Monday Open Thread

What's on your mind?

Comments

[Mr. Bumble]

Happy Columbus Day.
Through a quirk of the calendar the holiday returned to regular order this year, with Sunday being the traditional date (Oct.12) and Monday being the holiday.
Why are banks, the Post Office and bond markets closed but not the stock exchanges?

[Drewski]

Federal reserve banks close by law; other banks don't. The stock exchanges are privately run and choose to remain open. As to why federal government outlets close for federal holidays, your guess is as good as mine.

No, I take that back. Your guess would be incredibly stupid, like "deep state conspiracy" or "Jews, man."

[Mr. Bumble]

Thank you, as always, for your thought full comment. You are a real asset (emphasis on ass) to the VC.

[BrotherMovesOn]

Lookie here everyone! Mr. Bumble, the simpleton game show host, appears first in the comments! To set the tone for the day. What's that, like 10 open thread days in a row now?
Get a life halfwit.

[Mr. Bumble]

Thank you Fuckwit. (H/T SGR2)

[SRG2]

Thank you! 🙂

[Mr. Bumble]

Sorry I got the screen name wrong. Dyslexia will do that.

[SRG2]

NP!

[Frank Drackman]

Umm, no, I was first for one of them

[Life of Brian]

Shades of Twain's "what you know for sure that ain't so." I can't post this many links, but feel free to check my work:

Sunday, 10/12: Bumble
Friday, 10/10: Lathrop
Wednesday, 10/8: Bumble
Monday, 10/6: grb
Sunday, 10/5: Drackman
Friday, 10/3: Bumble
Wednesday, Oct. 1: C_XY
Monday, Sept. 29: AmosArch
Sunday, Sept. 28: NG

Move on, brother.

[Mr. Bumble]

Thanks for the leg work.
Like I said above he's a fuckwit.

[Sarcastr0]

LoB takes something literally when he shouldn't. But in his strawmanning he shows who the most common first poster is, proving the OP correct to everyone who understands rhetorical devices.

[Life of Brian]

Yes, hun, we know quite well you're all about bald-faced... erm, "rhetorical devices".

[Sarcastr0]

You calling the Telegraph a liar is not relevant to this discussion.

Though your shitty deflection is noted.

[Life of Brian]

Speaking of deflection, what I called the Telegraph article was an "already breathless media piece."

You supplied the "egregious misconstrual" by salting in a layer of supposed facts not stated or even suggested in the article.

It's all in the linked post. Thanks for finally acknowledging it, even if just by name calling and table pounding.

[Sarcastr0]

Keeping on with the shitty deflection just underscores your desire to change the subject.

[Life of Brian]

Oh, this whole pouncing exercise of yours is a deflection, bud. Not even BMO is going to try to try to salvage "last 10" ackshully being "last 2." You're just scrambling for some excuse to get huffy at me after slinking away yesterday.

[Bob from Ohio]

"calling the Telegraph a liar"

He's not. Think hard who he is calling a liar.

[Malika la Maize]

Columbus Day was an early example of DEI

The first national Columbus Day was proclaimed in 1892 by Republican President Benjamin Harrison to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Italian-born explorer Christopher Columbus’s supposed discovery of America.

But for Harrison, it served another purpose: to help resolve a diplomatic crisis with Italy — and gain support among Italian American voters — after rioters in New Orleans lynched 11 Italian immigrants the year before.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/10/10/columbus-day-benjamin-harrison-mob-italians/

[Dr. Ed 2]

It was more than just that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacco_and_Vanzetti

[Riva]

It most certainly was and is not. DEI is, at its core, a cancerous marxist corruption. By the same idiotic, superficial logic, the troll would celebrate the American colonists, after all they were originally a minority in this country numerically and ethically. In fact, the DEI enforcers, fanatics and grifters (mostly grifters) don't particularly care too much for statues of Christopher Columbus.

[Malika la Maize]

Bot doesn’t get it was aimed at placating tensions with an aggrieved specific ethnic group. DEI all the way. Logic circuits broke.

[Mr. Bumble]

"The first Columbus Day celebration took place on October 12, 1792, when the Columbian Order of New York, better known as the Tammany Society (the precursor to Tammany Hall), held an event to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the historic landing.[6] The Columbus Obelisk in Baltimore was erected in 1792."
Wiki

[Malika la Maize]

It’s almost like my first post in this discussion started with “The first national Columbus Day…”

Just like the totally woke Juneteenth there were lots of localized celebrations of Columbus Day, Biden’s national recognition was decried as woke by the Bumbles of the world, but the national recognition of Columbus Day gets a pass.

[Dr. Ed 2]

SLAVERY DID NOT END ON JUNE 19, 1865 -- NO ONE WAS FREED THAT DAY UNLESS YOU CONSIDER DEBT PEONAGE TO BE FREEDOM.

[Zarniwoop]

You are technically correct that slavery “did not end on June 19,1865” in that that’s not the date the 13th Amd took effect.

Next up: Grampa Ed froths at the mouth because Jesus wasn’t actually born on Dec. 25. of year 0.

[David Nieporent]

And we weren't independent on July 4, 1776.

[Riva]

Uh yeah, actually we were. And King George seemed to get it, notwithstanding that crazy Dave apparently would have been oblivious. It would have made an amusing, although redundant comedy title. The Madness of Crazy King Dave. Subtitle: Could the British Have Expected Better From this Stupid Asshole?

[David Nieporent]

Not surprising that MAGA doesn't understand the difference between saying something and that thing being true.

[Riva]

Complementing your ignorance of the Constitution, you apparently don’t know shit about the Declaration of Independence, or history, or politics, or cinema.

But you’ve got the ignorant asshole thing down pat. Go with what you know I guess.

[Malika la Maize]

The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.” —General Orders, Number 3; Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865

[Riva]

At least the parrot troll understands that DEI at its core is a marxist cancer. But his understanding of history could use some work. As noted before, I know the parrot troll is a bastard, but does he have to be such a stupid bastard?

[David Nieporent]

Whereas the bot isn't programmed to know what Marxism is.

[Riva]

Are you actually a different parrot troll or do you have multiple aliases? Hard to differentiate the assholes here sometimes.

And you might want to advise your boyfriend not to rant about placating tensions between aggrieved ethnic groups if he wants to pretend cultural marxist bullshit isn’t the foundation of DEI.

[David Nieporent]

"Cultural marxism" is a Nazi slogan. It is incoherent gibberish.

The bot isn't programmed by people who know anything about history, literature, sociology, politics, economics, etc.; these people just use Marxist (or synonyms) as an all-purpose insult, without any relationship to anything Marx actually wrote.

[Mr. Bumble]

You're starting to sound more and more like Qualika and Il Douche with your "bot" characterizations.

[Riva]

Strong in the projection the asshole is.

[Riva]

Tensions between aggrieved ethnic groups? Someone has fed the little troll some cultural marxism. So there were no tensions between the Indians and colonists?

[David Nieporent]

The "logic" of the programmed bot response is, "This thing can't be DEI, because DEI is bad and I like this thing."

[Riva]

Are you the parrot troll's mentor coming to the rescue, asshole?

[Moderation4ever]

Very true. Columbus Day was meant as a tribute to Italian immigrants who like the Germans and Irish were unwelcome by some Americans.

[Dr. Ed 2]

18th Century German immigrants were actually quite welcome -- it was in the 20th Century that they weren't.

We almost made our national language German.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

No we didn't.

[Malika la Maize]

Anti-German immigration goes way back:
Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of us Anglifying them, and will never adopt our Language and Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion?— Benjamin Franklin

[Kazinski]

Fantastic baseball game tonight Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1.

Cal Raleigh hit his 62 home run which I would rank 4th among non steroid seasons historically, as of now.

Ruth hit 60 in 1927 in 154 regular season games with no playoffs and a world series.

Maris hit 62 in a 162 game regular season and a world series.

Judge hit 64 in a 162 game regular season with wild card, diivisional, League. and world series games.

And now Raleigh is at 162 after the regular season and 1 AL Championship game.

[Mr. Bumble]

[Kazinski]

I should be clear that I am ranking HR seasons, its likely the best baseball seasons ever were from a SS, CF or C that we never heard of that prevented more runs than any of those players above produced, but we never heard of.

[bernard11]

its likely the best baseball seasons ever were from a SS, CF or C that we never heard of that prevented more runs than any of those players above produced, but we never heard of.

No. It's wildly unlikely. For example, a great shortstop might save 20 runs a season.

As Bill James pointed out years ago, when you talk about saving runs you have to define a baseline. Even a poor shortstop saves a lot of runs in comparison to having no one at the position at all. The measure used at the linked site uses the average shortstop as the baseline.

[Kazinski]

Yeah, all of the Baseball Reference top 10 were pitchers, Babe Ruth as a hitter was 15th on the list:
Name Age WAR Year, PA, IP, hand
1. Tim Keefe+ (26) 20.2 1883 273 619.0 R
2. Old Hoss Radbourn+ (29) 19.4 1884 387 678.2 R
3. Pud Galvin+ (27) 18.4 1884 276 636.1 R
4. Jim Devlin (27) 18.3 1876 299 622.0 R
5. Guy Hecker (28) 17.8 1884 328 670.2 R
6. Walter Johnson+ (25) 16.6 1913 144 346.0 R
7. Charlie Buffinton (23) 16.3 1884 368 587.0 R
8. John Clarkson+ (27) 16.2 1889 273 620.0 R
9. Silver King (20) 16.0 1888 248 584.2 R
10. Walter Johnson+ (24) 15.4 1912 158 369.0 R
11. John Clarkson+ (25) 15.0 1887 226 523.0 R
12. Jim McCormick (27) 14.8 1884 301 569.0 R
13. Tommy Bond (23) 14.3 1879 263 555.1 R
Old Hoss Radbourn+ (28) 14.3 1883 395 632.1 R
15. Babe Ruth+ (28) 14.1 1923 699

[David Nieporent]

Cal Raleigh hit his 62 home run which I would rank 4th among non steroid seasons historically, as of now.

This isn't college sports. We don't add regular season and postseason stats together.

[JoeFromtheBronx]

The game was six innings too short.

[Mr. Bumble]

Neglected above to wish any Canuks a Happy Thanksgiving.

[Kazinski]

Neil Young is trying again and is urging his fans to boycott Amazon because,well I don't know, but I am sure its really good reasons.

I like Neil but most of his stuff is wildly over played. One of my favorite songs is Albuquerque, the lyrics have enormous intellectual depth:

Well, they say that Santa Fe
Is less than ninety miles away
And I got time to roll a number and rent a car
Oh, Albuquerque
I've been flyin' down the road
And I've been starvin' to be alone
And independent from the scene that I've known
Albuquerque
So I'll stop when I can
Find some fried eggs and country ham
I'll find somewhere
Where they don't care who I am
Oh, Albuquerque
Albuquerque

And honestly a fantastic song. Perhaps I like Cortez the Killer better because its got a better guitar solo and I Identify better with Cortez than Albuquerque, but Albuquerque does set a better mood.

But honestly, I really don't care what Nirl Young thinks about it, and while I have met him personally, I can guarantee he doesn't remember me, but there are lots of people I likeI couldn't care less about their thoughts about politics.

[Mr. Bumble]

You'd think someone who is shagging Daryl Hannah would have a better disposition.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Daryl Hannah is what -- 65 years old now?

Notwithstanding that, the "6"s and "7"s are usually better in bed -- they try harder....

[BrotherMovesOn]

I mean ... (?)

[BrotherMovesOn]

Dr. Ed likes beautiful women, many on them on the younger side.
Shiver.

[Dr. Ed 2]

A woman in her late 20s is every bit an adult.

And while what Epstein did was Mala en Se, none of those teenagers were blushing virgins. Most of them were probably more sexually experienced than many women in their 40s...

Besides, Mohammad did a 9 year old....

[David Nieporent]

Dr. Ed's back to "All women are whores" mode.

[BrotherMovesOn]

This is a great comment Kazinski. Albuquerque is a sublime song. Fantastic to see it mentioned here!
The entire Tonight's the Night album is ... well I'm at a loss for superlatives but it's really good.

[Brett Bellmore]

Sadly, the only Albuquerque I'm familiar with is the Weird Al song of that name. I'll have to check out Neil Young's cover to see if it's as good as you say.

[Zarniwoop]

Heh, my reaction exactly 🙂

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JE37e1eK2mY

[Frank Drackman]

Southern man don't need him around anyhow

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

Weird, I was just listening to 'Tonight's the Night' yesterday. It is a fantastic album. A bit of a patchwork, but he was in bad shape at the time.

My favorite track from that era is still the autobiographical "Don't Be Denied." The only released version I know of is the live one on 'Time Fades Away.' I'm not sure he ever recorded a studio version.

[BrotherMovesOn]

Correct AWD. Unfortunately there has never been a released studio version of that great tune, only live.

[Bob from Ohio]

"most of his stuff is wildly over played"

What do you listen to? I listen to multiple pop/rock formats and do not recall ever hearing one of his solo songs, let alone being over played. Not even on the we play anything station.

[John F. Carr]

From Dave Barry's 2022 year in review: "Neil Young demands that his music be removed from Spotify. This is a sentence we never envisioned writing in connection with vaccines, but here we are."

[Commenter_XY]

Foreign policy note...POTUS Trump addresses the Knesset; last living Israeli hostages released by hamas (day 738). I would only note today is Hoshana Raba, and we have seen a miracle occur right at the end of the High Holidays. Today, voices of anguish and sorrow are transformed to voices of rejoicing and gladness. It is entirely coincidental timing, I am sure.

The remaining dead hostages have yet to be returned to Israel, as agreed to, in phase 1. Time is of the essence.

POTUS Trump says the war is over. My response: a war is over only when both sides say it is. I haven't heard either side saying that.

[Dr. Ed 2]

I don't see Hamas being disarmed -- and I think that the Saudis have bought themselves a Vietnam.

[hobie]

Let's hope that Trump lets Israel have it's moment, and doesn't do something stupid like fly over to Israel and crow about himself, or blame everything on Biden including the peace deal.

[Bob from Ohio]

"last living Israeli hostages released"

Am Israel Chai!

The war with the Arabs will never be over until they give up their desire to kill Jews. But Israel will just keep winning.

[David Nieporent]

POTUS Trump says the war is over. My response: a war is over only when both sides say it is. I haven't heard either side saying that.

Uh oh. C_XY denying Trump his entitlement to his noble piece prize.

[hobie]

Trump still has a shot next year for pacifying America's cities

[Moderation4ever]

I am wondering about that prize? If a cease fire and hostage release is the criteria for awarding the prize then should it not be a Biden Trump prize as both had ceasefires and hostage releases?

[Krayt]

He goofed by waiting until this weekend. Nobody would give the award until it stuck and the hostages were released. Loud declarations it was all done on Friday were just words until the results proven.

[Commenter_XY]

Am I wrong, David?

[Kazinski]

About 10 days ago IPP/Tipp asked this question after Trump first proposed the deal:

"Knowing the outline of the deal as first presented, I&I/TIPP asked voters: “Do you support or oppose the Trump peace plan for Gaza, which calls for an immediate ceasefire, hostage exchanges, and rebuilding Gaza under international supervision?”

It only had 59/18% approval, 23% 'don't know', Democrats surprisingly were for it despite it being Trump's plan 46 for and 30% against.

https://issuesinsights.com/2025/10/13/trumps-israel-hamas-peace-plan-gets-a-big-thumbs-up-from-u-s-voters-ii-tipp-poll/

[Malika la Maize]

The Defense Department has in recent weeks come under fire from reporters, press freedom advocates and Washington lawmakers over a new policy that asks journalists to affirm that they will not gather any information the department does not explicitly authorize them to access. If they don’t sign the pledge, they will lose their press credentials to cover the Pentagon, a sanction critics have called an affront to the First Amendment’s free press protections.

After pushback from the Pentagon Press Association, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the news organizations whose reporters could be forced out of the building in the coming days, the Pentagon has not conceded to its critics. Rather, it has in some respects tightened its restrictions.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/10/08/pentagon-press-rules/

[Brett Bellmore]

This seems like nothing more than a return to normal practice.

[Commenter_XY]

Sort of like putting teflon tape around the ends of pipes to stop leaks.

[Brett Bellmore]

I don't know that it would stop leaks outright, but it at least does create the predicate for prosecuting them.

[Dr. Ed 2]

In other words, if you don't promise not to spy on us, we won't give you super-special access to our military headquarters.

