I can’t speak for John, but I plan to be extremely busy today. Talk amongst yourselves in the meantime.
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by Tim F| 158 Comments
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I can’t speak for John, but I plan to be extremely busy today. Talk amongst yourselves in the meantime.
Comments are closed.
Sstarr
Last night I was listening to NPR’s “On the Media” while trying to install handles on my kitchen cabinets. They had a war correspondent (I don’t remember which news outlet he worked for) who claimed that the “surge” is pretty much done. The troops that would have gone home have already had their tours extended, and other soldiers have been sent to Iraq early. So, the 20,000 soldier surge is in place, even before the Senate debates the non-binding resolution to condemn the surge.
Now, the reporter went on the make the claim that the surge won’t do anything much to the condition on the ground, and that it is simply a political fig leaf to buy more time for the Iraqi government to – hopefully – get it together. In other words, the outcome of the war is now entirely defendant on Iraqi politicians. Makes you feel that victory is right around the corner, doesn’t it?
Anyway, is this correct? Are the soldiers (or many of them) in place now?
Pb
Sstarr,
Throughout this
waroccupation, we’ve been sending more troops, bringing more home, and in general adjusting the size of the force there. As you say, the “surge” is just a matter of keeping some troops there longer, and sending others there sooner. So once it’s in place, why does the administration act like it would it be so hard to end?All you’d have to do is just bring back the troops you would have kept there longer, and maybe have some others leave sooner. Bringing troops home from Iraq is not so amazingly difficult–because we’ve been doing it all along. What we really have to do is stop sending more troops to Iraq, and we’d be out of there inside a year.
Rusty Shackleford
Has anybody else noticed that “body counts” are being reported much more frequently? Today’s Chicago Tribune has “250 insurgents killed in fierce battle in Iraq” right across the middle of the front page.
The military is “anti- body counts” but Bush requests them all the time (read Fiasco, State of Denial), especially when it’s difficult for him to divine progress from battlefield.
When I see a body count I feel an overwhelming sense of dread. To me it means that despite killing 250 (or whatever amount) of insurgents, that’s all we’ve done.
skip
Almost as mysterious as body counts, we now read that that had been no terrorist attacks in Israel for many, many months. Why then no peace talks?
Bombadil
Oh, I suspect we’ve accomplished more than that. We’ve likely generated even more insurgents than we’ve killed.
srv
Watch the wingnuts Najaf story evolving. Yesterday (and even today on some sites), it was a Sunni brigade. Now it’s a counter Al-Sistani cult of Shia. Tomorrow, it’ll be an Iranian Qod force…
ThymeZone
Yes. The insurgency is in its last throes. The last throe of the last throes, in fact. This is the final throe.
Thank God we have a Commander in Chief with the ba**s to stand up and stay the bring it on course mission accomplished long enough to get to the last we are surely winning throe.
Jake
You were right, but some cretin just blew himself and three other people off the map.
I wonder if peace talks never really start because everyone on both sides knows it is just a matter of time before the next fuckwit with a HEX vest comes along.
ThymeZone
Heh. Improved.
Wilfred
Because like the Bush Aministration, the Israeli government neither wants nor need peace. It needs only the constant low-level threat of terrorism, or the incident today, to justify its own war machine and ‘army with a state’ existence. Three dead Israelis are a small price to pay more land-grabbing on the West Bank, scores of dead Palestinians and the usual crowing over how Israel is on the front line against a handful of illiterate tribesmen are on the verge of destroying Western civilization and establishing a new Caliphate.
It also helps to deflect attention from their use of cluster bombs in Lebanon since FREEDOM demands tough measures, and Israel is a democracy, so it’s ok.
Paul L.
Still waiting for the screams of “Urban Sprawl” and “Evil rich” from the left.
“Cribs” with John Edwards
Seems the media has no interest in this mixed race rape unlike the Duke Lacrosse hoax.
Pb
Paul L.,
Didn’t Solomon already cover that? Oh, I see, it’s his new house–nice! It still isn’t as big as the White House (55,000 sq. ft.) though.
r4d20
He brandishes his horns on high, and whets them Bull who leads the herd, Doing with might
heroic deeds.
He moves, a vigorous Steed, adorned with beauteous rays of shining gold, Becoming sovran of the streams.
He, over places rough to pass, bringing rich treasures closely packed. Descends into the reservoirs.
Men beautify him in the vats, him worthy to be beautified, Him who brings forth abundant food.
Him, even him, the fingers ten and the seven songs make beautiful, Well−weaponed, best of gladdeners.
Bombadil
How odd, you’re the third person to say that today.
Tony J
Here’s what confuses me.
The boost to US ground forces in Baghdad and Anbar is supposed to be aimed mostly at foreign elements and the Sunni Insurgency, right? While the job of targeting the Shia militias/deathsquads falls to the same Shia-dominated Government that has fostered and supported them since their inception. And they’re simply not going to do it, are they? Why would they?
