Saturday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Saturday, February 26, 2022
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72 comments
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a 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).
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Fraturday!
Woot. Nothing like shooting until 6am Saturday morning as a way to end your week.
Yay.
For the record:
It’s still a shitty way to treat one’s employees. I also have a feeling UPS is going to be real sorry they did this.
I am shocked, shocked I tell you.
More Republicans have negative view of Biden than of Putin, poll finds
They like Putin so much, they should move there.
@OzarkHillbilly:
Interestingly, the split wasn’t as big as I thought it might be: 81% of Republicans view Putin negatively while 85% of Democrats do.
Perhaps Trump’s stranglehold is loosening.
A van just drove by me. The hook from “Notorious Thugs” by The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony emanated from the lowered passenger window. The van creeped; a bumper sticker:
I’ll be honest and tell you I couldn’t bring myself to read it. My blood pressure counsels against some things. At this point I always expect the worst so I am happy to be wrong.
My hero.
@OzarkHillbilly:
If Putin keeps slaughtering Ukrainians, and Trump keeps insisting what a genius Putin is, I wonder what the upshot will be.
The world is far more dangerous for some than it is for others. Reeves should just stay at home, barricade his doors and hide.
So I just found out that P&G has discontinued Old Spice classic scent, so now I’m bummed because I’m going to have to choose new bodywash, after shave, deodorant, etc.
A handy little widget from the CDC:
Another good reason to avoid going to FLA.
The way that they have interpreted their ‘stand my ground’ law is empowering crazies.
Extensive voter fraud found. Perpetrated by the usual suspects.
Jonathan V. Last this morning on Volodymyr Zelensky.
@EddieInCA:
I know the feeling.
But rather than tell you a story of my own, I’ll relate that of my coworkers just yesterday.
I left the office on Thursday around 8 pm. Two teams were uploading proposals to two government agencies (literal mountains of gigabytes of scanned documents). I figured they’d be finished by 1 or 2 am, as usual.
Friday I arrived at the office at 7:30, as usual. One team was still at it. Not uploading per se, but scanning documents and preparing others. I didn’t interrupt with stupid questions like “Have you been here all night?” but did check the deadline. they had until 10 am to finish uploading.
They were done at 9:43 am (I’ve the record from the website).
Once they were done, they headed out for breakfast. As they were going out, I said to them “good thing the boss isn’t coming in today.”
“I need ammunition, not a ride.” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy
I think this will be come one of those quotes that will stand alongside Churchill’s “blood, soil, sweat, and tears” and Roosevelt’s “day of infamy.”
@Kurtz: Hahahahahahaha. Maybe it was Candace Owens, she loved this year’s Super Bowl halftone show.
Notorious Thugs is a great song tho. I mean, even antivaxxers and racists cannot deny that backing track.
I won’t even put the two remarks in the same comment.
Compared to this sniveling coward.
@CSK:
Last week there was an OpEd in the Times to the effect that Zelensky was prepared to what he faced. That may have been true, but few politicians are prepared to face an existential crisis. He has certainly risen to the occasion.
@Sleeping Dog: Zelensky is a truly great man, truly. An absolute hero. Brave.
But. After days of stress eating, I am now regularly back in touch with a Ukrainian friend and travel buddy, who had to leave Kyiv yesterday due to Putin’s military assault (cannot leave the country, although he got his mother out).
Some Ukrainians are upset Zelensky’s goverment downplayed the threat of invasion. Those folks believed him and felt they were not properly prepped for this.
FWIW, they also feel left alone and betrayed by their allies. It is tragic.
My friend does not speak for all Ukrainians.
God save Zekensky and Ukraine.
@Mister Bluster:
Remember when he said he would have run into Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School and disarmed the shooter singlehandedly, selflessly braving all those flying bullets to rescue others?
Yeah, I thought it was horseshit, too.
I predict that there will be no supernatural intervention or miracles in this crisis.
