Seeking Affirmation, Not Information, or, Hello From the Other Side

As I have noted before, an ongoing problem with our partisan, partitioned news outlets is that residents of both left and right can, if so inclined, remain entirely within their preferred bubble.

And if your bubble includes the notion that the other side is irredeemably daft, well, we have news outlets and blogs for that too.

So to get modestly meta, here are three blogs explaining why the Paris-related tweets from "the other side" are hopelessly stupid: Mother Jones (which really ought to know better, as many commenters there remark), TBogg at Raw Story, and from the right, The Right Scoop.

You'd get more illumination by setting John Kerry's press releases on fire, but if on this troubled and troubling day you need reassurance that your team is smarter than theirs, well, you're all set.

That said, I do have to ask a question, and perhaps unwittingly illustrate just how stupid this side or the other really is: how did Mother Jones happen to pick out this tweet?

Obama needs to stop pretending that we don't know how to stop ISIS. ISIS is not JV, nor contained. Obama's politics is putting us at risk.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) November 13, 2015

What, Obama has ISIS buttoned down? Or there are no policy changes worth debating? Or this isn't the time to talk about our ISIS "strategy"? Or we shouldn't be blaming Obama, since he is only Commander-in-Chief and Leader of the Free World?

Or maybe it is just the mismatch of "politics" and "is". If we suspend the rules of grammar, the terrorists win!

I am sure progressives would disagree with the theme of the tweet and redirect their animus toward Bush/Cheney/Koch Bros, but if this is the stupidest thing any righty tweeted last night we are in pretty good shape.

Mystifying.

WHEN YOU'VE GOT NOTHING, CRITICIZE OTHERS FOR HAVING LESS: Timesman Frank Bruni deplores the politicization of the PAris attack into tangentially related issues such as gun control, campus non-control, and, well, Obama's consistent underestimation of ISIS. Two of those examples work for me, but all three come from the right. Either Mr. Bruni has a surprisingly unbalanced Twitter feed or he missed such gems from the left as this from Ezra Klein:

This tragedy should make us sympathetic to refugees fleeing these murderers, not angry at them

Well, can we be angry about the utter lack if screening? Apparently there are reports that two of the Paris terrorists came in with refugees, sort of like some haters said would happen. Lest you wonder, a subsequent Vox post clarified that yes, people opposed to the current lack of screening procedures are haters:

This congressman just showed how not to respond to the Paris attacks

Although the perpetrators of the Paris attacks remain unknown, Jeff Duncan, a Republican congressman from South Carolina, took to Twitter to say that the tragedy shows Europe and America shouldn't let in Syrian refugees because it might lead to more attacks.

How's that Syrian refugee resettlement look now? How about that mass migration into Europe? Terrorism is alive & well in the world. #No

As Dan Holloway tweeted earlier tonight, this assumption is misguided:

To people blaming refugees for attacks in Paris tonight. Do you not realise these are the people the refugees are trying to run away from..?

— Dan Holloway (@RFCdan) November 13, 2015

Again, we still don't know who's to blame for the Paris attacks — so we don't know if a jihadist group was involved, or even what the motives were. But if a jihadist group is the culprit, these kinds of terrorist organizations are exactly the kind of danger that many Syrian refugees are fleeing from. It is ISIS, after all, that has terrorized Syria — and forced people to flee their home country to find refuge from the violence.

Groan. Team Vox read the Congressman's mind and concluded that he meant that "Europe and America shouldn't let in Syrian refugees". Might he have meant "absent credible background checks" or "absent any plausible plan for jobs and cultural integration"? Might he have meant "Despite your good intentions you are welcoming a dangerous mix of refugees and terrorists"? They know he didn't!

And why does this sort of politicization not bother Mr. Bruni? Oh, please. His real exhortation is to avoid politicizing events in ways with which he does not agree.

However, we are sympathetic to his plight. Under deadline pressure he has to deliver something for the Sunday edition. Not writing about Paris would be odd, but he has nothing to say. Easy answer - find people with even less to say!

