You Can Make This Stuff Up

Sunday, February 12, 2012

I've often said in these pages that the hardest part of writing satire is staying ahead of reality.

I write about something so mind-bogglingly off the wall that no one with more than three viable brain cells could possibly believe it's serious, only to find that something 10 times weirder actually happened the day I turned in the column.

Apparently, some people have the opposite problem: They're unable to distinguish satire from reality. People like Republican Congressman John Fleming of Louisiana, for example.

You may remember Rep. Fleming as the poor little rich boy who appeared on MSNBC this past September and complained that by the time he paid taxes, paid all his bills, and "fed his family," he had "maybe, $400,000 left over." Clearly, someone who can say something like that with a straight face doesn't have much of a sense of irony, or reality, for that matter.

So it is perhaps not surprising that Rep. Fleming fell for a joke posting on the well-known satirical website "The Onion." The fake story, which ran several months ago, was headlined "Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex" and described "a sprawling abortion facility that will allow the organization to terminate unborn lives with an efficiency never before thought possible."

It gets more and more outrageous from there, with descriptions of an on-premises spa and climbing wall, and a Planned Parenthood spokesman "quoted" as saying: "Although we've traditionally dedicated 97 percent of our resources to other important services such as contraception distribution, cancer screening, and STD testing, this new complex allows us to devote our full attention to what has always been our true passion: abortion."

Now, anyone who would give this a moment's thought would come to the conclusion that it was a joke, a sendup of the paranoid fantasies that mark the right-wing attitude toward Planned Parenthood, one of the many, many organizations they love to hate.

But when you're so addicted to outrage that you're willing to believe anything that gets your dander up, there's no such thing as a moment's thought, and no story too over-the-top for you to fall for like a credulous rube on his first day in the city.

Recently there's been a big brouhaha over the decision by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to withdraw funds for breast cancer testing from Planned Parenthood, then reinstating them after a public outcry. This sort of thing is just catnip to a right-wing demagogue like Fleming, so he apparently thought it would be a good idea to jump on the bandwagon.

He decided to weigh in against Planned Parenthood by posting the "Abortionplex" story on his Facebook page, with the snippy comment: "More on Planned Parenthood, abortion by the wholesale [sic]."

Fleming's inability to comprehend a joke was immediately picked up by the website "Literally Unbelievable: Stories from The Onion as interpreted by Facebook." Much merriment ensued in the comments, with "how did someone as dumb as you get elected?" being a recurring theme. Pretty soon the story had gone national.

The whole fiasco reminds me of the great Harry Potter scare of the early 21st century, when another group of paranoids seized on an Onion article titled "Harry Potter Books Spark Rise in Satanism Among Children" to "prove" that the Potter books were evil.

An article in the far-right blog WorldNet daily even quoted "High Priest Egan of the Church of Satan in Salem, MA," saying, "Harry is a godsend to our organization. We've had more applicants than we can handle, and of course most of them are virgins, which is just gravy."

"High Priest Egan," of course, was a complete fabrication, as was the story. You'd think the use of the word "godsend" would be a tip-off, as would the absurdity of a Satanist church having an application process. But hey, wingnuts believe more absurd things before breakfast than most people can even think of in the average day, and they're not happy unless they've got something to be unhappy about, so they're easily punk'd, as the kids say these days.

At least I think they say that. I read it online somewhere.

Dusty Rhoades lives, writes and practices law in Carthage. Contact him at dustyr@ nc.rr.com.

More like this story

adversaryan 3 months, 2 weeks ago

the church of Satan does have an application process..lol

emb6683 3 months, 2 weeks ago

But I read it on the Internet??!! It must be true!

JimHeim 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Gosh, Dusty, next you're going to tell me that Planned Parenthood hasn't built a multi-billion dollar AbortionPlex.

MikeNC 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Gosh Jim, next you're going to tell me that planned parenthood hasn't performed several hundred thousand abortions last year. You will probably also tell me that their 2008-2009 annual report does not show 363.2 million dollars in tax payer funding. ...Mike

Nezumi 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Nice column - it seems Michele Bachmann is in good company.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Republican Senator Jon Kyl: abortion is “well over 90% of what Planned Parenthood does”

When it was subsequently pointed out that abortion is actually well under 5% of what Planned Parenthood does, Kyl’s office released a statement saying that:

“his remark was not intended to be a factual statement”.

Of course, neither is anything else a Republican says regarding Planned Parenthood. It's just another bogeyman to get the rubes all riled up.

Oh, and thanks in advance for all the page views, wingnuts.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Thanks, Nezumi.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

You will probably also tell me that their 2008-2009 annual report does not show 363.2 million dollars in tax payer funding.

