The Amazing Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Tiny Desk Concert

MusicFebruary 2020 • Views: 22,159

Watch Jonathan Scales Fourchestra play “Focus Poem”, “We Came Through The Storm” and “Fake Buddha’s Inner Child” at the Tiny Desk.

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Feb. 7, 2020 | Suraya Mohamed — Here’s a first: Steelpans at the Tiny Desk. It’s true. Nearly a thousand performances into the series and the instrument has never been featured, until now. While the two bowls look shiny and new in this Jonathan Scales Fourchestra set, they were once authentic oil barrels, pounded, finished and tuned for bandleader, Jonathan Scales. But instrumentation and singularity aside, Scales’ virtuosity, energy and connection to his bandmates wowed the NPR crowd, many of whom had never heard this music before.

Scales’ musical hero, Béla Fleck, happened to be performing in the Washington, D.C. area on the same day as this performance, with just enough time to stop in for one song,”Focus Poem.” It’s a cut Fleck originally played banjo on for the band’s 2018 album Pillar. While the tune is a regular on the trio’s setlist, this performance marks the first time they’ve played it live with Fleck. Scales later revealed that it was a little risky to open with such a technically complicated piece, but the execution was still superb.

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra has been performing for 13 years, now, redefining the steelpans as a signature jazz instrument. The first iteration of the band was a trio-plus-guitar, hence the “four” in the name. But when drummer Maison Guidry and bassist E’Lon JD joined Scales later, it was clear the trio’s sound was complete. JD grounds the music with powerful bass lines, combined with guitar-like melodic and harmonic embellishments.

The other two songs in this set are also from Pillar. While it’s not his most recent album, Scales calls it his most potent work to date, a quintessential representation of his music. “We Came Through The Storm,” with its heavy arrangement, is one of their most popular tunes, partly because of the dazzling drum riffs Guidry nails with playful proficiency. “Fake Buddha’s Inner Child” closes the set on a sweet, softer note, showing the striking versatility of this band.

SET LIST
“Focus Poem”
“We Came Through The Storm”
“Fake Buddha’s Inner Child”

MUSICIANS
Jonathan Scales: steelpans; Béla Fleck: banjo; E’Lon JD: bass; Maison Guidry: drums

CREDITS
Producers: Suraya Mohamed, Morgan Noelle Smith, Jack Corbett; Creative director: Bob Boilen; Audio engineers: Josh Rogosin, Natasha Branch; Editor: Jack Corbett; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern, Jack Corbett, Kara Frame; Associate producer: Bobby Carter Executive producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Mhari Shaw/NPR

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240 comments

Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus Feb 14, 2020 • 8:13:04pm

Repeating from downstairs:

To prove that social media is skewed against reality, the top trend on Twitter right now in the US is…….

#StillVotingYang

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 8:17:57pm

We’re aware of Stephen Miller’s rodent-copulation of immigration law.

He slipped one past that was unnoticed until recently. A change was promulgated on the USCIS Website without public commentary or announcement saying that any field left blank on an immigration form will automatically cause that form to be rejected (even if the field doesn’t apply). You must write something in every field (for example, if you never had a job, you must write n/a in all the date blanks concerning the job you never had).

An undocumented woman presented herself to the police alleging she was raped. She applied for a U visa (the visa which protects non-citizens from being deported as witnesses to a crime).

On the day the new rule buried on the USCIS site was promulgated, USCIS received her application, then rejected it the same day, because she listed her son’s name and left the middle name field blank (because he has no middle name).

It turns out thousands of people are getting visa applications rejected over this change.

Stephen Miller’s Latest F*cked-Up Bullsh*t Is SOOOOOOME F*CKED-UP BULLSH*T (Wonkette)

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 8:19:44pm

re: #1 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus

Repeating from downstairs:

To prove that social media is skewed against reality, the top trend on Twitter right now in the US is…….

#StillVotingYang

I wonder how much of that is foreign rodent copulation.

Chrysicat Feb 14, 2020 • 8:25:52pm

Going to the airport to welcome Dad home from a business trip and sitting in the “departure/ARRIVALS” chairs at the gate because it had been assigned before the plane had taxied all the way to it. Or for that matter being GREETED at the gate by g-ma when flying to visit HER.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

Both a CL and a “and now that poor guy’s TL is gonna blow up even worse”.

I Would Prefer Not To Feb 14, 2020 • 8:28:31pm

Some of you need better Facebook friends.

Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus Feb 14, 2020 • 8:30:31pm

re: #5 I Would Prefer Not To

Some of you need better Facebook friends.

My Facebook feed is currently unbearably slow on my computer. Facebook must have changed some of their code and my browser is choking on it.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 8:39:37pm

On that Wonkette article above, one non-commentator notes that they can’t wait until conservatives extend this to other areas, for example disenfranchising voters.

Conservative state puts in the same rule on voter registrations (it must have “none” or “n/a” in every field whether it applies or not).

Your address is not an apartment, so you write “none” in the apartment number field, then your voter registration is rejected for having an improper address according to the Post Office (123 N Main St NONE does not exist).

Worse, you are arrested for casting an illegal vote with an illegal registration.

gocart mozart Feb 14, 2020 • 8:42:35pm

Little Steven filming at the Capital Theater tonight.

pic.twitter.com/ThpLvos6RR

— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) February 15, 2020

This was me there last week, sorry sounds sucks

Anders Osborne pic.twitter.com/twrqHpuDHW

— Edwin Mix (@TheEdMix) February 15, 2020

Anders Osborne

Anders Osborne at Paste Studio NYC live from The Manhattan Center

gocart mozart Feb 14, 2020 • 8:50:43pm

Baby Big Birds

— Edwin Mix (@TheEdMix) February 15, 2020

Chrysicat Feb 14, 2020 • 8:50:44pm

re: #7 Anymouse 🌹🎃

On that Wonkette article above, one non-commentator notes that they can’t wait until conservatives extend this to other areas, for example disenfranchising voters.

Conservative state puts in the same rule on voter registrations (it must have “none” or “n/a” in every field whether it applies or not).

Your address is not an apartment, so you write “none” in the apartment number field, then your voter registration is rejected for having an improper address according to the Post Office (123 N Main St NONE does not exist).

Worse, you are arrested for casting an illegal vote with an illegal registration.

Except that that rule would literally disenfranchise them more and to a significant degree.

Every conservative I know personally lives in a single-family home.

gocart mozart Feb 14, 2020 • 8:53:47pm

Important dap thread

for one, 44 going FULL clasp into embrace into straight up shake, not back to clasp, is flatly…a presidential dap.

Getting from embrace back to full shake is not easily executed unless the second person is following suit. Which with him, they all are, obvs. Hence the name

— protect my black[ness] history month (@clintonyates) February 15, 2020

I Would Prefer Not To Feb 14, 2020 • 8:57:33pm

I miss 44

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 14, 2020 • 9:04:07pm

re: #12 I Would Prefer Not To

I miss 44

I do too. He’s already a great statesman not even four years out of office.

uriel Feb 14, 2020 • 9:12:00pm

re: #12 I Would Prefer Not To

Yeah. *sigh*

Targetpractice Feb 14, 2020 • 9:26:15pm

re: #4 Chrysicat

[Embedded content]

Both a CL and a “and now that poor guy’s TL is gonna blow up even worse”.

Thing from my youth that kids today wouldn’t understand?

Needing to get off the internet so your mom can make a phone call.

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 14, 2020 • 9:32:16pm

re: #15 Targetpractice

Thing from my youth that kids today wouldn’t understand?

Needing to get off the internet so your mom can make a phone call.

Ditto. That’s a big one.

Joe Bacon 🌹 Feb 14, 2020 • 9:36:17pm

re: #4 Chrysicat

[Embedded content]

Both a CL and a “and now that poor guy’s TL is gonna blow up even worse”.

Having a rooftop antenna for TV signals and using a rotor control box to eliminate “ghosts” and “snow” from the TV picture. Every VHF (Which they wouldn’t know what that was) had a different optimal rotation setting.

— The 3-D Zanti Regent (@josephebacon) February 15, 2020

uriel Feb 14, 2020 • 9:50:28pm

re: #15 Targetpractice

Thing from my youth that kids today wouldn’t understand?

Needing to get off the internet so your mom can make a phone call.

Being fervent early adapters back when gopher was cutting edge, our household solved that problem by getting TWO phone lines.

mmmirele Feb 14, 2020 • 10:00:05pm

re: #15 Targetpractice

Thing from my youth that kids today wouldn’t understand?

Needing to get off the internet so your mom can make a phone call.

Naw, needing to keep it down on the phone because there was only one at the time and it was in between the kitchen and my parents’ bedroom and “your father has to get up early so don’t talk so loud!”

That was before my younger sister wired up a second phone, which was actually the line test handset my dad had used in his phone install days. But its presence forced my dad to come up with a way to have only one bell on the line so we wouldn’t get charged for multiple extensions. (Remember that?) So he rigged up the doorbell as the phone ringer and deactivated the ringers on what ultimately became five or six phones in the house. This included a payphone with a suuuuuuper long handset cord, where you could sit either on the couch in the family room or on the stairs in the other direction for a conversation.

And the doorbell? Strangers had to pound on the front door. Visitors parked in the driveway and came to the back door.

These kids don’t know how good they have it! Now get offa my lawn!

Targetpractice Feb 14, 2020 • 10:04:26pm

re: #18 uriel

Being fervent early adapters back when gopher was cutting edge, our household solved that problem by getting TWO phone lines.

My parents eventually did the same. But there would still be those days when somebody was on one phone line and there was an “urgent” call that needed to be made on the other.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 10:20:39pm

re: #10 Chrysicat

Except that that rule would literally disenfranchise them more and to a significant degree.

Every conservative I know personally lives in a single-family home.