Note, not we will execute you, or even incarcerate you -- or even we won't let you in anymore -- just we won't give you a Constitutionally questionable level of special access anymore.

Oh, the horrors.....

[Malika la Maize]

There’s a lot of room between “spying on” and “not gather any information the department does not explicitly authorize.” Defense may need some restrictions other agencies don’t, but it shouldn’t become a no-sunlight zone in a democracy.

[Brett Bellmore]

There is such room, the problem is that "spying on" is absolutely a subset of "gathering information the department does not explicitly authorize", and where the reporter and the military disagree about where a story falls, the military don't particularly trust the reporters to accept that they've been overruled.

The WaPo article is paywalled, so I can't see much of it, but their subtitle says, "The Pentagon Press Association said the government's policy still appears "designed to stifle a free press and potentially expose us to prosecution."

Well, how can they expect to NOT be exposed to prosecution, when they're given access to classified and secret information? EVERYONE with such access is 'exposed to prosecution' if they misuse it!

A CBS News report that's not paywalled gave some details.

"In September, the Defense Department sent reporters a memo saying that they'd be required to sign a document acknowledging they would not disclose either classified or controlled unclassified information that is not formally authorized for publication. It warned Pentagon reporters they could lose their press credentials for "unauthorized access, attempted unauthorized access, or unauthorized disclosure" of classified information or anything designated as "controlled unclassified information.""

I'm not seeing what's wrong with that.

"The memo also said, "DoW information must be approved before public release … even if it is unclassified.""

This is, as I said above, just a reversion to prior practice. The media have NORMALLY been subject to that rule!

[Dr. Ed 2]

It's not jusy academic: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/congressman-andrew-may-caused-the-death-of-800-submarine-crewmen-during-wwii.html

[David Nieporent]

Nothing that reporters are doing constitutes "spying on" the Pentagon.

I'm not seeing what's wrong with that.

That's because you're a Trump bootlicker who only masquerades as a former libertarian.

This is, as I said above, just a reversion to prior practice. The media have NORMALLY been subject to that rule!

The media are not subject to any such rule, and it is not "prior practice" to ban reporters if they legally report unclassified information because they weren't officially authorized to report it.

[Brett Bellmore]

"Nothing that reporters are doing constitutes "spying on" the Pentagon."

You have limited omniscience, or something? It grants you absolute knowledge of everything reporters do?

"That's because you're a Trump bootlicker who only masquerades as a former libertarian."

It would come as a great surprise to the Michigan LP that I'm only masquerading as a former libertarian. They're under the impression that they ran me as a candidate for state rep back in '88. (Whole campaign I'd wake up from sweat soaked nightmares where I'd somehow won.)

"The media are not subject to any such rule, and it is not "prior practice" to ban reporters if they legally report unclassified information because they weren't officially authorized to report it."

Spring 2003 ground rules

[David Nieporent]

Your link is as broken as your logic.

[David Nieporent]

I just realized what Brett did here. "Spring 2003" ought to ring a bell: it's Operation Iraqi Freedom. Brett is confusing the rules for embedded reporters on a battlefield with domestic reporters on the Pentagon beat.

[David Nieporent]

"Nothing that reporters are doing constitutes "spying on" the Pentagon."

You have limited omniscience, or something? It grants you absolute knowledge of everything reporters do?

I know that if reporters were "spying on" the Pentagon, they'd be in handcuffs, not merely told they could no longer get press credentials.

[bernard11]

What is "controlled unclassified information," anyway?

The rule seems designed to keep the press from reporting anything that might reflect badly on the Pentagon or the armed forces. A terrible rule.

"General so-and-so was drunk on duty all day."

"Nope, we're not authorizing you to print that."

[Brett Bellmore]

I do not feel any particular need to claim these rules are not subject to abuse, obviously they are. Even reasonable rules are capable of being abused, after all.

[David Nieporent]

So far, CNN, Reuters, The AP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR, and even NewsMax say they won't agree to the Pentagon's censorship.

[David Nieporent]

Add the Washington Times.

[Swede425]

Those poor reporters!
I hope they'll be ok!

[Malika la Maize]

Yeah, I’m sure Ngo will be fine, his whining notwithstanding, but we’re talking about more professional outlets reporting in the Defense Department in this thread Swedish Meatball.

[Bob from Ohio]

"professional "

Journalism is not a profession. They can type from press releases and makeup "sources" from outside the Pentagon.

[Malika la Maize]

Well, nothing is a profession for Bob. But to other people that exists and journalists can be within the group.

[Bob from Ohio]

Who licenses journalists? Who disciplines them? Do you need advance training or any post graduate education at all to be a journalist?

Not every job is a profession. Most jobs are not professions.

[Magister]

There are plenty of professional organizations for journalists. Government regulation of journalists would trample the First Amendment, but such organizations have codes of ethics and may offer certifications for certain areas of journalism. Denying press passes would seem to be a form of regulatory discipline.

[Bob from Ohio]

Its a job that anyone can do. You do not need any special training or knowledge other than literacy, but in thevideo age probably not even that.

Medicine is a profession, for instance. Writing for a newspaper or being a TV talker is not.

[Magister]

You have a very narrow view of professions (although the original context was "professional organizations"). Being a professional athlete requires only enough athletic talent that someone will pay you to do it; no special training or knowledge needed, not even literacy.

[ThePublius]

"no special training or knowledge needed"

Poppycock.

[Swede425]

Oh, no!
Not the Professionals!
Heaven Forfend!

[Malika la Maize]

Yes, I think professionalism is a good thing, and yes I’m not surprised a former latrine digger doesn’t get it.

[Swede425]

LOL!
What makes them "professional"?
Well, they got hired...so...

[Malika la Maize]

IN A LATE NIGHT POST, TRUMP DOES NOT REMEMBER WHO WAS PRESIDENT ON JAN 6, 2021 (HE WAS), WEIRDLY SHOUTS “DO SOMETHING” (LIKELY AT CLOUDS). HIS MENTAL ISSUES ARE VERY BAD!

https://x.com/GovPressOffice/status/1977253387927478642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

[Brett Bellmore]

That is kind of silly. While it was only nominally the Trump FBI, being lousy with 'resistors', it certainly was not yet the Biden FBI.

By the way, would it have killed your Benny to link to the post, rather than just posting a screen shot?

[Malika la Maize]

“being lousy with 'resistors'”

Citation needed.

[Brett Bellmore]

So, I'm assuming you just weren't following the news coverage? You're maybe assuming Peter Strzok and Lisa Page were alone?

[Malika la Maize]

I knew you’d go there, there’s no reason to assume otherwise without proof and two in an organization of hundreds (thousands?) is hardly “lousy.”

[Brett Bellmore]

How many would we need to achieve the "lousy with" threshold?

We know that the FBI during Trump's first term was conducting more than one operation aiming at kneecapping him. That wasn't possible if only a few isolated people were opposed to him.

[Malika la Maize]

In an organization of hundreds/thousands? Yeah, a lot more than two.

[David Nieporent]

We know that the FBI during Trump's first term was conducting more than one operation aiming at kneecapping him. That wasn't possible if only a few isolated people were opposed to him.

We do not know anything of the kind. You might know that, but that's because you know so many false things that are conspiracy theories.

[jay.tee]

More weapons-grade denialism from David Nieporent.

1. Crossfire Hurricane including four FISA warrants obtained via knowingly false information and deliberate omission of exculpatory evidence. Comey signed three of those applications. All involved parties - FBI, Judge Boasberg, Downer, etc. - acknowledge the warrants were improperly granted.

2. FBI political investigative unit CR-15 actively trolled for information to predicate a case against Trump (Ready! Fire! Aim!). From a letter written by Timothy Thibault:

Somehow a FBI HQ DAD at CD side received information CR-15 was leaning toward open a case on the Trump campaign… What we are doing: Aggressively seeking out open-source information, HUMINT info that could predicate a case.

3. In May 2017, one week after Comey was canned, the FBI opened an investigation that claimed to learn if “President Trump is or was directed by, controlled by … the Russian Federation” without predication. It was likely vengeance for Comey’s firing.
http://preview.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/01/06/as_trump_assumes_second_term_fbi_still_hiding_details_of_russiagate_document_shows_1082631.html

4. The Mueller investigation, instigated by Comey and his illegally retained and subsequently leaked memos.

I’m sure I’ve missed at least one, but plenty enough to puncture David’s customary denialism.

[David Nieporent]

without predication.

Yes, without predication, other than the fact that there was already a ton of circumstantial evidence and then Trump openly said that he fired Comey to stop the investigation. Helen Keller could've seen the need to investigate further at that point.

[jay.tee]

Except, of course, the illegitimacy of the FISA warrants and their “supporting evidence” also undermines any justification for Comey’s crusade. In other words, Comey’s off the books “investigation,” along with the rest of his activities regarding Trump, were all illegitimate as well.

So absolutely no predication there either aside from what they invented.

[David Nieporent]

I don't know what the words "off the books" mean to you, but they don't have any applicability here. And of course you ignore Horowitz's conclusion that the FBI investigation was proper.

[jay.tee]

“Off the books” is very much applicable here. It describes how Comey was conducting his own renegade “investigation” into Trump, evidenced by his memos and lack of compliance with standard FBI investigative practices.

And Horowitz said no such thing. His report eviscerated the legitimacy of the FBI’s conduct. Also, Horowitz did not have access to all the information we have now and he could not compel testimony from anyone not contemporaneously employed by the government.

[Krayt]

Yet not a one cracked later and fessed up, in exchange for immunity.

Agian, blowing wide open this conspiracy would be one hell of a feather in one's FBI cap.

One of the many arguments against a moon landing conspiracy is thousands would have to have been be involved, and not one later cracked or had a deathbed confession.

[David Nieporent]

So, I'm assuming you just weren't following the news coverage? You're maybe assuming Peter Strzok and Lisa Page were alone?

You're maybe confusing 2016 with 2021?

[David Nieporent]

"Your Benny"???? MAGA Benny Johnson is owned by Putin (https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/13/media/right-wing-media-influencers-tenet-russian-money), not by Malika.

[Voize of Reazon]

The resistors were resisting, the inductors were inducing, and I don't want to think about what all the transistors were doing.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Trump has ADHD. And???

[Malika la Maize]

This kind of consistent forgetting of things isn’t just ADHD.

[hobie]

He sounds more megalomaniacal than ADHD to me.

[David Nieporent]

This kind of consistent forgetting of things isn’t just ADHD.

While I do think Trump is senile and has been for many years, there seems to be a deliberate attempt by MAGA to pretend that Biden was president in 2020. Not clear in any given case, including this one, whether Trump was fooled himself or is engaged in the same dishonest behavior.

After all, the rest of his post — claiming that there were FBI agents in the crowd — is also a lie.

[hobie]

HaHa! What a broken record. He even blames Biden for his own coup. Gawd, now we have to hear the hayseeds here parrot this for ages: that Biden stormed the Capitol and somehow ordered the FBI to stage the coup. And we know now it is pointless to state facts.

[Frank Drackman]

Ironically, Queenie doesn't realize that typing in all caps is the Universal Internet-ese sign for shouting.

[Malika la Maize]

Not ironically, Francis stupidly didn’t look at the link to see it was quoting Newsom’s ironic troll of Trump’s style. What do you expect from a half-literate moron?

[Life of Brian]

Plagiarist lashes out when taken at face value. That's a new one.

[David Nieporent]

Um, it's not plagiarism to quote someone and cite the one you're quoting.

[Life of Brian]

Um, indeed it is if you don't indicate a quotation by... wait for it... quotation marks.

[Malika la Maize]

I used to post quotation marks around large block quotes from articles, but it’s rather tedious (especially with block quotes that themselves end in quotes) and pointless, so for months I’ve just been posting the blocks from the article with the link below so anyone can see the language is directly from the article. This isn’t an academic paper, it’s a blog and as long as the source is right there and accessible it’s a weird thing to get one’s panties in a bunch about.

I mean, let’s say someone made the following post:

The simplicity of your character makes you exquisitely incomprehensible to me.—Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

Is that plagiarism? I mean, there are no quotation marks…

[Life of Brian]

It's a nice try, but even under a more relaxed standard an explicit quote to a book conveys a different message than a web link.

If I say, just strictly for example:

Malika is full of shit.

https://honor.virginia.edu/understanding-fraud

The reader would correctly attribute those words to me.

But zooming out, this wasn't me out of the blue getting pissy at you for cutting and pasting large swaths of articles without signaling you're doing that. This was about you getting pissy at Drackman for not reading your mind that you had done so.

[Malika la Maize]

That underlined part at the bottom of my comment is a link to the source. Click it and it will take you there, neat, huh?

[Dr. Ed 2]

Is higher education even worth saving?

The radical hippies became the tenured radicals who got Clinton elected in '92. They are all now well into their 70s and retired.

They at least knew their subject matter -- they hired the "Politically Correct" generation that didn't, but was even further to the left than the Tenured Radicals were. And this generation -- who were undergrads post Vietnam/Watergate is now starting to retire.

The current DEI generation is even more radical and so rabid that I think they have destroyed the academy and the best thing to do is let it sink into the cesspool it has created -- and start over with new people.

[Malika la Maize]

This was stale when Limbaugh was preaching it. Anyone who actually has been on college campuses today, as opposed to learning about them via NewsMax, knows STEM and relentless grant/gift pursuit is in charge.

[hobie]

Doesn't Ed's gripe sound like one from a teacher that never got tenure?

[Dr. Ed 2]

But now there is a critical mass of such persons....

Shut off the money and let it all implode...

[hobie]

Ed didn't get tenure so he throws his toys out of the pram.

[Frank Drackman]

Went to an Auburn Baseball game this year, wasn't anything like when I went in the 1980's, nobody looked hungover, people watched the game, not their phones, of course there were maybe only 2-3 actual current students in the crowd.

[Malika la Maize]

Pushing your shopping cart with your belongings in it by the game doesn’t count as going to it.

[hobie]

Big whoop. Tenured hippies replaced tenured old-school antisemites. Now tenured MAGA antisemites will replace tenured hippies. It all sounds circle-of-lifish to me.

[Frank Drackman]

Now the Tenured Hippies ARE the Antisemites. Strange world when it's the Southern Senators (and Fetterman) who support Israel.

[Malika la Maize]

Not strange as long as they’re killing brown people, quite on brand for most.

[hobie]

Bashing neegroes and foreigners is all fun and games until you bring Tel Aviv into the mix. Then Frankie's foreskin bristles with indignation.

[Dr. Ed 2]

He is right -- true antisemitism is on the left.

[hobie]

That's right, Ed. That's how racism works. You bash New Zealand, then you hate the Maori. Them sonsabitches.

[Malika la Maize]

The Trump administration said that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and risking higher food prices for Americans by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply.

The Labor Department warned in an obscure document filed with the Federal Register last week that “the near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens” is threatening “the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S. consumers.”

Also, contradicting comments made by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that the U.S. farm workforce will become “100 percent American” as a result of mass deportations, the Labor Department noted that Americans are not willing to step into farm work and lack the skills to fill agricultural jobs that undocumented immigrants are abandoning.

“The Department concludes that qualified and eligible U.S. workers will not make themselves available in sufficient numbers,” the agency said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/10/11/immigration-crackdown-food-prices/

[apedad]

Oooof...

The Federal Registry entry is so government-speak, it hurts to read.

"The Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is issuing this interim final rule (IFR) to amend its regulations governing the certification of agricultural labor or services to be performed by temporary foreign workers in H-2A nonimmigrant status (H-2A workers). Specifically, the Department is revising the methodology for determining the hourly Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for non-range occupations by using wage data reported for each U.S. state and territory by the Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. For the vast majority of H-2A job opportunities, the Department will use OEWS survey data to establish AEWRs applicable to five Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes combining the most common field and livestock worker occupations previously measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Labor Survey (FLS), which covered six SOC codes. These AEWRs will be divided into two skill-based categories to account for wage differentials arising from qualifications contained in the employer's job offer. For all other occupations, the Department will use the OEWS survey to determine two skill-based AEWRs for each SOC code to reflect wage differentials."

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/02/2025-19365/adverse-effect-wage-rate-methodology-for-the-temporary-employment-of-h-2a-nonimmigrants-in-non-range#p-240

[hobie]

The Trump grocery economy is indeed starting to bite. Meat is now out of reach for a lot of my neighbors. The gutting of SNAP and aid to food banks has also really hurt. One single mother family down the street from me only feeds the children ramen noodles and hot sauce...every...single...day

[Dr. Ed 2]

She got pregnant by sitting on the toilet?

