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Nov 2023 Mod notice:


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In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.

Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#273426: Mar 5th 2019 at 11:10:43 PM

It's also proof of something I learned years ago: if you say something with enough confidence, then people are more likely to believe it, even if it's nonsense. Especially if it's something they really want to believe.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Mar 5th 2019 at 3:16:13 PM

DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#273427: Mar 5th 2019 at 11:13:41 PM

[up] Same way people get into places they're not supposed to be in - just act like you ought to be there.

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
RainingMetal (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#273428: Mar 6th 2019 at 4:32:08 AM

I'm probably savvy enough to never have listened to Ben Shapiro. Mainly because he looks like a Smug Snake with a punchable face whose opinion you should never listen to.

Edited by RainingMetal on Mar 6th 2019 at 4:32:31 AM

ASAB: All Sponsors Are Bad.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#273429: Mar 6th 2019 at 4:35:22 AM

Ben shapiro look like your typical smug snake chararter who is only there to be stupid and punchable.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#273430: Mar 6th 2019 at 4:39:14 AM

The first time I ever heard of Ben Shapiro, it was about him being a part of Breitbart. That alone was enough to put me off of the guy for good.

Ironic, given that even he couldn't stand to be part of Breitbart in the end.

Edited by M84 on Mar 6th 2019 at 8:39:42 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
GoldenKaos Captain of the Dead City from Cirith Ungol Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Captain of the Dead City
#273431: Mar 6th 2019 at 4:41:19 AM

That's because, in comparison to some of the USA's rightwing pundits, he [Shapiro] can come across as almost rational.

He's a massive sophist, basically. He's good at making arguments that seem clever and rational on the face of it, but break down once you examine them closely or look at the actual evidence.

Edited by GoldenKaos on Mar 6th 2019 at 12:41:49 PM

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#273432: Mar 6th 2019 at 4:42:48 AM

[up]Hence the "almost".

Disgusted, but not surprised
GoldenKaos Captain of the Dead City from Cirith Ungol Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Captain of the Dead City
#273433: Mar 6th 2019 at 4:44:08 AM

Of course, not disagreeing with you in the slightest.

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
RainingMetal (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#273434: Mar 6th 2019 at 5:02:42 AM

He's probably just a Smug Snake who puts on the facade of rationality, but in reality, he's just as much of a puppet as the rest of the alt-right.

I always say that you can't negotiate with cancer. You fight it.

ASAB: All Sponsors Are Bad.
GoldenKaos Captain of the Dead City from Cirith Ungol Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Captain of the Dead City
#273435: Mar 6th 2019 at 5:41:42 AM

He's a trend-follower too, I remember seeing a video that tracked what he had been doing during the Bush years before he became well-known, and he's just a reactionary that rages against the progressive values of the day, and gets paid to do it. He has no real values.

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#273436: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:06:37 AM

Shapiro has like the opposite of the Voice of Saruman. That grating, nasal schoolyard bully voice pretty much removes any subconscious appeal his ideas have when decontextualized.

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#273437: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:12:30 AM

The Mouth of Sauron notably was shit at his job. He goes up to Aragorn and demands that they rebuild Isengard, give him all of the territories that were already conquered, and pay homage to Morgoth.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#273438: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:15:33 AM

Different things. Voice of Saruman was a compelling voice of a Wizard, the Mouth of Sauron was Mordors Sarah Sanders.

"You can reply to this Message!"
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#273439: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:20:14 AM

The Mueller report no one’s talking about
Justice Department rules require an accounting of any time supervisors told the special counsel “no” during his work.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/06/mueller-report-special-counsel-1206147

Around the same time the special counsel sends his Russia investigation findings to the Justice Department, Attorney General William Barr must give Congress an account of every instance where Robert Mueller’s supervisors told him “no” during the course of his work.

The reporting requirement is tucked into the department regulations that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein used when he appointed Mueller. No matter what the memo says, it’s expected to be one of the few items on a fast track for being made public that will be closely scrutinized for insights into the inner workings of the special counsel’s tight-lipped investigation.