That doesn’t mean they would equally apply the law. iokiyar

Belafon Feb 14, 2020 • 10:25:45pm

re: #21 Anymouse 🌹🎃

That doesn’t mean they would equally apply the law. iokiyar

Mostly, in this case they would allow whites, just to make it simple.

uriel Feb 14, 2020 • 10:27:33pm

re: #20 Targetpractice

My parents eventually did the same. But there would still be those days when somebody was on one phone line and there was an “urgent” call that needed to be made on the other.

Actually, that brings up something else that kids today wouldn’t understand-

It used to take *hours* to download games and such, even though they were like 100kb- the size of your average gif. And god help you if you had a noisy line.]

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 10:29:36pm

Jim Wright has a new post up at Stonekettle Station:

Those Who Forget History

In Congress, July 4, 1776…

Whenever I mention certain subjects, people shout at me to read the Constitution.

…The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America…

That’s right. Read the Constitution.

The Constitution of the United States of America.

The Constitution, the foundation of law and government in this country.

…When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation…

But that’s not what they actually mean.

No, what they actually mean is the Declaration of Independence.

That’s what they want me to read.

(more at the link)

He goes into (mostly) conservatives claiming they would take up arms against a tyrannical government, and citing the Declaration of Independence.

He goes through that, to show what wingnuts claim about that document is not so.

Targetpractice Feb 14, 2020 • 10:31:15pm

re: #23 uriel

Actually, that brings up something else that kids today wouldn’t understand-

It used to take *hours* to download games and such, even though they were like 100kb- the size of your average gif. And god help you if you had a noisy line.]

Ayep. Start the download in the morning, go to school/work, then come back in the evening and hope that when you checked the file had downloaded completely without errors or your connection being cut due to inactivity.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 10:35:16pm

re: #25 Targetpractice

Ayep. Start the download in the morning, go to school/work, then come back in the evening and hope that when you checked the file had downloaded completely without errors or your connection being cut due to inactivity.

Same back when I was running my BBS on my Commodore 64 back in 1985.

The two great upgrades for me were moving from a 300 baud to a 1,200 baud modem, and installing a second telephone line so it wasn’t limited hours. Plus that solved the problem of my telephone line being tied up when I was on duty in the Navy, so I was able to get rid of the pager I had for that.

Downloading a 64k freeware game could take a long damn time.

Dave In Austin Feb 14, 2020 • 10:35:52pm

Making a Tulip for Valentine’s Day!

Sherlock Hound Feb 14, 2020 • 10:39:48pm

re: #26 Anymouse 🌹🎃

I got Metro Service on my mom’s line in 1988 so I could call Boston BBS’s without getting jammed on tolls. I finally gave that up in 1995 after Mom passed, and I switched to a local ISP.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 10:43:31pm

re: #28 Sherlock Hound

I got Metro Service on my mom’s line in 1988 so I could call Boston BBS’s without getting jammed on tolls. I finally gave that up in 1995 after Mom passed, and I switched to a local ISP.

When I was in Jacksonville, Fla., I signed up for Jaxnet so I could connect to various services via Telnet, still using the C-64 and the 1,200 baud modem.

My ex-wife and I were also on Commodore’s social media service Quantum Link, until it became America On-Line.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 10:46:08pm

Social media in the old days.

Quantum Link main screen

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 14, 2020 • 10:48:42pm

I’m going to take a nap. My sleep has been really fragmented over the last few days, and I’m dragging worse that a car exhaust system dropped on the ground.

uriel Feb 14, 2020 • 10:51:08pm

re: #30 Anymouse 🌹🎃

That’s awsome!

Hecuba's daughter Feb 14, 2020 • 10:58:56pm

Amy was the guest on Bill Maher. And as has been happening so often these days, Bill overlooked Warren when discussing Amy’s competitors — and Amy gently reminded him. I am so tired of the way women candidates have been treated by various media figures. They don’t have Hillary to kick around this year — so now they’ve decided to ignore one of the two remaining female contenders.

uriel Feb 14, 2020 • 11:02:21pm

re: #25 Targetpractice

Ayep. Start the download in the morning, go to school/work, then come back in the evening and hope that when you checked the file had downloaded completely without errors or your connection being cut due to inactivity.

Also- being able to routinely out-type your modem connection.

Dread Pirate Feb 14, 2020 • 11:08:00pm

Another new image, obtained with the VISIR instrument on the @ESO VLT, shows clouds of dust, which are formed when #Betelgeuse sheds its material into space: pic.twitter.com/DTVzSsqjh4

— Jan Hattenbach (@JanHattenbach) February 14, 2020

Targetpractice Feb 14, 2020 • 11:12:09pm

re: #33 Hecuba’s daughter

Amy was the guest on Bill Maher. And as has been happening so often these days, Bill overlooked Warren when discussing Amy’s competitors — and Amy gently reminded him. I am so tired of the way women candidates have been treated by various media figures. They don’t have Hillary to kick around this year — so now they’ve decided to ignore one of the two remaining female contenders.

That’s easy enough to answer: Klobucher is a “safe” Democrat, much like Buttigieg is seen as by the corporate media. Compared to Warren, what she’s proposing is much the same as Obama did in ‘08: Tinkering around the edges, modest tax increases, but trying not to scare the mundanes by suggesting she’s gonna start digging into the wallets of the rich to help out the poor.

DodgerFan1988 Feb 14, 2020 • 11:26:42pm

2) They do not believe they are accountable to Congress, which is why they have no issues lying to them even while under oath. They believe they are only accountable to the President and even then, only to presidents like Trump.

— Jenn Budd ✊🏻 (@BuddJenn) February 12, 2020

4) to enforce laws even among citizens. They know their forces are larger than is necessary, that is why they created this fake crisis. They know they have more gear than they need, that is why they stress emergency response, so they can get more.

— Jenn Budd ✊🏻 (@BuddJenn) February 12, 2020

The American NKVD.

goddamnedfrank Feb 14, 2020 • 11:39:13pm

Okay sure fuck Bloomberg, but then also Jesus get a fucking grip. “Not just professionally” wtf?

I was also thinking this. These people have to understand they have no future, ever, and not just professionally

— Ian Samuel (@isamuel) February 15, 2020

Hecuba's daughter Feb 14, 2020 • 11:44:33pm

re: #36 Targetpractice

That’s easy enough to answer: Klobucher is a “safe” Democrat, much like Buttigieg is seen as by the corporate media. Compared to Warren, what she’s proposing is much the same as Obama did in ‘08: Tinkering around the edges, modest tax increases, but trying not to scare the mundanes by suggesting she’s gonna start digging into the wallets of the rich to help out the poor.

Of the 6 surviving candidates, Amy is the one with the right age and experience. As much as I like Elizabeth, I prefer someone younger than 70. In any case, the question is who can defeat Trump — specific policies are irrelevant, given that the candidates are actually very similar in their objectives. I do not believe Warren’s wealth tax is practical —- but repealing the Trump tax cuts, raising the estate tax, and improving the enforcement arm of the IRS so that the Leona Helmsleys of the world can no longer claim that “Only little people pay taxes” would be a real start to restoring financial sanity and supporting progressive objectives.

Targetpractice Feb 14, 2020 • 11:45:01pm

re: #38 goddamnedfrank

Okay sure fuck Bloomberg, but then also Jesus get a fucking grip. “Not just professionally” wtf?

[Embedded content]

Ya know, it’s hard as fuck to argue that socialism is not a bad thing when you have these fuckers running around, acting in ways that would make Comrade Trotsky proud.

uriel Feb 14, 2020 • 11:54:36pm

You know, the earlier discussion about Trump militarizing CBP has me re-evaluating this story.

Sure it’s fun to imagine he was desperate for applause, but now I don’t think it was anything of the sort. I think it was a deliberate, pre-planned display. Trump was putting the world at notice his praetorian guard/ gestapo is in place, heavily armed, and totally loyal.

I expect hings to get worse.

‘Say thank you, Mr. President!’ @realDonaldTrump bizarrely demands Border Patrol agents praise him in middle of speech https://t.co/7O1UAGFkxr

— Raw Story (@RawStory) February 15, 2020

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 12:02:02am

re: #38 goddamnedfrank

Okay sure fuck Bloomberg, but then also Jesus get a fucking grip. “Not just professionally” wtf?

[Embedded content]

“Fuck them” I agree with.
“Place them in re-education camps or full-on assassinate them”, I DON’T.
And there are very few other ways to interpret “no future and not just professionally”.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 12:27:34am

re: #41 uriel

Though that’s admittedly not a conclusion original to me; another forumgoer on @green_footballs pointed it out, but I don’t think he replied it here.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

Targetpractice Feb 15, 2020 • 12:29:42am

I honestly don’t know at this point which is gonna be a bigger headache this fall: Bernie losing the nomination, a brokered convention, or Bernie winning the nomination leading to Berners attacking any down ticket candidate that will not pledge loyalty to him.

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 12:36:34am

Still having fun running down the “confuse the youth” thread:

Slipping an LP out of its sleeve one-handed, flipping it lovingly onto the turntable, using the dust brush for two rotations, expertly lowering the needle to track 3, and then spending an hour scrutinizing the album art. pic.twitter.com/slkYkvSAB7

— Steven M. Prentice (@StevenPrentice) February 9, 2020

Good point. They’ll certainly understand it better than the Millennials would have.

And most of THEIR turntables are almost as skip-proof as our CD players were to boot!

Want to confuse a Zennie? Ask them to deal with a cassette with 5mm of slack in it.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

goddamnedfrank Feb 15, 2020 • 12:41:04am

re: #38 goddamnedfrank

The dirtbag left only has two modes:

1) Complete ironic detachment

2) Cartoon villain monologues

— Density Bolshevik (@UnhWut) February 14, 2020

Targetpractice Feb 15, 2020 • 12:57:38am

I was just remarking to my dad yesterday about all the things I didn’t understand about computers growing up. One thing in particular: key locks meant to either stop you from turning on the power or using the keyboard. That back in the days before passwords were first optional and then compulsory, you could just boot up a PC and go straight to work as soon as the OS finished loading.

Dr Lizardo Feb 15, 2020 • 12:58:10am

re: #45 Chrysicat

Wanna really confuse ‘em?

