Thursday, October 22, 2020

And Iran


I ran so far away ...
I couldn't get away


As Dave Thompson has pointed out, the song was "punningly political at a time when Iran itself was making headlines around the clock".[12] The song and the band were an "irresistible" package for American audiences, and by the summer of 1982, "America was clutching Flock of Seagulls to its heart".
 
[...]

The song's apparent references to Iran were highlighted again in the fall of 2007, when the long-running American television show Saturday Night Live ran a parody version of the song that expressly mocked current Iranian policies like Holocaust denial.[17]

(So expect to see many more blogs making this pun; I'm just riding the New Wave.)

The actual point here is that you have a new boogeyman underneath your bed: beware of mullahs in your inbox, in your text messages, or -- Inshalla! -- having voted in your name before you could.

And Iranian bots on social media!  Cornell University has a paper from 2018 on it, specifically regarding Twitter and the effect on the Arab Spring.

Why, it's enough to make a Persian crap his kandys (sorry).
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Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Election 2020 Update: No Debate, No Message


Even with muted microphones to reduce interruptions, your Thursday evening is best spent on something else.  Why -- especially if you have already voted, certainly if your mind is made up -- would you watch Act II of this shitshow?

Do you need more stress in your life?  Is the current amount of drama and tension simply not enough?  Are you addicted to the anger instigated within you by Trump's repetitive displays of malignant narcissism and megalomania?  Do you cringe every time Biden opens his mouth, hoping he won't say something nonsensical, or stupid, or sexist, or racist?  Are you still functioning under the delusion that one of these two Alzheimer's-riddled rapists will actually do something for you, your family, your healthcare, the planet?


You're not Sam Goldwyn (or Western Union, for that matter).

Elect Biden and then push him left, you say?  Lots of very prominent leftists -- people I have respect and admiration for -- are recommending that route: Bernie Sanders, of course; Cornel West, Noam Chomsky, AOC, Angela Davis, John Cusack, and a number of fairly prominent DSA members.

I feel pity for them for having given in to fear and loathing.


For those in the 'Giant Meteor 2020' Caucus:


"Okay, PDid.  How about a little less snark and a little more logic, please?"


Sorry.  That little snarky cartoon just slipped out.

I'm in complete agreement with those who believe that the Republican Party as currently composed must suffer a stinging rebuke at the polls.  They all must be denied access to the levers of power for a period of time long enough to modulate themselves into something more reasonable.


So since old Joe has this one in the bag ... maybe consider voting for something you want, and not against something you don't.  Vote in favor of someone, not against someone else.  Most importantly, vote the policies you would like to see enacted, and not just the identity/gender/color/religion, or the sassy debate responses, of the person.  'Not Trump' is not a policy.


If you must watch a debate Thursday, watch this one.


There's a better presidential debate on Saturday night.

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