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Fourth of July Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Jul 03, 2022 at 08:30:27 PM EST
Tags: July 4th (all tags)
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Three weeks ago, the Stones had to postpone their show in Amsterdam because Mick, at 78, tested positive for COVID-19. Here he is today, three weeks later, dancing and prancing at Hyde Park.

I'll have what Mick's having. [More...]

Thanks to You Tube, we can watch almost the entire show as if we had traveled across the ocean. Here's a link to Matt Lee's You Tube page with 8 songs the Stones played today. He also has most of the June 25 Hyde Park show. (I have no idea who he is, I'm just grateful for his videos).

Truly amazing times for technology. For everything else, not so much.

Nonetheless, it wouldn't be the 4th of July without Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA".

As for politics, if Joe Biden has another career in front of him, it may be as a dead-pan comedian. Here he is with the inimitable James Corden, who aired this clip on his show from London this week.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

< Saturday Night Open Thread | Joe Biden: Too Old to Run? >

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    Fourth of July Open Thread | 194 comments (194 topical)
    Have I previously mentioned (5.00 / 4) (#41)
    by Peter G on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 08:18:05 PM EST
    that no one needs an AR-15 or similar "rifle" for any legitimate purpose, or at least none that outweighs the obscene degree of danger that it poses in the wrong hands. They should (and legally can) be banned.

    I have a serious egal question for you, Peter. (none / 0) (#62)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 09:32:14 PM EST
    Fox News and other right-wing media have been breathlessly speculating that the Bob Crimo, father of alleged Highland Park shooter Robert "Bobby" Crimo III, could be charged criminally for having sponsored his son's Illinois 2019 gun permit application for the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle that was later allegedly used in the shooting.

    Statutory background: Applications for a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOIC) in Illinois, which is required by law for state residents to legally possess guns and / or ammunition, must include written parental consent if the applicant is under 21 years of age.

    Family background: In 2019, then-19-year-old Bobby Crimo applied for the FOIC and his father signed off, despite the fact that the police had been summoned to the Crimo home twice earlier that same year over alleged threats of harm made by the son to other family members. The police confiscated Bobby Crimo's knives and a sword.

    How can Bob Crimo possibly be guilty of anything here, save perhaps for some colossally poor personal judgment? His son wasn't even living at home anymore at the time of the highland Park tragedy but rather, was residing at an uncle's house. Can prior knowledge of a suspect's emotional instability and threatening behavior be sufficient grounds for potential indictment of parents, should their child later commit a violent crime?

    I'm all for holding any and all responsible parties accountable for atrocities committed but all the same, this appears to be a really fanciful stretch of someone's legal imagination.

    Mahalo.

    Parent

    To answer that question, I would need (5.00 / 1) (#65)
    by Peter G on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 10:43:22 PM EST
    to know (as anyone would) what statement the applicant or sponsor was certifying as true when applying for the FOIC permit. If it is the application available here, I don't see what false statement or other offense the father could have committed. I did notice that the sponsoring parent, by signing, asserts that they "understand I shall be liable for any damages resulting from the minor applicant's use of firearms ..." If that is backed up by the underlying statute and is enforceable, the father may have more than one reason to regret signing as his minor son's sponsor.

    Parent
    Thank you, Peter. (5.00 / 1) (#75)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 05:36:23 PM EST


    Parent
    I've read some confusing info (none / 0) (#66)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 10:58:21 PM EST
    about their living arraignments. Last thing I read said Bob, the father, owned the house that he and his brother and son lived in.

    Parent
    On Monday afternoon, police surrounded Crimo's (none / 0) (#68)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 11:03:42 PM EST
    On Monday afternoon, police surrounded Crimo's family home in Highwood, just north of Highland Park, as they search for him. Neighbors said Crimo live at that home with his father and uncle and FBI agents have been going in and out of the house throughout the evening.


    Parent
    This is the same media ... (none / 0) (#76)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 05:46:24 PM EST
    ... that also reported that Bob Crimo had run for mayor of Highland Park in 2019 as a Republican, when anyone who did a quick online search of Illinois candidate records would have seen that his party affiliation in that race was Democratic.

    I suppose that in their rush to get information out on an active tragedy, the media's fact-checking often gave way to assumptions. And since his son self-identified as a Trump supporter (there are photos of him sign-waving at and attending an October 2020 Trump rally in Northbrook, IL), logic assumes that the father must therefore also be a Republican.

    Perfectly understandable, to be sure, but also wrong.

    Parent

    Not for nothing but a link to your source (none / 0) (#77)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 07:05:39 PM EST
    that supports your belief that Crimo was living at an uncle's house at the time, would be a lot more persuasive than you simply saying that it's so.

    Parent
    Here: (5.00 / 1) (#86)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Jul 10, 2022 at 04:30:32 AM EST
    Chicago Sun-Times | July 5, 2022
    The quiet neighbor few noticed -- but police say man planned a mass shooting for weeks - "The alleged gunman's uncle, Paul Crimo, likewise said he had no reason to suspect his nephew was planning an attack for weeks, and did not know he owned a high-powered rifle, as police said Tuesday, though the pair shared a pale gray stucco home in the North Shore suburb of Highwood for the past two years." (Emphasis is mine.)

    Parent
    Much better, thank you. (none / 0) (#91)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Jul 11, 2022 at 01:49:47 AM EST
    Like I said, it's confusing.

    NBC July 8, 2022:

    ""We're sorry, we're just sorry. We're very sorry," [Uncle] Paul Crimo told NBC News as he was driving out of the home he shares with the suspect and the accused shooter's father." My bolds.


    Parent

    UPDATE: Bob Crimo does live in Highwood ... (none / 0) (#104)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 13, 2022 at 04:32:43 AM EST
    ... with his brother and son. (Well, okay not with his son anymore.) He is married but recently separated from his estranged wife Denise, who resides in the family's home in Highland Park. They have two other children. in addition to Bobby.

    But wait, there's more. In December 2019, the same month Bob Crimo sponsored his son's gun permit application, HSBC Bank filed for foreclosure on the family's Highland Park home, alleging they owed more than $460,000. In May 2022, a judge granted Bob a full waiver of court fees after he appeared in person and provided proof that he was receiving food stamps. Five days ago on July 7, he filed a motion to block the bank's foreclosure on the house.

    Sounds like the Crimo family has been really struggling.

    Parent

    yup (none / 0) (#108)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 13, 2022 at 02:34:10 PM EST


    Parent
    My LTE ran today (5.00 / 3) (#43)
    by Repack Rider on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 09:37:21 PM EST
    In  the Marin County Independent Journal. I get a lot of my letters printed because most would fit on a bumper sticker.

    Here it is.

    After we place police officers in every school hallway -- wearing body armor and cradling a weapon -- perhaps then school officials across the country will have enough time on their hands to "pass the hat" to buy pencils for the kids.
    The Republican candidate for governor (5.00 / 3) (#44)
    by Peter G on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 11:24:57 PM EST
    of Pennsylvania is a certified "Christian nationalist" nut case, affiliated with a cult (which I had not previously heard of) that appropriates and re-interprets Jewish religious symbols in their politico-religious rallies, including blowing shofars to invoke the biblical Joshua's bringing down of the walls of Jericho. Ironically, the sane and moderately progressive Democratic candidate is an authentically religious (modern "conservative") Jew who is named "Joshua."

    Nine Republican leaders from across Pennsylvania (none / 0) (#52)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 12:56:43 PM EST
    Nine Republican leaders from across Pennsylvania on Wednesday endorsed Democrat Josh Shapiro for governor over their own party's nominee, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, saying he is an extreme candidate who would undermine democracy.


    Parent
    I had never heard of the (5.00 / 1) (#69)
    by desertswine on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 11:43:09 PM EST
    Georgia Guidestones before today.  Apparently, it seems to have been a fairly innocuous roadside attraction.

    But it was too much for Cristo-nazi and gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor, who sought the GOP nomination for governor on the platform of "Jesus, guns, and babies," had promised to sign an executive order dismantling the monument if elected and produced a campaign video vowing to "demolish the Satanic Georgia Guidestones."

    Apparently it was constructed by Satan, for reasons that are unclear to me.

