WRONG!
CORRECT!
ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONES. THE TABERNACLE HAS INFORMED ZARDOZ THAT “DEAR PRUDENCE” HAS CONTINUED TO DISPENSE ADVICE – NO MATTER HOW WRONG ZARDOZ HAS SHOWN HER TO BE. THEREFOR, ZARDOZ MUST ONCE AGAIN PROVIDE SUPERIOR ADVICE – AND SHOW THE BRUTAL “PRUDENCE” THE ERROR OF HER WAYS.
Q: Conspiracy theories: My cousin recently set me up on a date with a really great guy that she knew from work. At first, I was hesitant to go on a date with him as he is 43 and I am 27, however I decided to give him a chance and I was really glad I did. He’s smart, funny, and easy to hang out with. I am also very attracted to him physically. The only bad thing, so far, is that during a text conversation, he alluded to believing that 9/11 was an inside job. At first I thought he was joking, but further questions revealed that he was not. We discussed it in person the next time we met up, and he was joking about it with me but didn’t change his stance. Is this a deal breaker? I felt bad afterward because I was basically making fun of him to his face not realizing he actually believed what he was saying.
A: DEAL BREAKER? FOOLISH BRUTAL! PARANOIA IS A REQUIREMENT FOR BRUTAL ENFORCERS. YOU MUST GO TO SECOND LEVEL MEDITATION WITH HIM. REVEL IN THE FEAR AND DISTRUST. YOUR ONLY REQUIREMENT IS TO CONTINUE TO HEED THE WORD OF ZARDOZ – WATCH THE “ATTRACTED TO HIM PHYSICALLY” STUFF. REMEMBER, THE PENIS IS EVIL! ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.
Q: Holiday hosting etiquette: Each year, my wife’s niece hosts a Christmas dinner for the entire, relatively large, family. Most years this is in the neighborhood of 40 people. Her mother-in-law is from another country, and they do a dinner theme around the mother-in-law’s native cuisine. The dinner and food are always very enjoyable, and we are sure to express our gratitude openly and often. This year, we received a text stating that we were required to bring $5 per person to cover the costs of the dinner. On one hand, I enjoy the meal, and I enjoy the family time, so I have no issue paying. The $40 it’s going to cost my family is not going to break the bank. On the other hand, this, to me, is rather rude. If you do not wish to host, then don’t. If you don’t wish to host so many, then don’t invite everyone. What is the etiquette of this situation? My wife’s first reaction was simply to say that we wouldn’t be going. I am not so sure how to react.
A: MISERABLE BRUTAL – LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE. THE PLAGUE OF MEN YOUR WIFE’S NIECE FEEDS CUTS INTO THE GRAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE VORTEX! THE FILTH OF BRUTALS IS TO BE CLEANSED, NOT WINED AND DINED! NOT ONLY SHOULD YOU NOT PAY, YOU SHOULD DIRECT THE BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS TO THIS PARTY, NEXT YEAR, SO THAT THE BRUTALS ATTENDING CAN BE ROUNDED UP AND PUT INTO SERVICE IN THE GRAIN FIELDS! ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, SLAVES!
Q: My mother is trying to turn my wedding into her second wedding: I am getting married next spring, and my fiancé and I are very excited to move to the next phase of our relationship. Wedding planning has been surprisingly easy, save for my mother. My mother has an opinion on everything in that she wants everything to involve her. She wants to pick out music for her to be seated to. She wants my fiancé to walk her down the aisle to her seat. She wants to wear a white dress to the ceremony! What do I do here? My fiancé and I are paying for most of the wedding on our own, but my mother made a sizable donation to our wedding fund, which she claimed was “no strings attached,” but clearly there are many strings attached. My fiancé has suggested that we give her back her money, but we can’t afford the wedding without it. Please help!
A: BRUTAL, YOUR MOTHER SHOULD BE CLEANSED, NOT GIVEN HER MONEY BACK. WEDDINGS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF LIFE IN THE VORTEX, AND NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH!
THE BRIDE WORE WHITE
FOR HER ATTEMPTS TO MEDDLE WITH THE SOCIAL ORDER OF THE ETERNALS, SHE WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE BRUTAL ENFORCERS…
ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.
First?
Everyone must be still talking about their jobs. I’m snowed in today.
https://pilotonline.com/news/local/weather/article_2ebc63e8-bbd0-5d67-9a90-8599b63696b9.html
I’m watching the snow fall out the office window.
It’s pretty, but the roads are going to be messy.
no comment on the article, or links?
/shame
We try to avoid telling ZARDOZ how to give the Gift of the One…
This is so, forgive the contempt, oh GREAT ZardoZ!
ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONE.
THIS TIME…
“She wants my fiancé to walk her down the aisle to her seat.”
Can’t possibly be real. If so, CLEANSING is the only solution.
Some people have no life, so they make shit up. Like every SJW who ever existed. My wife has a friend like this, although I would say she actually does have a life, it’s just sort of fucked up through her own behavior. My wife knows that 90% of the shit she goes on about is fantasy, but I have this tendency to really pick it apart in a sarcastic manner, wonder where I got that from?, and then my wife gets mad at me, “my friend! Stop making fun of her!”, lol.
Sounds awful. My grandmother tried to get my mother in law evicted over the venu (she wanted it to be on my families property rather than my wife’s family’s) people get crazy controlling about weddings. She was writing anonymous letters to the landlord. And to my wife and I. Just lots of angry anonymous letters that year.
Handwritten?
I don’t remember if the letter was but the envelope certainly was addressed in her handwriting.
Probably taped together from various newspapers, like a ransom note.
More like anannymous letters, amirite???
(Narrows grays)
My clients closed up shop this morning, the wind is brutal. Typical winter day in the midwest, but not here. I think we’re setting record cold temps right now.
Anyone else noticed the unrelenting heckling of Oregonians on Twitter who are shitting themselves because apparently it’s very very hard to learn how to pump gas? Hilarious.
Hilarious but scary it’s significantly easier than driving.
The country went down hill as soon as we gave suffrage to people who couldn’t pump their own gas.
Driving is easy.
Not hitting things takes work.
Well TBH they are kind of slow up in Oreogon
If the proggy government would have been in place back in the 1800s, they’d still be riding in horse and buggies and plowing fields by hand.
I haven’t plowed a field by hand since undergrad.
Never plowed a field by hand, but I have witnessed it being done.
These euphemisms aren’t very abstract anymore
These euphemisms aren’t very abstract anymore
well, yeah, but think of all the jobs we would create making buggy whips and working as field hands
Not to mention sweeping horse shit out of the streets!
A few years back when there was a debate about it in Oregon, my college roommate (we made him pump all the gas on a long road trip and he was terrified the first time he did, and then realized how dumb the law was after his first time), sent me a radio clip where someone called in thinking it was going to be apocalyptic if they changed the laws. The gist of the exchange was
Caller: OMFG, all the death!
Host: You know that Californians pump their own gas without any problem…right?
