Patterico's Pontifications

What’s going on in the world? Nothing as important as taking time for a hike and taking in the beauty that surrounds us. It’s a little like Bach for the eyes.

John Boddie (4310e3) — 5/12/2018 @ 9:35 am

Tell a progressive to f&ck right off: pat at patfornm dot com

My previous post is in moderation because I uncharacteristically did not disguise the curse word.
I didn’t zot the word, because Pat Davis set the tone for the conversation, from his very first word:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu_7m–Ozrs

gp (0c542c) — 5/12/2018 @ 9:47 am

This wretched sinner struggles with anger and hatred, but I may never achieve the gutfull of incandescent, coruscating, white-hot hatred that animates progressives like Pat Davis. They hate our living guts.

gp (0c542c) — 5/12/2018 @ 9:52 am

Pat, you’re better off not knowing. Isolation from modern media is good for the soul.

Gryph (08c844) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:07 am

Anyhow, thanks for the update. Nice to know that you didn’t get pulled away by an emergency.

Gryph (08c844) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:08 am

Malibu Creek, right? Or nearby. Used to mountain bike there back in the day, before family. Great for clearing the head and shutting out the world. Thanks for the reminder!

random viking (470cbb) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:11 am

Patterico, how much better to tell US about your hike? I would like to know what you enjoyed most and why, about your ramble through the rocks and woods…

Simon Jester (ad6a15) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:19 am

Beautiful location!

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:27 am

Texas Rig Activity Up By More Than 30%

Texas is the No. 1 oil producer in the country. Total crude oil production for all of last year was around 1.2B barrels, up 3.3% from full-year 2016. According to Baker Hughes, the state accounts for about 50% of all rig activity in the country.

this is many good jobs a LOT of good jobs

thank you President Trump for all you do cause you’re a wonderful friend to Texas and a fantastic president on America

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:28 am

We finally got leaves on the trees this week. Sadly the grass also grew:(

Nate Ogden (a973f1) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:33 am

Great pictures.
On balance, the Earth revolved, it rained in some places but not other places, and a lot of people said many things and did many things, most of which will not matter in the short run, and even less in the long run.

Kishnevi (b58549) — 5/12/2018 @ 10:57 am

Patterico, did you hike Tapia Park, Malibu Lake or somewhere else?

AZ Bob (9a6ada) — 5/12/2018 @ 11:40 am

random viking had it right: Malibu Creek State Park. I parked for free on Mulholland and walked in via the Grasslands trail. Also pictured are Century Lake and Rock Pool. I went as far as the M*A*S*H site and turned around. Late lunch at the King’s Head in Santa Monica. Stopped on the way back for a short stroll on the beach. My Fitbit recorded 22,000 steps for the day.

Patterico (9592d6) — 5/12/2018 @ 12:35 pm

Took a walk on the wild side, eh, Patterico.

Santa Monica Mtns., make for quite the contrast to Santa Monica Blvd. Magnificent terrain. Serene. Brush looks a little dry, though. California needs more rain; always greens it up nicely. Oh, yes–paid $4.15/gal., for Shell regular and there’s a constant threat of a thermonuclear exchange between somebody, some place. In local news, found a missing pair of trifocals knotted up in the webbing of an afghan. $300 saved.

DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/12/2018 @ 12:42 pm

Wonder if they ever plant trout there? For Jan – April maybe.

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/12/2018 @ 12:46 pm

I don’t think there were any major news dumps yesterday. Your co-blogger JVW’s excellent John McLaughlin impression stimulated some pretty good discussion, much of it very civil and even that which was uncivil was reasonably funny (e.g., ropelight reminding us all that Jeff Sessions appears to be in cahoots with “Rosenstine”).

You remain indispensible, but not 24/7/365, so good for you for hiking in such beautiful surroundings.

Beldar (fa637a) — 5/12/2018 @ 12:53 pm

Tapia Park is Malibu Creek State Park. Full credit.

AZ Bob (9a6ada) — 5/12/2018 @ 1:09 pm

Fish for bass and catfish there.

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/12/2018 @ 1:50 pm

Mueller is now interviewing firms Cohen didnt contract with.

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 1:56 pm

An Additional 1% Of GDP Growth Per Year Changes The Game Completely

After big improvements in the corporate tax climate, the next step for growth-friendly Republicans is some serious reform of individual income taxes, including much lower rates.

This would probably be matched with major simplification and reduction of exemptions and other “tax expenditures.”

Major spending reductions aren’t necessary – you just need to hold the line on spending increases to the rate of inflation. Admittedly, this will now require substantial changes to “mandatory” spending, which is no small task.

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 2:12 pm

An increase in growth by 1% per year is not really very much.

