Wednesday Morning Rant

Poisoned Wells

Big news over the weekend on the propaganda front. VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and various smaller official US state media are no more. Oh, they still exist on paper and the enabling legislation is still there, but Trump ordered the outlets cut to the bone, to do no more than the legally-mandatory minimum. And laid most of them off on Saturday morning, including suspending numerous contracts.

The official US propaganda outlet for foreign lands - sort of - has been suspended and will, like USAID, probably never recover. Barring some change in the law, the next guy can resurrect it if he wants to, but there is probably no point. It was a death strike and it will probably have worked. The order goes far beyond just the United States Agency for Global Media (the office behind VOA and various others).

The order shutters seven agencies or programs in pursuit of its title - "Continuing Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy." Unlike some Trump orders, this one is quite tame. It doesn't call out anyone in particular for wrongdoing, but the party is simply over for these agencies. The list makes it obvious, however, why these particular outfits are being targeted. The real point of it might be VOA, though.

Voice of America and its adjuncts have been on the air for generations, ostensibly to promote American interests abroad and combat state-controlled propaganda in enemy or neutral territory. For a long time, they were forbidden from operating on American soil because government-produced propaganda was illegal in the domestic market. Various changes over the years modified its mission. In 1994, the International Broadcasting Act ostensibly divorced VOA's editorial content from political operations. At the beginning of the second Obama Administration, they changed the law to allow these networks to operate on American soil, too. In 2017 - in celebration of You Know Who - the joint defense authorization reaffirmed the VOA "firewall."

VOA and its relatives have not exactly been neutral or unabashedly pro-American. They dragged Trump over the coals for his so-called "Muslim Ban" in the first administration and for basically everything from tariffs to USAID in this administration. Over the years VOA became what it had no choice but to become, which is yet another undifferentiated organ saying the same things as all the other undifferentiated organs. VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and its various adjuncts may once have served a purpose but they serve little purpose now. How can they, when people can get the same thing from CNN or the BBC?

The gloating and lamentations alike are illustrative as the state of what were once policy tools. Kari Lake - who is Trump's "advisor" for that agency - was not exactly kind about what she found there. Calling it a "giant rot and a burden to the American taxpayer" and a "national security risk" is not putting too fine a point on it. The EU is scrambling to possibly plug the new funding gap and shore up Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. They balk at their NATO funding obligations, but may pony up for a cast-off propaganda organ? That, to me, looks like a tell.

The greatest tell of all, though, comes from the HuffPo:

Since 1942, VOA has shared news globally from the American perspective and sought to fight propaganda through the broadcasting of uncensored information to people around the world living under oppressive regimes. On its website, VOA touts itself as "the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in nearly 50 languages to an estimated weekly audience of more than 354 million people," and emphasizes that its reporting will always be "accurate, objective, and comprehensive."
Its shuttering, the Society for Professional Journalists said Monday, should frighten all Americans who cherish their freedoms.

No, you're not insane and you're not in some parallel dimension. This is in fact the hard-left Huffington Post lamenting the shuttering of an official US government propaganda organ. Seems a tad backward, doesn't it? HuffPo isn't alone, either. From Politico:

High-profile journalists and news associations have blasted the move, questioning what the shuttering of VOA will mean for press freedom under the second Trump administration.
"VOA journalists in our [White House] press corps are smart, dedicated and shine lights on vital issues," Kelly O'Donnell, an NBC News correspondent and former president of the White House Correspondents' Association, wrote on X. "I am proud of their dedication. If you believe in a free press, stand with VOA."
The National Press Club put out a statement on Saturday, pressing Congress to call for transparency and accountability and to make sure that VOA continues to be operational.

This is "through the looking glass" stuff. The domestic press standing shoulder to shoulder in lament over the death of a state-owned foreign propaganda complex and calling it a death knell for the "free press" says everything that needs to be said about it. These people are unironically decrying the end of a state-owned press agency as dangerous to a free press. The mind fairly boggles.

Whatever its mission was, and whatever its past performance was, it had poisoned its own well and become just another skin suit. And now it's over.

Posted by: Joe Mannix at 11:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Not first

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:02 AM (77rzZ)

2 Ooooh, I was wrong!

Hey, Mannix and Mannix' chimp!

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:02 AM (77rzZ)

3 FIRST

Posted by: Elric Blade at March 19, 2025 11:02 AM (iFTx/)

4 Lord Haw Haw hardest hit.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 19, 2025 11:03 AM (JkO4W)

5 top 5?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 19, 2025 11:03 AM (J2vNu)

6 Kill CPB while you're at it.

Posted by: BignJames at March 19, 2025 11:03 AM (Yj6Os)

7 Wanted to be but heading to work
Have a great afternoon everyone

Posted by: Skip at March 19, 2025 11:03 AM (fwDg9)

8
Now do PBS.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 19, 2025 11:04 AM (dg+HA)

9 Ironic calling it the voice of America when it was nowhere nearly close to that.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:04 AM (lTGtQ)

10 Willowed:

Kennewick Man has entered the chat.

Archaeologists: Radio carbon dating clearly shows these remains predate the earliest settlements in this are by thousands of years.

Indians: Umm our people say we have been here since Great Spirt made sun.

Good. Let's play the Telephone game. We'll give you a story. If, after 100 people, it even remotely sounds the same, we'll believe your oral traditions.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:04 AM (5R/2V)

11 government-produced propaganda was illegal in the domestic market

Wut?

Posted by: Anthony Fauci at March 19, 2025 11:05 AM (77rzZ)

12 Stopped to read the post.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at March 19, 2025 11:05 AM (e5NfL)

13 Its shuttering, the Society for Professional Journalists said Monday, should frighten all Americans who cherish their freedoms.

---------

Okay. I'm frightened.

Now where's my coffee cup?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 19, 2025 11:05 AM (JkO4W)

14 Since 1942, VOA has shared news globally from the American perspective and sought to fight propaganda through the broadcasting of uncensored information to people around the world living under oppressive regimes.

Funny how they didn't do that here.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:05 AM (5R/2V)

15 Some of the Europeans are making noises about taking over funding for Radio Liberty.

It would fit right in with the rest of there state-funded media propaganda outlets.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:06 AM (6ydKt)

16 Made it by a gnat's hind leg feeler!

The names "Voice of America" and "Radio Free Europe" resonate with me from hearing of them on TV during my formative years. Some of you may remember the B & W PSA about a disk jockey (who looked like Hardy Kruger -- and may have been him) for RFE playing Western music, a Drifters record, in W. Berlin to those in the Eastern sector and to countries behind the Iron Curtain: "Ohn Broad-Vay!"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 19, 2025 11:06 AM (J2vNu)

17 Lord Haw Haw hardest hit.
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 19, 2025 11:03 AM (JkO4W)
------------
Axis Sally and Tokyo Rose harderer hit. Because feminism.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:06 AM (6K6Eu)

18 We're going to need more coding schools.

Posted by: NR Pax at March 19, 2025 11:06 AM (BpO1e)

19 You can't hate these people enough. I hate them with the fury of words that haven't been invented yet.

Shove an burning nuclear fusion pellet up Obama's asshole and let it fester in the heat of his flaming homosexuality, and ... it would still not be hot enough to capture my hatred.

I want woodchippers running night and day, and ... still not enough.

I've got it bad.

Posted by: Elric Blade at March 19, 2025 11:07 AM (iFTx/)

20 There is a lot of information coming out showing these organizations were heavily infiltrated by foreign agents most notably (and unsurprisingly) the CCP. And thanks the Smith - Mundt Modernization Act signed by Obama the propaganda wasn't just being spread overseas, it was being spread on American citizens.

Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:07 AM (LkLld)

21 Some taxpayer-funded grift staffed by American-hating Leftists has to close its doors and I'm supposed to fear for the future of Democracy?

PASS.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 19, 2025 11:07 AM (JkO4W)

22 Some of the Europeans are making noises about taking over funding for Radio Liberty.

It would fit right in with the rest of there state-funded media propaganda outlets.

Posted by: SpeakingOf

They will have to change the name. How about Radio Saving Our Democracy?

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:07 AM (lTGtQ)

23 Yes, keep this going. Do PBS now.

I like this but I really want to see the cuts at the IRS an hopefully some of the waste at the Pentagon before I get too much more excited.

Oh BTW, the Kennedy files thing from yesterday--did we find out who actually dunnit?

Posted by: Grapefruit LaCroix at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (nCY1P)

24 I've got it bad.
Posted by: Elric Blade at March 19, 2025 11:07 AM (iFTx/)
----------
Rockineumonia and the boogie-woogie blues?

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (6K6Eu)

25 What is Kari Lake's role in this? Is she overseeing the dismantling of VOA? Did Trump pull the rug out from under her?

Posted by: Emmie at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (cSvoa)

26 VOA...emphasizes that its reporting will always be accurate, objective, and comprehensive.

Always!
Never an error!
Infallible!

*spits, adds cerumen for special "emphasis"

Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (w9Wax)

27 I love that term “ High Profile Journalists” savor that term, and now see the mental images that come to mind… on second thought, don’t commit self-harm like that..

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (PCK5/)

28 Some of the Europeans are making noises about taking over funding for Radio Liberty.

It would fit right in with the rest of there state-funded media propaganda outlets.

Posted by: SpeakingOf

What would any European know about liberty?

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:09 AM (lTGtQ)

29 Alec Baldwin has apparently gone to Hell.

https://shorturl.at/Zfb5t

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:09 AM (L/fGl)

30 18 We're going to need more coding schools.
Posted by: NR Pax at March 19, 2025 11:06 AM (BpO1e)

Not while there are blueberries to harvest!

Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 11:09 AM (2NXcZ)

31 Oh BTW, the Kennedy files thing from yesterday--did we find out who actually dunnit?
Posted by: Grapefruit LaCroix

Wife just told me something I hadn't heard before. Apparently, it is rumored that Woody Harrelson's hit-man dad was one of the gunmen.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:09 AM (77rzZ)

32 23 Yes, keep this going. Do PBS now.

I like this but I really want to see the cuts at the IRS an hopefully some of the waste at the Pentagon before I get too much more excited.

Oh BTW, the Kennedy files thing from yesterday--did we find out who actually dunnit?
Posted by: Grapefruit LaCroix at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (nCY1P)

I thought it would have been talked about by now..

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:09 AM (PCK5/)

33 What is Kari Lake's role in this? Is she overseeing the dismantling of VOA? Did Trump pull the rug out from under her?
Posted by: Emmie at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (cSvoa)

Assuming that Kari Lake's role in this is overseeing the dismantling of VOA, I'd say that Trump's actions are an indication that she was successful.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (ExV1e)

34 PSA:

Butterscotch pudding does NOT taste like butter or scotch.

End PSA.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (5R/2V)

35 I love that term “ High Profile Journalists” savor that term, and now see the mental images that come to mind… on second thought, don’t commit self-harm like that..
Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (PCK5/)
------------
We're not high-profile enough to know about the secret rites, ritual scarring, usw...

