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The Sacrifices of Journalists Working in War Zones

As we watch news reports from war zones like the Ukraine, I think too often we don't stop to consider the sacrifices of the journalists who give us seats in the front row of history.

As a stark reminder today, let's all send some words of appreciation and encouragement to British journalist Benjamin Hall, State Dept. Correspondent for Fox News and experienced war zone journalist, who was critically injured last month when the vehicle he was riding in came under Russian fire outside of Kiev. His companions, cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski and Ukranian reporter Oleksandra "Sasha" Kuvshynova (age 24), both of whom were on assignment with Fox News, were killed.

Following a harrowing and incredibly well coordinated extraction effort by Fox, the Pentagon and Save Our Allies, Hall made it to the Polish border where the U.S. had sent a C-130 airlift with medical teams to fly him to a hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. A few days later he was flown to the Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, where he underwent numerous surgeries and is beginning what will be an incredibly arduous recovery.

He was back on Twitter for the first time yesterday, lamenting the loss of his colleagues, describing his injuries for the first time and posting a photo: [More...]

To sum it up, I've lost half a leg on one side and a foot on the other. One hand is being put together, one eye is no longer working, and my hearing is pretty blown… but all in all I feel pretty damn lucky to be here - and it is the people who got me here who are amazing!

What grace under such tragic circumstances. Hall, who is 39 years old, has a wife and three daughters. Scroll down his Instagram feed for some beautiful photos of them together.

Thank you, Benjamin Hall, for your sacrifices and the inspiration you give us all.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Blub.. blub... blub.... (5.00 / 4) (#26)
    by desertswine on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 04:30:18 PM EST
    Russian warship sinks...

    The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday that its Black Sea Fleet flagship vessel, Moskva, sunk after losing its stability when it was towed to a port. Russia said the ship sustained damages during a fire started by the detonation of ammunition.

    CBS News

    The Russians are claiming careless smokers or some such.  Pretty powerful stogies.

    In a remarkable (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by KeysDan on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 04:57:10 PM EST
    fete of Putin's military genius, the.Russian vessel converted itself to a submarine,  FOX news, probably.

    Parent
    The new convertibnle (5.00 / 2) (#29)
    by KeysDan on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 05:22:47 PM EST
    last photo (5.00 / 2) (#33)
    by leap2 on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 07:24:20 PM EST
    So (5.00 / 2) (#32)
    by FlJoe on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 06:58:56 PM EST
    the Russian party line is, the warship did indeed go fk itself.

    Parent
    As an old fogie, myself, (5.00 / 3) (#37)
    by MO Blue on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 10:14:00 AM EST
    It is IMO past time for many of our elderly Senators and Representatives to retire.

    Case in point: Feinstein has no plans to retire. IMO, she is not up to the task and should be challenged by a younger Dem candidate.

    Didn't someone (none / 0) (#42)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 02:46:38 PM EST
    try to primary Feinstein and lose already? Ideally when senators reach a certain age they should retire. Grassley is 90 and running for reelection

    Parent
    She had a primary in 2018 (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by MO Blue on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 03:00:39 PM EST
    Up again in 2024. Hopefully, she has a change of heart before then. If not, she should IMO  definitely be challenged again for the position.

    Seen a tweet awhile ago: the Senate has many stated  Constitutional responsibilities and none of them are to serve as a retirement home for aging politicians (paraphrased). A sentiment that I wholly agree with.


    Parent

    I think Feinstein should have (5.00 / 2) (#53)
    by Chuck0 on Sat Apr 16, 2022 at 10:50:55 AM EST
    retired years ago.

    Parent
    Happy Saturday (5.00 / 2) (#54)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Apr 16, 2022 at 04:44:15 PM EST
    Happy Easter (5.00 / 2) (#55)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Apr 17, 2022 at 09:06:36 AM EST
    Several polls (5.00 / 2) (#63)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 01:02:34 PM EST
    show President Biden to be down, Quinnipiac demonstrating the lowest.  If these polls are to be believed, it is puzzling. As I have previously indicated, President Biden, in my view, is the most competent chief executive in the past five decades.

    Many thoughts have been presented as to the reasons for such polling, from messaging to messenger. Charles Blow, in his NYTimes opinion piece, claims Biden does not do public governance or hyperbole. Elected as the antidote to Trump, he feels that Americans, once again, are yearning for the poison.

    Yet, it is interesting that in that same edition of the NYTimes, articles about Biden or his administration were not to be found, while the front page screamed about Trump at Mar-a-lago. The violent and non-violent attempt to  overthrow the government, including the startling efforts of Senator Lee (R.Ut) were not discussed, at all, during any of the Sunday talk show.

    My view is that President Biden is the victim of his competent governance. Not flashy. When he does gets credit for his NATO restoration and other efforts in support of Ukraine and balances those efforts in light of Russia's nuclear capabilities, the media chides him for not doing more.

    Administration coverage by the media seems to often either pounce or ignore.  When Biden unwound the cesspool of fraud and corruption of the decades-long, strategically pointless Bush-initiated war in Afghanistan, the ending circumstances were faulted without credit for emergence from that deadly quagmire.  

    The record low unemployment rates are many times spun as businesses having trouble staffing and the wage increases necessary to secure staffing are inflationary. Gas price drops are not matched by gas price hikes.

    Sometimes it seems as if Biden can't win for winning.

    Democrats, in general, are down (none / 0) (#64)
    by RickyJim on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 02:26:15 PM EST
    Are the predictions that the Republicans will win big in November all due to Biden's current standing with the public?

    Parent
    Probabl (none / 0) (#65)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 03:42:04 PM EST
    a combination of factors that support that prognostication beyond Biden's standing in the polls (which may differ from his standing with the public).  

    Historic patterns for a mid-term, inflationary worries, and a "feeling" by some voters--a feeling that matters are not going as well as they should despite the fact they, themselves, may be doing fine.

    But, in my view, the pandemic is the underpinning to it all, impinging on so many aspects of life. Of course, the fascists are at it with fear tactics and fictional cultural issues such as stopping the teaching of critical race theory in kindergarten, "don't say gay", and trans kids playing sports and using bathrooms.

    Fears about "Freedom" requiring the banning of books, including sexy math texts(maybe it's the equal sign they object to).   Seventy-two percent of Republicans oppose teaching Arabic numerals in school--guess.it sounds too Muslimy.

    And then add-in the fascists new voter suppression and subversion laws and the challenge enlarges.

    Parent

    The "Arabic numerals" question, believe (none / 0) (#66)
    by Peter G on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 04:31:22 PM EST
    it or not, is not a hoax. At least according to both Snopes and Fox News. I like the "equal sign" theory of the math book imbroglio.

    Parent
    Perhaps next (5.00 / 2) (#80)
    by jmacWA on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 04:49:21 AM EST
    Florida will ban anything that flows from the first prophet of Islam.

    Parent
    This country is already so divided, (5.00 / 2) (#84)
    by Jack E Lope on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 12:35:07 PM EST
    ...why allow math books to encourage division?

