Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[Rob C]

Deaths in Gaza continue to rise; children starve to death whilst food in scores of aid trucks rots at check points closed by Israel. It’s said that the US could simply tell Israel to stop its genocide and that Israel would do just that, depending as much as it does on Trumpian love. Why doesn’t that happen? Was the Trump Gaza holiday complex actually serious state policy after all?

You see the trick working? I can’t even be sure if I think Trump actually is crazy, or playing a crafty game of self-enrichment and avoiding prosecution whilst holding office; I had imagined the latter to be the case, but can no longer be sure. I’m sure those bereaved parents in Minneapolis are really consoled to know that they are the recipients of White House prayers. For sure, the gun manufactures won’t be losing any sleep; their position is solid: in the land of the free, feel free to own your own arsenal, and all because of gun laws drawn up in a totally different era when folks still lived in the same village pretty much from birth to death, seldom saw outsiders, had to protect their farm and family themselves because there was nobody else to do it for them. Hmmm… has very much changed?

[kers]

Deaths in Gaza continue to rise; children starve to death whilst food in scores of aid trucks rots at check points closed by Israel. It’s said that the US could simply tell Israel to stop its genocide and that Israel would do just that, depending as much as it does on Trumpian love. Why doesn’t that happen? Was the Trump Gaza holiday complex actually serious state policy after all?...

The Trump administration is pro Christian , pro white male and foremost pro Trump.
Yes, the US is responsible for the starvation and killing of the Palestines almost as much as Israel. They are the only nation that could stop this attrocity besides Israel.
Europe is not doing anything to prefend it except for words. As they always have supported Israel, they are in a process of changing their view on Israel, and even Germany speaks up.
Meanwhile Israelis demonstrate everyday against the war, and release the hostages. Still in this democratic state Israel is you would expect a majority against the war. But then democracy is no garantee that can prefend evil to rise in power as history has shown.

[Robert Roaldi]

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You see the trick working? I can’t even be sure if I think Trump actually is crazy, or playing a crafty game of self-enrichment and avoiding prosecution whilst holding office; I had imagined the latter to be the case, but can no longer be sure. I’m sure those bereaved parents in Minneapolis are really consoled to know that they are the recipients of White House prayers. For sure, the gun manufactures won’t be losing any sleep; their position is solid: in the land of the free, feel free to own your own arsenal, and all because of gun laws drawn up in a totally different era when folks still lived in the same village pretty much from birth to death, seldom saw outsiders, had to protect their farm and family themselves because there was nobody else to do it for them. Hmmm… has very much changed?

There must be a better way to grift your way into self-enrichment other than sidling up to Putin. Others have managed to do so. Hard to imagine that it is part of some triple-bluff genius move on Trump's part.

Denmark is taking a dim view of clandestine US actions in Greenland. US intelligence agencies haven't always been very successful over the years, hard to imagine the current leadership could manage better. Did they find staff who could at least speak Danish? The US ambassador to Canada, for one, has missed several golden opportunities to keep his mouth shut.

That church shooting in Minneapolis was one of 4 shootings that day in the city. From the reports I've seen so far they seem to be unrelated. There are reports that the church shooter is trans so it's not difficult to predict how this public discussion will go. Once Trump stops praying, he'll take to social media, I'm sure. Some has already begun https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/08/28/after-minneapolis-shooting-trump-s-supporters-charge-trans-terrorism_6744797_4.html. They may have coined a new term, "trans-terrorism". Will the National Guard start raiding drag shows?

After these latest shootings, gun control will come up again in the "media". They may as well replay old broadcasts, who'll know the difference.

[Rob C]

The genius behind the perverted prevention of clear discussion was legally enshrined - in various countries - by the catch-all phrase of “hate speech”, which can be appropriated by anyone at all with any friggin’ agenda whatsoever. It’s no longer enough to expect to be considered innocent until proven guilty: the responsibility of proving innocence is now paramount, rather than the other way around. 1984 seems so quaint today…

Yep, bomb the reporters, the cameramen, the photographers and varied revealers of Gazaen starvation, and call it a regrettable accident, denying, the while, that starvation exists. I suppose the photos and videos of skin-and-bone kids is all advanced AI and produced out of comfortable opposition media offices in New York, Paris or London or even somewhere such as Tehran… the newspeople killed were clearly there for fun, or to increase the credibility of the news stories manufactures elsewhere. They weren’t actually doing any reporting, just having holidays in the sunshine. I’m surprised that brave species hasn’t just given up and gone home; I guess that’s the hoped for reaction to those desirous of making a new holiday riviera from the ashes and rubble. Homo sapiens: what a friggin’ joke. The savage has never left the species.

[Robert Roaldi]

... The savage has never left the species.

For a while it seemed that there was at least an aspiration to do so, but inevitably someone noxious gains power and the sheep follow. It's always easier to descend into chaos, takes work to emerge from it. Takes work to stay out of it too.

