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Author Topic: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa  (Read 1288616 times)

degrub

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17360 on: October 28, 2025, 09:02:30 am »

simple. As with any autocratic narcissist, he needs public acclaim and attention. It also distracts from other "projects" that are not going well and an economy that is stressed. 
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Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17361 on: October 28, 2025, 10:06:01 am »

For anyone who is not aware Kara Swisher and Scoot Galloway run a podcast titled Pivot, each episode of which covers a number of topics that are current. The most recent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbKoHSe0ous has two segments that I wanted to point out. The first matters to Canadians and is about the Reagan tariff ad that Ontario floated which caused some controversy. It starts at about 5:50.

The second segment was about the CEO of Binance that was recently pardoned by Trump and starts at about 21:14. I didn't know much about the guy but he seems to be a not very nice person. His crypto intersection with the Trump world is of interest.

What's becoming more and more commonplace on the interweb and elsewhere is the open secret about the corruption in the Trump administration. What an embarrassing and spectacular failure of governance. It's how the mob would run the country if they got the chance. The number of big money players who seem to be fine with this is telling. Imagine, all these years all the President needed to do to be king was to appoint the right ass-kissers in 2 or 3 important jobs and make sure that Congress is impotent. All of it was done in the light of day by people who were elected.
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Rob C

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17362 on: October 28, 2025, 11:44:20 am »

Hey, wise men often speak in “tongues’ - or something like that.

If Breaking Bad was anything to go by, all you need’s an old motor home, and you’re in the production business. Funny thing is, from the images we see, those boats all look empty. Would anybody leave so much unused volume on any such risky run? In for a penny, in for a pound.

Anyway, all those big engines, beyond a certain power, are almost pointless: there's a limit to how fast any hull can go and I think it depends on the length of it in the water. It can only go up on the plane, then where further can it go without wings?

Catching a boat that looks full is pointless unless to the very naïve: how would we know it hadn’t just been filled by the good guys for the filming? You gotta be there…

I guess the big boats are gathering in the area just in case of another version of the Cuban missile crisis. ;-)
« Last Edit: October 28, 2025, 11:54:14 am by Rob C »
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Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17363 on: October 29, 2025, 07:38:27 am »

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Catching a boat that looks full is pointless unless to the very naïve: how would we know it hadn’t just been filled by the good guys for the filming? You gotta be there…

Very true.



Quote
I guess the big boats are gathering in the area just in case of another version of the Cuban missile crisis. ;-)

Maybe they're worried about California seceding.
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Rob C

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17364 on: October 29, 2025, 11:31:36 am »

If they are worried about California, then wise of them to be on the wrong side of South America.

(Our late and large Alsabrador used to find it impossible to see threats: she always had to look in the wrong direction. No fool, she.)

However, not a renowned geographer, it might be that the POTUS has just had a senior moment. Then, why ever not? I enjoy them frequently! ;-)

Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17365 on: October 30, 2025, 10:40:05 am »

The Elon Musk AI may have slipped up in a bad way here, https://www.cbc.ca/news/investigates/tesla-grok-mom-9.6956930. I haven't seen a follow-up on the story yet so it's hard to know how factual it is or whether some things were left out of the original report. But at first glance it looks bad. Is this what Musk meant when he called himself a "free speech absolutist", a concept that should not survive adolescence.
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PeterAit

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17366 on: October 31, 2025, 09:53:13 am »

It seems that Kristi Noem was asked to please stop ICE raids in Chicago briefly for Halloween. She refused. Maybe some trick-or-treaters can dress up as her.
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Rob C

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17367 on: October 31, 2025, 05:55:20 pm »

There is a lot of stuff about AI circulating around my head. Overall, I think it’s going to be a terrible thing for mankind. I believe that we simply don’t have the depth of sanity and intelligence to handle it once it gets more widespread. Social media has already turned voters into even more gullible creatures than they used to be; lies and propaganda are swallowed whole, questioning anything has become the social evil of the day because it’s not acceptable to make anyone feel foolish or less than the brightest star in the firmament. Peer group opinion is obviously more important than telling it like it is, so anyone with doubts will probably prefer to stay quiet for fear of being cancelled.