    Parent
    Subsequently, math books (5.00 / 2) (#85)
    by MO Blue on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 01:27:45 PM EST
    Shouldn't encourage addition, subtraction, multiplication, equations or algebra etc, etc. etc.

    The people who encourage looking at alternative facts totally without any scientific or factual basis definitely are bound and determined to ban any ideas or thoughts contrary to their own distorted beliefs.

    Parent

    We are a nation of (5.00 / 2) (#90)
    by leap2 on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 02:47:16 PM EST
    stupid, ignorant, selfish, mean children in adult bodies.

    Parent
    I liked Jack E. Lope's comment (none / 0) (#86)
    by ladybug on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 01:40:05 PM EST
    because the word "division" is ambiguous. I think we should teach all those math concepts but stay away from divisive cultural issues in math class. I can show you many examples where that is not happening. As an educator, this topic is important to me.

    Parent
    Yes, (5.00 / 1) (#89)
    by KeysDan on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 02:08:06 PM EST
    Can't we just sit back and let the fascists undermine public education.  Ban math texts on the basis of something, perhaps a mix of sawdust and air with a pinch of critical race theory, whatever that means to DeSantis and his lickspittles.

    There is no transparency on how Florida made its decision to ban 54 out of 132 math texts submitted  No examples of "objectionable" content or details about those who reviewed the materials and what their qualifications might be.

    Parent

    Show them (5.00 / 4) (#96)
    by Yman on Wed Apr 20, 2022 at 05:07:43 PM EST
    I think we should teach all those math concepts but stay away from divisive cultural issues in math class. I can show you many examples where that is not happening.

    What "divisive cultural issues" do you think are being taught in math class, such that a legislature needs to ban them.  Be specific and cite as many as you can.

    Parent

    I didn't advocate legislative banning of books. (none / 0) (#97)
    by ladybug on Wed Apr 20, 2022 at 08:10:35 PM EST
    Local departments of education routinely reject books for not meeting the state's benchmark standards for the curriculum, which are evaluated according to a set of rubrics. The rubrics for Florida DoE are probably available to review. I will just link here a popular toolkit for dismantling racism in Mathematics.
    Enjoy.

    Parent
    A monograph for math teachers to help them (5.00 / 3) (#98)
    by Peter G on Wed Apr 20, 2022 at 11:01:24 PM EST
    avoid racism in their classrooms is not an example of "fostering divisive cultural issues" in mathematics instruction. And by the way, do you consider discussing the existence of racism in America to be a "divisive cultural issue" that schools should steer clear of? A divide between those who concede and those who deny that racism is a serious problem is not one I would recommend school districts trying to avoid.

    Parent
    Reading through the monograph... (5.00 / 3) (#100)
    by Jack E Lope on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at 02:14:16 PM EST
    Although I shouldn't waste our time on responding to ladybug's concern tr...um, stated concerns, "...centering" on antiracism in math class" misses the mark, in a way that is typical of right-wing sources of misinformation.  Equitable Math is not about changing the math curriculum to a social curriculum, it's about distribution of teaching resources and broadening teaching/testing methods in a way that stops doling out disadvantages to everyone outside the mainstream.  (It's not only about race.)

    In the term, "antiracist math educators", the adjective "antiracist" has as its object "educators" - NOT "math".  I expect that educators would understand that.  Particularly if they understand the joke I made about the word "division".

    My understanding is probably shaped by experience.  For the 1969-'70 school year, my sister and I took part in a busing program.  We went to a school in a neighborhood that had previously been one of the few parts of the city where black people were allowed to live, and each of us was the only white person in our class that year.  

    I went from a school/district that had multiple "tracks" of math instruction - from about 4th grade*, we did not get math instruction from our regular teacher, some people would move to different classrooms, and math-specific teachers would teach.  We split into two groups and got two different types of instruction, based on how we handled the subject.  People were moved from one group to another if they fell behind or showed greater aptitude.  From 7th-9th grade, there were 3 tracks of math instruction available.  Beyond that, the math class choices became even wider (and the district even paid tuition and provided transportation for a few students to get to calculus classes at a college).

    ...to a school that had single-track math.  Everyone in grade X used the same math textbook, the same math homework, and got the same math tests.  At the time, I thought the class was 3 years behind the median, and nobody was offered help if they fell behind. They'd just move on to the next grade, get the next level of lessons/texts/tests, leaving them further behind each year.   Friends my age who were at all- or mostly-white-student schools in that same district had more math education resources available to them.

    HOWEVER, racists gotta do what racists gotta do.  Years later, it was revealed that almost all black students at the schools with multiple options were placed in the lowest levels of mathematics offered for their grade level.  The exceptions were students whose parents had the time/energy/knowledge to push the schools into properly placing them based on their demonstrated ability.

    Another factor mentioned by Equitable Math is cultural differences, and an example mentioned is a student who previously learned a different method - who gets downgraded for using the "wrong" technique or having the answer in the "wrong" format.  I have helped a lot of exchange students with mathematics, and the barrier is often that they learned a different style of notation; sometimes, it's a math-specific language barrier.

    There's a lot more wrong with #99, but it's not worth the time.

    Recently, I had been joking that the laws with a stated goal of prohibiting the-teaching-of-topics-that-make-students-uncomfortable could endanger mathematics education. But we know what they were really targeting - so: I was joking about the math-discomfort thing. There is no need to attack math separately.

    *I know we were swapping classes for math by 5th grade, because I remember the math-specific teacher was the sister of my homeroom teacher, but I think the math-class split began in 4th grade.

    Parent

    I thought your initial comment was (5.00 / 1) (#101)
    by MO Blue on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at 03:19:57 PM EST
    probably tongue in check based on your comment history. Your current comment clearly defines the objective of the teachers' workbook previously mentioned.

    Often the people who are wanting to ban math books promote teaching that cavemen rode on dinosaurs.

    Also of interest is the fact:

    Only one publishing company deemed acceptable for K-5 math textbooks in Florida is Accelerated Learning which was acquired by Youngkin's Carlyle Group in2018.

    Parent

    This is not a simple problem that is solved (none / 0) (#102)
    by ladybug on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at 03:46:48 PM EST
    by simply calling critics racists. Given the state of our education system, we currently risk losing our world standing in STEM research. It seems odd to focus on "white supremacy" in math when so many of our STEM researchers are from China, Taiwan, South Korea and India. Racial and economic disparities in education are clearly a crucial problem, but many question whether weakening merit and standards in pursuit of equity will fix it. We all look at this issue from our lived experiences, as you have done. Many Asian Americans in accelerated programs feel they are being discriminated against too.

    There are good things proposed in the instruction packet and very good intentions, but there is also wording and praxis in the materials that are based on academic critical theories and they are problematic for many people.  We should value diversity of thought as well.

