en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/614197 Comments by tomvaughan http://bigpeace.com/stzu/2011/06/26/la-is-now-part-of-mexico-us-soccer-team-booed-in-their-own-country/#IDComment167168153 It has surprised me how much this story has affected me. I am a strong proponent of legal immigration and it has made me a bit more tolerant of illegal immigration because emotionally I often mix up the two. Immigration, however, is an extremely dangerous thing without assimilation. This story suggests what we all already suspect: we are not assimilating as well as we used to and it is becoming a threat to the American culture. We simply must do a better job assimilating and there is no doubt in my mind this starts with SLOWING IT DOWN. South American immigration, almost all of it illegal, has overwhelmed are ability to absorb them. We desperately need someone willing to deal with this in office. Desperately. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:14:09 +0000 http://bigpeace.com/stzu/2011/06/26/la-is-now-part-of-mexico-us-soccer-team-booed-in-their-own-country/#IDComment167168153 http://biggovernment.com/jjmnolte/2011/06/13/why-john-ziegler-is-wrong-about-sarah-palins-electability/#IDComment162475648 I'm not sure where I fall on this, but Nolte makes a very good point that I don't think others make enough: Palin understands who the real opponent is. It's the MSM. I am not convinced the others understand this. For this alone, she deserves serious consideration. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:41:43 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/jjmnolte/2011/06/13/why-john-ziegler-is-wrong-about-sarah-palins-electability/#IDComment162475648 http://biggovernment.com/driehl/2011/05/28/rep-weiner-spokesperson-lies-to-new-york-post/#IDComment157293877 Hacking the account of a sitting Congressman and posting a picture of an erection is a big deal. This is an attempt to manipulate and undermine the democratic process. It is an extremely serious matter. The longer Weiner goes without treating the matter as a serious one the less I believe his story. Why hasn't he reported the hacking to Twitter and the FBI? I have no idea how to explain the ongoing "scrubbing" of the recipient in question from the internet. That one is a puzzler. Weiner's story get progressively harder and harder to swallow. Sun, 29 May 2011 15:33:01 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/driehl/2011/05/28/rep-weiner-spokesperson-lies-to-new-york-post/#IDComment157293877 http://bigjournalism.com/bshapiro/2011/05/16/maddow-loses-her-mind-in-hatred-for-reagan/#IDComment152801370 You're technically right, but it's far more widely known as HUAC so either or is accurate. Tue, 17 May 2011 00:20:48 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/bshapiro/2011/05/16/maddow-loses-her-mind-in-hatred-for-reagan/#IDComment152801370 http://bigjournalism.com/dloesch/2011/04/23/andrew-sullivan-uses-trig-as-political-prop-to-attack-palin-for-using-trig-as-prop/#IDComment145517569 I only know Sullivan through his birtherism. How did he get in this position in the first place? Has he ever added anything to public discourse? Serious question. Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:54:48 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/dloesch/2011/04/23/andrew-sullivan-uses-trig-as-political-prop-to-attack-palin-for-using-trig-as-prop/#IDComment145517569 http://bigjournalism.com/amarcus/2011/04/22/cbs-news-coverupdate-no-comment-on-obama-hot-mic/#IDComment145297423 I think they lost us a long time ago. Threatening to not watch twice as much will not likely have an effect. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 05:06:23 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/amarcus/2011/04/22/cbs-news-coverupdate-no-comment-on-obama-hot-mic/#IDComment145297423 http://bigjournalism.com/amarcus/2011/04/18/media-doesnt-ask-for-obamas-full-hot-mic-remarks-heavily-edited-video-available-only/#IDComment144636053 That assessment of Qatar sounds a bit like Marx's assessment of the middle class. Marx hated the middle class because they were useless to the revolution. He knew they had too much to lose to ever "rise up". Wed, 20 Apr 2011 22:17:25 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/amarcus/2011/04/18/media-doesnt-ask-for-obamas-full-hot-mic-remarks-heavily-edited-video-available-only/#IDComment144636053 http://biggovernment.com/laborunionreport/2011/04/13/arianna-huffington-the-progressive-pariah-huffpo-blogger-files-105-million-class-action-suit-vows-personal-attacks/#IDComment142686063 Wait a minute, I am a HUGE contributor to Facebook. I want my cut of or I am going to make Zuckenberg's life miserable! Thu, 14 Apr 2011 03:56:51 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/laborunionreport/2011/04/13/arianna-huffington-the-progressive-pariah-huffpo-blogger-files-105-million-class-action-suit-vows-personal-attacks/#IDComment142686063 http://bigjournalism.