The Sunday Rumble: 20.8.17

Farewell then, Sir 'Brucie':   By and large the deaths of show biz 'stars' leaves me unmoved except, perhaps, for an automatic and human response of 'hope it was quick and not too painful'.  However, the death of Sir Bruce Forsyth did impinge on me slightly more than most, not least, I suppose, because he has dominated my TV set for most of my adult life.  It was not so much his talent that impressed me, after all, there have been very much better singers, dancers and comics than him over the years, but I think it was his unfailing good humour and the absence of vile vulgarity and vitriol that blemishes so many 'stars of stage and screen'.  Yes, given his three wives, each younger and better looking than the last indicates that he was "a very naughty boy" with the ladies but beyond that he seemed to be an exceedingly pleasant fella' and it came across in his good humoured performances on so many TV shows over the years.  So thanks, 'Brucie', you made me smile - a very rare occurrence!

 

How long will 'The Donald' go on?   I do realise that 'the Donald' has an armour-plated ego which simply deflects all incoming shot and shell.  In fact, his ego is of such proportions that that he is probably unaware of most of it.  In that, of course, he closely resembles 'HillBilly' who would have been an infinitely worse President than 'the Donald'.  Even so, sooner or later a lucky shot may get through and cause him to catch a realistic glimpse of the chaotic shambles that is his - and I use the word loosely - administration.  For God's sake, Donald, do get a grip!

 

But now, I almost feel pity for 'the Donald':   I didn't realise how far matters had deteriorated.  According to a piece at Zero Hedge, he has now trodden on MDA's dainty shoes.  As all you regulars know, MDA is My Darling Ann (Coulter), a lady whose pen, or keyboard, is far more mighty than a mere sword!  She is mightily pissed off with 'the Donald' for firing Steve Bannon, a man about whom I must admit, I know very little except that he was a boss at Breitbart, a news outlet I rarely read.  Anyway, MDA is spitting blood and nails so better watch out, Mr. President!

 

Maureen Dowd, inadvertently, gives the game away:   Of course, I have heard of Ms. Dowd but I have never followed her scribblings.  By chance today, I did and amongst a somewhat sentimental remembrance of her father and a generalised attack on Donald Trump, she confirmed a suspicion of mine.  Obviously, as a pious Leftie she complained about the rise and rise of what she would call the 'alt-Right'.  In the course of it she recalls: 

The next day [after Obama's inauguration], I roused my reluctant houseguests for a dawn trip to the Lincoln Memorial, with croissants and Champagne, to celebrate the spectacular odyssey from Lincoln to Obama.

But we were naïve. We should have known it would not be that easy. There were ugly things rumbling beneath the surface and, fueled by that bigotry, Democratic incompetence [my emphasis] and Republican longing for a conservative Supreme Court, Donald Trump found a narrow portal to crawl through to get to the Oval Office.

In the end, of course, we must leave it to the historians to sort out the whys and wherefores of how the USA has sunk to its present fractured state.  However, I have increasingly suspected that Obama has much to answer for.  He, the first black President, arrived promising all that 'hope 'n' change' stuff but all he did was build up false black expectations and drive whites into the arms of the KKK.

 

Oh, what a disappointment:   I checked the A&L Daily site to see if there was anything of interest and, lo, there was an article on Friedrich Hayek, a philosopher for whom I have an enormous admiration but haven't actually read for yonks.  I clicked on and then realised that the host site was The Guardian - 'oh, the horror, the horror'!  Needless to say, the writer was some 'Noo Yawk' Leftie so "I made my excuses and left"!

 

But, oh, what a treat!   There's always something good to chew on at the A&L Daily site, so after skipping 'The Graun's' pathetic attack on Hayek, I found an article from The Chronicle of Higher Education (no less!) in which the writer, obviously a psychopath of some sort, took a hammer and chisel and dismembered that old fraud, Freud!  Yes indeed, the psychobabblers' psychobabbler of choice, Sigmund Freud.  What a creepy, old crook he was!  And what good news to learn that psychoanalysts are a dying breed!

 

They're not awfully bright, are they?   I have not conducted a forensic examination of the tactics and/or strategy deployed by Islamic terrorists but one characteristic leaps out - they're mostly as thick as a stack of planks!  They go to all that trouble just to kill a handful of people - including themselves!  Of course, it is a monstrous tragedy for the innocents involved but where is the geo-political advance that presumably the perps sought?  All one can hope is that all those virgins were worth it, although one has to wonder why they're still virgins - yeeeeees, quite!

 

No more Rumbles today

 

 

 

Comments

[AussieD]

the first black President

His mother was white was she not? So perhaps using the argument that his father was black making him black one could also say that he was the 44th white president his mother being white.