     

    Parent

    As you see from reading through the monograph, (none / 0) (#99)
    by ladybug on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at 07:59:29 AM EST
    it is much more than a "discussion" of racism, and we could go through some of the features that could be divisive. I personally would rather focus on math and English skills, among other academic skills, in the classroom.
    The framework for deconstructing racism in
    mathematics offers essential characteristics of antiracist
    math educators and critical approaches to dismantling
    white supremacy in math classrooms by making visible the toxic characteristics of white supremacy culture
    (Jones and Okun 2001; dismantling Racism 2016) with
    respect to math. Building on the framework, teachers
    engage with critical praxis in order to shift their instructional beliefs and practices towards antiracist math education. By centering antiracism, we model how to be
    antiracist math educators with accountability.
     
    By "centering" on antiracism in math class, math is no longer the focus.  In the abstract it may sound fine, but in practice it can be divisive. Many parents would prefer more of a focus on academic skills than on social justice, but many teachers find social justice more fun or more important to teach. I do see this first hand in the school where I teach.

    Again, you and I might fundamentally differ in our views of how toxic and racist our country is. Parents should be free to reject some of the classroom materials they find offensive and I can't fault them for wanting the school system to improve its record on academic excellence. I personally don't think this focus on antiracism is the answer.

    Parent

    You "personally" don't ... (5.00 / 3) (#104)
    by Yman on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at 08:44:02 PM EST
    ... think it's important to focus on antiracism?  You think that recognizing and addressing racism is "divisive"?  You think you're surrounded by many teachers who "find social justice more fun or important to teach"?

    That's hilarious.

    These are not mutually exclusive goals or concepts.
     As a former educator, I think that people like you should either learn to walk and chew gum or get out of the classroom and leave it to people who can figure out how to do both.

    Parents should be free to reject some of the classroom materials they find offensive and I can't fault them for wanting the school system to improve its record on academic excellence
    .

    You would think an "educator" would be able to form an argument without using laughable strawmen.  Moreover, if a parent is offended because a school uses materials discussing racism and how to minimize it, that should tell you all you need to know about those parents.

    Parent

    I adamantly disagree that parents (5.00 / 4) (#106)
    by Peter G on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 01:13:55 PM EST
    should be able to reject teaching materials they find offensive. Parents have an absolute right to choose to send their kids to private school, parochial school, or even to home "school" them. But if they opt to comply with society's mandatory education law by utilizing the public schools, then they have no such "right." The only "right" they have is to vote for school board members they believe are best qualified to run a public school system for all children.

    Parent
    I meant the right to reject it by (none / 0) (#107)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 01:36:05 PM EST
    protesting and speaking out non-violently at school board meetings, as well as the other avenues you mention. We also see photos of them holding signs and such. They have the right to practice activism within legal limits, and that is what they are doing to great effect I think.

    Parent
    From what I have seen in the news (5.00 / 3) (#108)
    by Peter G on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 02:56:46 PM EST
    the only form of parental "activism" that has had any effect is bullying and violent threats. I am not aware of any school boards' having been persuaded by reasoned argument to withdraw highly regarded books and other materials from libraries and curricula based on an ideological disagreement with their perceived message. That and partisan interference with educational decisions by state legislatures acting not on any principle but on hypocritical pandering to their perceived "base," in order to perpetuate minority rule by arch-conservatives over a populace that, according to all legitimate public opinion surveys, does not share their so-called "values."

    Parent
    You seem to have moved the goalpost (none / 0) (#109)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 03:31:24 PM EST
    on me. I just commented that they should have the freedom to reject some of the classroom materials (that their children are bringing home), which then became a right to protest and be non-violent activists for their beliefs, and now I need to find examples where they are non-violently providing persuasive arguments as reported in the news accounts. Parents may be writing letters, talking to teachers, organizing parent groups and doing all kinds of things we do not see. I hope I am presenting reasoned arguments here, but this is a difficult format for that. I am speaking from my experience and observations as someone who teaches in a Californian public university, not as a parent with a child in elementary school.  I welcome a debate on critical pedagogies.

    Parent
    Au contraire, it is you who keep moving (5.00 / 2) (#110)
    by Peter G on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 04:41:45 PM EST
    the "goalposts." Based on your claim to be an "educator" (faculty member? professor?) at the university level (although you have never said in what field), I have consistently shown you the respect of assuming you mean what you write. When I criticize those ideas (that parents can "reject" the materials their children are assigned in public schools based on the parents' personal beliefs or prejudices, for example) you provide a definition of the term you chose that no educated speaker/writer of English would have anticipated (that "reject" means "nonviolently protest," for example). I am not putting any burden on you to provide an illustration of anything. I am disputing (to the extent I feel like engaging) ideas that seem to me erroneous or wrong-headed.

    Parent
    That is just something I felt, but I can see (none / 0) (#111)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 05:03:19 PM EST
    why you would feel the same about me moving goalposts. I do try not to offend anyone but maybe I fall short there. I try not to give too much personal info about myself because I know I am not popular here, but I am sincere. I appreciate that your comments are always reasoned and never ad hominim and I try to do the same.

    Parent
    I appreciate your responses. (none / 0) (#112)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 05:43:53 PM EST
    I am wondering about the surveys you mentioned, so maybe you can link me to a reputable one. I wonder how effective these surveys can be since most people are not very clear about what CRT is or what the issues are.

    For example, the materials in the STRIDE booklet I linked to has some wording that is problematic for me but the very same wording is not problematic for many others. We may interpret the same words very differently, based on our own experiences and we are just left wondering how the other person cannot see what we see. When I see words like deconstructing, critical approaches, dismantling, white supremacy, shifting perspectives, antiracism, accountability, etc. they have specific meanings for me that they don't have for some others. I think I am starting to see your perspectives a little better.  

    Parent

    Based on approximately 90 seconds (5.00 / 3) (#113)
    by Peter G on Fri Apr 22, 2022 at 08:57:35 PM EST
    of googling: Here is one, and another, and another. Are you not aware of the fact that substantial majorities of Americans hold liberal to progressive political and moral views? Do you not know the difference between an informed opinion and a "feeling"? (And do you not know how to spell "ad hominem"?) I am now prepared to say I do not believe you are in fact a professor (of anything) at any U.S. institution of higher learning. Of course, that does not disentitle you to express your opinions, but it does mean you are not entitled to cloak yourself in the aura of authority that repeatedly making that claim seeks to invoke for your expressed views (or "feelings").

    Parent
    Ouch. (none / 0) (#114)
    by ladybug on Sat Apr 23, 2022 at 08:29:43 AM EST
    OK, I may misspell homophonous Latin suffixes (-im, -em, -um) or have typos and now you are being ad hominem. Of course I know the majority of Americans are "liberal" (I teach in a California state university) and I am liberal in many aspects but not all. I was just curious what polls you would point to. I think most polls for issues like CRT would break into factions, like we saw in the "Arabic numeral" survey. I don't give more info about myself because it just leads to personal attacks, like now, sadly. Thank you for saying I have an aura of authority because of my job but I was hoping my arguments would stand on their own. My academic field is linguistics. You may not know it but it is a very contentious field. Right now raciolinguistics is hot.

