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You are here: Home / Politics / domestic terrorists / Trump Inspired Terrorism

Trump Inspired Terrorism

by John Cole|  December 16, 202012:29 pm| 183 Comments

This post is in: domestic terrorists, Trump Crime Cartel

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Get used to more of this:

A former Houston Police Department Captain was arrested and charged for running a man off the road and pointing a gun at his head in an attempt to prove claims of a massive voter fraud scheme in Harris County, according to a news release from the Harris County’s DA’s office.

Mark Anthony Aguirre, 63, was arrested by Houston police Tuesday and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

“He crossed the line from dirty politics to commission of a violent crime, and we are lucky no one was killed,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “His alleged investigation was backward from the start – first alleging a crime had occurred and then trying to prove it happened.”

According to court documents, Aguirre told police that he was part of a group of private citizens called the “Liberty Center,” who were conducting a civilian investigation into the alleged ballot scheme.

According to Aguirre, he had been conducting surveillance for four days on a man who was allegedly the mastermind of a giant voter fraud scheme. Aguirre told authorities the man was hiding 750,000 fraudulent ballots in a truck he was driving.

Instead, the victim turned out to be an innocent air conditioner repairman, court documents said.

Aguirre ran his SUV into the back of the truck to get the technician to stop and get out, according to court documents.

When the technician got out of the truck, Aguirre pointed a handgun at the technician, forced him to the ground and put his knee on the man’s back until police came, the court document said.

Aguirre allegedly directed police to a parking lot nearby where another suspect, who has not been identified, took the truck.

There are a lot of unhinged, unstable folks out there, and Trump is motivating to act upon their lunacy.

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Reader Interactions

183Comments

  1. 1.

    WV Blondie

    December 16, 2020 at 12:34 pm

    Call it what it is – stochastic terrorism.

    (From Wikipedia) stochastic terrorism [stuh-kas-tik ter-uh-riz-uh m] -noun- the public demonization of a person or group resulting in the incitement of a violent act, which is statistically probable but whose specifics cannot be predicted.

  2. 2.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    See also wonkette:
    Patriotic Houston Ex-Cop Crashed Into Van, Held AC Repair Guy At Gunpoint To Foil ‘Voter Fraud’ (Doktor Zoom, December 16, 2020)

  3. 3.

    Jay C

    December 16, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    Not that makes much difference in principle (said principle being “F*ck Tr*mp and all his works”, but the incident in Houston happened back on October 19.
    Though being pre-election doesn’t make the paranoiac violence any better to have to read about.

  4. 4.

    Pete Mack

    December 16, 2020 at 12:39 pm

    And now the worthless SOB will 0lead temporary insanity or something.

  5. 5.

    Roger Moore

    December 16, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    @WV Blondie:

    Call it what it is – stochastic terrorism.

    This specific case is not stochastic at all.  He wasn’t some loner who decided to do this on his own hook.  He had been hired to be part of a private investigation of the election:

    Aguirre allegedly never told police that he had been paid a total of $266,400 by the Houston-based Liberty Center for God and Country, with $211,400 of that amount being deposited into his account the day after the incident.

    I definitely want to know more about the “Liberty Center for God and Country”, especially about which billionaire is funding it.

  6. 6.

    Fester Addams

    December 16, 2020 at 12:43 pm

    Any word on the accomplice/co-conspirator who stole the HVAC guy’s van?

  7. 7.

    Citizen Alan

    December 16, 2020 at 12:45 pm

    Send the bastard to Gitmo. Waterboard him until he identifies who is financing his terrorist cell. Surely no Republican would object to that.

  8. 8.

    J R in WV

    December 16, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    OT but cool…

    Next door neighbor and best friend, works for the big county health dept in the state capitol area, is an inspector so out in public a lot, got her first vaccination yesterday.

    No third eye yet, if you believe her.

    So relieved to hear that, she has been in danger for months now. Has been a neighbor since we moved out here 40 years ago. Helped us move stuff from town, actually. Also a great cook, bird expert  and gardener!

  9. 9.

    Shalimar

    December 16, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    @Pete Mack: They paid him $266k for this 4-day investigation,  though much of it was the day after the incident in what clearly seems like a payoff to keep silent about the real backstory.  In that sense, it seems like a grift.  But on the other hand, he waited for police so he obviously was a true believer that there were ballots in that trailer.

    Seems insane to me, but also a little frightening that 10s of millions are insane by that criteria.

  10. 10.

    Felanius Kootea

    December 16, 2020 at 12:49 pm

    Whoa. The lack of a shared reality between Trump cultists and the rest of us is going to lead to more frightening incidents. This person is delusional but convinced that he’s on the side of righteousness – did he call the police to the scene of his ongoing crime thinking he’d finally solved the “voter fraud” case?

  11. 11.

    Yarrow

    December 16, 2020 at 12:50 pm

    From the article:

    Aguirre worked for HPD for 24 years and was indefinitely suspended after a botched raid outside a westside K-Mart in 2002.

    “Indefinitely suspended?” What’s that mean? Is he still collecting a paycheck?

  12. 12.

    SideshowBill because I can't use my real name for business reasons

    December 16, 2020 at 12:50 pm

    Notice the incident happened back in October and they’re just arresting him now.  It’s great to be a cop </snark>

  13. 13.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 16, 2020 at 12:52 pm

    @Roger Moore: Thank you. Stochastic means random. The only thing random about T-inspired terrorism is which one of his crazy nutters he inspires to do the deed.

    We know who is doing the instigating (Orange Clown) and we know who are the likely targets.

    Call it what it is, Republican inspired White Supremacist Terrorism.

