Sunday Open Thread

What's on your mind?

Comments

[Frank Drackman]

First!
His name is Charlie Kirk

[Dr. Ed 2]

And next Monday (not tomorrow) is Charlie Kirk Day.

[Frank Drackman]

"Next Monday" IS tomorrow.
In the olden days, when Peoples still spoke the "King's Engrish"
you would say
" "Monday Week" is Charlie Kirk Day.
What I may lack in adherence to Societies arbitrary written language rules, I make up for in the use of archaic and dying words, such as "Apothecary", (I say old man, is there an Apothecary in the area?")
"Perendinate" which is "Procrastinate"'s nee'r do well Older Brother, it's like when you've already Procrastinated, but Procrastinate a little longer, also can be used to denote taking longer to complete a task than usual.
"Most Medical Students graduate in 4 years, but I Perendinated"
Hey, it was good enough for Mark Twain to use it,
"Why Procrastinate when you can Perendinate"
"Prolate Spheroid" I've loved this one since I first heard Howard Cosell use it in 1974,
"Hey, anyone for some Touch Prolate Spheroid???"

Frank "Could I get a Dram of Crown, Neat?"

[Sarcastr0]

Seems most people have moved on.

https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%203-m&geo=US&q=Charlie%20Kirk&hl=en

[Bwaaah]

Many, like you, never got there.

You can call it "moving on." Look in your rear view mirror and you'll see little but continuing failure. Don't learn from that.

[Riva]

I wish the country (and world) had but, in general, I think there’s more violence and, I fear, political assassinations possible from deranged leftists.

[Malika la Maize]

Bot’s programming doesn’t go back to June 14th

[Riva]

If you want to take your "whataboutism" comparison to the most absurd extremes by using the example of a deranged Waltz appointee ranting about conspiracies and alleging that he had orders from Waltz to commit political assassinations, you're welcome to your present your warped opinions. I note however that your deluded views fail to account for the reality of the innumerable examples of deranged leftist inspired street violence, riots, assassination, and attempted assassinations.

[Malika la Maize]

The two victims were members of the Democratic Party-affiliated DFL. Federal charging documents described Boelter as acting with "the intent to kill, injure, harass, and intimidate Minnesota legislators"….

Inside Boelter's vehicle was a list of nearly 70 people, including abortion rights advocates, Democratic politicians, and abortion providers...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_shootings_of_Minnesota_legislators

[Riva]

This is what is known as doubling down on stupid. I guess you’re not getting a first string troll for the Sunday work.

[Malika la Maize]

Non-responsive. Bot just programmed to deliver message, not debate.

[Riva]

Parrot trolls debate? Good to know. Let me know when that happens. It will be momentous. Of course, they are also phenomenally stupid (he did fail to grasp the import of my last comment) so they may think that parroting "bot" constitutes debate.

[Malika la Maize]

See, it can’t respond, just repeat!

[Riva]

As I've noted before, emulating "Buffalo Bill" from Silence of the Lambs by calling your troll target an "it" is not really a good look. But trolls obviously have different standards than people with intellectual integrity.

[Malika la Maize]

See, it can’t respond!

[Riva]

I think you need to repeat that one more time at least. Go for the record.

[Kazinski]

Either Boelter is crazy, or Tim Walz is his co-conspirator.

Take your pick.

[Malika la Maize]

Remember, this is the guy’s whose expert analysis pegged the killer as a Marxist mad the rep voted against benefits for illegals!

[Riva]

Sounds like Waltz probably shouldn't have appointed him to anything.

[DDHarriman]

Apparently, only the Right can have internecine conflict.

Not the Left.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Lost in the noise about the illegal aliens is the requirement that "able bodied" senior citizens, aged 62-65, "work" 20 hours a week in order to receive Medicaid. They would, of course, be free to dial 911 and have an ambulance take them to the hospital for free (to them) care as required by the Medicare (not Medicaid) law.

That's way more expensive to the taxpayer as (a) the ambulance alone is over $1000 and (b) a lot of chronic but manageable conditions (e.g. high blood pressure, diabetes) become a lot more expensive if neglected.

But there are three other things that I don't think people quite realize if they haven't worked in public housing, as I did as I worked my way through college:

1: It's going to push a lot of people into the "Disabled" category as that is an exception to this. When you look at how ridiculously easy it is for someone in her 20s to go on SSDI for life and how fabricated some of these purported "disabilities" are, this is not going to be good.

2: A lot of these people really aren't employable -- which is why they retired at age 62 -- which public policy permits. Some have issues with hearing and/or sight. Others have issues with personal hygiene -- you do not want them working around food. Trust me, you don't.

A standard "E" Oxygen tank holds 679 liters of pure Oxygen, 24 cubic feet, do you really want someone with one of those working next to the open gas flames at McDonalds?

You're going to have employers forced to hire them as the "Government" says they are qualified and hence it will be age discrimination not to hire them. And then there will be a lot of Worker's Comp claims -- a lot legitimate as these are people who really shouldn't be in the workforce, and probably a lot that aren't as a "temporary" disability (I presume) counts as a "disability."

Many have already retired, which means that Social Security takes one dollar of every two they earn -- that's a real incentive to work. Particularly when 911 is free...

And then there is the training and volunteering. You're going to train someone who is 64 years old to do something, knowing that the person will -- at most -- use this training (which costs $$$$) for a few months before being done at age 65? The persons doing the training make out quite well, but the taxpayer, not so much.

And as to the "volunteering", how do you think that Massachusetts got the "Millionaire's Tax" -- and the referendum that authorized it? This is going to be a cadre of free labor for the Tax & Spend Left -- I don't think that people realize the extent to which social workers and case managers already funnel "clients" into these activities.

I can see the rationale and it should be applied to those under age 55, maybe 61, but beyond that is "penny wise and dollar foolish."

[dwb68]

Sunday WaPo: "Trump plan will limit disability benefits for older Americans. Trump administration officials are considering eliminating age as a factor in deciding whether someone is capable of working."

I know a lot of 60+ year olds who work. The real issue: companies don't want to hire them because they are paid too much and difficult to manage (because they actually can prove the boss is wrong--been there, done that).

[Joe_dallas]

The single most effective anti poverty program since the enactment of social security was during the clinton administration with the enactment of "ending welfare as we know it". It took several attempts to get it passed and clinton only signed the bill because it had high positive polling at the time.

The democratic party has since actively undermined every effective anti poverty program.

[Malika la Maize]

Historically, the official poverty rate in the United States had ranged from a high of 22.4 percent when it was first estimated for 1959 to a low of 11.1 percent in 1973. Since its initial rapid decline after 1964 with the launch of major War on Poverty programs, the poverty rate has fluctuated between around 11 and 15 percent.

https://poverty.ucdavis.edu/m#/faq/what-current-poverty-rate-united-states

[Frank Drackman]

The Times they are a changin, (HT Bobby D)
now the Poor get Fat and the Rich are Skinny (HT (Sir) E. John).
And ever notice how these "Antifas" (look like what we used to call "Long Haired Freaks" and "N-words) all have the latest Cell Phones and expensive Tats??

Frank

[bernard11]

I know a lot of 60+ year olds who work.

Sure, but don't most of them have office jobs?

It's people with physically somewhat demanding jobs who are likely to actually need the help at age 62, and to be unable to continue working, and, in many cases, to not be particularly well off financially.

[Bunny495]

What is "that is "penny wise and dollar foolish." is the current spending money that is borrowed or created through government tricks on things that are not affordable. Inflation is the cruelest tax of all.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Anything more on Harvard's plan to open trade schools?

[Frank Drackman]

Harvard Med's been in business since 1782.

[Commenter_XY]

Harvard law open since 1817. Craps out newbie lawyers every year, with regularity.

[Frank Drackman]

Did you have Kingsfield for Contracts?

[wvattorney13]

Why in the world would a plumber or a welder want to go to Harvard? I see the argument in law and businesses---a degree from Harvard shoots you to the top and makes you nationally relevant.

What would be the equivalency in a trade certificate? You get to be the plumber at the United Nations or something?

[Area Man]

Where else are they supposed to learn how white colonialism pervades the plumbing and welding industries? Gender queer theory will also allow them to see new perspectives in how to fix toilets.

[Kazinski]

10 USC Ch. 13: INSURRECTION §252. Use of militia and armed forces to enforce Federal authority
Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion.

[Commenter_XY]

This was a lengthy read by Andy Ngo, and raises two questions I have.
https://www.ngocomment.com/p/the-portland-police-chief-who-apologized

POTUS Trump has designated antifa as a domestic terror group. What kinds of secondary surveillance are done by the Fed govt? Here is what I mean. Suppose identified Adult Antifa Member A has a Boring Brother B. What Boring Brother B information is the fed gov't entitled to by virtue of surveilling identified Adult Antifa Member A? Assume they exchange messages about family via phone, text and email. What is the constitutional line on secondary surveillance?

As for Portland, there is a point where not addressing violent rioting is wrong. The continued attacks on federal facilities must end. Note that deportations of illegal aliens will not end. Precise application of rubber bullets and pepper balls [e.g. non-lethal means] to repel those who are physically attacking ICE facilities (or any other federal facility, for that matter) would be effective in stopping the violent rioting and attacks on federal facilities. It takes time for bruises to heal. There will be less enthusiasm the second time. It is a rare person who volunteers for a third go-round with rubber bullets and pepper balls. My reasoning: Every member of the public must be safe when they are inside a federal facility, regardless of why they were there. The physical facilities themselves must be protected, and accessible by the public. The federal courts of justice must remain open. Why have a fed gov't if you don't have that?

The local Portland police have a hands off policy, and the local courts appear indifferent. That is what Portlanders want and that is what they voted for. So...let them have they want; violent anarchists living among them. Portland will reap what they sow, it just takes more time. Then Portlanders will vote to change it. Portland is one city; the US is a big place. If one minor city goes a little kooky, big deal. What is the (un?)constitutional problem with that approach?.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Bondi is acting - the Portland PD arrested the VICTIM of ANTIFA and she is pursuing civil rights.

[Dr. Ed 2]

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2025/10/feds-plan-full-investigation-into-portland-police-after-arrest-of-conservative-journalist.html

[Michael P]

The Portland Police Bureau has a hands-off policy for Antifa, but will arrest and prosecute Antifa's citizen victims. Query at what point PPB becomes culpable for conspiracy due to such practices.

As to "secondary surveillance", generally a warrant is required to conduct a "search or seizure" both for the immediate suspect and for their relatives and associates, and the threshold to get a warrant is "probable cause": for a warrant, a reasonable belief that a crime was committed and that evidence of the crime can be found at the place to be searched. I expect that's a hard threshold to reach for "secondary surveillance".

[Commenter_XY]

National security has different rules, I suspect.

