Sunday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Sunday, March 5, 2023
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32 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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I’ll try to be brief.
Our business is selling food to various government agencies. The federal and state governments publish requests for proposals largely as open invitations (ie anyone can participate). How they publish varies by state. The bottom line is I have to look up several websites daily to catch them, and we also subscribe to a service that performs similar searches and notifies us.
There’s also an inscription period, which also varies a lot. Some require a payment, for instance. The length of the period depends on applicable laws, but the mean is no less than three days.
Well, Friday the effing state of Puebla published 11 (eleven) invitations for their social programs. We hate these, because we have little chance of winning them and they are a lot of work. This time, though, they published them rather late on Friday, with the inscription period being only that day between 9 am and 4 pm. I found them around 5 pm, so we were out.
I’m a bit concerned the boss will go on a rant that I don’t look up such things well enough. I did look up the website in the morning, and again around 5. That’s standard when we have no reason to expect a publication. The notification service didn’t catch it either. And the supervisor I reported this to reported to the boss the publication was late in the day.
Most of all I’m hugely relieved. We have a very heavy workload as is, for projects we have good chances of winning, and don’t need the distraction of low probability of a win with a heavier workload still. And the supervisor felt the same way.
Donald Trump at CPAC yesterday: “I don’t consider myself a celebrity.”
This from the person who gifted us with Celebrity Apprentice.
@Kathy:
Don’t worry about it. Unless your boss is a total maniac, she/he should be reasonable about this. As far as I can tell, you do your job well.
It seems that the problem, if there is one, is at Puebla’s end.
Today is National Grammar Day. Somebody alert the commenters at Lucianne.com.
“If it’s not Trump, I won’t vote,” said an attendee at CPAC yesterday.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/05/cpac-trump-maga
If the Democrats are worried about not winning in 2024, I don’t see why.
Bad Projection Is Ruining the Movie Theater Experience Multiplexes are failing at their most basic function: delivering a bright, sharp image.
More evidence that the world is ending.
When we lived in StL, there was a 1920’s movie palace that had been sub-divided into 3 viewing rooms and an opulently restored lobby. The stock-in-trade was small independent films that wouldn’t be a consideration for a multiplex. Typically I took in 2-4 films a month. Since leaving StL, we’ve been to a multiplex once. Their was a makeshift, storefront, ~200 seat theater in Newburyport, but I’m not sure that survived Covid, everything else is all Marvel, or similar, on all screens.
Between streaming and the local library’s cache of DVDs, there is no reason to go.
@CSK:
Alas, they’ll think you mean that they should call their grandmother, which would be a good thing.
@Sleeping Dog:
Do you mean The Screening Room on State St. in N’port? It’s still going.
.Came across some discussion at Progress Pond re the following links:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/1/2155645/-Opposition-to-Mar-a-Lago-search-confirms-the-FBI-is-badly-broken-and-Christopher-Wray-needs-to-go
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/03/01/fbi-dispute-trump-mar-a-lago-raid/
After discussing those links for a bit, Martin Longman goes on to say this:
(paywalled though, so no linky)
We haven’t been to a movie theater in ages, even pre-covid. The last few times were so annoyingly awful I just don’t see the point. One particularly memorable visit had a man directly behind us who cleared his throat seemingly every minute and a family in front of us who were constantly checking their phones (this is VERY distracting in a dark theater). Adding in the volume and crowds and I’ve pretty much noped my way out of ever going again. Not to mention this new trend of nearly 3 hour movies and I just am not interested.
When she shows up here, I want to draw BETH‘s attention to this article by Yvonne Abraham in The Boston Globe today, titled “As DeSantis makes Their Child a Target, A Family Decides to Relocate Her to Massachusetts.”
http://www.bostonglobe.com
The Florida family researched the pros and cons and found that Massachusetts was the most trans-friendly state.
The rest of you will find it interesting, too.
