Month: October 2018

Athenae, Big Damn Heroes

People Have Always Fought Back

Allison Hantschel

In the worst times, people fought back:   The Bund created youth groups, newspapers, illegal schools, and a courier service that transmitted news across occupied Poland; the latter’s operatives exchanged information at soup kitchens that the Bund set up as cover. Money came from New York-based organizations like the Jewish Labor Committee (founded by Vladeck), smuggled by Jewish girls pale enough to pass as Polish gentiles. Later, that money paid for hiding places and guns. After October 1940, when Nazis began herding Warsaw’s Jews into the Ghetto, the Bund organized the teeming tenements into committees dedicated to cultural, as well as … Continue reading People Have Always Fought Back

Athenae, Campaign Notes, Elections2 Comments

My Billionaire Versus Your Billionaire

Allison Hantschel

I know I am supposed to be grossed out by money and politics, and I am, I guess, but honestly right now this is the least important thing: Pritzker seems an unlikely champion of working people. He is a venture capitalist himself, born to enormous wealth. His billions of dollars almost make Rauner, despite his half-dozen-plus homes, look middle class. I hear a lot of ragging about this all the time: Oh, it’s just two billionaires fighting. Battle of the rich guys! It makes me insane every time because what a lazyass way to look at this. J.B. Pritzker and … Continue reading My Billionaire Versus Your Billionaire

Current Affairs, Economy, Free Republic, Tommy T6 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “How now, down DOW?” edition

Tommy T

Quickie today (yeah – I know I said that LAST week) as Freepers declare “I’ll tumble for ya”.

Dow tumbles 650 points to new low on day, bringing 2-day losses to more than 1,400 points
CNBC ^ | 10/11/2018 | Fred Imbert

Posted on 10/11/2018, 1:57:57 PM by BradtotheBone

Stocks fell in volatile trading Thursday, a day after the major indexes suffered steep losses sparked by higher rates and a sell-off in tech shares.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 650 points lower, bringing its two-day losses to more than 1,400 points. The S&P 500 dropped 2.1 percent and was on pace for a six-day losing streak. The broad index also broke below its 200-day moving average for the first time since May. The Nasdaq Composite pulled back 1.5 percent and entered correction territory.

The major indexes fell after some of the major tech names failed to recover from steep losses in the previous session. Netflix fell more than 1.5 percent after briefly trading higher. Apple also declined 0.8 percent, erasing earlier gains.

Tech shares fell more than 4.5 percent on Wednesday, marking their worst day since 2011. The sell-off led to the Dow sinking more than 800 points and the S&P 500 dropping more than 3 percent. It was also the 28th time since 2011 the S&P 500 posted a more than 2 percent decline, according to data from Birinyi Associates.

“It’s a momentum correction, not a portfolio correction,” said Joe Terranova, chief market strategist at Virtus Investment Partners. “While we have a bias to believe 2008 could happen again, I don’t think this is the case.”

“Less is more in this environment,” Terranova added. “I think you need to be an observer of the guidance you get in earnings.”

Stocks tried to rebound earlier in the day after the release of weaker-than-expected inflation data. The U.S. government said the consumer price index rose 0.1 percent in September, well below the expected gain of 0.2 percent.

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

Not Good!!!
1 posted on 10/11/2018, 1:57:57 PM by BradtotheBone
Thanks for that cutting-edge analysis.
So – who’s to blame??
To: BradtotheBone

Soros.

2 posted on 10/11/2018, 1:59:04 PM by cowboyusa (America Cowboy UP!)

I don’t know why I bother.
To: BradtotheBone

The Dow is getting crushed.

3 posted on 10/11/2018, 1:59:23 PM by tatown

SO much winning!!

To: BradtotheBone

Billionaire RATs trying to crash it before the mid-terms.

Yep – because nothing says “billionaire” like losing 1400 points on your investments.

IF only evidence of it could be found.

4 posted on 10/11/2018, 2:00:25 PM by lgjhn23 (It’s easy to be liberal when you’re dumber than a box of rocks.)

AliensItWas
.
More at the “continue reading” clicky link thingy.

