2023 Republican House Follies

[hepcat]

I searched for a bit and the only reference I found to “ghost bus” was when your bus doesn’t show up on time according to a schedule. That’s called such because you’re being ghosted by the bus. At no point did I find it listed as a “common law enforcement term”. Fucking moron is just as stupid as Trump.

[Blackhawk]

Apparently the real term is 'ghost car' and is a phrase used in some parts of Canada for unmarked police cars, originating from using special markings that only appear from certain angles.



Also, why the pure white bus when the one right next to it said, "MBI." I'm guessing the side was stenciled "Malcontents by Irene."

[LordMortis]

Apparently the real term is 'ghost car' and is a phrase used in some parts of Canada for unmarked police cars, originating from using special markings that only appear from certain angles.

I have vague memories of the 80s... I have a vague memory of a Canadian radio station in the 80s that used to broadcast, as part of their traffic update, advertising where "ghost cars" had speed traps. I thought that was the coolest at the time. Nowadays, I'd just assume it was something set up by gub'ment as a cheap way to get people to slow down in specific areas.

[Blackhawk]

In Reno, the Sheriff's department had dark olive cars and liked to park behind giant sagebrush, then jump out as you went by.

Everyone referred to them as 'jackrabbits.'

[Unagi]

In Reno, the Sheriff's department had dark olive cars and liked to park behind giant sagebrush, then jump out as you went by.

Everyone referred to them as 'jackrabbits.'

Ohhh Nevada. They love calling things jackrabbits, but they are all actually not rabbits, but hares.
Has nothing to do with speed-traps, but I thought I would get that out there.

Ironically, back in my youthful "CB Radio" days, I recall the phrase "Kojak with a Kodak" being used for speed-traps. And of course, Kojak had absolutely no hair at all. Weird right?

[Carpet_pissr]

Do NOT point out that House Oversight Committee chair James Comer ALSO gave his brother 200k while he's calling for an investigation of Biden for lending his brother 200k. If you do,prepare to be called a Smurf.

I had to look that up, in this context. Got distracted and found this instead! WTF?!

"The Smurfs is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. The Smurfs was first created and introduced as a series of comic characters by the Belgian comics artist Peyo in 1958, wherein they were known as Les Schtroumpfs"

Boy we sure are good at stealing things and not giving credit! Ask any kid in the 80's about where the Smurfs came from and I'm pretty sure zero kids would have said "Belgium, obviously!"

My work here is done. And I still don't know what a smurf is in the political, sexual or whatever "-al" context it was used here. Conspiratorial?

[hepcat]

This is why I love OO. We're now getting upset that the Belgiums aren't getting credit for creating the Smurfs.

[LawBeefaroni]

Seriously - is this the Onion?

A day after trying to start a fistfight in a Senate committee hearing, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said Wednesday that he has no problem biting people if he gets into a brawl.

“By the way, I’m not afraid of biting,” Mullin declared in an interview with Oklahoma native Kyle Thompson on his podcast “Undaunted.Life.”

“Biting?” Thompson asked.

“I’ll bite 100%,” replied the U.S. senator. “In a fight, I’m going to bite. I’ll do anything. I’m not above it. And I don’t care where I bite, by the way.”

Not a total shock. I mean the original exchange was vaguely homoeeotic ("we're two consenting adults,...get your butt up...you get YOUR butt up..."). Bringing in some BDSM elements isn't crazy.

[Carpet_pissr]

This is why I love OO. We're now getting upset that the Belgiums aren't getting credit for creating the Smurfs.

Please, "Les Schtroumpfs". Have some got damn respect!

[hepcat]

Also, I should have written "Belgians". Oops.

[Isgrimnur]

Let’s not waffle on this topic.

[Blackhawk]

In Reno, the Sheriff's department had dark olive cars and liked to park behind giant sagebrush, then jump out as you went by.

Everyone referred to them as 'jackrabbits.'

Ohhh Nevada. They love calling things jackrabbits, but they are all actually not rabbits, but hares.
Has nothing to do with speed-traps, but I thought I would get that out there.

Ironically, back in my youthful "CB Radio" days, I recall the phrase "Kojak with a Kodak" being used for speed-traps. And of course, Kojak had absolutely no hair at all. Weird right?

