Predictions? Expectations? Put them here.
BTW- One more reason why Dodd is teh awesome. He really is the best candidate the Dems are offering, and he doesn’t stand a chance. Kind of depressing.
Reader Interactions
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Comments are closed.
Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.
When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.
Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.
Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.
It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.
… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact
It’s a doggy dog world.
“That’s what the insurrection act is for!”
If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.
Republicans in disarray!
Ah, the different things are different argument.
The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.
Bark louder, little dog.
if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.
Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?
It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.
I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.
I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.
It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.
Accountability, motherfuckers.
Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.
… among the most cringeworthy communications in the history of the alphabet!
“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”
Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.
4tehlulz
Dems: Obama > Edwards > Hillary
Reps: Huck > Romney > McCain > Paul
peach flavored shampoo
A thread about couscous?
TheFountainHead
On one hand, I respect him for not wanting to undercut himself by telling his supporters who to Caucus for after he is declared not viable, but on the other hand, how on earth is it irresponsible to do so? I could easily make the argument that as the person your supporters are looking to to lead, it’s your obligation to use your position of access to give them advice on what to do in the (likely) event they are forced to caucus for someone else.
If I were an avid supporter of a third tier candidate I would want he or she to advise me on their perspective of the politics at hand.
As for predictions, well, I’m going to be drinking myself silly in front of CSPAN and MSNBC all night…that’s the only thing I know for certain.
myiq2xu
I will be more interested in what the “serious and respectable” Village Idiots are going to be saying tommorrow than I will be in the actual results.
My predictions: At least one candidate’s second or third place finish will be deemed a “win” for them, while at least one of the two first place finishers will be deemed to have “lost” because their margin of victory wasn’t big enough.
If Edwards doesn’t finish at least a close second, his candidacy will be deemed DOA, while Clinton or Obama can finish a distant third and still be viable. If Richardson makes it into the top three, heads will explode. Dodd, Biden, and Kucinich, thanks for playing and we have some lovely consolation prizes for you. Mike who?
If Romney finishes less than second, funeral plans will start being made, but Huckleberry will be viable if he finishes in third. Fred will drop dead, figuratively speaking, while Paul will carry on no matter what the results. If Rudy flops, he will suddenly have health problems that force him from the race. Johnny Mac will hang on, hoping his competitors continue to implode.
Zifnab
Gay Republican in 2048!
Punchy
Huckabizzle in a landslizzle fo’ shizzle my nizzle
p-rex
long time listener, first time caller…
here’s my prediction:
1) edwards
2) obama
3) hrc
-hrc will discover that you need more than money and a name to win an election (note to hillary: you actually have to inspire the voters, not just trot out focus-group tested blather). she could very well finish in third place.
-even if the non-viable candidates endorse barack or hrc (i’m lookin’ at you, kucinich), that’s no guarantee that their supporters will vote that way. polls show edwards with a significant lead as second choice.
-edwards has apparently had the most energized crowds and has a very good ground operation. obama will get quite a few republicans crossing over to vote for him, but has no iowa experience. hopefully many women will realize that voting for hrc because she’s a woman is just as sexist as men not voting for her for the same reason. the 1-2 vote will be very close, with the third place finisher pulling in the mid to high teens.
also, on saturday, the steelers defense will finally wake up. steelers 24, jags 13.
myiq2xu
Can I get a “What? What?”
Zifnab
There is no sweeter win than a win “by default”.
TheFountainHead
Somewhat off-topic, but Ezra Klein has an interesting piece up this morning on the so-called “Lieberman effect” in the Obama campaign. I’m not certain he’s pegged the issues precisely, but it’s an interesting take on how the crumbling GOP and the “We’re finally going to WIN” progressives might actually cause a landslide of centrism.
p-rex
hmmm.
i never used the strikethrough feature; wonder why half my post is struckthrough? or is that strickenthrough?
myiq2xu
The threads have been falafel for weeks now.
Billy K
I predict (and expect) a lot of bitching, moaning, griping, sniping and complaining.
p-rex
ohhhh. it must be the dashes i used. please disregard strikethroughs in my first comment. feh.
TheFountainHead
Can you imagine if he finishes ahead of Rudy? The intarwebs will become even more insufferable with Ron Paul Disease!
Jen
The Iowa Electronic Markets, if I’m reading them right are
Clinton/Obama/Edwards
…the traditional standings, I guess, and
McCain/Romney/Guiliani
…Giuliani before Huckabee, these days?! Giuliani barely even sent Iowa a postcard. I don’t do much predicting, but that seems off to me.
I saw Huck on Leno, I know it’s an act, I know I disagree with nearly everything he stands for, but he is very human, likeable, a corny joke every 15 seconds, and he conveys himself well to the general public that isn’t going to read a hundred articles about him. I would like to take credit for noticing that back when he was still third-tier and I couldn’t figure out why he was still third-tier, it seemed to me like he was exactly what a significant chunk of the R party was looking for.
4tehlulz
The internets will be taken down by the Ronbots spamming to everyone they know:
RON PAUL 2008
RON PAUL 2008RON PAUL 2008
RON PAUL 2008
RON PAUL 2008
RON PAUL 2008RON PAUL 2008RON PAUL 2008
Jen
Oh, of course Paul will carry on, he must have something like $18 million of his $19.5 million left over even after the blimp.
myiq2xu
Check out Perverse Musharraf’s appearance on The Daily Show – he was genial and funny too.
Chris
I predict that the caucus will be brought to a standstill at 3 PM when middle schools let out and Ron Paul supporters begin to interfere with those caucusing for other candidates.
Not that I dislike Ron Paul, or dislike the idea of fucking with the process, but Paul’s supporters are literally unreal. They couldn’t possibly be old enough to vote.
TheFountainHead
Well the beauty of Ron Paul finishing ahead of Guiliani would be that Faux News would look like even bigger jerks for excluding him.
4tehlulz
Caucuses don’t start until after 7. They’ll be doing homework then.
Jen
I knew one of you ass clowns was going to imply something like that (I mean that in the most affectionate way possible, since I love Office Space.)
Please understand that I am talking about what I see as someone’s appeal to the general population. I am not talking about his appeal to me. I think that we all know that your average voter does not read the Atlantic, or Greenwald, or the Nation, or even Newsweek, really. They watch stuff like Leno. They form opinions about who can lead the country based on who is genial, self-deprecating, laid-back, folksy. They just do. I think he’ll do well in Iowa, at least second or third.
The Other Steve
That’s an interesting article, although I think it’s unfair to compare Obama with Lieberman. Ole Joe was looking for nothing but love. Obama is trying for something more.
But there is a point to the fact that the over the top hyperbolic attacks on Obama from some in the blogosphere have harmed their own credibility. It’s one thing to point out differences, or fight for a particular point. But the attack the other day claiming Obama was smearing Kerry and Gore was ridiculous. It was the same complaint the DLC made, in a similar manner, when they attacked Dean in 2004 for smearing Clinton.
Kirk Spencer
I’m wondering how much the Wilder (aka Bradley) effect still applies. And for that matter, how much it applies in the peer pressure situation of Iowa’s caucus.
If it’s in effect (and applies to Iowa), then Obama’s poll numbers are overstated by 5-9 points, and Clinton’s by 3-5 points — and those numbers will mostly go to Edwards.
My suspicion is that the effect exists but is extremely muted in Iowa. Where we’ll really see it is in New Hampshire. Thus for both, Clinton wins with Edwards getting a very strong second. This gets spun as a major setback for Obama, a ‘so what’ for Clinton, and Edwards gets spun as this season’s comeback kid. And as gain begets gain, Edwards wins most of the Feb 5 primaries.
On the Republican side… Huckabee will win, Romney will place, and McCain will show. The spinzone will place Romney as Failing to meet Expectations (and so a Loser), Huckabee as the man to beat, and McCain will be the Big Surprise with Potential. Oh, and Giuliani will be the subject of much shocked laughter — “Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”
p-rex
huckabee would be awesome. nomination fight at the republican convention in minneapolis, with the religious right finally realizing that the republican party has been using them as a faith-based tool for the last 27 years.
The Other Steve
I suspect Obama is going to come in first tonight. We’ll certainly see. He seems to have the momentum.
Further evidence of this point, the progressive blogosphere today is full of articles about how stupid Iowans are. Apparently because it doesn’t look like Edwards is going to win, and they’re declaring early defeat. It’s really bizarre.
Jen
Chris, they had this picture of the Ron Paul kids on a bus somewhere in Iowa. They really were just babies, and they looked exactly like a high school youth group on a ski trip bus. I guess I see it kind of like Ayn Rand (I’m gonna get it from TFH, aren’t I) — such a revelation when one is 16, but you outgrow it.
‘Course, Ron Paul is 72 so my analysis implodes at that point.
