COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Quit saying it is too late to do anything about it . That is defeatist nonsense fostered by the same crew that sold diversity is a strength.

Welcome to London: We can say we’re not afraid, light candles and make hearts of our hands but the truth is that we can’t go on like this, says KATIE HOPKINS


They stood in the centre of Brussels. Row on row.

Hands held high, making hearts to the heavens. Showing the slaughtered they were not forgotten. Reminding themselves they were here with love. Looking to show humanity wins. That love conquers all.

They lay in the centre of London, face down where they fell. Stabbed by a knife, rammed with a car, flung, broken, into the Thames, life bleeding out on the curb.
And the news came thick and fast.

An injured woman is assisted after a man drove a 4x4 into pedestrians along Westminster Bridge on Wednesday afternoon
An injured woman is assisted after a man drove a 4x4 into pedestrians along Westminster Bridge on Wednesday afternoon

A car rammed deliberately into pedestrians on the bridge. Ten innocents down.
A police officer stabbed at the House of Commons. Confirmed dead.

Another woman now, dead at the scene.

Shots fired. An Asian man rushed to hospital.

People make hearts with their hands during a ceremony in Belgium to commemorate the first anniversary of the bomb attacks in Brussels
People make hearts with their hands during a ceremony in Belgium to commemorate the first anniversary of the bomb attacks in Brussels

A woman, plucked from the water.

And I grew colder. And more tiny.

No anger for me this time. No rage like I’ve felt before. No desperate urge to get out there and scream at the idiots who refused to see this coming.

Not even a nod for the glib idiots who say this will not defeat us, that we will never be broken, that cowardice and terror will not get the better of Britain.

Because, as loyal as I am, as patriotic as I am, as much as my whole younger life was about joining the British military and fighting for my country — I fear we are broken.

Not because of this ghoulish spectacle outside our own Parliament. Not because of the lives rammed apart on the pavement, even as they thought about what was for tea. Or what train home they might make.
Bystanders stop to give people mouth to mouth after the driver mowed them down. Katie Hopkins says we are now a broken London
Bystanders stop to give people mouth to mouth after the driver mowed them down. Katie Hopkins says we are now a broken London

But because this is us now.
This is our country now.

This is what we have become.

To this, we have been reduced.

Because all the while those forgiving fools in Brussels stood with their stupid hands raised in hearts to the sky, another mischief was in the making. More death was in the pipeline.

As the last life-blood of a police officer ran out across the cobbles, the attacker was being stretchered away in an attempt to save his life.

London is a city so desperate to be seen as tolerant, no news of the injured was released. No clue about who was safe or not.

Liberals convince themselves multiculturalism works because we all die together, too.

An entire city of monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Blind. Deaf. And dumb.
Members of the civil protection outside the damaged front of Brussels Airport, in Zaventem, a year ago today. The attacks left dozens dead and hundreds injured
Members of the civil protection outside the damaged front of Brussels Airport, in Zaventem, a year ago today. The attacks left dozens dead and hundreds injured

Immersed in a seething pit of hatred, hidden in pockets of communities plagued by old animosities and ancient strife.

These people may have left their lands. But they have brought every tension, every conflict, every bit of fight here with them.

The Afghans hate the Somalias who loathe the Eritreans. As it was before, it is now. London is a city of ghettos behind a thin veneer of civility kept polished by a Muslim mayor whose greatest validation is his father's old job.

Son-of-a-bus-driver Sadiq.

I see him now, penning a missive about how London is a beautiful and tolerant city, how we are united by shared values and understanding, and how we will not be cowed by terror.

Sure enough, there he was, saying exactly that, just now. Fool.

'I want to reassure Londoners': Mayor Sadiq Khan's message
A police officer is led away from the scene after she tries to revive her colleague who was stabbed in the attack on Wednesday afternoon
A police officer is led away from the scene after she tries to revive her colleague who was stabbed in the attack on Wednesday afternoon

Even as mothers text to check their children are safe. Including my own, worrying about me as I sit overlooking the scene, feeling fearful of this place where monsters lurk and steal lives away in an instant. For nothing.

I would ask Sadiq to stop talking. Empty words. Meanwhile, banning pictures of women in bikinis on the Underground. How does that help?

Please, no hashtag, no vigil, no tea lights. I am begging you not to light up Parliament in the colours of the Union.

Because we are not united. We are wrenched asunder.

The patriots of the rest of England versus the liberals in this city. The endless tolerance to those who harm us, (while the Home Office tries to shift the focus of public fear to white terror) — versus the millions like me who face the truth, with worried families and hopeless hearts, who feel the country sinking.

We are taken under the cold water by this heavy right foot in the south, a city of lead, so desperately wedded to the multicultural illusion that it can only fight those who love the country the most, blame those who are most proud to be British, and shout racist at the 52%.

