BillyBadAss

Could they be using all the O2 and going dormant?

Pretty poorly supported article, imo. At least on the IT side it gave very few examples. Take Amazon. What patents are they holding that got Bezos rich by stifling competition? There are plenty of e-commerce companies, and Azure and Google and others have competing cloud services. The barriers to entry in those areas aren't, to my knowledge, around IP that nobody else can recreate. Bezos got rich by innovation and common practices in all industries where the big guys buy or bury their competition. I'm sure there are some cases where a questionable patent or copyright stifled competition, but I don't see it being a major factor.

B_T, you have me curious. Beto had about as much momentum as I could imagine in 2018. He was pretty damn progressive, he mostly came across as genuine, he was charismatic, women loved him. He campaigned very hard statewide. Hell, willie nelson publicly supported him. He got more press than any statewide candidate that I can remember. He was running against Ted fucking Cruz with Trump in the WH. You think he wasn't progressive enough to motivate more potential D voters? I appreciate your view points, but i just can't buy it. Who are these potential D voters who weren't motivated to turn out in 2018 just waiting to be wooed?

I think most here are arguing that the Texas Dem Party should NOT focus on gun control as an issue. Recognize you're not going to win on that right now, and focus on things you can possibly do something about. And if gun control is your thing, maybe attack it from a different angle - focus on mental health services and care instead.

If you want to fire up democratic voter bases in Texas I'd argue there are much better issues to focus on than gun control. Gun control is guaranteed to lose you a fixed/large percentage of voters. Maybe most of those voters wouldn't support you anyway, but gun control all but guarantees quite a few won't listen to another word you say. If there is to be any meaningful gun control legislation it has to start at the federal level. And frankly is Sandy Hook didn't tip the scales, you have to conclude it's a losing proposition for the foreseeable future. Why hamstring yourself with it?

Well, I'm not necessarily saying anyone here is wrong - many good points made and I certainly don't know the definitive "solution". The fact seems that it's an uphill battle no matter what so maybe nothing will work short of the old "wait for the demographics to change." The real goal I think is to do whatever necessary to gain control of the redistricting process and un-gerrymander the state. That is a prerequisite to be able to affect any policy change in this state, IMO. Even if a majority would support more progressive policy it doesn't matter right now - it won't win most places because it's a stacked deck. @Mrs Whiggins raised some good points about gerrymandering and starting local.

Without controlling the legislature and Governor's office they won't be able to deliver on any promises - which won't help future races. I guess you could still hammer those issues and promise to fight for them, but I don't see it helping to get a critical mass elected. I'm more in-line that they need to run common-sense, moderate Texans whom people can relate to and who don't trigger the red-button issues.

But how do you get "regular people"? Regular people can't up and quit their jobs to run for office. You have to either: - be a supported spouse - in which case you're probably raising kids or wealthy - be wealthy - work in politics professionally - on campaigns, as staff, etc. So that if you don't win your race you still can get a job back in politics easily working for someone who did win.

Selective parts of GWBs "compassionate conservatism" shtick could fly with moderates and dems alike in this state. I mean, not the actual neo-con and anti-environment parts, but the "idea" of it. Neonmoon stated it pretty well. I still wonder if Beto had STFU about guns if he would have won. So. fucking. close.

Some good discussion here about how these people fell into it, and what to do about it. I think it's a confluence of Trump appealing to large groups of previously apolitical people, right-wing media's increasing demonization of the left for the last 20? years, and social media algorithms. You get large groups of people suddenly paying attention because they like the orange man, what news they have received or paid attention to the last X years has constantly told them the other side is basically evil, then some whackos with youtube channels peddling conspiracy theories start getting pushed at them in a feedback loop. Oh, and let's not forget Russia's social media manipulation to help kick things off. The good news, perhaps, is that the social media part can be fixed if Google/Facebook are willing to do so. And without the orange man hopefully people start to lose interest in politics again.

Since nobody will really be there, I would really love it if the new Press Secretary starts the first briefing claiming it was the largest inauguration crowd of all time with a big shit eating grin- just to troll the fuckers.

I've spent way too much time on those two sites lately trying to figure those people out and waiting for them to realize it's all been BS. But with each new disappointment they seem to carry on believing and making up new shit. It's just fucking bizarre.

