Thursday, February 9, 2017

Analyzing Corporate Statements



We regularly analyze corporate statements, annual reports, sales reports and other business related material.  In it, we learn content, but we also learn 'spin' that is, information that seeks to change communicative meaning without being technically deceptive.  This insight can prove valuable to investors.  

Target had major expansion plans.  

Target boldly took advantage of political correctness and the main stream media/celebrity push, in stating that a man could use a woman's bathroom "of his own choosing" if he "identified" as a woman.  

This did not go well with parents of young girls.  A man's mental heath being so singularly in jeopardy as to convince him he is not who he is, by itself, is alarming, but to allow him access to little girls in a bathroom was all too much for parent shoppers.  

When the public reacted with anger stating that this could be putting children at risk, Target doubled down and further divided customers with its "identity politics"; the single most divisive technique used in America today.  Target took to lecturing and insulting Americans on this 'new morality' where someone who was in need of mental health intervention, is now a "cause" for celebrities.  Given the main stream media predictions on the elections, Target's CEO likely felt great confidence in lecturing Americans on the new morality.  

When threatened with a boycott, Target responded harshly.  

A boycott ensued and since that time, Target has had more than 10 billion dollars in reduced stock value and had major plans for new stores, manned by robots, which had been long planned and invested in.  

Here is the announcement canceling it.  

Target has denied that their same store sales losses have been due to the boycott.  



At Target, we regularly pause to evaluate our business and have to make tough choices about where our company is best served to invest our time and resources. We recently made some changes to the innovation portfolio to refocus our efforts on supporting our core business, both in stores and online, and delivering against our strategic priorities. Target remains absolutely committed to pursuing what’s next. We see a tremendous opportunity to drive innovation in areas that will fuel our growth both in the short and long-term in areas such as digital, technology, supply chain and merchandising.

Here is the statement again:

At Target, we regularly pause to evaluate our business 

Here the use of "normal" begins the statement.  We have two principles in play:

1.  Priority of the opening sentence
2.  The use of "normal" in analysis.  

1.  Where the statement begins is always important and sometimes it is so important that it tells us why the statement is being made.  

2.  Next, we have the issue of "normal" and here it is in a "hina clause"; that is, a need to explain why.  When someone is dealing with something very "not" normal, in which they wish to conceal, they will openly portray it as "normal."

This signals to us that it is anything but normal.  

3.  Explanation of why the "regular pause" is made: 


and have to make tough choices about where our company is best served to invest our time and resources. 

Companies do often pause to re-evaluate but it is the need to call the pause "regular" here, coupled with the need to explain "why" the pause is being made that greatly increase the sensitivity of such.   When we add the principle of "priority" to the statement, it becomes outstanding for the analyst.  


We recently made some changes to the innovation portfolio to refocus our efforts on supporting our core business, both in stores and online, and delivering against our strategic priorities. 

Note minimization.  This was a major 'groundbreaking' plan is now labeled as "some changes" to the "innovation portfolio.  


Target remains absolutely committed to pursuing what’s next. 

The weakness is seen in the need to make the commitment sensitive with "absolutely."

Shareholders should now be aware that leadership is very likely divided in their commitment to the program of new robotic stores.  

The word "absolutely" is not necessary and weakens the commitment by 'attempting to seal off every area of weakness.'

Stronger?  "We will..."

This commitment is not to building the announced plans but to pursuing "what" is next; with "what" being undefined. 

This suggests to shareholders that Target leadership is uncertain about the future.  


We see a tremendous opportunity to drive innovation in areas that will fuel our growth both in the short and long-term in areas such as digital, technology, supply chain and merchandising.

Note the order as important.  What do they see?

Do they see growth?

No. 

They see not only an opportunity to drive innovation (the focus is on innovation, not growth) but "tremendous" opportunity.  

They do not see tremendous potential in growth, but in innovation.  This is very different and it puts distance between what they "see" and "growth." 

Note that "tremendous" and "growth" are in the same sentence quite purposely.  It is by design.  

In the faltering stock price, this is intended to have an impact, particularly on portfolio managers who's buying, selling and holding of large portions of stock, have impact upon the value.  

Identity politics continues to divide and enrage Americans as the list of "hyphenations" grows as does the alphabet lettering.  Eventually, identified groups recognize the exploitation by politicians for political gain, and by celebrities for publicity, and a backlash of anger results.   

How powerful is moral narcissism?

Target may have identified less than .000001 % of a customer base, and chose to taunt and insult their client base upon it.  

Listening to hearings shows the absurdity of identity politics.  Eventually, those who are being used as pawns by politicians are likely to become angry.  

'With military upgrades and weapons technology showing missiles can now be fired from off sea ships, Admiral, and more than 3 billion dollars investment, can you tell me how this new technology is going to impact  transgendered Americans?'

Statement analysis is used in law enforcement, business, social sciences, journalism and wherever deception detection and content analysis is needed.  

137 comments:

Trigger said...

When a vender tells their clients that they have no choice but to surrender their personal comfort and privacy matters to the whims of a corporate bully to target them as victims, then the customers have a responsibility to avoid such unwanted humiliation and exploitation by that vender by refusing to buy their goods.

Thank you, America for sending a message to the bullies at Target Stores. Consumers will be not submit to this type of abuse.

John Mc Gowan said...

OT:

This seems to support the principle of "our".

The overwhelming number of biological parents will say "my" child, taking ownership of the child. When someone "shares" ownership, such as "our" child, there is a reason.

a. Two parents together, speaking as one.
b. The parents are adoptive, or foster parents
c. There is a step parent involved (or someone acting in the role of step parent)
d. There is divorce in discussion between parents and they are already thinking/talking of sharing custody
e. When a child has bad behavior, or poor grades, there is sometimes a desire to avoid "my"
f. There is a need to share guilt.



Madonna 'overjoyed' following adoption of twin girls

Snipped:

The superstar singer took to Instagram Wednesday to announce she's adopted twin girls from Malawi.

"I can officially confirm I have completed the process of adopting twin sisters from Malawi and am overjoyed that they are now part of our family," Madonna wrote

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/08/entertainment/madonna-adopts-twins/index.html?sr=fbCNN020917hln,madonna-adopts-twins0240PMN/AN/A

rob said...

Read the comments on the article, I love it! It's time for people to start speaking up. We don't have to act like the other side, throwing bricks, blocking roads, burning down stores. We just have to let our purses snap shut. On retailers, professional sports, movies, etc. I'm really saving money on stuff that really meant nothing anyway.
If target was so bent on appeasing the transgender community at the expense of everyone else, they should have went into every store, demo'ed the existing male/female restrooms and installed 6 to 8 single person rooms with private locking doors. Safer and more private to boot.
They're all mouth and dont' want to put the money there. Well, neither do I.
tjmaxx and marshalls not to feature Ivanka Trumps line any more. Told to remove all signage, OK, I removed myself from there stores. No vandalism,just no more spending.

It's time for the other side to be heard, just like we were heard in the last election. No need to be criminal to do that. Can't wait to vote against Lindsay Graham in the next election, even if I have vote for a democrat.

Anonymous said...

Rob uses a purse?

rob said...

Yeah, and I didn't even trans into it. I was born Robin and still am her.

Anonymous said...

Why does Pamela Geller have soft porn ads on her website? And video ads that cant be muted or stopped despite buttons for both. The ads are common, not cookie based. Conservatives are ok with conservative immortality. But watch out if you're non conservative and immoral. Annie Coulters pal, the flaming gay, Milo makes some pretty vile remarks but its A-OK because he claims Breitbart style conservatism. Beware USA, the neo cons are just as bad as the neo libs. One side burns the flag and the other waves the flag. One side parades their immorality and the other is silent of their own. One side reviles religion and the other side cynically usurps religious terms.

rob said...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4206256/Trailer-Netflix-series-Dear-White-People-unveiled.html

Where does it end? We foot the bill AND we are the enemy. Glad I don't do netflix

Anonymous said...

I still dont know where that meme started. A blk man at work said he cant be racist because he's black. By whom and when were these viral lies started?

rob said...

