Friday morning links

Time to prepare your "pupettes" for the onslaught: Israel Apartheid Week kicks off just as Jews celebrate the most joyous holiday of our calendar - Purim.

That ancient story tells of other enemies who lied about the Jews, sought their destruction... and was literally hoisted on his own petard.

Practical tips for countering the lies:
http://www.stopbds.com/

#1 Ben David on 2013-02-22 06:10 (Reply)

QUOTE:

Vince: How Conservatives can win in a world of “Low Information Voters” ... How did Barack Obama win reelection despite 8 million fewer people working and a doubling of gas prices since he took office? Despite a flatlining GDP, $6 trillion in new debt, and the disastrous Benghazi?

Probably because most voters realize that unemployment and debt is largely due to the financial meltdown at the end of the last Republican administration. As far as foreign policy failures, Benghazi is far, far behind the Iraq occupation. As for gas prices, that's just another silly right-wing meme. Gas prices dropped precipitously during the financial meltdown due to collapse in global demand and have returned to about where they were before Obama took office.
http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo/realprices/

QUOTE:

Vince: Nevermind {Reagan} created a staggering level of economic growth that provided incomes to parents of millions of children, and that he won the Cold War.

Growth during the Reagan Administration was not out of the ordinary, while federal debt increased dramatically. In addition, much of the growth was due to actions by the Fed once they had tamed inflation and released the brakes on the economy.

QUOTE:

Vince: At the most basic level they must make the point, repeatedly, that their policies of limited government and fiscal restraint seek to help all Americans, not just particular groups.

Sure. The problem is that many in the Republican Party mistrusts or hates government even where it can be effective, including programs that most people support.

But you mustn't think the Republican Party is doomed. The basic idea of a two-party system is that coalitions form around the parties before elections. (In a parliamentary system, parties usually form ruling coalitions after the election.) These coalitions that make up the two parties are not set in stone, and if one party becomes too dominant, a number of factors tend to move against it; including overreach, detachment, sloth, and sclerosis. This, in turn, results in the forces of renewal growing in the opposing party.

#2 Zachriel on 2013-02-22 08:38 (Reply)

I recall something like $1.80-1.90. And if, in constant dollars, it is not much changed, then there's been a lot of inflation. I just paid $3.59 2 days ago. My income hasn't doubled in 4 years.

#2.1 Sam L. on 2013-02-22 17:01 (Reply)

Gas prices dropped precipitously during the financial meltdown due to collapse in global demand and have returned to about where they were before Obama took office.
http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo/realprices/

Regular gasoline was $4.05 per gallon in June 2008.

#2.1.1 Zachriel on 2013-02-22 20:35 (Reply)

QUOTE:

Brooks: What Data Can’t Do ... Network scientists can map your interactions with the six co-workers you see during 76 percent of your days, but they can’t capture your devotion to the childhood friends you see twice a year, let alone Dante’s love for Beatrice, whom he met twice.

Excellent point.

#3 Zachriel on 2013-02-22 08:51 (Reply)

The man in the pic reminds me of Red Green.

#4 feeblemind on 2013-02-22 13:56 (Reply)

“You’re not a failure if you decide to leave Brooklyn"
Money quote from the NYT article, which discusses Brooklyn hipsters who have found less expensive housing in suburban Westchester- which by most standards is themselves rather expensive:

QUOTE:

While she savors the space and mental calm of the suburbs, she finds herself looking hopefully for signs of creative ferment. “We’ve found it in pockets,” Ms. Ghiorse said. “Once in a while, you’ll think, ‘This place gets it,’ because they have a Fernet Branca cocktail on their menu.”

Oh, the path to enlightenment, Brooklyn style.

#5 Gringo on 2013-02-22 15:00 (Reply)

Hipsturbia: Teh hipsters are disturbed.

#6 Sam L. on 2013-02-22 15:48 (Reply)

As far as foreign policy failures, Benghazi is far, far behind the Iraq occupation

Are you high on crack? Dropped on your head when you were a baby? Tell me how many Democrats supported the Iraq invasion and tell me how many Republicans were involved with the Benghazi murders, lies and subsequent cover-up. And by the way, the Iraqis are much better off without Saddam, who apparently to you was a poor misunderstood kitten compared to Bush. Never mind the disaster of O'bumbles' "Arab Spring" and the destruction of Egypt. What a tool. I am sorry I even paid attention to your ignorant screed.

#7 model_1066 on 2013-02-22 19:26 (Reply)

model_1066: Tell me how many Democrats supported the Iraq invasion and tell me how many Republicans were involved with the Benghazi murders, lies and subsequent cover-up.

The Bush Administration was responsible for running the occupation. It led to the death of tens-of-thousands Iraqis, thousands of Americans, and created millions of refugees.

#7.1 Zachriel on 2013-02-22 20:40 (Reply)

Zac and I agree for once. I think the Iraq war was premature or unnecessary. I would have preferred killing Saddam and letting them figure out who was going to be in charge. Once the war began I would have preferred simply killing their leaders, destroying their military and then walking away and not spending one cent on this disaster of a country. BUT to claim it was "bush's fault" is to ignore the facts (which means you are a liar) because there were almost no Democrats who did not want to invade Iraq. AND IT WAS CLINTON'S FAULT because he did not enforce the agreement with Iraq from the Gulf War which allowed Iraq to once again become a threat to the region. If Clinton had done his job instead of doing Monica there would never have been the need for an Iraq war.

#7.1.1 GoneWithTheWind on 2013-02-23 12:04 (Reply)

GoneWithTheWind: Once the war began I would have preferred simply killing their leaders, destroying their military and then walking away and not spending one cent on this disaster of a country.

That would be against international law, of course. In any case, it's hard to imagine any reasonable argument that could minimize the Bush administration's responsibility for the Iraq debacle.

#7.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2013-02-23 14:52 (Reply)

What would be against international law? You weren't clear. Going to war with Iraq? Or maybe killing their leaders and destroying their military. We did both. That was my point. Once we did that we should have walked away and let the rebuild their own country. You do remember this was in response to your complaint about the "occupation". I was agreeing we shouldn't have occupied it simply destroyed their ability to make war against their nieghbors and kill or bring to justice their leaders who made war against their nieghbors. Makes perfect sense. It was the first thing you've ever said that made sense and I was agreeing, kind of giving you a compliment as it were.

#7.1.1.1.1 GoneWithTheWind on 2013-02-23 17:56 (Reply)

GoneWithTheWind: What would be against international law?

"Simply killing their leaders, destroying their military and then walking away and not spending one cent on this disaster of a country"

The Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War, ratified by the U.S. in 1949, means you can't destroy an existing government and then leave civilians subject to a breakdown in civil order. This is true whether or not the original war was justified.

#7.1.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2013-02-23 21:07 (Reply)

model_1066: And by the way, the Iraqis are much better off without Saddam

The Iraqis will celebrate forevermore on George Bush Day.

#7.2 Zachriel on 2013-02-22 20:44 (Reply)

The trool speaks.

#8 Sam L. on 2013-02-23 11:24 (Reply)

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Friday, February 22. 2013

Friday morning links