We Take a Short Trip Down the QAnon Rabbit Hole

WTF • Views: 48,817

YouTube

Will Sommer makes a really good effort at reporting on a really bad thing — the ever-expanding right wing kitchen-sink conspiracy theory known to its zombie-eyed acolytes as “QAnon:” What Is QAnon? The Craziest Theory of the Trump Era, Explained.

It’s the One Conspiracy Theory To Rule Them All. Pizzagate, Hillary, murder plots, internment camps, prison or execution for everyone they hate, secret deep state Illuminati shit galore, and plenty of antisemitism and racism, of course.

If you check out the #QAnon hashtag on Twitter, you’ll discover an active, buzzing hive of chemically pure right wing lunacy. And let’s not even get into what’s happening on 8chan.

I’ve been sort of following this one from a distance for a while, but it’s kind of shocking how much it’s caught on with the Trumpists, because they’re on top right now. They don’t really need this.

QAnon is unusual, according to University of Miami professor Joseph Uscinski, because it offers Republicans an alternate view of the world when they already control nearly the entire government. Usually, “conspiracy theories are for losers,” Uscinski said,

“Normally you don’t expect the winning party to use them, except when they’re in trouble,” Uscinski said.

If you really want to dive down the rabbit hole, here’s a pro-QAnon video that, well, explains things. LGF is not responsible for any damaged synapses caused by viewing this video.

YouTube

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747 comments
1
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:46:09pm

Uh, no.

2
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:46:32pm
Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one’s first feeling, ‘Thank God, even they aren’t quite so bad as that,’ or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything — God and our friends and ourselves included — as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred,

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

3
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:48:15pm

I value what’s left of my sanity to read about this. Started the video. Wish me luck.

4
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:49:57pm

When people started advancing every sort of unfounded theory about Obama being a Muslim or a Kenyan or gay or whatever, the GOP did nothing to discourage them or distance themselves for fear of alienating their base.

This led to an attention-grabbing race to the bottom: no theory, no matter how unfounded (Jade Helm as prelude to a government takeover, pedophile rings in a cellar of a pizza parlor with no basement, etc.) as long as it was attacking the “enemy”.

And we have not even begun to hit bottom.

5
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:51:50pm

re: #4 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

This is like the wingnut singularity thing:

the bottom is when it stops being funny because they start following through with the premise that there is a secret, total depravity inside society that needs to be stripped out.

6
Eclectic Cyborg  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:51:58pm

re: #4 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

The last part of what you said is what scares me. We’re nowhere near the bottom of the rabbit hole.

7
jaunte  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:53:00pm
Usually, “conspiracy theories are for losers,” Uscinski said,

“Normally you don’t expect the winning party to use them, except when they’re in trouble.”

We’re all in trouble.

8
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:53:24pm

re: #6 Eclectic Cyborg

How many viewers does Alex Jones have? Millions, isn’t it? That just scares the crap out of me.

9
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:54:40pm
“QAnon is unusual, according to University of Miami professor Joseph Uscinski, because it offers Republicans an alternate view of the world when they already control nearly the entire government. Usually, “conspiracy theories are for losers,” Uscinski said,”

The thing is, the Trumpist, revanchist Right NEEDS to feel like the downtrodden. They gain strength and unity from the belief that they are in an existential fight in which losing means utter destruction.

10
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:58:26pm
11
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:58:39pm

re: #9 Blind Frog Belly White

The thing is, the Trumpist, revanchist Right NEEDS to feel like the downtrodden. They gain strength and unity from the belief that they are in an existential fight in which losing means utter destruction.

Either that or they know that this win was a fluke, and they really are headed for the trash heap of history.

12
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 9, 2018 • 2:59:36pm

re: #3 I Would Prefer Not To

I value what’s left of my sanity to read about this. Started the video. Wish me luck.

Not Jack Nicholson. What did he do?

13
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:00:28pm
14
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:01:13pm

re: #11 A hollow voice says, Covfefe.

Either that or they know that this win was a fluke, and they really are headed for the trash heap of history.

Not mutually exclusive.

15
Eclectic Cyborg  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:01:24pm

re: #13 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Hahahahahaha.

Don’t let the door hit you…

16
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:01:31pm

All I can say about the video is this. WTF.

Really WTF.

follow up question. Is talking babies away from their parents good or evil in the Q universe?

17
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:01:45pm

re: #9 Blind Frog Belly White

The thing is, the Trumpist, revanchist Right NEEDS to feel like the downtrodden. They gain strength and unity from the belief that they are in an existential fight in which losing means utter destruction.

The only party that can control the presidency and both houses while still blaming their “deadlock” on the Democrats.

18
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:03:05pm

re: #17 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

The only party that can control the presidency and both houses while still blaming their “deadlock” on the Democrats.

People who enjoy white privilege while complaining that they’re the most discriminated against.

19
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:03:29pm

re: #11 A hollow voice says, Covfefe.

Either that or they know that this win was a fluke, and they really are headed for the trash heap of history.

It was, and they know that demographics are working against them. Voter suppression worked well this time, but people are already getting active about countering it. Apathy and indifference are the most effective forms of voter suppression, but Trump is motivating the Left as much as he motivated their base in 2016.

20
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:04:01pm

re: #16 I Would Prefer Not To

All I can say about the video is this. WTF.

Really WTF.

follow up question. Is talking babies away from their parents good or evil in the Q universe?

Good. Because of deterrence.

21
Colère Tueur de Lapin  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:05:11pm

What. The. Ever. Loving. Fuck. Was. That?
NSA was started in 1952. My father was there in 1950 when the progenitor organization was collecting mathematicians. Pretty sure that predates all the rest of the that other stuff that … and… time to reset major brain function.

I can’t disentangle all the convolutions of that derp-fest.

22
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:06:49pm

I’m pretty sure Australia doesn’t need a foreigner to come in and debate their laws with them.

23
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:08:12pm

“What if a criminal became President?”

We are living the answer to that question.

24
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:08:30pm
25
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:08:40pm

I’m not gonna click. I dipped my toes in that muck far enough reading some comments on a Tweet the other day. There are people out there who JUST KNOW that there are 40,000 sealed indictments, just waiting to be unsealed so that Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and 39,997 other Democrats can be arrested and carted off to Gitmo.

These people are dumb enough to believe this shit, and bad enough to think this would be a good thing.

“Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.” - Dean Vernon Wormer.

26
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:09:49pm

re: #22 Anymouse 🌹

wait. an advocate for strong borders gets all whiny when some countries won’t let HER in past their borders?

Because they do not believe in her concept of “Freedom”, the Freedom to do whatever you want if you are white.

27
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:10:25pm

re: #22 Anymouse 🌹

[Embedded content]

I’m pretty sure Australia doesn’t need a foreigner to come in and debate their laws with them.

Thank you for your opinion, random name followed by 8 random digits. No way THAT could be a bot.
//////////////////

28
Rocky-in-Connecticut  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:10:58pm

I know firsthand about this QAnon sense sh*tpile nest of theories for awhile now. My own brother, yet another “Mr Personal Responsibility” …” Independent Libertarian ” (aka hard-right wing voting Republican) has fallen down this rabbit hole since the beginning and has been posting his fellowship with these nutjobs as such. My situation is like a lot of other white people in this day- split apart from their families by polarized politics and racist views. We are in the midst of a new civil war. This one is not being fought on the battlefields with muskets and bayonets . It is being fought online and in business board rooms, restaurants, and big box stores. It is being fought on broadcast cable and streams. It is tearing apart the fabric of a lot of families in similar fashion to that during the 1860’s and 1960’s.

Another consistent right wing thing about my own brother… Mr. “Personal Responsibility” had to borrow $$$ thousands from me a few years ago for a self-caused financial crisis and has yet to even mention paying me back. The right wing seems to specialize in personal gain and stiffing the other guy whenever possible.

29
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:12:29pm

re: #24 freetoken

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA,
*gasp*
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!
*cough, cough*

30
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:16:47pm

re: #28 Rocky-in-Connecticut

I’m sorry to hear about your brother. My family has always been liberal so I haven’t had to put up with any of that except from my brother-in-law (who insists on “both-siderism” and none of what we’re seeing is a prelude to authoritarianism).

I mentioned CBP’s new “naturalisation review board” and pointed out both his wife and step-daughter might be in danger from that.

31
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:17:00pm

Sure they will.

32
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:17:26pm

re: #28 Rocky-in-Connecticut

(cut)

Another consistent right wing thing about my own brother… Mr. “Personal Responsibility” had to borrow $$$ thousands from me a few years ago for a self-caused financial crisis and has yet to even mention paying me back. The right wing seems to specialize in personal gain and stiffing the other guy whenever possible.

Perhaps you should start mentioning it.

33
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:18:06pm

re: #30 Anymouse 🌹

I’m sorry to hear about your brother. My family has always been liberal so I haven’t had to put up with any of that except from my brother-in-law (who insists on “both-siderism” and none of what we’re seeing is a prelude to authoritarianism).

I mentioned CBP’s new “naturalisation review board” and pointed out both his wife and step-daughter might be in danger from that.

My brother is very Republican, but not batshit-crazy CT Republican.

34
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:21:28pm

re: #28 Rocky-in-Connecticut

I know firsthand about this QAnon sense sh*tpile nest of theories for awhile now. My own brother, yet another “Mr Personal Responsibility” …” Independent Libertarian ” (aka hard-right wing voting Republican) has fallen down this rabbit hole since the beginning and has been posting his fellowship with these nutjobs as such. My situation is like a lot of other white people in this day- split apart from their families by polarized politics and racist views. We are in the midst of a new civil war. This one is not being fought on the battlefields with muskets and bayonets . It is being fought online and in business board rooms, restaurants, and big box stores. It is being fought on broadcast cable and streams. It is tearing apart the fabric of a lot of families in similar fashion to that during the 1860’s and 1960’s.

Another consistent right wing thing about my own brother… Mr. “Personal Responsibility” had to borrow $$$ thousands from me a few years ago for a self-caused financial crisis and has yet to even mention paying me back. The right wing seems to specialize in personal gain and stiffing the other guy whenever possible.

You aren’t alone. I have idiot relatives who lap up every post by Q…

35
unproven innocence  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:22:57pm

Putin is obviously behind this Qrap. 1st vid at 10:07 —Q.E.D.

36
Colère Tueur de Lapin  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:24:01pm

re: #30 Anymouse 🌹

I’m sorry to hear about your brother. My family has always been liberal so I haven’t had to put up with any of that except from my brother-in-law (who insists on “both-siderism” and none of what we’re seeing is a prelude to authoritarianism

Isn’t that BiL through your wife’s family, though? Which really means it’s not your fault her family picked a nutbar. :o

37
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:24:37pm

Well, I waited all day for my epilepsy medication, and it didn’t arrive. My trip starts tomorrow. Wonderful. No one at the VA in Sidney picked up all day, and UPS says they have no record of the meds being shipped.

So I’m left with maybe running out if I am slightly delayed on my trip, or being out thousands of dollars if I delay the trip to complain to the VA about this.

38
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:27:39pm

Well, that was…interesting!

Batshit insanity, but interesting. How many true believers in this “Jewish Banker’s and their Fellow Travelers” conspiracy are there? This is just old whacko nutjob spewing dressed up in new fancy clothes for the Internet age.

39
jaunte  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:29:41pm
40
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:31:48pm

re: #39 jaunte

[Embedded content]

From what I can tell, the historians are assembling all by themselves.

41
Patricia Kayden  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:35:34pm

re: #4 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

“When people started advancing every sort of unfounded theory about Obama being a Muslim or a Kenyan or gay or whatever, the GOP did nothing to discourage them or distance themselves for fear of alienating their base.”

Remember when Boehner was directly asked about addressing claims made by Congressional Republicans which questioned Obama’s citizenship and claimed that it wasn’t his job to tell House Republicans what to believe? Cowardice to the max. And now he has the nerve to criticize the GOP as being Trump’s Party. His cowardice is partly responsible for the situation in which the GOP currently finds itself.

42
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:38:00pm

re: #39 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Nah, Dinesh, you got yourself attacked.

43
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:38:11pm
44
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:39:48pm

re: #43 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

[Embedded content]

Hmmm if I had to say, Kavanagh.

45
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:39:48pm

re: #43 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Why does CBS consider that to be “breaking news” when Trump has been promoing the shit out of it for days? Fox envy?

46
Sufficient unto the day...  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:40:40pm

re: #40 Blind Frog Belly White

Live shot of historians

Voltron Lion Combine

47
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:40:48pm
48
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:41:58pm

re: #41 Patricia Kayden

Remember when Boehner was directly asked about addressing claims made by Congressional Republicans which questioned Obama’s citizenship and claimed that it wasn’t his job to tell House Republicans what to believe? Cowardice to the max.

It was his job to lead a responsible party that does not need to embrace unfounded theories and to distance the party from them. He failed at it and now they are stuck with an addled mess of a party where belief in far-fetched CTs is a necessity in order to get elected.

Again, Obama could have been advanced by conservatives as proof that the American Dream works; that anyone from any ethnicity or social background can work hard and attain the highest office in the land - without the need for any government assistance.

But that would have involved acknowledging, however grudgingly, Obama’s accomplishments and they just could not bring themselves to do that for some reason…so they invented one theory after another about why he should not have been elected in the first place.

49
gocart mozart  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:42:20pm
50
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:42:37pm
51
Jack Burton  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:43:30pm

re: #22 Anymouse 🌹

I’m sure Australia thanks @Russian_bot326326952705 for their opinion.

52
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:43:35pm

re: #42 HappyWarrior

Nah, Dinesh, you got yourself attacked.

The only answer to ever give him: Convicted felon says what?

53
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:44:26pm
54
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:44:40pm

Was watching a little of Ari’s show tonight on MSNBC. He made mention that Susan Collins is not going to be at Trump’s Apprentice Supreme Court Judge reality show tonight.

Then they tried to discuss if that means she will not vote for Trump’s pick or is it a show for her home state folks that she is strong and doesn’t want to show her hand by hinting she is going to okay his nomination by being present.

I’m thinking it is all a show. She’ll go along with party because if she doesn’t she will be attacked by the Trump gang and Mitch will ignore her in the senate.

55
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:45:57pm

re: #49 gocart mozart

That’s one advantage of no Internet service around my town: No one here has heard of Qaderp.

56
Unshaken Defiance  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:49:03pm

This mainstreaming of truly fringe garbage is very dangerous. I think it’s as dangerous a moment as anytime in my five decades alive.

57
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:51:49pm

re: #56 Unshaken Defiance

This mainstreaming of truly fringe garbage is very dangerous. I think it’s as dangerous a moment as anytime in my five decades alive.

And, it’s all happening on a flat earth.

Yeah, a large group of our fellow humans have lost their minds.

58
sagehen  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:52:04pm

re: #54 ObserverArt

Was watching a little of Ari’s show tonight on MSNBC. He made mention that Susan Collins is not going to be at Trump’s Apprentice Supreme Court Judge reality show tonight.

Then they tried to discuss if that means she will not vote for Trump’s pick or is it a show for her home state folks that she is strong and doesn’t want to show her hand by hinting she is going to okay his nomination by being present.

I’m thinking it is all a show. She’ll go along with party because if she doesn’t she will be attacked by the Trump gang and Mitch will ignore her in the senate.

then again… when she voted against one of his healthcare fiascos, and was greeted with standing ovation at the airport, maybe that kind of positive reinforcement will pay dividends.

59
Patricia Kayden  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:52:48pm

re: #13 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

And the countries which are banning her are of her own kith and kin, so to speak. LOL. That must really sting.

60
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:53:31pm

The mayor of Auckland banned Laura Southern and Stephan Molyneaux from speaking at any city council sponsored events. As a result, they have cancelled the New Zealand portion of their “social justice” tour.

nzherald.co.nz

61
Bubblehead II  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:56:11pm

Watched the vid. A real slick piece of propaganda. Wonder how much Putin paid for it.

62
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:56:27pm

re: #61 Bubblehead II

No.

63
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 3:58:13pm
64
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:00:26pm
65
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:00:51pm

re: #58 sagehen

then again… when she voted against one of his healthcare fiascos, and was greeted with standing ovation at the airport, maybe that kind of positive reinforcement will pay dividends.

Could be.

But the problem is that was one clear issue she could take a stand against with one vote.

The Supreme Court nominee will be sold as fair and willing to accept established law. Since a Supreme Court judge rules on all manner of things that a conservative like Collins probably is fine with that places less emphasis on women’s health.

That will make it very difficult as a Republican and she can hide behind a promise that was made (no Roe v. Wade decisions). She fell for Mitch promises before, and then he just ignored her. She may fall for another promise again.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pack the court which is every Republican’s dream.

Susan Collins is a Republican.

66
Colère Tueur de Lapin  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:00:58pm

re: #63 wrenchwench

Didn’t want to upding ‘cause he shouldn’t be out, but funny.

67
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:02:41pm
Finally, she [Rosanne Barr] reiterated that she wants to call [Valerie] Jarrett to apologise, but she doesn’t yet have “the right words” - and that she’s “still praying for the right words.”

“The right words, to me, don’t really exist in the lexicon,” she added.

Yes they do, Rosanne.

“I said a racist thing to you, because I’m a racist. I’m sorry, and I will do better.”

nzherald.co.nz

68
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:04:36pm

re: #65 ObserverArt

Could be.

But the problem is that was one clear issue she could take a stand against with one vote.

The Supreme Court nominee will be sold as fair and willing to accept established law. Since a Supreme Court judge rules on all manner of things that a conservative like Collins probably is fine with that places less emphasis on women’s health.

That will make it very difficult as a Republican and she can hide behind a promise that was made (no Roe v. Wade decisions). She fell for Mitch promises before, and then he just ignored her. She may fall for another promise again.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pack the court which is every Republican’s dream.

Susan Collins is a Republican.

She didn’t “fall” for McConnell’s promises. She is a conservative first. She engaged in “kayfabe” with McConnell.

69
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:08:25pm

re: #64 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

And the store already has apologised for their employee throwing the guy out of their store (after he already made his purchase, so it isn’t even like he was denied service).

70
mmmirele  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:08:56pm

I wanted it to rain because we’ve had next to no rain in months, but I’d prefer not to have hail. But beggars cannot be choosers.

71
DodgerFan1988  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:11:59pm

Trump cult followers are such wonderful human beings.

72
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:12:28pm

re: #70 mmmirele

I wanted it to rain because we’ve had next to no rain in months, but I’d prefer not to have hail. But beggars cannot be choosers.

I have to hear the ‘ice-olated showers’ joke every time it hails. That’s enough reason to be a choosy beggar.

73
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:16:14pm

Hurricane Beryl has been downgraded to a tropical remnant as it approaches the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, but the NHC says there is some chance it could restrengthen into a tropical storm when it enters the Atlantic.

Chris is expected to become a hurricane tonight.

74
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:16:20pm

A small piece of good news in my family. My daughter who graduated in May started a six month (paid) internship in DC. She’s at the Alliance for Healthcare Policy.

The Alliance for Health Policy is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping policymakers and the public better understand health policy, the root of the nation’s health care issues, and the trade-offs posed by various proposals for change. We believe a better health care system begins with a balanced exchange of evidence, experience, and multiple perspectives. Regardless of their demographic, our audience recognizes the Alliance’s reputation as a well-respected source for unbiased health policy information.

Their office is two blocks from the White House. I asked her flip off trump on the way to work, but she can’t because she’s “nonpartisan”

75
Romantic Heretic  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:17:14pm

re: #26 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Because they do not believe in her concept of “Freedom”, the Freedom Power to do whatever you want if you are white.

What the wingnuts are actually about. Power.

76
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:17:19pm

re: #71 DodgerFan1988

[Embedded content]

Trump cult followers are such wonderful human beings.

I could smell the 12 beers on that guy’s breath through the speakers.

I can just imagine how much of this shit is going on all over America. We are only see a small amount of a large problem.

77
Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:19:35pm

Conspiracy theories abound in the rest of the developed world but they are typically much farther from the mainstream than in this country.
It’s just possible that the difference lies in the huge financial incentive provided by “alternative” (ie quack) health care here in the States. Conspiracy theories are essential to the snake oil peddlers.
Thanks to “crank magnetism” almost any kind is CT is helpful to the quacks. It is no accident that practically every conspiracy huckster also has a side-line peddling such products.
In turn, the demand for alternatives is at least partially driven by desperation related to the ruinous costs and haphazard availability associated with our system.

78
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:21:12pm

re: #76 ObserverArt

I could smell the 12 beers on that guy’s breath through the speakers.

I can just imagine how much of this shit is going on all over America. We are only see a small amount of a large problem.

Well the difference (at least to me) is now we have ubiquitous camera phones which record everything going on, then get uploaded immediately to the Internet.

I imagine it has always been going on, but not reported on because there was no evidence. There is a lot of crap on the Internet, but this is one of the good things it is for - pounding racists and bigots back into their holes with public shaming.

This is similar to the Emmet Till murder, where lots of people refused to believe the violence against minorities and liberal supporters in Dixie. When his photograph was published, the nation was outraged about it.

79
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:22:30pm

re: #77 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

I gotta say, though, my favorite side-hustle these days has to be the Apocalypse Bucket O’ Food that hucksters like Jim Bakker hawk.

80
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:23:24pm

re: #54 ObserverArt

Was watching a little of Ari’s show tonight on MSNBC. He made mention that Susan Collins is not going to be at Trump’s Apprentice Supreme Court Judge reality show tonight.

Then they tried to discuss if that means she will not vote for Trump’s pick or is it a show for her home state folks that she is strong and doesn’t want to show her hand by hinting she is going to okay his nomination by being present.

I’m thinking it is all a show. She’ll go along with party because if she doesn’t she will be attacked by the Trump gang and Mitch will ignore her in the senate.

Of course she will. After a little dog and pony discussion about not doing so.

Sane shit, different issue.

81
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:24:11pm

re: #56 Unshaken Defiance

This mainstreaming of truly fringe garbage is very dangerous. I think it’s as dangerous a moment as anytime in my five decades alive.

The production values in the clip are very good. Tight editing (Just take a look at how the Kennedy assassination film was used. Perfectly done, for maximum effect.), a very interesting mix of images and clips meant to please (families, people of all stripes getting along) and enrage (war, fat cats, criminals), and that smarmy, sincere, and oddly soothing voiceover. Great graphics.

That isn’t an InfoWars production. A lot of money went into it. It’s a very professional job. Which makes me think that’s Russian Propaganda. The video was probably put together in St. Petersburg, and the audio portion, perhaps with a supplied script, smoothed for American audiences here in the States may have been done here. Or not. Maybe it was entirely done in Russia.

In any case, a really slick and professional piece of Derp.

82
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:26:11pm

You know all those old cheesy sci-fi movies, with spacecraft in outer-space, and how the sound-track would be filled with strange oscillating noises out there somewhere?

Well, they were right:

Sounds of Saturn: Hear Radio Emissions of the Planet and Its Moon Enceladus

83
Romantic Heretic  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:26:40pm

re: #57 ObserverArt

And, it’s all happening on a flat earth.

Yeah, a large group of our fellow humans have lost their minds.

I’m not sure many of them ever developed minds. That requires education, curiosity and mental flexibility.

Most of these poor souls had such traits beaten or prayed out of them by the age of five. All that’s left is a swirling derp storm between their ears.

84
Romantic Heretic  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:29:23pm

re: #64 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Poor, poor snowflake.

85
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:29:23pm

re: #82 freetoken

You know all those old cheesy sci-fi movies, with spacecraft in outer-space, and how the sound-track would be filled with strange oscillating noises out there somewhere?

Well, they were right:

[Embedded content]

They designed the instruments to pick up what they thought they would hear.

/

86
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:32:19pm

re: #57 ObserverArt

And, it’s all happening on a flat earth.

Yeah, a large group of our fellow humans have lost their minds.

They’re not insane.

They’re having fun. That’s what’s driving all this, all the conspiracy and all the revanchism: it is enjoyable to hate and it is enjoyable to feel completely vindicated, a hero, fighting ultimate evil.

87
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:33:37pm

re: #83 Romantic Heretic

I’m not sure many of them ever developed minds. That requires education, curiosity and mental flexibility.

Most of these poor souls had such traits beaten or prayed out of them by the age of five. All that’s left is a swirling derp storm between their ears.

I don’t know, seems to me that it takes a tremendous amount of mental flexibility to truly believe that the Earth is flat after having seen thousands and thousands of pictures that show that half of the Earth doesn’t exist unless it is, in fact, a sphere.

88
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:33:56pm

re: #78 Anymouse 🌹

Well the difference (at least to me) is now we have ubiquitous camera phones which record everything going on, then get uploaded immediately to the Internet.

I imagine it has always been going on, but not reported on because there was no evidence. There is a lot of crap on the Internet, but this is one of the good things it is for - pounding racists and bigots back into their holes with public shaming.

This is similar to the Emmet Till murder, where lots of people refused to believe the violence against minorities and liberal supporters in Dixie. When his photograph was published, the nation was outraged about it.

Sure it has always been there. But it more open to be in people’s faces in Trump land.

Maybe you don’t get a feel for it because of being in small town Nebraska. I live in the inner city of Columbus.

I have black friends and clients that are hearing things aimed at them they have never heard before. And I’ll figure in my Puerto Rican friend with what she has gone through since the hurricanes last year and having to deal with all kinds of things there and in America where her son was still living as well as her family in Atlanta.

I think I’ll go with what they are seeing and hearing real world. They are my direct camera phone.

89
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:34:44pm

I found a funny tweet.

