Tuesday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Tuesday, May 6, 2025
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75 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
Follow Steven on
Twitter and/or
BlueSky.
You have to love Florida. From WPEC–
What was Vilkov going to do with the yacht? Pawn it, take it to a swap shop?, sail it back to Russia? Was he under the influence of alcohol when doing this?
@Bill Jempty:
I actually worked at WPEC, about 45 years ago, as a news photographer/editor. Funny how little has changed in the interim.
Another series recommendation: Dark Winds on Netflix. Murder-mystery show that takes place on a Navajo reservation in the 1970s. Main character is a Navajo Tribal Police sheriff who conducts the investigation into a couple of murders. Of course there is conspiracies to unravel. And a great sound track full of 60/70s music.
Trump did really great in 2024 with inattentive voters who do not pay much attention to political news. They now no longer like him much, big swing in attitude:
“Link”
snip (some charts at the link)
snip
We completely cut the TV media cord. No cable, no satellite.
No more monthly bill. The last fee that we were paying to DISH at $75/month for their cheapest (not even on their menu) package galled me to know that I was spending about $850 / year for generally free content.
Replaced it with a really great GE antenna and Tablo. (Tablo is a digital tuner/DVR/content provider with a one-time cost.)
So now it’s Tablo for the local content, Google TV and media streamed from my home server w/ KODI.
Google TV has brought YouTube offers to the main streaming screen, so now I can see all the late-night talk monologs without recording all the various shows.
And I said ALL THAT so I can say this: Political commentary has gone from a joke or two to absolute outright sedition.
Of course, it is well deserved, as this administration has proved itself to concurrently be the most evil and inept version of the Keystone Kops that America could not ever had imagined. Every day is another attack at the constitutional foundations of America, seasoned with moronic acts and statements meant to distract the masses.
The vitriol and ridicule from the late night hosts is SO fast and furious that I am surprised that the Trump FCC has not found a way to try to stop it.
While I (and many other of the 60%+ of Americans that disprove of Trump”s performance in the first 100 days) likely are enjoying it… sadly it also leads to support the goals of a fascist administration: creating an us vs them mentality.
We are likely to see the administration and MAGA supporters become more extreme in their siege mentality and become desperate in their actions.
So many more days to endure.
A disturbance in the force, indeed.
General reminder, we try our best to avoid banning people (because it’s typically a PIA). Here’s what won’t get you banned:
– Disagreeing with the hosts or commenters of the blog.
– Profanity
– Basic insults
That includes the many different combinations of those three things.
What will get you banned (usually after repeat behavior and ignored warnings):
– Persistent and deeply personal attacks on the hosts or other commenters
– Derailing comment threads with off-topic posts
– Posting incomprehensible posts (a subset of the above ones)
– Direct threats of violence
– Constantly writing about how you are about to be banned (and other annoying ticks)
– General racism, homophobia, hatred, etc. that would be unacceptable in most modern neighborhood bars/pubs*
In keeping with that final point, pretty much anything that is the text-based equivalent of masturbating in public or taking a dump in the punch bowl.
As I said, this happens typically after repeated, ignored warnings. But not always. There will always be people who decide they want to be Leroy Jenkins. Still the best way to get banned is to ignore when we (James, Steven, Myself, and Kingdaddy) keep asking you to change your behavior pattern and you just keep doing what you are doing Leroy Jenkins** style.
Is this a subjective system?
Yup. And much like what Potter Stewart said about pornography: We know ban worthy behavior when we see it.
Do the different hosts have different thresholds?
Yup. And we also support each other’s decisions–especially because OTB is a hobby and we care more about curating what we think is a good cocktail party discussion than anything else.
Do longtime commenters get treated differently?
Yes. They’ve put in the time and “earned” a bit more slack–especially when compared to the people who have contributed very little to the community beyond constantly taking that metaphorical dump in the punchbowl. And we have had to ban some long-timers after they ignored multiple warnings (seeing a pattern here).
What about [X, Y, or Z] who has been banned in the past and is back?
Ok, so here’s the real truth–the reason why we try to avoid banning people is because technology makes bans hard to enforce. User names can be changed. IP address can be changed. The reality is it’s all but impossible to shut someone up on the internet. And usually when someone is banned and walks back in months later under a new name, it takes a while to realize we’re talking about the same person (as they often conceal their writing ticks for a bit).
