home

Monday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 10:55:04 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

I'm reading the news but not finding much to write about. I'm beyond sick of Donald Trump.

Here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.

< Michael Cohen to Invoke 5th Am. in Stormy Daniels Case | "We Had That Thing, You Know.” >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Monday Open Thread | 203 comments (203 topical)
    Thank you for ignoring (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by oculus on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 10:59:25 AM EST
    The WHCD. Sick of this.

    Good lord. (none / 0) (#2)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 11:20:11 AM EST
    The pearl clutching is just barf inducing isn't it? Don't want someone to make jokes then don't invite a comedian.

    Parent
    But, but, but, (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 11:27:02 AM EST
    she was extra, extra mean! /s

    The main stream press (I'm talking about you Andrea Mitchell) whose panties were in a wad over Michelle Wolfe make me want to barf. Bone Spurs calls essentially calls these folks sc*mbags and "enemies of the American people" and Wolfe feeds some of that back at him and now their sensibilities are all aflutter? Gimme an effing break.

    Parent

    I think what the press... (5.00 / 5) (#11)
    by kdog on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 12:57:33 PM EST
    is really upset about what this nugget of  truth from Ms. Wolf...

    "What no one in this room wants to admit is Trump helped all of you," she went on. "He couldn't sell steaks, vodka, water, college, ties or Eric. [But] he has helped you sell your papers, books, and TV. You created this monster, and now you're profiting off of him."

    But that can't argue with the truth, so they whine about the more caustic humor...which was funny as hell btw!

    Parent

    yes, and (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 02:11:46 PM EST
    then there was that..."Flint, MI still does not have clean water."   And, it is so wrong that a powerless comedian should make fun of a powerful government official.  Not too many criticism of the jokes about Hillary and Rachel Maddow.  And, along your lines of attacking the media (Miss Wolf comes out of the Daily Show, where making fun of the media made Jon Stewart and spawned Trevor Noah) she skewered CNN for "Breaking News,"...they broke the news.

    Parent
    But it is okay if the President (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 01:01:35 PM EST
    Threatens John Tester, or makes fun of a disabled reporter who shares a limb condition with my son.

    Saying that SHS creates the perfect smokey eye is actually a compliment. There is a whole television commercial dedicated to the imperfect smokey eye.

    Parent

    Making fun (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 06:03:44 PM EST
    of the disabled reporter was quite a "tell."  It showed how barren his soul is.

    Parent
    I was more disturbed by (none / 0) (#126)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 07:18:18 PM EST
    The ridiculing of disability enablers and apologists and those who glad heartedly voted Trump after that.

    Roy Moore almost won, Greitens is still a governor. Rapists and criminals thrive.

    Parent

    Best comment I saw (none / 0) (#13)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 01:06:34 PM EST
    on twitter was this is a repeat of 2006 with Colbert. Remember the pearl clutching over that one?

    Parent
    YES!! (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 01:28:35 PM EST
    Same ole $hit! Exactly!! Cuz the President at that time was also a terrifying royal fuckup, and it hurt to be reminded that the press was complicit in starting the Iraq War!

    Sure looks like only Democratic Presidents and their administrations are emotionally mature enough though to be able to not get butthurt over being annually comedically roasted on a freakin schedule. My God, they have enough warning it's coming they could all schedule in a therapist too.

    And we're the snowflakes? GTFO!

    Parent

    Not just the Iraq War (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 05:43:37 PM EST
    they were completely responsible for the whole Oh, I wanna have a beer with Bush garbage. I really had flashbacks in 2016 to 2000 and their treatment of Gore. 2016 was just yet another time they sold out the country to a POS.

    Parent
    Aaron Blake just tweeted that journalists (none / 0) (#30)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 05:51:40 PM EST
    Can't call Trump a liar when he's lying because that is ascertaining intent. So we can all stop reading or watching the media because it is going to be whataboutism 24/7 until they are either state media or in jail.

    Parent
    dinner jokes (none / 0) (#83)
    by thomas rogan on Tue May 01, 2018 at 08:44:44 PM EST
    Making a joke that conservative women are "uncle Toms" is OK.  But I never heard a liberal comedian  call the centrist Obama an "Uncle Tom".  Wonder why?

    Parent
    Well, good for you, Tom (5.00 / 1) (#88)
    by jondee on Wed May 02, 2018 at 01:07:54 AM EST
    you're one up on a large % of your political bedfellows: you actually acknowledged that Obama was a centrist, and not a secret socialist Islamist..

    Just because you never heard a comedian do it, doesn't mean it never happened. Shocking and outrageous has been the order of the day in comedy for the last deecade or so.

    Parent

    He would have to actually (none / 0) (#94)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:19:21 AM EST
    Tune into some comedians to hear Barack Obama blackish jokes. There are plenty of them.

    Parent
    Come on!! (none / 0) (#93)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:16:56 AM EST
    So you partake of a lot of comedy?

    Here's a clip where a liberalish comedian says Barack Obama looks like Curious George.

    Comedians are always right up to and a toe over the line. All the lines

    I could find many more clips using Barack Obama's blackness in some way or another for a laugh.

    Parent

    Simple (none / 0) (#6)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 11:58:19 AM EST
    Locker room talk

    Parent
    SAD! (5.00 / 1) (#89)
    by jondee on Wed May 02, 2018 at 01:11:20 AM EST
    The first one out of the box was pretty good: "As a porn star would say to Trump, lets get this thing over with."

    Parent
    In a nutshell, ... (none / 0) (#76)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 01, 2018 at 05:38:03 PM EST
    ... here's the White House Correspondents Association tempest, annotated:

    WHCA to Michelle Wolf: "You watch your filthy mouth!"

    Michelle Wolf to WHCA: "No. YOU watch my filthy mouth."

    ;-D

    Parent

    Looks like Richard Painter.... (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by desertswine on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 11:42:26 AM EST
    is going to switch parties and run for Franken's seat in Minnesota.  I don't know much about him but I like what I've seen on TV.

    do you live in Minnesota? (none / 0) (#15)
    by leap on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 01:39:30 PM EST
    Some there aren't so impressed.

    Parent
    Mining my memory, (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 02:39:12 PM EST
    I recall a presidential candidate named Carly Fiorina.  Candidate Trump was so respectful of her appearance..."Look at that face.  Would anyone vote for that?"

     But, then, that was a long time ago and most memories fade.  But, it was only a week ago that Trump called NYTimes reporter, Maggie Haberman, a third rate reporter, a crooked Hillary flunkie who I don't speak to and have nothing to do with (despite White House photos to the contrary).

     Miss Haberman came to the defense of Miss HuckabeeS (and her own access to the WH): "she sat and absorbed intense criticism of her physical appearance, her job performance, and so forth, instead of walking out on national television, which was impressive.

    And, Mika B. was appalled: that Miss Wolfe would say such things to a wife and mother.  Yes, to a wife and mother like Hillary Clinton? Lock her up.

     And, besides, you don't need to be an historian to remember that Magda Goebbels was a wife and mother. Her husband did not have a very nice boss, and, besides, Magda did wind up killing all of her six children in the bunker. Mika's comment needs some discernment to have merit.

    Micas boyfriend and boss (none / 0) (#18)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 03:35:48 PM EST
    Was a lot more supportive of Ms Wolf.

    Parent
    Ashley Judd files lawsuit against Harvey (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by McBain on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 06:12:46 PM EST
    Weinstein

    The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, involves Mr. Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" films, the first of which was released in 2001. Mr. Jackson had wanted to cast Ms. Judd in a prominent role in the series. But Mr. Weinstein "torpedoed Ms. Judd's incredible professional opportunity," according to the complaint, by falsely telling Mr. Jackson that Ms. Judd was a "nightmare" who should be avoided "at all costs."
    Well, this is interesting... (5.00 / 1) (#65)
    by Anne on Tue May 01, 2018 at 11:31:29 AM EST
    In February 2017, President Donald Trump's bodyguard, a Trump Organization lawyer and a third unidentified man raided the office of the President's longtime New York doctor Harold Bornstein, taking all of Trump's medical records without any documentation or permission, according to a Tuesday NBC News report.

    Bornstein told NBC that he felt "raped, frightened and sad" when the men, including Trump's loyal bodyguard Keith Schiller and lawyer Alan Garten, seized the documents.

    The raid reportedly occurred soon after Bornstein revealed in an interview that Trump takes medication for hair growth.

    Link

    Seems pretty extreme and, well, mob-like.  Wonder who the third unidentified man was.

    From the NBC link:

    Bornstein said the original and only copy of Trump's charts, including lab reports under Trump's name as well as under the pseudonyms his office used for Trump, were taken.

    Wonder how many times Trump was treated for STDs...

    I just wrote a new post on this (none / 0) (#68)
    by Jeralyn on Tue May 01, 2018 at 12:17:28 PM EST


    Parent
    Regardless of Iran's denials to the contrary, ... (5.00 / 1) (#77)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 01, 2018 at 06:02:51 PM EST
    ... it's certainly not news that the country once possessed a nuclear weapons program. And to be perfectly frank, I'm actually impressed with extent of the Israeli documentation to that effect. But that said, current evidence now indicates beyond any doubt that Iran has since discontinued that program, so such obsolete news should not be what is at issue here.

