I have been offline since shortly after noon on Wednesday, September 17th. Obviously, I have missed a ton of news. In your opinion, what are the most important things that have happened in that time period that I should know about?
I mean, I have to start somewhere, don’t I?
Well this one caught my attention
Not in a good way
http://www.examiner.com/article/jahi-mcmath-brain-death-ruling-family-wants-brain-dead-girl-declared
-alive
If that happens can we have michele bachmann declared legally deceased? It seems only fair…
Start with a big, fat, tentatively relieved, welcome back.
I welcome you back, BM. I hope that your health issue was addressed by our wonderful health system (?? – YMMV).
I think that ISIS is a key issue. There have been many ferocious armies in history, and these guys look like they are as bad as any. Coincidentally, my wife and I leave for Istanbul 10/16. I hope that the ISIS folks stay S and E of the city.
Are you ok, Martin?
You scared us half to death!
Welcome back!!! 🙂
I’d start with our conservatives fears that those of us who survive the ISIS beheadings here, will find ourselves dying of the Ebola Virus.
I think I saw on the twitter machine that Nate Silver and the other guy (whose name escapes me right now) are both now saying the GOP will take over the Senate.
Oh! And a huge WELCOME BACK!!!
Sam Wang
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Thanks, yes.
Welcome back!!!!!!!!!! I in serious need of some good news analysis.
This
This
This
This
This
And the fact that Michele Bachmann, Lindsey Graham, and Jeb Bush are thinking about adding their names to the 2016 Republican clown car.
Welcome back, Booman.
Welcome back!
Here’s strong evidence of complete disarray in the top ranks of the Republican Party from McClatchy:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/10/03/242057_two-years-out-poll-shows-hillary.html?sp=%2F99%2F104%2F
463%2F&rh=1
The replacement of the first female Secret Service Director with an old school agent who had his own past security failure is on top of my list.
It’s not some important policy issue, but it is extremely discouraging. It continues the familiar pattern of appointing female CEO’s to broken organizations and then replacing them when progress is slow because of entrenched resistance. And replacing her with someone who was part of the problem? This was all done on Obama’s request, so it is laid at his feet, and shows how prevalent the ‘glass cliff’ is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_cliff
Add to that Sam Harris working his mouth and setting the Rational movement back a few years. With ‘leadership’ like Harris, Dawkins, and the dead Hitchens, is it no wonder Rationality constantly takes 2 steps forward and one and a half steps back? If I was debating Harris I would wait and wait and then spring the whole thing right at him, and watch his sexist head explode. Rationalist debaters suffer from painting all their opponents with the brush of extremists. Well, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
http://www.salon.com/2014/10/03/new_atheisms_troubling_misogyny_the_pompous_sexism_of_richard_dawkin
s_and_sam_harris_partner/
Hey Harris….how about the next time a woman says it’s an issue, you believe her, instead of being a condescending wanker!
Then there is the ongoing ‘war on everyone different than a white punk, particularly women who speak their minds’ in the gaming community.
http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/13/6145169/anita-sarkeesian-shares-the-most-radical-thing-you-can-do-
to-support
We cannot be expected to clean up every mess in the world until we show we can clean up our own.
nalbar
The news item about her taking agents off of the Presidential protection detail and sending them to harass her secretary’s neighbor is more than enough to fire her. She should also be criminally charged with misappropriating government resources for private use.
didn’t see that, that’s something, bad, – where did you read it?
Heard it on Sirius XM Progressive. Michelangelo Signorile show.
I looked for it, but seems it was her predecessor, Sullivan, one reason he was fired/ she replaced him. his excuse (or someone’s) it wasn’t so bad because they were out of town/ at Camp David at the time ???? how stupid can he be? btw can’t find the story now to link
Here’s the story. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/secret-service-agents-pulled-off-white-house-patrol-to-help-p
rotect-a-top-officials-friend/2014/05/10/8bd962bc-d453-11e3-aae8-c2d44bd79778_story.html
Would that be her in 2011 or the guy just re-instated?
