So you thought you understood Ireland?

Bunratty Castle
Limerick, Ireland

Update: Or maybe it's the Kilkenny Castle Rose Garden

Don't you love limericks?

There have been some big changes lately in Ireland. Some of them have been sort of predictable. Others have been unexpected. Some of the issues regarding free speech have echoed developments in other parts of the anglosphere (and other parts of the world).

Ace has covered some of recent changes, starting last week (don't comment on old threads):

March 15: Has Ireland Passed Peak Woke? Public Rejects Two Measures to "Modernize" the Constitution

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has conceded defeat in the vote over two constitutional amendments that would have broadened the definition of family and removed language about a woman's role at home. Vote tallies Saturday showed both referendums failing in a blow to his government.
Varadkar had pushed the vote to enshrine gender equality in the constitution and scheduled the vote on Friday, International Women's Day.

Ace comments:

I would say this rejection is based 50% on the amendments themselves, and 50% based on people finally revolting to this constant "Year Zero" disruption of society.
The term "Year Zero" refers to the idea that after Maoists or communists take power, they declare it "Year Zero" of the New Age, and set about to pulling down all statues, burning all books, denouncing all traditions, and eradicating everything normal and decent in their mad drive to remake all of humanity in the twisted, ugly image of communist malcontent losers.
There was no history before. We decide what history is right now, in Year Zero.
And we've all been living in Year Zero since George Floyd swallowed a huge bolus of drugs and died due to his own poor life choices.
And people have had enough.
Matt Taibbi wrote about Year Zero back on July 4, 2020 . . .

Maybe it's worth re-reading the post above now that you have a little time this weekend. May fit in with a movie recommendation below.

Then this happened:

March 20: Ireland's Woke Prime Minister Announces "Bolt Out of the Blue" Resignation

Despite NBC "News" making a mystery of this sudden resignation, Ed Morrissey opines that the explanation is simple: The woke gay PM pushed forward two constitutional amendments to redefine the family and rebut gender stereotypes and the Irish public stood up and finally said "NO."

Heh.

Then Ace provided more interesting details in a disturbing post the next day, reminding us that the fight is not over:

March 21: Scotland Criminalizes Free Speech

The Scottish free speech content is very disturbing, and you may want to read Ace's detailed commentary again. More on free speech below. But back to Ireland:

I was wondering how someone leading a party which the media calls "center-right" turns out to be so woke. Apparently he "evolved in office," like Liz Cheney.

Quoting Theo McDonald:

..
Shortly after clinching the top job, Varadkar was featured on the cover of Time with the heading "An Island at the Center of the World."
Praising Ireland's globalism, the magazine lauded him for his recent coming out of the closet and Indian background -- his father hails from Mumbai.

In recent months, immigration has skyrocketed in Ireland with several high-profile incidents such as the stabbing of three children by an Algerian migrant leading to riots in the middle of Dublin.
Varadkar displayed a level of tone deafness that showed the opposite of leadership by attacking the rioters and other concerned citizens as "far right," failing to bring the nation together.

It appeared for a while that Varadkar's party, which pushed him out, had really grand ambitions for their immigration plans:

Yesterday, Brendan O'Neill wrote a little farewell piece in Spiked:

Good riddance to the man who turned Ireland into a laboratory of the new illiberalism.

It's a detailed piece. Here are a few good parts. Varadkar came to power as part of a coalition government:

Imagine Trump and Biden hot-desking together in the Oval Office, or the Tories and Labour waltzing hand in hand into Downing Street, and you'll have a sense of the strange outrage that is Ireland's coalition government. Its existence speaks to the exhaustion of Ireland's old politics and its replacement by a wholly post-ideological, post-history, technocratic form of governance. And its chief beneficiary, until Wednesday, was Varadkar. Unpopular with the people, loved by the overclass, he built his political brand on the rubble of Ireland's old public life.
And what did he do from his lofty, unearned perch of power? Nothing good. All his big initiatives seemed designed less to improve people's lives than to improve the people themselves. To fix their backward thinking, wash away their sinful thoughts. To drag them - screaming if necessary - into a New Ireland cleansed of its problematic past and all problematic beliefs and remade in the woke image of King Leo. As befits a taoiseach canonised by the establishment rather than backed by the people, Varadkar pursued a low-level war of attrition on Irish society and its disappointing citizens.
Consider his infamous hate-speech bill. Across the world people have expressed alarm at the tyranny that would flow from it. Its promise to punish, severely, 'incitement to hatred' on account of a person's race, gender or religion could easily give rise to the criminalisation of opinion. The opinion that a person's assumed gender is bullshit, for example. Or a feminist refusing to say she / her about a he / him. Or an individual floridly bristling at mass immigration. All might be judged hateful by the state and fined, even jailed. Indeed, following the rioting by mobs ticked off about Ireland's immigration levels, Varadkar said he would punish not only the rioters - as one would expect - but also 'online promoters of hate'. That is, people who said things, on the internet, about immigration or Islam or whatever else it might be.
His dream was nothing less than thoughtpolicing, state oversight of belief. He wanted to empower the police and courts to punish the utterance of certain ideas - an empowerment the coalition will continue to pursue following his resignation. If a Third World country had an essentially unelected leader who was passing laws to punish the eccentric and the dissenting, we'd call it despotic. What should we call Varadkar's Ireland?

Good question. Lofty goals for someone who came to power under such dubious circumstances.

Or consider his stance on immigration. Under Varadkar immigration and asylum rose hugely and his clique looked down upon anyone who raised concerns as racist. Country people and working people who worried out loud about immigration's impact on smalltown life or public services or jobs risked being sneered at by their distant overlords in Dublin. You're xenophobic, would come the rebuke. Varadkar made it clear that local communities would have no veto over who can live among them.
Under Varadkar, immigration policy wasn't just about securing cheap labour from abroad or pleasing Brussels by bowing to the Single Market's insistence on 'freedom of movement'. It became an imperious crusade, a means through which Dublin's elites might extend their cultural dominion over the country. Migrants were made into vessels of the ideology of multiculturalism, the elites hoping their arrival in some small town might modernise and improve it.
If, as Varadkar himself said this month, immigration has become a 'top-tier' issue, it's not because race hate has exploded on the Emerald Isle. It's because Ireland's immigration policy is increasingly a social re-engineering project swaddled in liberal-speak, and people don't like it. It's not immigrants they hate so much as an elite so arrogant that it has granted itself the kingly right to re-engineer the nation itself so that it better reflects the multicultural worldview of Dublin and better serves the economic requirements of global capital.

Varadkar's rule was government of the elite, by the elite, for the elite. His government against the people added up to an attempted reordering of how people think, what they may say, what their communities should look like and even how they should relate to the constitution. All had to be bent to the fanatical whims of a taoiseach who was never even called upon by the people to govern. . .

Ireland is a small country. The excesses may have been easier to spot there than they would be here.

* * * * *

Michael Shellenberger reminds us that free speech is an international issue

(Though little Ireland or Scotland may determine social media policies for all of Europe, if they get their way.)

In Ireland, the government is pushing hate speech legislation that would allow police to invade homes and seize phones and computers.

Governments Are Creating A Fake Hate Panic To Censor, Interfere In Elections, And Imprison Their Political Enemies

It's alarming what's happening in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, Brazil, and the EU

The US and other governments around the world� pic.twitter.com/gfvEr7HTNX
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) March 22, 2024

* * * * *

Quotes

John A. Lucas, h/t Instapundit

When I read the constant exhortations from Joe Biden, Anthony Blinken, and others urging Israel to enter into a cease-fire with its mortal enemies and to participate in a "two-state solution" with those who have sworn to destroy it, I cannot help but reflect on the advice from General of the Armies Douglas MacArthur - - lhard and bloody lessons learned in the Pacific from 1941 to 1945:
"From the Far East, I send you one single thought, one sole idea - written in red on every beachhead from Australia to Tokyo - 'there is no substitute for victory.' "

Melanie Phillips

As some of us have long feared and that has now become undeniable, Israel is fighting not one but two wars of defense against a malevolent foe.
The first is against the axis of Iran and its proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis of Yemen. The second is against America.

The Biden administration is to construct a pier off the Gaza shore to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. This week, Israeli TV's Channel 14 reported that, astoundingly, the Americans have handed over the financing and management of this pier to Qatar, the founder, funder and protector of Hamas and therefore the godfather of the Oct. 7 pogrom.
Channel 14 said the Qataris demanded that the new pier be built by a Gaza company named Al Hissi, which is controlled by Hamas.
Giving Qatar control of this pier would ensure Hamas continues to exist, enrich itself and attack Israel with an open route into Gaza. As Yigal Carmon, the founder of MEMRI, has written in horror: "The U.S. has flipped sides, from Israel to Qatar."
America could end this war tomorrow by telling the Qataris that unless they instruct Hamas to surrender and release the hostages, Qatar will forfeit its preferential treatment by the United States and will henceforth be treated instead as an international pariah.

Seems simple.

WEEKEND

Anti-Communist Movie List

Have you seen and do you like any of these?

Personal Favs:
Mr Jones (2019)
The Lives of Others (2006)
The Way Back (2010)
Chernobyl (TV Series) (2019)
The Killing Fields (1984)
Katyn (2007)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1970)
— Yuri Bezmenov's Ghost (@Ne_pas_couvrir) March 22, 2024

* * * * *

Music

Bach just had a birthday. It�s simply impossible to imagine what the world would sound like, had he never been born. This is a terrific tribute.https://t.co/djeUv3IHRt
— The Real Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) March 22, 2024

Interesting that Bach's music seems to be more admired by musicians who practice playing it than by average people.

Air on a G String

* * * * *

Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.

This is the Thread before the Gardening Thread.

Serving your mid-day open thread needs

* * * * *

Last week's thread, March 16, Immediate Gratification

Comments are closed so you won't ban yourself by trying to comment on a week-old thread. But don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 11:18 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good morning KT

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:19 AM (fwDg9)

2 Hi all

Posted by: Ciampino - how much was pocketed? at March 23, 2024 11:22 AM (qfLjt)

3 A very enjoyable assortment of topics, KT.
Those are all good anti statist movies.
Bach is the God of Counterpoint. Imagine composing something that is not only enjoyable to the listener, but also very satisfying for the musician to play or sing. Many modern composers are capable of the former but not the latter.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:25 AM (MeG8a)

4 Hi, Skip! Morning, everybody!

Posted by: KT at March 23, 2024 11:25 AM (rrtZS)

5 Yonder Horde

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 23, 2024 11:26 AM (Q4IgG)

6 A forgotten gem among anti-Communist movies is The Journey, with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. Set against the backdrop of the Hungarian revolt in 1956.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:28 AM (llXky)

7 The New York Times is preparing a hit piece on the travelling show called Shen Yun. This show is very successful and has been touring for years. Somehow they enjoy all kinds of exemptions from other overseas show regulations. Such as, in order to work for the show, you must convert to their religion, which is Falun Gong, I think. How do I know this? I applied for their orchestra, had a successful audition and subsequent interview, but balked at the religious conversion. This is a clear violation of US law but somehow they got a carve out.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:29 AM (MeG8a)

8 Morning.

*Sees the anti-communist movie Twatter comment thingy*

This is now a movie thread.

Posted by: Robert at March 23, 2024 11:30 AM (1Yy3c)

9 >>Or consider his stance on immigration. Under Varadkar immigration and asylum rose hugely and his clique looked down upon anyone who raised concerns as racist.

And really, isn't this the story of every Western leader apart from Trump and a few others?

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:30 AM (6IDWi)

10 One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Read that one in College; didn't realize they'd made it into a move in 1970.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:31 AM (ynpvh)

11 I would love to see Kaytn

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (fwDg9)

12 Russell Brand had a long interview with George Galloway, and Galloway is the type of liberal/labor pol who people around these parts would mostly hiss at.

However, as Brand tries to hammer home all the time, this is NOT a battle of left versus right, it's a battle of the powerful elites versus the people, and at least partly, the continued lines of division are a tactic, a diversion set up by those same elites to keep the people fighting each other, rather than turning on them.

