Rebane's Ruminations
November 2011
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George Rebane

California’s carbon calamity is cranking up to full speed, destroying jobs and driving companies to other lands and states.  CARB is now the loose cannon in the state’s economy, putting into full force the dictates of AB32 (q.v.).  Even the unions are screaming about job losses and arguing that California’s carbon tax n’ spend will not affect global warming in slightest.  Meanwhile the green Europeans are rethinking the carbon calamity that they were planning for themselves.  More in ‘California’s New Green Tax’.  Oh yes, and we mustn't forget about the new industry of carbon tax farming coming to California.  Don't know about tax farming? then read this little ditty.

Who are the top 1% earners around here?  Russ Steele sent me a Dept Commerce census data covered in the Sac Bee (here).  Sounds about right.  The Occupiers ought get right in there and ferret out those people who are taking food out of the mouths of us 99% folks.  Is there no justice left in the world??!!

Our beloved Union couldn’t shoot straight on complex stuff like global warming.  Their article on physicist Richard Muller’s discovery that global temps have gone up in the last 50 years is supposed to be a big black eye for the “climate change deniers”.  I’m not aware of too many such deniers.  To be sure, there are skeptics of anthropogenic global warming, but it appears that reporting on such bright lines that separate the ‘deniers’ from the ‘skeptics’ is a still a bit difficult for a small understaffed newspaper.  No problem, the local Left was happy dancing in the streets.

The prominent proto-communist truthout.com is lamenting that police are acting with unwarranted brutality in the various cities where occupying is taking place.  In a “true democracy” police would act in a manner that support the law breakers.  “So imagine how it could be different, if we had a government designed to serve the people rather than keep them in their place. In a country with a true democratic culture the local governments would be serving these people and honoring their right to dissent and protest. They would instinctively be showing up at protests like this and offering to help with any sanitation problems, etc, setting up public toilets, and other services. They would even be offering tents. If there are security problems in the occupy camps a city would be posting police in the encampment to help the people there, with a clear mission to serve them.”  (emphasis in the original, read article here)  Maybe the cops could even soil their own cars so as not to overly inconvenience the occupiers sitting in their police supplied porta-potties.

Dana Perino of Fox News is historically challenged.  A couple of days ago in a gush she identified Steve Jobs as being “the best innovator in world history.”  The poor lady had not heard of Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, …, and thousands of other engineers and scientists whose fundamental discoveries changed the world.  Jobs, while no doubt a great product designer and marketer, was not in the same league with these historical giants.  Maybe there’s now a new politically correct definition of ‘innovator’ that puts Jobs into the top spot.

What happened in Greece between last Friday and this Monday to make the Dow climb 2.86% and then dive 2.26%?  Actually nothing, and that’s the quandary.  The market’s volatility attributed to the ups and downs of the next Greek financial palliative seems to be insane.  It doesn’t matter what the eurozone economical biggies (Germany, France) or the European Central Bank do or don’t do.  Greece will default on its sovereign debt, bet the ranch on it.  That paragon of union dominated socialism is so deep in the hole that Europe doesn't have a rope long enough to get them out.

The markets can’t be so dumb in the aggregate that they take seriously the impact of Nick calling Angela a ‘fatso’ and Angela calling Nick ‘shorty’ on Greece’s certain default.  It doesn’t matter how big of a check Greece gets to service its debt, even with the contemplated haircuts to the bond holders, Greece cannot grow out of its financial excesses, it has to default sooner than later.  Now if I know this, then all the money mavens in the world must know it.  Therefore the markets are being moved by something entirely different, and the media pundits writing headlines are either stupid (not ignorant), or they’re trying not to tell us something important – like the US is really headed for Depression2.

[update]  Today the Dow fell another 2.48%, ostensibly because Greek's proposed austerity measures, as the terms of the last EU bailout, will be turned down by the Greeks as they vote in a just announced referendum on said terms.  Now, dear reader, does it really matter in the scheme of things whether the pampered Greeks accept or reject the terms?  What changed?

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216 responses to “Ruminations – 1nov2011 (updated)”

  1. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    Greg, your Reni was soooo funny man!

