Political Randomness

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:11 pm

Holman wrote:Obviously the market should be allowed to determine the weather.

You deserve a

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:20 pm

LordMortis wrote:
hepcat wrote:
Moliere wrote:Jailers Who Had Female Inmates Dance Nude for Donuts Are Among Many Tales of Recent Abuse in Alabama Jails
I would need to know the types of doughnuts before I pass judgement on this. Sugar? Forget it. But I'd shake my money maker for a boston creme.
Fresh cider donuts or maybe a chocolate cake donut with a cup of coffee. Nothing else really grabs my goat.

If you're able to make the next Octocon, let me know. I'll have fresh cider donuts and a stripper pole available.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:20 pm

Zarathud wrote:When there are no more meteorologists, there can be no evidence of global warming. It's a rather transparent hatchet job.

With meteorologist gone, will there be hope for the Blob?

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/californ ... 86211.html

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:21 pm

hepcat wrote:
LordMortis wrote:
hepcat wrote:
Moliere wrote:Jailers Who Had Female Inmates Dance Nude for Donuts Are Among Many Tales of Recent Abuse in Alabama Jails
I would need to know the types of doughnuts before I pass judgement on this. Sugar? Forget it. But I'd shake my money maker for a boston creme.
Fresh cider donuts or maybe a chocolate cake donut with a cup of coffee. Nothing else really grabs my goat.
If you're able to make the next Octocon, let me know. I'll have fresh cider donuts and a stripper pole available.

Will you grab my goat?

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 8:01 pm

LordMortis wrote:Will you grab my goat?

By the hair on its chinny chin chin.

Don't make offers hepcat can't refuse.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 5:13 pm

Freedom Fries!

A decade-old statewide ban on deep fryers and soda machines was lifted by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Thursday, The Texas Tribune reported.

The plan is part of an anti-obesity campaign in Texas. A core part of the policy, on top of lifting the ban, is to bring local, farm-raised food to schools. According to a statement released by the Commissioner’s office, the policy is also designed to build community and student involvement in nutrition at a school district level, “where families and community leaders are in the best position to make decisions about what works for the children they serve.”
...
If putting soda and fries back in the mix seems counterintuitive, Mr. Miller said in a post to his Facebook page that he believed control over food needed to be more local:

“Michelle Obama and liberal do gooder friends don't like this, but they just don't understand. This isn't about French Fries – its about Freedom. I believe we need fewer state and federal mandates and more local control.”

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 5:29 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:Freedom Fries!

A decade-old statewide ban on deep fryers and soda machines was lifted by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Thursday, The Texas Tribune reported.

The plan is part of an anti-obesity campaign in Texas. A core part of the policy, on top of lifting the ban, is to bring local, farm-raised food to schools. According to a statement released by the Commissioner’s office, the policy is also designed to build community and student involvement in nutrition at a school district level, “where families and community leaders are in the best position to make decisions about what works for the children they serve.”
...
If putting soda and fries back in the mix seems counterintuitive, Mr. Miller said in a post to his Facebook page that he believed control over food needed to be more local:

“Michelle Obama and liberal do gooder friends don't like this, but they just don't understand. This isn't about French Fries – its about Freedom. I believe we need fewer state and federal mandates and more local control.”

This guy. This guy. We can be 100% sure that this decision was made to battle obesity, not to pander to special interests and score political points.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 5:32 pm

Taking shots at the FLOTUS is bound to score him support down here in the Lone Star State.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 5:51 pm

Is Rick Perry really this stupid?

Rick Perry on Friday suggested the fatal shooting of nine black people at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, by a white male was a drug-induced “accident”...

...In addition to steering the conversation away from race and terrorism, Perry also accused Barack Obama of trying to take firearms away from the American people by pushing for stricter gun laws in the wake of mass shootings like the one in Charleston.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:13 pm

Pyperkub wrote:Is Rick Perry really this stupid?

Apologizing and explaining how he was misquoted or taken out of context by the liberal media in 3....2...

