BBC’s Charlie Booker explores the media’s role in perpetuating mass violence. (“Newswipe,” 2009)
Whenever a tragedy like this takes place, it is assigned catchphrases and theme music, and the same fragmentary TV footage of the shooter is cycled again and again. Somewhere in the night, among those watching, will be another angry, aggrieved loner who is uncoiling toward action. – Film critic, Roger Ebert (New York Times,7/20)
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106 Responses to Mass Coverage, Mass Murder
Now on The Trail
Woohoo? Such sad threads….
It’s not “the news” any longer… it’s entertainment…
even mass murder… and it’s sickening.
I haven’t turned on any cable news station since Friday afternoon… it’s Animal Planet and The Food Network for me.
Lol. You think this guy watched a lot of CNN? I doubt it.
Champ…
did you watch the video?… This thread is not about what James Holmes already did. It’s about an analysis of the massive 24hr coverage of his crime which can lead to copycat acts.
As Flatus said in the last thread:
The Serenity Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Unfortunately I still have great difficultly in accepting the things I cannot change. I still have hope, damn Obama, in the old English proverb:
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
Randy Wray: Why We’re Screwed
By L. Randall Wray, Naked Capitalism, July 23, 2012
“I will be the first that I’ve seen to make this astute point: I think this shooting guy is autistic.” http://craigcrawford.com/2012/07/21/aurora-killer-worth-noting/#comment-293547
Champ, I was (and am) very interested in what brought you to this conclusion. I don’t agree or disagree (mostly because I don’t have a really good understanding of autism, aside from the most well known symptoms).
Joe S. apparently agree’s with you:
“”Most of it has to do with mental health. You have these people that are somewhere, I believe, probably on the autism scale,” said Scarborough, whose own son has Asperger’s syndrome. “I don’t know if that’s the case here, but it happens more often than not. People that can walk around in society, they can function on college campuses, they can even excel on college campuses, but are socially disconnected.”
He added that autistic people who don’t have a strong support network face a “terrible challenge” on a daily basis. “Again, I don’t know the specifics about this young man, but we see too many shooters bearing the same characteristics mentally,” Scarborough said. ” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/joe-scarborough-james-holmes-autism_n_1694599.html?utm_hp_ref=morning-joe
….I figure ‘insanity’ of any kind is also on a very large spectrum (as is autism). I can only guess that you (and Joe) are thinking this because autistic people feel so isolated and disassociated from the rest of society. That alone makes it impossible for those suffering from the disease to live under the same rules and expectations that the rest of us strive to live under — I ‘assume’ therefore they make their own rules and come to their own conclusions using a different set of rules than the rest of us (whether it has much to do with reality or not). But ‘extreme anger’ and the inability to release that anger has to contribute to what makes these people go off their rocker.
I don’t think he did it for attention either. And if there is a copycat act, I think they would be someone acting out for a completely different reason.
The news coverage will never go away — it’s a given. Censorship is out of the question, so I personally don’t see any way to solve the problems the media causes.
Jack?
That’s an awfully long walk you’re taking.
…. hope you get back here soon, and raise a little hell.
… and Patd. I’m sorry if this is to personal to ask, but I remember reading a while back that you were having some medical problems, but wasn’t around to find out if those problems were solved.
Sure would like to know how you’re feeling.
Damnit, I’m playing second fiddle to Joe Scarborough?!
Bearing in mind I have no accreditation in any discipline of psychology in any way, and to answer your question regarding the basis for my speculation on the possibility that the shooter-guy falls on the autism spectrum, whatever that is, Nemo:
1. Supposedly book-smart
2. Socially awkward
3. Lacking empathy
4. Lives in fantasy
It seems as if the last thing most people would want to accept is that there is some explanation for what they would prefer to perceive as a senseless act, so to acknowledge a possibility like the above is unpalatable to them, making it much more convenient to defer to easy answers like, “oh, it’s guns and the media”.
Regarding copycat acts, that is just silly. No one just sits and watches the news and sees some horrible tragedy and thinks “Oh, I should commit atrocities to make the news”. Such a person would have had to be diseased already to even consider that type of action, and the cause of THAT is much more relevant.
Flatus,
I found great comfort in your conveying the sign you got from KumCho’s favorite oak tree. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned it, but I LOVE trees, and Oaks (the older the better) are my favorite. I love the idea that they can live so long, and I think some of ours have to be over a 100 years old (the lucky ones, that is).
