STEVE SMITH’S SATURDAY EVENING POST…LINKS.

STEVE SMITH REPORT ON ZARDOZ. STONE HEAD GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWAL, STEVE SMITH SYMPATHIZE…STEVE SMITH MORE INTO INSERTION THAN WITHDRAWAL.

SO HERE LINKS. STEVE SMITH BEHIND ON JUNE RAPE QUOTA, SO HE GO NOW AND FIND SUMMER VACATION HIKERS.

  • STEVE SMITH SAD. NO MORE BIFF! POW! ZAM!
  • CHINESE COMMIES HATE CHURCH? MAYBE THEY SHOULD GO TO POTLUCK, WITH HOTDISH.
  • STEVE SMITH THOUGHT MITT WAS GOING TO PUT Y’ALL BACK IN CHAINS?
  • IT LOOK LIKE MORE WAR. STEVE SMITH NOT LIKE WAR – GET IN WAY OF PEACEFUL RAPE VISITS.

Comments

338 responses to “STEVE SMITH’S SATURDAY EVENING POST…LINKS.”

  1. Brochettaward

    Rape is just another way of saying, “I love you!”

    1. The girl Roman Polanski raped now wants the case dropped.

      1. IntraveneousWoodChipper

        Yeah, Whoopie convinced her that it wasn’t “rape-rape”, just “rape”….

        That progressives still praise that sick fuck demonstrates how morally bankrupt they really are.

        1. Somalian Road Corporation

          See also, Lena Dunham’s career seemingly taking no knocks over admitting to molesting her sister. Hell, she had a fucking NYT piece the other day.

          1. IntraveneousWoodChipper

            That thing gives me the fucking creeps. That she became famous during Obama’s presidency makes a great deal of sense: both fortell the decline of America in similar ways.

  2. John Titor

    STEVE SMITH MISS NESSIE, SHE FIRST RAPE SLAVE UNTIL SHE RUN OFF WITH MOTHMAN.

    1. Mothman?! Ouch, that one must have stung.

      1. John Titor

        IT FINE. STEVE SMITH REALIZE HE LONE WOLF, NO NEED TO SETTLE DOWN.

        *STEVE turns away to hide a single tear, cue soundtrack.*

  3. westernsloper

    STEVE SMITH THOUGHT MITT WAS GOING TO PUT Y’ALL BACK IN CHAINS?

    I meant to comment on that in the am links but I got there late. That little get together was a “Donors” meeting? Organ donor? What kind of donor? Are they just not hiding it anymore that we really have one political party running the show now or what?

    1. John Titor

      Biden also discussed a need for bipartisanship in Congress, lamenting how Republicans and Democrats don’t sit together anymore in the Capitol dining room, and spoke of his efforts to improve cancer research,

      I wonder what kind of behaviour over the last, say, eight years would warrant such bipartisanship. I wonder why kind of ‘bipartisan’ solutions Biden and his party members offered up during that time that would bring his opponents over to agreement? And of course, at no time in the recent past have the voting public shown they’re sick of the ‘bipartisan’ solutions the Democrats provide. Like say, through large shifts in support to the other party in the legislative and executive. It’s almost like ‘bipartisanship’ is a bullshit term that actually translates to ‘do what we want’.

      And hey, remember the time Obama promised to cure cancer? Jesus Christ, at least with Trump no one is pretending he’s here to heal the sick and the planet.

      1. Brochettaward

        And hey, remember the time Obama promised to cure cancer? Jesus Christ, at least with Trump no one is pretending he’s here to heal the sick and the planet.

        It’s funny because Democrats spent like a year trying to attack the Koch’s for their cancer institute.

      2. westernsloper

        It’s almost like ‘bipartisanship’ is a bullshit term that actually translates to ‘do what we want’.

        It is exactly that. If you don’t concede to their demands you are an obstructionist. The R’s gave Obama everything he wanted for 8 years but were still slammed for being obstructionists. What was the Schumer quote after Obama’s last budget? “We never thought we could get this much”. or something like that. There is no winning strategy that includes working with progressives like Biden.

        1. DEG

          Words mean things, and the Left is great at twisting words.

          The other one I like is when they say they “want to have a conversation” but in reality it is them lecturing you.

          1. IntraveneousWoodChipper

            ^See the constant use of the phrase “conversation about race” by the Left who want to convince the rest of us that we are literally Nazis if we don’t do exacty what they say.

          2. IntraveneousWoodChipper

            Case in point: by their OWN GODDAMN (NON) LOGIC that Dolezal lady should be celebrated for overcoming boundaries and prejudice but instead she’s ostracized by all Good-Thinkers ad as a faker and a cheat.

          3. Akira

            “We need to have a national discussion about gun violence in this country…”

  4. Trigger Hippie

    OT: Last night’s gun thread

    My gun is at my mother’s home in the sticks! Left it there two months ago for her to play with and forgot about it. Jesus Tap-Dancing Christ on Rubber Fucking Crutches, that was nerve racking.

    1. So…has she racked up a respectable body count of critters?

      1. No; she used it as a sex toy.

        1. Trigger Hippie

          Goddamn, Ted.

          If I wasn’t inoculated to the tone around here I’d almost be insulted by that comment. 😉

          1. Almost?

            I really need to up my game and be more tasteless. 😉

          2. westernsloper

            It is best to include yourself in any mom joke scenario. It doubles the tastelessness.

          3. You know what I included in your mom?

          4. westernsloper

            Exactly!!!

          5. Pomp

            Heyoooooo

      2. Trigger Hippie

        As of yet, no. Strictly target practice. But she’s more than capable, far more than I am. Farm gal, I’ve seen her rip apart blue racer snakes that were going after her chickens with bird shot many times.

        My experience with using a gun to kill animals is limited to using a rifle to kill a rabid possum that sauntered up to my house as a kid and shooting my older brother’s dog in the head with a .38 to put it out of its misery after it got its back legs ran over by a combine.

        It still kind of bugs me that he was too much of a chicken-shit to do it himself…My dad ended up forcing me to do it in order to toughen me up, or some such bullshit…

        1. “I have learned a valuable lesson, Dad. When it is your time, I shall not hesitate to pull the trigger…”

        2. thrakkorzog

          Damn, was your Dad Walt Disney forcing you to make another movie about dead dogs?

        3. mexican sharpshooter

          sauntered

          I haven’t heard that in a while. I’m bringing it back!

    2. westernsloper

      I thought you were making a joke. I had a good laugh.

      1. straffinrun

        Me too. And I rarely laugh

        1. Francisco d’Anconia

          Me three.

          But I’d have laughed anyway.

    3. Left it there two months ago for her to play with and forgot about it.

      That’s responsible gun ownership right there.

      1. That was just in case the revenuers came by.

        “Gosh, I don’t know where that gun ended up!”

  5. Playa Manhattan

    Let’s see…

    7lb Trip tip in the smoker with Weber’s chop rub (mostly garlic and onion flavor). I’m running apple and cherry.

    20 more minutes, and then it’s sear time.

    1. Dang…I just grilled cheese burgers, campfire potatoes, heart of romaine and peppers.

      *Kicks pebble*

      1. Playa Manhattan

        I actually wouldn’t mind a burger. Haven’t eaten yet today, and the beef won’t be ready for a while.