Prime Minister Theresa May speaks outside 10 Downing St after the attacks. Katie Hopkins says it is time to admit that multiculturalism has not worked
Prime Minister Theresa May speaks outside 10 Downing St after the attacks. Katie Hopkins says it is time to admit that multiculturalism has not worked

This place is just like Sweden. Terrified of admitting the truth about the threat we face, about the horrors committed by the migrants we failed to deter — because to admit that we are sinking, and fast, would be to admit that everything the liberals believe is wrong.

That multiculturalism has not worked. That it is one big fat failure and one big fat lie.

President Erdogan of Turkey said there is a war being waged between the crescent and the cross. But he is wrong. Because the cross is not strong. We are down on bended knee, a doormat to be trodden on, a joke only funny to those that wish us harm.

The war is between London and the rest of the country. Between the liberals and the right-minded. Between those who think it is more important to tip-toe around the cultures of those who choose to join us, rather than defend our own culture.
Katie Hopkins says these incidents are no longer unusual, but commonplace
Katie Hopkins says these incidents are no longer unusual, but commonplace
How many more times?

And how many more attacks must pass before we acknowledge these are no longer the acts of ‘extremists’? That there is no safe badge with which to hold these people at arm’s length, in the way the liberals casually use the term 'far-right' for anyone who has National pride.

These events are no longer extreme. They are commonplace. Every day occurrences.

These people are no longer extremists. They are simply more devout. More true to their beliefs. Beliefs which will be supported endlessly across our state broadcaster for the next few months until we buy into the narrative that one religion is not to blame.

That in fact we should blame Brexit supporters. For believing in a Britain. As it was before.

Anything but the truth.

This is why there is no anger from me this time, no rage. No nod for those who pretend we will not be cowed, even as they rush home to text their mum they are safe. No surprise that the city of which I was so proud is now punctured by fear, and demarcated even more formally by places we cannot tread; there were always parts in which a white woman could not safely walk.

Sadiq Khan should 'stop talking' according to Katie Hopkins, who says his words are empty as we are 'wrenched asunder' 
Sadiq Khan should 'stop talking' according to Katie Hopkins, who says his words are empty as we are 'wrenched asunder' 

Now I feel only sadness, overwhelming sadness.

I will walk over the river tonight and look to the Thames, to the Union flag lowered at half mast, and the Parliament below, and I will wonder, just how much longer we can go on like this.  

65 comments:

  1. A person (a diverse person) has been detained in Antwerp, Belgium, after attempting to drive his car into a busy shopping street at high speed, according to police. (He was out to slaughter for allah)

    The man ( a multi-cultural man) is from Antwerp but is of North African descent, ( not Amish) De Standaard reported. The man is believed to be a radicalized Muslim, according to the media.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "An Attack On Democracy"

    No it's not, it's an attack on a white Christian country that has been meddling in countries where we have no business.

    ReplyDelete
  3. HEADLINE:
    Westminster attacker was British-born, known to intelligence services

    If a cat is born in a barn, you don't call it a cow.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Avoid the fate.

    Before it's too late, no more mooslims in America.

    Keep them out.

    Don't pass this problem on to your children, your grandchildren.

    They don't give a shit about the Constitution, women's rights, freedom of thought, or any of the things we value.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      We probably also should build a wall around Maryland and not let any of them in either.

      Racist white-supremacist Maryland man travels 200 miles by bus to New York, fatally stabs black man, and admits his intent to kill African-American men

      A white Army vet intent on killing black men stalked one potential victim before setting his sights on another — quenching his racist thirst by driving a sword through a man in Midtown, police said.

      The 26-inch weapon — with an 18-inch blade — pierced the victim’s chest just above his heart and exited his back before pinging against the sidewalk on Monday night.

      White supremacist James Jackson, 28, wanted maximum exposure for his crime, telling investigators he rode 200 miles on a bus from Baltimore because New York is the “media capital of the world...”


      .

      Delete
  5. .

    Just saw a video on FOX that showed the spot on the Parliament Bridge where the American, Kurt Cochran, was hit and killed. When I was in London, I stood on the exact spots taking pictures of the river and Big Ben. Weird.

    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I, too, have stood on that bridge.

      Delete
    2. None of us ran anyone over, blew anyone up, knifed anyone or raised any hell in London.

      Delete
    3. I wasn't there, but my Racis bad vibes encouraged others.

      Delete
  6. The one time I was in London circa 1969 or so, I stayed in a dive near Hyde Park.

    Not an Englishman in the whole area, except the occasional bobbies walking in twos, and it's much worse now.

    Dear USA, save yourself from this fate.

    There is still time.

    But the window is closing fast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (For my money London was the worst place of the European cities I visited. Stockholm maybe the best, though I'm prejudiced....best place in Europe that I experienced.....the Exit Gate at the airport in London)

      Signed,

      Home Sweet Home Idaho

      Delete
  7. If Gov. Butch vetoes the repeal of the food tax in Idaho I'm finished with the son of a bitch.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Repeal and replace O-Care dead in the water for the day....votes postponed....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't understand why Trump just doesn't dissolve Congress like a good fascist and issue a decree.