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “How now, down DOW?” edition”

Athenae, Big Damn Heroes

Not Everything Sucks: Free Food Edition

Allison Hantschel

Whenever Black Lives Matter does anything in downtown Chicago, where, you know, people pay attention to stuff, the local newspaper’s highly paid scolds bitch that the young activists never “protest in their own communities” and ask where their attention is to the problems people in Chicago’s predominantly African-American neighborhoods. Right here, you smug jackwagons:  The location of the food box was picked when members of Black Lives Matter Chicago, who at the time were volunteering at the Bronzeville Community Garden, learned people in the community were going hungry, Ethan said. So they decided to commit to stocking the box with … Continue reading Not Everything Sucks: Free Food Edition

Adrastos, Art, Books, Diary, Film, Fog Of History, Food and Drink, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, Political Crack, Sports, Television2 Comments

Saturday Odds & Sods: Late In The Evening

Peter Adrastos Athas
Father Mississippi by Walter Inglis Anderson.

It’s finally showing signs of cooling off in New Orleans even if it appears to be a cruel autumnal tease. The cool front helped keep Hurricane Michael away from us. It was a beast of a storm that battered the Florida panhandle and provoked PTSD flashbacks in the New Orleans area. Best wishes to everyone in the affected areas.

In more savory local news, Advocate food writer Ian McNulty wrote a piece about the surfeit of new restaurants in the city. Ian is worried that we’re losing the thread with so many eateries dependent on the tourist trade. New Orleans didn’t become a great food city with tourist traps but with restaurants serving locals. One Oceana Grill is enough. Just ask Gordon Ramsay:

You didn’t have to take that so personally, Chef Ramsay. Piss off out of my post.

This week’s theme song is appropriate because I usually post Saturday Odds & Sods at the stroke of midnight. Some of my regular readers look for it then. One would hope they’d have something better to do.

Paul Simon wrote Late In The Evening in 1980 for his One-Trick Pony album. Simon also wrote and acted in a movie of the same title, which sank without a trace. I always thought horses could swim…

We have two versions for your listening pleasure. The original hit single followed by a scorching hot live version from 1992’s Born At The Right Time tour.

I used a painting by New Orleans/Ocean Springs, MS artist Walter Anderson as the featured image because he famously tied himself to a tree during Hurricane Betsy. We grow them eccentric in these parts. If things had gone wrong, it would have given a whole new meaning to the term tie-dyed.  If that pun doesn’t make you want to jump to the break, nothing will.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Late In The Evening”

Athenae, Sports3 Comments

Not Everything Sucks: In Milwaukee It’s Still Baseball Season

Allison Hantschel

My dad has a tiny little radio, upright, leather wrist-strap. It’s at least 40 years old and spotted with paint from having sat on dozens of ladders while he painted the house. On baseball afternoons he put the radio on his nightstand and would nap beside it, and sometimes I could climb in bed, too, and we could listen to this voice together: I grew up loving the Brewers, hating the Yankees (“bunch of millionaires,” said my father, with disdain), and laughing at the Cubs, whose fans Dad still loves to mock on sports radio the morning after a loss. … Continue reading Not Everything Sucks: In Milwaukee It’s Still Baseball Season

Athenae, Current Affairs4 Comments

Keep Going

Allison Hantschel

The war’s not over. It’s barely begun: “Now wouldn’t it be splendid for us to be free & equal citizens, with the power of the ballot to back our hearts, heads & hands,” Anthony wrote, envisioning a time when women could also fight for “the poor, the insane, the criminal,” armed not just with moral suasion but “with power too.” “I can hardly wait,” she continued. “The good fates though are working together to bring us into this freedom.” The older I get, the shorter a hundred years sounds. Susan B. Anthony was jailed and threatened. Alice Paul went on … Continue reading Keep Going

Free Republic, Q, The Darnold, Tommy T

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – Freeperstar Galactica edition

Tommy T

A short one this week, folks, but since my back got fixed, I’ve been running around like a chicken with his head cut off, doing stuff I haven’t been able to do for some time.

So – it’s Q-hoo – Featuring a long time Freeper’s “Dear John” letter.

Er – make that a “Dear JIM” letter :

Hey, it’s an FR/Q opus
youtube.com ^ | 4 OCT 18 | 1inchgroup

Posted on 10/4/2018, 10:26:13 PM by 1_Inch_Group

I’ve made some decisions.

