It must have been some Democrat who bought a billboard in Cleveland shouting for impeachment with a pair of testicles and an ugly caricature of Obama. John Boehner insists that that the GOP base and a Nugent show’s worth of elected Republicans have absolutely not frothed nonstop about impeaching the President since the day Obama was elected. This constant drumbeat from Boehner’s electorate thus cannot be anything but a grand conspiracy by freemasons, anarchists and Obama’s secret army of Alinskyite New Black Panthers.
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brent
The link is borked.
Mustang Bobby
I wish the Democrats had the balls to do something like that.
Tara the Antisocial Social Worker
I think it was Ann Coulter who claimed that the “Obama was born in Kenya” story was a librul conspiracy to make conservatives look bad.
Of course, I’ve also heard it suggested that Ann Coulter is a librul conspiracy to make conservatives look bad.
Keith G
Boehner’s electorate is about 250 miles to the southwest of the billboard. It’s an area (bordering the Appalachian Plateau) that those of us born in Ohio’s north would never like being confused with.
Belafon
Can we convince every Republican that all other Republicans are actually liberal plants? We could have them turn on each other.
shelley
Conservatives don’t need liberal’s help.
Tim F.
@Belafon: DougJ did that to RedState and Jeff Goldstein’s blog. It was hilarious.
Botsplainer
@Keith G:
Cincinnati is the Westernmost city in Appalachia.
Mr Stagger Lee
Republicans have balls? Must be very very small.
MaximusNYC
@Botsplainer: Indeed it is. I have relatives there, and they are some of the most right-wing in my family.
Ruckus
@Mr Stagger Lee:
I think you may have it backwards.
It takes lots of stones to make all the accusations they do only to later find out that is exactly what they are doing. Projection, not all that lovely a thing. What they lack is every thing else, common sense, empathy, a backbone, morals, need I go on?
Botsplainer
@MaximusNYC:
My youngest daughter goes to school there. The hideous racial climate and naïveté of the local white students drives her batty.
We’re from Louisville, an hour an a half away, and infinitely more progressive.
srv
Black Panthers are too busy in Ferguson to be trolling.
Keith G
@Botsplainer: In Appalachia, yes, but not on the Appalachian Plateau – as native Buckeyes know.
SiubhanDuinne
@Mr Stagger Lee:
Now the Colonel Bogey March is going through my head. Thanks for the earworm!
dk
What do Republicans gain by claiming they haven’t been talking about impeachment for the better part of 6 years?
max
There must be a lot of spoof trolls in the GOP base
‘What’s the difference between someone pretending to be a malevolent and stupid person and a malevolent and stupid person expressing their opinion?’
{crickets}
max
[‘They’re trolling with dynamite. Look at all the floaters.’]
jharp
@Botsplainer:
And Cincinnati is the furthest northern city of the confederacy. (east of the Mississippi)
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@efgoldman: Not as strange as you might thing.
ETA: Playing rugby can add to one’s musical education.
Dog On Porch
Ive been a broken record for years saying the national GOP is going the way of California’s republican party, and say it here again. Card carrying Bircher inmates took over California’s republican asylum, and doomed the party machine to the electoral irrelevance it enjoys today.
Leastwise I enjoy it today, because California’s GOP was a juggernaut for a huge slice of my life.
The deep south will remain its bastion for generations, if only because those people are so damned pig ignorant. But the rest of the country will soon enough begin to emulate the Golden State, and repudiate GOP candidates by the bucketful. Just how much damage will be done in the meantime is another question.
Pogonip
Stay classy, conservatives!
Speaking of class, has anyone watched startrekcontinues.com? A bunch of Trekkies got together and filmed new episodes, as a labor of love, and a darn good job they’ve done. The actors resemble the original actors, act in the manner of the previous actors while putting their own stamp on the characters, which is quite an achievement, and the sets and costumes look good. The copyright owner even let them use the original music. If they kickstart any more episodes–there are 4 so far–I’d chip in. I’ve watched three of the four, and they’re all better than the first movie with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. (Those actors were good, but the story was terrible, and I never did figure out why the villain had 6 inches of water on his laboratory floor.)
I’d like to see this happen with other old TV shows: the Outer Limits and the Twilight Zone seem like good candidates.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@efgoldman: It is really hard to find a good version of that.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@SiubhanDuinne: And now I’m imagining a true method actor playing Colonel Nicholson.
scav
This is cool. Live(near) map of lightning strikes.. I may be easily amused.
Pogonip
P.S. if Captain Kirk was always your favorite character, you should really watch these. They have grasped the essential element of the character. When he was a kid, the family went camping a lot, and his parents kept repeating, “Now, Jimmy, always leave the place better than you found it.”. The show was about the adult Kirk doing this all over outer space ( which is probably why that Prime Directive, where he wasn’t supposed to interfere with the local customs, got quickly sidelined; what drama is there in showing up, saying “Yep, these folks have a real mess on their hands,” and then warping out)?