Drazzil · Post by **Drazzil** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 12:51 am

Rip wrote:
Moliere wrote:Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Bail
Piss sniffer?

I think we may have found a new profession for Drazzil.

Still would beat my current job.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:58 pm

Moliere wrote:
Pyperkub wrote:Is Rick Perry really this stupid?
Apologizing and explaining how he was misquoted or taken out of context by the liberal media in 3....2...

I don't think he can count that low.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:00 pm

Mitt Romney Calls for Removal of Confederate Flag at South Carolina Capitol

Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 20, 2015

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Well that was unexpected.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:32 pm

Ta-Nehisi Coates puts it more powerfully.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:20 pm

Defiant wrote:Mitt Romney Calls for Removal of Confederate Flag at South Carolina Capitol

Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 20, 2015

He's right.

Captain Caveman · Post by **Captain Caveman** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:37 pm

Pyperkub wrote:
Defiant wrote:Mitt Romney Calls for Removal of Confederate Flag at South Carolina Capitol

Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 20, 2015
He's right.

Yeah, but he's not running for the GOP nomination this time around. Has any current GOP candidate taken the same stand?

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:49 pm

Captain Caveman wrote:Has any current GOP candidate taken the same stand?

They're watching Fox, so they haven't heard that racism was a factor.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 10:46 pm

Captain Caveman wrote:
Pyperkub wrote:
Defiant wrote:Mitt Romney Calls for Removal of Confederate Flag at South Carolina Capitol

Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 20, 2015
He's right.
Yeah, but he's not running for the GOP nomination this time around. Has any current GOP candidate taken the same stand?

He is positioning himself as the party elder and kingmaker, so his words carry weight.

Captain Caveman · Post by **Captain Caveman** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 11:02 pm

I hope you're right and it signifies an impending wider adoption within the GOP, but I can't shake the feeling that he wouldn't be making this statement if he was running in the primaries. That South Carolina one is early and pretty important. I wonder what the view is on the issue for GOP primary voters in the state.

It's telling that no candidate running has made such a statement, and many have even hemmed and hawed to avoid saying the motivation was racial (see Perry, Rick. But also Jeb, Jindal, and others). That'll be harder to avoid now that this ridiculous manifesto has emerged, though acknowledging the basis for the attack is still several important steps removed from pushing for the flag to be taken down. I'll be happy when a GOP candidate doesn't see that stance as a difficult one to adopt.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 11:03 pm

After we published Civil War Generals 2 in 1994, I was sent to Charleston to host the winners of our online tournament at a CW reenactment. Somehow some documentary filmmakers got wind of this Yankee incursion and asked to interview all of us about our opinions of the Confederate flag.

I said that while I understood that the flag was a symbol of regional pride and history in the South, in the North it is a symbol of hatred and bigotry. I think I used a lot more words than that. My dad was from Ozark hillbilly stock and we visited MO frequently in my childhood, so I had some inkling of why the question was important to them. I was also aware that I was representing my company on the record, so I had to be diplomatic.

I don't know if they used my interview or if their film ever came out...but I think this makes me an expert.

Captain Caveman · Post by **Captain Caveman** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 11:21 pm

Right on cue...

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 12:46 am

Captain Caveman wrote:Right on cue...

So he wants to run the federal government so he can look for every reason to punt everything down to the states? Why, sure, I want my chief executive to attempt to dismantle federal authority.

Although, of course, there are plenty of people that would sign on for exactly that, regardless of the damage that it would do to our nation.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 5:45 am

Since this is the Randomness thread and it's all over the local news-

The state flag is being flown at half staff for nine days - one day for each victim. The Confederate flag is not because it's position is controlled by the legislature (while he state flag is controlled by the governor). Well, and because it is not on a pulley system - it's either up or not up.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 7:42 am

Captain Caveman wrote: Yeah, but he's not running for the GOP nomination this time around. Has any current GOP candidate taken the same stand?