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (6K6Eu)

36 Rockineumonia and the boogie-woogie blues?

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (6K6Eu)

Flu...it's boogie woogie flu.

Posted by: BignJames at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (Yj6Os)

37 So when does PBS get the haircut?

Posted by: Pudinhead at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (Hpgos)

38 They will have to change the name. How about Radio Saving Our Democracy?
Posted by: Thomas Paine

Radio Saving Our Precious Democracy

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (77rzZ)

39 Here's the Radio Free Europe PSA. YooToob says it's from 1971, and the voiceover indicates it's about Hungary instead of East Berlin:

https://tinyurl.com/2kdh8a2n

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 19, 2025 11:11 AM (J2vNu)

40 Freedom is slavery.

Lies are Truth.

These bugs taste great!

There are three lights.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at March 19, 2025 11:11 AM (/x6eu)

41 This is in fact the hard-left Huffington Post lamenting the shuttering of an official US government propaganda organ. Seems a tad backward, doesn't it? HuffPo isn't alone, either. From Politico:

-----------

*ahem*

Proper AoSHQ usage is, "From Deep-State funded propaganda organ Politico."

20-yard penalty.

Posted by: The AoSHQ Comment Propriety Review Referee at March 19, 2025 11:11 AM (JkO4W)

42 Steven Crowder is cracking a million views a day on Rumble.

Posted by: Boss Moss at March 19, 2025 11:11 AM (z0e6h)

43 Flu...it's boogie woogie flu.
Posted by: BignJames at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (Yj6Os)

Look whose an MD... a musical doctor.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 19, 2025 11:12 AM (ExV1e)

44 I don't care to imagine Obama's a$$ or anything that should be shoved up.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 19, 2025 11:12 AM (ZP485)

45 >>What is Kari Lake's role in this? Is she overseeing the dismantling of VOA? Did Trump pull the rug out from under her?

Yes. And No.

Lake has been saying on X for a few days these organizations are irretrievably broken and need to be closed.

Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:12 AM (LkLld)

46 Since 1942, VOA has shared news globally from the American perspective and sought to fight propaganda through the broadcasting of uncensored information to people around the world living under oppressive regimes.

True enough. What the Marxists want you to read is that is how they fight propaganda- by broadcasting uncensored info. What the Marxists DO is fight propaganda, which they now define as uncensored information.

Posted by: t-bird at March 19, 2025 11:13 AM (4SKzt)

47 Assuming that Kari Lake's role in this is overseeing the dismantling of VOA, I'd say that Trump's actions are an indication that she was successful.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 19, 2025 11:10 AM (ExV1e)

I guess I was expecting reform of VOA rather than shutting down. But I don't even know if it's essential anymore since the rise of social media and citizen journalists.

Posted by: Emmie at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (cSvoa)

48 At this point in history, the original VOA mission just isn't needed any longer. It's an organization in search of a purpose that needed to be dismantled a long time ago.

I'd argue that RFE has outlived its mission too.

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (PzXaK)

49 29 Alec Baldwin has apparently gone to Hell.

https://shorturl.at/Zfb5t
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:09 AM (L/fGl)

I can't imagine what their "private" conversations must be like. At least she ditched the Spanish accent...

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (PiwSw)

50 Some of the Europeans are making noises about taking over funding for Radio Liberty.

It would fit right in with the rest of there state-funded media propaganda outlets.

Posted by: SpeakingOf

They will have to change the name. How about Radio Saving Our Democracy?
Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:07 AM (lTGtQ)

Ugh, don't give them any ideas. I can just imagine them coming up with "Radio Democracy" or "Radio Freedom."

I prefer Radio Caroline, myself.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (Q0kLU)

51 How is Rural Electrification going?

Posted by: Boss Moss at March 19, 2025 11:15 AM (z0e6h)

52 Morons on here talking about watching older TV shows now, reminds me of someone I like to do while watching old western movies & TV shows.

I like to watch what the horses do while the actors are acting.

I got the biggest kick out if watching some western a few months back.

There was a group of riders gathered around having a pow wow and one of the main characters horses was trying to shake the bit out of his throat for the entire ten minutes. I mean he was really going at it. Head bobbing up and down and sideways, mane flying all around, until it got to the point that the actor couldn’t keep him still and almost went out of frame.

Had me laughing so much it made finally understand what that one director said, and I’m paraphrasing hoping somebody will remember the quote and who said it:

“Never work with animals and children.”

John Huston, maybe?

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:15 AM (6ydKt)

53 Headline from International Business Times

'Bloody Saturday': Trump Shuts Down US
Government-Funded Broadcasters, Sparking
Free Press Fears

Um, how is Government funded broadcasting a "free press"?
Is this a UK thing? "oooh, you can broadcast anything you want as long as we fund you totally and we don't decide to cut your money for some undefined reason like violating your obligation to avoid disinformation"

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:15 AM (D7oie)

54 government-produced propaganda was illegal in the domestic market
———

One thing I noticed, maybe on slow days, the government likes to tie up loose ends, that could theoretically get them in trouble ex post-facto.

Depression era laws prohibited banks from selling Insurance, and Insurance companies couldn’t offer bank type services. They didn’t repeal that law until it was moot, sometime in the 2000s. Why, I don’t know. Same thing with propagandizing the American public. Who are they kidding?

Nobody and I mean nobody, has had their brain attacked with more scientifically researched mind bending nonsense than the American public.

Countless billions have been spent on manipulating public opinion.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:16 AM (qgiNH)

55 Baldwin looks like an old alcoholic after a 3 day binge… his botoxed wife is charming…

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:16 AM (PCK5/)

56 48 At this point in history, the original VOA mission just isn't needed any longer. It's an organization in search of a purpose that needed to be dismantled a long time ago.
----------------
Can you say NATO?

Posted by: Pudinhead at March 19, 2025 11:17 AM (Hpgos)

57 53 Um, how is Government funded broadcasting a "free press"?
Is this a UK thing? "oooh, you can broadcast anything you want as long as we fund you totally and we don't decide to cut your money for some undefined reason like violating your obligation to avoid disinformation"
Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:15 AM (D7oie)

=======

It's definitionally not.

Government funded cannot be independent.

And we wouldn't want it to be. Ideally, if we have government funded news organs, they would be dependent on the choices of the people in the running of the government, so the viewpoint would whiplash from one extreme to the next with every change in power in the government.

Because that's how government should operate.

Giving it "independence" means just letting one faction control it until forced out.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 11:17 AM (GBKbO)

58 Baldwin looks like an old alcoholic after a 3 day binge
Posted by: tubal

Ah, the Christopher Hitchens look.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:17 AM (77rzZ)

59 It's nice when bad things happen to bad people.....

Posted by: Stateless...60% - mental state clawing up from 10% at March 19, 2025 11:17 AM (jvJvP)

60 “Never work with animals and children.”

John Huston, maybe?

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:15 AM (6ydKt)

W.C. Fields.

Posted by: BignJames at March 19, 2025 11:17 AM (Yj6Os)

61 John Huston, maybe?

I think it was WC Fields. "Animals and children should be painted on scenery."

Posted by: NR Pax at March 19, 2025 11:17 AM (BpO1e)

62 Do PBS now.

Launch Oskar's trash can to Mars Elon.

Posted by: DaveA at March 19, 2025 11:17 AM (FhXTo)

63 I guess I was expecting reform of VOA rather than shutting down. But I don't even know if it's essential anymore since the rise of social media and citizen journalists.
Posted by: Emmie at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (cSvoa)

I suspect that most of these agencies CANNOT be reformed. Based on that suspicion, I would only attempt reform in the case of agencies whose role was considered both mandatory and critical... Defense... Treasury... maybe Interior... maybe State. All others would get the axe.

They are extra-Constitutional and, in the presence of a weak and corrupt Legislature - which we have, are an invitation to bad actors.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 19, 2025 11:18 AM (ExV1e)

64 The Smith - Mundt Act was passed in 1948 and it was designed to promote the foreign dissemination of US policy. It also strictly prohibited that spread of the information domestically.

In 2013 Obama signed the Smith - Mundt Modernization Act which removed the restriction of spreading the propaganda domestically.

In steps USAID to fund groups like Politico and others to spread leftist propaganda here at home.

Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:18 AM (LkLld)

65 Can you say NATO?
Posted by: Pudinhead

Nay to NATO.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:18 AM (77rzZ)

66 If the leftists want a radio program broadcast world wide to disseminate their point of view fine; but call it by it's right name.

Posted by: Radio Ass at March 19, 2025 11:19 AM (Ic155)

67 37 So when does PBS get the haircut?
Posted by: Pudinhead

Has statutory authority I think. Requires Congress to change laws. VOA has some similar laws establishing it but dunno about actual spending line items.

Posted by: whig at March 19, 2025 11:19 AM (ctrM5)

68 52 Morons on here talking about watching older TV shows now, reminds me of someone I like to do while watching old western movies & TV shows.

phrasing?

Posted by: anachronda at March 19, 2025 11:19 AM (oY6Yp)

69 I guess I was expecting reform of VOA rather than shutting down. But I don't even know if it's essential anymore since the rise of social media and citizen journalists.
Posted by: Emmie at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (cSvoa)

How many people own a shortwave radio anymore?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:19 AM (MqtqS)

70 When Roberts undermined the Remain in Mexico policy and dumped the lower court's ruling he did so as to not "tie the hands of the executive". He voiced approval for the "parole" option for migrants as did Kavanaugh (spit)

Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 11:20 AM (2NXcZ)

71 ‘ Its shuttering, … should frighten all Americans who cherish their freedoms.’

I cherish my freedoms but the only time I feel threatened is when some federal judge speaks up.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 11:20 AM (jbnUc)

72 64 The Smith - Mundt Act was passed in 1948 and it was designed to promote the foreign dissemination of US policy. It also strictly prohibited that spread of the information domestically.

In 2013 Obama signed the Smith - Mundt Modernization Act which removed the restriction of spreading the propaganda domestically.

In steps USAID to fund groups like Politico and others to spread leftist propaganda here at home.
Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:18 AM (LkLld)

=======

The House approved that 299-120. The Senate approved it 98-0.

Let's just not lay the blame wholly at Obama's feet.

The whole of DC wanted this.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 11:20 AM (GBKbO)

73 I suspect that most of these agencies CANNOT be reformed. Based on that suspicion, I would only attempt reform in the case of agencies whose role was considered both mandatory and critical... Defense... Treasury... maybe Interior... maybe State. All others would get the axe.