I believe that's mostly true.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (T+YTi)

13 The New York Times is preparing a hit piece on the travelling show called Shen Yun. This show is very successful and has been touring for years. Somehow they enjoy all kinds of exemptions from other overseas show regulations. Such as, in order to work for the show, you must convert to their religion, which is Falun Gong, I think. How do I know this? I applied for their orchestra, had a successful audition and subsequent interview, but balked at the religious conversion. This is a clear violation of US law but somehow they got a carve out.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:29 AM (MeG8a)
---
Wait, so it's illegal to have religious-based musical groups?

Sorry, I'm fine with them picking who they play with.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (llXky)

14 Air on a G String

I have a friend who told me a story when she was in middle school. She was in music class, and a string on her instrument broke. So she raised her hand and told the teacher, "Excuse me, but my G string just broke". The class errupted in laughter.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:33 AM (ynpvh)

15 I've never seen the movie, but every Milan Kundera book I've read, including "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," is anti-communist.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:33 AM (6IDWi)

16 I’ve heard The Lives Of Others is chilling.

Posted by: thathalfrican - The One at March 23, 2024 11:34 AM (8JpqG)

17 I believe that's mostly true.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (T+YTi)
---
Russell Brand is leaning heavily into Christianity. I saw a video of him explaining the importance of Christ crucified.

Fascinating stuff.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:34 AM (llXky)

18 Conversion to their religion was not made clear on the application.
Nor is their audience limited to Falun Gong adherents.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:34 AM (MeG8a)

19 Maybe not the best but often say Dr Zhivago is to watch the misery of Commuism

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:34 AM (fwDg9)

20 Ahhh Bach

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:35 AM (GzpNE)

21 13 The New York Times is preparing a hit piece on the travelling show called Shen Yun. This show is very successful and has been touring for years. Somehow they enjoy all kinds of exemptions from other overseas show regulations. Such as, in order to work for the show, you must convert to their religion, which is Falun Gong, I think. How do I know this? I applied for their orchestra, had a successful audition and subsequent interview, but balked at the religious conversion. This is a clear violation of US law but somehow they got a carve out.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:29 AM (MeG8a)
---
Wait, so it's illegal to have religious-based musical groups?

Sorry, I'm fine with them picking who they play with.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (llXky)

Having a Satanist in a church choir is probably not for the best...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:35 AM (ynpvh)

22 There is a John Wayne anti-communist movie, set in Hawaii U think, but it's very hard to find. Or, was last time I tried which was a few years ago.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 23, 2024 11:35 AM (XjtdB)

23 20 Ahhh Bach

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:35 AM (GzpNE)

"I'll be Bach"

Posted by: Aaanold Schwartzenegger at March 23, 2024 11:36 AM (ynpvh)

24 >>>Bach just had a birthday. It’s simply impossible to imagine what the world would sound like, had he never been born. This is a terrific tribute.

That was a real tear-jerker!

Posted by: m at March 23, 2024 11:36 AM (o3SCB)

25 Conversion to their religion was not made clear on the application.
Nor is their audience limited to Falun Gong adherents.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:34 AM (MeG8a)
---
Well, that's an error on their part, to be sure. But religious groups do play for secular audiences. They even make albums and stuff and allow *anyone* to buy them. I mean, I've got some Christmas carols sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but I'm Catholic.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:36 AM (llXky)

26 I'm pretty sure that if you were to start a Broadway musical company and advertised that only Christians need apply, you would be promptly sued for violations of the Civil Rights act of 1964.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (MeG8a)

27 Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:29 AM (MeG8a)

Backward's Boy had the same experience when he tried out.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (XjtdB)

28 Such as, in order to work for the show, you must convert to their religion, which is Falun Gong, I think. How do I know this? I applied for their orchestra, had a successful audition and subsequent interview, but balked at the religious conversion. This is a clear violation of US law but somehow they got a carve out.
Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:29 AM (MeG8a)

People who know more than I can clarify, but as I understand it, Fulan Gong isn't really a religion.

It is however, a movement that is diametrically opposed to the Chinese Communist Party... or more accurately, the CCP is diametrically opposed to them, so any "news" outlet in this country that decides to write a hit piece on them, I'd question whose water they're carrying.

Essentially, nothing published in NYT is done for purpose of promoting freedoms, religious or otherwise.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (T+YTi)

29 There is a very good TV movie with Willie Nelson in a Siberian labor camp that I can't recall the name. Off to Bing it.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (GzpNE)

30 *waves hand vaguely*

Ahhh, Bach!

Posted by: Corporal Walter O'Reilly at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (MvA9C)

31 Maybe not the best but often say Dr Zhivago is to watch the misery of Commuism

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:34 AM (fwDg9)
---
Yeah, definitely on the list. Alec Guinness is awesome. To me, Yevgraf is the hero of the film.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (llXky)

32 Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (T+YTi)

Correct. However there is still a left right divide.

MOST of us on the right recognize this, plenty of people on the left don’t. It’s weird.

Posted by: thathalfrican - The One at March 23, 2024 11:38 AM (8JpqG)

33 Having a Satanist in a church choir is probably not for the best...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:35 AM (ynpvh)

Imagine this guy leading it.

https://tinyurl.com/25chk495

It might be kind of awesome.

Posted by: Robert at March 23, 2024 11:38 AM (1Yy3c)

34 Dang it. Beaten to the Radar joke.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Shopping at Bloodbath and Beyond at March 23, 2024 11:38 AM (MvA9C)

35 26 I'm pretty sure that if you were to start a Broadway musical company and advertised that only Christians need apply, you would be promptly sued for violations of the Civil Rights act of 1964.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (MeG8a)

What if it was part of a religious organization? I believe that makes a difference.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:38 AM (ynpvh)

36 >>Russell Brand had a long interview with George Galloway, and Galloway is the type of liberal/labor pol who people around these parts would mostly hiss at.

Oof, I remember when he debated Christopher Hitchens!
Galloway was (still its?) very Islam-friendly, and represented a heavily muslim area as an MP, right?
Yes, I would hiss at him. . .

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:39 AM (6IDWi)

37 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:34 AM (llXky)

Strange character turn for the dude, and while I don’t listen to him, I’m here for it.

Posted by: thathalfrican - The One at March 23, 2024 11:39 AM (8JpqG)

38 Coming Out of the Ice is a 1982 American made-for-television biographical film of Victor Herman.It is based upon Herman's 1979 autobiography, Coming Out of the Ice, about his decades of imprisonment in the Soviet Gulag system.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:39 AM (GzpNE)

39 Having a Satanist in a church choir is probably not for the best...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:35 AM (ynpvh)

Dollars to donuts you could probably find more than a few in most church choirs these days.

Satanists and/or sodomites. And more than a few other 'ites.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:40 AM (T+YTi)

40 12 Russell Brand had a long interview with George Galloway, and Galloway is the type of liberal/labor pol who people around these parts would mostly hiss at.

However, as Brand tries to hammer home all the time, this is NOT a battle of left versus right, it's a battle of the powerful elites versus the people, and at least partly, the continued lines of division are a tactic, a diversion set up by those same elites to keep the people fighting each other, rather than turning on them.

I believe that's mostly true.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (T+YTi)
----
In fact we now recognize that we have a uniparty and not a D and R combo.

Posted by: Ciampino - what parties? at March 23, 2024 11:40 AM (qfLjt)

41 A Broadway musical is a commercial enterprise.
As is Shen Yun.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:40 AM (MeG8a)

42 39 Having a Satanist in a church choir is probably not for the best...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:35 AM (ynpvh)

Dollars to donuts you could probably find more than a few in most church choirs these days.

Satanists and/or sodomites. And more than a few other 'ites.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:40 AM (T+YTi)

Well, definitely the latter.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:41 AM (ynpvh)

43 Bach is dead.

Posted by: The Residents at March 23, 2024 11:41 AM (QB+5g)

44 >>Dollars to donuts you could probably find more than a few in most church choirs these days.

Satanists and/or sodomites. And more than a few other 'ites.

"Why are you looking in our direction?"
-- Church of England

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:42 AM (6IDWi)

45 Imagine this guy leading it.

Uhhh, no.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 23, 2024 11:42 AM (XkYcA)

46 People who know more than I can clarify, but as I understand it, Fulan Gong isn't really a religion.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (T+YTi)
---
*Dashes down to Chinese research library*

Falun Gong is a Buddhist sect with traditional Chinese cultural influences.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:42 AM (llXky)

47 43 Bach is dead.

Posted by: The Residents at March 23, 2024 11:41 AM (QB+5g)

One of the few things he and Nietzsche have in common. That and being German.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:43 AM (ynpvh)

48 Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:32 AM (T+YTi)

Correct. However there is still a left right divide.

MOST of us on the right recognize this, plenty of people on the left don’t. It’s weird.
Posted by: thathalfrican - The One at March 23, 2024 11:38 AM (8JpqG)

Well, that's kind of the issue, isn't it? People focusing on the divide, which of course is real enough, but rather missing the mark in regards to who is the actual threat.

Lots of "left" leaning folks think they're "normal," and everyone on the "right" are wrong about damn near everything, so I don't know that it's accurate to say they don't recognize it. They just don't understand it.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:43 AM (T+YTi)

49 >>Having a Satanist in a church choir is probably not for the best...

"But she's so talented!"
-- People who shrug off Lady Gaga's open satanism

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:43 AM (6IDWi)

50 A Broadway musical is a commercial enterprise.
As is Shen Yun.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:40 AM (MeG8a)
---
So religious musical groups are forbidden to make a profit?

Where's that written down?

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:44 AM (llXky)

51 I saw a live anti commie play.My neighbor's parents hosted some relatives from the old country, Romania, which was still under commie rule. They were fascinated with things like the neighbor having not one car, but another for his wife. Our situation was the same, with the addition of a beater pick up that all friends had use of. The parents took the guests to the mall, and things really kicked in. I like to think they got back home and participated in the execution of the dictator and his whore.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 11:44 AM (0EOe9)

52 46 People who know more than I can clarify, but as I understand it, Fulan Gong isn't really a religion.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:37 AM (T+YTi)
---
*Dashes down to Chinese research library*

Falun Gong is a Buddhist sect with traditional Chinese cultural influences.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:42 AM (llXky)

The CCP would like you to believe that. There were so many adherents in China that the CCP cracked down on it, trying to eliminate it. That which the Gov't can't control, it must destroy...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:44 AM (ynpvh)

53 I like Brand in Saving Sarah Marshall. I'm glad he he is being red pilled.

What's ironic though is that his former wife Katy Perry was raised in a very Christian family and she has gone the opposite though she did not abandon her parents.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:45 AM (GzpNE)

54 Dollars to donuts you could probably find more than a few in most church choirs these days.

Satanists and/or sodomites. And more than a few other 'ites.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:40 AM (T+YTi)
---
Sadly, yes, though I think it varies greatly by denomination.

Still, that's a bit different than having someone overtly practicing black magic during the Mass.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:45 AM (llXky)

55 Oof, I remember when he debated Christopher Hitchens!
Galloway was (still its?) very Islam-friendly, and represented a heavily muslim area as an MP, right?
Yes, I would hiss at him. . .
Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:39 AM (6IDWi)

I don't know about any of that. All I heard in the interview is that Galloway would disagree with Trump on a lot of things, that he doesn't agree with people like Tucker and Elon Musk on things, but vehemently agrees with them on subjects like Free Speech.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:45 AM (T+YTi)

56
Last spring and summer, because of the wildfires in Canada, I tracked air quality in the USA (This was on Ventusky.com).

But I noticed something interesting; that the worst days in my area, when advisories were basically to stay inside, had a color code and a particulate reading.

Eventually our air cleared but I had noticed the air quality across Northern Africa was staying the same month after month as the worst days we had experienced back then. Even today it is 'Very Unhealthy'. I can see why people would want to escape that. I wonder what the cause is?