      Delete
    2. Instead, there he is, up all night, negotiating with all these elected assholes, like a good constitutionalist and democrat with the small 'd'.

      What in hell is he thinking ?

      Delete
    3. Quirk, would you have any idea why The Donald just doesn't go Mussolini and rule by decree?

      He's got the military behind him.

      Who's to stop him, the US Supreme Court ?

      To hell with all this monkeying around, he might think, I'll just shoot ObamaCare....

      Delete
    4. .

      He's got the military behind him.

      How do you know, dipshit?

      When the criticism started to rise of that soldier killed in Yemen, Trump pushed the blame off on the generals. I suspect not the best way to build loyalty among the troops.

      However, I can see why you might think so. You and Trump seem to have the same moral underpinnings. Or, lack of them.

      .

      Delete
  9. Another mooslim assimilation car bomb attack this time foiled in Belgium -

    Belgian Security Forces Foil Car Attack....DRUDGE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YOU assimilate to US our WE will kill YOU, say the mooslims

      Sounds a little like desert fascism to me.

      Delete
  10. "Canada’s largest school board says it will stop booking trips to the United States indefinitely in light of the uncertainty surrounding restrictions at the border.

    The Toronto District School Board, which serves about 245,000 public school students, says it made the “difficult decision” because it believes students “should not be placed into these situations of potentially being turned away at the border.”"

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto-school-board-suspending-us-travel-over-border-issues/article34396618/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Canada also just signed on to China's Infrastructure bank. America's allies are turning away.

      Delete
  11. From James Freeman, WSJ

    House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R., Calif.) told a gathering of reporters on Capitol Hill yesterday that “on numerous occasions, the Intelligence Community incidentally collected information about U.S. citizens involved in the Trump transition. Details about U.S. persons associated with the incoming administration—details with little or no apparent foreign intelligence value—were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting.”

    He added that “additional names of Trump transition team members were unmasked,” meaning that the government did not necessarily protect the privacy of the individuals about whom information was “incidentally” collected. According to the House intel chair, none of the information even had anything to do with Russia. Mr. Nunes also said that all the information appeared to be collected legally under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but that such activity, reflected in what he said were “dozens” of intelligence reports he recently viewed, caused him to be “alarmed.”

    This would seem to be a plausible reaction by a citizen living in a free society, or even by the principal elected official in the House of Representatives responsible for overseeing the work of U.S. intelligence agencies.

    But much of the political and media world is more upset with the way Mr. Nunes shared this news than with the news itself, which by the way provides a disturbing window into the breadth of government data collection. Mr. Nunes’s alleged sins include talking to the press instead of first sharing the information with his fellow Californian Adam Schiff, the intelligence committee’s Democratic ranking member. Mr. Nunes also went to the White House to brief the President.

    Your humble correspondent thinks that Mr. Nunes erred in not trying harder to maintain bipartisan cooperation on his committee as it examines Russian efforts to disrupt our political process and our own government’s investigation of American citizens participating in a political campaign against the party in power. Various reports say that Mr. Nunes has apologized to his Democratic colleagues. It’s always vital that the intelligence committees are less partisan than other panels on Capitol Hill. Only bipartisan unity allows any progress in breaking down the natural resistance in the intelligence community to sharing details of its compartmented programs.

    The reasonable conclusion is that Mr. Nunes didn’t think he could trust Mr. Schiff with the information, and Mr. Schiff’s reaction yesterday suggests that Mr. Nunes isn’t crazy. Given the opportunity by Mr. Nunes to act in a completely partisan manner, Mr. Schiff took it. At his own press conference, the California Democrat pronounced himself “gravely concerned” with the way Mr. Nunes had handled the situation and claimed it had cast a “profound cloud” over the committee’s work. But he seemed generally unconcerned with a report that the government was sweeping up lots of information about people working on a presidential transition, sharing it widely, and not being too careful about keeping their identities secret. Remember, this is the same Adam Schiff who spent years seeking to restrict government collection of telephone metadata that did not include the content of any phone calls.

    Still, Mr. Nunes is the chairman and he needs to make every effort to reach out to the civil libertarian inside Mr. Schiff—assuming one still exists—and persuade him to help ensure that our government’s awesome surveillance powers are not abused.

    Mr. Nunes said yesterday that his committee would “thoroughly investigate this surveillance and its subsequent dissemination to determine,” among other things, who ordered it and “why it was not disclosed to Congress.” That would seem to be a reasonable line of inquiry which any member of Congress could support

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      Mr. Nunes also said that all the information appeared to be collected legally under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but that such activity, reflected in what he said were “dozens” of intelligence reports he recently viewed, caused him to be “alarmed.”

      What bullshit. Mr. Nunes, he of the growing nose, crying crocodile tears.

