In the early days of computers, when hard drives weighed as much as a piece of furniture, a popular phrase was “Garbage-in, Garbage-out” (GIGO). It meant that computers would unquestioningly process the most nonsensical of input data and produce nonsensical output.
“GIGO” describes the abysmal lack of intelligent thought and critical thinking on the Internet when it comes to all the hysteria about the end of the world coming on December 21, 2012 — just in time to ruin Christmas.
I’m getting e-mail about this weekly and I expect the nonsense to ratchet up.
This latest installment in decades of flaky astronomical apocalypse predictions is loosely based on the Mayan calendar that marks the end of a 5,126-year era. Apparently the Mayans knew something about the heavens we don’t, according to numerous hot-selling 2012 doomsday books on the market. Our multi-billion dollar telescopes, space probes, and 6,000 professional astronomers somehow just can’t keep up with the mystic knowledge of an ancient superstitious culture.
With the much-ballyhooed release of the film “2012” opening on November 13, end of world chatter will be the topic from backyard cookouts, to bars, to wine and cheese parties.
I am listing the 10 most popular 2012 end-of-world scenarios and providing a quickie reference guide to use in politely dismissing any friends, relatives, or in-laws who’s brains have turned into a pile of GIGO mush after being suckered by the End of Days hype.
The ten top 2012 doomsday scenarios:
1. Changes in the Sun’s magnetic field will lead to powerful flares.
So what else is new under the sun? The sun goes though a well-documented 11-year sunspot cycle that is driven by its magnetic field entangling, reforming and flipping polarity. Yes, the peak of the next cycle is in 2012 (or 2013), and some predictions suggest it might be 30 to 50 percent stronger than the last peak.
But experts say it will certainly not be the biggest peak ever recorded.
The bottom line is that no dragon’s breath of flame is going stretch across 100 million miles of space and blowtorch the Earth. The largest solar flare recorded to date, on Nov. 4, 2003, spewed several billions of tons of plasma in Earth’s direction. The flare’s X-ray radiation bombarded our protective atmosphere was equivalent radiation of 5,000 suns.
We’re still here.
2. The Earth’s field magnetic field will reverse.
Don’t hold you breath. The last field reversal happened nearly 800,000 years ago. Fred Flintstone and our other ancestor caveman survived. Geologic evidence shows that the field has reversed its orientation tens of thousands of times over Earth history. Yet there is no definitive evidence that a magnetic field reversal has ever caused any mass extinction due to increased cosmic ray influx.
3. Earth’s rotation axis will tip.
This isn’t nearly as easy as tipping cows. Unlike Mars, which does go though wide excursions in it axial tilt, Earth’s tilt is kept steady by the gravitational influence of the moon. An object the size of Mars would have to hit Earth to transfer enough momentum to knock us out of kilter. But Mars-sized protoplanets were kicked into interstellar space over 4 billion years ago. The solar system doesn’t make “planets-gone-wild” anymore.
4. A grand alignment of Jupiter and Saturn will gravitationally perturb Earth.
For the past several decades there have been doomsday claims that the combined gravity from grand planetary alignments will cause geologic and meteorological upheavals on Earth.
None are scheduled for 2012.
In 1962 an extremely rare grand conjunction of the classical naked-eye planets drove astrologers crazy. The conjunction happened on Feb. 4-5 and was accompanied by a solar eclipse! The most infamous grand conjunction was in 1982 and popularized in a book called “The Jupiter Effect,” which predicted earthquakes and massive tides. Life went on as usual both years. The moon has a vastly greater gravitational influence on Earth than Jupiter. It’s called location, location, location! At a whopping distance of 400 million mile from Earth, Jupiter’s tug is pretty wimpy.
5. The Sun will align with the galactic equator on the winter solstice.
So what? These are simply coordinates on the sky. It has no physical reality any more than the intersection of Broadway and 7th avenue at Times Square influences the geology of Manhattan Island. This is greatly confused with the fact that the sun’s position actually oscillates up and down as it orbits the galaxy, like a horse on a carousel.
We pass through the galactic plane every 35 to 40 million years. It’s possible that an increased number of comets might be hurled towards the Earth because of gravitational interaction with the densest parts of our galaxy during this passage. But we are talking about the consequences spanning many thousands of years, not crashing down on our heads in any one specific year.