You might enjoy this. There's a school district (or maybe a school library, can't remember the details anymore) in Edmonton, Alberta that is banning The Handmaid's Tale and Brave New World, among other books, because of explicit sexual content. Meanwhile, internet porn.

I enjoyed watching how professionally RFK Jr et al handled the restructuring of the CDC, https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cdc-turmoil-monarez-senior-officials-1.7620484. The ivermectin king wants to get rid of all vaccines, I suspect. They are destroying a world class organization because of a social media shit show about how masks were limiting people's "freedom". One of the most advanced nations around is throwing away modern medicine in favour of new age witch doctoring because contrarianism is so easily mistaken for rebellion by the feeble-minded. Why don't they get rid of antibiotics too, while they're at it. How short-sighted do you need to be to politicize medical research? Trump isn't looking too healthy, question is how ingrained is this insanity and will it persist after he departs. And if the madness does disappear after he's gone, what does it say about the ass-licking sycophants who helped prolong it just so they could hang onto their jobs. A nation that lets this happen deserves to suffer the consequences, how else can they learn. It's all self-inflicted and I've yet to hear one good reason why.

[Rob C]

For a while it seemed that there was at least an aspiration to do so, but inevitably someone noxious gains power and the sheep follow. It's always easier to descend into chaos, takes work to emerge from it. Takes work to stay out of it too.

You might enjoy this. There's a school district (or maybe a school library, can't remember the details anymore) in Edmonton, Alberta that is banning The Handmaid's Tale and Brave New World, among other books, because of explicit sexual content. Meanwhile, internet porn.

I enjoyed watching how professionally RFK Jr et al handled the restructuring of the CDC, https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cdc-turmoil-monarez-senior-officials-1.7620484. The ivermectin king wants to get rid of all vaccines, I suspect. They are destroying a world class organization because of a social media shit show about how masks were limiting people's "freedom". One of the most advanced nations around is throwing away modern medicine in favour of new age witch doctoring because contrarianism is so easily mistaken for rebellion by the feeble-minded. Why don't they get rid of antibiotics too, while they're at it. How short-sighted do you need to be to politicize medical research? Trump isn't looking too healthy, question is how ingrained is this insanity and will it persist after he departs. And if the madness does disappear after he's gone, what does it say about the ass-licking sycophants who helped prolong it just so they could hang onto their jobs. A nation that lets this happen deserves to suffer the consequences, how else can they learn. It's all self-inflicted and I've yet to hear one good reason why.

Well, I guess the next general election will give the population the chance to reconsider, but it could well be that the ruling gang is on to that, and is changing voting boundaries with exactly the hope of controlling, numerically, the way the voting can turn out. Power corrupts, as anyone with any of it must have already experienced; as the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely, and then the individuals with said power soon lose the capacity to see themselves for what they have become.

As for nations ever learning - I have my doubts. Politics appears to be a game of betting on either of two main horses; one is bound to win, and the other gets its turn again later on. The only way to change that is either to change the betting rules, or to abandon them completely. Or, of course, to shoot one of the horses. Hello dictatorship.

[Robert Roaldi]

Mass shootings in the US in 2025, so far, https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting. Always good to be reminded. That link only points to 2025, other years are available.

[Robert Roaldi]

Well, I guess the next general election will give the population the chance to reconsider, but it could well be that the ruling gang is on to that, and is changing voting boundaries with exactly the hope of controlling, numerically, the way the voting can turn out. Power corrupts, as anyone with any of it must have already experienced; as the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely, and then the individuals with said power soon lose the capacity to see themselves for what they have become.

As for nations ever learning - I have my doubts. Politics appears to be a game of betting on either of two main horses; one is bound to win, and the other gets its turn again later on. The only way to change that is either to change the betting rules, or to abandon them completely. Or, of course, to shoot one of the horses. Hello dictatorship.

No need to worry, the US is going to straighten out Venezuela now. Hegseth will finally get to rain down hellfire on America's enemies. No one has been able to clean up the world-wide trade in illegal drugs in at least two or three generations now. If Trump manages to clean things up with a few bombs, one has to ask what exactly has been going on for the last century. Was the war on drugs one big new show fluff-piece? Am I too cynical. So far, it's not working as a distraction from Epstein though.

I keep seeing photos of National Guardsmen sweeping the streets. Literally, with brooms, and it's not a good look. Complaints are emerging about how much it's all costing. Some cities are making threats against this federal invasion. I've yet to read the opinions of state's rights advocates on the subject. Are they ok with it or not? I also read that some ICE agents are complaining about having to meet arrest quotas. This is the wrong strategy. I think that capture bonuses would work better. I'd be careful not to get too dark a tan in towns being patrolled by ICE agents on the hunt.

