Open Thread

What’s on your mind?

Comments

[grb]

Good morning, everyone!

https://logwork.com/countdown-ikrn

[Mr. Bumble]

Looks like the White House Ballroom can proceed.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4473643/judge-white-house-ballroom-construction/

[grb]

1. It twice as large as it should be and will overwhelm the central structure that is the iconic image of America around the world. This is because (a) Trump has small hands and the mental issues that accompany that deficiency, and (b) the idiot apparently decided it must accommodate mega-inaugural balls, even though they're only held every four years and we've gotten along swimmingly off-site up to now.

2. I don't claim to be the final authority on classical design language, but those who are say it's a hash. The original architect, James McCrery, is an expert, but that's why Trump ditched him: He kept prodding his toddler client to act responsibly. The current architect, Shalom Baranes, is a good firm (they once offered me a job!) but has no classical design background.

3. I'm unaware of a single quality structure where Trump was involved in the construction. He's either built hack-modern or Vegas-style shlock. It's asking a bit much to him to suddenly develop a commitment to quality design just because he's trashing one of the most important buildings in U.S. history.

[Kazinski]

The Whitehouse Ballroom is mostly just cover for top secret facility that will be underneath it.

They need the new ballroom, and bathrooms but not near as much as they need new top secret command and control adjacent to the Whitehouse.

[grb]

I seriously doubt the size of the proposed structure is driven by the bunker underneath. The ballroom has grown from 400 seats, to 600 seats, to 900 seats. That sounds like more like a Trump mental issue than security requirement.

That said, as hideous as DJT's Bling Palace is, it's still not as loony-toons awful as the "triumphant arch". When the Ex & myself lived in DC, we'd sometimes walk across the Potomac to the cemetery. Imagining that grotesque monster looming over the Arlington Grounds - higher than the Washington Monument itself - is enough to make any sensible person weep.

[Mr. Bumble]

How is a 250' high arch (probably too high) higher than the 555' Washington Monument?

[Commenter_XY]

Don't confuse him with the facts.

[Kazinski]

Now there is a new development in the story about the FBI surreptitiously recording Susie Wiles conversation with her lawyer.

The Lawyer, still unnamed, told Axios that he did not consent and was unaware the FBI was recording their conversation, Marc Caputo Axios political reporter:

"The lawyer representing Susie Wiles at the time of this incident categorically denies he allowed his client to be recorded by the FBI w/out her consent

I understand she believes him & that the Biden-era FBI may have lied about it

Here’s what the lawyer told me: “If I ever pulled a stunt like that I wouldn’t – and shouldn’t – have a license to practice law. I’m as shocked as Susie.”

Note, nobody is questioning that the recording exists.

That leaves a couple of possibilities:
-Wiles lawyer is lying, and there is no evidence of that.
The FBI intercepted the call without permission.
-Someone in the attorneys office was cooperating with the FBI
-The FBI got the call from the NSA

https://x.com/i/status/2027130725645140074

Caputo also says
"I’m not printing the name of the attorney because both he and his former client believe he is being unfairly accused"

[Frank Drackman]

Former FBI Director Faye Wray should be Under the Jail. He’s the one who took 3 weeks to determine “45” got shot.

[Mr. Bumble]

Time for a re-boot of "Who Do You Trust"?
Johnny and Ed won't be available. Maybe ng and David Notsoimportant can fill the roles.

[jb]

"Wiles lawyer is lying, and there is no evidence of that."

There's as much evidence that they're not lying as that they are. The lawyer says they didn't authorize the recording; the FBI says they did. It's an extremely weird story. Hopefully we'll learn more.

[Mr. Bumble]

The FBI had more credibility under J. Edgar Crossdresser.