No, jackrabbits aren't rabbits (and that's not a Nevada thing, it's a US thing.) But all jumpy long-eared fuzzy butt creatures are rabbits. Just like all small, crawly things are bugs (unless you're an entomologist who believes, incorrectly, that technical terminology trumps common usage.)

"Hey, look! It's a rabbit!"
"No! You must properly identify its species before you can call it that!"

Sorry. I'm a mild linguistics nerd, and what things are called outside of the lab is the domain of language, not science.

[Carpet_pissr]

Let’s not waffle on this topic.

Why not, do you choke a lot on waffles or something? Nay, toe the line here and WAFFLE AWAY - it's what we do.

[LordMortis]

Let’s not waffle on this topic.

Why not, do you choke a lot on waffles or something?

At least you didn't say stomp.

[Unagi]

In Reno, the Sheriff's department had dark olive cars and liked to park behind giant sagebrush, then jump out as you went by.

Everyone referred to them as 'jackrabbits.'

Ohhh Nevada. They love calling things jackrabbits, but they are all actually not rabbits, but hares.
Has nothing to do with speed-traps, but I thought I would get that out there.

Ironically, back in my youthful "CB Radio" days, I recall the phrase "Kojak with a Kodak" being used for speed-traps. And of course, Kojak had absolutely no hair at all. Weird right?

No, jackrabbits aren't rabbits (and that's not a Nevada thing, it's a US thing.) But all jumpy long-eared fuzzy butt creatures are rabbits. Just like all small, crawly things are bugs (unless you're an entomologist who believes, incorrectly, that technical terminology trumps common usage.)

"Hey, look! It's a rabbit!"
"No! You must properly identify its species before you can call it that!"

Sorry. I'm a mild linguistics nerd, and what things are called outside of the lab is the domain of language, not science.

Okay, don't be mad at me; but I was trying to do my best Blackhawk impression there.

I have a lot of nuances to get worked out, I can see. I'll do better.

[Unagi]

Do NOT point out that House Oversight Committee chair James Comer ALSO gave his brother 200k while he's calling for an investigation of Biden for lending his brother 200k. If you do,prepare to be called a Smurf.

I had to look that up, in this context. Got distracted and found this instead! WTF?!

"The Smurfs is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. The Smurfs was first created and introduced as a series of comic characters by the Belgian comics artist Peyo in 1958, wherein they were known as Les Schtroumpfs"

Boy we sure are good at stealing things and not giving credit! Ask any kid in the 80's about where the Smurfs came from and I'm pretty sure zero kids would have said "Belgium, obviously!"

My work here is done. And I still don't know what a smurf is in the political, sexual or whatever "-al" context it was used here. Conspiratorial?

Just so you can quickly get an answer to your original question:

The man he called a smurf was simply dressed in an entirely blue suit with a blue tie. It was just a color thing.

[Unagi]

Seriously - is this the Onion?

A day after trying to start a fistfight in a Senate committee hearing, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said Wednesday that he has no problem biting people if he gets into a brawl.

“By the way, I’m not afraid of biting,” Mullin declared in an interview with Oklahoma native Kyle Thompson on his podcast “Undaunted.Life.”

“Biting?” Thompson asked.

“I’ll bite 100%,” replied the U.S. senator. “In a fight, I’m going to bite. I’ll do anything. I’m not above it. And I don’t care where I bite, by the way.”

Not a total shock. I mean the original exchange was vaguely homoeeotic ("we're two consenting adults,...get your butt up...you get YOUR butt up..."). Bringing in some BDSM elements isn't crazy.

"Oh, I am so going to murder your butt, if you consent, of course."

[Blackhawk]

Okay, don't be mad at me; but I was trying to do my best Blackhawk impression there.

I have a lot of nuances to get worked out, I can see. I'll do better.

By all means! Here's an important Blackhawk nuance: I take absolutely everything literally and at face value. Really. I can't tell sarcasm from humor, or a friendly suggestion from a hateful insult (it's why I also tend to present everything literally and to the point.)

[Carpet_pissr]

Okay, don't be mad at me; but I was trying to do my best Blackhawk impression there.

I have a lot of nuances to get worked out, I can see. I'll do better.

By all means! Here's an important Blackhawk nuance: I take absolutely everything literally and at face value. Really. I can't tell sarcasm from humor, or a friendly suggestion from a hateful insult (it's why I also tend to present everything literally and to the point.)