[Frank Drackman]

I don't think it works that way Ed, come by sometime and I'll draw you a Diaphragm.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Marriage first, babies second -- no poverty.

[ThePublius]

Are you kidding? You can get whole young chicken in a two pack at WalMart for $1.34/lb. Chicken is up, nationally, only about 3.77% over the last year.

Beef is high.

"Why are prices so high?
Reduced supply: A multi-year drought has significantly reduced the national cattle herd to its lowest point in over 70 years.

High demand: Consumer demand for beef remains strong.

Increased costs: The cost of feed has risen, and other factors like imported beef have also become more expensive."

Read that first one again. Trump is not responsible for the drought.

Pork

Pork is up at retail only about 1.24% over the last year.

"Retail prices
Pork Chops: Walmart lists thin boneless pork loin chops at an average of $5.96 per pound. 
Pork Ribs: ALDI lists bone-in baby back ribs at an average of $3.49 per pound. 
Pork Roasts: ALDI lists a mesquite BBQ marinated pork loin filet at $2.99 per pound and a rosemary-seasoned pork loin roast at $2.99"

So chicken and pork are out of reach?

Perhaps without SNAP money and no other meaningful income. Note SNAP and other welfare programs were not meant to, and should not be, permanent support for people. And, SNAP is rife with fraud and should be reformed or even eliminated. Don't give the needy a fish, teach them to fish.

[Malika la Maize]

Where are you citing from?

[ThePublius]

Start with google AI and there are links to sources for each item.

[Malika la Maize]

So you don’t have a source? Or you don’t know how to cut and paste?

[ThePublius]

Look it up yourself, it's easy. You think I'm making this stuff up?

[Malika la Maize]

I do, it’s not hard to cut and paste a link. Would you like directions?

[ThePublius]

Wise ass. You don't like what I presented so now you're going to harass and harangue me, is that it?

There were many, many links. Take my word for it. Don't be a dick.

[Malika la Maize]

You just highlight the url, press control and c, then go to the box you put your comments in and press control and v., try it a few times, you’ll get it!

[hobie]

Hey, you're right, Malika. I was able to cut and paste this link from my local supermarket chain showing their cheapest whole chicken at $2.99/lb. Much higher than Publius' phantom claim

https://shop.heinens.com/sm/pickup/rsid/7/product/gerber-chicken-whole-fryer-id-00260805000005

But to be fair to Publius, here's a Walmart link with a whole Tyson chicken at $0.97/lb. Lower than Publius' phantom claim.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tyson-All-Natural-Fresh-Premium-Young-Whole-Chicken-5-0-6-5-lb/19400244?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1200&from=/search

Now all my single mother has to do is find a way to get to the nearest Walmart 15 miles away

[Dr. Ed 2]

Drive her there yourself, or SHUT UP, YOU SCHMUCK.

[hobie]

Getting a little tense there, Ed. And stop appropriating Hebrew terms. You're in danger of getting the antisemite label.

[Life of Brian]

Now all my single mother has to do is find a way to get to the nearest Walmart 15 miles away

If you're really too tied up to give her a quick lift like all the rest of the people in need you talk about here, the Walmart in University Heights is barely 5 miles away and is on a bus line.

There are also multiple food pantries within walking distance, as I'm sure you know. Maybe they're all down to ramen, but that doesn't quite ring true.

[hobie]

Yeah, there is the one in University Heights. Interesting note: As you radiate outward from the hood, Walmarts and Home Depots magically start re-allowing self-checkout and card tapping. In the hood you have to use cashiers and you have to insert your card.

Also, to be fair to the single mothers in the hood, they've long lost the knowledge of cooking. Microwaving and takeout are the only ways they know to prepare food

[Brett Bellmore]

"Interesting note: As you radiate outward from the hood, Walmarts and Home Depots magically start re-allowing self-checkout and card tapping. In the hood you have to use cashiers and you have to insert your card."

Yeah, businesses respond to crime rates, go figure.

[ThePublius]

"But to be fair to Publius, here's a Walmart link with a whole Tyson chicken at $0.97/lb. Lower than Publius' phantom claim."

It's not a phantom claim, you asshole, I looked it up immediately before posting that. There are regional price differences, you know. Or maybe you don't.

[ThePublius]

"Also, to be fair to the single mothers in the hood, they've long lost the knowledge of cooking. Microwaving and takeout are the only ways they know to prepare food."

Teach her to cook.

[ThePublius]

"Microwaving and takeout are the only ways they know to prepare food"

Then why are you bitching about the prices in supermarkets? She's not buying just beef, she's buying frozen, microwavable junk and take out.

I swear, you just look for or invent things with which to bludgeon Trump.

[David Nieporent]

Getting a little tense there, Ed. And stop appropriating Hebrew terms. You're in danger of getting the antisemite label.

*Yiddish.

[not guilty]

hobie, does Walmart not deliver in your mother's area?

[hobie]

ng, I'm not sure. Does Walmart deliver? I think all the supermarkets here you have to hire Doordash.

[ThePublius]

WalMart delivers. I have WalMart Plus, which is like Amazon Prime, which costs me about $100/year, but gives free delivery and often within an hour or so of placing an order.

But, anyone can order for delivery from WalMart, for a very reasonable charge (plus tip).

[ThePublius]

By the way, I don't buy the two-pack of chickens, I buy the individual ones, and I can look up my WalMart purchases going back quite a while and track it. Chicken is not "out of reach" by any means if you are willing to cut up a fresh chicken, cook some, freeze some, and so forth. I am fortunate that I have a lot of good beef in the freezer (I have a dedicated freezer in the garage), as well as some very affordable crab I bought off the boat down by the docks - super cheap. So, Steak Oscar is within reach, and cheaper for me than almost any prepared frozen meal. That said, Swanson frozen meals aren't actually that bad and include meatloaf, roast turkey, salisbury steak, and so on. Family size frozen meat lasagna is also a bargain, nutritious, and filling.

Don't get me wrong, I have compassion for the lady and her kids. I don't know the extent to which SNAP was "gutted." An acquaintance's benefits were reduced as he's in a facility that provides meals, but he still gets some, and also a cash benefit, albeit reduced. He's the one who alerted me to the underground SNAP economy, where people have multiple identities and therefore multiple SNAP accounts, and that many sell their benefits for cash or drugs at a discount. So, it should be reformed.

[Frank Drackman]

As an Auburn Poultry Science Graduate (BS 1984), I can tell you (HT 45/47/48?) there's a lot more to Chickens than White/Dark. You gotta know sleep patterns, gestation times, Manganese (most people don't even know what that is)
Oh, and you gotta mulch, you've got to.

Frank

[Malika la Maize]

“As an Auburn Poultry Science Graduate Research Subject”

FTFY

[hobie]

Wait a minute. I thought you told all of us previously that you flunked out of chicken school, Frankie.

[Frank Drackman]

Might want to vacuum out those Neurofibrillary Tangles Hobie-Stank, I grad-jew-ma-cated "With Honor" (GPA>3.4) (would have gotten "High Honor" but I got High too much)
Chicken was a Fall-back in case I got Baake-'d, alot more Shekels in Chicken Nuggets than being a PhD candidate.
I did complete Med Screw-el on the 5 year plan, I was ahead of my time on taking a "Gap" year, except in my version you took everything over again (why I'm so smart)
Along with the late/great Doctors Fine, Howard, Fine, I grad-jew-ma-cated with the Highest Temperature in my Class.

Frank

[apedad]

(FUCK - I can't resist.....)

I knew it . . . Frank is full of chicken shit.

[Frank Drackman]

Chickens shit like everyone else, how many peoples did you please orally today?

[Dr. Ed 2]

Make sure that your garage is heated to at least 50 degrees all winter or your freezer will stop working. It needs the warm environment to work properly in.

[ThePublius]

Is that so? I haven't had a problem with it so far. The garage is detached, and was heated when the house was first built - there was a dedicated boiler in the house's basement just to heat the garage - but it was decommissioned long ago, and would be prohibitively expensive to heat it now. (It was never insulated.)

[Dr. Ed 2]

Cash benefit on SNAP? That's one I haven't heard of.

[ThePublius]

Yes, one gets a certain amount per month to spend on eligible food items, and also a certain amount of cash benefit, accessible via ATMs. My acquaintance was getting almost $300/month for food and $220/month in cash.

[David Nieporent]

SNAP benefits are purely for food; there's no "cash." Other benefit programs, such as TANF, are in the form of cash. (Well, I mean, not literally cash; they're also loaded onto cards. But they can be used like regular ATM cards, while SNAP cards can only be used to purchase food at approved retailers.) Obviously the same people may be beneficiaries of both programs.

[ThePublius]

That may be so, David, but I use to lend my acquaintance money and when his benefits were recharged he'd give me his EBT card and password and I'd pull money from an ATM. I wasn't aware they were receiving anything other than SNAP. They have no dependents. So, I don't really know.

[hobie]

No cash benefits in SNAP.

[Malika la Maize]

“In July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture continued to record a shrinking number of U.S. cattle and calves, forecasting that beef production would decline 4% over this year and another 2% in 2026.

Meanwhile, foreign imports are also down. Brazilian beef faces a 76% tariff.”
https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-5534424/beef-prices-record-high-cost

*see how that works?

[ThePublius]

Eat more chicken and pork.

[Malika la Maize]

Pubes joneses so much on worshiping federal power over the marketplace he’s just like “well, alter what you’d like, Dear Leader is worth some sacrifice!”

[ThePublius]

Oh, get lost. The increase in beef prices isn't Trump's fault, it's mostly due to the drought, and farmers reducing output for various reasons.

[Malika la Maize]

If only there were a way to import beef from nations that have larger herds? Nah, can’t do that, big federal tax fans like Pubes won’t have it, better to just change what we like to eat!

[ThePublius]

"Here is a summary of US tariffs on imported beef from top suppliers in 2025:
Brazil: Approximately 76% (a 50% tariff added to existing tariffs).
Canada: Tariffs are not applied due to the USMCA trade agreement.
Mexico: Tariffs are not applied due to the USMCA trade agreement.
Australia: 10%.
New Zealand: 15%."

https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/081225-usda-drops-beef-import-projections-amid-rising-tariff-concerns#:~:text=Currently%2C%20US%20tariffs%20for%20the,of%20the%20previous%20WASDE%20report.

https://mightyearth.org/article/trumps-tariff-on-brazilian-beef-an-unexpected-climate-win/#:~:text=Trump's%20trade%20war%20is%20rearing,impact%20on%20US%20methane%20emissions.

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/7/11/trumps-new-brazil-tariffs-could-raise-us-beef-prices#:~:text=The%2050%20percent%20tariff%20would,Republican%20candidates%2C%20according%20to%20OpenSecrets.

[ThePublius]

By the way, despite the increased tariffs, Brazilian beef imports are up in 2025, mostly due to reduced US production due to drought and feed cost.

[Malika la Maize]

“despite the increased tariffs, Brazilian beef imports are up in 2025”

Yes, at higher prices than they should be because of the 76% federal tax you support.

[hobie]

I thought gas prices and inflation and grocery prices were always the fault of the president. When did that change?

[David Nieporent]

January 20, 2025.

[Brett Bellmore]

So, we had 20 years of unusually good weather starting in the 90's?

[Dr. Ed 2]

Yep -- beef prices rise, more farmers get into raising beef.

[Michael P]

A multi-year drought has significantly reduced the national cattle herd to its lowest point in over 70 years.

Clearly, Trump is responsible for any drought that started during the Autopen administration.

[Dr. Ed 2]

If we weren't burning 10% corn in our cars, the price of feed and fuel wouldn't be up.

[Kazinski]

Lets look at food at home inflation for the last 10 years:
2015 1.17%
2016 -1.31%
2017 -0.20%
2018 0.45%
2019 0.88%
2020 3.50%
2021 3.46%
2022 11.42%
2023 5.02%
2024 1.2%
2025 2.7% (August Y/Y)

[ThePublius]

"The Trump grocery economy is indeed starting to bite. Meat is now out of reach for a lot of my neighbors. The gutting of SNAP and aid to food banks has also really hurt. One single mother family down the street from me only feeds the children ramen noodles and hot sauce...every...single...day"

I'm calling bullshit on this. "Meat" - I assume you mean beef - has certainly increased in price. But there are alternative sources of protein, like chicken, pork, certain fish, like tilapia, beans, and so on. To drop to ramen noodles exclusively is ridiculous, and likely a lie on the part of Malika; or complete irresponsibility on the part of mom.

We can't all have what we want, particularly if we're on welfare. So, beef goes up, and becomes out of reach. Oh, well. If horses were wishes, beggars would ride. I'd like to have filet mignon every night, but I can't afford it. Such is life.

(Reminds me, I have a couple of filet mignon in the freezer; time to go shopping for asparagus.)

[Malika la Maize]

If they can’t afford it because of high tax slavers like yourself using government force to screw with the market then yes, that’s warrant for complaint.

[ThePublius]

WTF are you talking about? When did I ever advocate for higher taxes?

[Malika la Maize]

Tariffs are taxes. Brazilian beef has a 76% tax from the federal government paid by Americans who want to import the beef. You’re like Dukakis on steroids.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn93e12rypgo

[Bob from Ohio]

Hobie just makes up his alleged "neighbors".

[hobie]

Haven't you heard? Neegroes and slavery never existed. I got this whole hood to myself.

[Kazinski]

I actually live with someone that spent 5 years of her life as a real honest to god slave in a Khmer Rouge death camp.

She's a great cook, in fact she made her living selling street food to construction workers after the Vietnamese liberated the camps.

But nice to know that in 4 or 5 generations her great-great-great grandchildren will have a great excuse why they can't do anything.

Funny thing is 3 generations after slavery people would have laughed at the idea that poor Blacks didn't know how to cook.

1 generation after welfare they are helpless.

[Life of Brian]

As well as their alleged tear-jerking circumstances. See how quickly the story upthread went from "can't afford meat" to "can't be bothered to cook"?

[John F. Carr]

In an episode of the original "Night Court" an old lady was caught stealing cat food. She was asked why she didn't steal meat instead. The cat food made for a more pathetic story.

[Commenter_XY]

We aren't seeing 3%+ inflation for food at home; it is food outside of home that is rising faster than CPI.

Not too worried about harvests; that can be robotic.

[Brett Bellmore]

Well, they're not going to be available in the numbers needed at the wages farmers would prefer to pay.

It's basic supply and demand. It's going to balance at some point, but the days of artificially goosing the supply of labor to make the curves cross where industry prefers are over for now.

As Commentor XY says, we'll see a lot more farm automation; A supply of artificially cheap human labor has really suppressed farm automation, which can be expected to take off now.

[Malika la Maize]

“they're not going to be available in the numbers needed at the wages farmers would prefer to pay.”

And increased labor costs mean what for prices? Apply the same logic you do for minimum wage laws here.

[Brett Bellmore]

Well, yes, two things will be happening at the same time:

1. The cost of foods currently produced with illegal alien labor will increase.
2. The prevailing wages for that type of labor will increase, generally elevating wages at the lower end of the income spectrum.

There's historical evidence that the 2nd will predominate over the 1st, and as a result income inequality will decline again, as it had the last time we shut off the flow of cheap foreign labor.

[Malika la Maize]

So you’re for living wage laws now too?

[Brett Bellmore]

No, I'm for not artificially suppressing wages by flooding the market with cheap foreign labor.

Business thinks any time a shortage of labor threatens to force them to raise wages, it's a calamity that demands government intervention. It's not.

[Malika la Maize]

Living wage laws work like deportations of cheap labor do. They make labor costs more expensive by government intervention. You just like the latter for some other reason so you think it will magically work out differently.

[Sarcastr0]

The market works for Brett, so he's sure it works for everyone.

[Brett Bellmore]

Not magically, but it will work out differently, because the workers who get deported aren't here, so their not being employed here doesn't contribute to unemployment here.

[David Nieporent]

No, I'm for not artificially suppressing wages by flooding the market with cheap foreign labor.

Um, supply and demand is literally 180° the opposite of "artificially" affecting wages.

[bernard11]

I'm for not artificially suppressing wages by flooding the market with cheap foreign labor.

I don't see anything "artificial" here. In fact, restricting the immigration of workers is what is artificial. Labor mobility is a part of free markets, which you pretend to like.

[apedad]

" . . . . it's a calamity that demands government intervention. It's not."