My black friend at work (for the last 9 years) told me that me and everyone who voted for Trump was racist. He knew that I was voting for Trump, we had discussed it before, but didn't get mad until he won the election. He was so confident that Hillary was going to win. Now 3 months later, he wants to act like that never happened and wants to chat about current events. NO! If I had called him a racist for voting for Hillary, I would be fired right now.
He could have said I think its bad, I don't like it, I don't understand it, whatever, but he chose the words and I made my decision based on that.

LM Cerullo said...

Hyphenations and alphabet lettering. It's not only Target that's wondering what's next.

Anonymous said...

Target is a very nice to shop at store. Clean, bright, with decent service. Why tamper with success? They're far better than dirty wallmart and defunct kmart. The stores seem already skeleton crew staffed, so why replace workers with robots? Target has nicely expanded into grocery. The simplicity of merchandising is becomming extremely & unnecessarily complex.

Anonymous said...

Trump received 23% of the popular vote.

Anonymous said...

Check out this story....Islam inspired killing or not?

The mother of a backpacker slain in an Australian hostel wrote an open letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, rejecting the decision to label her daughter's death as a terror attackThe August slayings of Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 20, and fellow Briton Tom Jackson, 30, were on a list of 78 attacks the White House says were "executed or inspired by" the Islamic State terror group — and under-reported by the media.

Anonymous said...

Understand history. It's a long story. In a nutshell:

When a group steals people, murdering many, separating families, bringing them to a different land to act as slaves, treating them, over the years, as sub-human, perpetrating all sorts of egregious acts agaibst them, how can the stolen group of people be racist?

Now, they may retain a deep and abiding distrust and hatred for the people who stole them and committed awful acts against them, but that's a bit different than racism, which is hating because of race.

The people stealers and overlords hate because of race; the stolen people hate because they were stolen and enslaved.

Big difference.

Hey Jude said...


'The British Medical Association has said pregnant women should not be called "expectant mothers" as it could offend transgender people.

Instead, they should call them "pregnant people" so as not to upset intersex and transgender men, the union has said.

The advice comes in an internal document to staff outlining a raft of common phrases that should be avoided for fear of causing offence.'

----


'On pregnancy and maternity, it says: "Gender inequality is reflected in traditional ideas about the roles of women and men. Though they have shifted over time, the assumptions and stereotypes that underpin those ideas are often deeply-rooted."


It adds: "A large majority of people that have been pregnant or have given birth identify as women. We can include intersex men and transmen who may get pregnant by saying 'pregnant people' instead of 'expectant mothers'."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/29/dont-call-pregnant-women-expectant-mothers-might-offend-transgender/

----

If the advice is widely followed, the particular status of 'mother' will be denied by the medical profession to expectant mothers, just in case a man who has issues with his own identity, should be offended, or get pregnant, due to actually being a woman who identifies as male.

I find that 'advice' to be sinister - whether intendedly so, or overly well intentioned towards the tiny majority, it seems an attempt to break down the sense of self and to devalue the particular status of mothers in society - the 'expectant mother' is to be viewed as 'stereotype' (negative) and recast as a homogenised 'pregnant person'. It's sad when the stories read like April Fools pranks, yet are not.





Anonymous said...

Whats the latest on Brexit Jude?

Anonymous said...

http://fox40.com/2017/02/08/man-accused-of-raping-woman-in-north-highlands-home-speaks-out-from-jail/

Man Accused of Raping Woman in North Highlands Home Speaks Out from Jail

SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento County sheriff's deputies arrested 28-year-old David Ross Hamilton after they say he broke into a 48-year-old woman's North Highlands house in the middle of the night and raped her at knifepoint.

Hamilton claims that his girlfriend knows the victim's husband, and that he had to go to the house to make sure his children weren't there or in any danger. It's unclear why his kids would be there or what kind of danger they'd be in.

"I wanted to make sure that no one I knew was over there at the house, that was in danger. Okay that was my intentions," Hamilton said from the Sacramento County Jail on Wednesday.

"But it was 3 in the morning, it was late at night, David," FOX40 said.

"I know. I got woken up, with a big surprise. I had to get over there. Get over there quick," he said.

When asked why, he responded: "Because I was afraid someone that I love was held in there," he said.

Deputies said Hamilton broke in through an unlocked window. He said he entered through the back of the house.

"I went to the room. And this lady she said very kindly, 'Hey, what are you doing here? What are you doing here?''' he said.

He said he told her, "'Ma'am I don't want no problems.'"

"I took her hand, very nicely shut her phone. I took my hand. We both sat down on the carpet. And we talked," he said.

"What you talk about?" FOX40 asked.

"I don't really want to say anything, until I get my lawyer," Hamilton said.

Investigators said the woman was able to text a relative to call 911 for her.

Hamilton said he allowed her to go to the bathroom at one point.

"We went ahead and had some pizza. We had some shots of tequila. We laid under the table together. It was beautiful.... We just held each other," Hamilton said.

"She paced back and forth, back and forth. She was nervous. And regardless. I didn't force her to do anything. She was a very, very kind loving woman. and I respect her to the fullest," he said.

Fearing for her two daughters' safety, investigators said the mother did what she could to keep her children safe.

Deputies arrived at her home, as Hamilton was about to enter one of her daughters' bedrooms.

He says he wasn't going to hurt anyone.

"I'm a good dad. I know I'm a good person. I'm a hard worker. I'm not a rapist," he added.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Tania?

Hey Jude said...

Well, some foot-stamping, agitating, and a general dissatisfaction with 'democracy' from many of my fellow Remainers, so far as I can tell. I expect they did not do well at board games or on the sports field either. Interesting to watch, if disappointing.

Foolsfeedonfolly said...


RE: Anonymous February 9, 2017 @1:22 PM

" Anonymous said...

Understand history. It's a long story. In a nutshell:

When a group steals people, murdering many, separating families, bringing them to a different land to act as slaves, treating them, over the years, as sub-human, perpetrating all sorts of egregious acts agaibst them, how can the stolen group of people be racist?

Now, they may retain a deep and abiding distrust and hatred for the people who stole them and committed awful acts against them, but that's a bit different than racism, which is hating because of race.

The people stealers and overlords hate because of race; the stolen people hate because they were stolen and enslaved.

Big difference."
________________________________________
Understand history. Documented: A large percentage of that "group of people stealing people" were African chieftains eager to dispose of rivals and enemy tribes and sold their fellow Africans into slavery.

Understand that just because some members of a "group" do something wicked, evil, inhumane, not all members share that behavior, mindset, or intention. Understand also that said "group" is dead and no longer able to buy or sell anyone, so are said victims. It has everything to do with race when the haters are of one specific race and the hate-ees (those being hated) are of another specific race. When one holds oneself apart or values oneself above another member of the human race simply because of one's skin color or identification with a people of a specific color, that is the definition of racist. When one devalues another based upon the degree of pigmentation in their skin, that is racism...be it White on Black/Latino/Asian or Black/Latino/Asian on White.

When one chooses to hold a current race of people responsible for the atrocities inflicted upon one's ancestors by a "group" of long-dead people, that's racist hatred and ludicrous. When one demands special privileges from individuals, institutions, and government for one's self because an ancestor was abused, that's using and abusing a dead relative for profit.

When one feeds and nurtures hatred for another race, based on offenses committed by a long-dead "group" people, the end result will be revenge and murder. That's called a race war.

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

To the above post: I am in no way condoning slavery. It is inexcusable, regardless of who engages in it. I am opposing those who feel they/there ancestors exclusively have been victimized by slavery. History is ripe with groups of people enslaving other groups of people, whether by race, ethnicity, or gender. Bottom line: Whenever human beings enslave another human being, we all lose; Society loses it s humanity.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter if it is exclusive. It was perpetrated upon them by a specific group, accounting for their distrust and dislike of that group. Actions, not race.

Others may have their own set of hatreds, but that is not necessarily the same thing as racial hatred b

New England Water Blog said...

