U.S. politics isolation tank

[rosco rathbone]

Originally Posted by Sir_Winston54

The tipping point, I think, is in the entry "1973." It was at that point, IMNSHO, that the lever shattered on the point of the fulcrum and any chance of regaining some sort of equilibrium was forever lost.

Can't remember what year Nixon went off gold, but it was right in that time period.

Awesome book if you like 70s working class stuff: Stayin Alive by Jefferson Cowies.

I love movies about that era, like Silkwood, Norma Rae and Harlan County. All the people depicted in those movies would be teabaggers today.

[Stella_Omega]

So... News of the wierd...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/0...-human-hybrids

and oh, by the way, abortions.

[BiBunny]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

So... News of the wierd...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/0...-human-hybrids

and oh, by the way, abortions.

There's a reason the state motto of Alabama is "Thank God for Mississippi."

[midwestyankee]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

So... News of the wierd...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/0...-human-hybrids

and oh, by the way, abortions.

Best line was the clincher: "You add in some language about how every ovum has the right to carry an assault rifle, I think you've got a winner there."

[Sir_Winston54]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

So... News of the wierd...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/0...-human-hybrids

and oh, by the way, abortions.

Originally Posted by BiBunny

There's a reason the state motto of Alabama is "Thank God for Mississippi."

Originally Posted by midwestyankee

Best line was the clincher: "You add in some language about how every ovum has the right to carry an assault rifle, I think you've got a winner there."

Okay, you guys... it's way too early for me to be snorting and chuckling that hard. Wait until later in the day for stuff like this, kthanxbye.

[Stella_Omega]

This morning, I was listening to a friend rant about a mutual enemy of ours; "I'm so over her, I don't care anymore! She's such an asshole, I am Over her!" etc etc, in that way that makes it perfectly clear that over" is SO not it.

And it occurred to me, that I really AM over that person, and pretty much everyone else that I have ever felt a personal animosity towards-- all my anger and scorn these days is directed towards the TeaParty/GOP. Kick my dog? That's bad, but-- there are people out there who are corporate kicking everyone's dog.

[midwestyankee]

I think my head is going to explode. Over at Fet I found myself defending Marco Rubio. Some nitwit liberal misquoted Rubio so he could then trash him. We get fiercely bent out of shape when Fox News erects a straw man using an Obama misquote ("You didn't build that" anyone?) but then it's ok for someone on our side to do the same? Sorry, if you can't find something wrong in Rubio's policies to argue that he ought not to be the next President, you need to get out more and maybe subscribe to a newspaper.

[Stella_Omega]

It's not a matter of defending him, don't fall into that trap. It's more a matter of reminding people how easy it is to find legitimate reasons to make fun of him.

[midwestyankee]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

It's not a matter of defending him, don't fall into that trap. It's more a matter of reminding people how easy it is to find legitimate reasons to make fun of him.

In truth, I didn't really defend Rubio so much as show the OP how his whole post was based on a straw man case. And my point was that there's no shortage of reasons to trash Rubio's politics so there's no reason to make stuff up. But the OP persisted in claiming that he has a right to make unproven claims about Rubio because the man's policy preferences are odious. Idiot.

[Stella_Omega]

Originally Posted by midwestyankee

In truth, I didn't really defend Rubio so much as show the OP how his whole post was based on a straw man case. And my point was that there's no shortage of reasons to trash Rubio's politics so there's no reason to make stuff up. But the OP persisted in claiming that he has a right to make unproven claims about Rubio because the man's policy preferences are odious. Idiot.

yeah-- understandable, but counterproductive for sure...

[Stella_Omega]

This is not okay.


http://24.media.tumblr.com/ac550bf0d...hofo1_1280.png

What is also not okay was the tweets defending the Onion. (it's been removed of course.)

[intothewoods]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

This is not okay.


http://24.media.tumblr.com/ac550bf0d...hofo1_1280.png

What is also not okay was the tweets defending the Onion. (it's been removed of course.)

Welll, I don't typically like objections to pure attempts at humor (not a public figure who says something offensive and then pretends it was a joke) based on, well, anything other than it's not funny. I will say that as it's an actual minor involved and it's an older kid, it doesn't really land. Like if it were a joke about a toddler, no one would have blinked. Unless you just object to the word "cunt" period, and I personally do not if the joke is funny.

[Sir_Winston54]

There was an extended discussion in one of the threads here not too long ago about the use of "cunt" as a derogatory term for any person, and the implication that application of a word for the female reproductive organ was insulting, whether applied to male or female.

[intothewoods]

Originally Posted by Sir_Winston54

There was an extended discussion in one of the threads here not too long ago about the use of "cunt" as a derogatory term for any person, and the implication that application of a word for the female reproductive organ was insulting, whether applied to male or female.

It's totally insulting, but you don't have to think that cunt is an acceptable insult in order to get the joke.

[Sir_Winston54]

Originally Posted by intothewoods

It's totally insulting, but you don't have to think that cunt is an acceptable insult in order to get the joke.

Sadly, I *don't* get the joke. I don't know who Ms. Wallis is, other than that she won an Oscar for best young actor/actress for her performance in a movie I've never heard of... and I only know that because I quickly googled her name.

[BiBunny]

I've never thought the Onion was funny. Like, at all.

[midwestyankee]

Originally Posted by BiBunny

I've never thought the Onion was funny. Like, at all.