Posted by: Divide by Zero at March 23, 2024 11:46 AM (RKVpM)

57 Bach wrote this, called the Crab Canon.
Which starts with one melody then adds another which is the first played in retrograde. Here presented as a mobius strip in Bach's own manuscript.

https://tinyurl.com/3rrsrwuu

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:47 AM (MeG8a)

58 Like they say, ‘The American Constitution does not need to be re-written. it needs to be re-read’.

Posted by: Eromero at March 23, 2024 11:47 AM (o2ZRX)

59 The CCP would like you to believe that. There were so many adherents in China that the CCP cracked down on it, trying to eliminate it. That which the Gov't can't control, it must destroy...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:44 AM (ynpvh)
---
Well, my source isn't the CCP, but the CCP is threatened by religious groups it can't control. One of Pope Francis' worst acts was submitting the Church in China to the CCP yoke. Cardinal Zen has been very outspoken on that. Disgraceful.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:48 AM (llXky)

60 The CCP would like you to believe that. There were so many adherents in China that the CCP cracked down on it, trying to eliminate it. That which the Gov't can't control, it must destroy...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:44 AM (ynpvh)

And it would be true to say many who adhere to Buddhist traditions/teachings don't consider their practice a religion.

Which is hard for many westerners to really grasp and accept.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:48 AM (T+YTi)

61 56 Natural particulates in the air due to winds, burning anything and everything for cooking fuel.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 11:48 AM (0EOe9)

62 It is written down in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes illegal the denial of employment or housing or education on the basis of race, sex or religion.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (MeG8a)

63 Sure. Limericks seem harmless enough. at first. But soon thereafter they begin to suck you down into a yawning chasm of puns and doggerel rhythm. Before long you find yourself dreaming of your next limerick and waking in a cold sweat trying to rhyme "Enos" without using "penis". People start pointing at you and whispering about how "What a waste, he used to seem like a fairly normal guy." Lately I can't hear a mention of Schenectady without wondering if that rhymes with "connect to me". And don't even get me started on Puyallup. Take my advice. Stay off limericks.

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (991eG)

64 I do believe The Green Berets with John Wayne would also qualify as a anti-communist movie.

Posted by: Outside of Life at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (89Sog)

65 Problem in Ireland as most European countries is the damage from immigration is already done, it just is time now

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (fwDg9)

66 What's ironic though is that his former wife Katy Perry was raised in a very Christian family and she has gone the opposite though she did not abandon her parents.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:45 AM (GzpNE)
---
It is not ironic for people raised in faith to cast it aside and embrace worldly pleasures. It's all too common.

Sometimes, they come back, which is wonderful.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:50 AM (llXky)

67 Lot of road to Damascus stories recently with celebrities. Kat Von D has also returned to Christ.
And Ryan Phillippe.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:50 AM (GzpNE)

68 Bach is dead.
Posted by: The Residents at March 23, 2024 11:41 AM (QB+5g)

So's Bela Lugosi and Timothy Leary.

Posted by: Bauhaus and Moody Blues at March 23, 2024 11:51 AM (T+YTi)

69 It is written down in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes illegal the denial of employment or housing or education on the basis of race, sex or religion.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (MeG8a)
---
The Constitution supersedes law.

We've already had this decided unanimously by the Supreme Court. You cannot force a religious-based group to admit someone not of their faith.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:52 AM (llXky)

70 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:50 AM (llXky

No what's ironic is Brand was a hedonist at the time and now is preaching about Christ.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:52 AM (GzpNE)

71 Problem in Ireland as most European countries is the damage from immigration is already done, it just is time now
Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (fwDg9)

Well, if there weren't a bunch of immigrants running around, the place would be full of the Irish, and that's hardly any better.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:52 AM (T+YTi)

72
Natural particulates in the air due to winds, burning anything and everything for cooking fuel.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024

I guess so. I saw a video recently of someone burning 'dung' inside of a home somewhere in Africa and the smoke was incredible.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (RKVpM)

73 60 The CCP would like you to believe that. There were so many adherents in China that the CCP cracked down on it, trying to eliminate it. That which the Gov't can't control, it must destroy...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:44 AM (ynpvh)

And it would be true to say many who adhere to Buddhist traditions/teachings don't consider their practice a religion.

Which is hard for many westerners to really grasp and accept.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:48 AM (T+YTi)

Is it a religious belief? Is it somewhat organized? If it's just adhering to practices as part of everyday life without religious significance, that's one thing; like having a statue of the Virgin Mary, Quan Ying, and Buddha all together on the mantle with votive candles...which I've seen.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (ynpvh)

74 Uhhh, no.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 23, 2024 11:42 AM (XkYcA)

Falsetto is an acquired taste.

https://youtu.be/TJH0eBtnbcs

Posted by: Robert at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (1Yy3c)

75 It's going to be a 1WP not cleaning my gutters out tomorrow

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (fwDg9)

76 >>but vehemently agrees with them on subjects like Free Speech.

There's something I can agree with him on.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (6IDWi)

77 Lot of road to Damascus stories recently with celebrities. Kat Von D has also returned to Christ.
And Ryan Phillippe.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:50 AM (GzpNE)
---
Mark Wahlberg, Shia LeBeouf as well. Even Hulk Hogan got baptized. Interesting times.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (llXky)

78 qualify as a anti-communist movie.

Red Dawn

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in solidarity with the Struggle to maintain Moron standards at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (uHAQV)

79 Bach is dead.
Posted by: The Residents at March 23, 2024 11:41 AM (QB+5g)

So's Bela Lugosi and Timothy Leary.
Posted by: Bauhaus and Moody Blues at March 23, 2024 11:51 AM (T+YTi)

And my parents.

Posted by: Batman at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (1Yy3c)

80 Invasion of the Body Snatchers I believe would qualify as anti communist

Posted by: Smell the Glove at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (s6L+y)

81 Oddly Google didn’t have a doodle for Bach. They’ll celebrate him next year I’m sure,

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (bWsRe)

82 No what's ironic is Brand was a hedonist at the time and now is preaching about Christ.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:52 AM (GzpNE)
---
I prefer to think of it as "miraculous."

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:55 AM (llXky)

83 My salient point that I tried to make is that this foreign institution is enjoying an exemption from black letter US law which domestic productions must rigidly adhere to. For instance, I've played productions of Fiddler on the Roof and no one compelled me to deny Christ in order to have a gig.
Shen Yun did.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:55 AM (MeG8a)

84 74 Uhhh, no.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 23, 2024 11:42 AM (XkYcA)

Falsetto is an acquired taste.

https://youtu.be/TJH0eBtnbcs

Posted by: Robert at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (1Yy3c)

Like Rocky Mountain Oysters?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:56 AM (ynpvh)

85 77 If there is anybody deserving a pardon for past actions, it's Mark Wahlberg. Won't happen in MA for reasons.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 11:56 AM (0EOe9)

86 There is a Warner Bros movie called The River Changes, from 1956, that I saw once when I was probably a pre-teen. The plot involves a storm which alters the course of a river, leaving a village on the side run by a totalitarian government. I have never been able to find it anywhere, and would probably want to watch it again before definitely recommending it, but it was clearly an anti-communist flick and I remember enjoying it.

Posted by: Paco at March 23, 2024 11:56 AM (njExo)

87 79 Bach is dead.
Posted by: The Residents at March 23, 2024 11:41 AM (QB+5g)

So's Bela Lugosi and Timothy Leary.
Posted by: Bauhaus and Moody Blues at March 23, 2024 11:51 AM (T+YTi)

And my parents.

Posted by: Batman at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (1Yy3c)

Big effing deal Bat. Mine are dead too.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:56 AM (ynpvh)

88 And don't even get me started on Puyallup. Take my advice. Stay off limericks.
Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (991eG)

Puyallup??
Gallup, Rallyup, Tally up, sallyup, zallyup...it is madness!!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at March 23, 2024 11:56 AM (W/lyH)

89 Peat And Repeat Were In a Boat - a limerick

Ah, Limerick's a bonny Irish town
Where shamrocks and shillelaghs abound
There's a blithe and lilting spirit
But lately lads I fear it...
...Runs the risk of getting bogged down!

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 11:57 AM (991eG)

90 81 Oddly Google didn’t have a doodle for Bach. They’ll celebrate him next year I’m sure,

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (bWsRe)

Only if it turns out he was gay, or a secret tranny, or was actually Black, or a lesbian.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:57 AM (ynpvh)

91 89 Can you come up on one about a slow lad from Scranton?

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 11:57 AM (0EOe9)

92 1984 would be an anti communist flick right? Plus it shows boobs !

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:57 AM (GzpNE)

93 IIRC Epoch Times is associated with Shen Yun. Maybe they own the show, something like that,

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 11:58 AM (bWsRe)

94 Is it a religious belief? Is it somewhat organized? If it's just adhering to practices as part of everyday life without religious significance, that's one thing; like having a statue of the Virgin Mary, Quan Ying, and Buddha all together on the mantle with votive candles...which I've seen.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (ynpvh)
---
My source says that it is a variant of Buddhism, and that Falun Gong is similar to other "secret societies" (which are a thing in China) that use movements (sometimes martial arts) as part of meditation and worship.

The Chicoms hate and fear such people. I've seen billboards for them and the tagline is "China before Communism," so I assume they draw upon Chinese traditions and harmony is a big thing for them.

Most of the world does not have our atomized view of faith as something you do at home on your own time and on your own dime.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:58 AM (llXky)

95 Regardless of views of Ukraine, prayers for the victims and families of those in Moscow.

Posted by: Diogenes at March 23, 2024 11:58 AM (W/lyH)

96 Puyallup??
Gallup, Rallyup, Tally up, sallyup, zallyup...it is madness!!!!
Posted by: Diogenes

*********

What's up y'all?

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 11:58 AM (991eG)

97 >>Mark Wahlberg, Shia LeBeouf as well. Even Hulk Hogan got baptized. Interesting times.

Just imagine what they've seen, likely participated in while in Hollywood.

Glad it led them on a path to finding God.

Which reminds me, "Father Stu" is a good movie to rent.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:58 AM (6IDWi)

98 Wagner got screwed because of who liked him.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:59 AM (GzpNE)

99 Take my advice. Stay off limericks.
Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (991eG)

I've managed to get this far in life without any poetry entering into my limbic system, but just yesterday, I found myself trying to work out a way to include a music perfersser using the phrase "Deb, you see," when talking to one of his students, and his student responding something along the lines of "actually I'm more partial to Thelonious Monk."

It's already freakin' hilarious in my head, but trying to come up with a full stanza, a rhyme scheme? To me, that's torture.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:59 AM (kz1AU)

100 Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 23, 2024 11:59 AM (bo7UB)

101 Posted by: Robert at March 23, 2024 11:53 AM (1Yy3c)

No thanks.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 23, 2024 11:59 AM (XkYcA)

102 Maaaahky Maaahk is religious now? Ha. Well I didn’t have that on my bingo card that’s for sure,

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 12:00 PM (bWsRe)

103 Mark Wahlberg has been a devout Catholic for at least a decade .

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 12:00 PM (GzpNE)

104 y salient point that I tried to make is that this foreign institution is enjoying an exemption from black letter US law which domestic productions must rigidly adhere to. For instance, I've played productions of Fiddler on the Roof and no one compelled me to deny Christ in order to have a gig.
Shen Yun did.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:55 AM (MeG8a)
---
Was Fiddler performed by an explicitly Jewish production, or was it just a purely commercial enterprise?

I'm sorry, but US law is garbage on this, and it has torn apart our society. Banning all-male or all-female organizations was stupid and harmful. Demanding that religion be kept out of the public square has destroyed public morality.

I'm sorry you can't play with that group, but they have a right to determine who performs with them, not a federal judge.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:01 PM (llXky)

105 Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at March 23, 2024 11:59 AM (bo7UB)

Right?
- Barack Hussein Obama

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 12:01 PM (bWsRe)

106 And my parents.
Posted by: Batman at March 23, 2024 11:54 AM (1Yy3c)

Lighten up, Francis.

Posted by: A. Fleck at March 23, 2024 12:02 PM (kz1AU)

107 Russian anti-Communist movies:

Burnt By The Sun - A Red Army hero is purged by Stalin and the NKVD

Hipsters (Stilyagi) - A musical about the Communist Party cracking down on jazz enthusiasts in Moscow in the 1950s

Stafbat (Punishment battalion) TV mini-series - People are recruited out of prisons to fight for the Red Army in WWII and fight bravely. They are not treated well.

Life and Fate (2012) TV mini-series - ordinary Russians beat the Germans at Stalingrad. They are not rewarded by the Party for this.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:03 PM (YAtuc)

108 Mark Wahlberg has been a devout Catholic for at least a decade .

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 12:00 PM (GzpNE)
---
He was lapsed and returned to the Church. Like many, fame, riches, pleasure seduced him.

