430 Comments

  1. AlexinCT

    I have money I have not even printed yet!

    • AlexinCT

      Nobody wants to comment on my allusion that our government is like that granny that tells the bank she can’t be out of money in her account cause she still has checks left?

      • UnCivilServant

        Eh?

        Did you say something?

        No, I’m not the one who needs a hearing aid.

      • AlexinCT

        Keep your gloved hands off me!

  2. Rebel Scum

    More stimulus.

    Money printer go burrrrr.

  3. Swiss Servator

    “SF computer programmer loses password to access hard drive containing $220 million worth of Bitcoin.”

    Swordfish. The password is Swordfish.

    • Sean

      ?

    • AlexinCT

      I thought it was usually pa$$word… Or 1234567?

      • Swiss Servator

        Password1234 is an acceptable replacement.

    • Animal

      Why did I just have a fleeting mental image of Halle Berry’s tits?

      • Tundra

        Fleeting? More like burned into my brain.

      • Rebel Scum

        Indelible in my hippocampus.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Thanks for sharing your truth.

        And mine too.

      • WTF

        Because you’re channeling Q?

      • Festus

        Rosario Dawson’s are better.

      • Agent Cooper

        Monsters Ball?

    • Nephilium

      Reminds me of this story. Guy tossed a thumb drive that had his bitcoin wallet on it.

      • AlexinCT

        Different experience than having your prison wallet tossed….

      • Endless Mike

        I am wondering how much money could be made starting a hard drive “recycling” company. I have a few in boxes somewhere in my basement, and it would have been just like one of my nerd friends to send me 100 bitcoin as a joke back when they were worth $.00054.

    • zwak

      Pretty sure the password is Frisky Dingo.

      • Gdragon

        “Computer programmer Taqu’il made headlines today, but not the good kind, like you want.”

      • pan fried wylie

        “You can’t fax glitter”

        “Not with THAT attitude, you can’t.”

  4. The Late P Brooks

    Powell is a moron.

    • AlexinCT

      Which Powell. There are several of them with varying levels of moronic capabilities.

    • Grummun

      “After the unaccustomed outburst of seemingly grown-up words, that were actually nonsensical gibberish, Powell resumed his typical behavior of sitting in a corner, one hand grasping his genitals, while picking his nose and eating boogers with the other.”

      • juris imprudent

        from Gravity’s Rainbow?

      • Festus

        ^ Well-played!

      • Grummun

        Was not previously familiar with that novel, but if the book is anything like the horseshit, self-indulgent, faux-intellectual babble of the Wikipedia page, it must be a miserable navel-gazing slog.

      • juris imprudent

        That was the beauty of it. It could’ve been a quote, but since [the joke is] no one actually reads the book, you could say it was even if it wasn’t. Which is allegedly in keeping with the spirit of the book – presumably, since no one actually reads it to figure it out.

  5. AlexinCT

    Curt Schilling has insurance plan cancelled due to his political opinion.

    I hope he seeks redress in court and he gets a payday that leaves that insurance company reeling. Unless people that get this sort of cancel treatment from businesses strike back and hit them in the pocket books, we will get a lot more companies (especially woke insurance or banking institutions) doing this shit,

    • Swiss Servator

      As long as you refund unearned premium, just about all insurance can be cancelled flat, for any reason, good or bad.

      • AlexinCT

        So I can cancel your life or medical insurance to avoid getting bills?

      • Swiss Servator

        Too late – that premium has been earned – sorry, “unearned premium” is a term of art in the business. If a claim has already been filed, the insurer must abide by the contract (absent fraud in the inception of the policy) but if you have no claims or “date of loss” pending, and I send you notice that as of ___ your policy is cancelled, and your premium refund is attached – there is no evading a claim.

        Now, medical “insurance” has been so regulated, there are often regulation and law that forbid in-term cancellation.

      • Festus

        Triggered! 18 year-old Festus gained an insurance license for Life And Home. Who the fuck would buy from a hippy? I made one sale. Getting certified was easier than earning an arts degree.

      • WTF

        I thought the “bake the cake” jurisprudence did away with freedom of association and the right of businesses to not do business with people they didn’t want to.
        Oh, that’s right, that only goes in one direction.

  6. Rebel Scum

    Fed’s Powell says US economy may return to pre-crisis levels ‘much sooner’ than expected

    Not after Dems have their way with it.

    I mean, there is literally no (recent) historical precedent for this assertion.

    • Plinker762

      The 1930s were pre-covid

  7. Swiss Servator

    E Pluribus Unum Panem et Circenses

    • AlexinCT

      ^^^^THIS^^^^

      Violence and blood for those that want revenge against and punishment of the others that dared to put the mandarinate class’ racket at risk..

      • juris imprudent

        Getting rid of this mandarinate, just means another will replace it. I’m good with that myself, because we need fresh blood.

      • AlexinCT

        The problem with any system of rulership is that eventually it becomes corrupted unless the controls put in place are strictly enforced. When congress gave up its role, the courts and the executive assumed more power to fill in the vacuum, and government grew to the point it was the arbiter of what entities would be allowed to win or lose (succeed or fail), things devolved. Our forefathers mentioned that possibility and reminded people that unless they were willing to stand up to these corrupted institution, their republic would be gone.

        And yes, no form of government is immune to the corrosive effects of power.

      • juris imprudent

        Funny thing, our Founders — the Federalists in particular, were a pretty good example of just how bad (corrupt) a mandarinate can be.

  8. WTF

    With predictions that economy will return back to pre-crisis levels.

    Well of course, now that OMB is gone, the Dem governors can start taking their boots off the necks of businesses.

    • Sean

      Except when they don’t.

      See that NJ gym who had their entire bank account stolen by fuckstick Murphy.

      • WTF

        Yeah, that really makes my blood boil. And I can tell you as someone who lives in NJ, that fuckstick will get re-elected by the hordes of grifters and idiots who elected him the first time.

      • Nephilium

        If you really want to get pissed. Think about the petty bureaucrat who goes home after wiping that business out thinking that he struck a blow for the good guys. That’s where the evil truly lies.

      • AlexinCT

        True believers are the worst. They never understood the whole “The road to hell” thing….

      • Nephilium

        One of the things that Babylon 5 really nailed is the petty evil bureaucrat who think they’re on the right side of history. Best example is in Intersections in Real Time:

        There is nothing to be gained by trying to harm me, I am not the enemy. To be the enemy, I must have some personal stake in what happens to you. I am not interested in that at all. I’m here to do a job, nothing more. You are a name, a file, and a case number, that’s all.

        –The Interrogator

      • WTF

        It’s actually a personal vendetta by Murphy because these guys have been defying him right from the start, so they need to be made an example of.

      • Swiss Servator

        Do they have a Gofundme or such?

      • WTF

        The money that was seized was in their legal defense account. Not sure if they have a currently functioning gofundme, since gofundme probably opposes them defying the lockdown.

      • WTF

        Here is their gofundme page.

      • Rebel Scum

        seized was in their legal defense account

        How is that even remotely legal? (I know…I know…)

      • Swiss Servator

        I can’t see a court allowing seizure of legal defense means – unless they can show it was being dipped into for operational uses, personal use, etc.

        Were I the judge, sanctions would be levied against the seizing party.

      • Festus

        That’ll get shut down soon enough. They’ll have to start hanging out in front of stores, ringing a bell.

      • WTF

        The Murphy admin made some statement about how they had court approval to seize available funds in payment of fines that had been levied but the gym refused to pay or some bullshit.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        As if the Feds haven’t been cutting off financial means of legal defense for decades using asset forfeiture and freezing.

        I’ll be pleasantly surprised if it gets smacked down, but I doubt it.

      • zwak

        I can’t see a court allowing unpostmarked votes three days after an election, but here we are.

      • AlexinCT

        ^^^^THIS^^^^

        Bureaucrats tend to be petty people. Which is why I never understood those that believe any for of collectivism can work. When you empower petty people, they will do petty things. Until they find angels to run that collectivist government, the risk said government will punish those that piss off its bureaucracy for perceived slights, simply outweighs any pretends of good.

      • Viking1865

        Friedman: And what does reward virtue? You think the Communist commissar rewarded virtue? You think a Hitler rewarded virtue? You think – excuse me – if you’ll pardon me – do you think American Presidents reward virtue ?

        Do they choose their appointees on the basis of the virtue of the people appointed or on the basis of their political clout ?

        Is it really true that political self-interest is nobler somehow than economic self-interest ? You know, I think you’re taking a lot of things for granted. Just tell me where in the world you find these angels who are going to organize society for us ? Well, I don’t even trust you to do that.

      • juris imprudent

        No human delusion is greater than the belief that they are on the side of the angels.

        They need to be reminded that once Satan himself was an angel.

    • Rat on a train

      With predictions that economy will return back to pre-crisis levels.
      Come on people. I need suggestions. What taxes and regulations will do the most to prevent this from coming true? Preferably something I can do by executive order. I need it in time to implement on day 1.

    • Rebel Scum

      They can but they won’t.

    • Idle Hands

      These people are fucking molock worshiping lizard people pedophiles.

  9. The Late P Brooks

    As expected, the article immediately prompted outrage among left-wing social media users.

    No kidding.

    Whycome him no hates Donald J Goldstein?

  10. mrfamous

    This shouldn’t need to be said but:

    The S&P 500/Dow Jones != ‘The economy’

    • WTF

      Way too many people don’t understand that.

  11. The Late P Brooks

    The password is Swordfish.

    We changed it.

  12. Trigger Hippie

    Commentor from the Shapiro article:

    “I understand the desire to have balance, but…”

    Everything before but is bullshit. May as well not even included that part.

    ‘My point: conservatives believe that Leftists want to ostracize them as evil, and then shut them down

    Politico staff: conservatives ought to be ostracized as evil and then shut down https://t.co/fndRTncKwy— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 14, 2021′

    Exactly. And I’m not even a conservative and think Shapiro is kind of a swarmy, more irritating version of Hannity.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      “Opposition to impeachment comes from a deep and abiding conservative belief that members of the opposing political tribe want their destruction, not simply to punish Trump for his behavior,” Shapiro wrote. “Republicans believe that Democrats and the overwhelmingly liberal media see impeachment as an attempt to cudgel them collectively by lumping them in with the Capitol rioters thanks to their support for Trump.” – Shapiro

      He’s dead right in this regard. They’re playing for keeps and there is no good faith involved at all.

