Monday Open Thread

37
  by: Colorado Pols December 25, 2022 at 10:24 PM MST

“All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.”

–Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tweet
Share

37 Community Comments, Facebook Comments

  1. JohnInDenver says:
    December 26, 2022 at 7:53 AM MST

    One example of MLK's thought … the rising automation in Apple devices to detect car crashes and report to the nearest emergency dispatch center. Colorado Sun reports Colorado ski town emergency dispatch centers fielding dozens of automated 911 calls from skier iPhones

    Pitkin County 911 Center gets about 15 to 20 of these automated calls a day

    Vail Police Department get about 20 of the automated iPhone calls a day.

    Dispatchers in Grand County get about 20 to 30 of the automated calls a day

    “These calls involve a tremendous amount of resources, from dispatchers to deputies to ski patrollers. And I don’t think we’ve ever had an actual emergency event.”

    Apple is apparently "working on it" — may have something in 1st quarter of 2023.  In the meantime — ski areas may need to find some way to make an equivalent to EVERY theater company's standard pre-show announcement to "check your phones."

  2. Pam Bennett says:
    December 26, 2022 at 10:13 AM MST

    Well, a tremendous flop of a season gives a former head coach the opportunity to explore other options of life.  And what a flop it was.  I am old enough to remember the first years in the Sixties.  That was from Michigan so I did not smell the stench.  ('course the Lions are not that good – decade after decade . . ).

  3. MichaelBowman says:
    December 26, 2022 at 10:31 AM MST

    So much winning, #AmericaFirst edition. Did we ever get an audit of her “mileage reimbursement”?  #SixInchThumb’s “consulting contract”? 
     

    Russian state TV celebrates 'brave' Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz for undermining Ukraine

     

    The report concluded with a clip of Boebert.

    "Until Congress receives a full audit on where our money has already gone, I will not support sending additional money to this war," she said.

     

     

    • JohnInDenver says:
      December 26, 2022 at 11:04 AM MST

      Anyone here want to speculate whether Boebert would be able to pick a "full audit" out of a book shelf full of reports?  Or if found one, if she would be able to decide if the findings of such an audit are, in professional terms, better, worse, or just average among all defense spending audits?

      • MichaelBowman says:
        December 26, 2022 at 11:07 AM MST

        I doubt she can find Ukraine on a map without the help of her crack (moonlighting) PR wizard Fluffy. 
         

        Speaking of…

      • Matt A. Harry says:
        December 26, 2022 at 1:40 PM MST

        It might be easier for her if it were written in crayon. 

        • Negev says:
          December 26, 2022 at 3:46 PM MST

          She would not be alone….

          the poll, which found that the less people knew about Ukraine's location, the more they wanted to intervene militarily. 

          • MichaelBowman says:
            December 26, 2022 at 4:30 PM MST

            So you’re saying BoBo is an outlier within the general public?  The stuff the US is giving to Ukraine isn’t  junk, but it tends to be old and on the way out.

            Ukraine Converts $21.9 Billion In U.S. Military Surplus Into Fearsome Force

             

            • Negev says:
              December 26, 2022 at 5:42 PM MST

              Well, you know there is a proxy war when AK47 ammo is cheaper than AR15 ammo and you can get a "street value" of a Javelin missile so the Military Industrial Complex should thank those who support the intervention, whether they know where it is or not….hawk dems are like a whole new market….

              …but back to the poll, if you are a woman, or over 65 and highly support military intervention in Ukraine, there is a 85% chance you have no idea where it is. 

              • kwtree says:
                December 26, 2022 at 6:30 PM MST

                We do understand that you’re rootin’ for Putin. Many ( not all) of the old cold war and anti-communist veterans have made a 180 degreee turn to the autocratic side, now that Trump has made it clear that is his preference. 
                Old  loyalties and values are so inconvenient and quaint  nowadays, aren’t they? 
                And the new loyalties are so easily bought.

                • Negev says:
                  December 26, 2022 at 7:58 PM MST

                  Rootin’ for Putin and opposing US expansionism are two different things altogether. If America was put in a similar position Russia is in now, we would, and have, done the same thing with far less provocation..