      2. I picked Dad up at the train station and we went out to eat since neither of us wanted to cook.

        1. Playa Manhattan

          Golden Arches?

          1. No; one of the mid-priced chains. Frankly I was just going to heat up some baked ziti leftovers for myself but dad doesn’t care for it and there was nothing in the house for him.

            He was telling me some interesting stories about the underclass people he met on the train.

          2. Playa Manhattan

            You were in too big of a hurry to bother remembering the name?

          3. Pomp

            IT WAS IHOP OK, ARE YOU SATISFIED??

          4. Playa Manhattan

            I will be when I know what he ordered.

          5. Playa Manhattan

            Probably a white wine spritzer.

          6. Pomp

            I doubt it. That’s carbonated. Ted, I know yooouuu-ooouuu-ouu

          7. Playa Manhattan

            Midori Sour?

          8. Pomp

            Maybe, but that would indicate Ruby Tuesday or TGI Friday’s tier.

          9. Nephilium

            Whisky sour. With a single malt.

          10. Playa Manhattan

            I assumed a blooming onion was involved

          11. Pomp

            You know what gets me about the blooming onion, it isn’t that it’s a deep fried battered onion, it’s the side of peppercorn salad dressing dip on the side. Horrendous creation, just way too much.

          12. westernsloper

            Indeed. If you are going deep fried onion, it needs to be a ketchup/mayo based Russian dressing thing going on for dipping.

    2. egould310

      Short ribs braised in red wine. Olives. Over spaghetti noodles. Mountain of parmesan.

      1. Playa Manhattan

        Are you trying to make me fat?

    3. westernsloper

      Ohhhh, I was eyeballing tri tip and drooling over the meat counter last week. That sounds really good. I am going Asian Chicken tonight. I have not decided if I am doing tacos, salad, or fried rice.

      1. Playa Manhattan

        I’d go Korean Tacos. Any excuse for Sriracha, really.

        1. westernsloper

          Scrambled eggs are an excuse for Sriracha. But then again they are also an excuse for sausage and Asiago cheese. That was breakfast.

          1. Playa Manhattan

            If you have asiago, the tacos are good to go. All you need is some cabbage and some sweetened vinegar.

          2. westernsloper

            I have cabbage and rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, ACV, white vinegar and balsamic vinegar. What is sweetened vinegar? Vinegar and sugar?

          3. Playa Manhattan

            Marukan Orange Top.

            So basically, add sugar and salt to regular rice vinegar, and you have your cabbage dressing.

          4. westernsloper

            Sushi rice vinegar. I am down with that. Decision made. Tacos it is.

        2. But Enough About Me

          Sriracha? On *Korean* tacos? You’re a monster.

          Fuck that noise. Gochujang or GTFO!

          1. Playa Manhattan

            The original, the REAL ORIGINAL, was with Sriracha. I have 3 different flavors of Gochujang (Mother In Law Brand, I highly endorse), but none of them go on tacos.

    4. Nephilium

      Today was a 25 mile bike ride with the girlfriend, then a late lunch at a bar in the plaza we parked the car at. Schofferhofer Grapefruit is the ultimate in after ride beers. Tomorrow will be a ~35 mile ride out to the other side of town, grab lunch somewhere over there, then ride back home.

      1. Your town is 35 miles in diameter? That’s pretty big. 🙂

        1. Nephilium

          From the Southwest side of Cleveland to the East side, so technically I’m going through 8 cities. But it is Cleveland, so town it is 🙂 . It’s about fifty/fifty bike trails and road riding. My goal is to beat my average speed on the ride out from last year of 13.1 MPH. The ride back is a tougher one, mainly because of adding weight (crowlers are my favorite craft beer innovation of the past decade).

          1. My sister lived over in Painesville before the family moved down to Dallas.

          2. Brett L

            Wait, someone you know lives in Dallas and you think 35 miles is a large town?

          3. Well, I know the Metroplex is huge. But Dallas itself isn’t 35 miles across I don’t think.

        2. Playa Manhattan

          OTHER SIDE, Ted. OTHER SIDE.

          You’re slipping.

          1. He’s on one side of town going 35 miles to the other side. Granted a circle doesn’t have sides, but he didn’t mean side in that way.

            Now, if he lives in a town shaped like a Möbius strip….

          2. Playa Manhattan

            He didn’t say how far outside of town he lived.

            If I rode to the other side of LA, that could be 50 miles.

          3. You’re not starting in LA.

    5. __Warren__

      Don’t have a fancy name for it but chicken breasts over pasta with a butter, bacon, spinach sauce.

      1. westernsloper

        Buttery Bacon Breast fettuccine with spinach. If the sauce base is sherry or white wine and finished with heavy cream more butter and Parmesan that is a winner there. Throw in some caramelized onions and you got a super dish.

    6. JD

      I ordered a pizza so I didn’t have to leave the house.

      1. Brochettaward

        Man after my own heart.

      2. But Enough About Me

        Always a classic.

      3. A plan so cunning, yet so simple, that it will work!

    7. EvilSheldon

      Hate Chicken (with extra pickles) on the way home from the range. Now I’m trying to stave off tomorrow’s aches and pains with ibuprofen and Beefeater. I’ll probably pass out shortly.

    8. Akira

      I grilled some burgers (with local grass-fed beef) and put them on homemade sourdough buns with onions, tomatoes, fresh spinach, Swiss cheese, mayo, ketchup, and Colman’s mustard. Fucking delicious.

  6. DEG

    From the church link:

    The demolition came as row between the church and government escalated over allegations the church refused to pay a £450 arbitrary road usage fee.

    Petty. Very petty.

    1. Rhywun

      The real reason is likely to be that the church didn’t register as an official Commie-approved, watered-down “Christian” church.

  7. DEG

    STEVE SMITH buried the most important story. From the sidebar of the church story:

    Math teacher in NC arrested for sex with students

    Erin McAuliffe, 25, reportedly romped with the boys – two aged 17 and one 16 – away from the school.

    But the maths teacher came under investigation after admin staff at her school in North Carolina tipped off cops about her illicit behaviour.

    After a month-long police probe, in which colleagues and students were interviewed, the tutor was arrested by police with the Rocky Mount Police Department

    1. Brochettaward

      I initially read “Eric McAuliffe,” and I was angry. Why would anyone link to that? Then I saw it was Erin and I was relieved and clicked. At 16, I definitely would have.

      1. DEG

        I would have too.

        Also, she looks like a waitress at a bar I sometimes stop in.

        1. Playa Manhattan

          I just don’t understand. She’s a solid 7, and decided to ruin her own life.

          1. Brochettaward

            I made this point on the old site, and I’m pretty sure it was Nicole of all people who defended them and offered an explanation. It still didn’t make any sense to me.

          2. IntraveneousWoodChipper

            Seven? Seven?! I think she’s smokin and at least an 8 good sir (even if she is a pervert!)

            *Draws dueling pistol

          3. Playa Manhattan

            7. Sober 7.

          4. But Enough About Me

            6.5. We have elevated standards where I come from.

            But yeah — at 16, I would’ve pounded her privates like the beaches at Normandy until she couldn’t walk straight for a month.

          5. IntraveneousWoodChipper

            In my defense, I have been drinking. Also a bit of a hound dog so maybe my scale is lower.

            In any case, she’s a drunk & horny 8.