90
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:39:54pm

Gaining a new appreciation for British tabloids:

Donald Trump ‘hosted and attended alcohol and cocaine-fuelled parties where middle-aged men would prey on teenage girls’

Two models who say they attended the notorious parties in the 80s and 90s have been speaking to BBC’s Panorama

Models who say they attended boozy and cocaine-fuelled parties with Donald Trump have spoken out the first time about his alleged ‘sexually inappropriate behaviour’.

One told BBC’s Panorama she felt like “a piece of meat at a meat market” while another described the parties in the 80s and 90s as a “feeding frenzy” as middle-aged men apparently preyed on teenage girls.

The women claim the US president - then aged in his 40s - hosted and attended the events bursting with models, some as young as 14 or 15.

[…]

Seems like this should be investigated, no?

91
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:42:00pm

92
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:43:02pm

Here’s the, yes official, BBC trailer:

Trump: Is the President a Sex Pest?

93
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:44:03pm

Well, I need to get ready for a village board meeting … catch y’all later. Off to Yukon tomorrow.

94
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:45:51pm
95
Aucun pays pour les vieux ennemis  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:47:49pm

re: #90 freetoken

Gaining a new appreciation for British tabloids:

Donald Trump ‘hosted and attended alcohol and cocaine-fuelled parties where middle-aged men would prey on teenage girls’

Seems like this should be investigated, no?

I saw mention of the parties back when he was running for office.

96
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:48:36pm

re: #95 Aucun pays pour les vieux ennemis

Yes, it’s not a new revelation.

But this is a new BBC video, with testimonies on screen.

Just in time for Trump’s visit.

97
Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:48:50pm

When Tesla introduces a pickup we will need an analog to “rolling coal.” A properly designed array of Tesla coils would be just the thing. They could be installed along the bed and behind the cab, with perhaps a Van de Graff generator as a hood ornament. Just flip a switch to amaze and annoy the yokels as you zap your way down the road.

98
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:50:03pm

re: #87 austin_blue

I don’t know, seems to me that it takes a tremendous amount of mental flexibility to truly believe that the Earth is flat after having seen thousands and thousands of pictures that show that half of the Earth doesn’t exist unless it is, in fact, a sphere.

Not to mention how much ‘mental flexibility’ is required to create a universe in which a flat Earth even makes any sense. After all, the heliocentric view of the Solar System came about because it was the only way to make sense of the movement of the planets in the sky.

99
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:50:30pm

re: #97 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

When Tesla introduces a pickup we will need an analog to “rolling coal.” A properly designed array of Tesla coils would be just the thing. They could be installed along the bed and behind the cab, with perhaps a Van de Graff generator as a hood ornament. Just flip a switch to amaze and annoy the yokels as you zap your way down the road.

With all your hair standing on end.

100
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:50:59pm

re: #97 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

When Tesla introduces a pickup we will need an analog to “rolling coal.” A properly designed array of Tesla coils would be just the thing. They could be installed along the bed and behind the cab, with perhaps a Van de Graff generator as a hood ornament. Just flip a switch to amaze and annoy the yokels as you zap your way down the road.

Cyclists will put extra insulation in their Spandex outfits.

101
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:52:26pm

re: #98 Blind Frog Belly White

Not to mention how much ‘mental flexibility’ is required to create a universe in which a flat Earth even makes any sense. After all, the heliocentric view of the Solar System came about because it was the only way to make sense of the movement of the planets in the sky.

“And yet, they move.” said Galileo to the Inquisition (certainly apocryphal).

102
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:54:12pm

re: #101 austin_blue

“And yet, they move.” said Galileo to the Inquisition (certainly apocryphal).

“Okay, that’s IT! Cardinal Biggles? Light this motherfucker up!”

103
Backwoods_Sleuth  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:56:06pm

re: #74 I Would Prefer Not To

A small piece of good news in my family. My daughter who graduated in May started a six month (paid) internship in DC. She’s at the Alliance for Healthcare Policy.

Their office is two blocks from the White House. I asked her flip off trump on the way to work, but she can’t because she’s “nonpartisan”

tell her to use both middle fingers, then she can be bipartisan.

104
Teukka  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:56:28pm

re: #101 austin_blue

“And yet, they move.” said Galileo to the Inquisition (certainly apocryphal).

Known Galileo Quote:
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them.”

105
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:56:41pm

re: #90 freetoken

Gaining a new appreciation for British tabloids:

Donald Trump ‘hosted and attended alcohol and cocaine-fuelled parties where middle-aged men would prey on teenage girls’

Seems like this should be investigated, no?

Typical American Trump supporter would say: “I don’t care what he did in his early days. Boys will be boys I always said. And he had money, so he could be a playboy. Hell, I wish I coulda been a playboy with the little ladies. No, Trump can do and say anything he wants. He is still my boy. He’s real.”

106
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:57:01pm

re: #96 freetoken

Yes, it’s not a new revelation.

But this is a new BBC video, with testimonies on screen.

Just in time for Trump’s visit.

I am sure they’ve been saving it for the right moment.

And that moment is now, you Cheeto-dusted shit-flinging spunkTrumpet!

Good for the Beeb.

107
DodgerFan1988  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:57:53pm

The cop let the abusive racist go but if it’s a black person just having a bbq, here comes the handcuffs.

108
Romantic Heretic  Jul 9, 2018 • 4:58:05pm

re: #87 austin_blue

Well, there’s a difference between mental flexibility and mental goo, which is what the Flat Earthers possess.

109
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:01:34pm
110
Barefoot Grin  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:02:29pm
111
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:03:18pm

re: #108 Romantic Heretic

Well, there’s a difference between mental flexibility and mental goo, which is what the Flat Earthers possess.

NASA has hidden all the pictures where the Earth is edge on.

Oh oh and Discworld, which sits on four ginormous elephants standing on the shell of the even MORE ginormous Atuan the Cosmic Sea Turtle, swimming through the vasty deeps.

112
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:03:33pm

re: #109 Blind Frog Belly White

I figure Rand Paul makes a show of threatening to vote no before dropping to his knees to kiss the Trumpian ass.

Collins gets a worthless promise from McConnell and caves.

Murkowski doesn’t say much then quietly gives in.

And that’s game.

113
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:03:47pm

re: #110 Barefoot Grin

[Embedded content]

I love The Onion.

I wish I could laugh at that tweet.

114
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:05:39pm

Lre: #112 Blind Frog Belly White

I figure Rand Paul makes a show of threatening to vote no before dropping to his knees to kiss the Trumpian ass.

Collins gets a worthless promise from McConnell and caves.

Murkowski doesn’t say much then quietly gives in.

And that’s game.

Sounds right unfortunately.

115
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:06:03pm

re: #113 ObserverArt

I love The Onion.

I wish I could laugh at that tweet.

Don’t we all.

{{sigh}}

116
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:06:33pm

Gosh, there’s rain in the forecast. All the forecasts. For the whole two weeks in which they show the forecasts. At least they shift from AM thunderstorms to PM thunderstorms next week.

Rejoicing continued throughout today. Complaining will start tomorrow.

117
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:09:27pm

re: #116 wrenchwench

Though the rain never gets as far west as here, at least the remnant high clouds keeps the sun from beating us into crispy fries.

118
Barefoot Grin  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:11:14pm

re: #113 ObserverArt

I love The Onion.

I wish I could laugh at that tweet.

I know. Sometimes it’s important to get that response, too.

119
fern01  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:11:35pm

re: #96 freetoken

Yes, it’s not a new revelation.

But this is a new BBC video, with testimonies on screen.

Just in time for Trump’s visit.

Be a good thing if the Commons voted no confidence in May’s government because of brexit before trump’s arrival.

Such an insult to the Queen expecting her to be civil to such a person.

Edit: They could probably pass a vote of no confidence based on May inviting trump in the first place - no need to mention brexit.

120
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:12:45pm
121
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:13:08pm

A case such as the Iowa fetal heartbeat bill that’s already in the appellate pipeline as we speak will be given cert by the Court and will be the last case of that term decided in June, 2020. And then Roe is overturned. Elections have consequences.

122
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:13:28pm

re: #112 Blind Frog Belly White

I figure Rand Paul makes a show of threatening to vote no before dropping to his knees to kiss the Trumpian ass.

Collins gets a worthless promise from McConnell and caves.

Murkowski doesn’t say much then quietly gives in.

And that’s game.

That sounds about right. Anyone who thinks that any Republican Senator will get in the way of the 5th vote against Roe/Casey is deluding themselves.

123
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:13:28pm

re: #116 wrenchwench

Gosh, there’s rain in the forecast. All the forecasts. For the whole two weeks in which they show the forecasts. At least they shift from AM thunderstorms to PM thunderstorms next week.

Rejoicing continued throughout today. Complaining will start tomorrow.

Well, it’s after 7 pm here, but the big yellow shiny thing came out and is finally casting some real light on waterlogged South Austin. We ended up with around 2”, but areas just NW of the loop in San Antonio got over 4”. Good! Put it into the water bank.

124
Patricia Kayden  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:13:49pm

re: #107 DodgerFan1988

And the cop did nothing to protect her.

125
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:14:06pm

re: #120 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

[Embedded content]

Bork and Scalia were awful. And both got fair hearings that Merrick Garland never got.

126
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:14:27pm

re: #121 Ace Rothstein

Elections to have consequences.

But it is unclear to me that even if Trump’s latest pick does go for overturning Roe v. Wade, that all the justices will.

Thomas, yes, But I could see it remaining a 5-4 decision in the Iowa case.

127
freetoken  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:15:16pm

re: #119 fern01

Not going to happen. The Tories may be divided, but they hate Labour even more.

128
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:15:17pm

re: #121 Ace Rothstein

A case such as the Iowa fetal heartbeat bill that’s already in the appellate pipeline as we speak will be given cert by the Court and will be the last case of that term decided in June, 2020. And then Roe is overturned. Elections have consequences.

It’s going to be a critical issue that election not just in the general but the primary as well.

129
fern01  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:15:44pm

re: #109 Blind Frog Belly White

So who did he ask? All the GOP senators and 2 democrats or are the rest of the dems going?

130
Patricia Kayden  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:16:25pm

re: #120 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

So much for Never Trump.

131
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:17:19pm

re: #121 Ace Rothstein

A case such as the Iowa fetal heartbeat bill that’s already in the appellate pipeline as we speak will be given cert by the Court and will be the last case of that term decided in June, 2020. And then Roe is overturned. Elections have consequences.

Demographics have consequences also. More women than ever are participating in politics. Because they realized in 2016, if not before, that elections have consequences.

132
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:18:20pm

re: #126 freetoken

Elections to have consequences.

But it is unclear to me that even if Trump’s latest pick does go for overturning Roe v. Wade, that all the justices will.

Thomas, yes, But I could see it remaining a 5-4 decision in the Iowa case.

IMO Roberts is the only justice of the conservative wing (Roberts, Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch) who might conceivably vote against overturning Roe.

But if he stands in the way of overturning Roe, he’ll have to live the rest of his life under heavily armed security.

133
Belafon  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:19:03pm

re: #131 wrenchwench

Demographics have consequences also. More women than ever are participating in politics. Because they realized in 2016, if not before, that elections have consequences.

A big difference will be that Congress can overturn this if they pass a bill.

134
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:20:27pm

re: #131 wrenchwench

Demographics have consequences also. More women than ever are participating in politics. Because they realized in 2016, if not before, that elections have consequences.

Perhaps what will bury the Republicans as a national-level menace is the repeal of Roe and a corresponding end to this business of pro-choice people thinking they have the leeway to vote for Republicans. Unfortunately if progress comes this way, people will have to die for a few years due to stupid GOP abortion bans for the message to sink in.

135
fern01  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:20:30pm

re: #127 freetoken

Not going to happen. The Tories may be divided, but they hate Labour even more.

Then the best I can hope for is May’s demise in the party room - I still can’t believe they invited trump - may there be protests from the Shetlands to Land’s End.

136
The Major  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:20:34pm

re: #119 fern01

Such an insult to the Queen expecting her to be civil to such a person.

If I was Her Majesty, I’d ‘Hock a Loogie’ on Trump’s ridiculously long ties….

137
Belafon  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:22:30pm

re: #134 EPR-radar

Perhaps what will bury the Republicans as a national-level menace is the repeal of Roe and a corresponding end to this business of pro-choice people thinking they have the leeway to vote for Republicans. Unfortunately if progress comes this way, people will have to die for a few years due to stupid GOP abortion bans for the message to sink in.

We can’t learn from other countries (Ireland), we have to learn it all on our own.

138
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:23:33pm

re: #134 EPR-radar

Perhaps what will bury the Republicans as a national-level menace is the repeal of Roe and a corresponding end to this business of pro-choice people thinking they have the leeway to vote for Republicans. Unfortunately if progress comes this way, people will have to die for a few years due to stupid GOP abortion bans for the message to sink in.

People are already dying from the Republican state level antics. Texas has the highest maternal death rate of the industrialized world.

Trump has buried the future of the Republican party. Done.

139
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:24:35pm

re: #137 Belafon

We can’t learn from other countries (Ireland), we have to learn it all on our own.

American Exceptionalism often takes the form of a pig-ignorant refusal to consider that the rest of the world offers both positive and negative real world examples that should be considered in policy making.

140
Belafon  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:24:41pm

Here’s where I would be cruel: If I ran an abortion clinic in one of the states that will still have them, I would publish the count from each visiting state of women who are part of families worth more than, say, $1M. I wouldn’t publish their names, but I would indicate that wealthy women are just traveling to where they can find one.

141
retired cynic  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:27:05pm

I see the Cheap Labor Republican Administration is up to more shenanigans:

washingtonpost.com

142
Cheechako  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:27:30pm

I really think Murkowski is a lost cause in this SCOTUS vote. Here’s a clip from an article published last month:

At a White House event Friday celebrating the tax bill passed in December, Trump appeared to take a small jab at Murkowski, and suggest that going against him could affect his support for her priorities (or not). Talking about the tax bill’s provision opening part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, he said: “I wasn’t going to do it because I was angry at someone. I said I’m not going to do it.”

During a series of health care votes in July last year, Trump sent Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to call Murkowski and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan and let them know that her “no” votes were putting Murkowski’s Alaska priorities in jeopardy. That ultimately did not appear to be the case, and Murkowski was not swayed.

Drilling in ANWR is Murkowski’s Holy Grail.

There’s just no end to the blackmail.

Source: Supreme Court vacancy puts Murkowski in the middle, again

143
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:27:55pm

re: #140 Belafon

Here’s where I would be cruel: If I ran an abortion clinic in one of the states that will still have them, I would publish the count from each visiting state of women who are part of families worth more than, say, $1M. I wouldn’t publish their names, but I would indicate that wealthy women are just traveling to where they can find one.

That’s kind. My impulse is to see the innumerable case studies from “The Only Moral Abortion is my Abortion” go online will full identifying patient information.

But even worthless hypocrites who spend their days protesting clinics where they have personally had an abortion performed deserve their privacy.

144
Single-handed sailor  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:28:27pm
145
Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Kodos  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:30:24pm

re: #140 Belafon

Here’s where I would be cruel: If I ran an abortion clinic in one of the states that will still have them, I would publish the count from each visiting state of women who are part of families worth more than, say, $1M. I wouldn’t publish their names, but I would indicate that wealthy women are just traveling to where they can find one.

The wealthy wouldn’t risk going to a clinic. They would have their private physician perform the procedure in an “off the books” fashion - and would never be reported as a pregnancy termination.

146
DodgerFan1988  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:30:40pm

re: #124 Patricia Kayden

And the cop did nothing to protect her.

On the contrary he almost arrested the man trying to protect her.

147
Khal Wimpo (the extinguisher of tiki torches)  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:31:11pm

re: #2 The Ghost of a Flea

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

“A universe of pure hatred.”

Fox News.

AM talk radio.

Breitbart.

The Trump administration.

148
wrenchwench  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:31:28pm

re: #140 Belafon

Here’s where I would be cruel: If I ran an abortion clinic in one of the states that will still have them, I would publish the count from each visiting state of women who are part of families worth more than, say, $1M. I wouldn’t publish their names, but I would indicate that wealthy women are just traveling to where they can find one.

If I were Queen of the universe, abortions would go back to every doctor’s office that used to provide them in regular medical centers, and hospitals when necessary. The stand-alone abortion clinic is a political invention, but I don’t know who did it. Could have been feminists offering accessibility, could have been misogynists segregating women’s healthcare. Back into the buildings where all the doctors work. Let them all stand up for good healthcare, or go go open an office in a strip mall to sell snake oil.

149
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:32:25pm

Unfriended an old high school acquaintance on Facebook for posting more Q shit about Robert DeNiro running a child sex ring…out of the pizza parlor basement…

150
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:33:12pm

re: #149 Joe Bacon 🌹

Unfriended an old high school acquaintance on Facebook for posting more Q shit about Robert DeNiro running a child sex ring…out of the pizza parlor basement…

JFC

151
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:34:11pm

re: #147 Khal Wimpo (the extinguisher of tiki torches)

Before that…the Satanic Panic. Left Behind’s version of the The Rapture. John Birch materials.

The US “right” is not defined by conservatism. It is a coalition of individuals and organizations that have the same operational premises: truth is whatever they believe, morality is defined with regard to affiliation.

152
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:34:18pm

re: #149 Joe Bacon 🌹

With a mohawk…from his taxi cab.

153
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:44:14pm

re: #121 Ace Rothstein

A case such as the Iowa fetal heartbeat bill that’s already in the appellate pipeline as we speak will be given cert by the Court and will be the last case of that term decided in June, 2020. And then Roe is overturned. Elections have consequences.

I can’t see any way that that bill will get affirmation from the court. The fetus at that point is about this big ), has a rudimentary brain stem with just enough connections to tie into a small mass of muscle tissue that is pulsing but hasn’t yet differentiated into four chambers, much less has valves or connected tubing, and isn’t pumping anything because blood has not yet formed. Not to mention the flippers, eyestalks, lack of a face or skull, or the tail and gill slits. It could be a fish, a reptile, or a mammal, developmentally. It most certainly isn’t human yet, and won’t be until it develops a functional cerebral cortex which, for the purposes of human death, is what legally matters.

If that is the definition of human death, it should also be the definition of human life. Otherwise, buying a lotto ticket makes me a millionaire, at least until the drawing. Live birth gets you citizenship in the Constitution, and a Strict Constructionist must surely realize that filing for a child credit because your wife had a miscarriage during a calendar year is pushing things to the point of absurdity. “Personhood” is the slipperiest of slopes, legally.

154
sagehen  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:44:35pm

re: #148 wrenchwench

If I were Queen of the universe, abortions would go back to every doctor’s office that used to provide them in regular medical centers, and hospitals when necessary. The stand-alone abortion clinic is a political invention, but I don’t know who did it. Could have been feminists offering accessibility, could have been misogynists segregating women’s healthcare. Back into the buildings where all the doctors work. Let them all stand up for good healthcare, or go go open an office in a strip mall to sell snake oil.

The standalone abortion clinic is for security reasons. Used to be that most OB/Gyn’s did a dozen or so abortions every year, until the anti folk started stalking and threatening and killing them. Putting all the abortions within 100 miles into one building meant a fenced off parking lot, locked access doors, guards around the building, etc.

155
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:44:45pm

WTFLOL. Her husband is a SCOTUS justice.

156
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:45:09pm

re: #95 Aucun pays pour les vieux ennemis

I saw mention of the parties back when he was running for office.

I wonder if Franky Graham Cracker was getting down with the coke and teenage girls too?

157
Stanley Sea  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:45:11pm

Hi! I’ll refrain from the apprentice announcement tonight.

Have hope for a Souter. Otherwise, go to the bunker.

My unpacking is proceeding. Through due process I found the monitor for my lap top, plus 2 more huge power strips.

Slow & steady + $$$ makes a great new living space.

Washer & dryer delivering tomorrow. Dining room chairs Thursday. = $$$ portion. Still need to buy new bed & sofa. After the boxes are done.

The sunset is beautiful.

158
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:47:10pm

re: #153 austin_blue

Oh, you and your logic again.

159
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:49:16pm

re: #158 Ace Rothstein

Oh, you and your logic again.

The most essential point about abortion politics in the US is that it is the issue most favored by the GOP death cult for REEEEEEing about Democrats being ‘baby killers’.

Logic, consistency and ethics have nothing to do with it.

160
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:53:03pm

Dennis is gay.

161
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:53:38pm

re: #158 Ace Rothstein

Oh, you and your logic again.

You’re right. My deepest apologies.

162
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:55:08pm
163
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:55:28pm

re: #162 Ace Rothstein

[Embedded content]

Yeah not surprised.

164
Single-handed sailor  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:55:35pm
165
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:58:19pm

re: #163 HappyWarrior

Yeah not surprised.

Me neither. DC Circuit. Twelve years there. He was my guess.

166
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:59:21pm

re: #165 austin_blue

He’s the guy that said a sitting president can’t be prosecuted, right?

167
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 5:59:54pm

re: #166 Winston_Smith

Yes.

168
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:00:32pm

Well, well. An activist judge just shot down the No Tolerance EO. If Trump hears that before the announcement, he’ll go ballistic during the Reveal. Ooh, and it’s on right now.

169
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:00:33pm

re: #165 austin_blue

Me neither. DC Circuit. Twelve years there. He was my guess.

I did lean Barrett but I assume the advisers used Kavanagh’s writings to sell him as someone who’d protect him. Barrett was probably too much a wild card.

170
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:00:34pm
171
Skip Intro  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:00:46pm

re: #167 Ace Rothstein

Must have been a tough call for Trump.

172
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:00:51pm

re: #166 Winston_Smith

He’s the guy that said a sitting president can’t be prosecuted, right?

Yes.

173
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:01:59pm

The R establishment and even some of the self professed Never Trumpers are going to love this. Kavanagh imo would have been picked by any of Trump’s primary opponents.

174
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:03:56pm

re: #172 HappyWarrior

Yes.

Didn’t say “can’t”. Said “shouldn’t” because of the disruption it would cause. Still and all, probably a deciding factor for him, and a real reason the D’s can use to say he shouldn’t be seated until after the Mueller Report comes out.

Clear conflict of legal interest.

175
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:04:30pm

Just damn great
AC is out, and I realize this after I have a pizza in the oven

176
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:04:46pm

re: #173 HappyWarrior

The R establishment and even some of the self professed Never Trumpers are going to love this. Kavanagh imo would have been picked by any of Trump’s primary opponents.

There’s a deep bench of regressive Republican filth that has accumulated in the federal judiciary.

177
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:05:06pm
178
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:05:20pm

re: #174 austin_blue

Didn’t say “can’t”. Said “shouldn’t” because of the disruption it would cause. Still and all, probably a deciding factor for him, and a real reason the D’s can use to say he shouldn’t be seated until after the Mueller Report comes out.

Clear conflict of legal interest.

Fair distinction, thanks.

179
Khal Wimpo (the extinguisher of tiki torches)  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:05:23pm

re: #151 The Ghost of a Flea

Before that…the Satanic Panic. Left Behind’s version of the The Rapture. John Birch materials.

The US “right” is not defined by conservatism. It is a coalition of individuals and organizations that have the same operational premises: truth is whatever they believe, morality is defined with regard to affiliation.

It’s all the smalltown losers pissed off that their lives are stale and boring.

So much more fun to play Let’s Pretend and that they live in a world where they are not insignificant little schloggs of protoplasm, but part of a Great And Seekrit Society Of Heroes* …

(said society never to actually demand that they sacrifice in any way to achieve their goals)

180
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:07:34pm
181
Sufficient unto the day...  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:08:05pm

re: #179 Khal Wimpo (the extinguisher of tiki torches)

Conspiracy Theory LARPers.

182
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:08:08pm

I turned it on for two seconds and then immediately went back to the Astros game. Fuck him.

183
Khal Wimpo (the extinguisher of tiki torches)  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:08:38pm

re: #176 EPR-radar

There’s a deep bench of regressive Republican filth that has accumulated in the federal judiciary.

My ex-boss’ wife was a fed judge. Was up for a seat on the 9th Circuit.

Brilliant lady. Couldn’t stand the Bush appointees.

“Those fuckers couldn’t sharpen the pencil of an average law clerk when I came up. I’m out of here.”

Small-c conservatives. Hated the frothing religious fundies. They are missed.

184
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:09:04pm

re: #177 teleskiguy

I sure hope that picture of Mr. 5th vote against Roe is from 30 years ago, or we’ll be stuck with this POS on SCOTUS for a half-century or more.

185
SteveMcGriftFlynnComey... ...corruptemoligate RN  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:09:43pm

My MIL is a complicit Trumper (not gung-ho, but doesn’t think he’s as bad as they say). Anyway I hear her listen to the big unveil, and just as Trump say these people don’t just stand and clap for anybody, she jumps back to Family Feud for one of those misses with the buzzer - “… for just anybody - BUZZZZZ”!!

186
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:10:21pm

re: #184 EPR-radar

I sure hope that picture of Mr. 5th vote against Roe is from 30 years ago, or we’ll be stuck with this POS on SCOTUS for a half-century or more.

He’s 53. I’d say welp at least 30 years.

187
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:11:25pm

re: #184 EPR-radar

I sure hope that picture of Mr. 5th vote against Roe is from 30 years ago, or we’ll be stuck with this POS on SCOTUS for a half-century or more.

He’s 53 years old.

188
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:11:29pm
189
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:12:23pm

Must be nice to stack the deck with rubber stamp judges.

190
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:12:47pm

re: #188 The Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

Yeah this had to be the deciding point.

191
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:13:07pm

re: #189 Joe Bacon 🌹

Must be nice to stack the deck with rubber stamp judges.

Easy to do when you’re just doing the Federalist Society’s bidding.

192
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:14:22pm

JFC, pull the mic down, doofus.