And El Res is doing this, even though the Saudis, with whom this White House has a close and deeply personal relationship, have stated quite openly that they will (continue to) arm and fund the Sunni Insurgency to prevent the Shia assuming permanent supremacy, because that will make Iraq an Iranian ally, and the Saudis don’t like the Iranians.
While at the same time (and this is the confusing bit) the US and Israel are clearly gearing up for some sort of strike on Iran in the near future. Even though this would have the effect of painting a great big bullseye on the back of every US (and UK) soldier in Iraq, and would only aid the Sunni Insurgency by drawing the Shia militias into the anti-American camp.
So my question is, what timeline could the White House be working on that would reconcile these contradictory strategies?
Right now, I’m baffled by how they appear to think this won’t be a nightmare for everyone concerned. Short of putting it all down to a strategy of kicking God up the arse and getting the Rapture started in time for teh Base to reap the benefits, I’ve only got one idea.
Put all the onus on the Shia to ‘stand-up’ and eliminate their own paramilitary powerbase, then when the US attacks Iran, and the Shia switch sides, all the blame for the Occupation’s failure can be shifted to the Shia, who were obviously always working with the Iranians anyway. Cue a Saudi-authored rapprochment with the Sunni, and El Res’ gets to claim that executing Saddam broke a mystical spell that kept the Sunni from being ‘good Arabs’.
Heh, it makes about as much sense as anything else.
RSA
Sstarr, get to the real punchline: How did the kitchen cabinet handles turn out?!
TenguPhule
Shorter Wilfred: I demonstrate I know nothing with many words.
Last I checked, Israel was trying to find someone with any real power on the Palistinian side with who to negotiate with that did not involve committing suicide.
Of course, never let little things like a Palistinian Civil War get in the way of the ‘Israel the Hun’ rhetoric.
Pb
Ancient Hindu scripture is back, baby–it’s like it never left!
Yeah, biotch, you gots tha bling, you gots mad props, now put a cap in that punk ass playah! Angi in tha hizzy!
TenguPhule
Bush’s raging hardon to bomb Iran
Yes, has Iran stopped beating their wives yet?
All talk and still no proof provided by the US government to back up the claims.
Deja Vu all over again.
Pb
Either (a) the “nightmare” is really their goal, or (b) they’re complete idiots. Neither answer is good, of course, but there you are.
srv
History would indicate that they have no idea.
Tony J
Sorry man, but that’s just bollox.
Israeli policy has been to demonize and target anyone on the Palestinian side who might be able to bring a genuine peace to the table, because any genuine peace would see Israel end the Occupation, and ending the Occupation would cost the Israeli Right votes and a reason to exist.
That’s not ‘Israel the Hun’ rhetoric, that’s just the policy as it stands, and that policy is to foster a civil-war between Palestinian factions. Because then, Israel can say with something approaching credibility that there really is no one to negotiate with. Since Israel couldn’t possibly interfere in a civil-war, after all, what would the Leftists say?
If anyone uses the phrase ‘anti-Semitism’ within the next ten posts, I think I’ll crack open that drinking game I got for Christmas.
srv
Remember all that negotiating in the decades before there were suicide bombers? You know, back when there was really only one political player? Bueller? Bueller?
ThymeZone
Read this book about the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
Written by this man:
To some controversy:
As you see, his material is seen through a range of lenses.
Read. Research. Ask. Be critical.
Andrew
IT IS RESOLVED (among the various factions battling in my brain): Let the Iraqis kill themselves. It really suck that innocent kids will die in large numbers, but it sucks even more that our innocent kids are dying.
If there’s an argument to be made that our presence will save lives from impending chaos, then let’s task a few thousand soldiers to Darfur and save a few hundred thousand lives.
TenguPhule
Really? And who exactly is this mythical group of people able to bring genuine peace that have been targeted?
And the Israeli Right is Israel? No moderates or Left at all? No Arabs there either?
Contradicted yourself already.
Shorter Tony J: Ponies! Look for the Ponies!! Just because two armed organizations hate each other and want to have all the power doesn’t mean they’d actually fight each other unless the James Bond Mossad used zombie mindcontrol to make them do it!
Shorter Tony J: Because even when they tell the truth, they’re lying occupiers who just want to steal the land.
Deep Tinfoil thoughts. Very deep.
Zifnab
Hamas and Fatwah have been kinda busy lately. I imagine this is a somewhat desperate stab at getting Isreal to start bombing Palestine so Hamas can rally more support to their side. But with Hamas – an openly hostile political movement – controlling the Palestinian government, Isreal doesn’t have a lot of people to negotiate with. I imagine Isreal is just sitting back and chillaxing until Palestine sorts itself out. In the meantime, the infighting has done wonders for Isreali security. One bombing in 9 months, and it only killed three people? What more could Isreal ask for?
AkaDad
Perhaps a worst answer? [c] That’s their goal and they’re idiots.