  14. 14.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 12:53 pm

    If you want some of today’s GOP insanity, another wonkette piece:
    That’s Right, MAGA Idiots, Time To Eat Mitch McConnell’s Face! (Evan Hurst, December 16, 2020)
    I rabbitholed down the Sidney Powell tweet and found myself in a world stranger than the Wonderland that Alice found.
    A lot of left-wing conspiracy theories (some grounded in very reasonable suspicions and facts) have been resurfacing as right wing conspiracy theories the last few weeks. Some of the Parler action is competent progressive trolls. Some of the twitter action too. Mixed feelings about this; quite dangerous, but will do a lot of damage to the GOP if steered well.
    Oh, and <em>”The Kracken”</em> clearly is/has been a large scale disinformation/influence op to promote and amplify sedition in the USA, by enemies of the United States of America, both domestic and foreign.
    Prove otherwise! :-)

  15. 15.

    Sister Golden Bear

    December 16, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    @Roger Moore: Ask and ye shall receive.

    More about Dr. Stephen Hotze, who runs the Liberty Center for God and Country, which paid the ex-cop $266,400 for his services.

  16. 16.

    laura

    December 16, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    I mean, who hasn’t been run off the road after a rear end accident by a retired LEO who was paid almost 300 large to stick a gun in your face and then hold you hostage while his coconspirator steals your wrecked work vehicle and your life flashes before your eyes. Ain’t that America, home of the free…….

    My God, how we need an American Nuremburg Trial to sort through this experiment in fascism and criminality.

  17. 17.

    Betty Cracker

    December 16, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    @Sister Golden Bear: Hotze has been bankrolling wingnuttery for ages, IIRC. He flipped out extra hard after marriage equality became the law of the land.

  18. 18.

    Barbara

    December 16, 2020 at 12:58 pm

    @Bill Arnold: Has anyone planted the rumor that Sidney Powell and Giuliani are both agents of Hugo Chavez and company and that their role was to defend Trump in such an incompetent manner that they couldn’t possibly win?  I mean, what are the CHANCES that someone could LOSE 60 lawsuits unless they were TRYING to lose?  I mean, who in their right mind would try to pass off a military jeep mechanic as an expert in military intelligence and cybersecurity?

    Let them deal with the angry hordes outside their doors for a change.

  19. 19.

    Poe Larity

    December 16, 2020 at 12:59 pm

    It strikes me that Hollywood has never had an air conditioning hero or bad guy. Nor any actors I can think of. Lots of famous people were plumbers – Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, Ozzy…

    The Wingularity sure has some strange paths when it’s “The HVAC Guy”

  20. 20.

    Jeffro

    December 16, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:Call it what it is, Republican inspired White Supremacist Terrorism.

    seconded.

    And I know what you mean, Cole, but I refuse to ‘get used to it’.

  21. 21.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    The only thing random about T-inspired terrorism is which one of his crazy nutters he inspires to do the deed.

    That’s precisely the way stochastic terrorism should be used; the people doing the rabble-rousing are the terrorists, and they’re counting on a high probability that one or more rando (in this case a delusional rich rando) takes action, but because their is (almost always) no legally provable causal link, the perpetrator (the rabble rouser) skates.
    Stochastic optimization, e.g. simulated annealing, is a similar usage.
    The actual incidents/events, such as this one, are the intended results of stochastic terrorism.

  22. 22.

    Anoniminous

    December 16, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    The Liberty Center for God and Country

    These people are a real piece of work.  From the link:

    “Liberty Center for God and Country: “Patriots will stand and fight before we let these Communist Democrats steal the election and destroy America’s Constitutional Republic.”

    Most of their shit is the usual Right Wing crapola they’ve been pushing since Roosevelt.

  23. 23.

    Mo Salad

    December 16, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    Rewritten below.

  24. 24.

    trnc

    December 16, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    @Bill Arnold: “Patriotic Houston Ex-Cop Crashed Into Van, Held AC Repair Guy At Gunpoint In Successful Attempt To Prove Mental Instability Of Trump Supporters” also works as a headline.

  25. 25.

    Poe Larity

    December 16, 2020 at 1:04 pm

    @Bill Arnold: HillaryisQAnon will become a thing.

  26. 26.

    Mo Salad

    December 16, 2020 at 1:04 pm

    I always wondered what he was doing since retiring from the Pistons…

  27. 27.

    Xenos

    December 16, 2020 at 1:05 pm

    This whole scenario is like a fact pattern of an issue-spotting exam for a torts class in law school.  You could just hand the students the article and say “discuss”.

  28. 28.

    Gin & Tonic

    December 16, 2020 at 1:07 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: We will be fighting that mis-use of “stochastic” forever, it seems. In futility.

  29. 29.

    Ken

    December 16, 2020 at 1:09 pm

    Didn’t we have this argument about what qualifies as “stochastic terrorism” the last time someone mentioned it?  Or am I remembering another famous argument?

  30. 30.

    Baud

    December 16, 2020 at 1:11 pm

    @Gin & Tonic:

    We will be fighting that mis-use of “stochastic” forever, it seems. In futility.

    I find it a nice respite from the debate over “defund the police.”

  31. 31.

    trnc

    December 16, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    “There were no ballots in the truck,” according to a Harris County district attorney’s office press release. “It was filled with air conditioning parts and tools.”

    Looks like the Soros patented “Inflatable Tools Of The Trade (Perfect for hiding Ballots and Communists! Order yours TODAY!”) is working as expected.

  32. 32.

    Anoniminous

    December 16, 2020 at 1:14 pm

    @Baud:

    Defunding the police will only lead to ever increasing incidents of stochastic terrorism.

  33. 33.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    December 16, 2020 at 1:14 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Bunches of cops got disciplined over that, with at least one resignation and a prosecution or two.

    Charges against the folks in the mass arrest were all dismissed.

  34. 34.

    Baud

    December 16, 2020 at 1:14 pm

    @Anoniminous: Don’t cross the streams.

  35. 35.

    Jeffro

    December 16, 2020 at 1:16 pm

    POLITICO story breaking: the trumpov maladministration decided back in July to go for herd immunity despite the deaths that would result.  Murdering liars.

    “We want them infected” – UGH!

  36. 36.

    Lord Fartdaddy (Formerly, Mumphrey, Smedley Darlington Mingobat, et al.)

    December 16, 2020 at 1:16 pm

    Well, yeah, but he never meant for anybody to get hurt.  Lord, no.  It’s only a few bad apples, line wolves, if you will, doing these naughty things.

