Patterico's Pontifications

5/13/2022

Weekend Open Thread

Filed under: General — Dana @ 12:36 pm



[guest post by Dana]

Let’s go!

First news item

Behind the baby formula shortage:

The current situation with infant formula, on the other hand, really does seem quite serious. In particular, a February/March 2022 FDA recall of Abbott Nutrition formula products made at a problematic Michigan facility has pushed an already-stressed U.S. market into full-on panic mode. Not only are supplies desperately short in numerous states, but prices have (as they do when supplies are low) spiked, leaving families—especially ones with low incomes or babies that need special products—in desperate shape.

Unfortunately, the infant formula crisis isn’t simply another case of a one-off event causing pandemic-related supply chain pressures to boil over. Instead, U.S. policy has exacerbated the nation’s infant formula problem by depressing potential supply. First, as my Cato colleague Gabby Beaumont-Smith just documented, the United States maintains high tariff barriers to imports of formula from other nations—all part of our government’s longstanding subsidization and protection of the politically powerful U.S. dairy industry. Imports of formula from most places, such as the European Union, are subject to a complex system of “tariff rate quotas,” under which already-high tariffs (usually 17.5 percent, but it depends on the product) increase even further once a certain quantity threshold is hit.

We even restrict imports of formula from most “free trade” (scare quotes intended!) agreement partners, including major dairy producing nations like Canada. In fact, a key provision of the renegotiated NAFTA—the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)—actually tightened restrictions on Canadian baby formula to ensure that new investments in Ontario production capacity by Chinese company Feihe would never threaten the U.S. market:

Also, this by Elizabeth Nolan Brown is an eye-opening must-read too.

Second news item

Russia now threatens to retaliate if Finland joins NATO:

Russia has said it will be forced to take “retaliatory steps” over its neighbour Finland’s move to join Nato.

A foreign ministry statement said the move would seriously damage bilateral relations, as well as security and stability in northern Europe.

Earlier, Finland’s president and PM called for the country to apply for Nato membership “without delay”.

Russia had previously warned both Sweden and Finland if they joined NATO. Both countries are expected to announce their decisions regarding Nato this weekend. Turkey’s Erdogan doesn’t support either country joining NATO.

Third news item

Pence continues to cut the cord with Trump:

Former Vice President Mike Pence will headline a get-out-the-vote rally with Gov. Brian Kemp on the eve of Georgia’s May 24 primary, marking a new split with Donald Trump as each maneuver for a possible 2024 White House run.

Pence called Kemp “one of the most successful conservative governors in America” in a statement announcing the May 23 rally to help the incumbent stave off a Trump-backed challenge from former U.S. Sen. David Perdue…

The former vice president’s visit is part of Kemp’s take-no-prisoners approach to the primary. The governor’s advisers don’t want to simply defeat Perdue and avoid an unpredictable June runoff; they want to rout him.

Fourth news item

Yeah, we all knew “safe, legal, and rare” was meaningless manipulation:

Fifth news item

Yet more blood on Putin’s hands:

More than 1,000 bodies of civilians have been recovered in areas around Kyiv that were previously occupied by Russian forces, United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said Thursday.

What they’re saying: “Some of these people were killed in hostilities, others appear to have been summarily executed,” Bachelet added while speaking before a session of the UN Human Rights Council. “Others still have died because of stress to their health caused by hostilities and the lack of medical aid.”

The scale of unlawful killings, including summary executions, has been “shocking,” she said.

Additionally:

Britain’s ambassador to the United Nations said Thursday that there were “credible” claims Russian forces have committed sexual violence against children in Ukraine, as U.N. agencies said Vladimir Putin’s invasion had driven more than 6 million people to flee the country. The U.N. refugee agency reported the grim statistic, which, combined with the roughly 8 million Ukrainians who have been displaced within their country, means a third of Ukraine’s people have been forced from their homes.

British Ambassador Barbara Woodward, citing the U.N. humanitarian agency, said at least 238 children were believed to be among the thousands of civilians killed since Russia launched its war, with 347 more injured.

Sixth news item

But of course they can’t agree:

Lawmakers in both parties agree on the need to boost security protections for Supreme Court justices…But there’s an intensifying debate between the House and Senate over just how to get there.

…Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is blasting the House for pursuing legislation that would extend protections to the families of both justices and judicial clerks. He prefers his Senate’s bipartisan version, which passed unanimously on Monday, that only focuses on expanding security to the immediate families of justices…

Side note: A 2019 law had already authorized protections for judicial clerks, according to [Rep. Greg] Stanton’s office.

…House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer voiced support for the Stanton bill, arguing “we believe that it is critical to safeguard the families of those who choose to serve their country and their communities as judicial clerks and staff as well.” He said House Democrats would continue negotiating with Republicans on the legislation.

Seventh news item

Lousiana:

A Republican lawmaker in Louisiana on Thursday pulled a bill that would have allowed prosecutors to charge a person with homicide if they get an abortion — effectively ending the chance it would become law this legislative session.

Eighth news item

Toad venom, you say? Well, okay then:

Alexander Subbotin is at least the seventh Russian oligarch to die under strange circumstances this year.

Subbotin, the billionaire former top manager of Russian oil producer Lukoil, was found dead on Sunday in a shaman’s home in Mytishchi, a city just northeast of Moscow, Russian news agency TASS reported.

The billionaire’s death is the latest in a grim trend of Russian businessmen being found dead in unusual circumstances amid Russia’s ongoing assault on neighboring Ukraine.

Bill Browder, a financier who was once the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia, previously told Newsweek that people should assume the worst “any time you see a wealthy Russian dying in suspicious circumstances.”

He added: “There has been enough empirical evidence of assassinations organized by the Kremlin or business rivals in Russia, to make it likely that these were murders and not suicides and other explanations that have been bandied about by the Russian authorities.”

Good and necessary:

In an unprecedented move, the House select committee on the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has issued subpoenas for five House Republicans, including GOP leader Kevin McCarthy.

All five had previously been asked to appear voluntarily and quickly refused. Now, their testimony is being compelled by month’s end, a move most of them quickly slammed on Thursday.

In addition to McCarthy, the panel also subpoenaed GOP Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Mo Brooks of Alabama.

None have said yet if they’ll comply with the subpoenas.

Ninth news item

Oof:

President Biden’s approval rating remains underwater and more than 80% of registered voters say the U.S. is on the wrong track, according to a Thursday poll from Monmouth University.

The Thursday poll found that Biden’s approval rating is sitting at 38%, with 57% disapproval. Those numbers are down from March when Biden had a 39% approval and 54% disapproval. Monmouth also found that just 18% of Americans say the country is on the right track.

Biden’s White House making false claims like this doesn’t help the situation:

After all, the guy in charge already told us he had taken the vaccine before he took office:

MISCELLANEOUS

Have a great weekend!

–Dana

401 Responses to “Weekend Open Thread”

  1. Since the democrat party does not own the means of production and pelosi/biden tells AOC and sanders this is not a socialist country. This is a failing of capitalism. Socialist countries in europe have offered to send baby formula.

    asset (16cec5)

  2. Steny hoyer just announced on the house floor that we are at war with russia! Listen up for the air raid sirens!

    asset (16cec5)

  3. Steny hoyer just announced on the house floor that we are at war with russia! Listen up for the air raid sirens!

    Yeah, well, “Steny” — I’m at war with ants.

    Gimmie $40, not $40 billion, to finance my liberty– and the only air raid siren they get is my whistle as I spray the Raid- and bomb a column of them little Red buggers with golf balls as they march across my patio!

    DCSCA (06aafe)

  4. Here’s an awesome story, coming soon to a movie theater (or streaming service) near you, hopefully:

    Arrested in early April, [Kirillo] Alexandrov remained in Russian captivity for more than a month, feeling helpless, and thinking he could be killed at any time, he said. This week, Alexandrov was rescued from Russian captivity and reunited with his wife in a daring operation by Project Dynamo. The Tampa, Fla.-based civilian rescue group formed last summer to help evacuate Americans and American allies from Afghanistan, and has since turned its attention to Ukraine.

    [. . .]

    Over the last few months, volunteers with the donor-funded nonprofit have rescued hundreds of people from Ukraine, including premature babies and a retired American paratrooper. This is the first Russian prisoner they’ve rescued, Dynamo founder Bryan Stern told National Review.

    “It was really, really, really hard,” Stern said of the operation. “I have no leverage, not really. If it’s a ransom, they’re going to want millions. We don’t have it. If it’s a prisoner exchange, that’s cool, but I don’t have any Russian prisoners to exchange, so that doesn’t work.”

    [. . .]

    The rescue mission was dubbed “Detroit Lions,” and Alexandrov was referred to as “Lion 1.” Stern declined to detail several aspects of the operation, which they initiated on Monday, but he said they used their network of sources to get Alexandrov out of Russian captivity – imagine “a jail break without a jail break,” he said. They then moved Alexandrov, his wife, and his mother-in-law on the ground, using a pre-planned route. They had to pass through more than 20 Russian checkpoints along the way, according to Project Dynamo. Stern declined to say exactly how they moved an accused spy, with no passport, who was supposed to be in Russian custody through the checkpoints. “Very carefully,” he said.

    “The people that were moving him were actually unwitting as to who he was and how valuable he was, by design,” Stern said. “I didn’t want our people to know too much to protect themselves from themselves, meaning, the guy driving the car did not understand that he had a charged spy in the back.”

    It’s great to know that in times of great danger, heroes arrive to save the day. I hope that the U.S. government has a very strong back-channel to Project Dynamo and is providing them all the support they possibly can.

    JVW (020d31)

  5. Steny hoyer just announced on the house floor that we are at war with russia.
    The cellar Dweller says mission accomplished.

    mg (8cbc69)

  6. The vaccine wasn’t available to everyone (it was approved for) > on January 20, 2021.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  7. The infant formula shortage is NOT a failure of capitalism, but rather the result of the government interfering with capitalism.

    Read the article that Dana linked.

    norcal (3f02c4)

  8. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) raised some eyebrows when he claimed from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives that we are “in a time of war” as it pertains to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “Russia has no leverage over us, [majority leader Hoyer] went on to claim, we don’t need Russia for energy. As a matter of fact, we voted overwhelmingly, stop buying any petroleum products from Russia, which I supported strongly.” -Steny Hoyer.

    https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2022/05/13/house-majority-leader-steny-hoyer-once-more-warns-were-at-war-with-russia-n2607221

    No leverage?

    NASA does rely on Russian propulsion to help control the International Space Station’s attitude, or position and orientation in space, and periodically boost the station on its orbit around Earth. Without Russia, NASA would have to engineer a new solution to help keep the station on the right path in space, so that the vehicle does not slowly fall out of orbit and enter Earth’s atmosphere.

    -The ISS has 16 different nations involved in the project, which cost $150,000,000,000 BILLION USD to develop. It is the most expensive project ever designed and built.

    -In the United States, NASA reports only the costs relating to the mission, mission integration, and launch facility processing as expenses for the ICC. Despite the fact that the Space Shuttle was and will be used in the future almost exclusively for ICC missions (35 of 41 missions), NASA considers the Space Shuttle Program an independent project from the ISS. For this reason, it does not include the cost of the Space Shuttle Program in their ISS costs.

    International Space Station Costs (NASA) Total: $54 to 59 billion

    1994 – 2005 – $26 billion
    2006 – 2007 – $4 billion
    2008 – 2016 – $24 to 29 billion (projected)
    Space Shuttle Program: $38 billion

    Total estimated costs:

    U.S.: $100 billion
    Europe: $14 billion
    Japan: $10 billion
    Russia: Unknown
    Canada: $2 billion

    https://www.eclipseaviation.com/how-much-did-the-iss-cost-nasa/

    https://www.whatitcosts.com/international-space-station-iss-cost/

    By the way NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center is located in Greenbelt, Maryland—- Steny Hoyer currently represents them in Congress.

    NASA’s Maryland Space Center Mission-Critical for Space Station Astronauts

    The International Space Station may bring to mind launch pads in Florida or control rooms in Houston, but humanity’s longest continuously inhabited outpost in space also requires near-constant support from a small community just outside Washington, D.C. That’s where, in Greenbelt, Maryland, resides NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, home to the station’s communications network and some of the capabilities that support scientific research on station.

    Like any NASA mission, particularly those involving human spaceflight, the space station requires a reliable, consistent communications network that allows astronauts to reach mission control, transmit data and even speak with their families. All communications between the station and the ground, as well the cargo resupply and crew missions to the station, are provided through the Space Network. The Space Network is one of NASA’s three communications networks managed by the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program.

    https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nasa-s-maryland-space-center-mission-critical-for-space-station-astronauts

    Steny Hoyer: IDIOT.

    DCSCA (513a10)

  9. Elizabeth Nolan Brown is an eye-opening must-read too.

    Anything that the Food and Drug Administration gets involved in it makes worse.

    It’s so in the background, nobody’sthinking of giving emergency approval.

    Meanwhile Magaland is complaining that non-American babies are being given o preference over U.S. citizen babies because there are supplies stockpiled at the border.

    This is another way again in which they want to turn the idea of compassion on its head, and want to make everything a zero sum game..

    They have so much there at the border because:

    1) Federal law requires them to feed people in its custody.

    2) They over-prepare.

    3) Almost nobody coming across the border needs infant formula because…what did they do until they got there?

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  10. President Joe Biden never mentions the name Trump – it’s always “my predecessor” or some other description.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  11. @10. He can’t remember his name, Sammy. 😉

    DCSCA (513a10)

  12. that there were “credible” claims Russian forces have committed sexual violence against children in Ukraine,

    Everything depended on the commander – some may have wanted their soldiers to do that (or could it be specialforces?)

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  13. Link to save web pages in the wayback machine: (including ones you can’t access)

    https://web.archive.org/save

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  14. https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-offering-legal-advice-must-not-be-illegal-20220512-ewzr3dxxwnem7ddj226twbiutu-story.html

    To hire a lawyer in a civil case, you need to drop hundreds — even thousands — of dollars. And if you don’t have that kind of cash, you’re out of luck. Many people think lawyers work on contingency, working for free and getting paid only if their client wins. But that’s not the way it works in many areas of the law where the potential payout doesn’t exist.

    Legal fees are akin to a modern-day poll tax, one that four out of every five low-income Americans can’t afford. And if you try to defend yourself in court? Then you’re faced with modern-day literacy tests — legal forms designed to be too complicated for anyone but lawyers to understand….

    …In America today, millions of people do not have this right, simply because they can’t afford a lawyer — and because Unauthorized Practice of the Law (UPL) rules, which are in effect in all 50 states, make it illegal for them to receive help navigating the legal system from anyone else.

    …For a sense of how ridiculous — and dangerous — these UPL rules can be, look no further than their impact on the Paralegal Pathways Initiative at Columbia Law School.

    One of us, Devon, founded this initiative after spending hundreds of hours studying the law while incarcerated. The program’s goal is to help jailhouse lawyers find employment within the legal field through a 14-week training course that teaches tech skills, ethics, communications, interviewing and other basics that would allow someone to become a paralegal.

    But even after all of that training, graduates could face a criminal misdemeanor for providing basic legal advice, even for free. That makes no sense. Why shouldn’t Devon or one of his students be able to help someone figure out how to respond to a suit from their landlord, the same way they might help a friend figure out how to manage a health crisis?

    …The final co-author of this piece, Rohan, decided that his non-profit, Upsolve, would sue New York, challenging the constitutionality of the state’s outdated UPL rules. The oral argument will be heard today in the Southern District of New York.

    Today = May 12.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  15. Sdnator Schumer the other day seemed to ignore the fact that if the Republicans won control of Congress (and passed the bill he described) President Biden could still veto it for two years.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  16. Dana- Lovely photo. Excellent composition.

    DCSCA (513a10)

  17. That might be my favorite photo from Dana. The light rays in the photo are dazzling.

    norcal (3f02c4)

  18. Even Putin’s media stooges are forced to admit Russia’s invasion has stalled due to ‘shameful’ lack of equipment and reinforcements – as Biden admits he fears Vladimir ‘has no way out’
    ……….
    Vladimir Solovyov, one of Putin’s most-prominent puppets, moaned last week about the ‘shameful’ length of time it takes for weapons to reach the front while guests on Russian state TV talk shows complained that men are being sent into battle ‘with weapons of yesteryear’ and the Russian economy cannot sustain the war.
    ……….
    ………. Solovyov himself fumed that Russian troops are unable to get drones because so few are being produced, and even those that are made take too long to get into battle. ‘Just try to bring something to the Donbas,’ he said, ‘it’s easier to bring it in via Ukrainian customs in Lviv. They let any weapons through.
    ……..
    Aleksandr Sladkov, a so-called ‘war correspondent’ who pumps out pro-Kremlin content on social media, spoke out against Russia’s tactics – saying commanders have been ‘shamefully indecisive’ and their attacks ‘can’t push out Ukrainian forces’ because they are fighting ‘one-to-one’ with no numerical advantage.

    The shift in tone is dramatic for state media networks that are usually keen to trumpet the might of Russia’s armed forces, praise Putin’s leadership as strong and decisive, slam Ukraine as weak and dismiss any defeats they suffer as being part of a masterplan – the true goal of which will only become apparent later.
    ………
    There are fears about how far a cornered Putin could escalate if it becomes obvious that there is no path to victory in Ukraine, including using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.
    ……. ..
    Many of the same propagandists now bemoaning Russia’s shortcomings have spent recent weeks threatening nuclear strikes on the West – singling out the UK, France, Germany and America as targets.
    ……….
    On Monday, it was reported that Ukrainian forces had seized the towns of Rubizhne and Lyptsi to the north of Kharkiv, which would put them around 10 miles from the Russian border. Putin’s troops were said to be counter-attacking out of Belgorod, but it remained unclear how soon the reinforcements would arrive.

    If Kyiv’s troops can reach the border, it will open up the prospect of cutting Russia’s main supply route from Belgorod to its forces around Izyum – where some of the heaviest fighting is taking place – which could mean units stationed there running out of fuel and ammunition.
    ……….
    Elsewhere, Ukraine repelled an attempted Russian crossing of the river at Bilohorivka by destroying a pontoon bridge and taking out several armoured vehicles in the process.
    ……….

    The Russian Army of today is a shell of the army of USSR. Sad!

    Rip Murdock (acd58f)

  19. Even Putin’s media stooges are forced to admit Russia’s invasion has stalled due to ‘shameful’ lack of equipment and reinforcements – as Biden admits he fears Vladimir ‘has no way out’

    Well then.

    Moran’s gang doesn’t need $40 billion worth of tommy guns to go at Capone through September, does it. And if Squinty McStumblebum would brush up on his JFK and knew anything about managing a conflict, he’d know you always give your adversary ‘a way out’ — especially as we’re at “war” with Russia, per Idiot Steny and Idiotess Nancy.

    DCSCA (513a10)

  20. @18. The Russian Army of today is a shell of the army of USSR.

    Pfft. Shell shock:

    All figures for nuclear weapons are estimates but, according to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has 5,977 nuclear warheads – the devices that trigger a nuclear explosion – though this includes about 1,500 that are retired and set to be dismantled. Of the remaining 4,500 or so, most are considered strategic nuclear weapons – ballistic missiles, or rockets, which can be targeted over long distances. These are the weapons usually associated with nuclear war.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60564123

    So… 1,500 vintage nukes laying around the ol’garage. Would make for a nice strategic ‘garage sale’ to the likes of Russian main allies: India, China, Belarus, Iran, Syria and chums in Central and South America like Cuba, Venezuela and so on to raise rubles as they raise Ukraine. Or just plant them down there and point them at America’s underbelly. Then Joe can thank Putin for protecting America’s southern border for him. 😉

    DCSCA (513a10)

  21. Russian troops WIPE OUT own unit in friendly fire fiasco as Army morale in tatters
    ………
    In a recent firefight, a number of Russian soldiers mistakenly used the deadly TOS-1A flamethrower against their own comrades.

    Victor Kovalenko, a former Ukrainian editor, tweeted: “A Russian unit on May 8 opened friendly fire on its own positions.

    “The Russians annihilated their positions with troops & armour with thermobaric flamethrowers TOS-1A Sunblaze in #Zaporizhzhya province.”

    The TOS-1 is a multiple rocket launcher capable of using thermobaric warheads, mounted on a T-72 tank chassis.

    It was designed to attack enemy fortified positions and lightly armoured vehicles.

    To rub insult into injury, Ukraine’s army promptly issued a letter thanking the Russians for their helpful contributions.

    “The leadership of the 97th Infantry Battalion expresses its satisfaction with the actions of the Russian occupiers on May 8 2022.

    “Using the heavy Solntsepek flamethrower system in the Zaporizhia direction they actually burned the racist occupiers from Ukrainian soil.

    “Such actions are positively perceived and supported in every way by the Ukrainian military.
    ……..
    “Our 97th Infantry Battalion continues to destroy the occupiers on Ukrainian soil while defending and carrying out the orders of the leadership. Glory to Ukraine!”

    ………
    Meanwhile recent reports suggest that the Russian brigade responsible for the Bucha massacres has been wiped out in recent fighting.
    ………
    Chuck Pfarrer, a war correspondent and former US army SEAL, wrote in a tweet: “KARMA: Lt Colonel Omurbekov Azatbek Asanbekovich was the commanding officer of the 64th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade– the unit that massacred the citizens of Bucha.

    “Reports indicate that the 64th has been wiped out in fighting on the Izium salient.”
    ……….

    In a recent firefight, a number of Russian soldiers mistakenly used the deadly TOS-1A flamethrower against their own comrades.

    That’s gotta hurt. Sad!

    Rip Murdock (acd58f)

  22. After sending out check after check to get people through the pandemic, then after states send out checks to cover back rent and subsidize medical insurance, inflation has taken off.

    Now states are sending out checks to help people buy gas and food. Despite this, we still have inflation.

    Next up: Ban on ‘Excessive’ Gasoline Prices Is Heading for House Vote

    Yes. Price controls.

    The measure, which is unlikely to garner the Republican support needed to become law, would prohibit price increases during national energy emergencies declared by the president.

    “Price gouging needs to be stopped,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday after announcing the bill. “This is a major exploitation of the consumer.”

    It marks the latest attempt by Democrats to tame sky-high energy costs before facing inflation-weary votes at the polls in November. Retail gasoline prices has been rising for nearly three weeks, reaching new records for each of the past three days.

    The Democrats now in control of Congress have sought to place blame for that on oil companies, which have reaped record profits since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent crude north of $100 a barrel. Instead of reinvesting those profits in new production that could bring prices down, companies have rewarded shareholders and increased share buybacks.

    It is hard to understand why an industry that the president wants to put out of business would choose to return capital to shareholders rather than invest in new production. Oh, wait. No, it isn’t.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  23. Russian troops WIPE OUT own unit in friendly fire fiasco as Army morale in tatters

    Putin remains a master strategist.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  24. The infant formula shortage is NOT a failure of capitalism, but rather the result of the government interfering with capitalism.

    Seems more a failure of the Mark One Two teat.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  25. @23. There have been many thousands of friendly fire incidents in recorded military history, accounting for an estimated 2% to 20% of all casualties in battle.

    Example: it has been estimated that there may have been as many as 8,000 friendly fire incidents in the Vietnam War; one was the inspiration for the book and film, ‘Friendly Fire.’

    This is quite a list from conflicts:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_friendly_fire_incidents

    DCSCA (513a10)

  26. The committee could have had Jim Jordan voluntarily, but declined.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  27. “The committee could have had Jim Jordan voluntarily, but declined.”