    More specifically, what the Israeli intelligence services did not provide for public consumption is any evidence that Iran is in violation of the of the rather strict terms of the current P5+1 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Further, inspectors on the ground in that country have indicated that Teheran is in full compliance with the accord, and is keeping up its end of the bargain.

    Therefore, an American military strike upon Iran, launched with neither provocation nor justification offered on the Islamic Republic's part, would likely alienate those NATO allies of ours -- Britain, France and Germany -- who are also signatories to the nuclear agreement. We would be completely on our own, isolated and plunging headlong into an international crisis and likely disaster of our own manufacture.

    Aloha.

    This (5.00 / 1) (#95)
    by FlJoe on Wed May 02, 2018 at 10:47:56 AM EST
    is wrong on so many levels
    A Georgia gubernatorial candidate has aired a new campaign ad in which he points a shotgun at one of his daughter's suitors, demanding "respect" and "a healthy appreciation for the Second Amendment" as prerequisites to date her,
    From the angle, (none / 0) (#96)
    by KeysDan on Wed May 02, 2018 at 11:21:31 AM EST
    it may not be all that bad if Brian's gun was (accidently) loaded and (accidently) went off.  Jake may just have one arm blown off and a small section of his chest wasted.  

    These Republicans seem to hate comedians and high school students.  But, there are some very good people in those Nazi marches and Republicans can't find a crime in espionage.   If banning assault weapons is not possible, maybe Georgians can, at least, ban ass candidates.

    Parent

    Lovely rainy day here (5.00 / 1) (#147)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 10:03:45 AM EST
    Things are so green they are glowing.

    And pastures (none / 0) (#151)
    by Militarytracy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 10:25:53 AM EST
    Trump just called pastors pastures. Hahaha

    I used to think they were called pastures too when I was 5! They kept saying we were a flock, and makething me to lie down in green pastures. The childhood flashbacks this guy inspires ;)

    Parent

    These pastors of plenty (5.00 / 2) (#169)
    by Peter G on Thu May 03, 2018 at 05:29:26 PM EST
    shall always be free. Well, perhaps not always. But then again.

    Parent
    Donald from Hawaii... (5.00 / 1) (#174)
    by fishcamp on Fri May 04, 2018 at 10:53:23 AM EST
    Are you safe from the volcano that is erupting on The Big Island of Hawaii where you live?  I think you are on the other side of the island, but it all looks close on the maps.  You have undoubtedly been through this before, but please stay safe and let us know what's going on.

    We're fine. Thank you for asking. (none / 0) (#175)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri May 04, 2018 at 12:29:01 PM EST
    This latest fissure opened up in Hawaii island's Puna district, in an area called Leilani Estates, which is approximately 23 miles due south of where we are in Hilo. About 1,700 residents live in Leilani Estates, and they were all safely evacuated by the Hawaii County police and the National Guard early this morning.

    Kilauea's active rift zone stretches due east for about 40 miles from its summit in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It's not uncommon for eruptions to break out anywhere along that fault line. In 1960, the village of Kapoho on the island's easternmost point was enveloped by lava from a fissure which literally opened up beneath it. The Big Island's geology and topography dictate that lava flows from Kilauea's eruptions generally move southeast, well away from Hilo.

    The biggest potential volcanic threat posed to Hilo is from Mauna Loa, which is so massive in bulk and size that any lava spewing forth from its 13,700-ft. summit can pretty much go in any direction. The main flows from its 1935 and 1984 eruptions both came down its eastern flank and stalled about five miles west of us. But the primary flow from Mauna Loa's 1920 eruption moved down its north flank and entered the ocean at Waikoloa on the north Kona coast, some 60 miles from the summit.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Well you really upset the gods this time. (none / 0) (#178)
    by desertswine on Fri May 04, 2018 at 05:18:42 PM EST


    Parent
    Ancient Alien theorists say yes (none / 0) (#179)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri May 04, 2018 at 05:29:00 PM EST
    You know watching the marathon off and on today I was thinking Trump's presidency does not add any credibility because if there was anything to say we know he could not keep his mouth shut.

    Maybe he will be yelling about aliens as they drag him from the White house

    Parent

    Those Ancient Alien theorists... (5.00 / 1) (#191)
    by desertswine on Fri May 04, 2018 at 09:10:00 PM EST
    always say yes.  I live only to see Aliens dragging Trump from the White House.

    Parent
    The gods have nothing to do with it. (none / 0) (#189)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri May 04, 2018 at 08:59:56 PM EST
    Kilauea is the most active volcano on earth, and has been in continuous eruption since 1983. Sadly, what happened in Leilani Estates today was inevitable, given the geology of the region.

    The same can also be said for my own hometown of Hilo. A flow from Mauna Loa came within five miles of the city 34 years ago, and tsunamis in 1946 and 1960 devastated the community and killed over 200 people. Mother Nature (Pele) in Hawaii is very beautiful. She's also very amoral and unforgiving. What she gives can also be taken away quite suddenly.

    If you look at a map or satellite photo of the Big Island and draw a line from Kilauea's Halemaumau Crater in Volcanoes National Park to Kapoho on the islands easternmost point, that is the approximate location and size of the volcano's east rift zone. Go to Google Earth and zoom in on the Puna district, which is approximately the size of the entire island of Oahu, and you can see how many people live there. Shame on our greedy political forebears who rezoned much of that inherently unstable region for development back in the 1960s.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    We had a big earthquake in Hilo ... (none / 0) (#192)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat May 05, 2018 at 01:39:23 AM EST
    ... since I last posted, registering an estimated 6.9 on the Richter Scale. It knocked our power out for a few hours, and toppled a bookshelf in my office. We really rocked and rolled, but otherwise we're okay. It's more than likely related to the Kilauea rift eruption. Magma is definitely on the move underneath Puna; the crater floor at Kilauea's Puu Oo vent collapsed into itself.

    Parent
    Stay safe! (none / 0) (#198)
    by Zorba on Sat May 05, 2018 at 08:15:13 AM EST
    I hope that everyone will come through this unhurt.  Furniture and houses can be replaced.  People cannot.

    And yes, responding to your other comment, it was stupid of them to allow so many houses to be built on an active volcanic rift zone.   Even fifty years ago, they should have known better,  but I guess greed got the better of people, as so often happens.

    Namaste.

    Parent

    Thank you, Zorba. (5.00 / 1) (#202)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat May 05, 2018 at 11:03:58 AM EST
    Everyone's safe. The earthquakes and aftershocks have subsided for right now, and the main concern is how extensive this latest eruptive outbreak is actually going to be. Another three fissures of several hundred yards in length have opened in Leilani Estates since I last wrote, making six fissures in total crisscrossing that community. Residents of the adjacent Nanawale Estates subdivision are on alert to be prepared to leave immediately upon warning, as there are only two roads in and out of there.

    So far, about 2,000 residents have effectively been displaced and are in Red Cross shelters in Pahoa, and Hawaii County is preparing shelters for another 3,000 if needed. The latest local news on the eruption can be seen here.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    What did you all do (none / 0) (#183)
    by Zorba on Fri May 04, 2018 at 07:53:14 PM EST
    To tick off Madame Pele?

    Parent
    We rezoned and subdivided lava fields. (none / 0) (#187)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri May 04, 2018 at 08:36:38 PM EST
    Seriously, we've allowed nearly 40,000 people to build and live in an active volcanic rift zone. How stupid was that? Now, those incredibly greedy and shortsighted decisions were made more than 50 years ago, long before I ever moved to Hawaii. But they were wrong nonetheless, regardless of my lack of input. As of this writing (4:00 p.m. HST), there are now three active fissures cutting across Leilani Estates, so that community is pretty much lost to the volcano, as were Royal Gardens and Kalapana 30 years ago.

    Parent
    fishcamp, it's Tarpon season. (none / 0) (#176)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri May 04, 2018 at 02:07:51 PM EST
    Are you getting out?


    Parent
    Yes it is Tarpon time here sarc, (none / 0) (#200)
    by fishcamp on Sat May 05, 2018 at 08:44:08 AM EST
    but with my dislocated shoulder and 25 mph winds I haven't been able to go fishing yet.  The Tarpon just recently arrived and hopefully will stay around until July.  From the middle of June on the winds usually stop and maybe by then I'll be able to cast.  Being an old guy now it's a trick deal to launch my boat and get out there.

    Parent
    May 4, 1970. Four dead in Ohio (5.00 / 1) (#182)
    by Peter G on Fri May 04, 2018 at 07:52:30 PM EST
    Tin Soldiers, and Nixon's Coming. We're finally on our own.
    Tomorrow, Cinco de Mayo.

    Yes (5.00 / 2) (#184)
    by Zorba on Fri May 04, 2018 at 07:56:24 PM EST
    Something I will never forget.  We all thought (those of us active in the anti-war movement), "That could have been any of us."

    Parent
    Which commemorates, as I overheard ... (none / 0) (#193)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat May 05, 2018 at 01:49:21 AM EST
    ... a local high school teenager earnestly tell his younger brother (or cousin) today, "the Battle of Cincodemayo in Mexico." Which, of course, was quickly followed by the Battle of Piñacolada.

    ;-D

    Parent

    The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and (5.00 / 2) (#204)
    by desertswine on Sat May 05, 2018 at 05:03:25 PM EST
    Depraved - Hunter S. Thompson

    I got off the plane around midnight and no one spoke as I crossed the dark runway to the terminal. The air was thick and hot, like wandering into a steam bath...

