Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[froot loops]

The latest on the Fox News settlement is that, in addition to insurance covering much of the price tag, they're looking at a $213M tax write off this year as a result. Stock price has barely moved. In other words, it was a bargain for them when compared to the damage a trial would have wrought.

Yep

[THE_WIZARD_]

The Loons are back out in full force.

[Hannibal]

I'm not giving up hope yet that DeSantis can beat Trump, but those hopes are fading a little bit.

I still think that he's going to try.

It looks like he is desperately trying to straddle the thin line between being a populist and being part of the establishment. He seems to be really good at fundraising, despite his partaking in the culture war. Not many Rs have been able to do that.

The establishment seems to like him a lot, despite his hard Right Wing governance. He has even attacked corporate America (Disney). That's unheard of for an R politician. There are some weird dynamics at work there.

[Jeff Buchanan]

According to Ukrainian Military Intelligence, Russian forces are moving to strategic defense of the Ukrainian territory they have occupied. The Russians do not control the entirety of the territory defined by the boarders of the 4 districts (Oblasts) that Putin announced in July were now legally part of the Russian Federation. Certainly, this could be viewed as a strategic move on Putin's part as a lead-up to an announcement that the "special operation" has achieved victory and it's goals and is being brought to a close.

A successful counter-offensive by the Ukrainian armed forces - similar to what happened in Kharkiv and Kerson would lead to negotiations favoring Ukraine. Whatever happens, the conflict is going to last years in varying stages of live engagements.

In military terms, it is easier to defend positions than it is to launch offensive operations from occupied territory. In the current war, this has been plainly demonstrated by several Russian Army failures to advance westward along the Kreminia - Advanika line (beyond the western most territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions). Personnel and equipment losses on both sides have been high but with the Ukrainians in a defensive posture, they have suffered far fewer casualties that the Russians who are on the offensive albeit a failed offensive operation. There has been little change in the FEBA since the Russians announced a wiinter offensive that started in January.

Analysts and mil-bloggers on both sides have been talking about an impending Ukrainian counteroffensive operation. Most suspect an operation designed to split the occupying Russian forces into two regions - one in the NE of Ukraine and the other in the SW and in the process isolate Crimea - the divide and conquer military strategy. No one in the public domain really has any idea of Ukrainian plans in this regard or is offering a likelihood of success.

[Hannibal]

Re: Fox News and "how the sausage is made"

I guess it's possible that it was worth $750 Million to not put Tucker Carlson on the stand. But what would have been revealed by that that wasn't already in his e-mails?

[froot loops]

If you want to win the general election you need someone better than DeSantis. He reminds me of a Bill Belichick assistant who goes on to become a head coach somewhere else. The only common trait those fellas would learn from Belichick is to be a jerk. They didn't bring the gameplan, roster management or Tom Brady with them. DeSantis is like that, he can try to mimic Trump's mannerisms but he's not Trump. He doesn't have 40 years of earned media. Tens of thousands of people are not lining up to a DeSantis rally on the regular.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Re: Fox News and "how the sausage is made"

I guess it's possible that it was worth $750 Million to not put Tucker Carlson on the stand. But what would have been revealed by that that wasn't already in his e-mails?

Transcripts of Tucker, Hannity, Laura, Rupert, and others being asked directly if they believed the election was stolen from Trump and all of them answering no? And then being asked why they implied otherwise to their viewers and being forced to admit that they were scared of losing viewers and money? Which obviously raises questions as to whether they wouldn't lie constantly to keep the viewers entertained and engaged. Why are Fox's ratings always better during Democratic presidencies than Republican ones? Because anger and rage gets people to tune in better than satisfaction and contentment do. No one is interested in good news. Give us scandal and outrage porn.

Video of them on the stand would be worse but I don't think it was being recorded.

[Hannibal]

DeSantis does lack charisma. That is, indeed a problem. He is prickly and unpleasant to listen to.

He's not trying to be Trump though. Not in his personality, at least. He is a very pragmatic guy and, unlike Trump, a very competent chief executive. I think that he might be the only Republican who understands the importance of being able to amicably win over Trump's base without going scorched earth on the guy, while also not offending the big money donors and the power brokers that he needs on his side.

Outwardly, DeSantis appears to be the most intellligent R. (That's not saying much though).

[froot loops]

Has Fox ratings been better during Biden? I was under the impression cable news ratings across the board were down compared to Trump. They have certainly cratered for true news outlets like CNN and MSNBC.

[Hannibal]

Transcripts of Tucker, Hannity, Laura, Rupert, and others being asked directly if they believed the election was stolen from Trump and all of them answering no? And then being asked why they implied otherwise to their viewers and being forced to admit that they were scared of losing viewers and money?

Meh. We already know that bolded part.

[THE_WIZARD_]

What do you loons think about Bobby Kennedy Jr...doesn't tow the loon line enough?

[Dr. Strangelove]

What do you loons think about Bobby Kennedy Jr...doesn't tow the loon line enough?

He's a moron. Against all vaccines, not just covid. Basically the Hunter of the Kennedy family too.

What's funny is he's got all these rightwing fans now who are probably unaware of hid views beyond the vaccine stuff. People are already digging up old tweets of his where he calls the NRA a terrorist organization, for instance.

[froot loops]

If you are an intelligent guy looking to win the Presidency, you tell the people in your caucus to lose the 6 week abortion ban.

The problem with trying to win over the Trump base amicably without going scorched earth is that has been the strategy since 2015. It hasn't worked yet. A base that likes fighters, likes fighters. He has to bring the Chicago Way to Trump. Or he needs somebody else to bring the Chicago Way to him and hope to slide in the aftermath.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Hilarious. Too perfect.

*********************

MyPillow founder and prominent election denier Mike Lindell made a bold offer ahead of a “cyber symposium” he held in August 2021 in South Dakota: He claimed he had data showing Chinese interference and said he would pay $5 million to anyone who could prove the material was not from the previous year’s U.S. election.

He called the challenge “Prove Mike Wrong.”

On Wednesday, a private arbitration panel ruled that someone did.

The panel said Robert Zeidman, a computer forensics expert and 63-year-old Trump voter from Nevada, was entitled to the $5 million payout.

Zeidman had examined Lindell’s data and concluded that it not only did not prove voter fraud, it had no connection to the 2020 election. He was the only expert who submitted a claim, arbitration records show.

He turned to the arbitrators after Lindell Management, which created the contest, refused to pay him.

In their 23-page decision, the arbitrators said Zeidman proved that Lindell’s material “unequivocally did not reflect November 2020 election data.” They directed Lindell’s firm to pay Zeidman within 30 days.

In a statement to The Washington Post, Zeidman said he was “really happy” with the arbitrators’ decision. “They clearly saw this as I did — that the data we were given at the symposium was not at all what Mr. Lindell said it was,” he said. “The truth is finally out there.”

Mike Lindell firm told to pay $5 million in ‘Prove Mike Wrong’ election-fraud challenge - The Washington Post

[THE_WIZARD_]

I don't know much about him except he opposed the covid vaccine mandates...which was correct. He also is adamant about collusion regarding the origins of covid and the associated research that led to the leak. But I do know the loons will not align for someone who walks against the loon line...