      QuirkThu Mar 23, 08:07:00 AM EDT

      "Nunes’ discussion of the information being “incidentally collected” and then being widely distributed despite having little or no apparent foreign intelligence value highlights a reason to reject the common claim that people who have done nothing wrong have no reason to worry about mass surveillance. When you allow surveillance to run wild, then information that has nothing to do with the supposed purposes of the surveillance, such as protecting Americans from terrorist attacks, can be easily and frequently swept up and shared."

      Well, duh.

      What do you think all the screaming was about back when Snowden told the world about all this? It's nothing new. We heard all the stories about the guys who would check the files on old girlfriends and such. Surely, there was more than that going on.

      The irony?

      The members of the intelligence committees from both parties, King, Rogers, Feinstein, et al where the ones defending the intelligence agencies practices and calling Snowden a traitor. Then, when they had the chance to change all this when the Patriot Act came up for renewal, they punted and passed the bill. I guess it depends on whose ox is gored.

      The only thing defending the American publics rights has been SCOTUS and even they have been reluctant to intrude on the executive.

      From a political standpoint its easy to blame Obama for making the practice worse by allowing the NSA to share information with the other intelligence agencies. It's a criticism that IMO he deserves; however, remember that the consolidation of the security agencies under Homeland Security was to break down the chimneys between agencies that was at least to some degree responsible for 9/11.

      Also, though it is the GOP whining at the moment, let's see when (and if) Trump changes things back to the way they used to be before Obama's change. He can do it with a pen.


      If one had the time and the inclination it would be interesting to know where our 'humble correspondent' came down on the metadata collection at the time Snowden informed the world of it.

      .

      Delete
    2. .

      Nunes apologizes for the way he handled this affair.

      As for the 'leaks' (ooh bad) he received from 'unidentified sources', when asked by a reporter if the leaks came from the White House, Mr. Nunes said 'we need to protect our sources and methods'.

      You can't make this stuff up.

      .

      Delete
    3. From James Freeman, WSJ

      House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R., Calif.) told a gathering of reporters on Capitol Hill yesterday that “on numerous occasions, the Intelligence Community incidentally collected information about U.S. citizens involved in the Trump transition. Details about U.S. persons associated with the incoming administration—details with little or no apparent foreign intelligence value—were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting.”

      He added that “additional names of Trump transition team members were unmasked,” meaning that the government did not necessarily protect the privacy of the individuals about whom information was “incidentally” collected. According to the House intel chair, none of the information even had anything to do with Russia. Mr. Nunes also said that all the information appeared to be collected legally under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but that such activity, reflected in what he said were “dozens” of intelligence reports he recently viewed, caused him to be “alarmed.”

      This would seem to be a plausible reaction by a citizen living in a free society, or even by the principal elected official in the House of Representatives responsible for overseeing the work of U.S. intelligence agencies.

      But much of the political and media world is more upset with the way Mr. Nunes shared this news than with the news itself, which by the way provides a disturbing window into the breadth of government data collection. Mr. Nunes’s alleged sins include talking to the press instead of first sharing the information with his fellow Californian Adam Schiff, the intelligence committee’s Democratic ranking member. Mr. Nunes also went to the White House to brief the President.

      Your humble correspondent thinks that Mr. Nunes erred in not trying harder to maintain bipartisan cooperation on his committee as it examines Russian efforts to disrupt our political process and our own government’s investigation of American citizens participating in a political campaign against the party in power. Various reports say that Mr. Nunes has apologized to his Democratic colleagues. It’s always vital that the intelligence committees are less partisan than other panels on Capitol Hill. Only bipartisan unity allows any progress in breaking down the natural resistance in the intelligence community to sharing details of its compartmented programs.

      The reasonable conclusion is that Mr. Nunes didn’t think he could trust Mr. Schiff with the information, and Mr. Schiff’s reaction yesterday suggests that Mr. Nunes isn’t crazy. Given the opportunity by Mr. Nunes to act in a completely partisan manner, Mr. Schiff took it. At his own press conference, the California Democrat pronounced himself “gravely concerned” with the way Mr. Nunes had handled the situation and claimed it had cast a “profound cloud” over the committee’s work. But he seemed generally unconcerned with a report that the government was sweeping up lots of information about people working on a presidential transition, sharing it widely, and not being too careful about keeping their identities secret. Remember, this is the same Adam Schiff who spent years seeking to restrict government collection of telephone metadata that did not include the content of any phone calls.

      Still, Mr. Nunes is the chairman and he needs to make every effort to reach out to the civil libertarian inside Mr. Schiff—assuming one still exists—and persuade him to help ensure that our government’s awesome surveillance powers are not abused.

