(05-27-2026 12:46 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  OTOH, not all the news is bad. Adios, Al Green. (the politician, not the singer)

I’ll take the above as your not wishing to address your previous incorrectly quoted, highly rhetorical, and frankly deceptive comment noted above. Cool.

(05-27-2026 02:09 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(05-27-2026 12:46 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  OTOH, not all the news is bad. Adios, Al Green. (the politician, not the singer)

I’ll take the above as your not wishing to address your previous incorrectly quoted, highly rhetorical, and frankly deceptive comment noted above. Cool.

Playbook:

1. Post partisan, inaccurate information not worthy of a junior high text thread let alone a political forum for graduates of Rice.

2. Ignore anybody that pushes against your extreme viewpoint and/or against your blatantly false information.

3. Repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat...

GDP forecast

4.3%

Latest GDPNow Estimate for 2026:Q2

Oh, the pain.

Seriously, my investments are doing fine. So are my son's. So are my other son's. So are my neighbor's. In fact, I don't know of anybody who is not doing well, and that includes my plumber grandson, who drives a lot in his business.

interesting read

One woman's journey from left-wing activism to tolerance.

“I was hoping it was going to reaffirm my position, that I would find Zionist lies and whatever. I went with a very closed mind.” Three hours later, Thomas emerged feeling “so lost”.

“I experienced a lot of cognitive dissonance – what I was seeing versus what I’d been told. It was like I arrived a year too late to a funeral. I had so many questions, but I really had no one I could talk to about this. All of my friends were from the encampment. I’d never met an Israeli or talked to them about their experiences – I was fluent in the state’s sins, but I was illiterate in its people.”

Seeing pictures and footage of the young festival-goers hit home for Thomas. “They were kids my age, just dancing, and then fleeing for their lives the next moment. I could see myself in them. I could have been sending a last ‘I love you’ message to my mum. I felt so much empathy and sadness.”

One element in particular changed everything – an audio clip of a jubilant Hamas fighter phoning his father to let him know he’d killed 10 Jews.

(05-27-2026 02:36 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(05-27-2026 02:09 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(05-27-2026 12:46 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  OTOH, not all the news is bad. Adios, Al Green. (the politician, not the singer)

I’ll take the above as your not wishing to address your previous incorrectly quoted, highly rhetorical, and frankly deceptive comment noted above. Cool.

Playbook:

1. Post partisan, inaccurate information not worthy of a junior high text thread let alone a political forum for graduates of Rice.

2. Ignore anybody that pushes against your extreme viewpoint and/or against your blatantly false information.

3. Repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat...

From OO elsewhere —-

“ Any of you lefties who can list the six sexes, feel free to vote for him. Send him money. Then retire to your room to self-flagellate. You must atone for your whiteness.”

With a scintilla of background —- it was responded to. Notwithstanding his hotdog hype directly quoted above.

Seems Talarico is a tad more accurate and on point than the hotdog quotes around here.

And given the hotdog challenge directly quoted above, our local profiles in courage seemingly do not wish to address the issue now.

Tar, repeat easily searchable deceptive comments, cheer those deceptive comments in some odd form of chest beating challenge ——. Then run away when the actual background is noted, and the actual veracity of the original comment proves markedly superior to the chintzy deception that it was presented as.

I’m not surprised that a deceptive corrupt shitbird like Paxton would say it originally, nor surprised that an acolyte like GO would present it in that manner. Not horribly surprised that OO would so readily join the recitation, nor that he would present it in the challenging manner quoted above o4 in his Trumpesque name calling nickname style.

But like true cult followers, won’t respond to factual bases that tend to destroy the underpinnings of their namecalling style.

GO simply hasn’t answered, and OO blithely keeps posting as though it was never even challenged. Quite the spectacle. Lolz.

The answer, OO, is yes. I can state the 6 different genetic based determinants of sex --- each markedly different from one another. I will absolutely vote for whom I deem the best candidate for my vote. If close, it may very well be Talarico. For me, deep levels of graft and corruption are *not* earmarks of candidates I want in office. When one fails that test to the level that Paxton has, it is a hard 'no' for me. I am glad you can so blithely overlook that, but that is your personal calculus. All in all, I’ll stay with mine, my friend.

And, Ill try and stay away from amazingly deceptive characterizations that you seem to enjoy with respect to the issue regarding '6 sexes'. But again, you be you.

But I am sure you are going to parallel your previous comments (actually, evasion of comments) on issues such as this we have laid out such as J6 and its implications on the fitness of candidates for office.


Not to mention the continued evasion of the falseness of Paxtons claims surrounding 6 sexes, which were gleefully propagated by GO and studiously repeated, re-repeated, and childlishly taunted by you. Which genetic basis of genetic sexual dysmorphia do you wish to address first? Or perhaps you will continue your profile in courage of simply jumping to another disingenuous generalized slam that seems to be your calling card presently?

Being on the subject of puerile political comments -- I found a response to one rather charming.

Paxton, in his victory speech last night, decried Taralico as being a 'vegan'. (yep, being a vegan is somehow disqualifying as a candidate in the first place, and it gives a shudder as to whom Paxton has identified as his supporters that might find solace in it....... but I digress...)