But Brett's OK with Trump calling anything a calamity and calling in the National Guard.

GTFO

[Bunny495]

RANT ALERT

While food is more expensive than it use to be, so is a lot of other stuff. It is called inflation and it is mostly the result of the Fed logging on their computer and shifting the decimal point as a regular daily chore.

Endless studies have confirmed the cost labor used to get food to the store is a small fraction of the total cost. Wages for labor could double or triple and the cost of tomatoes would only increase pennies a pound. Transportation is the biggest single line item in what it takes to get stuff on the grocery store shelf. There are also constraints on supply due to things like weather, disease, whatever.

When my family returned to Miami after my Daddy graduated from medical school I spent time with my grandparents. While my grandfather was a union mason on weekends he was a truck farmer. I can still remember picking green beans and getting paid ten cents a hamper, along with the rest of the black workers my grandfather "hired". This was in the 1950s well before any inflationary government programs that produced welfare queens.

But back to food. Looking for bargain prices for meet is a fools' errand. I am on a strict KETO diet (and since the first of the year have lost over 70 pounds). Aside from eliminating sugar the biggest change has been reading labels. The lowest priced meat often contains 20% sugar/salt water injected into the meat. It also contains lots of chemicals with names I can't pronounce or spell, something that eliminates these things going into my body. In fact a good rule of thumb is if any food has an ingredient more than ten letters long don't eat it.

Finding meat/other food that has not had some type of processing usually means the price is twice (or more) than the shit pumped full of chemicals, sugar, salt, and water. Buyer beware.

[David Nieporent]

In fact a good rule of thumb is if any food has an ingredient more than ten letters long don't eat it.

Shorter Bunny495: "Science is bad and scary."

[ducksalad]

Actually his limit is well-chosen.

Watermelon, cantaloupe, grapefruit, sauerkraut, and buttermilk get in just under the limit.

I never did like cauliflower.

[Krayt]

This is probably a correct analysis, but it defines situational ethics, where the parties swap philosophies because goals have changed.

The guys wanting cheap labor for business? Republicans! Democrats!

The guys wanting to stop cheap immigrant labor because it undercuts domestic wages? Bernie Sanders and Cesar Chavez and the Democrats Republicans!

Neither one cares about those reasons, they are Hegelian Dialectic pro and con reasoning, assembled for a predecided goal having nothing to do with any concerns on a bullet list.

[apedad]

Trump confesses he knows he is not heaven-bound in stunning admission

The president was asked over the weekend whether the recent historic ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel would improve his chances of getting into heaven. The bizarre question came after he previously indicated that he hoped his involvement in ending the Russia-Ukraine war could make a good case to get him into paradise.

“I don’t think there’s anything that’s gonna get me in heaven. I think I’m not maybe heaven-bound. I may be in heaven right now as we fly on Air Force One. I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to make heaven,” the president said aboard the presidential plane.

https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/trump-confesses-knows-not-heaven-36056891

Have to agree with the President on this one.

[hobie]

At least he'll have good company with Tiny, Microscopic Saint Ashtray Babbitt and Saint Charlie Kirk.

Which reminds me of a Kirk joke I saw circulating the web:

The Devil said to Charlie Kirk, 'I'll let you choose how to spend your eternity here in tranny hell. I'll give you three chances to choose which tranny you want to swap places with.'

The first chamber is a tranny boiling in a cauldron of oil. Charlie says, 'Pass.'

The second chamber has a tranny being flayed by whips. 'Pass.'

The third chamber is a tranny getting his dick sucked by a beautiful woman. 'I'll choose this one', says Kirk.

The devil snaps his fingers and Charlie immediately replaces the girl.

[Dr. Ed 2]

You are a despicable piece of fascist trash.

[hobie]

Looks like disparaging gays and blacks has not thickened your skin to handle reciprocal trash talk, Ed. I thought you liked cruel humor!

[Frank Drackman]

But he's OUR despicable piece of fascist trash.
Oh, you left out that he's a Valor Thief.

Frank

[Malika la Maize]

I think Francis means he thinks hobie may have stolen something from the abandoned Valore he sleeps in.

[Krayt]

Tiny, Microscopic Saint Ashtray Babbitt

Jesus had a soft spot for rushing the money changers and overturning their coin tables.

[not guilty]

The way I heard that joke, Bill Clinton was making the choice, and Monica Lewinsky was performing the act she became famous for with Kenneth Starr.

The punchline was, "Miss Lewinsky, you can go back to Earth."

[Brett Bellmore]

Having a bullet clip your ear does tend to focus your mind on where you're headed. If Trump were as awful as he's portrayed, I suspect he'd be a lot more confident of his final destination.

[hobie]

Or maybe Trump is trying to tell you that even he knows he ain't as wholesome and Christ-like as you hillbillies have portrayed him.

[Brett Bellmore]

Since when have I ever portrayed him as wholesome and Christ-like? I've been pretty open about voting for him purely as the lesser evil, and I'm not joking about that "evil", either.

[Frank Drackman]

"Final Destination"?? Original was a pretty good "Flick" (do peoples still refer to Movies as "Flicks"??)
Not sure if it needed 5 Sequels, but hey, that's Free Enterprise!
After years of going to Sin O' Gogue, those awful "Family Circus" Cartoons with "Grandpa" looking down from Heaven, annoying Jehovah's Witnesses,
I know where my "Final Destination" is (or "be" that's for Queenie)
The Gross Anatomy Lab at my Med School,
So come on down to the Lab, and see what's on the Slab!

Frank

[Moderation4ever]

Was it a bullet or some shrapnel?

[hobie]

Probably a ricochet off of one of the dead in the audience who's names no longer matter

[ThePublius]

Are you f'ing kidding me? There's a Pulitzer prize winning picture that captures the streak of the bullet as it struck Trump.

Jerk.

[Brett Bellmore]

I think he's just revealing to us that his preferred media sources are pretty sketchy.

[Moderation4ever]

No, it a picture if a bullet passing by Trump's head not striking him.

[Brett Bellmore]

Taken at the exact instant he sustained the wound, of course, but it somehow makes more sense to hypothesize that the wound was actually a piece of shrapnel from a teleprompter that didn't get hit.

[ducksalad]

I suspect he'd be a lot more confident of his final destination.

There are several other possible explanations:

1. He could be an agnostic.
2. He could be so egotistical he thinks there's another higher level and that's where he'll be sent.
3. He may have compared with the paradises offered by other religions and decided they offer pleasures more to his tastes.
4. He could be planning to buy Hell, evict the tenants, remodel it with gold wallpaper and oversize chandeliers, and live there.
5. He may just be confused about which one is which.

[not guilty]

I expect that Donald Trump will win the Republican nomination for president of Hell, and organize riots when he loses to Satan despite bearing the standard of the largest political party there.

[Malika la Maize]

More from the WaPo’s investigative report on waste, fraud and abuse at the VA

Critically, VA has failed to update antiquated rules that provide outsize benefits for some easily manageable ailments. For instance, VA typically pays veterans diagnosed with sleep apnea, a common breathing disorder, more than a combat vet with a leg amputated below the knee.

The easy-to-manipulate regulations have turned the disability program into a rich target for con artists, who are typically prosecuted only in the most egregious and flagrant cases.
Last year, a grand jury indicted an Army veteran on charges of conspiring to defraud the government of $1.1 million by pretending to be paralyzed. According to prosecutors, she spent some of the money on Caribbean vacations and gambling jaunts to Las Vegas. She has pleaded not guilty. In June, a Vietnam War veteran pleaded guilty to ripping off VA by claiming to be blind for 29 years. In fact, he could see well enough to drive and repeatedly renewed his license. The Justice Department said he defrauded taxpayers of nearly $1.2 million.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2025/veterans-affairs-disability-claims-fraud/?itid=hp-mv-top-stories_top-table-main_p001_f002

[Brett Bellmore]

Hm. I know a veteran with sleep apnea. The only benefit he gets is that his CPAP machine is covered, which doesn't SEEM outrageous.

[Malika la Maize]

You must be really close to this friend to speak so confidently of what exact benefits he gets. He goes over his medical and financial records with you?

[Brett Bellmore]

We both had a common medical problem, and were discussing treatment for it. What's unusual about that?

[Malika la Maize]

So you have a second hand anecdote as you remember it? That’s thin gruel. Maybe he didn’t share everything with you. Maybe he doesn’t know all the details his own self. Maybe you misheard him or misremember what he said. Super thin.

[Brett Bellmore]

I'm not representing it as anything more than an anecdote. Sorry if sharing one offended you somehow.

[Malika la Maize]

You used it evaluate the claim in the article.

[Frank Drackman]

If you've ever talked to many Vets (try your local VFW/American Legion) you'd know that Vets LOVE to talk about their Benefits/Medical Problems, if I had a Shekel for every Vet who's showed me their Ex-Lap Incision at an Airport Bar (why is it never a C-Section Scar???)
Seriously, they're like Old Women when it comes to their Prostrates, ED, Hernias, Reflux.....

Frank

[Malika la Maize]

I’m married to a vet and have a kid that’s one. Some vets are sad, pathetic losers who seemed to have injured their brain while cleaning latrines like Francis, but most of them are normal, productive members of society like my family.

[Frank Drackman]

So how do you think the Latrines get clean? Magic??.
But you stumbled into allowing me a Segway (whatever happened to all of them?) into one of my "War Stories"
In Desert Shield/Storm, like all Wahs, peoples have to have BM's, "Send a Message to the General" "Give Birth to a Sailor/Marine/Soldier" "Take a Dump/Growler/Scheisse"
Shit, in other words.
And as indoor plumbing wasn't available in the Desert, you either shat in a hole, or if you were lucky, in a 50 gallon gas can that the Engineers had sliced in 2.
After a day of Marines/Sailors shitting, somebody had to burn the Shit (with Diesel, not Gasoline) every Section had their own "Shitter"
Battalion Aid Station had our own that we shared with the S-3 (Operations) Jarheads.
One day I thought I'd be cool, and burn the Shit myself, you know, "Leading from the Front" and all that Rot,
Unfortunately, I used "Mogas" (which I didn't know was short for "Motor Gasoline")
Didn't need those Eyebrows anyway.
They do grow back, eventually.

Frank "Where was the "Kaboom??" There was supposed to be a World-Shattering "Kaboom"!!!"

[Dr. Ed 2]

You won't hear an explosion if you are in the midst of it. The Kaboom is the shock wave of expanding air and if you are in the midst of it, it won't hit you as a wave.

Read the first person reports from Hiroshima -- those close to it only saw the bright flash.

[Frank Drackman]

Reminds me of the old Bazooka Joe joke (remember Bazooka Joe? Awful bubble gum that would pull your fillings out (remember when most kids had fillings?? but less Autism, wonder if there's a connection)
Of course Bazooka's been cancelled, that whole "Bazooka" thing, "Triggers" too many.
but every piece of gum had a Comic/Joke in the wrapper,

"Bazooka Joe, would you rather be in a "Collision" or an "Explosion"??
A "Collision" of course
Why?
Because in a Collision there you are, but in an Explosion where are you???

But I definitely heard a "Kaboom"

Frank

[Frank Drackman]

Sleep Apnea's hard for older Vets to get SC (if you have to ask...) since they didn't even start testing for it until the 1990's.
BUT, 2 of the most common causes of Sleep Apnea are Chronic Rhinitis (which is a Presumptive PACT Act condition) and PTSD. If he isn't already SC for those conditions, he should put in a claim. OR if he has a credible witness to his OSA symptoms during his Active Duty Time (Wifes are good, Hookers not as much, unless she's your Wife also)
Also, alot of Chronic Diseases can be caused by Sleep Apnea, Heart Conditions in particular, so if he's had an MI, ACS, CHF, he can get those SC also.

Frank

[Malika la Maize]

Again, one should certainly take medical and/or bureaucratic advice from a guy who writes like this!

[Brett Bellmore]

My sleep apnea was caused by structural issues: A broken nose I couldn't breath through, mostly. It was cleared up by a septoplasty.

[Frank Drackman]

That's a cause also, VA only pays benefits if it's a "Traumatic" Deviated Septum, and they want documentation of when PFC Schmuckatelli punched you, because we know everyone goes to medical when they get punched in the Nose.
Amazing there are any Walls left at Marine Corpse Bases with the frequency Marines go around punching them.

Frank

[Dr. Ed 2]

Sleep Apnea from PTSD?

Seriously?

[Frank Drackman]

I thought the same thang at first, then I did something that may sound strange to you.
I checked the Medical Literature, and it's a recognized cause, although the exact mechanism is still being "elucidated" (Mom! I wasn't jerking off, I was "Elucidating"!!!!)
Ear-ronians were the first to see a link, they have millions of Iran/Iraq Wah Vets with PTSD and OSA, but it's been confirmed by "Western" Researchers also (You know, the big Civilized North Amurican Nation that's almost always fighting somebody somewhere)
So much so that the VA generally accepts OSA claims secondary to PTSD (Your VA Claims Reviewer may differ) I've got a whole arsenal of PeerReviewedRandomClinicalTrialsJournalArticles I submit if Queen La-Queefa at the VA disagrees.

Frank

[Jerry B.]

https://www.bing.com/search?q=Sleep+Apnea+from+PTSD&FORM=SSQNT1&PC=U531

[Dr. Ed 2]

Two words: Graham Platner

[Bunny495]

I have little doubt there is fraud in the VA system. I would also point there are law firms that advertise (plenty on Facebook) their entire business model is getting a disability rating from the VA for vets. Same thing is true for getting a Social Security disability rating and I would bet due to a larger potential base there are a greater number of fraud cases.

As for your anecdotal numbers it needs to be noted applications for a disability rating often take years to be acted on so those amounts include lots of back pay. As a 100% Service Connected vet I have personal experience with the system. MY VA primary care physician suggested I see a VA service rep and have him apply for a disability rating. It took almost three years from start to finish and I got three years back pay once the disability award letter arrived.

The biggest shock was a couple of months before the award arrived. I had been to one of the endless hearings and was asked about my active-duty medical records when I answered questions about my medical care while on active duty. I did not have copies of them and the hearing was rescheduled. I was also told Vietnam Era medical records had all been destroyed in a fire in the St. Louis warehouse. I contacted the VA service rep and related this story to him. Without speaking a word to me he picked up the phone, called the VA warehouse in Philadelphia and told them they had a week to get my records to him. He then told me the "fire in St. Louis" was a fake old wives tail with no truth to it.

While there is fraud in the VA there is also fraud in every other government program that dwarf the VA fraud.

[David Nieporent]

That's not "fraud in the VA system," though. That's simply individual criminals. That's why DOGE (even if it had been sincere) was doomed to fail: because — as I pointed out repeatedly — the fraud that's out there in government benefit programs is not primarily an organized scheme to embezzle money from the government, but separate fraudsters — patients and providers — individually filing bogus claims, whether for unnecessary treatments or for treatments that never happened or false diagnoses. These can be caught and stopped on an ad hoc basis, but not systemically.

Also, your weird anecdote is not true. https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/fire-1973

[apedad]

Trump calls Christopher Columbus an 'American hero' hours before Indigenous People's Day begins

President Trump signed a proclamation declaring Monday’s holiday to be Columbus Day, in an effort to “reclaim” what “left-wing arsonists” have “destroyed and dishonored,” claiming the Italian was “the original American hero.”

https://www.irishstar.com/news/politics/trump-calls-christopher-columbus-american-36056978?utm_source=mynewsassistant.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop

Sigh......

[ThePublius]

Why the big sigh? It's been Columbus Day since 1892, and jointly celebrated with Indigenous People's Day since 2021. The latter is just wokeness.

And why can't Columbus be an American hero? Wasn't Lafayette and American hero?

[Malika la Maize]

American hero from a US President is a bit odd given he never set foot in North America.

Columbus was a pretty terrible guy, you don’t have to be woke to get that.

[Brett Bellmore]

The left seems to celebrate plenty of pretty terrible guys, and you don't think it's anything odd. "Columbus Day" celebrates the guy who "discovered" the Americas, which isn't a weird thing to celebrate if you're a country there.

[Malika la Maize]

He thought he discovered India, some hero!

I didn’t say celebrating the guy who discovered America was odd I said a US President calling him an American hero is weird. He was Genoan (though iirc some think he may have been Spanish).

[Brett Bellmore]

I don't think he really believed he'd discovered India the country. Rather, "India" was used as a term for that whole region.

