Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
With 141 countries voting in favor, 7 voting against (Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria), and 32 voting in abstention (including China, India, Iran and South Africa), the UN called for Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. During the meeting, Chinese deputy envoy to the UN, Dai Bing blamed the West for exacerbating the situation in Ukraine by supplying arms to the country, saying that the West is adding fuel to the fire will only exacerbate tensions.
Provoked by his comments, Germany’s foreign minister Annalena Baerbock rejected the accusation and reminded the world of a simple truth that is just as relevant today as it was on Day 1 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine one year ago:
The truth is that if Russia stops fighting, the war will end, If Ukraine stops this fighting, Ukraine ends.
Knowing that Bejing’s claims of neutrality are laughable, Bill Browder warns:
China has disingenuously come up with a 12-point “peace plan” at the same time as they’ve begun to discuss providing arms to Russia. If they do provide arms, it will be catastrophic for Ukraine and could lead to WW3.
Meanwhile, Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling explains why he believes Ukraine will win the war (hint: Russia can’t adapt…):
Looks have always been deceiving when it comes to Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine. From the start, Russia’s capacities were overestimated. Both the size of its army and the modernization it had supposedly undergone indicated to many observers that Russia would triumph easily. But since the invasion began, the Russian military has failed to adapt its strategy and operational objectives to battle conditions and circumstances…Ukraine’s armed forces have admirably adapted in each phase of this fight, learning lessons from training they received over the past decade, and from the scars earned on the battlefield itself. And Russia has repeatedly demonstrated an inability to do the same…It will remain difficult for Russia to change — simply because it can’t. A nation’s army is drawn from its people, and a nation’s army reflects the character and values of the society. While equipment, doctrine, training and leadership are important qualities of any army, the essence of a fighting force comes from what the nation represents. Putin’s autocratic kleptocracy is thus far proving no match for Ukraine’s agile democracy.
Related: At the one-year mark, the U.S., in coordination with G7 members, announced new sanctions against Russia and other entities supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine:
The sanctions…target over 200 individuals and entities, including a dozen Russian financial institutions.
President Biden is also set to sign a proclamation on Friday to raise tariffs on certain Russian products imported to the U.S., including 100 Russian metals, minerals and chemical products worth approximately $2.8 billion…Treasury Department…target[s] at least 12 Russian banks and the country’s mining industry…Department of Defense announced a $2 billion security assistance package for Ukraine…includes additional artillery rounds, munitions for laser-guided rocket systems and unmanned aerial systems…Department of Energy announced its third infrastructure package for Ukraine, which will include critical transmission grid equipment that will be delivered in early March.
Second news item
After causing a firestorm by announcing hundreds of edits to Roald Dahl’s classic stories and claiming that they had a “significant responsibility” to protect young readers, Puffin Books clearly felt the heat:
Puffin announces today the release of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, to keep the author’s classic texts in print. These seventeen titles will be published under the Penguin logo, as individual titles in paperback, and will be available later this year…The Roald Dahl Classic Collection will sit alongside the newly released Puffin Roald Dahl books for young readers, which are designed for children who may be navigating written content independently for the first time.
Per Francesca Dow, Managing Director of Penguin Random House Children:
We’ve listened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl’s books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation…We also recognise the importance of keeping Dahl’s classic texts in print. By making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl’s magical, marvellous stories.”
Third news item
Some MAGA Republicans split from Fox over the war in Ukraine:
The war in Ukraine has moved from city to city: Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Kherson, Bakhmut. But its outcome, oddly, might be decided by a political contest thousands of miles away. The contest isn’t between Ukrainians and Russians. It’s between Republican hawks and Fox News.
Vladimir Putin is betting that the international alliance in defense of Ukraine will unravel. His best shot to win that bet is in the United States, where polls show that public support for arming Ukraine has declined, particularly among Republicans. War fatigue and unease in the Republican base are being channeled and fueled by Fox News, whose primetime anchors have worked to undermine America’s support for Ukraine.
The question now is whether congressional Republicans and GOP presidential candidates—the people who could cut off further aid to Kyiv—will withstand this pressure. The struggle is playing out on live TV, as Fox anchors press these politicians to disown or curtail our commitment to Ukraine.
Fourth news item
NTSB releases initial report on the East Palestine train derailment:
The report found that one of the train’s cars carrying plastic pellets was heated by a hot axle that sparked the initial fire, according to Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the safety board. As the temperature of the bearing got hotter, the train passed by two wayside defect detectors that did not trigger an audible alarm message because the heat threshold was not met at that point, Homendy explained. A third detector eventually picked up the high temperature, but it was already too late by then.
“This was 100% preventable. … There is no accident. Every single event that we investigate is preventable,” Homendy said during a news conference Thursday. “The NTSB has one goal, and that is safety and ensuring that this never happens again.”
Fifth news item
A bill aimed at forcing Arizona’s public school students to recite the Pledge of Alliance each day passed the state House this week. Despite opponents citing that the measure is clearly unconstitutional, the House’s Republican majority is pressing forward…As much as Arizona Republicans want to enforce this “citizenship” exercise, the Supreme Court decisively ruled in 1943 that schoolchildren cannot be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance. In West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, the Court ruled that the state cannot compel anyone—even schoolchildren—to profess or vow a belief they do not hold.
“Compulsory unification of opinion achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard,” wrote Justice Robert H. Jackson in the Court’s opinion, famously adding, “if there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in matters of politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”
Sixth news item
Five months into the massive protests after the death of Mahsa Amini, this is an absolute slap in the face and betrayal of the courageous women in Iran who have removed their hijabs in protest:
Switzerland’s ambassador to Iran on Thursday faced accusations of betraying the women-led protest movement after she wore all-enveloping black Islamic dress on a visit to a holy shrine alongside clerics.
The Swiss foreign ministry has batted away the criticism, saying ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano was appropriately dressed in line with protocol for a visit to a holy site.
Iranian media had published images of Lozano dressed head-to-toe in black with a full headscarf and long black garment alongside turbaned clerics during a visit to the holy shrine city of Qom.
While teenagers & women are getting beaten, jailed & killed for saying NO to forced hijab, NO to gender apartheid regime, Swiss ambassador in Iran obeyed forced hijab. Shameful & betrayal to Iranian women.
Switzerland must respond why they took side with our killers.#MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/w4BkQGKkqt— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) February 23, 2023
The ambassador’s act was not an act of neutrality.
Related: The barbaric inhumanity of Iran’s authorities (Note: the report is very graphic and disturbing.):
CNN has been able to pinpoint the location of more than three dozen black sites. Many are undeclared jails inside government facilities such as military and Revolutionary Guards bases, known to rights groups and lawyers for years. Others are makeshift, clandestine jails – sometimes warehouses, empty rooms in buildings or even the basements of mosques – that cropped up near protest sites during the Mahsa Amini uprising…According to dozens of testimonies from survivors of torture as well as legal experts, the torture used on protesters in these off-grid sites was “unprecedented” in its severity. These clandestine jails exist outside of whatever due process the Islamic Republic affords, seemingly enabling unfettered cruelty…Off-the-books detention centers are not a new phenomenon in Iran. Rights groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Kurdistan Human Rights Center have documented the abuse perpetrated in these places for years. Yet lawyers and activists say the proliferation of the sites during the Mahsa Amini protests was unprecedented.
“Not only has the use of secret detention centers increased significantly, but the torture used in them became more severe and the conditions of detention more restrictive,” said Ghassem Boedi, a lawyer from Tabriz, northwestern Iran.
The regime’s fear of being overthrown led to increasingly brutal tactics, observers say. “The major difference between these protests and the previous ones is the scale of the protests. They have been so widespread,” said Boedi, who sought refuge outside Iran. “The regime felt that it would be overthrown this time. They needed to stop the protests at any cost.”
This makes the Swiss ambassador’s actions all the more despicable.
MISCELLANEOUS
A council meeting in Romania descended into hysterics on Friday after one councilor—supposedly “working” from home—turned his camera on while in the shower. The chairperson of the meeting was calling for attendance when Social Democratic (PSD) councilor Alberto-Iosif Caraian appeared on screen undressed in his shower. The soggy official was asked to turn his video feed off as colleagues could be heard cracking up. “But I can’t hang up,” Caraian said as he scrambled to turn the camera off. “I can’t hang up, I apologize profusely. I have a bad cold, but I don’t know how to hang up.” He later rejoined the meeting with his clothes on.
He messed with the wrong Grandma, and she messed him up:
“Next thing I know, he walked up talking about, ‘give me your keys, I got a gun.’ I said, ‘baby, you better shoot me, because you’re not taking my car.’”
She declined to go on camera, but she’s known in her 22nd Street Southeast neighborhood as “Grandma.” She was on her way to chemotherapy Friday when a 15-year-old boy tried to carjack her, MPD said.
“He pushed me to the door and I got up and I grabbed him and was hitting his ass, and hitting him and fighting him and I said, ‘you not going to take my car, youngin.””
Grandma said when she called for help, neighbors responded.
“They all came out to help me,” she said.
He ran across the street and that’s when they caught him.
“They caught him and I said, ‘oh, you going to jail today. You definitely going to jail, yes you are,” she said.
Have a great weekend!
–Dana
Good morning.
Dana (1225fc) — 2/24/2023 @ 8:48 amRe: Grandma, he might be going to jail, the problem is the length of stay.
Soronel Haetir (f59799) — 2/24/2023 @ 9:01 amI see that Zelensky is suggesting that Israel needs to pick a side, which puts some pressure on them to follow the US line, considering what else is going on in Israel. Countering that is some hostility to Ukraine given Jewish experience in that area.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 9:15 amIt is sad to say, but Fox News has become a propaganda tool rather than a news outlet. Now, maybe MSNBC is as well (I wouldn’t know), but the Murdochs really need to fix this or their brand will never recover.
It cannot be long before the deplatforming starts.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 9:22 amSecond news item, Roald Dahl.
I did not read the unexpurgated version of The Count of Monte Cristo until my 50s. The version I read when I was young was highly abridged. No lesbianism or transvestitism for sure, and I can’t remember the Count’s “dog”, a slave he had bought in Africa, either.
As for Roald Dahl, I don’t know how suitable he is for children, because I found the one short story of his, that I also read in my 50s, too dark and ugly for my tastes and I did not care to repeat the experience.
nk (bb1548) — 2/24/2023 @ 9:22 amSince all of Roald Dahl’s original work have long since been converted to digital editions, there was little chance that those versions could be suppressed anyway.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 9:28 amInstead of the Pledge being recited daily, I humbly suggest that the US Constitution be read to students once per month and that understanding it be a high school graduation requirement.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 9:32 amhttps://rufo.substack.com/p/biden-creates-a-national-dei-bureaucracy
Trying to nationalize their cultist indoctrination of our kids and families. Barely a peep from those who used to support liberty.
NJRob (78558c) — 2/24/2023 @ 10:03 amUnless you don’t want to believe election results.