      Mr. Nunes said yesterday that his committee would “thoroughly investigate this surveillance and its subsequent dissemination to determine,” among other things, who ordered it and “why it was not disclosed to Congress.” That would seem to be a reasonable line of inquiry which any member of Congress could support

      Delete
    4. .

      http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/nunes-apologizes-after-going-directly-to-white-house-with-monitoring-claims-236415

      During an earlier, brief exchange with reporters Thursday morning, Nunes was asked whether the information he alluded to Wednesday came from the White House. Nunes stressed that “we have to keep our sources and methods [read leaks] here very, very quiet” and defended his “judgment call” to brief the president while other committee members were left in the dark, despite Trump and his associates being part of the focus of multiple investigations.

      I guess there are leaks and then there are leaks.

      .

      Delete
    5. .

      House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes apologized to members of his panel Thursday for not informing Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat, before going public with allegations that Trump transition messages were inadvertently intercepted by U.S. intelligence agencies.

      A committee aide said Nunes (R-Calif.) apologized "for not sharing information about the documents he saw with the minority before going public” and that “he pledged to work with them on this issue.”

      The apology from Nunes came as congressional Democrats on Thursday slammed him for his perceived allegiance to the Trump administration, questioning whether he is fit to lead to an impartial investigation into possible ties between Trump’s associates and Russian officials.

      Schiff (D-Calif.) told NPR’s Steve Inskeep on Thursday that committee members still haven’t been privy to the information Nunes shared with the White House. Nunes has said he is not in possession of the information yet and that he hopes it will be delivered to his committee on Friday. [Editorial note: Hilarious. Nunes hasn't even received the information yet he informs the president and holds a press release. What's wrong with this picture.]

      “At this point, the only people who do know are the chairman and the president. And given that the president’s associates are the subject in part of the investigation, that’s wholly inappropriate, and, unfortunately, I think it really impugns the credibility of the chairman in terms of his ability to conduct an independent investigation,” Schiff said.


      .

      Delete
  12. Hey Quirk, a question -

    NSA To Provide 'Smoking Gun' Proof Obama Spied on Trump....DRUDGE

    Because The Donald is a 'fascist' does that give O'bozo the right, even duty, to spy on him ?

    I figger you're the guy to ask.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Potential 'smoking gun' showing Obama administration spied on Trump team, source says

      James Rosen By James Rosen Published March 23, 2017 FoxNews.com

      http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/23/potential-smoking-gun-showing-obama-administration-spied-on-trump-team-source-says.html

      A smoking gun.

      That's bad, isn't it ?

      Delete
    2. A smoking gun is bad, isn't it, Ash ?

      Is it fascistic ?

      Delete
    3. .

      Potential 'smoking gun' showing Obama administration spied on Trump team, source says

      Translations:

      Potential = Don't count on it.

      Unidentified 'source' = Despicable (well, unless it is one of ours.)

      James Rosen = Oh, for god's sake, come on.

      .

      Delete
  13. And say, didn't The O'bozo try to flip the Israeli election ?

    What was up with that deal ?

    And what's happened to the continuation of your psychological/behavioral depth study of The Donald's fascism.

    All my friends and I can't hardly wait for the next installment.

    Though we will if we have to....

    ReplyDelete

  14. Disclosing the truth is morally no different than perpetrating a lie.

    In QuirkWorld tm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      Disclosing the truth is morally no different than perpetrating a lie.

      It appears 'lying' is in the eye of the beholder.

      Face it, Doug, either you are inordinately stupid or you could give a shit whether
      Trump lies or not. As long as he keeps spouting off with his Muslim bans and kills the ACA and cut the EPA, you could care less what lies he spouts.

      Time for a little introspection, son.

      .

      Delete
  15. Potential 'smoking gun' showing Obama administration spied on Trump team, source says
    James Rosen

    Classified intelligence showing incidental collection of Trump team communications, purportedly seen by committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and described by him in vague terms at a bombshell Wednesday afternoon news conference, came from multiple sources, Capitol Hill sources told Fox News. The intelligence corroborated information about surveillance of the Trump team that was known to Nunes, sources said, even before President Trump accused his predecessor of having wiretappedhim in a series of now-infamous tweets posted on March 4.

    The intelligence is said to leave no doubt the Obama administration, in its closing days, was using the cover of legitimate surveillance on foreign targets to spy on President-elect Trump, according to sources.

    The key to that conclusion is the unmasking of selected U.S. persons whose names appeared in the intelligence, the sources said, adding that the paper trail leaves no other plausible purpose for the unmasking other than to damage the incoming Trump administration.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/23/potential-smoking-gun-showing-obama-administration-spied-on-trump-team-source-says.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On May 17, 2013, the Washington Post reported the United States Department of Justice had monitored Rosen's activities by tracking his visits to the State Department, through phone traces, timing of calls and his personal emails.

