November 14, 2017

Smashing Keurigs to punish Keurig for withdrawing its ads from Sean Hannity's show (which it did because Sean Hannity was insufficiently judgmental toward Roy Moore).

Gizmodo collects tweets with video of destroying Keurigs, at "Angry Sean Hannity Fans Are Smashing Keurigs on Twitter Because 2017 Is Dumb as Heck."

We're saying "heck" now? I can't keep up with the slang of the young people these days. But anyway, I would have thought liberals would celebrate the destruction of Keurigs. They're environmentally horrible, aren't they?

I think a good lefty spin would be: Stupid Righties Bumble Into Environmental Activism.

Or: Conservatives Dabble in Eco-Terrorism.

Or: Red Turns Green in Rage Against the Machine.

***

I know Rage Against the Machine was the name of a band, but what was the machine they raged against? It was a 1979 Chevrolet van:
“That piece of shit was always breaking down," [said lead singer Zack De La Rocha]. "I can’t tell you how many times that van broke down back in 1991 when we were starting out, how many gigs we lost because it would quit working." 
No politics. I'd always assumed — and in the days when I lived with teenage sons, I was exposed to the music of Rage Against the Machine — that the "machine" in question was the government entwined with big corporations and rich people. The band accepted and embraced that interpretation:
[Bassist Tim] Commerford said [Rage Against the Machine] also fits the band’s rebellion against what it sees as conventional stupidity and against Republican governments.

“We’re all very liberal who feel that Bush lied, people died,” Commerford added. “We also believe that Osama bin Laden is far less evil than what Ronald Reagan was."
Ah! Simpler times. When Ronald Reagan was the epitome of evil.

Launch the mutant now!



Hey! There's the Keurig at 0:16!

78 comments:

khematite said...

Thought the band's name was a reference to Mario Savio's 1964 speech at Berkeley. Nothing so specific, I guess.

"There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part. You can't even passively take part! And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it — that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!"

---Speech, Sproul Hall, University of California, Berkeley (1964-12-02).

traditionalguy said...

It starts with Robbie the Robot in Forbidden Planet, and ends with AI killer Bots.

IIR the Forbidden Planet's Krell people imagined themselves to mutual extermination carried out by robots that had an Id.

Humperdink said...

One has to wonder how theses CEOs got to be CEOs. Picking a side politically alienates the other 50% (+/-).

The Keurig CEO should have called the CEO of Target first.

Rusty said...

Coffee!

"First you drink the coffee.
And then you do the things."

AllenS said...

“That piece of shit was always breaking down," [said lead singer Zack De La Rocha]. "I can’t tell you how many times that van broke down back in 1991 when we were starting out, how many gigs we lost because it would quit working."

Something tells me that neither Zack, nor anyone else from the band knew about proper maintenance of the vehicle. Wonder if anyone of them could change a light bulb.

Humperdink said...

"Something tells me that neither Zack, nor anyone else from the band knew about proper maintenance of the vehicle."

I'll second that thought. I remember the story that a vehicle does not require maintenance until it quits moving.

Tommy Duncan said...

The ingenuity in the design of many mechanical machines is a treat to behold. I often wonder "how did they think of that"?

But some mechanical machine designs are appalling. When small cars became popular GM actually cut their 389 V8 engine in half to create a 4 cylinder engine. GM also converted Oldsmobile V8 engines from gas to diesel with tragic results.

Organizational machines are another story.

Matt Sablan said...

I wonder if everyone will treat the next pointless protest with equal disdain.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

It is stupid and not very economically literate. I expect more intelligence from conservatives.

They should have listed it on Craigslist for a few dollars. That would give deprived the corporation of a sale.

Darrell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Meade said...

Rage against the coffee machine whose manufacturing is outsourced to Simatelex, whose factories are in Shenzhen, China.

rehajm said...

I thought Florence and the Machine had done something to them to make them rage. Or the Machine had done something to Florence. Both of which seemed odd since Florence seems nice. But I wasn't really paying attention.

Rage against inanimate things is stupid. Especially rage against an inanimate 12 year old Chevrolet. Most 12 year old Chevrolets are that way.

tim in vermont said...

Press pot cheaper in the short and long run. But it is quick.

Roger Sweeny said...

This reminds me of the people who destroyed Beatles records after John Lennon(showing my age, I almost said just John) said, ""We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first – rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."

Those last two sentences were hardly original with him. In H.G. Wells astoundingly popular Outline of History (first edition right after WW I), he says that Jesus was right about almost everything but that later people misinterpreted him and really screwed things up. He said the same thing about Buddha. In fact, he asserted that Buddha and Jesus were saying pretty much the same thing.

