Saturday Night Shred: Steffen Schackinger, “Tumbleweed”

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From ‘Fire Dance’ CDs, Guitar Tabs, and downloads available at: http://www.candyrat.com/artists/steffenschackinger/firedance/
itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/fire-dance/id1176246921
Apple Music: https://itun.es/us/SMY8q
Amazon: http://a.co/g8RniY2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/37sJT9OxxjCc4zM9oM2GH8

Visit Steffen Schackinger at:
Website: http://steffenschackinger.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sschackinger/
Twitter: @schackinger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sschackinger/

Guitars: Steffen Schackinger
Bass: Henrik Bjørn
Drums: Lars Daugaard

Classical precision meets uncompromising rock on new album from world class guitarist. Steffen Schackinger belongs to the absolute elite, and his new album ‘Fire Dance’ takes his instrumental guitar music to new heights.

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510 comments
1
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:10:52pm

Saturday Night Shred.

2
darthstar  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:16:16pm
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3
Charles Johnson  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:16:23pm

Keeping up with the relentless insanity of the Trump Horror gets wearying.

4
Joe Bacon  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:18:56pm

re: #3 Charles Johnson

Keeping up with the relentless insanity of the Trump Horror gets wearying.

It’s the sheer stupidity that leaves me speechless. Especially when I deal with callers every workday who endlessly recite the latest emissions from the Republican 24/7 Bullshit Machine!

5
jaunte  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:19:38pm
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6
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:21:42pm

re: #3 Charles Johnson

Keeping up with the relentless insanity of the Trump Horror gets wearying.

Is that not the plan? Overwhelm the fact checkers, the (few) remaining journalists, the policy debaters… when all is said and done, all that will be left is demagoguery and kabuki.

7
Kragar  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:25:57pm
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8
BigPapa  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:28:05pm

He picks, then he started finger picking but kept the pick in his hand to drop back in.

9
BigPapa  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:29:22pm

re: #5 jaunte

This is revenge for the breakup of the USSR. I’m sure many of them still burn over that.

10
FormerDirtDart  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:32:26pm
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11
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:32:51pm

Been watching a lot of history documentaries (good ones, which usually means from the BBC or PBS, not some US cable channel that sells alien temples under the seas), as well as reading on some past eras related to my genealogy projects.

I think there is something afoot here, in Trump and the deconstruction of modernity and our highly technological society, not discussed enough by the talking heads on TV or in the opinion pages of media outlets.

Civilizations rarely disappear when they “fall”. What happens is that people simply transfer cultural preference from one form of polity for another, of one language for another, of one religion for another.

The inescapability of change is always there but not really embraced or discussed.

In some sense I think Trump, or something Trump-like, had to occur, once our society started down the path it did about 40 years ago. (See my sermonette downstairs about playing dominoes.)

Once our society decided to pick an actor, Reagan, who was more about show than substance, over Carter, who didn’t put on that great of a show and whose substance was not all bad, and as said choice was in part the work of the religious right, was it not inevitable that the political party of Reagan would keep trying to return to some of that myth that Reagan sold them?

So I’m thinking that in 1980 the American body politic decided to go down the path that brought us to Trump today.

12
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:41:03pm

re: #11 freetoken

Yet, this time around more people voted for substance (Hillary) than show (Donald). It’s the out-dated Electoral College system and some clever shenanigans that tipped the EVs to Donald.

But I’m not dismissing your argument that voters prefer show over substance, especially Republican voters and the GOP leadership. Reagan was a figurehead, and W was, too. And you could argue that Obama was good at both show and substance, while McCain and Romney came up short on both counts.

13
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:41:25pm

Having written that…

re: #7 Kragar

That’s an instructive photo, especially when one looks at the details.

Not only do we have two marginalized males carrying oversized penis-substitutes, but their very choice of phallus symbols play into their fantasies. If VA is an open carry state, they could have had many choices, but they chose the most militaristic fashion of firearms they could. No, no 18th century muskets for them, nor those Civil War era heirlooms. Nope, they went straight for contemporary killing machines.

Their action is of course a projection of hostility, of lashing out at the world which is passing them by. They are, in a word, losing.

That is why they love Trump. Trump is promising them winning, while their personal lives is telling them they are losing.

That photo could have been taken elsewhere, say in the Ukraine with some Russian thugs threatening some protester…

14
DuckDharma  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:42:27pm

re: #319 Belafon

I wasn’t even referencing the things she “gets wrong” (for example, thinking Charlie Hedbo was the name of one [1] person killed in France) I’m talking about the wacky bullshit conspiracy theories she constantly makes up and poisons the public with. It’s the same “just asking questions” garbage Trump/Breitbart does. It would be encouraging news if it were true, but seeing as nobody has independently verified her “scoop,” I’m not holding my breath based on her record.

15
Charles Johnson  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:46:28pm
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16
retired cynic  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:47:31pm

re: #15 Charles Johnson

snork! you find the classiest twitterers!

17
FormerDirtDart  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:49:25pm

When Siri invokes “Godwin’s Law” right off the bat…

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18
retired cynic  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:56:09pm

psoEReTCYdAh9a7IuVoZwirygLQJz9y9k8thHewqZIRXYqA0ZEgMWQW/VatJWmpJJNlo+bws17NQHFvnqtrEj8kQLzQ32F6WrAchFlIaZVLalFK4rjNYeQ==

19
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:56:22pm
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20
Dave In Austin  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:58:19pm
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21
KingKenrod  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:58:28pm

Trump’s friends are pure class!

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22
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 8:58:52pm

LOL. Chaffetz is getting it from all sides. Good.

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23
retired cynic  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:00:07pm

re: #21 KingKenrod

Trump’s friends are pure class!

[Embedded content]

Is that his real twitter? I know he’s gross, but that seems over the top for anyone!

24
bratwurst  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:01:36pm

re: #21 KingKenrod

Trump’s friends are pure class!

[Embedded content]

I reported both of the above abusive tweets. Anyone who has 10 seconds to spare should do the same. That nasty troll should be banished to Gab.

25
teleskiguy  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:02:49pm

re: #23 retired cynic

Is that his real twitter? I know he’s gross, but that seems over the top for anyone!

He doesn’t have a blue check mark for some reason, but I’m fairly certain that’s his personal Twitter account.

26
retired cynic  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:03:27pm

re: #25 teleskiguy

He doesn’t have a blue check mark for some reason, but I’m fairly certain that’s his personal Twitter account.

Good grief!

27
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:03:27pm

re: #25 teleskiguy

He doesn’t have a blue check mark for some reason, but I’m fairly certain that’s his personal Twitter account.

I think so too. Read the TL. Seems legit to me.

28
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:05:07pm

Hey guys! Haven’t been commenting much lately. Trump still crazy?

*looks at the internet*

Yep, he’s still crazy.

29
Charles Johnson  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:06:01pm

re: #23 retired cynic

Is that his real twitter? I know he’s gross, but that seems over the top for anyone!

That’s really Roger Stone. He’s a nasty piece of work. And a close friend of Donald Trump, oddly enough.

30
Charles Johnson  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:07:18pm
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31
retired cynic  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:08:31pm

re: #29 Charles Johnson

That’s really Roger Stone. He’s a nasty piece of work. And a close friend of Donald Trump, oddly enough.

Perhaps it is that he is seeing all of the euphoria at having DT in the White House slipping away, and it makes him testy, but that ought to get him at least a time out!

32
KingKenrod  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:08:41pm

I think that’s him. 153K followers, including @ianbremmer (the only personal cross-follower I can see). He has many verified followers.

33
bratwurst  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:08:52pm

The estate of Harry Nilsson should be able to sue this guy I never heard of on Saturday Night Live right now…sheesh.

34
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:10:57pm
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35
Shiplord Kirel  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:11:57pm

re: #7 Kragar

[Embedded content]

Those two scuzzy looking terrorists should be snatched up and packed off to Gitmo immediately, or at least deported to whatever backward-ass hellhole they obviously came from!

Oh.

Those are the native patriots?

Never mind.

36
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:12:59pm

My evangelical cousin, an attorney by the way, is starting to turn against Trump. He’d been a supporter until the latest contwition fit, but even he is seeing the cracks form. I’ll chalk that up to a good sign.

37
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:16:19pm

re: #36 Arkansawyer

My evangelical cousin, an attorney by the way, is starting to turn against Trump. He’d been a supporter until the latest contwition fit, but even he is seeing the cracks form. I’ll chalk that up to a good sign.

I’ll take any losses of supporters. Drip. Drip. Drip.

38
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:16:32pm

Read this. Wow. Goes to DKos.

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39
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:19:50pm

re: #37 MsJ

I’ll take any losses of supporters. Drip. Drip. Drip.

I rarely go on facebook. I happened to check it out today, and he wrote out what amounted to a legal opinion. In summary, he thinks Trump is fucked. He’s the last person I expected that opinion to come from, in all honesty.

40
Patricia Kayden  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:23:57pm

re: #15 Charles Johnson

It’s “you’re”. Why can’t Rightwingers spell?

41
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:25:28pm

re: #40 Patricia Kayden

It’s “you’re”. Why can’t Rightwingers spell?

I’ll take slashing public school funding for $100.

42
Patricia Kayden  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:26:34pm

re: #21 KingKenrod

Twitter allows this though.

43
Joe Bacon  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:29:12pm

re: #22 MsJ

LOL. Chaffetz is getting it from all sides. Good.

[Embedded content]

Nobody’s defeat in 2018 will give me greater pleasure than to see that asshole go down!

44
teleskiguy  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:29:58pm

re: #40 Patricia Kayden

It’s “you’re”. Why can’t Rightwingers spell?

re: #41 Arkansawyer

I’ll take slashing public school funding for $100.

Let’s use the fucking “f” word.

45
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:32:25pm

re: #44 teleskiguy

Let’s use the fucking “f” word.

[Embedded content]

I wouldn’t have dropped out of high school if swearing was a pre-req.

46
teleskiguy  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:33:55pm

Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Truth

47
prairiefire  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:38:06pm

re: #11 freetoken

I think also that foreign actors know how many malleable citizens we have.

48
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:39:00pm

Captain Picard is on our side.

cnn.com

49
prairiefire  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:40:27pm

re: #48 Unshaken Defiance

Captain Picard is on our side.

cnn.com

He’s fantastic. He had a physically abusive father and has always stood for women’s rights.

50
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:42:30pm

Stone is drunk. Or on meth.

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51
retired cynic  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:43:31pm

re: #50 MsJ

Stone is drunk. Or on meth.

[Embedded content]

I always thought his brain case was too small.

52
Dave In Austin  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:44:50pm

re: #50 MsJ

Stone is drunk. Or on meth.

[Embedded content]

The Nixon tat on his back is speaking to him…..

53
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:47:17pm

re: #48 Unshaken Defiance

Captain Picard is on our side.

cnn.com

I have to admit TNG was a major milestone in my life. Picard, Riker, and Wes Crusher resonated profoundly with me. Crusher especially had a greater impact. I was the nerdy kid that needed representation, and his character fucking delivered.

54
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:54:51pm

re: #48 Unshaken Defiance

So, what’s the chance that the Trump DoJ will attempt to block this attempt at citizenship?

55
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:55:23pm

re: #50 MsJ

Did he ever have a blue checkmark? Can we be sure it is him?

56
austin_blue  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:56:11pm

re: #54 freetoken

So, what’s the chance that the Trump DoJ will attempt to block this attempt at citizenship?

Given his intent, 100%.

Assuming, of course, that there *is* a Trump DoJ.

57
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 9:57:23pm

re: #56 austin_blue

Could not Stewart be denied a visa to even come here anymore, given his obviously subversive intentions against the stated will of the American people to make America great again?

58
Kragar  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:00:38pm
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59
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:02:21pm

re: #54 freetoken

So, what’s the chance that the Trump DoJ will attempt to block this attempt at citizenship?

About 100%.

60
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:02:24pm

re: #56 austin_blue

Given his intent, 100%.

Assuming, of course, that there *is* a Trump DoJ.

As far as Trump knows, the DoJ consists entirely of a game of Guess Who with only Arabs that Bannon gave him to keep him occupied.

61
prairiefire  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:03:44pm

re: #54 freetoken

His wife is American.

62
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:04:12pm

re: #55 freetoken

Did he ever have a blue checkmark? Can we be sure it is him?

I can’t say 100% but it looks legit to me. Lots of promos for his appearances, pictures of him, etc. Engagement by big names. Read the TL. Decide for yourself.

63
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:04:20pm

So this is what happened in Sweden.

Reacting to MARBLE MACHINE COVERS - This made me so happy!

64
austin_blue  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:04:29pm

re: #57 freetoken

Could not Stewart be denied a visa to even come here anymore, given his obviously subversive intentions against the stated will of the American people to make America great again?

Oh, absolutely! Given his prediliction to perform with admitted homosexes like Ian McKellen in road shows like Waiting For Godot, he is obviously Not Our Kind Of Visitor To Our Great Nation.

And he played Gurney Halleck in that really weird Dune thing that David Lynch did back in ‘84. Many of us who loved the novel were terribly confused.

65
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:04:39pm

Getting back to interests in history and the past… one thing which is very striking about Trump is his complete absence of interest, knowledge, or any understanding of our past, of human history, of culture, or even religion.

66
Joe Bacon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:05:53pm

re: #50 MsJ

Stone is drunk. Or on meth.

[Embedded content]

He got his hands on Rush’s Oxycontin stash…

67
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:06:01pm

re: #61 prairiefire

His wife is American.

So. Spousal visas are not a guarantee. Stewart is clearly subversive to the will of the American people to make America great again. That alone will disqualify Stewart from entry, no?

68
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:06:53pm

re: #61 prairiefire

His wife is American.

Doesn’t matter. They just deported a guy who is married to an American. Been here 20+ years. Two kids. Sent to El Salvador. Hasn’t been there in 16 years. And is now in the airport down there scared shitless.

69
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:07:29pm

re: #65 freetoken

Getting back to interests in history and the past… one thing which is very striking about Trump is his complete absences of interest, knowledge, or any understanding of our past, of human history, of culture, or even religion.

Because studying history requires the abiliy to remove yourself from the subject you’re studying. The best history professor I ever had told us on day one “check your ego at the door.”

70
austin_blue  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:07:38pm

re: #65 freetoken

Getting back to interests in history and the past… one thing which is very striking about Trump is his complete absences of interest, knowledge, or any understanding of our past, of human history, of culture, or even religion.

Well, requires crackin’ a book an’ shit.

71
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:08:11pm
Barefoot Grin

I don’t have any feeling for who DharmaDuck is, and I think s/he is right to treat outrageous claims with suspicion, but Russians with direct and indirect connections to the Trump presidency are dying at an alarming rate.

Such as?

72
prairiefire  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:08:21pm

re: #68 MsJ

Too true and too sad.

73
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:09:18pm

At least W always wanted to be a painter.

74
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:11:33pm

re: #67 freetoken

So. Spousal visas are not a guarantee. Stewart is clearly subversive to the will of the American people to make America great again. That alone will disqualify Stewart from entry, no?

I don’t think the President can up and do that. Can’t issue a warrant, make an arrest etc. Of course so compliant agency might find a way.

75
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:11:55pm

Fascinating thread on FISA warrants. Great FYI!

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76
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:12:42pm

re: #20 Dave In Austin

[Embedded content]

Yeah…about that:

If this account is real (yeah yeah we have been arguing abut that)…this is kind of a big fucking deal…

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77
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:13:05pm

re: #74 Unshaken Defiance

I don’t think the President can up and do that. Can’t issue a warrant, make an arrest etc. Of course so compliant agency might find a way.

ICE and CBP are more than in board. Both are corrupt and power happy as hell.

78
goddamnedfrank  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:14:37pm

re: #71 Nyet

Such as?

I’m skeptical too. We’re dealing with a lot of raw assertions and no idea how large the sample size is. If Trump can be connected to a shit ton of older Russian men and some of them die off it’s hard to know if the raw numbers are significant or just the expected mortality rate for that subgroup.

79
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:17:24pm

re: #74 Unshaken Defiance

Stewart is not a citizen. To enter the country will require a visa. Now, the US has agreements with other countries to automatically grant visitors a short term visa, for visiting only, for many nations, such as the UK. But it’s still a visa, even if one doesn’t have to apply ahead of time for it.

DHS can deny a visa on grounds.

80
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:18:06pm

re: #69 Arkansawyer

Because studying history requires the abiliy to remove yourself from the subject you’re studying. The best history professor I ever had told us on day one “check your ego at the door.”

Edit and to expound: To study history is to take a long, hard look at humanity and to realize all our flaws. We aren’t perfect, but we trudge forward. There’s a reason historians are typically cynics. They’ve had to analyze humanity’s failings from a clinical standpoint. Whatever your political beliefs, what actually happend in the past is immutable. Sure, it can be written one way or the other, but what actually happened actually happened. That is why I think every presidential cabinet should include a historian. They shouldn’t be there to record what the administration does. They should be there to warn of paths we’ve already been down.

81
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:21:22pm

re: #63 Nyet

So this is what happened in Sweden.

[Embedded content]

Video

Where are the ravening hordes of feral immigrants? /

82
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:22:04pm

re: #77 MsJ

ICE and CBP are more than in board. Both are corrupt and power happy as hell.

That is why I am afraid that this is the possible Reichstag Fire moment. Fake event…blame on someone else and use it.

(BTW…I was at a game con all day and had no idea that Trump had shit the punchbowl again…and made serious felony conspiracy accusations against Obama to boot).

At the very least, Trump is priming the wingnut crowd to disbelieve whatever the next round of bad news is because “Obama is planting this stuff”.

Fox News is already screaming it, apparently.

However, if he is desperate and paranoid enough…what is to stop him from cajoling Sessions into actually bringing charges against Obama, Hillary and others? That would sure as fuck excite his base and it would muddy the waters beyond repair for investigations against him and his people since they would already have their own ‘legal’ narrative and their own prosecutions…

I hope to fuck I am wrong…but this could be the coup that Bannon wants.

83
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:23:45pm

re: #79 freetoken

Stewart is not a citizen. To enter the country will require a visa. Now, the US has agreements with other countries to automatically grant visitors a short term visa, for visiting only, for many nations, such as the UK. But it’s still a visa, even if one doesn’t have to apply ahead of time for it.

DHS can deny a visa on grounds.

Right, what grounds? Contrary political discourse?

84
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:24:37pm

re: #83 Unshaken Defiance

Right, what grounds? Contrary political discourse?

Subversive activities.

85
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:24:44pm

re: #82 Scottish Dragon

That is why I am afraid that this is the possible Reichstag Fire moment. Fake event…blame on someone else and use it.

(BTW…I was at a game con all day and had no idea that Trump had shit the punchbowl again…and made serious felony conspiracy accusations against Obama to boot).