Dave In Austin Feb 15, 2020 • 1:00:40am

pic.twitter.com/OFcYltiBOv

— And the Wind Cries “I’m Not Real Happy with Him!” (@DaveoutofAustin) February 15, 2020

Targetpractice Feb 15, 2020 • 1:01:34am

re: #49 Dave In Austin

[Embedded content]

…fair enough.

Dave In Austin Feb 15, 2020 • 1:12:21am

re: #50 Targetpractice

…fair enough.

Yep, What can you say. Capt BH came to mind as well.

Dr Lizardo Feb 15, 2020 • 1:14:47am

While I admit I occasionally have questions about Czech political culture (it’s a little…..weird and prone to corruption sometimes), when they do the right thing, I gotta give them full credit.

Czech national infrastructure provider CETIN plans to extend fibre-optic connectivity to areas with low-density populations, with support from the European Union.

Following a call from the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, CETIN, committed to extend its optical network to 143 municipalities which are so-called ‘white spots’. These are the most sparsely populated areas in the country and missing high-speed connectivity as it has not been deemed commercially viable by operators.

The cost of implementing 12,000 fibre to the home (FTTH) and fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) connections will be covered by CZK338 million (€13.58 million) in subsidies from the European Structural Funds and CZK123 million (€4.94 million) investment from CETIN.

mobileeurope.co.uk

This is a good example of things that government can do to benefit the lives of its citizens.

Dave In Austin Feb 15, 2020 • 1:24:09am

John Prine — That’s the Way the World goes Round

Dave In Austin Feb 15, 2020 • 2:03:30am

About last night tho… Michael Mcdonald rehearsal with @chrispotterjazz @snarkypuppy @shunwun @beccastevensbsb @boutwillismusic @mikemazmaher 🤦🏽‍♂️🙌🏽 Tonight, @groundupfest will be special! Good and Soulful times ahead…#MichaelMcdonald #GUMFest2020 pic.twitter.com/YV6HVXNPTb

— Jamison Ross (@Jamison_Ross) February 14, 2020

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 2:08:18am

re: #48 Dr Lizardo

Wanna really confuse ‘em?

[Embedded content]

You kidding? The family 8-track (well, outside of the ones in the Celica Mom moved from L.A. in and the Corona Dad sold there because it wasn’t worth driving from there to Colorado) was bought on a USAF 1st Lieutenant’s salary, so it was a strictly-playback unit (and then something broke about a year before the final time you could find 8-tracks in a truck stop’s shop-we suspected a capstan but never shelled for repairs).

I would be lost on how to record on that without a comprehensive manual and possibly a hands-on tutorial to boot! (The first recording device in the house was a very nice Hitachi dual cassette deck that was part of a full component system with dedicated rack we bought about 3-4 years into dad’s civilian defense-contractor life, where he’d risen rapidly and was head of a small subcontractor’s regional office here).😜

Dr Lizardo Feb 15, 2020 • 2:12:49am

re: #55 Chrysicat

My dad had an 8-Track recorder, though I don’t know how you record on one of those - he was nonetheless quite the audiophile. I recall the quadraphonic system he had set up, with a really nice turntable and receiver unit. That old beast had amazing sound, especially given the era.

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 2:12:54am

re: #52 Dr Lizardo

While I admit I occasionally have questions about Czech political culture (it’s a little…..weird and prone to corruption sometimes), when they do the right thing, I gotta give them full credit.

mobileeurope.co.uk

This is a good example of things that government can do to benefit the lives of its citizens.

Speaking of things governments can do in order to make good things happen, do you think “the UK” (though, obviously, ENGLAND by the time the construction is finshed) should trust China’s offer to build HS2, since BBC News states the Chinese are claiming they can do it in 15 fewer years than the current plan and back under even the original budget to boot?

Or are you not really concerned one way or the other since that’s entirely a foreign country again?

Dr Lizardo Feb 15, 2020 • 2:16:41am

re: #57 Chrysicat

To be fair, the Chinese have demonstrated they’re quite good at building high-speed railways. It’s been suggested here in Czech Republic that the government should approach China to build a high-speed rail system, something this country is sorely lacking.

Personally, in terms of trust, I’d go with the Japanese simply because there’s greater transparency, but if you’re on a budget - so to speak - China can do the job…..it’s a matter of “trust but verify”.

Dave In Austin Feb 15, 2020 • 2:33:02am

Robosexuals | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 2:46:55am

That really is an addictive thread.

Speak for yourself. My parents not only bought one new, they were still subscribed for the yearly supplement until 2001.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

Dr Lizardo Feb 15, 2020 • 2:47:52am

Despite the irrational exuberance (to borrow a phrase from Alan Greenspan) we’re seeing on Wall Street, the global economic impact from the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak is probably gonna bite pretty damn hard.

For instance,

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd on Thursday said it had canceled 18 cruises in Southeast Asia and joined larger rival Carnival Corp in warning that its full-year earnings would be hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

The epidemic, which originated in China’s Hubei province and has killed more than 1,300 people, has taken a toll on cruise operators as travel restriction and fear of the virus spreading have led to cancellations of trips to the Far East.

Last week, Royal Caribbean said it canceled eight cruises out of China through March 4 and warned of a 25 cent impact to its first quarter earnings.

globalnews.ca

Also…..

The coronavirus outbreak could leave the world economy in its worst state since the global financial crisis, with economic activity tipped to shrink through the first quarter of the year as manufacturing and travel falters.

With the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicting the first drop in global oil demand in a decade, analysts downgraded their expectations for the global and Australian economies as the fallout from the virus becomes clearer.

Global growth had been tipped to lift this year, partly due to an easing of the US-China trade war and the resolution of Britain’s Brexit vote.

But Capital Economics said it now appeared global growth would suffer a sharp slowdown in the first three months of 2020, driven by the virus outbreak.

It said global growth had already slipped to 2.8 per cent annualised through the December quarter, from 3.1 per cent in the September quarter.

smh.com.au

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 2:53:50am

Have you tried teaching an 18 year old how to use cash to pay for fuel at a gas station before pumping it?

— genejordan (@genejordan) February 14, 2020

Wouldn’t know what quantity to pre-pay for MYSELF, IOW, because I’m always willing to pass on the cash discount in order to avoid the estimation game.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

Dr Lizardo Feb 15, 2020 • 4:00:58am

So, the Great Kitchen Faucet Repair was nice and easy. The kitchen faucet here in the apartment busted the other day. It’s one of those single-pull faucets.

A bit of Google-Fu revealed that the ceramic cartridge inside the faucet assembly was the most likely culprit, so after checking out a couple of YouTube videos on how to fix that, I went to the hardware store, picked up a new cartridge (35mm, three hole design), popped it in, and voila! it works like new.

Yeah, I could’ve called the landlord and he could’ve had it fixed, but then it was a simple issue that I handled myself. And much cheaper….a $10 part that I could easily install myself.

Shropshire Slasher Feb 15, 2020 • 4:09:12am

re: #45 Chrysicat

Still having fun running down the “confuse the youth” thread:

[Embedded content]

My sister putting dimes in penny loafers so she can make an emergency phone call.

Barefoot Grin Feb 15, 2020 • 4:34:58am

Learning to balance a magazine in one hand.

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 4:37:02am

If you missed a new episode of a show, you would have to wait for it to be on reruns. There was a good amount of stuff I recorded on VHS because I knew I wasn’t going to be home.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 4:39:55am

re: #60 Chrysicat

That really is an addictive thread.

Something revealing my age which today’s youth wouldn’t understand?

Having a co-op telephone company where you had to get an operator to call someone, and my telephone number was 12 (one long ring, two short rings) on a party line.

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 4:49:10am

Dear heaven, I’m having to agree with a c*micsg*tor.

It is ridiculous they didn’t even get a slap on the wrist, and the response from 80% of their fans isn’t fury with the management, but “if ya ain’t cheatin’, ya ain’t tryin’”. https://t.co/Enk6qO8rME

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

Dr Lizardo Feb 15, 2020 • 4:49:44am

Here’s an interesting documentary on the Salton Sea, narrated by no one less than John Waters himself.

Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea

Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea | KQED Truly CA

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 4:53:16am

re: #65 Barefoot Grin

Learning to balance a magazine in one hand.

There’s learning involved? Just like an iPad with a cover, isn’t it a matter of placing your hand so that the spine runs from 2 inches below the base of your pinky, all the way up to the base of your index finger, and said index finger is about halfway up the spine?

That seems pretty intuitive to me, and yeah you don’t need to hold it in both hands like a tabloid newspaper.

Shropshire Slasher Feb 15, 2020 • 4:57:21am

re: #70 Chrysicat

I have fond memories of my Uncle showing me how to fold a newspaper in order to read it on the train so as not to bother the folks sitting next to you.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:00:38am

re: #65 Barefoot Grin

Learning to balance a magazine in one hand.

Print magazine subscriptions. Print newspaper subscriptions. (Disclosure: I still have both.)

Sufficient unto the day... Feb 15, 2020 • 5:03:02am

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

lawhawk Feb 15, 2020 • 5:04:24am

Things that confuse the young’uns…

The need to actually use a dial phone.
That dial phones used to be limited in color, size, shape.
That you didn’t have a phone you could carry around with you that had more computing power than the computers on the Apollo missions.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:05:26am

re: #73 Sufficient unto the day…

[Embedded content]

FDSr4IOqm/bgtc9l/m10ty0CbHGe7iRP5Ze8o4RnX/o=

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:08:02am

re: #74 lawhawk

Things that confuse the young’uns…

The need to actually use a dial phone.
That dial phones used to be limited in color, size, shape.
That you didn’t have a phone you could carry around with you that had more computing power than the computers on the Apollo missions.

