White House Expands Travel Ban, Trump vs. the NFL, Merkel Wins in Germany: A.M. Links

• 

  White House

  The White House announced an expanded travel ban that includes three additional countries—North Korea, Chad, and Venezuela.

• President Trump spent the weekend saying NFL players who kneel during the anthem should be fired, leading players across the league to kneel at this week's games.
• Jared Kushner reportedly used a private e-mail account to conduct some White House business.
• The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a church shooting in Tennessee, where one person was killed before the gunman was shot by a congregant.
• Angela Merkel emerged victorious in elections in Germany, although she will have to form a coalition with two other parties, while Alternative for Germany will become the first nationalist party in parliament since the Nazis.
• Nearly 50,000 people in Indonesia have fled their homes over fears of an imminent volcano eruption.
• Spanish authorities are trying to take control of the regional police in Catalonia ahead of an independence referendum they insist is illegal.
• Labor unions in France are blocking fuel depots to protest employment law reforms.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

I'm taking a knee on Links.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

I'm protesting too.

/rasies fist.

Wait, we're protesting Trump because, right?

[Aloysious]

/rasies fist.

Well, at least you aren't *shaking* Fist, thank goodness.

[Rhywun]

It's called "taking the knee". Sheesh.

[Citizen X - #6]

You can't seriously expect Eugene to tow the lion re: sports terminology.

[Rhywun]

I just find the term so ridiculous... like we've been transported back to the middle ages or something.

[Reality]

Well, I find your incessant bleating in defense of New York ridiculous, especially when it's a defense of the shttiest parts and how you insist said parts are actually positives.

Shall we have a "can I be a bigger disingeuous douche than Rhywun" contest?

And as an aside, we've been to New York. Some of us have lived in New York. Your nonsensical jingoism is laughable.

"No no, I love the smell of New York city" -something you actually said.

But you have time to tell us that you've never going to one knee because you've been exercising so much and need a moment, as though people are supposed to care what you find ridiculous.

Cry more now.

[Rhywun]

I feel so honored to finally be a target of your random shit-spewing. Troll away...

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Always curious what prompts your hissyfit returns to this place. Is there something in the real world that stresses you out or gets you fired up? Or are you just like this all the time, and you'll randomly log in to this account to do this shtick?

[Rhywun]

It doesn't even read as a real person. More like some random asshole-bot.

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

So you can't take both the knees?

[Rhywun]

I guess, if you want look like a pussy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Taking the knee is a protest. Taking a knee is when you're listening to your coaches. Obviously I would never protest Links.

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

Alright then, can you take both a knees?

[Drave Robber]

They're worn down to B knees if you do that too often.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Only if you're Italian.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Shuttuppayouface

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Yous guys remember "arrow in the knee"? Good times.

[Brandybuck]

Do you ever get up to the Cloud District? Oh, what am I saying, of course you don't!

[LTC Mustard]

I believe it's actually bending the knee

[Rat on a train]

Isn't kneeling a submissive position.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Not if it's on someone's throat!

[Fist of Etiquette]

The White House announced an expanded travel ban that includes three additional countries?North Korea, Chad, and Venezuela.

Don't leave Chad hanging like that!

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Trump spent the weekend saying NFL players who kneel during the anthem should be fired, leading players across the league to kneel at this week's games.

Let's just let the President and the anti-Trump kids tire themselves out. It has to happen eventually.

[Episteme]

Adults are learning the secret of recess. Let the loudmouths tire themselves out running around the playground for twenty minutes and everyone else can can back to getting things done.

[Memory Hole]

What do you do when you get tired? You take a knee. This can never end.

[Rufus The Monocled]

What the Steelers pulled was bush league.

Good for Villanueva. Don't fuck around with Army Rangers I hear.

I love how over some stupid words the NFL loses its shit and what's most interesting it wouldn't surprise me if more than half their fan base either supports Trump or doesn't care about him but a minority, I'm guessing,hate the guy.

Didn't they boo the Patriots in Mass?

[Libertymike]

Not during the Our Father.

[Rufus The Monocled]

/pulls out Vaudeville cane, yanks comedian.