He has been more strident of late, perhaps sensing the heightened spiritual warfare. I think that's pushing a lot of people to faith, but also driving them to rage against it. Biden is pure demonic at this point.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:03 PM (llXky)

109 I don't know if this is what the struggle session comment refers to, But I remember watching the opening scene of the three body problem, and being astonished that the commies at Netflix allowed it. It's very strong, and honest about what Commies really are.

I hope some eyes will be opened.

Posted by: Archimedes at March 23, 2024 12:03 PM (JJBLV)

110 The only non-nefarious argument for mass immigration would be if you were running an economy that was massively understaffed. Note, this still doesn't make it a good idea, but you could make an argument for it...

But in Europe, in the US, labor participation rates have cratered AND this is including all the makework government jobs that generate no, or in many cases negative, value for the economy.

The best thing for normal people in the Europe/US right now would be an immigration moratorium. The salaries of the jobs the immigrants are taking would go up along with the labor participation rate as a whole. Ironically this would resolve the "income inequality" issue the left claimed to be concerned about a few years ago as the AWFLs would have to pay their nannies and gardeners "living wages" instead of hiring Maria and Juan...

Posted by: 18-1 at March 23, 2024 12:03 PM (ibTVg)

111 > Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?
___________

Look at the PM's, including the one who just resigned, of Ireland, Scotland and England.

The entire Islands are lost.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 23, 2024 12:04 PM (Q4IgG)

112 Okay, time to put on some pants...oh dear sweet Buddha, why must I put on pants? ...and go do some adult things. Fucking adulting, maaaaan!

Going to the store, anyone need anything?

Posted by: Batman at March 23, 2024 12:04 PM (1Yy3c)

113 We forgot one of the most recent movies I consider anti communist.

Death of Stalin.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 12:04 PM (GzpNE)

114 Uhm like communism is awesome. Everyone is equal and everyone has free health care. And there are no evil billionaires to oppress the workers.

Posted by: Average 23 Year Old American at March 23, 2024 12:05 PM (bWsRe)

115 Wagner got screwed because of who liked him.
Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 11:59 AM (GzpNE)

Someone needs to figure out how to combine funk and Wagner.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:05 PM (kz1AU)

116 William F. Buckley, Jr was an absolute Bach fanatic, once referring to him, as I recall, as "the greatest genius who ever lived" - which, I believe, is arguably an overstatement, clearly so if one includes the whole of human experience and knowledge. Whether he was the greatest musical genius is a question which I am not competent to answer, although I do not doubt that he was a genius.

Personally, I prefer Memphis Slim.

Posted by: Paco at March 23, 2024 12:05 PM (njExo)

117 We forgot one of the most recent movies I consider anti communist.

Death of Stalin.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 12:04 PM (GzpNE)
---
My youngest loves that film. Really great way to introduce people into the evils of the Soviet union.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:05 PM (llXky)

118 It is funny how many "right wing" or at least "moderate conservative" elected officials get elected and go hard left.

In Leo's case I wonder if he was always a socialist scumbag or TPTB used his being gay to get him to do what they wanted.

Posted by: 18-1 at March 23, 2024 12:05 PM (ibTVg)

119 *Removes Batman sock, puts on pantalones*

Posted by: Robert at March 23, 2024 12:05 PM (1Yy3c)

120 Someone needs to figure out how to combine funk and Wagner.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:05 PM (kz1AU)
---
Is that like "A Fifth of Beethoven"? I think I also remember a disco version of Rhapsody in Blue.

And the Star Wars theme. What a weird time the 70s were.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:06 PM (llXky)

121 71 Problem in Ireland as most European countries is the damage from immigration is already done, it just is time now
Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (fwDg9)

Well, if there weren't a bunch of immigrants running around, the place would be full of the Irish, and that's hardly any better.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 11:52 AM (T+YTi)

!!! And so soon after St Patrick's Day! 🍀

Posted by: m at March 23, 2024 12:06 PM (o3SCB)

122 Anyway, it's subsiding.Thought I was coming down with a bad head cold. Nose pumping a gallon an hour. Sneezing. But no fever. Tree and grass pollen are sky high in the area. Took some allergy stuff and it's helping. Talking on the phone with a friend, and, of course "do you think it might be Covid?" Boy, they sure brain washed a lot of folks.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 12:06 PM (0EOe9)

123 >>Maaaahky Maaahk is religious now? Ha. Well I didn’t have that on my bingo card that’s for sure

Married, four kids (none that are in the tabloids so far), embraces his Catholic faith, and is incredibly disciplined (strict diet and workout routine).

Nice to see that not every young celebrity lives the classic "MTV Behind the Music" story arc that ends in drug addiction, abandonment by spouse(s) and friends and bankruptcy.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 12:06 PM (6IDWi)

124 It is funny how many "right wing" or at least "moderate conservative" elected officials get elected and go hard left.

/-

Outrageous!

Posted by: Pierre Delecto at March 23, 2024 12:07 PM (bWsRe)

125 Uh-oh, I meant this:

☘️

Posted by: m at March 23, 2024 12:07 PM (o3SCB)

126 94
...
Most of the world does not have our atomized view of faith as something you do at home on your own time and on your own dime.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:58 AM (llXky)

Orthodox Jews don't have that atomized view, nor do Muslims; religion is an integrated part of their lives, not a classical Greek division between secular and religious.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 12:07 PM (ynpvh)

127 107 - Life and Fate (2012) TV mini-series - ordinary Russians beat the Germans at Stalingrad. They are not rewarded by the Party for this. - The ARC! of history

I was not aware the novel was made into a mini-series. It is a truly great book.

Posted by: Paco at March 23, 2024 12:07 PM (njExo)

128 Outrageous!

Posted by: Pierre Delecto at March 23, 2024 12:07 PM (bWsRe)

Mittens was always a leftist technocrat. Really looking back to when he was considered a conservative you have to ask based on what exactly.

Posted by: 18-1 at March 23, 2024 12:08 PM (ibTVg)

129 Talking on the phone with a friend, and, of course "do you think it might be Covid?" Boy, they sure brain washed a lot of folks.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 12:06 PM (0EOe9)
---
I never got the Covid. Or the shot. Weird.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:08 PM (llXky)

130 A Muslim runs London, it's all the rage it seems to get foreigners running white supremacist countries

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 12:08 PM (fwDg9)

131 Any outfit that compels me to deny Christ before they hire me, it's their loss, not mine.
I haven't suffered for lack of association with them.
BTW, I've also refused employment from outfits that only hire homosexuals. And yes, there are plenty of those.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 12:08 PM (MeG8a)

132 Anybody knows how manny Gays and Transgenders were killed ot injured in that Muscow attack ? We are concerned about these frgile people that must be protected...

Posted by: Mary Clogginstein from Brattleboro,Vt at March 23, 2024 12:09 PM (15lwl)

133 I was not aware the novel was made into a mini-series. It is a truly great book.

It is a wonderful book, and a wonderful TV mini-series.

It used to be on Amazon Prime, but now is almost impossible to find online with English subtitles.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:09 PM (YAtuc)

134 I had never hear of Mr Jones and watched it not knowing anything about it going in. I was like holy shit Netflix allowed this movie on its platform? Someone is getting fired.

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 12:09 PM (bWsRe)

135 Granddaughter of Diogenes #1 and a couple roommates from school have been Spring Breaking here. Today we head to Seattle to see the Market and Space Needle. Of course it is rainy and foggy. Hopefully we can see everything before it get any worse.
Ugh.
Seattle

Posted by: Diogenes at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (W/lyH)

136 The only non-nefarious argument for mass immigration would be if you were running an economy that was massively understaffed. Note, this still doesn't make it a good idea, but you could make an argument for it...

Posted by: 18-1 at March 23, 2024 12:03 PM (ibTVg)

I'm pretty sure that's why Germany brought in a shedload of Turks, decades ago. And then treated them like the second class citizens they were.

I'm not going to try to unravel all of that, except to say, so much of the death of Europe was suicide, due to the shame and guilt.

The fact that we're somewhat inoculated against it in this country, in large part BECAUSE the promise of the nation was not in any way race based, means we might survive this. We might not. But we might.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (kz1AU)

137 83 My salient point that I tried to make is that this foreign institution is enjoying an exemption from black letter US law which domestic productions must rigidly adhere to. For instance, I've played productions of Fiddler on the Roof and no one compelled me to deny Christ in order to have a gig.
Shen Yun did.
Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:55 AM (MeG8a)

It's a good topic.

Posted by: m at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (o3SCB)

138 PDQ Bach has passed from this mortal coil, which leaves only PDQ Buxtehude, a lesser conglomeration of classical talent.

Posted by: Tulips On My Organ at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (V5BDR)

139 130 A Muslim runs London,

-

London is only 35% British these days.

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (bWsRe)

140 >>We forgot one of the most recent movies I consider anti communist.

Ooh, also "Hail Ceasar!"

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (6IDWi)

141 Sorry guys, gotta run.
BIL texted me right now that my FIL should have underwear...REALLY! TWO F'N DAYS BEFORE THE FUNERAL?
You mean you couldn't tell me this anytime during the last almost TWO WEEKS since he passed? I mean shoes and socks, easy; you don't have to take CLOTHES OFF his corpse. But UNDERWEAR? C'mon guys, work with me. If it's easier to just cut the clothing to make it fit, the mortuary is gonna cut his clothes to make it fit. Underwear? Really?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (ynpvh)

142 Oh, and I suppose I should include The Master and Margarita (TV series).

The Devil comes to Moscow in the 1930s.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (YAtuc)

143 Mittens was always a leftist technocrat. Really looking back to when he was considered a conservative you have to ask based on what exactly.

Posted by: 18-1 at March 23, 2024 12:08 PM (ibTVg)
---
They were corporatists who mouthed conservative sayings but never gave a shit about them. They identified as pro-life, pro-gun and did nothing about them, but they did get votes from people they duped into thinking they would.

Trump exposed all of that, which is why they hate him.

Last election cycle, a Trumpian was the GOP candidate for governor and ALL the former GOP governors endorsed WHITMER! And now we have ultra abortion, tightening gun control, but they don't care, they were NEVER conservative.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:11 PM (llXky)

144 7 The New York Times is preparing a hit piece on the travelling show called Shen Yun.
Posted by: gourmand du jour

A tad Wikipedia: Shen Yun's performances have been described as promoting sectarian doctrines and negative views of evolution and atheism.[11] The group is promoted by The Epoch Times, a far-right media outlet affiliated with Falun Gong.[3][12] In 2019, an NBC News assessment concluded that the Epoch Media Group and Shen Yun "make up the outreach effort of Falun Gong".[3] The Chinese government bars Shen Yun from performing in China, as it considers Falun Gong to be an "anti-society cult" and has attempted to cancel its performances abroad by pressuring theaters and governments.[13][14]

Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 12:11 PM (GshMh)

145 I mean, I dropped off his suit, pants, shirt and tie just yesterday, to get an F'n call at 6pm (after closing hours) to tell me he should have shoes and socks (when nobody will ever see it). Well, okay, I can do that. But F'n UNDERWEAR!?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 12:11 PM (ynpvh)

146 129 No clot shot lectures at the VA clinic. Told the doc and nurse I had a good dose of flu before Covid was fashionable. They both nodded their heads. Nurse said good move not getting stabbed (whispered).

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 12:12 PM (0EOe9)

147 have a good day folks. I think I need to knock some heads together here on the home front.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 12:13 PM (ynpvh)

148 Speaking of organs, I'm here to revive the Virgil Fox vs. E. Power Biggs wars.

Posted by: Pulling Out the Stops! at March 23, 2024 12:13 PM (V5BDR)

149 I’m pretty sure any muzzie organization only hires muzzies. Curiously NYT won’t investigate that.

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 12:13 PM (bWsRe)

150 And now we have ultra abortion, tightening gun control, but they don't care, they were NEVER conservative.

I remember arguing with GOPer types back in the day. And the argument always went something like, "I'd rather lose on every issue and have my principles then win without them".

Well if you are ok with the US morphing authoritarian national socialist state you have no principles.

