Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

The frogs are rarely mistaken.

Please don’t feed the bears.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Let’s show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Fight them, without becoming them!

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

“I never thought they’d lock HIM up,” sobbed a distraught member of the Lock Her Up Party.

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

In short, I come down firmly on all sides of the issue.

Even though I know this is a bad idea, I’m off to do it anyway!

Motown is Joe-Town!

We are aware of all internet traditions.

I was promised a recession.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

Can we lighten up on the doomsday scenarios?

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Maybe you would prefer that we take Joelle’s side in ALL CAPS?

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Happy 4th

Happy 4th

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Up early and got the charcoal running and the grill warmed up to 205 degrees and ready for a long smoke of this baby:

In other news, it appears that none of the networks are going to be covering Cheeto Benito’s parade, and I have been doing rain dances all fucking day and checking the DC weather like my life depended on it:

I’m not ashamed to admit I am so petty that I am literally dying for it to rain on his fucking parade. How bout y’all?

Reader Interactions

122Comments

  2. 2.

    Eunicecycle

    Me too! Then I feel sort of mean because it will also rain on people who don’t deserve to have their Fourth ruined. But I guess that’s collateral damage.

  3. 3.

    gammyjill

    I hope the weather is beautiful, but no one shows up. If it storms, Trump will just blame the weather for the poor attendance.

  4. 4.

    mad citizen

    DEFINITELY rooting for some well-placed T-storms today. A pretty mellow 4th here in central Indiana (that brisket or whatever it is looks like it will be great). I just finished making some green juice, and later am sauteeing/searing scallops and shrimp on the flattop on the grill, combining with fresh brushetta and fresh linguini. Might go over and check out the 4th festivities on the Geist reservoir bridge later (Fishers IN), but probably will come home before they set off the fireworks. Keeping the cat inside tonight for sure.

    It will be a war zone in our neighborhood tonight, and this weekend after people buy the clearance fireworks. I always think of the nighttime fireworks/tracers scene from Apocolypse Now.

  5. 5.

    DHD

    Happy “We Didn’t Like The Fact That The Royal Proclamation Prevented Us From Stealing Indian Land” Day!
    Happy “Three Fifths” Day!

  9. 9.

    DCrefugee

    I’m old enough to remember when James Watt, Raygun’s Interior secretary, tried to politicize the 4th by initially uninviting the Beach Boys. There was an uproar, and I recall they settled for a sparsely attended country festival nearby before the Beach Boys played center stage.

    I do miss living close enough I could just walk to all this and, more important, walk home…

  10. 10.

    satby

    Praying for a well directed lightning strike. Doubly happy if the Almighty can aim it so it takes out Pence at the same time.

    But, I don’t really believe in a God, so not holding my breath. That would make me a believer though… just sayin..

  12. 12.

    satby

    So there’s an amazing amount of people who evidently lead such vacant lives that they would go to a farmer’s market on a holiday, and then complain that most of the vendors aren’t there. And they aren’t buying anything, at least not on this side. Getting ready to leave in a couple of minutes.

  13. 13.

    zhena gogolia

    Central A/C broke yesterday and the new one won’t be installed until 7/12. So my usual m.o. of closing all the windows, cranking up the air conditioning, and trying to ignore the goddamned fireworks is not available to me. I’m hoping it rains, thunders, lightnings, and that Abe comes down from his chair like the Stone Guest and drags Drumpf off to that destination he so well deserves. (Divine Mozart musical accompaniment optional.)

  15. 15.

    e julius drivingstorm

    Rain or shine, Trump does not need a large crowd to claim a large crowd.

  17. 17.

    Aimai

    So I never post here anymore because the system doesn’t remember me and now that I’m working I don’t have time to fool around. But I wanted to say Happy Fourth to all you jackals and to thank John for hosting this site and for being an astounding example of humanity, kindness, and anti-entropy. John I have been reading this site for 15+years, I guess, since you first woke up and turned to the light. And while the country has gone down the tubes you have adopted pets, people, gotten sober, bought a house, made an online hub of humane activity, and just generally proved that each and everyone of us can contribute to the mending of a broken world. Thank you a thousand times.