    "Ivanka is about as helpful (none / 0) (#5)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 11:43:11 AM EST
    to women as an empty box of tampons"

    Oh, the humanity.

    She was very funny (5.00 / 6) (#8)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 12:05:42 PM EST
    If you don't want a comedian don't hire a fu@king comedian.

    Oh, clutch my pearls !!

    They need to apologize to Sanders!!

    How about this, Sanders should apologize to the fu@king country.  And history and humanity.

    Parent

    My thoughts (5.00 / 3) (#9)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 12:24:43 PM EST
    exactly. Where are the 1,000,000 apologies that Sarah Sanders needs to hand out to Americans.

    One of the girls I work with has a husband that is from Mexico. He never cared about politics before but is going through citizenship explicitly so he can vote against Trump in 2020.

    Parent

    HOMELAND finale (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 12:02:48 PM EST
    Any one ?

    Not yet? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 12:57:14 PM EST
    I mean to get there. Hopefully tonight.

    Parent
    They did tie up (none / 0) (#21)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 04:51:27 PM EST
    all the loose ends.  I suppose President Keane was modeled on Hillary.  [Spoiler alert] Looks like Beau Bridges scooped the part for next season.

    I liked the portly lady CIA analyst/professor on Saul's team who busted the computer kid who outed the Simone operation to the evil Senator's Chief of Staff. I think the actor who played the bad Russian agent, (the same guy who plays the good Russian agent in Homeland), is cool and has cornered the market in playing Russian agents.  He should be able to land a role in any Trump biopic.

    Parent

    And, the woman (none / 0) (#22)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 04:55:36 PM EST
    who plays Carrie's sister, a doctor no less, would be hot if she were less whiny.

    Parent
    And, also (none / 0) (#23)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 04:58:08 PM EST
    [spoiler alert] Carrie looked so very feral in the last scene, as if she had been found in the wilds of Appalachia after having been raised from birth by wolves.

    But a new round of meds, and she will be good as new.

    Parent

    Pretty frightening (none / 0) (#25)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 05:30:25 PM EST
    Prospect she was faced with.

    Parent
    Ah, natch (none / 0) (#24)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 05:02:15 PM EST
    ...the good Russian agent in "The Americans."

    Parent
    Anyone e watch THE GOOD FIGHT? (none / 0) (#26)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 05:33:48 PM EST
    Reading about this weeks PP episode makes me curious but it looks very big 3 network.

    Parent
    Kelly calls Trump an idiot (none / 0) (#19)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 04:22:01 PM EST
    And disparages women.

    So......

    Tough call for Donald how he comes down on this I guess.


    NBC: John Kelly Called Trump `Idiot,' Disparages Women

    Irump is an idiot, f.....g moron... (none / 0) (#20)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 04:48:53 PM EST
    take your pick from among Trump Administration officials.  AS for Empty Barrel Kelly, he was a fan of wife beater Porter so misogyny is not a surprise.

     It is hard to find anyone to root for....Trump will be hard pressed to match the undignified way in which Kelly let Tillerson know he was fired--a public announcement by Kelly that he was being flushed out of the cabinet  while Rex was on the toilet tending to his extreme diarrhea during a diplomatic swing through Africa.  Maybe, Kelly's replacement by a woman would do it.

    Parent

    My thoughts (none / 0) (#28)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 05:41:55 PM EST
    too along with Frederica Wilson. Ms. Wilson is a double threat to Mr. Kelly being black and a woman. It still galls me that he got up there and lied about her. I guess he needed the lies to justify his racist tropes.

    I have had to take a break from all this. Everyday it is something and the press seems unable to handle this kind of thing.

    Parent

    STORY OF SCIENCE FICTION (none / 0) (#27)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 05:40:33 PM EST
    Starts tonight on AMC in McMafias timeslot.

    Collider

    The latest installment in AMC Visionaries, the network's year-round documentary series, brings together some of the biggest names in the history of cinema to talk about their most iconic works. James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction is described as "a uniquely intimate, insiders' look at the origins of the genre that has become a cornerstone of popular culture." The six-part television series sees Oscar-winning writer, director and producer James Cameron exploring science fiction's past, present, and future, along with our fascination with its ideas, through interviews with genre-defining talent like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Guillermo del Toro, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Will Smith and Sigourney Weaver. In addition to the star-studded series' stellar guests, the show features some 100 other experts in their fields who weigh in on various aspects of science fiction. It's touted as a journey of discovery and exploration that helps us to understand where science fiction's ideas came from and where they're taking us.

    Whether you're a casual fan of sci-fi or a die-hard devotee, and whether you're generally aware of sci-fi's existence in the film world or have seen anything and everything remotely resembling that genre, AMC Visionaries: James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction is well worth your time and attention.
    I've seen interviews with Cameron where (none / 0) (#34)
    by McBain on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 06:19:51 PM EST
    he credits Star Wars for convincing him to quit his day job and focus full time on filmmaking.  

    Parent
    This was very good (none / 0) (#74)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 04:28:11 PM EST
    The recent little conversation about THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD is covered in about the first 5 minutes.

    Looking forward to the rest if the series.  I hope there is less Will Smith in future episodes

    Parent

    I was going to say (none / 0) (#78)
    by McBain on Tue May 01, 2018 at 06:40:52 PM EST
    why does Will Smith need to be in this but I guess he has been in several big budget sci fi films.  I like him as an actor, just don't really care what he has to say about the history of sci fi.  


    Parent
    He seems to be on (none / 0) (#79)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 06:48:56 PM EST
    To plug his new NEXFLIX series with the excuse he has been in lots of SciFi.  He even has a new series on the Sci channel.  Both series suck.

    I assume it's some kind of cross marketing since all these channels are owned by the same people.

    I do not like him as as actor.  At all.

    Parent

    Not even in The Pursuit of Happyness? (none / 0) (#80)
    by McBain on Tue May 01, 2018 at 07:13:07 PM EST


    Parent
    Meh (none / 0) (#81)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 07:22:48 PM EST
    He always plays Will Smith.  Will Smith in space.  Will Smith homeless.  Will Smith with an array of laughable accents.
    He even sort of alludes to that in the AMC show

    I guess that's fine if you like Will Smith.

    I don't.

    Parent

    I thought he was surprisingly good (none / 0) (#103)
    by jondee on Wed May 02, 2018 at 02:33:04 PM EST
    in Six Degrees of Separation, which might've been the first film he was in.

    Parent
    I worked with him on a season of Fresh Prince. (none / 0) (#106)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed May 02, 2018 at 03:05:08 PM EST
    He is a heck of a guy. Kind, considerate, and funny.

    He's not a chameleon actor like Depp, or Oldman, or Downey Jr., imo. More like Hanks, or Freeman, or De Niro, I think.

    Parent

    More John Wayne (none / 0) (#115)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:22:31 PM EST
    Imo

    I don't like him either.

    Parent

    As an actor I mean obviously (none / 0) (#120)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:48:42 PM EST
    I'm sure he's probably a nice guy.  I just think he is a throwback to the age of "movie stars" that don't really act.  More than anyone I can think of.  Even Cruise is more of an actor.

    Just my opinion.


    Parent

    Like Alan Swann in 'My Favorite Year'? (none / 0) (#139)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 03, 2018 at 02:45:59 AM EST
    "I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star!" Peter O'Toole holds the record for the most Academy Award acting nominations without a win, eight in all. This was one of them.

    Parent
    My experience is (none / 0) (#159)
    by jondee on Thu May 03, 2018 at 01:34:19 PM EST
    the better the writing, directing, cinematography etc are, the better the actors are, generally.

    Streep and Daniel Day Lewis aren't going to magically transform The Dukes of Hazard II into a classic by their mere presence in the movie.

    Parent

    Fair enough. (none / 0) (#160)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu May 03, 2018 at 02:19:47 PM EST
    And all I got to do is act naturally.

    Parent
    I wanna say Carl Perkins (none / 0) (#161)
    by jondee on Thu May 03, 2018 at 02:32:30 PM EST
    but it might've been Buck Owens..

    Parent
    I think Buck, but I'm too lazy to google. (none / 0) (#162)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu May 03, 2018 at 02:36:41 PM EST


    Parent
    Yep, I googled it (none / 0) (#163)
    by jondee on Thu May 03, 2018 at 02:38:29 PM EST


    Parent
    He has plenty of talent (none / 0) (#107)
    by McBain on Wed May 02, 2018 at 03:17:50 PM EST
    but he's not someone I want to hear from about the history of science fiction.  

    I thought the first episode of Cameron's show was disappointing.  Too many actors, writers, critics interviewed in one hour. Leave Smith, Keanu Reeves and current writers no one's heard of out and more air time for George Lucas, Spielberg, Ridley Scott and other directors who made the classics.  

    Parent

    Roy Moore files lawsuit against three accusers (none / 0) (#32)
    by McBain on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 06:06:18 PM EST
    Link
    The suit was jointly filed with his wife, Kayla, about an hour before the two held a news conference. It was Moore's first public appearance since election night in December, when Moore, a Republican, was upset by Democrat Doug Jones. The defendants include three women who made accusations against Moore as well as two other people.
    Wonder if his suit ... (5.00 / 3) (#35)
    by Yman on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 07:37:56 PM EST
    ... will last as long as Cohen's defamation suit?

    I'll be happy to take bets from anyone who thinks he's going to win.