    I agree that words are important and I appreciate lawyers because they are also trained to pay attention to words.  

    I do find many of the words in the STRIDE booklet problematic. Maybe we could talk about that?

    Parent

    Nope. Wrong again. (5.00 / 2) (#115)
    by Peter G on Sat Apr 23, 2022 at 10:20:27 AM EST
    A critique of your arguments and their clarity, precision or consistency of expression is not ad hominem. I tremble at the thought of a professor of linguistics with so little concern for the meaning of the words they choose to use, and the impact of this carelessness on the ability of a reader to understand the point being made.

    Parent
    OK. Now you have just resorted (none / 0) (#116)
    by ladybug on Sat Apr 23, 2022 at 10:28:29 AM EST
    to the kinds of personal attacks all the others have been making. As I said, I think that we have such different meanings for words based on our experiences that we cannot see each other's viewpoint. Words such as white, white supremacy, race, etc. are being redefined so quickly that it is hard to keep up, not to mention the emotional triggers they bring with them. At least you accept my profession now. I suppose that is progress.

    Parent
    Those books met the benchmarks (5.00 / 3) (#103)
    by Yman on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at 08:39:50 PM EST
    Then a bunch of political hacks decided to change the criteria because some Republican politicians saw an opportunity to exploit ignorance and fear in their base and label anything mentioning race "Critical Race Theory"!.  It's just embarassing.
     Discussing racism in math class is not "divisive", not matter how much you pretend it is.  But it's very telling that you "many examples" came down to just one that doesn't even do what you claim.

    Looks like you get a "F".

    Parent

    Since you started this interaction it's only fair (none / 0) (#105)
    by ladybug on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at 09:24:49 PM EST
    I let you have the last word. Good night!

    Parent
    Ban and Burn. (5.00 / 2) (#87)
    by KeysDan on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 01:52:50 PM EST
    Math text books should not only discourage division, but also, multiplication, addition, and subtraction.  And, ban the teaching of Arabic numerals---Republican Governor Ronald DeSantis, probably.

    Parent
    The survey in question is interesting. (none / 0) (#67)
    by ladybug on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 04:55:12 PM EST
    Its creator says he designed it to show how "tribalism influences answers when people misunderstand questions." Another question had the opposite results:
    53% of respondents (and 73% of Democrats) thought that schools in America shouldn't teach the "creation theory of Catholic priest Georges Lemaitre" as part of their science curriculum.

    Respondents thought it had to do with creationism, when it was actually The Big Bang Theory.

    People will pick a tribal response even when they don't fully understand the question. This is one of many studies that have been done in this area.

    Parent

    I don't think it is tribal to point out (5.00 / 2) (#79)
    by Peter G on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 10:28:33 PM EST
    that knowing what "Arabic numerals" are is junior high level basic cultural literacy. Knowing that Fr. Lemaitre was one of the "godfathers" (in 1927) of the Big Bang Theory, long before Hubble, is not remotely equivalent.

    Parent
    That's true. (none / 0) (#82)
    by ladybug on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 09:53:13 AM EST
    It is odd but not terribly surprising to me that 52% of the respondents to the survey didn't know about Arabic numerals, considering our education system. The tribal part comes in with which kinds of words trigger which responses. I've seen several studies that try to measure things like this.

    Parent
    Right. I agree that the two reactions are (5.00 / 2) (#88)
    by Peter G on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 01:58:44 PM EST
    both "tribal" in that large numbers of folks claimed to have an opinion about something, based on a mindset, that they actually did not have any knowledge or awareness of. But the two things were not similar.

    Parent
    56% not 52%. (none / 0) (#83)
    by ladybug on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 10:27:05 AM EST
    Just my 2 cents (none / 0) (#70)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 05:59:14 PM EST
    but some high profile indictments would go a long way towards improving Biden's standing. A lot of it is out of his control with supply train issues. Inflation is supposed to start easing up.

    Personally I think too many people are stuck in the Obama era in their thinking or are expecting a repeat but thankfully Biden is not Obama and thankfully part 2 I have not seen Biden begging the GOP to vote for anything. Then most presidents also seem to have a 1st year slump.

    Parent

    This is just hilarious (5.00 / 3) (#74)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 07:59:20 PM EST
    And real, according to snopes.  Surely he must know how gay this is?

    Tucker Carlson's The End of Men

    Amazing (5.00 / 1) (#91)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 03:07:37 PM EST

    Russia Has Lost 25% of Soldiers In Ukraine
    April 19, 2022 at 3:32 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 54 Comments

    "The Russians, who invaded Feb. 24, have faced spirited, effective resistance from Ukrainian troops and have lost about 25% of the combat force Vladimir Putin deployed," USA Today reports



    The most deadly of all US wars (5.00 / 3) (#92)
    by Peter G on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 04:33:50 PM EST
    (the Civil War, that is) generated a death rate (including deaths from disease, maltreatment in prison camps, and accidents, as well as battlefield injuries) of under 19% of combatants (7% direct fatalities, about equal on each side) over the whole multi-year course of the conflict.

    Parent
    It's been estimated that ... (5.00 / 5) (#93)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 08:25:12 PM EST
    ... Russia initially deployed 140 battalion tactical groups (BTGs) in its invasion of Ukraine in late February. (Each BTG has about 1,000 combat personnel.) As of this week, the Russians have deployed and redeployed 76 BTGs in eastern and southern Ukraine, which is a far cry from the 140,000 combat troops who initially entered the country. It's an indication that the Russian army has lost a significant portion of their offensive capacity.

    Per the still-emerging data and analysis, the Battle of Kyiv was a disaster for Russian forces. Their elite VDV (Airborne Corps) was badly mauled in the heavy fighting around Antonov Int'l Airport northwest of the capital, which they attacked in the invasion's opening hours and eventually captured, but at tremendous cost in men and equipment - and they couldn't hold it.

    According to open-source intelligence monitored in European media, the Russians attempted to fly in troops in before the airport perimeter was even secured, and Ukrainian defenders shot down seven fully loaded Russian transports one by one as each attempted to land while under fire.

    Russian logistics were not prepared to support a prolonged engagement and not surprisingly, Russian troops soon began running short of fuel, food and even ammunition. The long Russian armored column east of Kyiv that the media kept referencing in the first couple weeks was not an attacking force as initially reported and feared.

    Rather, the Russian tanks had run out of fuel, and its length was due to the fact that Russian commanders kept foolishly sending more armor down the same road only to be stalled in queue, which allowed the Ukrainians to pick it apart at their leisure once they realized the Russians weren't going anywhere. The Russians eventually abandoned their equipment and fled, and the Ukrainians captured over 200 tanks as a result that were in otherwise good condition.

    Further, the unencrypted Russian communications network, babbling away as though ignorant of the fact that most Ukrainians are bilingual and also speak Russian, repeatedly gave away Russian positions to counterattacking Ukrainian forces; an estimated 9 BTGs were cut off at Irpin (west of Kyiv) and simply abandoned to their fate (with a resultant 5,000+ POWs) as Russians retreated back north. The Russian army lost a quarter of its tanks and armored personnel carriers in the engagement.