That would be the previous Director, Mark Sullivan.
.
Then I conflated the two during Michangelo’s long rant on the failings of the Secret Service. Which returns me to my original thinking (pre-Mike), “Why are we blaming the director for low level failings?” Perhaps it was lax management, perhaps not. An investigation is in order, not a witch hunt. And bringing back the previous guy is just insane.
Thanks for clarifying the facts.
On the other hand, firing Directors of law enforcement agencies in places Ferguson Mo, Beavercreek OH, Fulton County GA, San Jose CA, St. Paul MN, Cartersville GA, Orlando FL, Chesterfield MS… might be a good place to start. Bad apples are found in bushels and somebody picked them from the tree.
BTW: An enduring story not to be missed is Ferguson, 57 days after the cop killing of Michael Brown (whether properly covered by national media or not). Ferguson is the American story that covers all the bases: racism, police militarization, police non-accountability, cop “justified/unjustified” murder, education, employment, poverty, participatory democracy, voting rights and obligations, corrupt municipal governance, suburban segregation, corporate out-sourcing jobs, constitutional rights of assembly & freedom of speech…any issue plaguing our society. Check out the range of articles the Ferguson Protestors Newsletter “Words and Actions” suggests supporters read. (Issue #23). http://eepurl.com/4V34D
Sounds like the directors superior in DHS was also a problem b/c he minimized it and didn’t act. A NY Times editorial [now I cannot find it[ point was Sec. Ser should be taken out of DHS and put back under Treasury as the self standing it was before, that “bureaucratism” has taken hold.
thanks,
Make that “ebola in
AmericaTexas. It’s part of the Confederacy not the USA.Our thread bare neo-confederate forces will have as much luck containing ebola as their great granddaddies’ did containing Sherman or holding Vicksburg.
And the evil/incompetent lib’rul federal gub’mint will get the blame.
Oh man, am I glad to see you back. There were some great posts in your absence, but I missed you.
The team stepped up to cover for you, BooMan, so that was great. But it’s wonderful to have you back, in any capacity. You were missed!
Sure, there are alternative approaches to ISIS.
Here’s an intriguing one:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/16/chelsea-manning-isis-strategy
Thanks but I saw that. I doubt it will work. It has to be more comprehensive.
Interesting ideas though, and a remarkably sober-but-readable style. A much better writer, I’m glad to say, and better informed, than Eduardo Snowden.
Good to see you back.
WB ~Booman~
You were missed – good to see you up & about
Here’s one more:
Ebola Will Not Become Airborne and Here’s Why
And Bezos’s Bozos allowed Dan Sennett to opine that Allen West should be protecting President Obama.
That sounds as ridiculous as it probably is.
Another meme in the “Obama can’t protect himself. How can he protect you?” distraction campaign leading up to midterms. Part of Bezos’s Bozos coverage of White House intrusions, the last conveniently timed to heighten security during the Global Climate March, the earlier one during Occupy K Street in 2011.
Now don’t go trying to stuff in everything you missed in one sitting, it’s all mostly trivia. Just read your usual sources for a couple days, you’ll be up to speed and ahead of the game, as usual.
I suppose the Turks about face to supposedly confronting ISIS and the American boobs’ crazed decision to hand the American Fascist party the senate as well as the House are the crucial developments. Words fail.
Look at the Democrats running in these Senate races. Yukkk! After hearing Grimes’ unfair anti-Obama ads I wouldn’t vote for her either and you know what I think of Obama. Black voters will not come out for her, I’m sure and the inbred hillbillies she is courting are only mad at the Turtle because he isn’t reactionary enough for them.
And Michelle Nunn having Bush people endorse her! Blecch!
the hapless courting of the fake “independents” and others whose minds are long past poisoned. As if everyone is forced to actually go vote for the lesser of two evils and/or can’t see thru the clever strategery of Obama bashin’ by a Dem. Oh well, the candidates each claim to know their state best….