Cain
Looking for what? A good neighbor?
cain
Face
To get the absolute full effect (Punchy–efizz’ect) of this, you need to listen to Boortz and Hannity on the radio. Pure and nonsubtle impending apoplexy. This Paultardness just cannot happen. Rudy’s gunna kill all the Brownies; RoPaul is going to allow them to mulitiply like Mormons. Wingnut acrimony-meter explodes.
I may never enjoy listening to their radio shows as much as I will tomorrow. And yes, I’ll even eat Cheetos (and maybe pee myself) in their honor.
cleek
i predict: no matter where he places, McCain will be the big winner.
i predict: no matter where she places, Hillary will be the big loser.
TheFountainHead
Agreed. Like I said, I’m not sure Ezra’s argument is a totally valid one, there are some leaps there, but the overall concept that the really left of center progressives–overly excited at the prospect of getting rid of Bush AND winning an election at the same time–would push a candidate like Obama away from themselves and in so doing embrace a candidate like Hillary is a little frightening/disconcerting.
douglasfactors
Jen, I think those Iowa Electronic Markets figures are for the nomination, not the Iowa caucus. As far as I can tell, they don’t have markets for the individual state contests.
INTRADE currently has the Iowa contract at Obama (70.1), Clinton (24.0), and Edwards (15.1), with Huckabee (63.0) favored over Romney (36.0).
The Other Steve
In 2000… Gore led Bradley 54 to 33 percent in the last poll before the caucus. The end result was 64 percent, 35 percent. Probably because undecides and such broke for the candidate who looked to have the most support.
This one is a lot tighter because it’s a three way race, but if the polls are right and Obama is on top, undecideds will break Obama.
Dug Jay
Dean followed by Gephardt, with Kerry third.
The Other Steve
Oh yeah, one caveat… Edwards and Clinton probably have better staff in the state with more experience with iowa caucus. We’ll see.
Jen
Oooh, thanks, douglasfactors, that makes a lot more sense.
The Other Steve
So you’re thinking a Huckabee/Lieberman ticket?
TheFountainHead
I’m not such a Zealot as all that! But like all lessons learned in High School, they are worth not forgetting.
Chris
Jen, I suggest an experiment. As per a recent thread, you made the mistake of revealing you have a family. Of interest is your toddler.
See if you can get the kid to say Ron Paul.
Then see if you can get her to say the other candidate’s names.
I hypothesize that the untrained brain learns Paul’s name easier.
Or some mystical force takes over and she starts a Ron Paul IRC chatroom immediately and scripts an email spambot.
I await the results.
Spider97
Dems: (1) Clinton (2) Obama (3) Edwards
…..and hoping I’m wrong on the above. I’m always skeptical of these reports of first-time caucus goers, and the youth vote. Obama seems to be relying heavily on both of these. Experience seems to indicate (just ask John Kerry…) that they seldom turn out for you. Clinton has the Iowa machine behind her, and I think her base is comprised of traditional Democrats who will turn out. As for Edwards, I don’t think he’ll enjoy as much of the second round support as Obama (with reports that Kucinich and Richardson will instruct their supporters to throw their weight behind Obama) which relegates him to third place.
Repubs: (1) Romney (2) Huckabee (3) McCain
No surprises here. Romney has the machinery behind him to get people out. Huckabee doesn’t. And Republicans love the establishment candidate, and that’s Romney the Charlatan this time around. Huckabee has turned out to be such a hack (can I coin the term “Hackabee”???) that I don’t see him pulling out a win here. McCain has come on strong lately, and I think will take third with 18% – I think he’ll pick up a lot of support from candidates who fail to meet the viability threshold.
TheFountainHead
Very true, but Obama has had a larger staff on the ground there, longer, this time around. No one will likely ever know how that kind of stuff effected the outcome, if at all.
Chris
Dean will demonstrate to the voting public his vitality and determination to win decisively. The voters will rally behind his enthusiasm, and leave behind the anemic, flaccid candidates such as Kerry.
TheFountainHead
Really? I had heard neither hide nor hair of this! If true, that could be very good for Obama.
p-rex
in a different numbers game, if the gwb administration is able to use smoke and mirrors to hold off or disguise a recession (or worse) until after january 2009, whoever wins may not want to be president.
i see gwb’s number one priority for 2008 to do everything in his power to trick everyone into thinking the economy is just fine, so he doesn’t get blamed for it. otherwise he’ll leave office with the lowest approval ratings in history.
if we somehow make it through 2008 without an economic downturn, i hope the republican wins. the bottom will fall out in 2009 and whoever is in office will get blamed for it.
Jen
Hi, Cain. I hope you liked the lambic and champagne. :) It just seemed to me that Huckabee filled a niche (or, as they say in Spinal Tap, a “much-needed void”) with the religious conservatives. Because since the earth cooled (6000 years ago), they haven’t really had a front-runner to call their own. Even GWB hasn’t really given them what they’ve wanted. And even they realize that Alan Keyes and Pat Robertson are not going to win a bingo game, much less a national election.
Hi, Chris. I’ve talked about my kids to anyone who will listen, which is pretty much no one. I would teach my toddler to say “Ron Paul”, but “Barack Hussein Obama” would be so much funnier, wouldn’t it? Then again, “Ron Paul” would be creepier. She won’t learn more than one name, so I’ve got a decisions to make.
Spider97
As far as the Richardson supporters, I don’t think it’s a definite, but there have been reports that – like Kucinich – he would instruct supporters to get behind Obama in the second round. Struck me as odd, since I thought the Richardson end game has been a Clinton/Richardson ticket.
Jen
“a decisions to make”, sheesh, what am I, Bush’s grammar coach? Sorry.
Jen
Maybe the Richardson end game has been a ____/Richardson ticket and he feels the smart money’s on Obama now…?
p-rex
wrt to the richardson/kucinich voter auctioning…
as i mentioned upthread, just because a candidate throws their support to someone else doesn’t mean that the supporters will go that way.
Zifnab
After reading a couple of her books – namely Anthem – I had the same problem with her dystopian fantasies that I had with George Orwell’s 1984. The society that she envisioned was miserable, but it was also generally non-functional. The center wouldn’t hold on either of these two settings, as the incompetence and sloth they would generate would – in turn – undo the authoritarian deadlock they were supposed to place on the people.
While Orwell at least understood human motivations and tendencies if not the limits to their capacity, Rand created these puristic personalities who came across as entirely inhuman.
In short, Ayn Rand was freaking out over nothing, and it was abundantly clear in her fiction. Her “capitalism or bust” mentality was the result of the assumption that ideological drives – be they for communism, capitalism, quasi-socialism, or whatever – overpowered basic human failings.
Ron Paul’s free market purism is simplistically attractive and utterly doomed to failure for the same reasons. I never figured out how so many people would continue to fall into that same trap, though.
Spider97
Jen, I think you may be right. Still, his sycophantic behavior toward HRC had convinced me that his money was still on the national front runner. Putting all his chips on Obama would be a hell of a gamble, and Richardson doesn’t strike me as a gamblin’ man. Of course, the reports could be false, as well.
Punchy
LOTS of good drink specials in Iowa City on a Thursday nite. Tough choice for the kids. If they could caucus at, say, The Airliner or Jakes or The Sports Column, it’d be Obama in a rout. Seriously, if he allowed the plowed to partake, he’d pilfer precious percentage points.
Chris
OK, then. Make dolls of each of the candidates. Check for signs of approval. Seeing your daughter with Ron Paul in a tea party would be one example. Catfight with Hillary doll another.
Be careful of the Huckabee doll, though. If she starts making pledges about her sex life, the experiment has gone too far.
Jen
Well, they’re young, right? A young person’s freedom utopia is someone else’s near-anarchic-doomed-to-failure-folly. At least that’s my theory. And while their presence on the interwebs can be felt very, very strongly, their presence in the polls, not so very much — so I’m not sure that there really are so many of them.
demimondian
Chris, I tried your experiment on one of my kids: I tried to teach the 18 year old to say “President Clinton”, and then I tried to get him to say “President Paul”.
Problem is, he kept saying “President Obama”. Do you have any useful suggestions?
Jen
Hmmm. I don’t have any biracial dolls or 72-year-old man dolls. Every ounce of creative energy I had was used up in the construction of an R2D2 Halloween costume a couple of months ago. (Did you know that the only R2 costumes commercially available are really, really lame?) I could make her watch the debates, but I don’t want to alarm child protective services….what to do….
Tim F.
Huckabee won’t win because he is almost nobody’s second choice. He has the religious right vote in Iowa locked up, but the choice of everyone else goes as follows: 1) somebody else, then 2) not Huckabee. McCain will probably take Iowa and the nomination.
Punchy
Are they going to coin this sumpin diff to diff from the former Prez Clinton, ala “G HERBERT WB”? And what form will that take?
Pres’nit Bitch Clinton?
Pres’nit Clagina?
Pres’nit Clit’on?
Pres’nit Chick?
(I doubt it’d be respectful, is my point. The media and Demi hates her)
Captain USA
I don’t want Chris Dodd to be president. I want him to be senate majority leader.