At the very least, Trump is priming the wingnut crowd to disbelieve whatever the next round of bad news is because “Obama is planting this stuff”.

Fox News is already screaming it, apparently.

However, if he is desperate and paranoid enough…what is to stop him from cajoling Sessions into actually bringing charges against Obama, Hillary and others? That would sure as fuck excite his base and it would muddy the waters beyond repair for investigations against him and his people since they would already have their own ‘legal’ narrative and their own prosecutions…

I hope to fuck I am wrong…but this could be the coup that Bannon wants.

A link between Trump and Russia is almost a given at this point. I’m wondering if Bannon has been smart enough to insulate himself from the fallout. He seems to be the neck of the Hydra.

86
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:25:15pm

re: #84 freetoken

Well, we shall see. Subversive as defined by supporting democracy.

87
DuckDharma  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:25:38pm

Looks like Stone deleted the Wikileaks tweet

88
teleskiguy  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:27:36pm

Hanging (aka Ramble Off)

89
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:28:00pm

re: #85 Arkansawyer

A link between Trump and Russia is almost a given at this point. I’m wondering if Bannon has been smart enough to insulate himself from the fallout. He seems to be the neck of the Hydra.

Trump will push Bannon from the liferaft before he lets himself go down.

90
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:28:26pm

One article at this law site claims:

Many foreigners who belong, have belonged or have collaborated with extreme “leftist” groups accused of terrorist activities anywhere in the world, or who belong or have belonged to religious sects that are identified as subversive, may find that their visa applications are rejected at any U.S. Consulate worldwide. On many occasions, not only have visa applications been refused, but even valid visas have actually been cancelled for people who really have no links at all to such organizations but appear to do so. Such a situation leaves the applicant annoyed and indignant, as he feels that his honor and reputation have been tarnished.

91
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:29:16pm

Here is a typical conspiracy theory “dead Russians” list:

mic.com

“At least 7 Russian officials have turned up dead since Election Day. Here’s what we know.”

Considering how many Russian officials there are this is pretty thin gruel. But let’s take a look at the details.

> Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, died suddenly in New York earlier this week, apparently of cardiac arrest.

99.9% likely natural death, not Trump-related, a valuable Putinist asset.

> On Nov. 8, the day of the 2016 United States election, Russian consular duty commander Sergei Krivov was found dead

Official *US* cause of death: natural. No evidence linking it to the Trump story.

> In December, Petr Polshikov, a senior Russian diplomat who served as the chief adviser to the Latin American department at the ministry, was found dead in his Moscow home with a bullet wound in his head

Not Trump-related.

> Hours later, Andrei Karlov, Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, was assassinated at an Ankara, Turkey, art gallery by a Turkish police officer, apparently in response to Russia’s involvement in Syria.

Even more obviously not Trump-related. But you can judge the quality of the list by its inclusion.

> On Jan. 9, Andrey Malanin, the head of the consular department at Russia’s embassy in Greece, was found dead at his Athens apartment.

Natural death, not Trump-related.

> Weeks later, Russian diplomat Alexander Kadakin, the country’s ambassador to India, died at age 67 after a “brief illness.”

Natural death, not Trump-related.

> In late December, Oleg Erovinkin, a former KGB general and liaison between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Igor Sechin, who runs Russia’s state-owned Rosneft oil company and was named in an explosive raw intelligence dossier, was found dead in the back of his car in Moscow.

> Some have speculated that Erovinkin had served as a source for Christopher Steele

Pure speculation. No tangible facts showing that Erovinking was anyone’s source.

So not a single death that can be linked to the Trump story in any evidence-based way and only one story (Erovinkin) where there exists a purely speculative hypothesis about such a link.

Sorry, but even something as pathetic as Tutankhamun’s curse was more convincing.

92
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:31:13pm

re: #82 Scottish Dragon

That is why I am afraid that this is the possible Reichstag Fire moment. Fake event…blame on someone else and use it.

Side note: there is no evidence that Reichstag fire was a fake event or false flag, almost certainly it was just something that the Nazis used opportunistically (see: 9/11).

93
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:32:42pm
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94
teleskiguy  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:33:22pm

re: #55 freetoken

Did he ever have a blue checkmark? Can we be sure it is him?

@BruceBartlett, who describes himself in his Twitter bio as a “Former aide to Ron Paul, Jack Kemp, Ronald Reagan & George HW Bush who now thinks the GOP needs to go the way of the Whigs” doesn’t have a blue check mark. But that’s him, unmistakably.

95
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:34:07pm

re: #89 Scottish Dragon

Trump will push Bannon from the liferaft before he lets himself go down.

Possibly. But I don’t see Trump as having that much forethought. Unless Bannon happens to cross him at the wrong moment, the drunk will still have Dolt’s ear until the authorities arrive.

96
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:35:32pm

re: #92 Nyet

Side note: there is no evidence that Reichstag fire was a fake event or false flag, almost certainly it was just something that the Nazis used opportunistically (see: 9/11).

True. History tends to have an odd sense of humor.

97
Belafon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:37:41pm

Stewart lives in the US, so revoking his visa will require removing him, which would be a huge event.

98
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:37:52pm

Deaths popularly attributed to Tutankhamun’s “curse”[edit]
The tomb was opened on 29 November 1922.
Lord Carnarvon, financial backer of the excavation team who was present at the tomb’s opening, died on 5 April 1923 after a mosquito bite became infected; he died 4 months and 7 days after the opening of the tomb.[22][23]
George Jay Gould I, a visitor to the tomb, died in the French Riviera on 16 May 1923 after he developed a fever following his visit.[24]
Prince Ali Kamel Fahmy Bey of Egypt died 10 July 1923: shot dead by his wife.
Colonel The Hon. Aubrey Herbert, MP, Carnarvon’s half-brother, became nearly blind and died on 26 September 1923 from blood poisoning related to a dental procedure intended to restore his eyesight.
Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, a radiologist who x-rayed Tutankhamun’s mummy, died on 15 January 1924 from a mysterious illness.
Sir Lee Stack, Governor-General of Sudan, died on 19 November 1924: assassinated while driving through Cairo.
A. C. Mace, a member of Carter’s excavation team, died in 1928 from arsenic poisoning[25]
The Hon. Mervyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s half brother and the aforementioned Aubrey Herbert’s full brother, died on 26 May 1929, reportedly from “malarial pneumonia”.
Captain The Hon. Richard Bethell, Carter’s personal secretary, died on 15 November 1929: died in bed in a Mayfair club, the victim of a suspected smothering.[citation needed]
Richard Luttrell Pilkington Bethell, 3rd Baron Westbury, father of the above, died on 20 February 1930; he supposedly threw himself off his seventh floor apartment.
Howard Carter opened the tomb on 16 February 1923, and died well over a decade later on 2 March 1939; however, some have still attributed his death to the “curse”.[26]

99
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:39:03pm

re: #97 Belafon

Stewart lives in the US, so revoking his passport will require removing him, which would be a huge event.

They can take Picard over my lifeless corpse.

100
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:39:11pm

re: #97 Belafon

Stewart lives in the US, so revoking his passport will require removing him, which would be a huge event.

Huuuuuuuuuge is something Trump likes.

101
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:39:32pm

re: #92 Nyet

Side note: there is no evidence that Reichstag fire was a fake event or false flag, almost certainly it was just something that the Nazis used opportunistically (see: 9/11).

The Nazis used false flag incidents, such as posing dead prisoners in fake Polish uniforms and claiming they had attacked a radio station as a casus belli for the invasion of Poland (The Gleiwitz incident) .

Even if the fire were not a deliberate event (and we will never know for sure one way or the other) the point stands and it is accepted shorthand for “alternative facts” that get used to justify oppression and tyranny.

102
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:41:28pm

re: #101 Scottish Dragon

The Nazis used false flag incidents, such as posing dead prisoners in fake Polish uniforms and claiming they had attacked a radio station as a Casus belli for the invasion of Poland (The Gleiwitz incident) .

Even if the fire were not a deliberate event (and we will never know for sure one way or the other) the point stands and it is accepted shorthand for “alternative facts” that get used to justify oppression and tyranny.

The Gleiwitz incident is a proven false flag, whereas the Reichstag fire is not. Using it in this way perpetuates a historical misconception.

103
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:41:54pm

re: #96 Arkansawyer

It is always striking to see how popular myth back-fills, so to speak, into events of the past, using ideas that are close to what happened, if not in reality what happened.

re: #101 Scottish Dragon

… c.f. …

Exploitation of dramatic events is always available to the opportunistic demagogue.

104
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:44:31pm

re: #101 Scottish Dragon

The Nazis used false flag incidents, such as posing dead prisoners in fake Polish uniforms and claiming they had attacked a radio station as a Casus belli for the invasion of Poland (The Gleiwitz incident) .

Even if the fire were not a deliberate event (and we will never know for sure one way or the other) the point stands and it is accepted shorthand for “alternative facts” that get used to justify oppression and tyranny.

It’s almost too easy for authoritarians. Bad shit happens every day. They can wait for the next major violent event to take place. Then, if details are vague enough and one known fact comes close to justifying their agenda, they can twist the circumstance to fit. Before the situition is resolved it’s too late. Horse is out of the barn, so they say.

105
Belafon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:44:32pm

re: #100 freetoken

Huuuuuuuuuge is something Trump likes.

True, and Trump has no real capacity to determine how much damage an event like attempting to remove Stewart would cause. It would be far better for him to leave Stewart alone, since he’s just one vote in NY. Half of NYC would turn out if Trump tried to have him removed.

106
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:44:52pm

And, getting back to a topic we hammered a couple of years ago, pretty much that is what happened to the “Jesus” in popular Christianity, and of the religion itself.

So much of what a contemporary fundamentalist in the US thinks is the “true” Christianity really is just back-fill, stories added at times to sell this or that idea to the masses.

107
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:47:58pm

re: #106 freetoken

And, getting back to a topic we hammered a couple of years ago, pretty much that is what happened to the “Jesus” in popular Christianity, and of the religion itself.

So much of what a contemporary fundamentalist in the US thinks is the “true” Christianity really is just back-fill, stories added at times to sell this or that idea to the masses.

Speaking of perpetuating historical misconceptions, those scholars who still see the gospels as biographies rather than hagiographies sure don’t help.

108
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:49:18pm

re: #82 Scottish Dragon

That is why I am afraid that this is the possible Reichstag Fire moment. Fake event…blame on someone else and use it.

(BTW…I was at a game con all day and had no idea that Trump had shit the punchbowl again…and made serious felony conspiracy accusations against Obama to boot).

At the very least, Trump is priming the wingnut crowd to disbelieve whatever the next round of bad news is because “Obama is planting this stuff”.

Fox News is already screaming it, apparently.

However, if he is desperate and paranoid enough…what is to stop him from cajoling Sessions into actually bringing charges against Obama, Hillary and others? That would sure as fuck excite his base and it would muddy the waters beyond repair for investigations against him and his people since they would already have their own ‘legal’ narrative and their own prosecutions…

I hope to fuck I am wrong…but this could be the coup that Bannon wants.

That would start a civil war. Is fight in that. Jailing political opponents? NOPE. Is take a bullet for Clinton or Obama.

109
MsJ  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:51:24pm

re: #97 Belafon

Stewart lives in the US, so revoking his visa will require removing him, which would be a huge event.

England is doing just that. Why not the US?

110
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:51:49pm

re: #107 Nyet

Speaking of perpetuating historical misconceptions, those scholars who still see the gospels as biographies rather than hagiographies sure don’t help.

It’s a very, very hard topic in our society here in the US. As I noted previously, these days my TV consumption is mostly documentaries. One thing that is pretty clear in American television is the paucity of documentaries that take critical views of the Bible, of Jesus, of Christianity, or of the OT Israel. OTOH, there is a never ending stream of “documentaries” by the likes of the History Channel to sensationalize every little bit of religious tokenism about the Bible that they can, of selling dramatizations of religious works as “history”, and so forth.

One can find on American television short series/movies critical of this or that aspect of American history, such as slavery.

But don’t you dare touch the Bible.

111
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:53:07pm

re: #103 freetoken

It is always striking to see how popular myth back-fills, so to speak, into events of the past, using ideas that are close to what happened, if not in reality what happened.

… c.f. …

Exploitation of dramatic events is always available to the opportunistic demagogue.

I never had a true history class until I attended university. It was always fluff up to that point. I don’t even work in my degree field (I didn’t want to go to law school, or teach). But, I use the critical thinking skills from that degree every day. One of my professors was actually friends with people in the Kennedy Administration. He told us “everything you’ve heard has been filtered. Everything you read goes through an editor. But when I say I think McNamara was an ass you better believe it. But never trust anyone who told you that they heard me say that.”

112
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:53:47pm

re: #102 Nyet

The Gleiwitz incident is a proven false flag, whereas the Reichstag fire is not. Using it in this way perpetuates a historical misconception.

Let’s take this from a different angle: Calling a legacy company a “dinosaur” (meaning it is slow and old and not nimble) is preposterously inaccurate and not at all indicative of what dinosuars were (or are, since birds are, in fact, actual dinosaurs….meaning that you cannot say dinosaurs are extinct without prefacing it as non avian dinosaurs are extinct)

Doesn’t matter. The phrase will keep being used and I use it myself without really thinking about it since everybody understands it as shorthand.

So “Reichstag Fire” is in, and will remain part of the accepted lexicon and I will keep using it in that capacity even if absolute proof one way or the other will never be found.
Also, I am cutting some of this because it’s late and I am getting snippy without need.

113
Belafon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:54:22pm

re: #109 MsJ

England is doing just that. Why not the US?

One of the ways it would hurt Trump is it would make a famous older white guy the face of Trump’s deportation orders. Suddenly, it really would be a lot more personal for people.

114
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:54:57pm

re: #111 Arkansawyer

I’ve only really gotten interested in history as I age. I think this is typical, as we age we get interested in things like history, genealogy, and such things.

115
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:56:51pm
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Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:59:09pm

re: #114 freetoken

I’ve only really gotten interested in history as I age. I think this is typical, as we age we get interested in things like history, genealogy, and such things.

It’s an intimidating subject. I tell people that I have a history degree and they expect me to be able to answer any question about the past. It doesn’t work that way unfortunately.

117
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 10:59:34pm
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118
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:01:34pm

re: #116 Arkansawyer

It’s an intimidating subject. I tell people that I have a history degree and they expect me to be able to answer any question about the past. It doesn’t work that way unfortunately.

Same here. People don’t get that history is one freaking huge field and you kinda have to specialize…

Same in any of the sciences. Sure I have a geology degree also, but you can ask me something about geomorphology and I would give you a blank look.

119
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:02:09pm

re: #116 Arkansawyer

Most of my reading has been about stuff related to my family tree, as I work through families. E.g., the French-Indian war, or the War of 1812. When one is digging for actual archival material, somehow the past seems more real than reading about it in a textbook.

120
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:03:17pm

re: #117 Scottish Dragon

[Embedded content]

I made a bet with a friend that Trump would be out in a shorter time frame than Harrison. If Congress had a spine, then I would’ve won. Now I owe him a bottle of Woodford.

121
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:03:29pm

re: #112 Scottish Dragon

It’s late and I am getting snippy without need.

I really didn’t need to get sharp about that Nyet, and I apologize. I looked back and saw I really needed to change the tone a bit even if I thought the point was worth making. The way I framed it was disrespectful.

122
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:05:48pm
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Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:08:29pm

re: #118 Scottish Dragon

Same here. People don’t get that history is one freaking huge field and you kinda have to specialize…

Same in any of the sciences. Sure I have a geology degree also, but you can ask me something about geomorphology and I would give you a blank look.

My focus was modern history. The last 20 years, with a specialization in military and terrorism history. If there’s anything that”s defined modern America, it’s that. But I can’t discuss the crusades, the war of the roses, or the like for shit.

124
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:10:20pm

re: #123 Arkansawyer

My focus was modern history. The last 20 years, with a specialization in military and terrorism history. If there’s anything that”s defined modern America, it’s that. But I can’t discuss the crusades, the war of the roses, or the like for shit.

I can talk a bit about late Medieval and Renaissance England (The Wars of the Roses are a freaking nightmare), but most of my focus is late 18th century France and Colonial America.

125
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:11:10pm

The past is big.

Really big.

126
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:13:24pm

re: #121 Scottish Dragon

No problem whatsoever.

127
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:13:43pm

GH9WSS8SnCYVvJjWAU9QJoEVLPzMrO1JldhhofzLNneMA8ZQqibsh4BuLgn7bfuEM6NHWaEZU1oeQvlA0GeGfAyFRVv5CRzT7Y263W558Ct5m8ztraG9JGHXGeqEL5oRdoLIMTSQCQfqDKQSU43udRaXpgzG3jlnOOFtZM/+/dm1IAitKwSFN4IoEHNazt0+

128
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:14:46pm

re: #119 freetoken

Most of my reading has been about stuff related to my family tree, as I work through families. E.g., the French-Indian war, or the War of 1812. When one is digging for actual archival material, somehow the past seems more real than reading about it in a textbook.

I became very interested in the Colonial Period because my ancestors were colonists on Long Island and in NJ. My ggggf was in the NJ militia during the Revolution, and his brothers and several in-laws also served in the military.

129
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:15:22pm

Speaking of discovering history, the somewhat cheesy, and full of that forced-drama for which reality TV shows are famous, BYU-TV program Relative Race starts again tomorrow:

relativerace.com

These young people discover they have cousins all over the country, from ancestors of whom they have never heard. Hopefully in between the over-dramatization will be tid-bits of learning about America’s past.

130
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:15:58pm

re: #122 Scottish Dragon

If Trump were a dictator, then yeah Obama would be toast.

131
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:16:47pm

re: #124 Scottish Dragon

I can talk a bit about late Medieval and Renaissance England (The Wars of the Roses are a freaking nightmare), but most of my focus is late 18th century France and Colonial America.

I find that time period intriguing, but I feel too far removed from it. That being said, I do appreciate its importance. When people ask me why history matters, my response is always the same. Imagine you throw a rock into a pond. Even though that rock quickly sinks to the bottom, the ripples it creates last much longer.

132
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:17:30pm

One thing those list-makers don’t take into account is that the average life-span of Russian males is just not that long.

nytimes.com

The probability that a Russian man will die before he turns 55 is 25 percent.

Need I point out that diplomat is a stressful job?

133
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:18:33pm

re: #128 wheat-dogg

I became very interested in the Colonial Period because my ancestors were colonists on Long Island and in NJ. My ggggf was in the NJ militia during the Revolution, and his brothers and several in-laws also served in the military.

But I’m also interested in Medieval Europe, especially Britain, and the WWII era.

Basically, hand me a history book, and I’ll read it. I didn’t major in history, but I’ve loved the subject since AP US History.

134
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:20:17pm

re: #132 Nyet

One thing those list-makers don’t take into account is that the average life-span of Russian males is just not that long.

nytimes.com

Need I point out that diplomat is a stressful job?

