Don Swissxote
To Juvenile Bluster
Looks like PM Rajoy has decided to crack down on Catalonia. [forestalling our commenters, I will ask…”You know who else cracked down on Catalonia?”]
Catalan separatists respond with a good bye vote in Parliament [Note: this vote was boycotted by opposition parties, the result was : 70 in favor, 10 against and two blank ballots out of a 135-member parliament].
So now what? The Catalan vote appears to be a reaction to the Spanish Central Government moving to impose direct rule over the area (Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution). Some interesting notes in this story.
To those who think this is simply a bunch of Lefties who want to prog harder than Madrid:
Marta Ribas of the leftist Catalonia Yes We Can party said “two grave errors” were being committed Friday.
“First, the Article 155 which will take away our rights and impact all the country. But it is a grave error to respond to that barbarity with an even bigger error,” she said. “The unilateral declaration of independence won’t protect us against Article 155, you will only make the majority of people suffer.”
One of the demonstrators in Barcelona was quoted as saying:
“I am here today because we will start the Catalan Republic,” said 68-year-old protester Jordi Soler. “Madrid is starting with total repression — and there is no longer any (other) option.”
So now we will have to see what Madrid will do when it invokes Article 155. I am expecting the National Police (the headcrackers from the referendum) to go in and arrest everyone they can. The Catalonian provincial police’s reaction will be key – if they resist, the Army will go in next, and I think it will get bloody.
Does any of this change the view of a libertarian? To this minarchist, I am slowing moving further and further into the Catalan camp.
UPDATE: Things moving along. Here is a good timeline. Article 155 invoked, looks like Madrid will at least charge Catalan President Puigdemont with “rebellion” (insert “You Rebel Scum” here)
First, also “fuck off slaver” that is always on topic.
Off not of, save me edit fairy. However “fuck of slaver” is an interesting phrase.
Like a plural? A fuck of slavers?
A gaggle of fucks.
I thought it was a murder of fucks?
The Madrid governement has said they will file charges against those who voted Yes. I am disappointed the Catalan parliament made it a secret ballot. You have to put your neck out on these things to enforce the hanging together, in order to not hang separately.
John FUCKING BIG LETTERS Hancock.
I think you mean Herbie
Agreed, the Declaration of Independence didn’t end with guess which states and officials want this
I want to write a bot that responds to every one of your posts with one word:
MULTIPASS
Anyone see that Valerian movie?
Yes. Script was awful, the lead actors sucked. The only good things were the setting and the visuals.
Otherwise, a total shit movie.
So you’re saying it’s an instant cult classic?
Not sure if it was woke enough… http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/10/26/speed-racer-is-colorful-anti-capitalist-and-criminally-overlooked
So it’s a strobe light operated by Che.
I honestly don’t understand this. There have been several films and books I’ve seen that preached a message I agreed with that I threw aside either becase they sucked, were too preachy, or were bad at preaching to the point I was cringing as they basically made themselves a strawman.
So the central villain is “as mustache-twirling as the Wacky Races villain”, but the film provides “incisive social commentary”…
The genuinely fashionable time to be a socialist intellectually (irrespective of its actual merits) was the 1840s to the 1950s. At that point, (if you ignored a fair amount of the tell-tale signs, particularly in the last few decades), it wasn’t proven beyond doubt that socialism leads to penury, repression and misery.
I despise these ‘Vice socialists’, who pose as counter-cultural and ‘on the right side of history’, while flagitating for systems which demonstrably increase the power of the state at the expense of the individual.
Well, it’s not hard to be on the right side of history when you can just airbrish the wrong side out.
It was meh. It had interesting visuals and some ok action scenes but the plot, acting and dialogue ranged from cringe worthy to TV movie. The leads were a black hole of charisma.
No, but I’ve had decent luck using it as a sleep aid.
Generalissimo Franco?
Way to stomp on the joke right away!
Damn, give the guy a hat tip, and he starts Godzillaing all over the place, humph!
Sorry, sorry, sorry. For penance I will spend the next 30 minutes reading articles on Salon. Pray for me.
