Obsidian Wings

Sauce for the Goose

by wj

Coming up with a title for this Open Thread was a bit challenging. Alternatives I toyed with were:
- As you sow, so shall you reap
- Payback's a bitch

We're all familiar by now with RWNJs who denounce with great outrage other people who (supposedly) have been engaging in immoral behavior which, in fact, the RWNJs have been engaging in themselves. It's practically become cliché by now.

But here's another example
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/28/ukrainian-attacks-bring-war-home-russia-fraying-civilian-nerves/

It seems that the folks in the Kremlin are utterly outraged that Ukraine might actually launch attacks on Russian forces in Russia. The nerve of some people! Just because Russia has invaded their country, how does that give them the right to strike at what were supposed to be safe havens?

The happiest place on earth

by liberal japonicus

A bit late, but folks here might have some comments and perhaps some insight into the push to make Disney pay.

https://www.bostonherald.com/2022/04/27/disney-in-the-dark-about-florida-move-to-dissolve-self-government/

A college friend of mine in Florida observed that Orange and Osceola counties went Democratic in the last election, so this plugs into it and he also feels that this was more a distraction from the work of gerrymandering to ensure an unbreakable lock on the state. Anyway, share your thoughts and observations.

On l'a échappé belle

by liberal japonicus

That's French for a close call, but there was nothing beautiful about that escape.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/24/emmanuel-macron-wins-french-presidential-election-say-projected-results

I suppose I should take my good news where I can get it, but one wonders where then next eruption/irruption of neo-fascism is going to happen. Place your bets!

Wherever I lay my hat, that's my home

by liberal japonicus

As always, a quasi-poen thread, but was hoping UKians might comment on this

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/09/rishi-sunaks-hopes-of-becoming-prime-minister-are-over-say-top-tories?fbclid=IwAR1p2vWhNBN9xJOF7fGxg2ERMwl7SM37vlho5aXJmaOtLYyN7u9QsQRxI2w

Saw some YouTube videos from Good Morning Britain (and god, what an embarassment! That fanfare opening is half finished! I suppose one can't expect much from a program that employed Piers Morgan, but wow) where Adil Ray keeps suggesting to Ed Milliband that it is hypocritical to complain about Sunak's wife's non-dom status because they've gotten contributions from other non-dom (Ray seems transfixed by pointing out that Baron Noon was 'the curry king). It seems like such a non-sequitur that I struggle to imagine addressing it.

Anyway, my envy at the way the UK tax system handles things, in that it is Inland Revenue (if you are an US citizen, you are supposed to pay taxes no matter where you live. The list of countries that do that, let me see if I can find the list, oh, yeah, Eritrea. That's it), is diminished quite a bit.

Later, it emerged that both Sunak and his wife have green cards with articles suggesting that Sunak might want to return to a career in the private financial sector. 'Oh, and here's our newest, Rishi, a great guy, did you know he was almost Prime Minster of the UK? Definitely ask him for restaurant recs if you are going to London!'

UKians and anyone else, have at it.

Get your warm takes!

by liberal japonicus

One reason I'm not a good hot take person is no discipline. So this one, below the fold, may have already cooled down, but I pass it on in lieu of an open thread.