Sunday Evening Acoustic Awesomeness: Antoine Dufour, “1979”

Shakedown 1979
Music • Views: 48,475

YouTube

Antoine Dufour is one of the best in this neo-acoustic two-handed style of playing, and this cover of the Smashing Pumpkins classic “1979” is a fantastic showcase of his abilities.

CDs, Downloads, and Guitar Tabs available at: http://www.candyrat.com/artists/antoinedufour/

Visit Antoine Dufour at:
http://www.antoinedufourmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/antoinedufourmusic
https://twitter.com/antoinedufour

Join Antoine Dufour email list to stay up to date with all the news: http://eepurl.com/TQx7v

Buy/Listen at:
Candyrat: http://www.candyrat.com/artists/antoinedufour/1979
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H4GW19K/?tag=littlegreenfo-20
itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/1979-single/id1124257230
Apple Music: https://itun.es/us/qv0vl
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/15kzFPO1n6iK1GqFaTDDBo
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Antoine_Dufour_1979?id=Bjmimfrgb6wwep7rtktwk2bk53e

Antoine Dufour plays Beauregard Guitars: http://beauregardguitars.com/

For a list of all gear Antoine Dufour uses go to:
http://www.antoinedufourmusic.com/gear/

A classic Antoine Dufour arrangement combining all the elements of a progressive rock band into a solo acoustic guitar performance. “1979” is a song by American alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins.

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550 comments
1
FormerDirtDart  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:12:49pm

And, I immediately go OT:
‘Murica

2
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:14:31pm

re: #1 FormerDirtDart

And, I immediately go OT:
‘Murica

[Embedded content]

Where patriotism is reduced to icon-worship and getting drunk.

3
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:15:25pm
4
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:15:45pm
5
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:19:04pm
6
FormerDirtDart  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:23:00pm

Oh GFYS

7
Timothy Watson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:23:26pm

re: #5 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Yeah, I’ll buy a diamond right after I clear that $25,000+ in student loan debt.

Oh, and also get a girlfriend.

8
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:23:28pm
9
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:23:50pm

The autocratic dictator of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, made a speech in Russian, which was intended to tell people to “develop and work,” a reference to the flagging economy of his country.

However, in Russian, this phrase is very close to “get naked and work,” which is what he actually said.

In massive mocking protest, Belarus citizens took him up on the “order,” noting things like “the leader said we should!”

It became a trending hashtag on Twitter, with hundreds of people posting photos of themselves naked at work (everything from software engineers to beekeepers).

One commentator noted “Lukashenko has Tony Abbot moment, sparks international striptease”

twitter.com

(with many photos containing strategically-placed coverings)

10
Skip Intro  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:24:31pm
11
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:26:26pm

At least he addressed me by my preferred designation.

12
HappyWarrior  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:26:28pm

re: #6 FormerDirtDart

Oh GFYS

[Embedded content]

I think she’s doing a pretty good job on her own. She’s offering liberal solutions not demagogue bullshit.

13
stpaulbear  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:29:04pm

re: #1 FormerDirtDart

Puke cups.

14
FormerDirtDart  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:29:48pm
15
goddamnedfrank  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:30:13pm

re: #6 FormerDirtDart

16
FormerDirtDart  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:31:46pm
17
PhillyPretzel  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:32:52pm

There are a lot of fireworks going off in my neighborhood tonight. It is supposed to rain tomorrow night. That is probably the reason.

18
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:35:03pm

re: #17 PhillyPretzel

There are a lot of fireworks going off in my neighborhood tonight. It is supposed to rain tomorrow night. That is probably the reason.

Proofreaders celebrating the completion of the second draft of the Declaration.

19
Kragar  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:35:09pm
20
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:36:07pm

re: #5 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Shall we give The Economist a clue from Consumer Reports?

consumerreports.org

21
jaunte  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:36:57pm

re: #19 Kragar

Reince is the disgraced Hand.

22
PhillyPretzel  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:37:19pm

re: #20 Joe Bacon

That is a good idea. I do not think they will read it.

23
Kragar  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:38:18pm
24
bratwurst  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:40:02pm

re: #17 PhillyPretzel

There are a lot of fireworks going off in my neighborhood tonight. It is supposed to rain tomorrow night. That is probably the reason.

I am turning into an old curmudgeon because I was VERY close to calling my local police last night. There is just no reason someone needs to be playing with fireworks (which, by the way, are ILLEGAL here) at 11pm TWO NIGHTS BEFORE THE FOURTH. The holiday is 4th of July…not the WEEK OF 4TH OF JULY.

/rant off

25
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:40:50pm

re: #22 PhillyPretzel

That is a good idea. I do not think they will read it.

Someone can tweet the link at them. Or, since I have a subscription to The Economist, I could write a letter to the editor they won’t print. (They have never printed my letters, I am not an important enough government official, like a president or foreign minister. Somehow, village trustee doesn’t have enough gravitas, even when I wrote in on an article they had on America’s Last Elected Dogcatcher - talking about small village life. I pointed to our elected unpaid village marshal, even.)

*edited to add “elected” in front of dogcatcher.

26
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:41:39pm

re: #24 bratwurst

I am turning into an old curmudgeon because I was VERY close to calling my local police last night. There is just no reason someone needs to be playing with fireworks (which, by the way, are ILLEGAL here) at 11pm TWO NIGHTS BEFORE THE FORTH. The holiday is 4th of July…not the WEEK OF 4TH OF JULY.

/rant off

Our town screwed it up by having the “official” fireworks last night, opening the whole weekend to espontaneos.

27
PhillyPretzel  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:42:00pm

re: #24 bratwurst

I hear you. Some of my neighbors are firing off some very loud ones.

28
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:43:21pm

re: #26 Decatur Deb

Our town screwed it up by having the “official” fireworks last night, opening the whole weekend to espontaneos.

We’ve had fireworks going on since late May.

29
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:43:48pm

re: #24 bratwurst

I am turning into an old curmudgeon because I was VERY close to calling my local police last night. There is just no reason someone needs to be playing with fireworks (which, by the way, are ILLEGAL here) at 11pm TWO NIGHTS BEFORE THE FORTH. The holiday is 4th of July…not the WEEK OF 4TH OF JULY.

/rant off

The barrage started in my neighborhood here in Los Angeles last night at 9PM. Continued for a couple hours and died out around midnight. I saw bottle rocket sticks scattered on the street when I walked to the YMCA this morning…

30
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:45:02pm

re: #25 Anymouse

Someone can tweet the link at them. Or, since I have a subscription to The Economist, I could write a letter to the editor they won’t print. (They have never printed my letters, I am not an important enough government official, like a president or foreign minister. Somehow, village trustee doesn’t have enough gravitas, even when I wrote in on an article they had on America’s Last Dogcatcher - talking about small village life. I pointed to our elected unpaid village marshal, even.)

They actually printed one of mine 10 years ago. I was shocked!

31
FormerDirtDart  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:45:10pm
32
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:45:16pm

re: #28 Anymouse

We’ve had fireworks going on since late May.

They’re legal here, except for a few tight-assed towns.

33
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:46:07pm

re: #30 Joe Bacon

They actually printed one of mine 10 years ago. I was shocked!

What was it about?

34
mmmirele  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:47:08pm

re: #6 FormerDirtDart

Oh GFYS

[Embedded content]

It’s been a while since I’ve been to DKos and it’s like *whoa*. I’ve been around Kos for a long time (my member number is in the mid-three digits). Now I know why I stay away from there and hang out here and other places. The mansplaining is enough to drive me crazy.

35
Timothy Watson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:47:53pm

Most of the real fun stuff is illegal here in Virginia, but that never stops anyone. Someone was setting off stuff Saturday night and I am sure they didn’t have the requisite permits to do it.

Hopefully, none of it loud enough to bother our two dogs. They were having an awful time Friday night when a bad thunderstorm came through.

36
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:48:36pm

So, PopClock is saying we’re pushing towards 324 million real soon now:
census.gov

As our population grows, any group or movement that can garner even 1% of the population will end up with millions of members.

That means a lot of kooky ideas and marginal groups, compared to the norm, can end up with lots of adherents.

It also explains why our society is changing. Contra the Tea Partiers, the expansion of government is due to the growth of population, not some nefarious plot by Satan to steal freedom away from God’s true children.

I fully expect that in 10 years we will see some real change in our society, as far as government. The old structures need to change.

I’m open to the idea that failure of the Republicans this year to nominate a valid candidate - and Drumpfskind is as big a failure as the GOP has ever done - is evidence that our institutions have been just too inflexible in light of our changing society.

37
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:48:42pm

re: #34 mmmirele

It’s been a while since I’ve been to DKos and it’s like *whoa*. I’ve been around Kos for a long time (my member number is in the mid-three digits). Now I know why I stay away from there and hang out here and other places. The mansplaining is enough to drive me crazy.

I first encountered Daily Kos right in the middle of the PUMA debates in 2008. Thought, “nope, this place is not for me.”

Came back a few years later and it was more reasonable, so I started an account there (and even gave Kos money). Now with all the PUMA redux going on there, I am staying away again.

38
GlutenFreeJesus  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:50:02pm

re: #31 FormerDirtDart

Nobody killed? Much to the chagrin of Republicans.

39
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:50:33pm

re: #36 freetoken

Well, if the GOP collapses into a regional party or splits into its business and social conservative wings, that might bring about the change.

We have had party collapses or realignments before. Presumably this would be no different.

40
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:50:56pm

re: #35 Timothy Watson

Most of the real fun stuff is illegal here in Virginia, but that never stops anyone. Someone was setting off stuff Saturday night and I am sure they didn’t have the requisite permits to do it.

Hopefully, none of it loud enough to bother our two dogs. They were having an awful time Friday night when a bad thunderstorm came through.

Lived for years at the edge of the Ft. Knox tank gunnery ranges—distant firework noise does not impress.

41
jaunte  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:51:44pm
42
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:52:10pm

re: #40 Decatur Deb

After my time in the Navy, the noise of fireworks doesn’t impress me much, though the idiots that use them sometimes scares the crap out of me.

43
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:52:48pm

re: #37 Anymouse

I first encountered Daily Kos right in the middle of the PUMA debates in 2008. Thought, “nope, this place is not for me.”

Came back a few years later and it was more reasonable, so I started an account there (and even gave Kos money). Now with all the PUMA redux going on there, I am staying away again.

Found the Kos format so unreadable that I was never tempted to join. Charles’ fit-and-finish here is really remarkable.

44
mmmirele  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:53:03pm

So far, despite the number of fireworks stands in the neighborhood, it’s been reasonably quiet. (Yes, it’s legal in Arizona, for the most part.) I fully expect to hear fireworks tonight into tomorrow, though. I have earplugs. My poor kitty will just have to snuggle up with me.

45
Stanley Sea  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:55:43pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

The 8 people in the trump campaign are either getting belittled or trying to cover up the bosses fuck up.

Both, simultaneously.

46
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:56:22pm

re: #43 Decatur Deb

Found the Kos format so unreadable that I was never tempted to join. Charles’ fit-and-finish here is really remarkable.

This site is much better contrived. I presume it is because Mr. Johnson reads what his users write here about things that work (or don’t), potential improvements, &c.

Over at Daily Kos, I get the impression Markos doesn’t even read his site, and the new update to the site is absolutely horrendous.

47
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:57:40pm
48
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 6:57:57pm

re: #33 Anymouse

What was it about?

It was about the possibility that the Democrats could get back control of Congress in 2006. Gosh, Criswell Bacon was correct on that prediction!

49
bratwurst  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:00:23pm

I have to confess that a guilty pleasure of mine: reading anguished tweets from journalists (and other notables) about their flight mishaps. I also follow the big airline “assist” accounts, so I really get to see the various stages of grief in all of their glory. Jonathan Capehart is going through this right now if you want to see an example of what I mean.

There is a level of schadenfreude involved, but there is also the fact that deteriorating health keeps me from traveling as much as I once did…so it is good to be reminded the pitfalls of being on the road.

I am happy to report though that I am feeling positive enough about my ability to travel this year that I went ahead and purchased some inter-European flights today for a trip I am hoping to make in September. I had been procrastinating on doing so, but the recent exchange rate fluctuation meant I saved some money by dragging my feet!

50
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:03:49pm

The Worldometer already has us over 324 million:

worldometers.info

Their map of population density I find interesting.

51
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:04:52pm

What a privileged, entitled whiny little shit off the old block==>

52
Pawn of the Oppressor  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:05:00pm

That’s really nice. Still trying to wrap my head around anything by the Pumpkins being called “classic”… Especially since the song’s title is my birth year. I’M GETTING OLLLLLD ARRRRGH*

*not really, but sometimes it feels like it

Speaking of fun re-renditions of classic songs, I stumbled on this the other day - playing New Order’s “Blue Monday” on 1930’s instruments.

Orkestra Obsolete play Blue Monday using 1930s instruments - BBC Arts

53
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:05:22pm

re: #34 mmmirele

It’s been a while since I’ve been to DKos and it’s like *whoa*. I’ve been around Kos for a long time (my member number is in the mid-three digits). Now I know why I stay away from there and hang out here and other places. The mansplaining is enough to drive me crazy.

I started commenting on Kos Election Day 2004. Did a lot of commenting for a while, but I got an increasing amount of negative comments when I spoke about my son’s death. Several of the comments were just plain nasty. Now I rarely comment there. Glad I found Little Green Footballs where I feel more comfortable!

54
HappyWarrior  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:05:46pm

re: #51 The Vicious Babushka

What a privileged, entitled whiny little shit off the old block==>

[Embedded content]

That would also be the same media that has pretty much given Daddy Warbucks a pass.

55
HappyWarrior  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:07:51pm

re: #53 Joe Bacon

I started commenting on Kos Election Day 2004. Did a lot of commenting for a while, but I got an increasing amount of negative comments when I spoke about my son’s death. Several of the comments were just plain nasty. Now I rarely comment there. Glad I found Little Green Footballs where I feel more comfortable!

I cannot believe you got negative comments about your son’s death. That’s just awful. I’ve never posted on Kos before. I actually started out on DU way back in 2002 but I eventually left there in 2005. Kind of joined a spinoff of that site and a site called CU for a little while (It’s a weird story.) I didn’t do much in the 2008 presidential election since I was focused on transfering from community college to GMU. I was happy Obama won but I really wanted to stay out of politics until I saw the Tea Party’s rise which scared me.

56
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:07:56pm

re: #51 The Vicious Babushka

What a privileged, entitled whiny little shit off the old block==>

[Embedded content]

Coming from a spoiled brat whose father has been the recipient of the most sympathetic media pumping up since Hearst ordered his papers to “Puff Billy Graham” back in the 40s…

57
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:08:13pm

re: #51 The Vicious Babushka

What a privileged, entitled whiny little shit off the old block==>

[Embedded content]

Give him a break. He’s still suffering PTSD from his personal Gulf War.

58
HappyWarrior  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:08:53pm

re: #57 Decatur Deb

Give him a break. He’s still suffering PTSD from his personal Gulf War.

Wouldn’t that be Golf War, DD?

59
majii  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:10:28pm

re: #27 PhillyPretzel

Some in my neighborhood here in Middle GA have been setting off fireworks since Friday night. I passed by Walmart on my way to Aldi’s earlier today. There is an 18 wheeler parked on the lot selling fireworks. Sales seemed to be brisk. For most of my life here, it was illegal for any private citizen in GA to set off fireworks, but that changed after GOPers won the governorship and a majority in the state legislature.

60
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:11:21pm

re: #55 HappyWarrior

I cannot believe you got negative comments about your son’s death. That’s just awful. I’ve never posted on Kos before. I actually started out on DU way back in 2002 but I eventually left there in 2005. Kind of joined a spinoff of that site and a site called CU for a little while (It’s a weird story.) I didn’t do much in the 2008 presidential election since I was focused on transfering from community college to GMU. I was happy Obama won but I really wanted to stay out of politics until I saw the Tea Party’s rise which scared me.

The sad truth is that I expect it. I’ve had nasty encounters with Republicans at antiwar rallies. Encounter them at the gym. Plenty of them have told me they were glad that my son died. One time I encountered an idiot wearing a Cruz T-shirt and I let him have it. The guy tried to take a swing at me, he wound up with a shot of pepper spray in his face. Others cheered when they saw that piece of shit get splatted.

61
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:12:49pm

re: #57 Decatur Deb

Give him a break. He’s still suffering PTSD from his personal Gulf War.

Yes those 2 million IU’s of Penicillin in the butt sure smart…

62
HappyWarrior  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:12:57pm

re: #60 Joe Bacon

The sad truth is that I expect it. I’ve had nasty encounters with Republicans at antiwar rallies. Encounter them at the gym. Plenty of them have told me they were glad that my son died. One time I encountered an idiot wearing a Cruz T-shirt and I let him have it. The guy tried to take a swing at me, he wound up with a shot of pepper spray in his face. Others cheered when they saw that piece of shit get splatted.

I know it doesn’t mean much coming from a stranger from behind a computer screen but you have my utmost sympathy for what happened to your son. It’s a pain that no parent should have to deal with and it just makes me sick that people have attacked you over it. Wingnuts love to talk about sacrifice and all that but they don’t know the meaning.

63
Stanley Sea  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:13:00pm

re: #31 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

The terrorists are on a roll to terror.

64
PhillyPretzel  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:13:18pm

Good Night and a very happy July 4th to my fellow Lizards.

65
Stanley Sea  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:15:14pm

re: #36 freetoken

So, PopClock is saying we’re pushing towards 324 million real soon now:
census.gov

As our population grows, any group or movement that can garner even 1% of the population will end up with millions of members.

That means a lot of kooky ideas and marginal groups, compared to the norm, can end up with lots of adherents.

It also explains why our society is changing. Contra the Tea Partiers, the expansion of government is due to the growth of population, not some nefarious plot by Satan to steal freedom away from God’s true children.

I fully expect that in 10 years we will see some real change in our society, as far as government. The old structures need to change.

I’m open to the idea that failure of the Republicans this year to nominate a valid candidate - and Drumpfskind is as big a failure as the GOP has ever done - is evidence that our institutions have been just too inflexible in light of our changing society.

Imagine our weak, internet society having to actually fight.

That’s why a strongman with a militia is dangerous. We’ll fold.

66
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:15:54pm

re: #62 HappyWarrior

I know it doesn’t mean much coming from a stranger from behind a computer screen but you have my utmost sympathy for what happened to your son. It’s a pain that no parent should have to deal with and it just makes me sick that people have attacked you over it. Wingnuts love to talk about sacrifice and all that but they don’t know the meaning.

People try to console me by saying that they offer condolences over his death in Iraq but the truth is I lost him years before that. His mother thought I was just a Master Card and she got the child support payments on time. She indoctrinated him with the Religious Right bullshit with a heapin’ helpin’ of Ayn Rand.

But that’s life…

67
stpaulbear  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:17:05pm

Fireworks are legal in MN and you can buy them in any store including Target. There are size limits here, but WI is just a 15 minute drive away and they allow much bigger fireworks than MN allows, so lots of people are LOTS more annoying because of it. Seems like fireworks start showing up around Memorial Day weekend.

68
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:17:49pm

Birthday is coming up, and the presents are flowing in. So far a device to turn a Weber grill into a wood-fired pizza oven, Arduino-controlled web sensors for the garden, and a 3-chambered bat habitat. My kids are weird.

69
retired cynic  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:20:22pm

re: #68 Decatur Deb

Birthday is coming up, and the presents are flowing in. So far a device to turn a Weber grill into a wood-fired pizza oven, Arduino-controlled web sensors for the garden, and a 3-chambered bat habitat. My kids are weird.

Sounds cool! Cooking pizza with no mosquitoes. What’s not to like?

70
Decatur Deb  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:21:31pm

re: #69 retired cynic

Sounds cool! Cooking pizza with no mosquitoes. What’s not to like?

Made from veggies that log their soil humidity.

71
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:21:39pm
72
majii  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:22:49pm

re: #51 The Vicious Babushka

Someone needs to drop a truth-bomb on the little entitled sh*t: It’s liars like him, his dad, his family, and his dad’s supporters that are one of the worst parts of society. ET is unaccustomed to anyone challenging anything that erupts from his piehole. He’s grown up that way partly because he seems to think that money makes him better than others who are less wealthy, and that whatever he says should be listened to and never questioned. The child is getting a glimpse of the real world where people talk back when he and/or his dad says something stupid, and he’s shocked, he’s really shocked. Little does he know that no one gives two f*cks what he or his family thinks outside of the bubble they live in. As for me, respect must be earned, and none of the Trumps have earned it from me yet. They’re despicable people who don’t seem to realize it, and I don’t think there’s anything honorable about any of them.

73
Stanley Sea  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:23:17pm

re: #49 bratwurst

I have to confess that a guilty pleasure of mine: reading anguished tweets from journalists (and other notables) about their flight mishaps. I also follow the big airline “assist” accounts, so I really get to see the various stages of grief in all of their glory. Jonathan Capehart is going through this right now if you want to see an example of what I mean.

There is a level of schadenfreude involved, but there is also the fact that deteriorating health keeps me from traveling as much as I once did…so it is good to be reminded the pitfalls of being on the road.

I am happy to report though that I am feeling positive enough about my ability to travel this year that I went ahead and purchased some inter-European flights today for a trip I am hoping to make in September. I had been procrastinating on doing so, but the recent exchange rate fluctuation meant I saved some money by dragging my feet!

Travel is affected by weather. He’s being a baby.

I understand human emotion, but don’t do it on your fucking WaPo acct.

OH, That’s the point. The weather will change for you.

Air travel sucks. Survivors prepare….really prepare. & STFU.

74
Stanley Sea  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:29:13pm

re: #62 HappyWarrior

I know it doesn’t mean much coming from a stranger from behind a computer screen but you have my utmost sympathy for what happened to your son. It’s a pain that no parent should have to deal with and it just makes me sick that people have attacked you over it. Wingnuts love to talk about sacrifice and all that but they don’t know the meaning.

Ditto. Thanks HW & especially JoeB.

75
majii  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:31:31pm

re: #62 HappyWarrior

All the b*st*rds talk about is praying for this or that, but when it comes to really supporting those who need it, they’re MIA, or they’re demeaning the person or the person’s deceased loved one. Christians? I sincerely doubt it. It’s like Ken Burns mentioned in his Daily Beast interview, one wouldn’t think a group of religious persons who say they base their lives on Christ would follow someone like Trump who has said he never asks for forgiveness because he never thinks he does anything he needs to ask forgiveness for. WTF? One of the basic beliefs of Christianity is forgiveness. Evangelicals know this, but they’re willing to kick their Christianity to the curb and vote for Trump because he says the hateful sh*t they like to hear. The only persons they’re fooling are themselves. They put on an outward veneer of Christianity while their hearts are filled with hatred toward their fellow human beings.

76
Romantic Heretic  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:36:38pm

re: #20 Joe Bacon

Jesus. That is really sad.

Why is it those who are most opposed to Marx’s analysis of capitalism work so hard to prove it correct?