I would like a Constitutional Amendment limiting the cabinet departments to those four: Defense, Interior, State, and Treasury.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:21 AM (77rzZ)

74 There was a group of riders gathered around having a pow wow and one of the main characters horses was trying to shake the bit out of his throat for the entire ten minutes. I mean he was really going at it. Head bobbing up and down and sideways, mane flying all around, until it got to the point that the actor couldn’t keep him still and almost went out of frame.
------------
In the excellent film The Duellists when d'Hubert is making is awkward proposal to Adele, the horses started acting silly. Cristina Raines got the giggles and Keith Carradine doggedly stayed in character and kept on with the scene. It made the final cut because everything worked so well.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:21 AM (6K6Eu)

75 So when does PBS get the haircut?

PBS receives no funding from the government. You are evil for suggesting that government funding for PBS should be cut.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at March 19, 2025 11:21 AM (EXyHK)

76 63 I guess I was expecting reform of VOA rather than shutting down. But I don't even know if it's essential anymore since the rise of social media and citizen journalists.
Posted by: Emmie
=======
The old institutions are no longer worth preserving like PBS, NPR, nor VOA. With VPNs, YT, Messaging apps, etc. one can access from abroad a huge amount of material unfiltered. All these legacy government institutions have been changed over to propaganda and employment for American hating journalists. Time for these agencies to be razed to the ground and salt the ruins.

Posted by: whig at March 19, 2025 11:21 AM (ctrM5)

77 >>The whole of DC wanted this.

Very true. And now you see what Trump was up against in 2016 and why it is so futile to keep comparing 2016 to now.

Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:22 AM (LkLld)

78 57 Government funded cannot be independent.

...

Giving it "independence" means just letting one faction control it until forced out.

*imagines a mob of peasants with torches and pitchforks descending on the npr offices*

Posted by: anachronda at March 19, 2025 11:22 AM (oY6Yp)

79 What with google translate and similar tools I'm sure there is no longer any need to pay $$$ to federal employees to translate news into 54 different languages for the rest of the world; aside from the fact that american news from our free press is 90% clamoring for one world government. Apparently all these brave journalists think life would be better with only one boss telling them what to say.

Posted by: PaleRider at March 19, 2025 11:22 AM (bP/i4)

80 Trump has allies now, unlike 2016, is what I see as the main change.

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (PCK5/)

81 The voice of Marxism is morte?

Anyway ... Hard #Winning Be Easy, Yo!

Posted by: ShainS -- The Dissolution of The Autopen Empire at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (mMSd8)

82 PBS receives no funding from the government. You are evil for suggesting that government funding for PBS should be cut.
Posted by: Stephen Price Blair
=========
All their broadcast licenses should be put on public auction by the Trump administration. That will payback taxpayers for all the money they have squandered over the years. The current licensees can keep their station allocations only if they win those auctions.

Posted by: whig at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (ctrM5)

83 Wife just told me something I hadn't heard before. Apparently, it is rumored that Woody Harrelson's hit-man dad was one of the gunmen.
Posted by: Bulg

He was bullshitting. He was supposedly one of the three "tramps" DPD stopped & questioned. It was later proven that he wasn't one of the three when DPD later revealed them.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (5R/2V)

84 I'd argue that RFE has outlived its mission too.
Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (PzXaK)

Needs to be replaced by Radio Crusader.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:24 AM (MqtqS)

85 How many people own a shortwave radio anymore?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

--

Non hobbyists here? Not very many I'd guess.

In the areas targeted by these organizations? I doubt there are many at all either.

The idea of a huddled resistance crowded around a shortwave in the basement is fantasy at this point.

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 11:24 AM (PzXaK)

86 Apparently all these brave journalists think life would be better with only one boss telling them what to say.
Posted by: PaleRider at March 19, 2025 11:22 AM (bP/i4)

All these brave journalists believe that they'd be the one retained by the one boss and would receive more money and respect as a result. The fact that they hold that belief indicates how very, very stupid they are.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 19, 2025 11:24 AM (ExV1e)

87 Radio Free Europe should be bradcasting from Hungary…

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:24 AM (PCK5/)

88 Excellent.

And as said at other times and written above, now do NPR.
----
Today's sad story: CNN, Undocumented mother of four and Time Magazine honoree latest high-profile figure of Trump’s immigration crackdown

In part, "Jeanette Vizguerra, 53, became a symbol of resistance during the first Trump administration when she sought sanctuary in the basement of a Colorado church to avoid deportation, and stayed there for three years."

Her story and her activism were recognized by Time Magazine in 2017, which put her on its list of the World’s 100 Most Influential people, alongside John Lewis, Colin Kaepernick, Jeff Bezos, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump."
...

"Denver Mayor Mike Johnston denounced the arrest, describing it as “Soviet-style political persecution.”

“This is not immigration enforcement. This is a mother of American citizens, a Target employee and a nonprofit founder,” Johnston said in a Facebook video. “This does not make our community safer. It makes it lawless.”

Another non-profit founder.

Posted by: L - No nick, another fine day at March 19, 2025 11:25 AM (NFX2v)

89 Everything falls apart.

Warner Bros’ Problems Impact Physical Media. DVDs Suffering Unexpected Disc Rot Need Replacing, but the Company Has Been Slow to Respond

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:25 AM (L/fGl)

90 Wife just told me something I hadn't heard before. Apparently, it is rumored that Woody Harrelson's hit-man dad was one of the gunmen.
Posted by: Bulg

He was bullshitting. He was supposedly one of the three "tramps" DPD stopped & questioned. It was later proven that he wasn't one of the three when DPD later revealed them.
Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (5R/2V)
----------
How odd, that a contract killer would lie about something.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:25 AM (6K6Eu)

91 73 I suspect that most of these agencies CANNOT be reformed. Based on that suspicion, I would only attempt reform in the case of agencies whose role was considered both mandatory and critical... Defense... Treasury... maybe Interior... maybe State. All others would get the axe.

I would like a Constitutional Amendment limiting the cabinet departments to those four: Defense, Interior, State, and Treasury.
Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:21 AM (77rzZ)

Wrong 4 - Washington showed you only need State, Treasury, War, and AG. You don't need Interior, but you do need an AG - someone has to make sure the president's legal interests are defended and his executed laws (from Congress) are followed...

Posted by: Nova Local at March 19, 2025 11:25 AM (exHjb)

92 What is Kari Lake's role in this? Is she overseeing the dismantling of VOA? Did Trump pull the rug out from under her?

—-

From what I understand, Lake can’t get the job until Trump’s nominee for the position in the State Department that oversees all the propaganda outfits is confirmed.

At that point, Lake can’t be appointed to take over.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:25 AM (6ydKt)

93 76 63 I guess I was expecting reform of VOA rather than shutting down. But I don't even know if it's essential anymore since the rise of social media and citizen journalists.
Posted by: Emmie
=======
The old institutions are no longer worth preserving like PBS, NPR, nor VOA. With VPNs, YT, Messaging apps, etc. one can access from abroad a huge amount of material unfiltered. All these legacy government institutions have been changed over to propaganda and employment for American hating journalists. Time for these agencies to be razed to the ground and salt the ruins.
Posted by: whig at March 19, 2025 11:21 AM (ctrM5)

This, 100%.

Posted by: Nova Local at March 19, 2025 11:25 AM (exHjb)

94 49 29 Alec Baldwin has apparently gone to Hell.

https://shorturl.at/Zfb5t
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:09 AM (L/fGl)

I can't imagine what their "private" conversations must be like. At least she ditched the Spanish accent...
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 19, 2025 11:14 AM (PiwSw)

If I were Dr. John Gottman looking at this interaction, I would say that they would be getting divorced at some point in the near future. He's the psychologist who can determine with amazing accuracy whether a couple's marriage would last by observing one conversation between them. It's obvious that when one of them speaks, the other is openly dismissive of what the other says. To exhibit this in public, no less, is a flashing red-light sign of major marital woes.

Posted by: Darrell Harris at March 19, 2025 11:26 AM (CsGsP)

95 10 Willowed:

Kennewick Man has entered the chat.

Archaeologists: Radio carbon dating clearly shows these remains predate the earliest settlements in this are by thousands of years.

Indians: Umm our people say we have been here since Great Spirt made sun.

Good. Let's play the Telephone game. We'll give you a story. If, after 100 people, it even remotely sounds the same, we'll believe your oral traditions.
Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:04 AM (5R/2V)

--------------------------------------------

"Umm our people say we have been here since Great Spirt made sun. Purple monkey dishwasher"

Posted by: No One of Consequence at March 19, 2025 11:26 AM (OGOaV)

96 How is Rural Electrification going?
Posted by: Boss Moss

Shockingly well.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:26 AM (5R/2V)

97 Speaking of PBS, I seem to recall having read that Sesame Street isn't even on there any longer. HBOMAX I think owns it.

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 11:26 AM (PzXaK)

98 Trump has allies now, unlike 2016, is what I see as the main change.

Posted by: tubal

=====

Roddy Piper has put on the sunglasses and talked about chewing gum and ass kicking.

The aliens are muttering amongst themselves.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at March 19, 2025 11:26 AM (pys1d)

99 50 Ugh, don't give them any ideas. I can just imagine them coming up with "Radio Democracy" or "Radio Freedom."

*radio svoboda has entered the chat*

Posted by: anachronda at March 19, 2025 11:27 AM (oY6Yp)

100 The idea of a huddled resistance crowded around a shortwave in the basement is fantasy at this point.
Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 11:24 AM (PzXaK)

A few messages for our friends... the sybian is against the wall... the sybian is against the wall... Jane has a long mustache... Jane has a long mustache.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 19, 2025 11:27 AM (ExV1e)

101 If they had to do it again, the Senate would approve the use of propaganda on American citizens. The GOP senators are largely unprincipled grifters. Every time I see Graham, I see Brutus shivving Caesar.

Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 11:27 AM (2NXcZ)

102 >>> If you believe in a free press, stand with VOA.

lol

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:28 AM (uCjyK)

103 68 52 Morons on here talking about watching older TV shows now, reminds me of someone I like to do while watching old western movies & TV shows.

phrasing?
Posted by: anachronda at March 19, 2025 11:19 AM (oY6Yp)

—

Haha, this is what I get for trying to type on the iPad again.

Every time I use this thing to post comments I end up sounding like an idiot,… ok, worse than usual.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (6ydKt)

104 When the World Wide Web was young, I naively thought China and other repressive countries were screwed. “They will have to open up, they can’t stop it”.

Little did I know, authoritarian asshattery would be applied on US. A complete inversion.

A true Voice of America would (logically) be espousing the virtues of our 1st Amendment, Religious Freedom, Presumption of Innocence for the Accused, and yes, the right of Self-defense. Guns.

What happened? Globalist twats hijacked the whole shootin’ match post WWII, mostly, that’s what. As one wag put it, Capitalism finance is the anvil, and Communism is the battering ram to the global new world order.

No countries, no borders, no sovereignty whether individual or nation. Complete regulatory capture, total information awareness. A Police State.