Or, the Nebraska Panhandle in the XXI Century. /s

Our dial phones aren’t limited in colour or shape though. Mine:

French Rotary Phone

lawhawk Feb 15, 2020 • 5:12:39am

re: #73 Sufficient unto the day…

PAl6ntNTiJqwW2T/BluaHDmo9cde/nz+Olx+kDtdFSWtPFurwT53VFXPN2L//GnlfTZegWxK1nPPLBUXVqewzFLYcaukXGTNy1RvuOHIc4o=

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:13:02am

re: #74 lawhawk

Doctor’s house calls.

Eric The Fruit Bat Feb 15, 2020 • 5:14:18am

re: #45 Chrysicat

When you used Computer Shopper magazine to buy computers and parts.
It was published monthly and at its peak was over 1,000 pages, with a 11 x 17” size.

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 5:15:21am

It makes me wonder if my childhood would have been different if I had been born just five years later. I went to dinner with my youngest brother and his girlfriend recently. We’re 14 years apart and I think I’m really one of the few people they know from my and our other brother’s generation. We really were the last generation where the computer wasn’t a day to day part of our K-12 experience. The computer changed a lot.

lawhawk Feb 15, 2020 • 5:23:19am

re: #76 Anymouse 🌹🎃

Grew up with one of those in the house (similar body, handset was different though). We also had the princess model, a model 500, and a wall model.

lawhawk Feb 15, 2020 • 5:23:57am

re: #79 Eric The Fruit Bat

I remember those well. My brother and I used to scan those looking for deals, parts, and more.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:25:04am

re: #80 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

It makes me wonder if my childhood would have been different if I had been born just five years later. I went to dinner with my youngest brother and his girlfriend recently. We’re 14 years apart and I think I’m really one of the few people they know from my and our other brother’s generation. We really were the last generation where the computer wasn’t a day to day part of our K-12 experience. The computer changed a lot.

Same here. The launch into the computer age for me was when I was eleven, when my mother bought a Pong video game set for the home, and bought a Sharp Elsimate (sp?) calculator which was $400 or so and could do square roots.

When my son was born, I had my Commodore 64. He was never in a household without a computer.

My wife was in Cicero, Ill. in tenth grade (she is two years younger than me). They had one state-of-the-art computer from HP (which cost $30,000). Western Electric, Illinois Central, Hotpoint, and a couple racetracks paid for the school to have the computer. She says it had a one-line display.

The school I graduated from does not have student computers today.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:32:07am

re: #81 lawhawk

Grew up with one of those in the house (similar body, handset was different though). We also had the princess model, a model 500, and a wall model.

When I lived in Virginia Beach, I had a strange knock-off candlestick rotary phone with a buzzer rather than a bell. (Touch tone service was available then there, I was just contrary. The only touch tone equipment I had was my computer modem.)

Fun story: If you accidentally dialed 911 with your computer modem (there was a panic mode on a Commodore modem) and immediately hung up because you figured out you fouled up, the police will still show up at your house.

PhillyPretzel Feb 15, 2020 • 5:37:36am

re: #84 Anymouse 🌹🎃

I remember those older phones very well. I also remember waiting in line for a few hours to buy an actual telephone from MaBell. That is when we converted to a touch-tone phone from a dial phone. My mom was happy to get the touch-tone because it was faster than the dial phone even though we had a “fast dial”

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:52:01am

re: #85 PhillyPretzel

I remember those older phones very well. I also remember waiting in line for a few hours to buy an actual telephone from MaBell. That is when we converted to a touch-tone phone from a dial phone. My mom was happy to get the touch-tone because it was faster than the dial phone even though we had a “fast dial”

I would like to get a Model 211 spacesaver dial phone for my kitchen, but old telephones are getting kind of pricey ($250, plus an additional $120 if you want a ringer in it … I could probably skip the ringer since my regular telephone has one).

oldphoneworks.com

Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus Feb 15, 2020 • 5:53:02am

re: #69 Dr Lizardo

Every time I visited the Salton Sea it always struck me as a neat place to visit but I would not want to live anywhere near it.

If one is into geology, the entire basin is fascinating. As one drives around, you can see the mountains rise sharply at the San Diego - Imperial border, but also one can see a “ring” as in a bath tub ring, where the ground is whitened. During the prior few million years, at times when the sea level was higher, Imperial county was at times flooded, both by sea and by the Colorado river runoff. One can find plenty of fish fossils in parts of the county.

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 5:59:02am

re: #87 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus

Every time I visited the Salton Sea it always struck me as a neat place to visit but I would not want to live anywhere near it.

If one is into geology, the entire basic is fascinating. As one drives around, you can see the mountains rise sharply at the San Diego - Imperial border, but also one can see a “ring” as in a bath tub ring, where the ground is whitened. During the prior few milllion years, at times when the sea level was higher, Imperial county was at times flooded, both by sea and by the Colorado river runoff. One can find plenty of fish fossils in parts of the county.

According to Wikipedia (citation needed), the Salton Sea dried up around 1700. The current sea was created by an accident in a canal dug in 1905 which caused water to spill into the basin for two years before the canal was repaired.

Water control on the Colorado River means the small rivers which flow into the Salton Sea do not replenish water lost through evaporation, so the sea will continue shrinking.

Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus Feb 15, 2020 • 6:02:46am

re: #88 Anymouse 🌹🎃

Farm runoff now keeps the Salton Sea going.

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:12:31am

re: #23 uriel

Actually, that brings up something else that kids today wouldn’t understand-

It used to take *hours* to download games and such, even though they were like 100kb- the size of your average gif. And god help you if you had a noisy line.]

How about installing them using a dozen or so 3.5” floppies?

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:18:52am

On this Valentine’s Day, we remember Barack and Michelle Obama’s date night, the worst scandal in presidential history. pic.twitter.com/wlsNfcplwn

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 15, 2020

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:20:17am

re: #91 #thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman)

[Embedded content]

And that while…

Trump’s 29th Trip To Mar-a-Lago Brings Golf Tab To 334 Years Of Presidential Salary

The president often brags about not taking a paycheck, but his golf hobby has now cost taxpayers $133.8 million

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:20:24am

re: #79 Eric The Fruit Bat

When you used Computer Shopper magazine to buy computers and parts.
It was published monthly and at its peak was over 1,000 pages, with a 11 x 17” size.

Sounds like the old Whole Earth Catalog. My parents had a copy of that lying around.

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:23:53am

re: #48 Dr Lizardo

Wanna really confuse ‘em?

[Embedded content]

It never stops?
How they do that//

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:28:10am

re: #65 Barefoot Grin

Learning to balance a magazine in one hand.

It’s called a clip//

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:29:52am

re: #45 Chrysicat

Still having fun running down the “confuse the youth” thread:

[Embedded content]

Back door trash pickup from in the ground cans

Belafon Feb 15, 2020 • 6:30:34am

re: #38 goddamnedfrank

What the fuck are you talking about? I think we should create a list of people who think that creating lists of people for targeted retribution are a good idea.

— (((IntheNumbers))) (@ItsNumbersMan) February 15, 2020

Belafon Feb 15, 2020 • 6:31:23am

re: #40 Targetpractice

Ya know, it’s hard as fuck to argue that socialism is not a bad thing when you have these fuckers running around, acting in ways that would make Comrade Trotsky proud.

These people would have never backed FDR.

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:32:30am

re: #74 lawhawk

Things that confuse the young’uns…

The need to actually use a dial phone.
That dial phones used to be limited in color, size, shape.
That you didn’t have a phone you could carry around with you that had more computing power than the computers on the Apollo missions.

That you didn’t own the phone in your house

100

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:34:50am

Lre: #98 Belafon

These people would have never backed FDR.

They hate Biden for acknowledging compromise. FDR compromised with men who thought lynching was a good thing.

101

Belafon Feb 15, 2020 • 6:36:32am

re: #100 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

L

They hate Biden for acknowledging compromise. FDR compromised with men who thought lynching was a good thing.

Not only that, but he was rich and came from a political family. And yet somehow could care about the poor.

102

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:41:13am

re: #100 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

re: #101 Belafon

These are actually two good replies to the confuse the youth subthread

103

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:41:16am

re: #101 Belafon

Not only that, but he was rich and came from a political family. And yet somehow could care about the poor.

Precisely. It doesn’t get more establishment than FDR. Yeah he challenged a lot of things because FDR thought he was saving capitalism. There’s a part of the left that forgets that yes right wingers hated FDR but a lot of left wingers did too. Bernie has only started to praise FDR more recently but for a long time, he was a huge admirer of Eugene Debs who to be fair does deserve respect but as someone pointed out when Jacobin tried to make the difference between Bernie and Warren out to be Debs and Justice Brandeis, they actually shot themselves in the foot because Brandeis actually directly implemented more change as a SCOTUS member than Debs did as a perennial candidate.

104

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:45:50am

re: #102 #thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman)

Thesenare actually two good replies to the confuse the youth subthread

I TBH have a lot of mixed emotions about FDR and yet I know the New Deal started my family’s journey to the middle class. I’ve always preferred Truman to FDR truth be told since Truman was more gutsy with the racists than FDR was. But ultimately the thing is that FDR like any President compromised. And FDR had a lot more political skill than Sanders does. I don’t dismiss the legitimacy of the fact that Sanders won this past Tuesday in New Hampshire but it’s the lowest a Democrat won in New Hampshire since 1952. Bernie isn’t building the next great Democratic coalition or continuing on the last one.

105

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 6:49:17am

Important news you might have missed:

Miley Cyrus and Bigfoot: Together on Valentine’s Day (Goes to the Weekly World News, more at the link, with photographs which are certainly not manipulated):

HOLLYWOOD, CA - Publicists for Miley Cyrus confirmed to Weekly World News that she is now dating Bigfoot. The wild man of the woods, however, is not making any comments about his new relationship.

Since Miley Cyrus broke up with Liam Hemsworth, she has been dating a number of people - men and women - but none have touched her heart like Bigfoot. Miley was recently dating Cody Simpson, but as with most of her relationships, it fell apart.

Bigfoot, who injured his ACL in the woods last August, has been busy for the last three months. Bat Boy picked Bigfoot as his running mate for his 2020 run for the White House. Bigfoot accepted, even though he is quite shy around cameras.

