My greatest dismay of the week was watching the Democrats beclown themselves repeatedly (and in self damaging ways) in the hearing with Shellenberger and Taibi and make Jim Jordan (JIM JORDAN!!?) seem like a reasonable human being. I don’t know how we can make Congress work better or hearings actually be about substance, but my God they have lost the thread. The message from nearly all politicians seems to be that ethics and principles matter when we can point out that the other side is bad because of their violations, but if we are wielding power to get what we want since “we” are “good” we can do whatever we want. It’s the theory exposed in “It's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower” by Michela Wrong. Principles being a useful bludgeon to achieve power and then jettisoned once power is achieved.
We have in the past had many principled politicians, though never enough, but it really appears that we are in a deep deficit of them. The whole lot of them in that hearing whether they saw the truth as something that they could weaponize or something inconvenient that had to be delegitimized made me feel very depressed and angered about where our country is as far as political leadership (not that I wasn’t already there).
As the Fifth already observed with former Representative Meijer, there’s not much space made in politics for people of principle (I mean you’re a sucker to live that way seems to be the common wisdom). I disagree with Meijer on a lot of things, but I’d trade the whole lot of who was running that hearing and their cohorts for a Congress full of Meijers.
As an outsider looking in, the committee system in the US Congress is an absolute disgrace. Using props in the background, making personal reflections on witnesses and "I'm on my time"-ing them when they respond, making sermons which don't meet even the broadest definition of a question... it's an absolute farce and a disgrace.
Yeah. What the fuck, right? Who what when where n why. How did the Dems get to this place? How did Dems become anti-free speech? This used to be conservative Christian territory. Yikes. Really shows you how far the left has gone towards holding ideological hands with the far-right. Totalitarianism is totalitarianism: it doesn’t discriminate based on race, party, affiliation, history, etc.
Hey, have you guys seen Daisy Jones and the Six yet? Riley Keogh, Elvis's granddaughter, really channels Lisa Marie. It's like a soap opera about Fleetwood Mac. I really like it!
I have never seen that Dick Gregory clip before. Wow, who knew that when the black folks' savior would come he'd be just as much Andrew Weil as Eldridge Ckeaver.
I'm surprised Rep. Garcia has even heard of a web page.
In light of those clips, along with the current brouhaha in the UK over Gary Lineker/UK Government influence on the BBC, this classic scene from the great BBC show Yes Minister made me laugh - "The BBC Cannot Give In To Government Pressure":
I kept thinking it was Sunday today. Sadly, I have to work on Second Sunday. I really wanted to shirt-cock this one.
Oh, have y’all been reading about Mr. Tom Jefferson of the Cochrane Library? Jefferson is the author of the article “ Do physical measures such as hand-washing or wearing masks stop or slow down the spread of respiratory viruses?”
He is not the author of the recent follow up statement by the Cochrane Library, that was from the editor.
Jefferson is a testy fucker, and I love him. He’d prolly be a great guest, but he rarely does interviews. Yet, I found one , I’ll post it below.
The review does not explicitly state that masks don’t work. But, in the interview, he throws cold water on mandates in lieu of evidence supporting the efficacy of masks.
Just when you get fed up with the loony Republicans, you hear this from loony Democrats. What a bunch of utter morons. Of course the voters in their districts think these fools are just great. That is the problem, is it not?
My greatest dismay of the week was watching the Democrats beclown themselves repeatedly (and in self damaging ways) in the hearing with Shellenberger and Taibi and make Jim Jordan (JIM JORDAN!!?) seem like a reasonable human being. I don’t know how we can make Congress work better or hearings actually be about substance, but my God they have lost the thread. The message from nearly all politicians seems to be that ethics and principles matter when we can point out that the other side is bad because of their violations, but if we are wielding power to get what we want since “we” are “good” we can do whatever we want. It’s the theory exposed in “It's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower” by Michela Wrong. Principles being a useful bludgeon to achieve power and then jettisoned once power is achieved.
We have in the past had many principled politicians, though never enough, but it really appears that we are in a deep deficit of them. The whole lot of them in that hearing whether they saw the truth as something that they could weaponize or something inconvenient that had to be delegitimized made me feel very depressed and angered about where our country is as far as political leadership (not that I wasn’t already there).