[Robert Roaldi]

American public affairs are so entertaining. I skimmed through some FB posts this morning and it's as if some people are only now discovering that RFK Jr has crackpot views on aspects of health care. Is this really a surprise?

I had a personal friend make the statement that because Covid is less of a problem now, that proves that it was never a big deal. That reminds me so much of those who claimed that the millennial bug was a hoax because no planes crashed, ignoring the fact that efforts had been made around the globe to address the software issues for the 2-3 years leading up to that midnight. I bet you still can't convince them to this day.

[Rob C]

Robert, not thinking makes people feel safer.

I wonder if those folks think smallpox went away by itself, or its existence was just fake news after all?

[Robert Roaldi]

... I wonder if those folks think smallpox went away by itself, or its existence was just fake news after all?

They might be finding out soon enough in Florida. Backed by notions that the government should not control people's bodies (except for abortions or trans stuff or gun ownership because there are always exceptions aren't there, no need to carry on about that) they're removing mandates for school vaccines. I see this two ways. One, it's a boost to private schools, because people with money will protect themselves with vaccines or any other way, that you can count on. Two, given that US Health Care is a profit-seeking industry, disease prevention may not be a good fit. You can make more money treating illness than preventing it. Am I too cynical, do you think?

[Rob C]

They might be finding out soon enough in Florida. Backed by notions that the government should not control people's bodies (except for abortions or trans stuff or gun ownership because there are always exceptions aren't there, no need to carry on about that) they're removing mandates for school vaccines. I see this two ways. One, it's a boost to private schools, because people with money will protect themselves with vaccines or any other way, that you can count on. Two, given that US Health Care is a profit-seeking industry, disease prevention may not be a good fit. You can make more money treating illness than preventing it. Am I too cynical, do you think?

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Cynical? Too forgiving may be more accurate! ;-)

[kers]

From Ministry of Defense to Ministry of War....
Trump certainly wants this nobel peace price....

[Robert Roaldi]

What a heart-warming story this was https://nbcmontana.com/news/nation-world/utah-violinist-speaks-about-ice-detainment-after-returning-to-salt-lake, about ICE eventually releasing that South Korean violinist. I guess the system works after all. I'm sure Americans feel much safer now. OTOH, he can now go back to stealing American concert violinist jobs.

I saw that Putin, Xi and Kim had a pleasant meeting the other day, https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/sep/06/xi-jinping-vladimir-putin-kim-jong-un-optics-new-world-order. Nice that they get along so well. Weren't we told that the mighty Trump had them all under control? They never met like this when Obama and Biden were around. What message were they sending, I wonder. And soon after, Putin increased the bombing in Ukraine. The world is a much safer place now that Donald is around, no question. Hegseth and his Department of War has them all running scared, it's obvious.

But at least Venezuelan drug boat crews are nervous, so there's that.

What a shit show.

[Robert Roaldi]

I was sad to see Michael Johnson back off his "Trump as undercover FBI agent" idea, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/09/07/trump-epstein-johnson-fbi/. I was looking forward to the Netflix mini-series. 

[Rob C]

The more I read about American politics and politicians, the more I find the line between hero and villain confused. Maybe it’s my own fault: there is no such line…

[PeterAit]

It seems that our benighted president decided that he needed to show his orange face at the US Open yesterday. The resulting security matters created a huge hassle with hundreds, if not thousands of paying customers having to wait hours to get to the seats and missing lots of the action. He is not interested in tennis, he just likes to make a fuss and get his face on TV. The broadcasters were requested, or ordered, not to show or broadcast any booing in response to the president's presence. Isn't he a wonderful guy?

[Rob C]

T.Y.R.A.N.N.Y.

[Robert Roaldi]

ICE busted hundreds of employees at a US Hyundai plant. I find it hard to believe that Hyundai would use that many illegals. Or any. Maybe Hyundai was late with the vig this week.

[Rob C]

ICE busted hundreds of employees at a US Hyundai plant. I find it hard to believe that Hyundai would use that many illegals. Or any. Maybe Hyundai was late with the vig this week.

Keep this up, and it could happen that having a US presence becomes more bother than it's worth. Ford makes no more  cars, only Mustangs and trucks; is there much of a domestic car production market left, or does the US only want hillbilly transportation with a gunrack in the back?

In Europe and the UK, camera prices have, historically, been higher than in the US; perhaps the new Trump US prices will mean that more stock is now sent to Europe... as for cars, well, here, price-wise, we are doing our best anyway to make them unobtanium. Electric cars may seem a good idea, but unless you live in a house with its own driveway, how do you charge them up? I live in an apartment, and there is no way; it's difficult enough finding a parking space. Public points? I know of six: two in a street, two in a public car park and two in the yacht club. The policy is to end the sale of fossil-fueled cars in ten years... better go to the gym - and the cobbler's shop.