    Like

  2. bill tozer Avatar
    bill tozer

    Leni Reifenstahl was a pioneer filmmaker that will always be remembered not for her cinematography innovations nor her passion for Africa and her stills of African men or her beauty. No, she will always be remembered as Hilter’s Propagandist. Leni said it best in her own words “It (Triumph des Willens) casts such a shadow over my life that death will be a blessed release” It took awhile for Leni to find her release. She lived to the age of 101 and died Sept 9, 2003. Be that as it may, if I see an huge person approaching me, I say within myself “Here comes a very obese person”. Same with a skinny meth head, an old white guy that resembles Col Sanders or a person of unusual height or shape. To deny the initial impression would be a lie and foolish. We were born with the fight and flee instinct as well as the powers of observation. Yes, it is true thinking a fine young lady has an incredible bod but is wise for the obvious to remain unspoken. However, it is usually the first impression of heterosexual males. Same with somebody with a big old honking wart on their nose. You notice it first. With that said, I would rather see Leni in a tight sweater than the man in the mirror however shocking that may be to the reader. Opps, I have no idea where that came from!

    Like

  3. Dixon Cruickshank Avatar
    Dixon Cruickshank

    I thought GG was on point – and objects are good even if their politics stink – I just love a tight sweater when coming down the street and it looks like 2 lions wrestling under a blanket
    RL- ya they throw 3.5B at you then you have to pick up the other 150B – oh that doesn’t pay anybody to drive either. BTW I have added 50B because they could never bring it in without over runs of at LEAST another 50.
    Mr Emery – having grown up in the south maybe a bit of history. The Democrats ruled the south and all the laws and barriers of which you speak were theirs. Republicans didn’t make a dent here until people from the midwest started moving down, us included.
    And yes we have had to show a voter card or DL for as long as I can remember – I cannot see any reason to not require ID. You can’t live without ID, DL, cash a check, credit cards, everything needs ID – why not to vote??? I’m running the BS flag up on this one.

    Like

  4. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    Seriously, FRISCH, your words are unimportant.
    A lovely young woman in a tight sweater is a wonderful sight to behold whether slight of build or voluptuous. I wasn’t the one focusing on size, that was Ben.

    Like

  5. Ben Emery Avatar

    George,
    I think the left has been forced to psychoanalyze between the lines because over the last 50 years the conservatives have learned to keep their real intentions hidden. I mainly go off of action not rhetoric. Your actions of posts content are what I go off of. I say what I mean, which makes me very complex because I don’t fit into most stereotypical categories. Personally I am very conservative in the traditional sense but politically I am a progressive populist.
    I think the 2010 election, citizens united decision, and the dire times the US finds itself in gave conservatives the hubris to make a very bold move by moving their agenda into public view. I wrote about it in April. Let me make this perfectly clear my criticism of the republican party in no way shape or form means I approve the democratic party. The democratic party is a gutless party that doesn’t stand for anything due to selling out labor for corporate dollars in the 1990’s. I expect the republican party to do what they are doing, I put the blame on the democratic party for not exposing it and fighting for the interests of the vast majority of the American people.
    http://www.benemery.org/1/post/2011/04/playing-their-hand.html
    Excerpt
    “Republican governors and state legislators are using the financial crisis to attack and pit the private sector against public sector workers in hope of keeping the electorate divided. We are seeing collective bargaining rights assaulted, state houses locking out citizens while letting in lobbyists, large corporate tax cuts, and taxes for working and poor Americans raised while vital social programs are cut. The most egregious bill, in Michigan, is the ability to dissolve and then privatize entire city governments. “

    Like

  6. Ben Emery Avatar

    Greg,
    Your are a very immature person, at least online.
    “Ben seemed oddly obsessed with outsized bulges in men’s pants. Takes all kinds.”

    Like

  7. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    “I think the left has been forced to psychoanalyze between the lines because over the last 50 years the conservatives have learned to keep their real intentions hidden.”
    Talk about immaturity. Ben, this is as bigoted as anything you’ve ever written.