Politics is a subject that attracts many wannabe power addicts - armed with AI they become ever more dangerous: how can Joe Soap know the difference between broadcast reality and broadcast creative lies? He can’t. He sees a well-produced fake video and there you are, seeing’s believing. Poor bloody mankind; what a goddam awful future awaits. We didn't need an atom bomb to take us out - we did it by some of us being too inclined to believe we are gods ourselves.

Just this evening Spanish news ran a short item on a new horror: the creation of fake life for your family dead, where you can hear them speak and move about as if still alive. That’s a friggin’ depraved business model, but I bet that it will be a money maker, especially in societies with strong religious undertones/overtones and more so where there is poverty and attendant ignorance.

Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17368 on: November 01, 2025, 10:50:08 am »

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Just this evening Spanish news ran a short item on a new horror: the creation of fake life for your family dead, where you can hear them speak and move about as if still alive. That’s a friggin’ depraved business model, but I bet that it will be a money maker, especially in societies with strong religious undertones/overtones and more so where there is poverty and attendant ignorance.

Many months ago someone on a podcast described a service whereby you could contract the company to continue your social media posts for a specified period of time after your death. I don't remember the pitch anymore, that is I don't know why they thought anyone would want this service.
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Robert

Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17369 on: November 03, 2025, 02:42:10 pm »

So now Trump wants to launch a crusade into Nigeria to save some persecuted Christians. Are any actually being persecuted or is this social media type information? I heard there are some atheists in Oregon too.

De Santis, Florida governor, is lining up with Turning Point vis à vis Florida schools. I think he should get Kirk's millionaire CEO widow to come talk to the students about trad wife ideas. Maybe she can teach the girls in Florida to cook and sew. I never heard much more about De Santis's financial scandal from a few months ago. Did some SuperPac pay off the vig?

I noticed a small news item about Trump dropping hints that Seth Meyers might be committing an illegal act by mocking Trump. Is it legal to sink another country's boats that are nowhere near US shores?

Trump is openly stating that Maduro in Venezuela should be removed. He's another in a long line of leaders of other countries that American corporations have wanted removed. Is the US military really just a mercenary force these days? I'm sure Trump sees them that way. It worked out so well in Iran when they installed the Shah.

Does MAGA even know that any of the above is happening or does the alt-right media tell them that Venezuela is attacking the US and is now the enemy. No wait, Nigeria is the new enemy. Or was it Canada. Or Greenland. It appeared to be China for a while but AI chips will be sent there soon, so I figure some tech bros have a lot of money invested in China. They're probably thinking longer term and Trump is not a well man.
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Robert

Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17370 on: November 04, 2025, 10:53:51 am »

I didn't watch all of the Trump 60 Minutes interview, frankly what he has to say is never very interesting, but I got a big kick out of him claiming not to know who that Binance CEO was that he pardoned. He's on national TV and he's just saying to the entire country "F**k you, you dumb arseholes!"

About the actual statement, it's either true and he meant it, or he's lying, either way it's not good.
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PeterAit

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17371 on: November 04, 2025, 12:27:48 pm »

So now Trump wants to launch a crusade into Nigeria to save some persecuted Christians. Are any actually being persecuted or is this social media type information? I heard there are some atheists in Oregon too.



There is serious persecution of Christians in some areas of Nigeria, by Boko Harum (sp?) & other Muslim extremists. But F-16s and cruise missiles cannot fix it.

Trump could do something about the religious persecution here in the US, of Muslims I mean.
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Rob C

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17372 on: November 04, 2025, 01:55:19 pm »

I’m not sure anyone can achieve much on that front: various forms of Christian hate and kill each other, as with some Moslems too. There are quite a few of the latter go to my local bar, and they are no different to anybody else: polite, say hello, and have bought me a coffee, and on one occasion, when I walked the klick down to the shops and the bar, thinking it would remain cool, I discovered my mistake a couple of hours later when I started the walk homewards in high heat. As luck would have it, one of the guys I was writing about stopped his van, told me to jump in, turned around and drove me home. That was a helluva kind thing to do for an old guy who should have known better.