Posted by: 18-1 at March 23, 2024 12:14 PM (ibTVg)

151 Some years ago when Ireland finally got some closure on the IRA-Brit kerfluffle I had some friends of Irish decent who were looking at possibilities of moving there as it was a western european backwater that nobody else would want to go to... like Montana but green.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at March 23, 2024 12:14 PM (cOq4q)

152 Orthodox Jews don't have that atomized view, nor do Muslims; religion is an integrated part of their lives, not a classical Greek division between secular and religious.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 12:07 PM (ynpvh)
---
The West used to integrate religion too, and until the 1950s, when the Supreme Court forcibly secularized the country, the US was that way as well.

How can a government that promises absolute freedom of religion ban prayers anywhere? But ours did, because the elites wanted it that way.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:14 PM (llXky)

153 My doctor has never asked me about any vaccines, Covid, flu, nada. Which I appreciate.

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 12:15 PM (bWsRe)

154 I'm pretty sure that's why Germany brought in a shedload of Turks, decades ago. And then treated them like the second class citizens they were.

They never let the Turks (or their children) become citizens. OTOH, Volga Germans leaving Russia after the USSR collapsed were immediately granted German citizenship.

Given the number of "migrants" waving around German passports on social media these days, that has changed.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:16 PM (YAtuc)

155 Mittens was always a leftist technocrat. Really looking back to when he was considered a conservative you have to ask based on what exactly.

Posted by: 18-1 at March 23, 2024 12:08 PM (ibTVg)
---

Immigration

Trump even criticized Romney's illegal immigration policy was too harsh. Romney may have been faking it at the time but that was one of the main points that made me support him over the others at the time. What a complete creep he turned out to be.

Posted by: polynikes at March 23, 2024 12:16 PM (GzpNE)

156 Well, time to go play in the snow!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:17 PM (llXky)

157 I think the idea with Germany was the Turks would be “guest” workers, ie they’d go home at some point. Didn’t quite work out that way.

Posted by: Montec at March 23, 2024 12:17 PM (bWsRe)

158 Limericks? Did someone say limericks???

A communist pol name of “Leo”
Tea-sacked his own country with brio
He thought him a hero
Pursuing Year Zero
Then quit to a new life as “Cleo”

Posted by: Faith and begorrah, thats a man, me boyo! at March 23, 2024 12:17 PM (pAy3l)

159 Underwear? Really?
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at March 23, 2024 12:10 PM (ynpvh)

I've been through this process, I don't recall anyone mentioning underwear. It's about as unnecessary as wearing a condom whilst making love to farm animals.

Good luck!

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:18 PM (kz1AU)

160 148 Speaking of organs, I'm here to revive the Virgil Fox vs. E. Power Biggs wars.
Posted by: Pulling Out the Stops! at March 23, 2024 12:13 PM (V5BDR)

Let the bloodbath begin!

https://youtu.be/GVu0auaZu7s

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 23, 2024 12:18 PM (PiwSw)

161 I think the idea with Germany was the Turks would be “guest” workers, ie they’d go home at some point. Didn’t quite work out that way.

We had the Bracero program, where Mexicans were allowed into the United States to harvest crops, on condition that they returned to Mexico when the harvest was over.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:20 PM (YAtuc)

162 Talking on the phone with a friend, and, of course "do you think it might be Covid?" Boy, they sure brain washed a lot of folks.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 12:06 PM (0EOe9)

=====

I would've said, "is that even still a thing?"

Posted by: Jordan61 at March 23, 2024 12:21 PM (FzDG4)

163 I missed those reports where China is inflicting on its population all this African and Mid-east resettlements. Apparently there's "good" and bad communism.

Posted by: Son of Dad at March 23, 2024 12:22 PM (8JB5s)

164 Mentioned last week watched a Communist Vietnamese movie on YouTube, didn't understand a word of it. It was a few women driving the 555 road I think getting bombed by US Jets, sadly only a few Communists died in it

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 12:23 PM (fwDg9)

165 >>> This week, Israeli TV's Channel 14 reported that, astoundingly, the Americans have handed over the financing and management of this pier to Qatar, the founder, funder and protector of Hamas and therefore the godfather of the Oct. 7 pogrom.

Looks like a greenlight for Israel to take the pier out.

But, it may be more stratigic to push the gazians into a tight little pocket at the pier and see if any arab states are open to 'refugees'.

LOL...

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at March 23, 2024 12:23 PM (cOq4q)

166 The New York Times is preparing a hit piece on the travelling show called Shen Yun. This show is very successful and has been touring for years. Somehow they enjoy all kinds of exemptions from other overseas show regulations. Such as, in order to work for the show, you must convert to their religion, which is Falun Gong, I think. How do I know this? I applied for their orchestra, had a successful audition and subsequent interview, but balked at the religious conversion. This is a clear violation of US law but somehow they got a carve out.
Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:29 AM (MeG8a)

This might be a measure to attempt to prevent Chicom agents from infiltrating the show. Do you have to be a Mormon to sing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:24 PM (tkR6S)

167 Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?
Posted by: Cicero

**********

Maybe he's a lepre-khan

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 12:24 PM (991eG)

168 >>In Ireland, the government is pushing hate speech legislation that would allow police to invade homes and seize phones and computers.

There's a great documentary about a lawsuit/prosecution of Charlie Hebdo for publishing the m*hammed cartoon + and original one by their in-house cartoonist. The lawsuit was brought by several French Imams. The case was wild, with many ups and downs, all with the Charlie Hebdo staff managing to maintain their interesting combination of intellectualism, French arrogance and puerile humor. In the end, they won, thanks to surprising support from one of the biggest targets for their mockery.

What really amazed me was how genuinely they believed in freedom of speech. I don't recall any US mainstream publication publishing those cartoons, yet here were these National Lampoon-type writers not backing down an inch, despite lawsuit and death threats.

If you can possibly track it down - I've been unable to - watch it: "It's Hard Being Loved by Jerks."

As you can guess, most of these people are now dead, killed by ISIS when they attacked the Charlie Hebdo office.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 12:25 PM (6IDWi)

169 This week, Israeli TV's Channel 14 reported that, astoundingly, the Americans have handed over the financing and management of this pier to Qatar, the founder, funder and protector of Hamas and therefore the godfather of the Oct. 7 pogrom.

It gets better - Qatar is apparently insisting that a Hamas-controlled company get the contract to operate the port.

I think Qatar has figured out who is the "weak horse" and who is the "strong horse".

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:25 PM (YAtuc)

170 Reading Triumph Forsaken about 1954 - 1965 Vietnam War, no love for Communists in that

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 12:26 PM (fwDg9)

171 Why no UN and worldwide demand that China - with it's massive land, accept all these "migrants"? I'm sure they'd fit as well there as in Scotland.

Sarcasm, we know exactly why.

Posted by: Son of Dad at March 23, 2024 12:26 PM (8JB5s)

172 157 I think the idea with Germany was the Turks would be “guest” workers, ie they’d go home at some point. Didn’t quite work out that way.
Posted by: Montec
========
Everywhere and in most societies in history, elites as a class want cheap labor that they can treat as disposable and they lay the external costs of these laborers on the rest of society.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:26 PM (uf8KX)

173 >>Someone needs to figure out how to combine funk and Wagner.

https://tinyurl.com/mrb8xy9v

Posted by: JackStraw at March 23, 2024 12:27 PM (LkLld)

174 I missed those reports where China is inflicting on its population all this African and Mid-east resettlements. Apparently there's "good" and bad communism.
Posted by: Son of Dad at March 23, 2024 12:22 PM (8JB5s)

Nor does anyone question Chi Nah's commitment to pollute the planet as much as possible.

Reminds one of the LGBTQRZIES being all for "Palestine."

Do you KNOW what they do to your kind over there? So... once again, we must reiterate, this is NOT about the things they tell you it's about. It's not ideological, EXCEPT that it's about the concentration of power in the hands of the state. Whatever else you call it, it's not a left/right thing, it's a people v. the powerful thing.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:27 PM (kz1AU)

175 167 He had the backing of all Irish Motel 6 and Super Eight motel managers in Eire.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 12:28 PM (0EOe9)

176 Oof, I remember when he debated Christopher Hitchens!
Galloway was (still its?) very Islam-friendly, and represented a heavily muslim area as an MP, right?
Yes, I would hiss at him. . .
Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 11:39 AM (6IDWi)

Galloway is an evil POS.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:28 PM (tkR6S)

177 I never got the Covid. Or the shot. Weird.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 12:08 PM (llXky)

I got both

Posted by: It's me donna at March 23, 2024 12:29 PM (Akjoo)

178 Someone needs to figure out how to combine funk and Wagner.
----

https://tinyurl.com/mrb8xy9v
Posted by: JackStraw at March 23, 2024 12:27 PM (LkLld)

Meh. I got about 45 seconds in. Much less fun in practice than in theory.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:29 PM (kz1AU)

179 What really amazed me was how genuinely they believed in freedom of speech. I don't recall any US mainstream publication publishing those cartoons, yet here were these National Lampoon-type writers not backing down an inch, despite lawsuit and death threats.

If you can possibly track it down - I've been unable to - watch it: "It's Hard Being Loved by Jerks."

As you can guess, most of these people are now dead, killed by ISIS when they attacked the Charlie Hebdo office.
Posted by: Lizzy
=======
Elites in the West lack any convictions of faith, duty, and honor--all their principles are expedient means to gaining power, money, and sex in a society. Islamic petro states have money that they shower on these elites and in turn the elites turn a blind eye to what they do. Same as the Chi Coms.

The prophets of old knew this class of people and wrote about similar characters in the good book.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:29 PM (uf8KX)

180 Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?
Posted by: Cicero

**********

Maybe he's a lepre-khan

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 12:24 PM (991eG)
***

Did he curry favor with the voters?

Posted by: Diogenes at March 23, 2024 12:29 PM (W/lyH)

181 Do you KNOW what they do to your kind over there?

The rooftop gay nightclubs in Gaza are to die for!

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:30 PM (YAtuc)

182 177 I never got the Covid. Or the shot. Weird.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd
=========
People in good health shrugged it off. Those of us with compromised immune systems--not so much.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:30 PM (uf8KX)

183 Someone needs to figure out how to combine funk and Wagner.

Simon and Garfunkel performing "Baby Got Back":

https://tinyurl.com/yc5pv5eh

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:32 PM (YAtuc)

184 How the Irish can give up their culture is beyond me. One of the most beautiful movie scenes is Maureen O'hara speaking to Ward Bond in The Gaelic in the Quiet Man.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at March 23, 2024 12:32 PM (0EOe9)

185 Galloway is an evil POS.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:28 PM (tkR6S)

So is every other politician in the world. I don't hear any other pols though, defending Free Speech on that shithole island.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:32 PM (kz1AU)

186 >>Meh. I got about 45 seconds in. Much less fun in practice than in theory.

That's what happens when a former Zappa side guy takes too many drugs and tries Wagner.

On the other hand this ex Parliament funk sax player is awesome. Hard to mess up Marvin Gaye.

https://tinyurl.com/43x9sa78

Posted by: JackStraw at March 23, 2024 12:33 PM (LkLld)

187 It is written down in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes illegal the denial of employment or housing or education on the basis of race, sex or religion.
Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (MeG8a)

Take that to its ultimate conclusion, and you have trannies in ladies' locker rooms, leering at 12 year old girls.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:33 PM (tkR6S)

188 A Good President Can Still Lose. George H.W. Biden? President George H.W. Bush managed the conclusion of the Cold War deftly and responsibly. He also defeated Saddam Hussein in the first major challenge of the post–Cold War era.

At home, he signed bipartisan legislation—including the budget deal of 1990, the Clean Air Act amendments, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991—that stands up well today. He competently cleaned up a savings and loan crisis that he’d inherited.

What happened? People wanted change after 12 years of Reagan-Bush. And above all, the Cold War was over.

George H.W. Bush had accomplished what he was elected to do. No good deed goes unpunished. Voters felt they could afford to turn their attention to domestic policy. They could select a candidate who felt their pain.

the situation in 2024 is decisively different from that of 1992. Bill Clinton was a moderate Democrat. Donald Trump...tried to overturn the verdict of the voters...an attempted usurpation which would be a precursor to a second term featuring truly authoritarian governance, an ambition he makes little effort to hide.

Plus, lots of Churchill comparisons!

