All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[Tendrin]

Some other interesting Florida news.

Sixteen members of a white supremacist gang called Unforgiven have been charged in a 12-count racketeering indictment and are accused of being involved in acts of extreme violence, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

The men utilized “corrupt law enforcement officers and state employees” to gather information and smuggle contraband to inmates, the indictment says. The men are also accused of murder, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and other criminal offenses.

Three of the members, who go by nicknames such as George "Shrek" Andrews, Joshua "Chain Gang" Wilson and Brandon "Scumbag" Welch, face up to 30 years in prison if they are convicted.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-w...-on-kidnapping

[CaptainEurope]

Here in Germany we had the worst flooding disaster of the past century over the past 3 days. So far over 100 dead, with over 1000 still unaccounted for (although many will just not have checked in yet in all this chaos and confusion.)

The images are heart breaking. Beautiful small towns, basically washed off the map. A dozen dead in an assisted living facility for people with mental disabilities. Drowned first responders. Businesses that had just opened after the covid lockdown under water.

[Tami]

Here in Germany we had the worst flooding disaster of the past century over the past 3 days. So far over 100 dead, with over 1000 still unaccounted for (although many will just not have checked in yet in all this chaos and confusion.)

The images are heart breaking. Beautiful small towns, basically washed off the map. A dozen dead in an assisted living facility for people with mental disabilities. Drowned first responders. Businesses that had just opened after the covid lockdown under water.

I heard. It came up during the press conference yesterday with Biden and Merkel. The US is also having some issues, but I suspect that it's even worse for you from the sound of it.

At least 6 killed in Germany as flooding caused by rainfall 'not seen in 100 years' hits Europe

Germany-Belgium floods – live: 110 dead in ‘catastrophe’, as EU chief blames climate crisis for disaster

Europe floods: Death toll over 110 as rescues continue

[Tami]

Greenland Scraps All Future Oil Exploration on Climate Concerns

The island’s socialist-led government, in office since April, has made climate concerns central to its legislative program. While the decision to scrap planned exploration is a win for environmental groups, it cuts off potential investments that could have aided efforts to gain economic independence from Denmark.

The government “has decided to cease issuing new licenses for oil and gas exploration,” it said in a statement. “This step has been taken for the sake of our nature, for the sake of our fisheries, for the sake of our tourism industry, and to focus our business on sustainable potentials.”

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Here in Germany we had the worst flooding disaster of the past century over the past 3 days. So far over 100 dead, with over 1000 still unaccounted for (although many will just not have checked in yet in all this chaos and confusion.)

The images are heart breaking. Beautiful small towns, basically washed off the map. A dozen dead in an assisted living facility for people with mental disabilities. Drowned first responders. Businesses that had just opened after the covid lockdown under water.

I've seen videos of the flooding on Facebook and Twitter, and they were absolutely nightmarish.

[GindyPosts]

Greenland Scraps All Future Oil Exploration on Climate Concerns

The Epoch Times is livid.

[GindyPosts]

DeSantis is, of course, a fascist.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-...m_npd_ms_tw_ma



I mean, who's surprsied?



Gee, unequal treatment for conservative protestors over left-leaning ones for the same acts. A key component of fascism and authoritarian behavior.

As we all know, when people do things that fit with DeSantis's far-right views, it's justified, but you go just slightly to the left of that scale, and then it becomes a problem.

I mean, those Cubans were how Trump won Florida last year, so it's no surprise he's siding with them, as well.

[Tendrin]

As we all know, when people do things that fit with DeSantis's far-right views, it's justified, but you go just slightly to the left of that scale, and then it becomes a problem.

I mean, those Cubans were how Trump won Florida last year, so it's no surprise he's siding with them, as well.

But I'm sure everything will be just fine and it's just leftists being 'hysterical' again about DeSantis' perfectly reasonable politics.

[GindyPosts]

But I'm sure everything will be just fine and it's just leftists being 'hysterical' again about DeSantis' perfectly reasonable politics.

It's always the leftists complaining about DeSantis's alleged "abuse of power", ain't it?

When will they learn? /s

[Tendrin]

It's always the leftists complaining about DeSantis's alleged "abuse of power", ain't it?

When will they learn? /s

Conservativism is just shouting 'this is fine' at every problem because the fires will usually eat the leftists first.

[Hellion]

Greenland Scraps All Future Oil Exploration on Climate Concerns

Guess we know now what Russia's next "annexation" is gonna be...

[Hellion]

It's like the country itself, a mixed bag. We've gone blue in the last few Presidential cycles and our senators are Democrats, but when you hear about crazy things State legislatures are doing while not many folk are paying attention we're right up there with Michigan and Ohio as far as northern states with crazy right-wing streaks. I live a stone's throw from the Dartmouth campus (more like a 20 minute drive, but close enough) and a related large hospital that's gobbled up a good portion of the hospitals in the state (Dartmouth-Hitchcock) so there's a bit more of a liberal streak right here.