Andrew
Hmmm, well, there was that interstitial period between intifadas where the Palestinians reached their highest standards of living because of active trade in labor and goods with the Israelis. Since then, not so much. Clearly, the suicide bombing have helped immensely!
In other news, Palestinians are killing themselves at a rapid clip recently, but the international community doesn’t seem to care very much. Allow me to suggest that the anti-Israel factions in Europe divest themselves from Palestine in order to support the Palestinians.
TenguPhule
ThymeZone
The Christian Right is America?
I don’t know, ask Michael Schiavo.
Ask George Bush.
Ideas and politics have consequences.
Consequences can overrun a country and its people.
Jake
Well it might seem like a nightmare now, but once we turn that corner after staying the course by standing up and stepping together forward, it will turn into a pleasant dream featuring many friendly ponies. Trust me. You won’t want to wake up.
But seriously, are you familiar with the 80% Solution?
Just remember, it isn’t ethnic cleansing if some of the other guys have weapons.
HyperIon
Jimmy Carter’s take on the Palestine/Israel conflict was on view in a CSPAN broadcast last night of his recent Brandeis University talk. a Dershowitz “rebuttal” followed. the contrast was striking. Carter carefully laid out his ideas, spoke respectfully but firmly about AIPAC, the history of the various peace proposals brokered by the US, his use of the term apartheid, etc. His speech was quiet and the opposite of inflammatory. (The students ask good questions. Interestingly they had formed a committee beforehand and decided on questions; obviously they wanted to make the most of Carter’s visit.)
Dershowitz came after. He opened by saying he agreed with various parts of Carter’s recommendations and then proceeded to pick out parts that he did not like and fell into rhetoric too heated for my taste. when he started going on about how badly the UN treats Israel, i found myself thinking “Too shril”. (which is sort of ironic, i guess.)
The most affecting part of Carter’s appearance was in response to a question about the reaction to his book. He very softly said that although he had been through many spirited election campaigns, he had never been called a liar, bigot, anti-semite, plagiarist. you could tell the guy was taken aback at the vehemence of the attacks.
i learned many new facts from both speakers, more from Carter who did a great job of laying out the historical events. but even Dershowitz provided some. for example, he said that Israel is prohibited from being on the security council AND the UN human rights commission (?). i did not know that.
i also did not know some of the specifics about how crappy the palestinians are treated by various israeli laws. and that in 2002 EVERY arab nation agreed to accept the right of Israel to exist peacefully within its 1967 borders (that is, if they would withdraw from the occupied territories). i believe he said that a recent Hebrew University poll indicated that 61% of israelis and 81% of palestinians thought this was an acceptable plan.
my impression of the audience’s response to both speakers was that carter won the day.
Andrew
Paul L., allow me to note that your lateness to the game is exceeded only by the blathering stupidity to which you link.
J.Ed.’s palatial digs in Chapel Hill, neither urban nor sprawling, are about the same price as his old town house in Georgetown. In fact, people around here have realized that one very large house on 100 acres ends up preserving the vast majority of undeveloped woodland and the farmland on the property, instead of allowing a developer to clear cut and put 300-400 units in its place, which is increasing common here.
Amazingly, no one saw fit to criticize his fancy town house as anti-working man. But his new place is so big! I guess I’m nor surprised that right-wingers are only capable of assessing value based on obvious physical characteristics such as big-osity or how many empty beer cans are in the truck bed.
TenguPhule
2002 was too late to offer that kind of lame deal. After the suicide bombings, Israel’s leadership was in no mood to open up another potential avenue for attack. They’d already settled into a bunker mentality. If they’d wanted to seriously make a difference the time to offer it was in 1999, when the Left was still in charge.
ThymeZone
PaulL is the lamest troll on the Intertrontubes.
dreggas
Is it me or is the WaPo intentionally allowing idiots like D’Souza and Liz “I’m a cheney too but not the lesbian one” Cheney to write columns to add a new Humor section to their Op/ed page?
Jonathan
Waging Peace: Alabama teen’s anti-war Web site creates furor
http://www.peacetakescourage.com/
TenguPhule
Coffee Shops discover pretty girls in skimpy outfits improve business
On a lighter note, Sex still sells.
Tony J
(a) + (b) = ?
Yeah, but they must at least discuss it amongst themselves.
Imagination, people. Pretend you’re a nutcase authoritarian with a master plan.
Pb
HyperIon,
Yeah, I saw some of that–pretty interesting.
I turned it off once he started ranting about Iran–what a tool.
Andrew
TenguPhule, you’d have a lot more credibility if you linked to the source material. (semi-work safe)
Tony J
As for you, Teng. Really, you lost me when you brought ponies into the conversation.
Yeah. Those Palestinians, they’re to blame. Everything is clear to me now.
ThymeZone
Little known fact: George Bush saw this message on a fortune cookie in 1998.