Dracula
Tim–AFAIK, the second choice stuff only matters to the Democratic Party. The Republicans don’t go by the “if ya don’t have 15%, find a new loser” rule. IOW, there’s not vote-swapping with the R party as there is for the Ds.
Hence, nobody is polling the second-choice ops for the Rs, and it matters not a whit.
Chris
Sounds like your kid is running dangerously low on illicit stimulants. Remember, it’s your job as guardian to continuously monitor the intake of all substances, nutritive, pharmaceutical, and otherwise.
Clinton requires 2 parts methamphetamines to 1 part caffeine, 2 times daily
Huckabee requires 2 parts peyote to 5 parts PCP, inject IV cont. drip. Check injection site for irritation daily. IV port may have to be installed. See local baptist congregation for IV port supplies.
Paul requires 2 doses Modafinil to 15 doses caffeine, every 12 hours, with a WSJ daily. Supplement with NIE if allowed by the attending cardiologist.
Obama is usually 1 dose of LSD to between 6 and 10 doses of mescaline. The mescaline makes you realize that people might be cool, and the LSD makes you think they are.
merciless
Both Biden and Richardson campaigns deny any deals to back Obama (or anyone else), and say it’s just rumormongering.
I expect a lot of phone calls are being made, though. Just have to wait and see.
p-rex, no way Bush can hold off a recession, I don’t care how much money he throws to Merrill Lynch. It’s already begun. President Josiah Bartlet couldn’t hold off a recession at this point.
Spider97
Hear hear.
Chris
Just tell CPS that your kid is supporting Huckabee’s political ministry. That’s essentially what Huck is doing, and child protection wouldn’t dare interfere with a parents right to indoctrinate their kids with mind altering ideas like God.
/me hates Sunday School.
Dracula
/scratches chin, then head
myiq2xu
Let me give you all a clue about the Paultards:
Ro
ssn PerotaulChris
But then who’s going to demonstrate to me how to cool down my mamga-hot outrage at anti-American injustice into a tepid, delicious soup of capitulation?
srv
I predict that candidates who will maintain the historical status quo will win, the next president will rule from wherever GW leaves the goal posts, and we will be bombing Pakistan before 2010.
myiq2xu
Rudy Guiliani – massive quantities of thorazine. When you’re drroling and shuffling, you’re in the groove.
Chris
Oh, I get it. He’s saying Bartlett was “perfect”.
I might love my copy of The West Wing in a disgusting, inappropriate manner, but I wouldn’t take that swan dive of the cliff.
Cassidy
Not a chance. Jags roll over the Steelers and stun the Patriots, meeting the Colts in the game to decide who gets to beat the Cowboys or Packers.
myiq2xu
Didjoo mean “manga” or “magma?”
The Other Steve
No, but Republicans give speeches before hand. Many of the GOP are walking in undecided, and those speeches help show how much support different candidates have.
If people think Huckabee is going to win, and they don’t like him, they may change their support to someone else just to insure it don’t happen.
Spider97
Just a guess, but I would expect – if it’s an issue – that Biden would try to corral support behind Obama. It’s a badly kept secret that Biden would love nothing more than to be Secretary of State. In a second Clinton administration, that’s almost certain to be Richard Holbrooke. Ergo, Biden’s only shot at his dream job is a President Obama.
And personally, I’d love to see Biden in the role. He’s pragmatic and has the experience. That, and it would be insanely funny to watch the crazy bastard.
Krista
Probably President Rodham Clinton, if I had to guess.
By the way, is there any proven way to keep from giggling upon hearing the word “caucus”?
Tim F.
Oh. In that case, go Huck.
Chris
Disclaimer: I’m talking about Bush, not the riff-raff we call “t’usts”. Yes, Bush is anti-American. He may be one, but he’s not acting as one.
myiq2xu
If he wins, we’re all pHUCKed
The Other Steve
Bombing is for wimps. Real men invade!
Chris
myiq2xu Says:
Didjoo mean “manga” or “magma?”
magma magma magma magma magma magma magma magma magma
I’m having trouble typing that word. I suck.
thanks.
magma
Jen
Hmmmm…have we ever bombed a country with nukes before? That seems……unwise…
dslak
Orwell was also writing from within an actual historical situation and providing a kind of survey of the options. He had assumed that capitalism was dead, and that the options would either be socialist technocracy or democratic socialism. A well-known supporter of the latter, Nineteen Eight-Four was intended as a criticism of the former.
Rand’s fiction, however, was arsenal in a battle that was taking place primarily inside her head.
Cassidy
Not if you bomb the storage sites.
Punchy
Word. Already got some $$ on the 18-1 odds for the Jags to win the SB. Dark Horse times 100. Nobody realizes just how money their tag-team running back scheme really is in the playoffs. And their D? Worthlessberger will spend more time on his back than Jenna J.
Sorry for the threadjack.
Billy K
Damn close! Here, let me fix it for you…
Jags roll over the Steelers and stun the Patriots, meeting the Colts in the game to decide who gets beat by the Cowboys
Billy K
I made a LOL @ this
You don’t really believe that, do you? The fanbase is totally different.
Cassidy
Depending on which Brett shows up the play, I’ll concede that the Cowboys is a better bet, but after watching them play the last few weeks….I don’t have high hopes, especially against Jacksonville. If they spend the 1st Qtr roughing up TO, which Jax will do, then it could get ugly.
Chris
FTFY
Jen
Yes, we’re so very good at that, aren’t we? I don’t see how that could possibly go wrong. I remember how we bombed the storage sites Colin Powell showed us in Iraq, good times…
Cassidy
What? With our Democratic savior coming up, how could it possibly be wrong?
Billy K
Look, I love Favre (Bootleg!), but the wrong one always seems to show up at the wrong time. I sense more fo the Brett from a month ago @ Cowboys coming soon.
I’m not worried about TO. He can give as good as he gets, and he can take the punishment. I’m worried about Witten, who suddenly seems to have a case of the greasy hands; and Romo, who seems to have suddenly realized he’s not Brett Favre ca. 1995.
Oh, and the O line needs to put it back in gear.
Sorry for the Cowboys talk…
Spider97
The ‘boys had a lackluster end of the season, but I think they’ll show up for the playoffs. The real threat, in my humble opinion: 1/2 their coaching staff is distracted by other job opportunities.
Just someone, anyone get rid of Green Bay. If Washington advances past Seattle (probable, I think) and I have to pull for the Redskins, well, I might just be sick.
myiq2xu
Well most of the Perotistas have to be dead by now, they’d be older than Grampa Fred.
But these are the same kind of people, mad as hell but naive about how things really work.
Cassidy
Don’t get me wrong, I like the Cowboys, but I’m not sure they’re showing up to play lately. TO has always been a bobbler and gets easily frustrated when he’s physically played. Witten will come through in the pinch.
In the end, though, Jax is way more physical than all of them.
Scotty
Democrats: 1. Obama 2. Clinton 3. Edwards
Republicans: 1. Romney 2. Huckabee 3. McCain
Chris
Yes, but we found the
9/11 conspiratorsWMDsterroristspeople who are a threat to uspeople who think we’re out of our collective fucking mind
Jen
Ron should put giant charts on his blimp.
I see them as comparable in that their supporters are probably willing to go all third party spoiler. I hope.
myiq2xu
Put a sock in it, Dr. Strangelove. You’re a disgrace to the uniform you claim you wear.
Or perhaps you think we can offset global warming with nuclear winter?
Zifnab
I’ve seen Larry Craig and Mark Foley dolls before, but only in a courtroom setting.
Zifnab
FAIL!
Chris
Fixed your sarcasm for you. Bush fucked our talent base so damned hard it’s going to take more than one presidential term to fix. Not only to we have to coax the old guys out of early retirement, we have to find new talent for the old guys that don’t come back and THEN we have to find the jackasses that fight for party before country.
Yeah, let’s start thinking the Democrats can make this worse. Because stereotypes are always right.
Billy K
QFT
Yeah, what’s gotten into The Skins? They looked like a 4-12 team at the beginning of the season.
I just can’t see them in the Superbowl. They may be physical, but can they score? They’re about to run into a series of teams in the playoffs that can match their physicality, but can move the ball.
Chris
That was about 1.5 internets worth of win
(but for clarity, Craig’s a homosexual, not a pedophile.)
Jen
But what does Romney think about all this football talk? Maybe that the Brooklyn Dodgers are going all the way to the Final Four, baby!
LiberalTarian
Ignorance is bliss (for those who know). :(
This is so unfucking fair. Who are these Iowans and why do they get to pick the next president???
myiq2xu
Well, Foley’s a homosexual pedophile, so that’s a two-fer.
myiq2xu
Ever seen Children of the Corn?
Jen
LiberTarian, if it makes you feel any better…
=me rooting for Huck in Iowa
?”will” confuse the R nomination???