    Heck ... I'll even give 10:1 odds.

    Parent

    BTW - Interesting choice of counsel (none / 0) (#36)
    by Yman on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 07:44:19 PM EST
    A divorce/family law attorney with a focus on representing men in divorce/family law matters.  Her website is protectingmen.com (I kid you not).

    Parent
    Mueller's Questions for Trump (none / 0) (#37)
    by RickyJim on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 07:48:45 PM EST
    The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, recently provided President Trump's lawyers a list of questions he wants answered in an interview. The New York Times obtained the list; here are the questions, along with the context and significance of each. The questions fall into categories based on four broad subjects. They are not quoted verbatim, and some were condensed.
    There is no doubt in my mind that the source here is Trump's lawyers and not the Mueller team.
    Maybe (1.00 / 2) (#41)
    by linea on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:20:26 PM EST
    The article makes no mention of how they claim to have obtained the list. They don't even bother to attribute an anonymous source connected to Trump or his lawyers.

    If Mueller is investigating `obstruction of justice' rather than any actual Russian collusion then he is off-track and is beyond his mandate. My opinion.

    Parent

    You might want to familiarize yourself (5.00 / 6) (#43)
    by Anne on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:42:26 PM EST
    with what Mueller's mandate actually includes.

    Please note, specifically:

    (i)  any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; and

    (ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation; and

    (iii) any other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R. § 600.4(a).

    If the Special Counsel believes it is necessary and appropriate, the Special Counsel is authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters.

    Now, please demonstrate how Mueller is beyond his mandate.

    Parent

    There ya go again (5.00 / 5) (#48)
    by Yman on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 09:21:05 PM EST
    Bringing facts/law to an opinion fight.

    BTW - For those of us not fortunate enough to have been

    `anointed' because they attended the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University or similar magic institute for wizards,
    , the last section of Mueller's mandate cites 28 CFR 600.4, which reads (in part):

    § 600.4 Jurisdiction.

    (a)Original jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of a Special Counsel shall be established by the Attorney General. The Special Counsel will be provided with a specific factual statement of the matter to be investigated. The jurisdiction of a Special Counsel shall also include the authority to investigate and prosecute federal crimes committed in the course of, and with intent to interfere with, the Special Counsel's investigation, such as perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses; and to conduct appeals arising out of the matter being investigated and/or prosecuted.



    Parent
    Yes, and (none / 0) (#72)
    by KeysDan on Tue May 01, 2018 at 02:04:02 PM EST
    no collusion, no collusion.  Because Mueller's mandate is to conduct a full and thorough investigation of the Russian government efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including any links and/or coordination between the Russian Government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign.

    Public information from the intelligence community presents the fact of the Russian interference, and other public information, including court filings, shows the links and/or coordination between the Russian government and highly placed individuals associated with the Trump campaign.

    The questions/topics suggest a probing of purpose, or corrupt intent, on the part of and directly by, Trump in his public actions....that, clearly, interfered with, or were taken with the purpose of interfering with, the investigation.

    Parent

    No doubt Trump agrees with you (5.00 / 3) (#47)
    by Yman on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:53:39 PM EST
    That's the nicest thing about silly, baseless "opinions".

    They don't need to be based on facts, knowledge or the law.  Unfortunately for you and Trump, such opinions couldn't matter less.

    Parent

    Under the rules of professional journalism (5.00 / 3) (#82)
    by Peter G on Tue May 01, 2018 at 08:22:34 PM EST
    (which the New York Times, Washington Post, and other real news sources follow), if the story does not attribute an asserted fact to a source, it means the reporter is speaking on their own first-hand knowledge. In this case, that the reporter has seen and read the document s/he is describing and discussing. It is the opposite of your suggestion, Linea, that there is no source. The reporter has no obligation to disclose how they got their hands on the document; that is not the story. The story is that the document exists, and what it says.

    Parent
    Most certainly (1.00 / 1) (#86)
    by linea on Tue May 01, 2018 at 10:47:17 PM EST
    I could be wrong.

    But what I'm reading is that the news reporter is paraphrasing what was told to him. I'm not getting any indication that any reporter actually viewed any document.

    Without actual confirmation, I'm placing this in the category of unsourced and potentially erroneous information category. My choice.


    Parent

    Actually (none / 0) (#54)
    by linea on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 11:28:44 PM EST
    I probably shouldn't have written `beyond his mandate'  beause I didn't mean it in a legal sense. Legally, Mueller can chase payments to strippers and investigate whether an implied presidential pardon might be obstruction. Not that we know he's actually doing that (the current unsourced claim notwithstanding).

    Mueller is supposed to be focusing on Russia collusion. I'm going to maintain my belief that this is still the focus of his investigation and that his investigation has not become Ken Star 2 and abandoned the primary focus and is now going off on tangents. So again, I'm dismissing this news as unsourced and waiting for the Mueller report.

    Parent

    Pedal faster (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by Yman on Tue May 01, 2018 at 08:05:45 AM EST
    You'll need to backpedal much further and faster to try to sell that one.  The issue if Mueller's mandate is not a question if whatever opinions are floating around in Linea's head, but of facts and the law.

    BTW - Trying to minimize Mueller's obstruction investigation (which is specifically within his mandate) as "chasing payments to strippers" is not only laughable, it's a lie.  Mueller referred the Daniels/Cohen matter to the SDNY, as he's required to do by law.  Moreover, the evidence of obstruction by Trump and others close to him extends faaaaar beyond hypothetical pardons and includes many, specific acts already performed by Trump and others - and that's only the information that's publicly available.

    But you already knew that.

    Parent

    You (none / 0) (#55)
    by FlJoe on Tue May 01, 2018 at 05:46:47 AM EST
    set up a strawman, "chasing stripper payments", which he is not doing, any investigation of that angle has been passed off to the SDNY, standard procedure I believe.

    Then you argue that Mueller"s true mandate is to investigate Russian collusion but somehow ignore any obstruction of said investigation (no matter how blatant), I don't think that's the way it works, on any level of investigation.

    I agree that the Times story was totally unsourced, but they seemed very definitive about possessing a genuine document.

    CNN goes further

    A source familiar with the matter told CNN in March that the President's legal team had created dozens of potential questions Mueller's team could ask in an interview based off the topics his team had conveyed verbally to Trump's team.
    On Monday evening, a source reiterated to CNN that the questions had been written by Trump's legal team, extrapolating from topics discussed with the special counsel, and confirmed the accuracy of topics as reported on by The New York Times.



    Parent
    Did you read the questions? (none / 0) (#56)
    by Anne on Tue May 01, 2018 at 07:52:56 AM EST
    Because I did, and my overall impression was that these questions have everything to do with collusion, with obstruction of justice being a pretty big part of it.

    Here's a few questions for you:

       1.   Do these sound like questions someone investigating collusion (conspiracy) and obstruction would ask?  

       2.   Do you think the answers to these questions are relevant to the investigation?

       3.   Are any of these questions you would like to see answered?  

       4.   Do you think the answers to these questions will help determine whether there was any conspiracy or any effort to obstruct the investigation into any alleged conspiracy?  

       5.   Do you understand that James Comey's firing and Jeff Sessions' recusal are part of this?  

       6.   What do you see as Mueller's responsibility vis-a-vis uncovering evidence of crimes not directly related to his investigation?

    Parent

    Rachel is reading the list (none / 0) (#39)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:13:55 PM EST
    Sounds like the right questions.

    The answers will be way more interesting.

    Parent

    Also (none / 0) (#40)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:19:18 PM EST
    She speculates the questions may have been released by the Mueller team because he knows Trump is not going to agree to an interview or otherwise answer them and they want the questions out there.

    I do not think that is impossible.  Why would Trump or his lawyer release them?

    There are some very very serious questions in there.   Sort of blows the whole witch hunt meme right out if the water.

    Parent

    The Questions Have Been Asked for a Year (none / 0) (#42)
    by RickyJim on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:36:29 PM EST
    By journalists and others. I wasn't surprised by any.  It is not news that Mueller wants to know the answers.  So far the investigation has been water tight.  Why start to leak now?

    Parent
    See below (none / 0) (#45)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:43:38 PM EST
    It appears you are correct

    Parent
    More from Rachel (none / 0) (#46)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:46:52 PM EST
    On the origin story makes it sound like John Dowd.

    Parent
    Dowd (none / 0) (#60)
    by FlJoe on Tue May 01, 2018 at 08:50:34 AM EST
    is long gone(relatively speaking, my first guess was loose lips Rudy, but I hardly see what he would expect to gain for tRump or himself. I am starting to wonder if it was Kelley trying to distract from his unhinged/idiot statements.

    In any case it seems like more of a nothingburger as anybody could have written that list, every one of those questions could be surmised from the public discourse of this case.

    Parent

    This list was apparently made (none / 0) (#61)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 09:13:32 AM EST
    Before Dowd left

    But who knows

    Parent

    My (none / 0) (#62)
    by FlJoe on Tue May 01, 2018 at 09:22:49 AM EST
    impression was that this list is somewhat a work in progress, I suspect that Dowd would be wanting to wash his hands of the whole deal rather than stay involved in by leaking (out of vengeance?), Rudy just had a talk with Mueller and seems to have taken on the negotiations with Mueller so I'm assuming he has taken "ownership" of the potential questioning. But you are correct who TF knows.  

