"According to the letter, a surveillance program now known as Data Analytical Services (DAS) has for more than a decade allowed federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to mine the details of Americans’ calls, analyzing the phone records of countless people who are not suspected of any crime, including victims. Using a technique known as chain analysis, the program targets not only those in direct phone contact with a criminal suspect but anyone with whom those individuals have been in contact as well."
I saw this a while ago. While I don't go see movies much in the theatre, I have seen a lot of the Marvel movies on TV, and it's generally on point. Scroll to the 3 minute mark for a breakdown on why Disney may be having some problems-at least with The Marvels. So, here's an idea....make good movies that don't insult your intelligence.
Hypothetical: what would be the consequences if Isreal pushed all Muslims out and annexed what land they wanted? Would Iran or other Muslim countries go to war, invade, use nukes? Isreal would respond. It might loose funding support from the US. Could it survive without that funding? Anything the UN would do would be likely useless.
I'd suspect that these scenarios have been debated on all sides and folk don't want to "go there" but what if they did. It's one thing to speculate what countries will do, it's another to actual TEST that resolve. Sometimes when the rubber hits the road, people fold.
"Why do you believe cities don’t already have these?"
Are they working? Based upon a recent multi hour long show focusing on this exact thing, in my nearest metropolis, those programs MAY exit, but aren't working.
I've never understood the "conservative fixation on cities and obsession of their faults." But hey, I don't like big cities. Seattle in the 90s was "big" enough for me, and that was 500K. NYC? No frickin way I'd live there. I've been there half a dozen times, and have no real interest to ever go back. YMMV.
That being said, while there is always going to be "bad folks" and crime, I see no reason why the city gov't should not work hard to minimize that group's impact on the rest of the residents and to have strong "diversionary" programs to try and steer kids from choosing a life of crime.
However, I'll be eating at friends house with her family, who are Jewish, and I'm sure the whole Israel/Hamas thing will come up. There might even be drama about one of the daughters going to a pro Hamas march. That'll be fun.
Because they are "students" who will graduate from uni and take non footballs jobs. After all, the NCAA represents them and makes sure they aren't exploited.
This is, I think, one of the issues that will never be solved by conventional means. The Italians, the Germans, the Irish, and many other societies decided that "what's done is done" at some point and began moving on instead of pining away for what they lost. Not so here. Sure maybe a few hundred years from now, but I have my doubts. This is an instance where I doubt either side will move on unless the other side is, essentially, removed from the area, or exterminated.
Well, given the definition of treason, the first thing that pops up is "the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government."
Joining a voluntary union (that you're prevented from leaving) and then choosing to leave, doesn't seem to fit that definition of treason. The rest is about trying to kill the sovereign.
Please square 'leaving a voluntary union" as being treason. Surely if you voluntarily agreed to join, you have the right to voluntarily leave. Or are you telling me you can voluntarily join but never leave voluntarily? Kinda like a marriage you can never leave?
"But the idea that speech should have consequences, and that losing your livelihood is an appropriate price to pay for using your voice? "
All speech has consequences. Freedom of speech is the limitation of the gov't on retaliation on the speaker, not the general public (and don't tell me that there isn't consequences for some speech directed AT the gov't.
I have no problem if a business owner realizes he has a hate monger in his employ, a racist, whatever, and decides his company is better off without him. I have no problem with a company deciding that, after seeing person who's received an offer of employment, do something untoward, rescinding that offer. A perfect example, is my dad boycotting certain companies and products because the owner was against certain issues my father supported.
"Kessler, of Thousand Oaks, was struck in the head, knocked backward and hit his head on the ground, deputies said."
Other news reports said that Kessler was struck in the head with a megaphone and fell, hitting his head on the concrete sidewalk causing a brain bleed.
Well, my stepmother is over 70 and we text quite a bit, so I think it's more than just being over 60-65. It may be an age thing if it's 80+, but likely also other demographics, like income, etc.
What about the build quality? I've seen videos of molding not well attached and shoddy assembly, far below the quality of more moderate priced ICEs like Honda, etc. A Tesla's Y is going to run 50K. For that kind of money, I'd expect a lot in terms of fit an finish.
While true, there are frequent instances of folks who long for the days before radical changes happened to their ancestors. You still find folks talking about the "southern states" in the US. Besides, being against the "jews" probably gives them street cred and funding from muslim countries. It server their interests and those that give the $.
"They are simply successful at evading passport and border control"
Ok, now I'm confused. The US either lacks control over it's borders, or it doesn't. If the US HAS control over it's borders, then no one would be able to overstay their visa (assuming they got one) because the system would catch them. If they are here without a visa, they would be caught and deported. If they are "successful" in staying in any way, then the US does not have control over it's borders because....they are still here.
So which is it? Somehow I doubt that it would take the all the marine regiments to "secure" our borders.
