The Watering Hole: Tuesday July 19, DWS

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D(ead)W(histleblower)S(yndrome):

The acronym DWS describes sudden death occurences related to persons, who have, shortly before their untimely demise, contributed to the surfacing of news affecting the well-being of influential people and or institutions. Prominent victims of DWS are:

Dr. Kelly

Sean Hoare

Matt Simmons

Wolfgang U.

Rest in Peace and thank you for the service you have, by your courage and determination to do the right thing, provided to us the powerless.

This is our Open Thread, feel free to add just anything you feel like adding. It’s hopefully safe to do it here.

302 thoughts on “The Watering Hole: Tuesday July 19, DWS”

  1. Mornin’ EV!

    You can add Michael Connell, even if he wasn’t yet a whistleblower, he was killed because he knew too much about how Bush stole the 2004 election.

    William Casey was about to tell what he knew about Iran-Contra to the House Select Committee on Intelligence, when he ‘conveniently’ developed a ‘brain tumor’ that allowed CIA doctors to permanently disable his brain.

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  3. Hi House, I wonder how many we will come up with in the end. Enough to fill a whole section in Arlington? I guess so.

    There’s character assassination as well, if we look at Assange. He is definitely right to be nervous about extradition.

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  5. Bradley Manning.
    Not exactly dissappeared but for all practical intents and purposes, his life is essentially over.

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  6. Everyone involved in News International’s illegalities certainly has a lot to lose, and apart from that so many of those identified thus far are obviously sociopathic which makes it all the more likely than someone–regardless of their level and depth of involvement—is going to be inclined to protect themselves by whatever means they deem necessary.

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  7. From the Guardian, here’s Robert Pollock in the Wall Street Journal saying that Rupert Murdoch has not tried to influence the editorial direction of the WSJ.

    Most people go about their business in semi-autonomous units, perhaps with a vague notion of pleasing someone distant up the chain of command, but most often with a simple desire to do their best job as they and their immediate colleagues see it. If you want an example of editorial independence at News Corp., look at how often “The Simpsons” mock their broadcasters at Fox

    Neat, strawman huh? Simpsons is entertainment, it doesn’t have an agenda to influence politics economics and public opinion so it’s audience, for example, will be persuaded that being bright yellow is normal. For fuck’s sake! .

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    • Have you noticed how quickly the WSJ went from criticizing Murdoch (one editorial that I know of) to being on board with the defense.

      Conflict of interest anyone?

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  9. Greg Sargent flags a Pew poll:

    “Less than a third of Republicans think it’s essential to raise the debt ceiling to avoid disaster. Only 20 percent of Tea Party sympathizers — or one fifth, according to my handy Plum Line calculator — think this. Large swaths of the Republican base simply don’t think it will be a major problem if the deadline passes and the United States defaults on its obligations. Put another way, large swaths of the GOP base has been deluded into thinking no crisis of any kind is imminent. The GOP base has become Bachmann Nation.”

    http://tinyurl.com/3lz447w

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  10. Rupert Murdoch would like to read a prepared apology in the hearing for phone-hacking victims.
    Murdoch has a media empire he can apologize from. How about a youtube post?
    Thia is of course a PR move and also a time waster, and the committee shouldn’t allow it.
    British committees tend to be far less pretentious than US ones and less ‘grateful’ to the witnesses for showing up and all that,—so there’s a chance they will reject Murdoch’s sel-serving request, but I’m not betting on it.

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    • But… despite all the horrible, evil, despicable things he’s done… he wants to apologize. That will make it all okay. That will ease all the suffering he’s caused.

      All I have to say to Rupert: Karma’s a bitch.

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    • Just tuned in to see James. Is it just me, or does he appear to be lying already? The question was did Brooks, Hinton, et al have any knowledge of the hacking.

      James’ answer had a stunning amount of awkward stammers in it. (In stark contrast to her prior comments.)

      He’s lying. He’s covering up. He’s a horrible person, who’s had a silver spoon in his mouth since the day he was born, and has no idea what it’s like to live in the real world.

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  16. Don’t forget about the DC Madam. She may not have been a whistle blower but her little black book would have possibly destroyed the reputations of many elitists and politicians.

    Also wasn’t there some speculation that Pat Tillman was purposely killed because of his outspoken opposition of our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq?

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    • I don’t cleave to that. The army covered up their incompetence at accidentally killing a popular hero who gave up a lucrative career and instead of ‘going to Disneyland’ like Chimpy said, actually sacrificed for his country.

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  17. Rupert interjected about this being the mist humbling day of his life—more PR. No doubt when he gets questioned his going to do a verbal contrition dance, like James—even though that should all be in the statement the committee chair pushed away. so for christ’s sake don;t let him do it.

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  18. I just saw Micheal Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story” last night and it just fortified my thoughts that this greed driven brand of capitalism is pure evil. I loved how he pointed out that nowhere in the constitution does it mention free markets or capitalism.

    Capitalism was invented for and by the wealthy and powerful to amass more wealth while controlling and manipulating the markets.