    It's a lot of the same (none / 0) (#70)
    by jondee on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 12:49:02 PM EST
    crackpots who say them dinosaur bones wuz planted here by Satan to confuse people about the age of the earth.

    Parent
    Ulysses Everett McGill - (5.00 / 1) (#72)
    by jondee on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 01:30:12 PM EST
    "There are all manner 'a lesser imps and demons, but the great Satan hisself is red and scaly with a bifurcated tail, carries a hayfork."

    Just in case anyone spots him when you're out and about.

    Parent

    I have (none / 0) (#80)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 08, 2022 at 05:24:46 PM EST
    lived in GA since 1989 and my husband's family going back to his grandmother's generation lived in Elberton and I have never heard of these until someone bombed them. According to my research it seems no one really knows who was behind them being built.

    Parent
    James Caan died (5.00 / 2) (#71)
    by jondee on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 01:13:58 PM EST
    I think was great in every movie I ever saw him in.

    RIP

    I just heard Biden say (none / 0) (#73)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 01:45:12 PM EST
    Denzel was "not able to attend" the awards ceremony happening now.  

    Hope it's a temporary thing.  

    Parent

    Tested positive (none / 0) (#74)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 07, 2022 at 02:13:29 PM EST
    for COVID.

    Parent
    Good point (5.00 / 1) (#81)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 09, 2022 at 08:16:11 AM EST

    Pregnant Texas woman tells cop Roe repeal lets her fetus count for the carpool lane

    I was thinking next they will have to buy them move tickets.

    She also should claim the (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by leap2 on Sat Jul 09, 2022 at 01:24:13 PM EST
    foetus-person as a dependent on her 2022 taxes.

    Parent
    I met Garry Trudeau, creator of Doonesbury (5.00 / 8) (#87)
    by Peter G on Sun Jul 10, 2022 at 01:26:54 PM EST
    when he was a grad student in art at the same university where I was a law student. Someone had persuaded him to draw occasional political cartoons for the leftie broadsheet of opinion and analysis that some of us were producing at the law school. (He had earned a national reputation for his cartoons about college life while still an undergrad.) A few times, I was assigned the task of picking up his copy from down the street where he had his drafting table. So I have been a Doonesbury fan since the '70s. (His coverage of Watergate was outstanding.) But I have to say that today's strip is one of his best ever.

    Anybody watch 'Better Call Saul' last night? (5.00 / 1) (#105)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 13, 2022 at 04:59:15 AM EST
    MULTIPLE SPOILERS: That was arguably the most intense episode of the entire series. Kim Wexler's still around but alas, the ever-resourceful Lalo Salamanca is no more, having picked the wrong time to go all James Bond movie villain on us with an inopportune extended monologue once he had finally cornered Gus Fring, who had foolish ignored Mike's directive to stay put at home and instead went to the laundromat where Lalo was waiting in ambush.

    Wow.

    Agree (none / 0) (#106)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 13, 2022 at 10:34:15 AM EST
    Killer.

    Parent
    My thoughts exactly.. (none / 0) (#107)
    by desertswine on Wed Jul 13, 2022 at 11:59:06 AM EST
    Lalo turned into a movie villain.

    Parent
    One improvement on the Bond villain (none / 0) (#111)
    by Jack E Lope on Thu Jul 14, 2022 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    ...is that Lalo is not only gloating, recording his monologue will help him gain status within the cartel.

    There's also some foundation for a story of Kim's disappearance. She might want to leave Jimmy after his negotiation to have Kim do the dirty work, or she might just need a filter for her Hoover MaxExtract Pro.

    Parent

    (Cont'd) And now we know ... (none / 0) (#146)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 12:33:37 AM EST
    ... what happened to Kim Wexler. It's likely what I had predicted earlier, she left Albuquerque and Saul Goodman / Jimmy McGill, and probably returned to Nebraska. And that's where he ends up after things go south with Walter White, managing a Cinnabon's in Omaha.

    Emmy Awards for everybody.

    Parent

    What a relief (none / 0) (#151)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 09:31:41 AM EST


    Parent
    Yep. Kim got out. (none / 0) (#154)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 20, 2022 at 02:49:13 AM EST
    I'm so glad the show's writers didn't just bump her off. Watching her unravel in PTSD fashion over the course of last night's episode was not unexpected.

    As Kim later admitted, Jimmy's / Saul's stunts and antics were all fun and games to her, until the moment Lalo showed up in their living room and put a bullet through Howard's skull. Then reality suddenly fell on her like a ton of bricks.

    Later, while casually lying to Howard's widow at his memorial service reception about her late husband's non-existent drug habit, Kim belatedly realized her own culpability in bringing about Howard's demise. She was now and forever trapped in a lie about what had really happened to him, lest she incriminate herself in his murder.

    The show's scripts have been superb.

    Parent

    Carol Burnett!! (none / 0) (#184)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 26, 2022 at 06:27:09 AM EST
    What a treat.

    Parent
    This (5.00 / 1) (#112)
    by FlJoe on Thu Jul 14, 2022 at 04:54:26 PM EST
    seems interesting
    The US Secret Service erased text messages from January 5 and 6, 2021, shortly after they were requested by oversight officials investigating the agency's response to the US Capitol riot, according to a letter given to the House select committee investigating the insurrection and obtained by CNN
    Someone has some explaining to do and this isn't going to cut it
    the messages were erased from the system as part of a device-replacement program after the watchdog asked the agency for records related to its electronic communications.
    The best (none / 0) (#115)
    by KeysDan on Thu Jul 14, 2022 at 08:04:04 PM EST
    explanation would be incompetence.  The secret service needs an overhaul, top to bottom.

    Parent
    Trump is going to announce (5.00 / 1) (#114)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 14, 2022 at 06:20:33 PM EST
    He's going to do it.  Before the midterm.  I think he believes he can more easily scream politics when he is indicted if he s officially a candidate.  It's a disaster for republicans.  

    The upside might be if he again causes a disasterous  loss maybe they will find the spine to dump him.  Toss him on the ash heap of history where he belongs.

    I agree with the bobble head who said in 5 no one will want to admit they supported him.

    I hope you are right (none / 0) (#116)
    by jmacWA on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 04:56:22 AM EST
    But, I can see this playing out exactly the way Trump wants it to, which is going to SUCK for the rest of us... HOPEFULLY the GOP too.

    At this point my faith in the DOJ and the Supreme Court have been pretty shaken.  

    Parent

    I hope you are right (none / 0) (#117)
    by jmacWA on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 05:00:11 AM EST
    But, I can see this playing out exactly the way Trump wants it to, which is going to SUCK for the rest of us... HOPEFULLY the GOP too.

    At this point my faith in the DOJ and the Supreme Court have been pretty shaken.  

    Parent

    The DeSantis wing of the party (none / 0) (#118)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 07:55:48 AM EST
    can not allow him to be the nominee.  He imagines he must be the nominee.  And it has nothing to do with anything like caring about the office or even winning it.  It's to, in his brain, help keep him out of jail.

    So he WILL be a nominee.  Even if he is not THE nominee.  He has plenty of money and support to run independently.  He used it as a threat to win last time and he will do it again.

    But - if I was a republican, like DeSantis - I would think even a disasterous independent run would be less of a disaster than having him as the republican nominee.

    Either way it's all good for us.

    Parent

    IMO (5.00 / 1) (#132)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 06:07:34 PM EST
    DeSantis is the MAGA king especially if Trump doesn't run. It's the McConnell wing-whoever comprises that I'm not sure-that doesn't want Trump again.

    Rick Wilson says that Trump running would set off a bloody deadly battle between Trump and DeSantis and it would demolish the GOP's chances in 2024.

    Parent

    Frank Luntz just now on MJoe (none / 0) (#119)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 08:42:22 AM EST

    The only thing - let me repeat that - the ONLY thing that could keep republicans from taking control of the House is if Trump announces before the election

    What he said.

    Parent

    He went on to whine about (none / 0) (#120)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 08:46:55 AM EST
    how it would be sad and morally wrong for democrats to win by saying "we might be bad but they are worse".

    Hee
    It's a mean hard world Frank.

