Pictures and Videos for R&P

[Holman]

He had an open mind.

Too soon. Too soon.

[Unagi]

He had an open mind.

Too soon. Too soon.

[Max Peck]

[LawBeefaroni]

99.99% sure that Trump Glock 19 was stolen but that is hilarious.

[malchior]

Trump only has the finest people supporting him.

Trump swastika mask removed by Amazon

And by removed...just the individual item. Hopefully the vendor relationship is being re-evaluated.

[Holman]

I've seen the "Swastika T" only in cartoons criticizing Trump as a fascist. Is there some reason to think it's offered in sincerity here?

[malchior]

Other than it was for sale and the same vendor will sell you other Trump masks?

[Holman]

Other than it was for sale and the same vendor will sell you other Trump masks?

That's what I was wondering. Yep. That's deplorable.

[Smoove_B]

Speaking of deplorable

Tell me again how defund the police is wrong when no one even bats an eye at a policeman in Oregon flashing a white power sign at a Proud Boy that he’s obviously chummy with.

I'm sure he was just saying "OK" to the guy in the Black Bikes Matter shirt, right?

[malchior]

Other than it was for sale and the same vendor will sell you other Trump masks?

That's what I was wondering. Yep. That's deplorable.

Yeah I was initially skeptical and found it had been removed already. Then I noticed that they had 20-30 other styles with details which makes it very unlikely someone pranked it. A few folks tweeted @amazon upset but how are they going to police product images? They did the right thing within their power. Can't ask much more.

[malchior]

Speaking of deplorable

Tell me again how defund the police is wrong when no one even bats an eye at a policeman in Oregon flashing a white power sign at a Proud Boy that he’s obviously chummy with.

I'm sure he was just saying "OK" to the guy in the Black Bikes Matter shirt, right?

I have a few friends in law enforcement who truly are decent people so I wouldn't go as far as #ACAB. But from what I've heard even about supposedly diverse local police organizations...we have severe racism problems in our police. They have lots of experience resisting reform and hiding their racist activities. The odds say it'll happen again. Heck they often don't even hide it and get away with it most of the time.

[Holman]

OK, this is just sad.

I suppose it's possible that this is before the start or after the finish or whatever, but I haven't seen any pushback to that effect.

(One assumes the singer, part of an Army band, was ordered to perform. Also, the comparison to Obama's July 4 event where they had BRUNO MARS performing Bruno Mars is almost too cruel to make.)

[Isgrimnur]

That's Sergeant First Class Chris Rettig.

[gbasden]

That's Sergeant First Class Chris Rettig.

I've heard his rendition of Time Stand Still dozens of times now and it still gives me goosebumps. What a perfect choice of song and a perfect execution as a farewell tribute to Neil.

[Alefroth]

Speaking of deplorable

Tell me again how defund the police is wrong when no one even bats an eye at a policeman in Oregon flashing a white power sign at a Proud Boy that he’s obviously chummy with.

I'm sure he was just saying "OK" to the guy in the Black Bikes Matter shirt, right?

Huh, you're right. Just randomly checking that someone's okay. What a nice cop. I thought for sure he was flashing a white power sign.

[malchior]

The Oregon State Police said the trooper used his hands because he was wearing a face covering and working in a noisy environment.

“Best available evidence indicates the trooper was simply checking on the man's status and used the universal signal to signify this inquiry, which the man gestured he was — then patted this trooper and a second trooper on their shoulders in an apparent signal of appreciation,” police said.

Cleared in a very thorough investigation obviously.

[Holman]

“The officer held his arm and palm up at a 45-degree angle in order to indicate that the sun was very bright and warm and likely to shine that way for 1,000 years.”

[Blackhawk]

And if, assumptions aside, he really was asking the guy if he was OK, should he lose his career for it? There is reasonable context.

Even the Anti-Defamation League, which keeps getting mentioned in this says,

The overwhelming usage of the “okay” hand gesture today is still its traditional purpose as a gesture signifying assent or approval. As a result, someone who uses the symbol cannot be assumed to be using the symbol in either a trolling or, especially, white supremacist context unless other contextual evidence exists to support the contention.

[snip]

Because of the traditional meaning of the “okay” hand gesture, as well as other usages unrelated to white supremacy, particular care must be taken not to jump to conclusions about the intent behind someone who has used the gesture.

[Unagi]

If he really was ?

What's your point?

I mean, why single that guy out of the crowd and why wonder if he's OK? ?

[Remus West]

If he really was ?

What's your point?

I mean, why single that guy out of the crowd and why wonder if he's OK? ?

The article said that guy had been knocked down earlier and that the person who knocked him down had been arrested. So the man he was checking on, regardless of appearances, did deserve being checked on. Assuming the story is true.

[Unagi]

Well. I’m not unreasonable, if there is at the least, a reason.

I’ll give it a reasonable doubt.

[malchior]

Well. I’m not unreasonable, if there is at the least, a reason.

I’ll give it a reasonable doubt.

