Octopus Overlords

There was a time, years ago but not that many, that I didn't follow world events or politics. I was among the ignorant. Had I stayed that way, I wouldn't have known about the American decline, the nightmare in Afghanistan, or any of the other horrific things that are going on in the world. I wouldn't be sparing a thought for midterms. I wouldn't be so constantly stressed, angry, and miserable about the state of the nation and of the world. I wouldn't be ashamed of my nation. And I still would have been just as effective in improving the situation.

The djinni is out of that bottle, though. I can't go back to that, and doubt that I would if I could. But sometimes, quietly and inside my brain where nobody can see, I almost wish I had stayed ignorant. I was happier.

I've been politically active for as long as I can remember but I haven't been as politically informed and yeah, I probably would trade the stress, the shame, the anger, the anxiety for ignorance. It's hard to say. I'm just too exhausted to stay informed but the damage is done. The only thing is the trade would have to take me back in time enough for me not to discover libertarianism. I'd hate to be caught in the libertarian trap and then be happy to maintain my ignorance at that point.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 4:45 pm I've been politically active for as long as I can remember but I haven't been as politically informed and yeah, I probably would trade the stress, the shame, the anger, the anxiety for ignorance. It's hard to say. I'm just too exhausted to stay informed but the damage is done. The only thing is the trade would have to take me back in time enough for me not to discover libertarianism. I'd hate to be caught in the libertarian trap and then be happy to maintain my ignorance at that point.

I've had that stress and anger and anxiety since high school when I idolized the likes of Billy Bragg and Jello Biafra. I wouldn't change those decades of knowing for anything.

I’m convinced the best path is through, not back (which is impossible anyway).

Learn to manage our painful consciousness rather than try to wish we had never gained it.

Accept, truly, that we can’t change or control most if not all of these events, and do what we can at the personal level.

Be a great Dad, partner, neighbor, co-worker etc. Do objectively ‘good’ things when you can, or are presented with the opportunity. Even better, seek them out.

Tiny, almost (ALMOST) meaningless ripple in a roaring ocean, but I’m convinced that is The Way (TM).

Frankl, almost all the Stoics, and a bunch of other smart, philosopher types, paraphrased: you have no power over external events and how others act. The only control you have in life is how you, personally react to them (mentally, physically, etc).

We can gnash our teeth at the evil that surrounds us, or we can accept it as a part of the world, trying ourselves, hyper-aware (now) of The Evil, to not be that way at minimum, and ideally to do good when and if we are able.

/Lucy
5 cents, please.
\Lucy
(Not a programmer, obviously! No idea if that’s the correct syntax)

It amazes me how overt racism has become since Trump became president.
I'm sure it was still all there before he did but it seem so popular now to "proudly" show off how racist you are.
Unbelievable.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 12:23 pm WaPo

Days after South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg fatally struck a man while driving in September, detectives told the Republican official they had found a pair of broken reading glasses inside his Ford Taurus. They belonged to the man he killed.

That was a problem, detectives said, because Ravnsborg, 44, said he didn’t know he had hit a man until the following day, when he returned to the scene and found the body of Joseph Boever, 55, in a ditch.

“They’re Joe’s glasses, so that means his face came through your windshield,” one of the detectives said in an interview released by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety on Tuesday.
...
Last week, prosecutors announced three misdemeanor charges against Ravnsborg. If found guilty of all charges, Ravnsborg could face up to 90 days in jail and $1,500 in damages.

NPR

South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg pleaded no contest Thursday to a pair of misdemeanor traffic charges over a crash last year that killed a pedestrian, avoiding jail time despite bitter complaints from the victim's family that he was being too lightly punished for actions they called "inexcusable."