    Parent
    Film review -- Infinity Wars (none / 0) (#38)
    by linea on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 07:50:33 PM EST
    If you didn't enjoy Dr Strange and Guardian's of the Galaxy (with Groot, Drax, and Rocket the raccoon) then you probably won't like Infinity Wars because it's mostly them.

    Spiderman gets a supersuit with extra mechanical arachnid arms and Bruce Banner gets an Hulk-sized Ironman suit. The superheroes Vision and Scarlet Witch are romantically involved. I have no idea who they are and I don't care. Natasha Romanoff is blonde and I'm not a fan.

    The evil villain is animated (as are the evil henchmen) and they seem rather silly. The film tries to portray the evil villain as struggling with his ethical values but it's silly and not believable.

    There is a CGI mega-battle scene somewhere in rural Africa, rather than NYC or London where it would have been interesting, and the scene is boring. There is an assortment of superheroes, many of whom I cannot identify, seemingly from every Marvel film. The bald women soldiers from Black Panther are back.

    In the Marvel Universe the important characters never really die, so even when they die, we know they aren't really dead. Thus, there is no sense of drama. Also, in this film, with a little hocus-pocus time can be reversed to fix everything.

    This film is `to be continued' thus, after 2 hours and 36 minutes, there is no actual ending. There is a cliffhanger of sorts but it's not like you really care. Obviously, in part two (Spring 2019) everything will be resolved and any disappeared superheroes will be brought back to life or time will be reversed and everything fixed.

    Overall, the film is a `minimally viable product' of mediocrity even compared to other films based on comic books and the All Star cast of superheroes feels like they are throwing pizza at the wall. It's not a horrible film, it's just not really interesting and it uses too many tricks to fool the audience.

    The questions (none / 0) (#44)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 08:42:41 PM EST
    Michael Schmidt (the reporter) is talking to RAchel live.  He says the list came from interviews with the presidents lawyers in response to requests for an outline of the questions Mueller had for Trump.

    He does make it sound like Trumps lawyers or one of them was the source. Which seems weird but whatever.

    He also says they freaked and said we can never let him answer these questions.

    I separated from the original subthread because it has been polluted by the trolls feces finger paintings so I bailed.

    Delores on Westworld (none / 0) (#49)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 09:22:17 PM EST
    is kicking as*.

    She totally is (none / 0) (#50)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 09:30:36 PM EST
    As is Maeve.   God knows they both paid their dues.

    This is my current favorite thing.  

    Parent

    Thandie Newton (none / 0) (#51)
    by MKS on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 10:05:51 PM EST
    got much more attractive with some age.....

    Parent
    Think so? (none / 0) (#52)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 10:20:58 PM EST
    I always thought she was stunning.

    Chronicles of Riddick 10yrs ago

    Parent

    A litte too much (none / 0) (#59)
    by MKS on Tue May 01, 2018 at 08:39:00 AM EST
    spoiled cutesy pie before imo.

    Parent
    I think Evan Rachel Wood (none / 0) (#53)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Apr 30, 2018 at 10:25:29 PM EST
    Is amazing looking.   She is perfect for that role because she us so flawless she actually looks artificial

    Parent
    Hmm, last season (none / 0) (#58)
    by MKS on Tue May 01, 2018 at 08:36:59 AM EST
    I thought she was quite average, consistent with her girl next door role.

    This season, and this last episode in particular, I must say she wore that Little Black Dress quite well.

    Which I suppose means she is a really good actress.

    Parent

    Just when you thought it was safe again (none / 0) (#63)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 09:45:32 AM EST
    I'm going to spit on my hands and wipe them on my shirt.

    Geez, MT... (none / 0) (#64)
    by desertswine on Tue May 01, 2018 at 10:53:44 AM EST
    Thanks.

    Parent
    My husband wins (none / 0) (#66)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 12:04:31 PM EST
    He always says if it smells funky it is because there are little bits of funk in the air. And turns out there are indeed little bits of funk in the air :)

    Parent
    In an episode of "Bosch," (none / 0) (#69)
    by Anne on Tue May 01, 2018 at 12:21:08 PM EST
    Bosch and his partner are called to a scene where there is a very ripe dead body.  Jerry covers his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, and tells Bosch that odors are particulate matter, so breathing in that smell is breathing in little pieces of the dead guy.

    We'd best not breathe in public restrooms, either!

    Parent

    Real life (none / 0) (#70)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 12:40:13 PM EST
    Bleh

    Parent
    Thanks for confirming (none / 0) (#75)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 04:29:56 PM EST
    Hand dryers both suck and blow.  I knew this.

    Parent
    We used hand driers to (none / 0) (#92)
    by fishcamp on Wed May 02, 2018 at 07:56:55 AM EST
    warm up our ski boots.  The German ones were the hottest and could melt your boots.

    Parent
    TROCKEN!! Verdammt noch mal!! (none / 0) (#124)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 07:11:32 PM EST


    Parent
    Glad I didn't get (none / 0) (#140)
    by fishcamp on Thu May 03, 2018 at 07:32:14 AM EST
    fecal feet.

    Parent
    Carry a small bottle (none / 0) (#122)
    by Zorba on Wed May 02, 2018 at 07:04:15 PM EST
    of hand sanitizer with you at all times.
    Just don't overuse them.

    Parent
    You know what Josh told me? (none / 0) (#123)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 07:07:12 PM EST
    He's always known it was better to wash his hands and wipe them on his shirt than use the hand dryer. Not me. I've been blowing crap onto myself for years.

    Parent
    LOL! (none / 0) (#132)
    by Zorba on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:40:36 PM EST
    Good for Josh!

    Parent
    Netanyahu sounds like he would love (none / 0) (#71)
    by jondee on Tue May 01, 2018 at 01:51:19 PM EST
    to goad Trump into striking Iran. Among other obvious problems, I think there's a very real danger that scenario could lead to an antisemitic backlash in the U.S. We've already seen skinheads and Nazis suddenly emboldened to come out of the woodwork and march with torches and walk down city streets in SS regalia. If anyone thought the internet-bot world was unhinged and vicious before, just wait till the perception gets traction that Israel's pushed the U.S into another bloody quagmire.

    Oh Lordy (1.00 / 1) (#85)
    by linea on Tue May 01, 2018 at 10:29:48 PM EST
    Re: `Nazis suddenly emboldened to come out of the woodwork'

    Three dozen Nazis in every city embolden to parade down the street in costumes is ridiculous not cataclysmic.


    Parent

    Oh Lordy (5.00 / 2) (#87)
    by jondee on Wed May 02, 2018 at 12:09:38 AM EST
    You have an exact number count of all the Nazis and white supremacists, do you?

    Quick! Check Wikipedia.

    All I know is, they weren't doing it much before 2015-2016. At least not here. Maybe they were where you come from; at the annual Quisling Days Festival of Light or whatever..

    Parent

    How many is too many? (5.00 / 2) (#91)
    by Anne on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:48:26 AM EST
    Three dozen-and-one?

    And for however many you can see, how many do you think there are that you can't?  The ones who signed onto the beliefs, but aren't being loud and proud and all tatted up with swastikas?  

    Parent

    Even one Nazi is one too many, linea. (5.00 / 1) (#112)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:10:35 PM EST
    I would suggest that you first read Christopher Isherwood's "Berlin Stories," two novellas which represent a semi-autobiographical fictionalized account of his days in the German capital in the three years immediately preceding the Nazis' rise to power (1930-33). Isherwood speaks of society's general disdain for the National Socialist movement and in hindsight, he laments everyone's failure to take Nazis at all seriously until it was too late.

    (If you're a movie buff, you might recognize one of Isherwood's characters, a carefree young woman by the name of Sally Bowles, who was front and center in the stage and film versions of the musical "Cabaret," which was based in large part on Isherwood's work.)

    Second, I highly recommend not just to you but everyone here read the work of David Neiwert, a Seattle-based journalist who's long been following and reporting on far-right extremism in the United States. Neiwert warns us that the biggest potential threat to our national security is the growing radicalization of young white males by the white nationalist movement.

    Throughout history, right-wing authoritarians, would-be and otherwise, have sought to position themselves not only as the arbiters of right and wrong and other mainstream values, but of reality itself. They attract followers and adherents through demagogy, by creating for them a parallel universe which inevitably transforms itself into a cult of fanaticism that reinforces and exploits deep-seated and long-held prejudices about "The Others" as the primary source of everyone's personal frustration, trouble and disempowerment.

    We ignore, at our own peril, the nascent and plaintive appeal of Nazism and white nationalism to the sincerely ignorant and conscientiously stupid amongst us.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    It's funny how someone ... (5.00 / 1) (#114)
    by Yman on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:21:42 PM EST
    ... who claims to be a liberal (and laughably lectures others on what that means) consistently minimizes the very serious and real threat  posed by neo-nazis and white nationalists.  Maybe if they formed a chat group on 4chan you'd get a clue?

    Parent
    mock 4chan (none / 0) (#127)
    by linea on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:26:06 PM EST
    I've stated this before and I'll say it again. The KKK and neo-Nazis are marginalized goofballs who wear silly costumes and are ridiculed and rejected by Americans.

    It is the Alt-Right that has a foothold in business and the tech industry. They are fed by the women-hating Manophere and grown by 4chan which promotes a (false) `scientific' anti-Female hate and sexism and a (false) "scientific' anti-Black racism.