As a result, by the time their identity is firmly reestablished, it’s a bit of a PITA to ban them again (especially knowing that they will return). So, for better or worse, we will usually let them slide (again, see “Do longtime commenters get treated differently?”). We will make exceptions, especially when it’s really clear who that person is or if they decide to go down that path that led them to be banned in the first place.
Also, a few regular commenters have benefited from returning after a ban, so this applies to both sides.
Also, a request to commenters: Please don’t repeatedly ask for someone to be banned, even if they have been banned in the past.
This gets the final point: Like every other website, OTB isn’t an actual public space. So, we control the limits of speech, and we can be arbitrary and capricious about those controls. We try our best not to be, but we’re all human and are trying to have fun here. If you don’t like the house rules, you are encouraged to just read the site and then go comment somewhere else that has discussion rules more to your liking.
Tl;dr: See this Simpson’s clip.
* – Yes I am sure that some of your neighborhood pubs/bars allow some freaky stuff to go on in them. Understand you are going to the exception that proves the rule.
** – If you don’t get this reference, google it as words cannot really unpack that particular meme.
@Matt Bernius:
I shared that because its came up in a recent thread and I figure it would be useful to share this here too. I will probably turn it into a post sooner or later. This is very first draft.
@Matt Bernius:
That reminds me of a scene in True Lies, the Arnold action film were Charlton Heston plays the director of a spook agency and says pretty much the same thing to a low ranking operative who joins in on the jocularity of the two experience operatives during a debrief.
“What makes you think that the slack I cut them in anyway transfers to you?”
Jump to 20 seconds in 🙂
I’ve been diving into family history the last few years. Instigated by the boxes and boxes of photos and memorabilia that came out of my mother’s attic. She cared not a whit about them and almost just through them away.
So I’ve been scanning and sorting and building a family tree anchored by photos. Most public libraries now have access to searchable archives of newspapers from which you can find obituaries, wedding announcement, legal notices, etc.
So yesterday I was searching anything on line about my great grandmother. And I found this:
Now, I was a pretty good listener in my youth but never heard this story. I also had to verify that this article referred to the same person. Found collaboration on the death certificate (she died in 1915) where it was indicated she was residing at the State Hospital for 12 years, 9 months, and 25 days.
Just went “wow”. Now, history is history and facts are facts so there is no shame involved. However, our family discussion revolved around what would happen today with all the medications and treatment that we have. It also explains a lot of the skepticism and commentary in family elders about religion even though most attended church regularly.
I’ve learned to love this detective work. BTW, we have life so much easier today even if you were prosperous 100 years ago.
As far as I know nothing that is posted in the comments at OTB is required reading. I would suggest that remarks by the moderators are highly recommended. Guests can ignore them at their own peril.
Good work Matt Bernius!
@Matt Bernius: I’m Steven Taylor, and I endorse this message.
Here is a short piece of fascinating WWII history that took place on May 5, 1945, 80 years ago.
When Americans, Germans and POWs fought the SS from the walls of a castle
Read the rest. It is not a long piece.
Random thought: Could Alcatraz be America’s Elba?
@Scott:
In that case, let’s exile Trump there.
Trumpoleon.
@Scott: Not if he could escape from it.
@Scott:
But then the rapist would escape and institute a disastrous 100 day empire.
Better find an American St. Helena.
@Scott:..schizophrenia…
I was born in 1948. In 1956 when I was 8 years old my mother was diagnosed schizophrenic. This was years before medications were available to manage this vile disease. My father had to go to court in New York State where we lived to have her committed to the local State Hospital as she had become violent. There may have been public notice of her commitment since it was ordered in court. However I can’t be sure. Electro shock therapy was one of the treatments she endured. She spent the better part of ten years in those institutions in two states as my father relocated our family to the midwest so we could be close to relatives who supported us.
I don’t suspect “peculiar religious presentments” would be a term of diagnosis today. She did hear God speak to her all the time. Her first and middle names, Beulah and Esther are biblical and she was convinced that the scripture was referring to her.
When she was treated with the medications that were developed and available she could come home for weekend visits and eventually was able to stay at home.
I have memories of her before she fell ill. My brother, born in 1953 and my sister (’55) do not.
Regular 1950’s stay at home mom who took me on the bus to the beach in the summer while my dad was at work. When it wasn’t my dad’s turn to be the car pool driver she would take me and one of the neighborhood housewives on a drive out to the country to their favorite fruit and vegetable stand.