His editors are happy, his readers are happy, Sunday morning was passed pondering the foolishness of the right and all is good in Timesworld.

OOPS: I may have jumped the gun on the deadline pressure. On this Sunday morning the print edition includes a Bruni-basher of Ted Cruz. Per the Times website listing Bruni's columns, that Ted Cruz piece comes *after* the Parids piece, so maybe the editors nixed it. Time will tell.

Comments

[jimmyk]

Because the first priority is to make sure that Republicans don't somehow look correct as the result of this attack.

[henry]

but we can't remain in a commenting bubble thread because "new thread" every time you turn around. :) Nice posts though TM.

[henry]

Does anybody use the sunday times for more than its crossword and bird cage lining properties? I assume it could be fireplace kindling... but the saturday WSJ does that admirably for me.

[jimmyk]

A mostly sensible column by Roger Cohen,

It was wrong to dismiss ISIS as a regional threat. Its threat is global. Enough is enough. A certain quality of evil cannot be allowed physical terrain on which to breed. Pope Francis declared the Paris attacks “not human.” In a sense he is right. But history teaches that human beings are capable of fathomless evil. Unmet, it grows.

To defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq will require NATO forces on the ground. After the protracted and inconclusive Western interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is reasonable to ask if this would not be folly. It is also reasonable to demand – and many will – whether military action will only have the effect of winning more recruits for ISIS as more lives and treasure are squandered. Terrorism, the old nostrum has it, can never be completely defeated.

Such arguments are seductive but must be resisted. An air war against ISIS will not get the job done; the Paris attacks occurred well into an unpersuasive bombing campaign....

It is not enough to say, as the Obama Administration has up to now, that ISIS will be defeated. These words lack meaning without a corresponding plan. There is time pressure because time is being used precisely to plan new atrocities.

But since it's the NYT, he has to throw in this Ezra Klein-like sentiment:

The killings occurred as hundreds of thousands of desperate Muslim refugees from Syria are streaming into Europe. This is not the time to turn on them, but to help them, even if extreme vigilance is needed.

At least he did not say "Now is the time for us to help them. Why can't the wealthy Arab (and fellow Muslim) states help them?

[Miss Marple 2]

jimmyk,

It seems to me at the very least, that the Saudis, Kuwatis, Jordanians, and UAE should be paying for the settlement of these people.

Even if they won't take them on their soil (red flag right there) they could at least pay for some of the expenses.

[Threadkiller]

From the lurker link:

The Second Phase "Opening Eyes" is, according to Hussein's definition, the period we are now in and should last until 2006. Hussein says the terrorists hope to make the western conspiracy aware of the "Islamic community." Hussein believes this is a phase in which al-Qaida wants an organization to develop into a movement. The network is banking on recruiting young men during this period.

 

2006 was the year congress had its first Muslim. Although Ellison was not sworn in on a Koran, he and Pelosi sure helped the movement with a photo-op of their hands on Jefferson's Koran.

Pelosi vetted Obama's eligibility for the DNC, BTW. That was when we trusted her, I guess.

[jimmyk]

More 1st world problems occupying the pages of the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/14/sports/football/when-red-bills-met-green-jets-colorblind-fans-lost.html

What about the completely blind?

(No offense to colorblind JOMers.)

[narciso]

well the Christian refugees who are most in danger, are unexpectedly not among the largest cohort of refugees,

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2015/11/14/10-questions-for-hillary-after-the-paris-massacre/

[Rick Ballard]

I see no reason to turn our backs on the fleeing headchoppers refugees. The fears of the headchoppers refugees can best be assuaged by locating them as far from the provincial h8ters, bitterly clinging to their guns and Bibles, as possible. I would propose, therefore, to relocate all of them to cities noted for very strict gun laws, gun free zones and abundant social services. Specifically, the sanctuary cities which embrace immigrants without regard to legal status are best suited to accept headchoppers refugees and provide them with the sense of security necessary for them to implement plans for terror strikes become comfortable in an accepting environment.