      • Trigger Hippie

        Unity and Healing, my friend. Unity and Healing.

    • Tonio

      “Everything before but is bullshit. May as well not even included that part.”

      It’s the art of argumentation, TH. It’s a completely pro forma rhetorical device where the person leads with the appearance of reason and neutrality.

      • Trigger Hippie

        I know, it’s just irritating to see.

  13. Tundra

    Good morning, Banjos!

    I want whatever substance Powell ingested. Cause he’s high AF.

    And no more fucking stimulus.

    Poor bitcoin guy. Here’s a tip from not-a-computer-programmer: write the fucking things down. You’re welcome.

    Ah, Fiona. That’s some good stuff there!

    Happy Friday, friends!

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      There’s always a sweet spot in there before inflation kicks in and ruins it. He’s talking about that really good 6 months before you have to start carrying your cash in wheelbarrows to buy a loaf of bread.

      • Tundra

        What is this “cash” you speak of?

      • Donation Not Taxation

        Something the Great Reset wants to make illegal.

      • Tundra

        Along with meat.

        I’ll take a hard pass on your brave new world, Adolph.

      • AlexinCT

        They also want to make it illegal to believe people should be seen as individuals and treated with respect accordingly. We should all be lumped into whatever grievance group they design, in an ever mutating pyramid, and go along like good sheep.

      • Trigger Hippie

        I’ve been going back to using cash recently. I’ve decided to make the ability to track where I am and what I’ve been spending money on a touch more difficult. Partly because I’m a little paranoid about what “contact tracing” may devote into and partly because the targeted ads I receive online after my shopping trips are starting to creep me out.

      • Sean

        Most of my in person shopping involves either the grocery store or the liquor store.

      • Trigger Hippie

        You may want to consider buying your firearms in person at this point before you go on a list…heh. Ha.Aha.Aaaahahahahaha! Like you weren’t already on a list.

      • Trigger Hippie

        *checks Raton a train’s link:

        See?

      • AlexinCT

        The obvious things, like my utility bills, I pay with my credit card. The things I want to make sure are not obvious I always pay cash. They can track you if they really want to, but there is no reason to make it too easy for them.

      • Trigger Hippie

        Pretty much what I do as well.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        Jennifer Wexton the Excrable. Thanks, growing DC swamp, for inflicting that one on the country.

      • Viking1865

        “Some commentators have called her a moderate Democrat”

        Is there any greater lie in politics?

      • Tundra

        “I swear to uphold the Constitution…”

      • Rat on a train

        Well Viking, maybe she is a moderate Democrat. What does that say of the others?

      • Idle Hands

        what do you think the currency they ultimately replace it with will be called?

      • Rat on a train

        Juan?

  14. Donation Not Taxation

    “Opposition to impeachment comes from a deep and abiding conservative belief that members of the opposing political tribe want their destruction, not simply to punish Trump for his behavior,” Shapiro wrote. “Republicans believe that Democrats and the overwhelmingly liberal media see impeachment as an attempt to cudgel them collectively by lumping them in with the Capitol rioters thanks to their support for Trump.”

    They are so outraged that he would write that that they want Ben Shapiro ‘s destruction, not simply to punish Ben Shapiro.

    • WTF

      What’s that saying, when you’re catching flak, you must be over the target?

      • Donation Not Taxation

        “If you’re not catching flak, you’re probably not over the target.” — Barry Goldwater to Jack Krings, 1985, according to I Fail to Miss Your Point by Jim O’Bryon

  15. The Late P Brooks

    Why did I just have a fleeting mental image of Halle Berry’s tits?

    That’s weird. I saw a guy with a greasepaint moustache.

  16. Rebel Scum

    While jobless claims rise.

    I wonder what the problem is…

  17. The Late P Brooks

    I thought the “bake the cake” jurisprudence did away with freedom of association and the right of businesses to not do business with people they didn’t want to.

    Nobody has a “right” to buy groceries. Put the mask on, or starve.

    • Trigger Hippie

      ‘And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark,…’

      The Anti-Christ is a roll model for many people.

      • AlexinCT

        These people read books like 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, and Animal Farm, and promptly saw them as “How To” manuals…

  18. Rebel Scum

    Rep. Marjorie Greene will file articles of impeachment against Biden, why not? Impeachment means nothing now.

    Just another Republican attack on democracy.

    • kV

      I think impeachment is the new carthago delenda est

    • AlexinCT

      One set of rules for thee, another for me,…

      That’s how we got Trump…

      I guess they want worse…

      • WTF

        They are confident they prevent ever losing power again through the magic of fraud.

  19. Donation Not Taxation

    “Opposition to impeachment comes from a deep and abiding conservative belief that members of the opposing political tribe want their destruction, not simply to punish Trump for his behavior,” Shapiro wrote. “Republicans believe that Democrats and the overwhelmingly liberal media see impeachment as an attempt to cudgel them collectively by lumping them in with the Capitol rioters thanks to their support for Trump.”

    They are so outraged that Ben Shapiro would write that that they want Ben Shapiro’s destruction, not simply to punish Ben Shapiro.

  20. Donation Not Taxation

    Morning, Glibs time, Banjos.

  21. Certified Public Asshat

    Arkansas Tax Break for New Residents

    Hutchinson’s proposal calls for reducing sales taxes on vehicles priced less than $10,000 from 6.5% to 3.5%, and cutting income taxes for new residents to 4.9% for five years. Hutchison said the tax cut for new residents will help the state’s economic development efforts by creating an incentive to move to the state, but said it would also help move the state toward his goal of cutting the top tax rate to 4.9%.

    Might work if it didn’t border a state with a 0% income tax rate.

    • Rat on a train

      reducing sales taxes on vehicles priced less than $10,000 from 6.5% to 3.5%

      You’re doing it wrong. You don’t reduce rates on the low end. You increase the rates on the icky people who can afford a car over $10,000.

  22. Count Potato

    GMB 🙂

  23. Festus

    Thanks Banjos! Fiona Apple is a much more interesting person than I gave her credit for. What a wonderful tune!

  24. The Late P Brooks

    “Republicans believe that Democrats and the overwhelmingly liberal media see impeachment as an attempt to cudgel them collectively by lumping them in with the Capitol rioters thanks to their support for Trump.” – Shapiro

    Why would you say that? Just because they characterize the entirety of the Republican party as a Trumpista cult of personality? Talk about painting with a wide brush…

    • juris imprudent

      Yeah, well it isn’t like the other side isn’t fond of the biggest brushes either. Every Dem is an AOC clone kinda thing?

      • Agent Cooper

        I think the sole difference is the breadth of narrative control via media. If conservatives owned more media, their narratives would shape culture.

      • juris imprudent

        People should wise up about media – mass and social. Not that I expect them to, but you can only blame other people for fooling you for so long.

  25. Tundra

    We’ve already seen a lot of retardation this morning.

    But there is no retardation like Minne retardation

    The resolution, which was approved during a Wednesday night meeting, names the new group the Saint Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission. The main goal of the committee is to “make significant progress toward repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic racism in the City of Saint Paul.”

    “Although slavery was illegal in Minnesota, Dred Scott and Harriet Scott were in bondage at Fort Snelling as well as other African Americans who were used for enslaved labor by U.S. Army officers,” the resolution reads.

    • Count Potato

      “The resolution details St. Paul’s history of slavery and discrimination, citing redlining, environmental injustice, racial covenants, and forced segregation. Systemic discrimination, according to the resolution, was carried out in part by “the removal of Saint Paul’s Rondo neighborhood — the center of Saint Paul’s African American business, residential, spiritual and cultural life — for the construction of Interstate 94.””

      So you are saying they should have just burned it down like Minneapolis?

    • Swiss Servator

      SPRACPC? “Sprack Pick”?

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        “Shrek Prick,” is what I am going to go with.

    • Fourscore

      I was lucky to escape SP when did, before I realized how systemic I was.

      The black/indigenous folks I hired were indicative of my racism, window dressing, tokenism.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        I was lucky to escape SP when did

        *sounds of rusty tin cans being sharpened*

      • db

        I thought the point of the rust was that dull can lids are less…precise.

      • Swiss Servator

        “Not only are you cut, you get lockjaw!”

    • Master JaimeRoberto (royal we/us)

      My county announced they are planning some form of reparations. In California. What will happen in reality is money going to shakedown artists.

      • Don escaped Two Corinthians

        The county ain’t going anywhere, I suppose, but one wonders what greener pastures the taxbase espies

  26. Count Potato

    “There are now upwards of 225 people on the @politico
    Zoom call convened to hash out the decision to invite @benshapiro
    to guest-write an edition of Playbook. People are very mad, I am hearing.”

    https://twitter.com/ErikWemple/status/1349816251045081088

    225 people work for Politico?

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      The anti-liberal trend in this country is very embedded now. It’s not going anywhere.

    • IntraveneousWoodChipper

      Was shocked by that as well. Imagine having a 225 person Zoom call. No doubt it was a total shitshow

  27. Count Potato

    It’s Ben Shapiro’s birthday.

  28. The Late P Brooks

    Yes, dear, I’m listening. Of course I believe you.

    Trump has been consumed by the unraveling of his presidency during his last days in office, according to people around him, which included a casual discussion among advisers recently about a possible resignation.
    Trump shut the idea down almost immediately. And he has made clear to aides in separate conversations that mere mention of President Richard Nixon, the last president to resign, was banned.

    He told one adviser during an expletive-laden conversation recently never to bring up the ex-president ever again. During the passing mention of resigning this week, Trump told people he couldn’t count on Vice President Mike Pence to pardon him like Gerald Ford did Nixon, anyway.

