Ever since I discovered (two days ago) that, according to Google, I’m a “public figure”, whatever that means, I’ve felt an urge to shower the world with my opinions.
"...there are actual human individuals with functional brains who not only believe the propaganda they consume, they literally inhabit a fantastical world of the propagandists’ making"
Why, here's one now!:
""This week they handed unchecked power to a narcissistic criminal demagogue because the price of bacon increased. They may also, in fact, have surrendered their sovereignty without firing a shot."
(Brian Beutler)
Apparently, our leftists here in the US need a lot more naval-gazing, but even then I don't think they'll ever be able to admit that they've lost touch with the common man and woman.
In an interview with Jesse Watters, Micheal Shellenberger opined that much of the Democratic leadership is suffering from symptoms similar to narcissism in which they cannot accept criticism. It was available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7GqA4ngAII but that link seems to have been hacked into an asian crochet program. When I watched, only the last few minutes were crochet. Now the whole thing is. Sigh. It was a really good segment.
Indeed Slav, what a splendid week it has been, and I feel personally vindicated having revolved as a very minor wheel in the great scheme of things, raging against the machine for around a decade. I feel optimistic and full of love for the entire planet. A word of caution though dear Slav, SpongeBob is also a 'public figure'.
That actually makes me feel better.:D I was a bit worried Google knows too much about me and I don't want that. Yeah, yeah, I know it does know too much about al of us using it but this was, all jokes aside, an unpleasant surprise.
If you have love for the climate alarmists you're a better human than I am.
Another fantastic article Irina. I am honored to be able to both read the writings of, & converse with a "Public Figure." If only the world had more public figures like yourself. I read an article this week that said Bulgaria had the highest voter participation in the world. I hope you have some worthwhile candidates to choose from, & that your election goes your way. I'm sure enjoying the results of our election.
What? That can't be right. We've been doing a steady 35-40% for two years now and even before the vicious circle of elections we didn't touch 50% turnout.
My tears are flowing like Niagara. But I am also thankful that you, Irina, are deemed a public figure for shedding a beam of light and truth upon the fallacies of the progressive climatista cabals
Congrats on going public! Nice piece. Still celebrating here, and thanks for the kind words about American voters. We are getting called the usual names at home.
Thanks, Lee, about the piece, not sure about the public figure status. Not a big fan of Google, so I'm dubious about it. You did great in these elections and the name-callers can piss gas, as we like to say down here.
Yes, it was a great week. And congratulations on your recognition by Google as a Public Figure. Maybe that will somehow translate to an expanded audience for your excellent and entertaining writing.
I too noticed the German government melt-down and I can say as an American, it hasn't even made a ripple here. Of course, the recent election results have blotted out news of anything else going on in the world right now and I'm grateful you mentioned it. From my superficial review of commentary on the melt-down, I'm still seeing precious little in the way of connecting the dots between their energy-transition and their economic / social collapse. There's some talk about non-productive immigrants but no one is coming out and saying, "It's the energy policy!" At least that I see. And if my impressions are correct, the German nation and people still have a long way to go.
And from my perspective, I'm grateful we put Trump / Vance over the top with a landslide election. I had thought we'd win but was afraid it would be close. It was not close. It was a blowout. Having said that, keep in mind that millions of people voted for Harris - by far the worst presidential candidate in my lifetime and perhaps in history. So, there's still a lot of work to do.
It truly is frightening how many tens of millions actually put out the effort to vote for Harris. Have they no reasoning ability?
I'm sure there was some number of them for whom abortion rights is the prime issue and they don't want Trump appointing three more SC justices, which is a rational, if short-sighted position (no point in having abortion rights if civilization collapses from energy poverty). But I just can't believe that's true for 70 million people.
It is beyond me what the whole problem is with abortion rights. Trump is not against abortion, the Supreme Court is not against it, they just left it to the states. Also, there's such a thing as contraception, for goodness' sake. How did these people get to the point of glorifying abortion as the prime example of women's rights?
A lot of states just went crazy when the supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade. The laws in those states are draconian.
And one could argue that overturning Roe v. Wade was an anti-abortion act. It's complicated, because there really is no right to privacy in the constitution. There probably should be. The 4th and 5th amendments could certainly use some shoring up. But at any rate, the abortion rights folks have been relying on a weak bulwark for a long time and the Supreme Court yanked that bulwark away.
I've been of a similar opinion (to you) regarding contraception, but then as a male, most of the inconvenience and trouble does not fall to me. That aside, there seem to be an incredible number of people who just wing it and don't prepare.