And ……… here we are.
dreggas
Joke(?) of the day:
A kid has to do a report for school on how government works. So he asks his father to explain it to him and after a little while his father responds:
“Well, son, you see I make the money so I am capitalism, your mom manages the money so she’s government, the maid is the working class, your baby brother is the future and you are the people…do you understand?”
The kid thinks for a second and shakes his head no. His father tells him to think about it and talk to him in the morning.
That night the kid wakes up, his baby brother is screaming and it appears he has shit his diaper. The kid goes to get the maid but finds his dad having sex with the maid, he then goes to get his mother but he can’t wake her up. Finally he throws his hands up and goes to bed.
The next day his father asks if he understands what they talked about and he responds:
“I think so dad, basically while Capitalism is screwing the working class, the government is asleep, the people are confused and the future is full of shit.”
*bows*
Pb
Speaking of authoritarian nutcases, Chapter 3 of The Authoritarians is out, and I’m lovin’ it! Apparently authoritarian followers are more likely to be gullible, irrational, dogmatic stooges–who knew? Also, it talks about Bush and the Iraq war (and the related polling data) a fair bit in the latter half of the chapter.
Jake
The Freepers Strike Again!
But I’m sure Abomination Gonzales is on the case seeing that he is all about protecting the children from Intertube predators.
TenguPhule
I can not take credit for what you managed to accomplish all on your own.
Do I think Israel is blameless? No.
Do I think it silly to accuse them of formenting the clash between Fatah and Hamas without proof? Yes.
And have I noticed you duck the questions, Darrell style?
You betcha!
Pb
So here’s a link that Paul L. is sure to love: Edwards critic is millionaire tax delinquent… oh yeah, and he’s got a big house too, go figure.
Dave
Pb, I’ve seen you recommending this book. What do you know about the author Bob Altemeyer? (it’s a serious question). Wikipedia says he’s written extensively on Authoritarianism. Fine, just wondering if he has a particular ax to grind or is he trying to be subjective. In your opinion of course.
When I have time, I’m thinking about reading it.
Pb
Dave,
Altemeyer is basically the leading (living) authority on Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) — he’s been working on this stuff for decades. He’s writing the book because John Dean expressed an interest in his research and thought he should make it more accessible (before he dies). He’s very open about all the research he’s done, and often lists out all the questions he’s asked in a given survey on some facet of authoritarianism, followed by the results, and if they were significant. So yeah, I think he’s trying to be
subobjective, very much so. And from waht he’s said, I’m sure skeptics are welcome to pore over his research, whatever he has published, try reproducing his results, or whatever, just so long as they’re honest about it. His writing is a bit quirky (or dorky), and I’m finding it very easy to read and pretty entertaining as well.HyperIon
well, i think Israel’s leadership might want to consider some alternatives to their bunker mentality. unless they think living in a bunker forever is acceptable. evidently 61% of their populace does not.
Rome Again
Yes, Teacher! Thank you for your guidance. I shall look to emulate you in all I do.
Jonathan
I wonder how well Right Wing Authoritarianism correlates with various Myers Briggs Type Indicators?
FWIW, I’m a strong INTP, one of the rarest of the sixteen types.
INTPs are essentially anti-authoritarian.
ThymeZone
Dangerous. I drive too fast.
A leadfoot, I am.
TenguPhule
They did. Then Sharon had a stroke and it all went to hell as the new Prime Minister is a hack who lacks the charisma and influence of Sharon among the Israeli public and even worse lacks Sharon’s mmilitary credentials that allowed for restraint in response to provocations. Hence Lebanon II.
And with all the free ammo the Palistinians have handed the Likud with the thousands of Israeli casualties, it’s a big mess. The majority of Israel wants an end to the settlements if it would bring an end to to the fighting and killing, but the settlers are a *very* sizable minority with enormous pull and unfortunately a stubbornness to match Hamas.
Rome Again
::gives TZ nasty scornful look::
Really, and so WHY must I remain in 500?
Do you often ask those to do what YOU yourself cannot?
::turns back:: “Hmmmph!”
ThymeZone
Same here, pure INTP. It’s a nice fit with my job, which requires a lot of planning and future-modeling.
ThymeZone
Yes. If I had no legs, would I not be allowed to suggest that you walk?
Rome Again
hypocrit!
ThymeZone
Alright, I’ll slow down.
Rome Again
Does this mean I can’t speed up? You got to, why can’t I?
ThymeZone
I’m a licensed commercial pilot?
I actually have a foot made of lead?
My radar detector is awesome?
(One of these is true, BTW)
{ very loud clunking sound }
Paul L.
A) Georgetown real estate values are inflated. Thanks to DC.
B) I just find it funny that the loudest complainers about sprawl, American’s wasting resources and consumerism are willing to give him a pass and make excuses.
Just like Bill Clinton and Feminists.
John Edwards is a important person and deserves a huge house.
It is just like Hollywood Liberals who than drive around in Limos and fly in private jets. They can do it but not the unwashed rabble. Hypocrites.
i.e.
Some animals are more equal than other.