@Sleeping Dog:
Some linkies:
https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko
https://twitter.com/delfoo
Some more:
https://news.usni.org/
https://news.usni.org/2022/02/25/russian-navy-launches-amphibious-assault-on-ukraine
And more:
https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1497617984466165762
https://twitter.com/delfoo/status/1497498201527521281
I don’t know how credible, but interesting if true.
I’ll add to those links:
https://twitter.com/GrammarGirl/status/1497624259119575042
and
https://twitter.com/zebra_1312/status/1497359063855808512
I really, really hope this one is accurate:
https://twitter.com/aaronbrazell/status/1497628038896533505
@Jen:
Aaron Brazell added that the info in his tweet will never be confirmed or denied.
@DK:
That is a fair criticism of Zelensky. The explanation for downplaying the possibility of an invasion was, not to scare the people and not to provide Putin with an excuse to attack. Both were wishful thinking and are part of the argument that he wasn’t up to the challenge.
As of a couple of weeks ago, Ukraine hadn’t deployed the advanced anti-tank weapons that the US had provided, they hadn’t dug tank traps and trenches to slow the advance. Even some anti-aircraft systems weren’t deployed. Quite likely none of these things would have made a lot of difference it stopping the Russian advance, but they would have added to the pain the Russian’s felt before the brutal urban warfare that is commencing.
He’s not above criticism, but that pales in comparison to his actions sense the fighting started.
@CSK: Oh, I know. I don’t need confirmation, I just really hope it’s true.
Germany confirms it’s sending Stingers and anti-tank missiles:
https://twitter.com/Bundeskanzler/status/1497632817450266632
@Sleeping Dog:
That is an important point. When fighting a stronger opponent in your own territory, the way to get them to leave is to keep hurting them. See the Soviets in Afghanistan, the Americans in Afghanistan, the Americans in Vietnam, the French in Vietnam, etc.
As to Zelensky, a person can be morally brave and still make bad or mistaken decisions.
Another fun thread that I hope is accurate:
https://twitter.com/RihoTerras/status/1497537193346220038
@Jen:
If it is true, and I hope it is, it won’t be a secret for long.
@Jen:
Heartening to read that.
@Mister Bluster: Yep, God doesn’t care.
The Trucker convoy that was poised to crush DC and force Biden to resign has quit.
https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article258817348.html
I’ll wait for everybody to look and find their “shocked” faces.
@CSK: @Jen: I am skeptical, to say the least.
Know your information sources and bullshit checking
More at the link. The piece is by David Anderson. He is not a military expert. He is a healthcare analyst. His expertise is in working with numbers. He’s a pretty smart guy, and he has a good bullshit detector.
At this point in time, 95-99% of everything we read is BS, the fog of war and all that. The person sending it out may well believe it is true and some of it even may well be but…
@OzarkHillbilly: I suspected as much when Cindy Otis deleted her tweet (she responded to the original tweet by noting that surrounding oneself with yes men tends to lead to poor decision-making). That said, it’s from a member of European Parliament, which extends some veracity. The fact that it’s making the rounds means that…
…they are taking a page out of Putin’s playbook. I’m fine with it being spread far and wide. It’s doing the job it’s designed to do. 😉
ABC is reporting that Zelenskyy says Russia will be bounced from SWIFT.
Frank Luntz would like someone to sponsor him to go to Ukraine to conduct focus groups:
https://twitter.com/FrankLuntz/status/1497653725065670656
If their politicians are anything like our politicians who do little more than blow smoke up our collective asses…
@OzarkHillbilly: In this case though, they are blowing smoke up Putin’s ass. I couldn’t be happier.
@Jen:
I had never heard of Aaron Brazell, but he claims to be a senior developer with the NBA. Where is he getting his information?
@CSK:
It may not be true, but may have been leaked by someone (Ukraine, the US, NATO, any/all) to get the Russians to waste time and resources looking for them.
@CSK: He’s a tech guy, WordPress and such. I think he’s written a few books on it. It’s entirely possible that he’s just spitballing/guessing, however, I don’t think it’s implausible–the lead-up to this has taken enough time that there certainly could be special forces/intel groups on the ground there. Like everything else at this stage, it should be taken with a grain of salt, but I certainly hope it’s the case.