True.

The death/vanish story to watch are the Russian FSB and GRU people who suddenly were arrested in December and January (including one was seems to have been seized mid-meeting and taken from a conference room with a black bag over his head)

Someway and somehow, they got burned.

135
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:21:22pm

re: #133 wheat-dogg

I’m probably more interested in pre-history than history. The effects of climate change from the LGM are now being understood better and better, especially through ancient DNA matching.

Some ancient history I find very fascinating, especially in Africa. Henry Gates’ latest program on PBS is the most recent worthwhile documentary on PBS to view, if you’ve not seen it.

136
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:21:34pm

re: #133 wheat-dogg

But I’m also interested in Medieval Europe, especially Britain, and the WWII era.

Basically, hand me a history book, and I’ll read it. I didn’t major in history, but I’ve loved the subject since AP US History.

Have you seen The Last Kingdom on netflix? It’s a fictional account of the invasion of Britain by the Danes.

137
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:21:51pm

re: #129 freetoken

Speaking of discovering history, the somewhat cheesy, and full of that forced-drama for which reality TV shows are famous, BYU-TV program Relative Race starts again tomorrow:

relativerace.com

These young people discover they have cousins all over the country, from ancestors of whom they have never heard. Hopefully in between the over-dramatization will be tid-bits of learning about America’s past.

I have cousins all over the place, too, I’ve found, including in the “old countries” across the Pond. What’s neat is to communicate with them and meet them face to face. Much more common now with the Internet than in the days before electronic archiving.

138
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:24:57pm

re: #135 freetoken

I’m probably more interested in pre-history than history. The effects of climate change from the LGM are now being understood better and better, especially through ancient DNA matching.

Heh…

Many were increasingly of the opinion that they’d all made a big mistake coming down from the trees in the first place, and some said that even the trees had been a bad move, and that no-one should ever have left the oceans. And then one day, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change, a girl, sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth suddenly realised what it was that had been going wrong all this time and she finally knew how the world could be made a good and happy place. This time it was right, it would work, and no-one would have to get nalied to anything. Sadly, however, before she could get to a phone to tell anyone, the Earth was unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and so the idea was lost forever.”

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

139
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:26:19pm
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freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:27:38pm

re: #138 Scottish Dragon

Money / Unhappiness - by Douglas Adams - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

141
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:28:52pm

re: #136 Arkansawyer

Have you seen The Last Kingdom on netflix? It a fictional account of the invasion of Britain by the Danes.

No, but I’ll check it out.

Dr Alice Roberts has a show on the BBC, Digging for Britain. One episode featured some fellow in the south who uncovered a large cache of silver coins dating back to Alfred the Great’s time. A good-sized portion of the coins were Viking, suggesting that Alfred and the Danish king had a working relationship, and not an adversarial one as most historians had believed.

Unfortunately, the video is no longer available at the Beeb.

142
freetoken  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:30:53pm

re: #141 wheat-dogg

DailyMotion, of course:

dailymotion.com

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Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:31:34pm

re: #136 Arkansawyer

Have you seen The Last Kingdom on netflix? It a fictional account of the invasion of Britain by the Danes.

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Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:32:24pm

re: #134 Scottish Dragon

True.

The death/vanish story to watch are the Russian FSB and GRU people who suddenly were arrested in December and January (including one was seems to have been seized mid-meeting and taken from a conference room with a black bag over his head)

Someway and somehow, they got burned.

I liked how one nutso claimed that one of them was already dead:

palmerreport.com

Sergei Mikhailov, who was believed to have been a U.S. intelligence asset within the Russian government, was dragged out of a meeting in Russia with a bag over his head and is now almost certainly dead as well.

And the evidence for this assertion is…? (Cold war era films about evil Soviets don’t count.)

Anyway, the Russian state agencies can also get leaky at times, so we know some (alleged) details about this case and specifically about Mikhailov.

meduza.io
novayagazeta.ru
novayagazeta.ru
novayagazeta.ru

145
wheat-dogg  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:33:18pm

re: #142 freetoken

DailyMotion, of course:

dailymotion.com

Sweet! Thx.

I’m a big fan of Dr Roberts.

146
prairiefire  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:33:42pm

re: #98 Nyet

Omg, Boris in “The Mummy”, so good. I watched the old b/w film on TMC and it was like looking at mercury sliding across a film.

147
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:36:06pm

Facebook Post

148
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:36:39pm

re: #144 Nyet

I liked how one nutso claimed that one of them was already dead:

And the evidence for this assertion is…? (Cold war era films about evil Soviets don’t count.)

Anyway, the Russian state agencies can also get leaky at times, so we know some (alleged) details about this case and specifically about Mikhailov.

meduza.io
novayagazeta.ru
novayagazeta.ru
novayagazeta.ru

Oh, they won’t kill anybody yet. Debriefing and interrogation take time. I would expect a year or two at the least for them to be sure they have all the routes of info, contacts and methods used.

However, they will get around to it. Bullet to the back of the head at some point. Not yet.

149
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:38:26pm

re: #148 Scottish Dragon

However, they will get around to it. Bullet to the back of the head at some point.

And you base this on what?

150
Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:42:38pm

re: #141 wheat-dogg

No, but I’ll check it out.

Dr Alice Roberts has a show on the BBC, Digging for Britain. One episode featured some fellow in the south who uncovered a large cache of silver coins dating back to Alfred the Great’s time. A good-sized portion of the coins were Viking, suggesting that Alfred and the Danish king had a working relationship, and not an adversarial one as most historians had believed.

Unfortunately, the video is no longer available at the Beeb.

Nearly every one of my parents’ close friends are from the UK. That’s pretty odd being from Arkansas. But I do love it. I’ve known them my entire life. I can transitions from aww-shucks Southern to Bath to Northampton to Glasgow to Cork accents in the course of a conversation.

151
GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:43:22pm

re: #20 Dave In Austin

[Embedded content]

What if it’s them in the pee video?!

Seriously…

152
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:47:06pm

re: #149 Nyet

And you base this on what?

Standard execution pattern for serious crimes (the serial killer “Citizen X” as I recall was an example)

Now, there is a moratorium on the death penalty right now in the Russian Federation. Of course, this is the same government that assassinated a critic 100 feet from the Kremlin and poisons journalists and muckrakers (anybody want some Polonium with their tea?)

So these guys are gonna die.

Not legally, mind you. Stabbed, strangled in a “fight”. Official reasons will be given or not. Hell, you may just never hear from these folks again. Who knows?

153
Nyet  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:49:47pm

I reported this.

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GlutenFreeJesus  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:54:25pm

re: #64 austin_blue

He also had a wee bit more hair in Excalibur.

155
Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:54:28pm

re: #153 Nyet

I reported this.

[Embedded content]

What the fuck???

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Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:54:42pm
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Kragar  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:56:27pm
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Arkansawyer  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:57:24pm

I have 911 updings. Does that mean I can or can’t melt steel beams?

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Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:57:58pm

re: #157 Kragar

[Embedded content]

Cooperation with a Russian front, essentially.

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Scottish Dragon  Mar 4, 2017 • 11:59:46pm

re: #158 Arkansawyer

I have 911 updings. Does that mean I can or can’t melt steel beams?

You will be both melting and not melting the beams until we open your box.

So stay in your box.

;)

161
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:00:53am

re: #152 Scottish Dragon

Now, there is a moratorium on the death penalty right now in the Russian Federation. Of course, this is the same government that assassinated a critic 100 feet from the Kremlin

There is evidence linking Chechnya’s President Kadyrov to his murder. This evidence was actually found by the official investigation. There is no evidence that it was done by FSB etc., and thus would not illustrate the SOP.

and poisons journalists and muckrakers (anybody want some Polonium with their tea?)

Litvinenko (who was as much of a journalist as Alex Jones is; he was most probably punished for being a turncoat and working for MI6) was indeed poisoned by the Russian security services, but it was due to the fact that he had already escaped and was otherwise out of reach. Same thing happened to, say, Yandarbiyev.

Is there evidence that something like this is the SOP for the turncoats that were actually caught and are/were in the Russian hands?

So these guys are gonna die.

You are the only person that knows this though :) Nobody else does.

Now, we might speculate about what might happen, and death is not out of question, but more likely they’re a good exchange material for future caught Russian spies.

162
Arkansawyer  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:04:47am

re: #160 Scottish Dragon

You will be both melting and not melting the beams until we open your box.

So stay in your box.

;)

So I’m Schrödinger’s commenter? I’m cool with that.

163
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:06:10am

re: #162 Arkansawyer

So I’m Schrödinger’s commenter? I’m cool with that.

Upding for the Umlaut.

164
prairiefire  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:07:47am

re: #150 Arkansawyer

Alfred’s time would be pretty close to Viking, by 400 years or so? I love the distinct Brit accents. Each county for itself?

165
Scottish Dragon  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:09:39am

Josh Barro going Dudebro:

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166
prairiefire  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:12:34am

It would be interesting to see those dude bros faces when the Feds break through for their paltry weed. Hilarious

167
Scottish Dragon  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:13:06am

re: #161 Nyet

There is evidence linking Chechnya’s President Kadyrov to his murder. This evidence was actually found by the official investigation.

And right there I think we found the problem. I know that our own intel services are confident the Putin admin ordered that hit…among others… and I will tend to go with their evaluations over whatever the local (bought and paid for) crime scene guys are going to say.

Anyways…good night.

168
Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:16:58am

re: #165 Scottish Dragon

Josh Barro going Dudebro:

[Embedded content]

Well, at least we’d have 6% unemployment and average US gas prices of $2.50!
/////

169
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:17:54am

re: #167 Scottish Dragon

And right there I think we found the problem. I know that our own intel services are confident the Putin admin ordered that hit…among others… and I will tend to go with their evaluations over whatever the local (bought and paid for) crime scene guys are going to say.

Anyways…good night.

I think the actual problem is that you don’t know enough about the Russian political landscape and take too many stereotypes too seriously. Kadyrov is a close Putin ally, so the fact that the investigators caught people close to him is surprising in itself. It suggests that the FSB et al. were pissed about Kadyrov’s behavior, gunning down Nemtsov a few meters from the Kremlin (which is bad PR). That is the point of bringing up the official investigation. Had it been as false as you imagine, they would have claimed it was just a random failed robbery. Given that the investigation found the facts inconvenient for the govt there is little doubt that they were going in the right direction. The political influence shows itself in this case in that they can’t go all the way and arrest or even interrogate Kadyrov.

There is simply no evidence linking either Putin directly to this murder (for which he is indirectly responsible since he created Kadyrov), or FSB. So it cannot be an illustration of the SOP as to how the FSB deals with the turncoats in their hands (of which, most importantly, Nemtsov wasn’t one in any case).

So the claim that these guys will be murdered is baseless.

170
wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:49:30am

re: #164 prairiefire

Alfred’s time would be pretty close to Viking, by 400 years or so? I love the distinct Brit accents. Each county for itself?

Watching British TV brings that home.. So many different local accents. Oi luv it.

171
wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:53:56am

re: #164 prairiefire

Alfred’s time would be pretty close to Viking, by 400 years or so? I love the distinct Brit accents. Each county for itself?

Alfred ruled 849-899 and fought the Vikings in the 860s, defeating them in 878.

172
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:54:29am

BTW, I don’t know what the US intel services said about Nemtsov (I’ve never seen them accusing Putin, but maybe I missed something), but when the US intel services don’t cite actual evidence, their claims should be taken with a grain of salt. Never forget the Iraqi WMD claims.

173
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:57:06am

Senator Ben Sasse, on Trump’s allegation (without evidence) of wire-tapping Donald Trump. Ben Sasse last February said he could not support Donald Trump and has been about the only Republican in Washington to stick to that consistently:

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174
Arkansawyer  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:02:02am

re: #163 Nyet

Upding for the Umlaut.

Much obliged.

175
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:04:37am

re: #172 Nyet

BTW, I don’t know what the US intel services said about Nemtsov (I’ve never seen them accusing Putin, but maybe I missed something), but when the US intel services don’t cite actual evidence, their claims should be taken with a grain of salt. Never forget the Iraqi WMD claims.

I don’t know about Nemtsov.

As for Iraq, the intelligence services argued against the Bush Administration’s claims of WMDs in Iraq. CIA agent Valerie Plame was outed by the administration for holding forth on the very point that the information obtained from so-called “Curveball” was unreliable.

Bush (or more likely Cheney but who knows) overruled the intelligence services.

There is an article about Curveball, who has now admitted he lied (essentially to get a green card) at Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org

Information surrounding Valerie Plame (who warned the administration that there was no uranium flowing from Nigeria to Iraq as the Bush Administration was claiming):
en.wikipedia.org

It was not an intelligence failure on the part of US intelligence. It was a political failure, trying to make the facts fit the narrative instead of the other way round.

176
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:06:38am

re: #175 Anymouse

It was not an intelligence failure on the part of US intelligence. It was a political failure, trying to make the facts fit the narrative instead of the other way round.

So it happens, and what *we* see can often be the result of such politicking. It’s not like we’re privy to the internal goings on (until much later). Hence: the grain of salt.

177
freetoken  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:11:15am

Delius: The Irmelin Prelude

178
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:11:54am

re: #176 Nyet

So it happens, and what *we* see can often be the result of such politicking. It’s not like we’re privy to the internal goings on (until much later). Hence: the grain of salt.

Well, generally intelligence agencies aren’t going to go to the public and say “well this is how we know X, Y, or Z, and here’s the proof” in any country (unless that country wants to burn all its future intelligence agents and assets).

When the intelligence agencies of a nation present their information to the politicians, it is up to the politicians to decide what to do with it.

Then (in the run-up to the Iraq War), the GOP politicians involved in decision making were trying to pass the buck and claimed that intelligence indicated there were some sort of mobile WMD factories.

Note too there is information from other sources that contradicted the Bush narrative, specifically UN inspector Hans Blix and his team saying there were no such weapons there.
berkeley.edu

Blix described Bush’s monomania with WMDs in Iraq as similar to mediæval witch hunts (making the accusation without evidence).

179
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:17:15am

re: #178 Anymouse

Well, generally intelligence agencies aren’t going to go to the public and say “well this is how we know X, Y, or Z, and here’s the proof” in any country (unless that country wants to burn all its future intelligence agents and assets).

It’s a very true point, and it shows why the IA’s public claims can be indicative, but don’t necessarily outright disprove the more concrete evidence that might be available to the public.

180
wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:18:31am

re: #164 prairiefire

Alfred’s time would be pretty close to Viking, by 400 years or so? I love the distinct Brit accents. Each county for itself?

OK, so I found the BBC program I referred to, and it wasn’t Alfred, but Aethelred II (the Unready)whose coinage was found mixed with Viking coinage depicting Knut.

dailymotion.com

Segment begins around the 16:05 mark.

181
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:29:59am

re: #179 Nyet

It’s a very true point, and it shows why the IA’s public claims can be indicative, but don’t necessarily outright disprove the more concrete evidence that might be available to the public.

Yup, I agree. It’s also why Mr. Trump’s slurring of the intelligence agencies now (claiming they are working against him and such) is so dangerous on a number of levels.

All nations spy on other nations, and always have. To do that effectively, the nation has to be able to rely on its spy agencies.

What Mr. Trump is doing with his accusations of politicisation of US intelligence agencies is undermining the public trust in them.

There is a lot of crappy stuff our intelligence agencies have done in the past, and the Church Committee was empanelled to figure out what that was and how to put a check on them (that is, only doing stuff the government tells them to do rather than going off on their own during Watergate).

The result of that was the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, designed to oversee the intelligence community.

Mr. Trump’s claims that the intelligence community is “going rogue” not only questions those agencies themselves, but the oversight of the Senate. Moreover, he has presented exactly zero evidence that they were somehow trying to undermine him: He makes the claim and expects everyone to believe it (and sadly, there are an awful lot of people willing to throw the CIA and IRS and FBI under the bus simply because they don’t like them).

Russia doesn’t have to win a war with the United States to get what they want. I imagine undermining confidence in the structure of our government (including the intelligence agencies) would serve Russia just as well. I imagine that Mr. Putin’s government is a whole lot more patient than Donald Trump and his comedy of errors he calls a cabinet.

182
wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:35:01am

re: #181 Anymouse

Trump is following the plan of every would-be dictator: undermine trust in the media and national intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and convince the public the dictator and his minions are the only trustworthy sources of information. Sarah Kendzior and others have already noted the similarities between Trump and autocracies past and present.

He’s already got a core group believing every single word he says. It’s up to the rest of us to push back, and try to show these nutters that Trump is one who is lying.

183
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:37:21am

re: #182 wheat-dogg

Trump is following the plan of every would-be dictator: undermine trust in the media and national intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and convince the public the dictator and his minions are the only trustworthy sources of information. Sarah Kendzior and others have already noted the similarities between Trump and autocracies past and present.

He’s already got a core group believing every single word he says. It’s up to the rest of us to push back, and try to show these nutters that Trump is one who is lying.

And the mountain of BS that he spews on Twitter is like nothing any previous would-be authoritarian ever had before. He can directly speak to each and every one of his supporters in real time.

We’re going to have to rename the Gish Gallop after either Trump or Twitter.

184
Lupin  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:38:47am

My dad (who passed away 4 years ago) was a high-ranking member of the French Military. I still speak from time to time to an ex-colleague of his, friend of the family, who checks on my mom (in a home victim of Alzheimer).

The ‘French take on Russia’s interference with their own presidential election is this: they obviously favor Marine Le Pen but don’t believe she can win. (She still polls at 38% only on the crucial second round.) So they favored Fillon, whose foreign policies were more pro-Russian. However, a recent scandal about giving away fake jobs to his wife & sons appear to have torpedoes his chances. So the Russian trolling / propaganda machine is heavily attacking the next likely winner, Centrist Emmanuel Macron, to the degree that President Hollande has issued a number of orders to torpedo such attacks. Overall, however, they have been rather unsuccessful in moving public opinion or indeed having any effect other n than on the fringes. The French media especially appears less easy to manipulate than the US media.

On Trump, my dad’s friend said that the so-called informed opinion here is that in the last few years, Trump’s business empire has been used in a big way to launder money for the Russian kleptocrats friends of Putin. And it is that money that has kept him afloat. The danger to Trump is here, not as much in the recent election tampering business. (I wonder, is it illegal in the US to launder money for foreign kleptocrats?)

I was wondering if anyone here had seen or read any type of articles in the press or on the net mentioning this?

185
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:39:50am

re: #184 Lupin

Thanks for the French perspective!

186
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:41:04am

re: #184 Lupin

What about Le Pen taking a huge loan from a Russian bank? Any investigations of that? She’s almost literally in Putin’s pocket.

187
Alyosha  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:41:58am
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188
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:44:23am

re: #184 Lupin

My dad (who passed away 4 years ago) was a high-ranking member of the French Military. I still speak from time to time to an ex-colleague of his, friend of the family, who checks on my mom (in a home victim of Alzheimer).

