Yeah, our neighbor tackled a tree, by himself, with a chainsaw. All the while people were trying to host families and grill out! I may have said a naughty word.
see, that violates the social contract. I am rigorous about not running my lawnmower or doing other noisy chores on weekends, holidays and evenings. I realize that most of my neighbors have weekday jobs they have to go to and don't have that luxury, but chainsawing on a holiday? that's beyond the pale
One summer, my neighbors went away and hired some people to take out their walls and all sorts of stuff that required them to use a jackhammer from 7 am until 9 pm, 7 days a week for several weeks. Their place was worked on for almost 3 months, and we only were gone for 1 month of the summer. In a townhouse where we share walls, it was jarring to say the least. I had to look up the city ordinance and let the workers know on which days the law required them to shut down earlier, and not start so early, and then insist that they do so. Needless to say, my summer vacation, where I wanted to catch up on reading, was not the idyl I had hoped it would be.
Our townhouse community got rid of the company that used leaf blowers, and instead we pay the kids here to keep things under control. It is so much more peaceful. Can we say NOISE POLLUTION!
not sure how we shd roll here -- i like a clean nose going into conflict -- lead by example stuff -- we go high, they go low -- so i am resistant to the concept that we play rough and dirty -- but, given the existential threat to our democracy, might be we gotzta suspend decency so as to save our sorry asses??
As I geriatric letter writer, please be aware that while you were floating in the womb, I was street fighting against the war in Viet Nam, for women's rights, for rights for POC, etc. We each should do what we can, according to our individual abilities.
Those geriatric letter writers are why we have a democratic republic, they're the ones who fought the wars and supported the troops unlike the more recent generations that are too busy unless it's to flex their muscles and pay lip service.
It's like sending soldiers into battle with pillows to be nice. There is nothing that feels wrong about fighting for our democracy any way non-violent way we can until they bring out their weapons.
I feel your pain but have been saying for years we really have got to stop bringing those bic pens to gunfights. when you're getting shredded you can't worry about principles. fight back fight dirty fight to win - they do and they are winning, can we really afford to let them keep doing it??????
There would have been nothing dirty about turning down Clarence Thomas' nomination given that Anita Hill testified to how he had harassed her. The standard for Supreme Court and Federal justices seems remarkably low. I am really disgusted with what I feel is a certain sort of idea of professionalism that I find some people believe in, where one pretends that one is being collegial when one overlooks how corrupt or incompetent a colleague is who has the same degree, or credentials. So what. You are all lawyers. Don't extend them this courtesy. Professionalism should require one to point out when people do not live up to the standards in the field.
Again, Dems have been pussies for way too long. Every time I see someone like Senator Durbin, Senator Merkel, Senator Whitehouse and a few others in the news media I tend to cringe after seeing how wussy they sound. We need more vocal and challenging Senators not congenial and softspoken Democratic members to effectively respond to the loudmouth Senators on the right. Until the Dems forcefully and effectively respond to BS coming out of the Repubs they will continue to bully Dems and produce better sound bites for media outlets. Destructive, harmful and dishonest talk coming from the Repubs needs to the quickly and vigorously confronted to stop the decline our democracy.
I understand about Merkel and Durbin, but I disagree with you about Senator Whitehouse, I think he's doing his best to get the rest of the Dem. Senators up to speed about what's going on. The Judiciary committee is hobbled by Diane Feinstein but the Repubs won't let her be replaced on the committee, even if she resigns from the Senate. Have you seen (YouTube) or read (book) "The Scheme"? It tells the story of the billionaires, the Federalist Society and all the phony front groups they used to buy the SCOTUS outright. Blaming Mitch McTurtleface is only scratching the surface of what's really going on.
Thank you thank you thank you thank you for posting this explanation of why that ruling is bad. I’m old and podless enough to remember when the sane were screaming to give russkies and republicans a taste of their own medicine in the social media arena. Now the twitter files and Jim Jordan weaponised govt clones have gained the momentum to get this done
More info on Judge Doughty, who is also a COVID vaccine denier, anti-mask, and an idiot. It's at a minimum irresponsible not to vet a Republican Judge nominated by Trump without going down a standardized list of Republican orthodoxy aka Trump's Lies: Some sample questions would include: Do you except the basic findings of climate science? Is the Covid an airborne transmitted disease? Is it better to save lives and minimize the threats to life from a Pandemic, with an effective vaccine, than to do nothing at all, or even if protection wanes after a period of time?