193
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:15:34pm

The TV is turned off and the radio software is updating.

Just let me know if Bert Parks is singing the Miss America song and handing the winner a dozen red anti abortion roses!

194
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:15:47pm
195
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:16:02pm
196
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:16:07pm

I thought it would be Barrett since I’d think he’d go with something that would thrill the base but this strikes me as a self protection pick. And Judiciary Commtitee Dems, please be sure to ask lots of questions towards Judge Kavanagh about his views on prosecuting former Presidents.

197
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:16:08pm

Jeebus, Big Orange has put on at least another thirty pounds.

198
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:16:40pm

re: #194 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

If you weren’t a Trump cultist, you’d know he picked Kavanagh to protect himself.

199
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:17:06pm

re: #197 Ace Rothstein

Jeebus, Big Orange has put on at least another thirty pounds.

So Dr. Ronny says Trump is down to 180 now?

200
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:17:19pm

re: #196 HappyWarrior

I thought it would be Barrett since I’d think he’d go with something that would thrill the base but this strikes me as a self protection pick. And Judiciary Commtitee Dems, please be sure to ask lots of questions towards Judge Kavanagh about his views on prosecuting former Presidents.

Everything about trump is protecting trump.

Everything.

201
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:17:55pm

re: #197 Ace Rothstein

Jeebus, Big Orange has put on at least another thirty pounds.

That’s a very rare ‘please proceed, Mr President’ moment. Maybe he’ll explode on live TV like Mr. Creosote or the grape-girl from Willy Wonka.

202
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:17:56pm

re: #200 MsJ

Everything about trump is protecting trump.

Everything.

Yep.

203
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:18:56pm
204
GlutenFreeJesus  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:19:22pm

RIP Roe vs. Wade.

205
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:20:22pm

re: #199 HappyWarrior

So Dr. Ronny says Trump is down to 180 now?

180 kilograms…

206
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:20:31pm

re: #204 GlutenFreeJesus

RIP Roe vs. Wade.

Crazy and potential bad idea but creating two more SCOTUS spots? This really sucks.

207
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:20:46pm

re: #205 Joe Bacon 🌹

180 kilograms…

I dunno, sounds a little conservative :).

208
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:21:49pm

re: #200 MsJ

Everything about trump is protecting trump.

Everything.

And a sure sign that a lot of bad is going on because all the protection is needed.

It is the way he has always operated; like a crime family, but not very good at it.

Some people didn’t learn about Trump and others ignored it all because Hillary was a Clinton. All ignorance.

209
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:22:47pm

As soon as Roe v. Wade is overturned (and don’t kid yourself, it is going to happen) Republican congressmen (yes, they’ll be most certainly men) will introduce federal legislation to outlaw abortion nationwide. Another reason why the midterms in November are so fucking important. Vote! Take your family, friends, hell a few strangers, and vote Democratic all the way down the ballot!

210
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:24:26pm

re: #209 teleskiguy

As soon as Roe v. Wade is overturned (and don’t kid yourself, it is going to happen) Republican congressmen (yes, they’ll be most certainly men) will introduce federal legislation to outlaw abortion nationwide. Another reason why the midterms in November are so fucking important. Vote! Take your family, friends, hell a few strangers, and vote Democratic all the way down the ballot!

All elections matter.

211
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:24:56pm

re: #204 GlutenFreeJesus

RIP Roe vs. Wade.

Now, now. Be patient. Kavanaugh could surprise you. At least it wasn’t Opus Dei “People of Praise” church lady. That would have sealed the deal. We’ve got a chance with this guy. And, as a bonus, the D’s can say his previous writings, which counseled against the indictment of a sitting president (Bill Fucking Clinton!!!) mean he can’t be seated until the Mueller Report is released. That’s a really good argument.

212
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:25:24pm
213
Kragar  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:25:46pm
214
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:25:54pm

re: #209 teleskiguy

As soon as Roe v. Wade is overturned (and don’t kid yourself, it is going to happen) Republican congressmen (yes, they’ll be most certainly men) will introduce federal legislation to outlaw abortion nationwide. Another reason why the midterms in November are so fucking important. Vote! Take your family, friends, hell a few strangers, and vote Democratic all the way down the ballot!

They won’t stop there. Same sex marriage will be killed. What’s left of the Wagner Act will be tossed, The ACA will die, the first amendment will be gutted, Brown and Loving decisions will be reversed and we’ll be living in a Christian nation with Islam outlawed.

215
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:25:54pm

re: #195 MsJ

[Embedded content]

People in hell want ice water, Paul. Fuck off, you traitor.

216
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:26:10pm

False flag?

217
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:26:12pm

re: #212 teleskiguy

JESUS FUCK, WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON OVER THERE??!!

218
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:26:12pm

re: #211 austin_blue

Now, now. Be patient. Kavanaugh could surprise you. At least it wasn’t Opus Dei “People of Praise” church lady. That would have sealed the deal. We’ve got a chance with this guy. And, as a bonus, the D’s can say his previous writings, which counseled against the indictment of a sitting president (Bill Fucking Clinton!!!) mean he can’t be seated until the Mueller Report is released. That’s a really good argument.

Oh man, that would be too perfect.

219
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:26:41pm

re: #206 HappyWarrior

Crazy and potential bad idea but creating two more SCOTUS spots? This really sucks.

What if the R’s did it tomorrow?

220
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:26:41pm

re: #213 Kragar

[Embedded content]

We all know you’re going to be mad at Trump for a second Alex and then you’re going to go back letting Trump take shits on you.

221
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:27:15pm

re: #219 austin_blue

What if the R’s did it tomorrow?

Exactly why I think it’s potentially a bad idea. Gah. This sucks. I admit this isn’t the worst pick but still.

222
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:27:21pm

re: #219 austin_blue

There’s nothing to stop them.

223
EPR-radar  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:27:31pm

re: #212 teleskiguy

What kind of chucklefucks is the NYT hiring these days, to publish a blatant category error like ‘Trump’s classiest move’?

That’s like writing about what kind of shit is most pleasantly fragrant.

224
Charles Johnson  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:27:55pm
225
Charles Johnson  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:28:25pm
226
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:30:10pm

You goddamn right. Every last fucking one of them.

227
GlutenFreeJesus  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:31:10pm

re: #211 austin_blue

Now, now. Be patient. Kavanaugh could surprise you. At least it wasn’t Opus Dei “People of Praise” church lady. That would have sealed the deal. We’ve got a chance with this guy. And, as a bonus, the D’s can say his previous writings, which counseled against the indictment of a sitting president (Bill Fucking Clinton!!!) mean he can’t be seated until the Mueller Report is released. That’s a really good argument.

Yeah. Dems can argue all they want, but as it stands, at least one of them will likely vote for this guy. Along with every single Republican. And he’s young. Plenty of time for the Reps to “Clue him in” on why they gave him the job.

228
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:31:54pm
229
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:32:15pm

re: #216 Blind Frog Belly White

[Embedded content]

False flag?

I honestly dunno. Miers did lead to Alito though Bork gave us Kennedy. I think Trump was sold by Cavanagh’s writings.

230
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:32:19pm

re: #219 austin_blue

What if the R’s did it tomorrow?

I think there’s an argument to increase the size of the Court to 13, one Justice for each Circuit (or even just to 11 if you don’t want a Justice for the DC and Federal Circuits). In a rational world, the tacit agreement would be that expansion would happen with a presidential election in the middle, so the current president gets two picks, and then whoever wins the intervening election gets two picks. And I said a “rational world” so that would exclude a Trump presidency. There was a time, after all, when the Court only had five members, and then seven, before the nine we know know.

231
austin_blue  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:32:52pm

re: #222 Ace Rothstein

There’s nothing to stop them.

Sure there is. The Senate would need sixty votes to get it out of cloture.

232
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:33:43pm

re: #230 KGxvi

I think there’s an argument to increase the size of the Court to 13, one Justice for each Circuit (or even just to 11 if you don’t want a Justice for the DC and Federal Circuits). In a rational world, the tacit agreement would be that expansion would happen with a presidential election in the middle, so the current president gets two picks, and then whoever wins the intervening election gets two picks. And I said a “rational world” so that would exclude a Trump presidency. There was a time, after all, when the Court only had five members, and then seven, before the nine we know know.

Not a bad idea but unfortunately obviously we’re not in a rational world.

233
ipsos  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:34:40pm

re: #216 Blind Frog Belly White

[Embedded content]

False flag?

Mebbe so. A brilliant piece of strategery, however you slice it - get AFA and a few other right-fringe groups to complain Kavanaugh is “too moderate” to give Murkowski and Collins (and Donnelly and Heitkamp and Tester?) cover to vote for him. No Republican will peel away, and he gets in 54-45 or something like that.

(Hell, it even provides cover for a Rand Paul or Ted Cruz to cast a symbolic vote against Kavanaugh for not being far enough to the right.)

Fuck.

234
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:37:11pm

re: #231 austin_blue

Sorry, I meant that there’s nothing to stop them from attempting it.

235
Targetpractice  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:37:52pm

re: #212 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

The fuck are they smoking over there?

236
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:38:00pm

re: #229 HappyWarrior

I honestly dunno. Miers did lead to Alito though Bork gave us Kennedy. I think Trump was sold by Cavanagh’s writings.

Or, you know, the name - Brett Kavanaugh! Why, it almost sounds fictional!

237
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:38:39pm

re: #235 Targetpractice

The fuck are they smoking over there?

It’s not the NYT Editorial Board, it’s a Yale Law professor’s column.

238
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:38:54pm

re: #235 Targetpractice

The fuck are they smoking over there?

Oregano. If it were the real shit they would never write something like that.

239
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:40:57pm

The little rain we did get yesterday has done wonders to the air quality. It’s the best its been since the Lake Christine Fire blew up almost a week ago.

240
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:42:52pm

re: #238 teleskiguy

Oregano. If it were the real shit they would never write something like that.

“Oh, wow, dude. This guy, Kavanavanan..? Something like that. I dunno, man. I mean, he seems pretty chill. How’s he feel about legal weed?”

241
Targetpractice  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:43:06pm

There is no reason for a single Democrat to vote for this douche nozzle, but there will be at least one damp squib who does because “I’ll get in trouble with the voters if I don’t!”

242
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:43:09pm

re: #230 KGxvi

I think there’s an argument to increase the size of the Court to 13, one Justice for each Circuit (or even just to 11 if you don’t want a Justice for the DC and Federal Circuits). In a rational world, the tacit agreement would be that expansion would happen with a presidential election in the middle, so the current president gets two picks, and then whoever wins the intervening election gets two picks. And I said a “rational world” so that would exclude a Trump presidency. There was a time, after all, when the Court only had five members, and then seven, before the nine we know know.

It even had ten, for a while.

243
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:43:58pm

re: #241 Targetpractice

There is no reason for a single Democrat to vote for this douche nozzle, but there will be at least one damp squib who does because “I’ll get in trouble with the voters if I don’t!”

Joe Manchin.

244
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:45:05pm

re: #243 teleskiguy

Joe Manchin.

And or Heidelcamp or Donnelly if I had to bet

245
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:45:33pm

My take is that, given that it’s Trump, this could be worse. I mean, like Sessions bad, or Giuliani bad, or even Pirro bad.

I’m not saying it’s not BAD. But I really don’t trust that fucker not to do much worse.

246
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:46:44pm

re: #245 Blind Frog Belly White

My take is that, given that it’s Trump, this could be worse. I mean, like Sessions bad, or Giuliani bad, or even Pirro bad.

I’m not saying it’s not BAD. But I really don’t trust that fucker not to do much worse.

I do agree. The thing that bothers me though is Kavanagh’s writings on executives and prosecution. Definitely something that needs to be asked about as well as his stance on Roe and other issues. This needs to be the most in depth evaluation of a SCOTUS pick in years.

247
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:48:19pm
248
ObserverArt  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:48:23pm

re: #236 Blind Frog Belly White

Or, you know, the name - Brett Kavanaugh! Why, it almost sounds fictional!

It sounds like East Coast Establishment Republican. And being tied to the Bushes…wow.

249
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:49:00pm

re: #241 Targetpractice

There is no reason for a single Democrat to vote for this douche nozzle, but there will be at least one damp squib who does because “I’ll get in trouble with the voters if I don’t!”

If the GOP caucus is solid, meaning the confirmation is inevitable, then letting a couple Senators in tough battles in red states go is probably smarter. I’m actually worried about this fight not ending before the election. I’m afraid it would bring out their base more than ours, and I’m afraid it’s inevitable in any case. If the GOP loses the Senate, they’ll push through a warm body in the Lame Duck to avoid potentially losing a seat.

250
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:49:42pm

re: #247 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

Well well, I think Trump could have made a mistake here guys.

251
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:50:21pm

re: #247 teleskiguy

Conservatives in disarray!

252
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:51:18pm

re: #248 ObserverArt

It sounds like East Coast Establishment Republican. And being tied to the Bushes…wow.

Hey, now! My great Grandmother was a Cavanaugh! Bridget ‘Bridie’ Cavanaugh, a thoroughgoing battleaxe!

253
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:51:50pm

re: #250 HappyWarrior

Well well, I think Trump could have made a mistake here guys.

They wanted the reanimated corpse of Robert Bork.

254
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:53:27pm

re: #253 Blind Frog Belly White

They wanted the reanimated corpse of Robert Bork.

As I just told some friends, the AFA would reject Scalia if nominated today. But then again, I see nothing about Kavanagh that separates him from Gorsuch but my guess? They wanted a real big so-con i.e. Barrett to be sure they’d get Roe overturned. They’re going to find out the hard way that this pick was like Trump’s other picks for Trump.

255
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:53:33pm

Real fuckin’ mature there, dude.

256
Targetpractice  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:54:53pm

re: #249 Blind Frog Belly White

If the GOP caucus is solid, meaning the confirmation is inevitable, then letting a couple Senators in tough battles in red states go is probably smarter. I’m actually worried about this fight not ending before the election. I’m afraid it would bring out their base more than ours, and I’m afraid it’s inevitable in any case. If the GOP loses the Senate, they’ll push through a warm body in the Lame Duck to avoid potentially losing a seat.

And what does “letting them go” really accomplish? Are there really that many “moderate” voters who will pass on a Democrat in a red state unless they do Trump’s bidding?

257
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:55:04pm

re: #255 teleskiguy

Real fuckin’ mature there, dude.

[Embedded content]

Go fuck yourself Sasse. Oh and btw are you going to dish out the same pathetic insults to the right wingers who think that Kavanagh isn’t good enough. This is exactly why I don’t trust a word Sasse says. He’s still a Republican, he’s still a right winger, and as this shows, he’s still an assohle too.

258
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:56:01pm
259
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:57:06pm

re: #258 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

Which makes the animosity towards him all the more strange. One of my friends told me the nuts believe that he-Kavanagh let Bill Clinton get away with murder.

260
Jay C  Jul 9, 2018 • 6:57:33pm

re: #230 KGxvi

I think there’s an argument to increase the size of the Court to 13, one Justice for each Circuit (or even just to 11 if you don’t want a Justice for the DC and Federal Circuits). In a rational world, the tacit agreement would be that expansion would happen with a presidential election in the middle, so the current president gets two picks, and then whoever wins the intervening election gets two picks. And I said a “rational world” so that would exclude a Trump presidency. There was a time, after all, when the Court only had five members, and then seven, before the nine we know know.

I think the common term for this sort of maneuver is generally called “court-packing”, and the salient lesson for American politicians who might even contemplate it is the result of the last Executive attempt to severely alter the composition of the Supreme Court: Franklin Roosevelt in 1937. FDR was coming off a landslide win for a second term, had an enormous Democratic edge in Congress, and - for what it was worth - a general sense of approval by the public, as most people weren’t happy with the reactionary Justices of the day rejecting the New Deal legislation that had so manifestly (positively) affected their lives. And yet, he couldn’t do it: and the fallout from the failed court-packing scheme cast a pall - and stifled social legislation - from then to the start of the War.
If FDR, a skilled - and the most popular - politician of his day, couldn’t pull it off, it doesn’t seem likely that the incompetent Trump would succeed now.

261
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:00:30pm

The RR wanted one of their own to be a sure bet to overturn Roe. I don’t have much hope for Kavanagh. At best, imo he ends up like Roberts. At worst, another Thomas or Alito.

262
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:01:41pm
263
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:01:51pm

re: #260 Jay C

If FDR, a skilled - and the most popular - politician of his day, couldn’t pull it off, it doesn’t seem likely that the incompetent Trump would succeed now.

It looks like Trump can do whatever the fuck he fucking wants BECAUSE THE FUCKING REPUBLICANS FUCKING LET HIM!

264
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:02:14pm

I think I’m going to look at pie recipes for the rest of the evening.

265
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:04:50pm

re: #260 Jay C

I think the common term for this sort of maneuver is generally called “court-packing”, and the salient lesson for American politicians who might even contemplate it is the result of the last Executive attempt to severely alter the composition of the Supreme Court: Franklin Roosevelt in 1937. FDR was coming off a landslide win for a second term, had an enormous Democratic edge in Congress, and - for what it was worth - a general sense of approval by the public, as most people weren’t happy with the reactionary Justices of the day rejecting the New Deal legislation that had so manifestly (positively) affected their lives. And yet, he couldn’t do it: and the fallout from the failed court-packing scheme cast a pall - and stifled social legislation - from them to the start of the War.
If FDR, a skilled - and the most popular - politician of his day, couldn’t pull it off, it doesn’t seem likely that the incompetent Trump would succeed now.

FDR’s court packing scheme was obviously political, the entire idea was that he’d get another appointment for every Justice over a certain age. It was rightly rejected as a brazen political move.

What I’m suggesting has more to do with some of the procedural issues the Court deals with. Each Circuit is assigned to a specific Justice for things like stays and certain hearings. It would make sense to have one Justice for each Circuit rather than having some Justices hearing matters from multiple Circuits. It’s not a major issue, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a minor issue either.

And, again, as I suggested, the way that expansion would happen would be one (or two, if we go to 13) Justice would be appointed in, say 2019/2020, with the other one (or two) being appointed in 2021 following a presidential election. That serves to reduce the potential for court packing, depending on the outcome of the election.

266
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:07:51pm

re: #261 HappyWarrior

The RR wanted one of their own to be a sure bet to overturn Roe. I don’t have much hope for Kavanagh. At best, imo he ends up like Roberts. At worst, another Thomas or Alito.

I was trying to find Kennedy’s opinions from the year that Kavanagh clerked for him, but the ‘93 term seemed to be a fairly quiet one. Will have to look into some of Kavanagh’s opinions as well. I’m going to hold off on an opinion about him one way or another until I’ve had a chance to either read some of those opinions or get analysis from voices I trust on things like jurisprudence.

267
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:08:35pm
268
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:08:52pm

re: #266 KGxvi

I was trying to find Kennedy’s opinions from the year that Kavanagh clerked for him, but the ‘93 term seemed to be a fairly quiet one. Will have to look into some of Kavanagh’s opinions as well. I’m going to hold off on an opinion about him one way or another until I’ve had a chance to either read some of those opinions or get analysis from voices I trust on things like jurisprudence.

Sounds reasonable to me.

269
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:10:31pm
270
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:14:25pm

re: #269 teleskiguy

That was a fairly common opinion prior to the Clinton Administration, and the basis of the president having sovereign immunity during his term. It was rejected, at least in part, in Clinton v Jones by a unanimous Court, at least with respect to claims that arose prior to the president assuming office.

271
Targetpractice  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:14:41pm

“No sitting president should be subject to civil prosecution, criminal investigation, or criminal prosecution!”

“And Clinton…?”

“THAT WAS DIFFERENT!!!!”

272
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:16:07pm

I live a couple of miles near the municipal gun range (yes, my town owns and maintains a very nice gun range, with a facsimile old west town where you can shoot wooden bank robbers) and it’s been closed since the beginning of the month due to Stage 2 fire restrictions. So quiet. Take the good with the bad, I guess.

273
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:16:23pm

re: #237 Blind Frog Belly White

It’s not the NYT Editorial Board, it’s a Yale Law professor’s column.

Lemme guess… John Yoo.

274
wheat-dogg  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:16:29pm

How not to smuggle, episode 3,415

Border police in Shenzhen, China, arrested a Hong Kong man for trying to smuggle 44 kg of gold bars into the mainland city. That’s about $1.5 million worth of gold. He had the bars stashed in the center armrest of his car.

scmp.com

The man was driving back through the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint on July 3 when mainland customs officers found 44 undeclared gold bars weighing a total of 44kg in a hidden compartment in the car’s armrest.

The mainland’s General Administration of Customs said the man admitted to knowing the gold was in the car and had been detained.

If he’s found guilty, he could go to prison for anywhere from 5 years to life, according to mainland law.

275
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:17:13pm

re: #251 KGxvi

Conservatives in disarray!

A headline you’ll never see.

276
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:17:13pm

re: #270 KGxvi

I’d also add that this opinion seemed to be Hamilton’s opinion of how the system would work in the Federalist Papers. Of course, I don’t think Hamilton foresaw a political party so cowed by a president that it would give up any sort of oversight role.

277
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:17:19pm

re: #270 KGxvi

That was a fairly common opinion prior to the Clinton Administration, and the basis of the president having sovereign immunity during his term. It was rejected, at least in part, in Clinton v Jones by a unanimous Court, at least with respect to claims that arose prior to the president assuming office.

I understand that but at the same time, it’s legitimate i think to ask about given who picked him.

278
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:18:25pm

re: #276 KGxvi

I’d also add that this opinion seemed to be Hamilton’s opinion of how the system would work in the Federalist Papers. Of course, I don’t think Hamilton foresaw a political party so cowed by a president that it would give up any sort of oversight role.

Yep, he was writing about that not long before when Jefferson was both part of the opposition and yet Washington’s Secretary of State.

279
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:18:31pm
280
Single-handed sailor  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:19:01pm

re: #269 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

That’s why we impeach them first.

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HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:19:51pm

re: #279 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

And all but four have been male.

282
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:20:35pm

re: #273 MsJ

Lemme guess… John Yoo.

Oh wait, he’s Berkeley.

283
goddamnedfrank  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:21:03pm

At least one good thing came out of today:

284
wheat-dogg  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:22:58pm

re: #276 KGxvi

I’d also add that this opinion seemed to be Hamilton’s opinion of how the system would work in the Federalist Papers. Of course, I don’t think Hamilton foresaw a political party so cowed by a president that it would give up any sort of oversight role.

The Founding Fathers were trying to devise a form of government that would prevent such a thing from happening, as much as humanly possible, anyway. But they were rational men who assumed that the country’s voters would only be rational, educated men of means. Even then, their hope was probably misplaced. Humans seem predisposed to follow charismatic leaders blindly, especially if those leaders enable them to proceed with their own agendae. That’s what the GOP has in Trump. He doesn’t care what shit they do, as long as they let him do his own shit.

285
wheat-dogg  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:27:12pm

I can’t believe Trump is this naive.

286
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:28:21pm

re: #285 wheat-dogg

I can’t believe Trump is this naive.

[Embedded content]

I can’t either. I know he’s dumb but still.

287
Charles Johnson  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:29:04pm

Apparently I’m in a Twitter fight with Sheriff Joe Arpaio now.

288
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:29:52pm

re: #284 wheat-dogg

The Founding Fathers were trying to devise a form of government that would prevent such a thing from happening, as much as humanly possible, anyway. But they were rational men who assumed that the country’s voters would only be rational, educated men of means. Even then, their hope was probably misplaced. Humans seem predisposed to follow charismatic leaders blindly, especially if those leaders enable them to proceed with their own agendae. That’s what the GOP has in Trump. He doesn’t care what shit they do, as long as they let him do his own shit.

Even then, there was some outliers. New Jersey actually had something that vaguely looked like universal suffrage - there was a wealth/property requirement, but women and African Americans could vote until 1807 (when the Democractic-Republicans restricted voting to hurt Federalist turnout).

But i do agree, I think the belief was that voters and their representatives in government (and the electoral college) would be rational. But instead, it often turned into protecting the power of the status quo.

289
goddamnedfrank  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:30:18pm

re: #283 goddamnedfrank

At least one good thing came out of today:

[Embedded content]

When the Court says “It is apparent that [your] Application is a cynical attempt, on an ex parte basis, to shift responsibility to the Judiciary for over 20 years of Congressional inaction and ill-considered Executive action that have led to the current stalemate,” that’s really bad. The Judge basically called Trump’s lawyers a bunch of mendacious shitbirds trying to weasel the executive branch out of a contract because their boss painted himself into a corner with this bullshit discretionary policy.

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KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:31:08pm

re: #285 wheat-dogg

I can’t believe Trump is this naive.

[Embedded content]

I can.

Trump still (probably) believes that Obama isn’t a natural born citizen.

291
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:31:34pm
292
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:32:50pm

re: #285 wheat-dogg

I can’t believe Trump is this naive.

[Embedded content]

He really doesn’t give a shit. All he wanted was a photo op.

293
HappyWarrior  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:32:57pm

re: #291 The Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

Creep.

294
wheat-dogg  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:36:30pm

re: #288 KGxvi

Even then, there was some outliers. New Jersey actually had something that vaguely looked like universal suffrage - there was a wealth/property requirement, but women and African Americans could vote until 1807 (when the Democractic-Republicans restricted voting to hurt Federalist turnout).

But i do agree, I think the belief was that voters and their representatives in government (and the electoral college) would be rational. But instead, it often turned into protecting the power of the status quo.