77
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:36:42pm

re: #60 Joe Bacon

The sad truth is that I expect it. I’ve had nasty encounters with Republicans at antiwar rallies. Encounter them at the gym. Plenty of them have told me they were glad that my son died. One time I encountered an idiot wearing a Cruz T-shirt and I let him have it. The guy tried to take a swing at me, he wound up with a shot of pepper spray in his face. Others cheered when they saw that piece of shit get splatted.

I know my condolences mean little from a keyboard attached to a telephone line, but you have them.

I cannot relate to the loss of your son in war, except to note that I lost my father in war. I can relate to the “turning your son against you,” as my own ex-wife did the same with mine. You have my condolences for that as well.

78
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:39:29pm
79
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:40:42pm

re: #75 majii

All the b*st*rds talk about is praying for this or that, but when it comes to really supporting those who need it, they’re MIA, or they’re demeaning the person or the person’s deceased loved one. Christians? I sincerely doubt it. It’s like Ken Burns mentioned in his Daily Beast interview, one wouldn’t think a group of religious persons who say they base their lives on Christ would follow someone like Trump who has said he never asks for forgiveness because he never thinks he does anything he needs to ask forgiveness for. WTF? One of the basic beliefs of Christianity is forgiveness. Evangelicals know this, but they’re willing to kick their Christianity to the curb and vote for Trump because he says the hateful sh*t they like to hear. The only persons they’re fooling are themselves. They put on an outward veneer of Christianity while their hearts are filled with hatred toward their fellow human beings.

I had that discussion here last night with another person in the context of Sanders supporters who claim they will now vote for Trump. My thought was if they were claiming to be progressives but would vote for Trump, then they weren’t really progressives in the first place.

Got a “no true Scotsman” fallacy thrown at me.

I then used the precise example of Evangelicals above. “That’s different.”

It appeared to me after the exchange the fallacy was not mine, but the other poster, “special pleading.”

80
Romantic Heretic  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:41:04pm

re: #30 Joe Bacon

Closest I’ve ever had was a letter printed in Foreign Policy. I pointed out that one article worked from the incorrect assumption that capitalism is an ethical system. Capitalism, I said, is just a tool and can only do what its operators direct it to do.

The author of the article even replied to me. He called me an idiot, although in barely more polite terms than that.

81
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:43:00pm

re: #80 Romantic Heretic

Closest I’ve ever had was a letter printed in Foreign Policy. I pointed out that one article worked from the incorrect assumption that capitalism is an ethical system. Capitalism, I said, is just a tool and can only do what its operators direct it to do.

The author of the article even replied to me. He called me an idiot, although in barely more polite terms than that.

The only letters I ever get printed are to my local paper, which seems to feel the need to hear from the resident liberal. (I am about it around here.)

82
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:44:45pm

re: #75 majii

All the b*st*rds talk about is praying for this or that, but when it comes to really supporting those who need it, they’re MIA, or they’re demeaning the person or the person’s deceased loved one. Christians? I sincerely doubt it. It’s like Ken Burns mentioned in his Daily Beast interview, one wouldn’t think a group of religious persons who say they base their lives on Christ would follow someone like Trump who has said he never asks for forgiveness because he never thinks he does anything he needs to ask forgiveness for. WTF? One of the basic beliefs of Christianity is forgiveness. Evangelicals know this, but they’re willing to kick their Christianity to the curb and vote for Trump because he says the hateful sh*t they like to hear. The only persons they’re fooling are themselves. They put on an outward veneer of Christianity while their hearts are filled with hatred toward their fellow human beings.

Lets just say that I have been so disillusioned with what passes for “Christianity” that I will NEVER set foot in a church for the rest of my life. The Religious Right has infected churches with their deification of Ayn Rand that they now glorify selfishness and narcissism. Look at any one of these Pulpit Pimp Preachers who live in mansions and fleece their flocks. Hell, Joel O$teen lives in a 10 million mansion while he bullshits about the “Prosperity Gospel” stating that the more God loves you the wealthier you are.

I can remember as a kid that churches said “Jesus Loves You”. Now there were always some churches that didn’t do that but they were few and far between until Falwell, Robertson, Bakker and The Hunt Brothers started pumping the cash into the Religious Right. Now churches preach “Jesus Hates Gays, Lesbians, People of color, the Poor, Muslims, etc…” And you walk in churches where the preachers or priests recite the latest GOP talking points. The church my aunt forced me to go to had a weekly bulletin stuffer provided by the Republican Party that glorified Reagan.

I won’t listen to the “Pie in the Sky when You Die as long as You Vote Republican and follow Your Corporate Masters” bullshit. I’ll do better on my own.

83
jaunte  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:46:28pm

Country neighbors about a mile away shot off their ten firecrackers.
Dog growled.
Otherwise, crickets.

84
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:50:11pm

Alternet has an article on “progressive patriotism,” noting many patriotic customs and principles were in fact started by liberals, progressives, and socialists.

alternet.org

85
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:51:47pm

LGF gets a prominent mention in this WaPo article by Dave Weigel on Trump’s history of connections to white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

Trump draws rebuke for his tweet with an image of Clinton and a Star of David.

On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager who is now a paid political analyst, blamed the controversy on “political correctness run amok” and members of the #NeverTrump movement who wanted to hurt the candidate.

“This is a simple star,” Lewandowski said. “It’s the same star that sheriff’s departments across the country use, all over the place, to represent law enforcement.”

But the skepticism of Trump critics was rooted in months of similar blunders. In November 2015, he tweeted a chart of bogus crime data from the fictional “Crime Statistics Bureau,” which wildly overstated how many white people were killed by black people. Charles Johnson, proprietor of the blog Little Green Footballs, traced the image to a Twitter user whose biographic information suggested that “we should have listened to the Austrian chap with the little moustache,” a reference to Adolf Hitler.

86
SoundGuy 2016  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:52:16pm

We thought Palin was a clown show. Trump is a swan dive down the rabbit hole.

Seriously no bueno.

87
Timothy Watson  Jul 3, 2016 • 7:59:17pm

re: #85 Charles Johnson

LGF gets a prominent mention in this WaPo article by Dave Weigel on Trump’s history of connections to white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

Trump draws rebuke for his tweet with an image of Clinton and a Star of David.

It’s interesting amazing how far Weigel has come.

(Edited)

88
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:00:51pm

re: #86 SoundGuy 2016

We thought Palin was a clown show. Trump is a swan dive down the rabbit hole.

Seriously no bueno.

And presuming Mr. Trump will be crushed in an electoral landslide, we already know what the GOP response will be.

Our candidate wasn’t conservative enough.

They will then go on to look for someone even crazier.

89
Ziggy_TARDIS  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:02:33pm

re: #36 freetoken

The constitution needs to be replaced, and the states weakened.

90
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:09:37pm

re: #89 Ziggy_TARDIS

The constitution needs to be replaced, and the states weakened.

The fear I have is if a movement succeeds in having 2/3 of the states call for a Constitutional Convention, it will open the door to rewriting it from scratch just like the original Convention threw out the Articles of Confederation and went back to square one. I fear that the first part to be junked will be the Bill Of Rights.

This is where I part ways with Cenk Uygur’s Wolf PAC. They’re going state by state to call for a convention to reverse Citizens United. I fear they are playing into the Koch Brother’s hands…

91
calochortus  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:14:20pm

re: #90 Joe Bacon

I don’t think that’s going to happen. There have been people agitating for a new Constitutional Convention on and off for maybe 30 years and it’s never gotten close to happening.

92
HappyWarrior  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:17:02pm

It is interesting though to think. Several states have had several constitutions but we’ve never gotten close to a second one nationally. I think such an event is unlikely too.

93
Timothy Watson  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:20:46pm

How many survival genre games do we really need?

94
Great White Snark  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:20:47pm

WUT?

95
Ziggy_TARDIS  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:22:34pm

re: #90 Joe Bacon

Yeah, it has to be done in a much more cunning way. A combination taking enough control of the national government to determine immigration, then using that immigration to change the demographics of enough states to get the desired outcome.

96
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:29:48pm

re: #95 Ziggy_TARDIS

Yeah, it has to be done in a much more cunning way. A combination taking enough control of the national government to determine immigration, then using that immigration to change the demographics of enough states to get the desired outcome.

An easier way is to get Hillary in the White House with a Democratic Senate to confirm a liberal to replace Scalia!

97
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:34:40pm

Heh.

98
Kragar  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:34:41pm
99
bratwurst  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:42:12pm

re: #94 Great White Snark

WUT?

Makes me nostalgic for my first year on LGF when the whole “a pox on both their houses…but a LOT more on one house than the other” thing was a staple around here!

When someone says “I won’t vote for either one”, what I hear is “I am ok with the possibility of Trump winning”.

100
Eric The Fruit Bat  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:42:56pm

re: #20 Joe Bacon

The idea the education should be a profit-making enterprise is perhaps the single biggest reason why we are in the crises our country is in today.

101
FormerDirtDart  Jul 3, 2016 • 8:54:55pm
102
Charles Johnson  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:04:12pm
103
goddamnedfrank  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:04:55pm

Just wow.

104
Kragar  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:06:48pm

re: #102 Charles Johnson

105
Kragar  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:10:22pm

Muted them. They’re fucking ridiculous

106
bratwurst  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:11:26pm
107
jaunte  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:13:46pm

re: #105 Kragar

Wait ‘til Squall compares George Bush’s emails to Hillary Clinton’s.

108
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:16:42pm

I hear bombs bursting in air….

109
Dave In Austin  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:18:38pm

re: #108 freetoken

I hear bombs bursting in air….

I’m spending the evening in the NOC….. HVAC is all I hear.

110
Shimshon  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:30:41pm

re: #1 FormerDirtDart

And, I immediately go OT:
‘Murica

Budweiser changed their branding, I don’t know if it is just for the summer. But all their cans and bottles look like that now. It’s cheap beer and I’m poor right now so I don’t complain. Still tastes the same. Bad.

111
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:30:47pm

I so dislike the direction so many web sites have taken.

For example, PLOS has redesigned their landing pages with mobile devices in line. Where once one could just list all publications, say by date, to skim to see if something recently may be of interest, now one gets all those panels, with pictures (of course, we have to have pictures, yes?)

Give me a list of 100 papers per page and I can find what I want much more quickly than having to go through those large panels. Lately I’ve not even been able to find chronological listings.

112
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:32:34pm

This goes along with a larger trend I’ve noticed the past few years - to eliminate chronology.

All that exists is the now. There is no precedence, no order, no past.

Many crappy websites even try to avoid putting dates on their articles.

113
TedStriker  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:40:05pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

114
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:46:26pm

Another attack on Muslims, this time in Brooklyn:

buzzfeed.com

The police precinct says they are treating it as a “non-bias” crime because the teens were not in “Muslim attire,” while the mosque claims the assailants shouted epithets at the two teens before attacking them (leaving prayers).

The police also denied knowledge of any incident at all (including the security video from the mosque itself), but after a flood of photos appeared on Facebook they changed the position.

The mosque had requested addition security from the police for Ramadan prayers, which was ignored. The precinct captain went by the mosque on Sunday to apologise.

115
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:47:11pm

This looks interesting:

Effects of Suboptimally Presented Erotic Pictures on Moral Judgments: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

Previous research has identified a set of core factors that influence moral judgments. The present study addresses the interplay between moral judgments and four factors: (a) incidental affects, (b) sociocultural context, (c) type of dilemma, and (d) participant’s sex. We asked participants in two different countries (Colombia and Spain) to judge the acceptability of actions in response to personal and impersonal moral dilemmas. Before each dilemma an affective prime (erotic, pleasant or neutral pictures) was presented suboptimally. Our results show that: a) relative to neutral priming, erotic primes increase the acceptance of harm for a greater good (i.e., more utilitarian judgments), b) relative to Colombians, Spanish participants rated causing harm as less acceptable, c) relative to impersonal dilemmas, personal dilemmas reduced the acceptance of harm, and d) relative to men, women were less likely to consider harm acceptable. Our results are congruent with findings showing that sex is a crucial factor in moral cognition, and they extend previous research by showing the interaction between culture and incidental factors in the making of moral judgments.

[…]

Our results supported our main hypothesis. We found that: a) relative to neutral priming, erotic primes increased the acceptance of harm for a greater good (i.e., more utilitarian judgments); b) relative to Colombians, Spanish people rated causing harm less acceptable; c) relative to impersonal dilemmas, personal dilemmas reduced the acceptance of harmful actions; and d) relative to men, women were less likely to consider harm acceptable.

116
Single-handed sailor  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:50:29pm

re: #110 Shimshon

Budweiser changed their branding, I don’t know if it is just for the summer. But all their cans and bottles look like that now. It’s cheap beer and I’m poor right now so I don’t complain. Still tastes the same. Bad.

I’d rather have a six-pack of Sierra Nevada than a six-pack of America.

117
Ziggy_TARDIS  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:50:45pm

re: #114 Anymouse

We had that yesterday in Port St. Lucie (Police actually accused Mosque of making stuff up), and Houston.

118
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:51:39pm

re: #116 Single-handed sailor

I’d rather have a six-pack of Sierra Nevada than a six-pack of America.

I like Corona for a regular cheap beer, plus it’s a dig at Donald Trump. (In our village bar they keep a supply of Corona around for me.)

119
Lidane  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:52:16pm

Worth the time if you haven’t read this:

120
William Lewis  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:53:48pm

re: #110 Shimshon

Budweiser changed their branding, I don’t know if it is just for the summer. But all their cans and bottles look like that now. It’s cheap beer and I’m poor right now so I don’t complain. Still tastes the same. Bad.

If I have to go cheap, I buy Miller Hi-Life. It tastes better than Bud (not saying much, I know…) but more importantly, Miller is a union shop. At least I can support that when I can’t get better beer.

121
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:55:05pm

Thought I was lucking out until 10 minutes ago when the fireworks started up again…

122
Lidane  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:58:55pm

re: #110 Shimshon

Budweiser changed their branding, I don’t know if it is just for the summer. But all their cans and bottles look like that now. It’s cheap beer and I’m poor right now so I don’t complain. Still tastes the same. Bad.

It’s actually going to run through the election:

fastcodesign.com

From a marketing perspective it makes sense. Independence Day, the Olympics, the party conventions, Labor Day weekend, and the election all happen in rapid succession. It’s still cheesy as shit and doesn’t change the fact that their beer sucks, but it’ll sell.

123
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 9:59:02pm

re: #119 Lidane

Worth the time if you haven’t read this:

[Embedded content]

And even then, he is only concerned for optics and soudbites, escpecially with his summary paragraph:

You know this party is tearing itself apart because of Trump, and your continued public silence on his endless catalog of outrages isn’t some bold political strategy in the battle against Hillary Clinton; it’s smearing the GOP with the reek of his excreta for decades. At this rate, there won’t be an autopsy at the end of this cycle; it’ll be a funeral pyre and a going-out-of-business sale.

He still nowhere in that article tells the GOP party chair that they need to eject Mr. Trump. Only that he needs to reign in his -uh- exuberance.

He almost gets it right when he says Donald Trump won’t change because he would lose his base.

The GOP won’t change because they would lose their base. This is who they have been since Barry Goldwater. He invokes the names of Coolidge and Reagan as party luminaries the GOP should aspire to (and both racists).

As for his last sentence, we can only hope.

124
retired cynic  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:00:52pm

re: #120 William Lewis

If I have to go cheap, I buy Miller Hi-Life. It tastes better than Bud (not saying much, I know…) but more importantly, Miller is a union shop. At least I can support that when I can’t get better beer.

Ah, that might be why my father always got Miller Light. He was a union man.

125
Lidane  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:02:59pm

re: #123 Anymouse

Wilson is a #NeverTrump guy. He’s openly said that Trump’s only chance is if Hillary gets mauled by a bear and he gleefully insults Trump’s fans who try to defend their guy. This doesn’t mean that Wilson is suddenly a saint since he’s the ad guy who did the Jeremiah Wright ads in 2008, but it’s fun to watch.

126
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:10:02pm

re: #125 Lidane

Wilson is a #NeverTrump guy. He’s openly said that Trump’s only chance is if Hillary gets mauled by a bear and he gleefully insults Trump’s fans who try to defend their guy. This doesn’t mean that Wilson is suddenly a saint since he’s the ad guy who did the Jeremiah Wright ads in 2008, but it’s fun to watch.

Thank you for clearing that up, I had no idea who Mr. Wilson was, other than his byline in the article.

The Jeremiah Wright advert was racially charged, too.
newrepublic.com

So yes, Mr. Wilson is only concerned for optics. His calling out people for supporting Mr. Trump then follows the rubric “You’re supposed to use the dog whistles.”

127
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:22:32pm

I’m pissed at my computer. I turned it on tonight and it upgraded itself to Windows 10. The only thing I could think of doing was to decline the terms and wait a half hour while it restored the previous version of Windows.

128
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:31:45pm

re: #126 Anymouse

Much of the NeverTrump movement is a battle over identity, that is, a battle over brand, in this case “Republican”, and who gets to control that brand.

In the case of Wilson and his ilk, they clearly do not want Drumpfskind to have control of the “Republican” brand, but that battle for control is just that, a battle for control of the brand, and less a well thought out rebuke for why the Republican party got to the point where it is nominating Drumpfskind to be their flag bearer.

129
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:35:54pm

And further, I propose that a great deal of the churn in our society is over this problem of identity, and fights over identity.

That is what was going on in the case of Scott Brown and him wanting Warren to do a DNA test.

All around us, people are searching for identities. Now some people want to reassert the old paradigms for identities - especially racist ones.

Our society - we have enough food and shelter for everyone (in theory, though quite a number of people have fallen through the cracks and lead very marginal lives) - so now we are spending our time not on filling our bellies but rather fighting over who gets to control the levers of society.

And this fight over control includes fights over labels - brands.

130
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:37:08pm

re: #123 Anymouse

And even then, he is only concerned for optics and soudbites, escpecially with his summary paragraph:

He still nowhere in that article tells the GOP party chair that they need to eject Mr. Trump. Only that he needs to reign in his -uh- exuberance.

He almost gets it right when he says Donald Trump won’t change because he would lose his base.

The GOP won’t change because they would lose their base. This is who they have been since Barry Goldwater. He invokes the names of Coolidge and Reagan as party luminaries the GOP should aspire to (and both racists).

As for his last sentence, we can only hope.

Well, if he mentions Coolidge then that ought to get a reaction from Ginger Snapped!

131
Joe Bacon  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:38:54pm

re: #129 freetoken

And further, I propose that a great deal of the churn in our society is over this problem of identity, and fights over identity.

That is what was going on in the case of Scott Brown and him wanting Warren to do a DNA test.

All around us, people are searching for identities. Now some people want to reassert the old paradigms for identities - especially racist ones.

Our society - we have enough food and shelter for everyone (in theory, though quite a number of people have fallen through the cracks and lead very marginal lives) - so now we are spending our time not on filling our bellies but rather fighting over who gets to control the levers of society.

And this fight over control includes fights over labels - brands.

Warren should say that she will take a 23 and Me Test if Scotty will too. Then watch what happens when Scotty’s 23 and Me test shows that a chunk of his DNA came from Native Americans!

132
freetoken  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:39:48pm

re: #131 Joe Bacon

Warren should say that she will take a 23 and Me Test if Scotty will too. Then watch what happens when Scotty’s 23 and Me test shows that a chunk of his DNA came from Native Americans!

Watch what happens if they show up as cousins!

133
BeachDem  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:42:27pm

re: #73 Stanley Sea

Travel is affected by weather. He’s being a baby.

I understand human emotion, but don’t do it on your fucking WaPo acct.

OH, That’s the point. The weather will change for you.

Air travel sucks. Survivors prepare….really prepare. & STFU.

Yeah, shit happens. My nonstop 1-1/2 hour flight to NY last month took 6 hours with a stop in Baltimore. The only saving grace was that I (wisely) got my theater tickets for the next night, or I would have missed “Hamilton” altogether.

(Made that decision because my friend was flying in from Tucson, and I feared her connection would be iffy—she got to NY right on time—I got there 5 hours later.)

134
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:43:21pm

re: #132 freetoken

Watch what happens if they show up as cousins!

If branches of their families came over 300-400 years ago, and settled in the same area, there’s a good chance they are distant cousins. It’s even more likely if their families belonged to the same church. I’m a distant cousin of Richard Nixon, through our Quaker ancestry.

135
BeenHereAwhile  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:43:48pm

re: #69 retired cynic

Sounds cool! Cooking pizza with no mosquitoes. What’s not to like?

Plus bat guano for the garden

136
Shimshon  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:44:07pm

re: #116 Single-handed sailor

I’d rather have a six-pack of Sierra Nevada than a six-pack of America.

If only they were priced the same, I’d agree with you. I love Sierra Nevada. I only have a limited supply of what type of beer I drink because I choose vegan beers. Bud is cheap but Sierra Nevada is my favorite when I have more spending money.

137
Shimshon  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:45:01pm

re: #122 Lidane

It’s actually going to run through the election:

fastcodesign.com

From a marketing perspective it makes sense. Independence Day, the Olympics, the party conventions, Labor Day weekend, and the election all happen in rapid succession. It’s still cheesy as shit and doesn’t change the fact that their beer sucks, but it’ll sell.

Thank God. America doesn’t pat itself on the back just for being America enough already! Hurray for jingoism.

138
majii  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:47:22pm

re: #128 freetoken

“In the case of Wilson and his ilk, they clearly do not want Drumpfskind to have control of the “Republican” brand, but that battle for control is just that, a battle for control of the brand, and less a well thought out rebuke for why the Republican party got to the point where it is nominating Drumpfskind to be their flag bearer.”

This is sort of what I’ve been thinking. The same things Trump is doing in public are the things the party’s members have always done to one degree or another. Even the Never Trumpers could manage to keep him from being nominated, whoever they chose to replace him would believe the same things he believes. The only difference would be that they’d try to be a bit more subtle by using coded dog-whistles. There’s no way I don’t believe most GOPers:
1. don’t practice/believe in racism

2. aren’t infected with homophobia and Islamophobia

3. don’t bastardize Christianity to serve their purposes, and

4. are afraid to have intimate contact with other races.

If these things weren’t true, Trump wouldn’t be the party’s 2016 presidential standard bearer. He’s the personification of each of these. Kasich was taking a sort of victory lap the other day when he was gloating over Trump’s poor poll numbers. His might have been better at this point had he been the nominee, but I also think that once more Americans took a good look at the bills he’s signed into law as governor, he’d more than likely lose to HRCin November. He seems to be forgetting that almost everything he’s done in Ohio wasn’t mentioned in the GOP primary, but they’d definitely be revealed in the general election. For example, I think his signing a bill to defund Planned Parenthood on the sly would turn a lot of women off to voting for him.

139
Shimshon  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:47:28pm

re: #129 freetoken

And further, I propose that a great deal of the churn in our society is over this problem of identity, and fights over identity.

That is what was going on in the case of Scott Brown and him wanting Warren to do a DNA test.

All around us, people are searching for identities. Now some people want to reassert the old paradigms for identities - especially racist ones.

Our society - we have enough food and shelter for everyone (in theory, though quite a number of people have fallen through the cracks and lead very marginal lives) - so now we are spending our time not on filling our bellies but rather fighting over who gets to control the levers of society.

And this fight over control includes fights over labels - brands.