Block on COVID-19 vaccine mandate:
In 2021, Doughty issued a nationwide injunction against a federal mandate that health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19.[14] His opinion includes many false and misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines, including an incorrect suggestion that vaccines are not useful because booster shots are recommended after six months, a misleading statement that vaccines "do not prevent transmission of the disease", and the falsehood that "the virus has achieved an immune escape from COVID-19 vaccines". Doughty's opinion uncritically cited the views of a doctor known for making false claims about the vaccine.[15][16]
On January 1, 2022, Doughty issued an injunction on a federal mandate that would require workers at Head Start (a pre-K program) to be vaccinated from COVID-19. His ruling applied to the 24 states whose attorneys general signed on to the lawsuit.[17]
On September 21, 2022, Doughty entered a permanent injunction against a federal vaccine and mask mandate for the Head Start program in 24 states, which would have required its teachers, contractors, and volunteers to be fully vaccinated, stating that President Joe Biden did not have constitutional authority to issue such a mandate.[18]
What's even more disturbing is these bought and paid shyster judges are getting away with being bought, wined and dined without any concerns about consequences.
How about being honest and strategic? We don’t need to play in the gutter with them. We need to have a coherent strategy. We need to learn to play the long game. We’re just decades too late.
I agree! Does Chuck Schumer have a strategy? I think Amy Klobuchar would be better at rallying the troops. Democrats never act like they're in the majority even when they are.
I just gave to smirking chimp. I used to read it a lot during the shrub era. I'll have to start up again! On topic, I think a major backlash is coming if the Democrats play their card right (no guarantee of that!). Hammer on Dobbs all day every day, as a way to open up to the issue of a rump antebellum SCROTUS. Then watch as a blue tsunami overwhelms 2024.
Does anyone remember Pinky & The Brain? Brain’s dopey ex girlfriend Billie took up with his arch Snowball the Hamster. This is much like this: “that’s how we ended up with Donald Trump fangirl Aileen Cannon, an inexperienced tool who imagines that her job is to do everything within her power to extricate her heartthrob from his legal problems”
It seems to me important that the injunction against the administration was done before any finding of fact that the government DID "force" social media. All that is in the case are allegations, which are denied. The judge went on for pages and pages about how conservative views are being "suppressed" without a whit of evidence that the suppression was by anyone other than the social media itself.
As I recall, all Facebook did was put up a little blue notice about Covid posts--which showed up pretty much every time you mentioned coughing. And what is YouTube but the place the village idiots go to "do their research."
I feel like I’m bringing this up all the time, and maybe it’s because I am, but G. Harold Carswell and Clement Haynesworth are two Supreme Court Justices whose opinions are never cited because, well, they were never confirmed to be Supreme Court Justices, hahaha. Old Tricky Dick wanted these two fine racist right wing assholes to sit on the SCOTUS, but the Dems Merrickgarlanded the fuck out of them. Basically. The good old days, when (my) party played hard and fast and dirty, counting dead people’s votes in Cook County and winning elections any damn way they could.
I think if I remember my history correctly, that is the time we also had a functioning Republican Party and Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania was Majority Leader, or at least he held the McConnell role. I don't think Scott supported either one of those Supreme Court candidates...I could be wrong. I don't think when push came to shove later on, he supported old Tricky Dick too much either. That's before the entire Republican Party sold their collective souls.
So simplistic and wrong. The reason we can't have nice things is because both parties are working for the wrong interests, and we are spending so much on imperialist aspirations favoring the "global economy" that we have forgotten humanity here at home. Political expediency rules the day with each side looking for their scapegoat so neither looks in the mirror to correct its own poor judgment and warped priorities, then the base shifts to support those warped priorities instead of standing up to their respective tribal leaders and saying "perpetual war, record wealth inequality, unchecked militarism abroad and here at home and expansion of oil drilling will not get you my vote or my money." Because they really only care about the latter.
by the way, this post was written while my nearest neighbor ran a weed-whacker for two solid hours. any incoherent passages are his fault
Yeah, our neighbor tackled a tree, by himself, with a chainsaw. All the while people were trying to host families and grill out! I may have said a naughty word.
see, that violates the social contract. I am rigorous about not running my lawnmower or doing other noisy chores on weekends, holidays and evenings. I realize that most of my neighbors have weekday jobs they have to go to and don't have that luxury, but chainsawing on a holiday? that's beyond the pale
One summer, my neighbors went away and hired some people to take out their walls and all sorts of stuff that required them to use a jackhammer from 7 am until 9 pm, 7 days a week for several weeks. Their place was worked on for almost 3 months, and we only were gone for 1 month of the summer. In a townhouse where we share walls, it was jarring to say the least. I had to look up the city ordinance and let the workers know on which days the law required them to shut down earlier, and not start so early, and then insist that they do so. Needless to say, my summer vacation, where I wanted to catch up on reading, was not the idyl I had hoped it would be.