    Bow to Mammon, worship capitalism and serve the corporations. If you don’t you are anti-American.

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  20. I was reading an article last night about Wall Street and hedge fund managers and was pissed off when it talked about some hedge fund manager and said he earned millions of dollars. The phucker didn’t earn anything. He made profits by producing nothing.

    The workers of America earn their paychecks, the assholes on Wall Street figure out clever ways to steal millions of dollars while destroying other peoples lives and destroying the economy.

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  21. For someone supposedly very “humbled” about this and being oh so apologetic, Rupert certainly seems to be a hostile prick. He hates answering questions. Good. Keep asking them.

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      • Yup, and that’s going to work against his attempts at contrition….
        Laboour MP Watson is doing a good job IMHO—short specific questions, he knows where he’s going.
        He’s a bulldog on the issue in general. He’s being authoritative. Rare to see in these ind of events.

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  22. Murdoch’s contempt for the parliamentary process, and feigning complete ignorance looks like astounding recklessness to me.

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  23. I hadn’t heard this until this morning on radio.

    Computer Found Near Rebekah Brooks’ Home

    London police recovered a computer, telephone and paperwork found in the garbage outside the London home of former News Corp. executive Rebekah Brooks, the Guardian reported.

    According to the paper’s account, Brooks’s husband, Charlie, tried to reclaim the bag from a security guard who found it, but was unable to prove he owned it.

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  25. This is a prime example of the affect that power and influence has over the worlds governments, elected officials, police, etc, etc. Sadly while we are enthralled by this story and the possible end of the evil Murdoch empire, we still have the Koch brothers, GE, Halliburton, BP, Exxon and many, many others who partake in the same type of evilness. It may not have to do with phone hacking but non the less they are all involved in some type of criminal or treasonous types of actions to gain more profits, whether it is buying politicians, Judges, law enforcement, County officials, etc, etc.

    In short, we are seeing the scum that lies underneath one rock but there is plenty more scum under so many other rocks.

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  29. GROSS “CHOOT-SPA”:

    “Do you accept you were responsible for the wrongdoing at the News of the World?” – Jim Sheridan MP.

    “No,” – Rupert Murdoch.

    Who was responsible?

    “The people who I employed, or maybe the people they employed” – Murdoch.

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    • And therein lies the fallacy of corporate personhood – its the equivalent of the ;’trinky defence’. If a corporation breaks the law and is found guilty, then the CEO and Chairman go to prison – just like a ‘natural person’ does.

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  30. This Coffey chick basically asked Rupert if he’d learned anything and if he’d do things differently in the future. Why is this relevant?
    What did he know, when did he know it, who did what and how—these are all that matter.
    Now James is going on about the future fabulousness of N!. Fuck off!
    And now Rupert;s blathering .

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    • I was going to comment on that as well. My take on it, is that I believe it shows that they haven’t really learned anything from this. After this all blows over, it will be back to business as usual.

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  33. Oh boy! They’ve set up a committee to look into to the issue of journalistic ethics. That’ll solve everything. God, how I hate corporations.

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  39. Quick head fake away from the spectacle in London

    This photograph sums up the WWC final in one go

    Japanese captain Sawa clears off the line and saves her team from Wambach and Rapinoe after (I think) Morgan hit the post. Look at the despairing body on the ground who couldn’t stop Morgan (out of shot) and can’t watch as Wambach looked certain to get the loose ball. Awesome picture.

    Definitely thinking about taking Sammytheturtle to the Olympics for the soccer next year.

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    • I think the Misters Murdoch should be ‘helping police with their enquiries’ – take their passports away!

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    • Heard about that today…. v funny. Surprised that Hollywood didn’t have a post-apocalypse scene they wanted to film featuring an empty freeway. Maybe its all CGI now.

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      • Moments after the shot, construction guys shooed them off the road and told them they were lucky they weren’t cops.

        And you wouldn’t believe how much of films today are CGI and not shot on locations. Even the most mundane backdrops and surroundings are quicker and cheaper to spit out of a computer.

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  44. I find interesting that when the press relentlessly pursue our politicians, that’s considered – by Rupert Murdoch – to be an important part of a transparent society. Yet when they relentlessly pursue CEO’s such as the Murdochs – that’s piling on.

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    • And I have a question; they’ve been asking Rupert about his meetings with the PM (PMs). The question is; why are you having these meetings? Are you just pals, or is it because the PM and you have a BUSINESS relationship? :ole ensuring who gets elected when?

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      • I love how Murdoch whined that he wished the PM’s would leave him alone.

        Here’s a thought. When they ask you to visit, just say NO.

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    • 1655: Rupert Murdoch appears to have been attacked by somebody in the public gallery, bbc says. more in about ten minutes the session is suspended

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    • Now this is hilarious

      1656: Rupert Murdoch’s wife Wendi stood up and appeared to strike somebody in defence of her husband.

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    • From Te Guardian
      4.57pm: The suspect looks like he has a substance like white paint on his face.