Have a safe trip to Korea… I hope your family will be traveling with you.
“Damnit, I’m playing second fiddle to Joe Scarborough?!”
No Champ. Never! — not you.
I knew your insight was first hand, and only found what he said because you made me curious, and I went looking for some info. on Autism. His just happened to pop up
…an how come no one is blaming Batman? Those “dark and edgy” Christopher Nolan movies suck, especially Batman 2 with Heath Ledger. “A brave performance, worthy of an Oscar”, people said. He played a fictional murdering-psychopath, and now idiots dress up like him. All this cultural malaise boils down to a disconnect with the natural world, but that’s a whole ‘nother kettle of fish that needs to be fried on a different day.
It’s Ok, Nemo, maybe I can finagle a condescending back-rub from that nice Polish girl out of the deal, that blonde one that sits next to him.
Have a good day, people.
” “oh, it’s guns and the media””
I read somewhere that O.A.R. wrote the (great) song “Shattered” with that same idea in mind. Not guns and media, but that he had noticed that people tend to always blame their problems on someone else. He didn’t go on to explain much, but I do know we all ‘tend’ to do that.
“All this cultural malaise boils down to a disconnect with the natural world, but that’s a whole ‘nother kettle of fish that needs to be fried on a different day.”
… yep. Not a lot reality based ‘anything’ anymore.
Ha!… which ‘natural (real) world’?
(or should I say “who’s”)
“maybe I can finagle a condescending back-rub from that nice Polish girl out of the deal”
There you go fantasizing again.
Champ and Chloe…The autism spectrum includes those syndromes from ADD/ADHD to classical autism. Aspergers falls between the two, and autism can be mild, moderate or severe. You can find the symptoms that lead to diagnosis in the DSM-IV (think that’s the current version). I suspect, based on personal experience, that how these kids ultimately function in the world depend on many factors, with their upbringing and support system playing huge roles.
Thanks Harborwoman.
I came back to link the song I mentioned (which has nothing to do with the discussion, but for some reason the discussion reminded me of his interview on why he wrote it)
… glad I did so I saw your response and clarification. Have a great day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vKAuu5NPIc
Dark Knight is a wonderful movie…Also, Andrew Garfield is a great Spiderman…The Garfield, Sally Field, Martin Sheen scenes are Oscar worthy…
chloe, big scare, but benign. so am still here to smile thru another day. thanks for asking.
jamie, you sound like chris hedges. hope you got a chance to watch him on bill moyers yesterday talking about “sacrifice zones”
http://billmoyers.com/segment/chris-hedges-on-capitalism%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98sacrifice-zones%E2%80%99/
Jamie and Flatus…Watched Dan Rather’s show yesterday…now I’m afraid of my gas can!
funny we humans.
mass media dwell 24/7 on the dramatic fine points of tragedies where 12 people are killed by one deranged man, but hardly notice the destruction of larger groups (including widespread environmental destruction continuing to do in more) -- all killed by greedy corporations.
Flatus… godspeed on your journey to Korea.
Jamie… thanks for relinking the news of A. Cockburn
patd… I think the media has a hard time with complicated subjects that take time to investigate. But a lone gunman… or a car crash… or a fire… or the political horserace… those things are easy to digest by consumers of news. And easy translates into ratings which translates into the selling of more commercials. That’s what it’s all about.
Joe Scar has a child with aspergers even so he’s such a liar for profit I wouldn’t believe a word the mayor of looneyville says.
Flatus have a wonderful journey and I am sure there will be many touching and magical moments. I’ll look forward to your return.
The media again so much easier to speculate then report the news. In the video from the court room he looks catatonic and of course weird because he has mostly pink hair that looks like a wig. He’s much heavier then when he was in hs or his face is puffed up and bloated. He doesn’t look healthy. Of course the only thing to compare his current appearance is the tape from hs and his college id photo where he did not have badly dyed pink hair and looked happy and healthy.
This is a sad thread about a sad story and the sad sack of crap the media puts out. Now the in thing is to focus on the victims not the criminal. The media attempts at ethos, pathos and bathos make me want to barfos
Mike Elk @MikeElk
I demand that @joenbc issues a retraction of comments linking autism to CO shooting & host segment on autism w/ autistic people
********************************************************
Ride, Sally Ride, ride.