6. The black hole in the galactic center will affect us.
The Milky Way’s black hole has no influence on the galactic disk. The black hole is three million solar masses. The Milky Way is several trillion solar masses when we add the tug of dark matter. Any gravitational influence of the black hole over the galaxy would be like the tail wagging the dog. The Milky Way’s collision with the Andromeda galaxy will dump gas into the black hole and it will blaze as a quasar. But that’s several billion years away.
7. An asteroid will smash into Earth.
A threatening near-Earth asteroid that’s gotten the most press is the 900-foot wide Apophis. But its chances of collision have been downgraded to 1 in 250,000 at its next close approach in 2029. In theory, an uncharted asteroid or comet could come out of the blue tomorrow. But if we don’t know about it today, the Mayans certainly didn’t know about it 1,200 years ago. Earth-killer impacts are tens of millions of years apart. So there’s no reason to be a doomsday clock-watcher.
8. The rogue planet Nibiru swing by Earth.
There isn’t such a planet any more than the planet Naboo from the Star Wars trilogy is real. Purported Internet pictures of the interloper are photographic lens flares or hoaxes. Don’t believe every dot you see photographed in the sky.
9. Supernovae or hypernovae will irradiate Earth.
There are no stars that are so close to Earth that radiation from their supernova demise would seriously affect us. The nearest candidate, the red giant Betelgeuse, is predicted to explode in the next 1,000 years. The monster star Eta Carinae is also on a short fuse. Neither doomed star has a spin axis precisely aimed at Earth, so we don’t have to worry about being fried by a narrow beam of gamma rays ejected from the core’s implosion. In fact the kinds of stars that shoot out these Death Star beams are uncommon in the Milky Way. Earth has a one percent chance of getting zapped over 10 billion years. Scratch gamma ray bursts off of your homeowner’s insurance policy.
10. A cloud of negative energy engulfs the solar system.
Wow! A dark cloud with a bad attitude! This sound suspiciously like a Star Trek episode. Dark energy is all around us already. But it is not packaged into clouds. The same goes for dark matter.
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When an apocalypse-themed movie rakes in truckloads of money, no copy editor on Earth, looking to top to a weekend tallies story, could withstand the temptation of the epic cataclysm metaphor waiting for them tied up with a box .
But while the End of the World metaphor may seem a garden path festooned with posies and daffodils, a few yards down and the trail suddenly becomes a headline writer’s inferno, a fiery pit of inexact analogy from which no media employee can hope to emerge unsinged.
The problem is that an apocalypse metaphor suggests something terrible has happened, while 2012’s $225 million worldwide grosses suggest something incredible has happened. (Actually, of course, if you are a fan of actual living entertainment, the apocalypse is a very apt metaphor for 2012’s success, but that’s not the tale box-office round-up headline writers have to tell.)
So across the nation this weekend, our brave headline corps searched for the right way to draw on the end of the world metaphor to explain that 2012 did really well.
Variety walked right into the trap with “2012 destroys worldwide box office.” 2012 destroyed world box office in the sense of it put a lot of money in them, and although “destroy” may be contemporary lingo for “won at” even that usage suggests an opposition as though it were 2012 vs. the box office…which takes you down a whole other rabbit hole. The Huffington Post followed Variety off this cliff (or perhaps it was the other way around) reaching for the box-office destroying imagery.
Both the Hollywood Reporter and the LA Times tried to come at the problem sideways by going with variations on “2012 explodes at boxoffice.” This variation however, while more on the nose in terms of what the films grosses did, attempts to sidestep the apocalypse metaphor, not getting at all at the fact that the film is not just about someone placing a sparkler in a mailbox, but about the whole world collapsing, and if you want to get technical about it, the world doesn’t actually explode in the film it more..crumbles.
Taking a second stab at it, in a second box office story, however, the LA Times proved the power of the do-over and pretty much managed to get both the metaphor and the enormity pretty much on the nose with: 2012 spells doom for its competition at the box office.”
The Associated Press got the epic scale right but in doing so really walked away from the entire end of the world theme and got pretty clunky in the process coming up with: 2012 has worldwide box-office bang of $225M.