[Michael P]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't, except for FISA and its court, which are restricted to foreign intelligence activities.

[David Nieporent]

National security has different rules, I suspect.

You suspect wrong, not to mention that there is no such thing legally as "designating X as a domestic terror group." POTUS — or you — can "designate" Antifa as a "bunch of poopyheads" if he wants, but either way it's just namecalling of no legal significance. There are specific legal consequences to designating a foreign terrorist organization as such — for instance, it becomes illegal for Americans to provide material support to that group — but no such laws exist vis-à-vis domestic groups.

Surveillance that doesn't require a warrant — e.g., following someone around, interviewing people about them — can generally be conducted against any person at any time. Surveillance that requires a warrant… requires a warrant. Regardless of whether you call it "secondary" or not.

there is a point where not addressing violent rioting is wrong.

Yes, like when insurrectionists are attacking Congress. POTUS's response should not be to shrug and say, "I guess they're more upset about the election than you are." But, as has been pointed out in previous open threads, people are just lying about conditions in Portland.

[NvEric]

Your 'local' or domestic antifa is part of a global group in some form or fashion. Funding of these insurrectionists is where the RICO laws will be of use, as the money trail is followed.

[Sarcastr0]

Gotta love how all the right wingers now have amazing Antifa-dar.

[Commenter_XY]

So you're tolerant of citizens killing people at Federal facilities (like Dallas); or, proverbial dancing on the grave when they are killed making political speeches (like Kirk). If that does not make you and your fellow travelers fascists, then what does it make you, besides sore losers?

[Sarcastr0]

Yep, love all that shit. Well spotted, I can't fool you!

Proverbial stuff is always the most fascistist.

[Frank Drackman]

Charlie Kirk didn't hear the bullet that killed him.

[Michael P]

They're violent, thuggish totalitarians who hate America and the ideals of liberty and political equality that it stands for.

Related: https://thefederalist.com/2025/10/02/2500-spike-in-google-search-results-for-trump-and-fascist-shows-dems-violence-incitement-problem/

[Malika la Maize]

This is from a guy and outlet that supports a politician that regularly talks about “the enemies of the people,” “radical lunatics” and more. It’s pure disingenuousness.

[jb]

Calling someone a fascist isn't inciting violence, any more then calling someone a member of the "radical left" is.

Also, though, the best way to not be called a fascist is not to behave fascistly. Trump could have roughly the same policy objectives without having masked thugs constantly pushing the boundaries of the Constitution, without trying to bend universities and the media and law firms into agents of his ideology and his administration, and without trying to pay back his enemies with criminal cases so tenuous that he has to fire experienced, conservative prosecutors to get someone willing to make his case. Then we could have a nice policy discussion without resorting to words like "fascism". But if he's going to behave like a fascist, it's fair game to call him one.

[Harvey Mosley]

"Trump could have roughly the same policy objectives without having masked thugs constantly pushing the boundaries of the Constitution, without trying to bend universities and the media and law firms into agents of his ideology and his administration, and without trying to pay back his enemies with criminal cases so tenuous that he has to fire experienced, conservative prosecutors to get someone willing to make his case. Then we could have a nice policy discussion without resorting to words like "fascism". "

It's cute that you believe that.

[David Nieporent]

They're violent, thuggish totalitarians who hate America and the ideals of liberty and political equality that it stands for.

But enough about ICE!

[Frank Drackman]

May one of Kill-more Garcia's traficked Criminals have his way with your wife!
Tell us about the time you asked a Cab Driver to take you where you could get some "Action" and he drove you to your house!

Frank

[ReaderY]

The problem here is that none of this is happening in Portland. As the Trump-appointed district judge found, there were a total of 4 incidents in connection with the protest at the ICE facility in September, all low-level matters easily handleable by ordinary law enforcement. One involved somebody posting the license plate number number of an unmarked ICE vehicle on Facebook. One involved one protester injuring another. One involved the street getting blocked. NONE involved violent attacks on federal officials. As the judge politely said, Trump’s characterization of Portland as “war ravaged” etc. was “untethered to the facts.”

That’s legalese for “complete bullshit.”

[Riva]

Has antifa or any protesters from the left done anything objectionable in your opinion, Sarcastr0?

[Joe_dallas]

quite telling that leftists only condemn such behavior after being confronted for their non condemnation of such behavior.

[Malika la Maize]

Or that MAGAns here don’t condemn their comrades similar behavior even in that circumstance!

[jb]

Just above you have Riva trying to pretend that Vance Boelter isn't a right-winger who had a target list of Democrats, and your big complaint is that people on the left only condemn political violence when asked about it? You guys won't even acknowledge it when your side does it, much less condemn it.

[Joe_dallas]

Boelter political views spanned from far right to far left. Why cherry pick just one side of his craziness?

[Malika la Maize]

The two victims were members of the Democratic Party-affiliated DFL. Federal charging documents described Boelter as acting with "the intent to kill, injure, harass, and intimidate Minnesota legislators"….

Inside Boelter's vehicle was a list of nearly 70 people, including abortion rights advocates, Democratic politicians, and abortion providers...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_shootings_of_Minnesota_legislators

[jb]

Hey, thanks for making my point for me!

[Malika la Maize]

Let’s remember, that with the Kirk shooting jd announced here that the shooter was trans and then a couple days later said he’d seen no reports of anyone claiming the shooter was trans!!!!

[TwelveInchPianist]

Link?

[Joe_dallas]

Malika - keeps lying
Nothing new or different

[Malika la Maize]

https://ghostarchive.org/archive/ADfSr

[John F. Carr]

Judge Immergut in Portland preliminarily found that Oregon National Guard activation was not authorized by 10 USC 12406 despite a Presidential finding that there was "lawless mayhem." The decision is based largely on testimony by Portland officials that things are going great.

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71481149/state-of-oregon-v-trump/

"Defendants are hereby enjoined from implementing Defendants' September 28, 2025, Memorandum ordering the federalization and deployment of Oregon National Guard service members."

This is an injunction against the President, not only against executive branch officials. The memo mentioned in the injunction is from Secretary of Defense and/or War Hegseth.

A notice of appeal was filed immediately after the order.

[Frank Drackman]

"Immergut"?
More like "Immerschlecht"

Frank

[Michael P]

Judge Immergut must be using a different version of the Insurrection Act than I've seen; the one I know doesn't give local officials supremacy over the president's determination.

[Malika la Maize]

She’s using Newsome II, which is current precedent in her circuit.

[Michael P]

I see the judge is also fishing for a reversal and reassignment based on abuse of discretion, in pretending that a "nominal" $100 bond would "pay the costs and damages sustained by any party found to have been wrongfully enjoined or restrained".

[A Japanese Student]

Doesn't sending troops cost more than not sending one, though?

[wvattorney13]

Not if a federal building gets burned to the ground.

[David Nieporent]

Nobody is burning any federal buildings to the ground. Read the factual findings of the court about the facts on the ground.

[Joe_dallas]

Federal Courthouse: Protesters targeted the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse for over two months, with incidents of arson and vandalism causing more than $2 million in damage to it and other nearby federal buildings.
ICE Facility: Protesters also repeatedly targeted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in South Portland with vandalism and assaults against federal officers.
Total damages: In January 2025, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon stated that Antifa-affiliated actions caused more than $2.3 million in damage to federal property in Oregon.

[Darwinnie]

That was like 5 years ago. At least to the Hatfield Courthouse. But news flash: it isn’t 2020 anymore.

[Estragon]

It’s not totally surprising to me that they are reaching back 5 years for these examples. White House sources have anonymously admitted to Politico that this is revenge for 2020.

[Life of Brian]

White House sources have anonymously admitted to Politico

Well, if that's not a dynamic duo of extreme truthiness, I can't imagine what might be.

I don't see any news updates on that much-hyped Resistance! bike ride. Did it... peter out?

[JohnSmith97]

Is this.. an admission that the left has been out of control in Portland?

Progress!

[CountmontyC]

Just heard on local radio ( I live in Oregon) that since Trump can't send in Oregon guard units he is now sending in California guard units

[Joe_dallas]

WV - may have been referring to the minneapolis police stations

The substance of his comment remains valid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arson_damage_during_the_George_Floyd_protests_in_Minneapolis%E2%80%93Saint_Paul

[Malika la Maize]

“The substance of his comment remains valid.”

lol, classic jd. This guy is an accountant?

The substance of your return remains the same….

[David Nieporent]

Sigh. We went over this argument already, months ago. The president isn't using the Insurrection Act — you can tell, by the obscure technique of reading his order — so what it requires is irrelevant. He's relying on 10 U.S.C. § 12406.

[jb]

Must be one of those partisan Democrat judges that Riva hates, right?

[Riva]

I don’t hate bad decisions. I just point them out. Nor do I hate judges who abuse their power for political reasons. The irresponsible hate rhetoric is owned by the left.

[Malika la Maize]

“We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections,”

“Now if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that’s gonna be the least of it…It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.”

[Riva]

If i were responding to an adult interested in a reasonable exchange of views, I would point out that rooting out the thug left perpetrating and encouraging acts of violence is not a call for violence but a pledge to end political violence. I would also point out that “bloodbath,” in the comments quoted out of context, referred to the U.S. auto industry, warning of severe economic consequences and job losses in that sector if President Trump lost the 2024 election, and also not a call for violence.

But i’m not responding to an adult interested in a reasonable exchange of views. I’m responding to a parrot troll, who will simply squawk “bot” until someone gives him a cracker. And since I have no crackers, my response is not for him but for the benefit of other readers.

[not guilty]

I suspect that Riva didn't catch jb's sarcasm.

[Riva]

If, in the usual troll storm of bullshit that characterizes most comments here, I inadvertently misinterpreted the response, ok my mistake. Anything else jackass?

[Don Nico]

ng,
I have a question for you because I know that you give honest answers.
If there is violence (as judged by the occupants) of a Federal facility and if the local/state police do not offer adequate protection (again as judged by Federal occupant employees) does the Federal government have any recourse to provide protection and under what statutes.
Thank you.

[not guilty]

Of course the government can (and does) hire security personnel. I gather that your question is about what happens when that breaks down.

The Insurrection Act, 10 U.S.C. § 12406, provides:

Whenever—
(1)the United States, or any of the Commonwealths or possessions, is invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign nation;
(2)there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States; or
(3)the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States;
the President may call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard of any State in such numbers as he considers necessary to repel the invasion, suppress the rebellion, or execute those laws. Orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States or, in the case of the District of Columbia, through the commanding general of the National Guard of the District of Columbia.

The President's action in this regard is subject to judicial review, but on a basis that is highly deferential to presidential action. See Newsom v. Trump, 141 F.4th 1032 (9th Cir. 2025). https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2025/06/19/25-3727.pdf

[Don Nico]

Thank you.