  19. 19.

    RepubAnon

    I’d suggest everyone in the DC area wash their cars and have picnics in their back yards or nearby parks. If that doesn’t make it rain, nothing will…

    ;-)

  20. 20.

    Spanky

    I too am rooting for lightning strikes, but I may have to settle for heat stroke.

    It’s overcast and threatening here 20 miles away from The Farce, with distant thunder. The dewpoint is about 74, and moving around outside is like swimming. Hope the Hoverounds are all charged up! Not.

  24. 24.

    Spanky

    @Spanky: And since I’m pretty much stuck outside searching for an escaped indoor cat, it may just be me who gets the heat stroke.

  25. 25.

    MazeDancer

    For decades, have followed the historic tradition of reading the Declaration out loud. Americans used to gather at town halls and court houses and someone – or several someones – would stand on the steps and read the text.

    Sometimes, only my cats were available as audience as I stood on the back porch and read. Today, a group of 8 people will rotate parts.

    The Declaration is such an astute analysis of human behavior and change. Psychological truths abound.

    And the ending! Always stirs the heart.

  26. 26.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I’m not ashamed to admit I am so petty that I am literally dying for it to rain on his fucking parade. How bout y’all?

    and so say all of us, and so say all of us

    what time are the obscenities supposed to commence?

  27. 27.

    Mai Naem mobile

    I want lots of rain and wind to ruin Trumpovs hairdo before the lightning strike s.

  28. 28.

    Plato

    45% of American adults want Trump impeached and removed from office, according to Gallup.
    To compare, no more than 35% of adults ever wanted to impeach Clinton.
    Support for impeaching Nixon hit 46% only in April 1974 — just months before he resigned.
    https://t.co/32oqHmOxxD— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 4, 2019

    Guess public ‘sentiment’ is a stupid measure for indictment.

  30. 30.

    hueyplong

    Low turnout, numerous shots of immobile tanks with eye-rolling crews, and a humiliatingly abused coiffure d’ersatz.

    Not feeling greedy today, though a targeted lightning strike on Independence Day would, in fact, be a Road to Damascus moment for me.

  32. 32.

    Baud

    @MazeDancer:

    If it weren’t for that one section on “Indian savages”, the Declaration would still hold up pretty well in today’s time.

    I’m surprised this never became more of a meme.

    He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

    That’s how they said “balls” in the good old days.

  35. 35.

    mad citizen

    @Spanky: We had the dewpoint of 73 yesterday morning–I mowed our grass during that time (push old-fashioned blade mower). It gets better, today in central Indiana it’s at least bearable and OK to be outside.

  37. 37.

    Baud

    You know, as popular as alternative history fiction is, I don’t recall hearing about anyone tackling what would have happened if the Americans had lost the War of British Aggression Revolutionary War.

  38. 38.

    Ohio Mom

    @Aimai: It’s not just you, everyone gets forgotten constantly: I’ll be typing in my nym and email for the second time this morning when I finish this reply to you.

    The inner-workings of the site are being revamped and the new version should be rolling out soon. Hopefully it will remember us (crosses fingers).

    Anyway, we all miss hearing from you but it’s wonderful that you have the career you worked so hard to get. Stop by when you can, we’ll leave the light on for you.

  39. 39.

    Kay

    It wouldn’t be a Trump Administration event without the dollop of corruption and sleaze on top:

    President Donald Trump’s Fourth of July celebration will feature $750,000 of donated fireworks from an Ohio retailer who has lobbied the White House against expanded tariffs on Chinese imports.
    And last week, the same day the donation was announced, the company — Phantom Fireworks of Youngstown, Ohio — got what it wanted: Trump decided to hold off on his threatened $300 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, which include fireworks.
    “This is another example of how private companies attempt use their money to influence the government by stroking the president’s ego,” said Jordan Libowitz with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog group.