Conservatives (especially the religious kind) have also realized that weakening public education allows for an easily manipulated voting population. Jefferson, for one, realized that a well-educated populace was the bulwark of a functioning democracy, which is one reason why the Northwest Ordinance set aside land specifically for schools. The growth during the 20th century of homeschooling and church-related schools — especially after Brown v. Board of Education — has created a core nucleus of voters with a blinkered view of history and society — just the kind of people who find nothing at all wrong with Betsy DeVos being appointed Sec. of Education.

295
KGxvi  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:36:46pm

re: #291 The Vicious Babushka

I’m not particularly shocked that a prosecutor wanted to put the screws to a suspect/target of an investigation. It’s sort of the old “if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.”

But the idea that Clinton disgraced the Office, legal system, and the American people seems… quaint by today’s standards. As for those questions… jesus.

296
unproven innocence  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:38:45pm

re: #285 wheat-dogg

I can’t believe Trump is this naive.

Indeed. But considering that it was after the signing and the handshake when he announced “his decision” to suspend US/SK military readiness exercises, I seriously doubt that naivite had much to do with it. The decision was clearly Putin’s.

297
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:39:25pm

re: #285 wheat-dogg

I can’t believe Trump is this naive.

It’s not naivete at work there.

It’s narcissistic bullshit. He’s taking credit, but preemptively attributing blame to another party.

It isn’t 4-D chess, it’s just a standardized response: avoid shame, vacuum up as much credit as possible.

298
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:44:31pm

re: #285 wheat-dogg

I can’t believe Trump is this naive.

I can. The fucker doesn’t read books.

299
MsJ  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:47:59pm

re: #298 teleskiguy

I can. The fucker doesn’t read books.

Yup.

300
Jay C  Jul 9, 2018 • 7:50:34pm

re: #295 KGxvi

I’m not particularly shocked that a prosecutor wanted to put the screws to a suspect/target of an investigation. It’s sort of the old “if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.”

But the idea that Clinton disgraced the Office, legal system, and the American people seems… quaint by today’s standards. As for those questions… jesus.

Yeah, but Bill had the Mark of The Devil on him (i.e. (D)): and a basic principle of legal opinion (at least in certain quarters) is a simple one: INOKIYAD.

301
goddamnedfrank  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:02:09pm

re: #290 KGxvi

I can.

Trump still (probably) believes that Obama isn’t a natural born citizen.

The problem is that Trump doesn’t really believe anything except that he is superior to everyone else, that he is the only person who truly matters and the only one who has genuine interior thoughts and feelings. Everyone and everything else just exists to entertain, worship or be destroyed by him. Therefore he only really “believes” whatever his ego demands that he believe the moment. In other words for Trump belief is just a psychological protean survival mechanism that takes the shape of whatever expedient “truth” he thinks will serve his immediate agenda, exalt his greatness or damage his perceived enemies.

302
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:11:18pm

re: #301 goddamnedfrank

I’d propose that model covers a lot of his followers. No consistent episteme, even when invoking documents and concepts that should impose a structure on “what is true” and “what is right.”

This is a crazy dangerous cultural malignancy. I’d seriously compare it to the kind of lunacy that ate the Soviet Union during Stalin, but really, it covers all cult of personality scenarios: it’s Leon Festinger’s “When Prophecy Fails” all the way down.

303
Interesting Times  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:13:26pm

Fact check: most definitely true

304
bratwurst  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:15:51pm
305
Ace Rothstein  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:23:09pm

BREAKING NEWS ON MSNBC: GHOULIANI ATTENDS SCOTUS ANNOUNCEMENT.

WTF?

306
Single-handed sailor  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:27:06pm

The world goes on without the United States.

307
makeitstop  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:27:12pm

Thread…

308
mmmirele  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:34:27pm

re: #267 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

That’s saying something. Scalia openly wondered if shoulder mounted rocket propelled grenades were legal back in 2012. Good God, for all we know, Kavanaugh might be perfectly OK with suitcase nukes (long speculated, no idea if they can actually exist).

economist.com

309
mmmirele  Jul 9, 2018 • 8:38:55pm

re: #274 wheat-dogg

How not to smuggle, episode 3,415

Border police in Shenzhen, China, arrested a Hong Kong man for trying to smuggle 44 kg of gold bars into the mainland city. That’s about $1.5 million worth of gold. He had the bars stashed in the center armrest of his car.

scmp.com

If he’s found guilty, he could go to prison for anywhere from 5 years to life, according to mainland law.

I looked up how big a 1 kg gold bar would be—it’s about the size of an iPhone 6. I want to know what kind of car he was driving that he was able to stash 44 of those in the center console. From the picture, it doesn’t look like he even made much of an effort to hide them. So yeah, stupid smuggling tricks, episode 3,415.

310
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:00:02pm

WrenchWench
Any take on his bike?

311
Unshaken Defiance  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:00:30pm

re: #309 mmmirele

The Chinese and other countries there had banks before there were banks. Those old ways never stopped. Every Chinatown has 24kt dealers in abundance. Little Italy? Not so much.

312
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:09:57pm

As they called it during ‘Environmental Hazards’ at the Jungle Warfare Training Center Batshit Fever
One of the myriad of things we were told would likely cause our demise in the pleasant jungles of Panama

313
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:15:50pm

re: #28 Rocky-in-Connecticut

I know firsthand about this QAnon sense sh*tpile nest of theories for awhile now. My own brother, yet another “Mr Personal Responsibility” …” Independent Libertarian ” (aka hard-right wing voting Republican) has fallen down this rabbit hole since the beginning and has been posting his fellowship with these nutjobs as such. My situation is like a lot of other white people in this day- split apart from their families by polarized politics and racist views. We are in the midst of a new civil war. This one is not being fought on the battlefields with muskets and bayonets . It is being fought online and in business board rooms, restaurants, and big box stores. It is being fought on broadcast cable and streams. It is tearing apart the fabric of a lot of families in similar fashion to that during the 1860’s and 1960’s.

Another consistent right wing thing about my own brother… Mr. “Personal Responsibility” had to borrow $$$ thousands from me a few years ago for a self-caused financial crisis and has yet to even mention paying me back. The right wing seems to specialize in personal gain and stiffing the other guy whenever possible.

You should’ve told him that’s what the bankruptcy courts are for. Of course, I had to bail out my inlaws to the tune of 5 grand, and it was years before I got even partial repayment back for that.

314
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:22:39pm

re: #28 Rocky-in-Connecticut

Another consistent right wing thing about my own brother… Mr. “Personal Responsibility” had to borrow $$$ thousands from me a few years ago for a self-caused financial crisis and has yet to even mention paying me back. The right wing seems to specialize in personal gain and stiffing the other guy whenever possible.

Same here. My parents made me lend $1,000 to my “born again” brother-in-law. The prick never paid it back.

315
wheat-dogg  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:24:15pm

re: #311 Unshaken Defiance

The Chinese and other countries there had banks before there were banks. Those old ways never stopped. Every Chinatown has 24kt dealers in abundance. Little Italy? Not so much.

People in China are not confident in the value of their national currency right now, so this fellow probably has a lot of disappointed buyers on the mainland, assuming he was only a courier and not the actual investor.

Gold is a good store of value, but one major disadvantage is lack of portability. National governments take a dim view of large amounts of gold crossing their borders, either in or out. That’s why they require you to declare whatever you move cross-border, so they can levy duties on it and get a piece of the action, as it were.

316
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:35:58pm
317
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:41:42pm

In very local politics:

In retaliation for our trip to Yukon tomorrow, my wife was drafted on to the village planning commission.

Since the Sidney VA nurse is now my next-door neighbour, and I didn’t get my epilepsy meds today, I told her the penalty would be she becomes the new chair of the village health board. (We’ve been in trouble with the state because as an incorporated city, we’re supposed to have a health board. That said, the chair of the board has to be a medical professional and we haven’t had one living in town for years. Now that she’s here, she gets the job.)

Actually, it wasn’t really retaliation as both said in advance they would do the jobs.

The woman who wanted to donate a basketball court to the village (which would cost $50,000 and see little use) decided instead to go with our suggestion to upgrade our city park facilities (ADA bathrooms, indoor shelter, added electrical for outdoor concerts and movies and such). That will cost about $36,000, and she said she would be happy to donate for that.

She’ll write the check to the construction company (that saves us the trouble of putting it in the budget). In response, I figure since I am the public affairs officer for the town, when this job is complete I’ll put in for the whole hog: a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the chairwoman, draw up a public proclamation, invite the local press, obtain a dedication plaque, &c.

318
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:45:41pm

re: #314 Joe Bacon 🌹

Same here. My parents made me lend $1,000 to my “born again” brother-in-law. The prick never paid it back.

My sister and I contributed substantial sums to support our mother when she was in assisted living; our brother seldom helped out. It is clear that his financial situation is more precarious than ours but somehow he still thinks that he is among the elite that Trump favors.

319
wheat-dogg  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:51:01pm

re: #318 Hecuba’s daughter

My sister and I contributed substantial sums to support our mother when she was in assisted living; our brother seldom helped out. It is clear that his financial situation is more precarious than ours but somehow he still thinks that he is among the elite that Trump favors.

You mean the “super-elite.”

320
bratwurst  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:51:16pm

Anyone in the eastern and central time zones needing a distraction: Todd Rundgren’s Utopia will be on Jimmy Kimmel on ABC in a few minutes. This was filmed 5 weeks ago at the end of their tour, and I’d wager this is the last anyone will ever see of the band together.

321
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:53:13pm

re: #122 EPR-radar

That sounds about right. Anyone who thinks that any Republican Senator will get in the way of the 5th vote against Roe/Casey is deluding themselves.

All Collins and Murkowski will need are some vague words from the nominee about the importance of precedent.

322
Eclectic Cyborg  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:55:02pm

Why not go after Brown v. Board of Education while they’re at it?

323
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:55:58pm

re: #132 EPR-radar

IMO Roberts is the only justice of the conservative wing (Roberts, Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch) who might conceivably vote against overturning Roe.

But if he stands in the way of overturning Roe, he’ll have to live the rest of his life under heavily armed security.

He will overturn it step by step, incrementally eroding the right to choose, until there is nothing left. That’s the Roberts way.

324
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:57:47pm

re: #322 Eclectic Cyborg

Anything’s possible.

325
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 9, 2018 • 9:59:17pm

OT. Does anyone know whether the US is actually assisting in the rescue of the Thai boys? Trump made a vague assertion on this — but what is the extent, if any, of our role?

326
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:00:38pm

re: #325 Hecuba’s daughter

OT. Does anyone know whether the US is actually assisting in the rescue of the Thai boys? Trump made a vague assertion on this — but what is the extent, if any, of our role?

Probably consists of Franky Graham praying for their safe return…

327
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:03:32pm

re: #140 Belafon

Here’s where I would be cruel: If I ran an abortion clinic in one of the states that will still have them, I would publish the count from each visiting state of women who are part of families worth more than, say, $1M. I wouldn’t publish their names, but I would indicate that wealthy women are just traveling to where they can find one.

The Only Moral Abortion Is My Abortion (goes to the Pro-Choice Action Network of British Columbia, with stories of forced-birthers rationalising to clinic workers why their abortion is necessary but everyone else is a baby-killer; includes a couple of stories where anti-choicers changed their minds)

328
DodgerFan1988  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:05:36pm
329
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:05:57pm

re: #206 HappyWarrior

Crazy and potential bad idea but creating two more SCOTUS spots? This really sucks.

Much better idea than letting rightwingers grant corporations and guns more rights than people for the next 30 years.

330
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:10:43pm

re: #228 teleskiguy

[Embedded content]

Another reason to add two seats to the Court the next time Democrats gain power in DC. Can’t keep being the GOP’s nice guy patsies; too many lives are at stake.

331
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:15:16pm

re: #256 Targetpractice

And what does “letting them go” really accomplish? Are there really that many “moderate” voters who will pass on a Democrat in a red state unless they do Trump’s bidding?

It doesn’t take many in West Virginia. Even if you loathe Manchin, he might make the difference between a Senate controlled by the Democrats or the Republicans.

332
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:20:10pm

re: #223 EPR-radar

What kind of chucklefucks is the NYT hiring these days, to publish a blatant category error like ‘Trump’s classiest move’?

That’s like writing about what kind of shit is most pleasantly fragrant.

The New York Times has never apologised for endorsing Adolph’s Hitler’s rise to German Chancellor. They have always been fascist-adjacent.

333
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:22:23pm
334
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:24:38pm

re: #322 Eclectic Cyborg

Why not go after Brown v. Board of Education while they’re at it?

No need; the schools have been effectively re-segregated without having to reverse it.

335
Romantic Heretic  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:27:29pm

re: #322 Eclectic Cyborg

Why not go after Brown v. Board of Education while they’re at it?

Shhhh! Don’t give ‘em any ideas!

336
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:35:25pm

re: #322 Eclectic Cyborg

Why not go after Brown v. Board of Education while they’re at it?

They won’t stop there. They’ll reinstate Plessy V Ferguson.

337
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:35:44pm

re: #328 DodgerFan1988

The pro-Lifers don’t care about babies of poor non-white women.

338
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:38:23pm

re: #237 Blind Frog Belly White

It’s not the NYT Editorial Board, it’s a Yale Law professor’s column.

It’s Kavanaugh’s professor’s column in particular.

339
sagehen  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:40:32pm

re: #325 Hecuba’s daughter

OT. Does anyone know whether the US is actually assisting in the rescue of the Thai boys? Trump made a vague assertion on this — but what is the extent, if any, of our role?

The U.S. govt, no. Not at all. (Elon Musk had some ideas, and a prototype thingie he thinks will help, but the rescue will be done before his thingie gets there).

Trump’s confusion is because he heard there were SEAL’s working on it, and he didn’t realize that we’re not the only country who has such special forces and calls them that.

340
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:41:09pm

re: #255 teleskiguy

Real fuckin’ mature there, dude.

My “never Trumper” senator. At least he’s getting torn apart in the comments.

341
goddamnedfrank  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:45:34pm
342
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:49:50pm

re: #337 Hecuba’s daughter

The pro-Lifers don’t care about babies of poor non-white women.

Pro-lifers on average cease to care about babies shortly before the severing of the umbilical cord

343
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:51:09pm

re: #341 goddamnedfrank

Space Force Commodore
@goddamnedfrank
This is such a weird, self aggrandizing lie. Kavanaugh really wants people to believe he’s the logical end product of the most exhaustive judicial search in history when in reality Trump just picked from a tiny list of conservative names pre-cleared by the Federalist Society.

Axios
✔
@axios
Brett Kavanaugh: “No president has ever consulted more widely or talked to more people from more backgrounds to seek input for a Supreme Court nomination.” pic.twitter.com

12:45 AM - Jul 10, 2018
1
See Space Force Commodore’s other Tweets

He’s a member of the Federalist Society. You think he’s capable of honest thought or self-reflection? They only recite the party line and praise Trump to curry his favor.

344
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:53:24pm

re: #339 sagehen

The U.S. govt, no. Not at all. (Elon Musk had some ideas, and a prototype thingie he thinks will help, but the rescue will be done before his thingie gets there).

Trump’s confusion is because he heard there were SEAL’s working on it, and he didn’t realize that we’re not the only country who has such special forces and calls them that.

Under Obama, we would probably have been helping out.

345
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:53:52pm

re: #341 goddamnedfrank

Perfect representation of the US right wing’s deep contempt for expertise while still seeking the respect and validation that comes from, you know, doing the background work.

The solution? Counterfeits. Signifiers of accomplishment without the signified actual work done to accomplish something.

346
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:54:00pm

Shocked, shocked I say

347
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:57:28pm

re: #322 Eclectic Cyborg

Why not go after Brown v. Board of Education while they’re at it?

Plenty of Christian riech-wing (and some fellow traveller “moderate” Christian churches) want to go after Griswold and Eisenstadt.

348
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 10:58:30pm

re: #336 Joe Bacon 🌹

They won’t stop there. They’ll reinstate Plessy V Ferguson.

And enforce Buck v Bell. It’s been nice knowing y’all if they do that (Buck v Bell has never been overturned).

349
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:06:00pm

re: #346 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Shocked, shocked I say

[Embedded content]

You have to scroll way down to find it in the tweet link
This takes you direct
bbc.com

350
goddamnedfrank  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:06:46pm

re: #346 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Shocked, shocked I say

[Embedded content]

Really wish he’d stayed out of it or at least worked on the problem quietly without hyping his involvement. Even if his heart was in the right place the whole thing smacked of him trying to turn a human crisis into a publicity stunt by shoehorning his tech bro expertise into the mix. Also his proposed solution just takes an already claustrophobic, panic inducing situation and amps it up to eleven. At least by swimming out the boys can move, see and communicate with their rescuers, being stuck inside that goddamned can would feel like being buried alive.

351
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:09:28pm

Forced birther fears that Kavanaugh may be a Souter seem unfounded; he has already demonstrated an Orwellian ability to find that a government bar to a minor’s abortion is not an “undue burden” on her right to an abortion. And that is how Roe will be reversed; by gutting it even while pretending it remains the law.

352
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:12:50pm

re: #351 Big Beautiful Door

Forced birther fears that Kavanaugh may be a Souter seem unfounded; he has already demonstrated an Orwellian ability to find that a government bar to a minor’s abortion is not an “undue burden” on her right to an abortion. And that is how Roe will be reversed; by gutting it even while pretending it remains the law.

Well, that’s quite the pretzel logic: The government banning you from a legal procedure is not a burden.

353
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:14:10pm

Aren’t there a couple of US divers in the rescuers’ group? (But no-one official.)

354
Targetpractice  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:15:00pm

The Roberts Court will not outright overturn RvW, no more than they ended the ACA. Instead, it’ll be death by a thousand cuts: “exceptions” and “loopholes” found in the ruling so as to ultimately render it a legal dead letter.

355
Targetpractice  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:15:18pm

re: #353 A hollow voice says, Covfefe.

Testing…

I was told there would be no math!

356
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:17:46pm

re: #355 Targetpractice

I was told there would be no math!

I got the “duplicate comment” error when I tried to post, and was testing whether reloading would fix it. Seems to have worked this time.

357
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:18:42pm

re: #350 goddamnedfrank

Really wish he’d stayed out of it or at least worked on the problem quietly without hyping his involvement. Even if his heart was in the right place the whole thing smacked of him trying to turn a human crisis into a publicity stunt by shoehorning his tech bro expertise into the mix. Also his proposed solution just takes an already claustrophobic, panic inducing situation and amps it up to eleven. At least by swimming out the boys can move, see and communicate with their rescuers, being stuck inside that goddamned can would feel like being buried alive.

The Publicity/Claustrophobia/Lifetime of Nightmares Pod
I wonder how long they left someone in it while they were “testing” it.
Because if it wasn’t for hours, while they banged it around, and dragged it against rocks, while tipping at every imaginable angle, they were full of shit.

I’ve also had people tweeting at mr since yesterday with “what if they can’t swim?”
Shit, it’s more crawling than swimming

358
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:26:34pm

OK, I’m going to try and get some sleep in the almost 90% humidity soup floating around my apartment

359
teleskiguy  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:29:12pm

I’m going to share an awful song.

360
danarchy  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:35:58pm

re: #325 Hecuba’s daughter

OT. Does anyone know whether the US is actually assisting in the rescue of the Thai boys? Trump made a vague assertion on this — but what is the extent, if any, of our role?

npr.org

361
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:42:52pm

re: #358 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

OK, I’m going to try and get some sleep in the almost 90% humidity soup floating around my apartment

I’m off to bed as well. Good-night, y’all. Road trip to Yukon in the morning.

362
Teukka  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:44:09pm

re: #149 Joe Bacon 🌹

Unfriended an old high school acquaintance on Facebook for posting more Q shit about Robert DeNiro running a child sex ring…out of the pizza parlor basement…

It’s a classic Schtick of the extreme right, accuse the undesirables of being kiddy diddlers… It’s just a variation on the theme the Nazis used to great effect…

Click to Reveal
Ernst Hiemer: “Der Giftpilz” (1938)

And Jews have been far from the only targets of said Schtick, and it goes back further than the Nazis.
And it’s far from the only 3rd Reich Dreck I’ve seen dredged up by the cheap-labor conservatives these days, every other day there’s another thing which more clearly shows that they’re mil by mil dropping their masks…

363
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 9, 2018 • 11:59:18pm

re: #87 austin_blue

I don’t know, seems to me that it takes a tremendous amount of mental flexibility to truly believe that the Earth is flat after having seen thousands and thousands of pictures that show that half of the Earth doesn’t exist unless it is, in fact, a sphere.

It is a basic view of the world: I believe like Descartes that there is a direct correlation between what I perceive and what exists, even if one often has to look closely (through a microscope or telescope) and not simply accept the obvious (that the earth is flat and does not move) but with Flat Earthers we are dealing with people whose desire to impose their mental constructs on objective reality is their guiding force in life.

And I wonder how many of them simply see it as a form of performance art, ironic meta-humor or are just being annoying and/or attention-seeking.

364
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:00:24am

Another racist video from Denny’s going viral … this time for calling the cops on Hispanic customers. Someone called the cops on them because they thought the Hispanic couple with children was going to dine and dash.

Story and video:

Facebook Video

365
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:03:28am

(includes the quotes)

366
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:04:42am

re: #139 EPR-radar

American Exceptionalism often takes the form of a pig-ignorant refusal to consider that the rest of the world offers both positive and negative real world examples that should be considered in policy making.

or that America has been anything other than exemplary in its past history and international dealings

367
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:07:21am

re: #149 Joe Bacon 🌹

Unfriended an old high school acquaintance on Facebook for posting more Q shit about Robert DeNiro running a child sex ring…out of the pizza parlor basement…

I block or drop anyone who overdoes it with politics on FB. If I want to argue politics, I come to sites like this one. FB is for finding out where friends and family are hanging, cute kid & animal pics/vids and news on upcoming events.

368
Single-handed sailor  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:16:02am

LOL

369
Scottish Dragon  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:25:30am

re: #82 freetoken

You know all those old cheesy sci-fi movies, with spacecraft in outer-space, and how the sound-track would be filled with strange oscillating noises out there somewhere?

Well, they were right:

[Embedded content]

That would be a theremin.

Cool video here of playing a thermin in a classical piece with piano
ted.com

Typical sci fi theremin stuff here…and some Daft Punk!
strangesounds.org

370
freetoken  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:27:05am

Meanwhile, in the big sports-ball tournament:

Croatia Sack Coach Ahead Of World Cup Semi-Final Clash With England

They do have a good reason, however. Ognjen Vukojev was relieved of his duties for posting a video on social media that had political overtones.

Following their win over Russia, the coach took to social media to dedicate the victory to the Ukraine.

He said after the win: “Glory to Ukraine!” while defender Domagoj Vida said:”This victory is for Dynamo [Kiev] and Ukraine.

[…]

“HNS hereby apologizes to the Russian public for the actions of a member of the Croatian delegation. Ognjen Vukojevic and Domagoj Vida likewise apologize for their statements, which were in no way intended to have political connotations, yet which unfortunately left room for such interpretations.”

[…]

371
Teukka  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:38:04am

Shameless plug for an app:

372
freetoken  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:40:29am

Liberace’s TV-Show: Liberace plays “Dark Eyes” (1950’s)

373
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:53:13am

re: #339 sagehen

Trump’s confusion is because he heard there were SEAL’s working on it, and he didn’t realize that we’re not the only country who has such special forces and calls them that.

So he is just as clueless and knee-jerk in his reactions to news as any other Fox viewer…

374
Single-handed sailor  Jul 10, 2018 • 1:14:14am

The Temptations 1998 Papa Was A Rolling Stone Audio HQ)

375
Single-handed sailor  Jul 10, 2018 • 1:21:04am

WAR Low Rider HQ

376
Single-handed sailor  Jul 10, 2018 • 1:35:29am

I was going to comment on the trade war but I can’t find the letter”” in the dark so “no comment”.

377
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 1:42:00am

re: #376 Single-handed sailor

I was going to comment on the trade war but I can’t find the letter”” in the dark so “no comment”.

This is not a Trade War. This is a Trade Temper Tantrum to which the world is reacting just like parents do when their three-year-old loses it in the candy aisle.

378
Amory Blaine  Jul 10, 2018 • 1:51:06am

Woman beats a 91-year-old Mexican man with a brick, tells him to ‘go back to your country’

The Los Angeles Fourth of July fireworks display was just beginning when Erik Mendoza realized his 91-year-old grandfather was missing. Thinking he might have gone for his daily walk, Mendoza wandered around the neighborhood searching for him.

What he found was a bloodstained sidewalk.

Mendoza, 22, told The Washington Post that Rodolfo Rodriguez, a permanent resident of the United States, had been attacked with a brick and taken to the hospital with a broken cheek bone and two broken ribs.

Misbel Borjas, 35, a South Los Angeles resident, saw the assault as it happened.

379
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 2:03:50am

Craptastic: Long drive in a little bit, and I woke up in the middle of the night.

I thought I would read along a bit more here before I hit the road. There ain’t no way Mr. Johnson is going to get me to click on that video of crazy.

Next time I check in I’ll either be in Montana or safely on the other side of the Poutine Curtain in Saskatchewan.

380
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 2:05:24am

re: #379 Anymouse 🌹

Craptastic: Long drive in a little bit, and I woke up in the middle of the night.

I thought I would read along a bit more here before I hit the road. There ain’t no way Mr. Johnson is going to get me to click on that video of crazy.

Next time I check in I’ll either be in Montana or safely on the other side of the Poutine Curtain in Saskatchewan.

I had to look into it just to be aware of what kind of crazy is being mainstreamed today. I could not get past the part about “What if a criminal became President?”

381
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 2:10:54am

re: #380 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

I had to look into it just to be aware of what kind of crazy is being mainstreamed today. I could not get past the part about “What if a criminal became President?”