"The DMV didn't elaborate on the specific reasons for the suspension, but the move comes after a series of incidents that heightened concerns about the hazards and inconveniences caused by Cruise's robotaxis. The worries reached a new level earlier this month after a Cruise robotaxi ran over a pedestrian who had been hit by another vehicle driven by a human, and then pinned the pedestrian under one of its tires after coming to a stop."
Consequences baby. I remember, a long time ago...maybe around the time the internet came out or maybe the WWW, someone said "what you post stays forever".
"Most Jews killed during the Holocaust were killed with mobile death squads or in massacres more like the Rwanda genocide."
Yeah, about that Rwandan genocide...."Hotel Rwanda" was excellent, if only for the reason that you see one of the main bad guys talking about people as "cockroaches". Every time I read or hear someone basically devaluing another persons life by referring to them as something similar I'm reminded about how close to the edge we as a race are to another event like that. It always starts with dehumanization....
I happened to come across Schlender's list on tv a few days ago. What I found curious was the compliance of the jews to being rounded up and many being shot. I think it was a scene where they were moving jews to the ghettos. I remember one scene where 5 people were put into a line, one behind each other. A german soldier shot into the line killing 3 of the 5. The other two stood were they were as another soldier pulled out a pistol and, took aim, and shot each in the head. The last guy stood and watched they guy in front of him killed and just stood there waiting.
W
T
F?
People knew what was happening and they still stood by...
No running, no mobbing the germans, nothing.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “Open Mic for the week of 11/27/2023”
Secretive White House Surveillance Program Gives Cops Access to Trillions of US Phone Records
https://www.wired.com/story/hemisphere-das-white-house-surveillance-trillions-us-call-records/
"According to the letter, a surveillance program now known as Data Analytical Services (DAS) has for more than a decade allowed federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to mine the details of Americans’ calls, analyzing the phone records of countless people who are not suspected of any crime, including victims. Using a technique known as chain analysis, the program targets not only those in direct phone contact with a criminal suspect but anyone with whom those individuals have been in contact as well."
Well, I'm surprised.....not.
"
I saw this a while ago. While I don't go see movies much in the theatre, I have seen a lot of the Marvel movies on TV, and it's generally on point. Scroll to the 3 minute mark for a breakdown on why Disney may be having some problems-at least with The Marvels. So, here's an idea....make good movies that don't insult your intelligence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnFqai4EGhE&ab_channel=TheCriticalDrinker
On “Open Mic for the week of 11/20/2023”
Hypothetical: what would be the consequences if Isreal pushed all Muslims out and annexed what land they wanted? Would Iran or other Muslim countries go to war, invade, use nukes? Isreal would respond. It might loose funding support from the US. Could it survive without that funding? Anything the UN would do would be likely useless.
I'd suspect that these scenarios have been debated on all sides and folk don't want to "go there" but what if they did. It's one thing to speculate what countries will do, it's another to actual TEST that resolve. Sometimes when the rubber hits the road, people fold.
"
"Why do you believe cities don’t already have these?"
Are they working? Based upon a recent multi hour long show focusing on this exact thing, in my nearest metropolis, those programs MAY exit, but aren't working.
"
I've never understood the "conservative fixation on cities and obsession of their faults." But hey, I don't like big cities. Seattle in the 90s was "big" enough for me, and that was 500K. NYC? No frickin way I'd live there. I've been there half a dozen times, and have no real interest to ever go back. YMMV.
That being said, while there is always going to be "bad folks" and crime, I see no reason why the city gov't should not work hard to minimize that group's impact on the rest of the residents and to have strong "diversionary" programs to try and steer kids from choosing a life of crime.
On “How to Deal With Politics on Thanksgiving”
Agreed....
However, I'll be eating at friends house with her family, who are Jewish, and I'm sure the whole Israel/Hamas thing will come up. There might even be drama about one of the daughters going to a pro Hamas march. That'll be fun.
On “Money’s on the Nightstand, Jimbo Fisher”
Because they are "students" who will graduate from uni and take non footballs jobs. After all, the NCAA represents them and makes sure they aren't exploited.
On “The Posters”
This is, I think, one of the issues that will never be solved by conventional means. The Italians, the Germans, the Irish, and many other societies decided that "what's done is done" at some point and began moving on instead of pining away for what they lost. Not so here. Sure maybe a few hundred years from now, but I have my doubts. This is an instance where I doubt either side will move on unless the other side is, essentially, removed from the area, or exterminated.
On “Well, Well, Well. MrBeast is in the News again.”
If Nonprofits Were Honest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFAf62-VFFs&ab_channel=HonestAds
On “What Do the 2023 Elections Tell Us About 2024?”
Well, given the definition of treason, the first thing that pops up is "the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government."