The Federal portion of which cannot, by Title X and the Hyde amendment, be used to provide abortion services.

Not your usual bald-faced lie for which you've become famous here, but certainly deceptive, Miane.

moonchild7 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Thanks Dusty, it's really nice to know that there's at least one other person in this world with intelligence, a great sense of humor, and the ability to know 'Truth" from "Fiction". Here's another one that Rachal Maddow reported on the other nite. In one of the debates Mitt Romney when asked a question about illegal immigrants mentioned "Self-Deportation". Turns out that term was created by a Comedian back in the 90's when discussing the immigrant situation in California. In other words Mitt was using a term that was a TOTAL FABRICATION made up in a Comedians MIND. IT WAS A JOKE!!! No Republican should ever be elected to anything again because they have NO SENSE of REALITY, and won't even attempt to research the FACTS.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Thanks back, MC7. It's true, these clowns are like a factory turning out punch lines for late night comedians.

they have NO SENSE of REALITY, and won't even attempt to research the FACTS.

Doonesbury was running a great series this past week about a service called myFacts ("privatizing the truth since 2003!") which wingnuts can call to get "facts" made to order...none of which, of course, are actually true.

Start here: http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/archive/2012/02/06

moonchild7 3 months, 2 weeks ago

FEAR and LIE peddling are what they know how to do best. The TRUTH is never what they want some people to actually know. Check out today's NYT with it's "MAP" of States where "Gov'ment" checks go out to more Americans than other areas. You'll notice that an awful lot of the areas that voted for MCCain in 2008 received the MOST checks.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

http://tinyurl.com/6r9mcd3

LINDSTROM, Minn. — Ki Gulbranson owns a logo apparel shop, deals in jewelry on the side and referees youth soccer games. He makes about $39,000 a year and wants you to know that he does not need any help from the federal government. He says that too many Americans lean on taxpayers rather than living within their means. He supports politicians who promise to cut government spending. In 2010, he printed T-shirts for the Tea Party campaign of a neighbor, Chip Cravaack, who ousted this region’s long-serving Democratic congressman. Yet this year, as in each of the past three years, Mr. Gulbranson, 57, is counting on a payment of several thousand dollars from the federal government, a subsidy for working families called the earned-income tax credit. He has signed up his three school-age children to eat free breakfast and lunch at federal expense. And Medicare paid for his mother, 88, to have hip surgery twice.

etc.

wdd101st 3 months, 2 weeks ago

So? Hasn't Obama been in office for 3 years? Hasn't our economy been going down during thr last 3 years?

wdd101st 3 months, 2 weeks ago

You Can Make This Stuff Up

Dusty, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Is this the headline you wrote, or did the Pilot screw it up?

wdd101st 3 months, 2 weeks ago

http://www.zimbio.com/Congresswoman+Sheila+Jackson+Lee/articles/31/Breaking+News+Exhaustive+Search+NASA+Archives

"Breaking News: An Exhaustive Search of NASA Archives Reveals Missing Photo of the American Flag Planted on Mars by Neil Armstrong in 1969

An exhaustive search of the NASA image database has revealed a long lost image that Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) asked for during a visit to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratories in late 2005. Here it is; Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin planting the American Flag on Mars in 1969 during the Apollo 11 Mars Mission to the Red Planet:

Can't make that stuff up, right Dusty?

“The Congressional bonehead award goes to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) who, on a visit to JPL, asked if Mars Pathfinder had taken an image of the flag planted there in 1969 by Neil Armstrong!"

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Dusty, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Is this the headline you wrote, or did the Pilot screw it up?

One, I don't write the headlines.

Two, it's a play on the old saying "You Can't Make This Stuff Up." One which you are, unsurprisingly, too dumb to get.

wdd101st 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Hey Harley, I'm glad you like paying $3.50+ a gal for gas.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/is-obama-to-blame-for-4-gasoline/

And gas was up around 4 during Dubbya's last year. So that's actually better.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

by dustyrhoades

And as for job creation:

buskwon 3 months, 2 weeks ago

mr, rhoades , why is it everytime someone disagrees with you , you call them dumb? perhaps if you took the time to actually listen ,really listen ,you might expand your already enormous cranium. you are not always right , get off of your high horse and deal with it.

