Jul 19, 2018

Today's Tweet



You know it's a party when the mariachis show up.

 

My Analytics

For the second time in a month or so, I've asked Google if I should be worried about traffic from Russia.


No answer so far.

I may be paranoid, but that don't mean nobody's out to get me.

Weird Science

Jul 18, 2018

I Want This

There's no way I'd be able to use it, but I want it.

Your Minority Is Showing

Deranged conservative grifter, Ted Nugent played a "concert" in Roanoke.

The Hill:

Musician Ted Nugent, a vocal gun rights advocate, reportedly barred guns from being allowed into a venue he performed at in Virginia on Tuesday night.
A local NBC affiliate reported that Nugent's management made the decision to tell fans they could not bring their guns inside the Berglund Performing Arts Theater in Roanoke, Va.

According to the news outlet, the Berglund Center said that since it is owned by the city it is not allowed to ban guns from being carried into its facility unless a performer requests it. A sub-contract between Nugent and his promoter regarding open carry was shared with Berglund Center management right before the performance, according to NBC.

"It happened about five minutes before we opened doors, we had a security meeting before we opened doors and the subject came up and we said, 'Yes people will be bringing firearms,'" Berglund Center General Manager Robyn Schon told NBC.

According to Schon, Nugent's team said, "Uh, no, our agreement says no."
So, it's always pretty cool when the "conservative" is shown up to be a hypocrite, but there's something else.

Buried in the story is the little nugget that about 1000 fans showed up for the performance at a venue that seats 3,000+.

And I think that's instructive because "conservatives" are constantly claiming that theirs is the view shared by "The American People" - always inviting (insisting actually) on the inference that the majority of us agree with even the shittiest little notion that oozes out of the conservative id.

They can't be trusted at all. They got in line with, and voted for TRE45SON , and they continue to stand by that support. How do we not assume they're either lying to us all the time for nefarious reasons, or they just don't care?

BTW: available at cafepress.com for 5 bucks.




Today's Tweet



It's just a word, y'know.


Today's GIF


Just a quick reminder that there's beauty to be found in the world.

And also too - if we want to keep it, we have to fight for it.

Jul 17, 2018

Trae Crowder

The Liberal Redneck asks, "What about your boy?"

Randy Rainbow

...is the real genius


It's The Money, Stupid

Because it's always the money.

Here's another little "Holy Fuck Moment" for today.


"Unrelated" to the Mueller probe, a Russian citizen inside the US has been arrested and charged under a criminal indictment.

That's kind of a big fuckin' deal, kids.


Again - it's not simple. There are no 10-word bumper stickers that explain it all. But if you want the basics, then just assume everything is being driven by one scheme or another to launder (mostly Russian) money, and usually thru the Trump organization in some way.

The Maria Butina issue shows a wrinkle that uses American naïveté regarding our willingness to accept bizarre contortions like:

"Money is speech, so huge campaign contributions are protected under the 1st amendment, and the 2nd amendment is what makes the 1st amendment possible"

Also again, there are no simple solutions, but a good place to start is to get serious about Campaign Finance.

Fuck Citizens United.

Something In Their Smile

The smirk - the nonchalance - the "oh you crazy kids" - the fucking condescension.

Apparently, these guys got their media training from the same consulting outfit - GRU, maybe?


Starting at about :40




Starting at about 43:40




But sometimes, they slip a little. Starting at about 1:57

That Wrinkle Is Not New

When we're talking about the all-time list of Top 10 Oxymorons, "Russian Gun Rights" has to be in the conversation.

Yahoo News:

A Russian gun-rights activist who developed close relations with leaders of the National Rifle Association as well as conservative activists working with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign was arraigned Monday on charges she conspired to influence American politics on behalf of the Russian government.

Maria Butina, 29, who founded the Russian gun group “The Right to Bear Arms” and worked as the executive assistant to a top official of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, was arrested Sunday by the FBI in Washington, D.C., where she had been living. The charges allege that she visited the United States in 2015 and 2016 for the purposes of acting “as an agent” of the Russia, according to a criminal complaint released by the U.S. Justice Department on Monday afternoon, a few hours after President Trump and Russian President Putin met in Helsinki. Butina conspired to “exploit personal connections” with U.S. political figures and to “infiltrate organizations active in U.S. politics” and establish “back channel lines of communication” in an effort to advance Russian government interests, the complaint charges.

And just like "the good Germans", and "the ordinary Soviet citizens", and "the plain folk of Cambodia", and and and - the main question (as it always is) will be:

How did so many of us get so fucking stoopid?

It's not simple, but this classic from Driftglass gives a pretty good look at how this shit happens:


One day we will have to explain to the children what happened when Thurston Howell III lost his right mind and decided that for the sake of some tax cuts to make him incrementally more comfortable, his very bestest buddies in the whole, wide world were the Ultra Right Wing Gorgons down in Jesusland.

May I suggest the following?

The Story of Little Red State Fundy

Little Red State Fundy found a grain of hate.

"Who will help me plant the hate?" she asked.

"Not I," said the Moderate Republicans.

"Not I," said the Undecideds.

"Not I," said the Libertarians.

"Then I will," said Little Red State Fundy.

So she buried the hate in the bloody ground of the Old Confederacy. After a while it grew up paranoid and ignorant and violent.


This joint didn't get all fucked up yesterday, and we're not going to unfuck it by tomorrow.

Chop the wood. Carry the water.

Jul 16, 2018

DIY Tip

I'm a big fan of law-n-order. I like it best when we can count on people to behave themselves according to a set of clearly defined rules, which includes a proper course to follow when somebody crosses the line. Due process, dontcha know.

But sometimes, you just gotta fuck 'em back, right fucking now.


Nicely done, young woman.

Today's GIF

So - 

A) Baby's first brain freeze

B) Lemme just take a sip of Grandpa's "orange juice".

Today's Tweet



Meanwhile, in Helsinki