  37. 37.

    trnc

    December 16, 2020 at 1:17 pm

    @Bill Arnold: I assume they wouldn’t be quite so mad if Mitch hadn’t actually managed to say a few very kind things during his statement.

  38. 38.

    Yutsano

    December 16, 2020 at 1:19 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    Oh, and ”The Kracken” clearly is/has been a large scale disinformation/influence op to promote and amplify sedition in the USA, by enemies of the United States of America, both domestic and foreign.

    Can y’all be leaving Seattle’s hockey team alone now? Please and thank you.

  39. 39.

    jeffreyw

    December 16, 2020 at 1:22 pm

    Kindle has a Le Carre book for $3.  I read the reviews rated most helpful and they were 1 star.

    1.0 out of 5 stars More an anti-Trump diatribe than a spy novel
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2019

    I threw the book out at page 58. I see and hear enough Trump Derangement Syndrome and BREXIT derangement syndrome day in and day out. I have no love for Trump but I read spy novels to get away from all the current political drama. I don’t expect Trump Derangement Syndrome in a John Le Carre novel.

    I considered that to be a good review, and very helpful!  I am not going into comments on the review.  No need!

  40. 40.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    December 16, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    It’s been mention elsewhere this clown got paid over a 100K to do this. We’re going to have to come up for a new word for Terrorist – Grifter.

  41. 41.

    ByRookorbyCrook

    December 16, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    @Baud: Or Stevein<location>’s quixotic ‘literally’ campaign.

  42. 42.

    different-church-lady

    December 16, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    Yup, it’s “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street”, except instead of space aliens it’s one sociopath with lots of money and a talent for bringing out every single gram of latent racism in people.

  43. 43.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    @Jeffro:

    POLITICO story breaking: the trumpov maladministration decided back in July to go for herd immunity despite the deaths that would result. Murdering liars.

    Paul Alexander left when M. Caputo (who Paul Alexander reported to) went on medical leave.

  44. 44.

    rikyrah

    December 16, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    @Yarrow:

     

    “Indefinitely suspended?” What’s that mean? Is he still collecting a paycheck?

     

    I would bet on him still collecting a check.

  45. 45.

    rikyrah

    December 16, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    @Jeffro:

     

    POLITICO story breaking: the trumpov maladministration decided back in July to go for herd immunity despite the deaths that would result.  Murdering liars.

     

    How is this a surprise? That dude from the Hoover Institute was the one pushing Herd Immunity.

    We knew this months ago.

    Well, if you watched Maddow, she made this plain months ago.

  46. 46.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    December 16, 2020 at 1:29 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Been that way for the Racist Right for a while since they began sueing Klan leaders for the youthful indiscretions they egg their members into.  King Rat haranges his minions until one of them goes lone gunman.

    Of course in this case King Rat shown he’s got money, to let the litigation begin.

  47. 47.

    Kent

    December 16, 2020 at 1:29 pm

    Thinking this through to the end game.  It seems to me that the increasing radicalism and crazy of the Republican party only ends two ways.

    1.  The doubling down of the outrageous level of racism and crazy leads them down the path of the California GOP and they become a rump party
    2. They actually take over the fucking country which is what we had for the past 4 years under Trump.

    I don’t know how things play out.  I don’t think we can survive a Trump 2.0   Demographics do not favor the current path of the GOP.  But one way or the other it is going to be a bumpy fucking road.  But strategically thinking, I’m not sure which is worse, a crazy GOP that can’t regain power.  Or a less crazy more expansive GOP that does regain power.

  48. 48.

    Mo Salad

    December 16, 2020 at 1:29 pm

    @Yutsano: We both know that they should have went with the Metropolitans.  A free century-old Stanley Cup title, right there for the taking. But nooooooo…

  49. 49.

    Rand Careaga

    December 16, 2020 at 1:29 pm

    @Bill Arnold:

    That’s precisely the way stochastic terrorism should be used; the people doing the rabble-rousing are the terrorists

    And Alex Jones knows exactly what he meant with “one way or another” a few days ago, and so did most of the people who heard him.

  50. 50.

    Uncle Cosmo

    December 16, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: It’s NOT a misuse. See Bill Arnold at #21 supra.

  51. 51.

    Kent

    December 16, 2020 at 1:32 pm

    @rikyrah: I doubt he was still collecting a paycheck.  It probably meant they agreed not to pull his law enforcement credentials and put an actual firing on his employment record if he agreed to go away and never come back.  That sort of thing is pretty common.

  52. 52.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    @jeffreyw:   Agent Running in the Field.

    I liked it a lot.  LeCarre had a lot to say about Trump (described as “Putin’s shithouse cleaner”) and about British politicians and Brexit.

    Foo on those one-star reviewers.  They are stupid.

    Here’s a review from BookTrib.

  53. 53.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    @Rand Careaga:

    And Alex Jones knows exactly what he meant with “one way or another” a few days ago, and so did most of the people who heard him.

    You saw that too. Instant chill on reading it.
    (To put it in Alex Jones’ terms, Alex Jones’ influence over gullible easily manipulated Americans needs to be neutralized, one way or the other; he’s an enemy of the United States of America.)

  54. 54.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    December 16, 2020 at 1:41 pm

    Important system update.

  55. 55.

    jeffreyw

    December 16, 2020 at 1:43 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    Foo on those one-star reviewers. They are stupid.

    But helpful!  I bought it and added the Audible book as soon as I heard the sample narration.

  56. 56.

    Three-nineteen

    December 16, 2020 at 1:45 pm

    @Poe Larity: I guess you never watched Community.  Or does TV not count?

    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/community-casts-john-goodman-as-215086

  57. 57.

    (Not actually a) Dr. Thoth Evans

    December 16, 2020 at 1:46 pm

    @Roger Moore:

    “allegedly never” ?

  58. 58.

    Just Chuck

    December 16, 2020 at 1:46 pm

    I say we just call it “Trump Terrorism”

  59. 59.