    Whose mind will they read, when President Cartoon Villain is gone? Who will be the next star of their Punch and Judy fingerpuppet show?

    • WTF

      according to people around him So, made-up bullshit.
      Trump told people he couldn’t count on Vice President Mike Pence to pardon him like Gerald Ford did Nixon
      Pardon him for what? There is no evidence he has done anything illegal.

      • Rebel Scum

        C’mon, man. He temporarily thwarted the Dem complete takeover and Great Reset. There is no greater crime.

    • creech

      “Whose mind will they read”
      Don’t worry, there will be a surge of leaks from the office of Vice President Harris about Biden’s mental health: “A concerned staffer, who didn’t wish to be named, reported that President Biden could not recall the name of even one of his cabinet members at a staff meeting today. And that he kept asking
      ‘what happens if I push this red button on this box the nice man in uniform is carrying?'”

      • R C Dean

        Somebody brings him a Diet Coke?

  29. The Late P Brooks

    Anybody can close a set of tags.

  30. Rebel Scum

    Parler asking judge to have Amazon reinstate their website.

    There is probably some sort of contractual argument. Amazon should just do the right thing though. If not I am going to work to divest from it.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      Amazon is not going to do so. And if they did, that may not be the best answer for the long term.

      The lesson is to divest from these companies. Do not depend on them for anything.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        Correct. At the very least, have backup options in place for immediate replacememt when the time comes.

        It’s not just the top 5 or 6 tech companies that are doing this. There are a lot of other F500 companies going through the same transformation without making headlines. They may not have fired people or kicked customers off their platforms, but they’re having conversations about it. They’re planning for it.

        The backlash needs to be against XaaS and cloud connected everything. Sorry tech companies, you have destroyed the trust required for me to move my business application from on-prem to your servers.

      • UnCivilServant

        I keep advocating on-prem.

        At the very least, we know out own environment and can do what we need to with our data.

      • EvilSheldon

        YES!

        Not to mention that cloud hosted stuff, in general, doesn’t work as well and has weaker support options.

      • Mojeaux

        We have a WDMyCloud. It has web-based functionality for off-premises use, but at home, it’s on our network.

  31. Rebel Scum

    I understand the desire to have balance, but lying about stuff like Ben Shapiro does in this column (comparing Bernie Sanders to Trump, equivocating Trump’s voter fraud lies with Stacey Abrams) isn’t really a “side” that needs to be platformed

    “Everyone that disagrees with my narrow, ill-informed, hypocritical worldview is a liar and literal nazi.”

    • WTF

      “Pointing out our monumental hypocrisy isn’t fair!!!”

    • juris imprudent

      isn’t really a “side” that needs to be platformed

      Exactly who are YOU sonny to be making that call? You might be shocked to contemplate the possibility that you are wrong, just as surely as the Nazis were wrong though they were convinced of how right they were. Just like you.

    • Rebel Scum

      Move along. Nothing to see here.

      But what you do see glows in the dark.

    • creech

      Why would I bother to care about clicking this obvious fake news about a BLM stalwart when I can click above and see some chick named Demi Rose topless?
      One merely lets loose the hounds of hell while the other lets loose the sweater puppies.

      • AlexinCT

        I thought Demi’s charm was her giant can? I like them not small and round, so don’t take it the wrong way…

  32. The Late P Brooks

    re: PA gym

    The money that was seized was in their legal defense account.

    Holy shit. That’s brazen.

    • juris imprudent

      Please NJ, not PA. Things are bad enough here without mistaking us for NJ.

    • AlexinCT

      Details that don’t matter. I have had it too, been around plenty of people that had it after, and never got it again. But I keep getting told there is a high risk of reinfection so I should be worried. Considering that when I had it all I had was a very low grade fever and incessant and annoying coughing that required a doctor’s visit for something to help my sore throat, I know that the charade is about control.

      • WTF

        My wife works in a hospital, the staff have been vaccinated, yet the state is still requiring them to wear N95 masks for the entire day, and they have to gown up and have the patients mask up when they are treating them. It’s insanity, and has nothing to do with safety.

      • Pine_Tree

        Oh come on, man. Masks work great for their intend purposes.

        Which are:
        – (for a wearer) to show other true bleevers that you’re one, too
        – (for an org like this) to show that it will force compliance to its will even though masks increase transmission risk

      • Rebel Scum

        there is a high risk of reinfection

        Well, there is a context in which this is true because, shockingly, coronaviruses mutate constantly. But the context of the powers that be are intended to invoke fear in order to control you.

    • Charlie Suet

      I hate Nicola Sturgeon, far, far, far more than I do Trump. Also, by “due to” they in fact mean “on the pretext of”.

  33. Donation Not Taxation

    Biden proposes 1.9 times US$1,000,000,000,000 in giveaways. Some World Economic Forum members cheer. If they like it, they should voluntarily donate to pay for it.

    • WTF

      I can’t wait to see what the $15/hour minimum wage does for the economy.

      • Rat on a train

        Just think what those people can do with all the new income! It is better than having the money stored in a swimming pool.

      • Trigger Hippie

        Increase the cost of goods and lower the standard of living for all of us, most directly harming those who already make little more than $15hr?

      • Donation Not Taxation

        “I can’t wait to see what the $15/hour minimum wage does for the economy.” — WTF

        “that the minimum-wage law is the most anti-Negro law on our statute books.” — Milton Friedman, later revised to “one of the most, if not the most, anti-black laws on the statute books.”

        “Believe it or not, before minimum-wage laws took effect, a black teenager was actually more likely to have a job than a white teen.” — Larry Elder

      • Master JaimeRoberto (royal we/us)

        Given the likely inflation rate, $15/hour might not be that much.

  34. Rebel Scum

    You cowards sat on your hands, did nothing while liberal trash looted rioted and burned for air Jordan’s and big screens, sit back, stfu, and watch folks start a confrontation for shit that matters like rights, democracy and the end of govt corruption.

    If an insurance company will drop him for something this innocuous I don’t stand a chance.

    • Muzzled Woodchipper

      No shit.

  35. The Late P Brooks

    Sorry tech companies, you have destroyed the trust required for me to move my business application from on-prem to your servers.

    Exactly. Every time I see one of those “business services” ads, I think, “Why would you do that? Why would you make yourself vulnerable?”

    • AlexinCT

      If anything, this validates my concerns that when some other entity has you by the balls (and when they own the infrastructure your data and apps are on the got your family jewels in a vise grip), you are taking a scary risk. I am sure most people believe the system will never come for them, but that’s usually when you end up getting caught with your pants down around your ankles…

  36. Smilin' Joe Fission

    Finally, someone with cajones in the Ford government:

    ‘LOCKDOWN ISN’T WORKING’: Ford caucus member breaks rank to speak out

    https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/lockdown-isnt-working-ford-caucus-member-breaks-rank-to-speak-out

    “ Baber, who was born and raised in the Soviet Union and left there as a child, also explores historic ICU occupancy rates in the detailed letter. The province’s ICU beds, a graph in the letter shows, were at 86.66% average daily occupancy in December 2018, 83.51% in December 2019 and 80.84% in December 2020. For the first part of January, it now sits at 81.60%.”

    • Festus

      No worries, Smilin’ Joe! After the 20th it will all seem like a bad dream. Mark my fucking words.

    • Viking1865

      Yep whats actually happening is people are so terrified of the Rona and told to LEAVE ROOM FOR COVID PATIENTS that they are deferring treatment for other stuff.

    • Gdragon

      Furey has been fantastic throughout this too. And he is not letting up.

  37. OBJ FRANKELSON

    I am generally okay with Shapiro, he is a chicken hawk and a biased towards Israel but that is all part of the package, but his takes on the Capitol Hill ‘riots/coup/people wandering around and farting in Nancy’s chair and leaving’ have been not great. He talks about it in the same tone as the left does and accepts their framing of the debacle. It is infuriating.

    • Festus

      I wish that he would take the beanie off when he talks politics. I’m agnostic but it puts me off. That shit has no traction in a free society.

      • Swiss Servator

        Put off your stupid Skydaddy stuff, you Godbag?

      • Swiss Servator

        Festus on January 15, 2021 at 8:31 am (Edit)
        It’s heartbreaking. The visceral hatred. This isn’t civilized. This is terrifying.

      • Swiss Servator

        Would you tell a Muslim or a Sikh the same?

      • Swiss Servator

        “That shit has no traction in a free society.”

        I really want to hear an explanation of this, please.

      • Festus

        Oh God… Just went back and reread this thread. Holy crap that was a clumsy, crass attempt at humor. My sincere apologies for that! You guys know me better than that by now. I deserved the cat butt.

      • OBJ FRANKELSON

        Meh. His choice of headgear and the reasons he chooses to wear it are immaterial to me. Its his propensity to accept the premises of the left from the start of an argument that bother me far more. But, on balance, I think he does more good than harm.

      • Riven

        That shit clearly has some traction in a free society.

    • Idle Hands

      I cannot take anyone who talks like he does seriously, and by anyone I mean (((them)))

      • Swiss Servator

        I hope my sarc meter is broken, or some cat asses and ban hammers are coming out…

      • juris imprudent

        I was under the impression that (((Idle Hands))) but I could be wrong.

      • Swiss Servator

        Imma gettin all confuzzled here. Thus my plea for clarification.

      • Swiss Servator

        OK, clarified as to Idle Hands, still need Festus to explain this.

      • Rat on a train

        As long as it isn’t ({[Idle Hands]}). We don’t want them here.

    • juris imprudent

      He is way too much LIKE the left for me to care for him or his style. You could flip just a few switches and he’d be perfectly at ease on the other side.

  38. The Late P Brooks

    Unity! Healing!

    The 20,000 National Guard troops preparing for pro-Trump demonstrations this weekend in the nation’s capital will be armed and permitted to use lethal force, the headquarters overseeing them says, marking a striking escalation in the way authorities there are preparing for repeat violence after last week’s deadly mob.