Apparently, in the minds of folks who are taught that premarital sex is wrong, using contraception would be preparing to sin and so one shouldn't do that.
I'm put in mind of my friend group in high school/college. One of our friends went off to Texas Tech, the rest were at UT Austin. The one at TT was catholic and within 18 months of going to college she was pregnant. She didn't seem particularly fond of the father, but she proceeded to marry him.
Some time after the news, but before the wedding, I was walking along with another friend and I asked, "Karen, I just don't get it. Leenie [diminutive for Eileen] had the same health classes [required] in high school as we did. She knew about all the contraceptive methods and their effectiveness. How could she get pregnant?"
Karen replies, "Well, she's catholic. They don't believe in contraception."
Me: "But they don't believe in having sex either. If you're going to do one..."
Just poor decisions making after poor decision making.
There's also the fact that women were dying from abortions performed by untrained people before Roe v. Wade. Cyndi Lauper's "Sally's Pigeons" is a rather poignant illustration. Some folks still remember that and lost friends.
Anyway, as things stand, if you're well off you can still get an abortion in the USA. If nothing else, you can keep your pregnancy a secret and travel to Canada. If you have money.
But the poor folks, who are also the most likely not to have afforded, planned for, or been taught about contraceptives, do not have that option in many states now. And the anti-abortion lobby has been largely successful in removing education about contraceptives from the schools. They (contraceptives) were an unglorified, down to Earth portion of our required health classes when I went to high school and, no, they did not pass out condoms. Actually, when they covered the "percent effective" rates, condoms were rather lower than the other methods.
Personally, I find the arguments in favor of Choice compelling, but I'm also pro-gun and pro-energy, so Trump got my vote. I think the arguments of those who oppose abortion always ultimately boil down to a belief in a soul, and I do not.
To me the defining characteristic of a person is the ability to think. And there are some human shaped animals to whom we extend human rights, because there's just no good way to make exceptions. But blobs of jelly with still developing nervous systems are not thinking animals, yet, in my opinion.
It's a real discussion, but it's nuanced, not just yes or no. I think that the average opinion between Dems and Repubs is not too different. The "My Body, My Choice" thing only goes so far. It's not like whatever you want to call it in the womb is like a fingernail.
Thank you Jeff, for expanding on this. I did read about the states that essentially banned all pregnancy terminations except in really extreme cases, if I am correct, and as you point out this is dangerous with potentially fatal implications for women. What struck me as puzzling, however, was the other extreme, with women on social media building a narrative that abortion is basically the preferred "contraception" method for many. I even got the sense some women are proud of having had an abortion, which, to me, sounds absolutely unhinged. I have friends who had abortions. For none of them it was an easy decision or something to be celebrated. Both extremes are ruinous and can literally kill.
I can see where that would be puzzling. I haven't seen the other extreme -- maybe I'm staying in a republican echo chamber. :-) But I don't venture outside of energy much.
I don't know about preferred, but in practice, it may be the primary for poor or poorly informed women. It shouldn't be, but it's not an ideal world, in so many ways.
Could the proudly thing be some women trying to counter the perceived [can't find the word I want...ahhh almost, but no] negative/shaming attitude towards abortion that opponents might have presented?
But yes, the dems claiming that all women's rights were in danger was just silly.
I think the proudly thing is yet another manifestation of what passes for feminism these days. Right up there with alphabet soup rights and climate anxiety.
It's not only abortion. I've heard women so brainwashed that they fear they will not be able to have their own bank accounts or be allowed to work. It's almost as if they are talking about radical Islam taking over.
It would have been really surprising if they did connect the dots. I don't really think they ever will. Good point about those millions voting for Harris, yes. I can only hope most of them just didn't give it much thought and voted on party grounds.
Congrats on your recent ascent to celebrity. I have known for some time you are a rare public figure, living in reality, with gravity defining your issues and concerns, and nary a pedophile in sight.
And I'm grateful for that (the last bit). Most of us do lie in reality, it's just that many don't appreciate it as it should be appreciated and then get a nasty surprise when reality reminds them of its existence.
Thank you for sharing your information. You certainly are a “PUBLIC FIGURE” and I value your research, opinion, and humor.
Yes, we learned that democracy still works, and it shocked me also. I expected a repeat of 2020 with millions and millions of questionable votes that would go uncontested.
I have never been more happy to be wrong in my entire life.
There probably were a million or so cheats, but we beat the cheat. My hope is that the new government will be able to federally ban the machines and force voter IDs.