[Bob from Ohio]

Send regular troops then. Protecting a federal facility is a proper use of troops.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

You mean the regular troops currently not receiving any pay?

[not guilty]

John F. Carr, thank you for the link.

Now who could have appointed a rogue judge like this to the federal bench?

[ReaderY]

Could you kindly explain why, if the Portland witnesses were all lying through their teeth and the city police logs were all completely fabricated,

1. The President’s investigative and legal team didn’t present a single witness to corroborate the President’s version of events?

2. There was considerable amount of evidence of federal origin corroborating Portland’s evidence? Federal law enforcement units keep logs too.

3. The President’s lawyers not only chose not to present any evidence contesting Portland’s version of the facts, they focused their case entirely on legal arguments that the President wins under their version. They argued that presidential factual determinations are judicially unreviewable regardless of the evidence, and that the federal statutory language authorizing federalization of the state National Guard troops is broad enough that it includes events as the Oregon folks described them.

You’d think that if the Oregon folks were lying as you say they were, the President’s lawyers would have made some sort of effort to contradict their version of the facts.

Why didn’t they?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Please

[santamonica811]

I think this hits the nail on the head. It's the sort of logical argument that I also immediately wondered. "If X is actually true, then why isn't Y happening? Since Y is, in fact, not happening, then what does that tell us about X (if anything)?"

You and I think that it does, in fact, tell us a great deal about X. Someone trained in logical reasoning would probably agree with us. I'm hoping that some of the supporters of Trump will chime in and give a reasoned explanation about what you and I are missing or overlooking. (I'm not holding my breath. But there might be something, of course.)

[Malika la Maize]

Worse than the butt fumble?

Mark Sanchez, the former N.F.L. quarterback who is a Fox Sports commentator, was arrested on Saturday after being injured in a stabbing in downtown Indianapolis that left him hospitalized in stable condition, according to the police.

Mr. Sanchez was arrested in the hospital and charged with battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication, the police said. All of the charges are misdemeanors, the police said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/04/us/mark-sanchez-stabbing.html

[Frank Drackman]

Played 10 NFL Seasons and had more Interceptions than TD Passes, like MLB Pitchers who lost 20 games in a season, you have to have some talent just to play that long.

[Bunny495]

Gotta give props to Richard Joseph "Turk" Farrell who had a 10-20 record pitching for the Houston Colt .45s in 1962. Farrell's individual performance was actually quite good. He posted an excellent 3.02 ERA for the season, which was the seventh-best ERA in the National League that year. He also pitched over 241 innings and logged 203 strikeouts. The expansion team .45s offense was a disaster resulting in no support for a very good pitcher who did lose 20 games.

[Frank Drackman]

All the more impressive in that 1962 was a great year for Hitters, so much so that they INCREASED the size of the Strike Zone for the 1963 Season
(can hear the Rules Committee now, "There's too much Offense!!! Who wants to see Mickey Mantle or Hank Aaron trot around the bases? Fans want to see Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson pitch a 15 inning Scoreless tie that's called at 2am due to a local curfew!!!"

Frank

[Riva]

Amateur hour compared to the euro trash violence at a soccer game.

[Malika la Maize]

This did not happen at a football game but at a pub, please run proper diagnostics.

[Riva]

I guess asshole troll has never been to Europe after or during a soccer game. Or almost anytime in some no go zones. I doubt he could afford the trip on whatever he gets paid for being an asshole troll.

[Malika la Maize]

Look, it’s not sentient so it doesn’t get the point that while this involved a football player it didn’t involve a football event. Bots gonna bot!

[Riva]

If you want the best talent, it’s going to cost you, in the NFL or the troll market. And no one is going to pay much for jv parrot trolls like Malika the whatever, especially after his performance today. Could be just a bad day, but he has a lot of those. The stupid is starting to pile up.

[Malika la Maize]

lol, it still doesn’t get the point. Nice try bot.

Let’s just expose this bot once and for all:

What’s my point here, Riva, and what’s yours in response? Tell us. You’re not a bot, this should be simple.

[Riva]

My advice is stop digging. But you are an idiot so one can only assume you won't understand and continue to make an ass of yourself. Good luck and have fun playing with yourself.

[Frank Drackman]

Hey take it easy on Queenie, He's a 400lb shut in trapped in his Mammie's basement in Watts.

[Malika la Maize]

A senior White House official accidentally leaked details of plans to send an elite army unit to Portland, in the latest intelligence leak by the Trump administration.

Anthony Salisbury, a top deputy to Stephen Miller, the influential White House policy adviser, was observed using Signal in a public place to discuss a plan to deploy the army’s 82nd airborne division to Portland, the Democratic-run Oregon city which Donald Trump has repeatedly castigated as being “war-ravaged”.

The Minnesota Star Tribune obtained images of Salisbury’s Signal messages, which it said were sent while the official was “in clear view of others” in Minnesota.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/04/us-military-portland-oregon-trump-administration

[Dr. Ed 2]

You think that was accidental?!?

[Krayt]

“Despite dealing with grief from the loss of a family member, Tony continued his important work on behalf of the American people,” Jackson told the Star Tribune. “Nothing in these private conversations, that are shamefully being reported on by morally bankrupt reporters, is new or classified information.”

Yeahhh...nooo.

[Malika la Maize]

This month, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere will have the opportunity to observe not one but two once-in-a-lifetime comets in the fall skies.

The celestial visitors, known to scientists as C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN), traveled here from the very edges of the solar system where the sun appears as a pinprick of light in the darkness.

After dazzling stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere, R2 (SWAN) is starting to swing into view in the northern evening sky this week and will remain visible until the end of October.

To spot the comet, astronomers recommend going to a dark location with an unobstructed view to the southwest and with as little light pollution as possible. The comet’s brightness is expected to remain out of range of the naked eye, so you’ll need binoculars or a small telescope. About 45 minutes to one hour after sunset, scan low along the horizon. The comet will appear as a “fuzzy ball,” said Yoonyoung Kim, a comet researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles.

A6 (Lemmon) is currently gracing the northern morning sky. To observe the comet, you’ll need binoculars or a small telescope — and the fortitude to wake up before dawn.
Look for a fuzzy object in the northeast, several hours ahead of sunrise, just below the ladle-shaped Big Dipper. From Earth’s perspective, A6 (Lemmon) will perform a switcheroo halfway through the month, appearing in the evening sky in the west. If predictions hold, A6 (Lemmon) will brighten in late October and early November, possibly enough to be spotted with the naked eye in very dark conditions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/science/comets-a6-r2-how-to-see.html

[Stephen Lathrop]

Always glad to be reminded of sky watching opportunities.

I will not forget 1996-1997, when two comet-of-a-lifetime displays followed in overlapping succession, both brightly naked eye visible, and each spanning an appreciable fraction of the sky.

My guess is that almost everyone old enough then to take a look remembers Hale-Bopp. It achieved naked eye visibility that lasted a record 18 months. Had it passed closer to earth, it would have been visible in full daylight, and spanned the entire sky. As it was, it was merely a staggering spectacle, which went on and on. It was so bright you could photograph it directly over a major city, as I did over Boston.

The lesser-remembered comet came first, comet Hayakutake. If it were not for Hale-Bopp, Hayakutake would have been by far the most notable comet of my lifetime. One thing that made it special was also what made it lesser noticed. It passed so close to earth that it went by in a relative flash—there and gone in only a few days. When it was closest to earth, if you were lucky to have a clear dark sky, as I was, you could watch it with binoculars for only a few minutes, and detect its motion against background stars.

[Malika la Maize]

I’ve usually had bad weather luck in seeing these events.

[Mr. Bumble]

For many of us, light pollution is the problem.
When you see the night sky in an area with no sources of ground light you have to marvel that ancient peoples were able to pick out and track the stars.

[Paladin_44]

Midnight on a moonless January night in Iceland - I can't believe how many stars there are. And the aurora that came on later was breathtaking.

[Bunny495]

Correct, light pollution is a drag. Gotta shout out to Jimmy Buffett for these lyrics in "Cowboy in the Jungle"

Alone on a midnight passage
I can count the falling stars
While the Southern Cross and the satellites
They remind me of where we are
Spinning around in circles
Living it day to day
And still twenty four hours, maybe sixty good years
It's still not that long a stay.

[Stephen Lathrop]

Mr. Bumble — There remain a few places in the lower 48—none east of the Mississippi—which combine no man-made light sources, still dry air, and moderately high elevation (maybe up to about 7,000 feet, much higher and visual acuity suffers for want of oxygen). I lived for years in a place from which such an ideal observing location was about an hour away by car.

On a moonless night, the starlight can be so intense you distrust that you have found a dark location. Your comment about picking out specific stars is right on. Most constellations are harder to spot, not easier. Too much competition.

Even a good binocular resolves enough stars in the Milky Way to stagger the imagination. Grains of sugar poured on a black table, but finer grains, and more than you could have imagined. Then you shift the view, and see it again, and again. More uncountable stars in every shift of view.

And stuff you never dreamed of can happen. Like picking out two moons of Jupiter without optical assistance. When I noticed that I thought my eyes were playing tricks. Got out the binoculars and there they were, right where expected.

It boggles my mind to consider what would be the effect on modern civilization if every night all the lights went out in the cities, and everyone got an eyeful of the Milky Way. You could glance at the Andomeda Galaxy and wonder what it was. Did you know the Adromeda Galaxy covers several times more area in the sky than does the full moon?

There was a time when most everyone knew that. Folks then were not so confident they were masters of nature than they are now.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

The Trump administration has vowed to deport both of these thuggish lawbreaking comets back to the Oort Cloud.

[Frank Drackman]

Good Luck Seeing it as it's currently magnitude 7, and unlikely to get brighter than magnitude 4 (where if you go somewhere totally dark, you might be able to see it in your peripheral vision)

[Michael P]

Democrats are now in such a bad situation that their best candidate for state AG is a guy who thought the then-current Speaker of the House of Delegate more deserved to be shot than both Pol Pot or Hitler ("he receives both bullets every time").

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/democratic-candidate-virginia-attorney-general-jay-jones-text-messages-rcna235573

[Sarcastr0]

That guys sucks and I hope he loses.

He might still win! That's a pretty dark sign about how pissed off Dems are.
You'd think Dems would have recently learned that ignoring the character of your guy because the other side is 'just that bad' does not end well for civic society.

[Malika la Maize]

It’s hard to believe when candidates for state wide office are this poorly vetted.

[Brett Bellmore]

It's a hard lesson to learn when a large fraction of your party don't see anything wrong with it.

[Malika la Maize]

Indeed.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/29/trump-mocks-pelosi-family-as-he-rallies-conservative-support-in-california-00119243

[DDHarriman]

Whatabout this!

[Malika la Maize]

Yes, if you’re going to bring up a party being ok with nominees shrugging off their candidates talk of political violence what about a state AG nominee and a three time Presidential nominee?