I'm not actually sure the extent to which he really thought he'd reach the East Indies, and had grossly underestimated the actually well known size of the Earth, vs that being a cover story. The existence of a continent or at least large island chain about where the Americas are was something of an open secret at the time.

[Malika la Maize]

Dude, he named the area the Indies and the people Indians.

[Michael P]

The left is too busy celebrating Che Guevara and other serial murderers to celebrate a discoverer.

[Malika la Maize]

Yeah, I remember Bill Clinton and Joe Biden’s national Che Guevara day proclamations!

[Sarcastr0]

The left seems to celebrate plenty of pretty terrible guys

You whattabouting to defend Columbus Day?

[David Nieporent]

which isn't a weird thing to celebrate if you're a country there.

It kind of is, actually. I can't think of any analogous situations, where a guy with no connection to a country is treated as a hero because he happened to journey somewhere a few hundred miles away from that country a few hundred years before that country existed.

(At least there might be some logic if he had "discovered" it for Great Britain, although even then it's pretty attenuated.)

[ThePublius]

In what way was Columbus a "pretty terrible guy?" Got a cite for that?

[Malika la Maize]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/aug/07/books.spain

[Malika la Maize]

https://www.vox.com/2014/10/13/6957875/christopher-columbus-murderer-tyrant-scoundrel

[Bob from Ohio]

"In what way was Columbus a "pretty terrible guy?"

He was not by the standards of the day. His political enemies made up stuff.

By 2025 standards sure. Almost everyone before say 1900 was a "pretty terrible guy".

Columbus opponents are just anklebiters.

[Malika la Maize]

Here’s a contemporary of his to think about the standards of the day:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartolom%C3%A9_de_las_Casas

[Bob from Ohio]

He did his share of bad things too.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

Ooh, I don't know about that. He was pretty bad, even by 16th Century standards. He was an absolutely incredible seaman and navigator, though. His nautical accomplishments were nothing short of miraculous.

[Sarcastr0]

Fun fact!
Columbus is in the Bad Place because of all the raping, slave trade, and genocide!

-Janet, who is never wrong.

[Bob from Ohio]

Who is "Janet"?

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

The brilliant D'Arcy Carden. Look up the TV show "The Good Place."

[Bob from Ohio]

Oh, she's reading a line someone else wrote.

I always look to Hollywood comedy script writers for judgments about history.

[Sarcastr0]

I meant for such a serious and epistemologically well founded quote to be taken very very seriously, so your analysis is appreciated.

[Krayt]

I looked into Christopher Columbus' eyes and saw into his soul, that he had truly changed.

Next!

[David Nieporent]

Christopher Columbus is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I notice.

[Malika la Maize]

Also, as noted above, Columbus Day itself is old school “wokeness.” Some Italian Americans were lunched in New Orleans, the Italian government and many Italian Americans were upset and the President proclaimed Columbus Day to placate/ease tensions with the ethnic group and the Italian government.

[Brett Bellmore]

I assume you mean "lynched", because I can't see the Italian government getting upset over lunch.

According to the organization, Sons and Daughters of Italy, "It was first celebrated on October 12, 1792, when the New York Society of Tammany honored Columbus on the 300th anniversary of his first voyage."

But the White House does seem to confirm that the national holiday is related to a lynching in 1891.

[Malika la Maize]

But the White House does seem to confirm that the national holiday is related to a lynching in 1891.

As I said.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Not to worry, it's being renamed "Charlie Kirk Day."

[hobie]

We've been renaming military assets back to the confederate racist monsters, so perhaps we can rename a laundry ship after Kirk.

Or better yet, since we're erasing black history, a good victory mosque kinda thing would be to rename Juneteenth Charlie Kirk Day. He'd appreciate that.

[Frank Drackman]

Somebody steal your "Plain Dealer"??? I know they already got all the Copper Wiring in your S-hole Crackhouse.
Fort Benning GA is named after Corporal Fred G. Benning, who earned a Distinguished Service Cross in World War I.

Fort Bragg NC is named after Roland Bragg, an American Army paratrooper during World War II. Bragg was awarded the Silver Star, the United States Army's third-highest military decoration for valor in combat, for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action."

Fort Gordon GA is named after named for Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon. He was honored for his valor during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, where he defended wounded crew members at a helicopter crash site and held off an advancing enemy force.

Fort Polk LA is named after Silver Star recipient Gen. James H. Polk. Then-Col. Polk was honored for gallantry during World War II, when he led reconnaissance and combat missions under fire. He later served as head of U.S. Army Europe.

Fort Rucker Al is named after Capt. Edward W. Rucker. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in World War I when he flew deep behind enemy lines in a daring air battle over France.

Fort Hood TX is named after Col. Robert B. Hood. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism during World War I, when he directed artillery fire in France.

Fort Lee VA is named after Pvt. Fitz Lee, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Spanish-American War, when he moved under fire to rescue wounded comrades

Not exactly "Confederates" but if you want to keep honoring them, good on you

Frank

[Malika la Maize]

Francis would like you to be as naive and dumb as he is. It’s going to take some work!

[Frank Drackman]

Attack the messenger much?
I merely pointed out that no Army bases are named after Confederate Slave Owners/Generals, and thoughtfully didn't point out that Millions of African Amuricans ARE named after Confederate Slave Owners/Generals (and it's pretty easy to change your name in this Country, ask Lew Alcindor or Frizzell Tate).
Oh, and George Washington??(Washington DC/State) ??, might want to check his CV. He didn't pick all that Cotton at Mount Vernon by himself.

Frank

[Malika la Maize]

Deranged person also is a dolt, who saw that coming?

https://x.com/SecWar/status/1889119135759585562

The only Bragg it could go back to being is Braxton.

[hobie]

Yes, the little name game their playing fools MAGA and magna cum laude's like our Frankie. We should let them enjoy the fantasy

[Kazinski]

King County Washington did it first.

Originally it was named after William Rufus King VP under Franklin Pierce, and a slaveowner.

Obviously that wouldn't do so now its named after MLK.

[Frank Drackman]

So go back to where you came from, unless you're "Chief" Apedad, and even the Injuns weren't the first ones here.

[apedad]

IIRC, aren't you the half-breed here?

[Frank Drackman]

Yes, of 2 Superior Breeds, Hebrew and Scotch/Irish(love the Scotch more than the Irish), so I get drunk, get in a fight, then feel guilty about it the next day. It's like if you cross a Dobie and a Pit Bull, it may be a "Mutt" but it's a "Mutt" that'll bite you a new Asshole.
And the Irish last name is a great option, I highly recommend it, I "Pass" for a Mick like Carol Channing....

Frank

[MoreCurious]

No one of Scottish descent would refer to himself as Scotch; the proper term is Scots or Scottish. Scotch is a whisky, which every true Scot knows.

[Bob from Ohio]

He was making a joke, to tie it in with "(love the Scotch more than the Irish)" because Scotch and Irish are both whiskey types.

[Frank Drackman]

+1, Thank YEW, Jeebus (HT Hobie-stank) it's like I'm talking to my kids on this blog.

[Bunny495]

One of my obsessions it researching Columbus' first voyage. While his original log has been lost and his first landing is still unconfirmed the topic is still debated by scholars. Even which country he was born in is not confirmed.

What we do know is Columbus was well educated in a practical sense and well-traveled as well. There is good evidence Columbus had traveled to Denmark and spoke to King Harold Bluetooth and was aware of previous Viking voyages to North America. He also had a copy of Johan Muller's ephemeris which allowed him to use the stars for navigation since he had what amounted to an early rudimentary sexton. He was one of the best navigators of his time.

While the exact locations of his early stops in the Bahamas are not confirmed his first stop in Cuba is well established. He spend more time there than necessary and that coincided with an easy observation of stars in Muller's ephemeris. Several of his other stops also coincided with need observations of stars.

Bottom line is Columbus knew where he was going, he had knowledge and instruments to help him get there, and was far from previous sailors who were flying by the seat of their pants.

[David Nieporent]

There is good evidence Columbus had traveled to Denmark and spoke to King Harold Bluetooth

TF? Not unless the Pinta was a time machine rather than a ship.

[Bunny495]

My bad. He actually traveled to what is now Bristol, England and sailed on a fishing boat that may have visited what is now Iceland. In any case he had contact with peeps who had knowledge of Viking expeditions to North America.

[BrotherMovesOn]

Bad Bunny.

[bernard11]

he had what amounted to an early rudimentary sexton.

What about altar boys?

[Brett Bellmore]

Heh, I was wondering if he'd hired the sexton to navigate for him.

[Bunny495]

Columbus did have instruments like Mariner's Astrolabe and a
Quadrant as well as a published version of Regiomontanus's astronomical tables. Not exactly a sextant but similar earlier instrument.

[Kazinski]

Harold Bluetooth
Born 911 AD Jelling, Denmark
Died 985 AD Jomsborg.

[Armchair]

Hypothetical question.

Let's say a state and local government in the United States do not like a certain class of people. Blacks, Jews, Steelworkers, whatever. They really don't like them. So, they order their police departments not to protect these people. They order their justice departments not to prosecute any crimes against people in this particular class. People of this class have no de facto protection from the state and local government, so others feel free to commit various crimes upon them.

Furthermore, when the national government tries to step in to protect people of this class, the state goes "This is a local affair. You have no rights. You can't use our law enforcement for your purposes"

What options does the federal government have to help these people?

[Dr. Ed 2]

It's not hypothetical -- sounds like me.

[Malika la Maize]

It’s obviously not a hypothetical, you’ve got something on your mind just bring it up.

[Sarcastr0]

Armchair back to his JAQing ways!

[hobie]

Are we referring to Palestinians in the West Bank?

[Michael P]

The Fourteenth Amendment empowers Congress to enact laws to protect rights such as equal protection of the laws and due process. Congress has done so, for example in criminalizing conspiracies against rights. The solution would be to prosecute those -- the aftermath of the Civil War provided examples of how to do so effectively when faced with recidivist secessionist elements.

[Armchair]

Fascinating. Thank you Michael.

So, let's walk this through.
The 14th amendment, says (among other items) "nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

What that implies is that you can't order the police not to protect people of a certain class. That would be denying equal protection of the laws.

Then, TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 242 "Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, ... shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year"

So, let's hypothetically say that the state and/or local authorities ordered the police NOT to enforce certain laws against a certain class of people.

The authorities could then be held to account under the law.

[Sarcastr0]

Incredible Internet work!

I think you should call Trump up right now and tell him to sue Portland for denying ICE their civil rights.

[Armchair]

Fascinating idea. You believe that the Portland PD and city government have been denying the equal protection of the law to ICE personnel.

I suppose that might violate both the Constitution and Section 242. If course, that's a criminal offense, not civil. So, Trump wouldn't "sue".

Instead, there would be a federal investigation, followed by indictment, and a criminal prosecution.

I suppose the first steps there would be an FBI investigation of the Portland PD and Mayor's office, freezing all communications and establishing exactly what was ordered when. Perhaps an undercover investigation. Can't do an indictment without solid evidence first. But...since you think the Portland PD is doing this crime, I suppose you believe such an investigation is proper.

[Sarcastr0]

Yes, Armchair. I think your legal analysis, crowdsourced with circuitous hypotheticals and random Internet commentators, is incredible and on point.

I have such confidence in your take, I find your story of how this will go very compelling. I think you should continue with this, maybe work it into a short story about arresting all the Democrats and also all the Antifas.

This is why they pay you the big bucks.

[Krayt]

Was't Portland the city that supposedly was ordering police not to prosecute a certain class, but look the other way, by politicians who wanted the optics?

[Josh R]

So, let's hypothetically say that the state and/or local authorities ordered the police NOT to enforce certain laws against a certain class of people.

I strongly suspect you have a real-world example in mind. What is it?

[Armchair]

Perhaps you might try just answering the question. Keep it in a nice neutral reference.

[Josh R]

If the classification were suspect (e.g., race) or quasi-suspect (e.g., sex), the EP clause would demand strict or intermediate scrutiny respectively. Otherwise, rational-basis review would apply unless a fundamental right (e.g., life) is put at risk.

[Poxigah146]

That was the exact reasoning for the ratification of the 14th Amendment, and the laws that followed it, such as 18 USC 241-245.

That's the original meaning of equal protection of the laws. Not that if a man has a right to marry one woman, then a man who doesn't like to marry women has a right to marry a man instead.

[Malika la Maize]

The original intent would also have allowed segregation and federal affirmative action for blacks specifically (the Congress that put the 14th forward had segregated seating and passed bills of aid specifically for blacks).

[Dr. Ed 2]

Are you sure about the segregation? Woodrow Wilson segregated the Federal Govt, so it couldn't have been segregated before him.

[Kazinski]

"10 USC Ch. 13: INSURRECTION §252. Use of militia and armed forces to enforce Federal authority
Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion."

And the Constitutional authority is the Article 6 Supremacy Clause:
"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding"

[Kenneth Almquist]

Is a wish for someone to die a threat? George Isbell has been charged with violating 18 U.S. Code § 876(c), which makes mailing a letter containing a “threat to injure the person” a crime. The letter (shown on page 7 of the first docket entry) doesn’t seem to me to qualify. Here are the two most relevant paragraphs:

Saw you have millions of racist subscribers. I must admit I did not realize how may of you shallow bigoted slugs exists in the US. You all need to be exterminated. Don’t worry—won’t be me—I’m not giving up my freedoms for worm shit like you.

The saddest part of your drivel is your contaminations of naïve minds. Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!

That’s nasty, but the cites statute criminalized threats, not nastyness. Is there any justification for this arrest? (Pam Bondi and Kash Patel appeared at the press conference, so this isn’t a case of some low level person screwing up.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.casd.830359/gov.uscourts.casd.830359.1.0.pdf
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-man-charged-federally-mailing-threat-injure-and-kill

[Dr. Ed 2]

Saw you have millions of supporters. I must admit I did not realize how may of you baby-killing Nazis exists in the US. You all need to be exterminated. Don’t worry—won’t be me—I’m not giving up my freedoms for merchants of death like you.

The saddest part of your drivel is your corruption of young women. Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!"

Imagine that mailed to an abortion clinic...

[Zarniwoop]

Imagine away, you’re good at it. No one cares.

When you can point to a real-life prosecution scenario for your fever dreams, get back to us.

[Brett Bellmore]

I don't think wishing for somebody to die, in isolation, is a threat.

Making sure to communicate to them your wish that they die, including details of how you'd wish it happened? Yeah, I don't think we're legally obligated to take seriously "Don't worry, won't be me", it's reasonable to construe that to be a threat.

[Armchair]

That's my thought. It's akin to the old Mafia bit "Nice building you have here. Shame if something like a fire would happen to it."

[TwelveInchPianist]

It can be. Heck, remarking that it would be unfortunate if something bad happened to someone's nice place can be a threat in some circumstances.

[hobie]

Pearl clutching of this magnitude must mean this has something to do with Charlie Kirk.

I mean, what's next? Arresting people for saying 'hang Mike Pence'?

[Frank Drackman]

His name is Charlie Kirk

[hobie]

Yes it was. He made great strides in the field of White Christian Supremacy.

[jay.tee]

Just look at the bright side, hobie:

As your racist and bigoted troll schtick continues to fizzle, only your all-too-real racism and bigotry will be left.

[Bwaaah]

Hobie can't be racist. He pities Black people and all Lesser Peoples. He's a Humanitarian, and a Democrat.

[Frank Drackman]

His name is still Charlie Kirk, and will continue to be, after you've been confined to the Dustbin of History. (HT L. Trotsky)

[Poxigah146]

I don't believe this is a true threat. But I also didn't believe the statements for which Hal Turner was convicted were true threats either.

[Kenneth Almquist]

The Hal Turner case is different from this case in that Turner claimed to be able to carry out the threat:

I know how to get it done. Federal District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow in Chicago is proof. Judge Lefkow made a ruling in court that I opined made her “worthy of death.” After I said that, someone went out and murdered her husband and mother inside the Judges Chicago house.

That makes it a lot closer to the stereotypical Mafia threat mentioned by Armchair. (“Nice place you have here. Shame if something should happen to it.”) The Mafia statement a threat because the context makes it clear that the Mafia will burn down your business if you don’t pay.

I’m not defending the Turner conviction, but Turner had a somewhat plausible method for killing his targets and a stated willingness to do so. That’s not present in the instant case.

https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/904120/united-states-v-turner/

[Armchair]

I think the level of detail there goes beyond just "wishing to die"

"Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!"