Rome Again
What’s that got to do with anything, this isn’t the Spacely generation.
Hmmm, I guess I’ll have to do something about that.
So is mine, so what does this tell me?
srv
INTP is rare on the web and amongst SW/HW geeks like Darrell is to logic.
TenguPhule
Shorter Paul L: There are no bad Republicans. There are no good Democrats.
And some animals don’t have to be led to the slaughterhouse. They walk in of their own accord.
Zifnab
That’s a Daily Kos link. Such links are invalid because they are full of liberal and automatically lying. Why do you turn our website into a house of lies? Why do you hate Capitalism America?
dreggas
I am INFJ (and a software geek by trade)
of course I don’t know what INFJ was, hopefully someone can enlighten me.
ThymeZone
Not according to my wife, Starla.
Rome Again
Well, if you think so, then you’ll agree it is optimal to fly from one place to another?
Jake
VoteVets.org sez: There is no pony.
ThymeZone
Yes, in an airplane. With a door.
Jonathan
I drop in on DU from time to time and they have had something of a minor flamewar going on about Edward’s house.
I’m banned there but I do find them a good resource for breaking news.
srv
It means you’re insecure like GW.
ThymeZone
Jesus (NMYM). That is a powerful ad.
Rome Again
Okay, if you insist, I still think you’re being a hypocrit(e) about this.
ThymeZone
I put the safety of others above that of my own.
Bob Altemeyer
To Pb:
Thanks for your endorsement. Some people have been quick to hop over to the website where the book is being presented, and I appreciate that. Also thanks for saying, in answer to Dave’s very reasonable question, that you think I’m to be trusted. I did have plans for world domination once, but I sold those to Dogbert.
The one thing I’d add, which I hope you’ll agree with, is that the book is not just presenting scientific evidence that supports observations many people have made about authoritarian followers (e.g. they are dogmatic), but also explaining why they are the things they are. All are invited to judge for themselves.
Wilfred
T. Phule says:
Fair enough. But short of a a private briefing at Langley how about this: http://joshualandis.com/blog/?p=143
TenguPhule
Proof you are a mutie-commie-liberal-hippie.
Real redmeat-eating-conservative-culture-warriors jump out of holes in the side of the plane. That they tear out with their bare hands. While in the snow. Flying North both ways.
demimondian
Better still, how about this?
Rome Again
Let’s face it, what you really mean is you put the ability of a man to do this task above that of a woman. ::looking for feminist hat, which I put away in the attack in the 1970’s::
What you really mean is you don’t trust “crazy woman drivers”, lets be honest here, shall we?
::kidding you know::
Rome Again
hmmm, attic. sorry
Rome Again
TP, I was not a conservative when I was a skydiver.
demimondian
Troubleshooter TenguPhule:
Your friend, The Computer, wants only the best for you, and asks that you not embolden the citizenry to attempt to add new portals to any Complex Alpha Owned equipment by direct manual intervention. Although, of course, there is no way that the barrier compound would be subject to such vandalism, it is nevertheless the case that citizens might find themselves less than satisfied, and be harmed by engaging in unauthorized experimentation.
It has been determined that you are a commie-mutant-librul-traitor, in light of which, you are awarded a special opportunity as a high-priority atom-source. The Computer warmly requests your presence in food availability preparation chamber F-207, in direct recognition of this fact.
TenguPhule
Rome Again
Look Dorothy, and it ticks too!
Wilfred
demimondian says: well, whatever.
You need to get out more, read different things other than the AIPAC playbook. Eliot Abrams is an old Iran-Contra hand. Now some people around here might remember how stupid it was back then to think that Americans could have ever engaged in something as sordid as the Iran-Contra deal. Yeah, back then we wore tin-foil hats, too. You’re right, man. Yeah.
ThymeZone
Okay, that’s what I mean.
{ waits }
{ waits }
{ sound of approaching frying pan }
{ ducks }
{ crash }
See what I mean? Could a woman have ducked that frying pan? AHA!
TenguPhule
Citizen demimondian,
Friend Computer has determined that your knowledge of the banned substance barrier compound exceeds your clearance level. Failing to report your mutie-commie-liberal subversion is a crime against your Friend the Computer. It is in your best interests that the Computer, which is your friend, has determined that your heresy be expunged from the system via direct processing through the central waste disposal and reprocessing facilities. Friend Computer has already prepared a lavatory for your disposal and eagerly awaits your joyful cleansing of the mutie-commie-liberal-traitor neurons that have plagued you.
Bubblegum Tate
I’ve taken the MBTI (abnd the Kiersey Temperment Sorter) more times than I can count. Every time, I come back a very strong INFP.
Rome Again
Why yes sir, I do believe a woman could have not only ducked that frying pan, but could have taken a bit of time off of your record (we’re smaller, less weight to move around, thus the time is less).
Shall we try the experiment with the frying pan in YOUR hand and see?