As the Fifth already observed with former Representative Meijer, there’s not much space made in politics for people of principle (I mean you’re a sucker to live that way seems to be the common wisdom). I disagree with Meijer on a lot of things, but I’d trade the whole lot of who was running that hearing and their cohorts for a Congress full of Meijers.
Is this the 1st workin' for the weekend that exclusively elevates a handful of "podcast bro's"?
FTC fall 2023 merch should include limited edition tee & hoodie:
“It’s not because you’re a woman, it’s because I’m a fucking asshole”
According to Wikipedia, Ben Dreyfuss was the model for Sid the Sloth in Ice Age.
This seems so bizarre that I'm suspecting it's a hoax, but on the other hand it's fucking Ben Dreyfuss we're talking about...
As an outsider looking in, the committee system in the US Congress is an absolute disgrace. Using props in the background, making personal reflections on witnesses and "I'm on my time"-ing them when they respond, making sermons which don't meet even the broadest definition of a question... it's an absolute farce and a disgrace.
Newly paid subscriber, looking forward to the Second Sunday stream tomorrow. Glad I finally made the plunge, this community seems great.
Is there a link to the stream? I can't seem to find anything.
Woof. I’m listening to the All-In Podcast guys talk about Silicon Valley Bank and I might be having anxiety https://open.spotify.com/episode/6i7aG5OQ34KW7yVqVk99k5
Yeah. What the fuck, right? Who what when where n why. How did the Dems get to this place? How did Dems become anti-free speech? This used to be conservative Christian territory. Yikes. Really shows you how far the left has gone towards holding ideological hands with the far-right. Totalitarianism is totalitarianism: it doesn’t discriminate based on race, party, affiliation, history, etc.
Sad sad sad.
Relevant to our moment: https://blacksnakeofvanity.substack.com/p/why-youre-not-an-expert-and-im-not
Maybe it was the manganese that made Matt threaten me with bodily harm—over an email, written by an imposter. What a shame.
🤷🏻♂️ 🪨 💊 🏭
God damn America!
Hey, have you guys seen Daisy Jones and the Six yet? Riley Keogh, Elvis's granddaughter, really channels Lisa Marie. It's like a soap opera about Fleetwood Mac. I really like it!
Does manganese only make you kill your momma? Did nothing but mommas die in that Aussie town?
I think Kmele abolishing himself from premium content might be taking the whole ‘race abolition’ thing a little too far. 😀
I have never seen that Dick Gregory clip before. Wow, who knew that when the black folks' savior would come he'd be just as much Andrew Weil as Eldridge Ckeaver.
MANgaNESE!!!
I'm surprised Rep. Garcia has even heard of a web page.
In light of those clips, along with the current brouhaha in the UK over Gary Lineker/UK Government influence on the BBC, this classic scene from the great BBC show Yes Minister made me laugh - "The BBC Cannot Give In To Government Pressure":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9tzoGFszog
I kept thinking it was Sunday today. Sadly, I have to work on Second Sunday. I really wanted to shirt-cock this one.
Oh, have y’all been reading about Mr. Tom Jefferson of the Cochrane Library? Jefferson is the author of the article “ Do physical measures such as hand-washing or wearing masks stop or slow down the spread of respiratory viruses?”
He is not the author of the recent follow up statement by the Cochrane Library, that was from the editor.
Jefferson is a testy fucker, and I love him. He’d prolly be a great guest, but he rarely does interviews. Yet, I found one , I’ll post it below.
The review does not explicitly state that masks don’t work. But, in the interview, he throws cold water on mandates in lieu of evidence supporting the efficacy of masks.
Here is the interview:
https://maryannedemasi.substack.com/p/exclusive-lead-author-of-new-cochrane
Here is a link to the article:
https://www.cochrane.org/CD006207/ARI_do-physical-measures-such-hand-washing-or-wearing-masks-stop-or-slow-down-spread-respiratory-viruses
Just when you get fed up with the loony Republicans, you hear this from loony Democrats. What a bunch of utter morons. Of course the voters in their districts think these fools are just great. That is the problem, is it not?