google it.

271 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:17:46am

Cruz said something yesterday that showed me how doomed he is if he for some reason he gets nominated. He was asked so how do you expect to win. Ted, a man who just so you know wouldn’t have even been able to vote for Ronald Reagan himself due to age said “Reagan Democrats.” I did the math thinking about it and it hit me that the youngest possible Reagan voter will be 50 next year. So Ted basically has no plan to get crossover from anyone under the age of 50. Makes sense, Ted’s a fairly young guy who acts like an old guy. He’s the total opposite of Joe Biden in that regard.

272 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:18:17am

re: #270 The Mother Of All Pies

I know there is some conspiracy theory about yellow fringe around the flag means something something but I don’t care enough to Google it.

Has something to do with sovereign citizens and admiralty law, or I’m mixing my nutcase memes.

273 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 9:18:19am

re: #249 HappyWarrior

But of course, and remember a CEO giving himself a seven figure bonus is a producer getting his due deserve and a union worker getting a nice pension is greed. It must be nice to be psychotic and live in a world where up is down, where John L. Lewis was more greedy than john D. Rockefeller.

And a “level playing field” means that individuals and families get to bargain on equal terms with multi-billion-dollar international corporation for terms of employment, health care and financial services.

274 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:18:27am

re: #269 Decatur Deb

New Yorkers get to wave an Irish flag, Canadians get to wave a US flag—only fair.

And southerners get to wave the flag of a short lived experiment that got its ass kicked. Everybody’s happy.

275 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 9:19:11am

re: #272 Decatur Deb

Has something to do with sovereign citizens and admiralty law, or I’m mixing my nutcase memes.

32 Arugula Warships!

276 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:19:28am

re: #268 Varek Raith

And if Obama did do that, wingnuts would be bitching about it.

Let’s be clear here. Obama doing anything means the wingnuts will bitch about it. Gets Bin Laden. HE’S SPIKING THE FOOTBALL.

277 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 9:19:52am

re: #256 Ace-o-aces

He met Lola at a club. You won’t believe what happened next! #InternetASong

Doctors don’t want you to know about his cure for the rockin’ pneumonia and the boogie-woogie flu!

278 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:20:20am

re: #259 The Mother Of All Pies

The charts and graphs come from the OMB. Ms. Butthurt was intentionally comparing the combined (discretionary & mandatory) graph to the discretionary graph.

Then she was just plain being dishonest. The budget is complex, no doubt, but even a wingnut should understand facts lsuch as that ‘veterans benefits’ in the combined graph represents both discretionary and non-discretionary spending items. If they ignore such facts, they’re “lying for Jesus”, and you’re right to block such a person.

279 b.d.  Mar 24, 2015 9:20:36am

re: #270 The Mother Of All Pies

I know there is some conspiracy theory about yellow fringe around the flag means something something but I don’t care enough to Google it.

ADMIRALTY FLAG!

In wingnut lore, anything done under an Admiralty Flag is meaningless for some reason.

280 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 9:20:40am

re: #272 Decatur Deb

Has something to do with sovereign citizens and admiralty law, or I’m mixing my nutcase memes.

Yeah - that it converts courts into admiralty courts, suspends the rule of law, and otherwise lets the government do all kinds of bad things.

The fact is that the fringe has only ceremonial meaning, and doesn’t change anything about a court proceeding or anything else for that matter.

Cruz probably grabbed the flag from his office, and took it outside (first thing he could find).

281 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 9:20:58am

Joe Biden Releases Both E-mails Written While Vice-President

In what could be a prelude to a Presidential run in 2016, on Friday Joe Biden released to the public both e-mails that he has written while serving as Vice-President for the past six years.

Biden took pride in announcing that he had sent both messages from his official government e-mail address, adding, “I have nothing to hide.”

Minutes after the e-mails were released, the media pored over the treasure trove of materials, which offer a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into Biden’s tenure as Vice-President.

The first e-mail, written to President Obama in December of 2009, asks about the time and place of the White House holiday party.

