Open Thread from an Empty Head (Biden's) - 3/8/24
Every day I learn I have been propagandized my entire life. All those history books I read all my life were selectively written. It is no wonder why I cannot understand why civilization got from Point A to Point B, only to start struggling to do it again. And again. I was never given the essential details.
This video clip is a shockingly blatant bit of propaganda. After I regained my breath after viewing Joe Scarborough gas light us, I went into the zone, had memories of teachers, newspapers, The Mighty Wurlitzer, insisting I believe what they told me. I guess we hoi polloi cannot be trusted to think for ourselves. Subtlety is gone, folks. It is blatant now. Do not question. Wrong Think is a jailable offense here and there.
Accept the narrative or else.
1:09
Do not believe your eyes and ears that Biden is suffering from dementia, among other conditions that might be described as behavioral disorders and near-criminal tendencies.
On a lighter note, we venture forth to the Texas Hill Country this morning. Two days and nights among the wildflowers, deer, and wild turkeys. Maybe I can snap a picture or two. The main attraction is these guys:
San Antonio Rose
There was this time in our history when the farm boys went to war. They were housed in those barracks with a few city slickers, poor guys, who listened to this thing called "swing".
The farm boys were listening to this:
A short video to tie in the two genres and the two types of soldiers who exposed each other their respective music scenes:
The End of the Line
I watched Biden's political campaign speech, a/k/a, The State of The Union Address. It hurt my throat to scream at the screen at all the lies. This ties into the propaganda of which I mentioned in the intro.
I will check in when I arrive at the cabin on the ranch this afternoon. While you are reading this, I will be:
Load up the thread with your ideas, your hopes, your dreams, your gripes, your knowledge. I will engage this afternoon while sitting on the back porch of the cottage at the ranch. Yes, there will be a cold beer involved.
If my uppity swing Mom can can dance for 40 years with that farm boy country music soldier Dad, and come together for 47 years with western swing, dancing the night away, we can blend, find common ground, and get ourselves moving forward towards a better world.
This is an open thread, so let 'er rip!
Comments
Happy Friday!
I gotta get away from propaganda and into this wonderful place:
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
♫ Glitter on the mattress…
This one’s also one of my favorites, since I grew up pore and somehow — probably cuz of being too idealistic, suggestible / gullible, naïve, co-dependent, and stuff — never stopped being pore.
I have swung from
comfortable to pore throughout my days.
My family either didn't have the right connections, or cut them loose. One grandpa was friends with FDR's nephew. What did he do? Quit the oil field business and farmed until he died. Pore is an understatement, but he was so happy. Dad had several offers to go in as a business partner in a moving company, an HVAC business, and an engineering firm. He chose to live in the country, grow hay, spend his time with his grandchild. And he was so happy! Mom was headed to the UN to work as an interpreter. What did she do? Married my Dad and headed for the farm and cattle ranch. And she was so happy!
I am happy to work, where reality exists, where lying will land our ass in jail. I am to that where where I question everything I am told, and everything I read. It infuriates me to be lied to, as if I am simply too stupid and gullible to figure out the manipulation.
I hope you have a propaganda free weekend, lot. Find something to enjoy, ok?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Yeehaw, road trip!
-
enjoy the hills and say hi to the turkeys.
Saw one description of the SOTU address:
Like an angry old man shaking his fist and yelling
at the clouds.
Ovals also had a good description on another thread.
https://caucus99percent.com/comment/611858#comment-611858
happy trails
ovals nailed it.
I missed 5 minutes of his (campaign) speech, but I swear I heard him say he wanted votes so he could return to congress. This reminded me that in his last campaign, he wanted the votes to be the senator from Delaware.
His medical regimen worked well last evening. I expected more than mere lies and shouts.
Pelosi is upset he used the word "illegals", and should have said "undocumented". She is good at propaganda, and demonstrates that propaganda is very profitable.
We think the rain and thunderstorms will have swept northward, so it might be a pleasant 5 hour drive after all. The wildflowers should be blooming, too.
Thanks for dropping by, friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
As soon as I got seated on the porch, I saw a wild turkey.
Very big and very loud!
The plan for this evening is to try out a fancy Mexican food restaurant. If it is as good as the reviews say it is, we can order some take out goodies for tomorrow.