    He’s the best deal maker. Deals are his art form. He gave them an exception for what they told him was “$750,000” in fireworks.

    That’s street value, I bet, like how they exaggerate the size of a drug bust by pretending it’s all sold in gram bags.

  40. 40.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    “All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

    This immortal statement was made in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America in 1776. In a broader sense, this means: All the peoples on the earth are equal from birth, all the peoples have a right to live, to be happy and free.

    The Declaration of the French Revolution made in 1791 on the Rights of Man and the Citizen also states: “All men are born free and with equal rights, and must always remain free and have equal rights.”

    Those are undeniable truths.

    ***

    For these reasons, we, members of the Provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, solemnly declare to the world that Vietnam has the right to be a free and independent country—and in fact is so already. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty.

    Ho Chi Minh

    September 2, 1945

  42. 42.

    Kay

    We got a price tag on the last Tribute to Donald Trump they planned but didn’t go through with. I wonder why we haven’t gotten an estimate on the total cost of this one.

  43. 43.

    MazeDancer

    @Baud:

    Indian part is horrid. Have to admit, I usually skip the grievances because of it. Group today likes to read them. May add “disses military and our history by putting tanks on the Mall”

    @Booger: Gotta tear up at end. Especially stirring when read out loud.

  45. 45.

    laura

    Raven, I saw the video downstairs. Spouse and I are friends with Mitch Brown, yes, That Mitch Brown. We’re picking him up on our way to a friends 4th party.
    Ask Betty Cracker or other front page to share my email contact.
    Small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it.

  48. 48.

    feebog

    If a lightning strike does hit the Orange Shitstain it will make a believer out of me. Don’t know what church I’ll start attending but somebody is going to get a new member.

  50. 50.

    Patricia Kayden

    30% chance of rain in D.C. starting at 1:00 pm. Come on thunderstorms!! Wash the stink away.

  51. 51.

    debbie

    @Baud:

    Someone may be listening to you:

    Well the weather in DC’s awful,And today’s event’s unlawful.The thunderclouds soon will form.Let it storm! Let it storm! Let it storm!— God (@TheTweetOfGod) July 4, 2019

  52. 52.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @Kay:
    There were two bomb threats called in to Zoldan’s (owner of Phantom Fireworks) headquarters the other day. He shouldn’t have gotten these (bomb threats are wrong obvs), but honestly fuck Zoldan. Will never buy fireworks from him again

  53. 53.

    SFAW

    @feebog:

    Don’t know what church I’ll start attending but somebody is going to get a new member.

    Heck, I’d even consider Scientology, if that happened.

  54. 54.

    Jim Parish

    @Baud: Robert Sobel’s “For Want of a Nail” is a classic. Harry Harrison’s “A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah!” is another – not as good as Sobel, IMO, though.

  56. 56.

    Kay

    @MazeDancer:

    I just cannot believe thousands of people have been working for 2 days to put on a tribute to the Trump Family. I saw a video yesterday of more than 20 people working to put planks over what looks like marble or concrete grounding so the tanks won’t damage it. This is insane. They never should have indulged him with this. I know his low quality employees in the administration can’t or won’t refuse an order but for God’s sake can no one just yell “STOP”?

  59. 59.

    Baud

    @Jim Parish:

    I actually don’t do alternative fiction, but I’ve usually heard of most of the themes. Not familiar with those though. Thanks.

  60. 60.

    Juice Box

    If a lightning bolt strikes just the right, uh, “object”, I’m going to mass on Sunday.

  62. 62.

    Kay

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:

    I want independent verification of the bomb threats. The President promoted their business using his office, which is illegal. They were more than happy to go along with that. I would also like something other than the made up number of “750,000” when they are demanding we thank them for this “donation”.