The second and last e-mail, written in May of last year, asks the President, “Is our Internet slow today? I’m trying to watch something,” followed by a frowny-face emoticon.

According to Biden’s records, the President did not respond to either e-mail.

282 Dr. Matt  Mar 24, 2015 9:22:31am

Has DimJim/CCJ reported BREAKING and EXCLUSIVE “news” yet that the German Airbus was brought down by librul muslim extremists?

283 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:23:04am

re: #281 Varek Raith

Joe Biden Releases Both E-mails Written While Vice-President

There’s something that I just love about Biden using emoticons. I really wish he were a younger man. I think he’d make a great president. I think he’d possess the best understanding of how Congress works of any president since LBJ.

284 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:23:12am

re: #265 Ace-o-aces

[Embedded content]

That’s some Ted Cruz fanboy, not an official account. It would be verified if it were official, given Cruz is a well-known senator.

285 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:23:36am

re: #281 Varek Raith

Joe Biden Releases Both E-mails Written While Vice-President

There are rumors he ordered rims for the Trans Am from Amazon.

286 b.d.  Mar 24, 2015 9:24:24am

re: #262 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Why is that Canadian waving a US flag? Is he fixin’ to burn it?

287 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:24:36am

re: #284 Dark_Falcon

That’s some Ted Cruz fanboy, not an official account. It would be verified if it were official, given Cruz is a well-known senator.

Why would Cruz have a checkmark if CCJ doesn’t?

288 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:24:43am

re: #285 Decatur Deb

There are rumors he ordered rims for the Trans Am from Amazon.

And had them delivered by drone, no less.

289 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 9:25:16am

Flower power break.

290 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 9:26:00am

291 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:26:48am

theonion.com

292 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:28:09am

re: #287 Decatur Deb

Why would Cruz have a checkmark if CCJ doesn’t?

Because Ted Cruz is a senator, who represents the 2nd largest state in the Union, both in terms of population and surface area. He’s also a reasonably skilled lawyer, whose brief actually were read and made use of by the Supreme Court.

Charles C. Johnson, by contrast, is a floor-pooper who half-assedly claims to be an “award-winning journalist”.

That why.

293 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:29:18am

LOL

294 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 9:30:53am

re: #293 The Mother Of All Pies

LOL

[Embedded content]

Oh, my kind of duel!
*Summons asteroids*
Your move, Huck.

295 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:31:03am

re: #293 The Mother Of All Pies

LOL

[Embedded content]

Pfft he can’t even get me to read David Barton. Seriously though, it’s easy to see why Huckabee is too creepy even for many Republicans. I still wouldn’t be shocked though to see him do well or maybe get VP especially if the nominee is a corporate type.

296 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:31:49am

re: #294 Varek Raith

Oh, my kind of duel!
*Summons asteroids*
Your move, Huck.

Please tell me you brought your Gameshark, you’re going ot need the invincibility code to beat Huckasaurus.

297 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:32:00am

re: #292 Dark_Falcon

Because Ted Cruz is a senator, who represents the 2nd largest state in the Union, both in terms of population and surface area. He’s also a reasonably skilled lawyer, whose brief actually were read and made use of by the Supreme Court.

Charles C. Johnson, by contrast, is a floor-pooper who half-assedly claims to be an “award-winning journalist”.

That why.

But CCJ is an award-winning journalist.

298 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 9:33:28am

re: #295 HappyWarrior

Pfft he can’t even get me to read David Barton. Seriously though, it’s easy to see why Huckabee is too creepy even for many Republicans. I still wouldn’t be shocked though to see him do well or maybe get VP especially if the nominee is a corporate type.

Is squirrel a fit sacrifice unto the Lord?

299 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 9:33:41am

re: #296 HappyWarrior

Please tell me you brought your Gameshark, you’re going ot need the invincibility code to beat Huckasaurus.

…

300 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:35:10am

re: #298 Decatur Deb

Is squirrel a fit sacrifice unto the Lord?

Have to ask Huck.