    Parent

    Hahahahahaha .... (none / 0) (#128)
    by Yman on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:29:59 PM EST
    Of course you'll "say it again".  Just like Trump will continue to spout silly, tinfoil conspiracy theories and outright lies.

    Ever hear of the expression "Birds of a feather"?  It's not biblical, requires no medical knowledge or legal knowledge, so perhaps you're aware of it.

    Parent

    Perhaps (5.00 / 1) (#129)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:33:27 PM EST
    A venn diagram of " KKK, Nazis and the Alt right would be helpful?

    Parent
    Which would (none / 0) (#131)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:39:48 PM EST
    Be a circle

    Parent
    Here's a long article (none / 0) (#133)
    by Anne on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:41:14 PM EST
    you should read:

    All-American Nazis: Inside the Rise of Fascist Youth in the U.S.

    This stuff is no joke.

    Parent

    Josh has been talking about this (none / 0) (#142)
    by Militarytracy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 08:40:16 AM EST
    For about six months.

    He says parents are also very unaware of how organized it is online, and teens getting indoctrinated and their parents may have no clue. He says their youtube channels are frightening. They are doing everything they can to hook people.

    Parent

    Someone (none / 0) (#143)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 08:42:16 AM EST
    Needs a road trip.  Fear and loathing in the mid south may be

    Parent
    School winding down (none / 0) (#144)
    by Militarytracy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 09:03:14 AM EST
    Senior year, then my husband tore the hell out of his achilles on Sunday playing ultimate frisbee. They splinted it at Walter Reed on Monday, they will decide on Friday if they will do surgery :(
    My road tripping is getting challenged.

    Walter Reed did not provide him a scooter either. They told him he had to argue for that himself with Tricare? They gave him crutches?


    Parent

    Sorry (none / 0) (#145)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 09:17:52 AM EST
    I didn't mean you

    Parent
    Hahahaha! (none / 0) (#146)
    by Militarytracy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 09:33:24 AM EST
    But just take me!

    Parent
    Having Pompeo and Bolton (none / 0) (#73)
    by Anne on Tue May 01, 2018 at 02:07:01 PM EST
    in the mix would seem to make some kind of military operation more likely than not.

    Trump doesn't bring a John Bolton into the WH because he's looking for peaceful resolutions - if "resolutions" is the right word for when a problem needs to be created in order to "heroically" resolve it.

    Parent

    One thing I've noticed about the hawks (none / 0) (#84)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 01, 2018 at 08:55:32 PM EST
    And the Trump administration is they argue with each other about how to hawk, and they end up undercutting each other to the point that they have neutralized each other so far.

    Parent
    I'm (none / 0) (#90)
    by FlJoe on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:37:04 AM EST
    pretty sure that the neo-Nazi types are too dumb to connect the dots, if dear leader tells them it's time to kill some dirty Muslims, it will be all hell yeah, we'll deal with the Jews later.

    Parent
    Another (none / 0) (#97)
    by FlJoe on Wed May 02, 2018 at 11:46:39 AM EST
    one bites the dust Ty Cobb out as White House lawyer

    A duel of the mustachios (none / 0) (#99)
    by KeysDan on Wed May 02, 2018 at 12:18:58 PM EST
    Bolton won.    With Cobb out, are there any lawyers with security clearances?

    Parent
    Starbucks - It was all a setup (none / 0) (#98)
    by vicndabx on Wed May 02, 2018 at 12:10:56 PM EST
    Two black men arrested for sitting at a Philadelphia Starbucks without ordering anything reached a settlement with the city Wednesday for a symbolic $1 each and a promise from officials to set up a $200,000 program for young entrepreneurs.

    Link

    It kinda sounds good (5.00 / 1) (#100)
    by McBain on Wed May 02, 2018 at 12:23:05 PM EST
    but the city of Philadelphia didn't do anything wrong.  I'm not sure Starbucks did anything wrong but I imagine they will settle with Nelson and Robinson as well.

    I'd like to know what kind of settlement/agreement Starbucks had with the manager who called the police.  

    Parent

    It is not correct to say that the City (5.00 / 2) (#102)
    by Peter G on Wed May 02, 2018 at 02:09:28 PM EST
    did nothing wrong. They (i.e., the police) did nothing illegal, as far as I know, but it was still very wrong for the police to use zero discretion and even less common sense. As the Mayor and the Police Commissioner themselves acknowledged within a day or two.

    Parent
    At first the commissioner said his officers (3.50 / 2) (#104)
    by McBain on Wed May 02, 2018 at 02:38:42 PM EST
    did nothing wrong.  After public backlash he said something else.  I believe is first statement was correct.

    Parent
    I know that's what you believe (5.00 / 1) (#105)
    by Peter G on Wed May 02, 2018 at 02:45:39 PM EST
    and I said why I disagreed. So there you are. (In my opinion, the Police Commissioner did not change his opinion, only his vocabulary. He initially said his cops did nothing "wrong." By that, I think he always meant "nothing illegal," but he was not being careful about what his actual words seemed to imply. When the same distinction that I drew was highlighted for him, he correctly revised his public position.)

    Parent
    (Sigh!) At least you're consistent. (5.00 / 1) (#108)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed May 02, 2018 at 03:38:28 PM EST
    Per your worldview, black is always conflated with feelings of suspicion, alarm and provocation, and police officers can do no wrong in their interactions with members of the African American community.

    Parent
    Bone Spurs (none / 0) (#110)
    by Chuck0 on Wed May 02, 2018 at 04:07:58 PM EST
    cheated on his wife. Not illegal. Certainly wrong. You confuse wrong with illegal, often. People in the Starbucks incident were wrong all around. Maybe not illegal. Certainly wrong.

    Parent
    Of course you do (none / 0) (#116)
    by Yman on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:24:13 PM EST
    Did you ever know someone who really needs to experience life as an AA or a woman for a period of time?

    That's you.

    Parent

    My perspective (none / 0) (#136)
    by linea on Wed May 02, 2018 at 09:34:51 PM EST
    The policemen did nothing wrong. The city and the police department erred in not having a robust and comprehension policy on business loitering which should include specific required actions and policies by business entities and their legally defined representatives before the police can respond.

    Parent
    So the police were supposed to say/do what (none / 0) (#150)
    by McBain on Thu May 03, 2018 at 10:23:03 AM EST
    exactly when the call came in about two men refusing to make a purchase or leave?  I kind of get what you're saying but not sure how it would actually work out.  

    Parent
    For example (none / 0) (#172)
    by linea on Thu May 03, 2018 at 08:50:52 PM EST
    The policemen who responded were put in a difficult situation because there wasn't clear policies and specific duties and obligations placed on the business. If businesses want to use `police as muscle to facilitate efficient business operation' then businesses should be required to meet a considerable number of obligations.

    I don't have a complete list but off-hand I would think something like: There should be specific actions the staff is required to take before calling police when someone is loitering in a business. There should be a sign posted that clearly states the conditions of entry and a defined time limit for remaining in the business after a purchase. There should be a legal agreement signed by a corporate officer that specifies who has authority to call police for loitering and a legal obligation that if the police make an arrest that corporate will assist in the prosecution.

    That's just a few.

    If a business is not willing to meet these types of obligations then they should be forced to close their business (actually remove all customers and lock their doors) before a person loitering can be removed for trespass. Same applies to an airplane. If the airlines want police to remove a passenger, the entire airplane should be evacuated of passengers and flight crew and the `trespasser' given a reasonable time to leave on his own.

    My opinion.

    Parent

    Here's a thought (none / 0) (#177)
    by Repack Rider on Fri May 04, 2018 at 03:38:24 PM EST
    So the police were supposed to say/do what exactly when the call came in about two men refusing to make a purchase or leave?

    They could request the complainant read them the store's policy on the subject, and they could consult the local ordinances to see whether a response was required, and if so, what the limits are on that response.

    We call this "law enforcement."

    Part of the complaint by the Black customers was that white customers were not subject to the same set of rules. During the arrest, the white man the two had been waiting for arrived and offered to pay for their purchase. The cops could have let them go at that point, but they didn't.

    So there are a few of the things that could have been done professionally instead of they way that they were done.

    The response by the Starbucks management of closing hundreds of locations for a day suggests that the management also sees racism as a problem.

    Parent

    And now for really important matters (none / 0) (#101)
    by vicndabx on Wed May 02, 2018 at 12:29:43 PM EST
    What does IMHO stand for?  In my humble opinion.  Who the heck says "in my honest opinion?"

    It's like we'll do vs. will do.  As in, I need you to get those resources lined up.  "Will do."  

    Well, actually ... (none / 0) (#109)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed May 02, 2018 at 03:47:49 PM EST
    vicndabx: "Who the heck says 'in my honest opinion?'"

    ... Lots of people say it. The acronym IMHO can stand for both "humble" and "honest."

    ;-D

    It can stand for "in my (5.00 / 2) (#117)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:29:07 PM EST

    Honest
    Heated
    Healthy
    Horney opinion"

    But it means in my humble opinion.

    PS
    IMHO acronyms are OC

    Parent

    Personally, (5.00 / 1) (#125)
    by Zorba on Wed May 02, 2018 at 07:12:01 PM EST
    I would prefer it to mean (at least in my case), "In My Honored Opinion."  ;-)

    Parent
    How to write a misogynistic op-ed about sex: (none / 0) (#111)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed May 02, 2018 at 04:24:48 PM EST
    First, falsely presume that white patriarchy is somehow not the predominant socio-economic paradigm in this country.