Circuit Judge John Brown had little leeway to order jail time. Instead, he fined the state's top law enforcement official $500 for each count plus court costs of $3,742. Brown also ordered the Republican to "do a significant public service event" in each of the next five years near the date of Joseph Boever's death — granting a request from the Boever family. But he put that on hold pending a final ruling after Ravnsborg's attorney objected that it was not allowed by statute.
...
Ravnsborg pleaded no contest to making an illegal lane change and using a phone while driving, which each carried a maximum sentence of up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. Prosecutors dropped a careless driving charge.

Ravnsborg didn't attend the hearing — he didn't have to and was represented by his attorney, Tim Rensch. That angered Boever's family.

So....the chief law enforcement official in a state just got away with a hit and run, right?

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:44 am So....the chief law enforcement official in a state just got away with a hit and run, right?

Yeah, sure sounds like it. And it sounds like he's still AG?

The rot goes deep.

Apparently per the article he plans to stay in office, though he may still be impeached. I wish I was more optimistic about the odds of the latter.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:46 am

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:44 am So....the chief law enforcement official in a state just got away with a hit and run, right?

Yeah, sure sounds like it. And it sounds like he's still AG?

The rot goes deep.

Maybe we need a "The Republican AG Crime Wave" specialized thread adjacent to Fed's old Republican campaign staff crime wave thread. Might as well lump in Ken Paxton. He is the one that truly blows my mind and makes me wonder if the FBI is completely useless at fighting official corruption anymore. His entire staff of lawyers in the Attorney General's office resigns or are fired while yelling...he is criming...and nothing happens? What the fuck is happening here.

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:56 am

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:46 am

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:44 am So....the chief law enforcement official in a state just got away with a hit and run, right?

Yeah, sure sounds like it. And it sounds like he's still AG?

The rot goes deep.

Maybe we need a "The Republican AG Crime Wave" specialized thread adjacent to Fed's old Republican campaign staff crime wave thread. Might as well lump in Ken Paxton. He is the one that truly blows my mind and makes me wonder if the FBI is completely useless at fighting official corruption anymore. His entire staff of lawyers in the Attorney General's office resigns or are fired while yelling...he is criming...and nothing happens? What the fuck is happening here.

Yeah, that's a good point. The only caveat is that for the most part we won't know about what's going on with investigations until people are indicted or about to be indicted, so it's entirely possible that things are in motion with Paxton and/or others. But I wish I had more optimism that they are.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Wed Aug 25, 2021 8:03 pm This Ken Paxton?

In a statement, attorneys for the whistleblowers, said the “takeaway from this internal report is that, although Ken Paxton remains under active federal investigation, the people who still work for Paxton say he did nothing wrong.” The FBI is reportedly investigating the claims by Paxton’s former employees.
...
The report does not impact the whistleblower lawsuit, which is currently awaiting a hearing at the 3rd Court of Appeals after Paxton asked the court to throw out the case. The four whistleblowers — Ryan Vassar, Mark Penley, James Brickman and David Maxwell — have asked the court to reinstate them and compensate them for lost wages, future loss of earnings and damages for emotional pain and suffering.

That's somewhat comforting, at least.

Saw a big "Biden Sucks" on a dirty pickup truck today. I suddenly wanted no where near that driver. I dont get why people think that but think a lying con man out for himself is so good. I can guarantee that the guy in the truck is better off with Biden and was worse off with the orange buffoon.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:38 am

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:56 am

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:46 am

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:44 am So....the chief law enforcement official in a state just got away with a hit and run, right?

Yeah, sure sounds like it. And it sounds like he's still AG?

The rot goes deep.

Maybe we need a "The Republican AG Crime Wave" specialized thread adjacent to Fed's old Republican campaign staff crime wave thread. Might as well lump in Ken Paxton. He is the one that truly blows my mind and makes me wonder if the FBI is completely useless at fighting official corruption anymore. His entire staff of lawyers in the Attorney General's office resigns or are fired while yelling...he is criming...and nothing happens? What the fuck is happening here.