301 Dr. Matt  Mar 24, 2015 9:35:43am

re: #297 Decatur Deb

But CCJ is an award-winning journalist.

AND he’s the last person to talk to Breitbart before he became a zombie.

302 Dr. Matt  Mar 24, 2015 9:37:59am
Islamic militants vs. Right-Wing Christians. Enough said.
303 RealityBasedSteve  Mar 24, 2015 9:39:23am

I am using this forum to officially announce that I am not running for president, nor will I entertain any thought of running if asked.

Just wanted to get that out in the open.

RBS

304 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:41:00am

re: #302 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

Their differences are mostly in facial hair.

305 RealityBasedSteve  Mar 24, 2015 9:41:39am

re: #285 Decatur Deb

There are rumors he ordered rims for the Trans Am from Amazon.

Did he get the way cool “Knight Rider” body mod kit also? That would SO score with the ladies when he goes out cruising.

RBS

306 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss  Mar 24, 2015 9:42:25am

re: #270 The Mother Of All Pies

I know there is some conspiracy theory about yellow fringe around the flag means something something but I don’t care enough to Google it.

Freemen on the land thing. If a flag in a courtroom has fringes, it’s mean it’s under admiralty law, which doesn’t apply the sovereign citizens.

ETA: somewhere on the internet, someone is shitting themselves about Cruz waving a fringed flag.

307 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 24, 2015 9:43:09am

re: #265 Ace-o-aces

Please tell me that Cruz doesn’t really use that picture of himself as his Twitter icon. His attempt at an arch look makes him appear to be a self-infatuated asshole - as if that needed further reinforcement.

308 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 9:43:24am

re: #303 RealityBasedSteve

I am using this forum to officially announce that I am not running for president, nor will I entertain any thought of running if asked.

Just wanted to get that out in the open.

RBS

Well, while we’re making announcements, I’d like to announce that I’m kinda, sorta, possibly thinking about running for the presidency. Now, I’m still on the fence about giving it some thought, but I might be persuaded by large donations of money to my potential campaign fund. Small, unmarked bills would be appreciated.

//

309 freetoken  Mar 24, 2015 9:44:54am

I see the Indiana legislature has passed their pro-discrimination law:

The Indiana House approved by a wide margin Monday a proposal strengthening protections for religious objections in state law that opponents say could provide legal cover for discrimination against gay people.

Republicans cast all the “yes” votes as House members voted 63-31 to support the bill that would prohibit any state laws that “substantially burden” a person’s ability to follow his or her religious beliefs and has a definition of a “person” that includes religious institutions, businesses and associations.

[…]

310 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:45:31am

re: #302 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

Well, there is the fact that right-wing Christians (in the US at least) haven’t committed any large-scale massacres in the past 90 years, and they tend not to kill people over their music choices….

311 Lidane  Mar 24, 2015 9:46:52am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon

Speaking of music choices:

Obvious pandering to rednecks is obvious. If anyone falls for this bullshit, they deserve to get fleeced by this snake oil salesman.

312 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 9:47:22am
313 sagehen  Mar 24, 2015 9:48:12am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon

Well, there is the fact that right-wing Christians (in the US at least) haven’t committed any large-scale massacres in the past 90 years, and they tend not to kill people over their music choices….

Only because they live in a country with a government capable of stopping them and killing them for it.

It’s a tactical and strategic choice, not a matter of morals or ethics.

314 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 9:48:24am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon

Well, there is the fact that right-wing Christians (in the US at least) haven’t committed any large-scale massacres in the past 90 years, and they tend not to kill people over their music choices….

Funny, I stopped listened to country music in part due to 9/11. I could only stand to listen to so many repeated playings of “God Bless the USA” before I wanted to hurt someone.

315 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:48:38am

re:

316 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:51:15am

re: #314 Targetpractice

Funny, I stopped listened to country music in part due to 9/11. I could only stand to listen to so many repeated playings of “God Bless the USA” before I wanted to hurt someone.

