Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
As he pledged increased support from the U.S., Secretary of State Antony Blinken summed up the ongoing war in Ukraine at the UN Security Council: “If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends.” Not in attendance at this particular meeting: Sergey Lavrov.
Meanwhile, the sham voting about whether the occupied regions in Ukriane should become part of Russia began today: “Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions asked residents if they want the areas to be part of Russia.”
Reports say that Russian collaborators are going door to door in some places to make sure that residents vote. In some cases, a masked police officer carrying an assault rifle accompanies them.
Note:
Luhansk Gov. Serhii Haidai accused Russian officials of taking down the names of people who voted against it. In online posts, Haidai also alleged that Russian officials threatened to kick down the doors of anyone who didn’t want to vote and shared photos of what appeared to be a pair of deserted polling stations.
President Zelensky points out what has become more apparent than ever:
“Russia’s decision on mobilization is a frank admission that their regular army, which has been prepared for decades to take over a foreign country, did not withstand and crumbled.”
And from Dmitri Alperovitch:
Mobilization was always a very risky political move for Putin. But the utterly incompetent way in which it is being carried out—with terrible communication, contradicting criteria, grabbing of men on the streets, etc is likely to erode support for the war and for him personally.
Many Russians that have husbands, sons and fathers of mobilization age are completely petrified right now. Given that this may not be the last mobilization they are going to need to execute, the regime’s political fortunes could turn quite rapidly.
Yes, the brutal authoritarian security apparatus is still very strong and will work hard to suppress any dissent but one can expect people to grow more courageous when faced with the prospect of losing their lives or those of loved ones
The last mobilization conducted by the Kremlin was in 1941… We are truly in uncharted waters now and Putin’s future hold on power is now on the line
This is not yet the end but it may be the beginning of the end.
Everything now hangs in the balance. For six months, Ukraine’s unified resolve to defend itself and drive out the invaders has only increased. Along with that determination, troop morale has increased, as well as the morale of the people at large. For Russia, the opposite is true. There is a madman at the helm whose priority is not to unify his people and rally them around a noble cause. Putin has sparked mass protests as Russians revolt against mobilization. He sees it all starting to collapse around him and his desperation is showing:
Strongmen whose power depends on perceptions of invincibility would rather destroy a system that threatens their power than yield for the common good. We saw an example of that in our own country on January 6. We’re seeing a higher-stakes example of it now in Ukraine. No one bets on a monkey with a hand grenade to behave responsibly. But just how irresponsibly it might behave when it’s threatened and desperate to save face, which is all this war is about anymore, is an imponderable we should all start pondering.
UPDATE #1:
my family was just forced to vote at gunpoint in russian cosplay of a “referendum” in southern ukraine:
– they come to your house
– you have to openly tick the box for being annexed by russia (or for staying with ukraine if you feel suicidal)
– all while armed gunmen watch you— максим.еріставі 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@maksymeristavi) September 23, 2022
it seems bizarre for russians cosplaying a “referendum” at gunpoint. but then i remember they did it in 2014 crimea (forcing my aunts to vote, too) and many abroad ate that shit up no questions asked. this bad kabuki theater of a democracy is for foreign audience only
— максим.еріставі 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@maksymeristavi) September 23, 2022
forcing ukrainians at gunpoint to tick a box for their own genocide is a next level sadistic #russiancolonialism, though
— максим.еріставі 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@maksymeristavi) September 23, 2022
UPDATE #2: This from Alexei Navalny, who was put in a punishment cell for the fifth time. This is what he said in court today:
On one hand, I don’t believe that Putin can allow Navalny to live. The last thing he wants is to let Navalny’s latest message from prison inspire the Russian people to push back against Putin and his mobilization. He can’t afford to let that happen. Not now. But on the other hand, if he has Navalny killed, he will most certainly be making a martyr of him, which in turn may inspire the people of Russia even more.
Second news item
In Iran, the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old young Kurdish Iranian woman who was arrested by the morality police for allegedly breaking Iran’s hijab laws and subsequently died while in police custody has resulted in mass protests throughout the country:
Protests rocking Iran over the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody have spread to at least 50 cities, even as police arrest and kill demonstrators in a violent crackdown.
Videos showing women burning their headscarves and crowds chanting “death to the dictator” amid burning cars are flooding social media, despite the Iranian government’s intermittent shutdown of the country’s internet.
Women of Iran-Saghez removed their headscarves in protest against the murder of Mahsa Amini 22 Yr old woman by hijab police and chanting:
death to dictator!
Removing hijab is a punishable crime in Iran. We call on women and men around the world to show solidarity. #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/ActEYqOr1Q
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 17, 2022
While Iran’s President Raisi made a ridiculous announcement that he was launching an investigation into Amini’s death because “Our utmost preoccupation is the safeguarding of the rights of every citizen,” the women of Iran know better:
The real news of Iran is this not nuclear deal or Ebrahim Raisi’s speech at the UN.
Iranian women removing their hijab, facing guns and bullets alongside men and chanting against Islamic Republic.
Regime os cutting the internet in some cities. Be voice voiceless. #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/l1zAZgEfoP— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 21, 2022
Third news item
He has spent a pittance on MAGA candidates and yet there can be no doubt that his supporters will fill the coffers of this new super PAC:
Major super PACs and party committees disclosed their August finances in a new round of campaign finance reports Tuesday, with some eye-catching results. The filings revealed that Trump’s leadership PAC was still sitting on nearly $100 million at the end of last month. And save for a contribution to a group that helped defeat Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in her primary, the PAC did not contribute anything to the battle for Congress, even amid fundraising struggles for some GOP candidates in notable races.
Donald Trump’s top lieutenants are launching a new super PAC that is expected to spend heavily to bolster his endorsed candidates in the midterm election — and, some people close to the former president say, could become a campaign apparatus if he runs in 2024.
Sanctioned by the former president, the new group, dubbed MAGA, Inc., will become the primary vehicle for Trump’s operation to engage in political activity in 2022. The outfit is designed to funnel large sums into key races and could conceivably be used to boost Trump in the event he seeks the White House again.
Also, as Trump considers running for re-election, let’s remind voters that nothing has changed concerning his view of the 2020 election:
Of course, his legal perils alone are increasingly weighing him down, so maybe he just won’t be available to make a solid run for the presidency…
Fourth news item
If Republican leaders hope their “assertive action” on immigration (flying migrants to liberal cities) will result in more midterm voters, they might be unpleasantly surprised:
Only a third of Americans – including half of Republicans and one in six Democrats – say it’s OK for state officials to fly or bus migrants to other states, a sign the push by Republican Southern governors to ship foreigners north could backfire with some voters, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
[…]
Only about half of Democratic respondents agreed with a statement that it should be easier for people to immigrate to the United States. A somewhat larger share of Republicans – six in 10 – disagreed.
Following a highly-publicized drive by Republican governors to bus or fly thousands of migrants to Democratic areas in recent months, 53% of Republican respondents in the poll said they supported the practice. Twenty-nine percent opposed it.
Of course, polling was not limited to border states where the impact of migrants crossing the border has the greatest impact.
However, before the Martha’s Vineyard escapade took place, polling showed a consensus that the border situation being a “crisis”:
Where Americans find consensus on immigration is in the belief that illegal immigration is a problem in the first place. In that August Economist/YouGov poll, 59 percent of Americans said the current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is a crisis. While Republicans were very likely to say so (81 percent did), a plurality of Democrats (45 percent) agreed the situation is a crisis. A majority of Americans also said it was “completely” or “somewhat” true that the U.S. is experiencing an “invasion” at its southern border, according to an NPR/Ipsos poll conducted in July. At the same time, in an August Pew Research Center survey, a sizable majority of Americans (72 percent) said taking in refugees should be a “very” or “somewhat” important goal for U.S. immigration policy, and this is true for both Democrats (85 percent) and Republicans (58 percent).
Yesterday, Chris Magnus, the Customs and Border Protection commissioner, said:
“People across the country should know that it’s not chaos here,” Magnus said. “People that are coming into our custody here are then processed, and many of them are seeking asylum. So if some of them are released into the country, they’re doing so legally. They still have a date to appear for an asylum hearing.”
While this is likely true, that does not mean that the Southern border is not in crisis. Moreover, what do the people actually living in border statest think?
Fifth news item
I’m no fan of Gov. Newsom, but this is another pot-meet-kettle moment from Trump’s lawyer:
Trump lawyer Christina Bobb says if Democrats nominate Gavin Newsom for president in 2024, “it only highlights the fact that they are planning on stealing the election” since he rigged his election and the recall vote. pic.twitter.com/0syZN9N0nQ
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) September 23, 2022
P.S. Gov. Newsom is *not* currently being recalled. He survived his recall election last year.
That’s all for this Weekend Open Thread as my computer appears to be having some sort of seizure.
Have a great weekend!
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 9:47 amRIP Dame Hilary Mantel (70), author of the Wolf Hall trilogy.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:00 amBetter link for Dame Mantel’s obituary.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:12 amCharles Lane tells us where many of those immigrants are coming from:
(Links omitted.)
As Lane concludes, this flow from leftist nations is a “tremendous compliment to the United States and other democratic capitalist countries”. And we have a duty to treat them decently. Instead of pretending to care, as the folks on Martha’s Vineyard did (as long as the TV cameras were on).
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:12 amThe UN General Assembly should suspend Russia’s membership on the Security Council “until they return to civilized norms of behavior.”