          6. At 16, would – so much so that she would have had to be buried in a Y shaped coffin.

          7. Playa Manhattan

            Don’t get me wrong here. I would totally “accidentally” eat her ass. But she’s not an 8.

          8. westernsloper

            Whoa

          9. Brett L

            Away from the beaches, she’s probably a high 8. We’re just jaded.

          10. Playa Manhattan

            Jaded? No. Do we get to see the menu before we order? Yes.

          11. Nephilium

            I remember back in my fast food working days. One of the shift managers (who was probably a 6, but she was in her early 20’s while we were all teenagers) wound up hooking up with an underage employee. She had a boyfriend she was living with, and she threw it away. Never could understand it.

          12. People have nutty sex drives, don’t they?

          13. Nephilium

            Rule 34 man… Rule 34.

          14. Rhywun

            “I’m somebody’s fetish.”

            Nice. I’ll have to remember that.

          15. Playa Manhattan

            It’s not sex drive. It’s…. something else.

            I saw, conservatively, maybe 2 dozen women who were sexually attractive this morning. I managed to not ruin my life.

      2. RegicidalManiac

        At 16? Hell yes I would have.

    2. STEVE_SMITH

      STEVE SMITH GO LOOK NOW!

    3. AlmightyJB

      I’d hit it

    4. Pomp

      She’s a slut.

  8. LT_Fish

    Damn. Looks like freaking Fallujah III down there. 13 Marines in one day? I know their gear is shitty but still, sounds like Maute group was prepping some things a little longer. I haven’t been tracking things down there for a few years…but nuts. That really sucks.

    1. Playa Manhattan

      I hope they do it right. Surround the city, no ceasefires.

    2. Brochettaward

      Honestly, it kind of amazes me that casualties have always been so low. Most of the military to include the glorified Marines doesn’t understand basic shit like 360 security or anything about terrain. If anything, both Afghanistan and Iraq have reinforced the notion that American soldiers shouldn’t and won’t really die because we’ve fought an incompetent enemy. We’re a country not willing to take losses at this point, and ending the hawkish bullshit will just take one semi-respectable power to call us on our bullshit. Watch how quick the McCain’s and Graham’s back down then.

      1. Um…wut? Spend much time with the USA or USMC in combat?

        Also, you do realize those were not US Marines, but Filipino ones that were killed, right?

        1. Brochettaward

          No, I did not. I just saw multiple stories about the Marines today and assumed.

          But I stand by what I said about the American military overall.

          1. I guess I will defer to your superior experience with the USA and USMC.

            I only got to work with 3 Marine BNs and a MEU, and two different Army Divisions….in Afghanistan and Iraq. So I am quite unqualified to offer any observations on terrain use, understanding and security/Force Protection.

          2. Brochettaward

            The units you worked with were far better than mine, I assume. You are more experienced than I was so I’ll bow to you on that.

          3. straffinrun

            Meooow.

    3. I do not know if the Filipino Marines are any good – their Army is partly useless.

      1. LT_Fish

        It’ll be interesting to see if some of this winds up being the result of teaming up with MILF/MNLF and/or NPA rather than just asking us for help up front.

        I certainly wouldn’t put it past the separatists to team up with ISIS-PI behind the gov’ts back.

        1. Are there any NPA down there? I thought they were a northern thing. Luzon and all.

          I think the Moros are being joined by every AQ, ISIS and others that escape from somewhere else. Not exactly what the Philippines needs.

          1. LT_Fish

            Well, they made some formal statements, but you’re probably right. They may not be operating South of Sulu.

          2. Last year I did a risk assessment on the Philippines for my Swiss overlords…..they have some issues in the islands. If the headloppers don’t get you down south, a typhoon or volcano or earthquake might get you up north. And their government is … something. Oh, and China looms menacingly in the background.

          3. Pomp

            It’s really tragic that PH is such a mismanaged place dicked up by corrupt creeps. Every flip I’ve ever met has been warm and first class genuine.

          4. LT_Fish

            + 1 Cryptonomicon

            “Filipinos are a warm, gentle, caring people – which is a good thing because so many of them carry concealed weapons.”

            (paraphrase)

          5. Rhywun

            They have an interesting English accent that I can now immediately identify after working with hordes of them doing software releases and such for my company.

          6. mexican sharpshooter

            They have an interesting English accent that I can now immediately identify after working with hordes of them doing software releases and such for my company.

            Tagolog, if I remember correctly is unique in that it is not derived from another language nor does it have any deriviates. I served with several and all were computer geeks.

        2. Agent Cooper

          I’d like to team with MILF if you know what I mean.

      2. BakedPenguin

        Semi-OT: from what I’ve heard from guys stationed in S Korea, fucking with RoK marines is a bad, bad idea.

        1. Yeah, ROK Marines are decent quality.

          1. LT_Fish

            Definitely. Similarly, Indonesian marines have an interesting rep (compared to the horrible rights record of the Army) of being extremely impartial when being called on to deal with sectarian violence, etc and are generally the preferred military force for Christians and various minority groups to deal with. Good folks, but as always, bottom of the totem pole when it comes to gear (just like our guys).

    4. From the sidebar of that story: Hamptonites’ weekend off to a late start because of Trump

      I wonder how many of these people bitched about the traffic problems caused by Obama’s jaunts to New York and other places.

      1. The horror.
        The horror.
        The horror.

      2. IntraveneousWoodChipper

        Were probably afraid of being attacked as racist or something.

        1. Q Continuum

          When Trump does it, it’s racist. When Obama did it, it was empowering. See? Easy.

          1. dbleagle

            Another reason that I am glad BHO is gone. Every time he would come to Hawaii it would screw up the traffic on Oahu (and my neighborhood) and cost the county millions of uncompensated dollars in security costs. Have fun with DT Hamptons.

      3. Rhywun

        I’ve noticed that people bitch about traffic regardless of politics.

      4. Playa Manhattan

        Fake news. They have a NOTAM, and that’s it.

        1. DEG

          Trump is trolling again?

          1. Playa Manhattan

            Trump’s going where he’s going. It’s a non-issue. When Bill Clinton holds up LAX traffic for 3 hours to get a haircut, that’s an issue.

          2. thrakkorzog

            He was just talking with the current AG about their grandkids.

            They were just exchanging photos of their grandkids. Why would anybody think there was something nefarious going on there?

  9. westernsloper

    At least 200 militants are holed up in a corner of the town. An estimated 500 to 1,000 civilians are trapped there, some being held as human shields, while others are hiding in their homes with no access to running water, electricity or food.

    Sounds like Mosul. That is just what the world needs.

    In the sidebar of that another war we don’t need to be in article was this.

    A New York law professor has sued a theater chain for discriminating against men with women-only screenings of “Wonder Woman.”

    1. westernsloper

      *good edit fairy flutters by to make Ted S. show his arse*

      1. You’re no worse than Gilmore.

        1. Gilmore

          STILL #1 !!!

          1. The Good Edit Fairy can help with only so many things…threading, that ain’t one of ’em.

          2. Gilmore

            …..

            STILL #1!!!

          3. *hands over trophy*

    2. Agent Cooper

      So you drop the bomb and sort them out later, right?