BuDuh (b7be99) — 2/24/2023 @ 10:12 amI’m glad they backed off on the edits to Dahls books. The edits made the
Worse and we’re silly. I’m also glad to see that “more speech” shown to be an effective response to bad speech.
This is a good example to the culture warriors who want to expand state power to fight against wide spread rejection of their preferences that expansion of state power isn’t necessary. They just need to actually persuade.
Time123 (9f27b2) — 2/24/2023 @ 10:27 amVideo of the press conference at the link.
BuDuh (b7be99) — 2/24/2023 @ 10:41 amThis is a good example to the culture warriors who want to expand state power
Perhaps, but this is hardly one-sided. I have no problem with ss marriage. I do have a problem with the State insisting on individual participation. Or demand a druggist sell abortion pills.
The idea that a vendor of a product must sell all products to all people for all reasons breaks down pretty quickly. Does a newsstand have to sell porn? Or gun magazines? Or TV Guide?
I agree that state power should be limited, if not dialed back, but the same people who want to block some laws want to enact others just as risible.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 10:46 amBuduh, the state won’t compel you believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen any more then they will the earth being flat. You can hold out hope in the cyber ninjas and Kari Lake for as long as you can tolerate being mocked and laughed at by your friends and family.
Time123 (9f27b2) — 2/24/2023 @ 10:48 amKevin, While there are edge cases if you’re operating a business generally open to the public you can’t refuse service passed on age/sex/religion/race etc.
A news stand doesn’t have to sell porn. But if they sell porn they can’t refuse to sell it to Christian men because they think that’s wrong.
Pharmacists can refuse to fill a prescription for moral reasons in most states, with rules in place for another pharmacists to fill it. Many large chains have employee agreements that prohibit this. But if you don’t like CVS’s rules don’t work for CVS. This becomes more problematic in rural areas where there may not be multiple options.
Time123 (36927c) — 2/24/2023 @ 11:02 amAlthough this horse appears to be well-beaten, there is a difference between selling to all customer and selling particular customized designs to customers. As I’ve said before, the point isn’t clear but for me it’s roughly when two grooms or two brides are put on top of the wedding cake. That changes the baker from a supplier to a participant, however slightly. It is the point where it is demanded that he submit.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 11:13 amPharmacists can refuse to fill a prescription for moral reasons in most states
There was a time where two people of different races could get married “in most states.” How satisfactory was that?
Many large chains have employee agreements that prohibit this. But if you don’t like CVS’s rules don’t work for CVS
Shorter: Christians need not apply.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 11:15 am@19, and devout Muslims shouldn’t apply to work at a store that sells booze. Pacifists probably shouldn’t apply to work for Lockheed Martin. Anti-Porn Feminists shouldn’t apply to work at Hooters.
Also there are a lot of Christian’s that don’t agree with your interpretation of scripture.
If you believe that pre-marital sex is a sin that you refuse to support then yes, don’t apply for a job with a company that wants to sell contraception to the public.
If you own a catering company and believe that interracial marriage violates god’s will (not an uncommon belief in the 1950’s) then you’re going to run into problems if you refuse to do businesses with a mixed race wedding.
Time123 (0f03b8) — 2/24/2023 @ 11:27 amhttps://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2023/02/22/nyt-opinion-wonders-will-any-lessons-be-learned-from-mask-mandates-utter-failure-n532387
Mask study that conclusively proves mandates and required mask use did nothing to stop the spread of the virus. Those committed to the alternative narrative will continue to believe they worked based on faith and not science.
NJRob (78558c) — 2/24/2023 @ 11:36 amAnti-Porn Feminists shouldn’t apply to work at Hooters.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-10-01-9710010254-story.html
1997
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 11:59 amRe #ll, from the San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office:
Dana (1225fc) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:01 pmIf you own a catering company and believe that interracial marriage violates god’s will (not an uncommon belief in the 1950’s) then you’re going to run into problems if you refuse to do businesses with a mixed race wedding.
Wait, weren’t you the guy who JUST SAID “This is a good example to the culture warriors who want to expand state power“?
I said, well this works both ways but “they” don’t see it, and you have pretty much proved my point.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:01 pmIf that’s the case, and will remain the case Vladimir Putin can always avoid a worst case scenario simply by calling for a ceasefire, so what does he have to lose by continuing except men’s lives, equipment, GDP and population?
Are they aiming for attrition?
Waiting until the other side gives up is a formula for prolonged war. That was Korea until Eisenhower made a secret threat – and even so the war has been merely on pause for the past 70 years; Vietnam from 1964 on – although victory was in sight in December, 1972 but the United States was so happy to get the first North Vietnamese acceptance of half reasonable terms, it immediately accepted; and the Iran-Iraq war until the United States mistakenly shot down a civilian Iranian jetliner carrying Revolutionary Guards which scared Khomeini about what he could lose if the war continued.
There was no excuse for President Biden’s surrender of Afghanistan to the Taliban – and that’s what it was. The stalemate was being maintained at no cost to American soldier’s lives. And Putin may have misread what Biden would do if he invaded Ukraine.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:09 pmWestern leaders give cool response to China’s plan for Ukraine peace talks
‘Western leaders have largely dismissed a peace plan for Ukraine laid out by China’s government, arguing that Beijing does not have the international credibility to act as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
China’s government called for peace talks while urging all parties to avoid nuclear escalation and end attacks on civilians, in a statement which appeared to maintain Beijing’s stance that the west was fueling the conflict and which analysts dismissed as anodyne.
The 12-point position paper on Ukraine was released on Friday morning, on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion. The paper, for which Ukraine was not consulted, was cautiously welcomed by Kyiv, but criticized by US officials and some analysts who noted the growing ties between China and Russia. On Wednesday, China’s top diplomat visited Moscow and pledged a deeper partnership.’ – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/24/china-calls-for-russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks
… and so, with his benefactors naysaying the proposal and w/$2-$2.5 billion worth of free, suckered Yankee Doodle aid in his pocket extorted from Squinty McStumblebum just this week:
Zelensky plans to meet with China’s Xi on proposed peace plan
‘LONDON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said he planned to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping over its proposed peace plan, released on the one-year anniversary of the war.
“China started talking about Ukraine and I think this is a good thing,” Zelensky said at a news conference on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion. “But it actually begs the question, what will these words be followed with? The steps next are important.”
On Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry announced a 12-point proposal that called for a resumption of peace talks, an end to all unilateral sanctions against Russia, and emphasized its opposition to the use of nuclear weapons. It also stressed that territorial sovereignty should be upheld but remained vague on what that meant for Russia or Ukraine.
Speaking from Kyiv, Zelensky said he has plans to meet with Xi. “I…believe this will be beneficial for our countries and for security in the world,” he said.’ -yahoonnews.com
Attaboy, olive-drab Z! Pocket the freebees from Squinty… then head for Red Bejing to see what you can loot from them. ‘Never give the suckers an even break, right, Z?’ Both W.C. Fields– and ‘Bugs’ Moran couldn’t be prouder.
“Nobody wears beige to a bank robbery!” – Virgil Starkwell [Woody Allen] ‘Take The Money And Run’ 1969
DCSCA (2804b4) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:10 pm#8
Why don’t you pull some quotes to give a flavor of what you are discussing? Too much culture war stuff concentrates on Drag Queen Story Hour or empty library shelves or RINO hunting. This one has the right subject — how DEI initiatives in government become the government actively trying to change society.
That’s a battle where I think you can find common cause with a lot of us who don’t like what we often see from the populists.
Appalled (23dbe5) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:10 pm#23
So are you against Z talking with Xi to find a way to peace? I expect Z to try to get the best deal he can for his country — which may not be exactly what the US would want. But isn’t that what soverign nations do?
Appalled (23dbe5) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:18 pmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/world/europe/biden-putin-russia-ukraine.html
That’s where his policy is leading!
Biden is determined that Ukraine will not lose; believes that the war will probably not end even if Ukraine is fully occupied by Russia but that Russia is no more likely to stop at any point than Germany did; angry at the Russian missiles aimed at civilians, but, on the other hand, afraid of what will happen if Ukraine gains too much ground.
Slowly, slowly, slowly, he does more, hoping the Russian frog will not notice it is being boiled.
And it is not that he pays attention to Putin’s occasional talk of nuclear weapons. He, and his Cabinet don’t believe a word Putin says, whether it is be good or bad. It’s all based on theorizing what would be Putin’s red line, and errs on the side of caution.
They don’t have a plan for this war to end, except hoping Putin gives up maybe or there is a coup in Russia.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:21 pmWhen was Fox News just a news outlet?
Rip Murdock (c1c753) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:22 pmI wanted to mention that I have been listening to The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling podcast from Bari Weiss’s outfit. Only two episodes have been released so far. I have found them to be very interesting. At this point, Rowling has discussed leaving her very violent marriage, escaping with her baby and a xeroxed copy of her then-unfinished manuscript of the first Harry Potter book, the profound sorrow she experienced at the death of her mother, and the avalanche of fame and insanity that came after Harry Potter became a best seller. She has only lightly mentioned the tweet, saying that she never set out to hurt anyone, and “I think you could not have misunderstood me more profoundly.”
Also discussed simultaneously are recordings of various right-wing pastors and legislators warning Americans that HP was indoctrinating children into witchcraft, etc. Most interesting was the discussion with a lawyer who worked for Arkansas schools to remove HP from school libraries and the lawyer who represented parents fighting back against the decision. (They ended up being good friends, and the lawyer on the side of the schools ended up reading the books and enjoying them.)
Rowling is a soft-spoken, intelligent and articulate woman who, in midlife, seems sure of herself and her stand on things. There isn’t any ambiguity (What does she mean???) I am looking forward to the next episode in the series. I hope to write up a review when I’ve listened to the series in its entirety.
Dana (1225fc) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:24 pmAppalled (23dbe5) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:10 pm
are essentially attempts to get people to admit to wrongthink about race – except they’re not serious about that, either. People would have to listen to a lecture about “implicit bias” and not disagree with what’s being “taught” but nothing more except quotas, since they’re failures at education also. Nobody will even have to understand what they are saying.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:26 pmIf you believe that pre-marital sex is a sin that you refuse to support then yes, don’t apply for a job with a company that wants to sell contraception to the public.
No, that doesn’t work at all, Time123. Where your formulation falls short is that contraception is a very small part of what a pharmacy sells. A pharmacist should have the latitude to fill the hundreds and hundreds of other prescriptions which come in every day, yet decide not to handle the abortion pills, just in the same way that a sporting goods store employee ought to be able to sell weights, clothes, shoes, racquets, clubs, and balls but should be able to ask that she not be required to sell guns. It’s a reasonable accommodation (but, to be sure, I think the owner of the store can determine not to hire an employee who is unable to fill a abortion pill prescription or sell a handgun).