    “On January 12, 2021, National Guardsmen were given authorization to be armed in support of the U.S. Capitol Police to protect the U.S. Capitol and individual members of Congress and their staff,” according to a statement from the D.C. National Guard, which is commanding Guard forces in the city, including units deployed from six other states, to provide security for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week.

    A defense official confirmed the authorization includes permission for Guard troops to use lethal force.

    STOP RESISTING.

    • WTF

      Yet nothing was done about the months of far more destructive and far deadlier BLM/Antifa riots.
      Know your place, peasants!

      • Master JaimeRoberto (royal we/us)

        Nor was anything done during the riots at Trump’s inauguration. And let’s not forget, downtowns were boarded up in election day due to the expectation of a Trump victory.

    • robodruid

      Nothing says peaceful transfer of power like M-16’s and lethal force.

      • juris imprudent

        Chairman Mao approves of this message.

    • B.P.

      20K? That’s more than the total number of combatants at the Battle of Yorktown.

  39. The Late P Brooks

    I’d rather have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, if you don’t mind

    President-elect Joe Biden named Gov. Gretchen Whitmer his nominee for vice chair for the Democratic National Committeon Thursday, along with seven others on Biden’s slate for DNC leadership.

    Whitmer, Biden’s team said in a statement, has served Michigan with “grit and compassion” and has been a “trailblazer” as the first woman elected to be Senate Minority Leader in 2006. In 2018, she received the highest number of votes for a gubernatorial candidate in state history, the statement said.

    Just in case you had any confusion about where things are headed.

    • Festus

      These really are the end times. Tell me a story Mom, not one of those scary ones.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      President-elect Joe Biden named Gov. Gretchen Whitmer his nominee for vice chair for the Democratic National Committeon Thursday, along with seven others on Biden’s slate for DNC leadership.

      That’s… that’s… that’s just fucking astounding.

      Why doesn’t he put Cuomo in charge of HHS while he’s at it?

      • IntraveneousWoodChipper

        She may actually be the worst politician in the country. She even looks like the stereotype of a fascist dictator

        Crazy eyes + eyebrows don’t move + unquenchable thirst for power and control

      • Gdragon

        I imagine that the inside of her brain looks more like the Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne’s 😉

    • Rebel Scum

      received the highest number of votes for a gubernatorial candidate in state history

      Thanks, to Deminion Voting Systems, I’m sure.

    • Idle Hands

      It’s almost like they are purposely trolling their opponents by elevating the people they hate the most.

  40. Nephilium

    *sigh*

    End users (back in the office after ~9 months): “We can’t conference call!”

    Me: “What steps are you taking?”

    End users: “We hit the consult button, and there’s dead air!”

    Me: “What happens if you hit the Conference button?”

    End users: “…”

    • UnCivilServant

      “But I want to consult with these people.”

      • Nephilium

        Conference calls seem to befuddle so many people. It’s not hard, be on a call, push the conference button, call the third party, push the conference button again. We have people putting the call on hold, hitting transfer buttons, just flat out hanging up… I don’t get it.

      • UnCivilServant

        Why should I have to hit the button twice?

      • Nephilium

        Once to initiate the outbound call leg, the other to join the two call legs together.

        Even with simpler interfaces conference calls were an issue. One client involved dragging and dropping one call onto another call to conference them together. This confused people as well.

      • Grummun

        Catbert: “I like to con people…. I like to insult people…”

        later

        Catbert: “I’m here to consult you.”

        PHB: “Sounds expensive… and degrading.”

    • Festus

      It’s heartbreaking. The visceral hatred. This isn’t civilized. This is terrifying.

    • creech

      They are threatening to have an impeachment trial for Trump even after he’s left office, so is there anything wrong with beginning impeachment of Biden before he’s actually been inaugurated?

      • Festus

        Sure. Decapitate Cameltoe before she gets to attain the office.

    • AlexinCT

      Everyone knows why this happened. But they are keeping their mouths shut because admitting that one political party decided to use this Kung Flu thing to steal an election kind of would cause them some damage.. So they hope that the majority of the sheep will just go along..

  41. The Other Kevin

    I don’t know if the elites think people are idiots, or people actually are idiots. It was what, 2 weeks ago when Trump wanted more money going directly to people. Now Old Joe does it and OMG! So much better than Trump!

    Next time they might want to wait a few months so people have a chance to forget things.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      The elites, who are idiots and no smarter than the people, think the people are idiots and they’re largely correct. It takes both intelligence and vigilance to push past propaganda, particularly when it’s as ubiquitous as it is now. IOW we’re screwed.

      • wdalasio

        It takes both intelligence and vigilance to push past propaganda

        That’s the thing that bothers me. The propaganda has become so blindingly obvious and low grade that it doesn’t take a whole lot of intelligence or vigilance to see past. When what they’re telling you contradicts what they told you five minutes ago, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize they’re absolutely full of crap.

        It’s like we’ve arrived at this repulsive new equilibrium. The people feeding you the lies know it’s utter BS. They know you know it’s utter BS. But, everyone is supposed to keep their mouth shut about it being utter BS as some sort of new social more. I don’t think anybody even thinks they’re fooling anybody at this point. It’s all supposed to be some sick kabuki where we all pretend that we don’t know any better. And if someone does acknowledge the obvious, they’re the one in the wrong.

      • The Other Kevin

        See comment 45 above. Just days after the election is certified, everyone does a 180 on lockdowns. I can’t believe that people won’t notice that. Almost everyone I know still jokes about “2 weeks to bend the curve.”

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        That Cuomo wasn’t tarred and feathered just astounds me. The man is directly responsible for thousands of deaths in nursing homes.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        The social and potentially financial cost of disagreement is very high, particularly among the nomenklatura and the wannabe nomenklatura.

        The most rabid Trump-haters I know are Ivy League educated. I had no idea I had so many fools in my circle, people willing to burn the forest down to get at the Devil.

      • The Other Kevin

        And for that matter, news on the economy. For years we’ve heard “Trump’s economy! Everyone is poor!” and now, magically, the economy is going to come back next week.

      • Stinky Wizzleteats

        Maybe people are stupider than you think but if it’s sort of an Emperor’s New Clothes situation then people have realized that the story ending as told was modified from the original where the little boy was torn limb from limb by the crowd and his surviving family was exiled. There’s a very strong motivation for embracing the lie even among those that see right through it.

    • AlexinCT

      They are not too worried about people like us Glibs that see through this shit, because their target audience has been educated to not see things like this ever.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      The only thins I have to say about that is *redacted*.

    • IntraveneousWoodChipper

      That’s the most unAmerican thing I have ever seen. Like what the actual fuck?! There’s no way he has the legal authority/ability to do that. How could you possibly justify that from a legal perspective?

      • The Other Kevin

        You can’t. But rest assured, it will take years of legal wrangling and probably more money in legal fees than was confiscated, and in the end, after his business has been gone for a while, they’ll quietly give his money back.

      • IntraveneousWoodChipper

        And all this for simply not letting the state take away his right to make a living. Insanity.

      • Muzzled Woodchipper

        And then make him pay tax on it.

        We had to go through a multi-year lawsuit to recover stolen funds.

        Then had to pay income tax on it when we got it back. Over $100k just in taxes.

    • wchipperdove

      OK, one commenter on the page suggested that because the gym hadn’t been paying the fines levied against it, that the state just went ahead and grabbed its bank account.
      I still don’t buy it.

      • Nephilium

        Even seizing the accounts should still go through the courts, not just done on a whim.

      • kbolino

        It probably did. This wouldn’t play out any differently with or without the courts (though how the action was carried out might give some recourse). It’s probably straight forfeiture or something similar to forfeiture.

        In asset forfeiture, the government sues the assets, not the owner of the assets, and the court decides whether the preponderance of evidence favors the claim that the assets were obtained from illegal activity. It would be pretty trivial to prove that he kept his gym open and that the governor ordered it closed. Then it just takes some evidence showing that the assets were obtained from that illegal activity. Ipso facto, ill gotten gains, no standing for the putative owner, and immediate seizure without prior due process. The tricky part is probably that the assets are from multiple sources, but even then they can probably claim that the legitimate earnings are commingled with illegitimate earnings and this has to be sorted out post-seizure.

        In every state I’ve seen, there’s an emergency bill (often dating to the 1960s or 1970s for whatever reason) that grants nearly plenary power to the executive to make diktats with the force of law during a crisis. Even when legislative oversight is part of the law, the courts will interpret it very narrowly (see: Pennsylvania).

        A lot of people seem to be under the mistaken impression that our laws are just.

    • Animal

      FYTW.

    • mrfamous

      Why is it legal? FYTW

    • WTF

      “We will continue to fight this fight because we know, based upon what is outlined in the Constitution, that when we get to the right courts and in front of a judge who respects the Constitution, we will win this case,”

      Good luck finding a “judge who respects the Constitution”.

  42. The Late P Brooks

    That’s the most unAmerican thing I have ever seen. Like what the actual fuck?! There’s no way he has the legal authority/ability to do that. How could you possibly justify that from a legal perspective?

    I’m not a Constitutional scholar like Obama, but it seems to me you might run afoul of the Sixth Amendment if you deny them the ability to conduct a defense.

    • IntraveneousWoodChipper

      The right to a fair trial, anybody?!? JFC

    • IntraveneousWoodChipper

      That alone should get one recalled and thrown into jail. And instead the bedwetters will call him a hero to standing up to the science deniers.

  43. Rebel Scum

    They see me trollin’…

    The Daily Wire will be sending 225 of their “Leftist Tears” tumblers to Politico for their staff following much outrage at the news outlet after Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro guest wrote Thursday’s edition of Politico Playbook, their daily newsletter.

    “I know that a single conservative opinion was enough to make 225 journalists at Politico very sad. We just want to make sure they don’t get their desks wet,” Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing told Townhall.

    • IntraveneousWoodChipper

      They need to be trolled. Their behavior is unAmerican in addition to being cowardly and pathetic.

      Next send them Ben t-shirts. The mental breakdowns would be instantaneous and devestating.

  44. robc

    Baseball birthdays are much improved today.

    Top 3 are Bobby Grich, Matt Holliday, and Ray Chapman.