  65. 65.

    TomatoQueen

    Roger Federer is on my telly, such an obliging gent, and some other folk wearing white. The day puts me in mind of Fourths I Have Known, including the last one with Arthur Fiedler and the BPops, followed by some with the ever-bland John Williams, and then the tasty Keith Lockhart, on whom I have a perpetual crush. The Capitol Fourth is so spread out that you can’t hear the orchestra, but if you sit by Mr Lincoln, you can see the sparkly things just fine. It’s just as hot in Boston, but the Pops is just a little better, and you can see the flag when it drops, and even if you can’t see her, you know that Old Ironsides is taking her annual constitutional around the Harbor. Here, tho’ long gone, is a Russian gentleman who loved his adopted country: https://youtu.be/F8CXeHgl44w

  66. 66.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @debbie:
    Why doesn’t Phantom have a good rep outside of this? Tell me all the juicy details

  68. 68.

    Kay

    @debbie:

    Someone could do a really good cost estimate. It would be a lot of work but it could be done. They could even do a comparison, because we’re paying extra for the poor planning and rush job. They had to put this together in 3 days, and that costs a lot more than putting it together in 3 weeks. We’re not just paying for a Tribute to the Trump Family, we’re paying a super premium because they’re bad managers. They need 20 people to put down planks because no one planned this and they’re making it up as they go along and it has to be completed in 12 hours.

  69. 69.

    chris

    Happy Fourth, American friends.

    Some of your weather finally made it to Nova Scotia. “82F, feels like 96F.” Blech. Gonna go sit in the river and toss a ball for Bert. I’ll ask the river gods for a little help with the DC weather. Driving wind and rain should do it, Maybe some bonus lightning…

  71. 71.

    Kay

    I love how just as we were being patronizingly reassured that the tanks aren’t there to intimidate Trump’s political enemies in a bizarre authoritarian show of force by the NYC real estate developer and his unemployable family, the President announced by Tweet that he may or may not follow a court decision.

    Everything is FINE, say the savvy political pros. The grownups are IN THE ROOM. Somewhere- maybe hiding in a closet? Carry on, unwashed masses!

  74. 74.

    Baud

    @Kay:

    As a future signer of executive orders, I welcome Trump’s decision to throw Marbury v. Madison into history’s trashcan.

  76. 76.

    Citizen Alan

    @Baud:

    If it weren’t for that one section on “Indian savages”, the Declaration would still hold up pretty well in today’s time.

    IIRC, there’s also a section complaining about Britain interfering with the slave trade. Made things a bit awkward a few years back when a young African-American man of my acquaintance was asked on literally five minutes notice to read the thing at a local 4th of July concert after the original speaker called in sick. He had no idea that bit was in there until he started reading it to the crowd in real-time.

  77. 77.

    Kay

    @debbie:

    They’re not donating anything. The President gave them a free ad to his millions of followers and probably also made some sleazy deal to exempt them from his tariffs. “Donation”, my ass. They got the much better side of this deal.
    Nothing Trump does is free. We are paying or will pay for all of it, and we’ll pay a premium. For decades.

  78. 78.

    Baud

    @Citizen Alan:

    Oh, I missed that part somehow. I actually remember thinking how it was impressive that it didn’t mention slavery, unlike the Constitution.

  79. 79.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Baud: In the print alt-history genre, that’s one of the main beaten-to-death tropes, though I’ve mostly seen it in short stories.

  80. 80.

    Baud

    @Matt McIrvin:

    Interesting. I don’t follow that genre so I only become aware if the theme bleeds over into popular culture. This one hasn’t, as far as I’m aware.

  81. 81.

    Kay

    @Baud:

    My youngest took AP history last year and he hit me with Marbury v Madison. Hard questions! I may have broken speed reading records. Panic. Jesus. Not that. Can I do the Cross Cases?