Posted by: Intercepted The Bulwark Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at March 23, 2024 12:34 PM (ycI94)

189 Simon and Garfunkel performing "Baby Got Back":

https://tinyurl.com/yc5pv5eh
Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 12:32 PM (YAtuc)

LOL!!!

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Shopping at Bloodbath and Beyond at March 23, 2024 12:35 PM (MvA9C)

190 Probably like everyone, saw The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film) and remake; Panic in the City (still on tv periodically), and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. I enjoyed them all.

One not on the list that I also enjoyed in theater years ago is Gorky Park (1983).

I Was a Communist for the FBI, (1951) is also still periodically on tv. (Wikipedia, The film was based on a series of stories written by Matt Cvetic that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post.[4] The stories were later turned into a best-selling book, and a radio show starring Dana Andrews that ran for 78 episodes from April 23, 1952, until October 14, 1953.[5]

The story follows Cvetic, who infiltrated a local Communist Party cell for nine years and reported back to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on their activities.

It may be a little out there but I plan on trying to watch it next loop.

Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 12:35 PM (GshMh)

191 They were corporatists who mouthed conservative sayings but never gave a shit about them. They identified as pro-life, pro-gun and did nothing about them, but they did get votes from people they duped into thinking they would.

Trump exposed all of that, which is why they hate him.

Last election cycle, a Trumpian was the GOP candidate for governor and ALL the former GOP governors endorsed WHITMER! And now we have ultra abortion, tightening gun control, but they don't care, they were NEVER conservative.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd
========
Class explains a lot of it and far too much of the time, the base was enamored of CEO business types as ideal conservatives. Business itself involves a lot of compromises and deal making to the extent that because money is the goal--it leads accepting what should not be accepted--whether it is business with China, importing a cheap labor class, or collaborating with West hating Islamists.

The state GOP apparatus also went toward this new managerial class for officeholders because they had money to fund campaigns by self donations to some extent. That is how you ended up with Snyder as governor for example.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:36 PM (uf8KX)

192 186 On the other hand this ex Parliament funk sax player is awesome. Hard to mess up Marvin Gaye.

https://tinyurl.com/43x9sa78
Posted by: JackStraw at March 23, 2024 12:33 PM (LkLld)

I started to say, "Nah, it needs vocals," but they make it work!

Posted by: m at March 23, 2024 12:38 PM (o3SCB)

193 >>Elites in the West lack any convictions of faith, duty, and honor--all their principles are expedient means to gaining power, money, and sex in a society. Islamic petro states have money that they shower on these elites and in turn the elites turn a blind eye to what they do.

And they are simply cowards.

IIRC, Charlie Hebdo was initially threatened, then their printing presses were attacked (building bombed?), but then a mainstream French newspaper let them publish using their printing presses.

It was a sad reminder of how empty the talk of principles is here in the U.S. by people on all sides. These French writers were people who never considered *not* publishing the cartoons. Their need to poke all with power in the eye compelled them - they regularly mocked world leaders, the Pope, etc.. so why would they accept anyone as being off limits? They were happy warriors. A great loss.

I saw this documentary on tv late one night when I had insomnia and have never had the opportunity to rewatch it.

Posted by: Lizzy at March 23, 2024 12:40 PM (6IDWi)

194 >>I started to say, "Nah, it needs vocals," but they make it work!

Maceo Parker is fantastic.

Ok, rain stopped momentarily. Time for the dog to walk me.

Posted by: JackStraw at March 23, 2024 12:40 PM (LkLld)

195 187 It is written down in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes illegal the denial of employment or housing or education on the basis of race, sex or religion.
Posted by: gourmand du jour
=======
As a matter of law, the CRA does not apply in matters of faith and expression thereof. For example, Catholic schools are not required to hire someone who is not Catholic nor required to keep someone employed that openly despises its tenants. Baptist churches are not required to hire Jewish rabbis to preside over services and so on.

IMHO, Music is integral to Falun Gong's faith expression and to require them to hire non believers violates the US Constitution's 1st Amendment---free exercise of religion. Given that the CRA is actually based on the Commerce Clause due to some old US case law, the 1st Amendment trumps the CRA in specific applications such as hiring for religious organizations for religious purposes.

You need to look up the ministerial exception on hiring law btw.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:42 PM (uf8KX)

196 Heh, CAIR calls Talcum X a grifter.

https://tinyurl.com/yc8kxr4u

Posted by: TC at March 23, 2024 12:44 PM (X8wmX)

197 And they are simply cowards.

Posted by: Lizzy
======
Our current elites are indeed cowards because they fear death more than anything. That is why they always punch down but cower when confronted with a punch in the face unless they have their hirelings around them to protect them.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:44 PM (uf8KX)

198 His Name's on the Waistband - a limerick

There once was an old man nameed Grundy
Who passed away a week ago this Sunday
The preacher said, "Hey wait,
When he hits the Pearly Gates
St. Pete won't know him. Not without his undies!"

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 12:45 PM (991eG)

199 184 How the Irish can give up their culture is beyond me. One of the most beautiful movie scenes is Maureen O'hara speaking to Ward Bond in The Gaelic in the Quiet Man.
Posted by: bill in arkansas
=======
Once faith declines in a society, all sorts of degradation becomes possible.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:46 PM (uf8KX)

200 Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?
Posted by: Cicero

Well, you can bet all the printers work.

Posted by: Diogenes at March 23, 2024 12:46 PM (W/lyH)

201 Plus, lots of Churchill comparisons!
Posted by: Intercepted The Bulwark Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at March 23, 2024 12:34 PM (ycI94)

Neocons gotta neocon.

Bush said "read my lips," and people did. Then he said "suck on this" and most people said no.

Gotta give Clinton credit, he only sough beejers from trailer trash girls, Bush shoved his in ALL our faces.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:46 PM (kz1AU)

202 Our current elites are indeed cowards because they fear death more than anything. That is why they always punch down but cower when confronted with a punch in the face unless they have their hirelings around them to protect them.
Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 12:44 PM (uf8KX)

If by death you mean that someone other than them will be in control, that the people might read the Constitution and have the nerve to believe the words are true, then yes. They fear that.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:50 PM (kz1AU)

203 I work for a company that has a call center in Ireland.
Recently I've been tasked with monitoring calls and I was shocked at how few Irish people I was listening to.
People from Africa or elsewhere are the majority of those whose calls I struggle to understand.

Posted by: Erebus- ex-killer whale at March 23, 2024 12:50 PM (/Td2i)

204 Still, that's a bit different than having someone overtly practicing black magic during the Mass.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at March 23, 2024 11:45 AM (llXky)

You asked for it. Goes to YouTbe.

https://tinyurl.com/4jdt8xrd

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy now with twice the crazy at March 23, 2024 12:50 PM (iODuv)

205 Good morning everyone

Excellent piece, as always KT

I usually see it when it is too late to comment.

Bach's music has been my "go to" for the past couple of weeks. I love the cheerful busy web of sound of many of his compositions.

Posted by: AmericanKestrel at March 23, 2024 12:50 PM (S5+ge)

206 So is every other politician in the world. I don't hear any other pols though, defending Free Speech on that shithole island.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:32 PM (kz1AU)

Satan quotes Scripture when it suits his ends, too.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:51 PM (tkR6S)

207 I work for a company that has a call center in Ireland.
Recently I've been tasked with monitoring calls and I was shocked at how few Irish people I was listening to.
People from Africa or elsewhere are the majority of those whose calls I struggle to understand.
Posted by: Erebus- ex-killer whale at March 23, 2024 12:50 PM (/Td2i)

So you're saying when I call customer service, and a guy who is clearly Indian/Pakistani says "Hi, this is Seamus, how may I help you," that might ACTUALLY be his name???

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:52 PM (kz1AU)

208 Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?
Posted by: Cicero

*********
He carried a big shah-llelagh?

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 12:54 PM (991eG)

209 So is every other politician in the world. I don't hear any other pols though, defending Free Speech on that shithole island.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:32 PM (kz1AU)

Satan quotes Scripture when it suits his ends, too.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:51 PM (tkR6S)

All I'm hearing is you don't like the guy.

Why do I get the impression you're still in Left v. Right mode.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:54 PM (kz1AU)

210 Banshees on the Ganges

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 12:55 PM (991eG)

211 Why the hell was an Indian running Ireland in the first place?
Posted by: Cicero

*********
He carried a big shah-llelagh?
Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 12:54 PM (991eG)

There's got to be a Haggis Sophia joke in there somewhere.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:55 PM (kz1AU)

212 Why do I get the impression you're still in Left v. Right mode.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:54 PM (kz1AU)

fuckin' A, bubba! And the Deep State, the Uniparty is the Left. Deal with it.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:57 PM (tkR6S)

213 "Ireland" will not be whole, at least in my lifetime.

In 1973, both the Republic of Ireland (Ireland) and the United Kingdom, with Northern Ireland as part of it, joined the European Economic Community.

Following a referendum vote in 2016, the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland included, left the European Union (EU) in 2020.
--
Does Northern Ireland take refugees?
Law Center NI, Migration Justice Project, Dec. 2023: "Refugees can arrive through community sponsorship. This is a way for local communities, civil society organisations, charities and faith groups to come together to host a refugee family. As far as the Law Centre is aware, only three refugee families have ever arrived in Northern Ireland through Community Sponsorship."

Where are all the refugees coming from to Ireland?
Breaking News ie, 01/13/24: The majority of asylum seekers have come from the likes of Nigeria, Georgia and Algeria. Somalia, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan also had a high number of asylum seekers.

Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 12:57 PM (GshMh)

214 Jinn Fein

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 12:58 PM (991eG)

215 Look at the makeup of some European governments. The number of, errrr.... foreigners is astounding. We're going to see a lot more of that here, especially with Hispanics illegally here now, but likely running for office soon. Same for the Muslims... as we've seen with Omar and her crew.

Our country is nearly, likely, irrevocably lost regardless who occupies the White House in 2025.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 23, 2024 12:59 PM (Q4IgG)

216 Ronna McDaniel joins NBC news.

Posted by: You can spot the traitors when they take a MSM job at March 23, 2024 01:00 PM (JM96T)

217 If by death you mean that someone other than them will be in control, that the people might read the Constitution and have the nerve to believe the words are true, then yes. They fear that.
Posted by: BurtTC
=====
No, I mean they actually FEAR personal death themselves. Elites in our society do not come from the tip of the spear military forces, nor did they win their positions by life and death conquest as in feudal times, nor from risking being martyrs to a religious faith like a Peter or Paul did.

Instead, you can consider Revenge of the Nerds and nepotism is how they got where they are. It is a group of people shaped by the idea of materialism in the here and now trumps whatever lies beyond death. Such people naturally fear death and that is why part of the message of Christianity is one of hope beyond the pale of death itself. Particularly appropriate around the time of Easter I think.

Eternal life is promised to those that embrace Christianity--not so much to people embracing the here and now other than the Way.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:01 PM (uf8KX)

218 So you're saying when I call customer service, and a guy who is clearly Indian/Pakistani says "Hi, this is Seamus, how may I help you," that might ACTUALLY be his name???
Posted by: BurtTC

Not yet.
They are using their African/foreign names still.
At least at OUR call center.

Posted by: Erebus- ex-killer whale at March 23, 2024 01:02 PM (/Td2i)

219 Bunratty is the actual first castle I saw when I went to Ireland.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at March 23, 2024 01:04 PM (VwHCD)

220 216 Ronna McDaniel joins NBC news.
Posted by: You can spot the traitors
=====
The MSM is the ideal place for posers, know nothings, and evil.

By their fruits, ye shall know them sort of thing.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:04 PM (uf8KX)

221 The current court kerfuffles...

Sheriff Letitia of Nottingham, Arch Bishop Bragg, and Bishop Biden...seized the ancestral homes and castles of Robin John Trump, Drove him in poverty into the wilds of Sherwood al Lago, with the lovely Maid Melania. There, after proving his goodhumor and toughness he was embraced and welcomed by the outcast forest peoples, the downtrodden townsmen...led them to Rise Up and begin seizing back the confiscatory Taxes and Tithes foisted upon the peasants by the corrupt elites, and returning freedom to the People.
It is a story as old as time...