    Parent

    When Frank Luntz comes on TV, ... (none / 0) (#130)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 05:48:25 PM EST
    ... I change the channel. He's one of the reasons why this country can't have nice things.

    Parent
    Naw (none / 0) (#133)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 06:26:03 PM EST
    I don't think that's the only thing. Lots of mad women out there but I'm sure Luntz thinks they don't count. But certainly Trump announcing would make things worse for the GOP.

    And I totally can imagine Trump announcing he is running for president any day now. Originally it was supposed to be July 4th.

    What I can't imagine is that Trump is not going after Brian Kemp. But if he runs I guess he would be having rallies here in GA bashing Kemp.

    Parent

    A shout-out to a dear friend of ours, ... (5.00 / 2) (#148)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 01:27:53 AM EST
    ... Captain Kendall "Kiki" Culler of Hawaiian Airlines, who retired today after 38 years of service. Hawaiian was one of the first U.S. airlines to hire female pilots (10% of its pilots today are women), and Kiki was one of the very first in the country to attain the rank of captain. Her final leg as captain today was Flt. 89, Airbus A330 nonstop service from Boston (usually about an 11-hr. trip). The airline had a big reception waiting for her upon arrival at HNL.

    IUCN lists Monarch butterfly as now endangered.. (5.00 / 1) (#157)
    by desertswine on Thu Jul 21, 2022 at 11:54:31 AM EST
    The International Union for Conservation of Nature on Thursday formally listed the beloved migratory monarch butterfly as endangered, citing dire threats to the subspecies posed by the climate crisis, deforestation, pesticide use, and logging.

    The western monarch population, less studied and more at risk, has plummeted 99.9 percent in recent decades, from around 10 million in the 1980s to less than 2000 in 2021, according to the IUCN. The eastern population declined by 84 percent between 1996 and 2014.

    Some of that is dated information. (none / 0) (#161)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 22, 2022 at 05:07:28 PM EST
    If I had to make an educated guess, I think social restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic likely led to a flawed count on the western monarch butterfly population in 2020 and 2021. This year's count was over 250,000. An estimated 10,000 monarch butterflies were counted in the crown of just one Monterey pine tree in Pacific Grove, CA.

    Further, people such as my mother reacted to news of a potential population crash in the monarch butterfly population by planting more native milkweed in their yards and condo balcony pots, because those insects lay their eggs exclusively on those plants, and their caterpillars feed on them. In fact, plant nurseries in SoCal reported a real surge in milkweed orders and purchases this past winter and spring, and they were struggling to keep up with demand.

    The good news is that people picked up on the calls of alarm and responded positively. While the western monarch butterfly numbers aren't where they once were, there's also good reason to believe that they are rebounding and will continue to do so.

    Indigenous California milkweed is a drought-resistant, relatively low-maintenance plant that is fairly easy to propagate. More milkweed increases the butterfly's natural habitat, and that can help to stabilize and increase the population.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    R.I.P. Paul Sorvino (5.00 / 1) (#181)
    by Peter G on Mon Jul 25, 2022 at 08:43:22 PM EST
    Very sorry to read that the wonderful actor, Paul Sorvino, has died at age 83. For about 15 years, from 1970 or so, the Sorvinos (including baby to teen daughter, Mira Sorvino) lived across the street from my parents, that is, across from the house I grew up in, beginning just after I had moved out. (During much of the same time, another future actress, Hope Davis, lived with her family next door. She and Mira were childhood friends.) Such a nice guy. I can still hear him practicing his opera singing (the whole block could hear it, actually), his secret passion. I made a point to seem him in his breakthrough role, in That Championship Season, on the New York stage in 1972.

    Feelig a bit weepy? (5.00 / 3) (#182)
    by desertswine on Tue Jul 26, 2022 at 01:03:25 AM EST
    Joni Mitchell at the Newport Folk Festival a couple days ago.

    Both Sides Now

    Don't it always seem to go (5.00 / 2) (#185)
    by Peter G on Tue Jul 26, 2022 at 10:04:41 AM EST
    that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?

    Parent
    That was really hard to watch. (none / 0) (#186)
    by leap2 on Tue Jul 26, 2022 at 01:37:59 PM EST
    But good for her for putting herself out there as she is. That couldn't be easy, either, when you were so used to be in the public eye.

    Parent
    Reconciliation (5.00 / 2) (#192)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 28, 2022 at 09:19:54 AM EST
    This could actually be significant.  Love they fooled Mitch into thinking it would not happen, if that's what happened, to get him to pass the micro chip bill.

    I'm having a hard time crediting any strategy but good for them anyway.

    Manchin and Senate Democrats strike a deal on health, climate, tax package

    A little good news about news (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 09:17:44 AM EST

    Fox News in real trouble for spreading 'pure bunk' about Trump's loss -- and OAN could be 'wiped out' by lawsuits

    Judge Eric Davis made clear the $1.6 billion suit was not frivolous, reported The Guardian.

    1.6 bil is a lot.

    I'm a little harder to please (none / 0) (#2)
    by jondee on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 01:01:21 PM EST
    I'm envisioning something like that old goat scrot*m Rupert and his sons being dragged out in the street and given the Cirsei Lannister treatment.

    Metaphorically speaking, of course. Of course.

    Parent

    I think you'll like this: (none / 0) (#15)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 10:02:28 PM EST
    LINK. And LINK.

    Tracey Ullman is a genius.

    Parent

    I wonder why (none / 0) (#16)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 10:20:15 PM EST
    Rupert Murdoch's wife, who is Mick Jagger's ex-wife Jerry Hall is divorcing him.

    Parent
    I don't know ... (none / 0) (#18)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 03:55:51 AM EST
    ... why Jerry Hall ever married Rupert Murdoch in the first place.

    Parent
    Really? (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 09:11:40 AM EST
    You don't know?  

    Parent
    At one point (5.00 / 3) (#25)
    by jondee on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 01:17:25 PM EST
    she was looking into marrying the moldering remains of Tutankhamun, but the prenup and other legalities couldn't be worked out.

    Parent
    Seriously. I don't know. (none / 0) (#63)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 09:50:16 PM EST
    I had only first heard of Jerry Hall and Rupert Murdoch being a gruesome twosome it after they had already been married for about a year.

    I knew he had divorced Wife No. 3, but I hadn't been paying much if any attention to that old man's personal life. I had assumed at the time that Ms. Hall was on a gold-digging expedition never thought any more of it. I hadn't even heard of their divorce filing until I read Jeralyn's response to my post.

    LOL! I'm, like, SOOoo out of touch with the latest gossip ...

    Parent

    Unfortunately (none / 0) (#3)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 02:08:45 PM EST
    not much freedom to celebrate this year. And it's only going to get worse.

    I stand corrected. (none / 0) (#9)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 04:30:35 PM EST
    We can celebrate Americans' right to own guns and use them against our neighbors and children. Yay Americuh.

    Parent
    July Fourth Mass Shooting (none / 0) (#4)
    by KeysDan on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 02:35:47 PM EST
    Families and children celebrating Independence Day in Highland Park, Il., a north Chicago suburb, fled for their lives after a gunman fired at the parade from a rooftop.  People ran, while the band float continued to play patriotic songs, abandoning strollers, bikes, and folding chairs  after shouts of a shooter.  Some thought the gun shots were firecrackers adding to the chaos and confusion.

    Reports are conflicting, but at least six are dead and 31 are hospitalized.  Highland Park, a city of about 30,000, is upscale, predominately white, with a substantial Jewish population.

    The gunman was described as a white male, between 18-20 years old.  At this writing, he is still at large. The shooter's rifle was left behind. Nearby suburbs cancelled their parades. There was no comment from Clarence Thomas, or any of the other  reactionary SC justices.

    Interesting how a white guy (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 07:01:08 PM EST
    identified as "armed and dangerous" can arrested "without incident" in Illinois, but an unarmed black guy gets shot 60 times because he ran from a traffic stop.

    Parent
    Didn't the white shooter (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by MKS on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 01:37:13 PM EST
    who massacred a black prayer group get driven by the cops to McDonald's?

