February 2021 Current Events: Slow Down, Rush is Dead

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Internet VFW > February 2021 Current Events: Slow Down, Rush is Dead

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piL: Sep 20, 2007; (__|\\\\); Taco Defender

Vincent Van Goatse posted:

"Custodian" being immediately followed by "Daleks" made me lose it completely.

I want to lateral transfer to Lancer please.

# ? Feb 6, 2021 05:32

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# ? Jun 7, 2024 23:44

El Mero Mero: Oct 13, 2001

Brute Squad posted:

Before we had the Space Force Guardians, there were a lot of suggestions.

Floaty Bois and Homo Spaciens: Space Force Reveals List of Rejected Troop Names
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/02/05/floaty-bois-and-homo-spaciens-space-force-reveals-list-of-rejected-troop-names.html

I'm "The Final Frontiersmen"

okay Floaty Bois is an incredible name for a space pirate ship

# ? Feb 6, 2021 07:02

Kesper North: Nov 3, 2011; EMERGENCY POWER TO PARTY

Looks like William Shatner is still trying to make TekWar happen

# ? Feb 6, 2021 07:16

Vincent Van Goatse: Nov 8, 2006; Enjoy every sandwich.; Smellrose

El Mero Mero posted:

okay Floaty Bois is an incredible name for a space pirate ship

Or any other kind of ship, really.

# ? Feb 6, 2021 08:49

MrMojok: Jan 28, 2011

I know there are one or two lawyers who read this thread. About this Smartmatic suit...

Smartmatic was used in exactly one location during the election-- LA county. Now Fox, OANN, Newsmax all had people on who were talking firsthand, about election "fraud" they saw, all of these networks reported that Smartmatic owned Dominion voting systems, and it was all created by Venzuela, who engineered it to steal elections, all over the country.

These people can demonstrate massive damages. They are likely finished as a company. How can this be suit be defended? Is there any way Fox can even settle here, shouldn't Smartmatic refuse all efforts at settlement from Fox, and go to trial?

And forget about Newsmax. Fox has deep coffers and will absorb a devastating body blow, but Newsmax is likely to be completely annihilated by this. And this is all before the coming Dominion lawsuit.

# ? Feb 6, 2021 09:49

Stravag: Jun 7, 2009

Probably the same way fox hosts get out of lawsuits: they are making entertainment and not need therefore what they or out does not need to be factually accurate. I want to see how that goes for them.

# ? Feb 6, 2021 10:01

SquirrelyPSU: May 27, 2003

Platystemon posted:

Counterpoint: I want to see Fetterman demolish a milquetoast liberal challenger.

Ignore my previous statement, this is now my Christmas wish for this year.

# ? Feb 6, 2021 12:50

Hot Karl Marx: Mar 16, 2009; Politburo regulations about social distancing require to downgrade your Karlmarxing to cold, and sorry about the dnc primaries, please enjoy!

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1357834597795561473

# ? Feb 6, 2021 14:38

Stultus Maximus: Dec 21, 2009; USPOL May

My Rep.
https://twitter.com/People4Bernie/status/1357505055516102658/photo/2

# ? Feb 6, 2021 16:45

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Stravag posted:

Probably the same way fox hosts get out of lawsuits: they are making entertainment and not need therefore what they or out does not need to be factually accurate. I want to see how that goes for them.

IANAL, but I saw some interesting commentary on Twitter that was basically that, because of the Gawker lawsuit, journalistic outlets are a lot more susceptible to defamation lawsuits nowadays and that the Fox 'entertainment product' defense is a lot weaker than it used to be. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out in this case.

# ? Feb 6, 2021 16:54

Milo and POTUS: Sep 3, 2017; I will not shut up about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I talk about them all the time and work them into every conversation I have. I built a shrine in my room for the yellow one who died because sadly no one noticed because she died around 9/11. Wanna see it?

Hot Karl Marx posted:

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1357834597795561473

lol

# ? Feb 6, 2021 17:23

Duzzy Funlop: Jan 13, 2010; Hi there, would you like to try some spicy products?

Stultus Maximus posted:

My Rep.
https://twitter.com/People4Bernie/status/1357505055516102658/photo/2

I am so loving fired up right now and I don't really have anywhere to direct that energy

# ? Feb 6, 2021 17:31

RFC2324: Jun 7, 2012; http 418

Milo and POTUS posted:

lol

Of all the things in that bill the $15 min wage is the one most obviously put there to be negotiated away. It is needed, and high priority, but it doesn't belong in a budget bill since it has nothing to do with the budget, and so was obviously not gonna stay there.