    Like

  8. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    Ben, I made a clear comment that the essential difference between Riefenstahl and Michael Moore was that Leni looked better in a tight sweater. You then went into a lecturous tirade starting with a reference to “how well a man fills the crotch of his pants”.
    I was making a simple reference to relative aesthetics. You translated that to some size fetish. That says more about you than I.

    Like

  9. bill tozer Avatar
    bill tozer

    Concerning Greece, it is hopeless. They can only survive a month or two at a time on borrowed money. Its like the wayward bro-in-law that keeps hitting you up more loans while having no income and his credit cards are maxed out, yet he has to pay rent. Greece is in a rather unfortunate situation because there is not a robust manufacturing base, never had one. The shipping tycoons that call Greece home are no dummies and have moved their money abroad. Tax cheating in Greece is their national sport and Greece’s antiquated finance ministry does not have any effective or modernized nor efficient way of collecting taxes. The political will is not there to make necessary austere cuts for the nation’s survival. An over bloated civil service and strongly unionized workforce will overwhelmingly vote on the coming referendum to commit suicide. A barber in Greece can retire at 50 with an extra 10% for “hazard pay” and a unmarried mother is eligible to receive a monthly stipend at 45 years old til death. Think they are going to vote for cuts? Cut our losses now and let them leave the EU. Even 100% debt forgiveness will not keep Greece from begging for more money in 3 weeks. Cut out the infection now before gangrene kills the whole patient.

    Like

  10. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    I’m not sure unionized California public employees will behave any better than the ones in Athens once the music stops.

    Like

  11. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    “I say what I mean, which makes me very complex because I don’t fit into most stereotypical categories.” –Ben Emery
    Not complex, just confused.

    Like

  12. Ben Emery Avatar

    Greg,
    How is stating the conservatives have spent tens of millions if not more on think tanks for messaging, turning to wedge issues, and suppressing the vote instead of their real intentions immature or bigoted? The approval ratings of the proposed policies are extremely low. Tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations, cutting social security and medicare, privatizing the commons, and ending collective bargaining come on! Congress is sitting on a 9% approval rating.
    Two things
    1) Comments such as your tight sweater comment along with Georges raghead race/ religion fear mongering explains the lack of diversity and overall numbers on this blog. The endless personal attacks on those who disagree with you doesn’t help either. Comment #’s are up because the Steves, Doug K, Paul E, and my self comment here with an occasional Brad C comment. Otherwise it would be 4 or 5 regulars. Just look at Todd J and Barry P blogs. Jeff Pellines blog (actually has female regulars) has slowed down recently because he has been focusing on other things like the bullying from within his own community. Going after his wife is really tasteless and lacks character at any level.
    http://yubanet.com/regional/Nevada-County-BOS-Process-1-Politics-0.php
    2) Come watch the film and learn something
    Ultimately we are trying to get Nevada City to do a voluntary ban on single use plastic bags. It actually works in their long term financial interests to do so.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnUjTHB1lvM
    You’re a science guy. The ocean is the number one indicator we need to be looking at for the health of our planet and every major life system is in decline.

    Like

  13. RL Crabb Avatar

    Amazing how Emery and Frisch can find a racist or sexist angle in any offhand remark made by someone from the right while overlooking the thousands of sexual and racial references by Jon Stewart or the South Park guys. The political correctness boy scout attitude are one of the reasons I have so little respect for left wing ideologues. Lighten up, guys.

    Like

  14. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Well Greg, I guess you’ve stashed away enough gold and foodstuffs in your bunker in Montana, and you’ll have fun looking at your dvd’s of women in tight sweaters, while the food riots continue in in the large metro areas, and head for the suburbs, etc…. of course your house in GV/NC will be overrun along with all the rest of the state employees’ homes, but what the hey, take life as it comes and be prepared….to make one last flight out of GV airport, and carry extra fuel, can’t depend on gas all the way there…have to leave the pets behind….

    Like

  15. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    “Tax cheating in Greece is their national sport” and it is not here? How many ski trips and boats to the lake do all the construction/other business trucks make and never declare, just for one tiny example?