Warren didn’t profit from what she thought was Native American heritage. Her university threw that info in later when they were trying to show the world how diverse their faculty was and came up empty.

140
Eclectic Cyborg  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:48:31pm

In honor of Independence Day one of my favorite Simpsons moments:

Illegal Fireworks

141
majii  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:50:37pm

re: #129 freetoken

Where is Scott Brown? I read on TPM that after he asked Sen. Warren to take a DNA test, he ended up receiving a call from Reince Priebus to discuss it. Shortly after that phone call, he appears to have walked off into the sunset.

142
BeenHereAwhile  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:51:56pm

re: #72 majii

Someone needs to drop a truth-bomb on the little entitled sh*t: It’s liars like him, his dad, his family, and his dad’s supporters that are one of the worst parts of society. ET is unaccustomed to anyone challenging anything that erupts from his piehole. He’s grown up that way partly because he seems to think that money makes him better than others who are less wealthy, and that whatever he says should be listened to and never questioned.

< snip >

Having gone to schools with self entitled twits like that, I think you just described W.

143
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:54:45pm

re: #142 BeenHereAwhile

Ann RIchards said it best: He was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.

144
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 10:55:56pm

The Battle of the North Platte River has begun, at 23:45 in the evening. Probably more bombs in the air than Fort McHenry.

Thanks guys.

145
goddamnedfrank  Jul 3, 2016 • 11:42:38pm

Bernie Bros are still asserting that we need to kiss their ass to get them to vote against abject evil. Not having it.

146
Anymouse  Jul 3, 2016 • 11:53:42pm

re: #145 goddamnedfrank

I’m glad I’m not on Twitter.

I’ve noted it before here, but I’ll note it again, in case someone wants to remind some person who claims he is a Sanders voter will instead vote for Trump (by his own definition, Trump is part of the 0.1%, that is, an oligarch, the specific group Sanders ran against having more power and money):

I supported Sanders in my state caucuses, phone banking, and general help in my deeply-red state. As a local official, I even endorsed him in the newspaper (though I doubt the senator heard about that).

Sanders’s family, like mine, came from Poland. Sanders’s family arrived here when racism against Slavs was rampant.

My own family fled in advance of the Nazi invasion of Poland. My grandfather joined the Army and went back, fighting and dying to defeat the government supporting that ideology and slaughtering millions of people.

If you would support a fascist oligarch over Hillary Clinton because you don’t like what the GOP has said about her for thirty years, you are not a progressive. I also doubt you are a Sanders supporter either, since he said he would vote for her. I will work just as hard for her as I did for Mr. Sanders.

If you willing to vote for evil, then you support evil. Mr. Trump is promulgating evil.

Fortunately, amongst the Sanders supporters I know here, there are none that would give a microsecond of thought to voting for Trump. The people I associate with are not evil.

147
Shimshon  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:04:52am

Some people are just aboard a hype train, and they get a sense of superiority by still holding onto the Sanders Express. They can thumb their noses at everyone, Democrats, Republicans, by thinking of themselves as superior. They don’t care what happens if Trump gets elected because they live privileged lives and can only care about policies that might hurt them, not someone they don’t know.

148
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:05:43am

re: #146 Anymouse

I’m glad I’m not on Twitter.

I’ve noted it before here, but I’ll note it again, in case someone wants to remind some person who claims he is a Sanders voter will instead vote for Trump (by his own definition, Trump is part of the 0.1%, that is, an oligarch, the specific group Sanders ran against having more power and money):

Sanders’s family, like mine, came from Poland. Sanders’s family arrived here when racism against Slavs was rampant.

My own family fled in advance of the Nazi invasion of Poland. My grandfather joined the Army and went back, fighting and dying to defeat the government supporting that ideology and slaughtering millions of people.

If you would support a fascist oligarch over Hillary Clinton because you don’t like what the GOP has said about her for thirty years, you are not a progressive. I also doubt you are a Sanders supporter either, since he said he would vote for her.

If you willing to vote for evil, then you support evil. Mr. Trump is promulgating evil.

Fortunately, amongst the Sanders supporters I know here, there are none that would give a microsecond of thought to voting for Trump. The people I associate with are not evil.

Few Busters are talking about voting for Trump per se, but voting for Stein, Johnson, or writing in Sanders. All those options have almost the same effect though since Hillary is the only candidate with a mathematical chance at defeating Trump. Therefore voting for anybody but her is to condone the overt threat Trump poses to the minority populations his campaign revolves around persecuting. Any set of principles says that is equivalent to whatever supposed “evil” Hillary represents are clearly insane ones, fundamentally grounded in a depraved indifference to a psychopath who is loudly & proudly promising to create human suffering on a vast scale.

149
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:16:57am

re: #147 Shimshon

Some people are just aboard a hype train, and they get a sense of superiority by still holding onto the Sanders Express. They can thumb their noses at everyone, Democrats, Republicans, by thinking of themselves as superior. They don’t care what happens if Trump gets elected because they live privileged lives and can only care about policies that might hurt them, not someone they don’t know.

Hmmm … I associate such a lack of empathy for others with conservatism or libertarianism, not progressivism or liberalism. Your mileage may vary, but I have not run into many exceptions to that.

re: #148 goddamnedfrank

Few Busters are talking about voting for Trump per se, but voting for Stein, Johnson, or writing in Sanders. All those options have almost the same effect though since Hillary is the only candidate with a mathematical chance at defeating Trump. Therefore voting for anybody but her is to condone the overt threat Trump poses to the minority populations his campaign revolves around persecuting. Any set of principles says that is equivalent to whatever supposed “evil” Hillary represents are clearly insane ones, fundamentally grounded in a depraved indifference to a psychopath who is loudly & proudly promising to create human suffering on a vast scale.

Jill Stein hangs out with Russian oligarch racists, she even has it up on her Website.

jill2016.com

As for Dr. Stein, she only appears on the ballots of twenty or so states. The Libertarians appear on all of them, but voting for the Libertarian Party is no more support of any of Senator Sanders’s positions than voting for Donald Trump. (Plus, the Libertarians are into a kinder, gentler racism.)

As I noted in the discussion yesterday about “no true progressives,” my wife the former Libertarian Party member took a look at the article being discussed and said, “Yup, that guy is no progressive.”

It matters what you do, not what you say. Even as an atheist I am somewhat familiar with the rather famous line in the Book of James (that Gospel evangelicals are always thumping): Faith without works is dead.

Likewise, principles without action is also dead.

150
freetoken  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:22:16am

Social Science gone bad:

Their conclusion:

From this study it can be concluded that the majority of teachers surveyed in the three countries rejected the idea of including the chimpanzee in the genus Homo, suggesting the conception of human beings having a special position in relation to other animal species, despite evidence of current molecular biology.

Here’s the problem: the long running contention of taxonomy - of lumpers vs. splitters - is the more dominant issue in the question of whether to include Pan into Homo, then anything to do with religiosity and the acceptance of evolution.

That the authors completely ignore the fundamental issues of taxonomy tells me they are trying to force a conclusion.

And they don’t mention Ardipithecus or Australopithecus. If we’re lumping, then the correct question should be: Should we include Pan, Ardipithecus and Australopithecus into the genus Homo?

I’m all for rooting out religious dogma from science, but if we’re going to do such purging of the old, we have to be up front and honest about it.

And FWIW, it seems silly to me to try and put Pan into Homo. The amount of shared DNA is not the basis of genera. I’m not a taxonomist and I don’t play one on the internet, but this question is not so hard that anyone paying close attention cannot follow.

151
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:22:34am

re: #149 Anymouse

Hmmm … I associate such a lack of empathy for others with conservatism or libertarianism, not progressivism or liberalism. Your mileage may vary, but I have not run into many exceptions to that.

I have. The there’s a strong streak of nascent racism on the far left that is combined with a willingness to see people, even entire subpopulations, used a pawns to effect the desired outcome of a class revolution.

152
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:28:24am

re: #151 goddamnedfrank

I have. The there’s a strong streak of nascent racism on the far left that is combined with a willingness to see people, even entire subpopulations, used a pawns to effect the desired outcome of a class revolution.

Well, I would argue that minority populations in the USA (particularly African-Americans) have been subject to both, and they reinforce each other.

Driven from society by racist attitudes, the overwhelming majority of African-Americans for a long time have been forced to the margins of society.

Being on the margins and in poverty, it then perpetuates the stereotype that African-Americans are (insert dogwhistle here).

Both issues need to be tackled: structural racism and the gaping maw of income inequality.

To a lesser extent other ethnic groups or nationalities have suffered in similar ways, but none so much as African-Americans (enslaved) or Native Americans (slaughtered).

I admit I do not have the education nor background to meaningfully address the issue in a political or social context, so if I am wrong, misguided, or not even in the baseball park, please fill me in.

153
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:28:48am

The shit I’m talking about.

These assholes haven’t even attempted to confront why it’s so easy for them to just ignore what is probably the most clear and unambiguous national electoral threat faced by minorities in this country since George Wallace. It’s not just an empathy deficit at play here, it’s an utter lack of introspection.

154
Shimshon  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:29:27am

re: #149 Anymouse

Hmmm … I associate such a lack of empathy for others with conservatism or libertarianism, not progressivism or liberalism. Your mileage may vary, but I have not run into many exceptions to that.

Jill Stein hangs out with Russian oligarch racists, she even has it up on her Website.

jill2016.com

As for Dr. Stein, she only appears on the ballots of twenty or so states. The Libertarians appear on all of them, but voting for the Libertarian Party is no more support of any of Senator Sanders’s positions than voting for Donald Trump. (Plus, the Libertarians are into a kinder, gentler racism.)

As I noted in the discussion yesterday about “no true progressives,” my wife the former Libertarian Party member took a look at the article being discussed and said, “Yup, that guy is no progressive.”

It matters what you do, not what you say. Even as an atheist I am somewhat familiar with the rather famous line in the Book of James (that Gospel evangelicals are always thumping): Faith without works is dead.

Likewise, principles without action is also dead.

A lot of young people calling themselves progressive or liberal are just the stereotypical young libertarian, and Bernie appeals to their desire to not pay for school and get free health care and a great job once they graduate, the rest of the world be damned all they care about are a small number of issues.

155
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:33:59am

re: #153 goddamnedfrank

Yup, that lack of empathy thing I mentioned. I do not think the way these Twitter commentators do.

For me it is a pretty clear choice. Let Governor Johnson strip away Republican voters, that will weaken Trump.

As for anyone with an ounce of sense, defeating the evil and poison Mr. Trump is bringing into our nation is the principle, a far greater one than how the nation will pay for universities or whether we should have a large or small military.

The rest of that stuff won’t matter if evil wins.

156
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:43:17am

Grade A derp in the deleted comments article over at Wonkette (this is industrial strength derp):

“Luciferian Zionism rules our world, orchestrated through the devilish Cryptocracy achieved by the Masonic Gnostic Rosicrucian elite doing their dark work on the masses while the Red Shield takes everything you have, and the corporate world takes nearly everything our Mother has, or had.”

Wonkette commentators noted the level of trolling this week was poor, and maybe they should go over to Stormfront and pelt them with rocks in the hope they could lead them back for a better class of troll.

157
CuriousLurker  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:53:28am

re: #153 goddamnedfrank

This. A week ago the same person was wringing his hands over the plight of poor, poor, abused Afghan refugees, yet he sanctimoniously claims to vote on policy. After all, It’s not his welfare being threatened.

That attitude is the very definition of privilege.

158
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:00:32am

re: #157 CuriousLurker

Well, I do have the advantages of privilege in that I am a white American. I also have the disadvantages of being mostly poor, a liberal in a conservative state, an atheist in an overwhelmingly Christian nation, and a funny Polish last name that has more than once drawn a “go back to your country” remark when I was in Oklahoma.

That said, my disadvantages even when I was homeless pale in comparison to those who are truly disadvantaged (such as the fellow depicted in your post, African- and Native Americans, refugees fleeing warfare in Central America or Asia Minor, &c).

I simply do not understand how people could invest so much time and effort into hating others or trying to deny them rights or humanity. I really don’t.

Racism and xenophobia are not even functions of low intelligence or poor education; there are plenty of intelligent and educated racists. I simply do not understand; perhaps I have an extra copy of an empathy gene or something.

159
Bill and Opus for 2016!  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:06:15am

Looking at Google’s new ‘doodle’ for the July 4th holiday, I have to wonder if that might be a subtle dig by them toward which flag southerners identify more closely with.

Yes, I realize it’s supposed to be a kite, but still…
160
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:34:43am

Fortune Magazine has a collection of Republicans, in their own words, who were so-called Never Trump supporters that are now on board the Trump Train of Death and Destruction.

fortune.com

For example:

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

January 4, 2016: “Showtime is over. We are not electing an entertainer-in-chief. Showmanship is fun, but it is not the kind of leadership that will truly change America.”

February 26, 2016: “There is no one better prepared to provide America with the strong leadership that it needs both at home and around the world than Donald Trump.”

And …

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley

December 8, 2015: “[Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban is] just an embarrassment to the Republican Party… It’s absolutely un-American. It’s unconstitutional. It defies everything this country was based on, and it’s just wrong.”

May 4, 2016: “I will support the Republican nominee for president.”

A real profile in courage:

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

September 15, 2015: “Donald Trump is a madman who must be stopped.”

May 8, 2016: “I am planning to vote for Donald Trump.”

There are many more at the link. Party above country. They do not care they are promoting a fascist. Yet the GOP continually accuses the Democrats of “flip-flopping.” Projection, always, its part-and-parcel of conservatism.

161
freetoken  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:59:23am

MP3 Audio

162
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:00:49am

Meanwhile…

163
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:12:45am

Ooohhh?

164
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:20:27am

re: #163 Alyosha

Disaster chickens coming home to roost?

165
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:20:50am

re: #163 Alyosha

‘I never wanted to be a career politician.’
‘I’ve done my bit.’
‘I want my life back.’

Translation: ‘It’s your problem now. Suckas!’

166
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:27:15am

re: #165 Alyosha

‘I never wanted to be a career politician.’
‘I’ve done my bit.’
‘I want my life back.’

Translation: ‘It’s your problem now. Suckas!’

Basically, somebody in the House made a prank call to the Fire Brigade (the UK term) and now that thy have arrived, everyone is cowering and hiding in the garden in fear.

167
Decatur Deb  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:33:09am

re: #120 William Lewis

If I have to go cheap, I buy Miller Hi-Life. It tastes better than Bud (not saying much, I know…) but more importantly, Miller is a union shop. At least I can support that when I can’t get better beer.

Damn you for that. Just looked, and found that my ex-favorite Yeunglings is actively anti-union. I’d give anything if they’d ship Iron City or Duquesne down here.

unionplus.org

168
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:44:22am

I humored that Buster for way too fucking long, now need to Febreze the shit out of my mentions.

169
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:54:16am

Cinemark sues victims and families of Aurora theatre shooting, seeking to recover damages from their lawsuit against the theatre for the mass-murder.

thinkprogress.org

The theatre chain won the suit that claimed it was negligent. While it is normal for those who defend against suits to seek compensation for their legal fees, this particular case seems a bit vindictive against victims.

Many of the hospitals involved in treating the wounded have forgone their bills for the victims.

The law does not have an “empathy” clause. As far as Cinemark goes, they won the lawsuit and are entitled to seek recompense for their legal fees.

The only thing that would prevent Cinemark from doing that would be if they thought the “optics” were bad for suing the victims of a mass-murder. Apparently, Cinemark does not, and does not expect any significant backlash for this.

170
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:57:56am

re: #169 Anymouse

Cinemark sues victims and families of Aurora theatre shooting, seeking to recover damages from their lawsuit against the theatre for the mass-murder.

thinkprogress.org

The theatre chain won the suit that claimed it was negligent. While it is normal for those who defend against suits to seek compensation for their legal fees, this particular case seems a bit vindictive against victims.

Many of the hospitals involved in treating the wounded have forgone their bills for the victims.

The law does not have an “empathy” clause. As far as Cinemark goes, they won the lawsuit and are entitled to seek recompense for their legal fees.

The only thing that would prevent Cinemark from doing that would be if they thought the “optics” were bad for suing the victims of a mass-murder. Apparently, Cinemark does not, and does not expect any significant backlash for this.

There’s been some efforts made to boycott the chain. I saw a mention of such in my Facebook feed.

171
Decatur Deb  Jul 4, 2016 • 2:59:32am

The sudden hunt for a new favorite beer supply brought up a real jolt—the sociology of booze. The Guinness website is very sophisticated (won’t let you in unless you vouch your birthday matches the local drinking age). Putting in our town showed every Guinness dealer in town—14 on our side of the tracks, 1 on the other.

172
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:04:00am

re: #170 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Well, my wife and I don’t go to the cinema because the nearest theatre is sixty miles away, but we’ll do what we can in support. (::

173
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:20:07am

re: #20 Joe Bacon

Shall we give The Economist a clue from Consumer Reports?

consumerreports.org

Striking. I am somewhat removed from college and have no relatives in that situation. I know about the college debt problem peripherally.

The angst and pathos in those quotes drives the point home.

174
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:33:48am

This was mentioned downthread somewhere:
Bill Maher’s piece about the different results that liberal state governments can bring vs. the conservative alternative.
Well done.

Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rule - Laboratories of Democracy (HBO)

175
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:40:11am

re: #149 Anymouse

As I noted in the discussion yesterday about “no true progressives,” my wife the former Libertarian Party member took a look at the article being discussed and said, “Yup, that guy is no progressive.”

Unfortunately he is. Not recognizing rot among “our own” and blaming it on “saboteurs” is counter-productive.

176
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:41:46am

re: #163 Alyosha

wait
wut

177
Dave In Austin  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:43:32am

re: #176 Nyet

Rat
Ship

178
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:45:43am

re: #177 Dave In Austin

Rat
Ship

Yeah, but what happened? Coupla days ago he was thumbing his nose at everybody and had a brexit plan.

179
Dave In Austin  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:48:38am

re: #178 Nyet

Yeah, but what happened? Coupla days ago he was thumbing his nose at everybody and had a brexit plan.

Simple…. He now “wants his life back”. He’s ruined the country and is walking away.
Fini…….

180
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:49:25am

re: #179 Dave In Austin

Simple…. He now “wants his life back”. He’s ruined the country and walking away.
Fini…….

Nice little country you had there. Pity this happened to it.

181
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:50:02am

re: #179 Dave In Austin

Simple…. He now “wants his life back”. He’s ruined the country and walking away.
Fini…….

Trump is probably on a similar path, although we still have a chance to stop Trump from winning his bid.

182
Dave In Austin  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:50:09am

re: #180 Nyet

Pretty much….

183
Dave In Austin  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:52:40am

re: #181 Ming5000

Trump is probably on a similar path, although we still have a chance to stop Trump from winning his bid.

That’s what is going to be interesting about his VP pick. I say that because IF he were to win, the chances would be good that at some time that person would become President.

184
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:57:17am

re: #183 Dave In Austin

True.
And another dynamic is that Trump looks so unlikely to win, and spectacularly fail, that serious individuals that might normally jump at the chance to run with Trump will demur.

So, we could potentially see a Trump/Bachmann ticket.
Or Palin, Gohmert, Cottton…. ugh

185
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:57:41am

re: #183 Dave In Austin

That’s what is going to be interesting about his VP pick. I say that because IF he were to win, the chances would be good that at some time that person would become President.

Apparently he would practically be President from day one. Trump plans on being “Chairman of the Board” as President and leave the actually day-to-day operation of government to his VP. It would be kind of like a parliamentary system in which the President is largely ceremonial and the PM runs the country.

186
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:59:01am

re: #184 Ming5000

True.
And another dynamic is that Trump looks so unlikely to win, and spectacularly fail, that serious individuals that might normally jump at the chance to run with Trump will demur.

So, we could potentially see a Trump/Bachmann ticket.
Or Palin, Gohmert, Cottton…. ugh

Apparently Mike Pence is in serious discussions with Trump. At least he has been a governor and would shore up Trump’s right flank.

187
Dave In Austin  Jul 4, 2016 • 3:59:35am

re: #184 Ming5000

5 mins and I’m out of this place to go sleep my Holiday away. Long GD nite. “Trump/Bachmann ticket……..” . Thanks for the Yuks…

188
Dave In Austin  Jul 4, 2016 • 4:01:26am

Anything involving Mike Pence concerns me. He would be the “True Conservative” they all have been looking for.

Peace, Out…..

189
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 4:06:24am

See ya DaveinA!
About Pence, I love the GOP self immolation!
This is from RS in April.

Last week Indiana Governor Mike Pence endorsed Ted Cruz for president. This should have been a no brainer. Pence, according to friends, loathes Donald Trump. He knows the importance of Indiana’s primary in stopping Trump. Even if he likes Kasich more, he would be entirely justified endorsing Cruz based on the agreement between the two campaigns. Yet what came from Pence was a timid and timorous endorsement calculated to hurt no one’s feelings and, by the same token, do damned little good in the fight to stop Trump.

190
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 4:06:36am
191
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 4:28:58am

re: #179 Dave In Austin

Simple…. He now “wants his life back”. He’s ruined the country and is walking away.
Fini…….

They did not expect to win, both Brexit and the Trump campaign are real-live take-offs on the plot of “The Producers”…

192
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 4:50:17am

Trump is lining up some great convention speakers!
Unfortunately, it seems that only 5 speakers are confirmed: (WKYC)

While Trump confirmed his wife will be one of the featured speakers, as well as four of his five children, he is keeping quiet about exactly who else he has tapped to come speak on his behalf. He says he’s not releasing that list until Wednesday.

Incidentally, that’s the same day Trump will be down in Cincinnati.

So who will be there? Tom Brady? Kid Rock? Hulk Hogan?

They are all outspoken Trump supporters.

193
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 4:51:31am

Unreal.

194
sagehen  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:04:33am

re: #193 goddamnedfrank

Unreal.

[Embedded content]

It’s moments like this I’m sad the Queen’s political views are all “Decline to State”.

195
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:13:09am

re: #194 sagehen

It’s moments like this I’m sad the Queen’s political views are all “Decline to State”.

She needs to remain above this all, any statement she makes would only add to the overall chaos.

But we can be most certain that she is NOT amused…not at the upper-class nitwits behind the Brexit movement or the under-educated drongos who voted to leave.

Nor can she bet happy that her summer estate at Balmoral Castle in Scotland is about to become part of a foreign country…

196
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:15:52am

re: #195 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

She needs to remain above this all, any statement she makes would only add to the overall chaos.

But we can be most certain that she is NOT amused…not at the upper-class nitwits behind the Brexit movement or the under-educated drongos who voted to leave.

Nor can she bet happy that her summer estate at Balmoral Castle in Scotland is about to become part of a foreign country…

That depends on whether the Scots decide on a Republic or choose to retain her Majesty as a Constitutional Monarch.

197
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:17:34am

re: #196 Big Beautiful Door

That depends on whether the Scots decide on a Republic or choose to retain her Majesty as a Constitutional Monarch.

Scotland will still be a foreign country…

198
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:21:42am

re: #197 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Scotland will still be a foreign country…

To the English, yes. But if Elizabeth is Scotland’s Queen, is it really a foreign country to her?