Another good candidate for a labor of love would be “Gunsmoke,” with the caveat that Matt is not allowed to be out of town every other episode. (This originally happened because James Arness became virtually crippled by bad knees.)
Dan
@Botsplainer:
yes, the Cincinnati suburbs are very conservative. That’s Boehner’s country – the vast trackless suburban/rural wastelands between Cincinnati and Dayton.
the city proper, on the other hand, is majority Democratic and has become a lot more progressive in the past ten years. We have an openly gay councilmember who first rose to local prominence by helping to spearhead the local campaign to get rid of our anti-LGBT city charter amendment. It’s gotten a lot better.
Pogonip
@efgoldman: I’ve never bothered to look for it, but there is supposed to be a version of the first first movie floating around, with the rivet-by-rivet tour of the Enterprise and the inch-by-inch tour of Vijer edited out, it runs about an hour and a half, and the one person I know who has seen it said that with the $40 million dollar pauses edited out, it’s not bad. It was supposed to have been made on videotape by a frustrated Trekkie for his own use, then eventually ended up on the Intertubes.
Pogonip
@Dan: You talk about vast trackless wastelands–starting in Columbus, get on 71South and drive to Cincinnati. Two and a half hours of nothing. Much like Star Trek The Motionless Picture that E.F. Goldman mentioned.
Mike in NC
@SiubhanDuinne: “Boehner has only got one ball. Ryan has two but they’re quite small.”
Woodrowfan
Cincinnati would be a lot better if they got a left fielder who could hit consistently for power…
Mustang Bobby
When I was in Cincinnati last week, Mom and Dad got a couple of robo-calls from right-wing political PAC’s; one from Newt Gingrich, the second from Rick Santorum. My guess is that they got hold of the community’s phone list and assumed that the rich old white folks in assisted living were generically conservatives. The first time Dad just yelled back at the recording and hung up, which does nothing because it’s a recording. I took the second call and knew what to do. I listened to the recording from Rick Santorum – and managed not to barf – and waited until he said “Press 1 to speak to a live patriot who will take your pledge.” I did and got a sweet lady with a drippy Southern accent who repeated most of the recording and asked how much we wanted to give. I very nicely told her that we were pro-gay, pro-abortion, and were doing everything we could to defeat Mr. Santorum. Then I followed up with the magic words “Take me off your list.” After a polite pause she said she would. I said thank you, good bye.
As for me, I mess with them when they call: “What are you wearing?” When I got the infected computer scam call from a guy who had a worse accent than Raj on “The Big Bang Theory,” I told him my Apple IIc was running just fine, thanks. And I did it with a better Indian accent.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
OT: Normally, I get annoyed by songs I like finding themselves in commercials, but the use of the Sid Vicious/Sex Pistols version of My Way in a Acura commercial seems appropriate in a Great Rock n roll Swindle sort of way.
Mustang Bobby
@Pogonip: Toledo may have undrinkable water, but it’s reliably Democratic.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Pogonip: You can see Clarence Brandenburg’s (of Brandenburg v Ohio fame) farm from the highway. They generally have an upside down US flag flying.
safeshark
…and bloggers such as Tim F take the bait every time. They sure got YOU talking about it didn’t they?! So much easier than talking about the things they want to distract you from talking about such as…oh I don’t know….reality. Actual issues. Ya know. Not talking about ‘stupid stuff’.
You should thank Boner. He certainly makes your life easier by giving you this low hanging fruit.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@safeshark: The blog you link in your ‘nym is better?
Pogonip
@Mustang Bobby: I went to Toledo once. So far, that’s enough.
May I recommend, with reservations, the Cincinnati Zoo. They’re still in the white-tiger racket, but aside from that they’re great. If I become empress tomorrow I will outlaw the breeding of white tigers, bulldogs, and other, similar critters wrecked by greed, and let those already here live out their poor lives as comfortably as possible.
There’s a fad for Old English Bulldogs around here–or Olde English Bulldogges if you want to tack an extra thousand onto the price–and it’s just heartbreaking to drive through a SWPL area and see the poor things (the dogs, that is) struggling along on a walk, especially in summer.
Kathleen
@Woodrowfan: They need players from lots of positions that can hit. Sheesh. Lots of talent on the team (especially pitchers) but batters can’t move runners around the bases.
Pogonip
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): Yes, but on 75 you could see Touchdown Jesus, and for all I know they may have the new one finished by now. I believe they plan to have the new one be less, Er, noticeable in hopes it won’t draw the lightning. I was surprised the original lasted as long as it did.