I don’t know if that is actually something the Charter allows, but what the heck — do it anyway and let them sue.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:16 amSpeaking of Venezuela:
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:19 amThe problem with the GOP immigration (and other) moves is that they think that playing to their base is sufficient. Until they can get their message across in the general media, the Democrats will paint them in the worst possible light. This is a generic problem. They could be cooking breakfast for every illegal child and the media would castigate them for using HFCS or something. Their media outreach is clumsy and bloody-minded.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:20 amAre the Democrats making a mistake in admitting Venezuelan refugees? After all, they KNOW what socialism does.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:22 amI think that we can hold two thoughts in our head at the same time: I don’t think it shows America in its best light to use migrants as political pawns by misleading them and shipping them off to outlying cities where there is not the necessary infrastructure in place, and I also think that border states are facing an enormous humanitarian crisis which the administration has ignored and lied about, even though the video evidence tells us that there is a crisis. Broder states facing an on-the-ground crisis are now feeling compelled to do whatever they can to compel Washington to take action to help with the disaster. Instead, Washington continues to play politics, thus making it a no-win all the way around. Also, what seems to be getting lost in the noise is that migrants that are here on asylum claims have a right to remain in the U.S.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:24 amWhen a Russian ruler claims that there is no Ukraine, just one big Russia, it opens the door to atrocities and cultural genocide.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:28 amAnd here’s a comparison of Ukrainian and Russian POWs. I know, anecdotal, but it’s consistent with other reporting.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:31 am#8 – Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicarauguans. According to Lane, during the last 12 months more Cubans have left Cuba the US than in any other equal period since the 1959 revolution, about 200,000, or almost 2 percent of their population.
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:49 amHere is a great interview with one Cuban who escaped to America in 1962 and how he fought back.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 11:14 amI think that we can hold two thoughts in our head at the same time: I don’t think it shows America in its best light to use migrants as political pawns by misleading them and shipping them off to outlying cities where there is not the necessary infrastructure in place, and I also think that border states are facing an enormous humanitarian crisis which the administration has ignored and lied about, even though the video evidence tells us that there is a crisis.
Of curse it’s a crisis– and not just at ground level. There is a legal way to enter the U.S. and be welcomed— for citizens we use passports, non-citizen and immigrants go through the visa and INS system- LEGALLY. If you’re a proponent of ‘the rule of law’ it starts right there. You don’t let ‘folks’ scurry into your country unchecked for disease, criminality- or drugs like a swarm of roaches. [That is surely an impeachable offense.]
“Compassion” is an unaffordable luxury by the current United States government unfairly afforded illegals— and every American’s expense; they’re lawbreakers! Our own citizens do without; must be vaccinated or lose jobs, pay state and Federal taxes and go deep into deficit spending to maintain crumbling infrastructures on so many levels– while people circumventing the law are literally breaking into the country and are fed, clothed, transported– even given free phonees– and treated better than America’s very own destitute citizens. If somebody illegally broke into your house- would you feed, dress and shelter them out of compassion quoting Emma Lazarus– or call the cops and have their asses dragged off to the pokie?? ‘Rule of law’ starts from the ground up and selective application of same in time is self-destructive rot.
DCSCA (d20548) — 9/23/2022 @ 11:24 am[Dana- just a note: his name is ‘Antony’- not ‘Anthony’– a common error but he is still a ‘blinken’ incompetent fool:]
“As he pledged increased support from the U.S., Secretary of State Antony Blinken summed up the ongoing war in Afghanistan at a UN Security Council: “If America stops fighting, the war ends. If the Taliban stops fighting, Afghanistan ends.”
FIFY Antony. Your ass should have been fired a year ago.
DCSCA (d20548) — 9/23/2022 @ 11:35 amMore bad news for Trump this week:
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:02 pmMichigan AG candidate says Plan B is like fentanyl and should be banned
Good luck with that. If you liked the old War on Drugs, just wait until half the population is dealing them.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:11 pmTrump won’t run. Unless he’s leading in all the polls, he’ll find a self-aggrandizing way to bow out. Of course, he might be in jail. Of fled to Russia.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:19 pmThe Democrats have no need to steal the 2024 election if Trump is running. They just have to hold the House and Senate and they can invalidate his electoral votes, using the new “insurrection” clause.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:21 pmPoll details.
Related:
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:38 pmI doubt Trump will charged, let alone convicted, of anything related to January 6th. And the “insurrection clause” isn’t new, it’s been part of 14th Amendment since 1868. It just hasn’t become necessary to consider using it against a Presidential candidate until now.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:44 pmIf Republican leaders hope their “assertive action” on immigration (flying migrants to liberal cities) will result in more midterm voters, they might be unpleasantly surprised
let’s see how the poll question was written
Reuters/ipsos did the poll, and nowhere do I see the poll question in any of their links
will assume it’s another push poll until they can show otherwise
JF (755493) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:47 pmThe rethugliKKKans are running a mafioso family running against AOC! Tina Forte husband and son busted for gun running and drug dealing! (tyt)
asset (d39d34) — 9/23/2022 @ 12:49 pmThere was a huge fraud case in Minnesota involving the C=ovid-19 program to feed children as a replacement for schools being closed and nobody getting school lunches and later also for food given at summer camps. There were no eligibility requirements, probably on the grounds that it was necessary to act quickly and anyway, every person’s situation could change from week to week, and then most of the recipients would be eligible for free food anyway.
But the people being given food were actually supposed to exist, and so also the food.
Somebody organized a big fraud involving giving paper food to paper children at fake locations. All checks had been abandoned, except for Aimee Bock, the founder of a nonprofit group, Feeding Our Future, that the State of Minnesota relied on to keep a watch on it. But she was the chief culprit.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/20/us/politics/pandemic-aid-fraud-minnesota.html
It lasted so long partly because the fraudster(s) went into court and sued and got some favorable rulings.
The state of Minnesota was precluded from cutting off the money and even maybe investigating. (It had been noticed that some of the paperwork was implausible – same children same ages every day, or when they changed the names, the ages were fluctuating wildly)
They tried to enlist federal help and had trouble getting anyone interested, but finally they got it. The money was cut off in January after search warrants were executed by the FBIA
Then the nonprofit group tried to dissolve itself, but Attorney General Keith Ellison of Minnesota blocked the move and asked a judge to supervise the group while he investigated whether it broke state charity laws. (which is still active)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:13 pm15. DCSCA (d20548) — 9/23/2022 @ 11:24 am
Why this argument? The whole <i ?purpose of restrictivr immigration law is that it shouldn’t be legal for most non-U.S. people. Are you suddenly denying that?
Every U.S. citizen is entitled to passport, but not every person who wants to is legally entitled to enter the United States so many people don’t have a legal way to enter the United States/
At least not without using the back door, as the asylum requesters do.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:20 pmThe context in which Emma Lazarus wrote that poem was that in 1881 and 1882,when Jews were fleeing pogroms in Russia and arrived in Germany, they were being encouraged by Germans to go to ew York City. There was no legal impediment to doing so at the same — the laws forbidding contracting for labor with someone foreigners while they were outside the United States or requiring that someone not be liable to become a public charge were passed later, in 1884 or 1885. As a result, immigration to the United States was abruptly cut in half and people had to either have money or be sponsored – this was not examined too closely but people did not live on the streets.
New York’s population grew.
http://demographia.com/db-nyuza1800.htm (this includes the surrounding area)
The first growth took place after 1816, when surplus goods from Europe after the Napoleonic wars were imported into New York.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:33 pmThe Federal Reserve Board is likely to cause a (worldwide) recession while making inflation worse, by early next year, somewhat similar to 1979/80 but it will give up sooner than Paul Volcker did.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:36 pmPoll details.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:37 pmThe Russian government isn’t even sending draft notices only to the people Putin said would be drafted (only experienced combat soldiers)
There might be a little corruption or lying to superiors involved
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:39 pmMayor Adams is planning on setting up temporary holding areas (the intention is up to 4 days) – the first time a sort of refugee camp has been set up since soon after world war II where returning veterans were housed in Quonset huts.
They will set up tents in Orchard Beach since Governor Abbott isn’t stopping this sending people without plans.
They will be climate controlled and weatherized.
Migrants will get food, shelter, medical care, legal aid and tickets to other locations.
It’s said about 20% of asylum seekers overall had a final intended destination of New York
The city also wants help from FEMA and so on.
Many Venezuelans I suppose will get free tickets to Florida (if they want to go there – they may have people there.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:51 pm)
There’s a whole issue about regularizing the status of Afghan refugees in the United States because most Afghans taken to the United States were admitted for more than a 2-year period.
Republicans in Congress profess to be worried about people already here and want to complicate things. Including more vetting is not helping the bill to pass/ and it looks like it won’t be included in the continuing resolution
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/22/us/politics/afghan-refugees-congress.html
Very few more are now being paroled.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/us/afghan-refugees-humanitarian-parole.html
Biden swings from one side to the other.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/23/2022 @ 1:57 pmDefenestration seems the leading cause of death in Moscow.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 2:20 pmI doubt Trump will charged, let alone convicted, of anything related to January 6th. And the “insurrection clause” isn’t new, it’s been part of 14th Amendment since 1868. It just hasn’t become necessary to consider using it against a Presidential candidate until now.
But, Rip, you went on at length about how it did not apply to Presidents (while I asserted that it might). There is no rule about how that clause in the new Electoral Count Act might be applied. It starts off by assuming it *does* apply to Presidents AND that it applies to post-Civil War cases, yet offers no insight into whether a conviction is necessary.
All three of those things should be considered by a competent court, but putting them into the Electoral Count Act is peremptory and turns them into political questions in a bassackwards way..
Tell me, if a President-elect who won a valid election was disqualified by this means by the opposition party, do you think the country would be worth a warm bucket of spit? How would it be different than what Trump tried? How many states would you expect to see secede?