That is a threat. It's implied, but it there. It's just like the Mafia coming by and saying "You better pay up, or you know...something might happen to your kids. Maybe someone's gonna take that nice little girl of yours on the way home from school".

[Sarcastr0]

It sucks, but it's not a threat.

Stop trying to criminalize speech you don't like.

[Armchair]

It's a threat. If someone came up and said it to you, you'd consider it a threat.

[Sarcastr0]

Maybe.
But posting on the Internet is not the same as someone coming up and saying something to you.

You're straining to criminalize speech.

[Armchair]

It wasn't posted on the internet....

[Sarcastr0]

Oh jeez, a letter! Even more threatening!

Keep trying to jail people for shitty speech; that's certainly not going to be a problem for MAGA.

[Armchair]

Think about the implications...

This isn't a random comment on the internet. This is directed to the victim. The personal letter helps insure the victim reads it. It's also implied with the mail "I know where you live".

"I know where you live. Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!"

[Sarcastr0]

Look up what you need for a true threat.

Then consider why you're so fucking stoked to shit on one of the things that makes America exceptional, if only it'll get you a scalp from the left.

And then maybe get a better hobby than always punching left.

[Brett Bellmore]

We didn't say it was definitively a legal "true threat", but you're denying above that it's a threat at all.

[Sarcastr0]

So when I said, 'Stop trying to criminalize speech you don't like' what did you think I was talking about?

[Armchair]

So, now you do admit it's a threat?

[F.D. Wolf]

Whether something is a "true threat" is determined by the context, not hyper-literal reading of the text of a message, so identical language in one case might be a "true threat" in one case but not the other. One cannot avoid liability solely with careful phrasing.

The crux is whether a reasonable person receiving the message would perceive it as a threat and whether the sender was at least reckless in failing to realize that it would be perceived as a threat. What do you imagine the sender's intent was here? Do you think he meant to cause fear or alarm in the recipient? I know how most people would answer that, but it will ultimately be up to a jury to answer.

[Malika la Maize]

Is a threat just putting fear or alarm into a person or making the victim fear the alarm or fear is coming from some act of the alleged threatener? Saying “someone is going to hurt you one day for the way you act, I hope someday soon”=\= “I’m going to hurt you for the way you act, hopefully soon.”

[Krayt]

Some of those rap lyrics cleared by the Supreme Court went way beyond what I would have considered not a threat, so it's enheartening free speech is so solidly out there.

For now. The perennial pushes by those who look glowingly on a sweet spot at democracy safely wielding the tools of tyrants never sleeps. Nor knows any one party.

[David Nieporent]

Saying “someone is going to hurt you one day for the way you act, I hope someday soon”=\= “I’m going to hurt you for the way you act, hopefully soon.”

It can be.

[David Nieporent]

Pam Bondi and Kash Patel appeared at the press conference, so this isn’t a case of some low level person screwing up.

I don't think those two clauses are logically connected.

[Kenneth Almquist]

What I meant is that Pam Bondi and Kash Patel approved of the arrest. I doubt that they have the time to review every arrest made by the FBI.

[John F. Carr]

The government aggressively prosecutes violent language or predictions of harm by a third party as if it were an actual threat. I wouldn't convict. Some jurors do. Courts seem happy with the status quo.

[Kazinski]

I don't know if it quite constitutes a true threat, but it rhymes.

It does seem calculated to put the recipient in a reasonable fear of public appearances, maybe close enough for a jury to decide what his intent was.

[apedad]

Jordan says ICE agents ‘doing the Lord’s work’

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said on Sunday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are “doing the Lord’s work” as the agency faces criticism over its tactics.

“I think the ICE agents are doing the Lord’s work. They’re doing what the president promised the American people he was going to do when he ran for the job and was elected in a big way,” Jordan told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”

Dear Lord,

I know YOU'RE busy but was wondering if YOU could weigh in on Rep. Jordan's comment about " . . . ICE agents are doing the Lord’s work."

That would seem a little different from YOUR usual accomplishments, e.g., creating the heavens and the earth, making Man in YOUR image, etc..

Your humble servant,

apedad

[Bwaaah]

Your humble servant,

apedad

You do know he's supposed to be omniscient, don't you?

[Frank Drackman]

It's "He" if you're referring to a Surpreme Being.
And if you don't mind, I'll move away from your comment, Lightning Bolts do terrible things to my Peaches & Cream Complexion.

Frank

[Bwaaah]

That would be advice from His humble grammarian, Frank Drackman?

Mysterious ways.

[hobie]

Jeebus is up there in heaven yelling, 'I never said help the stranger, bitches! Matthew was drunk when he wrote 'the least of these'. Took me completely out of context.'

[DDHarriman]

reddit atheists are the worst. their tropes are as ignorant and stupid as they are undying.

[Krayt]

Jesus said to help your neighbor, not to pull out a gun and demand your neighbor help your other neighbor.

[David Nieporent]

Seems that ICE is the only one using guns here.

[Mr. Bumble]

Seems is doing a heavy lift.

[Swede425]

Hmm.
That is really troubling. I'm troubled.
JUST KIDDING!
I don't give a shit.
Keep deporting illegal aliens at every opportunity and in ever increasing volumes.
Trump has 3 more years (at least) to keep sending them to Timbuktu or wherever they're going.
The only real question I have is should we be able to compare President Vance's future deportation record with Trump's second term only or is it more fair to compare both of their entire terms?
Because Trump had to set it all up and work his way through the commies and courts (repetitive, I know) but Vance will get to sail through with all that precedent as a tailwind.
Books will be written, I suppose.

[Sarcastr0]

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

#notallchristians.

[Bwaaah]

He didn't care much for their Dalits either.

Like you, like me, he picks and chooses his bigotries.

[Frank Drackman]

Who shot him? Hint, it wasn't Christians.

[Bob from Ohio]

“Hitler killed five million [sic] Jews. It is the greatest crime of our time. But the Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher’s knife. They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs.....It would have aroused the world and the people of Germany.... As it is they succumbed anyway in their millions.”

– Mahatma Gandhi, June 1946, in an interview with his biographer Louis Fischer.

Figures you look to this dude for moral advice.

[Dr. Ed 2]

India is a culture of death where Judaism is a culture of life.

[ducksalad]

I was going to criticize you but then I went and checked the birthrates.

India 1.9
Israeli Jews 3.06

Surprising.

[Sarcastr0]

Yeah, Ghandi was well equipped to struggle against the oppression of the UK. Less so against the Nazis.

I'm not sure that renders his quotes devoid of moral force.

It turned out to fight Nazis you needed more direct force. For that, I guess you'd need some kind of anti-fascist movement.

[Brett Bellmore]

Maybe not one whose only beef with the fascists was that they wanted to be the ones cracking the whip, though.

[Sarcastr0]

I'll put you down as anti-anti-fascist.

[Life of Brian]

If there's context that precludes this let me know, but this is a pretty common colloquialism in my experience:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/God%27s_work#:~:text=(idiomatic)%20Work%20that%20is%20very%20important%20and,receives%20little%20or%20no%20recognition%20or%20pay.

[hobie]

When he's not influencing touchdowns, Jeebus loves being appropriated in national racist movements

[bernard11]

I once met a woman who told me she did the Lord's work. When I inquired further, it turned out she made chocolate.

[David Nieporent]

That sounds a lot more tasty and societally useful than rounding up people whose only crime was crossing an imaginary line on the ground.

[Life of Brian]

Hey, maybe we should send a busload or two to Whitelandia, NJ and instruct them all that your property boundaries are just an imaginary line on the ground and thus they can feel free to intrude at will. Got bunk beds?

[David Nieporent]

Life of Brian fails to understand the concept of private property. Film at 11.

[Life of Brian]

Inconvenient though it may be for the "open BORDERS, yo" keyboard warriors safely ensconced in communities that are (at least right now) relatively safe from the most direct consequences of their breezy worldview, the concept of trespassing on property that's not yours exists on many levels. Land inside the boundaries of a country is one such level.

[TwelveInchPianist]

Some imaginary lines on the ground are more equal than others.

[Commenter_XY]

The people doing the rounding up need to do better, and deport more illegal aliens faster.

[not guilty]

"Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said on Sunday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are 'doing the Lord’s work' as the agency faces criticism over its tactics."

Assuming that the deity referenced by Rep. Jordan is Yahweh, his work has frequently included outright genocide, including the mass slaughter of women and children:

"However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you." Deuteronomy 20:16-17.

Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ” I Samuel 15:1-3

"Sama'ria shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword, their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open." Hosea 13:16

"Then they utterly destroyed all in the city [of Jericho,] both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and asses, with the edge of the sword." Joshua 6:21

"And the LORD said to me, 'Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you; begin to take possession, that you may occupy his land.' Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. And the LORD our God gave him over to us; and we defeated him and his sons and all his people. And we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed every city, men, women, and children; we left none remaining[.]" Deuteronomy 2:31-34

"So the LORD our God gave into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people; and we smote him until no survivor was left to him. And we took all his cities at that time--there was not a city which we did not take from them--sixty cities, the whole region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides very many unwalled villages. And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon the king of Heshbon, destroying every city, men, women, and children." Deuteronomy 3:3-6

"When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Gir'gashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Per'izzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb'usites, seven nations greater and mightier than yourselves, and when the LORD your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them; then you must utterly destroy them; you shall make no covenant with them, and show no mercy to them. You shall not make marriages with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons." Deuteronomy 7:1-3.

"And Joshua took Makke'dah on that day, and smote it and its king with the edge of the sword; he utterly destroyed every person in it, he left none remaining; and he did to the king of Makke'dah as he had done to the king of Jericho. Then Joshua passed on from Makke'dah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah; and the LORD gave it also and its king into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it; he left none remaining in it; and he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed on from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and laid siege to it, and assaulted it: and the LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, as he had done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he left none remaining. And Joshua passed on with all Israel from Lachish to Eglon; and they laid siege to it, and assaulted it; and they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword; and every person in it he utterly destroyed that day, as he had done to Lachish. Then Joshua went up with all Israel from Eglon to Hebron; and they assaulted it, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and its king and its towns, and every person in it; he left none remaining, as he had done to Eglon, and utterly destroyed it with every person in it. Then Joshua, with all Israel, turned back to Debir and assaulted it, and he took it with its king and all its towns; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed every person in it; he left none remaining; as he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and to its king. So Joshua defeated the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. Joshua 10:28-40

In the case of Midian, as described in Numbers 31, the Hebrew army slew all the men and captured the women and children. (vv 7, 9) Moses was angered that they had let the women live. (vv 14-15) Moses ordered that all male children and every woman that had had sex be killed, sparing only the virgin females, whom the soldiers were to keep for themselves. (vv 17-18)

All quotations above are from the Revised Standard Version.

Of course, Yahweh himself was no slouch in the mass murder department, what with the Great Flood, the arson of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Tenth Plague and the drowning of the Pharaoh's army.

[apedad]

The only way to read these quotes is using John Cleese's voice (Holy Grail).

[apedad]

Frank Drackman would be Loretta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgp9MPLEAqA

[Frank Drackman]

If being an insufferable asshole is Carcinogenic, don't buy any Long Playing Records.
OK, my "Boomer" is showing, in the Old Days, there were these things we called "Records" and one of the types of "Records" were large ones, played at 33.33 RPM, that were called "Long Playing Records" or "LP"s by the Cognoscenti.
Wow, Magellan didn't go as far as I am explaining this reference, but in Medicine there's a bit of "Gallows Humor" we joke about Patient's horrible disfigurements, dismal prognoses, and annoying families, because we all know we'll be the Patient some day.
So the joke was, when you'd ask the Pathologist if the Biopsy was Malignant he'd say (it was all "He" back then)
"I wouldn't buy any Long Playing Records" (if I was the Patient)

Frank

[SRG2]

"Don't start watching any bingeable series"

[Frank Drackman]

Good update!!! Like how the "Archie" comic strip has Jughead hacking Sonic's website for free Burgers.

[Krayt]

Jughead's Double Indigest

[Dr. Ed 2]

The fact that folk like Hobie and Apedad are upset means that WE ARE WINNING....

[Frank Drackman]

Just Win Baby!!

[hobie]

Upset? I've been enjoying myself all morning.

[Frank Drackman]

Your boytoy come early this week?

[SRG2]

One more data point added to support my fundamental political beliefs hypothesis.

[Michael P]

In observation of Indigenous Peoples Day, I offer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice_in_Aztec_culture

But hey, they weren't Christopher Columbus?

[Frank Drackman]

Aren't they the Tribe that played Hacky Sack with their defeated enemies heads??

[Sarcastr0]

Yes, that's what indigenous people are all like.

This kind of fragile bigotry is doing a disservice to normal white dudes everywhere.

[Mr. Bumble]

Deep thoughts from Il Douche.

[Bwaaah]

He is of the kind of people who can speak correctly on "indigenous people."

I'm indigenous to this universe, no more or less than anyone else. Soon I'll be dead and decomposed, and none of you will be able to find me amid it all.

Il Douche's headstone should immortalize his dumb-ass truth: "Bwaaah is not indigenous." It could be the last thing he ever says that nobody will ever care about.

[Krayt]

Soon I'll be dead

"Then...as it must to all men, death came to Charles Foster Bwaaah."

[Bwaaah]

Fitting I should go as all before me have gone.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Let's all celebrate Indigenous People's Day by kidnapping one and skinning him alive -- just like they used to do.

They were savages who practiced a culture of death -- not unlike current savages in a place known as Gaza.

[Malika la Maize]

From the guy who brought you machine gunning unarmed migrants, running over protesters with a snowplow, throwing trans persons off roofs, etc., savage culture of death, indeed!

[Dr. Ed 2]

When have I called for trannies to be tossed off roofs?

And as to the use of deadly force to enforce borders and heavy equipment to clear vital roadways, that is what a sovereign state must do to remain sovereign.

[David Nieporent]

When have I called for trannies to be tossed off roofs?

This is what lawyers call a pregnant denial.

[David Nieporent]

From the guy who brought you machine gunning unarmed migrants, running over protesters with a snowplow, throwing trans persons off roofs, etc., savage culture of death, indeed!

You forgot nuking Israel.

[Sarcastr0]

New study corroborates the minority rule moment of the state level GOP.

IMO, This predates Trump; it’s more about how cheap it is for a billionaire to buy a statehouse.

"the quality of statehouse democracy, here meaning the dynamic relationship between opinion and policy, is substantially weakened by Republican Party control of state government."

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/739057?journalCode=jop

[Bob from Ohio]

"how cheap it is for a billionaire to buy a statehouse"

Dude , a billionaire is literally the Democratic governor of Illinois. But sure, its the GOP that is bad.

[Swede425]

Pritzker needs to buy his way out of Type 2 Diabetes.

[Dr. Ed 2]

He isn't?

[Malika la Maize]

Hilarious to see a Trump supporter with this joke.

[Frank Drackman]

"45/47/48?" is in better shape at 80 than you are at whatever age you claim to be. (You gratuitously assert I'm a made up being, I can just as gratuitously assert that you are)

Frank

[Dr. Ed 2]

Gaslighto has noticed that a lot of state GOPs are run by RINOs...

[Dr. Ed 2]

As to VA benefits -- Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner is 100% disabled -- he's a full-time Oyster Farmer (he co-owns the farm) and also has a dive shop/mooring business on the side.

These are both physically strenuous jobs that many physically fit individuals would not be able to do -- someone who is 100% disabled ought not be able to do them!

[Bwaaah]

Don't mistake the term "disabled" with respect to government benefits as being like "disabled" with respect to physical ability. Though the two can intersect, one is a condition and the other is a racket. (No offense intended to my friends who "collect disability." One day maybe I'll get me some of that.)

[Zarniwoop]

“Co-own[ing] [a] farm” is physically strenuous?

This is what passes for an argument in your head? FFS.

Farmers can 1) let their co-owner do the physical parts, and/or 2) hire people.

Owning a dive shop =/= being an active divemaster. Owning a mooring business means, I assume, he owns some stretch of dock/berthing space and boat owners give him money to tie up their boats. So TF what?

[Dr. Ed 2]

This is aquaculture, something which you apparently know nothing about. In Maine it is not yet a mature industry, which means that the "owners" are the primary laborers, and labor is the primary expense. It involves lots and lots of heavy lifting, not just the weight of the oysters themselves, but all the stuff they are growing on, which has to be put in and out of the water, etc. Diving and mooring work -- in rural Maine -- involves putting a tank on your back and going down into the depths yourself!!!