106

Eventual Carrion Feb 15, 2020 • 6:53:05am

Marc Cohn: Walking in Memphis (Including preamble)

107

jeffreyw Feb 15, 2020 • 6:55:09am

don’t start nothin’, won’t be nothin’

Good morning!

108

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 6:55:12am

re: #104 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

I TBH have a lot of mixed emotions about FDR and yet I know the New Deal started my family’s journey to the middle class. I’ve always preferred Truman to FDR truth be told since Truman was more gutsy with the racists than FDR was. But ultimately the thing is that FDR like any President compromised. And FDR had a lot more political skill than Sanders does. I don’t dismiss the legitimacy of the fact that Sanders won this past Tuesday in New Hampshire but it’s the lowest a Democrat won in New Hampshire since 1952. Bernie isn’t building the next great Democratic coalition or continuing on the last one.

those were my points

- coalition / principled compromise

- being well off doesnt exclude caring about more than just yourself

as for bernie, one reason why his NH win was lower than historically may be because there are 4-5 other *substantial* candidates. how often has that happened?

and i dont have the electoral math history

and now the yard awaits

109

Quoth the raven, Covfefe. Feb 15, 2020 • 6:55:54am

Morning Lizardim from the grey and dreary, but warmer, wild north country. How go things among the lizardfolk on this gloomy winter Saturday?

110

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 7:01:36am

re: #108 #thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman)

those were my points

- coalition / principled compromise

- being well off doesnt exclude caring about more than just yourself

as for bernie, one reason why his NH win was lower than historically may be because there are 4-5 other *substantial* candidates. how often has that happened?

and i dont have the electoral math history

and now the yard awaits

Listing of New Hampshire Democratic Primary results starting in 1916:
en.wikipedia.org

111

PhillyPretzel Feb 15, 2020 • 7:01:43am

re: #109 Quoth the raven, Covfefe.

Very cold in Philly and its suburbs.
weather.gov

It has warmed up a bit since this morning. It was 15 degrees earlier.

112

Eventual Carrion Feb 15, 2020 • 7:04:05am

re: #109 Quoth the raven, Covfefe.

Morning Lizardim from the grey and dreary, but warmer, wild north country. How go things among the lizardfolk on this gloomy winter Saturday?

Bright and sunny here in NW PA. A bit cold right now (was 9F at 6:30, but up to 18F now) but expect to hit mid 30’s by late afternoon. Might do a noon visit to fav pub, play a little guitar and sing for a couple drinks. Hoping I hear from a friend I texted and he brings along his violin.

113

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:06:58am

re: #111 PhillyPretzel

Very cold in Philly and its suburbs.
weather.gov

It has warmed up a bit since this morning. It was 15 degrees earlier.

Yep. Cold the last few days. Cat morning “open window” period was curtailed early as a result.

Disappointed!

114

Quoth the raven, Covfefe. Feb 15, 2020 • 7:07:27am

re: #111 PhillyPretzel

re: #112 Eventual Carrion

We are coming off two days of bitter cold, with Thursday’s high being 0 degrees F (-17.8 degrees C) and the low being -16 degrees F (-26.7 degrees C). It’s supposed to crack above freezing today.

115

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 7:08:10am

re: #111 PhillyPretzel

Very cold in Philly and its suburbs.
weather.gov

It has warmed up a bit since this morning. It was 15 degrees earlier.

You’re warmer than us by about a degree. Weather is otherwise nice here.
Winter storm warnings to our west in the Rockies.
weather.gov

116

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 7:13:11am

To our southwest in Greeley, Colo. is an air quality alert.

WHAT…Action Day for Particulates.

WHERE…Denver, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Douglas, Adams, Broomfield, Boulder and Weld Counties. Locations include, but are not limited to Denver, Boulder, Longmont, and Greeley.

WHEN…400 PM Friday February 14 to 400 PM Saturday February 15

IMPACTS…An Action Day for Particulates is now in effect for the seven-county Denver-Boulder metropolitan area. Requests to limit driving are now in effect until at least 4 PM Saturday, February 15, 2020. Limited mixing and ventilation has increased fine
particulate concentrations across portions of the Northern Front Range Urban Corridor. Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups level fine particulate matter concentrations are possible on Friday, decreasing during the day Saturday, with Poor visibility is expected Saturday.

(more)
forecast.weather.gov

117

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:14:54am

The thing is I frankly do feel a lot of people say they’re capitalist or socialist when they really don’t have the balls to say the simple truth is they’re both. re: #110 Anymouse 🌹🎃

Listing of New Hampshire Democratic Primary results starting in 1916:
en.wikipedia.org

Going from 60% to 26% even with a more crowded field as well as the neighbor Senator just doesn’t inspire me with much confidence about Bernie. There’s a big move to crown him the frontrunner after Iowa and New Hampshire but truthfully to use a baseball analogy this is like declaring someone’s going to score simply because they got a lead off single. It’s not a negative thing for Pete or Bernie but Iowa and NH aren’t representative of the Democratic base as a whole. Their delegates matter and will make their voices heart in Milwaukee but it’s all too early to tell what’s going on.

118

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:17:36am

re: #108 #thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman)

those were my points

- coalition / principled compromise

- being well off doesnt exclude caring about more than just yourself

as for bernie, one reason why his NH win was lower than historically may be because there are 4-5 other *substantial* candidates. how often has that happened?

and i dont have the electoral math history

and now the yard awaits

Oh yeah we’re on the same page. I’m just saying that Sanders getting only 26% of the vote in his state’s neighbor that he won 60% of the vote four years ago isn’t a sign of strength. If Bernie had gotten 35-40%, I would probably agree that there’s a sign of some momentum for him. The problem with Bernie I fear is like Trump is he’s got a very low ceiling of support. So yeah Bernie could feasibly win the nomination and maybe even the election but I don’t see him being effective. I’m not thrilled about Bloomberg either but I think Bloomberg would at least be open to people who didn’t spuport him.

119

A Mom Anon Feb 15, 2020 • 7:22:48am

re: #93 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

I still have one. I think it’s the last edition published. A cat got to it and the cover is kinda shredded, but it’s still in my bookcase in a plastic cover.

120

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 7:22:50am

re: #118 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

That drop was dramatic for Sen. Sanders since his last run.

With a number of other choices, it would appear Democrats after four years since his last run are more interested in other candidates (which might explain why Bernie Bros are wailing about corporate shills and neoliberals).

I have a suspicion that the South Carolina Primary is going to effectively end any realistic hope he has.

121

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:25:38am

re: #120 Anymouse 🌹🎃

That drop was dramatic for Sen. Sanders since his last run.

With a number of other choices, it would appear Democrats after four years since his last run are more interested in other candidates (which might explain why Bernie Bros are wailing about corporate shills and neoliberals).

I have a suspicion that the South Carolina Primary is going to effectively end any realistic hope he has.

Yes, a significant drop. Bernie’s support that he has is deep. I don’t deny that but there’s really not any attempt to reach people who didn’t go for him last time and the harassment of people who aren’t sure about Bernie is a recipe for disaster. They just don’t listen to anyone who isn’t in love with Bernie and it’s going ot bite em in the ass in the end.

122

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:26:36am

re: #117 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

The thing is I frankly do feel a lot of people say they’re capitalist or socialist when they really don’t have the balls to say the simple truth is they’re both.

Going from 60% to 26% even with a more crowded field as well as the neighbor Senator just doesn’t inspire me with much confidence about Bernie. There’s a big move to crown him the frontrunner after Iowa and New Hampshire but truthfully to use a baseball analogy this is like declaring someone’s going to score simply because they got a lead off single. It’s not a negative thing for Pete or Bernie but Iowa and NH aren’t representative of the Democratic base as a whole. Their delegates matter and will make their voices heart in Milwaukee but it’s all too early to tell what’s going on.

“Capitalist” or “Socialist” is a pretty meaningless label in our current society without providing some additional context or specifics. And the latter is mainly used as a slur instead as part of any serious discussion of policy.

123

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 7:27:22am

Charlie Pierce does a Saturday essay for subscribers that is long and serious. Here are the first and last paragraphs of today’s, which are connected with a list of all the Republican attorneys general from Nixon through W. It is shocking to see the list all put together, with a nod to J Edgar as well.

It is a maxim among these lawyers, that whatever hath been done before may legally be done again: and therefore they take special care to record all the decisions formerly made against common justice and the general reason of mankind. These, under the name of precedents, they produce as authorities, to justify the most iniquitous opinions; and the judges never fail of decreeing accordingly. —Jonathan Swift

Given both the nature of things and the state of play these days, to watch any television shows devoted to political analysis is to be confronted by more former federal prosecutors than the Gambinos ever saw. This phenomenon has only intensified in recent weeks as it has become plain that the current Department of Justice has transformed itself into a house counsel for a criminal administration* now bent on extra-legal vengeance, rather like the mobbed-up legal chop-shop in John Grisham’s The Firm. Several times a day, we will see Maya Wiley, or Glenn Kirschner, or Joyce Vance, or Barbara McQuade, or some combination of other DOJ alumni/alumna explaining just how steadily their old stomping grounds have been engineered into a toxic waste dump. I am glad they are there to inform people.
…
We now have to go back to our childhood faith in the good cop, the gentleman spy, the decent judge. It has been such a long time since we’ve seen them, and so much doubt and falsehood has been spread upon the land like deadly fallout, that we have a hard time recognizing them when we see them. We have lost the ability even to pretend to see virtue in public service. If we don’t regain at least that, we lose everything, right there, before god and the world, and on television.

124

GlutenFreeJesus Feb 15, 2020 • 7:27:53am

re: #121 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

It’s funny though. His supporters go on and on about how they’re supposed to be “won over”, when they insist everyone must support him at all costs. And if you don’t? “Corporate shill”.

125

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:28:16am

re: #120 Anymouse 🌹🎃

That drop was dramatic for Sen. Sanders since his last run.