    Parent
    This is not right. (5.00 / 3) (#29)
    by KeysDan on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 03:01:37 PM EST
    The cops took Dylann Roof to Burger King not McDonald's.

    Parent
    You wonder if some of these shootings (5.00 / 2) (#30)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 03:56:03 PM EST
    might not happen if these pathetic psychos didn't live with the certainty they would be the most famous person in the world.  For a few days.

    Until the next one.

    I understand its news but I really don't see why all news coverage, every minute of every day until people are bored enough with it to start watching Judge Judy, must be surrendered to the mad man of the moment.

    It's sickening.  Hard to a believe the cultural obsession with it is not part of the problem.

    Parent

    I agree, too much fame for the worst of the worst (none / 0) (#32)
    by McBain on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 04:54:55 PM EST
    Here's an article from a few years ago Not sure if it's behind a paywall for most people...
    Studies estimate that in the aftermath of their attacks, mass killers receive approximately $75 million in free media coverage, a level professional athletes and Hollywood actors would envy. For men who feel angry, alienated and anonymous, the incentives to perform are appealing. And bigger body counts mean bigger headlines. One recently thwarted shooter posted that, "A good 100 kills would be nice," and another wanted to "break a world record."


    Parent
    One (none / 0) (#46)
    by FlJoe on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 05:56:13 AM EST
    of the first "televised" mass shooting happened about a half mile from my apartment in the late eighties, I was at the exact location where the shooting started only 2 hours earlier.

    I can't say I was traumatized by it and it is a deep memory that rarely comes out, but I never have problems remembering the guys name.

    Parent

    I can't tell (none / 0) (#47)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 12:27:12 PM EST
    if you are agreeing or not.

    Parent
    Agreeing (none / 0) (#48)
    by FlJoe on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 12:34:25 PM EST
    these guys gain a level of infamy they would never gain except for their horrific actions. This shooting was local but unfortunately I remember many of their names no matter where they occur.

    Parent
    I really can't watch the coverage (none / 0) (#49)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 12:39:50 PM EST
    but it like blaming Trump for his supporters.  They do it because people watch watch.

    Like Trump it's a business.

    Parent

    In Ohio. (none / 0) (#12)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 07:01:29 PM EST


    Parent
    There appears to be a little more to the (none / 0) (#23)
    by McBain on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 12:06:31 PM EST
     Jayland Walker shooting than just running from a traffic stop.  The police claim Walker shot at them.  There was also, another, failed taser attempt before the final shooting.  

    Tasers must work at least some of the time but many of the controversial police shootings I see have an unsuccessful attempt.  

    I don't know if all of the shots fired by the officers will be justified but if it's true Walker fired a shot I can understand why they might be concerned for their safety.

    Parent

    Yes, it appears (5.00 / 4) (#26)
    by MKS on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 01:35:40 PM EST
    the cops had a tough job, and were in danger.  So, they only outnumbered Walker eight to one. And he was fleeing, but you never know, he may have had a gun.

    How brave of the cops.  

    This explains Uvalde.  If they don't vastly outnumber a suspect who is fleeing, and can't shoot him in the back, they will not put themselves in jeopardy.

    You know, the old saying about running into danger?  That was about firefighters....running into burning buildings.  Not cops.

    Parent

    I don't know how brave the cops were (none / 0) (#31)
    by McBain on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 04:45:38 PM EST
    but they are human.  If they think someone has a gun, has already shot at them, and might shoot again, they are likely to be in a different state of mind than normal. I'm not sure there are good ways to prepare people for these situations.

    This will be an interesting investigation. The officers are going to have to justify every single shot they fired.  If the first few shots by some of them are justified, it doesn't mean the rest will be.

    I'm going to reserve judgement until I learn more but I usually give the benefit of the doubt to the cops in the streets who risk their lives and sometimes have to make important split second decisions .  I'm much more critical of the investigators, interrogators and elected officials who don't risk their lives and have plenty of time to make important decisions.      

       

    Parent

    "Risk their lives?" (5.00 / 5) (#35)
    by MKS on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 06:27:07 PM EST
    Really?  Like at Uvalde?

    Risking their lives by shooting Black men in the back?

     

    Parent

    If they're That concerned (5.00 / 3) (#28)
    by jondee on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 02:36:32 PM EST
    for their safety, why are they cops?

    Because the village of My Lai was unavailable?

    Apparently once you get started shooting, it's hard to stop. Like eating Dorritos.

    Parent

    Swing (none / 0) (#33)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 04:57:21 PM EST
    And a miss!

    Parent
    Watch the just released Uvalde (none / 0) (#109)
    by Chuck0 on Wed Jul 13, 2022 at 05:40:45 PM EST
    video. I have said it here before. I will say it again. COPS ARE GENERALLY COWARDS. It's why Jaylen Walker was killed while fleeing and why those children were killed in Uvalde, TX.

    Parent
    UPDATE: Robert "Bobby" Crimo III, ... (5.00 / 3) (#14)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 09:48:52 PM EST
    ... who was identified by authorities as a person of interest in the Highland Park mass shooting and lives with his family in the affluent community, was arrested in nearby Lake Forest earlier this evening. I swear, if I see one more person say, "This sort of thing doesn't happen here!" ... well, it does now.

    You know, as long as Hollywood is remaking old movies, I think they should do an update of the 1980 drama "Ordinary People" - only this time, it will end with Conrad dumping the bodies of his parents and psychiatrist into Lake Michigan and then donning a flak jacket and body armor, loading AR-15s and boxes of ammo into his mom's car and then driving to his high school, where he's last seen loaded for bear and entering through the school's front doors as the screen fades to black and the credits start to roll.

    The road to Hell is paved with Republicans.

    Parent

    Spelling corrected comment (none / 0) (#45)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 11:50:07 PM EST
    I am reprinting my comment since it had too many typos (not sure it if was me or the keyboard skipping, I should have proof-read it):

    Here is his photo.

    He is clearly a troubled and mentally imbalanced child. On the wall behind him in the photo, which is a screenshot I grabbed from one of his videos on You Tube, there is a newspaper with a headline  article about Lee Harvey Oswald being killed in prison.

    Other videos he posted or liked include ones with stick figures carrying guns and then the shooter lying face down in a pool of blood.

    He also has some videos by others that seem to be country rock but the band members look like a motorcycle gang. In one, the band members get busted for dealing drugs hidden in canning jars and delivered all over some rural countryside.

    In another, it shows a devoted father kissing his toddler goodnite as the toddler is reading "Three Little Pigs".  The video passes through the years of the child growing up and as a pre-teen, his dad gets badly hurt or burned in what I think is a mine accident. The father recovers, and it ends with the kids father and mother watching someone sing a song in a bar (again in rural Appalachia or somewhere). It's an odd video and hard to tell who he hates.

    Crimo is 5'11 and weighs 120 pounds. He surrendered pretty quickly when the cop car pulled up (after briefly running away on foot).

    What was  his motive? I think it may be the same as those in the pre-trump election days:He isn't getting his fair share. And maybe he hates his parents.

    I spent a lot of time in Highland Park in the mid 70-'s to the early 80's as the TL kid's dad grew up there. It sure looks different now. Instead of green lawns that go on forever and huge houses, at least the center of town looks run down with a lot of poor people.

    In the video Crimo posted of himself "rapping" (he seemed to me to be lip-synching) -- the one I took the photo from -- he is wearing what looks like a huge fake rolex-type watch. In other videos he saved to his you tube account, there's a mom and dad wearing big watches.  I wonder what the symbolism of that is.  The lyrics to the video say America is Burning, but don't really fault anyone.

    His father owned or ran a deli for almost 20 years in Highland Park, and then unsuccessfully ran for Mayor. Sounds to me like the father was a disgruntled person too, but chose to oppose the system legally, by running for office.

    He was known to police, they knew he had weapons, and he had threatened family members before and tried to commit suicide. Seems like he's another lone wolf who slipped through the cracks. If he hadn't gotten a high-powered rifle, he might have built a bomb and killed more people.

    The news says the most he can get is life in prison (under Illinois law). But surely he will find that worse than the death penalty given his youth, frailty and conditions in maximum security state prisons.