All I can think of about the Qanon stuff is either a) someone is really having it on with conservatives and proving they will believe anything, b) a foreign power is still messing with our electorate [thanks YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, &c for not ousting those because profit is more important], or c) someone is insane enough to believe this stuff and is just “getting the word out.”

I’m not sure which is worse.

382
Anymouse 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 2:15:09am

Liu Xia, Wife Of Imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Leaves China
She has been under house arrest since her husband was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
huffingtonpost.com

BEIJING (Reuters) - Liu Xia, the widow of late Chinese Nobel Peace Prize-winning political dissident Liu Xiaobo, left China for Germany on Tuesday, a friend told Reuters, in news welcomed by rights groups who had pressed for her release from house arrest.

Liu Xia was on a Finnair flight bound for Helsinki that left Beijing at around 11 a.m. (0300 GMT), Ye Du, a writer and friend, told Reuters. Ye said he was informed of Liu’s departure by her older brother.

(more)

383
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 2:17:29am

re: #381 Anymouse 🌹

All I can think of about the Qanon stuff is either a) someone is really having it on with conservatives and proving they will believe anything, b) a foreign power is still messing with our electorate [thanks YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, &c for not ousting those because profit is more important], or c) someone is insane enough to believe this stuff and is just “getting the word out.”

I’m not sure which is worse.

There is enough crazy in there to account for each. And yes, for some it is just a perverse form of Performance Art or post-modern ironic meta-humor.

And the Russians are certainly going to do their best to spread this just like they did with the Jade Helm craziness.

384
Teukka  Jul 10, 2018 • 2:38:26am

re: #381 Anymouse 🌹

All I can think of about the Qanon stuff is either a) someone is really having it on with conservatives and proving they will believe anything, b) a foreign power is still messing with our electorate [thanks YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, &c for not ousting those because profit is more important], or c) someone is insane enough to believe this stuff and is just “getting the word out.”

I’m not sure which is worse.

You forgot d) all of the above. b) because a), potentiated by c)….

385
goddamnedfrank  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:03:39am
386
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:06:38am

re: #385 goddamnedfrank

Our traditions decree that courtesy in the guest is matched by equal courtesy from the host.

A true politician or statesman can rise above such criticisms…Trump cannot.

387
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:10:56am

Considering RBG’s age etc it is not impossible that Caligula Minus will get one more seat to fill on SCOTUS before he is expunged.

Realistically, the rules of the game were known; I feel bad for the 50% of good Americans but you have only yourselves to blame.

388
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:11:56am

Kudos to whomever came up with this:

Imgur

389
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:23:03am

We need a Ministry of Fairness and Balance.

390
Teukka  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:28:19am

re: #389 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

We need a Ministry of Fairness and Balance.

391
freetoken  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:55:08am

There are still plenty of people in my Facebook timeline who deny that Trump and his buddies are bigots.

At this point, what more can a person do?

I don’t know many people on this planet, even with all my travels. I’ve met (as in met, not just passed by) all kinds of people, but probably less than one in a million of the humans alive on the planet today.

So I don’t really have a feel what truly people believe.

Evidence suggests that the primary preoccupation of my fellow humans is to avoid reality whenever possible.

392
Barefoot Grin  Jul 10, 2018 • 3:56:04am

I couldn’t take too much, but the morning talk shows including CNN and MSNBC are generally painting Kavanaugh as a moderate—except Jeffrey Toobin. Good for him.

393
Thanos  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:00:28am

It’s like a modernized retread of Texe Marrs via Russia Today …

394
Bubblehead II  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:02:08am

Some good news this morning.

Thai cave rescue: 11th boy freed, just one boy and coach still inside cave

395
sagehen  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:02:31am

re: #392 Barefoot Grin

I couldn’t take too much, but the morning talk shows including CNN and MSNBC are generally painting Kavanaugh as a moderate—except Jeffrey Toobin. Good for him.

[Embedded content]

MSNBC is definitely not painting him as moderate; not at all. They’re saying he’s as experienced and qualified as any conservative is ever going to be (which he actually is, a decade on the bench, 300 opinions, worked for the White House counsel before that, was part of the Bush v. Gore team)… but also super-conservative and the court is shifted for a generation.

396
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:05:10am

re: #391 freetoken

There are still plenty of people in my Facebook timeline who deny that Trump and his buddies are bigots.

At this point, what more can a person do?

If they agree with him, they cannot call him (or by extension themselves) a bigot.

397
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:11:50am

re: #395 sagehen

MSNBC is definitely not painting him as moderate; not at all. They’re saying he’s as experienced and qualified as any conservative is ever going to be (which he actually is, a decade on the bench, 300 opinions, worked for the White House counsel before that, was part of the Bush v. Gore team)… but also super-conservative and the court is shifted for a generation.

“States’ Rights” has been used to support regressive policies forever, but it may be time to start using them the other way. New York and New England, the Pacific states, whoever else wants to get on board need to go: “John Roberts has made his decision, now let him enforce it.”

Unfortunately this would abandon a lot of good people in Conservatopian states that would just get worse and worse, but what other choice do we have?

398
Barefoot Grin  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:25:49am

re: #395 sagehen

MSNBC is definitely not painting him as moderate; not at all. They’re saying he’s as experienced and qualified as any conservative is ever going to be (which he actually is, a decade on the bench, 300 opinions, worked for the White House counsel before that, was part of the Bush v. Gore team)… but also super-conservative and the court is shifted for a generation.

Good. I went back to bed.

399
Shropshire Slasher  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:29:56am

re: #389 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

We need a Ministry of Fairness and Balance.

Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod (Video Version)

400
The Major  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:35:59am

Fascinating graphic:

401
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:36:16am

re: #371 Teukka

Shameless plug for an app:

[Embedded content]

The are times humanity gives me hope. I just signed up. 1.4 million volunteers.

Thanks for sharing!

402
sagehen  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:38:24am

Josh Marshall has some thoughts about what sort of questioning would be appropriate and desirable for Kavanaugh’s hearing
talkingpointsmemo.com

There is a lot to go over. But let’s start with the Starr Report, look at his belief that merely delaying an interview with an Independent Counsel or Special Counsel constitutes obstruction of justice and is an impeachable offense. Senators should also closely probe his claim that a President lying to the public or even to his staff can be and should be an impeachable offense. That is highly interesting. And then let’s get a look at those emails and memos and notes from his six years working for President Bush. It seems unwise to hold a vote before those are thoroughly reviewed.

403
Teukka  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:39:14am

re: #401 MsJ

The are times humanity gives me hope. I just signed up. 1.4 million volunteers.

Thanks for sharing!

[Embedded content]

Also, consider reaching out to local organizations for the blind, as volunteer “eyes” are in some areas in very short supply. It’s not that hard to get a hang of.

404
Shropshire Slasher  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:39:48am

They are all out of the cave!

405
Sufficient unto the day...  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:41:52am

re: #404 Shropshire Slasher

YAY!

406
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:44:55am

re: #400 The Major

This is the handy visual guide that New York magazine published to help readers understand the thesis of its cover story alleging a Trump-Putin plot that began in 1987

Too complicated for most of us to understand, which will be one of his major defense points.

He used the same excuse not to release his tax returns: too complicated, waste of time.

Even under the best-case scenario in which he is run out of office, I imagine that he will walk, and even if he loses all of his assets, he can then make a comfortable living giving speeches and rallies and media appearances.

407
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:50:26am

re: #406 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Too complicated for most of us to understand, which will be one of his major defense points.

He used the same excuse not to release his tax returns: too complicated, waste of time.

Even under the best-case scenario in which he is run out of office, I imagine that he will walk, and even if he loses all of his assets, he can then make a comfortable living giving speeches and rallies and media appearances.

He can regale his audiences with fatuous, disjointed ramblings about how the Deep State and Obama and Hillary undermined his presidency.

They’ll lap it up like flies on shit.

408
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:50:55am

re: #406 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Too complicated for most of us to understand, which will be one of his major defense points.

He used the same excuse not to release his tax returns: too complicated, waste of time.

Even under the best-case scenario in which he is run out of office, I imagine that he will walk, and even if he loses all of his assets, he can then make a comfortable living giving speeches and rallies and media appearances.

Can you imagine? John McCain was all over TV as President-in-Exile for 8 fucking years, and he never was in office in the first place.

409
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:52:20am

re: #407 Dr Lizardo

He can regale his audiences with fatuous, disjointed ramblings about how the Deep State and Obama and Hillary undermined his presidency.

His original plan was to regale his audiences with fatuous, disjointed ramblings about how the Deep State and Obama and Hillary robbed him of the presidency. But this could be even more profitable.

410
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 4:55:03am

re: #404 Shropshire Slasher

They are all out of the cave!

That’s the best thing I’ve read in a while!!

411
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:03:42am

re: #410 MsJ

That’s the best thing I’ve read in a while!!

And nobody has thanked America for its role…

412
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:04:37am
413
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:10:13am

re: #404 Shropshire Slasher

They are all out of the cave!

Great news.

414
Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:10:47am

So nice not to be a Republican.

415
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:12:42am
416
jeffreyw  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:16:49am

Imgur


Good morning!

417
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:20:58am

re: #416 jeffreyw

[Embedded content]

Good morning!

The birds are all, ‘Dude! WTF?’

418
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:25:27am

I love this kid but I do not love all Americans. I will never love hateful people. I don’t want to love hateful people. How am I supposed to love a woman who beats up a 91 year old man for no reason? How am I supposed to love people who call police on others solely because their skin color differs? I can’t.

419
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:30:16am

re: #415 darthstar

OMFG. That was real! I thought for sure you did that.

420
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:32:51am

the kids are out, did Trump take credit yet?

421
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:33:25am

re: #418 MsJ

Unpopular opinion: I really hate political parties I feel like when we call ourselves Democrats or Republicans we all forget what we are Americans, Americans that love the country and each other.

There was a time when Republicans and Democrats could agree on a number of basic principles while limiting their disagreements to matters of policy and personnel.

But now things are strained to the point that we cannot even agree on points of objective reality, like comparing inauguration day crowd sizes on similar photographs…

422
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:33:54am

re: #420 I Would Prefer Not To

the kids are out, did Trump take credit yet?

Navy SEALs did it, so sure.

423
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:34:13am

re: #420 I Would Prefer Not To

the kids are out, did Trump take credit yet?

He is too busy complaining about how the ungrateful world has yet to thank us for our role…

424
A Mom Anon  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:35:07am

re: #418 MsJ

I think the Parkland kids have had some positive actions and effects on some of the gun humpers they’ve met as they travel around the country. This is a good thing. I also think that these young adults are not going to waste a lot of energy on the hardcore parade of idiots. The right wing media made them out to be monsters and crisis actors, seeing them in person and interacting with them may change the hearts of those less invested in guns being their sole identity.

I give people a chance, if they persist in being mean and stupid, it makes my job of walking away much easier. The stupid among us are going to get left behind because the rest of us are learning we’re going to have to push past them and keep going.

425
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:37:28am

re: #424 A Mom Anon

I think the Parkland kids have had some positive actions and effects on some of the gun humpers they’ve met as they travel around the country.

Why is it that it takes dead schoolchildren and media-savvy survivors of school gun violence to finally turn the gun debate around and wrest the narrative from the NRA?

And why does it take reports of traumatized, caged, kidnapped children to finally get people the inhumanity of our immigration control system?

426
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:38:37am

re: #421 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

There was a time when Republicans and Democrats could agree on a number of basic principles while limiting their disagreements to matters of policy and personnel.

But now things are strained to the point that we cannot even agree on points of objective reality, like comparing inauguration day crowd sizes on similar photographs…

Americans used to not like being fooled. Remember the reaction after a lot of WWI Allied propaganda was proven to be bullshit, which unfortunately led a lot of people not to credit reports of what was going on in Nazi Germany.

Somehow in the intervening years, we’ve grown a class of people who take great pride in believing six impossible things before breakfast.

427
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:40:12am

re: #334 Big Beautiful Door

No need; the schools have been effectively re-segregated without having to reverse it.

And we’re not actually going to solve this problem unless we desegregate neighborhoods. For now, all we can do is ensure that each school gets enough funding so it can do it’s job. This might mean that the poorer schools get more than the richer schools, which is a big fight.

428
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:40:13am

re: #426 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Somehow in the intervening years, we’ve grown a class of people who take great pride in believing six impossible things before breakfast.

Q-anon in a nutshell

429
Patricia Kayden  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:41:41am
430
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:42:33am

re: #419 MsJ

OMFG. That was real! I thought for sure you did that.

[Embedded content]

I don’t shop at Walmart as a general rule, but props to their social media person.

431
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:43:23am

re: #429 Patricia Kayden

Pregnant Women Say They Miscarried In Immigration Detention And Didn’t Get The Care They Needed

Set the spin machine to

stage one: fake news, spread by supporters of open borders and MS-13

stage two: illegals coming here demanding free medical care!!!

432
Teukka  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:44:09am

re: #431 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Set the spin machine to

stage one: fake news, spread by supporters of open borders and MS-13

stage two: illegals coming here demanding free medical care!!!

So, not only CPPCG II(e), but CPPCG II(d) too…

433
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:45:38am
434
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:47:38am

re: #404 Shropshire Slasher

They are all out of the cave!

Morning!

That’s good news.

435
ericblair  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:47:59am

re: #412 MsJ

Source familiar tells NBC that Justice Kennedy had been in negotiations with the Trump team for months over Kennedy’s replacement. Once Kennedy received assurances that it would be Kavanaugh (his former law clerk) Kennedy felt comfortable retiring - @LACaldwellDC & @frankthorp

So, Kennedy was negotiating his replacement with Trump while a number of Trump’s decisions were in front of the court. So, what kind of side deals might have been made between Trump and Kennedy to make this happen? What if Kennedy threw some decisions Trump’s way to seal the deal? Does it look like that’s not a fair question to ask at this point?

436
A Mom Anon  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:48:32am

re: #425 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Because we’ve become lazy and complacent. One big example of this is our crumbling infrastructure. We built all this great shit and then spent barely any money on upkeep because taxes are evil. Ask people if they want safe infrastructure and of course they say yes, but then don’t want “taxpayer dollars” funding those upgrades. Because we are spoiled and uninformed. So shit falls apart. We literally have to be smacked with pieces of falling concrete before it occurs to people that something has to be done.

Throw in just barely getting by after working and commuting and people become numb and it has to be in their faces or they won’t see it.

437
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:50:00am

re: #28 Rocky-in-Connecticut

Another consistent right wing thing about my own brother… Mr. “Personal Responsibility” had to borrow $$$ thousands from me a few years ago for a self-caused financial crisis and has yet to even mention paying me back. The right wing seems to specialize in personal gain and stiffing the other guy whenever possible.

But somewhere in some inner city is a Black person getting $115 worth of food stamps which is the real atrocity.

///

438
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:51:12am

re: #436 A Mom Anon

Because we’ve become lazy and complacent. One big example of this is our crumbling infrastructure. We built all this great shit and then spent barely any money on upkeep because taxes are evil.

We have been sold on the notion that we should “run government like a business.”

Well, to a businessperson, things like education, health care, infrastructure, environmental protection, etc., are cost factors to me minimized in order to increase bottom-line profits, instead of seeing them as necessary investments in a healthy society and productive work force.

439
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:51:46am

re: #418 MsJ

I love this kid but I do not love all Americans. I will never love hateful people. I don’t want to love hateful people. How am I supposed to love a woman who beats up a 91 year old man for no reason? How am I supposed to love people who call police on others solely because their skin color differs? I can’t.

[Embedded content]

I hear what he’s saying but I’m with you on this but I give him credit for being glass half full after all the hate he’s received.

440
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:51:54am

re: #431 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Set the spin machine to

stage one: fake news, spread by supporters of open borders and MS-13

stage two: illegals coming here demanding free medical care!!!

Illegal alien invades America, has abortion on American soil.

441
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:52:53am

The one thing that seems conspicuously missing from the NATO articles is the American bases throughout the NATO countries:

Belgium - Chièvres Air Base; Kleine Brogel Air Base
Germany - US Army installations in Germany; Panzer Kaserne; Ramstein Air Base; Spangdahlem Air Base
Greece - Naval Support Activity Souda Bay
Greenland (Denmark) - Thule Air Base
Italy - Caserma Del Din; Caserma Ederle; Darby Military Community; Naval Air Station Sigonella; Naval Support Activity Naples; Aviano Air Base
Kosovo - Camp Bondsteel
Netherlands - Volkel Air Base
Norway - Marine Corps garrison at Værnes Air Station
Portugal - Lajes Field
Spain - Morón Air Base; Naval Station Rota
United Kingdom - RAF Alconbury; RAF Croughton; RAF Fairford; RAF Lakenheath; RAF Menwith Hill; RAF Mildenhall

Is Trump planning to abandon all of these? What does the Pentagon think about that? Can we get a few EU bases in Texas and Alabama and New Mexico in exchange?

442
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:53:53am

re: #433 MsJ

[Embedded content]

The shit’s going to hit the fan one way or the other. The Mueller report (if and when it comes out, or if it’s allowed to come out) is going to invalidate the 2016 election, because while the FSB is very competent, the Americans they’re working through are total maroons, so the evidence will be there.

443
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:54:47am
444
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:54:58am

re: #350 goddamnedfrank

Really wish he’d stayed out of it or at least worked on the problem quietly without hyping his involvement. Even if his heart was in the right place the whole thing smacked of him trying to turn a human crisis into a publicity stunt by shoehorning his tech bro expertise into the mix. Also his proposed solution just takes an already claustrophobic, panic inducing situation and amps it up to eleven. At least by swimming out the boys can move, see and communicate with their rescuers, being stuck inside that goddamned can would feel like being buried alive.

I’m trying to think of why it was really all that bad that his company worked on it and announced they did. Announcing it didn’t cost anyone anything, and it looks like his team was trying to come up with a quick solution. How many other companies do you actually think were trying to come up with a solution? I’m sure Trump couldn’t be bothered to loan a prayer for the kids.

As for their type of solution, it was definitely a last resort type of solution, but it’s far better to have one more thing to fall back on than “We can’t get the kid out. The cave is filling due to the rains and he won’t stay calm enough to come out with a team.”

445
Barefoot Grin  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:55:25am

re: #430 darthstar

I don’t shop at Walmart as a general rule, but props to their social media person.

Indeed. With headquarters in Arkansas I wonder how close the Huckabees and Waltons are.

446
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:56:15am

re: #444 Belafon

I’m trying to think of why it was really all that bad that his company worked on it and announced they did. Announcing it didn’t cost anyone anything, and it looks like his team was trying to come up with a quick solution. How many other companies do you actually think were trying to come up with a solution? I’m sure Trump couldn’t be bothered to loan a prayer for the kids.

As for their type of solution, it was definitely a last resort type of solution, but it’s far better to have one more thing to fall back on than “We can’t get the kid out. The cave is filling due to the rains and he won’t stay calm enough to come out with a team.”

It might come in handy for some other rescue operation in the future.

447
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:56:15am

re: #441 Lupin

The one thing that seems conspicuously missing from the NNATO articles is the American bases throughout the NATO countries:

Belgium - Chièvres Air Base; Kleine Brogel Air Base
Germany - US Army installations in Germany; Panzer Kaserne; Ramstein Air Base; Spangdahlem Air Base
Greece - Naval Support Activity Souda Bay
Greenland (Denmark) - Thule Air Base
Italy - Caserma Del Din; Caserma Ederle; Darby Military Community; Naval Air Station Sigonella; Naval Support Activity Naples; Aviano Air Base
Kosovo - Camp Bondsteel
Netherlands - Volkel Air Base
Norway - Marine Corps garrison at Værnes Air Station
Portugal - Lajes Field
Spain - Morón Air Base; Naval Station Rota
United Kingdom - RAF Alconbury; RAF Croughton; RAF Fairford; RAF Lakenheath; RAF Menwith Hill; RAF Mildenhall

Is Trump planning to abandon all of these? What does the Pentagon think about that? Can we get a few EU bases in Texas and Alabama and New Mexico in exchange?

I’m sure they’d all make fine golf courses.

448
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:56:23am

re: #442 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

The shit’s going to hit the fan one way or the other. The Mueller report (if and when it comes out, or if it’s allowed to come out) is going to invalidate the 2016 election, because while the FSB is very competent, the Americans they’re working through are total maroons, so the evidence will be there.

Remember when it was revealed that Donny Junior met with Russians at Trump Tower to get dirt on Clinton and that team Trumpy lied about it?

You’d think somebody would try keeping this in the news, that more people would think this is kind of relevant to the whole collusion thing. Media, Dems, someone. Seems to have slipped off the national consciousness.

449
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:57:13am
450
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:58:22am

re: #443 MsJ

That’s its mouth! I thought it was its asshole.

451
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:58:46am

re: #369 Scottish Dragon

That would be a theremin.

Cool video here of playing a thermin in a classical piece with piano
ted.com

Typical sci fi theremin stuff here…and some Daft Punk!
strangesounds.org

The Doctor Who theme.

452
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:58:57am

While in Scotland rude snowflake Trump will not meet Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who has been highly critical of his policies.

453
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:59:07am

re: #445 Barefoot Grin

Indeed. With headquarters in Arkansas I wonder how close the Huckabees and Waltons are.

If they delete their tweet we’ll know.

454
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 5:59:10am

re: #448 Sir John Barron

Remember when it was revealed that Donny Junior met with Russians at Trump Tower to get dirt on Clinton and that team Trumpy lied about it?

You’d think somebody would try keeping this in the news, that more people would think this is kind of relevant to the whole collusion thing. Media, Dems, someone. Seems to have slipped off the national consciousness.

Anybody would have taken that meeting!

That was something he actually said.

455
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:01:29am

re: #446 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

It might come in handy for some other rescue operation in the future.

Yeah :-) but seriously, what’s the plan here?

456
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:02:00am

re: #452 Lupin

While in Scotland rude snowflake Trump will not meet Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who has been highly critical of his policies.

She also was a staunch remain supporter too. I like the SNP. I’m usually adverse to nationalism but I understand it in Scotland and for Sturgeon and her party, they in fact are an inclusive bunch.

457
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:02:10am

re: #451 Belafon

The Doctor Who theme.

The Star Trek theme:

Sheldon’s Theremin

458
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:02:55am

re: #397 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

“States’ Rights” has been used to support regressive policies forever, but it may be time to start using them the other way. New York and New England, the Pacific states, whoever else wants to get on board need to go: “John Roberts has made his decision, now let him enforce it.”

Unfortunately this would abandon a lot of good people in Conservatopian states that would just get worse and worse, but what other choice do we have?

Retake Congress and the White House, and pass a boatload of laws and just keep hammering away. We’re at 5-4. Thomas goes, and suddenly it’s the other direction.

459
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:03:11am

re: #450 darthstar

That’s its mouth! I thought it was its asshole.

I have no idea how to make a rabbit that fluffy. I see dogs like that, too. No clue. It’s not just a wash and blow dry.

No matter, they are so cute!

460
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:04:13am

re: #449 darthstar

So, if those Australian, British and Thai divers aren’t busy, we’ve got about 2,000 kids trapped in cages here in the US that could use a little help…some haven’t been seen for nearly 4 months but the gov’t says they’re alive.

There’s been a cartoon circulating showing kids in cages watching the rescue efforts on TV…

461
Teukka  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:04:20am

re: #451 Belafon

The Doctor Who theme.

Actually, if I recall interviews with Delia Derbyshire correctly what sounds like a theremin is actually a sine wave generator…

462
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:05:07am

re: #369 Scottish Dragon

That would be a theremin.

Cool video here of playing a thermin in a classical piece with piano
ted.com

Typical sci fi theremin stuff here…and some Daft Punk!
strangesounds.org

The Theremin was invented so that we would know that the aliens had in fact landed…

463
Unshaken Defiance  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:05:15am

re: #450 darthstar

That’s its mouth! I thought it was its asshole.

I thought the same thing at the SCOTUS announcement.

464
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:06:09am

…

465
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:07:10am

re: #464 MsJ

How very Snyder of him. Republicans…they are all the same.

Correct tweet.

466
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:07:42am

re: #437 Sir John Barron

But somewhere in some inner city is a Black person with a TV, a microwave and a cellphone getting $115 worth of food stamps which is the real atrocity.

///

Edited to add the official RWNJ/racist slant.

467
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:10:26am

re: #461 Teukka

Actually, if I recall interviews with Delia Derbyshire correctly what sounds like a theremin is actually a sine wave generator…

Q: Did the original Doctor Who theme song use a theremin?

Sorry, also no. The Doctor Who theme was performed by Delia Derbyshire in 1963 using a combination of hand-tuned oscillators and tape loops that we cut and spliced together in a technique known as musique concrete.

Q: Did the original Star Trek theme use a theremin?

No. The original theme was sung by soprano Loulie Jean Norman and was not a theremin. Another variation was performed with a violin.

I have seen the Doctor Who theme performed with one later.

468
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:10:54am

re: #466 wheat-dogg

Edited to add the official RWNJ/racist slant.

That old list from the ’70s of what it’s scandalous that poor people in America have is still in circulation and still includes COLOR TV!!!! Where in the hell would you even find a black-and-white TV in this day and age?

469
Unshaken Defiance  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:14:51am

George Clooney involved in scooter accident in Italy

George, next time pull over to sip the Nespresso.

470
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:15:51am

Rudy is on the same diet as trump.

471
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:16:11am

re: #468 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

That old list from the ’70s of what it’s scandalous that poor people in America have is still in circulation and still includes COLOR TV!!!! Where in the hell would you even find a black-and-white TV in this day and age?

Gives you a hint as to how old those RWNJs are, too. (My age or older. Jeez.)