    Like

  16. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    As far as Republicans hiding their colors, I learned of an annual picnic in Condon Park. On a hunch I went and observed the parking lot closely. Despite the presence of several elected officials, not one car had anything resembling an affiliation with the Republican Party or any of their candidates. There were several well decked out, bumper stickerwise, TTP’ers, and one hunter and one save the animals person, a vet and an NRA, but that was it, on the mostly one to two year old highly cleaned and polished larger vehicles (one brand new Prius, one older Subaru, however)
    Too ashamed to admit they are Republicans, or too cowardly?

    Like

  17. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    If you still want to consider the personal use of commercial vehicles minor, try introducing a bill that requires a GPS that reports to the IRS on every commercial vehicle. Fastest political suicide ever!

    Like

  18. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    “As far as Republicans hiding their colors, I learned of an annual picnic in Condon Park. On a hunch I went and observed the parking lot closely.”…
    Try this next time Douglas, you may have better luck.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA7Hy_LxfPE

    Like

  19. Larry Wirth Avatar
    Larry Wirth

    On plastic bags, I, like many others find them very useful for a number of second uses. Garbage, dog poop, the local newspaper (Tucson “Red” Star), etc.
    Unfortunately, I also find them strewn across the beautiful Sonoran desert along the highway I have to use to get home from town, which crosses two Native American Nations. Somebody (I wonder who?) tosses them out of their vehicles on the way home.
    Would be nice if our educational system would begin by teaching our young not to dispose of their garbage in the “commons.” OWS might want to take note here.
    Ben E, nice to hear you have an open mind. Take the next step and work on your eyes and ears. It won’t take very long…

    Like

  20. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    D King, I saw what I saw and my 7D saw it too. Did you see something else? You and Nancy Drew?
    Wirth, for what it’s worth, I thought that parents were supposed to teach no littering by example. Rather suspect your litterer are of age, and beyond the reach of your public school teachers. Next thing you know, you’ll be blaming epidemics on teachers not teaching basic hygiene. The truth of the matter is that we do, you just send us kids who watch mom and dad for 5 years first. Take responsibility for your offspring and their actions.

    Like

  21. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    RL Crabb, you got them pegged.
    Ben, everyone who shops at the one grocery store left in Nevada City, SPD, already has the right to take a cloth bag with them if they so choose. A “voluntary ban” is a curious use of language for someone who claims to be plain speaking. You want them to stop providing bags for their customers who want bags.
    Coercive utopianspeak at work.
    Right-conservatives are as honest in their speech as left-liberals. It’s pure bigotry to believe otherwise.
    In doublechecking my recollections on Riefenstahl, I ran across a citation to the effect that she almost got the landmark part that went to Marlene Dietrich in “Der Blaue Engel” in 1930.

    Like

  22. Larry Wirth Avatar
    Larry Wirth

    DougK, where the hell is Condom Park? Seriously, though, I’m not surprised that Republican bumper stickers would be absent (even assuming that the atendees were R’s); who wants to go back to his car to find his tires slashed and the paint “keyed”?
    I submit that this sort of misconduct characterizes the folks who call themselves “democrats.” Prove to me otherwise… easier yet, try to deny the truth of this observation.

    Like

  23. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    Just get SPD to provide a plastic bag recycle bin. Publix stores in Florida do and they really work. No need for dictator edicts.

    Like

  24. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    “How is stating the conservatives have spent tens of millions if not more on think tanks for messaging, turning to wedge issues, and suppressing the vote instead of their real intentions immature or bigoted?”
    Suppressing the votes of Undocumented Democrats is a rational and Constitutional thing for Republicans to do if they so choose. And wedge issues and messaging are just as prevalent on the left as the right. It’s a reason Social Security is considered the third rail of politics in the USA.
    Currency speculator and famed 1%-er George Soros has outspent the Koch bros on think tanks… at least the Koch family empire made their fortunes by actually making stuff.