We’re abandoning ship Tigh.

I have to Saul. She’s dying…and we both know it.

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

This isn’t the same Free Republic I remember.The FR I knew would have outright rejected these nutjob Q kooks….and the White Nationalists and other creepy critters that support Q’s game.

Instead…..

If you are too effective against the Q drones here, they feel comfortable enough (now) to start sending your phone number to car dealerships, home remodeling places…..and I’m sure, if I looked enough in their little distorted world….my address in it’s entirety. Phone calls have stopped (down from 40+ a day), since I stopped posting. I fully expect them to pick up in the next few days. That’s okay. Call some more. I did nothing at all that would pose any risk to you. #promise/s

I have a very special person to take care of here. If she gets stressed out, that’s my fault.

So you Q people all did it. You stressed her out because you don’t have an argument that stands up to a rational discussion. She’s 99 you a$$holes. Make you feel good? Well, congratulations.

Beat me the only way you could. By attacking my 99 year old grandmother.

Make you feel like a good conservative American? Nah….you’re basement level refuse. Feeding on every little bit of crap just like a goldfish.

FR and Q trash. I never would have suspected it. Put up with it for a bit because you are all screaming crazy nutjobs…..and figured rational people would see that.

I’m done. I’ll meet FRiends in other places that haven’t yet been influenced by this cult.

You keep your Q.

Just so we’re clear. YOU allowed them to come. YOU allowed their disease to creep.

YOU let people in here that support doxxing (Hey, Q prole that published my info……pay close attention to the Dem operative arrested for felony identity theft for doxxing.)

YOU deal with it. I’m done.

No more donations, no more participation. Enjoy who you’ve chosen to sleep with.

She was a grand old Lady.

To Galactica.

Please delete my account. You don’t have to act out the part any more.

Opus, out.

1 posted on 10/4/2018, 10:26:13 PM by 1_Inch_Group
Damn.  I loved that penguin.
To: 1_Inch_Group

 

Not bad.

2 posted on 10/4/2018, 10:28:00 PM by deadrock

To: 1_Inch_Group

I get those calls and no one doxxed me.Shame to see you go, sir. I don’t think you need to do this.

3 posted on 10/4/2018, 10:28:59 PM by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
To: 1_Inch_Group

 

My God,what is happening here?

I don’t know how to react.

5 posted on 10/4/2018, 10:29:54 PM by Mears

Don’t worry – the Qberts will be along in a second to tell you how to.
To: 1_Inch_Group

 

You need a tissue for your issue.

9 posted on 10/4/2018, 10:31:31 PM by Eddie01

See?
To: 1_Inch_Group

 

I agree with his main point, that the Qooks are equivalent to libtards in their illogical, herding, seek and destroy mentality, but apparently the decision has been made (on a financial basis?) to let them not only live, but migrate here, as Q havens continue to get shutdown elsewhere. Since I’m (and many of us) aren’t paying enough in to be involved in those decisons, either you learn to live with them, or you don’t. My guess is Sessions will be fired soon, which will lead to their demise everywhere, but we’re not there yet.

32 posted on 10/4/2018, 10:45:35 PM by Golden Eagle (There is no difference between the Eric Holder Justice Department and Jeff Sessions – DJT)

More discussion on how badly the Qberts have further fucked up Freeperville after the thingy.

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – Freeperstar Galactica edition”

Athenae, Congress

Moderates Not Gonna Moderate, or, This Didn’t Just Happen

Allison Hantschel

One of the architects of the current disaster deplores the terrible blueprints he drew: Sen. Flake, heading into chamber, tells me the Senate has “hit bottom.” I ask why so many lawmakers keep using that specific term. He shrugs and grimaces. “Because it feels like we are at the bottom.” — Robert Costa (@costareports) October 6, 2018 I’ve written many, many times about the passivity with which we characterize our current political moment. How everyone from congressional pages on up to the Wall Street Journal editorial board talks about our country becoming divided, our politics becoming rancorous, our society growing … Continue reading Moderates Not Gonna Moderate, or, This Didn’t Just Happen

Uncategorized5 Comments

Go Ahead and Celebrate, Wingnuts. Me and Mine Have Work to Do.