472
makeitstop  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:16:58am

re: #467 Belafon

I have seen the Doctor Who theme performed with one later.

This song was produced with the Doctor Who theme song in mind.

Muse - Uprising

No theremin in this one, either, though.

473
Shropshire Slasher  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:17:18am

I hope there is a very special place in hell for these 12 people:

New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott and Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini today announced the arrest of another former employee of a Brentwood residential facility for mentally disabled adults on charges of stealing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP” or food stamps) welfare benefits belonging to the residents and using those benefits to buy groceries for themselves. The arrest is directly related to the 12 others, former employees and their acquaintances, charged last week in connection to the scheme in which the SNAP benefits were used by the facility’s employees and others to buy large quantities of king crab legs, steaks, chicken wings, racks of ribs, baby formula and a pallet of Red Bull energy drink cases, among other items, for their own use. Thomas Oliver, 56, of Charleston, South Carolina, a former rehabilitative associate at the facility, was charged with Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree, felonies, and Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor.

The charges allege Oliver used a resident’s stolen benefits card to buy hundreds of dollars in food for his own use, predominantly packaged baby-back ribs.

474
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:18:46am

Why yes, we should love them, get to know them, understand them.

I say a resounding NOPE.

Hidden because it is disgusting.

Click to Reveal
475
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:19:35am

re: #468 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

That old list from the ’70s of what it’s scandalous that poor people in America have is still in circulation and still includes COLOR TV!!!! Where in the hell would you even find a black-and-white TV in this day and age?

Some hipster’s loft apartment, that’s where.

476
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:21:58am

re: #473 Shropshire Slasher

The arrest is directly related to the 12 others, former employees and their acquaintances, charged last week in connection to the scheme in which the SNAP benefits were used by the facility’s employees and others to buy large quantities of king crab legs, steaks, chicken wings, racks of ribs, baby formula and a pallet of Red Bull

The details of the SNAP benefits being stolen will be lost, but we will hear all about it being used to buy king crab legs, steaks, chicken wings, racks of ribs, baby formula and a pallet of Red Bull.

And you can go check…it is a verifiable fact…just devoid of context it gains an entirely different spin.

“Man Throws Baby Out of Third-Story Window”

vs,

a man rushes into a burning building to rescue a baby by tossing it to rescue workers waiting below

477
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:22:21am

re: #474 MsJ

Why yes, we should love them, get to know them, understand them.

I say a resounding NOPE.

Hidden because it is disgusting.

[Embedded content]

Now, now we need to be civil.//

478
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:24:48am

re: #475 Dr Lizardo

Some hipster’s loft apartment, that’s where.

I bought a b/w set in 1989, about the time that things were heating up just before the Berlin Wall and the inner-German border came down. Cost me around $39 and was probably made in East Germany (did not say anywhere on the box or packaging) but it had no earphone jack and you could not turn the sound all the way down.

Means that if you were trying to secretly listen into the West German news program, you could still hear the opening fanfare through a closed door. (I know I tried)…

479
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:25:27am

re: #422 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Navy SEALs did it, so sure.

Thai Navy SEALS.

480
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:26:01am

re: #479 ObserverArt

Thai Navy SEALS.

Trumps seems unaware that they come in different flavors…

481
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:27:07am

re: #479 ObserverArt

Thai Navy SEALS.

Yes, I know that, and you know that, but tRump?

482
Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:27:56am

re: #474 MsJ

Why yes, we should love them, get to know them, understand them.

I say a resounding NOPE.

Hidden because it is disgusting.

[Embedded content]

“Hopeless Nazi, go back to hell.”

483
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:29:52am

re: #480 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Trumps seems unaware that they come in different flavors…

Flavors like chocolate and vanilla, or flavors like strange and charm?

484
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:33:19am

re: #435 ericblair

So, Kennedy was negotiating his replacement with Trump while a number of Trump’s decisions were in front of the court. So, what kind of side deals might have been made between Trump and Kennedy to make this happen? What if Kennedy threw some decisions Trump’s way to seal the deal? Does it look like that’s not a fair question to ask at this point?

Washington DC is at the point where all questions are fair.

I was stunned by Kennedy revelations about his son being a member of Deutsche Bank and handling real estate loans for Trump.

The whole things seems to be orchestrated.

485
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:33:57am

re: #484 ObserverArt

Washington DC is at the point where all questions are fair.

I was stunned by Kennedy revelations about his son being a member of Deutsche Bank and handling real estate loans for Trump.

The whole things seems to be orchestrated.

Something does stink.

486
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:39:48am
487
steve_davis  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:40:46am

re: #9 Blind Frog Belly White

The thing is, the Trumpist, revanchist Right NEEDS to feel like the downtrodden. They gain strength and unity from the belief that they are in an existential fight in which losing means utter destruction.

it isn’t that they need to feel like losers. It’s that they are, in fact, losers. they’re the 70 year-old men who are checking receipts against carts at the Sam’s Club. The 27 year-old fellow who is still making minimum wage selling tickets at the movie theater he started working at when his goal was to get a college degree and then move into the big time. Now, he has the college degree and he’s discovered that society has ripped him off. He can’t move into the big time because he got a degree that comes with absolutely nothing that an employer thinks translates into value. I could easily be part of this group. 52 years old with a master’s degree that leaves me just barely above the poverty line, IF the people who employ me online bother to use me in any given year. the only reason I’m not is because my iq is high enough to where I am extremely resistant to bullshit. Most trump supporters are idiots which makes them easy marks for his promise of monorails.

488
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:42:07am
489
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:48:46am
490
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:49:29am

It’s always nice to be reminded how damn physically draining it can be to exist without AC during the summer.
It has only been maybe 13(+) hours, and I’m pretty miserable

491
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:49:52am

re: #489 MsJ

[Embedded content]

Good deal. Let’s stop this asshole.

492
BigPapa  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:55:15am

Reports that Team Trump was negotiating with Kennedy about his retirement and replacement: Kennedy wanted Kavanaugh to replace him.

Trump is cancer. We can’t take much more of this.

493
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:55:33am
494
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:56:30am
495
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:57:29am

re: #493 Belafon

[Embedded content]

Owning the libs by getting dismembered by whales.

496
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:57:47am

re: #494 Belafon

[Embedded content]

Oooh

497
darthstar  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:59:31am

I fuckin’ love Jerry Brown:

Trump and his enablers in the Republican Party fail to grasp the reality that clean energy increasingly is good for business, especially in California. “He can’t distinguish the white horse of victory from the pale horse of death, to quote the Apocalypse,” said Brown during an interview at his Sacramento office last week. “He’s riding a dead horse. That will become obvious to more and more people.”

Article here: bloomberg.com

498
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 6:59:34am

re: #487 steve_davis

I suspect a large fraction of these people feel as though they are entitled to a decent job and a nice house merely because they are white and have followed the standard Path to the American Dream: graduate college, find a well-paying job, buy a house, retire and live on your 401(k) + pension payments. That worked at one time, but that ship pulled away from shore a few decades ago. Now, if you want the job, the house, etc., you have to bust your ass 24/7. It’s not going to land in your lap just because you’re white and male.

499
Patricia Kayden  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:00:16am

re: #433 MsJ

[Embedded content]

And Americans will go along with that? I doubt it. There would be riots in the streets. This is not a dictatorship just yet.

500
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:03:25am

re: #490 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

It’s always nice to be reminded how damn physically draining it can be to exist without AC during the summer.
It has only been maybe 13(+) hours, and I’m pretty miserable

Well, at least we’re seeing at least acknowledgement that there is a problem.
It only took 13 hrs, and a second urgent service request for management to at least respond.

501
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:03:44am

Sorry to harp over this, but I’m surprised that the issue of the US military bases in EU isn’t at the forefront of the discussions on TV. Without NATO, bye bye bases. Without bases, bye bye global power projection.

In the eyes of the Pentagon, this is second only to nuclear missiles and MAD. It is the ultimate selling out of the US to Russia.

Do you think this is going to go down without a peep?

502
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:05:22am
503
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:05:57am

This Asshole==>

504
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:06:44am
505
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:07:32am

re: #503 The Vicious Babushka

After court ruling, President Trump says he has a solution to keep families from being separated at the border: “Tell people not to come to our country illegally. That’s the solution.”

The whole point of separating families was deterrence.

506
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:08:11am

re: #504 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Is Maggie finally sick and tired of sticking up for America’s Hitler?

507
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:08:30am

re: #448 Sir John Barron

Remember when it was revealed that Donny Junior met with Russians at Trump Tower to get dirt on Clinton and that team Trumpy lied about it?

You’d think somebody would try keeping this in the news, that more people would think this is kind of relevant to the whole collusion thing. Media, Dems, someone. Seems to have slipped off the national consciousness.

Did you see the links to the New York Magazine and Politico articles yesterday that trace the Russia and Trump connections back to the 80s. Very thorough articles.

Here they are if you want to check them out.

People are trying to get the message out. It is just tough when major media like Fox, The New York Times and others don’t all get onboard and keep pushing it.

New York - Will Trump Be Meeting With His Counterpart — Or His Handler?

Politico - The Hidden History of Trump’s First Trip to Moscow

508
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:09:03am
509
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:10:21am

re: #450 darthstar

That’s its mouth! I thought it was its asshole.

So you missed the eyes?

By the way…how are the puppers doing these days. Has Merle got past his eating couches stage?

510
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:10:51am

re: #506 MsJ

Is Maggie finally sick and tired of sticking up for America’s Hitler?

Nope.

(She says something like this once in a while just to try to put us off guard. Or she thinks it shows her credibility.)

511
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:13:13am

re: #503 The Vicious Babushka

This Asshole==>

“Let the judge enforce his ruling.”

512
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:13:37am

re: #503 The Vicious Babushka

This Asshole==>

It isn’t illegal for people to come here. Distressing to see how the language is being shifted from illegal status to where just coming here is supposedly an illegal act. It’s not.

513
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:17:03am

re: #504 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

“No president has ever been a better president than this president.”

//

514
BigPapa  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:18:19am

If it is true that Trump has been negotiating with Kennedy for some time then the last several weeks have been a total sham, and all of Kennedy’s recent decisions WRT cases advocated by the Trump admin are under suspicion.

515
Jay C  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:19:51am

re: #470 MsJ

Rudy is on the same diet as trump.

[Embedded content]

That picture just screams out for a set of snarky thought/speech balloons, like:

RUDY: “So what are going to do after you get fired, you little prick?”
ROD: “Come visit you in jail, asshole!”

516
lizardofid  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:20:12am

re: #505 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

The whole point of separating families was deterrence.

Yep.

A strategy articulated by John Kelly in March of last year.

517
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:22:18am

When 200,000 vehicles produced is reached US government subsidies end. So, of course he’s moving production.

518
Patricia Kayden  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:25:33am

re: #486 MsJ

[Embedded content]

Now that’s what I’m talking about!!

519
Patricia Kayden  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:27:19am

re: #512 Sir John Barron

It isn’t illegal for people to come here. Distressing to see how the language is being shifted from illegal status to where just coming here is supposedly an illegal act. It’s not.

Seeking asylum here is not illegal.

520
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:29:39am

re: #517 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

When 200,000 vehicles produced is reached US government subsidies end. So, of course he’s moving production.

Maybe he should move it to Thailand.

521
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:31:39am
522
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:32:30am

re: #517 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

When 200,000 vehicles produced is reached US government subsidies end. So, of course he’s moving production.

Seems like the move makes a lot of sense for multiple reasons:

The electric-car maker’s planned expansion to China, the world’s largest electric car market, comes as Washington and Beijing are in the midst of a major trade war. China responded to U.S. tariffs last week by raising duties on auto imports from the U.S. to 40 percent.

That prompted Tesla to raise the prices of its vehicles in China by as much as $30,000, according to Bloomberg.

It also won’t affect the US facilities according to the article.

523
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:40:17am
524
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:40:59am

re: #520 Belafon

Maybe he should move it to Thailand.

China is already planning to move some manufacturing across the border into Vietnam and Laos, so they can slap a “Made in Vietnam/Laos” label on stuff to avoid the anti-China tariffs. But people in Vietnam and Laos are not too keen on the idea, since they’ll do all the work and get few of the benefits.

525
ericblair  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:41:08am

re: #501 Lupin

Sorry to harp over this, but I’m surprised that the issue of the US military bases in EU isn’t at the forefront of the discussions on TV. Without NATO, bye bye bases. Without bases, bye bye global power projection.

In the eyes of the Pentagon, this is second only to nuclear missiles and MAD. It is the ultimate selling out of the US to Russia.

Do you think this is going to go down without a peep?

These aren’t NATO bases: they’re US bases that in most cases host or support NATO activities, based on bilateral or NATO agreements. The “real” NATO bases are places like SHAPE in Belgium, JFC Brunssum and JFC Naples. However, many US personnel are governed by NATO Status of Forces agreements, and there is the little matter of the NATO role in nuclear Command and Control.

The good thing in all this is that, unlike the rest of the agreements Trump has fucked with, the North Atlantic Treaty is an actual treaty, funding for NATO and US forces in Europe are actual Congressional funding lines, and Congress has shown absolutely no appetite to help him fuck with NATO (it was 97-2 to approve Montenegro accession last year, which Putin really really didn’t like, considering he tried to assassinate the Montenegrin president because of it). And probably more importantly, Mattis is very pro NATO and Trump is scared of him.

I’m not looking forward to the NATO summit, since there’s a million ways Trump can fuck with things, but he has far less room to maneuver here than with the G7 or the TPP or the Paris agreement or anything else the useless Republican congress has seen fit to dump in POTUS’s lap instead of doing their jobs.

526
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:44:35am

re: #523 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

[Embedded content]

Drain the swamp, they said and then they created a swamp of their own.

527
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:46:13am

re: #525 ericblair

I’m not looking forward to the NATO summit, since there’s a million ways Trump can fuck with things, but he has far less room to maneuver here than with the G7 or the TPP or the Paris agreement or anything else the useless Republican congress has seen fit to dump in POTUS’s lap instead of doing their jobs.

Yeah, but does he know that? I believe he thinks all he needs to do is say “Make it so” and his will will be done.

And Congress will back him up.

528
The Ghost of a Flea  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:46:15am

re: #526 HappyWarrior

Drain swamp; introduce hog lagoon.

529
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:46:38am

re: #525 ericblair

These aren’t NATO bases: they’re US bases that in most cases host or support NATO activities, based on bilateral or NATO agreements.

What are the odds that if the US pulls out of NATO, this arrangement will not stand? In other words will Germany be keen on keeping US bases on their soil in a post-US NATO?

530
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:46:46am

re: #526 HappyWarrior

Drain the swamp, they said and then they created a swamp of their own.

Trump is the pool boy in charge.

531
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:47:15am
532
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:48:04am

re: #521 The Vicious Babushka

Here is my surprised face, special conservative law and order edition.

533
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:49:01am

re: #519 Patricia Kayden

Seeking asylum here is not illegal.

right, exactly.

534
Jay C  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:49:45am

re: #524 wheat-dogg

China is already planning to move some manufacturing across the border into Vietnam and Laos, so they can slap a “Made in Vietnam/Laos” label on stuff to avoid the anti-China tariffs. But people in Vietnam and Laos are not too keen on the idea, since they’ll do all the work and get few of the benefits.

Wouldn’t the Vietnamese and/or Laotians be at least moderately grateful for the jobs said investment would provide? Vietnam, I know, has something of a manufacturing sector, but I hadn’t thought there even were any factories in Laos.

535
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:50:40am

Sichuan province is getting pummeled by heavy rain, so much so that the US consulate in Chengdu issued an advisory to expats in China.

Severe rainstorms have impacted significant areas of Sichuan Province, resulting in flight delays, road closures, landslides, and train service disruptions this week, with additional storms anticipated in coming days. The China Meteorological Administration has activated a level four emergency response to the rainstorm. Local authorities have activated a level three emergency response for the first time in five years. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue into July 11. The following tourist destinations are now closed: Mt. Emei (since July 9, 2018), Jiuzhaigou (since July 1, 2018), and the Wenchuan Yanmen section of National Highway 213 (since July 10, 2018).

536
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:50:55am

re: #532 Sir John Barron

Here is my surprised face, special conservative law and order edition.

Who’s next, Gary Ridgway? Too bad Timothy McVeigh isn’t alive to be pardoned.

537
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:50:56am
538
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:51:51am

re: #437 Sir John Barron

But somewhere in some inner city is a Black person getting $1 worth of food stamps which is the real atrocity.

///

More accurate!

539
Patricia Kayden  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:52:41am

re: #531 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

[Embedded content]

Trump’s “good people”. Funny how Trump and his imps are fine when White people go after law enforcement officials. Yet, they claim to be the Party of Law and Order when it comes to Blacks decrying being shot down or abused by the police.

540
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:54:55am

re: #534 Jay C

Wouldn’t the Vietnamese and/or Laotians be at least moderately grateful for the jobs said investment would provide? Vietnam, I know, has something of a manufacturing sector, but I hadn’t thought there even were any factories in Laos.

Both countries need the income, but China is not going to pay the local workers wages comparable to even the low wages in China. Chinese firms also have a habit of bringing in Chinese workers and managers, and using local workers only for low-wage grunt jobs. And any infrastructure development undertaken by China *always* has strings attached. Countries that have accepted Chinese funding and development eventually regret their decisions.

541
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:55:20am

re: #521 The Vicious Babushka

NEW: @POTUS issues full pardons for Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond who were embroiled in the Bundy/compound takeover dispute of 2014

zeddy
@Zeddary
THEY. TRIED. TO. MURDER. FIREFIGHTERS.

He is sending quite a message to those who would take up arms to “defend” him should he be impeached or even lose the next election.

542
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:55:22am

re: #538 Joe Bacon 🌹

More accurate!

Worse yet, they give them $1 a month cash now. The Horror! Of course, that doesn’t roll over, so you can’t save up for shaving cream and deodorant to go job-hunting….

543
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:55:34am

re: #536 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Who’s next, Gary Ridgway? Too bad Timothy McVeigh isn’t alive to be pardoned.

IIRC, Trump pardoned Jack Johnson after he’d been dead for 71 years.

544
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:56:35am

re: #523 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Oddly, the WH spox doesn’t deny there was a deal with Kennedy but does say Trump didn’t decide until Sunday — i.e. there may have been a deal but Trump might have decided not to honor it! If true, vintage Trump.

trump, honor? c’mon

545
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:57:05am

re: #543 Blind Frog Belly White

IIRC, Trump pardoned Jack Johnson after he’d been dead for 71 years.

Yes. You don’t have to be alive to be pardoned. Ford or Carter pardoned Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee for example. This Bundy shit is unbelievable considering right wingers want to be able to run over peaceful protesters. JFC.

546
ericblair  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:57:28am

re: #527 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Yeah, but does he know that? I believe he thinks all he needs to do is say “Make it so” and his will will be done.

He can say “make it so”, and nothing will happen.

And Congress will back him up.

Congress hasn’t backed him up on any of the anti-NATO bullshit at all, which is sort of surprising considering how compromised they’ve become.

547
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 7:59:16am

White people stealing from all Americans = good people.

Brown people trying to escape the very gangs Trump calls ‘animals’ and work for a better life for their families = criminals.

548
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:00:00am

re: #546 ericblair

He can say “make it so”, and nothing will happen.

Congress hasn’t backed him up on any of the anti-NATO bullshit at all, which is sort of surprising considering how compromised they’ve become.

they have no problem screwing over poor and minorities, but scuppering NATO is a case of screwing even rich white people, they have to draw a line somewhere.

549
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:00:46am

This looks like it should be quite suitable for binge-watching.

Castle Rock: Official Trailer • A Hulu Original

550
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:01:27am

re: #547 Blind Frog Belly White

White people stealing from all Americans = good people.

Brown people trying to escape the very gangs Trump calls ‘animals’ and work for a better life for their families = criminals.

To Trump and his cult, every Latin American is a MS-13 member.

551
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:01:31am

re: #546 ericblair

He can say “make it so”, and nothing will happen.

Congress hasn’t backed him up on any of the anti-NATO bullshit at all, which is sort of surprising considering how compromised they’ve become.

Trump is nowhere near as powerful as the military industrial complex.

552
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:01:48am

re: #547 Blind Frog Belly White

White people stealing from all Americans = good people.

Brown people trying to escape the very gangs Trump calls ‘animals’ and work for a better life for their families = criminals.

FTFY

553
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:04:36am

re: #552 Hecuba’s daughter

FTFY

Well both work. A lot of these people are escaping the very violence Trump tries to paint them all as. Trump doesn’t know shit about MS-13. He doesn’t know it started HERE. And his stupid fucks in the middle of bumfuck Egypt definitely don’t know that and they certainly don’t know about how our past policies really fucked places like El Salvador.

554
wheat-dogg  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:04:58am

re: #551 Belafon

Trump is nowhere near as powerful as the military industrial complex.

Not even Eisenhower could beat it.

Besides, if the USA abrogated the NATO treaty, it would turn us into a pariah state. No one would ever trust us again, even our allies. If the USA ever needed some military assistance, the EU, Canada, etc., would be well within their right to say, “Nope. You’re on your own, cowboy.”

555
ericblair  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:05:25am

re: #529 Lupin

What are the odds that if the US pulls out of NATO, this arrangement will not stand? In other words will Germany be keen on keeping US bases on their soil in a post-US NATO?

Different issue, I think, and very hard to game out since this would involved a multi-year coordinated effort by Congress and the DoD. Plus, it would be a major economic hit for the surrounding areas, which is more than a slight concern for the affected politicians.

Remember, the European governments are very well aware about what happened in the 2016 elections, most likely with far more detail that we have courtesy of their intelligence services. Russia has tried to fuck with German elections, French elections, the Catalan separatist referendum, and certainly fucked with Brexit, tried to fucking kill the Montenegrin president, and this is just the start (talk to the Estonians). Not to mention Ukraine. They know what is happening here.

556
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:05:26am

re: #549 Dr Lizardo

This looks like it should be quite suitable for binge-watching.

[Embedded content]

I was amused when they moved Castle Rock from Maine to Oregon for the movie Stand by Me, knowing that neither one existed. So imagine my surprise (having lived in Washington all my life) that there actually is a Castle Rock, WA.

557
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:06:21am

re: #490 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

It’s always nice to be reminded how damn physically draining it can be to exist without AC during the summer.
It has only been maybe 13(+) hours, and I’m pretty miserable

re: #500 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Well, at least we’re seeing at least acknowledgement that there is a problem.
It only took 13 hrs, and a second urgent service request for management to at least respond.

Batteries in thermostat were the culprits. Temp already down to 82 in my cave.

558
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:06:22am

re: #553 HappyWarrior

Well both work. A lot of these people are escaping the very violence Trump tries to paint them all as. Trump doesn’t know shit about MS-13. He doesn’t know it started HERE. And his stupid fucks in the middle of bumfuck Egypt definitely don’t know that and they certainly don’t know about how our past policies really fucked places like El Salvador.

He knows it scares the piss out of white people who live where there are no immigrants, and makes them imagine all Latinos as raping, murdering ‘animals’. That’s all he needs to know.

559
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:07:25am

re: #555 ericblair

Different issue, I think, and very hard to game out since this would involved a multi-year coordinated effort by Congress and the DoD. Plus, it would be a major economic hit for the surrounding areas, which is more than a slight concern for the affected politicians.

Remember, the European governments are very well aware about what … is happening here.

They are not actively denying it…

560
retired cynic  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:08:17am

re: #400 The Major

Fascinating graphic:

[Embedded content]

The replying tweets are enough to fire your hair. WTF

561
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:08:34am

re: #558 Blind Frog Belly White

He knows it scares the piss out of white people who live where there are no immigrants, and makes them imagine all Latinos as raping, murdering ‘animals’. That’s all he needs to know.

That’s absolutely true. And I’m going to sound like an elitist snob here and I don’t care if I offend but those people don’t live in modern America.They live in time capsules, places that refuse to adapt and change with the times. It’s so almost theatrical that the man that would exploit their prejudices would not be one of their own but an obnoxious New Yorker. Dumbasses may eventually find they’ve been conned but it’s going to be too late for them.

562
KGxvi  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:09:42am

re: #555 ericblair

Different issue, I think, and very hard to game out since this would involved a multi-year coordinated effort by Congress and the DoD. Plus, it would be a major economic hit for the surrounding areas, which is more than a slight concern for the affected politicians.

Remember, the European governments are very well aware about what happened in the 2016 elections, most likely with far more detail that we have courtesy of their intelligence services. Russia has tried to fuck with German elections, French elections, the Catalan separatist referendum, and certainly fucked with Brexit, tried to fucking kill the Montenegrin president, and this is just the start (talk to the Estonians). They know what is happening here.

Germany spending more on their military budget seems like a good idea, I mean, it’s not like anything historically bad has happened because of that… no more than twice, anyway.

563
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:11:28am

re: #561 HappyWarrior

That’s absolutely true. And I’m going to sound like an elitist snob here and I don’t care if I offend but those people don’t live in modern America.They live in time capsules, places that refuse to adapt and change with the times. It’s so almost theatrical that the man that would exploit their prejudices would not be one of their own but an obnoxious New Yorker. Dumbasses may eventually find they’ve been conned but it’s going to be too late for them.

Worse, they think they, and only they, are the Real America. America was founded and built by people who couldn’t stay still, yet these folks who never leave home think they best represent America.

564
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:11:52am

re: #557 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

Batteries in thermostat were the culprits. Temp already down to 82 in my cave.

I got my florescent bulbs in the kitchen replaced too

Sweet

565
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:12:34am

re: #556 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

I was amused when they moved Castle Rock from Maine to Oregon for the movie Stand by Me, knowing that neither one existed. So imagine my surprise (having lived in Washington all my life) that there actually is a Castle Rock, WA.