Excellent description of events, Irina - accurate and pithy (though I personally disagree with your thinking that people are basically good - to me, people suck (not all of them, of course, but if you don't take that position things go south fast). After all, there would be no need for the Bible etc. if people were basically good.
That said, though - the past few years of histrionics from the left and their presstitute minions in the "fair and balanced" media and celebutard community always brought to my mind the image of a petulant five year old having a tantrum in the supermarkeet aisle until mommy buys him (or her!) candy...and while mommy allows the screams the child is thinking "hey! I'm winning!!". But finally, the parent picks the kid up off the floor by the scruff of his neck, smacks him on the hindquarters, and states "shut up and get in the car".
Voters, the once-time "silent majority", have played the role of that exasperated parent....and bully for them (us).
That reminds me of one favourite Pratchett quote, in which Death tells his granddaughter that people are neither good nor evil, they're just people. I would admit you're view is probably more accurate than mine but I like to be positive on occasion.
The Democrats’ failure/inability to falsify the election results owes to the Trump team’s success in guaranteeing their integrity with a small army of lawyers and observers in swing states.
Yes, with much of the work led/orchestrated by Trump offspring.
Will they continue their work for the RNC with the next candidate? Or has the RNC as an institution learned enough to execute that function efficiently? I worry early.
"...there are actual human individuals with functional brains who not only believe the propaganda they consume, they literally inhabit a fantastical world of the propagandists’ making"
Why, here's one now!:
""This week they handed unchecked power to a narcissistic criminal demagogue because the price of bacon increased. They may also, in fact, have surrendered their sovereignty without firing a shot."
(Brian Beutler)
Apparently, our leftists here in the US need a lot more naval-gazing, but even then I don't think they'll ever be able to admit that they've lost touch with the common man and woman.
Unchecked hubris will do that to a human....
In an interview with Jesse Watters, Micheal Shellenberger opined that much of the Democratic leadership is suffering from symptoms similar to narcissism in which they cannot accept criticism. It was available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7GqA4ngAII but that link seems to have been hacked into an asian crochet program. When I watched, only the last few minutes were crochet. Now the whole thing is. Sigh. It was a really good segment.
I think their issue is plain old Hubris, defined thusly:
"Hubris is excessive pride or self-confidence, or an excess of ambition, pride, etc, ultimately causing the transgressor's ruin."
May their lack of ability to adjust lead to their continuing ruin!
Damn right it's because the price of bacon increased. The arrogance of making this sound like something insignificant is deplorable.
But wit, there's more out of her!:
"A rejection of the Biden administration tells me that there are at least 71 million ingrates living in this country."
They just don't get it, and likely never will....
Indeed Slav, what a splendid week it has been, and I feel personally vindicated having revolved as a very minor wheel in the great scheme of things, raging against the machine for around a decade. I feel optimistic and full of love for the entire planet. A word of caution though dear Slav, SpongeBob is also a 'public figure'.
That actually makes me feel better.:D I was a bit worried Google knows too much about me and I don't want that. Yeah, yeah, I know it does know too much about al of us using it but this was, all jokes aside, an unpleasant surprise.
If you have love for the climate alarmists you're a better human than I am.
Another fantastic article Irina. I am honored to be able to both read the writings of, & converse with a "Public Figure." If only the world had more public figures like yourself. I read an article this week that said Bulgaria had the highest voter participation in the world. I hope you have some worthwhile candidates to choose from, & that your election goes your way. I'm sure enjoying the results of our election.
🤘😎🤘
What? That can't be right. We've been doing a steady 35-40% for two years now and even before the vicious circle of elections we didn't touch 50% turnout.
Well done on becoming a public figure Irina. It's now only a short step to "thought leader" and an invitation to the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Mr Trump is not known for his deep concern over carbon dioxide, but something tells me he'll go easy on certain US EVs.
But Irina can't go to the WEC forum even if invited. Unless I'm incorrect in assuming she owns no prerequisite private jet.
Fair point.
Phew!
Now why would you go scaring me like that? I'm already worried about this public figure stuff as it is. I don't want that kind of attention.
Trump will save Big Auto, yes, if it's not beyond saving. I think it's not, unlike the Europeans.
Irina, thank you. And watch out for the paparazzi. We kept California dreamin' from becoming a reality.
You did splendidly!
My tears are flowing like Niagara. But I am also thankful that you, Irina, are deemed a public figure for shedding a beam of light and truth upon the fallacies of the progressive climatista cabals
Yes, I cried a lot, too. I'm considering going incognito. I don't want publicity outside our little circle here.