[Frank Drackman]

You know the only "Evidence" Supporting that is the unsworn testimony of some Fag Hag.
Oh, and J Edgar never got married, and had a male friend, just like Leonardo Dicaprio, Jon Hamm, Owen Wilson, Al Pacino, Benicio Deltoro, Jimi Hendrix, are/were they Homos? (Forget Leonardo)
You know who was married? Rock Hudson, Idaho Senator Larry "Wide Stance" Craig, Former NJ Governor Jim McGreevey.
I admired J Edgar as a kid, watched "The FBI" every Sunday Night, back then all FBI Agents were Attorneys or CPA's and recognized Worldwide as the "World's Best Gunfighters". They wore Brooks Brothers and Florsheim Wing Tips and they went after Bank Robbers, Kidnappers, and Nazi Saboteurs. They carried Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Revolvers but were qualified with the Thompson Submachinegun also.
Now they're Jerkwater College (HT Hobie) Criminal Justice Grads who wear Windbreakers and couldn't hit the side of a Barn with whatever Semi Auto they've accepted the lowest bid on.
Kash isn't married either, is he a Homo??

Frank

[Mr. Bumble]

Didn't Dicaprio play Hoover in the movies?
The crossdresser reference was a sop for the usual suspects.

[Frank Drackman]

He did, and quite well, if Leo's a Homo, sign me up!!!

[Kazinski]

Its worth noting the reporting is that "FBI Sources" told Reuters, its not an official FBI statement.

So is one faction in the FBI trying to get out ahead on the story?

And where the collection of the toll records of Wiles and Patel may be a firing offense, recording a conversation, or accessing something the NSA recorded without authorization could land someone in jail. So there is just a much higher level of consequences possible over the recording.

[Mr. Bumble]

No one goes to jail.

[Commenter_XY]

Maybe that needs to change. IIRC, Bannon and Navarro both went to jail. POTUS Trump has a mugshot.

[not guilty]

Politico reports:

Senior advisers to President Donald Trump would prefer Israel strike Iran before the United States launches an assault on the country, according to two people familiar with ongoing discussions.

These Trump administration officials are privately arguing that an Israeli attack would trigger Iran to retaliate, helping muster support from American voters for a U.S. strike.

The calculus is a political one — that more Americans would stomach a war with Iran if the United States or an ally were attacked first. Recent polling shows that Americans, and Republicans in particular, support regime change in Iran, but are unwilling to risk any U.S. casualties to achieve it. That means Trump’s team is considering the optics of how an attack is conducted in addition to other justifications — such as Iran’s nuclear program.

“There’s thinking in and around the administration that the politics are a lot better if the Israelis go first and alone and the Iranians retaliate against us, and give us more reason to take action,” said one of the people familiar with discussions. Both individuals were granted anonymity to describe private conversations.

With hopes dimming in Washington for a diplomatic resolution to the standoff with Iran, the primary question is becoming when and how the U.S. attacks.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/25/white-house-politics-israel-strikes-iran-00799456

So the Trump administration, under the leadership of President Checkenhawk Bone Spurs, is hoping for the Israeli tail to wag the American dog. That is despicable.

If it is in the interest of the United States to go to war with Iran, that determination is in the bailiwick of the Congress to make, pursuant to Article I, § 8 of the Constitution.

[Frank Drackman]

Love how not wanting to die in JFK/LBJ’s Wah in Veet-Nam makes one a “Chickenhawk”. What Military Service did you serve in?

[not guilty]

When I turned 18, the military draft was no longer inducting young men into the Army. I registered for the raft, as then was still required. I did not volunteer, but neither did I evade service on a flimsy excuse, as did Donald Trump. And I do not now favor old men deciding to send young men to war without authorization from Congress.

At least Presidents Johnson and Nixon had the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, even if that was fraudulently obtained.

[Mr. Bumble]

That would be Johnson who promoted the fraud.
"I did not volunteer, but neither did I evade service on a flimsy excuse,"
Nothing for you to evade with no draft.