    Lesser known but just as important to the current situation on the ground is the apparent Russian military disaster in the south during the attempt to take Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa.

    As the Russians attempted to encircle the city of Mykolaiv from the east and north, an entire armored corps was completely shattered by Ukrainian civil guard forces (not regular army) defending the town of Voznesensk, which exposed the Russian west flank to counterattack.

    The Russian defeat at Mykolaiv resulted in an estimated loss of 70% of their personnel. The remnants were pursued by the Ukrainians all the way back to the Russian-occupied city of Kherson.

    The following maps, prepared by military analyst Nathan Ruser, show the remarkable unfolding of the Russians' debacle in Ukraine:

    • MAP 1 depicts the situation on the ground as of April 1, as Ukrainian forces began their counterattack at Kyiv and cut off Russian units near in and around Irpin. Russian-controlled areas are in red, and the territory under Ukrainian government control is in blue.

    • MAP 2 depicts the situation on the ground as of April 3, and shows the clearly deteriorating Russian position in the north as Ukrainian forces press their counterattack and drive the Russians away from Kyiv. the next day, the Kremlin announced it was "withdrawing" its forces; in reality, they were routed.

    • MAP 3 depicts the situation on the ground as of April 5, with the counterattacking Ukrainian columns reaching the Belarus border and moving eastward to re-establish control over the main highway to Kharkiv in the east.

    • MAP 4 depicts the situation on the ground as of April 6, and shows the furthest extent of Russian penetration into Ukraine as of March 31. as well as the subsequent collapse of the Russian offensives at Kyiv (north) and Mykolaiv (south), which is shown in yellow.

    • MAP 5 depicts the situation on the ground as of April 11, with Ukrainian forces re-establishing control in the north.

    • MAP 6 depicts the situation on the ground as of yesterday, April 18, as Russian reinforcements arrive in eastern and southern Ukraine and Ukraininan forces launch a counteroffensive to drive the Russians back from Kharkiv.

    • MAP 7 depicts the situation at present and shows how effective the Ukrainian counteroffensive over the last 18 days has been in removing the immediate Russian threats on the ground to Kyiv and Odessa.

    As the Ukrainians have demonstrated these past few weeks, the fiercest foes in battle are often those who first did everything possible to avoid armed confrontation.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Thank you for that Donald. (5.00 / 2) (#94)
    by Chuck0 on Wed Apr 20, 2022 at 09:33:37 AM EST
    No problem. (none / 0) (#95)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Apr 20, 2022 at 04:09:15 PM EST
    Personally, I find the study of military history fascinating because war is at once the ultimate instrument of national policy, a supreme folly and a very savage business. In select instances not at all as common as some would otherwise have us believe, war can occasionally be ennobling.

    With respect to the present conflict, Ukraine is enduring a collectively shared trauma that, should that country survive its ordeal, will likely come to define its national character for generations to come, much like our own U.S. Civil War did for us.

    But far more often than not, war tends to summon forth the less savory aspects of human nature because given an opportune moment, people are capable of anything and the results are anything but pretty.

    To paraphrase the late pacifist Rep. Jeanette Rankin (R-WY), we can no more control and win a war than we can control and win an earthquake. Sometimes it's all we can do to simply hang on for dear life.

    And in that respect, given the high stakes involved here, I believe it's vitally important to pay close attention to the current military situation on the ground in Ukraine.

    Because quite honestly, I think we are as close to a full-frontal military confrontation with Russia as we've ever been in our history, including the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

    If Putin is not stopped here, it will only encourage him to push the boundaries elsewhere and the stakes could escalate. It really is in our own nation's best interest to not abandon Ukraine to Russia's none-too-tender mercies.

    President Biden is doing his very best to avoid war, but the choice may ultimately be in the Kremlin's hands and not his.

    Aloha and peace to all.

    Parent

    Great post (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Apr 08, 2022 at 10:27:26 AM EST
    Again

    Thank you, J. (none / 0) (#2)
    by oculus on Fri Apr 08, 2022 at 11:53:47 AM EST


    Agreed. (none / 0) (#3)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Apr 09, 2022 at 01:58:28 PM EST
    What happened to Benjamin Hall and his two colleagues, who appear to have been deliberately targeted by Russian troops, was likely a war crime. It's really too bad that Fox News' prime-time line-up of Putinesque ghouls have tended to roundly ignore and undercut the reporting of their own journalists in the field.

    That could only be said (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by itscookin on Sun Apr 10, 2022 at 11:41:13 AM EST
    by someone who never watches Fox. The story has been covered there since day one, including regular updates about Benjamin Hall's grueling recovery. All three prime-time Fox hosts have covered it. They also covered the story of the Fox journalists who got Greg Gutfeld's mother-in-law out of Ukraine and into Poland, where Greg's wife was waiting for her. You're usually better than this. Granted, the search engines push Fox links down, but the reporting from Fox is still on the first search page.

    https://www.foxnews.com/media/benjamin-hall-health-update-ukraine-attack

    Parent

    Fox News has long been a Putin cheerleader. (5.00 / 4) (#5)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Apr 10, 2022 at 05:49:39 PM EST
    Fox News hosts supported Trump for withholding vital military aid to Ukraine in an attempt to extort President Zelensky's assistance for his re-election campaign.

    Further, Fox News hosts repeatedly suggested without foundation that the Ukrainians, rather than Russia, was somehow behind the hacking of the DNC's servers and that the Trump-Russia scandal was somehow a hoax. They weren't and it wasn't.

    Even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine commenced, Tucker Carlson called Ukraine "a client state of the U.S. State Department" - which is a Kremlin talking point, by the way.

    Fox News and Fox Business hosts, contributors, and guests have repeatedly defended Putin, aired Russian propaganda justifying the war, made pro-Russian points on the air, criticized America's strong responses to Russia's aggression, and blamed the United States and the West for the invasion.

    In fact, Fox News' Kremlin-coddling propaganda have been so fulsome and effusive in its moral support for Mother Russia that top government officials in Moscow have repeatedly cited and praised the network by name, and have further ordered Russian state-run media to air its pro-Russian segments.

    So, please spare me Fox News' belated, sudden and conveniently newfound solidarity with the Ukrainians and the free world, because its well-documented record prior to Russia's invasion simply screams otherwise.

    And truth be told, ill-informed Foxwatchers and Trump-lovin' wingbats are a big, big part of the problem here. So, it's probably best for everyone if y'all just sit this one out and let the adults in the room clean up your incontinent mess as best we can.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    It's not true (none / 0) (#6)
    by ladybug on Mon Apr 11, 2022 at 02:39:10 PM EST
    that all Foxwatchers are ill-informed or wingbats. More Democrats watch Fox News during prime time than CNN. Also, more independents watch it than either CNN or MSNBC.  Since most news outlets are biased nowadays it is better to get your information from a variety of sources. The issues you mentioned are too complex and serious to be dismissed with simplistic talking points from either side. And personal attacks should never be used for argument.

