The Dictator observations thread.

[Dr. Medulla]

Update on those Canadians who moved to Russia to experience Real Freedom™: https://www.wonkette.com/p/canadian-idi ... -to-russia

Arend says he’s going to try to get the government to make a special exception for them about the language requirement, which doesn’t seem very in the Communist spirit.

People still think Russia's communist huh

Well, pre-glasnost authoritarian, anyway.

[Flex]

No funniness here, just a real sad story that's been making news locally and nationally of a family whose mother decided to go live "off the grid" and starved to death, taking her son (and sister) with her. She had, of course, been warped by right wing conspiracy theories:

For Becky, now with ample time on her hands at the Windmill Apartments, the florid world of conspiracy theories opened up — dozens of options to bind and direct your fears. Just log in to a truther website like, say, Expanding Awareness Relations. There, a reader like Becky could learn the deep state was indeed trying to control people through a CRISPR-altered parasite called the “liver fluke.” Big pharma — why would anyone trust big pharma? It was part of a global transhumanist plan to merge men and machines. Or as Alex Newman, host of Behind the Deep State, explained, Klaus Schwab, António Guterres, Prince Charles, and other Davos types “came together” to say, “We’re going to have this wonderful Great Reset” — a plutocrat-backed initiative to increase global governance and remake the economy, post-COVID — and “You’re all going to be our slaves, and you’re going to have to eat bugs.”

Some sites specifically catered to mothers’ fears. The Survival Mom, for instance, provided nearly bespoke content for the parent of a tween son alone in her room. This site was the creation of Lisa Bedford, who offered to readers a photo of herself sitting on her porch, holding a cup of coffee, and saying, “Prep more. Worry less.” As she explained, she too had felt vulnerable and started poking around the internet. You, reader, could learn from her experience. You did not have to sit there, passive, getting freaked out, waiting for disaster. You could “be proactive and prepare for emergencies by doing what moms have always done — taking charge and getting things done!”

You just needed to work hard and be willing to cut ties. People, Bedford writes, tend to make two major mistakes when prepping for “The End of the World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI).” One, they wait for disaster to prepare for disaster, at which point it’s too late. Two, they share their plans. Sure, it may seem innocuous to tell one person. But then that person tells another person, and pretty soon, you’ll find yourself facing TEOTWAWKI needing to feed not just your family but also “the lonesome guy four doors down who suddenly craves foodstuffs he assumes you might have.” Or “your not-so-friendly garden variety drug-dependent thug.” Don’t do all this prep to protect your family only to attract predation and harm. “As distasteful as it sounds,” the Survival Mom writes, “I’m afraid that will include crimes against female members in your household. They run the risk of being taken away by said gang members for their ‘entertainment,’ being molested, or raped.”

More: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article ... -grid.html

The son kept a diary and it detailed some of their time off the grid. They were totally unprepared and could have very easily gone for help but didn't. It's horrific and tragic: https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2024 ... alon-vance

I still really can't adequately express my contempt for the people who prey on folks like this and warp their minds with this nonsense.

[Mimi]

No funniness here, just a real sad story that's been making news locally and nationally of a family whose mother decided to go live "off the grid" and starved to death, taking her son (and sister) with her. She had, of course, been warped by right wing conspiracy theories:

For Becky, now with ample time on her hands at the Windmill Apartments, the florid world of conspiracy theories opened up — dozens of options to bind and direct your fears. Just log in to a truther website like, say, Expanding Awareness Relations. There, a reader like Becky could learn the deep state was indeed trying to control people through a CRISPR-altered parasite called the “liver fluke.” Big pharma — why would anyone trust big pharma? It was part of a global transhumanist plan to merge men and machines. Or as Alex Newman, host of Behind the Deep State, explained, Klaus Schwab, António Guterres, Prince Charles, and other Davos types “came together” to say, “We’re going to have this wonderful Great Reset” — a plutocrat-backed initiative to increase global governance and remake the economy, post-COVID — and “You’re all going to be our slaves, and you’re going to have to eat bugs.”

Some sites specifically catered to mothers’ fears. The Survival Mom, for instance, provided nearly bespoke content for the parent of a tween son alone in her room. This site was the creation of Lisa Bedford, who offered to readers a photo of herself sitting on her porch, holding a cup of coffee, and saying, “Prep more. Worry less.” As she explained, she too had felt vulnerable and started poking around the internet. You, reader, could learn from her experience. You did not have to sit there, passive, getting freaked out, waiting for disaster. You could “be proactive and prepare for emergencies by doing what moms have always done — taking charge and getting things done!”

You just needed to work hard and be willing to cut ties. People, Bedford writes, tend to make two major mistakes when prepping for “The End of the World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI).” One, they wait for disaster to prepare for disaster, at which point it’s too late. Two, they share their plans. Sure, it may seem innocuous to tell one person. But then that person tells another person, and pretty soon, you’ll find yourself facing TEOTWAWKI needing to feed not just your family but also “the lonesome guy four doors down who suddenly craves foodstuffs he assumes you might have.” Or “your not-so-friendly garden variety drug-dependent thug.” Don’t do all this prep to protect your family only to attract predation and harm. “As distasteful as it sounds,” the Survival Mom writes, “I’m afraid that will include crimes against female members in your household. They run the risk of being taken away by said gang members for their ‘entertainment,’ being molested, or raped.”

More: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article ... -grid.html

The son kept a diary and it detailed some of their time off the grid. They were totally unprepared and could have very easily gone for help but didn't. It's horrific and tragic: https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2024 ... alon-vance

I still really can't adequately express my contempt for the people who prey on folks like this and warp their minds with this nonsense.

I had something else in mind, but I'll just settle for this: This is heartbreaking to read. What a tragic ending for them.

[Sparky]

No funniness here, just a real sad story that's been making news locally and nationally of a family whose mother decided to go live "off the grid" and starved to death, taking her son (and sister) with her. She had, of course, been warped by right wing conspiracy theories:

For Becky, now with ample time on her hands at the Windmill Apartments, the florid world of conspiracy theories opened up — dozens of options to bind and direct your fears. Just log in to a truther website like, say, Expanding Awareness Relations. There, a reader like Becky could learn the deep state was indeed trying to control people through a CRISPR-altered parasite called the “liver fluke.” Big pharma — why would anyone trust big pharma? It was part of a global transhumanist plan to merge men and machines. Or as Alex Newman, host of Behind the Deep State, explained, Klaus Schwab, António Guterres, Prince Charles, and other Davos types “came together” to say, “We’re going to have this wonderful Great Reset” — a plutocrat-backed initiative to increase global governance and remake the economy, post-COVID — and “You’re all going to be our slaves, and you’re going to have to eat bugs.”

Some sites specifically catered to mothers’ fears. The Survival Mom, for instance, provided nearly bespoke content for the parent of a tween son alone in her room. This site was the creation of Lisa Bedford, who offered to readers a photo of herself sitting on her porch, holding a cup of coffee, and saying, “Prep more. Worry less.” As she explained, she too had felt vulnerable and started poking around the internet. You, reader, could learn from her experience. You did not have to sit there, passive, getting freaked out, waiting for disaster. You could “be proactive and prepare for emergencies by doing what moms have always done — taking charge and getting things done!”

You just needed to work hard and be willing to cut ties. People, Bedford writes, tend to make two major mistakes when prepping for “The End of the World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI).” One, they wait for disaster to prepare for disaster, at which point it’s too late. Two, they share their plans. Sure, it may seem innocuous to tell one person. But then that person tells another person, and pretty soon, you’ll find yourself facing TEOTWAWKI needing to feed not just your family but also “the lonesome guy four doors down who suddenly craves foodstuffs he assumes you might have.” Or “your not-so-friendly garden variety drug-dependent thug.” Don’t do all this prep to protect your family only to attract predation and harm. “As distasteful as it sounds,” the Survival Mom writes, “I’m afraid that will include crimes against female members in your household. They run the risk of being taken away by said gang members for their ‘entertainment,’ being molested, or raped.”

More: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article ... -grid.html

The son kept a diary and it detailed some of their time off the grid. They were totally unprepared and could have very easily gone for help but didn't. It's horrific and tragic: https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2024 ... alon-vance

I still really can't adequately express my contempt for the people who prey on folks like this and warp their minds with this nonsense.

I vaguely recall reading about this last year, it seemed sad at the time, even more so after reading these updates.

[Flex]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

[JennyB]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

And wasn't he one of the Clarence Thomas defenders during his confirmation hearing, or am I misremembering?

[Dr. Medulla]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

But he was "independent"! I will always remember him as the Loserman in Sore Loserman.

[Flex]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

And wasn't he one of the Clarence Thomas defenders during his confirmation hearing, or am I misremembering?

He was a complete embarrassment on Thomas, imho. From an obit:

In October of that year, Lieberman initially supported the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court. When the sexual harassment controversy came to light, he moved to undecided. When the vote was held, Lieberman opposed the nomination, but only after enough votes were cast to confirm the appointment.

"I'll oppose this once I know my vote won't matter" is some real profile in courage stuff.

He was also one of only 10 democratic senators to support the first gulf war and moved right over time on a bunch of stuff like supporting school vouchers and whatnot.

[revbob]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

All out of "Jomentum"

https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01 ... lieberman/

[revbob]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

But he was "independent"! I will always remember him as the Loserman in Sore Loserman.

He only became an independent so he could stifle a Democratic majority if I recall.

[Dr. Medulla]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

But he was "independent"! I will always remember him as the Loserman in Sore Loserman.

He only became an independent so he could stifle a Democratic majority if I recall.

He was primaried, wasn't he? Then won election as an independent.

[Flex]

RI(no)P Joe Lieberman. A complete piece of shit who was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for killing the public option in the the affordable care act. Failed vice presidential candidate which paved the way to one of the most reprehensible presidencies in history. Fuck that guy.

But he was "independent"! I will always remember him as the Loserman in Sore Loserman.

He only became an independent so he could stifle a Democratic majority if I recall.

He was primaried, wasn't he? Then won election as an independent.

Yeah, primaried by Ned Lamont who was the "left" candidate. Real weird times back then.

[Dr. Medulla]

Not entirely sure where to put this, but I was taken by the observation and snark. This is from Garry Wills' Nixon Agonistes, where Nixon speaks of the need for African Americans to have greater self-respect and try to succeed instead of rely on welfare (all the same old lines from the bigots). Wills then goes on to quote Billy Graham:

So is Billy Graham, who says: “Too many Christians have taken a most sinful and damaging pride in being poverty-stricken.” (We could perhaps put up with them if they were only poor, but do they have to be proud of it?)

[Dr. Medulla]

While doing some reading about the student occupation at Columbia in April 1968, I came across this seriously bad ass photo of them sitting in the school president's office, smoking his cigars.

[Dr. Medulla]

The gig economy captures another one.