The reasonable doubt against this is that the guy is allegedly a Proud Boy. The thing that makes me feel like it isn't on the up and up is that they 'investigated' this in next to no time. Over the span of a few hours. I don't think he should lose his job automatically but I would expect that it wasn't a sham investigation either. This is why many do not trust the police. They lie and the system generally accepts it.

Edit: Relevant aside - I was having a conversation about this with one of my wife's friends husband who is a defense attorney. He was saying that the police rampantly lie in court. In particular, he was talking about how suppression hearings border on absurd now. Even when lies get exposed by evidence the court doesn't do anything about it and neither does the prosecution. The cases just vanish. No consequences to the police. I was started asking about what controls are there to prevent the abuse. His take was the judge's know this is happening so they often let this play out. Jeez. This is how the police have been railroading people of color for years. They just lie. The more I learn, the more I realize our system is disgusting to the core. It's secret apartheid.

This opinion was what got us on the topic.

[Skinypupy]

Best one yet?

[YellowKing]

The one thing that Randy Rainbow "gets" that a lot of amateur song parody artists on YouTube don't is the importance of poetic meter. Nothing's more disappointing than to see a song parody where syllable counts don't work, or there is awkward phrasing and stretching to try to cram stuff in where it shouldn't be.

His parodies are virtually flawless, and in the rare occasions where he does have to force something it's obvious that he knows it and makes it part of the joke.

[Holman]

The one thing that Randy Rainbow "gets" that a lot of amateur song parody artists on YouTube don't is the importance of poetic meter. Nothing's more disappointing than to see a song parody where syllable counts don't work, or there is awkward phrasing and stretching to try to cram stuff in where it shouldn't be.

His parodies are virtually flawless, and in the rare occasions where he does have to force something it's obvious that he knows it and makes it part of the joke.

That's what makes him so wonderful: he's starting not from political satire but from the conventions of Broadway, where cleverly fitting the lyrics to the music is everything.

Randy Rainbow is our Sondheim, our Rodgers & Hart & Hammerstein, our Cole Porter.

[Unagi]

edit:

Not sure I would take it to that level.

He’s very good at making lyrics, rhymes, and trolling Trump, and for all of that has my admiration, to a degree.

But - (and this is just my opinion here) he's not exactly something a lot of people can handle. His affectations are, well they are pretty full-on. That's fine, but it's not something that will reach the audience it should... I guess in some sense, I just feel like he's only 'singing to us', and all his jabs at Trump are meaningless on some level... The fact that he's so Obviously gay and that typically the conservative Republican's classically don't interface well with that community - just makes it seem even more gratuitous and just not as 'helpful' as I would like in something as celebrated as he seems to be. I would like for his general wit and message to be in a vessel more capable of reaching the minds it needs to.

Also, he's not nearly, not nearly as clever as a few of those you mentioned.

I don't mean to shut him down, or come across as too negative here. I'm amused by him, but I don't find him to be a 'light in the darkness'... He's like a light in the light....

I can't articulate myself well here, I fear.

[Kasey Chang]

Courtesy of Boing Boing... American Girl dollmaker not amused at Parody "American Girl of 2020 Karen" who has a Walmart shopping cart, a purple jumpsuit... and a gun. "She's an independent thinker who refuses to wear a mask in public spaces!"

[Holman]

edit:

Not sure I would take it to that level.

He’s very good at making lyrics, rhymes, and trolling Trump, and for all of that has my admiration, to a degree.

But - (and this is just my opinion here) he's not exactly something a lot of people can handle. His affectations are, well they are pretty full-on. That's fine, but it's not something that will reach the audience it should... I guess in some sense, I just feel like he's only 'singing to us', and all his jabs at Trump are meaningless on some level... The fact that he's so Obviously gay and that typically the conservative Republican's classically don't interface well with that community - just makes it seem even more gratuitous and just not as 'helpful' as I would like in something as celebrated as he seems to be. I would like for his general wit and message to be in a vessel more capable of reaching the minds it needs to.

Also, he's not nearly, not nearly as clever as a few of those you mentioned.

I don't mean to shut him down, or come across as too negative here. I'm amused by him, but I don't find him to be a 'light in the darkness'... He's like a light in the light....

I can't articulate myself well here, I fear.

I see your point. And there was *some* exaggeration in my claim that Randy Rainbow is our Sondheim etc.

On the other hand, I really think Broadway has never been aimed at people who would recoil from writers or performers who were "Obviously gay."

I mean, Cole Porter??

[Remus West]

edit:

Not sure I would take it to that level.

He’s very good at making lyrics, rhymes, and trolling Trump, and for all of that has my admiration, to a degree.

But - (and this is just my opinion here) he's not exactly something a lot of people can handle. His affectations are, well they are pretty full-on. That's fine, but it's not something that will reach the audience it should... I guess in some sense, I just feel like he's only 'singing to us', and all his jabs at Trump are meaningless on some level... The fact that he's so Obviously gay and that typically the conservative Republican's classically don't interface well with that community - just makes it seem even more gratuitous and just not as 'helpful' as I would like in something as celebrated as he seems to be. I would like for his general wit and message to be in a vessel more capable of reaching the minds it needs to.