      To obtain the warrants, the Justice Department labeled Rosen a "criminal co-conspirator" with Stephen Jin-Woo Kim.[8]

      Attorney General Eric Holder personally signed off on the search warrant of Rosen, who was labeled a "flight-risk" to keep from being informed of the ongoing surveillance.[9]

      The Justice Department's "aggressive investigative methods" have caused various analysts[10][11] to express concern their "investigative methods of classified leaks by government officials are having a chilling effect on news organizations' ability to play a watchdog role". Fox News contributor,

      Judge Andrew Napolitano, commented: "This is the first time that the federal government has moved to this level of taking ordinary, reasonable, traditional, lawful reporter skills and claiming they constitute criminal behavior."[12]

      Delete
    2. .

      Potential?

      Purportedly seen. (Yet, as noted above no one seems to have seen it. Nunes says he expects to see the documents by Friday.)

      Described in vague terms? {Yet, see the conclusions drawn below.]

      Came from multiple (unnamed) sources according to

      Capital Hill (unnamed sources) [Remember the GOP motto: The only good 'unnamed source' is our unnamed source. Just ask Trump.]

      The intelligence is said to leave no doubt the Obama administration, in its closing days, was using the cover of legitimate surveillance on foreign targets to spy on President-elect Trump, according to sources. [Yet, Nunes himself has denied this stating it merely opens up the 'possibility' that Trump might have been spied on. He indicated there is no proof.]

      The key to that conclusion is the unmasking of selected U.S. persons whose names appeared in the intelligence, the sources said, adding that the paper trail leaves no other plausible purpose for the unmasking other than to damage the incoming Trump administration.

      :o)

      Well, the question of what happened to Andrew Napolitano has been solved. He is now working as copywriter for FOX News.

      Hilarious.

      .
      .

      Delete
    3. James Rosen wrote "Purportedly seen" Nunes said he saw them:

      Do you think Nunes is going to perjure himself before Donald, God, the public, and even Mr. Shifty?

      From MOME, below:

      He added that “additional names of Trump transition team members were unmasked,” meaning that the government did not necessarily protect the privacy of the individuals about whom information was “incidentally” collected.

      Mr. Nunes also said that all the information appeared to be collected legally under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but that such activity, reflected in what he said were “dozens” of intelligence reports he recently viewed, caused him to be “alarmed.”

      Delete
    4. .

      My mistake. Evidently, Nunes has seen the documents though no one else has.

      Schiff (D-Calif.) told NPR’s Steve Inskeep on Thursday that committee members still haven’t been privy to the information Nunes shared with the White House. Nunes has said he is not in possession of the information yet and that he hopes it will be delivered to his committee on Friday.

      Sorry.

      Of course, the rest of my post stands.

      .

      Delete
  16. What this country really needs is a Congressional investigation/inquiry into Quirk Enterprises.

    But, all the Congressmen seem bought off, and refuse to even consider the idea.

    ReplyDelete
  17. From James Freeman, WSJ

    House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R., Calif.) told a gathering of reporters on Capitol Hill yesterday that “on numerous occasions, the Intelligence Community incidentally collected information about U.S. citizens involved in the Trump transition. Details about U.S. persons associated with the incoming administration—details with little or no apparent foreign intelligence value—were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting.”

    He added that “additional names of Trump transition team members were unmasked,” meaning that the government did not necessarily protect the privacy of the individuals about whom information was “incidentally” collected. According to the House intel chair, none of the information even had anything to do with Russia. Mr. Nunes also said that all the information appeared to be collected legally under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but that such activity, reflected in what he said were “dozens” of intelligence reports he recently viewed, caused him to be “alarmed.”

    This would seem to be a plausible reaction by a citizen living in a free society, or even by the principal elected official in the House of Representatives responsible for overseeing the work of U.S. intelligence agencies.

    But much of the political and media world is more upset with the way Mr. Nunes shared this news than with the news itself, which by the way provides a disturbing window into the breadth of government data collection. Mr. Nunes’s alleged sins include talking to the press instead of first sharing the information with his fellow Californian Adam Schiff, the intelligence committee’s Democratic ranking member. Mr. Nunes also went to the White House to brief the President.

    Your humble correspondent thinks that Mr. Nunes erred in not trying harder to maintain bipartisan cooperation on his committee as it examines Russian efforts to disrupt our political process and our own government’s investigation of American citizens participating in a political campaign against the party in power. Various reports say that Mr. Nunes has apologized to his Democratic colleagues. It’s always vital that the intelligence committees are less partisan than other panels on Capitol Hill. Only bipartisan unity allows any progress in breaking down the natural resistance in the intelligence community to sharing details of its compartmented programs.

    The reasonable conclusion is that Mr. Nunes didn’t think he could trust Mr. Schiff with the information, and Mr. Schiff’s reaction yesterday suggests that Mr. Nunes isn’t crazy. Given the opportunity by Mr. Nunes to act in a completely partisan manner, Mr. Schiff took it. At his own press conference, the California Democrat pronounced himself “gravely concerned” with the way Mr. Nunes had handled the situation and claimed it had cast a “profound cloud” over the committee’s work. But he seemed generally unconcerned with a report that the government was sweeping up lots of information about people working on a presidential transition, sharing it widely, and not being too careful about keeping their identities secret. Remember, this is the same Adam Schiff who spent years seeking to restrict government collection of telephone metadata that did not include the content of any phone calls.

