U.S. Politics: Contempt and the Courts

[Morpheus]

21 hours ago, DMC said:

Elon Musk doesn't join boards.  Elon Musk IS THE BOARD!!!!

Such innovation from that one, a man who is both a board and a tool.

[Zorral]

39 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

Fresh tragedy, I assume now is still not the time to discuss gun laws for the right? 

Is this about the horrific shooting at Brooklyn's Sunset Park subway station, leaving people killed and others wounded, with explosive devices scattered about, the lone perp fleeing on foot and not yet apprehended?

The news exploded across my screen nearly immediately -- I was still having breakfast tea.  Once again I contemplated the dread and anxiety I began living with every day post the 2016 election inauguration. With pandemic and the cops having gone rogue, and the criminal rioting and daily broad daylight robberies committed at gunpoint, seeing a gang chasing down another guy and beating him down on the street I walk often every day -- it's only increased,   I never felt this dread before, certainly not after 9/11.  What happened was awful, and the dread of  the toxic smoke which was there for over a year, which did injure my respiratory system, but I wasn't personally fearful for myself in those days.

 

[Spockydog]

20 minutes ago, Morpheus said:

Such innovation from that one, a man who is both a board and a tool.

What is a tool? I've never understood that one. Tools are good, no? 

[HoodedCrow]

So sorry that you are having all of this crud, Zorral.

[Wilbur]

5 minutes ago, Spockydog said:

What is a tool? I've never understood that one. Tools are good, no? 

Tools are good, yes, but to be called "a tool" in America is to be referred to as a prick.

"Winston is constantly complaining to the city about his neighbor's leaves.  What a tool."

[Zorral]

At least this, in the latest updates to the Sunset Park station horror (CNN):

Quote

There are no active explosive devices at the scene, according to the NYPD. The FDNY reported earlier that “several undetonated devices” were found

 

[maarsen]

1 hour ago, Spockydog said:

What is a tool? I've never understood that one. Tools are good, no? 

A penis is called a tool here in North America so calling someone a tool is calling them a dick. 

[Week]

1 hour ago, Zorral said:

At least this, in the latest updates to the Sunset Park station horror (CNN):

 

Under the watch of a police department that costs more than the Greek military. This will, of course, be used as justification for more spending, more police, more surveillance when they cannot justify the current price tag.

[Week]

3 hours ago, Week said:

Under the watch of a police department that costs more than the Greek military. This will, of course, be used as justification for more spending, more police, more surveillance when they cannot justify the current price tag.

 

 

[Zorral]

I'm just grateful that the killer's Glock jammed, and the explosion devices weren't set off.

The NYC police units that have been working the anti-terrorism details, have been doing a great job for decades already now.  It's the other units that are frackin' useless, starting with the gddamn mayor.  Gads, listening the governor talking this afternoon, I wanted to slap her silly, as stupid and incoherent, and "I'm in way over my head did she sound".  Increasingly that's the only result we get from anybody who claims to be in charge of anything these days.  Their solution to whatever it is?  "We're monitoring the situation."  SPIT.

 

[ThinkerX]

6 hours ago, Morpheus said:

Such innovation from that one, a man who is both a board and a tool.

True...though unlike multiple other 'boards and tools,' Musk is doing a lot of badly needed heavy lifting on the EV/Alternative Energy front, and his space obsession might pay off big time.

[Derfel Cadarn]

5 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Tools are good, yes, but to be called "a tool" in America is to be referred to as a prick.

"Winston is constantly complaining to the city about his neighbor's leaves.  What a tool."

Same in the UK

[James Arryn]

5 hours ago, maarsen said:

A penis is called a tool here in North America so calling someone a tool is calling them a dick. 

Also in America tools specifically designed to kill humans are not a factor to be considered when they are used as per their designed function, so…

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

The lack of self-awareness in this decision by the governor is astonishing:

 

[Ormond]

6 hours ago, maarsen said:

A penis is called a tool here in North America so calling someone a tool is calling them a dick. 

Hope this isn't getting too far off topic, but this is a fairly recent slang usage. From the 1660s until about 20 years ago if you insulted someone by calling them a tool it meant "person used by another for their own ends". I really am sad that specific meaning seems to have been lost and it now just gets used with a general "stupid or bad person" meaning. We already had enough words for that. 

[DMC]

6 minutes ago, Ormond said:

From the 1660s until about 20 years ago if you insulted someone by calling them a tool it meant "person used by another for their own ends". I really am sad that specific meaning seems to have been lost and it now just gets used with a general "stupid or bad person" meaning. We already had enough words for that. 

I think that meaning is still used in part.  I often use "tool" to describe a corporate shill or something of the sort, and always have.  Pretty sure one of the first times I was exposed to it as slang, it was in reference to Carson Daly as a tool.

[Leofric]

9 minutes ago, Ormond said:

Hope this isn't getting too far off topic, but this is a fairly recent slang usage. From the 1660s until about 20 years ago if you insulted someone by calling them a tool it meant "person used by another for their own ends". I really am sad that specific meaning seems to have been lost and it now just gets used with a general "stupid or bad person" meaning. We already had enough words for that. 

I don't think that meaning has been lost it's just all in about context and intonation

[Ormond]

Perhaps related to that old meaning of "tool" is Trump's latest email, where he is trying to manipulate people to join Truth Social by saying it they don't he will take them off the list of his "top donors":

Quote

 

PLEASE, CK.

We emailed you last week.

We emailed you last weekend.

We emailed you yesterday.

And now, we’re emailing you AGAIN.

This is your last chance to let us know you haven't ABANDONED Trump. If you don’t join the Trump TRUTH Social ONE MILLION Club today, then we’ll REMOVE you from our top donor list.

Don't wait. 

Join the Trump TRUTH Social One Million Club NOW.  >>

 

 

 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

26 minutes ago, Ormond said:

Perhaps related to that old meaning of "tool" is Trump's latest email, where he is trying to manipulate people to join Truth Social by saying it they don't he will take them off the list of his "top donors":

 

Keeping up with the slang theme, those pathetic fucks are thirsty as all hell. It's shocking that pitch would actually work on anyone.

[A True Kaniggit]

Lol. @mcbigski, I just saw your "signature" for the first time.

"As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master. -Commissioner Previn Lal."

 

You can indeed me hilarious when you want to be.