Dste Ace

I thought the media was supposed to stop talking about Covid after the election.

Serious question. What happens if/when the recount, ordered by a Republican and, I assume, observed by Republicans, still shows Biden as the winner? Never mind. I know the answer already. All Republicans involved are RINO's and never Trumpers. Traitors who should be flogged in the street. Etc. As you were.

Judge in Philadelphia asks Trump campaign lawyer if GOP observers are in the room or not. Trump lawyer says, "There is a non-zero number of people in that room." (Now THAT is a Clintonian response. Somewhere Bill and Hillary are nodding approvingly) Judge, losing patience: "I'm asking you as a member of the bar of this court: are people representing Donald J. Trump for president, representing the plaintiffs, in that room?" Trump lawyer: "Yes". Judge: "I'm sorry, then what's your problem?" Definitely a "You're about to get reported to the bar if you don't answer the fucking question, counselor" moment.

*eating burger in front of hungry person* "Don't let hunger dictate your life." Classic

Before the debate, I was watching video of the first televised presidential debate between JFK and Nixon. It was like watching something from another planet. Say what you will about Richard Nixon (and he deserves every bit of it) but he was smart as hell, as was Kennedy. Eye-opening as hell...two men discussing policy (domestic, foreign, economic) intelligently and lucidly. Neither man liked the other but there were no insults, no yelling, and never the slightest whiff of disrespect from either candidate. Fast-forward to last nights shit-show. One man proudly ignorant, racist, and unable to string together an intelligible sentence. The other with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Yelling at one another like two 5th graders on the playground. Four years ago the Republicans had, what, 12 or 15 candidates in the primary? The Dems had something like 23 and THESE TWO are who the voters want as their leader? Jesus Inbred Christ Sorry, sports fans----this once-great country is circling the drain. "Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."---George Bernard Shaw

I know its not OAN or Breitbart, but... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/rnc-fox-news-trump-campaign-cnn-brad-parscale-a9686596.html

"Animal House" reference recognized on this end, sir.

Trump, over the years: "Obamacare. We're going to repeal it, we're going to replace it, get something great. Repeal it, replace it, get something great!" "If you can't take care of the sick in your country, forget it, it's all over. I mean, it's no good. So I'm very liberal when it comes to healthcare. I believe in universal healthcare. I believe in whatever it takes to make people well and better." "There's many different ways, by the way. This is a very un-Republican thing for me to say because a lot of times they say, "No, no, the lower 25 percent that can't afford private...I am going to take care of everybody. I don't care if it costs me votes or not. Everybody's going to be taken care of much better that they're taken care of now." "...the governments gonna pay for it. But we're going to save so much money on the other side. But for the most it's going to be a private plan and people are going to be able to go out and negotiate great plans with lots of different competition and lots of competitors with great companies and they can have their doctors, they can have plans, they can have everything." And finally, my personal favorite: "Nobody know health care could be so complicated." Good times....good times.

Lest anyone think that I'm beating the drum for Obama or the downfall of Trump, I'm on record on this board as holding both political parties in contempt. For the last 35-40 years I have believed that this country is circling the drain, and the current occupant of the WH is doing his best to speed the process up. Sorry, but it's obvious that Trump is only about his own glorification. As Maximus said in Gladiator, "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end." The more things change, the more they remain the same. Republicans hold the WH---sooner or later the Dems will be there and will apply their own brand of bullshit to the cause. I am simultaneously amused/disgusted by each party's outlook that "it's perfectly ok as long as we're doing it." The whole Flynn affair is a microcosm of that view. Devin Nunes was outraged when he learned that the FBI had listened in on conversations between Flynn and Sergey Kislyak. "The big problem I see here is that you have an American citizen who had his phone calls recorded." This despite the fact that he knew, as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, that the FBI routinely uses the NSA's eavesdropping techniques to monitor the Russian delegation. Still, after Flynn resigned, several traditional surveillance defenders rushed to the defense of his privacy rights as an American citizen. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal dropped its usual use of the term "intelligence professional" to question whether "U.S. spooks" had a court order to listen in on Flynn's conversations. They ignored one of the biggest gaps in U.S. surveillance law---one which they both have defended---that allows the government to spy on Americans without any probable cause by targeting communications from overseas. After the reauthorization of this law in 2013, the WSJ praised Obama as an "unapologetic asserter of Presidential powers." In 2015 a Republican and Dem Representative coauthored an amendment that would require the FBI to get a search warrant in the exact same situation Flynn found himself in. Devin Nunes led the charge to shoot down the amendment. NSA hawks leap to the defense of privacy rights when it involves them or their political allies. Marco Rubio has often argued for expanding and permanently extending many of the NSA's surveillance programs. But in 2015 he reacted with outrage when he heard that the NSA was spying on the Israeli government and swept up some his own communications in the process. Soon, we may see Biden in the WH, senile and constantly going on tv and babbling incoherent bullshit to his adoring minions. Which, when you think about, is exactly what we have had for the last 3 1/2 years. And finally, a few words from The Master, who can certainly say it a hell of a lot better than I can: https://youtu.be/fT03vCaL-F0

And I go back to my original question "What if Obama had done it?" Would Republicans be quaking with outrage at those bastards in the Justice Dept. if Susan Rice had done what Flynn did? I'm pretty sure they would have been calling for her head on a stick.