With a number of other choices, it would appear Democrats after four years since his last run are more interested in other candidates (which might explain why Bernie Bros are wailing about corporate shills and neoliberals).

I have a suspicion that the South Carolina Primary is going to effectively end any realistic hope he has.

SC may end that, but I doubt he’ll quit at that point. Bernie is interested in Bernie, not what the Democratic Party needs to defeat Trump.

126

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 7:29:41am

The Soviet Union was not a … wait, what?

We’ve got a TRUE communist. Like Libertarians, they are absolutely convinced their system would work perfectly if only people weren’t … people.

I am doubtful of the success of any political system that begins with “If only…” pic.twitter.com/RjUUn3faqx

— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) February 15, 2020

127

Quoth the raven, Covfefe. Feb 15, 2020 • 7:34:16am

re: #122 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

“Capitalist” or “Socialist” is a pretty meaningless label in our current society without providing some additional context or specifics. And the latter is mainly used as a slur instead as part of any serious discussion of policy.

I was just discussing this with Mrs. Fish yesterday, that there is a place in modern socio-economics for both capitalism and socialism. Capitalism is great for consumer products; however, when it comes to universal services, socialism is a more appropriate model.

128

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:34:19am

re: #122 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

“Capitalist” or “Socialist” is a pretty meaningless label in our current society without providing some additional context or specifics. And the latter is mainly used as a slur instead as part of any serious discussion of policy.

Exactly. Just buzzwords.

129

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 7:36:05am

re: #126 Anymouse 🌹🎃

What would the idea of ‘bottom up’ or ‘top down’ even mean in a pure communist system?

130

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:36:38am

re: #124 GlutenFreeJesus

It’s funny though. His supporters go on and on about how they’re supposed to be “won over”, when they insist everyone must support him at all costs. And if you don’t? “Corporate shill”.

Yeah. Rules for us but no rules for them. I don’t post on Twitter much and if I do, it’s mostly apolitical but I have seen how they treat people who have not accepted the lord Bernard Sanders as their political savior. I don’t want a savior. I want a President. I haven’t had a President since the morning of 1/20/17.

131

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:38:38am

re: #126 Anymouse 🌹🎃

What we need more than ever is strong democratic institutions. There’s a great documentary about Hitler’s rise on Netflix. The Nazis and their allies and yes some far left ratfucks did a lot to discredit Weimar democracy.

132

PhillyPretzel Feb 15, 2020 • 7:40:05am

re: #130 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

Exactly. A President who understands politics and knows how to work within the system that we have not someone who makes up rules as they go along.

133

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:40:54am

re: #127 Quoth the raven, Covfefe.

I was just discussing this with Mrs. Fish yesterday, that there is a place in modern socio-economics for both capitalism and socialism. Capitalism is great for consumer products; however, when it comes to universal services, socialism is a more appropriate model.

Correct. That’s my positoin as well. But you also have to be aware of culture. If you look at the USSR and PRC under Stalin and Mao, you were see significant evidence of ethnic minorities being mistreated by those regimes because they weren’t going along with what they wanted. I really blame the Soviets in part for why the Nazis had so many willing collaborators. Obviously, I blame the Nazis themselves more but the Soviet treatment of Ukrainians stirred up a lot of resentment.

134

Quoth the raven, Covfefe. Feb 15, 2020 • 7:41:29am

re: #133 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

Correct. That’s my positoin as well. But you also have to be aware of culture. If you look at the USSR and PRC under Stalin and Mao, you were see significant evidence of ethnic minorities being mistreated by those regimes because they weren’t going along with what they wanted. I really blame the Soviets in part for why the Nazis had so many willing collaborators. Obviously, I blame the Nazis themselves more but the Soviet treatment of Ukrainians stirred up a lot of resentment.

Agreed.

135

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 7:41:34am

Because unfortunately, she was ACTUALLY BORN in February of 1820.

Which is why she should have been UTTERLY CANCELLED and a different suffragist chosen as the focus once people started being allowed to remember that she had a very “southern” view of race relations.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

136

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:42:08am

re: #132 PhillyPretzel

Exactly. A President who understands politics and knows how to work within the system that we have not someone who makes up rules as they go along.

Yeah when I hear people advocate for Bernie mostly, I hear people saying they want an ideologue in chief. That’s not what a successful President is. Now should our President have and share our core ideology? Absolutely. That’s why as of now, I’m not going to vote for either Bernie or Bloomberg in the primary. And I resent the idea that it has to be one or the otehr.

137

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 7:42:37am

News from Al Abama:

Tommy Tuberville, in a virtual tie with Sessions in AL GOP Senate primary, sounds deranged:

“I’ve been in the cities, folks, you can’t drive through a neighborhood. Why? Because terrorism has taken over. Sharia Law has taken over.”https://t.co/ZYqWgLC4jI https://t.co/vIRXNnBcCR

— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) February 13, 2020

138

Quoth the raven, Covfefe. Feb 15, 2020 • 7:44:28am

re: #137 jaunte

News from Al Abama:

Roy Moore. Womp womp.

139

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 7:45:49am

Republicans claiming that the cities have been ‘taken over by terrorists’ while Border Patrol snipers are being sent in is a bad sign.

140

PhillyPretzel Feb 15, 2020 • 7:46:26am

re: #139 jaunte

Very bad. :(

141

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:50:49am

re: #137 jaunte

News from Al Abama:

He’s fucking lying. If you go to our cities, you will actually see a lot of great things. Immigrant entrepreneurs for starters. I’ve discovered some really good restaurants in DC’s Columbia Heights. I’m welcomed into their restaurants just like anyone else. I don’t feel uncomfortable let alone not safe in neighborhoods like that. Oh and another thing but there are probably more Muslims in my home county than there are all in all of Alabama.

142

GlutenFreeJesus Feb 15, 2020 • 7:51:40am

Of we take back the Senate and presidency this year, and hold on to the House, can our representatives PLEASE take the gloves off when dealing with their deranged GOP colleagues? All I really want to hear is “Frankly, my Republican colleague is a fucking idiot”.

143

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 7:52:42am

re: #141 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

It’s absurd to believe that “you can’t drive through” an urban neighborhood, but every time one of these racist jerks says it, some people will take it in as a fact.

144

Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel Feb 15, 2020 • 7:52:46am

re: #40 Targetpractice

Ya know, it’s hard as fuck to argue that socialism is not a bad thing when you have these fuckers running around, acting in ways that would make Comrade Trotsky proud.

Can we engage with them? Perhaps offer up some history as an icebreaker?
Nah, they’d want that like a hole in the head.

145

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 7:53:42am

re: #129 jaunte

What would the idea of ‘bottom up’ or ‘top down’ even mean in a pure communist system?

Unicorns? Purity ponies? I don’t know.

The Soviet Union as it existed was certainly “top-down.” I don’t know if that makes it “pure communist” or not though.

The Dictatorship of the Proletariat doesn’t refer to one person as a dictator. As I understand it, the term as originally proposed means socialisation of most means of production, and social planning for such things as healthcare and the right to work.

The closest anyone seems to have gotten to a “dictatorship of the proletariat” was the Paris Commune, which governed Paris for two months. The situation rapidly deteriorated as it turns out professional politicians are pretty much necessary for running a government rather than direct democracy and no leaders appointed.

146

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 7:56:04am

I’m honestly worried that at this point, under the principle of “#HeightenTheContradictions! If we can’t have Nicaragua by election, we’ll have Cuba by armed revolution”, they consider that by far the better option than electing anyone who won’t zero out the value of most stocks.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

I’m not worried they’ll manage to pull one off, but BOY HOWDY am I worried they’ll try to make things bad enough to ‘require’ one in a country that would already be totalitarian enough that change could only come from ‘its enemies’ on the outside of the borders.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

147

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 7:59:12am

re: #143 jaunte

It’s absurd to believe that “you can’t drive through” an urban neighborhood, but every time one of these racist jerks says it, some people will take it in as a fact.

Yep. They just spread bullshit about how the cities are hellholes while acting like their homes are free of crime, corruption, and poverty. Trump will always do a shit talking tweet about Baltimore, Chicago, New York, San Francisco but he won’t about places in rural Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama that have societal problems.

148

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 8:00:18am

re: #143 jaunte

It’s absurd to believe that “you can’t drive through” an urban neighborhood, but every time one of these racist jerks says it, some people will take it in as a fact.

I felt horribly unsafe driving through southside Chicago in my Smart with my wife.

Wait, no I didn’t, I wasn’t concerned at all about it. Neither were my wife and I concerned about walking around looking for a good lunch spot.

149

Quoth the raven, Covfefe. Feb 15, 2020 • 8:05:26am

re: #143 jaunte

It’s absurd to believe that “you can’t drive through” an urban neighborhood, but every time one of these racist jerks says it, some people will take it in as a fact.

There are some places in Minneapolis where I’ve felt unsafe while walking, but that’s never stopped me. I just pay more attention.

150

lawhawk Feb 15, 2020 • 8:06:25am

re: #148 Anymouse 🌹🎃

I felt more uneasy driving through rural KY and Appalachia than anywhere in the NYC metro area, including Paterson, Jersey City, and the Bronx.

Heck, I grew up in NYC in the bad old days, and regularly drove through Brownsville, Bed-Stuy. I know all the shortcuts.

151

Quoth the raven, Covfefe. Feb 15, 2020 • 8:08:07am

re: #150 lawhawk

I felt more uneasy driving through rural KY and Appalachia than anywhere in the NYC metro area, including Paterson, Jersey City, and the Bronx.

Heck, I grew up in NYC in the bad old days, and regularly drove through Brownsville, Bed-Stuy. I know all the shortcuts.

Driving through the back hills of West Virginia was definitely one of the sketchiest places I’ve ever been.

152

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 8:12:40am

When I was stationed in Rota, Spain, I had newspaper delivery of Stars and Stripes to my home in town. Armed Forces Radio and Television was only available by cable on base.