[Episteme]

If the join hands, we riot.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Hiding in the tunnel was bush league? NO, NAMING TWO TEAMS IN THE SAME LEAGUE THE SAME NAME IS BUSH LEAGUE.

[Eek Barba Durkle]

Missouri, Auburn and LSU think you're crazy.

[Zeb]

I wish all presidents would just shut the fuck up about shit like the NFL that has nothing to do with the president. But this is kind of amusing to watch.

[Citizen X - #6]

The White House announced an expanded travel ban that includes three additional countries?North Korea, Chad, and Venezuela.

Because fuck that guy.

[Conchfritters]

What the hell did Chad do to us this time?

[Brandybuck]

Did he throw another election to the Republicans?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Jared Kushner reportedly used a private e-mail account to conduct some White House business.

But that official White House business was signing up for the BMG Music Service, and you always want to use your Yahoo account for that.

[Bee Tagger]

Jared Kushner reportedly used a private e-mail account to conduct some White House business.

Perfect time for a gentlemanly handshake between the Rs and Ds to never bring up the issue against the other side again.

[damikesc]

If he did so, he warrants the identical punishment of Hillary. This really is serious and if anybody has any desire for government accountability, people need to be nailed to the wall for it.

[TW]

So basically no punishment and he gets to be the Democratic nominee to run against Trump in 2020?

[Fist of Etiquette]

The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a church shooting in Tennessee, where one person was killed before the gunman was shot by a congregant.

So a government in Tennessee violated someone's civil rights? Was it the gunman or the other gunman?

[Rhywun]

The article isn't clear on what this means. Imagine that.

[Johnny B]

I took this as one of those "ain't America great" stories. After all, in what other country does someone take a gun with them to church? Ex post, it was brilliant, but ex ante?

[TW]

Considering that almost all mass shootings seem to happen in "gun free zones," I'd say that it was brilliant ex ante as well.

[Bee Tagger]

Angela Merkel emerged victorious in elections in Germany,

Admittedly, I don't pay attention to European politics but does it seem like they all staggered their elections in such a way that some an election is always concluding within a week?

[Citizen X - #6]

I'm not a student of parliamentary structure, but i'm pretty sure most European governments can just decide to have an election whenever.

[68W58]

Merkel's party lost 94 seats- http://twitter.com/CatTheUndyi.....2634122241

Some victory.

[Rhywun]

All of them went to either the FDP (the "pro-business" party with whom she'll form a coalition) or the AfD (the third-rail of Germany politics, i.e. "Nazis").

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

An NPR agit/prop whore told me that Merkel had a *mandate*. Stand with the facts baby.

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

An NPR agit/prop whore told me that Merkel had a *mandate*. Stand with the facts baby.

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

Attn Squirrels

[Fist of Etiquette]

...while Alternative for Germany will become the first nationalist party in parliament since the Nazis.

You know who else was nationalistic?

[Citizen X - #6]

William Wallace?

[Conchfritters]

Lincoln?

[Rhywun]

Donald J. Trump?

[Libertarian]

Hebrew hotdogs?

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

Moses?

[Eek Barba Durkle]

The 2016 Democrat National Convention?

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Steve Rogers?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Nearly 50,000 people in Indonesia have fled their homes over fears of an imminent volcano eruption.

They're worried about the carbon credits they'll have to shell out for.

[Episteme]

Have they considered asking around for any local virgins?

[Brandybuck]

In Indonesia?!?!?

[Bee Tagger]

President Trump spent the weekend saying NFL players who kneel during the anthem should be fired, leading players across the league to kneel at this week's games.

Even they find football boring and want to get fired?

[Episteme]

The irony is that this weekend's games were actually pretty crazy (as an Eagles fan, Elliott's FG was not something that happens in reality), but all even the sports news is talking about is protesting Trump (not even protesting what the protests are actually supposed to be for).

[Rufus The Monocled]

Eagles fan here too (flashes member card from 1980). But damn the fact they can't #^^#*#^%#%@ hold the ball. They fumble games away and now I'm paranoid each time I watch them. I expect them to fumble once or twice a game. I don't get it.

[geo1113]

Fly, Eagles, fly...on the road to victory...