Dog On Porch
I’ve read that Cincinnati was once known up and down the Ohio as ‘Porkopolis’, hog slaughter capital of the American far west. And it wasn’t really all that long ago.
KG
@dk: in their minds? plausible deniability and the hope that they can use the “we really didn’t want to do this, but…” angle. in a sane world? it’s an attempt to walk back from the abyss. in the real world? nothing, nothing at all.
Yatsuno
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): Durf got a blog? Who knew?
Pogonip
@efgoldman: Sir, do not insult Cincinnati’s art museum. My kid loves the modern art wing. (I tell him–“You like ugly modern art–that proves your brain’s damaged.”. He just gives me the hairy eyeball and goes off to wallow in it. I don’t get no respect.)
Mentioning hairy eyeballs reminds me–the 24/7 game company has a number of seasonal Mah Jongg games. The Halloween and Christmas ones are really cute, and free!
Belafon
@safeshark: Please find me an example of any time in history where, once an idea or a person became popular, that it went away by people ignoring it. Everything I can think of required confronting it, criticizing it, and sometimes attacking it.
Belafon
@dk: The people who believe we have always been at war with Eastasia, i.e. the Republican base, will easily accept that Republicans have never been talking about impeachment, that it’s just Democratic scare tactics.
Pogonip
@efgoldman: Yes, it proves that even God is self-conscious about ugly depictions of himself. Unlike the rest of us, who are stuck with the pictures on our driver’s licenses, he has the wherewithal to do something about it.
My driver’s license picture always makes me look like an unholy cross between Ma Barker and Marian Zimmer Bradley.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): Last presidential election I was shocked to see Obama bumper stickers on cars in Lebanon OH, which cars did not appear to have been keyed (yet). Some yard signs as well. Those were brave folks.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@efgoldman: Ah yes, the days of Mapplethorpe exhibits.
scav
Cinncinn art museum, better than Toledo’s? I love Toledo’s. And it’s got glass.
Anne Laurie
@Pogonip: One thing, as an OG Shatner-mocker, for which I give Chris Pines major respect — he made Capt. Kirk believable. As a “legacy admission” with serious ADHD. (… speaking of John McCain). Even in the 70s it was hard to accept that so many people would blithely follow Shatner’s Kirk, but from personal experience, when you’re on an ADHD “upswing” they’re partially inspired and partially curious about what you’re gonna do next.
Belafon
@efgoldman: Definitely should have had mocking in that list.
Pogonip
@efgoldman: Oh, OK. Insult all the doofi you want, just don’t diss my boy’s museum.
A while back I bought an umbrella with “Water Lilies” on it and I said, ” You know, I really like most of the Impressionists.”. Number One son replied, ” Maybe your brain’s damaged.”. The gift shop lady was concerned when I rushed out and probably thought I was crazy when I kept repeating, ” He was kidding me! He was kidding me!”. She prudently got away from me before I calmed down enough to explain that it’s a near miracle for an autistic person to be able to participate in kidding.
Mnemosyne
@Pogonip:
You may be thinking of the Director’s Cut that Robert Wise supervised before he died in 2005. It’s supposed to be a much, much better version of the movie.
Kathleen
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): My brother and his wife lived in Sharonville (suburb north of Cincy) during the 2004 campaign and their Kerry yard signs were burglarized 2 or 3 times. Yeah. Most of my friends live in the city and we shudder at the thought of venturing too far north of Sharonville exit off I-75, much less 275. I feel my chi being sucked out of my body as I type those words.
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
You don’t know the words?
Hitler has only got one ball,
Goering has two but rather small
Himmler has something sim’lar,
And Doctor Goebbels has no balls at all.
And what MikeinNC said.
Pogonip
@Anne Laurie: I didn’t find it believable at all that people would follow Pine; too volatile. Whereas, having spent many years in a large bureaucracy, I found it perfectly believable that people would hitch their wagons to the star of somebody who gets away with breaking the rules every week. Pine’s a good actor and I think if the writers just tone down the nuttiness a little he’ll make a believable captain.
SiubhanDuinne
@Mike in NC:
Yup. Yup.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@efgoldman: It was actually the CAC (Contemporary Arts Center). As an aside, sort of, the city prosecutors office told the CPD to get over themselves. They went to the Sheriff, Si Leis (of Pembaur v. Leis for the lawyers in the crowd). Also he was the county proscuted when Larry Flynt was prosecuted…Who said “let’s get a warrant!”
Si and the Cinti police went to a municipal judge (who happens to be a good friend). She balked, and Si said “I gave you your start in my office when it was tough for women to get law jobs. Now don’t be a wussie, SuziQ.” She said, “that’s Judge Wussie now SI.” She signed it anyway – it was a search warrant authorizing photos of the Mapplethorpe photos. Which could have been taken without a warrant, hence the signing.
