Re: YouTube videos with titles like Person I Agree With Politically Absolutely DESTROYS Ignorant Jerk I Disagree With Politically. These are normally disappointing as you would expect to see that Person makes some amazing argument that leaves Jerk absolutely flabbergasted and unable to respond but most of the time it's just Person stating their view and Jerk is like "I don't agree" and they keep arguing. But whoever posted/edited the video is in a bubble where their views are so self-evidently awesome that just stating them is amazing and devastating.
PS Jeff regarding your piece attacking the socialist NYC mayoral candidate - if socialism is bad, I guess you don't like public roads. BOOM. You just got SCHOOLED.
The "One-Seven-Seven-Six"/"write it out exactly as it should be said" thing reminded me of this episode from the life of Jesse Alexander Helms Jr., illustrating the limits of this strategy:
“…What about the hearings on North Korea in which he made repeated references to ‘Kim Jong the Second’? In order to prevent any repetition of this idiotic gaffe, Helms’ staff propped up a piece of card on which was clearly written the pronunciation ‘Kim Jong ILL.’ The senator from North Carolina duly made the adjustment, referring thenceforth to the North Korean despot as ‘Kim Jong the Third.’ ”
— From the late polemicist Christopher Hitchens’ obituary on Jesse Helms (Slate magazine, July 7, 2008)
Even the “moderate” presidential candidates within Iran have to pre-approved by the Supreme Leader. They are all creatures of the regime and the Islamic revolution. Their decision making power, to the extent they have it, can be overruled by the Ayatollah, and they don’t have control over the Revolutionary Guard. Their loyalty is to the supreme leader and the revolution itself, and the Corps is the largest individual economic actor, directly owning major industrial concerns and resources.
If the reports are correct, that the regime was about to assemble a weapon, it makes sense. Their strategy had been to support proxies for their malign purposes, and as an insurance policy. If Israel did, well what they just did, Hezbollah and Hamas and other proxies would rain down missiles on and attack Israel and maybe American forces in the region. After October 7th, Israeli has done a fantastic job of eliminating the leadership and capacity of Hezbollah and Hamas, including assassinating them in Tehran, in a revolutionary guard apartment, which was…a bit embarrassing to the regime. Assad fell, so they lost their land bridge to Lebanon, which makes supporting Hezbollah much harder. And after their embarrassing missile strike on Israel, the Israelis made quick work of their Russian made air defenses, which didn’t work all that well. The Russians are also not exactly in a position to replace them. Israel showed it could quickly achieve absolutely air supremacy over Iran. At this point, if I am sitting in Tehran and don’t want to give up this whole “death to Israel” thing, let along my job and life, a nuclear weapon seems like a decent insurance policy (that I can quickly put together).
When I was listening, the thought occurred to me that the leadership and scientists of Iran’s nuclear program are like the drummers of spinal tap. Israeli has been taking them out for decades with relative impunity.
Papa Johns!!?? Ugh. What's the old quote? "Never get to know your heroes."
Pizza Hut rules for everyday swill but the best pizza I ever had is at
Home Slice Pizza in Austin TX.
All ingredients made from scratch.
You can taste the quality. As a poor disabled person I never dreamed I would one day be able to say that but I have on occasion been invited to complete a four top.
I don't think I've more vehemently disagreed with anything you've said since I started following you. It is now understood that Iran was never compliant, with the relevant agencies running cover for them or not bothering to check. It's not ripping up JCPOA that allowed Iran to get here, but the deal itself that gave them more breathing room. I say all this as an Israeli who has never once voted for Netanyahu or any of his coalition members.
This "seven years developing a bomb" seems like a new line. I mean they have been less than 1 year away if they wanted for well over a decade we've been told.
Re: YouTube videos with titles like Person I Agree With Politically Absolutely DESTROYS Ignorant Jerk I Disagree With Politically. These are normally disappointing as you would expect to see that Person makes some amazing argument that leaves Jerk absolutely flabbergasted and unable to respond but most of the time it's just Person stating their view and Jerk is like "I don't agree" and they keep arguing. But whoever posted/edited the video is in a bubble where their views are so self-evidently awesome that just stating them is amazing and devastating.