[Libertymike]

So, you are a fan of the 1980 Eagles?

Did you like Jaws?

Wilbert Montgomery?

Harold Carmichael?

Coach Vermeil?

How about the NFC Championship game, January 11, 1981? (Sorry Cowpokes).

[Rufus The Monocled]

Since 1980.

I loved all those guys! Later on I liked Keith Byars a lot.

[Libertymike]

Keith Byars was turned out to be a good, all-around back. He was part of the 96 Pats, I think. He hailed from THE OHIO STATE.

I just loved the 1980 Eagles, in large part, because they beat the Cowboys in the championship game. Yes, I rooted for them in the Super Bowl.

Other great players on that team - how about the big tackle, Jerry Sizemore (Texas, IIRC). Carl Hairston, the defensive lineman. Tony Franklin, the kicker.

I bet John could name a bunch of the players on that team without any assistance from Silicon Valley.

[geo1113]

How about Bill Bergey.

[Episteme]

Agreed. There was much swearing and drinking to be had during this game.

(I'll alas admit to being too young to have a 1980 members card, being born that year)

[Rhywun]

spent the weekend

How many tweets counts as "spending the weekend"?

[Libertarian]

I'm no fan of Trump, but i think hes capable of tapping out a tweet in a couple minutes. The press, on the orher hand, talked about his tweets all weekend. And theyre not done.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Haha, I can't even imagine a person who would spend all their weekend time refreshing websites, waiting for responses and comments. Haha...

[Bee Tagger]

Labor unions in France are blocking fuel depots to protest employment law reforms.

News mad libs

[Fist of Etiquette]

Spanish authorities are trying to take control of the regional police in Catalonia ahead of an independence referendum they insist is illegal.

If you can't take control of all the Catalans then the Catalans with badges are the next best thing.

[Citizen X - #6]

What's the saying? "Like herding Catalans"?

[Jerryskids]

President Trump spent the weekend saying NFL players who kneel during the anthem should be fired, leading players across the league to kneel at this week's games.

And every goddamn news outlet in the country spent the whole goddamn weekend talking about this shit as if it mattered for anything other than a ratings boost in the "Shit Trump Says" department. Trump's a troll, stop feeding the troll. The media are trolls, stop feeding the trolls. Point and laugh and move on, they're all just shit-flinging baboons.

[Conchfritters]

Shit flinging baboons going after the loofa faced shit gibbon? Call National Geographic.

[Citizen X - #6]

They're like humans, in many ways. It's uncanny.

[creech]

Yes, stop talking about the anthem protesters and they will eventually stop. Personally, I don't give a damn if some or all the players want to knell in submission before the National Anthem, or sit or salute or stay in the locker room. I'd rather see some rookie kid nail a 61 yard field goal to euthanize the Giants!

[Domestic Dissident]

Yesterday was the greatest day for progtard Journolists like Nick Gillespie since his hero Obama got re-elected.

[Mickey Rat]

There was one reporter on the Yahoo Sports site that framed what Trump said as calling the players mother's "bitches", which is technically true by implication but utterly disingenuous as how that insult is used. The media really deserve Trump trolling them.

[Episteme]

If the players are fired, they can just be replaced with this Touchdown Squirrel who's mastered the run game?

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

What I thought was so hilarious was how easily Trump goaded them. Before he opened his mouth, it was obvious who the true believers were regarding Kaepernick's protests, because they were already doing it last season. Trump goes off and instantly makes the protest all about him instead of the original cause, and in the process the players ended up pissing off a sizable portion of their fan base out of pure spite to Trump and to appease people who routinely mock these sports as purveyors of "toxic masculinity."

It will be interesting to see what the league's ratings are like by the end of the season.

[Zeb]

The trouble is that the media trolls and the Trump troll are feeding each other.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Labor unions in France are blocking fuel depots to protest employment law reforms.

Then what are people going to use as accelerants to set ablaze someone else's Citro?n?

[Citizen X - #6]

Don't worry. Citro?n burners will of course be allowed across the picket lines.

[Jerryskids]

I think they use petrol over there, not good old gasoline like Jesus intended.

[Jerryskids]

The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a church shooting in Tennessee, where one person was killed before the gunman was shot by a congregant.

