Saturday, April 14, 2018

Dog Tales From Damascus

A Short History of Syria and its use of chemical weapons.

The Leading from Behind Years:

leading-From-BehindFORWARD. FROM BEHIND. h/t TOTUS

August 20, 2012: Barack Obama warns Bashar al-Assad that the use of chemical or biological weapons in Syria is a "red line" that should not be crossed. “We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.” [ed. Remind me again why is he known as the most articulate president ever?]

December 23, 2012: The Assad regime is accused of using chemical weapons against the Syrian people.

August 28, 2013: The United States concludes that the Assad regime did indeed conduct chemical weapons attacks against civilians. President Obama says he has not yet decided whether to take a military action in Syria (apparently he decided not to).

September 14, 2013: President Obama says “First of all, I didn't set a red line, the world set a red line.”

obama-now-denies-he-ever-set-red-line-syria-liberal-doublespeak. somebody else did that

iPad-wallpaper-red-lineIt was more of a suggestion than a threat

- INSERT A YEAR OF ‘SMART’ DIPLOMACY HERE -

Oct. 31, 2014: John Kerry declares that we removed 100% of Assad’s chemical weapons. (And Iran will not build any nuclear weapons either, so there.)

January 16, 2017: Susan Rice explains the Syrian government “voluntarily and verifiably” give up its chemical weapons stockpile.

From the Leading From the Front Years of  President Trump (so far):

February 1, 2018: A chemical weapon attack on the Syrian people in Douma, Damascus is reported.

April 7, 2018: Reports surface of another major chemical weapon attack in Douma, a suburb outside of Damascus, Syria, killing at least several dozen civilians.

April 13, 2018: BOOM! Any questions?

It took Rachel Maddow less than 2 minutes after the bombing was announced to raise the “tail wagging the dog” question just to muddy the waters. For the record, the only tail wagging the dog scenarios in the White House occurred when there were Democrats occupying the residence. Although we’re talking about two altogether different kinds of dogs…and tails.

getty bo the dog

Bill-clinton-in-esquire

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Friday, April 13, 2018

#FLOTUSFRIDAY–Give That Man a Big Cigar

I for one am glad that James Comey has found a new career in which he can use the skills he’s developed over a lifetime:

freud2_thumb[9]

"This president is unethical, and untethered to truth and institutional values," Comey writes in the book, according to The New York Times. "His leadership is transactional, ego driven and about personal loyalty."  - USA Today

That’s impressive analysis given his limited contact with President Trump. Most psychoanalysts require dozens of hour long sessions with a client before developing a psychological profile. But then, most of them have never worked for the F.B.I..

  • He says Trump urged him to investigate the notorious dirty dossier which claimed he ordered Russian prostitutes to perform 'golden showers'
  • Comey says he wanted it shown to be untrue in case there was 'even a one per cent chance' Melania thought it was true  - DMO
  • It looks like he might be thinking of specializing in marriage counseling:

    Comey recalls privately wondering why Melania might think there was even a 1 percent chance the allegation was true, noting there was “zero chance” his own wife would believe such a claim. [are you certain?]

    “In what kind of marriage, to what kind of man, does a spouse conclude there is only a 99 percent chance her husband didn’t do that?” Comey writes. – NYPost

    But don’t worry about Melania:

    melania33

    The last boy to step up to the board wrote “energized” and, as he pivoted to return to his seat, knocked to the carpet the first lady’s water glass on the table beside her ornately upholstered blue-and-gold chair.

    He let out a gasp and a loud “Ooohh,” according to the White House pool report from the event.

    Mrs. Trump put a reassuring hand on the boy’s shoulder, telling him: “No problem. Don’t worry. It’s just water, OK? No worry at all. It happens.” – People

    She just carries on, performing her responsibilities with flawless grace and dignity. Something I don’t believe Dr. Comey will never be accused of:

    The 6-foot-8 Comey describes the president - described by the White House doctor as 6 foot 3 - as shorter than he expected with a 'too long' tie.

    His 'face appeared slightly orange, with bright white half-moons under his eyes where I assumed he placed small tanning goggles, and impressively coiffed, bright blond hair, which upon close inspection looked to be all his'.

    'I remember wondering how long it must take him in the morning to get that done.'– DMO

    “As he extended his hand,” Comey adds, “I made a mental note to check its size. It was smaller than mine, but did not seem unusually so.” – NYPost

    Projection: It’s a powerful defense mechanism. What do you say we give this guy a big hand?