Congrats on going public! Nice piece. Still celebrating here, and thanks for the kind words about American voters. We are getting called the usual names at home.
Thanks, Lee, about the piece, not sure about the public figure status. Not a big fan of Google, so I'm dubious about it. You did great in these elections and the name-callers can piss gas, as we like to say down here.
Yes, it was a great week. And congratulations on your recognition by Google as a Public Figure. Maybe that will somehow translate to an expanded audience for your excellent and entertaining writing.
I too noticed the German government melt-down and I can say as an American, it hasn't even made a ripple here. Of course, the recent election results have blotted out news of anything else going on in the world right now and I'm grateful you mentioned it. From my superficial review of commentary on the melt-down, I'm still seeing precious little in the way of connecting the dots between their energy-transition and their economic / social collapse. There's some talk about non-productive immigrants but no one is coming out and saying, "It's the energy policy!" At least that I see. And if my impressions are correct, the German nation and people still have a long way to go.
And from my perspective, I'm grateful we put Trump / Vance over the top with a landslide election. I had thought we'd win but was afraid it would be close. It was not close. It was a blowout. Having said that, keep in mind that millions of people voted for Harris - by far the worst presidential candidate in my lifetime and perhaps in history. So, there's still a lot of work to do.
It truly is frightening how many tens of millions actually put out the effort to vote for Harris. Have they no reasoning ability?
I'm sure there was some number of them for whom abortion rights is the prime issue and they don't want Trump appointing three more SC justices, which is a rational, if short-sighted position (no point in having abortion rights if civilization collapses from energy poverty). But I just can't believe that's true for 70 million people.
It is beyond me what the whole problem is with abortion rights. Trump is not against abortion, the Supreme Court is not against it, they just left it to the states. Also, there's such a thing as contraception, for goodness' sake. How did these people get to the point of glorifying abortion as the prime example of women's rights?
A lot of states just went crazy when the supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade. The laws in those states are draconian.
And one could argue that overturning Roe v. Wade was an anti-abortion act. It's complicated, because there really is no right to privacy in the constitution. There probably should be. The 4th and 5th amendments could certainly use some shoring up. But at any rate, the abortion rights folks have been relying on a weak bulwark for a long time and the Supreme Court yanked that bulwark away.
I've been of a similar opinion (to you) regarding contraception, but then as a male, most of the inconvenience and trouble does not fall to me. That aside, there seem to be an incredible number of people who just wing it and don't prepare.
Apparently, in the minds of folks who are taught that premarital sex is wrong, using contraception would be preparing to sin and so one shouldn't do that.
I'm put in mind of my friend group in high school/college. One of our friends went off to Texas Tech, the rest were at UT Austin. The one at TT was catholic and within 18 months of going to college she was pregnant. She didn't seem particularly fond of the father, but she proceeded to marry him.
Some time after the news, but before the wedding, I was walking along with another friend and I asked, "Karen, I just don't get it. Leenie [diminutive for Eileen] had the same health classes [required] in high school as we did. She knew about all the contraceptive methods and their effectiveness. How could she get pregnant?"
Karen replies, "Well, she's catholic. They don't believe in contraception."
Me: "But they don't believe in having sex either. If you're going to do one..."
Just poor decisions making after poor decision making.
There's also the fact that women were dying from abortions performed by untrained people before Roe v. Wade. Cyndi Lauper's "Sally's Pigeons" is a rather poignant illustration. Some folks still remember that and lost friends.
Anyway, as things stand, if you're well off you can still get an abortion in the USA. If nothing else, you can keep your pregnancy a secret and travel to Canada. If you have money.
But the poor folks, who are also the most likely not to have afforded, planned for, or been taught about contraceptives, do not have that option in many states now. And the anti-abortion lobby has been largely successful in removing education about contraceptives from the schools. They (contraceptives) were an unglorified, down to Earth portion of our required health classes when I went to high school and, no, they did not pass out condoms. Actually, when they covered the "percent effective" rates, condoms were rather lower than the other methods.
Personally, I find the arguments in favor of Choice compelling, but I'm also pro-gun and pro-energy, so Trump got my vote. I think the arguments of those who oppose abortion always ultimately boil down to a belief in a soul, and I do not.
To me the defining characteristic of a person is the ability to think. And there are some human shaped animals to whom we extend human rights, because there's just no good way to make exceptions. But blobs of jelly with still developing nervous systems are not thinking animals, yet, in my opinion.
It's a real discussion, but it's nuanced, not just yes or no. I think that the average opinion between Dems and Repubs is not too different. The "My Body, My Choice" thing only goes so far. It's not like whatever you want to call it in the womb is like a fingernail.