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 2:27 pmAnd the “insurrection clause” isn’t new, it’s been part of 14th Amendment since 1868
Stop assuming people are stupid, Rip.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 2:28 pmI’ve just added some tweets (unfortunately not threaded) to the first news item. The Russians and collaborators are indeed going house to house and forcing votes. At gunpoint.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 3:27 pmChillingly:
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 3:30 pmI’ve already opined against the U.S. issuing entry visas to the Iranian president and his entourage. And there was good reason to be concerned:
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 3:35 pmAssuming that a President-elect was convicted of insurrection or seditious conspiracy, or obviously committed those acts, I don’t believe it would be a problem. Is states wanted to secede, I think we know what would happen.
But I don’t think any of it will.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 3:48 pmIf states wanted to secede……
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 3:54 pmHere’s the latest summary on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, from the ISW:
First (of many) takeaways:
What strikes me about the fourth map is how vulnerable the Russian forces up stream from Kherson look, with their backs to the Dnieper/Dnipro River. And the Ukrainian commanders appear to think so, too: “Social media footage provides visual evidence of continued Ukrainian interdiction efforts against Russian positions in Kherson Oblast on September 21 and 22.”
Putting more men into that area would worsen Russia’s logistic problems there.
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/23/2022 @ 4:37 pmI’ve updated the first news item with Alexei Navalany’s latest comments posted on his Instagram feed (and Twitter) about the current mobilization taking place in Russia.
As I said in the post:
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 4:40 pmJim Miller,
These are men who have had no training as soldiers. Even the troops that have deployed to Ukraine have had minimal training when compared to Ukrainian troops. They are sheep going to the slaughter. Weaponry has already been a serious problem for the Russian soldiers, and if they plan on mobilizing more than one million Russians, what will they be armed with? I can’t stress enough that this is the desperate plan of a madman.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 4:43 pmAssuming that a President-elect was convicted of insurrection or seditious conspiracy, or obviously committed those acts, I don’t believe it would be a problem. Is states wanted to secede, I think we know what would happen.
You realize that he would have been elected by people WHO KNEW THIS. And elected him anyway (or because of it). So, again, the people’s choice “disqualified” by the people he (and the majority) wanted to supplant. It’s “consent of the governed” not “consent of the rulers.”
It would not go over very well at all. About as well as Trump’s attempted coup would have gone.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 4:58 pmI think there’s more than a political element as to why Putin is conscripting so few men from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
There’s possible racist element because the men outside the main metro areas are swarthier and more yellow-skinned, and those regions may be getting whiter if Russia gets away with exporting white Ukrainian women there.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/23/2022 @ 4:58 pmDana – You’re right, of course. And then there is the fact that most soldiers fight — if they do — to protect their buddies in the unit, and it takes time to build that unit cohesion. Many drafted “Ivans” are going to look around and think: “I don’t even know any of these guys.”
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:02 pmFor an all-American commercial such as this, they should’ve used actual American stock footage, not the king imported from Russia and Slovakia.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:07 pmTheir four main bullets are a fair platform, a little thin, but fair.
I think there’s more than a political element as to why Putin is conscripting so few men from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
People in those two cities are more likely to be connected and object to their sons being sent off to die. I expect a great deal of pressure on Belarus to step up.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:07 pmkind, not “king”. Bleh.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:12 pmLeftist runs down Republican kid for the crime of being Republican and no one cares. The left sure doesn’t, the establishment right ignores it with nary a peep, but let a drug addled multiple convict choke to death on fentanyl and it’s hell to pay.
And you wonder why people are going populist. It’s because so many don’t care about Americans while trying to give away the nation
NJRob (af7d71) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:13 pmPaul @ 49,
I agree. It’s actually a big blunder and I wonder why the footage used wasn’t better researched. Certainly, they have the money and professionals to do so. Also, I chuckled at the claim during the video that the Commitment to America will see that the government is accountable. Considering the ongoing election denials by MAGA Republicans, including the former president, it’s laughable that the CTA is touting government accountability. Because if they’re the ones that intend to be the ones holding everyone accountable, well…
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:27 pmNJ Rob,
That would be a good item for you to post about here. Include a link. I only just read a brief report about it but haven’t done any real research about it. However, if you can post/link to it, we can discuss it, and you can also help us understand why you believe this incident to be a factor in leading to populism.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:29 pmArizona puts into effect 1864 near total abortion ban. I am making a sign to go down to the state capital with : This is why the liberal establishment wants to ban the 2nd amendment so we are helpless to fight back. Especially the black community.
asset (4c0a81) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:29 pmI also think many drafted “Ivans” are going to look around and think: “This isn’t a cause worth dying for.” From what I’ve been reading, even young Russians not in the larger cities seem to understand that they’re on the losing side of this battle. I don’t whether it will be allegiance to Russia or the threat of death that will compel them to fight
Dana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:39 pmStunning photos of Neptune and Jupiter from the Webb Space Telescope.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:41 pmDana (1225fc) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:29 pm
here’s a link to what NJRob is referring to:
North Dakota driver charged with fatally striking teenager says he purposely hit the teen after a political argument
seeing how you linked republican rhetoric for the buffalo shooting, and many here jumped on board, I’ll wait for the condemnation of Biden’s anti-MAGA rhetoric
it should be coming in 3, 2, 1….
JF (8c793d) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:51 pmAnother victory for the 2nd Amendment:
From the opinion:
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:57 pmtime to put up that “mission accomplished” banner again
Oregon students’ reading, writing and math skills plummeted amid pandemic, first scores since 2019 show
all the BS about masks helping kids learn
JF (8c793d) — 9/23/2022 @ 5:58 pm@JF@60 You don’t really remember that conversation, do you. And you didn’t look it up in your urge to look clever. Did you.
Nic (896fdf) — 9/23/2022 @ 7:56 pmTrumpWorld not amused.
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 8:26 pm“Rule of law”…
Prosecutors recommend against charging GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz in sex trafficking probe, report says
Federal prosecutors have recommended not to bring charges against Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz as part of a sex trafficking investigation, The Washington Post reported.
The reported recommendation means the Department of Justice is unlikely to charge Gaetz with a crime as a result of the probe into his alleged relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing. – https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/23/matt-gaetz-sex-trafficking-probe-prosecutors-recommend-against-charges.html
…and you wonder why angry populism is on the march.
DCSCA (8e45e0) — 9/23/2022 @ 8:31 pmCovid will be a leading cause of death in the U.S. indefinitely, whether or not the pandemic is ‘over’
Plagiarize this, Joe: “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”
Now sing us a speech:
Oh God didn’t make little green apples
And it don’t rain in Indianapolis
In the summertime
And there’s no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Disneyland Mother Goose
There’s no nursery rhyme…
“Which way do I go?” – Squinty McStumblebum
DCSCA (8e45e0) — 9/23/2022 @ 8:36 pmPutin could put Navalny on a train to Yakutsk “for his safety” and then say Navalny wanted to stretch his legs and seems to have been entirely consumed by a bear.
steveg (c848c0) — 9/23/2022 @ 8:39 pmBut for some reason Putin tolerates him. This is sure to get a “sad” from the Trump school of authoritarianism
Sound farfetched?
steveg (c848c0) — 9/23/2022 @ 8:50 pmRussian propagandists lie more often and more audaciously that Presidential Press Secretaries. Even Russians (who are not to drunk to do math) are noticing that the Russian Ministry of Defence has claimed its 89th shoot down of a Ukrainian SU-25… small problem. Everyone knows Ukraine had only 49 SU-25 jets at the beginning of the festivities, so even Russian Telegram accounts are mockingly saying Russia needs to find the secret underground Ukrainian SU-25 factory
2023 is gonna be lit…
steveg (c848c0) — 9/23/2022 @ 9:07 pmBiden will dive deeper into decline, Russians will be increasingly bellicose in a nuclear sense, China will be wondering if it should annex old Soviet Asia and its vast resources rather than Taiwan, Iran will be in shambles domestically but looking to distract the populace, NATO will be giving more and more modern arms to Ukriane and sucking deeper into the vortex, the stock market will continue to suck, housing sales will drop, interest and inflation will be high, and Trump wil have 7,000,000 or so die hard voters that the GOP has to suck up to. Fun fun fun ’til your daddy takes the t-bird away.
I forget the part where every TV preacher begins to predict the apocalypse, and to be honest it will look like this time they may be onto something
steveg (c848c0) — 9/23/2022 @ 9:09 pmRIP Louise Fletcher (88).
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 9:37 pmThe Russian military is receiving the same micromanaging that the Wehrmacht received in WW II……..
Rip Murdock (72b054) — 9/23/2022 @ 10:17 pmThere is a severe teacher shortage in florida as in every state. Desatan and the rethugliKKKans in the legislature are always trying to go after the teacher’s union and its members. The teachers could go on strike and if desatan is reelected they could show they have jobs waiting in other states who would be glad to have them. I have seen signs on the news asking teachers to come to their state for better pay and working conditions.
asset (903077) — 9/24/2022 @ 12:31 amhttps://nypost.com/2022/09/23/nypd-union-members-axed-over-vax-mandate-ordered-reinstated/
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/24/2022 @ 4:33 amhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11243917/Americans-lost-average-4-000-salary.html
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/24/2022 @ 4:38 amhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/scientists-americas-top-nuclear-lab-recruited-china-design-missiles-dr-rcna48834
Chinese spies stealing technology.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/24/2022 @ 4:49 amhttps://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/09/what-comes-of-taking-joe-biden-seriously.php
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/24/2022 @ 5:00 am@ 77: I’m old enough to remember when Donald Trump was actually president, instead of just claiming to be. I don’t remember you clutching your pearls over presidential rhetoric then.