The Wrap played with the theme while avoiding the metaphor with “Master of Disaster: $225M Worldwide for 2012.”
The New York Times showed either wisdom or incredible cowardice and walked away from the metaphor entirely, hitting us instead with the heart-stopping lush imagery of “2012 Opening Earns $65 Million.” And we can’t imagine the Wall Street Journal’s headline is an example of the sort of gumption Rupert Murdoch was hoping to inject into the place when he bought it up: “Disaster Film 2012 Opens Atop Box Office.”
Our congratulations go out to all those who made the effort to work with this slippery analogy. To use another one, in headline writing as in life, as in football or baseball, sort of but not exactly, you only lose by not playing.
Send an email to Richard Rushfield, the author of this post, at .
2012 (2009) R5 Xvid-Noir is available at fast direct download service with over 5,210,000 Files to choose from.Download files with more than 1000+ Kb/s downloading speed.Signup process takes just 10 sec to go.Signup today and enjoy the speed !
Boxer hybrids are inevitable
Not really breaking news, but still nice to hear that the Subaru Tourer Hybrid concept will be developed into a production vehicle.
Obviously the futuristic styling will probably be toned down a bit - I’m sure the winged doors won’t last. Still, this vehicle is about one thing: mating the Subaru Boxer engine with a hybrid drive.
Too bad we have to wait until 2012 for this reality.
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67 Responses to “Why 2012 is a Guessing Game”
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December 3rd, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Very well written article Kristofer. I still believe that Mr. Huckabee is a well meaning guy and he does not deserve all this trouble, but I am a bit upset to learn that he knew that the chap brought a gun into the jail and I trust him less. I am pround of the camp that I am in and while I know there are other good candidates out there, this bloody mess makes me quite discouraged.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
It makes me wonder whether there are qualified prospective candidates for POTUS who will never run, because of concern what the media and the other side may dig up–even if not scandalous, maybe embarrassing for them or a family member. Gotcha politics. It’s extreme and it’s a shame the extent to which it’s played out in this country.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
2 – makes we wonder if the reason given (leaked) why Sanford was not considered for V.P. was B.S.?
Maybe it was not the fact that he refused to endorse McCain, as per advice from a Rudy advisor, but instead his good friend Sen. Graham knew all about the secret trips?
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Good point hamaca, not to be too smart alec, but I would not run for dog catcher for fear that people will find out about my parking violations, nevermind the few colorful characters in my family tree.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Kris,
The way Huck has reacted to all of this does not reveal a man experiencing a high level of guilt.
Even after the DuMond debacle, Huck continued his pace of letting criminals free, against a lot of pressure. He could not/would not stop to listen to others.
People automatically assume the highest motives in Huckabee simply because he has been a pastor. But a lot of the time he seems to be lacking in character, morals, honestly, and good judgment.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
5 – I do not believe Huckabee believes he is entitled, so your only point I agree with is that he lacks judgement and not necessarily because he was a pastor.
Do not confuse tough campaigning with a lack of character.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Well, I am not writing Huckabee’s political obituary just yet. It is still two years before the first 2012 caucuses and primaries.
Think of George Allen’s “Macaca” incident. It did cause him to lose his Senate seat, and his 2008 Presidential ambitions, but he only lost by a margin of 0.4%. There was only a 9000 vote difference out of over 2.3 million cast. Who’s to say that an extra few months would not have produced a different outcome? So who knows how Huckabee will fare in the next two years?
I cannot bring myself to condemn Huckabee for any one specific pardon or clemency — even Clemmons. I am not so sure that if I were in his position, I would not have done the same. I try to keep an open mind with people, to give them a second chance if they deserve it. If you don’t want any criminals pardoned or granted clemency, I highly suggest you don’t vote for me as Governor or President.
Two things do trouble me about this whole affair: (1)Huckabee does seem to have issued far more pardons/clemencies than seem warranted, and (2) the return of “Hoomee” Huckabee, whom I thought we had seen the last of a year ago.