The bigger issue here is that the Biden Administration would not allow that pharmacist — or even the owner of the store — to make that determination. They would replace reasonable accommodation with heavy fines and sanctions if the employee refuses to comply. Should a Republican Administration do the same to our hypothetical sporting goods store?
JVW (66fbee) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:27 pmThe Afghan military barely lifted a finger to defend their country, unlike the Ukrainians. The Afghan people got what they wanted.
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:27 pmSome notable comments from an unnotable commenter, exactly one year ago.
“Forget about Ukraine. It’s gone.”
“This rollout is exceptionally well planned, masterfully executed and flexibly timed.”
“Paul, the West could end this PDQ. We know where Putin eats and sleeps: kill him.”
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:31 pmTaking that last suggestion would indeed be an escalation, an act of war that actually would risk WW3. Good times.
The first movie that featured a character named Harry Potter came out in 1985.
Well, Internet sources say 1986:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092115/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(film)
There are differences. Harry Potter wants to learn how to be a wizard but June Lockhart doesnt tell him theres’s a school in England.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:34 pm`
Ukraine has defied the odds with its sheer tenacity and ferocious determination to defend its country and wrest it from the hands of a madman. Had the Ukrainians not had the sheer will to succeed despite the unfavorable odds, it wouldn’t have mattered how many weapons and how much aid had been sent to them. And Zelensky deserves so much of the credit. He has held the country together, boosted morale, and given them the courage to keep going. So while idiots like Ted Cruz and Marge mock him for wearing fatigues and sweatshirts, quite clearly the Ukrainian people hold him in great esteem.
Dana (1225fc) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:36 pmRip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:27 pm
They had no confidence that the government would not flee. That was one big difference between France in 1940, South Vietnam in 1975 (president Thieu made a big mistake in suddenly withdrawing from part of the country) Afghanistan in 2021 and Ukraine in 2022. President Zelensky refused to flee Kyiv and told other world leaders he might die.
NATO leaders did not want that to happen because they knew him personally and so Ukraine fights on.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:38 pmhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/what-happened-in-the-ohio-train-derailment-e687c32
Automatic brakes is the official solution! Anyway it wasn’t automatic, but it came at the wrong time.
But that’s not the big question. The big question to me is: Was burning the vinyl chloride a mistake?
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:47 pmThe Wall Street Journal ran an editorial about the derailment yesterday. It was against what all politicians said and did:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/east-palestine-norfolk-southern-donald-trump-pete-buttigieg-alan-shaw-biden-administration-b62218e9
The WSJ means agenda against drilling.
The Wall Street Journal then cites several snake oil or irrelevant preventions:
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 12:54 pmRip Murdock at 36:
You’re channeling General
Douglas MacArthur:
But in 1951, cotinuing on would have meant amassive land war in Asia, on the scale of World War II>
Here, Russia is exhausting its resources, ad all with no official U.S. casualties.
We’re also hearing the domino theory again. That didn’t turn out to be true, beyond Laos and Cambodia, but maybe only because the war lasted past 1966.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:00 pmGiven the fact that the Afghan “government” didn’t control large swaths of countryside (whose population couldn’t care less who ruled them) the only people who cared were the Westernized elites in the cities, who profited from the American presence. Absolutely no progress was being made by the Afghan Army to defeat the Taliban. Instead they cut deals with the enemy.
Maintaining this status quo forever wasn’t necessary for American national security. While the withdrawal from Afghanistan was sloppy and disorganized, any hint of America leaving Afghanistan would have resulted in the same situation.
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:05 pmUkrainian victory may be the fall of Vladimir Putin from power and his being put on trial.
https://ukranews.com/en/news/916305-ukrainian-tanks-will-be-in-moscow-on-red-square-it-is-fair-danilov
Well, in 1918 Germany sued for peace, after its allies had already negotiated a ceasefire.
Something short of unconditional surrender may be possible.
But neither Russia nor Ukraine is prepared to accept the current lines.
Maybe if there is a complete halt to aerial bombardment.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:06 pmDanilov, it appears, thinks that in the aftermath of the war, there may be more secessions from Russia.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:07 pmCold comfort to the Laotians and Cambodians who had to endure genocidal conditions.
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:11 pmRip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:05 pm
They were being abandoned. And there was no way to fight without air support. Also the Taliban had had a strategy of assassinating Afghan figures who were good.
That is mostly true, but ending it was a humanitarian disaster and a betrayal.
Something Biden didn’t realize – he said the Taliban is not the North Vietnamese army – and the Pentagon was in denial of especially after it was pressed to say that the Afghan government could last for a while. Nobody in Afghanistan was interested in the government lasting just for awhile. If so, they wanted to get out.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:13 pmWe have an idea what the Ukrainian people would support.
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:20 pmRip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:11 pm
ZIt was the Cambodians eho had to enduire genocidal condition, aided and abetting by Jimmy Carter who stopped Thialand from invading (I can’t find a source) Eventually the Pol Pot regime started up with Hanoi and Hanoi invaded. Jimmy Carter sided with China in passing resolutions against that at the United Nations – a policy that was continued by Reagan – and for ten years there was a minor war on the fringes of Cambodia fought for the sake of a seat at the United Nations.
Laos had less but the Soviet Union supplied poison gas to be dropped on some Laotians – politicide rather than genocide. Liberals denied it.
The samples of “yellow rain” of course were mostly bee pollen because it did not solidify but there was some contamination detected and to deny poison gas was used is to deny eyewitness testimony just because it comes from poor and uneducated people.
The precedent of dropping poison gas on civilians was later followed in Afghanistan (a bit), Iraq and Syria.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:21 pmBetter link for post 45.
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:22 pmI cited the pledge and prayed in school and look how I turned out. Also ban republicans not books!
asset (4b3dd7) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:31 pmRemember when the right asked who lost china? Actually it was the corrupt chinese government under chaing. Now it looks like MTG and tucker carlson wants to replace jane fonda and sit on the AA gun themselves! How about you DCSCA? The anti-war peaceniks are now in the republican party! At least they no longer question the patriotism of those who opposed the vietnam war, central american war, afganistan war and iraq war. After all they tell us putin is white!
asset (4b3dd7) — 2/24/2023 @ 1:39 pm@25. You’re missing what’s really going on here…
U.S. dismisses China’s Ukraine peace proposal as an attempt to distract
‘U.S. officials are scoffing at Beijing’s much-anticipated Ukraine peace proposal and urging the world not to get distracted from the imminent threat of China supplying lethal weapons to Russia. China’s 12-point “Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis,” published Thursday, asserts vague support for “sovereignty,” “ceasing hostilities” and “resuming peace talks,” without specific proposals on achieving those goals.’
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/24/united-states-china-ukraine-00084384
This isn’t about Ukraine– they’re just sad cannon fodder in this; it’s about the emerging U.S./Chinese superpower rivalries into the 21st century w/21st century Russia as China’s b-tch. China and Russia now have a pact; a Eurasian survival pact long a concern in the West but deterred by 20th century Cold War policies— until the USSR collapsed. To survive, Putin outsmarted- with faux charm- the Western leaders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCCTf17ZiIs&t=1s
Twenty Years of Putin Playing the West in 3 Minutes | NYT Opinion
‘Vladimir Putin, especially these days, is widely reviled. To some he’s a war criminal, to others he’s a dictator, and to many he’s simply a very bad man.
But it wasn’t always this way. We trawled through video footage from 20 years of international summits, speeches and news conferences and discovered a man who once basked in high regard: the one who went fishing and dancing with George W. Bush, who fell into warm embraces with Tony Blair and whose jokes had NATO’s leaders rolling on the floor with laughter. As the Opinion Video above starkly reveals, Western leaders once considered Vladimir Putin not just an ally, but also, apparently, a friend.
Even if they were simply giving him the benefit of the doubt for political purposes, they were taking a naïve gamble of historic proportions: Be nice to Putin, and maybe he would be nice back. It’s true that this brand of personal diplomacy scored some significant security victories. Arms control treaties were signed, and Putin allowed U.S. jets to strike the Taliban from bases in Russia’s satellite states. But as Russian tanks rolled into Georgia in August 2008, Bush learned that his eight-year friendship with the Russian leader had earned him zero leverage over Putin’s territorial ambitions.
While it’s debatable whether Western governments could have foreseen the bloody horizon of Putin’s vision, let’s now be clear about one thing: Personal diplomacy doesn’t work when you need it most.’
And as often noted here- and largely ignored by emotion driven hand wringers eager to freely fork over billions of borrowed taxpayer bucks to the second most corrupt region in Europe- plenty of Western firms in EU/NATO/allied nations- and in the USA itself, continue to do business w/Russia– a list updated daily:
https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-1000-companies-have-curtailed-operations-russia-some-remain
This alone is an embarrassing failure by Biden, blowharding about unity in the West, too.
Humiliating the United States by China presenting a viable peace proposal Z would agree to discuss –a peacemaker purview once chiefly the domain of America alone– instead of billions in arms and aid – and worse, that ‘Bugs’ Z would even entertain– after pocketing $2.5 billion this week and the embarrassing delivery man, bagman Biden [which keeps the MIC smiling] — is just another methodical, winning, building block by China–forcing on top of sailing spy balloons over the U.S.
We’ve got a feckless team in charge now– literally from the top down– who at best can only vaguely, reactively respond; no sign of proactive policy, because any solid counter response will be seen as an escalation in tension w/Chinese/Russian relations and particularly hard on Americans at street level so deeply dependent on Chinese goods and Russian oil on the open market. And there’s only so much petroleum left to peddled off from the SPR. Afghanistan only affirms the poor pattern of bad decision-making.
A shift in the global power structure is well underway. After 30 or 40 years or so, we’re now in deep sh-t; it didn’t happen overnight– and we won’t get out of it quickly– but it’s a cinch the aged, old school flag waving Congressional, MIC hugging handwringers w/20th century mindsets and bellicose pundits long nested in both parties won’t lead the way out.
DCSCA (2804b4) — 2/24/2023 @ 2:18 pmWe’re going to regret not pulling the plug while we still had the chance.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/24/2023 @ 3:18 pm@49. Oh please… stop borrowing billion from China and just PAY FOR IT.
Demand Joey issue Ukrainian Freedom Fighter War Bonds. Ukraine itself, did, last year:
Ukraine government issues war bonds to fund military, raises $270 million
The Ukraine government issued war bonds Tuesday to fund its defense against a Russian invasion, raising about 8.1 billion hryvnia (or $270 million), officials said.
“The proceeds from the bonds will be used to meet the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to ensure the uninterrupted provision of the state’s financial needs under the war,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a LinkedIn post.
The office issued two sets of bonds, with one having a 1-year maturity and an 11 percent yield, while the other matures in two months and has a 10 percent yield, it said. – https://nypost.com/2022/03/02/ukraine-government-issues-war-bonds-to-fund-military-raises-270-million/
Just one problem: where is the borrowed money propping up the Ukrainian government to pay redeeming those 1 year 11% yield bonds – and the others coming from? The freely given $, borrowed by the United States to prop them up, of course.