There is a reason 1984 is set in England, I suppose.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (wQlVI)

105 How many people own a shortwave radio anymore?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

I have a Yacht Boy 400.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (5R/2V)

106 101 If they had to do it again, the Senate would approve the use of propaganda on American citizens. The GOP senators are largely unprincipled grifters. Every time I see Graham, I see Brutus shivving Caesar.
Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 11:27 AM (2NXcZ)

Ah. the Puffy Poofter…

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (PCK5/)

107 In 1975 I went to Airborne school with a guy who, at the time, would be the oldest dude to graduate. He had joined the Army in 1944 and had made it to the Pacific before the war ended. A nice guy when I met him. He was a program director for VOA. He'd be appalled at what it is today.

Posted by: Diogenes at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (W/lyH)

108 Every time I see Graham, I see Brutus shivving Caesar.

I live for poking a man from behind. -- Lindsey!

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (ExV1e)

109 Wrong 4 - Washington showed you only need State, Treasury, War, and AG. You don't need Interior, but you do need an AG - someone has to make sure the president's legal interests are defended and his executed laws (from Congress) are followed...
Posted by: Nova Local

Washington had an AG, but not a Department of Justice. That didn't come along until Reconstruction. So you can keep the AG, but get rid of DOJ.

Interior can handle the national parks and the Injuns, but I would expand its purview to include various functions now handled by the Transportation, Agriculture, and Commerce Departments, and maybe others, as needed. In other words, it would deal with internal US matters, as befits its name, somewhat like the British Home Office.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:30 AM (77rzZ)

110 I saw Unexpected Disc Rot open for Rage Against The Machine in...

oh damn, the record's corrupt

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:30 AM (MqtqS)

111 >>Trump has allies now, unlike 2016, is what I see as the main change.

It's a completely different atmosphere. The American public has been put through so many hoaxes and lies the old tricks aren't working anymore. Once you see how the magician does his tricks they don't work.

And yes, there is no more Paul Ryan and even the Senate is marginally better. Politicians are pretty good at seeing which way the wind is blowing and the country is firmly behind change. The Obama days are over even if there is some rear guard action and a lot of filth to clean up.

Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:30 AM (LkLld)

112 Trump has allies now, unlike 2016, is what I see as the main change.

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (PCK5/)

-----------------

By persecuting (him and his supporters, including members of his administration) and then repeatedly calling for his assassination and literally trying to kill him, The Left turned Trump into a sympathetic martyr-figure as well as the Republican Party into the now MAGA Party (as Angelo Codevilla predicted in his 2010 essay about the Ruling versus Country Classes -- popularized by El Rushbo).

Posted by: ShainS -- The Dissolution of The Autopen Empire at March 19, 2025 11:31 AM (mMSd8)

113 Wife just told me something I hadn't heard before. Apparently, it is rumored that Woody Harrelson's hit-man dad was one of the gunmen.
Posted by: Bulg

He was bullshitting. He was supposedly one of the three "tramps" DPD stopped & questioned. It was later proven that he wasn't one of the three when DPD later revealed them.
Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (5R/2V)

I don't think he claimed to be one of the tramps, that was some of the "researchers" who said that.

He claimed to have worked behind the scenes to gather intel, fake IDs, etc.

RFK Jr. said he and Woody have had long conversations about it, and he is convinced that Woody's dad was involved. Who knows?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:31 AM (uCjyK)

114 If you believe in a free press, stand with VOA.

The CIA Messaging Service?

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:31 AM (5R/2V)

115 Thx CBD, great post. Everything that is created by government, the Dems end up infesting. That is why stripping as much out of the government as possible is a necessity. That is also why the the Dems are fighting so hard

Posted by: Smell the Glove at March 19, 2025 11:31 AM (bVN1m)

116
LOL @ "massive police presence at CIA building"

Reckon someone won't GTFO?

Or is one of our enemy "analyst" shooting up the place? Because of Israel, perhaps?

Posted by: Soothsayer at March 19, 2025 11:31 AM (x1cI4)

117 36 Rockineumonia and the boogie-woogie blues?

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:08 AM (6K6Eu)

Flu...it's boogie woogie flu.

try our new mrna boogie wookie flu vaccine! with menthol!

Posted by: pfizer at March 19, 2025 11:32 AM (oY6Yp)

118 97 Speaking of PBS, I seem to recall having read that Sesame Street isn't even on there any longer. HBOMAX I think owns it.
Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 11:26 AM (PzXaK)

— —

Warner Bros/HBO just wrote a big check to the producers to get exclusive rights to air first-run episodes on HBO. Then they were played on PBS afterwards.

Warner Bros just cancelled that deal, though, so it’s back to PBS unless some other network takes a shot at it.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:32 AM (6ydKt)

119 112 Trump has allies now, unlike 2016, is what I see as the main change.

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (PCK5/)

Trump has a money and tech hammer now in Elon. That's the biggest change.

His allies before were naive and mostly powerless. His allies now are cynical and powerful.

What's the phrase...they have no more Fs to give? Elon is the difference. He alone keeps the House in line with Mike Johnson (that's why Trump had the 2 hang out so much from Nov to Jan)...

Posted by: Nova Local at March 19, 2025 11:33 AM (exHjb)

120 The Obama days are over even if there is some rear guard action and a lot of filth to clean up.
Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:30 AM (LkLld)
----------
The parade always needs a guy with a push broom and wheelie bin to follow the elephants.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:33 AM (6K6Eu)

121 “If you believe in free press, don’t let the govt shut down its govt run propaganda org.”, is quite the logic pretzel.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at March 19, 2025 11:33 AM (uC8xf)

122 I think you are being too kind to VOA. Undifferentiated from CNN or BBC? The few times I bothered to find it on shortwave in recent years the VOA has been substantially more un-american and pro-terrorist than CNN, BBC, NPR etc.

Posted by: These Fish Sticks are Hard as Tits at March 19, 2025 11:33 AM (SrvsP)

123
Had me laughing so much it made finally understand what that one director said, and I’m paraphrasing hoping somebody will remember the quote and who said it:

“Never work with animals and children.”

John Huston, maybe?
Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025

***
I seem to recall W.C. Fields also being credited with the remark. But I'll bet some version of it goes back to legitimate theatre. I can imagine Richard Burbage saying much the same thing at the Globe Theatre to Shakespeare and the other actors, or Will or his fellow actors saying it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 19, 2025 11:34 AM (J2vNu)

124 I have a Yacht Boy 400.
Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (5R/2V)

I have a Zenith Transoceanic. But a Yacht Girl would be nice.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:34 AM (MqtqS)

125 "This is "through the looking glass" stuff. The domestic press standing shoulder to shoulder in lament over the death of a state-owned foreign propaganda complex and calling it a death knell for the "free press"

There may be a place for a VOA operating to push Liberty oriented "propaganda" into those censored regimes. We could also have a strong online VOA presence.

The problem is the VOA institution was infiltrated by anti-America leftists, pushing their own far left ideology/propaganda. And apparently part of the infiltration was by China and/or other enemies.

Posted by: illiniwek at March 19, 2025 11:34 AM (Cus5s)

126 >>Big news over the weekend on the propaganda front. VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and various smaller official US state media are no more.

Yessssss!

Posted by: Lizzy at March 19, 2025 11:35 AM (Cki93)

127 It seems to me that these leftist judges think they can force a problem where none exist and then when 'orders' are ignored, suddenly the ammo will exist for another impeachment circus

This is my deep gut feeling on the subject
Anything to help the clearly flailing and retarded leftist Congress people

Gin up more bullshit and lies

Trump just needs to stand up and declare, per past actions by Obama and Biden, We will no longer be shackled by these hacks in robes

Posted by: melodicmetal1 at March 19, 2025 11:35 AM (6qr/X)

128 I see that Turkey has joined the group of countries across the Atlantic that are striving to save democracy by arresting their political opponents.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:35 AM (lTGtQ)

129 122 I think you are being too kind to VOA. Undifferentiated from CNN or BBC? The few times I bothered to find it on shortwave in recent years the VOA has been substantially more un-american and pro-terrorist than CNN, BBC, NPR etc.

Posted by: These Fish Sticks are Hard as Tits at March 19, 2025 11:33 AM (SrvsP)

VoA and CNN International might be the most anti-American press operations this side of the Great Firewall of China.

Also, they've been, for lack of a better word, advertising to the entire world that we want them all to move here and that Diversity is Americas Strength. Oh, and that Trump is pretty much exactly like Hitler.

If I were God-Emperor, I'd arrest the heads of VoA for treason. They are supposed to be running pro-American propaganda, not Destroy-America propaganda.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:35 AM (uCjyK)

130 Were the VOA employees mostly American or foreigners?

Posted by: Lizzy at March 19, 2025 11:36 AM (Cki93)

131 130 Were the VOA employees mostly American or foreigners?
Posted by: Lizzy at March 19, 2025 11:36 AM (Cki93

There is probably much ambiguity…

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:36 AM (PCK5/)

132 So...what is going on at the Company? (CIA)

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at March 19, 2025 11:36 AM (ufFY8)

133 Anton Chigurh took care of Woody.

Posted by: Pudinhead at March 19, 2025 11:37 AM (Hpgos)

134 >>How many people own a shortwave radio anymore?

For emergencies.
Also, car radio, lol!

Posted by: Lizzy at March 19, 2025 11:37 AM (Cki93)

135 132 So...what is going on at the Company? (CIA)

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at March 19, 2025 11:36

Plotting.. mostly.

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:37 AM (PCK5/)

136 Posted by: Diogenes at March 19, 2025 11:29 AM (W/lyH)

My father worked for VOA in the fifties and he'd be appalled at what it become as well.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 19, 2025 11:38 AM (Atx4g)

137 130 Were the VOA employees mostly American or foreigners?
Posted by: Lizzy at March 19, 2025 11:36 AM (Cki93)

What's an "American" anyways?

If your question is, were most of them born in foreign countries, the answer is most likely yes. If you're asking about the immigration status in the US, who knows?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:38 AM (uCjyK)

138 Trump should shut off the electricity to CIA HQ, to force them to shred documents by hand.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:38 AM (MqtqS)

139 Interior can handle the national parks and the Injuns, but I would expand its purview to include various functions now handled by the Transportation, Agriculture, and Commerce Departments, and maybe others, as needed. In other words, it would deal with internal US matters, as befits its name, somewhat like the British Home Office.
Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:30 AM (77rzZ)

How about letting the individual states handle their own affairs and territories. I know it's such a strange concept.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at March 19, 2025 11:38 AM (g8Ew8)

140 AFRTS used to have PSA between broadcasts of popular radio programs in the 1950s. Not quite VOA, but surely the “company line” and carefully curated messaging. Intended for Americans overseas.

“In a Democracy, a dictator can never take over. The people won’t allow it.”

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:38 AM (xtYJY)

141 In the excellent film The Duellists when d'Hubert is making is awkward proposal to Adele, the horses started acting silly. Cristina Raines got the giggles and Keith Carradine doggedly stayed in character and kept on with the scene. It made the final cut because everything worked so well.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:21 AM (6K6Eu)

—

I’ll have to check that out.
I think I’ve seen it before, but yeah I need to see that.

