Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[Robert Roaldi]

Almost forgot. It was nice to see that Trump got both Covid booster and flu shots last week. At least he's consistent.

[Robert Roaldi]

This is a link to a Democracy Now interview with Cory Doctorow on the release of his new book, Enshittification. Be sure to listen to the longer Part 2, which is linked to at the bottom of that page.

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/10/10/cory_doctorow

In Part 2, they go into a lot of detail about the things that companies can easily do to you using high-tech, incl increasing Uber prices, unfair treatment of DoorDash drivers, the crushing of unions, the bricking of tractors, etc., a whole list of things. It's fascinating. I don't think it's an accident that we're being distracted from it.

[Robert Roaldi]

What is the point of Trump announcing a "covert" CIA operation in Venezuela at a press conference?

[Rob C]

Possibly to achieve a state of anxiety there without actually going to the trouble of having any “covert” feet on the ground?

[Robert Roaldi]

Possibly to achieve a state of anxiety there without actually going to the trouble of having any “covert” feet on the ground?

A double bluff!

[Rob C]

A double bluff!

Well, it’s cheaper, and no doubt leaves more floating money in some “bespoke” parts of the voting system funds that can be used to help reelection, by which time, as with some foreign precedents, it becomes possible to govern for life. With amazingly powerful courts already skilfully engineered to purpose, what could go wrong?

[Frans Waterlander]

And so, the belly-aching continues. Stay tuned for the next dump.

[digitaldog]

And so, the belly-aching continues. Stay tuned for the next dump.

"Complainers change their complaints, but they never reduce the amount of time spent in complaining". -Mason Cooley

[Robert Roaldi]

And so, the belly-aching continues. Stay tuned for the next dump.

So, are you tired of winning yet?

Anyway, what belly-aching, if you read more carefully, I'm not so much complaining as I am just ridiculing. I think this is farce.

Do you think it's ok for the Prez to send troops from red states to blue cities? Do you actually believe that Portland Oregon is a war zone?

I read that they found one actual undocumented immigrant in that apartment building that was raided by ICE in Chicago. Would you be ok with being arrested in such an incompetent operation?

Do you think that sinking those Venezuelan boats is going to affect the drug trade much? If I were in the Venezuelan cartel, I'd be sending fake drug boats out on the waters to draw fire. Maybe the "secret" CIA covert operation will figure that one out.

Anyway, it was nice to hear from you. Eat any dogs recently?

[Frans Waterlander]

So, are you tired of winning yet?

Anyway, what belly-aching, if you read more carefully, I'm not so much complaining as I am just ridiculing. I think this is farce.

Do you think it's ok for the Prez to send troops from red states to blue cities? Do you actually believe that Portland Oregon is a war zone?

I read that they found one actual undocumented immigrant in that apartment building that was raided by ICE in Chicago. Would you be ok with being arrested in such an incompetent operation?

Do you think that sinking those Venezuelan boats is going to affect the drug trade much? If I were in the Venezuelan cartel, I'd be sending fake drug boats out on the waters to draw fire. Maybe the "secret" CIA covert operation will figure that one out.

Anyway, it was nice to hear from you. Eat any dogs recently?

Yep, the belly-aching continues.

[digitaldog]

Yep, the belly-aching continues.

And yet...

[Robert Roaldi]

Yep, the belly-aching continues.

But no, seriously, do you think that Portland Oregon is a war zone? Do you?

[digitaldog]

But no, seriously, do you think that Portland Oregon is a war zone? Do you?

Or that this clown merits a pardon.
Trump commutes George Santos’ sentence

[Rob C]

I find it odd that any reader in this august space finds difficulty in discerning criticism from bellyache.

Well, not really.

[digitaldog]

I find it odd that any reader in this august space finds difficulty in discerning criticism from bellyache.

And some say photography is difficult. 
"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence". -Ansel Adams
+1 for silence, but we know that's unlikely to occur.

[Frans Waterlander]

But no, seriously, do you think that Portland Oregon is a war zone? Do you?

Around the ICE building it is.

[digitaldog]

Around the ICE building it is.

Sounds like the opinion of a war zone from someone with bone spurs in his heels. 

[Robert Roaldi]

Around the ICE building it is.

Really? Please supply a link to the video evidence.

After warning everyone about how all those anti-American violent protesters were going to be at the No Kings demonstrations, Trump, Johnson and the rest must be disappointed. Millions showed up and no uprisings yet that I've heard of, as of late Saturday evening. But this is eastern time so there is still some daylight left for those battle-hardened Oregonians to let fly. Maybe they're roasting leg of dog at the after parties.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/10/17/no-kings-protest-trump-shutdown/86710235007/

Btw, one minor thing I'm wondering about. In this thread, several months ago, you accused Biden of being a pedophile. How do you feel about Trump pardoning Ghislaine in view of that?

I have one concern about the anti-Trump turnout today. It is going to worry Trumpistan about the mid-terms. If they were asking my advice, I'd suggest a two-pronged approach. Invoke the insurrection act and drag it out long enough to cancel the mid-term elections. If that doesn't work, then Trump should pardon Ghislaine, get her to sign one hell of an NDA if she hasn't already, then resign himself and have Vance pardon him in turn before the wrong party gets a majority in Congress. He can then escape to the only place he really wants to be, a golf course somewhere. Sounds cute I guess, in a cynical way, but I'm pessimistic that the Dems will win the vote.

[digitaldog]

A war zone: absurd of course!

Here’s a closer look at the facts.

The protests
TRUMP: “In Portland, Oregon, antifa thugs have repeatedly attacked our offices and laid siege to federal property in an attempt to violently stop the execution of federal law.”

THE FACTS: There have been nightly protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland for months, peaking in June when police declared one demonstration a riot. There have also been smaller clashes since then: On Labor Day, some demonstrators brought a prop guillotine — a display the U.S. Department of Homeland Security blasted as “unhinged behavior.”
The protests at the ICE facility, which is outside downtown, have largely been confined to one city block and have attracted a range of participants. During the day, a handful of immigration and legal advocates mill about and offer copies of “know your rights” flyers. Daytime marches to the building have also included older people and families with young children. At night, other protesters arrive, often using megaphones to shout obscenities at law enforcement.
https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-portland-oregon-protests-antifa-203826406efb7420911ae756b4331f60

As usual, the facts illustrate why virtually everyone here does not take the “war zone” author seriously.

[Frans Waterlander]

...you accused Biden of being a pedophile.

Excuse me?