                  • kwtree says:
                    December 26, 2022 at 8:49 PM MST

                    How precious that you oppose US expansionism. No doubt you were protesting Reagan’s invasion of Grenada, the United Fruit / CIA backed undermining of democracies in Guatemala, death squads in  El Salvador, Pinochet disappearing dissidents by the thousands in Chile, and your voice was heard opposing those US -backed dictators. Speaking up for small-d democracy and against American corporate expansionism. 

                    So pro-Democracy you are. We even saw your reasoned arguments against the Gulf war for oil. So much blood and treasure on both sides to protect oil profits. Yes, you’ve undoutedly been a freedom fighter all these decades, speaking up for people’s rights to determine their own destinies,  not merely propping up the expansion of US interests. 

                    • Duke Cox says:
                      December 27, 2022 at 8:04 AM MST

                      👍👍…completely agree.

                      I am curious, Negev. Are you equally opposed to American corporate expansionism as well as American political and military expansionism?

                      Curious, I am.

                       

                    • Negev says:
                      December 27, 2022 at 8:33 AM MST

                      Duke if you mean am I opposed to the U.S. corporations exploiting African resources for EV batteries and child labor in China to make Iphones? Yes. Yes I am.  

                      I am equally curious, would you oppose Russia installing a Soviet-style friendly leader in Canada, or maybe Mexico, and offer them protection and weaponry to combat U.S. intervention? 

                       

                       

                  • Conserv. Head Banger says:
                    December 27, 2022 at 8:28 AM MST

                    A problem you have, Negev, is that what you’re calling “US expansionism” is actually the desire of former provinces and client states of the former Soviet Union to be secure in their new freedoms. NATO and EU memberships have been two ways to accomplish that. Blaming “US expansionism” for the ongoing war on Ukraine ignores and overlooks the actual geopolitical situation in eastern Europe.

                    There is no Reply button on Negev’s reply, so I’ll answer here as an edit. Russia has warned of their concern over NATOs “creep” towards their borders. You still haven’t answered how you think what Russia thinks and wants should take precedence over the wishes for security of the Baltic States and other former members of the Soviet-dominated Warsaw Pact.

                    • Negev says:
                      December 27, 2022 at 9:10 AM MST

                      I get it CHB, totally. What I suggest is that understanding Russia’s actions does not equal supporting them. Russia has seen NATO creep towards their border for 30 years and has warned of this concern for decades. Suggesting this was not anticipated by both sides is fantasy. Exploiting it is reckless.  

                       

              • spaceman2021 says:
                December 27, 2022 at 7:56 AM MST

                "Guns for me, but not for thee," it seems.

          • JohnInDenver says:
            December 27, 2022 at 9:27 AM MST

            Yeah, that poll link is to NBC’s coverage of the poll in April 2014  — about a month after “Russian President Vladimir Putin signs the treaty of accession (annexation) with Crimean leaders in Moscow, 18 March 2014.”

            Morning Consult did an update THIS YEAR .. “This poll was conducted between February 7-February 7, 2022 among a sample of 2005 Registered Voters. ” — JUST BEFORE the recent Russian invasion. Crosstabs on that found those who could  and could not locate Ukraine properly answered this prompt:  The U.S. has a responsibility to protect and defend democracy in other countries

            ………strongly agree…. Somewhat agree … Somewhat disagree … Strongly disagree
            COULD 19% (131)………. 41% (281) ………….21% (142) ………….11% (73)

            NOT …..18% (231)………. 34% (449) ………….24% (316) ………….12% (157)

             

            • Negev says:
              December 27, 2022 at 10:09 AM MST

              Umm… if there was a sample of 2,005 voters polled and 131 of them could locate Ukraine AND strongly agree that the U.S. has a responsibility to protect and defend democracy in other countries, that's 6%. 

              • ajb says:
                December 27, 2022 at 1:27 PM MST

                That's one way to spin it.

                Or you could say that:
                – Roughly 1/3 of people surveyed could locate Ukraine.
                – A majority of people support protecting democracy, regardless of whether they could locate Ukraine.
                – People who could locate Ukraine are slightly more likely to support protecting democracy than those who could not.

                But go ahead and cherry-pick the stats you like. I imagine that most people would say they supported the U.S role in WWII, but couldn't locate Germany on a map, so I don't think that your chosen factoid means much.