    Like

  25. Steve Frisch Avatar
    Steve Frisch

    Crabby, you are an ass to be going along with the use of terms raghead and jigabboo and other dog whistle racist bull excremenxzt tolerated here. By the way, I loved Russ’s unsourced welfare queen video that came from a website called “ccoontube” that was posted the other day. No mention from the great followers here that the benefits it described were completely inaccurate. If you are too dense to see it you belong with the Aryan circle jerk.
    Ben is entirely right about traffic on this site, you guys would have and audience of 5 old men dreaming of the good old days if it were not for our posts.

    Like

  26. RL Crabb Avatar

    Stevie, I merely point out the your critiques of the right over racism and sexism show that you have different standards for those you disagree with on other issues. I’m a big fan of Comedy Central, where I see comedians and cartoons that flaunt sex and race every minute of their programming day.
    For instance, Colbert did a piece on the contributors to his superpac where he pointed out that he even had Muslim fans. Someone named Suq Madyc sent in a donation, and Colbert noted that his parents must be very proud. Dad’s name was Liqa Madyc, and Mom was Muncha Macoochy. (Racist AND sexist?) You know as well as I do that if this showed up on a ‘right wing’ site, you’d go into an epilectic fit.
    So maybe you should boycott Comedy Central and those who spread their filth on it. Oh yeah, you were too busy scarfing up tickets to see “The Book of Mormon”, written and produced by South Park creators Parker and Stone. So spare me your outrage, dude.

    Like

  27. bill tozer Avatar
    bill tozer

    Mr. Crabb, are you saying there might be a wee bit of double standard going on here? Say it isn’t so! Unbelievable. Ok, lets put it to the test. Suppose there is a sexual assault and drunken fights and people shooting up at any Tea Party function. Wouldn’t that be front page news and the lead in story and teaser on every major broadcast? Relentless reporting to find out who the victim of the sexual assault is, her story, and the lawlessness of the mob. Not safe to bring the family and these functions should be banned. Now, suppose there was a sexual assault at OWS. The victim is told not to report it to the police for “the common good”. The incident remains undated and nary a mention on the news. The 99%ers block police involvement and say they are fully capable of handling the numerous physical assaults within their ranks. The news media are threatened with physical harm as they attempt to report on life at OWS, with one ABC reported told “we killed white bitches like you” and other reporters pushed, shoveled. Ok, I guess there is no double standard at all. I was wrong. Free speech…er…no freedom of the press.

    Like

  28. Ben Emery Avatar

    As I mentioned somewhere on this thread we expect this stuff from the republican party but it is unacceptable when the so called party of the people do the bidding for the 1%. Find out why at minute 3:10.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmtvZJ2cmgc&feature=player_embedded#!

    Like

  29. Ben Emery Avatar

    Greg,
    For a smart guy you let your ideology get in your way of critical thinking. If we can reduce our impact by doing something as small as not using plastic bags but reusable instead, why wouldn’t we do it?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMNWvGJB-_8&feature=related
    Minute 4:57 on should be the goal to avoid generational tyranny.

    Like

  30. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    I went over to the SBC blog site and there was actually cobwebs on my screen since there is absolutely no traffic there at all. The difference between the hypocrite Freisch and us is, we don’t care, These blogs are not done as a popularity contest they are a way for the blog master to put his POV out there and if anyone wants to respond, or not, then mission accomplished. Our ego’s are much more in control than the leftists Freisch and BenE’s.
    Regarding humor. It really must suck to be these lefty posters because they are humorless. Crabb is funny., Tozer and King are funny, Freisch and BenE are not. My goodness, I make a joke about going through an X-ray machine at the airport and Freisch and his ilk (jealous I suppose) act like the world is coming to an end!
    As far as old men comments by Friesch. Yep, we are, in real age, older. Graying and a bit larger around the middle. What we are not though is uptight, stodgy and humorless like you and BenE. It must suck to be you two and please, don’t think your comments have any weight here or on any of the other conservative blogs.
    BenE’s comment about himself here in an earlier post says it all, “I say what I mean, which makes me very complex because I don’t fit into most stereotypical categories.” Say what? No BenE, you are not complex, you are a simple person to figure out. You and Freisch are just something special in your own minds. We all get a laugh when we read your posts becasue you both are simply socialists to the left of Mao. LOL!