Gonna be a long night, I fear. Pass the vodka.
Alison’s fine. We understand the game – Black turnout will be close to general election levels. We know the hillbillies that she needs to win so we know what she has to do to get them to vote for her – lip service. Listen closely to what she says and you can tell where she’s coming from and we’re good with that.
Sure hope there’s enough enthusiasm to do a close to 100% canvass of the Presidential year turnout plus new registrations. That sort of intensive GOTV this year is going to mean more down the road than any sort of messaging.
I think that Carter (Gov) and Nunn (US Sen) in Georgia are beginning to get their GOTV swinging. Perdue (the US-Sen Rep candidate) is about to be hit with his lifetime career of outsourcing jobs to Asia.
This should start getting fun for the next few weeks if there are no more distractions.
I’m not happy with the way that Obama took the ISIS crisis off the table but hopefully it will stay off until after the election.
If Nunn’s team doesn’t come up with a dynamite ad on this, she deserves to lose. This one one practically writes itself.
She’s already had two great ads that have gone after Perdue. The one featuring all the laid-off female NC workers whose factory and jobs were off-shored. The other focused on female employees of Dollar General and how they were paid less than men for the same work during his tenure at the helm. Dollar General treats their employees horribly;I no longer shop there.
The race now is about GOTV, and that’s what I’m volunteering to do all weekend.
Isn’t she running for GA Senator? Why is she running an ad featuring NC laid-off workers?
CT Governor Dan Malloy had not difficulty finding laid off GA workers.
Perdue was CEO of Pillowtex in Kannapolis NC when it closed. He sent all those jobs to China. I don’t know that Perdue’s office was in NC or GA, but he is the one responsible for closing the plant (and laying off Larry Kissell, who was a two-term NC member of Congress who ran against a Cannon heir on the Pillowtex closure).
That’s why NC workers appear there.
Thanks for filling this in for me.
Okay. But wouldn’t it be more powerful to run against his “I spent my career shipping jobs to Asia?” “Perdue got rich killing American jobs.” Plus what happens to jobs in NC doesn’t stay in NC.
This also reminds me of a woman from GA that I had dinner with back in the late 1970s. She was close to retirement at the time and had worked in a textile mill most of her life. With a bit of prompting from me, she was only too happy to share what her job was like. She was proud of the work she did and that it had provided her with enough income to raise her children and live a decent life. Her vacation in San Francisco with her daughter, sil, and grandson (where I met her) was proof in her mind of how well she’d done.
As you can see, Mitch is getting desperate – no way does this woman otherwise show up in a Kentucky Republican ad, even in somewhat urban Louisville…
It’s only understandable that the Bush’s might support Nunn, given that that’s where she’s spent her professional Non-Profit life, i.e.the GWB’s Points of Light foundation which merged with her Hands on Atlanta one. Plus,not for nothing is she her father’s daughter.
I’m a volunteer in her campaign and I can tell you first hand that she’s a far better choice, vis-a-vis policy than her opponent, who’s from the same county as she, but whose life/work experience as a specialist in off shoring jobs and manufacturing have created altogether different people with very different views of the role of government. One is a low keyed positive person with real ideas. The other just oozes GOP cruelty and negativity.
I’m way more liberal than she is, but this truly is the case that one should GOTV for the better of the two candidates. A victory by her in this race is a really big victory for Democrats nationally.
The most important story: “Where is BooMan?” Relieved to see you in print again.
…now back to Obama going full GHWB in the Mideast and Ebola in West Africa. The Holder resignation is a non-story until there’s a sign that the Rethugs will confirm a successor, i.e. until never.
Yep, been checking in frequently just to see this posting. We’ve been worried about you!