  10. Somalian Road Corporation

    So I started watching The Handmaid’s Tale because I was having too much fun listening to bien-pensants howl about how it’s literally what’s going to happen 15 minutes into the future now that we’re living in the Trumpenreich. Spoiler: it’s not. There are lots of little minor details in it that make me roll my eyes, particularly to do with the depiction of the ludicrously abrupt and badly-explained transition from the United States of America to the Republic of Gilead. I kind of want to wait until I finish it to fully dissect things, but I’m seeing a lot of parallels to that other new dystopia netshow, The Man in the High Castle, and I can’t help but notice that that handled some of the same “life in a new American regime” stuff much better.

    1. John Titor

      From what I can tell (I haven’t seen the show, just some of the discussion around it) the producers seemed to have specifically wanted to maximize their market share by deliberately avoid the idea of it being about a ‘Trumpenreich’ or batshit feminist propaganda. Which oddly enough is going against the source material, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

      1. John Titor

        Also, if it’s anything like the book, the transition to the Republic of Gilead will be hilariously retarded. Because Margaret Atwood.

      2. Yeah, when I saw the complaints of “they won’t call it a feminist movie,” my response was “maybe they don’t want to actively drive potential audience members away?”

    2. Q Continuum

      Believing that Gilead is coming to fruition is, like believing in cultural appropriation, diagnostic of severe mental illness.

    3. westernsloper

      I have never read the book, or watched the show, and am not sure if I ever will, but I have read a few discussions on it and kind of got the gist I think. It all reminded me of a political conversation I had with last girlfriend. She said she supported the Democrats because they were the one thing keeping the religious right from implementing christian Sharia on the US. If it wasn’t for the progressives people would be rounded up and put in camps. She was serious. I then read someone say that similar things about Hand Maids Tale and wondered if that is where she got it.

      Is it worth reading?

      1. John Titor

        You kind of got it already. If you want a window into the dystopia fever dreams of hysterical left-wing feminists (and Atwood actually originally wrote it because she was scared of Reagan) Handmaid’s Tale is their 1984. She’s not actually a bad writer, it’s just that her premises tend to be really retarded. Oh, and she’s a WASPy, self-righteous snob.

        1. Festus

          She is what every presenter from the CBC strives to be. A chic, urbane cunt that probably went to McGill and considered it Oxford.

      2. Nephilium

        I read it a couple of years back. If you like dystopian novels it’s not terrible. But it’s not up to the level of 1984 or Brave New World.

        1. John Titor

          1984 and Brave New World come off as thoughtful studies of intelligent men recognizing fundamentally easily ways to psychologically manipulate human populations into conforming to totalitarian systems that horrifically, by the efficiency of their control, may be eternal.

          Handmaid’s Tale is because Christian conservatives are scary.

          1. westernsloper

            1984 had an impact on a young me. I wonder how many young ladies Handmaid’s Tale impacted and what their political views are today, and what they thought of 1984.

            Now I have to read the damn book.

  11. Rhywun

    MORE WAR

    I love the juxtaposition of this article with the girl-on-girl pic to its right.

      1. DEG

        While taking a look, I found a link to this article on favorite sex positions from around the world.

        1. Rhywun

          That’s my Post.

          1. Q Continuum

            What is the methodology on this study?

          2. DEG

            You mentioned the girl-on-girl pic. While taking a look at that article, I found the sex positions article.

            It’s Saturday night. We should drink instead of arguing.

          3. Nephilium

            I’m already ahead of you DEG. I’m working through an old keg of cream ale I have on tap. After killing a bomber of a barrel aged dubbel.

          4. DEG

            For dinner, I stopped in at the local Tilted Kilt. I had two Rogue Dead Guys with my burger and eye candy. After returning home, I opened up a 22 oz bottle of KBS from 2017. I am finishing the last of the bottle. I won’t drink more tonight.

          5. DEG

            That dubbel looks good. I don’t think I can get Rhinegeist up here. Sad.

          6. Nephilium

            I remember explaining the Tilted Kilt to people before they expanded here. The closest I could come was Hooters meets Catholic school girls, with some craft beer.

            On the KBS front, I’ve never seen a bomber of that, just the CBS.

          7. Nephilium

            The dubbel was a beast. Higher ABV then I was really looking for on a 80+ day, and the tannins added some astringency in the finish I wasn’t the biggest fan of. And it was picked up at the brewery by a friend of mine, I don’t think this was even distributed.

          8. Damn, you two are bringing the quality beverage tonight!

          9. Nephilium

            Swiss, tonight? I’ll challenge you to a duel at dawn. I had people comment on the fact that I included my beer cellar on my renter and homeowners insurance. I’ve got beers set aside for my nephew’s 21st birthdays.

          10. westernsloper

            Do you pull a trailer with that bike to get your beer home?

          11. Nephilium

            westernsloper: I’m still able to drive, I just took up the biking because I needed a healthy hobby as I got older. There is a yearly ride where you can volunteer to haul a full keg of beer for at least 10 miles. You get to pay extra for the “privilege”. I’m just happy drinking other beers that haven’t been shaken up for 50+ miles at the end.

          12. Easy, friendo. I just saw what you two were discussing. If that is representative, then *salutes*

          13. Nephilium

            Swiss if you (or any of the other Glibs) make their way to Cleveland, I’ll gladly open the cellar up to them.

          14. DEG

            Founders revamped their line to include a barrel aged series of beer. KBS is one of them. All barrel aged beers will be released in 22 oz and 11 oz bottles. There was also more KBS available this year than previous years.

          15. westernsloper

            Neph: My hats off to you for the bike rides. I was kidding. I went on my first ride in a long time a few weeks ago and thought I was going to die. I have been out of saddle for too long, and need to get back on the bike.

            You do know this group could probably empty your cellar right? I am not known to turn down free beer. Good to know you are insured though.

          16. DEG

            Swiss: I have a lot of barrel aged Clown Shoes, a barrel aged Sierra Nevada (Bière de Garde I think), and a Left Hand milk stout in the cabinet. I have six or seven bottles of wine, at least one of which is my trip to Prague last year. I have several bottles of various stouts for occasional Sunday breakfast drinking. I have a selection of Samichlaus for Christmas season. I have only a little bit of hard stuff: some Jameson’s, some Kahlua and Bailey’s for coffee, and some Gosling’s Old Rum.

            I’ve refrained from buying booze lately as I decided to reduce the amount of stuff in the backlog.

            I’m done drinking for the night. So, no more backlog reduction tonight.

          17. DEG

            The closest I could come was Hooters meets Catholic school girls, with some craft beer.

            Also, better food.

            Hooters meeting Catholic school girls is a good description of the women’s Tilted Kilt uniform.

            /went to Catholic school.

          18. Nephilium

            westernsloper: No offense taken at all. My longest ride in a day so far is ~75 miles, and I’ve been hoping to do a century on of these years. I’m already signed up for a 75 mile and 65 mile charity ride this year. On the cycling side, I just took it up a couple years ago, I needed a healthy hobby on top of all my other hobbies.

            If the entire group of Glib’s is willing to show up at my house, then my cellar might be in danger. If it’s a couple of people, they’ll pass out on the Sumo before killing it.

            DEG: 13 years of Catholic education turned me into the strong agnostic I am now, I just like plaid skirts more then I should.

          19. DEG

            Nephilium, I also spent 13 years in Catholic school (K-12). Yep, school girl outfits are one of my many fetishes.