I read Dr Joyners post yesterday regarding Experts and have several thoughts:
1. It would be useful to know which experts. “The Experts” is kind of a nameless blob like “The IC” which people assign good or bad behavior to–to drive a narrative. “The experts” as a monolith is exactly who? A helpful rule of thumb is if they are on national mediums, they are not an expert—but are knowledgeable AND can communicate concepts to non-knowlegable people. Many actual experts have a hard time communicating their knowledge with people that don’t have a baseline of understanding.
2. What are the examples of expert Hubris? I ask because it wasn’t clear, and this is a common theme of people here in DeSantistan…how the Libruhls and pointy heads are arrogant SOBs. I understand that this is not an native observation by these people…it is, rather, planted via disinformation campaigns over the years to stoke anger against Government. In my secretary’s mind (she watches Fox incessantly) Faucci = arrogant while Ted Cruz = not arrogant.
3. There is a pecking order within the Intel Community. It’s not absolute (depends on the subject matter in question.) But it’s fair to say that FBI and DOE would be the runts of the litter for making an assessment that would require well-placed Human and Signals intelligence in Wuhan, China. When is the last time you saw any national coverage of a DOE or FBI intel assessment? Someone in those organizations have connections with Fox and leaked the reports….I doubt it was even anyone in their Intel production centers..
4. We have to cut Dr Joyner some slack. He’s not a Liberal, Progressive, Democrat, or Technocrat. He’s a lives in Alabama…that’s going to inform alot of his viewpoint–which he is gracious enough to share. It is only my training in mis/disinformation that has kept me from being swallowed up by the RW wurtlizer here.
5. After reading James commentary over the years I think his conclusions are fair in light of his experiences which is the best place any of us can be as humans learning as we go.
@Kathy:
You’re very interested in aviation, so here’s this:
http://www.wcvb.com/article/passenger-dies-private-jet-severe-turbulence-massachusetts-new-england/43191524
The Texas Republican Party engages in Soviet-style criticism and purges. This yesterday:
Texas Republicans censure Rep. Tony Gonzales over votes on guns, same-sex marriage
Representative Gonzalez response:
I like this. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with Chip Roy (TX district 21) whose main job is to find TV and talk radio shows to go and and get rants for his Facebook page.
I think Gonzalez should take a shot across McCarthy’s bow and make a motion to vacate McCarthy’s position.
@Jim Brown 32: Very good analysis. To me this is the key observation
The MSM treat this as some sort of naturally occurring populism. The same is true of CRT in grade school and anti-trans. Dominion has given everybody an opportunity to acknowledge that this stuff did not rise organically, bottom up, but is manufactured by FOX. And the MSM is showing no inclination to do so.
@CSK:
Related, new laws under consideration in Florida:
The state has the right to seize children with transgender parents or siblings, even children living in other states:
Senator proposes bill giving state “emergency jurisdiction” over custody of kids with trans parents
Non-custodial parents of transgender children may legally kidnap those children and flee to Florida with them:
https://twitter.com/Esqueer_/status/1631736816184463360?s=20
@CSK:
Yes, the Screening Room was where I was referring to. Their survival is good to hear, maybe we should get off the couch…
@Sleeping Dog:
Here’s the website with coming attractions:
http://www.newburyportmovies.com
Wow. I can’t imagine this happening in our country or our Reservists or Guard taking a stand like this. I don’t know enough of Israeli politics to know how to react.
Elite Israeli Reserve Air Force Pilots Refuse to Serve as Long as Netanyahu’s Constitutional Coup Continues
@Stormy Dragon:
I don’t think this will work out the way the Florida legislator wants it to.
@CSK:
thanks
Trump says he won’t drop out of the 2024 race even if he’s indicted by a federal or state investigative body.
This reminds me of James Michael Curley, who ran for re-election to the mayoralty of Boston from a prison cell–and won.
@CSK: I know of two historical examples of presidential candidates who ran while in prison: Eugene Debs in 1920, and Lyndon LaRouche in 1992.