Civility and courtesy for fellow human beings left the building many years ago.
I feel your pain. My old neighbour was of the opinion that every moment not spent puttering about the yard with a leaf blower was a moment wasted.
Our townhouse community got rid of the company that used leaf blowers, and instead we pay the kids here to keep things under control. It is so much more peaceful. Can we say NOISE POLLUTION!
https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/clean-air-act-title-iv-noise-pollution#:~:text=Noise%20pollution%20adversely%20affects%20the,sleep%20disruption%2C%20and%20lost%20productivity.
thank you, jeff, for "forgone conclusionist"
not sure how we shd roll here -- i like a clean nose going into conflict -- lead by example stuff -- we go high, they go low -- so i am resistant to the concept that we play rough and dirty -- but, given the existential threat to our democracy, might be we gotzta suspend decency so as to save our sorry asses??
feels all wrong tho
Fight fire with fire. Period.
Exactly! Indeed, one can fight fire with fire but not resort to arson.
We need street fighters, not geriatric letter writers.
As I geriatric letter writer, please be aware that while you were floating in the womb, I was street fighting against the war in Viet Nam, for women's rights, for rights for POC, etc. We each should do what we can, according to our individual abilities.
same goes, at 74 still trying to make a difference even if it's just writing posts, we can fire up the troops if nothing else.
Those geriatric letter writers are why we have a democratic republic, they're the ones who fought the wars and supported the troops unlike the more recent generations that are too busy unless it's to flex their muscles and pay lip service.
YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN!
Grow up.
I am rubber you are glue it bounces off me and sticks to you. Also you started it!
It's like sending soldiers into battle with pillows to be nice. There is nothing that feels wrong about fighting for our democracy any way non-violent way we can until they bring out their weapons.
I feel your pain but have been saying for years we really have got to stop bringing those bic pens to gunfights. when you're getting shredded you can't worry about principles. fight back fight dirty fight to win - they do and they are winning, can we really afford to let them keep doing it??????
There would have been nothing dirty about turning down Clarence Thomas' nomination given that Anita Hill testified to how he had harassed her. The standard for Supreme Court and Federal justices seems remarkably low. I am really disgusted with what I feel is a certain sort of idea of professionalism that I find some people believe in, where one pretends that one is being collegial when one overlooks how corrupt or incompetent a colleague is who has the same degree, or credentials. So what. You are all lawyers. Don't extend them this courtesy. Professionalism should require one to point out when people do not live up to the standards in the field.
Yup. Democrats need to grow spines.
By saying that Kevin McCarthy is tripping over his dick, you’re giving his sick WAAAY too much credit.
*dick
It works both ways.
😂😂😂
truly he is a sick dick who has alway been a prick.
Again, Dems have been pussies for way too long. Every time I see someone like Senator Durbin, Senator Merkel, Senator Whitehouse and a few others in the news media I tend to cringe after seeing how wussy they sound. We need more vocal and challenging Senators not congenial and softspoken Democratic members to effectively respond to the loudmouth Senators on the right. Until the Dems forcefully and effectively respond to BS coming out of the Repubs they will continue to bully Dems and produce better sound bites for media outlets. Destructive, harmful and dishonest talk coming from the Repubs needs to the quickly and vigorously confronted to stop the decline our democracy.
I understand about Merkel and Durbin, but I disagree with you about Senator Whitehouse, I think he's doing his best to get the rest of the Dem. Senators up to speed about what's going on. The Judiciary committee is hobbled by Diane Feinstein but the Repubs won't let her be replaced on the committee, even if she resigns from the Senate. Have you seen (YouTube) or read (book) "The Scheme"? It tells the story of the billionaires, the Federalist Society and all the phony front groups they used to buy the SCOTUS outright. Blaming Mitch McTurtleface is only scratching the surface of what's really going on.
Thank you thank you thank you thank you for posting this explanation of why that ruling is bad. I’m old and podless enough to remember when the sane were screaming to give russkies and republicans a taste of their own medicine in the social media arena. Now the twitter files and Jim Jordan weaponised govt clones have gained the momentum to get this done
More info on Judge Doughty, who is also a COVID vaccine denier, anti-mask, and an idiot. It's at a minimum irresponsible not to vet a Republican Judge nominated by Trump without going down a standardized list of Republican orthodoxy aka Trump's Lies: Some sample questions would include: Do you except the basic findings of climate science? Is the Covid an airborne transmitted disease? Is it better to save lives and minimize the threats to life from a Pandemic, with an effective vaccine, than to do nothing at all, or even if protection wanes after a period of time?