The discussion of normal brought to mind this amazing scene with Peter Sellers and James Mason...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62dtIEz_onc

Anonymous said...

He won way more than that. Hillary was only a couple million ahead and who knows hhourjomejow many of those voters are actually alive and American citizens. Trump ran a good race. He campaigned heavily in key states that held a lot of the electoral votes. Smart.

John Mc Gowan said...

OT:

Cambridge student filmed burning cash in front of homeless man

Cambridge University Conservative Association says it has revoked student’s membership after incident in city centre

Snipped:

A member of the prestigious Cambridge University Conservative Association has been expelled from the organisation after he was filmed burning a £20 note in front of a homeless person.

The footage, shared on Snapchat, showed the Pembroke College student, dressed smartly in bowtie and tails, using a cigarette lighter to burn the money, the student website the Tab reported.

he person recording the video then captured a homeless man in the shot, who was standing outside a clothing shop in Cambridge city centre. After burning the money, the student says “some homeless shelter” before the video ends.

The Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA) said the student had been expelled. Its chairman, Joe Mathieson, told the Tab: “We were informed by people who had seen the video on Snapchat that he had behaved like this, and took immediate action to remove him.

“His membership was revoked immediately after the news came to the committee’s attention. This was on the basis that there is absolutely no place for people who behave like this in our association. That said, he was not acting in the capacity of a CUCA member, nor was he attending, or had attended, a CUCA event.

“For the record, CUCA has no initiations, does not condone behaviour of this kind in the slightest, and this was entirely independent of CUCA. We are as appalled as every other right-thinking member of the university.”

The mother of the student in the video told the Mail she did not recognise her son’s behaviour. She said he had spoken to the family after the incident and said he had done “something very stupid” and “felt really bad about it”.

“It’s completely out of character,” she said. “He did two years of volunteering at Stockbridge homeless shop in Edinburgh when he was still at school. It’s very surprising. We’re just a normal family. We’re not toffs, he’s not a toff. He’s been a hard-working student who is very, very lucky and aware of the privilege he has to study at Cambridge.”

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/10/cambridge-student-filmed-burning-money-in-front-of-homeless-man?CMP=fb_gu

Unknown said...

here is a hoax to break down

http://www.weaselzippers.us/324130-muslim-olympic-fencer-claims-she-was-detained-by-customs-after-travel-ban/

Anonymous said...

How can you tell when words such as "absolutely" are sensitive, or just a habit of someone's speech? Also, why do people use the word "absolutely" to describe things that are not absolute, like "absolutely delicious"?

Tania Cadogan said...

Strange how black Americans have a huge chip on their shoulder and a sense of entitlement over slavery, blaming whites for what happened when it was other Africans taking captives for whatever reason such as enemies, other villages or tribes and enslaving them and selling them on to Arabs or the West.
We don't have that problem when we Britons were taken captive and sold into slavery or kept as slaves by the Romans (Italy) the Vikings (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) the French, the Irish,the Scottish and the Welsh.
The Romans had interesting ways of treating slaves and Christians.

Then we had transportation of criminal to Australia, a form of indentured servants well into the 19th century.
We don't see Australians having a big chip on their shoulders about that or us about our ancestors being transported.

Then we have that from the 16th to the 19th centuries it is estimated that between 1 million and 1.25 million Europeans were captured by Barbary pirates and Barbary slave traders and sold as slaves. Barbary pirates were based on that coast of North Africa – what is now Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Reports of Barbary raids and kidnappings of those in France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom and as far north as Iceland and the fate of those abducted into slavery in North Africa and the Ottoman Empire.

What about today with endemic slavery in countries around the world?

In Africa today there is still slavery by descent although this is denied by the govt.
Bonded labor in South Asia.
Early and forced Marriage which is a form of slavery inflicted on women and girls.
Child labor.
Forced migrant labor.
Sexual slavery.
Human trafficking.

Slavery in its many forms is alive and well in the world today.

Misha said...

Great response Tania!

Anonymous said...

Please update USA on Brexit Tania.

Anonymous said...

This is example of having corrupt judges. Endless rights for the criminal but not for victims.

Black killer out on bail kills again in Mississippi
Colin Flaherty YouTube Channel

Tania Cadogan said...

As it stands, MPs have approved the bill allowing our PM to trigger article 50 (At its third reading, the final Commons stage, the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill passed by 494 votes to 122 - a majority of 372.)

It must now go to the House of Lords before the Prime Minister can invoke Article 50, which she has promised to do by the end of March.

A total of 52 Labour MPs voted against triggering Article 50, defying the orders of their leader Jeremy Corbyn - more than the 47 who did the same at last week's second reading.

This means once triggered it will take 2 years for the UK to leave the eu.
This time is for renegotiating trade deals with the eu and sundry other bits and pieces such as which if any laws/courts/immigration etc we choose to allow ( hard brexit means leaving it all,gaining full control of our borders soft brexit means keeping full access to the single market would be pretty much the status quo as it is currently with freedom of movement, limited control of our borders etc.

Labour (the current opposition party) is tearing itself apart as their leader Jeremy Corbyn who is a rampant socialist secretly appears to wants to leave the eu whilst labour MPs mostly want to remain. The result is he faced a leadership challenge and won (he originally ran as a wildcard rank outsider and was as shocked as anyone when he won) he won that as well (mainly i think to a bunch of tories and libs signing up as members to the labour party in order to vote, keeping him in and guaranteeing labour will lose general elections etc) he has lost numerous front benchers (cabinet) and seems to be almost weekly adding new members as others resign, quit or are sacked)
The remainers are having mega sulks and starting various appeals to prevent the trigger of article 50.
They even wanted a second referendum to trigger article 50.
Court appeals have been mostly lost although one did win in the Supreme court which meant MPs and peers had to give their consent which they have done so.

Meanwhile, Scotland's first minister Nichola Sturgeon is a rampant nationalist and wants Scotland to stay in the eu.
She lost an independence referendum and has sulked ever since. Her party the Scottish National party (SNP) used every dirty trick in the book to threaten voters to vote independence and failed.
They did however as a country have a majority to remain.
Since then she has and is threatening a second referendum for independence so Scotland can stay in the eu.
This would never work since even if she won and Scotland gained independence, Spain has said it will veto any application from Scotland to join the eu!.
Scotland would also have to apply as a new country and follow all the rules other applicants have to follow (https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/policy/conditions-membership_en)

This would take many years as Scotland would have to prove itself a market economy and meets eu rules for economic governance (https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/policy/policy-highlights/economic-governance_en) Scotland would likely fail on this since it has limited income as they cannot rely on oil and a smaller population for its size and thus workforce and industry.
There would also then be border control between England and Scotland to stop migrants from outside of the UK getting to Scotland and walking over the border.
Since joining the eu has to be unanimously agreed by every member country, Spain vetoing it would mean game over.

All in all it is fun fun fun.

Anonymous said...

Anon, I think "absolutely" would suggest extra enthusiasm for whatever the person said. For example, the other day I told someone "You can absolutely go to hell" for the fact that they critique women and pick them apart (everything--weight, hair style, etc etc) and I just think it's so disgusting nauseatingly pompous and egotistical that he does that and so unsexy that he does that...that is a good way to turn any woman FRIGID towards HIM.
Also, what truly sickened me is that this individual used me in a disgusting maneuver to get back at his girlfriend (and lied about the relationship status to me) to try to punish her for not being the "perfect" women and for not BUYING him enough shit!?!?!? That poor woman would be SOOOOOOO much better off if she had never met him!!!! She is WAY too good for him!!!!!!!!!!!! In every way!!!!! This individual is completely useless and yet thinks he has the right to critque women and NOTHING sickens me more than a man who will criticize a woman's looks (when there's nothing wrong with how they look!!! Just that this individual is a spoiled adult brat who views women as objects who need to be "perfect" for him because he is just so wonderful when he's not anything approaching wonderful--he's actually an awful person!?!?!?) and then use another person to cheat on her to punish her because she's not the "perfect" woman!!!! Sorry for the tangent, I just remember I used the word "absolutely" when talking to him---I said "You can absolutely go to hell", because I meant it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Effective immediately: Judge Jeenie is hereby appointed to the postion of The Highest Supreme Judge of the USA answering to POTUS. Authorized to hire and fire at all levels of US Judiciary and authority to annul SCOTUS lifetime appointments.

