2 minutes ago, Roman said:

I Must ask, DD.......have you EVER seen this in this state?! this is HORRIBLE. it's like some horrible $200 million picture Michael Bay directed. I honestly don't think we'll be here in 8 years. this is how alarmed I am....and who is going to stand up to Putin? anyone who speaks out against, no matter where they are in Europe is found DEAD.

 

The most concerning part for me is that so many insane and dangerous things happen per day now that they just get ignored. If not for social media we would not even know about most of them. So that makes me wonder how long we will have any semblance of a free Internet.

The part about the media is hard to argue with. Hope he is right about Sessions.

56 minutes ago, Roman said:

I Must ask, DD.......have you EVER seen this in this state?! this is HORRIBLE. it's like some horrible $200 million picture Michael Bay directed. I honestly don't think we'll be here in 8 years. this is how alarmed I am....and who is going to stand up to Putin? anyone who speaks out against, no matter where they are in Europe is found DEAD.

 

About 8 years ago, I read a book called The Next 100 Years, which seemed to have some pretty trippy ideas that appeared to border on fantasy, among them a split in parts of the Southwest that would become affiliated with Mexico as well as a possible World War III scenario.

 

I still think some of those ideas were somewhat dubious, even those I had hoped for (e.g. the fragmentation of China with some of its rebellious/autonomous regions like Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong breaking away) and even the author himself a few years ago revised some of his projects in a revised edition with new predictions like that of China becoming more entrenched in authoritarianism.

 

I do agree with @JaneAusten that China has been quietly assembling all the pieces to take a wield a more powerful hand. 

In the past, they were about minding their own business and ceding the pressures of maintaining global order to other countries like the U.S. but now with the U.S. looking weakened and more unstable by the day, Xi Jinping, in particular sees an opportunity to exercise outsize influence on the global stage and maybe shape more countries to its worldview (e.g. One Belt, One Road initiatives and major investments in Asia/Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean). 

Also, since the U.S. has pulled out of TransPacific Partnership (TPP), ironically an initiative created by the U.S. under the Obama administration, the other countries have agreed to (almost all of the articles that the U.S. wanted were included in the agreement, except for about 7 that were very specific to U.S. trade policy).  Word has it that China may be looking for a way to enter into the Partnership.

There are many reasons to be concerned, even unnerved but one thing I can say for the Chinese is...they dislike disorder and chaos and would seek to restore order.  Now what that kind of order would look like...is anybody's guess.

 

 

1 hour ago, DRW50 said:

 

The most concerning part for me is that so many insane and dangerous things happen per day now that they just get ignored. If not for social media we would not even know about most of them. So that makes me wonder how long we will have any semblance of a free Internet.

I've had this same thought. Sometimes I think I'm being paranoid and sometimes I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.  Just today I was thinking I wouldn't be that surprised to wake up one morning to find out that we've been cut off.

44 minutes ago, DramatistDreamer said:

@JaneAusten

 

There are many reasons to be concerned, even unnerved but one thing I can say for the Chinese is...they dislike disorder and chaos and would seek to restore order.  Now what that kind of order would look like...is anybody's guess.

 

 

Well, we do have some idea.  We know they aren't afraid to jail dissidents and force women to have abortions.  The way they have treated Tibet isn't exactly a recommendation either. We know they make America's xenophobia and racism look like child's play. 

 

I had a Chinese roommate my first year in college (early 90's).  She was completely brainwashed.  It was like talking to a Fox news addict. Facts would not permeate. At the same time she was incredibly intelligent.  She basically learned English in a matter of months.

47 minutes ago, Juliajms said:

I've had this same thought. Sometimes I think I'm being paranoid and sometimes I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.  Just today I was thinking I wouldn't be that surprised to wake up one morning to find out that we've been cut off.

Well, we do have some idea.  We know they aren't afraid to jail dissidents and force women to have abortions.  The way they have treated Tibet isn't exactly a recommendation either. We know they make America's xenophobia and racism look like child's play. 

 

I had a Chinese roommate my first year in college (early 90's).  She was completely brainwashed.  It was like talking to a Fox news addict. Facts would not permeate. At the same time she was incredibly intelligent.  She basically learned English in a matter of months.

 

That's how they govern their own country but on a global stage with other sovereign countries that are not directly in their sphere of influence like the countries of the EU?

For example, if they had a bigger hand in the UN, how would they function in regard to other sovereign nations?  They are not part of NATO so their influence is restricted.

 

I mean how would they function as a global heavyweight  deciding how to resolves issues on a global scale that involve other wealthy nations that are not Tibet, Taiwan or Hong Kong?

Lamb is ahead by a slim margin in PA18. Win or lose, it's very bad news for the GOP.

 

 

Needless to say, the fact #PA18 is headed for a photo finish is pretty bad news for Republicans nationally.

— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) March 14, 2018

Perspective: There are 114 GOP-held seats more competitive than #pa18 based on Cook PVI, per Dem strategist.

— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) March 14, 2018

it doesn't matter what happens now. what matters is that the Dem surge/GOP depression is very, very real

— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) March 14, 2018

No matter what happens in #PA18--and it's down to the wire here, all hinging on the absentee ballots--the Dems have closed a 20 point gap to ZERO, and forced the GOP to spend $11 million in this district where it's been so red that, during the past two elections, no Dem even ran.

— Annabelle Robertson (@Annabelle4SC) March 14, 2018

While you’re waiting on #PA18 election results, I have another number for you.

10.5 million

That’s how much the GOP had to put up in the last two weeks to save Saccone.

In a district that they gerrymandered.

No matter what happens tonight, that my friends is a losing hand.

— Kaz Weida (@kazweida) March 14, 2018

5 hours ago, Roman said:

I Must ask, DD.......have you EVER seen this in this state?! this is HORRIBLE. it's like some horrible $200 million picture Michael Bay directed. I honestly don't think we'll be here in 8 years. this is how alarmed I am....and who is going to stand up to Putin? anyone who speaks out against, no matter where they are in Europe is found DEAD.

 

I realize I never really answered your question!  I wasn't around for the Nixon years, so I'd have to say that I've never seen anything like this in my lifetime. And from my reading and watching of documentaries,  Nixon got through an entire term before things went to s*hit in his administration.  We're like, what...13 months in??

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/14/democrat-conor-lamb-is-the-apparent-winner-of-pennsylvania-special-election-in-trump-country.html

 

so apparently Conor Lamb does win in PA18 . The last big county, Washington, which Saccone was hoping would go his way, actually showed absentee votes favored Lamb who secured a larger lead.  The tax cuts apparently were dropped as an election talking point because voters aren’t buying it as a middle class miracle. And the GOP and PACs poured over 12 million dollars into this race compared to between 2.5 and 3 million for Lamb. But the real story again, women were 70% of the volunteers fueling the grassroots efforts that helped Lamb. Lamb also got all the Union support in the district.

14 minutes ago, JaneAusten said:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/14/democrat-conor-lamb-is-the-apparent-winner-of-pennsylvania-special-election-in-trump-country.html

 

so apparently Conor Lamb does win in PA18 . The last big county, Washington, which Saccone was hoping would go his way, actually showed absentee votes favored Lamb who secured a larger lead.  The tax cuts apparently were dropped as an election talking point because voters aren’t buying it as a middle class miracle. And the GOP and PACs poured over 12 million dollars into this race compared to between 2.5 and 3 million for Lamb. But the real story again, women were 70% of the volunteers fueling the grassroots efforts that helped Lamb. Lamb also got all the Union support in the district.

 

I saw someone wondering if Trump may drop the tariffs out of spite to voters in that district. I wouldn't even be shocked if he did.

 

Brian Williams, whose continued employment shows why NBC is garbage, was tut-tutting over Lamb declaring victory. I don't really see what the big deal is. 

 

They really did pull out all the stops (the GOP), even passing out things talking about how Lamb was 'too conservative' to try to get liberal voters to stay home. 

 

I don't have any expectation of this meaning anything for November but for tonight I'm proud of all the people who worked hard and showed everyone there's no such thing as an unwinnable district.

Remember when, after the Dems helped passed the ACA (AKA Obamacare) and people retaliated by voting many Dems out and people accused Obama of being a poor advocate for the Democratic party?

Well, my friends,  Trump is really what a terrible advocate for one's party looks like!  He can turn safe GOP districts into 'unsafe' GOP districts for any candidate in his party.

What's the opposite of the Midas Touch?

 

 

Speaking of the GOP turning people away,

When will they learn that it's an absolutely piss-poor look to insult kids? We discussed whether the New Zealand politician was making the best use of her time, ranting on social media, but is this the best use of the GOP gun wing side insulting teenagers?

 

'Skinhead lesbian': GOP candidate attacks Parkland teen Emma Gonzalez

 

 

 

What a bizarre story!

 

The Story of an Afghan Baby Named Donald Trump

 

 

 

 

China gives a glimpse of press 'freedom' likely on the way here...

 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/14/asia/china-viral-eye-roll-intl/index.html

1 hour ago, DRW50 said:

China gives a glimpse of press 'freedom' likely on the way here...

 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/14/asia/china-viral-eye-roll-intl/index.html

I hope she isn't punished.  Meanwhile, I'm hoping we have a small window to change course in the US. We're really lucky the military doesn't seem to be on Trump's side.

is it true that  prosecutors are considering an arrest warrant for the new CIA Chief?

My God:

The cost to Qatar wound up far exceeding $360 million, but ultimately cash was less important than the deal’s political dimension. In order to retrieve its hostages, Qatar was made to negotiate a tightly choreographed population exchange in Syria, using the rebel militias it finances to forcibly uproot every resident of four strategically located towns. The transfers advanced Tehran’s larger goal of transforming Syria — along with Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen — into satellite states that will enshrine a dominant Iranian role across the region.