                 

          • westslope says:
            December 27, 2022 at 11:01 AM MST

            It should be noted that the poll Negev refers to was taken in 2014.

            • Negev says:
              December 27, 2022 at 11:24 AM MST

              Please reflect on JID's poll instead!

              80% of the people who can identify the location of Ukraine do not strongly support U.S. responsibility to protect and defend.

              63% of those who strongly agree on U.S. support cannot locate Ukraine.

              94% of the total data pool cannot both strongly support U.S. defense AND locate Ukraine on a map.

               

               

              • ajb says:
                December 27, 2022 at 1:41 PM MST

                I love how you have to use only the "strongly agree" option to build your case. Let's rewrite your points from the perspective of "strongly disagree". 

                11% of the people who can identify the location of Ukraine strongly oppose U.S. responsibility to protect and defend.

                12% of those who strongly oppose on U.S. support cannot locate Ukraine.

                Less than 4% of the total data pool both strongly oppose U.S. defense AND can locate Ukraine on a map.

    • coloradosane says:
      December 26, 2022 at 11:26 AM MST

      Wrote a letter to her to "straighten up and fly right".  That as  USN and USA combat veteran Ukraine is fighting for US and all free world in this counter to authoritarian rule. Not holding my breath.  The Russian disinfo is really using these idiots. 

  4. MichaelBowman says:
    December 26, 2022 at 11:05 AM MST

    Can we all agree the best email discovered in the #HunterBidenPenisScandal is the one where Little Tucker asks Hunter to get his son help getting into college?!?

  5. DavidThi808 says:
    December 26, 2022 at 12:32 PM MST

    We Democrats are in a Bad Place Electorally

    The smallest shift in the Republicans favor and we're in a world of hurt

    • Blackie says:
      December 26, 2022 at 12:44 PM MST

      And why are we?

      Prime example: The new GOP representative from Long Island. Who vetted him? Who, in the Democratic Party in New York  did even a cursory background check on him? The Democratic candidate sure didn't.

      I could go for a while but it is a bit late now.  

      • ParkHill says:
        December 27, 2022 at 6:48 AM MST

        Santos was vetted… By the Republicans.

        It turns out that the Republican strategists in New York knew that Santos's resume was completely fake. They just kept laughing it up. You ALWAYS do oppo research on your own candidates as you don't want surprises later.

        Also, the local (Republican) newspapers knew, and their editorial pages reluctantly endorsed the Democrat. But, who reads the local papers anymore?

      • JohnInDenver says:
        December 27, 2022 at 9:45 AM MST

        I can't find a politician or media source calling Santos a liar and cheat … but

         * several people have pointed to local media publishing or airing discrepancies in the stories about his background.  larger circulation papers and large audience electronic media didn't republish or do follow-up.

         * there was info on previous crime in Brazil, evictions, and court case forcing him to repay a personal loan.

         * Talking Points Matter's Josh Marshall had a couple of stories about Santos complaining about how much it cost to fill us his tank while commuting … pointing out the math worked out to driving 1,000 miles a week for his 15-mile commute.

  6. Dano says:
    December 26, 2022 at 1:10 PM MST

    Alabama Senator Richard Shelby (R) is retiring this year after 36 years in the US Senate. I lived in Alabama when he was first elected and voted for him. He was a Democrat back then, but we already knew he would switch and was only surprised when it took him so long to do so.

    He is one of the last of the old guard GOP Senators who knew how to get money for his state. When push came to shove he "went along to get along" with the social conservatives, always voting for whatever was politically expedient. For him expedient meant, whatever he needed to do to get the votes he needed for his pet projects back home.

    Here is a good summation of his career and how beneficial he was to Alabama.: https://www.yahoo.com/news/shelby-one-senates-last-big-191432668.html

    While his lack of conviction might turn off many, I can't deny the man his results. Alabama's job market and overall economy owes him a big thank you.

  7. MichaelBowman says:
    December 26, 2022 at 10:46 PM MST

    Yet another Putin critic succumbs to … gravity. 
     

Leave a Reply

Comment from your Facebook account


You may comment with your Colorado Pols account above (click here to register), or via Facebook below.