#Charisma Poppycock

[deatherella]

Poppycock Progeny # 50 - Charisma

Jay and Charisma sat around enjoying the quiet while the quads were bouncing, Dax made dinner. He wants to be a chef.

The next day was a Snow Day. I had Dax and Elora do some skilling, as soon as they each got another point, it was time to play. Dax invited his crush over (she brought Max Flexor). Dax got in that first kiss.

While the kids were enjoying their company, Charisma went to make some Gramma's Comfort Soup for dinner. How someone with a full boat of cooking points sets the whole kitchen ablaze, I don't know. All attempts to put out the fires failed. Now, Elora needs some comfort after the loss of her father and beloved big brother. At least Dax got to kiss a girl once in his short life.

The screaming for food quads were found in the snow.

Elora makes her own food, not trusting her mother to cook.

On Saturday, the quads turned into toddlers. In pic order: Marla, Jolene, Lilah, and Michael. I wonder what's in store for the family, now.

[opedguy]

Russia’s Fake News Par for the Course

LOS ANGELES (OnlienColumnist.com), March 30, 2017.--Talking about Russia’s fake news before the 2016 presidential election, the Senate Intelligence Committee heard from former FBI agent Clint Watts, insisting that Russian agents on twitter, Facebook, Google and other social network platforms spread propaganda and disinformation.  Watts made it sound like it was an unprecedented event when, in fact, Russia frequently disseminates distorted information designed to advance the Kremlin’s agenda.  “Through the end of 2015 and the start of 2016,” Russian sought to influence the U.S. election, said Watts. “Russian influence system began pushing themes and messages seeking to influence the outcomes of the U.S. presidential election.  Russia’s overt media outlets and covert trolls sought to sideline opponents on both sides of the political spectrum with adversarial views toward the Kremlin . . “ said Watts, saying nothing specific about Russian influence.

            All the speculation about Russian interference in the 2016, no one on the House or Senate Intelligence committees can explain why, if Russian President Vladimir helped President Donald Trump, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton won nearly three million more popular votes. Watts suggests that garden-variety propaganda and disinformation influenced voters but only in the swing states where Trump cleaned up in the Electoral College. East and West Coast Democrat bastions like New York and California gave Hillary over a six-million-vote advantage against Trump.  “They were in full swing during both the Republican and Democratic primary season and may have helped sink the hopes of candidates more hostile to Russian interests long before the field narrowed,” said Watts, wildly speculating why certain candidates did more poorly than other more Kremlin-friendly candidates.

            Showing how off-the-wall Watts’ analysis, he said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) lost his home state because of his hostile views toward the Kremlin.  “Sen. Marco Rubio in my opinion, you anecdotaly suffered from these efforts,” said Watts, not talking about Rubio’s many campaign gaffes and intemperate acts that cost him votes.  Watts wants to blame Kremlin propaganda and disinformation for Rubio’s defeat, not his inept performance in presidential debates.  When Gov. Christ Christie turned Rubio into malfunctioning robot in the Feb. 6, 2016 GOP debate at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, Rubio’s presidential hopes ended, despite hanging on until the March 15, 2016 Florida primary where he lost to Trump by 18%.  Watts’ analysis that the Russian propaganda and disinformation upended Rubio’s presidential ambitions takes poppycock to new heights

            Today’s Russian hysteria sweeping Washington turns any nonsense into rigorous debate.  When you consider Watts using the Rubio example, it shows how far Russian experts stretch reality to the breaking point.  Rubio has no one to blame for his loss but himself in the 2016 race.  When he called out Trump for having “small hands” at a GOP debate March 3 in Detroit, Rubio’s campaign took a nosedive.  Watts knows too little about politics to find an alternative explanation to this Russian theory. Whether Putin had a preference in the 2016 election as asserted by FBI Director James Comey March 20 before the House Intelligence Committee, it doesn’t mean Russian propaganda and disinformation influenced the U.S. election one bit.  If Putin poisoned the U.S. election against Hillary, why did Hillary win nearly three million more popular votes?  Comey chooses not to explain that.

            Watts insists that the Kremlin’s propaganda machine pushed the story that the U.S. election was rigged.  No one questioned Hillary’s democratic rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) when he repeatedly insisted the primaries were rigged.  If it weren’t for WikiLeaks reporting on alleged Russian hacking that Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Rep.Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fl.) sabotaged Bernie in the primaries, the public would have been duped by Hillary’s primary victory.  Wasserman-Schultz resigned her DNC post in disgrace July 24, 2016, one day before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Watts mentions nothing about how WikiLeaks exposed Democratic operative interim DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile for feeding Hillary debate questions in advance of the Oct. 9, 2016 CNN Town Hall Debate.  Watts blames the Russians not Hillary or Brazile.