I love watching the horses do crazy things in movies for some reason.

It’s like seeing a little piece of reality intruding on the fantasy playing out.

Maybe that’s why I like blooper clips so much, too.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:39 AM (6ydKt)

142 You know how it was sooooooo ridiculous for Trump to cite a 200 year old law to deport criminal aliens? Well, the judge who ruled that Trump must accept trannies in the military cited the musical Hamilton in her ruling.

https://shorturl.at/BFP2q

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:39 AM (L/fGl)

143 138 Trump should shut off the electricity to CIA HQ, to force them to shred documents by hand.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:38 AM (MqtqS)

That would be cruel and unusual. Then they'd have to burn anything, and they'd all die like Beau Biden after he was exposed to burn pits even though he was a JAG and never anywhere near the front lines.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:39 AM (uCjyK)

144 142 You know how it was sooooooo ridiculous for Trump to cite a 200 year old law to deport criminal aliens? Well, the judge who ruled that Trump must accept trannies in the military cited the musical Hamilton in her ruling.

https://shorturl.at/BFP2q
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:39 AM (L/fGl)

==========

"JFC..."
-John Roberts

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 11:39 AM (GBKbO)

145 In 2013 Obama signed the Smith - Mundt Modernization Act which removed the restriction of spreading the propaganda domestically.

In steps USAID to fund groups like Politico and others to spread leftist propaganda here at home.
Posted by: JackStraw at March 19, 2025 11:18 AM (LkLld)

To be even-handed here, prior to 2013 the process was for the CIA and others to insert news articles into foreign press, which the US wire services would then pick up and publish in the US press. Possibly at a wink and a nod sort of encouragement.
All Obama did was remove one step, and allow it to be much wider.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:40 AM (D7oie)

146 145 To be even-handed here, prior to 2013 the process was for the CIA and others to insert news articles into foreign press, which the US wire services would then pick up and publish in the US press. Possibly at a wink and a nod sort of encouragement.
All Obama did was ~~remove one step, and allow it to be much wider~~ fall in line with all of Washington which voted for it.
Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:40 AM (D7oie)

=======

FIFY.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 11:40 AM (GBKbO)

147 > So...what is going on at the Company? (CIA)
-----------
False flag operations, targeted killings, citizen renditions, drug and gun running. The usual.

What's up with you.

Posted by: Dave from CIA at March 19, 2025 11:40 AM (Q4IgG)

148 >>There is probably much ambiguity…

Think I read that VOA was mostly anti-America content + pro-activism within the country/region it was serving. Like USAID, just another vehicle to promote Western deviance and topple locally elected (but unliked by the deep state) foreign leadership.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 19, 2025 11:41 AM (Cki93)

149 Bitch must pay.

Four-year-old calls 911 on his mom for eating his ice cream

https://is.gd/McIrtc

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:41 AM (L/fGl)

150 To be even-handed here, prior to 2013 the process was for the CIA and others to insert news articles into foreign press, which the US wire services would then pick up and publish in the US press. Possibly at a wink and a nod sort of encouragement.
All Obama did was remove one step, and allow it to be much wider.
Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:40 AM (D7oie)

Sure. Well, except we know from Operation Mockingbird that the CIA had infiltrated much / most of the US media as early as the 1950's.

So I don't know why then even bothered to have any cut outs.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:41 AM (uCjyK)

151 149 Bitch must pay.

Four-year-old calls 911 on his mom for eating his ice cream

https://is.gd/McIrtc
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:41 AM (L/fGl)

Wonder where the brat got that idea from???

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:42 AM (PCK5/)

152 Shortwave broadcasting went bye-bye as the internet came online. It was expensive.

Surprisingly enough, Radio Havana was pretty good - their top of the hour news played pretty straight. Their “editorial” stuff was batshit insane, but they did try to be somewhat objective reporting current events.

Arnie Coro was fun to listen to. I tried not to think he was a loyal revolutionary. Surely a nice grandfather figure would not ever hurt anyone.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:42 AM (xtYJY)

153 "The domestic press standing shoulder to shoulder in lament over the death of a state-owned foreign propaganda complex and calling it a death knell for the "free press" says everything that needs to be said about it."

Of course it does. To them, a "free press" IS subsidized by the government. It's probably been that way their entire lives. They don't know what a "free press" really is.

Posted by: hobbitopoly at March 19, 2025 11:43 AM (k9OZB)

154 VPN killed the VOA.

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 19, 2025 11:43 AM (cO0jj)

155
I’ll have to check that out.
I think I’ve seen it before, but yeah I need to see that.

I love watching the horses do crazy things in movies for some reason.

It’s like seeing a little piece of reality intruding on the fantasy playing out.

Maybe that’s why I like blooper clips so much, too.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 11:39 AM (6ydKt)
-------------
Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQcQByWSgw

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:43 AM (6K6Eu)

156 154 VPN killed the VOA.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 19, 2025 11:43 AM (cO0jj)

Did they kill the Radio Star too ?

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:44 AM (PCK5/)

157 FFS, all of June is not enough, GAYTLA5 TV morning news hyping "gay men's chorus" segment.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle for festive little hats at March 19, 2025 11:44 AM (c81o0)

158 Alec Baldwin has apparently gone to Hell.

https://shorturl.at/Zfb5t

She does have a nice rack.
But Rule 1.

Posted by: anchorbabe fashion cop at March 19, 2025 11:45 AM (ufFY8)

159 Interior can handle the national parks and the Injuns, but I would expand its purview to include various functions now handled by the Transportation, Agriculture, and Commerce Departments, and maybe others, as needed. In other words, it would deal with internal US matters, as befits its name, somewhat like the British Home Office.
Posted by: Bulg

So, Interior will be in charge of everything that's happening outside.

Posted by: mikeski at March 19, 2025 11:45 AM (zSez3)

160 VPN killed the VOA.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 19, 2025 11:43 AM (cO0jj)

Did they kill the Radio Star too ?
Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:44 AM

Nah...that was video.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 11:45 AM (hOk1M)

161 How about letting the individual states handle their own affairs and territories. I know it's such a strange concept.
Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons

Right?

It might help to have a federal agency that could mediate between states should there be a dispute over, say, water rights, and watersheds, and grazing, and who is responsible for stopping wildfires and where, but mediation should definitely be it only role and you have to makes sure that they understand that their job is only to get the states to come to an agreement that both can live with.

Maybe let them be the repository for records about interstate environmental compacts.

And someone needs to manage the national parks.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at March 19, 2025 11:45 AM (LsB7C)

162 FFS, all of June is not enough, GAYTLA5 TV morning news hyping "gay men's chorus" segment.
Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle for festive little hats at March 19, 2025 11:44 AM (c81o0)

Sounds queer to me.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:45 AM (MqtqS)

163 >>Well, the judge who ruled that Trump must accept trannies in the military cited the musical Hamilton in her ruling.

Oh, FFS, that is embarrassing.

Fun fact: Lin-Manual Miranda's dad was/still is (?) a prominent PR activist, quite cozy with DNC power establishment such as the Clintons.

Citing a musical written by an activist is not the #win she thinks it is, though she probably thought this would give Justice Ketanji Jackson a giggle, since she's a known superfan of the musical.

https://www.hbo.com/movies/siempre-luis

Posted by: Lizzy at March 19, 2025 11:46 AM (Cki93)

164 Sharpton > Glasglow

https://tinyurl.com/he8axj36

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 19, 2025 11:46 AM (PlmO8)

165 How about letting the individual states handle their own affairs and territories. I know it's such a strange concept.
Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons

That's fine. But there are cases where states have disputes, and in those cases the feds can step in to mediate. Also, for natural features, like rivers (think the Mississippi) that flow through several states, some sort of Federal role would be appropriate.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:46 AM (77rzZ)

166 A "barricade incident" at CIA headquarters right now.

SWAT team present.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (ufFY8)

167 Also, for natural features, like rivers (think the Mississippi) that flow through several states, some sort of Federal role would be appropriate.
Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:46 AM (77rzZ)

You stay on your side of the river, and I’ll stay on mine. No need for the feds to get involved.

Posted by: DoublySymmetric at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (Mxf84)

168 Ken Curtis (Festus) was a real cowboy, and grew up in a home directly above the county jail in Eastern Colorado. If you watch him around horses or mules, it is a practiced authenticity.

It was probably easier to teach cowboys how to act than it was actors to ride a horse. Lots of extras were needed, and horses. Where ya gonna get them? Ranches.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (xtYJY)

169 High-profile journalists and news associations have blasted the move, questioning what the shuttering of VOA will mean for press freedom under the second Trump administration.

*********

They seem unable to grasp the notion of proper rolels of government. It is not the purpose of government to prop up industries or corporations. Journalists or writers can continue to be journalists and writers without VOA and can let the market determine their value...or lack thereof. That has nothing to do with VOA. Big Journo is not too big to fail, especially in the new media age.

Posted by: muldoon at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (/iMjX)

170 Sure. Well, except we know from Operation Mockingbird that the CIA had infiltrated much / most of the US media as early as the 1950's.

So I don't know why then even bothered to have any cut outs.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:41 AM (uCjyK)

Who were probably the writers who picked up the wire service and added their own spin on it so as to keep within the letter of the law.
Information being washed through other sources is very important, both for propaganda to look like real news, and for investigations when one is pulling info from areas that can't be used due to restrictions/

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (D7oie)

171 @145: David Ignatius at the WAPO is the go to guy for news dumps by the deep state and the military industrial complex. Then the DOJ bootstrapped the stories as a basis for lawsuits and TROs. Dick Cheney was also famous for back channel info to reporters to then bootstrap the story for his own purposes.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at March 19, 2025 11:48 AM (bVN1m)

172 Sonic the ~~Hedgehog~~ Weapon unleashed in Serbia.

https://is.gd/XIsg4q

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:48 AM (L/fGl)

173 166 A "barricade incident" at CIA headquarters right now.

SWAT team present.
Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (ufFY

Some employees refuse to leave their post at the shredder?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:48 AM (uCjyK)

174 Four-year-old calls 911 on his mom for eating his ice cream

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:41 AM (L/fGl)

The younger brat was complaining about having to do chores...something about child-labor laws. She threatened to call Child Protective Services.

I looked up the number for her.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 19, 2025 11:48 AM (L5An7)

175 165 How about letting the individual states handle their own affairs and territories. I know it's such a strange concept.
Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons

That's fine. But there are cases where states have disputes, and in those cases the feds can step in to mediate. Also, for natural features, like rivers (think the Mississippi) that flow through several states, some sort of Federal role would be appropriate.
Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:46 AM (77rzZ)

Awwww… I was hoping that my state, Mo, could have a fleet ogunboats, to interdict river trade from Iowa and Illinois…

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:48 AM (PCK5/)

176 Did someone get all weeweed up after the document dump?

Posted by: Boss Moss at March 19, 2025 11:49 AM (z0e6h)

177 A "barricade incident" at CIA headquarters right now.
———

You can’t fire me!! Emanations and Penumbras! Sources and Methods! The Musical Hamilton!!!!