We aren’t talking about Japan-in-the-1960s levels of growth here. They cut taxes every year from 1950 to 1974. Between 1950 and 1970, tax revenues increased by sixteen times.

We aren’t talking about Germany-in-the-1950s levels of growth. They cut taxes in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955 and 1958. The economy grew 361% between 1949 and 1963; tax revenues increased by 450%.

We aren’t talking about Ireland in the 1986-2006 period, when growth went from sub-2% to 8%, tax revenue/GDP fell from 38.1% to 29.4%, the corporate tax rate fell from 50% to 12.5%, inflation-adjusted tax revenues doubled, deficits in excess of 10% of GDP turned to surplus, and government debt/GDP fell from 116% to 22%.

We are not talking about adding 5% or more to economic growth rates, which other countries have done.

We’re just talking about 1% per year – from about 1.8% to 2.8%.

this is what Mr. Mulkasey understands that so many other putative conservatives find terribly problematic

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 2:18 pm

So back last may, halper was setting the Watergate taemplate

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 2:24 pm

19… speaking of fishing expeditions…

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/12/2018 @ 2:25 pm

Mary Fallin

ok.gov/governor

Mary Fallin is an American politician who is the 27th and current Governor of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, Fallin was elected governor in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.More at Wikipedia

Born:Mary Copeland, Dec 09, 1954, Warrensburg, Missouri, U.S.

Political party: Republican

Other political affiliations: Democratic

skank

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 2:29 pm

Did you run into Klinger?

The real news is that we will be bribing Un, thus helping out the PRC in subsidizing the DPRK. I think the vetting will be about as tough as those for the 7 (9?) Muslim countries which were illegally stopped by fool district jidges. Kim Jong Arafat, come on down!

I have yet to see anyone of note remarking that DJT will be doing just what Obama did in the Iranian deal: Cash and economic considerations for a deal which can’t (and won’t) possibly be verified, with a notoriously bad actor.

Ed from SFV (7422a8) — 5/12/2018 @ 2:41 pm

Family values. A distant, foggy memory. Now, they are the party of “He’s dying anyway”. No apology yet, of which I am aware. Just anger that there was another leak, of course. You can be famous and powerful, shine up, fly a private jet and wear the fanciest clothes and yet….. still be completely without class.

Is it possible to be more pathetic?

noel (b4d580) — 5/12/2018 @ 2:51 pm

I thought I would check a few sites to see what makes a “classy” guy or gal.

Polite, Respectful, Not Jealous, Has Empathy, In Control, Doesn’t Gossip, Takes Responsibility, Doesn’t Brag, Loyal, Brave and Well Read. Just some of the common examples.

noel (b4d580) — 5/12/2018 @ 3:11 pm

24, is that in reference to her open carry veto? A combination of her alt-Rock daughter (good friends with the Flaming Lips) getting to her and that she’s getting too old for a presidential run.

urbanleftbehind (7e2245) — 5/12/2018 @ 3:20 pm

It’s kind of like this week’s Roseanne episode, you tolerate the baddie who is not as much of a direct threat to your bread (West coasters likely think otherwise).

urbanleftbehind (7e2245) — 5/12/2018 @ 3:23 pm

I don’t get what was the point if that law?

The terms have not been determined, unlike then Bolton will have input.

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 3:25 pm

Ed, have to agree. I’m very skeptical about any “deal” with the Norks. Tyrants have continuity of govt and strategy that the USA does not. Even if DJT makes the greatest deal of all time, his administration will be gone by 2025 at the latest, almost certainly to be followed by an anti-Trump reactionary govt. Of course, the terms of the “deal” will already have been violated long long before then, like they always are.

gp (0c542c) — 5/12/2018 @ 3:46 pm

The best imaginable scenario would be a strong successful popular push from SK to reunify, withdrawal of US troops and bases from the region, let Japan have nukes if they want, and otherwise leave the western Pacific alone. It’s hard to imagine a global situation in, say 2050, where the USA will still be strong enough to credibly maintain that part of our empire. As of today, I don’t get any warm fuzzies from SK that they even _want_ us there.

gp (0c542c) — 5/12/2018 @ 3:54 pm

noel: You can be famous and powerful, shine up, fly a private jet and wear the fanciest clothes and yet….. still be completely without class.

Is it possible to be more pathetic?

I know he pushed the Steele dossier, noel, but it’s insensitive to talk of McCain this way.

random viking (6a54c2) — 5/12/2018 @ 4:22 pm

Its possible Thats why pence or perhaps Healey should be a successor.

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 4:25 pm

That was the LBJ plan and look what happened.

urbanleftbehind (7e2245) — 5/12/2018 @ 4:29 pm

As moyar tells us, lbj had less of a clue than lbj.

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 4:41 pm

Another Trump campaign aide helps Russia evade sanctions

No collusion!