[DDHarriman]

For some reason you believe:

“We’ll stand up to crazy Nancy Pelosi, who ruined San Francisco — how’s her husband doing, anybody know?”

is equivalent to:
Suggesting the top Republican in the state House of Delegates get “two bullets to the head.”

Retard.

[Malika la Maize]

Indeed.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/18/trump-gianforte-body-slam-praise-915047

[Sarcastr0]

This is a Virginia AG race, Brett. It’s not some broad Democratic referendum.

Meanwhile your party is coming in from black helicopters and zip tying kids, and the President os calling for lethal force.

What a shameful double standard you have.

[DDHarriman]

VA is where many of the federal bureaucrats live and their voting preferences bleed into their governing actions.

Don't pretend like the communities surrounding DC are isolated and do not impact other parts of the country.

Those are federal civil servants and other members of the governing class voting for a guy who publicly wishes suffering on conservatives.

[Malika la Maize]

Other than the ecological fallacy here, the election hasn’t happened yet.

[Mr. Bumble]

I believe early voting began in VA weeks ago.

[Malika la Maize]

It’s not over though, we don’t know what voters decided.

[Mr. Bumble]

...but surely he's received votes from people who were unaware of his comments and actions.
Had they know they might have voted differently.
Just one of the reasons early voting shouldn't exist or at least be very limited.

[Malika la Maize]

Those people wouldn’t be knowingly voting for a guy who publicly wishes suffering on conservatives.” And your other point could apply to any election (things come out after Election Day).

[Sarcastr0]

Not just VA. VA Attorney General's race.

You're not going to get from there to 'civil servants are Antifa.'

But fuck you for trying, fascist asshole.

[DDHarriman]

Nice strawman, Il Douche. My point is valid.

[Joe_dallas]

Its a very dark sign that democrats are okay with their behavior.

[Malika la Maize]

Their?

[Joe_dallas]

it shows how deranged the democratic party has become that some many embrace that behavior or at least dont condemn the behavior unless confronted with their lack of condemnation.

[bernard11]

Oh come off it.

Republicans posing as the character police of candidates is a joke.

Is Trump a man of good character? Of course not. Yet the GOP falls all over itself to praise him and support him. Fans of Trump making some kind of big deal about an AG candidate is off-the scale hypocrisy.

Talk about laughable.

Oh, and criticizing Democrats over this is a joke too. What percentage of Democrats nationwide have even heard of this guy, and what percentage do you think "embrace" him?

But leave it to Brett and Joe to paint all Democrats as nasty people because of this guy.

[Armchair]

The candidate here seriously...not in a joking way...but seriously is hoping that the children...the children...of his political opponent die.

That doesn't bother you? That doesn't scare you?

[bernard11]

Armchair,

Of course it bothers me.

The guy is scum, or worse. Do I condemn that crap? Of course I do.

Why didn't I do so before? Because like 90+% of Democrats I never heard of him. I don't go scrolling through most news of state and local politics looking for this kind of idiocy.

But to answer one of your questions: no, it doesn't scare me. Yeah, some lunatic with a gun might take him seriously, but I doubt it.

What scares me most in this country right now is Trump's authoritarianism, his unchecked lawlessness, his masked thugs grabbing people off the street, and his efforts to destroy American universities.

Oh, and a spineless SCOTUS that approves his every move.

If it doesn't scare you you've blinded yourself.

[Armchair]

"Armchair,
Of course it bothers me.
The guy is scum, or worse. Do I condemn that crap? Of course I do."

OK. Good. But what do you do about the other people who support this guy who you consider "scum, or worse". Who despite knowing exactly what he says and think, continue to support him. Who are happy to have him as part of their government.

Do you support those individuals? Or do you say "If he's going to be part of your government, I can't have anything to do with you".

[Sarcastr0]

How many people are super into the VA Attorney General’s race?

Not many.

You have nothing. So you keep accusing Bernard of maybe supporting terrorists.

Pretty bad behavior but you love to do that scurrilous accusation thing.

[not guilty]

OK. Good. But what do you do about the other people who support this guy who you consider "scum, or worse". Who despite knowing exactly what he says and think, continue to support him. Who are happy to have him as part of their government.

Do you support those individuals? Or do you say "If he's going to be part of your government, I can't have anything to do with you".

I had never before heard or either Jay Jones or Todd Gilbert, so while what he is reported to have said is inexcusable, his remarks neither pick my pocket nor break my leg, as another notable Virginian said.

But "If he's going to be part of your government, I can't have anything to do with you" is a useful and worthwhile sentiment. That is essentially what I said in 1974 to a Republican Party that five times had nominated Prick Nixon for national office.

And by three times nominating Donald Trump, they have sunk even lower than that then-nadir.

[Joe_dallas]

Bernard - quite a few leftists commentators condemning Israel in the gaza war didnt condemn hamas until it was pointed out that they failed to condemn hamas. Quite a few leftists have made comments to me that are similar to the comments made by Jones.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/virginia-dems-back-ag-candidate-150322555.html

[bernard11]

Quite a few leftists have made comments to me that are similar to the comments made by Jones.

Sure they have.

[Malika la Maize]

But Democrats were not ok, according to news reports the other statewide nominees condemned him in no uncertain terms. Unlike Republicans when Trump joked about political violence against Democrats.

[Armchair]

Democrats have not called on Jones to remove himself from the AG race.

Which means Democrats support Jones

[Malika la Maize]

“Unlike Republicans when Trump joked about political violence against Democrats.”

Why’d you elide that? Respond.

[JohnSmith97]

"how is he doing" vs. "two bullets to the head"

Why that is the same thing!

I'm surprised that most of the leftists in here are allowed to use computers unsupervised.

[Bob from Ohio]

"I hope he loses"
Don't you live in Virginia now? You can do more than hope, you can vote for his opponent.

[Armchair]

"He might still win! That's a pretty dark sign about how pissed off Dems are."

"In texts sent to Republican House Delegate Carrie Coyner, Jones entertained a hypothetical scenario in which he had a gun with only two bullets and was presented with two dictators and House Speaker Todd Gilbert. He said he’d shoot Gilbert twice “every time.”

After being admonished by Coyner over text, Jones called her and continued to defend the use of political violence, according to a source familiar with the contents of the call. When Coyner again confronted Jones via text for “talking about hopping [sic] jennifer Gilbert’s children would die,” Jones responded, “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy."

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/republicans-urge-dems-to-police-their-own-side-and-force-jones-out-of-ag-race-over-violent-texts/

The first is potentially a "Ha Ha" in bad taste. Here's the problem. He didn't say stop there. He went further. He said "Yes". He truly believed that his political opponent's children deserve to die

That is frightening. Especially in a politician. A politician who believe that his political opponent's children "deserve to die". But who is a candidate for "upholding the law".

Sure Democrats are "pissed". Are they so pissed off that they think that supporting politicians who hope that children die is appropriate? They "should" if they were rational, be throwing this person and his values to the side of the road. Supporting a politician who thinks children should die? If that's what Democrats really think...they've gone into a dark dark place. And you....even if you're a democrat...simply cannot support it or those who support it.

[Malika la Maize]

He certainly seems terrible. He also had a speeding ticket where he was clocked going over *100* mph! That’s insane imho. And consider this: given he sent these texts *to a GOP colleague* and the ticket he had could be accessed, his failure to disclose them to the primary electorate should have Dems furious.

I get that Virginia is especially hurt by Trump’s vindictive, irrational federal government actions and that the VA GOP AG is derelict in not joining efforts to combat them. And that puts Virginia voters in a tough spot. I also get that people like Armchair are totally disingenuous when bringing this up given their support of Trump who has a history of laughing about political violence on his side.

But this guy is terrible.

[Mr. Bumble]

...and if he still wins, then what?

[Malika la Maize]

If Trump wins?

[Armchair]

"But this guy is terrible."

Do you support him? If you say no, do you support those who support him?

If he is elected and starts making policy choices based on these...beliefs...what then? Do you support those choices?

[Malika la Maize]

Do you support Trump? Respond.

[Armchair]

When you avoid the question, your response is clear.

[bernard11]

Don't leave out the people who support the people who support Jones.

It's supporters all the way down.

[Malika la Maize]

Those in the Commonwealth to my south have nuts on the other side to marvel at as well, such as the GOP Lt. Governor candidate’s involvement with gay Nazi porn sites. Wild times in the Old Dominion!

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/republican-candidate-virginia-caught-tumblr-221422436.html

[Harvey Mosley]

Squirrel! (That's how it's done, right?)

[Poxigah146]

Most black Democrats are like this.

[dwb68]

If you are going to make an argument for open borders and free trade, at least stick to traditional mainstream economics ("profit-maximizing companies prefer cheap immobile labor and cheap inputs"); dumb ones like 'wages rise when we import cheap labor/export jobs' not only aren't true, everybody knows they aren't true the same way they know a compass points north. Don't be dumb. Stick to mainstream textbook economics (which is mainstream and textbook for a reason... like Newtons Laws and general relativity in physics).

It's all about labor demand, who is demanding it, who is offering their time, and at what price.

I would probably take the open borders people seriously if they also 1)lowered taxes to create a demand for labor 2)eliminated the minimum wage (illegal immigrants are paid cash and not the minimum wage anyway) and 3)eliminated regulations in Commiefornia and Illinois so that those profit maximizing developers could figure out a way to build housing, cheaper.

1,2,3 are preconditions for me. Show you are serious about labor demand. For the taxes I pay, I could hire two people to cook, clean my house, and landscape, and renovate my house.

[Malika la Maize]

Shorter dwb: Adam who?

[TwelveInchPianist]

David who?

[wvattorney13]

The minimum wage is becoming a dinosaur anyways despite the efforts of blue states. Fast food companies are automating and office work can be done by workers from India for $5/hr because most things are electronic.

You were never entitled to a particular amount of money for your work simply because you "need" it and although for a while the government could silently "tax" employers--and by throughput the public---it cannot do that anymore. I guess our leaders need real solutions instead of command control economics.

But your point is correct. Look at the disincentives that American workers have. If I have a lawn mowing business I have to pay FICA, income tax, fill out paperwork, etc. Meanwhile I am in competition with an illegal alien who is paid in cash---and nobody is enforcing the law.

[dwb68]

I should get a deduction from my federal taxes for hiring people for home improvement and landscaping. Every dollar is an income transfer that doesn't need to be made (most of your federal dollars are transfer payments).

[Malika la Maize]

WTF? You can say this about many economic activities.

[dwb68]

I can; and its true. Income taxes tax work, which means you get less of it.

[Malika la Maize]

So you don’t like government putting its thumb on market transactions but want ICE to deport who people may or may not choose to enter into all kinds of market transactions?

[Mr. Bumble]

Which things are not the same?