    You think Jim answers the questions they want to ask him if he’s on the committee?

    Davethulhu (da3c71)

  28. The worm turns:

    Netflix cracks down on woke workers!

    Streaming giant tells staff in new culture memo to LEAVE if they’re offended by its content as bosses back Dave Chappelle after backlash at trans jokes

    * The streaming service dished out a new ‘culture memo’ targeting woke workers
    * The document tells staff if they’re offended by content they can leave the firm
    * It warned they will not ‘censor artists or voices’ if employees consider it ‘harmful’
    * The document also called on workers to tighten their belts and reign in spending
    * The ailing website has been struggling after shelling out viewers and losing cash

    Go broke, lose woke.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  29. Skinny Pete: “Listen to me man….If there’s one thing I know, it’s never to mess with mother nature, mother in-laws and, mother freaking Ukrainians.” — The Italian Job, 2003

    AJ_Liberty (a36eed)

  30. Government and capitalism have been with each other since the beginnings of capitalism. Capitalism loves eminent domain to steal peoples land and war spending at tax payers exspense. The excuse of government is invalid. Without government you would have no capitalism. Just as the cry of racism is used as an excuse so is the cry of government interference. Read the book the jungle. These companies are capitalist not socialist your cry of venezuela wont work this time.

    asset (b86309)

  31. Actually be more suprised if there were not friendly fire incidents.
    They are common even when the equipment and uniforms are distinctive. A lot of equipment in Ukraine has changed hands a couple times and telling the difference between a Russian T-72 and a Ukrainian T-72 is rough at best anyway.

    I figued out there were probably a lot of friendly fire incidents on both sides when the combatants started wearing florescent tape on arm and “aim here” on the helmet.

    steveg (4d1657)

  32. Jonathan Turley: Protesting at justices’ homes should be a subject of condemnation, not criminal charges
    ……… I believe the use of (18 U.S.C. 1507) to arrest protesters would be a serious blow to free speech and would be difficult to defend in the courts.
    ……..
    …….(D)emands that (Attorney General Merrick) Garland arrest all of the protesters is a case of the pendulum swinging too far in the opposite direction. Such prosecutions could create a massive chilling effect on free speech, even if any convictions are unlikely to be upheld. After all, protests are common at the court itself, which is covered under the same federal provision; if it is unlawful to seek to influence a pending decision through picketing “near a U.S. court,” such protests could be viewed as crimes under this interpretation.
    ………
    ……… (T)he focus of our laws should not be on the act of protesting but on actual threats or violence committed against justices or their families.
    ………
    Even under this vague statute, protests are criminal only if they are done with the “intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding the administration of justice, or with the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness, or court officer.” …… However, few seriously believe that protesting at justices’ homes will make them more inclined to yield to mob demands. This is unadulterated rage by people who no longer recognize any limits of decency or civility in our political discourse.

    If charged, the protesters likely would insist they were denouncing the justices’ views, not trying to coerce a change in those views. Many wanted to vent their rage directly at justices or use the home protests as a way to make the evening news.
    ………
    These protests are worthy of condemnation, not criminalization. Just because something is legal does not make it right. Fortunately, for these protesters, the people inside the homes they are targeting will likely protect them from prosecution — because the court will likely follow the lead of Oscar Wilde who said, “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an ass of yourself.”
    ###########

    Rip Murdock (acd58f)

  33. NASA is thinking ahead:

    Plants can grow in lunar soil. They don’t love it — they become stressed, and may turn purple after initially looking green — but they can still germinate in lunar soil, send roots through it, sprout leaves, get bigger and potentially be edible.

    That’s the remarkable result of an experiment conducted by researchers at the University of Florida who planted seeds in samples of lunar rock and dust brought home a half-century ago by the Apollo astronauts. The study, published Thursday in the journal Nature Communications Biology and funded by NASA, is the first known example of plants being grown in lunar soil, said co-author Anna-Lisa Paul, a University of Florida plant molecular biologist.

    The leaves of the thale cress they used can be part of a salad, according to Google, though it isn’t especially tasty. And, most likely the leaves could be fed to, for example, rabbits.

    Important finding: The plants did best in lunar soil from beneath the surface. (Apollo 11 collected soil from the top; Apollo 12 and 17 collected soil from deeper.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  34. The vaccine wasn’t available to everyone (it was approved for) > on January 20, 2021.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 5/13/2022 @ 2:08 pm

    Okay only 1 million people were getting vaccinated every day the week Biden was inaugurated.

    Biden’s 100-Day Vaccine Goal Was Nearly Met Before He Arrived

    Tanny O'Haley (8a06bc)

  35. I read the article and don’t remember having a problem with the supply of baby formula pre-pandemic. I believe part of this the supply chain issues because of the lockdowns and the incompetence of the FDA and CDC. It turns out that the Abbott facility was not contaminated, but it took the FDA and CDC forever to get it resolved. The Biden administration knew of this problem back in February and could have pushed the FDA and CDC to provide more resources and get this quickly resolved. Of course they didn’t.

    Abbott torches Psaki

    Tanny O'Haley (8a06bc)

  36. Huh. And farmers have worked the soil for centuries without advanced degrees.
    My guess is the top layer is heavily irradiated.
    I’m not moving to the moon and living on purple thale cress and mutant bunnies

    steveg (4d1657)

  37. Zac Kriegman: “I was a director of data science at Thomson Reuters” long story short he came to some of the the same conclusions as the host over data on police shootings of black Americans and got fired.

    “According to calculations (published by Patrick Frey, Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County) based on FBI data, black Americans account for 37 percent of those who murder police officers, and 34 percent of the unarmed suspects killed by police. Meanwhile, whites make up 42.7 percent of cop killers and 42 percent of the unarmed suspects shot by police—meaning whites are killed by police at a 7 percent higher rate than blacks.”

    Always trust content from Patterico

    steveg (4d1657)

  38. Faux news now says their is a shortage of medical supplies hospitals say. Another failure of capitalism as medical supplies are purchased overseas. Capitalist america a food shortage is next. Venezuela here we come!

    asset (8f33d0)

  39. Faux news now says their is a shortage of medical supplies hospitals say. Another failure of capitalism as medical supplies are purchased overseas. Capitalist america a food shortage is next. Venezuela here we come!

    asset (8f33d0) — 5/13/2022 @ 9:27 pm

    No, that’s a failure of foreign trade policy, not capitalism. Are all marxists really this incapable of understanding manufacturing and logistics in conjunction with existing regulations and trade agreements?

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  40. What it is, is a systemic failure due to over-reliance on long and distant supply lines. The COVID shock, along with any number of government-imposed shutdowns, tariff hikes, mandatory furloughs and procedure changes worked holy hell. Capitalism’s individual businesses, with many decision points and flexibility dealt with it as well as could be.

    Most of the remaining problems are due to government interference, such as the City of Long Beach refusing to let containers be stacked more than two high in storage years, even though they are stacked 10 high, and more, on the ships.

    Central planning is how you get Venezuela. Or Mao’s China, which couldn’t make a decent bicycle, let along manufacture stuff. It was only when China abandoned all that Marxist crap that they started to find their way out of poverty.

    Take a look at this animation of the world’s wealth and longevity, and tell me that this maps the rise of Marxism, or the rise of Capital.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  41. *storage YARDS

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  42. I’m not moving to the moon and living on purple thale cress and mutant bunnies

    You’ll weigh a lot less.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  43. If I were to guess on the photo, Dana, Pacific northwest, not far from the ocean. It feels familiar.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  44. But when I shared the story with my coworkers, my boss chastised me, telling me expressing this opinion could limit my ability to take on leadership roles within the company. Then I was maligned by my colleagues. And then I was fired.

    This is why you won’t find Republicans in newsrooms. They maybe BE there, but you won’t find them. There’s no point in it anyway as stories that don’t fit within the belief system will be spiked, you’ll never get advancement, and sooner or later they’ll find a reason and you’ll be gone.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  45. @38/39 power generators (6) in texas privately owned power companies (no socialism here) went down Just like last year another capitalism failure. Texas told to turn off air conditioners so the privately owned power companies don’t have to buy electricity from public utilities and cost share holders their profits or the good capitalists will have to raise your utility bills 1,000% +.

    asset (8b8783)

  46. Durham serves at Garland’s pleasure. Garland will fire him, and the media will support and bury the reasons, if he steps past his boundaries.
    The take is to run out the clock on all illegal activities, as well as check the HRC squad with the threat of indictments if they attempt anything in 2024.
    Michael Sussmann will be rewarded at a later date for services to the swamp.
    MAGA

    mg (8cbc69)

  47. https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2022/05/the_silent_invasion_and_war_at_home.html
    Can we clean up our mess before we kill more of our best and brightest protecting the biden crime family?

    mg (8cbc69)

  48. If I were to guess on the photo, Dana, Pacific northwest, not far from the ocean.

    Be that as it may, it is now the icon for this site’s bookmark on my browser.

    nk (843195)

  49. Without government you would have no capitalism.

    What a crock! Free-trade (and robbery) existed looong before gubbermint. There is no government without people and their activity reaching a certain critical-mass before it (even a monarchy) becomes needed.

    felipe (484255)

  50. reaching a certain critical-mass before it (even a monarchy) becomes needed. [or even possible]
    felipe (484255) — 5/14/2022 @ 6:37 am

    felipe (484255)

  51. Factory Working Orphan (2775f0) — 5/13/2022 @ 10:03 pm

    I would charitably attribute this defect to the fact that the tools available are limited (or at least biased to) to a hammer and a sickle.

    felipe (484255)

  52. Texans asked to limit electricity use after six power plants go down ahead of a hot weekend
    After six power plants went down unexpectedly Friday — and with hot weather expected across Texas this weekend — the Electric Reliability Council of Texas on Friday evening is asking consumers to conserve electricity through Sunday.

    Texans are asked to set their thermostats to 78 degrees or above between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. this weekend and to avoid using large appliances at home during those same times.
    ……….
    ERCOT did not say why the plants unexpectedly tripped offline. All reserve power was operating to support the grid, the agency said.
    ………
    ERCOT, however, has recently told multiple power generation companies to delay maintenance on their equipment so the grid could keep up with the hotter-than-usual temperatures recently, which in turn leads to elevated demand for power when Texans crank their air conditioners.

    Friday’s power plant outages were unrelated to the recent maintenance delays, an ERCOT spokesperson said.
    ……….

    Uh-huh

    Rip Murdock (acd58f)

  53. Gahh! That “to” should have been placed before the open parenth. Another step closer to senility for me. [clutches walking stick]

    felipe (484255)

  54. Just a reminder that WIC is a defacto monopoply on paying for baby formula and that’s why Abbott dominates the production market. Government interference destroys lives yet again.

    NJRob (f7e833)

  55. Yep, Rob, the bull in our personal china shop.

    felipe (484255)

  56. Prescient they are about the marketplace.

    urbanleftbehind (2b999d)

  57. Re: Photo

    This is what St.Peter saw just before the Lord appeared and asked him, “Quo vadis?”

    felipe (484255)

  58. Here’s my favorite cartoon from this week’s Politico collection.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  59. #34 steveg – What if they showed you they can grow (among other things) barley and wine grapes on the moon? Or chicken? Or cultured steak?

    (The thale cress was picked because it is a “popular model model organism in plant biology and genetics”, not for its taste. Similarly, if you wanted to see how well mammals could live on the moon, you would probably pick lab mice or rats.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  60. Earthworms. There is no agriculture without earthworms.

    nk (843195)

  61. Pollinating insects, too.

    But how do you control for the 1/6th gravity? The square-cube law limits their size on Earth, but how big would they get on the Moon?

    nk (843195)

  62. Netflix Gets Discovery of Grand Jury Materials in Challenge to Prosecution Over Cuties

    From Judge Michael Truncale’s opinion today in Netflix, Inc. v. Babin (E.D. Tex.)……:

    Netflix alleges that Tyler County’s District Attorney, Lucas Babin, is “abusing his office” through a “singular and bad-faith effort” to maliciously prosecute Netflix in violation of the United States Constitution and in retaliation against Netflix for exercising its First Amendment rights. Babin initially charged Netflix in 2020 under Tex. Penal Code § 43.262 [governing “Possession or Promotion of Lewd Visual Material Depicting Child” -EV]. This was not done quietly. Babin courted media attention by emphasizing his integral role in securing an indictment.

    On October 26, 2021, in the case of Ex Parte Lowry, the First District [Texas] Court of Appeals held that Section 43.262 was facially unconstitutional. Notably, the appellate court specifically referenced Babin’s prosecution of Netflix as evidence of the statute’s overbreadth.

    In light of the Lowry decision, Netflix filed a state pre-trial habeas petition, raising a facial challenge against Section 43.262 under the First and Fifth Amendments. Then, in what Netflix alleges was another act of “gamesmanship,” Babin sought a 120-day delay in Netflix’s hearing on the habeas action. But in the interim, he initiated new grand jury proceedings to obtain additional indictments against Netflix under Section 43.25, which allowed him to ‘drop’ the charge under Section 43.262. When it became clear that Babin had outmaneuvered Netflix, using the delay to bolster his “bad-faith” prosecution and to shut down any avenues for pre-trial relief in the state system, Netflix turned to the federal courts.
    ……….
    Netflix suggests two reasons for why the production of the grand jury materials is necessary to avoid possible injustice. First, with regard to Netflix’s prayer for preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, Babin’s mental state in seeking the underlying indictments is material to showing a “bad faith” prosecution in violation of the United States Constitution and in retaliation against Netflix for exercising its First Amendment rights. Second, with respect to Babin’s invocation of the independent intermediary defense, Netflix’s claim will be irreparably harmed if it is prevented from discovering evidence that shows the grand jury proceedings in Tyler County were “tainted” because Babin withheld or misconstrued evidence, misstated the law, or otherwise misled the grand jury.

    Arguably, either of these two reasons would independently suffice, and certainly, in combination, it appears beyond dispute that injustice would result if the requested grand jury materials are not produced….
    ………
    As a final matter, the Court finds that Netflix’s request is “structured to cover only the material needed.” It is uncontroverted that Netflix is not seeking to depose any grand jury members or witnesses, or to access any records of the grand jury’s deliberations. Instead, its requests are narrowly tailored toward uncovering whether Babin properly presented “all the facts” and “applicable law” to the grand jury. As explained earlier, these materials may (a) provide necessary evidence of Babin’s state of mind in pursuing these indictments, which goes to the “bad faith” prong of Netflix’s claim for preliminary or permanent injunctive relief, and (b) allow Netflix to challenge Babin’s otherwise unverifiable assertion that the grand jury proceedings were untainted, which is an inherent component of his independent intermediary affirmative defense.
    ………

    Netflix is alleged to have “depict[ed] the lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of a clothed or partially clothed child who was younger than 18 years of age” in the controversial French-language film Cuties. “

    Rip Murdock (acd58f)

  63. I was following along through barley (for beer?) wine grapes, chicken and then we got to cultured steak. No.
    There are some wonderful, adventurous young people who would be fine eating cricket tacos, drinking their filtered urine while harnessing the moon and mars in ways that make my life better here on earth and I’m giving them a standing ovation here in advance.

    steveg (65d29e)

  64. “California Senate passes legislation allowing 12 year old kids to “consent” to vaccines without parental knowledge/involvement

    one Democrat lawmaker says: “some parents really do need legislative circumvention””

    https://abcnews.go.com/Health/california-bill-kids-12-vaccines-parents/story?id=82446964

    If you’re a conservative Biden voter, you supported this philosophy.

    Obudman (9e59a9)

  65. @38/39 power generators (6) in texas privately owned power companies

    What happened there, once, happens every day in Venezuela.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  66. Without government you would have no capitalism.

    No so, but you would have alternate methods of control, like the Pinkertons. Very few people say there should be no government. Only socialists say it should ALL be government.

    The only thing I can think of that absolutely required government is intellectual property, or at least a market for intellectual property. Without a strong, independent enforcer of copyrights, patents and trademarks, there would be no books, movies or inventions on the open market as there would be no way to get paid for them.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  67. Here’s my favorite cartoon from this week’s Politico collection.

    Shorter:

    “Kneel before Zod!”

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  68. Netflix is alleged to have “depict[ed] the lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of a clothed or partially clothed child who was younger than 18 years of age” in the controversial French-language film Cuties. “

    I guess National Geographic has been a lot more circumspect in recent years.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  69. “California Senate passes legislation allowing 12 year old kids to “consent” to vaccines without parental knowledge/involvement

    Taking in loco parentis to new levels.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  70. nk (843195) — 5/14/2022 @ 9:25 am

    Don’t forget the radiation.

    Triffids, man, they’ve all turned into triffids!

    felipe (484255)

  71. https://therightscoop.com/tremendously-bad-clarence-thomas-says-trust-gone-forever-after-leak-blasts-liberal-temper-tantrums/

    Thomas said the leak has caused irreparable harm to the institution.

    “What happened at the court is tremendously bad,” he said. “I wonder how long we’re going to have these institutions at the rate we’re undermining them.”

    Thomas said until now it was a firmly held belief in the Court that such a thing could never happen. “It was beyond anyone’s understanding, or at least anyone’s imagination, that someone would do that.”

    “And look where we are. Where now that trust or that belief is gone forever.”

    Justice Thomas has it right.

    NJRob (683164)

  72. @71. Crockedile tears.

    The wisest thing any of these be-robed, government bureaucrats can do now is shut-up.

    Let the Chief Justice be the singular voice on the status of court operations and progress on ferreting the leaker out. THe folks who pay their salaries and fund the SUBV drivers who wheel them to and from work don’t need nine opinions echoing how ‘bad’ this was.

    But put it to bed ASAP. It’s a frigging closed system of less than 50 people, for God’s sake. The damage they’re doing to themselves from dragging this out- now just short of two weeks- is as bad, if not worse, than the leak itself. They’re damaging themselves and turning the premise of trhe ‘rule of law’ into ready-made comedy fodder for SNL skits. They’ve revealed a level of administrative sloppiness and cloaked buffoonery you’d expect from a DMV circa 1975. Bring on ‘The Dancing Alitos!”

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  73. Justice Thomas has it right.

    Yes, he does.

    The silver lining, the Pentagon Papers Case will soon stop being “settled law” too. It may even be the Project Veritas case against the NYT that does it.

    nk (cf4813)

  74. “And look where we are. Where now that trust or that belief is gone forever.”

    When the Left is in ascendancy, it is just and proper. Folks on he Right are expected to behave themselves. Failure to do so is called “insurrection” or “subversion.”

    When the Right is in ascendancy, it is evil and time for rebellion. Folks on the Left are expected to use any means necessary to resist the fall of night. Failure to do so is called “collaboration.” Violent resistance is called “patriotism.”

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  75. The silver lining, the Pentagon Papers Case will soon stop being “settled law” too.

    I doubt that, but NY Times v. Sullivan may get a haircut.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  76. Long-standing cases are really only overturned when 1) public opposition has failed to diminish, or grown (e.g. Plessy), and 2) there are no alternative methods of getting to the desired result while letting the old case remain (e.g. Slaughterhouse Cases and “Due process”).

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  77. nk, felipe, I loved the shout out to triffids. I hope you have read John Wyndham’a “The Kraken Wakes.”

    Simon Jester (959d87)

  78. Justice Thomas has it right.

    Funny how the justice w/t reputation for saying nothing for decades when court is in session suddenly develops the urge to talk. Alito as well. Both conservatives wit ego and attitudes.

    My guess- the rigid, originalist Catholic Alito leaked his own draft to thwart any internal persuasive efforts by the Chief Justice to change votes w/t less rigid, more ‘moderate,’ malleable, modern thinking justices. He made it public, knew the uproar would be blamed on a Lefty court staffers and lock the other justices into not caving in to the guise of public pressure and changing their votes. If it went down this way, it’s deviously clever- worthy of a political pope circa 1285.

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  79. DCSCA had become the inverse of a broken clock. Hear Hear!

    urbanleftbehind (469a8c)

  80. Christine McDaniel doesn’t think much of Russia’s economic prospects:

    Coauthors and I estimate that an allied trade embargo against Russia would decrease its real GDP by an estimated 15 percent to 20 percent, and a big chunk of that impact (85 percent to be precise) is driven by FDI suspension or withdrawal. It turns out that curtailing allied FDI [foreign direct investment] is a powerful sanction tool, inflicting colossal damage to the Russian economy at little net economic cost to allied and non-allied economies. Allied governments looking for more efficient sanctions should take note.

    In aggressive wars, nations generally have trouble with economies growing too fast, not shrinking. So Putin is likely to achieve something even worse than “stagflation”, inflation while the Russian economy shrinks. (Shrinkflation?)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  81. Funny how the justice w/t reputation for saying nothing for decades when court is in session suddenly develops the urge to talk. Alito as well. Both conservatives wit ego and attitudes.

    By that logic, Trump is the humblest man alive based on the fact that he never shuts up.

    This argument that two justices are arrogant and have “attitudes” because they aren’t constantly filling the air with the sound of their own voice is real Bizarro World hilarity.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  82. When the Right is in ascendancy, it is evil and time for rebellion. Folks on the Left are expected to use any means necessary to resist the fall of night. Failure to do so is called “collaboration.” Violent resistance is called “patriotism.”

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/14/2022 @ 12:18 pm

    I’ve quoted this before but it bears repeating:

    “Liberating tolerance, then, would mean intolerance against movements from the Right and toleration of movements from the Left. As to the scope of this tolerance and intolerance:…it would extend to the stage of action as well as of discussion and propaganda, of deed as well as of word…
    The whole post-fascist period is one of clear and present danger. Consequently, true pacification requires the withdrawal of tolerance before the deed, at the stage of communication in word, print, and picture. Such extreme suspension of the right of free speech and free assembly is indeed justified only if the whole of society is in extreme danger. I maintain that our society is in such an emergency situation, and that it has become the normal state of affairs.”

    This wasn’t published this past year; it was released in 1969. If anyone wants to actually grasp where the left is coming from these days, Marcuse is a great place to start because they’re basically parroting every idea he advanced after 50-plus years of them marinating in the university system.

    This isn’t really a movement that can be reasoned with, as it possesses a religious-like fervor in their own righteousness and entitlement. When they declare that it’s their way or the highway, and that you’re on the “wrong side of history” if you don’t go along, you better believe that they mean what they say.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  83. Thomas also recently said that “we are becoming addicted to wanting particular outcomes, not living with the outcomes we don’t like”, which is a level of irony you just don’t see very often.

    Davethulhu (da3c71)

  84. Good for Speaker Nancy Pelosi; good for Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. You don’t see that pair being praised at the same time, for the same thing, often. But both of them have shown support for Ukraine, at a little bit of risk to themselves. McConnell was the latest:

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Saturday with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in Kyiv, calling the visit “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people,” his presidential office said.

    (George W. Bush and Zelenskyy had a telephone call on May 5th.