    No HoFers, although Grich wouldn’t be out of place. I didn’t realize how good a career Chapman had going prior to his death. He had 29 WAR at age 29. Chapman’s death led to the banning of the spitball, but it would still be a long while before helmets started getting used.

    • robc

      site complaint: I hate getting logged out between comments. Lost a comment because it said I wasn’t logged in. I was logged in 5 minutes ago, and I hit the reply button and got a reply box, so don’t say I am not logged in when I hit post.

      So comment eaten, here is the gist:

      1941 – Dodgers start wearing helmets, 21 years after Chapman death.
      1971 – MLB mandates helmets for new players.

      • mrfamous

        I remember growing up in the late 70s there were a few players ‘grandfathered’ in who didn’t wear helmets. Bob Montgomery, Jose Cardenal.

      • Rat on a train

        Speaking of the 70s, how about Andy Brown playing goalie without a mask in 1974?

    • Idle Hands

      Holliday was a solid player who I liked.

    • Gdragon

      I’d forgotten that international signing day (July 2) is today rob. Lots of baseball happenings.

  45. The Late P Brooks

    Trial by rumor

    Lawmakers who interacted with the pro-Trump protesters who rioted at the Capitol last week could face criminal charges and will almost certainly come under close scrutiny in the burgeoning federal investigation into the assault, former prosecutors said.

    “This is incredibly serious,” said Ron Machen, a former U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. “Although you would need compelling evidence before charging a member of Congress with anything related to the breach of the Capitol that day, this has to be investigated.”

    Unlike with the president, there’s no Justice Department policy shielding members of Congress from legal accountability while in office.
    “I’d say those are potentially viable prosecutions,” added Peter Zeidenberg, another former federal prosecutor in Washington. “I’d say those guys should be worried.”

    The role members of Congress may have played in facilitating the deadly attack drew intense attention this week after Democratic lawmakers alleged that some of their Republican colleagues facilitated tours of the Capitol on January 5 — one day before demonstrators engaged in the assault that terrorized lawmakers, ransacked congressional offices and left as many as five people dead.

    ——-

    Sherrill suggested that access raised the possibility that the visitors were casing the building for the assault that unfolded the next day.

    “Members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex,” she wrote. “Given the events of January 6, the ties between these groups inside the Capitol Complex and the attacks on the Capitol need to be investigated.”

    How dare those plebs defile this sacred ground? We must keep them far, far away from us. Nothing says democracy like conducting government business in secret, in a fortified and inaccessible retreat.

    • Viking1865

      Jesus Christ they really are trying to purge the opposition.

      • Rebel Scum

        A ploy to falsely incriminate any Republican that does not fall in line.

    • Rebel Scum

      seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex

      I am pretty sure you can tour it (I have done so…).

      • Pine_Tree

        I’m pretty sure it was open for tours right at the moment they’re griping about.

  46. IntraveneousWoodChipper

    “ “We published a piece by a very prominent writer, provocateur, and podcaster. We stand by every word in there, it was very closely edited,” said Politico editor”

    Surprised to find that in the Politico meltdown. Good for them.

    • IntraveneousWoodChipper

      Not sure what “provocateur” means in this instance though. Code for alt-right or something? *rolls eyes*

      • juris imprudent

        Well he does provoke quite a reaction.

  47. Festus

    Just fell in the tub. I join the Ranks of Tres and probably should go eat something, sleep and live to fight another day. My balance goes wonky when I’m tired. The back seizes up and my legs get all wibbly-wobbly. I’ll see you good folk on the other side, God willing.

  48. Drake

    This is what you do to these assholes. You mock them mercilessly and laugh at their stupidity.

    If I go back to having a long commute I’ll have to get a subscription to Compound Media.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      I love Cumia et al, he’s a funny mofo.

  49. The Late P Brooks

    Not sure what “provocateur” means in this instance though. Code for alt-right or something? *rolls eyes*

    I suspect it’s a thinly veiled “We don’t believe a word of it, either, But this is what the deplorables are telling themselves.”

    • Rebel Scum

      It is anyone that triggers a leftist, so basically anyone that generally disagrees with them.

    • wdalasio

      Which is the absurdity of all of this. These people are getting their knickers in a twist, not about Shapiro saying something about the state of the world, but about his saying something about some people’s understanding of the state of the world. Even if I didn’t believe that the characterization Shapiro attributes to Republicans was accurate, I’d say it’s a pretty good characterization of what Republicans think.

    • Raven Nation

      Apparently it’s very risky for the terminally ill. Now, granted, “terminally ill” covers a lot of ground but why would you worry about vaccination at that point.

      • Master JaimeRoberto (royal we/us)

        My dad is 92 and terminally ill. I don’t think he’s going to bother with the vaccine. My mom might get it, but she hasn’t made any plans to get it.

      • Don escaped Two Corinthians

        Mom raves about Dad going to see his sister. They are in their 80s. Now there’s a 1 in 50 chance or so he’s going to catch this virus and be able to transmit it, but he’s only going to get to see his sister three or four more times . . . ever. She stays mad at me because her identity politics requires her to wave the cartoon arguments of Team #Resist, but these are not simple all-or-nothing times. I wish she were not a hysterical bitch.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      I it’s being given to oldsters and the sick first of course there are going to be unexpected deaths after shot one but those deaths aren’t really unexpected, they had one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel anyway.

      • Raven Nation

        Yeah, my MIL (who is very sweet) was in tears the other day because 2 of her relatives in their 80s got the ‘vid. She was really upset about the husband because he has brain cancer.

  50. Idle Hands

    So they are going to lockdown the captital with the military during biden’s peaceful transition of power? And they are accusing trump of staging a coup?

    • Sean

      Yup. Everything is stupid these days.

      • Idle Hands

        This shit is beyond orwell.

  51. Rebel Scum

    I am not sure what these mendacious/malicious cuntes think they are doing but it can’t go anywhere good.

    President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial is set to collide directly with President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. And there may be little anyone can do about it.

    Absent the consent of all 100 senators, Trump’s trial for “incitement of insurrection” will start at 1 p.m. on Jan. 20 — just an hour after Biden is sworn into office and Trump becomes a former president. And only the same consent from the entire Senate will allow the chamber to create two tracks: One to confirm Biden’s Cabinet and pass his legislative agenda, and another for Trump’s impeachment trial…

    Given that many Republicans oppose impeachment or think it’s not even constitutional once Trump has left office, it could be tough to get the cooperation Biden needs to handle a trial alongside Cabinet confirmations and begin work on a new coronavirus stimulus bill. Biden and Democrats say it’s critical to cut a deal that does both, but one single senator can disrupt any effort to multitask.

    • OBJ FRANKELSON

      As has been said here, they are transparently trying to humiliate Trump and by extension demoralize his movement. They will not stop until they get their perp-walk. It is not going to have that effect, but they are doing it anyway, just because they can.

    • Viking1865

      “but one single senator can disrupt any effort to multitask.”

      How many hours into Rand’s opposition will the WaPo call him a wrecker?

      • juris imprudent

        Hours? Microseconds!

    • KSuellington

      The unity is overwhelming.

  52. Rebel Scum

    Oh. Well, ok then.

    Ayanna Pressley
    @AyannaPressley

    There will be no reset button. No return to normal. The status quo was unjust in the first place.

    • Idle Hands

      come and take it bitch.

    • IntraveneousWoodChipper

      She sucks. I cannot believe members of Congress are now *openly* spewing Marxist dogma.

      • Idle Hands

        They don’t have to hide now that they know they are winning.

      • Rebel Scum

        Well, “winning”, anyway. A la DEMinion Voting.

      • grrizzly

        She is my representative. We don’t have Dominion in Mass. That’s what my neighbors support. She didn’t even have any opponents on the ballot.

    • OBJ FRANKELSON

      That is true you ignorant cunte, I see no future were justice is done when there is one set of legal and social standards for people that align with your ideology and another for people that don’t.

      And STFU about your victimhood and oppression. That shit doesn’t fly when you are walking the halls of power.

  53. The Late P Brooks

    There will be no reset button. No return to normal.

    Let the hate flow through you.

  54. Rebel Scum

    Unity. Healing. Reconciliation.

    Scaramucci said, “I think lawyers, legitimate lawyers are telling him that he’s in a lot of trouble. He incited a riot. He incited an insurrection. He’s arguably, at least in the 21st century, you could say Timothy McVeigh for the 20th century, but he is the domestic terrorist of the 21st century in terms of the history of the 21st century.”

    Unity. Healing. Reconciliation.

    Bernstein said, “Well, first of all, Nixon was not a secessionist, seditious president of the United States who inspired and celebrated a riot to burn down the Capitol, which is really what occurred. He encouraged it. Those people went there because of his incitement.”

    He added, “Nixon was in a different category in that regard. He was a real criminal president who deserved having to leave office, and Republicans got him out of office, forced his resignation. Very different than what we’ve seen with Trump. The Republicans have enabled him and allowed him to stay in office. We saw in the House yesterday how Republicans continued to defend him, don’t want to see him impeached and convicted.”

    Reading/listening to blatant propaganda is bad for my health.

    • Rebel Scum

      Unity. Healing. Reconciliation.

      When asked if President Trump should be held accountable for the Capital Hill riot, Rather said, “The answer is yes. Donald Trump can be made to pay a price. I would argue that it is absolutely essential for the general health of our democracy in our country that that happen. And we can get things under control.”

      Hew continued, “You know, everybody knows if you play with fire, you usually get burned. And the Republican Party as a whole and overwhelmingly has been playing with the fire of white nationalism, false grievances, crazy conspiracy theories, lies and outright propaganda. And now for the Republicans it’s a wildfire burning out of control.”

      • WTF

        Yeah, it’s absolutely essential for the health of our “democracy” to enact politically-motivated punishment on an outgoing president based on lies and propaganda.

        And to think, I used to really believe that shit could never happen here. I really underestimated the left.

      • Muzzled Woodchipper

        If you’re calling 165M people out of 330M people “white supremacists”, you’re full of shit.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      This insurrection shit-talk is getting on my nerves.

