Jaybird
Jaybird is Birdmojo on Xbox Live and Jaybirdmojo on Playstation's network. He's been playing consoles since the Atari 2600 and it was Zork that taught him how to touch-type. If you've got a song for Wednesday, a commercial for Saturday, a recommendation for Tuesday, an essay for Monday, or, heck, just a handful a questions, fire off an email to AskJaybird-at-gmail.com
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on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024It was an IRBM. Still nuclear capable, but not quite as scary if you're not in Eastern Europe.
on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024I hope that there was a "by the way, this isn't a nuke" call on the red phone first.
on The Mandate That Wasn’tOh, so you see what I did there.... Congratulations? But at last ... finally, something worth discus…
on The Mandate That Wasn’tI'm curious to see if he takes his seat in the next congress... I'd assume yes, but seeing some armc…
on The Mandate That Wasn’tGaetz may not be able to accept it but I think Trump just used him to see where the bar would be wit…
on The Mandate That Wasn’tLook for a soft landing at Heritage.
on The Mandate That Wasn’tVery interesting. If I had to guess someone figured out that there was no way in God(ess?)'s green e…
on The Mandate That Wasn’tThe sort of pedantic dude who is going to pull out Merriam Webster for the sole purpose of having a… on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024Over in 1 day! on The Mandate That Wasn’tNot sure how it's helpful to a discussion to resort to name calling, but if you don't consider winni…
November 20, 2024
Movie of a Young Man Calling on a Lady Friend
November 19, 2024
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on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024 on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024 on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024
on The Mandate That Wasn’t on The Mandate That Wasn’t
on The Mandate That Wasn’t on The Mandate That Wasn’t on The Mandate That Wasn’t on The Mandate That Wasn’t on The Mandate That Wasn’t
on The Mandate That Wasn’t on The Mandate That Wasn’t
on The Mandate That Wasn’t on The Mandate That Wasn’t
on All the President’s Nominees: The Legion of Groom
As someone else pointed out: “There really are long form birth certificates?”Report
Oh, and I lifted the picture from this story.Report
I like this version better.Report
That would be a more interesting observation if anyone had ever denied it. Also, note that even this one wouldn’t have helped in Arizona, since it doesn’t display the citizenship of the parents.Report
Oh, and not that this is a “Certificate of Live Birth”, not a Birth Certificate, so it’s part and parcel of the same fraud.Report
I heard the argument that “you’ve *NEVER heard of the long form/short form distinction before today!” argument…Report
Oh, JB, the things you hear.Report
I’m not completely sure that any state in the Union, including Arizona, has birth certificates that comply with all the requirements of the Arizona bill. Mine sure doesn’t. I suppose this is only to be expected, since the bill was essentially all the requirements that the birthers have demanded over the past two years of goalpost-moving.Report
I still tend to believe that every single GOP big shot personally believes that Obama is an American citizen. They are publically vague because it works well politically. Politicians are opportunists and while this is prety gross, it’s also not surprising and mostly a distraction.Report
I agree with one caveat: it works well politically on the intra-party warfare side of 2012. And it “works” only to the extent it is a forced move on the part of serious people to not alienate some of the most energized activists among the nominating electorate. That all will change by the spring-summer of 2012, if not much sooner. Today’s release won’t immediately kill off birtherism or birthers’ influence on the GOP race for 2012, but I think they will now begin to wane slowly, hopefully (from the GOP perspective) fading to near extinction by next year. It may not happen that way, though.Report
Count me among the pessimists. One trait of conspiracy theorists is to deny, gainsay, or explain away evidence that discomfirms their conspiracy theory.Report
There seesm to already be some idication that the conversation is shifting to Obama’s educational achievements.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/27/chris-matthews-pat-buchanan-obama_n_854219.htmlReport
And this will convince up to 17 people that he is a “real” citizen. He of course will still be a usurper, angry at whites so all his policies are about getting revenge for colonialism and slavery and , of course, he still hates America.Report
I’m trying to figure out whether it is good or bad that this was obtained and released. Right now I’m leaning heavily towards “Nicht so gut.”