Just because it was a black gunman, defending yourself and your congregation warrants a civil rights investigation? What, do they suspect the attacker was a Muslim?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Police arrested a massage therapist who they say sexually assaulted a customer at a new spa in Tenleytown.

A woman told police that Habtamu Gebre Selassie placed his tongue on her vagina during a session at Massage Envy, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report. The incident took place on Sunday around 1:45 p.m.
Police charged Selassie with first-degree sexual abuse of a patient.

Massage Envy, a national chain with dozens of locations in Maryland and Virginia, opened its first D.C. franchise in August.

http://dcist.com/2017/09/massa.....ssault.php

[Bubba Jones]

Someone has been watching too much "all girl massage".

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

"I was led to believe by your American movies that the women here are all sluts!"

[Drave Robber]

the first nationalist party in parliament since the Nazis

Depends on your definition of 'nationalist'.

AfD doesn't come anywhere near Eastern European nationalists.

[Episteme]

Hush now! None of this "truth" of yours?there's a message to sell!

[lap83]

The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a church shooting in Tennessee,

why?

[Episteme]

The Civil Rights Office literally has nothing to do unless they launch civil rights investigations, because they can't just send them out on normal cases?

[Ken Shultz]

"It was initially reported that the gunman shot himself, although police said it's unclear whether he shot himself or the gun unintentionally discharged during his scuffle with Engle."

--From the Link

The post above says the gunman was shot by a congregant, but the link says the gunman shot himself.

All the articles I've seen about this agree that the gunman shot himself during a struggle with Engle. First the gunman pistol whipped Engle, then Engle went to his car to retrieve his gun. Engle came back into the church and confronted the gunman. A struggle broke out between them, during which the gunman shot himself in the face.

[Ken Shultz]

Just to be clear, we don't want to be accused of propagating fake news when we're defending the Second Amendment.

Do not go around, today, telling people that this congregant shot the gunman. You'll get clobbered for it.

Everybody makes mistakes, but the gun grabbers aren't likely to acknowledge that.

[Libertarian]

Hope that congregant had no aspirations to become a cop. He has way too much self control.

[Palin's Buttplug]

UPDATE: More Women Accuse Massage Therapist Of Sexual Assault

http://dcist.com/2017/09/2nd_w.....e_envy.php

Isn't pussy-grabbing socially acceptable now?

[Gigi Davis]

Well, you tell us, you're the one getting grabbed.

[Libertymike]

Two links to the same off-topic story in a matter of minutes?

[Gigi Davis]

It was kind of sad how far he went for that clunker.

[Ken Shultz]

"President Trump spent the weekend saying NFL players who kneel during the anthem should be fired, leading players across the league to kneel at this week's games."

Trump won't lose a single vote in Ohio, Michigan, Florida, or Wisconsin for condemning football players for disrespecting the flag. He may even gain some, and, let's face it, it doesn't matter what anyone in California or Massachusetts thinks--those four states and Pennsylvania are the ones that matter. (Dissin' the flag ain't popular in Pittsburgh either.)

Meanwhile I've seen reports of fans booing their own players yesterday in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Washington DC.

Believe it or not, I doubt dissing the flag is popular in New York City, New England, Seattle, Chicago, or other progressive strongholds either. The flag is about as universally popular as Thanksgiving, hot chicks, and mom's apple pie, and if Trump can manage to make an issue out of it--with progressives flocking to defend dissing the flag--he'll be shoe-in to win reelection.

[Rhywun]

It's because they're not dissing the flag, they're dissing the fans - and they're too stupid to realize it.

[Ken Shultz]

They're also dissing their own sponsors.

How much does the Pentagon spend on recruitment advertising during NFL games?

Would the league tolerate the players dissing Gillette, Budweiser, or Nike?

[Episteme]

I was joking with my brother via text over the course of the afternoon, as I saw the usual pregame fly-overs, whether Trump was arguing with the DoD whether he was allowed to order bombing runs on the players' benches.

[BestUsedCarSales]

The sponsorship from the DoD is shady anyway. I hope they burn that off.