I don't have time to find the reference, but last night I read that Romney did make negative remarks about the Confederate flag when he was a candidate. He then came in fourth in the SC primaries.

Captain Caveman · Post by **Captain Caveman** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 8:40 am

Holman wrote:
Captain Caveman wrote: Yeah, but he's not running for the GOP nomination this time around. Has any current GOP candidate taken the same stand?
I don't have time to find the reference, but last night I read that Romney did make negative remarks about the Confederate flag when he was a candidate. He then came in fourth in the SC primaries.

Not just SC. He lost every competitive southern primary. The first GOP nominee in the modern era to do so.

I see this morning that Jeb has come out for taking down the flag. Maybe he's using Romney's path as a model for securing the nomination.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 8:02 pm

stessier wrote: and because it is not on a pulley system - it's either up or not up.

divorced from this situation, that alone says they aren't ever honoring anyone ever, right?
The flag stand tall regardless..

Says enough that the flag isn't on a pulley system.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:44 am

Marc Maron interviews President Obama (podcast). It's a pretty good listen.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:50 am

The gloves come off when you have nothing to lose. I think he's just exasperated at this point with the tragedies he's seen under his watch. Sandy Hook and now Charleston have hit him both as a father and as a black American.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 10:27 am

And what is the headline I keep seeing? "Obama uses the N-word"

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 2:03 pm

French Luddites:

Courtney Love Attacked By French Taxi Drivers While Riding In An Uber

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 2:19 pm

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I detest violence as much as any person should. On the other hand, it's Courtney Love.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 3:32 pm

I wasn't sure where to put this as the there was tangent about domestic non jihadist terrorism in the Charleston thread and then there are all of the Home Land Security threads and modern Right thread, and a host of tea party threads, so I'll just put this here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/25/us/ta ... -news&_r=0

But the breakdown of extremist ideologies behind those attacks may come as a surprise. Since Sept. 11, 2001, nearly twice as many people have been killed by white supremacists, antigovernment fanatics and other non-Muslim extremists than by radical Muslims: 48 have been killed by extremists who are not Muslim, including the recent mass killing in Charleston, S.C., compared with 26 by self-proclaimed jihadists, according to a count by New America, a Washington research center.

Non-Muslim extremists have carried out 19 such attacks since Sept. 11, according to the latest count, compiled by David Sterman, a New America program associate, and overseen by Peter Bergen, a terrorism expert. By comparison, seven lethal attacks by Islamic militants have taken place in the same period.

Also, I had no idea we've had 7 lethal muslim militant attacks in the US since 9/11. I can think of 2.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:23 pm

LordMortis wrote:I wasn't sure where to put this as the there was tangent about domestic non jihadist terrorism in the Charleston thread and then there are all of the Home Land Security threads and modern Right thread, and a host of tea party threads, so I'll just put this here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/25/us/ta ... -news&_r=0

But the breakdown of extremist ideologies behind those attacks may come as a surprise. Since Sept. 11, 2001, nearly twice as many people have been killed by white supremacists, antigovernment fanatics and other non-Muslim extremists than by radical Muslims: 48 have been killed by extremists who are not Muslim, including the recent mass killing in Charleston, S.C., compared with 26 by self-proclaimed jihadists, according to a count by New America, a Washington research center.

Non-Muslim extremists have carried out 19 such attacks since Sept. 11, according to the latest count, compiled by David Sterman, a New America program associate, and overseen by Peter Bergen, a terrorism expert. By comparison, seven lethal attacks by Islamic militants have taken place in the same period.
Also, I had no idea we've had 7 lethal muslim militant attacks in the US since 9/11. I can think of 2.

Looking at that graph - Thanks Obama!*

*though my guess would be the hyperbolic hatred of Obama is driving this more than anything else.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:56 pm

Pyperkub wrote:*though my guess would be the hyperbolic hatred of Obama is driving this more than anything else.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:59 pm

I'm trying to imagine the response if this had been Bush instead of Obama.

