What a state of affairs, where Russia is punished for cheating in sports, but actively encouraged by republican politicians in America to attack our voting systems.

@3,

Hear, hear. This probably goes a long way toward explaining your virginity.

The Russians have also been banned from the next World Cup. When Russia hosted it last time their team beat expectations by quite a bit. Some of the data nerds who track all the minutiae of sports performance of every major soccer league match ran some analysis of the Russian players performance, like distance run, sprint speed, etc and showed that they were all performing physically way above what any of them could in regular league play. The data also showed that it was much more than could be accounted for by motivation, coaching, or other psychological factors. FIFA of course ignored this because they would have had to ban these Russian players from league play if it was shown they were doping.
But yeah, that's why they're banned from World Cup too and not just Olympics, but Russia qualifying for the World Cup would have been far from a given anyway.

@4: You have absolutely no idea whatsoever what you're talking about.

You should know someone who transitioned. Gender dysphoria is a real condition, like you're forever got on the wrong bus in life and you have no recourse.

I know a MTF trans woman who has a much happier life now. Until you know someone who's gone through it, you'll never have the understanding and empathy they so richly deserve.

Also, it is the hallmark of conservatism to fulfill one's destiny and pursuit of happiness and you can't be a proud conservative if you don't celebrate transsexuals to have theirs.

Trump’s anti impeachment rhetoric and conspiracy theories sound identical to Israel’s Netanyahu, where his own appointed AG decided to indict him on bribery and corruption charges.

https://www.axios.com/netanyahu-indicted-likud-election-corruption-5095ad31-a324-4af8-b23c-d30c3a78b986.html

Wait, are we all just moving on from having a Saudi military officer come here, buy a gun and murder a bunch of troops while his buddies video him doing it then the king said my bad here's a check and our president said its all good?
Good to know were done worrying about terrorism.

@ 2,

It’s amazing they have no problems finding gullible people to sign up to fight these wars built on lies. There are articles now about how the children of the original US invaders are being sent to war in Afghanistan.

When I was in high school in the 90s, memories of Vietnam hadn’t yet disappeared down the memory hole, and it was common knowledge that our military and political rulers were totally amoral, lying sociopaths eager to send you to your death to score political points.

Whatever. No one’s gone broke underestimating the abject stupidity of the American public, etc.

raindrop @ 8
While supporting your recent positive comments streak I urge you to look at how “conservatism” was hijacked during the Ragan years, morphing the GOP into an anti-abortion coalition that conveniently ignores most other issues.

In case you’re still wondering why Prezirapist AntiChrist and the treasonous GOP feel perfectly comfortable spewing Kremlin lies, this is hands down the most alarming post I’ve read in awhile:

“Pentagon panicked as US troop affinity for Russia grows: report

The second annual Reagan National Defense Survey, completed in late October, found nearly half of armed services households questioned, 46%, said they viewed Russia as an ally.

Pollsters found the positive views of Russia seemed to be ‘predominantly driven by Republicans who have responded to positive cues from [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump about Russia.

Now, due to purely partisan interests, the nation’s military is being warped into supporting the hostile foreign power–against our own values, geopolitical interests, and intelligence services. It’s like the plot from a bad spy novel, except that it’s happening right out in the open. This is the situation as it stands between Trump, Russia, the Republican Party and Ukraine.”

If we’re at the point that almost half the military sees Russia’s racist, sexist, kleptocratic dictatorship as their ally, then we’re gonna lose our country next year if Tr666p and the GOP aren’t resoundingly defeated. We must stand up and strongly reject this all-out perversion of American values.

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/12/pentagon-panicked-as-us-troop-affinity-for-russia-grows-report/

@13: Less of a "discrepancy" and more of the accusation that they completely lied about the identity of the person they put on the stand, and simply gave her a script to read.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/04/us/george-zimmerman-lawsuit-trayvon-martin-mother/index.html

I'd like to know why the Seattle Aquarium costs so much. Woodland Park Zoo is $15.50 for adults. Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is $21. The Seattle Aquarium is $30. I get sticker shock every time I think of going. I guess it's just... Seattle.

@21 Agreed and seconded. @5: Knat and @15 Maths is hard for the tied WiN!! I have nothing more to add. Bravo and well summarized!

@18 Original Andrew: Je-sus Horatio Kee-RIST! So what you're saying is that we're now at an all-out war with RepuliKKKans, their lawyers, Russian yes-men, and MAGA dupes. Fuck! Okay, then let the Revolution begin, and with as much black blood--and dirty money--lost by the GOP pigs as possible. Pig roast coast to coast. I'm sure the alligator population in Trumpty Dumpty swampland would be all too happy to help clean the pig sty.

Cooling towers fell just like the World Trade Center towers. Hmm.

So does this mean being with a female brain in a male body, mean you prefer to grow you hair long, wear high heels and dresses and lipstick and prefer people over objects? Dolls over legos?

@17: You should know by now I will never entertain nor voice any negative commentary about Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

@ 29
I liked Golda Meir as a child. As I grew up I learned how disastrous were some of her decisions.

"A war of lies" - Vietnam revisited. Except this time around, America's young people don't seem to care much about Afghanistan because they can't be drafted to serve there.

That was the primary reason for discontinuing the draft. after Vietnam; it was so there would never again be mass protests by draft-age young people against an unpopular US war.

This worked well. How many people consciously realize we still have troops in Afghanistan? Probably not many beyond the families of those military posted there.

@35: Sorry you experienced disillusionment, just remember we are all mortals and learn to balance the achievements along with the regrets. God bless Golda Meir.