The ‘French take on Russia’s interference with their own presidential election is this: they obviously favor Marine Le Pen but don’t believe she can win. (She still polls at 38% only on the crucial second round.) So they favored Fillon, whose foreign policies were more pro-Russian. However, a recent scandal about giving away fake jobs to his wife & sons appear to have torpedoes his chances. So the Russian trolling / propaganda machine is heavily attacking the next likely winner, Centrist Emmanuel Macron, to the degree that President Hollande has issued a number of orders to torpedo such attacks. Overall, however, they have been rather unsuccessful in moving public opinion or indeed having any effect other n than on the fringes. The French media especially appears less easy to manipulate than the US media.

On Trump, my dad’s friend said that the so-called informed opinion here is that in the last few years, Trump’s business empire has been used in a big way to launder money for the Russian kleptocrats friends of Putin. And it is that money that has kept him afloat. The danger to Trump is here, not as much in the recent election tampering business. (I wonder, is it illegal in the US to launder money for foreign kleptocrats?)

I was wondering if anyone here had seen or read any type of articles in the press or on the net mentioning this?

On laundering money: Yes, it is illegal. Banks and individuals have been burned in the courts for that before. We are on uncharted ground now though; I don’t recall any time in the USA’s history that the President seemed to be involved in a foreign money laundering scheme (other than Iran-Contra, and President Reagan wasn’t using that scheme to personally enrich himself, just to try and get around Congress).

France has more to worry about than Russia trying to undermine confidence in its candidates (regardless of their party); Breitbart is doing the same. Steve Bannon’s organisation seems to be trying to undermine confidence in a number of countries.

189
Dr Lizardo  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:44:32am

re: #184 Lupin

Money laundering is illegal in the US, even if it’s being done on behalf of foreigners. Your late father’s friend’s suspicion is mine as well - and I think that’s what underlies the kompromat the Russians may well have on him. I suspect he’s been laundering money for the Russian kleptocrats through his real estate holdings and he’s been doing it knowingly and willingly, and for quite some time. That’s the real crime.

If he were ever charged and convicted, he’d be looking at serious jail time.

190
Lupin  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:49:44am

re: #186 Nyet

What about Le Pen taking a huge loan from a Russian bank? Any investigations of that? She’s almost literally in Putin’s pocket.

This was mentioned in the papers a while ago; she denied it, in a weaselly, not convincing fashion. (Like, yes we took the money, but that bank has no relations with Putin.)

More embarrassing is that she too is being dragged before the Magistrates for providing fake jobs at the expense of the EU Assembly of which she is a member. So fr she has refused to respond to the Magistrate’s summons, and (like Fillon) attacked the so-called “partisan” judges instead.

The French are proud of the independence of their Investigating Magistrates so that is not a good tactic.

Her core audience doesn’t seem to care (as is the case in the US with Teflon Trump), but it might explain while more people deserting the Fillon sinking ship have switched to Macron, who’s recently gained 2 points in the polls.

The tragedy is that, according the polls, a combined Left still polls higher than anyone else, including Le Pen! But it also appears they’re irrevocably split between Hamon (ie Clinton) and Melanchon (ie Sanders), with no realistic hope of those two joining forces, hence guaranteeing they’ll both lose. Sad!

191
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:50:31am

re: #189 Dr Lizardo

Money laundering is illegal in the US, even if it’s being done on behalf of foreigners. Your late father’s friend’s suspicion is mine as well - and I think that’s what underlies the kompromat the Russians may well have on him. I suspect he’s been laundering money for the Russian kleptocrats through his real estate holdings and he’s been doing it knowingly and willingly, and for quite some time. That’s the real crime.

If he were ever charged and convicted, he’d be looking at serious jail time.

Rachel Maddow had a segment on about the house Mr. Trump sold in West Palm Beach to the so-called “Russian Fertiliser King” for two-and-a-half times what he purchased it for, only two years after he bought it. The same segment included the fellow’s plane showing up in towns where Trump was speaking at rallies (including rather small towns).

There have been articles about Russians purchasing Trump properties in Manhattan for much more than they were worth for years before Mr. Trump decided to run for office.

I am not an intelligence agent (nor do I play one on 24. It sure seems like Russia has been cultivating him for a long time, looking out here from the land of tumbleweeds.

(Hmm. Those big rolling tumbleweeds are also known as Russian Thistle. Perhaps Russia has had its hooks in the USA since the XIX Century? /s)

192
wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:51:28am

re: #183 Anymouse

And the mountain of BS that he spews on Twitter is like nothing any previous would-be authoritarian ever had before. He can directly speak to each and every one of his supporters in real time.

We’re going to have to rename the Gish Gallop after either Trump or Twitter.

Not all of his loyal supporters uses Twitter, thankfully, but most listen to cable TV news, and Fox News will gleefully offer one-sided coverage of everything he says or tweets, omitting any real facts.

193
Dr Lizardo  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:55:14am

re: #191 Anymouse

My suspicion is that Trump acting as a money laundering conduit for ill-gotten Russian oligarch cash goes back well over a decade, maybe even 20 years. Who knows, maybe even longer.

It probably started around the time he ran into major financial problems - he was put on an allowance, IIRC - and he probably figured this was an easy way to get a little walkin’-around money.

194
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:55:25am

re: #190 Lupin

This was mentioned in the papers a while ago; she denied it, in a weaselly, not convincing fashion. (Like, yes we took the money, but that bank has no relations with Putin.)

I’m sure the Russian dictator has no influence on any Russian bank whatsoever. /

195
Lupin  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:56:42am

re: #188 Anymouse

On laundering money: Yes, it is illegal. Banks and individuals have been burned in the courts for that before. We are on uncharted ground now though; I don’t recall any time in the USA’s history that the President seemed to be involved in a foreign money laundering scheme (other than Iran-Contra, and President Reagan wasn’t using that scheme to personally enrich himself, just to try and get around Congress).

France has more to worry about than Russia trying to undermine confidence in its candidates (regardless of their party); Breitbart is doing the same. Steve Bannon’s organisation seems to be trying to undermine confidence in a number of countries.

Buzzfeed — both US and French editions — had a couple of good articles on this, and HuffPost France infiltrated one of those groups on Discord.

Here is one of the buzzfeed pieces:

Buzzfeed

IMHO I think this tactic only worked with people whose minds are already made up, and moved very few voters, if at all. The key issue here is, most of that garbage has remained in its dumpster and not been relayed by our mainstream media. The great majority of people are totally unaware of it.

Also Breitbart’s attempt at trying to translate (literally) its agenda in French have been hilarious and sad.

196
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:57:00am

re: #192 wheat-dogg

Not all of his loyal supporters uses Twitter, thankfully, but most listen to cable TV news, and Fox News will gleefully offer one-sided coverage of everything he says or tweets, omitting any real facts.

Yup, not much in the way of Twitter here, but Sean Hannity is on just about everyone’s television set.

My regional paper is still studiously avoiding printing anything about the allegations of Russian interference, though they did run an article for the Sunday paper on Mr. Trump accusing Mr. Obama of tapping his phones.

While such articles come from AP/UPI/other wire services, it is still up to the senior editor or publisher of the paper to choose which articles to run. As such, the news is rah-rah Trump all the time here.

starherald.com

It’s interesting they picked this particular article from AP, as it is not favourable coverage of Mr. Trump.

(More at the Scottsbluff Star-Herald):

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump is accusing Barack Obama of ordering his telephones tapped during last year’s elections, offering no evidence while invoking politically charged references to Watergate, Nixon and McCarthyism.

An Obama spokesman responded that the assertion against the former president was “simply false.” Trump’s claim also drew bipartisan rebukes from Democrats and Republicans alike.

In a series of morning tweets Saturday, Trump suggested Obama was behind a politically motivated plot to upend his campaign. He compared the alleged events to “Nixon/Watergate” and “McCarthyism!” And he called Obama a “Bad (or sick) guy.”

197
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 1:57:19am

re: #190 Lupin

One more question: is Fillon a fucking sociopath? Surely he understands what’s at stake here, but doesn’t scurry away.

198
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:05:13am

re: #195 Lupin

Thank you for the Buzzfeed link.

Hopefully French voters, regardless of which party or candidate they support, are more savvy about how they obtain their news.

Also, it would seem these folk on the Discord service need a better hobby.

199
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:07:00am

Building the MUSIC BOX - From start to finish

200
wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:08:09am

re: #191 Anymouse

The Fertilizer King is Dmitri Rybolovlev, whose private jet (flight number M-KATE) flits all over the world. You can track it on flightradar.com flightaware.com. It indeed has been in town at the same time as Trump several times, and Adam Khan has built up a convincing set of circumstantial evidence suggesting that Trump’s former home in Palm Springs, which Rybolovlev bought for $95M, and the money laundering charges leveled against Trump’s casinos all point to a complex money laundering system for oligarchs and organized crime syndicates.

I’m thinking Trump is not so much a tool of the FSB, but an important linchpin in the financial empire of the oligarchs and the Russian mob. Now that he’s president, his usefulness has multiplied manyfold. At the same time, the extra scrutiny he is under as president means his usefulness would have an expiry date. President Trump cannot operate with the same secrecy as Private Citizen Trump, because he cannot control federal staffers as tightly as he can employees of Trump Organization.

So, sooner or later, his Russian friends are going to cut their financial ties and perhaps demand quick repayment of his loans. If that happens, Trump probably would be better off pleading guilty to money laundering and spending the rest of his days in a nice, safe federal penitentiary.

I doubt he would, though. He’s too full of himself to realize he’s playing with forces much bigger than his ego.

201
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:11:35am

re: #194 Nyet

I’m sure the Russian dictator has no influence on any Russian bank whatsoever. /

And our Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross (R) sat on the board of the Bank of Cyprus, implicated in laundering money from Russia.

It’s almost easier to figure out who is not connected in some way to Russia; I believe I read something over at Wonkette where they pointed out the Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Young (Democrat), eight in the line of succession.

202
Lupin  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:13:41am

re: #197 Nyet

One more question: is Fillon a fucking sociopath? Surely he understands what’s at stake here, but doesn’t scurry away.

One may very well ask why is he stubbornly refusing to step aside when polls indicate that his support is shrinking daily, and eventually will stabilize around his hardcore supporters at around 15% — even more so since some polls show that if he were to be replaced by Juppé, Juppé might eclipse Macron in the first round and thus move on to the crucial second round.

Hubris, I guess?

The same could be said of the Left, irrevocably mired in its Hamon/Mélanchon plot, which is dragging it down. In this case, I personally blame Mélanchon’s hubris (“my way or the highway”).

Here is a poll (they all look the same) from March 3rd:

First Round with Fillon :

Emmanuel MACRON : 27%
Marine LE PEN : 25,5%
François FILLON : 19%
Benoît HAMON : 14%
Jean-Luc MELENCHON :​ 10%
Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN : 3%
Philippe POUTOU : 1%
Nathalie ARTHAUD : 0,5%​​​

First Round with Alain Juppé :

Alain JUPPE : 26,5%
Emmanuel MACRON : 25%
Marine LE PEN : 24%
Benoît HAMON : 11%
Jean-Luc MELENCHON :​ 8%
Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN : 4%
Philippe POUTOU : 1%
Nathalie ARTHAUD : 0,5%​​​

203
Lupin  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:15:21am

re: #198 Anymouse

Thank you for the Buzzfeed link.

Hopefully French voters, regardless of which party or candidate they support, are more savvy about how they obtain their news.

Also, it would seem these folk on the Discord service need a better hobby.

It’s a sewer there.

204
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:16:05am

re: #200 wheat-dogg

Hmm … flightradar.com domain is up for sale.

flightaware.com

Right now, Flight Aware has his plane in Puerto Rico, having left LAX yesterday.

For a guy who supposedly runs a Russian fertiliser business, he sure seems to fly around our side of the world a lot.

205
Lupin  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:18:15am

re: #200 wheat-dogg

The Fertilizer King is Dmitri Rybolovlev, whose private jet (flight number M-KATE) flits all over the world. You can track it on flightradar.com. It indeed has been in town at the same time as Trump several times, and Adam Khan has built up a convincing set of circumstantial evidence suggesting that Trump’s former home in Palm Springs, which Rybolovlev bought for $95M, and the money laundering charges leveled against Trump’s casinos all point to a complex money laundering system for oligarchs and organized crime syndicates.

I’m thinking Trump is not so much a tool of the FSB, but an important linchpin in the financial empire of the oligarchs and the Russian mob. Now that he’s president, his usefulness has multiplied manyfold. At the same time, the extra scrutiny he is under as president means his usefulness would have an expiry date. President Trump cannot operate with the same secrecy as Private Citizen Trump, because he cannot control federal staffers as tightly as he can employees of Trump Organization.

So, sooner or later, his Russian friends are going to cut their financial ties and perhaps demand quick repayment of his loans. If that happens, Trump probably would be better off pleading guilty to money laundering and spending the rest of his days in a nice, safe federal penitentiary.

I doubt he would, though. He’s too full of himself to realize he’s playing with forces much bigger than his ego.

Don’t you think that your NSA and CIA know all this?

I suppose a slow but steady stream of leaks to the media will follow, if it hasn’t started already.

We may be in for some amazing fireworks.

206
Lupin  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:19:09am

re: #204 Anymouse

For a guy who supposedly runs a Russian fertiliser business, he sure seems to fly around our side of the world a lot.

Would you want to spend the winter in Moscow if you had that kind of money? :-)

207
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:22:12am

re: #205 Lupin

Don’t you think that your NSA and CIA know all this?

I suppose a slow but steady stream of leaks to the media will follow, if it hasn’t started already.

We may be in for some amazing fireworks.

I’m guessing they probably know a whole lot more than reporters do.

That said, the only way the intelligence services can inform the public is either

a) Congress, through the intelligence committees, or
b) Leaks

Congress seems to be quite uninterested (at least publicly) in what the intelligence services have to say. (That said, when the FBI had its recent meeting with Congress, it was reported that various Representatives were quite close-mouthed about it, including the firehose of Congressional leaks Jason Chaffetz.)

208
wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:25:24am

re: #204 Anymouse

Hmm … flightradar.com domain is up for sale.

flightaware.com

Right now, Flight Aware has his plane in Puerto Rico, having left LAX yesterday.

For a guy who supposedly runs a Russian fertiliser business, he sure seems to fly around our side of the world a lot.

I fixed the link.

Yeah, he’s all over the place. One wonders what other services he provides besides fertilizer sales.

209
freetoken  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:26:50am

re: #207 Anymouse

What I’m beginning to wonder about is why so many Senators, who normally love to hear themselves speak, have been so quiet. Too quiet.

Yes, on twitter Schumer will fire back at the Trump salvos, and Bernie is positioning himself as the liberal policy guy by putting out tweets to counter Trump/Republican proposals, but there are 100 Senators and they can go talk to anyone they choose any day of the week.

I am very suspicious of all of this. I strongly suspect that the Republican senators are scheming on how to have their cake and eat it too (or is that eat their cake and have it too?)

It’s a game of avoiding blowback and saving one’s own ass in DC.

210
Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:27:24am

re: #208 wheat-dogg

I fixed the link.

Yeah, he’s all over the place. One wonders what other services he provides besides fertilizer sales.

Spreading BS around the world seems to be his business. I guess you could call that “fertiliser sales.” (::

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Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:29:57am
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wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:30:04am

re: #207 Anymouse

I’m guessing they probably know a whole lot more than reporters do.

That said, the only way the intelligence services can inform the public is either

a) Congress, through the intelligence committees, or
b) Leaks

Congress seems to be quite uninterested (at least publicly) in what the intelligence services have to say. (That said, when the FBI had its recent meeting with Congress, it was reported that various Representatives were quite close-mouthed about it, including the firehose of Congressional leaks Jason Chaffetz.)

At this point, either the situation is Constitutional crisis OMFG! or a bunch of circumstantial BS floated by people hoping it’s all true. I’m going with the former, because the denials and inadvertent confessions coming from the White House suggest guilt on a large scale.

I really wish NY’s AG would pull Trump Organization’s charter. That would force Trump to appeal and the court proceedings would be VERY interesting.

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freetoken  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:31:12am

If I were a GOP Senator, I would be working on figuring out how to replace Trump as surgically as possible.

By that I mean this: a long drawn out investigation in both houses of Congress, especially if such things drag into the next campaign cycle (which is less than a year away), can be very damaging to the Republicans. The more people who testify the more that will come out in testimony.

Therefore, the idea is to find something so egregious and obvious on Trump, that a single hearing can be held, evidence provided, everyone agrees to impeach, and then it is over, perhaps in days. Then all the remaining evidence can be locked up (as in the investigation in the JFK assassination, etc.) so no-one alive will ever see it, but the Republicans can say they put country over party and sell themselves as the patriots who saved the nation.

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Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:32:03am
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Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:33:58am

Fixed that second tweet. Mike Pence is getting beat up over the E-mail issue over his wife.

Moreover, it’s my understanding the E-mail that the AP published was actually her Indiana government E-mail, which would be a matter of public record.

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wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:38:30am

re: #209 freetoken

I think they’ve realized they have hitched their wagon to the wrong horse, which is pulling them closer to the edge of a cliff. They’re gambling that they can achieve their draconian plans of undoing the last 80 years of Democratic progress before the whole shebang goes off the cliff.

If they ditch Trump for a new horse (Pence), they might still be able to get what they want. But Pence has the charisma of an undertaker, and Trump devotees would retaliate in 2018 and boot those congress-critters out of office. OTOH, Pence might be compromised, too, and they’d be stuck with a bad horse again.

Or, a significant number of Republicans are complicit in whatever shady stuff Trump is involved in. If they run from him, he could retaliate bigly by naming names. I’ll bet he records every phone convo or face to face meeting.

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Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 2:43:32am

re: #216 wheat-dogg

I think they’ve realized they have hitched their wagon to the wrong horse, which is pulling them closer to the edge of a cliff. They’re gambling that they can achieve their draconian plans of undoing the last 80 years of Democratic progress before the whole shebang goes off the cliff.

If they ditch Trump for a new horse (Pence), they might still be able to get what they want. But Pence has the charisma of an undertaker, and Trump devotees would retaliate in 2018 and boot those congress-critters out of office. OTOH, Pence might be compromised, too, and they’d be stuck with a bad horse again.

Or, a significant number of Republicans are complicit in whatever shady stuff Trump is involved in. If they run from him, he could retaliate bigly by naming names. I’ll bet he records every phone convo or face to face meeting.

It goes back to what I’ve suggested to those with Twitter accounts do: Send tweets to administration insiders and Republicans in government that generally the first one who spills the beans gets the best deal.

Full court press on the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Get ‘em to go after each other and maybe they won’t come after us.