[68W58]

Exactly this-I've had Panthers PSLs since 2001. Yesterday walking up to the stadium was stressful, not knowing what the players were going to do and how the fans were going to react. What should be an enjoyable afternoon out has been turned into a struggle session by the left, no one spends their entertainment money for that. Now my wife wants to sell our seats because she thinks that our investment isn't giving us any return (enjoyment). I really don't want to, but I can't say she's wrong either.

[Domestic Dissident]

Ratings and attendance across the league are significantly down this year.

Liars like Nick Gillespie and his JournoList friends will of course say that it's mostly because of Donald Trump and CTE, but the truth is that it's mostly because of Kaepernick and these protests. In this country, paying customers of professional sports and their merchandise (particularly baseball, football, and hockey) lean overwhelmingly towards the patriotic, pro-American point of view, even if they don't all necessarily love Trump.

[Libertymike]

Do you know that in Matt Welch's Friday thread regarding internecine libertarian sparring, you and I were characterized as racists?

[Domestic Dissident]

What else is new? There are a lot of lefties in these threads, and pulling the race card on anyone they disagree with is their standard issue go-to move at all times.

[Episteme]

Oakland was getting booed by its fans last night for sitting on the bench during the anthem, and that city strikes me as one that's favorable to BLM-style protests.

[John]

I was out in the Bay area for work last fall and I was shocked at how much the people there hated Kappernick. It was universal. I didn't meet a single person in a week who didn't hate his guts. If the Bay Area is turned off by this, how bad must it be in a place like Kansas City or Houston?

[Libertymike]

And then you have Boise State fans who hate his guts because Kap's Nevada team ruined Boise State's perfect season in 2010. I was so pissed that Nevada won that game.

Kellen Moore outplayed Kappernick in that game. Moore was a far better college qb.

[John]

Kappernick success was a product of how creative and good of a coach Harbaugh is. I don't think he really is that good. And worse, like all running QBs, he got hurt and lost a step which pretty much doomed him as an effective QB

[Mickey Rat]

They pmayed that game at Washington, though.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Haha, so was New England. I think the NFL, its owners, and the players came to believe, after years of jacking up ticket prices and having their ass kissed by jock-sniffing prog journalists like Charles Pierce, that the only fans left that mattered were upper-middle class liberals and minorities. They seem to have completely under-estimated how many working-class whites actually watch the games and pay for the merchandise.

Can't wait to see what happens in more blue-collar areas like Pittsburgh if the Steelers stay in the locker room and Villanueva is the only guy out for the anthem again. Tomlin admitting that he tried to coerce everyone into staying in the locker room is going to get him crucified and give Villanueva a nice bounce to his jersey sales.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Can always trust Ken to get to the nut of an issue.

[Old Mexican's Speedos]

Spanish authorities are trying to take control of the regional police in Catalonia ahead of an independence referendum they insist is illegal.

Those Catalonians want to secede because of Slavery!

The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a church shooting in Tennessee, where one person was killed before the gunman was shot by a congregant.

Great! Finally! Wait... An investigation against whom?

[BestUsedCarSales]

Great! Finally! Wait... An investigation against whom?

They need to do something. They're so bored otherwise.

[colorblindkid]

"Jared Kushner reportedly used a private e-mail account to conduct some White House business."

From what I recall, the problem with Hillary wasn't just sending e-mails from a non-government e-mail address, which many politicians have gotten flack for, but that she went far and beyond that by setting up her own private server immune from any government surveillance and sent classified information over it.

Not the same.

[Bubba Jones]

She used it almost exclusively for her work. And then deleted a metric shit ton of emails during the investigation.

[Episteme]

Indeed. Colin Powell got some flack for use of personal email, although there wasn't evidence of imperiling sensitive information ? the concern was over the preservation of documents that weren't in the government system. That strikes me as the example to use in critiquing Kushner's behavior here.

[Gigi Davis]

When is Kushner asking for my vote for President?

I'll worry about it then.

[John]

I think ESPN is in real trouble. I usually watch Mike and Mike in the morning just for noise and to see what is going on in the sports world. I like Mike Golic and I like a lot of their guests, though several of the better ones have left the network. This morning I turn it on and it is of course wall to wall anthem protests. I vacillate between ambivalent to annoyed about that subject. Trump is just trolling his opponents into attacking the flag and they are too dumb or lack the impulse control necessary to not take the bait. That is really all there is to it.