My dad took “for better or worse, in sickness and health” seriously. He stuck by her through some very dark times. By the time I left home in 1968 to finish college, my mom was able to live at home as long as she stayed on her medication. She got a part time job at a local grocery store.
When my dad died at home in 2001 he was 81. They had been married 60 years. My sister lived close to our mom and she checked in on her all the time. Mom was 88 when she died in 2008.
I like to think of her as a schizophrenia success story.
Beulah Esther Brown
Wilmer Albert Brown
May they rest in a well deserved peace.
@Kathy:
We have one. It’s called Gitmo.
@Joe:
He can’t even escape from his own diaper
@Michael Reynolds:
Perhaps a special installation can be set up at the geographic South Pole? You wouldn’t even need to guard it. He could walk out any time.
@Scott:
I had started dark winds but it didn’t grab me after the first couple of episodes. Will go back and give it more of my attention.
A rather odd, thought provoking piece:
“Adam Tooze”
Setting the theme:
The rest does not exactly proceed linearly from this.
It has been at least 40 years since I saw Dr. Frederick Frese on Nightline.
I think that I might have a VHS tape of that interview however my video tape player was retired and went missing years ago. I suppose I could check the internet to see if those machines are still available.
@Scott: Zahn McClarnon is the tribal police chief in Dark Winds. I have a crush on him. He also had a role in Reservation Dogs as a tribal cop. He appeared in Longmire, another good show shot beautifully and well written. If he’s in it, I’ll watch it.
@becca:
I remember him from Westworld (HBO), a really great series.
@Matt Bernius:
So persistent and deeply personal attacks on ourselves are okay? Because I’m absolutely the worst.
@Kathy:
We got a volcano. Can we throw him in/off it?
@becca:
He’s great. I would love a buddy cop movie with him and Ken Watanabe.
@Beth:
Just one? We got three just around Mexico City, one of them active.
@charontwo: Westworld Season 1 is one of my favorite series of the past decade, but then it went sharply downhill and I literally stopped watching in the middle of Season 3. I’ve rarely seen a show decline in quality so rapidly.
@Mister Bluster: Thank goodness for modern medicines, however imperfect. My grandmother was 4 when her mother was institutionalized. Basically raised by 3 much older sisters.
I woke up today at 4 am. By 4:15 I’d failed to go back to sleep. I resigned myself to a crappy day, and made some coffee. By 4:30 after one cup of instant coffee, I decided to try to sleep again.
Next thing I know the 6 am alarm goes off. I shut it off, and slept again until the 6:15 alarm went off.
Weird.
It also says something about the effects of caffeine, or maybe about the caffeine content on instant coffee.
If you have Netflix and have not yet seen it, Conan O’Brien’s Kennedy Center honor is great. Sandler, Farrell, Glazer, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Masturbating Bear, and many more, and finally, of course, David Letterman.
The actress who plays Manuelito is also one of the leads in the movie “Rez Ball,” also on Netflix, based on the book Canyon Dreams.
@Neil Hudelson: It got some tweaking after the first series received critiques from parts of Navajo Nation. Depending on what aspects of Season 1 fell short for you, Season 2 onwards may have shored those up.
@Gromitt Gunn: @Neil Hudelson: Unlike a lot of series, I think it started too fast. It needed to take more time to introduce characters. The first couple of episodes were a little confusing but it seemed to be in a better groove by the 4th episode.
Trump announced that he’ll be making a very, very big and very, very positive announcement before he leaves for the Middle East.
@Kylopod:
[Spoilers]
Season 2 was definitely not as good as Season 1, but I thought its ending served as a perfect series ender. The robots, well at least one, escapes into the real world. The world as we know it–both the robots’ amusement park world and the exterior world–was over. The viewer’s imagination could fill in the rest.
So I never watched an episode of season 3.
@Gromitt Gunn: @Scott: IIRC, I had no particular issue with the show, I believe I had just started watching a few series at once and like saplings competing for the same bit of sunlight in a crowded forest canopy, some were going to whither and die. Really loved McClarnon in reservoir dogs and that drew me to the show. I got into the habit recently of watching a show on my tablet while I use the exercise bike, so starting this anew will motivate me to go a few extra minutes this afternoon.
Israel government officials are publicly announcing ethnic cleansing, if not genocide.
Where the fuck is the rest of the world? And how is protesting this in any way antisemitism?