Much has been said about the first. There is likely no reason to go into it further, other than the fact that when comparing the number of pardons/clemencies granted by Huckabee to that of other Governors, you need to compare the actual percentage of the prison population involved, not just sheer numbers. For example it is far worse if Huckabee let 1000 felons out of 2000 go than if Reagan had let 2000 felons out of 200,000.
As for the second, it seems a real Huckabee character trait to avoid taking any responsibility for anything that might place him in a bad light. He has to be forced into a corner with no way out before he will finally own up to his part in it. “The cover-up is worse than the crime” applies here.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
“Some have suggested that Governor Huckabee pardoned Clemmons because it presented a political opportunity to reach out to African Americans. “
http://race42008.com/2009/12/03/why-2012-is-a-guessing-game/
FACT CHECK: Huckabee never pardoned Clemmons.
Not trying to bash you man but getting basic facts right is important. There is a big different between a pardon and a sentence reduction. Huckabee reduced 4 robbery convictions from 108 to 47.5 years. A pardon directly releases a person, clemency does not. A pardon cleans a person’s record, a clemency (sentence reduction) does not.
I trust you will be able to make this correction question quickly.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Maybe Huck does feel more remorse than he’s letting on, but has been advised, or knows himself, that if he come out and says he so sorry, it’s all his fault, total lapse in judgement, how could I miss that…wouldn’t that open himself up for lawsuits by the families of the policemen who were killed?
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Why is 2012 a guessing game?
Sarah Palin will be one of the finalists. The other TBD.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
“For example it is far worse if Huckabee let 1000 felons out of 2000 go than if Reagan had let 2000 felons out of 200,000.”
- I agree. I do know that the Arkansas prison population grew quite a bit while Huckabee was governor (and the state itself experiences decent population growth). I also know that the violent crime rate dropped over Huckabee’s tenure while the overall crime rate went up slightly.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
hamaca, in the other thread it was pointed out that a governor can’t be sued for clemency, pardon or such.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
As much as it pains me to agree with David here, he is correct in his fact check, he didn’t pardon Clemmons, but commuted his sentence so he could get out of jail.
I will also give Huckabee the benefit of the doubt as I don’t think he did all the pardons/Clemency for political reasons as there would be more practical ways of doing that.
It still suggest that Huckabee showed poor judgment as should never get the nomination.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:12 pm
#10,
Are you all that certain she even wants to be a contestant, or are you just projecting your hopes and dreams onto her?
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
10… Bob your post about Sarah Palin being one of the finalists happened to be placed (at least on my computer) right next to her smiling picture as if she’s delighted by your comment. Gave me a chuckle.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Very funny ) Palin will be an after thought come 2012.
Romney on the other hand will be there. Pawlenty is likely to be there (don’t know if he will get any traction). As for anyone else, time is actually starting to run out, as it takes time to build organizations, hire people, etc.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Apparently Pat Buchanan thinks Huck is in trouble too.
“If it is proven… that was indispensible in seeing to it that this man was released, with the kind of record he had, I think it becomes almost like a Willie Horton situation,” Buchanan said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “If Huckabee gave this fellow a parole, and he was indispensible in paroling him and setting him free, then he’s got a hellish political problem, there’s no question about it.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/01/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5854298.shtml
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
DanL, thanks. Would it also be the case that the State can also not have legal action taken against it? (Sorry if that was also pointed out elsewhere)
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
David,
I made the change for you, but technically my statement was correct. This is exactly what the media and blogs are discussing and stating.
O’Reilly defends Huckabee’s pardons after police killings Washington Post
Huckabee’s Pardon Problem Atlantic Online (blog)
The Hill – CNN
all 1,648 news articles »
Email this story
Hot Air (blog)
Huckabee handed out pardons like candy
San Francisco Chronicle – ?17 hours ago?
When I looked into Huckabee’s pardon record in 2006, I expected to praise what became his more than 1000 pardons, including 163 commutations. …
Will GOP voters pardon Huckabee in 2012 or 2016? Southern Political Report
Game Over, Huck…Game Over… Hot Air (blog)
publicola Comment of the Day Goes To… PubliCola (blog)
Washington Post (blog)
all 29 news articles »
Why 2012 is a Guessing Game
Race 4 2012 (blog) – ?50 minutes ago?