And, regardless, having huge waves of this sort of speculation all over Twitter must be absolutely getting under Putin’s skin, especially since YouTube pulled the plug on RT’s monetization. The more stuff out there that makes Putin look disorganized and things chaotic, the better.
@Kathy: That’s a good thought too.
Putin has been so adept at social media manipulation that I’m hoping he’s getting a taste of his own tactics.
@Kathy: @Jen:
Ah, psy-ops.
More fuel for the fire: Zelenskyy says that Turkey has agreed to shut down access to the Black Sea for Russian warships, but Erdogan hasn’t confirmed or denied this.
@CSK: Exactly.
I think it is highly likely that Putin was counting on Zelenskyy fleeing, and the widespread sharing of his refusal (gawd, what a quote) to do so is as effective a weapon in that department as any. Zelenskyy is now approaching the status of a legend, if not there already. This is not turning out as Vlad had planned. Let the mind games continue.
@Jen:
I’ve seen a fair amount of speculation that Putin is ill–physically ill, because of his appearance. Maybe he is; maybe he isn’t. But the speculation won’t boost his self-image.
Stepping away from international politics and war:
Recipes have ceased to exist
I’m hungry for gyros, but there are no Greek restaurants in town, and I’m guessing the pre-packaged gyro meat at the grocery store is probably not healthy. I’m a cook, I know how to make stuff, I’ll just look up the ingredients for gyro meat, and modify it to use chicken.
Google doesn’t return a simple list of ingredients. It’s all videos, step-by-step illustrated instructions, and magazine-length blog posts about how the author used to have gyros at Grandma’s house.
Those of us that actually know how to cook are, apparently, not worth Google’s time.
@Mu Yixiao:
Like this?
http://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240559/traditional-gyros/
@Mu Yixiao:
The “magazine-length blog post” stuff is to score higher on Google, as one of the algorithms equates post length with authority.
Here’s a good one I’ve used: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gyro-meat-with-tzatziki-sauce-recipe-2047710
I buy a lamb from a 4-H gal every year specifically to turn the big roasts into gyro meat. Cook it long and slow in the oven on a rack, baste it with beer (any beer will do). Slice thin, then brown it in a skillet with butter and your choice of “mediterranean” spices. I make the tzatziki sauce with greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cucumber, lemon juice, dill weed, and a little bit of mint. It’s pretty good.
There’s a hole in the wall Greek place in Salt Lake City called Chicken Express on State St, they actually roast the meat on a giant spit you can see through a window. This is the closest I’ve been able to come to the meat tasting like theirs without a giant flaming spit. 😛
I have yet to master the art of pita bread, unfortunately.
@CSK: Nothing. “Ukrainia is waaaaaayyyy over there, and I don’t even know any Ukrainianites or whatever they’re called.”
@OzarkHillbilly: “Reeves should just stay at home, barricade his doors and hide.”
Why? He just shot a guy in anger and got off with claiming it was self-defense because “I’m a policeman and know stuff.” Moving out of Florida? That I wouldn’t recommend.
@Stormy Dragon: I’ll refer you to the advice of, I believe, Elke Sommer who claimed the best fragrance for a man was “soap.”
@Just nutha ignint cracker:
You may well be right. Still, I detect some discomfort in my casual survey of the denizens of MAGAWorld. They know they’re supposed to love Trump, and by extension his BFF Putin, but, as patriotic Americans, they’re also supposed to love people (white people, anyway) courageously fighting off a bully. It’s a quandary for them.
It seems the best they can do is to completely ignore Trump’s comments and concentrate on hating Vlad the Oppressor.
@OzarkHillbilly:
Should be 2B/day rubles, not dollars, Anderson flipping out over what is basically a typo, misstating the money numbers.
@CSK: At 450 calories/serving, I don’t see any particular reason to think that the premade gyros you buy in the store is less healthy. My objection is that, at least where I’m shopping, gyros slices are pretty expensive and probably not particularly good quality. But over the whole, I’m still just as good with a meat loaf sandwich–and I haven’t made any meatloaf in years. I did buy some braunschweiger recently. That was a nice change.