Caller: But California is an apocalyptic wasteland filled with retards and the lobotomized, do we really want to be like that?
Host: So you understand that Californians are morons, but think they can safely pump gas while the much superior Oregonians are incapable of it? That doesn’t seem right.
Caller *sound of a soft pop followed by the patter of grey matter and blood hitting ceiling, walls and floor after her brain explodes as two of her dearest held prejudices collide violently*
Weird. I thought the law existed as an ill-advised attempt to “create jobs”.
It is, 100%, but that doesn’t mean that the residents all realize that.
I have to think that part of it is TDS. If this would have happened when Obama was POTUS, you probably wouldn’t be hearing about this as much. Because you know, back then people felt safe and not afraid. They weren’t fearing for their lives every moment. And it’s like the true Savior, Obama, would have been right there by their side pumping that gas. But now… *ominous music*
The oxygen concentration in the atmosphere has increased, stoking fears of imminent spontaneous combustion throughout the blue states.
This is, of course, Trump’s fault.
“stoking fears of imminent spontaneous combustion throughout the blue states.”
I bet the GOP sneaked that into that Nazi tax scam bill!
A few years back
Umm no. This has been a thing for years.
Don’t harsh the narrative Jesse.
Trump’s next troll job should be tweeting a video of himself pumping gas…assuming he knows how?
A
union employeeproperly trained monkey can do it. I’m sure he can manage it.Whether the SS will agree to securing a gas station….
TDS? The complaining is from people in the counties with 50K or less….where the law has changed. Those ain’t proggie counties in OR.
But California is an apocalyptic wasteland filled with retards and the lobotomized, do we really want to be like that?
Fair point.
The implication being that many Oregonians have never traveled outside of the state to see all the wrecked gas stations and dead, gasoline-poisoned bodies along the PCH. I’ve never heard New Joysians claiming that the adjoining states are courting death by being permitted to pump their own.
I’ve pumped gas a total of maybe 5 times in the past 30 years. All of those times being either in Oregon or Joisey. West coast leftists are a special breed, though.
That’s what I was thinking. I live in NJ, but even the natives here have generally spent lots of time in NY, PA, De, etc… and don’t get upset about pumping it themselves. If we had a referendum on the subject, NJ would be self-service.
The ones who have traveled know it’s a jobs program and not a safety program, but Oregon is a lot bigger than NJ (~11x the area) and a lot of that are rural and isolated communities. Oregon may not be provincial, but it’s a lot less connected to other states once you leave Portland than NJ is.
I mentioned yesterday in the links that the local birdcage liner, The Oregonian, had a editorial about how not only should this not happen, but that people shout tip the pump jockeys. A couple days after it was published, I had one of said pump jockeys, who looks like he is an escapee from a half-way house and has managed to get rid of his safety helmet, ask me for a tip.
My reply was, “I’m the dalai lama. On your deathbed, you will receive enlightenment. So you have that going for you.” Or some version of misquoting Caddy Shack. He gave me a glare so I waved and drove off. Dumb fucker.
I specifically recall asking if the pump attendant got the reference…?
Ahh, I didn’t see the response. no, he didn’t get it. At all. Had he got it, had he said, “Well, then, I got that going for me” I might well have tipped him.
Yup. He’s a dumb fucker.
You want a tip? When the weather gets cold, wrap up warm. It works for me.
but that people shout tip the pump jockeys
Is their true goal to hasten the demise of mandatory full service stations in Oregon? Because that’s a fine way to do it. Telling people that not only should they pay more for gas because the government says so, but that they should also pay even more for the privilege of being forced to pay more in the first place, is not exactly a winning strategy.
Asking for a tip means you don’t get a tip. That’s just not how its done.
Yeah, if he had come back with the next Caddyshack line, I probably would have given him a fiver, just for giving me a good story to tell.
Saw a funny meme about this, about people being stranded with out-of-commission vehicles, on account of their having used the “green” gasoline to fill up.
Charging when you invite is rather sketch.
If it’s presented in a ‘hey, we’re thinking of catering the cuisine from my MILs country and hoping everyone could chip because it would be awesome’ kinda way then it’s all good.
But if it’s ‘come over and bring 5 bucks because the ingredients to this rare cuisine are expensive’ it’s lame.
Yeah, that’s not cool. It’s barely acceptable if you are at frat houses, and you are only charging to cover the cost of the kegs.
It would be less weird to ask that people to bring dishes. The quality of the food might drop or the theme might fall apart but it’s weird and pushy to ask for money.
I hosted Xmas dinner, and requested everyone bring a side dish. Given the work involved at my end, it’s hardly unreasonable.
That’s reasonable. In any event, we always offer to bring/make something. The host will tell you if they want it or not.
I’LL BRING THE ‘SCORTS!
I don’t want to see Rufus in a skort.
Escorts? I knew that was legal in MTL, but had no idea it was a typical party favor.
It’s all a part of the ‘money is icky’ mindset, primarily because (I think) money is fungible. There’s always the possibility that it’s not going to be spent on organic, fair-trade tilapia, but on hookers and blow, or donated to some miserable orphan on chemotherapy. Given that I’m not much of a fan of tilapia, I’ll spend my money on hookers and blow, thankyouverymuch.
Asking people to bring a dessert is common, and totally socially acceptable. Not bringing a bottle is almost unthinkable. But filthy lucre? Ugh.
My MIL would spend my money on hookers and blow.
Can you tell my girlfriend’s family about bringing a bottle?
I’ll mention it on Tuesday night!
I don’t mind if people don’t bring a bottle really – it’s largely symbolic because I’m a bit of a wine snob and a bottle of Blue Nun or some other ghastly brew ain’t never going to be drunk by anyone other than the people who brought it. If someone really wants to be liked, they can bring a bottle of pretty good, but not exceptional tequila and I’ll make margaritas that will blow their socks off and make them pray for the next invitation.
Her family insists on just picking up desserts or snack trays at the grocery store. Most of which goes to waste because we have plenty of home made desserts and appetizers available. One person from her side of the family ever brought a bottle, it was an aunt’s boyfriend. He brought a 12 pack of Molson Golden, and drank 3 of them. I still thanked him for them, and worked through the remainder over the next couple of weeks.
The struggle is real.
*applause*
Were your margaritas featured at the 37 blowjob party?
Not to my knowledge, but they are widely respected for their inability to make people very unrespectable. My wife was invited to attend a ‘girls only party’ in the neighborhood, and offered to take a keg of my booze, which was accepted with great enthusiasm.
At 1.20 the following morning (my wife is normally an early-to-bed,early-to-rise-er), texted asking for a ride home. The other attendees were being shovelled into back seats of cars by husbands and in one case, kids, having started on margaritas, and finishing up with vodka jello shots.
Subsequent snapchat viewing indicated they were already out of their heads before the shots were brought out. I’m now called ‘Dr. Feelgood’ by my wife’s extended social circle.
inability? ability. Duh.
Case in point.