MikeNC 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Dusty, I wouldn't let your little graph on uemployment above, get you to giddy. CBO just scored last week (now remember they are independent) said that our GDP this year will grow by just over 1%. 1%, the lowest number in the history of CBO scoring. Our growth this year will be "anemic" according to their testimony to congress.Too many variables out there along with the anemic growth that could come back to bite you and most likely will. Diane

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I thought DR's column was very funny. Well done! buskwon-- As to your comment about DR calling folks "dumb" when they disagree with him, to me, this blog has a vicious cycle of folks getting mad, being called "dumb," then responding in kind by calling others "dumb." In my opinion, it adds nothing to an argument. I don't believe DR is dumb. I simply think liberal ideas are incorrect, and fail virtually every time they are tried. This is why Greece has failed, and why other liberal European countries are right behind it. My hero said it best: The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money to spend. Had they called her "dumb," she would have laughed.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Hey buskwon, listen to the bunny:

by dustyrhoades

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Of course, Miane, like all right wingers, has to downplay every bit of good news and pretend it doesn't mean anything. Good luck with that message.

buskwon 3 months, 2 weeks ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I thought DR's column was very funny. Well done!

Thank you!

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

buskwon 3 months, 2 weeks ago

gotch ya

JimHeim 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Twenty-three straight months of job growth. Guess the Republicans will have to change the subject.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I simply think liberal ideas are incorrect, and fail virtually every time they are tried.

O Rly?

by dustyrhoades

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Twenty-three straight months of job growth. Guess the Republicans will have to change the subject.

Or lie like they always do.

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

harleyman-- Once again, you show that your only response to any post is a snarky reply devoid of any content. I could respond in kind ("...smallest amount of gray matter"), but I won't. Your post speaks for itself. Sad.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

gotch ya

Oh, I get it. You're just trolling and thus can be safely written off. Thanks for the info. Now go ask Mommy to make you a sandwich, little boy, so the grownups can talk,

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Dusty's quote on quote article, if you wish to call what he writes journalism, actually brings up an interesting point. Both sides of our political spectrum tend to jump on Key word issues, each election brings a new key word or key words to the political debate.

These words are just ways of saying things that you want to say without actually saying what you mean. Kinda funny?

As for abortion, the issue comes down to, do you believe that life begins at conception? If you do then abortion is morally wrong, the sticky side comes in when you start to talk about rape and incest.

I personally think that abortion is wrong, having said that, I understand there are execptions every rule, there was only 1 perfect person, it would be interesting to hear a modern sermon from Jesus on abortion. I personally will not put words into my GOD's mouth. Abortion as a form of birth control is wrong and should be illegal.

As for dusty's picture of job creation lets just debunk that real quick. (And no I wont call Dusty dumb for doing exactly what he just wrote an article about nor will I call him dumb for posting unfactual information.)

Ok so what dusty's picture showed was the U-3 Unemployment rate in America, the way this rate is determined is they take the total number of Employed workers in America, they subtract the total number of people on UnEmployment and the come up with a percentage.

The U-6 Unemployment rate is the actual Unemployment rate in the US. This rate takes in to account the number of people who are still unemployed but have run out of unemployment benefits, it also takes into account the number of people who are only working part time because they can not find full time work.

So here are the numbers and here is the link to fact check me.

U6 Rate year 2000 peak 7.2%

U6 Rate 2012 15.1%

Highest U6 rate under Bush Dec 2008 13.5%

Highest U6 Rate under Obama Oct 2009 17.2%

So Obama can campaign on an actual reduction in unemployment of 2%

Kinda sad really.

http://portalseven.com/employment/unemployment_rate_u6.jsp

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Job growth? http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2011/05/05/reaganomics-vs-obamanomics-facts-and-figures/. As Crocodile Dundee would say, now that's job growth!

buskwon 3 months, 2 weeks ago

once again mr. Rhoades someone disagrees with you and now they are a liar , I guess that's better than being dumb. But I would rather hear a fat lady fart than a grown man cry.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Also the current U6 Rate in NC is 17.6 percent

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

harleyman-- I don't have to wonder what your reply will be. They are all the same. You are blessed with the gift of consistency.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

As Saint Ronnie Reagan said "There you go again."

MikeNC 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Thank you anonymus for putting it in perspective. Dusty seems to suffer at times from "swelled head" syndrome., after one of his"off the walls, mind boggling" columns. Don't know if there's a pill that the government can provide for him to bring the swelling down. As for me down playing the positive employment growth rate chart Dusty provided for all of us, I didn't score it for the Congress, the CBO. I report, you decide. Diane

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

DR-- Way to go! More folks need to quote Reagan, and follow his policies. Oh, did you know what Jimmy Carter's campaign slogans were? http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_were_Jimmy_Carter's_campaign_slogans. "A leader, for change." And "Not just peanuts." Obama has already adopted the first, but he might consider modifying the second to read: "Not just Acorn." Just a thought...given that both are on identical paths to claim the mantle, "Worst President in American History." (P.S. Carter still has a slight edge, but Obama is gaining fast.).