If we're going to accept headchoppers refugees, let's make them feel right at home.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

From the right I have a perfectly reasonable plan;
We allow the poor, the tired, the huddled A-rabs in and in exchange we send them all the A-holes already here who want to let them in [here's looking at you Ezra].

Then we send the poor A-rabs back once our A-holes have pacified and helped the misguided yutes of Arabia rediscover true islam and created many $15 per hour meaningful shovel ready jobs.

Voila; no more external invaders and no more internal Quislings. The perfect win-win.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Well that was a fun afternoon.

Drove down over the hill on a dirt road to pick up some soapstone off my friend's property. It's down over a steep hill which I backed up to and just as I was stopping, my wet boot slipped off the brake and I shot down about fifteen feet over the edge before I could get my foot back on.
Since we've had quite a few nice rainstorms I had gone just far enough that even in 4WD low or high range I just spun.
So I backed down the hill where it got flatter and tossed some soapstone in the back for better traction, but it was so wet every time I ended up further down the hill until I was about 150 feet from level ground and it looked it was going to take a D-6 cat to get me out. As I was about to start hoofing it I tried one last time and somehow got up a head of steam and flew back up the hill only to bog down about twenty feet short of the top and canted just enough that backing down the hill was no longer an option.

A winch has always been on my short list but I usually had a cat or skidder around so never got around to it.
Of course it was late afternoon and too late to get it out today and heavy rain is expected tonight and tomorrow so it'll have to sit down there for a few days. And of course it had to happen on the property of the parents of the gal I'm interested in so I look like a complete lame-ass doofus.

On the plus side it was only about 1000 vertical feet and two or three miles back out of the canyon to civilization and that was after lugging several hundred pounds of soapstone out of the black hole of Calcutta to toss in my truck.

Even Chester was pooped by the time we got home. We should sleep well tonight unless I dream about being a moron.

[jimmyk]

Not sure if this is old news at JOM, still getting caught up, but I've heard stories about at least two bombers having come as "refugees," one through Greece, the other through Albania. Like this one (though my Albanian is a little rusty):

https://twitter.com/20committee/status/665692008732893184

[jimmyk]

Let me try again, my first disappeared. I've heard stories about two of the Paris terrorists having come as refugees, one through Greece, and the other through Serbia, as reported here (though my Serbian is a bit rusty):

https://twitter.com/20committee/status/665692008732893184

[jimmyk]

Ah, it showed up with the mistaken "Albanian." Ok, Serbia, Albania, it's all the same.

[GMax]

Cajuns all over step out on the balconies as LSU falls behind two TDs to Arkansas.

[Miss Marple 2]

US bombs dropped today:

[Threadkiller]

Morons drop dead trying to pull that stunt, Ig.

Dream about how to exploit your lifesaving skill set to the gal's parents.

[daddy]

Just awoke to 4 new JOM threads. Ai yi yi!

The first one, "Decisions Under Pressure, or, Making That 3AM Phone Call" makes me laugh.

TM made mincemeat of Obama's statement, and it is the exact same statement that Wolf Blitzer immediately described to his CCN viewers as "Obama did not mince any words."

Good morning. For the next 2 days all we get on TV is CNN, BBC, TV Australia, and Channel News Asia. No Al Jazirah or Russia Today in Singapore---probably a smart move.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

You know what's funny TK?
Almost thirty years ago in 1987 when I was logging that property that same damned steep little pitch drove me nuts because my cat could just barely climb it when it was dry because it's solid soapstone underneath. I'd have to pay out cable and then reel the logs in once on top just to get up it.
NOW I get stuck on it for real and no cat in sight.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Rob Lowe destroyed on twitter.

His crime? He said;
"Oh, NOW France closes its borders."
The tolerance brigade will have to teach him some manners through tolerant character assassination.