Had a gathering on Dec 29th evening. Homemade manicotti, with sides, wife-made tiramisu and italian cheesecake for dessert plus homemade italian cookies and the cheese board. Two couples invited, so it was dinner for 8 (3 couples+ my 2 kids). Dug out my last 2 bottles of a pretty good super Tuscan and had those with the meal. Couple 1 brought some reasonably good anejo which formed the basis of the non-theme aperitifs, couple 2 brought a very pretty bottle of mid-price range domestic chardonnay. Net cost to the diners was almost exactly the same.
That chardonnay will end up sitting in the rack taking up space for at least 6 months until it gets used in a wine spritzer, or when daughter is back from college for summer and asks permission to drink it (she’ll be 20. I’m a bad dad. What can I tell you?). Or I wait until someone I like a bit is having a ‘do’ and we need to take wine.
They’re all good people, but dayam, guys. I know I’m sounding ungrateful, but wtf?
Generally, I take half a case of mead that I made if we are invited to a dinner party.
What I bring will depend on where I’m going, and how well I know the people. For general acquaintances, I’ll grab a mix 12 pack on the way, and bring either a bottle or growler of something homemade with wide appeal. For those who are beer geeks, I’ll grab something out of my cellar or bring a growler of something with much more niche appeal (such as a lambic).
*Invites kinnath to all future dinner parties*
No kidding!
The last time we had Glibs over, I popped a pretty rare bottle of a top-shelf Rhone red. They brought over a veritable chemistry set of mixology, including artisanal bitters, a superb Kirsch, and god-knows-what-else. Much wine, many mixed drinks, SP ended up on the floor.
This is why you should only socialize with Glibs when there’s alcohol on the line.
Speaking of…I still have these two bottles of glogg for you and SP…
Well, there’s football this weekend… just saying.
This^^ is why I need to move out of CT. If only to participate in bona fide bacchanalia with bon vivants of the old school.
Pretentious cockwaffles are the norm here. It’s taken years for us to accumulate the lukewarm hellraisers we currently have as friends over here.
This particular arrangement of words seems extra Limey-ish.
Behave, or I’ll hit you with V’s alliteration soliloquy.
The NYE party I was at was hosted by the liquor fairy, so everyone got a liter of Woodford as they walked out the door.
So, how many times do you walk out the door?
Few enough to get invited back.
She broke* into my house once and took the empty out of my liquor cabinet and replaced it without telling me.
*The door was unlocked, we went walking to a nearby park and knew her and her husband were on the way.
Bringing a bottle of wine or a dessert or whatever is contributing to the party.
Giving money to the host is contributing to the host’s wallet, and converting them from a host to a hireling. Blecch.
I dunno, we’re missing some context here. Doesn’t seem that different from asking to bring a dish to pass. Maybe the $5 is simply a request because of sudden/recent money troubles after everything was already set up?
i don’t get this at all.
my buddy pete would do pig roasts a few times a year. He’d smoke a bunch of pork and make huge amounts of pulled pork and slaw, and everyone would bring beer and some other stuff and we’d have a good ol time. Everyone would kick in a few bucks. I don’t see why people get so prissy about someone throwing a party and asking people to kick in. They’re doing the work, and they’re cleaning up when you leave. it seems silly to me to get offended if someone says, ‘hey, i’m laying out a bunch of money: lets split it” if you actually want to attend. You’re not doing everyone a big favor just with your mere presence.
i think its different if you’re inviting a small group of people to some intimate dinner. When its 20+ people, it seems to me a given that the host is taking on far more than is merely-charitable.
And I don’t get that at all.
I don’t expect money if I do something like that.
And we’re faaarrrrr from cheap lemme tell ya. In fact, a little too loose with the coin if you ask me. We’re always doing ‘the one check’ thing and let life sort itself out because it’s money.
But inviting people and expecting money is weak man.
Sorry.
Let me rephrase. I HAVE done that. It cost me hundreds of dollars. But like my wife says whenever someone asks, psst, do you want me to chip in?” are you crazy, you’re OUR guests. Just being here is enough.
THAT’S how hospitality should work in my view.
that’s cute in an ideal world; in one where you’ve got people with fairly little disposable income, parties cost money.
its worth noting that since we’ve passed out mid-30s, the “invite 3 dozen people over for pig nite” has ended. not because of affordability, but because people have kids.
simply because you think there’s a ‘best’ way to do things doesn’t mean other ways are ‘wrong’.
It’s not cute or ideal, Gilmore.
Maybe it’s cultural then.
yes, I imagine you never had any keg parties in high school
Do LAN parties count?
simply because you think there’s a ‘best’ way to do things doesn’t mean other ways are ‘wrong’.
I never said it’s a ‘best’ way’. I’ve seen that sort of stuff in action and it was alien to me is all. It’s my opinion if you entertain don’t expect money. So if you come to my house it’s on ME. DRINKS ARE ON THE HOUSE.
Understand Billy Bats?
When’s the last time you had 3 dozen+ people over “on the house”? Out of curiosity.
You’re starting to enter ‘Tony’ like defiance but it was this past holiday.
I don’t speak out of my ass.
It was 21 people. But who gives a shit about the number? Whether it’s 2, 20, or 50. YOU’RE NOT PAYING.
and why should you object if anyone with less disposable income than you tries to offset their expenses while still inviting people over?
ah, that rustic old-world congeniality
Don’t offer hospitality if you cannot afford it?
“Unless you do things this one way, no one should have parties”
this makes a lot of sense.
“potluck is disgraceful and shameful”
Potluck *is* the devil.
I said “offer hospitality” – which means no strings, payment or such.
Potluck is understood, from the get go to be a sharing thing.
If you are going to have something where a $ contribution is expected, do that up front. Don’t have a party invite, then after the RSVPs say “oh, and bring $”.
You can do whatever you would like, however you would like, up to charging admission, asking for $ or food or booze.
oh, so there IS more than 1 way to host a party. shocker. Which is exactly what i said above
hos·pi·tal·i·ty
ˌhäspəˈtalədē/Submit
noun
1.
the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.
synonyms: friendliness, hospitableness, warm reception, welcome, helpfulness, neighborliness, warmth, kindness, congeniality, geniality, cordiality, courtesy, amenability, generosity, entertainment, catering, food
“we found nothing but hospitality among the local inhabitants”
Don’t any of you Aspies work?
Oh don’t be so obtuse, Gilmore. People are talking about hospitality not being something you charge for not “THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO THROW A PARTY”.
Start at Comment 5 and work your way down.
Yes, i was responding to Rufus, #5, “charging when you invite is rather sketch”
and pointing out that there isn’t only 1 version of hospitality.
Opening up one’s home for a gathering can certainly sometimes cause inordinate expense, and telling people you plan to ask for a few bucks isn’t “sketch”, but is pretty normal particularly among the young/poor. This posturing Old World Hospitality is some pure idea which shouldn’t be dirtied by exchange of money seems nothing more than preening.
