Rebane's Ruminations
October 2019
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George Rebane

Former Union publisher Jeff Ackerman writes (here) that Californians today pay and average of $4.02/gal for gasoline while the rest of the country averages at $2.64/gal.  And the escapee to Oregon goes on to point out that all of this is self-inflicted pain that the state’s voters are way past having enough between the ears to change course as Sacramento does its best to accelerate dumb laws/regulations and spread our epidemic across the country.

Gun confiscation was again disguised at the Giffords/March for Our Lives “gun safety forum” in Las Vegas. The Dems are having problems coming together on which or whether to back such confiscation schemes as mandatory buybacks.  Even Moms Demand Action have stopped short of buybacks, which leaves Beto (of AR15/AK47 fame) and the klatch of radical socialists more isolated than ever.  Many of us hope Beto will double down on his ‘Damn right, we’ll take your guns!’

No more masks for Hong Kong protesters.  An old British colonial law is to be invoked to threaten protesters with eventual arrest when they reveal their faces to government operated face recognition software that is being installed all over China today.  Here we are considering doing the same, starting with neighborhood watch cameras for recording night time crime (and anyone else who is on the street after dark).  Soon after, we’ll be fighting daytime crime and questioning people who are recorded being out of their own neighborhoods.  Isn’t technology wonderful?

[4oct19 update]  Volker’s House testimony and release of tweets are the first real disclosures that may seriously put Trump’s tit in a wringer in the ongoing impeachment saga.  Trump is by no means the first president to seek and get foreign aid against political opponents for some horse trading.  But back then it was no big deal and a known prerogative of office.  IMHO, if the sought aid concerns a material revelation about the character of a political opponent, then I don’t oppose such information gathering.  However, I do oppose purchasing fabricated ‘evidence’ of an opponent’s bad character from foreign sources.

[6oct19 update]  Harvard on capitalism (here) – whouda thought?

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247 responses to “Ruminations – 3oct19 (updated 6oct19)”

  1. Biguns Avatar
    Biguns

    ,,,Todd is Triggered and Twisting Off!!!
    ,,,Po Ol Clueless Todd,,,
    Classic, just like your Hero Trump you come up with a birther like conspiracy ala Trumpski Birtherism to try to explain away witnesses to Trumpksi’s evil doings,,,
    If you see something say something!!! What part of the preceding sentence do you not comprehend???
    https://i0.wp.com/www.powerlineblog.com/ed-assets/2019/09/IMG_2057.jpg?w=932&ssl=1

    Like

  2. Biguns Avatar
    Biguns

    ,,,ok Sleuth Toddly,,,
    In what year did Biden supposedly tell ukraine to fire the prosecutor?
    During what time period was Hunter was on the board of directors?
    You must have all this extensive background info

    Like

  3. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    ” If Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!),”
    The President of the USA goes off the rails. Unhinged.

    Like

  4. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    Here is the link to a RCP article where Biden tells the story of his quid pro quo. The Union Editor says this is a lie.

    Like

  5. Paul Emery Avatar

    Jig
    Unbelievable that the President of the United States would say something like that. Very sad for the Republican Party that has to stand with this deranged and mentally ill person

    Like

  6. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    Wow Paul Emery falls for a made up quote from a troll. Looks like you will believe anything if it opposes Trump.Where is the link Jiggy-Pooh, prove me wrong thinking you kade that up.

    Like

  7. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    Jiggy please supply Trump’s audio and video saying that. All I can find is Reuters story and they hate him.

    Like

  8. Paul Emery Avatar

    Todd
    Are you saying that Trump didn’t say that and that it was made up? (Jig 12:50)
    Here’s his tweet which you imply is fraudulent. What evidence do you have to prove that?
    Donald J. Trump

    @realDonaldTrump
    · 4h
    As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over the captured ISIS fighters and families. The U.S. has done far more than anyone could have ever expected, including the capture of 100% of the ISIS Caliphate. It is time now for others in the region, some of great wealth, to protect their own territory. THE USA IS GREAT!
    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1181232249821388801

    Like

  9. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    Todd
    Looks like you won’t believe anything if it makes Trump look like an ass.

    Like

  10. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    “The court was unwilling to accord the type of absolute immunity Trump’s lawyers asked for,” Sandick said. “The founders meant to give us a president, not a king.”
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-07/trump-loses-court-fight-to-keep-tax-records-secret-from-n-y-k1gfd80t?srnd=premium
    Trump, the self proclaimed stable genius with his great and unmatched wisdom gets a verbal pie in the face. Of course Todd can’t find any reference in his fair and balanced news feed.

