Badger: In summation, I think you just got to not do it, man. That's all.
Mr. Fox: I understand what you're saying, and your comments are valuable, but I'm gonna ignore your advice.
Badger: The cuss you are.
Mr. Fox: The cuss am I? Are you cussing with me?
Badger: No, you cussing with me?
Mr. Fox: Don't cussing point at me!
Badger: If you're gonna cuss with somebody, you're not gonna cuss with me, you little cuss!
Mr. Fox: You're not gonna cuss with me!
[Both start snarling at each other, and then settle down]
Mr. Fox: Just buy the tree.
Badger: Okay.
At the New School, Tooze made a similar argument. He cited another favourite statistic: whereas the US’s total installed solar capacity is on the order of 250GW, “China currently has the capacity to churn out 1,200GW of photovoltaic panels in a single year.” In those Chinese solar panels Tooze sees a climate-era analogue to the Soviet T-34 tanks. At development and climate meetings, he said, you can go a long time without hearing anyone acknowledge that China matters vastly more to the climate-change story than anything happening anywhere else, very much including the US. The point of all this, Tooze insists, is not to chasten liberal self-regard – or not only that. The point is to get people to confront our radical new reality.
Tooze told me that the climate book he started working on after Crashed, which is now nearing completion, will argue “that if we’re serious in the west, if you’re serious about climate, then you have to face the popular front question”. In other words, many of the same countries that chose 80 years ago to ally with the Soviet Union to fight Germany will have to decide whether and on what terms they want to work with an economically dominant China on the climate problem.
Interesting, no? I wasn't expecting to read something like that.
I'm sure the "black helicopter" types are ready to use all the guns they've been telling everyone they needed to overthrow an oppressive government and protect our constitutional rights.
Right? Isn't that what they said? I mean, they have to be really upset about this stuff, don't they?
What ICE is doing in Minneapolis (and other places to a lesser degree) is abhorrent. I really can't accept the idea that the difference between now and during Obama's terms is that he was "on the same team." That's absurd.
Maybe check out opinion polls. It's not just Democrats who are pissed about it. Minneapolis is being turned inside out. People don't want their home patrolled by out-of-control armed thugs, believe it or not.
Not getting involved isn't the same as obstructing (or even merely objecting). What I think wj means is that virtually no one is going to complain about ICE deporting dangerous people in the country illegally if ICE is doing it properly according to the law. None of that requires state and local agencies to assist in the effort.
I don't mind if my neighbor wants to go the beach, but that doesn't mean I'm giving him a towel.
It's interesting that under the Obama administration there were so many deportations - decried by many on the left, mind you - but without ICE roaming the streets grabbing people without cause and without the number of mass protests we've been seeing not just in Minneapolis but in cities all over the country. I don't recall citizens being detained regularly (or being executed).
Maybe it's the tactics and the hiring of 10K agents in an extremely short amount of time. Maybe it's the militarization of the agents who appear to be going to war on US soil and are exceedingly aggressive and hostile.
George Floyd protests happen all over the country in large cities and small towns. Millions of people participated. A vanishingly small number of them were affiliated with Antifa. Yes, people rioted, looted, and vandalized - far, far fewer than than those who protested peacefully.
I'm kind of amused by the idea that russell's tone is combative when I think back to the old days when regulars like Phil and Seb would go at each other hard and regularly. It read like parody sometimes because of the creativity with which they insulted each other. I would literally LOL reading their back and forth.
That's just one example from a time when things weren't as bad as they are now. I do wonder if things have gotten so bad more recently that those guys would be agreeing with each other.
When you have a pet theory, it's not helpful to recognize empiricism when it contradicts that pet theory. When you oppose a policy, you must ignore the examples of that policy's successful implementation, not matter how numerous. That is the law.
I’m sure you can imagine, even if you haven’t seen them, the responses ricocheting around the world from former servicemen to Trump’s and Hegseth’s comments.