I hate you.

[hepcat]

Okay, don't be mad at me; but I was trying to do my best Blackhawk impression there.

I have a lot of nuances to get worked out, I can see. I'll do better.

By all means! Here's an important Blackhawk nuance: I take absolutely everything literally and at face value. Really. I can't tell sarcasm from humor, or a friendly suggestion from a hateful insult (it's why I also tend to present everything literally and to the point.)

I hate you.

He does understand sarcasm enough to use it himself though. I believe it only applies to people using sarcasm in replies to him. Keep that in mind.

[Blackhawk]

I can't judge intent.

I can have intent.

[hepcat]

I'm just warning people you can bite.

[Kraken]

This is why I love OO. We're now getting upset that the Belgiums aren't getting credit for creating the Smurfs.

Please, "Les Schtroumpfs". Have some got damn respect!

I thought they were French. I had a Francophile girlfriend in 1979 who showed me some Schtroumpf comics and tried to convince me that they were cool, somehow. I figured it must be a girl thing. I can't remember if she told me they were French or if I just made that leap myself because she was Frenchy. But I guess she was ultimately vindicated by the arrival of Smurfs.

[Unagi]

This is why I love OO. We're now getting upset that the Belgiums aren't getting credit for creating the Smurfs.

Please, "Les Schtroumpfs". Have some got damn respect!

I thought they were French. I had a Francophile girlfriend in 1979 who showed me some Schtroumpf comics and tried to convince me that they were cool, somehow. I figured it must be a girl thing. I can't remember if she told me they were French or if I just made that leap myself because she was Frenchy. But I guess she was ultimately vindicated by the arrival of Smurfs.

And really, in the history of man, how often has any person been vindicated by the arrival of Smurfs? That's no small thing.

[El Guapo]

This is why I love OO. We're now getting upset that the Belgiums aren't getting credit for creating the Smurfs.

Please, "Les Schtroumpfs". Have some got damn respect!

I thought they were French. I had a Francophile girlfriend in 1979 who showed me some Schtroumpf comics and tried to convince me that they were cool, somehow. I figured it must be a girl thing. I can't remember if she told me they were French or if I just made that leap myself because she was Frenchy. But I guess she was ultimately vindicated by the arrival of Smurfs.

And really, in the history of man, how often has any person been vindicated by the arrival of Smurfs? That's no small thing.

This is the more important question.

[hepcat]

This is why I love OO. We're now getting upset that the Belgiums aren't getting credit for creating the Smurfs.

Please, "Les Schtroumpfs". Have some got damn respect!

I thought they were French.

You're thinking of Les Marmaduke

[LordMortis]

This is why I love OO. We're now getting upset that the Belgiums aren't getting credit for creating the Smurfs.

Please, "Les Schtroumpfs". Have some got damn respect!

I thought they were French. I had a Francophile girlfriend in 1979 who showed me some Schtroumpf comics and tried to convince me that they were cool, somehow. I figured it must be a girl thing. I can't remember if she told me they were French or if I just made that leap myself because she was Frenchy. But I guess she was ultimately vindicated by the arrival of Smurfs.

I remember seeing them as nicnacs in hospitals and I thought they were pretty neat as a far as nicnacs went to a 6 or 7 year old. Though their coolness was soon laid to rest by Star Wars and soon thereafter Kenner Star Wars figures.

[Pyperkub]

Saw this bit on a Senate Immigration bill that probably won't be able to pass the House, because as usual, status quo/immigration luncay/hate/fear and fundraising is what the GOP wants - still - the article goes back to the 2013 Immigration bill that Boehner never even brought up for a vote due to GOP inability to compromise as part of Governing as opposed to ruling by fiat:

“It’s never going to be as comprehensive as what we did in 2013,” Bennet said, referring to a comprehensive immigration bill that passed the Senate a decade ago but that Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) refused to bring up for a vote in the House. “But, hopefully, there are some aspects of this that we can come to an agreement.”

The House problem

Even if senators somehow strike a deal on border security, it could meet the same fate as the 2013 bill.