Yeah, that's a good point. The only caveat is that for the most part we won't know about what's going on with investigations until people are indicted or about to be indicted, so it's entirely possible that things are in motion with Paxton and/or others. But I wish I had more optimism that they are.

Yeah and I have two issues with what is going on:

One - we have experts in crime saying their boss is criming. Here we are 10 months later and we have no indication anything is happening there. In fact, the guy is showboating and probably criming even more. Our legal system just can't keep pace with the corruption. It's not even a close race. When you look at the Trump stuff it gets into the realm of the absurd. They are still litigating tax returns? Really?

Two - we have a pandemic of elite unaccountability across the nation as well. I think at this point they need to start talking about investigations because we are really seeing people questioning the FBI, the DOJ, and rule of law here. Sure that'd be breaking norms and all that but we have a city on fire. All we keep hearing are rumors that maybe the fire fighters are doing something. And often we see that they are just protecting the rich part of town and letting the rest burn. I've all but lost hope that we will be living in a liberal, democracy that has any respect for rule of law.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:46 amSaw a big "Biden Sucks" on a dirty pickup truck today. I suddenly wanted no where near that driver. I dont get why people think that but think a lying con man out for himself is so good. I can guarantee that the guy in the truck is better off with Biden and was worse off with the orange buffoon.

Time and again it comes down to being willing to jam a rusty nail into their own eyes instead of giving "The Libruhls" the satisfaction of being right. They don't need a better reason. Watching people consistently work against their own best interests blows my mind.

I swear that if Biden stood up and said the vaccine was ineffective and nothing but saline, the f*****s would line up around the block so they could be vaccinated just to prove him wrong.

Biden should say that cyanide does not help no matter how much Trump says so.

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 12:10 pm

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:38 am

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:56 am

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:46 am

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:44 am So....the chief law enforcement official in a state just got away with a hit and run, right?

Yeah, sure sounds like it. And it sounds like he's still AG?

The rot goes deep.

Maybe we need a "The Republican AG Crime Wave" specialized thread adjacent to Fed's old Republican campaign staff crime wave thread. Might as well lump in Ken Paxton. He is the one that truly blows my mind and makes me wonder if the FBI is completely useless at fighting official corruption anymore. His entire staff of lawyers in the Attorney General's office resigns or are fired while yelling...he is criming...and nothing happens? What the fuck is happening here.

Yeah, that's a good point. The only caveat is that for the most part we won't know about what's going on with investigations until people are indicted or about to be indicted, so it's entirely possible that things are in motion with Paxton and/or others. But I wish I had more optimism that they are.

Yeah and I have two issues with what is going on:

One - we have experts in crime saying their boss is criming. Here we are 10 months later and we have no indication anything is happening there. In fact, the guy is showboating and probably criming even more. Our legal system just can't keep pace with the corruption. It's not even a close race. When you look at the Trump stuff it gets into the realm of the absurd. They are still litigating tax returns? Really?

Two - we have a pandemic of elite unaccountability across the nation as well. I think at this point they need to start talking about investigations because we are really seeing people questioning the FBI, the DOJ, and rule of law here. Sure that'd be breaking norms and all that but we have a city on fire. All we keep hearing are rumors that maybe the fire fighters are doing something. And often we see that they are just protecting the rich part of town and letting the rest burn. I've all but lost hope that we will be living in a liberal, democracy that has any respect for rule of law.

Well, we do have indications that things are happening with Paxton at least, since there's a confirmed federal investigation of him. FWIW 10 months doesn't seem like a long time for a high profile white collar investigation of a public figure, and I wouldn't necessarily expect leaks (at least not from the side investigating him).

Not that I'm all rosy about the likelihood of him serving jail time, but I wouldn't expect to hear anything until he's about to be indicted (if he is).

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 1:10 pmWell, we do have indications that things are happening with Paxton at least, since there's a confirmed federal investigation of him. FWIW 10 months doesn't seem like a long time for a high profile white collar investigation of a public figure, and I wouldn't necessarily expect leaks (at least not from the side investigating him).