Anonymous said...

ABSOLUTELY

happyuk said...

John McGowan, good find. Had read about that a few days ago but did not notice any statements.

""It’s completely out of character,” she said. “He did two years of volunteering at Stockbridge homeless shop in Edinburgh when he was still at school. It’s very surprising. We’re just a normal family. We’re not toffs, he’s not a toff. He’s been a hard-working student who is very, very lucky and aware of the privilege he has to study at Cambridge."

Her statement is a good example of simple psychological denial. When a truth is too painful to confront, such as the behaviour of her belligerent son, then you get all this 'my son is a good boy' kind of stuff. You often see this with the parents of convicted criminals that continue to maintain the innocence of their offspring.

She is struggling to assimilate behaviour that is patently not "normal", that which she very much wishes to downplay, and hence the use of the word "normal" to describe her family and the twice using of negations to tell the audience what they and their son are NOT ("toffs"). This suggests that their family is anything but normal, but is dysfunctional in a number of ways.

"He’s been a hard-working student" - she is telling us what has BEEN and not what he presently IS.

A personal bugbear of mine is people's usage of the "it" word - I don't know what "it" means unless they specifically tell me - "It’s completely out of character". "It’s very surprising". What is completely out of character? What is very surprising?

"He did two years of volunteering at Stockbridge homeless shop in Edinburgh when he was still at school". That does not indicate at all whether this young man actually interacted with homeless people in any meaningful way, or for any meaningful period of time (he was still in school) or his like/dislike for those less fortunate than himself, or if he did this of his own volition.

(feel free to correct/upbraid me on my analysis Peter)

1. Deception indicated.
2. He has likely exhibited this kind of behaviour before.
3. His mother knows him better than anyone else and has previous knowledge of this kind of behaviour.

Anonymous said...

Oh boy, perfect timing. Again lol

happyuk said...

This topic has got me thinking about this area more generally.

There is/was a statistic from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Directors that something like 70+% of resumes contain one or more fabrications of some sort. I forget the exact figure but it was shockingly high. When the employee has proven to have openly lied on an application, then the employer can terminate that employment. I'm thinking of former Yahoo CEO, Scott Thompson, whose CV included a fictitious Computer Science degree from a Boston college.

If we were to turn this the other way around, are there ways in which an honest applicant can detect deception and misrepresentation in the job descriptions as well?

Hiring a candidate under false pretences can have a negative impact on companies. A disgruntled employee will not give 100% to a job they did not think they were being hired to do, or it turns out that the work environment is dysfunctional - poor communication, monopolisation of knowledge etc.. They are unlikely to stay in a job that was misrepresented to them, and will likely be looking for another job, often during company time.

Anonymous said...

#Imonherside #theguysalowdowndirtbag #anyotherguyisbetterthanhim

happyuk said...

Excellent article on deceptive recruitment practices:

http://www.asktheheadhunter.com/newsletter/OE20050823.htm

Anonymous said...

#sheiswaytooprettyandsmartforhim #hetearseverywomandownhehasalwaysdonethat #heisaspoiledbrat #hecausesseroiusdamagetoanyoneinvolvedwithim #heisauserbigtime

Anonymous said...

Find someone better. START NOW. Stop sulking.

Anonymous said...

Plot twist: It was their own people selling them into slavery!

Understand history indeed, lol

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Anonymous statement about Africans selling their own people into slavery is true but Americans (black in particular) are not taught this.

Slave traders, explorers, adventurers and missionaries found a brutal society with some locales having up to 70% of the population in slavery, with cannabalism a norm in every village. In some, it was the 'top seller', even more than chicken.

Some found languages so primitive that there were only several hundred words in a vocabulary.

They did not find sophisticated buildings, dictionaries, theaters, hospitals, and so on. Yet, black children are taught to the contrary. This is why many blacks despise the word "African-American" because they have no roots or family ties in Africa. They are Americans.

Rather than biological supremacy, the lands where JudeoChristianity influenced brought the greatest progress ("Western Civilization).

Yet, before that time, these lands were as dark as any in Africa. Hence, no genetic pride.

Peter

Anonymous said...

Bottom line. They were purchased, sold, traded here. Families separated permanently by wealthy European planters here. They had the largest continent on the planet for themselves anx should've been left alone. If there were no employers here seeking free laborers there would've been no market.

Anonymous said...

http://people.com/music/george-michael-911-tape-fadi-fawaz/

Anonymous said...

Catch & Release criminal murdered young white female. Favoring criminals. I hope Trump drains the judiciary swamp.

Convicted sex offender is charged with kidnapping and murdering Ohio State student - two days after her nude body was found shot dead near a public park.

Anonymous said...

DailymailUK. Breaking news just reported. Does anyone notice the pattern? Adios democrat party!!!!!

Foolsfeedonfolly said...


RE:Anonymous February 11, 2017 @1:22 PM

"Anonymous said...

Bottom line. They were purchased, sold, traded here. Families separated permanently by wealthy European planters here. They had the largest continent on the planet for themselves anx should've been left alone. If there were no employers here seeking free laborers there would've been no market."
______________________________________________
Good job ignoring the facts because they don't suit your narrative.

Understand History.

1. Africans were capturing and selling Africans within their own continent long before European slave traders arrived. There was already a lucrative "trading" system in place before Europeans arrived. Bonus: The practice of capturing and selling one's enemies was not exclusive to African tribes. It was common practice throughout Ancient History, prior to the Atlantic Slave Trade.

2. Muslims invaded Africa and had been capturing, selling, and exporting African slaves 600 years before the Europeans arrived. African slaves are a documented part of the Ottoman Empire.

3. In addition to the Muslim slave trade, there were other "employers" [your word, not mine] buying Africans long before the American Colonies. Hispaniola (the second largest Caribbean island, owned by Spain) was the first to receive African slaves in 1502, followed by Cuba (also owned by Spain). Next came Jamaica (owned by Spain)in 1518, then Honduras )also owned by Spain). Two years after the Mayans lost control to Spain, Guatemala received slaves in 1526. There were buyers long before there were southern plantations in Colonial America.

4. The Buyers in order of volume:
Muslims(initially), Portuguese, British, French, Spanish, Dutch

Geography Bonus
Largest Continents by Size:
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia

***Again, I am in no way condoning the horrific, inhumane, evil practice of slavery. Likewise, I oppose racism in any form. I also oppose manipulation of the truth and the facts in any form, by anyone...especially when the goal is to inflame or further hatred, generate strife, cause division, or seek revenge. Please do not believe everything you are told; go and research it for yourself.

Anonymous said...

How many plantation owners were not European?

Anonymous said...

Textbooks in UK should include British history of forcing opium onto the Chinese. Thats a long long roadtrip to push drugs.

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

Anonymous February 11, 2017

I'll bite. How many? Don't forget to cite your source please. Thank you!

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

RE: Anonymous February 11, 2017 @9:25 PM

No one is arguing that plantations didn't exist or that slavery on plantations didn't exist. No one is even arguing that some plantations were owned by Europeans. But you seem to be unwilling to acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of African slaves were, in fact, sold by members of their own race for profit. You also seem unwilling to hold the responsible parties responsible...the Africans. You cannot sell to any buyer that which you do not have or have some means of obtaining. The cold, hard, ugly documented, verifiable by numerous ship logs truth is, that Africans were kidnapping/capturing other Africans specifically to sell. I know it's an unpopular truth (and potentially a painful on e depending on your own race), but it is the verifiable truth. Please, spend some time researching and reading Slave Trading ships' transaction logs.