Here’s another example. My mother would entertain and cook for around 40 people every Holidays. I mean, we’re talking levels The Food Network and all their cocky cooks could only dream what she did. It cost money. A lot of it. Fish, meat, pasta, desert, wine etc.
Never ever did I ever hear my parents ask or take money. The concept was simple: You’re OUR guests.
That’s true. However, there is also a degree of reciprocity expected. There was an episode of Northern Exposure where one of the locals sat Fleishman down and explained that he’d been going to other people’s social events for a few years now, but had never hosted one himself, and it was beginning to piss people off. Hijinx then ensued.
I noticed something similar in the Greek system when I was in college. People spent a shit ton on gear, but almost never for themselves. There was this cycle of money going gifts for other people so that everyone ended up with a lot of stuff, but little of it that they bought themselves.
That’s true and built into it; discounted if you will. Guests brought gifts, home made deserts etc. But hosts never expect anything in my experience. And I sure as hell don’t expect someone to come up to me and ask if they should kick in. While I can appreciate the gesture, some may consider it insulting.
Just no money. Keep it. You being there is priceless.
I’m pretty much with Rufus on this one, but I get it that it can be hard to throw a big do for a lot of people out of your own pocket. It comes down to what’s acceptable to the group. I’d think it was kinda weird if I was invited to a party, if I forked over $20 for expenses, but that’s my scene (we’re at a point where people aren’t on supertight budgets). If I did get an invite like that (and wanted to go), I’d pay up and not say a thing about it.
To each their own, as long as everyone has a good time.
Besides potlucks, the closest I’ve ever been to “pay for the party” was “byob and some to share” parties. Food is provided by the host, drinks are potluck
My family offers to pitch in for the food even if there’s only 6-8 of us. If this is a huge deal year after year, I think it’s weird that nobody’s offered to pitch in. 40 people and not a one of them says, “Hey, can I help you pay for some of this?” Not cool.
Maybe it’s a Mediterranean thing. Who knows? In fact, they look at it as insulting if you do! I know it’s similar on the Arab/Middle East side of things.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.
What a movie.
Exactly…Arab and Afghan hospitality was quite overwhelming.
Yeh. I remember going into a Syrian house to sell some books (yes, Rufus did that for a month) and all they did was feed me first.
That said, I wouldn’t ask for money either. If we couldn’t afford to put on the party, we just wouldn’t do it at all.
I think we put too much emphasis on money. We have to guard against knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
I rather enjoy going out to over spend on food for friends and family. I don’t expect anything out of it because ‘the guys’ are coming over. Now, if a buddy says, ‘dude, I want to bring half a pig’ then be my guest – on your dime. That’s different.
ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONES. HOSPITALITY IS EVIL! UNLESS IT IS IN THE VORTEX. OTHERWISE YOU SIMPLY SUSTAIN THE PLAGUE OF MEN, AS IT ONCE WAS.
INSTEAD OF HOSPITALITY, THE CHOSEN ONES SHOULD ONLY OFFER SLAVERY OR CLEANSING!
ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.
If you don’t believe that conspiracy theory then your just a right wing fringe weirdo. If it wasn’t for the heroes in the deep state buercracy we would all be speaking Russian. *adjust tin foil pussy hat*
It is amazing to me how this whole conspiracy business works.
The incoming administration is in the pocket of the Russians, who apparently all work directly for Putin, even though the country is today a second-rate power at best: common sense, everybody knows this
The Federal bureaucracy, which votes heavily for Democrats, and which has elements that were clearly in the tank for Obama, is trying to undermine the President they don’t like: what are you, some kind of right-wing nutjob?
Similarly,
Climate science researchers, who are literally paid to validate the existence of CAGW, and have demonstrated a level of care for transparency and good stewardship of their research on par with chimpanzees flinging shit in a zoo, might be too compromised to be trusted: only loony tunes crazies would think this
The oil companies, who have a vested interest in delivering value to their customers and shareholders as well as mitigate future liabilities and predictable risks, are all colluding to produce disinformation and stymie honest research: duh, of course, filthy lucre corrupts everything
Do you write for HuffPo?
“…The only bad thing, so far, is that during a text conversation, he alluded to believing that 9/11 was an inside job.”
Look, if you don’t want to do it in the butt just say so.
Honesty and open communication is key.
One of my friends from grad school (one of probably 5 US Citizens) was a 9/11 truther. He was also a water fluoridation/chemtrail/Bilderberg Group guy. He even flirted with David Icke stuff before deciding that was line of being just too crazy.
I chalk it up to the monumental amounts of pot he smoked.
He is now an employee at one of our National Labs (exactly which one will remain hidden to protect the innocent). Think of that when you go to sleep tonight.
What’s really amazing is the flip side to this. For instance the conspiracy theory about the moon landing being staged: We are basically accepting that it is more likely a government agency, built rockets, trained astronauts, sent them into space, landed them on the moon. Then launched themselves from the moon, back into space, and returned them safely to Earth–on multiple occasions.
Somehow, all of this is more believable than the government staging the whole thing in a movie studio.* Yet none of this computes when considering if Trump’s Russian associated hacked an election.
*For the record, they landed on the moon.
You’re saying they built a movie studio on the moon?
Yes, how else could they have filmed Iron Sky?
My favorite conspiracy theroy (CT) is that OJ was framed for the murder because he Knew Too Much about the faked moon landing. It goes something like:
OJ worked on the film ‘Capricorn One’ about a faked Mars landing. While on set he met a technical adviser who worked on the faked moon landing for the gov’t. This guy had all the documents and such, but had no reputation so knew no one would believe him.
Anyway, much to Nicole, OJ, and Ron’s eventual misfortune, he finally talked OJ into releasing the documentation and going public. He was scheduled to deliver the documents to OJ and the gov’t acted to frame Juice for murder, though to leave enough holes so that he could be found not guilty. It’d ruin his reputation, but not put him in prison. (Why the gov’t would have no qualms about murdering Nicole and Ron, but balk at putting Juice behind bars for the crime, I don’t know.) But with his reputation ruined, even if he released the documents, no one would believe them.
The truth is out there. And so are the weirdos.
I actually lol’ed.
I wish I believed that you just made that up.
There use to be a whole webpage dedicated to it back in the early days of the internet. I can’t find it. Maybe THEY made it disappear?
Let’s look at it logically. Did it exist? Yes. Does it exist? No. Ergo, they made it disappear. Prove they didn’t.
Well, the issue isn’t really the technical aspects of either possibility, it’s the impossibility of so many people keeping a secret. For something like the moon landing, I’d go out on a limb and say that even a conspiracy of one would end up having been one too many.
Agreed. Too difficult to keep it all under wraps indefinitely.
The moon landing becomes a lot more believable vis-a-vis the government’s usual corruption, bloat, and inefficiency when you recognize that NASA literally had the top talent in the world working for it (as in, ex-Nazis who developed the first working rockets), was ruthlessly meritocratic at the time, and was being fed almost 5% of the Federal budget at one point. During the time frame of early space exploration to the moon landing, NASA was basically the antithesis of everything the Federal bureaucracy normally is (except for being a money sink), especially today.