            Watts testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee today fans the Russian hysteria sweeping Capitol Hill.  Russian propaganda and disinformation flows freely across the globe, no different than in previous elections in the U.S. and Europe. “Why did he [Putin] think he could get away with it this time?” asked Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.).  “This is not new for the Russians.  They’ve done this for a long time across Europe, but it was much more engaging this time in our election,” said Watts, admitting that Kremlin propaganda and disinformation is nothing new.  Hillary’s Campaign Chairman John D. Podesta pushed the Russia theory of why Hillary lost the Nov. 8, 2016 election but only after blaming FBI Director James Comey fell flat.  Russian experts, like Watts, tend to attribute all events to Russian actors, not thinking there are legitimate alternative explanations.

About the Author  

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.  

[deatherella]

Poppycock Progeny #41 - Lee Household

It's Monday, so lets roll the dice, shall we? Naenae died peacefully in her sleep - she only got up long enough to argue with Grim. Charisma maxed out Charisma skill. Jay and Dax, also, rolled odds.

Dax was sweet enough to get a new do to keep me from griping about the transparency issues in the last one. Then he went off to do what teens do.

I was too tired to play anymore so Charisma's family got saved only a couple-few days into the week.

[deatherella]

Poppycock Progeny #43 - Lee Household

Time to finish off that week from the last post that's not showing up in the feed.

Charisma and Jay had quads. How "random" is that, eh???

While Charisma was busy giving birth, Verily was busy giving a mess. Several times that week.

Jay was holding Jolene when his ride for work showed up, and just took her along - then came home with a promotion.

Remington has proven to have an unorthodox method of "hanging out." The kids met some neighborhood kids and had tons of fun in the snow with them.

The ever exciting Sunday Family Portrait.

[deatherella]

Poppycock Paradise

Spent most of a week with Charisma, Jay, George, Naenae, Elora and Dax. Dax and Elora aged up on Monday.

They came home with A+'s on Wednesday.

On Thursday, George died from the sickness he's had for a week or two. My Sims are always sick - even when they live in spotless houses.

[deatherella]

Poppycock Progeny 15

Charisma's twins, Elora and Dax turned tot. They like to follow everyone and demand assorted forms of attention.

Here's their Sunday portrait.

Jay got his "dream job". And then maxed it the next day, I think. I haven't played this family for awhile since they're on the right timeline but these pics were in my folder, so here they are.

The brothers were always complaining that Charisma could pick up the phone - so she did and had them over. Why do George and his kids congregate in bathrooms to hang out?????

[deatherella]

Poppycock Progeny # 52 - Charisma

I loaded Charisma's family and it was Sunday so I had everyone gather round and get a quick portrait done up. Then they all went back to playing with toys and learning new tricks.

Then Monday came and the dice were rolled. Elora became a teen. Jolene and Michael are children, now. Marla just looked cute when she woke up from her nap.

Monday was a Snow Day. Tuesday was a Snow Day. Wednesday was a Snow Day. Thursday was a Snow Day. I was surprised when the bus came Friday morning. After school, Jolene and Bane played for hours - doing whatever they wanted to do since they wouldn't do any of the "play" activities I directed Jolene to do. Then the Repo Man came. Oops. He took the jungle gym and the vase of flowers off the pc desk.

Charisma and her kids at the end of the week.

[deatherella]

My Big Fat Poppycock Wedding - The Charisma Edition

The guests have only just started to arrive.

Rings were happily exchanged.

Looks like the guests are heading over towards . . .yeah, you guessed it.

The Father of the Bride does his duties well. (Yes, we have party lights hanging from thin air. Go with it.)

Charisma totally enjoyed giving Jay a slice of cake.

That's one married kid for Don's LTW.

[deatherella]

Poppycock Progeny #42 - Lee Household

Jay brought Will Wright home from work. Will was weird at dinner, exhausted pregnant Charisma went to bed early where Will went up and laughed at her for hours. It took forever to get him to leave that evening.

Charisma missed her mom and dad so she invited their household over the next day.

Everyone was having fun. Delilah watched a movie with her granddaughter, Elora, and some of her own, Dax played pool with his teenaged aunt and uncle. Charisma played catch with her dad. All was going great until dinner . . .

. . . when Verily decided she didn't like Dax. Nope, not at all.

Jay came home from work that evening with a big promotion. Dax caught Remington (maid) getting frisky with his mother. Don seems to be not so pissed at Delilah. All the company just plain wore little Elora right out.

Time to wake up and smell the coffee . . .

[deatherella]

Living in a Poppycock Paradise 1

The last time I played Delilah's family, it occurred to me that it had been quite a while since I snapped a family photo. So, now, I tell myself, every Sunday there will be a family photo. Here's the whole Poppycock-Day crew on the last day I played them.

Delilah's father, George, is in dire need of catching up to his daughter and grandchildren. Here is a family photo when I loaded his household.

Delilah's little sister, Annie, is now a child. She really needs to catch up.

Charisma and Jay have joined the household. Here's everyone having their first meal together.

Sunday Family Photo. After, Charisma and Jay moved in, there was enough simoleans to paint the walls at long last. Yay.

Looks like Charisma can finally quit carrying around that flour sack. She gave birth to twins, Dax and Elora. That's two grandchildren towards Delilah's LTW.

I love the way Maxis dressed my Sims.

Sunday Family Photo.

Sometimes, you remember that you forgot to marry your Sims off.