Now, the 2k checks very much belong there and should not have been cut, at least not before negotiations even began

# ? Feb 6, 2021 18:32

PookBear: Nov 1, 2008

I wonder what their SOF unit is gonna be called

# ? Feb 6, 2021 18:43

Wasabi the J: Jan 23, 2008; MOM WAS RIGHT

PookBear posted:

I wonder what their SOF unit is gonna be called

Spatial Forces

Delta IV-ce

# ? Feb 6, 2021 19:03

Koesj: Aug 3, 2003

Spacenaz

# ? Feb 6, 2021 19:09

Pine Cone Jones: Dec 6, 2009; You throw me the acorn, I throw you the whip!

Koesj posted:

Spacenaz

Spacecataz

# ? Feb 6, 2021 19:10

maffew buildings: Apr 29, 2009; too dumb to be probated; not too dumb to be autobanned

USAFSOC on loan

# ? Feb 6, 2021 19:16

EBB: Feb 15, 2005

Pine Cone Jones posted:

Spacecataz

heard the trumpet in my head

# ? Feb 6, 2021 19:17

Nick Soapdish: Apr 27, 2008

https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/1358107142738296847?s=20

Great tweet

# ? Feb 6, 2021 19:24

Stravag: Jun 7, 2009

I was trying to figure out where everyone talking about pence loving horses came from. Thank you

# ? Feb 6, 2021 19:30

piL: Sep 20, 2007; (__|\\\\); Taco Defender

PookBear posted:

I wonder what their SOF unit is gonna be called

Astronaut

# ? Feb 6, 2021 20:36

facialimpediment: Feb 11, 2005; as the world turns

Stravag posted:

I was trying to figure out where everyone talking about pence loving horses came from. Thank you

I had no idea and it's better than I could've even imagined

# ? Feb 6, 2021 22:44

karoshi: Nov 4, 2008; "Can somebody mspaint eyes on the steaming packages? TIA" yeah well fuck you too buddy, this is the best you're gonna get. Is this even "work-safe"? Let's find out!

A Saharan dust cloud reached Europe. This are ski resorts in the Pyrenees:
https://twitter.com/MeteoPiri/status/1357967660013805570
https://twitter.com/Meteo_Pyrenees/status/1357983983536078853

# ? Feb 6, 2021 23:45

Stultus Maximus: Dec 21, 2009; USPOL May

We're one month out now from the endgame of a fascist coup attempt orchestrated by the former President of the United States.
It's deeply disconcerting to me that I'm going through everyday life, making career plans and deciding about energy efficient furnace payoff times while simultaneously low-key researching and contingency planning for fleeing the country if the next coup is successful.
And even more disconcerting that it seems like most Americans have forgotten about this and treat it like some wacky few hours that happened, isolated from everything else and not part of a planned scheme to overthrow democracy
https://twitter.com/RWPUSA/status/1355588534594375684

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:02

boop the snoot: Jun 3, 2016

Stultus Maximus posted:

And even more disconcerting that it seems like most Americans have forgotten about this and treat it like some wacky few hours that happened, isolated from everything else and not part of a planned scheme to overthrow democracy

This was the purpose of firehosing us with bad news every hour of every day for four years.

We showed our hand after Sandy Hook when nobody really did anything in response.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:11

Pine Cone Jones: Dec 6, 2009; You throw me the acorn, I throw you the whip!

I really don't know what to do about any of this. I am hoping that if there is an investigation, the folks who were responsible will be punished, but I doubt it. I wish I had anywhere to flee to, neither me or my husband have passports or dual citizenship and I'm not sure Europe would be much better in the long run.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:14

Stultus Maximus: Dec 21, 2009; USPOL May

Pine Cone Jones posted:

I really don't know what to do about any of this. I am hoping that if there is an investigation, the folks who were responsible will be punished, but I doubt it. I wish I had anywhere to flee to, neither me or my husband have passports or dual citizenship and I'm not sure Europe would be much better in the long run.

My plan involves convincing my wife to let me get a PhD while we both learn German. It's not a great plan.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:18

maffew buildings: Apr 29, 2009; too dumb to be probated; not too dumb to be autobanned

We have members of Congress who directly aided the terrorists and so far gently caress all has been done. There's open white nationalists in Congress. Nothing is happening. We've got to vote them out, I guess?

German is stupid easy to learn, at least.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:22

Midjack: Dec 24, 2007

If you took Latin in high school you have the grammar already, just focus on vocabulary!