      When a no-shit insurrection comes they’re all going to be hiding under their beds. Those guys who went into the Capitol Building were asshats.

      By continuing to verbally raise the stakes, they’re creating even more volatility and instability.

      • The Other Kevin

        I’ve been harping on this for days. Nobody is making any attempt to de-escalate. They are playing with fire and we’re all going to get burned.

        If Biden had any intention of avoiding violence, he’d move his swearing in to another place and/or another time.

      • robodruid

        that phrase has been running through my mind.

      • Idle Hands

        They want someone to take a shot, they are trying to get someone to bite. They want it so bad so they can further consolidate power.

      • Viking1865

        There’s 32 million people in a 200 mile radius of DC. Let’s be super generous and say that only 25% of them are Trump voters. That’s 8 million. Let’s say 1 in 100 is a military aged male willing to commit insurrection against the US government. That gives you 40,000, give or take.

        You will know an insurrection when and if it happens by the amount of dead people.

      • Animal

        When a no-shit insurrection comes they’re all going to be hiding under their beds. Those guys who went into the Capitol Building were asshats.

        What happened at the Capitol last week was, at most, hooliganism. Not insurrection. And you’re quite right; they may not know what a no-shit insurrection is now, but if one happens, they’ll get a hard lesson.

    • Tejicano

      “…President of the United States who inspired and celebrated a riot to burn down the Capitol, which is really what occurred.”

      Wha,,,? They burned down the capitol? I must have missed that somehow.

      • The Other Kevin

        They were going to, but the guy in charge of matches forgot and they had double the number of zip ties.

      • dontreadonme

        LMFAO

      • WTF

        I guess I missed where Trump celebrated a riot as well.
        They just fucking lie the most outrageous lies right to our faces and dare us to contradict them on pain of being unpersoned. Now I understand how a civilized western country like Germany could succumb to the Nazis.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Or the kids could rule a country in the Cultural Revolution.

      • Tejicano

        I might be accused of metallic haberdashery… but I saw a video showing a uniformed LEO at the capitol waving protesters through an opening in the barricades around the capitol during the riot. It doesn’t seem too farfetched to believe that the (D) party orchestrated the riot by making it easy for the Trump supporters to get in – knowing that they could use the “insurrection” to follow up with a number of things near and dear to their hearts. Impeach Trump. Castigate his supporters.

  55. KromulentKristen

    Just saw 2 Osprey (aircraft, not bird) fly by. Never seen any on this flight path before

    • Festus

      That ain’t good.

    • UnCivilServant

      I’ve seen Osprey (the bird) before, but not Osprey (the aircraft).

    • Dr. Fronkensteen

      Don’t worry they’re just there to prevent an insurrection by effecting a military coup.

    • AlexinCT

      Are you near any air facility where these fly out from?

      • KromulentKristen

        You could say that

      • Trigger Hippie

        KK has hinted that she’s jucied in before, yo. I think a few choice words from her and hk could get a lot of us disappeared. 😉

  56. Festus

    Whelp. I ate a Bacon Big Mac meal last night so I’m gonna blame the clumsy and stupidity on that. I mean something made it happen, right?

    • Swiss Servator

      Please go back to Comment 40.

  57. Dr. Fronkensteen

    Stock market is down after seeing Biden’s stimulus plan.

    It will be the opposite of Trump. Initially the market went down when he was elected and then went up until the pandemic hit.

    Here the market went up and now the market will go down. Hopefully go back up after the pandemic is declared over. I’m trying to remain optimistic.

    • Viking1865

      It’s another one of those “They can’t possibly be that stupid, right?” things for me. They have been keeping the lockdowns going to damage Trump and generally inflict misery on his supporters. But surely after Biden comes into power they will lift them so Biden can take credit for the Miracle Economic Recovery, right?

      I mean, they do know the goose has to lay the eggs, you can’t sew its asshole shut forever, right?

      • Idle Hands

        I honestly don’t know at this point. California is still pretending the house isn’t on fire. The people that support them all want this and are totally brainwashed they can’t just do an about face it’s going to be a 3 month slow burn. I think some of the republicans gov who are doing this are going to be last to lift.

      • Idle Hands

        I will say that even knowing the about face was coming I still have never been more pissed off about anything in my entire life.

      • Viking1865

        Same. They won. They crashed the economy, kept it locked down for nearly a year, and they did it because the only chance they had at winning the election was a crashed economy, coupled with all the mail in ballots and other avenues for fraud. They’re going to get away with it, and anyone who bucks in any way whatsoever is labeled a racist Nazi traitor to democracy, regardless of how hard they buck.

      • kbolino

        They had other ways to win. They did this because they’re craven and because they want to keep money, status, and power. This happened across the Anglosphere (indeed, across most of the Western world). It included Republican governors and Conservative prime ministers; nearly everyone in a position of power or influence regardless of party or nation participated.

        Despite their constant telegraphing of their hatred for him, ousting Trump was just a side-goal. This was about cashing in on unspent political capital accrued from 50 years of rising cultural hegemony, about re-establishing the (appearance of) dominance, and ensuring that the disruption of the “populist” revolt was a drop in the ocean. It’s now “too important” to do anything else.

      • Viking1865

        “They had other ways to win.”

        I really don’t think they did. It’s been the longest year of my life by far, but remember a year ago the economy was absolutely roaring along and the RUSSIA bullshit had fizzled out. I remember right before the lockdowns dejected progressives talking about how no President with an economy this great had ever gotten defeated.

        Then came COVID, the lockdowns, and then the BLM stuff. Trump surrendered control to Birx and Fauci and that was it.

      • kbolino

        I would not hardly argue that COVID played a huge part in Trump’s changed fortunes, but my point was rather that ousting him wasn’t their primary motive.

  58. leon

    Hey Guys dropping in. I’ve become inundated at work, and i’m severely cutting back on the impact politics has in my life. Still love you all! Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

    • juris imprudent

      i’m severely cutting back on the impact politics has in my life

      You may not be interested in politics, but politics is interested in you!

      Seriously, smart move on your part.

      • Mojeaux

        You may not be interested in politics, but politics is interested in you!

        Well, that’s the entire problem, innit?

      • juris imprudent

        I can kinda understand the desire for power, but the submission desire is just as strong and less understandable to me.

      • Trigger Hippie

        I have a hard time understanding either one. I don’t want to control anyone or be controlled by anyone. I understand the need for it in a family or business setting, at least the need for some form of hierarchy. Outside that and a very basic set of laws based around the NAP I don’t get the desire of people to not only be a part of something greater than themselves but forcing it upon others.

      • Agent Cooper

        I wouldn’t equate Galtism with submission, but politics is a pernicious thing.

      • Mojeaux

        I wouldn’t equate Galtism with submission

        Nor would I, though going Galt required the collusion of the leaders of several different industries.

        Galtism would be Jeff Bezos shutting down Amazon completely (including AWS) and disappearing. He can’t, because it’s a publicly held company, but it’s an interesting thought experiment.

        If there were ONE MAN in the entire world who might be able to Go Galt and make it hurt, it would be Bezos.

  59. The Late P Brooks

    Face consequences for our actions? That’s totally not fair!

    There is growing concern about security on Capitol Hill, as well as worries from lawmakers facing threats to their personal safety, law enforcement sources and members of Congress tell CNN.
    Some members of Congress have told their party leadership that they are in fear for their lives and the lives of their families, sources told CNN. And multiple members of Congress have taken new security measures, sources tell CNN.
    The more they learn in news reports and online, the more concerned they grow, several sources said. There’s a growing realization about the danger they were in, the sources said, especially when they see videos that reflect how coordinated the attack seemed at times.
    One video of particular concern shows militia members with their arms on each other’s shoulders, pushing each other in a line that snakes through a crowd surging against a door into the Capitol building, one congressional source told CNN.
    Rep. Peter Meijer, a freshman Republican from Michigan said on CNN Wednesday he was afraid of the threats he was going to face for being one of 10 Republicans to break ranks and vote to impeach Trump.

    The peasants are revolting, and they should not be allowed to disturb the majestic serenity and ethereal privilege of their betters.

    • Stinky Wizzleteats

      Peter Meijer preemptively playing for sympathy for doing something that betrayed his voters based upon a lie. Well played jerkoff, well played.

    • Dr. Fronkensteen

      “The peasants are revolting.”

      You said it they stick on ice.

      • Dr. Fronkensteen

        Stink*

        They probably high stick as well.

    • juris imprudent

      The House Sgt at Arms refused the Capitol police request for backup. He was then allowed to quietly resign. Of course I would never say that this crisis was manufactured.

  60. Count Potato

    “100 million women use the Flo app to track periods. It told women repeatedly their data is private.

    In reality, Flo (valuation: $200-$500 million) sold their menstrual details to Google & Facebook to tailor ads.

    Its entire punishment: “don’t do it again””

    https://twitter.com/DanPriceSeattle/status/1349457189262471170

    • Dr. Fronkensteen

      What about the black flag?

      “Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”

      HL Mencken.

      Sorry Womencken.

    • Agent Cooper

      “nearly 3,000 Likes”

      JFC. Infinitesimal support.

  61. Pope Jimbo

    I was sorting through some old pictures yesterday and found this gem of a job ad from my home town newspaper.

    Complete mystery why I moved away.

    Help Wanted: Full and part time catchers for turkey insemination crew. Up to $13 per hour depending on performance and experience, plus benefits.

    • Swiss Servator

      Well, did you apply or not?

      • Dr. Fronkensteen

        He wanted to be the pitcher not the catcher.

    • Animal

      STEVE SMITH KEENLY INTERESTED.

      • juris imprudent

        HIM HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE TOO!

      • Agent Cooper

        HIM NOT NEED SYRINGE!

    • Master JaimeRoberto (royal we/us)

      I’m interested in the benefits.

    • Don escaped Two Corinthians

      * gestures to chair *

      Jimbo, take a seat ………..we’ve been looking at the numbers, and, well, I hate to say this, but you’re about the lousiest turkeyfucker we’ve ever had………so I really don’t have any choice……………

    • Rat on a train

      Would you do it for $15/hour?