      My colleague Jackie Ashley tells Twitter: “Wendi [Murdoch’s wife] can throw quite a punch.”

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      • 1659: BBC political editor Nick Robinson says Rupert Murdoch was apparently hit in the face with a plate of shaving foam by a man shouting: “Greedy.”

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  47. Wendi Murdoch attacks the attacker. I just wanna say here that Wendi Murdoch went to Cal State Northridge (CSUN) which is about 100 yards from my house.

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  48. CNN’s Piers Morgan, former NOTW editor, tweets:

    “News Corp stock price has risen throughout the hour. Not, I suspect, how the MPs hoped things might go from their interrogation.”

    Whadda fucking pustule Piers Morgan is.

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  53. Exclusive Bill Clinton Interview: I Would Use Constitutional Option To Raise Debt Ceiling And “Force The Courts To Stop Me”

    Former President Bill Clinton says that he would invoke the so-called constitutional option to raise the nation’s debt ceiling “without hesitation, and force the courts to stop me” in order to prevent a default, should Congress and the President fail to achieve agreement before the August 2 deadline.

    Sharply criticizing Congressional Republicans in an exclusive Monday evening interview with The National Memo, Clinton said, “I think the Constitution is clear and I think this idea that the Congress gets to vote twice on whether to pay for [expenditures] it has appropriated is crazy.”

    Lifting the debt ceiling “is necessary to pay for appropriations already made,” he added, “so you can’t say, ‘Well, we won the last election and we didn’t vote for some of that stuff, so we’re going to throw the whole country’s credit into arrears.”

    I would think Clinton is right on the money with that one. I hope Obama is listening and paying attention. That McConnell crap is nothing but a political ruse, a temporary ass-covering move. The country is in desperate need of something definitive, a Rooseveltian* (to coin a word) approach to right wing idiocy. I’m not sure that there’s ever been a better opportunity in my lifetime than this one, to smack the fascists upside the head with the same dead fish they brought to the table, then insert it in them in such a way to make them walk funny.

    *Rooseveltian, as in an FDR 1936 campaign speech: Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me–and I welcome their hatred.

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  62. “I Rupert Murdoch, having made billions on bullshit and sensationalist harassment of celebrities and less celebrated citizens, feel really bad that my don’t give a shit about anyone or anything attitude, has been exposed”.

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  63. Why the fuck does he get to read a statement? He;s got an media empire. Waste of time and money, pure grandstanding and the text has already been published.

    Fry and Laurie–A Murdoch “Its a Wonderful Life”

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  65. Interestingly there were many questions about whether or not this sort of thing goes on in other parts of the Murdoch empire.

    Often the defensive answer was that they have codes of conduct in place.

    Those codes of conduct were in place when the illegalities occurred. So it’s a non-answer.

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    • quite so. We are all familiar with the “code of conduct” of Murdoch’s flagship, FOX NEWS, that lies, misinforms, distorts and harasses in service of its socio-political and economic interests. FOX News is the measure of Murdoch as much as NOTW, but the committee, in asking about and being told about the global operations of NI/NewsCorp, seem to be unaware of it–and the Murdoch’s of course aren’t going to say anything. .

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  66. The gist is that this hands-on media executive and his son had no idea that phone hacking was still going on and no idea that any payments were offered to the police and no idea that their own company had thousands of individuals on file whose mobile phones could be or were hacked.

    Thud.

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  67. I loved his comment that he shouldn’t step down because he’s the best person to fix the problem. The problem that happened on his watch.

    Delusions of Godhood?

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  68. So, they encouraged victims to come directly to the corporation, as a convenience to the victims to avoid a lengthy and costly court proceeding. How every lovely of the corporation to be looking out for the victims’ needs.

    (Or could it have been to really keep more of this from reaching the light of day?)

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    • So, they encouraged victims to come directly to the corporation

      It’s much easier to make them ‘disappeared’ – tidier. They won’t have to ‘hunt them down’ to ‘silence’…

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  69. I think I’d much rather be a CEO than my currently lowly position. I have to know a lot of details, and am never allowed to say “I don’t know” at my level. The CEO job seems much easier.

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  70. What’s with this “do you have any regrets” and “If you knew then” and all this crap? Who gives a shit how they are “feeling”. ? Why HAND them an opportunity to appeal for sympathy? THEY AREN’T THE FUCKING VICTIMS HERE!

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    • But, in Reichworld, they are the victims. Every minute of every day they keep telling their blind worshipers that the world is being destroyed by a left-wing conspiracy. Even if Rupert was found guilty of high crimes against humanity and shot on the spot the FAUXhens would still be convinced that it’s all the fault of the “leftists”.

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    • I’ll take top executives who need our sympathy for $1,000.00, Alex.

      Who uttered this famous quote?

      The first thing to say is I’m sorry,” he told reporters, when asked what he would like to tell locals whose livelihoods have been affected. “We’re sorry for the massive disruption it’s caused their lives. There’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back,” he said.

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    • That could explain a lot. Her brain may have been fried by medication and/or the migraines may be caused by the tiny part of her brain, that isn’t defective, trying to crawl out of her head.

