The direction of society lately

[BBB]

Most cycling forum moderators look like George Clooney.

You mean the, and I quote, "second rate movie star and failed political pundit" and "fake movie actor"?

[lumpy]

Plenty of people on the interwebs are not who they say they are. Even on cycling forums.

It's true. "Lumpy" is not, in fact, the name on my birth certificate.

[j44ke]

It's true. "Lumpy" is not, in fact, the name on my birth certificate.

I knew it!

[lumpy]

I knew it!

That's not my real picture either.

[Mark Walberg]

That's not my real picture either.

Mine is not real either.

[j44ke]

[bironi]

Jorn,

This video reflects your role here for a very long stint.
Herding cats.
Meow!
Thank you for hanging on and around.

By
Kudos

[BBB]

Not sure if this should go here or the what are you listening to right now thread. I'll post it here and go listen to some Neil Young.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...rump-criticism

[bigbill]

Haven't been on this one for a while but I was watching Nina Jankowicz's testimony in Congress. I met her last October at an information warfare conference in Vermont. The first time around as the so-called "disinformation czar," where she was thrown under the bus because her position was never clearly defined by Majorkas. She was left flailing in the wind. I was in a discussion group with her and she knows her subject, but the only interest being shown is peppering her with every real or imagined disinformation or censorship in the past four years. She was hired to counter disinformation in DHS, not every branch of government. My presentation at the conference was information warfare in historical context; the first liar wins, which is what she was battling in her short-lived role in DHS and her work as an author. She is a brilliant woman who appears to be arrogant and condescending, but that's not her at all, but the delivery hurts the message when congressmen are trying to create sound bites. We sat at the same table at lunch a few times, and she receives death threats and horrible texts several times a day. She chooses to remain in the spotlight and has my respect for sticking to her guns.

[ides1056]

Arrogance is tolerable when coupled with real intelligence. Suffer fools gladly? Why?

[claritycycler]

The asinine tariffs trump just imposed changed the direction of global society, an attempt at top down revolution for the benefit of the right wing ruling class from the historical playbook of dictators and kings.

[rwsaunders]

Thank Congress from the era of the Great Depression, as that’s when the power of tariffs was given to the President. I guess that they never imagined that a Soviet agent would openly occupy the White House.

[thollandpe]

After getting rid of all the female four-star generals, it looks like they’re starting on the three-stars.

US admiral at NATO fired in expanding national security purge | Reuters

Sen. Jack Reed: "The silence from my Republican colleagues is deeply troubling... I cannot fathom how anyone could stand silently by while the President causes great harm to our military and our nation."

[robin3mj]

Where’s the bottom here? When red state retirees’ 401k lose a third of their value in a week? Half?

Or is there no bottom? This feels like the biggest market manipulation ever, and any Republican representative with half a brain is making a killing these days (and probably half the Democrats as well.).

[gregl]

Where’s the bottom here? When red state retirees’ 401k lose a third of their value in a week? Half?

Or is there no bottom? This feels like the biggest market manipulation ever, and any Republican representative with half a brain is making a killing these days (and probably half the Democrats as well.).

There is no bottom. It's a kleptocracy/plutocracy/oligarchy run amok. The cult of MAGA has lost their collective mind, following "dear leader" right off the cliff. Except "dear leader" steps aside at the cliff and thanks the MAGA hoards for jumping in his stead. Welcome to "America the Stupid."

Greg

[thollandpe]

After getting rid of all the female four-star generals…

US admiral at NATO fired in expanding national security purge | Reuters

“President Trump’s unjustified dismissal of Vice Admiral Chatfield is disgraceful. Admiral Chatfield is among the finest military officers our nation has to offer, and she has distinguished herself as the U.S. Military Representative to NATO. Her 38-year career as a Navy pilot, foreign policy expert, and preeminent military educator—including as President of the Naval War College—will leave a lasting legacy on the Navy and throughout the military. Admiral Chatfield’s record of selfless service is unblemished by President Trump’s behavior.

“The silence from my Republican colleagues is deeply troubling. In less than three months, President Trump has fired 10 generals and admirals without explanation, including our most experienced combat leaders. I cannot fathom how anyone could stand silently by while the President causes great harm to our military and our nation.

“I will continue to call out this unconscionable behavior and sound the alarm about the dangers of firing military officers as a political loyalty test. I urge my Republican colleagues to join me in demanding an explanation from President tЯump and Secretary Kegstand.”

Lesson 2: “Defend Institutions. It is institutions that help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other unless each is defended from the beginning, The mistake is to assume that rulers who came to power through institutions cannot change or destroy those very institutions. So choose an institution you care about—and take its side.”

The U.S. military is an institution.

[thollandpe]

Guess her gender. OK spoiler alert but so predictable.

Head of US military base in Greenland fired after JD Vance visit | Guardian

Are we all the couch now?

[Mark Kelly]

Where’s the bottom here?

When the USA's exorbitant privilege goes up in smoke. We're almost there and it looks very likely that President C-word is hell bent on getting the job done.


It's almost comical that his actions were predicated on a nominal desire to reduce US foreign debt but are destroying the thing that made that debt sustainable. When the privilege goes, you guys are royally screwed.

Whether the rest of the world will be better off once the smoke clears, I dunno. Most non - Americans resent the position the USA has assumed for the last 80 years but the alternative may well be worse.

[htwoopup]

Guess her gender. OK spoiler alert but so predictable.

Head of US military base in Greenland fired after JD Vance visit | Guardian

Are we all the couch now?

And the other thing that I find so effed up….They claim the reason was becasue she was being political. Yet, if you use logic you will see that she WAS being NON-political in her statement and it was, in fact, the Regime that was being political in their statement which she AS IS HER JOB had to issue a NON-political statement in order to keep the military base functioning.

[72gmc]

The much-ballyhooed meritocracy in action. Turns out my definition of merit was wrong all along.