REEEEEE

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:49 AM (xtYJY)

178 I looked up the number for her.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 19, 2025 11:48 AM (L5An7)

"Labor? You expectin' a paycheck or something?"

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 19, 2025 11:49 AM (VoAdT)

179 158
‘Alec Baldwin has apparently gone to Hell.’

Looks like Alec wasted his free homicide card on the wrong woman.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 11:50 AM (jbnUc)

180 FFS, all of June is not enough, GAYTLA5 TV morning news hyping "gay men's chorus" segment.
Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle for festive little hats at March 19, 2025 11:44 AM (c81o0)

Sounds queer to me.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:45 AM

https://youtu.be/9vkF-k56b2g

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 11:50 AM (kM43H)

181 A "barricade incident" at CIA headquarters right now.
SWAT team present.
Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (ufFY

You know, managers are supposed to have training on how to fire employees so it doesn't escalate like this.

Of course, I can also think of Agent Franks being fired from Monster Control Bureau too, so I am withholding any judgement.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:51 AM (D7oie)

182 Water rights can get downright nasty. Prob a vector for Federal involvement there. Otherwise it turns into a shooting war.

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 11:51 AM (DJPFk)

183 You stay on your side of the river, and I’ll stay on mine. No need for the feds to get involved.
Posted by: DoublySymmetric

Yeah, but what you do with your side of the river could affect my side of the river, and the sides of the river of the states downstream.

It is a legitimate function of the Federal Government to resolve disputes between states.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:51 AM (77rzZ)

184 Hold out your hands stick out your tush.

Posted by: Boss Moss at March 19, 2025 11:51 AM (z0e6h)

185 I worked in Saudi for the 1st half of the 1980s. Remote camps, pretty much cut off from the world for months at a time. We listened to the short wave band on our radios. VOA sucked even back then. Radio Moscow gave us almost the same information, and they were funnier.

Posted by: LCMS Rulz! at March 19, 2025 11:51 AM (bufu1)

186 Hot AF Karoline Leavitt to begin her press conference in 8 minutes.

She was looking gorgeous in green on St. Patrick's Day

Posted by: anchorbabe fashion cop at March 19, 2025 11:52 AM (ufFY8)

187 Also, major waterways could also fall under Federal purview as a national-defense interest.

Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:52 AM (77rzZ)

188 Awwww… I was hoping that my state, Mo, could have a fleet ogunboats, to interdict river trade from Iowa and Illinois…
Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2025 11:48 AM (PCK5/)

Once upon a time Oregon and Washington state mobilized their respective National Guards to enforce their respective self-passed laws over salmon fishing rights on the Columbia river.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:53 AM (D7oie)

189 Well, except we know from Operation Mockingbird that the CIA had infiltrated much / most of the US media as early as the 1950's.

-

The left can't help but tell you what they are doing, even in their operational names.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:53 AM (lTGtQ)

190 > "If the leftists want a radio program broadcast world wide to disseminate their point of view fine; but call it by it's right name."

International Public Radio.

Posted by: Just reporting at March 19, 2025 11:53 AM (yEg2x)

191 That's fine. But there are cases where states have disputes, and in those cases the feds can step in to mediate. Also, for natural features, like rivers (think the Mississippi) that flow through several states, some sort of Federal role would be appropriate.
Posted by: Bulg at March 19, 2025 11:46 AM (77rzZ)

That's what the federal judiciary was originally supposed to do.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at March 19, 2025 11:54 AM (g8Ew8)

192 OT - falling egg prices mean it's a good time to add to your stockpile...

Posted by: Jim Cramer at March 19, 2025 11:54 AM (4SKzt)

193 You laugh, but Farms and Ranches have a specific cutout in child labor laws, because 9 year old Hank ain’t supposed to be driving a tractor or myriad other jobs that he is doing.

They have completely infantalized generations of townies and City Dwellers. If you hadn’t noticed. Adult Children with Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or whatever they like to call it.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (xtYJY)

194 166 A "barricade incident" at CIA headquarters right now.

SWAT team present.
Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (ufFY

Armed dude having a "mental health crisis" outside the CIA gate. I think Fairfax County cops sent mental health crisis folks to try to talk him down so SWAT doesn't need to do anything but stand around for now...so, must be a known nutcase...

Posted by: Nova Local at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (exHjb)

195 Radio Commie is more reality based.

Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (17s+e)

196 International Public Radio.
Posted by: Just reporting at March 19, 2025 11:53 AM

International Public Radio/International Socialism

National Public Radio/National Socialism

Yeah...that works.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (hOk1M)

197 > A "barricade incident" at CIA headquarters right now.
--------
Probably going to see this at every federal courthouse and likely, SCOTUS soon. The judiciary has gone rogue.

It's essentially a judicial coup in progress.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (Q4IgG)

198 I'm gonna cite West Side Story for the proposition that Tonight's the night.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (L/fGl)

199 I worked in Saudi for the 1st half of the 1980s. Remote camps, pretty much cut off from the world for months at a time. We listened to the short wave band on our radios. VOA sucked even back then. Radio Moscow gave us almost the same information, and they were funnier.
Posted by: LCMS Rulz! at March 19, 2025 11:51 AM (bufu1)

Back in the day, Radio Nederland, out of Holland, had some of the most entertaining programming on shortwave. In English, too.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (MqtqS)

200 168 Ken Curtis was a pretty big guy, maybe 6'2". When you see him next to James Arness he looks really below average. Arness was really tall, maybe over 6'6".Might have contributed to his wounding at Anzio.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 19, 2025 11:56 AM (gm9Sb)

201 I'm gonna cite West Side Story for the proposition that Tonight's the night.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM

Careful...the left will start citing it for the proposition that everything free in America.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 11:56 AM (hOk1M)

202 The left can't help but tell you what they are doing, even in their operational names.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:53 AM (lTGtQ)

Yes. Well, I wouldn't say "the left" -- the vast majority of their targets in that era were groups and people on the left.

I'd say "the blob" as Obamas team calls them. Permanent Washington.

But yes, their operation names are oftentimes ...cute.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:56 AM (uCjyK)

203 Yeah, but what you do with your side of the river could affect my side of the river, and the sides of the river of the states downstream.

It is a legitimate function of the Federal Government to resolve disputes between states.

Posted by: Bulg

Missouri sued Illinois in the supreme court when the latter reversed the flow of the Chicago river to send their sewage into the Mississippi river. They lost.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:56 AM (lTGtQ)

204 Radio Polonia used to do an Esperanto broadcast. That was fun. Don't know if they still do.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 19, 2025 11:56 AM (VoAdT)

205 166 A "barricade incident" at CIA headquarters right now.

SWAT team present.
Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at March 19, 2025 11:47 AM (ufFY

I noticed Peter Zeihan called Tulsi "Russia's biggest asset" just yesterday. I don't think the CIA is taking the transition well. I can only hope the barricade is due to the overwhelming evidence and imminent arrest of some effing traitors.

Posted by: Bilwis Devourer of Innocent Souls, I'm starvin' over here at March 19, 2025 11:57 AM (pIfcn)

206 Armed dude having a "mental health crisis" outside the CIA gate. I think Fairfax County cops sent mental health crisis folks to try to talk him down so SWAT doesn't need to do anything but stand around for now...so, must be a known nutcase...
Posted by: Nova Local at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (exHjb)

Mental health crisis? Really could be anyone in DC.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:57 AM (uCjyK)

207 Has anyone looked at the Presidential Actions today?

Removing Discrimination and Discriminatory Equity
Ideology From the Foreign Service

Section 1. Policy and Purpose. Over the last 4 years, divisive and discriminatory policies were systematically embedded into every part of the Federal Government, including hiring processes and employee performance evaluations in the Foreign Service. It is the policy of the Federal Government that hiring in foreign policy positions, like hiring in all other parts of the Government, shall be based solely on merit.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 11:58 AM (D7oie)

208 OT - falling egg prices mean it's a good time to add to your stockpile...
Posted by: Jim Cramer

Just in time for Easter. The Trump works in mysterious ways.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 11:58 AM (L/fGl)

209 Known nutcase at CIA?

Oh they worked on the top floor.

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 19, 2025 11:58 AM (cO0jj)

210 "Discriminatory Equity Ideology"

....

That's gold.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 19, 2025 11:58 AM (VoAdT)

211 My strategic egg reserve is running a bit low now that you mention it...

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:58 AM (uCjyK)

212 You laugh, but Farms and Ranches have a specific cutout in child labor laws, because 9 year old Hank ain’t supposed to be driving a tractor or myriad other jobs that he is doing.

They have completely infantalized generations of townies and City Dwellers. If you hadn’t noticed. Adult Children with Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or whatever they like to call it.

Posted by: Common Tater

Smiles at memory of dad teaching me to fell trees and cut firewood with a chainsaw at age 11.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM (lTGtQ)

213 Mental health crisis? Really could be anyone in DC.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:57 AM (uCjyK)

More importantly how can they tell its a crisis

Posted by: ... at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM (D+vnQ)

214 "Discriminatory Equity Ideology"

....

That's gold.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 19, 2025 11:58 AM

Trump is nothing if not a grandmaster troll.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM (hOk1M)

215 More importantly how can they tell its a crisis
Posted by: ... at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM (D+vnQ)

Because he's probably saying crazy things like "the CIA killed Kennedy! Oh my god, the CIA killed Kennedy!" so obviously he's insane.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM (uCjyK)

216 Radio Polonia used to do an Esperanto broadcast. That was fun. Don't know if they still do.

Posted by: Warai-otoko

SCTV did an entire show in esperanto once. Hilarious.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (lTGtQ)

217 Learn to suck choad, commie scum.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (i24o9)

218 Mental health crisis? Really could be anyone in DC.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:57 AM (uCjyK)

More importantly how can they tell its a crisis
Posted by: ... at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM

He's demanding to be let back into the office in person?

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (hOk1M)

219 This means CPB is history, and effin 'bout time. The Government does not need it's own network.

Posted by: Xipe Totec at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (pohLc)

220 216 The CIA is another one of those entities that should have went away as soon as the Cold War ended. I don't think we won the Cold War as much as we just lost last.
Posted by: Taking Notes at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (Y1D0N)

=======

Would there have been a Cold War if the OSS had been shut down after WWII?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (GBKbO)

221 More importantly how can they tell its a crisis

Posted by: ... at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM (D+vnQ)

He's at his desk?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (L5An7)

222 Frogs finally evicted the dirty migrants from a theater in Paris. MIgrants (probably funded by USAID) chanted antifa slogans and said they will stay. Why USAID was funding propaganda and jesuits? Here's your answer, pure Obama.

Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (2NXcZ)

223 OT - falling egg prices mean it's a good time to add to your stockpile...
Posted by: Jim Cramer at March 19, 2025

***
They're not falling around here. They may be wobbling or teetering, but it's not easy to see.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (J2vNu)

224 197
‘It's essentially a judicial coup in progress.’