Thanks for the giggles, Dolev. "A fingernail". :D It is not a simple yes/no issue, definitely. It bears debating, and a lot of it.
Thank you Jeff, for expanding on this. I did read about the states that essentially banned all pregnancy terminations except in really extreme cases, if I am correct, and as you point out this is dangerous with potentially fatal implications for women. What struck me as puzzling, however, was the other extreme, with women on social media building a narrative that abortion is basically the preferred "contraception" method for many. I even got the sense some women are proud of having had an abortion, which, to me, sounds absolutely unhinged. I have friends who had abortions. For none of them it was an easy decision or something to be celebrated. Both extremes are ruinous and can literally kill.
I can see where that would be puzzling. I haven't seen the other extreme -- maybe I'm staying in a republican echo chamber. :-) But I don't venture outside of energy much.
I don't know about preferred, but in practice, it may be the primary for poor or poorly informed women. It shouldn't be, but it's not an ideal world, in so many ways.
Could the proudly thing be some women trying to counter the perceived [can't find the word I want...ahhh almost, but no] negative/shaming attitude towards abortion that opponents might have presented?
But yes, the dems claiming that all women's rights were in danger was just silly.
I think the proudly thing is yet another manifestation of what passes for feminism these days. Right up there with alphabet soup rights and climate anxiety.
It's not only abortion. I've heard women so brainwashed that they fear they will not be able to have their own bank accounts or be allowed to work. It's almost as if they are talking about radical Islam taking over.
Yes, and African Americans being returned to slave status. Who comes up with this stuff, honestly!
Ya mean I gotta pick ma own cottn? (spoken with a kamala harris accent)
It would have been really surprising if they did connect the dots. I don't really think they ever will. Good point about those millions voting for Harris, yes. I can only hope most of them just didn't give it much thought and voted on party grounds.
I was afraid that the worldwide sigh of relief at Trump's election might react with leftist tears and cause hurricanes and tornados.
That's okay, it would be put down to climate change.
It has been a wonderful week, but is only the start. Nice to hear about your recognition as a public figure too!
Your turn in Canada now!
It is a celebratory time, that’s for sure😃
Congratulations on your public figurehood!
Thanks, though I'm not really sure it deserves congratulations. But worth joking about, for sure. :D
Yes, but it was a typo. Irina gives the forces of stupidity a public finger. Ok, I'm done.
Congrats on your recent ascent to celebrity. I have known for some time you are a rare public figure, living in reality, with gravity defining your issues and concerns, and nary a pedophile in sight.
And I'm grateful for that (the last bit). Most of us do lie in reality, it's just that many don't appreciate it as it should be appreciated and then get a nasty surprise when reality reminds them of its existence.
Thank you for sharing your information. You certainly are a “PUBLIC FIGURE” and I value your research, opinion, and humor.
Yes, we learned that democracy still works, and it shocked me also. I expected a repeat of 2020 with millions and millions of questionable votes that would go uncontested.
I have never been more happy to be wrong in my entire life.
Same here! And thanks for the kind words.
There probably were a million or so cheats, but we beat the cheat. My hope is that the new government will be able to federally ban the machines and force voter IDs.
Excellent description of events, Irina - accurate and pithy (though I personally disagree with your thinking that people are basically good - to me, people suck (not all of them, of course, but if you don't take that position things go south fast). After all, there would be no need for the Bible etc. if people were basically good.
That said, though - the past few years of histrionics from the left and their presstitute minions in the "fair and balanced" media and celebutard community always brought to my mind the image of a petulant five year old having a tantrum in the supermarkeet aisle until mommy buys him (or her!) candy...and while mommy allows the screams the child is thinking "hey! I'm winning!!". But finally, the parent picks the kid up off the floor by the scruff of his neck, smacks him on the hindquarters, and states "shut up and get in the car".
Voters, the once-time "silent majority", have played the role of that exasperated parent....and bully for them (us).
That reminds me of one favourite Pratchett quote, in which Death tells his granddaughter that people are neither good nor evil, they're just people. I would admit you're view is probably more accurate than mine but I like to be positive on occasion.
The Democrats’ failure/inability to falsify the election results owes to the Trump team’s success in guaranteeing their integrity with a small army of lawyers and observers in swing states.
Yes, with much of the work led/orchestrated by Trump offspring.
Will they continue their work for the RNC with the next candidate? Or has the RNC as an institution learned enough to execute that function efficiently? I worry early.