Month: May 2017

Adrastos, Americans Recaps, Fog Of History, Television

The Americans Thread: We Gotta Get Out Of This Place

Peter Adrastos Athas

Dyatkovo is a Russian town where atrocities were committed during the Great Patriotic War by the Nazis against Soviet POWS. The story of a Russian collaborator is the centerpiece of episode 11, Dyatkovo. Philip and Elizabeth are sent by Claudia to learn if a woman living in Newton, Mass is that person. I’ll return to that at the end of the post. It’s also where We Gotta Get Out Of This Place comes into play and gets, uh, played.

Let’s take an early spoiler break. There’s much to spoil in this episode and I prefer not to cry over either spoiled or spilled milk.

Continue reading “The Americans Thread: We Gotta Get Out Of This Place”

Athenae, Stupid Everything Tricks, Stupid Republican Tricks4 Comments

THIS is it, right? Finally? This is finally it?

Allison Hantschel

Surely THIS is it, the thing that will make the GOP rise up against Trump:  In his meeting with Lavrov, Trump seemed to be boasting about his inside knowledge of the looming threat. “I get great intel. I have people brief me on great intel every day,” the president said, according to an official with knowledge of the exchange. Trump went on to discuss aspects of the threat that the United States learned only through the espionage capabilities of a key partner. He did not reveal the specific intelligence-gathering method, but he described how the Islamic State was pursuing elements … Continue reading THIS is it, right? Finally? This is finally it?

Free Republic, Stupid Republican Tricks, The Darnold, Tommy T

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “Fail to the chief” edition

Tommy T

Well, double-check those airlock doors, because this one’s gonna be a stinkeroo!

Trump Warns Comey and Says He May Cancel Press Briefings
New York Times ^ | May 12, 2017 | PETER BAKER

Posted on 5/12/2017, 8:33:36 AM by reaganaut1

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday warned James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director he fired this week, against leaking anything negative about the president and warned the news media that he may cancel all future White House briefings.

In a series of early-morning Twitter posts, Mr. Trump even seemed to suggest that there may be secret tapes of his conversations with Mr. Comey that could be used to counter the former F.B.I. director if necessary. It was not immediately clear whether he meant that literally or simply hoped to intimidate Mr. Comey into silence.

“James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.

Mr. Trump appeared agitated

In other breaking news, water appears wet!

over news reports on Friday that focused on contradictory accounts of his decision to fire Mr. Comey at the same time the F.B.I. is investigating ties between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia.

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

Trump should get off Twitter. He sounds unstable, not what you want in a President.
1 posted on 5/12/2017, 8:33:36 AM by reaganaut1
Sounds unstable?
SOUNDS unstable???
To: reaganaut1

 

I can’t disagree, just have a high ranking WH official make the call.

2 posted on 5/12/2017, 8:36:01 AM by seeker41 (Free the USA-eliminate globalist causes and return to the constitution)

Which one? Shermichael Singleton? Craig Deare? Cory Louie? Corey Lewandowski? Michael Flynn? Sally Yates? Preet Bhahara?
Meanwhile, there’s battle lines being drawn…
To: reaganaut1

 

You need to put down the Fake Stream News Kool-Aid.

President Trump is doing just fine, and I am glad he’s calling out the swap.

It’s about time!

Go President Trump!

3 posted on 5/12/2017, 8:36:06 AM by Enlightened1

To: reaganaut1

 

This is going south in a major way.

19 posted on 5/12/2017, 8:47:58 AM by babble-on

To: reaganaut1

 

Nonsense.

I hope he doubles his tweets.

20 posted on 5/12/2017, 8:49:04 AM by UKrepublican

That makes two of us. I also hope that he starts screaming at press conferences, throwing things, and cutting himself.
To: reaganaut1

 

I agree, his tweets are making things worse, not better. There are too many “Support everything Trump does or you must love Hillary” types on here.

37 posted on 5/12/2017, 9:25:53 AM by linear (The truth brooks no arbiters.)

And last, but not least:
To: reaganaut1
“Trump should get off Twitter.” 

So, then you’re theory is Trump should not attempt to bypass the enemedia

FreudOnVacation

and communicate directly with the people, but should instead let the people hear only the lying voices of CNN/CBS/ABC/CBS and what they CLAIM Trump said?

Not to mention, the enemedia

Freudianfieldday

proclaims 24x7x365 every day since he was nominated that he is “unstable”, regardless of what he says or does.

Oh, and Trump doesn’t sound unstable to me. He simply sounds like Trump has always sounded.

83 posted on 5/12/2017, 1:21:17 PM by catnipman ( Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)

Unstable. Quelle’ suprise!
Some older stuff below the virtual fold.