But drive 50 miles and you'll see plenty of Trump 2024 signs and leftover 2020 signs, a lot of signs suggesting that if you step on someone's property you will be shot (often the same folks), and you'll find plenty of country stations on the radio but not much outside of oldies rock as an alternative. We're very rural, hunting/fishing/hiking/skiing are pretty common. There's also a reason we were the last state to adopt an MLK day and the Libertarian "Free State Project" chose here to set up camp. We're not as loud about our beliefs as some areas of the country, but expect if the topic of politics comes up people won't be shy about expressing themselves and you might hear some racist language. Just because we're one of the whitest states in the nation (maybe whitest? forget) doesn't mean we don't have our share of racists/ignorant folk. We're not very religious though (again, compared to most states), and those that are tend to be quiet about it or at least not as pushy. That's my impression, anyway, and where you live in the state will be a factor.

Thanks for the info! And I had forgotten about the New Hampshire primary, which I'm sure will be crazy but I find it kind of exciting if I'm able to relocate there.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

As we all know, when people do things that fit with DeSantis's far-right views, it's justified, but you go just slightly to the left of that scale, and then it becomes a problem.

I mean, those Cubans were how Trump won Florida last year, so it's no surprise he's siding with them, as well.

Well, of course Dastardly DeSantis sided with the Cubans. He's hitched his wagon to Trump, perhaps for a presidential run in 2024, so he's going to need all the help he can get from supporters of The Former Guy.

[worstblogever]

In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, as well as 2020, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" published profiles of Art Robinson, the former Chairman of the Republican Party of Oregon who going into 2016, had challenged Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio for the seat to represent Oregon’s 4th District three times, and was about to make it a fourth one. Even with the Tea Party wave working for him back in 2010, Robinson still lost by double digits, and since, he’s gotten blasted by twenty whole points. The key factor why might be that Art Robinson has some of the weirdest opinions on science of any member of the GOP we’ve ever profiled. Like mad scientist levels of weird. It would be one thing if he just denied climate change (which he does), but Art Robinson has argued that the dangerous banned pesticide, DDT, was wrongly discontinued by environmentalist “opportunists”, and suggested we dilute nuclear waste and sprinkle it in the ocean, or even over the mainland as a means of its disposal. He’s even suggested it should be added to the water supply, specifically, and that such an action would “hermetically enhance our resistance to degenerative diseases”. Robinson also denies the link between the HIV virus and AIDS, and that it’s just “a natural consequence of the gay lifestyle”. Robinson has said public schooling is “tax-financed socialism” and “child abuse”. He has also argued against diversity in universities, because “difficult, total-immersion training in science is an experience few women and blacks desire”. That last comment might make sense when you consider that Robinson is a self-professed fan of G.A. Henty, an author he recommends in his own home-schooling curriculum whose books tend to say things like the average intelligence of an adult of African descent equates to a 10 year old white person, or that the plight of American slaves wasn’t that bad. In 2014, Art Robinson also sent out mailers asking his district’s constituents for five years of urine samples, without much explanation of what he was going to do with them, scientifically.

Now, maybe Art Robinson would have a chance to knock off Bill DeFaizo, what with Oregon’s 4th only having a +2 Democratic lean in the Cook Partisan Voting Index… but on the other hand, DeFazio is a capable legislator, while Art Robinson is bats*** insane.

The good people of Oregon’s 4th are well aware of that, thankfully, and Art Robinson keeps losing to Peter DeFazio. Robinson has been propped up by the conservative billionaire Mercer family, who you may also know as the biggest donors to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. And, after Trump won the presidency but Robinson lost his latest bid for Congress, they were recommending he be brought on to Trump’s administration as a science advisor, because the Cabinet of Horrors that Trump assembled wasn’t deliberately meant to destroy the agencies they were placed in charge of enough as it is. Thankfully, Robinson didn’t get the gig, and is kept… skulking about Oregon. And at the age of 76, would you believe the Mercers have propped up Art Robinson again as a candidate in 2018, when by all estimations, Democratic voter turnout was predicted to be at its highest in a decade, and his candidacy will truly be a lost cause?

And… the same result. Art Robinson won the GOP Primary for Oregon’s 4th District, and lost for the fifth straight election cycle, get an ***-kicking courtesy of Peter DeFazio by double digits. The definition of insanity is considered by many to keep doing the same thing and expect different results, and at this point, Art Robinson’s persistence seems like one more point to prove he’s deranged.

Think we’re joking? Art Robinson had already announced his intention to get his ass kicked by Peter DeFazio for a SIXTH consecutive time in 2020... But he instead, had to bail on that idea to run for District 2 of the Oregon State Senate, trying to hang on to a seat held for years by Herman Baertschiger, who opted to retire in 2020, and deny Oregon Democrats a supermajority to pass whatever legislation they pleased that would actually help people.

After Art Robinson finally won an election after more than a decade of failing, we were guessing that he’d be joining the obstructionist tactics of the Oregon GOP that are trying to win just enough seats to try to still disappear into the backwoods to avoid the Oregon State Senate from having a quorum. After the new session started, the leader of the Republican minority in the Oregon State Senate, Fred Girod, opted against the tactics of the previous session, and actually showed up to govern… which led to others in the Republican Senate Caucus beginning to orchestrate a recall election in Girod’s district. It seems Robinson might be voting more than we were planning on.

[BeastieRunner]

Beastie's Cartoons of the Week: