nanana

My mom suffered from dementia and died last October. She progressed from forgetting how to make coffee to chasing the little real versions of NaNaNa that were 2 years old. Even though I became the pretend NaNaNa last year, I knew that mom loved me. You can still love someone and not lie about them. Democrats, were you really not able to tell? If you couldn’t, do you really think Jill Ashley Hunter and Camilla (and of course, closer to home, Kamala) were unable to tell? How do you think your ability to tell or not reflects the trustworthiness of 1) your judgement; 2) the judgement of your preferred media; and 3) the trust anyone would put in your party going forward? am I just being mean. or does credibility have a value outside of the partisan chorale (yes chorale with falsetto cows mooing in high octaves)? would you invite Jake Tapper to moo at your funeral? maybe it’s time for a Whig revival…

Hi @brnbk, Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I saw her speak, and her concern was for the effect of the MRNA vaccine on her pregnancy and her fetus. She also was a strong advocate of medical freedom and believed that each of us owns our own health, and that doctors are advisors but do not get to take over our health choices. If your suspicion is correct, this would still put her at odds with the US Federal guidance of that era that natural immunity is inferior to the Pfizer or Moderna shot. Can you help explain how you are making sense of whether or not she already had COVID? I agree with you that it is important to read between the lines, but I am having a hard connecting the dots on your hypothesis. Thank you!

[think before following links] https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/top-fda-official-discloses-she-never-received-covid-19-vaccine

I think the Clinton Administration still ranks higher in terms of the number of Feds furloughed. As a former Fed, I was sickened by the number of people who express sympathy for me rather than sympathy for the taxpayers that overpay for a 25th annual date with the government. I can definitely appreciate that other countries find Trump’s style a bit oafish, but I’m surprised they haven’t realized that he’s talking a mean game until he sees that they’re coming to the table. Amen to that. If the President has determined that he can get results for less than Congress gave him, he’s behaving EXACTLY like a CEO of a Fortune 50 company. Huzzah! And love the chart!

Hi NWUSHorny, just checking to see whether you are going to affirm your position that MAGA people of all stripes “always” believe they are the real victims…? Very respectfully this comes across as hyperbole. Perhaps you were triggered to caricature a class of people? peace, NaNaNa

Not making fun @harrysmith25, just enjoying.

Hi @SDCumPup, It’s been over two weeks since you wrote your smack. Although there’s an off chance that you’re still polishing your response, I’m going to conclude that you really weren’t mounting a substantial argument, you were just expressing a dislike and maybe listening to your gut more than your scientific savvy. I ‘m a big fan of people who listen to their gut. I’m also a big fan of scientific savvy. It’s a really good idea to know oneself and the difference between gut and savvy before one picks up the pen.

[think before following links] https://daily.jstor.org/the-myth-of-the-papal-toilet-chair/

Great point 🙂

what?¿? I knew about the smoke coming out of the Vatican but not the testicle fondling part… any references?

upon further reflection, which seemed worth it given the less-than-charitable response, I illustrate that my initial point had nothing do with inflation CAUSES, but instead with the EXPERIENCE of losing purchasing power. this might have been picked up on by anyone who has empathy for folks who lose 20% or greater purchasing power, but probably not picked up by anyone who is focused on defending the reputation of a politician. it is certainly a great topic (not my focus) to expand the conversation to the causes of inflation, and I would happily concede that I fell into the bad habit of Americans since the Reagan era (Reagonomics yes, but not Carteromics) to attribute all economic performance to a sitting President. it's wonderful to practice coexistence by having AND conversations rather than BUT or EITHER/OR conversations. @Rillionperhaps next time you are triggered to MadLib a choice architecture for my character for me (and all others on this thread), perhaps you will breathe, take a beat, and consider whether the initial point and your adrenillated points might be COMPATIBLE rather than OPPOSITIONAL. Peace and joy, NaNaNa

I think you have a more thorough and more accurate description @Rillion. I agree that the uniparty passed bills in both the Trump 45 and Biden administrations that jacked up the money supply and debt, which has a cumulative effect over multiple institutions’ and administrations’ decisions. While I think your underlying analysis is good, I found the Biden administration particularly tone deaf in acknowledging the effects of inflation on the public and particularly willing to attribute it to things like the Putin Price Hike and claim victory over inflation when people were still suffering. As to whether I’m a fucking idiot, a liar, a partisan troll, or a liar, I leave that question for each to answer as they will.

I love the link about propaganda Viking8x6, but like insatiableholeinTO am a bit confused by how you assess the truth value. Your methodology for assessing some of the things I wrote seemed to be about turning to wikipedia for the truth. Last time I was suspended, you offered to be a bit more transparent about what authorities you turn to when you either lack domain knowledge or alternatively wish to provide a citation. Are you now saying that the US government website is not an authoritative source? Any additional transparency would be appreciated.

UGH, seems that the prior standard already prohibited transmission of obscene content if there is proof of "abusing, threatening, or harassing a person" per the article. to be fair (may not be a popular view here), i'd imagine that it is pretty difficult for parents to control what underage children see. Still, don't adults clearly have the right to do what they want unless it harms others?

