The Frankish Reich

Fair point. And I realize the conversation here shifted (and not initially through my posts) to vaccines in general, including all the time-tested ones like MMR and polio. Maybe this belongs under a new thread. Even if you aren't RFK Jr you should recognize that vaccines aren't totally risk-free for the recipient. Understood. The risks, however, are very, very small. But in a very, very large population, that means some documented severe adverse reactions. But any cost-benefit calculus will show that the benefits to vaccinating 100% of the population against once-common childhood diseases (think MMR) overwhelmingly exceed the costs. States that allow "conscience objections" are making an incredibly poor policy choice. Remember: ordered liberty. Not anarchy. Or it could be the nice oil industry family who took a vacation in Cancun?

Well it must have been one of those posts I ignored. I actually have friends who are ICE agents. Let me express my very Christian opposition. My idea here: Christianity is a communitarian faith. It is not raw individualism. It is not a faith that honors the free rider ("let everyone else do the hard thing like getting a vaccine and let me sit back and benefit from herd immunity"). Or at least so I thought.

yeah, illegal Mexicans probably took a raft to Samoa too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Samoa_measles_outbreak

History of the Mennonites in Gaines County, Texas. https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2010/11/07/mennonites-bring-change-accept-change-gaines-county/15256780007/ They were in Canada in the 70s. Canada required that their kids be taught in English. They set up a settlement in Mexico. Then in the late 70s they came north to Texas. They were "illegal immigrants," but not what you likely think of when you think of Mexican immigrants. Anyway, INS wanted to deport them. The community was outraged. Senator Lloyd Bentsen (who knew Jack Kennedy, who was a friend of his, or so I've heard) sponsored a bill making them permanent residents. Then their kids were native born citizens, and so too their grandkids. And even though it is apparently not Mennonite (Anabaptist tradition) doctrine that vaccines are not permitted, Texas (in its wisdom) says you can get an exemption from vaccine requirements based on religious reasons (a overbroad interpretation of the First Amendment) or just on simple "conscience" reasons (which has nothing to do with freedom of religion). And so you have a vulnerable largish population in a smallish community, and measles spreads like wildfire in it. And then innocents like little babies (who aren't conscientious objectors to vaccines!) get measles. And likely wind up hospitalized. Or, sometimes, dead. Funny, I grew up in the Christian Catholic tradition, where I learned that it is my responsibility to look out for the well-being of my neighbor, which to me includes doing what I reasonably can to prevent babies from dying of readily-controllable infectious diseases. I guess today's Christians are today's individualists. Or immoralists. Now you know the rest of the story.

4 days ago. Do your research. Record all 3 nightly news programs and watch them before shooting off your mouth, maybe? See that little peacock logo in the upper left corner?

Exactly, which is why this was a rhetorical point, not an actual proposal.

Learn to read, buddy. A baby got measles from an unvaccinated older child or adult. That's obvious. That's why we require vaccinations.

Well, I know you don't subscribe to the WSJ given that the subscribers are generally in the top decile. But if you did, you'd see that they actually investigated the story, rather than just posting a 100 word hot take.

A good Waffle House brawl is always worth watching. Thanks!

If you were to tell me that you watch the evening news on the major networks every night, I would estimate your age to be 75.

I suppose the MSM, like the WSJ here, investigates and reports it, while the Alt-Right Media ignores it?

Really not enough said about the Bizarro Trans Death Cult. Really.

The point is not that it's "Trump's fault." The point is it is not the president's fault at all that a bird flu is forcing us to kill millions of hens. Because we all remember that the last time egg prices went up it was clearly was a symptom of Bidenflation, right?

Unvaccinated Mennonites. But probably you can find a way to blame darker-skinned people. It's kind of your brand.

Or through Mennonites, born-and-raised White Germanic Americans! You know, the real All-(North) American Homegrown types you love. https://www.newsweek.com/texas-measles-outbreak-mennonites-2034627 Border between Texas and Oklahoma, since apparently the community came from the Midwest.