Dave (445e97) — 5/12/2018 @ 4:49 pm

cowardpig mccain says we have to do sanctions all up in putin cause he did facebook ads

it was a goddamn act of war he said

mccain is a joke

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 5:00 pm

Dave whistling past the graveyard.

random viking (6a54c2) — 5/12/2018 @ 5:12 pm

Ah mercury group player, like Vin weber, if they keep saving like that hes going to be dead broke. He already lost 4 billion since april

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 5:13 pm

” I have no idea what’s going on in the world. Educate me.”

Nothing much, I just continue to practice my yodeling over here.

Tillman (a95660) — 5/12/2018 @ 5:21 pm

He became managing director at mercury, well Isnt this interesting thanks Dave,

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 5:26 pm

Yet they don’t get a nattering ram on their front door.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/former-trump-campaign-aide-bryan-lanza-joins-cnn

narciso (d1f714) — 5/12/2018 @ 5:33 pm

what’s fun about your pics Mr. P is you can draw a vertical line about an inch-and-a-half to the right side of all three straight down and bam you’re in the focal point of all three

are you autistic?

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 6:11 pm

Jeez. Regardless, Patterico, thank you for the photos and description.

Simon Jester (ad6a15) — 5/12/2018 @ 6:17 pm

Nice pictures, Patterico. You were there, and you came back to this? That’s dedication.

nk (dbc370) — 5/12/2018 @ 6:22 pm

brunch tomorrow @ bongo room

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 6:36 pm

In local news, found a missing pair of trifocals knotted up in the webbing of an afghan. $300 saved.

DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/12/2018 @ 12:42 pm

Most of the time if you mess with an Afghani’s MOLLE you’re gonna have a bad time. Just sayin’.

Pinandpuller (5447b9) — 5/12/2018 @ 7:26 pm

Wonder if they ever plant trout there? For Jan – April maybe.

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/12/2018 @ 12:46 pm

You thinking that the Wildlife Resource Officers used to work for the FBI?

Pinandpuller (5447b9) — 5/12/2018 @ 7:30 pm

24, is that in reference to her open carry veto? A combination of her alt-Rock daughter (good friends with the Flaming Lips) getting to her and that she’s getting too old for a presidential run.

urbanleftbehind (7e2245) — 5/12/2018 @ 3:20 pm

Dimebag Darrel had an ax and he was coming right at me!

I think the Flaming Lips suck as hard as Train, but what do I know?

Pinandpuller (5447b9) — 5/12/2018 @ 7:39 pm

what’s fun about your pics Mr. P is you can draw a vertical line about an inch-and-a-half to the right side of all three straight down and bam you’re in the focal point of all three

are you autistic?
happyfeet

More like artistic.

AZ Bob (9a6ada) — 5/12/2018 @ 7:49 pm

yes yes artistic

the number one rule of the photographs is to off-center your subject and there are preferred ratios for sure

my feels about this is you off-center everything not just cause it makes it more visually interesting

but it makes the one in your set where you do everything smack dab in the center that much more… accentuated

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 7:52 pm

It depends mr happyfeet. If Mr Mueller is taking your picture are you the subject or the target?

Pinandpuller (5447b9) — 5/12/2018 @ 8:01 pm

if Herr Mueller’s taking your picture you’re desolate

you’re lost

you did your best but guess what you failed

and his haughty dyke wife mocks you with chittering laughter as you fall into the void

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 8:10 pm

Les Miles and Kurt Warner overheard Happyfeet from the next table over and thought she was talking about them.

urbanleftbehind (7e2245) — 5/12/2018 @ 8:16 pm

neil finn joins fleetwood mac

Lindsey was replaced on the tour, which kicks off in October, by Crowded House’s Neil Finn and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell.

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 8:21 pm

They’re always firing Lindsey Buckingham when he’s not flouncing off. Anyhow, that’s old news. I dunno about Neil Finn but they can’t go wrong with Mike Campbell.

nk (dbc370) — 5/12/2018 @ 8:38 pm

Neil Finn i want to see solo he’s kinda like Roddy Frame

happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/12/2018 @ 8:51 pm

Buckingham is a superb guitarist:.. it ain’t Fleetwood Mac without him.

Finn Bros in Split Enz were the real deal.

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/12/2018 @ 9:34 pm

Nothing much, I just continue to practice my yodeling over here.

Tillman (a95660) — 5/12/2018 @ 5:21 pm

Riiiii-cola!!

Bill H (383c5d) — 5/12/2018 @ 9:59 pm

Kilauea spread vog around the big island today.
Still paradise in Kamuela.
Nice pics, Patterico,

mg (9e54f8) — 5/12/2018 @ 11:20 pm

Tried to think of something funny but can’t. Need more coffee.