    Second, assume that a woman's right of refusal is entirely subordinate to a man's desire.

    Third, for good measure, better to simply ignore the ladies altogether.

    Fourth, conflate the desire for sex with some men's need for self-validation, entitlement and control.

    Fifth, pretend that sexual violence toward and abuse of women aren't really problems worthy of at lease some public debate and deliberation.

    Finally, equate libertine sexual impulses with pernicious liberalism.

    And, VOILA! Meet Ross Douthat, a New York Times columnist who's more Catholic than the Pope, who'd like to ralk to you about sex robots, involuntary celibacy and the redeistribution of sex.

    Oy.

    With all due respect (none / 0) (#113)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:19:29 PM EST
    I think you missed the point Donald.

    I thought it was interesting.  The technology is here.  Thinking it's weird won't make it go away.

    and that's just the robots point.  There was other interesting stuff in there.

    in my opinion

    Parent

    Mutually consenting people (none / 0) (#130)
    by jondee on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:38:23 PM EST
    mutually consenting AIs..whatever..go for it.

    What concerns me is this unexamined obsession with hyper-competition that Americans, and conservatives in particular, either celebrate or take for granted, which leads to a worse repression, IMOSHO, than Freudian sexual repression: the repression of mutual affection and genuine respect; because how are you going to go out in the world and kick some serious ass if you have too much empathy for your fellow creatures? F*ck that!

    So sex becomes just another carrot on a stick; a shiny object to wring a few moments of satisfaction out of before you're on to the next thing. Keep it superficial or you'll be in danger of falling behind in the race..

    But, sex in itself is the least of our problems.

    Parent

    Deep thoughts there (none / 0) (#134)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 08:54:45 PM EST
    Seriously
    I would need to think about that

    On the article I was thinking something that might be covered by your thought

    That the virtual world has leveled the sexual playing field in some ways.
    I have a very good friend from my Disney days, I think he is a VIP there now, who told me once at lunch that-this is the early days of the internet-he was thrilled to learn he could be someone's sex object.
    Glenn is a large man so hairy that naked from distance, and not a great one, he would look like an overweight Sasquatch.
    He had just learned about the "bear" thing in the gay community.

    What I mean is there is almost literally someone out there for everyone.  Heck, there is probably a web site.

    I think the robotic sex thing is fascinating.  On many levels.  

    Parent

    For some strange reason (none / 0) (#135)
    by jondee on Wed May 02, 2018 at 09:20:43 PM EST
    What comes to mind is what Rutger Hauer's replicant character in Blade Runner said: "Have you ever had an itch you can't scratch?"

    Parent
    I think that was the Brion James replicant (none / 0) (#148)
    by McBain on Thu May 03, 2018 at 10:09:05 AM EST
    character, Leon.  Hauer certainly had some great lines himself.  I believe he wrote some of the lines for his famous "tears in rain" monologue.

    Parent
    Yeah you're right (none / 0) (#149)
    by jondee on Thu May 03, 2018 at 10:21:19 AM EST
    I just rewatched that scene on youtube.

    Parent
    Speaking of which (none / 0) (#152)
    by jondee on Thu May 03, 2018 at 10:30:39 AM EST
    What did you think of Blade Runner 2049? I haven't seen it yet.

    Parent
    I found 'Blade Runner 2049' visually stunning, ... (none / 0) (#154)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 03, 2018 at 11:16:37 AM EST
    ... but rather long in running time. Further, anyone who hadn't seen the original Ridley Scott film, "The Director's Cut" or otherwise, might have some trouble figuring out all the references to events which occurred 30 years earlier in 2019, which is when the original film's storyline was set.

    Parent
    Similar to what Donald said (none / 0) (#156)
    by McBain on Thu May 03, 2018 at 12:09:16 PM EST
    I enjoyed it, looked great, had good music but didn't need to be as long as it was.  The Harrison Ford scenes worked well but weren't necessary.  

    Parent
    Too bad they couldn't have worked (none / 0) (#157)
    by jondee on Thu May 03, 2018 at 12:53:29 PM EST
    Ford into the story in a more interesting way.

    If memory serves, the first Blade Runner wasn't a huge box office smash at first either.

    Parent

    No, it wasn't a hit at all. (none / 0) (#194)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat May 05, 2018 at 02:23:04 AM EST
    I think movie audiences in 1982 weren't quite ready to accept Harrison Ford as the anti-hero. But "Blade Runner" still made a big enough impression with quite a few people that it developed a cult following. Its popularity soared after the 1992 release of much better "Director's Cut," which adhered to Ridley Scott's original workprint version and dispensed with both Ford's annoying explanatory voice-overs and the fantasy escapist ending of the original 1982 theatrical release. Personally, I consider "Blade Runner: The Director's Cut" to be perhaps the finest science fiction film ever made.

    Parent
    With all that in mind (none / 0) (#137)
    by jondee on Wed May 02, 2018 at 09:38:55 PM EST
    it's confusing to me how these troubled young "incel" guys, who end up turning into crazed shooters, couldn't find someone to hook up with.

    Maybe it has to do with some deep confict within them related to their sexual identity. I think Peter brought up something about that a few weeks ago.

    Parent

    Well exactly (none / 0) (#138)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 09:54:19 PM EST
    If you are "involuntarily celibate" I think you are just not trying

    Or you lack imagination at least.

    Parent

    Women (none / 0) (#170)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu May 03, 2018 at 05:35:43 PM EST
    are doing Lysistrata with the men of the world these days who are Republicans and/or voted for Trump.

    Parent
    OTOH (none / 0) (#141)
    by Zorba on Thu May 03, 2018 at 08:10:27 AM EST
    If they are conflicted and repressed gay guys, even if they decide to accept themselves and come out, it doesn't mean that other gay guys will find them any more appealing to date than women did.
    Not if they're egotistical, nasty, selfish jerks.  Who wants to deal with them if they are like that?  (Well, unless they are supposedly a billionaire like Trump.......)

    Parent
    I begin to think Mueller (none / 0) (#118)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:37:38 PM EST
    Will subpoena Trump.

    I think Trump's new lawyer (none / 0) (#119)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 05:43:56 PM EST
    Means they think so too.

    Let set some prescedent

    Parent

    Sol Wisenberg (none / 0) (#121)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 02, 2018 at 06:04:32 PM EST
    Who questioned Clinton

    "..in US vs Nixon the court thought it was very important that Leon Jaworski .. had the specific authorization to contest executive priviledge.  That was in the federal regulation that controlled him.  Bob Mueller does not have that authorization.  So that's a real potential legal argument the Trump people can make"

    What say you, lawyers?

    Parent

    I'm no lawyer, but I do know ... (none / 0) (#153)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 03, 2018 at 11:05:27 AM EST
    ... the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974), ruled unanimously that:

    "[W]hen a claim of Presidential privilege as to materials subpoenaed for use in a criminal trial is based, as it is here, not on the ground that military or diplomatic secrets are implicated, but merely on the ground of a generalized interest in confidentiality, the President's generalized assertion of privilege must yield to the demonstrated, specific need for evidence in a pending criminal trial and the fundamental demands of due process of law in the fair administration of criminal justice."(Emphasis is mine.)

    From my own layman's perspective, that unanimous SCOTUS decision from July 1974 looks to be a pretty high bar for Trump's legal team to have to overcome in order to prevail on any claim of executive privilege. In particular, a number of issues presently under investigation by the Special Counsel's office actually took place well prior to Trump's assumption of the presidency at 12:00 noon EST on January 20, 2017. So in those instances, I'd be hard-pressed to see how any claim of executive privilege would even apply.

    With regards to the standard set in the High Court's prior applicable ruling 44 years go in U.S. V. Nixon, the "materials subpoenaed for use in a criminal trial" would be Trump's own personal testimony as a material witness in Robert Mueller's prosecution of former campaign chair Paul Manafort, as well as the Special Counsel's ongoing investigation of any and all matters relating to the Trump-Russia scandal.

    If Trump is indeed a target of Mueller's inquiry for potential obstruction of justice, then I believe that prosecutors are required to formally notify him of such via written communication, whereupon he would then have the option to assert his constitutional right per the 5th Amendment to decline to answer the Special Counsel's questions on the grounds of potential self-incrimination.

    "Taking the 5th" may or may not be the political disaster for Trump politically that many pundits think it will be, depending entirely on whether or not his political base of support remains relatively intact in light of that occurrence.

    But based upon past public revelations of Trump's lying and wrongdoing -- such as last night's admission to Sean Hannity by "Rudy the Lip" Giuliani on Fox News that Trump had indeed reimbursed Michael Cohen the $130,000 the latter spent on the former's behalf in October 2016 to buy Stormy Daniels' silence -- I see absolutely no reason to believe that his starry-eyed fans would suddenly start heading for the exits in this prospective instance, were it to ever come to that.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Probably important to remember that (none / 0) (#155)
    by Anne on Thu May 03, 2018 at 11:53:00 AM EST
    the Stormy Daniels transaction took place before Trump was elected, so no assertion of executive privilege would apply there, I don't think.

    Ditto with much of the materials related to the Russian collusion.

    And it's hard to claim privilege on things you've already put out there in the public domain.