Posted by: birdog at March 23, 2024 01:05 PM (+Fkyb)

222 Why do I get the impression you're still in Left v. Right mode.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 12:54 PM (kz1AU)

fuckin' A, bubba! And the Deep State, the Uniparty is the Left. Deal with it.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:57 PM (tkR6S)

Ok, use the words you want. I don't care. You're wrong though, because THE PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS RIGHT LEANING IN THE DEEP STATE AND ELITE CLASS ARE LAUGHING AT YOU.

But do carry on.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:07 PM (RACi0)

223 Our country is nearly, likely, irrevocably lost regardless who occupies the White House in 2025.
Posted by: Martini Farmer
=======
Nothing is irrevocable, nothing is determined for the future either. And with the Lord, all things are possible even though seemingly impossible at the time.

The tide on globohomo is running out, the elite class is still there but everywhere in the West, including this charming Irish story, their wreckage of civilization is being recognized for what it is.

Basically, globohomo relied on civilizational trust built up over centuries in the West of government and pissed it all away. As a result, they are not the future, they are the past.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:07 PM (uf8KX)

224 So you're saying when I call customer service, and a guy who is clearly Indian/Pakistani says "Hi, this is Seamus, how may I help you," that might ACTUALLY be his name???
Posted by: BurtTC

"Thank you for calling. I can do the needful for you today."

('Steve' is the name I get ofttimes.)

Posted by: Tonypete at March 23, 2024 01:09 PM (WXNFJ)

225 All I'm hearing is you don't like the guy.

Posted by: BurtTC
=======
George Galloway was a rented whore for Saddam Hussein for decades and doesn't know a principle that he would not sell for a buck.

The only reason he supports free speech in his case as it enables him to sell his voice to other countries.

There are principled people that are seemingly on the left such as Greenwald and Taibbi but Galloway is not one of them.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:10 PM (uf8KX)

226 The best anti-communist movie by far, and the only one that is actually (darkly) enjoyable to watch, is The Death of Stalin. Many of us have opined that telling the story as a farce is a far more realistic look at life under Stalin than any straightforward telling of the tale could do; and every person depicted in the film was a real person, and did the things that they are shown doing.

It highlights not only the nastiness and viciousness of Stalin's inner circle, but also the incredible stupidity and complete lack of any moral code at all that typified all of them.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2024 01:11 PM (i9ffA)

227 Galloway is an evil POS.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 12:28 PM (tkR6S)

Back in the days when England still had a spine, Galloway would have been hung, drawn, and quartered. It's what he deserves even now.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2024 01:12 PM (i9ffA)

228 To me the Deep Stste is Italy Fascism, everything for the state, nothing against.
Everything is ruled by dictate from the state, yet companies can be owned by citizens.

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:13 PM (fwDg9)

229 Not yet.
They are using their African/foreign names still.
At least at OUR call center.
Posted by: Erebus- ex-killer whale at March 23, 2024 01:02 PM (/Td2i)

This is an issue that could garner votes for Donald Trump. Promote an "America First Call Center" act. Every American deserves the right to have their commercial or government related phone calls answered by a live human being who is an American citizen, and who speaks English with native-like fluency. And for those orgs who choose to offer "impresa la numero dos por Espanol" the Spanish speakers should also be American citizens fluent in Spanish. No]/b] offshoring of phone center/tech support work.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 01:13 PM (tkR6S)

230 ugh

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 01:14 PM (tkR6S)

231 Ronna McDaniel joins NBC news.

She's a Romney.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 01:14 PM (YAtuc)

232 Death of Stalin is another would like to see but have no movie streaming

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:14 PM (fwDg9)

233 196 Heh, CAIR calls Talcum X a grifter.
Posted by: TC

It shares with no one.

Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 01:15 PM (GshMh)

234 Ok, use the words you want. I don't care. You're wrong though, because THE PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS RIGHT LEANING IN THE DEEP STATE AND ELITE CLASS ARE LAUGHING AT YOU.

But do carry on.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:07 PM (RACi0)

We are saying the same thing. And Galloway is lying when he says he supports free speech. He supports it for him, not for me and thee. But carry on.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 01:16 PM (tkR6S)

235 It highlights not only the nastiness and viciousness of Stalin's inner circle, but also the incredible stupidity and complete lack of any moral code at all that typified all of them.
Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2024 01:11 PM (i9ffA)

Also the complete and utter surrender the most powerful people in the Soviet Union had given to Stalin. Heart and soul, as if he were one of the "bad" Czars

Posted by: Kindltot at March 23, 2024 01:17 PM (D7oie)

236 If by death you mean that someone other than them will be in control, that the people might read the Constitution and have the nerve to believe the words are true, then yes. They fear that.
Posted by: BurtTC
=====
No, I mean they actually FEAR personal death themselves....

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:01 PM (uf8KX)

I don't now about all that. I think there's reason to believe some of them are drinking adrenochrome harvested from terrified children, for some purpose having to do with immortality, but I think in general, the push we're seeing is more easily summed up as a desire for total control.

Power for power's sake. What they mean to do with it, most of that is speculation. I'm sure a lot of those people do indeed, identify and believe they are Christians and other religious entities.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:17 PM (ciDfw)

237 hiya

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2024 01:17 PM (T4tVD)

238 It is written down in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes illegal the denial of employment or housing or education on the basis of race, sex or religion.
Posted by: gourmand du jour, home of the $26 chimichanga at March 23, 2024 11:49 AM (MeG8a)

Take that to its ultimate conclusion, and you have trannies in ladies' locker rooms, leering at 12 year old girls.

Agree, which is why it is a bad law that needs to be reversed.

Posted by: AmericanKestrel at March 23, 2024 01:18 PM (S5+ge)

239 To me the Deep Stste is Italy Fascism, everything for the state, nothing against.
Everything is ruled by dictate from the state, yet companies can be owned by citizens.
Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:13 PM (fwDg9)

There is a strain of thought that identifies the current politics of the elite to be Trotskyite, you know, the "good" communist thought, that was taken up by the British and eventually the American upper class.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 23, 2024 01:20 PM (D7oie)

240 And Galloway is lying when he says he supports free speech. He supports it for him, not for me and thee. But carry on.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 01:16 PM (tkR6S)

I never assume I know what anyone thinks. Like I said, he's the only person from that godforsaken island I've heard saying he believes in Free Speech for everyone. The only politician, I mean.

I think there are too many people on the so-called right who refuse to find allies from the so-called left, precisely because they're still fighting a fight that can wait.

The existential crisis we're all facing, the forces aligned against us benefit from that fight continuing.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:20 PM (ciDfw)

241 I had a friend here who'd come from Thailand, very studious, quiet, and intelligent guy. He always went by "Eddie", even at work, but finally I asked one day what his real name was, and why he used "Eddie". He told me, I remember writing it down so I'd remember it - it was Jaroenchai Saengsawang with a couple other names thrown into the middle, and he said nobody here could wrap their heads around that, so it was just easier to tell everyone his name was "Eddie". So I asked "why Eddie?" and he just said "why not?"

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2024 01:22 PM (i9ffA)

242 Kindltot Yes I can see that

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:22 PM (fwDg9)

243 hiya
Posted by: JT

********

Hiya, JT!

Nothing brightens one's day like a hearty 'hiya'

Posted by: Muldoon at March 23, 2024 01:23 PM (991eG)

244 To me the Deep Stste is Italy Fascism, everything for the state, nothing against.
Everything is ruled by dictate from the state, yet companies can be owned by citizens.
Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:13 PM (fwDg9)

I think that's basically right. That's the structure of it, and yet people still view fascists as "right," and so they miss it.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:23 PM (ciDfw)

245 Trotsky was a cold hard murderer as well, he had no problems killing anyone in his way either.

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:23 PM (fwDg9)

246 229. and who speaks English with native-like fluency..

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

LOL! Comcast; and it runs exactly as it wants to run. Mary, John, etc., customer service specialists from Malaysia ?? may be barely understood. OTOH: "We have another victim!" and "JC!!!" followed by the phone being slammed down is tempered.

Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 01:24 PM (GshMh)

247 Back in the days when England still had a spine, Galloway would have been hung, drawn, and quartered. It's what he deserves even now.
Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2024 01:12 PM (i9ffA)

So he must have killed a bunch of people or something?

I don't know what he's done to piss everyone off, so I guess I'm missing something awful he did.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:24 PM (ciDfw)

248 Howie Carr (Boston):

"Horrors of the migrant crisis: just the beginning "

https://tinyurl.com/4y3r93hj

Posted by: Beverly at March 23, 2024 01:25 PM (Epeb0)

249 Speaking of Bach's "Air on a G String"... heading to the beach this week.

Posted by: Chairman LMAO, AI Expert at March 23, 2024 01:26 PM (snyZJ)

250 Death of Stalin is another would like to see but have no movie streaming

Russia doesn't often ban movies, but they banned "Death of Stalin".

They also banned the Borat movie because it defamed Kazakhstan.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 01:26 PM (YAtuc)

251 How many years has it been since you heard the West referred to as the Free World? This is significant.

Posted by: Beverly at March 23, 2024 01:26 PM (Epeb0)

252 95 Regardless of views of Ukraine, prayers for the victims and families of those in Moscow.
Posted by: Diogenes

Kind of you. Agree.

Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 01:26 PM (GshMh)

253 Power for power's sake. What they mean to do with it, most of that is speculation. I'm sure a lot of those people do indeed, identify and believe they are Christians and other religious entities.
Posted by: BurtTC
======
When you worship power as you claim, then anything other than that is a skinsuit whether it is religion, sexuality, ethnicity, etc. Doesn't matter what they think but what they do. And what they do shows fear of personal death which at least as far as Christianity is concerned shows they are not Christians by belief and action.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:27 PM (uf8KX)

254 And Galloway is lying when he says he supports free speech. He supports it for him, not for me and thee. But carry on.

Galloway's a believer in the Erdogan style of democracy:

"Democracy is like a bus. When you get to your stop, you get off."

Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 01:29 PM (YAtuc)

255 They also banned the Borat movie because it defamed Kazakhstan.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at March 23, 2024 01:26 PM (YAtuc)

I wouldn't ban it, but it's total trash, and nobody should watch it.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:30 PM (ciDfw)

256 I don't know what he's done to piss everyone off, so I guess I'm missing something awful he did.
Posted by: BurtTC
----
Galloway rose to fame by supporting Saddam Hussein's regime and then being shown to have been paid for it. Defended gassing the Kurds, killing the Shi'a, and so on on the floor of Parliament.

Then he moved onto to support other such pillars of virtue such as Khaddafi, and so on.

Spokesperson for evil regimes is Galloway's legacy.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:30 PM (uf8KX)

257 Agree, which is why it is a bad law that needs to be reversed.
Posted by: AmericanKestrel at March 23, 2024 01:18 PM (S5+ge)

Concur. The freedom to discriminate as one chooses is the mark of freedom. If the government can tell you who you can or cannot associate with in your personal business, then they can do it for anything, anywhere.

Also, the libs have always used the argument if your against the CRA of 1964, you must be a rayciss.

If I choose not to hire Canadians because they are Canadian, that is my business. If I prosper or suffer because of this decision, that is also my business.

Our sodomites have come home to roost.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at March 23, 2024 01:31 PM (R/m4+)

258 So he must have killed a bunch of people or something?

I don't know what he's done to piss everyone off, so I guess I'm missing something awful he did.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:24 PM (ciDfw)

Don't be fooled by his current free speech blather - Hitler, Stalin, and Lenin all loved the idea of "Free Speech" until they took power, and then they viciously killed anyone who spoke against them. Galloway is right out of their mold. I've known of Galloway for a long time, and besides being a generally loathsome individual in several ways, he is a vicious anti-Semite and would quite gladly have served as a Commandant at Auschwitz if he'd had the opportunity. That man is a personal agent of Stan himself, always has been. And it's not surprising that he's always had money and power no matter how many loathsome his actions and words have been.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2024 01:32 PM (i9ffA)

259 245 Trotsky was a cold hard murderer as well, he had no problems killing anyone in his way either.
Posted by: Skip

Trotsky was a nasty piece of work but had the misfortune of losing to the bureaucrat Stalin which made his life suspect immediately. Still makes me laugh how Pilsudski and the Poles kicked Trotsky's ass as Commander of the Red Armies trying to keep Poland for the Reds.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:32 PM (uf8KX)

260 When you worship power as you claim, then anything other than that is a skinsuit whether it is religion, sexuality, ethnicity, etc. Doesn't matter what they think but what they do. And what they do shows fear of personal death which at least as far as Christianity is concerned shows they are not Christians by belief and action.
Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:27 PM (uf8KX)

I really don't see how you get to "fear of death" as the central theme. Indeed, one of the overarching beliefs of a lot of atheists is their desire to wring as much pleasure out of this world as they can, because they believe it's all coming to an end.