Veterans point to value of Stars and Stripes amid proposal to strip funding from news organization (Goes to Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON — Many veterans are speaking out about the importance of Stars and Stripes as a news source for troops in light of the Pentagon’s decision this week to gut the historic news agency of its annual funding to free up more money for what it considers to be crucial warfighting expenses.

Stars and Stripes began operations in the Civil War and has been a critical, and often the only, means for troops on the front lines to keep up with the news back home. Even with the post-9/11 wars occurring in the internet age, thousands of troops have been fighting in war zones where digital access is either inconvenient or nonexistent.

(more, with stories from veterans citing the importance of the newspaper)

153

lawhawk Feb 15, 2020 • 8:21:01am

re: #152 Anymouse 🌹🎃

Trump’s spent more on trips to Mar a Lago this year than the support for Stars and Stripes.

154

Rightwingconspirator Feb 15, 2020 • 8:24:47am

re: #151 Quoth the raven, Covfefe.

Driving through the back hills of West Virginia was definitely one of the sketchiest places I’ve ever been.

As far as I can say from my travels, the sketchiest areas to drive are along highway 8, where it near the Mexican border between Sand Diego and Tucson. Mexican cartel worries? Nope. Border cops. They can screw you right over for just running a dashcam on approach to the checkpoint.

155

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 8:26:25am

re: #153 lawhawk

Trump’s spent more on trips to Mar a Lago this year than the support for Stars and Stripes.

In this case, it appears to be Defense Secretary Esper who wants to kill off the support for the newspaper. (I imagine though that Trump doesn’t like the idea of an editorially-independent newspaper).

I guess that’s what you get when you have a Raytheon lobbyist for Defense Secretary rather than a military vet, or civil servant who came up through the DOD. To Esper, things like news from home or troop morale doesn’t matter; it’s not profitable.

156

Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel Feb 15, 2020 • 8:27:55am

re: #137 jaunte

News from Al Abama:

[Embedded content]

Maybe Tommy is thinking about the neighborhoods around Texas Tech on game day when he lived in Lubbock.. It has to do with marauding herds of drinks rather than Sharia law though.

157

GlutenFreeJesus Feb 15, 2020 • 8:28:10am

Used to drive through Waco often on my way to Austin. Talk about a creepy uneasy feeling.

158

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 8:29:17am

re: #156 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

Maybe Tommy is thinking about the neighborhoods around Texas Tech on game day when he lived in Lubbock.. It has to do with marauding herds of drinks rather than Sharia law though.

“Marauding Herds of Drinks” sounds like the name of my new liquor store. /s

159

Ace Rothstein Feb 15, 2020 • 8:30:23am

re: #158 Anymouse 🌹🎃

That’s my new band name.

160

William Lewis Feb 15, 2020 • 8:37:05am

re: #150 lawhawk

I felt more uneasy driving through rural KY and Appalachia than anywhere in the NYC metro area, including Paterson, Jersey City, and the Bronx.

Heck, I grew up in NYC in the bad old days, and regularly drove through Brownsville, Bed-Stuy. I know all the shortcuts.

I’d be nervous about driving NYC simply because I don’t know the roads and area but I drive everywhere in Chicago without a pause even the supposed “bad” parts. Smaller rust belt towns with lots of underemployed rednecks are far more hazardous in my book, especially back when I drove truck.

161

Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel Feb 15, 2020 • 8:39:29am

re: #158 Anymouse 🌹🎃

“Marauding Herds of Drinks” sounds like the name of my new liquor store. /s

A while back some friends and I were wondering what we would do if we suddenly ran into a couple of billion dollars. One proposal was to buy Chateau Lafitte Rothschild and rename it either “Bubba’s Wine” or “Sweat of the Laboring Masses.”

162

Ace Rothstein Feb 15, 2020 • 8:41:22am

re: #161 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

With a couple of billion dollars, I would go ahead and buy the other four first growths too.

163

Chrysicat Feb 15, 2020 • 8:43:45am

Oh, wow, are you delusional.#McTurtle isn’t allowed to determine what’s constitutional and what’s not. In THEORY, that has been reserved to #SCOTUS for over two centuries. If you want to say that only Congress can bind Congress, you’ll prolly need to back it up with arms.

— (((Chrysi Cat))) [no, Karen is STILL my sister!] (@chrysicat) February 15, 2020

164

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 8:43:53am

re: #161 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

A while back some friends and I were wondering what we would do if we suddenly ran into a couple of billion dollars. One proposal was to buy Chateau Lafitte Rothschild and rename it either “Bubba’s Wine” or “Sweat of the Laboring Masses.”

A friend of mine in the Navy and I used to speculate similarly, thinking “well, we could overthrow the government of a small nation somewhere.”

165

Citizen K Feb 15, 2020 • 8:44:12am

One thing you can respect about Krugman at least, he isn’t afraid to call shit out from his own paper directly:

I think this counts as a cockroach rather than a zombie. I thought we had gotten rid of this stupid claim, refuted by all the evidence. But it keeps coming back https://t.co/fq9WFapZNP

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) February 15, 2020

166

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 8:45:05am

re: #139 jaunte

Republicans claiming that the cities have been ‘taken over by terrorists’ while Border Patrol snipers are being sent in is a bad sign.

“terrorists” is the new GOP dog whistle for “brown people”. Thus Prager’s concern about having to use an extra syllable now.

167

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 8:46:12am

re: #145 Anymouse 🌹🎃

Unicorns? Purity ponies? I don’t know.

The Soviet Union as it existed was certainly “top-down.” I don’t know if that makes it “pure communist” or not though.

The Dictatorship of the Proletariat doesn’t refer to one person as a dictator. As I understand it, the term as originally proposed means socialisation of most means of production, and social planning for such things as healthcare and the right to work.

The closest anyone seems to have gotten to a “dictatorship of the proletariat” was the Paris Commune, which governed Paris for two months. The situation rapidly deteriorated as it turns out professional politicians are pretty much necessary for running a government rather than direct democracy and no leaders appointed.

Plus running things solely via committees is a recipe for disaster as well.

168

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 8:46:35am

re: #163 Chrysicat

WTF? Nixon’s Attorney General John Mitchell on Line Two.

169

Citizen K Feb 15, 2020 • 8:48:21am

re: #166 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

“terrorists” is the new GOP dog whistle for “brown people”. Thus Prager’s concern about having to use an extra syllable now.

I’m not sure how ‘new’ it is at all. They’re just being less coy about it now thanks to Trump and Miller.

170

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 8:48:33am

re: #156 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

Maybe Tommy is thinking about the neighborhoods around Texas Tech on game day when he lived in Lubbock.. It has to do with marauding herds of drinks rather than Sharia law though.

Well the concept of “no alcohol” via Sharia Law would frighten most of the Texas universities on game day, would it not?
///

171

Rightwingconspirator Feb 15, 2020 • 9:04:53am

Heh. Watch this young man give a Confederate flag every bit of respect it deserves.

FB Instagram thing, not sure if it will play nice for everyone.

172

Anymouse 🌹🎃 Feb 15, 2020 • 9:07:48am

re: #171 Rightwingconspirator

Kind of dangerous, but he’s quite a good runner.

(Still theft of private property though; if the truck owner figures out who he is, the driver can raise a stink about it.)

173

Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel Feb 15, 2020 • 9:13:44am

re: #170 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

Well the concept of “no alcohol” via Sharia Law would frighten most of the Texas universities on game day, would it not?
///

One of my many riot-control proposals was to furnish free marijuana, by emergency airdrop if necessary, to reduce drunkenness on game day. Naturally, the liquor lobby would oppose it, though they could make up their losses by moving aggressively into the snack business.

174

Rightwingconspirator Feb 15, 2020 • 9:14:08am

re: #172 Anymouse 🌹🎃

Yes, he can and probably would. Odds are he will not notice for a while, miles away and think it just blew off. Notable that no damage is done, so a very minor theft of a piece of paper. I hope many of us would take that level of risk to push back on what is happening these days.

175

BigPapa Feb 15, 2020 • 9:33:50am

Amazing music and artists. I love Guidry’s drumming style.

176

BeachDem Feb 15, 2020 • 9:35:43am

Just had a Tom Steyer door-knocker. 21 years old. Don’t understand the attraction for young peeps, but she was so enthusiastic and excited, I didn’t want to get into it with her. And hey—she’s gonna VOTE! She wanted a pic with me to share with her organizer (who I know)—just hope I don’t end up on some Steyer page as a supporter.

177

A hollow voice says, Guilty, guilty, guilty! Feb 15, 2020 • 9:36:19am

re: #142 GlutenFreeJesus

Of we take back the Senate and presidency this year, and hold on to the House, can our representatives PLEASE take the gloves off when dealing with their deranged GOP colleagues? All I really want to hear is “Frankly, my Republican colleague is a fucking idiot”.

That they’re idiots isn’t really the problem although some of them are), it’s that they’re lying, corrupt and act against the interests of the general population.

178

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 9:39:40am

There are no coincidences. https://t.co/q4BYJY7Nh0

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) February 15, 2020

Open bribery.

179

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 9:40:06am

Here’s another curious coincidence.https://t.co/SQE7nM7Uja

— Jeanine (@arabnhorse1) February 15, 2020

180

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 9:40:52am

Same thing in Georgia.
t.co https://t.co/gzpu0AZRRL

— Marc N Cunat (@cunat_n) February 15, 2020

181

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 9:46:08am

re: #157 GlutenFreeJesus

Used to drive through Waco often on my way to Austin. Talk about a creepy uneasy feeling.

Opposite of peaceful, easy feeling?

182

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 10:19:36am

And… this just turned up in a Discord channel I read.