All the worse given tRump's phantom bone spurs. The f**king gall...
It says something about the character of these people that they would lie about making someone cry - not that they made someone cry and denied it, but that they didn't make someone cry while falsely claiming they did.
What kind of people are they trying to appeal to?
I'm sure it has more to do with making the protesters look like weak little babies than beating their chests about making someone cry, but it boils down to the same thing as far as I can tell.
I listened to a good bit of tRump's "speech" on the radio this morning. I didn't plan on it. It was on when I turned on the radio in my office. I kept listening in the way you might slow down to look at a bad, multi-car accident on the highway.
It was shockingly - in no particular order - ignorant, incoherent, boastful, dishonest, and belligerent.
The idea that the person speaking was the President of the United States addressing global leaders in front of however many members of the press from the world over is hard to reconcile.
It was worse than Michael Scott's most embarrassing presentations on "The Office" without being funny. The man is plumbing the depths of self-parody "like no one's ever seen before, let me tell you."
When Donald Trump took office, ICE numbered approximately 10,000. Despite this event’s lackluster attendance, their recruitment push is reportedly going well; the agency reported 12,000 new recruits in 2025, which means the agency has more new recruits than old hands. That’s the kind of growth that changes the culture of an agency.
This reminds me of a maxim about doing large projects: "Three things everyone wants - fast, cheap, and good. But you can really only have any two of them."
The tRump admin has broken this rule and has chosen "fast" twice.
Even the science guy didn't mention that she backed up before going forward (going forward while steering to the right, which he does mention).
If Renee Good was trying to kill the guy, she was really bad at it and had very little idea of how to operate a vehicle. Also, too, Ross was really bad at getting out of the way if that's was he was trying to do.
It's a simple statement that has outsized explanatory value, unfortunately.
so… mind reading is bad, except when it’s a hippy ?
It's odd that, while I'm sure there have always been people upset about what ICE has been doing, there are now far more. It seems to have coincided with ICE doing more and worse things in places where they used to do much less. It appears that ICE has increased fear and chaos in places that were relatively peaceful before ICE got there.
Maybe there's a cause-and-effect thing going on here.
Going on a tangent here, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around what animates these militia, white power, and Christian nationalist types. Is it that hard to be happy and chill the f**k out?
I'm sure it's the fault of all the woke social justice warriors who get upset when right-wingers try to make vulnerable people's lives worse. Maybe don't f**k with other people so much?
I don't know. It's crazy and exhausting. I'm becoming increasingly disgusted by human nature. I was starting think we were in the early stages of turning away from this bullsh*t, but that's been put to rest.
Both sides? One side is working in a professional capacity with state sanction. The other side is dead.
I supposed the dead side could be said to have made a bad decision based on the erroneous assumption that the decision wasn't anything the other side would kill her over.
The professional side looks to have made a good decision (for them) that resulted in a desirable (to them) outcome.
The more I think about Nicole Good's killing, the more it looks like a setup to me.
1 - Why do the ICE officers interact with Good at all instead of driving around her and going on their way (to round up more "illegals" - their purported purpose), which is obviously possible, both around the front and rear of her SUV?
2 - Why does Ross walk to the front of the running SUV in the first place?
3 - Why doesn't Ross get out of the way as soon as the SUV first moves (backwards, mind you - not toward him)?
4 - After failing at #2, why doesn't Ross get out of the way when Good turns her steering wheel to the right, indicating an intention to drive away?
The notion that she was trying to run him over is silly. If that were the case, why did she back up instead of going straight at him? Why did she turn her steering wheel hard to the right even though he was standing toward the left of the SUV from her perspective?
I'm not saying they necessarily were doing it with the goal of shooting her dead. Maybe they just wanted an excuse to arrest her, even though they really should be calling Minneapolis PD, since doing so isn't immigration enforcement. As it turned out, Ross found an excuse to shoot her three times at close range, killing her without anyone from ICE appearing a bit bothered by it.