Demosthenes (c2131d) — 9/24/2022 @ 5:54 amNo supporter of an orange who told an audience of New York City policemen to slam an arrested person’s head into the doorframe as they were putting him in the squad car has the moral authority to complain about Biden’s “rhetoric”.Never mind. I take that back. The only thing Trump is a measuring stick for is a septic tank.
That’s the trouble with most “whatabouts” actually. It begs the question: Is that your standard?
nk (33d787) — 9/24/2022 @ 6:24 amNot that Trump is entirely worthless.
Today my starting word with Wordle was GRIFT. I solved it with the next word. In two, yes. My best yet.
nk (33d787) — 9/24/2022 @ 6:27 amThe Chunnel was big news back in the day, but I only just heard of the longer Fehmarnbelt, which started two years ago and won’t open for another seven.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 7:43 amHere’s more on the racial/ethnic element to Putin’s mobilization, this time for the Tatars in Crimea.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 7:46 amAll your tears is his…
https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2022/09/23/wapo-career-prosecutors-tell-doj-they-have-no-viable-case-against-gaetz-n498640
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/24/2022 @ 7:48 amThere’s a new museum in DC. A much-needed new museum, as this personal story reminds us.
(Those who do not understand the need for such a museum might want to begin by reading this controversial book. I have the original French edition, which caused an enormous outcry in France, when it was published there.)
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/24/2022 @ 8:34 amThe Fehmarnbelt is actually much shorter than the Chunnel – 11.1 miles vs. 31. But it will be the longest “immersed” tunnel, as distinct from a bored tunnel.
Radegunda (a8339b) — 9/24/2022 @ 8:49 amDifferent rules. The first commandment of Trumpism is that it’s wrong to judge Trump by the same standards as other politicians. (“Let Trump be Trump!”) I remember when Power Line had a piece castigating “Biden’s trouble with truth” — coming from a fervent defender of the most prodigious liar ever to have held the presidency.
Defenders of Trump should never be taken seriously when they accuse anyone else of dishonesty, nastiness, recklessness, irrationality, cynicism, amorality, self-serving use of power, a casual attitude toward law, or incitement of violence.
Radegunda (a8339b) — 9/24/2022 @ 9:02 amSays the guy who harps on Trump 24/7 and ignores the cretin currently tarnishing the Office of the President.
NJRob (9249c2) — 9/24/2022 @ 9:25 amRadegunda (a8339b) — 9/24/2022 @ 9:02 am
whaddddddabout mean tweets??
JF (018efd) — 9/24/2022 @ 9:54 amPerps will say anything, NJRob. Way back when, Dana had a post about a “group of folks” who tried to hijack a guy’s desirable car in broad daylight. They told the bystanders that he was Trump voter. Voter. “Don’t vote Trump!” they were shouting.
A recent case in the news is the hooker who killed her john after he made the mistake of falling asleep. She told a hard-luck story about being forced into prostitution and that she killed him because she did not want him to “rape” her again. A GoFundMe raised more than $150,000 for her to pay the restitution to the victim’s family which was part of her sentence.
Don’t believe the perps, and especially not when the victim is no longer around to contradict them.
nk (33d787) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:03 ami.e., the only fault that Trumpites were willing to acknowledge, while averting their eyes to an abundance of character defects in Trump but feigning moral outrage at the imperfections of any opponents or critics.
Trumpites made hypocrisy a virtue. For Trump himself, ethical rules aren’t something he needs to follow, but only weapons to be wielded against anyone who gets in his way. Everyone who still reflexively defends Trump is following the same code. The committed Trumpites aren’t really offended by dishonesty or corruption or cruelty. They just use ethical concepts to attack their political opponents.
Radegunda (a8339b) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:20 am……. and 6% say they would not vote……
I’m in the 6%.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:22 amRIP jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders (81).
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:33 amRadegunda (a8339b) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:20 am
i almost miss the “you can condemn both” flippant response
JF (638eb8) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:41 am“It’s all his fault we are spending $6 billion in tax payer dollars on HIV and AIDS this month.”
—- Dementia Joe Biden, standing with his arm around Elton John
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:41 am@asset@73 We have 4 intern teachers this year (to be an intern you have to have your undergrad degree and started your credential) and several teachers with waivers to teach outside their credentialed area because we can’t find enough properly credentialed teachers to fill positions. It’s like that everywhere.
Nic (896fdf) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:05 am“Press gangs” are an odd way to honor Queen Elizabeth II just because you didn’t get a seat at her funeral, Vlad. Still, calling up the ‘draft’ reserves signals a Lyndon Johnson mindset– complete with ‘hell no, I won’t go’ protests erupting and fearful conscripts “fleeing to Canada” so to speak. Reaffirms the bullsh!t lies fed to Americans by LBJ’s generals about light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-winning in Vietnam. Garnish the scenario by calling out your national guard. Going Goldwater w/t battlefield nuke use threat is another loser pitch, too.
“What a revoltin’ development this is.” – Chester Riley [William Bendix/Jackie Gleason] ‘The Life of Riley’
DCSCA (c8d5c0) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:16 am#96 Nic – Well, thank you for being there when others have retired, or even given up. I hope you are getting the support you deserve from parents and adminstrators. (And there is no need to say so, if you aren’t.)
I am guessing that math and science teachers are the hardest to recruit, or am I wrong about that?
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:16 amArtemis I launch delayed again, this time thanks to Tropical Storm Ian
https://news.yahoo.com/nasa-delays-artemis-launch-due-153514950.html
God is sending NASA management a weather warning, just as w/Challenger in ’86:
This rocket is an accident waiting to happen one day; it is not ready to fly.
DCSCA (c8d5c0) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:22 amTo your point, Radegunda, in the fifth news item of this post, one of Trump’s lawyers said that there’s no way that Governor Newsom could win a presidential election unless it was stolen. While I agree that there is likely no way he could win a national election, it is now standard belief by MAGAland that if a Democrat wins an election, it’s because it’s been stolen. And if a Republican loses an election, it’s because it’s been rigged. When you have groundwork like that, it prevents any individual and political party from assuming responsibility for their misfires. This absolutely follows Trump’s view of life in general: if it worked out for him politically or in business, then it was a straight up, clear and honest win. But if he suffers financial or political loss, then it could only be due to corruption and a rigged game by opposing parties. What makes me especially concerned about this mentality is how many MAGA electors and MAGA secretaries of state we may end up with before the next presidential election.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:28 amDana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:28 am
remember that time when Trump won the presidential election and everyone accepted it and acknowledged it was a straight up and above board win?
good times
JF (018efd) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:45 amcomment in moderation, for who knows why
JF (018efd) — 9/24/2022 @ 11:47 amThe protests in Iran are on Day Nine. It’ll probably be put down and violently, sooner than later, but it’s entering some new territory, and there’s a new generation pushing against their oppressors.
Clear messages from the United States need to be made, that we’re in full support of the people of Iran and their desire for more freedom.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 12:25 pm@Jim@98 About a normal level of support 😛 I’m not actually a teacher, but a low level admin direct student support person. I do seem to have a bit more time to work directly with students and parents this year instead of trying to solve various bureaucratic crisis and I still have a couple of weeks before the 1st quarter grades data push.
We’ve had some really good luck with science teachers and we’ve done a lot of in-house training to get some of our interns math credentialed. We also work heavily with a couple of the state university credentialing programs for student teachers, so our pipeline for academic subjects is relatively good. Right now the hardest teachers to find are career and technical education teachers like shop, welding, culinary, etc. Nobody can find those and nobody in our area even got a culinary arts credential in the last 4 yrs. We also had to convert our shop program to a combined career exploration and building technology class to sneak some of those shop aspects in since we couldn’t find a teacher for shop. PE has also been a difficulty, mostly I think because a lot of former athletes think that PE will be easy and then they can coach, then they realize they actually have to teach and grade and are lousy at it and don’t like it much.
Nic (896fdf) — 9/24/2022 @ 12:42 pmJF,
I just checked and didn’t see a comment from you waiting for approval. Sometimes certain words or too many links can trigger it. But there weren’t any from you that I could see.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 12:49 pmBecause of the oppressive system of smashing free speech we have here.
Also because it used five links and every comment that uses five links or more gets automatically caught in the filter. I just released it, pretty quickly, which is why Dana could not find it.
While I have your attention, JF: two things.
First, your link to my post does not prove what you seem to think it does.
Second and more important: you have been calling people liars here, including people who most assuredly are not liars, like Paul Montagu and norcal and lurker. That stops now. It will stop in one of two ways. Either you stop it voluntarily, or your comments calling good people liars get moderated and you potentially get banned.
That is also part of our horrific anti-Trump and anti-free speech ethic here.
Patterico (7ec629) — 9/24/2022 @ 12:49 pmPaul Montagu,
I have been following the protests and was shocked to see this:
This is really significant. I won’t be surprised if an enormous price will be paid by the heroes that did this, and among those who didn’t but are protesting. Such bravery shown by Iranians, especially the women. I can’t imagine. But as one protesting woman who burned her hijab and cut her hair said, Finally their anger is greater than their fear. President Biden needs to go all and publicly condemn Iran and publicly support the protesters , in no uncertain terms. But after the UN debacle, I think he’ll walk on eggshells when unwavering strength is called for.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 12:55 pmSpecifically, this comment is unacceptable.
I don’t want a lot of whining about how people called you a liar too. I’m not getting into the weeds on it and I am not discussing it any further. I have evaluated the thread and I find you at fault. Clean up your act or ship out.