Yay you’re back. I was going to write a thing or two but the end of the fiscal year was a pain for me, and then I saw Amanda Marcotte and Katha Pollitt sort of cover what I wanted to write about (atheism and sexism, but also gamer culture and libertarianism tied in). I might still do it.
Meh lots of shit happening but I feel a little bit hopeless. Mostly wrt Mid East. Never thought Obama anti war or anti empire, but didn’t think he’d go beyond occupying Iraq with our citadel. Was sadly wrong.
Hooray! Welcome back, Booman!!
So glad to see that you are recovering!
Nobody else put it out there, so I’ll mention the walruses that can’t find ice in the arctic. That’s kind of a thing.
Otherwise, the Ebola in Texas story is important, but something that hasn’t gotten enough play is the horribly inept response of the TX Department of Health (or whatever they have) and the CDC. It’s enough to make you weep. And if you think they have it contained, read this: http://t.co/mN55QrlvYS I have a very hard time imagining no one was contaminated or that we know exactly who they are.
Oh, and the Ferguson situation is still a going concern. Many, many people were arrested last night, and as far as I understand it, have not been released. It also appears that their bail is being set unusually high. Note that bond is not a % of bail in MO like it is many other places, so this is a significant hardship for the arrested demonstrators. http://t.co/AgsPtKINp0
Welcome back, Boo.
Walruses: http://grist.org/list/35000-walruses-start-their-own-climate-march/
Ferguson, more up to date: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/03/ferguson-protesters-arrested_n_5929758.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
Reports are that the 35,000 walruses kept asking how to get to Wasilla–something about wanting to get in on a wild party or rumble or something like that
Hahaha — so funny!
Am so glad to see you back, just in time for the midterm elections! Unemployment rate is below 6% and gas prices are less than $3.00 a gallon in some places in Illinois. The corporate media continues to report mostly bad news, as well as put a negative spin on anything President Obama does. I am enjoying the cat fight between Nate Silver and Sam Wang. I’m rooting for Sam.
Other than taking care of yourself and the obvious big news stories.
Voter apathy.
I’m guessing less than 20% on average nationally (18% in Arizona) of registered voters showed up to the primaries. I’m guessing it won’t be much better for the mid-terms.
Not sure I should want higher numbers. Seems like so many people have no clue what they are voting on even when they get to the polls. I’m not saying it’s easy to filter throw the candidates promises, pasts, and bill proposals on the dockets.
Welcome back!!
anti-ISIS coalition seems so far so good (but I’ve been sort of offline today) and The state of the GOP in Kansas and Oklahoma –
The news is ya NEVER shoulda given me front page privileges. I’ve enjoyed my post a day in your absence, and I’m not gonna stop now.
Glad to see you back.
that’s good because I’d miss your highly expressive descriptions of malefactors
You may be disappointed. It’ll be mostly open threads and youtube videos.
My anger isn’t what it used to be.
I really liked this phrasing : And let’s not forget what an odious, self-absorbed piece of shit Mr. Dunn is:
It’s more artful than angry imo
Yay! Glad you’re back. But – you know nothing ever changes. Weird temporary stuff is always happening, so a couple of weeks off is the best thing for you.
South Dakota and Kansas.
Can the GOP pull defeat out of the jaws of what should be a sure fire victory?
So happy to see your name
Get well BooMan
Welcome back.
Rest. Please. i have been guilty of hitting it too hard when coming back from something and it never works the way you think it will.
Never ever.
Word.
What’s new? Besides the usual PermaGov media bullshit?