However, it’s hard for me to imagine someone in prison being able to run a full, modern campaign.
That said, while it’s possible Trump will be indicted sometime in the next two years, I highly doubt he’ll be in prison by that point (if ever). These cases take years.
@CSK:
There’s too little info on the exact circumstances and events. It’s made some aviation blogs by now, entirely due to the fatality.
@Kylopod:
Well, it’s hard to do rallies when you’re in the slammer.
Like you, though, I don’t imagine Trump will ever be incarcerated. Pity.
@CSK:
The Trans group I’m part of has been working on ways that we can help people and families in that situation. It’s going to get so much worse as the bans take effect. It’s so disheartening.
As for that FL parent kidnap statute, it’s gonna work great. A ton of parents will be so terrified of their partners that kids will be forcibly detransitioned, more trans kids will kill themselves and the Ruy Texerias of the world will tell us it’s our fault.
You know what sucks? Giving a 70lb pitbull a bath with a 9 and 6 year old. Pretty sure there is more water on the floor than the dog.
Adding to the joy, about a week ago I jammed my acrylic nail hard enough to bleed and score a yoga mat. It feels like my whole nail is about to fall out. My finger is throbbing now.
Well, even before I fled the state 40+ years ago, I knew that Seattle was different. But for those in shopping mode, looking for the perfect gift for your GQP wannabe insurrectionist, may I suggest that a gold-plated WASR-10 (AK-47) complete with gold-plated 30-round magazine? It’s a bargain at just under $5k.
Seriously? A shiny 24k plated AK47? Be still my beating heart. Snicker snicker.
ETA link: https://www.gunbroker.com/c/video/seattle-engraving-center-gold-plated-century-arms-wasr-10-ak-47-rifle/?trk_msg=E5GRINNTONM4R0C61C5KISAOBS&trk_contact=GS15K5MVCI0MS49VQR46DFROFG&trk_sid=7RH1FJT5P3QLOQ9V0JBSAKGUJC&trk_link=0B8PC81VLVKKLD5VQTJ763V5SG&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Article-Seattle+Engraving+Center+Gold+Plated+Century+Arms+WASR-10+AK-47&utm_campaign=GB+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_content=2023-03-04+-+GB+Weekly+Newsletter+-+Fantasy+Firearms
@Flat Earth Luddite:
Ugly and tacky all in one package. The Centauri would call that very efficient.
@Kathy:
Thanks for the B5 reference! That’s pretty much where my head was at looking at that particular abomination. At least the auction (with available buy it now option) doesn’t include plated ammo, right?
*There were a couple of interviews years ago that stuck in my head. One was an interview with Hero of the Revolution Kalashnikov berating the Americans for forcing him to develop the abomination AK74 (he apparently hated 5.56 equivalent ammo for long guns) and interviews with a former weapons expert at the Smithsonian (Dr. William Smith IIRC) who’d been SF in Vietnam. Both would have made excellent advisors to Ambassador Mollari.
@Flat Earth Luddite: While I do wonder if it is time to get a gun, now that Republicans are openly calling for the eradication of “transgenderism” (and then whining when they are reported as advocating the eradication of transgender people, which is clearly what they meant), and I know that the rest of the LGBTetc will be next so I have a very real, direct stake in all of this … I think I would want a gun that looks a little less gay. Or a better gay at least.
That thing looks like a mid-1970s gay porn prop.
Ok, I know toy guns have to be ridiculous colors to avoid being confused with real guns, but is it legal for real guns to look like toys? Not sure if a rainbow colored rifle would be my thing, but…
Also, Puget Sound Socialist Rifle Association looks like either a real thing, or some kind of low budget FBI sting operation.
https://www.pugetsoundsra.org/
@Gustopher:
A while back I watched a video where a Nazi guy called up a progressive YouTuber. At one point he commented that he had nothing against Jews personally, and that what he opposed was “international Jewry.”