ThymeZone
Trickster! Trying to get me to say that I would go after a woman with a frying pan! Again I duck and save myself.
AHA!
Rome Again
Not what I had in mind at all. I am glad you did confess above though that you just don’t trust “crazy woman drivers”. Apparently it IS a sexist thing, you think I can’t handle the task?
dreggas
Seriously?
Pb
Jonathan,
I was wondering that myself, actually.
I’m more of an ENTP–and definitely an NP in any case.
TenguPhule
Democrats demonstrate Common Sense
Something tells me National Security is not going to be a big highlight for the Republicans in ’08.
Rome Again
::hears “See you in September” in my head::
Jonathan
dreggas:
INFJ characteristics.
dreggas
Geez no wonder I am so damn hard on myself to be more and be better LOL. Couple that with being a capricorn and having a pretty high IQ and I am probably a psychiatrists wet dream with regards to a patient.
ThymeZone
I am sure you can handle any task. I just don’t like to encourage people to drive the way I do. I don’t even like to encourage me to drive the way I do.
That’s why I got rid of the fast car.
Rome Again
Me too, huh!
Rome Again
Okay, 500 it is, just remember, it shouldn’t be a sexist thing, okay?
ThymeZone
I’m not a sexist, I think men deserve equal treatment.
ThymeZone
Lasciviousness violation.
Please reenter.
Rome Again
Okay, do you trust me at 500?
ThymeZone
500 mph is way too fast, even for me.
{ waits }
{ runs away …. }
Andrew
This INTJ wants to tell Paul L. that:
Is some of the stupidest shit I have ever read. On so many levels. It’s not even semantically correct. A part of DC is expensive due to the fact that DC? WTF?
Let me give this a shot: Qana property values are down because of Lebanon. Dead children, on the other hand, are a growth market!
Rome Again
Silly wabbit, you know what I’m sayin’, don’t change the subject.
dreggas
Sorry a Psychiatrists Nocturnal Emission.
Is that better?
(and there’s that memory thing in action remembering that from sex-ed and, well, the updated version you get in Boot Camp, or as they call it now, BCT).
ThymeZone
I am, I do, and okay, I won’t.
500 is good enough for the Indianapolis Speedway. It’s good enough for me.
Rome Again
What’s the normal amount it takes for those events? I don’t know much about Nascar sorry.
Think I’m going to have to take a book to keep me occupied.
dreggas
Senator Norm Coleman injured while dumpster diving for a lamp his wife threw away.
Rome Again
It’s just a lamp, geez!
Jonathan
I was pretty suprised when I looked up my MBTI type for the first time. Like most of us I guess I thought I was unique. It was a bit of a blow to read the description and see myself reflected in it.
Rome Again
Something tawdry, and put out by Harlequin.
dreggas
It’s not just a lamp it’s a GRAND PRIZE!!! even has FRA-GIL-EE written on it, it must be italian!
In Fact I bet he kept it in the front window!
Rome Again
Art-Deco, what’s the problem?
Some women are so jealous, geez!
ThymeZone
Ratzenfratzsonofabrrnbuckmunglegirvens!
{ crash }
Rome Again
Well, TZ, if you don’t like it, I won’t stop you from trashing it, but it’s your choice. I wouldn’t make you get rid of it.
::smiles::
ThymeZone
I was channeling Darren McGavin.
TenguPhule
You’ll shoot your eye out!
jake
Now we know where he keeps his stash.
ThymeZone
Oh no, … the classic mother BB gun block!
Rome Again
Nah, thonth worry abouth thath TZth, justh keepth your thongueth away from frozen pollth.
ThymeZone
If I did that, I’d expect a licking when I got home.
Rome Again
Oh, so many possibilities, you left yourself wide open on that. You should be glad I’m such a good sport.
Pb
Bob Altemeyer,
Fancy meeting you here! I hope I summarized the backstory more or less correctly there, but if I didn’t, I guess Dave can read your Introduction for himself.
Well, he *looks* trustworthy… hmm, maybe I’ll have to dig through some of your papers after all. :)
But in my opinion, you do present enough research to back it up as you go along that the speculations that have been made thus far don’t seem unreasonable, but rather at the least fairly plausible. However, I’m holding out for a big plot twist near the end…
ThymeZone
Thank you.
Rome Again
Anytime, babycakes.
Pb
Jonathan,
Ok, I found something sort of relating the two (Myers-Briggs types and authoritarianism, that is):
Note that dogmatism corellates with authoritarianism, so from this you might expect more authoritarians than normal to be S’s, E’s, or J’s — I’d bet a lot of SJ’s, the “Guardian” (also more on that link re:Lakoff):
That sounds like the right mindset, anyhow. I’d expect that Bob (can I call you Bob?) knows more about it, though.
Pb
Oh, and while we’re on the subject of Myers-Briggs types, of course this Adequacy post deserves special mention, as does everything else by bc.
jake
I came up I Need Toilet Paper on a longer on-line version of the MB but if faded memories of Introductory Psych serve, the real test is a brazillian pages long.
