NPR

Imagine if the Dems had used their brains and chosen Pete to go up against Trump?

Rinkals? Where are you?

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 4:16 pm Imagine if the Dems had used their brains and chosen Pete to go up against Trump?

I think his being openly gay is, sadly, but probably correctly, still perceived as too much of a threat to electability. At least to the office of president.

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:18 pm

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 4:16 pm Imagine if the Dems had used their brains and chosen Pete to go up against Trump?

I think his being openly gay is, sadly, but probably correctly, still perceived as too much of a threat to electability. At least to the office of president.

I don’t think that being mayor of a smallish city gives him enough experience. But for me a big plus is that he isn’t a geriatric. Personally I prefer Amy Klobuchar.

Obama wasn’t vastly experienced either. He was a nice guy. USA needs another one.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 8:38 am

Fonz wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:32 am

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2020 8:54 amThe other point I'm making which is getting lost a bit is that the Tea Party directly pushed candidates and "names" that were happy to outright lie and spread conspiracy theories from the start. It was anti-intellectual and anti-reason. It just got taken over by someone who literally embodies all of that.

In a way then we're on the same page, there's a big connection to be drawn in terms of the angry anti-establishmentarianism they fostered.

I think it's a looooong reach from anti-establishmentarianism to "will literally just lie about anything and promote liars and anti-intellectuals".

Mind you, the idea that it's anti-establishmentarianismimustfindashorterwordtouseforthis is a tricky one to digest. Because it largely looks like racism and various phobias (i.e. homophobia, xenophobia, et al) and the uh economic anxiety seems to be a one-way street: Trump actively making things worse for his base and literally just looting the country for his own benefit while breaking every campaign promise has led to more fervent support from these lunatics, not holding him to account to improve their own circumstances. It's the hate that sucked them in, it's the hate that keeps them going, and it's the hate that Trump is actually able to provide in spades (and nothing else)

That is as good a summary of Trump's base as I've seen.

I can't remember if Fox News was a radical nut job conspiracy theory machine before the September 11 attacks but it definitely picked up the rope and ran with it.

I'm only speculating but as their viewers naturally calmed down or got bored with their hyping up of imminent Islamic threat they just started using the same hyperbolic mania on everything that was a minor concern for most. The effect is there are a shit load of Americans addicted to crisis, like a real life reality tv show scripted by Fox. Bad news sells and has now become a self-fulfilling prophesy.

The dilemma is how do you stop the likes of Fox News spreading harmful disinformation and inciting social unrest without becoming an authoritarian regime which in the wrong hands could end freedom of the press and freedom of speech?

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:50 pm Obama wasn’t vastly experienced either. He was a nice guy. USA needs another one.

Obama wasn't a nice guy, politically. No one gets elected President without shanking someone on the way. However, he is an actual human being with the ability to empathise and compromise who didn't see anything other than fawning praise as a reason for spite, bile and revenge.

Zig wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 1:30 pm I can't remember if Fox News was a radical nut job conspiracy theory machine before the September 11 attacks but it definitely picked up the rope and ran with it.

I'm only speculating but as their viewers naturally calmed down or got bored with their hyping up of imminent Islamic threat they just started using the same hyperbolic mania on everything that was a minor concern for most. The effect is there are a shit load of Americans addicted to crisis, like a real life reality tv show scripted by Fox. Bad news sells and has now become a self-fulfilling prophesy.

The dilemma is how do you stop the likes of Fox News spreading harmful disinformation and inciting social unrest without becoming an authoritarian regime which in the wrong hands could end freedom of the press and freedom of speech?

Fortunately a fairly low percentage of Americans get their news from Fox, or any cable channel.

But what conspiracy theory are they pushing? Will I be able to find it on the web? So far the main unrest that I’ve noticed has come from people protesting police brutality. Can you suggest which Fox News program I should record to get an idea of the conspiracies they are promoting?

Hal Jordan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 3:36 pm

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:50 pm Obama wasn’t vastly experienced either. He was a nice guy. USA needs another one.

Obama wasn't a nice guy, politically. No one gets elected President without shanking someone on the way. However, he is an actual human being with the ability to empathise and compromise who didn't see anything other than fawning praise as a reason for spite, bile and revenge.

Quite. Obama for instance rang Jon Stewart to give him a few bollockings, but I'm pretty sure Stewart would still be pleased to get a call from Obama tomorrow, because Obama hated some of Stewart's commentary but still thought him a good bloke and treated him as such. Stewart didn't take much notice of the rants from Obama, pretty much concluding it wasn't remotely his job to try and put a positive spin on Obama's administration.