    Parent
    Fox "News" (5.00 / 8) (#7)
    by Yman on Tue Apr 12, 2022 at 07:34:28 AM EST
    ... is not a news source, no matter how hard its apologist try to make it one.  It's propaganda ... nothing more.  But false equivalencies are fun, aren't they?

    BTW - Can you point to where he claimed that "all Foxwatchers are ill-informed or wingbats"?  Most?  Sure.  Strawman and middle ground fallacies should never be used for argument.

    Parent

    Is Juan Williams Still There? (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by RickyJim on Tue Apr 12, 2022 at 10:28:52 AM EST
    Did they get moderate replacements for Chris Wallace and Shep Smith?  

    Parent
    Even your left-leaning sources (none / 0) (#10)
    by ladybug on Tue Apr 12, 2022 at 10:37:29 AM EST
    in this article admit there is a news side, and they even prove the point that the opinion shows on Fox at least give two sides of the issue with Griffin pushing back on the opinions of the host, something you rarely see on CNN or MSNBC. As I said, most news outlets are biased and propagandistic, so it is best to get information from different sources.

    Parent
    That's a hilarious attempt (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Yman on Tue Apr 12, 2022 at 02:32:40 PM EST
    ... at spinning.  Not remotely effective, but also not remotely surprising.  Feel free to add "false equivalencies" to your list of fallacies.

    Parent
    I guess your false equivalence (2.00 / 1) (#16)
    by ladybug on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 11:48:50 AM EST
    is that Fox is all lies (apples) and MSNBC is all truth (oranges). I reject your premise.

    Parent
    Heh - more strawmen (5.00 / 2) (#44)
    by Yman on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 03:19:17 PM EST
    Whenever someone feels the need to "rephrase" your argument and begins with "I guess ...", you can be sure that whatever follows will not only misstate what you've clearly stated, but will be a completely bs strawmen argument.

    Parent
    OK, what is the (none / 0) (#47)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 04:31:36 PM EST
    false equivalence? I am happy to learn from your wisdom. I just made a rough guess.

    Parent
    Fox News' news side is clearly drowned out. (5.00 / 4) (#13)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 12, 2022 at 02:52:54 PM EST
    Furthermore, fact-based journalism is virtually absent when that network's prime-time Looney Tunes line-up is on the air from 7:00-11:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday with Jesse Waters, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham.

    You're delusional if you think those partisan whackjobs present a balanced perspective. "Both sides" on Fox News generally consists of those few conservatives who haven't completely lost their marbles as of yet, and far-right firebreathers who've been entirely too comfortable with labeling over half the country - particularly Americans of color - as the enemy of all they believe to be pure and holy in this land.

    Fox News is a toxic outfall of pro-Kremlin, proto-fascist, anti-democratic, racist and xenophobic sewage.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Oh well. (1.00 / 5) (#14)
    by ladybug on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 09:52:44 AM EST
    I get your opinion. There are other viewpoints than yours. This extreme partisan divide and relentless attack commentary is not good, in my opinion. Some might be alarmed by the bioresearch the gvmt funds in Wuhan, where Covid likely escaped, and that we fund biolabs in Ukraine, where Obama quipped in 2013 that there was anthrax,  but you are more upset that Hannity airs his opinions and questions what our government is doing in Ukraine. A lot of what the leftist media has called "disinformation" has turned out to be factual, but you prefer to rail against a news outlet for talking about it, not to mention your fellow citizens. I don't see the value in that.

    Parent
    You just proved my point, ladybug. (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 06:04:46 PM EST
    ladybug: "Some might be alarmed by the bioresearch the gvmt funds in Wuhan, where Covid likely escaped, and that we fund biolabs in Ukraine, where Obama quipped in 2013 that there was anthrax, but you are more upset that Hannity airs his opinions and questions what our government is doing in Ukraine."

    COVID-19 did NOT "likely escape" from a government-funded laboratory in Wuhan, China. From the National Institutes of Health:

    "The COVID-19 pandemic is among the deadliest infectious diseases to have emerged in recent history. As with all past pandemics, the specific mechanism of its emergence in humans remains unknown. Nevertheless, a large body of virologic, epidemiologic, veterinary, and ecologic data establishes that the new virus, SARS-CoV-2, evolved directly or indirectly from a β-coronavirus in the sarbecovirus (SARS-like virus) group that naturally infect bats and pangolins in Asia and Southeast Asia." (Emphasis is mine.)

    You just dismiss the science because it doesn't align with your preferred right-wing narrative. Instead, you casually parrot the baseless and repeatedly debunked conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was a product of a Wuhan bioweapons lab, a false anti-Chinese contention which Fox News has spread like bag of manure over a rose garden. Only what Fox News is cultivating here ain't roses.

    Same with your reference to the debunked nonsense about U.S.-funded bioweapons labs in Ukraine - which is, by the way, a specific Kremlin-generated talking point which was offered as one of its excuses for Putin's "special military operation."

    So, ladybug, not only are you terribly ill-informed, but you are also a willing secondary source that's continuing to spread this crap. And yeah, the BS you're peddling is absolutely anti-American. It's rendered you incapable of discussing issues rationally on the basis of any original thought on your part. You're content to simply regurgitate here what you first heard on Fox News.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    This statement follows the abstract: (none / 0) (#36)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 10:03:31 AM EST
    Conflict of interest statement
    Disclosure: The views in this article are those of the authors and not of their institutions, or the NIAID, NIH, DHHS.

    There are battling experts in every field of science, something I have experienced in my own academic study. I agree with the Washington Post that we need some skepticism about government claims:

    To be clear, we should show skepticism toward government claims such as those now coming from the Biden administration, especially given the history of official lying about weapons of mass destruction. But here we have a long public record pointing to what this program really is, and what it's supposed to accomplish.

    As I noted in another post, the human brain appears to naturally form biases. One of the ways that occurs is by repetition, so I try to see different viewpoints and be open to information. I haven't researched this, so can you give me a source that argues convincingly that all experts agree on the natural origin of the virus from bats? I think it is an important question that should not devolve into a partisan spat.

     

    Parent

    I did a little research myself (none / 0) (#38)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 11:09:58 AM EST
    and found this short article: SARS-COV-2 as an artificial creation: scientific arguments and counterarguments

    What I find interesting is that there are competing theories about the origin of Covid, among many other issues. I like listening to both sides and weighing the evidence for myself. I don't ridicule people and look only for confirming facts for my viewpoint. I am skeptical about what the government and media say for many reasons but still think this is a great country. I wish we were not so divided.  
     

    Parent

    I don't know why you are so obsessed (none / 0) (#39)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 12:29:56 PM EST
    with Fox News but the lab leak concern has been wide-spread. Here is just one example from an opinion piece in the Washington Post. Xiao Qiang, a research scientist at the School of Information at the University of California at Berkeley is quoted in the article:  
    I don't think it's a conspiracy theory. I think it's a legitimate question that needs to be investigated and answered," he said. "To understand exactly how this originated is critical knowledge for preventing this from happening in the future.