[Threadkiller]

What is your choice of weapons for unsticking the truck, Ig?

[narciso]

this is the same rocket surgeon, who was surprised the iran deal didn't work out, laura rozen, journolist hack,

https://twitter.com/pspoole

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Well, getting somebody with a winch would be the best since I'm only about fifty feet from level ground.
Second is a pickup and a big come along.
My friend who owns the property has a four wheel drive Case backhoe which I might try also but trying to pull a stuck pickup on a steep hill with a rubber tired rig doesn't usually end well.
He's got an old D-7 but it's not ship shape otherwise I would have pulled it out right then.

[narciso]

poole is a valuable source, just some of the category error he catches in the net, are choice,

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/11/14/exclusive-as-paris-burned-uk-islamists-told-muslims-to-struggle-for-islamic-state-in-unprecedented-islamic-show-of-force/

[Porchlight]

Good for Rob Lowe.

[Threadkiller]

Bring a tripod and a video camera.

:-)

[Porchlight]

Anyone else tired of the sad Eiffel Towers on their Facebook feeds?

[GMax]

OH MY! Arkansas now up three TDs on LSU.

[Beasts of England]

One thing is certain about the left: they'll never reach peak derp.

[narciso]

truly, they dial to 14, and don't stop

http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/11/paris-bataclan-theater-was-bds-and-terrorist-target-for-years/

[Janet]

Why can't the wealthy Arab (and fellow Muslim) states help them?

and why isn't that question asked over & over & over in the MFM??

The poor refugees could save some $$$ not buying life jackets. Mohammad Jr. wouldn't drown.

[Beasts of England]

How can these idiots claim that the 'migrants' are flying their hometown terrorists? The terrorists aren't targeting other muzzies. And secondly, if they are fleeing their fellow muzzies, then why are they generally leaving their women and children behind?

I guess it's because neither of those things are true - and that the left continues its mendacity. Sickening.

[narciso]

because they use them as cannon fodder, first with the PLO, without Kuwaiti sponsorship and Saudi money, they would have gone nowhere,

[Janet]

Bosch Fawstin ~

"Extremist" Muslim's Koran: "Kill the infidels wherever you find them."

"Moderate" Muslim's Koran: "Kill the infidels wherever you find them."

[Agent J]

lg, how long of a walk home?
Did basicly the same thing only it was on frozen ground in the cool AM, but with the afternoon sun turned into one half inch of slim. Took neighbors teacher and four 20 foot log chains and lots of walking.

[narciso]

restoring science to it's proper place,

http://www.therebel.media/kirsty_duncan_trudeau_s_minister_of_science_huckster

[Agent J]

Tractor not teacher.

[anonamom]

from henry's Al Qaida timeline:

The Fourth Phase Between 2010 and 2013, Hussein writes that al-Qaida will aim to bring about the collapse of the hated Arabic governments. The estimate is that "the creeping loss of the regimes' power will lead to a steady growth in strength within al-Qaida." At the same time attacks will be carried out against oil suppliers and the US economy will be targeted using cyber terrorism.

The Fifth Phase This will be the point at which an Islamic state, or caliphate, can be declared. The plan is that by this time, between 2013 and 2016, Western influence in the Islamic world will be so reduced and Israel weakened so much, that resistance will not be feared. Al-Qaida hopes that by then the Islamic state will be able to bring about a new world order.

[daddy]

Here's a screen-shot map of Jay Vee activity, from Narciso's Twitter link at 08:23

[narciso]

here was the context for yesterday,

http://www.duas.org/firstsafar.htm

they do follow their calendar, even though we ignore ours,

[Threadkiller]

Kia will recall 256,459 examples of the 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV for a steering failure problem. The affected models have production dates between Jan. 18, 2014, and Sept. 30, 2015. According to a chronology (as a PDF) posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are five warrantyclaims from this issue as of Oct. 29 but no reports of accidents or injuries.