Ok. I’ve just watched Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, and could see absolutely no evidence of a conspiracy theory, maybe expect for discussing whether the Democrats will increase the number of Supreme Court Justices if they could.

Now I’m watching Atlanta Falcons against Carolina on the local Fox channel. They need some conspiracy to break their losing streak.

Fangle wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 4:11 pm

Fortunately a fairly low percentage of Americans get their news from Fox, or any cable channel.

But what conspiracy theory are they pushing? Will I be able to find it on the web? So far the main unrest that I’ve noticed has come from people protesting police brutality. Can you suggest which Fox News program I should record to get an idea of the conspiracies they are promoting?

Hannity and Carlson.

Blindfolded up against a wall.

Throw paint at them.

Bokkom wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:05 pm Rinkals? Where are you?

I got up at 5 thirty yesterday to drive for 2 hours to Durban for a hockey training session (perhaps, since the fred topic is American, I should stipulate that this is field hockey).

I can provide my movements for Saturday as well, if you are that interested.

Bokkom wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:09 am Rinkals, some interesting info on your beloved main stream media. It seems they are propaganda tools for US/UK warmongers.

Seriously?

Yep, seriously.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/reve ... aign-syria

Without clicking on those links there certainly is a lot of propaganda coming out of Syria, mostly Syrian and Russian but not all.

Zig wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:53 pm

Fangle wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 4:11 pm

Fortunately a fairly low percentage of Americans get their news from Fox, or any cable channel.

But what conspiracy theory are they pushing? Will I be able to find it on the web? So far the main unrest that I’ve noticed has come from people protesting police brutality. Can you suggest which Fox News program I should record to get an idea of the conspiracies they are promoting?

Hannity and Carlson.

Blindfolded up against a wall.

Throw paint at them.

Aren’t neither of those news programs, but commentary? But what conspiracy are they touting?
I would never watch them nor Rachel Maddow.

I cannot help thinking that as America is a fantasy land, where the poor have been convinced that they can make it, if only they shut the fuck up and go away..or that they should vote in the interests of the wealthy, as they will be one day, and that if you give the rich all the money , that wealth and opportunity will trickle down.

If the whole American Dream thing is built on complete bullshit, what is one more lie and another and another?
The whole thing is a fantasy world.
Everyone is lied to.
Lies keep the whole thing afloat.
In a fantasy world, lies are not really lies are they?
They are just more fantasies.
Joe scarbough keeps saying that republicans are the party of balanced budgets and America is the greatest country in the history of mankind, and he is allowed to say this shit day after day after day,

And yet he hates Trumps lies.

It is all a fucking lie is my point.

They Live was making that point about the American Dream being a fantasy used to con regular people into accepting their own exploitation at the hands of the capitalist elites back in the 80s. You watch it now and you think Carpenter didn't go far enough.

I watched the coverage of the Iraq war with embedded journalists and it did strike me then that there was a certain partisanship and patriotic fervour evident among reporters from CNN and the BBC which comprised most of the reporting from Iraq, but to say that "the media is hungry for war" or "the media pushed the whole thing" is idiotic to the point of making the entire report unbelievable.


Seriously, Bokkom, if you regard this guy as a reliable, completely independent source I'm a little surprised.

While there is certainly some doubt as to whether Assad gassed his own population, I don't think Assad is quite the saint that this guy says he is.

Bokkom wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:55 am Yep, seriously.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/reve ... aign-syria

While I wouldn't put it past the British to seek to use propaganda to push their narrative in Syria, some of the spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in the "report" are enough to make one question its provenance.

Still, if you regard it as believable, that's up to you.

I guess the issue with accepting that the MSM is inherently corrupt and pushing a uniform agenda to deceive us all is that you inevitably gravitate towards vblogs and web pages that align more closely with your own convictions, but may not be backed up with verifiable sources which can be cross-checked for plausibility.

Rinkals wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:09 pm
While there is certainly some doubt as to whether Assad gassed his own population, I don't think Assad is quite the saint that this guy says he is.

Assad Senior spent a few decades torturing and massacring his own populace, Assad Junior emptied his prisons of jihadis and sent them to Iraq to kill Americans and Brits.

At least Syria isn't a Western imperialist lackey though, eh?

Just would like to say look, I would love to debate with you all and call you all cunts etc, like the earth depends on the shit we write here, but I really am a carer and I post here either when I am completely knackered or I am in really between quite important tasks and rushing around.

I am kinda kind, and cannot just switch being a prick on and off and chase you all down the rabbits hole.

You guys can be pricks 24 hours a day 7 days a week, I really do not have that luxury.
I have to be extremely kind in 2 minutes and counting so switching between being a abusive, point scoring wank'tard just doesn't work.

