Since y’all don’t see much to comment on in what I’ve offered so far today (are y’all all on vacation, like New York analysts who leave their patients behind to have panic attacks throughout the month of August), here’s an open thread.
Some possible topics:
Man arrested for falsely reporting a missing mountain lion — Oh, great! Now, when he really needs to yell “mountain lion!” no one will believe him.
Maliki Appears to Back Down on Using Force to Retain Power — Best news I’ve heard out of Iraq lately. Which is not necessarily saying much.
Robin Williams — I don’t even know where to start on this, but Bryan had a few good words to say over on his blog. How about sharing the best remembrances you’ve seen out there? I like this one from Russell Brand, another mad comic talent.
Or… pretty much anything y’all want to talk about…
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I’m pretty bummed out about Robin Williams. My kids grew up on Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji and Hook. We watched each at least a dozen times together.
The whole depression thing is disturbing on so many levels. This is such a serious problem that seems to defy effective treatment.
Depression is such a deadly disease. It kills in many ways, suicide being the most obvious. People die from abuse of drugs or alcohol which they begin using to dull the pain. Stress gets many. Meanwhile, many of one’s friends and acquaintances are sure that you can get better if you just fight it and start thinking positive thoughts. People often hide their depression because of these attitudes. I can only pray for Mr. Williams and his family, and trust that he is now at peace. He brought laughter to so many, hiding his pain under the laughter.
Didn’t you get the memo? We’re all hanging out with Obama at Martha’s Vineyard. Yo, it’s like vacation time, Mr. White.
Seriously though, even the Vatican is now calling for some military intervention in Iraq against ISIS. Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican’s envoy to the United Nations in Geneva, told Vatican Radio that “military action in this moment is probably necessary.”
I liked the analysis that “this is not a call for a new Crusade”.
I, for one, hope that the Pope sends the Swiss Guard in to unilaterally intervene against ISIS/ISIL. Of course those red, blue, orange and yellow uniforms will look a bit out of place in the desert, and how halberds and partizans will do against AK-47’s is anyone’s guess. I kid, of course, they are actually highly trained badasses, which is why the Vatican uses them.
It’s pouring sideways rain on the Vineyard today, btw. Hardly vacation weather; though the last five days have been amazing in the Cape ans islands, and tomorrow promises more great summer sunshine – and no humidity.
The world’s problems can wait.
Robin Williams always surprised me whether he was doing stand-up or playing a serious role. Awakenings was one of my favorites.
I like what this writer had to say about the tragic comic personality. It’s in the same vein as what Bryan had to say.
Nothing about the riots in Ferguson, MO? I get that people are upset about the shooting. Legitimate criticism of the police is fine. There is an appropriate way to deal with police officers who abuse their power.
What I don’t understand is the looting and destruction of property. The folks running the Shoe Carnival store (broken into and looted) didn’t really have anything to do with it.
The situation in Ferguson, MO is probably the best advertisement I can think of for individual firearm ownership. When the rioting starts, and the looters and wreckers come down your street, Sam Colt will be a good friend to have, that day. As will Mikhail Kalashnikov.
The situation is also a good starting point for a discussion about how police departments are becoming increasingly “militarized”. Police officers are starting to look more and more like soldiers, and that’s probably a bad thing, as police officers and soldiers have very different job descriptions.
I think it’s entirely possible to be pro-police in a general sense, but also to be anti-militarization. That’s about where I come down. Some of these pictures of groups of police officers completely outfitted with “operator” gear, going through the streets with their M4s leveled towards citizens is just insane.
Bryan, that’s a great point, and one that I agree with 100%. In the Silence Administration, the local police wouldn’t wear “tactical” style uniforms. That is no fatigues, BDU’s, ACU’s shoulder holster rigs, etc. Also, no golf shirts.
My coppers would wear peaked hats or custodian helmets, navy blue coats with two rows of shiny brass buttons, and a walrus mustache. They would also typically be Irish. They could carry a baton and swing it as they patrolled on foot.
The county sheriffs would dress like Barney Fife – in a tan uniform with a peaked cap, and a Sam Browne belt. Sheriffs would also have the option of wearing a Stetson or a campaign hat, like Buford T. Justice.
Law enforcement would not have surplus military armored personnel carriers or tanks.
Reminds me of an old joke: What’s the difference between American police and British police?
American police say: Stop!….Or I’ll shoot!
British police say: Stop!….Or I’ll say stop, again!
Actually, that’s a Robin Williams joke.
An odd note…ISIS mourns the passing of Robin Williams. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2722878/Bizarre-Twitter-outburst-ISIS-fighters-reveal-love-late-Robin-Williams-blockbuster-hit-Jumanji.html
Maybe this common admiration could be the basis for world peace?
How about this story reporting that Mignon Clyburn, daughter of Jim Clyburn and FCC commissioner, is being honored at a $110,000 party thrown by Comcast which is “coincidentally” trying to get approval for its merger with Time Warner.
The apple doesn’t fall from the tree, does it? It’s too bad the media has a hands off policy when it comes to the token member of South Carolina’s congressional delegation. Wouldn’t want to be accused of being racist.
http://news.yahoo.com/comcast-insulting-think-anything-shady-us-paying-110-153056654.html
Doug, thanks for bringing that Mignon Clyburn party story to my attention. How ridiculous! I’m sure that she’ll have a nice board of director’s seat at Comcast once she leaves the FCC.