“Never give a sucker an even break…” Larsen E. Whipsnade [W.C. Fields] ‘You Can’t Cheat An Honest Man’ 1939
DCSCA (2804b4) — 2/24/2023 @ 3:24 pmI agree with you on the need for reasonable accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs and my simple examples would need more details to really determine if accommodations are reasonable or not. For instance it’s easier to accommodate a clerk in a store with many clerks then a licensed pharmacist in a store with only one on staff at a time.
But I hadn’t heard that the Biden administration was seeking to make changes there. Do you have a link?
Time123 (15ece2) — 2/24/2023 @ 3:24 pm@51. You did see the film, right? It’s stellar [the book, BTW is out of this world, too]… and what was HAL’s fate? He was powered down; turned off.
And lest you forget, ‘AI’ was managing the descent of a fragile little machine named ‘Eagle’ until the onboard computer began auto-targeting it toward a cratered area “strewn w/boulders the size of automobiles” where a crash with certain death awaited– and a fella named Neil Armstrong took over control, manually, away from the computer, and steered his Apollo 11 Lunar Module to a safe, clear landing spot.
DCSCA (2804b4) — 2/24/2023 @ 3:36 pm…
…
Read the rest. Linked above.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/24/2023 @ 3:58 pmMore from the Security Council meeting:
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 4:13 pmRIP former US Senator James Abourezk (92).
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 4:19 pmBut I hadn’t heard that the Biden administration was seeking to make changes there.
It’s been in the news recently.
JVW (66fbee) — 2/24/2023 @ 4:38 pmI was listening to right wing talk radio (all their is here) How we don’t need diversity. All white male businesses are just fine. Like most opinion shows now no diversity of opinion (this is also true on democrat side with msdnc) Bloviating talking heads ramble on because their is no one to tell the emperor he has no cloths. Perhaps audience doesn’t want debate just their bias reinforced like the election deniers ;but it is not good for the country. Affirmative action did not come about for no reason as to many conservatives think. Back then the black community was torching a city a week LA then chicago and in 1967 newark one week detroit the next. By the way black soldiers sat down on the runway and refused to go to detroit to shoot down their black brothers. After the rodney king riots when marchers in las vegas were shot by police, Conservative pundits said it was unfair for marchers to have the slogan the more reginald dennys you have the less rodney kings you will have. Now of course it is the right who is anti-FBI because they opposed trump. Both sides need to here debate from the other side so we can get at the truth.
asset (0a1d76) — 2/24/2023 @ 5:11 pmGood news:
Four tanks this round, with 10 more to come (per President Duda in January). Hopefully, other EU countries will follow now.
Dana (1225fc) — 2/24/2023 @ 5:17 pmRemember how up until last year the conventional wisdom among the Western left is that Poland was becoming a crypto-fascist state which would quickly deteriorate into a replay of Franco’s Spain if not Hitler’s Germany? Remember how they howled when Duda announced that Poland wasn’t interested in accepting her assigned quota of Syrian (and other) refugees that Angela Merkel had invited into Europe? Remember the hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing when Duda and his party banned the teaching of LGBTQ ideology in public schools?
It’s funny how all of that is shuffled aside during a time of continental (and international) crisis, especially when the object of your ire turns out to be the most stalwart protector of territorial integrity in Europe. The same people who want so badly to erase cultural borders should contemplate whether they are sometimes every bit as important to a nation as geographic borders are.
JVW (66fbee) — 2/24/2023 @ 6:04 pmWhen was Fox News just a news outlet?
I did not say “just.” It used to be one at least some of the time. Circa 2012 it was pretty reasonable.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 6:13 pmThe problem with the “Ukrainian victory” scenario is that it is utterly impossible for Ukraine to eject Russia from all its territory without the war spilling over into Russia proper. Not only must the Ukrainians attack rear echelons to push back the front, but tactics just don’t allow niceties like respecting borders.
If we are not willing to accept that, then we really need to find a way to stop this before then.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 6:22 pmBoth sides need to here debate from the other side so we can get at the truth.
“One of the dreariest effects of this war has been to teach me that the Left-wing press is every bit as spurious and dishonest as that of the Right.”
George Orwell, regarding the Spanish Civil War
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/24/2023 @ 6:28 pmUkraine has already attacked Russia proper-the occupied oblasts have integrated into Russia, as has Crimea. And Ukraine has launched cross-border helicopter and drone attacks on Russian targets, including air bases.
They just need to do more of them with a higher degree of consistency and intensity.
Rip Murdock (5e1527) — 2/24/2023 @ 6:32 pmAn excellent thread on the path to and viability of negotiations on Ukraine.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/24/2023 @ 7:13 pmRussian Media Watch-Delusional Edition
Related:
Rip Murdock (ef3c49) — 2/24/2023 @ 10:32 pm@64 In the 1930 the leftist press was mostly communist or fellow travlers. Their was black press ;but little of it was far left that wasn’t funded by the communists. Remember the scottsboro boys got their first real lawyers from communists. FDR opposed anti-lynching because it would hurt him with white voters in the south in the 1936/38 and 1940 elections Same with the SS st,louis and the jews. Marian anderson was forced to sing on the steps of the lincoln memorial because she was black In the 1930’s it was the communist party that was at the forefront in fighting racism. Stalin did not care ;but american communists and socialists did and it cost them dearly during the mccarthy years purges.
asset (37fdf7) — 2/24/2023 @ 11:27 pmThey won’t be introspective. But thank you for the post.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/25/2023 @ 4:52 amThere were two cartoons in Politco’s weekly collection that I especially liked, Michael Ramirez’s Putin, and Nick Anderson’s Mark Twain.
(For the faint hearted, I should add that almost everyone can find a cartoon or two in that collection that will offend them. Isn’t free speech grand?)
Jim Miller (f29931) — 2/25/2023 @ 11:24 amI liked both cartoons!
Dana (1225fc) — 2/25/2023 @ 11:38 amAs predicted:
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 2/25/2023 @ 11:49 amTrump Litigation Watch:
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 2/25/2023 @ 12:01 pmIf I didn’t already know I was at Patterico.com I would due to the bare mention of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment along with the total lack of sympathy for the plight of the town’s people in the comments.
BTW I detest Trump.
DN (f5dfb0) — 2/25/2023 @ 1:03 pm@63. Kevin: ‘Nixon Now.’
Putting aside all his obvious petty flaws and lengthy criminal activities, Nixon’s intellect, calculus and foresight on foreign policy issues are sorely missing today. He puts Biden and his team to shame.
DCSCA (774d88) — 2/25/2023 @ 1:08 pmTwo TikTok stories:
The European Union has banned it for their “Eurocrats”:
And, there was a “wave” of TikTok “tics” among adolescents, which appears to have receded.
(Full disclosure: I have begun trying to avoid buying ChiCom products, where possible. “Emperor” Xi doesn’t seem to want to be friends with us.)
Jim Miller (f29931) — 2/25/2023 @ 1:29 pmNick Anderson’s Mark Twain.
Mark Twain disavowed the “Lies, damn lies & statistics” quote, saying it originated with Benjamin Disraeli.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/25/2023 @ 1:58 pm@73: Nothing quite like a targeted push poll of a few people.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/25/2023 @ 1:59 pm#78 Here’s the full story:
(You’re welcome.)
Jim Miller (f29931) — 2/25/2023 @ 2:04 pmHarvard/Harris/CAPS Poll
Top lines.
Net Favorable/Unfavorable
Trump 48/45
DeSantis 44/31
Biden 41/52
Harris 41/48
Pence 40/43
Haley 37/28
Putin 12/71
US Military 76/14
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 2/25/2023 @ 5:15 pmAmazon 75/16
Police 65/26
CDC 54/32
Ukraine 53/25
FBI 51/35
DOJ 48/36
Supreme Court 50/36
China 16/67
Russia 13/71
More from Harvard/Harris/CAPS Poll:
Biden Not Running:
Kamala Harris 22%
Hillary Clinton 16
Bernie Sanders 12
Pete Buttigieg 8
Gavin Newsom 4
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 4
Trump defeats Biden 46-41 13% don’t know
Trump defeats Harris 49-39 13 13% don’t know
DeSantis defeats Biden 42-41 17% don’t know
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 2/25/2023 @ 5:33 pmDeSantis defeats Harris 43-40 18% don’t know
If I didn’t already know I was at Patterico.com I would due to the bare mention of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment along with the total lack of sympathy for the plight of the town’s people in the comments.
BTW I detest Trump.
DN (f5dfb0) — 2/25/2023 @ 1:03 pm
Lack of mention does not constitute lack of sympathy. Everyone agrees it was a horrible thing.
I prefer to focus on issues that aren’t so clear-cut.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/25/2023 @ 5:37 pmHowever, the phrase is not found in any of Disraeli’s works
I would imagine the two corresponded.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/25/2023 @ 9:25 pmBTW, if you want to gauge Pence’s chances, you should look over in the Trumpist sewers for a read on that.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/25/2023 @ 9:27 pmSo, Tuesday the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the student loan cases (Biden v. Nebraska, Department of Education v. Brown). Any bets?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/25/2023 @ 10:15 pmScott adams creator of dilbert says he will no longer help black people. Black people say when did you ever help us?
asset (ca4487) — 2/26/2023 @ 12:23 amSo, Tuesday the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the student loan cases (Biden v. Nebraska, Department of Education v. Brown). Any bets?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/25/2023 @ 10:15 pm
No bets. Only wishes.
The student loan forgiveness move is heinous in general, but especially because it tends to reward people who majored in things like gender and race, who then (surprise!) couldn’t get a good-paying job with which to retire their debt.
It’s a subsidy to leftism. If you want more of something, subsidize it.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/26/2023 @ 12:27 amScott adams creator of dilbert
Most major newspapers cancelled Dilbert over the weekend. Adams reacted badly to a poll where a bare majority of blacks agreed that it’s acceptable to be white, and given his past support for Trump the MSM decided that Adams needed cancelling.
Because diversity!
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/26/2023 @ 7:28 amPence has no chance because he stepped on the third rail of politics. He also never had a chance with voters outside the Republican base because of his association with Trump, no matter how noble his actions were on January 6th (which is why the Republican base doesn’t like him). He also doesn’t have the outgoing personality to be president, he doesn’t seem to enjoy the give and take. He also polls in the mid-single digits.
He never was going to be President. He reached his pinnacle as Trump’s VP, and that’s all he will be.
Rip Murdock (d353df) — 2/26/2023 @ 8:50 amRIP film producer Walter Mirisch(101), the only person to receive the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the Irving G. Thalberg Award and an Oscar for best picture (In The Heat of the Night (1967)).
Rip Murdock (41df4a) — 2/26/2023 @ 11:30 am“especially because it tends to reward people who majored in things like gender and race”
As a proportion of degrees awarded, what percentage do you think are “gender and race” related?