    DALLAS — “I was honored to spend a few minutes talking with President Zelenskyy – the Winston Churchill of our time – this morning. I thanked the President for his leadership, his example, and his commitment to liberty, and I saluted the courage of the Ukrainian people. President Zelenskyy assured me that they will not waver in their fight against Putin’s barbarism and thuggery. Americans are inspired by their fortitude and resilience. We will continue to stand with Ukrainians as they stand up for their freedom.” —President George W. Bush

    It would, I think have been inappropriate for Bush to visit, but it is good to see him make this phone call. By the way, note that Bush dressed casually, matching the way Zelenskyy appears in public these days.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  85. @83. Trump isn’t Catholic, nor a rigid originalist, nor known for not speaking ‘on the job’ for decades. Putting Thomas aside, revisit Catholic Alito’s attitude at Obama’s SOTU speech, mouthing ‘nyet’ to the POTUS on live television and chastising his less tenured, more compromising conservative colleagues as well as his disdain for the ‘sitting like potted plants’ at such events. Both he and ol’Long Dong Silver’ leak much ego and attitude at times. Rigid originalist Alito likely believes HE should be Chief Justice. Same w/Thomas. The only individual to be commenting on this issue as they run it to ground- if at all- is the Chief Justice. Won’t be surprised if someday we learn the leak came from the Dancing Alito himself; they may already know, given the small circle of people involved, which may explain why, with such a closed system, they’re not in any hurry to reveal the blemish. Such is the nature of a government bureaucracy.

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  86. Good for Speaker Nancy Pelosi; good for Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

    Only if they own defense stocks.

    These two old Royalists don’t give a damn about the Americans who pay the freight- not to mention $6/gallon gasoline, $10/lb., London Broil and scarce baby formula for American kids but truckloads for illegals breaking into the USA. It’s why citizens ‘storm the castle.’

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  87. By the way, note that Bush dressed casually, matching the way Zelenskyy appears in public these days.)

    Jim Miller (406a93) — 5/14/2022 @ 2:29 pm

    It’s time we all dressed casually. Suits and ties are stupid, obnoxious relics from the 19th and 20th centuries.

    All it would take is one, just one, President to stop this suffocating charade. Witness how fedoras went out of style when JFK didn’t wear one.

    Whoever invented the tie should have been dangling by one.

    norcal (3f02c4)

  88. @85. They live and work in a bubble.

    Hell, they likely couldn’t find their own car keys; government drivers ferry them to and from work in SUVs at taxpayer expense. 😉

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  89. Jim Miller (406a93) — 5/14/2022 @ 1:06 pm

    Sad!

    Rip Murdock (acd58f)

  90. Mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket

    The high price of food shopping in Biden’s America:

    13 shot; 10 dead. 🙁

    https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/buffalo-supermarket-mass-shooting/index.html

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  91. norcal – The story I have heard is that the modern version of the tie comes from Croatian mercenaries wearing cravats:

    During the reign of Louis XIV of France, Croatian mercenaries were enlisted in 1660 wearing a necktie called a tour de cou.[3] The traditional Croat military kit aroused Parisian curiosity[2] about the unusual, picturesque scarves distinctively knotted at the Croats’ necks:

    It seems improbable enough to be true.

    (Since you mentioned it, I’ll add that the fedora was once more a woman’s hat than a man’s, and that some women still wear them. I think men’s suits evolved from sporting jackets worn by fox hunters and such in Britain.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  92. @93 Thanks for the background, Jim. Wherever they came from, they need to go away.

    I wore that ridiculous outfit for two years as a Mormon missionary, so maybe I have some PTSD.

    norcal (3f02c4)

  93. Trump endorsement of (State Sen. Doug Mastriano R-Insurrectionist) leaves Pennsylvania Republicans furious
    In picking a sure thing by endorsing state Sen. Doug Mastriano for governor in Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump has set off a chain of events that could cost Republicans the governor’s office and ensure him a tough race in Pennsylvania if he chooses to run for president in 2024.
    ……..
    Jackie Kulback, the head of the Cambria County Republican Party, a grassroots powerhouse who just recently took this post-industrial county from a Democratic-majority county to a Republican one, was furious at Trump’s decision to back Mastriano.

    Kulback, who has an army of volunteers set to work on Tuesday to get voters out, told the Washington Examiner: “Trump’s interference in Pennsylvania is going to cost us the governor’s office in the fall, which, by the way, is very important to hold when you are running for president in 2024, but there is a chance it could also cost us the Senate seat.”

    One prominent county chairman, who asked to remain anonymous but has hosted Trump in his county several times and voted for him twice, said, “Maybe Joe Biden’s not the only septuagenarian who should take a competency test?”

    The county leaders were all concerned that this endorsement might lift up Kathy Barnette over the finish line in the Senate race, guaranteeing that seat would also be lost in the fall. But they also agreed Barnette had recently faded under scrutiny and might not win.

    Washington County Republican Chairman Dave Ball, who helped turn a majority-registered Democratic county into a majority-registered Republican one, failed to understand the whys of Trump’s decision, “other than, of course, he gets to claim a win, which is something he likes to brag about.”

    Ball, who famously said, “What the hell was he thinking?”, after Trump announced his support for Dr. Mehmet Oz in the Senate race over David McCormick, had stronger words about Trump’s decision to back Mastriano, but he decided to leave those up to the imagination of the reader.
    ……….
    Ball said many supporters of Trump justify their support for Mastriano because they think he will win in November like Trump did in 2016. “Well, Mastriano is no Trump. Trump, at the time, at least understood you need to build a coalition,” he said.

    (Allegheny County Republican Party Chairman Sam) DeMarco said Trump may as well have announced he was not going to run in 2024 because Democrat Josh Shapiro would easily beat Mastriano in 2022 and make it hard for Trump to win the state in 2024.
    ………

    Rip Murdock (acd58f)

  94. Correction: Assuming Wikipedia is right, suits came from formal wear rules at the courts of Louis XIV and Charles II. Sports jackets came from the jackets used in outdoor sporting events.

    (Incidentally, I usually wear a sports jacket (but no tie) when traveling by air, as I think it gets me better treatment, or at least provides some protection against bad treatment. And a convenient pocket fo tickets. But it has been some years since I traveled by air, so things may have changed.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  95. You can leave your hat on? I watched the whole video and wondered why she wasn’t wearing a hat…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfgwrdYUQ2A

    steveg (65d29e)

  96. DCSCA using the deaths of 10 to make a political point.

    Cold.

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  97. @98. Rip; embracing Joe, Nancy, Chuck, Mitch and Steny using the deaths of thousands in Ukraine to make a political point.

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  98. Yeah, we all knew “safe, legal, and rare” was meaningless manipulation:

    Gingrich did the same thing back in the day when Speaker:

    GINGRICH’S GUIDE TO POLITICAL RHETORIC

    https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1990-09-14-9009140595-story.html

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  99. if you know someone who’s desperate for baby formula, just hook them up with an illegal

    or a ukrainian politician

    looks like biden voters fixed that America First problem

    JF (9bb742)

  100. @101. You know they wheels are turning on how they can they blame Putin for this. Or, like falling down walking up steps — the wind.

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  101. Biden’s America; own it, Rip:

    Milwaukee mayor announces 2-night curfew after mass shootings

    MORE: Dallas shooting may be linked to attack on Asian businesses

    Police are also investigating a triple shooting that occurred Friday. The victims were a 29-year-old male, a 16-year-old female and a 26-year-old male and are all expected to survive, according to police.

    A 19-year-old male was taken into custody in connection with this incident and charges against him are pending review by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.

    A third shooting injured one person on Friday. The victim, a 20-year-old Milwaukee man, was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. Police said they are still looking for unknown suspect(s).

    Chicago shootings: 12 shot, 2 fatally, in weekend violence, CPD says
    https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-man-shot-and-killed-weekend-violence-crime/11849262/

    Chicago shootings: 32 shot, 7 fatally, in weekend violence, CPD says

    https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-weekend-violence-loop-shouting-moulin-rouge-cancelled/11810655/

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  102. Apparently, an American studio is finally standing up to ChiCom censorship:

    Sometimes, as in the case with the 2021 Marvel/Disney/Sony blockbuster “Spider-man: No Way Home,” the cost of doing business is unacceptable, even if it would be financially advantageous.

    For months following the release of the film last fall, Chinese censors and the movie studios have been going round and round over the CCP’s insistence that scenes involving the Statue of Liberty be cut from the version screened in China.

    The studios resisted because Spider-man standing on Lady Liberty’s crown is a crucial scene in the movie — and, not to mention, erasing one of the most recognizable symbols of American liberty to please Chinese censors would be a very meaningful concession, to say the least.

    Well, good, though it might be too optimistic to hope these starts a trend.

    (I had not known until quite recently that the Nazis often censored American movies in the 1930s; then, too, the studios did not want to offend an important overseas audience.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  103. Russia Cuts Off Electricity Supply to Finland

    Russia halted the export of electricity to Finland, two days after Finland’s leaders said they supported an application for NATO membership. Russian energy company RAO Nordic Oy said it cut off electricity supplies to Finland because it hadn’t received payments since last week.

    https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-05-14/card/russia-cuts-off-electricity-supply-to-finland-tFLRxBmxZoG2C6j1SSH7

    Any plans for 5,000 miles of extension cords from Wilmington to Helsinki, Joey?

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  104. #101 JF – You’ve been conned. The Biden administration is following what was determined in a court case before they came into office, a court case the Trump administration also followed.

    Fox News explains that the U.S. government is legally obligated to care for and feed those in its custody and care, including immigrant children. That includes providing formula to infant children, and it is a standard requirement for government facilities to offer that to migrants — including during the Trump administration.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  105. Live Updates: Gunman Kills 10 at Buffalo Supermarket in Racially Motivated Attack
    A gunman who was motivated by racism opened fire at a grocery store in Buffalo on Saturday, killing 10 people and wounding three others, the authorities said.

    The police said the gunman, whom they described as an 18-year-old white man from outside the city, had streamed the shooting live online. He was taken into custody after the shooting at an outlet of the regional grocery chain Tops Friendly Markets.
    ………
    Officials said the gunman broadcast the attack live on Twitch, the livestreaming site owned by Amazon that is popular with gamers.

    Twitch said it had taken the channel offline. The channel’s page said only that it was “currently unavailable due to a violation of Twitch’s community guidelines or terms of service.”
    ………
    Officials said the suspect, who used an assault weapon, was heavily armed with tactical gear, including wearing a tactical helmet.
    ……..
    Officials said that out of the 13 victims, 11 were Black and two were white.
    ………
    Trini E. Ross, the U.S. Attorney for the western district of New York, said that the the U.S. attorney’s office will be investigating this case, along with law enforcement partners, as a hate crime and case of domestic violent extremism.
    ……..
    Stephen Blodgett, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I. Buffalo field office, said the shooting was being investigated both as a hate crime and a “case of racially motivated violent extremism.”
    ………
    John C. Garcia, the Erie County sheriff, said that “this was a straight up racially motivated hate crime.” He added that someone from “outside of our community came to inflict evil. “I urge everyone to stay calm,” he said.
    ………
    During a presser, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph A. Gramaglia said that the shooter, an 18-year-old white male, traveled from outside of Buffalo. The suspect shot four people in the parking lot. Three are deceased.
    ………

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  106. @104. (I had not known until quite recently that the Nazis often censored American movies in the 1930s; then, too, the studios did not want to offend an important overseas audience.)

    Yes. The international market and boxoffice numbers for ‘Made in Hollywood, U.S.A.’ movies- particularly in Europe and South America back then- was quite a significant piece of the profits for studios working their way out of the Depression in the U.S. And the studios tolerated a lot of “editing” to keep the Axis markets open. When the war began in 1939, studios execs still tried to keep the European markets open and cash coming in until France finally fell in ’40 and Germany went full on to embargoed U.S. product. It’s quite an interesting chapter in studio history, particularly as so many studios had personnel- actors and suits- who’d fled the very Axis countries they wanted to market to.

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  107. Biden’s America; own it, Rip:

    Never voted for him, never will.

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  108. Jim Miller (406a93) — 5/14/2022 @ 3:58 pm

    thanks, jen

    that detail was already in my link

    and clearly that’s enough to satisfy you, for sure

    the trump administration had to follow the same rule, but guess what, there was neither a migrant crisis on this scale nor a baby formula crisis under trump

    so no one cared

    but keep those biden talking points fresh

    JF (9bb742)

  109. 104, honestly probably not the right hill for the CCP to fight on…the Statue of Liberty causes agita amongst the rightmost anti-CCP contingents in this country, “da_n Emma Lazarus” and “French piece of s” spoken in earshot.

    urbanleftbehind (2b999d)

  110. Never voted for him, never will.
    Rip Murdock (6aa713) — 5/14/2022 @ 4:05 pm

    as his propagandist, voting for him would be superfluous

    JF (9bb742)

  111. 111 – Interesting. It’s fun to climb up inside it, as I did many years ago.

    (And at the top took a picture, using sign language, of a couple who spoke no English. They held out their camera, pointed to the button, and I took it, took their picture (I hope), and then handed them my camera, so they could do the same for me.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  112. Thomas also recently said that “we are becoming addicted to wanting particular outcomes, not living with the outcomes we don’t like”, which is a level of irony you just don’t see very often.

    Double Irony that you would quote it. Remember, Roe isn’t being overturned in a vacuum, it has had FIFTY YEARS to win hearts and minds and it is opposed today as bitterly by some, and more generally by as many, as the day it was announced. That is the hallmark of something that’s WRONG.

    But agaan, you are only tolerant of things you like — and expect me to be tolerant of things you like.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  113. It would, I think have been inappropriate for Bush to visit

    By himself, yes. In the company of a Democrat former president, it would have been fine.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  114. If the shooter in Buffalo had been a Black or Muslim shooting whites, we would 1) not know the identity of the shooter or his race and 2) the motive would remain a mystery.

    Not justifying anything, just noting the speed at which this information was provided, when it usually is withheld.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  115. the most dangerous place to stand is between bush and a bandwagon

    JF (9bb742)

  116. He was taken into custody after the shooting

    A mistake. Some things you should not be allowed to surrender after. It’s not like there’s a question about his guilt.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  117. #115 Kevin – You’re right. FWIW, in March he and Bill Clinton made a joint visit to a Ukrainian church in Chicago.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  118. 118, actually leg and spinal cord shooting might be best, if you still want to wring any info out about accomplices and contacts. If perp is still “name, rank, serial#, call in Jack Ruby.

    urbanleftbehind (2b999d)

  119. Other social media posts showed what was said to be a list of instructions the shooter had made for himself — a to-do list that included “continue writing manifesto” and “test livestream function before the actual attack” — on the messaging platform Discord. The Discord user name matched the name of the Twitch channel.

    Federal authorities are studying a statement of purpose that the gunman posted online, according to a senior federal law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose details of the investigation.

    The document, which circulated on the online message board 4chan, compared the gunman’s plan to other mass shootings motivated by bigotry and promoted the “great replacement” theory.

    He wrote that he would use a GoPro Hero 7 Black to “livestream the attack on Twitch,” which he chose so “all people with the internet could watch and record.” He noted that the shooting at a Jewish synagogue in Halle, Germany, in 2019 was also live streamed on Twitch.

    He then detailed over more than a dozen pages what tactical gear he recommended for similar attacks, including knives, vests and medical equipment.

    https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/14/nyregion/buffalo-shooting

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  120. honestly probably not the right hill for the CCP to fight on…the Statue of Liberty causes agita amongst the rightmost anti-CCP contingents in this country, “da_n Emma Lazarus” and “French piece of s” spoken in earshot.

    Back in the early 1980s, when Iococca was in charge of raising $ to restore Lady Liberty, fragments of copper from her were sold in some NY department stores w/a certificate, etc. Bought a piece about the size of your fingernail at B. Altman’s [now poiut of business] for $40. Have it framed up w/t certificate not 10 feet from me.

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  121. Officials said the gunman broadcast the attack live on Twitch, the livestreaming site owned by Amazon that is popular with gamers.

    Remember this one from 2019:

    Christchurch mosque attack kills 49, gunman live-streams shooting

    The attacks were live-streamed by the Australian gunman.

    https://thenamal.com/latest/christchurch-mosque-gunman-live-streams-shooting/

    THe live-streaming is nutty- yet in a way, no different than live drone streaming of attacks in Ukraine. But recall how New Zealand reacted to the Christchurch attack:

    New Zealand Banned Guns After Thoughts and Prayers. Why Can’t America?

    In just six days, New Zealand politicians on both sides agreed to sweeping gun law reforms. How can two western democracies react to gun violence so differently?

    https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a26910301/how-new-zealand-banned-guns-after-christchurch-terror-attack-jacinda-ardern-explained/

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  122. Never voted for him, never will.
    Rip Murdock (6aa713) — 5/14/2022 @ 4:05 pm

    as his propagandist, voting for him would be superfluous

    JF (9bb742) — 5/14/2022 @ 4:32 pm

    The only Biden policy I support is his Ukraine policy.

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  123. @124. ROFLMAOPIP. Supporting $50 billion on the cuff.

    DCSCA (ba2cee)

  124. U.S. border security does not exist, no gas money, no grocery money, no infant formula, no voting integrity. no problem comrades. We’ve got Ukrainians to support. We are paying the pensions and benefits of Ukraine government officials and Ukraine citizens.
    The politicians are not tone deaf, out of touch or disconnected; they simply do not care. We The People are irrelevant to them.
    We are in an abusive relationship with our own government.

    mg (8cbc69)

  125. As the glorious and esteemed senate move through the hurdles to pass a $40 billion spending bill for the U.S. altruistic Ukraine money laundering operation, a diplomatic envoy consisting of McConnell, Barrasso, Cornyn and Collins travel to Kyiv to meet the magnanimous defender of the international treasury and wealth transfer operation, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
    HACK republican leaders went to visit the nicest war zone their bipartisan efforts have created in the past four decades. Angels parting the clouds – many congratulations were shared from the delegation toward their generous host and the expressions of appreciation and respect for the generosity were reciprocated.

    mg (8cbc69)

  126. What do Americans think we should do on Ukraine?

    Two months after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Americans are stalwart in their support of the embattled country, with a large, bipartisan majority supporting increased sanctions against Russia and most also backing military and humanitarian support for Ukrainians, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

    In all, 73 percent say the United States is doing either the right amount or too little to support Ukraine.

    Only 14 percent say we are doing too much.

    The limits are there, too:

    At the same time, 72 percent oppose the United States taking direct military action against Russian forces, while 21 percent support the idea.

    So, Rip Murdock is in a very large, bipartisan majority. (If he is like me, he may be mildly surprised to see Biden getting strategy about right, on this issue.)

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  127. Does Iran hope to kill at least one American general? They have said so, and this Jerusalem Post article suggests they may be trying:

    Iran International TV in Persian provided significant additional details on Thursday about Mansour Rasouli’s connections with the IRGC [Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps].

    It had been reported last week that the Mossad got Rasouli to admit that he was assigned to assassinate an Israeli diplomat in Turkey, a journalist in France, and most significantly for the diplomatic front, a senior US general in Germany.

    Sometimes I can’t help thinking that Iran doesn’t want to be friends with us.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  128. “But agaan, you are only tolerant of things you like — and expect me to be tolerant of things you like.”

    Maybe it was a misdirected communication to his wife.

    Davethulhu (da3c71)

  129. The only Biden policy I support is his Ukraine policy.
    Rip Murdock (6aa713) — 5/14/2022 @ 5:54 pm

    hey Rip, someone hijacked your account

    JF (12ca88)

  130. From the shallow end of the pool:

    Melania Trump Slams Vogue for Not Putting Her on the Cover
    Former first lady Melania Trump has slammed Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, for never putting her on the cover when her husband was president, in her first interview since leaving the White House.

    Fox Nation host Pete Hegseth raised the topic in his sit down with Melania, noting that first ladies Jill Biden, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton have all appeared on the cover of Vogue and that Vice President Kamala Harris got the honor even before she was sworn in.

    “They’re biased and they have likes and dislikes, and it’s so obvious. And I think American people and everyone sees it. It was their decision, and I have much more important things to do—and I did in the White House—than being on the cover of Vogue,” Melania said.

    It should be noted that the former model has appeared on the cover of Vogue, back in February 2005, when she was photographed in her wedding dress as she married Donald Trump.
    ………..

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  131. @98. Rip; embracing Joe, Nancy, Chuck, Mitch and Steny using the deaths of thousands in Ukraine to make a political point.

    DCSCA (ba2cee) — 5/14/2022 @ 3:27 pm

    Only the orcs.

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  132. This is a great thread on Finland and Russia:

    Since many people know nothing about Finland, jump on click bait headlines and retweet without checking facts, here a short overview of the things Russia has threatened Finland with so far & what their consequences are/would be:
    1. Cutting electricity exports as of today

    No problem, thanks to a new nuclear power plant + wind power Finland will soon be self-sufficient and even a net exporter. Finland used to import ~10% from Russia. Sweden & the Baltics can compensate for any short-term shortages.

    2. Cutting gas deliveries (will prob happen this month)

    3. A bit annoying because some industries need gas but on the whole no problem because gas is only ~5% of Finland’s energy mix. Finland already works with Estonia on the purchase of a LNG terminal ship.

    Ending the lease contract of the Saimaa canal (Finland has leased the part of the canal that runs through Russia)

    Finland doesn’t really need it anyways & would end up saving a s*it ton of money from the modernisation of the infrastructure.

    4. Stationing troops at the Finnish border

    Currently the question is: what troops

    In the long term expected to happen anyways, regardless of whether Finland is in NATO or not. Russia already declared Finland an enemy along with the other EU countries.

    When I say Finland is prepared, I mean it. Russia has never NOT been THE security issue No. 1 for Finland.

    Although the world only recently found out about our 1340km border with Russia, we never once forgot about it. So rest assured, WE HAVE THOUGHT THIS THROUGH

    Oh and one more thing: the Finns are actually happy that Russia is cutting off the remaining energy supplies because the Finnish people have been demanding their government to stop the exports on their own account.

    So the joke’s basically entirely on Russia

    *exports and imports. All of it.

    Dana (2c7c1d)

  133. 1. Cutting electricity exports as of today

    No problem, thanks to a new nuclear power plant + wind power Finland will soon be self-sufficient and even a net exporter. Finland used to import ~10% from Russia. Sweden & the Baltics can compensate for any short-term shortages.

    ROFLMAO. Soon? What…. 2025? 2030? Guess milk doesn’t spoil all that fast in Finland refrigerators. 😉

    DCSCA (fd6dc5)

  134. How far did “Finlandization go? This far:

    Finnish film director Jörn Donner tried to get the film [One Da in the Life of Ivan Denisovich} to Finland, but the Finnish Board of Film banned the showing of the film. In 1972 Donner complained to Supreme Administrative Court of Finland. The Supreme Administrative Court voted for the banning 5–4 on 28 February 1972. In 1972 and 1974, Swedish television showed the film, and the Swedish television mast in Åland was shut down during the movie to prevent Finns from seeing the film.

    [Åland is a semi-indpdent, Swedish speaking part of southwest Finland)

    The Finns did finally get to see the movie in 1993.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  135. biden voters’ america

    Baby formula shortage leaves Portland-area parents scrambling

    For each of the past three months, Angela Howard and her husband have had to dedicate a whole weekend driving around the Portland area to hunt for baby formula amid a nationwide supply shortage that has left parents scrambling to feed their children.

    “It’s like ‘The Walking Dead’ out there trying to find food for your baby,” she said.

    while others join nato, we join the third world

    JF (12ca88)

  136. “The lack of electricity import from Russia will be compensated by importing more electricity from Sweden and by generating more electricity in Finland,” said Reima Päivinen, senior vice president of power-system operations at Fingrid. – WSJ.com

    It’s a policy they call… Förlängningssladd. 😉

    DCSCA (fd6dc5)

  137. Most people would say this qualifies as soon:

    Unit 3 of Finland’s Olkiluoto nuclear power plant was connected to the national grid on 12 March and has started supplying electricity, operator Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) announced. The 1600 MWe EPR is scheduled to enter regular electricity production in July.

    Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) attained first criticality on 21 December, after which its power output has been gradually increased to approximately 27%. At 12.01pm on 12 March, the unit was connected to the grid at a power output of 103 MWe.

    Perhaps even more than “soon”.

    They will gradually increase the power and expect to hit 100 percent in July.

    By the way, that is a large plant, as nukes go.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  138. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has thrown Sweden and Finland’s potential NATO membership into doubt, just as both countries are on the cusp of applying to join the alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “We are following the developments regarding Sweden and Finland, but we don’t hold positive views,” Erdogan told press in Istanbul on Friday.

    NATO ascension for a new member state requires consensus approval from all existing members.

    NATO countries have to be unanimous in welcoming a new member. Approval is pretty much a political decision, though NATO does spell out criteria that prospective new members should meet. These include a functioning democracy based on a market economy, fair treatment of minority populations and a commitment to resolve conflicts peacefully.

    Sticky wicket, wot?!

    DCSCA (fd6dc5)

  139. #138 I wouldn’t be so pessimistic. I think our democracy is slowly recovering from the damage that Trump and, to a lesser extent, Obama, did. Little by little, Trumpistas are figuring out they have been lied to and conned, and so we are slowly moving away from, not toward, being just another banana republic, though a very large one.

    There is, as Adam Smith said, centuries ago, much ruin in a large nation.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  140. “Sticky wicket, wot?!” Nope.

    Sweden and Finland just signed security treaties with Britain, a NATO member.

    And Erdogan just explained what his price is:

    ISTANBUL, May 14 (Reuters) – Turkey has not shut the door to Sweden and Finland joining NATO but wants negotiations with the Nordic countries and a clampdown on what it sees as terrorist activities especially in Stockholm, President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman said on Saturday.

    Presumably, the Swedes have been too tolerant of Kurds seeking independence, for Erdogan’s tastes.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  141. Jim Miller (406a93) — 5/14/2022 @ 7:40 pm

    which are you enjoying the most, Jim Miller?

    inflation?
    supply crunch?
    border crisis?
    market crash?
    murder rate?
    world war 3?
    the walking dead?
    wokey woke woke?
    schools helping boys become girls?
    looking at your watch at a soldier’s funeral?

    it’s like being a kid in a candy shop, eh Jim?

    JF (e1156d)

  142. DCSCA,

    You really don’t need to post anything. We all know both your ideas.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  143. Only 14 percent say we are doing too much.

    It is one of the things that both bat-sh1t crazy fringes agree on.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  144. Melania Trump Slams Vogue for Not Putting Her on the Cover

    They don’t do it because it won’t drive fashion sales among the women that read Vogue.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  145. Heavy.com has the latest on the nutter who shot up a Buffalo supermarket. He’s a 4chan right-wing extremist, akin to the mass murderer in Christchurch, NZ.

    A racist and anti-Semitic manifesto and a Twitch livestream were attributed online to the gunman, but authorities have not verified those accounts. A graphic video emerged that shows bodies lying in the parking lot as law enforcement officers take the suspect into custody. Gendron is from Conklin, New York. He said in the manifesto he is an 18-year-old college student and a self-described white supremacist. Gendron was shot by a security guard, but was not injured because he was wearing body armor, Buffalo Police said at a press conference.
    […]
    The manifesto, which talks about the extremist far-right white or great replacement theory and includes alt-right 4chan memes and jokes, is similar to ones written by shooters who attacked a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, the Tree of Life synagogue in Pennsylvania and an El Paso, Texas, Walmart in recent years, Yale professor Jason Stanley says.
    […]
    The manifesto fixates on mass immigration.

    “Mass immigration and the higher fertility rates of the immigrants themselves are causing this increase in population. We are experiencing an invasion on a level never seen before in history,” it says. “Millions of people pouring across our borders, legally. Invited by the state and corporate entities to replace the White people who have failed to reproduce, failed to create the cheap labor, failed to create new consumers and tax base that the corporations and states need to have to thrive.”

    It continues, “This crisis of mass immigration and sub-replacement fertility is an assault on the European people that, if not combated, will ultimately result in the complete racial and cultural replacement of the European people.”

    The manifesto, which refers to “white genocide,” contains a name and says that the author is “18 years old as of writing this.

    Tucker Carlson used the term “white genocide” to refer to white folk in South Africa, and his tale was a lie. Elise “Pedo Grifters” Stefanik is on board with “replacement theory”. There’s a lot of FoxNews nuttery that an impressionable 18-year old skull full of mush could glom onto.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  146. great thread on Finland and Russia

    Putin, the master strategist, will double down on attacking Ukraine in the spring, by attacking Finland in the fall.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  147. Sticky wicket, wot?!

    No, they can all vote to expel Turkey. You know they want to.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  148. ROFLMAO. Soon? What…. 2025? 2030?

    You know what they call anti-energy environmentalists in Finland?

    Frozen to death.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  149. Paul Montagu (5de684) — 5/14/2022 @ 8:11 pm

    there’s that sarah palin, too, montagu

    read it in the ny times

    what a pathetic take

    JF (9bfcde)

  150. @145. Which puts me two ahead of you, eh, Kev. 😉

    DCSCA (5dd48a)

  151. Memo to Finland; Ikea sells some nice extension cords.

    DCSCA (5dd48a)

  152. I am willing to bet the shooter has never gotten laid, and thought all those *itches hated him because he was white. Incels are a problem.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  153. @155. The image released on UPI shows they made him wear a mask at the arraignment. He pleaded not guilty. Guess his streaming video was fake news?!

    DCSCA (5dd48a)

  154. Out: Inflation is because Putin.
    In: Inflation is because we don’t tax the rich enough.

    — The little man behind the money-printing curtain

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  155. I wonder if the police officers who talked the shooter out of killing himself will be disciplined.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  156. Leave it to Governor Hochul to express the absolute dumbest take on the shooting:

    “The social media platforms that profit from their existence need to be responsible for monitoring. They can in a sense become an accomplice if not legally, but morally…These outlets must be more vigilant in monitoring social media content and certainly the fact that this act of barbarism, this execution of innocent human beings could be livestreamed on social media platforms and not taken down within a second says to me that there is a responsibility out there.”

    It says something about her view on social media and electronic surveillance that she thinks these companies operate like the NSA and constantly watch everyone’s account 24/7 for potentially nefarious behavior.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  157. DALLAS — “I was honored to spend a few minutes talking with President Zelenskyy – the Winston Churchill of our time…

    Churchill? Always a joy when Dubya reminds us of what an incredibly stupid judge of character he is: ‘In 2001, President George W. Bush met with Russian President Vladimir Putin…

    “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy,” Bush said. “I was able to get a sense of his soul.”

    IDIOT.

    DCSCA (5dd48a)

  158. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-admin-cancels-oil-gas-lease-sale-record-high-prices

    The Biden administration canceled one of the most high-profile oil and gas lease sales pending before the Department of the Interior Wednesday, as Americans face record-high prices at the pump, according to AAA.

    The DOI halted the potential to drill for oil in over 1 million acres in Alaska’s Cook Inlet, along with two lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico. The move comes as Biden has taken a few actions to combat high gas prices, despite his administration’s generally hostile approach to the oil industry.

    “Due to lack of industry interest in leasing in the area, the Department will not move forward with the proposed Cook Inlet OCS oil and gas lease sale 258,” a DOI spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement Thursday.

    “The Department also will not move forward with lease sales 259 and 261 in the Gulf of Mexico region, as a result of delays due to factors including conflicting court rulings that impacted work on these proposed lease sales,” the spokesperson added.

    The spokesperson also told FOX Business that “there are 10.9 million acres of offshore federal waters already under lease to industry,” and “of those, the industry is not producing on more than three-quarters (75.7% or 8.26 million acres).”

    Federal law requires DOI to stick to a five-year leasing plan for auctioning offshore leases. The department had until the end fo the current five-year plan – due to expire on June 30 – to complete the sales.

    A source familiar with the Cook Inlet lease confirmed to FOX Business that the DOI received no comments indicating specific company interest in leasing during the scoping period.

    Within his first week in office, President Biden signed an executive order temporarily suspending new oil and gas leases on federal lands. The administration resumed the new leasing last month following court challenges against the ban. The administration is appealing a ruling in which Judge James Cain, a Trump appointee, struck down the ban.

    Trying to do his best to destroy the nation. Thanks Biden voters.

    NJRob (eb56c3)

  159. Jim Miller (406a93) — 5/14/2022 @ 3:58 pm

    Thanks for the clown nose on.

    The law also stipulates that Biden is required to protect the border and enforce the law on deportations… not catch and release. But carry on carrying water for the radical left.

    NJRob (eb56c3)

  160. Here is another fascinating look at Finland and their preparations, which have gone on for years given that they share a border with Russia:

    Finland may be world’s happiest country — at least on the surface. But Helsinki’s “underground city” tells a different story.

    Beneath the capital, a massive network of bunkers and tunnels spreads out all across the city. There are than 5,000 bomb shelters in Helsinki — enough to shelter more than the city’s entire population — and more than 50,000 bunkers across the country, according to Helsinki’s Civil Defense Department. All buildings above a certain size are required by law to have their own bunkers.

    “There’s a historic sense that you should always be prepared. It might not be this generation or the next generation, but Russia is likely to attack Finland in some way,” said Charly Salonius-Pasternak, a leading researcher at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs.

    With so much ground going unutilized, the city of Helsinki has converted some of its shelters into spaces for everyday public use. There’s an underground playground, a shelter that doubles as a hockey rink, even an underground swimming pool.

    Dana (2c7c1d)

  161. “Here is another fascinating look at Finland and their preparations…”

    “Finland has a common border with Russia that is 1,340 kilometers long. At present, the border between Finland and Russia is separated only by a barbed wire fence.”

    https://www.bing.com/search?q=fences+between+Finland+and+Russia&form=ANNTH1&refig=df85426665b44b2bbeb1b75125b07740

    … and Putin smiled.

    DCSCA (cc9442)

  162. https://thefrontierpost.com/finland-will-build-fences-on-border-with-russia/#:~:text=Finland%20has%20a%20common%20border%20with%20Russia%20that,play%20any%20role%20in%20preve-nting%20crossing%20the%20border.

    … a barbed wire fence.

    ““The existing fence does not play any role in preventing crossing the border. Its main purpose is to prevent pets from escaping across the border,” said Jukk-a, deputy commander of the Southeast Finnish Border Guard, in an interview with public broadcaster YLE.

    Amazing. But then, Finland’s public healthcare system offers services to everyone residing in the country; also called universal healthcare. Healthcare in Finland is publicly funded by taxes and social security payments.’

    Unreal.

    DCSCA (cc9442)

  163. @84 My professor morris starsky before he was fired from asu football and party school for leading an anti vietnam war rally talked about herbert marcuse.

    asset (7bbad8)

  164. Aha! An old hippy.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  165. Jim Miller- Go fight with Zelensky, you caring soul.

    mg (8cbc69)

  166. One must feel extremely special cratering the worlds greatest nation.
    Stay off my lawn, bub.

    mg (8cbc69)

  167. A good guy with a gun didn’t stop a bad guy with a gun in Buffalo because the really bad guy with a gun planned his assault and wore body armor.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  168. Some interesting thoughts by Jonah

    “The projection of simplistic moral categories onto the complicated workings of markets is not always absurd, but it usually is. It’s best understood as our tribal brains rebelling against what we don’t understand.”

    and

    “The polarization and hysteria of the last decade no doubt makes inflation feel even worse. The fact that Biden seems not just inadequate for the job but incapable of describing the problems he faces undoubtedly makes people more anxious about inflation. Similarly, Donald Trump’s inability to talk about the pandemic as something other than a conspiracy against him, a hoax, or a boffo ratings opportunity made people even more anxious about COVID. Leadership—and the lack of it—matters. And we’ve had crappy leadership for quite a while now.”

    The rest can be found at https://gfile.thedispatch.com/p/not-everything-is-a-morality-tale?s=r
    The comment section is equally interesting. A bit of nostalgia but mixed in with some good observations about inflation, how government works, and how markets work…plus…shockingly, no limp comments directed spasmodically at 81M voters.

    AJ_Liberty (a36eed)

  169. https://www.newser.com/story/320556/g7-sends-blunt-message-to-china-about-aiding-russia.html

    China’s refusal to join the call for a ceasefire in Ukraine brought the Communist country an unusually stern rebuke Saturday from the G7 nations, including a warning not to do anything to assist Russia with its invasion. “We call on China not to assist Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine, not to undermine sanctions imposed on Russia for its attack against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, not to justify Russian action in Ukraine, and to desist from engaging in information manipulation, disinformation and other means to legitimize Russia’s war of aggression,” a statement issued after the foreign ministers’ meeting in Germany says, Politico reports.

    This is getting to look a little like a non-combat version of World War III.

    Without any shooting.

    Except between Russia and Ukraine. It’s confined there. And they’d like even that part to stop, even if it does not leave the anti-Russia side in the best position.

    Every important country is being pressed to take a position.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  170. John C. Garcia, the Erie County sheriff, said that “this was a straight up racially motivated hate crime.” He added that someone from “outside of our community came to inflict evil. “I urge everyone to stay calm,” he said.

    From his ideology, although strongly white nationalist, it was not straight up racism. It was also anti-immigrant. Legal more than illegal.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  171. Tanny O’Haley (8a06bc) — 5/13/2022 @ 8:17 It turns out that the Abbott facility was not contaminated, but it took the FDA and CDC forever to get it resolved. The Biden administration knew of this problem back in February and could have pushed the FDA and CDC to provide more resources and get this quickly resolved. Of course they didn’t.

    You expect the Biden Administration to interfere with “science’ or with protecting the public from harm? Even Trump was very careful about this.

    The biggest problem is that infant formula has been treated like a medicine since the late 1970s, when one company changed its formula in such a way as to leave out a necessary nutrient.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  172. We’ve had periodic shortages of widely used generic drugs – mainly due to limited sources and over-regulatio. It won’t stop until something is fundamentally changed.

    It is clearly not good to be dependent on just a few factories.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  173. Hillary was the only candidate Trump could beat, and Trump was the only candidate Biden could beat.

    You see how this is going.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  174. This is getting to look a little like a non-combat version of World War III.

    Without any shooting

    Again. We crushed the USSR without fighting, by engaging them in an arms race, where they had to pay cash and we borrowed.

    Putin seems intent on losing the Cold War twice.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  175. Vlad Putin’s war is “significantly behind schedule“. DC hardest hit.

    NEW: UK believes that Russia has now lost 1/3 of troops committed to the fight in Ukraine since Feb 24, per new intel assessment. That’s up from 25% last month.

    “Russia’s Donbas offensive has lost momentum and fallen significantly behind schedule,” UK Defense Intelligence said.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  176. Christopher Miller

    Checking into a Ukraine hotel.

    Receptionist: Would you like a room on a higher floor or a lower floor, sir? Some people are afraid of missiles.

    Me: I’m afraid of missiles, generally speaking. But I think I’ll be ok on any floor.

    Receptionist: We will see, sir.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  177. And then there is Xi. Let’s see his record.

    * Started building a navy, scarring Taiwan, among others.
    * Built new islands in the South China Sea, then claimed their “territorial” waters, pissing off every other nation bordering that sea.
    * Went around the world propping up the worst regimes imaginable. North Korea, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Laos, Serbia, etc.
    * Origin of COVID, which they denied and attempted to cover up, while allowing it to spread overseas. Draconian policies within China have sparked internal opposition.
    * Increased censorship and put pressure on foreign firms to assist.
    * Genocide of the Uighurs.
    * One-sided trade practices and currency manipulation that pissed off China’s biggest customes, leading to tariffs.
    * Siding with a pariah-state against the rest of the world.
    * Funding Russia’s war with the West.

    I can’t imaging Xi continuing much longer. Worse than Trump™

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  178. But they’re Romulans, so who really knows.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  179. You really don’t need to post anything. We all know both your ideas.
    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/14/2022 @ 8:02 pm

    I hear from where you come, Kevin. I, for one, can appreciate that DCSCA remains “on message.” Unlike Asset, who can and does say anything that comes to mind.

    King Maga’s Gama’s Song

    If you give me your attention, I will tell you what I am:
    I’m a genuine philanthropist — all other kinds are sham
    Each little fault of temper and each social defect
    In my erring fellow creatures, I endeavor to correct
    To all their little weaknesses I open people’s eyes;
    And little plans to snub the self-sufficient I devise;
    I love my fellow creatures — I do all the good I can —
    Yet everybody says I’m such a disagreeable man!
    And I can’t think why!

    —snip—

    I’m sure I’m no ascetic; I’m as pleasant as can be;
    You’ll always find me ready with a crushing repartee
    I’ve an irritating chuckle, I’ve a celebrated sneer
    I’ve an entertaining snigger, I’ve a fascinating leer
    To everybody’s prejudice I know a thing or two;
    I can tell a woman’s age in half a minute — and I do
    But although I try to make myself as pleasant as I can
    Yet everybody says I’m such a disagreeable man!
    And I can’t think why!

    felipe (484255)

  180. Gahh! I really need that comment preview to prevent such a formatting error! Lemme try that again….

    King Maga’s Gama’s Song

    If you give me your attention, I will tell you what I am:
    I’m a genuine philanthropist — all other kinds are sham
    Each little fault of temper and each social defect
    In my erring fellow creatures, I endeavor to correct
    To all their little weaknesses I open people’s eyes;
    And little plans to snub the self-sufficient I devise;
    I love my fellow creatures — I do all the good I can —
    Yet everybody says I’m such a disagreeable man!
    And I can’t think why!

    —snip—

    I’m sure I’m no ascetic; I’m as pleasant as can be;
    You’ll always find me ready with a crushing repartee
    I’ve an irritating chuckle, I’ve a celebrated sneer
    I’ve an entertaining snigger, I’ve a fascinating leer
    To everybody’s prejudice I know a thing or two;
    I can tell a woman’s age in half a minute — and I do
    But although I try to make myself as pleasant as I can
    Yet everybody says I’m such a disagreeable man!
    And I can’t think why!

    felipe (484255)

  181. I’m glad you enjoyed that, Simon Jester! Good to see your comments – they really class the joint up. nk never gets the proper proper praise – Without his HIGH pass, there is no alley-oop! [ or is it alley-opah?\

    al·ley-oop
    /ˌalē ˈo͞op/
    exclamation
    exclamation: alley-oop; exclamation: alleyoop

    used to encourage or draw attention to the performance of some physical, especially acrobatic, feat.
    “alley-oop, straight into the lake”

    nounBasketball
    noun: alley-oop; plural noun: alley-oops; noun: alleyoop; plural noun: alleyoops; noun: alley-oop pass; plural noun: alley-oop passes; noun: alleyoop pass; plural noun: alleyoop passes

    a high pass caught by a leaping teammate who tries to dunk the ball before landing.
    “she could catch alley-oops all day”

    Origin

    felipe (484255)

  182. Out: Inflation is because Putin.
    In: Inflation is because we don’t tax the rich enough

    Out: Inflation is because we don’t tax the rich
    In: Roe V Wade was threatened/overturned and damaged our great economy

    My prediction: Roe V wade will overtake “racism” as the reason for everything. California will codify this murder and will still blame the overturned Roe for their troubles. PP will become the largest tapeworm evah, in Cali, and boast that every child not aborted was “saved” by abortion – “the best health-care-plan! ©-PP”

    I will be pleased to be wrong.

    felipe (484255)

  183. Interesting piece by Josh Rogin about the contents of Esper’s book

    “Esper took Trump’s desire to withdraw all U.S. troops from South Korea seriously, but it was only one of many threats that he worried about. Trump also often said he wanted to remove all U.S. troops from Africa, and in June 2020, he ordered Esper to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, giving the military an implausible three-month deadline to carry out the move.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/10/mark-esper-trump-reckless-north-korea-south-korea/

    It’s astonishing that Trump repeatedly broached the idea of pulling forces out of S. Korea and, as the piece recounts, he even was going to annouce that all U.S. service member families were ordered out of S. Korea. How’s that for signaling to N. Korea an imminent attack?

    Tom Nichols at the Atlantic is angry that Esper didn’t relay these incidents earlier and wrestles with the conundrum of whether good people should have or should not have served in the Trump administration. It’s worth a read. The people who continue to take us down the path of a second Trump term really need to sober up and, if not, pass the keys…..

    https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/peacefield/627c43280a81280021a331ff/trump-esper-republicans-must-speak-up-democracy-constitution/
    https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/peacefield/627c43280a81280021a331ff/trump-esper-republicans-must-speak-up-democracy-constitution/

    AJ_Liberty (a36eed)

  184. AJ_Liberty – I, too, wrestled “with the conundrum of whether good people should have or should not have served in the Trump administration”, and came up with these two general rules.

    1. No one should ever speak for Trump. Let him tell his own lies. Telling lies for him will do no good, and will wreck your credibility, perhaps permanently.

    2. Honest, competent people should work in the government, even under Trump, because they were often able to to block his worst impulses.

    There are some exceptions to the second rule. For example, I think James Mattis was right to resign as Defense Secretary, because he had made a promise to the Kurds, which Trump broke.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  185. Jim, I think the challenge now is if we face a 2nd Trump term, how many good people will be willing to be treated like many of these cabinet members and advisors were? Will we move past the B-team and go straight to the C-team, who may not want to give up their gig-of-their-life to make a principled stand against the President. Are there people out there who would execute the ordered evacuation of U.S. citizens from S. Korea to simply curry favor with the boss and because they believe it’s what he wants? Trump’s fascination with the Nuclear Button and drawing down our regional deterrence is wildly reckless and ill-conceived. Who is going to want to ride on that train while trying to implement a coherent national security policy? Yet, the usual suspects will cry Chicken Little while the GOP wobbles inexorably toward another Trump nomination. It’s just not clear how we get back to serious….

    AJ_Liberty (ec7f74)

  186. Oil Prices Top $100, Yet Some Big U.S. Frackers Let Their Production Fall

    When the president says “I will put you out of business”, it’s not unreasonable that some of these frackers are winding things down.

    Would YOU invest in a business that the government is that hostile to?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  187. I think the real reason is that they remain pissed off at Biden and his enviroweenies and see no reason to pull Biden’s balls out of the fire.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  188. go straight to the C-team, who may not want to give up their gig-of-their-life

    https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/8aad42ce-c045-4596-bfa8-892b907f424f

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  189. The thing to worry about is not Biden versus Trump, but “How do we work against Trump being nominated?”

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  190. McConnell urges Biden to name Russia a state sponsor of terrorism
    Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Sunday urged President Biden to name Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, which would lift sovereign immunity protections shielding the country from being sued for civil damages.

    “I think it’s a good idea, and I would support that,” he told reporters during a press call from Stockholm. “The president could do it on his own, and I would urge him to do it.”
    ……..
    The GOP leader made his comments after Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced a resolution last week calling for the designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

    The bipartisan measure would call on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to put Russia on the list, where it would join Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Syria.
    ………
    McConnell on Sunday reiterated his view that U.S. military assistance of Ukraine should continue for as long as Ukrainians want to fight off the Russian invasion.

    “The question always is, how does it end? And my view remains that that’s a decision for the Ukrainians to make. My definition of victory is whatever Zelensky and the Ukrainians conclude is a satisfactory end,” he said.
    ……….

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  191. Neither Biden (“health reasons”) or Harris (unpopularity) will be the Democratic Party presidential nominee.

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  192. My definition of victory is whatever Zelensky and the Ukrainians conclude is a satisfactory end,” he said.

