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fenom

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recent comments, posts, and shares:
fenom  ·  3266 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The White Man Pathology: Sanders Vs. Trump

This jumped out to me:

    Sanders’s exasperation was the principal fact to be communicated, more than any political content. Trump was about winning again. Sanders was about having lost. The vagueness of American politics is what astonished the outsider. It’s all about feelings and God and bullshit. Sanders actually uttered the following sentence out loud: “What we’re saying is when millions of people come together to restore their government we can do extraordinary things.” Nobody asked what he meant. Nobody asked for numbers. They applauded. Better to take it in the spirit in which it’s given, like a Catskills resort comedian.

This may just be my bias compelling me to defend him but Sanders probably could explain what he means and give numbers and all that, but that won't win him the election. More than any other candidate, I've heard him talk about real policy, real plans, and real action. But Americans vote with their hearts, so you have to be able to whip up enthusiasm and these sorts of empty calls to action do a much better job of that then careful deliberation on the finer points of policy.

I guess that is what the author is getting at throughout the piece. I just don't like the idea of painting all of American politics in such broad strokes. Or maybe I'm just looking for an alibi for my support of Bernie as well as my whiteness.

Fantastic article, regardless.

fenom  ·  3267 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: In a stunning development, the Koch family is tied to the 3rd Reich.

Literally fascists.

fenom  ·  3367 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How fixed-gear bikes can confuse Google’s self-driving cars

This sounds like an Instructables or an Etsy listing already.

fenom  ·  3384 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Oh my Darling Don't Meow - Meow the Jewels

This whole project is just too fantastic. I love RTJ's sense of humor.

fenom  ·  3384 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Harry Potter and the set of all sets that do not contain themselves

I think this joke could work in like, three panels.

fenom  ·  3397 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Taylor Swift Is Dreaming Of A Very White Africa

See tacocat's response to me.

Im saying that, if she were to try to make a statement, she should put some thought into it. But she isnt doing that. She's just throwing this romanticized and totally out-of-touch image out there. Hence my first reply where I said she just shouldn't have done it.

fenom  ·  3399 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Taylor Swift Is Dreaming Of A Very White Africa

Sure, that's fine, but should Taylor Swift be making that kind of statement?

Stuff like this needs to be treated really delicately. It's hard to do that in pop music. I haven't seen the video yet, but if the idea is just that it's a love story, why set it in that period at all?

fenom  ·  3399 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Taylor Swift Is Dreaming Of A Very White Africa

I think the alternative is to not make a video about the colonial era at all.

fenom  ·  3400 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How do you listen to all the music you want to listen to

Holy shit, how did I not know this was a thing? This track is incredible:

fenom  ·  3408 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Everyone has one: What's that one song you want the world to hear?

I love that Shakey Graves video so much. He just seemed to come out of nowhere and he's so good!