[Frank Drackman]

What does registering for a raft have to do with anything?
It's OK, like Ty Webb, you were "Homo" (much better now though)
It's cool, you're a Pussy, we get it, most men are, I only joined because I wanted to ride in the backseat of Jet Fighters, if I hadn't done so well on the MCAT I'd have been a Naval Flight Officer, ("Goose" in "Topgun") gotten RIF'd(Ask a Veteran) during the 90's drawdown, lost my Shirt during the Dot-Com Crash of 2000, my Pants during the Real Estate Crash of 08', and probably be lucky to be pushing the Tru-Coat at Gustavson Motors.
Fortunately I got Uncle Sammy to pay for Med Screw-el, train me to Pass the Gas, and I get a 10% discount at Applebees(Food only, not Drinks)

Frank

[Mr. Bumble]

"...according to two people familiar with ongoing discussions."
As usual, anon.

[Frank Drackman]

People’s give “45/47/(48?)” Shit when he says “People are saying” I’d like to see Ear/Ron leveled just as Payback for the Hostages from 1979.
Real Machiavellian move(that we Jews do so well) would be to restart the Ear-Rock/Ear-Ron Wah, wouldn’t be that difficult, you’d never have gotten the Gulf Wah. 9-11, the last 25 years of Amuricans dying for nothing if we’d have let them keep fighting. ✌️

[grb]

Mr. Bumble : "As usual, anon."

And, as usual, all you're interested in is an excuse (however trite) to ignore a story you don't want to face. As for the story itself, the Israelis think it credible and there has been much discussion and debate over it in Israel's press:

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-888044

[Mr. Bumble]

The linked story is a re-hash of the Politico story.
Same un-sourced bullshit, worthy of ignoring.

[Commenter_XY]

The last guy who went to Congress was Team R President George W Bush. And Congress granted him the authority for the use of force -- they voted for it.

Iran is not Iraq. Iran is not Syria. Iran isn't Venezuela, either. For all POTUS Trump's braggadocio about the higher quality of American weaponry (which is true, it is better), Iran is a formidable adversary with advanced military capabilities. There isn't a 'limited strike option' like last year (Midnight Hammer). In particular, the US military will have to counter mass missile and drone attacks; potentially, terror attacks on American soil. It is a l-o-n-g supply line, that is what I see.

The leadership of Iran are a malignant influence throughout the ME region. Nobody in the ME is rushing to be a 'bride' or 'groom' to Iran, presently. The region (and world) would be better off without them and their malignity.

What are the goals, and what are the objective measures of success? I haven't yet heard a clear articulation from POTUS Trump, or SecState-NatSecAdv Rubio. That part concerns me somewhat more. It concerns me much more than an anonymously sourced, Politico narrative.

The negotiations are a stalling tactic by Iran while they frantically rearm. They are jerking POTUS Trump's chain.

[Kazinski]

Netflix has dropped out of bidfing for Warner Brothers leaving Paramount the winner of the bidding war.

Netflix shares jumped more than 2% on the news which indicates their shareholders thought they were paying too much.

One of the primary concerns was Netflix's commitment to continuing to show movies in cinemas.

Of course this might also mean CBSNews could take over operation of CNN, but even if that makes CNN a little more middle of the road it still leaves ABC, NBC, MS-Now in the hands of the resistance.

[jb]

"Netflix shares jumped more than 2% on the news which indicates their shareholders thought they were paying too much."

Eh. More likely they thought trying to make the purchase go through was going to be expensive, unlikely to succeed, and distracting to management.

It's probably good this isn't going to happen; a bit of a shame that the process has the stink of crony capitalism, though.

[Dr. Ed 2]

Cannibalism.

That’s the latest thing that Epstein was supposed to be into, although I have to admit that I honestly don’t know if I believe this or not.

It’s not a pretty world. I know of two cases in the State of Maine where a parent cooked his/her/its own child in an oven — the case involving an electric oven made the press, the case involving the microwave oven didn’t. I know of cases where parents have sexually prostituted a toddler for drug money during the Crack epidemic. I have been involved in situations where non-custodial parents were attempting to kidnap their unemancipated, minor children, in one case, a custody dispute and other to prevent the child from testifying that she’s been raped by a family member.