      On a more serious note. Is someone who is often incapacitated for days at a time really suitable for ANY public office? What if she was too incapacitated to take that hypothetical phone call at 3:00 AM?

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    • Looks like a bid for sympathy. We shouldn’t be so mean to Batshit, cuz she’s already under enough stress. 🙄

      Why she thinks she can be presidunce while being debilitated a couple days a week, I’ll never know.

      Oh yeah, she’s fucking nuts.

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    • From the Guardian: Q: After the arrest of Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire, two myths were peddled by News International; that Goodman was a rogue reporter, and the Mulcaire was not really active. The Milly Dowler story demolished that.

      Brooks says Farrelly is saying these are myths now. But they that was not what people thought at the time.

      UMMM the ‘rogue” story was PUT OUT by NOTW—which “people” believed this myth? Farelly doesn’t follow up on this.

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  74. On an unrelated note:

    Lovely weather again. A t-storm just passed through. 50mph winds, pouring rain, marble sized hail. It dropped the temp down all the way to 83 degrees but? It raised the humidity to 90%, froze my AC solid, and now the sun is burning through again. This afternoon could be the worst of the whole stretch.

    Oh yeah. I haven’t seen an official number but there are reports that several dozen Twins fans received treatment for heat related ailments during the double-header yesterday and the players who played in both games were given IVs during the intermission.

    I’m not suffering and I don’t have to go out in the next couple days but I will continue my updates on what is proving to be an unprecedented heat wave here on the frozen tundra. I have given up on commenting at the local websites because the deniers are out in force claiming that “a few hot days doesn’t mean anything” even though the same people were claiming that cold, snowy, weather during the winter “proves global warming is a hoax”. So? I need an outlet.

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      • Thanks, Zooey. Please believe me when I say it’s as much from a desire to share a fascinating event as it is a need to vent.

        Now we’re at 85 degrees, 95% humidity, and an unofficial dew point of 86 degrees which, if it stands, would be the third new record in four days. It also looks like the Koch trolls have moved over to the story about Batscat Bachmann taking the lead in a nationwide GOP poll.

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    • That’s ugly weather pete, as you’ve been reporting this past few days. In JC NJ today its 90 with a 95 index (48 humidity) so unpleasant but not hellish like your environment.
      Still, I find it very difficult to do anything productive when I’m sweating all the time, get no relief at night.Predictions of a real 100F Friday/ Weekend.
      The worst I’ve ever known is a persistent 115F/99 per cent hum for two/three weeks , but that was in Bahrain and we had AC of course and plenty of chilled fruit juice.

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      • Despite the brief freeze-ups my AC is staying ahead of things so my periods of suffering are brief. I don’t think I would change places with you. But? People in good health can survive this crap but it’s not pleasant.

        Waaaay back when I was in school I was doing a survey of pupfish in the springs of Death Valley. This was before AC was typically installed in cars or many of the roads in Death Valley were paved. We got hit by a freak storm that dumped about 50 “normal” years worth of rain in a couple hours and, since the floor of Death Valley is dried mud/salt flats there was no escape. When the thermometer hit 115 our professor smashed it and we went into full survival mode. We used out tents to make a lean-to and set up a sun-still to try and stay ahead of out water needs.

        I’m a stronger and smarter person for having survived that experience but I wouldn’t choose to go through it again. Watching the minutes tick away until one is allowed to take a sip of 100 degree water is, in my experience, the definition of “desperate”.

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  75. Re: Murdoch et al. The testimony has been
    James M: It all happened before my time
    Rupert M: I had no idea, leave me alone
    R. Brooks: I didn’t know anything until I read it in the press a few weeks/months ago.

    This is the WORLD”S BIGGEST NEWS ORGANIZATION, and not ONE of them KNEW ANYTHING about the STORY they were DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN!!!
    Journalists? Hardly!

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  76. An eyewitness account of Wen-Den Ninja:

    “What you might not have seen is the full instinctive and furious reaction of Mr Murdoch’s wife, Wendi. Having sat through the evidence unsmiling, she moved faster than anyone else. First, she swung a slap at her husband’s attacker. She followed up by picking up the plate and trying to strike him with it. And then she moved back to her husband. Sitting on the table before him, she starting to clear the foam from his bald head, sometimes embracing him.”

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jameskirkup/100097780/rupert-murdoch-attacked-an-eyewitness-account/

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  77. From the Guardian:
    Hertfordshire Police have sent my colleague Paul Lewis the results of the post mortem on the body of Sean Hoare, the News of the World whistle-blower:

    ” There is no evidence of third party involvement and the death is non suspicious. Further toxicology results are now awaited and there is an on-going examination of health problems identified at the post mortem “

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    • I had a friend, “Bucky”, in high school who turned out pretty bad. He was in and out of prison, mostly on drug charges, and eventually found his way to Arizona where, it was speculated, he was involved in drug running. In 1992 he was found dead in a landfill with his head nearly severed by a chainsaw. It was ruled a suicide.