199
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:25:08am

re: #198 Big Beautiful Door

To the English, yes. But if Elizabeth is Scotland’s Queen, is it really a foreign country to her?

Considering that her family lineage can be traced back to Germany’s House of Hanover in the early 18th century, it’s all a foreign country to her…

200
Decatur Deb  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:28:26am

re: #199 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Considering that her family lineage can be traced back to Germany’s House of Hanover in the early 18th century, it’s all a foreign country to her…

It’s been interlopers since 1066, if you’re not finicky about the Anglii, otherwise 43.

201
Targetpractice  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:39:34am

re: #195 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

She needs to remain above this all, any statement she makes would only add to the overall chaos.

But we can be most certain that she is NOT amused…not at the upper-class nitwits behind the Brexit movement or the under-educated drongos who voted to leave.

Nor can she bet happy that her summer estate at Balmoral Castle in Scotland is about to become part of a foreign country…

“That’s enough ‘mandate of the masses’ wank from you tossers! Grab my sword, Philip! It’s time to monarch these arseholes!”

//

202
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:40:14am

re: #194 sagehen

It’s moments like this I’m sad the Queen’s political views are all “Decline to State”.

I really don’t get the point of having a monarch if they can’t occasionally fuck some dudes up. I felt this way after Fukushima too, that maybe shit would’ve gotten under control a little faster if the Emperor just grabbed his sword and started cutting on the TEPCO Board of Directors, or if he told all the old dudes in Japan to march with him there and sacrifice themselves as an expendable labor source, or just done something, anything. This is probably just me being American but these national paralyses are the most frustrating shit shows to witness and just once I’d like to see one of these pampered fucks act in a way that truly justifies their ridiculously elevated status.

Because this modern brand of royalty as barely approachable and basically totally useless figurehead is something I just can’t wrap my head around.

203
lawhawk  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:42:03am

Greets and saluts from the NYC metro area on this Independence Day. It’ll be a great day weather wise here, though it seems rain might come in just in time for fireworks tonight.

We as a nation have a lot to be thankful for. But some of us think that we’re sliding into anarchy, evil, and that the nation has never had it so bad.

These are people who truly ahistorical and don’t know US history or facts.

They’re also predominantly Trump supporters (and Trump himself).

We have never been so prosperous as we are now. We also have more income inequality than ever before, mostly because decades of GOP tax policies have conditioned people into thinking that if only the rich get more tax cuts, we’ll somehow get more jobs and see some scraps from Longshanks’ table. It hasn’t happened, and it continues not happening as we witness the GOP self-immolation of the Kansas economy and budget.

We continue having racial discrimination, despite efforts to reduce and eliminate them. For the GOP, that we’ve reduced some effects of racial discrimination means that it’s over, and we can eliminate all the policies that have been enacted since the CRA (including the CRA and VRA). They don’t care that doing so would harm more people, mostly because the GOP caters to the angry white guys who have seen their comparative benefits to the rest of the population dwindle - as everyone else gains rights that the angry white guys have had all along, the angry white guy gets angrier that they can’t maintain that advantage.

We see this too with LGBT rights, and the need to keep angry people angry.

The GOP needs to keep people angry and confused - and fact free, because that’s how Trump has managed to be so successful with beating the rest of the GOP field. No one in the GOP wants to take on Trump right now, because they fear losing the core GOP voters, who have supported Trump’s incessant racist claptrap.

The GOP has cultivated the bigot brigade, and they’re not going to stop now or anytime soon. That’s why they can’t and wont confront Trump on the anti-Semitic tropes, the incessant tweeting of white supremacists, and other racist and bigoted statements.

They need the votes, and if the GOP finally confronts them, it would cleave the party in two.

It needs to happen, for the sake of the party, but there’s no one left to do it. Not Reince. Not even Jeb or anyone else in the Bush clan. They don’t want to be the ones turning off the lights on the GOP, but unless they do something, the lights are already flickering out.

There is no shining city on the hill with this GOP. It’s got a closed for bankruptcy reorganization sticker plastered on the door. And Trump’s leading that charge into overt racism and bigotry. This is the all-hate, all-the-time party.

204
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:44:08am

re: #201 Targetpractice

“That’s enough ‘mandate of the masses’ wank from you tossers! Grab my sword, Philip! It’s time to monarch these arseholes!”

//

British society has been about the Monarchy tolerating the aristocracy because they not only kept the peasant masses in check, they actually harnessed the lower classes’ incoherent rage to support their colonial and military ambitions.

But now things have gone all pear-shaped for the monarchy, and the coddled upper-class pricks who pushed Brexit with a busload of lies are now fleeing back to their country estates and hiding behind the topiary hedges…

205
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 5:57:59am

Some asshole made $40 million selling Iraq fake bomb detectors.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered security services on Sunday to stop using fake bomb detectors at checkpoints after a bombing killed at least 120 people in Baghdad in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

Reacting after the deadliest attack so far this year, Abadi also ordered a new investigation at the interior ministry into “corrupt deals” to buy ADE 651 devices developed as lost golf balls finders and sold to Iraq and other nations as hand-held bomb detectors.

A police officer earlier confirmed to Reuters that these devices, commonly known as the “magic wand”, were still in use five years after the scandal about the sale to Iraq broke out.

The British businessman who sold the detectors to Iraq and other countries, James McCormick, was sentenced in 2013 in Britain to 10 years in jail for endangering lives for profit.

McCormick earned more than $40 million from sales in Iraq alone, British police said at the time. His customers also included the United Nations.

206
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:19:51am

re: #204 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

British society has been about the Monarchy tolerating the aristocracy because they not only kept the peasant masses in check, they actually harnessed the lower classes’ incoherent rage to support their colonial and military ambitions.

But now things have gone all pear-shaped for the monarchy, and the coddled upper-class pricks who pushed Brexit with a busload of lies are now fleeing back to their country estates and hiding behind the topiary hedges…

They’ve got several more firebreaks than we do. If a bill to invoke Article 50 and begin negotiations to leave the EU passes Commons (and the referendum was only advisory—if the two parties stick together no one would suffer disproportionately from not obeying it) the Lords could and would still veto it.

Nowadays that’s not a deal breaker—they could send the bill straight to the Queen for her signature. Would she sign it? Would they decide that in the 21st Century, they really don’t need her signature? Yeah, probably—but that’s a huge step, because it would be the end of the Monarchy.

There’s just so much friction that I think there’s a good chance Brexit never transpires.

207
Barefoot Grin  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:20:11am

John Oliver on Her Majesty, the Queen: “…a woman who frowns for a living.”

208
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:22:14am

Happy Birthday America!

Fun Independence day facts:
1. Even though it’s a national holiday, the Founders had to work on it. (It’s on the Declaration of Independence!)
2. United States’ sovereignty wasn’t recognized until the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783 - so that should be a holiday too.
3. It didn’t take effect until May 12, 1784…we’re only 232 years old, not 240. We’ve been lying about our age for two centuries!
4. Jesus wrote the Constitution…that’s why he’s never mentioned in it…didn’t like talking about himself.

209
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:22:21am

re: #206 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

They’ve got several more firebreaks than we do. If a bill to invoke Article 50 and begin negotiations to leave the EU passes Commons (and the referendum was only advisory—if the two parties stick together no one would suffer disproportionately from not obeying it) the Lords could and would still veto it.

This is a nuance that a lot of people are too busy panicking to notice: the plebiscite was non-binding: it is up to Parliament to enact it, and they are not compelled by anything but their sense of honor to their word…

…that and 50 pence will get you a side of butter for your scones.

210
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:23:39am
211
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:24:34am

re: #208 darthstar

Happy Birthday America!

Fun Independence day facts:
1. Even though it’s a national holiday, the Founders had to work on it. (It’s on the Declaration of Independence!)
2. United States’ sovereignty wasn’t recognized until the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783 - so that should be a holiday too.
3. It didn’t take effect until May 12, 1784…we’re only 232 years old, not 240. We’ve been lying about our age for two centuries!
4. Jesus wrote the Constitution…that’s why he’s never mentioned in it…didn’t like talking about himself.

5. Americans are so fond of their constitution that they elected a constitutional scholar to the Presidency…twice even.

212
Targetpractice  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:24:57am

re: #210 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Funny how everybody’s trying to wriggle out of this suicide pact.

213
Nojay UK  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:25:18am

The British monarchy has one job, to be there and act as a focus for the United Kingdom (you might want to look at those two words without the familiarity normally ascribed to them). Getting involved in politics, even constitutional affairs, is not part of the job description.

214
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:25:47am

re: #211 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

5. Americans are so fond of their constitution that they elected a constitutional scholar to the Presidency…twice even.

Doesn’t count…he was black.

215
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:26:39am

re: #202 goddamnedfrank

I really don’t get the point of having a monarch if they can’t occasionally fuck some dudes up. I felt this way after Fukushima too, that maybe shit would’ve gotten under control a little faster if the Emperor just grabbed his sword and started cutting on the TEPCO Board of Directors, or if he told all the old dudes in Japan to march with him there and sacrifice themselves as an expendable labor source, or just done something, anything. This is probably just me being American but these national paralyses are the most frustrating shit shows to witness and just once I’d like to see one of these pampered fucks act in a way that truly justifies their ridiculously elevated status.

Because this modern brand of royalty as barely approachable and basically totally useless figurehead is something I just can’t wrap my head around.

There is an argument that a Constitutional Monarch is a very useful position in a democracy. The Queen is the head of state, but has no legitimate claim to power, thereby preventing the kind of destabilizing gridlock which often occurs in a presidential system in which both the legislature and the president can claim electoral legitimacy.

216
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:27:03am

re: #212 Targetpractice

Funny how everybody’s trying to wriggle out of this suicide pact.

Time to take the money and run. Retire to a warm Commonwealth nation while there’s still an agreement from them to allow you in.

217
b.d.  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:27:37am

re: #211 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

5. Americans are so fond of their constitution that they elected a constitutional scholar to the Presidency…twice even.

Couldn’t the guys elected who actually wrote the constitution be considered constitutional scholars?

218
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:29:06am

re: #215 Big Beautiful Door

There is an argument that a Constitutional Monarch is a very useful position in a democracy. The Queen is the head of state, but has no legitimate claim to power, thereby preventing the kind of destabilizing gridlock which often occurs in a presidential system in which both the legislature and the president can claim electoral legitimacy.

Couldn’t do that here. Wingnuts would insist that the role of Prime Minister be a religious one.

219
Barefoot Grin  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:29:49am

re: #208 darthstar

Happy Birthday America!

Fun Independence day facts:
1. Even though it’s a national holiday, the Founders had to work on it. (It’s on the Declaration of Independence!)
2. United States’ sovereignty wasn’t recognized until the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783 - so that should be a holiday too.
3. It didn’t take effect until May 12, 1784…we’re only 232 years old, not 240. We’ve been lying about our age for two centuries!
4. Jesus wrote the Constitution…that’s why he’s never mentioned in it…didn’t like talking about himself.

Just a quibble, but I think that Jesus only came up with the second amendment, which was garbled by his human interpreters from the original “every household shall have at least one firearm without restriction concerning utility or potential for mass lethality” to the one we have today with gobbledy gook about relations between the State and militias.

220
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:29:58am

re: #217 b.d.

Couldn’t the guys elected who actually wrote the constitution be considered constitutional scholars?

What’d you study in college?
My own essay.

221
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:30:09am

re: #212 Targetpractice

Funny how everybody’s trying to wriggle out of this suicide pact.

It remains to be seen if Article 50 is ever invoked. I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t.

222
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:30:21am

His sons seem like they might with him but I’m pretty sure Melania and his daughters have a room full of elaborate Wiley Coyote style plans for getting rid of his ass after this is all over.

223
b.d.  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:30:44am

re: #220 darthstar

What’d you study in college?
My own essay.

Hahahahaha!

224
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:30:45am

PeeZee today:

Give a thought to the UK today

It’s short, so I’ll save you the click:

I know, it’s hard, what with all the fireworks around here, but there’s a lesson to be learned.
After the Brexit vote, Boris Johnson resigned.
And now, another architect of the catastrophe, Nigel Farage, has stepped down.
I have to give them some credit for recognizing, after the fact, what a disaster they have engineered, but they get no respect at all for running away like cowards from the hot flaming mess they made.
Please, America, remember this: bullying, bigoted ignoramuses will disintegrate at the first hint of opposition. Keep that in mind until at least November, OK?

Oh, who am I kidding. This is an electorate with the attention span of a jellyfish.

225
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:31:07am

re: #219 Barefoot Grin

Just a quibble, but I think that Jesus only came up with the second amendment, which was garbled by his human interpreters from the original “every household shall have at least one firearm without restriction concerning utility or potential for mass lethality” to the one we have today with gobbledy gook about relations between the State and militias.

The Second Amendment was originally titled The Second Commandment.

226
b.d.  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:33:48am

re: #220 darthstar

What’d you study in college?
My own essay.

Back to School:

[after Diane gives Thornton an ‘F’ for his report, which was actually written by Kurt Vonnegut]
Diane: Whoever *did* write this doesn’t know the first thing about Kurt Vonnegut!
[cut to Thornton’s dorm suite]
Thornton Melon: [on the phone] … and *another* thing, Vonnegut! I’m gonna stop payment on the cheque!
[Kurt tells him off]
Thornton Melon: Fuck me? Hey, Kurt, can you read lips, *fuck you*! Next time I’ll call Robert Ludlum!
[hangs up]

imdb.com

227
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:34:31am

re: #208 darthstar

Happy Birthday America!

Fun Independence day facts:
1. Even though it’s a national holiday, the Founders had to work on it. (It’s on the Declaration of Independence!)
2. United States’ sovereignty wasn’t recognized until the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783 - so that should be a holiday too.
3. It didn’t take effect until May 12, 1784…we’re only 232 years old, not 240. We’ve been lying about our age for two centuries!
4. Jesus wrote the Constitution…that’s why he’s never mentioned in it…didn’t like talking about himself.

228
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:35:17am

re: #214 darthstar

Doesn’t count…he was black.

Yes, just look up Obama Constitutional Scholar on google and there are no end of articles about how inept he is…

that was one of those moments when I really saw what conservatism had come to: instead of holding Obama up as an example of what any American, regardless of color or background, can accomplish with enough pluck, hard work and dedication, he was belittled, made out to be an affirmative action baby, secret Muslim, and not even eligible for office…

because they could not bring themselves, no matter how grudgingly, to accept his accomplishments.

229
Targetpractice  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:35:17am

re: #221 Big Beautiful Door

It remains to be seen if Article 50 is ever invoked. I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t.

That’s why Cameron, Johnson, and now Farage have bailed. The guy who puts his name to invoking Article 50 will end up occupying the lowest depths of political Hell for the rest of his days. I expect whoever replaces Cameron to hem and haw about invoking for as long as it takes for the polls to shift against, at which time he’ll make a big excuse about “the will of the people” and go with junking the referendum.

230
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:35:58am

re: #226 b.d.

Back to School:

imdb.com

Loved that scene.

231
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:38:59am

re: #215 Big Beautiful Door

There is an argument that a Constitutional Monarch is a very useful position in a democracy. The Queen is the head of state, but has no legitimate claim to power, thereby preventing the kind of destabilizing gridlock which often occurs in a presidential system in which both the legislature and the president can claim electoral legitimacy.

Still don’t really get it. The “no legitimate claim to power” part is what’s killing me. I mean, why even make it a person then? The monarch might as well be a mountain, or a tree, or literally a dildo. Also the current post Brexit paralysis kind of belies the entire argument, though in this case all major parties seems to be running away from the leadership role the results are still massively destabilizing and dysfunctional.

232
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:39:16am
233
Targetpractice  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:39:28am

I rather get the impression that the pro-Brexit crowd never expected to win. That they expected it to be a close thing, at which point they’d use the nearness of the vote to pressure the EU into further concessions to keep the UK around. They don’t seem to have planned for winning, nor did they plan for Cameron to leave them responsible for shooting the economy in the head.

234
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:43:12am

Some people’s children…
A reminder that it’s not always a good thing to be “first”

235
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:43:23am
236
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:45:14am

re: #235 The Vicious Babushka

Dishonest media is trying their absolute best to depict a star in a tweet as the Star of David rather than a Sheriff’s Star, or plain star!

This is a win for Trump: this discussion is leading nowhere, except away from the one we need to have, and to repeat until November: about how this man is unqualified and incompetent to serve as our Chief Executive.

237
b.d.  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:46:51am

re: #235 The Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

Ahhhh Trump, he never fails to go all in on a losing hand.

238
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:47:11am

Republicans’ many tortured excuses for not going to their Donald Trump-led convention

Jeff Flake: “I’ve got to mow my lawn.”

239
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:48:02am

re: #229 Targetpractice

That’s why Cameron, Johnson, and now Farage have bailed. The guy who puts his name to invoking Article 50 will end up occupying the lowest depths of political Hell for the rest of his days. I expect whoever replaces Cameron to hem and haw about invoking for as long as it takes for the polls to shift against, at which time he’ll make a big excuse about “the will of the people” and go with junking the referendum.

I suspect there will be another election before Article 50 is invoked, and it will be the most hotly debated issue in the campaign.

240
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:48:12am
241
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:48:31am

re: #233 Targetpractice

I rather get the impression that the pro-Brexit crowd never expected to win. That they expected it to be a close thing, at which point they’d use the nearness of the vote to pressure the EU into further concessions to keep the UK around. They don’t seem to have planned for winning, nor did they plan for Cameron to leave them responsible for shooting the economy in the head.

Yep…we were only tryin’ to scare ya! We didn’t think it was loaded!

242
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:49:35am

I like weed too but come on.

243
darthstar  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:50:07am
244
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:50:44am

re: #239 Big Beautiful Door

I suspect there will be another election before Article 50 is invoked, and it will be the most hotly debated issue in the campaign.

I can well imagine that it will be framed as an attempt to roll back the Brexit vote: candidates who come out against it and win on that ticket will be able to vote against it without fear of being called liars and hypocrites.

245
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:51:32am

re: #231 goddamnedfrank

Still don’t really get it. The “no legitimate claim to power” part is what’s killing me. I mean, why even make it a person then? The monarch might as well be a mountain, or a tree, or literally a dildo. Also the current post Brexit paralysis kind of belies the entire argument, though in this case all major parties seems to be running away from the leadership role the results are still massively destabilizing and dysfunctional.

Dildos aren’t very good at ribbon cutting ceremonies or greeting visiting heads of state. British politics have been thrown into turmoil, but it is turmoil which will be resolved by an election, rather than having a situation in which Congress wants to Brexit and the President opposes it.

246
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:52:10am

re: #202 goddamnedfrank

I really don’t get the point of having a monarch if they can’t occasionally fuck some dudes up. I felt this way after Fukushima too, that maybe shit would’ve gotten under control a little faster if the Emperor just grabbed his sword and started cutting on the TEPCO Board of Directors, or if he told all the old dudes in Japan to march with him there and sacrifice themselves as an expendable labor source, or just done something, anything. This is probably just me being American but these national paralyses are the most frustrating shit shows to witness and just once I’d like to see one of these pampered fucks act in a way that truly justifies their ridiculously elevated status.

Because this modern brand of royalty as barely approachable and basically totally useless figurehead is something I just can’t wrap my head around.

There can be a problem when the monarch is either too stupid or feeble to be of any help. When he was of sound mind and body, the current king of Thailand was able to stop a civil war by calling in the leaders of two opposing parties and telling them under no circumstances would he allow such a thing, so they’d better mend their fences or be looking at imprisonment. Since Thais worship the Royal Family almost as gods, his intervention was useful. Now the old sucker is barely hanging onto life, and the military is using the public’s adoration of the king to the junta’s advantage, by saying they are acting with his approval.

The Crown Prince, from all reports, is a bubble-headed idiot, so it’s hard to say how he’d handle a similar situation.

Better to keep these royals around as decorations and national symbols than let them near the reins of power.

Besides, I believe Queen Elizabeth has her own special influence on the PM and MPs, short of actual intervention.

247
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:53:13am

re: #235 The Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

Then why did you delete it Donald?

248
b.d.  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:54:22am

re: #247 Big Beautiful Door

Then why did you delete it Donald?

He’s careful not to offend people!

249
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:54:34am

re: #246 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

There can be a problem when the monarch is either too stupid or feeble to be of any help. When he was of sound mind and body, the current king of Thailand was able to stop a civil war by calling in the leaders of two opposing parties and telling them under no circumstances would he allow such a thing, so they’d better mend their fences or be looking at imprisonment. Since Thais worship the Royal Family almost as gods, his intervention was useful. Now the old sucker is barely hanging onto life, and the military is using the public’s adoration of the king to the junta’s advantage, by saying they are acting with his approval.

The Crown Prince, from all reports, is a bubble-headed idiot, so it’s hard to say how he’d handle a similar situation.

Better to keep these royals around as decorations and national symbols than let them near the reins of power.

Besides, I believe Queen Elizabeth has her own special influence on the PM and MPs, short of actual intervention.

King Juan Carlos did put an end to that attempted Francoist coup in Spain by just refusing to go along with it.

250
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:55:16am

re: #247 Big Beautiful Door

Then why did you delete it Donald?

Because the evil lying press were putting it into context. That being the context of racist websites and movements…

251
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:56:28am

re: #247 Big Beautiful Door

Then why did you delete it Donald?

I found it amusing that defenders of the image say the six-pointed star is an MS Paint default. Not on my version of Paint for Win 10. It has both a 5-pointed star and a 6-pointed star, and to draw any shape in Paint you have to choose the shape. There is no “default” star.

252
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:57:39am

re: #235 The Vicious Babushka

Trump will never apologize, never admit error. And still there are millions of people who think he ought to be in control of the most powerful nation on earth.

Now that’s the stuff nightmares are made of.

253
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 6:58:27am

re: #251 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I found it amusing that defenders of the image say the six-pointed star is an MS Paint default. Not on my version of Paint for Win 10. It has both a 5-pointed star and a 6-pointed star, and to draw any shape in Paint you have to choose the shape. There is no “default” star.

Again, this discussion is petering out into nuances of Paint for Windows and the significance of various shapes of stars…

Let us get back to discussing Donald Trump’s legislative and policy-making record….oops! nothing there, folks!!!

254
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:00:26am

re: #249 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

King Juan Carlos did put an end to that attempted Francoist coup in Spain by just refusing to go along with it.

Yes indeed. He insisted on being a constitutional monarch, despite some sentiment he be an absolute monarch. He assumed the throne at a critical time for Spain. Had he not made the decisions he did, Spain would have been plunged into another civil war, or remained a fascist state.

255
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:00:32am

re: #245 Big Beautiful Door

Dildos aren’t very good at ribbon cutting ceremonies or greeting visiting heads of state.

You lack imagination.

All Hail His Majesty King Dildobot!
256
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:00:37am

re: #251 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I found it amusing that defenders of the image say the six-pointed star is an MS Paint default. Not on my version of Paint for Win 10. It has both a 5-pointed star and a 6-pointed star, and to draw any shape in Paint you have to choose the shape. There is no “default” star.