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:23

Milo and POTUS: Sep 3, 2017; I will not shut up about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I talk about them all the time and work them into every conversation I have. I built a shrine in my room for the yellow one who died because sadly no one noticed because she died around 9/11. Wanna see it?

lol if you think europe isnt going to follow suit

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:27

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

Asylum is still open to gippers, you just have to get down here

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:28

Arcella: Dec 16, 2013; Shiny and Chrome

Stultus Maximus posted:

We're one month out now from the endgame of a fascist coup attempt orchestrated by the former President of the United States.
It's deeply disconcerting to me that I'm going through everyday life, making career plans and deciding about energy efficient furnace payoff times while simultaneously low-key researching and contingency planning for fleeing the country if the next coup is successful.
And even more disconcerting that it seems like most Americans have forgotten about this and treat it like some wacky few hours that happened, isolated from everything else and not part of a planned scheme to overthrow democracy
https://twitter.com/RWPUSA/status/1355588534594375684

I had a moment like this a month or two ago during a short errand and hearing news about the new virus variants and then the coup attempt and thinking it feels like living through the montage news pieces at the start of some movie.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:32

Platystemon: Feb 13, 2012; BREADS

Arcella posted:

I had a moment like this a month or two ago during a short errand and hearing news about the new virus variants and then the coup attempt and thinking it feels like living through the montage news pieces at the start of some movie.

There was a series of photograph from March that I wish I could find again. The photographer arrived at a deserted bus terminal. On a bench someone had left a newspaper, its front page illuminating the reason for the desertion: the pandemic.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 00:36

C.M. Kruger: Oct 28, 2013

Platystemon posted:

There was a series of photograph from March that I wish I could find again. The photographer arrived at a deserted bus terminal. On a bench someone had left a newspaper, its front page illuminating the reason for the desertion: the pandemic.

https://twitter.com/unrealalexander/status/1243146837894332418

I bought the video game The Division on sale last December and unsurprisingly, ended up barely playing any of it. Ironically it's vision of a competent government reaction is way too optimistic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIMeB9Lv2Pk

# ? Feb 7, 2021 01:03

Platystemon: Feb 13, 2012; BREADS

C.M. Kruger posted:

https://twitter.com/unrealalexander/status/1243146837894332418

Yeah the ferry one is it. Thanks.

Here is vocal rendition of the �bad bioshock audiolog�.

https://twitter.com/doomquasar/status/1246990931330564098

# ? Feb 7, 2021 01:11

Stultus Maximus: Dec 21, 2009; USPOL May

Time article on the people who saved democracy (for now)

quote:

Sometime in the fall of 2019, Mike Podhorzer became convinced the election was headed for disaster�and determined to protect it.

This was not his usual purview. For nearly a quarter-century, Podhorzer, senior adviser to the president of the AFL-CIO, the nation�s largest union federation, has marshaled the latest tactics and data to help its favored candidates win elections.

Trump�s election in 2016�credited in part to his unusual strength among the sort of blue collar white voters who once dominated the AFL-CIO�prompted Podhorzer to question his assumptions about voter behavior. He began circulating weekly number-crunching memos to a small circle of allies and hosting strategy sessions in D.C. But when he began to worry about the election itself, he didn�t want to seem paranoid. It was only after months of research that he introduced his concerns in his newsletter in October 2019. The usual tools of data, analytics and polling would not be sufficient in a situation where the President himself was trying to disrupt the election, he wrote. �Most of our planning takes us through Election Day,� he noted. �But, we are not prepared for the two most likely outcomes��Trump losing and refusing to concede, and Trump winning the Electoral College (despite losing the popular vote) by corrupting the voting process in key states. �We desperately need to systematically �red-team� this election so that we can anticipate and plan for the worst we know will be coming our way.�

The chief difference between the U.S. and countries that lost their grip on democracy, he concluded, was that America�s decentralized election system couldn�t be rigged in one fell swoop. That presented an opportunity to shore it up.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 01:21

Midjack: Dec 24, 2007

Wamp was my rep when I was in in high school, haven�t thought about him in years. Good to see he�s not a total shithead today.

# ? Feb 7, 2021 01:41

Stultus Maximus: Dec 21, 2009; USPOL May

Midjack posted:

Wamp was my rep when I was in in high school, haven�t thought about him in years. Good to see he�s not a total shithead today.

I don't know if the article was intentionally manipulative like that, but it really did calm me down a bit to see how many across the entire rational political spectrum joined together to make sure that the election was free and fair. Really disturbing that it took a year's worth of work and hundreds of millions of dollars, but it's also heartening to know that there are that many people with influence and money who do actually care about democracy.

It's really an amazing article, how carefully the group anticipated Trump's moves and planned effective countermeasures.

quote:

As much as they were eager to mount a show of strength, mobilizing immediately could backfire and put people at risk. Protests that devolved into violent clashes would give Trump a pretext to send in federal agents or troops as he had over the summer. And rather than elevate Trump�s complaints by continuing to fight him, the alliance wanted to send the message that the people had spoken.