@Mu Yixiao:
If you mean the vertical spit type gyros, they are a bit tricky to make at home.
I’ve done it, but koftas or just marinated lamb are way easier.
If you want to, I’ve found the best way is a mix of fairly coarse lamb mince, with a high fat content, and very finely diced lamb.
Some grated onion (heh, spellcheck just suggested “grated Ionian LOL) and crushed garlic (ratio of about 1 smallish onion and two or three cloves per pound meat).
Add some spices (I use ground cumin seed, coriander seed, oregano, smoked paprika, Ras al Hanout) pack tightly into a baking tin, bake c. 40 min gas 6, then slice and brown under a gas grill.
Personally, I generally just go to the local Turkish kebab shop; less trouble and only £5. 🙂
@Just nutha ignint cracker:
Mu can’t get gyros where he lives; that’s why he asked for the recipe.
Thank you for reminding me about braunschweiger. I must buy some. Love it.
@CSK:
Who the hell puts hummus in a gyro?
@Mu Yixiao:
Aha, here’s one of the the recipes I based mine on.
Main difference is my version uses oven baking, so the melted fat permeates the meat.
Less healthy, but who eats gyros/doner as health food anyways?
There’s salad with it!
That’s healthy! 🙂
@Mu Yixiao:
Well, proper shawarma sauce (which is a related kinda cousin to doner and gyros) is yogurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon and tahini. IMO. YMMV.
@JohnSF:
No. I mean the seasonings that are in gryo meat.
Or, more specifically: The ingredients (especially seasonings) in dish X so I can modify the recipe to meat my own tastes and dietary restrictions.
When I type “What spices are used in gyro meat” I don’t want an “authentic” step-by-step. I don’t want a long description. I certainly don’t want a video.
I just want a list of ingredients.
Gyro ingredients is just today’s example. The point is that Google has stopped being a search engine (a tool to find what you ask for) and has become a tool to push stuff. It’s Clippy on steroids. It insists on being “helpful”–which, 99.9999999% of the time is exactly the opposite.
@Mu Yixiao:
Beats me. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Don’t like the recipe? Don’t use it.
You asked. I answered.
@Just nutha ignint cracker:
What’s a serving size? And what’s the sodium content? And the fat/cholesterol? Preservatives? Additives? Allergens?
I can pretty much guarantee that what I make at home is going to be more healthy than whatever’s in the freezer at the grocery store (I say that as someone who used to stock the freezer at the grocery store). 🙂
What happens if the entire world decides Putin is a threat to global stability and deals with it? What’s the…cough cough…protocol?
@Kathy: In a Twitter thread linked above, Stanimir Dobrev says:
Granted, it’s good to be skeptical, but it could also be that the UA and Ukranian govt was engaging in some “rope-a-dope”.
@Mu Yixiao: First of all, I am a former Google employee. I am not super thrilled with everything they do these days, but full disclosure.
So I typed “what spices are used in gyro meat” into Google. The first link is not a paid link, it is a recipe for gyro meat. This seems to me like a very good answer, but it seems to upset you, and I’m curious about that. I click through and I very quickly find that the spices used in gyro meat are garlic, oregano, cumin, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, black pepper and salt.
There are also, on the results page, three images of gyro meat with an ingredients list below them, which includes spices.
Sometimes, I do get irritated by the results I get from Google, but this would not be one of them. The information I seek is readily available, on the results page. I don’t have to click through, unless I want confirmation.
I truly do not understand what bothers you about this query. I find it hard to imagine a web page existing that had the spices in gyro meat that wasn’t a recipe. It might exist, I suppose, but it would have very poor page rank, because for most people, they would be looking to make gyro meat, or a recipe would be enough information.
@Jax:
Does the name Ghadafi ring a bell? NATO can be scary and swift when it wants to be.
Putin was supposed to have rebuilt the Russian Army into one of the world’s scariest, but I doubt NATO’s military command structure is as worried about that today as it was last week. And someone in the Russian military has been handing over an awful lot of intel to the CIA, so…