In the meantime, Victoria Brownworth has a very long thread worth reading. Amongst other things, she is the person who outed Roy Cohn before he died of AIDS. She also is familiar with Cohn and his tactics, as her family was caught up in the McCarthy witch hunts.

She is also concerned that with the combination of all the guns around the country, and ICE dragging parents out of homes, it would seem only a matter of time before a child picks up a gun and tries to shoot an ICE agent.

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Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:01:18am
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Anymouse  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:04:13am

I’m off to bed … I just intended to jump in to post the Ben Sasse tweet up the thread and drive on by, but this place has so many interesting commentators I seem to get hooked every time I log in.

G’night, y’all.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:22:09am

re: #104 Arkansawyer

It’s almost too easy for authoritarians. Bad shit happens every day. They can wait for the next major violent event to take place. Then, if details are vague enough and one known fact comes close to justifying their agenda, they can twist the circumstance to fit. Before the situition is resolved it’s too late. Horse is out of the barn, so they say.

All we will need is a major natural and/or man-made disaster that causes a massive breakdown of services and public authority over a large region or for a large population.

The ensuing chaos will be a breeding ground for every sort of extremist to get out and get violent.

And Trump thrives on chaos and misinformation.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:26:44am

re: #137 wheat-dogg

I have cousins all over the place, too, I’ve found, including in the “old countries” across the Pond. What’s neat is to communicate with them and meet them face to face. Much more common now with the Internet than in the days before electronic archiving.

There are people with my surname spread all over the Midwest (my granddad originally emigrated from Slovakia to Iowa). There is a namesake I ran across on FB who lives in Canada and is an aviation freak, building his own airplane. My uncle and namesake did the same.

I am starting to suspect that Anymouse is one of them, there are so many parallels in our biographies.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:32:31am

re: #163 Nyet

Upding for the Umlaut.

Umlauts are so metal.
I have them on my German keyboard; on a standard US one, you can get them with
alt + 132 = ä,
alt + 148 + ö and
alt = 129 + ü

does this make me member of the alt-write?

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:34:00am

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

And where you can’t get them you can simply write ae, oe, ue. “Fuhrer” is not a word.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:34:50am

re: #181 Anymouse

Russia doesn’t have to win a war with the United States to get what they want. I imagine undermining confidence in the structure of our government (including the intelligence agencies) would serve Russia just as well. I imagine that Mr. Putin’s government is a whole lot more patient than Donald Trump and his comedy of errors he calls a cabinet.

They just need an America that is dysfunctional, hapless and torn by infighting. Then they can pretty much do whatever they want without serious interference.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:36:32am

re: #184 Lupin

… The French media especially appears less easy to manipulate than the US media.

On Trump, my dad’s friend said that the so-called informed opinion here is that in the last few years, Trump’s business empire has been used in a big way to launder money for the Russian kleptocrats friends of Putin. And it is that money that has kept him afloat. The danger to Trump is here, not as much in the recent election tampering business. (I wonder, is it illegal in the US to launder money for foreign kleptocrats?)

I was wondering if anyone here had seen or read any type of articles in the press or on the net mentioning this?

I hear about it on the German news, almost nothing from the US other than to occasionally mention that LePen is the Trump of France, except with better hair.

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freetoken  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:49:20am

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

The standard US configured Mac can do umlauts just with the option key + u : ¨ .

ÿ doesn’t make much sense to me, though.

Getting back to looking at old records in archives, looking at 17th and 18th century scripts, it pretty clear my ancestors wrote just about any way they wanted to.

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Bubblehead II  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:50:17am
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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:56:41am

re: #223 Nyet

And where you can’t get them you can simply write ae, oe, ue. “Fuhrer” is not a word.

Yeah, but “Fuehrer” with ue is jüst nöt metäl enöügh.

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Kragar  Mar 5, 2017 • 3:57:27am

re: #227 Bubblehead II

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Bubblehead II  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:03:15am

L8R Lizards. Time to head off to work. BTW, Just broke the 25K barrier. Thanks for the updings.

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Dr Lizardo  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:12:00am

Here’s something good; The Ascent of Man, a BBC production from 1973, presented by Jacob Bronowski. This 13-part series later served as the model for Carl Sagan’s Cosmos.

Enjoy. They sure don’t make ‘em like this anymore. And if they did, by Odin’s Beard, the screaming from the RWNJ’s would be deafening.

dailymotion.com

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wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:21:15am

re: #231 Dr Lizardo

Here’s something good; The Ascent of Man, a BBC production from 1973, presented by Jacob Bronowski. This 13-part series later served as the model for Carl Sagan’s Cosmos.

Enjoy. They sure don’t make ‘em like this anymore. And if they did, by Odin’s Beard, the screaming from the RWNJ’s would be deafening.

dailymotion.com

I remember that series. PBS showed it.

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William Lewis  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:25:28am
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wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:40:25am

re: #233 William Lewis

A woman whose good looks were ruined by hate and mendacity.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:43:55am

re: #231 Dr Lizardo

Here’s something good; The Ascent of Man, a BBC production from 1973, presented by Jacob Bronowski. This 13-part series later served as the model for Carl Sagan’s Cosmos.

Enjoy. They sure don’t make ‘em like this anymore. And if they did, by Odin’s Beard, the screaming from the RWNJ’s would be deafening.

dailymotion.com

Oh fuck. Remember watching that as a teenager and being totally impressed by it. Must watch it again.

236
lawhawk  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:45:40am

re: #3 Charles Johnson

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And those pals are Prison Planet, Infowars, Breitbart, and Dim Jim.

Agitprop sites that spew baffling bs, who now have a direct connection with the White House because Bannon’s running the show, Trump spews nonsensical tweets at all hours and his staffers are incompetent and don’t know how any of this works either.

But that you need staffers to try and contain Trump and keep him from tweeting in the first place is yet more evidence (that’s already overwhelming) that Trump is not competent to be president.

Yet, as we also know, the GOP keeps enabling his actions because they refuse to treat him as the threat to the nation that he is.

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lawhawk  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:54:44am

re: #211 Anymouse

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 4:55:03am

re: #227 Bubblehead II

re: #229 Kragar

While Obama said it, he clearly showed no “flexibility”, which is why Putin hates him.

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wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:03:12am

re: #239 Nyet

While Obama said it, he clearly showed no “flexibility”, which is why Putin hates him.

Clinton would have been just as unyielding.

Has there been any talk in your part of the world about the financial ties between Trump and Russian interests?

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:06:58am

The new Deadpool trailer sucks.

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:09:26am

re: #240 wheat-dogg

Has there been any talk in your part of the world about the financial ties between Trump and Russian interests?

News are pretty global nowadays, so what you hear is what people in Europe hear, if they choose to.

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wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:14:10am

re: #241 Nyet

The new Deadpool trailer sucks.

I wasn’t impressed either. Cute phone booth premise poorly done. The last bit was tasteless.

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:14:38am

re: #243 wheat-dogg

I wasn’t impressed either. Cute phone booth premise poorly done. The last bit was tasteless.

Yeah, he’s supposed to be a good guy.

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wheat-dogg  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:14:55am

re: #242 Nyet

News are pretty global nowadays, so what you hear is what people in Europe hear, if they choose to.

OK. Just wondering if there was a different angle of coverage.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:19:22am

re: #238 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

His wife can also change her private email address too. I’m sorry but Mike Pence’s boss encouraged the Russians to hack HRC. Not exactly feeling sympathetic here.

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Patricia Kayden  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:39:45am

re: #246 HappyWarrior

Plus his boss encouraged supporters to search for a nonexistent sex tape concerning a Beauty Pageant contestant who criticized him. I don’t recall Pence speaking out against that.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:41:11am

re: #246 HappyWarrior

His wife can also change her private email address too. I’m sorry but Mike Pence’s boss encouraged the Russians to hack HRC. Not exactly feeling sympathetic here.

The point is that he and his wife are hapless victims of left-wing intolerance and hatred.

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lawhawk  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:42:08am

re: #247 Patricia Kayden

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Don’t recall Pence speaking out about that either. And that was a national security threat - against a political rival - calling on a foreign nation (Russia) to hack to further his own political ambitions and those of his political party.

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jeffreyw  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:55:19am

Imgur
Good morning!

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Barefoot Grin  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:55:33am

I’ll admit it: I fall into conspiracy-theory thinking with some regularity. Sorry to d.duck for jumping ahead. Not the first time. I so want the worst CTs about Trump and Russia to be true even if there’s no or only vaguely circumstantial evidence. It leads me to drop logic from time to time.

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Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Mar 5, 2017 • 5:57:46am

re: #251 Barefoot Grin

I’ll admit it: I fall into conspiracy-theory thinking with some regularity. Sorry to d.duck for jumping ahead. Not the first time. I so want the worst CTs about Trump and Russia to be true even if there’s no or only vaguely circumstantial evidence. It leads me to drop logic from time to time.

There is an awful lot of circumstantial evidence of such connections and activities, most all of which could be easily refuted if untrue, but yet somehow the details remain under lock and key. That is a red flag right there.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:01:13am

re: #248 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

The point is that he and his wife are hapless victims of left-wing intolerance and hatred.

I know.

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lawhawk  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:01:50am

Sean Spicer’s really in over his head - and making promises he simply can’t keep.

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Spicer’s saying how there are serious questions here that need to be investigated.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:02:31am

re: #247 Patricia Kayden

Plus his boss encouraged supporters to search for a nonexistent sex tape concerning a Beauty Pageant contestant who criticized him. I don’t recall Pence speaking out against that.

Nope he didn’t. In a way, Pence is worse than Trump.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:04:02am

re: #254 lawhawk

Yes let’s investigate based off the angry ramblings of a constant liar but not investigate his Russian ties. Makes total sense.//

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Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:09:25am

I just went and read about Pence’s email. The AP acquired some of Mike Pence’s emails, some 26 pages, and published them. One of them included her email address. After they heard about it, the AP removed the address.

He claims that she’s been receiving some nasty messages. While I suspect it’s true, it’s Pence making those claims. I just don’t understand why people feel the need to send people threatening messages to others.

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mmmirele  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:13:33am

re: #107 Nyet

Speaking of perpetuating historical misconceptions, those scholars who still see the gospels as biographies rather than hagiographies sure don’t help.

That would be taught in every evangelical and fundamentalist seminary out there (and there are many), with the added frisson that the Bible is actual “Word of God,” every single word of it, even if we don’t understand it or it’s simply wrong.

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I cannot.  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:14:15am
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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:21:51am
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Barefoot Grin  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:22:16am

re: #252 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

There is an awful lot of circumstantial evidence of such connections and activities, most all of which could be easily refuted if untrue, but yet somehow the details remain under lock and key. That is a red flag right there.

Just as I hit post it an interview with Vladimir Kara-Murza came on NPR. He claims to have been poisoned twice in Russia (a close friend of Nemtsov and critic of Putin regime). He admits he has no proof of who poisoned him, but claims it’s just a bit beyond coincidence. So, back to my CT mindset. Sigh.

bbc.com

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:28:09am
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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:39:35am

IF HE DID IT!

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ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:40:56am

Trump supporters apparently tried to hold a March for Trump rally at the Ohio State House here in Columbus yesterday. Then the Trump protesters decided to show up too. Things got a little testy from that point. The Trump Support organizer seems to have an issue with the loudness of the anti-Trumpers.

Welcome to America. Politics is more active than it has been in many a year. Hardly a day goes by the Ohio State House doesn’t see some kind of group activity.

At least it didn’t come to blows like out in California. Just a little in your face back and forth and some pushing and shoving.

But someone did burn a flag…oh my!

Iframe

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:41:31am

My god, they’ve lost Rubin.

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Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:43:29am

re: #263 darthstar

It seems, though, that the only people buying Trump’s line are his hard core supporters.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:43:53am

re: #265 darthstar

My god, they’ve lost Rubin.

[Embedded content]

No fan of Rubin but they lost her long ago.

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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:46:54am

They finally figured out their strategy.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:48:18am

re: #268 MsJ

They finally figured out their strategy.

[Embedded content]

And I bet that hack Chaffetz will.

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Barefoot Grin  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:49:29am

re: #269 HappyWarrior

And I bet that hack Chaffetz will.

Nunes will be point man? He’s already signaled a willingness to go after reporters and not look into Trump.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:50:34am

re: #270 Barefoot Grin

Nunes will be point man? He’s already signaled a willingness to go after reporters and not look into Trump.

Yeah maybe. In any case, it’s going to become tenet with the Trumpers that this actually happened. He knows how to manipulate those damn fools so easily.

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:51:51am
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mmmirele  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:52:29am

re: #214 Anymouse

Wikileaks doxxed nearly the entirety of Turkish women with a leak of electoral rolls after the aborted coup. No apology from them either. I don’t recall Pence saying anything about that either.

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CuriousLurker  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:52:48am

re: #268 MsJ

They finally figured out their strategy.

[Embedded content]

He’s scared shitless and trying to cover it up with threats & false bravado.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:53:08am

re: #272 darthstar

[Embedded content]

I guess they conducted their investigation within 43 minutes.

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:53:08am

Spicer managed to not comment further for 43 minutes.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:53:27am

re: #274 CuriousLurker

He’s scared shitless and trying to cover it up with threats & false bravado.

Something is going to exposed about this asshole.

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Danack  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:53:48am

re: #268 MsJ

They finally figured out their strategy.

[Embedded content]

I can’t possibly see any way how that ‘strategy’ could backfire. /s

Oh wait, yes I can.

That investigation is going to reveal that any surveillance was done with court approved warrants based on evidence that the Russians were interfering in the US election, and that Trump had financial ties to those Russians.

Currently that evidence isn’t widely distributed as it’s be acquired through the intelligence services. Having it investigated by Congress will make more people have access to that evidence.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:54:44am

Trump will do anything to make himself look like a victim and his hardcore supporters will eat that shit up.

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:56:11am

re: #275 HappyWarrior

I guess they conducted their investigation within 43 minutes.

They got a confession!

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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:58:32am

Read this article. The psychology is fascinating.

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:58:49am
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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 6:59:39am

I forgot to mention it yesterday but when I was having ballot petitions signed, I got some shit by a pro lifer.
Him: “Mr. Tom, is he pro life or pro pro-choice.
Me: He’s pro choice.
Him: Think about the kind of person you’re putting in office. Look deep.
Me: Okay.

I mean not the nastiest pro-lifer you’ll ever encounter but I still thought it was rude as fuck.

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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:00:18am

What the hell is he even talking about?

Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, “Tell Vladimir that after the election I’ll have more flexibility?” @foxandfriends

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:00:59am

re: #284 MsJ

What the hell is he even talking about?

Another long night in the bathrobe I guess.

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I cannot.  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:01:09am

re: #284 MsJ

Forget it, he’s rolling.

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PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:04:40am

re: #281 MsJ

This is one of the main reasons why I did not vote for that Trump person. He reminds me of my younger sister.

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mmmirele  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:05:06am

All right. I want you all to tell me I’m absolutely crazy for having these thoughts. Hell, I think I’m crazy, but I can’t get them out of my head and my spidey sense is vibrating like mad.

Trump says that Obama broke the law in wiretapping him. (Obviously, no proof of same.) Is this to set up arresting Obama for this or some other “trumped up” charge? We’ve never had a president accuse a predecessor of breaking the law. Snide comments, yes, but flat out breaking the law? Nope. Would Trump go so far as to have his government go after a previous president? I can’t get it out of my head that he might!

In Trump I see a man who is losing it because he’s not getting the universal adulation he’s expecting. He sees Obama is still greatly respected. He’s lashing out.

Again, I don’t even want to be thinking these thoughts. I’m going to take a shower and hopefully get this crazy out of my head. Because nobody, NOBODY should think the current president is going to arrest the former president.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:05:49am

re: #288 mmmirele

All right. I want you all to tell me I’m absolutely crazy for having these thoughts. Hell, I think I’m crazy, but I can’t get them out of my head and my spidey sense is vibrating like mad.

Trump says that Obama broke the law in wiretapping him. (Obviously, no proof of same.) Is this to set up arresting Obama for this or some other “trumped up” charge? We’ve never had a president accuse a predecessor of breaking the law. Snide comments, yes, but flat out breaking the law? Nope. Would Trump go so far as to have his government go after a previous president? I can’t get it out of my head that he might!

In Trump I see a man who is losing it because he’s not getting the universal adulation he’s expecting. He sees Obama is still greatly respected. He’s lashing out.

Again, I don’t even want to be thinking these thoughts. I’m going to take a shower and hopefully get this crazy out of my head. Because nobody, NOBODY should think the current president is going to arrest the former president.

Honestly, I don’t know. The whole thing just stinks big time though.

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:07:09am

Josh rocks.

“The bigger the scandal, the more outrageous the tweet.”

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PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:07:33am

re: #288 mmmirele

That Trump person wants to knock President Obama down so that he (that Trump person) will feel better about himself.

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:09:05am

re: #291 PhillyPretzel

That Trump person wants to knock President Obama down so that he (that Trump person) will feel better about himself.

Yep. The tweets weren’t an accident. They’ve decided smearing Obama would be a more productive use of their time and offload some of the Russia queries.

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:09:11am

re: #261 Barefoot Grin

Just as I hit post it an interview with Vladimir Kara-Murza came on NPR. He claims to have been poisoned twice in Russia (a close friend of Nemtsov and critic of Putin regime). He admits he has no proof of who poisoned him, but claims it’s just a bit beyond coincidence. So, back to my CT mindset. Sigh.

bbc.com

It is entirely possible that he was poisoned (despite no labs having found the poison the first time), even though it would seem that if someone wanted to get rid of him there are simpler methods. It is also possible that if he was poisoned, it was by someone from the secret services (there are, of course, other options). This still wouldn’t tell us whether it was done on an order from above or by someone on their own initiative.

But even supposing that he was poisoned, that it was done by the secret services, and that it was done on an order from above, at least we would have a motive for the killing (a notable opposition gadfly). Same would have been in the case of Nemtsov (albeit knowing who killed him - the people close to Kadyrov - it is very unlikely that FSB had anything to do with it; Kadyrov had a personal grudge against Nemtsov, so that would explain the killing).

So even if one accepts these premises, there is still a very specific murderous logic here. One can’t go from this case to, say, the dead diplomats and say “hey, same assumptions apply here”. Because they don’t. There is neither a motive, nor a connection to the Trump situation. At least not publicly. It’s just a string of deaths somebody summed up in a list. That’s basically the “connection” between them.

Nor is it even slightly likely that if someone on the Russian side wanted to get rid of these diplomats (for wholly mysterious and unknown reasons), it would have been done in this way, with the bodies accessible for full investigations by foreign police forces.

So, as before, the CT mindset is not warranted by the evidence at hand.

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CuriousLurker  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:10:02am

re: #279 HappyWarrior

Trump will do anything to make himself look like a victim and his hardcore supporters will eat that shit up.