Obama to LGBTQ: “Shame on you”

An undocumented transgender activist was escorted out of the White House Wednesday night after she called on the president to release LGBTQ immigrants in detention centers.

“President Obama, release all LGBTQ immigrants from detention and stop all deportations,” activist Jennicet Gutiérrez shouted, interrupting the beginning of President Obama’s speech during a LGBT Pride Month Reception.
Attendees drowned out her pleas with chants of “Obama! Obama! Obama!” One attendee shouted at Gutiérrez, “Enough! Enough. This is not for you. This is for all of us.” Another attendee shouted, “Shame on you” — words Obama then echoed, as he called for Gutiérrez’s removal from the reception.

“Last night I spoke out to demand respect and acknowledgement of our gender expression and the release of the estimated 75 transgender immigrants in detention right now,” Gutiérrez wrote in a Washington Blade op-ed. Gutiérrez is a founding member of FAMILIA TQLM, an LGBTQ immigrant advocacy group. “There is no pride in how LGBTQ immigrants are treated in this country and there can be no celebration with an administration that has the ability to keep us detained and in danger or release us to freedom.”

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:09 pm

Guess who!

Gets pregnant at 17 while unmarried.
Appears on “Dancing with the Stars”.
Stars in her own reality show.
Earns $262,500 as The Candie Foundation’s teen pregnancy ambassador.
Says in an interview, “everyone should be abstinent or whatever but it’s not realistic at all.”

Gets pregnant again while still being unmarried.

Spoiler:

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 12:13 am

Moliere wrote:I'm trying to imagine the response if this had been Bush instead of Obama.

Obama to LGBTQ: “Shame on you”

An undocumented transgender activist was escorted out of the White House Wednesday night after she called on the president to release LGBTQ immigrants in detention centers.

“President Obama, release all LGBTQ immigrants from detention and stop all deportations,” activist Jennicet Gutiérrez shouted, interrupting the beginning of President Obama’s speech during a LGBT Pride Month Reception.
Attendees drowned out her pleas with chants of “Obama! Obama! Obama!” One attendee shouted at Gutiérrez, “Enough! Enough. This is not for you. This is for all of us.” Another attendee shouted, “Shame on you” — words Obama then echoed, as he called for Gutiérrez’s removal from the reception.

“Last night I spoke out to demand respect and acknowledgement of our gender expression and the release of the estimated 75 transgender immigrants in detention right now,” Gutiérrez wrote in a Washington Blade op-ed. Gutiérrez is a founding member of FAMILIA TQLM, an LGBTQ immigrant advocacy group. “There is no pride in how LGBTQ immigrants are treated in this country and there can be no celebration with an administration that has the ability to keep us detained and in danger or release us to freedom.”

Nothing gains respect like crashing a party and trying to shout the PotUS down. I guess throwing your shoes at him might be a step up.

It's possible I would react differently if this was a Rep president, as I might not be *as* quick to give him (or her) the benefit of the doubt, but the "shame on you" is almost certainly for being a rude fuck and not for what she's shouting. I don't even feel the urge to verify this, but if it turns out the Pres meant she should feel shame for being a LGBTQ activist, I'll eat my hat (of which I have several).

It's particularly amusing to read Obama to LGBTQ: Shame on You, while at a reception for those very people, and with those in attendance uttering "shame on you" first to the activist. It's like everyone at the reception are meaningless but the one activist becomes the entirety of the LGBTQ population when spoken to.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:52 am

GreenGoo wrote:It's particularly amusing to read Obama to LGBTQ: Shame on You, while at a reception for those very people, and with those in attendance uttering "shame on you" first to the activist. It's like everyone at the reception are meaningless but the one activist becomes the entirety of the LGBTQ population when spoken to.

Most of the articles I read point out that the room is shouting down one of their own because she is being critical of Obama.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 2:42 am

No, Obama didn't give the protestor ponies and unicorns either. But he was hosting a reception for the LGBTQ community and discussing progress made during his administration. The other activists at the reception recognized how important that was and reciprocated with their support.