Anyway, the definition seemed to hint that personality type carries slight overtones of arrogant arseholishness. Rubbish! I’m a TOTALLY arrogant arsehole. Stupid on-line personality test, sheesh.
Jonathan
Pb:
That’s close to what I was guessing. INTP is almost an anti-authoritarian so it seems likely that the opposite or ESFJ would be an authoritarian.
The Adequacy post was hilarious. Glad to see that I’m on the bottom ;-)
Pb
jake,
I had a long computerized version of the test–heck, I probably still have it lying around somewhere. The thing is, I got it from a BBS back in the 80’s, and it was written for DOS in some form of compiled BASIC. But yeah, it was really long. However, on the plus side, it gave numeric scores for each trait.
P.S. arsehole.
Jonathan
jake:
Here is the best INTP profile I’ve seen. I fit the pattern damn near perfectly.
Arrogant, self centered asshole, I guess.
demimondian
I’m insulted. I’m an INFJ, and I’m neither dogmatic nor authoritarian. You’re just going to have to take my word for it.
Pb
demi,
Hah–I always knew you were a dick, but now I know why! :)
But really, INFJ doesn’t sound so bad to me. Unless you don’t like Jimmy Carter, that is…
Fledermaus
Bush sez: ‘Heck of a job GOP Congress!’
NPR Interview:
Tony J
That was a good night’s sleep. Where were we?
Well, if you’d rein in ‘teh shrill’, you’d recognise that you already answered this question in your previous post, but that was before you got all hot and sweaty and decided to spin off alone into snarkland.
I’ll give you a clue, eh? When Arafat was the leader of the Palestinians, he was the bogeyman. Once he died, the onus shifted to demonizing his successors in the Fatah movement. Then when Fatah lost power, lo and behold, they’re suddenly the reasonable moderates that Israel would love to co-operate with, if is wasn’t for those pesky Palestinian voters.
Anyone who achieves enough authority amongst the Palestinians to credibly sit at a negotiating table and talk about making peace becomes Israel’s number one enemy, and that’s just the way it is. If you want to stamp your feet and tell me the sky is a nice lime-green colour, that’s up to you and your conscience.
And how long have the moderates, the Left and/or Israel’s Arab minority been in charge of Occupation policy? What, they haven’t? So… other than as a method to spin past an inconvenient fact of Israeli political life, what was your point supposed to be?
No I didn’t. I made a claim that you choose to disagree with.
Wow. Is that one of those ‘False Opposite’ cheats people use to pretend that they’ve made a rational argument when all they’ve done is tried to be as offensive as possible? I was under the impression that the only people ill-mannered enough to use that kind of misdirection on this site were The Senator and his ilk. Way to earn that respect, Teng.
And again. Nice to see you really put a lot of thought into that steal from the Pony Whisperer’s handbook.
Funny, because you’d be hard-pressed indeed to infer that from your posts.
Oh, I thought you were playing ‘Slap the Victim’ and giggling about it. Come to think of it, I’m still pretty certain that’s what you were doing.
No, what you ‘noticed’ was me peeling myself away from the PC so that I could eat dinner with my girlfriend and chill out for a couple of hours before bed. Pissing her off so that I could stay online correcting your AIPAC-sponsored talking points wouldn’t have been a sensible use of my time.
BTW, after sleeping on the bizarre experience of being compared in any way, shape or form to Project: Darrell, I’ve come to the conclusion that, since that’s the online equivalent of spitting in my face and telling me it’s a snowflake, you can go away and fuck yourself with all the style and elegance you’ve brought to this conversation.
GOP4Me et al
He’s right. Tax cuts don’t count as spending. You don’t spend money, you just take less in.
Also, the Medicare bill was a temporary investment in American pharmaceutical companies. We’ll see big dividends back on that one, in the form of both jobs for taxpaying citizens, AND campaign finances which the Republicans will put right back into the economy in the course of future campaigns. (Same goes for Iraq, too, except that in addition to the taxable income of Iraqi-American refugees, we’ll also get free oil after the occupation is done paying for itself.)
jake
Thanks Jonathan.
[reads]
… Hmmm … Uh-huh … Heh, I guess that would annoy people … Yep … “and many an INTP is a Monty Pythonite.”
Score.
Oh well, if I’m an arsehole at least I’m not a [scoffs] common arsehole.
Jonathan
jake:
Well, yeah.
But then there’s this.
Pb
Well I looked through the AIPAC website, and they do have a Donate page, but I couldn’t find where I could sponsor a pony.
demimondian
Of course one would — he’s busy refuting the lies you’re spouting. If you were actually interested in debate, instead of wanting to talk about ponies, the conversation would have proceeded differently.
Tony J
Regarding ponies, and their uses, I really don’t think that word means what you think it means.