@Mister Bluster: I was going to suggest that Nightline is on some free streaming services, but I remembered you saying that you don’t stream TV at home. 🙁 My bad.
You could also explore that possibility at Panera or Mickey D’s, I suppose.
I want to flag this piece as very worthwhile, excellent in its clarity:
@just nutha:..free streaming…
Thank you for the information.
@Scott: I lost interest in season one, decided to give it another shot because of loyalty to my crush. Into season two now. George RR Martin and Robert Redford are executive producers along with Zahn McClarnon. Martin and Redford make a cameo in season three. Anyone see it?Looks like season four is upcoming.
I grew up in Albuquerque, in the foot hills of the Sandia mountains. Watching DWs reminds me how much I loved it there. New Mexico kinda really is the Land of Enchantment.
@Mister Bluster:
I’ve said this before, but you’re a wonderful storyteller, no matter whether the story is tragic or humorous.
@Neil Hudelson:
On a similar vein, I’ve only ever seen the first 30 minutes or so of Independence Day. Whatever happens after the aliens kill everyone is probably not as good a story as the aliens coming and killing everyone.
From watching enough movies, I can see the structure of how this guy is going to be the hero and what not, so I expect that the apparent death of everyone we’ve been following is a fake out, I don’t really need to watch the rest of the movie.
Ending by just killing everyone, however, is a much bolder choice than anything they were going to do. It’s the better ending.
Seen on FB.
@Jay L Gischer: You just beat me to it, but Thought section 2 and 3 were really most disturbing. I read lots of medical literature. I have found it nearly impossible to discuss with people on the right as they dont recognize any data or studies valid unless its results they like.
“2. They are also hostile to the very idea of real data. People with this mindset (and you can find them both on the left and right ends of the political spectrum) do not even believe that agenda-less data are possible. In this view, everyone, every time, everywhere is pushing one point of view or another, so now that you have the levers of power in your hands it’s time to push your own agenda as hard as you possibly can. Part of that is getting rid of anything that might sow uncertainty or say otherwise. Those so-called “independent” data scientists are liars who are trying to stop you. Anyone who says anything that does not completely support your program is a liar who is trying to stop you. And you know what to do with them.
3. To these ends it is permissible to say and do anything, anything at all. These ends justify any means – really, anything you can think of. You do not have to be consistent, nor rational, nor in accord with anyone else’s so-called “facts”. Facts are what you say they are – I mean, what else could they be? It’s fun to watch the funny little people tie themselves in knots trying to figure out the reasons behind your barrage of ever-changing statements and bleating about “contradictions” and “missteps”.”
Steve
@Gustopher:
Better ending though it may be, as Luddite’s grandmother used to caution him about his predilection to just shooting Batman, “just shooting him makes for bad TV.” [in the sense of a continuing story, I suppose]
ETA: @Mister Bluster: ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!
@Gustopher:
Try that out on any movie that might have even the slightest chance of getting a sequel and the studio will send a hitman to deal with you.
You’ll be surprised when the hitman pulls off his motorcycle helmet and shakes out her long, blond hair, and coincidentally is gorgeous. Although the leather cat suit with ample visible cleavage might have been a clue. Don’t try to fight her because even though she’s made out of twigs and silicone she’s the world’s greatest MMA fighter.
But if the actress is hot enough and is named Sydney or Scarlett, or only has one name, maybe a name starting with a ‘Z’ then she probably has a core of decency she’ll try to hide with brusque, rude behavior. But you’ll see through her defenses to the vulnerable woman inside. Then she might not even kill you if you have abs, she may fuck you but only in a sort of shadow play where body parts don’t seem to quite line up.
Final action scene, tie up the plot threads and roll credits. Coming Soon: Killer Hot Chick Part Two: The Chickening.
@Scott:
My enchantment with Dark Winds is rooted in my deep interest in Indian culture and traditions. The genesis of Dark Winds comes via Tony Hillerman (RIP) who would weave a police/detective tale with a liberal explanation of Navaho customs.
As an example, when Navaho would introduce themselves to other natives (particularly of the opposite sex) they would take pains to identify the band to which they belonged. Hillerman would illustrate this along with the rationale – to avoid the possibility of intermarriage – A MAJOR Taboo among the tribes.
I’ve really enjoyed all of Zahn’s work as well as Tantoo Cardinal, and August Schellenberg.