As the only real barrier to entry is knowledge of how to do it, a good employee this year can start his own business next year -- which is literally what this guy did.

[Zarniwoop]

So you expect me to believe - based on your nonsensical, bald-faced assertion of “because aquaculture!!1!” - that in Maine Person A can’t co-own a business where co-owner Person B does the physical labor? And that you thereby have exposed and irrefutably proved Person A’s truly vile nature to the whole world? Shocking, I say!

Maine sure sounds like an unimaginable communist hellhole. Better get out quick.

p.s. I’ve done a lot of diving, around the world (less so as I get older, alas). I personally assure you that owning a dive shop doesn’t necessarily and inevitably “involve[] putting a tank on your back and going down into the depths yourself!!!”. Some people provide capital while others provide labor. Maybe this type of economic structure hasn’t made it to Maine yet, though.

[Stephen Lathrop]

Zarniwoop — Maine was famously a center of world cosmopolitan commerce during the early days of the republic, but became a backwater later. A Maine joke from the early days of Down East access by motorcar captured it about like this:

A tourist lost on a dirt road in Maine spots an old-timer leaning on a fence. Stops to ask for directions on how to get back to Boston.

"Well, can't rightly tell you how to do that. I've never been to Boston."

Motorist chuckles. "Well, before you get too old, maybe you ought to go down and take a look. Boston's quite a place."

Oldtimer. "Sonny, after I been to London, Rio, Venice, Calcutta, and Shanghai, I didn't see much need to go to Boston."

[Magister]

I was expecting "Can't get there from here."

[Zarniwoop]

+1

[Frank Drackman]

I get it, I've spent more time in Tel Aviv than Birmingham, and I lived 10 yrs in Ali-bama

[Swede425]

You can be 100% disabled with ptsd and still drive a boat, or a tractor for that matter. It doesn't preclude you from most things physical.

[Dr. Ed 2]

But you are qualified to be a US Senator?!?

[David Nieporent]

The only qualifications to be a US senator are to be 30, a citizen for nine years, and a resident of the state one represents. One can even be a football coach who was hit on the head way too many times and be a senator.

[Zarniwoop]

Well getting some votes helps these days, post-17th Amd.

But Grampa Ed is expecting us to mind-read whatever-TF-he-thinks-are-qualifications, and I'm not gonna waste time on his whackadoodle brain cramps.

[hobie]

I asked several AI's "Is Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner 100% disabled?"

I'm afraid you're gonna have to reveal your source on this one, Ed.

[Zarniwoop]

I don’t want to see Grampa Ed’s posterior orifice, Hobie.

[Life of Brian]

I'm curious which AIs would still be that detached from basic reality. I just had the following exchange with Grok:

Is Graham Platner 100% disabled?

Graham Platner, a Marine Corps and U.S. Army veteran running for U.S. Senate in Maine, has a 100% disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs due to service-connected conditions including PTSD and physical injuries from combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

en.wikipedia.org +1

He has publicly discussed how these VA benefits, including healthcare and disability compensation, have supported him in building his oyster farming business and highlighted them in his campaign to advocate for expanded social supports for all Americans.

npr.org +2

His Wikipedia page says it quite clearly, with links to two lefty media articles from earlier this year.

[Life of Brian]

Oh, and this GQ article calls him an "oyster farmer" and includes two pictures of him working on his boat. Alone.

Are y'all allergic to basic research or something?

[Zarniwoop]

Are y'all allergic to basic research or something?

Neh.

I'm allergic to going down internet rabbit holes based on Grampa Ed's vague, illogical, and "you should know what this means in Maine" assumptions about how to make an argument.

If Grampa wanted to say that "this person claims they are disabled, but there's pics of them on a boat hauling in oysters", then frackin' say so to start with. Not "he co-owns a farm and a dive shop". And not follow up that handwaving with "oh but you should have read my mind and known this is Maine aquaculture!!1! so you're clearly ignorant" when talking about how general concepts like co-ownership work.

Seriously, if you're defending Grampa Ed, maybe reconsider your life choices.

[JoeFromtheBronx]

This is the first paragraph of the official proclamation honoring Columbus Day (we had a parade in my neighborhood yesterday):

Today our Nation honors the legendary Christopher Columbus — the original American hero, a giant of Western civilization, and one of the most gallant and visionary men to ever walk the face of the earth. This Columbus Day, we honor his life with reverence and gratitude, and we pledge to reclaim his extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue from the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory.

h/t Heather Cox Richardson. She argues:

Historians [she is one] are not denigrating historical actors or the nation when they uncover sordid parts of our past. Historians study how and why societies change. As we dig into the past, we see patterns that never entirely foreshadow the present but that give us ideas about how people in the past have dealt with circumstances that look similar to circumstances today. If we are going to get an accurate picture of how a society works, historians must examine it honestly, seeing the bad as well as the good. With luck, seeing those patterns will help us make better decisions about our own lives, our communities, and our nation in the present.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-12-2025

As noted in a previous comment, Columbus Day became a national holiday in significant part to help Italian-Americans become Americanized.

Some now call today Indigenous Peoples' Day. A few celebrate Columbo Day. Wear your rumpled raincoats proudly.

[Bob from Ohio]

Hard left historian disagrees with Donald Trump. Unprecedented.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

Bob just calls someone a name rather than engaging with their argument. Unprecedented.

[Bob from Ohio]

She's just a biter of US ankles.

[Mr. Bumble]

"As noted in a previous comment, Columbus Day became a national holiday in significant part to help Italian-Americans become Americanized."
You think Italian-Americans weren't Americanized by 1968?
"In 1966, Mariano A. Lucca, from Buffalo, New York, founded the National Columbus Day Committee, which lobbied to make Columbus Day a federal holiday.[21] These efforts were successful and legislation to create Columbus Day as a federal holiday was signed by President Lyndon Johnson on June 28, 1968, to be effective beginning in 1971.[22][23]"
Wiki

[John F. Carr]

Your next doctor may be a bot:

Mass General Brigham has turned to artificial intelligence to address a critical shortage of primary care doctors, launching an AI app that questions patients, reviews medical records, and produces a list of potential diagnoses.
Called “Care Connect,” the platform was launched on Sept. 9 for the 15,000 MGB patients without a primary care doctor. A chatbot that is available 24/7 interviews the patient, then sets up a telehealth appointment with a physician in as little as half an hour. MGB is among the first health care systems nationally to roll out the app.

A shortage of primary care doctors has been developing for years in Massachusetts. Even with creative upcoding of visits family practices can't squeeze enough money out of insurance companies to pay salaries competitive with specialists.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/12/business/mass-general-brigham-ai-patients/
In the absence of state fines for inadequate insurance, a high deductible plan with occasional visits to urgent care ("walk-in") would make financial sense.

I want to know if the makers of these bots are prepared to sell them as products rather than disclaiming all accuracy the way tech companies usually do. If the FDA gets involved they may have to stand behind their products. A study found the bot was slightly better than a human doctor. On average. Like a Tesla steering its helpless passenger into a concrete barrier, a killer autodoc will be treated harshly by a jury.

[Moderation4ever]

I have no doubt that AI will become essential in the medical profession. The ability to quickly analyze patient data will simply lead to faster and more reliable diagnosis and treatment. As for malpractice, I can also see AI showing why a diagnosis was missed by the patients doctor and why the doctor is therefore liable.

[Brett Bellmore]

As a way of generating a list of potential diagnosis given the symptoms, I doubt it's too bad; That's pattern recognition over a large database, which is that LLM's excel at.

But acting on that list in an automated way would be insane.

[Frank Drackman]

Spoken like someone who's never seen a real life Human Patient in his life, it usually goes like this/
"So what seems to be the problem??"
"I hurt all over"
"Can you narrow it down?"
"It hurts really bad all over"
"OK I'll order the total Body MRI"
"Oh, can it be today? I'm going on a month cruise starting tomorrow"

Frank

[John F. Carr]

Recently posted to YouTube, a map of school desgregation in the South from 1953 (generally segregated) to 1976 (not). The definition of a desegregated school is one with at least one white and one black student. It does not account for disparities that led to forces busing around the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndi_-h4OIkw

[Frank Drackman]

so up to almost 50 years ago, what does it look like today? I can tell you (HT "45/47/48?") my Ali-bama Screw-el, that was named after the Confederate POTCS(That's why we lost, no one could pronouce "POTCS")
was 50/50 when I grad--jew-ma-cated in 1981, now is 99.9999999% Black
(And that 0.0000000001% Asian kid gets his Ass kicked daily)
but hey, it's not named after the Confederate POTCS anymore, Yay!!!!

Frank

[Sarcastr0]

A harrowing and very believable story from Katie Daviscourt
of the Post Millennial.

Today, I'm sitting here with a black eye and a concussion after being violently hit in the face with a metal pole while reporting outside the ICE facility. Just this past week after the attack, I immediately went to three Portland police officers who refused to detain the suspect. I took the time to chase down the suspect in the streets, had her held for 35 minutes. I was waiting for Portland Police to come and they never came then.

That's what opened my eyes to what this group is actually doing. I watched 20 Antifa militants help my assault suspect escape into an Antifa safe house that is one block away from the ICE facility. And this safe house is where Antifa-affiliated protesters are conducting parliamentary operations.

It's where they're resting, they're showering, they're eating to continue this occupation. I have staked out this safe house and have observed shift changes. This group is highly organized. It is being funded through mutual aid groups, and they have no plans of stopping. Residents living across the ICE facility have been held hostage by Antifa. They're begging for federal intervention.

My favorite is she immediately went to the police, but when they didn't help she went over and chased down the presumably very slow Antifa member.
Though the Antifa hostages begging for federal intervention is also some good shit.

[ducksalad]

But you have to admit: the parliamentary operations prove they're a real organization with central leadership.

[Sarcastr0]

Hah!
I guess there's been cuts to the Congressional transcript crew as well.

[hobie]

Numerous accounts of ICE and other DHS agents assaulting civilians and local police have been reported and filmed. Unless ICE has been deputized to act as civilian law enforcement (as opposed to detaining immigrants), these actions count as crimes in fact. But local PD appear to not be arresting them. Can anybody arrest them?

[Sarcastr0]

Doesn't seem prudent right now.

But this is not some grey area, the way they're acting. And the public seems to realize that as well.

I am hopeful one of the reactions post-MAGA will be criminal consequences, or at least truth and reconciliation proceedings.

[DDHarriman]

MAGA doesn't exist, you blue-anon loon.

And whenever the federal government tries to hold people accountable with "criminal consequences" are you going to squeal about political persecution like you are today? Or do you only want The Other to feel the sting of justice?

[Bob from Ohio]

"criminal consequences, or at least truth and reconciliation proceedings."

I guess Trump needs to pardon everyone then.

[DDHarriman]

Oh you and I both know thats when broad blanket pardons will become illegal.

We know how this works.

[Sarcastr0]

Sure, he's free to do that.

Truth and reconciliation is explicitly not a criminal proceeding.

[not guilty]

"Numerous accounts of ICE and other DHS agents assaulting civilians and local police have been reported and filmed. Unless ICE has been deputized to act as civilian law enforcement (as opposed to detaining immigrants), these actions count as crimes in fact. But local PD appear to not be arresting them. Can anybody arrest them?"

The District Judge whose order has arguably been willfully violated can issue an order to show cause under Rule 42(b) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. This would result in an arrest warrant, which would likely be executed by United States Marshals.

[Zarniwoop]

Though the Antifa hostages begging for federal intervention is also some good shit.

People probably pay good money for whatever she’s smoking.

[DDHarriman]

I wonder if it's more or less than what the Antifa protestors are getting paid.

[DDHarriman]

There are no Antifa members, Antifa doesn't exist.

All these Antifa organizations, people self identifying as Antifa, people wearing Antifa schwag and going to Antifa meetings, and collectively protesting with other like-minded people who also self-identify as Antifa are figments of conspiracy addled MAGA brains.

They don't exist. It's entirely a figment of our imaginations and only level-headed intelligent Democrats like yourself know that all these things that people are seeing are just figments of their imaginations.

It's literally impossible to say Antifa member, when "Antifa" the concept is a made up fantasy. Now, "MAGA", on the other hand is ENTIRELY REAL, because they are registered organization with publicly disclosed leadership structures. That's why "ANTIFA" is a made up crackpot fantasy, but "MAGA" is a real organization with charters, members, and dues, etc.

[David Nieporent]

Are you just going to keep trollingly posting the same comment over and over again? The Voltage! strategy requires more creativity than that.

[DDHarriman]

Look at the comments I am replying to. The same fucking stupid "Antifa doesn't exist, therefore there are no people are causing problems in it's name".

Why don't you chastise those fucking idiots for carrying on with the same easily debunked narrative?

Can you explain? Don't police the comments if you aren't going to police them fairly. Stop acting like a Democrat FBI agent, Democrat judge, or Democrat DOJ US Attorney.

[David Nieporent]

Look at the comments I am replying to. The same fucking stupid "Antifa doesn't exist, therefore there are no people are causing problems in it's name".

Why don't you chastise those fucking idiots for carrying on with the same easily debunked narrative?

Because nobody is saying that "there are no people causing problems." People are saying "antifa doesn't exist as an organization, so if a guy dressed in black threw tomatoes at an ICE vehicle, that's not an armed uprising that requires the National Guard; that's a guy dressed in black throwing tomatoes at an ICE vehicle.

[Life of Brian]

"That's just two guys dressed in black throwing tomatoes at an ICE vehicle."

"That's just ten guys dressed in black, two throwing tomatoes at an ICE vehicle, two shining lasers at ICE helicopters, and the rest assaulting ICE agents."

"That's just fifty guys dressed in black . . ."

The Journolist-style coordinated chanting along the lines of "they don't issue membership cards and personalized umbrellas, HA!" seems pretty equally irrelevant and silly.

[David Nieporent]

But those are pure hypotheticals. Again, wrt Portland there was an actual court hearing on this. At a hearing, you have to present testimony under oath; you can't just look at tweets and DHS press releases. And the evidence presented was that these dystopian events aren't happening.

[Life of Brian]

"These dystopian events" is carrying a lot of weight there. Even the nightly PPS emails that Plaintiffs put in describe huge, violent mobs that they didn't think they could safely control or didn't care to devote the resources to controlling. As is typical with these situations, the totally-not-a-queen judge amped up the evidence she wanted to rely on and downplayed the troublesome stuff.

And even those reports are distorted by the fact that for weeks now ICE has had to re-task dozens of people whose prior job roles certainly weren't constantly guarding the perimeter of the building and pushing back and managing crowds so that vehicles can enter and exit the facility at all, much less safely. It's utterly cynical to use those emergency stop-gap measures against them as supposed proof that there's not enough of a problem.

[David Nieporent]

Blocking the driveway to make it harder for vehicles to come and go may be obnoxious, but it is not some sort of insurrection, and certainly doesn't reflect something that requires organization.

[Life of Brian]

And this is the problem in a nutshell. You (and totally-not-Queen Immergut) are just substituting your own subjective judgment for that of the Executive about the facts on the ground and the threshold for needing additional resources to deal with the situation.

And Trump hasn't yet invoked the Insurrection Act, so your assessment is even further off base.

[Estragon]

“the totally-not-a-queen judge”

This comment seems gratuitous, especially considering Trump appears to think Judge Immergut is a man.

A useful collection of links to live cams around town can be found here:

https://isportlandburning.com/

[Life of Brian]

Hey man, how was that "emergency" bike ride that took almost 2 weeks to scrape together, only to have it half rained out? Hopefully you weren't one of the ones that stripped buck naked to show how serious you were and then totally killed it by putting on a poncho. R3siSt!!1!

[Your "oh, here are a few webcams at half a dozen cherry-picked locations that are zoomed out WAY too far out to actually see any details -- see, no prob!" site is frickin hilarious, btw. What in the world does a distant mountain range or a (very architecturally pretty, I grant you) suspension bridge have to do with violence in the downtown streets?]

[Zarniwoop]

So LOB ... find us the webcams or videos of the TOTAL DEVASTATION OF WAR that Pres Trump keeps whining about.

C'mon. I double-dog-dare you.

Are you really doubling down on "those cams showing non-devastation are not 100.0000% proof of no devastation"?

Seriously, at some point you have to put up or STFU.

[Life of Brian]

Cool strawman, bro! Apparently you were just as eager to get away from my bottom-line point as Nieporent was.