Talarico today stated in response 'I have been eating barbeque since before Paxton's first indictment.' Lolz.

so much hate from the left

The worst part is that so many of the lefties think their hate justifies murder, assault, arson, and other crimes against persons and/or property.

Anecdote:

last night a poker dealer was talking about the high price of gas. I asked him if his tax savings from "no tax on tips" would help him through the problem.

Curious, when I got home I decided to do a little figuring.

Poker dealers make six figures, 90%+ from tips. this particular dealer had quit his job as a Registered Pharmacist to deal.

The deduction is capped at $25,000. This would probably be split between the 24% and 22% brackets, so estimating an average 23%, $25K x .23 = $5,750 in tax savings.

The national average for gas today is $4.43. One year ago it was $3.16. So at $1.27 increase, it would take 4,527.55 gallons of gas to wipe out the $5750 in tax savings. At 25 MPG, it would take 113,889 miles of driving to wipe out the tax savings.

he lives about 7 miles from his workplace.

I am sure there will be quibbling about the numbers I use, or my math or whatever. kind of the nature of TDS to try and say it ain't so.

But still in general, the point holds that most people are better off than they think when the only thing on their mind is the cost of the last fill up.

And maybe that is why consumer spending is still high, and the stock market is roaring, and economics in general is good, and durable goods spending is up, when so many people are reporting economic distress.

Second anecdote:

I remember similar distress and complaints when gas went to $.80/gal. And every other time there was a cost increase. In anything. It was Johnson's fault, it was Carter's fault, it was Bush putting money in the pockets of his rich friends, yada, yada, yada. It was the cost of Vietnam, or the cost of the space program, or ...whatever. Same song, nth verse. But then, I also remember when the nickel candy bar was twice the size of the current one, and gas was .19/gal. Sometimes age gives one perspective.

JMHO:

I think Trump underestimated the willingness of religious fanatics to come to the negotiating table. Perhaps he has never tried to negotiate with people who think they are on a Mission for God. But there is a word for those who stick to their religious views through adversity. That word is "martyr". And it fits all religions. If they see having nukes as necessary to Allah's plan, they may never relinquish those plans.

BUT...

I think there is another factor at work in Iran's resistance to negotiating a peace...they think help is on the way from their U.S. friends(the enemy of my enemy...), the Democrats and anti-Trumpers, both in the form of the mid-term elections and perhaps the 2028 election. Perhaps they think pressure from political opponents and/or a lack of Congressional support can help them make a more favorable deal.

So much hatred from the left.

Threats to kill Erka Kirk

Dissatisfaction with the quality of American assassins

I guess these are among the roughly 25% of lefties that think murder is Ok, if for a "good" cause.

(05-29-2026 10:21 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  So much hatred from the left.

Threats to kill Erka Kirk

Dissatisfaction with the quality of American assassins

I guess these are among the roughly 25% of lefties that think murder is Ok, if for a "good" cause.

Please provide links to the studies that support the bolded. It's a big accusation (and one that you've made multiple times) so it would be good to back up your claim. Thanks.

(05-29-2026 10:36 AM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(05-29-2026 10:21 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  So much hatred from the left.

Threats to kill Erka Kirk

Dissatisfaction with the quality of American assassins

I guess these are among the roughly 25% of lefties that think murder is Ok, if for a "good" cause.

Please provide links to the studies that support the bolded. It's a big accusation (and one that you've made multiple times) so it would be good to back up your claim. Thanks.

Even without that, it can be claimed that our President believes that murder is okay if for a good cause. Just recently he backed the execution of 8 members of the top tier of a foreign government. Ostensibly for a perceived 'good cause'.

Interesting to see the dander exhibited by our resident MAGA-ites given that very real example.

Who do you think the Houston Chronicle is talking about when they state in a large upper headline "Texans deserve better than [] moral rot", and then in the lower headline delineate a difference between a 'public servant and a self-serving crook'? I dont think I have ever seen a blunter headline.

Curious minds want to know....

Rhetorical question:

Since Kennedy, has there been even one assassination attempt on a Democratic president? I cannot think of any.

And how many on their children?

Must be doing something right to engender such fervor in the effort to kill.

Nothing stupider than a "No Kings" protest. Why protest something that isn't happening? Might as well join the "save the Mastodons" protests. Or parade for neanderthal rights.

I also oppose the reinstitution of monarchy in the USA. I don't think there is anybody significant trying to do that, though. I see no evidence, no declarations to that effect, other than those from the people protesting. It just isn't real.

I think 99.99% of MAGA Republicans would also oppose the instating of a monarchy.

But on June 14, the useful idiots will convene at the locations designated by the organizers, accept the placards and t-shirts provided by them, and chat the slogans led by their well-paid leaders. Some will act badly, causing chaos, maybe even get arrested and/or shot, bringing joy to the hearts of the organizers, and the media will do their part with the biased reporting.

All for nothing. Unrest for the sake of unrest. Or maybe it is unrest for the sake of winning the midterms.

Alas, America.