Also, I accidentally wound up listening to five minutes of Trump’s presser. I didn’t realize just how $%^#%ing insane he is, and I thought he was pretty insane to begin with. Normally I view insanity as a positive trait in a politician. Not so much with Trump, where the insanity is combined with megalomania. That combination starts getting me thinking of a certain Oesterreicher. So, uhh, yeah.Report
Mark,
Before you get too depressed about Trump, check out this piece by Scott Adams:
Back to Trump. He’s a graduate of the Wharton School, which means his intelligence is in the genius range. He’s a world-renowned businessman with attention to details. He’s also famous for a trademark form of self-parody that has boosted his brand for decades. There isn’t the slightest chance that this man hasn’t looked at the birther evidence. He knows the President of the United States is American. That’s the hiding in plain sight part of this prank. It isn’t the least bit credible that Trump thinks the birther issue is real.
Some of you are thinking he’s gone too far with the joke. Or maybe he went too far when he said we should take Iraq’s oil by force as payment for a war they didn’t ask for. This is not a man who thinks he might someday debate serious politicians in a public forum. This is a man who is winking at the camera and daring you to see the obvious.
Normally I wouldn’t call out a prankster while the prank is in play. But this is a special case because the people who think he’s serious have made up their minds. In order for them to accept that this is a prank, they’d have to accept that they can’t tell the difference between a real candidate and one who is yanking their chains. Brains are not wired for that sort of 180 turn. In the history of humankind, no one has ever said, “I thought I was a brilliant observer of politics but this new information proves that my brain is the size of a tiny mouse turd.” Trump’s prank literally can’t be exposed by anyone but him.”Report
I’ll admit that thought had crossed my mind. I hope there’s a lot of truth to it.
The reason I kind of doubt it, though? For him to pull the rug out at some point would require him to alienate the myriad people who are mostly agreeing with him. Having sadly visited his leper colo…err, casinos on several occasions, I can attest that the “myriad people who are mostly agreeing with him” are close to being coextensive with “Trump’s entire customer base.”
Then again, maybe Trump’s trying to get out of the casino biz.Report
“For him to pull the rug out at some point…” One glance at his hair tells me he’s halfway there already.Report
Adams noted that he doesn’t think Trump will ever cop to this being a prank. There’s no need to. This pumps up his name recognition and that’s all he cares about.Report
I can’t quite agree. I’m more inclined to go with cynicism here — Trump knows, and knew, the whole birther thing was garbage. But it was useful garbage.
It’s on his policy recommendations that I really become afraid, because I think he means them in earnest.Report
Wharton School? (rude snicker) The folks who gave us Michael Milken and who’ve been giving us a crop of pestilential investment bankers every year? The folks who brought on, by the numbers, one of the greatest economic calamities in the history of the world in 2007-8?
It hardly surprises me Wharton would let The Donald into their august institution. They also let Raj Ratnaratam in, Ron Perelman, too. The list of Wharton grifters and lo-lifes and moral bankrupts (financial ones, too) is a namelist in one of the greatest epics of crime.Report
That was my immediate reaction too. But then, Scott Adams has always given me this sense that deep down he’s a believer in the MBA mythos. Which is probably why his comic has never cut all that deeply.Report
I never really liked Dilbert. People would give me Dilbert crap for Xmas, knowing I wrote software. There’s humour enough in software and business, God wot, but Scott Adams wasn’t enough of a coder or a businessman to mine that rich vein of ore. Probably because he couldn’t grasp the punchlines.
Donald Trump is just another narcissist in the pantheon of well-heeled idiots. I am put in mind of that colossal head of Constantine in the Palazzo dei Conservatori; large as it is, the eyes still look up and to the right, almost greedily, upon what is still above him. But it’s just a broken statue, the hand and foot as tall as a man. Look on my TV shows, ye mighty, and despair.Report
I think that Trump is entirely serious and on the level–when he’s thinking about the issue. When he’s proven wrong or decides to drop that particular stick, then he stops thinking about it at all. He isn’t serious about it anymore; indeed, the whole discussion no longer exists for him. Birth certificate released? Well, yeah, but have you seen the price of gas lately?