But see how easily they’ve gotten you away from the point? Fact: Trump stole the image from a white supremacist site. Everything else is just Gish Gallop crap, and the media falls for it every time.

257
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:02:40am

re: #253 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Again, this discussion is petering out into nuances of Paint for Windows and the significance of various shapes of stars…

Let us get back to discussing Donald Trump’s legislative and policy-making record….oops! nothing there, folks!!!

Trump’s camp is making the kind of blunders (or deliberate choices) that you’d expect from a first-time candidate for state assembly, or city council. To watch this bullshit occur on the national stage is flabbergasting.

258
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:03:28am

re: #246 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

There can be a problem when the monarch is either too stupid or feeble to be of any help. When he was of sound mind and body, the current king of Thailand was able to stop a civil war by calling in the leaders of two opposing parties and telling them under no circumstances would he allow such a thing, so they’d better mend their fences or be looking at imprisonment. Since Thais worship the Royal Family almost as gods, his intervention was useful. Now the old sucker is barely hanging onto life, and the military is using the public’s adoration of the king to the junta’s advantage, by saying they are acting with his approval.

The Crown Prince, from all reports, is a bubble-headed idiot, so it’s hard to say how he’d handle a similar situation.

Better to keep these royals around as decorations and national symbols than let them near the reins of power.

Besides, I believe Queen Elizabeth has her own special influence on the PM and MPs, short of actual intervention.

I think the problem of having a royal family in any state that has basically cut off their access to exercising power directly is that of its very heredity.
There’s really nothing that makes the spawn of a queen or king special and yet it would seem unfair to strip these rarified and brittle creatures of the very titles and privileges that make them powerful. What society is prepared to send such people to the breadline because their very existence demonstrates that our capitalistic system isn’t a meritocracy at the high end of town.
If we disinherit the crown prince because his wealth and power are both unearned, why shouldn’t we do something similar to the children of other very wealthy non-royal dynasties in order to be consistent?

I think the royal family exists because we haven’t been able to deal with the basic conundrum of inheritence.

259
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:04:16am

re: #257 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Trump’s camp is making the kind of blunders (or deliberate choices) that you’d expect from a first-time candidate for state assembly, or city council. To watch this bullshit occur on the national stage is flabbergasting.

At least in the eyes of their supporters, they are doing nothing wrong. And since these people refuse to acknowledge the existence of a world outside the Echo Chamber (beyond one of their own bigoted stereotypes), they refuse to see how foolish they themselves are starting to look.

260
jeffreyw  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:05:05am

Imgur
Good morning!

261
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:06:01am

re: #256 Skip Intro

But see how easily they’ve gotten you away from the point? Fact: Trump stole the image from a white supremacist site. Everything else is just Gish Gallop crap, and the media falls for it every time.

I know the point. Six of them, in fact. //

If Trump were a better man, he would have acknowledged the error and the offensive image, and announced the dismissal of some hapless fall guy for tweeting it (even if the fall guy never did it). Instead, he ducks and covers, blaming the media and Clinton supporters for making a big deal over nothing.

He’s a transparent as a window pane.

262
lawhawk  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:07:09am

re: #256 Skip Intro

But see how easily they’ve gotten you away from the point? Fact: Trump stole the image from a white supremacist site. Everything else is just Gish Gallop crap, and the media falls for it every time.

Consider how easily they try to ignore the clear anti-Semitic tropes - it wasn’t just the Jewish Star, but the star overlaid on the piles of money. That’s a clear anti-Semitic trope. Nothing he can say can diminish the relationship between the two parts of that image.

But they diminish the relationship in headlines and in tweets; words have meanings and when they use “image” or “star” instead of anti-Semitic image or Star of David and anti-Semitic imagery, or similar types of descriptions in their headlines/tweets, it shows that the MBF is alive and well and they’re trying to keep things close; they need the horse race by any means necessary.

That’s why they’re pushing the FBI meeting with Clinton and deemphasizing the anti-Semitic tweet by Trump. MBF in action.

263
sagehen  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:09:31am

re: #258 Alyosha

If we disinherit the crown prince because his wealth and power are both unearned, why shouldn’t we do something similar to the children of other very wealthy non-royal dynasties in order to be consistent?

I think the royal family exists because we haven’t been able to deal with the basic conundrum of inheritence.

In fairness, Elizabeth and William and Harry have done their very best to earn and deserve the positions they were born to (the rest of the family, not so much).

264
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:14:26am

re: #263 sagehen

In fairness, Elizabeth and William and Harry have done their very best to earn and deserve the positions they were born to (the rest of the family, not so much).

Elizabeth II has taken her job very seriously, even since her coronation. Charles is a bit of a dolt, but his sons have turned out quite well, thanks largely in part to Diana’s mothering.

265
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:18:57am

re: #205 goddamnedfrank

Some asshole made $40 million selling Iraq fake bomb detectors.

I don’t know who is more to blame in this case, an obvious fraud who sold the fakes or the fucking idiots everywhere who bought from an obvious fraud.

266
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:19:45am

It’s been raining like crazy here in China, and a few days I predicted we’d be seeing stories like this one.

bbc.com

My web friends here have been sharing photos of their cities, with cars almost completely submerged and water engulfing the ground floors of buildings.

The caretaker lady who lives in the next building told me yesterday her mother’s home in the countryside had been washed away.

267
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:20:56am

re: #263 sagehen

In fairness, Elizabeth and William and Harry have done their very best to earn and deserve the positions they were born to (the rest of the family, not so much).

I couldn’t be William. The idea of having to produce heirs is repulsive to me because it’s the only way a monarchy can persist.
That’s the real weirdness behind the royal family. Bringing new life into it.

268
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:21:22am

Move aside, Christmas! Conservatives now losing it over a non-existent war on Independence Day

269
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:24:06am
270
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:26:31am

re: #269 Nyet

Leadership!

271
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:27:26am

re: #268 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Move aside, Christmas! Conservatives now losing it over a non-existent war on Independence Day

They misspelled “disgraced” R-E-T-I-R-E-D

272
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:29:39am

It’s a little early in the day to be this incoherent.

273
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:31:18am

Another big hack:

Muslim Match dating website hacked
bbc.com

150,000 member accounts have been made public. Most are Muslims in the USA, UK and Pakistan. I don’t need to tell you what could happen if the wrong sort of people got hold of that information.

274
PhillyPretzel  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:32:21am

re: #272 The Vicious Babushka

He has hit the bottle this early in the day. The people are driving him to drink.

275
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:32:33am

Just dropping this off before I hit the rack.

276
Barefoot Grin  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:33:34am

re: #267 Alyosha

I couldn’t be William. The idea of having to produce heirs is repulsive to me because it’s the only way a monarchy can persist.
That’s the real weirdness behind the royal family. Bringing new life into it.

I suspect that that pressure was at least part of what led Princess Masako into periods of deep depression (mostly though the cloistered life of a Japanese imperial princess).

277
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:34:10am

re: #272 The Vicious Babushka

It’s a little early in the day to be this incoherent.

[Embedded content]

If he hasn’t asked them, how does he know they are not interested?
Or is he saying that being Trump’s VP would be so awesome that no one could say no?

I’m sure if I have another beer, it’ll eventually make sense.

278
thedopefishlives  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:34:12am

Morning Lizardim.

279
PhillyPretzel  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:35:30am

re: #277 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

You may need something stronger for that tweet to make sense.

280
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:35:35am

re: #276 Barefoot Grin

What goes for the British royal family goes doubly for the Japanese royal family. Poor fuckers.

281
Nojay UK  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:35:56am

re: #264 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Elizabeth II has taken her job very seriously, even since her coronation. Charles is a bit of a dolt,

It’s worth remembering Charles spent time as an officer in the Royal Navy and was eventually promoted to be Master and Commander of one of his Mum’s warships before he resigned his commission to start work in the family business. Not something Senator John Sydney McCain III ever achieved, it’s worth noting.

OK, it was a minesweeper (AKA HMS Tupperware) but it was still a RN ship.

Generally Kings and Queens take their jobs seriously. Every day there are state papers to deal with, there are official receptions at home and abroad, laying of wreaths, handing out Maundy Money, opening things, carrying all sorts of protocol droid stuff so that the Prime Minister can get on with doing their job.

The Queen meets with her Prime Minister once a week to discuss the state of the nation. She’s been doing that for sixty years now, since Eisenhower was President of the US. The general opinion of all the PMs she’s met with has been that she has a deep and wide knowledge of international affairs involving the UK and the Commonwealth and their discussions are not pro-forma.

If you want one word to describe a Monarchy like the British one, it’s “continuity”.

282
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:36:36am

re: #272 The Vicious Babushka

It’s a little early in the day to be this incoherent.

@realDonaldTrump
The only people who are not interested in being the V.P. pick are the people who have not been asked!

Of course people asked would be interested.
If Trump is elected most potential VP’s likely believe he’ll quit with 6 months, because he’s not allowed to do most of the crap he proposes…

283
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:37:02am

re: #275 Alyosha

Just dropping this off before I hit the rack.

[Embedded content]

Que racist complaints about the Gunslinger not being white.

284
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:37:38am

re: #283 Big Beautiful Door

Que racist complaints about the Gunslinger not being white.

So it goes.

285
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:39:00am

re: #277 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

If he hasn’t asked them, how does he know they are not interested?
Or is he saying that being Trump’s VP would be so awesome that no one could say no?

I’m sure if I have another beer, it’ll eventually make sense.

Newt Gingrich on vice presidential slot: ‘If it’s about funerals, I’m not interested’

286
Alyosha  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:41:43am

Because, if given a knife and a hand in which to hold it, the mind would eventually eat itself. Not because it wanted to; because it did not want to.

287
sagehen  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:42:10am

re: #275 Alyosha

Just dropping this off before I hit the rack.

[Embedded content]

Huh. Looks to me like someone who should be the next James Bond.

288
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:42:36am

re: #276 Barefoot Grin

I suspect that that pressure was at least part of what led Princess Masako into periods of deep depression (mostly though the cloistered life of a Japanese imperial princess).

Kinda drove Henry VIII off the deep end, too….

289
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:44:22am

re: #287 sagehen

Huh. Looks to me like someone who should be the next James Bond.

Just to drive the MRAs even crazier than the new Ghostbusters, I want “Jamie Bond”.

290
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:45:00am

This account has some real zingers.

291
No Country For Old Haters  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:45:39am

re: #153 goddamnedfrank

The shit I’m talking about.

[Embedded content]

These assholes haven’t even attempted to confront why it’s so easy for them to just ignore what is probably the most clear and unambiguous national electoral threat faced by minorities in this country since George Wallace. It’s not just an empathy deficit at play here, it’s an utter lack of introspection.

292
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:46:50am

Another one, somewhat more subtle.

293
Lidane  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:47:01am
294
sagehen  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:49:27am

re: #281 Nojay UK

Generally Kings and Queens take their jobs seriously. Every day there are state papers to deal with, there are official receptions at home and abroad, laying of wreaths, handing out Maundy Money, opening things, carrying all sorts of protocol droid stuff so that the Prime Minister can get on with doing their job.

Part of why I like William and Harry so much more than Charles is their choices of which issues and charities to bring their spotlights to. Between Harry’s veteran stuff and William/Kate’s education/mental health focus, they seem much more aware of the real issues of people’s lives than Charles’ twee focus on organic gardens and the architecture of stately homes.

(also, Will and Harry would be fun at a party. Charles, not.)

295
Eventual Carrion  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:50:32am

re: #277 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

If he hasn’t asked them, how does he know they are not interested?
Or is he saying that being Trump’s VP would be so awesome that no one could say no?

I’m sure if I have another beer, it’ll eventually make sense.

Here’s a case, get back to us.

296
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:51:35am

re: #294 sagehen

Part of why I like William and Harry so much more than Charles is their choices of which issues and charities to bring their spotlights to. Between Harry’s veteran stuff and William/Kate’s education/mental health focus, they seem much more aware of the real issues of people’s lives than Charles’ twee focus on organic gardens and the architecture of stately homes.

(also, Will and Harry would be fun at a party. Charles, not.)

I dislike Charles mostly for two-timing Diana with Camilla. Were I in that situation, I’d have kept Diana and dumped Camilla. As I said, he’s a dolt.

297
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:52:23am

re: #295 Eventual Carrion

Here’s a case, get back to us.

Kinda expensive to ship to China. Wait till I get stateside in a couple of weeks.

298
No Country For Old Haters  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:53:00am

re: #269 Nyet

299
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:53:20am

re: #296 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I dislike Charles mostly for two-timing Diana with Camilla. Were I in that situation, I’d have kept Diana and dumped Camilla. As I said, he’s a dolt.

As I understand it, he loved Camilla all along, but married Diana out of duty.

301
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:54:26am

re: #299 Big Beautiful Door

As I understand it, he loved Camilla all along, but married Diana out of duty.

Nice work if you can get it….

302
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 7:57:46am

re: #299 Big Beautiful Door

As I understand it, he loved Camilla all along, but married Diana out of duty.

Yes. Camilla was divorced and judged too old to bear children. So, Charles had to procreate with a younger, never-married woman.

303
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:00:05am

IS suspected in bombing a nightclub in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur.
nytimes.com

Eight people were injured, and the alleged bombers have been arrested.

304
stpaulbear  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:00:50am

Happy 4th!

Before I signed in, there was an ad saying ‘Conceal Carry is a Right! Join the NRA!’

Now that I’m signed in, it’s back to the usual boobie ads.

**fart**
305
sagehen  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:05:01am

re: #302 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Yes. Camilla was divorced and judged too old to bear children. So, Charles had to procreate with a younger, never-married woman.

Not quite. Camilla is the same age as him. But when they fell in love 40 years ago, she’d already had an earlier boyfriend and wasn’t a virgin. Which apparently mattered at the time. They continued dating all through her marriage to someone else (nobody’s ever DNA’d her children), throughout his engagement and marriage and divorce, and since.

306
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:06:09am

re: #305 sagehen

Not quite. Camilla is the same age as him. But when they fell in love 40 years ago, she’d already had an earlier boyfriend and wasn’t a virgin. Which apparently mattered at the time. They continued dating all through her marriage to someone else (nobody’s ever DNA’d her children), throughout his engagement and marriage and divorce, and since.

Camilla is also Catholic which is another big no-no.

307
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:06:24am

re: #296 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I dislike Charles mostly for two-timing Diana with Camilla. Were I in that situation, I’d have kept Diana and dumped Camilla. As I said, he’s a dolt.

I’m reminded of the saying that no matter how hot someone is, there’s someone, somewhere, who’s tired of her shit.

Maybe he and Diana just couldn’t get along?

308
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:06:30am
309
Big Beautiful Door  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:07:02am

re: #307 Blind Frog Belly White

I’m reminded of the saying that no matter how hot someone is, there’s someone, somewhere, who’s tired of her shit.

Maybe he and Diana just couldn’t get along?

That’s been well documented.

310
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:08:26am

re: #302 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Yes. Camilla was divorced and judged too old to bear children. So, Charles had to procreate with a younger, never-married woman.

When Charles married Diana, Camilla was still married. Plus the heir has to marry a virgin. There was even a medical exam.

311
Targetpractice  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:08:55am

re: #308 goddamnedfrank

[Embedded content]

This is why the aliens haven’t contacted us. Every time they check in, they see shit like this and say “We’ll check back in another few years to see if they’ve blown themselves up yet.”

312
sagehen  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:09:31am

re: #307 Blind Frog Belly White

I’m reminded of the saying that no matter how hot someone is, there’s someone, somewhere, who’s tired of her shit.

Maybe he and Diana just couldn’t get along?

He never loved her to begin with (he admitted as much in a television interview); and she was too young to understand what she was getting into.

313
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:11:07am

re: #307 Blind Frog Belly White

re: #306 The Vicious Babushka

re: #305 sagehen

Well, I guess I’ve forgotten all the details. Regardless, Charles is still a dolt.

He seems to be very happy with Camilla, and I wish him no ill will. I’m not sure he’d be as good a king as his mother has been a queen, though.

314
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:11:36am

Florida father accidentally shoots and kills his 14-year-old son at ‘world’s safest’ gun range

315
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:12:06am

re: #298 No Country For Old Haters

316
Belafon  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:12:18am

re: #308 goddamnedfrank

I’m hoping it’s the otters that take over.

317
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:13:06am

re: #316 Belafon

I’m hoping it’s the otters that take over.

It otter be the otters….

318
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:13:53am

Florida Man…
Hot brass goes down the back of dad’s shirt…
Dad reaches back with gun hand (with gun still in hand) to retrieve brass…
Dad has negligent discharge, shooting son who was behind him…
If there was justice in the world, dad would have shot his own spine out, being a valuable teaching point for his son, who would not be dead…

319
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:14:18am

re: #312 sagehen

He never loved her to begin with (he admitted as much in a television interview); and she was too young to understand what she was getting into.

She was, what, 24 or something at the time? Her sole responsibility was as a baby incubator, but she took advantage of her position and enlarged her role as a public figure to the point where she put a human face on the very stuffy royal family.

So, I’d say she got her payback.

320
lawhawk  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:15:46am

re: #275 Alyosha

Is it wrong to see those photos and think… yeah, he could be James Bond in a heartbeat?

That would throw the usual suspects into a fit of rage..

321
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:16:10am

re: #312 sagehen

He never loved her to begin with (he admitted as much in a television interview); and she was too young to understand what she was getting into.

It’s a hell of a life to grow up in. “You’re going to have no privacy. Everything you do will be photographed and scrutinized and gossiped about. You don’t get to choose who you marry, we’ll do that for you. And unlike the kings of old, you don’t get to marry for state reasons and have a mistress on the side. You’ll be expected to love the person we choose for you, and if you don’t everyone will hate you. Oh, and for all this, you get zero power to actually do anything. And all your life, people will honor you without actually respecting you.”

322
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:17:39am

re: #319 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

She was, what, 24 or something at the time? Her sole responsibility was as a baby incubator, but she took advantage of her position and enlarged her role as a public figure to the point where she put a human face on the very stuffy royal family.

So, I’d say she got her payback.

No, she’d just turned 20.

323
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:19:42am

Buckeye state hospitality…
Thanks Kasich

324
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:20:36am

re: #308 goddamnedfrank

Still hard to beat ancient Rome.

325
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:20:59am

re: #322 Blind Frog Belly White

No, she’d just turned 20.

Wow. I’d forgotten she was so young! I teach students that age.

326
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:21:52am

re: #268 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Move aside, Christmas! Conservatives now losing it over a non-existent war on Independence Day

Trump’s buddy Woody didn’t get the message…

327
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:21:53am

re: #323 FormerDirtDart

Buckeye state hospitality…
Thanks Kasich

[Embedded content]

UAE tells citizens to leave robes at home after businessman held as Isis suspect in US

328
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:23:07am
329
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:25:36am

re: #328 FormerDirtDart

[Embedded content]

O-o-okay. So…maybe don’t use them?

330
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:25:58am

The common soil of the New West:

Over 30 taken to hospital at Chesney concert; fans leave piles of trash

331
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:26:06am

To give us some perspective, here’s a comparison of the Sun and Earth.

And the Sun is puny compared to some stars.

332
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:26:27am

Remember, there are some truly fucked up people out there…

333
Eric The Fruit Bat  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:28:47am

re: #127 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Could be worse-my home server’s power supply nuked my motherboard, so now I have to swap out the motherboard and reinstall Server Essentials 2012. The only plus I get is that the new motherboard/CPU will have the AES-NI support, which means I can turn on encryption and not take a performance hit.

334
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:33:26am
335
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:33:58am

A couple observations on this 240th Independence Day:

1. It does no good to say it wasn’t YOU who put the Star of David there, it was the white supremacists you got the image from.

2. It really doesn’t help if your defenders on Twitter say it’s only a problem because of the Jewish Media.

3. There’s nothing quite like celebrating Independence Day by telling everyone how they should think, and what they should say.

4. This Liberal flies the flag, not because we’re perfect, but because we as a nation spent 240 years mostly trying to do better.

336
Lidane  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:34:22am

I see that Cheeto Jesus still trying to use the “IT WAS JUST A STAR” stupidity this morning.

Er, no. He tweeted an image created by an open and avowed white supremacist and anti-Semite. He should own it. They’r’e his voters, after all.

337
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:34:23am

Quick, after that tennis ball bomb tweet, everyone look at this one and regain your calm…

338
Lidane  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:35:45am

re: #337 FormerDirtDart

Also this:

339
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:38:02am
340
Lidane  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:39:47am
341
BlackPearl  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:46:13am

re: #338 Lidane

I’m reminded of this very old (and gross) tale, Dogs in Elk: wwwx.cs.unc.edu

342
Barefoot Grin  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:47:31am

OT: last night I cooked ribs in the oven for the first time. They came out great, so I sent a photo to my parents. Turns out that on old friend from Norway was visiting them and when he saw the photo said, “where can you get whale meat in America?” Now I’m thinking I must have done something wrong with the rub or the braise….

343
Timothy Watson  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:49:43am

re: #318 FormerDirtDart

Florida Man…
Hot brass goes down the back of dad’s shirt…
Dad reaches back with gun hand (with gun still in hand) to retrieve brass…
Dad has negligent discharge, shooting son who was behind him…
If there was justice in the world, dad would have shot his own spine out, being a valuable teaching point for his son, who would not be dead…

[Embedded content]

I like how, to the lamestream media, anything involving firearms is always an “accident[]” and never negligence.

344
Teukka  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:52:35am

re: #343 Timothy Watson

I like how, to the lamestream media, anything involving firearms is always an “accident[]” and never negligence.

Don’t they teach gun owners and users in the US to a) never point the business end of a firearm (or anything looking like it) at anything you do not wish to kill b) always keep track of where the business end is pointed? It was what us students in the school air gun club got drilled hard into our brains *shows scars*

345
Eric The Fruit Bat  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:56:28am

re: #224 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

If only that were the case:

Brexit voters are not thick, not racist: just poor
By forcing Britain to quit the EU they have given a bloody nose to an elite that views them with contempt

Let’s make no bones about this: Britain’s poor and workless have risen up. And in doing so they didn’t just give the EU and its British backers the bloodiest of bloody noses. They also brought crashing down the Blairite myth of a post-class, Third Way Blighty, where the old ideological divide between rich and poor did not exist, since we were all supposed to be ‘stakeholders’ in society. Post-referendum, we know society is still cut in two, not only by economics but by politics too. This isn’t just about the haves and have-nots: it’s a war of views. The wealthier sections of society like it when politics involves detached cosmopolitan institutions and the poorer people don’t. The less well-off have just asserted their stake in society and the chattering classes — who peddled all the nonsense about a ‘stakeholder society’ in the first place — aren’t happy about it.

346
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:57:11am

re: #344 Teukka

Don’t they teach gun owners and users in the US to a) never point the business end of a firearm (or anything looking like it) at anything you do not wish to kill b) always keep track of where the business end is pointed? It was what us students in the school air gun club got drilled hard into our brains *shows scars*

You’d think at a gun range, they’d remind people of that, but there are a lot of stupid gun owners in the USA.