    Barbara

    December 16, 2020 at 1:46 pm

    @rikyrah: They now have the emails.  That’s the difference.

  60. 60.

    Just Chuck

    December 16, 2020 at 1:47 pm

    @Kent: Police unions make it damn near impossible to actually fire a cop.

  61. 61.

    Omnes Omnibus

    December 16, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    @WV Blondie: If you do that you will get an argument from some of our math enthusiasts who will tell you that you using stochastic incorrectly.

  62. 62.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    December 16, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    Those of you in the path of snowstorm might appreciate this video.

    This is such an agonizing video pic.twitter.com/kffi1jI1gP— Zito (@_Zeets) December 16, 2020

  63. 63.

    Just One More Canuck

    December 16, 2020 at 1:49 pm

    @Poe Larity: they even had a forensic accountant, for god’s sake

  64. 64.

    Omnes Omnibus

    December 16, 2020 at 1:50 pm

    @Citizen Alan: Fuck you, no.  Torture is wrong, end of fucking story.

  65. 65.

    Chyron HR

    December 16, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    B-but Bernie said they’re not deplorable.

  66. 66.

    Kent

    December 16, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    @Just Chuck: Funny how even in right to work states like Texas you still get police unions

    Us teachers couldn’t have unions.  But the police can and do.  Well, technically we still had teachers’ unions.  But they couldn’t actually negotiate or anything.  So they were really just more professional associations.

  67. 67.

    Gravenstone

    December 16, 2020 at 1:55 pm

    @Roger Moore: Sounds like they should be charged with inciting terrorist acts, as a starting point.

  68. 68.

    Kent

    December 16, 2020 at 1:55 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Around here (Portland metro) at least the city buses would most certainly have snow chains.  We still get plenty of crazy stupid drivers but at least the transit tends to work OK.

  69. 69.

    patrick II

    December 16, 2020 at 1:56 pm

    A different take:

    Seth Abramson

    QAnon is an ARG (Alternate Reality Game). It was set up that way and is managed that way. QAnoners are playing an ARG and refuse to stop for the very reason transreality gaming can be hazardous: you can forget what’s game and what’s reality. QAnoners are lost in a dangerous game.

  70. 70.

    Poe Larity

    December 16, 2020 at 1:57 pm

    @Kent: I wonder how the Birchers would have turned out if there had been internets then. There were always more than a few LaRouchites or hangers-on at their protests. 1986:

     

     

     FOR LAROUCHITES, IT`S ALL A HOAX

    The TreasAnons are raging on Mitch right now, threatening to go their own way.

  71. 71.

    Gin & Tonic

    December 16, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    @Poe Larity: I think I remember a short film where it’s very warm, and an HVAC guy shows up to repair the young lady’s air conditioner…

  72. 72.

    WV Blondie

    December 16, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Yes, I’ve noticed. But I’m applying the term to Hair Furor and his toadies, goading this idiot (and the further idiots he conned into paying him for the “assignment”) into acting. Not at the idiot et al. As Bill Arnold explains at #21 (thanks, Bill!).

  73. 73.

    Gravenstone

    December 16, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    @Sister Golden Bear: He seems, nice.

  74. 74.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    @jeffreyw:   From the 47 responses to the idjit one-star review.  Several, of course, said “thanks, I will buy it right now.”

    No one wants to hate Trump. He simply gives wise people no choice. Make America Think Again.

    Looking at these reviews, I’m really surprised how many right-winters are Le Carre fans. Have you not taken anything away from his other novels? Seeing his response to Trump and Brexit cannot possibly come as a surprise unless his previous novels went completely over your head.

    A lot of trump supporters seem very sensitive to the truth. Perhaps you should avoid it in the future.

  75. 75.

    patroclus

    December 16, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    @Baud: I’m not sure if I understand your point.  Are you saying that defunding the police will not result in the rise of stochastic terrorism or not??!!  And by “defunding,” I mean (blah, blah) and by “stochastic,” I mean (yadda yadda).  Please explain in detail.

  76. 76.

    Gravenstone

    December 16, 2020 at 2:01 pm

    @Poe Larity: Bob Hoskins infamously played a plumber once. That’s sort of close.

  77. 77.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 2:03 pm

    So the guy who was paid over a quarter of a million to root out voter fraud thinks you can fit 750K ballots in the back of what, a van? A pick-up?

    I don’t believe it would ever fly, but I wish election service could be classified with jury duty and one could be called up to serve as an election judge. If these folks had to take the classes and work an election or two, at least some of them would realize how ridiculous so many voter fraud accusations are.

  78. 78.

    Omnes Omnibus

    December 16, 2020 at 2:04 pm

    @Elizabelle: I agree that it was a good book. It may be too contemporary for some people’s tastes though.

  79. 79.

    WaterGirl

    December 16, 2020 at 2:05 pm

    @Jeffro: Holy shit.

  80. 80.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    December 16, 2020 at 2:05 pm

    @patrick II:

    Thanks. Surprisingly interesting thread.

  81. 81.

    Poe Larity

    December 16, 2020 at 2:06 pm

    @Gravenstone: I had completely forgotten about Central Services.

  82. 82.

    taumaturgo

    December 16, 2020 at 2:13 pm

    @Sister Golden Bear: $266,400 of tax-free money. Any religious institution that commits crimes -looking at you too Catholics – should have their tax free status revoked.

  83. 83.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 2:13 pm

    @Elizabelle: I’ve learned over the years that a number of very conservative folks–including iirc a co-founder of CPAC–are fans of my SF, and I also wonder if they know what they’re reading. You never know what a reader is going to take away from your work. They choose you, not the other way around.

    (Also, Le Carré fan who is behind on her reading and should check out that book)

  84. 84.

    Gravenstone

    December 16, 2020 at 2:14 pm

    @Kent: Republicans like certain unions. Case in point, Snotty Walker explicitly omitted police and fire unions from his destructive efforts. Saw a pro-Walker protest where at least one of the women was sporting a “Union wives for Walker” tee shirt. I just muttered to myself that she didn’t realize they would be on the chopping block the second it became politically expedient.