Doesn’t matter. President Obama can be implacable once he sets his mind to something, and he has ice in his veins and an unreadable poker face when it comes to keeping his cool. He did it for eight years straight—and now he knows how Washington works, where all the bodies are buried, so to speak.

Von Clownstick isn’t going to trip him up. His narcissism & overconfidence—or rather the insecurity that drives his recklessness & need to hit back for every imagined slight will destroy him. All Obama has to do is be patient & keep his cool.

nIk/yk9I3OHC3Buo63LnUWaWtCkIBu1wKNdGhKLswrhAD87j5cYnqEfJicSd2gu5A4Rbe1hEnERDj1bOruOKzgxEfgIbVYrNae3jpkFg2c4zt6xuRyLT5ksBfWwheL5m3L+fa2m4gqdbwZpw4Ocm8Z7v8UoguPjUZg70V6UHfgJqWyQV/WC+NyjqBflfNneO3MIThTcWyK26wTwsV4JW5lDkOiChwhX4O+hAhohgK4f1f3Y7tMY0J5FD3pW871e1KH7mVmgt7TWnh41YoClfHnD0IfKEO6T8BMZiyglcol+WKPPHGX5G9HrgGoL54eLWYLx4Nk6X6C+FoyzHaVIA4HlfjpEqiMMr2gvzBdp4t6JY3wkJeQ6MkMGN0ScPwa2T2BMkOwm0WI8Q0ovftqBMEA==

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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:10:48am
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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:11:18am

re: #294 CuriousLurker

Doesn’t matter. President Obama can be implacable once he sets his mind to something, and he has ice in his veins and an unreadable poker face when it comes to keeping his cool. He did it for eight years straight—and now he knows how Washington works, where all the bodies are buried, so to speak.

Von Clownstick isn’t going to trip him up. His narcissism & overconfidence—or rather the insecurity that drives his recklessness & need to hit back for every imagined slight will destroy him. All Obama has to do is be patient & keep his cool.

[Embedded content]

C45MUOaBTKCZ575ghy5CEmHJAVf7DvJ5t9FoIYXFDH4aFVAOmqL0oQxjp3yA7oi7zQSVwkHZSN6/LeOteBzgbjzpb+64Mnxzy+KFvLuOVHMJWv6TuH2nAe+Vh4lOCSZ4R8+4ZkijhFpJZ/JM8H+HubXh/njRTAeYBnbKVHmft6BOG77mGgAxemYl7rYo3yIC

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PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:11:26am

re: #294 CuriousLurker

Exactly.

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:12:13am

re: #265 darthstar

My god, they’ve lost Rubin.

[Embedded content]

Who has lost her?

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darthstar  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:14:18am
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Wile E. Coyote's mom  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:14:43am

Drive by OT: you have to read the comments on this thread. m.facebook.com

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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:15:39am

re: #288 mmmirele

Don’t forget they are *still* going after Clinton too. Chaffetz is doing another round of HER EMAILS! investigations.

All this shit is going to blow up in their faces. Spectacularly. I’m not one who sees the rosy stuff. I worried (rightfully) about the election and I’ve said a lot of things were (and are) going to slide. But this? This will fuck them up. Only the hard core will buy it. This alone will undo the Republican party for good.

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CuriousLurker  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:16:15am

re: #265 darthstar

My god, they’ve lost Rubin.

[Embedded content]

re: #298 Nyet

Who has lost her?

They lost her some time ago. Much to my horror, for several moths now I’ve found myself in agreement with most of her articles.

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:18:23am

re: #302 CuriousLurker

They lost her some time ago. Much to my horror, for several moths now I’ve found myself in agreement with most of her articles.

Exactly. It’s not like it happened yesterday.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:19:36am

re: #301 MsJ

Don’t forget they are *still* going after Clinton too. Chaffetz is doing another round of HER EMAILS! investigations.

All this shit is going to blow up in their faces. Spectacularly. I’m not one who sees the rosy stuff. I worried (rightfully) about the election and I’ve said a lot of things were (and are) going to slide. But this? This will fuck them up. Only the hard core will buy it. This alone will undo the Republican party for good.

I imagine it will come off to the electorate of them desperately trying to deflect.

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:21:47am

And once a “CT” is warranted by evidence, it’s no longer a CT…

306
Barefoot Grin  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:21:53am

re: #293 Nyet

It is entirely possible that he was poisoned (despite no labs having found the poison the first time), even though it would seem that if someone wanted to get rid of him there are simpler methods. It is also possible that if he was poisoned, it was by someone from the secret services (there are, of course, other options). This still wouldn’t tell us whether it was done on an order from above or by someone on their own initiative.

But even supposing that he was poisoned, that it was done by the secret services, and that it was done on an order from above, at least we would have a motive for the killing (a notable opposition gadfly). Same would have been in the case of Nemtsov (albeit knowing who killed him - the people close to Kadyrov - it is very unlikely that FSB had anything to do with it; Kadyrov had a personal grudge against Nemtsov, so that would explain the killing).

So even if one accepts these premises, there is still a very specific murderous logic here. One can’t go from this case to, say, the dead diplomats and say “hey, same assumptions apply here”. Because they don’t. There is neither a motive, nor a connection to the Trump situation. At least not publicly. It’s just a string of deaths somebody summed up in a list. That’s basically the “connection” between them.

Nor is it even slightly likely that if someone on the Russian side wanted to get rid of these diplomats (for wholly mysterious and unknown reasons), it would have been done in this way, with the bodies accessible for full investigations by foreign police forces.

So, as before, the CT mindset is not warranted by the evidence at hand.

That’s true. I also take your point that the diplomats were mostly in the late 50-mid-60s age range, which, coupled with stress, is not unusual for Russian men for fatal health events.

307
MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:22:41am

re: #300 Wile E. Coyote’s mom

Drive by OT: you have to read the comments on this thread. m.facebook.com

OMG! I’m dying. Best comments ever! 😂🤣😂

308
mmmirele  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:27:24am

re: #295 MsJ

I did not read that before I went on my little rant. I still think my Alcoa chapeau is screwed on very tightly, but now I’m less concerned that I’m nuts.

309
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:31:26am

The “lists of dead” is a specific subgenre, too. I have already mentioned the curse of Tutankhamun, but there are lots of other such lists. Remember the “Clinton body count”?

E.g. WND: “‘CLINTON DEATH LIST’: 33 SPINE-TINGLING CASES
Bill and Hillary’s ‘friends’ fall off buildings, crash planes, die in freak accidents”

This is probably convincing for the Clinton-haters…

310
MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:34:50am

Thread.

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Stanley Sea  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:39:19am

re: #300 Wile E. Coyote’s mom

Dying

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Jay C  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:41:12am

re: #288 mmmirele

Because nobody, NOBODY should think the current president is going to arrest the former president.

Yeah, well just remember that the incumbent was the candidate who made “Lock Her Up” - i.e., a direct accusation of criminality - a stock slogan in his campaign, and that his “base” ate it up (and still are).

Anyway, I think the Trump White House is playing with fire here: calling for a Congressional circus show trial witch hunt “investigation” into the “Obama wiretap” affair has the potential to backfire hugely.

First: it’s going to look like a pretty pathetic attempt to deflect attention/inquiries away from Trump’s Russian corruption (and this Administration just seems so incompetent that they can’t help but make it look that way).
Second: whatever substantive they turn up has the potential to damage Trump way more than Obama (who I can’t fathom would be stupid enough to leave fingerprints on any questionable/illegal operation even if there WAS one, which I seriously doubt). Particularly if it has anything to do with Russian money.
Third, a Congressional clownshow over “wiretaps” is going to put House Republicans into even more disrepute: they are already getting enough heat from their constituents over not doing their jobs: dropping everything to conduct another bogus “probe” (a la Benghazi) isn’t going to help them. Especially if the Democrats don’t cooperate.

I don’t have a clue as to what actually is going on here: my guess is that someone in the Admin found out about some “routine” surveillance going on, and panicked about what it might turn up - or decided to seize on it to deflect as per my first point above - and that, as usual, our Buffoon-in-Chief made it worse for himself. But we shall see,

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Clearly a Country For Sick Old Haters  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:42:45am

re: #310 MsJ

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Jay C  Mar 5, 2017 • 7:42:55am

re: #300 Wile E. Coyote’s mom

Can’t give this one too many updings: literally a LOL experience….

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calochortus  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:02:28am

re: #282 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Wasn’t that Obama’s remark about more flexibility after the 2012 elections?

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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:04:05am

re: #312 Jay C

Democrats should definitely play along. “We completely agree on investigating all aspects of Russian access and interference. We will investigate Obama and Trump equally.”

317
Dr Lizardo  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:06:30am

So, OT……but I just got done watching a fanedit of The Hobbit trilogy.

The editor trimmed down the three films into one film with a running time of four hours, twenty-eight minutes; that’s definitely well into epic film territory, but it works beautifully.

Far superior, with much greater emotional impact. I recommend it. It’s called The Hobbit: Tolkien Edit.

ETA a synoposis, with the cuts made. tolkieneditor.wordpress.com

318
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:12:21am

re: #315 calochortus

Wasn’t that Obama’s remark about more flexibility after the 2012 elections?

Already coming up in reports…

New York Daily News - Trump blasts Obama for hot mic moment when he told Russia he would ‘have more flexibility’ after 2012 election

President Trump is no stranger to hot mic moments — and he isn’t letting one of his predecessor’s rest.

Trump, tweeting Sunday, recalled a March 2012 conversation involving then-President Obama and then-Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

“Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, ‘Tell Vladimir that after the election I’ll have more flexibility?’” Trump wrote.

Obama’s exchange — which came at the end of a 90-minute meeting with Medvedev at a South Korea summit — dealt with missile defense, and came weeks after Vladimir Putin’s presidential victory.

Obama won reelection later that year.

“This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility,” Obama whispered to Medvedev, asking for “space.”

“I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir,” Medvedev responded. The exchange was captured by ABC News microphones.

A senior administration official in 2012 said that it wasn’t the right time to resolve an “incredibly complicated issue.”

- - CUT - -

319
MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:14:33am

JFC.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:20:46am

re: #319 MsJ

JFC.

[Embedded content]

What a dickbag.

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Jay C  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:26:18am

re: #319 MsJ

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And of course, it being Fox News, they will be far too polite to bring that point up to the good Senator…..

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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:27:47am
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Eric The Fruit Bat  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:32:36am

From the cynics over at Naked Capitalims in their Daily Links:

Trump Transition

George W. Bush, liberal icon:

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Why are we normalizing this guy? Well, I’ll tell you: The Democrat focus is on driving a wedge between Trump and the Republican Establishment and then defenestrating Trump. This didn’t work for Clinton with Republican voters in 2016, but it might work with elite insiders, especially with “intelligence community” backing. Of course, Trump has cards of his own to play, besides tribalism: He can give the Freedom Caucus loons what they want on domestic policy, and he can throw the McCain wing a few billions for weaponry. And he can target the right districts with infrastructure money through DOT head Elaine Chao, Mitch McConnell’s wife. Oh, and the Rooski ploy has the same wedging effect (though it’s also about creating epistemic closure in the Democrat base until the Clintonites die off). None of this is about the voters at all. Heaven forfend!

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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:32:49am

,,,

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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:35:13am

Now, think twice: If populism is loosely defined as the set of political practices whereby a leader connects with their citizens while disregarding institutional apparatuses, how is the rise of the right-wing parties and politicians, whose popularity is now far from brilliant, related to the supposed decline of populist leaders in Latin America? A link appears to be missing.

My hunch is that the alleged retreat of the left and centre-left in the region has little to do with the fading of populism.

A resolute commitment to sound political institutions and strong constitutions is not a feature of the current right and centre-right in Latin America. The situation is the other way around, it is possible to say..

326
Eric The Fruit Bat  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:35:34am

WTF, Arkansas?…..

With the legislative proposal to ban “any books or other material authored by or concerning Howard Zinn,” the Zinn Education Project is offering free copies of A People’s History of the United States and people’s history lessons to teachers in Arkansas. We are inspired by the Librotraficante who delivered books to schools in Tucson, Arizona, in defiance of the ethnic studies ban.

The delivery of these books is made possible by donations from individuals.

327
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:37:22am

Is Trump leading the US on a warpath with Iran?

328
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:38:09am

re: #326 Eric The Fruit Bat

WTF, Arkansas?…..

Institutional Censorship.

Nice, America

/

329
Eclectic Cyborg  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:39:23am

re: #326 Eric The Fruit Bat

I wonder if the Duggars are involved somehow.

330
Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:40:14am

re: #283 HappyWarrior

I forgot to mention it yesterday but when I was having ballot petitions signed, I got some shit by a pro lifer.
Him: “Mr. Tom, is he pro life or pro pro-choice.
Me: He’s pro choice.
Him: Think about the kind of person you’re putting in office. Look deep.
Me: Okay.

I mean not the nastiest pro-lifer you’ll ever encounter but I still thought it was rude as fuck.

“Considering abortion has been going on since before our nation was founded, do you think making it illegal is going to make it go away? Are you willing to do the other spending necessary to reduce abortion, such as providing contraceptives, prenatal care, and day care?”

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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:44:50am
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Unshaken Defiance  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:46:42am

Berkeley…

Facebook Post

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Skip Intro  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:47:52am

re: #234 wheat-dogg

A woman whose good looks were ruined by hate and mendacity.

She was never good looking, except after midnight and 12 beers at the Dew Drop Inn.

334
Droid Builder  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:48:34am

re: #64 austin_blue

Oh, absolutely! Given his prediliction to perform with admitted homosexes like Ian McKellen in road shows like Waiting For Godot, he is obviously Not Our Kind Of Visitor To Our Great Nation.

And he played Gurney Halleck in that really weird Dune thing that David Lynch did back in ‘84. Many of us who loved the novel were terribly confused.

Don’t forget he also played Russian spymaster “Karla” in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People. And we know what happened to Karla in the end - a total embarrassment to Putin.

Both appearances with not one line of dialogue.

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Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:49:14am

re: #283 HappyWarrior

I forgot to mention it yesterday but when I was having ballot petitions signed, I got some shit by a pro lifer.
Him: “Mr. Tom, is he pro life or pro pro-choice.
Me: He’s pro choice.
Him: Think about the kind of person you’re putting in office. Look deep.
Me: Okay.

I mean not the nastiest pro-lifer you’ll ever encounter but I still thought it was rude as fuck.

Did you kindly ask him to fuck off after that exchange? :)

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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:50:07am
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DuckDharma  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:50:23am
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Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:53:54am

re: #337 DuckDharma

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Skip Intro  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:55:30am

re: #265 darthstar

My god, they’ve lost Rubin.

[Embedded content]

Quite some time ago. That’s why the WaPo had to hire Trump ass kisser Hugh Hewitt for “balance”.

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Sherlock Hound  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:55:42am

re: #328 Birth Control Works

Institutional Censorship.

Nice, America

/

If Mexicans have a narcocorrida song culture borne of the drug traffickers, can we have librocorridas? These (warez) books kill fascists!

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Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:56:23am
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jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:59:12am
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MsJ  Mar 5, 2017 • 8:59:29am
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BigPapa  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:00:44am

re: #340 Sherlock Hound

This Smart Phone Kills Fascists
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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:02:51am

re: #330 Belafon

“Considering abortion has been going on since before our nation was founded, do you think making it illegal is going to make it go away? Are you willing to do the other spending necessary to reduce abortion, such as providing contraceptives, prenatal care, and day care?”

No doubt, I didn’t want to into get an argument with him when there were other people I could and did talk to that were much more pleasant.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:03:18am

re: #332 Unshaken Defiance

Berkeley…

[Embedded content]

Considering global warming effects human beings………..

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:04:01am

re: #335 Timothy Watson

Did you kindly ask him to fuck off after that exchange? :)

I honestly can’t do that when I’m campaigning for a candidate but it really pissed me off.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:04:35am

re: #342 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Yep, that’s the FNC way.

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Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:08:20am

re: #347 HappyWarrior

I honestly can’t do that when I’m campaigning for a candidate but it really pissed me off.

Oh, I know, I had to bite my tongue hard once when I was doing voter registration for DPVA during the Clinton campaign.

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jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:08:31am
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Unshaken Defiance  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:09:23am

re: #346 HappyWarrior

Considering global warming effects human beings………..

1967 Long Hot Summer Riots. I was here almost too young to remember. I remember Mom and a family friend evacuating Grandma and Grandpa from 3rd Avenue and Slauson. The National Guard had staged up in the schoolyard across the street.

Right now just glad that was Berkeley and not some open carry zone. I worry that’s coming.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:09:41am

re: #349 Timothy Watson

Oh, I know, I had to bite my tongue hard once when I was doing voter registration for DPVA during the Clinton campaign.

I remember a particularly nasty constituent I got when I was making phone calls for Dave Marsden. Most other people even people who tell me they’re Republicans are fine though.

353
PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:09:49am

re: #347 HappyWarrior

re: #349 Timothy Watson

I am going to have to do that this afternoon. I am going to try to get a few signatures on two petitions.

354
Eclectic Cyborg  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:10:43am

re: #350 jaunte

Corporations do this shit all the time. What these morons don’t understand is that government and government officials are beholden to the public in a way a lot of corporations aren’t.

Also, the media doesn’t scrutinize corporations as much as they do the government.

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:11:09am

re: #353 PhillyPretzel

I am going to have to do that this afternoon. I am going to try to get a few signatures on two petitions.

Most people are pretty nice honestly even if they’re not interested in signing.

356
PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:12:29am

re: #355 HappyWarrior

I know. I am going out about mid-afternoon. Most folks will be getting ready for the up- coming week.

357
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:13:16am

re: #356 PhillyPretzel

I know. I am going out about mid-afternoon. Most folks will be getting ready for the up- coming week.

Hopefully it’s nice outside. It was quite cold yesterday morning.

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KGxvi  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:14:18am

re: #355 HappyWarrior

Most people are pretty nice honestly even if they’re not interested in signing.

In my younger days, I’d sign just about anything. But the referenda out here have gotten out of hand, so I’m a bit more selective on which ones I sign now.

359
Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:14:31am

“Liberal media” at work:

White House: Congress must probe alleged Obama power abuse

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PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:14:44am

re: #357 HappyWarrior

It is currently 32F outside. It is supposed to go up to the mid 30’s.

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Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:14:59am

re: #345 HappyWarrior

No doubt, I didn’t want to into get an argument with him when there were other people I could and did talk to that were much more pleasant.

Understood. I’ve thought about the idea of running against John Ratcliffe. I thought aboutnot if abortion comes up, just asking “Then why do you like it so much? Making it illegal doesn’t make it go away, so why not support the things that will reduce it?:

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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:16:14am

re: #361 Belafon

Understood. I’ve thought about the idea of running against John Ratcliffe. I thought aboutnot if abortion comes up, just asking “Then why do touch Ike it so much? Making it illegal doesn’t make it go away, so why not support the things that will reduce it?:

Absolutely. Honestly, I believe abortion to be a very personal decision and one that strangers like me and this man shouldn’t be involved in making for women.