          20. Q Continuum

            Still on metronidazole, so no booze for me. *sigh*

          21. DEG

            Oh, and Catholic school is one of the reasons I am an atheist.

    1. westernsloper

      Ya, that one caught my eye. But I thought the one about the lawyer suing the theaters was funnier. Gotta love the NY Post.

  12. Juvenile Bluster

    Saw Wonder Woman this morning. Have to say I liked it. Compare to Captain America, where WWII was just this… thing, in the background, Wonder Woman actually showed war. In all its gruesomeness.

    And Gal Gadot makes the movie watchable without any of that. Smoking hot and a great actress, and she could kick your ass in real life.

    1. Nephilium

      I caught it opening weekend, I enjoyed it as well. I think it was a good movie, but DC missed the chance to make it a great movie.

      Trying to avoid spoilers here… but if they had made Steve’s speech near the end be correct, I think it would have been great.

      1. Juvenile Bluster

        Oh I agree. It’s the best DCAU movie though. Which really doesn’t say much. But at least it was worth what I paid to see it. Which I couldn’t say for the other DCAU movies.

        1. Nephilium

          Only reason I saw it in the theater was discounted tickets from T-Mobile. Same reason I saw Suicide Squad in the theater (which had… issues). I saw Man of Steel (which was tolerable, but not good) in the theater, and waited for months to see Batman V Superman, which was just flat out bad.

          The strangest articles I’ve seen so far regarding this is that the DCAU is now better because Wonder Woman will be carrying it forward. And how she’s the DC/WB Iron Man. The biggest sign of good news is the tragedy that has Zack Snyder stepping away and having Joss Whedon stepping forward for Justice League.

          1. John Titor

            Mentioning that bit at the end made me realize that I can’t decide which is worse, Snyder writing Justice League or more of Joss Whedon’s dialogue.

            Also, according to wiki:

            He (Snyder) is also working on an adaptation of the 1943 novel The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.

            Holy shit that may possibly be the dumbest movie ever made. I must see it.

            *Howard Roark intensely draws at his drafting board, going into slow-mo at every curve of his pencil. As he blows up Courtland, he does it while the flames erupt behind him because cool guys don’t look at explosions*

          2. Juvenile Bluster

            Please tell me that’s just one of those things inserted into Wiki for ridiculousness.

            Fountainhead is the one Ayn Rand novel I like.

          3. John Titor

            We The Living is best waifu.

            It’s sourced to an interview he did:

            We have The Last Photograph that I’ve been working on for a long time. It’s a small, sort of weird project about a war photogra­pher in Afghanistan. I have been working on The Fountainhead. I’ve always felt like The Fountainhead was such a thesis on the creative process and what it is to create something. Warner Bros. owns [Ayn Rand’s] script and I’ve just been working on that a little bit.

          4. John Titor

            Yes, there may be, in the near future, an Ayn Rand/Zack Snyder collaborative movie script.

            What a time to be alive.

          5. The movie was already made into a mess back in the 40s. The problem was that Ayn Rand may have been able to write realistic villains, but she couldn’t write a screenplay.

          6. John Titor

            I know when I think of ‘ways to fix messes’ and ‘writing screenplays’, I think Zack Snyder’s the man for the job.

          7. Nephilium

            I’m glad I had no beer in my mouth when I read that comment John, otherwise I may have had to bill you for a new keyboard.

          8. BakedPenguin

            What, you didn’t like King of Kings?

          9. thrakkorzog

            Ayn Rand couldn’t even write a decent novel. Even if you agree with her politics, she’s a shit writer. The big speech from Atlas Shrugged would take something like 20 hours for a basic human that that speaks English to deliver.

            I can think of several guys that enjoy giving 6+ hour speeches. They weren’t Libertarians, and tended to have orders to shoot on site anybody not clapping hard enough.

          10. The Elite Elite

            Wait, Snyder is leave the DC movies? Damn, between this and hearing WW is decent, I might have to give the DC movies another try. I cannot stand Snyder’s “style.” Completely ruined BvS and ruined the battle scenes of Man of Steel. Maybe their universe will actually start to take off now, without that clown.

          11. The Elite Elite

            *is leaving. Is it really so much to ask for an edit button? Just have it functional for only a short time after a post is first made, so it can only really be used for proofreading purposes, not completely changing what one said.

          12. Nephilium

            In fairness, I didn’t hate Watchmen, and I think the changes made to the source material make sense. And I can even enjoy Sucker Punch. I also have a love of terrible movies, as well as those that make people wince. As an example, Hard Candy is a movie that more people should see.

          13. John Titor

            Pretty much 80% of the complaints about Watchmen comes down to the fact that he almost fanatically devoted himself to representing the comic as close as he could on film. Credit where credit’s due, he tried to be faithful to the original product, but comic books are not movies, and vice versa. Moore’s style and storytelling progression is not fit for movies, which is probably why the bloody thing clocks in a three hours.

          14. Nephilium

            John,

            Hearing people complain that they got rid of the giant alien squid attack in the finish just fueled my rage. The giant alien squid was a terrible idea in the comics, and couldn’t be replicated in a film. Making it be nuclear attacks that “only” Dr. Manhattan could do makes a lot more sense for the end. Zack even stuck in the dumb sex scene on the Nite Owl flying vehicle.

          15. John Titor

            I entirely get the replacement of the alien thing, and in all honesty, Snyder’s change is actually way better and a hell of a lot more coherent (especially if you’re making a movie). Moore’s random ‘aliens attack’ concept is the most, for lack of a better term, ‘comic booky’ idea he pulled out of his ass.

          16. John Titor

            His daughter committed suicide, so he’s understandably off on personal leave. I don’t know if that equates to him being off DC projects forever.

          17. The Elite Elite

            That’s sad to hear. Still hope that would mean he’s off for good.

    2. Rhywun

      I’ve heard enough good things about it that make me likely want to check it out on cable or something down the road, unlike the recent heap of generic crap superhero movies.

    1. Playa Manhattan

      Always cool in theory.

      But….

      1. Brett L

        Tits or GTFO!

      2. DEG

        On my last trip to Australia, I went to Bondi Beach on a warm day. I walked from Bondi to Coogee. I noticed a few women sunbathing topless. They were all women that I want to see naked, and I think other men would like to see naked. I did look for women that I wouldn’t want to see naked (for science or something like that), and saw none.

        1. Q Continuum

          South Beach is, if not de jure then certainly de facto, top optional. The quality tits definitely outnumbered the spoiled milk.

          1. cyto

            South Beach is often like a CGI alternate reality. There are lots of fitness models in Miami, and they like to hang out there. It can be quite surreal.

          2. DEG

            *adds South Beach to the list of places to visit*

          3. westernsloper

            Key Biscayne is list worthy too.

        2. Playa Manhattan

          “For science”, not a fetish.

          *narrows gaze*

    1. Akira

      You know, she looks like a woman who I encountered while working at the women’s prison. She was a fucking insane murderous psychopath who jammed sausages up her butt and tried to drown herself in the toilet.

      It’s shit like this that makes me want to believe in phrenology.

  13. Juvenile Bluster

    Seen today at Barnes and Noble: Smash the patriarchy with arts and crafts!

      1. Q Continuum

        Fucking pathetic. Leftists can’t do ANYTHING without making it political.

        1. Rhywun

          “Prove that the political is personal with DIY power panties.”