I think that this is first time I have seen universal agreement on this blog.
Everyone and I mean everyone is absolutely fed up with the behaviour of the media. I, like everyone else, am sickened by the media’s ridiculous coverage of this truly tragic event.
They are trying to fabricate elements of this story to boost ratings or make some political statement. I’m just sick of it and find myself so skeptical of any media that I am starting to develop an unhealthy personal dislike for anyone in media. It’s irrational I know but I’m really fed up with them all.
I don’t usually feel very close to most on this blog but I do share the pain you all feel. I don’t need a solution or some big political statement. I just feel sad…..and that all I want to feel about this right now.
hey…. anybody else getting a feeling of deja vu ala Bill Frist and Terri Schiavo…
All…I highly recommend Chris Hayes’ new book…Twilight of the Elites.
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/07/21/aurora-killer-worth-noting/#comment-293537
Flatus,
Absolutely agree with you..Ah but Republican’s will scream ‘Socialist”, so what’s new? Damn, I like the slogan, Lets get it done for America…
I hope you have a safe trip and if you can blog in Korea, let us hear how you are doing..
Sally Ride, first American woman in space, dies
By the CNN Wire Staff, July 23, 2012 Updated 6:09 PM EDT
Three-Year-Old Tripp Palin Called His Aunt Willow Palin a ‘Faggot’
By Dan Amira
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/07/tripp-palin-called-willow-palin-a-fggot.html video
Umm, the Palin’s homophobic, didn’t need a crystal ball to see that one. Didn’t those girls step in and call someone on Facebook that? Where oh where did that young boy hear that from?
Romney to Olympians: ‘You Didn’t Get Here On Your Own’
by Taylor Marsh
Wa’al I reckon I’ll pull up my old cayuse next to Jax for a spell on this one, I reckon. The trail goes ever on and on……
Lol, Tony. Kids say the darndest things, especially the children of Republicans.
“I, like everyone else, am sickened by the media’s ridiculous coverage of this truly tragic event.” -jax
Aren’t you used to it by now? As less and less people watch TV, the TV news media is going to try harder and harder to get people’s attention in a saturated market. Internet media has been cut-throat in that regard since its inception.
I’m happy to say I didn’t even hear about this story until over 24 hours after it happened, as I’ve unplugged quite a bit. It’s like going on a diet… you think you’ll miss the garbage, but if you can make it 3 days, you’ll stop craving it.
purple, thanks for the prayer earlier. here’s a favorite variation:
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/07/23/mass-coverage-mass-murder/#comment-293584
Hi Champ, touche…
Republican children, yes indeed…
Willow Palin responds to criticism with anti-gay Facebook rant
Umm, maybe lil Tripp has been around his aunt too much, oh and Sarah the family values role model..
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/07/23/mass-coverage-mass-murder/#comment-293585
Champ,
So true about the media..I got rid of cable 8 months ago and i’m very good..I can get all my news through reading and online video clips..Oh and i can stream most channels or download any tv series, movie, no commercials..Talking heads, nah!
Went in today for my first contracted day of work after almost three weeks of vacation.
Upon my arrival home I found a freshly made blueberry pie on the kitchen counter.
I have suggested to Cheryl that every day be considered my first day of work for the year.
She suggested that I not over reach.
Let’s see. We don’t get to see records from his governorship because they bought the computers and took them with them when Romney left. We don’t get to see his taxes because that’s personal. Now we don’t get to see Olympic records. Romney seems to be basing his whole campaign on “Trust Me”.
Someone should tell him that ignorance IS NOT bliss.
Thank you, Mr. exChamp for your fine work today. He may or may not be autistic, but the list of symptoms that you present tell us something is dysfunctional in the man’s brain.
I have always loved oaks. I have sometimes feel as if they are sentient. Perhaps, your oak is saluting Kum Cho -- or you.
You know, we all want you to take us with you.
May your journey to Korea be easy, swift, and safe.
It’s been a tough day around here. Too much pain, bad news, low gossiping, ungrounded conjecture, outright lies, and wallowing in other people’s agony.
I am going to swallow some oxycodone apap 5s and slink off to bed. To sleep. Sleep that knits the raveled sleeves of pain and disgust.
Tomorrow will be a better day.
May you all heal and enjoy sweet dreams.
Sleep, Dance and Dream XR
Amelia Earhart’s 115th birthday if she hadn’t gotten lost. Now a nice Goggle Doodle.