On these hatchbacks, the adhesive that secures the steering pinion gear and the steering gear assembly can potentially separate, and if this happens drivers lose control. Dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the pinion plug if necessary. They'll also install a set bolt to further reinforce things. The campaign will begin Dec. 22.

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/11/13/kia-soul-recall-steering/

Glue? For the steering??

Was this clown the engineer?

I'm hoping they are talking about a set screw that requires locktite, but it doesn't read that way.

[anonamom]

Did Dick Cheney buy The Atlantic?

I haven't read this entire article, but it seems to be acknowledging that ISIS is not only profoundly Islamic, but to be Islamic means restoring its 7th century legal system, killing infidels is how to do so.

Who authorized them to be truthful?

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

[Jane]

So, are we having a debate thread?

[henry]

TK, They probably have those Takada air bags so loss of steering is no big deal.

[narciso]

that doesn't seem right:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering2.htm

yes, it's a one off, then they went back on their heads,

[Jane]

Oh good, the debate is "a symbol of freedom" says Hillary's ass licker. Who then invokes a moment of silence which truly was not more than 2 seconds,

[Miss Marple 2]

Hillary wearing black and pearls. Looks much better than the orange.

She got good applause, Bernie more.

[Jane]

First an ad.

[Skoot]

First American victim identified.

NBC news: "Nohemi Gonzalez, 23, a senior design major at California State University-Long Beach spending a semester studying at Strate College of Design in Sèvres, France, was killed at one of the restaurants struck by terrorists Friday night"

[henry]

One of the questioners is purple.... Barney without his costume head?

[henry]

The montage from hell

[Threadkiller]

Instead of vermin pitching the glue traps maybe they can make a Gorilla the new spokesman.

[Miss Marple 2]

Maybe it's just my feed on my local Comcast, but Bernie sounds like he's talking from a well with a towel over his mouth.

[henry]

Same over my rabbit ears. Sounds like Hillary's TelePrompTer only shows one word at a time.

[Jane]

So what's the score of the football game?
Opening statements about attacks.

Bernie is shocked! Shocked I tell you. But it's about the rigged economy. Oh and corrupt millionaires and billionaires. he's a revolution.

Hillary is praying with France, and wants resolve.She will lay out in detail at some point how to coordinate efforts against terrorism. Just don't ask her tonite.

O"Malley's heart is in the right place. And this is a new thing and we can adapt. He has new thinking, like he did in Baltimore.

[Miss Marple 2]

O'Malley seems to sound ok.

WOW. Dickerson brings up Obama's comment on ISIS being not a threat.

[henry]

Hillary, all tools at our disposal... including server wipes?

[Miss Marple 2]

Hillary, back to the question. Was ISIS underestimated?

This is surprising.

[Miss Marple 2]

AHAH! Hillary manages to get this in.

It's George W. Bush's fault!

[henry]

Well blame Bush... and Maliki, and an endless list of others at fault

[Jane]

So Hill, Obama said we are winning. WHat;s your legacy?

Isis is the leading threat and must be defeated. I will ignore the question. We can use the police before the troops and I agree with the president. It;s not our fight, but we can help.

That's not what I asked Hillary.

You blew it in the past.

"It was Bush's fault".

I was on it with Assad, There are lots of reason and it;s not our fault.

[Jane]

O'Mally,

Oh this is our fight, just not only our fight. We have a role, and must work together, we have a failure of human intelligence. (Bush's fault)

[henry]

Collaborative is OMalley's word of the day. He must have a 90s word of the day calendar he just got to.

[Miss Marple 2]

O'Malley talks about human intelligence needed, and it's our fight.

Sanders feed is crummy, so can't hear what he's saying.

I smell a plot.

[jimmyk]

Anyone else tired of the sad Eiffel Towers on their Facebook feeds?

Haven't seen that, fortunately. I could tolerate an angry Eiffel Tower, but I guess that's too much to expect.

[henry]

Bernie... It's the global warming... and yes some terrorism, but Bush invaded Iraq.