So, I flip channels and find Chris Carter, a guy who used to be on Mike and Mike that I really like, Jenna Wolf, a former weekend Today Show news babe, and some guy I have never seen are doing a talk show on FX Sports1. And it was pretty good. Most importantly, there wasn't a single word about the protests. It was all about the various sports stories of the weekend. If Fox Sports or CBS or any of ESPN's competitors have figured out that they just need to offer straight sports and no politics, ESPN is doomed. Most people who watch ESPN are like me and watch it out of habit more than anything else. If there is an actual alternative out there that don't have politics, their ratings are going to crash even faster than they have been.

[68W58]

The thing that gets me is how relentlessly "on message" they are-the kneelers are righteous and anyone who takes exception is a non-person. The idea that fans don't want to spend their entertainment money to be relentlessly lectured is never even entertained. It's completely disingenuous.

[Gigi Davis]

By millionaires. Lectured by millionaires about inequality.

[John]

It is amazing. The management must run that place with an iron fist. Not a single on air personality takes any position short of full support for the protests. There is not even any "well both sides.." equivocation and certainly, no one objecting or criticizing the protestors.

[Gigi Davis]

I also turned of Mike & Mike, because of the reasons you mentioned. It's usually pretty sports focused and less political than the rest of ESPN, but not today.

[lap83]

Trump is just trolling his opponents into attacking the flag and they are too dumb or lack the impulse control necessary to not take the bait. That is really all there is to it.

What if he's doing it to distract them from protesting real things that are happening in his administration, like the travel bans. That would be kind of brilliant

[John]

I think there is a lot of that too. Trump uses his tweets to create these meaningless culture war conflicts that dominate the news cycle and prevent the media from being able to focus on the substantive stuff he is doing.

[Mickey Rat]

Golic's rationale that the players were right to protest because an attack on tgem is attack on "family", does not seem to acknowledge that that is exactly the attitude on the part of fans of the NFL towards the anthem protests that Trump is tapping into. The kneeling is an incohent attack on the American Family rather than addressing any issue. This is especially a problem with having Kaepernick as the poster boy for this since he is more than a bit of cognitively dissonant idiot.

[John]

The thing is I agree with the players' point that we have a problem with the police and police accountability in this country. That fact makes me hate this bullshit even more. By protesting the anthem, all they did was make it look like anyone who has a problem with the cops in this country has a problem with the nation as a whole. If the cop unions had paid them to operate a false flag operation to discredit those seeking more police accountability, they couldn't have done a better job than doing what they did.

[Mickey Rat]

Agreed, I think there are considerable reforms necessary about what police think are proper rules of engagement with people suspected of law breaking and the public in general. While those things may affect blacks more, the problem is more general and framing it in terms of race tends to generate more heat than light as well as not respecti g the coubtry's symbols.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

This is especially a problem with having Kaepernick as the poster boy for this since he is more than a bit of cognitively dissonant idiot

What's particularly interesting with Kaepernick is there hasn't been a single interview with him of any substance since last season. This is a guy who inspired the protests, and its been complete radio silence from him. Now, I don't blame him if he just decided he doesn't want to do interviews, but the few ones that came out after he started the protests showed that he wasn't all that articulate and didn't exactly have a lockdown on his message. I suspect that most of this started with his radical SJW Muslim girlfriend egging him on and he didn't understand how to carry that forward. That he's letting other people speak for him these past months, instead of speaking up for himself the way Ali, Kareem, Jim Brown, and other black athletes did in the 60s over similar issues, says volumes.

[RT]

^THIS. I actually used to like Mike and Mike a lot, too. Really like Golic, who seems like a guy that just wants to talk sports but gets drawn into the other issues by Greenberg and the rest. I don't like the "new" set, either, but that's another story. Anyway, I used to follow up Mike and Mike and go into First Take. At first I liked it, but then one could sense the "approved" position on most things; I actually like Stephen A. Smith because he strays from the party line every once in a while. Not a fan of Skip, but haven't really watched since before he left. It always seems like they're arguing about really important stuff (based on their behavior), like the national debt or whatever, but it's only rock an-, I mean, sports.