      His brother remained a friend of mine and showed me the police report. “Bucky’s” truck was found about 100 miles away from the scene and the chainsaw was 22 feet from the body. Did I mention that “Bucky” had become an informer against a number of DEA agents who were suspected of being involved in the drug trade?

      In 1997, with no warning or explanation, his family received a commendation for his service to the DEA. His death, however, is still officially ruled a suicide.

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      • In 1992 he was found dead in a landfill with his head nearly severed by a chainsaw. It was ruled a suicide.

        Suicide, eh? Your friend Bucky certainly was persistent.

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        • I have not been able to read/hear the word “suicide” the same way ever since. One of the more disturbing trends is the number of “suicides” among our troops. Obviously, lots of people who are irreparably damaged by their experiences do, indeed, choose to end their lives. But? I can’t help but wonder how many of them were whacked because they saw things that would make them a risk to very powerful people.

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      • Yep.

        There was also a report that Pat Tillman was hit by three bullets, in a one inch group, in his forehead.

        I spent the beginning of my working life as a chemical engineer at a ammunition manufacturer. Much of my work is still classified but I can say that I was involved in making powder for M16s so that they would shoot straighter and more reliably. However, I do have some expertise in ballistics and I can only come up with one scenario that would result in three bullets hitting a person’s forehead in a one inch group.

        The first shot was fired by a person, who had to see his face, and the other two were fired, while he lay on his back, in order to ensure the job was done. It is impossible to fire three bullets, into a one inch group, into a standing person’s forehead.

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  79. At 1:20pm eastern, Current was ‘hacked’ by a clip of Krusty the Clown, from the Simpsons. The feed was quickly switched to Keith and he brought in John Dean briefly to discuss the Brooks testimony, until the regular feed was re-established. MSNBC suffered no such interruption, as I was able to ‘rewind’ my DVR to check that exact time also. MSNBC cut away from London at 1:29pm to set up a press briefing from Obama about debt ceiling negotiations.

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    • BTW. It still seems like any attempt I make to include the word “crazy” in a comment about Batscat Bachmann is rejected by the Strib’s censors. My latest refused post was: “Don’t you people think that some of Ms. Bachmann’s followers might be a bit crazy?”

      I guess that crosses some invisible line.

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  81. Pasty-faced poser Piers Morgan has started carrying water for Murdoch with his ‘well Hugh Grant benefits from the tabloids as much as he claims hurt’ and ‘the Guardian released wikileaks’….

    Guess what you stuffed ponce, hacking in phones is illegal, so is interfering in murder investigations….

    CNN – you need to review your hiring policies, your prime-time poodle is becoming a liability.

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    • In the unlikely event that I get raptured, and I have to spend the rest of eternity with the self-righteous people that think that they will be raptured… well, as Billy Joel says in a song — “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints…”

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      • Since I would view an eternity with those arrogant, holier-than-thous to be the worst form of Hell, logically then I and they would be in Hell, which would mean that they had not then been Raptured themselves…?

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    • Well? He doesn’t look anything like the pale Jesus that most every artist depicts gazing, lovingly, at some other guy. I also don’t recall President Obama hanging around with twelve guys he “loves above all others”, or hanging around with hookers, while not getting laid. I think that the only people who are supposed to be Raptured are men who are eager to spend eternity kneeling at the feet of the Lord.

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        • I heard it told that George Bush had a dream one night, a dream in which he ended up not in Heaven but the other spot. The debbil was giving him a tour or the place, said he could choose whichever location he thought would be best.

          One of the spots was a perfect replica of the Oval Office, and sitting behind the desk was Bill Clinton. Bush asked the debbil, “You mean I could choose this spot?” The debbil said yes, and Bush said “When can I start?”

          “Right now,” the debbil said. He clapped his hands and a young woman crawled out from the knee hole of Clinton’s desk, and the debbil said to George, “Ok, it’s all yours. Climb into that knee hole and take over where she left off.”

          I won’t speculate on where Crazy Shelley might fit in all of that.

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    • There’s also a line from Dune that sums up the Reichwhiners.

      “Muscle-minded tank-brains”.

      Only those who know, deep down, that they are wrong resort to violence directed at the non-violent.

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      • …

        Precisely, pete!

        With or without the debilitating migraines – she’s not fit to run the country. Mental instability is her problem – not the headaches.

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        • To use a colloquial phrase: She ain’t even half sane.

          Those of us who have followed her entire career in horror have known that for a long time and we gratefully accept any and all into our fold. While it seems fashionable to hope that she gets the GOP nomination I’m not so sure. I would gladly vote for Mittens, or even T-Paw, in order to make absolutely sure that that crazy bitch doesn’t get within miles of the nuclear launch codes.

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  84. I have an observation: One of the questioners asked Rupert Murdoch if he had instigated an investigation into his other media conglomerates to ensure that this wasn’t happening in them and after a long hesitation, Murdoch answered, “No.”

