● Another One Bites The Dust: Bobby Jindal has suspended his campaign. That's really no surprise as he was DOA from the get-go. Jindal is a smart and wise man who would make an excellent President, but we have a system in place to keep deserving and qualified people like him from winning the office. So there! On with the circus!
● Looking At You, Krauts!: I'm pretty sure the Germans are next for a big terrorist attack. The Islamists seem to be working their way around Europe, starting with Spain and Britain and now France. So I'm thinking Germany is next.
● I'm Calling Bull: Have you noticed how many companies are having their Black Friday sales plans "leaked" online? I'm calling bull on this. This is just the latest marketing gimmick to get their sales noticed. It's the click bait version of advertising done by big companies.
● Priorities: Honestly, there is something wrong with the world (media) when France gets attacked by terrorists, then France and Russia start bombing the crap out of ISIS in response, and the lead item in all the news blogs and shows everywhere is Charlie Sheen having HIV. Seriously? That, perhaps more than anything, tells us all we need to know about the media and their values.
● Testify, Brother!: Alan Dershowitz blasted all the student protesters today rather interestingly. He noted that they don't really want diversity. They use that word to mean "more of us." He also noted their lack of respect for the rights of others. I get the feeling that these kids have worn out their welcome, even on the left at this point.
Thoughts?
Jindal was a high quality governor but seemed to have all the charisma of a damp rag.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that your mother is doing well.
ReplyDeleteGypsyTyger
Andrew......At this point, it's beginning to look like this black lives matter has spilled over into the campus now, subsidized and pushed by all the usual leftist/marxist groups (and the WH?) in order to provoke a response from either the police or a group of white guys sick and tired of being harassed by these a-holes. Once the anticipated response occurs, as it will, then these groups are ready with their riots, professional agitators (community activists) and backing to finally get the long-planned race war going in full force.
ReplyDeleteThey will then claim aggrieved status, victim status and Obama will open up the federal money floodgates in reparations for the "children" and "innocent folks" caught up in this racial war. All black of course. No whites are ever innocent in these riots.
That's my prediction and I hope to hell I'm wrong. People can only take so much taunting and abuse before they respond. Unless they start arresting every one of these campus idiots, and their money men, then something wicked this way comes I fear.
Bob
Andrew -
ReplyDeleteThe refugee situation reminds me of Joe Dante's HBO movie The Second Civil War from 15 years ago. Someone put up the first couple parts on YouTube. I haven't seen it in years but like most satire, no doubt there's some stuff that's over the top and some stuff that's oddly prescient.
Celebrity gossip always seems to take precedence over important news - that's an historical constant and the fast-moving 24/7 news world we live in hasn't helped. If anything, they devote even more time to frivolous things.
Re: Black Friday - it's all marketing at this point. It might've meant something at some point but with online shopping, it's like, why bother? I must confess I'm guilty - I'll probably escape from the house after Thanksgiving dinner and go to the mall. I like being in the insanity! (And if anyone sees any good deals on a PlayStation 4, let me know!) :-)
Re: student protests, I've said this before but it seems the left can't have a simple protest. It has to turn ugly and every other group with a grievance, whether it's relevant or not, gloms onto it and before you know it, what might've started as a small group with a legit problem turns into a Borg-like mob. When they lose people in the middle like me, who might otherwise be sympathetic (to a point at least), that's when you know it's a problem. And that happened a long time ago!
Bob, I wouldn't fret so much. Institutions figured out after the 1960s and seem to have retained the knowledge that the way to deal with civil disobedience is to ignore it, let it play out. They can't camp out in the quad forever. They'll get restless and either disperse or become violent on their own. At either point, their support vanishes. If some third party intervenes and causes trouble, then all the ire heaps on them and away from the university. A less ideal conclusion for the rest of us, as it allows the agitators to save face.
ReplyDeleteThanks GypsyTyger! She had amazing doctors! :)
ReplyDeleteKit, That's the thing. The Presidency is about image/charisma, not skill. There's a real irony there seeing as how everything else in America, except celebrity culture, is about merit over charisma.
ReplyDeleteBob, The Black Lives Matter idiots are a combination of Code Pink and the New Black Panthers, and I think they have become an embarrassment to the left. They will find themselves shunted to the fringe where they can be ignored because they drag down all the other causes the left has.