    • Trigger Hippie

      Oh, it may cost a life. After nearly slipping five times on my walk for my morning coffee(snow day, no work) I promptly knocked it over on the floor while cleaning off the coffee table. Weed, booze, I can live without those things if circumstance demands it…I NEED MY COFFEE, MAN!!!

  62. The Late P Brooks

    Troops with live ammo on the streets of Washington, for the inauguration.

    I thought electing Biden was going to save us from turning into a banana republic. Live and learn, I guess.

    • Tejicano

      With Biden we will have unity.

      Consent will be optional.

      • db

        With Biden, the nation will heel.

      • Animal

        Consent will not be required optional.

        Fixed.

  63. The Late P Brooks

    Wha,,,? They burned down the capitol? I must have missed that somehow.

    Well, maybe not burned burned. But they didn’t wipe their feet before going in.

    • Dr. Fronkensteen

      They were just confusing the Reichstag fire with the Capital Riot. Don’t worry, the end result will be the same.

  64. Count Potato

    “Uber previously featured #BLM Capitol Hill riot suspect John Earle Sullivan in a commercial. He was arrested yesterday & charged with violent entry & disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds & more. Last summer, he was charged over a BLM-antifa riot in Utah where a person was shot.”

    https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1350060292361879554

    • Dr. Fronkensteen

      I’d question whether or not he’s any strong political beliefs. It may be that he just wants to watch the world burn.

    • Drake

      People’s willingness to borrow huge amounts of money to buy cars / or commit to gigantic leases never ceases to amaze me.

    • Swiss Servator

      That average goes up for Teslas, the big tricked out pick up trucks, luxury cars, etc. You still can get a good car for under $22K.

      • Count Potato

        That’s still way more than it would be without a boondoggle of regulations.

  65. Idle Hands

    I keep seeing calls for moderation from people. Who the fuck could possibly be a moderate after the last year?

    • UnCivilServant

      I’m a moderate, all you extreme lefties are a problem.

      • Idle Hands

        I mean you clearly aren’t a true libertarian. There can only be one.

    • juris imprudent

      Seriously? Everyone could moderate their emotions without any negative consequences. We might also remember that far more of us have far more in common. But an awful lot of people love being high on rage.

      • Idle Hands

        They’ve ruined millions of peoples lives financially and psychologically forever and they will never be held accountable for their crimes.

      • juris imprudent

        Who exactly is THEY? Give me at least a dozen names and the actual crimes committed. You don’t want to come off as some TDSer after all.

      • Idle Hands

        the entire political and bureaucratic class who pushed the lockdowns. They all belong in gitmo and that is the moderate position all these people are disgusting corrupt gangsters. You want me to give you names I can give you far more than a dozen.

      • juris imprudent

        You seem to miss an important piece – most Americans are mostly okay with it. They want govt to save them. How are you going to purge them?

      • Idle Hands

        people are okay with it until they are impacted financially. That’s coming.

      • juris imprudent

        Now they expect govt to save them from the problem govt created!

        It’s a helluva scam, but when almost everyone is a sucker.

      • Viking1865

        People were fine with lots of terrible assaults on liberty because it didn’t affect them personally.

      • Idle Hands

        this isn’t some tried or true proven solution to dealing with a pandemic. It was invented whole cloth by a 15 year olds high school science project and they wanted to try it for some time. The economic powers that be were fine with it as it benefited them financially and the people against it were silent for fear of being labeled a hack and shunned from polite society. Many many people don’t even understand the arguments against the lockdown due to being flooded with a level of propaganda not seen since 9/11. In a way this is far worse as they directly waged economic and class war with their own citizens.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Guilty. I’m happy to de-Baathify the Rs right after we de-Commiefy the Democrat Party.

    • wdalasio

      Maybe I’m going to come off as di**ish here. But, “moderation” more often than not strikes me as an intellectual cop-out of the unprincipled or intellectually lazy. “Split the difference” is an answer that makes no stand on the legitimacy of various claims and seeks to have its cake and eat it too.

      It’s sort of like, to me, the parental response of “I don’t care who started it…”. Yeah, it might be necessary as a practical response. But, really, “who started it” is something that, in principle, should matter. You’re treating both parties, regardless of the justice of their behavior, to the same treatment.

      • Mojeaux

        If you have no power to punish (i.e., it won’t make any difference, guilty party doesn’t care, there is no punishment that will get his/her attention and change the behavior), “I don’t care who started it” is the only thing you can say. Assigning blame and adjudicating is futile if you can’t back it up with something that hurts.

      • wdalasio

        I understand where you’re coming from. And I acknowledged that it’s necessary as a practical response. My problem with “I don’t care who started it” isn’t the message to the guilty. It’s the message to the aggrieved. It’s saying that justice is just not something he has any reason to expect.

      • Mojeaux

        Yes, I know, and it hurts. I can blame one child or the other all day long, and the aggrieved will still not feel that they got justice because the punishment was not harsh enough.

      • Idle Hands

        People are incredibly upset and they know exactly who to blame. The gov in my state is directly responsible for a decent % of my business failing. The national eviction moratorium, the removal of contractors from needing offices to bid for federal contracts is another, and my inability to adapt to this completely unforseeable event is responsible for the others.

      • Viking1865

        Yep. Theres a difference between cows milk and cat piss, and mixing the two is not a good solution.

        “About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers.” -Calvin Coolidge

      • robc

        Exactly. The improvement that HAS been made (and is being lost) is in actually living up to those ideals. We have treated all people more equally since 1776. The standard hasn’t changed, it is an ideal to strive for, that hasn’t been reached, but we have come much closer. And now it is being thrown away.

    • UnCivilServant

      fat asses and corsetry?

    • juris imprudent

      #10 has the right kind of mask, #33 is my kind of punk

    • Rat on a train

      What is with the horizontal outlet in #6?

  66. Ed Wuncler

    https://sojo.net/articles/biblical-values-ocasio-cortezs-democratic-socialism?fbclid=IwAR0dIdxWGH18kgbo7-DRsOb3-VqjoIbd3GhA6aD16LAysy0LDHcUENQntZY

    “Sadly, in our capitalist society many American workers find themselves subject to the caprice and greed of corporate elites, many of whom annually earn in excess of 300 times the salaries of their average workers. Democratic socialism repudiates such power imbalances. Under it, workers would have a greater say in determining their working conditions and receive a much more equitable share of the profits generated by their labor.”

    If I didn’t have so much shit to do at work today, I would actually take the time repudiate this bullshit ass article. But than that would also be a waste of time because the person posting this article is convinced of their righteousness.

    It’s mind boggling that they think that taking away people’s right to choose where they work, send their kids for schooling, and not forcing people to do good at the barrel of a gun is bad. If you look at the teachings, Jesus. he never once advocated for the forced redistribution of wealth. His message was that Christians should give FREELY from the heart to help those less fortunate.

    • Ed Wuncler

      And also the reason why it’s useless to debate a lot of these people is because they start from the premise that any defense of the free enterprise system is a defense of inequality and injustice. I’ve gotten to the point where I actively avoid philosophical and political discussions because a lot of times the person is starting from a heavily flawed premise which I just don’t have the time or energy to debate.

    • Tejicano

      I am currently reading the Gulag Archipelago – for a number of reasons.

      A couple things that hit me as I read this – 1) no matter how you implement it, Marxism will always lead to prison camps. It’s baked into the process. and 2) the Soviets make the Nazis look like reasonable, almost nice, people.

      • wdalasio

        Marxism will always lead to prison camps. It’s baked into the process.

        It’s a horrible question, but when is it fair to assume the advocates know?

      • Idle Hands

        the nazi’s are in many ways scarier because of the sheer calculation and the fact they kept meticulous notes and records outlining their knowledge and intentions. The soviets in many ways can be handwaved away because they are essentially brutish drunken thugs who you could just say they didn’t no better or had misguided intentions. I actually think a lot of the perceived differences is explained by western chauvinism and the fact that they directly targeted a group of people who make up a great deal of our intelligentsia and drive our culture.

      • Idle Hands

        basically the west didn’t historically think that highly of slavics or asians intelligence or humanity.

      • Agent Cooper

        Anti-semitism was rampant in intellectual Germany in the late 19th/early 20th century. If it hadn’t been Hitler, it may indeed have been someone else.

      • Viking1865

        “2) the Soviets make the Nazis look like reasonable, almost nice, people”

        The juxtaposition of the insanity, brutality, and sheer evil of the Nazi with the modern and civilized German society is always quite chilling to me. For example, the IG Farben ordered 150 slave laborers from one of the camps, I believe Auschwitz. They were placed on the train and shipped to the factory, but apparently they all died in transit. The IG Farben purchasing agent then wrote a very polite, calm, pleasant note to the SS officer in charge stating that they had all died and to please send more but perhaps pick some stronger ones this time. As though he was writing to a live lobster shipping company to complain about his seafood dying.

        Obviously commie control of academia, the media, and the Soviets being able to cover up so many of their crimes for decades plays a roll, but there is a certain special evil to the Nazis, how such a civilized society so very quickly adopted an absolutely insane value system so very quickly. Communism is wrong, and evil, but there is a certain logic to “the capitalist class lords over and exploits the industrial workers.” There’s none at all to “The Jews secretly control everything”

        One of the plot points in Fatherland (which I only recently read, its fantastic if anyone hasn’t read it) is that the Nazis have preserved the Gulag and thoroughly documented the atrocities that took place there to show the world the evils of the Soviet regime they overthrew.

      • kbolino

        Much as slavery was the primary (by far) but not sole factor in the Civil War, antisemitism was the primary but not sole motivating ethos of the Nazis. The Nazis claimed that the innate superiority of the German people was being suppressed by outsiders and degenerates. The Jews were the single biggest target, but half as many others were killed in the death camps as Jews, and many of the Nazis’ most brutal actions were perpetrated against degenerates (e.g., gays, mental defectives, etc.) and Hitler’s enemies (within the NSDAP and without) rather than Jews.