The drive through Austin was not as bad as usual, despite 7 miles of road construction.
It is what it is.
The screaming old liar trying to shame people into voting for him was embarrassing. Scolding (threatening?) the Supreme Court judges was idiotic. They might be taking a look at Hunter's case one day...Hope they have good memories...
Have a great weekend, my friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
The propaganda seems to be working
-
-
People are led to believe elected officials are their representatives.
It is a nice democratic idea, but reality tells a different story.
Turns out the elected officials only constituency are their bankers,
brokers and foundations. In other words: Reps only represent themselves.
If voting could change this, it would be illegal. Oh, wait. Lawfare
is on it.
Obama, Clinton,Bernie, Pelosi...
The bribery and insider trading finally opened my eyes to the truth about our "democracy". I will never live the life I want, but at least I will live with knowledge and an understanding.
Finding the truth is a life's achievement.
We should be proud of it, Q.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Superb Bullshit from GOP response to Sleepy Joe's speech
Alabama Senator Katie Britt bumped the boobs in TV land with a first-rate Talking Head performance, delivering the MAGA message of American national decline, Hard for me to see how the Biden Campaign has any prayer of fending off the message that life in America is in a nose dive.
She also goes on to show why there is no reason to believe Trump and the Republicans would do any better. Here is her rap on National Security:
So the Republicans promise to be MORE effective at bullying Rusia, Iran and China. Unfortunately for us pathetic citizens, both campaigns advance the notion that the USA should run the world.
Crazy country.
I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.
Transcript of Britt's rap if anybody cares
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/transcript-of-the-republican-res...
I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.
Even JFK campaigned on the idea of a non-existent “missile gap”
and LBJ, having just staged the Gulf of Tonkin hoax in order to justify a huge expansion of the Vietnam War, campaigned using a famous TV ad portraying opponent Barry Goldwater as dangerous and trigger-happy.
Unsurprisingly, almost every figure attending the SOTU session whom I recognized while watching C-SPAN last night came across as a liar, clown, con-man / woman, or all of the above.
They all lie,
or stage something to get their way. Pearl Harbor was a known plan, and avoidable, but necessary for FDR to get into WWII.
And lest we forget, "Remember the Maine!"
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Well,
Holy Shit! Rs can outdo Biden's stupidity? Who knew?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Best Biden EVAH!
Meanwhile, the Chinese foreign minster, whose culture predisposes him to tact, tells us about Biden's genocide in Gaza: "It is a tragedy for humankind and a disgrace for civilization that today, in the 21st century, this humanitarian disaster cannot be stopped".
Finding the Right Words On Gaza
The Alexes thought it was an angry old man speech:
Alex Christoforou noted in a separate video that there was a lot of lying and applause. I'm imagining one of those flashing lights they used to install in auditoriums in Hollywood which say, "APPLAUSE" for the benefit of studio audiences.
TNR, ever the Biden faithful, noted: "A CNN flash poll found that 62 percent thought the policies Biden laid out would move the country in the right direction." Which is to say that if Biden's proposed fantasy-land actually existed, it would be a good thing. That's nice. I like to live in my head too, feasting on the delights offered by what Sigmund Freud called the "pleasure principle." Breaking Points actually thought it was worth their time to discuss Biden's Gaza port plan.
I think Sabby Sabs and RBN ignored this speech.
Everybody's talkin' 'bout Blinken, Nuland, Sullivan, Austin, griftin', griftin', bombin', bombin' (chorus) All we are saying/ Is give war a chance...
“When there's no fight over programme, the election becomes a casting exercise. Trump's win is the unstoppable consequence of this situation.” - Jean-Luc Melanchon
@Cassiodorus Thanks for the videos.
Thanks for the videos. After dinner, that will be my entertainment!
Have a great weekend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning otc. Enjoy your road time and cabin sstay.
Really loved your OT today. Skipped the SOTU, I've found those to be bad for my blood pressure, psyche, mood and 'tude and, generally, health. Besides, they're largely lies, misdirection, false promises and illogic.