Secondly, you also seem unwilling to admit that someone else besides "Europeans" were buying, exporting, and trading enslaved Africans. In 1453 Muslim invaders to the African continent established the Ottoman Empire slave trade (Turkish territory to Middle East). Slavery existed on the African continent long before there were "European" Colonial American plantation owner buyers. Your argument that the plantation owners are the cause of slavery is invalid and not supported by the facts. Written history records the Egyptians as enslaving the Nubians (on the African continent), long before either the Ottoman Empire, Christopher Columbus, or Colonial America.

FWIW, my family has both black and white members on one side, with one branch on the other side deemed Mulatto on early census documents. Racism is often a two-sided coin; both sides engage in it. It's really not about the color of one's skin; it is a perversion of pride, a need to dominate, and a need to put someone else down to make one's self feel superior. Lecture over, class dismissed. ;)

Anonymous said...

Fools wrote

FWIW, my family has both black and white members on one side, with one branch on the other side deemed Mulatto on early census documents. Racism is often a two-sided coin; both sides engage in it. It's really not about the color of one's skin; it is a perversion of pride, a need to dominate, and a need to put someone else down to make one's self feel superior. Lecture over, class dismissed. ;)

Wow that's such a feel-good explanation of racism! :) I think I'm seeing unicorns floating around me too. You're right if a black person calls me "whitey" that has the same connotations of me calling a black person a "nigger". Because I'm white so that means my ancestors also got whipped and hung with bits put in their mouth like animals, sold on auction blocks, and forced to sit in the back of the bus and and drink from separate water fountains and live in poverty. Your explanation that racism is a 2-sided coin overlooks the glaring power imbalance of whites over blacks that exists even in this day and age in addition to a long history of subjugation, violence and injustice towards blacks. Stick with the New Age bull, and don't try to explain racism, because your explanation stinks.

Anonymous said...

Whenever there is a debate about slavery I always think of Gone With The Wind and how even though most of the slaves took the freedom offered them by the North they weren't any happier. A lot of them seemed to miss the homes (plantations ) they'd worked and lived on. And how some just wouldn't leave their masters or mistress' sides for any type of freedom the North could offer, they stayed out of love. I know it's a story but it seems to have a ring of the truth about that era about it even if has a romantic tint.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever read "Beloved", Elf? Please tell me youre kidding? Are you "FoolsfeedonFolly's" Siamese twin? Another one of Me2l's hydra heads? You might want to look into reading about some of the grave hardships slaves underwent to escape to the North since you think they all longed to return to slavery.

FlutteringPixie said...

I agree with Elf. Many slaves enjoyed living on plantations. It was a great life, and frankly, many slaves in the North reminisced about their benevolent masters.

FlutteringPixie said...

Im new here by the way, and I may go back to websleuths....I dont how adept I am at discussing History...I didnt know that would happen here, but wow, you guys seem like a real sharp crew!

Anonymous said...

Maybe Tania can comment on British drug dealing with military support and bombardment of China while missionaries were trying to evangelize.

Nic said...

Note also what is prioritized: short-term. They are focused on what is in front of them - revenue hemorrhage.

Statement analysis truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

Target failed miserably when launching their stores in Canada all for the reasons you outline and most specifically: "and chose to taunt and insult their client base". I should have taken pictures of their offensive return policy signage they posted when they were having their bankruptcy sales. Worse, they actually increased their merchandise for their going out of business sale, so the initial "less 20%" was in reality, the actual retail price! (Shoppers browsed the inventory knowing the sales were coming and then reported to our news that the merchandise was actually more expensive than the previous week/s!) Target blamed the whole fiasco on "cultural differences", but the truth of the matter is, Target itself, is blind to the mere idea of customer relationship management (CRM). My observation is they simply look at customers as "chumps".

Nic said...

Hey Jude said,
I find that 'advice' to be sinister - whether intendedly so, or overly well intentioned towards the tiny majority, it seems an attempt to break down the sense of self and to devalue the particular status of mothers in society - the 'expectant mother' is to be viewed as 'stereotype' (negative) and recast as a homogenised 'pregnant person'. It's sad when the stories read like April Fools pranks, yet are not.


This goes hand-in-hand with the "binary myth" agenda b.s. It's like science and biology have been tossed out the window in exchange for societal re-engineering and now that's what "rules".

Broken down to simple building blocks, if any one of us were to be exhumed in 50, 100, 200, etc., years' time, no matter how you label, slice or dice the human race, there exists only XX, XY. That's it. That's all.

Academia = Intelligent idiots. I fear for my kids.

Nic said...

o/t, simply for interest sake. American politics is far more interesting and educational than cable TV.


Ninth Circuit Court Now Demands It Be Protected From Itself…
Posted on February 10, 2017 by sundance

Oh, the winning… it’s often too funny. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is now independently, on its own impetus, requesting an internal vote on a full panel en banc hearing to review its own decision.

Additionally, the full ninth are asking the Trump administration to file an additional brief telling the court why the three member original appeals ruling authority was wrong. In essence, the smart judges know what wasn’t considered, and are now looking for an out.

You just can’t make this stuff up.

[…]

Behind the scenes, and unrelated to the judicial ruling, President Trump can use his cabinet team to construct immigration and visa review policy that accomplishes the security goal. The Attorney General (Sessions), DHS (Kelly) and State Department (T-Rex) can execute departmental policy objectives under existing legal authority.

President Trump never really needed the majority parts of the executive order to carry out the security agenda. However, using the XO provided a highly public approach toward showing the American electorate he was fulfilling a campaign security promise. Tightening the visa approval process and executing “extreme vetting” doesn’t require anything except a policy and procedural change.


[…]

In the interim of the slow case proceeding, ANY instance of violence and terrorism provides President Trump the opportunity to use his bully pulpit -and Twitter- to hang the occurrence, foreign or domestic, like a millstone around the neck of Democrats up for elected office in 2018.

There is no downside on the domestic security agenda for President Trump; however, the Democrats are fraught with fear that something might just happen. Ultimately, THIS, the politics behind the entire construct, is the reason for the ninth circuit tonight asking for an en banc hearing of their own judicial ruling.

[…]


https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/02/10/ninth-circuit-court-now-demands-it-be-protected-from-itself/

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

RE: Anonymous February 11, 2017 @ 11:39 PM
RE: Anonymous February 12, 2017 @ 12:27 PM
RE: Anonymous February 12, 2017 @ 6:44 AM

Interesting.

Lettice said...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/10/oxford-university-circulate-criminalised-image-black-man

"Why did Oxford circulate a criminalised image of me – because I’m a black man? "

If you have time, vould you please look at this man's claim? Something does not ring true with his story.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:27 please read for content. I don't say they longed to return to slavery. And I never said that might have been what all of them felt. I think some of them might very well have been HOMESICK. Im not denying that probably a lot of them weren't treated right or fairly. But some of them were. Some of the plantation owners did take care if their people. If your read Gone With The Wind you'd see what I am referring to. I think the saddest part of the whole novel was when Scarlett returned home to find her mother had passed away and her beloved Mammy (who had raised Scarletts mother as well) was old in her grief.
There is just as much love and light in the world as hate and darkness. That was as true then as now.

Anonymous said...

You know what Me2l @ 11:12 (under you various code names), I was anon 2:27 that you addressed your post to, and why do you even attempt to talk to me now that you are "in a relationship"? Why don't you put your energies into that? I don't want to talk to you. I have always hated the way you make me feel, any interest just turns into a feeling of repulsion...you've always been very invested in trying to put me down like "oh this woman is so much more toned than you"..."this woman is so much more intelligent"...you even criticized my fuckin hair...You're like an abusive inner voice, and I don't know how other women react, but it makes me shut down completely, all interest of any kind even speaking to you dries up. I don't know how any woman can respond positively to being scrutinized and put down and compared to other women...I know I myself don't typically take that approach with men because I realize it would make them lose all interest in me...but apparently that is the approach you take with women...if you can or have found one who enjoys being totally objectified and scrutinized like a sadistic inner voice, then PUT YOUR ENERGIES THERE, cause I'm done talking to you. Or make little conversations with yourself. Either one.