If you would like, you can expedite your penance by reading just two articles from the Root, or one and the full comments section.
Harsh!
Salon is the white people of penance reading!
I somehow got signed up for daily e-mails from Medium with their hand-picked best articles. I just read this one. That has to be enough, right?
https://medium.com/@Michael_Paramo/navigating-toxic-masculinity-as-a-demiguy-7f94e6e3514a
Fuck, I read the article when just the header should’ve been enough.
A demiguy? See JFK files below.
I’m afraid to ask, but what is a ‘demiguy’?
Just the tip.
Oh. I thought “just the tip” was called “junior high”
Well, “demi” means half, and “guy” comes from Guy Fawkes who is most infamous for his involvement in the Gunpowder plot to blow up half the British legislative body, so clearly a demiguy is someone who supports assassinating half of Congress.
Per Urban Dictionary, it seems to be something that applies to most people but some people call themselves it because they want to feel special. I had no clue what it was until I looked it up just now.
“Demisexuals are characterized by a lack of sexual attraction toward any person unless they become deeply emotionally or romantically connected with a specific person or persons”
So a shy girl?
So the demisexual is just into fatties?
“Demisexuals are characterized by a lack of sexual attraction toward any person unless they become deeply emotionally or romantically connected with a specific person or persons.”
WTF? This encompasses a huge percentage of the population. It’s almost as if they’re just inventing new identities to try and prop up their intersectional cluster fuck…
Its like a demigod, only half human, half cuck
When oppression points are power, why wouldn’t people do that? You can raise several ranks in the woke hierarchy just by defining yourself as a new minority misunderstood and oppressed by society (nevermind that by their definition “demisexuals” have never been oppressed by society).
I’m sorry to have to admit that I know what it is. It’s not demisexual. It’s people who “sometimes” feel like their gender and sometimes don’t. Based on the person I know who told me what it is, and based on the fact that both she (I WENT THERE, PRONOUN POLICE) and this guy have about a million other alphabet soup identities attached to themselves, I’m going to guess that it typically involves a number of mental disorders. She’s bipolar and has severe depression. Amazingly, she also has body dysphoria and thinks this has something to do with her gender and not her mental illnesses. I don’t know who her shrink is, but they’re not helping.
That is a parody…right? RIGHT?!
If you think that one’s a parody, what about this one?
https://medium.com/@conorgrant/an-open-letter-to-monster-energy-fb631f44e4d0
self-parody.
Re: open letter to Monster
Translation: any attempt to undermine the faith is literally violence
If these people were in charge, you’d get a tenner for Anti-Soviet Agitation for pointing out that violence happens to white people too.
I just noticed the hammer and sickle in the signature
Damn, I had the same response. I was going to say Napoleon and then changed it. I thought you just can’t say Hitler?
Euric the Visigoth?
The Umayyad Caliphate?
Real Madrid, on occasion, sadly?
*EDIT FAIRY HELP!*
Ugh… “Real”
*swoon*
Droves of British tourists?
Partial credit – full credit would have been if this was Majorca
Dogalonia?
I think Catalonia could be going about this better. Something like the American Declaration, with a formal listing of grievances and proudly signed by the supporters so everyone knew their commitment and their neck was on the line. As of now most of their sympathy is coming from videos of Spanish police beating old ladies, and most people I’ve talked to are under the impression they just want to leave because they feel they’re being taxed too much (yeah I know that was in the DoI too, but it was taxes without representation and it was number 17 of 27 grievances.)
Pretty much this.
I definitely sympathize with a region carrying the load over another (but this is what it is to be in a nation-state configured as a Federation/Confederation) and I stand by this is a ‘Quebec’ type of hollow action. I could be wrong.
I keep waiting to see something with more substance. There was no Madrid crack down prior to all this; their actions led to it. I’m not saying I agree with how Madrid dealt with it and it does seem excessive but what did they think was going to happen?
Again, as I’ve mentioned before, the Canadian example went off without a hitch – then again, they lost the vote and I have no idea how it would have gone down had it not. Rumor has it the Canadian army mobilized in 1995 with a legend circulating the U.S. also had troops ready.