To be fair, private contractors did all that. NASA doesn’t really build hardware, they do systems engineering.
My brother is a full-on conspiratard. Nowadays, they all seem to end up at the flat earth. He quit working and now spends his days on facebook and youtube, spreading the word about how Elon Musk is literally the antichrist, and how when the Falcon Heavy launches later this month, it’s going to hit the firmament dome, and break it, causing the stars to fall from the sky. Doesn’t see the irony in having arrived at a literal “sky is falling” position. You see, when Jesus talked about spreading the gospel, he was referring to knowledge of the flat earth. Apparently, there are 144,000 flat earthers, and they’ve been spreading the flat earth gospel for 1260 days pretty soon, and will be taken up to heaven. Or something. When that happens, and with the firmament having been broken, the rest of us blasphemous globe-earthers (it is blasphemy to believe in space) will be left with no excuse.
If you think I’m making this up… well, I’m not.
The funny part is, I don’t for one second believe he’s actually insane, because he’s not honest about any of this. The asshole actually knows it’s so much bullshit, and I can literally see the wheels turn in his head. If you engage him, you can see exactly where he veers off, when you get too close to forcing him to concede a point. It’s not an honest delusion, it’s part of a psychological game he’s playing, in which he manipulates ill-equipped people to go along with what he’s saying. Over time, he saw that it was pointless trying to play that game with his family, and has basically retreated into his online circle-jerk echo chamber.
The religious angle is a fairly recent development; he began to adopt that only after realizing that he could expect to make no headway with his pseudo-technical arguments; so, let’s go to right to the ultimate appeal to authority, and try to convert some religious people to flat earth by trying to convince them they’re wayward if they don’t believe flat earth.
For me, it the whole thing been an invaluable learning experience, to observe the various species of fallacy in such an exaggerated, crystallized form. I see the dishonest arguments he tries to make, and it draws into sharp contrast the subtler forms of them that I know I might make use of in my own argumentation, if I’m not careful.
I think some people get into conspiracies as a hobby. I admit it could potentially be fun to go down that rabbit hole if, y’know, all that logic n’ shit didn’t get in the way.
I like hearing people tell them or reading about them. It is usually a fascinating insight into the minds of the person conveying it. I don’t believe them; as they usually require competence from bureaucrats that is superhuman.. But they are funny nonetheless.
I think that in many cases, it’s just part of a gradual path to solipsism, and there have been solipsists around for millennia, so it’s really not anything new. The question would be, in each individual case, why is it that you yearn to deny the existence of concrete reality? Because that would be the real malady.
Sorry to hear about your brother, Ox. I’ve got a brother-in-law who is kinda nutty along those lines, but not that bad. From what I have seen, being a conspiracy nut comes from being pretty unhappy, and it doesn’t help make you any happier.
Personally, I love conspiracy theories, but mostly as entertainment.
might be right there…
Broken clock etc.
So we’re not taking on the question from the chick who blew 37 dudes at a party?
Link?
Also, that’s ~518 calories of semen; approximately the same as a Big Mac.
It’s in the advice link above. Scroll down to Q. Out-of-character behavior leads to horrendous breakup
Am I slow or I cannot find that link under ‘Q’?
IDK, it’s the third question down. Not here, you have to follow the actual link to Dear Prudence.
Stop enacting my labor, you people. (Or are you forcing me to enact your labor? I forget how that works)
We’re raping you while simultaneously literally committing genocide.
That’s it, I’m triggered. *retreats to safe space*
if I was enacting your labour you’d know. Ask my orphans.
So basically, she was raped 37 times? #Me37
No, the 37 BJs at the party were empowering. Her boyfriend retroactively raped her by breaking up with her, though.
I was dating a girl once, for only a short time and I I had dropped by a bar to have a couple of drinks with one of my friends after work. After I left I dropped by her place as I promised. So she asks me, ‘so how do you feel about drinking around other women?’. And I was like ‘uhh, what? What does that mean’? So she’s like ‘You can control yourself around women when you drink?’. I didn’t even know what to think, my ‘crazy’ radar was triggered into action. So then she says ‘No way I could control myself around guys if I’m drunk’. So I said ‘Wait, so you have no self control?’ *heads for door, never to look back* That was out of nowhere, she seemed perfectly normal to me, until that.
Weird. At least she was upfront about it.
Weird is the point, as in crazy.
So you raped her then?
Don’t stick it in crazy.
Well, it was a family party. If it had been 37 random strangers, the outcome might have been different.
TRY NOT TO SUCK ANY DICK ON YOUR WAY THROUGH THE PARKING LOT!
Hang on a minute. I might be in that parking lot.
Hey…..hey, get back here!
!!!!!!!!!
Hey Minnesotan glibs, I called Redstone grill to get reservations for 6 tomorrow, but they were only taking for 530 or 7 or later.
So we can pick another place or we can just barge on up to the bar. I am not even sure how many are coming.
Thoughts? Didn’t occur to me that they would be so crowded that they can’t accommodate 4 people as walk ins.
Happened to me over the weekend. Wasn’t New Years Eve either, was on Saturday. Went down to one of our local favorites and to our surprise, there wasn’t a seat at the bar. And they don’t start busing tables until what was about 30 minutes later. Decided to wait and fortunately a couple of very drunk ladies got up from the bar and we didn’t hesitate to hurry in and ask if they were leaving, since there were a group who came in behind us looking all privileged and stuff and had started demanding to be seated immediately, which didn’t happen.
I like sitting at the bar myself, sometimes, but depending on the place, so if it’s one of those places, I’d def rather sit at the bar than let it mess with my selected time frame for food and beverages. I
…go on…
*re-reads post 3 times… looks for part where a milf is about to be nailed… doesn’t find. Wonders what Rufus is drinking this early in the morning*
“fortunately a couple of very drunk ladies got up from the bar and we didn’t hesitate to hurry in and ask if the were leaving… so they could join us in a sordid drug and alcohol fueled orgy back at our place”
I think that’s what Rufus is seeing. Either that or he’s sniffing rubber cement again.
or
Read your post…CAREFULLY…..
/walks out of room gingerly and backwards.
/taps Q
I think he was referring to the end of your post:
Reservations at 7, one hour at the bar….problem solved.
You bouncers….always thinking.
It’s the getting 10% of the tips thing. I want them at the bar…but not to the point of trouble.
I went ahead and got the 5:15. Figure the MR and I will keep it warm and await the others at 6.
I am getting married next spring, and my fiancé and I are very excited to move to the next phase of our relationship.
[insert reference to celibacy and petty squabbling]
“Never get on one knee for a woman who won’t get on two for you.”
“I used to have a great sex life, then I got married.”
“A wedding ring is the world’s tiniest prison.”
“Men get married hoping their wife won’t change, women get married thinking their husband will. They’re both wrong.”
“Marriage is a workshop where the husband works and the wife shops.”