[Malika la Maize]

Explain how they’re not. Note, this might mean more than one trolling sentence.

[dwb68]

I was clear. Look up "precondition" if you are still confused.

[Malika la Maize]

Not clear. If so clear, briefly explain.

[Sarcastr0]

Yes, taxes keep the number from going up as high as it could. That's a cost.

But funding the government is a benefit. I know lot of people on here want to bake poor people into a giant pie for lacking the requisite get-up-and-go, but we get the government we vote for.

Even the current destructive and horrible one; may we get past this without a collapse, and may it be a lesson for generations that inchoate frustration doesn't mean you should vote for the authoritarian populist.

[David Nieporent]

I would probably take the open borders people seriously if they also 1)lowered taxes to create a demand for labor 2)eliminated the minimum wage (illegal immigrants are paid cash and not the minimum wage anyway) and 3)eliminated regulations in Commiefornia and Illinois so that those profit maximizing developers could figure out a way to build housing, cheaper.

The only people who are anything close to "open borders" are libertarians, who support… lowering taxes, eliminating the minimum wage, and YIMBY reforms.

And I admire your perseverance in adhering to the lump of labor fallacy, if not your lack of intelligence in doing so.

[dwb68]

Youd be well served to read Mankiws Principles of Economics. I used to teach it.

The Law of Supply is inexorable. More supply==lower wages.

Has nothing to do with lump of labor fallacy (the lump of labor issue is a very very long run phenomenon; over the short run demand is relatively fixed).

[Malika la Maize]

“As an economist, I am often surprised at the hostility that some segments of the population express toward immigration. Most members of my profession are far more receptive to it”

N.G. Mankiw

[dwb68]

"Harvard Economist with guaranteed employment for life, surprised that ordinary people are hostile to immigration because it lowers their wages."

I mean, yeah, most members of his profession are far more receptive to it because they don't experience the ill side effects (and therefore downplay them).

Democrats are going to have to figure out how to be more than high income stroller Moms for cheap home improvement labor.

[Sarcastr0]

Yes, all the people who don't agree with your take on economics are all biased, because they didn't suffer like you.

The 'See, I've been through it man, I'm a badass' style of appealing to your own authority is always vastly more lame than the poster can imagine.

[bernard11]

Maybe you should read it again.

That's not what the Law of Supply says.

And the Lump of Labor fallacy is not a "very very long run issue."

It's not even an issue, really. All it is is the incorrect belief that there are a fixed number of jobs in the economy, so if an immigrant gets a job that means someone else loses one.

Are sure you taught economics?

[bernard11]

"profit-maximizing companies prefer cheap immobile labor and cheap inputs"

This is not anywhere near the traditional mainstream arguments for free trade, which are widely accepted by economists across the political spectrum.

[Sarcastr0]

"The issue before is now is very simple and clear. There is a large and growing movement of leftwing terrorism in this country. It is well organized and funded. And it is shielded by far-left Democrat judges, prosecutors and attorneys general. The only remedy is to use legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terror networks."

Yeah, we got a fascist in charge of America.
One who is either a paranoiac or lying to stoke that among MAGA people who want to be fooled so they have an excuse to be fascist.

[Joe_dallas]

hint - its the fascists that are rioting

throughout history - Its always the fascists that riot
its always the fascist that censor speech
its always the fascists that demand the populace adhere to their philosophy.

[Malika la Maize]

That’s silly, the fascists often fought rioting communists in the streets of Germany, Italy, etc., rioting isn’t exclusive to fascists.

[Dr. Ed 2]

The National SOCIALISTS....

[Malika la Maize]

The DEMOCRATIC People’s REPUBLIC of North Korea….

[Joe_dallas]

not even remotely responsive

[Malika la Maize]

You’re quite dim: the idea is that an organization is not something because it calls itself that. You really didn’t get that, did you? lol.

[David Nieporent]

It's 100% responsive. Dr. Ed's idiot argument (not idiotically original to him, but no less idiotic) is that because the Nazi party had the word "socialist" in their name they were left wing. Malika is pointing out that what people call themselves does not determine reality.

[Mr. Bumble]

Like Antifa claiming to be anti-fascists.

[Malika la Maize]

Sure. But, as often, you’re missing a big point: being terrible such as rioting is not limited to fascists.

[Longtobefree]

National DEMOCRATIC socialists . . . . .

(the only difference between todays democrat party and the Nazi party is that the Nazi party was nationalist and the democrats are globalist)

Nationalize healthcare
Kill babies that are not 'perfect'
Send goon squads into the streets to riot, terrorize, and attack the opposition
Fudge the election results
Nationalize everything else
Anti-semitic
ETC

[Sarcastr0]

I can't see this argument as anything but saying the US military should start killing all registered Democrats.

[Malika la Maize]

You have to love someone arguing the socialist part in the national socialists is determinative and then hand waving the nationalist part!

[bernard11]

Sounds like MAGA to me.

[Stephen Lathrop]

Just to be clear, that quote is apparently attributable to Stephen Miller, not Donald Trump.

[Brett Bellmore]

Or, we've actually got a large and growing movement of leftwing terrorism in this country.

You know it's not the sort of thing that's categorically impossible, we had one back in the 60's. The Weather Underground, for instance.

You've got known murderers like Mangione being celebrated on the left. You've got polls showing a large percentage of left-wingers think that political violence is morally justifiable. 55% of left-wing respondents to one poll said that assassinating Trump was justifiable.

Say you want to look at a You-Gov poll.

"Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to resort to violence in order to achieve political goals?"

11% of all adults said yes, 72% never.

The party breakdown was 14% yes among Democrats, 13% yes among independents, and 6% yes among Republicans.

And if you looked at the age breakdown, 18-29 year olds were enormously more approving of political violence than other age groups. Never was only 52% in that age group.

So, what percentage of the left do you think you need to have a large and growing movement of left-wing terrorism, like we did in the 60s and 70s? You think 14% isn't enough building material?

You think calling the opposing party fascists is helping? If you really believed that, you'd be in the 14%! If it was true, they'd be right!

[Sarcastr0]

Oh so you agree with the fascist.

And your sources don’t say anything to support what the fascist says,

So you agree with the fascist just cause you wanna be fascist.

Licking Stephen Millers jackboot is not where you had to end up, but it is where you choose to be.

[Commenter_XY]

Try winning an election.

[Sarcastr0]

Yeah, have made it repeatedly clear that you believe Trump winning means fascism is cool now.

Just the saddest trajectory of any poster on this website.

[DDHarriman]

"It's fascism that your side won an election!!"

[Sarcastr0]

It's fascist because of my original post where I quote Stephen Miller being fascist.

What a tedious strawman attempt.

[DDHarriman]

"Democratically elected officials using legitimate state power against my political tribe's terror networks is facism!"

[Sarcastr0]

You've now repeatedly failed to engage with my OP, and thrown up chaff instead.

[DDHarriman]

From your OP, the Miller quote:
"The issue before is now is very simple and clear. There is a large and growing movement of leftwing terrorism in this country. It is well organized and funded. And it is shielded by far-left Democrat judges, prosecutors and attorneys general. The only remedy is to use legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terror networks."

My comment:

"Democratically elected officials using legitimate state power against my political tribe's terror networks is facism!"

Carefully note the bolded and how symmetrical the statements are and my comment is just a snarky punching-up of the Miller quote. Then reflect upon how you got my comment so wrong. Were you just regurgitating talking points you didn't understand? Or even read? Does it make you feel ashamed to be such an e-activist on topics you don't even understand fully?

Or am I wrong and you're merely upset that I rejected your premise that using legitimate state power against terror networks is evidence of fascism?

I hope it's not that latter, because that's beyond retarded.

[Sarcastr0]

Since there is no vast leftist terrorism conspiracy being covered up by our judiciary and prosecutors and whatnot, the word legitimate doesn’t magically make Millers call not fascist.

You don’t get to back away and pretend this is something other than what it is. And that you are deflecting in defense of fascism.

Similar to how above you tried to argue the VA Attorney General’s race proves federal employees are into shooting Republicans and targeting conservatives to make them suffer.
And the you backed away.

I begin to see that being a weasel is kind of your thing.

[DDHarriman]

Me quoting Miller is "backing away"?

lol wtf

I embrace this wholeheartedly and do not back away from anything.

"The only remedy is to use legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terror networks".

I full-throatedly assert there is nothing fascist about that statement. Again that is NOT FASCISM. Me saying that is not fascism isn't me "back away".

I fully support any government using legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terror networks.

It's so bizarre that you think I was "backing down". It's like you're on some sort of script and not really understanding this conversation.

Similar to how above you tried to argue the VA Attorney General’s race proves federal employees are into shooting Republicans and targeting conservatives to make them suffer.
And the you backed away

What are you talking about? What backing away? VA Attorney General said horrific violent things about conservatives in a state where there are ALOT of federal employees who are like-minded and will actively DARVO to protect him. Like you're doing now.

You created a strawman, and then when I wouldn't accept your silly absurd premises or strawmen you say I'm "backing away".

No you nut. Rejecting your insinuations, premises, or claims is not "backing away".

Again:
Using legitimate state power to dismantle terror networks is not fascism and something I fully support.

Voting for an Attorney General who publicly fantasizes about killing conservatives means you probably shouldn't have any authority or interactions with conservatives. For their own safety.

Very clear. I back away from nothing. Why do you think dismantling terror networks by a government using legitimate power is fascism?

[Brett Bellmore]

"Since there is no vast leftist terrorism conspiracy being covered up by our judiciary and prosecutors and whatnot, the word legitimate doesn’t magically make Millers call not fascist."

So, once again, you're evaluating everybody's motives, nature, and intent, on the assumption that they secretly agree with you about everything.

Because your reasoning here isn't even based on you being you're right about there not being this terrorist network. It's based on Miller agreeing with you that there isn't such a terrorist network.

If Miller, even mistakenly, thinks the contrary, your reasoning collapses.

To paraphrase, "I beseech thee in the bowels of Christ, think it possible somebody may honestly disagree with you!"

[DDHarriman]

Great explanation Brett and I completely missed that in my last response.

You're dead on. He's just another version of loki.

loki:
ADOPT MY BELIEFS OR I MUTE YOU

sacastr0:
ADOPT MY BELIEFS OR YOU'RE A FASCIST

[bernard11]

"I beseech thee in the bowels of Christ, think it possible somebody may honestly disagree with you!"

From Brett Bellmore!! Who has never in his life thought that someone might honestly disagree with him, who thinks that everything he dislikes is part of a huge secret plot to destroy the Republic.

LOL

[bernard11]

Are you illiterate?

Winning an election doesn't give anyone unbridled power, yet that what Trump and his idiot supporters, like you and XY seem to think.