Spider97
Agreed, but they also weren’t playing for anything toward the end of the season. TO is a bobbler, and a big whiner and typically ineffective when he gets covered aggressively, and Romo is off to a good start, but has a long way to go. Witten is a real talent. But the Cowboys – when they’re on their game – are the best team in the NFC. And hell, I’m not even a Cowboys fan.
Washington is running on emotion and not much else. Green Bay couldn’t beat my guys (Da Bears) TWICE this season, and you never know which Brett Fav-ruh is going to show up. The Bucs and the Seahawks were helped tremendously by weak divisions. And the Giants….well, they’re only as good as Eli, and what we saw on Saturday we’re not likely to see again.
The Cowboys will see some competition on the field, but I think the biggest thing working against them right now is the fact that 1/2 their coaching staff is seriously distracted.
Cassidy
I never said that. Was just addressing the messiah complex surrounding this election. A politician is a politician is a politician. So while a steaming turd or Low IQ would be better than Bush, we’re not looking at a whole lot of change in the future. Representatives won’t represent their people, Americans will settle in for American Idol and the Lil’ Spears baby watch, and life will go on as usual.
Think about it, though. Patriots got roughed up by the Ravens and the Eagles and lost to their own coaching staff(s). I really only see the Colts beating Jax handily.
Coming from a weak civilian, I think I’ll just have to ignore your “advice”.
Tim F.
Sheer genius. And if I crapped five thousand dollar bills I’d be filthy rich.
Cassidy
Hands down, I agree. The key being the part in the middle. I’d like to see th Cowboys in the Super Bowl and I think they’ll be their, the only obstacle being which Brett steps on the field. In the end, though, I don’t see them beating the Colts, Patriots, or Jags.
John S.
Technically, Foley is a pederast. There is a difference.
Zifnab
What about if it comes from a civilian with biceps like bowling balls who can squat thrust half a ton on an off day?
Just hypothetically speaking.
John S.
Again, John Cole said it best:
dslak
Obviously, civilians are simply too weak to make important decisions. Maybe the manly-men of the military should just take over.
Zifnab
Ew. Gross double entendra.
What does being a foot doctor have to do with cybering 16-year-old Republicans?
Cassidy
Reminds me of a Brad Paisley song…
Cassidy
Dictatorships really are the most efficient form of gov’t.
Zifnab
Seriously. I hear Pakistan is looking really nice this time of year. Go down and tell us all how that is working out.
Punchy
simple answers to simple questions.
dslak
Exactly. You never hear of dictatorships having any problems with administration, violence, or simple expressions of disagreement that plague other systems of government.
John S.
Anakin Skywalker, is that you?
borehole
Yeah, let’s turn stewardship of this country over to the military. Because they haven’t been plopped down into enough ill-conceived clusterfucks lately.
myiq2xu
This was my comment to Hopalong from the family law thread where he opined that:
My response:
Regarding John Cole’s smackdown last week he said:
To which I reply:
Any time tough guy. Any time.
Billy K
I think we can outscore Jacksonville. I think we can gut it out vs. The Pats. It’s actually Indy I’m worried about. Ithink they’ll come out of the AFC, and honestly, I gotta pick them to win it all if they do.
Everybody was helped by weak divisions this year, with the possible exception of the AFC South. I look throughout the NFL and I just see so many lousy teams. And The Giants…The Giants are not a 10-6 team. They’re 8-8 at best, and frankly, I don’t even think they’re that good. Yet, I have no idea how they won all those games. (Kinda glad they did, though. It’ll be fun to watch Eli choke, and all the resultant drama.)
Face
WHAT THE FUCK IS THE DIFFERENCE??
Signed,
M. Huckabee
Cassidy
Fort Gordon, Ga. Come on down and I’ll give you directions to the house.
You still make too many assumptions.
Billy K
I stand corrected. Half the time when I see The Panthers I think they’re talking about The Jaguars: two southern teams, expanded around the same time, two cat mascots…
They’ll still lose to Indy.
Billy K
No difference. It’s the same thing as necrophilia and beastiality, too.
Cassidy
I think the downside to this is that the “intangibles” aren’t favoring the Cowboys. They are in a position to wait and see what team their playing (ex: ready to retire Brett, or young energized Brett, etc.).
Jen
Oh, good heavens, you *all* have tiny penises, ok? Does that settle things? Sheesh.
Cassidy
Definitely more likely than losing to the Cowboys.
Krista
Cassidy — are you a woman? I can’t recall if you’ve ever clearly stated your gender, and with all of your posturing and scorn for others, you come across as a man (and one with what appears to be a serious case of ‘roid rage, at that.) But we could be wrong, and with your constant taunting about assumptions, my interest is piqued.
So come clean, Cassidy, does it turn out that your sociopathic attitude is simply due to having sand in your vagina?
Cassidy
I’m all guy, chicky.
Tsulagi
Yep.
I think Scotty got it close, but I’m going with…
Democrats: 1. Obama 2. Clinton 3. Edwards
Republicans: 1. Huckabee 2. Romney 3. McCain
I’m thinking Huck squeaks by Romney even after showing off his Bush-level knowledge of foreign affairs the past few weeks. With those two it’s a choice between dumb/Jesus and dumb/gold teeth used car salesman. I have faith in the Iowans. Then tomorrow the second and third place finishers spin how they actually won.
Go Ron Paul!
Bombadil
You know, the level of good snark definitely rises when Jen and Krista post regularly,
Cassidy
No roids, btw. Don’t believe in them. While they can be very beneficial if cycled correctly, you tend result in weakened tendons and ligaments as the muscle growth outpaces your body.
I don’t think you know what that means.
Billy K
Well, if Cassidy is a chick, then Jen and Krista must be dudes.
Bombadil
And the average IQ of the thread drops when Cassidy posts regularly.
Chris
Fair enough, but we’re having trouble getting people to pay attention to recent history and to learn from their mistakes. It would be anxiety-reducing if you would point to previous, known failures before indicating possible failures that haven’t yet occurred.
That is correct, sir, you caught me. Have a cookie.
The other term I should have thought of was “ephebophile”.
I’m fucking lawled.
myiq2xu
According to the website, Ft Gordon is the home of the US Army Signal Center. From your earlier posts, you work in the medical field, so that makes you a bedpan jockey for a Sig unit.
That doesn’t sound like Rambo to me.
Your ass is IN THE REAR WITH THE GEAR!
Fucking pussy ass wannabe.
Billy K
Oh, and for all the nerds talking about D&D yesterday,
http://laughingsquid.com/10-awesome-things-about-dungeons-dragons/
I think the comeback is on.
Spider97
Let’s all take a deep, deep breath.
Chris
Easy, now. The wannabes are all taking combat training classes with Drill Sgt. Pantload and then establishing armed bunkers in the campus cafeteria.
Use your insults wisely, or prime
meatsludge may get off easy.Dreggas
Obama will take Iowa, Zogby even had him winning it with the second choice factored in.
Cassidy
If you look at more than just recent history, though, you can see a track record of our elected officials doing the same dumb shit, regardless of party affiliation.
You really are an idiot. First, Sig units don’t have their own organic medical assets, as they are typically attached to operational units when deployed. Secondly, you’ll rarely find “rambo” in the military. That’s a fictional construct with an interesting history, I’ll admit. Third, as a Medic, I have the ability to be stationed at any post, be it Combat Arms, Tradoc, etc. If you knew anything about the MOS, you’d know that we are trained in Trauma and Patient Care, and succeed at both jobs very regularly. Fourth, you should also know that the Army has been targeting personnel at non-deployable posts to make sure they get a piece of the pie. Who do you think gets sent to replace them.
And I’ll stop there, as I don’t really need to impress you with my combat “bona fides”. Fort Gordon, Ga, pansy. C’mon down.
And really, if you’re knowledge of military speak doesn’t expand beyond a bad TV movie, then you really ought to pipe down.
Krista
Strap-ons don’t count, sweetheart.
And no, sociopath wasn’t the best term to use. That was careless of me.
So instead of your “sociopathic” attitude, I’ll amend that to your “repugnant and disturbing” attitude. Feel better now?
Zifnab
Mental note. Never let Billy K house sit pets. For many reasons.
dslak
Why must every post in which Cassidy comments inevitably become a discussion of Cassidy and his many failings?
myiq2xu
Neither Sig nor medic is a combat arms MOS. I wore crossed pistols on my collar, what do you wear, crossed tongue depressors?
4tehlulz
This thread is now about penis length.
dslak
You can make yours longer with these pills I have on sale for just 4.99!!!
Chris
Aww, thanks, now I feel better. I don’t have to evaluate for the person most likely to use your services wisely. I can just sit back and vote for Giuliani, and you can be sent out in a blackshirt to beat muslims until they fucking mob you or kamikaze you.
Ignoring how your image is coming together as a military-rule type… I’d expect you to have more faith in the civilians you protect if you volunteered.
What else are you fighting to protect? Your other volunteered squad mates?
Cassidy
I’m sorry, but I’m married. You can’t have a piece of me, darlin’.