Tony J
What? Here’s Teng’s statement that I labelled bollox:
I called it bollox because it is bollox. Since the collapse of the Barak/Arafat talks and the start of the 2nd Intifada, Israel has shown zero interest in finding someone with ‘real power’ to negotiate with.
On the contrary, whichever faction gains ‘real power’ in the PA – meaning whichever faction currently enjoys the support of enough Palestinians to enter negotiations with any kind of legitimate right to make demands and concessions in their name – instantly gets frozen out by Israel until they show their good faith by arresting everyone on the Israeli shitlist and disarming all of the militias. That this would inevitably lead to a Palestinian Civil-War of everyone vs the faction that tried to do it isn’t, as they say, a ‘bug’ in the policy, it is the policy.
It’s the same tactic Israel used against Lebanon last summer, the same as the US is using against Iran, i.e. no negotiations until you surrender, and it has the same inevitable and intended result of closing off the possibility of reaching a diplomatic solution. So what’s left but the use of force? Again, that’s not a bug, that’s the policy.
Where am I lying, Demi? Where have I utilised a pony in all this? I don’t really see one, any more than I see where Teng has refuted anything I posted, or where anything he posted would lead someone to infer that the answer to “Do I think Israel is blameless?” would be anything other than the one I gave.
If you want to debate this without it turning into a flamewar, you could start by toning down the Darrellisms. There’s a reason I don’t engage with the Pony Whisperer, and I’d hate to think his brand of content free vituperation had infected the tone of anyone else on this site.
And if you spellcheck “You’d”, you’d find that it needs no *sic. ‘Palistinian’, on the other hand, does.
TenguPhule
So what was he when they were negotiating in 1999? This may come as a surprise to you, but it takes at least two sides to come to an agreement. Guess who refused to make a deal? Hint, it wasn’t Israel.
Bullshit. Israel kept repeating what they’ve been saying for quite awhile ‘reign your damn gunmen in’.
Shorter Tony J: Stop trying to confuse me with the facts! It’s true because I believe it to be true in the face of all evidence to the contrary!
Shorter Tony J: Pre-Sharon government never existed! I disbelieve!
Irony, Tony J. Tony J…oh, you’ve met.
Yes, here we go again with Tony’s own words saying exactly what he meant to say.
See an optometrist.
Tony J and Israeli conspiracies. Darrell and Iranian Nukes.
Seperated at birth?
Shorter Tony J: So you caught me redhanded, that doesn’t prove a thing!
Shorter Tony J: I will contest your Darrell label by acting like Darrell!
TenguPhule
Shorter Tony J: Because the Israelis haven’t found someone yet means they’re not looking!
Shorter Tony J: Just because Israel got burned last time they armed and funded the Palistinian government is no reason for them to ask that the Palistinians take away the guns from the people killing Israeli citizens and prove that they can actually exert power over their own people instead of just standing on the sidelines like last time!
Shorter Tony J: Israelis do not deserve peace and should not expect it when exchanging land for it.
TenguPhule
Tony J’s Irony of the Day(tm).
Tony J
Teng, you are so full of shit that I’m tempted to put on wellies and call for the Fire Brigade to hose out the thread.
Have you listened to yourself? It’s like a thesis on fucking Projection Theory. No, I’m not arguing like Darrell. I’m not just saying this to be contrary. Yes, I did bail last night because here in the UK it was 8.30 in the evening, I’d been on the PC since I came home from work at 4.30 pm, and pissing off my girlfriend just to respond to your sneering, Darrellesqe post right there and then was not something I had an obligation to do. If you don’t believe me, or if you want to pretend that you don’t believe me just so you can play ‘Gotcha’, fuck you, I don’t really care.
Case in point. Liverpool are playing West Ham in the Premiership at 7.45 pm, I’m going the pub to watch it. It’s now 6.56 pm, and I’ve got to get dressed. Do the fucking math and stop jumping down my throat.
Pb
My solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict:
1. Presume bad faith on both sides.
2. Fight to the death.
3. Mission Accomplished!
Wait, what’s that, you say? They’re already executing my master plan? Excellent.
P.S. Note how even blog flamewars about the conflict follow the same pattern!
TenguPhule
Irony, Tony. Tony…oh it’s you again.
Yes, you are Darrelling. First you duck the question in your response, then you leap into a tangent projected off of a false interpretation, then it’s on to the full bore queering followed by contradicting yourself followed by the bellows of outrage and so on and so forth.
So spare us the mockery of outrage and stop acting like Darrell.
Bob Altemeyer
Probably nobody cares about this any more, but someone once did. I’ve never correlated my measure of right-wing authoritarianism with the Myers-Briggs, and that’s the simplest way of finding out if different types of people vary in this trait. Somebody out there will soon, I am sure. Bob.
demimondian
Don’t bet on it. Comments die only very slowly here.
Krista
Yes. Yes, they do.
Pb
Bob, Demi,
Agreed. Thanks for the heads-up, Bob! I appreciate even the negative confirmation, because at least it helps explain why I wasn’t finding much. :)