Johanna Lapp said...

Heck? Hell, Sean Hannity's Playboy interview was a symphony of "fucks," but he still paraphrases Rev. Jeremiah Wright with a "G.D. America" instead of a god damn on the air.

RMc said...

what was the machine they raged against? It was a 1979 Chevrolet van

A positive view of the Chevy van: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiEIToOWr64

Tank said...

Not Pink Floyd's machine?

rehajm said...

I think I saw Smashing Keurigs open for Soundgärten back in the day.

Roger Sweeny said...

traditionalguy, all the Krell had ids which contained secret and monstrous desires. When their brains were connected up with the giant "make my thoughts into actions" machine, they destroyed each other.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

As part of my ongoing punishment for traveling I watched television again last night in my hotel room. Caught some of Hannity's show. He was in a complete tizzy over Keurig's. Apparently threatening advertisers is not good for business. Who could have guessed?

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

On a related note, who actually eats at Chipotle? Is there a market for gastronomical risk-takers?

tim in vermont said...

Hannity is sort of a moron. I can't imagine watching his show. Did you manage to escape CNN at the airport, or were you subjected to their anti Trump 'reporting' pretty much the whole time, like a telscreen? I am just wondering how you think that righties can live in a bubble.

Rick said...

“We also believe that Osama bin Laden is far less evil than what Ronald Reagan was."

tl;dr: we're idiots.

tim in vermont said...

Are they playing Fox exclusively in the restaurant for breakfast? Or is it CNN and the alphabets?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It was fascist leftwing goons who called Kureg and threatened them. That's where this started.

David Begley said...

That musician should have said President Reagan was more evil than Hitler so we would know with certainty that he is a complete idiot and morally bankrupt.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Tim @ 7:21 -
CNN and the Alphabets. the left like to rail against Fox (and free speech in general) but it's leftists who live in the hive mind bubble.

Henry said...

Nespresso is laughing all the way to the bank.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

tim in vermont said...
Are they playing Fox exclusively in the restaurant for breakfast? Or is it CNN and the alphabets?


I had to skip breakfast this morning but yesterday I think it was one of the major network's bland morning show. Last night I watched all the cable news channels. MSNBC and FOX are a total cancer. No wonder half the country thinks we are on the brink of civil war. If I watched that crap regularly I would too.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The left have admitted they want to take Hannity out. They will use whatever means necessary, including the Clinton lie factor. Got nothing? just lie. KOS says it's all good.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Arm:
Hannity is counter punching advertisers who have already decided to take political sides. That is not that same as attacking advertisers.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I'm glad I don't own a Kureg. BAd for the environment. REal coffee is best.

stevew said...

Since when does television or media advertisement placement indicate endorsement of the show or host or both? I know lots of people have decided it does but how did that come to be? The company places the ad to target its audience, they aren't endorsing anything. It is lovely, in a schadenfreude way, that Keurig's capitulation to those outraged by Hannity resulted in this backlash. Seems the smart play would have been to ignore the initial demands for pulling their ads.

-sw

Sebastian said...

“We also believe that Osama bin Laden is far less evil than what Ronald Reagan was." Nuff said. Progs still think that.

Which makes sense: evil is anyone who opposes them. Obstructing prog power is the only Real Sin. Trying to kill thousands of Americans, wanting to unleash global jihad -- meh.

Earnest Prole said...

They say you get the audience you deserve. Sean Hannity’s audience is so dopey that he may end up with no advertisers whatsoever.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Blogger AJ Lynch said...
Hannity is counter punching advertisers who have already decided to take political sides.


He was definitely not punching anything last night. He seemed genuinely panicked.It was a distinctly odd opening monologue.

Freder Frederson said...

Since when does television or media advertisement placement indicate endorsement of the show or host or both?

Since the beginning of broadcast media. If anything the connection has gotten weaker in recent years.

Freder Frederson said...

The left have admitted they want to take Hannity out

Damn right. Like Rush he is an irresponsible liar.

Wince said...

Like Rob McLean, my mind went directly to Sammy Johns.

Which was alright with most people, except maybe if you are Roy Moore in your 30s.

Funny, you could almost take these lyrics as a 1973 "He said" in a "He said - She said".