Davethulhu (c09e20) — 2/26/2023 @ 2:17 pmI’m sorry, Dave, but until you apologize to whembly I’m not willing to engage with you.
You are usually a respectable voice on the left, but you went off the rails that day.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/26/2023 @ 2:48 pm@Davethulhu, I had the same question. The internet tells me that for 2020 it was roughly 16 thousand out of 5 Million and falling, most of which were awarded by university of Missouri-Columbia. That the average salary in the field is 80,000 and that the average age of people in the field is 41, which implies that there hasn’t been a sudden increase over the last 20 years, otherwise that number would skew younger.
Apparently most people either got a business degree or one in a healthcare field at roughly 800,000 to 900,000 for each.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/26/2023 @ 3:38 pm*the largest number were awarded by UMC at about 8%, not that they awarded more than 50%.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/26/2023 @ 3:39 pm*read the wrong line of total degrees, should be 16 thousand out of 2 million.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/26/2023 @ 3:42 pmNic,
It’s more than just gender and race. I said “things like gender and race”. There are all kinds of wokeness going on in college. The last I heard, one could major in English at UCLA without taking one Shakespeare class, apparently because he’s a dead white guy or something.
Other than STEM degrees (which do end up paying well), lefty bias (I won’t even call it liberal, because liberals are tolerant, and believe in free speech) has crept into many other degrees, and students coming out of universities are more and more in one camp.
Loan forgiveness is, to a significant degree, a subsidy to progressive ideology.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/26/2023 @ 4:04 pmAlso, people who can’t get their financial houses in order, and blame the system rather than themselves, are often the ones who will look to the government for a bailout, students or not.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/26/2023 @ 4:10 pmAnd Now There Are Three……….
The thing is that Vivek Ramaswamy’s issues such as repealing affirmative action, the abolishing civil service, establishing meritocracy as a guiding principle, opposing viewpoint censorship, abolishing and establishing federal agencies, etc. require congressional approval. In addition, none of these issues appear in any national poll of voters as a concern.
Rip Murdock (c47476) — 2/26/2023 @ 4:21 pmWhy anyone takes a cartoonist’s opinion on anything seriously is beyond me.
Rip Murdock (c47476) — 2/26/2023 @ 4:37 pm@100. Seriously????
“Good grief.” 😉
“In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.” – Charles Schulz
Top 100 Peanuts Quotes From The Beloved Comic Strip
https://kidadl.com/quotes/top-peanuts-quotes-from-the-beloved-comic-strip
DCSCA (8990ae) — 2/26/2023 @ 5:15 pmVivek Ramaswamy
He’d better not rely on write-in votes.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/26/2023 @ 5:20 pmJust shut up and draw.
Rip Murdock (c47476) — 2/26/2023 @ 6:34 pm@103. Just shut up and draw.
‘A picture is worth a thousand words’…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herblock#/media/File:Sportsmen!_Kids!_Maniacs!.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aftermath_by_Edward_Kuekes.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Come_on_in,_I%27ll_treat_you_right.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize_for_Illustrated_Reporting_and_Commentary
DCSCA (94e664) — 2/26/2023 @ 7:16 pmPDF of tables and charts.
Rip Murdock (c47476) — 2/26/2023 @ 7:41 pmNone of which has anything to do with the Scott Adams controversy, the subject of my posts.
Rip Murdock (41df4a) — 2/26/2023 @ 7:44 pmOT: Uncrewed Soyuz MS-23 “rescue” mission arrives at ISS
The primary aim of the Soyuz MS-23 mission is to replace the existing Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which suffered technical problems while docked to the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
Soyuz MS-22 launched from Baikonur on Sept. 21, 2022, with a three-person crew: Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin of Roscosmos, and NASA’s Francisco Rubio. The addition of Rubio to the flight was done as part of a crew swap exchange agreement between the American and Russian space programs. [Flying with “Evil,” eh Joey?]
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/02/soyuz-ms-23-launch/
DCSCA (94e664) — 2/26/2023 @ 7:48 pmNASA is launching Crew 6 to the ISS tonight aboard an ‘Evil’ Elon Musk SpaceX Falcon rocket aboard a Dragon spacecraft.
The ‘Devil’ is in the details: NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, as well as UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to perform science, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory.
Godspeed, guys.
https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive
DCSCA (94e664) — 2/26/2023 @ 8:05 pm@106. Nice try.
DCSCA (94e664) — 2/26/2023 @ 8:06 pm@106. You should read-up on Al Capp.
DCSCA (94e664) — 2/26/2023 @ 8:08 pmRip @105. Where was that PRRI abortion poll taken? Greenwich Village or the Castro District?
nk (bb1548) — 2/27/2023 @ 7:32 amChairman Xi could answer this in a press conference, supplemented with transparent and credible disclosures, but right now we’re stuck with “undecided” and “low confidence” and “moderate confidence”. Last summer, a couple of studies concluded that the virus most likely originated in a Wuhan wet market, but the WSJ reported the following.
Bottom line…
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/27/2023 @ 8:42 amDid it come from a lab? More likely than not. No one should look past that it came out of Wuhan, where the ChiComs work on this crap.
Is it a bioweapon? More not than likely.
As almost all of you know, I take cartoons seriously. Recently, for example, I bought a copy of this book, about the cartoonist often given credit for helping take down Boss Tweed. (Among other things.)
And I take cartoons seriously, whether they are on the editorial pages or the comic pages. (There are Calvin and Hobbes cartoons where Calvin says things so much like what the loser says, that it is spooky. I don’t think the loser has been copying Calvin, but the similarity does tell us something about his intellectual level.)
I do that because cartoons often show emotions that we find hard to capture in ordinary prose. Anyone who wants to understand how our fellow Americans are feeling can often learn something from looking at comics. Here’s a recent example that illustrates my point. (In the last year or so, I have started watching out for people in a cellphone trance, partly to avoid them, but mostly so I can prevent them from getting hurt. And I hope many others are doing the same thing.)
Jim Miller (f29931) — 2/27/2023 @ 8:46 amI provided a link to the poll, scroll down to end to find your answer.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2023 @ 8:49 amCongressman Mike Gallagher has the right idea.
Congressman Gallagher has the right background for this important work.
And it is good to see that he is trying to make the committee’s work bipartisan.
Jim Miller (f29931) — 2/27/2023 @ 9:40 amThat abortion poll is as intellectually dishonest as most of them are. When they say “in most or all cases” they pretend it means “elective abortions at all stages of pregnancy” when the respondent is almost always hearing “for most or all reasons.”
The divergence of opinion in America is almost entirely on the lateness of elective procedures, and when polls are honest enough to put it that way, they do get that 65% accepting elective abortion the first trimester, but that number becomes a decided minority in the second trimester and a fringe group in the third trimester.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/27/2023 @ 9:44 amAs for Scott Adams, well it is nice to see the Left accept that blacklists are OK. I’m sure we will see blacklists for people who support murderous Marxist dictators any day now.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/27/2023 @ 10:04 amPaging Paul Montagu: From the WaPo Editorial Board’s column,They are just kids — and they are being *sent* to Russia from Ukraine:
Dana (1225fc) — 2/27/2023 @ 10:22 am@118 what goes around comes around. When you sow the wind don’t complain about reaping the whirlwind. It will get worse. AOC gets death threats all the time.
asset (38bb8f) — 2/27/2023 @ 1:08 pmWhen you sow the wind don’t complain about reaping the whirlwind
Said the guy who wants re-education camps.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/27/2023 @ 1:18 pmPaul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/27/2023 @ 8:42 am
They haven’t got it right.
In my opinion, there were TWO lab leaks: The first one probably some time in late August or early September 2019 but before September 12, 2019, when the database of viruses held by the Wuhan institute of Virology was taken offline; and the second one probably on or about December 2, 2019 when the Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention moved to within 300 yards of Wuhan Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market and also near a hospital. The two viruses were related but one was not a direct ancestor of the other.
The first strain was milder than the second one and the Chinese thought they could contain it and no one outside of China would ever know about it. The milder strain was the first one because it spread further and was the first to hit the United States. Because they are mixing up the order, the Chinese government refuses to make early DNA sequences available and also had ordered labs to destroy all samples.
The Chinese would not have created the red herring of the Wuhan Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market unless the December outbreak originated near it and the WIV is 8 miles away.
Incidentally, while research was probably being funded by the Chinese military because it might lead to a bio-weapon, it was very much basic research, not applied research.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/27/2023 @ 2:11 pmThis could be personal communication or a written document that the Department of Energy (which got the assignment of making secure facilities because it also does that for nuclear, which President Eisenhower wanted handled by civilians) did not share with other intelligence agencies. There’s also more academic research which goes against the natural transmission idea.
But the BIG MISTAKE they are making is that they are assuming that there was only one lab leak — something scientifically impossible. (two variants one not the direct ancestor of the other)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/27/2023 @ 2:16 pmShorter Rupert Murdoch under oath: “Yes, chose to lie to our viewers and keep our ratings instead of tell the truth and lose them to NewsMax and OAN.”
I don’t see how Dominion won’t get a huge financial settlement, because if there actions weren’t a reckless disregard for the truth, I don’t know what is.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/27/2023 @ 3:07 pmAck. The poor grammar hurts the eyes.
Folks, this is a big story.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/27/2023 @ 3:31 pmIf there is another major news organization out there that so pervasively and consciously lied for weeks about a front-page story, out of fear of losing its audience, I don’t know what that media outlet is.
Paul,
It is a big story.
I would send that story link to my friend who is transfixed by Tuckyo, but I doubt it would do much good.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/27/2023 @ 3:36 pmThirty years ago tomorrow.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2023 @ 5:07 pmThat abortion poll is as intellectually dishonest as most of them are.
Any poll that has 79% of Buddhists supporting abortion is bogus.
nk (439e26) — 2/27/2023 @ 5:35 pmGood to see this from Rep. Gallagher:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2023 @ 6:17 pmJoining Krishnamoorthi on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) agreed with him: “We should not question anybody’s loyalty to the United States. I think that is out of bounds.”
He’s not sticking up for Chu. He’s sticking up for Trump.
You talking to me, Congressman?
nk (439e26) — 2/28/2023 @ 6:00 amThe leaders of the House’s new select committee on China on Sunday defended Rep. Judy Chu after another lawmaker questioned her loyalty to the United States because of her Chinese heritage.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2023 @ 6:17 pm
this of course is a lie
Dems Cry ‘Racism’ After DCNF Bombshells Expose Rep. Judy Chu and Biden Appointee’s Ties
JF (a3c471) — 2/28/2023 @ 7:36 amThe media lied about the Clinton funded dossier. The median lied about collusion. The media lied about where Covid came from. The media lied about masks. The media lied about lockdowns. The media called questioning any of this racism.