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

harleyman-- Don't give up! Just keep repeating the same post (compare your last several posts...they are essentially the same). I studied calculus in high school and in undergrad, and physics in undergrad, but I never studied quantum physics. Did you? Where and when? Second graders throughout the country are likely breathing a sigh of relief.

justmyopinion 3 months, 2 weeks ago

You have a master's in EE?? Sure you do !

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

harleyman-- Wow! My posts are "self righteous?" Just wondering...which ones? And congrats on that Masters degree. "Chosen people"? Where did that come from? I agree with you that your posts "...are so filled with anger." I'm still wondering why.

justmyopinion 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Obviously you do, you respond to everyone of them !!

justmyopinion 3 months, 2 weeks ago

University of Phoenix will handout those online degrees to anyone I suppose.

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

harleyman-- No need to apologize! Like I said in an earlier post, this site seems to draw people in to calling each other names. I prefer ideas. Now, to your post. What do you believe are the 2 best liberal ideas that work very well? Let's start first with economics, OK?

Bflat 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I stopped by to check on the sockpuppets and wingnuts, I found the usual DR fan club. :)).

justmyopinion 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Its comments like that coward that prove you have little education if any at all.

Its a shame you aren't man enough to talk directly at me. Last week before heading to theSuoer Bowl, I think you said something immature about my wife. Now you want to bring my parents, rest their souls, into it.

BTW, I am not a democrat/liberal. I believe in working for a living so I don't collect welfare checks.

wdd101st 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Smiles ........... do I detect a bit of jealousy from someone who spent 4 years in the 7th grade and finally quit in the 9th?

Maybe if you donated some of your welfare check to them they would name a "job johnny" in honor of your parents - if you know who they are!"

And liberals call republicans "mean spirited"

justmyopinion 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Thatcher - this should be fun. Can't wait to hear trike girl's response.

justmyopinion 3 months, 2 weeks ago

wdd101st - It is amazing, isn't it?

wdd101st 3 months, 2 weeks ago

dustyrhoades 3 hours, 53 minutes ago

"Dusty, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Is this the headline you wrote, or did the Pilot screw it up?

One, I don't write the headlines.

Two, it's a play on the old saying "You Can't Make This Stuff Up." One which you are, unsurprisingly, too dumb to get."

So you just make stuff up is what you are saying. I think many on here realize that already. I see you just totally ignored my post on Congress person Lee and her stupidity. A product of the federal run education programs.

justmyopinion 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Have a great night harley

Thatcher 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Thanks harleyman-- Let's start with Social Security. http://www.ssa.gov/history/ratios.html. Since it was started, look at the stark decline in the number of current workers needed to support each recipient (159 workers supporting one recipient in 1940, now reduced to 2.9 workers supporting 1 recipient in 2010). Next: http://www.urban.org/retirement_policy/agingpopulation.cfm. The number of recipients (65 or older) will more than double over the next 40 years...while current workers necessary to support them will continue to fall. Social Security is on a collision course with itself, and reality. There is no "lock box." It will soon be bankrupt unless it is completely overhauled. Even the CBO says that by 2016, payouts to recipients will exceed revenue paid by the 2 workers supporting the recipient. http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=3213&type=0&sequence=3. Here, liberalism collapses upon itself. I'll do the minimum wage later...I have to walk the dog, and it's freezing!

buskwon 3 months, 2 weeks ago

well said , Thatcher .

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

The LOCKBOX got opened up to fund a WAR. And it's stayed open ever since. I'm so glad President Obama is bringing the troops home. Now maybe in his next term he'll close that box up for good.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Uh, MC7, to fund what war? You realize that Al Gore was lampooned in the 2000 election for saying (a billion times) Social Security's "trust fund" had been raided over the past decades and now needed to be put in a "lock-box." So which pre-2000 war are you speaking of?

buskwon 3 months, 1 week ago

dear mr, child , I to am glad the troops are coming home , But at the risk of sounding redundant , Freedom ain't free , if the japs had there way in pearl harber you would be wearing a kamoto instead of a hemp skirt , there are bad people out there that want to kill us , we need to protect are country and are way of life .

JER 3 months, 1 week ago

wdd101st: The Democrats have a representative that doesn't know the moon from Mars. The Republicans had a VP that didn't know how to spell potato. Ignorance knows no party lines. What's your point?

JER 3 months, 1 week ago

buskwon: A couple of points you should be aware of: 1) moonchild7 is a Mrs., not a Mr. 2) The Japs DID have their way in Pearl Harbor. 3) There are bad people that want to kill us for a reason. Learn the reasons and we won't have as many wars. 4) If you want to be considered knowledgeable, proof read what you submit before you hit send.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

Hey Dusty, just to make a point, the photo of Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. has some flat out lies in it.