    I read some of the transcript of the phone conference with DOJ/plaintiffs lawyers and the judge and I actually felt sorry for them. All of them. While the Trump Family stand in the balcony viewing their subjects those poor people are all going to be busting ass, both sides. The wrong people get punished. We have to figure out a way to put the burden where it belongs.

  82. 82.

    Ruckus

    @SFAW:
    With my decades long exposure to the bullshit of scientology I massively disagree with this. It really would not be worth it. You’d get nothing for doing this except brain damage and stupidity. Just saying it in public makes me think that it might be too late. Only the history of your comments make it somewhat obvious that you are possibly kidding……… But I beg you, don’t even kid about it, the risk of it becomes too great.

  84. 84.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Citizen Alan: what bit is that? I see some parts about offenses on the seas.

    IIRC, Jefferson originally wrote in a condemnation of the slave trade (bizarre considering his own behavior, but go figure), but struck it to keep the Southern states in the alliance.

  85. 85.

    Citizen Alan

    @Baud:

    It’s possible I’m misremembering and it was the “indian savage” bit. But I know there was one moment when the young man (a very gifted speak) stumbled badly over some bit of language I never knew was in the DoI that made me sit up in my chair in surprise when he finally got it out.

  86. 86.

    Matt McIrvin

    …of course, slaveowners did have some reason to oppose the continued Atlantic slave trade, since importation decreased the market value of their own slaves. And it was officially outlawed long before slavery was.

  87. 87.

    dexwood

    I love to see the statue of Lincoln come to life and crush president Asshole. Abe smash! Though, I’d settle for a precise lightning strike. Happy 4th everyone.

  88. 88.

    Kay

    @debbie:

    I know what they’re saying. Ivanka “donates” her work, as does Betsy DeVos. Let’s add up value and cost and see who gets the better end of that deal. You are paying more for DeVos’ elaborate billionaire security detail then you would pay an ordinary sec of ed in salary. She’s a net cost.

  89. 89.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Kay:

    for God’s sake can no one just yell “STOP”?

    Hate it though we do, he is president. There are a lot of areas where no one can just yell “STOP”, or at least can’t yell it and have even a slight effect. A military-adjacent poster here (Veteran? I can’t remember who.) said that these two tanks are the closest thing the military can do to telling Trump “Fuck off” without actually violating their oaths.

  90. 90.

    catclub

    @Baud:

    the Declaration would still hold up pretty well in today’s time.

    I probably don’t know my English government history well enough, but by 1776, wasn’t Parliament pretty powerful in England versus the King?
    I was wondering if they could have aimed some of their complaints at Parliament, but found aiming them at the King more useful politically.

  92. 92.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Ruckus:

    With my decades long exposure to the bullshit of scientology I massively disagree with this.

    An ex-girlfriend did a freelance animation project for Scientology once. She said she was essentially under house arrest during the whole process, then they stiffed her. The organization is assholish on Trumpian levels.

  93. 93.

    catclub

    @Robert Sneddon: I was wondering if there was something similar to the 3/5th rule in the original Articles of Confederation, that were replaced in 1787 by the present Constitution. Going to read it would be too much work.

  95. 95.

    Jim Parish

    @Baud: For Want of a Nail is interesting in that it is presented as a history textbook, beginning with the early stages of the failed Rebellion and ending in the late 1960s with the standoff between the American superpowers, the Confederation of North America (heir to the Loyalist tradition) and the United States of Mexico (ultimately derived from the Rebels).

  97. 97.

    Jim Parish

    @catclub: After the overthrow of James II in the “Glorious Revolution”, most formal power shifted to Parliament. However, given the wealth of the throne and the low salaries paid to MPs, bribery was a major source of informal royal power.

  98. 98.