Generally, the Onion is a helluva lot more entertaining than that set of tweets. I think someone who might not be on staff a whole lot longer tried to outdo Seth McFarlane and failed miserably.

[Stella_Omega]

Originally Posted by intothewoods

Welll, I don't typically like objections to pure attempts at humor (not a public figure who says something offensive and then pretends it was a joke) based on, well, anything other than it's not funny. I will say that as it's an actual minor involved and it's an older kid, it doesn't really land. Like if it were a joke about a toddler, no one would have blinked. Unless you just object to the word "cunt" period, and I personally do not if the joke is funny.

Personally, using the word renders any joke unfunny to me.

Unless it's actually about a va-jay-jay wearing a big round red nose or something.

And if it had been about a toddler? There would have been just as much blinking.

[intothewoods]

Originally Posted by Sir_Winston54

Sadly, I *don't* get the joke. I don't know who Ms. Wallis is, other than that she won an Oscar for best young actor/actress for her performance in a movie I've never heard of... and I only know that because I quickly googled her name.

She's a 9 year old and super sweet so it's like haha she's obviously not a cunt or jerk or whatever.

Originally Posted by BiBunny

I've never thought the Onion was funny. Like, at all.

I love the Onion! But I agree with yanks that the person tweeting seems to have a different "voice" than what I think of as Onion humor.

Originally Posted by midwestyankee

Generally, the Onion is a helluva lot more entertaining than that set of tweets. I think someone who might not be on staff a whole lot longer tried to outdo Seth McFarlane and failed miserably.

Yes.

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

Personally, using the word renders any joke unfunny to me.

Unless it's actually about a va-jay-jay wearing a big round red nose or something.

And if it had been about a toddler? There would have been just as much blinking.

It depends on the joke and who is telling it. To me. I'm with Ricky Gervais on this topic. Nothing is off limits if it's funny. But I really like edgy humor. I like Sarah Silverman, who has offended plenty of people and has said the word cunt often. It just depends on the joke and who is telling.

To me, if you said, I don't know, the e-trade baby - that actor's a real cunt - it's kinda funny because it's a freaking sweet innocent baby. Like it's preposterous enough that it's a chuckle to me and not a big deal. And it's also sort of making fun of people who call others cunts, and that's part of why the joke is okay. It's not actually a joke about a baby or a 9 year old girl. It's a joke about people who are jerks.

[Stella_Omega]

The Onion has apologised;

Feb. 25, 2013

Dear Readers,

On behalf of The Onion, I offer my personal apology to Quvenzhané Wallis and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the tweet that was circulated last night during the Oscars. It was crude and offensive—not to mention inconsistent with The Onion’s commitment to parody and satire, however biting.

No person should be subjected to such a senseless, humorless comment masquerading as satire.

The tweet was taken down within an hour of publication. We have instituted new and tighter Twitter procedures to ensure that this kind of mistake does not occur again.

In addition, we are taking immediate steps to discipline those individuals responsible.

Miss Wallis, you are young and talented and deserve better. All of us at The Onion are deeply sorry.

Sincerely,

Steve Hannah
CEO
The Onion

https://www.facebook.com/TheOnion/po...51500974969497

The limit to Satire is: Where the power ends. POWER is the subject of satire, and there's plenty of it out there.

There was, in fact, a message in that tweet. Yeah, I get it. But the fucking arrogance of some asshole to think this child was the perfect vehicle for their (I'll bet it was a woman, BTW) joke? Nuh-uh. That's not pointing at anyone's power, that's not edgy.

Quvenzhané Wallis was FIVE YEARS OLD when this incredible independent film got started, she and the rest of the cast and crew poured everything they had into it. There's a message that the mainstream is ignoring. She's one of the REALLY good guys.

And she was one of umm.. a dozen people of color to take the stage? Out of hundreds?

SO not funny. And to his credit, Mr. Hannah knew how to apologise.

[DeepGreenEyes]

Originally Posted by intothewoods

I love the Onion! But I agree with yanks that the person tweeting seems to have a different "voice" than what I think of as Onion humor.


It depends on the joke and who is telling it. To me. I'm with Ricky Gervais on this topic. Nothing is off limits if it's funny. But I really like edgy humor. I like Sarah Silverman, who has offended plenty of people and has said the word cunt often. It just depends on the joke and who is telling.

Yes, it did seem different than the Onion I know and love. I read an article last year about the impact of Twitter on comedy, and a testing ground for stand up. If you follow comedians' tweets, you know that half of the stuff is dross. It's comedy vomit, and 99 percent of it won't be heard from again.

I'm guessing calling nine-year olds cunts is probably off the table.

[Stella_Omega]

Originally Posted by DeepGreenEyes

Yes, it did seem different than the Onion I know and love. I read an article last year about the impact of Twitter on comedy, and a testing ground for stand up. If you follow comedians' tweets, you know that half of the stuff is dross. It's comedy vomit, and 99 percent of it won't be heard from again.

I'm guessing calling nine-year olds cunts is probably off the table.

Basically, yeah.

Sorry.

[DeepGreenEyes]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

Basically, yeah.

Sorry.

There are always live kittens to stir fry.

[Stella_Omega]

Originally Posted by DeepGreenEyes

There are always live kittens to stir fry.

As long as they are not nine years old...

[DeepGreenEyes]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

As long as they are not nine years old...

Agreed. That would be wrong.

I propose adding tea party representatives as a tasty meat substitute.