It dawned on me that I could make a game of it somewhat akin to bullshit bingo by making cards with all the classic fallacies and cognitive biases listed and then either a) check boxes for if you caught an example or b) a space to count up the number of times you caught an example and then a set of blank lines for each historically false statement that wasn't covered above. Maybe next year.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I remember
watching a Clinton SOTU, maybe 2 of Obama's. We couldn't resist. If Biden had fallen or soiled himself, I would have missed it. No way, ya know? That is the value I placed on enduring his diatribe.
As it was, I was watching a historic speech, historic for all the wrong reasons. We will not right his wrongs in my lifetime. It didn't have to come to this.
As predicted, the temp is dropping. I packed the right clothes, hoping I wouldn't have to go shop for hot weather clothing.
The only shopping I want to do is at the concert. We always score tee shirts or coozies. Maybe a CD. We shall see.
Have a great weekend, my friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
"Biden yelled his speech at the nation"
.
old man yelling at clouds
Lol…. C&C coverage of the speech.
NYT:
The short video I watched was of Biden slurring his words. I always feel sorry for the sign language interpreter. What do you do with fytwshkiwqa!
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
silly me, I thought the SOTU speech was about
-
the SOTU, not a campaign appearance
does Trump figure into the SOTU?
Apparently so. What about jobs, the homeless,
federal deficit, military spending, lack of health care,
and immigration? This is the SOTU. Sorry byedon,
once again your speech writers missed the mark.
The SOTU is….
Orange Man Bad
and
Putin is a poopy face who wants to set up another Soviet Union-even though he’s out of missiles his weapon are inferior to NATO’s and his troops are prisoners who are drunk on vodka. The Ukraine army just ran away because they got tired of winning.
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
Roe V. Wade
is Important! Trump caused it to be overturned!
I am shocked he forgot to brandish his Zionist stance. He is THE Genocider, after all.
Or he did and I missed it when I went outside to throw up?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I have to remember that trope,
and start yelling in court during trial. Everyone wants a vigorous advocate!
An undocumented person is not legally in this country.
A spade is a spade, Pelosi.
Biden saves time and gets to his point my omitting syllables and words, etc...
He gets things done.
I can play that propaganda game, too! Lol!
You and Sam have some fun this weekend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
We Americans
are in fact the most comprehensively and effectively propagandized people on earth- by a huge margin. And the way it has been and is being accomplished is downright brilliant: they simply tell us, over and over and *over*, that we aren’t. And, by and large, we believe them.
We are Exceptional, after all, and we have Frea Speach, and we are Better Than Anyone Else, and It Can’t Happen Here, and on and on, ad nauseam. ‘Murka, Fuk Yeah!
The War on Truth is over, and we lost. To quote my dear departed gray-haired mammy, “Gag a maggot on a shitwagon.” Goebbels would weep.
Not a fan.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
We truly are exceptional
in many ways, and none them are good.
We could'a been great, but for the CIA and lobbyists.
Have a great weekend, ok?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hope y'all are enjoying your escape...
Bob Wills is one of my faves, hope the legacy band is fun!
Pepe calls Byedone, the crash test dummy. Sadly he is driving us into a brick wall as crash test dummies are bound to do.
Have a good one!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good morning, Lo
I hope to get a video of the band tonight. It is a first come, first enter dance hall. We get a place in line an hour before the door opens so we can get a good seat with a clear view. Thank goodness it isn't going to rain, but it is cold and windy. We will just tough it out.
The only deer we have sighted were the two that ran out in front of us as we headed toward the gate to leave the ranch. One deer, the larger one, ran back and forth in front of the car 3 times. He was here first, after all.
I can't argue that Pepe's characterization of Biden is wrong.
Biden is a murderous bastard, a liar, and has started the process of turning every Muslim in the world against us. You and I will pay a price for this the rest of our days. Democracy my ass!
Have some fun this weekend. That is becoming a form of protest, isn't it?
Take good care, my friend.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Bob Wills & the Tx Playboys played at Panther Hall in Ft. Worth
and it was televised on a local TV channel on Saturday evenings. I was a teenager and not into any 'Country music' but my Uncle Billy put it on the channel that played that music on one show after another starting early in the afternoon with the Porter Wagoner show with Dolly Parton. The Ernest Tubb show followed that show but my Uncle mostly awaited the live show from Panther Hall.