Patterico (7ec629) — 9/24/2022 @ 12:56 pmVideo at link.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 1:10 pmDana,
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 1:31 pmI’ve been following Iranian protests ever since Ahmadinejad was first declared–not won, declared–president. Iran is a big country, with 85 million people, and 55 million of them were born after the 1979 revolution. I won’t make predictions but, given Khameini’s enfeebled state and the people’s discontent, something’s gotta give.
Paul,
I hope Amini’s death is the last straw. There has been, especially over the past decade, a swelling pushback by women who are simply unwilling to take it anymore. Also, I was happy to see so many young men protesting and supporting the women who tossed their hijabs.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 2:23 pmTrump yesterday:
Dana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 2:58 pmIt is perverse to see the loser make talk of a nuclear war . . . . another chance to talk about himself.
Instead of, for example, simply condemning Putin for even raising the possibility.
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/24/2022 @ 3:27 pm@114. Perverse indeed:
U.S. Nearly Used Nukes During Vietnam War
If the president had done what the Joint Chiefs recommended, the movement would have grown even larger, but so would the war, much larger than it ever became.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/us-nearly-used-nukes-duri_b_5482615
DCSCA (c8d5c0) — 9/24/2022 @ 3:53 pmRelated:
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 3:56 pmTrumpWorld not amused:
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 4:15 pmhttps://nypost.com/2022/04/10/nj-gender-identity-lessons-prove-parents-were-right-to-worry/
Just a reminder that the left wants to brainwash children into believing fairy tales.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/24/2022 @ 4:25 pmhttps://nypost.com/2022/09/23/woke-teacher-of-the-year-proves-nys-educrats-dont-care-about-actual-education/
Education doesn’t matter. Indoctrination is the goal.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/24/2022 @ 5:21 pmThe protest footage is still coming in, but I’m not seeing the Basij entering the fray and cracking civilian skulls. I don’t know if this a “revolution” or the “end of the Islamic republic”, but it’s big.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 5:41 pmI’m reading that the Islamic Republic is going to send Hezbollah fighters in to quell the riots:
Dana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 6:06 pmApparently the threat worked.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 6:28 pmThis happened earlier today
If you scroll down, you’ll see that Bulgakov’s replacement, Mizincev, looks like Dr. Evil with a crewcut.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 6:44 pmRussian Media Watch:
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 7:27 pmLink to above article.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/24/2022 @ 7:28 pmPutin’s Top Priest Tells Russians Not to Fear Death Amid Mobilization
Patton’s Top Prose Tells It Differently:
“No dumb bastard ever won a war by going out and dying for his country. He won it by making some other dumb bastard die for his country.” 😉
DCSCA (da5296) — 9/24/2022 @ 7:30 pmLiz Cheney says if Trump wins a 2024 presidential nomination she ‘won’t be a Republican’
https://www.businessinsider.com/liz-cheney-says-if-trump-candidate-she-wont-be-republican-2022-9
ROFLMAOPIP X 10 to the 23rd power:
-Wyoming GOP won’t recognize Liz Cheney as member over anti-Trump stance
https://nypost.com/2021/11/16/liz-cheney-no-longer-recognized-as-member-of-wyoming-gop/
-Liz Cheney removed from House GOP leadership
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/liz-cheney-removed-gop-leadership/
-Wyoming Republicans Throw Liz Cheney Out Of Congress
https://thefederalist.com/2022/08/16/wyoming-republicans-throw-liz-cheney-out-of-congress/
“Really don’t mind if you sit this one out; My word’s but a whisper, your deafness a shout; I may make you feel, but I can’t make you think…” – Jethro Tull ‘Thick As A Brick’ 1972
DCSCA (82e5a0) — 9/24/2022 @ 8:57 pmShorter pro-Putin Russian priest: “Many of you will die, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 9:16 pmGrandfathers?
I’m really noticing that it’s women doing more than their share of protesting in authoritarian regimes like Iran and Russia, and they’re braver than hell.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/24/2022 @ 9:31 pmThey sure are, Paul. I read earlier that Ukrainian woman in occupied regions are being forced into the mobilization.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/24/2022 @ 10:20 pm@84 Nixon/kissenger got cambodia involved in the war that prince sianouk was trying to stay out of to protect his people. Nixon had the cia by off the generals to over throw the prince. Is their a musuem in D.C. showing the victims of capitalism? The body count would be much larger. Also we have a holocaust museum here about jews during world war II in europe. I know they do not have a holocaust museum in europe or israel about the extermination of indiginous people like me. I wonder if they have one in D.C. Maybe for Armenians?
asset (e50ce4) — 9/25/2022 @ 12:13 amWallowing in the victimhood of one’s ancestors is not exactly a recipe for a happy life.
norcal (da5491) — 9/25/2022 @ 12:17 am@asset@134 Jewish Americans are 2.4% of the population, Cambodian and Khmer Americans are 0.1%, not enough lobbying power.
Nic (896fdf) — 9/25/2022 @ 12:50 amDo any of you know why the communist cell was invented? The communards were slaughtered at the paris commune. The communist cell came about because capitalist governments were murdering so many communist just like the black panthers like fred hampton and mark clark among other black panthers were murdered here. 1905 russia and 1920/1930’s china were the government mudered communists /socialists. The mafia with the toleration of j.edgar hoover murdered socialist labor leaders here. Allowing lucky luchiano to murder socialist labor leaders in the long shoreman union to take it over. As the establishment prefered dealing with the mafia unions instead of socialists. The reuther brothers were secret government agents. You talk about castro killings ;but never batista and his thugs killings. Venezuela killings bad columbia, elsalvador, guatamala, honduras killings good. The murder of german socialists in the 1920’s like rosa luxemberg by right wing and later nazi’s good. Killing leftist good if leftist kill back BAD! Look at the continuous death threats on AOC since she was first elected. Over at ace their are continuous threats on her and she is a democratic socialist not a communist. You want to talk about how many were killed in china after mao ;but not a word of the killings of mao’s supporters before they defeated the corrupt capitalists. What goes around comes around. Capitalists are still killing people around the world remember china is a semi capitalist country today as the uygers are finding out the hard way.
asset (e50ce4) — 9/25/2022 @ 1:32 amLeftist trash Andrew Weissmann calls Ginni Thomas a Nazi who would send people to the ovens.
https://twitter.com/AWeissmann_/status/1573500988891217921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
And this guy was supposed to be leading investigations. Yet some seals will keep clapping.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/25/2022 @ 4:04 amShorter pro-Putin Russian priest: “Many of you will die, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
The Russian Orthodox Church has been an instrument of the State since Stalin revived it in WWII to boost morale and promote nationalist and religious fervor after the Nazi invasion.
And you’re right about the other part too. Putin and his cronies are not shedding blood or suffering economic privation. The little people are. The nomenklatura are playing with the casino’s chips.
nk (3992e4) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:13 amtranslated clips of Tucker Carlson are still an ever-present feature on Russian state TV, rivaled only by those of Scott Ritter, Douglas Macgregor and Trump.
Scott Ritter is a convicted child molester. He served prison time for it.
Douglas Macgegor has been described as “a racist crackpot who is pro-Russia, anti-Merkel, anti-Muslim and anti-Mexican.” Trump tried to appoint him U.S. Ambassador to Germany but wiser heads thought he would be more like the U.S. Embarrassment to Germany.
Yes, those would be Trump’s friends.
nk (3992e4) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:29 amYes, those would be Trump’s friends.
Trump’s friends are increasingly like China’s allies.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 8:27 amU.S. Nearly Used Nukes During Vietnam War
So says Daniel Ellsberg and no one else.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 8:30 amas he predicted the U.S. would lose a conflict to Russia.
It’s looking like, in the absence of nuclear weapons, NATO would mop up Russia in a few weeks. They are no longer a “superpower” but a “nuclear power” and the weakest one militarily. France would beat them. North Korea would kick their butt locally.
Give us a few years and let SpaceX orbit Project Thor (unlikely politically, not practically) and even the nukes won’t be an issue.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 8:35 am@137: Luckily for Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro, etc the non-Communists weren’t in cells. Until they were.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 8:38 amBack in the day, Stalin forcibly relocated 80,000± Crimean Tatars to other parts less hospitable parts of the USSR, and now Putin is doing his own version of forcible relocations. The more Russian history I read, the less I’m a fan of Russia.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/25/2022 @ 8:46 amPutin knows that his mobilization will not result in a victory. And if you’ve seen photos of the weapons they are being issued, it only reinforces that fact. Their best stuff has already been on the battlefield for six months already. This latest move by Putin will result in more deaths for Russia, and certainly no successes. It will not help Putin maintain power, help his tarnished image, or re-establish Russia as a Soviet-like superpower, so why do it? It’s one gigantic delusion on Putin’s part, with hopes that the Russian people will share in his delusions. This mobilization is just another miscalculation in a long line of them. However, it’s 2022. Russians have the internet, they can see what’s happening. While there will always be true believers, so many young people who are already against this war already see what’s what.
Also, what stands out to me is that Putin has not made any speeches about victory or success. It was back in June that he last compared himself to Peter the Great and the rebuilding of the Russian Empire, but nothing since.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/25/2022 @ 8:57 amHere’s a good report on the risk involved in mobilization:
Dana (1225fc) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:17 amNot sure of the context (it must have come from DCSCA, whom I’ve blocked), but nuclear weapons were considered for use in Vietnam by Gen. Westmoreland:
See Presidents of War by Michael Beschloss, which relates the story.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:20 amIslamophobia-phobia* is real.
The Rotherham rape scandal involved the sexual abuse of 1,400± mostly white British girls, some as young as fourteen, in just one city, perpetrated mostly by Muslims of Pakistani descent, and law enforcement was hesitant to prosecute the rapists because they were afraid the community would say they’re racial/ethnic/religious bigots.