Not that I'm all rosy about the likelihood of him serving jail time, but I wouldn't expect to hear anything until he's about to be indicted (if he is).

Do we have a confirmed investigation? We have an AP report there is one. We haven't heard much beyond that initial report from what I've seen. Everyone just references that story and AP hasn't retracted it. But in any case, my belief is that the status quo isn't good enough. The fire is outracing the fire fighting.

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:44 am So....the chief law enforcement official in a state just got away with a hit and run, right?

I watched most of his interview with the police. It was awful. He insists he didn't know it was a man and his defense was he was distracted by the radio.

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 1:16 pm

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 1:10 pmWell, we do have indications that things are happening with Paxton at least, since there's a confirmed federal investigation of him. FWIW 10 months doesn't seem like a long time for a high profile white collar investigation of a public figure, and I wouldn't necessarily expect leaks (at least not from the side investigating him).

Not that I'm all rosy about the likelihood of him serving jail time, but I wouldn't expect to hear anything until he's about to be indicted (if he is).

Do we have a confirmed investigation? We have an AP report there is one. We haven't heard much beyond that initial report from what I've seen. Everyone just references that story and AP hasn't retracted it. But in any case, my belief is that the status quo isn't good enough. The fire is outracing the fire fighting.

I mean, the AP is a generally reputable source and no one has done any reporting that I'm aware of disputing that claim...so it seems pretty likely. My point is that we won't necessarily hear anything until people are about to get indicted, and 10 months isn't that long for an investigation like this.

But I don't disagree about the status quo not being good enough.

In a way Obama gave us Biden and got rid of Trump...in a way. So in all seriousness I say "Thanks Obama"

The Hill

A Wisconsin district's school board has opted out of a federal program providing all students free lunch, making it the only district in the state to do so, according to WISN.

The school board in Waukesha had opted into the program when it began in 2020 as a response to the coronavirus pandemic but decided not to renew its status going into the school year.

"As we get back to whatever you want to believe is normal, we have decisions to make," Joseph Como, the school board's president, said in a June meeting. "I would say this is part of normalization."

Another board member said the program enabled families to "become spoiled," according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 4:33 pm There was a time, years ago but not that many, that I didn't follow world events or politics. I was among the ignorant. Had I stayed that way, I wouldn't have known about the American decline, the nightmare in Afghanistan, or any of the other horrific things that are going on in the world. I wouldn't be sparing a thought for midterms. I wouldn't be so constantly stressed, angry, and miserable about the state of the nation and of the world. I wouldn't be ashamed of my nation. And I still would have been just as effective in improving the situation.

The djinni is out of that bottle, though. I can't go back to that, and doubt that I would if I could. But sometimes, quietly and inside my brain where nobody can see, I almost wish I had stayed ignorant. I was happier.

I do think, now, that I am going to start limiting myself. I'll keep up to date once a day or so (probably in the morning), plus maybe check the headlines in the evening and limit myself to that. My blood pressure (and mood) will appreciate it. In other words, the morning paper plus that 6:00 news.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Aug 27, 2021 3:07 pm In a way Obama gave us Biden and got rid of Trump...in a way. So in all seriousness I say "Thanks Obama"

He also purportedly kinda sorta created political Trump with his derogatory comments about him as a serious political contender many moons before he ran.

Apparently Trump heard that, and set his mind to showing him.

I've had to start doing the same thing Blackhawk. I used to listen to Pod Save America every week and finally I just deleted it. I've already told how I unfollowed everyone on Facebook that posts political stuff. I don't want to be ignorant about what's going on, but I no longer want the opinions and commentary (present company excepted). I check the news once a day to keep up with things, but I no longer dive into "expert analysis" or Politico or RealClearPolitics.