    (FILE) USA GOVERNMENT TRUMP FBI

    And a cigar. He definitely needs a cigar.

    P.S. If the psychoanalyst gig doesn’t work out I think he can get a gig writing mean girl books.


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    Thursday, April 12, 2018

    #ThrowbackThursday: Embrace the Suck

    Silly me; I thought all the new, jazzy paper straws showing up everywhere from Ikea to Walmart were strictly a party fashion trend to help you coordinate your dinnerware with your beverage containers.

    il_570xN.537639000_bb00BannerPaperDrinkCups

    I should have known better; as it turns out it’s a sign that the sun is setting on the plastic straw, a commodity that has proved itself to be, like the plastic grocery bag, problematic, polluting and worthy of our shunning despite its inherent utility.paper straws 3

    Apparently there is a world-wide effort afoot to remove these menacing instruments of the suck from public life. The movement started in Britain and moved to Australia before making landfall in California  - the forerunner of all things good and holy in this country as we were told the other day. From California the bans will spread across the land, eventually vanquishing the evil, one-use plastic straw.

    Of course you won’t be able to switch to paper straws without proper instruction:

    paper straw

    But I say why stop there? Why not require people to bring their own, reusable straw if they want to suck? They come in glass, stainless steel and bamboo, all washable and fully recyclable.

    glassdharma02 reusable strawsstainless steel strawsbamboo-straws travel packSome even come with their own cleaning implement and travel case!

    Don’t get me wrong: there was much to like about the old fashioned soda shops:

    rockwell--august--soda-fountain“August at the Soda Fountain”

    But soggy, chewed up paper straws were not on the Top 10 list. Nevertheless, looks like this environmental train has left the station so my advice is to stock up on a life-time supply of the deadly plastic straws now, before they go the route of the incandescent lightbulb.

    suck it up bc

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    Wednesday, April 11, 2018

    #OpenWhineWednesday: Help Me Before I Hurt Myself!

    Just a few thoughts to get you rolling:

    Paul Ryan’s retirement: which Deep State industry will he be taking a multi-million dollar job with? Healthcare? Insurance? Big Pharma? Big Media? Wall Street? All of the above (lobbying)?

    paul-ryan-fiscal-cliffPaul Ryan: he didn’t write the book but he did discover the Path to Prosperity.

    Syria: Although Barry had a hard time finding the red line he drew - probably due to the fact he’s color blind - President Trump doesn’t seem to have that problem.

    red lineProposed Future Presidential Litmus Test: Disqualified if all you see is black

    Zuckerberg hearings: Make that “show” hearings. So far all I’ve got is “We’ve got to seize your data in order to use know what’s in it.”

    In-Your-facebook-Stealing-Your-DataHelp! Stop me before I steal again!

    Linked By: BlogsLucianneLoves, and Free Republic, Thanks!

    Tuesday, April 10, 2018

    #TransformationTuesday: Tadpole Edition

    Ever wonder what made America great? I think it was the fact the country was founded by people who possessed the three defining characteristics of the Age of Enlightenment.

    Reason:

    grenouillen rational frog

    Skepticism:

    skeptical frog

    and Individualism:

    frog

    Three characteristics anathema to oppressive authoritarian regimes.

    frog-fable-brought-to-boil

    Take China for example; disliking behavior outside the norm they are in the process of finalizing their new “social system” that will ultimately rate all of its citizens and assign points in order to promote appropriate behavior and discourage anti-social behavior:

    Like private credit scores, a person's social score can move up and down depending on their behaviour. The exact methodology is a secret — but examples of infractions include bad driving, smoking in non-smoking zones, buying too many video games and posting fake news online.

    1. Banning you from flying or getting the train

    2. Throttling your internet speeds.

    3. Banning you (or your kids!) from the best schools.

    4. Stopping you getting the best jobs.

    5. Keeping you out of the best hotels.

    6. Being publicly named as a bad citizen.

    Like Santa they also have a list of good little girls and boys who will receive nice presents:

    There is also a list for good citizens — that will reportedly get you more matches on dating websites.

    They can also get discounts on energy bills, rent things without deposits, and get better interest rates at banks.

    And it really, really works!