Stopped in Castle Rock, WA one time - partly because I needed gas but also out of curiosity because of the connection to King’s works. A fairly typical small Pacific Northwest timber town; not bad, but nothing to write home to momma about either.

566
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:13:35am

re: #563 Blind Frog Belly White

Worse, they think they, and only they, are the Real America. America was founded and built by people who couldn’t stay still, yet these folks who never leave home think they best represent America.

Yep. Look at our own two families. Both of Pittsburgh stock, you’re in CA and I’m in VA. You learn more about this country the more you become willing to leave your comfort zones. Makes it all the more ironic to me that these people whine about safe spaces.

567
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:13:42am

re: #560 retired cynic

The replying tweets are enough to fire your hair. WTF

Lots of Russian trolls and their Jillshill stooges replying to Tracey. Even after TYT fired him, still can’t stand that pompous fool.

568
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:13:53am
569
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:16:10am

re: #568 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

[Embedded content]

God those are some fugly socks.

570
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:16:12am

re: #562 KGxvi

Germany spending more on their military budget seems like a good idea, I mean, it’s not like anything historically bad has happened because of that… no more than twice, anyway.

If Germany, with the largest economy in the EU, were to truly spend a full 2% on its military, it would wind up with the largest in Europe. Do we really want that?

Right now, they count money towards foreign aid and development towards that sum, as they are there to “combat” economic and social conditions that could lead to unrest.

571
DodgerFan1988  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:16:52am

Fuck those Trump cult followers!

572
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:17:23am

re: #562 KGxvi

Germany spending more on their military budget seems like a good idea, I mean, it’s not like anything historically bad has happened because of that… no more than twice, anyway.

Heh.

An English friend of mine likes to tell a story about when Germany beat England in the World Cup some years ago, and a commentator said, “I guess it’s okay that Germany beat us at our National Sport, since we’ve beaten them twice at theirs.”

But seriously, there was a long thread yesterday on Twitter, that the whole point of NATO was to finally stop the wars that wracked Europe every couple decades since the fall of Rome, most recently the ones that killed tens of millions. and left millions more displaced. It wasn’t altruism or charity, and it wasn’t intended to pay us back monetarily, but rather to save millions more lives there and here.

573
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:17:53am

re: #571 DodgerFan1988

[Embedded content]

Fuck those Trump cult followers!

And this is the exact sort of thing Trump has made common place. Yes, stuff like this happened before but never has a President even an asshole like Reagan or Nixon encouraged this kind of shit.

574
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:19:56am

re: #572 Blind Frog Belly White

Heh.

An English friend of mine likes to tell a story about when Germany beat England in the World Cup some years ago, and a commentator said, “I guess it’s okay that Germany beat us at our National Sport, since we’ve beaten them twice at theirs.”

But seriously, there was a long thread yesterday on Twitter, that the whole point of NATO was to finally stop the wars that wracked Europe every couple decades since the fall of Rome, most recently the ones that killed tens of millions. and left millions more displaced. It wasn’t altruism or charity, and it wasn’t intended to pay us back monetarily, but rather to save millions more lives there and here.

I think Trump and many Americans don’t get why Europeans are much more adverse to war than we are. Oh it’s easy to call the French pussies but when you can talk to people who have living memories of military occupations, it’s different. We’re blessed that we haven’t had a foreign Army in the lower 48 since 1812 but we’re also sort of cursed in a way too since it ruins our perspective.

575
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:19:58am

re: #572 Blind Frog Belly White

Heh.

An English friend of mine likes to tell a story about when Germany beat England in the World Cup some years ago, and a commentator said, “I guess it’s okay that Germany beat us at our National Sport, since we’ve beaten them twice at theirs.”

The British have a game called “conkers”, which involves tying chestnuts to strings and bashing them against each other to see which cracks first. A visiting UK relative asked if the Germans play conkers, I replied “only with other countries”.

(get it? conkers - conquers…ha ha )

576
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:20:30am

*waves

Hey guys! I spent my 4th of July week with our lovely neighbors up north. It was a nice change to spend my 4th of July in Toronto instead of a typical American city. Had a great time there.

577
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:20:31am

re: #572 Blind Frog Belly White

But seriously, there was a long thread yesterday on Twitter, that the whole point of NATO was to finally stop the wars that wracked Europe every couple decades since the fall of Rome, most recently the ones that killed tens of millions.

It’s also one of the prime reasons behind the very existence of the European Union.

And I’d say both institutions - NATO and the EU - have been highly successful.

578
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:21:50am

re: #577 Dr Lizardo

It’s also one of the prime reasons behind the very existence of the European Union.

And I’d say both institutions - NATO and the EU - have been highly successful.

Historical averages would have had at least one war between France and Germany by now.

579
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:22:00am

re: #576 electrotek

*waves

Hey guys! I spent my 4th of July week with our lovely neighbors up north. It was a nice change to spend my 4th of July in Toronto instead of a typical American city. Had a great time there.

TRAITOR! I bet you were up there selling our country out to Canada! //

580
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:23:24am

re: #579 Belafon

TRAITOR! I bet you were up there selling our country out to Canada! //

Well, it was a typical family trip (but a drama-filled one).

Not going to get deep into it, but needless to say I was reminded on why I prefer traveling by myself instead of with family. Never again.

581
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:23:31am

re: #577 Dr Lizardo

It’s also one of the prime reasons behind the very existence of the European Union.

And I’d say both institutions - NATO and the EU - have been highly successful.

I think it was a mistake to expand NATO up to the borders of Russia, would have made more sense to form a separate body of ex-Warsaw Pact/Soviet nations instead.

582
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:23:48am

re: #574 HappyWarrior

I think Trump and many Americans don’t get why Europeans are much more adverse to war than we are. Oh it’s easy to call the French pussies but when you can talk to people who have living memories of military occupations, it’s different. We’re blessed that we haven’t had a foreign Army in the lower 48 since 1812 but we’re also sort of cursed in a way too since it ruins our perspective.

Not only that, but if you run the French casualty numbers from the WWII Battle of France, you can see that France was taking casualties at almost the same rate (day to day) that they’d taken in WWI.

And it’s certainly no secret that WWI damn near bled France white.

583
DodgerFan1988  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:23:59am

re: #573 HappyWarrior

And this is the exact sort of thing Trump has made common place. Yes, stuff like this happened before but never has a President even an asshole like Reagan or Nixon encouraged this kind of shit.

I’ve seen the whole disturbing video on Youtube. What’s equally disgusting are the hundreds of comments in the YouTube comment section, of Alt-Right and conservatives justifying the vicious attack. These fucking people are the scum of the Earth.

584
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:24:07am

re: #580 electrotek

Well, it was a typical family trip (but a drama-filled one).

Not going to get deep into it, but needless to say I was reminded on why I prefer traveling by myself instead of with family. Never again.

“family vacation” is a classic oxymoron

585
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:24:24am

I got A LOT to catch up with, but this one stood out for me for obvious reasons:

Facebook Post

586
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:24:39am

re: #576 electrotek

*waves

Hey guys! I spent my 4th of July week with our lovely neighbors up north. It was a nice change to spend my 4th of July in Toronto instead of a typical American city. Had a great time there.

Very cool. Good to see you back. I’ve spent a couple 4ths abroad. One in Ireland and another in Madrid. Totally different experience.

587
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:25:54am

re: #585 electrotek

It’s gone. What was it?

588
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:26:01am
589
austin_blue  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:26:14am

Stonekettle is still logged out of Twitter.

Sanity break, apparently.

590
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:26:19am

re: #582 Dr Lizardo

Not only that, but if you run the French casualty numbers from the WWII Battle of France, you can see that France was taking casualties at almost the same rate (day to day) that they’d taken in WWI.

And it’s certainly no secret that WWI damn near bled France white.

Not to mention leaving a gash across the whole country.

591
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:26:48am

re: #583 DodgerFan1988

I’ve seen the whole disturbing video on Youtube. What’s equally disgusting are the hundreds of comments in the YouTube comment section, of Alt-Right and conservatives justifying the vicious attack. These fucking people are the scum of the Earth.

Yeah I bet there are sigh. Is this wrong but I’m in a way sort of relieved my niece is light skinned(her mother is Peruvian) so she may not get as much harassment for being Hispanic in this America of ours.

592
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:26:58am

re: #585 electrotek

I got A LOT to catch up with, but this one stood out for me for obvious reasons:

[Embedded content]

Hmmm, for some reason the public FB post isn’t showing up on here.

Oh well, here’s the link: How the Trump Administration is exploiting Iran’s burgeoning feminist movement

And there are unfortunately a minority of gullible Iranian women in Los Angeles and Toronto who fallaciously view Trump as a savior for their well-being.

593
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:27:40am

re: #586 HappyWarrior

Very cool. Good to see you back. I’ve spent a couple 4ths abroad. One in Ireland and another in Madrid. Totally different experience.

Cheers! Last time I spent the 4th abroad was in Dubai 6 years ago.

594
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:28:37am

re: #590 Blind Frog Belly White

Not to mention leaving a gash across the whole country.

Indeed; there are still restrictions in some parts of the Zone Rouge area to this day.

595
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:28:57am

re: #555 ericblair

Different issue, I think, and very hard to game out since this would involved a multi-year coordinated effort by Congress and the DoD. Plus, it would be a major economic hit for the surrounding areas, which is more than a slight concern for the affected politicians.

Remember, the European governments are very well aware about what happened in the 2016 elections, most likely with far more detail that we have courtesy of their intelligence services. Russia has tried to fuck with German elections, French elections, the Catalan separatist referendum, and certainly fucked with Brexit, tried to fucking kill the Montenegrin president, and this is just the start (talk to the Estonians). Not to mention Ukraine. They know what is happening here.

I agree about the economic hit — it is a lose-lose game — but isn’t it exactly what’s happening with the trader war(s)?

I think the political; issues would override the economic considerations (to some extent, the same is happening with Brexit, and the Brexiteers don’t get it either).

Besides, my original point was: will the Pentagon let Trump totally f*ck with their global power position? Not will the EU do it.

What I see is at best a major clusterf*ck on unprecedented scope; at worst a military coup.

596
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:29:04am

re: #589 austin_blue

Stonekettle is still logged out of Twitter.

Sanity break, apparently.

What happened?

597
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:29:16am

re: #582 Dr Lizardo

Not only that, but if you run the French casualty numbers from the WWII Battle of France, you can see that France was taking casualties at almost the same rate (day to day) that they’d taken in WWI.

And it’s certainly no secret that WWI damn near bled France white.

Whole villages wiped out of men for a generation. We had Bedford here in Virginia which lost a lot of its sons on D-Day but nothing like that. I oppose the draft in principle and mass warfare too but I’d be silly if I didn’t think it would wake a lot of Americans up to why our European friends don’t like war. I found out the other day that the Nazis nearly burned my great grandfather’s home village to the ground. Thankfully they did not and it’s still there.

598
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:29:25am

re: #572 Blind Frog Belly White

Heh.

An English friend of mine likes to tell a story about when Germany beat England in the World Cup some years ago, and a commentator said, “I guess it’s okay that Germany beat us at our National Sport, since we’ve beaten them twice at theirs.”

But seriously, there was a long thread yesterday on Twitter, that the whole point of NATO was to finally stop the wars that wracked Europe every couple decades since the fall of Rome, most recently the ones that killed tens of millions. and left millions more displaced. It wasn’t altruism or charity, and it wasn’t intended to pay us back monetarily, but rather to save millions more lives there and here.

Trump doesn’t care. He has no concern about how many people die or how they die, whatever their skin color, whether here or anywhere else in the world, UNLESS he can profit off their misery.

599
sagehen  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:31:05am

re: #551 Belafon

Trump is nowhere near as powerful as the military industrial complex.

But with Eric Prince at his side, perhaps he can compromise the MIC onto his team instead of the nation’s…

600
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:31:16am

re: #562 KGxvi

Germany spending more on their military budget seems like a good idea, I mean, it’s not like anything historically bad has happened because of that… no more than twice, anyway.

Back in the old, old days when Dennis Miller(’s writers) were occasionally funny:

“I feel about German Reunification like I would feel about a Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis reunion. I wasn’t a fan of their original material, and I don’t know if I want to see any of their new stuff.”

601
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:31:38am

re: #573 HappyWarrior

And this is the exact sort of thing Trump has made common place. Yes, stuff like this happened before but never has a President even an asshole like Reagan or Nixon encouraged this kind of shit.

That’s because they both still loved the idea of America and it’s open arms to people.

Trump is just pure hatred and greed. Everyone is out to get him and take from him.

602
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:33:31am

re: #576 electrotek

*waves

Hey guys! I spent my 4th of July week with our lovely neighbors up north. It was a nice change to spend my 4th of July in Toronto instead of a typical American city. Had a great time there.

Well, you managed to leave and come back through the borders…so, that is a good thing.

603
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:33:54am
604
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:34:20am

FFS. Our librul media at work….

605
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:35:25am

re: #582 Dr Lizardo

Not only that, but if you run the French casualty numbers from the WWII Battle of France, you can see that France was taking casualties at almost the same rate (day to day) that they’d taken in WWI.

And it’s certainly no secret that WWI damn near bled France white.

The way the story is told is somewhat unfair to the French.

German armies invaded France, Belgium and Luxembourg on May 10, 1940, going through Belgium and the Ardennes mountains in the North. The rather incompetent French Military High command had been relying on its famously fortified Ligne Maginot to the East for its defense, believing that an attack from the North was all but impossible. They were, in this instance, sadly and famously wrong.

The German troops reached Paris on June 14 and France was forced to surrender on June 22, after losing 92,000 men and suffering 200,000 wounded in the battle. No matter how you count, that’s a lot.

This “Second Armistice” led to the division of the country into a Northern France, occupied by the Gerrnans, and the allegedly “free” France in the south, led by what became known as the Vichy régime.

The invasion of May 10 and the Germans’ rapid advance triggered a massive exodus of the population of Northern France towards the South. It is estimated that ten million people, nearly a quarter of the population, fled on the roads, carrying whatever belongings they had, many without destinations.

To add to the tragedy, the convoys were attacked by the German airforce, which killed an estimated 100,000 civilians during the exodus.

The cliché of “surrender monkeys” is rather odious.

606
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:35:44am

re: #604 Dr. Matt

FFS. Our librul media at work….

[Embedded content]

NY Times executive editor: We should have “done Zero stories on Dershowitz hill.cm

607
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:35:59am

re: #590 Blind Frog Belly White

Not to mention leaving a gash across the whole country.

I can imagine no worse fate

(free upding to person who finds the pun in there)

608
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:36:34am
609
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:36:44am
610
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:37:52am
611
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:38:02am

If the economy collapses, the Republicans will demand a tax cut to improve it.

612
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:38:24am

re: #571 DodgerFan1988

Fuck those Trump cult followers!

I can’t get the CNN page to load correctly, but have any of the assailants been identified or arrested?

613
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:38:46am

re: #601 ObserverArt

That’s because they both still loved the idea of America and it’s open arms to people.

Trump is just pure hatred and greed. Everyone is out to get him and take from him.

Exactly. It’s what makes him unique.

614
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:39:10am

re: #611 Belafon

If the economy collapses, the Republicans will demand a tax cut to improve it.

And a war with a country filled with brown people.

615
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:39:16am

re: #608 MsJ

[Embedded content]

OFFS. What a fucking cult.

616
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:39:23am

re: #608 MsJ

There were tens there, I tell ya. Tens

617
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:39:35am

I love this “stealing your meme” picture. It cracks me up every time i see it.

618
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:39:46am

re: #576 electrotek

*waves

Hey guys! I spent my 4th of July week with our lovely neighbors up north. It was a nice change to spend my 4th of July in Toronto instead of a typical American city. Had a great time there.

Do they drink American beer on the 4th of July like we drink Mexican beer on Cinco de Mayo?

619
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:39:56am

re: #603 MsJ

[Embedded content]

9 now. Wow. I knew there would be more.

Sometime this week Jordan is going to have to do the Memory Dance™ where he will say he forgot about some of it because it was so long ago, and recent comments have reminded him that he may have heard some things in the locker room, but it was just talk.

620
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:40:18am

re: #605 Lupin

The cliché of “surrender monkeys” is rather odious.

They did not want to go along with our little adventure in Iraq so they had to pay for it somehow…

621
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:40:29am

re: #616 Sir John Barron

There were tens there, I tell ya. Tens

No, there were literally ones…well, one. Literally.

622
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:40:50am

re: #615 HappyWarrior

OFFS. What a fucking cult.

Look, you can call Hitler’s fans a cult, but he’s paying attention to people who have never felt like they were being paid attention to before.

////

623
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:40:54am

re: #605 Lupin

The way the story is told is somewhat unfair to the French.

German armies invaded France, Belgium and Luxembourg on May 10, 1940, going through Belgium and the Ardennes mountains in the North. The rather incompetent French Military High command had been relying on its famously fortified Ligne Maginot to the East for its defense, believing that an attack from the North was all but impossible. They were, in this instance, sadly and famously wrong.

The German troops reached Paris on June 14 and France was forced to surrender on June 22, after losing 92,000 men and suffering 200,000 wounded in the battle. No matter how you count, that’s a lot.

This “Second Armistice” led to the division of the country into a Northern France, occupied by the Gerrnans, and the allegedly “free” France in the south, led by what became known as the Vichy régime.

The invasion of May 10 and the Germans’ rapid advance triggered a massive exodus of the population of Northern France towards the South. It is estimated that ten million people, nearly a quarter of the population, fled on the roads, carrying whatever belongings they had, many without destinations.

To add to the tragedy, the convoys were attacked by the German airforce, which killed an estimated 100,000 civilians during the exodus.

The cliché of “surrender monkeys” is rather odious.

The people who call the French “surrender monkeys” are usually a bunch of overweight, sheltered assholes who know nothing about war. Having been in Ypres last summer, it really made me truly appreciate teh sacrifices made by the European allies during WWI. I know you’re talking WWII and that’s true too.

624
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:42:08am

re: #602 ObserverArt

Well, you managed to leave and come back through the borders…so, that is a good thing.

Haha yup.

Going into Canada was a breeze (we crossed the border via Windsor) and the CBP asked us if we have a gun. My brother-in-law said no and the CBP agent made a comment about how we are from Texas yet we don’t have a gun lol He had a great sense of humor which I applauded him for.

Crossing into the states via Detroit-Windsor took a little bit longer but it wasn’t too bad luckily.

I’m not going to use our experience to downplay what others gone through so I consider ours to be more of an anomaly if anything.

625
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:42:12am

re: #621 MsJ

No, there were literally ones…well, one. Literally.

There were tens if you count the people inside the building and the people getting hot dogs at the stand and the people in the bus around the block.

////

626
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:42:53am

re: #618 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Do they drink American beer on the 4th of July like we drink Mexican beer on Cinco de Mayo?

Beats me, Canadians were too busy attending the Blue Jays game that night.

627
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:43:23am

re: #608 MsJ

[Embedded content]

He must be freaking out that he’ll miss the Alex Jones broadcast today.

628
Patricia Kayden  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:44:04am

re: #603 MsJ

But but but they’re all adults and isn’t it suspicious that they’ve raised these allegations when Jordan is about to run for House leadership? /s

629
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:44:08am

re: #619 ObserverArt

9 now. Wow. I knew there would be more.

Sometime this week Jordan is going to have to do the Memory DanceTM where he will say he forgot about some of it because it was so long ago, and recent comments have reminded him that he may have heard some things in the locker room, but it was just talk.

What’s really sick is Jordan’s response. He’s a really sick fuck.

The former wrestler said he doesn’t have any personal grudges against Jordan — he supported him when he first ran for office, despite identifying as a Democrat. He remembers directly telling Jordan about Strauss’ behavior.

“I remember coming up and saying, ‘Strauss held my balls longer than normal.’ He just snickered.”

The former wrestler recalled one time when he went into the wrestling room at OSU and a few athletes and Jordan were “clumped together.” He said he remembered saying, “something to the effect of ‘his hands are cold as s**t; he checked out every hair on my ball,’” and said Jordan replied, “I have nothing to do with this” and walked away.

630
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:45:58am

re: #617 MsJ

I love this “stealing your meme” picture. It cracks me up every time i see it.

[Embedded content]

Hah! I just watched Brazil again a couple of days ago, so a circular hole in the ceiling has a whole different vibe for me….

631
Dr Lizardo  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:46:16am

re: #623 HappyWarrior

The people who call the French “surrender monkeys” are usually a bunch of overweight, sheltered assholes who know nothing about war. Having been in Ypres last summer, it really made me truly appreciate teh sacrifices made by the European allies during WWI. I know you’re talking WWII and that’s true too.

I myself have been to some of those WWI battlefields in France - and like I said, there are still some areas where public access is forbidden.

I asked a local about how long they figured it would take to clean up those areas; he told me that he reckoned about another 200 to 300 years.

That was quite sobering to hear. I later had a chance to confirm it with some of the brave folks who do in fact work to clear the area…..it’s slow going, to say the least, but they also said it’d be another three centuries - maybe more - before the area was back to its pre-WWI condition.

632
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:46:28am

re: #620 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

They did not want to go along with our little adventure in Iraq so they had to pay for it somehow…

We stopped importing their fries.

633
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:46:31am
634
Patricia Kayden  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:46:52am

re: #604 Dr. Matt

FFS. Our librul media at work….

[Embedded content]

Ya think? Lol

635
sagehen  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:47:07am

re: #609 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

In the 1960s, >200 women died each year as a result of botched illegal abortions.

That 200 a year is a VERY low estimate. That’s how many had botched abortion as cause of death on their official paperwork.

But the number of women of reproductive age who died from “hemorrhage” or from unspecified “infection”… is significantly more.

636
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:47:17am

re: #629 MsJ

What’s really sick is Jordan’s response. He’s a really sick fuck.

Yeesh.

637
Backwoods_Sleuth  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:47:23am

re: #412 MsJ

[Embedded content]

638
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:47:23am

re: #623 HappyWarrior

The people who call the French “surrender monkeys” are usually a bunch of overweight, sheltered assholes who know nothing about war. Having been in Ypres last summer, it really made me truly appreciate the sacrifices made by the European allies during WWI. I know you’re talking WWII and that’s true too.

I was talking WWII because the French did surrender then; WWI was won, by the French and the British with the help of the Americans, Canadians and Australians, but it’s doubtful that, even without them, it would have resulted in a surrender.

Of course the French lost the 1870 war against the Germans, a war even more pointless than WWI.

Indochina (Vietnam) and Algeria are greyer area, with political factors outweighing purely military ones. (A good read on both topics are the Jean Larteguy books, available in English.)

639
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:49:02am

re: #632 Belafon

We stopped importing their fries.

We should have ordered the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle into New York harbor and made them take back that crappy Statue of Liberty what with that poem welcoming all those shitole refugees and gang members.

/

640
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:49:06am

re: #635 sagehen

That 200 a year is a VERY low estimate. That’s how many had botched abortion as cause of death on their official paperwork.

But the number of women of reproductive age who died from “hemorrhage” or from unspecified “infection”… is significantly more.

And we probably all have a relative who did die this way. I’m lucky as a descendant of younger or youngest children whose mothers didn’t have to endure that. Abortion needs to be legal and safe as possible. I’m no longer adding the rare part. That’s none of my business.

641
Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:49:23am

And….Trump pardons the cattle ranchers in Oregon involved in that standoff…

642
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:50:27am

re: #641 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

And….Trump pardons the cattle ranchers in Oregon involved in that standoff…

So much for the “Rule of Law” president.

643
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:50:48am

re: #640 HappyWarrior

And we probably all have a relative who did die this way. I’m lucky as a descendant of younger or youngest children whose mothers didn’t have to endure that. Abortion needs to be legal and safe as possible. I’m no longer adding the rare part. That’s none of my business.

Remember that even Mitt Romney was pro-choice because of a similar family institute until he had to become pro-life to convince the GOP that he was man enough to control a woman’s body.

644
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:50:52am

re: #638 Lupin

I was talking WWII because the French did surrender then; WWI was won, by the French and the British with the help of the Americans, Canadians and Australians, but it’s doubtful that, even without them, it would have resulted in a surrender.

Of course the French lost the 1870 war against the Germans, a war even more pointless than WWI.

Indochina (Vietnam) and Algeria are greyer area, with political factors outweighing purely military ones. (A good read on both topics are the Jean Larteguy books, available in English.)

Right. Need to learn more about the 1870 war. Found out that a long ago aunt’s husband was in that war on the German side and that side of the family apparently hated the French and Catholics. Ironic since my great grandfather, the man’s nephew ended up marrying a Catholic here in the US and raising my grandfather and his sibs Catholic.

645
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:51:25am

re: #641 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

And….Trump pardons the cattle ranchers in Oregon involved in that standoff…

sending a strong message to all those who would take up arms in “support” of him at some point should he get into “legal trouble”.

646
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:51:30am

re: #639 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

We should have ordered the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle into New York harbor and made them take back that crappy Statue of Liberty what with that poem welcoming all those shitole refugees and gang members.

/

We have the prototype in Paris on a small island near the Eiffel Tower:

647
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:51:33am

re: #562 KGxvi

Germany spending more on their military budget seems like a good idea, I mean, it’s not like anything historically bad has happened because of that… no more than twice, anyway.

“We taught them a lesson in 1918,
And they’ve hardly bothered us since then.”

648
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:52:05am

re: #643 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Remember that even Mitt Romney was pro-choice because of a similar family institute until he had to become pro-life to convince the GOP that he was man enough to control a woman’s body.

