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Nov 2023 Mod notice:


There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.

If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines before posting here.

Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.

If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules when posting here.


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

Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#273676: Mar 8th 2019 at 5:08:46 AM

I'm furiously trying to remember when the last time I actually used my cheque book was.

Or, for that matter, where it is. And if it still has my old address on it. tongue

I used them all the time while at uni in the '90s instead of carrying cash (because ATMs could be few and far between and bank hours incompatible with student life), but chip-and-pin took off. Bye-bye slow fiddling at the cashiers.

nightwyrm_zero Since: Apr, 2010
#273677: Mar 8th 2019 at 5:12:30 AM

Most of the time I use cash these days is when I chip in to pay for a restaurant bill. Or when I want to avoid paying sales tax or money transfer fees.

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#273678: Mar 8th 2019 at 5:13:19 AM

I don't even have a checkbook.

Pretty sure the bank wants to make me pay for one and most places won't even take checks anymore so I never saw the point.

Oh really when?
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.
#273679: Mar 8th 2019 at 5:16:32 AM

This feel going off topic, maybe make s proper thread out of it?

"You can reply to this Message!"
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#273680: Mar 8th 2019 at 5:20:09 AM

Me neither and I can remember only one instance in which I actually cashed a cheque.

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
#273681: Mar 8th 2019 at 5:47:35 AM

I liquidate all my cash into canned food that is buried under my floor in order to prepare for the nuclear Armageddon that President Trump will unleash upon the world on November 4th 2020.

There, brought it back.

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#273682: Mar 8th 2019 at 5:54:02 AM

You should buy a refrigeration system as well, or most of that food will go bad.

In all seriousness, maybe we should make a "Personal Finance" thread. It's an important topic, especially in this day and age.

ciyinwanderer Since: Dec, 2018
#273683: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:13:47 AM

A Personal Finance thread could be interesting, but I will say I used to participate on a personal finance forum, and boy could they start flame wars with the best of them. So as valuable a topic as it is, keep in mind that people can get very emotional about money.

This signature was thumped to preserve the dignity of the moderators.
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#273684: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:18:32 AM

Well, it is something worth getting emotional about, at least.

speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#273685: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:28:14 AM

Getting back to politics, what is everyone's take on the Ilhan Omar scandal? She made some controversial comments about Israel. Predictably, many right wing pundits are seizing on it as "proof" that Democrats are anti-Semitic bigots and hypocrites.

Edited by speedyboris on Mar 8th 2019 at 8:29:17 AM

DrDougsh Since: Jan, 2001
#273686: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:34:48 AM

Wasn't the extent of her anti-semitism accusing Republicans of taking money from pro-Israel lobbying groups? Which, well, they do.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#273687: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:39:02 AM

BTW, I've took the liberty of making the PF thread.

Is there anywhere where we can ask a mod to check recently-made threads, or are we supposed to just wait until one of them checks it out?

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#273688: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:41:47 AM

Report the post

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
thatindiantroper Since: Feb, 2015
#273689: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:44:02 AM

[up][up]

Several of her comments have edged up close to seeming like anti-se metic dog whistles. Oh and she refuses to recognise the interim president of Venezuela, I think.

ciyinwanderer Since: Dec, 2018
#273690: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:45:05 AM

Every Jewish person I have seen comment on the matter so far has been on her side. I've seen several commentaries on how she was making legitimate criticisms of Israel and clearly not trying to defame the Jewish people. (I don't claim this to be representative of all Jewish people's opinions, just those I personally know and what media they have shared)

In contrast, the strongest criticisms I've seen have come from white conservative Christians.

So my takeaway is that she holds a controversial position, that the Right is exaggerating to paint Democrats as the party of antisemitism. And it just so happens to be focused around a black Muslim woman. Surely a coincidence.

This signature was thumped to preserve the dignity of the moderators.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#273691: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:47:26 AM

[up][up]So is she backing Maduro because she buys into the whole "it's a Trump coup!" bullshit?

Disgusted, but not surprised
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#273692: Mar 8th 2019 at 6:59:30 AM

If that's true, I think we can write her off as viable in the future. You can't support democracy and Maduro at the same time.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
golgothasArisen Since: Jan, 2015
#273693: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:07:44 AM

Except it is literally a US-backed coup. With US soldiers in neighboring countries to Venezuela.

"If you spend all your heart / On something that has died / You are not alive and that can't be a life"
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#273694: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:08:49 AM

I thought I saw she was Team Nobody, as in, Maduro bad, Guiadó (spelling?) bad, US intervention bad.

Can someone pull exactly what she said? Not a fan of writing off politicians based on half-recalled summaries. Especially a Black Muslim woman who’s gotten thrown under the bus repeatedly since she was elected. When we dragged Tulsi Gabbard and Joe Biden, it was based on direct quotes and credible articles about their actions.

Edited by wisewillow on Mar 8th 2019 at 10:15:28 AM

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#273695: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:13:26 AM

To be fair, ~Iaculus has raised some concerns about some of Gaudo's (sp?) supporters being deeply troublesome people like Elliot Abrams who made it a career to set up right wing dictatorships back in the Cold War.

Which is exactly Omar's concern there. I also note to my total lack of surprise that from Googling "ilhan omar""maduro" it seems it's only the right wing press that is claiming "Omar endorses Maduro", the other sources have lots of caveats.

Based on this letter it seems like her stance is "Maduro is a dick but there are problems with Gaudo's supporters and US strategy as well".

Edited by SeptimusHeap on Mar 8th 2019 at 4:18:01 PM

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#273696: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:13:45 AM

[up][up]Here, they did in fact condemn the regime as well.

https://www.salon.com/2019/03/07/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-and-ilhan-omar-join-progressives-urging-trump-to-change-course-on-venezuela/

Edited by Rationalinsanity on Mar 8th 2019 at 11:14:19 AM

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
ciyinwanderer Since: Dec, 2018
#273697: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:33:34 AM

I have not followed the situation as closely as I'd like (or as much as I should as a world citizen), but I'm with Reps. AOC and Omar here in that there is a lot going on here, US intervention in the situation just perpetuates problems and being hesitant about Guaido doesn't equal liking Maduro.

This signature was thumped to preserve the dignity of the moderators.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#273698: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:39:04 AM

[up]Well, we do have a Venezuelan thread, and we do have a few Venezuelan posters who regularly post there.

Disgusted, but not surprised
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#273699: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:48:07 AM

I hate to post mid-conversation, but I didn't know where else to put this.

Chelsea Manning has been arrested again, this time for refusing to follow a subpoena to testify at a Grand jury.

This seems to me like abusing loopholes around the "can only be tried once for something". Its also not unexpected - she had been trying to raise money for legal fees to challenge the summons.

Also, beware the replies. There's a lot of gross ones.

Edited by AzurePaladin on Mar 8th 2019 at 10:50:27 AM

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
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#273700: Mar 8th 2019 at 7:51:40 AM

I think pretty much every Democratic presidential candidate has also said they want Maduro out but have problems with how Trump is handling things. They're all familiar with Abrams and what he's done and its all red flags as far as they are concerned.


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