[Joe_dallas]

Still not grasping the far greater level of fascism from the left

[Malika la Maize]

Non-responsive ipse dixit from the accountant.

[Malika la Maize]

Your own source cites a poll before the Kirk murder with the GOP having a higher percent: “the percentage of people who said it was at least “a little” justified had already risen to 36% among Republican respondents and 33% among Democratic respondents.”

[Sarcastr0]

Also none of it supports the vast conspiracy Miller lays out.

Brett is a master at drawing the conclusions he wishes to draw.
And apparently he wishes for fascism against liberals to be necessary.

Through self-delusion, Brett has become a fascist.

[Malika la Maize]

An easy way to get a lot of people to abandon principles of civil liberty is to proclaim an existential emergency. A lot of the right swims in existential emergencies and Trump declares them everywhere.

[Mr. Bumble]

We all know about the Covid "emergency".
Mask up!

[Malika la Maize]

It’s telling that the precious liberty you latch onto is…being free from the temporary wearing of a mask? That one?

[DDHarriman]

What's even more telling is how quickly you abandon your robust principles of civil liberties as soon as it's fascism you like.

[Malika la Maize]

I didn’t like wearing a mask, it’s just a really small thing. I mean, the limitations on business would be worth citing but the masks?

[DDHarriman]

Right, your principles of civil liberty clearly come heavily gerrymandered. Little bit of fascism that I agree with? Sure! Little bit of action I am told is fascism and instructed not to agree with? IT'S THE END TIMES!!!

[Sarcastr0]

You have a scale problem.
Also you are deflecting to a different subject.

Again.

Of you can’t defend the fascism say so. Because so far it seems like you just want to run interference for it by changing the subject.

[DDHarriman]

Do you have a guiding principle for when state action is fascism and when it isn't?

Nevermind. We can see what that is. Republican state action = fascism. Democrat state action = love, kindness, and definitely NOT fascism.

Pathetic.

[Joe_dallas]

As if masking actually could / did slow the spread of covid.

[Malika la Maize]

It was a generally reasonable idea given the novel nature of what was going on, amateur accountant epidemiologist aside.

[Joe_dallas]

Continually showing your lack of any basic science knowledge. Masking was shown to be ineffective prior to covid, and masking continued to shown to be ineffective.
Covid is a respiratory virus. 5 years later, you still havent learned the facts.

[Malika la Maize]

If anyone googles masks and raves they will see plenty of cites supporting it from sources far more respected than an accountant in Texas.

[Joe_dallas]

Yes google covid mask effectiveness and you get a few hundred positive reviews of mask effectiveness.

quite frankly I wouldnt expect you to have the basic skill set to do a proper google search. You might have known the pathetic state of quality of those pro mask studies.

Nor have displayed anything remotely resembling an ability to evaluate any scientific study.

Try

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11715561/

Try Cochrane

[Brett Bellmore]

Indeed, and maybe Democrats could stop declaring that their opponents winning elections is an existential emergency.

[Malika la Maize]

Generally agreed, but it was a fair cop to be worried about it in 2024 given Trump’s actions from 2020-4.

[Brett Bellmore]

It was unreasonable even if you believed everything Democrats accused Trump of being. (ESPECIALLY if you believe the trash talk about how stupid he is.) There are too many power centers in the US, and most of them extremely hostile to Trump. Even if he were TRYING to terminate US democracy, he's not going to live long enough to pull it off.

FDR had four terms and most of the power centers eating out of his hand, and he couldn't pull it off.

But you might consider something. The reason dictators hold onto power so fanatically, doing absolutely anything possible to keep it even days longer, is that the retirement plan sucks. If you're a dictator, your only safety, such as it is, is to remain in power; Lose that power, and you lose your freedom and probably your life.

Reflect on that, and consider the way Democrats set out to utterly destroy Trump after the 2020 election. You gave him that dictator's retirement plan, made resuming office and remaking America his only salvation.

Maybe if you'd just left him the hell alone, instead of trying to utterly destroy him, he'd have retired. It would have at least been a safe option.

[Sarcastr0]

This is you justifying Trump being fascist by blaming Democrats.

It doesn't work. If you support fascism, you support fascism. That's on you. Not on the Dems, not on the 'centers of power,' that don't support Trump enough, not even on Trump.

That's on you. Supporting this is a choice you made.

[Brett Bellmore]

I don't support fascism, you asshole. Neither do I support your side calling your opponents "fascists" and then setting out to personally destroy them.

You call your opponents fascists who are out to destroy democracy, and then when somebody believes you and acts accordingly, you deny responsibility for it.

[DDHarriman]

They call us fascists because they want to kill us.

[Sarcastr0]

You posted in support of Stephen Miller's post, which is absolutely fascist.

There are plenty of conservatives on here who don't stan for fascists.
Many you don't call them conservative.
Others are MAGA, but smart enough not to openly endorse Stephen Miller, or white nationalist twitter or the like.

It's not hard. You failed the test.

[DDHarriman]

"The only remedy is to use legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terror networks".

omg! That should be against the law it's so fascist!!! dismantling terrorism is JUST LIKE HOLOCAUST!!!

lol wtf

[bernard11]

Brett,

The Democrats did not set out to destroy Trump. He committed serious crimes, especially the Mar-a-Lago documents business. (And no crap about how Biden and Pence did the same thing. That claim has been eviscerated countless times here.)

[Brett Bellmore]

Oh, bullshit.

[Sarcastr0]

Great job agreeing to disagree Brett.

[TwelveInchPianist]

When we do it, it's because the other side deserves it. When they do it, it's political persecution.

[bernard11]

Not all of them, but 2024, yes.

[David Nieporent]

"Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to resort to violence in order to achieve political goals?"

What a stupid question. Unless one is a member of a pacifist sect that believes that violence is never permissible, one should answer yes to that. How can violence never be justified? Assassinating Hitler is the canonical example, of course. If those in power are bad enough, and there are no peaceful ways to remove them (e.g., they refuse to hold legitimate elections), then yes, violence would be justified.

[Sarcastr0]

So if Miller starts jailing prominent Dems or worse, citing national security, we can put Brett down as a supporter. Alongside Commenter (naturally), DDHarriman, and Joe_dallas.

And then they get annoyed when we call them fascist.

[DDHarriman]

If prominent Dems get indicted and then found guilty by a jury of their peers and sentenced to jail, you will call that fascism.

Because to you, Democrats can break the law, that's saving democracy and their hearts are pure. Democrats being held accountable for breaking the law, well that's sickening fascism because reasons.

[Krayt]

How about dozens of charges attempting to jail a president, then a presidential candidate, then use various initiatives to get him kicked off the ballot?

He's a pig. But so are you.

[Michael P]

A Harvard professor fired a pellet rifle twice outside a Boston-area synagogue, claiming to be "hunting rats". We need to shut the whole thing down until we can figure out what the hell is going on with Harvard.

https://nypost.com/2025/10/04/us-news/harvard-professor-who-was-hunting-rats-placed-on-leave-after-firing-pellet-gun-near-synagogue/

[Malika la Maize]

From the source: “Investigators do not believe that Gouvea was targeting the synagogue”

“We need to shut the whole thing down until we can figure out what the hell is going on with Harvard.”

Mikie felt the same way about the Marines after the recent MN and NC shootings!

[Bored Lawyer]

"From the source: “Investigators do not believe that Gouvea was targeting the synagogue”"

The same article states he told police he was shooting rats. Yeah, that's believable, someone shows up to a synagogue right before Yom Kippur to hunt rats. Sorry, not buying that.

And this a visiting professor of law, not some punk.

[Joe_dallas]

Especially since rat bait is massively more effective and since he was hunting rats on a property likely several blocks away from his property.

Absolutely nothing credible about the alibi - but believable by the typical anti-semite

[Mr. Bumble]

Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

[Malika la Maize]

This is classic jd:

1. The fact that there’s a better way to kill rats doesn’t mean the excuse is incredible because people often engage in stupid ways to do things
2. You don’t have to believe his excuse to conclude he wasn’t targeting the synagogue, there’s lots of things that may have been present that led the investigators to conclude that a. his excuse was bunk but b. his target was not the synagogue.

[Bunny495]

Shooting rats but broke a car window and a pellet was recovered inside the car (I suspect it will be matched to his pellet rifle. He is associated with some environmental and social justice organization in South America.

As my Daddy use to say "you can always tell a Harvard man, you just can't tell him very much".

[Brett Bellmore]

I don't believe there's actually any way to match an air gun pellet to the rifle that fired it...

[Bunny495]

Google is your friend. Even a smooth bore pellet rifle will have small imperfections that can leave groves on the pellet. As someone who has a collection of pellet guns, I tend to favor ones with rifled barrels. While the one used by the perp has not been identified in the press it seems to have been recovered by the LEOs and I would be shocked if the perp did not have pellets on him that were also recovered.

Not sure what your background is with air rifles, but they have a long history going back to the 1500s and for some applications may be superior to powder burners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzPZfhWAZZk

[Mr. Bumble]

Thankfully he wasn't using this:
https://www.airgundepot.com/crosman-cfam1-full-auto-co2-powered-bb-air-rifle-0-000-crosman-cr-cfam1.html

[Bunny495]

Why would anyone wimp out with a BB gun when they had the option of a thirty caliber?

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B089ZPMYW2/reasonmagazinea-20/.VsHZwZrODr1mrLI81vBTvaR41Q_bZTQky8W0B3q7zZ2SyKvZX5rdmdBqJj1qvIsmhv9MbXh-xJfuk6ZtrMp2LxxtLlMwqwWSKIHXJyRLgehIo3B4uY9doL0kur_ltuuws2D2I-xhFFhAiZWOLJv77yHnhqtmTSGIkDBKjPorbwz9yiAOe1-IJ8KnYRyIr-HuSPVTJLDIyTGPpFBoCXk0LhrI5wnWiq00STgKWuKqgHmMAd-hG-NHbuJ8qEfKuWDsshUPNrQkoG5mGhvXSOKHcmi_hqhGQo5ehz7c-YMVDmw.HPJPgH5FJqGAc9KEZlsnevO62RKNoBRzFqOVlyREUTM&dib_tag=se&keywords=hatsan+blitz+30+cal+full+auto+air+rifle&qid=1759685329&sprefix=hatsan%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-1

[Mr. Bumble]

Hadn't heard about that one.

[Brett Bellmore]

It wasn't shot into ballistic gel, you know. I'm not saying it couldn't be done under ideal laboratory conditions, or on a police TV show.

But even ballistic matching on bullets has serious limitations.

[CountmontyC]

The markings can also change over time and use of the gun. Put a thousand rounds through a revolver and the markings will almost certainly be different from the first round versus the last round.

[Malika la Maize]

His excuse of hunting rats seems goofy, yes.

