Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'm sticking with my view that reasonable Americans exist and on the matter of law enforcement and culture cancelling those same reasonable American voters will reject any local measures that hog-tie law enforcement or allow an Orwellian outcome for America's history and it's rich culture. I'm already seeing and reading plenty of voices that are calling out the stupid shit that's going down and featured in prime time news coverage. It's easy to become convinced given what we read and hear that America's fate is the same as Rome's. Nonsense.

I'm also of the opinion that what we're seeing portrayed in the news and social media - if anyone reads that shit - that America is in flames and CCOVID-19 will consume us, isn't an accurate big picture. Sure, I'm an optimist biased toward that view but still ....... I see there is calm in the communities I am familiar with, big city and small, people are going about their business as usually as is possible given COVID, police, EMS and fire fighters are on the job. Most folks are taking COVID and protesting in stride. There are exceptions and we've talked about them but those people and those events are made inappropriately bigger than life. I'm getting numb to that kind of representation. It's inaccurate.

[iam416]

Yeah, I've pretty much tuned out as much "news" as I can. I blissfully deleted my twitter account and spend minimal time getting updated on things around me. By and large, things are hunky dory where I live and that's all I really care about. Seattle can govern itself how it wants. As can Minneapolis and Miami and wherever else. Right now my biggest concern is whether the CFB gets canceled or not. I'd hate lose Justin Fields' final season.

So, yeah, I fortunately live in a rational community and I have no doubt Middle America sensibilty is still at least the plurality.

BUT, I do know that it takes a lot to vocally push back against the prevailing narratives. Hopefully it'll get done at the ballot box, but that'll probably have to wait until 2022.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Martha McSally wants to give you $4000 if you'll take a vacation at least 50 miles from your home.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-mcsally-give-americans-4000-to-take-a-vacation

[Hannibal]

I'm sticking with my view that reasonable Americans exist and on the matter of law enforcement and culture cancelling those same reasonable American voters will reject any local measures that hog-tie law enforcement or allow an Orwellian outcome for America's history and it's rich culture. I'm already seeing and reading plenty of voices that are calling out the stupid shit that's going down and featured in prime time news coverage. It's easy to become convinced given what we read and hear that America's fate is the same as Rome's. Nonsense.

I'm also of the opinion that what we're seeing portrayed in the news and social media - if anyone reads that shit - that America is in flames and CCOVID-19 will consume us, isn't an accurate big picture. Sure, I'm an optimist biased toward that view but still ....... I see there is calm in the communities I am familiar with, big city and small, people are going about their business as usually as is possible given COVID, police, EMS and fire fighters are on the job. Most folks are taking COVID and protesting in stride. There are exceptions and we've talked about them but those people and those events are made inappropriately bigger than life. I'm getting numb to that kind of representation. It's inaccurate.

If all the reasonable people do is vote and forget, then the problem won't get better.

Is there a single major change in the American landscape over the past 50 years that is the result of something that politicians actively campaigned on?

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'll take it! There are some great travel deals out there right now. Travel within the US is not hard. Outside of it? It can be. You have to do your due-diligence but resort rates in countries that will allow US citizens to travel there are phenomenal right now. Cruises are going to be out through September, maybe longer as the CDC and other global scaredy-cats are telling everyone that you will die if you cruise. The CDC via DHS has issued a no-sail order from any US port virtually shutting down cruise industry operations in the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Canadian and NE US ports. Smaller cruise lines (less than 250 pax) are just starting to operate on the Mississippi River and other US waters. Very few foreign ports are open to cruise ships but they are starting to reopen and various big ship lines are days away from resuming operations in the Med, Adriatic and others.

I could go on about the arbitrariness of the CDC's no-sail order. I authored a piece posted elsewhere suggesting the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), an influential trade group, should file a petition with an appropriate US District Court asking the court to issue an injunction on the CDC's action. I'm not a lawyer and even I could probably argue that case.

Of course, the public outcry against the cruise lines doing that and if they got one then restarted operations would be loud. Everyone is convinced the cruise lines were responsible for spreading COVID with rich travelers. While travel is a potential spreader of the disease, so is going to a theme park, taking a flight, staying at a big resort, dining out or any number of things that have been declared to be OK by PH authorities and are beginning to open. Many cruise lines are headed for bankruptcy and/or reorganization before they are allowed to operate again. 100s of thousands of people world wide are employed in some way by the cruise/travel industry. I think it's wrong but most could care less and refer to this as a 1st world problem that no one should take notice of.

[Jeff Buchanan]

If all the reasonable people do is vote and forget, then the problem won't get better.

Is there a single major change in the American landscape over the past 50 years that is the result of something that politicians actively campaigned on?

I assume you are talking about "the problem" as it is defined by your posting - and I don't mean that as snark. I think I understand where you are coming from, don't entirely disagree with you and if I do, it's by degree.

The US has had some watershed moments where it may not have been the voters that pulled us out of a crisis but there was some kind of collective thought that made its way into action. I think we are having one of those watershed moments. I don't know exactly what collective thought will emerge and produce meaningful action but it's coalescing now. I hear and read reasonable voices speak of needed changes to policing, systemic changes to more universal access for voting - a fundamental American right and one not very effectively employed as you point out. I think we'll be fine and if there is anything that characterizes America it is hope.

[THE_WIZARD_]

lucidly cogent

[AlabamAlum]

This is 15 min long, but about half way through it goes off the rails and proves that Joe Biden is insane. Insane. Literally. It’s rambling, incoherent, tone deaf, word salad. Worth your time.

https://youtu.be/oihV9yrZRHg

[THE_WIZARD_]

STFU

[Dr. Strangelove]

This is 15 min long, but about half way through it goes off the rails and proves that Joe Biden is insane. Insane. Literally. It’s rambling, incoherent, tone deaf, word salad. Worth your time.

https://youtu.be/oihV9yrZRHg

Heh, did you just hear about this? Was briefly all the rage last summer

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/16/corn-pop-joe-biden-story-what-happened-is-it-real-swimming-pool-confrontation

[Dr. Strangelove]

STFU

Purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka

[AlabamAlum]

Heh, did you just hear about this? Was briefly all the rage last summer

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...-confrontation

I avoided Biden stuff until now.

[lineygoblue]

Purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka

You should have told him to shaddup until he gains the strength to sire a male child. That could bring silence from him for years ...

[Dr. Strangelove]

[Dr. Strangelove]

Some interesting results in primaries today besides VA-5...Thomas Massie, the Rand Paul Lite Rep from Kentucky who Trump said should be thrown out of the Republican Party after he single-handedly held up the coronavirus stimulus bill has easily won his primary. Amy McGrath, who's raised a ton of money and been running ads attacking Mitch McConnell constantly, might lose to a nobody Dem. And in NC-11 a total neophyte born in 1995 just beat the woman Mark Meadows hand-picked to replace him and that Trump endorsed.