Not sure the confederate flag guy is correct. In the FBI photo looks like he has a teardrop tattoo, here he does not: https://twitter.com/FBIWFO/status/1348484677288534019/photo/1 Hairline looks different as well. Face is similar.

Pretty sure I just saw on CNN that the FBI is looking for info on this guy. Not sure if he's mis-identified here, or we have one up on the FBI on this one. edit: yep - they are: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/11/politics/confederate-flag-man-fbi-tips-trnd/index.html

I'm so gotdamned happy the reign of Mitch is coming to an end. Fuckin A. Gotdamn shit bird.

If the Boglehead "method" is basically to just buy 3 specific mutual funds and leave them alone save for a yearly re-balance, I don't quite understand why the forum is so busy.

If I'm thinking of putting in a pool, what am I looking at cost-wise in (SW) Austin right now? I'm thinking around 12k gallons is likely about the size I could fit. Prefer rounded corners over square, but could possibly compromise if square is much cheaper. Prefer salt water. Basic decking. Want a Spa. 6' depth in deep end would be a plus. Also, any recommended companies or ones to avoid?

WAPO headline: "63-year-old Anthony Q. Warner is a person of interest in Christmas blast in Nashville, authorities say" https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/12/26/after-nashville-blast-tennessee-governor-asks-trump-emergency-disaster-declaration/ It'll be interesting to see what what the nuts do with that name..

DPS operates much differently than a local PD. The focus and modus operandi of (primarily) highway enforcement and supplementing smaller county LE is just much different than a large city police force. I don't see DPS wanting to take this on or having the expertise.

Great posts Horn4Life. I was dumped into coaching my daughter's team starting in Kindergarten and adopted a very similar philosophy as you, though not nearly as refined. Great ideas there - I wish I had that when I started. I can attest - ditching almost all drills and playing fun games works wonders for the younger kids. Having a ball at every kids feet for 90% of practice improved every kid and made it fun. They all wanted to come to practice every week, and every kid re-signed up over the 3 seasons I coached. We also dominated most of our games, though I had a couple of exceptionally talented kids so not sure I can take full credit there. Here was a regular game we played which was especially good and the kids liked: Freeze Monster Tag: select 1 or 2 kids to be the "freeze monsters" and have them start away from the other kids. All the rest each have a ball and are boxed into half the field (can freely dribble around). When you release the monsters they try to steal the balls. If they get one away from a kid, that kid is frozen. When frozen you stand with the ball over your head and legs spread apart. If another kid kicks their ball through your legs you are unfrozen and can dribble around again. If the freeze monsters freeze everyone they win. Rotate so every kid has about equal time being a monster. Another thing I found helpful - we would close most practices with a team scrimmage. Sometimes I'd get the parents/siblings involved and have the kids play their parents/coaches/siblings. They loved that - it really brought out their competitiveness. And it also allowed them to see first-hand how effective spacing and passing can be which is really hard to teach to the younger kids. When they all charge the ball and the parent passes to a wide open other parent - they learn quick to play a little defense without having to try to drill that stuff.

That's an option.. hate to waste a bird unless it will likely be ruined or unsafe.

Wife got a curbside pickup fresh turkey from HEB. I put it in the fridge not noticing a 1 inch tear in the bag and the thing leaks all over the fridge. I'm assuming it's still safe? But wondering now if the lost juices will affect it. I'm planning to brine it Wednesday and smoke it Thurs. Y'all think the brining will restore any lost moisture? Or what would you do?

What's interesting re: the House choosing the POTUS is that each state's delegation gets a single vote. According to the article The Dog posted, the GOP has a majority delegation in 26 states - but that would change after the election. The new Congress is sworn in Jan 3 and receives the Electoral College votes Jan 6.

It's pretty clearly laid out what happens if the President is incapacitated or dies. It's clear what happens if the Pres and VP both die. It's less clear, as I understand it, as to what happens if the Pres and VP are both incapacitated. Also less clear what happens if someone dies during or after the election. WAPO ran this recently which discusses some of it: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/continuity-government-trump-coronavirus/2020/10/02/f20143f8-04ca-11eb-897d-3a6201d6643f_story.html