347
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:57:58am

re: #344 Teukka

Don’t they teach gun owners and users in the US to a) never point the business end of a firearm (or anything looking like it) at anything you do not wish to kill b) always keep track of where the business end is pointed? It was what us students in the school air gun club got drilled hard into our brains *shows scars*

The 2nd Amendment says you can own all the guns you want, and can’t be told what not to do with them, and any mishaps that occur are OK because freedom.

348
Great White Snark  Jul 4, 2016 • 8:58:43am

re: #344 Teukka
re: #346 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

About 90,000 gun safety instructors are certified by just NRA training division. Then there is NSSF and countless smaller organizations. Dragon lady a has small semicircle scar in her cleavage from a hot brass. The result was she finished the competition string of fire, ahem much more loudly than usual. Things happen, gotta have the right response especially if that is don’t move your hands.

349
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:00:39am

re: #344 Teukka

Don’t they teach gun owners and users in the US to a) never point the business end of a firearm (or anything looking like it) at anything you do not wish to kill b) always keep track of where the business end is pointed? It was what us students in the school air gun club got drilled hard into our brains *shows scars*

I think it happens because people stop being scared shitless of their guns.

There’s a whole video of ‘gun fails’ where idiots do stupid things with firearms - nobody killed, of course. One idiot has a shotgun. He pulls the trigger - *click* - so he turns it around and looks down the barrel. It blows his hat off, and probably burned a furrow in his forehead.

This is what happens when you get comfortable with guns, and think you know what you’re doing so well that you’ll never have a negligent discharge.

(Crazy thing is, he obviously shot this video all on his own, and STILL posted it)

350
mmmirele  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:04:51am

re: #238 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Republicans’ many tortured excuses for not going to their Donald Trump-led convention

Jeff Flake: “I’ve got to mow my lawn.”

You know, I’ve seen an aerial picture of his property, he’s going to have to dodge the rocks being thrown by his lawn mower.

351
wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:05:17am

Midnight here. See you all later on!

352
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:07:39am

re: #345 Eric The Fruit Bat

If only that were the case:

Brexit voters are not thick, not racist: just poor
By forcing Britain to quit the EU they have given a bloody nose to an elite that views them with contempt

Yeah, I think the Spectator’s full of crap. That’s what they’d like to think the Brexit vote was about, but it doesn’t explain the disparity between England and Wales vs. Scotland and Northern Ireland, and it doesn’t explain the sudden upsurge of hate crimes against anyone insufficiently pasty. Not buying it.

353
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:10:04am

re: #235 The Vicious Babushka

Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
Dishonest media is trying their absolute best to depict a star in a tweet as the Star of David rather than a Sheriff’s Star, or plain star!
9:42 AM - 4 Jul 2016
2,704 2,704 Retweets 8,020 8,020 likes

Shut up Trump. We want to enjoy our celebration of freedom. For one day make us free from your bullshit.

You still have plenty of time before the convention to continue your ‘campaign’ of insanity.

354
goddamnedfrank  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:14:29am

re: #345 Eric The Fruit Bat

If only that were the case:

Brexit voters are not thick, not racist: just poor
By forcing Britain to quit the EU they have given a bloody nose to an elite that views them with contempt

Total bullshit. They’re mostly old, white, stupid racist fucks. Along with race and age one of the biggest correlations to a region choosing to leave was a high export percentage to the EU, in other words the more they stood to lose the more they wanted out. They voted against their own economic interests out of spite against immigrants, a fact born out by the post Brexit incidents of racism and hate crimes against minorities. They chose to tear their own society down rather than share equally.

355
dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:14:54am

trumpf/ernst 2016

didnt jefferson say that the tree of conservatism needs to be castrated from time to time with the blood of pigs and morons?

356
Jenner7  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:15:08am

This..this can’t be a real headline.

A copy.

C’mon. Now it’s just blatantly obvious. Wow.

357
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:15:34am
358
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:16:10am

re: #267 Alyosha

I couldn’t be William. The idea of having to produce heirs is repulsive to me because it’s the only way a monarchy can persist.
That’s the real weirdness behind the royal family. Bringing new life into it.

Which is where the Royals totally underestimated the popular appeal of Diana: on top of everything else, she produced two healthy male heirs to the throne. Think about all the trouble that Britain has gone through over the lack of a viable male heir…

359
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:16:21am

Wow such patriotic very liberty so tolerance

360
Timothy Watson  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:18:51am

re: #356 Jenner7

[Embedded content]

A copy.

C’mon. Now it’s just blatantly obvious. Wow.

WTF? I work in an office with personally identifiable information and the policy is that everything goes into the shredder.

And here we’re talking about a Cabinet Officer who regularly meets with intelligence chiefs for above top secret intelligence briefings.

361
Belafon  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:20:25am

re: #359 The Vicious Babushka

Wow such patriotic very liberty so tolerance

[Embedded content]

Counting on his supportersto have forgotten that they both said that and basically went “see, it didn’t make the attacks stop.”

362
Belafon  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:22:12am

re: #356 Jenner7

[Embedded content]

A copy.

C’mon. Now it’s just blatantly obvious. Wow.

Coming up next: Clinton flushed all records of her trips to the bathroom.

363
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:23:26am
364
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:24:01am

re: #356 Jenner7

SCANDAL

365
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:25:15am
366
stpaulbear  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:26:30am

re: #272 The Vicious Babushka

“The only people who are not interested in being the V.P. pick are the people who have not been asked!”

“Are you interested?”
“NO!!”
“Who said I was going to ask you! Loser!”

367
Timothy Watson  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:27:45am

re: #365 The Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

That’s just Joe Arpaio’s ground-attack squadron.

/

368
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:30:03am

It is a good day for a daiquiri. it seems everyone is searching for the exact recipe Hemingway enjoyed.

http://postprohibition.com/recipes/hemingway-daiquiri/
369
Nojay UK  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:31:23am

re: #358 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

Think about all the trouble that Britain has gone through over the lack of a viable male heir…

Three of the most impressive and competent reigning British monarchs in the past six hundred years have been women — Elizabeth 1, Victoria and Elizabeth 2. Male heirs are nice to have around but not essential (the mess Liz 1 left behind her only made it clear that some acknowledged heir is better than none). The rules have changed recently and female heirs now have the same ranking as male heirs, and Catholics can also now assume the throne although the Fid. Def. part of the job could be problematic as the monarch is also titular head of the Anglican Church. I don’t think anyone’s considered a transgender heir but it’s probably not that much of a problem if it did occur.

370
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:33:52am

re: #365 The Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

I misremembered this—no star. Sad!

Dragnet Jet Scene

371
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:36:41am

re: #318 FormerDirtDart

Florida Man…
Hot brass goes down the back of dad’s shirt…
Dad reaches back with gun hand (with gun still in hand) to retrieve brass…
Dad has negligent discharge, shooting son who was behind him…
If there was justice in the world, dad would have shot his own spine out, being a valuable teaching point for his son, who would not be dead…

[Embedded content]

Stunning. If anything proves the ‘ease’ of guns, there you go. So easy you forget you have the gun in your hand in what amounts to a type of involuntary reaction.

372
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:37:07am

re: #368 Ming5000

It is a good day for a daiquiri. it seems everyone is searching for the exact recipe Hemingway enjoyed.

[Embedded content]

I seem to recall having read a bunch of those. One said Hemingway was diabetic, so there’s no sugar or simple syrup in that recipe. It might have contained grapefruit juice, too.

373
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:39:54am

Mere geometry.

374
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:41:05am

Caputo declared that almost nobody found it offensive.

When CNN’s John Berman pressed him on the fact that the image had appeared on a forum trafficked by neo-Nazis, Caputo lashed out: “Do you know that? Do you know that?”

“Yes!” Berman replied.
mediaite.com

375
Timothy Watson  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:42:18am

re: #374 jaunte

Is the lamestream media finally figuring out Trump and his supporters?

376
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:43:37am

re: #375 Timothy Watson

Their priority is still getting page views, so for them the more controversy the better.

377
withak  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:47:10am

Dispatches from Minnesota’s supposedly-largest Independence Day parade, in which I was a participant:

I only saw one anti-Clinton item (“Hillary for Prison” t-shirt) and one MAGA hat, and they were on the same person. That’s one idiot too many, but far fewer than I expected.

On the other hand, people everywhere, mostly kids, had these little stickers with “VOTE 2016 JESUS” on them, handed out by something that looked like “Faith Initiative.” Combining this with supporters of a Republican candidate for state House, Mark Koran, meant that a lot of people were advertising “KORAN VOTE 2016 JESUS” without seeing the contradiction.

378
Eclectic Cyborg  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:48:57am

re: #356 Jenner7

Dude shreds papers in office, film at 11.

379
Great White Snark  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:52:20am

re: #371 ObserverArt

Maybe it’s a good time to remember that the goal is zero accidents. And to take a look at gun accident rate (not crime, just mishaps and negligence) from a non NRA source.

/qGTETZy05gMakWFuT6rZuubn7EjbuhGIUs9AT/bY845naaoQHJ4aOUioi2RUje/4bXsVD+qpeLBhu1Sb2bLMV7ePo/ivxcz

380
wrenchwench  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:54:28am

re: #377 withak

On the other hand, people everywhere, mostly kids, had these little stickers with “VOTE 2016 JESUS” on them, handed out by something that looked like “Faith Initiative.” Combining this with supporters of a Republican candidate for state House, Mark Koran, meant that a lot of people were advertising “KORAN VOTE 2016 JESUS” without seeing the contradiction.

Not where it might be expected. Jesus is in the Koran [IIRC], but doesn’t care about voting in 2016; again, IIRC.

/where’s my atheist t-shirt?

381
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:56:33am
382
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 9:59:35am

re: #374 jaunte

Why the hell would Caputo care if people found it offensive? That’s the whole point of the Trump campaign; to be as offensive to as many people as possible to lock up the GOP base.

It’s been working just fine for him. The only thing that pisses off the base is when Trump denies doing what they want him to do.

383
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:01:17am

re: #372 Blind Frog Belly White

I seem to recall having read a bunch of those. One said Hemingway was diabetic, so there’s no sugar or simple syrup in that recipe. It might have contained grapefruit juice, too.

I am settling on this one:
1 1/2 oz Rum
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup

384
SoundGuy 2016  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:02:55am
385
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:03:35am

re: #384 SoundGuy 2016

386
wrenchwench  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:07:38am

re: #379 Great White Snark

Maybe it’s a good time to remember that the goal is zero accidents. And to take a look at gun accident (not crime, just mishaps and negligence) from a non NRA source.

[Embedded content]

Non-NRA, sure, but says right in there they are ‘the trade association for the firearms industry’, which might be why their report is limited to ‘unintentional fatalities’. Does any trade association for weapons produce a report including people who had no intention of shooting a human with the weapon they bought, but ended up killing a relative or themselves on purpose? That is the public health issue.

Also says in their that hunting is safer than bicycling or skateboarding. Gimme a break. Bicycles and skateboards are safer than guns to have around the house.

387
Barefoot Grin  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:08:42am

Well, I’m about to do my part in America’s anti-terror campaign by going to the store to buy something for my kid that he doesn’t need. (I’m feeling particularly snarky because I just watched something from Mike Rowe about the sacrifices of the Founding Fathers that someone put on FB; I never took him for such a guy with wingnut inflections, but….)

388
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:09:09am

Blistering Hot Take from Dim Jim’s BFF Kristinn

389
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:09:25am

re: #373 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Mere geometry.

A geometric image that some associate with Nazi Germany. LIKE THE FUCKERS ON THE NEO-NAZI WEBSITES WHO PUBLISHED IT!!!!

390
stpaulbear  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:11:20am

re: #385 FormerDirtDart

He’s missing “Because SHUT UP!” in the American quotes.

391
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:12:39am

re: #356 Jenner7

[Embedded content]

A copy.

C’mon. Now it’s just blatantly obvious. Wow.

So, on the one hand, if you don’t shred them, you’re risking letting them fall into the wrong hands. If you shred them, you’re concealing evidence!

Win-Win!

Seriously, though - this ridiculously picayune level of ‘scrutiny’ is only being applied to ONE SecState in the history of the United States, and only because there’s the presumption of guilt by ~40% of the country.

Somebody months ago said they hoped Clinton wouldn’t be the nominee, because it would just be the 1990s all over again. The thing is, do you let the scandalmongers choose the nominee?

392
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:14:14am

VR porn festival cancelled due to overcrowding

393
No Country For Old Haters  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:15:50am

re: #388 The Vicious Babushka

Blistering Hot Take from Dim Jim’s BFF Kristinn

[Embedded content]

394
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:16:34am

Flustered Trump Supporter Loses His Mind on CNN Panel Trying to Defend Anti-Semitic Image

395
Dr. Matt  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:17:44am

The most amazing and absurd defense of Trump’s Nazi support:

396
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:18:43am

↑↑↑This is the most insane thing you will see all day ↑↑↑
(my previous post)

397
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:20:49am

re: #287 sagehen

Huh. Looks to me like someone who should be the next James Bond.

I nominate Daisy Ridley too. She is young, but they can make her look older. She kicks ass.

398
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:21:24am

re: #396 The Vicious Babushka

↑↑↑This is the most insane thing you will see all day ↑↑↑
(my previous post)

The day is young yet—and lots of people are playing with explosives.

399
dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:22:50am

re: #359 The Vicious Babushka

twitter.com

With Hillary and Obama, the terrorist attacks will only get worse. Politically correct fools, won’t even call it what it is - RADICAL ISLAM!

if obama had been elected president, we would never have killed bin laden and there would have been hundreds of islam terror bombings

400
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:23:49am

Spot the sheriff.

401
wrenchwench  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:23:55am

re: #396 The Vicious Babushka

↑↑↑This is the most insane thing you will see all day ↑↑↑
(my previous post)

People who say, ‘These things come in over the transom…’ have no business talking about social media.

402
Romantic Heretic  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:25:15am

re: #308 goddamnedfrank

My vote is for the octopi to become the next sentient species. They’ll be saying, “See the problems bones cause? Species with bones become boneheads.”

403
Feline Fearless Leader  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:26:55am

re: #369 Nojay UK

Three of the most impressive and competent reigning British monarchs in the past six hundred years have been women — Elizabeth 1, Victoria and Elizabeth 2. Male heirs are nice to have around but not essential (the mess Liz 1 left behind her only made it clear that some acknowledged heir is better than none). The rules have changed recently and female heirs now have the same ranking as male heirs, and Catholics can also now assume the throne although the Fid. Def. part of the job could be problematic as the monarch is also titular head of the Anglican Church. I don’t think anyone’s considered a transgender heir but it’s probably not that much of a problem if it did occur.

When Elizabeth 1 was around one issue for her was that marrying would have effectively put the husband on the throne. By the time of Victoria the situation had changed enough that Albert was going to be Prince Consort and thus obviously *not* king.

404
Romantic Heretic  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:27:24am

re: #311 Targetpractice

This is why the aliens haven’t contacted us. Every time they check in, they see shit like this and say “We’ll check back in another few years to see if they’ve blown themselves up yet.”

Such actions contribute to the ET’s analysis of us

405
Charles Johnson  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:28:08am
406
Great White Snark  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:28:16am

re: #386 wrenchwench

Non-NRA, sure, but says right in there they are ‘the trade association for the firearms industry’, which might be why their report is limited to ‘unintentional fatalities’. Does any trade association for weapons produce a report including people who had no intention of shooting a human with the weapon they bought, but ended up killing a relative or themselves on purpose? That is the public health issue.

Also says in their that hunting is safer than bicycling or skateboarding. Gimme a break. Bicycles and skateboards are safer than guns to have around the house.

That’s not accidents. It’s a comment in response to comments about gun accidents. Sorry, that’s fair game in our discussions, no? Before you dismiss it via source, show me a link with contrary accident data from a neutral source. Or even HCI. Or whoever.

There is a reason I opened up the comment as I did. We in the sport work toward zero accidents. Never gonna get there, no more than any other human activity. Do you think it inappropriate to discuss accidents as accidents a moment? Why would that be? Crime is one thing. Suicide another. And accidents. As to skateboards etc, I think the problem is serious injuries are really common.

But if the accident rate has declined, and or is lower than what some may have thought, why is that not considered good news? Comments linking accidents keep coming up. Point and laugh or worse. At some point it’s fair to drop in a link to real numbers.

The reports you talk about are not hard to find. Get as mad as you want at the fact that sporting or safety organizations will point out how safety their sport is when properly run. Once a report is compiled, it’s fair game to cite and evaluate factually. Does the car industry publish reports on how cars are used in crimes? I have never seen that if so.

407
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:28:22am

These displays of gross gluttony are embarrassing.

408
Romantic Heretic  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:28:50am

re: #314 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

*rolls eyes*

Blood, Tree of Liberty and all that. You’ve heard from me before and I wish I’d never have to say it again.

409
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:29:22am

re: #394 The Vicious Babushka

Didn’t see anybody losing their cool.

410
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:29:25am

re: #396 The Vicious Babushka

↑↑↑This is the most insane thing you will see all day ↑↑↑
(my previous post)

So Michael Caputo quits the Trump campaign due to his tweet about Lewindowski “the wicked witch” being kicked out and now he is on CNN, FOX and MSNBC as some kind of a political insider.

Our media…what the hell are they doing?

411
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:31:06am

I guess we can be thankful Ramadan ends tomorrow…

412
dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:32:08am

so the gop consensus is that there exists an abstract geometrical shape that some might mistakenly interpret as a jewish something

it all reminds me of the brain lesion victims in The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat that had lost the ability to recognize ordinary objects

413
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:32:11am

re: #410 ObserverArt

So Michael Caputo quits the Trump campaign due to his tweet about Lewindowski “the wicked witch” being kicked out and now he is on CNN, FOX and MSNBC as some kind of a political insider.

Our media…what the hell are they doing?

These people are still working for Trump even though they quit/fired like a dog, because of their LIFETIME NO-DISS contract.

414
No Country For Old Haters  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:32:31am

re: #409 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Didn’t see anybody losing their cool.

He was sputtering a bit, but I had hoped for more as well. He was out there defending the indefensible, so it could have gotten much weirder.

415
bratwurst  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:33:03am

re: #411 FormerDirtDart

I guess we can be thankful Ramadan ends tomorrow…

[Embedded content]

One scholar has an answer:

416
plansbandc  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:34:04am

Gossip is that Trump will pick Scott Brown to be his VP. We shall see.

417
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:34:12am

Just the thought of this scares me…

Brought to you by Koch Industries…
418
FormerDirtDart  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:35:19am

re: #411 FormerDirtDart

I guess we can be thankful Ramadan ends tomorrow…

419
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:35:21am

re: #415 bratwurst

One scholar has an answer:

[Embedded content]

Gonna have to speed up the moon in its orbit to do that, Gutfeld.

420
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:35:56am

re: #410 ObserverArt

So Michael Caputo quits the Trump campaign due to his tweet about Lewindowski “the wicked witch” being kicked out and now he is on CNN, FOX and MSNBC as some kind of a political insider.

Our media…what the hell are they doing?

What they are always doing!—being full time asskissing stenographers for the Republican Party

421
bratwurst  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:36:21am

re: #417 Joe Bacon

Ok, I give up…who is that meant to be next to Trump? El Rushbo?

422
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:36:38am

re: #415 bratwurst

Fox’s Gutfeld Suggests Shortening Muslim Holiday Of Ramadan To Decrease Terrorism

And while we’re at it, we can cancel Thanksgiving so no more people are trampled to death getting into Black Friday sales…

423
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:37:19am

re: #421 bratwurst

Ok…who is that meant to be next to Trump? El Rushbo?

Herbert Hoover, the man who gave us the Great Depression

424
Patricia Kayden  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:37:33am

re: #323 FormerDirtDart

From the link: “staff called 911 to allege a Muslim guest named Ahmed Al Menhali was “in full headdress with multiple disposable phones, pledging his allegiance to ISIS”

Ain’t that a b^tch?! As if anyone would be dumb enough to be dressed in a distinctly Arab garb pleading support for ISIS in public. LOL!

425
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:37:54am

re: #417 Joe Bacon

Just the thought of this scares me…

[Embedded content]

Who’s number 2, Herbert Hoover? Say what you will about him (and my father did, for sure), he doesn’t deserve to be in that lineup.

426
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:38:32am

re: #421 bratwurst

Ok…who is that meant to be next to Trump? El Rushbo?

It has hair so I think it’s Hoover.

427
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:39:12am

re: #417 Joe Bacon

Just the thought of this scares me…

[Embedded content]

Kochs don’t like Trump because they can’t control him.

Who is the second face, Herbert Hoover?

428
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:39:47am

re: #407 The Vicious Babushka

These displays of gross gluttony are embarrassing.

[Embedded content]

Every time I see the coverage of this, I remember talking to Paul Pink of Pink’s Hot Dogs here in Hollywood. Mr. Pink would tell the story of how Orson Welles would come to the stand eat 2 dozen chili dogs, a couple trays of fries, several bottles of soda and a slice of cake. He’d give Mr. Pink a $100 tip. Mr. Pink kept telling him “You know my chili dogs can be too much of a good thing” but Welles wouldn’t listen…

429
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:40:41am

re: #428 Joe Bacon

Every time I see the coverage of this, I remember talking to Paul Pink of Pink’s Hot Dogs here in Hollywood. Mr. Pink would tell the story of how Orson Welles would come to the stand eat 2 dozen chili dogs, a couple trays of fries, several bottles of soda and a slice of cake.He’s give Mr. Pink a $100 tip. Mr. Pink kept telling him “You know my chili dogs can be too much of a good thing” but Welles wouldn’t listen…

I make my own chili dogs which are THE BEST but I can’t eat more than 2 at a time.

430
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:41:09am

re: #421 bratwurst

Ok…who is that meant to be next to Trump? El Rushbo?

They’re the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse—Trump, Hoover, Dumbya and Tricky Dickie

431
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:41:51am

She ignores the blatant racism. #WhitePrivilege

432
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:42:19am

I’m getting sick and tired of people complaining about the media. If it weren’t for the media giving Trump so much “free” airtime, we wouldn’t know half the crazy crap he spews. When Trump’s goons complain about the media ginning up a story to distract from the Clinton FBI interview, maybe they should consider not retweeting racist shit and the media wouldn’t go down those paths. And whether anyone can bring themselves to face it, Clinton’s email scandal is her own fault. She brought this on herself because she decided for no good reason to conduct official business with her personal equipment. No way around that. Every time I hear “But Powell did it too and so did Rice” I think those are the arguments of children. Is the media fair? Heck no, but it never was. It’s like make America great again. Which decade do you want to go back to? When was the media fair? There were always times when the media was manipulating the news or reporting what they were spoon fed.

433
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:42:26am

re: #429 The Vicious Babushka

I make my own chili dogs which are THE BEST but I can’t eat more than 2 at a time.

I can’t eat one because of my Type 2. 😰

434
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:42:38am

re: #430 Joe Bacon

They’re the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse—Trump, Hoover, Dumbya and Tricky Dickie

Why isn’t St. Ronaldus Magnus of Trickledownia on there? Or does he get his very own monument?

435
Romantic Heretic  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:44:13am

re: #410 ObserverArt

Our media…what the hell are they doing?

Making money and be damned to the consequences.

436
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:44:22am

re: #407 The Vicious Babushka

These displays of gross gluttony are embarrassing.