I didn’t feel bad about the first one. Considering I don’t really value your opinion on anything, then it stands to reason that anything you say will be a waste of your breath. I’ve been called worse by better people.
You’ll notice that I come in to talk about the topic, and it degenerates as some people keep bringing my profession into it. Personally, I was talking about football, before the usual idiots decided to be antagonistic. Once that happens, I just enjoy being a dick to those who are wasting good oxygen.
Zifnab
4th Ed gets released in a few months. Or… so I heard… from a friend. Yeah.
Krista
Good point, dslak. So getting back to the caucus (tee-hee), I’m predicting Edwards>Obama>Clinton. I wish I could say that I have faith in any of them blowing the lid off of all the horrible stuff that’s gone down over the last 7 years, but considering that the media has the attention span of an ADHD kid on crack, I’m guessing that the overarching theme will just be, “let’s move on and leave the past in the past.” Easier said than done for those whose lives have been fucked over by this administration, of course.
Jen
No, it’s muuuuuuuuuuuuch longer than that…..
/curtsies to Bombadil
Face
/looks in pants, shakes head in disgust, pounds desk, wonders why the wife keeps calling the cable company installer to come out once a week….
The Grand Panjandrum
Intrade has Obama and Huckabee winning. I’ll go with the Wisdom of the Crowd. It seems to have worked so well for the last seven years.
dslak
If you’re having memory problems, I would recommend going back up to read the post. You’ll find that your version of events doesn’t quite fit the facts.
Cassidy
You were an MP! And you’re calling someone a pussy. That’s rich.
Combat medics fall into CSS as an MOS, but you also know that we primarily serve in Combat Arms. Try not to be deliberately stupid.
Didn’t say that either, but its a crap shoot at best. Even ol’ Jimmy sent troops to Iran. As I said, a steaming turd or the pussy policeman would be better than Bush, but I doubt any significant change will happen.
dslak
I meant that I would recommend going up and reading the comments, not the post. Cassidy is hardly an innocent victim here.
r€nato
John, congratulations on WVU’s awesome victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. That was a great game to watch.
dslak
Krista, it’s not just the media’s short attention span, but the fact that those who own the media establishment have a vested interest in the abuses of the Bush administration (and their own complicity therein) coming to light. So, no, I wouldn’t hold out much hope for the major media to seek any accountability.
Cassidy
Never said I was innocent, but I don’t recall launching vehemently into anyone. Hell I didn’t even comment on the caucus, as I could care less. I made one comment outside the football; a simple statement of fact. I don’t start this shit, I just enjoy giving it.
myiq2xu
Fucking pussy-ass acting like a real soldier.
dslak
Cassidy, I suspect that it’s your deliberate obtuseness that makes people like you so much.
Cassidy
It goes beyond the media, etc. The only candidate with the cojones to actually make radical changes, is Kucinich. Personally, I find him to be 12 shades of crazy, but at least he’s reliable for change. The rest will maintain the status quo. They’ll talk a lot, make speeches, but in the end, we’re looking at a whole lot of nothing.
Cassidy
Most people don’t like assertive personalities. Not my problem.
Fort Gordon, Ga. C’mon down. I’m sure you won’t. It’s more fun to call names from behind a computer screen. I’d be surprised to see someone really put their money where their mouth is.
The Grand Panjandrum
Ron Paul’s are as radical as Kucinich.
Cassidy
That’s generally what the rest of us use to describe the MP’s. They’ve got that complex because they aren’t really warfighters, although they always bring hot chow.
Billy K
In Battlefield 1942 I usually played the Medic, because his gun had a larger clip (magazine, whatever). But in the new Battlefield 2142, the Assault class carries the medical suuplies! What is going on!?
dslak
‘Obtuse’ is not a synonym of ‘assertive.’ Just for everyone’s edification.
Cassidy
I was thinking strictly Dem, but you’re right.
p-rex
i hope you’re right about the recession, merciless. it’s really weird “hoping” there will be a recession this year, but i see it as an inevitable correction, and the gwb administration has been playing a tricky numbers game with their reports in an attempt to hide the real economic damage they’ve been doing.
Cassidy
In WH40K, the Apothecary carries a bolter. What’s the world coming to?
HyperIon
but, but, but…Rand is a ranter while Orwell is a brilliant writer. 1984 is not his best IMO. Down and Out in Paris and London & Homage to Catalonia are better. And his essays are outstanding.
Punchy
Fort Bragg on the phone…they’d like to tell you something.
Can’t say I’ve ever heard a LADY use the “sand in the hoo-hah” comment. Krista working the edges today….
Billy K
What does this have to do with buildings?
Oh wait…9/11?
Chris
Sorry, he’s just as scary as Giuliani to me.
Dept. of Peace? How frighteningly Orwellian, and he’s not fucking kidding.
War, battles, soliders, et al. are horrible, bloodthirsty, abhorrent concepts and completely necessary. This far-left concept of “who needs war?” was invented by a person that never read a piece of non-fiction is his or her life.+
Bombadil
Seemed appropriate to the thread.
dslak
It would be overall less orwellian if we simply changed the name of the Department of Defense to ‘Department of War.’
dslak
I mean, if we changed it back to that.
Krista
What can I say? It’s a great line to be used on either gender, really.
I do a fairly decent impersonation of Cartman, so it’s much more fun for me to speak the line than to type it, though.
Cassidy
Really? And whom would you be referring to?
Hit the nail on that one…
Take it a step further and say a person who has never studied human behavior.
dslak
It’s a far cry from recognizing that wars are sometimes necessary to actively wishing for and promoting them. Sometimes those crazy people who oppose all wars are a good counter-balance to the crazies who’ve never seen a war that they didn’t like.
TheFountainHead
/duckingtheCassidyCrap
If Edwards DOES pull out the win tonight, with Obama in second, what the HELL is the Clinton campaign going to do. I mean, it would be one thing to lose to Obama, but Edwards too?
Punchy
No, you’ve shortened it and misspelled it. He calls it “Department of Piece o’ Tail”. In homage to his wife, natch.
dslak
If I weren’t already married, I might consider becoming vegan. Those guys get the hottest chicks.
Krista
You do recall writing this, right?
Likewise. Insults from the likes of you are just laughable.
Chris
It would be overall a horrible idea to let the masses working the farm equipment to get it in their heads that war should be an issue of government, instead of defense.
Although that would be an awesome bill for someone to put in Congress. And then we can have the president remind us that the military is for defense of the continent, not for beating people up that look at us or our friends the wrong way.
/me looks at republican prez candidates
/me sighs
Nevermind.
Krista
Damn hard to say. She’s not easily dismissable, by any stretch of the imagination. I can’t see her just packing up her podium and going home.
pharniel
Zifnab Says:
Because 16 year olds arn’t fucking children
pedophile == likes pre-pubsecent whatever, non-nubile
pederast or ephibiphile = like young nubile whatever (post-pubsecent or pubescent)
Billy K
Pull out allt he stops. I.e. it gets ugly.
Kirk Spencer
Cassidy, in response to
I’m going to have to point out that you lowered the bar first on the non-football thread.
As to the crap about about MOS, I was infantry while enlisted – a proud bearer of a black beret before Shinseki gave it to everyone. I appreciate medics more than you’ll probably ever know, but know exactly how tough they can be. But listening to you claiming you’re a better citizen because you’re in now and have a tougher MOS is becoming, well, you’re becoming a laughingstock. Enough.
Chris
They have enough money to coast through the rest of the campaign regardless.
And what will probably happen is that Clinton and her “Hurting Republicans means healing the country” supporters will go SO FAR left wing, they’ll pop out into right wing territory. I’m not kidding; there are a LOT of mechanisms for this to happen.
Likely it will manifest as antagonizing the democrats so hard for not sticking to “core Dem values” (beating the republicans) that she harms the Dem ticket and it goes to the republicans.
If that happens, I bet she’ll defend her intentions vigorously, supporting right-wing causes so as not to look like she was ever wrong.
TheFountainHead
Well of course she won’t, she’s got too much money left to spend. But if you aren’t the inevitable candidate any more and the state of Iowa has just publicly stated you aren’t an agent of change–and your experience is less important than change, or non-existant–then who the fuck are you? Vote for me, I’m a woman?
Cassidy
In a perfect world sure, but that whole “middle ground” thing doesn’t exist much anymore, especially if you take this comments section as a snapshot.
dslak
How about “Vote for me: I’m not black, Muslim, or a crack dealer!”?
Punchy
Please make it stop. No need for stomach-churning definitions for a snark comment that went so far over pharniel’s head that it hit a bird.
TheFountainHead
She already played that tune, don’t think she has the balls to play it again.
dslak
that whole “middle ground” thing doesn’t exist much anymore, especially if you take this comments section as a snapshot.