Chevy Van

I gave a girl a ride in my wagon
She crawled in and took control
She was tired as her mind was a-draggin'
I said get some sleep and dream of rock'n'roll

'Cause like a princess she was laying there
Moonlight dancing off her hair
She woke up and took me by the hand
She's gonna love me in my Chevy van and that's all right with me

Her young face was like that of an angel
Her long legs were tanned and brown
Better keep your eyes on the road, son
Better slow this vehicle down

I put her out in a town that was so small
You could throw a rock from end to end
A dirt road main street, she walked off in bare feet
It's a shame I won't be passin' through again

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Having now watched Hannity I would leave him in, if I were a Democrat. He may be bad for the country but he is not creating any new converts with the freak show that he is running. Rush was a different matter. Young Rush was a sly persuader who no doubt brought many over to the dark side. Old Rush is not that effective so may as well leave him alone as well.

Just my impartial advice to the Dems.

tim in vermont said...

I remember once that there was a murder investigation in Boston that required them to drag the Harbor. They pulled out many diesel Oldsmobile that, apparently, the owners had paid to have stolen and were dumped there.

tim in vermont said...

Yeah, Rush is out of gas.

buwaya said...

I live on Nescafe instant coffee.
If you need a hit, quick, there's nothing better.

All this other stuff is too slow, too fussy, or too expensive.

Taste is irrelevant. The drugs the thing.

buwaya said...

And public smashing of Keurigs is symbolic propaganda.
These things are anti-Keurig advertisements.
Like smashing Japanese cars in the 1980s.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"One has to wonder how theses CEOs got to be CEOs. Picking a side politically alienates the other 50% (+/-). "

This one has always puzzled me as well. A smart company would make sure their board was 50/50. All bubbles get popped before they get anywhere near impacting the bottom line. But that kind of self-discipline seems non-existent these days.

buwaya said...

Smashing Keurigs is I suppose propaganda of the deed, in a less fatal form.

Shooting Keurigs is the escalation I guess.

Anonymous said...

They should rename that band "RAGE".

Michael K said...

Rush immunized himself to this by building a national company that sells local advertising.

More work but the left was after him the same way,

One sponsor, a computer backup service, cancelled their sponsorship and made a big deal of it. He found a competitor to advertise and the other company has vanished as best I can tell.

His one big national advertiser if LIfelock and the recent fuckups by Experion and and credit card services have sold a lot of accounts.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

I live on Nescafe instant coffee.

When I was in the army and we were out in the field training with maybe four hours sleep in 48, if we were lucky, we would suck on the instant coffee crystals included in our MREs. Also, the instant creamer included in MREs can be used as flash powder.

Qwinn said...

The day after Hannity's interview, I remember a lot of people, including a lot of lefties, giving Hannity credit for being so tough on him. "Hannity did Moore no favors", read one headline.

A few days later, Hannity is getting boycotted for going too easy on him... despite the fact that that interview is still considered very damaging to Moore.

Apparently the idea that Hannity was fair was determined to be Badthink, and history needed a quick rewrite. Reminds me of lefties freaking out when Sarah Palin's first national speech was considered terrific for about 24 hours, then the narrative was adjusted to fit the Left's political requirements. Again.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

One sponsor, a computer backup service, cancelled their sponsorship and made a big deal of it.

Their still in business, and I continue to use them. But denouncing Rush definitely hurt their bottom line. If you are going to advertise on the Rush Limbaugh show you are going to have to accept that there is going to be controversy and that if you denounce him then his fans, who you where hoping to sell stuff to, are not going to just take it.

Qwinn said...

Btw, I'm no big fan of Hannity. But watching the cognitive dissonance of "the interview severely damaged Moore" combined with "Hannity went way too easy on him" is remarkable. It's mental illness.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

"Hannity did Moore no favors", read one headline.

I saw something stating that the interview had ended Moore's candidacy and it was a demonstration of why defense attorneys tell their clients to STFU.

But I think the current controversy isn't over the interview. Hannity started investigating the accusers and may have dug up some info that just possibly could indicate that maybe the story is not quite as presented by one of them. Maybe.

Qwinn said...

Well, the diner/yearbook story is ludicrously implausible.

William said...

Does Limbaugh have Apple as a closet advertiser? He's always giving away their phones and praising their products. That would be an effective form of advertising, but, of course, neither party could ever admit they were doing it.....Product placement is the wave of the future. On his show, Hannity could offer his guests a Toll House cookie every time they said something clever.........What's the big attraction with Keurig anyway? The taste is indistinguishable from that of a Mr. Coffee brewed cup and the cost is a great deal greater......Why is is ok to ban Louis CK's movie and Hannity's show, but stupid to boycott Keurig?

rehajm said...

The left have admitted they want to take Hannity out

Damn right. Like Rush he is an irresponsible liar.