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/13/2012-preview-who-will-fact-check-the-corrupt-msms-cherished-politifact/#IDComment142583274 Well done, John. I don't know how you do it sometimes. I get so angry and tense just reading about this stuff let alone how I would feel if I lived with it day in and day out. I have to mentally check out sometimes just for my own emotional health and I wonder whether that sort of thing is part of the strategy. Just make it too painful to deal with and rely on people shutting down and not fighting anymore. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:53:58 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/13/2012-preview-who-will-fact-check-the-corrupt-msms-cherished-politifact/#IDComment142583274 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/09/bill-maher-there-is-one-religion-in-the-world-that-kills-you-when-you-disagree-with-them/#IDComment141325604 Maher has given the left what they want for years so he's allowed to say this without the vicious withering counter-attack that he's crazy. If he's "crazy" then is he crazy about all the stuff he agrees with them on? Of course not. They'll probably just do their best to ignore this little indiscretion. I miss the old libertarian Mahrer when he was on Comedy Central before he wanted to be liked by Hollywood so bad that the title of his old show "Politically Incorrect" became ironic. I'm glad he is saying it and I'm pleased to see his anti-religion fixation is at least consistent. I mean, seriously, if you're suspicious of religion how could you not be horrified to your very core over the state of Islam? I'll take consistency over partisanship any day. It's one of the reasons I am a fan of Christopher Hitchens though I disagree with him strongly in so many areas. I still don't think the man is quality human being but when he is right, he is right. Also, Maher was right about Petraeus too. I felt very uncomfortable with an American General (no matter how well intended) condemning a private American citizen exercising (no matter how stupidly) his free speech. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 20:22:26 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/09/bill-maher-there-is-one-religion-in-the-world-that-kills-you-when-you-disagree-with-them/#IDComment141325604 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141184457 I think that's fair, and certainly defensible. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 06:33:03 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141184457 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141155950 That 28 day window is relatively new. That's Blockbuster and the studios' desperation created by Netflix and Redbox. That's a very late footnote on this story. Blockbuster was waaaaaay late to the party when it came to mail service. That's always a huge hurdle. They were followers, not market creators. I used both Blockbuster and Netflix mail service. Blockbuster's only advantage was the brick and mortar stores that you could return DVDs too. This was actually a pretty significant advantage, but I was already pretty invested in Netflix's ratings, friends recommendations and overall superior software to make the change worth it. I imagine many people felt the same way. I suspect much of that was psychological. Once you realized waiting for a DVD in the mail was not horrible, the cost of the brick and mortar store seemed pretty unnecessary, thus negating Blockbuster's only competitive advantage (eventually completely disrupted by Redbox - putting in the final nail) Blockbuster's model was fatally flawed. It was easily duplicated by models that could do it for much, much cheaper. If that's not flawed I don't know what is. They actually did see VOD on cable coming and they tried to get ahead in there but deals fell through (I don't know why) and the cable companies and the studios realized they did not need them anyway. There is absolutely no need for a middle man in cable VOD. (Which is why you don't see AMC VOD) Personally, I think you are being much too easy on Blockbuster. Their demise is absolutely their fault. They over expanded, had the hubris of an industry monopoly, and like many near-monopolies, tried to use that monopoly to defend rather than innovate. It cost them dearly. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:27:30 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141155950 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141126829 Stupid me! I forgot! AMC at least is diversifying. They're getting into the distribution game. They're partnering with other companies to acquire and distribute their own films. So they're they're not completely sitting on their hands. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 00:40:42 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141126829 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141122576 Alamo Drafthouse Theatres are actually growing. Them and other theaters like them serve food and drinks during the film, with tables in front of you and everything. It actually works really well and it's not disruptive. (They have a lot fewer seats so people aren't on top of each other) Sat, 9 Apr 2011 00:13:51 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141122576 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141122139 Well, you're certainly right in that sense. Blockbuster failed because it didn't see the future like Netflix did. Microsoft failed to see the full impact of the internet and it's costing them. The railroad companies failed because they thought they were in the railroad business rather than the transportation business. Even if they do manage to reinvent themselves, like you wisely suggest, they're going to have to come up with delaying tactics so they don't go out of business before they do so I'm a bit more supportive than you. A break-up between partners when one of them figures out they're actually a competitor can be pretty brutal. We're about to see this again in the next few years as Hollywood tries to figure out just how much Netflix is friend or foe. It should be interesting! Sat, 9 Apr 2011 00:11:12 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141122139 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/kloder/2011/04/08/arthur-review-russell-brand-scores-in-witty-warm-remake/#IDComment141114025 I don't like a review that starts out about the reviewer's take on other people's thoughts and how his own opinion has transcended them. That's something I'd like to see in the comments below, not the review itself. Fri, 8 Apr 2011 23:22:40 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/kloder/2011/04/08/arthur-review-russell-brand-scores-in-witty-warm-remake/#IDComment141114025 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141112991 John, I'm not sure you're being fair here. The studios declared war on the exhibitors years ago, taking a bigger and bigger cut of the box office and front loading the marketing more and more because that's were the studios forced the exhibitors to give up the biggest percentages. They did this through pretty thugish tactics like, "if you don't give us this percentage on this movie, we won't let you have Star Wars Episode I when it comes out next summer. Your rival will get it." They used the threat of their big blockbusters to squeeze the theatre owners. They then asked theatre owners to pay for the transition to digital projectors and now that's starting to move along, there's now been mumblings about theatre owners forking up the cost for projectors with a higher frame rates. The studios have been making it more and more costly to be in the theatre business, while making sure the theatre owners make less. Remember all those exhibitors filing for bankrupty? Some came out of it, and some didn't. Obviously this affects the price of tickets and concessions. I am totally sympathetic to the theatre owners here. They have to work with what little power they have. Yes, the time to make a stand was in the 90s when the bullying really started, and it's probably too late now, but they're not doing anything that hasn't been done to them for the last 20 years. There is no "further incentivize" the studios to freeze them out. The studios have been looking to get rid of the middle man for a long time now, both in theaters and in home video. This is akin to the liberal notion, "don't fight back, they'll want you even more dead than they do now." Fri, 8 Apr 2011 23:16:59 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/08/stupid-theater-owners-retaliate-stupidly-against-their-coming-irrelevancy/#IDComment141112991 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/04/more-proof-hollywood-lies-about-pro-american-films-not-doing-well-overseas/#IDComment139988445 I have to admit, I did not like Battle: Los Angeles that much, but man it WAS really nice to see some American Marines portrayed as heroes. I was surprised by just how different it felt. Have we been beaten down that long that it feels THAT different when they're simply portrayed in a sympathetic light? Mon, 4 Apr 2011 21:53:49 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/04/more-proof-hollywood-lies-about-pro-american-films-not-doing-well-overseas/#IDComment139988445 http://biggovernment.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/01/devastating-new-ad-might-be-game-changer-in-wisconsins-crucial-april-5th-election/#IDComment139186283 You might want to explain that Wisconsin. They seem to think it's a law. You are aware of that, right? Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:00:26 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/01/devastating-new-ad-might-be-game-changer-in-wisconsins-crucial-april-5th-election/#IDComment139186283 http://biggovernment.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/01/devastating-new-ad-might-be-game-changer-in-wisconsins-crucial-april-5th-election/#IDComment139163521 I'm trying to figure out how a law is passed "illegally". It's either a recognized law or it isn't. If it was done illegally, it wouldn't be a law. I also feel very uncomfortable with the implied threat at the end of your post. It is difficult for me to express how much I detest the authoritarian nature of the left. It is, of course, the basic nature of their ideology, and has always been there, but it's disturbing to see it come out in the open so widely lately and how little protest it musters by those that should know better. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 18:02:45 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/jjmnolte/2011/04/01/devastating-new-ad-might-be-game-changer-in-wisconsins-crucial-april-5th-election/#IDComment139163521