Some have suggested that Governor Huckabee pardoned Clemmons because it presented a political opportunity to reach out to African Americans. …
Times Online
Suspect in 4 police killings is slain
Philadelphia Inquirer – Kim Murphy – ?Dec 2, 2009?
People don’t go to prison for murder” with that sort of sentence, Huckabee said. The killings have renewed scrutiny of Huckabee’s large pardon record, …
Video: SWAT team moves in on Seattle home KXLY
Lone police officer guns down Seattle cop killer AXcess News
Social networks follow search, offer memorials for slain officers TheNewsTribune.com
Daily Kos (blog) – Seattle Central District News
Too bad to check: Huckabee “laughed out loud” at complaints about …
59 minutes ago – Another Huckabee pardon gone awry? politico.com 3 days ago — The Seattle Times reports … Huckabee had reportedly pardoned the suspected shooter, Maurice . …
beltwayblips.dailyradar.com/…/too-bad-to-check-huckabee-laughed-out-loud -at/
The Mike Huckabee Pardons
58 minutes ago – There is no need to tiptoe gingerly around this topic: Maurice Clemmons, who was shot and killed as authorities tried to apprehend him for the shooting …
topics.treehugger.com/…/088JbToezP0Nn?q…
OdinsEye on HuffingtonPost
15 minutes ago – Of course the tag still incorrectly says “Huckabee Clemons Pardon”, incorrectly spelling Clemmons and still mistakenly
Salon News – Salon.com
18 minutes ago – Gabriel Winant. Mike Huckabee · Find God, get out of jail, slaughter again. Why did Mike Huckabee pardon child rapist Maurice Clemmons? …
machinist.salon.com/news/
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
My hope and dream is that she will make it to the final ballot so to speak, but it is true that I have no idea if she does want the job. If she does not want the job, I will apply to be an honorary Pawlentyite, after that I will not likely be very happy at all.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
18 I don’t know the answer to that, but my guess would be no.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
#14, #15:
Folks, I’m not saying Sarah is going to win the GOP nomination in 2012. But are you telling me that the support she has according to PPP in November among conservative Republicans favorables (87%)and conservative independents (84%) is suddenly going to evaporate into thin air, especially with the opportunity for Sarah to strengthen herself further with the possible Huckabee demise. If you do either you are being disingenuous or delusional. Politics or sports doesn’t work that way unless you face a situation like Huckabee or like Mark Sanford.
I guess you can live in hope that the MSM and the tabloids are going to discover something ‘unsavory’ or salacious on Sarah, but I would encourage you not to bet your home on it.
Do you folks really believe that Sarah Palin is not going to run in 2012? If you had these types of favorables I ask you, assuming you could raise a boatload of money and had the ability to run a political campaign would you forgo running and say I’m not interested to being POTUS? I don’t think so.
But I would be interested in why you think Palin will not run in 2012?
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
This Huck meltdown does help Palin, no doubt, Bob. I believe it hurts Romney more than it helps him.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
don’t have too, they just have to investigate Trooper Gate closer. There was a lot of disingenuous ethic probes on Palin, but Trooper Gate was not one of them and is still lying out there. Do you really think Palin Quit the Governors race for the reasons she stated? If you do, you are a fool. She got out while the getting was good.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
8. David,
There’s not a big difference.
It doesn’t really matter to the discussion whether Huckabee pardoned Clemmons or commuted his sentence. It effectively released him.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
24. Yes, I think she quit because it was the least bad option. Staying in office would have been political suicide, the way things were going for her, even more so than quitting.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:41 pm
“don’t have too, they just have to investigate Trooper Gate closer.” That is a funny one.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6004368&page=1
The MSM would have a field day with her. But keep believing in fairy tails.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Nice try, that report was written by a Democrat. Further, is Mrs. Palin’s book, she did not dwell on it, but she said enough to show that your trooper friend is not exactly the best actor. So bring it on!