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “Fail to the chief” edition”

Athenae, Geek Cred, Television1 Comment

The One You Choose: 12 Monkeys, Trump, and motherhood at the end of the world

Allison Hantschel

We’re in a place now, in our culture, where we’re talking about time travel a lot. Those of us that aren’t talking about killer robots and how to screw them are talking about time travel. For a while we were talking about World War I a lot, which was understandable given the unwinnable, inexplicable wars grinding trenches through our public life. Then the trenches gave up their dead, and we talked about zombies for what seemed like forever. Now we’re building time machines, trying to fill in the trenches before they’re dug. Trying to figure out if there is any … Continue reading The One You Choose: 12 Monkeys, Trump, and motherhood at the end of the world

Adrastos, Art, Diary, Film, Fog Of History, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, The Darnold2 Comments

Saturday Odds & Sods: One Hit (To The Body)

Peter Adrastos Athas
Baluster and Skull by Georges Braque.

It’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegone, I mean New Orleans. Where the hell did that come from? I’m not tall enough to be Garrison Keillor and I hate cold weather. I would not, however, mind being Guy Noir if a gig as Marlowe or Spade isn’t available. It actually has NOT been a quiet week in New Orleans but I’m taking a monuments moratorium. If a Lost Causer waves a Confederate battle flag at me, I’ll shove it up their ass. Garrison would never do such a thing…

This was the week that the Insult Comedian flipped his weave. Again. The MSM may have finally realized how stupid the president* is. They’re slow learners. They’ve yet to learn that he neither plans anything nor ever tells the truth. In short, the electoral college winner is a moron. The dumbest Oval One ever. God save the Republic from this dipshit.

This week’s theme song is the underrated Rolling Stones tune One Hit (To The Body.) It placed number 61 on a Vulture mega-listicle rating all 374 songs the Stones have recorded. I’ll take a closer look at the list later, but it’s time to rock:

The song uses a physical fight as a metaphor for a break-up. I’m not sure if they had a romantic relationship in mind. One Hit comes from Dirty Work, which was released right before the Stones took a four-year hiatus and nearly called it quits. Keith was so pissed at Mick that he recorded what amounted to his version of How Do You Sleep:

Now that I’ve landed some blows, let’s go to the break before somebody gets hurt.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: One Hit (To The Body)”

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Uncategorized

Time for Mom

docphd

Last week, I wrote about a 10-year-old girl named Grace who overheard her mother discussing the horrific treatment of the student media outlet the mom advised. Grace decided to make T-shirts, blending her love of journalism and her love of “Star Wars” to raise about $150 for the Student Press Law Center, an organization that was helping to defend her mom. To make that amount, Grace needed to sell 10 shirts. In less than a week, the shirt order form was closed and Grace had raised more than $1,200 for SPLC. I have a no idea how many shirts that … Continue reading Time for Mom

Adrastos, Americans Recaps, Fog Of History, Music, Television

The Americans Thread: Welcome To The Machine

Peter Adrastos Athas

The Americans is gaining momentum as the season comes to a close. There are only 3 episodes left after Darkroom and I expect a helluva ride since it’s one of the best episodes thus far this season.

The post title comes from Philip’s EST seminar. The bullgoose EST-hole tells them that “we’re all machines” whose life consists of “stimulus and response.” Speak for yourself EST-hole. It does, however, seem to fit the latest development in the Paige saga as she inches closer to becoming a spy. Welcome to the machine, Paige.

More details on that after the spoiler break, but first some Pink Floyd:

Continue reading “The Americans Thread: Welcome To The Machine”

Athenae, Stupid Republican Tricks3 Comments

Screaming Makes the Headaches Worse

Allison Hantschel

Your gentle reminder that congressional Republicans could have stopped this long ago: People blithely predicting impeachment: PAUL RYAN IS IN CHARGE. Trump is more likely to get Congressional Medal of Honor than impeachment. — Jason McGrath (@JasonMMcGrath) May 10, 2017 Trump will be running the country from federal prison, texting executive orders to Jared and Ivanka via burner phones smuggled in from the Russian mob, before Paul Ryan bestirs himself from his seat to issue a sternly worded rebuke. Come on. The reason so many people are sitting back and laughing at this constant shitshow is that ABSENT A GENUINE … Continue reading Screaming Makes the Headaches Worse

Athenae, Bigotry, Immoral Values, Race, Stupid Republican Tricks12 Comments

Bomb the Suburbs

Allison Hantschel

Fucking FINALLY, someone pays attention:  Trump’s real base, the actual backbone of fascism, isn’t poor and working-class voters, but middle-class and affluent whites. Often self-employed, possessed of a retirement account and a home as a nest egg, this is the stratum taken in by Horatio Alger stories. They can envision playing the market well enough to become the next Trump. They haven’t won “big-league,” but they’ve won enough to be invested in the hierarchy they aspire to climb. If only America were made great again, they could become the haute 
bourgeoisie—the storied “1 percent.” Trump’s most institutionally entrenched middle-class base … Continue reading Bomb the Suburbs

Free Republic, Stupid Republican Tricks, The Darnold, Tommy T2 Comments

Spouting off –

Tommy T

Hi all! Just flew back from the Yucatan, and boy are my arms tired!