So the word went out: stand down. Protect the Results announced that it would �not be activating the entire national mobilization network today, but remains ready to activate if necessary.� On Twitter, outraged progressives wondered what was going on. Why wasn�t anyone trying to stop Trump�s coup? Where were all the protests?

Podhorzer credits the activists for their restraint. �They had spent so much time getting ready to hit the streets on Wednesday. But they did it,� he says. �Wednesday through Friday, there was not a single Antifa vs. Proud Boys incident like everyone was expecting. And when that didn�t materialize, I don�t think the Trump campaign had a backup plan.�

Activists reoriented the Protect the Results protests toward a weekend of celebration. �Counter their disinfo with our confidence & get ready to celebrate,� read the messaging guidance Shenker-Osorio presented to the liberal alliance on Friday, Nov. 6. �Declare and fortify our win. Vibe: confident, forward-looking, unified�NOT passive, anxious.� The voters, not the candidates, would be the protagonists of the story.

The planned day of celebration happened to coincide with the election being called on Nov. 7. Activists dancing in the streets of Philadelphia blasted Beyonc� over an attempted Trump campaign press conference; the Trumpers� next confab was scheduled for Four Seasons Total Landscaping outside the city center, which activists believe was not a coincidence. �The people of Philadelphia owned the streets of Philadelphia,� crows the Working Families Party�s Mitchell. �We made them look ridiculous by contrasting our joyous celebration of democracy with their clown show.�

quote:

Election boards were one pressure point; another was GOP-controlled legislatures, who Trump believed could declare the election void and appoint their own electors. And so the President invited the GOP leaders of the Michigan legislature, House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Senate majority leader Mike Shirkey, to Washington on Nov. 20.

It was a perilous moment. If Chatfield and Shirkey agreed to do Trump�s bidding, Republicans in other states might be similarly bullied. �I was concerned things were going to get weird,� says Jeff Timmer, a former Michigan GOP executive director turned anti-Trump activist. Norm Eisen describes it as �the scariest moment� of the entire election.

The democracy defenders launched a full-court press. Protect Democracy�s local contacts researched the lawmakers� personal and political motives. Issue One ran television ads in Lansing. The Chamber�s Bradley kept close tabs on the process. Wamp, the former Republican Congressman, called his former colleague Mike Rogers, who wrote an op-ed for the Detroit newspapers urging officials to honor the will of the voters. Three former Michigan governors�Republicans John Engler and Rick Snyder and Democrat Jennifer Granholm�jointly called for Michigan�s electoral votes to be cast free of pressure from the White House. Engler, a former head of the Business Roundtable, made phone calls to influential donors and fellow GOP elder statesmen who could press the lawmakers privately.

When the meeting began, Reyes�s activists flooded the livestream and filled Twitter with their hashtag, #alleyesonmi. A board accustomed to attendance in the single digits suddenly faced an audience of thousands. In hours of testimony, the activists emphasized their message of respecting voters� wishes and affirming democracy rather than scolding the officials. Van Langevelde quickly signaled he would follow precedent. The vote was 3-0 to certify; the other Republican abstained.

After that, the dominoes fell. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and the rest of the states certified their electors. Republican officials in Arizona and Georgia stood up to Trump�s bullying. And the Electoral College voted on schedule on Dec. 14.

quote:

There was one last milestone on Podhorzer�s mind: Jan. 6. On the day Congress would meet to tally the electoral count, Trump summoned his supporters to D.C. for a rally.

Much to their surprise, the thousands who answered his call were met by virtually no counterdemonstrators. To preserve safety and ensure they couldn�t be blamed for any mayhem, the activist left was �strenuously discouraging counter activity,� Podhorzer texted me the morning of Jan. 6, with a crossed-fingers emoji.

Trump addressed the crowd that afternoon, peddling the lie that lawmakers or Vice President Mike Pence could reject states� electoral votes. He told them to go to the Capitol and �fight like hell.� Then he returned to the White House as they sacked the building. As lawmakers fled for their lives and his own supporters were shot and trampled, Trump praised the rioters as �very special.�

It was his final attack on democracy, and once again, it failed. By standing down, the democracy campaigners outfoxed their foes. �We won by the skin of our teeth, honestly, and that�s an important point for folks to sit with,� says the Democracy Defense Coalition�s Peoples. �There�s an impulse for some to say voters decided and democracy won. But it�s a mistake to think that this election cycle was a show of strength for democracy. It shows how vulnerable democracy is.�

# ? Feb 7, 2021 03:18

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# ? Jun 7, 2024 23:44

bulletsponge13: Apr 28, 2010

So there was a conspiracy to make Trump lose!

# ? Feb 7, 2021 04:06

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Internet VFW > February 2021 Current Events: Slow Down, Rush is Dead

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