When enough judicial abuses stack up , Trump needs to go on air and say, “the entire judicial branch is outside of their jurisdiction and we will no longer comply with judicial rulings that aren’t consistent with the Constitution. Any further attempts to execute from the bench will be treated as insurrection.”

Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (jbnUc)

225 speaking of the Kennedy files... going through it so far, nothing bombshelly in there.

But a lot more circumstantial evidence that Oswald was, at the very least, on the CIA's radar for years and that the CIA worked with Dulles to hide a lot of information from the other members of the Warren Commission.

More or less what everyone expected. Anything truly incriminating was burned decades ago or never written down in the first place.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (uCjyK)

226 219, 222

Hordemind.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (hOk1M)

227 So they're yelling at the cops, "do you know who I am?????"

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (cO0jj)

228 211 My strategic egg reserve is running a bit low now that you mention it...
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 11:58 AM (uCjyK)

Perimenopause?

Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (2NXcZ)

229 Karoline Leavitt's husband, 32 years her senior, is a very lucky guy.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (gm9Sb)

230 Radio Polonia used to do an Esperanto broadcast. That was fun. Don't know if they still do.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 19, 2025 11:56 AM (VoAdT)

What would really be weird is a large sports cheering section in click language.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at March 19, 2025 12:02 PM (g8Ew8)

231 Ken Curtis, apparently, sang in Tommy Dorsey's band as a replacement or successor to Frank Sinatra. It's truly amazing to hear him do the Festus twang one moment, then sing without accent (a la Jim Nabors) the next, as he did on Have Gun -- Will Travel at least once.

He also appeared in, and produced, The Killer Shrews low-budget monster movie.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 19, 2025 12:02 PM (J2vNu)

232 Hopefully egg prices will come down here. Right now my Easter Egg hunt will have a single egg and a battle royale to claim it.

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 12:02 PM (TtesT)

233 The Killer Shrew?

Hillary bio-pic?

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 19, 2025 12:03 PM (cO0jj)

234 230 Karoline Leavitt's husband, 32 years her senior, is a very lucky guy.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (gm9Sb)

Maybe, but I suspect that girl is a handful. In several ways.

Posted by: Xipe Totec at March 19, 2025 12:03 PM (pohLc)

235 You laugh, but Farms and Ranches have a specific cutout in child labor laws, because 9 year old Hank ain’t supposed to be driving a tractor or myriad other jobs that he is doing.

[ . . . ]
Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (xtYJY)

What you are talking about are "Hazardous Orders" about the employment of minors.
If the kid is a family member and the work is agriculture as defined under FLSA then there is an exception, but probably not if it is a kid of one of the employees on the farm.

other hazardous orders cover working in excavations, bakeries, mills, around radioactive substances and a few other. They are fairly liberal in their scope, and pretty reasonable.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 12:03 PM (D7oie)

236
Looks like Alec wasted his free homicide card on the wrong woman.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 11:50 AM (jbnUc)

--------

*SNORT*

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 19, 2025 12:03 PM (o0Sns)

237 Would there have been a Cold War if the OSS had been shut down after WWII?
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (GBKbO)

I'd say no. And the OSS did shut down after WWII.

Truman created the CIA because he was pissed off about getting intelligence from 10 different agencies (army, navy, FBI, etc. etc.) which often conflicted and was pushing their own agendas. He wanted one agency to sift through all of that and give him the gist of it all.

But the CIA decided they didn't like that limited mission, and basically resurrected the OSS and re-hired a lot of the guys who had been laid off at the end of the war.

But yeah, I'm more and more coming around to the belief that the Cold War was mostly fake and gay and used to justify massive Military Industrial Complex budgets.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 12:04 PM (uCjyK)

238 Any further attempts to execute from the bench will be treated as insurrection.”
Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 12:00 PM (jbnUc)

Locking them up for 4 years with no trial.

When you consider how quickly Roberts allowed Biden to overrun the country with migrants for Biden, it's easy to see where he stands on executive powers: next to Biden and on Trump's throat.

Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 12:04 PM (2NXcZ)

239 Looks like Alec wasted his free homicide card on the wrong woman.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 11:50 AM (jbnUc)

--------

*SNORT*
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 19, 2025 12:03 PM

Hilarious.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:05 PM (hOk1M)

240 230 Karoline Leavitt's husband, 32 years her senior, is a very lucky guy.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (gm9Sb)

She married her rich dad. For her, it seems very transactional. For him, it's certain he could not have done better.

Posted by: Nova Local at March 19, 2025 12:05 PM (exHjb)

241 They have completely infantalized generations of townies and City Dwellers. If you hadn’t noticed. Adult Children with Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or whatever they like to call it.
Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (xtYJY)

Monster Children raised by deficient egg and sperm donors who are more interested in tatts, piercings and Tay Tay's anal bleaching than real life and work.

Posted by: Baby Daddy Inc. at March 19, 2025 12:06 PM (Ic155)

242 "High-profile journalists and news associations have blasted the move"

Why are these ultra peaceful peace lovers always blasting stuff?

When do I get to start blasting stuff?

Posted by: CZ = FNG, Free Republic of Florida at March 19, 2025 12:06 PM (MkuC5)

243 Tell me I'm wrong. How many miss the vinegar smell throughout the house you get on Easter Egg dying day?

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 19, 2025 12:06 PM (gm9Sb)

244 Eggs fine in Eastern PA, 24 for 7.99. Or you can splurge on a fancy brand for a bit more.

Posted by: Night lifted.... at March 19, 2025 12:06 PM (2NXcZ)

245 Karoline Leavitt's husband, 32 years her senior, is a very lucky guy.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (gm9Sb)

I have shirts older than she is.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 19, 2025 12:06 PM (L5An7)

246 Smiles at memory of dad teaching me to fell trees and cut firewood with a chainsaw at age 11.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 11:59 AM (lTGtQ)

Dad showed me how to run the saw and pretty much let me use it to buck up a downed tree about that age. I have no idea why he thought that was a good idea.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 12:07 PM (D7oie)

247 They have completely infantalized generations of townies and City Dwellers. If you hadn’t noticed. Adult Children with Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or whatever they like to call it.
Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 11:55 AM (xtYJY)

Monster Children raised by deficient egg and sperm donors who are more interested in tatts, piercings and Tay Tay's anal bleaching than real life and work.
Posted by: Baby Daddy Inc. at March 19, 2025 12:06 P

I know, right?

Posted by: YouTube Police Bodycam Channels at March 19, 2025 12:07 PM (hOk1M)

248 Baldwin shot a woman in Bonanza City just to watch her die.

Posted by: Boss Moss at March 19, 2025 12:07 PM (z0e6h)

249 and re: OSS and CIA -- I get the counter argument. It even makes sense, and I can see how people would support it at the time.

Hillenkoetter and other early CIA heads were saying "the Europeans all have very intricate spy networks, many going back hundreds of years. We don't. We need to do something here, or we're going to get run over and manipulated and used by the Eurofags, including the Soviets."

But the flip side of that is, once you let that genie out of the bottle, it becomes nearly impossible to control, and our system of government really is not compatible with secret police and spy / paramilitary agencies, which by their very nature require secrecy and lying.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 12:08 PM (uCjyK)

250 Karoline Leavitt's husband, 32 years her senior, is a very lucky guy.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 19, 2025 12:01 PM (gm9Sb)

I have shirts older than she is.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 19, 2025 12:06 PM (L5An7)

Both of those statements can be true at the same time

Posted by: Doof at March 19, 2025 12:08 PM (Uq+qx)

251 @250 --

He blasted her.

Posted by: CZ = FNG, Free Republic of Florida at March 19, 2025 12:08 PM (MkuC5)

252 Looks like Alec wasted his free homicide card on the wrong woman.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 11:50 AM (jbnUc)

--------

*SNORT*
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 19, 2025 12:03 PM

Hilarious.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:05 PM (hOk1M)

PMITA prison would have been merciful.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:09 PM (i24o9)

253 I have shirts older than she is.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 19, 2025 12:06 PM

*looks up Ms. Leavitt*

Crap...so do I. And plenty of boots.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:09 PM (hOk1M)

254 Karoline Leavitt's husband, 32 years her senior, is a very lucky guy.

--

Maybe, but it's still a violation of the half your age plus seven rule.

Really, it sounds all great but what would a 53 year old man meaningfully discuss with a 21 year old woman? I mean, after that five minutes when they do their thing, there isn't much else.

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 12:09 PM (QAQdw)

255 Really, it sounds all great but what would a 53 year old man meaningfully discuss with a 21 year old woman? I mean, after that five minutes when they do their thing, there isn't much else.
Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 12:09 PM (QAQdw)

Sounds like heaven.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 19, 2025 12:10 PM (VoAdT)

256 PMITA prison would have been merciful.
Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:09 PM

I'm just goofing on his wife's name.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:10 PM (hOk1M)

257 Television sucks these days. For the last 15 years or so. I hate these so called reality shows. They are just stupid. Networks put out the cheapest things they can get away with thinking people will watch it cause it's on tv. Well screw them, I would rather watch an old Perry Mason rerun anytime than wast my time with some "woke" garbage. And I know I'm not alone because with so many channels that we have these days many of them show reruns from back in the 60's and 70's. Old westerns, comedy, and dramas. They may be old but they are entertaining.

Posted by: Case at March 19, 2025 12:10 PM (Wtjgq)

258 But the flip side of that is, once you let that genie out of the bottle, it becomes nearly impossible to control, and our system of government really is not compatible with secret police and spy / paramilitary agencies, which by their very nature require secrecy and lying.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 19, 2025 12:08 PM (uCjyK)

The amazing thing is how quickly it went bad. Less than 20 years from it's creation.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 19, 2025 12:10 PM (wyMQY)

259 Maybe, but it's still a violation of the half your age plus seven rule.

Really, it sounds all great but what would a 53 year old man meaningfully discuss with a 21 year old woman? I mean, after that five minutes when they do their thing, there isn't much else.
Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025

***
Oh, if you try hard, you can find something.

Posted by: Will & Ariel Durant at March 19, 2025 12:11 PM (J2vNu)

260 Really, it sounds all great but what would a 53 year old man meaningfully discuss with a 21 year old woman?

-

Where she wants to go this weekend, same as you'd discuss with a 53 year old woman that will be comparing you to the 30-50 other men she's slept with.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Did moms or dads encourage daughters to be whores? at March 19, 2025 12:11 PM (qSMcm)

261 PMITA prison would have been merciful.
Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:09 PM

I'm just goofing on his wife's name.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:10 PM (hOk1M)

Be kind. She's just doing the job that fake Americans don't want to do.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:11 PM (i24o9)

262 Posted by: Case at March 19, 2025 12:10 PM (Wtjgq)

Have you tried The Curse of Oak Island? Quality TV there, no?