Cassidy
Buddy, I wore the crossed rifles and the cord too. I don’t claim to be a better citizen. I’m not patriotic. But, I do believe I’m a better person and I don’t apologize for that. That’s the worst part about coming home is listening to all this mouth-breathing rhetoric from people who really just have no clue. And that’s on both sides. The problem with this country isn’t right or left, but the people in general. Americans are lazy and complacent and willfully ignorant. And while they don’t have problem opening their mouth to express every half-assed opinion, when you ask them to actually sacrifice, they won’t. So honestly, fuck’em.
horatius
The last two times a team went 16-0, both times they met the Redskins in the Superbowl. And the skins are 1-1 in those matches.
Something tells me history is going to repeat itself.
Go Skins!!!
Chris
See, that’s why you get into fights here.
This is the intralulzors. EVERYONE is a better person here, mostly because we’re not very human beyond snippets of text.
You’re supposed join us in our snobbery, not go toe-to-toe. Otherwise we’ll never get our goal accomplished: convincing the simpletons to become our personal servants in honor of our awesomeness.
duh.
D-Chance.
I’m surprised Mr Cole didn’t report on the online Ron Paul rally…
borehole
“And while they don’t have problem opening their mouth to express every half-assed opinion, when you ask them to actually sacrifice, they won’t.”
If it weren’t for all the kids who signed up on 9/12/01 and got killed in fucking Iraq, you’d have a point.
Face
I’ve seen some broad brushes before, but damn. Perhaps in the South, where you reside, this is a problem. Lazy and ignorant doesn’t apply in other parts of the country, however.
Tim (the other one)
God this thread turned to 3 kinds of shit ! I’m ashamed to have read it all. More Jen and Chris please.
John S.
Sure you do, pal. Over and over, in every thread – including this one. At least own up to it.
If you’re including yourself in this broad generalization, then fine.
First of all, nobody asked you to sacrifice anything. You volunteered for the Army. Second, wearing a uniform doesn’t somehow elevate your opinions above everyone else’s – no matter how much you seem to think it does. You may now crawl down of the cross you have erected and nailed yourself to. And honestly, fuck you.
Billy K
He’s probably still recovering from all the fun.
I almost mentioned that here, but Sullivan steals enough from this blog already, I don’t want him to think it’s OK because it’s a two-way deal.
Billy K
As a lowly citizen, I’ve never been asked to sacrifice anything, ESPECIALLY from our current rulers. I was asked to fucking shop. I did.
dslak
I thought that the military existed for the benefit of the country, not that the country existed for the benefit of the military.
horatius
hahahahaha What a simpleton? When was the last time you talked to a Halliburton executive? A blackwater executive? Umm… How about a Lockheed Martin executive?
Chris
THIS. Although the collective bedwetting of the populace is nothing acceptable, the larger cause of this is the fact we’re lacking someone that took the organizational responsibility of leadership seriously.
Spider97
No question, it would be really bad for her. But, she’s already lowering the expectations and has been for weeks. Trouble is, when you spent the first six months running like you had it sewn up, and dropped millions into it, the back tracking comes a little tough.
Because of her national front runner status and, let’s face it, her name, a third place finish tonight is a serious wound, but not a fatal one. She’s got the money, the status and the organization to keep it moving.
The real question is: what time tonight does Fred Thompson pack it in? Or maybe tomorrow morning….I mean, he probably turns in early…..
Cyrus
It still sounds pretty dumb to me. Even if there’s no risk of secondary explosions from bombing a storage site for nuclear weapons, there’s still contamination. If we bomb a nuclear storage site in Iran, is there really no chance at all that it would kick up radioactive shit? And even if we don’t care about nuclear waste on/over Iran, I doubt our allies in the Middle East would like it much.
Billy K
Cyrus: Please readjust your sarcasm sensor. It seems to be on the fritz, which could get you in trouble int hese parts.
demimondian
Arguably, Orwell’s weakest work is his most famous here, perhaps because it’s at least ambiguously consistent with the prevailing ideology in the US. However, let me give a shout out to Blair’s essays, which are absolute gems of twentieth century literature.
Chris
Well, nobody said there was a clean way out. It’s nuclear for christ’s sake, lots of people die fast or lots of people die slow.
/cue Far-left saying that it’s a war crime for civilians to get radiation posioning
/cue Far-right saying the civilians deserve it for living so close to the secret nuclear depot
/cue Neocons saying lack of transparency of government activity is sufficient reason to bomb, rebuild country.
Punchy
You’re not keepin up with the latest, are you?
Fred’s butter. He’s on a roll.
Bombadil
Nah, let him go. It’s like having our own Emily Littela.
“What is this I hear about endangered feces?”
Liberal + Libertarian = LiberalTarian
This woman thinks that is way, way, *way* too much penis. If it knocks on the pancreas, time for him to restrain himself.
dnA
Edwards is going to win. I think all things considered, people would just rather vote for the white guy.
Kirk Spencer
Let’s take this in order. First – you missed (intentionally or otherwise) the point. I was a ranger. For several threads, now, you have tried to claim a moral authority by being a little bit tougher than every other poster due to your military history. I’m trumping that – it has no standing. Your military background gives you knowledge of some things that the non-military doesn’t get without a lot of work or (bad) luck. On the other hand there are a crapload of experiences you have missed. To dismiss them as cavalierly as you have is, to quote you, to be willfully ignorant.
Actually, it’s worse. When others tried to show you that they actually had some experience in the field that gave you this authority, you dismissed them. Their experience was too long ago, was too ‘pussy’, was… basically, was to be dismissed not on its merits but because the people with the experience disagreed with you. Laziness, complacency, and willful ignorance demonstrated in its entirety.
“I’m a better person” is the capstone. In another conversation – had you STOPPED there – and I’d have assumed the implied comparative was to your self had you not served. As it is, however, you make it plain you are comparing yourself to every non-veteran – no, worse based on other things you’ve said. You are better than everyone not currently serving. Such is what you’ve implied quite plainly.
What you are, sir, is a bigot. No, not racially, I didn’t say that. What you are is someone who believes that those not of your own are lesser beings and as such deserve only what largesse you wish to deliver – and the back of the hand to those who disagree. It is, quite frankly, disgusting.
Sadly, it’s not unique. I’ve seen it in numerous professions – police, firemen, medical – heck, even teachers and ministers. “Nobody REALLY understands, so their opinions aren’t worth considering.” That makes it no better. And since this is an open thread I’m taking the opportunity to call you on it.
I thank you for your service. But if you put yourself above me I’m going to knock you down.
4tehlulz
Why do people keep making up euphemisms for gas? It’s not that big a deal.
Laertes
Unsubscribe.
dslak
It is often interesting and sometimes amusing how both the left-wing and right-wing often confuse the administration current in their time with the government of Big Brother.
Dreggas
4th ed is coming out soon, hopefully they have laid off on the “everything is determined by a roll” and returned to the “Roleplay the interraction ya bastard” mode. That was my gripe about 3.5 was that you literally rolled to see if you found out any information in town, there was no roleplaying and the soul of D&D disappeared, if you played strictly by the book. HOUSE RULES BITCHES!
Now as far as Billy K’s post…here’s some nostalgia
Oh and I owned that Monster Manual, as well as the fiend folio (with a drawing of a githyanki on the cover) and the Monster Manual second edition as well as the original AD&D DMG and PHB and the Red Box. You think 2nd edition was confusing (thanks to the bitch who ran tsr and gave us the craptastic movie) first ed was worse. An encounter took a good 15 minutes of rolls and counter rolls to determine who attacked who. Again…HOUSE RULES BITCHES!
Ninerdave
Yes, but I think Obama is a bit more exciting than Kerry. He’s actually inspiring; Kerry, not so much.
Wilfred
I’m hoping, praying, that the last 3+ years of Bushco scumbaggery will motivate younger people and otherwise non-involved people to actually make the difference that they can and should. I hate to call it a litmus test of the effect that the long list of thuggery and despicable conduct has had but…
Dreggas
Amen.
Funny I remember Drill Sgt’s threatening to kick the “cocky” out of us if we even so much as thought we were better than a civillian, telling us we worked for them. Must be the Bush military I guess.
Punchy
Lines, ass-cold temps, driving, confusion vs. beer, XBox, WoW, and a nap. I’m pretty sure I know where most 21-year olds come down on these two sides.
Dreggas
I knew I liked Obama when he gave his speech at the convention in ’04. He was far, far more inspiring than our nominee of…Kerry.
TheFountainHead
I have to hope that even Iowa, the kids have the sense to say, “Yeah, but I can do that any night of the week.”
I’m also hoping this: Every young Iowan has at least ONE politically minded and motivated friend who says to them: “If you caucus for __________, I will buy you _________ amount of ___________, and you can get drunk off your ass after the caucus.”
p-rex
golly look what i did by bringing up football. people got all uppity. my bad, i just know john is a stillers fan and wanted to give him some city of champions love.
maybe there is something to the link between sports and violence, after all.
best wishes!
p.s. of course i will kick all of your asses. please send addresses so i can google directions.
Billy K
I seem to recall the post-post-election studies found that “young people” DID actually vote in record numbers.