Barr’s report could very well end up being blank, which itself would be a telling reveal that gives President Donald Trump and the leaders of the Justice Department he appointed tangible proof that the special counsel was allowed to carry out his investigation without interference.

By contrast, a report that includes explosive revelations detailing instances in which Mueller clashed with his department supervisors — say, over a subpoena for the president or an indictment against a top Trump aide or family member — would open a road map for Democratic lawmakers who have already begun their own investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 elections, as well as the president’s conduct since taking office.

“Either way, it’s significant,” said Sol Wisenberg, a former deputy on independent counsel Kenneth Starr’s investigation of President Bill Clinton. “Assuming Mueller doesn’t indict anybody else, Trump will be able to say this guy wasn’t kept at all from going anywhere he wanted to go. So I think that’s a big deal.”

“On the other hand,” Wisenberg added, “if he was kept from going somewhere, that’s a big deal too. The Democrats will make a big deal about that. I think it’s important either way.”


Mc Connell preps new nuclear option to speed Trump judges – The Senate majority leader is moving quickly to confirm appointments to the Circuit and District Courts — likely leaving few vacancies for the next potential Democratic president.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/06/trump-mcconnell-judges-1205722

President Donald Trump’s stream of judges is about to become a torrent.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc Connell and his GOP caucus have long prioritized confirming conservative judges to lifetime appointments. But they’re about to accelerate their ability to unilaterally approve many nominees in dramatic fashion.

The Senate is on track to confirm the 34th Circuit Court judge of Trump’s presidency in the next week and the GOP has three more ready for floor action; that would give Trump roughly 20 percent of the Circuit Court seats in the country after just two years in office. At this rate, Mc Connell and Trump could leave few, if any, vacancies there for a potential Democratic president in 2021.

Even more alarming for Democrats, the GOP is also preparing to pull the trigger on the “nuclear option” and change Senate rules once again with a simple majority to allow much quicker confirmation of lower court judges in the coming months.

“The committee is working to put [judges] out on the floor and as soon as they come to the floor the leader’s making it a priority to move them,” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, Mc Connell’s top deputy. “It'll be a high priority for the foreseeable future. I mean, it’s one of the things we can do that we don’t need the House’s help with.”

With the House controlled by Democrats, stocking the judiciary is the most tangible way for Republicans to deliver conservative results during divided government.

Edited by sgamer82 on Mar 6th 2019 at 9:23:00 AM

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#273440: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:29:45 AM

Remember how everyone was talking about Mueller wrapping up everything and being just about done? Wasn't that like, three weeks ago?

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#273441: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:44:22 AM

How often was Mueller about to wrap the investigation now? I believe it when I see it.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#273442: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:45:03 AM

Like I said, I'm fairly sure he'll just keep killing time until the election so there's a chance of actually arresting former President Trump.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Soban Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
#273443: Mar 6th 2019 at 8:48:35 AM

Even if it's nothing, nothing at the right time can tip the scales.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#273445: Mar 6th 2019 at 9:51:59 AM

Apparently NYT is still trying to insist Clinton might run

i'm tired, my friend
SteamKnight Since: Jun, 2018
#273446: Mar 6th 2019 at 9:55:21 AM

[up] They must really need the controversies to get money, huh? That is desperate.

Edited by SteamKnight on Mar 7th 2019 at 12:55:47 AM

I'm not as witty as I think I am. It's a scientifically-proven fact.
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#273447: Mar 6th 2019 at 10:27:59 AM

Didn't she just outright rule out running (again)?

"Yup. That tasted purple."
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#273448: Mar 6th 2019 at 10:33:43 AM

She also said "she's not going anywhere", so that means she must be planning a covert candidacy.

AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#273449: Mar 6th 2019 at 10:38:55 AM

She'll be a write in candidate for the Presidency.

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#273450: Mar 6th 2019 at 10:42:08 AM

[up]Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if she was.


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