Sorry, I was confusing the original phone conversations between Flynn and the Russian ambassador with the FBI wiretapping of Flynn. The original conversations with Flynn and the ambassador were the basis of the FISA warrant. You certainly won't get any argument from me concerning nefarious shit from the FBI. But let's be honest here, the FBI didn't suddenly just become a corrupt organization because Obama was elected. The FBI has a long and sordid history that goes back decades. COINTELPRO, the Civil Rights movement, Latin America, Ruby Ridge, Whitey Bulger, the Associated Press impersonation case, etc., etc., etc. But to say that because Obama knew that Flynn was wiretapped by the FBI means he ordered the investigation is a bit of a stretch. And there is no evidence to support that charge. Flynn was fired because he lied to the FBI and Mike Pence. "I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies."---Donald Trump Flynn lied to the FBI. He pled guilty of lying to the FBI in federal court. So, now he says he didn't lie to the FBI? Isn't that technically perjury?

Well, this is definitely pissing into a gale, but here goes: Of course Obama knew about Flynn being wiretapped. He was the President. Actually, recording Flynn was a pretty obvious result of American intelligence practices. First, he was talking to Sergey Kislyak, then the Russian Ambassador and an agent of a foreign power. Agents of foreign powers are acceptable foreign intelligence targets and the government could legally surveil Kislyak under FISA. While wiretapping in the criminal context involves only recording while the targets talk about illegal activity, foreign intelligence wiretapping is comprehensive. ALL conversations are recorded and the important bits mined out after the fact. So when Flynn talked on the telephone to Kislyak, it's practically certain that he was going to be recorded since Kislyak was being recorded. The intelligence jargon for this is "incidental collection", which means, among other things, that American conversations get recorded when they talk to intelligence targets. It is amazing that Flynn, who once served as Assistant Director of National Intelligence, didn't know that. Republican reactions of surprise to surveillance revelations are themselves---what's a nice word?---surprising. Civil libertarians have been complaining about the vast scope of incidental collection and the inadequacy of minimization procedures for years. Leaders on the intelligence committees (Devin Nunes) and right wing media (Wall Street Journal) have responded with a big yawn. "Trust us, we have to collect it all to keep America safe." But once that one of their own was targeted, Republican were suddenly up in arms. I tend to run the Republican defense of all things Donald through the filter of "What if Obama had said/done it"? I can't help wonder what the reaction on this board would have been if, instead of Flynn, we were talking about Susan Rice.

Thinning out the herd...

I always thought Gronkowski was a meathead, but it turns out he hasn't touched a dime of his salary or signing bonuses, but has lived off his endorsements.

11. My plan would be to keep Dorsey with the caveat that he refrain from drafting guys who flunk drug tests at the NFL Combine (Antonio Callaway) along with other obvious character risks. The Browns need to get back to bringing in guys to play basic football, the blocking and tackling that were so lacking this season. An NFL scout said that a when a player flunks a drug test at the Combine it isn't a red flag---it's an air raid siren. The players are told in January to stop smoking weed and whatever else is in their arsenal. They are told that they will be extensively drug tested at the Combine. Anyone who flunks a drug test at the Combine is a fucking idiot. Actually, under the CBA, any player that flunks a drug test in today's NFL is a moron.

The Browns have a bandwagon?

I think this pretty much sums up my feelings as far as the Browns playoff aspirations.

I agree, no help at all. Just commenting on the (unfortunate?) reality that certain players---LT, Jordan, Bonds---don't have to worry about the rules like the rest of us schmucks.

Of course, the other side of this is that one player is arguably the GOAT at his position, and the player for the Browns is most certainly not. 😏

We'll beat Cincy (maybe) in CLE. In Cincy? Nope Arizona? Nope Ravens? Will be uglier than Tenn and SF.

This.^^ Precisely this. ^^ I thought it and you said it. This team has no heart, no mental toughness. When things are going our way we roll like gangbusters. At the first sign of adversity, we fold like a cheap suit. We have not come from behind one single time this season. When we get behind, it's over. And you can bet your next fucking paycheck that in a close game, the Browns will allow the other team to drive the length of the field for a TD right before halftime. Woody is exactly right about Kitchens. Our coaching staff is The Smell of Ass. We have more talent on offense than half the league and we can't get out of our own fucking way. On defense, our tackling is atrocious. We have a ball carrier stopped for little or no gain, nobody wraps up and he ends up gaining 8. And it's all the more soul crushing because we ended last year with such high hopes. And no, I didn't expect us to go 13-3. Or even 10-6. But I certainly thought 9-7 was a strong possibility. Denver and Pittsburgh. 2 shit teams and we shit the bed. Fuck it, I'm out. See ya next year...

Playing in Pittsburgh. That means that any Brown who uses harsh language within earshot of Rudy will be ejected/suspended.

No worries, Hoorta. Vag already tried that shit in an earlier reply to me.

After Myles ripped his helmet off (and got kicked in the balls) he is clearly backing up with two very large Steelers between him and Rudolph. Rudolph charges at him swinging and then Myles completely goes off the rails. I honestly don't understand your "defenseless player" defense of Rudolph. OK, he doesn't have a helmet. But instead of backing away he charges at Garrett. You make it sound like Rudolph was trying to get away and Myles chased him down and bashed his head with a helmet. And BTW, why aren't Pouncey and the other lineman trying to push their quarterback away from the skirmish instead of letting him charge at Garrett? Rudolph reminds me of Pedro Martinez when he was with the Red Sox. He would throw at hitters, then when the hitter came out to the mound Martinez would hide behind a wall of teammates while still talking shit. (Well, there was the time he stepped up and threw a 72 year old man to the ground.)

Will you, at the very minimum, acknowledge that after he tore Rudolph's helmet off, Garrett was backing up, with two Steeler lineman between him and Rudolph while Rudolph charged at him? Jesus, you Steeler fans act like Garrett waited until the play was over and then just started beating Rudolph with his own helmet. There is plenty of blame to go around in this incident. Garrett fucked up and deserves to be suspended. As does Pouncey.