363
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:16:51am

re: #359 Timothy Watson

“Liberal media” at work:

I guess there was no adjective for “Trump pulled it out of his ass with no evidence to deflect from his own problems.”

364
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:17:13am

re: #360 PhillyPretzel

It is currently 32F outside. It is supposed to go up to the mid 30’s.

Brrrr bring a jacket, hat, and gloves then. I really regreted not having my gloves yesterday.

365
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:17:32am

re: #358 KGxvi

In my younger days, I’d sign just about anything. But the referenda out here have gotten out of hand, so I’m a bit more selective on which ones I sign now.

Yeah I understand that perfectly.

366
KingKenrod  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:21:49am

Looks like a Jewish cemetery in Brooklyn was vandalized last night.

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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:24:19am
I’ve thought about this for a couple of days.

I remember a long time ago, here on this blog, the New York Times (among others) was not considered a credible source. Any article, regardless of topic, author or content, was dismissed out of hand by posters.

Charles, to his credit, did post at least one article from the Times, stating “giving credit where credit is due.”

I do not want to return to that time. I’m not prepared to censor my reading or what I share based on the venue alone.

I found something worth sharing in the reason.com article.

I won’t go back.

YMMV

368
KGxvi  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:24:36am

re: #361 Belafon

Understood. I’ve thought about the idea of running against John Ratcliffe. I thought aboutnot if abortion comes up, just asking “Then why do touch like it so much? Making it illegal doesn’t make it go away, so why not support the things that will reduce it?:

I started listening to Ana Marie Cox’s new podcast, With Friends Like These (part of the Crooked Media/Pod Save America/formerly Keepin It 1600 guys’ venture). It’s two episodes in and really quite interesting because it’s basically a series of conversations with people that have very different experiences. Like actual conversations, no name calling, no stereotyping, no gotcha tricks. The first episode she had a pastor from rural Wisconsin on, that she met via twitter shortly after the election, his church is in counties that voted twice for Obama and then for Trump.

One of the things that came up was abortion. And how many people in his area felt that Hillary Clinton was too inline with the “shout your abortion” crowd, and wished she’d’ve been more like Bill Clinton with the “safe, legal, and rare” view of it. I think a lot of people are conflicted on abortion (and the polling plays that out if you go beyond “pro-choice or pro-life”), and if there’s going to be movement on the issue, it’s going to require speaking about it in a way that I’m not entirely sure our political landscape can handle right now.

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jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:24:46am
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John Carter  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:26:06am

re: #317 Dr Lizardo

So, OT……but I just got done watching a fanedit of The Hobbit trilogy.

The editor trimmed down the three films into one film with a running time of four hours, twenty-eight minutes; that’s definitely well into epic film territory, but it works beautifully.

Far superior, with much greater emotional impact. I recommend it. It’s called The Hobbit: Tolkien Edit.

ETA a synoposis, with the cuts made. tolkieneditor.wordpress.com

This has potential. I found the trilogy unwatchable for many many reasons but most of all the handling of Bilbo and his arc for whom the story is all about.

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Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:26:38am

re: #367 Birth Control Works

YMMV

Awkward position for someone who used to Reason all the time, but they were well ahead of the game when it comes to police abuses and civil asset forfeiture.

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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:27:21am
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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:27:38am

re: #323 Eric The Fruit Bat

I’ll take issue with the statistic (whence “1 million”?), but not with the logic. Bush is certainly responsible for lots of death and torture. The monstrosity in the WH should not blind us to the fact that Bush was atrocious.

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Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:29:01am

re: #366 KingKenrod

Looks like a Jewish cemetery in Brooklyn was vandalized last night.

[Embedded content]

- Must be Dems again.
- No, actually KKK members were caught doing this.
- KKK was founded by the Dems.

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Dr Lizardo  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:29:48am

re: #370 John Carter

This has potential. I found the trilogy unwatchable for many many reasons but most of all the handling of Bilbo and his arc for whom the story is all about.

This fanedit brings Bilbo back to being far more central to the story. A lot of superfluous stuff was trimmed out completely.

Making a trilogy of the The Hobbit was a bad idea; either one 4 1/2 film, as the editor here has done, or two two-hour+ films would’ve been fine.

376
BigPapa  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:32:13am
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Dr Lizardo  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:33:34am

Speaking of movies, here’s a glorious timecapsule of pure late 1970’s crapola.

Roller Boogie, starring Linda Blair and Jim Bray.

ROLLER BOOGIE full movie Linda Blair Jim Bray 1979 disco skating

378
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:33:36am

re: #374 Nyet

- Must be Dems again.
- No, actually KKK members were caught doing this.
- KKK was founded by the Dems.

Tick tock. Reliable as a clock.

379
Dr Lizardo  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:36:20am

LOL.

380
KGxvi  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:38:35am

re: #371 Timothy Watson

Awkward position for someone who used to Reason all the time, but they were well ahead of the game when it comes to police abuses and civil asset forfeiture.

I used to read Reason quite a bit too. They were/are always too dogmatic in their libertarianism (“why do barbers need professional licenses?”), but they were good on quite a few issues (like you said, police abuse and civil asset forfeiture - I forget where they came down exactly on Iraq).

In the age of Trump, I’ve a feeling that temporary and/or per issue alliances are going to be important. I’ve also a feel that our current political world might not be able to handle those anymore.

381
allegro  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:40:03am

re: #375 Dr Lizardo

This fanedit brings Bilbo back to being far more central to the story. A lot of superfluous stuff was trimmed out completely.

Making a trilogy of the The Hobbit was a bad idea; either one 4 1/2 film, as the editor here has done, or two two-hour+ films would’ve been fine.

I would love to see this but not on my little chromebook screen with crummy sound. Don’t have the means to make a dvd. Can anyone make one for me? (will pay)

382
FormerDirtDart  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:44:06am
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Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:44:18am

re: #369 jaunte

[Embedded content]

I’ve written one postcard to Chaffetz about investigating Trump. If his office is flooded with calls and/or postcards, would it make any difference?

384
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:45:25am

re: #380 KGxvi

I used to read Reason quite a bit too. They were/are always too dogmatic in their libertarianism (“why do barbers need professional licenses?”), but they were good on quite a few issues (like you said, police abuse and civil asset forfeiture - I forget where they came down exactly on Iraq).

In the age of Trump, I’ve a feeling that temporary and/or per issue alliances are going to be important. I’ve also a feel that our current political world might not be able to handle those anymore.

I imagine they were anti-Iraq. I too have read Reason before and I even met Matt Walsh of Reason since he was speaking on the failures of the drug war on campus at an event the GMU Students for Liberty put together. You make a good point about how many libertarians are way too dogmatic and also IMO detached from reality.

385
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:45:57am

re: #382 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

What a fucking load.

386
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:46:02am

re: #383 Hecuba’s daughter

I’ve written one postcard to Chaffetz about investigating Trump. If his office is flooded with calls and/or postcards, would it make any difference?

It’s probably worth the effort.

387
FormerDirtDart  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:46:53am
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jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:47:18am
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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:47:29am

re: #387 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

Uh huh.

390
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:47:36am

squeeeeeeee

zooborns.com
391
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:49:21am

re: #387 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

Which is hilarious after 8 years of their insisting that Obama giving awesome speeches meant nothing because anybody can give a great speech if its written for them and read from a teleprompter.

392
BigPapa  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:49:46am

It’s quite possible we’ll have different investigations by different committees/entities. Then Trump can complain that it’s all politicized.

393
KGxvi  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:50:12am

re: #383 Hecuba’s daughter

I’ve written one postcard to Chaffetz about investigating Trump. If his office is flooded with calls and/or postcards, would it make any difference?

I suspect that the real power in flooding his office(s) with letters and postcards would be if many of them were postmarked from Utah (Orrin Hatch is 82 and his term expires in 2018) and his district specifically.

394
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:51:20am

zooborns.com

395
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:54:16am
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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:54:28am

teechip.com

397
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:55:05am

re: #394 Birth Control Works

[Embedded content]

I want to hug a baby giraffe

398
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:56:15am

re: #390 Birth Control Works

Fractal bear.

399
FormerDirtDart  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:56:24am
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Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 9:58:35am

re: #397 Birth Control Works

I want to hug a baby giraffe

I want to steal Bei Bei from the National Zoo:

401
stpaulbear  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:00:20am

re: #383 Hecuba’s daughter

I’ve written one postcard to Chaffetz about investigating Trump. If his office is flooded with calls and/or postcards, would it make any difference?

I’ve written a couple to Chaffetz. I just sent a batch out on Friday to members of the house oversight and intelligence committees, Ryan and McCarthy (house majority leader), McConnell and members of the Senate intelligence committee. Not expecting great results, but hopefully can be ‘sand in the gears’. (I’m secretly hoping to get a return letter from Rep Cummings).

402
KGxvi  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:01:54am

re: #384 HappyWarrior

I imagine they were anti-Iraq. I too have read Reason before and I even met Matt Walsh of Reason since he was speaking on the failures of the drug war on campus at an event the GMU Students for Liberty put together. You make a good point about how many libertarians are way too dogmatic and also IMO detached from reality.

There’s a lot of libertarianism that feels like it’s still fighting the political battles of the 1930s (if not earlier political battles). Especially among right leaning libertarians. My position on the political spectrum went from center-right libertarian to center-left libertarian pretty much over night some time during the Bush Administration (and probably had a lot to do with law school). Part of the reason, I think, is because I developed a better understanding of the 14th Amendment and a historical understanding that while “state’s rights” and “local control” are nice buzzwords but it ignores that most abuses came from state and local governments rather than from the federal government.

403
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:04:30am

re: #402 KGxvi

There’s a lot of libertarianism that feels like it’s still fighting the political battles of the 1930s (if not earlier political battles). Especially among right leaning libertarians. My position on the political spectrum went from center-right libertarian to center-left libertarian pretty much over night some time during the Bush Administration (and probably had a lot to do with law school). Part of the reason, I think, is because I developed a better understanding of the 14th Amendment and a historical understanding that while “state’s rights” and “local control” are nice buzzwords but it ignores that most abuses came from state and local governments rather than from the federal government.

Exactly, I understand why people are drawn to the ideas of local control and states rights but as you observed, a lot of the abuses have come on the state and local level. One of my brothers and some of my friends lean libertarian in their belief system and what I’m trying to convince them of is that a fairly strong federal government is needed to protect individual rights.

404
KGxvi  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:05:29am

re: #399 FormerDirtDart

That’s taking the job of online sin eaters to the absolute extreme

405
BigPapa  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:06:15am

I think it’s pretty clear that Trump’s ties to Russia go back for years if not a decade or two. He could not get financial help in the US due to business practices and reached out for Russian $.

He’s friends with them, in business. He sold out.

406
FormerDirtDart  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:06:28am
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Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:09:17am

remember this from a couple of years ago?

With A Piece Of Chalk - JuBaFilms

408
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:09:24am

uh huh…

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Ace Rothstein  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:10:40am

re: #405 BigPapa

I think it’s pretty clear that Trump’s ties to Russia go back for years if not a decade or two. He could not get financial help in the US due to business practices and reached out for Russian $.

He’s friends with them, in business. He sold out.

Today would be a great day for Donald Trump to release his tax returns.

410
KGxvi  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:11:59am

re: #403 HappyWarrior

Exactly, I understand why people are drawn to the ideas of local control and states rights but as you observed, a lot of the abuses have come on the state and local level. One of my brothers and some of my friends lean libertarian in their belief system and what I’m trying to convince them of is that a fairly strong federal government is needed to protect individual rights.

The argument that I tend to make with other libertarians is that you should want the states to check the feds, and the feds to check the states. Checks and balances go both ways. An abuse of power is a threat to liberty, no matter the source. It is the same reason I want government regulation of big business (and at the same time, want big business to fight regulations) - businesses controlling your life is no better than government doing so. Instead, set those powerful forces against each other to check each other, allowing us to have the most freedom to live our lives according to our own beliefs.

411
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:13:47am

re: #410 KGxvi

The argument that I tend to make with other libertarians is that you should want the states to check the feds, and the feds to check the states. Checks and balances go both ways. An abuse of power is a threat to liberty, no matter the source. It is the same reason I want government regulation of big business (and at the same time, want big business to fight regulations) - businesses controlling your life is no better than government doing so. Instead, set those powerful forces against each other to check each other, allowing us to have the most freedom to live our lives according to our own beliefs.

Exactly.

412
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:16:01am

Dan Rather Just Said What We’re All Thinking About Trump’s Wiretap Scandal

413
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:16:13am

something get’s passed around:

Devils & Angels | Family Feud

414
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:16:48am

re: #410 KGxvi

The argument that I tend to make with other libertarians is that you should want the states to check the feds, and the feds to check the states. Checks and balances go both ways. An abuse of power is a threat to liberty, no matter the source. It is the same reason I want government regulation of big business (and at the same time, want big business to fight regulations) - businesses controlling your life is no better than government doing so. Instead, set those powerful forces against each other to check each other, allowing us to have the most freedom to live our lives according to our own beliefs.

yes, excellent!

415
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:17:49am

re: #391 Targetpractice

Which is hilarious after 8 years of their insisting that Obama giving awesome speeches meant nothing because anybody can give a great speech if its written for them and read from a teleprompter.

One thing is for sure.

Everything people hate about politics and politicians is on display this year. Complete naked political lying, pandering, grandstanding, belittling, dodging, obfuscation…every damn trick in the book.

Add in people holding to their stories and sides no matter the facts and we have as broken a system as probably ever seen.

What a lesson America is getting in all this. Will it lead to a change in anything? Sure is hard not to be doubtful. And, scared.

416
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:18:35am
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HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:22:12am

What too many libertarians and conservatives don’t get is that local/state government and or business can abuse power just as much as the feds. Likewise, a lot of far lefties don’t see the federal government’s capacity for that too.

418
Birth Control Works  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:22:15am

bbl

419
BigPapa  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:23:52am

re: #415 ObserverArt

The next step is for people to start dying. I’ve been wondering what that would look like. Louise Mensch was stating she’s been middle outed the other day (not sure if it’s true) but I have little doubt there’s some lower level crap going on to say the least.

At what point are considerations being made about actually targeting somebody, either with this cadre of idiots in the US or with the Russians?

420
Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:28:04am

re: #402 KGxvi

There’s a lot of libertarianism that feels like it’s still fighting the political battles of the 1930s (if not earlier political battles). Especially among right leaning libertarians. My position on the political spectrum went from center-right libertarian to center-left libertarian pretty much over night some time during the Bush Administration (and probably had a lot to do with law school). Part of the reason, I think, is because I developed a better understanding of the 14th Amendment and a historical understanding that while “state’s rights” and “local control” are nice buzzwords but it ignores that most abuses came from state and local governments rather than from the federal government.

I used to a be a Republican small-l libertarian back in the day. Dealing with Paulbots and the tea party killed that, both groups with no knowledge of history.

Taking a history course on the Civil War in college, and reading primary sources from the war, also helped.

421
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:28:05am
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PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Republican leaders in Maine and Utah are asking President Donald Trump to step into uncharted territory and rescind national monument designations made by his predecessor.

The Antiquities Act of 1906 doesn’t give the president power to undo a designation, and no president has ever taken such a step. But Trump isn’t like other presidents.

Former President Barack Obama used his power under the act to permanently preserve more land and water using national monument designations than any other president. The land is generally off limits to timber harvesting, mining and pipelines, and commercial development.

Obama created the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine last summer on 87,500 acres of donated forestland. The expanse includes part of the Penobscot River and stunning views of Mount Katahdin, Maine’s tallest mountain. In Utah, the former president created Bears Ears National Monument on 1.3 million acres of land that’s sacred to Native Americans and is home to tens of thousands of archaeological sites, including ancient cliff dwellings.

Trump’s staff is now reviewing those decisions by the Obama administration to determine economic impacts, whether the law was followed and whether there was appropriate consultation with local officials, the White House told The Associated Press.

422
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:38:10am
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Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:39:19am

re: #422 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Has anyone tracked the source of this latest shit? Or is he officially leaking details of FBI investigations now?

424
Dr. Matt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:40:48am

I really can’t fathom how Drump voters can continue to support and defend him at this point. What exactly will it take for his voters to realize he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person?

425
Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:42:04am

re: #424 Dr. Matt

I really can’t fathom how Drump voters can continue to support and defend him at this point. What exactly will it take for his voters to realize he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person?

They haven’t figured out that Limbaugh is slothful, disgusting pig after 30 years; why would they turn on Trump?

426
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:42:27am

re: #424 Dr. Matt

I really can’t fathom how Drump voters can continue to support and defend him at this point. What exactly will it take for his voters to realize he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person?

I dunno. I’m convinced he could execute political opponents and they’d find a way to rationalize it by convincing themselves Obama did it too.

427
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:43:02am

re: #425 Timothy Watson

They haven’t figured out that Limbaugh is slothful, disgusting pig after 30 years; why would they turn on Trump?

Too true.

428
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:44:20am

re: #422 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

What the fuck is he doing?

I just do not understand how over the half of the Republican Congress and 75% of America citizens haven’t all gotten the message we are dealing with an idiot that is unfit for office, proving it daily and is just not right in the head to go with it all.

They can’t excuse this too much longer can they???

(Don’t know if I really want an answer as I am afraid I already know it…)

429
Dr. Matt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:45:25am
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Alephnaught  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:45:45am

Lovely day in Glasgow, with the palpable feeling feeling of Spring just around the corner. Lovely sunset, counterpointed with a huge plume of smoke, which I took photos of. I’d assumed it was just from a chimney, and was blown by the cooling wind. Boy, was I wrong…

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Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:46:02am

re: #424 Dr. Matt

I really can’t fathom how Drump voters can continue to support and defend him at this point. What exactly will it take for his voters to realize he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person?

I saw the point made on Twitter earlier that conservatives basically broke down into two camps during Watergate: those who wanted Nixon investigated and those who supported him unconditionally. The former were worried about not only the rule of law but the damage that could be done to conservatism as a whole. The latter supported him for one reason and one only: Democrats were opposing him. As Watergate drug on and the pressure against him grew, the latter got so bold that they started targeting the former as “sellouts” for supporting the investigation.

tl;dr - Those who are supporting Trump in spite of the allegations will only continue to do so, even crank up their support, for one reason: Democrats are opposed to him. If he’s impeached and removed or he resigns, it’ll become part of conservative dogma that the media “chased him out of office” and he did nothing wrong but anger liberals.

432
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:46:51am

re: #426 HappyWarrior

I dunno. I’m convinced he could execute political opponents and they’d find a way to rationalize it by convincing themselves Obama did it too.

Look what happen to Scalia!!!

Obama.