The Spanish had beaten up several hundred people during the referendum…I think that counts as a bit of a crack down.
As a former US Army officer, I can say that I had never heard of anything other than a few grunts of partial interest when the whole Quebec thing was going on in 1995.
“PRESENT…ARMS!” /Officer LaBlat
*presents hockey sticks & curling brooms* /C.anucki l.iberal i.nfantry t.roops
“Aboooooooooot face” /Officer Lablat
*turns other cheek* / clits
“Forward MARCH” /Officer LaBlat
*all trip on skates* /clits
“I TOLD YOU HOSERS TO TAKE THE SKATES OFF, EH?!” /Officer LaBlat
It took a couple of years of trying and failing to get their grievances heard and their rights as Englishmen restored before the Americans got to that point. The Catalonians are at the stage where they have tried peacefully to gain their independence. Spain has now suspended what little self-governance they had – so it’s decision time. Do they have the guts to fight for it?
“You know who else cracked down on Catalonia?”
Franco?
You know who helped Franco win the Spanish Civil War? (It’s Six Degrees of Hitler)
*narrows gaze*
Ok, Napoleon then
And what was Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte, chopped liver?
Foie.
Moroccan regulares?
Moroccan….I’m firing my editor.
*YOU GET EDIT FAERIE 2 FOR 1*
Moobtacular.
Guntacular.
I threw up in my mouth.
I haven’t seen enough proof one way or the other, and I’m not sure it matters.
Even socialists are entitled to self-determination. Saying otherwise is the same as saying socialists aren’t allowed free speech protections.
“To this minarchist, I am slowing moving further and further into the Catalan camp.”
I support that notion that a group of people should be able to determine the kind of government they want. The smaller the group of people, the better. Local government can be the best government and self determination is a libertarian goal.
I hope Catalonia is successful in seperating from Spain and I hope there is as little violence as possible. However, from what I have read, the separatists do not want to declare independence in order to form a free society based on individual liberty. The leaders of this movement are not the American founding fathers. They are socialists who want to set up a socialist state that has their Top Men in charge instead of the Top Men in Madrid.
How small can the group get? Could Rhode Island secede if it wanted to? How about New York City*? How about a West Virginia coal town with a population of less than 500? What about a single ranch in the middle of Montana?
Genuine question here, I definitely agree in self-determination, but I’m not a full ancap and I’m not sure where I would draw the line.
*I realize NYC has a larger pop than Rhode Island, my main demonstration is in spite of this RI is considered to have slightly more sovereignty than NYC.
But who will pay for muh roadz?!
Pay for roads? Why not just have your orphan laborers pave your own roads?
Where Catalonia is going- they don’t need roads
But seriously it is a good question. I don’t have the answer, but I did have to listen to a far away coworker who lives in the “State of Jefferson” bash the folks pushing for it going all the way back to the movements origin in the 19th century as deplorables yesterday. So I have that going for me.
I think “state-fellator” is a reasonable counter argument to the “deplorables” one.
Well she is a bureaucrat.
I think that Rhode Island should be able to secede. Why not?
As far as smaller communities, allowing their independence I think would be a great idea. If a West Virginia coal town went it’s own way and was successful, then other communities could look at how they ran their community see an example of good governence. If the coal town went is own way and was a failure, then people would likely leave, or agree to be absorbed back into the larger state.
In the marketplace, competition drives better products and services. A marketplace of governments would work the same way. The more products on the market, the better. Bad governments would fail and good ones would thrive.
This was the idea of the States in the U.S. being given the power to form their own governments that used to not be beholden to the fed except in narrowly defined areas. It is no longer this way of course, but I think the idea is good.
I do wonder how far off the reservation (racist!) we’ve gone regarding defense. Originally that was a primary purpose of fed gov. Now I fear a small separatist movement would be destroyed by the very government supposed to protect it. I believe we have enough evidence that would be the case anyway.
See the Branch Davidians.