Allison Hantschel

You got what you wanted now. He’ll overturn Roe. He’ll side with businesses against unions. With wealth against powerlessness. He’ll help politicians cut your goddamn sacred motherfucking TAXES. Who cares if he’s a rapist? WHO CARES IF HE’S A GODDAMN RAPIST, right? Who cares how many women he hurt? Who cares enough to even FIND OUT how many women he hurt? You got what you wanted. You got what you wanted so why even bother. You got what YOU wanted. You screamers outside the clinics. You affluenza-riddled tourists to the idea of America, policing the grocery carts of food-stamp recipients, … Continue reading Go Ahead and Celebrate, Wingnuts. Me and Mine Have Work to Do.

Adrastos, Comedy, Diary, Film, Fog Of History, Fog Of Scandal, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, Political Crack, R.I.P., Television, The Darnold

Saturday Odds & Sods: Volunteers

Peter Adrastos Athas
Two Flags by Jasper Johns

It’s still stupidly hot in New Orleans; summer hot. And we had the third warmest September in recorded history. There are rumors of a cool front next weekend but the relentless heat is putting a damp damper on the local festival season. It typically starts the first weekend of October because that’s when it cools off. Not this year, apparently. Climate change? What climate change? End of weather related rant.

The Kavanaugh Mess ate my week, so let’s move on to this week’s theme song. Volunteers was written by Marty Balin and Paul Kantner. It was the title track of Jefferson Airplane’s classic 1969 album; you know, the one with the pb&j sammich gatefold. Volunteers has an interesting origin story: Marty was awakened by a truck one morning with Volunteers of America painted on the side. A protest song was born. Marty Balin died last Saturday at the age of 76. There’s an extended tribute to Marty at the end of the post.

We have two versions of Volunteers for your listening pleasure. The original studio track and a live version from Woodstock.

“Look what’s happening out in the streets. Got a revolution.”

Now that we’ve revolted in a revolting way, let’s jump to the break.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Volunteers”

Adrastos, Congress, Political Crack, Supreme Court, The Kavanaugh Mess7 Comments

The Kavanaugh Mess: Susan Collins Is Horrible

Peter Adrastos Athas

I lasted for 2/3 of Collins’ speech and couldn’t take any more. It was not the speech of someone who agonized over her vote; except for lip service to Roe, it was a speech Senators Cornhole or Graslley could have given. She sounded like Kavanaugh’s floor manager instead of a reluctant yes. It’s high time for the MSM to stop calling Collins a moderate. She’s a conservative and always has been one. Enough. Kavanaugh will be confirmed tomorrow but the mess isn’t over. It’s time to take the fight to the hustings and get our voters ready to turn out … Continue reading The Kavanaugh Mess: Susan Collins Is Horrible

Adrastos, Congress, Law/Justice, Supreme Court, The Kavanaugh Mess4 Comments

The Kavanaugh Mess: The Curious Case Of The Last-Minute Op-Ed Article

Peter Adrastos Athas

I did not plan to write about the Kavanaugh Mess again tonight. The last piece was written on the fly. It was quite literally instant analysis: I wrote it in 30 minutes. Not bad for a rush job if I say so myself, and I do. That blog post was written and posted before I heard about the latest weird twist in this dizzy drama: Kavanaugh’s Wall Street Journal op-ed article. This is yet another unprecedented development: Supreme Court nominees do NOT write articles defending their demeanor and judgment: “I was very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever … Continue reading The Kavanaugh Mess: The Curious Case Of The Last-Minute Op-Ed Article

Adrastos, Congress, Law/Justice, Political Crack, Supreme Court, The Kavanaugh Mess

The Kavanaugh Mess: W Is For Whitewash

Peter Adrastos Athas

Jeff Flake got what he wanted: political cover to vote aye on the Kavanaugh nomination. I hope Susan Collins writes him a nice thank you note: if she votes aye, it will reduce the odds of a primary challenger in 2020. Collins lives to get re-elected: she doesn’t do anything with the power she has as a Senator, after all. Collins has described the FBI probe as “a thorough investigation,” which means the country is thoroughly screwed. The investigation was cursory at best, a cover-up at worst. Instead of summoning our “better angels,” the Kavanaugh Mess has shown American politics … Continue reading The Kavanaugh Mess: W Is For Whitewash