Posted by: Xipe Totec at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (pohLc)

263 Ah, I see it now: J School was a grift designed to set people up to work as propagandists in a vast leftist network.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (tT6L1)

264 239
‘When you consider how quickly Roberts allowed Biden to overrun the country with migrants for Biden’

Yep. Roberts is a bad actor. I hope Trump find a way to focus public opinion on that fact. Since Roberts is also a coward, he’ll fold immediately.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (jbnUc)

265 Speaking of Esperanto, William Shatner did an Esperanto movie, 1966s Incubus.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (Q0kLU)

266 The amazing thing is how quickly it went bad. Less than 20 years from it's creation.

Does not surprise me one bit. Such an organization will attract people willing to do shitty things. No shock that they'll do rogue shitty things. Its their nature.

Posted by: Taking Notes at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (Y1D0N)

267 Oh, if you try hard, you can find something.
Posted by: Will & Ariel Durant at March 19, 2025 12:11 PM (J2vNu)

"Who was your favorite Power Ranger?"

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (kxQW1)

268 >>>Really, it sounds all great but what would a 53 year old man meaningfully discuss with a 21 year old woman?

Boobs, of course.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:13 PM (i24o9)

269 "Who was your favorite Power Ranger?"

-

"You don't have any kids AND you're not on antidepressants?"

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Did moms or dads encourage daughters to be whores? at March 19, 2025 12:14 PM (qSMcm)

270 And I know I'm not alone because with so many channels that we have these days many of them show reruns from back in the 60's and 70's. Old westerns, comedy, and dramas. They may be old but they are entertaining.

Posted by: Case

I cut the cable over a decade ago, and even then was only watching news or financial shows. I got a roku box and can watch documentaries or shows from the last century that actually had plots.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at March 19, 2025 12:14 PM (lTGtQ)

271 COMEX, the primary market for gold futures is Delisting of the Gold Kilo Futures, London Spot Gold Futures, London Silver Spot Futures, and Cleared OTC London Gold Forwards (collateral margin) Contracts

I am told this is probably the futures market distancing itself from the London metals market which is probably going to implode under demands for physical gold, which is probably not in London any more

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 12:14 PM (D7oie)

272 What meaningful conversations do 21 year old guys have with 21 year old chicks?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 12:14 PM (GBKbO)

273 Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQcQByWSgw

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 19, 2025 11:43 AM (6K6Eu)

- -- --

Oh, that's funny.
I like the way she keeps giggling because the horses are just doing their thing.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (6ydKt)

274 Back in the day, Radio Nederland, out of Holland, had some of the most entertaining programming on shortwave. In English, too.

Somewhere in storage, I have some of their music programs on vinyl. Really good classical music.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (WPL6O)

275 "You don't have any kids AND you're not on antidepressants?"
Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Did moms or dads encourage daughters to be whores? at March 19, 2025 12:14 PM

Don't taunt me...you know she's not out there.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (hOk1M)

276 ‘When you consider how quickly Roberts allowed Biden to overrun the country with migrants for Biden’

Yep. Roberts is a bad actor. I hope Trump find a way to focus public opinion on that fact. Since Roberts is also a coward, he’ll fold immediately.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (jbnUc)

He needs a cutout to do it. Too many normies on our side still cling to their naive notions of the wholesomeness of our institutions, especially SCOTUS.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (i24o9)

277 Minnesota Republican who introduced bill to classify Trump Derangement Syndrome as mental illness arrested in child sex sting

https://is.gd/xIAJzf

-
The evidence looks pretty strong.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Soldier of the Persistence at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (L/fGl)

278 263 Ah, I see it now: J School was a grift designed to set people up to work as propagandists in a vast leftist network.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at March 19, 2025 12:12 PM (tT6L1)

Consider.... what exactly should J school be?

"Go ask people what the hell just happened. Dig harder if you think they're lying."

That's literally it. What is there to learn? A basic grasp of the English language, a little bit of motivation, and a tiny set of common sense ethics that anyone slightly better than a rabid hyena should have from birth.

But to really make shit up and lie through your teeth so hard you whistle.... that takes schooling.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (VoAdT)

279 What meaningful conversations do 21 year old guys have with 21 year old chicks?

-

Yep. It's that pretend nonsense about people having something "in common"

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Did moms or dads encourage daughters to be whores? at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (qSMcm)

280 VOA has been a waste of money for at least 40 years. When I was a kid and shortwave listening was my jam, VOA's English broadcasts were always borderline ridiculous. It was just Radio Moscow aimed in the other direction.

The only good state media SW stations were Radio Havana, which had great music and also fantastic antenna building tips from the late great Arnie Coro (who I managed to correspond with once), and Radio Pyongyang, which was hard to find but hilariously, almost pathetically, funny without trying to be.

Posted by: Pennsyltucky at March 19, 2025 12:15 PM (QdGJh)

281 What meaningful conversations do 21 year old guys have with 21 year old chicks?
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 12:14 PM

Judging by my observations, they just text each other. About what, I have no idea.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:16 PM (hOk1M)

282 220 This means CPB is history, and effin 'bout time. The Government does not need it's own network.
---------------
Someone needs to tell CNN that.

Posted by: Pudinhead at March 19, 2025 12:16 PM (Hpgos)

283 The amazing thing is how quickly it went bad. Less than 20 years from it's creation.
-----------
Rush Limbaugh said (over and over) "Any organization that is not *explicitly* conservative will turn leftward over time."

Posted by: Crusader at March 19, 2025 12:16 PM (TN0g+)

284 The amazing thing is how quickly it went bad. Less than 20 years from it's creation.
Posted by: Tom Servo at March 19, 2025 12:10 PM (wyMQY)

Alan Dulles stock portfolio demanded it.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 12:16 PM (D7oie)

285 The official US propaganda outlet for foreign lands - sort of - has been suspended and will, like USAID, probably never recover

Until congress stops funding this stuff, it comes back the first months of the next Democrat president -- or GOPe president.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at March 19, 2025 12:16 PM (2VST1)

286 USAID is going to end completely. And I think Congress will slip a dagger into the budget bill that kills VOA dead. I think that's what Trump is going for. Congressional elimination of the deep state graft and fraud.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at March 19, 2025 12:17 PM (4XwPj)

287 Rush Limbaugh said (over and over) "Any organization that is not *explicitly* conservative will turn leftward over time."
Posted by: Crusader at March 19, 2025 12:16 PM (TN0g+)

Ludwig von Mises said it first, by the way.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 19, 2025 12:17 PM (D7oie)

288 What meaningful conversations do 21 year old guys have with 21 year old chicks?
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman

--

I think they are in code. Talking about how no cap that guy is a cringe sigma.

Posted by: WitchDoktor at March 19, 2025 12:17 PM (64qRd)

289 Nood

Posted by: Thanatopsis at March 19, 2025 12:17 PM (GYt5+)

290 286 USAID is going to end completely. And I think Congress will slip a dagger into the budget bill that kills VOA dead. I think that's what Trump is going for. Congressional elimination of the deep state graft and fraud.
Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at March 19, 2025 12:17 PM (4XwPj)

Didn't some judge yesterday demand they put back all workers and keep funding ?

Posted by: It's me donna at March 19, 2025 12:18 PM (VE6XX)

291 Just to be clear, Karoline Leavitt is NOT your average 21 year old nitwit.

Posted by: Xipe Totec at March 19, 2025 12:18 PM (pohLc)

292 Really, it sounds all great but what would a 53 year old man meaningfully discuss with a 21 year old woman?

Lots of things...What is your favorite position? Do you like grape jelly or popsicles?...Pick up some candles honey on the way home please...Hey sweetie! We are all out of Astroglide.

Posted by: Heterosexual And Loving It! at March 19, 2025 12:18 PM (Ic155)

293 What is this "child sex" shit?

"child abuse", "child sexual abuse".

Not "child sex".

Posted by: ... at March 19, 2025 12:19 PM (D+vnQ)

294 Having fell asleep 15 minutes into Oak Island, can anyone update me on what discoveries they made last night?

Posted by: Pudinhead at March 19, 2025 12:19 PM (Hpgos)

295 What meaningful conversations do 21 year old guys have with 21 year old chicks?
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at March 19, 2025 12:14 PM

Judging by my observations, they just text each other. About what, I have no idea.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at March 19, 2025 12:16 PM (hOk1M)

Still boobs.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at March 19, 2025 12:19 PM (i24o9)

296 I wonder what meaningful differences there are between what 21 year old women are discussing and what 53 year old women are discussing.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Did moms or dads encourage daughters to be whores? at March 19, 2025 12:20 PM (qSMcm)

297 Truman very pointedly sent a letter to the editor of the NYT less than a month after Kennedy was shot. He basically said the spook agencies were out of control and something needed to be done about it.

I read somewhere a long time ago Oswald’s tax returns are sealed. Are those available for perusal? Might be something interesting there.

I think he was on the payroll, and went rogue, and/or they dropped the ball.

Wouldn’t he rightly be one of the usual suspects to be rounded up before a presidential motorcade?

Oops

Posted by: Common Tater at March 19, 2025 12:21 PM (xtYJY)

298 >>>The evidence looks pretty strong.

Another fake Christian goes down.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 19, 2025 12:22 PM (Y1sOo)

299 Someone had ChatGPT summarize the JFK files. Probably to save time.

https://tinyurl.com/yzjmd4vk

I want to systematically analyze these records from the first file onward in efficient batches.

Instructions:
1. Start from the beginning and summarize each file sequentially.
2. Summarize key events, findings, and intelligence assessments concisely.
3. Exclude introductory statements about the archive release and location.
4. Do not include concluding remarks—just provide the document number and summary.
5. Use the maximum batch size allowed (e.g., if you can process 15-20 files at a time instead of 10, do so).
6. Ensure continuity by clearly numbering the documents in each batch.

Please start on first document and proceed in batches.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 19, 2025 12:34 PM (Q4IgG)

300 Having fell asleep 15 minutes into Oak Island, can anyone update me on what discoveries they made last night?
Posted by: Pudinhea

**********

Gary Drayton found a "buton". A real bobby dazzler!

Posted by: muldoon at March 19, 2025 12:36 PM (/iMjX)

301 All their broadcast licenses should be put on public auction by the Trump administration. That will payback taxpayers for all the money they have squandered over the years. The current licensees can keep their station allocations only if they win those auctions.
Posted by: whig at March 19, 2025 11:23 AM (ctrM5)

Most OTA stations feed cable head ends directly through fiber from master control. The OTA transmitter could go down, and cable viewers (there are still millions) would not even be aware. Every station I worked for over the years does this. There are bigger fish to fry.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at March 19, 2025 12:40 PM (dgRL6)

302 I wonder what the National Press Club is doing at their club these days.

Posted by: KT at March 19, 2025 12:58 PM (lrNXH)

Processing 0.04, elapsed 0.0566 seconds.
14 queries taking 0.0146 seconds, 310 records returned.
Page size 178 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.