Why should we trust anything coming from them again?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:12 amSammy, I’m just a simple country commenter. I don’t see where it makes a functional difference if there were one or two lab leaks. I assume the ChiComs were handling more than one strain, and it was established that their safety protocols were a mess.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:12 amJF: “this of course is a lie”
So Chu’s affiliation with the All America Chinese Youth Federation, allegedly a CCP intel front, makes her fair game for accusing her of being disloyal to the U.S.? What evidence should be required here…or is it ok just to launch unsubstantiated claims and howl with outrage? Maybe connect this to Chinese payoffs to Biden or perhaps even to Hunter’s laptop? I think banging the table about racism is also overwrought, but Chu did successfully pass a clearance investigation. If the clearance was not properly investigated, then make that case. Nahh, the goal here is to just act like an a$$ for your base.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:36 am“Joining Krishnamoorthi on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) agreed with him: “We should not question anybody’s loyalty to the United States. I think that is out of bounds.””
They didn’t defend her?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:53 amWhen your only qualification is “first Chinese American Congresswoman”, of course challenging your “loyalty or competence” is racist and xenophobic. What else could it be?
nk (439e26) — 2/28/2023 @ 9:02 amChu had a academic and political career long before she was elected to Congress. Being the “first Chinese American Congresswoman” isn’t a qualification, it’s the recognition of a fact that the area she represents has a large Asian-American population.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 9:17 amIf you say so.
nk (439e26) — 2/28/2023 @ 9:47 amAny ethnic Russians in Congress?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/28/2023 @ 10:49 amAJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:36 am
hilarious
I noticed you let unsubstantiated claims here that I’m a “Russian shill” pass without objection
stay focused
the point was that the claim that her loyalty is being questioned “because of her Chinese heritage” is a lie, and it is
JF (4513f1) — 2/28/2023 @ 12:04 pmThe accusations that you’re shilling for Russia are substantiated by your public shilling for Russia. Although to be fair it could also be explained as anti-American sentiment.
Time123 (9397db) — 2/28/2023 @ 12:25 pmTime123 (9397db) — 2/28/2023 @ 12:25 pm
you have absolutely nothing to back that up, which is why you didn’t include any comment of mine for reference, as there are none
but, this is typical for you and all leftists of your ilk, and the others here who know the commenting rules won’t be applied to them
an apology from you would be worth sh!t, so don’t bother
JF (4513f1) — 2/28/2023 @ 12:58 pmWhy on earth would i apologize for correctly describing your comments?
Time123 (9397db) — 2/28/2023 @ 1:09 pmTime123 (9397db) — 2/28/2023 @ 1:09 pm
because, as usual, you didn’t back it up with any examples, because there are none
and you were challenged to provide some, and you didn’t
your commenting history shows that you’re very free and easy with epithets — racist, homophobic, Russian shill, anti-American— because it’s your warped thrill and a fallback when you don’t have a rational argument, which is most of the time like now
I’m sorry frosty and FWO don’t comment here anymore and you need a foil to get your pathetic jollies, but sorry no thanks
JF (4513f1) — 2/28/2023 @ 1:24 pm133. Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:12 am
Actually, it makes it worse, and gives them more reason to hide the facts, because they had a leak after aversion of the virus had already escaped and made people sick, and also makes the evidence fit better.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology had the biggest collection of bat viruses in the world. They took it offline on September 12, 2019.
They probably had selected one strain for further experimentation with but they were probably playing around with it in separate experiments. To see if it could or would mutate to infect humans. They found out, yes it could. They were probably encouraged to do this by Dr. Ralph Baric of the University of North Carolina, who wanted to do this kind of research, but his funding was cut off.
They were supposed to be Biohazard level 4 but they were more like Level 2.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 2/28/2023 @ 1:41 pmFWO I saw, but when was frosty moderated/banned?
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/28/2023 @ 1:55 pmAfter his U.S. funding was cut off, Dr. Ralph Baric began working with the Wuhan Institute of Virology back in 2015.
https://usrtk.org/covid-19-origins/timeline-the-proximal-origin-of-sars-cov-2
Here is more on Dr. Ralph Baric’s funding cutoff.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/11/07/361219361/how-a-tilt-toward-safety-stopped-a-scientists-virus-research This article is from 2014.
I think he outsourced some of his research to China and/or Shi Zhengli, the “bat lady” in charge of the Wuhan lab, took his idea a little bit further, and began using humanized mice (mice with a human immune system) instead of just regular mice.
Ralph Baric denies responsibility:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/07/26/1030043/gain-of-function-research-coronavirus-ralph-baric-vaccines
That is, none of the viruses he worked with could have been the ancestor of Covid.
Which only means that if Shi Zhengli supervised some research that created Covid, she did it on her own. Chinese researchers like to independently duplicate other research so they can get credit and maybe patents.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/28/2023 @ 1:56 pmThe problem with China is that it’s feeling its oats before it’s ready to wield great power. The Chinese are a very proud people, and they have good reason to be. Up until the 14th century or so, they were the most technologically advanced, powerful country on the planet. The Chinese word for China is 中国 (zhong guo), which means middle kingdom. Notice how the first character has a line right down the middle. The Chinese believed that their country was the country between heaven and earth. In other words, all the other countries were below them.
After the 14th century, China became rather inward and isolationist (after all, when you’re above everyone else, why bother with them?), and other countries caught up and surpassed them, to the point that China was colonized and humiliated.
What really got their goat was when Japan, an island nation only a fraction the size of China, beat them at war. As part of the settlement of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895, Japan got control of Taiwan, which it ruled until 1945. (As a side note, there are more people in Taiwan who wish to reunite with Japan than reunite with China.)
Since Deng Xiaoping saw the errors of Mao, and started “socialism with Chinese characteristics” (What characteristics? Capitalism. Just don’t say it.) China grew big and fast. The Chinese people are now filled with pride and have the power to do all kinds of things. The problem comes from the fact that they don’t yet have the checks and balances that come with democracy.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:01 pmFWO I saw, but when was frosty moderated/banned?
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/28/2023 @ 1:55 pm
Frosty comes and goes. Maybe he goes away for de-frosting. 🤣
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:03 pm148. I think the Ming dynasty in China (and this idea was also followed eventually by the rulers of Korea and Japan) wanted to limit contact with the outside world so as not to have ideas circulating which could undermine their rule. The rulers did not trust themselves to know what they were but in some way, they felt it would undermine them. What they had worked.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:08 pmHere’s what Congresswoman Chu says:
And here is a link to her February 14th statement on the matter.
Jim Miller (f29931) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:10 pmOrigins of the October Surprise story:
https://irp.fas.org/congress/1992_cr/h920224-october.htm
What’s missing from here is the behind the scenes efforts by Jimmy Carter to promote it.
He actually edited Gary Sick’s book before publication. I saw that once but could not find a reference to that again.
The Larouche people started with a theory that involved Henry Kissinger.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:13 pmAnd who told you that, Sammy, the Chinese? Or Baric, who was secretly behind the Lancet letter that discounted the lab leak theory? I suggest not trying to divine their thoughts.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:16 pmRest in Hell: Linda Kasabian (73) has died. Manson family member who testified against the remaining Tate-LaBianca killers.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:21 pmRest in Hell: Linda Kasabian (73) has died. Manson family member who testified against the remaining Tate-LaBianca killers.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:21 pm
At least she testified against the others, and felt remorse afterwards about being part of the cult.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:25 pm#151 I should have added that Chu admits she was at the dinner in question. The kindest explanation — and in my opinion the most likely — is that she and/or her staff goofed, and didn’t do the checking before she accepted the invitation.
Jim Miller (f29931) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:30 pmI took JF’s comment @144 to mean something beyond periodic comings and goings. If not moderation or expulsion, maybe an announced self-exile?
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:38 pmOnly to save herself.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:44 pmOnly to save herself.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:44 pm
She continued to show remorse long after the trials were over.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:48 pmI took JF’s comment @144 to mean something beyond periodic comings and goings. If not moderation or expulsion, maybe an announced self-exile?
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:38 pm
I haven’t seen anything to indicate a restriction. He has disappeared for long periods of time before.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:49 pmProof?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:52 pmLike Trump and his dinner with Ye and Nick Fuentes.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:53 pmhttps://news.yahoo.com/manson-family-member-linda-kasabian-122739673.html
Interviewed by CNN’s Larry King in 2009, while wearing a disguise to protect her identity, Kasabian said she had been “on a path of healing and rehabilitation” in the intervening decades and claimed she bore a guilt over the killings that none of her former co-conspirators felt.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 2:55 pmWhatever-a self-serving interview with America’s father confessor, Larry King, where criminals go for absolution. Hardly proof of a life well lived. Having grown up in the Los Angeles area at the time (along with all the other serial killers such as the Night Stalker and Hillside Strangler), she and the rest of the Manson Family terrified the citizenry. Her death is the best news one can expect about her.
Unfortunately, most of the rest involved in the Tate-LaBianca and related murders are still alive: Bruce Davis (convicted for the murders of Gary Hinman and Donald “Shorty” Shea); Leslie Van Houten (convicted for Rosemary LaBianca’s murder); Charles “Tex” Watson (convicted in the Tate-LaBianca murders); Patricia Krenwinkel (convicted in the Tate-LaBianca murders); and Bobby Beausoleil (Hinman murder).
For some reason the California parole authorities keep recommending their release. Fortunately, Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom have the power to block these recommendations, and have done so on multiple occasions.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2023 @ 3:32 pm@152 larouche conspiracy theory is their to muddy the waters. Typical of govt. protection racket. Yasser arafat and banisader who were in on the deal tell the real story. Example dr fauci says no funding of gain of function research. This is because the name of what they were funding was changed. The govt. rarely lies as it is to easy to get caught. They just don’t tell the truth. Example: I have no knowledge of this and don’t you dare ask if it could of happened with out your knowledge! Republican family values are those of the manson family!
asset (86967c) — 2/28/2023 @ 3:47 pmasset, do you see your role here to educate us heathens on the long-standing conspiracy theories of the loony Left? Because it is getting tiring. Most of us don’t believe our side’s conspiracy theories, why should we believe yours?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:03 pmMost of us don’t believe our side’s conspiracy theories, why should we believe yours?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:03 pm
🤣
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:18 pmLurker I think frosty still comments occasionally.
Time123 (b63544) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:24 pmFWO was banned, sadly, if fairly in application of the sites stated moderation policy. I disagreed with him on a lot but enjoyed talking with him and appreciated his point of view and willingness to honestly discuss it. Hopefully he will eventually be back.
Maybe JF will explain what he meant by “I’m sorry frosty and FWO don’t comment here anymore.”
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:53 pmJF: “the point was that the claim that her loyalty is being questioned “because of her Chinese heritage” is a lie, and it is”
I’m not sure that’s why people are bothered by this. Perhaps the charge of disloyalty is particularly odious to most because of her Chinese heritage and the lack of any concrete evidence. Again, a charge of disloyalty to your country should be backed by more than an implied guilt by association. If there is a legitimate charge, make it…otherwise it just comes across as an indirect slur, like Trump mocking Elaine Chao.