[Malika la Maize]

So you know more what was going on than the investigators from reading a NY Post article? Even if the guy’s excuse is goofy that doesn’t mean the investigators were wrong. By the way, the article says he was outside a synagogue, not that he “showed up to” one.

[Bored Lawyer]

I am not buying the story. Unless he lives right next to the synagogue, there is no legitimate reason for him to go there and start shooting.
And, yeah, that his excuse is goofy raises an inference that he is hiding something.

[Malika la Maize]

Are you really a lawyer? It raises an inference he was hiding *something* but it could be many things. He was drunk/high, he was targeting a congregant, he was targeting a congregant's car, he was being angry/stupid and so on. It’s possible he was motivated by anti-semitism, sure, but he also lived near there according to the report so his being “outside” a synagogue near his home doesn’t establish much. Why do you think the investigators concluded he wasn’t targeting the synagogue?

[Bunny495]

Near as in a few blocks away. At best he is guilty of criminal stupidity. As someone who owns and shoots several air rifles I am still waiting for more details about the one he used. As I linked to above there are air rifles that are lethal. Not just lethal to humans but they are also able to take down a Cape Buffalo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khbNTWXpFnw

[Bored Lawyer]

So he is hiding "something." None of the examples you give -- He was drunk/high, he was targeting a congregant, he was targeting a congregant's car, he was being angry/stupid and so on -- are legitimate reasons to be shooting. So the inference is sound.

Now let's say, for argument sake, it was not antisemitism but one of the other reasons you gave. What does that say about the state of the faculty at Harvard when a visiting professor of law acts that way?

I had some law professors who did not like me very much. (Mainly because I cut their classes.) But it never occurred to anyone that they would start shooting at me with an air rifle.

[Malika la Maize]

None are “legitimate” (that’s why he was seemingly rightly charged for his actions despite the conclusion he wasn’t targeting the synagogue), the question is are they possible or reasonable! So the inference he was “hiding something” may be sound but the specific something you suggest is sound to conclude, not so much.

I mean, you really claim you’re a lawyer?

[David Nieporent]

What does that say about the state of the faculty at Harvard when a visiting professor of law acts that way?

Nothing.

[David Nieporent]

Yeah, that's believable, someone shows up to a synagogue right before Yom Kippur to hunt rats. Sorry, not buying that.

So you think the police are in on this plot?

It does not say that her "showed up to a synagogue." It said he was near a synagogue (and also near where he lived).

[Bob from Ohio]

"So you think the police are in on this plot?"

Why not? Police follow orders from town leadership.

https://brookline.news/town-administrator-asks-residents-to-stop-putting-israeli-hostage-posters-on-public-property/

This is a month after the pogrom.

[David Nieporent]

The order to remove all unauthorized posters from public property? What does that have to do with anything?

[Commenter_XY]

David, the timing is very peculiar. I think you would say that as well.

[TwelveInchPianist]

1. He seems several years too old to be running around the neighborhood shooting wildlife with an air rifle.

2. An air rifle seems like an unlikely way to mount a terror attack on a synagogue.

3. He's lucky he didn't put his eye out.

[CountmontyC]

Committing vandalism, such as shooting out windows of the synagogue or vehicles, parked in front of the synagogue might not be high level terrorism but could still be defined as terrorism.

[A Japanese Student]

"No head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included in the design on the reverse of any coin under subsections (x), (y), and (z)." - 31 U.S.C. 5112(aa)(1). Subsection (y) authorizes the semiquincentennial coins.

(Nor does the Presidential Dollar Coin statute, subsection (n)(2)(E), allow for a living President's face to be engraved.)

[Roger S]

So why do we now have USA quarters with Maya Angelou and Anna May Wong on the back?

[David Nieporent]

Um, because they're both dead, so the "portrait" provision doesn't apply, and the coins aren't head and shoulders portraits or busts, so the first doesn't apply. Surely even you could've figured that out.

[Roger S]

They look like portraits and busts to me. I did not realize DEI had reached my coins. Maybe Pres. Trump can go back to using animals.

[hobie]

I thought Ronnie Reagan would be first. But MAGA wants a pedo rapist instead

[A Japanese Student]

Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election once again got to the runoff, and Ms. Takaichi defeated Mr. Koizumi, becoming the first woman to lead LDP. If all goes well she'll be the first PM. Media describe her as Japan's Thatcher - for a multitude of reasons.

She does need to find a coalition party - or maybe even two. Because she is a notorious right-wing figure (though not as right as some of the newer QAnon parties), Komeito, the moderate currently holding the coalition, is unhappy with continued coalition. Though they did spend 8 years with PM Abe, who is ideologically not different. Another contender is DPFP, once a small centrist opposition party, and now moving to the right each election. Ishin might try to sneak in as well.

What I'm really worried about, is Sanseito in the Cabinet. Ideologically Sanseito is aligned, really well, with her. That's not good. (Not to mention how much they can mess with the policies given Sanseito's willingness to spread conspiracy theories.)

What happens next is easily predictable: relations with South Korea break down again, same-sex marriage becomes the judiciary's job, and war crime denialism once again wins. She's also not a friend of free speech, either - remember, she is the person who suggested revoking broadcast license for "biased reporting".

[Bunny495]

If anyone is looking for a top tier movie to watch you checker outers can check this out. Directed by Jim Jarmusch, it stars Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Billy Bob Thornton, Iggy Pop, Crispin Glover, John Hurt, Michael Wincott, Lance Henriksen, Gabriel Byrne, Mili Avital, and Robert Mitchum in his final film performance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Man

[Malika la Maize]

Gabriel Byrne and Robert Mitchum in the same film seems like plenty of reason to check it out! Thanks.

[Bunny495]

I have to repost my favorite Voltaire quotation. "If you would speak with me first define your terms". The MSM is reporting a mass shooting in Alabama with what seems to me to be a slant about gun violence in red states. While it is true two peeps died and 14 were injured (some so serious they could die) the devil is in the details. Seems it was basically an old West gun fight in the streets with bystanders getting hit. Maybe more to the point it occurred after a football game between two HBCUs and even the most jaded lib would be forced to admit it looks like young black males were the perps.

A lot of the gun violence seems to be not just related to young black males (often gang members involved in disputes between corner boys) but collateral damage being worse than damage to the actual targets. Point is this type of incident is not just all too common, it is also swept under the rug by the MSM. It has reached the point where if the race of the perp is not noted it is usually safe to assume what race the perp was.

Maybe it is time to redefine different types of gun violence.

[Malika la Maize]

You’re citing the “MSM” and accusing them of sweeping it under the rug at the same time?

[Longtobefree]

No maybe about it; guns are not violent. They just sit there.
People are violent; with guns, knives, clubs, feet, fists, whatever.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

Fully automatic firearms? Atomic weaponry? Is there some point past which the "they just sit there" justification for legality doesn't work anymore?

[Brett Bellmore]

I suppose when they don't just sit there?

[Sarcastr0]

Technology is not value-free.

https://uoe-edinburgh-innovations.ed.ac.uk/for-staff/be-inspired/inspirational-innovators/shannon-vallor/reclaiming-humane-technology

[Bwaaah]

What a waste of a life. Maybe there's an opening for her in some Ministry of Truth.

[not guilty]

"No maybe about it; guns are not violent. They just sit there.
People are violent; with guns, knives, clubs, feet, fists, whatever."

Guns don't kill people.
Gunshot wounds kill people -- with a much greater fatality rate than "knives, clubs, feet, fists, whatever."

Guns facilitate killing without the killer having to get up close and personal with the victim. I surmise that is why cowards much prefer them.

[jb]

Here's the story that popped up when I looked:

https://www.wsfa.com/2025/10/05/14-shot-2-killed-downtown-mass-shooting/

"A motive was not immediately clear, but Graboys said this was “not a typical mass shooting,” noting it involved two groups shooting at each other in the middle of a crowd"

Not sure where you're seeing the hidden agenda in the reporting.

[DDHarriman]

It has reached the point where if the race of the perp is not noted it is usually safe to assume what race the perp was.

That's called Coulter's Law. It's defined as "The longer we go without being told the race of the shooters, the less likely it is to be white men."

[jb]

At least in the story I posted, it doesn't seem like they know who the shooters were. So perhaps unsurprising that race isn't mentioned.

[DDHarriman]

Recall from the OP.

" Maybe more to the point it occurred after a football game between two HBCUs and even the most jaded lib would be forced to admit it looks like young black males were the perps."

What race do you think they were?

[jb]

No idea, because I like to wait to get solid information instead of jumping to conclusions. You should try it sometime!

(Also, OP is just narrative by someone who wasn't actually there so not sure why I'd trust that more than what law enforcement is saying.)

[DDHarriman]

lol oh come 'on.

you're not waiting for "solid information", you're waiting for MSNBC to tell you what to think about it.

[ThePublius]

Do not attend events likely to draw a lot of blacks.

[jb]

It's wild how the Trump era has encouraged the racists to just come back out into the open and say shit like this.

[Frank Drackman]

One even got erected (literally) POTUS in 2020

[TwelveInchPianist]

Leticia James used to chant racist and sexist slogans about Trump like "Too male, too pale..." while promising to prosecute and sue her political opponent, and you guys were fine with it.

[Frank Drackman]

Thanks John!

[Mr. Bumble]

Too bad the Pope can't be impeached.
Pope Leo is shaping up to be another Francis.

[jb]

Imagine reading the whole bible, and not just the parts that support your politics!

[Mr. Bumble]

Easy enough since the Bible is full of contradictions.

[Longtobefree]

Sorry about your Bible; mine is just fine.

[Mr. Bumble]

?

[jb]

Longtobefree apparently has a special bible with no contradictions.

Based on the quality of their posts, I'd guess it is one of the illustrated storybook ones for kids.

[not guilty]

"Too bad the Pope can't be impeached.
Pope Leo is shaping up to be another Francis."

Because he doesn't hate the same folks you hate, Mr. Bumble?

Pope Leo leads an evil institution, but I am impressed with his remarks about plans to honor Senator Dick Durbin with a “lifetime achievement award” for his decades-long work on immigration reform. (Durbin declined the award.) Politico reports:

The pope’s message was clear. He urged Catholics to resist reducing any political figure — Durbin included — to a single-issue caricature.

“It’s important to look at the overall work that a senator has done during, if I’m not mistaken, in 40 years of service in the United States Senate,” the pope told reporters Tuesday, responding to a question from EWTN News.

More pointedly, he added: “Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion’ but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life. Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro life.”

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/10/01/pope-defends-church-honoring-durbin-00589364 [Boldface in original.}

It's encouraging to have a pontiff who recognizes that being "pro-life" entails far more than blastocystophilia.

[Mr. Bumble]

Seems to me that you are the one who hates. Because I disagree with someone does not mean I hate them. As the adage goes, "love the sinner (however you wish to define sin) hate the sin.
Equating abortion with the death penalty is a strawman; not even close to the same thing.
The best that could be said for Little Dick Durbin is that he's a politician and supports things that he thinks will win him votes.