Not so much a fear of death, as a resignation that it's coming, and this is all there is.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:33 PM (ciDfw)

261 GARDEN THREAD IS BLOOMING

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:33 PM (fwDg9)

262 Our sodomites have come home to roost.
Posted by: Hairyback Guy
-----------
I would not call it roosting. Rooting mebbe.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:33 PM (uf8KX)

263 LOL! Comcast; and it runs exactly as it wants to run. Mary, John, etc., customer service specialists from Malaysia ?? may be barely understood. OTOH: "We have another victim!" and "JC!!!" followed by the phone being slammed down is tempered.
Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 01:24 PM (GshMh)

Back home in Alberta, I had a billing issue with my electricity provider, DirectEnergy. Phone help was quite incompetent, and spoke poor English. I finally asked, "Where are you, ma'am?" and she replied "Tegucigalpa, Honduras". I switched to a company based in Calgary, that has only a Calgary call center. And saved money, in the bargain.

This is an issue that affects everybody. Everybody has gone through some form of phone hell. Oh, I forgot a couple of other provisions for this Act: One: only one layer of automated response, to do a first-order sort of the nature of incoming calls. Two: no more endless hold music. Mandate that they must take take your number, and make at least 3 good-faith attempts to call you back. My bank does the call-back thing, and it works.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 23, 2024 01:33 PM (tkR6S)

264 I really could care less what you are but going to a concert to hear music and not much else you don't deserve to be murdered

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:35 PM (fwDg9)

265 223 Our country is nearly, likely, irrevocably lost regardless who occupies the White House in 2025.
Posted by: Martini Farmer
=======

“Defeatist cynicism is the arrogance that we know an outcome - we do not. Our creator expects us to fight for good until HE ends the game, not us.”

-Robert W. Pratt

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at March 23, 2024 01:36 PM (W58qB)

266 Don't be fooled by his current free speech blather - Hitler, Stalin, and Lenin all loved the idea of "Free Speech" until they took power, and then they viciously killed anyone who spoke against them. Galloway is right out of their mold. I've known of Galloway for a long time, and besides being a generally loathsome individual in several ways, he is a vicious anti-Semite ....
Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2024 01:32 PM (i9ffA)

I'm not fooled by it, I'm just saying I've not heard the stuff you believe you have.

These days though, I start with suspicion, anyone who is accused of being anti-Semite, because all too often that translates into not supporting Israel.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 23, 2024 01:36 PM (ciDfw)

267 Multiple species of birds at my bird feeder from flickers to chickadees.

And a sunny day.

I don't easily jump into conversations and it is even more difficult when I come in late.

Interesting conversations and commentary.

Posted by: AmericanKestrel at March 23, 2024 01:37 PM (S5+ge)

268 Listened to some from the band Picnic that was supposed to be playing in Moscow, I think it's a nice sound, no idea of the lyrics as the sing in Russian

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:37 PM (fwDg9)

269 Yet another wonderful thread, K.T. Thanks.

The Bach piece is greatly appreciated and will be shared with children in the family, both those who already love music & play piano, guitar and other instruments, and/or those who've been diagnosed as autistic. (Classical music often seems to aid with calming and concentration.)

Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 01:39 PM (GshMh)

270 Not so much a fear of death, as a resignation that it's coming, and this is all there is.
Posted by: BurtTC
=======
Resignation is more like Horatius at the bridge where he is determined to act despite his impending likely death. Our elites though would slaughter babies to harvest their stem cells, drink their blood, or any other horrible deed just to have one more minute on Earth.

"Then out spoke brave Horatius, the Captain of the Gate:
"To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late;
And how can man die better than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods,"

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:40 PM (uf8KX)

271
“Defeatist cynicism is the arrogance that we know an outcome - we do not. Our creator expects us to fight for good until HE ends the game, not us.”

-Robert W. Pratt

I've not heard this before. Very good.

"Then out spoke brave Horatius, the Captain of the Gate:
"To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late;
And how can man die better than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods,"

One of my favorites.

Posted by: AmericanKestrel at March 23, 2024 01:43 PM (S5+ge)

272 Re Galloway,
"Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union – which Galloway described as “the biggest catastrophe of my life” – the Dundonian has scoured the world for an absolute ruler . . ."

For a short while Galloway appeared to have found that person in Saddam. “Just as Stalin industrialised the Soviet Union, so on a different scale Saddam plotted Iraq’s own Great Leap Forward,” wrote Galloway in his autobiography.

In the years after Saddam was deposed, Galloway’s “search for a tyrannical fatherland”, as the late Christopher Hitchens once phrased it, continued. Galloway heaped praise on the Iranian despot Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Iranian-run Press TV. He lauded the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, and the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. He also found time to write an obsequious book about the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro – one of the few foreign books you can purchase in Cuba. "

To take one example, in 2020 as reports were emerging that upwards of a million Uyghur Muslims were being persecuted in Xinjiang, Galloway went on Russian state television to claim that there were “no concentration camps in China”.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:46 PM (uf8KX)

273 “Defeatist cynicism is the arrogance that we know an outcome - we do not. Our creator expects us to fight for good until HE ends the game, not us.”

-Robert W. Pratt
======
Excellent quote and something to remember. After all, despair for Christians is a sin to avoid. Let us be jolly warriors for Logos and Christ accordingly.

Posted by: whig at March 23, 2024 01:48 PM (uf8KX)

274 Seems a few places around the web the US is about to hire a Hamas company the building rights of this dock to resupply Hamas, and a few crumbs to Gaza residents

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 01:56 PM (fwDg9)

275 Excellent quote and something to remember. After all, despair for Christians is a sin to avoid. Let us be jolly warriors for Logos and Christ accordingly.

Amen

Posted by: AmericanKestrel at March 23, 2024 02:10 PM (S5+ge)

276 Where are all the refugees coming from to Ireland?
Breaking News ie, 01/13/24: The majority of asylum seekers have come from the likes of Nigeria, Georgia and Algeria. Somalia, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan also had a high number of asylum seekers.
Posted by: L - Ever defining their rope-a-dope tactics & evil at March 23, 2024 12:57 PM (GshMh)
~~~~~

There are also thousands of Ukranian refugees. Hotels across Ireland are full of them--just like here.

Posted by: IrishEi at March 23, 2024 02:11 PM (3ImbR)

277 Wow, just went to get the truck washed... as we are not supposed to wash our own cars here (Calif)...

Last year? $12 which was way too much...
This Year? FUCKING $22 for the same damn wash.

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 23, 2024 02:21 PM (xaFKb)

278 Well, we do know the eventual outcome, as far as the end of this current, evil age.
We just don't know exactly the day or hour. But we do know one for sure thing to look for that points to it being close.
See Matt 24:15 and 2Thess 2:1-5.
It's why Paul could teach that the church wasn't in darkness so as for that Day (the rapture and start of the Day of the Lord) to come upon us as a thief in the night.

In the meantime, be about our Father's business.

Posted by: TeeJ at March 23, 2024 02:26 PM (dWUm0)

279 >>> Bush said "read my lips," and people did. Then he said "suck on this" and most people said no.

Never trust a man with no lips when he says "read my lips".

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at March 23, 2024 02:33 PM (cOq4q)

280 Ireland is such an interesting place, for being so small and few of population. It's fortunate for Israel that the Palestinians don't have the Irish gift for tragic poetry. Mind, the Irish are all in on support of the Palis. The IRA was aligned with various Palestinian terror groups, before the Boys became just another criminal gang.

Ireland was poor through most of the 20th century because Eamon De Valera, like Himmler, had this vision of an agrarian paradise. When they finally scraped him out of office, succeeding governments emphasized education, which paid off in the 1990s: the Irish Tiger was born.

At the same moment they dumped the Catholic Church. Now you had wealthy Irish, but no moral compass.

The dot.com crash woke them up to the fact that a lot of their economy is based on American tourism. Then the 2008 crash taught them that speculating on vacation homes in a country where it rains all the time is, well, foolish.

I haven't been back since 2008. I fear the Ireland that charmed me, the land where the most beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed Polish lass waited on your table in Galway City. Where I could stop in a pub near the castle from "The Thin Man" to pee. Gone.

Posted by: Gordon at March 23, 2024 02:36 PM (WDE4f)

281 The world's population seems to have no trouble going anywhere they want to go. And they don't have to walk

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2024 02:38 PM (fwDg9)

282 147 The Irish Taoiseach resigned.

Bye Felicia.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2024 07:25 AM (RIvkX)

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 23, 2024 02:49 PM (RIvkX)

283 Too cold to work outside.
Old man beat himself up tilling, raking and seeding the last two days anyway.
Nap time!!
Safe to come back now.

Posted by: TeeJ at March 23, 2024 02:50 PM (dWUm0)

284 Ireland was poor through most of the 20th century because Eamon De Valera, like Himmler, ~~had this vision of an agrarian paradise.~~hoped the Nazis won.
Posted by: Gordon at March 23, 2024 02:36 PM (WDE4f)

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 23, 2024 02:51 PM (RIvkX)

285 Then out spoke brave Horatius, the Captain of the Gate:
"To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late;
And how can man die better than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods."

Really wonderful.

Posted by: m at March 23, 2024 02:52 PM (o3SCB)

286 "Horatius at the Bridge"

https://tinyurl.com/39xuwbff

(Art of Manliness)

Posted by: m at March 23, 2024 03:13 PM (o3SCB)

287 --- SHOCKING VIDEO: California Man Arrested for Stealing Human Leg from Fatal Train Accident… and EATING it ---

"Suspect" is. Resendo Tellez

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at March 23, 2024 03:17 PM (cOq4q)

288 "Donald Trump is obsessed with revenge"

Posted by: FJB stupid ad at March 23, 2024 03:46 PM (ufFY8)

289 Bach is more popular than your posting suggests. For example, Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" is the Air on the G String done pop-style; and Jethro Tull's "Bouree" is Bach's Bourree in E minor for the lute, jazzed up by Ian Anderson's flute. And now that Holy Week is coming up for us Western Christians (Eastern Christians have to wait almost another month), Bach's Mass in B Minor is must listening: the most profound setting of Christian truth ever created.

Posted by: Nemo at March 23, 2024 04:17 PM (S6ArX)

290 ARTHUR: Those who hear them seldom live to tell the tale!
HEAD KNIGHT: The Knights Who Say Floyd demand a sacrifice!
ARTHUR: Knights of Floyd, we are but simple travellers who seek the enchanter who lives beyond these woods.
HEAD KNIGHT: Floyd! Floyd! Floyd! Floyd!
ARTHUR and PARTY: Oh, ow!
HEAD KNIGHT: We shall say Floyd again to you if you do not appease us.

Posted by: Tom Perry at March 23, 2024 04:20 PM (MX0bI)

291 San Franpsycho at March 23, 2024: De Valera hoped Hitler won.

Eh, I don't think so. Despite having the power to do so, the UK government didn't reoccupy Cobh harbor or Shannon airport--when doing so would be a big advantage for antisub warfare. When Allied pilots went down in Ireland, De Valera quietly slipped them across the border to Northern Ireland. German pilots were interned.

De Valera and Churchill had no love for each other, but De Valera was smart enough to know that an Occupied UK would be much worse for the Irish. Worse still would have been German troops in Cobh and Shannon.

Posted by: Gordon at March 23, 2024 06:23 PM (WDE4f)

292 Nemo at March 23, 2024 04:17 PM

I agree that Bach is popular. It's just that Bach seems especially popular with people who learn to play some Bach.

Posted by: KT at March 23, 2024 10:14 PM (rrtZS)

293 The picture is of the Kilkenny castle rose garden, not Bunratty castle.

Posted by: Dave at March 24, 2024 06:59 AM (59RBU)

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