JF: “I noticed you let unsubstantiated claims here that I’m a “Russian shill” pass without objection”
Well for starters, you’re anonymous and face no reputational damage. Second, no one here is arguing that your security clearance should be revoked, like Chu, or that you should be silenced or banned for your Ukraine commentary. Third, your anonymity prevents us from knowing what exactly motivates your Ukraine comments. Personally, I’m not sure that I care. It’s fine to not sanction unlimited Ukraine aid, to want to avoid direct U.S. involvement, and to fear nuclear escalation. However, I do find it interesting that you are less troubled about similar costs and risks of coming to Taiwan’s direct defense. Is this shilling for Russia? I might not sling that, but I can at least appreciate how people that you treat poorly here might characterize your opposition to Ukraine aid less favorably. You do regularly attack people’s motivations here, so you’ve earned some blowback. I’m not sure that Chu has really earned her blowback, but I’ll always consider any evidence that you have.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:53 pmasset is a plant by the new york times to bring down my wordle score because the new york times found out that i was solving wordle in two and three by using the posts and comments as the inspiration for my starter woed but today i went all the way up to six because the last thing i saw here before starting my wordle was asset’s comment on the latvian delegate post and if that does not prove it i don’t know what does
nk (bb1548) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:57 pmnk (bb1548) — 2/28/2023 @ 4:57 pm
nk,
I’ve heard that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 5:05 pmOscar Wilde copied that from Charles Caleb Colton, norcal.
nk (bb1548) — 2/28/2023 @ 5:17 pm@166 the more information you get out side the bubble the better informed you “should” be.
asset (9e6278) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:44 pm@173 Good to know, nk.
I’m still waiting to be flattered. If asset qualifies, why not me? 😛
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:49 pmasset (9e6278) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:44 pm
There is some truth to that. However, if one goes from Breitbart to The Nation, one hasn’t even begun to cover the bases.
Like Jay Nordlinger at National Review says, you are the media you consume.
norcal (7345e5) — 2/28/2023 @ 8:52 pmThere is some truth to that. However, if one goes from Breitbart to The Nation, one hasn’t even begun to cover the bases.
Or even enter fair territory.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 2/28/2023 @ 10:55 pmhttps://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-11-19/a-new-research-paper-evidence-for-the-animal-origin-of-covid-19
The bird cage liner is still trying to carry water for the communist Chinese. Thankfully the truth has come out in spite of our Pravda media.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/1/2023 @ 4:50 amYesterday was the third-year anniversary of Trump’s “beautiful trade deal” with Xi Jinping as Covid was exploding across the globe.
nk (bb1548) — 3/1/2023 @ 5:38 amhttps://nypost.com/2023/02/28/the-view-hosts-defend-marjorie-taylor-greene-after-restaurant-attack/
No surprise that there’s dead silence. Civility only runs one way.
NJRob (d6edee) — 3/1/2023 @ 9:17 amInteresting race now for Chicago mayor: A black progressive anti-cop county board member vs a internationally-respected pro-charter school superintendent who is pro-cop and anti-crime. (free link)
Mayor Lightfoot is out.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/1/2023 @ 12:38 pmThankfully the truth has come out in spite of our Pravda media.
We are still working through the cover stories. The actual truth might be much worse.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/1/2023 @ 12:40 pm“No surprise that there’s dead silence. Civility only runs one way.”
Here’s MTG publicly hassling parkland shooting survivor David Hogg: https://youtu.be/GM05FwyhHPA
Apparently she can dish it out, but can’t take it.
Davethulhu (607d18) — 3/1/2023 @ 12:49 pmLike I said. No surprise.
NJRob (d0b767) — 3/1/2023 @ 1:28 pmWell, Dave, it does show she’s a hypocrite, whining about the same obnoxious behavior that she foisted on Hogg, but two wrongs don’t make a right.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 3/1/2023 @ 1:59 pmActually, it was worse for Hogg because he was on a public street with no obvious avenue of escape; there wasn’t a restaurant manager around to kick the screamer out.
If it were me getting ambushed like that, I wouldn’t have ruled out going all Buzz Aldrin.
The news came around 10 pm that Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot was out of the running.
The problem is this mostly happens with executive positions. People don’t realize that the majority of a party in a legislature is fostering terribly wrong policy because there’s no explanation of why that should be that way, but it is.
And sometimes both parties are wrong, but on different things. It may require great wisdom to know which one matters where.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 3/1/2023 @ 2:15 pmNo surprise that there’s dead silence. Civility only runs one way.
You be talking ’bout da shack skank who stalked David Hogg around the Capitol and told him she carried a gun. If civility be running only one way, it da same way MTG be running.
nk (bb1548) — 3/1/2023 @ 3:19 pmNo surprise that there’s dead silence. Civility only runs one way.
You be talking ’bout da shack baby who stalked David Hogg around the Capitol and told him she carried a gun. If civility be running only one way, it da same way MTG be running.
nk (bb1548) — 3/1/2023 @ 3:20 pmskank, really?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/1/2023 @ 4:12 pmInteresting. So the Sk* word goes to moderation, but a moderator thought calling MTG that was worthy of approval. And people are worried about tone.
Fascinating.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/1/2023 @ 4:13 pmRob, unless a public figure joins a Patterico thread, a commenter can be as uncivil as as he/she likes toward that person (as long as certain verboten words aren’t said). There’s also no Fairness Doctrine here.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 3/1/2023 @ 4:43 pmThat’s all on me, NJRob. And my gangsta rap, too.
As for what “a moderator thought”, there’s been a lot of tinkering with the naughty word filter over the years. For a while, the other word for the color rose that starts with “p” would send you to moderation. The word for birds that live in clocks, too, and the plural abbreviation for sexually transmitted diseases.
nk (bb1548) — 3/1/2023 @ 4:50 pmPatterico can do anything he wants-it’s his forum and the other mods can do the same since P has given them the authority. It’s infrequent and in case of P’s post today, the vulgarity was not directed at MTG, it came from her spox/deputy chief of staff, revealing more about his character than anything else.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/1/2023 @ 5:27 pmWe also noticed that vulgarity from a Latvian minister to a Russian one is perfectly fine because the Russians are war mongering jerks.
But the selective tone policing is noticed by all.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/1/2023 @ 5:35 pmIt’s the Golden Rule-He who has the gold makes the rules.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/1/2023 @ 5:51 pmFascinating!
I can see Spock’s raised eyebrow!
I have approved the comments. I think the word went into the filter during the happyfeet days.
Patterico (322d69) — 3/1/2023 @ 9:24 pmI certainly hope it is.
Do you have a problem with it?
Are you unable to tell why I would *select* one use of the f-word over another?
Tell me all about it. I would find your explanation . . .
Fascinating.
Patterico (322d69) — 3/1/2023 @ 9:25 pmI have found you don’t really need to you use expletives to really enrage people. I try to use them as little as possible when I am enraging people.
asset (74131e) — 3/1/2023 @ 9:55 pmNJRob, you are someone I consider broken by partisanship. I think it has been going on a while. Maybe your whole life. Who knows? I don’t know you.
But please. Cry me a river over how I applauded the Latvian fellow using the f-word to denounce a moral monster while I deplored the f-word being used by a liar defending another liar. Tell me all about how selective and awful I am being. I am so eager to hear your analysis. You seem VERY PUT OUT by my selective standards and I want to hear you elaborate about it. AT LENGTH.
Patterico (322d69) — 3/1/2023 @ 9:58 pmSince we are questioning. I have one the ladies of the view said it was trump who made them say the lab theory was racist because they are so obsessed with him. OK ;but then to many on the right say see the left has trump living in their heads! The ladies of the view are not leftists they are establishment moderate never trump republicans and liberal not leftist democrats. Trump is nothing to the left. When AOC defeated crowley she ran on local issues almost never mentioning trump it was crowley who had trump living in his head. I would have preferred trump beating biden in 2020 so AOC could become president in 2024. Except for what he did to the immigrant children I don’t even dislike trump. In 2016 many sanders voters didn’t listen to bernie and voted for trump or like me jill stein.
asset (74131e) — 3/1/2023 @ 10:29 pm@199 a lengthy explanation of how those two uses are morally equivalent would be interesting if it were coherent.
I think the actual answer is an unwillingness to recognize context when doing so would require acknowledging that a member of his side had done something wrong.
Time123 (765ff6) — 3/2/2023 @ 2:42 amNJRob, I speak to you as a friend. I encourage you to respond to Patterico’s invitation (ok, “challenge”) to elaborate your position “at length.” But approach this opportunity through the lens of posterity.
Consider what is truly important in the grand scheme of things. Think of your last end. By “last end” I mean to bring to your mind the moment you find yourself at your last judgement before the Lord, when you shall see clearly, not as in a mirror darkly. So speak your mind, but set aside all ephemeral interests. There are no enemies here.
Patterico has taken notice of you, and in in doing so, has recognized you in a signal way. You have many friends here on this site who would like to hear your voice. So speak to us as though we are at table together, along with Patterico, in his home.
felipe (77b190) — 3/2/2023 @ 3:54 am“Patterico has taken notice of you, and in in doing so, has recognized you in a signal way. You have many friends here on this site who would like to hear your voice. So speak to us as though we are at table together, along with Patterico, in his home.”
felipe (77b190) — 3/2/2023 @ 4:18 am“So speak to us as though we are at table together, along with Patterico, in his home.”
This is the challenge. An internet blog should still be like sitting around a table and chatting amiably. Would you make the same comment if the person was across the table from you? One can argue his point forcefully but do so without treating someone like garbage. A good faith discussion does require addressing people’s points, countering, or finding middle ground. Could you imagine some of the filibustering that goes on here happening at the table. No way, right? People would get up and leave the room, hopefully to converse where there was less “noise”.
But we really don’t have that option at a blog. There’s also little recourse against people who argue in bad faith or who just come here to dump their anger. There’s little interest in being fair or finding some common ground. They are here to be tribal and fight the other tribe. They are not open to persuasion and will fanatically defend their tribe with what-about-ism and rationalization.
Now over to Rob (Hi Rob). He tends to have a single message: I should feel bad about not voting for Trump because look at all of the bad things that are happening. This line of argument tends to fall flat because it ignores all of the logical and reasonable reasons that people have offered here in opposition to Trump. Most people here want to support a right-leaning or a qualified and capable conservative candidate. There’s no debate (except for asset and dave).
Now you can argue that Rob is sick and tired of me bashing Trump, and by some extension, the people who want to vote for him a third time. JF also shares an exasperation for never-Trump’s focus on Trumpism’s effect on the GOP. I get it, and we tend to talk past one another. Like Patterico and his losing patience with arguments against Ukraine support, some arguments are just not persuasive. I’m often not persuaded by Rob. It frequently comes down to tribal analysis and issues tend to be more complicated and layered than that. What does one then do around the table? Agree to disagree and change topics?