Another Chapter in Republican Hypocrisy
by Taylor Marsh
Poll: Romney preferred over Obama to handle the economy
By Susan Page, USA TODAY
Why Merely “Reforming” the Filibuster Is Stupid
By: Jon Walker
So many yard signs and so many conservatives here in AZ.
Obviously they are all running as Republicans, but you would be hard pressed to tell it from the literature and the signs. That old ‘elephant’ is just an afterthought if it is there at all. The republican brand must be more tarnished that I had realized. The word of the day is conservative, and each candidate is trying to be more severely conservative than the next.
I wish they would just use a thermometer chart.
Red hot conservatives, lukewarm conservatives and so on. Absent that they could just use a meat thermometer and stick it up their ass, to indicate well done or burned to a crisp,red meat rare and what not.
God but it is frightening.
The cable and network outlets are lazy. Like the shooting is the only news. Once they design the logo and accompanying dramatic music, they can’t let it go. Non-stop coverage of misery and made-up opinions. Just another sign of a bad economy. Even news outlets are cheap.
If we had spent as much time and money on all of the other constitutional amendments as the second, we might not have such a messed-up, unbalanced society. If reasonable laws were on the books about guns (they are), we should not have shootings like this — what a load of crap. You cannot keep guns out of the hands of crazy people. Mental health is so fluid. So, the answer — more guns get purchased to protect us from the crazy people. Keep chasing the tail, people.
Happy Birthday, Amelia !
We miss you !
We Air Force people stationed at Ft Leavenworth paid special homage to Aviator Earhart, she having been born just up the Missouri from us in Atchison, Kansas.
http://www.ameliaearhart.com/
It is a fact that with the economic downturn many are not taking their medications. The public water we drink used to be loaded with anti-depressants and with the drug turn-in municipal programs…our water is drug free. Now more than ever, we need those drugs!
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/07/21/aurora-killer-worth-noting/#comment-293494
Hi Tony,
I didn’t respond the other day to your gun post (and feel bad about that) — I just want to say that I hate guns (and violence of any kind) too. I am saddened by the fact that having those guns in your house caused you so much trouble and pain in the past.
You’ve really been through it with the experiences and responsibilities you’ve taken on in your life, and I hope (and believe) that you are in a place now that is both happy and secure.
I like to think that you are getting back (in some way) as much as you’ve given (and continue to give). Judging from your posts, I think (and hope) that is true.
Love ya, Chloe
“The public water we drink used to be loaded with anti-depressants and with the drug turn-in municipal programs…our water is drug free. Now more than ever, we need those drugs!”
LOL Blonde! It’s good to see you’ve kept your sense of humor through all your hardships.
I am so disappointed we didn’t get Universal Health. In my opinion, it would have solved many of the problems in our economy — and would have closed in some of the economic gaps in our society.
… oops: copied the wrong link location on the comment to you Tony, but think I’ve got it fixed now.
Have a great day everyone.
The Birthday Girl lived in St. Paul for several years before WWI. The Earharts lived almost next door to the family of F. Scott Fitzgerald, about 600 feet from the house Simclair Lewis would buy after Main Street became a monster best-seller, and about 900 feet from the palatial home of Frank B. Kellogg, the attorney who broke Standard Oil for President Theodore Roosevelt, and who as US Senator was one of the few Republicans to support the Treaty of Versailles. Kellogg would share the Nobel Peace Prize for the well-meaning paper scrap called the Kellogg-Briand Treaty. The children of Great Northern builder James J. Hill lived up and down the Avenue, cheek by jowl with Pillsburys. Summit Avenue was peopled by the Ultra-Rich and their servants, business and domestic. Earhart’s father was a servant of the business variety.
A storm ripped out my prize Japanese Maple overnight!
Lol, BW Re: meds
I have a work crew on my roof putting on a new roof, repairing holes caused by the tree that fell on the house a few weeks ago. Later they will be fixing holes in the siding, installing new eaves and spouts, replacing torn up fascia and soffit…but by gawd that damn tree is gone and good riddance! These new era storms are really other-worldly.
Westchester CA (suburb of LA) was built up around the WW II aircraft plants and the airport. As a result all of the street names were either numbered or named after famous aviators (Wright/Post/Earhart) or milestones in aviation (Croydon). One of my earliest homes was on Earhart and later when on 78th it intersected with Bleriot.