A short “Obsession” follows, but first – what I did on my summer vacation :

Barbara and I went on a snorkeling trip, but only for the boat ride and not to go snorkeling (Inah reef is pretty much dead now). The trip goes from Puerto Adventuras, North around 10 miles along the coast.

The Piratas de Tejas is a 75-foot V-hull and not a catamaran, so it’s pretty susceptible to the wave action that is mostly nonstop in the channel between the Yucatan and Cozumel island, and it was a pretty rough ride. For some reason, the crew were playing Spanish language rap and techno (as if any of the 20-odd passengers were going to be dancing around instead of just hanging on) all the way out.

We stopped South of the reef, and the snorkelers were herded into a bait ball and led over to the reef. Barbara and I took advantage of the wind, stillness, and impossibly blue water to relax and chat with the other non-snorkelers, and have some ice-cold beers.

FullSizeRender

After the touristas were loaded back on and lunch served, we headed back.
That’s where it got a little strange.
At first, it was just blue skies and mile after mile of jungle as we made our way back South.
FullSizeRender (1)
Then I saw something interesting in the storm clouds that were forming up ahead. Something very interesting.
FullSizeRender (3)
Quoth I – “Look! A waterspout!”
 .
Everyone rushed over to where I was to take a look. One passenger looked down at the side of the ship – I guess he thought I meant water was spouting out of the boat.
They all gasped, and I proclaimed that since I was the first to see the developing water tornado were were heading directly for, I got to name it.
 .
I dubbed it : “Brussels”!
 .
FullSizeRender (2)
 .
Then two more formed, making three waterspouts now crisscrossing the Caribbean, dead ahead.
Yep – we’re still heading straight for them.
The Captain came down and told not to worry, then crossed himself twice and bit into his own clenched fist as he left us. Funny boy.
 .
Then the music (which had mercifully been changed to classic rock earlier) changed again.
 .
First – AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”.
 .
Then CCR’s “Who’ll stop the rain?”
 .
Finally, “My heart will go on” from “Titanic”.
.
Like I said. Funny boy.
.
Some Freeper funnies at the handy link below..

Continue reading “Spouting off –”

Uncategorized2 Comments

How Can Tribune Media Get Worse?

Allison Hantschel

This. This could be worse:  Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc (SBGI.O) is nearing a deal to acquire Tribune Media Co (TRCO.N) for close to $4 billion after prevailing in an auction for one of the largest U.S. television station operators, according to people familiar with the matter. A potential deal for Tribune could come as soon as Monday, just weeks after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted to reverse a 2016 decision that limits the number of television stations some broadcasters can buy. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, named by President Donald Trump in January, is planning to take a new look … Continue reading How Can Tribune Media Get Worse?

Athenae, Immoral Values4 Comments

You’ve got to remember your NAME

Allison Hantschel

Reek, my name is reek:  Fair attack: the bill strips millions of coverage: Unfair attack: It was written by white men in suits and they rejoice at hurting the poor Yes. The most important thing in the world is to be fair. We mustn’t unfairly attack this bill, or its authors. We must strive to be dispassionate. We must consider each line of argument coolly and with great deliberation. Fairness, after all, is the most critical aspect of health care policy debate. It’s more important than the facts of the bill. It’s more important than the motivations of its authors. … Continue reading You’ve got to remember your NAME

Adrastos, Congress, Diary, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, Political Crack, R.I.P., So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

Saturday Odds & Sods: Don’t Be That Way

Peter Adrastos Athas
Mon Oiseau (My Bird) by Orville Bullman.

The bastards did it. Bastards is too polite a word: the fuckers did it. I’m referring to the vote to strip healthcare away from 24+ million Americans. It’s going to complicate things for people with employer based plans as well. And the House passed it without proper vetting, public hearings, or even reading a bill that’s a procedural and substantive atrocity. In the past, the Senate has been where bad and/or controversial legislation goes to die BUT it won’t happen without public pressure. Pick up the phone and call your Senator to either support a no vote or excoriate them for a potential yes vote.

We return to our regularly scheduled Odds & Sods programming with this week’s theme song. Don’t Be That Way was composed by Benny Goodman and Edgar Sampson as an instrumental for Benny’s big band. Mitchell Parrish’s lyrics were written later. The first version is by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra. The second is by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. I somehow missed marking the centennial of Ella’s birth on April, 25th. Oh well, nobody’s perfect.

It’s hard to top Ella and Louis, so we’ll go to the break and regroup.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Don’t Be That Way”