I've tried REALLY hard to not post or say negative things of a political nature, or get into any debates/shouting matches online. Ultimately I'm not going to change anyone's mind, they're not going to change mine, so there's no need for the drama.

It's tough because I feel like I'm somehow "allowing" the country to collapse around me by not engaging, but I'll continue to use the biggest power I do have and that's my voting power.

I think I mentioned it before, but my brother made a vow at the beginning of the year to not put any more negativity into the world, and that has really stuck with me. I have not at ALL been able to make a similar vow, but it pops up in the back of my mind often. I think it's a noble ideal, even if it's an incredibly difficult one.

Let’s hope Trump pisses of someone who can replace him in the hearts of the deplorables.

…our luck though, it will end up being someone like Scott Baio.

A Discord friend shared the quote, "America: it's not so much a country as a PVP server."

It occurred to me it's a PVP server where the best classes are race and gender-locked, and you can avoid grinding by having the cash to skip to max level.

Stupid pay-to-win country.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:16 am Stupid pay-to-win country world.

FTFY. There is nothing exceptionally American in that.

I believe the PvP analogy stemmed somewhat from American gun culture; but come on, if we're not using the U.S. as a punching bag to distract us from the 88% in-common problems in our own country, what's the point?

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat Aug 28, 2021 2:18 pm In other words, the morning paper plus that 6:00 news.

What is this strange “paper” of which you speak?

The morning paper... it’s a euphemism for toilet paper, clearly.

Carpet_pissr wrote: He also purportedly kinda sorta created political Trump with his derogatory comments about him as a serious political contender many moons before he ran.

Apparently Trump heard that, and set his mind to showing him.

It’s not just Obama. Comedy Central roasted Trump, with Seth McFarlane as the host. It’s eerie.

Zarathud wrote: ↑Sun Aug 29, 2021 3:21 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: He also purportedly kinda sorta created political Trump with his derogatory comments about him as a serious political contender many moons before he ran.

Apparently Trump heard that, and set his mind to showing him.

It’s not just Obama. Comedy Central roasted Trump, with Seth McFarlane as the host. It’s eerie.

Yep, that was it, thanks. A roast of Donald Trump seems like a horrible idea. Wouldn’t be surprised if he cooked that up to see who his ‘enemies’ were.

Paranoid, shallow-skinned fuck.

This stuff must be getting to me. Last night I had a nightmare that I was trapped in a foreign airport (no specific Afghanistan references). I spotted Hillary Clinton, so I stared following her figuring she had the connections to escape. Then some banker dude came up and offered her a job.

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:36 am It amazes me how overt racism has become since Trump became president.
I'm sure it was still all there before he did but it seem so popular now to "proudly" show off how racist you are.
Unbelievable.

Technically, it started with the Tea Party and Obama's election. Trump just leveraged it.

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Tue Aug 31, 2021 1:05 pm Technically, it started with the Tea Party and Obama's election. Trump just leveraged it.

This confirms my bias so it must be true. I would add that this synchronizes with the rise of Palin though Palin herself gave no overt signs racist dogma (that I could see), she let her electorate fan the flames to the point that McCain had to defend himself against it and was chastised by the Palin support network.

This is an analogue to my post in the Jeopardy thread in EBG. I think Tapper hits the nail here. FWIW I think the line is somewhere in the middle. Congress needs to be way better and game show hosts shouldn't be held to ridiculous levels of sainthood. I'm really, really tired of cancel culture. I've seen so many people personally attacked to the point that it has made my wife's hobby an exhausting chore in virtue signaling, cancel culture, and inability to do anything without mountains of grief and sniping.

malchior wrote: ↑Tue Aug 31, 2021 2:24 pm game show hosts shouldn't be held to ridiculous levels of sainthood.

I think that's a bit strawman. Was someone held to a ridiculous level of sainthood, or was there just a line crossed where it's assumed there are a ton of better options...

but, Jake does nail it, I agree.