On the internet things just fester. The problem is the format and the bad faith that flows from having nothing invested in the relationships and no fear of reputational consequence. You don’t act the fool around the table because people know you and you don’t want to be “that guy” and lose your invitation to the table. Do you want to be here and be civil or is this just a habit that you can’t break? I like many of the people here and like Patt’s analysis. Some of the rest, not so much…
AJ_Liberty (fd54fd) — 3/2/2023 @ 5:30 amFelipe,
you’re always a gentleman.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/2/2023 @ 6:40 amI am partisan. I clearly think socialism and raced based spoils destroy the country and will lead to its balkanization. I think mass immigration without assimilation will hasten that end.
Do you disagree?
As for my remarks about cursing. We all use vulgar language in a heated moment. It’s when we reflect back upon that moment that we decide if it was appropriate or not. I said that MTG’s spokesman was wrong for cursing. The media is their enemy as all they do is try and harm them because they disagree with them politically. The way to counter that is how Governor DeSantis does which is will successful policies and getting his vision out past the media filter.
I said the reason you supported the Latvian minister’s language. Do you disagree with my remarks? Was it not because of the Russian war mongering?
It is jarring to have posts mere days from each other applauding vulgar language and haranguing another for the same language though. It’s worse when vulgar language is used to demean a woman and is blocked, but then approved. You said it’s because happyfeet abused the filter. I can accept that. It still didn’t need to be approved. Nk re-wrote his remarks with less offensive language. His message came across without the disgusting remarks. But you still chose to approve those remarks.
You are just as much a partisan as I am, as asset is, as Davethulu is. It’s just that your preferred tribe is different than ours.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/2/2023 @ 6:48 amPatterico can speak for himself but I think many people, myself included, draw a distinction between principle and partisan that you seem to reject. Both parties have principles, in many cases those are shown to be hollow when put in conflict with partisan advantage. When ppl like asset complain about the Dems supporting corporate interests that benefit the affluent and wealthy, he’s showing adherence to a principle over party. When ppl like Justin Amash complain that the GOP is expanding government reach and power they’re showing a similar adherence to principle, if to a different principle.
When people who have previously been vocal about government spending grow silent when their party passes massive spending bills, or develop very nuanced views about burden of proof for claims of sexual assault for claims made against their candidates, they’re showing the opposite.
Taken to the extreme you get purists who refuse to support any compromise to their principle and tribalism’s that don’t care at all what their team does so long as it’s helps defeat the opposing team.
I think both are toxic, but the current problem is tribalism and not people objecting to progress over perfection.
Time123 (938b5b) — 3/2/2023 @ 7:55 amPatterico, I’m sorry that I was the spark for this.
NJRob, you gave me something more to think about. I already knew that we were not all friends here anymore. And I already knew that our comments can detrimentally affect the site by making it an ugly place to visit.
But I had still not gotten the whole picture. How my comments can be used to attack the site and the hosts.
Despite all the evidence. Despite all the history of “Why did you post about this and not about that?” All the “What about …?” All the “Why X gets moderated but Y doesn’t?”
But now that I see more clearly, it’s not really a conundrum. It is not anything new. I actually read it in Dostoyevsky.
I will not only think of how some comment of mine can be used against me. Or only whether it turns people away. I will also think of how it can used against my friends here, and against this site by those inimical to it.
nk (bb1548) — 3/2/2023 @ 7:59 amSure. My tribe is people who reject the stupid partisanship of the day. That’s a sort of tribe, to be sure. But that doesn’t make us the same. It’s not like tribalism is inherently good or bad on its own. It depends on what you stand for.
You seem to be upset that I applaud a defiant use of the f-word when speaking to those who commit genocide, but that I decry the same word when used by someone busy defending lies. To those who think that being tribal on behalf of the former guy is just like being tribal on behalf of the latter guy, I say bullshit, because they stand for different things. The former guy stands against genocide and war crimes; the latter stands for lying about elections and everything else.
Why, I ask again, would it be bad to applaud the Latvian fellow and to decry the MTG hack? What about that seems to upset you? Can you not acknowledge that the Latvian guy is totally in the right and the MTG hack is totally in the wrong? If you can (I wonder if you can) then what is “selective” about applauding one or decrying the other?
It’s like saying “well you kill too” to someone who kills Nazis in WWII but criticizes those who kill civilians for sport. Uh, yeah, it’s all killing, but that doesn’t make it the same — and someone who applauds the former type of killing is and decries the other behaves correctly. Someone who criticizes that disparate attitude for being “selective” and “fascinating” — words that convey disapproval of the “selectiveness” — raises questions about his own beliefs. I would ask such a person: are you upset about Nazis being killed or about wanton murder being criticized? Or do you really just disapprove of all killing regardless of context\?
That’s an analogy. The direct question here is: why do *you* seem upset about this? Are you upset about the Latvian guy being praised? About a lying hack being criticized? Or are you just against bad words regardless of the context in which they are used.
There are those who oppose all killing and there are those who oppose all profanity. I think those people are wrong, but OK. I’m wondering where you come down here.
Because I have to say, it seems to me like it’s partisanship. The partisan right wing thing these days is to make dark insinuations about anything pro-Ukraine, as being warmongering and dangerous and supportive of corruption and all that nonsense. The partisan right wing thing these days is also to support moral monsters like Marge Greene. I can’t help but think you seem butthurt on her behalf because you probably hold both these (IMO very stupid) partisan views to some degree, like you reliably hold most partisan right wing views. But you’re welcome to correct me on that.
Patterico (322d69) — 3/2/2023 @ 8:19 amYou didn’t restate my remarks in the slightest, took them uncharitably and incorrectly and are now attacking something I mever said.
I haven’t said one unkind word about the Ukraine invasiom other than noting that the current administration is heavily interested in defending Ukraine’s borders wjile encouraging the invasion of our owm.
Putin is a totalitarian monster on the same level of his predecessors. I didn’t support Bush for his foolish “looked into his heart remarks” and I attacked Obama for his ignorant and ahistorical “the 1980’s called and they want their foreign policy back” remarks.
Why have we done business with Russia? Why are we doing business with China? Why have we ignored what’s happening in Venezuela and the rest of South Amwerica? Monsters are leading nations throughout the world and we are destroying ourselves from within.
What’s the cause? Trumpism? Populism? Socialism? Meglomania? Or some combination thereof?
NJRob (88e562) — 3/2/2023 @ 9:39 amAnd my fat fingers typing on a small cell phone make for many typing errors.
NJRob (88e562) — 3/2/2023 @ 9:40 amhttps://www.newser.com/story/332256/police-can-sue-trump-over-capitol-attack-doj-says.html
They are still going with that obviously wrong claim that Trump’s speech incited the riot. It did not. The storming of the Capitol was pre-planned.
Nor did Trump expect a riot and we can almost prove it because of the fact that he wanted to go there. The Jan 6 committee proved that, contrary to what was asserted in the second impeachment (which was that Trump was lying about intending to be there) but it didn’t get anyone to change their narrative.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 3/2/2023 @ 2:30 pmYou could argue that, true if he incited the riot, he would have no immunity. But he didn’t and it is almost a frivolous claim.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 3/2/2023 @ 2:39 pmHe was endorsing an unfounded cause, though. But to have been responsible, he would have had to secretly conspire. But he had a quite different plan to delay the certification. That wouldn’t have worked.
He might have been roped into helping somebody else’s plan. (at least by attracting a crowd to Washington, D.C. and even that was to allow the conspirators to get lost.)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 3/2/2023 @ 2:45 pmWell, I read the complaint about “selective tone policing” but no actual answer to question “Why, I ask again, would it be bad to applaud the Latvian fellow and to decry the MTG hack?”
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 3/2/2023 @ 4:22 pmAlex Murdaugh found guilty of murdering his wife and son, as well as other charges, after less than three hours of deliberation.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/2/2023 @ 4:25 pmPapers please…
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 3/2/2023 @ 10:13 pm@217
Good lord. That is beyond ridiculous.
norcal (7345e5) — 3/2/2023 @ 10:43 pmI think many people, myself included, draw a distinction between principle and partisan that you seem to reject.
It is sometimes a fairly convenient distinction.
But politics runs on compromise in a democratic system. Inflexible people who cannot compromise are at a serious disadvantage. Voters who cannot vote for someone who doesn’t meet their purity tests are at a disadvantage because, in a first-past-the-post two-party system, you rarely get everything you want.
I am a partisan. I also have principles. Ideally there would be a party that lived up to my principles (or failing that, their principles). But there generally isn’t. This caused me to spend some time in the Libertarian Party, until I got tired of their constant purity displays and spoiler politics.
The GOP has been better in the past. It has also been worse in the past. The Democrats have always, at all times, been worse overall than the GOP at any moment. Some things they call principles I call the Devil’s work.
The problem for the GOP these days is not that they’re led by Donald Trump (it’s a problem, but it’s not THE problem). The problem is that they have moved too far into a fringe and left a wide political niche empty. If they are not careful, some else will fill it.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/3/2023 @ 12:24 amI am not sorry that Trump won the election of 2016. I AM sorry he got the nomination. Had Hillary Clinton won, the Supreme Court would be 6-3 liberal, the 2nd Amendment would be history and all constraints on the omnipotent federal government would be gone. That and all the other judges.
Sure Trump was a buffoon, but he did bring the courts to the Right and didn’t do all that much lasting damage. I’m glad he lost in 2020 (although I wish he’d just not run). Gives the GOP hope for 2024, which it would not have after a 2nd Trump term.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/3/2023 @ 12:30 am@219, Kevin, i think we’re agreeing that that was my point about purists. There has to be some compromise. One of the problems with gerrymandering is that it creates such a strong disincentive to compromise. Another is the media echo chambers.
Omar, Boebert, Greene, Talaib are the kind of candidates you get when people know the only election that matters is the primary. Primary voters are partisans and purists and many of them live in their respective echo chambers. So for many candidates the key to winning a seat is getting good press on OAN or Maddow.
Not sure how to fix it.
Time123 (233b5e) — 3/3/2023 @ 5:35 amhttps://www.frontpagemag.com/blm-rioters-get-6m-because-cops-didnt-wear-face-masks/
Leftism.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/3/2023 @ 5:45 amhttps://summit.news/2023/03/02/rand-paul-covid-lab-leak-one-of-the-greatest-coverups-in-modern-medical-history/
Sen Paul nails it. And the earned lack of trust from our lying institutions will have lasting repercussions.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/3/2023 @ 6:06 amAs usual, NJRob’s link doesn’t tell the full story:
Rip Murdock (24fce2) — 3/3/2023 @ 7:42 amRip,
Thanks for the nonsense a leftist government agreed to. Doesn’t make it true.
You love taking leftist word as doctrine
NJRob (eaeea3) — 3/3/2023 @ 9:27 am