I'm trying to articulate the logic of the left here: If Hannity is off the air more people will side with liberals or some such? I hypothesize he gets 3 million viewers for the same reason people watched The Daily Show: he says things his viewers want to hear.
Perhaps it is gratifying to deny happiness to people who disgust you? So much for that liberals aren't easily disgusted science...

Earnest Prole said...

Does Limbaugh have Apple as a closet advertiser?

They clearly send him free stuff -- two new iPhones appeared on the show the other day.

Wilbur said...

Years ago, I cut out the middle man and just take a caffeine pill upon rising. It doesn't stain my teeth and I don't have to wait for the coffee to brew.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

Well, the diner/yearbook story is ludicrously implausible.

I'm not familiar with that one.

n.n said...

Progressive liberals are just angry American conservatives deny the left's Pro-Choice religious/moral philosophy that denies science, equality, life, and dignity... and the constitutional right to due process, which implies a presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Earnest Prole said...

I saw something stating that the interview had ended Moore's candidacy and it was a demonstration of why defense attorneys tell their clients to STFU.

I'm not a defense attorney, but I can tell you that you should never respond to accusations of sexual assault with the words, “It would have been out of my customary behavior.”

Ron Winkleheimer said...

The wonders of bing, the woman who is represented by Gloria Allred.

Mary Beth said...

Keurig just wants to win back the young people they alienated when they added a DRM so you could only use their pods.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

“It would have been out of my customary behavior.”

Yeah, talk about lawyerese. I do wonder why these incidents weren't aired years ago though. The Alabama Republican party leadership does not like Moore and would have been happy to end his political career, such as it was. And the Democrat party would have been happy to embarrass the Republicans.

D 2 said...

Smashing Keurigs (er Pumpkins) had an album called Machines of God. maybe that is what Mr Rage Against has a problem with. "Machines of God" is better - eons better - than any shite put out by Rage Against.

Jane the Actuary said...

On keeping up with the Young People: my 14 year old says:
heckin'
frickity-frack
dagnabit
howdy

But he enjoys being out of the mainstream and I have no idea if his emerging group of friends (he's a high school freshman) adopt the same speech patterns as he has.

Fabi said...

I have a Kuerig I use for hot tea in the colder months. I don't own another kitchen appliance or gadget that performs its task so well.

FullMoon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
HoodlumDoodlum said...

Ann Althouse said...Ah! Simpler times

I wanna publish zines
and rage against machines
I want to pierce my tounge
it doesn't hurt it feels fine

Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Instant coffee is the way to go. If you're woke enough to operate a machine, you don't need coffee. If you're not woke enough to operate a Keurig, you need instant coffee.

Jill McMahon said...

FYI. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/11/conservatives-join-environmentalist-movement/545711/

Capt. Schmoe said...

Hitler could buy Keurig and advertise it in the NAMBLA monthly newsletter - I wouldn't consider destroying the machine. It's not that I don't have principles, it's just that they are not as strong as my Keurig addiction. BTW, I don'y give a &*&% how many baby seals die eating the non-biodegradable k-kups either.

fivewheels said...

Technically, what "we're" saying now is h*ck. On the internet, it's mainly used in the sort of infantilized patois of commenters on cute dog pictures, like "H*ckin' goodboye does an awoo", stuff like that.

Probably not invented by, but definitely popularized by @dog_rates on Twitter, and used everywhere.

Achilles said...

The NFL chose sides too. I wonder how that is going for them...

Drago said...

Field Marshall Freder: "Damn right. Like Rush he is an irresponsible liar"

Responsible lying: "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor."

It's important to understand the distinctions.

For instance, republicans disagree with democrats: VIOLENCE!!

Islamists burn gays alive in cages: We must understand cultural differences and not disrespect islam.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

I have a Keurig. I didn't get the point of smashing the machine since the company already has my money. I don't normally buy their K-cups anyway, I buy the Trader Joe's brand. And the Black Rifle coffee (both the "coffee rounds" and the regular ground coffee, since on the weekend when I have more time, I like to make a proper pot of coffee.) The Black Rifle coffee is smooth and excellent.

JaimeRoberto said...

It seems that a lot of images in that video are meant to evoke disgust. Does that mean that Rage Against the Machine is conservative?

Zach said...

I remember how in the 2000 election, all the real leftists were insisting that there wasn't any difference between the two candidates, and voting for anyone short of Ralph Nader (at the very least!) was selling out.

Fortunately, they all had an introspective moment after the election was so close, and realized that working together to continually improve the country at the margins is better than constant outrage and impossible purity tests.

I kid! I kid!

What actually happened was, they kept insisting on ideological purity, and the country crawled to their feet and created a socialist paradise just to please them.