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I would say that Palin is the clear front runner now that Huck melted down. I wish Fox would hire her to replace Huck. That would allow her to hone her research, speaking, and debate skills.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Of course she would say that, but the ex-brother in laws judge during his divorce proceedings said differently. This was a women who went after an ex-brother in law to help her sister in a divorce. Not the kind of person I want as president. Even if you assume he is as bad as she said he was (even though a judge said differently), she should not be using her office for revenge.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
bob,
The reason I think Palin will not run in 2012 has nothing to do with favorables, polling, crowd size, books sold, etc. It has to do with what she is really actually doing.
She is not really lining up an organization. SarahPAC by all reports is raking in the dough, yet I see very little organizing going on. This mistake killed Giuliani last year and Huckabee too to a certain extent. Huckabee IS setting up an organization, but it is all centers around HuckPAC. While I don’t think Huck will run either, at least he has an organization in place if he does decide to throw his hat in the ring.
She is not taking steps to improve in areas she needs to improve. Her extemporaneous speaking is atrocious. Even her most ardent admirers have to admit that. When she goes off script, she tends to ramble on in run-on sentences. And that annoying wink of hers when she is nervous or under-stress — ARRRGGH!!!. You simply cannot become President in this day and age and have these problems with off-the-cuff remarks. They will KILL you. If she really was running for President, she would be addressing these concerns. I see no sign of her doing so.
She seems to be studying up on National affairs. In THAT she is taking steps to improve the package.
Then there is just watching her. She seems to enjoy the freedom that being a private citizen provides. Remember she was Governor for about two years. She knows the binds executive elective office places on you. She never seemed happier than after she resigned. Why would she think that the Presidency would be any easier? She isn’t stupid, no matter what many of her detractors say. So why would she willing put her foot into that trap again?
When I look at Sarah Palin, I see a leader of a movement. Why do people think that a movement leader has to become President of the United States in order to be effective? That is just silly.
Look what happened when she used just two words “death Panels” on her facebook. The entire juggernaut of ObamaCare came to screeching halt.
She has what she wants and needs: fame, power, influence, money. Who wants her in the Presidency? Many are fans that think putting her in the Oval Office will be the end of all their problems. There is also those who need the affirmation of their devotion of her. What better way to prove you were right all along than to have your hero in the White House? However, as the Obama fans are finding out, there is always the morning-after.
I happen to LIKE Sarah Palin. I like her a whole lot more than I do Mike Huckabee. She just isn’t Presidential material, nor do I believe does she want to be.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
“she should not be using her office for revenge.” That maybe so, but the trooper should obey the laws that he is suppose to enforce. He should not have shot moose without the proper permit and he should have come to work once in a while without being drunk as a sunk. This trooper was in the wrong line of work.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I like Palin but lets be realistic she is probably the only Republican that could snatch defeat from victory in 2012 with her quitting as Governor and not handling the leftist media well like a Pawlenty or Romney do. Man I hope she doesnt run.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Many are fans that think putting her in the Oval Office will be the end of all their problems.” Haha, she would end a few of our problem, but yes nobody is going to end all of our problems in this lifetime.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
33. I read that when Wooten shot the moose, his wife, (Palin’s sister) was with him, and had a permit. Apparently, she handed the gun to him.
Just sayin.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
OJ,
You will note that I didn’t say ALL her fans are that way.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
OJ, No matter how rotten Wooten was, Palin and Todd abused the power of her office to try to get him. There’s no way around it, and if she became the nominee, this would be a problem.
She also threw in more than a few lies, along with stonewalling the investigation, and refusing to release her sworn testimony after she promised to do so.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
70% in Huckabee’s State Oppose Letting Elected Officials Reduce Felons’ Sentences
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_state_surveys/arkansas/70_in_huckabee_s_state_oppose_letting_elected_officials_reduce_felons_sentences
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Yes, I did take note MarK.
Well Martha, perhaps he shot more than one Moose.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Funny how the judge said differently. And by the way, he kept his Job as a police officer. But go ahead, listen to the ex-sister in law, give her the benefit of the doubt and dump on the ex brother in law. Don’t give him any benefit of the doubt.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:21 pm
“Don’t give him any benefit of the doubt.” Well, he certainly is not the worst person in the word, but by the same token, let’s just say he has more than a few issues.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Yea, we all have issues, but we shouldn’t have the Governor in the land, with all her power coming after us, we should be given our day in court. Not only was what she did morale wrong, but unconstitutional. There is something called due process of law, but Palin ignored that. But go ahead and keep her on the pedestal you have put her on. But she will never run for president, and if she did, she would be destroyed.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
OneNewsNow.com Poll
Who would you consider to be the current frontrunner for the GOP presidential bid in 2012?
