Coal may be dirty, but it doesn't go limp in the middle of a street theater skit - a lesson recently learned by demonstrators protesting Madison Gas and Electric utility rates. As one staunch advocate of alternative power noted; "If you're into blow-up dolls, I suggest using a regular generator for the time being."

[Madison, Wisc...] "Demonstrators gathered outside the Public Service Commission to protest against a requested rate structure change by the local utility company, Madison Gas and Electric (MG&E). During the protest, they decried the use of "dirty coal" and called for more renewable energy. To make their point, they had a blow-up coal power plant that was running on a fan powered by wind and solar charged batteries. Before the protest was over, however, the batteries died and their solar panel could not produce enough energy to keep the power plant standing upright."

I just looked up "soft power" and came up with these quotes:

- Soft power is a concept developed by Joseph Nye of Harvard University to describe the ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce.

- The Decline of America's Soft Power

- What China and Russia Don't Get About Soft Power

- The British, like the Americans, do not believe that this ‘soft power' is worth anything, without the hard power to back it up.

...and so on...

Red Square wrote:I just looked up "soft power" and came up with these quotes:

- Soft power is a concept developed by Joseph Nye of Harvard University to describe the ability to [highlight=#FFFF99]attract[/highlight] and co-opt rather than coerce.

- The Decline of America's Soft Power

- What China and Russia Don't Get About Soft Power

- The British, like the Americans, do not believe that this ‘soft power' is worth anything, without the hard power to back it up.

...and so on...

Yes, "attract" as in allure, entice, tempt, charm, win over, woo, engage, enthrall, enchant, entrance, captivate, beguile, bewitch, seduce, lure, or in Prog-Speak - mandate!

- The British, like the Americans, do not believe that this ‘soft power' is worth anything, without the hard power to back it up.

That is, of course, until the emergence of Deer Leader (PBUH), who believes that "hard power" is counter productive and soft power is worthless, without a teleprompter, lofty rhetoric and a lot of reverb.

Before the protest was over, however, the batteries died and their solar panel could not produce enough energy to keep the power plant standing upright.

These operatives need some re-education or maybe we should just give them an Ebola brewski and quarantine them for the remainder of their, soon to be, very short lives. This is embarrassing. The Party™ cannot accept such public incompetence. It may even be a reich wing conspiracy to discredit Party Doctrine™. In either case, we need to get these imbeciles off the street. For their own safety and for The Children™.

Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt wrote:That is, of course, until the emergence of Deer Leader (PBUH), who believes that "hard power" is counter productive and soft power is worthless, without a teleprompter, lofty rhetoric and a lot of reverb.

Not to mention styrofoam Greek columns, fog machines, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir humming Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm in the background.

So the thrust of this thread is that when your blow-up goes limp, your argument is equally flaccid?
Why didn't someone mount up and just plug this thing in? Their point will never be rammed home unless they get on the stick.

Waxing poetic, Comrade T ? And on a Friday morning, no less !

Dedhedvedev wrote: Not to mention styrofoam Greek columns, fog machines, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir humming Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm in the background.

Krasnodar wrote:Waxing poetic, Comrade T ? And on a Friday morning, no less !

As I live and breathe, if it isn't Comrade Krasnodar sober awake before the crack of noon!

You've been keeping a low profile as of late, I trust either the parole officer at Gulag 287 is asleep at the switch again, or that young lady's daddy still hasn't found you yet ... (I told you before not to trust a "layered PDF" birth certificate!) good to see you again.

So the lesson of this story, children, is that you should never, ever, bring a blow-up doll to a gun fight.

They make inflatable womynfolk?

Technology has come a long way...

Hey there, Kras!

So good to see you again!

I just wanted to add that I, personally, have advised some former boyfriends to get themselves a blow-up doll. I mean, I suggested this because they just couldn't seem to relate to an actual human, like me. (I actually did this!)

Please bear in mind that I lived and worked in Los Angeles and New York City, hotbeds for this sort of thing. In Chicago (the dreaded mid-west) I found human males who seem to value nice and decent women.

I finally found one on the Cube. I have since moved to the mid-west from Los Angeles (2010). Soooo worth it!

I'm happy, happy, happy! Oh, and if you want to hear some serious humming? Listen to this. I participated in this and am very proud of it. The humming chorus, Madame Butterfly:

Tovarichi wrote:They make inflatable womynfolk?

Technology has come a long way...

Comrade T,

I see you're clinging to old school entertainment. Excellent. Good taste never goes out of style!

Red Square wrote:So the lesson of this story, children, is that you should never, ever, bring a blow-up doll to a gun fight.

Blowup_doll_shot.jpg

Is that Gwenyth Paltrow? So sad. At least her neighbourhood is safe, now.

Pamalinsky wrote:I participated in this and am very proud of it. The humming chorus, Madame Butterfly:

Did you participate in this particular recording as a doo-wop singer?

Dedhedvedev wrote:

Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt wrote:That is, of course, until the emergence of Deer Leader (PBUH), who believes that "hard power" is counter productive and soft power is worthless, without a teleprompter, lofty rhetoric and a lot of reverb.

Not to mention styrofoam Greek columns, fog machines, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir humming Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm in the background.

TabernacleChoir.jpg

I didn't know that Deer Leader was a fan of The Crash Test Dummies but it makes sense.

Tovarichi wrote:They make inflatable womynfolk?

Technology has come a long way...