Whichever you choose he was a bloody disaster anyway.

[Timbo]

David, President Trump is giving a much needed correction to the leftward drift of American politics. All the screaming, weeping and gnashing of teeth of the MSM establishment politicians and moo bats only confirms that he is on track.

[David Duff]

Well, Timbo, I don't see very much correction going on, all I see is crockery flying and shouty men shouting!

[Whitewall]

Timbo is on the right track. Trump is a symptom, not a solution. The 8 years of Obama were a once in a lifetime opportunity at reconciliation and a better direction. It was never going to be so. Hillary was to be the closer but alas, she was the one person who could lose to Donald Trump. The Democrats will fight themselves to the last person to keep from "sorting themselves out" while the Republicans have had no use as a party since the Cold War ended. Sorry politicians who want to keep power at all costs have used identity politics and grievance to keep themselves in office. A Deep State bureaucracy has sprung up to maintain this sorry political class. Trump ran against a cast of Republican contenders that numbered so many it would have made Cecil B. DeMille proud.

Trump won. Hillary lost. Republicans will only slouch around in the majority while the Left has taken over the Democrat party and conjures up waves of KKK and neo Nazis goose stepping down every street. News flash...there are too few of these miscreants around today to worry over. Their numbers will be replaced by what is fast becoming the real thing---Antifascists---Antifa. They are simply an extension of the Black Bloc. The Democrat party owns these new/old miscreants, just like they own the Occupy movement which is a forerunner to Antifa. In this setting Trump is the right man in the office. No moral anything need come from the White House. We're past that.

[Whitewall]

"where is the geo-political advance that presumably the perps sought?" They are winning one European nation at a time. Europe is fighting back with candle light vigils, mounds of flowers and leaders warning their citizens about the evils of "Islamophobia" and anything that even sounds "right wing".

[TheBigHenry]

David,

"For God's sake, Donald, do get a grip!"

I appreciate the fact that your Sunday rumbles are, at least in part, designed to gently agitate [pun intended] spirited discussion, to which I am not averse unless it is politically charged. But I'll take the bait this time because I think you are naively misinformed.

Mr. Trump is nobody's fool, despite the mountains of steamy horse-shit emanating from Leftist propaganda mills and amplified by the execrable fake-news media. Virtually all of the yelling and screaming pervading our electronic networks (OMG, are you still getting ink smudges on your fingertips?) is theater of the absurd.

We have a football expression about what is going on behind the scenes: The "end-around" is a play in American football in which an end or wide receiver crosses the backfield towards the opposite end of the line and receives a handoff directly from the quarterback. The receiver then may proceed to do one of two things: he either runs the ball towards the line of scrimmage in order to gain yardage or, more rarely, attempts to pass the ball to another eligible pass receiver. Both versions of the end-around are uncommon and can be considered trick plays.

The huge Abrams tank maneuver orchestrated by General Swartzkopf during Desert Storm was referred to as the "end-around" that won that war in record time. I submit, based on nothing more than my own infallible intuition, that most of Mr. Trump's activities, all of which generate shit storms of Leftist hysteria, are intentional diversions. You heard it here first.

[Bob]

‭A nice grab bag of topics, some interrelated.

"For God's sake, Donald, do get a grip!" & "Sigmund Fraud" & "[Trump] has now trodden on MDA's dainty shoes."

Donald is incapable of getting a grip. He is not a well man and displays every symptom of a sociopathic narcissist. Just because the framework invented by Freud is now defended by only the most recalcitrant in the studies of the mind doesn't mean psychological profiling is psychobabble. In Trump's case it explains almost everything.

Coulter, like Steve Bannon, has made a fortune and achieved a level of glamour as a voice of the far right. The purge of Bannon is a glimpse of a dark future where her type are relegated to regions outside mainstream political power and scorned by conservatives and establishment Republicans. Little wonder she's so unhappy. The elite right assumed that Trump was their man, but are learning he only cares about their causes insofar as they benefit his narcissistic self. It's going to be interesting to see what type of movement Bannon creates with his new contacts and massive amounts of money supplied by billionaire Robert Mercer. There's speculation he'll compete with Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

-

"He, the first black President, arrived promising all that 'hope 'n' change' stuff but all he did was build up false black expectations and drive whites into the arms of the KKK."

This is rationalization on a level that makes me fear for you sanity, David. Logically, you're setting an impossible bar and blaming Obama for not clearing it. Problems in race relations most assuredly did not begin in America with the 44th president. Race has been a factor in American politics going back to the colonial transatlantic slave trade.

-

"... where is the geo-political advance that presumably the perps sought?"

Here you miss the point. The intended geo-political advance is in asymmetrical warfare, and it hasn't been without some success. The terrorist attacks in Spain won't be the last. The pressures on European politics are obviously evident.