I believe that was where I first saw someone whom my Uncle wondered aloud about "why does he always sing sad songs ?" Fwiw that short haired quiet guy was Willie Nelson.
BUT! I liked it when Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys were the marque band and to this day when I hear that ah hah! call by Bob Wills during the song I think about how it clearly agitated Billy who always moaned about it. He loved all their songs but this part was like a record skipping and it never quit bothering him but not me, I liked it along with the rest of their songs.They got ya movin'.
By the time I was 18 I saw Johnny Winter at Panther Hall a few times but one time the Marque sign said "Johnny Winter and introducing his talented brother Edgar". I didn't know he had a brother. Helluva show as Edgar Winter took a turn on the bass guitar, keyboards, drums and saxophone, flute, and all were exceptionally good takes.. but of course no turn on guitar , that's all Johnny.
I saw a lot of British bands there in the later 60's like Savoy Brown, Quicksilver Messenger Service etc,and the Grateful Dead played there a number of times...it's a long list of notable bands, singer/songwriters and upcoming stars like Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson.
Panther Hall sounds like
a fantastic venue! Sad to see it gone.
I remember seeing Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys on TV, playing live, numerous times. I just do not know which show they were on.
"Ah hah!" was what my family liked about the songs!
The new version of the band was really good last night. Good singing, excellent musicianship. The dance floor was packed, song after song. There was even a couple who were professional dancers, dressed in vintage 40s costumes. I believe they were part of the show.
When I was in college, Willie Nelson still played at tiny beer joints around these parts. The gripe was not that is songs were sad, or bad, but weren't that great for dancing. Everyone danced when he played a good one, then sat and drank beer the next 4 songs.
Interesting about brother Edgar. How nice of his brother to give him a career boost!
Hope you are having a great weekend, alias!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
It was several years before I knew Willie had red hair
because I only saw him on our black and white TV and I also remember when I first saw a picture of Willie with long hair. Long before that he played the bars up and down Jacksboro in Fort Worth but some, like The Rocket, I avoided because at that time if your hair was even a little over your ears you were courting trouble and you would certainly get it at The Rocket.
It was one of those bars that had chicken wire strung up between the band and the audience to protect them from beer bottles, chairs, or other things thrown at the band. Definitely a rowdy place. Even later on when having long hair didn't matter to most others I would check out the bars along Jacksboro, looking for pool action and I knew where to not go looking for a game. I also knew some musicians that played in one of the chicken wire joints but just one time,never again. So kudos to Willie.
One place on Main st. downtown was a club open to 4 am called The Cellar Nightclub (late great Bugs Henderson house guitarist) with some good bands (no pool table tho) but I'm certain Willie never played there as I was a 'regular' there, sometimes seated at the front door. It wasn't like the bars I've mentioned above but I can understand Willie not playing at The Cellar. Good call. It has an ugly history and not due to what some rowdy customers did, no, it came from the policies of the owner, Pat Kirkwood and his Manager 'Butch' with his thug bouncers looking for someone to bounce.
Funny story about 'Butch'. One evening when I showed up at the Cellar I noticed Butch had crutches and a cast over his left foot but before I could ask him about it one of the bouncers, Terry, told me I would be in a world of hurt if I asked Butch about it. He was embarrassed because Mr.Bad Ass Butch was practicing a 'quick draw' but when he whipped the pistol out of the holster he shot himself in the foot. A little quick on the trigger.I still laugh about that, he certainly deserved that and a whole lot more.
One final note, Bugs Henderson deserved all his accolades and so they didn't take any auditions from guitarists, even when there was a lot of talk about a hot player that had asked for an audition, which was denied because they already had a good guitar player.That was their answer. So Johnny Winter never got an audition.
Pardon the length of this but I'll add that Willie is one of my most favorite musicians and persons.
Wow!
Sounds like you had some you pretty shady pool hall/dance halls! The tough guy shooting himself in the foot is a classic fubar.
Willie Nelson married 4 times before he got it right. A client of mine said he chased her for years! Lol!
Red heads have that reputation, whether earned or not.
I know. I am a red head.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Personally I think that reputation is well earned
Willie
did live up to that red heads are hot reputation.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981