I never liked Lee Greenwood’s Proud to be an American. Brings up bad memories of a tacky flag dance we had to do in grade school. I’ve actually come to enjoy country music more as I’ve gotten older but I’m more into what’s called roots or Americana. I’ve never liked the so called Nashville sound since it’s too poppy and the kind of country I presume Cruz is talking about is way way too simplistic. Besides Toby Keith came off as a real asshole for the way he treated the Dixie Chicks. Saying they were ashamed to be from the same state as Bush wasn’t horrible but yet it got right wingers pissed in a way that Rudy fucking Giuliani actually accusing the President of not loving America did.

317 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 9:52:00am

Phil Robertson is fucked up.

318 freetoken  Mar 24, 2015 9:52:33am

re: #317 The Mother Of All Pies

Phil Robertson is fucked up.

[Embedded content]

But he’s made millions from a hit TV show, so there.

319 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:53:03am

re: #317 The Mother Of All Pies

Phil Robertson is fucked up.

[Embedded content]

Hey Bobby Jindal, your friend Phil is an asshole.

320 Dr. Matt  Mar 24, 2015 9:53:23am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon

Well, there is the fact that right-wing Christians (in the US at least) haven’t committed any large-scale massacres in the past 90 years, and they tend not to kill people over their music choices….

Yet, the rest of the comparisons in the OP is still factually accurate.

And then there is:

Georgia ‘patriot’ reportedly planted pipe bombs in park to sow fear of Muslims

and

Texas racists break into black student’s home, terrorize her with lynching threats

321 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:53:31am

re: #318 freetoken

But he’s made millions from a hit TV show, so there.

He had a good fortune before that TV show. Sighs.

322 freetoken  Mar 24, 2015 9:54:23am

re: #321 HappyWarrior

Duck calls.

Altar calls.

What’s the difference?

323 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 9:54:48am

re: #307 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Please tell me that Cruz doesn’t really use that picture of himself as his Twitter icon.

Of course he doesn’t.

324 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:55:10am

re: #322 freetoken

Duck calls.

Altar calls.

What’s the difference?

I dunno. I honestly didn’t really have an opinion either way about the Robertson clan until they announced themselves to be bigots.

325 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 9:56:45am

re: #324 HappyWarrior

I dunno. I honestly didn’t really have an opinion either way about the Robertson clan until they announced themselves to be bigots.

To be fair, I’ve only heard bigotry out of Phil Robertson’s mouth. Neither his son nor his brother have said egregious things that I’ve heard of.

326 GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 24, 2015 9:57:34am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon

You must have forgotten OKC.

327 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:57:46am

re: #325 Dark_Falcon

To be fair, I’ve only heard bigotry out of Phil Robertson’s mouth. Neither his son nor his brother have said egregious things that I’ve heard of.

Fair enough to Willie and his brother but I don’t think I’m wrong in assuming that they share their father’s disgusting views about gay people.

328 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 9:58:16am

re: #326 GlutenFreeJesus

You must have forgotten OKC.

Christian Identity is some pretty scary shit.

329 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 10:00:01am

But no matter the post was talking about the similarities Islamists and right wing Christians share about political ideas. It’s actually down right eerie. Hell I think Bill Donovan pretty much admitted that he had some admiration for ISIL for actually fighting to establish a state run by their religion.

330 Dark_Falcon  Mar 24, 2015 10:01:50am

re: #326 GlutenFreeJesus

You must have forgotten OKC.

No, I haven’t but:

A: That was a pair of nuts who had gotten kicked out of every militia group they tried to join.

B: McVeigh and Nicols were equally to more motivated by non-religious anti-government feelings and conspiracy theories.

But I’m not going to continue in this vein. I don’t want to waste time defending nutbars.

331 Dr Lizardo  Mar 24, 2015 10:01:59am

re: #293 The Mother Of All Pies

Mike Huckabee thinks he can call down fire from heaven to smite his opponents, an act (phew!) in violation of the United States Constitution

The power to destroy a planet call down fire from heaven to smite your opponents is insignificant compared to the power of the Force.