What is happening to ICE in Portland -- as intended, and with the not-even-tacit encouragement of the city -- is the functional equivalent of a denial of service attack. Jeering that it doesn't really matter and the bad actors should be left to have their fun because at least SOME users can still access your website from time to time is exactly the wrong way to look at it, as I'm confident we could readily agree in a less loaded context.

You don't want them to have any time and resources left over from dealing with this constant interference and high-alert stress levels to actually do what they're supposed to be doing, and that's of course your opinion to have. But ultimately that's not a call that you, I, or Immergut get to make. There's an orderly path to abolishing ICE if that's ultimately what the country decides should happen. This is not that path.

[Sarcastr0]

the functional equivalent of a denial of service attack.

I see we're making some exciting new First Amendment exceptions!

And quite a comedown from the warzone/insurrection that everyone else on the right is still pushing for - I guess all those people are forced to lie to the American people due to the 'high-alert stress levels?'

[not guilty]

DDHarriman, imagine that you are an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, drafting an indictment of "Antifa" for presentation to a federal grand jury.

What federal statute(s) will you allege to have been violated?

Whom will you name as the putative Defendant(s)?

What criminal action(s) or omission(s) will you allege?

As to each such action or omission, when and where did it occur?

[not guilty]

What is the surest way to silence a MAGAt?

Ask him to draft an actual indictment charging the crime(s) that he has been bloviating about.

It works like a charm. The MAGAt will run like Usain Bolt.

[jay.tee]

Allow me to propose a far more likely scenario:

People immediately tune you out when you assume your asshole law professor persona.

[John 4]

Awesome. Can you wipe down table 10 when ur done?

[DDHarriman]

I bet behind this grey box ^^^ is something awfully stupid to read.

[hobie]

Those of us that aren't as fragile as yourself can read it just fine

[DDHarriman]

What's it say?

[DDHarriman]

If the federal government can't target ANTIFA because it's not a concrete organization with leadership, how can the federal government target other non-existent concepts without leadership like "Domestic Terrorism" or "White Supremacy" or "Racism" or "Climate Change" or "Diversity, Inclusion, Equity"?

[ThePublius]

Countermeasures.

Wouldn't it be cool if there was a small, low cost missile that would latch on to a laser being shined in its direction, and follow the laser down to the person aiming it, and blow up? Yea. Helicopters and airplanes could carry them. That would be cool.

[Sarcastr0]

It's already a federal crime. Weirdly, not one with the death penalty.

So you're just slavering for murder of leftists.

This is why your whining about CIVILITY does not track.

[ThePublius]

No, not murder, self defense! If you shoot a guy who's pointing a gun at you with intent to shoot you, that's not murder. Same situation here. Just stopping the threat. And, hopefully, deterring others who might do the same.

Countermeasures.

[Sarcastr0]

Laser pointers pointed at aircraft are serious business. They are not guns.

You're looking for an excuse.

Not that anyone is surprised at this revelation of what you want.

[ThePublius]

Indeed, in this application they are more dangerous, potentially more lethal than a gun.

I'm not looking for an excuse. I'm looking to allow medivac and police copters to continue to operate despite terrorist threats.

[ducksalad]

In the long run, and if the primary objective is to keep flying, the solution is to fly by cameras and the pilot is looking at a wrap-around virtual display.

If the primary objective is "kill more terrorists" of course the cameras are not very satisfying.

[Life of Brian]

Too-clever folks have been trying to eliminate windows from airplanes for decades now.

It's probably the perfect intersection of a solution in search of a problem and an unforced error. There is no level of whizbang uber-cool technology that will ever achieve the basic ability of glass to remain sufficiently transparent to allow the pilots to see to safely navigate the aircraft through its surroundings no matter what other combination of components might fail.

In my ever-so-humble opinion, of course. 😀

[Frank Drackman]

Only time I've flown Southwestern (not my choice, I can tell you that) when I finally got my seat after the 1889 Oklahoma-esque scramble, the window was so scratched/hazed up, all I could see was my own ugly mugg glaring back at me.
Almost like that Twilight Zone Episode with Billy Shatner.

Frank

[DDHarriman]

Notice how his outrage is targeted at you and not the guy who was targeting Marine One with a laser pointer.

[DDHarriman]

Why did you assume he was talking about Leftists?

[Brett Bellmore]

That would actually require the laser to be kept on while you watched the missile flying towards you...

And you'd likely be deliberately standing on the roof of an orphanage, I expect.

[ThePublius]

The missile could go fast enough, and stealthily enough, that the laser bearer couldn't react in time to save himself.

And, the warhead needn't even be enough to penetrate a wall or roof, just enough to break the laser.

[ducksalad]

Yes, for a simple and affordable (1960's technology) tracking type device.

But inertial guidance systems are good enough now that a better missile could store the coordinates and go there even if the laser got turned off.

Real time optical recognition and tracking is also getting to where it could memorize the scene and even account for the target running away, as long as it didn't get completely out of sight.

If you're not too concerned about the orphans the blast radius could easily be made large enough to cover the tracking error.

[ThePublius]

I don't want to kill people, I want to kill/stop the laser. If the wielder of the laser gets injured, so be it. I don't want a significant "blast radius."

[ducksalad]

See my other answer direct to you.

[ThePublius]

Yea, that's a pretty asinine suggestion.

[John F. Carr]

I remember about 25 years ago police were demanding laser pointer regulation. They told lawmakers they were afraid that a red dot came from a gunsight instead of a toy. If they got scared they wanted to be sure that the person responsible could get a beatdown or a bullet.

[Bunny495]

I would favor other options over a missile. Even a "low cost missile" would be way more expensive than a reusable rail gun or even a low power electromagnetic weapon. Both would have the advantage of being non-lethal but like rubber bullets or shotgun shells loaded with salt would discourage shining a laser at aircraft. While still in development what I will call medium power lasers also offer serious options. Like fighting fire with fire. If some DIY kid can come up with this you can imagine what the Pentagon is doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBVlL0FNbSE

[Frank Drackman]

Remember when "Laze-ers" began being used in the OR, (You have to pronouce it like Dr E-ville, "Laze.......Er")
we got these ridiculous Glasses to wear (I called them my "Spaceman Spiff" Glasses, look it up)
Of course then you couldn't see the monitors, the operative field, your book.....
So I usually didn't wear mine once the lights went down (and then around 4 you gotta clear the lobby, take it to the room and (Redacted) somebody)

Frank

[ReaderY]

Suppose a state legislature passed a law imposing a prison sentence on any senatorial elector who casts a ballot but fails to vote for the Republican candidate.

Constitutional problem or not?

[ducksalad]

You mean a presidential elector? It seems to be OK.

There are already laws requiring electors to vote for who they are pledged to. Usually the remedy isn't prison, it's immediate removal and replacement with someone who will vote as pledged.

And of course the legislature can pick the electors, and require that they be pledged to the Republican (or Democrat).

[David Nieporent]

Usually the remedy isn't prison, it's immediate removal and replacement with someone who will vote as pledged.

But some states do impose fines also.

[ReaderY]

The 17th Amendment identifies who the senatorial electors are. So unlike in presidential elections, elector replacement would appear not to be a constitutionally permitted option.

[David Nieporent]

I don't know what you mean by "senatorial electors."

[Frank Drackman]

We get it, you're stupid, tell us something we don't know.

[ReaderY]

No, senatorial elector was not just intended but was the whole point of the post.

[Josh R]

What is a senatorial elector?

If instead you mean presidential elector, presumably the state legislature wants the Republican candidate to be awarded all of the state's electors. Chiafalo permits the states to enforce that electors choose who the state wants and can impose penalties to make sure. However, prison might be considered cruel and unusual.

[ReaderY]

It’s right from the text of the 17th Amendment. “The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for the most numerous branch of the state legilsature.”

[Josh R]

The "electors" in the 17th are the voters. You really think there isn't a constitutional issue with one-party rule, let alone imprisoning people who don't vote for the Republican. At the very least (and I mean very least), such a state would have its apportionment reduced per Section 2 of the 14th Amendment.

[John F. Carr]

On the subject of presidential electors, see Chiafalo v. Washington. If Washington can fine a faithless elector $1,000 I see no reason Washington can not imprison him. Once a criminal conviction is allowed at all the Supreme Court is reluctant to judge the constitutionality of any sentence short of death.

[ThePublius]

President Trump has now ended conflicts between:

- Thailand & Cambodia
- Israel & Iran
- Rwanda & the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- India & Pakistan
- Serbia & Kosovo
- Egypt & Ethiopia
- Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Israel & Hamas

Trump is the Peacemaker President

(from LibsofTikTok)

[David Nieporent]

He hasn't, but okay.

[Mr. Bumble]

So are you saying he played no part in ending these conflicts or that they are still ongoing?

[hobie]

Well, anyone can walk into office with the awesome powers all previous American endeavors have bestowed, play golf, tweet, then claim responsibility. Nobel typically award the prize for people that have risked their lives or freedom. That's why giving the prize to Kissinger, Gore and Obama was a ridiculous exercise. The only American president who deserved it was Carter for a lifetime of helping people across the globe. Plus, Carter never incessantly chastised everyone for not awarding him the prize. Why you're not embarrassed by that last bit is why no one takes you seriously.

[David Nieporent]

I am saying that some are ongoing; others he played no role; and others he played a role but that role is greatly exaggerated.

[Mr. Bumble]

An answer, I guess, but not much of one.
Would you care to be more specific as regards Pubes list?

[JoeFromtheBronx]

If you can't rely on LibsofTikTok, I'm not sure who you can rely on.

[hobie]

I think he'll ultimately win the prize for engaging in warfare on his own cities. The Nobel Committee loves that kind of shit.

[Estragon]

Armenia and Azerbaijan

I don’t think that’s correct, actually:

“I solved wars that was unsolvable. Azerbaijan and Albania, it was going on for many, many years, I had the prime ministers and presidents in my office.”

[BrotherMovesOn]

Edi Rama is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I notice.

[Frank Drackman]

OK, I thought I was the only one who remembered the Frederick Douglas quote, but it's factually correct.

[bernard11]

So it seems Kristi Noem has taken it on herself to get airports to show passengers in the TSA line a video that has her saying:

“It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe.”

And following with

“However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.”

Pretty blatant Hatch Act violation, not to mention completely obnoxious - but hey, it's Kristi Noem. Idiotic grandstanding is her favorite activity.

[Frank Drackman]

Telling the truth is a "Hatch Act Violation"??
Probably is, it's one of those Bullshit Statues that's only mentioned when Repubiclowns do something.

Frank

[Martinned]

The Hatch Act was never particularly powerful, but at least Congresscritters used to go across the street to make their phone calls asking for bribes. Now the Regime puts partisan messages on government websites left, right, and centre, without any shame whatsoever.

That's basically Trumpism in a nutshell. Doing things without shame that they used to accuse Democrats of doing.

[John F. Carr]

Can you cite the statute or regulation being violated? The Associated Press consulted two legal experts and got two different opinions on whether the messaging was legal. The OSC guidance for federal employees says they may not engage in "activity directed at the success or failure of a political party." That language does not appear in the statute.

[David Nieporent]

The statute says that an employee may not engage in political activity while the employee is on duty, or in any government building. That's 5 U.S.C. § 7324. And 5 C.F.R. § 734.101 defines political activity as an activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.

[Frank Drackman]

Not going to parse through 500+ Comments, but where oh where is my favorite defender of the Divine Right of Kings, "Martinned"???
He makes a few comments in defense of his Pederaster King and then mysteriously goes all Judge Crater on us, I'm smelling a big, fat, Commie rat (HT B. Turgidson, USAF)

Frank

[Kazinski]

"Former hostage Omer Shem Tov says Hamas was "very scared of" Trump: "They wanted Kamala to be elected."

"As soon as Donald Trump was elected, they understood that he wanted to bring us back home," he added. "So immediately, the way they treated me changed""

https://x.com/RealSaavedra/status/1977857098852507819?t=1LEtodAJ3Kq_OkOWTzZO6g&s=19

[Frank Drackman]

Oh what does he know? he was being held Hostage!

[Martinned]

It's almost as if people all over the world have figured out that flattering Trump works.

[ThePublius]

Oh, get lost. You always adopt the most cynical, irrationally anti-Trump view possible.

[Martinned]

It's called realism.

[ThePublius]

Who, exactly, is flattering Trump? I confess I don't even understand your comment.

And you don't take this freed hostage at his word? The only reason they were released is because of the efforts of Trump and his team. Israel acknowledges it. I should have expected that you'd have a negative, cynical take on this.

[Martinned]

In this case "Former hostage Omer Shem Tov", who presumably didn't sit in on high-level Hamas strategy meetings, but who does have an excellent reason to do the Israeli government a favour by flattering Trump.

[Kazinski]

Feeding the hostages is Hamas flattering Trump?

If you are talking about Tov, what possible motive does Omer Tov have for flattering Trump, other than gratitude?

[Martinned]

Some optimistic soul has created a Project 2025 tracker: https://www.project2025.observer/en

I can't decide whether it's good news or bad news that the tracker shows 48% completed.

[Martinned]

In non-Trump news:

Dutch government takes control of China-owned chip firm

The Dutch government has taken control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker based in the Netherlands, in a bid to safeguard the European supply of semiconductors for cars and other electronic goods and protect Europe's economic security.

The Hague said it took the decision due to "serious governance shortcomings" and to prevent the chips from becoming unavailable in an emergency.
(...)
The Dutch Economic Ministry said it made the "highly exceptional" decision to invoke the Goods Availability Act over "acute signals of serious governance shortcomings" within Nexperia.

"These signals posed a threat to the continuity and safeguarding on Dutch and European soil of crucial technological knowledge and capabilities," the ministry said in a statement.

"Losing these capabilities could pose a risk to Dutch and European economic security."
(...)
The Goods Availability Act is designed to allow The Hague to intervene in companies under exceptional circumstances. These include threats to the country's economic security and to ensure the supply of critical goods.

Under the order, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Vincent Karremans, could reverse or block Nexperia's decisions if they were potentially harmful to the company's interests, to its future as a business in the Netherlands or Europe, or to ensure supply remains available in an emergency.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgk21nng0vo

This article actually skips over some of the interesting legal complexities of this case, including the fact that the Dutch and German board members made a separate filing with the court asking it to oust the Chinese CEO (which the court did).

[Martinned]

On Friday the Dutch supreme court ('Hoge Raad') will give judgment in the litigation between Mikhail Chodorkovski and the Russian state about Yukos. The Advocate-General has advised the court to uphold the judgment below (and thereby the arbitral awards), meaning that Russia would have to pay damages of $50bn.

As far as I'm concerned the interesting question isn't whether the Russian state has $50bn of assets that Chodorkovski might seize, but whether it has $50bn of assets that aren't already earmarked for Ukraine somehow.

[Martinned]

The Nobel Prize in Economics was announced yesterday. I hadn't heard of Joel Mokyr (even though a lot of my PhD research was about 19th century industrial development), but I certainly have heard of Aghion & Howitt. Their key papers are an important part of my daily work.

Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt also studied the mechanisms behind sustained growth. In an article from 1992, they constructed a mathematical model for what is called creative destruction: when a new and better product enters the market, the companies selling the older products lose out. The innovation represents something new and is thus creative. However, it is also destructive, as the company whose technology becomes passé is outcompeted.

In different ways, the laureates show how creative destruction creates conflicts that must be managed in a constructive manner. Otherwise, innovation will be blocked by established companies and interest groups that risk being put at a disadvantage.

“The laureates’ work shows that economic growth cannot be taken for granted. We must uphold the mechanisms that underly creative destruction, so that we do not fall back into stagnation,” says John Hassler, Chair of the Committee for the prize in economic sciences.

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2025/press-release/

[Mr. Bumble]

Does that include companies like Meta buying up competitors to stifle competition and innovation?

[Martinned]

Yes, that's exactly the sort of thing they might do. (Although M&A isn't formally captured in the Aghion & Howitt models. But others have built on those models to show how different types of acquisitions affect incentives to innovate.)

Stopping companies like Meta buying up competitors to stifle competition and innovation is what I've spent a big chunk of my working life doing. (And I spent another chunk helping them do it...)

[Kazinski]

That's one reason that State owned industries can cause economic growth over time, they put up new barriers to entry that keep new and more efficient firms out of the market in order to protect stranded state investment.

It's also why profits are so vital to continued vitality, because retained profits are the major source of capital for firms to continue to innovate.

When Government skims profits from corporations, it robs investment capital.