On “It is never “Simple as that””
You could go the route of Fantastic Mr. Fox:
Badger: In summation, I think you just got to not do it, man. That's all.
Mr. Fox: I understand what you're saying, and your comments are valuable, but I'm gonna ignore your advice.
Badger: The cuss you are.
Mr. Fox: The cuss am I? Are you cussing with me?
Badger: No, you cussing with me?
Mr. Fox: Don't cussing point at me!
Badger: If you're gonna cuss with somebody, you're not gonna cuss with me, you little cuss!
Mr. Fox: You're not gonna cuss with me!
[Both start snarling at each other, and then settle down]
Mr. Fox: Just buy the tree.
Badger: Okay.
On “Adam Tooze”
From lj's Guardian link:
Interesting, no? I wasn't expecting to read something like that.
On “Moral insanity”
I'm sure the "black helicopter" types are ready to use all the guns they've been telling everyone they needed to overthrow an oppressive government and protect our constitutional rights.
Right? Isn't that what they said? I mean, they have to be really upset about this stuff, don't they?
"
What ICE is doing in Minneapolis (and other places to a lesser degree) is abhorrent. I really can't accept the idea that the difference between now and during Obama's terms is that he was "on the same team." That's absurd.
Maybe check out opinion polls. It's not just Democrats who are pissed about it. Minneapolis is being turned inside out. People don't want their home patrolled by out-of-control armed thugs, believe it or not.
"
Not getting involved isn't the same as obstructing (or even merely objecting). What I think wj means is that virtually no one is going to complain about ICE deporting dangerous people in the country illegally if ICE is doing it properly according to the law. None of that requires state and local agencies to assist in the effort.
I don't mind if my neighbor wants to go the beach, but that doesn't mean I'm giving him a towel.
On “But tell me what you really mean”
Oooof! I'm so sorry, cleek. That's a tough one. I'm better with hugs than words, but we can't really do that here.
On “Moral insanity”
I'm secretly trying to help you cut down on the Hot Pockets, man. You're a little out of control. You'll thank me later.
"
It's interesting that under the Obama administration there were so many deportations - decried by many on the left, mind you - but without ICE roaming the streets grabbing people without cause and without the number of mass protests we've been seeing not just in Minneapolis but in cities all over the country. I don't recall citizens being detained regularly (or being executed).
Maybe it's the tactics and the hiring of 10K agents in an extremely short amount of time. Maybe it's the militarization of the agents who appear to be going to war on US soil and are exceedingly aggressive and hostile.
George Floyd protests happen all over the country in large cities and small towns. Millions of people participated. A vanishingly small number of them were affiliated with Antifa. Yes, people rioted, looted, and vandalized - far, far fewer than than those who protested peacefully.
But why Minneapolis of all places for this swarm?
"
I'm kind of amused by the idea that russell's tone is combative when I think back to the old days when regulars like Phil and Seb would go at each other hard and regularly. It read like parody sometimes because of the creativity with which they insulted each other. I would literally LOL reading their back and forth.
That's just one example from a time when things weren't as bad as they are now. I do wonder if things have gotten so bad more recently that those guys would be agreeing with each other.
"
When you have a pet theory, it's not helpful to recognize empiricism when it contradicts that pet theory. When you oppose a policy, you must ignore the examples of that policy's successful implementation, not matter how numerous. That is the law.
"
Maybe if russell used "domestic terrorists" instead of "freaks," we wouldn't be discussing dehumanization. The former is clearly acceptable.
"
Accept the beating gracefully or it's your fault.
"
I think the answer to your question, Hartmut, is "nothing." Or tRump's own mind, which is more or less the same answer if you get my drift.
They should still do it, though. Let the pressure mount.
"
All the worse given tRump's phantom bone spurs. The f**king gall...
On “Rememory”
It says something about the character of these people that they would lie about making someone cry - not that they made someone cry and denied it, but that they didn't make someone cry while falsely claiming they did.