Some tall guy with respiratory difficulties told me that.

332 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Mar 24, 2015 10:02:29am

re: #313 sagehen

Only because they live in a country with a government capable of stopping them and killing them for it.

It’s a tactical and strategic choice, not a matter of morals or ethics.

Sort of like Mormons and polygamy…speaking of which, when is that going to some up in Indiana under their “religious freedom” legislation?

333 Higgs Boson's Mate  Mar 24, 2015 10:03:01am

Thank you! Someone here mentioned Civ V the other day so I decided to dust it off. That coincided with a Steam 75% off sale so I bought the Brave New World expansion. Great fun though I only seem able to win Cultural victories no matter whom I play or what I start out to accomplish.

334 Decatur Deb  Mar 24, 2015 10:04:10am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon

Well, there is the fact that right-wing Christians (in the US at least) haven’t committed any large-scale massacres in the past 90 years, and they tend not to kill people over their music choices….

You only get a walk on that because Terry McVeigh described himself as an indifferent Catholic. He received the Last Rites.

Image: oklahoma-city-bombing.jpg

NSFW

335 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 10:05:16am

re: #331 Dr Lizardo

Darth Sidious: Ever hear the story of Darth Plagius?

Umm, I can live forever. /Connor MacLeod.

336 RealityBasedSteve  Mar 24, 2015 10:05:20am

re: #328 HappyWarrior

Christian Identity is some pretty scary shit.

Many years ago, before all the news broke about Randy Weaver and Ruby Ridge, I was part of a small Army detachment assigned to the US Marshals service to provide Medevac and other support up there. I was on the ground ops side, and the first thing they (the marshals) asked me was “Do you have a sidearm?”. Since none of us did, they simply went over to a box, got out a 9mm in a fanny pack, handed it to me, and said, “We’d like this back when you leave”.

I was up there for 2 - 3 week, no TDY (Temporary Duty) paperwork was ever filed, we just gave all the receipts to the Marshal Service and it was handled. I still remember driving by the sign that read “Church Of Christ (Aryan Nation)” and thinking “I’m not in Kansas any more”.

RBS

337 The Ghost of Tonalite Gneiss  Mar 24, 2015 10:06:11am

re: #310 Dark_Falcon

Well, there is the fact that right-wing Christians (in the US at least) haven’t committed any large-scale massacres in the past 90 years, and they tend not to kill people over their music choices….

Right wing Christians in the Unite States view the US military as tool of divine vengeance, specifically salt their apocalyptic worldview into the US military and propagate the idea that any conflict versus Muslims is a “crusade.” Their publications are filled with prophecy and apologetics for mass death and destruction in the Middle East as righteous.

They celebrate every epidemic, natural disaster, and most accidents as signs that they’re Always Right, with little or no regard for anyone’s suffering.

They use their wealth to propagate laws overseas that imprison homosexuals for the crime of being, and are currently pushing for the death penalty. In West Africa, they also engage in witch hunting, a practice that involves isolating and torturing children.

If there isn’t a mound of bodies directly beneath wingnut Christians—comparable to, say, the body count of colonizing powers that claimed violence and domination was part of Christian duty—it’s because they’re a moment founded within a secular nation with strong protections of personal liberty.

What with the apologism for wife and child-beating, the clinic bombings, the occasional assassination, and the continuous drum-beat of public men of faith talking about everybody that doesn’t deserve life, liberty, or property, they get EXACTLY ZERO CREDIT for not being as utterly shitty as fundamentalists elsewhere.

If I have to wipe your ass every time, you don’t get to brag about your personal hygiene.

If I create a government system that lands hards on theocrats hurting and harassing people, the theocrat doesn’t get to brag about his open-minded civic pride…while simultaneously devoting billions of dollars and man-hours to stripping those things from me.