Fast forward to 2022, where the organizers of the Sundance Film Festival are afflicted with the same malady, and it’s typical that left-wingers are hardest hit. For me, I’ll personally make an effort to find and see Ms. Smaker’s film. It sounds really good, and it sounds like she could use the money.
* Defined by me as the fear of being labeled an Islamophobe.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:21 amSo, what you all are saying is that Putin is not a strong leader who has control of his country, and that his invasion of Ukraine was not a genius move?
You do know that President Trump could have stopped all this by not providing Ukraine with weaponry and military intelligence, and by talking the other NATO nations out of doing it either, right?
When you really come down to it, this is a rigged and stolen war.
nk (05a312) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:36 amDouglas MacArthur wanted to use nukes against China to save the marines caught at Inchon. Harry Turtledove wrote an alt-history (“Bombs Away“) about what might have happened after.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:36 amLol, nk.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:38 amWhen you really come down to it, this is a rigged and stolen war.
I’m sure that Putin thinks so.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:38 amThere is new footage of Tucker Carlson clips being used on Kremlin-controlled state TV for war propaganda and anti-American messaging. Good grief.
Dana (1225fc) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:44 amHm, but if authoritarian leaders were really as badass and powerful as they believe themselves to be, why were they not able to stop all the stealing and rigging? (Yes, I mean more than just Putin…)
Dana (1225fc) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:47 amI liked the #TuckyoRose hashtag at Rip’s comment 128.
nk (6ddea3) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:02 am@142. Pfft.
Nobodies:
Using Nukes in Vietnam? The US Military Considered And Rejected It!
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/using-nukes-in-vietnam-the-military-considered-it.html
DID THE U.S. CONSIDER USING NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN VIETNAM?
The short answer is yes, though with important qualifications
https://www.historynet.com/nuclear-weapons-vietnam/
US general considered moving nuclear weapons to Vietnam during war
The New York Times, citing recently declassified documents, said … that in 1968, Gen. William Westmoreland activated a plan to move nukes to Vietnam if it looked like the US and its allies would lose the battle for the base at Khe Sahn. But then-President Lyndon Johnson vetoed the plan, fearing China would join the war on the side of the North Vietnamese — and ordered the nukes turned back, according to the Times. The plan to have the weapons readily available on short notice had been approved by the American commander in the Pacific, Adm. Ulysses S. Grant Sharp Jr.
https://nypost.com/2018/10/07/us-general-considered-moving-nuclear-weapons-to-vietnam-during-war-report/
“Always wrong; never in doubt”- eh, Kev. 😉
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:12 am@132. A “Lysistrata” styled strategy: ‘Hell has no fury… etc.,’
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:17 amOn reason why “war is too important to be left to the generals”.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:18 amNJRob-
I posted this just for you.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:23 am@147. A more serious re-assessment has to be made in the West of the lousy- or deliberate– mistakes made by U.S. and European military planners, strategists and armaments peddlers and procurers who have wrongly estimated the capabilities of the Russian military for decades— to soak taxpayers for increasingly bloated budgets to buy new toys playing on a faux fear of an apparent shadow of a former self. Russians were clever at suckering Western observers– who wanted to see what wasn’t there to begin with; famously flying the same squadron of bombers over Red Square parades inducing a believe that they had more of the aircraft than they actually did. Expect the $$$ military fear mongering to accelerate over China now that the Russian boogieman has been exposed.
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:31 amTrump/DeSantis 2024???
Florida heavy on that one– but given the trainwreck that is Amtrak Joe, from a populist POV, a viable possibility [ take note, Nikki.] Trump can only run for one more term and DeSantis is populism life insurance in a second spot seat, prepped for two-term broken field running. Old Joe can’t kill populism shouting union appeals or yelling at clouds.
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:43 amI’m enjoying seeing Patterico and lots of Dana in the thread.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:43 amNuclear weapons were also considered as part of Operation Vulture, the plan to save the French at Dien Bien Phu:
Footnotes omitted. Fortunately President Eisenhower turned down the plan.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:47 amAww Rip.
The voters disagreed.
NJRob (bd2889) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:54 am@162, once again you draw the wrong conclusion. Consistent if nothing else.
AJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:55 am@165. Golly, Rip; seems they were ‘part of the plan’ with Japan in 1945, too.
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:57 am@167. Yes, the Pentagon planners consistently do, don’t they. Your homework assigment tonight: The Pentagon Papers.
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:59 amI’m sure you’re not referring to me.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 11:03 am@170. If the ‘rip’ fits, own it. 😉
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 11:11 am@145. Hmmmm. Back in the day, the U.S. forcibly relocated Japanese-Americans and Native Americans to other parts, less hospitable parts, of the USA… forcible relocations.
“And the Lord said, gentlemen, “He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” – Professor Groeteschele [Walter Matthau] ‘Fail-Safe’ 1964
DCSCA (fefb55) — 9/25/2022 @ 11:21 amRussian Media Watch:
Maybe the Russians can start a GoFundMe campaign for those who have mobilized.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 11:52 amSo the court dismissing the lawsuit challenging the DOJ’s school board memo is a good thing, bad thing, or you just don’t understand it?
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 12:40 pmThank you, Paul.
Dana (866418) — 9/25/2022 @ 1:02 pmSo DCSCA asks — why weren’t we better informed about the state of the Russian military than Putin? Seems pretty obvious that it’s not a conspiracy — it’s that we believed the same fibs Putin was being told. Maybe because the same people talking to Vlad were talking to us.
In the real world, people can’t get their act together long enough to get a decent conspiracy going.
Appalled (6681a1) — 9/25/2022 @ 1:28 pm@179. Pigs at the trough: the $$$$$$ MIC $$$$$$$
DCSCA (adf8cb) — 9/25/2022 @ 1:43 pmRip,
what part of my short statement are you having difficulty understanding?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:01 pmI don’t see how “the voters” had anything to do with a lawsuit they lost.
Rip Murdock (517cd3) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:05 pmhttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/the-media-forget-themselves-on-political-violence
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:05 pmThe voters felt differently than the judge. Pretty simple.
The judge took Garland’s word for it. The voters decided his word isn’t worth spit.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:06 pmAnd the voters still lost.
Rip Murdock (517cd3) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:09 pmI heard that the claim he thought the 18-year old was a MAGA Republican may be a lie, but the important point is that the driver thought it would win hims= sympathy
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:12 pmAAron Judge is at 60 homers and holding. He hit two #58 and #59 in the same day. He hit 60 in 147 games and still can tie or beat Roger Maris’s 61 in 154 games of less. Maris hit #61 in the 162nd and last game,
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:14 pmRussia is drafting even the dead, but few in either Moscow or St. Petersburg.
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:14 pmNew York Times prints a letter that says the real danger of censorship comes from the left:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/23/opinion/letters/trump-declassification.html
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:25 pm164. In 1939, Stalin (and almost everybody else) misjudged the capabilities of the French army.
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:27 pmHardly anybody realizes that Letitia James is actually up for re-election this year. There was no primary in either party.
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:28 pmEisenhower ended the Korean War by secretly threatening the use f=of nuclear waste as a weapon
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:30 pmhttps://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2022/09/25/wapo-abc-poll-gop-holds-edge-on-generic-ballot-and-wide-leads-on-top-issues-n498887
Hey Rip,
here’s a poll you somehow missed. It shows Likely Voters leaning Republican by 5. Amazing how you missed it since you love polls that seem to favor leftists.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:30 pmBecause U.S. immigration policy makes no sense not only morally and economically or financially but also in terms of inconsistency (it’s hostile but not once they get here) people are ready to believe a reversal of policy has come at the slightest sign of it.
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:34 pmThe Federal Reserve Board openly admits it is experimenting on the American economy and have no cond=fidence in the results,. But many others are convinced it will not work and will result in the opposite.
Since when does raising business ccosts result in lower prices?
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/25/2022 @ 2:54 pmHer name isn’t Mahsa.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/25/2022 @ 3:23 pm“Always wrong; never in doubt”- eh, Kev. 😉
Westmoreland certainly was.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 3:31 pm@173: In his pocket was a knife with a three-inch blade.
Calling a three inch pocket knife (that remained in the pocket) “a dangerous weapon” is a bit much. A lot of women have something like that, or a screwdriver, in their purse.
The rest of it should be enough for the case.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 3:36 pmHinkle and the lawyers on Monday seemed to agree that they were in uncharted legal territory, with no prior examples of a governor suspending another constitutional officer being decided in a federal court on free speech grounds.
They looked around, found uncovered asses and decided to cover them.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 3:38 pmAnd the voters still lost.
A number of school board elections happened.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/25/2022 @ 3:39 pm@173: In his pocket was a knife with a three-inch blade.
How long was his bus?
nk (3a184a) — 9/25/2022 @ 4:12 pmVladimir Bluffin:
When a nuclear detonation occurs, people, plants, and animals can be exposed to the fallout in several ways. Livestock may eat contaminated plants or drink contaminated water. People who then eat this livestock will then still experience internal contamination, in which radioactive material ends up inside of our bodies, despite not consuming contaminated plants or water directly.
Radionuclides that are inhaled or ingested are not blocked by an external shield. These radionuclides interact with internal cells and tissues, which increases the risk of harmful health effects. When radionuclides are ingested, they can change the structure of cells, which is one of the ways people can develop cancer. The health risks from fallout have been described in many studies. One example is the Federal Radiation Council’s 1962 report, Health Implications of Fallout from Nuclear Weapons Testing through 1961. This is one of the reasons why radiation protection professionals work hard to protect people from unnecessary exposure to radiation.