And finally:
https://jokideo.com/wp-content/uploads/meme/2014/10/Single-vs-married—adult-animal-meme.jpg
http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/guess-which-couple-is-married.jpg
http://pinkkorset.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/single-vs-married-780x520_c.jpg
All good ones Q, not true, but funny
When someone is killed the first person the police investigate is the spouse. That tells you all you need to know about marriage.
Oh, man…I never looked at it that way. *head asplodes*
Few days ago I had a problem with a parking garage ticket and I was waiting for the attendant to come help me. So this guy beside me starts up ‘Fucking Balmer, Detroit on the Chesapeake, all they do is rob you, it’s gettin worse all the time, you’re not from here orginally, are you?’. Strong Balmerese accent. So I said, hey, Detroit on the Chesapeake, I’m stealing that. Guy just looked at me sort of funny.
“Detroit on the Chesapeake” Yeah i’m stealing that too.
You can really tell when someone is from Balmer by the accent, go even a few miles outside the city and people don’t sound the same.
And it’s only the ones from East Baltimore that have the really strong accent, think Dundalk. This guy had the classic accent down. He did say he’s lived here his entire life, used to be nice around here.
Dundalk is an… interesting place. It’s like the 1960s and every decade since never happened there, in terms of sociopolitical developments at least.
Oh yeah, good ‘ol Dundalk. I’m from Harford co, so we get some of them east Baltimorians coming around
Working at home today.
My wife just got an e-mail announcement from her company’s CEO. Every employee making under $75k will get a $1,000 later this month thanks to the tax cut.
Unfortunately that doesn’t apply to my wife.It will be fun to see the left spin this.
It’s easy, corporashunz are not people, they’re evil Nazis, just like evil Nazi president, so of course they’re doing to this to make their guy look good. It’s a cookbook!
Oh right, that’s the other spin – they could have done this months ago, but they waited until they got their tax cuts from Cheeto and the Rethuglinazis.
Getting to keep more of your own money means poor people and minorities will be dying in the streets because of all the programs that aren’t being funded. See? Easy.
This tax cut costs too much (of your money), we can’t afford it! Deficits matter (now). /derp
Just will be more evidence that the Dems will sweep the House and Senate in 2018 because Carville was nuts when he said “It’s the economy stupid.”
I think the current spin is that the evil corporations are giving a small pittance to employees while keeping eleventy kajillion dollars for themselves.
…that they will use to poison the air and water, herd minorities into concentration camps and enslave women into breeding farms.
“enslave women into breeding farms.”
Who will then be sold off to libertarians to produce more orphan slaves. I don’t see the problem.
Right now, they’re building more Olympic size swimming pools to fill up with dollars.
Spengler thinks Iran is Dying,
https://pjmedia.com/spengler/norm-not-democracy-norm-extinction/
Is it going to turn back into Persia?
More likely a failed state a-la Afghanistan.
Well, they almost had a good thing going until Trump ruined Obama’s tax payer give away. Most Persians I’ve met are pretty cool, worked with 2 guys who seemed about as libertarian as you can get, and some of the women, wow. We should take those as long as they’re not allowed to vote.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sAexDEvJly0/VF6LJutSpUI/AAAAAAAAApI/M2rvdzXrQU4/s1600/beautiful-Iranian-eyes-women-03.jpg
The best Persians are already here, i wonder why? I’m going with Q on this one, another shithole in the making
Yusef, is that you? Or is you, Tulpa.
Maybe Libertarians will actually buy that island on the Detroit river and turn it into Babylon 2 using orphan labor. Then we can recruit these Persian wiminz and have them work the brothels.
Of course it’s me, Am I not flipping you off?
/Sarc
What does Venkman think? He’s the leader.
Will get very ugly first if true
ummm…no.
That would mean 14 kids paying for 7 retirees.
Math is hard, but it isnt THAT hard.
Are these Iranians in Iran? If so, since when do all of a given generation work. At 2 per couple, that’s 7 workers for those 7 retirees.
Doesn’t being a retiree imply you worked at one point? If so, then robc’s ratio is correct, unless the older generation was much more likely to have worked than the younger generation.
Doesn’t being a retiree imply you worked at one point?
*Looks up number of federal, state, and local employees*
Nope.
Lets break this down.
You have seven retirees, with seven spouses, who then go on to have seven pairs of kids. Assuming average sex distribution, that’s seven who will be expected to enter the Iranian workforce, and seven who’ll be expected to stay at home.
Hense the question if these were Iranians in Iran.
You might squeeze fourteen out of a westernized set, but even then you’re liable to get ten.
OK, yeah, without bringing more than 2 generations into the picture, then you’re right.
Jeff Sessions is the Nick Gillespie of the Trump cabinet
More like the conservotard of garden gnomes.
Who’s the white people of Trump’s cabinet?
Every man jack of ’em – Hitler.
They once had a hobo, but he’s apparently went full on mental ward material now.
Ben Carson.
^ Winner.
That might be a tad insulting to Gillespie, but I won’t argue any further.
By hook or by crook
Though these moments could be inconsequential, they call attention to the alarming absence of a system to evaluate elected officials’ fitness for office—to reassure concerned citizens that the “leader of the free world” is not cognitively impaired, and on a path of continuous decline.
Proposals for such a system have been made in the past, but never implemented. The job of the presidency is not what it used to be. For most of America’s history, it was not possible for the commander in chief to unilaterally destroy a continent, or the entire planet, with one quick decision. Today, even the country’s missileers—whose job is to sit in bunkers and await a signal—are tested three times per month on their ability to execute protocols. They are required to score at least 90 percent. Testing is not required for their commander in chief to be able to execute a protocol, much less testing to execute the sort of high-level decision that would set this process in motion.
—————–
Indeed thousands of mental-health professionals have mobilized and signed petitions attesting to Trump’s unfitness to hold office. Some believe Trump should carry a label of narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or both. The largest such petition has more than 68,000 signatures—though there is no vetting of the signatories’ credentials. Its author, psychologist John Gartner, told me last year that in his 35 years of practicing and teaching, “This is absolutely the worst case of malignant narcissism I’ve ever seen.”
He’s not like us. Therefor, he’s crazy.
“Though these moments could be inconsequential, they call attention to the alarming absence of a system to evaluate mental health professionals’ fitness to retain their license—to reassure concerned patients that their therapist has a tiny shred of integrity and doesn’t diagnose people they have never met or examined.”
Fixed.
That list of signatures should be the first thing any prospective client consults prior to seeing any mental health professional. If the name’s there, steer clear.
Sooner or later some James O’Keefe wannabe will start filing complaints with the licensing boards of those people sticking their necks out. I doubt any will actually act on it, because most will be sympathetic even if they won’t say so publicly.
This is absolutely the worst case of malignant narcissism I’ve ever seen.
Enough about Obama already.
Licensing boards are going to have to work overtime yanking credentials for malpractice and professional incompetence.
As if. Trump is literally worse than Hitler! Defenestrate professional standards, the future of humanity is at stake!