338 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 10:07:09am

re: #336 RealityBasedSteve

Many years ago, before all the news broke about Randy Weaver and Ruby Ridge, I was part of a small Army detachment assigned to the US Marshals service to provide Medevac and other support up there. I was on the ground ops side, and the first thing they (the marshals) asked me was “Do you have a sidearm?”. Since none of us did, they simply went over to a box, got out a 9mm in a fanny pack, handed it to me, and said, “We’d like this back when you leave”.

I was up there for 2 - 3 week, no TDY (Temporary Duty) paperwork was ever filed, we just gave all the receipts to the Marshal Service and it was handled. I still remember driving by the sign that read “Church Of Christ (Aryan Nation)” and thinking “I’m not in Kansas any more”.

RBS

Damn that had to be a site to see. I remember in college. We were driving downstate. With us was a New Yorker who had never really seen Virginia and the south really beyond the area where our university was and he was just shocked to see how prevalent CSA flags got as you got further south and rural.

339 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 24, 2015 10:07:15am

Catching up on everything.
Just saw this from CCJ:

“reliably told”?
Chuck, it was in all the newspapers and all over the internet a week ago. Do try to keep up.

340 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 10:08:02am

re: #339 Backwoods_Sleuth

Catching up on everything.
Just saw this from CCJ:

[Embedded content]

“reliably told”?
Chuck, it was in all the newspapers and all over the internet a week ago. Do try to keep up.

I can has news scoop.

341 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 10:08:54am
342 Kragar  Mar 24, 2015 10:08:55am

re: #317 The Mother Of All Pies

Phil Robertson is fucked up.

[Embedded content]

So apparently the only thing keeping Phil Robertson from being a mass murderer is he is afraid his imaginary friend might be angry with him.

343 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 10:09:25am

This is case in point about how so many GOPers say that they’re for Israel, but don’t have the slightest clue about the country, its government, or its politics:

Ben Carson, step on down, you’re the next contestant on you don’t know jack.

344 Ace-o-aces  Mar 24, 2015 10:10:23am
345 Targetpractice  Mar 24, 2015 10:11:55am

re: #343 lawhawk

This is case in point about how so many GOPers say that they’re for Israel, but don’t have the slightest clue about the country, its government, or its politics:

[Embedded content]

Ben Carson, step on down, you’re the next contestant on you don’t know jack.

Welcome to the GOP primaries, where the facts are made up and the points don’t matter.

/

346 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 10:11:58am

re: #343 lawhawk

This is case in point about how so many GOPers say that they’re for Israel, but don’t have the slightest clue about the country, its government, or its politics:

[Embedded content]

Ben Carson, step on down, you’re the next contestant on you don’t know jack.

Surprised no one told him that gays serve in Israel’s armed forces too. I loved pointing that one out to those who claim that our military would be weakened by allowing openly gay people to serve in it. I pointed out that Israeli, the UK, and Canada, three of our best allies do allow it while countries like Iran, China, and Russia do not.

347 Varek Raith  Mar 24, 2015 10:12:29am

re: #339 Backwoods_Sleuth

Catching up on everything.
Just saw this from CCJ:

[Embedded content]

“reliably told”?
Chuck, it was in all the newspapers and all over the internet a week ago. Do try to keep up.

Lol. Old news, Award Winning Journalist.

348 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 10:12:37am

re: #339 Backwoods_Sleuth

Six days ago:
news.yahoo.com

Two days ago:
washingtontimes.com

Chuckles today:
He’s going to announce April 7! At this location.

Of course, Rand was already calling himself a candidate on March 15, but that wasn’t an official indication.

349 Lidane  Mar 24, 2015 10:14:07am

re: #339 Backwoods_Sleuth

He’s so full of shit.

Whenever Rand Paul announces his run for POTUS, it won’t be to Chuckles McGinger or to anyone associated with him. It will be a big deal.

350 The Mother Of All Pies  Mar 24, 2015 10:14:45am

One thing to come out of that horrific tragedy over the weekend where 7 children lost their lives in a house fire, the religious community isn’t saying crap like THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE TEH WOMENS DON’T COVER THERE HAIRS WITH THE APPROVED COLOR SCARF and instead they are saying, “G-D wants every family to install smoke detectors and only use safe, UL-approved appliances according to the manufacturer’s instructions”

351 Nyet  Mar 24, 2015 10:15:03am

re: #343 lawhawk

Carson: ignorant and proud of it.