    I think Trump is fked, and it really couldn't happen to anyone more deserving.

    Parent

    Having looking back at the opinion (none / 0) (#158)
    by Peter G on Thu May 03, 2018 at 01:29:25 PM EST
    in Nixon v US (1974), I think that Sol W (whom I know) has greatly overstated this point. I would not say it was "very important" to the Court's decision that special prosecutor Jaworski had been expressly granted the authority to contest claims of executive privilege. That point was indeed important (but not very important) to a preliminary jurisdictional question the Court addressed -- whether the case presented a mere intra-branch controversy (inside the Executive Branch, between the President and the Special Prosecutor) that a court could not resolve, because it was ultimately subject to the President's unitary control. In rejecting that argument, Chief Justice Burger's (unanimous) opinion does indeed refer to the fact that the DoJ regulation governing the Special Prosecutor, approved by the President, granted this authority, thus assuming that the point could be raised in court and decided by a court. Much more important to the Supreme Court's decision, however, and filling many more pages of the opinion, is the ruling that the issue of privilege, in the end, was for the Court to decide, not the President himself, because it affected the availability of evidence for a criminal court proceeding, thus affecting the authority of the judicial as well as the executive branch. So, no, I think Sol W is wrong that this matters in the end to any question about the scope of Mueller's power.

    Parent
    This is why we ask (none / 0) (#164)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 03:18:49 PM EST
    The new lawyer, Flood, is said to be a specialist in issues of privilege.

    This could be also because they are expecting the house to flip and dealing with lots of subpoenas.

    Seems a bit long range to me.  I think the privilege fight is coming in weeks not months.

    Parent

    Flood, and then there is (5.00 / 2) (#165)
    by KeysDan on Thu May 03, 2018 at 03:50:36 PM EST
     Rudy Giuliani, who together with Trump, has crafted a legal strategy on the Stormy payment.  Sort of,a Thelma and Louise partnership. Watch the cliffs, guys.

    Parent
    NYTimes (none / 0) (#166)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 04:04:22 PM EST
    Quoted from MSNBC

    "...Rudy may have had a strategy but he hatched it almost entirely in secret.  The White House counsel, chief of staff or press secretary had no idea.  Nor the new White House lawyerly handling the Russia investigation."

    According to that Rudy was freelancing.  And if that true I would not be surprised if one or the other, Rudy or Flood, is gone in tomorrow's news dump.

    This new lawyer is a serious no BS guy.  To be a fly on the wall

    Parent

    70 subpoenas requested today (none / 0) (#167)
    by Militarytracy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 04:36:45 PM EST
    They have subpoena problems today, right this minute

    SHS got a real taste of Acosta too today. Is it just me or does SHS despise him? It looked like her head was going to explode when he pressed her. April Ryan was also particularly pressing, but I thought I saw SHS fantasizing about having Acosta whipped.

    Parent

    House Chaplain says I'm stayin (none / 0) (#168)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu May 03, 2018 at 04:42:27 PM EST
    House chaplain ousted by Paul Ryan rescinds his resignation

    Conroy also claimed in the letter that Ryan's chief of staff told him, when asked why he was being let go "something like 'maybe it's time that we had a Chaplain that wasn't a Catholic.'"

    How else can they possibly screw up their chances in the midterms?

    Perhaps a betting pool?

    There has (none / 0) (#171)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu May 03, 2018 at 05:39:28 PM EST
    been this long suspicion with Catholics that the GOP was anti-Catholic and Ryan just made it easy for them. I always loved Paul Krugman when he talked about Ryan. He could pick him apart piece by piece and knew Ryan was nothing short of con man but boy, the rest of the press feel for the story about how "smart" Paul Ryan is. How he's not like "those other" Republicans.

    Parent
    RIP Joel Kovel (none / 0) (#173)
    by jondee on Fri May 04, 2018 at 10:48:45 AM EST
    who passed on April 30.

    Radical psychoanalyst, Green Party activist, ME and religious scholar, and a great soul.

    Trump to bring in Dr. OZ, Lou Ferrigno and (none / 0) (#180)
    by McBain on Fri May 04, 2018 at 05:47:42 PM EST
    Bill Belichick to council on sports, fitness and nutrition

    Not sure how I feel about this yet.  I'm aware of Dr. Oz's reputation for junk science, miracle cures but don't really know a lot about him.  

    This reminds me (none / 0) (#181)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri May 04, 2018 at 07:40:51 PM EST
    Of the story of a crazy relative, really crazy as in not fully in possession of his marbles, who had some health problem but refused to go to a doctor.

    After much cajoling by his saner relatives he agreed to go to a doctor.

    But he would only go to Dr Phil.

    Parent

    Is this significant? (none / 0) (#185)
    by linea on Fri May 04, 2018 at 07:59:38 PM EST
    U.S. judge says Mueller should not have 'unfettered power' in Russia probe
    https://www.reuters.com > article > u-s-ju...
    5 hours ago · A federal judge said Special Counsel Robert Mueller should not have ... "You don't really care about Mr. Manafort," the judge said.
    P.S. (none / 0) (#186)
    by linea on Fri May 04, 2018 at 08:26:49 PM EST
    In my opinion, Manafort was reckless to have gotten involved with any political campaign or otherwise make himself prominent or a public figure when he had previous business dealings and political connections to Russia (which typically involve money laundering and bank fraud). It just seems really dumb - it's like a local drug dealer who has gone unnoticed by law enforcement suddenly deciding to run for city council.

    I think the most he can hope for is that this gets kicked to a different prosecutor. I don't see how this goes away.

    Parent

    Good call. (none / 0) (#188)
    by Chuck0 on Fri May 04, 2018 at 08:48:01 PM EST
    Good analogy.

    Parent
    Just saw a little discussion of this (none / 0) (#190)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri May 04, 2018 at 09:02:19 PM EST
    The prosecutors response was (paraphrase) "if it was not related to the investigation we would have passed it off"

    Suggesting pretty strongly the charges against Manafort are directly linked to the Russia investigation.

    Most prosecutors I've heard from today say its likely he will rule for the prosecution in spite of his theatrics.

    Parent

    The (none / 0) (#196)
    by FlJoe on Sat May 05, 2018 at 06:07:56 AM EST
    charges are not directly related to the "collusion" investigation, however Manafort himself is perhaps the most central or at least most provable target.

    A lot of people forget that Manafort was under FISA level investigation since 2014, I have read that the Feds had him dead to rights but passed on prosecuting him, mostly because he was too small a fish to waste the resources on.

    It has been reported that the FISA surveillance resumed almost immediately after he left the and the dormant case was put back on the front burner well before Mueller was appointed and the DOJ made the decision to fold that into Mueller's probe due to the nexus that Manafort occupied.
    I found this question from the "goofy" list very telling,

    What knowledge did you have of any outreach by your campaign, including by Paul Manafort, to Russia about potential assistance to the campaign?

    Implying to me that Mueller already knows everything about it, and it is damning.

    Parent
    In (none / 0) (#195)
    by FlJoe on Sat May 05, 2018 at 05:10:41 AM EST
    that vein, tRump was reckless running for President.

    Parent
    Way back in the primary (none / 0) (#197)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat May 05, 2018 at 08:04:33 AM EST
    I was thinking being elected president would be the worst thing that ever happened to Trump.

    If he kept his mouth shut and his head down, to the extent he ever did, and kept being a fake billionaire he could have lived happily after with Mrs Trump 4 and 5 etc

    That ship has sailed.

    Parent

    It (5.00 / 1) (#199)
    by FlJoe on Sat May 05, 2018 at 08:32:27 AM EST
    hopefully will end up that way, but it still boggles the mind that he got this far. Proper scrutiny of his background should have precluded any success even in the primaries.

    Every candidate has their red flags and buried land mines but tRump was always an active volcano, but it didn't play in the press, it was all fake to his base and professional Republicans dismissed the threat.

    Parent

    Read the whole exchange (none / 0) (#201)
    by Militarytracy on Sat May 05, 2018 at 11:03:44 AM EST
    DOJ attorney also had some zingy responses. Never gave the judges assertions any credibility. Most lawyers commenting on Twitter say that a judge grilling the prosecution like this at the outset strengthens the prosecution's credibility and the final outcome.

    Parent
    DadlerPoems (for my old TL friends) (none / 0) (#203)
    by Dadler on Sat May 05, 2018 at 11:52:16 AM EST
    "Soportar"

    The smallish freak decides the dry grass,
    A working lump starving around the invisible boundary.

    The undistinguished feat is covered with a heated glue,
    While a nonsense requisite hops around w/the mouse(s).

    In the cupboard a moldy nest, in the drawer a dirty knife.
    This freed scratch triggers a bankrupt intestine.

    A semi-digested faux hairshirt sticks in the shark's belly.
    Fetid capital breath fiddles and pork expires before sunset.

    The funnier other shoe certifies the unwelcome statistics,
    Where the planted river plots the ground's revenge.

    Everyone's past cries out from the quicksand crosswalk.
    A prince trips over a drum, terror underneath the custard.

    The outraged subsidiary rallies around a dead grandfather.
    All moot is root, all dung is sung, but all skin ends with a stink.

    Percentage revolts against each cardboard customer.
    Money has an agenda that orbits like a contagious moon.

    Even shapes give up, rectangle withdraws with a squint:
    I'm  done, sun.

    Monday Open Thread | 203 comments (203 topical)