    Now, if you were determined to maintain a high level of integrity in your empire, wouldn’t you want to make sure that others weren’t doing the same thing as News of the World? Or, is it more than likely, that you know that this sort of thing is going on all over your empire and you just want this mess to go away so that you can continue to go on doing what you’ve been doing all along?

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    • Oh, but James said they have a conduct in place so everything’s fine at all the other companies.

      (Of course they had a code of conduct in place at NOTW and that didn’t turn out so well. But apparently that little detail escapes the Mudrochs.)

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      • If their “code of conduct” includes doing anything and everything one can to get the story… then I think that the culture created by the Murdochs in their corporation has everything except integrity.

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    • No need to investigate – he already knows the answer.

      Looks like someone missed an obvious follow-up question there.

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    • Don’t feel bad… it’s 106 here, but only feels like 105. And we had another haboob yesterday…. 🙂

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      • When we hit 103 on June 7th I went out and enjoyed it because the humidity was only 25%. The crap we’ve had the last four days is brutal.

        Despite my whining I have a pretty high heat tolerance. I’ve been trying to drop some weight by walking but it’s just not a safe option these last four days. I even went for a swim but the humidity made it impossible for my old lungs to extract any oxygen from the air.

        As I’ve said. In my over 40 years of documenting the weather I’ve seen nothing like this for more than a few hours or, perhaps, a whole day.

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    • I kept my own weather journal for over 40 years and this shit is unprecedented. According to unofficial records we’ve never hit a heat index of 115 degrees for two days in a row and now we’ve done it for four days straight with another, at least, on the way. I think the most striking fact is that we’ve had no wind, aside from when the storm blew through, for the entire stretch. I keep using the word “unprecedented” but it’s the only one that fits.

      On behalf of those who don’t have AC and/or have health problems I will now solicit prayers, spells, incantations, and well wishes for all those less fortunate than me.

      Reply ↓

      • It’s the poor and homeless that can’t find a way to stay cool in this heat. It’s brutal even in the shade.

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        • Indeed.

          I read an article that postulated that people stop suffering in such weather over a period of days, become able to function over a period of weeks, and become acclimated over a period of months. This, of course, assumes that said people don’t have some chronic health problem that’s exacerbated by extreme heat.

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  87. Torrential rain this very steamy morning, now the sun is out and it’s brutal outside. 94 degrees, dew point at 82, humidity at 71%. I swear my brain was boiling while sitting at the varies stop lights on the way home from work. (I don’t use the AC in my truck, not when gas is so expensive). By the way has the commander in chief announced a new CFTC commissioner yet?

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    • Dude! Sacrifice the extra gas. This shit can kill a person and it would be silly to suffer more than necessary through sheer stubbornness. I’ve decided that I will go without a couple cigars next month in order to keep the AC running. Though, to be honest, I could survive a bit more misery but I figure that the best way to keep my aquarium cool is to keep the whole apartment cool. I have two species that have been breeding and it would break my heart to lose them.

      Reply ↓

    • I feel for you.

      I’ve been home today, so I hadn’t experience the heat until a few minutes ago when I went out. It literally takes your breath away.

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      • I just heard that the old gentleman with emphysema, down the street, died after going out to check his mail without his oxygen tank. This kind of weather is not a joke.

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      • Even though “global warming” is the incorrect term, how come no short-attention span wingnuts are mocking global warming now?

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        • Actually; “global warming” is still a correct term. “Climate change” is better and “global heating” is, technically, more accurate. But? we are dealing with nuances that the Reichwhiners can’t grasp.

          The reason that “global warming” has been superseded is that stupid people have pointed out that the earth has not actually gotten warmer for each successive day over the period that reliable records have been kept. Of course, they also don’t understand the difference between heat and temperature, or weather and climate, so it’s very hard to engage in a learned conversation with them on anything connected to the changes that are being observed in the climate of the earth.

          Reply ↓

        • They still are. “Cognitive dissonance”, “confirmation bias”, “Dunning–Kruger effect”, or “right wing authoritarianism”.

          Call it what you will; the very same people who claim that cold weather in winter is “evidence” against global warming are just as rabid in the claim that hot weather in summer is irrelevant.

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  89. (I don’t use the AC in my truck, not when gas is so expensive).

    You may lose 2-3mpg by using your A/C but driving with windows open also creates a drag, especially as speed increases. If it’s that brutal outside you’re probably much better off using your A/C.

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  90. Wow! I just heard that the old gentleman with emphysema, down the street, collapsed and died after checking his mail without his oxygen tank. This kind of weather is not a joke.

    Reply ↓

    • Damn! I’m gonna miss him.

      I walk past his house nearly every day. Back when I kept a car I would give him a ride to the store every so often and, since I’ve been on foot, I would pick up a few essentials on my walks. He always had a joke and a smile to share.

      His name was Dale. Hoist a drink in his general direction. He was a good guy.

      Reply ↓

          • From what I’ve heard he collapsed in his driveway on his way back inside to his 02 tank. I’m just making a guess about AC in general.

            Dale told me one of my favorite jokes and I feel compelled to pass it on.