I haven't listened to/watched a lot of Fox Sports1, but what I've heard I like. Not so much politics. The very times I've heard politics it's at least reasonable, two-sides-to-the-story type stuff. Colin Cowherd seems to give the other side the benefit of the doubt (I'm assuming he's a lefty, but I don't really know, I suppose).

The only thing I can say about the kneelers is, "what do you want?!" It really seems to come down to "America sucks" and I get a little tired of being told I shouldn't be proud of my country, or at least like it.

[John]

I think if ESPN would stop trying to make Stephen A Smith into a cartoon figure, he would be really good. He is a smart guy and often has good opinions and is willing to say things that other people are not. ESPN has encouraged him to be a yeller and to be the picture of the angry negro that it has taken away from the substance of what he is saying, which is usually pretty good.

[Bubba Jones]

This email account was set up during the transition before he was a government employee. It segregated his transition emails from his prior personal and campaign emails. This seems like a good idea to me.

So long as he turns over all the emails as part of the official record this is a non deal.

[John]

Best Facebook Meme I have seen in a while is about the National Anthem protests. It is

Meanwhile, in the NHL...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHMi-j7W2gM

If I am the NHL, I am so taking advantage of all of this nonsense. And if I am the commission, I am telling the player's union, we are going to shoot the first player who opens his mouth about politics.

[Mickey Rat]

Not shoot, spear.

[colorblindkid]

Sometimes we get to stand for TWO national anthems at hockey games.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I welcome America suddenly developing a greater preference for Hockey.

[Citizen X - #6]

I read that as "greater tolerance for hockey" and it made me chuckle.

[Fist of Etiquette]

WHY IS REASON NOT GIVING ME BREATHLESS HOT TAKES ON THE TRUMP NFL WEEKEND MELTDOWN?

[Gigi Davis]

Because Gillespie already shit the bed on that one and the other writers realize they can't shit it harder.

[Episteme]

They're still hungover from the weekend's cocktail parties. Give them time.

[Sevo]

Turd was here last night covering that story. Predictably, he was lying.

[Rebel Scum]

Jared Kushner reportedly used a private e-mail account to conduct some White House business.

My lefty gf showed this to me yesterday in an apparent attempt to deflect from the Hilldawg email stuff. I told her that, if true, he and Shrillery can share a jail cell.

[Gigi Davis]

" okay I won't vote for him either"

[Libertarian]

Won't happen. Cruel and unusual, etc.

[Rebel Scum]

leading players across the league to kneel at this week's games.

I think it was their preening celebrity ignorance that led them to this political stunt that alienates at least half of their audience. But, you know, all things Trump are deplorable 'n stuff.

[John]

The two richest athletes in history are still Micheal Jordan and Tiger Woods. There is a reason for that. They were not just great at what they did, they stayed apolitical. As Jordan once famously said, "Republicans buy shoes too". To be a professional athlete and get involved in politics is basically like taking half of your income and setting in on fire. What a bunch of rubes.

[Domestic Dissident]

I don't think any remotely honest person could ever label Jim Brown a right-winger, and he also realizes how stupid and counter-productive the ongoing stunt is. He personally addressed the entire Cleveland Browns team and told them to behave themselves, and not one player dared to disobey him because he might be the most respected man in all of Cleveland.

[John]

I saw that. And Brown is not a right-winger. But Jim Brown is a serious person. Unlike these ass clowns, Jim Brown faced real racism. Because of that, he understands the importance of actual action and how stupid and counterproductive virtue signaling is. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jim Brown. I don't always agree with him but Brown is his own man. You have to respect that.

[Libertymike]

He still is the best running back of all-time. Most of the players today, I bet, would agree.

The second best? O.J.

[John]

Brown is still the best back of all time He still owns the highest per carry average and is the only back in NFL history to average over 100 yards per game over his career.

Second best? Barry Sanders. Sanders is number 2 in yards per carry and number 2 in yards per game. And like Brown, never played with a great quarterback or on any team where stopping him wasn't the focus of the entire defense.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

And like Brown, never played with a great quarterback or on any team where stopping him wasn't the focus of the entire defense.