[Embedded content]

Lighten up, Frances. People just having some fun.

437
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:44:32am

re: #434 The Vicious Babushka

Why isn’t St. Ronaldus Magnus of Trickledownia on there? Or does he get his very own monument?

I’m sure that the Kochs will construct the Colossus of President Pruneface over the Potomac in Washington DC!

438
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:45:19am

re: #394 The Vicious Babushka

So the new defense is that Trump’s social media director is so deluged with antisemitic memes he can’t recognize them any more.

439
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:46:32am

re: #432 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

I’m getting sick and tired of people complaining about the media. If it weren’t for the media giving Trump so much “free” airtime, we wouldn’t know half the crazy crap he spews. When Trump’s goons complain about the media ginning up a story to distract from the Clinton FBI interview, maybe they should consider not retweeting racist shit and the media wouldn’t go down those paths. And whether anyone can bring themselves to face it, Clinton’s email scandal is her own fault. She brought this on herself because she decided for no good reason to conduct official business with her personal equipment. No way around that. Every time I hear “But Powell did it too and so did Rice” I think those are the arguments of children. Is the media fair? Heck no, but it never was. It’s like make America great again. Which decade do you want to go back to? When was the media fair? There were always times when the media was manipulating the news or reporting what they were spoon fed.

This is the millionth time you’ve said something like this. IT WAS STANDARD PRACTICE! What part of “standard practice” don’t you understand?

440
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:46:56am

re: #436 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Lighten up, Frances. People just having some fun.

Read this==>

441
wrenchwench  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:47:39am

re: #406 Great White Snark

That’s not accidents. It’s a comment in response to comments about gun accidents. Sorry, that’s fair game in our discussions, no? Before you dismiss it via source, show me a link with contrary accident data from a neutral source. Or even HCI. Or whoever.

There is a reason I opened up the comment as I did. We in the sport work toward zero accidents. Never gonna get there, no more than any other human activity. Do you think it inappropriate to discuss accidents as accidents a moment? Why would that be? Crime is one thing. Suicide another. And accidents. As to skateboards etc, I think the problem is serious injuries are really common.

But if the accident rate has declined, and or is lower than what some may have thought, why is that not considered good news? Comments linking accidents keep coming up. Point and laugh or worse. At some point it’s fair to drop in a link to real numbers.

The reports you talk about are not hard to find. Get as mad as you want at the fact that sporting or safety organizations will point out how safety their sport is when properly run. Once a report is compiled, it’s fair game to cite and evaluate factually. Does the car industry publish reports on how cars are used in crimes? I have never seen that if so.

The comment you responded to also said this: ‘If anything proves the ‘ease’ of guns, there you go.’ That’s only partly about accidents. Yes, a low accident rate is good. Limiting discussions about guns to accidents is too common. First comment on a Page about gun safety some weeks ago was ‘Let’s eliminate suicides’ as part of the discussion.

To me a big part of any gun issue, including accidents, is the culture of guns we have in this country. Skateboards are surprisingly safe. So are bicycles. What’s dangerous is being a pedestrian. Let’s deal with the statistically significant safety issues whenever they come up. I’m not mad that hunters have a safe sport and publish reports that say so. There’s not an issue even out there about cars being used in crimes (other than being stolen themselves).

As for this:

Before you dismiss it via source, show me a link with contrary accident data from a neutral source.

I didn’t ‘dismiss it via source’. I dismissed it for the limited topic it covered, which is what you claim is the same thing I should do in entering the discussion. Nope. I’m bringing up suicide every time guns come up. Sorry notsorry.

442
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:47:43am

re: #438 jaunte

It’s more than a mere mortal can handle

The Beatles - “It’s All Too Much” (5.1 mix - rear-left channel)

443
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:48:19am

re: #440 The Vicious Babushka

Anti eating-contest campaigns are what gives liberals a bad name.

444
lawhawk  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:48:56am
445
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:50:18am

re: #425 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

No he doesn’t.

446
Patricia Kayden  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:50:54am

re: #444 lawhawk

Why does it matter how many Jews there are in the U.S.? What’s her point?

447
The Vicious Babushka  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:51:45am

re: #446 Patricia Kayden

Why does it matter how many Jews there are in the U.S.? What’s her point?

It’s not how many Jews there are, it’s how many of them are fucking (making MOAR JUICE)

448
Skip Intro  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:52:30am

re: #444 lawhawk

MSNBC proudly showcases Ann whenever they get the chance.

449
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:52:49am

re: #447 The Vicious Babushka

I like where this is going

450
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:52:57am

re: #446 Patricia Kayden

Why does it matter how many Jews there are in the U.S.? What’s her point?

It’s like the “<1%” signs the anti-gay crusaders used to carry—if your numbers are sufficiently small, you don’t deserve any rights.

451
Feline Fearless Leader  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:53:47am

re: #450 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

It’s like the “<1%” signs the anti-gay crusaders used to carry—if your numbers are sufficiently small, you don’t deserve any rights.

Unless your particular demographic has 80% of the money.

452
lawhawk  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:54:05am

re: #446 Patricia Kayden

Well, the point? You mean besides the one on the hood?

453
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:54:11am

re: #413 The Vicious Babushka

These people are still working for Trump even though they quit/fired like a dog, because of their LIFETIME NO-DISS contract.

Exactly. And it is why they should never be hired by the media. It is a terrible relationship for news keeping. Oh wait. We don’t do journalistic news anymore

454
HappyWarrior  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:54:14am

re: #444 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Fascist witch says what.

455
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:54:39am
456
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:56:16am

re: #417 Joe Bacon

Just the thought of this scares me…

[Embedded content]

What…no Ronnie???

457
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:56:18am

re: #439 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

What part of “bad idea” don’t you understand? Powell and RIce had no ambitions for higher office. Clinton did. Boldfacing a child’s argument just makes the tantrum louder. At least you didn’t put it in all caps.
As a politician, Clinton should have known better. Since when is (are) politics fair? She has only herself to blame for this persistent cloud hanging over her campaign. I can’t understand why people are surprised about the way this is unfolding.

458
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:56:28am

re: #455 Joe Bacon

Coulter cannot compete with Melania. Looks-wise, anyway.

459
No Depression  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:58:01am

re: #444 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Shut up, Eva Trump.

460
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:58:04am

re: #447 The Vicious Babushka

It’s not how many Jews there are, it’s how many of them are fucking (making MOAR JUICE)

Well, now that I know who Milana Vayntrub is, where do I volunteer?

461
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:58:27am

re: #446 Patricia Kayden

Why does it matter how many Jews there are in the U.S.? What’s her point?

Her point is the same as religious freaks such as McCain and Romney’s Pulpit Pimping Pal John Hagee. The same Hagee who calls the Catholic Church “The Great Whore of Satan” and who also preaches that all Jews must be forcibly returned to Israel so Armageddon can commence. And during Armageddon, Hagee preaches that all Jews will be exterminated except 144,000 male virgins who will then bow down before JC and convert to Christianity.

Bottom line—Hagee and his pal Ann want to finish what Hitler started…

462
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:59:40am

re: #461 Joe Bacon

463
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 10:59:41am

Donald Trump’s tax plan would add $11.2 trillion to national debt and give the top .1% a $1.3 million dollar tax cut, but we’re supposed to be worried about an email server.

464
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:01:00am

re: #457 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

What part of “bad idea” don’t you understand? Powell and RIce had no ambitions for higher office. Clinton did. Boldfacing a child’s argument just makes the tantrum louder. At least you didn’t put it in all caps.
As a politician, Clinton should have known better. Since when is (are) politics fair? She has only herself to blame for this persistent cloud hanging over her campaign. I can’t understand why people are surprised about the way this is unfolding.

I’m sorry, but you’re a fucking moron.There’s nothing “childish” about it. Why in the fucking bejeezus shit would it occur to her to depart from standard practice? Quit saying shit like this! It’s painfully obvious you’re nothing but a GOP ratfucker at this point.

465
Joe Bacon  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:01:44am

re: #463 jaunte

Donald Trump’s tax plan would add $11.2 trillion to national debt and give the top .1% a $1.3 million dollar tax cut, but we’re supposed to be worried about an email server.

Ah, but you’re forgetting that Trump is going to redeem the National Debt by paying a penny for every 10K…Imagine the economic BOOM that will trigger...

466
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:02:01am

re: #463 jaunte

Donald Trump’s tax plan would add $11.2 trillion to national debt and give the top .1% a $1.3 million dollar tax cut, but we’re supposed to be worried about an email server.

$1.3 million PER PERSON
(the ALL CAPS part is something that I want to highlight, perhaps with a higher pitch and volume. More bass, if you will. Not as much treble)

467
stpaulbear  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:02:41am

Lots of reasons to post this Del Amitri song today.

I saw them play on the state capitol grounds when this song was new on a fourth of July weekend. It was a blazing hot day and there was no cover over the stage. They warned us that, as Scotts, they weren’t used to this kind of heat and might fall over, but they made it through a blistering, great set.

The song is also a great dedication to all of the Brexit voters who’s leaders have all turned tail and run. It’s a great song on it’s own. A favorite.

THE ONES THAT YOU LOVE LEAD YOU NOWHERE (Lyrics)-DEL AMITRI.wmv

468
SoundGuy 2016  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:03:25am

re: #463 jaunte

Donald Trump’s tax plan would add $11.2 trillion to national debt and give the top .1% a $1.3 million dollar tax cut, but we’re supposed to be worried about an email server.

Stand Down you $hillary Lover.

469
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:03:55am

re: #436 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Lighten up, Frances. People just having some fun.

And some people are just making comments. Lightening up can go both ways.

470
lawhawk  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:04:21am

Been following tweets about this for the past 30 minutes or so. Reports of explosions in at least one city in Saudi Arabia. Some reports suggest that it was a car fire, but several other reports are suggesting suicide bomb/car bomb.

Very early, but if this is indeed car/suicide bombers and in Medina, then we’re talking some serious stuff going down in Saudi Arabia.

471
Jenner7  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:05:05am

re: #457 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

So, because she was ambitious, it was wrong??

I’ve heard that about Hillary: too ambitious.

472
GlutenFreeJesus  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:05:28am

Wonder what it’ll take for the Don to block me.

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

473
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:06:10am

re: #464 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

I’m sorry, but you’re a fucking moron.There’s nothing “childish” about it. Why in the fucking bejeezus shit would it occur to her to depart from standard practice? Quit saying shit like this! It’s painfully obvious you’re nothing but a GOP ratfucker at this point.

Why in (your word) “the fucking bejeezus shit” would your opponents ignore a line of attack against their opponent? You can bet your ass that Clinton would be doing it if the roles were reversed. Just step back and ask yourself why she went through the trouble of setting it up and maintaining it and accepting the inevitable political fallout? Can you really come up with a better answer than everyone else was doing it?

474
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:07:41am

re: #470 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Been following tweets about this for the past 30 minutes or so. Reports of explosions in at least one city in Saudi Arabia. Some reports suggest that it was a car fire, but several other reports are suggesting suicide bomb/car bomb.

Very early, but if this is indeed car/suicide bombers and in Medina, then we’re talking some serious stuff going down in Saudi Arabia.

Don’t worry—when they have nukes like Trump wants them to, everything will be all right.

475
dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:08:35am

it’s unfortunate that some in the liberal media have chosen to misinterpret a casual remark about an incident mr trump experienced at breakfast. if you listen carefully it’s clear that mr trump was only saying “it’s all the fault of the juice!”

476
SoundGuy 2016  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:08:57am

re: #472 GlutenFreeJesus

Ninja Level Trolling. Respect.

477
GlutenFreeJesus  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:09:14am

re: #475 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸

To clarify even further. It’s the pulp in the juice.

478
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:09:16am

re: #473 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Why in (your word) “the fucking bejeezus shit” would your opponents ignore a line of attack against their opponent? You can bet your ass that Clinton would be doing it if the roles were reversed. Just step back and ask yourself why she went through the trouble of setting it up and maintaining it and accepting the inevitable political fallout? Can you really come up with a better answer than everyone else was doing it?

No better answer is needed! That’s what was done at the time! Why would it occur to anyone to do anything different? Your argument is insane.

479
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:09:28am

re: #441 wrenchwench

The comment you responded to also said this: ‘If anything proves the ‘ease’ of guns, there you go.’ That’s only partly about accidents. Yes, a low accident rate is good. Limiting discussions about guns to accidents is too common. First comment on a Page about gun safety some weeks ago was ‘Let’s eliminate suicides’ as part of the discussion.

To me a big part of any gun issue, including accidents, is the culture of guns we have in this country. Skateboards are surprisingly safe. So are bicycles. What’s dangerous is being a pedestrian. Let’s deal with the statistically significant safety issues whenever they come up. I’m not mad that hunters have a safe sport and publish reports that say so. There’s not an issue even out there about cars being used in crimes (other than being stolen themselves).

As for this:

I didn’t ‘dismiss it via source’. I dismissed it for the limited topic it covered, which is what you claim is the same thing I should do in entering the discussion. Nope. I’m bringing up suicide every time guns come up. Sorry notsorry.

Thanks wrench. I’m glad you’re pointing out the differences in my comment. I wasn’t trying to chum the waters. The story just amazed me that in a quick response the gun was so natural in his hand that he couldn’t think of dropping it, he more or less used it as if he was going to flick the bullet out of burning position with the end of the gun. It was utilitarian at that point…not even a gun. That is ease.

480
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:09:34am

re: #463 jaunte

Donald Trump’s tax plan would add $11.2 trillion to national debt and give the top .1% a $1.3 million dollar tax cut, but we’re supposed to be worried about an email server.

This is why I bust Clinton’s balls. Admit it, she fucked up. Stuff like this distracts people from pounding Trump on the issues. It isn’t fair, but Clinton is a pro, she should have known better. If I didn’t have high expectations of her than I wouldn’t care, but she’s the only one who can keep Trump out of the Oval Office and she better not fuck this up any more.

481
Alephnaught  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:10:04am

My photos from Edinburgh Pride are up on Flickr:

flickr.com

482
gwangung  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:10:31am

re: #473 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Why in (your word) “the fucking bejeezus shit” would your opponents ignore a line of attack against their opponent? You can bet your ass that Clinton would be doing it if the roles were reversed. Just step back and ask yourself why she went through the trouble of setting it up and maintaining it and accepting the inevitable political fallout? Can you really come up with a better answer than everyone else was doing it?

Because it was a bad regulation promulgated in the 20th Century being applied to 21st Century conditions? And if it’s being ignored by three straight secretary of states, perhaps what we need to look at is the regulation, not the secretaries of states?

483
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:11:49am

re: #478 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

No better answer is needed! That’s what was done at the time! Why would it occur to anyone to do anything different? Your argument is insane.

You’re in denial. My argument is being played out in front of you every day. I notice nobody can give a good reason for Clinton to expose herself to this scrutiny. I also asked “since when is politics fair?”

Any takers?

484
GlutenFreeJesus  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:11:54am

Time to fire up the grill. Babybacks and rack of lamb. Enjoy your 4th, everyone!

485
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:13:35am

re: #480 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

This is why I bust Clinton’s balls. Admit it, she fucked up. Stuff like this distracts people from pounding Trump on the issues. It isn’t fair, but Clinton is a pro, she should have known better. If I didn’t have high expectations of her than I wouldn’t care, but she’s the only one who can keep Trump out of the Oval Office and she better not fuck this up any more.

Perseveration like this in a completely debunked theory could be the sign of a brain tumor—I’d have that looked into.

486
dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:14:42am

clearly mr trump was only commenting that arby’s makes fries, as any fan of fast food can tell you

487
William Lewis  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:14:52am

The only ones that give a rats ass about the email “scandal” are people who would have never voted for her in the first place. It’s simply red meat for the Fox true believers and needs to be ignored with the exception to answer anyone whining, they can indict Rice & Powell first.

488
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:15:36am

re: #482 gwangung

The relevant regulations are the maintenance of official records and the handling of classified data. Both of these cannot be assured by the way Clinton conducted business. I have never called her a criminal, and I wouldn’t over this. My argument has always been that the way she handled this was stupid. She’s been in politics all of her professional life. She wanted to run for President. She had to know this wouldn’t go away.
Funny you can’t get anybody to acknowledge the simplest thing, that she screwed up.

489
stpaulbear  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:16:25am

re: #480 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

This is why I bust Clinton’s balls. Admit it, she fucked up. Stuff like this distracts people from pounding Trump on the issues. It isn’t fair, but Clinton is a pro, she should have known better. If I didn’t have high expectations of her than I wouldn’t care, but she’s the only one who can keep Trump out of the Oval Office and she better not fuck this up any more.

You might want to stock up on Depends before November.

490
Jenner7  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:16:37am

Let’s walk through this:

Powell used a private email to communicate with department heads. Has no record of them and were mostly related to “housekeeping”.

Hillary set up an email server, which in hindsight was pretty smart considering the hacks to the state department and pentagon, deleted PRIVATE emails and handed the rest to the department.

But she fucked up and should have known better because she’s ambitious.

Is that about right?

Here’s what I think. I think she’s the scapegoat. She’s “ambitious” and that’s no good for Republicans. Bottom line: she broke no rules and no laws. END OF STORY.

491
SoundGuy 2016  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:17:17am

Clinton having her own server is a reasonable response for all the shit she’s put up with over the last 25 years.

Her strenuous effort for secrecy and privacy is entirely reasonable.

Move on.

492
Great White Snark  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:18:34am

re: #479 ObserverArt

Well it does seem rather strange that in a discussion, one can’t limit the scope if only for a minute. Because the incident was clearly an accident, it seems entirely fair to look at accident rates a second. So what I cited has two flaws-Source (all footnoted) and scope.
Sorry, I find it fair to cite accident rates when discussing an accident.

It’s not a fair discussion when accurate if narrowly focused data is unwelcome. Nothing in that report denies the issues about guns we do have. Nor do I.

493
gwangung  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:18:36am

re: #488 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

The relevant regulations are the maintenance of official records and the handling of classified data. Both of these cannot be assured by the way Clinton conducted business. I have never called her a criminal, and I wouldn’t over this. My argument has always been that the way she handled this was stupid. She’s been in politics all of her professional life. She wanted to run for President. She had to know this wouldn’t go away.
Funny you can’t get anybody to acknowledge the simplest thing, that she screwed up.

You basically ignored what I said.

I don’t see the need to continue.

494
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:19:27am

re: #457 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

What part of “bad idea” don’t you understand? Powell and RIce had no ambitions for higher office. Clinton did. Boldfacing a child’s argument just makes the tantrum louder. At least you didn’t put it in all caps.
As a politician, Clinton should have known better. Since when is (are) politics fair? She has only herself to blame for this persistent cloud hanging over her campaign. I can’t understand why people are surprised about the way this is unfolding.

Who? You know someone that is surprised? You?

Seems to me there are many that are aware the persistent cloud has been over her head for 25 years. Created by hot air. But in your ‘absolute’ view you know it is all her fault and any excuse is childish. Do you want someone to comment on that or just go with your absolute? There really is nothing can be said since your mind is closed on it.

You okay? You seem to be in a snit about…well, everything!

495
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:19:44am

re: #487 William Lewis

You’re wrong about this. I know people who are on the fence between Trump and Clinton. The email is an unforced error that perpetuates uninformed peoples’ impressions of “The Clintons” being shady. I don’t get it but I see and hear it all the time. The people who would never vote for Clinton don’t care about the email either, they won’t vote for her anyway. There are still a shitload of undecideds out there who don’t realize what a Trump Presidency would mean, and this unforced mistake by Clinton is a distraction.

496
wrenchwench  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:19:56am

re: #490 Jenner7

Let’s walk through this:

Powell used a private email to communicate with department heads. Has no record of them and were mostly related to “housekeeping”.

Hillary set up an email server, which in hindsight was pretty smart considering the hacks to the state department and pentagon, deleted PRIVATE emails and handed the rest to the department.

But she fucked up and should have known better because she’s ambitious.

Is that about right?

Here’s what I think. I think she’s the scapegoat. She’s “ambitious” and that’s no good for Republicans. Bottom line: she broke no rules and no laws. END OF STORY.

HILLARY IS THE ONE WHOSE EMAIL SHOULD BE ‘MOSTLY RELATED TO HOUSEKEEPING’!!!

497
jaunte  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:20:00am

General David Petraeus tipped as Republican 2012 presidential candidate
telegraph.co.uk

R’s still stung over Petraeus, hoping the eNothingburger will sink Hillary.

498
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:20:32am

re: #462 Ming5000

Embedded Image

Zing!

Oh wait…needs moar caps.

ZING!!!

499
Eric The Fruit Bat  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:20:32am

As Matt Taibbi can only put it: In Response to Trump, Another Dangerous Movement Appears

Fears of demagoguery are provoking a frightening swing in the other direction

In “How American Politics Went Insane,” Brookings Institute Fellow Jonathan Rauch spends many thousands of words arguing for the reinvigoration of political machines, as a means of keeping the ape-citizen further from power.

He portrays the public as a gang of nihilistic loonies determined to play mailbox baseball with the gears of state.

“Neurotic hatred of the political class is the country’s last universally acceptable form of bigotry,” he writes, before concluding:

“Our most pressing political problem today is that the country abandoned the establishment, not the other way around.”

Rauch’s audacious piece, much like Andrew Sullivan’s clarion call for a less-democratic future in New York magazine (“Democracies end when they are too democratic”), is not merely a warning about the threat posed to civilization by demagogues like Donald Trump.
…
But choosing a dangerous race-baiting lunatic as the vehicle for the first successful revolt in ages against one of the two major parties will have many profound negative consequences for voters. The most serious will surely be this burgeoning movement to describe voting and democracy as inherently dangerous.

Donald Trump is dangerous because as president, he’d likely have little respect for law. But a gang of people whose metaphor for society is “We are the white cells, voters are the disease” is comparably scary in its own banal, less click-generating way.

These self-congratulating cognoscenti could have looked at the events of the last year and wondered why people were so angry with them, and what they could do to make government work better for the population.

Instead, their first instinct is to dismiss voter concerns as baseless, neurotic bigotry and to assume that the solution is to give Washington bureaucrats even more leeway to blow off the public. In the absurdist comedy that is American political life, this is the ultimate anti-solution to the unrest of the last year, the mathematically perfect wrong ending.

Trump is going to lose this election, then live on as the reason for an emboldened, even less-responsive oligarchy. And you thought this election season couldn’t get any worse.

500
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:20:37am

re: #488 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

The relevant regulations are the maintenance of official records and the handling of classified data. Both of these cannot be assured by the way Clinton conducted business. I have never called her a criminal, and I wouldn’t over this. My argument has always been that the way she handled this was stupid. She’s been in politics all of her professional life. She wanted to run for President. She had to know this wouldn’t go away.
Funny you can’t get anybody to acknowledge the simplest thing, that she screwed up.

You’re goddamn right I won’t acknowledge it! How is doing what had always been done “screwing up”? Why didn’t Powell and Rice “screw up”? Why is it only Hillary Clinton that “screwed up” by following standard practice? Tell the truth: You’re Indepublicrat, aren’t you?