Beautiful pics! I’ve become an avid hiker too. Heading for a back bay walk today.

Patricia (3363ec) — 5/13/2018 @ 7:38 am

There are places like that in the San Gabriels as well. I took a herpetology class when I was undergrad at CSULA, and one of the places we went on field trips was up to the San Gabriels. It’s easy to think the wild spaces are gone in So. Cal. but you can still find them. Your pictures look like up behind the Will rogers ranch.
Another good place is the Whittier hills, up behind Rose Hills cemetery..There’s an old Nike missile base up above Rio Hondo college. you can start there..

Digger (1cd66b) — 5/13/2018 @ 7:40 am

Lots of waterfalls in SGV mountains too!

Patricia (3363ec) — 5/13/2018 @ 12:51 pm

Wow, what gorgeous scenery! Nothing like a trip to the mountains to clear one’s head. 🙂

LJ (d845d1) — 5/13/2018 @ 5:39 pm

Another Trump campaign aide helps Russia evade sanctions

No collusion!

Dave (445e97) — 5/12/2018 @ 4:49 pm

Yes, no collusion, moron.

Washington (CNN)A former senior campaign and transition aide to President Donald Trump recently inked a deal to help a Russian oligarch’s conglomerate shed sanctions the Trump administration slapped on them last month.

Steve57 (0b1dac) — 5/13/2018 @ 6:10 pm

Here’s something you may not have heard of yet. When Mueller indicted 3 Russian firms and 13 Russian individuals, he indicted a ham sandwich. I would say literally, but he indicted a ham sandwich that is yet to be made.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/30556/disaster-mueller-indicted-russian-company-didnt-ryan-saavedra

…U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey asked Eric Dubelier, one of two lawyers representing the accused Russian company, Concord Management and Consulting LLC, if he was representing a third company listed in Mueller’s indictment.

“What about Concord Catering?” Harvey asked Dubelier. “The government makes an allegation that there’s some association. I don’t mean for you to – do you represent them, or not, today? And are we arraigning them as well?”

“We’re not,” Dubelier responded. “And the reason for that, Your Honor, is I think we’re dealing with a situation of the government having indicted the proverbial ham sandwich.”

“That company didn’t exist as a legal entity during the time period alleged by the government,” Dubelier continued. “If at some later time they show me that it did exist, we would probably represent them. But for purposes of today, no, we do not.”

I guess this is what happens when a prosecutor files an indictment for purely political/PR purposes to create a fictional case that he believes will never see the inside of a court room, simply to feed b00b bait to deranged leftists (cough, cough, Dave, cough cough) so they can cling to their desperate hope that the Trump campaign “colluded” with the Russians to steal the election.

Steve57 (0b1dac) — 5/13/2018 @ 6:16 pm

I believe that the White House refuses to apologize for the horrible remark about McCain since it is revenge for McCain’s refusing Spanky to be at his funeral. Yes, I think Trump is that much of a degenerate.

Tillman (a95660) — 5/14/2018 @ 12:07 pm

Rush limbaugh had a whole presenation about how the Russian investigation got started.

https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/05/14/know-name-spy-fbi-put-trump-campaign/

https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/05/14/mueller-investigation-set/

He says the whole thing was circular intelligence, made to look like it was more solidly based.

This is the story (I’;m adding alittle something from elsewhere)

First, George Papadopoulos, a nobody, was told by Josephis Mifsud, reported to be close to the Russian government, and maybe a double agent, that the Russians have thousands of Hillary emails.

This is a lie. Just made up.

Then he gets an invitation to write a paper on things about Turkey and Cyprus and some other things, offered to pay him $3,000, and his plane ticket to the U.K. He himself is surprised by this, but accepted.

While there, he meets with this 70-year old or so Oxford professor with dual U.S. and British citizenship, who is close to Mifsud, and may be an informanat for British intelligence, that, hey by the way. Do you remember, does it ring a bell, the Russians have thousands of Hillary emails? Do you remember this?”

So Papadoupolous confides in him.

Then this professor arranges for Papadoupolous to meet the Australian Ambassador, Alexander Downer (who is a supporter of Hillary – he donated to the Clinton Foundation) at a bar. They get Papadouplopous to “reveal” that the Russians have thousands of Hillary emails. This is in May 2016.

Alexander Downer later (I think in July, after the DNC hack became public, unless he told teh FBI twice or they toolk a second look at it) tells the FBI.

Amd it’s reported as coming from someone inside the Trump campaign.

I think Rush misses one important point: Everyone assumed that the Hillary emails the Russiansa supposedly had, or someone said they had, were her deleted emails. Only later did the FBI treat this as referring to the hacked DNC material.

Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 5/14/2018 @ 1:45 pm

5/12/2018

Open Thread

69 Responses to “Open Thread”

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