    Like

  31. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    Those reusable plastic bags appear to have a down side. Especially those that organic material are in. Seems there are germs that get carried around. Uh oh. The liberals will be making a disinfectant requirement for them next. Or their lawyers will be suing to force the markets to do the disinfectant. No, the nanny state needs to butt out and let me have a plastic bag, a paper bag or bigger pockets in my pants. Leave us alone for goodness sakes.
    Also, for a person who whines about name calling BenE sure does his share in every post here. BenE, if you can stop calling Greg names (and others) and denigrating his intelligence, then you should stop posting here. You are an embarrassment man.

    Like

  32. Ben Emery Avatar

    RL,
    Just as you do satire through political cartoons. Stewart and Southpark do political satire through visual commentary and cartoons. Actually Trey Parker and Matt Stone follow the libertarian political philosophy.
    As for trying to fit in on RR that is the last thing I am trying to do. Sorry Todd, GG, occasionally RL and Scott I will continue to come here and challenge your ideas and remarks unless George wants to block me from doing so. Having to defend our positions is the best way to realize their flaws.

    Like

  33. George Rebane Avatar

    Agreed with LarryW’s 1236am – I also find that most conservatives think of themselves as being sufficiently mainstream so that they don’t have to proselytize their ideology on the their bumpers, the are not looking to fundamentally transform the nation. (Pew Research continues to find that 20% declare themselves liberals, 40% independent, and 40% conservative.) But I am surprised at comments from the Left that describe Republicans as having a national policy to hide their ideology, one that is practiced uniformly down to the grass roots level. I must have missed those indoctrination sessions.

    Like

  34. Ben Emery Avatar

    Todd,
    Please go through this thread and collect the names I called people.

    Like

  35. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    You old men can leave me out of it; I suspect I’m younger than Frisch, though I don’t look any better than he in a tight sweater. To wit: recently, a slightly daft friend of Russ (we were introduced once) insulted me a couple of times in local watering holes. I called him on it the last time, and he checked… ‘wasn’t I Steve Frisch?’
    I must lose some weight before someone mistakes me for Jeff Pelline.

    Like

  36. Ben Emery Avatar

    George,
    Check out this article by former Reagan staffer. Starve the Beast wasn’t a public platform. Even David Stockman claims the policies over the last 25 years associated with starve the beast didn’t work.
    http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/06/tax-cuts-republicans-starve-the-beast-columnists-bruce-bartlett.html

    Like

  37. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Oh come on! How long has the TPP been playing the “we are non partisan” card with “in your face” duplicity?

    Like

  38. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    20% liberal, 40% independent, must have elected Obama I suppose…..?
    10 million overage?

    Like

  39. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    BenE you are constantly denigrating. You are full of yourself but your ideas are quite infantile and rudimentary. Just like your bud Freisch’s. But hey, try to keep up, at least we on the right appreciate your simple attempts at discourse. Gives us a laugh.

    Like

  40. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    “DougK, where the hell is Condom Park? Seriously, though, I’m not surprised that Republican bumper stickers would be absent (even assuming that the atendees were R’s); who wants to go back to his car to find his tires slashed and the paint “keyed”?
    I submit that this sort of misconduct characterizes the folks who call themselves “democrats.” Prove to me otherwise… easier yet, try to deny the truth of this observation.”
    Let’s use my Wayback machine and go back to 1965, a parking lot at a drive-in in Auburn, a young student with a bug-eye Sprite, and a bumpersticker that says: “FSM” Young student comes out of drive-in to discover a largish, tallish, traditional lumberjack (based on truck with chainsaws nearby) politely peeling said bumper stick off the bumper. When confronted, he said, “wanna stop me?” Yup you guys are older, but you haven’t changed your stripes and neither have I.
    Proof enough, Mr. Pot?
    Keachie the Kettle

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  41. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    Ben, perhaps you can expound on just what “critical thinking” means to you.
    Keach, your math needs challenging (again); the Obama/McCain popular vote was 53/46, not 60/40, (a seven point spread, not 20) and it was the rudderless middle that steered it to the change they wanted to believe in. They don’t believe it now.
    FYI Rasmussen called it a 52/46 race the day before.