    Still, Mr. Nunes is the chairman and he needs to make every effort to reach out to the civil libertarian inside Mr. Schiff—assuming one still exists—and persuade him to help ensure that our government’s awesome surveillance powers are not abused.

    Mr. Nunes said yesterday that his committee would “thoroughly investigate this surveillance and its subsequent dissemination to determine,” among other things, who ordered it and “why it was not disclosed to Congress.” That would seem to be a reasonable line of inquiry which any member of Congress could support

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    1. .

      Continuing to repeat it won't make it so, Mome.

      :o)

      .

      Delete
    2. See - Doug - Thu Mar 23, 10:46:00 PM EDT, above.

      Delete
  18. The attorneys for former Spokane psychologists James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen argued this week that the Trump Administration’s decision to keep some records secret in the name of national security has hindered their ability to defend against a civil suit filed by the ACLU.

    ...

    According to the lawsuit, Salim and Ben Soud both suffered waterboarding, daily beatings and sleep deprivation while inside CIA “black sites.” Both Salim and Ben Soud were later released after officials determined that they posed no threat to the United States.

    ...

    The attorney representing the men, Dror Ladin of the ACLU, previously has said that enough information has been publicly released though the Senate investigation to allow the suit to go forward.

    ReplyDelete
  19. .

    Trump World: Alt-right Reality in an Alt-right Dimension

    Part 1: Donald Trump a Fascist? Oh yeah!

    Characteristic 1 of 14: The Cult of Tradition

    Trump’s very campaign slogan, Make America Great Again reflects his traditionalistic and syncretistic tendencies. He harkens back to the ‘good old days’ when America was good, great and strong not ‘weak’ like it is today. Of course, what he offers us is a false nostalgia, an America where ‘all the women were strong, all the men good-looking, and all the children above average.’ It is an idyllic rendering but obviously a false narrative.

    It’s probably not the ‘good old days’ of native people genocide, slavery, or Japanese internment that Trump is thinking about. His imagination doesn’t drift back that far.

    More likely he is thinking about the ‘good old days’ of white male privilege when America was a lot whiter and a lot more uniformly Christian. How many times have we heard him say, ‘we have to take back our country.’ From whom? The answer is pretty obvious, non-Christians, non-whites, gays, anyone who would argue against his idea of how society should be structured. He longs for the days when the only identity politics was white male identity politics, where others including women knew their place. We see it in his hesitancy to condemn racism, his wall and his tightened immigration policies, his condemnation of ‘the other’, his attitudes towards women.

    Some may argue what he is really talking about are 'the good old days' in an America where every American was offered an opportunity to better himself, where through hard work, he could see a steady progress in his fortunes, where he could share equally in the benefits of an expanding economy, healthcare and a good education. Other may argue he has promised to drain the swamp in D.C., to stop the abuses of the banks and big business, to get the Washington establishment under control, to forestall more foreign adventurism. After all, this is what he promised during the campaign.

    Unfortunately, Trump’s promises seem to be largely campaign rhetoric. The reality of the GOP healthcare plan, Trump’s proposed budget, what we have heard of the tax changes, his continued expansion of existing foreign wars, all belie the promises we heard.

    So does Trump espouse the cult of tradition? Certainly on societal issues. And what can be more traditional than the little guy taking it in the ass while the rich continue to get richer.

    Yes, Trump meets the requirements of Eco’s Character #1 on fascism.

    .

    ReplyDelete
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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. .

      The next edition...

      Trump World: Alt-right Reality in an Alt-right Dimension

      Part 1: Donald Trump a Fascist? Oh yeah!

      Characteristic 2 of 14: The Rejection of Modernism


      .


      .

      Delete
  20. This whole thing is starting to make Watergate look like child's play.

    I want some skin off O'bozo's bare brown arse, I want Comey's testicles, this whole thing stinks and they ought all be in prison.

    I want Quirk's computer....

    ReplyDelete
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    1. He can keep his writing skills, which are non-existent.

      Delete
    2. See:

      QuirkThu Mar 23, 10:46:00 PM EDT

      Delete
  21. The Donald is the first 'fascist' in the history of the world to have a Gong Show on popular TV !

    "You're fired !" became a phrase known and loved around the entire world.

    Francisco Franco is often said to have been a 'fascist'.

    No Gong Show on TV though, even though he did live deep into the TV age.

    Frank was not much of an exhibitionist. In fact, he seems to have liked the quiet, retiring life.

    The definition of 'fascism' seems quite malleable, like Quirk's noggin.

    No wonder then that Quirk struggles so with understanding 'fascism', just as he struggles with understanding his own noggin.