          Yes, that is their mantra.

      2. Stinky Wizzleteats

        Step one: Put pink shit on stuff.
        Step two: Pat self on back.

    1. Gilmore

      From the reviews =

      The moment “Crafting With Feminism” arrived in my hands I felt empowered.

      For anyone who wants to start their daughters or a good friend on the road to feminism and other liberating ideas this is your key to doing just that. They show how to host a party celebrating women’s herstory and much more.”

      [ed. “host a party”?? way to totally subvert traditional feminine roles, there]

      it’s worth a look for the huggable uterus cushion

      I bought it for my 12 year old goddess daughter & I to do projects from ….. Would have received more respect from me if they just went all the way & guided readers through making blood print art. The book comes across as someone just trying to come up with something to jump on the bandwagon of female crafters & makers out there to make a buck.

      1. Stinky Wizzleteats

        Blood print art. Is that referring to what I strongly suspect it’s referring to?

          1. Stinky Wizzleteats

            Fucking gross, also would, wouldn’t, would, wouldn’t, and would.

          2. westernsloper

            I see you are going with the well tested “flow” meter of wouldness. Good call.

          3. Playa Manhattan

            Left to right? I agree.

          4. Pomp

            Wow edgy.

      2. BigGreg

        ” I bought it for my 12 year old goddess daughter”…

        I’m sure your “goddess daughter” will grow up to be a productive and well adjusted member of society and totally not a shrill atomic powered cunt with a degree that ends in the word “studies”.

    2. Playa Manhattan

      Arts and Crafts: A project for women

      1. Gilmore

        EMPOWERMENT w/ A PICKLE= 36 SLICED-MEAT+ CONDIMENT COMBOS WHICH SMASH LUNCHTIME PATRIARCHY
        – Confront Male Dominated Spaces With a Handheld Mealtime Revolution

        1. BigGreg

          “Why giving blowjobs then shutting the fuck up is the most woke, empowering thing a strong independent woman can do”

    3. Rhywun

      Smash the patriarchy

      I thought the wording was a joke but it’s in there. Thank heavens we have the USSR as a blueprint for where this shit leads, so we can hopefully nip it in the bud this time.

      1. DEG

        Thank heavens we have the USSR as a blueprint for where this shit leads, so we can hopefully nip it in the bud this time.

        For those of us that know something about history.

      2. Gilmore

        the USSR as a blueprint for where this shit leads

        …. bad terrible fempunk bands?

      3. Q Continuum

        Silly Rhywun, the USSR was Stalinst state capitalism, not socialism. This time, we’ll get it right.

    4. Mr Lizard

      STEVE SMITH NEVER NEED ARTS OR CRAFT TO SMASH. AS LONG AS SMASH EQUAL RAPE

    5. westernsloper

      I am feeling ripped off here. I am working on a book, “Bedazzle your balls”. The working theory is ball bedazzling followed by photo sending to your favorite feminist for approval. I have not worked out a marketing plan yet though. Or shopped for glitter. Work in progress.

      1. BigGreg

        I don’t even see why’d you need marketing for that. Now shut up and take my money!

      2. Mr Lizard

        STEVE SMITH EXPERT AT MARKETING SELF TO OTHERS. ALWAYS WILLING TO GIVE TIP AND BY TIP MEAN PART RAPE

    6. Rufus the Monocled

      “Bykbansheeon December 26, 2016
      Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
      I’m very disappointed in this. It is 180° from what I would expect from such a title. I bought it for my 12 year old goddess daughter & I to do projects from. Not really appropriate for a 12 yo…at least not in my & my best friend (goddess daughter’s mom)’s opinion. I might have pushed it for the right book as teaching her feminist ideals apply in all areas of her life is important. But ever one of the crafts in the book is more simplistic/cheesy than anything I’ve done with her in the last 4 years. Would have received more respect from me if they just went all the way & guided readers through making blood print art. The book comes across as someone just trying to come up with something to jump on the bandwagon of female crafters & makers out there to make a buck.
      Comment| 5 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?”

      I found it very helpful.

      1. westernsloper

        Ok, that smells of parody. Or is it the blood art I smell? What rule is that again?

        1. Festus

          Oh, there is a stench. You’ll learn to love it!

  14. thepasswordispassword

    Met up with my old buddy from campaign days for lunch downtown and we ended up watching the commies and the nazis yell at each other on the capitol steps. We hung out with the bums and drug dealers in the shade who had no interest in the politics and were getting a kick out of the white folk shouting at each other. The most fascinating part for us was the complete lack of advocacy going on. No free shit, no pamphlets, no campaigning. A couple of folks waiting for buses asked what was going on and an antifa girl started screaming about how they were nazis and taking over society which didn’t exactly convince the proles. All theater and personal satisfaction. Thankfully no dumpster fires and only two small exchanges that the cops broke up very quickly. One funny tidbit was a couple of the antifa signs were painted on the back of democrat yard signs. I’m sure those candidates appreciated the affiliation.

    1. Pomp

      Downtown Provo, UT, eh? Fucking crazy place.

      1. thepasswordispassword

        Denver. Plenty of crazy but not enough for a critical mass. Several were from out of town given they were asking for directions after things broke up.

        1. Playa Manhattan

          “And I gave that lady directions even though I didn’t know the way!”

    2. Playa Manhattan

      What do you have against dumpster fires?

    3. Gilmore

      No pictures? I would have taken some “hot or not” pics just for lulz

      1. thepasswordispassword

        Nope. Despite the nice warm weather everything trended in the not direction.

        1. Pomp

          Still worth a full camera album just for the lulz.

  15. Rhywun

    Accusing Qatar of funding extremists, Saudi have now banned Barca’s jerseys due to the club’s sponsorship deal with state-owned Qatar Airways.

    Oh, that’s rich.

  16. Rhywun

    Huh… 2nd try:

    Accusing Qatar of funding extremists, Saudi have now banned Barca’s jerseys due to the club’s sponsorship deal with state-owned Qatar Airways.

    Oh, that’s rich.

  17. Rhywun

    OK, I don’t know why the link won’t post but do a search for this and marvel in the irony:

    Accusing Qatar of funding extremists, Saudi have now banned Barca’s jerseys due to the club’s sponsorship deal with state-owned Qatar Airways.

    1. Q Continuum

      Saudi vs. Qatar: can’t they both lose?

      1. Rhywun

        Wow, apparently it’s a clusterfuck of more epic proportions than we already knew down there now.

        1. Stinky Wizzleteats

          Qatar better fold and quick or they just might be hosting the World Cup from a bombed out pile of rubble. The Saudis are shit and I wish we’d drop them but this would be no contest.

      2. Gustave Lytton

        Too bad Trump threw in with the Saudis.

        Qatar has hired John Ashcroft’s law firm now.

      3. straffinrun

        Peninsula vs peninsula’s peninsula. Qatar is like having a uvula on your uvula.

        1. BakedPenguin

          Qatar: the Arabian peninsula’s elongated clitorus.

          1. straffinrun

            Then the Qataris are in trouble. Saudis like their clitorectomies.

      4. As long as Barça and Real both lose, too.

    2. westernsloper

      I went to Qatar for a few days of training once. The most important thing to know when visiting Qatar is buy booze in the airport. Especially around Ramadan.

  18. Rufus the Monocled

    Don’t any of you……WORK?!