Things move so quickly. Here's the joint statement about US China economic negotiations from the Chinese ([think before following links] https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202505/12/content_WS6821a0bbc6d0868f4e8f2792.html) and White House ([think before following links] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/05/joint-statement-on-u-s-china-economic-and-trade-meeting-in-geneva/) Interestingly enough, the New Arab is reporting that Pakistan's "win" in the ceasefire with India sent Chinese military stocks much higher, given that they showcased China's superiority in military technology for the money compared to India's US, French, and Israeli suppliers: [think before following links] https://www.newarab.com/news/pakistans-use-chinese-weapons-against-india-gamechanger I had never heard of the New Arab, but it looks to have been started as a left-of-center counterweight to Al Jazeera: [think before following links] https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-new-arab/

Hi Guys, @tallslenderguy wrote, and I really like this idea that comedians can help partisans see that the other side is human too: @BootmanLA had a nice insight (that I generally agree with) when he wrote: The traditional fool who worked for the king was often the only one allowed to make fun of the king's bad decisions. I have a slightly different view of great comedy, related to both of these, but my favorite comedians are generally those who hold up the mirror to point out hidden truths, which can sometimes be painful but are often able to give voice to things that have gone unacknowledged for too long and are festering. This can seem like punching down if there is no empathy for the target, but sometimes the culture has lost clarity and creates privileges for marginalized groups that become aggravators of discord among tribes. I also would love to think that humor is universal, but I've found that people react very differently to comedy depending upon their partisanship, even if their intention is to be open to being amused, also can be offensive. There is also comedy where the comedian thinks they're chasing truth but end up painting with too broad a brush in a way that people outside the cohort don't recognize and find stereotypical or just plain off. It can also be so nice that it doesn't rise to the level of authenticity, which is also a humor killer. With that preface, I'd love to hear some other examples of comedians that may be great examples of political or above-political comedy, of comedy that makes the tribes love each other more or focuses on more universal truths that transcend partisanship, of punch-up comedy, of punch-down comedy, or of comedy that provides painful insights, like King Lear's fool (not necessarily punch-up or punch-down. I'd also be interested to see people's reactions to the list. Always looking for an insightful comedian. (May have to be a great era of the comedian's career, or may be only one routine). It's often easier to find consensus from the past since most of us have grown up accepting wisdom from the victors, maybe George Carlin, or Dick Gregory? (Definitely harder to do when the would-be-victors are in the midst of past-making in the present, but still interested if people have comedians that they think are transforming or even better finding the absurdity in the culture right now): Here's Dick Gregory at a Southern Diner in the Civil Rights era: George Carlin on the 7 words you can't say: These are old, but anything newer people might want to share?

Maybe the censors should review posts from 2020-2024 and suspend everyone who promoted the wet market pangolin-barebacks-and-cums-in-slut-bat-at-a-wonton-street-sauna theory. Ha Ha Joking sort-of

I got that spelling from some initial reports, even the Vatican website (I think), but I revisited them, and they have all normalized around the English spelling at least in English. A lion in sheep's silk robes, but so far, generally I LOVE everything he has said since he has become Pope, against war, admonishing journalists to promote peace rather than whip up hatred, and be cautious with but enter the digital fray. I hope he takes up the challenge to Pope Francis to go to Gaza. Judgement withheld, but hope springing again. [think before following links] https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope.html

insatiableholeinTO makes a great point about Bill Gates and RFK. I guess the rubric is that billionaires can manufacture reality but multi-millionaires can’t afford it. It’s probably more profitable to suck up to Bill Gates than to RFK Jr.

I’m Episcopalian. We have high church and gay bishops to boot, though the Arch Bishop of Canterbury struggles to keep those of different moral views under one tent.

It's definitely not deep knowledge on my part, I had never heard of him. The quotes from the NYTimes say he expressed disappointment that some Western media held "sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel," in particular, the "homosexual lifestyle" and "alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children." Prevost also opposed a government plan in Peru to add gender studies instruction in classrooms, telling local media "The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist." But it is a first impression. Often people exhibit many dimensions, and it is very hard to summarize an entire future-life from past actions. I am personally more concerned not about his beliefs but about how he puts them into action; hoping non-violence/tolerance will inform his actions. The NYTimes has been wrong before... Here's his twitter feed if folks wish to do more research:

The first American Pope Leone XIV (was Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost from Chicago) is described as a fierce opponent of same-sex marriage and gender studies in classrooms. "Peace be with all of you!" - the first words of the 267th Bishop of Rome. Sounds as if he has taken actions against these things he doesn't like rather than co-existing. And the wheels of the Popemobile turn like lady fortune.... I am not Catholic but did appreciate Pope Francis' ability to co-exist even if he didn't approve of things, even pursue reconciliation and love.

@TT2025 I respectfully disagree that this applies to conservatism in general, think it is maybe true for social and religious conservatives but not as much for economic and libertarian conservatives. I would also say that as a non-liberal in a very liberal city and with many liberal friends, I find them very likely to make very oppressively uncurious assumptions that everyone agrees with them because they are of course right about everything. I am not completely sure how you are using the term "oppressive," so you may not agree that this kind of environment is oppressive. There were many liberal regimes in the Middle East that imposed a more western liberal morality (women's rights, etc.) on a much more conservative population that I think could count as dictatorships, e.g., Algeria, Afghanistan, etc. I think it is highly human not to have a universal stream of empathy, but liberals are frequently characterized as leaning towards universal values and conservatives are frequently characterized as having more immediate values. (It is very hard to generalize about these topics since the cohorts are SO big and build off of local histories and issues.)

@harrysmith25 since I first wrote, I revisited the Biden admin and have to concede how quickly I forgot the demented things he’d say, the babies he’d sniff, and the puttering on stage that he did, so concede your point about the weirdness

I am not following the “weird” part exactly, but I think you have a great point harrysmith25. I think most gay politics underestimates sound ECONOMICS as the real liberator for anyone not in the majority. Bidenomics with its massive inflation put everyone back into pie-shrinking mentality and less broad minded. Whatever its merits, woke culture struck a lot of people as imposing fantasies and delusions on others who wanted no part of it. It’s not surprising there was a backlash.