What kind of people are they trying to appeal to?
I'm sure it has more to do with making the protesters look like weak little babies than beating their chests about making someone cry, but it boils down to the same thing as far as I can tell.
On “Carney’s speech”
I listened to a good bit of tRump's "speech" on the radio this morning. I didn't plan on it. It was on when I turned on the radio in my office. I kept listening in the way you might slow down to look at a bad, multi-car accident on the highway.
It was shockingly - in no particular order - ignorant, incoherent, boastful, dishonest, and belligerent.
The idea that the person speaking was the President of the United States addressing global leaders in front of however many members of the press from the world over is hard to reconcile.
It was worse than Michael Scott's most embarrassing presentations on "The Office" without being funny. The man is plumbing the depths of self-parody "like no one's ever seen before, let me tell you."
On “Talarico”
Or make them into giant house flies! Or cartoon penguins! So fun...
On “An open thread”
I like "public safety" much better than "law enforcement." Instead of "LEO," you'd have "PSO," but that looks too much like "POS."
"
This reminds me of a maxim about doing large projects: "Three things everyone wants - fast, cheap, and good. But you can really only have any two of them."
The tRump admin has broken this rule and has chosen "fast" twice.
"
Even the science guy didn't mention that she backed up before going forward (going forward while steering to the right, which he does mention).
If Renee Good was trying to kill the guy, she was really bad at it and had very little idea of how to operate a vehicle. Also, too, Ross was really bad at getting out of the way if that's was he was trying to do.
"
It's a simple statement that has outsized explanatory value, unfortunately.
It's odd that, while I'm sure there have always been people upset about what ICE has been doing, there are now far more. It seems to have coincided with ICE doing more and worse things in places where they used to do much less. It appears that ICE has increased fear and chaos in places that were relatively peaceful before ICE got there.
Maybe there's a cause-and-effect thing going on here.
"
Going on a tangent here, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around what animates these militia, white power, and Christian nationalist types. Is it that hard to be happy and chill the f**k out?
I'm sure it's the fault of all the woke social justice warriors who get upset when right-wingers try to make vulnerable people's lives worse. Maybe don't f**k with other people so much?
I don't know. It's crazy and exhausting. I'm becoming increasingly disgusted by human nature. I was starting think we were in the early stages of turning away from this bullsh*t, but that's been put to rest.
Happy New Year...
"
Both sides? One side is working in a professional capacity with state sanction. The other side is dead.
I supposed the dead side could be said to have made a bad decision based on the erroneous assumption that the decision wasn't anything the other side would kill her over.
The professional side looks to have made a good decision (for them) that resulted in a desirable (to them) outcome.
Both sides...
"
"Summary execution is to be expected."
The more I think about Nicole Good's killing, the more it looks like a setup to me.
1 - Why do the ICE officers interact with Good at all instead of driving around her and going on their way (to round up more "illegals" - their purported purpose), which is obviously possible, both around the front and rear of her SUV?
2 - Why does Ross walk to the front of the running SUV in the first place?
3 - Why doesn't Ross get out of the way as soon as the SUV first moves (backwards, mind you - not toward him)?
4 - After failing at #2, why doesn't Ross get out of the way when Good turns her steering wheel to the right, indicating an intention to drive away?
The notion that she was trying to run him over is silly. If that were the case, why did she back up instead of going straight at him? Why did she turn her steering wheel hard to the right even though he was standing toward the left of the SUV from her perspective?
I'm not saying they necessarily were doing it with the goal of shooting her dead. Maybe they just wanted an excuse to arrest her, even though they really should be calling Minneapolis PD, since doing so isn't immigration enforcement. As it turned out, Ross found an excuse to shoot her three times at close range, killing her without anyone from ICE appearing a bit bothered by it.
"F**king b*tch!"
"
The irony of Dear Leader's criticisms of the Iranian regime's crackdowns on protesters is pungent.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.