It’s classic modern argument technique. Positions are held passionately and honestly believed right up until the instant the person decides to think about something else.Report
I do like Adams’s contention that we should vote for Trump because he’ll troll the entire rest of the world.Report
I hear this argument about people quite often. “His behaviour appears to be idiotic, but he has , so in fact it must be incredibly smart and we just don’t understand”. On all but one occasion when I have heard this argument made, the behaviour in question did in fact turn out to be idiotic.Report
Trump is proof that, in America, any son of a prominent real estate developer and multimillionaire can, through hard work and intelligence, become a prominent real estate developer and multimillionaire himself. He pulled himself up to the top rung from the second-to-the-top rung. It’s inspiring.Report
Nothing wrong with nepotism as long as you keep it in the family.Report
Watch it there, Rufus. If you keep dissing them, Trump and his buddies will move to Galt’s Gulch and only sell their real estate to each other.Report
I had a theory that I was hoping to post here, which this probably sinks: Obama was born in the US but reluctant to release the birth certificate because he was born a female or intersex. Like I said, this probably wrecks that theory.Report
My theory was that his *REAL* name was Wesley Barack Hussein Obama.Report
I’m still not going to be satisfied that my theory wasn’t correct until he releases his genitals.Report
Oh, I’ve seen lots of pics of him where you can see both of his handcs.Report
But look at the lower right-hand corner! It’s all blurry and such! If that’s not evidence of a forgery… why, there’s minor difficulty in reading the dates! I can still read the dates despite blurriness! That couldn’t have had anything to do with doctors; the handwriting’s too good!
As for Scott Adams… I like his theory, that this is the ultimate prank. But he loses me with his assumption that just because one is intelligent enough to get in and through Wharton, that person isn’t capable of being megomaniacally self-deluded to the extent that the obvious itself is contorted. His logic on the prank theory operates too much from the conclusion backwards. (Here’s to hoping, though: can’t you imagine it, at the GOP Convention… the climactic exclamation… as he fires the entire party apparatus for falling for him…)Report
But Trump is a businessman, not an artist or an academic or a politician, so he’s brilliant and rational all of the time. Only a class-envious leech would suggest otherwise.Report
As so many have predicted, this is having zero effect on “Birthers.” It probably settles the issue as far as the MSM is concerned, though, which I take it is really all Obama was after here.
E.g.: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=292165
“The news media and the political establishment were quick to rush to judgment regarding Obama’s eligibility in 2008, without any basis. It would be a big mistake for everyone to jump to a conclusion now based on the release of this document, which raises as many questions as it answers,” Farah added.Report
I do think the criticism- based solely on the elderly couple sitting next to me in the waiting room at my auto mechanic’s yesterday (ugh! don’t ask what was wrong with the car!)- now will be that Obama could have spared the nation all of this misery a long time ago, but didn’t, which goes to show you what sort of man he is. This sampling is really just me quoting the two of them and not to be taken as scientific.Report
Dr. R, I took a similar survey at my local WalMart store where I thanked three, middle-aged women for electing Barry. They all went beserk and said they didn’t vote for him. The discussion then centered on whether Barry’s merely ignorant or really trying to destroy the economy. To my delight, they all blamed him for the gasoline prices, and all this without the assistance of the MSM. I’m starting to get hopeful!Report
Well, it wasn’t a survey on my part. More me sitting half-asleep in the waiting room while the people next to me were talking about what was on the shop flatscreen, which was tuned to CNN. I was there for about seven hours and probably asleep for three.Report
JB,
With all due respect, I do not give a shit.
Just like I do not give a shit about Trig Palin.
Will more than a few somebodies please, with all due respect, grow the bleep up?Report
Will more than a few somebodies please, with all due respect, grow the bleep up?
With all due respect: I don’t grow up, I throw up and when I look at you I shut up.Report
JB,
You neglected to jump into the air, do a split, and wave your pom-poms while typing that last response.
Too many video games will erode your faculties, JB. Seek help.
And explain to us, please, how Obama’s birth certificate or Trig Palin’s mommy will improve the economy, reduce unemployment, trim long-term national and state debt, address the issues of rising fuel prices and dwindling resources, bolster U.S. infrastructure, adequately regulate Wall Street, bend the cost curve on health care, and end ongoing wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya.