Yup. Among others…
The CSA is a glaring example.There was a big war fought over whether states can secede or not and the states lost.
Regardless what you nelieve the south was fighting for, the end result of the civil war was the loss of the state’s right to self determination.
I have read that 70% of the US armed forces come from 7 states located in the historical South.
My Google is broke or I would prove it to you.
It would be hard to get them to turn their weapons on their social brethren were the rebeling states to come from that area.
yes.
I am not an ancap, but I don’t know how to draw a line at all. If a family in Montana wants to secede, I fail to see the problem with letting them go.
As long as they pay their land tax!
To themselves, yes.
If everyone could secede and get out of income tax they would do it.
Then eventually they would get together and form local governments and states. Then they would think maybe we should agree to free trade across states and have some agreements on defense as long as the states retain most government power.
Then they would right it down but the states would insist on a say in the affairs before joining. So rather than a popular vote they would assign each state electoral votes and representatives.
It’s crazy enough to work.
# 3 World Nuclear power…
IMO, yes. If they want out then who am I to stop them.
How about a West Virginia coal town with a population of less than 500? What about a single ranch in the middle of Montana?
On a certain level, why not? Of course, their independence imposes no obligations on the federal government: “Okay. You can have your independence. But, we’re putting up a border wall. And we have a $2,000 entry and exit fee for residents of your country. And did we mention your country doesn’t have Most Favored Nation trade status? Your country has a 75% tariff on all goods and services exported to it.”‘
If our governments would stay in their lanes with regard to what they are supposed to be doing this would not be a problem.
Federal Gov’t – National defense and keeping trade between the States regular. Dispute resolution for issues that cross state lines
State Gov’t – Some police power, with as much as possible devolved to local gov’t.
Local Gov’t – Most police power for dispute resolution between locals.
Self Gov’t – Self-evident.
I’ll ask here, too: which side will los Antifas Yanquis join to hone their fascist-bashing skillz before the Big Show on the streets of Oakland?
That will tell me which side to root for.
Can we ship the domestic antifas over there to fight?
They did that themselves in the 30s. Shouldn’t be hard to convince them again.
You know who else cracked down on Catalonia?
El Cid?
He was vicious.
Oh brother!
*rolls eyes*
You are amazing.
BOOOO!!!!!!
*spits at crowd and flips off*
I’m not even punk.
Speaking of which, Don Lett’s excellent film “The Punk Rock Movie” is finally available on Amazon streaming. A very close up documentary of British punk at the Roxy Club. Featuring performances by the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Gen X, Siouxie, Johnny Thunders, and many more!
Bonus: it’s the original edit with all the clowning around and intravenous drug use!
*tips mohawk*
Thank you, sir.
This is a fun movie, too.
Thank you for posting some tasty tunes this week btw.
And thank you Sloopy for a great week of tunes as well.
Likewise. The thing I love most about this place is the never ending musical education.
And yes, thanks for the efforts, Sloopy!
As I asked in the Morning Lynx: is either side committed to start killing/dying over this? If not, it’ll just be another grievance-o-rama full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Sometimes, an impasse is reached in which violence is the only viable option for change. Sucks, but it is what it is. Not that I’m a fan of Civil War or anything like that, I’m just saying that Madrid has already made it clear they won’t let Catalonia go, so if Catalonia really wants out, they’ll have to fight for it.
My knowledge of this is limited, but I believe the Catalans have been demanding independence, off and on, since the 1600s. If that’s correct, we may be seeing long multi-generational grievances start boiling to the surface. I think the drive for independence goes far behind “we’re taxed too much” for many of the participants, so we may start seeing IRA style tactics emerge, at a minimum.
It dates earlier than that, it was just independence from the Franks that they wanted. They seemed mostly okay with being part of Aragon, but the merger with Castilla probably set them off again.
There have been several modern-day referendums (e.g. Statute of Autonomy) that have been agreed-upon with the Spanish government and later overturned/reinterpreted. I was in Barcelona in 2010 – shortly after the major protests. Our conversations with locals were generally along the lines of – we want to be free to live the way we want without interference from Madrid. I believe you are correct regarding IRA-style tactics, particularly if Madrid draws first blood.