My son, Porterhouse, is also infuriated by this. My daughter, Ribeye, is apathetic.
Mignon is a popular French name.
Just like Dijon or Cordon Bleu…
It’s not in the top 100:
http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/penpals/stats.php3?Pays=FRA
Can we meat in the middle on this issue?
I’m staying out of it. I have no steak in this issue…
For girls. Geez, you guys are such rubes!
The list I provided was for girls and boys.
Here’s another list… No Mignon.
http://french.about.com/od/culture/a/frenchnames_3.htm
It’s not on this list of 443 names either. Not here.
http://www.20000-names.com/female_french_names_03.htm
Mignon is rare, not well done.
Somehow my comment about Robin Williams never showed up. Anyway I was in a bit of a funk over his tragic and sudden passing and not really in the mood to engage in the politics of the day. Given that suicide has now roughly equal to traffic deaths in the USA isn’t it time we focus our energy on solving domestic problems that kill far more lives than are ever likely to occur as the result of some foreign terrorist group? Why should we expend live and treasure battling ISIS or Al-Qaeda when they are not nearly the threat that we face from our own internal demons or drunk drivers or domestic violence? Seems like our priorities are pretty messed up in this country.
bud – agreed that traffic fatalities and suicides are a significant problem that should be minimized. That being said, you never know when a radical Islamic militia is going to show up on your doorstep. Just ask the Christians in Northern Iraq if you can still find any, or the Yazidis, or the Kurds. I think we have a duty to prevent genocide in the world. Never again should we let an entire race of people be driven to the edge of extinction, or wiped out entirely, simply because of their religious beliefs, race, etc.
The ISIS/ISIL/Caliphate has a stated goal of wiping out the United States. Why don’t we believe them when they say that? We may doubt their capabilities, but there’s no question about their intent. We need to take the fight to them, on the battlefield, at a place and time of our own choosing, rather than allow them to strike us at home, and while unprepared.
“Never again should we let an entire race of people be driven to the edge of extinction, or wiped out entirely, simply because of their religious beliefs, race, etc.”
Chief Joseph agrees, paleface.
History is a bitch especially when it is ignored. America’s fight against a repressive British rule did not start with an organized army fully equipped with all of the battle gear necessary, the colonial’s conducted a guerilla war to begin with until the Continental Army was formed and leadership established. ISIS or ISIL may not be a fully functional army but apparently, there is a loose chain of command and some of the leaders are well organized and capable leaders. As they march thru Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, capturing large chunks of territory and terrorizing the indigent population into becoming Muslims, their ranks continue to grow and the Caliphate they desire is not just a pipe dream, if anything, it is closer to becoming a reality today than it was just a few months ago. I am not a war monger and do not wish to see another war but unfortunately, based on what is going on and the threats from this extremist group, it may be brought to our doorsteps and then what will our leaders do? A few well chosen words will not deter this gang of criminals, they have no fear of dying.
We learned on 9/11, it does not take an army to bring a nation to its knees, it only takes 19 dedicated and devoted followers of a radicalized religion to murder 3,000 people in less than 2 hours. We didn’t stay on our knees but for a few days but the next time, who knows? And in all likelihood, there will be a next time. With the borders literally open and unguarded between the US and Mexico, getting into this country undetected is almost a no-brainer.
Suicides and traffic fatalities, they will never stop and if one tries to suggest that Robin Williams’ suicide could have been prevented, you might want to check his history of depression, plus drug and alcohol abuse. He had the opportunity to get help and could afford the best doctors available but in the end, his demons won out. Robin Williams was my favorite comedian and he was a very good dramatic actor. He worked in some great movies. His death was tragic and he will be missed.
I lost my older brother many years ago in a traffic accident except it was one that could have been prevented by my brother. He was racing another car on a country road and ran off the road, flipped and rolled his car about 10 – 12 times and was killed instantly when he fell out of the vehicle and it come down on him. If he had used common sense and had not been racing, my mother and family would not have been put through the grief and heartbreak of losing a family member. Thankfully, no one else was involved or injured. Accidents are usually a result of stupidity and carelessness on the part of one driver and there is no cure I know of for either one.
Yeah, sorry about that, Bud.
A bunch of comments were held for moderation because a certain someone once used “William” as an alias, and therefore “Williams” holds a comment until I approve it.
I’d change that, except the “William” alias has been used fairly recently. As in, as recently as a week ago…
Please implement a method for logging in to make comments. Most sites have that feature these days.
One of my favorite Robin Williams movies — and one I haven’t seen mentioned in the obits — was Moscow on the Hudson. It was such a sweet love letter to the American dream, and a pitch perfect performance of the sad clown.
Great movie.
Yeah, that was good. And you know, it may be the quintessential Williams movie. The tone, the characterization, was right in his wheelhouse. To use an overworked cliche…
I haven’t seen it but will.
A prominent commenter who uses an alias was extensively quoted in the front page article in The State today. I agree with him that the bombardment of the central city late in the evening needs to stop. It really gets hard to sleep, and dogs are not crazy about it, either, although mine are fairly bulletproof. Folks, if you need heavy artillery to enjoy your sporting events, you need help.