(05-29-2026 12:16 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(05-29-2026 10:36 AM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(05-29-2026 10:21 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  So much hatred from the left.

Threats to kill Erka Kirk

Dissatisfaction with the quality of American assassins

I guess these are among the roughly 25% of lefties that think murder is Ok, if for a "good" cause.

Please provide links to the studies that support the bolded. It's a big accusation (and one that you've made multiple times) so it would be good to back up your claim. Thanks.

Even without that, it can be claimed that our President believes that murder is okay if for a good cause. Just recently he backed the execution of 8 members of the top tier of a foreign government. Ostensibly for a perceived 'good cause'.

Interesting to see the dander exhibited by our resident MAGA-ites given that very real example.

Just label them 'late-term or after-birth abortions' and problem solved, goose/gander.

What does James talarico call women?

"neighbors with a uterus"

If you set out with the express goal to be as offensive as humanly possible to women, I’m not sure you could do a better job than James Talarico. What a fruitjob.

https://www.city-journal.org/article/pro...on-attempt


We found that nearly one-third of Americans surveyed—and around half of those identifying as left-of-center—believe that the murder of certain public figures is at least somewhat justified. The figures are startling: 38 percent of respondents, and 55 percent of those left of center, said assassinating President Trump would be at least somewhat justified; 31 percent of respondents, and 48 percent of those left of center, said the same about Musk.



Our report also discovered an online “assassination culture,” found in predominantly left-leaning digital spaces, such as Bluesky and Reddit. This subculture justifies and glorifies political violence. Some of these networks’ users wield the name “Luigi” or use the Luigi video game character as coded endorsements of Brian Thompson’s alleged assassin, Luigi Mangione. These users cloak explicit calls for violence in stylized memes. Many believe that political murder and sabotage are acceptable forms of protest.




https://www.foxnews.com/us/researchers-w...n-thompson

According to survey data highlighted in the report, more than 30% of respondents said it would be "at least somewhat justified to murder" prominent billionaires. The number rose to 50% for people who self-identified as "left of center."

If lefties are half the populance and lefties are 50% Ok with murdering prominent billionaires, that account for 25 of the 30% of all respondents.

https://voz.us/en/society/250916/28970/f...e_vignette

The acceptance or justification of violence against public figures, including their murder, is higher the further to the left of the political spectrum the voter or activist is. This reality has come to light again in the wake of reactions to the murder of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

That's the result of a YouGov poll indicating that 24% of people who identified themselves as far-left sympathizers consider the death of a public figure they oppose as "always or usually acceptable." While a majority (56%) of this group see the issue as "unacceptable," another 20% are "not sure" how they feel about it.

Try Google instead of Defendtheleft.00rg

OODS - a subset of TDS

Since Kennedy, there has not been an assassination attempt on a Democrat President that I can recall, and none on his family. In the last two years we have had at least 4 on Trump, maybe more depending on definitions. With one exception, riots in the last decade are left-wing based and sponsored, as will be the one scheduled for June 14. (Flag Day). The current unrest in NJ is clearly left-wing originated.

Many leftists celebrated and/or excused the murders of Charlie Kirk and the insurance executive, elevating cold blooded murderer Luigi Mangione to hero status. There was even a plot to kill Erika, his wife, presumably because she carries on his work. And many leftists have indicated a personal opinion that a Trump death by any means would be good. I guess they think a Vance presidency would be a good thing for them, but I doubt it.

Bottom line, a taste for violence and murder as a means of bringing about political change seems to be primarily a leftist thing, and the lefter they are, the better they like it.

Yet according to the leftist press, it is the right, the pro-guns people, the people who fly American flags, who are blood thirsty and violent. Propaganda?

They even excuse October 7. "From the river to the sea..."

Some anti-Ice protesters are still wearing their keffiyehs, provided by their sponsons years ago.

No need to ask for polls, people, just open your eyes.

(05-31-2026 07:57 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Since Kennedy, there has not been an assassination attempt on a Democrat President that I can recall, and none on his family. In the last two years we have had at least 4 on Trump, maybe more depending on definitions. With one exception, riots in the last decade are left-wing based and sponsored, as will be the one scheduled for June 14. (Flag Day). The current unrest in NJ is clearly left-wing originated.

Many leftists celebrated and/or excused the murders of Charlie Kirk and the insurance executive, elevating cold blooded murderer Luigi Mangione to hero status. There was even a plot to kill Erika, his wife, presumably because she carries on his work. And many leftists have indicated a personal opinion that a Trump death by any means would be good. I guess they think a Vance presidency would be a good thing for them, but I doubt it.

Bottom line, a taste for violence and murder as a means of bringing about political change seems to be primarily a leftist thing, and the lefter they are, the better they like it.

Yet according to the leftist press, it is the right, the pro-guns people, the people who fly American flags, who are blood thirsty and violent. Propaganda?

They even excuse October 7. "From the river to the sea..."

Some anti-Ice protesters are still wearing their keffiyehs, provided by their sponsons years ago.

No need to ask for polls, people, just open your eyes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_White_House_shooting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_i...rack_Obama