Those issues matter. Obama’s birth certificate and Palin’s mommy status are bullshit for a lazy, self-indulgent press corps, bought-and-pair-for pundit class, overly compensated under-motivated think tank cadre, and prima donna-laden talk radio and television crowd.Report
You neglected to jump into the air, do a split, and wave your pom-poms while typing that last response.
You have no way of knowing this.
Too many video games will erode your faculties, JB.
Studies are inconclusive.
And explain to us, please, how Obama’s birth certificate or Trig Palin’s mommy will improve the economy, reduce unemployment, trim long-term national and state debt, address the issues of rising fuel prices and dwindling resources, bolster U.S. infrastructure, adequately regulate Wall Street, bend the cost curve on health care, and end ongoing wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya.
I have a document that elegantly explains how Obama’s Birth Certificate could be used to bolster U.S. infrastructure but it’s too long to transcribe into the comments here.
Those issues matter. Obama’s birth certificate and Palin’s mommy status are bullshit for a lazy, self-indulgent press corps, bought-and-pair-for pundit class, overly compensated under-motivated think tank cadre, and prima donna-laden talk radio and television crowd.
I invite you to write a guest post.Report
Am I the only one that wonders why Obama didn’t release this document in 2008?Report
I’d like to know why W didn’t release his IQ test scores to dispel the widespread belief that he was a moron.Report
I’m just saying as a matter of logistics – why not release it back then? It seems to be a silly matter of principle.Report
ITYM a silly matter of law. Anyway, what’s the point? The same people who called the other one a forgery are saying the same thing about this one.Report
Mike – see my sidebar post. This is not a simple issue of just releasing this particular document. Without making the State of Hawaii jump through some legal hoops, Obama only had access to this record, not possession, much less a legal right to distribute it.Report
Why?
I’m upset that Obama agreed to the latest iteration of the Poll Tax.
He should have told all the Birthers to kiss his ass. And for those who ask why didn’t he do it earlier you can kiss my ass.Report
So, does this mean that Barry’s not a “Kenyan-Marxist”? Rather his father was a “Kenyan-Marxist” and Barry’s an “Hawaiian-Marxist”, because the apple don’t fall far from the proverbial tree. For future reference “Hawaiin-Marxist” will be appropriately abbreviated to H-M.
And, it took the Donald to ferret out the ferret! And, now he’s working on those pesky and mysterious college grades. Ya gotta love the guy.Report
Bob, I find your hereditary theory of politics puzzling.
My father for example actaully raised me and he is quite the conservative. I am quite not.
Apparently the president is supposed to inherit Marxism from a father he never really knew.
What a strange idea you have.Report
It explains the picture Bob has already painted in his head.Report
Something by Hieronymus Bosch, perhaps.Report
I was thinking more like this.Report
Ho ho. Enjoy this one.Report
Bp, HB was a bad dude.Report
Whas up dudes? I barely got beat up here over the birther stuff?
I’m thinking most LOOG dudes have a problem with Hisself, something vaguely irritating the conscience…something hindering your ability to judge accurately or to take a good reading (Libya?). Barry’s like this really weird dude you knew in high school and was never around on the weekends. He was “somewhere” else, and nobody knew where…and nobody cared.Report
Mark, I, for one, wish you had paid closer attention. Oh well, when your forty, you’ll figure it out!Report
I think you mean Pirate Guy, Mr. Cheeks. My Dad was a proud member of Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local 33. We used to have commie-dem sex orgy block parties in my neighborhood. Sadly, his ability to instill any ability on my part to have commie-dem sex orgy block parties in my adult years has proved elusive. I can only share stories of these wonderful adventures with my children.Report
Mark, you’re exactly correct. My bad. I suppose it’s age, or who-knows-what.Report
I thought this was supposed to be “posted without comment”….I count at least 50 comments so far 🙂Report
Ironically, I’ve found that when I write an essay and pour my blood into it, I get very few comments. The ones that are just tossed off, however, are much more likely to result in veritable floods.Report
Pew via Poynter on “birther” coverage:
CNN: 5% of all airtime
MSNBC: 9.2% of all airtime
FOX: 0.4% of all airtime
[week of April 11-17]
In the spirit of Jaybird’s OP, this is also posted without comment.
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/129708/factchecking-obama-birther-controversy-was-3-4-of-newshole-economy-was-39/Report