    1. straffinrun

      At work right now. Gettin’ paid while y’all not gettin’ laid.

    2. The Elite Elite

      On the weekend?

    3. Nephilium

      It’s a weekend, even in Canada.

    4. Pomp

      I multitask, brah

    5. DEG

      Yes. Just not tonight.

  19. SimonD

    From the ‘MOAR WAR’ article:

    “—“They are not fighting. They are just providing technical support,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera told a news conference in Marawi City.—”

    Hmm. didn’t we start out providing ‘technical support’ (and advisors) in some other Asian shithole once upon a time? How did that turn out?

    1. Gilmore

      We’ve had an official mission in the Philippines for 15+ years now. It just never made the papers all that often.

      1. __Warren__

        Back in the 80s I heard there were American troops doing combat patrols in Philippines.

        1. Gilmore

          I was going to add that we’ve also had an unofficial presence in the southern islands for decades longer

        2. BakedPenguin

          They’ve had a low grade Islamic insurrectionist movement for a while now. As in a few decades.

          1. Gilmore

            you can go back farther if you really want

            “….Following the Spanish–American War in 1898, another conflict sparked in southern Philippines between the revolutionary Muslims in the Philippines and the United States military that took place between 1899 and 1913. “”

          2. DEG

            “Civilize them with a Krag”

      2. westernsloper

        Thinking about it, haven’t we had troops in the Philippines since the end of WWdos? Bases there?

        1. LT_Fish

          Subic and Clarke officially closed in ’92 after Pinatubo (and other agreements). We’ve started re-using Subic in the last few years semi-officially. On the verge of standing things up similar to how we do business in Singapore I believe.

      3. LT_Fish

        OEF-P technically ended in 2012 according to the campaign trackers I’ve seen.

        1. Gilmore

          Yes, but technically the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are “ended” too, so how much is that really worth?

        2. Gilmore

          also – *this says it wasn’t given a paper-ending until Spring 2015 – w/ the always-handy caveat, “advisors remain”

    2. Mr Lizard

      “Hmm. didn’t we start out providing ‘technical support’ (and advisors) in some other Asian shithole once upon a time? How did that turn out?”

      Too soon to tell…

    3. Rhywun

      I just we’re everywhere doing whatever the hell we want.

      1. Rhywun

        “assume”

  20. __Warren__

    If the USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) takes a missile through the bridge that will be the height of irony.

    1. Playa Manhattan

      Takes a hit to the bridge and keeps on going?

      1. westernsloper

        Persisted?

      2. Pomp

        +, plus the rudder system is stuck to one side

        1. Playa Manhattan

          hard left?

          1. Pomp

            You got it

      3. Gilmore

        That would be the USS James Brown

        1. Playa Manhattan

          I was expecting a link to Maxine Waters.

          *rolls up newspaper*

      1. Heroic Mulatto

        There you go.

      2. DEG

        I am intrigued.

        On the other hand, I have not yet seen a proper squat or deadlift picture or video from her yet.

        On the gripping hand, maybe I haven’t gone back far enough in her instagram history. More research is required. For science or something.

    1. Nephilium

      The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed. Go back to Instagram.

      This means nothing to me!

    2. AlmightyJB

      SFd I think

    3. Playa Manhattan

      YOU TEASE

  21. straffinrun

    Google search on this topic is giving me a headache, so I’ll see what you glibs have to say. The question is: Did Protestants in Elizabethan England believe that ghosts were not the ghosts of actual humans, but had to be either good or evil spirits? For example, the ghost in Hamlet was trapped in a kind of purgatory (if it really is the dead king) and therefore it would’ve been a Catholic way of seeing the afterlife. Or to put it another way, did Protestants at the time believe ghosts could be humans that had died or was that only for Catholics?

    1. I am thy father’s spirit,
      Doomed for a certain term to walk the night
      And for the day confined to fast in fires,
      Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
      Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid
      To tell the secrets of my prison house,
      I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
      Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,
      Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres,
      Thy knotted and combinèd locks to part
      And each particular hair to stand on end,
      Like quills upon the fearful porpentine.
      But this eternal blazon must not be
      To ears of flesh and blood.

      1. straffinrun

        Bingo. That’s the part I just pointed out to my co worker who is claiming that the dead king’s ghost was actually a Protestant version. I’m saying it has to be Catholic. You’re just the man, Eddie, I was hoping to get a response from.

          1. From John Donne, a Protestant divine preaching some years after the Elizabethan era:

            “God made the first marriage, and man made the first divorce; God married the body and soul in the creation, and man divorced the body and soul by death through sin, in his fall. God doth not admit, not justify, not authorize such super-inductions upon such divorces, as some have imagined; that the soul departing from one body, should become the soul of another body, in a perpetual revolution and transmigration of souls through bodies, which hath been the giddiness of some philosophers to think; or that the body of the dead should become the body of an evil spirit, that that spirit might at his will, and to his purposes inform, and inanimate that dead body; God allows no such super-inductions, no such second marriages upon such divorces by death, no such disposition of soul or body, after their dissolution by death, but because God hath made the band of marriage indissoluble but by death, farther than man can die, this divorce cannot fall upon man; as far as man is immortal, man is a married man still, still in possession of a soul, and a body too; and man is for ever immortal in both; immortal in his soul by preservation, and immortal in his body by reparation in the resurrection.”

          2. Was the ghost of Samuel a real ghost?

            “The Church Fathers and some modern Christian writers have debated the theological issues raised by this text. The story of King Saul and the Medium of Endor would appear at first sight to affirm that it is possible for humans to summon the spirits of the dead by magic.

            “In the Septuagint (2nd century BCE) the woman is described as a “ventriloquist”, possibly reflecting the consistent view of the Alexandrian translators concerning “demons… which exist not”. However Josephus (1st century) appears to find the story completely credible (Antiquities of the Jews 6,14).

            “Medieval glosses to the Bible suggested that what the witch actually summoned was not the ghost of Samuel, but a demon taking his shape or an illusion crafted by the witch. Martin Luther, who believed that the dead were unconscious, read that it was “the Devil’s ghost”, whereas John Calvin read that “it was not the real Samuel, but a spectre.””

          3. straffinrun

            Well, I’m thinking I may have bitten off more than I can chew with the piece I submitted yesterday on Hamlet. We’ll see how it turns out if/when it pops up. Interesting topic, though.

          4. Ken Shultz

            “The story of King Saul and the Medium of Endor would appear at first sight to affirm that it is possible for humans to summon the spirits of the dead by magic.”

            Or to be fooled by the devil. The prophecy came true, but that could have been self-fulfilling prophecy. He kept winning with God’s help, and if God had withdrawn that, then making that prediction wouldn’t have been hard for the devil to do.

            Saul kills himself after that.

            It’s not like going to the witch turns out to be a good thing.

          5. Ken Shultz

            I grew up in a really fundamentalist family–and I mean fundamentalist protestant as opposed to evangelical. Baptists would point to us and say (no exaggeration) that we took the Bible too literally. Jehovah’s Witnesses used to skip our door because they were sick of arguing with us about the Bible and what it really said.

            So, I have an experience that I’m not sure a lot of people can really grasp, but when I was growing up, me, my family, the people at school, and church–everyone I knew and talked to! They all believed that demons and fallen angels were just as real as the island of Hawaii. This religion also believed that the soul is not immortal–that you rot in the ground when you die and “The dead know nothing”. When you’re resurrected at the Second Coming, it’ll be like an instant.