  85. 85.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 16, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    @Bill Arnold: I disagree, calling it stochastic makes it seem random. We never call the terrorism inspired by Al-Q or ISIS stochastic so there is no need to call terrorism inspired Y’All Queada stochastic either.

  86. 86.

    West of the Rockies

    December 16, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    Isn’t it truly great to see a president (elect) who knows how to wear a suit and select a decent tie?  Isn’t it fantastic to have a VP with a personality, brain, and sense of humor and humanity?

  87. 87.

    SteveinSC

    December 16, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    From Kyle Griffin NBC:
    Dr. Joseph Varon, chief of critical care at Houston Memorial Medical Center, tells NPR that half of his nurses won’t take the COVID vaccine for ‘political’ reasons:

    “Most of the reasons that most of my people don’t want to get the vaccine are politically-motivated.”
    My Twitter Reply:
    I love this! A MAGAt version of the CIA’s “Auto-Terminated with Prejudice.” Don’t take the fucking vaccine you morons. Thinning the herd Texas style! Additional benefit: Follow your MAGAt heart and it will cause the U.S. average I.Q to go up. Be my fucking guest!

  88. 88.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 2:20 pm

    @Kristine:   Maybe they’re OK with truth and justice and the American way … on a planet that exists only in imagination?

    You have a good website.  Will have to check out some of your books.

  89. 89.

    MattF

    December 16, 2020 at 2:21 pm

    Well, consider that Allen West apparently moved from Florida to Texas to became chair of the Texas GOP. Years ago, I used to make a point of getting the Texas Republican ‘platform’ to see what the crazies were up to. But I know better now.

  90. 90.

    Anotherlurker

    December 16, 2020 at 2:24 pm

    @jeffreyw: I just purchased the book for Kindle.  That 1 Star review was all I needed.

    I read a few of the comments and they were spot on in criticizing the reviewer.

  91. 91.

    Aaron

    December 16, 2020 at 2:24 pm

    Fact check: a ream (500 sheets) of paper weighs 5 lbs. So 750,000 sheets would weigh at least 7,500 lbs.

  92. 92.

    Roger Moore

    December 16, 2020 at 2:25 pm

    @Poe Larity:

    It strikes me that Hollywood has never had an air conditioning hero or bad guy.

    How about Archibald Tuttle in Brazil?

  93. 93.

    Elie

    December 16, 2020 at 2:25 pm

     

    Can’t that poor air conditioning repair man sue the asshole and the “Liberty” organization for assault or something?  They weren’t part of a formal policing or related process.  They were private citizens doing vigilante bullshit that brought harm to the van he was driving and probably scared (and therefore injured) the repairman.  I’d take all his little money and the organization.  He should sue the guy who hired Aguirre and anyone else affiliated.  Let ’em pay lawyers.  Honestly.

    This is an example of the amount of raging insane people we have running around these days.  Its crazy but treatment for most is elusive and we have a terrible system for pre-emptively identifying folks like Aguirre who most probably is paranoid or somesuch.

  94. 94.

    Mike in NC

    December 16, 2020 at 2:25 pm

    Front page of USA Today — “Really is over”: Fight to overturn vote collapses

    Trump will rally the Proud Boys and some people will die.

  95. 95.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 16, 2020 at 2:27 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: We are in agreement on this.

  96. 96.

    zzyzx

    December 16, 2020 at 2:29 pm

    @Mo Salad: the only thing more gross than being associated with this effort to overthrow an election is that of the New York National League baseball team.

  97. 97.

    prostratedragon

    December 16, 2020 at 2:29 pm

    @Poe Larity:
    “We do the work, You do the pleasure!”

    Ran across this fan trailer not long ago; recall that the movie takes place during “Christmas.”

  98. 98.

    catclub

    December 16, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Aguirre allegedly directed police to a parking lot nearby where another suspect, who has not been identified, took the truck.

     

    I thought WTF about this part. ACCOMPLICE, takes the keys and moves it out of sight to plant evidence, and didn’t. isn’t this now a conspiracy – plus hired criminals.

  99. 99.

    Just Chuck

    December 16, 2020 at 2:34 pm

    @Elie: The fact that the cop was on the payroll of that org, yeah I suspect he could sue ’em good and hard.

  100. 100.

    catclub

    December 16, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    @Elie: folks like Aguirre who most probably is paranoid or somesuch.

     

    an ex-cop (white, natch) paranoid?  who knew?

  101. 101.

    Just Chuck

    December 16, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    @catclub: Not to mention, by definition this was a criminal conspiracy.  I hope they pile that onto the charges and the two never see daylight again.

  102. 102.

    catclub

    December 16, 2020 at 2:38 pm

    @Aaron: I suspect that is 20lb bond paper – so 2000 sheets is 20lbs.

     

    They is lighter paper, but the basic point holds – that is a lot of paper.

  103. 103.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    December 16, 2020 at 2:41 pm

    @patrick II: I agree the whole thing is a LARP to far (and now I know why my SCA friends despised LARPing as a form of mental illness, ya the SCA is a bit escapists but that full contact martial arts part of is a reality that can’t be ignored) but I disagree with this guy’s solution. The way to stop these stupid Wingnut LARPS like Qanon is force them to break character and part of that is real legal consequences for their game, but that’s the government. For the rest of us to get them to stop is break their fourth wall for them – “oh gods, you and your silly Qannon role playing, what are you level 25 now?”

  104. 104.

    Elie

    December 16, 2020 at 2:44 pm

    @Just Chuck:

    I hope some enterprising and energetic lawyer is making contact with the airconditioning repair guy as we speak .  I’d take all their little money made on this ridiculousness and eat it up in an award and payments to lawyers.  This lawyer could also investigate whether there were any other regular folks who suffered at the hands of the vigilante criminals.  Get them some money too.  Jail is satisfying but I really like taking their money and making them have to move out of their homes, lose their cars etc.

  105. 105.