501
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:22:34am

re: #490 Jenner7

“But she fucked up and should have known better because she’s ambitious.

Is that about right?”

That’s exactly right. She should have known better. Is it really a surprise that somebody’s political opponents try to make a mountain out of a molehill? For the millionth time I ask since when is politics fair?

502
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:23:53am

re: #500 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

You’re goddamn right I won’t acknowledge it! How is doing what had always been done “screwing up”? Why didn’t Powell and Rice “screw up”? Why is it only Hillary Clinton that “screwed up” by following standard practice? Tell the truth: You’re Indepublicrat, aren’t you?

If Powell or Rice ran for President as Republicans you could bet your ass that the Democrats would have been raising hell.

Edit to add: I’m still a Republican, even though I don’t think I voted for one since Arlen Spector.

503
A Mom Anon  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:24:25am

re: #493 gwangung

It doesn’t matter what she does. Period. Even if she did nothing wrong she’s supposed to think about THE OPTICS and how bad it looks. She destroyed COPIES (or had them destroyed) of her daily schedule while at State because that was the protocol but she apparently should have thought about THE OPTICS and ignored the security protocol.

Democrats need to stop jumping on this too and make it sound as dumb as it is. I hear this shit all the time, “she should have known how it would look”, when the actual truth is fucking conservatives are up her ass with golf shoes and even if she doesn’t do anything wrong it will be made into a fucking scandal that ends in fishing expeditions that taxpayers foot the bill for.

504
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:26:22am

re: #473 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Why in (your word) “the fucking bejeezus shit” would your opponents ignore a line of attack against their opponent? You can bet your ass that Clinton would be doing it if the roles were reversed. Just step back and ask yourself why she went through the trouble of setting it up and maintaining it and accepting the inevitable political fallout? Can you really come up with a better answer than everyone else was doing it?

We have had discussions that it may easily be proven her server was more secure than had she been a part of the government servers.

You know, the ones that it has been revealed have been hacked by the N. Korens, Iran and Russia.

Those Clinton’s and their security! They be all secretive and shit, until the meme needs to be changed to where they sold you down the river.

505
wrenchwench  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:27:34am

re: #492 Great White Snark

Well it does seem rather strange that in a discussion, one can’t limit the scope if only for a minute. Because the incident was clearly an accident, it seems entirely fair to look at accident rates a second. So what I cited has two flaws-Source (all footnoted) and scope.
Sorry, I find it fair to cite accident rates when discussing an accident.

It’s not a fair discussion when accurate if narrowly focused data is unwelcome. Nothing in that report denies the issues about guns we do have. Nor do I.

You can limit the scope of your comments all you want. You can put up whatever data you want.

You cannot limit the scope of my comments. My apologies for the uninvited broadening of the topic.

506
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:30:11am

re: #504 ObserverArt

How do you know it hasn’t been hacked? Because Clinton never said it was? You’re making another weak argument. Maybe it wasn’t hacked because she was lucky. Maybe it was hacked and we never heard about it. Even Hilary Clinton wouldn’t dare try to make that argument.

507
William Lewis  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:31:36am

re: #495 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

SMH.

508
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:33:28am

re: #488 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

The relevant regulations are the maintenance of official records and the handling of classified data. Both of these cannot be assured by the way Clinton conducted business. I have never called her a criminal, and I wouldn’t over this. My argument has always been that the way she handled this was stupid. She’s been in politics all of her professional life. She wanted to run for President. She had to know this wouldn’t go away.
Funny you can’t get anybody to acknowledge the simplest thing, that she screwed up.

Jesus. She herself admitted she screwed up!

The rest is you hyperventilating over it.

Did it also occur to you that Hillary is of the age to not be all that familiar with computer technology? She probably didn’t know better to some extent. And when she said she wanted to be secure, maybe someone that does tech for them said they could fix her right up. Her own dedicated server.

509
Jenner7  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:36:30am

BTW, Hillary did say it was mistake. One she regrets.

And it’s not a problem that her opponent is using this against her, that’s politics. It’s the media’s insistence that’s it’s a problem for her. It’s the leaks coming from the FBI and GOP. It’s the misleading headlines and 24 hour later corrections. It casts doubts about her honestly, which seems to be working on Steve. That’s the idea, that’s what they want.

Personally, I don’t give a fuck she had a private server. It’s been one witch hunt after another and it’s drenched in misogyny. I hope she kicks Trump’s fucking ass in November and tells the GOP to fuck the hell off.

510
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:36:46am

re: #507 William Lewis

Shake your head all you want. I don’t get why so many people are enamored with the guy. I shake my head that so many people don’t seem to care what he stands for, what he’s done, the insane people he appeals to, yet they still want him to be President. Again, the “scandal” isn’t meant to appeal to true believers, it’s aimed at people who don’t watch currents events very closely. The salt of the Earth, the common clay of the new America, you know…

511
Great White Snark  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:37:31am

re: #505 wrenchwench

You cannot limit the scope of my comments. My apologies for the uninvited broadening of the topic.

WW, I wouldn’t do that. I don’t mind broadening the topic. I don’t even think we disagree that much about regulations that we want added.

512
Jenner7  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:38:24am

Okay, going upstairs….

513
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:38:26am

re: #508 ObserverArt

I’ve heard her concede she screwed up, but around here, you can’t get anybody to make the same concession, I just keep getting temper tantrums, denial, and excuses. It’s kind of sad in a way.

514
ObserverArt  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:40:00am

re: #492 Great White Snark

Well it does seem rather strange that in a discussion, one can’t limit the scope if only for a minute. Because the incident was clearly an accident, it seems entirely fair to look at accident rates a second. So what I cited has two flaws-Source (all footnoted) and scope.
Sorry, I find it fair to cite accident rates when discussing an accident.

It’s not a fair discussion when accurate if narrowly focused data is unwelcome. Nothing in that report denies the issues about guns we do have. Nor do I.

Uh…what did I say? I never said anything about you not being able to bring up your statistics. I do think I am talking about something else.

Is there a subset of your statistics that goes into the psychology of someone who can become so used to firing a gun and have it in his hand enough so that if he sneezed he could go to hold his nose and shoot himself right in the face? Because that is what I am talking about. Familiarity that brings about comfort…ease.

I am about to the point of never mentioning guns around here anymore. Why, America. It is now pointless. Lets kill some more.

515
wrenchwench  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:43:42am

re: #511 Great White Snark

WW, I wouldn’t do that. I don’t mind broadening the topic. I don’t even think we disagree that much about regulations that we want added.

Maybe not on the regulations (I do want to stay within the Constitution…) but we may disagree on the cultural changes I favor.

GUNS, SMASH!

516
A Cranky One  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:44:01am

re: #513 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

I’ve heard her concede she screwed up, but around here, you can’t get anybody to make the same concession, I just keep getting temper tantrums, denial, and excuses. It’s kind of sad in a way.

Many things are mistakes in hindsight. What some people are objecting to is the implication that she knew it was a mistake when it was done. That’s why pointing out that other SOSs did the same thing is appropriate; they didn’t think it was a mistake either.

And the whole affair points out a big difference in the candidates. Hillary has admitted that it was a mistake, while Trump refuses to apologize for anything and continues to insist that no mistakes have been made.

517
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:45:34am

re: #457 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

What part of “bad idea” don’t you understand? Powell and RIce had no ambitions for higher office. Clinton did. Boldfacing a child’s argument just makes the tantrum louder. At least you didn’t put it in all caps.
As a politician, Clinton should have known better. Since when is (are) politics fair? She has only herself to blame for this persistent cloud hanging over her campaign. I can’t understand why people are surprised about the way this is unfolding.

Should have known better than what, exactly? Seriously, I’m curious.

518
No Country For Old Haters  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:48:35am

re: #513 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

I’ve heard her concede she screwed up, but around here, you can’t get anybody to make the same concession, I just keep getting temper tantrums, denial, and excuses. It’s kind of sad in a way.

The thing is, it’s only a “screwup” in hindsight, and not even that if her server was more secure than government ones. This was something that was pretty standard. At the time she had no reason to believe it would be a problem. She has no way of predicting what non-issue Republicans will pretend is a scandal. They would have latched onto literally anything and held endless hearings. This is what Republicans do.

519
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:49:04am

re: #516 A Cranky One

That’s why I make the distinction that Clinton was preparing to run for President, and they weren’t. That’s why I included the fact that she was a lifelong politician, because she had to know there would be a political price to pay. I also make the argument that politics is not about fairness. If the tables had been turned her campaign would be milking the story.
My bemusement here is that the lizards who can’t bring themselves to admit she messed up. They’d rather blame the media.

520
Great White Snark  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:49:46am

re: #514 ObserverArt

My comments were aimed at WW, to her point. There is a recognition about how accidents happen. Why. How unthinking responses to normal physical input can cause an accident. All I’m doing here is presenting some hard data that relates to the incident mentioned, at a gun range.

I am about to the point of never mentioning guns around here anymore. Why, America. It is now pointless. Lets kill some more.

Whatever suits your peace of mind. I don’t share that bitterness, and I’m still working for safety and change in that gun sport/culture. From inside and out. I do not share that any gun anywhere anytime ra ra attitude we see from the nut jobs. Not at all.

521
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:52:21am

re: #513 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

I’ve heard her concede she screwed up, but around here, you can’t get anybody to make the same concession, I just keep getting temper tantrums, denial, and excuses. It’s kind of sad in a way.

Dude. Huma Abedin testifies to what is incotrovertibly a good practice - destroying document copies that contain potentially sensitive information. It’s what you do to make sure that the information is contained.

But it’s portrayed as “Huma Abedin admits to destroying Hillary’s schedules”.

There’s literally nothing that won’t get twisted, or exaggerated. HRC admitted she screwed up? Yeah, because following standard procedure was never going to be good enough. I mean, for shit’s sake, Powell turned over ZERO emails, because they’re all deleted. But HRC, who went to the trouble of making all her work-related emails available, gets pilloried.

BTW, WRT Powell and Rice? They never had to worry, even if they’d run for President, because this shit is not something we do.

522
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:53:00am

re: #517 Blind Frog Belly White

Should have known better than what, exactly? Seriously, I’m curious.

Seriously, you still don’t understand what the choice was? I’ve been pretty clear about this: She should have conducted official business on government equipment. Would not have been difficult, as even she concedes. There would be no question of what records were preserved, there would have been no question of her handling of classified info. This whole story line would never exist.

523
A Cranky One  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:53:37am

re: #519 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

That’s why I make the distinction that Clinton was preparing to run for President, and they weren’t. That’s why I included the fact that she was a lifelong politician, because she had to know there would be a political price to pay. I also make the argument that politics is not about fairness. If the tables had been turned her campaign would be milking the story.
My bemusement here is that the lizards who can’t bring themselves to admit she messed up. They’d rather blame the media.

Again, using hindsight to claim she should have known better. If she had that kind of control over time and space we wouldn’t be worried that Trump might win.

524
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:53:57am

re: #521 Blind Frog Belly White

“BTW, WRT Powell and Rice? They never had to worry, even if they’d run for President, because this shit is not something we do.”

Don’t kid yourself.

525
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:55:12am

re: #522 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Seriously, you still don’t understand what the choice was? I’ve been pretty clear about this: She should have conducted official business on government equipment. Would not have been difficult, as even she concedes. There would be no question of what records were preserved, there would have been no question of her handling of classified info. This whole story line would never exist.

Do you seriously believe that? Note the story about Huma Abedin and the schedules. It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing she could do that would not generate some kind of story, because there’s a whole cottage industry devoted to this shit.

526
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 11:57:33am

re: #523 A Cranky One

There’s no issue of hindsight. At the time she started using it, the problem of record keeping was in the public eye. The email problems of the Bush administration were already front and center at the time. The ambition to run for President down the road does not make this a hindsight issue, it make this a foresight issue.
Excuses, excuses, nothing but excuses. Sounds like what Trump supporters are doing these days:P

527
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:00:06pm

re: #525 Blind Frog Belly White

There was something she could have done to avoid giving them a story. The important thing is she gave them this storyline. Nobody else did. Even the Huma Abedin thing with the schedules would have never existed if she had just used the government email.
How hard is this really?

528
CuriousLurker  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:02:42pm

re: #495 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

You’re wrong about this. I know people who are on the fence between Trump and Clinton. The email is an unforced error that perpetuates uninformed peoples’ impressions of “The Clintons” being shady. I don’t get it but I see and hear it all the time. The people who would never vote for Clinton don’t care about the email either, they won’t vote for her anyway. There are still a shitload of undecideds out there who don’t realize what a Trump Presidency would mean, and this unforced mistake by Clinton is a distraction.

There are still undecideds out there who don’t realize what a Trump presidency would mean? Seriously? Even after he’s stated quite clearly what it would mean on numerous occasions?

So I’m trying to picture these supposedly numerous people in the voting booth: “Hmm, on one hand we have a guy with ZERO political executive experience who’s in favor of ethnic profiling, monitoring Americans based on their religion, torture, the killing of innocent family members of terrorists, and would most likely destroy our economy and relationships with many allies (among other things). On the other hand we have a highly experienced former senator, First Lady and Secretary of State who made a mistake in using a private email server. Golly gee willikers, that’s a really tough call to make!”

BTW, HRC herself already said it was a mistake, yet people—Republican people who’d like to distract people from the myriad faults & pathological lies of the carnival barker they’ve chosen as their party’s standard bearer—prefer to insist on beating this dead horse. It’s a tiresome distraction.

“This report makes clear that personal email use was the practice for other secretaries of state. And I know that because it is well known, it’s pointed out in the report. But it was still a mistake,” Clinton said. “And as I’ve said many times, if I could go back, I would do it differently. I know people have concerns about this.” […]

“I think voters are going to be looking at the full picture of what I have to offer, my life, and my service, and the full threat that Donald Trump offers our country,” Clinton said. “I have confidence that they’re going to be making the right decision.” […]

washingtonpost.com

529
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:03:31pm

re: #524 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Don’t kid yourself.

Once again, as I said the other day, when we have the chance to do the same shit, we don’t. We don’t have any equivalent of the VRWC. We don’t have plaintiff’s attorneys paid by Left Wing PACS to set up perjury traps in frivolous lawsuits. We don’t have magazines, websites, etc. all designed to dig up dirt, invent dirt, and delegitimize the President.

This Magical Balance Fairy shit won’t fly with me, because I’ve been paying attention since the 1970s. Again and again, whether it was the Beirut barracks bombing, or Iran Contra, or non-existent WMDs, when we had the opportunity, we didn’t go on witchhunts. The Bush Administration deleted TWO MILLION EMAILS, and use GOP servers for official business. Where were the 9 investigations of THAT?

530
A Cranky One  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:04:10pm

re: #526 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

There’s no issue of hindsight. At the time she started using it, the problem of record keeping was in the public eye. The email problems of the Bush administration were already front and center at the time. The ambition to run for President down the road does not make this a hindsight issue, it make this a foresight issue.
Excuses, excuses, nothing but excuses. Sounds like what Trump supporters are doing these days:P

And how much of a political price did the Republican administration suffer for their email issues, long term? Even though their issue was much more egregious?

And I’m not making excuses, because frankly the whole issue is a non-scandal, like most of the so-called scandals about Hillary.

Oh, and you want to compare me to Trump supporters? Fuck off.

531
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:05:14pm

re: #527 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

There was something she could have done to avoid giving them a story. The important thing is she gave them this storyline. Nobody else did. Even the Huma Abedin thing with the schedules would have never existed if she had just used the government email.
How hard is this really?

BZZZTTTT!! WRONG! Abedin was talking about PAPER COPIES of HRC’s schedule. You know, the kind you print out so you know where the boss is and where she’s supposed to be next?

You just seem to be SO CERTAIN about this stuff that you just made up a connection where none exists. Nice going!

532
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:10:17pm

re: #529 Blind Frog Belly White

It isn’t MBF shit. The difference between Bush and Clinton is that the Bush people were on their way out anyway. There was no political price to be paid. Clinton, on the other hand, already watched eight years of Republicans having a special prosecutor on retainer and knew how politics worked, yet she still decided to go ahead anyway and open herself up to this scrutiny.
BTW, when it comes to Iran-Contra, there was a huge political price paid by George H. Bush. Why do you think Dan Quayle was VP? To make Bush impeachment proof.

533
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:13:36pm

re: #531 Blind Frog Belly White

BZZZTTTT!! WRONG! Abedin was talking about PAPER COPIES of HRC’s schedule. You know, the kind you print out so you know where the boss is and where she’s supposed to be next?

You just seem to be SO CERTAIN about this stuff that you just made up a connection where none exists. Nice going!

Geez, I know she was talking about copies. The point is there would never have been a statement to cherry pick from if this email “scandal” didn’t exist. She was discussing Clinton’s handling of classified information and the preservation of records, both of which were issues because she used the private server. If she had used the government system, there would never have been any testimony about preserving records or handling classified info.

534
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:15:06pm

I’m also not the one who brought up Abedin’s testimony so don’t say I’m the one who made the connection.

535
CuriousLurker  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:15:07pm

I’m going upstairs. ◔_◔

536
Ming5000  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:23:09pm

re: #535 CuriousLurker

I’m going upstairs. ◔_◔

I am sticking it out. This is awesome.

537
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:27:11pm

re: #536 Ming5000

I am sticking it out. This is awesome.

I’m done. The stone wall can cling to his MBF.

538
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:29:58pm

Heh. Denial is a bitch, isn’t it?

539
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:35:05pm

re: #538 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Heh. Denial is a bitch, isn’t it?

Dunno. Is it?

540
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:36:25pm

re: #539 Blind Frog Belly White

Dunno. Is it?

Don’t know. I’m not the one denying she screwed up.

541
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:38:28pm

re: #540 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Don’t know. I’m not the one denying she screwed up.

No, you’re the one claiming that Dems would do what Republicans do in the same situation, despite decades of evidence to the contrary.

And I like how following standard procedure and doing what is allowed by law and policy is ‘screwing up’. That’s what you say if you’ve bought into the narrative.

542
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:47:08pm

re: #431 The Vicious Babushka

She ignores the blatant racism. #WhitePrivilege

As I noted above, Dr. Stein hangs out with Russian racist oligarchs in Moscow, as noted on her own Website.

jill2016.com

543
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:47:10pm

re: #541 Blind Frog Belly White

First of all, you don’t have decades of evidence. The hyperpolitical use of committees only got rolling in the 90s, and the Democrats have had precious little opportunity to do it themselves. That is not evidence the “We don’t do that.” It’s more like we haven’t really had a chance to do it without making ourselves look like idiots. (did you really think they were going to investigate the run up to the Iraq war when so many voted in favor of it?)
And I have argued repeatedly that this is not a law and order problem for Hilary Clinton, it is a political problem. I have said repeatedly that she is not a criminal because of this and that nobody is going to jail, yet that is completely and consistently ignored. And, yes, indeed she has screwed up quite obviously because not only is it obscuring her message, it is obscuring Trump’s problems.

544
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:54:20pm

re: #543 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

Dems didn’t run the House Un-American Activities Committee either. (There are actually decades of hyper-partisan committees), nor are we calling for its restoration (that would be Newt Gingrich).

545
Nyet  Jul 4, 2016 • 12:59:24pm

re: #461 Joe Bacon

Her point is the same as religious freaks such as McCain and Romney’s Pulpit Pimping Pal John Hagee. The same Hagee who calls the Catholic Church “The Great Whore of Satan” and who also preaches that all Jews must be forcibly returned to Israel so Armageddon can commence. And during Armageddon, Hagee preaches that all Jews will be exterminated except 144,000 male virgins who will then bow down before JC and convert to Christianity.

Bottom line—Hagee and his pal Ann want to finish what Hitler started…

All the more interesting in the light of the late Elie Wiesel’s friendship with Hagee.

546
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:01:52pm

I think we’re arguing past each other in a sense. I’m referring to hyperpoliticizing as a means to go after one specific party, as in Benghazi or Whitewater. I don’t equate that with the HUAC.

547
Anymouse  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:05:36pm

re: #546 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

I think we’re arguing past each other in a sense. I’m referring to hyperpoliticizing as a means to go after one specific party, as in Benghazi or Whitewater. I don’t equate that with the HUAC.

Perhaps, but Newt’s idea for targets to investigate with a new HUAC are not likely to be Republicans. (Start with Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Abedin, and see how many other Democrats you could throw in there.)

548
SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:08:14pm

re: #547 Anymouse

I agree with you about Newt’s intentions, but I think they’d start with smaller fish. A bully wouldn’t go near Clinton or Abedin.

549
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:14:58pm

re: #543 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

First of all, you don’t have decades of evidence. The hyperpolitical use of committees only got rolling in the 90s, and the Democrats have had precious little opportunity to do it themselves. That is not evidence the “We don’t do that.” It’s more like we haven’t really had a chance to do it without making ourselves look like idiots. (did you really think they were going to investigate the run up to the Iraq war when so many voted in favor of it?)
And I have argued repeatedly that this is not a law and order problem for Hilary Clinton, it is a political problem. I have said repeatedly that she is not a criminal because of this and that nobody is going to jail, yet that is completely and consistently ignored. And, yes, indeed she has screwed up quite obviously because not only is it obscuring her message, it is obscuring Trump’s problems.

Yeah, actually, I do. I have the evidence of the VRWC’s actions from the moment of Clinton’s election. There simply is no left wing equivalent. If there were, from the moment of GWB’s election, if not sooner, there’d have been articles in The Nation and The New Republic all about Laura Bush and her killing a boyfriend with a car, about George’s blow and hooker scandals, about Prescott Bush’s affection for Nazis, etc. There would have been committee after committee after committee once the Dems took over, because the groundwork would have been done for the previous 6 years.

It’s not just congressional investigations. The entire Clinton Presidency was one faux scandal after another.

Here’s how it worked - somebody would post something on a blog somewhere - “Clinton Strangles Puppies!”, which Matt Drudge would dutifully pick up. GOP Politicians would start talking about it - “Why won’t the Mainstream Media investigate?” Next somebody on cable news would pick it up - not as a story, but rather as a story ABOUT the story - “Report Says Clinton Strangle Puppies!” Pretty soon it made it to the Evening News. And the folks who spread the lie in the first place start whipping up the fever for a Congressional Investigation.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

NOTHING LIKE THAT happened during the 8 years of the Bush Presidency.

Want another example? John Kerry actually served in combat in Vietnam. He was shot at, he was wounded. GWB? He took a cushy gig in the Texas Air National Guard, which by all accounts he didn’t even take seriously. The GOP managed to put together a bunch of people who lied about an diminished Kerry’s service. The Dems? We had MUCH BETTER MATERIAL to work with in Bush’s lackadaisical approach to his own service, but did WE organize “Pilots For Truth”? Did we organize press events and such to piss all over GWB’s minimal effort? No, we did not.

550
Blind Frog Belly White  Jul 4, 2016 • 1:22:42pm

re: #548 SteveMcGaziBolaGate RN

I agree with you about Newt’s intentions, but I think they’d start with smaller fish. A bully wouldn’t go near Clinton or Abedin.

Well, he did that before, back in the late 1990s, and ended up flying too close to the sun. The wax melted, his wings fell apart, and pretty soon he wasn’t Speaker anymore.


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