Diagnosing malignant narcissism when your only consultations have been made via third party reports may well constitute malpractice.
Doing so when the third parties are media companies sounds like *additional* professional suicide, assuming ‘mere’ malpractice isn’t enough.
“We tested the 2020 candidates; what do you know, the highest scores were all by Democrats.”
Related:
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-psychiatrists-trump-book-20171230-story.html
Bucking the iron law that when a headline asks a question, the answer is always “no”, this particular piece of digital fishwrap hems and haws before coming to a tepid conclusion of: “it’s probably a bad idea because of all the terrible things that could be wrought by this, but it’s forgivable because DRUMPF.”
the alarming absence of a system to evaluate elected officials’ fitness for office
I thought that’s what the election was for.
Of course, how/why something admittedly inconsequential somehow calls attention to something alarming is . . . less than clear.
B-b-b-but any yokel can vote for an unfit president! We need credentialed experts to decide who can, and more importantly, who cannot, run for office!
Perhaps some kind of, I dunno, literacy test?
” Some believe Glibs should carry a label of narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or both.”
That’s better
I thought we were all aspies.
A woman I know recently told me I had “a little bit of autism”. Does that count?
“I had to pick up something to offset your little bit of insufferable idiocy.”
I often wonder if I’m somewhat aspie when I sit and think about it, then I realize that it’s a pointless exercise and go back to cataloging the internet in my head.
Presumption of guilt seems the most reasonable route with this, no?
Bill Maher is insufferable… but this is kind of funny.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5235719/Bill-Maher-mocks-Al-Frankens-groping-photo-Bob-Saget.html
Women in the background loling
Indeed. Bob looks like he’s gained some weight, something to grab.
What the….?
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/671327/world-s-hairiest-teen-girl-Sumatra-Susuphan-shaving-hairless-treatment-marriage
Balko may as well check that gift horse for gingivitis while he’s in there.
https://twitter.com/radleybalko/status/948971432884817922
“You’re not upset at the moment about the thing that I care about.”
Balko’s whole schtick is a charade at this point. He totally hates cops, but loves the FBI for reasons. Selective questioning of authority. Real edgy
That’s the whole schtick of everyone at TOS.
“Hey, were outraged, because! And we don’t care if anything else good happens!”
Balko is such a failure.
Fuck Dana Loesch (not with someone else’s dick, actually) and fuck the NRA.
https://twitter.com/NRATV/status/948340605263888385
Their cop-sucking stance is just one of several reasons that I’m not a member anymore… Yet they still call me from time to time and ask for money.
What an idiotic tweet after the swatting murder.
That would be one spectacular hate-fuck.
But someone has to do the dark, lonely, thankless work around here. I’d need someone to lend me a ball-gag for her though, of have some other way to stop the voice.
What skyrocketing violent crime rate?
The one that has been trending down since the 70s. You know, the same one the same RKBA advocates have been pointing out to suggest there is no correlation between crime and the abundance of guns.
Why is it that people think the NRA sells guns? Is there like a clearinghouse of idiocy that ensures that stupid canard never dies?
Ok, it’s up to 9 degrees, looks like that’s gonna be the high, time to get on changing that headlight…yep…time to get going…out in the cold…fuck it, the Wallflowers made millions with One Headlight.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/some-people-are-mad-about-chip-and-joanna-gaines%e2%80%99-baby-news/ar-BBHS78C?ocid=spartandhp
ZARDOZ has many fans among the general population. People who still think Malthus was not totally and irrefutably discredited. Over population is a problem because reasons that don’t comport with reality
Summary: The Malthusians once again crawl out from under their rocks. I love Malthusians and Luddites, they’re like a Clinton, they never go away.
They’re just mad that the Gaines’ are conservative family-values types. They have no problem at all with refugees/illegals/whatever client group reproducing like bunnies.
Also, she’s apparently Asian and he’s apparently a white devil. So how do you approach classifying the children under the correct designation of wrong race or right race. Victim or oppressor. Or even worse, Asian+White may be an evil hybrid of privilege too evil to even comprehend? How much of this is racially motivated and now long until yet another mask flies off and they openly oppose mixed marriage?
They’re already there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FriM5K5MwSY
So, I’m trying to assess the chances of the Democrats riding a giant blue wave in all the red state races in 2018. So far as I can tell here’s what they are running on.
1. Tax cuts are bad, that’s not your money!
2. Businesses giving employees extra money and raises, is bad.
3. #MeToo
4. Russians!
5. Trump!
5. Tax cuts are bad, that’s not your money!
Am I missing something?
“There are more than two genders, bigot. Check your white privilege”
I actually think they are going to have a great midterm with such a polarized electorate and a lot of energy on their side. I just don’t understand what there complaints are anymore. What has Trump done that is so dangerous
They’ll pick up seats, but I don’t think it’s going to be the massive wave they’re convincing themselves it will be.
The Dems may win a few seats in the House, they certainly lose some in the Senate.
Well they sincerely believe Trump is an unhinged lunatic who might start a nuclear war and that he is sabotaging Obamacare for starters. And that (so-called) “Net Neutrality” is a huge deal.
You know, I wonder if Republicans will be helped by then as the hysteria from some of these things starts to fade. Dunno.
I don’t see Democrats making any significant headway. They may have very energized supporters, but I don’t think the post-election behavior from the Left has gained them any new followers. By contrast, I think some people are actually flocking to the pro-Trump side after seeing that he’s not putting people in death camps but is actually doing things that benefit the majority of Americans (cutting taxes and regulations).
Data doesn’t really show this, though, but there has been a slight uptick in approval since the tax bill was passed.
You wonder in his case, though, if it’s just because he’s a giant asshole. I think some people may be able to realize some of his outcomes have been better than what a Democrat like Clinton would have achieved.
“Check your white privilege”
And vote against your interests or we’ll shame you!
The thing is, the media, managed, even through polling, this delusion that Hillary was inevitable. So I’m supposed to care about their polls now? If you want to just do a poll of Congress approval now, it’s going to be bad no matter who is in power, and since the GOP is in power, it’s obviously going to be worse for them. Which one could suppose means the Democrats have an edge in 2018. Which is a very suspect interpretation in my opinion. But you know, I’m not an ‘expert’ and experts have really stellar prediction success as of late.
Speaking of polls, anyone notice that the last 4 polls from different media sources have all shown Trump moving into the low 40’s in approval rating? Those are typical Obama numbers.
Amazing considering most people are uninformed about the tax cuts.
And considering the 24/7 orgy of hate getting spewed from every cultural institution on Earth.
Everyone I talk to thinks their taxes are going up. One of my friends quoted Pelosi and I said she’s flat out lying but he doesn’t believe me.
Another friend said everybody he listens to says only the rich are getting a tax cut (hey, nobody I know voted for Nixon!), so why should he believe me. This is a guy who always has NPR on his car radio. He asked me to back up what I’m saying but I better not send him some fox news shit, I sent him a Reason link to Shackford’s (I think) article about the bill, which was a pretty straightforward, non partisan breakdown. He saw it was a libertarian site and refused to read it.