    Robert Sneddon

    @catclub: Going from memory I believe there were 48 signatories of the Uncompensated Land Grab of July 4, 1776. I know that a bunch of them were slaveholders but I don’t know how many total. It would be a fun thing to know the number of slaves they owned in toto. We won’t count spouses or Irish servant girls or menials since they weren’t men and hence not created equal.

  99. 99.

    Jinchi

    Growing up in the Northeast I could stand outside during “scattered thunderstorms” and not even worry about getting wet. We usually treated them like a natural fireworks show.

    Personally I’d be happier to see thousands of people out enjoying their day while ignoring the raving lunatic giving a speech to an empty VIP only section.

  101. 101.

    Robert Sneddon

    @Jim Parish: Most MPs were men of property and private means and did not rely on their Parliamentary salaries. Benjamin Disraeli, the first elected Prime Minister of Jewish ancestry (his parents had converted to Episcopalianism before he was born) spent most of his adult life in debt and wrote potboiler novels to keep the bailiffs from the door.

    As for the thundering denunciations of King George III by the slaveholders it was easier to rouse the populace by making him a scapegoat rather than assigning blame to a Parliament of rich white folks exactly like themselves since they wanted to get elected to do the same sort of things but for their own gain and benefit.

  102. 102.

    SFAW

    @Ruckus:
    Lighten up, Francis.

    Yes, I was kidding. I used to live next to one of their churches. Even in the 1970s, it was obvious it was a grift — obvious to everyone, that is, except the poor unfortunates who lived to get their regularly-scheduled E-meter tests, and trying desperately to get “clear.” [It didn’t hurt that Elron basically said it was a grift, without actually writing the words “Scientology is a grift.”]

    It was a choice between saying I’d become a Scientologist, or saying I’d become a Mormon. I see LDS as only slightly less grifty, although it’s considered more respectable than Scientology, but that’s my bigotry shining through. I’m a devout atheist, have been for most/all of my life, but seeing multiple, highly-targeted lightning strikes — as long as it’s not those poor little fishies (meme reference, sorry) — might cause me to rethink that position.

    ETA: By the way: my Scientology comments above should in no way be construed that I’m ignoring the genuine evil they have done. I’d be happy to see them gone, frankly.

  103. 103.

    Jinchi

    @Kay: The true value to DeVos is making rules that govern her charter school agenda, funneling public funds away from the public school system and into the pockets of private education companies.

  104. 104.

    jc

    “Cheeto Benito” is funny, but Mussolini actually cared about infrastructure (trains running on time).

  105. 105.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @DHD: Three fifths has fuck all to do with the Declaration of Independence. That particular abomination was in the Constitution. They are different documents.

  106. 106.

    Honus

    @DCrefugee: that all changed when there was an uproar and it was also pointed out to Watt that the Beach Boys were big republican donors. Then the show was back on.

  107. 107.

    billcoop4

    @catclub:

    robably don’t know my English government history well enough, but by 1776, wasn’t Parliament pretty powerful in England versus the King?
    I was wondering if they could have aimed some of their complaints at Parliament, but found aiming them at the King more useful politically

    A big chunk is about combining with Parliament.

    “He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

    “For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

    “For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

    “For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

    “For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

    “For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

    “For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

    “For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

    “For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

    “For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

  108. 108.

    SFAW

    @jc:

    “Cheeto Benito” is funny, but Mussolini actually cared about infrastructure (trains running on time).

    I saw “Apricot Pol Pot” the other day. I’m kinda partial to that one.

  109. 109.

    CaseyL

    @Baud: I’d be interested to see an alt.history treatment if the 1756-63 French & Indian War (aka the Seven Years War) had gone the other way. Britain’s victory in that war gave it France’s Canadian territories, Spanish Florida, and – this is key – opened the way for expansion west of the Mississippi.

    If France had won, North America would have had a vastly different history.

  110. 110.

    The Lodger

    @Baud: I’m only halfway through the thread, but I’d recommend The Two Georges by Harry Turtledove and Richard Dreyfuss (yes, that Richard Dreyfuss.) The war didn’t actually get fought in this history, but the scenario is still British America. You’ll be amused at what they do with Nixon.