    Ukrainian troops marching through Red Square. Putin’s body hanging by its heels from the Kremlin wall.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  193. Neither Biden (“health reasons”) or Harris (unpopularity) will be the Democratic Party presidential nominee.

    And they won’t indict Trump for anything until October 2024.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  194. Telling lies for him will do no good, and will wreck your credibility, perhaps permanently.

    Or, you could write a book about how bad a person Trump was, hoping that would fix things.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  195. I would like to see a President Haley with SecDef Mattis and SecState Romney take on lingering international issues (NK, Iran, Russia, Taiwan). I think that would be a step up from Trump.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  196. And they won’t indict Trump for anything ̶u̶n̶t̶i̶l̶ ̶O̶c̶t̶o̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶2̶0̶2̶4̶.̶

    Fixed.

    Rip Murdock (6aa713)

  197. Yeah, the financial motive of writing a “tell-all” book tends subsume the seriousness of any charges. It’s better than a poke to the eye, I guess, but ultimately will it move the needle for any of the true believers? A resignation followed by testimony to Congress would be more compelling.

    Kevin: “but “How do we work against Trump being nominated?””

    FNC is co-opted. Talk Radio is mostly co-opted. And based on the types of GOP candidates emerging to imitate Trump or push his message, much of the grass-roots GOP infrastructure has been infested. The evangelical wing got its justices and likely its Roe reversal, so they are indebted and can hardly switch tact at this point. The base doesn’t trust anything that comes from the Main Stream Media, so CNN is hardly the megaphone to create an alternative. Most opposition sites/organizations are too small to create momentum….and so we see are currently stuck with the awkward tight rope walking of someone like Nikki Haley…which is again not compelling at this point.

    AJ_Liberty (ec7f74)

  198. “I would like to see a President Haley with SecDef Mattis and SecState Romney”

    My dream would be to get Mitch Daniels in there as well….I think he would be a tone changer…and bring some creativity to the conservative solutions. Right now, things are pretty quiet as to how to fight inflation and unstick the supply chain

    AJ_Liberty (ec7f74)

  199. Two stooges and the worlds number 1 grifter, sounds dead solid perfect from one of the 81 million.

    mg (8cbc69)

  200. mg, and I say this with all due respect. Anyone who supported Trump in 2015-16 has no business criticizing any other person for any choice they’ve made. Trump broke everything and fixed nothing. Own it.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  201. It’s best understood as our tribal brains rebelling against what we don’t understand.

    AJ_Liberty (a36eed) — 5/15/2022 @ 6:51 am

    That is an apt diagnosis of two commenters here, one with a two-letter name, and one with a five-letter name.

    norcal (3f02c4)

  202. Multiple people shot at Orange County church

    LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. – Multiple people have been shot at a church in Laguna Woods Sunday afternoon, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

    https://www.foxla.com/news/orange-county-laguna-woods-church-shooting

    Say it ain’t so, Joe!?!?

    Biden’s America.

    DCSCA (e0f755)

  203. 81 million made the biggest error in American history voting for a senile twit.

    mg (8cbc69)

  204. @210. “Right. Right. You’re bloody well right…” – Supertramp, “Bloody Well Right”/’Crime of the Century’ 1974

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaxAZYQB44o

    A twit wholly of, by and for the 1970s.

    DCSCA (cb8da1)

  205. Laguna Woods is the post office name for the Leisure World area near the 5/405 junction. It is extremely whitebread. My late mother lived there at one time.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  206. OT- Ol’Joe can’t walk up a flight of stairs but dead Rita Hayworth and dead Fred Astaire can forever dance to… Led Zeppelin.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbuFLUJ89Kw

    Great stuff.

    DCSCA (cb8da1)

  207. @mg@210 The US can fairly easily survive a senile twit, massive incompetence, mild corruption, inflation, debt, and many other things. It may not, however, survive the President, in a fit of temper, overturning a legitimate election by force. You’re welcome.

    Nic (896fdf)

  208. Apparently, a 68yo Asian man from Las Vegas shot up a Leisure World-area church that was being used by a Taiwanese congregation.

    https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-15/multiple-people-shot-at-church-in-laguna-woods-o-c-sheriff-says

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  209. Geneva Pres is my kind of church.

    LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. (@CNN) — Churchgoers hogtied the shooter with an extension chord and got two weapons off him. They displayed “extraordinary heroism,” authorities say at news conference.
    Unclear “if this is a hate related incident.”
    4 people still in critical

    It’s a sad reality that churches have security teams to protect their staff and attendees. Our own church had to do that when a mentally ill person delivered a death threat to our pastor. For a couple years, I was a church bouncer posing as a “greeter”.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  210. Growing evidence of a military disaster on the Donets pierces a pro-Russian bubble
    ………
    ……..(T)he Russian battlefield failure is resonating with a stable of pro-Russian war bloggers — some of whom are embedded with troops on the front line — who have reliably posted to the social network Telegram with claims of Russian success and Ukrainian cowardice.

    On May 11, the Russian command reportedly sent about 550 troops of the 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army to cross the Donets River at Bilohorivka, in the eastern Luhansk region, in a bid to encircle Ukrainian forces near Rubizhne.

    Satellite images reveal that Ukrainian artillery destroyed several Russian pontoon bridges and laid waste to a tight concentration of Russian troops and equipment around the river.

    The Institute for the Study of War, citing analyses based on the publicly available imagery, indicated that there could have been as many as 485 Russian soldiers killed or wounded and more than 80 pieces of equipment destroyed.
    ………
    “I’ve been keeping quiet for a long time,” Yuri Podolyaka, a war blogger with 2.1 million followers on Telegram, said in a video posted on Friday, saying that he had avoided criticizing the Russian military until now.

    “The last straw that overwhelmed my patience was the events around Bilohorivka, where due to stupidity — I emphasize, because of the stupidity of the Russian command — at least one battalion tactical group was burned, possibly two.”

    Mr. Podolyaka ridiculed the Kremlin line that the war is going “according to plan.” He told his viewers in a five-minute video that, in fact, the Russian Army was short of functional unmanned drones, night-vision equipment and other kit “that is catastrophically lacking on the front.”
    ……….
    Another popular blogger, who goes by Starshe Eddy on Telegram, wrote that the fact that commanders left so much of their force exposed amounted to “not idiocy, but direct sabotage.”

    And a third, Vladlen Tatarski, posted that Russia’s eastern offensive was moving slowly not just because of a lack of surveillance drones but also “these generals” and their tactics.

    “Until we get the last name of the military genius who laid down a B.T.G. by the river and he answers for it publicly, we won’t have had any military reforms,” Mr. Tatarski wrote.
    ………
    (Western analysts) have speculated that Russian commanders, desperate to make progress, rushed the operation. Some also suggested that it was a reflection of disorder in the Russian ranks.
    ……..

    Sad!

    Rip Murdock (239c17)

  211. Growing evidence of a military disaster on the Donets pierces a pro-Russian bubble

    As well as Nancy’s, Chuck’s, Mitch’s and Joey’s… Well then: Ukraine does not need $40 billion to be borrowed from China by the United States in aid through September after all… and the brass-holes in U.S. military clearly– if not deliberately– over estimated the capabilities of the Russia’s F-Troop army for decades- likely lobbied with lucrative lies to the fiscal delight of the Military Industrial Complex. Ike was right:

    “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” – President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1-17-61

    DCSCA (4c9f11)

  212. The Demented – and Selective – Game of Instantly Blaming Political Opponents For Mass Shootings
    ……….
    Despite the fact that (James T. Hodgkinson, the 2017 Congressional softball game shooter) a fanatical fan of (Rachel) Maddow, Democracy Now host Amy Goodman, and (Senator Bernie) Sanders, ……. nobody rational or decent sought to blame the MSNBC host, the Vermont Senator or anyone else whose political views matched Hodgkinson’s for the grotesque violence he unleashed. The reason for that is clear and indisputable: as strident and extremist as she is, Maddow has never once encouraged any of her followers to engage in violence to advance her ideology, nor has she even hinted that a mass murder of the Republican traitors, fascists and Kremlin agents about whom she rants on a nightly basis to millions of people is a just solution.

    …….. If we were to create a framework in which prominent people were held responsible for any violence carried out in the name of an ideology they advocate, then nobody would be safe, given that all ideologies have their misfits, psychopaths, unhinged personality types, and extremists. And thus there was little to no attempt to hold Maddow or Sanders responsible for the violent acts of one of their most loyal adherents.

    The same is true of the spate of mass shootings and killings by self-described black nationalists over the last several years…..
    ………
    Yet virtually nobody sought to blame Chris Hayes, Joy Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Jamelle Bouie or New York Times op-ed writers for these shooting sprees. ……… Nobody blamed those anti-police liberals for the same reason they did not blame Maddow and Sanders for Hodgkinson’s shooting spree: there is a fundamental and necessary distinction between people who use words to express ideas and demonize perceived enemies, and those who decide to go randomly and indiscriminately murder in the name of that ideology.
    ………
    It is virtually impossible to find any ideology on any part of the political spectrum that has not spawned senseless violence and mass murder by adherents………
    ………
    Then there are the murders carried out in the name of various religions. For the last three decades at least, debates have been raging about what level of responsibility, if any, should be assigned to radical Muslim preachers or Muslim politicians when individuals carry out atrocities and murders in the name of Islam. Liberals insist — correctly, in my view — that it is irresponsible and unfair to blame non-violent Muslims who preach radical versions of religious or political Islam for those who carry out violence in the name of those doctrines. Similar debates are heard with regard to Jewish extremists, such as the Israeli-American doctor Baruch Goldstein who “opened fire in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, killing 29 Muslim worshippers.” ……..
    ……..
    ….. … Yet when killings are carried out in the name of right-wing ideologies despised by the corporate press and mainstream pundits (or ideologies that they falsely associate with conservatism), they instantly leap to lay blame at the feet of their conservative political opponents who, despite never having advocated or even implied the need for violence, are nonetheless accused of bearing guilt for the violence — often before anything is known about the killers or their motives.
    ………

    Rip Murdock (239c17)

  213. @219. A lot of people on television say and do a lot of stupid things. Which does not mean you must agree with or do what they say– unless you’re an idiot:

    ‘On September 22, 2021, Tucker Carlson promoted the ‘Great Replacement’ conspiracy theory on a segment of his FOX TV cable talk show claiming that President Joe Biden was intentionally trying to replace the population with people from the third world.’… source, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Replacement

    ‘On January 1, 1965, on his morning children’s show, the performer Soupy Sales suggested to his young viewers that they find the wallets of their sleeping fathers and take out “some of those funny green pieces of paper with all those nice pictures of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Alexander Hamilton, and send them along to your old pal, Soupy, care of WNEW, New York.”

    Complaints from outraged parents came fast and furious, and the television station that hosted Sales’ program, WNEW-TV in New York, had pulled him off the air by the following Monday. … He received only a few dollars, and a week’s suspension.’ – source, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/greenmail/

    As an old colleague at CBS once told us, “…television is a very promising medium. And some day, we’ll bet it right.”

    “Hey! Do the Mouse, yeah!” – Soupy Sales

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP1_F9zEF7o

    DCSCA (ae5b7f)

  214. ^get

    DCSCA (ae5b7f)

  215. Here’s the sh*t sandwich I’m faced with in Nevada:

    Catherine Cortez Masto is up for re-election as U.S. Senator this year. Do I choose her, and watch her go along with Biden’s harebrained schemes (Ministry of Truth, lax immigration enforcement, going after so-called obscene corporate profits), all the more so once she’s re-elected because she’ll have a six-year buffer.

    Do I vote for Adam Laxalt, an unparalleled Trump sycophant, who echoes Trump’s Big Lie about the “stolen” 2020 election, and who thinks that we shouldn’t be helping Ukraine?

    Or do I vote for Sam Brown, another Republican who doesn’t like Laxalt’s talk about the “stolen” election, but agrees with him about not helping Ukraine.

    Biden enabler, Trump fluffer, or isolationist?

    norcal (d1d6aa)

  216. Just a reminder, but atrocious law such as Roe being overturned proves it was worth it to vote for Trump.

    Now can you say the same about Biden?

    NJRob (eb56c3)

  217. Correction: Sam Brown doesn’t like Laxalt’s whining about the election, but thinks Laxalt should have done more to overturn the 2020 election. So, he’s even worse.

    Just found out there’s a moderate Republican named Bill Hockstedler running to be the nominee. He says “voters are looking for someone with more to talk about than repeating lies about the last election”.

    https://lasvegassun.com/news/2022/may/15/republican-senate-hopefuls-spar-over-ducking-debat/

    Winner winner, chicken dinner.

    norcal (d1d6aa)

  218. Go isolationist (is Brown also a Rick Scott toughspit on economics and taxation?)… and then blame the Culinary Union members who poll R in October but then line up behind Cortez Masto.

    urbanleftbehind (2b999d)

  219. proves it was worth it to vote for Trump.

    Now can you say the same about Biden?

    NJRob (eb56c3) — 5/15/2022 @ 8:47 pm

    Get back to me when Biden tries to stay in office after losing an election.

    Bad law can always be changed, but when a man becomes a law unto himself, the republic is doomed.

    norcal (d1d6aa)

  220. I retract, but yeah, vote harvesting could not have had a better grandparent than early voting in strip hotel parking lots.

    urbanleftbehind (2b999d)

  221. I’m sorry for making you answer an inaccurate question, ULB.

    norcal (d1d6aa)

  222. NJRobb – It would help if you would make clear your position on the January 6th insurrection, and Trump’s constinuing refusal to accept his defeat. Incidentally, almost any of the 2016 Republican candidates would have changed the Supreme Court, thanks to Mitch McConnell.

    We didn’t need a pathological liar, and a Putin boot-licker, to do that. The minority of Republicans who nominated Trump in 2016 owe all of us an enormous apology.

    Nor was there any Supreme Court reason to vote for Trump in 2020.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  223. DCCCP’s pimped for Russia from the get go…”Vlad roll those tanks” indeed! His team is getting humiliated because this time the U.S. actually backed a military that was willing to fight and die for their country (unlike Afghanistan). So now DCCCP wants to snag defeat from the jaws of victory by withdrawing military support approved by a bipartisan Congress with super-majority polling support. His cry, it’s the debt…and Ukraine can handle it from here….oh, and beware the Military Industrial Complex!

    Yikes, what a load of manure. We just got done piling $5T in debt…financed by those same Chinese… from Covid and never once did we hear DCCCP warning of inflation or pounding the table for bonds to be used to subsidize it. So now, 1% of that $5T will cripple the economy and ostensibly prevent baby formula from being distributed. Give me a break. I hope Putin is paying you well to sow discord and doubt.

    This is a looming strategic win by the U.S….and though a bit late to the game, by the Biden administration….and it’s tearing you up. You were wrong…your credibility is crushed….the Japanese would be warming up the ritual wakizashi…..

    AJ_Liberty (a36eed)

  224. Get back to me when Biden tries to stay in office after losing an election.

    Bad law can always be changed, but when a man becomes a law unto himself, the republic is doomed.

    norcal (d1d6aa) — 5/15/2022 @ 8:50 pm

    Leftists have never accepted losing an election. The laws in 2020 were illegally altered for the benefit of the left and all that occurred.

    Are you glad unconstitutional law is finally being overturned or are you just trying to change the subject?

    NJRob (eb56c3)

  225. We didn’t need a pathological liar, and a Putin boot-licker, to do that. The minority of Republicans who nominated Trump in 2016 owe all of us an enormous apology.

    Nor was there any Supreme Court reason to vote for Trump in 2020.

    Jim Miller (406a93) — 5/15/2022 @ 9:00 pm

    You voted for one.

    And you carry his water on here every day.

    NJRob (eb56c3)

  226. Joe biden is among those in the room deciding joe biden’s policy. Senior democrat party adviser says mission accomplished! We got trump out of the white house and kept bernie sanders from getting the nomination we will figure out what to do about AOC when 2024 gets here!

    asset (570bd0)

  227. Biden enabler, Trump fluffer, or isolationist?

    norcal (d1d6aa) — 5/15/2022 @ 8:29 pm

    This is going to be the choice for most people going forward. The neocons took control of the GOP by pushing the culture war to the background while focusing on wars abroad and economic conservatism at home. They blew their credibility sky-high by claiming with a straight face that “deficits don’t matter,” supporting the debt-funded bailout of the banks instead of letting them suffer the consequences of their short-sighted lending policies, and turning short-term wars in to decades-long humanitarian operations that got Americans killed and maimed with nothing tangible to show for it other than a region of the globe that’s even more fractured and unstable now than when we first sent troops there over 30 years ago during my freshman year of high school.

    The party simply isn’t going back to what it was in the late 1990s-early 2000s–the base does not want to get involved in any more foreign wars right now; it wants the party to put American citizens ahead of immigrants; and it wants the party to actively engage in the culture war. Anyone not willing to face this reality is simply engaging in mental masturbation. There’s no appetite for someone that Bill Kristol would support (especially considering that Kristol is endorsing Democrats over even relatively anodyne candidates like Youngkin), and no one in the base gives a squat about what the best tax rate is when they’re paying more for everything from gas to groceries to housing, and can’t even get baby formula without paying hundreds for a tub on eBay.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  228. Yet virtually nobody sought to blame

    Newsrooms have been captured by the Left. Stray from that narrative and you can only work at Fox.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  229. @234 AOC vs MTG 2024!

    asset (570bd0)

  230. Biden enabler, Trump fluffer, or isolationist?

    norcal, when Trump has passed from the scene, whoever wins will still be in the Senate. The Republicans might change their tune — they are only saying what their constituents want to hear, and their constituents are as fickle as the wind. They are basically in Captain Renault’s position:

    Strasser: Captain, are you entirely certain which side you’re on?

    Renault: I have no conviction, if that’s what you mean. I blow with the wind and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy.

    Strasser: And if it should change?

    Renault: Surely the Reich doesn’t admit that possibility?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  231. Factory Working Orphan (2775f0) — 5/15/2022 @ 10:47 pm

    Well then, more people need to reject those choices.

    It’s not “either neoconservatism or isolationism”. That is a false dichotomy.

    The answer is that sometimes we need to get involved, and sometimes we don’t. And, when we do get involved, we need to be more precise about it. The U.S. should have been in and out of Afghanistan by the end of 2002.

    Yes, we should help Ukraine, but we need to be smart about it. So far, it appears to be working.

    norcal (d1d6aa)

  232. @234 AOC vs MTG 2024!

    And here I thought that a worse election that the last two was impossible. Instead of a 2 versus a 1, you have a 1 versus a zero (10 point scale).

    I’d vote for MTG in a flash, since she isn’t a wannabe Stalin. MTG’s crazy is mundane.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  233. Norcal,

    Since you are voting in the primary, what does it matter what the other side is doing? Pick every non-MAGA candidate and vote for them. Maybe you’ll have someone sane in November to work for.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  234. @230. Yikes, what a load of manure.

    Always a joy to see armchair militarists mock the prescience and wisdom of General Eisenhower.

    You be spreading it thin, Rip; there’s a shortage of fertilizer– as well as baby formula. Keep betting on Moran over Capone; but lose your own money– not Uncle Sam’s.

    DCSCA (44faee)

  235. Joe biden is among those in the room deciding joe biden’s policy.

    Don’t bet on it.

    Good chance somebody else even decides what he can have for breakfast.

    DCSCA (44faee)

  236. @241. Apologies to Rip- that was a response to AJ.

    DCSCA (44faee)

  237. norcal, when Trump has passed from the scene, whoever wins will still be in the Senate.

    I predict the cult of Trump will continue, and that politicians will continue to mimic Trump even after he has passed. Did Scientology disappear when L. Ron Hubbard died?

    Trump’s followers are like religious fanatics. They are too emotionally invested to see reality, and they have a pat answer for any criticism of the faith.

    Tribalism and emotion are powerful things.

    norcal (d1d6aa)

  238. Covid financing, AJ? You’ll find several posts condemning Big Pharma’s endless booster scam, fella. And the MIC was miffed they were dipping thir snouts into the trough. So the abandoned billions in equipment to enemy Taliban; waited six months and want more goodies on the cuff to ‘give’ away.

    A looming strategic win AJ? Only if you own MIC/DoD stocks. AJ’s one of these fella who loves America… just not Americans.

    Sad.

    DCSCA (44faee)

  239. Pick every non-MAGA candidate and vote for them.

    That’s what I’m going to do, but it gets tricky when one encounters a Nikki Haley type of politician. Are they saying positive things about Trump because they really believe them, or are they just trying not to piss off the Trump fans and thus have a better chance of getting elected?

    Reading between the lines then becomes a valuable skill.

    norcal (d1d6aa)

  240. @244. Trump just happens to be the current standard bearer. American Populism has been simmering to a boil now for 30 years… it’s at near boil over still; doesn’t take much heat these days; both parties will get scalded. Pelosi is terrified. Chuck is yelling at clouds; Steny has declared war on Russia… Mitch on China… and Joe wants to take on the world behind a HS gymnasium… torn down in 1978.

    DCSCA (44faee)

  241. Trump was smart enough to be a voice for the former white trash democrats who joined the republican party after reagan’s philadelphia mississippi speech (where the three civil rights workers were murdered in 1964) inviting populists into the party for their votes. In 2016 white trash populists took over the party from neo-cons and economic libertarian free trade conservatives installing trump as their leader. They are in the process of running the free trade corporate establishment and neo-con interventionists out of the party. I keep on saying this but you don’t want to believe it.

    asset (570bd0)

  242. @248. Now, now madam; pay no attention the ship listing; put on your lifebelt and step into the lifeboat; quickly now… not to worry; the Carpathia will be here in less than an hour. 😉

    DCSCA (44faee)

  243. Always a joy to see armchair militarists mock the prescience and wisdom of General Eisenhower.

    Yeah, a man who chose Nixon as his running mate.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  244. @250. Tricky. Life insurance. But then, there’s that ‘Checkered’ past. 😉

    DCSCA (44faee)

  245. Zelensky has outlawed any rival political party and will seize property. Yet, bizarrely, he is still worshipped by insipid celebrities and the globalist warmongers of the uniparty as a Champion of Democracy.
    81 million shysters agree.

    mg (8cbc69)

  246. There are always all these relationships within the legal community. They see each other in court and socially. They play golf together and then act like they are above the frey. They can magically keep their relationships out of their trials because they are noble and represent the little people for a time, I Think because they think they are immune, They arent. I personally have seen them collude against the client and no one was ever held accountable. I feel like we are screwed.

    mg (8cbc69)

  247. Well then, more people need to reject those choices.

    It’s not “either neoconservatism or isolationism”. That is a false dichotomy.

    The answer is that sometimes we need to get involved, and sometimes we don’t. And, when we do get involved, we need to be more precise about it. The U.S. should have been in and out of Afghanistan by the end of 2002.

    But that’s not how things were executed. What happened, happened, and this is the consequence. The party base doesn’t want anything to do with the leaders or pundits of that time period anymore. They’ve moved on, just as the neocons moved on and are largely promoting Democratic interests now rather than Republican ones.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  248. norcal, when Trump has passed from the scene, whoever wins will still be in the Senate. The Republicans might change their tune — they are only saying what their constituents want to hear, and their constituents are as fickle as the wind.

