tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post8643965682161826831..comments2024-03-18T17:09:55.964-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Those were the days... When was America 'great'? And who has Steve Bannon reincarnated?David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-66780983674465606382017-04-22T23:10:34.973-07:002017-04-22T23:10:34.973-07:00While I know Bannon deserves Nazi comparisons, I a...While I know Bannon deserves Nazi comparisons, I also know he derives great pleasure from reading them. I'd rather accuse him of being the political reincarnation of Pat Buchanan, because it's just as valid of a comparison, and I know he'd absolutely HATE it.sgharveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04466872528052960071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-19869179718452291872017-04-21T16:14:08.159-07:002017-04-21T16:14:08.159-07:00onward
onwardonward<br /><br />onwardDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-31044485557375496732017-04-21T15:16:31.796-07:002017-04-21T15:16:31.796-07:00One could also make an argument that some Native A...One could also make an argument that some Native American tribes are still sovereign states by treaty or by never having accepted assimilation. IANAL, however, and can only go by what I know popularly, having not researched the nuances.TheMadLibrariannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-11734121446589156152017-04-21T15:14:09.480-07:002017-04-21T15:14:09.480-07:00re Oligarchy: anyone notice something strange? Se...re Oligarchy: anyone notice something strange? Several of my friends recently - and independently - posted a link to a story about Nobel-Prize winning economist, Robert Solow, on their various feeds, asking, "Are we becoming an oligarchy?" <br /><br />The odd part is that Solow's argument was published in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/04/nobel-prize-winning-economist-were-heading-for-oligarchy/361200/" rel="nofollow"> 2014 with The New Republic. The link I'm seeing points to The Atlantic,</a> which merely paraphrased the other mag. 'Necromancing a zombie thread'...? <br /><br />What exactly prompted the revival in 2017? Why to this outlet, and not to the other? What are these trackers doing, and who are they? <br /><br />In order of probability, I'd guess - (A) Marketers selling something, (B) Progressives trying to identify one another, and (C) Regressives trying to identify progressives for some form of targeting... <br /><br />In an actual oligarchy - that order of would be reversed. Been there, lived with it for years. We would all assume that the oligarchs are targeting us to strip jobs, deny loans or promotions, break leases, etc. We would not lightly share, repost, link to, or openly discuss this sort of article. We would know that the folks monitoring the discussion probably included agents looking to use everything we said against us in some way. Marketers would steer clear to avoid drawing fire from their feudal lords - but progressives would occasionally take risks and speak in code to try to identify one another. <br /><br />Locum may enjoy pricking with his trollery, and the Ent as well - but neither of them would actually support such a world...consciously. Question is whether for all their protests of independence, how easily can they be turned into tools of those seeking to build that world? The use of words like 'faggotry' empower the Ent to similarly be tracked...probably not by some fantasy homosexual hit squad - so much as by folks calculating how to bend him to their will (particularly while he screeches about his freedom, as did every Confed).donzelionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05991849781932619746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-87808233062054090242017-04-21T14:18:24.353-07:002017-04-21T14:18:24.353-07:00Tacitus2 (reprise) :
Supposedly the cast of Gilli...Tacitus2 (reprise) :<br /><i><br />Supposedly the cast of Gilligan's Island was invited to the Clinton White House.<br /></i><br /><br />I wonder if he preferred Ginger or Mary Ann.<br />LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-14231306228138246762017-04-21T12:53:24.116-07:002017-04-21T12:53:24.116-07:00The county of Socorro, NM, was never properly cede...The county of Socorro, NM, was never properly ceded to the US in the hand-off from Mexico. To this day there are "Free State of Socorro" license plates. I have one. matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-1118442090637996672017-04-21T12:47:24.357-07:002017-04-21T12:47:24.357-07:00Tacitus2:
Supposedly the cast of Gilligan's I...Tacitus2:<br /><i><br />Supposedly the cast of Gilligan's Island was invited to the Clinton White House. But darn it all if I can find any pictures of it! Bob Denver's website, now inactive, mentioned the visit. Did they have the good sense to not snap any selfies? <br /></i><br /><br />Selfies hadn't been invented yet.<br /><i><br />Sorry for a bit of levity, you all seem to be in a Mood Most Grim of late.<br /></i><br /><br />Given the circumstances, I think we're keepin' on keepin' on pretty well. The occasional bout of righteous outrage isn't "grim". I'd say the grim ones are on the winning side.<br /><br />In any case, always glad to "see" you around "here".<br /><br />LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-2728604307516642522017-04-21T11:47:19.180-07:002017-04-21T11:47:19.180-07:00LarryHart
All Caps forgiven. 'Twas in good c...LarryHart<br /><br />All Caps forgiven. 'Twas in good cause.<br /><br />Just skimming through in busy times. But the mention, and photo on facebook, of the odd White House visitors did put me to mind of something I had tried to locate a couple of years back when researching the links between Gilligan's Island and the Shah of Iran. (another day, another story). Supposedly the cast of Gilligan's Island was invited to the Clinton White House. But darn it all if I can find any pictures of it! Bob Denver's website, now inactive, mentioned the visit. Did they have the good sense to not snap any selfies? <br /><br />Sorry for a bit of levity, you all seem to be in a Mood Most Grim of late.<br /><br />TacitusTacitushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17007086196578740689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-54940810099892270532017-04-21T11:07:04.360-07:002017-04-21T11:07:04.360-07:00My sources said California, Hawaii (read the book)...My sources said California, Hawaii (read the book), Vermont and Texas. Vermont was a hole in my knowledge up to now.Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-45807965890863894472017-04-21T10:24:14.037-07:002017-04-21T10:24:14.037-07:00Texas, Hawaii, and Vermont are incontrovertible. C...Texas, Hawaii, and Vermont are incontrovertible. California asserted sovereignty but never exercised it from all I know. The same population as Utah asserted sovereignty, but under different names and borders, as the State of Deseret.Catfish N. Codnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-62204827932800370732017-04-21T10:02:38.133-07:002017-04-21T10:02:38.133-07:00Hmmm. I think just what is agreed to constitute a ...Hmmm. I think just what is agreed to constitute a "sovereign nation" can have a large impact on the accuracy of the question. According to a the Wikipedia article (I cheated!) <i>List of former sovereign states</i>, which covers the whole world and a good chunk of world history, there were <i>many</i> sovereign states (nations) in North America between 1776 and the time since the last US state was admitted / annexed. Of course some of them only lasted a matter of months.<br /><br />Is Vermont the 4th one you are looking for?Darrell Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14054311762477388637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-50330172436130898042017-04-21T09:56:39.069-07:002017-04-21T09:56:39.069-07:00I think Florida was sovereign for a brief spell.I think Florida was sovereign for a brief spell.Zepp Jamiesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16261339498383415026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-76551394236286111232017-04-21T09:39:02.605-07:002017-04-21T09:39:02.605-07:003 of 4 ok!3 of 4 ok!Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-20451929939137074062017-04-21T09:33:12.981-07:002017-04-21T09:33:12.981-07:00Jumper,