You know it gets serious when those Catalans start aggressively investing for their retirement.
is either side committed to start killing/dying over this
I’m quite confident the Spanish government is committed to killing people over this. Its what they (governments) do; its who they are.
The only real question is whether the separatists are willing to engage in an armed revolt.
https://twitter.com/cabot_phillips/status/923604444503097344
Pretty explosive stuff from the JFK file release yesterday.
*MASS TRIGGERING*
Mind blowing
*narrows gaze*
I’ll allow it.
*golf claps*
I thought there were just one trigger involved there?
If the US sends peacekeepers to Barcelona maybe you could get back to the Army. The wine and tapas is better than Afghanistan or Iraq
Christ I hope the US doesn’t get involved with this. We probably will cause that’s apparently what we do.
Nah, as long as Rota stays open, I think the US could care less.
“Morons for Morón”
You touch on a good point though – we only get involved in wars in horrible places like Afghanistan and Iraq.
WHERE WILL BARCELONA PLAY? Is anyone thinking of Messi?
Messi’s been pissing me off lately. What’s the deal with him turning into a thug? He’s supposed to be the humble, wholesome player.
I don’t watch La Liga anymore but I noticed he started tatting himself up. Once you go there, there’s nowhere to go but thug.
Anyway, FC Barcelona are the historically “anti-Madrid” team of Barcelona. They should be happy to stay where they are. The real question is what happens to Espanyol (formerly Real Español).
Perhaps he is trying to blend-in so the tax collectors won’t recognize him.
I don’t know how far gone he is but what I saw looked too colorful and flowery to blend in.
La Liga isn’t going to be foolish enough to kick Barcelona out, even if Catalonia becomes independent. They’d lose far too much money.
There’s silly rumors of them joining either Ligue 1 or the Premier League. Won’t happen.
Catalans have the size economy and historical reasons to form a successful country on their own if they don’t go full retard (a.k.a. full socialist)
Peak Salon? Peak Salon.
Per JB’s posted info from Urban Dictionary, bake a cake.
Quitting being a liberal comes to mind.
AKA: growing some common sense and along with it, a spine; getting laid with an actual woman; drink something other than a microbrew IPA; get a real job
All good places to start.
I’d suggest seeing a urologist about those undescended testicles, as well.
Man, those dirty, dirty fantasies of empowerment and competence can be tough to defeat. I’d suggest more self-criticism. Maybe try flogging yourself with a belt.
Too fantastic.
Do you find yourself with a raging boner after having this fantasy?
Sooo D&D? I guarantee he’d play a Drizzt ripoff (drow are the white people of elves.)
I feel slightly ashamed that I know what you mean by this.
Oh great, the guy is probably going to quit his job and become a cop.
The gun just fired itself!
Then there’s this howler:
Yes, Nazis are doing home invasions in black neighborhoods and antifa is fighting them off.
They’ve gone from LARPing to full on delusion.
And I have been told the sky is orange and bananas peel themselves. That don’t make it so.
Sounds like a chicken or the egg kinda of conundrum…drum.
https://takahopost.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/p2gnljnawtlh8o9yjidp3006-381x530x1.jpg
Work. Work. Work.
Only you and Rufus. LOSERS!
(It was meant to be a reply to workaholic puppet)
I’m getting the sense I’m being bullied.
/bites into and pulls on liquorice. Hates liquorice.
It’s not sugar free is it?
I am not bullying you in any way. This is playful banter hoser. I even left out the Canadian cusswords “sorey” and “eh”.
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/00/73/3a/00733a0420de1e14c63de55d580d9cd6.jpg
My work firewall blocks those out for some reason.
Here:
http://archive.is/TrDnl
Awesome sir.
And ‘there’. Never forget ‘there’.
*hugs*
*contracts canucki cuddies*
mmmm…maple bacon.
bacon-magic = Rihanna???