Cassidy
I didn’t miss it. I’m well aware of what the black beret used to mean. I’ve been in a little while. I also know that Rangers, who have my utmost respect, are still 11B. The training is better, but the regular Light units have closed the gap pretty quickly. But you guys still get way cooler toys.
Actually I was just fucking with him. I don’t like Low IQ cuz he’s a POS, but as for the MP part, it’s just fun to screw with people. I’ve learned to appreciate the various MOS’s over the years, but a spade is still a spade.
I prefer to give a boot in the ass, but that works too. Call it what you want. You find it disgusting…oh well. I find most of the shit I find in here sickening.
And that’s about the truth too. All these people talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk…and that is all they know how to do. I don’t respect talking. It’s like those “ideating” commercials. When the large part of the populace actually begins to do something, then they’ll earn my respect.
I appreciate it, but I didn’t ask for it. I don’t do it for you, or John, Krista, or Low IQ. I told you I’m not a patriot.
I don’t see where I have put myself above you, but if you feel that way, oh well. You’ve done your time, I’ll respect that. How many haven’t?
Once again, how many didn’t.
Bottom line. The lives of most Americans, sure as hell wasn’t worth my friends and my tankers.
The Other Steve
I’ve gotten pretty good with the medic in BF2 once you get the unlock for the G36E. Especially on the Karkland map, it’s good to be a medic and most of the fighting is close range.
BF2142 I just couldn’t get into with the demo/beta. Although jumping up to the ship and such as kind of cool. I’d give it a try if BF2 didn’t rock so much.
The Other Steve
What? So now you’re saying they died a meaningless death. Oh my God, someone call up Michelle Malkin.
Cassidy
Not what I said at all.
Laertes
Oh, who the hell can keep track of what you have and haven’t said? The sheer volume of it is overwhelming.
dslak
So this is all because not everybody is in the military, and yet all those people still didn’t see fit to kiss Cassidy’s ass?
Punchy
The urge to kill Steely McBeam is overwhelming.
Because on blogs, it’s very easy to hold hands, go in groups to see movies, share a drink, and play hide-the-sausage. But we’d rather be lazy and just type. This blog is so unique in this way.
Cain
That’s been pretty obvious. I still don’t know why people react like crazy. People are used to being angry on here, I suppose.
I understand what you’re talking about, you’re saying that people discuss a lot but it doesn’t translate to action. However, you need to stop trying to bug up someone’s nose when you’re trying to make a point just so that you can enjoy the reaction. It’s manipulative and people don’t like it.
That said, I wish the rest of the peanut gallery would stop reacting to Cassidy’s post when it’s so obviously intended to provoke a reaction. Sheesh. Watching everyone go batshit insane though is kinda amusing it’s like watching a comedy show repeatedly knowing how it’s going to end and laughing anyways.
cain
dslak
How many times does a person need to fall back on the “I was only kidding” defense before it becomes highly unlikely that said person was, in fact, kidding?
p-rex
steely mcbeam is twice the american of anyone here. except maybe cassidy.
actually steely mcbeam reminds me of a bad p.r. stunt that might as well have been on the simpsons. is it any more degrading to the team than the dallas cowboys cheerleaders? i don’t think so.
dslak
At least the cheerleaders make for good eye candy. Would that make Steely McBeam like eye cod liver oil?
p-rex
new caucus predictions:
1) steely mcbeam
2) duff man
3) cassidy
Zifnab
Eleventy one times, give or take.
Chris
You damn fucking right they aren’t. But “worth” is not “cause”. They may not be a shining example of American honor and values, but they sure as fuck weren’t the ones who led the Executive to believe you belonged out there.
For Afghanistan, it was the terrorists, and for Iraq, it was the neocons. Leave the simpering twats alone until they defend Bush or try to send you back without due cause.
The general voice in this section of the ‘net is “STOP EVERYTHING, clean (The White) house, recover the troops, do it right next time”. Damn near everyone in here should be your friend but you bring a little too much of the condescension with you, and there’s no cause for it.
Treat your friends like your friends. Otherwise …
… what the fuck are you doing here?
Dracula
Ja ever stop and think that just maybe, people are reacting to Cassidy’s faux baloney with faux outrage, so that the rest of us could spoof the faux indignation and then turn around and post faux pleas to stop feeding trolls, ect., while displaying faux seriousness that others then spoof in order to get Cassidy to feign superiority in a manner that allows some of us to faux rant on the hypocrisy, allowing more spoof on the banalness of Mike D’s postings?
Tax Analyst
Cassidy – Yes, the remark about you being a “disgrace to the uniform you claim to wear…” was gratuitous…BUT until YOU made your comment “Coming from a weak civilian I think I’ll ignore that advice” there had been just that ONE remark about your profession. To me that reply read as disparaging to civilians in general rather than to the party making the remark. From that POV it appears to me that YOU decided you wanted attacks to escalate at that point. And so they have.
But maybe I’m just a thin-skinned civilian. We’re so overly-sensitive, you know.
…Ooh, I like how that “thin-skinned civilian” line just rolls off the tongue, don’t you? When you run out of other baiting phrases I give you permission to you that one.
Spider97
I pray you’re right. But the skeptic in me is….well….skeptical. One would think that eight years of letting the 28-percenters run the country would sound an alarm, but I fear that the uninvolved will regrettably stay uninvolved.
Billy, god knows my memory sucks, but I thought I recalled that Kerry won the youth vote handily, but the numbers never amounted to what he had been counting on and had been largely anticipated.
Tax Analyst
Garsh, “you”? Oops! Everybody knows that “youse” is the correct “yusage” in that situation.
Chris
Here: I’ll give you some hope.
When I voted in 2000, I was 18. We were the video gaming generation. I still have a sega master system somewhere.
The 2004 election, the 18 year olds were the chat room generation. LOLLOLROFL A/S/L CYBR?
This election is the blog generation’s turn. Think there might be more of a turnout because of it? I think so.
myiq2xu
No, fuck you.
Fucking pussy-ass pretending to be a real soldier.
Cassidy
I was kidding about the MP’s being pussies. They have a job, they do it. I still think low IQ is a POS and should be sterilized for the good of the gene pool.
You’ll notice, if you go back and look, I’ve rarely attacked from the get go. Typically, I state an opinion and leave it at that. It’s when others choose to attack that I like to stir the pot. As for my profession, it gets brought up by others a lot more than by me. You’ll have to ask them why.
I like the posts. I’ve been coming here for a while.
Hell, even before all this shit I was attacked for not being liberal enough. Go back and look.
canuckistani
Ahhhh… as gratifying as the scene in Annie Hall where Marshall Macluhan appears to deflate the posturing fool.
myiq2xu
No, it wasn’t, and yes, he is.
I have friends and family members that died for this country, and Cassidey dishonors what they did.
He’s a fucking pussy-ass pretending to be a real soldier.
DougJ
Regardless of the results, McCain and Obama are seen as the “big winners”, Hillary as the “big loser.”
John S.
But it makes for popular threads.
You spar against the trolls and spoofs you have rather than the dissenting voices that you wish you had (who have all since gone, tired of defending the indefensible).
Peter Johnson
Technically, that depends on what the storage sites are made of, but if it’s one of the usual suspects — lead or low-grade titanium — than bombing the storage sites should put the nukes out of commission once and for all with minimal leakage of radiation.
Spider97
Chris, I hear you man, and your argument appeals to me on some levels. But then I think back to when I was that age, and it doesn’t instill great confidence.
Chris
OK, I’ll just stipulate that you rarely attack from the get go.
When people “attack” an “opinion”, this is called a “counter-argument”. It is yet again a form of “opinion”. It rarely gives proper cause for you to bring out the condescension, unless the counter-opinion is pro-baby rape or pro-torture of pitiful captive fucks.
If you think you’re attacking their counter opinion, you’re likely doing it wrong, because most of the people here are referring to you by name. There’s a line for that, called “making a name for yourself”.
If you think that attacking the person on their own merits, for expressing a counter-opinion, is appropriate, that’s called an “ad hominem”, and it means you’re 12 years old and can’t argue without getting your diaper in a twist.
I hope I’ve given you a useful primer on being civil on the politico-intralulz. Go forth and stop being dickish, even if they started it.
myiq2xu
Unless you miss or they manage to launch before your bombs or missles strike. Then there’s the possibility of some itchy trigger finger in Russia or China pushing the launch button when their radar detects a launch from our silos.
Do you really want to roll the dice when global thermonuclear war is what happens if you lose?
Chris
Now think about all the inappropriate things the Executive of 4 years before that did. Pales in comparison to the proto-fascist benchmark we’ve got in power now? Probably.
Ninerdave
Oh a prediction, in case I want to claim bragging rights at a future date:
Dems.
Obama, Edwards, Clinton
GOP:
Huck, Romney, McCain
Shygetz
All these people talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk…and that is all they know how to do.