The photos were presented to a grand jury, which indicted on a misdemeanor. That meant the city prosecutor’s office had to try the case, that we suggested to CPD did not need to be filed.
I’m so familiar with the case because I was the President of the Board of Directors of a not for profit gallery at the time. We had just scheduled a show, The Male Nude In Photography for the following spring. The Enquirer art critic asserted in an editorial that we would censor our exhibit based on police actions with regard to the Mapplethorpe exhibit that was in town and for which the museum had been indicted. I called the critic in my capacity as Board President to assure him that nothing of the sort had, or would occur. I spoke plainly and forcefully.
Then I told my boss, “you know, I’m President of a gallery down the street and we’re getting accused of censorship of a show that hasn’t even been installed yet. Is that a problem?” His response was “of course not, but please have someone else make the TV rounds.” I assured him that our Executive Director had been interviewed for the news. Then the next day the art critic quotes me at length and by name.
SiubhanDuinne
@Dog On Porch:
Wait, what?
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
Hizzoner is always way ahead of us plebes.
Kathleen
@SiubhanDuinne: A little background:
nytimes.com/1863/03/28/news/the-new-porkopolis-cincinnati-has.html
The Sheriff's A Ni-
Ohh, the Sysacks.
Once upon a time they were a respectable sign-making company that used to put up funny pictures on the billboard on their front lawn. Over the years they’ve taken the slow path to Alex Jones’ Crazytown, the last I saw they had some thousand word screed plastered all over that nobody driving by could even begin to read. That they’re now putting up nutsacks is not surprising. Sad more than anything, you can see their earlier work around town and it was quality stuff.
Mr Stagger Lee
@SiubhanDuinne: I was going to post that but I had to go out. Here is a Downfall Parody of it.
Jay
A gaggle of geese, a Nugent of Wingnuts.
How ‘ya like?
SiubhanDuinne
@Mr Stagger Lee:
One I haven’t seen before, thanks. I love the “Hitler Reacts to…” videos.
Origuy
I liked the Underground Railroad museum in Cincinnati.
Cervantes
@Kathleen: Yes, Cincinnati was king for about thirty years, and then Chicago took over, during and after the Civil War. Sandburg’s poem was written more than fifty years later — and a hundred years ago this year.
Roger Moore
@efgoldman:
If the first movie makes money, there will be a sequel, no matter what the critics say. About the only exception is when some of the rights holders to the movie are artists who want to go on to other things instead of cranking out sequels. When it’s a corporate property like Star Trek, the series will continue until the studio is damn sure there’s no more money to be milked from it.
Dog On Porch
@SiubhanDuinne: Keep in mind Cincinnati was a thriving metropolis well before Chicago came of age.
Dan
@Dog On Porch: That’s part of why a mid-size city like Cincy has an art museum, a symphony, a ballet, and an opera: our cultural institutions got established and endowed early, back when rich people had pretensions of noblesse oblige.
Uncle Cosmo
@Mike in NC: Brownback
Tucks his around back
And Sarah Palin has no balls at all…
FTFY (where the first F stands for Finished)
Villago Delenda Est
Oh, please.
This is obviously the work of the Stonecutters!
Who controls the British Crown?
Who keeps the metric system down?
We do! We do!
Who leaves Atlantis off the maps?
Who keeps the Martians under wraps?
We do! We do!
Chris
@Pogonip:
ST2009 would’ve worked for me if they’d either done “How Kirk became captain of the Enterprise” or “how Kirk and all the other original crewmembers first met as cadets.” Combining the two and ending up in a situation where the guy went straight from Starfleet Academy to captain of the Enterprise without even graduating was just… wat. The conflict of “who’s best qualified to run the flagship of the fleet, a senior year student or his TA?” was just… wat.
artem1s
@The Sheriff’s A Ni-:
Isn’t this the same outfit that has been pulling this kind of stunt for years? Waaaay back in the 90s (Clinton era) they had a rash of really offensive billboards and got loads of free publicity from the Shock Jocks and Plain Dealer and some national outlets. But pretty much they cried wolf one to many times and the local media just kinda stopped paying attention to them.
I could be mixing them up with another nutjob, though. We seemed to have a rash of offensive billboards in the 90s around Cleveland. If you drove over the Innerbelt Bridge around then you will remember the particularly vile anti-Semitic murals on the cold storage building in Tremont. My friends and I used to refer to it as Nazi-cold storage. They were pretty hideous. Everyone was relieved when there was a forced sale of the property and eventually it was torn down. But it took time to get rid of them, and media attention just made the asshole who was paying for them more greedy for attention.
Mnemosyne
@Chris:
IIRC, in ST:TOC, Kirk is said to be the youngest captain in the history of Starfleet, because it only took him 14 years to work his way up. So … yeah.