ReplyDeleteScott, The left can't have a simple protest because the left is a collection of rage groups. And their ideology is about exclusion and hate. So naturally, they explode when they get the chance.
ReplyDeleteOn Black Friday, I see it more cynically actually. I've noticed, for example, that they have been raising prices on many things the past couple weeks and I suspect they will be put on "super sale" right back to where they were a few weeks ago. I also think they are encouraging violence. I think certain advertisers/companies have embraced the idea that Black Friday sells by encouraging people to push and shove and fight and they want that to happen because they see it as good advertising to have people end up on youtube throwing punches. At the same time, this brings out a-holes who really just want a chance to push and shove and fight.
tryanmax, Organizations (companies, schools, police) have gotten very good at dealing with people like this. As long as their is no violence, you let them whine for a few days and then they burn themselves out generally.
ReplyDeleteAndrew,
ReplyDeleteI think people care more about the human angle than anything else. So the bombing in Paris were heavily covered, but the retaliatory strikes in Syria not so much because nobody gave a crap about the targets (yeah, they want to see the terrorists dead, but I doubt one person in 1000 could pick any of the terrorists targeted out of a line-up).
As for Bobby Jindal, I never paid much attention to him, but he was an atrocious public speaker (at least on the national stage) and his policy positions always seemed to be a reaction to whatever was popular (nods towards his dramatic reversal on Common Core).
I figured the departure of Walker signaled that no governor not named Bush had a shot, and even Bush's prospects are dim (which wouldn't bother me if the guy likely to win wasn't Trump).
re Jindal,
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of him but I'm in the "Jindal has himself to blame" category. He never made a case for himself in an exciting, engaging way. If you were to watch him in any speech recently or any of the debates, and you knew nothing about his record as governor, the only response he would elicit was, "Eh?". In fact, it was easy to forget he was in the race all together. I know I did.
Yes, you can lump some of the blame on Trump or Carson or the "stupid GOP electorate" but Rubio has managed to stay strong despite Trump.
Also, I was more upset by Perry dropping out than Jindal. Jindal is 44 years old. That means he has up to 20 years left before he drops out of the political scene. He can run for senate, get a taste of national politics, set up a think-tank, and run in 2020 (assuming we lose this one), 2024, 2028, all the way until 2036. Heck, he could potentially run in 2040 if he stays viable. Same with Scott Walker.
Perry on the other hand, unless the Democrats win this one, is not going to run for President again. Sad, but true.
What was funny about the blizzard was where I am at we got rain and a skiff of snow. Kids were really hoping for snow day.
ReplyDeleteJindal had a lot of problems but overall he just didn't seem to have his heart in it. It's probably because he turned his back on his Indian heritage.
It is starting to feel like the race is taking better shape on the GOP side with the top tier of Carson, Trump, and Rubio and a lower tier of Bush, Fiorina, Cruz, Paul, and that is followed by a bunch of other guys nobody cares about.
The second tier and below is more running for VP or government jobs (attorney general), etc. I like Carson but I just can't see him pulling it off unless a Karl Rove-esque person comes in and straightens it out. His campaign feels like a mess which is probably the appeal but won't last. Trump seems to have peaked but I have misjudged him before. Rubio is actually sitting quite well. As a young politician, he has weathered some nasty attacks. He is also the only politician in the top tier which usually works to an advantage over time. He also seems to have some of the most consistent energy. Bush or Cruz could surge and make it interesting. I love Fiorina but I just don't think she has enough money or base to sustain. She would make a great VP candidate.
All of this could easily change again in a month!
For Kit and other fans of South Park's tour de force of a season, weekly knocking PC thought police on their collective ass, blessedly stumbled across "The Goode Family" on Hulu recently. Not the masterpieces South Park's churning out, but much more fun rolling through the 13 episode season without having to worry about which night ABC's deciding not to air it.
ReplyDeleteHey all! Just one of those days. I am not surprised about Jindal. His chances have been slim since he did the Republican reply to the State of the Union address in 2011. He has been a great governor for Louisiana and should run for the US Senate (someone already said that)
ReplyDeleteI like Cruz, but he is kind of a hothead. I really want him to be appointed as AG...he'd make a great AG. I am still hoping that Bush will start moving forward. I know, I know, another Bush, but to me right now, he looks the most "presidential" and he has a lot of experience to draw on.