            Q: Why are Southern Girls better than Northern girls?
            A: Northern girls say “you can” while Southern girls say “y’all can”.

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    • Me too.

      I’ve been going, alphabetically, thought the list of Senators and emailing them my idea.

      Couple a tax hike on those most able to afford it with a tax break for those who actually hire people. Such a measure, if passed, would tax the money that’s just disappearing into saving’s accounts and provide a real incentive to hire people. Even if it wasn’t passed it would defang the “we can’t tax job creators” crowd and demonstrate that the GOoPers are more concerned with thwarting Obama than promoting a growth in employment.

      I have not received a reply from any of them, including Al Franken and Bernie Sanders, and I haven’t seen any news about anyone proposing such a measure. It makes me sad.

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  93. Even though we’re having a cool and rainy afternoon (very unusual for this time of year), my temperature is rising because the title company still has not deposited my money in my account.

    They are the ones who fucked up the chain of title, but they are supposedly getting the needed deed in overnight — meaning my money should have been deposited by noon. Well, it ain’t.

    I have a call in to them, and I am getting pissed off.

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  94. Danger, Will Robinson

    Anything that the ‘gang of six’ comes up with is neither progressive, nor fair, nor includes *any* revenue increases – I betcha. The sell-out is coming…. Obama is positioning for 2012 and selling-out to get there.

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    • Ezra Klein analyzes it:

      “All in all, it looks a lot like the Simpson-Bowles plan, which was pretty much the point of the exercise. A few weeks ago, I wrote a column arguing that, in retrospect, the Simpson-Bowles plan was a pretty good deal: It was more balanced on both the spending and the tax side than the president’s April deficit-reduction proposal. I think that it is, if anything, truer now than it was then, and truer in this bill than it was in that bill.”

      Reply ↓

    • Cenk on Obama’s impending cave-in:

      “Hey re-elect me, because you didn’t get everything I promised you, because it was too hard – there’s another party, see.”

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  95. Minnesota has changed, sounds like. I spent my first 19 summers there and we never had AC in either house or car. It would get occasionally warm, but the nights always cooled off and were delightful.

    Meanwhile, here at the foot of the Rockies, our daily temps have been in the 90-100 range for the last week at least. Low humidity, no rain, just hot and dry — here at nearly 7000 ft elevation and with a 12,500 ft peak 10 miles up the road. It was NOT like that at all forty years ago when I lived in Denver and a thousand feet lower in elevation.

    The planet seems to be warming, I’m thinking.

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    • With a couple brief sojourns to other climes I’ve spent 46 years here in Minnesota. I’ve kept a journal of my observations over those years.. In no particular order…

      1. Lakes freeze around two weeks later than when I was young and thaw two weeks earlier.
      2. Ducks, like wood ducks and blue-wing teal, leave about two weeks later in the fall.
      3. Various game fish spawn about two weeks earlier in the spring.
      4. Morels (a popular wild mushroom) peak about two weeks sooner.
      5. Rattlesnakes are far more abundant in their limited range.
      6. The range of lizards has expanded while the population of frogs and salamanders has decreased.
      7. Brook trout have been extirpated from all but the streams that are fed by deep springs. (same with watercress)
      8. Raccoons have declined while opossum have become common.
      9. Coot have all but disappeared from the Upper Mississippi Flyway.

      This is short list but are the ones that I have personally observed and documented. I should probably mention that these are all trends that i observed long before anyone coined the phrase “global warming”. Because I’ve spent most of my life at the boarder of the temperate and sub-arctic zones the changes have been more apparent than areas that are intrenched in a single zone.

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  96. OK quick trivia quiz:

    Who said:

    “Congress consistently brings the government to the edge of default before facing its responsibility. This brinkmanship threatens the holders of government bonds and those who rely on Social Security and veterans benefits. Interest rates would skyrocket, instability would occur in financial markets, and the Federal deficit would soar.”

    Reply ↓

      • Ding, ding, ding, ding…. that was quick – we have a winner.

        Raving marxist, tax and spend pinko, Ronald Raygun, spent like a drunken sailor, raised taxes 14 times – he’d have been drummed out of his own party long ago had he been around today.

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  97. About the only thing that might be considered good about this heat is it squelches the appetite. Between consumption of mass quantities of fluids and just having it too blasted hot to cook, one should be able to lose some weight, if desired.

    Pete, sorry to hear about your neighbor. The local news outlets should be putting out public service messages warning people about the hazard, Not just those at risk but their care givers, families and friends who can help out a little extra.

    Reply ↓

    • The local media, and various officials, have been pretty good. Of course, the Reichwhiners have been claiming that they are all elitist, Marxist, Muslim, atheist, fascist, pantywaists.

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      • Actually it’s not so bad. The fridge is stocked with lots of fresh fruits and veggies. The grand kids are loving that. And I’m thinking of making gazpacho, which I’m pretty sure they won’t like as much.