    Like

  42. Scott Obermuller Avatar

    re: Ben’s post at 8:13. You are welcome to post here as I’m fascinated by the way the liberal mind works. I’d love to have you cite one of my ‘ideas’ that you’ve challenged. You claim ‘over the last 50 years the conservatives have learned to keep their real intentions hidden.’ That’s interesting. Are you saying the conservatives that post here are always lying? Or what? I take everything here at face value and trust that folks are being upfront about their thoughts and intentions.

    Like

  43. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    Scott, that is what Ben posted. Conservatives know they have to lie, or the proletariat 99% would know what their evil plans were while there was still time for the forces of goodness and light to prevail.
    Meanwhile, Ben works tirelessly for the greater good as seen by the eyes of Ben. If he can’t get folks to ‘voluntarily ban’ the things he doesn’t like, he’ll work to take the choice to not live like Ben away from the rest of us.
    Personally, I’m pro choice on everything. Ben isn’t.
    Ben, there is no path that starts with me taking home groceries in a plastic bag that ends with a porpoise choking on it.

    Like

  44. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    George,
    Is it true the Koch brothers have cornered the peanut market? I mean really, when in enough enough?

    Like

  45. George Rebane Avatar

    General Observation – Regardless of the argument details, the most remarkable thing that surfaces again and again on these pages and the national media is the claim of symmetry between violence from the Right and Left. Actually, it’s not even symmetry, but the continuous evidence-free claims that the Right is actually more violent in the public display of its beliefs.
    An aspect of this that gives comfort to the apologists from the Left is their ability to sweep all violence that is not overtly from the Left (e.g. currently from the OWS) onto the Right side, even though it overwhelmingly happens to be ideologically free criminality.
    The invitation stands for the Left to present aggregate stats of violence that comes hand-in-glove from people who hold the tenets of the Right that I listed in ‘Right and Left’.
    http://rebaneruminations.typepad.com/rebanes_ruminations/2011/10/right-and-left-right-wrong.html
    Conservatives are very (over?) sensitive to the attitudes of the 40% independents. These people are ideologically untethered and most respond especially well to simple zingers du jour – after all they did elect Obama et al. And when they got their butts blistered by seeing Team Obama in action, enough of them swung the other way to elect a Repub House. But none of this guarantees what they will do in 2012 because blisters heal quickly, history only goes back to last season’s Survivors, and bite-sized zingers are so easy to chew and swallow. Besides, can anyone really imagine the Tea Party crowds, including the one Glenn Beck assembled, doing the stuff that goes on when the Left assembles?
    Collectivism has always been sold and imposed with more than a threat of violence. Worldwide, the unions continue to be the poster-children of this observation.

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  46. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    BenE must be thinking he is playing us since no one could be that dense and in denial.

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  47. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    “Collectivism has always been sold and imposed with violence.”
    Yes, and food, and the infrastructure to create and deliver it.

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  48. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    I think the problem they’re having this time George, is to shut down here, you have to starve the rest of the world. Not popular, but they never do think things through, do they?

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  49. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    Maybe Crabb knows where to find this one… a “Life in Hell” Matt Groening cartoon from the a presidential election cycle, about undecided voters. Maybe 12 of them, each saying something stupid, ending with ‘is it cool or scary that we’ll determine the election? I don’t know’.
    It might still be on my refrigerator, I don’t know…

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  50. Dixon Cruickshank Avatar
    Dixon Cruickshank

    GG-
    Ben, there is no path that starts with me taking home groceries in a plastic bag that ends with a porpoise choking on it.
    GG that was just too funny and yes I did LOL
    I find it so funny that over a year ago in response to some jibberish from Enos or Frisch I did post jiggaboo in a saterical form – didn’t think it would become a historic part of RR certainly, but apparently it has.
    Have you ever noticed that there is no such thing as a joke to the left, everything must literial.
    I think the lefties are even driving Crabby over LOL – some good posts lately

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