Liberals passed the voting rights act - http://www.answers.com/topic/voting-rights-act-of-1965-1

Vote count

President Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks at the signing of the Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965.The two numbers in each line of this list refer to the number of representatives voting in favor and against the act, respectively.

Senate: 77–19

•Democrats: 47–17 (73%-27%) •Republicans: 30–2 (94%-6%) House: 333–85

•Democrats: 221–61 (78%-22%) •Republicans: 112–24 (82%-18%)

Percentage wise, Republicans were in the majority in voting for it.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

The civil rights act of 1964

by both houses of Congress, and was signed into law by President Johnson on July 2, 1964.[12]

Vote totals Totals are in "Yea-Nay" format:

•The original House version: 290-130 (69%–31%). •Cloture in the Senate: 71-29 (71%–29%). •The Senate version: 73-27 (73%–27%). •The Senate version, as voted on by the House: 289-126 (70%–30%). By party The original House version:[13]

•Democratic Party: 152-96 (61%-39%) •Republican Party: 138-34 (80%-20%) Cloture in the Senate:[14]

•Democratic Party: 44-23 (66%–34%) •Republican Party: 27-6 (82%–18%) The Senate version:[13]

•Democratic Party: 46-21 (69%–31%) •Republican Party: 27-6 (82%–18%) The Senate version, voted on by the House:[13]

•Democratic Party: 153-91 (63%–37%) •Republican Party: 136-35 (80%–20%)

Once again the Republicans voted in a larger percentage than did democrats to pass the law.

AFCHIEF 3 months, 1 week ago

http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/stossel/blog/2012/02/10/ad-clint-should-have-made

JimHeim 3 months, 1 week ago

Gosh, Thatcher, you're so much smarter than the actuaries at Social Security, you should go teach them how the system works. Don't mind the laughter...

JimHeim 3 months, 1 week ago

wd101st - The Democratic Party had a lot of Southerners in those days. Check which states voted which way.

Giving equal rights to African-Americans (and giving the boot to Jim Crow) took care of that excess of Southern participation.

Your point is ridiculous.

JimHeim 3 months, 1 week ago

Hey, AP, where were you with all of those nice U6 numbers when Bush policies were running them up?

molonlabe 3 months, 1 week ago

Nice

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Thanks JER for making MR. Bushwad aware of my "marital" status of which I am a Mrs. but I of course being the "Leftie" that I am prefer Ms. Thatcher, you need to go back and read a little history. It was President Johnson who opened that Lockbox for VIETNAM. John F. Kennedy would have never escalated that war. He had doubts about what the Generals were telling him. He also doubted those Generals about Cuba and he averted us having a "Nuke-OUT" with them. Bobby Kennedy was so outraged at what Johnson did that he decided to run against him. Johnson dropped out of the race. The rest of course is history. The Military Industrial Complex at work again.

MikeNC 3 months, 1 week ago

FOX NEWS ALERT!!! ..... FOX NEWS ALERT!!! This is way off the current subject, but none the less fairly interesting to the local readers; as this alert directly concerns Dusty Rhoades and Moonchild 7. Dusty & Moonchild were accidentally discovered during a dance session down at our local Gold's Gym in Southern Pines. The video was of course meant to be released tomorrow for Valentine's Day, but was leaked to the press by Andrew Breitbart. I couldn't get the short video to imbed, so if you care to take a peek at our very own Pilot bloggers in their dance/workout routine; just click on the below link and ramp up your volume a bit. Sorry for the off topic strawman, but in reading some of the above comments; a break from it is a refreshing and needed change of venue while you all RELOAD....Mike

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/9xynf6EQRFetCTP8

skylinefirepest 3 months, 1 week ago

Moonie, I'll have to go back and check but if I remember correctly there was NEVER any "lockbox". If I remember correctly it's always been a part of the general fund and therefore spent as if it were a bonus for the spenders.

JimHeim 3 months, 1 week ago

Mike, ran out of ideas, huh?

justmyopinion 3 months, 1 week ago

Funny Mike !! You could have waited until after we all ate though. LOL

buskwon 3 months, 1 week ago

Mike that is hilarious.

teufelhunden 3 months, 1 week ago

So Occupy/Acorn is demanding the 1% (the devil) pay for pretty much everything...and they are essentially begging for donations from those same wealthy people to support their cause. They aren't kidding. HAHAHAHAHA

buskwon 3 months, 1 week ago

dear Mizz child , Thanks for the history lesson , and don't forget to put the seat down when you are done

JER 3 months, 1 week ago

Good one, Mike. A dollar well spent. I've noticed that you guys tend to like cartoonish characters as the source of your entertainment. Guess that's why they have had so many debates so far.