Let the herd culling begin in earnest! Oh, and why do we mandate vaccines? Well, one infant measles victim was too young to get the vaccine. Herd immunity. Next up: maybe Mumps will make them sterile. Darwin Award.

https://www.wsj.com/economy/u-s-consumer-confidence-falls-back-on-fears-of-tariff-induced-price-increases-3ba5693d?mod=economy_lead_pos1 Inflation expectations jumped to 4.3% this month from 3.3% in January, the highest reading since 2023 https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/22/resilient-stock-market-finally-succumbs-to-pressure-from-economic-worries-and-trump-policy-flux.html https://stevenrattner.com/2025/02/msnbcs-morning-joe-the-houses-big-budget-bill/ The additions to the deficit would bring the gap in 2033 almost back to where it was during Covid. (Note that the deficit would likely not go down in 2034 – this is an accounting gimmick.) Expect to see some Republicans argue that these numbers are too pessimistic, that the tax cuts will pay for themselves. They promised that in 2017 and it never came to pass

Well he did promise he'd be a dictator on Day One. Why not price ceilings on eggs, accompanied by Egg Ration Cards? At least that would fulfill the promise.

As you once scolded me (see, I can play these memory games too, even at our respective ages): so how much did you pay for gas and groceries this week? Hey, Almond Boy ... I think it spell corrected Almond Milk. [better late than never]

Agreed. A while back I looked at all "running QBs" - which I defined as guys who've rushed for 400+ yards/season - and longevity. The results were not promising, as most broke down by about age 32. And yes, I got a ton of comments pointing out that there was an explanation for all of those. But a pattern is a pattern. I think this is the best case scenario for Josh. Let's call it the John Elway Aging Curve. If anyone can do it, he can. But its no sure thing.

The term - "malicious incompetence" - was coined in Trump's first administration. The Trump Administration in Exile had four years to at least take the incompetence out of the malice. It's obvious now that they didn't. For starters: 1. Pete Hegseth and JD Vance Go to Europe. The worst buddy movie since Dumb and Dumberer. They contradict each other, and Hegseth gives away key bargaining positions even before any bargaining has begun. https://www.foxnews.com/world/hegseth-says-he-vance-on-same-page-despite-vps-remark-us-troops-ukraine 2. Turns out we might actually need someone to make sure our nukes are safe! Oops. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-wants-un-fire-nuclear-safety-workers-cant-figure-rcna192345

So ... still no motion to dismiss the Adams indictment. Pam Bondi may need to sign it herself. Whoever signs it is gonna face an interesting set of questions from the judge.... It'll be dismissed, but not before a hearing where some "fool or coward" (the language used in the resignation letter from a different AUSA) falls on his/her sword for Donnie.

And you hit the nail on the head. A lot of these firings aren't about reducing the size of the government. There's a formal way to do that; it's what Bill Clinton did in his first term. What you'll see instead is the opening up of positions for Trumpies. Oh, there's the true believers, the "intellectual" MAGAs. We've seen them slotted into policy jobs. But what about all the mediocre or worse campaign people? The guy who rang doorbells for Trump when Ron DeSantis looked like a frontrunner. What about jobs for them? Coming soon to a depleted agency near you.

Oh, but what about trading up for Sammy Watkins? Drafting Cyrus Koundjio with a 2nd? And who can forget that Shaq Lawson-Reggie Ragland-Adolphus Washington trio that formed the core of our defensive front for the next decade? And that flyer on Cardale Jones wasn't so bad either. Everyone makes a mistake every now and then. Give the guy a break.

Oh, but what about trading up for Sammy Watkins? Drafting Cyrus Koundjio with a 2nd? And who can forget that Shaq Lawson-Reggie Ragland-Adolphus Washington trio that formed the core of our defensive front for the next decade? Everyone makes a mistake every now and then. Give the guy a break. Oh, but what about trading up for Sammy Watkins? Drafting Cyrus Koundjio with a 2nd? And who can forget that Shaq Lawson-Reggie Ragland-Adolphus Washington trio that formed the core of our defensive front for the next decade? Everyone makes a mistake every now and then. Give the guy a break.