183

A Mom Anon Feb 15, 2020 • 10:20:52am

+b9NgI3ZcWETyiHVrQ7/J8ZZZ7GZyIbV2U7IU5COaZ8YnuehPDVKfXqPOKLDKIjSrgci/MLoNZnjEFGnDJaCatjXQunDT5LqAM0x8wGs+Z52ige5il4yOwE+/gx+pOMkbEWqEhJC4vrGGr2divbNUjyeXxc2dkr5ETSw9+LAE4JNkUbjtWPrijLD5WLhhEDRhnfJsl8CKYWRrWBnqSGDklsMWrx9ExF0aG7Z4KukIrywbxAXYYmA+HlFIsPFLJcbg/KlYu4qZwFLFtH3DTDRbj21pu65cikromlBQxkp8QQ=

184

Belafon Feb 15, 2020 • 10:20:53am

- Who’s the Democratic primary favorite?
- No one.
- I know it’s close, but who’s ahead?
- No one’s ahead.
- So it hasn’t started, yet?
- It has started.
- And the favorite is?
- No one.
- Oh, it’s a tie. Who’s tied for the lead?
- It’s not tied.
- So who’s winning?
- No one. pic.twitter.com/wqyHcXz4bg

— Derek Thompson (@DKThomp) February 14, 2020

185

Belafon Feb 15, 2020 • 10:21:31am

For a few weeks, some of the most distinctive voices out of Wuhan came from two video bloggers, Chen Qiushi and Fang Bin, who shared on-the-ground footage of pain, grief and terror caused by the coronavirus.

Now, they’re both missing. https://t.co/I1y26aBGeP

— Vivian Wang (@vwang3) February 14, 2020

186

#thegreatpoolpondconversion (dangerman) Feb 15, 2020 • 10:27:38am

re: #123 retired cynic

“they got away with it before so we can do it again”

i know it’s effective but it’s a false and dumb kind of logic

187

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 10:32:04am

Happy Lupercalia! The origins of the ancient pastoral festival are shadowy even to Romans but on this day we observe ancient rites of fertility, health and purification. The goatskin whips or “februa” used in today’s fertility rituals lend the second month its name…#LiveIdes pic.twitter.com/V5sOfryNLA

— Gareth Harney (@OptimoPrincipi) February 15, 2020

188

jaunte Feb 15, 2020 • 10:32:44am

In which the dictator makes a show of refusing the crown.

To general applause, a procession of people and magistrates take the diadem up the Clivus Capitolinus where it is placed in the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Some chant “Caesar, Caesar!”, relieved that the dictator refused the crown…#LiveIdes
(Image by Yadegar Asisi) pic.twitter.com/3j8dOIE6h9

— Gareth Harney (@OptimoPrincipi) February 15, 2020

189

Jebediah, RBG Feb 15, 2020 • 10:35:21am

re: #73 Sufficient unto the day…

wXr4yb/0WuTCSANUpoNLTA==

190

Rightwingconspirator Feb 15, 2020 • 10:35:26am

re: #183 A Mom Anon

bYt60XZGJZVrSIOvhHchHipEwTiFdCnFkBEwemk22dOlWhl1pBCYMzBdWkhMBWiBz+6DefDQSqyJt6CIna1u7cuT/DWiNI7s0a1zHN5DqvkAe23hhiu2LGh7SZi5+giYLWIHSKmpJX2wVA6Cl/eI0Q==

191

BigPapa Feb 15, 2020 • 10:47:21am

re: #190 Rightwingconspirator

vN5KWqJB3wNI2KumSjIXVAzgKidE/pT0j64rWv5c2kDk6t4AulAe2fgZmhCICMdeGu1K60zQgri2gHqqmhPdl+1JCrVMh5SmmoRdiQi12YLYYhkhItN3hBwjgH1/thWTwz/FvcrfrL0=

192

Eclectic Cyborg Feb 15, 2020 • 10:51:45am

In which the President of the United States basically calls himself a King:

…..biggest test of his presidency emboldened, ready to claim exoneration, and take his case of grievance, persecution and resentment to the campaign trail.” Peter Baker @nytimes The Greatest Witch Hunt In American History!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2020

193

Dave In Austin Feb 15, 2020 • 10:56:37am

re: #183 A Mom Anon

[Embedded content]

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194

FFL (GOP Delenda Est) Feb 15, 2020 • 10:57:12am

cnbc.com

Sourced to Drudge Report apparently. Such a move at this point is sorta polarizing, and I don’t really see it as a positive in any real way for Bloomberg’s campaign. Thus my suspicion about it’s accuracy.

(And that CNBC just runs with it doesn’t surprise me one bit. Horse race, eyeballs, Democrats in disarray, yadda yadda yadda.)

195

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 10:58:26am

re: #192 Eclectic Cyborg

In which the President of the United States basically calls himself a King:

[Embedded content]

More people voted for his impeachment than any other President. Removal was always unlikely but it was necessary. And there’s a shit ton more he should be impeached and removed on. Ukraine is the tip of the iceberg.

196

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 11:03:33am

Charlie Pierce, end of the week:

If I had any advice to the followers of Bernie Sanders, it would be this: try not to be as insufferable in success as you are when you lose. You haven’t won a damn thing yet. Jumping ugly with culinary workers in Nevada isn’t going to get it done and, again, just as a nickel’s worth of free advice, lose the phrase, “bend the knee,” because the only possible response to that is “kiss my ass.” Of such dialogue coalitions are not built, folks.

197

Dread Pirate Feb 15, 2020 • 11:06:19am

The president loves to brag that he’s not taking a salary.

Perhaps.

But with this latest trip to Palm Beach he has spent 334 YEARS of presidential salary playing golf. https://t.co/8Snnd8hEyE

— S.V. Dáte (@svdate) February 15, 2020

198

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 11:08:03am

There was chatting above about Bernie not winning NH like he did last time.

Bernie Sanders is powered by a loyal base, but results in Iowa and New Hampshire show the movement has limits, by Sean Sullivan, WaPo

Perhaps more troubling for Sanders are the signals that he is having difficulties expanding his appeal beyond his staunchest backers. Half the voters in Tuesday’s Democratic primary in New Hampshire said his positions were too liberal, according to exit polls. He has struggled among older voters, who make up a significant part of the Democratic electorate, and in some suburban areas similar to places analysts say could be key in upcoming races. Critics also say hostility from his fervent followers makes some potential supporters feel unwelcome.

199

Belafon Feb 15, 2020 • 11:10:22am

re: #196 retired cynic

The “bend the knee” just really screams ratphucking to me. It’s one thing to be an insufferable ass, but a statement like that implies to me an outside source trying to cause a big disruption.

200

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 11:14:05am

re: #197 Dread Pirate

[Embedded content]

To put things in perspective, 1786 the year before the Constitution was written was 334 years ago. He’s an absentee president and when he is on presidential time, it’s bitching at the government for doing its job.

201

BigPapa Feb 15, 2020 • 11:14:35am

re: #193 Dave In Austin

u/InJjCsLWUoSGnyVMJImJ6sDN31kxzbWahnfGwKh6RJMFHrC6hlDBPMzLqVkMnH0Jk5KKH82fpmL4OD5eYw5jnmYHCpfy9MmrR5TMHhenXCeSVoXA8RPDOIojCGPbTGflDttiX4QZ+i7QM1hkYZixXS0FeHdtM6XmCPDdVcDLPTl+3oA1Pwa8McV/EYqD3f2ZcF9VGx//n0lKjsKNs2NbidPHTHpwhqeuA65izzR6UvOMGt8udMyriKsTlAs/4bg++9CicPUrX9S1P0FPG/rCHN/qmJsEBNu7mcq+TNr+HX/3l0hgrKTWQX0KugE0z/v0iv54aMr0h5Q9kOnFOVrOxGbdd8t+bZGytYkUBKwYbTr7HquOrITDF6ndpTNlF82BAPQf2Zj6iGjpF4Xr/ym1y5AdsDj76EAgJktzSdood69ru2DJuPaqavyd2VDGZ2+vHajAoGpY4=

202

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 11:16:55am

h/t Juanita Jean

203

Citizen K Feb 15, 2020 • 11:17:19am

re: #199 Belafon

The “bend the knee” just really screams ratphucking to me. It’s one thing to be an insufferable ass, but a statement like that implies to me an outside source trying to cause a big disruption.

It also echos the very same sort of ‘entitlement’ they claimed was the only reason they lost in 2016. It’s clear they didn’t care about a thumb being put on the scale, just that they wanted the thumb pushed down in their favor, and ‘inevitability’ to work in their favor.

204

A Three Hour Tour Feb 15, 2020 • 11:21:39am

re: #200 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

To put things in perspective, 1786 the year before the Constitution was written was 334 years ago. He’s an absentee president and when he is on presidential time, it’s bitching at the government for doing its job.

234 years ago, Happy.

205

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 11:23:57am

Juanita Jean: Roger Stone has a new lawyer: Seth Ginsberg, mob lawyer. Amazing!

Daily Mail: EXCLUSIVE: Roger Stone hires a Mafia lawyer as he scrambles to avoid jail next week - taking on attorney who helped clear ‘Teflon Don’ John Gotti’s son of racketeering

206

PhillyPretzel Feb 15, 2020 • 11:24:53am

re: #205 retired cynic

Why am I not surprised?

207

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 11:26:41am

re: #206 PhillyPretzel

Surprised it took so long?

208

LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior) Feb 15, 2020 • 11:28:40am

re: #203 Citizen K

It also echos the very same sort of ‘entitlement’ they claimed was the only reason they lost in 2016. It’s clear they didn’t care about a thumb being put on the scale, just that they wanted the thumb pushed down in their favor, and ‘inevitability’ to work in their favor.

2016 felt very entitled to me. The whole Bernie’s always been there for us bs. HRC would not have been my first choice to succeed Obama but there’s no denying she’s done a lot to get Democrats elected and impact positive change. I knew who Bernie was before 2016 but I never thought “Yeah that guy ought to be President.” And I don’t think many people in the Democratic base voter did either. I’m a fairly young voter but the arrogance of Sanders youth supporters bothered me. Truth be told because I saw the Ron Paul movement in them. The attempt to sell an elderly backbencher who speaks in platitudes as Presidential. It wasn’t liberalism.

209

retired cynic Feb 15, 2020 • 11:29:20am

The Amazing Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Tiny Desk Concert

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