Here's the Wikipedia entry on the 2013 Bill, which seems like it would have been a decent bit of legislation with wins on both sides:

Developments following June 2013 Senate passage

The House of Representatives did not act on this bill.[23][24] Conservative Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives were opposed to it. House Republicans and Speaker John Boehner said that this bill would not receive a floor vote. Boehner stated that the House Republicans favored a piece-meal approach on immigration reform (i.e. several different bills instead of one comprehensive reform bill). Instead of putting the existing Senate bill up for vote and making necessary modifications, he asserted that the House GOP would draft another bill of its own without any path to citizenship and without some other changes (such as introducing a visa for entrepreneurs and delimiting the use of H1B visas to prevent their abuse) that the Senate bill offered.[25] A statement of principles on immigration, released by congressional Republicans on January 30, 2014, said: “We will not go to a conference with the Senate’s immigration bill” and that “border security and interior enforcement must come first.”[26]

Senator Chuck Schumer argued that the strategy of passing smaller-scale bills would not work and that Democrats would not support an enforcement bill without the promise of a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.[27] Former Florida governor Jeb Bush called on the GOP-led House to pass a comprehensive immigration bill and asked his party to quit being "the obstacle" on the divisive issue.[28]

Oh and yeah, Schumer was right. Zero significant Immigration bills since then (link is to Wikipedia on Immigration laws in US, but plenty of fundraising off of the selling of Hate/Fear the furriners stealing teh jobs). And that's including the years when the GOP had control over all 3 branches of Gov't under a President whose **signature** issue was immigration (psst. it was just fear mongering and a hideously expensive, mostly useless and unpaid for Wall)

[GreenGoo]

I thought they were French. I had a Francophile girlfriend in 1979 who showed me some Schtroumpf comics and tried to convince me that they were cool, somehow. I figured it must be a girl thing. I can't remember if she told me they were French or if I just made that leap myself because she was Frenchy. But I guess she was ultimately vindicated by the arrival of Smurfs.

Belgium has French as an official language. Likely the original series was in French, but not of French origin. Maybe.

I actually thought it was France as well.

[Isgrimnur]

Mike Johnson thought the cameras were off. They weren’t.

At the Museum of the Bible on Tuesday night, just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Mike Johnson evaded scrutiny by reporters. He was there to receive the American Patriot Award for Christian Honor and Courage at a gala hosted by the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, a small Christian nationalist nonprofit group based in Conway, Arkansas. While reporters were allowed to watch other portions of the gala, they were not permitted to watch Johnson’s keynote.

Or so Johnson thought. According to Rolling Stone magazine, the speaker was “perhaps unaware that the event was being recorded for the NACL Facebook page.” The video is no longer available, but Rolling Stone reports that Johnson thanked the organization for not letting journalists in. “I’ll tell you a secret,” he said, “since media is not here.” God had spoken to him throughout Republicans’ weekslong effort to find a new Speaker, Johnson said. Eventually, God revealed to Johnson that he would be a Moses-like figure leading the GOP and the country through a “Red Sea moment.”
...
Don’t mistake the ban on media at Johnson’s speech as a sign of weakness or fear of being seen. It was a power play that differs little from Trumpian attacks on a free press as liars and promoters of “fake news.” It’s Johnson’s way of keeping his own animating lie going: that Christians are under attack, and must seize power to save America.

[malchior]

House Republicans taking up the serious issue of...technically incorrect citations in research papers. Academics be on notice. These fascists are coming for all of you. Then we'll be next. This is what actual fascism looks like. Well they don't have the power to summarily act on it yet but that's a coin flip of an election away.

Harvard President Claudine Gay is back in the hot seat as the embattled leader requested additional corrections of her past work, and a House committee widened an existing probe of Harvard to include an investigation into allegations of plagiarism.

In a statement to CNN on Thursday morning, a Harvard spokesperson said the university reviewed more of Gay’s academic work, and the president plans to update her 1997 PhD dissertation to correct additional instances of “inadequate citation.” But Harvard did not use the word “plagiarism” in its review of Gay’s work, and the university said Gay’s past mistakes did not constitute a punishable offense under its research misconduct rules.

The new corrections, first reported by The Harvard Crimson, are on top of the ones Gay issued last week to two scholarly articles she wrote in the 2000s. But a review by CNN, which published Wednesday, found Gay’s previous requested corrections did not address even clearer examples of plagiarism from her earlier academic work, including her dissertation.

...