    When a party’s pundits and elected leaders spend a generation promoting fiscal conservatism, and then proceed to run up some of the largest deficits in history when they’re in the driver’s seat, all while the left wins victory after victory in the culture wars, it stands to reason that the lesson the voters will likely take from such a series of events is that winning doesn’t mean much if you’re not going to actually advance your agenda regardless of the criticism leveled at it.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  249. And just in case anyone thinks that the left’s will to power isn’t fully engaged, from the Daily Fail:

    Students at Yale Law School have been posting messages online encouraging others to accost their more conservative classmates through ‘unrelenting daily confrontation’.

    Of course, the students cited in the article are quoting all the same neomarxist, critical theory tripe and buzz phrases that’s become academia’s de facto religious dogma over the last 50 years.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  250. 256…proof or its no different than FBI posing as Muslim terrorists or white separatists goading young impressionable fools. Validates the DCSCA theory about Alito being da leakah.

    urbanleftbehind (0453a6)

  251. I predict the cult of Trump will continue, and that politicians will continue to mimic Trump even after he has passed. Did Scientology disappear when L. Ron Hubbard died?

    At the barest minimum, half a nation wearing dead rapper-like t-shirts of their beloved’s mug.

    urbanleftbehind (0453a6)

  252. Another book – this one came out last year (2021)

    Putin’s War in Syria: Russian Foreign Policy and the Price of America’s Absence by Anna Borshchevskaya

    The earlier book had a second edition in 2015

    Putin’s Wars: The Rise of Russia’s New Imperialism by Marcel H. Van Herpen (

    There’s a couple pf others

    Putin’s War Against Ukraine: Revolution, Nationalism, and Crime by Taras Kuzio

    …including one coming out in November:

    Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine Kindle Edition by Mark Galeotti

    It can’t be even finished yet.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  253. 238. The difference between Afghanustan and Ukraine was the quality if the intelligence.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  254. @241, Of course Eisenhower would have seen the clear geopolitical importance of supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s naked aggression (and threat to other regional allies)….so cloaking yourself in his farewell address doesn’t mean surrendering our leadership and hiding behind the ocean.

    “It is usually forgotten in the popular awareness that Eisenhower led into his “unwarranted influence” line with an acknowledgment that the nation could “no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense” and that the strategic realities of 1961 created an “imperative need” for a large military force and “a permanent arms industry.””

    America must accept the responsibilities of being a world leader….and keeping the peace. Not being the world’s policeman, but also not sitting on the sidelines and letting tyranny beat back liberty. Ike understood that well. He understood that there needed to be a balance. The MIC isn’t driving Ukraine policy. The American people understand the unprovoked aggression against a sovereign state must be opposed and future aggressions discouraged. You picked the evil and incompetent side — Ike can’t save you from that choice.

    AJ_Liberty (a36eed)

  255. #232 Actually, in 2016 I cast write-in votes for Mitt Romney. It was, as I have admitted, easy, since I knew that Washington would vote for the Democratic presidential candidate, and that my vote didn’t matter.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  256. Minor correction: 2016 and 2020.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  257. Students at Yale Law School have been posting messages online encouraging others to accost their more conservative classmates through ‘unrelenting daily confrontation’.

    People saying things that are wrong always target students because they know the least (and have time to pay attention)

    What we have here is a lot of unwarranted self-righteousness.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  258. I don’t believe the Buffalo killer aimed to kill African Americans because he had a racist ideology .

    He had a racist ideology because he wanted to kill people.

    He originally wanted to kill his fellow students (who were almost entirely white)

    But he got caught. He got temporarily locked up and dropped the idea.\\Then he looked for a group he could be part of that would admire him.

    He felt he would get the most fans by targeting blacks.

    An I bet he was first turned on to this by someone he met in person. At least the idea of pro-killer groups/

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  259. 261. AJ_Liberty (a36eed) — 5/16/2022 @ 5:59 am

    Of course Eisenhower would have seen the clear geopolitical importance of supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s naked aggression (and threat to other regional allies)

    Eisenhower didn’t even want to maintain the independence of Hungary. And he didn’t care about human rights in North Korea — or Vietnam or Egypt.

    His policy was containment – no changes.

    Also no war – but brinksmanship to maintain the posture of no war. (he put an end to the Korean \War by threatening secretly to dump nuclear waste.)

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  260. AJ_Liberty (a36eed) — 5/15/2022 @ 9:16 pm

    this time the U.S. actually backed a military that was willing to fight and die for their country

    It was a military that trusted the government to not surrender.

    That’s why Zelensky refused to leave Kyiv.

    A little like Churchill and King George VI in Great Britain.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  261. Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/15/2022 @ 8:03 am

    Hillary was the only candidate Trump could beat, and Trump was the only candidate Biden could beat.

    You see how this is going.

    In the right direction. Maybe not that far, but in the right direction.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  262. norcal (d1d6aa) — 5/15/2022 @ 11:24 pm

    Trump’s followers are like religious fanatics. They are too emotionally invested to see reality, and they have a pat answer for any criticism of the faith.

    THe question is : Does our system of cadidate selection give them disproportionate influence?

    It helps when both parties are dominated by fools or worse and there is no realistic alternative.

    We need more billionaires to get involved.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  263. Jim Miller (406a93) — 5/16/2022 @ 6:20 am

    I cast write-in votes for Mitt Romney. It was, as I have admitted, easy, since I knew that Washington would vote for the Democratic presidential candidate, and that my vote didn’t matter.

    It probably wasn’t even counted, since in a presidential general election you are supposed to vote for Electors.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  264. But your presence at the polls, or your ballot, was noted.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  265. Tell yo’ daddy too, given his unconditional cover for the apartheid era South African regime:

    https://www.axios.com/2022/05/16/liz-cheney-republican-leaders

    urbanleftbehind (0453a6)

  266. 269…but there’s this thing called the jungle primary which actually might help in a still-purple polity, but once thresholds of single party rule are reached, only exacerbates poor choices by elevating a favorite and a stooge to final round (see Feinstein 2018, Harris 2016 Senate, Rahm Emanuel 2015 Chicago).

    In a weird way, I wouldn’t mind Georgia having the single round all-parties 50+1 primary that City of Chicago uses…Brian Kemp and perhaps Herschel Walker (if he priced his black bonafides) would probably clear 50 on the first round and be the winner without a November ballot being necessary.

    urbanleftbehind (0453a6)

  267. …Proved his bonafides, though “pricing” would certainly be apropos

    urbanleftbehind (0453a6)

  268. @250. Yeah, a man who chose Nixon as his running mate.

    Except he didn’t.

    ‘Eisenhower was publicly noncommittal about having Nixon as the Vice President on his ticket; the question was an especially important one in light of his heart condition. He personally favored Robert B. Anderson, a Democrat who rejected his offer, so Eisenhower resolved to leave the matter in the hands of the party.’ – sourice wikiIkebio.oops

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  269. DCSCA —

    If he cared about having a different VP, he could have dumped Nixon in 1956 or ignored the Checkers speech altogether and dumped Nixon right then and there.

    I mean, if Joe Biden did something like that, it would be more proof of his idiocy.

    Appalled (a911c0)

  270. By the way, just because DCSCA likes to spend a lot of time on how countries on the borders of Russia don’t lie down properly in the face of Russian aggression, does not mean he’s wrong about everything. The rush to spend 40 billion on the Ukraine seems like another episode of throwing money at problems without doing much thinking:

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/if-were-going-to-spend-more-on-defense-lets-spend-smarter?ref=home?ref=home

    American power and money is not infinite and it is long past time to think about how we allocate scarce resources.

    Appalled (a911c0)

  271. @261. America must accept the responsibilities of being a world leader….and keeping the peace.

    Must? Bullsh-t. The United States is NOT the world’s policeman and in the 21st century literally cannot afford to presume to tell the world how to ‘keep the peace’nor impress its values on the cultures of others when it cannot even ‘keep the peace’ at home.

    [Eisenhower] stabilized, and did not escalate, the Soviet–American rivalry. He strengthened European alliances while withdrawing support from European colonialism. He rescued the Republican Party from isolationism and McCarthyism. He maintained prosperity, balanced the budget, promoted technological innovation, facilitated (if reluctantly) the civil rights movement and [Eisenhower] warned, in the most memorable farewell address since Washington’s, of a “military–industrial complex” that could endanger the nation’s liberties. Not until Reagan would another president leave office with so strong a sense of having accomplished what he set out to do.’ -source, wikiIkebio.oops

    Ike not only would have, but saw that Ukraine was part of the USSR. He died in 1969, AJ.

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  272. @276. He left it to the party.

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  273. @267. A little like Churchill and King George VI in Great Britain.

    Very little. Lest you forget, Z’s Ukraine ‘has banned all-male citizens 18-60 years old from leaving the country, according to the State Border Guard Service.’ -cnn.com

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  274. @277. They’ll ‘fight’ to the last American dollar. First thing you learn, not visiting, but living in Europe, is they don’t really like Americans– just like American money. Cut it off and you discover PoliSci 101 applies: nations don’t have friends- but interests. Hell, even the Brits were glad to see U.S. bases on British soil shuttered, but sad to see the U.S. $ go with them.

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  275. Appalled: “American power and money is not infinite and it is long past time to think about how we allocate scarce resources.”

    I’m not persuaded that Ukraine’s proximity to NATO and Russian expansionism are somehow not a prime U.S. national security interest. One can argue that Afghanistan and Iraq suffered from serious mission creep and an unrealistic expectation of what military power could achieve. Here, Russia massively miscalculated its energy leverage over the EU, the willingness of the democratic world to oppose this invasion, NATO’s unity of purpose, Ukraine’s ability to resist, and its own army’s effectiveness. Russia wants to be a destabilizer, so it can elevate and fill the void. Putin wants a reinvigorated Soviet Union and it was smart of the U.S. to make his Ukraine gambit as expensive as possible for Russia. If all of Ukraine fell, how much more would the U.S. have to invest in NATO to create a credible deterrence to further expansion? Spend now or spend later. Finland and Sweden understand the stakes….Germany is understanding its strategic errors. The U.S. has to have a serious, realistic, and pragmatic view of Russia. That’s why Romney was right and Obama was embarrassingly wrong. That’s why Trump recklessly wanting to pull out of NATO and treat Putin as a partner of sorts was inept and contributed to this current over-reach.

    I agree that we can’t insert ourselves everywhere and have to initiate a glide-path to some sort of fiscal sanity, but is this the time to pull our support from an underdog battling a goliath (albeit a drunk goliath)? Does the cost outweigh the risk of collapse? DCCCP doesn’t paint a measured picture because he doesn’t much care for the Europeans…and once had a nice time visiting Russia. OK. He also doesn’t really care about deficits….just that they should be funding social welfare…so he has free health care. I sense he would be fine with pulling out of everywhere and shrinking our military in half in exchange for democratic socialism. I’m not. The military should tighten its belt in a smart fashion, but so should the rest of government. The question becomes is in the middle of a fight the time to start doing that….

    AJ_Liberty (ec7f74)

  276. FWO: “it wants the party to put American citizens ahead of immigrants; and it wants the party to actively engage in the culture war.”

    I understand your concern, but wonder how this “engagement” gets actualized. Right now, the social media rhetoric describes everything as an existential threat. It’s no longer just about secularization, it’s about the purported annihalation of an entire point of view. I tend to view this as hyperbole but it’s unmistakably gripped our politics. The challenge is that in policy, sides can compromise….but when it comes to fundamental truths about culture and a genuine fear of extinction, there can be no compromise. So what’s left in a political system designed around compromise, limited and diffused power, and individual rights?

    I guess that’s my fear. We’ve created a technological incubator that we really don’t understand. Social media allows us to interact in ways that were unheard of just 30 years ago. We have anonymity and extreme rhetoric with very little accountability for behavior and misinformation. What percolates to the top is often people caught acting their worse with discourse at the bottom of the barrel. Fighting the culture war doesn’t seem to be about a depth of persuasion, but rather trading slogans, creating strawman arguments of your opposition, and demonizing the other tribe. How does our democracy survive?

    Can the Right politically take control of Hollywood…or higher education….or the main stream media? And if not, then what? The concern is that all of this anger and fear is combustible. We have a race powder keg and a class powder keg of who has done well and who has not with regards to the global economy. This seems a recipe for more violence and chaos and the breaking of our democracy. There’s no telling what authoritarian rises in its place. Breaking something may feel good, but you break it, you own it…

    AJ_Liberty (ec7f74)

  277. #282

    I am not sure appropriating another 40 billion (on top of dollars already spent) is something we should just do and forget asking questions about. It’s tempting to do that, given that the Ukranian cause is just and America is well served by weakening Russia. Still, 40 billion here, and 40 billion there, and soon you are talking about real money. And I was just seeing a report that about 130 billion from the first coronavirus bill was misspent and probably can’t be recovered. What’s the assurance that, say 5-10 billon of this 40 billion doesn’t get wasted, or end up funding some other suddenly urgent priority?

    I’m not a big rand Paul fan — but his point about having some spending oversight built into this bill isn’t a bad one. The Ukraine can hold an extra week or so to get that done, can’t it?

    Appalled (1a17de)

  278. @250. Tricky. Life insurance. But then, there’s that ‘Checkered’ past.

    Ike was particularly please with how Nixon handled the “Checkers” speech. If you’ve ever watched the whole thing, you’d agree. It was masterful.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  279. That is a false dichotomy.

    Yes, but we have to embrace false dichotomies, because the only alternative is cannibalism.

    (Stolen from xkcd)

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  280. This was an interesting take from Constitutional scholar Akhil Amar on the leaked Dobb’s opinion. He leans progressive and supports abortion rights, but agrees that Roe was a poorly-crafted decision. He views Alito’s reasoning as reasonable and has some interesting comments with regards to what is deeply rooted.

    https://reason.com/volokh/2022/05/16/akhil-amar-on-the-draft-dobbs-opinion/?comments=true#comments

    AJ_Liberty (ec7f74)

  281. In the right direction. Maybe not that far, but in the right direction.

    Next in that progression would be “And Biden is the only candidate that Sarah Palin could beat.”

    I don’t view that as the right direction.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  282. @282. I’m not persuaded that Ukraine’s proximity to NATO and Russian expansionism are somehow not a prime U.S. national security interest.

    It’s time you review some basic geography, the history of Ukraine, the regional conflicts in Eastern Europe surrounding same; it’s proximity to RUSSIA as wel as it’s near century long time w/t USSR and NATO members economic ties to Russia- particularly w/respect to pipelines and energy needs. NATO is a defensive alliance; no member nation border has been breached and Article 5 remains at the ready to trigger an appropriate response should any incursion occur. All basic– and certainly worthy of consideration with $40 billion [through September BTW] on top of the $13 billion already ‘given’ to the Moran gang. Capone still has plenty of tommy guns.

    __________

    @284. ‘ …given that the Ukranian cause is just and America is well served by weakening Russia.’

    Who says that involvement in a regional Eastern European conflict is a ‘given’ or ‘just’ for the the United States, circa 2022?? Ukraine is not populated w/U.S. taxpaying citizens; not a U.S. territory, a la Puerto Rico– nor does it have vital American interests — like Taiwan does.

    Ukraine is a regional conflict; an issue for modern, wealthy NATO/Europe to manage- particularly as their economic and security interests are at the most immediate threat.

    This is not an American problem to but into…just because Steny and Nancy declares America is ‘at war’ with Russia doesn’t make it so. SoD Austin insists there’s no ‘proxy war’ going on when there clearly is. I’m not a big Paul fan either, but he’s wholly correct on this one. especially given the American treasure and blood in play.

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  283. @285. See #275. Ike left it to the party.

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  284. McDonald’s to ‘de-arch’ restaurants, sell business in Russia because of ‘profound consequences’ of war

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2022/05/16/mcdonalds-sell-russia-business-restaurants/9790856002/

    ROFLMAO, Ronald McDonald clowns around:

    “hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, ‘special military operations’ won’t upset us…”

    Burger King stays open in Russia, with earnings redirected to humanitarian relief

    The company currently has 800 franchised Burger King locations in Russia that are managed by independent local operators. The locations will remain open, and RBI (QSR)(QSR.TO) says it will redirect the earnings it makes from its franchised operations in Russia towards humanitarian efforts.

    https://news.yahoo.com/burger-king-stays-open-russia-with-earnings-redirected-humanitarian-relief-174838299.html

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  285. Golly, AJ, America’s McDonald’s retreats from Russia!!

    Some capitalist colors do run — red, white and golden yellow in a red wig wearing clown shoes and rubber nose. You want fries with that?! 😉

    DCSCA (f1d5d0)

  286. Of course Eisenhower would have seen the clear geopolitical importance of supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s naked aggression

    IIRC, he supported the Greek monarchy in their civil war against Soviet-supported rebels, OK’d the overthrow of Mossadegh in Iran, the planning for the Bay of Pigs operation and the massive US missile buildup of the late 50’s. He also established the South Korean garrison.

    So, yeah.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  287. American power and money is not infinite and it is long past time to think about how we allocate scarce resources.

    If we can spend $100 billion on a train that goes nowhere, we can waste money anywhere!

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  288. I think that Putin is shocked to discover what damage his culture of corruption has wreaked on his armed forces. The generals seem to have sold everything they could, or pocketed the money that was supposed to go towards things like spare parts, maintenance and ammunition. They never expected they’d have to fight someone.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  289. We have anonymity and extreme rhetoric with very little accountability for behavior and misinformation.

    I think that Musk is right about credentialing all Twitter users. Not just to get rid of the bots, but to tone down the basement keyboard warriors who think that their anonymity means they can say anything. A $10/year fee, payable by credit card, might turn the trick. It works for pr0n sites (npi).

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  290. @285. See #275. Ike left it to the party.

    Ike was asked about the speech immediately afterwards and he was as pleased as punch.

    The full Checker’s speech is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpWwgwytdzk

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  291. @297. He left the Big Dick’s future up to the party.

    DCSCA (02e6f3)

  292. DCSCA,

    You keep repeating things, as if the repetition makes it truer. It’s one of your more tiresome traits.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  293. I think that Musk is right about credentialing all Twitter users

    He’s certainly right about auditing Twitter regarding the validity of their “numbers” – particularly w/respect to advertiser getting their money’s worth. If Twitter inflated their corporate stats, he has an out to rework a lower purchase price or punch out of the deal.

    DCSCA (02e6f3)

  294. @299. ‘Denial’ is a river in Egypt, Kevin.

    DCSCA (02e6f3)

  295. NATO/Europe utilizes chips from Taiwan in their widgets and gadgets. Let’s see how fast they rush to cough up Euros and military aid to help American interests when Taiwan is under siege from China. No alliance there for Europeans to commit to. This is why the smart strategy for dealing w/t European alliance for the 21st century U.S.A. is to let/make/force wealthy, modern Europe carry the burden of managing the problem of an Eastern European conflict. instead, we’ve got ancient, geriatric, 20th century politicians mired in past policy practices.

    DCSCA (02e6f3)

  296. ‘Denial’ is a river in Egypt, Kevin.

    You keep saying this, but I can prove that the river’s name is The Nile.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  297. The MSM, explained.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  298. Laguna Woods shooting was anti-Taiwan hate crime.

    The suspect in the Laguna Woods church shooting Sunday appeared to be motivated by political hatred directed at the Taiwanese community, Orange County Sheriff’s officials said Monday.

    While investigators provided few details, they said their investigation suggests the deadly attack was a “politically motivated hate incident.”

    “Evidence was collected linking him to this crime based on preliminary information in the investigation, it is believed the suspect involved was upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan,” Sheriff Don Barnes said.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  299. @269 it is are gerrymandered undemocratic political system that is to blame. Example: 18% of the population control 52 senate seats in 26 states and filibuster on top of that. Most house seats and state legislatures our gerrymandered in favor of one of the two parties allowing the most extremists to appeal to the base and overwhelm the more moderate candidates. As long as the majority puts up with this it will continue.

    asset (8fb0dd)

  300. John Fetterman just suffered a stroke:

    John Fetterman, the favorite to win Pennsylvania’s Democratic US Senate contest, announced Sunday that he’s recovering after a stroke.

    Pennsylvania’s prmary is tomorrow.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  301. Maryland senator chris van holland just had a stroke too.

    asset (8fb0dd)

  302. Judge Strikes Down California Law Mandating Women on Boards

    A state judge struck down a California law requiring companies in the state put female directors on their boards, the second legal setback in as many months for efforts to mandate board diversity.

    Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis of the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles ruled that the 2018 law was unconstitutional because it violated the equal protection clause of the state’s constitution, according to a copy of the verdict.

    The California law mandated that public companies with headquarters in the state have at least two or three women on their boards by 2021, depending on the size of the board. Those that didn’t faced financial penalties.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  303. DCCCP’s pimped for Russia from the get go…”Vlad roll those tanks” indeed! His team is getting humiliated because this time the U.S. actually backed a military that was willing to fight and die for their country (unlike Afghanistan). So now DCCCP wants to snag defeat from the jaws of victory by withdrawing military support approved by a bipartisan Congress with super-majority polling support. His cry, it’s the debt…and Ukraine can handle it from here….oh, and beware the Military Industrial Complex!
    ……..
    This is a looming strategic win by the U.S….and though a bit late to the game, by the Biden administration….and it’s tearing you up. You were wrong…your credibility is crushed….the Japanese would be warming up the ritual wakizashi…..

    AJ_Liberty (a36eed) — 5/15/2022 @ 9:16 pm

    DCSCA has wanted to see America’s “azz kicked” for a long while.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  304. Newsrooms have been captured by the Left. Stray from that narrative and you can only work at Fox.

    Or Breitbart, OAN, Gateway Pundit, or Newsmax.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  305. it is are gerrymandered undemocratic political system that is to blame. Example: 18% of the population control 52 senate seats in 26 states and filibuster on top of that.

    The 2 seats per state thing cannot be changed. It is the one thing that is put off limits in the Constitution itself. What CAN be done is to break up large states into several smaller ones, if they agree. If done correctly, the people in the state will agree, if it’s just a gerrymander, they won’t. There have been several recent attempts to break up California, but the liberal billionaire behind them has attempted to create three (or more) blue states, with no help to the conservative areas. There are other plans that might work, with 2 blue/1 red or 3 blue/2 red, both with culture-based splits. But it is the DEMOCRATS who oppose this, as it would cost them electoral votes.

    Most house seats and state legislatures our gerrymandered in favor of one of the two parties allowing the most extremists to appeal to the base and overwhelm the more moderate candidates. As long as the majority puts up with this it will continue.

    Indeed. Some of these are GOP and some of them are Dem. CA, NY and my home state of New Mexico are blatant gerrymanders. TX and some other southern states tilt red. I think that the courts are overturning some of these.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  306. DCSCA,

    You keep repeating things, as if the repetition makes it truer. It’s one of your more tiresome traits.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/16/2022 @ 12:36 pm

    He reminds of Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory. It’s not a compliment.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  307. @310. Pfft. There are times when it deserves it. Like Sputnik; like the Pentagon Papers reality of the Vietnam folly; like 20 years of waste in Afghanistan; like Roe Vs. Wade… like electing Joe Biden.