I’d say the “newest” thing since 9/17 is this:
The whole Ukrainian/Russia/NATO conflict…remember, 2 weeks ago it was “Hottest Thing Ever!!! New Cold War!!! Nuclear Threat!!!”…has now been totally non-personed by the western news media. It’s still happening…just go to The Vineyard of the Saker to see the truth of that statement…but for whatever reasons, it’s now moldy old news. Some nutjob clambered over the White Hose fence with a pocketknife in his pants and made it one or two layers into the White House and another of Obama’s incompetent bureaucrats (Incompetent bureaucrat. Is that a redundancy?) fell on her theoretical sword and passed on through the golden PermaGov Revolving Doors to a lesser heaven than the White House; ebola is now public enemy #1 instead of Putin and the ongoing collapse of the American culture remains in full swing as evidenced by the usual set of frustration-fueled murders, rapes and abductions, plus the ISIS guys are supposedly getting the crap bombed out of them according to the Mighty Wurlitzer of the media. (I’ll believe it when they surrender. Any day now. Aaaaany day now…)
Other than that?
Bet on it.
AG
Forget all the above. The REAL news is that the Orioles are in the playoffs.
Losing the Senate (and Nate Silver gas declared war against Sam Wang), Ebola outbreak in Texas, so we’re orobably fucked since we now how competent Texan gov. Is, WTF happened to you, Twins fired Ron Gardenhire (yay), secret service has become a laughing stock.
The shake, rattle, rolling, and spewing in Iceland is as interesting as anything else that’s happening, and no more predictable. (Never knew that there remains so much mystery about volcanoes on earth.)
The militaryIndustrial complex made some progress and it seems a notable writer came off the DL. For which I am grateful.
You had us all worried boo. I’m glad you are felling better.
I’ve been pre”occupied” with the protests in HK. (My brother lives there.) Looks like Bejiing is bringing in thugs to break up the demonstrations. Not good.
Since everyone else has done a bangup job of catching you up, let me just say baseball-wise that I’m still flabbergasted that Kansas City is in the playoffs (and 2-0 now over Anaheim), Baltimore is in and winning (I know you’re a Yankee fan, but still), D.C. is in (I’d love to see them go all the way even though they’re losing) and Pittsburgh game within spitting distance two years in a row. As a hapless Padre fan I love being a playoff free agent.
Welcome back, glad you are well, and hang in there.
Glad your back, everyone needs respite now and again.
We missed you, Martin! Although people have been keeping it going on your behalf. High-five, puddle-paddlers!
And in state news, I’ve noticed a couple things down here in NC.
A group is suing to have guns allowed at the NC State Fair. Commissioner Troxler says gently, “uh-un” and “please leave your guns in the car.” Raleigh News & Observer columnist Barry Saunders points out what we were already thinking: Gee, that’s going to cut down on fair attendance. If people are packing, we won’t be going. (Sorry, I don’t have any links for you – the N&O has put itself behind a paywall so phfft to them.)
State fair plus shooting galleries, turkey legs, Midway rides, and agricultural displays and beer, plus guns. Discuss.
Then I was forced to listen to FOX news while waiting for my tires last night. I was pleasantly surprised to hear/see at least six Kay Hagan ads in less than two hours. All positive, sometimes gently humorous, and hitting at the effects that Tillis would have/has had on the average voter. Gentle tone but pointed at contrasting her policies to the damage that Tillis and the NC legislature has done to NC on different fronts. Go, Kay!
All Kay on FOX, and no Tillis (or Koch Bro.s in sight) on a Friday night. I think that’s a good thing?
Nice report, DeeGoldfish.
Thom Tillis is peddling his sorry self on Hulu craft and remodeling programs, according to my wife. Apparently trying to turn out the white womens’ vote with a scary 3-second cut to a black-and-white picture of Kay on the left, Obama on the right and a big red slash-zero “No” symbol superimposed over it.
That’s the only media presence I’ve seen of Tillis in the past month. No sense watching TV and no trips to get auto work, doctor, or anywhere that has forced TV.
I think that it’s a good thing that Moral Monday has turned out crowds in places like Burnsville. And Nuns on the Bus/Pullen Baptist Church/Moral Monday are having a rally in Raleigh today that is independent of partisanship and doing general registration and GOTV activities.
NC and Georgia have more activity going on that I’ve seen in a midterm for a generation.
Back!!!!!! 🙂