I guess I’ll have to wait til February when the cuts start showing up in people’s paychecks for anyone to believe me. Though I’m sure the goal posts will be moved at that point.
“What has Trump done that is so dangerous”
Nothing. And that’s the problem. That’s why they have to keep the outrage machine turned up to 11 all the time or people might realize that the economy is better than it’s been in a decade and they’re going to keep more of their own money next time they get paid.
Yep. Usually I think economy is the best indicator.
And although Trump may be an ass and people SAY they don’t like him, the economy is definitely way better now that at any point under Obama.
The president’s party always loses seats in the House at mid-terms. I don’t think this year will be any better.
I don’t think the Republicans will lose a lot of seats.
1) Blue collar workers that turned against Hillary in 2016 are going to see their taxes go down starting in February or so. I think they will feel vindicated for voting for Trump and may even become vocal about it.
2) The democratic party focus on identity politics (with gender bullshit at the front) is going to continue to alienate middle class people who tend to be more conservative in their personal lives that they will admit in public.
3) SJWs and minority activities continue to become more brazen everyday which will continue to alienate whatever may be left of “moderate” democratic voters.
In summary, the mushy middle of the voting block is not going to flee from their new tax breaks and moderate lifestyles and go vote overwhelmingly for whatever zealots the Democrats put on the ballot.
Yet somehow they are killing it according to the polls and analytics. I’m not sure I buy them, of course, but the data certainly could be more reassuring.
Polls seem to be less and less predictive these days.
I’m probably massively wrong here, but I think that the Dems are going to take the House. Strong turnout on one side against some measure of apathy on the other.
Naw. I seriously doubt it.
My district flipped Dem based on a ton of national money in 2016. This year things will revert to normal if the Republicans nominate anyone half-decent.
really?
Yep – Freedom Caucus member Scott Garrett lost a very close race to Clinton crony Josh Gottheimer. Turnout was double the previous election.
Odds are greater than 50% they will.
The Senate will be the real story.
I’d say their chances of winning the Senate are <15% given the map they have to contend with.
I think so too. You wouldn’t think that talking to Democrats, though.
this….
plus as long as the economy is chugging @ 3% and the stock market continues to grow, the chances of democrats outperforming diminishes significantly
and they would need to outperform to win the house. there’s ~ an average 20 seat transfer from the incumbent party to the minority party during most 1st terms. they would need ~25 to win the house.
under favorable conditions, they’d barely make it. under less-favorable conditions, they have no chance.
which makes predictions impossible. it depends on a bunch of variables not yet known.
I think you guys are underestimating how many economically illiterate millennials there are. The education bubble has created a bunch of people who’s skills are worthless but think they have earned the right to a middle class life. I have a lot of friends from high school who grew up middle class and now are bitter community college drop outs or they went to a really liberal school like U of Iowa or MCAD. this is completely based not on statistics, but a lot of the same kids who were emo then scene, then hipster are now resistance Wokesters.
“Odds”
Ahem
Never tell me the odds.
my point about “odds” is that they tend to change depending on how close to actual elections you are.
a year out, they’re useless.
Yeah, I was just trying to make a Star Wars reference. Sorry.
I got the han solo, i was just clarifying that the statement “Odds are _____” has limited value outside a narrow time-frame.
6. Punch (whoever I randomly happen to accuse of being) Nazis!
I could probably keep going if you’re willing to let this get pretty granular.
Am I missing something?
You aren’t forced to buy expensive insurance anymore, so you will die!
The interesting thing about the polls predicting the upcoming blue wave: the RCP average shows the Rs underwater at -11 on the generic ballot, but the generic ballot also shows the Ds at less than 50%. The last time the Ds won the House (in 2006) they performed exactly like the polling predicted – a 52% average in the polls translated into a 52% average at the ballot box – while the Rs overperformed. The last time the Ds won 48% of the collective vote in the House elections – where their polling stands now – was…in 2016, when the Rs captured as many seats as they have now. The wave could happen (after all, the Rs are in bad shape at the polls), but I wouldn’t count on it.
You’ve forgotten the Republican = Pedophile
That seems to be the only thing that has won them an actual election.
This is the death-knell of Zero-care.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/01/04/the_ground_is_shifting_under_obamacare_135915.html
Awesome.
Dear Zardoz,
Is it possible for a single man to be friends with a single woman when the man wants sexy time with the woman but the woman is not interested in sexy time with the man?
You want her to become interested? Move on.
No.
PLACING A BRUTAL IN THE FRIEND ZONE IS THE NEXT BEST THING TO BEING CLEANSED
ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS QUESTIONING CHOSEN ONE. IF SHE WILL NOT GO TO SECOND LEVEL WITH YOU, MOVEON.ORG.
AND YOU SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING FOR TIMES OF SEXY ANYWAY, THE PENIS IS EVIL!
ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.
The guy always wants to nail her.
The chick always knows this.
Bill Crystal. Can tell no lies.
Atta boy Cory! Make me not regret voting for you!
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/colorados-gop-senator-threatens-hold-nominees-sessions-pot-enforcement/
Nice.
Is it just me, or is “curated” an annoyingly overused word these days?
It is not just you.
Maybe it’s becoming the “problematic” of 2018.
More linguistic detritus I find amusing:
Why are sexual acts always “performed”?
Why are new degree holders always “minted” (eg: newly minted engineers etc.)?
Also this:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/49238/7-sentences-sound-crazy-are-still-grammatical
I prefer they be “executed”.
Its overuse is problematic…
But doesn’t this site provide boutique, artisanal, curated comments of the highest quality for your use?
I always think it involves a salty spice rub and smoking and get excited.
The picture at the Bottom tells you all you need to know about Oreogon,
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/01/the-nanny-state-chronicles-gas-pains-in-oregon.php
“I’ve lived in this state all my life and I REFUSE to pump my own gas . . . This [is] a service only qualified people should perform. I will literally park at the pump and wait until someone pumps my gas.”
You do that, honey. You do that.
Will she at least get out when the tow truck shows up?
I like the “green” gas
Sure thing, boss.
*proceeds to piss in
Tulpa’sRussian Yusef’s gas tank*Diesel pumps are green, get it?…..
Oreogon people are dumb
*zips up*
Oh, yeah I got it.
State licensed gigolos?
That’s they way I read it.
Let’s just say ‘deliberately ambiguous’.
You know. Cronies.
Let’s not make fun here. The idea that they might not be bright enough to pump their own gas is bordering on self-awareness, and that’s rare in these types.
So, a certified Petroleum Transfer Agent.
“Oreogon”
Intentional? Either way I like it.
oh yes, a typo I kept from a while back,
Oreogon people are crazier than Californians, and that’s hard to top
In Oreogon, everything is black and white. For example, you either get state-approved cronies to pump your gas, or you burn to death.
then you’re Gon,