Mike Huckabee – 22.19%
Sarah Palin – 54.86%
Tim Pawlenty – 4.43%
Mitt Romney – 12.14%
Other – 6.37%
17981 responses
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Yes I do recall, that in Esquire, there was some minor accident when Piper was with the family, and he had her dragged to the police station,very brave. Is this the same kind of judge that let the Johnstons leave the state, so they could spread their lies in NY and Florida. BTW, what objective source did you read that it, Salon Huffington Post, Newsweek
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Yes, if you put it that way, we all (including Mrs. Palin) have issues. I just would not be too sure that Mrs. Palin does not run for President.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
“BTW, what objective source did you read that it, Salon Huffington Post, Newsweek” Haha, shhhhh, they do not want to answer what they read, they just want ask Mrs. Palin what she reads.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
marK,
“As for the second, it seems a real Huckabee character trait to avoid taking any responsibility for anything that might place him in a bad light.”
That’s a character trait of every human being I have ever gotten to know. It’s hard enough to get Catholics into an anonymous confessional where the secrecy is absolute. And we’re about the only religion (along with the Eastern Orthodox) that requires all serious sins be confessed at all to another person. Imagine doing that publicly.
In politicians, because of the higher stakes involved (public noteriety, reputation, ego, career, power, desire to do some good, etc….) that impulse is almost always magnified.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Well done.
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:04 pm
MWS,
I am exquisitely aware that wishing to avoid responsibility for past decisions is a common human trait. It is also a common human male trait to want to sleep with anything wearing a skirt.
Now I know we continue to elect politicians that are disinclined to control the latter. Does that mean we should just give up looking for candidates who do?
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Kris,
“The dynamics of vote splitting and coalitions will be drastically different from what the 2012 junkies (myself included) currently analyze, debate and speculate about.”
I think this is absolutely true. Even if we eliminated the enormous variable of who will or won’t run, it would still be impossible to know how coalitions will form or various groups break out.
Heck, nobody knew Huck would claim the SoCons in the Spring of ‘07, much less Fall of ‘05.
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:51 pm
marK,
If you ever find a candidate completely candid about their failings in life and in office, let me know.
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:58 pm
It is a little known fact, but Scotsmen are the most sexually harassed minority on the planet.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Just saw Mike’s appearance on The View, it was good. If Martha saw it I’m guessing she’s out TV shopping now because she threw a brick at her screen.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
mac, how about this interview?
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2009/12/03/griffin.clemmons.huckabee.cnn
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Or how about Huck saying he would do it all the same if he had it to do over?
“The former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate told a local TV station in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Tuesday that his decision to lessen the 108-year sentence of Maurice Clemmons — who was convicted of aggravated robbery when he was 17 — was ultimately the right one to make, one that others in his shoes would have done as well.”
“Despite the torrent of criticism, Huckabee stuck to his guns. “If I had the exact same information in front of me tonight that I had 9 years ago, in a case exactly the same, I would make the exact same decision, because I can’t imagine that anyone would not,” he said.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/02/huckabee-if-i-had-same-fa_n_377164.html
http://www.gop12.com/2009/12/huck-you-would-have-commuted-him-too.html
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:47 pm
54.
I didn’t see it, but I sure as heck cannot afford another new TV!
I make it a point to never watch the View or Huck.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:51 pm
DanL,
I just watched the video, this is a CNN sensationalized hit piece. You’ve said that you’ve attended law school, I haven’t, but I have a fairly good understanding of our justice system, especially for juveniles, here in Florida’s 13th circuit. I think the reporter in this video said that the 108 year sentence was for “theft” and “burglary”(?) These are property crimes. NO one, especially juveniles, get 108 years for property crimes here in the 13th circuit. If inmates commit crimes in prison, they are prosecuted.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:52 pm
MWS,
My beef with “Whomee” Huckabee is that every time I’ve watched him in the past two and a half years when he had the opportunity of being candid when a problem first arose, he avoided responsibility. He did not do this just once or twice, or occasionally, or even most of the time. He did it every single time that I am aware of.