Joining a voluntary union (that you're prevented from leaving) and then choosing to leave, doesn't seem to fit that definition of treason. The rest is about trying to kill the sovereign.
"
Please square 'leaving a voluntary union" as being treason. Surely if you voluntarily agreed to join, you have the right to voluntarily leave. Or are you telling me you can voluntarily join but never leave voluntarily? Kinda like a marriage you can never leave?
"
That was tried. One side refused to allow the other to leave.
On “Open Mic for the week of 11/6/2023”
"But the idea that speech should have consequences, and that losing your livelihood is an appropriate price to pay for using your voice? "
All speech has consequences. Freedom of speech is the limitation of the gov't on retaliation on the speaker, not the general public (and don't tell me that there isn't consequences for some speech directed AT the gov't.
I have no problem if a business owner realizes he has a hate monger in his employ, a racist, whatever, and decides his company is better off without him. I have no problem with a company deciding that, after seeing person who's received an offer of employment, do something untoward, rescinding that offer. A perfect example, is my dad boycotting certain companies and products because the owner was against certain issues my father supported.
"
Yeah, no.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-11-06/man-dies-after-fight-at-protest-westlake-village-israel-hamas-war
"Kessler, of Thousand Oaks, was struck in the head, knocked backward and hit his head on the ground, deputies said."
Other news reports said that Kessler was struck in the head with a megaphone and fell, hitting his head on the concrete sidewalk causing a brain bleed.
If true, that's not an accident. That's a crime.
"
Well, my stepmother is over 70 and we text quite a bit, so I think it's more than just being over 60-65. It may be an age thing if it's 80+, but likely also other demographics, like income, etc.
"
I don't even answer my cell phone if the caller isn't in my contact list...
On “That Time I Drove a Tesla for a Week”
What about the build quality? I've seen videos of molding not well attached and shoddy assembly, far below the quality of more moderate priced ICEs like Honda, etc. A Tesla's Y is going to run 50K. For that kind of money, I'd expect a lot in terms of fit an finish.
On “Open Mic for the week of 10/30/2023”
I'm not saying this is true. I do visit some semi weird areas of the intertoobs....
And yeah, I wouldn't put it past any gov't to do what's asserted here because of.....history...
"IDF helicopter pilots received a stand-down order on October 7th that prevented them from responding to the Hamas attacks for six hours that day"
https://chananyaweissman.com/article.php?id=557
"
While true, there are frequent instances of folks who long for the days before radical changes happened to their ancestors. You still find folks talking about the "southern states" in the US. Besides, being against the "jews" probably gives them street cred and funding from muslim countries. It server their interests and those that give the $.
"
"They are simply successful at evading passport and border control"
Ok, now I'm confused. The US either lacks control over it's borders, or it doesn't. If the US HAS control over it's borders, then no one would be able to overstay their visa (assuming they got one) because the system would catch them. If they are here without a visa, they would be caught and deported. If they are "successful" in staying in any way, then the US does not have control over it's borders because....they are still here.
So which is it? Somehow I doubt that it would take the all the marine regiments to "secure" our borders.
"
Exactly. All those illegal migrants coming in? They are being let in intentionally.
"
California regulators suspend recently approved San Francisco robotaxi service for safety reasons
https://www.kcra.com/article/california-regulators-suspend-recently-approved-san-francisco-robotaxi-service-for-safety-reasons/45630146
"The DMV didn't elaborate on the specific reasons for the suspension, but the move comes after a series of incidents that heightened concerns about the hazards and inconveniences caused by Cruise's robotaxis. The worries reached a new level earlier this month after a Cruise robotaxi ran over a pedestrian who had been hit by another vehicle driven by a human, and then pinned the pedestrian under one of its tires after coming to a stop."
Yeah, that might do it....
"
Consequences baby. I remember, a long time ago...maybe around the time the internet came out or maybe the WWW, someone said "what you post stays forever".
On “Echoes of History”
"Most Jews killed during the Holocaust were killed with mobile death squads or in massacres more like the Rwanda genocide."
Yeah, about that Rwandan genocide...."Hotel Rwanda" was excellent, if only for the reason that you see one of the main bad guys talking about people as "cockroaches". Every time I read or hear someone basically devaluing another persons life by referring to them as something similar I'm reminded about how close to the edge we as a race are to another event like that. It always starts with dehumanization....
"
I happened to come across Schlender's list on tv a few days ago. What I found curious was the compliance of the jews to being rounded up and many being shot. I think it was a scene where they were moving jews to the ghettos. I remember one scene where 5 people were put into a line, one behind each other. A german soldier shot into the line killing 3 of the 5. The other two stood were they were as another soldier pulled out a pistol and, took aim, and shot each in the head. The last guy stood and watched they guy in front of him killed and just stood there waiting.
W
T
F?
People knew what was happening and they still stood by...
No running, no mobbing the germans, nothing.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.