[CountmontyC]

I would be quite willing to give the unborn the same right to appeal their death sentences as a convicted murderer. I mean why should the unborn have fewer rights than a convicted murderer.

[Bob from Ohio]

Federal judge reduces attempted murder sentence by 70% from guidelines because perp recently claimed he was now a woman and his mom had now accepted his true self. Dude still fully equipped.

Justified? Insane?

[Malika la Maize]

Cite?

[Mr. Bumble]

https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/10/would-be-kavanaugh-assassin-gets-lenient-sentence-after-pleading-trans/

Seven hour sentencing hearing, 34 page sentencing memorandum (calling for 30 years) and he gets 8 years.

[David Nieporent]

Although the judge did mention the guy's supposed transition, that was not the primary reason she identified for the lower sentence. The primary reason was that the guy turned himself in w/o doing anything.

[Mr. Bumble]

"The sentencing took more than seven hours, with much of the time dedicated to discussing how Roske’s transgender identity meant he should get a lighter sentence."
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.514255/gov.uscourts.mdd.514255.98.0.pdf

In a more than hour-long speech justifying the light sentence, Boardman said “Ms. Roske came out to herself as transgender in 2020 but kept it secret. Ms. Roske’s sister came out as gay two years prior but Ms. Roske saw that their parents struggled to reconcile her sexuality with their religious beliefs.”

“I am heartened that this terrible infraction has helped the Roske family… accept their daughter for who she is,” Judge Boardman said."

[Bwaaah]

That's so beautiful.

I gotta get me a piece of that I'm-fucked-up love.

[David Nieporent]

I am not sure why you provided a link to something unrelated to your quotes, to which you provided no links. I see that those are from the Daily Wire. Let's just say that actual news outlets did not report it the same way. And you've fallen for spin; that they spent a lot of time talking about the defendant supposedly being trans does not mean that it was the primary factor in the judge's decision.

[ThePublius]

Bullshit.

[Frank Drackman]

Great put down Pubiclouse!

[Commenter_XY]

Insane.

[TwelveInchPianist]

The twinkle defense, eh?

[santamonica811]

Okay, now that's funny.

[not guilty]

In the criminal prosecution of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Judge Waverly Crenshaw has ruled that the Defendant is entitled to discovery and an evidentiary hearing on his claim of vindictive prosecution. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.tnmd.104622/gov.uscourts.tnmd.104622.138.0.pdf

The judge declined to resolve Abrego’s arguments on actual vindictiveness at this juncture, subject to revisiting that issue following discovery and an evidentiary hearing. The Court concluded that the defense has made a prima facie showing of “some evidence” that there is a realistic likelihood that the prosecution against him may be vindictive and Abrego is therefore entitled to discovery and a hearing.

Upon such a showing, a presumption of vindictiveness arises, which the burden is on the government to rebut. United States v. Andrews, 633 F.2d 449 (6th Cir. 1980) (en banc), cert. denied, 450 U.S. 927 (1981). The Government bears the burden of rebutting the presumption with objective, on-the-record explanations such as governmental discovery of previously unknown evidence or previous legal impossibility. United States v. Howell, 17 F.4th 673, 687 (6th Cir. 2021); Andrews, at 456 and n.10.

[DDHarriman]

It's gonna be costly for Soros to pay for Abrego to litigate that case from Somalia. Do you think the next Democrat president will reimburse Soros for his generous monies like in the past?

[David Nieporent]

It's always about the Jews for you people.

But since this is a criminal case, it isn't going to cost anybody except the taxpayers. Although I assume that since there was never a good faith basis for the prosecution and its sole purpose was to retaliate against Abrego Garcia for being returned from his illegal deportation, that the government will dismiss the charges if it deports him.

[DDHarriman]

In Chicago, several Democrats boxed in and rammed an ICE vehicle. The Chicago Police were ordered to not assist the federal agents under attack.

---

That is what an insurrection looks like. State action, like in Oregon, and now Illinois, to aid and abet violent assaults on federal agents.

[Sarcastr0]

You're trusting tweets from ICE to not be a pack of lies.

We can't do that. Especially these days.

Wait for the story to be reported out.

I've noticed a lot of posters on here are very bad at just waiting a sec for the reporting to catch up, as though twitter was gospel.

[ThePublius]

This story was "reported out" more than a day ago by multiple outlets.

[DDHarriman]

I watched the video where you can see with your own eyes a Black SUV ramming an ICE vehicle repeatedly and then pushing it 50-100 yards .

You can actually watch the video yourself.

--
You're trusting tweets from ICE to not be a pack of lies.
--

This is rich. What other government agencies publish packs of lies? Is ICE the only one?

[ThePublius]

Sarcastr0 and David Nieporent and a few others on here are always skeptical, incredulous, questioning, eve mocking, when something reported doesn't comport with their preferred narrative. They are best ignored.

[Mr. Bumble]

"...when something reported doesn't comport with their preferred narrative."
Or appear in the NYT, WAPO or other MSM.
Like (to them) a tree falling in an empty forest makes no sound and a story reported by other than their preferred sources didn't happen.

[David Nieporent]

It's kind of astonishing that you guys think one should not consider the source and its credibility when evaluating a story.

[Sarcastr0]

This is anodyne, partisan-neutral advice.

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/projects/breaking-news-consumers-handbook

[ThePublius]

I like potatoes. I had a great dinner of prime rib, baked, stuffed shrimp, green beans in butter, and a baked potato with butter and sour cream. I think my favorite part was the potato. Maybe it's because I'm Irish. 🙂

I think I'll go to the store and get a couple of russets and bake one, and eat it along with my leftover prime rib.

Why are potatoes so good?

[Mr. Bumble]

Best baked potatoes I can remember were the ones I had when I was a kid. We would have a "camp fire" in the back yard and bake the potatoes in the coals.

[ThePublius]

That sounds great! I remember that, wrapping them in tin foil and throwing them in the fire's coals.

And then loading them with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream - yum!

I eat the skins, too, best part.

[Bwaaah]

Yep...wrapped in foil and cooked in the coals. Makes 'em even better to eat when you're outside and it's cold. Skins are great.

[Mr. Bumble]

Used to get a similar result when I had a Weber grill. Would place the potatoes in the V of what Weber called "flavorizer bars"
(which they used rather than lava rock or ceramic briquets).
Not quite the same, but pretty close.

[Life of Brian]

+1 on baked potatoes; +10 on skins. I usually rub them with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and run them at 400 for about an hour and a half. You do need a drip tray under, but they come out crispy and delicious.

[ThePublius]

Wow I'm going for 45 minutes at 400º in a toaster oven. Do you recommend longer?

(I'm just letting the toaster oven's drip tray take care of it; it slides out for cleaning.)

And, yes, olive oil, coarse ground Kosher salt, and coarse ground pepper. I have those excellent, adjustable Hexclad grinders (Gordon Ramsey).

[Life of Brian]

Depends on the size. Fist-size or so I might just do an hour, but the giant russets take longer. And this timing does make for a firm, crispy shell, so if you like the jacket a bit more chewy I definitely wouldn't run them as long.

The Hexclads look really sleek. My most recent set of grinders is by Peugeot -- they're the only brand I've found that comfortably takes Tellicherry peppercorns without constantly jamming.

[ThePublius]

I'm sure you poke them with a fork, no?

[ThePublius]

"+10 on skins"

I was told as a kid that the skins are where all of the vitamins are. I don't know if that's so, but I love them just the same.

Remember when potato skins became a thing in pubs? I love that. With cheddar cheese, bacon, and what have you, plus sour cream.

[not guilty]

"Why are potatoes so good?"

Potatoes, by themselves, are quite bland. But they make a great delivery system for whatever more flavorful condiments you apply or other tasty ingredients you blend them with.

My ancestry is mostly Irish. My late second wife's heritage was Italian. Once on a weekend trip to Gatlinburg I bought a cookbook entitled "The Great Recipes of Ireland." My wife (appropriately) teased me about what a thin volume it was.

[ThePublius]

That's funny! Like "100 Years of German Humor," and "Black Yachtsman I Have Known."

Seriously, though, I like the flavor of the potato - the base, or substrate, to which you allude. With salt, pepper, butter, sour cream - heaven!

Italian cuisine is the best, in my opinion, 'though there are some anglo saxon dishes I really like, like steak and kidney pie.

[Mr. Bumble]

"Black Yachtsman I Have Known." Been a while since I heard that one. Thanks.
As for potatoes they are like eggs; simple, yet so good in so many ways.
Baked, fried, mashed, boiled, home fries, hash browns anything but au gratin.

[not guilty]

I like to make mashed potatoes, as well as potato soup, with cream cheese in addition to butter and other seasonings.

[ThePublius]

Sounds good! Do you have a recipe to share?

[Jmaie]

Leek and potato soup, start by rendering the fat from a half pound of bacon. Cook a couple of sliced up leeks, add a quart of chicken stock, throw in a couple chopped up russets and cook until tender Use a hand blender to make as smooth as you like, add cream and S&P to taste. Top with the bacon crumbled up and some chopped scallions.

[ThePublius]

Wow, sounds great!

[not guilty]

I've never written down the recipe, but I boil about three pounds of red potatoes in chicken broth, skins on, and mash them by hand with a half cup of butter, an 8 oz. package of cream cheese, and a cup of half and half. Seasoned with Tony Cachere's Creole seasoning and garlic powder to taste.

For soup I dice the potatoes, along with diced celery, diced onion and minced garlic. I add the same quantities of butter, cream cheese and seasonings. Boil in chicken broth and blend in the half and half.

[not guilty]

To thicken either the mashed potatoes or the potato soup, a package of peppered, country style gravy mix is helpful.

[Kazinski]

Potatoes are good because they are evil and filled with carbs.

[Bunny495]

Back when I was just a whippersnapper, I did the Comrades Marathon. As with most ultra distance races lasting more than two hours additional nutrition is available on the course. While I have finished 15 Ironman distance triathlons and countless other ultra events the Comrades Marathon was different in that instead of stuff like Gatorade and Power Bars only water and quartered boiled potato logs were offered.

https://comrades.com/

[Frank Drackman]

So if (The) Zoran Ramadan-damn-he does win in November, what are the odds he survives his term? I'm thinking a Malcolm the Xth style "hit" by one of the more "Progressive" Moose-lum Terrorist groups, like Islamic Jihad.

Frank

[Bwaaah]

How many years of my life would I submit under the rule of a Democratic Socialist mayor?

I worked hard and saved my money. For what? To fund Sarcastro's low expectation vision of achievement?

"All losers go to the head of the line."

Would I live the rest of my life waiting to stop being a schmuck? I don't think so.