Tania Cadogan said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
... Your explanation that racism is a 2-sided coin overlooks the glaring power imbalance of whites over blacks that exists even in this day and age in addition to a long history of subjugation, violence and injustice towards blacks. Stick with the New Age bull, and don't try to explain racism, because your explanation stinks.


How about the glaring imbalance of power of blacks over blacks in most of Africa with the favored few controlling all the power, the money?
Apartheid in Africa was abolished yet still there is a form of apartheid with light skinned blacks over darker skinned blacks.
Light skinned get the jobs, the money, the power whilst the darker skinned do the lower skilled and unskilled work, they are considered stupid, worthless which is why skin bleaching is so common and a booming business.
Light skinned blacks hate dark skinned blacks with a vengeance.
This also applies in other countries where light skin is considered preferable to dark skin.
Then we have the inter-tribal wars remember the Tutsi's and the Hutu's in Rwanda, the mass genocidal slaughter of Tutsi in Rwanda by members of the Hutu majority government. An estimated more than 800,000 Rwandans were killed during the 100-day period from April 7 to mid-July 1994.An estimated 2,000,000 Rwandans, mostly Hutus, were displaced and became refugees.

Where African nations are left to themselves either with no input from the west or after being given their independence back and allowed to rule themselves as they see fit, we see an almost immediate breakdown in order, rife corruption, civil war between tribes and rampant poverty and starvation.
For whatever reason many countries in Africa fail to understand the concept of equality,honesty,freedom and cannot move on from tribalism or religious belief.

For Black-Americans today slavery was a good thing strange as it sounds.
Without their ancestors being brought to America, most of them would not be alive today.
Had their ancestors remained in Africa they would have fallen foul to disease, war, famine, wild animals, slavery to other tribes or villages
They would be almost illiterate if not barely educated.
They would be starving, disease ridden, living hand to mouth.
They would be living as we see third world countries living today, Sudan, Somalia,Ethiopia and many others.
Their ancestors being brought to America then means todays Black-Americans get access to education, healthcare, food, housing, clean water and utilities, democracy, everything a first world country such as America can offer.
They are alive today simply because of what happened to their ancestors.

Blacks hate other blacks often far more than any white can hate a black.
Blacks hate blacks simply because they are black.
If their skin is too dark they try to lighten it with skin bleaching (also popular in India and similar countries)
Heck they even photoshop black actresses and models to make them lighter.
Hair too kinky, they perm and straighten it or wear wigs and weaves so they have nice straight hair.

Light skin good, dark skin bad
Straight hair good, kinky hair bad.

Strange as it seems, blacks don't like being black they try to be white and light skinned(whilst whites get their hair permed to make it kinky and sunbathe to get as dark a tan as possible - trying to be black skinned?)

Blacks can be just as racist as whites and any other skin color, it works both ways

happyuk said...

Fadi Fawaz's 999 call:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4213714/Fadi-Fawaz-s-999-call-tried-wake-George-Michael.html

FAWAZ'S 999 PHONE CALL
Handler: Ambulance and emergency, is the patient conscious and breathing?
Fawaz: No, it's George Michael, I think he's dead, he's in bed
Handler: You think he's dead?
Fawaz: Yes, yes
Handler: So, he's not breathing?
Fawaz: No
Handler: What's the postcode?
*REVEALS ADDRESS*
Handler: And how old is he?
Fawaz: He's 53
Handler: 53? Okay, where is he at the moment? Can you get him lying on his back?
Fawaz: He's in bed, dead
Handler: Okay, is he cold?
Fawaz: He's cold and he's blue
Handler: He's cold and he's blue, is he stiff?
Fawaz: Yes, he's very stiff
Handler: Okay, and I have to check, do you think he's beyond any help at the moment?
Fawaz: He's dead
Handler: So you don't think resuscitation would be effective?
Fawaz: *Inaudible*... can somebody come here as soon as possible?
Handler: We've got somebody on the way already. I need to check, do you think he's beyond any help?
Fawaz: Yes, I think he's beyond any help
Handler: He's stiff, is he?
Fawaz: Yes. I've been trying to resuscitate him for the last hour. It's impossible. He's gone, he's blue, he's dead
Handler: And was it an expected death?
Fawaz: No, no, no, I was expecting him to wake up for hours and he wouldn't wake up. I wanted to wake him up, but he's gone
Handler: Okay, and he's quite stiff, is he?
Fawaz: No, he's cold and blue and stiff... Somebody's coming, right?
Handler: Yes, we have somebody on the way, okay? So, from what you tell me the resuscitation will not be effective
Fawaz: How would I know? When they come here they can do whatever they want
Handler: But you've told me he's cold and he's blue and he's stiff, is he?
Fawaz: Yes
Handler: Okay, well once this call is finished don't ring anyone else, in case we need to call you back, okay? But his death will need to be verified, so we'll pass your details to the relevant people, okay? What's his name?
Fawaz: It's George Michael, you know, the singer
Handler: And his date of birth?
Fawaz: Oh, I don't know now... the 25th of July
Handler: Do you know what year?
Fawaz: Yes... umm.. sixty-something... can I hang up, or...?
Handler: Just bear with me, okay... Hello?
Fawaz: Yes?
Handler: Just don't move or disturb the body until the death has been verified. Stay there until they arrive, if it is safe for you to do so, okay?
Fawaz: Okay, okay
Handler: But we will pass your details onto the relevant people now, okay?
Fawaz: Alright, thank you very much
Handler: Okay, you take care now
Fawaz: Thank you
Handler: Okay, bye

happyuk said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
happyuk said...

I think Fadi's statements are direct and do not indicate deception.

He does not greet the handler at the beginning, no niceties and gets straight to the point - George Michael has died and is beyond resuscitation.

Many answers start with a direct "yes", "no", "okay" etc.

I see few if any examples of sensitivity, negations, missing information or unnecessary information. He does not appear to use any language of persuasion - he seeks to EXPRESS rather than IMPRESS.

A good example of a truthful statement perhaps?

I am willing or contradicted or corrected on this assertion: deception NOT indicated.

Anonymous said...

Fawaz: Yes. I've been trying to resuscitate him for the last hour. It's impossible. He's gone, he's blue, he's dead

I have done cpr, and believe me it's bloody tiring. After 4 mins or so, my mouth was like a desert. I could hardly swallow, i was sweating due to doing chest compression, and my own breathing was shallow. I highly doubt he was "trying to resuscitate" him for "an hour" unless he stopped for a few minits and then started again.
More important, why did he wait an hour to call for help?



Hey Jude said...

Rigorous mortis, too, by the sounds of it - surely he had been dead for quite some time before emergency services were called?

Hey Jude said...

Rigor - stupid auto whatever.

Anonymous said...

Fadi sounds like he was getting exasperated by the Handler's lack of comprehension.
Some of these emergency operators don't really Listen to what is being said.

C5H11ONO said...

Hey Jude I understand all too well the auto speller feature on these smart phones, but it made me laugh though. Rigorous mortis - when decomposition is really happening fast. Example sentence, He had been dead only 10 seconds when rigorous mortis set in. LOL!

John Mc Gowan said...

Rigorous mortis - Roman locksmith

ima.grandma said...