    Parent

    On Tuesday, Lake County authorities revealed that (none / 0) (#50)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 12:44:07 PM EST
    On Tuesday, Lake County authorities revealed that Crimo had two encounters with local police in 2019, before he legally obtained his weapons.

    The first call, in April 2019, was a report that he had attempted suicide.

    Then, in September 2019, a family member called Highland Park police to report that Crimo "said he was going to kill everyone" and that he had a collection of knives, Sgt. Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said at a press conference Tuesday.

    Highland Park police confiscated 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from Crimo's home - but ultimately did not arrest Crimo, Covelli said, in part because none of his family were willing to sign complaints.



    Parent
    Red flag laws (5.00 / 2) (#54)
    by Peter G on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 01:37:08 PM EST
    anyone? Under present federal law, unless one or the other of those incidents (or both) had resulted in an involuntary mental hospital commitment, he would not be in a class of persons disqualified from buying a firearm.

    Parent
    HIGHLAND PARK, Ill., July 5 (Reuters) - The man (none / 0) (#56)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 02:10:25 PM EST
    HIGHLAND PARK, Ill., July 5 (Reuters) - The man charged with killing seven people at a Chicago-area July Fourth parade slipped past the safeguards of an Illinois "red flag" law designed to prevent people deemed to have violent tendencies from getting guns, officials revealed on Tuesday.


    Parent
    I think this is the key: (none / 0) (#58)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 02:23:03 PM EST
    The application was also co-sponsored by Crimo's father, the ISP said.


    Parent
    oh, man (none / 0) (#5)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 02:47:29 PM EST
    how terrible. But again with a country awash in guns it is gonna happen far too often.

    Parent
    The kids knew what to do (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 03:27:53 PM EST

    It struck me that these kids were little like between 7 and 10," she explained. "They were scared. They had terrified looks on their faces but they were so composed because they've been through active shooter drills and they knew what to do. They knew what to do because of moments like now."

    link


    Parent

    I would like (none / 0) (#6)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 02:49:21 PM EST
    to wish everyone a Happy 4th. I have been out of town and when I came back there was a panicked message from the GOP screeching about inflation etc. etc. etc. asking me if they could count on my vote in November.

    Fascism or $2 increase (none / 0) (#8)
    by KeysDan on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 03:43:45 PM EST
    in gas/gallon.  Decisions, decisions. Views differ.

    Parent
    Seriously (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 06:33:13 PM EST
    I guess they don't realize that expensive gas is temporary but being hunted down by the GOP gestapo is permanent.

    Parent
    What kills me (none / 0) (#19)
    by jmacWA on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 05:02:13 AM EST
    is that all of the rubes, and most of the GOP political class will end up as serfs (just like the rest of us) if they get the government they are voting for.

    Parent
    The Republican Inflation (5.00 / 3) (#53)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 01:06:43 PM EST
    Policy will mandate smaller gas tanks in all vehicles.  The MAGAts will love that the cost of a fill-up is half what it was under the Democrats.

    Parent
    C'mon, admit it. (none / 0) (#13)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 09:25:04 PM EST
    You're just trying to lull everyone into accepting drag queens in our schools so they can take our guns and give 'em to the Mexicans and then before you know it, there'll be taco trucks on every corner. That never would've happened with Donald Trump in the White House. And that's why we need to take our country back from the Communist Chinese.

    Parent
    I am shortchanged by the public ed system (none / 0) (#22)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 09:15:36 AM EST
    again.

    We NEVER had drag queens.

    Parent

    Oh, yeah? (none / 0) (#64)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 09:54:36 PM EST
    Well, just think about all the fun stuff I missed by going to Catholic schools.
    ;-D

    Parent
    Mall Shooting in Copenhagen (none / 0) (#17)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Jul 04, 2022 at 10:25:56 PM EST
    I just finished watching four seasons of the Danish political drama Borgen last week, so this was of interest to me. (Great show, it's available on Netflix. Season 4 was a little too much for me, all about oil and drilling in Greenland and who owns the rights: the Danish or Greenland and then along come the Russians, but the scenery was spectacular). Anyway, Copenhagen does not usually have a problem with shootings. This one seems to be a local  lone shooter with mental issues -- no terrorism:

    Authorities filed preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder against a 22-year-old Danish man, who will be held for 24 days in a secure mental health facility while authorities investigate the crime, prosecutor Søren Harbo told reporters.

    After the custody hearing, defense lawyer Luise Høj said she agreed to have her client undergo a mental exam. She did not comment on the charges. Police have said the man was known to mental health service without elaborating.
    If I had a spare 5 to 10 million dollars... (none / 0) (#24)
    by desertswine on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 01:04:14 PM EST
    I would certainly buy myself a nice dinosaur skeleton.

    76-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton to be auctioned in NYC

    The weather here (none / 0) (#34)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 06:01:48 PM EST
    the next 10 days

    Oh, dear (none / 0) (#38)
    by Peter G on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 08:02:05 PM EST
    Hope you can stay fairly cool.

    Parent
    So cool (none / 0) (#39)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 08:14:41 PM EST
    both sides of my pillow are cool.

    Parent
    Staying cool (none / 0) (#40)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 08:17:33 PM EST
    means staying inside.  Most people are.  Very little early firework action the year.

    Too hot.  

    Parent

    I'm watching a channel called (none / 0) (#36)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 07:05:06 PM EST
    Bloody Disgustng

    They are running a COLORIZED version of the 1968 Night of the Living Dead.

    OMG. itps awsum.

    The (none / 0) (#37)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 07:09:38 PM EST
    trailer

    Parent
    It's not hard for me (none / 0) (#42)
    by jondee on Tue Jul 05, 2022 at 09:17:17 PM EST
    to ascertain who he hates, after he was randomly spraying bullets into a crowd of his fellow humans including small children.

    I think it's's basically the same group the Gun Lobby hates.

    the DOJ tries to "look busy" (none / 0) (#51)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 12:51:38 PM EST

    Justice Department Targets Violent Crime Fugitives
    July 6, 2022 at 1:37 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 6 Comments

    "Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday hailed a month-long federal operation that led to the arrest of 1,500 fugitives, sex offenders and gang members in 10 large U.S. cities, pledging that the Justice Department will do more to confront surging rates of violent crime," the Washington Post reports.

    "The effort aimed to apprehend those who committed the most violent offenses, prioritizing suspects who used firearms."

    Round up the usual suspects

    Sex offenders? (5.00 / 2) (#55)
    by Peter G on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 01:40:18 PM EST
    I wonder how many of those 1500 were autistic and/or otherwise socially isolated men who like to look at pictures the federal statute classifies as child p*rn, and had done nothing else.

    Parent
    Were any of them (none / 0) (#57)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 02:18:33 PM EST
    autistic and/or otherwise socially isolated men who like to look at pictures the federal statute classifies as child p*rn, and had done nothing else.
    ?

    Parent
    If I understand your question mark correctly (5.00 / 1) (#59)
    by Peter G on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 04:11:11 PM EST
    I am saying that the people I described form a large portion of the "sex offenders" charged by the feds, in my experience. (I wonder whether Jeralyn agrees.) Most of the cases involve nothing like the charges against R. Kelly or Epstein/Maxwell. And in the article cited by Howdy, "sex offenders" were among the groups listed as "violent criminals" to bolster a hyped press release based on questionable (in my view) statistics. I hope that answers your question.

    Parent
    Well, I mean, 131 of the 1501 arrested (none / 0) (#60)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 04:34:24 PM EST
    were for sexual assault, so we know they did arrest at least 131 for violent sexual offenses.

    But your question implied, without supporting explanation or context, that autistic/lonely photo-gazers were also arrested. So I asked for confirmation that any such persons were actually arrested.

    I guess they'll release a full list of arrestees and charges at some point and we'll know for sure.

    Parent

    I don't trust the people who draft (5.00 / 2) (#61)
    by Peter G on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 09:25:19 PM EST
    DOJ press releases as far as I can spit. My wife represented a guy after 9-11 who was named on the DOJ's official list of "terrorists arrested at U.S. airports" for applying for a job as a food service worker at an airport restaurant, a job opportunity to which he was referred by his probation officer, after DHS issued an order prohibiting convicted felons from working past the TSA security barrier at airports. There was literally nothing else to the case. A jury found him not guilty. So no, I do not accept at face value a single word they say.