Ahhh, Texazistan. Where womyn are womyn, men are men and the sheep scared! Much better than San Fran where the men are womyn, the womyn are men and the sheep confused.

Comrade Peas, one would expect the sheep to be relieved, in San Francisco. Not confused.

I visited the province of Caliphornia once, I was highly confused-- those who appeared to be males shaved under their arms, while those appearing to be womyns refused to do so.

I'm not going back there.

Freedom Rendered Flaccid by Turgid Tyranny.

Pamalinsky wrote:Hey there, Kras!

So good to see you again!

I just wanted to add that I, personally, have advised some former boyfriends to get themselves a blow-up doll. I mean, I suggested this because they just couldn't seem to relate to an actual human, like me. (I actually did this!)
R
Please bear in mind that I lived and worked in Los Angeles and New York City, hotbeds for this sort of thing. In Chicago (the dreaded mid-west) I found human males who seem to value nice and decent women.

I finally found one on the Cube. I have since moved to the mid-west from Los Angeles (2010). Soooo worth it!

I'm happy, happy, happy! Oh, and if you want to hear some serious humming? Listen to this. I participated in this and am very proud of it. The humming chorus, Madame Butterfly:

Comrades, let it be known, Tovarichi would LOVE to receive a long, drawn-out Hummer.

Red Square wrote:

Pamalinsky wrote:I participated in this and am very proud of it. The humming chorus, Madame Butterfly:

Did you participate in this particular recording as a doo-wop singer?

Doo_wop_girls.jpg

Well, Comrade Red,

I'm not sure what group you are referring to but I, indeed, went through my "plaid period", just like Picasso went through his "blue period." This color thingy make me equal to Picasso! That's what equal distribution of wealth is all about! Right!

Since you brought it up, I was friends with Erin Dickens, one of the singers in the second iteration of The Manhattan Transfer.

She lent me her apartment for a time so I could practice singing without bothering anyone. Very sweet of her to do this. Her decor consisted of curtains covering pipes, which is to be expected in some NY apartments. They were PLAID!

BTW, the photo you posted looks very current, not archival. You can't fool me!

BTW again, I have to deal with Tovarici now because he has knowingly gone over the line regarding the innocent subject of "humming." He needs a "rim shot."

Tovarichi wrote:

Pamalinsky wrote:Hey there, Kras!

So good to see you again!

I just wanted to add that I, personally, have advised some former boyfriends to get themselves a blow-up doll. I mean, I suggested this because they just couldn't seem to relate to an actual human, like me. (I actually did this!)
R
Please bear in mind that I lived and worked in Los Angeles and New York City, hotbeds for this sort of thing. In Chicago (the dreaded mid-west) I found human males who seem to value nice and decent women.

I finally found one on the Cube. I have since moved to the mid-west from Los Angeles (2010). Soooo worth it!

I'm happy, happy, happy! Oh, and if you want to hear some serious humming? Listen to this. I participated in this and am very proud of it. The humming chorus, Madame Butterfly:

Comrades, let it be known, Tovarichi would LOVE to receive a long, drawn-out Hummer.

Hey, Tovi,

What a sweeeeet compliment. See my post to our darling Leader. It applies to you.

Tovarichi wrote:

Pamalinsky wrote:Hey there, Kras!

So good to see you again!

I just wanted to add that I, personally, have advised some former boyfriends to get themselves a blow-up doll. I mean, I suggested this because they just couldn't seem to relate to an actual human, like me. (I actually did this!)
R
Please bear in mind that I lived and worked in Los Angeles and New York City, hotbeds for this sort of thing. In Chicago (the dreaded mid-west) I found human males who seem to value nice and decent women.

I finally found one on the Cube. I have since moved to the mid-west from Los Angeles (2010). Soooo worth it!

I'm happy, happy, happy! Oh, and if you want to hear some serious humming? Listen to this. I participated in this and am very proud of it. The humming chorus, Madame Butterfly:

Comrades, let it be known, Tovarichi would LOVE to receive a long, drawn-out Hummer.

Thanks for the warning, Comrade T. From now on I will think twice when using the expression "Hmmmm" in your presence.

I'm sorry, Comrades! I just can't help myself, but I must mention the universal appeal of hums. M&M's fall into this category. And, here's the real kicker: Wait for it.......M&M's, they melt in your mouth, not in your hand.

You asked for it, you got it!

Hmmm?

Then, of course, there's this:

The Mummer's Band:

[color=#C0392B]Captain Craptek[/color] was a bit confused, so I fixed it for him, when he wrote: .
.
Thanks for the warning, Comrade T. From now on I will [highlight=#ffff00]not[/highlight] think twice when using the expression "Hmmmm" in your presence.

.

Craptek,

Pondering your peers penchant for participation in production of pavement pizza, prudent policy pertaining to long wheelbased cars with wide tires is probably productive.

Stay away from Hummers.

Tovarichi wrote:Craptek,

Pondering your peers penchant for participation in production of pavement pizza, prudent policy pertaining to long wheelbased cars with wide tires is probably productive.

Stay away from Hummers.

Holy Honda Hovercraft, Tovi! Another rim-shot for alliterative um, er, alliteration!

Tovarichi wrote:Craptek,

Pondering your peers penchant for participation in production of pavement pizza, prudent policy pertaining to long wheelbased cars with wide tires is probably productive.

Stay away from Hummers.

Possibly, Comrade T. But I like to think of pavement pizza as my species contribution to The People's™ pantry. Step right up and partake!