Meanwhile, the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce widened its existing probe, which had been looking into rising instances of antisemitism on campus. The probe now includes allegations of plagiarism against Gay, according to a Wednesday letter from Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, a Republican from North Carolina.

The committee “has begun a review of Harvard University’s handling of credible allegations of plagiarism by President Claudine Gay over a period of 24 years,” Foxx wrote. “An allegation of plagiarism by a top school official at any university would be reason for concern, but Harvard is not just any university. It styles itself as one of the top educational institutions in the country.”

Plagiarism charges against Gay were first circulated by conservative activists and later reported by the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative publication. The allegations followed her congressional testimony about antisemitism on Harvard’s campus.

[gilraen]

Unfortunately that probably means that Weld County is going to send someone even crazier to Washington. Barring an epic seismic shift in their demographics, it's highly unlikely that a Democrat can win there - after all, this is the county that wanted to put a measure on the Nov 2021 ballot to secede from Colorado and join Wyoming.

And...Lauren Boebert is switching districts and going to run in Ken Buck's old district. Unless someone beats her in the primary, we are guaranteed to have her ensconced in Washington indefinitely.

[malchior]

And down goes Claudine Gay at Harvard. Hounded out of job by fascists. They targeted administrators with weaknesses and I expect it to chill academia to the bone. The future isn't looking too good for the United States.

Claudine Gay is stepping down as president of Harvard University, ending a brief and tumultuous tenure marred by allegations of plagiarism and a campus controversy over antisemitism.

[Unagi]

The future isn't looking too good for the United States.

Can I quote you?

[Smoove_B]

Link to her resignation letter via CNN:

As we welcome a new year and a new semester, I hope we can all look forward to brighter days. Sad as I am to be sending this message, my hopes for Harvard remain undimmed. When my brief presidency is remembered, I hope it will be seen as a moment of reawakening to the importance of striving to find our common humanity—and of not allowing rancor and vituperation to undermine the vital process of education. I trust we will all find ways, in this time of intense challenge and controversy, to recommit ourselves to the excellence, the openness, and the independence that are crucial to what our university stands for—and to our capacity to serve the world.

EDIT: From MSNBC:

Gay's six-month tenure is the shortest in the university's 388-year history, according to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper. She was the first Black person and the second woman to lead the institution.

I'm sure that's just a coincidence, right?

[malchior]

Christopher Rufo (the architect behind this and 'Don't Say Gay') straight up played the main stream media on this. He has to be cheering this right now. Fascists are absolutely running the table on democracy.

Confirmed - cheering.

[malchior]

Will Bunch as usual gets what is happening.

Edit: Predictably that thread is chock full of racist comments and talking like she is clearly antisemitic or that the accusations of plagiarism were substantiated. Neither were true. This was the result of a concerted pressure campaign built on accusations only.

[LawBeefaroni]

Link to her resignation letter via CNN:

As we welcome a new year and a new semester, I hope we can all look forward to brighter days. Sad as I am to be sending this message, my hopes for Harvard remain undimmed. When my brief presidency is remembered, I hope it will be seen as a moment of reawakening to the importance of striving to find our common humanity—and of not allowing rancor and vituperation to undermine the vital process of education. I trust we will all find ways, in this time of intense challenge and controversy, to recommit ourselves to the excellence, the openness, and the independence that are crucial to what our university stands for—and to our capacity to serve the world.

EDIT: From MSNBC:

Gay's six-month tenure is the shortest in the university's 388-year history, according to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper. She was the first Black person and the second woman to lead the institution.

I'm sure that's just a coincidence, right?

Well, they ran Magil out of Penn too. She's white. Being female and black probably didn't help but that's not the main reason she was targeted. It was because she was Harvard's president and Harvard wasn't bowing to their pressure.

All three (the above two and Kornbluth) blew their testimony at the congressional hearing as well, going full lawyer rather than answering as any sane person would. If gave their opponents and influential alums the ammo they needed.

[Pyperkub]

Looks like we need a thread title update

Happy New Year OO'ers!

[waitingtoconnect]

The alum and employers run the show to keep a university stable financially. In general most were already upset about the political activity of students for many years.

Most of these employers and alum will be aligned with the Republican Party and many will be full on Maga.

With many Harvard only graduate employers boycotting Harvard graduates it was over for her.