For those interested in the life on the Rez, I recommend Smoke Signals. Having lived on Pine Ridge Res on and off for several years it brings back many memories.
For those that might be interested in the mystical side of the Lakota, I would recommend “The Dreamkeeper”
On the question of what should Dems do, I’ve tried a few times to say don’t talk about policy, fight. At Balloon Juice this morning Betty Cracker does a much better job. She quotes Josh Marshall,
It’s not true that we screwed up by making {trans, DEI, Woke, vaccines, antisemitism, …} an issue, they made those things issues. And they’ll find other cultural trivia to exploit if we surrender on those. Let me modify my introductory prescription – don’t focus on OUR policy, focus on their policy. Show that we fight for the middle class (broadly defined as the 99.9%).
@Gustopher:
@Michael Reynolds:
MINOR SPOILER
There’s a novel by Joe Haldeman called Forever Peace (not part of the Forever War narrative). Part of the plot concerns a physics experiment in Jupiter that will destroy the universe (not thinking small*). I thought for sure the book would conclude with such destruction, as that would bring peace forever.
I was wrong.
As for Independence Day, it would have been a better movie has it ended after the aliens blast several major structures, though they didn’t kill everyone right then. What followed went from stupid to cliche to corny.
*In The Gods Themselves, the physics project would have destroyed only one arm of the Galaxy.
@steve:
I have a little different take, that ends up at the same place. Psych types talk about System 1 and System 2 thinking. This was the thesis of Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow. System 2 is slow, logical, and requires conscious effort. System 1 is fast, unconscious intuition. System 1 ~= faith.
A lot of people default to System 1. They might use System 2 to figure out if it’s better to go to the hardware store first or the grocery. But for something like, say, tariffs, they default easily to intuitive feelings of distrust of foreigners, or whatever. Almost necessary if you lack Econ 102 concepts like comparative advantage and the curiosity to read people who do understand.
The thing is, they think that’s what you do. Their faith says they don’t like masks and Dr. Fauci has a faith that idolizes masks. For them, all “facts” are a matter of faith. And since their faith is intuitively correct, yours is false. And everything is a religious war.
For Republicans this meshes nicely with the fact that experts say stop burning coal and raise taxes. Our oligarchs cannot have “experts” spreading heresies like that.
According to the NYT and other sources, the Supreme Court has allowed Trump to implement his ban on trans people in the military.
@CSK:…
I am humbled by your kind words.
Thank you.
This is not good. Stay tuned.
India says it has launched strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir
@gVOR10:
Yes, they will. Which is why we need to pay a bit more attention to our counter. And why we need our messaging on these social issues be less confrontational and more open.
But even more important is to crowd those issues out of the target area by having something to say, a direction we intend to lead the country. We let them define us because we had no message. More message = less peripheral space. Please note: I don’t mean that we throw anyone under the bus. We have to believe in something, and we have to stick to it. We have to be true to our core character. Just do it less dogmatically.
Shortcut: listen to whatever Buttigieg has to say on social issues, and to AOC on the larger, economic issue. They are both very good at the game.
@Scott: Pakistan vows to respond to ‘cowardly attack
@Mister Bluster:
It’s true. You know exactly how much needs to be said. That’s talent.
@Scott: I wonder whether our intelligence agencies knew this was coming or whether it is a surprise. Really, this is the first serious international crisis under the new administration.
@Scott:..Thank goodness for modern medicines, however imperfect.
With Donald Trump and his Looney Toon Secretary of HHS running things I suspect we won’t see much progress in the development of remedies for the treatment of mental health diseases.
When I Google National Institute of Mental Health funding cuts I get this.
Disclaimer. Some information is AI generated
@CSK:..talent…
Again, thank you.
When my friend Joe was alive I always thought that we could write about our travels together and other life events. Being disabled he spent a lot of time reading and could talk about many things. Me, not so much.
Well he up and died on me (goddamn cigarettes) before we could put our heads together. I have tried to write a story or two about our adventures but my memory has faded and it would be nice if he were around to fill in the blanks.
I do think that he would have something to say about the current anti-vaccine sentiment since he was a quadriplegic who contracted polio as an infant and never took one walking step in his life.
Maybe I should try a seance or a Ouija board or maybe a good hit of acid would bring the memories back.
We did do excessive amounts of drugs.
@Michael Reynolds:
They’re very good at talking to us, but I don’t know that they are very good at talking to everyone else.