He has it down pat:
Step #1: Ignore the problem. Hope it goes away.
— If that doesn’t work or won’t work in that particular instance, then –
Step #2a: Issue a statement denying responsibility and/or shifting the blame to others, and/or –
Step #2b: Attack those who are pointing out the problem.
— If either or both of these do not or won’t work, then and only then –
Step #3: Accept responsibility.
He will occasionally skip #1 or #2, but I’ve don’t recall a time where he skipped both #1 and #2. Just once I would like to see him skip numbers #1 and #2 and go straight to #3. Is that too much to ask?
And yes, I can point to several instances where Romney went straight to #3, which is hardly surprising because Romney craves responsibility. Fool that he is, the man actually seems to WANT to be responsible. I guess he didn’t get the memo where politicians are supposed to want power, but not the responsibility that goes with it.
Well, you would expect a Romney supporter to be aware of instances where Romney readily accepted responsibility for unpleasant facts, but how about you? You used to be an ardent Huckabee supporter, right? Are you aware of any time he did the same?
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:00 pm
mac, Clemmons prison record states that he possessed or introduced a firearm into prison. He showed up to court with a shiv. How could anyone in their right mind, knowing this, grant clemency.
Huck knew. He admitted it in the video.
From the CNN interview I linked in 63.
INTERVIEWER: Did you go any further than was handwritten…
HUCKABEE: I read the entire file.
INTERVIEWER: Was it just this few piece of paper?
HUCKABEE: No, no, it was a file this thick (indicates a file in excess of an inch thick).
INTERVIEWER: Did it tell you the violations he had in prison? The assualts? The firearm possession? The fact that he tried to slip a piece of metal into court?
HUCKABEE: Every bit of his record. You know, hey, I looked at the file, every bit of it…
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:20 pm
DanL,
I don’t have the time or energy to keep up this debate with you. You are convinced that Huck acted inappropriately, nothing will change your mind. This CNN hit piece does not change my mind about Huck’s decision. But I’ll give you a few short responses,
“Clemmons prison record states that he possessed or introduced a firearm into prison.”
The CNN hit piece didn’t provide any evidence of that, Jegley said “weapon” did he not? Was it a gun or another weapon? When did this take place? How far into Clemons prison term? There are a lot of other pertinent questions but I don’t have the time right now.
“He showed up to court with a shiv.” Again, when did this take place, when he was a juvenile?
Obviously, this guy was never an angel, but we don’t sentence people to life for property crimes, misdemeanors and things we think they’ll do in the future.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Well I like all the potential candudates we have, but Huck is done, Romney is poison with Republican voters and has a huge woman problem, and Palin probably won’t run.
I say we get behind someone like Pawlenty. A sincere version of Romney. He is a candidate we can ALL be proud of.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:48 pm
mac, if you read the article that accompanies the CNN video it says more. He attempted to bring the shiv to a pre trial appearance. The firearm was while he was in prison, but no more details are provided.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:09 pm
#61:
Palin probably won’t run:
What evidence have you of that? Do you know somebody on her staff, are you a friend of somebody that Sarah has close ties to, are you her hairdresser or provide a service to her or can you read minds?
Assuming the above doesn’t apply, why have you come to that conclusion?
As far as I can tell there is nothing that Sarah has done in the past 4 months that would lead anyone to believe she would not be running for POTUS in 2012.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
63. I think it’s fairly obvious that Palin is running. Everything she has done in the past 4 months indicates that she is.
Things just got a little easier, too.
Unfortunately, she still has the same fundamental problems.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
59. Ouch. That’s really incriminating.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
bob, no just my opinion. My comments about Romney are based on fact however.
The stars certainly seem to be aligned for Palin. Even quitting, and the publicity and her critic’s focus on that, hasn’t slowed her down at all.
I guess my point is this: while the media and polls especially focus on Palin-Romney-Huck, we won’t get a clear picture of 2012. I’d like polling of people like Pawlenty, Thune, Jindal, Pence etc etc without the big three sucking up all the oxygen to see who else is viable.