    Citizen Alan

    December 16, 2020 at 2:46 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Cool your jets, Sparky. No one’s going to do that. But it sure would be nice to be able to ask GOP assholes who are fine with torture and indefinite detention for every Muslim who looks at them funny exactly why they DON’T support the same policies for White RW Domestic Terrorists.

  106. 106.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    Maybe they’re OK with truth and justice and the American way … on a planet that exists only in imagination?

    It could be so many things. Some think that if weapons/fighting are involved, well, you have to think like they do because everyone knows liberals don’t do violence. And if the adventure moves along quickly enough, a lot of other stuff scoots under the radar.

    You have a good website. Will have to check out some of your books.

    Thanks–I keep wondering if it’s time to update. Maybe after I finish the wip. Some of my romance-writer friends have amazing websites. You can do so much these days with premade themes and plugins.

  107. 107.

    mrmoshpotato

    December 16, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    conducting a civilian investigation into the alleged ballot scheme

    You fucking fascist shitstains.

  108. 108.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    December 16, 2020 at 2:55 pm

    @rikyrah:  The release of e-mails is proof that it was discussed. It’s like Woodward; it was clear and obvious what was going on, but now there’s evidence of actual malice (tainted with blind stupidity).

    They deliberately created a situation to kill Americans, because they wanted to stop having to deal with Covid-19.

  109. 109.

    Llelldorin

    December 16, 2020 at 2:57 pm

    According to court documents, Aguirre told police that he was part of a group of private citizens called the “Liberty Center,” who were conducting a civilian investigation into the alleged ballot scheme.

    So he has a known affiliation with a criminal street gang.

    “Criminal street gang” means three or more persons having a common identifying sign or symbol or an identifiable leadership who continuously or regularly associate in the commission of criminal activities.

  110. 110.

    West of the Rockies

    December 16, 2020 at 2:58 pm

    @Kristine:

    What’s your website?  I’m always looking for good SF.

  111. 111.

    BaffleGab

    December 16, 2020 at 2:58 pm

    @Poe Larity: Check out “Brazil”… Robert De Niro plays a guerilla HVAC repair man.

  112. 112.

    Llelldorin

    December 16, 2020 at 3:03 pm

    @catclub: I’m pretty sure this makes Liberty Center meet the Texas definition of a “criminal street gang.” That strikes me as the correct way to go after these guys—we have laws to go after organizations that exist to break the law already.

  113. 113.

    Joe Falco

    December 16, 2020 at 3:12 pm

    @Poe Larity:

    See Dogma. There’s your HVAC bad guy there.

  114. 114.

    Frankensteinbeck

    December 16, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    @Kristine:

    I should probably get a better website.  I can keep up an amusing Twitter, but not a blog.

  115. 115.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    @West of the Rockies:   Click on Kristine’s name in the comment above.

    If a commenter’s name appears in blue at the top of his/her posts, that link goes to a website.

  116. 116.

    JanieM

    December 16, 2020 at 3:20 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: What’s your Twitter handle? I don’t have an account yet but am thinking of making one….

  117. 117.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 3:24 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:
    I am talking about people using probability (and chaos) and an audience of easily-manipulated minds as a (for practical purposes) deterministic weapon.
    Absolutely, preachers, whatever religion, rabble-rousing during their preaching to encourage terrorist attacks are engaged in [stochastic terrorism]. Incidents caused by such, however, are something else, for which I don’t know of a good technical name. (Haven’t looked at the literature in a while.) They are not, however, acausal, at least not entirely, just usually easily deniable. (There’s often some [art] involved.)

  118. 118.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 3:25 pm

    @West of the Rockies:
    Blue nyms are links. :-)

  119. 119.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: I go back and forth about my blog. I tell myself I should post weekly, and I’m lucky if I manage a post every month. Scalzi, I ain’t.

    I’m with WordPress, and I use one of their free themes. Some of my friends use Divi from Elegant Themes, and their sites are stunning imo.

  120. 120.

    Jeffro

    December 16, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    @Llelldorin: “conducting a civilian investigation”…at gunpoint.

    I wonder what would happen if I “conducted a civilian investigation” of the NRA, or a mega church, or Grover Norquist’s office…at gunpoint?

  121. 121.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 3:29 pm

    @West of the Rockies: I saw you got some answers already, but just  in case. 

  122. 122.

    'Niques

    December 16, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    @jeffreyw: Thank you! That review sold me . . . It’ll be my next read!

  123. 123.

    Punchy

    December 16, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    From this article about states suing Google, here are the states in the lawsuit:

    The nine states that joined Texas are Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah and Idaho.

    /strokes chin…squints….

    There’s…..something….about those states that they all have in common…..hmmm.

  124. 124.

    Cameron

    December 16, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    @Poe Larity: Nixon had plumbers, too, but I don’t think that’s what you’re referring to.

  125. 125.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    December 16, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    @Punchy: They pollute the gene pool by marrying their cousins?

  126. 126.

    Llelldorin

    December 16, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    @Jeffro: Doing it under the auspices of a named organization makes this pretty much akin to the way the Crips used to conduct civilian investigations into the Bloods’ drug operations when I was growing up in Los Angeles. This is definitionally organized crime, and should be treated as such. No “but he’s a nice white guy” exemptions this time.

  127. 127.

    WereBear

    December 16, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    @patrick II: thanks, that led to a lot of interesting stuff.

  128. 128.

    markar

    December 16, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    @Punchy:  They have more metropolitan areas of more than 300,000 people than surnames?

  129. 129.

    No One of Consequence

    December 16, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    @Poe Larity: I would humbly suggest you regard Mr. DeNiro in Terry Gilliam’s “Brazil”…

    Peace,

    NOoC

  130. 130.

    cain

    December 16, 2020 at 3:52 pm

    @Pete Mack:

    No.. that won’t happen. Instead, he will decry the deep state and run for office.

  131. 131.

    cain

    December 16, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    @Barbara:

    Did Hugo reach out to them through Herman Cain’s twitter account?

  132. 132.

    burnspbesq

    December 16, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    @Citizen Alan:

    Send the bastard to Gitmo. Waterboard him

    Don’t go there. You’re advocating war crimes. Don’t even fucking joke about that.