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  100. Cenk gone from MSNBC!?! I like Cenk, he destroys the republican party but he also is hard on the democrats too. He did get tongue tied a lot and I could do without his mocking voice, which at times reminded me of a male version of Rachel Maddox.

    Ya think he will head over to Current TV! He would be an excellent addition to their political lineup team, perhaps opening for Keith?

    My dream lineup at Current TV:

    3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Cenk Uygar
    4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Rachel Maddow
    5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Thom Hartmann
    6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Jim Hightower
    7:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Keith Olbermann
    8:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Bill Moyer/Eliot Spitzer

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    • Have they said Cenk is gone, or just not doing the afternoon show anymore? He may stay on as a substitute host or go back to doing segments for other shows.

      Sharpton may pull in some different viewers, but his ideology is not much different from Cenk’s. I think it’s wrong to make programming changes so soon after the Casey Anthony trial, Headline News was killing everyone in the ratings during the trial.

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  101. WTF!?! In the past I would occasionally forget to include key words in a comment now I’m adding too many words….I suck at on the fly editing.

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  102. I’ve had HGTV on in the background all day, and I’d forgotten how spoiled some people are.

    People look at perfectly good houses, but just can’t LIVE without granite counter tops and a bedroom-sized closet. No bathroom in the master bedroom? OMG!!!

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  103. Jim Hightower on Michelle Bachmann:

    A Lying Hypocrite For A President – Jim Hightower

    http://www.jimhightower.com/node/7496

    Jim forgot to add the money per foster child the Bachmann’s received from the State or Federal government, during the periods that they were foster parents for 27 children.

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  104. Tue Jul 19, 2011 at 03:50 PM PDT
    Allen West to Debbie Wasserman-Schultz: ‘You are not a Lady’

    by Kaili Joy Gray

    Offered without comment:

    From: Z112 West, Allen
    Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 04:48 PM
    To: Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
    Cc: McCarthy, Kevin; Blyth, Jonathan; Pelosi, Nancy; Cantor, Eric
    Subject: Unprofessional and Inappropriate Sophomoric Behavior from Wasserman-Schultz

    Look, Debbie, I understand that after I departed the House floor you directed your floor speech comments directly towards me. Let me make myself perfectly clear, you want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige. You are the most vile, unprofessional ,and despicable member of the US House of Representatives. If you have something to say to me, stop being a coward and say it to my face, otherwise, shut the heck up. Focus on your own congressional district!

    I am bringing your actions today to our Majority Leader and Majority Whip and from this time forward, understand that I shall defend myself forthright against your heinous characterless behavior……which dates back to the disgusting protest you ordered at my campaign hqs, October 2010 in Deerfield Beach.

    You have proven repeatedly that you are not a Lady, therefore, shall not be afforded due respect from me!

    Steadfast and Loyal

    Congressman Allen B West (R-FL)

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  105. ..

    Ain’t he a gent/

    Allen West Calls DNC Chair ‘Vile,’ ‘Despicable’ And ‘Not A Lady’

    After calling DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz “the most vile, unprofessional, and despicable member of the US House of Representatives,” Rep. Allen West (R-FL) concludes his stinging letter with this blast from the past: “You have proven repeatedly that you are not a Lady, therefore, shall not be afforded due respect from me!”

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  107. After reading West’s letter, I am totally convinced he is an expert on unprofessional and sophomoric behavior. And that if he does choose to engage Wasserman-Schultz on the floor of the House, he will present a shining example of such while getting is arrogant butt spanked in a public fashion.

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      • The stream I’m watching showed techies for Rachael’s show doing mike checks when Lawrence went to commercial. Then during Rachael’s show they seemed to come back from a commercial break but didn’t tell her. Rachael was playing with a USA scarf from the women’s soccer team for a while before she began speaking about.

        BTW, the previous comments about you rubbing your legs together and the action pictures of the women’s legs in various positions sent my thoughts off in fantasy of muscular women’s legs …!

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        • I’m sorry I missed that, pachy! Regular teevee is boring, I guess. 🙂

          I see your imagination is still working overtime. Not that that’s a bad thing. 😀

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          • I’m trying to relax from a crazy weekend than began with taking my neighbor to hospital Friday night. After a week of complaining about headaches and an itchy eye and head “rash” he received meds for an ear infection and more for his case of Shingles.

            We’ve been delivering 10-15 thousand mice per week. Found a new “back roads” route for biweekly run that eliminated 27 traffic lights in stop and go traffic and cut an hour off 200 mile round trip!

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            • Shingles are miserable. I’ve never had them, but my sister just had a nasty case. She finally had to address her stress management.

              Nice work on cutting time off your route!

            • I’ve definitely been a source of stress to him when I talk about politics.

              I really bite my tongue to keep from telling him what an ignorant fuck he is on many occasions. He denigrates my college education and impugns my interest in politics. His GED and 3 week course that certified him as a fundamentalist preacher makes him the most educated member of his family however.

            • You’ve got to do your liberal duty, pachy.

              One day, you’ll be able to get in his face and say, “I told you so!” But he still won’t get any smarter. 😀

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