PS Jeff regarding your piece attacking the socialist NYC mayoral candidate - if socialism is bad, I guess you don't like public roads. BOOM. You just got SCHOOLED.
Jeff, can you play the background music just a little bit louder when you time travel to the present from the past please?
I know people voted but I liked the funny sound you played before you switched to the current system.
I am willing to accept the results of a free and fair election (this time!) but a little tweak please?
Thank you for your consideration.....
The "One-Seven-Seven-Six"/"write it out exactly as it should be said" thing reminded me of this episode from the life of Jesse Alexander Helms Jr., illustrating the limits of this strategy:
“…What about the hearings on North Korea in which he made repeated references to ‘Kim Jong the Second’? In order to prevent any repetition of this idiotic gaffe, Helms’ staff propped up a piece of card on which was clearly written the pronunciation ‘Kim Jong ILL.’ The senator from North Carolina duly made the adjustment, referring thenceforth to the North Korean despot as ‘Kim Jong the Third.’ ”
— From the late polemicist Christopher Hitchens’ obituary on Jesse Helms (Slate magazine, July 7, 2008)
Even the “moderate” presidential candidates within Iran have to pre-approved by the Supreme Leader. They are all creatures of the regime and the Islamic revolution. Their decision making power, to the extent they have it, can be overruled by the Ayatollah, and they don’t have control over the Revolutionary Guard. Their loyalty is to the supreme leader and the revolution itself, and the Corps is the largest individual economic actor, directly owning major industrial concerns and resources.
If the reports are correct, that the regime was about to assemble a weapon, it makes sense. Their strategy had been to support proxies for their malign purposes, and as an insurance policy. If Israel did, well what they just did, Hezbollah and Hamas and other proxies would rain down missiles on and attack Israel and maybe American forces in the region. After October 7th, Israeli has done a fantastic job of eliminating the leadership and capacity of Hezbollah and Hamas, including assassinating them in Tehran, in a revolutionary guard apartment, which was…a bit embarrassing to the regime. Assad fell, so they lost their land bridge to Lebanon, which makes supporting Hezbollah much harder. And after their embarrassing missile strike on Israel, the Israelis made quick work of their Russian made air defenses, which didn’t work all that well. The Russians are also not exactly in a position to replace them. Israel showed it could quickly achieve absolutely air supremacy over Iran. At this point, if I am sitting in Tehran and don’t want to give up this whole “death to Israel” thing, let along my job and life, a nuclear weapon seems like a decent insurance policy (that I can quickly put together).
When I was listening, the thought occurred to me that the leadership and scientists of Iran’s nuclear program are like the drummers of spinal tap. Israeli has been taking them out for decades with relative impunity.
More likely, "the reports" are straight up Israeli lies meant to be parroted by creators and commenters alike.
Papa Johns!!?? Ugh. What's the old quote? "Never get to know your heroes."
Pizza Hut rules for everyday swill but the best pizza I ever had is at
Home Slice Pizza in Austin TX.
All ingredients made from scratch.
You can taste the quality. As a poor disabled person I never dreamed I would one day be able to say that but I have on occasion been invited to complete a four top.
They even have Long Island Ice Tea
ON TAP! Is that Heaven or what?
I don't dream about drugs anymore.
I dream about Home Slice Pizza.....
I don't think I've more vehemently disagreed with anything you've said since I started following you. It is now understood that Iran was never compliant, with the relevant agencies running cover for them or not bothering to check. It's not ripping up JCPOA that allowed Iran to get here, but the deal itself that gave them more breathing room. I say all this as an Israeli who has never once voted for Netanyahu or any of his coalition members.
This was inevitable.
This "seven years developing a bomb" seems like a new line. I mean they have been less than 1 year away if they wanted for well over a decade we've been told.
You’re right about the pronunciation of Hylan (high-lin). He got a horrible road in Staten Island named after him.
Goddamnit Jeff, while I may be a shut in, I don't play my 78s on a Victrola, I play them on a modern turntable: https://youtu.be/JLQnyeTjazg?si=_JKGJRHofKKObSyo