And yet somehow we still seem to muddle along. My lights still work, my civillian doctors still manage to treat my injuries, we still manage to drive the economy (and pay for you military people and your “toys”), and I myself even manage to get some good done for society every now and then. Not too bad for people who only know how to talk, talk, talk and nothing else.
Your constant whinging is pathetic. You bitch and moan about “listening to all this mouth-breathing rhetoric from people who really just have no clue.” You live on a fucking military base and claim to have insight into the quality of civilian society–you have no clue. You didn’t sign up for altruistic reasons yet you claim that you are better than me and others? By what measure? There are many here undoubtedly more advanced in their profession than you, many here smarter than you, many better communicators, etc. So if your military service doesn’t make you more self-sacrificing (which you insist it doesn’t, as you are no patriot) then how does it make you better?
Chris
That’s only something the NIE says.
(As we all know, NIEs weren’t mentioned in the Bible, so they’re not reliable devices.)
Cassidy
My opinions can be attacked or disagreed with all they want. My opinions are mine and mine alone. The usual idiots don’t do that, though. Seriously, go back and read through the several threads that are somewhat like this. You’ll see exactly what I mean.
Cassidy
Lucky for us you weren’t one of them.
Cassidy
blah,blah,blah…
Tax Analyst
I hear what you are saying and I’ve given it a few minutes worth of thought and just can’t find a way to agree.
However, it’s clear to me (especially from his later remarks) that Cassidy wished to provoke attacks, so from that aspect whether your remark was gratuituous or not doesn’t matter…he was looking for an excuse to up the ante and would have regardless found SOMETHING to express outrage and offense over.
I guess he’s BJ’s “waiter”…always waiting for a “gratuity” to appear exercised over. Next time I guess I’ll just order the “Crock-pot” special to go…
Cassidy
Not really. I was talking about football.
Peter Johnson
I’d rather take our chances with our ostensible allies than with mullahs with nukes, personally. But maybe that’s just me.
Conservatively Liberal
Cyrus, these idiots who are running our government and military into the ground would pop a cap on a nuke site in Iran in a heartbeat if they could get away with it. After all, it would obviously be Iran’s fault if they ‘had’ to do so. If they did not have the nuke material, they would not have to deal with the fallout. Right?
Also, they are Muslims and martyring them all would be doing them a favor, right? Collateral damage? Hey, if the people of Iran will not stop their government, then they must be in on it and should have to pay for it accordingly.
That will teach them!
Never mind that if any Muslim attacks a single American, teh are the turrists, right? What do Americans have to do with having any responsibility for the actions of their government? We only need to shop harder!
This episode of what a dumbfuck neocon thinks has been brought to you by the letter S and number 2. Lots of number 2.
S as in we are Screwed.
Tax Analyst
Oh…well, then…How about those Pats? Didja see USC kick Illinois butt all over the Rose Bowl? Do ya think Al Davis should be committed? Should the field goal be devalued down to 2 points? Should NFL coaches lose more than one timeout for unsuccessful Instant Replay challenges, say like, maybe a finger or something?
Football raises so many intriguing questions.
caustics
Stop. Rewind. Erase.
Cassidy
On the subject of Nukes: IIRC correctly, nukes are manufactured with multiple fail-safes so that they do not explode without the proper chain reaction inside the warhead. It is conceivable to drop bombs on nuke sites, destroying the missile, without setting off the mushroom cloud of doom. Yes, radioactive material would be flung, so their would be a contaminated area, but not in the way it’s being pictured.
I hope the Jags beat the Pats. I already said that.
myiq2xu
My prediction for the playoffs is similar to last year – I figured that if the Colts did’t screw up they would win it all.
In previous years they fell apart in the playoffs and lost, but last year they kept their heads and played their game and . . .well, you know.
This year belongs to the Patriots. They have the talent to beat anybody, best game vs best game.
If the Pats screw up, J’ville is the hottest, but the Colts are still dangerous.
In the NFC, the Packers are the best, but the Cowpokes are the Cinderella team.
Conservatively Liberal
Yeah, failsafes are fine but plutonium spills are nothing to sneeze at.
But what the heck, it only contaminates their country and those of their neighbors. Plus any that is blown high enough gets picked up and spread around the globe.
No big deal. Bombs away!
binzinerator
Longer-Dick-Than-Thou Cassidy:
Jen:
No kidding, Jen. Remember this bit of smoke blown up our collective arses regarding the whereabouts those stockpiles of nukes?
Cassidy’s bombing campaign is gonna be another slam-dunk.
I know the military never misses a target, our informants are truthful, the CIA infallible, that everything is done in the best interest of Our Homeland, and Bush never makes mistakes, but that being said, if there really were storage sites for nukes and we ever — ahem — missed one, the owner of said nuclear weapons now has been forced into a MAD-like scenario — a Hobson’s choice — of either using them or losing them.
All in all, a wonderful plan from the same people whose track record in Iraq speaks for itself.
The foolhardy arrogance, folly and incredible stupidity of these people never cease to amaze me.
myiq2xu
One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.
John S.
Well, what can you expect of folks that think like this?
That is probably the official neocon daily self-affirmation. I’m not a better citizen. I’m not even a patriot. But I am better than everyone else. Oh, and gosh darn it, people don’t like me.
Cassidy
I didn’t say it was ideal, but, in the event war with another nuclear nation does happen, bombing the missile sites is an option. Of course it would be bad, but I think “nuclear winter” is a little over the top.
The Pats are definitely good, but I really think Jax can beat them.
Chris
One? Pussy.
Mike
_A Clergyman’s Daughter_?
Peter Johnson
It will be a lot tougher for the Pats to tape the Jags’ tendencies in the first half in the play-offs. Notice how many times the Pats look befuddled in the first half only to figure it all out in the second? It’s not the old stand-by “half time adjustments”, it’s looking at illegal tapes, pure and simple.
That will be a lot tougher in the play-offs, now that the NFL has 18 cameras on the field, watching all of this.
Jags 35, Pats 17.
Conservatively Liberal
Hey Butch, where did I say “nuclear winter”? You were addressing a quote from me, right? Well, I know this can be hard for some of you on the right, but if you are going to address me regarding something I posted then please take the time to get your facts straight. If you are addressing what someone else said at the same time you are addressing me, then please delineate this. I know it is easy for simple minds to lump everything/everyone in to one group for convenient processing, but some of us like to exercise our minds when conversing.
That old tried and true method of inference has been flogged to death by the right, and I will call bullshit when I see some simpleton trying to pull it on me. My preference lately has been to ignore what you say, but in this case I will make the exception.
Just for you. Ain’t you sumptin special? A legend in your own mind, if I may say so.
Tim F.
Not the point so much as that we don’t really know where the nukes are. Pakistan won’t tell us because 1) nobody gabs about where they keep their operational nukes, and 2) even if Pakistan did feel like gabbing they rightly believe that the knowledge would get to India.
That means that in order to hit Pakistan’s nuclear storage sites (there are certainly several) we will have to bomb the shit out of a lot of places that might be nuclear storage sites. Since Pakistan is a mountainous country with tons of opportunities for burying facilities under hard rock that means nuking a lot of different places in Pakistan. It’s genius.
Similarly, we could invade Pakistan and implement a Final Solution to the muslim problem.
Honestly, it’s the military stupidity of Cassidy’s idea that makes me think that he just suggested it to fuck with people. Nuking Pakistan willy-nilly is the sort of idea that you generally hear from idiot tabletop wargamers like the Kagan clan.
In other words it’s sarcasm more to work up a reaction than to defend an actual point, just like he says that he does. Well done sir.
myiq2xu
I stand by my prediction that the Pats will win IF they play their game. Best vs. best.
But if the Patty-cakers fuck-up, the Jags will eat their lunch.
This is the play-offs, and there is no tommorrow, and no room for error.
neal peart
the correct word is “banality”
Cassidy
Tim it was a simple statement of military fact. The proposed scenario of “war with a nuclear country” is not an idea that exists in a vacuum. The first step in a war of that magnitude is to neutralize the threat of nuclear attack. This would involve either a) bombing all suspected nuclear storage sites and launch capabilities or b) deep penetration and disabling the weapons. As option B tends to only exists in movies, option A is the best answer, despite the knowledge you won’t get them all.
The scenario itself calls for acceptance of military realities. The decision for war has already been made, accepting that there will be civilian casualties and some sort of contamination. It also must include the acceptance, per the decision for war, that casualties and contamination happening in someone else’s country is a far cry better than having it happen to us or to our invading troops.
Either way, it’s an ugly scenario that I hope never comes up.
CL, someone above brought up a “nuclear winter”. I was addressing that specific term, as it is unlikely to cause a nuclear blast by destroying a nuclear weapon.
John S.
This line reminds me all too much of Dan Aakroyd in Spies Like Us when he is about to perform an appendectomy on the Khan’s brother (without having a clue what the fuck he is doing).
The first step in the operation is to… [begins thumbing furiously through a manual underneath the operating table]
I suspect your credentials on this matter are as extensive as Austin Millbarge’s were in surgical matters.