    "For example, when we drive, now we always stop in front of crosswalks. If you don't stop, you will lose your points.

    "At first, we just worried about losing points, but now we got used to it."  (Business Insider)

    boil-the-frog

    Don’t anyone tell the Progressives! That is precisely the template they’ve been looking for in order to get the recalcitrants to behave properly.

    frogs2

    A side note re. the FBI raid on the office and residence of President Trump’s personal attorney: Remember when Chuck Schumer said this?

    "Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you."

    Well you’re looking at one of the six. Do not fret. We just have to stay out of the pot, sit back…and wait.

    frog karma

    Linked By: Larwyn’s Linx on Doug Ross@Journal, and BlogsLucianneLoves, and Free Republic, Thanks!

    Monday, April 9, 2018

    #MondayMoanin’- the Left’s New Version of “Just Shut Up!”

    When Andrew Klaven first pointed out that the Left’s preferred way to end an argument was by yelling “Shut Up!” we smiled in recognition. Then the wheels of the train began to roll: the IRS denying non-profit status to conservative groups, college campuses demanding conservatives be “de-platformed,” Facebook, YouTube and Twitter shadowbanning or blocking posts and posters they found to be “dangerous to the community.”  Now they’re back with a new a tactic in the war to get us to Shut Up! – they will vanquish us. In the article The Great Lesson of California in America’s New Civil War they acknowledge that this is a war and that we must be crushed: “Why there’s no bipartisan way forward at this juncture in our history — one side must win.”

    Here is Mr. Leyden’s basic premise: the country is so bifurcated (and the conservative side is so evil and archaic) that enlightened Progressives can no longer entertain the concept of bipartisanship. The only way FORWARD! is by crushing the Right – just like California did.

    Forward_Obama_Lenin_lemming

    The solution for the people of California was to reconfigure the political landscape and shift a supermajority of citizens [ed: note the roll illegal voters play in establishing this “supermajority”] and by extension their elected officials — under the Democratic Party’s big tent.

    California today provides a model for America as a whole. This model of politics and government is by no means perfect, but it is far ahead of the nation in coming to terms with the inexorable digital, global, sustainable transformation of our era. It is a thriving work in progress that gives hope that America can pull out of the political mess we’re in. California today provides a playbook for America’s new way forward. It’s worth contemplating as we enter 2018, which will be a critical election year.

    Notwithstanding the fact that California’s track towards socialism has never, in the entire history of mankind, worked in the long haul Leyden still lobbies for the socialist revolution that is sweeping through California be carried to the rest of the land. “California today provides a model for America as a whole.”

    wasteland mapThe Wasteland Map of San Francisco

    Indeed it does: if we discard the classical liberalism that this country was founded on. If we ignore the fact that the Founding Fathers put full faith in reason when crafting the Constitution, Bill of Rights and institutes of government and go instead with what feels good and right at the moment you will indeed get California: restricted individual rights and more government control. Shortly thereafter you will get Europe, and shortly after that, Venezuela.

    If we can get people to remember that the U.S. Constitution is a limitation on the Federal Government, not on individual rights we might still have a chance. So perhaps we can learn something from Mr. Leydon’s essay. And perhaps we can learn even more from Twitter’s enthusiastic support for 'Civil War,' Wiping Out The GOP, And How We Should Be Like CA.

    Shakespeare-Quotes-11

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    Sunday, April 8, 2018

    Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned

    It’s Sunday, the day to give thanks. And Greg Gutfeld has compiled a list of reasons to be grateful – in the guise of Hillary’s Greatest Hits.

    Speaking of angry former First Ladies I suppose now would be a good time to address Lady M’s recent scold about the Good Parent/Bad Parent Presidents Club. But since it’s Sunday and I’m taking it easy I’m going to let James Woods field a response to her moronic comment; it’s as succinct as a biting critique can possibly be in 140 characters or less:

    woods good parent

    And since we are speaking of Angry Women would someone please get Ann Coulter access to her self-medicating drug of choice before she hurts herself:

    “I knew he was a shallow, lazy ignoramus, and I didn’t care,” Coulter told the audience, which was largely comprised of College Republicans, according to the news outlet.

    “It kind of breaks my heart,” she added. 

    Dear Annie, we don’t want you to have a broken heart. Have you considered another face lift? Or maybe laying off the wine a bit?

    coulter

    Or possibly saying a few prayers?

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