    DCSCA (02e6f3)

  308. @313. Hmmm. And you remind me of … nothing. That is a compliment. 😉

    DCSCA (02e6f3)

  309. If you live in Los Angeles, here’s a handy Who-Not-to-Vote-For guide.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  310. 307 / 308…Putin or the Vax?

    urbanleftbehind (0453a6)

  311. If the leaked Roe draft made a difference in the generic vote, I can’t see it.

    The Republicans were 2.5 percent ahead on February 14th, and 2.6 percent currently.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  312. Russian Annexation of Occupied Ukraine Is Putin’s Unacceptable “Off-Ramp”
    ……….
    ……… The Kremlin likely plans to annex much of the Ukrainian territory currently occupied by Russian forces—portions of Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts in the south and the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in the east that Russian forces and their proxies control. Moscow may also annex other Kremlin proxy statelets like South Ossetia (in Georgia) and Transnistria (in Moldova). …….[T]he ongoing Kremlin conditions-setting to annex or recognize occupied Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk……..includes replacing local media with Kremlin-run media outlets, installing Russian internet and communications networks, forcibly transitioning local economies to the Russian ruble, kidnapping, executing, and replacing local Ukrainian officials with Russian collaborators, and likely hunting and eliminating anti-occupation activists and partisans. Widespread Russian atrocities against Ukrainian civilians are part of the established Kremlin playbook to gain control over occupied areas.

    The Kremlin no longer conceals its intentions to annex areas of occupied Ukraine. The secretary of United Russia, Putin’s political party, visited Kherson on May 6 and announced that “Russia is here forever.” …….

    ……… Russia will annex Kherson despite widespread local opposition to annexation. Stremousov’s statement shows that the Kremlin likely realizes any attempt to conduct a “referendum” in Kherson would be met with widespread resistance even after months of Russian brutalization and intimidation of the local population. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov …….. in a May 11 press conference, stating that the Russian annexation of Kherson “must have an absolutely clear legal background, justification, [and] be absolutely legitimate, as was the case with Crimea” but explicitly did not mention a referendum. ……..

    The Kremlin’s planned wave of annexations could also include proxy territories outside Ukraine. ……
    ……….
    ……….Regardless of Putin’s reasoning, Russia cannot—and will not—accept a return to a pre-war status quo. If the Kremlin directly annexes Ukrainian territory, it will mark a fundamental departure in the Kremlin’s approach to Ukraine, from hybrid warfare and political manipulation to outright military coercion and, if possible, conquest.

    Annexation of Ukrainian lands is likely the only “off-ramp” that Putin is interested in pursuing at this time. Even this face-saving option, which falls far short of the Kremlin’s initial war aims of complete regime change in Kyiv, would be a devastating blow to Ukraine and is likely the minimum outcome that the Kremlin is willing to accept.
    ………
    A Russian military collapse combined with further Ukrainian battlefield successes or the Kremlin’s acceptance that a military collapse is imminent are likely the only other circumstances under which Putin would accept something less than his stated objectives for this phase of the war……..
    ………
    The Kremlin could threaten to use nuclear weapons against a Ukrainian counteroffensive into annexed territory to deter the ongoing Western military aid that would enable such a counteroffensive. The Kremlin has already falsely claimed that Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory—during an unprovoked war of Russian aggression against Ukraine—are somehow escalatory rather than a legal Ukrainian response under the laws of war. However, Russian nuclear doctrine clearly allows for nuclear weapons use in response to “aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is in jeopardy.” The Kremlin could frame a Ukrainian counteroffensive into annexed Ukrainian territory as a threat to the existence of the Russian state—such an absurd claim would be no less plausible than many other claims Russia has already made. Making that claim, however, likely necessitates Russian annexation of occupied territories, rather than creating additional proxy statelets in places like Kherson and Zaporizhia.

    The Kremlin could believe that a nuclear threat would deter ongoing Western military aid that would enable such a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukraine and the West should not let that happen. The Kremlin has likely calculated that NATO would rhetorically and materially support Ukrainian counteroffensives into a hypothetical proxy statelet Kherson People’s Republic (or simply Russian-occupied Ukraine), but would not support Ukrainian attacks into the Kherson Oblast of Russia, for example……..
    ………
    We assess that the remainder of this phase of the war in Ukraine will likely follow one of three courses: either Russian forces will annex occupied Ukrainian territory into Russia, the Russian military will stall for time as it attempts to mobilize additional forces, or the Russian military will continue to pursue impossible military objectives with insufficient resources and ultimately collapse in the coming months. Mobilization does not preclude military collapse……. If Russian forces make the deliberate choice to end their offensive before the Ukrainian military forces them to do so, that decision would be a strong indicator of imminent annexation. If Russian forces fail to recognize that their Donbas campaign has culminated, the Russian military in Ukraine may be headed for an outright collapse.
    ………
    Despite its conventional military failures, the only off-ramp the Kremlin appears to be considering is at least partial victory. ……. If Putin annexes occupied territory and the conflict settles in along new front lines, the Kremlin could reconstitute its forces and renew Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in the coming years, this time from a position of greater strength and territorial advantage.

    The West must take seriously the real and likely threat that Russia will annex southeastern Ukraine and the expand Russian nuclear doctrine to cover that newly annexed territory. …….

    Ukraine and its Western partners likely have a narrow window of opportunity to support a Ukrainian counteroffensive into occupied Ukrainian territory before the Kremlin annexes that territory (or brings up additional forces). …….

    The political and ethical consequences of a longstanding Russian occupation of southeastern Ukraine would be devastating to the long-term viability of the Ukrainian state and necessitate Western support for a more immediate Ukrainian counteroffensive. …….
    ##########

    Footnotes omitted.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  313. DCCCP: “It’s time you review some basic geography, the history of Ukraine, the regional conflicts in Eastern Europe surrounding same; it’s proximity to RUSSIA as wel as it’s near century long time w/t USSR and NATO members economic ties to Russia- particularly w/respect to pipelines and energy needs. NATO is a defensive alliance; no member nation border has been breached and Article 5 remains at the ready to trigger an appropriate response should any incursion occur.”

    * Russia has no title to Ukraine, just as it has no title to Poland or Hungary….past abuse doesn’t justify future abuse
    * EU Russian energy dependence was a mistake…and a correctible one
    * NATO has interest in Ukraine as a buffer and trip wire
    * Ukraine is an opportunity to bleed Russia of its empire ambitions, just as Afghanistan did to the Soviets
    * Ukraine sends an unambiguous message to China…the same world response await any more on Taiwan
    * A high cost to Russia makes regime change possible, and regime change creates a possibility for less aggressive territorial ambitions — stability
    * Stability is good for all markets
    * Standing up for national sovereignty and international norms garners respect from those that matter and apprehension from those that don’t

    The lesson should be “don’t do this”….your message is “it’s too expensive and wahhhhhh!”

    AJ_Liberty (ec7f74)

  314. Abbott Enters into Consent Decree with U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Sturgis, Mich., Plant; Agreement Creates Pathway to Reopen Facility

    Abbott has agreed to enter into a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) related to its Sturgis, Mich., infant formula plant. The decree is an agreement between FDA and Abbott on the steps necessary to resume production and maintain the facility. This does not affect any other Abbott plant or operation. The decree is subject to court approval.
    ……..
    Once the FDA confirms the initial requirements for start-up have been met, Abbott could restart the site within two weeks. T…….

    Abbott has been working on corrective actions since the FDA inspection and submitted a response and corrective action plan to FDA on April 8. Even before its formal response, Abbott had begun working to implement improvements and take corrective action. Some of these actions included reviewing and updating education, training and safety procedures for both employees and visitors, as well as updating protocols regarding water, cleaning and maintenance procedures at the facility. Abbott immediately implemented corrections to address the items that the FDA raised in its observations provided at the conclusion of the inspection. The company has also been making upgrades to the plant.

    After a thorough investigation by FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Abbott, and review of all available data, there is no conclusive evidence to link Abbott’s formulas to these infant illnesses. ……
    ………
    Since the recall, the company has taken numerous measures to mitigate the supply shortage. Specifically, it has focused on production in its Cootehill, Ireland, facility to serve state Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) consumers.

    Abbott has been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and WIC agencies and paying rebates on competitive products in states where Abbott holds the WIC contract, when Similac is not available. Abbott said Friday it will continue to pay rebates for competitive products through August 31. This means program participants will continue to be able to obtain formula free of charge, whether it is Similac or formula from another manufacturer. Additionally, the company has:
    ………..

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  315. A good place to begin the study of modern Ukrainian history is with the Holodomor:

    The Holodomor (Ukrainian: Голодомо́р, romanized: Holodomor, IPA: [ɦolodoˈmɔr];[2] derived from морити голодом, moryty holodom, ‘to kill by starvation’),[a][3][4][5] also known as the Terror-Famine[6][7][8] or the Great Famine,[9] was a famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 that killed millions of Ukrainians. The Holodomor famine was part of the wider Soviet famine of 1932–1933 which affected the major grain-producing areas of the country.[10]

    Ukraine was one of the largest grain producing states in the USSR and as a result was hit particularly hard by the famine.[11] Early estimates of the death toll by scholars and government officials vary greatly.[12] A joint statement to the United Nations signed by 25 countries in 2003 declared that 7–10 million died.[13][14] However, current scholarship estimates a range significantly lower, with 3.5 to 5 million victims.[15][16][17][18][19] The famine’s widespread impact on Ukraine persists to this day.

    Apologists for Stalin, some cynical, some naive, helped hide the disaster then, and some ignore it, now.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  316. Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 5/16/2022 @ 2:11 pm

    As long as a Ukraine remains after this war and they have not capitulated their sovereignty, Ukraine will be joining NATO, and Kaliningrad will not be part of Russia.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  317. Bitter Harvest a 2017 movie set during the Holodomor.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  318. @320. =yawn=

    * Russia has no title to Ukraine, just as it has no title to Poland or Hungary….past abuse doesn’t justify future abuse.

    Ukraine, a nation nearly as corrupt as Russia, was part of the Russian Empire for centuries, and was also part of the USSR. It became independent in 1991, when the Soviet Union dissolved after the Cold War. There has been tension between Ukraine’s old ties to Russia and new allegiances with Western nations ever since. Russian President Vladimir Putin is keen to regain control of the country’s former territories. – https://inews.co.uk/news/world/ukraine-russia-part-of-timeline-conflict-war-invasion-vladimir-putin-explained-1418901

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history_of_Ukraine

    * EU Russian energy dependence was a mistake…and a correctible one

    Decisions MADE by independent, sovereign, NATO/Europe and not correctable any time soon- certainly NOT at a $50+ billion expense [only through September BTW] to a deeply in debt, deficit riddled, beholden to Chinese financing, 21st century U.S.A.

    * NATO has interest in Ukraine as a buffer and trip wire

    WTF? NATO/Europe nations ARE the buffer; no ‘wire’ has been tripped, crossed or NATO nation invaded. And Article 5 provides for any appropriate response. The best equipped military in Europe is NATO FRANCE.

    * Ukraine is an opportunity to bleed Russia of its empire ambitions, just as Afghanistan did to the Soviets

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. is not trying to topple Russian President Vladimir Putin. ‘Regime Change’ is not American foreign policy; ‘The more the United States makes regime change a staple tool of its foreign policy, the more resistance it is likely to face.’ – https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/05/14

    * Ukraine sends an unambiguous message to China…the same world response await any more on Taiwan

    The message FROM China is okaying Russia to make the left jab as China prepares it’s right cross on Taiwan per their New World Order plan: ‘Russia And China Are Leading A New ‘World Order,’ Russian Foreign Minister Says’ – https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/03/30/russia-and-china-are-leading-a-new-world-order-russian-foreign-minister-says/?sh=482bb06e2756

    * A high cost to Russia makes regime change possible, and regime change creates a possibility for less aggressive territorial ambitions — stability

    WTF? Putin has made it clear for at least 15 years he has wanted Ukraine back in the Russian Empire at any and all costs. That few paid attention is the fault of the many.

    * Stability is good for all markets

    Stability waxes and wanes; markets detest uncertainty.

    * Standing up for national sovereignty and international norms garners respect from those that matter and apprehension from those that don’t

    Pfft. ‘Respect’ doesn’t keep the lights on nor warm your house in winter. Nations have interests, not friends. ‘It is better to be feared than loved. If you cannot be both.’ – Niccolo Machiavelli

    ‘The lesson should be “don’t do this”….your message is “it’s too expensive and wahhhhhh!”

    The ‘lesson’ and ‘message’ is with the third land war in 110 years, on top of a costly Cold War to U.S. tasxpayers, it is the responsibility of the soverign nations of wealthy, modern Europe to manage themselves, not the taxpayers and citizens of the United States. America is NOT the world’s policeman.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  319. Details on Abbot Laboratories consent decree:
    ……..

    In a complaint filed May 16, the United States alleged that Abbott, Division Vice-President of Quality Assurance Lori J. Randall, Sturgis Director of Quality Keenan S. Gale, and Sturgis Site Director TJ Hathaway manufactured powdered infant formula under conditions and using practices that failed to comply with regulations designed to ensure the quality and safety of infant formula, including protection against the risk of contamination from bacteria such as Cronobacter sakazakii. The Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria can live in dry foods, such as powdered infant formulas, and can cause deadly sepsis or meningitis in infants. The complaint further alleged that FDA testing of environmental samples taken in February detected Cronobacter sakazakii in the defendants’ manufacturing facility.

    Abbott has agreed to resolve the complaint in a proposed consent decree of permanent injunction. Under the proposed consent decree, which must still be reviewed and entered by a federal court, Abbott must retain outside expert assistance to bring its facility into compliance with the FDCA and good manufacturing practice regulations. Among other things, the expert will assist Abbott, under FDA supervision, in the development of plans designed to reduce and control the risk of bacterial contamination, and will periodically evaluate Abbott’s compliance with the FDCA, regulations, and the consent decree. The proposed consent decree also follows a thorough FDA inspection of the Sturgis facility and ongoing efforts by Abbott to address observations made during that inspection. The proposed consent decree sets out what Abbott must do to resume safely manufacturing infant formula at the Sturgis facility, which will help to mitigate the shortage of infant formula while also protecting public health.
    ……..

    Complaint and proposed decree.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  320. @325-
    Yawn.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  321. The police have a motive in that southern California church attack.

    The deadly shooting at a church in Laguna Woods, California, on Sunday, was motivated by the political tension between China and Taiwan, authorities said Monday.
    . . .
    Investigators found writings in [David] Chou’s car that described his hatred for Taiwan, Barnes said, adding that they were not a manifesto, but rather “notes.” Authorities hypothesize that Chou may have targeted the Orange County church because it was the closest, Barnes said.

    And a hero:

    Dr. John Cheng, 52, a prominent doctor in the area, was identified as the only person killed in the attack. He is being called a hero for saving lives. He charged the suspect and tried to disarm him allowing others to jump in, Sheriff Barnes said. During the process, Cheng was shot and killed. Without his actions, the sheriff and FBI believes there would have been more people shot.

    “Greater love hath no man than this . . . “

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  322. Ukraine, a nation nearly as corrupt as Russia, was part of the Russian Empire for centuries…

    So what. Poland-Lithuania have similar claims, and they’re similarly ludicrous. Russia signed away its rights to Ukraine back in the 1990s.
    It’s time for Putin’s and Russia’s mentality to change about their shiddy little “empire”, and hopefully his illegal/immoral invasion will accomplish that. They need to learn to be satisfied with the territory they have, which is already the largest geographically on earth.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  323. The deadly shooting at a church in Laguna Woods, California, on Sunday, was motivated by the political tension between China and Taiwan, authorities said Monday.

    The weird part is that the shooter spent time in Taiwan after leaving China at a young age.

    Isn’t it ridiculous how worked up people get over Taiwan, and whether it’s part of China? As if it’s any skin off their noses.

    No, it’s just a feverish drama in their own minds.

    Many mainland Chinese mellow out on Taiwan after coming to the U.S., but there are many true believer holdouts.

    norcal (3f02c4)

  324. That is a false dichotomy.

    Yes, but we have to embrace false dichotomies, because the only alternative is cannibalism.

    (Stolen from xkcd)

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/16/2022 @ 11:26 am

    It took me a while to get that joke. Very funny!

    norcal (3f02c4)

  325. If half of what his detractors say about him is true, Mohammad Jafar Mahallati
    is a rather odd choice for a professor.

    The Islamic Republic of Iran’s former ambassador to the UN Mohammad Jafar Mahallati advocated the 1989 fatwa (decree) to assassinate the US and British writer Salman Rushdie for the author’s novel showing the Muslim prophet Muhammad irreverently.

    Oberlin College’s embattled professor of Islamic studies is now confronted with an additional allegation about his role in a plot to assassinate one of the world’s most distinguished and famous writers.

    Unless, of course, Oberlin thinks he is typical of Iranian Muslim leaders, and wants to show their students just how evil the Iranian regime is.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  326. “So what.”

    So present day Poland and Lithuania are members of NATO.

    Ukraine is not. Which should tell you a lot about your “adversary’s” POV and perceptions of what’s up for grabs and what isn’t. And why the nearly fenceless Finland and worried Sweden are in such a rush to suddenly join Club NATO.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  327. Sweden and Finland will contribute much to NATO:

    The addition of Sweden and Finland to NATO would bring a lot to the alliance militarily – in the air, on land, at sea, and in the intelligence domain – according to Jim Townsend, a former Pentagon and NATO official.

    For instance, Finland has one of the more powerful air forces in Europe, Townsend told Insider.

    “They’ve been flying the F/A-18 with the latest US munitions hung on them, and they’re going to buy the F-35,” he said, referring to the US-made fifth-generation stealth fighter the country intends to acquire in a multi-billion deal.

    The nations both have conscription, the Swedes have begun it again in 2017, perhaps in reaction to Putin’s increased aggressiveness.

    Jim Miller (406a93)

  328. So present day Poland and Lithuania are members of NATO.

    Again, so what. You’re peddling a bogus casus belli to rationalize the invasion of a sovereign state, all to serve Putin’s two-decade long erection about absorbing territory that’s not his.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  329. @335. Bogus? Rubbish.

    So if you gotta ask, it’s beyond your paygrade.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  330. @334. Finland outta build a border wall first.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  331. the invasion of a sovereign state

    Pfft. LOL. Ever been to the U.S. southern border?

    Neither has Joe.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  332. Heh! NATO, the EU … European “nations” are more comfortable being components of an empire of one kind or another, I think.

    nk (9338bd)

  333. Noted, your continuing defense of Putin’s bogus casus belli, DC. Might makes right, no?

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  334. They need to learn to be satisfied with the territory they have, which is already the largest geographically on earth.

    Pfft. Said Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse to Custer, circa 1876.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  335. @340. =yawn= You really don’t get it, do you. Good thing you weren’t advising POTUS circa October, 1962.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  336. France says it will defend Sweden, Finland against attacks as they seek NATO membership

    May 16 (UPI) — France will defend Sweden and Finland, Elysee said Monday, as the two Nordic countries have received threats from Russia over their decisions to join the NATO defensive military alliance.

    “Whoever would seek to test European solidarity by threatening or attacking their sovereignty, through whatever means, must be certain that France will stand shoulder to shoulder with Finland and Sweden,” Elysee said in a statement, adding that it “stands ready to increase its security and defense cooperation with both partners, including through high-level political consultations and enhanced military interactions.” – UPI.com

    That’s FRANCE, alone. Not NATO France. See if Macron and his Froggies really jump at the chance.

    “Son, you’re on your own.”- Reverend Johnson [Liam Dunn] ‘Blazing Saddles’ 1974

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  337. Let’s not get personal, DC.
    You can’t escape the fact that you’re tacitly to overtly condoning crimes against humanity by condoning Putin’s illegal/immoral invasion, and the only handkerchief you throw out for Ukraine is for them to sell war bonds.
    It’s morally and intellectually bankrupt.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  338. Good thing you weren’t advising POTUS circa October, 1962.

    The advice he got was good: “Mr President, if we go to war, we will obliterate them, and they know it. They will do whatever you tell them to do.”

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  339. @344. It’s not personal- you just don’t get it- or refuses to accept it; as is the nature of armchair ideologues oblivious to the realities of who pays the freight:

    The third land war in 110 years is under way; the two previous conflicts at great cost in treasure and blood to the United States–and on top of a costly Cold War to U.S. taxpayers. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the sovereign nations of wealthy, modern Europe to manage themselves, not the taxpayers and citizens of the United States. America is NOT the world’s policeman.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  340. @345. The advice he got was good: “Mr President, if we go to war, we will obliterate them, and they know it. They will do whatever you tell them to do.”

    Except it wasn’t. The bad military advice he got was to obliterate them, which, given revelations years later, would have been a thermonuclear disaster for the United States; the good civilian advice- which, thankfully he took, was to give his opponent time and a way out.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  341. @344. It’s morally and intellectually bankrupt.

    Pfft. Except it’s not. $50+ billion borrowed from China is bankrupt thinking– and morally corrupt to even consider it to the generations to come to bear the financial burden for somebody else’s problem. This is European conflict to manage. It is ot an issue for buttinsky Americans playing world policeman.

    DCSCA (a8fd18)

  342. I guess that’s my fear. We’ve created a technological incubator that we really don’t understand. Social media allows us to interact in ways that were unheard of just 30 years ago. We have anonymity and extreme rhetoric with very little accountability for behavior and misinformation. What percolates to the top is often people caught acting their worse with discourse at the bottom of the barrel. Fighting the culture war doesn’t seem to be about a depth of persuasion, but rather trading slogans, creating strawman arguments of your opposition, and demonizing the other tribe. How does our democracy survive?

    The right disengaging from the culture war for a generation is how we got to this point to begin with. It’s like disciplining a child–when you don’t set boundaries and stand firm on them, they become entitled, bratty, and destructive. At that point, compelling a change requires much more stringent restrictions so they learn that there are consequences.

    If you don’t like the reaction that behavior, that’s understandable, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound a cure, and actively fighting back against the MTV crowd and the growing race/gender marxism in academia against the likes of people like Noel Ignatiev, Peggy McIntosh, Paolo Freire, Henry Giroux, Cornel West, and Kimberle Crenshaw in the 90s would have mitigated a lot of what you outlined here.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  343. #348

    The problem with the way you analyze the situation with the Ukraine is that you depict them as being unworthy of receiving US aid under any circumstances. You’ve been very explicit that Ukraine should have just submitted to Putin’s embrace. You also like to make a special point that Ukraine has always been a part of Russia and the USSR. They had only been a country for 30 years. You do recall that Poland had been in existence for only 21 years when they were invaded by Hitler, don’t you? I guess you would have stood with Lindburgh back then.

    You have good arguments. You destroy them with your relentlessly declared bad arguments.

    And Biden smiled.

    There you go again
    Ronald Reagan 1980

    Appalled (bb92ad)

  344. The problem, Appalled, is that DC doesn’t get it. He’s too immersed in Pat Buchanan’s xenophobe mentality to oppose obvious evil and Putin’s brazen attempt at cultural genocide.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  345. Oh, I’m pretty sure that DCSCA doesn’t get “it”, either. And sometimes he gives the impression that he’s never gotten “it”. But it’s not the “it” you’re talking about. It’s the “it” that’s synonymous with the “any” in “Getting any?”, if you know what I mean and I think you do.

    His contrarianism is his compensation for it. Or one of the symptoms if you wish. He is not a one-person Fifth Column gnawing at America vitals from within by naysaying on the internet. He is just an attention seeker naysaying on the internet.

    And he is not doing a good job of it, honestly. He may be having a fun, but it’s more important that it’s fun for his audience, too. And obviously it’s not. It may be getting him the attention he wants, but it’s the attention of annoyance.

    I’m sorry, DCSCA, but if your friends won’t tell you, who will?

    nk (9338bd)

  346. @313. Hmmm. And you remind me of … nothing. …..

    DCSCA (02e6f3) — 5/16/2022 @ 1:43 pm

    Thanks, Raymond Babbitt! I’ve tried to go through life being remembered for anything, least of all anything I’ve posted on the Internet.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  347. @351. You destroy them with your relentlessly declared bad arguments

    Pfft.