    Like

  11. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Yeah Jig between Todds delusions and Walts outright plagiarism it looks like the Circle of Jerks have reached new lows. That what Trump does to put the weak and unstable over the ledge so to speak.

    Like

  12. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    Bottom feeding knuckle draggers for sure.

    Like

  13. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Sad actually what following a false prophet such as Trump can do to a persons integrity.

    Like

  14. fish Avatar
    fish

    Posted by: Paul Emery | 07 October 2019 at 02:18 PM
    Sad actually what following a false prophet such as Trump can do to a persons integrity.

    Hysterical actually…..as you constantly follow Trump like a crazed stalker!

    Like

  15. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Todd @ 11 45 am
    Concerning your difference of opinion with B. Hamilton, make what you will with this link. While there are two sides to every story, the Enemy of the People has unleashed her fury on John Solomon. They call him a conspiracist. :).
    https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/463307-solomon-these-once-secret-memos-cast-doubt-on-joe-bidens-ukraine-story
    https://www.thepostemail.com/2019/09/25/john-solomon-documents-show-connection-between-hunter-biden-attorneys-and-fired-ukrainian-prosecutor/
    Not to mention the e-mails between Burismo (Blue Star) and Ukrainian officials apologizing to the Ukrainians for getting “their guy” (the prosecutor) fired….obtained by Solomon’s FOIA requests.
    ———————————————
    Jiggles and Popinjay: While I have no power to police, it would be nice if you take all your insights of the unfolding story of the Syrian/Turkish/Kurd news to the Sandbox or an appropriate post. Focus grasshoppers, focus.

    Like

  16. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Todd @ 9:55 am (and on topic)
    Todd penned”
    “Looks like the fist so-called whistleblower did not work so they produce another one and that one is “first hand”. These scum dems will produce as many of these liars as they think necessary to “win”.”
    https://patriotpost.us/articles/65941-dems-expand-ukraine-charade-with-second-whistleblower-2019-10-07?

    Like

  17. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Sean Davis is another one the peddlers of Fakenews have unleashed their fury upon. Sean Davis doesn’t know what he is talking about! He needs to retract!
    “The embattled ICIG also admitted on Friday that the anti-Trump complainant lied on his whistleblower complaint form by concealing the complainant’s previous secret interactions with House Democratic staff prior to submitting the complaint. Atkinson never even bothered investigating potential coordination between the complainant, whom DOJ said showed evidence of partisan political bias, and House Democrats prior to the filing of the anti-Trump complaint.”
    https://thefederalist.com/2019/10/07/intel-community-ig-stonewalling-congress-on-backdated-whistleblower-rule-changes/
    Sounds like someone got their hand caught in the cookie jar to me.

    Like

  18. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    Jig Wiggly | 07 October 2019 at 01:54 PM
    Well, I just heard Trump say what Jiggy said he said. I accept that fact. However, Trump said that to protect the Kurds from a genocide by the Turks. So in context I think you must give Trump credit for his humanitarianism. So both of us are right.
    Jig Wiggly | 07 October 2019 at 01:54 PM
    This Judge’s ruling will be tossed as it is Unconstitutional. The President can not be tried or removed outside his office as President. If that Judge is right (which it isn’t) the country will come to a screeching halt. The immunity can be seen for a Senator and a Congressman speaking on their respective floors. Immune from libel and slander and arrest.
    Paul Emery is a Trump stalker and hater. It is so funny he thinks people agreeing with his hated enemy are anything other than political supporters. And Trump is not GOD even though Paul Emery thinks so.

    Like

  19. J. Barron Avatar
    J. Barron

    Todd-
    Trump moved our troops out of Syria to protect the Kurds from genocide???? What in hell have you been drinking?
    His little tweet tirade has a ring of hollow nothingness knowing that he has the Trump Twin Towers in Turkey making him great wealth. He won’t lift a finger against Erdogan and EVERYBODY knows it. Money means more to Trump than any supposed regard he has for the Kurds or our Constitution. Trump has no values, no core ethics, no spine. Feeding hedonistic desires and padding his bank account are Trump’s sole drivers.
    “President Trump was definitely out-negotiated and only endorsed the troop withdraw to make it look like we are getting something—but we are not getting something,” the National Security Council source told Newsweek. “The U.S. national security has entered a state of increased danger for decades to come because the president has no spine and that’s the bottom line.”
    https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-official-who-heard-call-says-trump-got-rolled-turkey-has-no-spine-1463623

    Like

  20. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    J. Barron | 07 October 2019 at 04:04 PM
    What are you smoking moron? Never said that so as usual you trolls just make it up. The troops in northern Syria may get removed and the Kurds deserve them to stay. So you can’t even get the intent correct you troll.

    Like

  21. J. Barron Avatar
    J. Barron

    The troops are being moved as we speak, it isn’t some future project.
    Your quote “Trump said that to protect the Kurds from a genocide by the Turks.” is ridiculous in light of his orders to retreat. Very, very few people on this planet believe Trump is protecting the Kurds from genocide, but aren’t we lucky that one of those rare imbeciles lives right here in our own back yard.
    “The U.S. military has moved its forces away from the Turkish border with northern Syria, after the White House said Sunday night that Turkey would soon begin an operation in a part of northeastern Syria where it wants to resettle Syrian refugees — and that U.S. forces wouldn’t be there to help or stop them.”
    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-says-it-will-stand-aside-turkey-moves-syria-n1063106

    Like

  22. Don Bessee Avatar
    Don Bessee

    So we are already seeing the independents break for the Prez, people want creepy grampa joe investigated over Ukraine and jr’s billion five from the chi coms after flying in on AF2. Then you have this –
    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/10/07/internal-polling-shows-gop-holds-edge-over-vulnerable-democrats-in-swing-districts/
    😉

    Like

  23. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    J. Barron | 07 October 2019 at 04:31 PM
    Sorry troll, I heard it live. I suggest you go find it then come back and apologize.

    Like

  24. Paul Emery Avatar

    Todd doesn’t believe Trump when the exact words are in his tweet. What an idiot.

    Like

  25. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    Your own beloved FOX News can’t protect it’s snowflakes any longer and has finally published a piece on Trump’s betrayal of the Kurds. Of most vital importance to Trump is to protect his lucrative Trump Twin Towers, Istanbul. Words won’t protect the Kurds. Opening the floodgates to ethnic cleansing from the Turks is key to Trump’s personal interests by kow towing to Erdogan.
    https://www.foxnews.com/world/syria-kurdish-turkey-troop-pullout-ethnic-cleansing-fears

    Like

  26. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    I couldn’t have said it better.
    “Turkey is killing Kurds right now. Our allies in the fight against ISIS are dying. Because Trump – the unethical, stupid, delusional, megalomaniac- decided WITHOUT INPUT it was a neat idea to leave them to Turkey’s mercy.
    The peace zone is gone. Here comes Iran and Russia.”
    Anon from Facebook

    Like

  27. Walt Avatar

    But jiggered BOOB.. Wasn’t it the likes of you and yours DEMANDING we bring our troops home? you know,, “never ending war” and all that shit.
    Now that Trump is doing just that, the same group throws a hissy fit.
    Nice show of that two faced Proggy noise.

    Like

  28. Walt Avatar

    https://taskandpurpose.com/dem-lawmakers-forever-war
    “A coalition of Democratic lawmakers is backing a veteran activist organization’s efforts to end the “forever wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq, among other global hot spots, and finally bring U.S. troops home.”
    What happened to your cry of ” WARMONGER!!!! ” ?

    Like

  29. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    So Walt-
    Do you support abandoning the Kurds who fought along side us against ISIS and Saddam? We do this every where we go we. The Afghan translators who risked their necks to save ours and then Trump shuts the door to their promised immigration. We did the same in Vietnam. Are you proud to support this behavior? The American way.
    This time it is so blatantly designed to line Trump’s pockets that I don’t know how anyone CAN’T be outraged. Pull the troops, make a few face saving public threats to Erdogan, wipe out our allies, and keep the dollars flowing into Trump Towers, Istanbul.

    Like

  30. Don Bessee Avatar
    Don Bessee

    Boy are there a bunch of ignorant trolls who can barely do the party parrot act here. 50 troops folks, 50 relocated to another spot in Syria.
    So that leaves an awful lot of firepower in long range artillery, air surveillance, drones and all our other toys.
    😉

    Like

  31. Walt Avatar

    What I think has no bearing. It’s the Proggy thoughts that matter.. Just because Trump is doing what you wanted,, now you don’t. Funny how that happens.

    Like

  32. Walt Avatar

    First the NFL screwed the pooch with allowing the “take that knee” to go on. They are paying the price this season.
    Noe the NBA greased up their backsides and grabbed their collective ankles for the Chinese.
    https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/7/20902947/nba-rockets-daryl-morey-hong-kong-protests-tweet-internet-speech-censorship-china
    The NBA took a knee alright,, both of them, and blowing Beijing.

    Like

  33. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Well, guess I will waste a good column here. Nobody will read it anyway. 🙂
    “Quid Pro Quo and Extortion: Welcome to Foreign Relations” by Andrew McCarthy.
    “A president’s management of foreign policy and his political interests naturally overlap.
    The coverage of the Trump administration’s pressure on Ukraine is verging on the absurd, as to both what is alleged to have been a wrong and the degree to which we should judge it wrong. In particular, I am referring to the concepts of quid pro quo and of extorting a foreign government.
    “To listen to commentary, not only by anti-Trumpers but even some Trump defenders who don’t seem to understand what they’re talking about, one would think that a quid pro quo is always bad, and that it is a terrible thing to pressure a foreign government.”
    https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/10/quid-pro-quo-and-extortion-welcome-to-foreign-relations/
    A voice of reason is always welcomed.

    Like

  34. George Rebane Avatar

    According to the Kurds, the northeast quadrant of Syria is claimed by them as part of their ancestral Kurdistan. Add the south eastern part of Turkey as also a part of ancestral Kurdistan, and you quickly begin to grasp the topography of this centuries old pissing match. The question you should be debating is how should the US deal with NATO ally Turkey in defending its interests while maintaining its sovereignty within the current boundaries of its nation-state against an historical foe that seeks to break part of it off to form the new sovereign Kurdistan. The pissing match with Iraq along this line has yet to commence.

    Like

  35. Paul Emery Avatar

    George
    All a result of European-American messing with the business of independent sovereign states. Yugoslavia is another example of the same thing and look at what a mess that turned out to be. It’s none of our business and we should have been involved from the start a hundred years ago.

    Like

  36. Walt Avatar

    Emery should be happy. Trump got Emery’s message.

    Like

  37. George Rebane Avatar

    PaulE 604pm – “It’s none of our business and we should have been involved from the start a hundred years ago.” Huh??

    Like

  38. Paul Emery Avatar

    George
    Somehow we accepted the national boundaries of the region established according by this process negotiated by our Europeon allies without a word of protest from us:
    “With the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire after World War I (1914–18), and particularly with the encouragement of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson—one of whose Fourteen Points stipulated that the non-Turkish nationalities of the Ottoman Empire should be “assured of an absolute unmolested opportunity of autonomous development”—Kurdish nationalists looked to the eventual establishment of a Kurdistani state.
    The Treaty of Sèvres, signed in 1920 by representatives of the Allies and of the Ottoman sultan, provided for the recognition of the three Arab states of Hejaz, Syria, and Iraq and of Armenia and, to the south of it, Kurdistan, which the Kurds of the Mosul vilāyet (province), then under British occupation, would have the right to join. Owing to the military revival of Turkey under Kemal Atatürk, this treaty was never ratified. It was superseded in 1923 by the Treaty of Lausanne, which confirmed the provision for the Arab states but omitted mention of Armenia and Kurdistan. Mosul was excluded from the settlement, and the question of its future was referred to the League of Nations, which in 1925 awarded it to Iraq. This decision was made effective by the Treaty of Ankara, signed in 1926 by Turkey, Iraq, and Great Britain.
    The invasion by Iraqi forces to reconquer Kurdistan forced more than a million Kurds to flee to Turkey and Iran. Many died from hunger and disease.
    https://www.britannica.com/place/Kurdistan

    Like

  39. Don Bessee Avatar
    Don Bessee

    Dr. R – Liberal white guilt trip?
    😉

    Like

  40. Robert Cross Avatar
    Robert Cross

    In the “goombah’s of a feather” dep’t. Against all advice trumpler sides with despot Turkey who will now wipe out the Kurds. Why you ask? Perhaps it is the business/condo project trumpler built in Turkey a few years back.