    Parent
    Fair enough. (none / 0) (#67)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jul 06, 2022 at 10:58:38 PM EST


    Parent
    Japan's Abe shot.. (none / 0) (#78)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 08, 2022 at 12:07:33 AM EST
    Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan and was airlifted to a hospital but he was not breathing and his heart had stopped, officials said.

    Local fire department official Makoto Morimoto said Abe was in cardio and pulmonary arrest after being shot and was taken to a prefectural hospital.

    He has succumbed to his wounds. (none / 0) (#79)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 08, 2022 at 12:34:08 PM EST


    Parent
    Jose Alba charged with murder (none / 0) (#82)
    by McBain on Sat Jul 09, 2022 at 10:36:04 AM EST
    despite video showing he was attacked first.
    Surveillance video from inside the Blue Moon Convenience Store on Broadway, near 139th Street, shows 35-year-old Austin Simon storm behind the counter and shove Alba into a wall. Moments later, a fight breaks out, and Alba grabs a knife, stabbing Simon at least three times.

    Investigators said the brawl started after Simon's girlfriend tried paying for a bag of chips, but her card was declined.


    At first his bail was set at $250,000 but after some public outrage it was lowered to $50,000.
    NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who was among the many who stopped by the bodega throughout the day on Thursday, said that it appeared Alba was acting in self-defense

    "It's time for New Yorkers and Americans to start standing up for people following the law. And that's what I'm going to do," the mayor said on Thursday


    The news report in the video claims Alba was also stabbed at some point during this conflict by a woman.

    Maybe the DA thought Alba should have turned his back at some point and run away? I'm not sure what NY law says, but if someone goes behind the register to attack a clerk, lethal force should be warranted in my opinion.


    Charges dropped (5.00 / 1) (#153)
    by McBain on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 06:01:45 PM EST
    Link
    Video clearly shows 61-year-old Jose Alba stab 35-year-old Austin Simon inside the Blue Moon Convenience Store, but Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said his office could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the incident was a homicide and that Alba may have been justified in his use of deadly physical force.

    Bodega workers and more had come out in support of Alba, asking Bragg to drop charges.


    I think this is the correct decision when you look at all the factors of this tragic event.  

    Parent
    Duty to retreat (none / 0) (#84)
    by BGinCA on Sat Jul 09, 2022 at 02:29:42 PM EST
    NYC has a 'duty to retreat' requirement when attacked. Looking at the video, I can't see any way Alba could have 'retreated' from Austin Simon, the attacker.

    Parent
    I see a strong case for self defense (none / 0) (#85)
    by McBain on Sat Jul 09, 2022 at 06:44:25 PM EST
    but the laws on this can get complicated.  Prosecutors might argue Alba had other options or his response wasn't proportionate.  Right now, he's very sympathetic to the court of public opinion which could help him if this goes to trial.

    Parent
    Ooh.. ooh.. Francis.. (none / 0) (#88)
    by desertswine on Sun Jul 10, 2022 at 05:48:16 PM EST
    President Joe Biden on Monday will unveil the much-anticipated first full-color image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, agency officials confirmed

    The image, known as "Webb's First Deep Field," will be the deepest and highest-resolution view of the universe ever captured, showing myriad galaxies as they appeared up to 13 billion years in the past, according to NASA.

    NASA will brief the president and vice president on Monday, agency officials said, and the first image will be revealed at an event at 5 p.m. EDT at the White House.

    This is gonna be good.

    It really is (none / 0) (#89)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Jul 10, 2022 at 07:11:34 PM EST
    I guess they moved it up a day for Joe.  It's been scheduled for Tues for a long time.

    That deep field pic is (I think) only part of what they were planning to show

    Maybe more on Tues?

    Parent

    NASA tweet today (none / 0) (#90)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Jul 10, 2022 at 07:16:40 PM EST

    The wait is almost over! 🌟

    The full set of Webb's first images & data will be revealed in less than 2 days. On July 12, watch our broadcast LIVE at 10:30 am ET (14:30 UTC) on any of
    @NASA
    's streaming platforms, including Twitter. Count down with us: http://webb.nasa.gov/countdown

    twitter

    Parent

    They are pi$$ing me off (none / 0) (#92)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 11, 2022 at 04:50:44 PM EST
    First was 5 then 5:30.  It's 6.  Show us the damn picture.  

    Parent
    Here it is (none / 0) (#93)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 11, 2022 at 05:50:00 PM EST
    an area of sky the size of a grain of sand held at arm's length

    Parent
    Fabuloso.. (none / 0) (#95)
    by desertswine on Mon Jul 11, 2022 at 11:07:47 PM EST


    Parent
    The first phrase (none / 0) (#96)
    by jondee on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 07:07:20 AM EST
    that leaps to mind is "teaming with life," though the chronically sober-minded would no doubt characterize that as an unwarranted assertion.

    Parent
    Yeah (none / 0) (#97)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 07:53:03 AM EST
    It does.  The Hubble deep field was impressive supposedly using a piece of the sky the size of the full moon but the idea all those thousands of galaxies can hide behind a grain of sand, at arm's length, tends to boggle the brain.

    Parent
    I guess it's 'teeming' (none / 0) (#98)
    by jondee on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 08:25:50 AM EST
    but not according to my idiotic spell check.

    But, it could be both teeming and teaming.

    Could be those socialistic tentacle-heads are lining up to run a Green Bay Sweep on us.

    Parent

    Just heard (none / 0) (#99)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 09:21:01 AM EST
    4 more images will be released this afternoon.

    Parent
    Interesting situation developing (none / 0) (#94)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 11, 2022 at 07:48:23 PM EST
    in my state around recreational pot ballot measures.

    There will, apparently, be a chance to vote for it in  the fall but oddly NORML will probably oppose it and even may go to court to stop it.

    The point being they want a different measure to pass, apparently in 2024, that would include tdhe right to grow at home.

    I think if it's not the ballot in NOV it will pass.

    Signatures submitted for recreational marijuana amandment

    I swear, if the (none / 0) (#100)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 04:48:56 PM EST
    orange mobster is not prosecuted for his crimes, not only will this country not survive, it DOES NOT DESERVE to survive.

    Congress should disband, the Constitution burned and 50 new independent countries created.

    Casey White has been indicted (none / 0) (#101)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 05:00:13 PM EST
    for the felony murder of Vicky White in Alabama.

    Never been a fan of felony murder charges. This one is total BS. Charge him with escape and any and all other crimes committed during his escape. But Vicky White willingly participated in his escape and her death was ruled a suicide. I don't believe Casey White should be held accountable for her death. Her death was brought on 100% by her own actions.

    Pretty hypothetical (none / 0) (#102)
    by BGinCA on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 05:08:31 PM EST
    since he's currently serving 75 yrs, and capital murder charges for a separate homicide and escape.

    Parent
    It's Alabama. (none / 0) (#103)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Jul 12, 2022 at 05:15:14 PM EST
    They'll kill him twice. No money for schools or much of anything else, but "by golly we'll spend money to make sure he's gud and daid."

    Parent
    To the GQPers who still support (none / 0) (#110)
    by Chuck0 on Wed Jul 13, 2022 at 05:44:48 PM EST
    the orange mobster or say they will vote for him if he is the GQP nominee, you are all traitors. You have turned into a party of traitors. You have put party before country

    This is pretty funny (none / 0) (#113)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 14, 2022 at 05:49:11 PM EST

    Hillary Clinton uses Trump's tweets against him in `drily humorous' lawsuit motion

    Ha (none / 0) (#121)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 08:57:01 AM EST
    P Wire


    Olivia Nuzzi's incredible interview with Donald Trump yesterday but it's worth pausing to admire her lede:

    "Donald Trump was impeached twice, lost the 2020 election by 7,052,770 votes, is entangled in investigations by federal prosecutors (over the Capitol insurrection and over the mishandling of classified White House documents and over election interference) and the District of Columbia attorney general (over financial fraud at the Presidential Inaugural Committee) and the Manhattan district attorney (over financial fraud at the Trump Organization) and the New York State attorney general (over financial fraud at the Trump Organization) and the Westchester County district attorney (over financial fraud at the Trump Organization) and the Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney (over criminal election interference in Georgia) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (over rules violations in plans to take his social-media company public through a SPAC) and the House Select Committee on January 6 (whose hearings are the runaway TV-ratings hit of the summer), yet on Monday, July 11, he was in a fantastic mood."

    link

    His dreams (none / 0) (#122)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 10:08:09 AM EST
    have Roy Cohn telling him to run as his only legal defense. He, of course, is absurd, but the real absurdity is that most Republicans  will vote for him.  The odds are, in my view, that he will sweep the Republican primary and be the fascist's nominee.  He may be running from a jail cell, but he will be the nominee.  