[David Duff]

If you say so, Henry, because you are closer to the action than I am but, even so, when will he close down the EPA and that other department that has the power to seize land from owners? And when will he shut down the baby-murdering factories? Also, I am not impressed with a 'boss' who seems to have lost most of the top level executives that *he* chose! Jes' sayin'!

[David Duff]

Bob, you're making me work for a living here!

Re: Trump, I will not indulge in any sort of psychobabble!

Re: MDA, she has been on the fringe for years, certainly since Obama, not least because she dips her pen in acid - so no change for her.

Re: Obama, who as the first black president and a (sort of) educated one, had the opportunity to try and move blacks and whites closer. Instead he took the black side on virtually everything thus stoking even great demands and driving the whites to despair. The man was utterly useless!

Re: 'Asymmetrical warfare' - one of those meaningless catchphrases designed to make the user sound knowledgeable. I say again, what actual advances have the Islamic terrorists actually made or achieved?

[Peter G]

Wow you are astoundingly ignorant! Maureen Dowd made a whole career of attacking Clintons but the only after she practically destroyed Joe Biden. Is there anything you actually do know?

[Bob]

David,

There's no point in trying to change your assessment of Obama. That wasn't my intent.

The same goes for asymmetrical warfare. You're not alone in refusing to believe your opinions or society can be psychologically manipulated. Where does most of the fear of immigrants come from in Europe? Why is Putin's Russia seen as less of a threat than "leftism" or "cultural Marxism"?

[David Duff]

So, Bob, no explicit examples of ISIS actually achieving anything with their campaign.

Also, I have no doubt that opinions can indeed be changed by facts, or apparent facts, but quite why anyone would use an expression like "psychologically manipulated", I do not know, except perhaps to sound 'with it'!

As to your last two questions, fear of immigrants is ages old and depends on numbers; and "leftism" is more of a threat because it is bad in itself and it is here and now!

[TheBigHenry]

David,

We have another football expression -- piling on. I don't want to appear to be part of the onslaught against you from the usual suspects. So all I will add to what I have already said in this thread is that President Trump is playing the "long game" (another football expression).

The President is not an intellectual smart-ass, for sure. But he is a very clever man. You are being too impatient; the results you hunger for are not low-hanging fruit. Three (or seven) and a half more years is a very long time in today's breakneck pace of geopolitical machinations.

Your assessment of the execrable 0bama, however, is spot on. He was and continues to be, the illegitimate scum of the earth.

[Peter G]

Well boys I have sad news, especially for Timbits. Donald Trump is an idiot who has not the slightest idea of what he doing and little regard for the people he is doing it to. Unless of course they are alt right neo nazis. You'd think any president would know nazis bad/anti-nazis good. But not Trump, nosiree. I might ask what he is on course to do other than crash and burn. Why look at all he hasn't achieved! All those years of telling us all that Republicans knew what to do with if only they controlled the government and they can't even figure out how to kill millions of Americans by denying them health care. I mean without the people they want to kill noticing. Everybody is laughing at you Timbits.

[TheBigHenry]

David,

I am in complete agreement with your suggested policy concerning the recent cockroach-infestation of your salon. But let's face it -- in practice, it is impossible to completely ignore either the elephant or the giant cockroach in the room. So, to paraphrase VeryBigHenry Plantagenet, "Will no one rid me of this Leftist Jesuit trainee?"

[David Duff]

Henry, I have absolutely no objection to anyone "piling on" against me. I hope you are right in your view of Trump's long-term effectiveness. Anyway, he has achieved the first main objective simply by winning the election and ensuring the Supreme Court shifts to the Right.

Oh, and by the way, my chances of understanding American football are about equal to my understanding quantum physics!

[David Duff]

Just check the signature first, Henry, and then ignore the content.

[Whitewall]

"All one can hope is that all those virgins were worth it, although one has to wonder why they're still virgins - yeeeeees, quite!"

This 2017, all those virgins may or may not be female?

[TheBigHenry]

WW,

The hairies will learn the hard way that prayer doesn't cut it with those virgins in heaven. Most of them are Jewish girls. You have to know how to beg. Very, very demonstrably, earnestly, and humbly. Lots of tears and whimpering. No snapping of fingers, mother-fckers.

[Whitewall]

Henry
If the Muzzies ever figure out the best virgins are Jewish girls...well hell...I don't know what they would do!

[Bob]

First I should make absolutely clear that ISIS has virtually no chance of succeeding on its own terms in the long run. That being said, it did temporarily hold a large area as its "caliphate" and create a form of government that levied taxes in its own currency, along with other social functions. Try to do something like it with your friends and you aren't likely to get as far. Their success began in part with a propaganda program run in Wahhabi schools established by Saudi Arabia.