This exchange is becoming very interesting! I adore history.

~~~~~~~~
Hi foolsff
I agree with your views.. I'm wondering if you feel similarly when you replace Black with American Indian. The BIA is BIG here to over-compensate based on happen-chance of birth and ancestry. Greed and poly-abuses run rampant creating an imbalance of fair and equitable distribution of government funds. As part Choctaw, I have an unusual vantage point.


re: When one chooses to hold a current race of people responsible for the atrocities inflicted upon one's ancestors by a "group" of long-dead people, that's racist hatred and ludicrous. When one demands special privileges from individuals, institutions, and government for one's self because an ancestor was abused, that's using and abusing a dead relative for profit.

ima.grandma said...

My gggggggrandmother was listed as "injun" on the rolls. Is that the same as the n word? It sure feels the same to me.

ima.grandma said...

A feel free to educate me on the major races of the world. I remember them to be:
1. Caucasian-white
2. Mongoloid (American Indian)-Asians fall in this category
3. Aborigine
4. Black

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

RE: ima.grandma February 13, 2107 @6:56 PM

My family tree also has some Native American as does my spouse's. What was done to the Native Americans was equally wrong, in my opinion, and I feel just as strongly there. I also recognize that not every "white" person participated in those behaviors either, just as not every Native American was a victim either. We get into trouble when we try to classify conflict as "all or none". Neither humanity nor history can be so neatly pigeonholed and it's grossly negligent to to judge an entire race/group based on the ethnicity/behavior of some. [I'm specifically referencing ethnicity, in keeping with the context of the original Anonymous' post).

The sad reality is that human nature is what it is...base, self-gratifying without regard to anyone else, vicious, jealous, greedy, power-hungry, and ugly. The trouble is that if we make reparations for one group to atone for the sins of the past, we must make reparations for each group for each offense of the past. It is impossible to undo history. It is our responsibility going forward to ensure that history does not repeat itself. That's where the real work lies. Special interest groups don't seem to be interested in that. There's more money and power in keeping the groups divided and playing them against each other via scapegoating. The problem is that no one ethnic (or political) group has "clean hands".

this can't happen said...

OT
Shariah law coming to Canada, warns Muslim

https://youtu.be/a0_6ujxRcCQ

Published on Feb 12, 2017
Justin Trudeau and his Muslim cabinet want to make free speech illegal and criticism of Islam a crime punishable with jail time.

An ex-Muslim woman bravely tries to spread the truth about the dangers of Islam in Canada.

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

RE: ima.grandma - If your gggggggrandmother was listed that way,I can see where that would be offensive to you. Likewise, anyone with a relative listed on a census or referred to by any of a number of racial slurs would understandably be offended.

ima.grandma said...

thanks for your responses fools. I love how you call it as it is.

Inside, I hold an image of my gggggggg?grandmother standing with her head down while some creepy white man is sitting in a chair, staring at her and calling her that name with a stupid grin on his face.


it's all about respect

ima.grandma said...

fools

re: It is impossible to undo history. It is our responsibility going forward to ensure that history does not repeat itself.

That's where the real work lies. ~ Okay, so how do I begin to replace the self-conceived vision of ggggggggrandma in my heart, mind and soul? My psychiatrist already has a full treatment plan lined out for our next session. ;) any suggestions?

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

ima.grandma- I'm not God so I don't have all the answers. I just try to treat everyone I meet in a day as valuable, even if they choose to act like a jerk. I don't always succeed when I'm provoked though. I try to remind myself that broken people break people-that's what they know. Not excusing them, by any means, but understanding the "why" (human nature or situation specific) goes a long way sometimes.

As for your gggggggrandmother, just keep in mind that it wasn't too long ago that Science authoritatively declared Africans as just slightly advanced apes, with the belief being that their brains were smaller than "whites". Since you have no way to determine the motivation (or education level or belief system) of the enumerator himself, it seems to me you can either let it consume you or let it go. Life's too short to let it consume you. Maybe your psychiatrist's treatment plan can help.

Droll Skeptic said...

Peter hasn't posted anything in days now... That's unusual :/
Hope all is well with the Hyatts.

ima.grandma said...

fools :) wise advice ~ I'll take door #2 and sell it on letgo

thank you

Bottle Cap said...

OT: Steven Avery

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4219732/Making-Murderer-prosecutor-says-Steven-Avery-guilty.html

EXCLUSIVE: 'Fake facts, deceptive editing and omission of key evidence.' Making a Murderer prosecutor Ken Kratz breaks his silence about never-before-revealed proof that Steven Avery IS guilty and accuses the producers of duping viewers

Anonymous said...

OT: Biblical teaching on oaths.

At church this Sunday, Matthew affirmed your Statement Analysis lessons that invoking deity is a signal of deception.

Matthew 3:33-37
Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a]



Anonymous said...

Target is Walmart but is politicized and more expensive

Statement Analysis Blog said...

My grandmother was listed as a "filthy mic" and "shanty" but back then people did not have a competition on who was the most offended. Her generation knew that to play the victim role meant to fail, blame the cruel world and remain stagnant.

Those who have had great success have forged forward with hard work, personal responsibility and rugged individualism. They used to tell their children that "sticks and stones..." and created a heartiness to persevere and overcome.

Those who have, by in large, failed, play the victim card generation after generation.

Peter

Anonymous said...

Growing up in the northern tundra, working together to survive winters leaves little time for shortsighted undomesticated bullies or victims. They tend to move south.

Tania Cadogan said...

My tree is not so much a tree as a bush.
Mt ancestors include English,Welsh, Scottish, Romany, then going back we have Irish, Welsh, Italian, Norwegian, Egyptian.
This is all in our family bible keeping track of who wed who and when and the resulting offspring.
It goes back 300 years that i know of.
Beyond that?

Well we got around quite a bit and apparently didn't seem too bothered by social classes (Irish tinker ran off with an Italian landowners daughter.

My Great Grandmother was a purebred Romany and i remember vaguely staying with her when i was very young.
She married a non Romany and as a result she was disowned and treated as if she had died, her caravan being burnt.
I remember tales of Great Grandad being able to run down rabbits and supplying the local police and Judge with said bunnies when he was nabbed poaching :)

As a kid at school i was bullied and called names such as Gyppo and pikey (Pikeys are not romany)as well as swot etc as i was very studious and spent all my time with my head in a book rather than goofing off , messing around in class or chasing boys.

We don't get to choose our ancestors, we are a result of who our ancestors chose to marry and have kids with or going further back who got impregnated by which invader when.

If we all go back far enough, we could end up claiming for emotional distress from every other country in the world as at some point we were at war with them, invaded by them,stolen by the neighboring town/village, had a squabble over who owned the fish caught on a line, who got the best bit of meat from the mammoth,who drew the best picture in the cave and so on.

Shit happened in the past, learn from it and don't do it again.

ima.grandma said...

you rock Hobs

Droll Skeptic said...

Off Topic:
A great interview of Michelle Malkin by Stefan Molyneux, regarding truth and (in)justice as it relates to the Officer Daniel Holzclaw conviction.
Highly disturbing....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqXJbMYbrx8

I'd love to hear Peter's analysis on this case, and some of the points of contention brought up by Michelle Malkin--- as well as anyone else who'd like to weigh in from the SA community!
(I normally just lurk, but have come to silently admire a LOT of commentators insights on this site! Thanks, friends)

Anonymous said...

Have the SA crime fighters heard of the deaths of Liberty German and Abigail Williams aged 13 years?...... WHAT IS WRONG WITH INDIANA?

And check out A Coulter's tweet about Ted Kennedy soliciting Soviet assistance to thwart President Reagan. WOW

Anonymous said...

Oh, and good for KellyAnne supporting Ivanka.... B.O. advertized a Chicago beer company during a presser as POTUS!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow, just now noticing these ridiculous comments, I won't be responding because I don't "fight crime" here, and I certainly hope you had a terrible day.

Anonymous said...

Those poor girls :( I thought yesterday when I saw the article about Liberty and Abigail was weird. The statement the police gave today was weird too. I'll have to see if I can go find it.

Tania Cadogan said...

Off topic



A $100m (£80m) damages claim against disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong can go to a jury trial, a judge has ruled.

The US Justice Department took up the case on behalf of the Postal Service in 2013 after Armstrong admitted using performance-enhancing drugs.

It says Armstrong defrauded the government by covering up his doping in order to keep getting paid under his US Postal Service sponsorship deal.

Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France titles and banned from competitive cycling after his confession.

He tried to get the case dropped, claiming the sponsorship was worth more to the Postal Service than the $32m it paid to his team, Tailwind Sports Corporation.

That amount can be tripled in damages if Armstrong loses the case.

However, his lawyers suggest media exposure for USPS was worth at least $160m.

US District Judge Christopher Cooper, who had been considering the case since last year, decided the dispute should be decided by a jury.

Armstrong's formal teammate, Floyd Landis, originally brought the claim in 2010 and stands to get up to 25% of any damages.

http://news.sky.com/story/lance-armstrong-100m-lawsuit-heads-for-jury-trial-10767206


This just gets better and better :)

Anonymous said...

They should just leave him alone. He's no criminal.

Anonymous said...


Was it the DC Target where the height imposing obama was asked by
a short shopper for her help in reaching?
Or so she later claimed?

ima.grandma said...

Anon@10:37

not a criminal???

he's a thief...of trust and innocence of young admirers.

why should he be left alone?

ima.grandma said...

he's no criminal. anything said in the negative is sensitive. SA101. when we speak, we reveal ourselves. do you care to elaborate?

Anonymous said...

For your elementary mind I'll elaborate, so even a SA101 graduate can understand. He(L.A.) is 'no'(NOT) a criminal. ABC 123.

ima.grandma said...

If you're about to blow up over another person's faults,
take time to count ten ~ of your own.

ima.grandma said...

Lance Armstrong stole words he did not deserve of an old-school hero of mine

This seems an appropriate personal share:

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.
But without it, we go nowhere.
Carl Sagan

ima.grandma said...

Minds are like parachutes; they function only when open.
Bhagat S. Thind

ima.grandma said...

Touché! nicely done.

I guess I'll need to read up a bit on resistance and create a little balanced cushion so that it has a slight negative buoyancy, which will help me drift back down to the ground i fly too high. 

Balance. 

Tania Cadogan said...

Lance armstrong obtained money by deception, prize money won when he was doping.
He obtained services by deception.
Fraud.

All of the above make him a criminal

ima.grandma said...

It is a wounded oyster that mends its shell with a pearl.
                                  Mark Twain

We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our
actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and we
reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we reap our
destiny.
                                  C. A. Hall

ima.grandma said...

somewhat...

Anonymous said...

I think I've had an "A-Ha" moment, it could be because I have a fever, but it seems crystal clear like an insight. I don't know why I never made this connection but I just realized that I think because my mother was so profoundly unnurturing...in a way beyond what most people encounter...I think I have drawn to me, I have attracted men, who similarly have nothing to offer...although my ex was different in some ways...was he really...What a horrible thing to repeat this over and over...I don't think I had ever processed the trauma from my mother but now that I have I see...holy shit it is bad, and then when I have a guy who actually is offering me love and nurturing it's like it is so foreign, but I am so tired of these guys who are offer nothing...just ridiculously offering nothing, yes they will take and take, but that's it...just like my mother...gave absolutely nothing...but pain...and all this time trapped in this repetition cycle, but I know now to get out of it...these things leave lifelong scars. And I have no doubt these types of predators can sense someone who has been abused before. All I need to do is accept the love that is being offered when it is offered, what the f-ck is wrong with me...picking apart a simple thing like a gift...I can't believe how f&cked up my head was from my crazy ass mother, it took years of no contact to see what an absolute demon from hell she was!!!

Anonymous said...

Tell me, do most mothers torture their children? Like literally physically torture them? My mother's a fuckin cunt. And I hope she burns in fuckin hell.

Anonymous said...

Please delete,,,just thinking out loud. Life is a fucked up shit hole.

Anonymous said...

Please delete my comments, they are vulgar I apologize..just delete.

Anonymous said...

Very wise advise.

Anonymous said...

Could you please do me a favor and delete the comments, or leave them up, I really don't care. I won't be coming back here regardless so it really doesn't matter.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, you're a real sweetheart. NOT. Total jerk, can't do one nice thing. Bleh.

ima.grandma said...

Anon:

H old
O n
P ain
E nds

Anonymous said...

Thanks Ima. I'm not sure I believe that but thanks for your kind words.

ima.grandma said...

We accept the love we think we deserve.
~ Stephen Chbosky

ima.grandma said...

Hi Anon
The only new relationship I'm in is my wondrous, nourishing, flourishing collaboration with my Higher Power.

Except the one I have with you. Effective discussions will require an understanding and acceptance of each other. Allow time for meaningful interaction to evolve. It's a slow process. It might need to simmer on low for a bit.

Truce? C'mon, it's a give and take kind of thing. You have much to teach me. Smile.


The most precious thing anyone or anything - can have is the good will of others. It's hard to find. hard to build ~ and harder to keep.
                                 Amos Parrish

Anonymous said...

With your Higher Power? Hmmm.

I dont know...I'lll have to think about whether I can call a truce with you...maybe...I'll think about it....

Anonymous said...

And as far as energies better spent, yeah, did you notice I said I didn't want to talk to you and left this thread alone, yet you are the one who commented on it this evening to try to get a response? You're absolutely right, and, as I said, my energies are better spent not talking to you. Your condescension is nauseating also for your information, so buzz off.

Anonymous said...

And as far as you calling me "really just plain stupid", who the hell do you think you are? Just because you have a giant bloated ego doesn't give you the right to call another person stupid, especially when they are not, you should check your disgusting condescending phrases that just make YOU look stupid.

Anonymous said...

Gay. Maybe that's the way you are 10:41, and you just cant help it.

Anonymous said...

Why not just be who you are 10:41 and dont be so ashamed of it, and then you wouldnt have to be so nasty to other people.

Anonymous said...

Im not putting you down either. I just that that is your problem 10:41. It's not a "sin" to be gay. It's a sin to punish yourself and other people for hating who you really are. Its nothing to be ashamed of. jmo

Anonymous said...

Yeah that's probably why you harass Peter too, because you're gay and you're pissed that Peter's religious beliefs feel that that is not a good lifestyle. You are just awful how you harrass and torment people...that poor woman you put through hell too all because of your issues. Pathetic.

Anonymous said...

This doesnt even deserve a response, but I will say your words dont effect me. All you do is project your own crap. You call me stupid and immature and insult my "commentary"? You know what the problem is is that you have been surrounded by people who fawn all over you telling you how "brilliant" you are....Im just as smart as you...so you can just stuff it. Youre an egomaniac and an immature psycho. Have a nice night.

Anonymous said...

Why don't you? Why don't you go write a book? YOu can call it "How To BE a Total Prick Who Repels Women for Dummies". Get started.

Anonymous said...

You can absolutely go fuck yourself for what you said to me. You're seriously sitting there making fun of me for getting an academic honor that I brought up after you insulted me saying I had a 10th grade level of communication. That's something I really don't understand about you and your scumbag friends is why you all think you're so superior to other people. Why? Who the fuck do you think you are? To insult people up and down? Who does that? If you had any balls you wouldn't sit there pickin on women or anyone. You're just a horrible human being.

Anonymous said...

I want to kill myself but I am afraid that it will mean eternal separation from God and my loved ones.

Anonymous said...

Re: Target bathrooms....My son has been getting lots of mail from colleges. Today I picked up the one which came today, and I said "Look at this! This school is right on the ocean, and, oh let's see what else it says (and I turned it over)....it says they have themed residence halls which are Health and Wellness, Community Service, Environmental, All Female, Gender Neutral and Animal Friendly" (?!?!). How weird, right?! An entire dorm of Gender Neutral ?!?! Huh?

Anonymous said...

@3:06, I hope you are not being serious, but if you are, please DO NOT kill yourself. That is depression and hopelessness talking, or maybe you have some toxic people in your life....Ive been there with 2 different people in my life who made me literally want to jump off a cliff, literally, I could not stand being around either of these 2 people for another second and wanted to jump off a cliff, and I am so glad I didnt!!! Whatever is troubling you will pass even if it seems like it wont, it will. My grandmother used to say "This too shall pass". Also, nothing is hopeless, you just have to see through the clouds to the sun. The sun will come out again...I promise!!!

Anonymous said...

In addition I am troubled by PTSD and it sucks a LOT, and maybe you are troubled by your demons, but you cant let stupid people WIN!!! You cant let your demons win! You have a lot to offer the world, dont give in to crap people or crap memories or crap beliefs about yourself! Dont!!!!! Cause they are false beliefs. Any problem can be overcome, and dont let anyone tell you otherwise!