The radioactive dust that settles on the environment around us is an example of potential external exposure. Radionuclides that emit alpha and beta particles would pose a lower external exposure threat because they do not travel very far in the atmosphere and are not as penetrating as more energetic radiation. Shielding, one of the three principles of radiation protection, prevents some external exposure because alpha particles are blocked by the dead skin cells that sit on the surface of our bodies. Gamma rays, however, travel much farther in the atmosphere, and are higher energy rays that can only be blocked by heavy shielding, like a concrete wall or a lead apron. These rays pose a higher external exposure risk. source- https://www.epa.gov/radtown/radioactive-fallout-nuclear-weapons-testing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF-cIk558Xc&t=2s
DCSCA (cf60cd) — 9/25/2022 @ 4:44 pmThanks for posting!
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 4:55 pmI suppose it depends what a woman is doing while carrying whatever in their purse.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:00 pmI don’t keep track of out of state local election results.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:03 pmBrandt will certainly serve more prison time than the former SD Attorney General did for a fatal hit and run (hint: no time at all).
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:35 pmVladimir Bluffin:
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster triggered the release of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere in the form of both particulate and gaseous radioisotopes. As of 2022, it was the world’s largest known release of radioactivity into the environment. – source, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_the_Chernobyl_disaster
The Chernobyl disaster remains the major and most detrimental nuclear catastrophe which completely altered the radioactive background of the Northern Hemisphere. It happened in April 1986 on the territory of the former Soviet Union (modern Ukraine). The catastrophe led to the increase of radiation in nearly one million times in some parts of Europe and North America compared to the pre-disaster state. Air, water, soils, vegetation and animals were contaminated to a varying degree. Apart from Ukraine and Belarus as the worst hit areas, adversely affected countries included Russia, Austria, Finland and Sweden. The full impact on the aquatic systems, including primarily adjacent valleys of Pripyat river and Dnieper river, are still unexplored.
Substantial groundwater contamination is one of the gravest environmental impacts caused by the Chernobyl disaster. As a part of overall freshwater damage, it relates to so-called “secondary” contamination, caused by the delivery of radioactive materials through unconfined aquifers to the groundwater network. It proved to be particularly challenging because groundwater basins, especially deep-laying aquifers, were traditionally considered invulnerable to diverse extraneous contaminants. To the surprise of scientists, radionuclides of Chernobyl origin were found even in deep-laying waters with formation periods of several hundred years… [The] Chernobyl accident revealed complete unpreparedness of the local authorities to the resolution of environment-related issues of a nuclear disaster.- source, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_groundwater_contamination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAsGuWmXLVw&t=4s
DCSCA (e91528) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:43 pmRip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:35 pm
But the crazy old cat ladies at the MAGA hangouts seized on Brandt’s excuse of Ellingson being part of a “Republican extremist group to claim that Biden’s rhetoric caused the mean drunk to kill the kid. Not surprising at all, but worse than annoying. Liars spreading lies.
nk (c2b981) — 9/25/2022 @ 5:51 pmAgreed. The only “evidence” of his “hatred” of Republicans is his own self-serving statement. Absent any other evidence of Brandt being “anti-MAGA” (such as web posts, attending BLM protests, etc.) there’s no real proof.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 6:47 pm@203 Likely voter polling will be inaccurate this election as the kansas abortion voted showed. Polling showed likely voters were even or slightly favored yes. New women voters registering to vote on abortion didn’t show up as likely voters. Also women who normally don’t vote in primaries and mid terms were also not showing up as likely vote. These results showed up in congressional races since abortion decision.
asset (0257cb) — 9/25/2022 @ 8:28 pmRIP John Hartman (72). Founding drummer of The Doobie Brothers.
Rip Murdock (26cf8e) — 9/25/2022 @ 9:07 pmRussian Media Monitor touts how often the Russian’s pine for a return of Trump.
steveg (52b652) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:37 pmBut they waited to invade Ukraine until Biden was ummm, in office. (I almost said until Biden was “in charge” but caught myself)
I was wondering if Russian Media threats over the USA renaming the US Army Alaska to the 11th Airborne validate in any way, Sarah Palin’s actual observations on the subject.
Heck, even Mitt was onto something vs. Obama on the subject unless Biden plans on deploying US carriers into the Black Sea.
I might even buy an ad running those clips and saying “we told you so”
nk- next time you do wordle use Trump as your opening word. Maybe you will get it in one guess.
steveg (52b652) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:54 pmI’ve gotten a few wordle’s done in two, but its been luck. First guess after the opener, no skill involved.
I’ve also gotten four out of five letters green on first guess and then lost because it was one of those *bleep* words that had about seven consonants possible and I chose wrong the whole way down the line.
My wife said I am too competitive, hate to lose, and was taking it unreasonably hard, so I told her to go change the bag on the vacuum cleaner or something (turns out “it doesn’t have a bag, menso”).
Those are infuriating.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 9/25/2022 @ 11:41 pmhttps://nypost.com/2022/09/21/fbi-hero-paying-the-price-for-exposing-unjust-persecution-of-conservative-americans/
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/26/2022 @ 5:02 amhttps://abcnews.go.com/US/jersey-state-introduce-climate-change-curriculum-schools/story?id=90322277
No time to teach reading, writing, arithmetic, it’s all gender studies, climate change and whitey is to blame for all our ills for future generations.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/26/2022 @ 5:15 amThat is because Trump’s policies on NATO, Ukraine, and election denial in the US fit nicely with Russian policy and propaganda to destabilize and weaken the West. When Trump lost, Russia lost their best friend.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/26/2022 @ 9:04 amSad!
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/26/2022 @ 9:14 am“When Trump lost, Russia lost their best friend.”
So, in their anger, they invaded Teh Ukraine.
RIP’d from teh headlines…
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 9:21 amSince Trump was no longer available to (unwittingly) to further Russia’s goals, there was no other alternative. Anger was not involved, destabilization of Ukraine (and the West) has always been their goal. Russia has failed miserably-Ukraine and the West are more united than ever.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/26/2022 @ 9:33 amIt’s a win-win:
He volunteered, was accepted, and was killed in action September 6th — making both Ukraine and Russia better off.
His death is likely to make it even harder to recruit even convicts serving long sentences.
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/26/2022 @ 9:38 amWhat were these furthered goals?
I heard a respected military analyst (Mike Lyons) say last Friday that some intelligence indicates that Putin has eliminated any remaining people/safeguards/obstacles between himself and nuclear deployment.
Perhaps if the administration keeps posturing and forcing Putin further into a corner, perhaps the clapping, barking seals like our SoS will see the fruits of their labors.
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 9:52 amDestabilization of Ukraine, Americans faith in their democracy, and NATO cohesion. See posts 218 and 222; this is the third time I have described their goals.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:03 amThe onus will be on Putin and no one else.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:06 am* Actions taken by the Obama administration did a helluva lot to destabilize Ukraine.
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:13 am* the current administration has done/and continue to do everything in their power to “criminalize” anyone who doesn’t support them, did not/will not vote for them. THEY value Democracy? Pull the other one.
* Other members of NATO could go a long way to showing they value it AND cohesion by funding their fair share of operations as per their charter.
“The onus will be on Putin and no one else.”
Cold comfort I’d say, and highly irresponsible.
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:18 amBut YMMV…
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:19 amThis North Carolina Senate poll shows a close race — and a chasm between male and female voters:
(Link omitted.)
And a chasm between those with high school education or less, and those with post-graduate school or advanced degrees.
Neither of these follows traditional patterns. In the past, political scientists sometimes described Democrat voting by education as following a “J curve”. Democrats won the most votes among the less educated and the most educated; Republicans did best among those in between. Now, the more eduction you have, the less likely you are to vote Republican.
In the 1950s, men and women usually voted very much alike and, if anything, Republicans had an advantage among women. (Republicans were believed to better on peace, Democrats on the economy.) That lasted through the 1976 election.
It is true that this North Carolina race — a Democratic woman running against a Republican man, with abortion important to many voters — probably increases the gap between women and men to more than what is now normal. But even what is now a “normal” gap is bad for both men and women.
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:23 amRussian Media Watch:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:26 amCall him Comrade Snowden:
Will we see Comrade Snowden on the front lines in Ukraine? Sadly, no.
TrumpWorld split on Comrade Snowden.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:37 amThis war isn’t worth even one of our cities.
Now… back to Rah-Rah Rip…
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 10:49 amBudd continues to have a better favorability rating and a strong advantage among men and among less-educated voters
Less educated voters are generally less-highly-paid and less likely to be office workers. This is part of the Trumpian divide — the candidates who ignore these folks haven’t learned the lesson yet.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/26/2022 @ 12:37 pmThis war isn’t worth even one of our cities.
Is anything? Now, is “one of our cities” worth all of theirs?
No matter what we do, Putin could send a warhead to Manhattan. Do we live in fear of that and say “Yes, Massa!” or do we continue to assume that no one is that crazy. If we DO think he’s that crazy, then we should spend some considerable resource killing him right tf now.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/26/2022 @ 12:41 pm233… Read the rah rah headlines, all of the cheerleading going on here and on the nightly news… one might think this was Division One conference football and not potential ruination.
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 12:56 pmCol,
Well said
EPWJ (1d5530) — 9/26/2022 @ 1:09 pmOm granting California state IDs to illegals:
“We’re a state of refuge.” Gavin Gruesome
No.
“We’re a state of refuse.”
FIFY, Slick.