Yes, I do remember that. Mitt’s a chickenshit though. He was pro-choice just because he knew there was no way in hell he’d get elected otehrwise. Same thing when he tried to distance himself from Reagan-Bush social conservatism. Mitt’s always been about how Mitt can look best to the audience he’s talking to.

649
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:52:08am

re: #644 HappyWarrior

Right. Need to learn more about the 1870 war. Found out that a long ago aunt’s husband was in that war on the German side and that side of the family apparently hated the French and Catholics. Ironic since my great grandfather, the man’s nephew ended up marrying a Catholic here in the US and raising my grandfather and his sibs Catholic.

Major battle was fought right near where my kids now live near Froschwiller.

650
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:52:09am

re: #629 MsJ

What’s really sick is Jordan’s response. He’s a really sick fuck.

Probably saw it as one of those hazing/coming-of-age ritual things.

651
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:52:29am

re: #646 Lupin

We have the prototype in Paris on a small island near the Eiffel Tower:

I saw that in Paris

652
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:52:42am

re: #650 Blind Frog Belly White

Not to be interpreted as approval or excusing.

653
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:53:12am

re: #650 Blind Frog Belly White

Probably saw it as one of those hazing/coming-of-age ritual things.

From the team doctor? No. He didn’t want to deal with it so he ignored it.

654
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:54:44am

re: #649 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Major battle was fought right near where my kids now live near Froschwiller.

Our family on that side is Hessian. Been talking to my brothers about that and it struck me knowing my second great grandfather whose surname I share was probably likely a veteran of that conflict given compulsory service for men. Neither of his sons- my great grandfather and his brothers among them served in the military during Spanish-American when they were young and single or WWI when they got older.

655
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:55:17am

re: #624 electrotek

Haha yup.

Going into Canada was a breeze (we crossed the border via Windsor) and the CBP asked us if we have a gun. My brother-in-law said no and the CBP agent made a comment about how we are from Texas yet we don’t have a gun lol He had a great sense of humor which I applauded him for.

Crossing into the states via Detroit-Windsor took a little bit longer but it wasn’t too bad luckily.

I’m not going to use our experience to downplay what others gone through so I consider ours to be more of an anomaly if anything.

We always take the Blue Water Bridge (Port Huron/Sarnia) going into Canada and Windsor/Detroit Tunnel on the way back.

656
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:55:25am

re: #630 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Hah! I just watched Brazil again a couple of days ago, so a circular hole in the ceiling has a whole different vibe for me….

“they’ve gone back to metric without telling us”

And that whole scene is still apropos to today.

Brazil (1/10) Movie CLIP - A Receipt for Your Husband (1985) HD

657
Eclectic Cyborg  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:55:36am

re: #653 MsJ

From the team doctor? No. He didn’t want to deal with it so he ignored it.

THIS.

658
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:55:57am

re: #653 MsJ

From the team doctor? No. He didn’t want to deal with it so he ignored it.

YEp. Indifference.

659
Eclectic Cyborg  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:56:44am

re: #655 The Vicious Babushka

My wife and I crossed at Niagara falls earlier this year, went pretty smoothly.

660
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 8:59:38am

re: #655 The Vicious Babushka

We always take the Blue Water Bridge (Port Huron/Sarnia) going into Canada and Windsor/Detroit Tunnel on the way back.

We didn’t take the Tunnel on the way back. But I won’t do a road trip from Dallas to Toronto and back again, even in a brand-new Toyota Sequoia. It’s unbearable especially with a father that loves to talk so much shit and doesn’t realize that no one gives a fuck about his opinions on anything.

661
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:00:00am

re: #653 MsJ

From the team doctor? No. He didn’t want to deal with it so he ignored it.

A vast majority of whites in Alabama were fine with Roy Moore. They are fine with Trump. They really don’t care about pedophilia IF the perpetrator is Republican or helping a successful sports team or a religious authority, unless the victim is someone they really care about — maybe.

662
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:00:44am

re: #651 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

I saw that in Paris

I saw it in National Treasure 2.

663
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:01:03am

re: #659 Eclectic Cyborg

My wife and I crossed at Niagara falls earlier this year, went pretty smoothly.

GF and I crossed twice in the same weekend at Detroit/Windsor. The first time we came over the guy was awesome. We talked about UM football for a few minutes and never asked any security questions. The second time we came over the officer was pretty rude. Spend several minutes grilling us from what we were doing, why, who we met, guns, knives, etc.

664
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:01:45am

re: #653 MsJ

From the team doctor? No. He didn’t want to deal with it so he ignored it.

Any of us guys who played sports in high school or college endured a physical which involved some amount of checking around the genital area. It’s nothing compared to what women undergo - what Mrs. FBW calls ‘My 10,000 mile checkup’ - but it’s weird and embarrassing, especially the first time. And we do tend to see it as a ‘rite of passage’.

But that’s the thing - these are college athletes, who would have had this sort of thing every year since Jr. High, so they know damn well how long it should take and what should be involved. It sounds like these guys were telling him this WAS NOT NORMAL, and he was laughing it off.

665
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:03:08am

Heh, A little of his own medicine for Jim Jordan.

From this article at Cincinnati . com: Here’s the latest on Rep. Jim Jordan’s sexual abuse scandal

Democratic House member Rep. Sean Maloney, D-N.Y., also called for the matter to be investigated, noting Jordan’s reputation for calling for investigations.

“This is the same Jim Jordan who as a Congressman has self-righteously demanded investigations of anything and everything under the sun,” Maloney tweeted Saturday. “Well, times’s up, Jim. We need to hear these victims and investigate Jim Jordan now.”

666
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:03:26am

re: #664 Blind Frog Belly White

Any of us guys who played sports in high school or college endured a physical which involved some amount of checking around the genital area. It’s nothing compared to what women undergo - what Mrs. FBW calls ‘My 10,000 mile checkup’ - but it’s weird and embarrassing, especially the first time. And we do tend to see it as a ‘rite of passage’.

But that’s the thing - these are college athletes, who would have had this sort of thing every year since Jr. High, so they know damn well how long it should take and what should be involved. It sounds like these guys were telling him this WAS NOT NORMAL, and he was laughing it off.

And as a former athlete himself, he’d know it wasn’t too. He just didn’t care.

667
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:03:40am

re: #661 Hecuba’s daughter

There’s a lot of ‘motivated reasoning’ in their choosing to believe the abusers over the abused, too.

668
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:03:57am

re: #665 ObserverArt

Heh, A little of his own medicine for Jim Jordan.

From this article at Cincinnati . com: Here’s the latest on Rep. Jim Jordan’s sexual abuse scandal

Good.

669
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:05:18am

re: #665 ObserverArt

Heh, A little of his own medicine for Jim Jordan.

From this article at Cincinnati . com: Here’s the latest on Rep. Jim Jordan’s sexual abuse scandal

If he was a Democrat, he would have already been forced to resign.

670
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:05:57am

A french pundit on the radio (presumably jokingly) just proposed we convert US military bases into refugee cities.

671
Lupin  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:06:38am

Enough about Germany! The true enemy if Belgium. At least tonight.
[wold cup joke]

672
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:06:41am

How the hell does she stay so calm? I couldn’t do it without drugs.

673
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:11:56am

re: #672 I Would Prefer Not To

How the hell does she stay so calm? I couldn’t do it without drugs.

[Embedded content]

Marla’s going to wish she hadn’t been such a condescending dick the minute they reverse Roe. Even a dumbass like Tomi Lehren thinks this is a bad idea. And how Chelsea remains calm with psychos who hate her simply because of who her parents are is beyond me. She’s a class act as are most presidential children not named Ivanka, Don Jr, or Eric.

674
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:12:24am

re: #663 Dr. Matt

GF and I crossed twice in the same weekend at Detroit/Windsor. The first time we came over the guy was awesome. We talked about UM football for a few minutes and never asked any security questions. The second time we came over the officer was pretty rude. Spend several minutes grilling us from what we were doing, why, who we met, guns, knives, etc.

The good ones are like your first guy. They ask questions, which are really interrogations, but they don’t seem like it.

I crossed from BC back into the states and the guy asked me about my travel plans (I was flying back east later in the week) so he asked about the weather where I was going and other questions that I didn’t realize were his way of verifying my statements. When I told my then boyfriend (now husband) he said what the guy was really doing (interrogating me) and I was like “huh, no kidding” and realized after I thought about it he was absolutely correct.

That is how you do an interrogation. Because, after all, that is their job. There are some who do it well and others who do not. Not realizing that you are being interrogated is doing it well.

675
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:13:04am

re: #656 ObserverArt

“they’ve gone back to metric without telling us”

And that whole scene is still apropos to today.

[Embedded content]

I like making everybody pay for their interrogation: “Confess, or you’ll ruin your credit rating!”

676
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:13:23am

re: #672 I Would Prefer Not To

How the hell does she stay so calm? I couldn’t do it without drugs.

I want to ask people like MARLA when they think the first abortion occurred in the US.

677
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:14:03am

re: #676 Belafon

I want to ask people like MARLA when they think the first abortion occurred in the US.

Why 1973 when women who had just been waiting to kill babies decided to kill babies because it was now legal. //

678
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:14:39am

re: #672 I Would Prefer Not To

How the hell does she stay so calm? I couldn’t do it without drugs.

[Embedded content]

Shut the he’ll up? You’d think even a bot.

679
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:15:26am

re: #663 Dr. Matt

GF and I crossed twice in the same weekend at Detroit/Windsor. The first time we came over the guy was awesome. We talked about UM football for a few minutes and never asked any security questions. The second time we came over the officer was pretty rude. Spend several minutes grilling us from what we were doing, why, who we met, guns, knives, etc.

I’m pretty certain if I went by myself I would have been set aside for a “secondary check” and held up for hours during interrogation. I’m pretty certain that the fact that it was an obvious road trip with family that swayed the US CBP agent at the crossing that made it less daunting than what I would have expected.

680
Skip Intro  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:16:17am

re: #596 Dr. Matt

What happened?

Psycho overload I think.

681
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:16:47am
682
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:17:13am

re: #664 Blind Frog Belly White

Any of us guys who played sports in high school or college endured a physical which involved some amount of checking around the genital area. It’s nothing compared to what women undergo - what Mrs. FBW calls ‘My 10,000 mile checkup’ - but it’s weird and embarrassing, especially the first time. And we do tend to see it as a ‘rite of passage’.

But that’s the thing - these are college athletes, who would have had this sort of thing every year since Jr. High, so they know damn well how long it should take and what should be involved. It sounds like these guys were telling him this WAS NOT NORMAL, and he was laughing it off.

“Tell him that’s how they do pants.”

“Yes…yes, it is. In Prison!”

Friends: Joey’s Tailor

683
Skip Intro  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:17:30am

re: #669 Dr. Matt

If he was a Democrat, he would have already been forced to resign.

Trump will issue him a pre-emptive pardon.

684
lizardofid  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:21:49am

re: #670 Lupin

A french pundit on the radio (presumably jokingly) just proposed we convert US military bases into refugee cities.

Why not? Trump’s cronies want to do that here.

685
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:22:38am

re: #681 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

[Embedded content]

Glad to see the Union is fighting back.

686
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:23:46am

re: #685 Dr. Matt

Glad to see the Union is fighting back.

I expected they would

687
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:23:46am

re: #677 HappyWarrior

Why 1973 when women who had just been waiting to kill babies decided to kill babies because it was now legal. //

Seriously, here in WA we legalized abortion by a vote of the people in 1970 (I say “we”—I couldn’t vote yet), and voted down at least one initiative to turn it back (that I did vote on). We’re not going back, regardless of what any packed Supreme Court says.

There are other issues like that, too.

688
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:24:45am

“… Peanuts Worldwide and NASA will announce on Tuesday that they have entered into a multiyear Space Act Agreement, executives at Peanuts tell The Washington Post’s Comic Riffs. The partnership is engineered “to inspire a passion for space exploration and STEM” education among students, according to Peanuts Worldwide. …”

689
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:25:42am

re: #681 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

NFL players union files grievance over new anthem policy

I hate to admit it, but I guess the NFL is within its rights if it wants to demand that players react to the playing of the National Anthem in a certain prescribed manner.

The fact that they have to require it in the first place should be embarrassing enough for them.

Without going into the reasons they have the players out for the National Anthem to begin with…

690
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:25:45am

A little world politics tied to The World Cup. Russia doesn’t like Ukraine being mentioned.

All in a YouTube video…

Croatia Fires Soccer Coaching Assistant After Player’s ‘Glory To Ukraine’ Video

691
sagehen  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:25:58am

re: #676 Belafon

I want to ask people like MARLA when they think the first abortion occurred in the US.

That depends on…

did the US become the US when the Declaration was signed? Or when the Constitution was ratified?

(whichever you select, the first abortion in the US was that week.)

692
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:28:40am

re: #691 sagehen

That depends on…

did the US become the US when the Declaration was signed? Or when the Constitution was ratified?

(whichever you select, the first abortion in the US was that week.)

Yep, and then tell them how they were happening even before then.

693
sagehen  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:29:45am

re: #687 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Seriously, here in WA we legalized abortion by a vote of the people in 1970 (I say “we”—I couldn’t vote yet), and voted down at least one initiative to turn it back (that I did vote on). We’re not going back, regardless of what any packed Supreme Court says.

There are other issues like that, too.

In California, it was by action of the state legislature in 1967, signed by Gov Ronald Reagan.

694
A hollow voice says, Covfefe.  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:29:46am

re: #689 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

I hate to admit it, but I guess the NFL is within its rights if it wants to demand that players react to the playing of the National Anthem in a certain prescribed manner.

The fact that they have to require it in the first place should be embarrassing enough for them.

Without going into the reasons they have the players out for the National Anthem to begin with…

No, there are first amendment issues here (like saluring the flag).

695
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:30:53am

I remember going to mass as a teenager and hearing the Catholic priest say that the Catholic Supreme Court judges who voted for Roe v Wade should be excommunicated.

I already had little respect or use for the Church and after that, none at all.

696
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:32:34am

re: #694 A hollow voice says, Covfefe.

No, there are first amendment issues here (like saluring the flag).

You mean like Jehovah’s Witnesses?

697
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:32:38am

re: #695 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

I remember going to mass as a teenager and hearing the Catholic priest say that the Catholic Supreme Court judges who voted for Roe v Wade should be excommunicated.

I already had little respect or use for the Church and after that, none at all.

Does remind you that abortion was a Catholic issue, and the fundies didn’t give a flying fuck about it in 1973.

698
wrenchwench  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:33:43am

re: #148 wrenchwench

If I were Queen of the universe, abortions would go back to every doctor’s office that used to provide them in regular medical centers, and hospitals when necessary. The stand-alone abortion clinic is a political invention, but I don’t know who did it. Could have been feminists offering accessibility, could have been misogynists segregating women’s healthcare. Back into the buildings where all the doctors work. Let them all stand up for good healthcare, or go go open an office in a strip mall to sell snake oil.

re: #154 sagehen

The standalone abortion clinic is for security reasons. Used to be that most OB/Gyn’s did a dozen or so abortions every year, until the anti folk started stalking and threatening and killing them. Putting all the abortions within 100 miles into one building meant a fenced off parking lot, locked access doors, guards around the building, etc.

That qualifies as option B: misogynists segregating women’s healthcare. Because otherwise they’d have to picket a billion places that are closed Saturdays. If they tried to picket every doctors’ office, they’d be under arrest for something.

Oh, and good morning!

699
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:33:52am

re: #694 A hollow voice says, Covfefe.

No, there are first amendment issues here (like saluring the flag).

The NFL is a private business. They can force it, as annoying as it can be. But, having a proper union, the players can push back and I think they should find a way to end it.

700
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:36:33am

re: #697 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Abortion was originally a doctor issue. Doctors hated that midwives did it which took away doctor-like business.

Religious people just ran with it.

701
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:39:31am

re: #700 MsJ

Abortion was originally a doctor issue. Doctors hated that midwives did it which took away doctor-like business.

Religious people just ran with it.

IMO, it originally began being outlawed in the early 20th century because it was robbing the State of potential cannon fodder.

702
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:42:27am

re: #701 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

IMO, it originally began being outlawed in the early 20th century because it was robbing the State of potential cannon fodder.

I’d have to go look for it, but the history begins with the American Medical Association, founded in the 1840s, who, as MsJ said, saw midwives as competition, so they started saying abortions were immoral.

703
wrenchwench  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:42:29am

re: #310 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀

WrenchWench
Any take on his bike?

[…Jeff Flake going almost unnoticed…]

Schmancy new bike (road bike with disc brakes). If he were going to a decent bike shop, they would have taken off the worse-than-useless reflector in the wheel and added a blinky, multi-directional tail light on the seat post.

Oh, and no capitalization needed in my nic.

704
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:44:28am

HW Bush’s Father was on the board at PP.
He himself was nicknamed Rubbers
His wife was pro choice

Both Fords were too.

Hell the Southern Baptist Convention lauded Roe

The only group that really opposed it were Catholics and fundies saw it as a Catholic issue

Abortion didn’t become a hot button issue until the GOP decided to exploit it.

705
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:44:35am

re: #702 Belafon

I’d have to go look for it, but the history begins with the American Medical Association, founded in the 1840s, who, as MsJ said, saw midwives as competition, so they started saying abortions were immoral.

I did a paper on it in college. I went to a Christian college (do not ask) and part of my grade in one class was a debate, so I picked abortion. I had a partner. We wrote a paper on it and did a debate. I won a debate (A+). On abortion. At a Christian college.

706
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:44:42am

re: #697 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Does remind you that abortion was a Catholic issue, and the fundies didn’t give a flying fuck about it in 1973.

I was attending College about the time that the Campus Crusade for Christ was knocking on doors up and down hallways, between that and my Catholic upbringing, I was totally put off Christianity for a long, long time.

707
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:46:17am

re: #702 Belafon

I’d have to go look for it, but the history begins with the American Medical Association, founded in the 1840s, who, as MsJ said, saw midwives as competition, so they started saying abortions were immoral.

The same people who found bidets immoral because they allowed prostitutes to flush themselves out and avoid pregnancy.

708
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:48:28am

re: #706 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

I was attending College about the time that the Campus Crusade for Christ was knocking on doors up and down hallways, between that and my Catholic upbringing, I was totally put off Christianity for a long, long time.

When I was at Pitt in the 70s, the Campus KKKrusade for Christ reserved most of the auditoriums pushing their right wing garbage. Every night they had something going on in one of the assembly rooms. And of course the College Republicans and Young Americans for FreeDUMB had tables there pushing their crap.

709
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:48:44am

God needs to call this fucker home.

710
Sufficient unto the day...  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:49:22am

re: #707 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

The same people who found bidets immoral because they allowed prostitutes to flush themselves out and avoid pregnancy.

I…can’t believe I never heard that before.

711
HappyWarrior  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:49:51am

re: #709 MsJ

God needs to call this fucker home.

[Embedded content]

You want to use the federal government to punish people for being LGBT, stfu you son of an anti Semitic fraud.

712
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:50:05am

re: #709 MsJ

God needs to call [Franklin Graham] home.

And IRS needs to cancel his tax-exempt status

713
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:50:27am

re: #709 MsJ

God needs to call this fucker home.

God doesn’t want him.

714
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:50:37am

re: #710 Sufficient unto the day…

I…can’t believe I never heard that before.

that is why they never became popular in the US or UK despite being terribly practical

715
wrenchwench  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:50:49am

The frogOTD is a salamander.

716
Jay C  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:51:16am

re: #700 MsJ

Abortion was originally a doctor issue. Doctors hated that midwives did it which took away doctor-like business.

Religious people just ran with it.

And the problem is, that after decades of “running with it”, and having far less of the desired effect (i.e. complete bans) they had hoped; to the “religious people” who form the bulk of the obsessive anti-abortion movement the issue has long since diverted from a “health” issue, and become a method of virtue-signalling: signalling which they have made into a political touchstone (built-in hypocrisies notwithstanding), in which every public setback merely increases the intensity of the opposition.

717
I Would Prefer Not To  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:51:23am

re: #709 MsJ

Satan needs to call this fucker home.

[Embedded content]

Fixed

718
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:51:59am

re: #707 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

The same people who found bidets immoral because they allowed prostitutes to flush themselves out and avoid pregnancy.

And in essence were content with dirty bums for the rest of their lives.

719
Dr. Matt  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:53:48am

Ugh. Fucking humans (and I use the term loosely).

720
Joe Bacon 🌹  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:57:28am

re: #709 MsJ

721
lawhawk  Jul 10, 2018 • 9:58:19am

Greets and saluts from the Resistance in the NYC metro area. So much bad crazy coming out of the WH the past 48 hours that it’s hard to keep up.

Trump picked Kavanaugh as his Kennedy replacement on the Supreme Court. He’s an interchangeable right winger who will overturn Roe at the drop of the hat and will gut civil and voting rights just as quickly.

Trump then goes on his trip to Europe and will meet his Russian master Putin who continues pulling Trump’s strings.

Before getting on AF1, he was again attacking NATO allies for not paying enough (not how it works), and deferring to Putin as being easier to work with - again when you’re having your strings pulled, it’s real easy to work).

Oh, and Putin’s puppet also pardoned a pair of sovereign citizens who committed arson and damaged federal lands and knowingly put the lives of firefighters at risk.

This is the law and order president? He’s a saboteur and wants to watch the world burn as Russia and white nationalists take advantage of the levers of power and suppress everyone else. The pardon shows he doesn’t care about the consequences of his actions - or he’s hoping for more of the same. It’s probably the latter because you can already expect more incidents like the one that sparked the Bundy ranch standoff or the Malheur standoff.

Oh, and both of those are also exhibits of how white privilege allows armed bigots/white nationalists/sovcits to get away with armed actions that would have resulted in minorities being shot and/led away without the deference seen during those standoffs.

722
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:02:12am

re: #718 electrotek

And in essence were content with dirty bums for the rest of their lives.

better to stink to high heaven than use such sinful devices…

723
electrotek  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:03:31am

re: #722 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

better to stink to high heaven than use such sinful devices…

What a country America would be if the Japanese Toto washlets were ubiquitous at every rest area nationwide.

724
Backwoods_Sleuth  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:07:02am

re: #721 lawhawk

725
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:07:10am

It’s a long shot, but I’m going to call Rand Paul to oppose Kavanaugh as a supporter of an imperial presidency, and I urge all Ky lizards to do the same. We can only stop him with a Republican’s support.

726
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:07:11am
727
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:07:59am
728
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:10:27am

Trump just pardoned some arsonists who set forest fires.

729
Backwoods_Sleuth  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:10:37am
730
Backwoods_Sleuth  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:15:27am
731
Sufficient unto the day...  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:19:40am

Food Nerd: I have chicken sandwiches made with Hawaiian buns and Caribbean jerk marinade.

nomnomnom

732
Backwoods_Sleuth  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:19:53am

Ronna is delusional

733
Backwoods_Sleuth  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:22:49am
734
ObserverArt  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:22:58am

re: #732 Backwoods_Sleuth

Ronna is delusional

[Embedded content]

Look at all those Democratic states she listed.

735
MsJ  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:31:29am
736
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:31:58am

re: #730 Backwoods_Sleuth

The newfound urgency to fill Justice Kennedy’s #SCOTUS seat from many of the same people who refused to even consider President Obama’s nominee is transparent opportunism that represents everything Americans hate most about politics today.

is there anything that can be done to block or delay this move?

737
BeachDem  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:32:51am

re: #729 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Wow—didn’t think I could like Celeste Ng more, but now I do.

738
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:34:16am

re: #736 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

is there anything that can be done to block or delay this move?

Convince two Republicans and three Democrats not to vote for the nominee.

739
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:36:06am

re: #732 Backwoods_Sleuth

Ronna is delusional

Oh yes we know how important what “voters want” is to the GOP.

740
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:36:12am

re: #738 Belafon

Convince two Republicans and three Democrats not to vote for the nominee.

Isn’t it only one Republican and 3 Democrats? McCain is not likely to be voting on this nomination.

741
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:38:08am

re: #724 Backwoods_Sleuth

Drump hates other NATO countries almost as much as he hates the Russia investigation.

742
Belafon  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:38:44am

re: #740 Hecuba’s daughter

Isn’t it only one Republican and 3 Democrats? McCain is not likely to be voting on this nomination.

Could be. I wasn’t thinking about McCain’s situation.

And it’ll still be harder to get one Republican than the three Democrats.

743
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:38:58am

re: #724 Backwoods_Sleuth

Every country is taking advantage of the U.S., except of course for our great friend Russia.

//

744
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:39:18am

re: #740 Hecuba’s daughter

Isn’t it only one Republican and 3 Democrats? McCain is not likely to be voting on this nomination.

This collusion (“You’re the collusion!”) between Kennedy and tRump might give a few Blue Dogs the courage to vote “no”.

745
Sir John Barron  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:41:44am

re: #672 I Would Prefer Not To

Shut the he’ll up you fear mongering monster!

— MARLA

Incredibly rational argument being made here, irrefutable.

//

746
Hecuba's daughter  Jul 10, 2018 • 10:43:03am

re: #742 Belafon

Could be. I wasn’t thinking about McCain’s situation.

And it’ll still be harder to get one Republican than the three Democrats.

There was discussion yesterday on some MSNBC program that the 3 Democrats will likely vote for Kavanaugh unless there is one Republican who votes against; if the nomination is guaranteed anyway, they will vote to protect themselves, whichever way seems most helpful to their reelection prospects.

747
danarchy  Jul 10, 2018 • 12:40:47pm

re: #734 ObserverArt

Look at all those Democratic states she listed.

Unfortunately they happen to be states that have vulnerable democratic senators up for re-election.

That was a message directly to Heitcamp, Manchin, Donnely, McCaskill, and Nelson


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