They've had lesser successes by inspiring terrorist attacks across the world including Europe and America. Again, they won't amount to overturning either, but they have had effects:

"According to the group IntelCenter, which tracks acts of terrorism, there has been a significant attack directed or inspired by ISIS every 84 hours since June 8 in cities outside the war zones in Iraq, Syria, Sinai in Egypt and Libya." ... "More than half of those attacks have been beyond big cities in places "not traditionally under threat of terrorist attacks," says IntelCenter. This rash of random, low-tech but deadly attacks has fueled public unease in Europe and eroded faith in governments to tackle the threat of terrorism or discern who might turn to violence. It has also diminished trust in justice systems accused of leaving too many dangerous people at large."

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/31/europe/isis-attacks-escalating-europe/

If you'd like to make a case there's no difference in fear of immigrants since "ages old" I'd be interested to read it. And if you don't like the term "psychological manipulation", which is used to describe activities in asymmetrical warfare it makes no difference to me. Refusing to answer about Russia does make my point, though.

[TheBigHenry]

Robert,

I think the Muzzies' first gambit will be to pull their diapers down and say, "Look, I'm circumcised and I don't eat pork!" Of course, the Jewish girls are well aware that they wear those diapers to protect their privates from the explosion of their suicide. The silly fcks blew themselves up just to discover that they have to learn how to beg, too. Then they will discover that begging gets you nothing, nada, zip. No pssy for d'you, motherfckers.

[Bob]

‭David,

‭Since you apparently haven't kept up with rightist links to Russia, here are a few articles to skim:

'Spencer has not disguised his fondness for Vladimir Putin’s Russia, describing the country as the “sole white power in the world.” In May, he led a smaller protest in Charlottesville, in which torch wielding white nationalists chanted “Russia is our friend.”'

http://www.newsweek.com/leaders-charlottesvilles-alt-right-protest-all-have-ties-russian-fascist-651384

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_B._Spencer

And of course your own Nigel Farage is a "person of interest" in the FBI's Russia investigation. Even so, he is presumed innocent until some future date.

[David Duff]

Bob, you and I have lived long enough to know that there has never been a time without threats of one sort or another, they come, they go and sometimes they return. The only thing to do is stay alert and follow the good advice of Cpl. Jones in "Dad's Army" - "don't panic, Capt. Mainwaring!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR0lOtdvqyg

[Mayfly]

"Just check the signature first, Henry, and then ignore the content."

TBH, some of his comments are funnier than your Monday jokes....

I never ignore a comment just because a certain person wrote it. I read it, I consider it and (in this case) laugh and move on. One day, there may be something I agree on - I may change my mind on my own ideas. Recently, I came across an idea which may mean I have to start reading Peter Hitchins again.

[David Duff]

Miss Mayfly, how could you not keep reading Peter Hitchens?
And I will have you know that my Monday jokes are of the very finest vintage!

[Bob]

David,

Yes, yes old chap, keep calm and carry on. Occasionally your facile derogations do require a response, however.

[TheBigHenry]

Miss Mayfly,

"TBH, some of his comments are funnier than your Monday jokes ..."

I am glad David clarified that you were referring to his jokes, not mine!

My own jokes are never intended to be funny. This spares me from having to defend against any criticisms :)

[Mayfly]

Ah, I forgot! "TBH" to me means "To Be Honest". Sorry to drag you in, I must remember to translate all forum abbreviations :-)

Well David, the last lot were at least....um....funny. C

[TheBigHenry]

Miss Mayfly,

That's what it means to me, too. Also to my hero, Honest Abe Lincoln (HAL). Moreover, my email moniker at LANL was "hal", wherein I had appropriated a middle initial "A" for my pseudonym "Henri LeGrand", which translates to "TheBigHenry" from the fwench.

To be fair (TBF), however, I appropriated the initials (TBH) way before they acquired their current shorthand for online texting.

I hope this clarifies everything :)

[TheBigHenry]

P.S.: I forgot to mention that I chose the moniker "hal" at LANL for the obvious reason that Hal is a common nickname for Henry, and virtually everyone at LANL had a 3-letter set of initials for their moniker.

Also, almost everyone at LANL liked to be addressed by their middle name, because that was what J. Robert Oppenheimer did. It wasn't until very recently that it was revealed the "J." stood for "Julius".

Unfortunately for me, my own middle name is Henry! My parents didn't give me a "first" name.

I hope everything about "TBH" is now crystal clear.

[David Duff]

Henry, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet"!

[TheBigHenry]

David,

As all English-speaking (sane) people know, everything that Big Bill the Bard uttered is the God-given truth!