    I may have overstated that the virus was "likely" caused by a lab leak, but there is still no consensus on its origins, unless you have different information. But my point was that there are competing ideas and bioresearch can be dangerous, so it is a real issue. Scientists do take it seriously I think.

    Parent
    To be clear, (none / 0) (#41)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 01:28:43 PM EST
    I was just using bioresearch as an example because that topic was originally brought up in the article linked in #8. I think there are (at least) two sides to most issues and multiple viewpoints and I try to see the different perspectives. I don't take a strong position on issues that I haven't researched, but I don't necessarily believe many of the "debunking" and "disinformation" claims in the media, so I try to research them. Your rudeness does not detract from my commenting here. I find the discussion interesting.

    Parent
    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPRSTUVWXYZ (none / 0) (#30)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 06:02:17 PM EST
    It is too bad (none / 0) (#15)
    by ladybug on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 10:09:32 AM EST
    that this post began as a tribute to Benjamin Hall and evolved into an unhinged attack on the news organization he worked for.

    Parent
    It's too bad ... (4.80 / 5) (#45)
    by Yman on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 03:33:03 PM EST
    ... that wingers pushing Russian misinformation and Fox "News" propaganda think they're fooling anyone with word-salad arguments and disingenuous claims of "I just want to hear both sides!"

    They're not.

    Parent

    Thanks for starting this discussion (none / 0) (#46)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 04:08:24 PM EST
    with the Wash Po link. I have been reading up on the lab leak controversy since I am being attacked for my stray comment. I linked a couple of easy-to-read articles above, and here is a one-page summary of a report that says the origin of covid is still inconclusive. Four intelligence groups had "low confidence" it originated in animals, one had "moderate confidence" it emerged in a lab and three groups were undecided. Some scientists are calling for an independent investigation by scientists outside of the WHO.
    For your other comment, I try to hedge my comments with "I guess" and "may" and try to be tentative in many comments because I am open to correction if I am wrong. I accept that the lab leak may not be "likely" but it has not been "debunked" and I think it is another serious nonpartisan issue that we can talk about.  

    Parent
    In case it is confusing, (none / 0) (#11)
    by ladybug on Tue Apr 12, 2022 at 01:09:08 PM EST
    I was referring to your linked article in your other comment, by the Washington Post. I thought the article had been linked in your comment to me.

    Parent
    Who would bother watching Fox "News" (5.00 / 4) (#8)
    by Yman on Tue Apr 12, 2022 at 09:39:11 AM EST
    It's really too bad that Fox News' prime-time line-up of Putinesque ghouls have tended to roundly ignore and undercut the reporting of their own journalists in the field.

    Tucker, Hannity, Ingraham and their primetime "news" (as opposed to a single news article posted on their website) are a joke ... a bunch of Putin apologists.

    The war in Ukraine spills over onto Fox News airwaves.

    Parent

    No need to watch Fox prime time (5.00 / 2) (#48)
    by MO Blue on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 06:23:54 PM EST
    We just need to read some of the comments in this thread to hear all of their so called talking points (I.e. propaganda).

    Parent
    That's true. No need to watch Fox as I have (none / 0) (#49)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 06:54:17 PM EST
    linked to some articles, never Fox News, trying to go deeper, beyond the talking points, into some of the issues that have been raised. What do you think of the latest articles I have linked? I won't give up believing that we can talk about them. Do you think MSNBC is propaganda?  What do you think of CNN? Since they are never mentioned I assume you think they are trusted new sources. I think all three are similar levels of propaganda with different biases. Which is why being able to talk freely is important. I hope Jeralyn opens up a new topic soon.

    Parent
    This is a one time only reply to you. (5.00 / 4) (#50)
    by MO Blue on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 07:26:18 PM EST
    What do I think of the articles in your links? The non right wing articles you link do not support your comments. Case in point:

    In conclusion, all these specific features observed in SARS-COV-2 helps scientists to rule out the idea that this pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus is the result of a man-made action that could be either engineered in the laboratory or further created as a bioweapon out of conspiracy. Recent discoveries revealed evidence of the presence of the virus around the world before it emerged in Asia. There is growing evidence of its true origin as a global organism that was waiting for favorable conditions to emerge instead of originating in China. Recent testing of sewage in Barcelona had suggested that the virus may have been present in the Spanish city in March 2019, many months before China identified the pathogen in the city of Wuhan in December 2019.

    your link to ncbi

    Now feel free to continue to spin like a top, back track or supply some other disinformation, since you will be talking to yourself. I will only debate with people who do not distort information.

    Parent

    Yes! Thank you! (none / 0) (#51)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 07:35:01 PM EST
    I revised my statement of "likely" after having read these articles. It would be easier if people referred to the facts, as you have done, rather than simply attack. I am not trying to distort information, so I appreciate your response.

    Parent
    You didn't read the original post (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by MKS on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 03:07:35 PM EST
    you were referring to.

    Donald said Fox ignored the "reporting" of its news reporters.  You took that to mean that Fox was ignoring the story of the death of the reporter.  Two different things entirely.

    Parent

    Ignoring the injury to the reporter..... (none / 0) (#19)
    by MKS on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 03:14:44 PM EST
    That argument is disingenuous (1.00 / 4) (#22)
    by ladybug on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 06:34:13 PM EST
    but I don't know if it is worth hashing it out. Donald was not referring to the specific reporting of its correspondences because obviously it does report on what their correspondents tell them. It is clear that Donald's complaint is that he feels Fox  is pure propaganda, even Russian disinformation, and its watchers are ill-informed wingbats, even  traitors. I would guess that the original poster was correct in that Donald does not watch much Fox News at all.  

    Parent
    I don't like (5.00 / 4) (#23)
    by MKS on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 09:03:00 PM EST
    being called dishonest.  

    Parent
    I didn't mean it like that. (2.00 / 1) (#24)
    by ladybug on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 10:05:23 PM EST
    I just felt that you were nitpicking at a minor point when Donald's comment was clearly focused on Fox's overall reporting, and his comments really do suggest he doesn't watch the network himself. It seemed more snide than dishonest, a thinly veiled jab at the commenter rather than a point in an argument. I am bothered by personal attacks on commenters but do appreciate serious arguments. I was talking about the argument, not you personally.

    Parent
    Don't put words in my mouth, ladybug. (5.00 / 3) (#28)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 05:11:47 PM EST
    ladybug: "Donald was not referring to the specific reporting of its correspondences because obviously it does report on what their correspondents tell them."

    I very specifically referred to Fox News' prime-time line-up. But looking upon that network as a whole, I'd contend that yes, Fox News is indeed a political propaganda channel. That a few of its actual news correspondents may be competent journalists is testament only to the fact that even a broken clock can still tell you the correct time twice daily.