    Parent
    FYLTGE (none / 0) (#123)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 10:51:33 AM EST


    Parent
    The depositions (none / 0) (#124)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 12:51:16 PM EST
    of Trump, Junior, Ivanka and Eric, for today by the NY Attorney General as part of a civil investigation, have been postponed at the request of the Trump's attorney.  The delay request was granted due to the death of Trump's first wife, Ivana--mother of Junior, Ivanka and Eric.

    Andrea Mitchell, for some reason, seemed shocked that Trump's notice of Ivana's death was "fund-raising off this".  The notice carried the statement "Donate to Save America".  What will it take for the media to learn?
     

    Parent

    Andrea (5.00 / 1) (#135)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 06:29:43 PM EST
    Mitchell needs to retire or be retired. There was another incident recently with similar behavior.

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    103 degrees... (none / 0) (#125)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 04:45:48 PM EST
    It's like that Twilight Zone where it's so hot that the paintings melt.

    It's only 100 here today (none / 0) (#126)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 04:57:32 PM EST
    but the heat is coming back I guess.

    I was out doing some stuff today.  Just about had a stroke.

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    There is a heat advisory (none / 0) (#128)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 05:04:20 PM EST
    I just looked.

    108 on Wed.

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    Temps (none / 0) (#129)
    by FlJoe on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 05:23:46 PM EST
    have been normal around here, but it's been freakishly dry with none of our cooling afternoon storms.


    Parent
    Weather (none / 0) (#144)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 05:00:39 PM EST

    Forecast



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    Google told me (none / 0) (#152)
    by desertswine on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 05:43:09 PM EST
    that it was 111 in OKC today, where I used to live. I don't ever remember it being that hot.

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    The Old Man on FX (none / 0) (#127)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 05:01:33 PM EST
    this is really good

    It just finished the first season.  Great cast. Including an almost uncredited Joel Grey.

    His name is in the closing credits, .. (none / 0) (#131)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 05:51:33 PM EST
    ... which is curious because as we just learned last night, HE'S "The Old Man" - not Jeff Bridges or John Lithgow. Maybe they should list him in the opening credits as "(And Joel Grey)".

    ;-D

    Parent

    I thought (5.00 / 1) (#136)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 06:33:55 PM EST
    when I wrote that comment 6 was the last episode.  I thought I read that.  Clearly it's not.  

    I'm glad.

    Parent

    You got me interested in the series (none / 0) (#139)
    by MO Blue on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 03:03:10 PM EST
    According to google, it has 7 episodes in season 1 and has been renewed for another season.

    Will have to watch it.  

    Parent

    The series that I was confusing it with (none / 0) (#143)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 04:46:22 PM EST
    that had 6 episodes is Dark Winds.  On AMC (I think).

    It also just finished a season.  Also very good.  But The Old Man is great.  Some great characters to play with for season 2.

    Parent

    Another piece of info on series (none / 0) (#140)
    by MO Blue on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 03:05:54 PM EST
    Although, the fact that The Old Man has been renewed does come as somewhat of a surprise as the series is based on a standalone novel that does not have a sequel, meaning that the writers will have to craft their own story for season 2.

    I wondered how that would work.

    Parent

    If you look at that Google search (none / 0) (#134)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 15, 2022 at 06:27:05 PM EST
    and click on cast he's not listed.

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    Just noticed that the series (none / 0) (#137)
    by MO Blue on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 02:48:01 PM EST
    is based on a book by Thomas Perry. I read the book when it first came out and if the series is as good as the book, it will be great.

    I think I've read all of his books and always enjoy them.

    Parent

    Well I finally joined the multitude of (none / 0) (#138)
    by MO Blue on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 02:58:22 PM EST
    those who got Covid. Prior to last week, me and my oldest grandson were the only immediate family members that had not gotten Covid. Now my oldest grandson has that distinction by himself.

    Mild symptoms, not unlike those I normally get this time of year from allergies. That is one of the many reasons it is hard to determine if you actually have Covid. If I took a test every time I had these symptoms, I'd have to test every few days. I was having worse symptoms 3 or 4 weeks ago and they were caused by my allergies since I tested negative. Not sure I would have tested last week if I had not found out that someone I had contact with was diagnosed with it.

    Glad your (none / 0) (#141)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 03:14:46 PM EST
    symptoms are mild and I hope you get over your symptoms soon.

    Parent
    Yes. Supposedly, alergy-type sneezing, (none / 0) (#142)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 04:15:58 PM EST
    stuffy head, etc., are listed as common symptoms when you've been vaxed.

    My whole family had it a month or two ago, and you can add profound hangover-type symptoms (splitting headache, nausea, exhaustion, etc.) to the list.

    Parent

    Ask your doctor whether (none / 0) (#145)
    by Peter G on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at 06:52:12 PM EST
    Paxlovid would be appropriate for those symptoms with the variety you likely have and whether you qualify for the free government emergency program for using it. It worked well for my wife and me in knocking back the most annoying symptoms after 3-4 days.

    Parent
    Discussed this very subject with (none / 0) (#149)
    by MO Blue on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 07:55:41 AM EST
    my doctor. The drug is to be administered 1-5 days from when symptoms occurred. I had already passed the 5 days when I talked to my doctor.

    I had more troublesome symptoms approximately 4 weeks ago and went through the whole testing routine and tested negative. Confirming my opinion, that allergies were causing the symptoms. When symptoms occurred early last week, I brushed them off believing they were once again due to allergies set off by being around growing things. I tested because someone I spent time with got Covid.  Not allergies this time.

    Parent

    I can totally relate to the (none / 0) (#150)
    by Peter G on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 08:35:14 AM EST
    psychological pressure to want to explain the symptoms as something else and to deny you have Covid after avoiding it for more than two years. Can't remember what persuaded us to test, but I am very glad we did in time to get the medicine.

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    I have these same symptoms for (none / 0) (#155)
    by MO Blue on Wed Jul 20, 2022 at 09:15:18 AM EST
    several months throughout the year. Haven't figured out how to distinguish them from my ongoing allergy symptoms or what actions I need to take. I know several other people are struggling with the same problem.

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    Best. Wishes (5.00 / 2) (#156)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jul 20, 2022 at 10:42:03 AM EST
    for a speedy recovery.

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    I have a feeling that you're going to.. (none / 0) (#147)
    by desertswine on Tue Jul 19, 2022 at 01:11:36 AM EST
    kick that Covid in its fat butt.

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    Whatever you are doing (none / 0) (#158)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 21, 2022 at 12:58:10 PM EST
    stop doing it.

    Watchdog  Orders Secret Service to Stop Investigation
    July 21, 2022 at 11:19 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 77 Comments

    "The Department of Homeland Security inspector general has directed the Secret Service to stop its internal investigations into what happened to text messages related to January 6 that may have been deleted," CNN reports.

    "The inspector general wrote that the Secret Service should stop investigating the matter because it could interfere with the inspector general's own investigation into what happened to the agency's text messages."
    This is a disgrace (none / 0) (#159)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 22, 2022 at 04:30:22 PM EST
    It would be funny if it was not so dangerous.

     Voters Don't Know Infrastructure Bill Passed
    July 22, 2022 at 2:05 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 126 Comments

    A new Impact Research poll finds that just 24% of voters are aware that President Biden's infrastructure bill passed Congress and was signed into law.