Champ,
Plant a Korean maple. They’re feisty.
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/07/23/mass-coverage-mass-murder/#comment-293604
Hi Chloe, love you too!
No worries on not responding to my unpleasant post..In fact the whole thread was unpleasant, ha but when its about senseless deaths caused by guns, well comes with the territory..I never thought to much about guns and I’ve been around them my whole life until that incident with my Dad..To say i’m anti gun is an understatement..Thankfully we live in a country where people can make up their own minds and act accordingly..Thanks, i’m in a great spot now in life with not much to complain about..Good work, great guy, Ashley is well and my grandma’s old boy doggie Jessie is still kicking at 18..Poor Jessie, his back legs are getting weak and i’m afraid soon he won’t walk..
Thanks again for all the kindness you have always shown me..
TOP STORY: The Death of American Exceptionalism
by Taylor Marsh
Jamie,
Re your 2:07 post, I hope there was no street named after laura ingalls.
Ah, Georgia:
GA (WFXG) -
“I’ve seen a lot of things,” says Allie Katz Bar and Grill owner Bryan Birmingham. “But never something like that.”
Never anything like a man on fire inside his bar.
Richmond Co. Sheriff’s Office investigators say 36 year old William Bonner of Thomson was highly intoxicated late Friday night, and had a friend pour a shot of high-proof alcohol, Bacardi 151, over his head, then another friend set him ablaze.
And what started it may shock you.
“He actually bet the people he was with that he could do this,” says RCSO Investigator Lt. Blaise Dresser.
It happened near the bar’s darts area, and witnesses say when they realized what was actually going on, the ordeal was over.
“Pretty much confusion,” says Adam Harden as he describes the scene. “I mean, not knowing what’s going on, what’s going to happen, what are we going to do. Then somebody drenched him out.”
Bonner was on fire for 10 full seconds before the flames were extinguished.
“It was the longest ten seconds you could think of,” says Harden, who stood just feet away when the flames erupted.
As Bonner burned, everyone in the crowded bar watched in stunned silence.
“All of us just stopped,” says Harden.
“Everybody just kind of completely froze and had no idea what to do,” says Birmingham.
Bonner ran around, trying to pat out the flames. After the fire was out, he walked out of the bar.
“His face was red, real glistening almost,” says Birmingham. “It had the consistency of melted plastic. It didn’t look good at all.”
Birmingham and the RCSO deputy working security that night offered to call an ambulance, but Bonner got into the car with his friends.
They drove him to Georgia Health Sciences Medical Center, and he was airlifted to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital from there.
He was released Monday. No word on his condition when he arrived or what kind of injuries Bonner sustained.
Investigators will not file charges, since Bonner was a willing participant. However, a lesson can be taken from all this, they add.
“The more alcohol you consume, the more likely you are to make a horrible decision that could affect you the rest of your life,” says Dresser.
“It had the consistency of melted plastic.”
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
When a Georgia boy gets creative his first words are usually, “Here, hold my beer.”
XR
Not sure about Laura Ingalls and any connection to aircraft from her little house on the prairie. Of course, Laura Ingraham might be eligible if you count brooms.
Laura Ingalls Wilder and laura ingalls were two very different people.
The latter learned to fly in 1928 and set a few records. She was also a public speaker and made money on the speaking circuit. ingalls was a prolific shill for America First, and like charles lindbergh, harped on German superiority. When Germany declared war on us in Dec. 1941, the US Marshalls arrested her and 7 others, whom the DoJ charged with failure to register as foreign agents. ingalls and the others were convicted and sent to Federal prison. In court, it was amply demonstrated that ingalls was in the pay of herman goebbells. She was in the slammer for about 15 months before being released. After that, she was no longer a popular public speaker. Lucky for her, her parents were wealthy New Yorkers.
Parenthetically, it is too bad ham fish and father coughlin weren’t arrested and jailed at the same time. It would have been great if coughlin had been sent back to Canada as an undesirable alien. They’d have hanged him.
Sherman Hemsley moving on up to heaven
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_21147969/actor-sherman-hemsley-found-dead-east-el-paso?source=most_viewed
ingraham is like ingalls without the airplanes : a very negative person in the employ of a foreign power.