    The third European land war in 110 years is under way; the two previous conflicts endured at great cost in ‘gifted’ treasure and spilled blood for the United States– and on top of a costly Cold War to U.S. taxpayers. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the sovereign nations of wealthy, modern Europe to manage themselves, not the taxpayers and citizens of the United States. America is NOT the world’s policeman.

    =mike-drop=

    DCSCA (329bf8)

  348. @353. Translation. No argument; not excuse for forking over $50 billion in salaries and tommy guns to the Moran gang to shoot it out with Capone.

    DCSCA (329bf8)

  349. @352. Nobody is stopping you from quitting your gig and going over to Ukraine to fight your good fight, Paul. But don’t ask the rest of us to pay for your ticket to ride.

    Plan on fighting in any of these, too? Choose for the list of conflicts raging on Planet Earth that aren’t being beamed into your hand gadgets 24/7:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars:_2003%E2%80%93present#:~:text=List%20of%20wars%3A%202003%E2%80%93present%20%20%20%20Start,Republic%20Luhansk%20…%20%2013%20more%20rows%20

    DCSCA (329bf8)

  350. #356

    Your view is that Ukraine and Putin are morally equivalent — a couple of mobsters fighting over some turf. Given the way the Ukranians are fighting for their independence (and have done since 2004, when the Putin tool of that era was overthrown), they don’t agree.

    Your reasoning about Ukraine’s worth colors your reasoning about everyting else — and makes you very easy to dismiss. Pity — some of the arguments you make belong in the discussion.

    Appalled (1a17de)

  351. If you live in Los Angeles, here’s a handy Who-Not-to-Vote-For guide.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/16/2022 @ 1:59 pm

    Vote against any self-identified Democrat (that would include Rick Caruso).

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  352. @352. Nobody is stopping you from quitting your gig and going over to Ukraine to fight your good fight, Paul. But don’t ask the rest of us to pay for your ticket to ride.

    Comments like that are why you’re losing the argument, DC.
    There’s no prerequisite or requirement to take up arms in order to speak freely in support of a country defending itself from an illegal/immoral invasion. You’re employing a silly contrived “standard” that no person with half a brain should accept.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  353. @358. Pfft. Ukraine’s worth: If only they produced microchips.

    Like Taiwan, eh Appalled.

    Nations have interests, not friends. Especially when you want to borrow $50 billion from an adversary to give away and burden yourself and your children with somebody else’s problem and responsibilities— and can’t find baby formula for your own kids.

    The third European land war in 110 years is under way; the two previous conflicts endured at great cost in ‘gifted’ treasure and spilled blood for the United States– and on top of a costly Cold War to U.S. taxpayers. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the sovereign nations of wealthy, modern Europe to manage themselves, not the taxpayers and citizens of the United States. America is NOT the world’s policeman.

    “Stop thinking with your glands.” – James Kirk [William Shatner] ‘The Man Trap’ Star Trek, NBC TV, 1966-1969

    DCSCA (329bf8)

  354. given revelations years later, would have been a thermonuclear disaster for the United States

    Show your source.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  355. Now bold. Thank GOD Patterico doesn’t allow size or font tags, and “blink” has been long deprecated.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  356. Vote against any self-identified Democrat

    That would pretty much leave a blank ballot for “non-partisan” races. That list though is from the most “progressive” LA politician I know of. Anyone he chooses is the worst of the worst.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  357. Musk is now a Republican.

    “I have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats, historically,” Musk acknowledged. “Like I’m not sure, I might never have voted for a Republican, just to be clear. Now this election I will,” Newsweek reported.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  358. #361

    All Kirk did in the original Star Trek was think with his glands. 🙂

    And Ukraine has been a good demonstration project on what happens when you invade someplace expecting you, like Taiwan. If Xi hasn’t been too busy locking up COVID sufferers, he’s likely taken notice. It’s not a bad idea to give him the lesson.

    Appalled (1a17de)

  359. @362. =yawn=

    “It wasn’t until January 1992, in a meeting chaired by Castro in Havana, that I learned 162 nuclear warheads, including 90 tactical warheads, [not to mention 42,000 Soviet personnel] were on the island at the time of this critical moment of the crisis.” – Robert MacNamara

    https://alphahistory.com/coldwar/robert-mcnamara-reflects-cuban-missile-crisis-2003/

    “Unbeknownst to the United States, there were 158 Soviet nuclear warheads of five types already in Cuba by the time the military blockade, or quarantine, was imposed on October 24. Of
    these weapons, only about 95 to 100 warheads were readily available for use…”

    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0096340212464364

    https://robertmcnamara.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Rabe-1991-The-Cuban-Missile-Crisis-Revisited-c.pdf

    DCSCA (329bf8)

  360. @366. You haven’t been paying attention to their ‘New World Order’ proclamation, in work for years. It began w/Obama; quieted due to Trump– then the bell rang when Joey entered the ring.

    Russia is China’s b-tch now; permission granted to duke it out; Ukraine is the jab; Taiwan will be the sucker punch.

    DCSCA (329bf8)

  361. Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/16/2022 @ 12:06 pm

    I think that Musk is right about credentialing all Twitter users.

    Not a very gooid idea. The Chinese Communist Party is trying to intimidate people here _ American citizens – by threatening their relatives.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/12/president-biden-met-uyghur-activists-china-transnational-repression

    This was Biden’s first meeting with Uyghur American community representatives since becoming president, and it was not planned as anything more than quick handshakes.

    But when Ziba Murat started talking, Biden stopped his rounds and listened, Murat told me in an interview. Biden appeared visibly saddened when she told him about how Chinese authorities had arrested and disappeared her mother four years ago on spurious “terrorism” charges, five days after her mother’s sister had publicly criticized the Chinese government in Washington.

    “I said, ‘I’m an American citizen, and my mother is in a concentration camp,’ ” Murat said.” And he stopped. And he looked at me, and I could see him getting emotional. And then he said, ‘Can I give you a hug?’ ”

    Of course, these are people who went far beyond occasional tweets on Twitter.

    In Australia…

    https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/06/30/they-dont-understand-fear-we-have/how-chinas-long-reach-repression-undermines

    …I have to censor myself. This is the reality. I come to Australia and still I’m not free.

    —Lei Chen (pseudonym), student from mainland China describing his experience studying in an Australian university, September 25, 2020
    You have to choose your words very carefully. I look at my university and see the place is absolutely hooked on Chinese foreign student money.

    …In 2020, nearly 160,000 students from China were enrolled in Australian universities. Despite the Chinese government in Beijing being thousands of kilometers away, many Chinese pro-democracy students in Australia say they alter their behavior and self-censor to avoid threats and harassment from fellow classmates and being “reported on” by them to authorities back home.

    Students and academics from or working on China told Human Rights Watch that this atmosphere of fear has worsened in recent years, with free speech and academic freedom increasingly under threat. The Chinese government has grown bolder in trying to shape global perceptions of the country on foreign university campuses, influence academic discussions, monitor students from China, censor scholarly inquiry, or otherwise interfere with academic freedom.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  362. There are other instances where anonymity is valuable or necessary.

    The Federalist Papers were published using a pseudonym, Publius.

    Not just to get rid of the bots, but to tone down the basement keyboard warriors who think that their anonymity means they can say anything. A $10/year fee, payable by credit card, might turn the trick. It works for pr0n sites (npi).

    There’s a problem either way.

    There could be accounts used by several people.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  363. Vote against any self-identified Democrat

    That would pretty much leave a blank ballot for “non-partisan” races. …..

    And that is a problem how?

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  364. “It wasn’t until January 1992, in a meeting chaired by Castro in Havana, that I learned 162 nuclear warheads, including 90 tactical warheads, [not to mention 42,000 Soviet personnel] were on the island at the time of this critical moment of the crisis.” – Robert MacNamara

    So what? Two bombs and it doesn’t matter any more. Their problem was that most of their arsenal could not reach the USA from the USSR with their very large and heavy H-bombs. The corrected this is a hurry afterwards, but it was one of the reasons that they turned on Khrushchev. The other being putting H-bombs in Cuba (Nikita’s idea for rectifying the real missile gap) and pissing off the Americans.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  365. And that is a problem how?

    Because it is insane to let the progressives have their way and not to try to move the needle even a little bit Right. I know the theory is that if the Progressives fukk everything up, the People will turn on them, but 1) there’s too much destruction (see Venezuela) and 2) there is no evidence that happens in a one-party state.

    Caruso is a LOT better than the others because he actually knows how to do things. You won’t catch him posturing and grandstanding for 4 years like the last 3 or 4 mayors.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  366. After a thorough investigation by FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Abbott, and review of all available data, there is no conclusive evidence to link Abbott’s formulas to these infant illnesses.

    That’s a great understatement. There is proof to the contrary. DNA tests.The only argument for closing the plant is that if there was some cntamination in a part of the plant that did not affect the food,there might be more.

    But the standards are too stringent – furthermore the government regulators didn’t think it important that formula be produced.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  367. There could be accounts used by several people.

    So? If they are stupid enough to let someone else use their accounts they deserve what they get.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  368. The Michael Sussmann trial has started.
    ……..
    John Durham has to prove that:

    Michael Sussmann said what Durham has accused him of saying, which is that he was not sharing information with the FBI on behalf of any client

    Sussmann said that on September 19, not just September 18

    Sussmann meant his statement to be understood to mean that no client of his had an interest in the data, as opposed to that he was not seeking any benefit for a client from the FBI

    The lie made a difference in how the FBI operates.

    …….[T]he scope of the trial, as laid out in several rulings from Judge Cooper:

    Durham can only raise questions about the accuracy of the Alfa Bank anomaly if Sussmann does so first

    He generally can only discuss how the data was collected via witnesses; with one exception, Cooper has ruled the emails between Rodney Joffe and researchers to be inadmissible in a trial about whether Sussmann lied

    While Cooper found that 22 of 38 Fusion emails over which Democrats had claimed privilege were not privileged, he also ruled that because (prosecutor) Andrew DeFilippis got cute in delaying his request for such a review, Durham can’t use those emails or pierce any related claims of privilege at trial

    That leaves the unprivileged emails between Fusion and journalists, which Cooper has ruled admissible; he even considered changing his decision and letting a tweet from Hillary come in as evidence (though note that the emails Durham got pre-approved barely overlap with the emails Durham wants to use at trial, so there still could be problems admitting individual emails at trial)

    Cooper ruled the communications between Rodney Joffe, the person who shared the DNS anomaly with Michael Sussmann, and Laura Seago, his connection with Fusion, were privileged

    Cooper ruled that Sussmann can elicit testimony from witnesses, including Robby Mook and Marc Elias, about how Trump’s request that Russia hack Hillary some more made him not just a campaign opponent, but a threat to national security

    ………
    Durham wants to be able to get a guilty verdict if the jury decides that Sussmann was hiding Hillary but not hiding Joffe. What Durham will really need to prove won’t be finalized until sometime next week, meaning both sides will be arguing their cases without knowing whether Durham will have to prove that 1) the allegations pertained to Donald Trump personally 2) Sussmann had two clients 3) he lied to hide both of them, or whether he has to prove only that Sussmann lied to hide one or more client.
    ……….
    Normally, the scope of a witness’ testimony is set by the Direct examination of them. So, for example, if Durham puts Marc Elias on the stand to talk exclusively about his decision to hire Fusion GPS, then Sussmann could not ask him questions about other topics. But Sussmann incorporated Durham’s entire witness list, and Cooper ruled that he would rather not have to call people twice. So for at least the Democratic witnesses, Sussmann will have the ability to ask about things that Durham would really prefer not to appear before the jury even though Durham called that witness as a government witness. Because Durham doesn’t understand much of what really went on here, that may be a really useful thing for Sussmann to exploit.
    ………
    Jim Baker: Jim Baker is the single witness to Michael Sussmann’s alleged crime. Durham is going to have a challenge walking him through the version of this story Durham wants to tell, not least because the materiality parts of it — whether Baker thought it unusual to hear from Sussmann, whether he thought it mattered who Sussmann’s client was — are also recorded in Baker’s past sworn testimony. Given the late discovery of a text showing that Sussmann wrote Baker on September 18 telling him he wanted to benefit the FBI, and given the even later discovery of March 2017 notes recording that the FBI understood that Sussmann did have an (undisclosed) client, Sussmann doesn’t even have to trash Baker to call into question his memory: he can allow Baker to admit he can’t separate out what happened in which of at least five communications he had with Sussmann that week, the sum total of which show that Sussmann wasn’t hiding the existence of a client, did represent that he was trying to help the FBI, and did help the FBI. The cross-examination of Baker will, however, be an opportunity for Sussmann to implicate Durham’s investigative methods, both for building an entire case around Baker after concluding, years earlier, that he wasn’t credible, and then, for refreshing Baker’s memory only with the notes that said what Durham wanted Baker to say, and not what the FBI ultimately came to know.

    Bill Priestap and Tisha Anderson, Mary McCord and Tasha Gauhar: This trial is expected to feature two sets of witnesses — the first set called by Durham and the second called by Sussmann — who will be asked to reconstruct from their own notes what was said in a meeting attended by Baker. ……..I expect at least several of these witnesses will be asked materiality questions: If they didn’t ask who the client is, doesn’t that prove it didn’t matter? The notes of everyone involved, importantly, emphasized the import of Sussmann sharing an imminent newspaper article. Sussmann will also ask Priestap how and why he asked the NYT to hold the Alfa Bank story.

    Agents Heide, Sands, and Gaynor, plus Agent Martin: Durham plans to call three of the FBI Agents who investigated the anomaly — for a couple of hours each, in the case of Heide and Sands — to talk about how they did so. Let me suggest that not only is this overkill, it may backfire in spectacular fashion, because the March 2017 notes make it clear that these agents did not take very basic steps to chase this anomaly down and Heide, at least, is not a cyber agent (in the same period he was also investigating George Papadopoulos). ……..
    ………
    Robby Mook, Marc Elias, and Debbie Fine: Rather than talking about the anomaly, Durham wants to talk about the Hillary campaign. At least as of last week (before Cooper excluded some of this stuff on privilege and belated privilege challenges), Durham will definitely call Mook, may call Elias, but may rely instead on a Hillary lawyer named Debbie Fine, who was on daily calls with Fusion. Durham wants to claim……..
    ……..
    As suggested above, Elias is a witness Sussmann will call even if Durham does not. Among other things, Sussmann will have Elias explain what it was like to have Donald Trump openly asking Russia to hack Hillary some more.
    ………
    DOJ IG Michael Horowitz: On paper, Horowitz’s testimony will be limited to explaining how an anonymous tip from Joffe via Sussmann is supposed to work, which is that someone in a position to direct a tip to the right person does so and succeeds in addressing a national security concern. Joffe provided a tip to Horowitz in January 2017 that — we can assume given Horowitz’s testimony — proved to be valuable. This tip will also demonstrate that DNS research is not as limited as Agent Martin will claim it is. But given the way that Durham has failed to understand basic aspects of Horowitz’s investigation, including ones that disproved large swaths of Durham’s conspiracy theories, this testimony might be somewhat contentious.
    ############

    This will end up like Greg Craig trial: all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  369. 295. Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/16/2022 @ 12:01 pm

    I think that Putin is shocked to discover what damage his culture of corruption has wreaked on his armed forces. The generals seem to have sold everything they could, or pocketed the money that was supposed to go towards things like spare parts, maintenance and ammunition. They never expected they’d have to fight someone.

    There were apparently some Russian officers who preferred to shoot their wounded rather than delay their evacuation.

    https://nypost.com/2022/05/16/russian-commanders-allegedly-kill-their-own-wounded-soldiers

    In a harrowing account to Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Zolkin, the young intelligence soldiers described how one lieutenant colonel asked a wounded comrade if he could walk, the Mirror reported.

    When the badly injured soldier replied that he could not, the high-ranking officer reportedly shot him – as well as several others — dead.

    Another soldier told Zolkin, who has reported about Russian prisoners for Open Media Ukraine, that officers have “finished off their wounded.”

    When the journalist asked him to elaborate, the soldier answered: “Just like that … a wounded soldier is lying on the ground, and a battalion commander shoots him dead from a gun,” according to the outlet.

    “It was a young man, he was wounded,” he added. “He was on the ground. He was asked if he could walk, so he was shot dead with a gun.”

    Missing is details including maybe how they saw that and survived. Did they get captured or desert later?

    The allegations about Russian commanders killing their own soldiers follows a report that some demoralized troops have taken their own lives on the front line to avoid the conflict.

    They amasy be attempting only to wound themselves.

    I believe this story. Because of other things they’ve done and the fact that there are differences between different Russian units.

    This is, of course, not universal. Some Russian commanders would be self interested or corrupt enough to do this.

    Video: )in Russian/Ukrainian)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y62l_IYzKKg

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  370. Accounts used by several people, like an organization account, could, in a pinch connect them to real people or at least one person who would stand behind it, without losing anonymity.

    Real names allows stalking, bullying and harassment, and makes reports less likely.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  371. one person who would stand behind it, without losing anonymity.

    Then that one person deserves what he gets. It’s like sharing a bank account with strangers.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  372. 376. Of course they suspected Sussman was acting on behalf of a client – that’s why they asked him if he was. Maybe just for the record, but the record almost certainly mattered.

    The question about whether he was acting independently had a purpose.

    Whether they were just protecting themselves, or whether they believed him or whether they wanted to help Sussman in any case, is another matter. You don’t have to believe the FBI was naive to believe his answer to such a question affected the conduct of the investigation.

    Even people who wanted to help him jump start a Trump investigation had to take into account how some others at the FBI would treat this.

    If Sussman knew the allegation was unfounded, it goes to his motives and would almost rule out not acting on behalf of a client.

    And sometimes further detail would argue that there’s no way he could not have known the allegation was unfounded

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  373. 379. Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 5/17/2022 @ 2:42 pm

    It’s like sharing a bank account with strangers.

    Happens all the time. Of course not with strangers.

    Many businesses have bank accounts with more than one signer.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  374. When Musk made noises about buying Twitter, I said: I’ll believe it when I see it. It’s moved farther away.

    nk (d2a2d1)

  375. Nah – Musk just ran into some trouble with his partners. It can be expected to be taken care of.

    They’ll just have to get a better estimate of fake accounts and if necessary, adjust the price. Or Mush will find new partners.

    The Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Tala is staying invested so I guess it doesn’t matter to him.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  376. * bin Talal

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  377. So, Mastriano is leading in PA. I’m hoping that he narrowly loses after all those mail-in ballots come in.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  378. Many businesses have bank accounts with more than one signer.

    Many businesses have had money disappear that way.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  379. “They’ll just have to get a better estimate of fake accounts and if necessary, adjust the price. ”

    Twitter is under no obligation to adjust their price, regardless of the number of bot accounts. Musk waived due diligence, the contract has him buying twitter “as-is”.

    That said, Musk has always acted like rules don’t apply to him, so we’ll see if that remains true.

    Davethulhu (da3c71)

  380. Barletta got done dirty…unlike IL’s GOP candidate and Mayor of Aurora Richard Irvin, Barletta took aim at a “target-rich environment”.

    urbanleftbehind (2b999d)

  381. I still maintain that Trump’s endorsements are just picking the winner, not making the winner, with the condition that it’s somebody who likes Trump.

    nk (d2a2d1)

  382. @389. ‘I still maintain that Trump’s endorsements are just picking the winner, not making the winner….’

    ‘But… She can’t sink. She’s unsinkable.’ – Captain E.J. Smith [Laurence Naismith] ‘A Night To Remember’ 1958

    DCSCA (fc60a7)

  383. @372. So what?

    So the unknown, nuke-tipped Frogs were read to launch the moment any invasion was mounted. So the U.S. military advice was wrong. So the civilian advice was right. So have a nice day.

    DCSCA (fc60a7)

  384. This is good news for the republic. Madison Cawthorn is out.

    Paul Montagu (5de684)

  385. Oz leads in PA by less than 1,000 votes over MCCormick as of 12:30 AM EDT. Recount triggered for sure.

    DCSCA (f4c5e5)

  386. voting – as if it matters
    lmao at the sheep whop believe

    mg (8cbc69)

  387. nk:

    Let’s see how the Georigia primaries work out. If Kemp beats Perdue soundly and escapes a runoff, it means Trump’s power to create a win for one of his guys has limitations. But given that Hershel Walker, who has no business running for Senator from Georgia, is going to be the GOP Senate nominee, because of Trump, Trump’s endorsement power can’t be just ignored either. If Raffensparger (Trump’s Secretry of State nemesis in Georgia) survives to the primary runoff (hardly a sure thing), the runoff will be decent thesis on how much real power the Donald has.

    In case you are wondering why I say Walker has no business running — he has had struggles with multiple personality disorder, has been accused of domestic violence, and has lived outside of Georgia since the end of his days as a UGA star runningback. Trump picked him because he’s a buddy of his and figures that since he is black, he makes a good candidate against Raphael Warnock. Walker obliged Donald by moving back here from Dallas, so he could run.

    Appalled (e05fe6)

  388. https://www.gothamgazette.com/state/11300-races-watch-new-york-june-2022-primary-elections

    Other Uncontested Statewide Primary Races

    U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic majority leader, is running uncontested in the primary as he seeks another term. Republican Joseph Pinion, a former cable news anchor, awaits Schumer in the general election.

    State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a Democrat who has been in his current office since 2007, is also running for reelection and has no primary opponents. In the Republican primary for comptroller, Paul Rodriguez, a Wall Street veteran, is running uncontested.

    State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, briefly launched a gubernatorial campaign but abandoned it to run for reelection. She has no challengers in the primary. In the Republican Attorney General primary, Michael Henry, a New York City-based attorney, is running uncontested.

    The only contested statewide races are for Governor, and for Lt. Giovernor for the Democrats.

    The apportionment for the Congressional distrcts has been upended. They violated the state constitution two ways: procedureally, and by taking partisan effects into consideration. The Assembly districts are equally illegal, but the Republicans didn’t sue because they reached an agreement with the Democrats (presumably protecting incumbents) and there is no hope of getting rid of the supermajority or they are not trying since for 50 to 60 years the Assembly was always overwhelmingly Democratic and the smaller State Senate Republican (thanks to the miracle of gerrymandering and careful attention to individual races) But that all fell apart in the 2018 election and the result was the crime wave we are experiencing. There had been, at the end, a coalition of (liberal) Democrats and Republicans in the State Senate but the progressives pressed to get rid of it/

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  389. Many businesses have bank accounts with more than one signer.

    Kevin M @386.

    Many businesses have had money disappear that way.

    Usually the embezzler is the one person most in charge of the accounts – and never take a vacation/

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  390. Trump can elevate a candidate from unimportance or from the background but he can’t actually create a win, especially in a state that is somewhat anti-MAGA and opposed to the stolen election clsims Georgia is.

    Everybody knows the whole story with the false vote stealing claims. So Kemp wins.

    Sammy Finkelman (b434ee)

  391. Usually the embezzler is the one person most in charge of the accounts – and never take a vacation

    One case I know of, the company required two signatures. The president was going on vacation, so he presigned a bunch of checks. This coincided with the treasurer’s introduction to crack cocaine.

    Oops.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  392. voting – as if it matters

    mg (8cbc69) — 5/18/2022 @ 2:23 am

    If voting doesn’t matter, why do you incessantly blame those who voted for one candidate, and never those who voted for his opponent, for everything you think is wrong?

    lurker (cd7cd4)


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