I don't know about "great quarterback," but he did play with Pro Bowlers in Frank Ryan and Milt Plum. The former led the league in touchdown passes for a couple of years.

[RT]

^THIS. One of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal lifetime of Detroit Lion fandom. Well, Megatron was great, too. Like Stafford, too, if only for the longevity at the position.

[Episteme]

Jim Brown was an acquaintance of my father back in high school (they played on competing high school football teams on Long Island ? he takes pride in being the unnamed player in Brown's autobiography who was put through a wooden fence with a block and got Brown noticed by scouts!). They actually chatted about politics a few times, Brown being a budding radical and my father being the son of local GOP committee members. Even back then, he was apparently the same way (if a bit more fiery).

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Or, they're members of a team sport rallying as a team against a guy insulting one of theirs.

[John]

Sure. But that doesn't make doing it any less damaging to their business model. It is a profession and in the end about money, not all the rah rah crap.

[Sevo]

Thought it was safe to get a new watch? Ha and ha!

"Worried about cell phone radiation? Just wait for the Apple Watch"
[...]
"...But many scientists would say we don't have enough information to claim these devices are safe."
http://www.sfchronicle.com/bus.....223610.php

Many scientists are worried about chem trails, too!

[Rich]

"many scientists would say we don't have enough information to claim these devices are safe."

So, at least turn them off while flying in an airplane.

[Rhywun]

I don't wear a watch and I don't hold a cell-phone to my ear for more than an average couple minutes a day. Not worried in the least.

[Episteme]

Dammit, man, you'll never get superpowers with those precautions!

[Episteme]

I'm waiting for the new Apple Codpiece with LTE!

"It's vibrating! A call must be coming in?"

(Product is recalled as seemingly every call to every customer is allowed to go to voicemail)

[BestUsedCarSales]

"...But many scientists would say we don't have enough information to claim these devices are safe."

That's some bullshit weasel words. Nothing is said there at all.

[Rich]

The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a church shooting

Then the FBI had jolly well better launch a civil rights investigation into the football kneeling kerfuffle.

[Rebel Scum]

The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a church shooting in Tennessee

It was a black immigrant that shot up a white church. I'm sure he is just another victim of white supremacy.

[Rich]

a Facebook page under Samson's name ... read: "Everything you've ever doubted or made to be believe as false, is real. & vice versa, B."

No wonder the FBI is investigating!

[Rebel Scum]

Angela Merkel emerged victorious in elections in Germany

I see the Germans are intent on continuing their suicide.

Alternative for Germany will become the first nationalist party in parliament since the Nazis.

**faints**

[Rhywun]

I see the Germans are intent on continuing their suicide.

Given that the Chancellor is going to be either CDU (centrist) or SPD (leftist), who would you have had them vote for?

[Rebel Scum]

Spanish authorities are trying to take control of the regional police in Catalonia ahead of an independence referendum they insist is illegal.

The Spaniards subscribe to the George III / Lincon I view of freedom and sovereignty.

[Rebel Scum]

Labor unions in France are blocking fuel depots to protest employment law reforms.

Kneeling for the national anthem doesn't seem as tone deaf now.

[Domestic Dissident]

Looks like Anthony "Little" Weiner is going to prison for a couple of years.

Moral of the story: never send pictures of your dick to a 15 year old.

[Episteme]

I'm not at all surprised that the New York Post headline for this is WEINER GETS HARD TIME.

[Rhywun]

It is always stiff competition between the local headline writers whenever he's in the news.

[John]

No you should not. I am not going to defend chatting up and sending dick picks to random 15 year old girls on the internet. I am fine with that being a crime. But, I don't see how it is a crime worthy of years in prison. That is a really unjust punishment, especially for a first time offender and someone who appears to have never actually hurt or threatened anyone.

[Libertarian]

Is that wrong? Should he not have done that? I've gotta plead ignorance on this one.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Well, it's a crime. And that supercedes right and wrong. I would probably say it's wrong though.

[Libertarian]

My apologies
That was supposed to be a George Costanza reference.