Now for some bad news about a different willard :
http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/19/12839404-fred-willard-fired-by-pbs-after-his-arrest-for-alleged-lewd-act
Oh, Mittens! What a team you’ve picked for yourself. Way to manage!
A shared Anglo-Saxon heritage that the WH can’t fully appreciate, indeed.
That makes HRM Ann’s “you people” comment look positively fuzzy by comparison.
As predicted — Americans are arming-up against the crazies and perhaps, zombies.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2120387,00.html
Meet you at the shootout!
Blue
I saw that remark on Think Progress You just have to shake your head because the remark is either incredibly racist or completely tone deaf, clumsy, and inept. Either way it’s bad. Loved one comment: “They skipped the dog whistle and went straight to the bullhorn.”
xrep…cops do not have a lot to do if they were targeting Willard at the porno film house. What about all of those thieves in the banks and insurance companies? There have been some real crimes committed against the American people.
Just like Pee-Wee Herman, there is a lack of evidence!
Does this mean that Mitt suffers from a ‘superiority complex’ ?
XR
I figured it was something like that, but I really wanted to use the broom. Of course both Laura’s together would require a Rug Doctor. Oh BTW, there is a Will Rogers which I suppose goes with the Wiley Post since they went down together.
Original Telegraph article on “shared Anglo-Saxon heritage”
It’s going to be one of those years: Chad Everett passes away at 75
So Willard allegedly committed a lewd act in a porn theater? Shocking indeed.
What did they charge him with, having his hand in his pocket?
Goodness, what racist pigs they are.
Miss Amelia must have made her parents crazy!
“shared Anglo-Saxon heritage”
Attention, all spin doctors report to ER immediately, repeat immediately!
here’s the song mit lyrics that mitt’s advisor mentioned and hinted that mitt (and not you know who) would sing while in that white bldg that the brits set fire to.
I love the “New Year at The Proms” show that always ends with those terribly reserved stiff upper lip Brits bouncing up and down, waving flags and practically screaming the lyrics.
If you are going to be jingoistic, do it in style!! This is the first straight forward semi-reserved. They then usually go into two or three faster paced encores and it gets completely crazed.
Mitt’s anglo saxon heritage’s mothership is crashing again….austerity isn’t working.
“Britain is suffering a far deeper recession than thought, official figures showed Wednesday in a development that is likely to increase the pressure on the government to ease up on its tough austerity approach.”
I am living proof that living debt free does nothing for the economy. Let’s see if the other people (corporations) start spending. C’mon big companies, how about 1% to the starving masses so they can pay your outrageous insurances. Insurance pigs have even bigger pig lobbyists.
My watch servicer is from Bangladesh. He becomes shrill and irrational when recounting the damage the British did in partitioning Pakistan into two entities.
And, we had our own beef with them--a couple of times. And we did have to come up with something called the Monroe Doctrine.
It was funny how, after WW-2, virtually every British colony jumped at the chance to gain independence.
We share much with our British brothers and sisters. But, we did sever our ties with their monarchy during the reign of George III.
At some point in the future, a clear majority of voters will demand gun control.
Until then, it’s probably wise to avoid “dangerous” areas, such as movie theaters, shopping malls, grocery stores, post offices, city halls, public libraries, K-12 schools, sports arenas, hospitals, churches, public parks, etc.
If you must go out, get a concealed carry permit, and take a pistol EVERYWHERE you go. Stare intently at anyone who looks “suspicious” (especially those with bulges under their clothes that could be a concealed pistol.) If they look like they’re “going for their gun,” draw yours and threaten them in a loud voice. (This will re-assure everyone in the immediate area that you have the situation under control and there is no reason to call the police on their cell phones.)
Timmy G on Libor is laughable.
People going gun crazy.
The weather, and much of our food supply, going to heck.
The more things unravel, the more I wonder if MittCo isn’t just purposely coming off as ridiculous & takin’ a dive.
Hah! Nash…you make me laugh.
The only place there are not any guns is the corporate boardrooms across America. We need them in the boardrooms where the real thieves live.
“At some point in the future, a clear majority of voters will demand gun control. ” -Nash
There already is “gun control”. If you get caught with an illegal or unregistered firearm, you’re going to jail. If you get caught with a loaded firearm without a permit in a car, you’re going to jail for even longer. If you get caught with a firearm, legal or not, while committing another crime, you will be cast down with the Sodomites, to quote “Shawshank”.