And then there are similar people enjoying financial success.

The Voodoo Scientists use the term “High-functioning Psychopath” — I, being a Puritan, am not willing to give Yee Olde Deluder a password and see the work of Satan present as well. And it will may be a distinction without a difference, with both science and scripture reaching similar conclusions via different means.

On the one hand, people are willing to believe the absolute worst about the political leaders of the other side, even when it contradicts known facts. On the other hand, the rich and powerful are very good at covering stuff up.

So was Epstein the leader of a cult so depraved that it included cannibalism, or merely pederesty?

[Mr. Bumble]

...and in UK election news:
"UK PM Keir Starmer suffers major blow after his party comes third in key vote"
"British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suffered another blow to his leadership on Friday, after the left-wing Green Party won a special election in a seat the governing Labour party has dominated for decades.

The result in Gorton and Denton, in Greater Manchester, is likely to intensify speculation about Starmer’s position, who has come under pressure from the appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador despite his association with Jeffrey Epstein, and a series of departures from Downing Street.

Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer received 14,980 votes, or 40.7% of the vote, notching the party’s first-ever by-election victory.

The right-wing Reform UK party finished second with 10,578 votes on 28.7%, while Labour came third with 9,364 votes on 25.4%."
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/27/uk-election-gorton-denton-greens-labour-reform-starmer.html

[not guilty]

The New York Times reports:

With a U.S. chokehold pushing Cuba’s economy toward potential collapse, President Trump is hoping to reach a deal with the island’s communist government to avoid chaos even if it means the leadership change long sought by many of his close allies has to wait.

Instead, Mr. Trump appears to be pursuing a version of his approach to Venezuela, whose leftist government remained in power after U.S. troops captured its president, Nicolás Maduro, in January.

On Wednesday, Cuban border guards shot and killed four Cuban nationals who departed from the United States as they approached the island’s coast in a boat. It is unclear whether the episode will affect the Trump administration’s plans.

After years of calling for Venezuela’s opposition leaders to take power, Mr. Trump has cooperated with Mr. Maduro’s successor to gain American access to the country’s oil, leaving questions about a political transition for later.

Similarly, Mr. Trump does not want a sudden power vacuum in Havana, according to a senior administration official and an associate of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as Mr. Rubio’s own public remarks in recent weeks. Mr. Rubio has spoken about a potential deal with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Fidel Castro’s brother, Raúl, according to two people familiar with the matter.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/us/politics/trump-cuba-regime-change.html

I have been quick to condemn the Trump administration for its boneheaded actions. Fairness suggests that I give credit for admirable caution here.

[Estragon]

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/doj-to-review-whether-epstein-files-about-trump-were-improperly-withheld-bc8af73c

Maxwell has seen these. They were provided to her in discovery. I wonder if that fact goes some small distance towards explaining the puppy and the move to Bryant.

[Kazinski]

She's got a bombshell and cashes it in for a puppy?

I don't think you know how leverage works.

Trump isn't the only former President she knows, if she had any compromat she could write her own ticket.

[Estragon]

Her sentence will be commuted, unless Trump rapidly and unexpectedly becomes incapacitated. Prepare yourself, mentally and rhetorically, to defend that when it occurs.

“Maxwell was a victim too” was Newsmax’s attempt. I know you can come up with something better.

[Commenter_XY]

Cleaning House....it starts with identification. The Epstein files release by the DOJ has provided a wide ranging look at the various 'Friends of Jeffrey' within the Jewish philanthropic community, crossing all denominations. It has provoked a reassessment. Jeffrey Epstein donated to many Jewish charities. This TOI article was a pretty good read (warning, it is a bit lengthy).

https://www.timesofisrael.com/checks-charities-conversion-classes-what-the-epstein-files-reveal-about-his-jewish-world/

[Roger S]

The press is filled with stories about Epstein evils, but you have to read the Jewish press to learn about the Jewish associations.