Also, he's not nearly, not nearly as clever as a few of those you mentioned.

I don't mean to shut him down, or come across as too negative here. I'm amused by him, but I don't find him to be a 'light in the darkness'... He's like a light in the light....

I can't articulate myself well here, I fear.

I see your point. And there was *some* exaggeration in my claim that Randy Rainbow is our Sondheim etc.

On the other hand, I really think Broadway has never been aimed at people who would recoil from writers or performers who were "Obviously gay."

I mean, Cole Porter??

His point wasn't Broadway but rather Maggats. I think he was saying that while Randy Rainbow is a ton of fun for us to watch and listen to but they will likely turn him off even before he starts his bit due to his flamboyance.

I agree to a certain extent but I still love his songs and digs at tRump.

[Alefroth]

But - (and this is just my opinion here) he's not exactly something a lot of people can handle. His affectations are, well they are pretty full-on. That's fine, but it's not something that will reach the audience it should... I guess in some sense, I just feel like he's only 'singing to us', and all his jabs at Trump are meaningless on some level... The fact that he's so Obviously gay and that typically the conservative Republican's classically don't interface well with that community - just makes it seem even more gratuitous and just not as 'helpful' as I would like in something as celebrated as he seems to be.

I mean, duh...

Do you honestly think conservatives/Republicans are his audience?

[Unagi]

I see your point. And there was *some* exaggeration in my claim that Randy Rainbow is our Sondheim etc.

I suspected that - and I didn't mean my reply to be taken too formally.

On the other hand, I really think Broadway has never been aimed at people who would recoil from writers or performers who were "Obviously gay."

Well first, I hope it's understood that I say this as someone who entirely supports his way of life, etc. But I think you get that...

And then I will point out that Cole Porter was married and didn't wear pink rhinestone studded 'cat eye' glasses.

I'm happy we live in a world were Randy can be celebrated with his glasses.... Very happy, but that doesn't make him very comparable to Cole Porter.

And then anecdotally, I don't find the highly affected gay thing to be all that relatable or representative. I personally know a (very) few people (ok, one friend) that never spoke like this into their twenties, and then adopted it to various degrees - and I have other gay friends that speak much like I do, and they also find it hard to listen to those affectations as well, and also speak anecdotally about friends they know taking on the affectation. Please, please keep in mind I don't mean this in a heavy way, but it's just not at all how most of the gay people I know speak and act - and in this day it almost comes across as (and I suspect purposely so? I mean - it is an affectation after all ) 'designed to impress'. I guess, tactically and strategically, I just don't think it's all that helpful, or impressive.

IMO, he smart, clever, and talented - enough that I wished he'd reach a bigger audience than he ever will with his (don't judge a book by it's) cover.

And we need his wit and message more than ever, so it's something that stands out to me.

So, yeah... That's just not something I think of when I listen to Sondheim, Rodgers & Hart & Hammerstein, or Cole Porter.

[Unagi]

But - (and this is just my opinion here) he's not exactly something a lot of people can handle. His affectations are, well they are pretty full-on. That's fine, but it's not something that will reach the audience it should... I guess in some sense, I just feel like he's only 'singing to us', and all his jabs at Trump are meaningless on some level... The fact that he's so Obviously gay and that typically the conservative Republican's classically don't interface well with that community - just makes it seem even more gratuitous and just not as 'helpful' as I would like in something as celebrated as he seems to be.

I mean, duh...

Do you honestly think conservatives/Republicans are his audience?

Of course not - that's just the haunting fact that keeps me from enjoying his zingers all that much - and distracts me from his message, tbh. /shrug

[Kraken]

I lump Randy in with Weird Al. I like his work when I know the song that he's parodying. When I don't know the original, it can be a chore to listen to the end.

[Defiant]

Another Lincoln Project ad:



Personally, I don't think it's as good as their others. But then, I'm not it's intended audience - it's clearly got an intended audience of one specific person.

[malchior]

That's one of the things I like about the Lincoln Project. They are waging war on a wide front. Some of this is at Trump to get him to melt down. Some is at the public and most of it is a mix of both.

[LordMortis]

it's clearly got an intended audience of one specific person.

Agreed. The question is if that person is simply a narcissist or if that person's narcissism is of a full blown sociopath. If it's the former, it's going to hurt. If it's that later, it means nothing. I go back and forth on my beliefs as to who he is. I tend to think it's the later most of the time, but some of his tirades really don't seem to support that belief.

[malchior]

Wow

[LordMortis]

Wow is right. (I wonder what the purpose of the Packard Plant and surrounding areas is for other generic ruin porn)

[Jaymann]

I effing hated Reagan, but I love that ad.

[Remus West]

I effing hated Reagan, but I love that ad.

This.