It really is a case of "here is my awesome apposite opinion, just suck it".

Seriously Refry, wtf are you on about? You had 1 person reply to you and politely at that..

You're not the only carer in South Wales under lockdown mate, but some of us don't act as if the world is against you...

What is the reason for all the hatred towards anyone who proposes affordable healthcare in the USA?

Chilli wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 2:13 pm What is the reason for all the hatred towards anyone who proposes affordable healthcare in the USA?

COMMUNIST

Saint wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 2:35 pm

Chilli wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 2:13 pm What is the reason for all the hatred towards anyone who proposes affordable healthcare in the USA?

COMMUNIST

GODDAM PINKO COMMIE SCUM! TAKING OUR TAX DOLLARS AWAY FROM THE MILITARY!!!!

Rinkals wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:21 pm

Bokkom wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:55 am Yep, seriously.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/reve ... aign-syria

While I wouldn't put it past the British to seek to use propaganda to push their narrative in Syria, some of the spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in the "report" are enough to make one question its provenance.

Still, if you regard it as believable, that's up to you.

I guess the issue with accepting that the MSM is inherently corrupt and pushing a uniform agenda to deceive us all is that you inevitably gravitate towards vblogs and web pages that align more closely with your own convictions, but may not be backed up with verifiable sources which can be cross-checked for plausibility.

What's your take on Assange?

Bokkom wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:03 pm

Rinkals wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:21 pm

Bokkom wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:55 am Yep, seriously.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/reve ... aign-syria

While I wouldn't put it past the British to seek to use propaganda to push their narrative in Syria, some of the spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in the "report" are enough to make one question its provenance.

Still, if you regard it as believable, that's up to you.

I guess the issue with accepting that the MSM is inherently corrupt and pushing a uniform agenda to deceive us all is that you inevitably gravitate towards vblogs and web pages that align more closely with your own convictions, but may not be backed up with verifiable sources which can be cross-checked for plausibility.

What's your take on Assange?

I think he's an egotistical prick, but I generally support his endeavours to bring questionable behaviour into the open.

If his carefully timed release of hacked DNC email had provided genuine evidence of wrongdoing by Clinton and her campaign team, then it would probably have served the public interest and may have had some merit. Instead, it comprised mundane and uninteresting communications that were deliberately dressed up appear salacious with the sole purpose of assisting Trump's election campaign.

Hpwever, I don't support his attempted extradition and I can't see how he can be charged with treason.

If you are asking whether I would support a rapist, I'm inclined to feel that the rape charges were trumped-up (if you'll excuse the pun) in order to have him extradited to the US to face charges there: the alleged rape victim has already admitted that the sex was consensual and IIRC, the rape definition hinged on whether a condom was used. I'd buy that he is the sort of twat who would lie to a girl to get her into bed, but I feel that there is a difference between being a rapist and a lying prick and I'm of the opinion that this was more an operation to abduct him to face charges in the US than it was a serious rape charge.

I have a lot higher regard of Edward Snowden.

robmatic wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:36 pm

Rinkals wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:09 pm
While there is certainly some doubt as to whether Assad gassed his own population, I don't think Assad is quite the saint that this guy says he is.

Assad Senior spent a few decades torturing and massacring his own populace, Assad Junior emptied his prisons of jihadis and sent them to Iraq to kill Americans and Brits.

At least Syria isn't a Western imperialist lackey though, eh?

Indeed.

Far better to be the battleground for Putin, Erdogan, the Iranians and divers ME entities than be associated with Western Imperialists.

Back to rallies I see. And it’s Puerto Rico toilet roll time all over again

he is just such a spanner...

You can see how biased the MSM is: They never reported on this.

He could claim he invented dynamite and the MAGA twats would lap it up...

How off of his face was he?

That's some good shit he's on

Bokkom wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:03 pm
What's your take on Assange?

Textbook useful idiot.

I see rocket man announced a new ICBM capable of reaching anywhere in the USA today. 4 years of sucking up to a dwarf got Trump this

Rinkals wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:01 am You can see how biased the MSM is: They never reported on this.

Maybe he bought them from the Pawn Shop?

Uncle fester wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 7:47 pm

Bokkom wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:03 pm
What's your take on Assange?

Textbook useful idiot.

Please elaborate.

Rinkals wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:01 am You can see how biased the MSM is: They never reported on this.

That's not suggesting, that's bare-faced lying. Extraordinary, even if that does feel like mere semantics with Trump and his team now. Sad.

When can we refer to him as bubblefart again?