    An astonishing 76% think the bill never passed Congress or don't know whether it passed or not.
    Bannon guilty. (none / 0) (#160)
    by Chuck0 on Fri Jul 22, 2022 at 05:03:58 PM EST
    Two counts. Next.

    Guilty of the "misdemeanor from hell'.. (none / 0) (#162)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 22, 2022 at 05:12:46 PM EST
    Shouldn't he be in jail soon?  As in "Lock him up, lock him up."

    Parent
    Chuck Berry... (5.00 / 1) (#163)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 22, 2022 at 05:19:17 PM EST
    Thirty Days

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    To be (none / 0) (#164)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 22, 2022 at 06:41:15 PM EST
    sentenced October. 21.

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    Good (none / 0) (#165)
    by FlJoe on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 06:51:43 AM EST
    he can sit out the election in the pokey.


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    Looking for One More Trump Book (none / 0) (#166)
    by RickyJim on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 09:40:43 AM EST
    Which is the best one devoted to what makes the  Trump voter tick?  There seem to be very few books like that compared to the number devoted to Trump himself.

    The Amertican (5.00 / 4) (#167)
    by KeysDan on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 10:20:49 AM EST
    Psychiatry Journal

    Parent
    The coverage of the Bannon conviction (none / 0) (#168)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 12:10:24 PM EST
    for contempt of Congress, with sentencing scheduled for October, has been misleading in terms of what penalty he faces.  The statute, as written, appears at first glance to make mandatory a jail term of at least 30 days and a fine of at least $100. But surrounding precedent governing federal criminal penalty statutes shows that reading to be wrong. Yes, if jail time is imposed it cannot be less than 30 days or more than one year on each count. And yes, if a fine is imposed it cannot be less than $100.  But the "and" between the fine amounts and jail time provision will be interpreted to mean "or." And because the statute does not expressly prohibit probation, the judge can substitute probation for imprisonment. And under a 1987 statute, the maximum fine on each count is really $100,000 not the $1000 stated in the contempt statute.

    But can the judge ... (none / 0) (#183)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Jul 26, 2022 at 02:53:28 AM EST
    ... sub out Steve Bannon's jail sentence and fine in favor of flying him to Honolulu, taking him to Pearl Harbor and then having him keelhauled under the battleship USS Missouri?

    I'd pay good money to see that.

    Parent

    Don't put Bannon in water without (none / 0) (#188)
    by Jack E Lope on Tue Jul 26, 2022 at 07:12:05 PM EST
    ...first filing an Environmental Impact Statement.

    Parent
    Of (none / 0) (#189)
    by FlJoe on Wed Jul 27, 2022 at 05:17:55 AM EST
    course the EPA would not allow it, then  the Supremes would overrule them. Proving that irony is not dead.

    Parent
    My guess (none / 0) (#169)
    by KeysDan on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 01:36:55 PM EST
    is 60 days, 30 per count, in jail.  The federal district judge, Carl Nichols, was appointed by TFG and he clerked for Clarence Thomas, so maybe much more lenient.

    If anybody (5.00 / 2) (#173)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 02:52:21 PM EST
    is tempting a judge to give them the maximum sentence it is Bannon.

    Running that mouth in prison is going to repeatedly get him in trouble.

    Parent

    The judge has not seemed (none / 0) (#170)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 02:26:51 PM EST
    sympathetic or impressed.

    He might want to take an opportunity to show he's not TFGs guy.  And let him have it.  I hope.

    Parent

    I hope so, too. (5.00 / 2) (#174)
    by KeysDan on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 03:57:20 PM EST
    It will be interesting to see what the presentencing investigative report brings as well as the recommendation of the DOJ.

    Alan Dershowitz claims the verdict "entirely violates the Constitution "because the DC juries are all Trump haters."   He, apparently, is still angry that he is not invited to those nice parties on Martha's Vineyard.  He will have to be satisfied with a massage by an old Russian women (with his shorts on, of course.)

    Parent

    Dersh's "argument" about DC juries (5.00 / 2) (#176)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 06:55:28 PM EST
    was decided against him by the federal appeals Court in the appeal of the Watergate conspirators. The remedy is careful selection of individual fairminded (but not necessarily ignorant or politically disengaged) jurors. No need to move the trial out of the area. The Supreme Court held the same just last year in the appeal of the Boston Marathon bomber. Ok to use jurors from the Boston area, so long as each was carefully questioned and carefully selected.

    Parent
    Bannon's ultimate punishment (none / 0) (#177)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 08:55:34 PM EST
    is being Steve Bannon, for the rest of his life.

    Parent
    PSA (none / 0) (#171)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 02:28:56 PM EST
    SLING now has a Mystery Science Theater 3000 channel.

    I've been stuck on it for days.

    The Old Man certainly set things up for a season 2.

    They also have (none / 0) (#172)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 02:30:29 PM EST
    A Carol Burnett channel and an Elvis Presley channel.

    Parent
    Oil industry funded (none / 0) (#175)
    by desertswine on Sat Jul 23, 2022 at 05:46:55 PM EST
    shill climatologist dies. Patrick J. Michaels obit.

    Of course, his death may be an alarmist overstatement.

    I think Mother Nature's had enough. (none / 0) (#178)
    by Chuck0 on Sun Jul 24, 2022 at 06:45:31 PM EST
    COVID, monkey pox, wildfires, hurricanes, shark attacks. Humans have squandered their time on this planet and now the planet is taking it's due. Mother Nature is taking the future of the planet into her own hands and is doing what she must to eliminate the threat. By eliminating the humans who inhabit her domain.
    It would be a shame (none / 0) (#179)
    by Natal on Mon Jul 25, 2022 at 01:05:21 PM EST
    if this cosmic experiment of the almighty were to fail. But there are innumerable others in this universe and others that will succeed.


    Parent
    Maybe he/she is a cosmic (none / 0) (#180)
    by jondee on Mon Jul 25, 2022 at 02:44:27 PM EST
    jazz musician like Thelonius Monk, who adds intentional clinkers in as an integral part of the musical performance.

    And maybe we need a celestial Buddy Rich to come down and give the whole band a tongue lashing and whip 'em into shape. I think so.

    Parent

    Amazon Users beware (none / 0) (#187)
    by jmacWA on Tue Jul 26, 2022 at 03:04:33 PM EST
    We have been ordering our cat food from Amazon since the pandemic started as they typically had the best price.

    Much to our surprise an order arrived today that we expected to be 24 cans, but it was only 12.  Upon looking at the order, it did clearly state it was 12 cans, but the order was placed from our wish list, and it seems Amazon went thru and modified all the entries that said 24 cans now to 12 cans.

    As if Bezos isn't rich enough.

    What's worse than a monkeypox outbreak? (none / 0) (#190)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 27, 2022 at 04:43:18 PM EST

    Japanese city alarmed by biting, clawing, attacking monkeys

    Got my second booster Tuesday (none / 0) (#191)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Jul 28, 2022 at 08:37:17 AM EST
    (4th total COVID vaccine). Wednesday was a rough day. Felt like I was pushed down the stairs, dragged outside, run over my three cars, dragged back upstairs and pushed down the stairs again. Worse reaction to all the shots.
    Sorry to hear that, ChuckO (none / 0) (#193)
    by Peter G on Thu Jul 28, 2022 at 12:09:50 PM EST
    My wife and I hardly felt our 4th shots at all. I wonder whether your reaction was related to what a bad case you had when you were ill.

    Parent
    Sounds like your immune (none / 0) (#194)
    by jondee on Thu Jul 28, 2022 at 12:26:57 PM EST
    system has turned into biting, clawing winged monkeys.

    Even though you probably don't feel like it all, a little more sunshine and fresh air might help. It seems to nudge things in a positive direction when I'm feeling awful.

    Hope you get on the upswing soon.

    Parent

    I was fine by Thursday (5.00 / 2) (#195)
    by Chuck0 on Fri Jul 29, 2022 at 10:05:30 AM EST
    after a good night's sleep. The effects of this shot were just a bit unexpected after the first three.

    Parent
    Fourth of July Open Thread | 194 comments (194 topical)