    Like

  41. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    It’s not just the Kurds, but the slaughter of thousands of Christians….but nobody gets upset about that.
    100 years ago the Ottoman Empire went to Greece and locked the doors of the Orthodox Churches and burned alive all women and children and elderly within across the country. The little known secret in Turkey is that the average Turk on the street has a deep seated hatred/racism against Arabs and do not like one bit being throw in with the Arabs.
    Hmmm.. Just a few days ago our Sec of State was in Greece. Odd. Trump met with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN at week or so ago. Double Odd. Turkey is a NATO alley, is it not? We have to defend them, right?
    Until more is revealed and the dust settles a bit, I will take Scott Adam’s rule of thumb advice (Scattershots, update 7/10/19) so I don’t look like a fool and jump to conclusions.
    A hundred years ago in 1916 the USA was not the powerhouse we are today nor the policeman of the world. A hundred years ago, we were in no position to dictate what Yugoslavia should do. A hundred years ago the Russian Civil War, aka, Russian Revolution was breaking loose. A hundred years ago, Woodrow Wilson watched 20,000 Democrat Party Klansmen march down Pennsylvania Ave to Wilson’s approval.

    Like

  42. Biguns Avatar
    Biguns

    ,,,and Tozey,,,when the the 2nd Amendment was penned,,,folks needed a firearm in order to hunt to eat,,,but not no mo’. How do you like them apples???

    Like

  43. fish Avatar
    fish

    Posted by: BigAnus | 07 October 2019 at 07:42 PM
    Yeah and when the 1st was penned we all wrote with quill pens……now, a slack jawed, window licker like yourself gets to bang away on the keyboard at the group home.

    Like

  44. Bill Tozer Avatar
    Bill Tozer

    Bigums @ 7:42 pm
    When the 2nd Amendment was penned, hunting and eating were not a primary consideration. Nay, my good fellow. It was penned to keep the government from infringing on the Individual Rights that preceded government. It was penned with people exactly like Beto and Fauxahontas in mind.
    ————————————————
    ALL ROADS LEAD TO UKRAINE.
    Fantastic read from Real Clear Investigations. Recommended.
    “It’s Not All About the Bidens: Why Trump Has Ukraine on the Brain”
    “Thus the panicked clamor coursing through the press at present is not about Joe Biden or his son or Trump’s alleged commerce with foreign powers. Rather, it is the fear that the Russiagate bubble is likely to burst. And the fear that none of the reporters, intelligence officials, and political operatives responsible for pushing the largest and most destructive conspiracy theory in American history will escape the ruin.”

    Like

  45. Walt Avatar

    Leave it to a stupid ill informed LIB who only went to school to eat his lunch. The 2ND had/has jack shit to do with hunting.
    Well unless it’s tyrannical politicians.
    So the TROLL who better off hiding behind a smelly sock puppet failed U.S. history…… Miserably. A product of the Ca. LIB run school system?

    Like

  46. Todd Juvinall Avatar

    Paul Emery | 07 October 2019 at 06:04 PM
    You truly are an ignorant moron. Citing Yugoslavia is too funny. It doesn’t exist as created does it? And your frame of historical reference is so short you must have missed most of the classes. I seem to recall the Turks of the Ottoman moved their troops into Europe through Greece and Bulgaria. Then they colonized those areas in what became Yugoslavia later on. So it appears to me that the Muslims moved into Europe long before Europe moved into the middle east. Regarding the Kurds and Turkey. The Turks are not my favorite people as they committed genocide against the Armenians and I got to know two women survivors of their death march. And as a fan of Lawrence of Arabia fame, the Turks are claiming the Kurds are terrorists. Quite the conundrum you idiot.

    Like

  47. Jig Wiggly Avatar
    Jig Wiggly

    Hoo boy do I love this page of pivoting cowards. The question here is do we turn our backs on the Kurds who, at ultimate risk to life and limb, assisted us in fighting ISIS and Saddam? Or do we turn tail but talk tough so that Trump can secure his investments in Turkey, or do we stand by our allies? Oh no, let’s talk about the NFL taking the knee. Patriots?? Fuck. Aside from the genocide we are about to witness, no one even bothers to comment on the open door we have just handed to Putin and Iran. Lots of hot air and pissing into the wind from a cum load of “patriots”.

    Like

  48. L Avatar
    L

    Todd @ 9:27, good recap. Doubt Trump has any plans to abandon the Kurds, but we’ll have to wait and see. These people have long needed a nation, but four current nations would have to contribute territory. They’re Sunni, but neither Turk, Arab, nor Persian. Iraq would pay the highest price for a new ‘Stan.

    Like

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