433
Stanley Sea  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:47:10am

I just spent some time reading responses to a grandma deported from San Diego after being in the US for 25 years.

Zero empathy. We are surrounded by very hateful people.

434
Jay C  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:48:09am

re: #424 Dr. Matt

I really can’t fathom how Drump voters can continue to support and defend him at this point. What exactly will it take for his voters to realize he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person?

Well, I was going to respond “nothing” at first, but then realized that the right answer is probably that the hard core of Trump’s voter “base” realize full well that ” he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person” and just don’t fucking care. Or see it as a feature, not a bug….

435
HappyWarrior  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:48:26am

re: #433 Stanley Sea

I just spent some time reading responses to a grandma deported from San Diego after being in the US for 25 years.

Zero empathy. We are surrounded by very hateful people.

People can be so cruel.

436
Dr. Matt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:49:08am

re: #426 HappyWarrior

I dunno. I’m convinced he could execute political opponents and they’d find a way to rationalize it by convincing themselves Obama did it too.

Good point. I read a facebook comment today where a person said he’s not surprised Obama tapped Trump’s phone considering Obama manipulated the IRS to go after conservatives. We need a new definition to supplant low-information voters.

437
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:51:34am
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Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:52:13am

re: #424 Dr. Matt

I really can’t fathom how Drump voters can continue to support and defend him at this point. What exactly will it take for his voters to realize he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person?

They are as unbalanced as he is. As they say in Westworld regarding any fact that conflicts with their view, “that doesn’t look like anything to me”.

439
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:52:48am

re: #434 Jay C

Well, I was going to respond “nothing” at first, but then realized that the right answer is probably that the hard core of Trump’s voter “base” realize full well that ” he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person” and just don’t fucking care. Or see it as a feature, not a bug….

I would say the exact opposite: They think his actions are totally sane because they mirror what they would do if in his place. That the far-right in this country spent 8 years stewing in their own hatred and bile, willfully isolating themselves from objective reality both online and in real life, and now have about as much grasp on just how crazy his actions are as he does. They are absolutely convinced that they speak for the majority of Americans because the only other Americans they talk to are equally as nuts. So when Trump does shit like this and everybody around them cheers, they’re convinced that he’s enacting the “will of the people” rather than gibbering like a loony.

440
Dr. Matt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:53:55am
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jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:54:48am
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Unshaken Defiance  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:54:53am

re: #436 Dr. Matt

Good point. I read a facebook comment today where a person said he’s not surprised Obama tapped Trump’s phone considering Obama manipulated the IRS to go after conservatives. We need a new definition to supplant low-information voters.

Let’s find something that shows this is not by accident. Willful ignorance, motivated reasoning, confirmation bias. Sheer cussed meanness.

443
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:55:04am

re: #429 Dr. Matt

[Embedded content]

Schiff does not dance around.

Hopefully Schiff can sway some Republicans interested in saving our political institutions to help.

We are at the point now where political sides are no longer important and some in the Republican party are going to have to come to grips with it.

Time for some people to put on some adult clothes, act like an adults and save your jobs by saving this country.

The way it is going, it will not matter what party you are a member of as Trump and The Gang with “Tear it All Up” Bannon are going to ruin you too.

Republican politicians…you fashion yourselves leaders.

Prove it.

444
Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:57:02am

re: #417 HappyWarrior

What too many libertarians and conservatives don’t get is that local/state government and or business can abuse power just as much as the feds. Likewise, a lot of far lefties don’t see the federal government’s capacity for that too.

I was a teenager in the 60’s and remember how local control/state control/state’s rights were used to suppress African Americans at every point in their life. States also had no problems with gender discrimination. As a result, I was never a libertarian. Libertarianism belongs in a primitive society where there is no real contact between anyone outside of small family groups.

445
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:57:08am
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446
PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 10:58:48am

re: #445 Backwoods_Sleuth

That would be good to see what evidence there is, if any.

447
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:02:52am

“We demand an investigation into whether or not Obama abused the powers of his office!”
“Can’t you do that yourselves? The relevant agencies fall under your purview, how do you not have access to any evidence they obtained?”
“WE DEMAND AN INVESTIGATION!!!”
“*sigh* Alright, we’ll get right on it.”

448
Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:05:20am

re: #445 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

I agree — the FBI’s politically motivated investigation into Clinton should definitely be investigated. Also, the Congressional politically motivated investigation into Benghazi and emails should be investigated.

449
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:05:21am

re: #437 jaunte

(((Anna))) @TallyAnnaE
First import of Russian steel arrives at new Paulsboro port s.nj.com #MAGA
1:50 PM - 5 Mar 2017

I’m sure there will be images of an angry President Trump out there at the docks with law enforcement making sure that steel is put back on that ship and sent back to Russia right now!

It would be a great photo op for him to prove his whole trade policy and his protection for American workers like the steel workers in Lorain Ohio.

Oh shoot. Now I see the article is already a few days old. And no images, no 10 minute segment on Fox.

Never mind.

Right Trump voters for jobs…never mind you voted for him and will probably never admit it once it is clear to you regarding the con.

450
Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:05:27am

re: #434 Jay C

Well, I was going to respond “nothing” at first, but then realized that the right answer is probably that the hard core of Trump’s voter “base” realize full well that ” he is a mentally imbalanced and dangerous person” and just don’t fucking care. Or see it as a feature, not a bug….

But we’re supposed to reach out to these poor anxious souls.

451
Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:07:10am

re: #450 Timothy Watson

But we’re supposed to reach out to these poor anxious souls.

But there really are some supporters who are desperate because their jobs and communities have been destroyed by globalization and technology. Those people can be reached.

452
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:09:39am

re: #449 ObserverArt

Right Trump voters for jobs…never mind you voted for him and will probably never admit it once it is clear to you regarding the con.

I’d not be surprised to find that upon tests that steel is substandard. That’s what cronies do. They get so greedy people get hurt or worse.

453
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:10:13am

re: #451 Hecuba’s daughter

But there really are some supporters who are desperate because their jobs and communities have been destroyed by globalization and technology. Those people can be reached.

How? No offense, but many of those people have lost grip with reality. They’re convinced that the old factories will be opened up, the lights flipped on, and business returned to what it once was. But that’s not going to happen, those jobs are gone and they’re not coming back. If they can’t deal with that reality, then effort spent trying to reach them is wasted.

454
FormerDirtDart  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:11:08am

Facebook Video

455
Colère Tueur de Lapin  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:11:36am

re: #416 Backwoods_Sleuth

After that woman went to sleep, she was efficiently murdered.

456
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:11:56am

Marco Rubio is a babbling waste of space.

457
Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:14:04am
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458
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:15:04am

re: #456 jaunte

Marco Rubio is a babbling waste of space.

Did you see him on Meat The Chuck? Or, is he appearing on all the channels today?

I saw him on Chuck. I’m surprised they can fit him in a suit he’s so damn empty.

459
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:15:53am

re: #458 ObserverArt

On Meet the Chuck. It’s repeating in the next room.

460
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:16:04am

re: #456 jaunte

re: #458 ObserverArt

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jeffreyw  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:16:40am

Imgur

Imgur
Sunday Lunch

462
FormerDirtDart  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:16:40am
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jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:17:31am

re: #460 Backwoods_Sleuth

Profiteer off the presidency while his cabal wrecks the administrative state built over the last seventy years?

464
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:18:41am

re: #460 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

That was stunning. He blew that off like: “No big deal, who cares what he does. I am sure not going to get in the way, you saw what he did to me in the primaries.”

Florida man.

465
Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:24:00am

re: #453 Targetpractice

How? No offense, but many of those people have lost grip with reality. They’re convinced that the old factories will be opened up, the lights flipped on, and business returned to what it once was. But that’s not going to happen, those jobs are gone and they’re not coming back. If they can’t deal with that reality, then effort spent trying to reach them is wasted.

I think you are being unfair, The non-deplorables are not well educated, live in communities with local papers that are right-wing, and really want someone who seems to care about them. As I’ve said before, Trump speeches reached out to them and promised them the impossible; if you listened to those sections, you would understand his appeal. The Democrats need to talk to them too — not lie or mislead like Trump — but hear their pain and promise to work with them to find alternatives.

466
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:24:01am
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467
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:24:47am

re: #462 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

Basically the White House is doing what wingnuts constantly do: Make a baseless claim, then when asked for evidence points them to the articles about said baseless claim as if the evidence is there somewhere.

468
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:25:48am
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469
Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:29:56am

re: #468 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

But, but, Donna Brazile and rigged primaries!1!!!

(Is there an easy way to do an alternating dudebro and wingnut coloring thing?)

470
KingKenrod  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:30:46am

I don’t know why Brazile is playing his game, he’s trying to change the subject. He’s been whining about the DNC/FBI server thing for months, nothing new.

471
Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:31:16am

re: #463 jaunte

Profiteer off the presidency while his cabal wrecks the administrative state built over the last seventy years?

Except for the Russian connection, I am not sure that President Bannon’s appointments differ from those of any Republican who would have been elected. Every Republican candidate (except maybe Pataki) would have as their goal dismantling almost every agency and pursue business friendly objectives. Foreign policy would have been handled differently and TPP would have remained in effect — but the EPA, Department of Interior, Department of Education, etc would have been targeted.

472
thedopefishlives  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:31:17am

re: #469 Timothy Watson

But, but, Donna Brazile and rigged primaries!1!!!

(Is there an easy way to do an alternating dudebro and wingnut coloring thing?)

You’ve just got to do it by hand, sorry. Quality takes effort.

473
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:32:34am
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474
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:34:29am
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475
PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:34:35am

re: #473 jaunte

These people are going off the deep end.

476
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:35:27am

re: #465 Hecuba’s daughter

I think you are being unfair, The non-deplorables are not well educated, live in communities with local papers that are right-wing, and really want someone who seems to care about them. As I’ve said before, Trump speeches reached out to them and promised them the impossible; if you listened to those sections, you would understand his appeal. The Democrats need to talk to them too — not lie or mislead like Trump — but hear their pain and promise to work with them to find alternatives.

But you just identified why these people will never listen: They’re living in their own little cocoons and don’t want to leave. The Democrats made appeals all last year to these people, but the appeals weren’t what they wanted to hear. They didn’t want to hear that the jobs were gone, they’re not coming back, and it’s time to start working on a new future. They want to hear that the local factory’s gonna come back to life, all those jobs that were lost are gonna be back one day, and life will return to what it once was. They don’t want retraining programs, they don’t want investment in new technologies, and they sure as hell don’t want that factory torn down to make way for one that builds something like solar panels or electric cars. They’re clinging desperately to all those empty promises of the past and you’re not doing them any favors by saying they have a good reason for doing so.

477
William Lewis  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:36:25am

Well, one thing or another…

Killed my laptop this morning with a cup of decaf coffee. 6 years old and the bottom of the market but until I rig something else, I’m stuck to my phone.

I wouldn’t mind so much if I’d been drunk or doing anything foolish but just checking email before going to bed exhausted really sucks.

478
PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:36:40am

re: #474 Backwoods_Sleuth

The LA Times wants to get its press credentials for the next gathering.

479
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:37:36am
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480
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:37:58am
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481
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:38:38am

re: #477 William Lewis

Oh crap!

482
PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:38:41am

re: #477 William Lewis

Do not feel bad I killed my first MacBook Pro with CocaCola.

483
bratwurst  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:38:45am
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484
DuckDharma  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:39:34am

re: #462 FormerDirtDart

So the anti-anonymous sources WH is citing anonymous sources from Mensch’s report as Trump’s defense.

485
thedopefishlives  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:40:48am

re: #477 William Lewis

Well, one thing or another…

Killed my laptop this morning with a cup of decaf coffee. 6 years old and the bottom of the market but until I rig something else, I’m stuck to my phone.

I wouldn’t mind so much if I’d been drunk or doing anything foolish but just checking email before going to bed exhausted really sucks.

My daughter intentionally murdered my wife’s tower with a can of Sprite, because she got angry that my wife told her “no” on something. This was a while ago, and I have since rebuilt it, but you can imagine the aftermath of that.

486
ObserverArt  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:42:15am

re: #477 William Lewis

Well, one thing or another…

Killed my laptop this morning with a cup of decaf coffee. 6 years old and the bottom of the market but until I rig something else, I’m stuck to my phone.

I wouldn’t mind so much if I’d been drunk or doing anything foolish but just checking email before going to bed exhausted really sucks.

It’s always something.

And then it is something else.

Look on the __________ side, Trump is going to make America Great Again. That new Russian computer will be coming soon. We just got a load of steel.

487
Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:42:52am
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488
Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:43:45am

re: #476 Targetpractice

But you just identified why these people will never listen: They’re living in their own little cocoons and don’t want to leave. The Democrats made appeals all last year to these people, but the appeals weren’t what they wanted to hear.
…..
They’re clinging desperately to all those empty promises of the past and you’re not doing them any favors by saying they have a good reason for doing so.

I think someone who would have promised to go after pharmaceutical firms for causing the opioid epidemic and Wall Street for the housing crash might have gotten a good reception.

489
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:45:01am

re: #487 Belafon

[Embedded content]

It truly is childish behavior.

“Bobby, what’s this I hear about you sneaking out late last night?”
“Why are you getting so made at me when Suzie’s the one who stole money from your wallet!”
“How do you know Suzie stole money from my wallet?”
“I don’t know that she actually did it, but I’m sure she did and you need to talk to her about that!”

490
jaunte  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:47:36am
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491
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:47:53am

re: #488 Hecuba’s daughter

I think someone who would have promised to go after pharmaceutical firms for causing the opioid epidemic and Wall Street for the housing crash might have gotten a good reception.

Replace one grudge with another? That’s not progressive, that’s regressive as hell. How is the epidemic addressed by going after drug makers? Or going after Wall St going to create new jobs?

492
Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:48:21am

re: #488 Hecuba’s daughter

I think someone who would have promised to go after pharmaceutical firms for causing the opioid epidemic and Wall Street for the housing crash might have gotten a good reception.

You mean the people like the woman in Kentucky whose job was to get people on the ACA, who knew Trump was going to take it apart, but hoped he wouldn’t, because “those others” were getting stuff that the people in her part of Kentucky weren’t?

No, no amount of explaining was going to overcome the rationale of those who hate people they know nothing about.

493
FormerDirtDart  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:49:21am
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I am drawn back to the write up @ LAWFARE I linked yesterday:
What Happens When We Don’t Believe the President’s Oath?

“…the President is less of a liar than a bullshitter, in the sense described by the philosopher Harry Frankfurt. A bullshitter in this technical sense is a person who does not aim to obscure the truth so much as operates without any relationship to truth whatsoever. The liar, Frankfurt says, must have some knowledge of the facts at hand, in order to conceal them. But to the bullshitter, facts are nothing more than an irrelevance.

In Frankfurt’s argument, this is what makes bullshit dangerous: the liar makes the key concession that “there are indeed facts that are in some way determinable or knowable.” Bullshit, on the other hand, glibly rejects the value and even existence of knowable facts.

Trump’s bullshit raised questions of its own when he was in the running for the presidency. But now that he has sworn the oath of office, we are forced to confront what it means for a bullshitter to have promised to faithfully execute the office of President and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the country’s larger legal system. Bullshit, after all, is kind of the opposite of law, which is an organized system of meaning….”

494
William Lewis  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:50:23am

re: #481 Unshaken Defiance

Oh crap!

I’ve been concerned about the boot disk of late, so almost everything is on my external drives so it is just a matter of getting an Ubuntu install up and running but it’s still a pain. I wonder if that old Pentium 4 Dell in the closet is up to it…

495
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:51:00am

re: #493 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

I am drawn back to the write up @ LAWFARE I linked yesterday:
What Happens When We Don’t Believe the President’s Oath?

And yet we’ve got the head of the House Intel Committee, the one who’s on record saying that he views investigations into Russian ties to the Trump campaign as “McCarthyism,” saying he’ll have his committee investigate Trump’s accusations.

496
Unshaken Defiance  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:53:38am

re: #480 jaunte

re: #493 FormerDirtDart

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497
Belafon  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:54:15am
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498
PhillyPretzel  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:56:01am

Well I am off to get signatures for my petitions. bbl.

499
Hecuba's daughter  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:58:24am

re: #491 Targetpractice

Replace one grudge with another? That’s not progressive, that’s regressive as hell. How is the epidemic addressed by going after drug makers? Or going after Wall St going to create new jobs?

You do what works. There is no conflict between being progressive and attacking organizations that are regressive.

A friend whose husband is a physician has been railing against drug firms for years because of what they did to start and continue the opioid epidemic for profits.

500
Blind Frog Belly White  Mar 5, 2017 • 11:59:08am

re: #474 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Notice how the goalposts just moved. Trump says Obama ordered it. Obama says he didn’t order it. Stone says, “He didn’t deny it happened, he denied he ordered it!” as if that’s vindication.

501
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:00:20pm
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502
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:01:01pm

re: #499 Hecuba’s daughter

You do what works. There is no conflict between being progressive and attacking organizations that are regressive.

A friend whose husband is a physician has been railing against drug firms for years because of what they did to start and continue the opioid epidemic for profits.

Now you’re getting confused. You started by telling me a sob story about how these people signed on with Trump because he promised them jobs. Now you’re saying the way to get their votes is to con them into joining your own personal crusade against the drug companies.

503
Nyet  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:02:12pm

An alt-right neofascist interviewing two neofascist Jewish allies. Sadomasochism.

radixjournal.com

504
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:04:08pm
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505
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:05:27pm

re: #504 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

The man’s unhinged, it’s time that D.C. acknowledged that and begins planning accordingly.

506
allegro  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:08:02pm

re: #500 Blind Frog Belly White

Notice how the goalposts just moved. Trump says Obama ordered it. Obama says he didn’t order it. Stone says, “He didn’t deny it happened, he denied he ordered it!” as if that’s vindication.

Which leaves the only remaining option: it was ordered legally based on probable cause. Let the investigations commence.

507
Backwoods_Sleuth  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:09:19pm

re: #504 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

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thedopefishlives  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:10:42pm

re: #506 allegro

Which leaves the only remaining option: it was ordered legally based on probable cause. Let the investigations commence.

Assuming that this is actually a thing - that it did actually happen - that’s the balance of probability. Which will make things very interesting.

509
Targetpractice  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:12:07pm

re: #507 Backwoods_Sleuth

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I’m beginning to wonder if Trump’s whole freakout is not because he’s afraid of a criminal investigation, but rather that he sees this as yet another attack on the validity of his election. It would not surprise me that, in his empty little head, this story is further proof to him that the White House tried to rig the election against him.

510
Timothy Watson  Mar 5, 2017 • 12:23:46pm

re: #482 PhillyPretzel

Do not feel bad I killed my first MacBook Pro with CocaCola.

I had to replace two keyboards on my old HP laptop.

Damn zero insertion force cables, hated those fucking things.


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