  111. 111.

    Robert Sneddon

    @billcoop4:

    giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

    George III couldn’t do other than give Royal Assent to Parliamentary legislation, no more than a US President can refuse assent to veto-proof bills passed by the HoR and the Senate. Yet more demonisation of someone who probably would have had a hard time finding the American Colonies on a map but a convenient whipping-boy for the traitors.

  112. 112.

    JoyceH

    I’m seeing tweets from the Mall saying the tanks are in the cordoned off VIP area. No one else can get anywhere near them. So we all just paid to haul in military hardware for the amusement of Trump’s cronies and rich donors.

  115. 115.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @jc: The fuck he did – he just changed the timetables to align with the piss-poor performanc of the Ferrovia dello Stato.(remembering a Napoli-Roma train in 1985 that was 3 hours late).

    The one positive thing the Moose did manage was to drain the swamps all over southern Italy. Before that malaria (mal aria = “bad air” in Italian) was endemic in Il Mezzogiorno; after, largely gone from the Boot & its triangular Football.

  116. 116.

    Margit Moses

    I hoped for storms initially, but now am hoping for nice weather and teeny crowds, with the Trump on a Toilet robot (farting loudly) and the Trump Baby balloon.

  117. 117.

    Ruckus

    @Frankensteinbeck:
    I am not nor have I ever been involved in scientology closer than 2 degree but I have stood in the doorway to L. Ron’s office in LA. I thought seriously of dropping trou and taking a big steamer right there, as a poetic statement. But I didn’t want to waste good shit.

  118. 118.

    Ruckus

    @SFAW:
    Francis here.
    You can stable your high horse, I had it about right on all the details, just a bit of a jab because I could. You understand I’m sure.
    My take on scientology is that if L. Ron was still alive there would be strychnine laced punchbowls galore in every location, just to see how many willing suckers he’d conned. Of course he might have thought he was on to something. But it is a hell of a way to earn that $1 bet that he could write a believable story.

  119. 119.

    SFAW

    @Ruckus:

    I apparently need to re-boot my snark/sark-o-meter. Thanks for clarifying.

    I see that the LA area (sort of) had a quake — aren’t you somewhere around there? (Hey, I can barely remember where BillinGlendale or J R in WV is/are.)

  120. 120.

    J R in WV

    @SFAW:

    [It didn’t hurt that Elron basically said it was a grift, without actually writing the words “Scientology is a grift.”]

    L Ron Hubbard is said by those who were there to have invented his grift religion after a bet was made at a SciFi convention where he was playing poker with fellow authors. Bet was that he could write a scripture and found a religion based upon his scripture.

    Guess LRon pulled that off, won the bet. I think I learned this from Jerry Pournelle’s web site a couple of decades ago. At one time he was a pretty good source of info about computer tech…

  121. 121.

    Ruckus

    @SFAW:
    Yes we did have an earthquake, 6.4 about 150 miles north of me at 10:33 local time.
    There have been 93 earthquakes above 2.5 in the same area since 10:02 local time today. Something is going on and my take is that we are due for a biggie as it’s been 25 yrs since the last biggie. Biggy being in a heavily populated area and above 6.5.
    It isn’t uncommon to have a lot of smaller quakes in CA, or most anywhere in the world to be honest. Everything living farts, the earth is no exception.

  122. 122.

    Ruckus

    @J R in WV:
    Jerry P’s son ran a hard disc recovery service at one time, have no idea if he still does. Seems that computer stuff ran in the family. Supposedly the bet was for a buck. Funny thing was that scientology wasn’t considered a religion for years. The IRS said it wasn’t but lost the lawsuit concerning claiming it is. It’s always been a bit of a grift that someone is getting wealthy off of but that lawsuit meant they didn’t have to pay taxes for it.

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