“Now it’s garbage…” – Oscar Madison [Walter Matthau] ‘The Odd Couple’ 1968
DCSCA (87a63a) — 9/26/2022 @ 2:38 pmThose are some persuasive points, Colonel
lurker (cd7cd4) — 9/26/2022 @ 2:46 pmLindberghHaiku. Every American should be ashamed of our merciless bullying of that poor, cruelly maligned Mr. Putin. Have you thought about starting an organization around it? You could call it… just spitballing here… America First?The claim that the recall was rigged is absurd — California bent over backwards to be more than fair to recall proponents, including *extending the deadline for collecting signatures*, without which it couldn’t have gotten on the ballot.
aphrael (4c4719) — 9/26/2022 @ 3:39 pmSee 234, stalk… er, lurker.
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 3:40 pmIt doesn’t have to be just one. It could be two, or even all three:
Why did Trump steal all those documents? Heather Digby Parton offers three possible explanations:
I’m inclined to think some mixture of at least two of the motives, and probably all three, is most likely.
(What is even weirder is his belief that he could get away with this grand theft. In spite of warnings from people close to him.
But then he admitted to Maggie Haberman that many people he meets act like psychiatrists toward him.)
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/26/2022 @ 3:52 pmAnother American export for the world to scorn:
Gunman in central Russia school shooting kills 13
MOSCOW (AP) — A gunman killed 13 people, including seven children, and wounded 21 other people in a school in central Russia on Monday, authorities said. Russia’s Investigative Committee said the shooting took place in a school in Izhevsk, a city about 960 kilometers, or 600 miles, east of Moscow in the Udmurtia region. Those wounded were 14 children and 7 adults, the sommittee said.
The governor of Udmurtia, Alexander Brechalov, said in a video statement that the still unidentified gunman shot himself. The school educates children between grades 1 and 11. It has been evacuated, and the area around it has been cordoned off, the governor said.
According to the Investigative Committee, the gunman wore a black T-shirt with “Nazi symbols.” No other details about the shooter or his motives have been released. Izhevsk, a city of 640,000, is located west of the Ural mountains in central Russia. -AP.com
DCSCA (b37c1a) — 9/26/2022 @ 4:22 pmItaly, like Sweden, turns away from leftism. Now if only Americans would learn the same lessons.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/26/2022 @ 4:40 pm@242. Turns— or goosesteps?
A Mussoliniette by any other name… etc., etc.
DCSCA (b37c1a) — 9/26/2022 @ 4:43 pmSome people insist on learning the hard way. I have a handful of nieces and nephews who have fallen prey to the campus indoctrination – one even subjected to it at BYU (that’s how deep the anti-American rot can go) – and I love them all, but they are among those keen to learn it the hardest way.
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 4:46 pm> Perhaps if the administration keeps posturing and forcing Putin further into a corner
Putin decides to invade his neighbor and somehow it is our fault? If only we did what he wanted, he wouldn’t have to take it out on the poor people of Ukraine?
aphrael (4c4719) — 9/26/2022 @ 4:57 pmsteveg @213. Just got Wordle in two again, with STICK as my starter word. Random hunch.
nk (89cb73) — 9/26/2022 @ 6:46 pm#245 aphrael – To add to your point: Zelenskyy campaigned for president of Ukraine promising he would seek negotiations with Russia.
(I don’t know what Zelenskyy’s plan for negotiations with Putin was, but I am sure he agrees with Churchill, who once said: “Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war.”)
Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/26/2022 @ 6:57 pmNo idea if this is really true, but it should make many people’s heads explode on the Left.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11251579/Heavily-armed-black-rights-groups-march-Austin-demanding-Biden-close-border.html
Simon Jester (947aa5) — 9/26/2022 @ 8:54 pmPerhaps if the administration keeps posturing and forcing Putin further into a corner, perhaps the clapping, barking seals like our SoS will see the fruits of their labors.
Colonel Haiku (17b3b0) — 9/26/2022 @ 9:52 am
Good lord, Colonel. You really stepped in it this time.
Putin rules over the biggest land mass of any country. Russia is so big it has ten time zones.
Russia invades Ukraine, and now Putin is in a corner?
Comedy gold!
All the Russians have to do is go back home to the biggest land mass on Earth.
norcal (da5491) — 9/26/2022 @ 11:59 pmhttps://www.breitbart.com/tech/2022/09/26/dhs-funds-leftist-orgs-to-study-radicalization-white-supremacy-in-video-games/
Leftist indoctrination and gaslighting must take place in all venues. No peace, no respite permitted.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 9/27/2022 @ 5:10 amThis storm is looking nasty for west Florida. Be prepared and stay safe
NJRob (b55207) — 9/27/2022 @ 7:38 amItaly, like Sweden, turns away from leftism. Now if only Americans would learn the same lessons
Trump isn’t helping..
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/27/2022 @ 7:57 amBrazil, like the US, has turned away from assh0le-ism.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/27/2022 @ 8:00 amI have a sis-in-law in Tampa and we checked in. The storm looks major but they’re 5 miles from the ocean in a hurricane-reinforced home with a generator and plenty of supplies. They sound more excited than worried, but I can’t say the same for those in the path of a potential storm surge.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/27/2022 @ 9:56 amVlad Putin say, “Referendums going as planned.”
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/27/2022 @ 10:31 amThe Windbag blows:
“I have spoken to the mayors of Tampa and St. Petersburg.” -Squinty McStumblebum
Both Democrats. But not conferred with the guy in charge: the governor, eh Joey?
He’s a Republican.
IDIOT.
“Don’t know why; There’s no sun up in the sky; Stormy weather…” – ‘Stormy Weather’ Lena Horne 1943
DCSCA (f8ea8d) — 9/27/2022 @ 10:39 am253… they outlawed Mensa Brazil?
Colonel Haiku (0416b6) — 9/27/2022 @ 10:46 amPaul, my parents are down there in Venice. Far enough inland that there aren’t surge worries, but this is looking ugly. They battened down the hatches.
NJRob (fc07fb) — 9/27/2022 @ 12:26 pmOf course, the Ted Cruz is the only “no” vote on the Electoral Count Act Reform bill, one of several Senators who objected on January 6th.
Paul Montagu (753b42) — 9/27/2022 @ 3:11 pmsteveg (52b652) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:54 pm
I’m not sure whether it’s better to try to use a word that might be correct, or to deliberately use some wrong letters. That way you’d get to tryout 10 different letters in two turns. It’s probably better because they call it “hard wordle” when you can’t. It would be easier for a computer program, but not for a person.
There’s usually no more than two or three.
The other day, when I knew there was an A and it couldn’t be the middle letter, and it ended with E and I was a possible vowel, I guessed ALIVE.
I now had 4 out of 5 right:
ALIxE
Then I realized the word could be ALIKE
.
Sammy Finkelman (19edaf) — 9/27/2022 @ 5:42 pm“Hard Wordle” is a misnomer, Sammy. It’s a strategy hint. Always use letters that are in your previous word(s) and in the place they’re supposed to be (the green spot). You don’t need to turn it on. Just remember it as you do the puzzle. You’ll solve it quicker and more often.
nk (540a06) — 9/27/2022 @ 5:50 pmI think guessing a known wrong guess may be a good strategy for the second word or when you’re stuck. There are too many possibilities.
A computer program can know all possible words and maybe can work from that list. words but most people can’t work as well.. They need more clues. Like seeing more letters of an answer in a crossword puzzles helps.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/28/2022 @ 10:01 amThe last witness hearing of the Jan 6 committee will start at 1 pm EDT. They haven’t been clear about what it will involve, but they may follow the actions of Mike Pence before, during and after Jan 6.
There may be another hearing where they present conclusions and recommendations for legislation (although Congress seems to be going ahead with legislation without them)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/28/2022 @ 10:04 amThe hearing was postponed yesterday because of Hurricane Ian. No new date scheduled.
One of the members of the committee, Rep. Stephanie Murphy, is from Florida. Despite her (married) name, she is Vietnamese. She was born in Saigon (then called Ho Chi Minh City) after the fall of Saigon (born in 1978) but emigrated with her family in 1979. She’s not running for re-election toa4th term (first elected:2016)and lives in the Orlando area. She had been a registered Independent till she ran for Congress in 2016, when she won with 51% of the vote after a court-ordered mid-decade redistricting over a Republican incumbent first elected in 1992.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/28/2022 @ 11:14 am28.
The number of people who would want to avail themselves of the free food (for people under age 18) was widely overestimated. Most peole did not need the extra food, and the parents or child would have to go to a great deal of trouble to take it. It could be maybe (a wild guess) only one kin 20 families would use it – although they might really need it) Probably nobody would take advantageof this unless they needed the food or the money it would save them.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/28/2022 @ 11:25 amsteveg (52b652) — 9/25/2022 @ 10:54 pm
TRUMP (which is a word) is not too good a choice.
True, T is the second most common letter in the English language and R is maybe 6th, but M and P are probably somewhere in the teens, and U is not that common a vowel- the more common ones are A E I and O.
Only Y (when used as a vowel) is probably less common, but probably more common in Wordle answers than in a random block of text..
But I tried it yesterday, Wednesday, September 28, 2022.
TRUMP- I was lucky No T but R in the wrong place and U and P in the right place
xxxUxP R
Now the question is, where does the R go?
I thought most likely is between the U and the P. Now at first, I couldn’t think of any word ending in ..URP but BURP – but that’s only 4 letters, but I started trying letters (the more common ones) and I got:
SLURP
The result: R in the right place and S there but in the wrong place
xxURP S
Now S can only in the second place, so it becomes:
xSURP
This puzzled me a bit. ASURP for instance is not a word.
But you can use a letter twice. Wordlewon;ttell you that a letter is both in the right place and in the wrong place.
So I got, for my third try:
USURP.
Which fits TRUMP.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 9/29/2022 @ 2:54 pm