Gun control, monetary regulation/manipulation…
taking a break from it to tell Lil’ Kim, Jr. & his bride, Mazel Tov!
champ and nash, perhaps that demand should be for people control.
I saw that Blue and I could not tell who was the bride or groom…they both looked like grooms. Happy nuptials, anyway.
Romney is meeting some of his ‘Jet Set’ buddies in London. Olympic bribery and scandal, be damned!
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/25/us-oly-usa-tickets-romney-idINBRE86O00A20120725
From the article --
In Salt Lake City, Dizdarevic was embroiled in a scandal that shook the Olympic movement and led to Romney, then a private-equity executive at Bain Capital in Boston, being enlisted to steer the 2002 Games out of trouble.
The scandal focused on allegations that Salt Lake officials bidding to lure the Olympics there had spent millions of dollars on gifts, cash payments and other benefits for IOC members involved in deciding whether to award the Games to Salt Lake City.
It also involved payments that prospective vendors made to Salt Lake Olympics officials. An indictment accused two officials of receiving $130,000 from Jet Set Sports, of which CoSport is a part.
The charges eventually were tossed out by a federal judge, but not before Dizdarevic testified against the suspects after receiving immunity from prosecution.
Despite the cash payments controversy, Romney recruited Jet Set as a sponsor after he took over as chief of the Salt Lake Games, according to Mark Lewis, who worked on the Games as a close aide to Romney.
In the years that followed, Dizdarevic and his companies maintained and expanded their involvement with the Olympics.
Lewis and Fraser Bullock, another of Romney’s top deputies in Salt Lake, became involved with Dizdarevic and Jet Set Sports. Lewis, a fundraiser Romney hired away from the International Olympic Committee to raise funds for the Salt Lake Games, joined Jet Set as its president in 2005. Last December, Romney’s campaign announced that Lewis was one of its state finance co-chairmen in Montana.
champ and nash, perhaps that demand should be for people control.
patd…I thought guns were the weapons of people control. Nothing makes me straighten-up like a gun in the face. If we could only afford the meds and get people to take them…then everyone could have a gun.
guns?… I don’t need no stinkin’ gun…
but oxytocin…. hey if it’s good enough for Rush, it’s good enough for me.
Heard (or read) somewhere that Romney doesn’t want to discuss his time at Bain… doesn’t want to discuss his time as governor of Massachusetts… doesn’t want to discuss his religion… and the most perplexing thing of all was that he doesn’t want to discuss his time with the Salt Lake City Olympics…
seeing BlondeW’s post at 1:16… now I can see why for the last topic.
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/20120725romney-bain_contacts_outlasted_exit/
I just received this message on Facebook. I’m stunned and feeling sad. Lee (aka Dooty) had become a valued friend to me these last few years. I am going to miss him.
Lee Carmichael
It is with great sadness that I pass along to all of you the news of the passing yesterday morning of my friend and husband, Lee Carmichael. Lee was a loving and cherished husband, a proud and understanding father, a patient and devoted son and a true and loyal friend to many of you. He had been facing with courage and good grace the challenges of coping with his medical issues. His unexpected passing is so painful for all of us, but we find comfort in the fact that he has been spared the suffering that awaited him and that he was willing to endure in order to be here for us. His funeral arrangements should be completed today at Mt. Olivet Funeral Home in Fort Worth. We appreciate the kind words and actions of the friends and family that have contacted us upon hearing of his passing. Those gestures mean so much to those of us who are left behind to cherish his memory. Thank you -- Carol, Jennifer and Jeff.
Lee Carmichael’s wife and children sent notice that one of the original, or at least long time friend of CList and now Trail Mix, has died. Like Nanny, I’m shocked and will miss his posts, his music history, and photography. May he rest in peace, and may his family have comfort in knowing that he made an awful of friends right here on TM.
I just chatted with him last Friday, eProf. He seemed fine, very upbeat and just his usual self. I never expected that would be our last chat.
Godspeed to Dr. Doots--my thoughts & prayers are with his family. He and I shared a lot of music--
NEW THREAD
My sincere and deepest condolences go out to Senor Dooty’s family and loved ones. He will be sorely missed.
God Bless
My condolence’s to the entire Carmichael family and to Doot’s many friends here and in other venues. I especially enjoyed seeing his photography of Texas churches. I suspect those pictures will give him a well deserved leg-up with St Peter.