  133. 133.

    Roger Moore

    December 16, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    @Jeffro:

    “conducting a civilian investigation”…at gunpoint.

    And not just doing it at gunpoint. He also stopped the guy by ramming his vehicle.  It’s just reprehensible behavior.

  134. 134.

    cain

    December 16, 2020 at 4:01 pm

    @Jeffro:

    That sounds like  Jared Kushner special there.

    I finally realized something – Jared looks just like a younger Dr. Phillip Barbay from the movie back to school – played by Paxton Whitehead.

  135. 135.

    Roger Moore

    December 16, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    @Llelldorin:

    The big thing to me is that he got a big payoff after the events that got him arrested.  That makes it clear the paymaster approves of his activities and solidifies it as a criminal conspiracy.

  136. 136.

    Patricia Kayden

    December 16, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    Petty

    Trump administration finalizes rollback of showerhead standards punctuating President Trump's long-documented water flow grievances in the final weeks of his presidency https://t.co/MQ1CFNmfUr pic.twitter.com/cnMgjUXTOe— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 16, 2020

  137. 137.

    danielx

    December 16, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    @Jeffro:

    You would, as the saying goes, get lit up.

  138. 138.

    cckids

    December 16, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    @Roger Moore:And not just doing it at gunpoint. He also stopped the guy by ramming his vehicle.  It’s just reprehensible criminal behavior.

    Fixed that for you.

  139. 139.

    cain

    December 16, 2020 at 4:07 pm

    @Kent:

    The news folks love a good snow storm. I remember one about a decade or so ago where it was particularly bad and it looked like they were reporting on it 24/7 – it was bad enough that I think they weren’t even sleeping or something – they sure looked like they were hit by a bus.

  140. 140.

    raven

    December 16, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: In season three of Fargo Nikki Swango drops an air conditioner on a dudes head from the third floor.

  141. 141.

    cain

    December 16, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    @Kristine:

    They can hold opposing beliefs at the same time apparently or gets transmogrified internally.

  142. 142.

    cain

    December 16, 2020 at 4:15 pm

    @Llelldorin:

    Speaking of books – please convey my hellos to Belgarath and Polgara.

  143. 143.

    Matt McIrvin

    December 16, 2020 at 4:18 pm

    @Kristine: John Scalzi got a lot of very conservative readers through his MilSF novel Old Man’s War, which convinced a lot of them that he was a right-winger (and, frankly, I can see why–though the ambiguity already present in the novel’s politics increased in subsequent volumes). Scalzi is actually one of these people who insists to this day that he’s a non-partisan independent, but his opinions about everything are pretty much mainstream Democratic Party and have only gotten more so with time.

    So they were in for a shock when they read the political stuff on his blog, and some got very, very angry, and Scalzi seems to like mocking and picking fights with them, though he’s still remarkably tolerant of right-wing posters in his comments.

  144. 144.

    Mike in NC

    December 16, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    @Patricia Kayden:  Oh, no. It’s the War on Showers!

    Some British writer described Trump as the Picasso of Pettiness, which is quite apt. Nutcase.

  145. 145.

    WaterGirl

    December 16, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    @Kristine: I don’t think you are on our Balloon Juice Authors list.  The list is in the footer – If you would like to be on the list, please send me the kinds of information you see listed for folks who are on the list.

  146. 146.

    Redshift

    December 16, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    I agree the whole thing is a LARP to far (and now I know why my SCA friends despised LARPing as a form of mental illness, ya the SCA is a bit escapists but that full contact martial arts part of is a reality that can’t be ignored) 

    Fuck your SCA friends. I will never understand why members of groups that get sneered at as weirdos decide it’s cool to sneer at other subgroups as the real weirdos.

    Despite the fact that it seems to have become common to slap the label “larpers” on them as shorthand for “idiots,” these assholes are no more LARPers than neo-Nazis are historical recreationists.

  147. 147.

    Llelldorin

    December 16, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    @cain: I’ve been using the name for something like 30 years now; you’re the first to actually comment on its origin. The character’s dippy enthusiasm really spoke to me as a college student; these days it’s just habit and anonymization.

  148. 148.

    polyorchnid octopunch

    December 16, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    @Bill Arnold: Release the Crack Pipe!

  149. 149.

    debbie

    December 16, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    @Roger Moore:

    Whatever kind of terrorism it is, we need to stick to language everyone (including the asshole’s supporters) will understand. This is no time to seem to be talking down to anyone.

    That said, this guy should rot in jail and should be charged not only with violation of gun laws and intimidation, but also with violation of federal voting laws.

  150. 150.

    Wyatt Salamanca

    December 16, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    Trump is motivating to act upon their lunacy.

    This makes it all the more imperative that the NY Atty Gen or Manhattan DA build an airtight case against Trump so that he’ll end up disgraced and dying in a prison cell.  Hopefully, their staffs are crossing every t and dotting every i to prevent this psychopath from getting acquitted on some bullshit technicality.

  151. 151.

    AWOL

    December 16, 2020 at 4:53 pm

    @Poe Larity: Deleted—film maven above noted de Niro’s role.

  152. 152.

    Unsympathetic

    December 16, 2020 at 4:54 pm

    This article is a more thorough explanation of the detail re QAnon being a ARG/LARP. Pretty wild stuff..

  153. 153.

    debbie

    December 16, 2020 at 4:54 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    When did the word “terrorism” become insufficient?  ?

  154. 154.

    debbie

    December 16, 2020 at 4:55 pm

    @jeffreyw:

    Amazon reviews are jokes, period.

  155. 155.

    debbie

    December 16, 2020 at 4:56 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    Speaking of, where have the Bugaloo Bois been? They seem very quiet lately.

  156. 156.

    Emma from FL

    December 16, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    @Wyatt Salamanca: And it will change nothing. The Cult of Trump will double down on the persecution mania. They will get even more insane.

  157. 157.

    Mike in NC

    December 16, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    @debbie:  They must be having their ridiculous black and yellow ‘kilts’ dry-cleaned.