Block on COVID-19 vaccine mandate:
In 2021, Doughty issued a nationwide injunction against a federal mandate that health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19.[14] His opinion includes many false and misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines, including an incorrect suggestion that vaccines are not useful because booster shots are recommended after six months, a misleading statement that vaccines "do not prevent transmission of the disease", and the falsehood that "the virus has achieved an immune escape from COVID-19 vaccines". Doughty's opinion uncritically cited the views of a doctor known for making false claims about the vaccine.[15][16]
On January 1, 2022, Doughty issued an injunction on a federal mandate that would require workers at Head Start (a pre-K program) to be vaccinated from COVID-19. His ruling applied to the 24 states whose attorneys general signed on to the lawsuit.[17]
On September 21, 2022, Doughty entered a permanent injunction against a federal vaccine and mask mandate for the Head Start program in 24 states, which would have required its teachers, contractors, and volunteers to be fully vaccinated, stating that President Joe Biden did not have constitutional authority to issue such a mandate.[18]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_A._Doughty
that's why it boggles the mind that no Democrat voted 'no' on his nomination. it's not like this guy was a complete unknown
What's even more disturbing is these bought and paid shyster judges are getting away with being bought, wined and dined without any concerns about consequences.
DEMS ARE JUST TO HONEST TO PULL THE SAME SHIT GOP DOES, WHY WE GET MORONS LIKE DOUGHTY AND CANNON ON THE BENCH.
But, we can be honest and brutal at the same time.
How about being honest and strategic? We don’t need to play in the gutter with them. We need to have a coherent strategy. We need to learn to play the long game. We’re just decades too late.
I agree! Does Chuck Schumer have a strategy? I think Amy Klobuchar would be better at rallying the troops. Democrats never act like they're in the majority even when they are.
I just gave to smirking chimp. I used to read it a lot during the shrub era. I'll have to start up again! On topic, I think a major backlash is coming if the Democrats play their card right (no guarantee of that!). Hammer on Dobbs all day every day, as a way to open up to the issue of a rump antebellum SCROTUS. Then watch as a blue tsunami overwhelms 2024.
Does anyone remember Pinky & The Brain? Brain’s dopey ex girlfriend Billie took up with his arch Snowball the Hamster. This is much like this: “that’s how we ended up with Donald Trump fangirl Aileen Cannon, an inexperienced tool who imagines that her job is to do everything within her power to extricate her heartthrob from his legal problems”
It seems to me important that the injunction against the administration was done before any finding of fact that the government DID "force" social media. All that is in the case are allegations, which are denied. The judge went on for pages and pages about how conservative views are being "suppressed" without a whit of evidence that the suppression was by anyone other than the social media itself.
As I recall, all Facebook did was put up a little blue notice about Covid posts--which showed up pretty much every time you mentioned coughing. And what is YouTube but the place the village idiots go to "do their research."
I feel like I’m bringing this up all the time, and maybe it’s because I am, but G. Harold Carswell and Clement Haynesworth are two Supreme Court Justices whose opinions are never cited because, well, they were never confirmed to be Supreme Court Justices, hahaha. Old Tricky Dick wanted these two fine racist right wing assholes to sit on the SCOTUS, but the Dems Merrickgarlanded the fuck out of them. Basically. The good old days, when (my) party played hard and fast and dirty, counting dead people’s votes in Cook County and winning elections any damn way they could.
I think if I remember my history correctly, that is the time we also had a functioning Republican Party and Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania was Majority Leader, or at least he held the McConnell role. I don't think Scott supported either one of those Supreme Court candidates...I could be wrong. I don't think when push came to shove later on, he supported old Tricky Dick too much either. That's before the entire Republican Party sold their collective souls.
“Senator Turtlefuck”! I totally love it and am grateful I wasn’t sipping my coffee when I read it.
His language is like an angel’s kiss
So simplistic and wrong. The reason we can't have nice things is because both parties are working for the wrong interests, and we are spending so much on imperialist aspirations favoring the "global economy" that we have forgotten humanity here at home. Political expediency rules the day with each side looking for their scapegoat so neither looks in the mirror to correct its own poor judgment and warped priorities, then the base shifts to support those warped priorities instead of standing up to their respective tribal leaders and saying "perpetual war, record wealth inequality, unchecked militarism abroad and here at home and expansion of oil drilling will not get you my vote or my money." Because they really only care about the latter.
Thanks, JT. Perfect as usual.
Let me add my two bits. The chimp is a most worthy cause. Supporting it is a noble enterprise and will permit one to feel even more virtuous.