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNJTxCZX0AACmsi.jpg:large
It doesn’t sound like Mark Halperin was too smart
Amazing how many of these types try to use that shit as a fig-leaf.
How can a completely made-up subject matter where the answer to any and all possible questions is “it’s the white-hetero males’ fault” be too hard?
Imagine trying to get a masters in the History of Middle Earth. Now imagine that the history of Middle Earth is in constant flux and being written, re-written, and added onto by hundreds of people who are themselves constantly rising and falling in terms of relevance as greater oppression intersections arise, you must constantly signal your dedication to the subject, and failing to keep up with the current history will get you excommunicated.
Sounds tiring. Maybe one should just work instead.
But the folks at Signum U seemed so nice.
Too hard…to hold back the laughter?
I like the reduction in difficulty of his career choices.
And by “too hard”, he meant his dick.
Only in his fantasies. In reality his dick is as limp as his handshake.
Sitting at a burger joint listening to an impeach trump ad on CNN paid for and narrated by Tom Steyer. God, what a sanctimonious douche.
Also, yay Catalonia.
The re-elect Trump 2020 campaign has already begun and Trump’s not spending a dime.
I hope he wastes a ton of money on those things.
OK kids. As stated, I’ve already got a CZ75 and I’m looking to get another 9mm. The gun store nearby is running a killer sale on Gen 3 Glocks they’re trying to get rid of. Should I just go ahead and get a Glock 19 or should I save up and get something else?
What is the intended purpose of the firearm?
Mostly range queen. If I loved it, I wouldn’t be opposed to putting it in my nightstand, but initially just a fungun.
Then I guess it doesn’t matter what gun you get, but getting a gen 3 glock as a fun gun is like getting a honda civic as a pleasure cruiser.
These are fun.
That’s… a lot of numbers after that dollar sign.
Right? Closer to 800 irl, though.
A buddy has one and brings it to the range. Once you get over the fact that it costs $1 every trigger pull – it’s hilariously fun.
Hand cannon!
I suppose if I adored it, I could start using it as a carry gun. It would have to be pretty spectacular to supplant my LCR though. I have a bias toward revolvers for carry (I like the reliability, just a personal preference) but if the 19 was amazing, the added capacity might make up for it.
Fifteen rounds has a spectacular-ness all it’s own. Plus, the G19 is pretty easy to shoot well. Plus, it’s ubiquitous. You’ll never have a problem finding parts or holsters.
Buy a Glock and go to a GSSF match nearby. Lots of fun.
To carry? Range? The coolness of a two-gun rig?
Oh, fuck, who cares? Get this.
That is a thing of beauty.
If you like that but want something cheaper, I would recommend this:
https://www.chiappafirearms.com/p.php?id=249
Thank ya sir.
Kinda sexy, too.
Sure. It’s tough to go wrong with a Gen3 9mm Glock.
if the glock fits your hand it makes a lot of sense.
I’m getting the polymer little-brother CZ P-07 next week. About the same size as the Glock 19 but feels life a CZ.
Glocks never agreed with me – don’t like the grip angle and flip.
I wouldn’t have a problem with the govt. using contractors if they actually reduced the size of their own workforce in proportion. Contractors do a better job at a cheaper price.
http://www.realclearpolicy.com/articles/2017/10/27/why_government_grows_despite_the_constitution.html
depends on how many of those contractors are people who just “retired” from government work to do the exact same job at 2X salary.
I have many friends and family in the military especially that pulled this move.
Though, maybe it is cheaper even with that huge bump, idk.
The ol’ double dip. Know a few of those myself.
I’m looking to get another 9mm.
I have a Star 9mm . I like it. Compact, but not a purse gun.
“To those who think this is simply a bunch of Lefties who want to prog harder than Madrid:”
I dont know what to think. If Catalonia somehow gets independence we will see what they do. If i had to put money on it I would bet on the pinkos either running or hijacking the independence movement. I just dont know enough at this point to have anything other than a guess. Pinkos are drawn to radical movements in a way that normals aren’t. If they aren’t there now, they will be.
They care, we don’t, they win.