    You are quite obviously a rather religious Fox News viewer. As a result, yes, you are terribly ill-formed. I suppose I could toy with you by asking whether or not you agree with the following statement, "Joe Biden is the lawfully elected President of the United States," and then make popcorn while you twist yourself into a rhetorical Gordian knot. But that would be cruel.

    And so, I'll simply close instead with a timely and appropriate quote from the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Of course Biden is the lawfully elected (none / 0) (#35)
    by ladybug on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 09:17:53 AM EST
    POTUS, just as Trump was in 2016. I am not a Fox viewer much less a religious one, and I do like to get my information from different sources. I don't like cable news and see spin in all of it but I have watched all the channels, including Fox. I try to understand our biases and where they come from, including my own. Bias appears to be a condition of our human brains trying to make sense of the world. I would never call one of my students ignorant or stupid, and do not know why you would imply that I am, although you do not say it explicitly. I am very interested in how people think, which is why I interact here.

    Parent
    Wow, you watch (none / 0) (#17)
    by MKS on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 03:02:34 PM EST
    a lot of Fox News.

    Parent
    Revelatory, (none / 0) (#20)
    by KeysDan on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 05:01:26 PM EST
    if needed.

    Parent
    Just (none / 0) (#21)
    by FlJoe on Wed Apr 13, 2022 at 06:02:04 PM EST
    asking questions. Tucker who?

    Parent
    I object to the use of the term (none / 0) (#52)
    by desertswine on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 08:10:34 PM EST
      "News"...  in reference to the Fox Corporation.

    Parent
    At last, Homeless Problem Solved (none / 0) (#25)
    by KeysDan on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 12:34:20 PM EST
    According to Tennessee Republican Senator Frank Niceley, "They (the homeless) can come out of these homeless camps and have a productive life."

    On the senate floor, the Republican lectured the people of Tennessee that "Adolph Hitler managed to escape homelessness when he "practiced his oratory and his body language and how to connect with citizens" on the streets, "and then went on to lead a life that got him in the history books."

    Don't know if this will be carried on FOX news, but so Niceley said it may be a feature on Tucker.

    Let the Purges begin... (none / 0) (#34)
    by desertswine on Thu Apr 14, 2022 at 09:53:51 PM EST
    They have taken a decidedly Stalinesque turn.

    Paranoid Putin Purges 100s in the Russian Leadership

    This (none / 0) (#40)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Apr 15, 2022 at 01:03:33 PM EST

    Ukraine Scanning Faces of Dead Russian Soldiers
    April 15, 2022 at 11:03 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 46 Comments

    "Ukrainian officials have run more than 8,600 facial recognition searches on dead or captured Russian soldiers in the 50 days since Moscow's invasion began, using the scans to identify bodies and contact hundreds of their families in what may be one of the most gruesome applications of the technology to date," the Washington Post reports.

    "The country's IT Army, a volunteer force of hackers and activists that takes its direction from the Ukrainian government, says it has used those identifications to inform the families of the deaths of 582 Russians, including by sending them photos of the abandoned corpses."



    Parent
    It's a common outcome with prez for life (none / 0) (#78)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 10:23:29 PM EST

    Surrounded by yes man who all report how wonderful everything thing is, the disaster exposes them all. Too bad. Not.

    Parent
    Helluva storm here last night (none / 0) (#56)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Apr 17, 2022 at 07:31:32 PM EST
    we made the Daily Mail

    60 mph horizontal golf ball sized hail smashed two of my windows

    This is what my yard looked like (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Apr 17, 2022 at 07:33:34 PM EST
    The photo is about a mile from here

    Facebook link

    Parent

    So, that is what you look like? (none / 0) (#58)
    by MKS on Sun Apr 17, 2022 at 08:05:55 PM EST
    Nice.

    Parent
    Not me personally (none / 0) (#59)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 06:58:26 AM EST
    No.

    Parent
    She is (none / 0) (#62)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 07:47:13 AM EST
    Single......

    Parent
    That (none / 0) (#60)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 07:34:31 AM EST
    is actually from the FB page of the rich lady who is singularly responsible for bringing medical weed to my state.  That's her.  

    Her giant house that looks like Wayne Manor, which is next to the restaurant pictured there, is about a mile and a half from here.

    If you would like to see her digs enter "20 Bluff Road, Hardy, AR",  which is the address of the restaurant in the pic,  (her actual address remains a mystery) on google earth and look about 100 yards south on the bluff.

    The house is hard to miss.  It's the one with the tennis court with the logos of the two State college teams.  Wolves and Razorbacks.

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    The side facing the river (none / 0) (#61)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 07:36:35 AM EST
    is 5 floors.

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    Looked it up (none / 0) (#72)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 07:42:33 PM EST
    It is a little weird, though, looking at, like a stalker....

    Definitely a big house....She's not a Republican?

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    Hard to say (none / 0) (#73)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 07:56:51 PM EST
    I have not delved deeply into her politics but she seem rather libertarian leaning right.  I have developed a speaking acquaintance since she is often working in the dispensary.  Which I think with her money that alone is pretty cool.  Clearly she does not "need" to work.  She is into it.

    I can tell you there are many Republicans who absolutely hate legalized weed.  So there is that.

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    Trivia... (none / 0) (#75)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 08:04:34 PM EST
    In keeping with the Bruce Wayne of Sharp County thing she is also the county Coroner.  An elected position that she was not, as I understand, elected to.  At least not yet.  Her husband was the Coroner and he died.

    Full disclosure, this could be mostly myth.  I only know gossip.   But she is definitely Coroner.

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    The house (none / 0) (#76)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 08:13:40 PM EST
    It's big but the house I want is the one in between her house and the restaurant I gave the address for.

    You can't miss it.  There is not one.  But it's my 2 bedroom dream house.  And it's for sale.

    Zillow


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    Sorry (none / 0) (#77)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 08:14:38 PM EST
    You can't miss it.  There is ONLY one.

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    I see it (none / 0) (#81)
    by MKS on Tue Apr 19, 2022 at 08:38:37 AM EST
    That is a very nice house....And for a 2 bedroom, it is huge, or huge-looking with tall ceilings....

    And rich people next door....which can be a good thing....

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    A FOX News Love Story (none / 0) (#68)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 05:21:09 PM EST
    Fox News Host, Jesse Watters, let the air out of a co-worker's tires so he could get to drive the young woman home.

    Watters revealed on TV that he used the tactic to give Emma DiGiovini, who he eventually married in 2019, a damsel in distress, a ride, after divorcing wife number one. Jesse who was married at the time, was 39 years old and Emma was 25.

    Watters told his TV colleagues that Emma could not go anywhere, she needed a lift, and she got right in. When asked if he had taken the air out of other women's tires to get them into his car, he said it "works like a charm."  

    A Happy Ending.

    I guess they should be glad (none / 0) (#69)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 05:49:07 PM EST
    he did not slash the tires

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    And, (5.00 / 1) (#71)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 18, 2022 at 06:02:54 PM EST
    Jesse revealed that the tire caper TV disclosure would be the first Emma heard of it.   I think wife #1 is luckier than she may have once thought.

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