            That doesn’t mean they didn’t believe in ghosts. They just believed that ghosts were actually Satan and his fallen angels trying to trick us into believing that like God, we’re immortal. Those demons are also behind Ouiji boards, seances, new age mediation, alien abductions–you name it. Those things are all real in those people’s minds; it’s just that they aren’t what people think they are. They’re demons tricking people.

            Anyway, another possibility is that Hamlet’s father’s ghost isn’t a real ghost at all. Certainly, nothing good comes from what Hamet’s father tells him. It’s a tragedy.

          6. straffinrun

            That’s what Nobita has to learn in every Doraemon episode: Magic tools just fuck you up in the end.

          7. Ken Shultz

            No matter how much knowledge we get, people are still stuck with the same problems.

            Natural laws aren’t good enough.

            We can learn to fly, extend our lives, cure disease, send live video all over the world using natural laws–but the natural laws still aren’t good enough. There’s gotta be magic!

            In that way of looking at it, you can believe in God and see natural laws as his will. You can read the first two temptations of Christ in terms of getting him to use his magic superpowers to give the people what they want and protect them from harm–but he resists the temptation.

            It doesn’t even change for atheists really.

            Ron Bailey wants the singularity so that he can live forever. Natural laws aren’t good enough.

            Progressives invent a worldwide catastrophe to justify their craving for self-sacrifice for a cause bigger than themselves. ’cause natural laws aren’t good enough.

            And nobody likes uncertainty–despite the fact that it’s inescapable in the natural world. You can’t run from the problem of induction and hide in science, even! The natural world can only be properly perceived through a veil of uncertainty–and that’s just not good enough for people.

            So they’ve gotta believe in the magic singularity, settled science, and that their sacrifices are both justified and effective.

            There isn’t that much difference between believing that ghosts and spirits are actually just fallen angels tricking you and having faith in the natural world to tell you the honest to God truth and real science and reason. It’s believing in magic shortcuts that’s the real difference–but people gotta believe in them. They crave magic shortcuts. It’s the way our brains developed. The capacity for magical thinking (religion) and language is why or neocortexes evolved differently than our ape cousins. You can deny the existence of God and still crave those magical shortcuts.

      2. straffinrun

        By the way, that little speech sounds a lot like a NYT anonymous source.

    2. Caput Lupinum

      There has been much discussion about the theological background to the nature of ghosts and the possible attitudes of late sixteenth- / early seventeenth-century audiences when they saw them represented on stage. In the 1590s Catholics could readily believe in ghosts as spirits of the dead from purgatory (see Themes and significant ideas: Heaven, hell and judgement) whereas Protestants, who did not believe in purgatory, saw them as devils.

      Usually, as for example with the ghost of Banquo in Macbeth or that of Caesar in Julius Caesar, a ghost appears only to one person, usually its murderer, and could therefore be interpreted as being simply in the mind of the one who supposedly sees it. But the ghost of Old Hamlet is seen in Hamlet by four people — it is therefore a ‘real’ phenomenon.

      However, when the Ghost appears to Hamlet in Gertrude’s chamber in Act III scene iv, Gertrude cannot see it.

      A play such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet was written for a Protestant audience, but since many of them would still have Catholic beliefs, they would have appreciated Hamlet’s dilemma about whether to follow the directives of the ghost of Old Hamlet.

      Source.

      1. straffinrun

        That is where my co worker went full idiot on me. She’s claiming that Hamlet’s audience wouldn’t have been familiar with Catholic beliefs. That’s when I gave up.

        1. Caput Lupinum

          Yeah, that’s just plain wrong. Hamlet was written only 25 years, give or take, after the reign of the very cargo Catholic queen Mary. The one that earned the moniker of bloody Mary for her notorious persecution of protestants.

          1. straffinrun

            Exactly the point I brought up. “What about Bloody Mary?”. My co worker just hand waved it away. She really does think all those people going to the globe were knuckle dragging fools that didn’t know even the more recent past.

          2. Ken Shultz

            Shakespeare’s father was Catholic before the reformation.

            Shakespeare certainly would have known what his father believed. How can you grow up with a dad and not hear the old saw grind on about what’s really going on and why?

            And pretending to be a religion you’re not and just practicing in secret is as old as the hills.

          3. straffinrun

            Didn’t know that about his dad. The arrogance of people today in regards to people’s knowledge in the past is disgusting. They actually think they’re enlightened because the knowledge exists today, but they don’t even understand it. I’d take Aristotle’s knowledge base over some modern Wellesley professor.

    3. Ken Shultz

      1) Shakespeare and his family are widely thought to have been secret Catholics.

      2) Hamlet is taken from the story of Amleth by way of Saxo Grammaticus and the Gesta Danorum. Hamlet may have told Ophelia to get to a nunnery, but Shakespeare might have been thinking of them as pagans.

      It was early in the Gesta Danorum that Amleth shows up–Amleth would not have been a Christian.

      1. Shakespeare confused his shopping list with his play ideas. He saw “omelette and a Danish” and went from there.

      2. Rufus the Monocled

        Drunk Shakespeare to drunk Marlowe: Let you in on a secret. I’m Ca….

        /passes out.

        1. MARLOWE: I should see a doctor about this stabbing pain I’m having…

          1. Rufus the Monocled

            “William…William. I said this pain…William? Bloody sot.”

            /falls down.

    4. Rufus the Monocled

      My Eggos came out just right.

      1. AlmightyJB

        Leggo

  22. Playa Manhattan

    Voter fraud in the first paragraph.. Good job, paper of record.

    1. F. Stupidity Jr.

      It’s not “voter fraud”, Playa. It’s “ruthlessly pragmatic”. Besides, everyone knows there’s no such thing as voter fraud.

    2. Gilmore

      Frank Bruni wrote the 1 not-so-retarded editorial of the entire 2016 election

      Basically: “Dear democrats = you can’t just scream “racist!” and accuse people of being Hitler forever. At a certain point, no one listens.”

      Obviously, he was ignored.

      1. __Warren__

        You’re a totes raisin Hitler.

      2. Gustave Lytton

        You know who else didn’t listen to warnings about Hitler?

  23. __Warren__

    Dahlia Lithwick, idiot.

    You want to know why people despise your side? Read your fucking article you dried up cunt.

    Not once do you mention that almost all of the violence is coming from the left. Then after talking about the alt-right you bring up the guy who killed two folks on a train in Portland without mentioning that he’s a Bernie supporter! A man of the left, you lying whore scum. Yet the structure of the article would lead one to think he is part of the alt-right.

    You people do nothing but lie, mock, attack, and destroy the lives of the people you hate but get just a little, and it is very little, turned back against you you yell and scream and throw a fit worthy of the world’s biggest baby.

    You people are pure shit with no redeeming characteristics. And if you think you can win if all-out violence becomes the norm then you’re going to be very surprised and upset….but not for long.

  24. Festus

    Guttdamn you guys need a thumbs up/down feature for the weekend! Some of this stuff is solid gold, Jerry!

    1. Akira

      You know who else took gold from the Jews?

      1. NoDakMat

        George Soros?

        1. Festus

          I rest my case, Your Honor.