As with much in life - you get back what you put into it, and sometimes not.
« Last Edit: November 04, 2025, 03:47:43 pm by Rob C »
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Rob C

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17373 on: November 05, 2025, 04:04:27 pm »

Well, today’s changes in NY kinda reflect things in London: post Boris (anybody outwith Europe remember him?), London got a non-, nominally, Christian “leader”, which might well reflect the actual ethnical and religious power structures underlying both huge cities. It’s always been a mistake to undervalue the importance of those factors. They bring down empires, as history has proven again and again. There is value, if usually negative, in being old: you can remember realities that never cross the minds of the young. With history becoming ever more a side-show and almost an irrelevance in schools, is it surprising? Soon, history will be whatever social media says it was. How sad for those condemned to be born into such eras.

Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17374 on: November 05, 2025, 05:45:10 pm »

Well, today’s changes in NY kinda reflect things in London: post Boris (anybody outwith Europe remember him?), London got a non-, nominally, Christian “leader”, which might well reflect the actual ethnical and religious power structures underlying both huge cities. It’s always been a mistake to undervalue the importance of those factors. They bring down empires, as history has proven again and again. There is value, if usually negative, in being old: you can remember realities that never cross the minds of the young. With history becoming ever more a side-show and almost an irrelevance in schools, is it surprising? Soon, history will be whatever social media says it was. How sad for those condemned to be born into such eras.

Not much new there. The Soviets tried to re-write history, among others, so we have those experiences to refer to. If anyone cares to look.

I am not much convinced by arguments that seek to explain why so and so was elected or why, when more often than not, I bet a lot of electors are just trying to throw out the old bunch. You can only vote for whoever is on the ballot. An ideal third choice is rarely offered up. You can't buy sirloin in a chip shop, to strain the metaphor.

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Rob C

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17375 on: November 06, 2025, 04:54:55 am »

The problem with third choices is simple: the backing money goes to the front runners. There are supposed to be checks on how much is spent on elections - in some countries at least - with over-spends creating serious problems regarding provenance of funds etc. In France, isn’t Carla Bruni’s husband in jail, or on the bus going there, for just that very crime?

I don’t know how one would create a level playing field; buying votes smells, as does buying politicians, which is precisely what private money is doing when it backs any candidate. It might be better, or at least a little more equitable, if all private money was disallowed in presenting candidates for election, with the people presented by parties with a significant enough number of would-be voters, all getting the same quantity of governmental funds to run their campaigns. Any extra money spent on electioneering should bring automatic ejection from the campaign. At least the Musks of this world would either have to create a new party of their choice or be confined to making hideous vehicles and rockets, and not buying the lawmakers and messing up life in countries beyond their own.

Rob C

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17376 on: November 06, 2025, 09:27:16 am »


You can't buy sirloin in a chip shop, to strain the metaphor.

This is usually true, but often enough there’s no sirloin on offer anywhere at all.

That’s exactly what I believe I observe on both sides of the Atlantic, including mainland Europe. Elsewhere, there’s a plethora of greater or lesser tyrannies in power, a power the incumbents seem determine to keep until death do them part. It often does, with banishment or flight the softer options.

Robert Roaldi

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17377 on: November 07, 2025, 11:43:09 am »

In this one hour podcast David Frum interviews an ex-military legal commentator guy about the use of the military and Natl Guard on US cities and the highly questionable legality of sinking boats on the open seas just on the Prez's say-so. It makes for scary listening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cJrYC9tkN8

Elon Musk talked up his "soon to be released" flying Tesla on Rogan's podcast. Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway had some choice words to say about that on their Pivot podcast (one of the segments of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVtKTQhL9bc. Whenever I hear talk of flying cars I laugh. There are problems getting US and Canadian drivers to accept roundabouts and now suddenly all these folks will be pilots too. Yeah sure. Tesla can't use the correct glue on their body panels so how in the hell are they going to meet the manufacturing requirements of airborne vehicles that carry humans and that fly over our heads, and be able to sell those "cars" at reasonable prices, even if they could get permission to let them fly. Mind you, if Elon contributes enough money to Trump's ballroom, he can probably get permission to do just about anything.

Almost every day, a new low.


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Frans Waterlander

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17378 on: November 07, 2025, 11:55:44 am »

Almost every day, a new low.
Every day, TDS in full view.
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digitaldog

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Re: Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa
« Reply #17379 on: November 07, 2025, 02:24:39 pm »

Every day, TDS in full view.
And Trump fan foolery.
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