I really doubt he’s an idiot savant, more likely just a very lucky idiot with some skill.

352 Kragar  Mar 24, 2015 10:18:18am
353 lawhawk  Mar 24, 2015 10:19:42am

re: #344 Ace-o-aces

It deserves a:

354 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 10:20:51am

re: #352 Kragar

[Embedded content]

First they came for the chicken and I said nothing.

355 b.d.  Mar 24, 2015 10:21:18am

re: #339 Backwoods_Sleuth

Catching up on everything.
Just saw this from CCJ:

[Embedded content]

“reliably told”?
Chuck, it was in all the newspapers and all over the internet a week ago. Do try to keep up.

Somebody must have shoved a week old newspaper into his tip slot rather than 99 cents.

356 b.d.  Mar 24, 2015 10:22:31am

re: #339 Backwoods_Sleuth

Catching up on everything.
Just saw this from CCJ:

[Embedded content]

“reliably told”?
Chuck, it was in all the newspapers and all over the internet a week ago. Do try to keep up.

Why does Chuck have the #TedCruz hashtag on a story that has nothing to do with him and is about Rand Paul?

357 sagehen  Mar 24, 2015 10:22:35am

re: #346 HappyWarrior

Surprised no one told him that gays serve in Israel’s armed forces too. I loved pointing that one out to those who claim that our military would be weakened by allowing openly gay people to serve in it. I pointed out that Israeli, the UK, and Canada, three of our best allies do allow it while countries like Iran, China, and Russia do not.

Just wait ‘til you tell them that Israel has taxpayer-funded abortion on demand.

358 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 24, 2015 10:23:31am

re: #356 b.d.

Why does Chuck have the #TedCruz hashtag on a story that has nothing to do with him and is about Rand Paul?

He likes hijacking hashtags.

359 HappyWarrior  Mar 24, 2015 10:23:54am

re: #357 sagehen

Just wait ‘til you tell them that Israel has taxpayer-funded abortion on demand.

and socialized medicine, you know the whole thing he claims ACA is and what’s made him into a wingnut folk hero.

360 sagehen  Mar 24, 2015 10:23:56am

re: #350 The Mother Of All Pies

One thing to come out of that horrific tragedy over the weekend where 7 children lost their lives in a house fire, the religious community isn’t saying crap like THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE TEH WOMENS DON’T COVER THERE HAIRS WITH THE APPROVED COLOR SCARF and instead they are saying, “G-D wants every family to install smoke detectors and only use safe, UL-approved appliances according to the manufacturer’s instructions”

That’s because our god loves us more than their god loves them.

361 Timothy Watson  Mar 24, 2015 10:26:41am
362 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 10:36:37am

re: #342 Kragar

So apparently the only thing keeping Phil Robertson from being a mass murderer is he is afraid his imaginary friend might be angry with him.

That appears to be it since they constantly claim that all atheists want to do is go on rape and killing sprees. I think they doth project too much.
//

363 Feline Fearless Leader  Mar 24, 2015 10:37:41am

re: #345 Targetpractice

Welcome to the GOP primaries, where the facts are made up and the points don’t matter.

/

I now want Drew Carey as a GOP debate moderator.

(Especially since he also seems to be transforming into Barry Goldwater as well.)

364 makeitstop  Mar 24, 2015 10:42:38am

re: #340 HappyWarrior

I can has news scoop.

I get better scoops out of our cats’ littler box.

365 Slap  Mar 24, 2015 11:04:03am

re: #109 lawhawk

Way late, but if you haven’t been to Harper’s Ferry before, be prepared to be gobsmacked by its beauty. The meeting place of three rivers, the forest, all of it. Not to downplay the history, but HF is so gorgeous that you might forget why you went there.

Enjoy!


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