In order from metaphysical certitude to o...Jumper,<br /><br />In order from metaphysical certitude to outright guesswork:<br /><br />Texas!<br /><br />California?<br /><br />Utah??<br /><br />Hawaii???<br /><br /><br />LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-43230120301562175072017-04-21T09:04:09.292-07:002017-04-21T09:04:09.292-07:00Four U.S. states were once sovereign nations. Who ...Four U.S. states were once sovereign nations. Who can name all four?Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-62541192999999608702017-04-21T08:33:40.404-07:002017-04-21T08:33:40.404-07:00I'll answer that. America is an idea. A great ...I'll answer that. America is an idea. A great idea. It is an ideal. Through struggle and error, mis-steps and grief, we abjure those errors, condemn them, and still hope to achieve a closer adherence to the idea and the ideal. So America the idea has always been great.Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-81955267153347161942017-04-21T07:56:14.281-07:002017-04-21T07:56:14.281-07:00One of the really strange things about the recent ...One of the really strange things about the recent presidential election is that apparently no reporter ever asked Trump "What was America great?". It seems to be an obvious question, but I have not found an interview in which it was asked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-70025749392830735842017-04-21T06:26:33.343-07:002017-04-21T06:26:33.343-07:00Oh, and more locum scatology, who called Treebeard...Oh, and more locum scatology, who called Treebeard gay? Not Darrell E. He said:<br /><br />"Dang Treebeard, you have some serious hang-ups. Are you afraid that you or yours might suddenly become lesbian, gay, bi, trans, or some combination thereof if society doesn't keep up the demonization and persecution of such people to threaten you with?"<br /><br />The relevant phrase here is "...are you afraid that you and yours might suddenly become..." <br /><br />Of course, locum has played this game before. It's one of his standard tactics.Paul SBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-24620209160324645142017-04-21T06:21:30.870-07:002017-04-21T06:21:30.870-07:00"Wasn't the problem with that "patho..."Wasn't the problem with that "pathological socialist" that she's a tool of Wall Street and a warmonger?<br /><br />This sounds a lot like the complaints against candidate Obama in 2008, that he was a Muslim and that he must subscribe to the radical leanings of the pastor of the Christian church he had attended for 25 years."<br />- There's a name for that one, it's called the Fallacy of Special Pleading. The basic idea is that you just throw out anything at all, even completely contradictory arguments, until something sticks. Carl Sagan did a particularly famous explanation of this in "The Demon-Haunted World." If you GooGoo "The Dragon in My Garage" you will find plenty of sites that discuss it. Here's the RationalWiki article:<br /><br />http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/The_Dragon_in_My_Garage<br /><br />And if anyone is interested, here is a bullshit obfuscation that turns up as a refutation of Special Pleading on a GooGoo search. It is someone claiming that th argument does not apply to proof of God, but like all such arguments about proving the "supernatural" it depends on a False Equivalency (that abstract concepts like love cannot be proven to physically exist - in spite of the fact that 1. they can be deduced from human behavior and 2. they have been demonstrated to have specific and consistent patterns in the brain through neuroimaging studies. The guy who wrote this one has a PhD (or so he claims), which only shows that having an education does not necessarily immunize you from having self-imposed blinders.<br /><br />http://evidenceforchristianity.org/how-do-you-respond-to-the-dragon-in-my-garage-argument-of-carl-sagen/<br /><br />It can be fun picking stuff like this apart.<br /><br /><br />Paul SBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-37570399469607744142017-04-21T05:51:04.540-07:002017-04-21T05:51:04.540-07:00loucmranch:
They called Treebeard 'gay' b...loucmranch:<br /><i><br />They called Treebeard 'gay' because he dared to disapprove of 'gay-ness'.<br /></i><br /><br />Well, it's a Tao thing.<br /><br />LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-22031163927168507402017-04-21T05:47:56.839-07:002017-04-21T05:47:56.839-07:00locumranch:
A contest between Twin Evils, the Dys...locumranch:<br /><i><br />A contest between Twin Evils, the Dyslexic Sociopathy of Donald Trump versus the Pathological Socialism of Hilary Clinton,<br /></i><br /><br />Wasn't the problem with that "pathological socialist" that she's a tool of Wall Street and a warmonger?<br /><br />This sounds a lot like the complaints against candidate Obama in 2008, that he was a Muslim <b>and</b> that he must subscribe to the radical leanings of the pastor of the <b>Christian</b> church he had attended for 25 years.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-69603871114874326982017-04-21T05:22:46.051-07:002017-04-21T05:22:46.051-07:00If the guy in the orange hat is running around ins...If the guy in the orange hat is running around insulting and threatening all the guys who wear orange hats, those onlookers who point out that he himself is wearing an orange hat are not insulting and threatening him. He's doing that. They are pointing out his bizarre behavior.Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-11547670426011001902017-04-21T00:53:08.104-07:002017-04-21T00:53:08.104-07:00for Mr. Salgueiro, I spent this Easter in Lisbon. ...for Mr. Salgueiro, I spent this Easter in Lisbon. Very beautiful city, expecially Baixa, Chado and Alfama. And the iconic streetcars and pastels de nata in Bélem, of course... so I happened to walk inside the Bertrand bookshop ("the oldest still operating bookshop in the world", no less) and bought this: <br />The First Global Village: How Portugal Changed the World<br />by Martin Page<br />Extremely interesting. Anyway, I'm old enough to remember the carnation revolution and "Grandola Villa Morena", but I had little knowledge of the earlier history. I was aware of the seaborne trade empire, but not of its sheer range.<br /><br />On a different subject: ain't someone who roots for NK a monster or am I dehumanizing him? :-) The ent should change its (no typo, I'm dehumanizing...) nick into something more appropriate. Mouth of Sauron? Grishnákh (like its similarly minded Varg Vikernes)? Grima Wormtongue?<br /><br />Marinonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-40478373938113729122017-04-20T22:33:09.373-07:002017-04-20T22:33:09.373-07:00Jumper sums up the last US Presidential Election w...<br /><br />Jumper sums up the last US Presidential Election with few words: A contest between Twin Evils, the Dyslexic Sociopathy of Donald Trump versus the Pathological Socialism of Hilary Clinton, referred to by South Park creatives as a contest between a Giant Douche & a Turd Sandwich. Most certainly, the Age of Douchiness is upon us when the Left attempts to vanquish right-leaning homophobia with (seriously?) right-leaning homophobia and the Right attempts to counteract preachy liberal moralising with (you guessed it) preachy liberal moralising. Self-defeat much? I can't wait for the next act wherein the failing Union attempts to use military force to restore left-leaning public order & expects an outcome different than that of the old Confederacy's last-gasp failed attempt to restore right-leaning public order at Kent State by National Guard. What sardonic circularity as the Right then steps up to the tunes of 'Gotta get down to it' and 'Four dead in Ohio'. Or, wherever. It is to laugh. Sadly. A sad man's laughter. Also known as 'manslaughter'.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX95QSKBODo<br /><br />Best<br />_____<br />In a 'smelt it, dealt it' way, Darrell_E and David really did that. They called Treebeard 'gay' because he dared to disapprove of 'gay-ness'. LOL. Does that mean that homophiles are 'straight' ?<br />locumranchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-44440868430856278592017-04-20T21:03:45.321-07:002017-04-20T21:03:45.321-07:00A wee bit late to this conversation, but it might ...A wee bit late to this conversation, but it might not be good to let someone who, shall we say, uses concepts very selectively, pretend expertise and claim to represent a philosophy of which he has only passing familiarity.<br /><br />There is an old Tao story in which a scholar was hired by the Emperor to tutor the Prince, goes to his old master to ask his advice. He says to his master (to paraphrase), "I have been asked to teach a young man who is depraved and morally bankrupt." The master's advice; "you must not try to change him. You can only change yourself."<br /><br />Most people interpret this as "lead by example" as the only real hope of making change happen (or Be the change you want to see in the world - if you don't mind mixing cultures).<br /><br />Then the sapling ends with:<br /><br />"Non-Enlightenment, non-Judeo-Protestant traditional wisdom: good medicine for hysterical Manichean moralists of all stripes!" This, of course, completely contradicts his point. Instead of trying to lead by example, he answers preaching with preaching, moralizing with moralizing, and is completely oblivious to what he is saying. <br /> Paul SBnoreply@blogger.com