MikeNC 3 months, 1 week ago

JER 1 hour, 58 minutes ago ...Good one, Mike. A dollar well spent. I've noticed that you guys tend to like cartoonish characters as the source of your entertainment.

Glad some of you enjoyed the valentine sneak preview provided by Moonchild and Dusty. Both Diane and myself still believe that a little laughter does one wonders. As far as cartoonish goes JER, that is the real Dusty face and as far as I know...that's the real Moonchilds face as well. It's all a matter of fun JER....laughter is still cheap medicine with no insurance policy needed...Mike

mcg2010 3 months, 1 week ago

Yes, this all seems like a productive and constructive discussion of our political system. I wonder what you folks would do without DR's column to rail against once a week.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7 (7 hours, 22 min. ago)-- You say that it was President Johnson (a Democrat) who took money from the Social Security "lock-box" to pay for the Vietnam war. Any other liberals here who agree with MC7's statement?

JimHeim 3 months, 1 week ago

Of course not. The trust fund was never intended to be a huge space under the bed where trillions of dollars went to be useless. Every dollar loaned out must be repaid. Simple. The system is sound and I haven't missed a check yet. You?

justmyopinion 3 months, 1 week ago

"I wonder what you folks would do without DR's column to rail against once a week."

Jump up and down, shout, throw a party celebrating that the liberal lunatic is not spewing his hatred, lies, name calling and mindless insults.

Which liberal will be the first to quote something I just said back. My guess is JERk. That yankee has to be the first to fire back on every subject so its not a matter of who, I guess, but how long will it take him,

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Sorry harleyman...never got around to addressing the minimum wage last night (as promised). First, consider the basic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lblNgY.... Now, a bit more involved via Milton Friedman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6erbzB.... Then consider: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/MinimumWages.html. To me, when I am talking to someone about the minimum wage, I'll ask them what they think the wage should be. Regardless of the dollar figure they state (it is often $10 an hour for some reason), I'll ask them "why" $10 was the figure they chose. Almost uniformly, they will say "because it is fair...or we need to provide a 'living wage'." When I ask them why not be more fair and make the minimum wage $15 an hour, they tend to agree. If I ask them let's be really fair and make the minimum $100 an hour they say no, that won't work. When asked why, they typically respond, "That's too high." The point? Having folks dictate "fairness" by arbitrarily selecting a "minimum" has absolutely no correlation with market forces. As shown above, the minimum typically results in less entry-level jobs (higher unemployment for folks who have little job skills, teenagers, etc.), or a reduction in benefits provided to those who already have the job.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Here we go again. You need to read history a bit more Thatcher. The Social Security Trust Fund was "co-mingled" with the General Funds of our government by President Johnson. Supposedly (and I don't doubt it) to fund the WAR. I did not say Mr. Heim that there were "problems" with the fund. It is well managed and there's plenty in there for quite awhile to come. The FEAR MONGERING by the Right Wing concerning Social Security is just to confuse people and make them less trustfull of Democrats. It's all a paper game of course when it comes to the Budget and fundings. According to an article I read recently in the NYT who holds most of our debt? It's not China anymore, now it's us( Fed Reserve). I'm not an accountant but that seems strange to me. Can't we just "forgive" that part of the debt and start over?

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7-- "Can't we just 'forgive' that part of the debt and start over?" Uh, just how exactly would that work? Which lender (whether China or anyone else) would you first approach with such an idea? What do you think they would say? I'm curious, and I await your reply. Thanks.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

harleyman-- When I said socialism (liberal ideas) fails every time it has been tried, I give you Exhibit A: Greece. http://www.theage.com.au/business/world-business/austerity-bill-approved-as-athens-burns-20120213-1t07t.html. This is what happens when politicians promise free stuff, cradle to grave money...then run out of money, with lots of folks completely dependent on government payouts. It is coming here soon, I'm afraid, although I suspect it will be even more ugly (because of our Second Amendment, many property owners will not sit by watching protesters burn their property or try to take their belongings). Very sad. And Greece is just the start of Europe's collapse. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/moodys-cuts-ratings-outlooks-9-eu-countries-232055738.html.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Oh, and MC7? When Greece went to their lenders and said, "Can't you just forgive our debt and start over?", what response do you think they got?

justmyopinion 3 months, 1 week ago

Congrats Trike Sissy !!

skylinefirepest 3 months, 1 week ago

So Moonie does agree with the rest of us....it was NEVER in a lockbox. Only in her imagination! Thanks, Moon!!

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Greece's problems has very little to do with SOCIALISM but rather CAPITALISM. You see, why was a country such as Greece "given" the 2004 Olympics to host? Apparently Greece's money problems were there before the Olympics but with the estimates that it would cost close to $10 BILLION to host the Events, why were they chosen? The total came to more than $11 BILLION. But, ya know. I'm sure all the Corporations made a profit. Greece had economic problems before 2004 but this is a PRIME example of the corporate vultures who swarm and then swoop down to feed on the fat of any and all possible money making ventures. No matter if the "HOST" is left totally skinned. Many of the venues they built are now abandoned and falling apart. Where's the CORPORATIONS when you really need them? Oh, they're swimming in their OLYMPIC SIZE swimming pool without a care in the world.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Thanks harleyman. Just a couple of points. When you say MW workers earn $15,100 a year ('hardly CEO income"), there is a reason for that. MW workers are usually entry-level workers (teenagers, etc.) with little or no job skills. As such, no one should compare their wages with that of the CEO of the company. Second, the 29 states that have enacted even higher MW laws than the feds require have not seen an increase in entry level employment (but they have seen a reduction in employee benefits). Finally, your "feeling" that there shoud be some "floor" is understandable...but as I said before, whatever "floor" you think is warranted may differ from another person's perceived fairness "floor." Neither have any basis in market forces. Thanks again for your civility!

justmyopinion 3 months, 1 week ago

Trike Sissy- I rolled mine out of the trailer courts of vass a far away land ust to protect it from the winds.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7-- I have carefully read your post about the economic problems of Greece. What?! Greece is in trouble because they agreed to host the 2004 Olympics? Consider this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-PdWx.... What did Greece do? Host 100 Olympics in a row? Or perhaps did they make promises to their citizens (cradle to grave government payments) that they could not keep?

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

harleyman-- I certainly don't think you are evil. Of course, I know you are liberal, but I don't believe liberals are evil, or dumb. I've known and become friends with many liberals...heck, my Best Man at my wedding is a liberal and one of my best friends (he's simply wrong on economics, which I remind him of repeatedly). Still one of my best friends today. Check out my posted link above to MC7 regarding the debt of Greece, then you might understand why I become frustrated by folks who claim the problem was hosting the 2004 Olympics. Greece is a piker when it comes to debt: here's what the U.S. owes: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-01-08/debt-equals-economy/52460208/1. Facts are stubborn things. Again, thanks for your civility.

JER 3 months, 1 week ago

Many of you probably wonder how "justmyopinion" got his name. Even if you don't want to know, I'm going to tell you anyway. Many years ago, his mother visited her doctor because she was experiencing some discomfort. She was a little concerned because she was pregnant. The doctor did a complete physical examination. While checking on the position of the soon to arrive delivery, the doctor noted he might have detected the source of her discomfort: "You might have a hemorrhoid", he exclaimed. "Are you sure?", asked the mother. "It's justmyopinion", he replied.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

JimHeim 18 hours, 19 minutes ago wd101st - The Democratic Party had a lot of Southerners in those days. Check which states voted which way.

Giving equal rights to African-Americans (and giving the boot to Jim Crow) took care of that excess of Southern participation.

Your point is ridiculous."

No, my point is valid, you are rediculous. What is posted is fact (truth). If you can't live with it, that is your problem. Yes, I know that many of those people were "Southern". Such fine men as Senator Gore of Tenn. You know, Al Gore's daddy. But see the fact is if you look them up, it is going to say they were Democrats, can't change the truth. It took Republican votes to pass those laws, so Democrats claiming they did it all by themselves is a lie.

Let's look at the first 2 yrs of Obama's reign. The senate and the congress were his. But yet he could not ram throught all the ideas he had. That's because even many of the democrats didn't like them. But of course the republicans were blamed for the "grid lock" even though the Dems had a majority.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

Once again, we have many prime examples of the liberals being unable to express themselves with out name calling and trying to degrate others that do not agree with them.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

JimHeim 20 hours, 58 minutes ago wd101st - The Democratic Party had a lot of Southerners in those days. Check which states voted which way."

Are you bad mouthing the South ?? If it were not for the southern democrats many a democrat president would not have been. and as an old popular saying goes," put your heart in Dixie or get your azz out!"

At just so you will not forget, George Wallace was a democrat too.

Courseaire 3 months, 1 week ago

im_a_harleyman - This has nothing to do with the topic and you've probably already heard it, but, but I just heard this & thought of you: What Is The Difference Between a Harley And a Hoover ?! The Location Of The Dirt Bag. My brother's a Harley man & he said he resembled that remark. Enjoy.

justmyopinion 3 months, 1 week ago

JERk- Is that the best response you can come up with? Pathetic.

justmyopinion 3 months, 1 week ago

trike-sissy - - I don't pay much attention to lonely pathetic yankees like JERk. However, what I did find funny was this piece of humor you wrote.