I’m not saying you’re necessarily wrong, but you’re in a spot where you won’t notice if you are because of confirmation bias.
Buttigieg in particular is really good at telling me exactly what I already believe, and explaining, patiently and thoughtfully, how I am completely right. I think Elizabeth Warren is a little bit better at that, but only by a hair. And I know Warren doesn’t work for a lot of people.
I do think that with Trump and the Republicans making trans people the biggest issue in 2024, Harris needed to give a strong defense of trans folks, tying it back to core principles of freedom, liberty, and the government not trying to control your life, trans, Jewish, Christian, whatever. Instead she got quieter and quieter on the issue.
@Gustopher: Buttigeg was recently on a conservative podcast, and he was able to explain and get agreement from the conservative host within minutes about the importance of funding basic science (which admittedly should be a no brainer, but here we are).
AOC is a terrific communicator to Democrats, but conservatives won’t give her the same grace they extend to Pete. I wonder why….
@CSK:
I suspect, but obviously don’t know, that this is about the Houthi’s.
But let’s face it, does anyone over there keep their word?
@Jay L Gischer:
I think you are correct. Where I think you err is to attribute it only to one side. “Hooray for our side” really isn’t productive. CSN had it right many years ago.
@Connor:
But Trump spoke about it as a matter distinct from the Houthis.
@CSK: @CSK:
Then I have no insights.
@Jen:
Jenn –
I think that needs a bit more fleshing out. Just saying “I’m for basic research” is like saying I’m for good things, and against bad things.
Government funded “basic research” comes, by its nature, with biases. Look at Covid, or climate. Toe the line, you get money. Don’t, you are screwed. But facts are brutal. I’m sure you have seen the most recent Arctic Ice results. “Basic research” has been destroyed. States are not under water. Ice is at record levels. Ooopsey. 6 ft distancing? Science. And yet Fauci himself said it was made up over a beer.
I’m not saying there aren’t things that government funded research are not required for. I’m saying, be careful, its really political. Look, I’m an engineer by original training. Still love to dabble in materials science issues. But don’t kid yourself. Basic research as angelic is a myth.
@Gustopher:
Absent the sports issue she could have gone hard. But that is a non-starter with people outside the progressive core. It was a poison pill, which is why I was so worried about it and believed it was unhelpful.
I think we have yet to see whether AOC’s eat the rich message resonates with the hoi polloi. She’s tough and fearless, she knows what she believes, and she communicates it well. Farming is about to get shit hammered by tariffs and labor shortages, and I don’t know if she can connect with those people, or not. I guess we’ll see. But if the message works, then she becomes Ripley rather than Snow White.
With the topic of Alcatraz becoming a prison again in the news, a bit of urban legend returns: White sharks in the bay are part of the reason why no one escaped from Alcatraz.
There are no recorded instances of white sharks attacking anyone in the San Francisco Bay. They show up occasionally, but are almost never interested in humans. There’s no evidence that any escape failed because the escaping inmate was eaten by a shark.
I’m not sure why this annoys me, but it does. White sharks simply don’t want to eat people. By their standards, we are skinny and bony and probably taste terrible. Most shark bites by whites are from young sharks, under 10 feet, and are probably more a result of the shark being curious than any intentional feeding. Not that that would make me feel better if I was bitten.
@Connor: Ohhhh, Drew. You’re so far from “on the ground”
@Connor:
Funny, doing basic research (i.e. a quick Google) shows that what you are claiming is, of course, wrong. In fact, its the usual cherry picking data sets that appeals to a certain type of dupe.
https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/cherry-picked-antarctic-ice-data-does-not-disprove-climate-change-2025-02-11/
@becca: “If he’s in it, I’ll watch it.”
He’s also in the first season of Westworld as the terrifying leader of the Ghost Nation. (He might have been in subsequent seasons, but after the brilliant first one it got so bad I stopped watching…)
@Kylopod: ” I’ve rarely seen a show decline in quality so rapidly.”
The trouble was that the first season was a brilliant puzzle box… and it was solved in the end. And then there was just nowhere for the show to go. Kind of makes me admire the creative auspices behind the HBO Watchmen who had one season’s worth of story and when that was over, they stopped.
@wr: Agreed on both counts.
@Connor: I just quoted something that I thought was worthwhile to read.
Not sure how that can be “right” and also BSDI. Maybe you liked the piece?