  158. 158.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    @WaterGirl: Thanks! I’ll forward you info later today.

  159. 159.

    debbie

    December 16, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    Those guys group mooning Antifa? They were at the rally, but were referred to as Proud Boys. That’s gotta wound their pride!

  160. 160.

    Jay

    December 16, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    During he tumultuous time from April to September, 45 of the 50 most valuable publicly traded U.S. companies turned a profit, but 27 of them laid off workers, collectively cutting over 100,000 workersAnd many did stock buybacks to enrich shareholders.https://t.co/syehYm6MIE pic.twitter.com/ijDdoZtDkA— Steven Greenhouse (@greenhousenyt) December 16, 2020

  161. 161.

    West of the Rockies

    December 16, 2020 at 5:05 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    I did not know that!  Thank you.

  162. 162.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 5:13 pm

    So who’s got snow today?  Sounds like Philadelphia has whiteout conditions in places?

    Just cold rain here.  Good indoor weather.

  163. 163.

    Benw

    December 16, 2020 at 5:20 pm

    @Elizabelle: s n o w

    Kids get a snow day tomorrow! They’re even letting the remote only kids off!

  164. 164.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    @Matt McIrvin: I think ambiguity is the key. Unless you come out and state gov’t structure or political philosophy, most readers can make any assumption they like. A ruling class like an oligarchy could be opposed by all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons.

  165. 165.

    Butter Emails

    December 16, 2020 at 5:28 pm

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    I agree the whole thing is a LARP to far (and now I know why my SCA friends despised LARPing as a form of mental illness, ya the SCA is a bit escapists but that full contact martial arts part of is a reality that can’t be ignored

    Sure. Because it’s the people smacking each other with real weapons who are the sane ones.

  166. 166.

    jeffreyw

    December 16, 2020 at 5:31 pm

    @Elizabelle:

     

    I'm not a big fan of snow but the cold has its uses. pic.twitter.com/5mPhfwzESW— jeffreyw (@imjeffreyw) December 16, 2020

  167. 167.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 5:33 pm

    @Benw:   Yea kids!  Snow day!

    @jeffreyw:  Yum.  Is that today??

  168. 168.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 16, 2020 at 5:34 pm

    @Elizabelle: Not yet but we are expecting about a foot. Snow is overrated.

  169. 169.

    jeffreyw

    December 16, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    The roast was warm earlier today after an all night soak at 200 degrees.  The little bit of snow is nearly all gone.

  170. 170.

    Jay

    December 16, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    Mass radicalization ?”This tent that used to be sort of 'far-right extremists' has gotten a lot broader. To me, a former counterterrorism official, that's a radicalization process"—Mary McCord, former federal prosecutor who oversaw terrorism cases https://t.co/1DhYeWvybW— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) December 15, 2020

  171. 171.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:   I hope it is picturesque.

  172. 172.

    frosty

    December 16, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    @Elizabelle: A good amount of snow in South PA. Forecast for 13 inches, probably about 6 right now, but changed to freezing rain an hour or so ago.

  173. 173.

    Wyatt Salamanca

    December 16, 2020 at 6:16 pm

    @Emma from FL:

    Unfortunately, Trump maniacs will be around for a long time, but if Trump becomes a convicted felon, he’ll no longer have access to a social media platform.

    The idea of a future with no more Trump tweets or online posts is something I’d welcome with open arms.

  174. 174.

    Wyatt Salamanca

    December 16, 2020 at 6:26 pm

    @Elizabelle: 

    I got snow and Beethoven too ( given that you referenced him in a previous thread)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAAsth8eLps

  175. 175.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 6:33 pm

    @Wyatt Salamanca:   Thank you.

    Back atcha with Beethoven.  Symphony No. 9, the Oslo Philharmonic with its wunderkind conductor, Klaus Makela*, born in 1996.

    • should be umlauts on the a’s in Makela.  He is Finnish.
  176. 176.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 6:34 pm

    @frosty:   Stay safe and warm.

  177. 177.

    Wyatt Salamanca

    December 16, 2020 at 6:49 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    Thank You So Much!!!

    Following the Ninth is a documentary film about the global impact of Beethoven’s final symphony.

    https://www.followingtheninth.com/

    I haven’t seen this film, but it’s on my must see list.

    Hopefully, Beethoven’s 9th symphony will be the last piece of music I hear before I take my leave of this world.

  178. 178.

    Elizabelle

    December 16, 2020 at 7:00 pm

    @Wyatt Salamanca:   years and years and years from now.

    Thank you for the film link.

  179. 179.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    December 16, 2020 at 8:01 pm

    @Kent:

    Funny how even in right to work states like Texas you still get police unions

    That is a feature, not a bug.  It makes it damn near impossible for city mayors implement effective criminal justice reform, clean up the streets, and turn cities into even more lovely places to live.  As a result, Republicans can say, ‘See how horrible cities are?  That’s what you get when Democrats are in charge.’  Cha-ching.  They scare rural people and suburbanites and get more votes.

  180. 180.

    Bobby Thomson

    December 16, 2020 at 9:58 pm

    Someone paid this guy 200 large plus to do this.  There are some very wealthy people funding this shit and they’re getting careless.

  181. 181.

    Steve in the ATL

    December 16, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    @frosty:

     

    Forecast for 13 inches, probably about 6 right now

    And how disappointed was she?

    Zing!

  182. 182.

    Bill Arnold

    December 16, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    @Kristine:
    Bought Gideon/Jericho (kindle) ’cause the (blurbed) subject matters are of interest. Just a bit into Gideon now, interesting.
    (Some of the medieval stories of Tempestari and African stories of Storm Calling are by careful observers.  The warm neck mind crawl/empath tell is uncommon in contemporary fantasy stories, at least what I’ve read.)

  183. 183.

    Kristine

    December 16, 2020 at 11:17 pm

    @Bill Arnold: Thanks–I hope you like them.

    Both books gave me the opportunity to research local legends and odd occurrences. Very different from the science fiction.

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