"Perhaps that's because democrats think for themselves - unlike republicans who seem to fall in like ducks in a row when their flawed leadership tells them to. I am glad the dems are independent enough to disagree with an idea they deem wrong!"

A statement like that is not just funny, it's embarrassing. Speaking of funny and embarrassing, I see half the dums leadership (Al Capone Sharpton & Jesse James Jackson) are once again stealing the spot light and trying to capitalize off the death of someone...Whitney Houston. Now there is two dumocrat leaders you can be proud of. Those two babbling idiots remind me of a couple of babbling lunatic liberals that post regularly on here. I won't mention any names though

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

I never said that Greece hosting the 2004 Olympics was the sole reason for the shape they're in now. I only said that it was a part of their problem. That considering they were teetering even back then, the world's corporations had no problem with exploiting them for their own gain, be damned the human beings it might end up harming.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7-- Just curious. Did Greek government officials know their economy was "teetering" back then? If so, why did they campaign to host the Olympics? Having first sought out the hosting rights and having now obtained them, how was the Greek government thereafter "exploited?" Can you name the corporations that "exploited" them? And how they did so? If you answer each one of these question separately and honestly, I suspect you might reconsider your post.

skylinefirepest 3 months, 1 week ago

Harley, how about telling us, for the record, exactly what it is that makes you fawn at the feet of Obama??!! The man you love who'd climb a tree to tell a lie before standing on the ground to tell the truth. What is it about his anti-American behavior that enthralls you?? What is it about the un-bridled spending? What it is about borrowing forty two cents of every dollar the U.S. spends, mostly from countries that really don't like us? What it is about lowering our credit rating that makes the goose pimples raise up on the back of your neck? What it is about his putting the unions ahead of the working man? For that matter why is his wife now proud of the United States for the FIRST TIME IN HER ADULT LIFE??? Come on, Harley, lay your soul bare and tell us why you love this sorry excuse for a human being so much?!?!

AFCHIEF 3 months, 1 week ago

@Thatch, don't expect a legitmate response from MC7. It will be Bush's fault and the military is bad for our country.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

im_a_harleyman 14 hours, 12 minutes ago

"Let's look at the first 2 yrs of Obama's reign. The senate and the congress were his. But yet he could not ram through all the ideas he had. That's because even many of the democrats didn't like them. But of course the republicans were blamed for the "grid lock" even though the Dems had a majority."

Perhaps that's because democrats think for themselves - unlike republicans who seem to fall in like ducks in a row when their flawed leadership tells them to. I am glad the dems are independent enough to disagree with an idea they deem wrong! "

No they don't. They do what Nancy and Harry tell them to do. I do think that now many of them are starting to change their minds on being in lock step. Like when the Senate voted 0-97 against Obama budget.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

dustyrhoades 2 days, 6 hours ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement."

And so once again the Pilot has to censor Mr. Rhoades.

wdd101st 3 months, 1 week ago

JimHeim 1 day, 5 hours ago

If I remember correctly, Obama used the social security and military pay checks as hostage to get his way this past summer.

Ponzi Scheme or Not, Social Security Can't Keep Up the Pace By Chuck Saletta, The Motley Fool Posted 7:00AM 01/13/12

Social Security's trust fund is in the process of collapsing because it will have insufficient funds available to pay promised benefits. Sound like a Ponzi scheme? That's what many prominent political and investing figures have called it.

Whether the system meets a broad definition of Ponzi scheme, at least this "scheme" is one in which you can come out ahead.

You've got a few things going for you:

Charles Ponzi's original setup had a frightfully speedy collapse that occurred after around 200 days. Social Security currently estimates its trust fund won't run dry until around 2036. When Social Security's trust fund does empty, recipients will still get about three-quarters of their expected benefits. For contrast, just ask the victims of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme how tough it is to get money out of a real Ponzi scheme after it collapses.

The Good News? You've Been Warned

You have time until Social Security's trust fund vanishes -- meaning you can still prepare for that event. Even better, the best way to prepare is to essentially do what you should have been doing anyway: Invest for your retirement.

Even if Social Security's trust fund weren't in trouble, the program generally replaces only about 40% of a person's average lifetime income, indexed for inflation. When Social Security's trust fund is gone and the program pays out reduced benefits, the typical recipient will get closer to 30% of average earnings.... http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/13/ponzi-scheme-or-not-social-security-cant-keep-up-the-pace/

Comments No Longer Accepted

You Can Make This Stuff Up

More like this story

Comments

May events