        If you reduce their ethos to just “the Jews secretly control everything” then I think you miss the “logic” of it. The “unexpected” German loss in World War I, the dismal economic and social situation of Weimar Germany, and the relative prosperity of intellectuals, bankers, former aristocrats, etc., all laid the groundwork for the Nazis to claim that a great people were sundered by treacherous forces. It is really not all that different from the communists’ argument that the working class is sundered by capitalist forces. And of course, the S in NSDAP is not a coincidence.

      • Viking1865

        “The Jews were the single biggest target, but half as many others were killed in the death camps as Jews”

        But the Jews were a tiny minority of the population. They wiped out 2/3rds of the European Jewish population. They didn’t come close to that for any other ethnic, religous, or other minority.

        The Soviet Union had 196 million people in 1941, and in 1946 they had 170 million. God knows who killed who, but between Stalin and Hitler they killed about 25 milion people in a four year span.

        2/3rds of 196 milion is 130 milion. That would be the equivalent, and the Nazis did actually have a stated policy of murdering every Slav in what was the old Prussian sphere of influence.

      • kbolino

        While it was quite wordy, my only quibble was with your saying that the Nazis’ value system was categorically different from the Soviets’. I don’t think it was, and I think if you follow the evolution of the NSDAP and its interplay with German society from the end of WW1 on, it’s not so insane or jarring as you imply as compared with the Bolsheviks and the USSR.

      • Tejicano

        There were periods during the Soviet gulag system in which it was calculated/expected that the average prisoner would be worked to death within three months. And each mechanism in that system was pushed to meet that standard.

      • Viking1865

        The Nazis did the same, plus selecting right off the train and immediately murdering the sick, the old, the lame, the women, and the children. Some SS man would hold a broom handle out about four and half feet off the ground and any boy who wasn’t that height went to the gas chamber on arrival along with his mother, sisters, grandparents.

        The remorseless logic of working enemies of the State to death somehow isn’t quite as chilling as separating mothers and children from their fathers and murdering them on arrival. I believe the Soviets murdered fewer children as well, I thought the general MO was father and mother to camps, children to the care of the State to be brainwashed into good Soviets.

      • Idle Hands

        I don’t think you can discount the fact that Russian society has always been viewed as separate from the west and considered a backwater of retarded peasant and barbarism by most of western europe. They kind of expected the germans to be better because they respected their culture.

      • kbolino

        the Soviets make the Nazis look like reasonable, almost nice, people

        The Soviets were despicable bastards but I don’t see how this follows. “The Soviets made lots of fascists look like reasonable, almost nice, people” is something I could agree with; Mussolini and Franco weren’t half as evil as Hitler. But the Nazis were a particularly evil brand of fascist, just as the Soviets were a particularly evil brand of socialist, and I think sussing out which was worse is an exercise in futility. For every Soviet atrocity, there’s a Nazi one, and vice-versa.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Pick your poison.

        Any one you pick, you’re still dead.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        I find it funny that you guys are arguing over Nazis versus Stalinists when what we have going on in this country is more Maoist in nature.

      • Idle Hands

        this. these people have successfully conducted a social revolution without firing a shot. It’s actually rather impressive to see the extent of their victory and how nakedly they are about wielding their power in the face of their opponents at this point. 5 years ago the vanguard of social justice was kind of mocked at and disregarded as conservative propaganda now the intelligentsia cowers in fear at stepping out of line.

      • kbolino

        Their first target was angry video gamers, whom they mocked as male loners and sexless weirdos. But there was a kernel of truth to their mockery, and as such the gamers had less to lose than the average person and fought back with some degree of ferocity. The SJWs are infiltrating video games anyway but they’ve had to be more subtle about it.

        The realization that the SJWs gleaned from that Beer Hall Putsch initial false start was to go after males who had a lot to lose. Lots of gamers inhabit mom’s basement (metaphorically or literally) but the tech sector is full of highly paid, better socialized men who want to keep their jobs, spouses, children, and social circles.

      • Viking1865

        Due to the necessities of scholarship, the Nazi and Soviet terror is far better documented. Plus there are lots and lots of wealthy and affluent Jews in America who were and are able to fund museums, scholars, documentaries, on the Shoah. Then too, after the Nixonian opening, the American rightwing preferred to focus on the evils of the Soviets and perhaps downplay the ChiComms a bit.

      • Idle Hands

        asians have always been portrayed as subhuman throughout american history as well.

      • kbolino

        Yeah, put simply, Maoism has faced no reckoning like Nazism and Stalinism have.

      • Ed Wuncler

        I’m reading about the Cultural Revolution by Frank Dikotter and it’s amazing to see the similarities sans the indiscriminate brutal violence. The riots came close to that this summer but the difference is that it simmered down by the end of Summer and that they only pulled that shit in the major cities.

        In the little suburb I live in, there where protests but the police chief made it known that he’s all for protesting and practicing your first amendment rights but if one glass shatters, he’ll have no problem with using any force necessary to protect people’s properties.

    • juris imprudent

      Well, the modern Progressives abandoned their Christian roots, and in the shift lost that. Since God isn’t going to redeem people, govt must.

  67. The Late P Brooks

    Sadly, in our capitalist society many American workers find themselves subject to the caprice and greed of corporate elites

    lemme help with that, hon:

    Sadly, in our fascistic society many American workers find themselves subject to the caprice and greed of government apparatchiks.

    Because nothing says “free society” like government flunkies forcibly closing down private businesses for being “nonessential”. You dumb twat.

    • kbolino

      There are lots of assholes in the corporate world, though I’ve found there are in terms of practical effect just as many whiny workers. The problem I have, and have always had, is not that the free market produces angels, but that the government definitely doesn’t select for angels. Placing corporate power (which is not always in the sense of for-profit multinational publicly traded corporations) wholly subordinate to government is just trading one set of devils for another, and that new set of devils has an equally insatiable tendency to self-enrich but also the power to carry it out on a grander scale.

      • Akira

        During one of my rants last night (yes, I talk to myself at length) I blurted out, “You can’t solve a problem of human nature by putting a human government in charge”.

        (And I know some technocratic Lefties who would say that we could use algorithms to make decisions, but those algorithms are still designed by humans)

    • Agent Cooper

      Now put them both together and you have paradise on Earth!!!!!

  68. The Late P Brooks

    I’ve gotten to the point where I actively avoid philosophical and political discussions because a lot of times the person is starting from a heavily flawed premise which I just don’t have the time or energy to debate.

    It’s nigh unto impossible to reason people out of their religious beliefs.

  69. Gustave Lytton

    If it descends into an actual no shit insurrection, I expect that the ROE will be much less restrictive than in Iraq/Afg.

    • wdalasio

      The people deciding on that should bear in mind that their decisions won’t happen in a vacuum.

    • Rebel Scum

      Doesn’t Trump still control the guard?

      • Viking1865

        On paper, yes. I think in reality the military is not taking his orders anymore.

      • kbolino

        They never really did to begin with. The officer class was, almost to a man, opposed to him. They are, increasingly so as you get closer to the top, company men, social climbers, scheming yes-men. They are largely indistinguishable from the civilians and contractors in the DoD apart from uniform. Every SECDEF worked against Trump even when they agreed with some of his agenda. Disengaging from conflicts without clear objectives, fostering bilateral agreements where the U.S. doesn’t get a cut, and pushing foreign partners to step up in place of the U.S. are all counter to their interests.

      • Viking1865

        What do you call it when the military refuses the orders of the elected President?

      • kbolino

        That depends on whether we’re considering today or six days from now, I think.

  70. Count Potato

    “1) @ProjectLincoln
    raises $ to destroy Trump, whom they call a sexual predator
    2) LP founder outed as a sexual predator himself
    3) LP donors think they’re fighting a sexual predator are in fact financing one
    4) @Twitter
    hides LP account from search so embarrassing tweets hidden”

    https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1350052924613926912

    Shocking.

  71. Rebel Scum

    Oh, well, he is obviously the right choice then.

    Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced her endorsement of Terry McAuliffe for Virginia governor Friday morning.

    In her endorsement, Pelosi praised McAuliffe’s progressive record as Virginia’s 72nd governor, including restoring voting rights to more than 173,000 Virginians, creating hundreds of thousands of good jobs, and protecting women’s access to health care.

    Pelosi said that Terry’s bold vision will ensure that Virginians benefit from the Commonwealth’s post COVID-19 economic recovery.

    • Agent Cooper

      “Voters around this country and across the Commonwealth are hurting”

      I wonder why.

    • Rat on a train

      No. It is Lieutenant Governor Weinstein’s turn!

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      That was predictable. Clinton’s bagman will never go away.

    • Viking1865

      This is actually going to be interesting. For those who don’t know, the VA law is that a governor can only serve one term at a time. They have to step down and take four years off. So this looks like the old guard Democrats trying to set the model of rotating through seasoned Party hacks every four years. See, the issue is that both Senate seats are secure by popular former governors, which means there’s no path forward for Northam to get an upgrade, just like there was none for McAuliffe when he stepped down four years ago.

      But the problem is that there are up and coming progressive politicians who want their turn at the wheel (god help us). They will probably stand for two or three older white men handing the Big Chair back and forth every four years.

      I need to GTFO of this state.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Yep. The Dem higher-ups just endorsed one of the most seasoned and experienced grifters in the country for Virginia governor.

        That should tell you everything you need to know about their true thoughts on wokism and social justice.

      • Idle Hands

        #metoo.

      • rhywun

        Would you rather have Cuomo for 16 years straight?

      • UnCivilServant

        That should be the minimum of his first consecutive stay at Attica, followed by another six thousand consecutive sentences for depraved indifference homicide.

  72. bacon-magic

    Fiona Apple has one of the sexiest voices. Great choice Banjos!

    • Ed Wuncler

      She seems kind of off, but man did high school Ed wanted a roll in the hay with her.

    • Idle Hands

      “get back to work peasant and pay for our budget deficit” brought to you by the people who believe the economy is a light switch or dimmer.