[Threadkiller]

Sanders said climate change leads to terrorism, MM.

[Jane]

Sanders - climate change is directly related to international terrorism, but climate change is the big problem.

It was the invasion of Iraq. (Bush's fault). We need an international coalition which includes Muslims.

Do you blame Clinton.

Sure.

[Miss Marple 2]

TK,

Swell! Nonsensical stuff like that is helprul to us.

[Miss Marple 2]

Aside: Someone from Hollywood or Vogue must have helped Hillary with wardrobe That outfit looks better than anything I have seen in the last 2 years.

[narciso]

even though it's on regular tv, it will likely get the worse ratings, three bobbleheads bouncing around,

[Jane]

Clinton:

We were victimized. Not my fault. Sure, it was a mistake, but I'm brilliant.

Sanders - any criticism of HIllary as SOS?

We have a disagreement. All invasions are bad.

O'Malley: Clinton was also wrong about everything. She is responsible for Isis.

[henry]

Wow, Bernie is a blithering idiot. That last answer wouldn't make his supporters happy at all -- Guatemala?

[Janet]

a live feed link - http://www.livenewschat.eu/democratic-debate-live-stream/

[Jane]

Clinton, not my fault and you guys lack the sophistication to understand what is going on.

[narciso]

what was the question, about Guatemala?

[Miss Marple 2]

Bernie's feed is till garbled unless he raises his voice.

[Jane]

Bernie: The Moooslem nations have to deal with it. It is a war for the soul of islam.

Oh dear.

Hillary: That is unfair to Jordon.

But Turkey is bad.

[Janet]

Sanders sounds like the baseball owner in the Seinfeld TV show.

[henry]

Bernie, Muslim countries opposed to Islam need to get involved with boots on the ground (Iran, Saudi, Turkey). Reup his meds.

[Miss Marple 2]

Libya question!

[narciso]

he sounds like the aardvark in the old Panther cartoons, who I was sure was voiced by Jackie Mason, turns out I was wrong,

[Jane]

What role does America take. Start with Libya.
Did you get it wrong.

Oh no, we had a plan. And it was great that I got Qaddafi (and all those donations to the foundation).

What has happened since is not my fault.

[henry]

narciso, the question was about Obama claiming ISIS was contained. Bernie went long on the history of invasions... Guatemala was one he cited.

[Jane]

O'Malley - you have no FP experience. Doesn't that disqualify you?

Blah blah blah - nonsensical reply. And don' t use the term "boots on the ground".

Okay then.

[narciso]

yikes, he meant operation success, I think, but that was no invasion,

[Jane]

Hillary - the bureaucracy is very cool.

[Jane]

Bernie, it's all about PTSD, and vets.

[henry]

Bernie off on the VA fucking up without mentioning the VA?

[Miss Marple 2]

Bernie says 500,000 came home with PTSD and brain injuries.

That can't be right, is it?

[Centralcal on iPad]

I only lasted 30 seconds with this debate before going to the Food Network. Judging by the ages of the candidates and the majority of their "base" I think Food Network will win tonight's ratings.

[daddy]

BBC now doing the expected segment about how authorities are now worried that there will be a 'Tsunami of Hatred" unleashed against peaceful Muslims in France and Britain.

Segment now switches to a BBC reporter on the street interviewing French Muslims, who tell us that "alienation of French Muslim youth" is a real problem.

[Neo]

Clinton: "We have a strategy"

[Jane]

Hillary: we aren't at war with Islams.

Can you not say "radical Islam"

No I can't.

[henry]

Hillary parsing definitions

[Neo]

Sanders: I hide behind veterans

[Jane]

So Hillary identifies with the radicals. But she says she doesn't. Because she lies.

[Jane]

Bernie,

It's about the women and children. We have to destroy them, just not us.

[Jane]

This is just getting too far in the weeds for me.

Reality, where are you?

[Janet]

a great world religion????

Good Lord.