    Fascism almost might be said to be in the eye of the beholder.

    One man's fascist might well be another man's deeply Catholic military officer who restored some order to an extremely chaotic country, saving it from the horrors of Marxism/Leninism finally gradually releasing the iron first until now it has become something of a velvet glove in Spain these days.

    Entertaining to listen to Quirk mouth off though.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Talking about entertainment -

    Science #​WhoaScienceMAR 22, 2017 @ 10:00 AM 27,341 VIEWS

    What Will Happen When Betelgeuse Explodes?


    Starts With A Bang
    The Universe is out there, waiting for you to discover it

    Ethan SiegelEthan Siegel, Contributor

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/03/22/what-will-happen-when-betelgeuse-explodes/#46f1a00f13ac

    Will Quirk finally change subjects ?

    Only 'time' will tell....

    ReplyDelete
  23. March 23, 2017
    Liberal Judges Unwittingly Declare ObamaCare Religious Mandate Unconstitutional
    By Tom Trinko

    They don’t realize it, but liberals have just declared that Obama’s HHS mandate -- which forced Catholics to cooperate with providing abortion and contraception -- is unconstitutional.

    The new interpretation of the Establishment Clause espoused by the activist judges who are striking down Trump’s EO is that anything that has a disparate impact on a religious group is unconstitutional.


    The rulings by activist judges declaring Trump’s EO on immigration to be unconstitutional were based on arguments that if the EO/law had a disparate impact on any faith, or that if the person behind the EO/law ever said anything that could be construed to violate the new liberal interpretation of the establishment clause, then the EO/law in question was unconstitutional.

    Clearly since many religious groups believe that contraception and abortion are morally licit while the Catholic Church, and some Protestant denominations, believe that contraception and abortion are not morally licit any EO/law that requires funding contraception and abortion will have a disparate impact on Catholics since it forces them to violate their deeply held religious beliefs.

    Further, even if liberals argue that the HHS mandate is not discriminatory on its face all conservatives have to do is show that anyone involved in generating it ever said anything negative about the Church’s stance on abortion to meet the criteria set by the activist judges.

    After all the liberal judges admitted that Trump’s EO itself is not discriminatory but that because Trump supposedly said discriminatory things during the campaign the EO is unconstitutional.

    Interestingly, that means that if the exact same EO had been issued by Obama, Bush, Clinton, or any other president it would have been Constitutional.

    Even the ultra-liberal Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren recognized that it’s not sane to strike down a law which is on its face legal, as the Hawaiian judge admitted, because of supposed illicit motives:

    “This Court will not strike down an otherwise constitutional statute on the basis of an alleged illicit legislative motive.”

    This newly found liberal orthodoxy is germane to other aspects of the liberal judicial agenda.

    For example....

    ReplyDelete
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    1. http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/03/liberal_judges_unwittingly_declare_obamacare_religious_mandate_unconstitutional.html

      It would be useless to try and explain this to Ash, though Quirk just might pick up on it, depending on the twist of his noggin at the time.

      Delete
  24. The slaying on Thursday of Denis Voronenkov, an ex-policeman and prosecutor who was wanted in Russia on fraud charges, comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries over Russia’s support for a three-year insurgency in Ukraine’s east.

    ...

    Mr. Voronenkov is the latest high-profile murder victim on the streets of Ukraine’s capital. Journalist Pavel Sheremet was killed in a car bombing in July last year, and pro-Russian writer Oles Buzyna was shot dead in April 2015.

    Video footage from the immediate aftermath of the killing Thursday showed Mr. Voronenkov’s lifeless body lying in a pool of blood on the sidewalk as police helped away an injured man clutching his stomach, likely Mr. Voronenkov’s bodyguard. Another man, apparently the assailant, lay motionless a few meters away in a hooded tracksuit.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Why would a Fascist write a book entitled The Art of the Deal ?

    One might expect The Art of the State, The Triumph of the Will, The Taming of the Bourgeoisie....but....

    The Art of the Deal ?

    Give us a fucking break, Quirk.

    That almost sounds like something that an advertising executive might write.....something YOU might write.....

    I know, I get it now, you're just having fun, you're just pulling our dicks with this Donald is fascist craparoo....

    Took me a while to catch on, but I did.

    ReplyDelete
  26. All of Congress should be put in a locked room and told you're not coming out until you have a deal, and if you do have a deal you're not coming out either.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Ukraine has accused Russia of "state terrorism" after a former Russian politician and key witness in a treason case against former Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovich was shot dead outside a hotel in central Kiev.

    ...

    "We believe that all the falsehoods that can already be heard about much-hyped Russian involvement are absurd," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying about the killing.

    ...

    Mr Voronenkov was gunned down on his way to meet another former Russian parliamentarian, Ilya Ponomarev, who was the only member of the Duma who voted against the annexation of Crimea.

    ReplyDelete